Chapter 7 – Valentine
A/N: I hope you all enjoy 3
OOO
Kurama sat in his office on the 5th floor, smirking to himself. For at least the eighth time that morning, he'd felt Botan's energy flitting about his building. She had flown in front of his window each time, checking to see if he was there no doubt. The deity never came too close and he figured she probably thought he wouldn't detect her from a distance. But the kitsune was much too sensitive for that.
He was well aware the deity was not-so-casually swinging by because of it being Valentine's Day. She'd been gone most of the day before with Keiko and while she hadn't divulged what they had been up to, her clothes had smelled heavily of chocolate upon her return. Her ability to be sneaky was commendable and if Kurama had been human he might've been fooled.
Clearly, she was waiting for Kurama to leave so she could sneak in and drop off the chocolates. Unfortunately for Botan, Kurama had locked himself in his office all day to avoid receiving chocolates from his coworkers. His first Valentine's Day working at his stepfather's company had been unpleasant and awkward, to say the least.
It appeared that Kurama's looks could attract fangirls even in a professional setting.
This year he had taken precautions. He'd managed to save up enough work to keep him busy all day and had even asked his floor's receptionist to not let anyone disturb him. He had absolutely no plans on leaving his office.
He felt her approaching again, how many times did this make it? He wondered if he ought to cut the deity some slack, but leaving would run the risk of being cornered. A better idea came to mind and before Botan got close enough to the window he walked to the other side of his desk and crouched down out of sight.
The deity peeked inside, upon seeking Kurama was no longer at his desk she drifted in while still in spirit form. Taking on her physical form she walked quietly to the desk and moved to lay a blue and white bag down. But right as she released it, Kurama's hand reached out from the other side of the desk and grasped her wrist.
He stood quickly and moved his free hand to her mouth, muffling her scream of shock. Laughing quietly he shushed her, "Only me!"
Roseate eyes glared daggers as he released her. "You jerk!" she quietly seethed. "You were hiding! How did you know I was here?"
He cocked a brow, "Did you really think I wouldn't detect your energy?"
"I was meters away!"
Kurama shook his head, "I've really got to show you how to conceal yourself." His eyes fell to the bag and but Botan snatched it away and hid it in her kimono sleeve.
"No! Now you have to wait for chocolate." She huffed, earning another stifled chortle from the kitsune. "Keep it up. I'll give it to someone else who won't scare the daylights out of me."
Kurama crossed to the other side of his desk to block her from leaving. His laughter died down and he grasped her hand, eyes still filled with mirth. "Please, I'm sorry. I couldn't resist teasing you." She turned her face away, still frowning. Moving closer, he placed his hands on the desk, trapping her between his arms. Though he wasn't laughing he was wearing a decidedly smug smile, "How can I make it up to you?"
"You can't." She said flatly. "I had such a nice little surprise planned and you ruined it."
"Ah yes," He sighed. Leaning in so that their eyes were level he said, "What if I treat you to lunch?" She finally made eye contact.
"It's unfair for you to use that face like this. But…I am hungry," she relented, pinching his arm as he fought back another bout of laughter. "But you don't get your chocolate until after lunch. When can we go?"
Smiling in silent triumph, Kurama suggested she meet him downstairs in twenty minutes. He instructed her to go to the security desk in the lobby and ask for him. After Botan departed to quickly change out of her kimono, Kurama called his floor's receptionist.
"Chiyo, I'll have a guest arriving in a few minutes," He said. "Her name is Botan."
Chiyo was a kind, motherly woman in her late 50s. Kurama was always happy to speak with her and knew he could always count on her for anything and she rarely asked questions. She was a true work ally and quite formidable, but even she was not immune to the draw of gossip.
"A lady?" She asked slyly. "This wouldn't happen to be the lovely young woman I heard accompanied you at the awards ceremony, would it?"
Kurama shook his head in fascination with her boldness, "Yes. This would be her." He knew Chiyo was also capable of discretion and that she would not share their discussion.
She took a sharp intake of breath, "Ooh! And is she your girlfriend?"
The kitsune closed his eyes and sighed inwardly. While he and Botan agreed that she would play the part of his girlfriend there was still something strange about it. Stranger still was how quickly Kurama was becoming accustomed to telling others they were in a relationship. Though it felt natural to say it, there was a deeper concern there that he would eventually have to confront.
For now, he could tuck it away.
"Yes," he confirmed. The confession was enough to sate Chiyo's curiosity and after a quiet chuckle, she agreed to keep an ear out for the call.
Exactly twenty minutes later Botan arrived and asked for Shuichi Minamino at the front desk. Chiyo called Kurama's office and let him know she was there in a sing-song voice and giving him a sly, knowing smile as he headed towards the elevator. He paused momentarily before stepping onto the lift, tempted to take the stairs, before ultimately stepping through the doors and pressing the first-floor button.
He waited as the doors closed and descended. He'd hoped there would be no interruptions, as he was still trying to avoid female coworkers, but he was unsurprised when the elevator stopped at the fourth floor. He was mildly surprised, however, when Maya joined him.
"Fuck," he thought silently.
"Shuichi!" She said brightly, "It's so nice to see you!"
Kurama greeted her politely while pressing the first-floor button again, hoping the elevator ride would be short. "Yes," he said. "It's nice to see you as well."
He could hear her heart hammering against her chest, her face was flushed.
"Fuck, fuck," he said to himself, again smashing the button. "Should I get off on three?" His emerald gaze fell to a small bag in the human woman's hands as the scent of chocolate filled the small elevator.
"I'm actually glad I bumped into you," Maya said, her grip tightened on the handles of the bag.
"Ah," Kurama mused. "I would love to chat, but I'm afraid I-"
The words died in his throat. There was a sudden burst of strong, unfamiliar energy. The elevator came to an abrupt halt, the lights flashed once, then twice as the building shook. The groaning of steel roared around them and they were thrust into darkness. A small green light blinked slowly and there was a long beeping tone before ebbing into a dial tone and then into silence.
The energy immediately disappeared. All of Kurama's senses were on high alert, yet there was no sign of whatever had caused the disturbance.
"What just happened?" Maya asked in a panicked voice. The dull green light stopped flashing and became solid, filling the lift with enough light that Kurama could see Maya's terrified expression.
"It's alright," he said, though truthfully he wasn't sure of that, "there must have been an earthquake. The power is out but the building has a generator…" Kurama tried a few buttons but none of them lit up and his face fell into a scowl. "This elevator is supposed to be powered by the emergency generator specifically for this exact scenario."
"S-supposed to be? You mean it isn't?"
Kurama knelt down and pushed a part of the control panel that opened to reveal a telephone. He picked it up and was relieved to hear a dial tone, "It appears that only the phone line has power." There was no keypad, only a single 0 that would ring directly to the security desk. The phone rang a few times before finally being answered.
The lead security officer confirmed Kurama's suspicion. There had been an earthquake and the power to the building was off, only the Exit signs and some of the phone lines were working. The building itself seemed to sustain no damage, but they were in the process of evacuating. Kurama knew the security guard would not know why the generator wasn't working and didn't bother asking about it, but he did ask for emergency services to be alerted. The security guard agreed and said he would update them as soon as possible.
Kurama sighed and relayed the message to Maya after hanging up. "We may be here for a while," he said. Maya whimpered in response. "The best thing to do is sit here and wait."
They sat in silence for a long while. Kurama mulled over how easily he could escape, but it would take a lot of explaining to Maya and might possibly lead to having to wipe her memories of the event. It wasn't worth the risk. His thoughts drifted to Botan, concerned for her safety, but he hoped she would not show up in spirit form to check on him.
After some time had passed the temperature within the elevator shaft increased, making the air thick and hot. Kurama pulled his tie loose and removed his jacket, trying to adjust as much as possible.
"How long do you think we'll be here?" Maya asked suddenly.
Before the kitsune could answer, the phone rang. On the other end was the security guard, "Mr. Minamino, emergency services are on the way."
"Thank you for the update…I believe we're stuck somewhere between the third and fourth floors." Kurama ran a hand through his hair, the air was becoming thick and hot. "I had a guest waiting in the lobby for me…"
"Oh, yes sir," the guard responded. "The young lady with blue hair?"
"Yes."
"She asked about you specifically, I let her know the situation. Would you like me to relay a message, sir?"
Kurama sighed, "Please tell her we're fine and that she should wait outside with everyone." He paused before continuing, "Tell her I said she is not to step foot in this building. Do not let her back inside, no matter what. She needs to keep a safe distance."
His tone was firm and he hoped the guard would convey his seriousness to Botan. The guard assented and they hung up the phone. He sat down across from Maya and crossed his arms. "Hopefully they will be here shortly," he informed. Maya nodded without speaking, but a sniffle made Kurama glance at her. "Are you okay?"
She nodded again and wiped her face. "It's just scary," she sniffed. He could tell she was lying but didn't wish to prod.
"Scary indeed," he agreed after a moment. The air fell into quiet again, Kurama closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. Botan was still on his mind, he knew she would be concerned but was confident that she would keep a level head after receiving his message. This wasn't the first time they'd experienced something like this. She would know what to do.
The deity was always reliable in desperate situations. She knew when to back off, when to fight, and when to flee. A smile crept to his face despite the potential danger, though Kurama was certain the threat had passed.
Maya cleared her throat, dragging him from his thoughts.
"I heard…I heard about your win at the awards show over the weekend," she said. "I didn't get the chance to congratulate you."
"Oh," he replied. "Thank you. All thanks to the team, of course."
"Mmhm," she hummed. "That's wonderful."
Tension filled the atmosphere and Maya shifted uncomfortably. Kurama eyed her curiously; her heart was still pounding hard and was increasing as the seconds passed.
"Well," she continued, "I was actually about to go up to your floor when the elevator opened and just happened to see you here. I wanted to congratulate you in person and…" she squeezed the bag in her hands slightly. "And I wanted to give you…"
"Maya," Kurama started, "this really isn't the time-"
Wordlessly she handed held out the bag, eyes squeezed shut. Kurama stared at the bag before him, wondering if he should accept or decline. He could use the excuse of Botan, it wouldn't be right to accept chocolates when he supposedly had a girlfriend. But the gentleman in him didn't want to hurt her by declining the gift.
"I…" the words caught in his throat as he eyed the young woman. He was overcome with sympathy for her. She was lovely both in personality and appearance and Kurama thought that he might have even been interested in her, had the circumstances been different. But the truth was that he didn't. He thought of Botan.
While the part of her playing his girlfriend was to deter women from hounding him, the kitsune always felt a sense of guilt using her as an excuse. He considered, however, that turning Maya down outright would largely be for her own benefit. There was always a chance that an enemy might misread the human's involvement in his life and could put her in danger.
"Maya," he sighed and gently refused the chocolate. Her brown eyes opened wide in question. "You've met Botan…if I were to accept this it would hurt her."
Her face flushed in shame and she dropped her gaze. "Y-yes," she said. "I know…it's just that I…I thought it wouldn't hurt trying."
"I see." He replied. "But even if I were single, it wouldn't be appropriate as I'm an indirect supervisor."
Maya blinked up at him slowly, "And if we weren't at the same company?"
He released a breathy scoff at her boldness and shook his head. He would have to be firm, "I am just not interested in pursuing a relationship with you, Maya." The shock and hurt on her face made guilt pound at Kurama's conscience. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so tactless."
"No," she replied. "It's...I suppose it needed to be said."
He looked away from her, covering his face with his hand. As the silence continued to stretch on their situation had turned from cumbersome to insufferable. The minutes ticked by and stretched on for nearly an hour when there came several loud voices from outside of the elevator shaft not much longer later. "They're here."
It didn't take long for the firemen to wedge open the doors. They were only a foot or two away from the third floor and could safely jump onto the landing. Kurama helped Maya escape first and then followed her out before they all took the stairs down. As they exited the building the cold air was a relief from the insufferable heat they'd endured for the past hour.
The streets were filled with salary men and women, the nearby shopkeepers, and emergency staff. Frightened, concerned voices and sirens filled the air, people were crying and screaming.
"Kitajima!" Kurama and Maya turned to find two salary women rushing toward them. Maya cried out in relief as the women hugged her, Kurama recognized them from the same department Maya was in. As the three of them spoke in hushed voices, he scanned the crowd looking for familiar faces.
Botan's voice broke through the crowd, "Shuichi!" He turned towards her voice as she pushed past the crowd of people, no longer clad in her kimono but in a loose green turtleneck, brown slacks, and a cross-body purse. She tripped as she ran towards him and fell into his arms as he caught her. She threw her arms around his neck and embraced him. "I was so worried!"
He breathed in her scent and squeezed her close before releasing her. Her face was etched with concern. "I'm fine," he assured.
"Ack, you're a sweaty mess!" Hands shaking, she pulled a handkerchief from her bag and patted at the beads of sweat still on his skin.
"Did you feel that surge of energy?" Kurama asked her telepathically.
She nodded almost unperceptively, "I heard there's a woman with blue hair missing!" Her lower lip quivered and welled with tears. "Something's not right."
He cupped her face with his hands. "It'll be okay," he said aloud.
"Whatever or whoever did this is gone now," he added telepathically. She nodded her head in response, afraid that if she spoke the tears would fall.
"Did you have a chance to check on Yusuke and the others?"
"No," she said after taking a deep breath to keep her tears at bay. "After your message, the security guard wouldn't let me out of his sight. He only just let me go because they said you were out."
Kurama released a mirthless laugh, "And he was able to keep you all this time? I'll have to ensure they all receive raises."
"Now's not the time for jokes," she chastised, though a small smile did lift the corners of her mouth. "I can go now to check on Yusuke."
"No," his sharp eyes spotted his stepfather among the crowd. Though the kitsune wanted to leave he knew it would be best to speak to Hatanaka first. "Wait here, I have to talk to my dad. Do not move from this spot."
"Alrigh-" Botan's voice died in her throat when their eyes locked. His emerald gaze beheld a yearning she didn't dare admit to hoping for. His crimson brows knit together ever so slightly and she felt him tense as though he were trying to stop himself from something. In the blink of an eye the spell was broken and he stepped back.
"I'll be right back. Wait for me." He took off, walking quickly toward his stepfather.
Botan's heart thumped heavily in her chest, a shaky breath escaped her and though she wanted desperately to find a safe space to take to the air, she stayed rooted to the spot. She felt several pairs of eyes on her and whipped her head around.
Maya and her coworkers were staring, having watched the exchange between the deity and Kurama. Botan swallowed the lump in her throat and approached them. "Hello, Maya, are you alright? Ku, uh, Sh-Shuichi, and you were in the elevator for so long. That must have been terrifying!"
Maya nodded but was strangely quiet and avoided making eye contact with Botan, the other two women seemed to be staring daggers at the deity. She couldn't understand what she might have done but had the sinking feeling it had to do with her being near Kurama. She almost rolled her eyes.
Of all the times to suffer the ire of Kurama's fangirls, it had to be during a crisis.
As she continued to wait for Kurama an older gentleman in a Family Mart apron approached her, mistaking her for one of his coworkers. A young woman by the name of Toru with hair very similar in color to Botan, the missing woman had also worn her hair in a ponytail. She did her best to comfort the man, but knew deep down the girl was gone.
The older gentleman wasn't the last person looking for a blue-haired woman. Four other people came around looking for their blue-haired friends, one of whom was a young teen looking for his girlfriend. He was in tears and explained that he and his girlfriend had been at the nearby coffee shop when the earthquake hit, the power had flickered for a minute and when it turned back on she was gone. The others told similar stories.
One moment their loved one was there and the next they were gone without a trace.
As the number of missing girls increased so too did the pit of dread in Botan's stomach. When Kurama came back he found her face ashen and her eyes filled with unshed tears. He grasped her hand wordlessly and led her away from the crowds. Only when they reached an empty alley did they stop.
Botan leaned against the wall of the alley and buried her face in her hands.
"What happened?" Kurama asked, staying close to her.
She paused before lifting her head, "There are more women missing, just like the others. Something really bad is going on."
They shared a solemn, hushed gaze before he spoke, "We need to get to the temple."
OOO
The others were already gathered at the temple when Botan and Kurama arrived, including Hiei who had been in Ningenkai checking on Yukina. Yusuke explained that they'd all felt the disturbance and had gathered.
"I didn't expect you two to be the last to get here," he said gruffly, staring suspiciously between the two of them.
"We were closest to the power source. Unfortunately, I was trapped and unable to find it before it vanished." Kurama explained calmly. He ignored the somewhat skeptical glare of Yusuke and turned to Botan, asking her to contact Koenma. She nodded before excusing herself to another room to use the communication mirror. The kitsune resumed, "There's something you should know."
He went on to explain the situation regarding the missing youkai, to which Hiei seemed to bristle and glance Yukina's way.
"Do you think they're looking for Yukina?" Kuwabara asked, clearly with the same mindset as Hiei and the events of Yukina being held as a prisoner in the past.
"We can't rule it out," Kurama replied. "But the fact of the matter is that we are completely blind to their intentions. And for multiple women to be spirited away at the exact same instance leads me to believe they're methodical."
Yusuke nodded, "It might be a group of 'em, even."
"True," Kuwabara agreed. "How many girls does this make now?"
"At least 26," Koenma stated as he entered with Botan. He was in teenage form, slightly out of breath, and his hair was stuck to his skin with sweat. "I had to sneak away. The Spirit World council doesn't want to be involved so I am technically not supposed to be here."
Yusuke scowled, "What the hell? Aren't you the king now?"
Koenma sighed, "Yes, but it's…complicated. With my father's past exploits, our relationship with Makai is tenuous at best." He glanced around at everyone, grateful for them having gathered on their own. "The council feels this is Makai's issue since all of the women are youkai. While I disagree, it will take some convincing before I can do anything about it…officially, at least."
The young king explained that he'd been concerned from the first moment Botan had brought it to his attention and that he'd given her orders to examine the situation in secret. Kurama stole a glance at Botan, she hadn't told him. It left a strange pit in his stomach.
"What? And you didn't say anything, Botan?" Yusuke yelled.
"I ordered her not to," Koenma said. "I wanted to keep this between as few people as possible. She was sworn to privacy, don't blame her. With that said, I'm sure you've all noticed that the youkai taken have been young women with various shades of blue to green hair. That is the only thing we can confirm."
"They have to be taking the women somewhere," Kurama pointed out, receiving a nod from Koenma. "But why are you telling us now if the council is still prohibiting you from taking action?"
Koenma revealed that he was in secret communication with Enki and that they'd agreed to work together. Both rulers believed the kidnappings were the machinations of humans, though they could not confirm it. With the large number of women taken in a single day, they speculated there would be a pause in the next kidnappings.
The only course of action was to continue searching and to issue a warning to all youkai with the targeted shades of hair. Koenma suggested they begin staying close to Yukina in order to protect her to which everyone agreed.
His attention fell to Botan next.
"With that said, Botan," he started, "I'm suspending your ferrying duties, effective immediately."
"What? Why me?" She exclaimed. "I'm not youkai!"
"True, but we don't know what to expect with this new threat," Koenma countered. "It isn't just you; all of the ferry girls with similar colored hair will be suspended as well. You'll have to return to Reikai with me."
Botan's pink eyes flew to Kurama with a desperate, silent plea. "But what will I do stuck in Reikai all this time?" She asked.
Koenma waved a hand dismissively, "I'm sure you'll find something."
"If I may make a suggestion, Koenma," Kurama said. "There are new youkai arriving in this realm every day. Most, if not all of them, will pass through Genkai's territory. Botan could be their first point of contact and issue the warning."
"Oh, yeah," Yusuke agreed. "Botan could stay here and do, like, check-ins or something, right?"
"Precisely," Kurama stated. "She would be far more useful here to act as a liaison of sorts."
Koenma frowned as he pondered the suggestion, casting a scrutinizing eye over her. She stared up at him with a hopeful, nervous grin but could see the gears turning in his mind, he wasn't convinced.
"If you think about it, sir, it only makes sense for me to continue my research here!" She said, "All of the disappearances have taken place here in Ningenkai and you even mentioned they might be human. Wouldn't it be more prudent if I remain here, sir?"
He heaved a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, "If I agree, you'll have to take precautions. No roaming about by yourself. Someone will have to stick with you at all times, just as with Yukina."
Botan offered to wear a disguise however, all of them decided it was not reliable enough protection. Kurama then suggested they help train her for self-defense and energy concealment. It was only then that Koenma relented and allowed her to remain in Ningenkai.
OOO
After Koenma had departed and the day ebbed into the late hours of the night, everyone agreed it would be best to stay the night at the temple. Eventually, when everyone else had retired for the night, Kurama and Botan were left alone.
They sat outside on the engawa, close together to keep warm. The silence was tense between them, neither had spoken a word to the other after Koenma had gone. Botan continued to steal glances at the kitsune as he looked up toward the night sky.
She figured he was probably upset with her, despite his passive appearance. Putting herself in his shoes, she would have been hurt if he'd kept a secret mission from her. Silently admonishing herself her gaze fell to her hands.
Kurama's large hand suddenly enclosed around hers and she found him smiling softly. She blushed profusely and began a stammering apology. The words flowed out of her like a burst cloud, barely cognizant of exactly what she was saying, or trying to say for that matter. She wouldn't have blamed him if he'd suddenly walked away.
But he couldn't have done that. He found her contrition somewhat adorable. Truthfully, he'd been angry before but not at her. He hated that she'd been bound to secrecy and thrust into potential danger by Koenma, but he reasoned with himself that it was not the first time. From the moment they'd met the deity was always running toward the flame rather than away from it. It's what he admired about her.
He cut her ramblings by pressing a finger to her lips.
"There's no need to apologize," he soothed. "Admittedly, I have my reservations about you remaining in this realm when Reikai would be much safer. But with the way you begged…how could I not help you?"
Her face went scarlet. "I never begged!" she hissed.
"Your expression was so desperate," he teased but quickly softened. "In truth, I'm glad you're staying here where we…where I can protect you. If something were to happen to you…well, I'm not sure I could skip punishment this time."
Botan's gaze softened and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for telling me how you feel," she whispered.
They sat there for a long while until she started shivering from the cold. Kurama stood and helped her to her feet.
"We should get to bed now," he said. "Your training will begin bright and early tomorrow morning."
She grimaced, "Ugh."
OOO
A/N: Just a little FYI, since this story has evolved I will be updating the story summary from just drabbles! Thank you guys for all the support!