The K + B Connection: Botan Author's note: This Kurama + Botan lemon fic was inspired by a dream. Disclaimers apply (Yu Yu Hakusho is copyrighted to/by Yoshihiro Togashi). Any comments can be sent to talishya@mifinca.com. ******************************************************* "Ne, Kurama, how long do you think the search party will reach us?" Kurama looked up from his finding a way out and eyed me with a grim expression. "I'm afraid it will take some time, Botan. It's possible that nobody knows we're here, buried alive. It might get colder soon and we might lose our oxygen in a few hours time." I could feel myself about to burst into tears, but I smiled instead. "Ne, what about using your youko powers to get us out of all this snow?" He shook his head regretfully. "Even I can't do anything about it. Even as a powerful youko kitsune, I was helpless when I was shot and killed." He turned back his red head towards the wall to search for a crack or an opening for their freedom. "Besides, if I use too much reiki or youki, there's a big chance for another avalanche." I probably had a silly expression on my face. "Oh I see." I sighed miserably. Then, my face lit up with yet another smile. "What about Hiei? Maybe we could contact him through telepathy." Kurama's exasperated frown was apparent. "It would only work if Hiei used telepathy on us first, Botan." I started crying a waterfall of crocodile tears. I couldn't change into my spirit form either because Koenma-sama had granted me my wish to have a vacation as an ordinary mortal. Now here I was stuck with Kurama in a cave, trapped by dozens of feet of snow due to an avalanche. And it was freezing! I hugged myself to keep warm, unable to control my shivering. Even under all the thick clothes that hid my figure, I was still chilled to the bone. I must've looked like a plump sushi wrapped around more than three layers of seaweed! The day started out nicely. A week ago, Kurama had invited all of us to join his family and he on a skiing trip to the Japan Alps. Kurama's human family, the Minaminos and the Takanakas, were rather rich and well-off, and they provided everyone with meals and lodging at their very own Japanese chalet. I had to beg Koenma-sama for me to join the others on the trip. At first, Koenma-sama had refused, saying that I had a lot of chores to finish. In truth, I did, but to miss the opportunity to have fun with the gang? Not on your life! So, I reasoned with him. "If I can't join Yuusuke and the others, I'll tell Enma Daioh-sama that you were the one who---" He immediately agreed. I beamed at him. I also asked him a favor to turn me into an ordinary human while down on Ningenkai... and NOT give me the ability to change into my deity form while on the excursion. I didn't want my holiday ruined or interrupted. He glared at me, but he resigned himself to agreeing sooner or later. He might be the bossiest person in the universe, but I love him. The weather was a bit biting when we got to the Alps, but it was perfect for skiing and snowboarding. Many people formed a line to ride the ski lift. Yuusuke and Kuwa-chan were about to rush toward the slopes, but Shiori Minamino, Kurama's human mother, called everyone to the chateau to have some warm cocoa. Keiko and Shizuru couldn't make it because they had already made plans to go on a shopping spree. The shopping spree idea sounded like heaven to my ears too, but knowing Koenma-sama, he'd ban me from returning to Reikai, if he found out I skipped my deity duties in order to go shopping! As for Hiei, well, he said he would catch up with us. I sipped my drink cheerfully, glad to have something to warm my belly. Yuusuke and Kuwa-chan were bickering on who was a better skiier. Kurama, on the other hand, calmly continued to drink from his mug. I looked up from my own mug and gazed at him. Funny how one can never know what this mysterious person was thinking. He suddenly sensed my gaze and raised his emerald eyes at me, an eyebrow quirking upward in question. I almost spilled the contents of my mug, but I quickly regained my composure and grinned at him sheepishly. He chuckled softly and got back to drinking his cocoa. Yuusuke and Kuwa-chan's constant arguments filled the room. "I bet I can reach the finish line before you can!" Kuwa-chan boasted boldly, grinning. Knowing Yukina-chan, she'd make an appearance very soon if the frosty winds picked up. And surely, Kuwa-chan wouldn't want to lose in front of his beloved. "No way!" Yuusuke scoffed. "You're too ugly and idiotic to win a race like that!" That wasn't a very nice thing to say. But that was Yusuke for you, always putting his foot where his mouth is. I just had to cut in. "Geez, Yuusuke! You---" Apparently, Kurama had the idea of cutting in as well. "What are you---" Kurama and I looked at each other and blinked. I giggled. "You go first, Kurama." He smiled at me. He had such a darling smile. "Arigatou." He turned back to Yusuke and Kuwa-chan. "What race are you talking about?" Yuusuke held up a leaflet in front of Kurama's face. "There's a ski race just a few miles away from here. This dumb dude here," He pointed a thumb to Kuwa-chan. "Says he can beat me fair and square, so we made a bet on it." "Baka yarou!" Kuwa-chan grabbed Yuusuke by the collar of his jacket and shook him violently. "I, Kazuma Kuwabara, will not lose to a stupid moron like you!" "I won't lose either!" "Will too!" "Will not!" "Will too!" "Will not!" Kurama sighed and shook his head, glad that his family had gone somewhere else. I, on the other hand, probably had the biggest sweat-drop the world could ever imagine. Since first prize was an all-expense paid trip to Hawaii for two, we all decided to join the race. Okay, so maybe I disagreed at first, but due to the boys' persuasion, I trudged along, scowling at them. Why wasn't there a better way to fly to Hawaii for free? Several people had already taken their places at the starting point, adjusting their ski goggles and equipment. Yuusuke and Kuwa-chan hurried over to the station to enter their names as contestants. Kurama followed shortly behind them. I always wondered how he could always act so relaxed, yet distinguished. I shrugged and took my time. However, when I reached the station, my name had already been written down right next to Kurama's 'Syuuichi Minamino'. I figured that it was Kurama who wrote my name for me. It was sweet of him to do so, but now there was no escape or withdrawal from the race. I suddenly realized that he had written my name as 'Botan Minamino'. It was probably because I had no last name that he decided to stick on his surname to my name. People would start wondering why I didn't have any last name. I also caught one contestant's name on the list. 'The Flying Shadow', it said. Didn't Hiei's name mean just that? I shook my head. Hiei wouldn't even dream of joining such a thing. "Oi, Botan! Hurry up, will ya?" Yuusuke called from the starting line. "The race's about to start!" Why me? I didn't want to join this race. I didn't even have the heart to tell them that I couldn't ski! With my head lowered, I expelled a weary sigh and dragged my feet towards the starting line carrying my skiing gear. My feet felt like lead. It felt like there were two metal balls attached to my ankles. In a minute, the referee cocked his gun. All contestants readied themselves, including Yuusuke, Kuwa-chan and Kurama. I was, as usual, less than ready. I just kept fidgeting nervously, my knees buckling together awkwardly. Then, the gun fired. Everyone rushed down the slope from the starting point. Everyone, except me, that is. I was just such a scaredy-cat, I couldn't move. I eyed the others to see how they maneuvered their skis, and I gaped and sweat-dropped as Yuusuke and Kuwa-chan lost control of their skis and bumped into each other, burying themselves halfway into the snow! "You ninny!" Yuusuke complained to his orange-haired comrade. "I thought you could ski!" "Kono yarou!" Kuwa-chan fired back. "You can't ski either!" I groaned at the two rivals. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn those two were husband and wife in their past lives. I looked further ahead and noticed Kurama's graceful form below. He was skiing magnificently and flawlessly. Wow, he was just so cool! I wish I could say the same for those two ridiculous baffoons. Sure, they were cool in their own way, but at the moment, uh... Then, without warning, somebody pushed me from behind. It was just a gentle push, but it was strong enough for me to go zooming down the slope as fast as a train! I screamed as I whizzed past Yuusuke and Kuwa-chan. They stopped arguing and blinked in total bewilderment as I skied for my life! I tried shifting position, but I started to wobble instead. And because of that, I swerved elsewhere, not following the path of the race anymore. I couldn't stop, so I just let my skis take me to wherever destination was available. I just hoped it wasn't an icy lake or a tree, for that matter. Kurama must have heard my scream because I noticed that he was on my tail in an instant, trying to catch up with me. The thought made me blush. He was actually going to rescue me like some prince charming on a white steed! How romantic! "Kurama!" I called loudly to him. I managed a wave, even though I was scared stiff. He gave me an expression that looked disapproving. I pouted. I guess he wasn't happy with my fouling things up with the race. Who could blame him? He mouthed something to me, but I couldn't make out what he was trying to say. I wasn't an expert on lip-reading like he was. "I can't understand you!" I yelled to him. A rumble sounded, then the ground began to shake. This time I heard Kurama groan in exasperation. He quickly picked up speed to reach me. When he did, he put his arm around me in a protective manner. I wanted to stare into his gorgeous green eyes and smile dreamily, but his attention wasn't focused on me. He was looking intently at the high, snow-covered mountain slope. The rumbling didn't stop. Was it an earthquake? I followed Kurama's gaze and almost shrieked aloud! It was a good thing Kurama covered my mouth before I did. A giant wave of snow was speeding towards us, ready to devour us alive! An avalanche! I tightly gripped the sleeve of his jacket, my gloved hands growing clammy. But luck shined down on us. Just a few meters away from us was a cave. Kurama saw it as well. He took my hand and we both headed towards the cave in a hurry, with him leading me. I hoped there were no hibernating bears in it. As soon as we stepped foot on the cave's floor, the thick tidal wave of snow crashed down, blocking any forms of escape for Kurama and I. Luckily, there were no dangerous creatures living in the cave. I could feel the panic building up within me. "What are we going to do? We're trapped!" Kurama nodded calmly, but he was already searching each crevice, each corner of the cave for a way out. "It's going to be quite some time until they find us, Botan. You might as well get comfortable." It's already been 10 minutes since Kurama and I had been chased by the avalanche and had seeked shelter in this semi- dry cave. I continued to hug myself to keep warm. Kurama noticed I was shivering uncontrollably from the cold. He took off his jacket and put it on me. "But Kurama---" He smiled. "It's all right. I can use my ki to keep me warm for the meantime." He was right. I didn't have a single amount of spirit energy at the moment due to that stupid request I made to Koenma-sama. Silly me. I smiled back at Kurama gratefully. "Arigatou." He sat down beside me. "We might as well make the most of our time, right?" I gave him an inquiring gaze and he said, "Let's play 'Connection'. I'll start. Snow." I giggled, despite the cold and the worry I was feeling. "Yukina-chan." "Kuwabara-kun." "Rei ken." "Rei gun." "Yuusuke!" I giggled again. "Keiko." "Ningen!" I was enjoying this. "Ningenkai." "Reikai!" I was laughing like a childish schoolgirl now. Kurama seemed to be enjoying himself as well. He chuckled. "Koenma." "Kurama!" I cheerfully replied. He blinked, puzzled, and I clamped my hands over my mouth. Why had I said that? "How am I connected to Koenma?" He asked me. "I, uh, well... you ARE one of the spirit detectives, right?" I quipped. I turned my face away to hide my eyes. My face felt like it was on fire. "I see." He simply answered. He didn't look convinced, but he smiled and said, "All right. Let's start again. Kurama." "Ha---" I paused, then continued. "Happy." He blinked. "Happy?" "You ARE happy, right?" I grinned hopefully, crossing my fingers. In truth, I was about to say 'handsome'. It was a good thing I stopped myself from saying such a frank thing. I laughed nervously. "Forget 'happy'! Uh, Botan." He smiled gently at me. It was a smile I've never seen him use on anyone before, except his mother. It was such a heart-melting smile that I couldn't breathe. Then, softly, he said, "Kawaii." Everything happened so fast. Before I knew it, his lips had descended on mine. I was just too shocked to respond to his kiss. But his lips were so soft and warm against my own that I couldn't resist closing my eyes. I felt myself turn in to butter as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. I was trembling, but I didn't know if it was from the cold or the impact of his kisses. I wanted to respond to him to show him that I acknowledged him, but I just didn't know how. He sensed my discomfort and he slowly pulled away from me. I searched his face, trying to understand his unreadable expression. I couldn't deny what I was feeling. I wanted him to kiss me again. He gently traced my sensitive lips with his thumb. His lips claimed mine again, but his kisses were bolder this time, more forceful. And this time, I earnestly answered them, not caring what would happen next or where it would take me. I felt his tongue delve into my mouth, teasing and playing with my own tongue. I leaned my full weight against his chest, seeking the warmth of his body. I didn't want him to stop. What would Koenma-sama say if he knew? I heard myself whimper softly as Kurama began nibbling on my earlobe. His lips moved down my neck after. Koenma-sama wouldn't say anything. He never considered me anything more than a servant and a friend. I kept hoping and praying for centuries that he would love me back, but he never did. And Yuusuke couldn't love me either because he was devoted to his one-and-only Keiko. I wasn't surprised. How could anybody love the deity of death? But Kurama... Kurama was... different. But was he willing to give his heart away so carelessly like this? I had to stop him before we both made a mistake we'd regret later on. "Kurama, I---" "I want to." He replied in a husky whisper, as if hearing my thoughts. "I love you, Botan. I always have." "Kurama..." Now there was no turning back. My violet eyes drifted closed as I let him undress me. The cold didn't bother me now. All I felt was the warmth of Kurama's love as it tried to tread gently into my heart, seeking sanctuary from a reckless world of violence and chaos. I wanted him to hold me close like this forever. I was a dreamer. But maybe Kurama was the one who'd make my dreams come true. Very soon, there wasn't a hint of clothing on our bodies. It was just hot flesh against hot flesh. Our thick winter clothes were scattered around us, serving as a cushion from the cold, hard stone floor of the cave. My blue hair spilled down my shoulders and back as he undid the usual ponytail I always wore. Kurama lay on his back, then pulled me down against his chest. He kissed me deeply, ravaging me completely as if I would disappear in a puff of smoke. His hands moved down my body, exploring every curve and contour. The next thing I knew, I was on my back and he set me on fire. He kissed every inch of my body. His hands... his skillful hands... caressed my breasts. They moved lower towards the delicate part between my thighs. I had never been touched this way before. I had never felt anything more incredible. I had never felt more alive. The burning sensation in the pit of my abdomen grew stronger and more distinct, as if calling desperately for something to nourish it. I cried out as Kurama brought his finger inside me, slowly making circular movements into my velvety wetness. I couldn't fight it ---the racking sensation shooting up my body, making me tremble. I gave in to the pleasure and tears started to stain my eyes. Gently, he straddled me. I knew what was coming next, but I didn't protest. We spoke no words, but our passion- glazed eyes said it all. Slowly and carefully, he entered me. I knew he didn't want to hurt me, but it was inevitable. I held my breath as his manhood pierced through the thin barrier that served as the mark of my virginity. The searing pain flooded all over me, like I was being torn apart. I gasped and cried out. The pain was so unbearable that the tears just fell uncontrollably from my eyes. "Dajioubu ka?" Kurama asked worriedly. When I nodded, he apologized to me in a tender whisper. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." "It's all right," I smiled reassuringly, touching the palm of my hand to his cheek. His eyes were now a stormy jade color. The pain was gone almost in an instant. That was the signal for him to finish what he started. He gradually withdrew, then thrust into me again. I arched my back as more pleasurable sensations began building up within me. My mouth opened in a silent scream. He drove in and out of me like he was following a certain beat. The rhythm became faster and more intense. I followed his lead. And as the dance was about to end, the built-up sensations exploded, sending me flying heavenward. I threw my head back, crying out his name. I could feel the hot, shining tears trickle down my cheeks. We felt each other's shudder, even felt each other's rapid breathing. It was just so... so beautiful. I couldn't describe it. I was just so overwhelmed. We lay in each other's arms for the time being. Kurama swept a strand of azure hair from my forehead, then kissed me. "You're right, Botan," He said, his voice raspy. "I AM happy." He smiled and I grew dizzy. I leaned against his chest to make the world stop spinning. He noticed my unwell condition and he knew immediately what was wrong. We were running out of oxygen. The temperature was decreasing as well. We put on our clothes and hugged each other. If I were going to die today, I would have had no regrets. I was looking at the reason... blood- red hair, dazzling green eyes and all. "Kurama..." I breathed, my voice muffled by his woolen sweater. Air was limited. I was getting sleepy. He looked down at me, concerned. I smiled faintly at him and stifled a yawn. "I love you too." With that, I closed my eyes and fell into a deep slumber. I heard voices all around me as I came to from my exhausted sleep. I opened my eyes and saw Yuusuke, Kuwa-chan, Kurama, Hiei and Yukina-chan all peering down at me. Even Kurama's family was there, worried sick about their Syuuichi. I had been laid down on a stretcher. There was an ambulance and several medical people packing up their tools. The rescue team had finally found Kurama and I, and we were both alive! I sat up and smiled at everyone. "Botan-san, are you all right?" Yukina-chan sweetly asked. I nodded, then I turned to Yuusuke and Kuwa-chan. "Who won the race?" Kuwa-chan grabbed Hiei by the scruff of his cloak. "This little shrimp did! And the jerk didn't tell us he was joining the contest!" Hiei slapped Kuwa-chan's arm with the back of his hand. "I had no intention of joining. But some idiotic person wrote my name down on the list! Besides, I thought of it as an experience." I pointed my index finger at the fire demon. "So, you're the 'Flying Shadow'?" He didn't say anything. "Were you the one who pushed me down the hill?" He gave no reply to that either. "Well then, what happened to the all-expense paid trip for two to Hawaii?" "Hn." Hiei answered. "I tore the those two pieces of paper up. What the hell was I supposed to do with those?" I shrieked. "You tore the tickets?!" "What?!" Yuusuke and Kuwa-chan chorused. Kurama exhaled loudly, and Yukina-chan blinked. Hiei, realizing that he was in major trouble, leaped off. Kuwa-chan chased him. "You shit-head! You tore up the tickets?! Yukina-san and I were supposed to go to Hawaii together!" Yukina-chan gave a lady-like titter. "Kazuma-san..." "Ne, Kurama, Botan," Yuusuke said. "It must've been so boring stuck for hours in that cave. What did you do the whole time?" I blushed at his question. But Kurama smiled calmly, with his hands tucked casually in his pockets. "We played 'Connection'." Then, he winked at me. Again, I was amazed at how he managed to stay cool and composed. Well, that was my Kurama. The End. ^__^;