Kurama listened well to Botan’s explanation. It was hard to be genuine when you had come to live with someone whilst basing your reasons for doing so and your history with her son on a lie. Shiori was a hard woman to lie to. Thankfully she was more than trusting of her son, and of the company he had chosen to keep, which made things easier on Botan and himself in the long run when it came to the business of Spirit World. Imagining Botan atop her oar and hovering beside the Ferris Wheel didn’t bring him the same thrill that she might have experienced. It didn’t occur to him until recently, and especially now, but Botan had one of the most unlucky duties he could imagine, which didn’t appear to leave her much time to savor earthly delights. The lunch they had the other day might have been the first time she had sat and spoken with someone else for another time, and it was about a job.  

[color=f7941d][i]‘How lonely it must be…’[/i][/color] Kurama felt for her, and continued to listen as she explained everything she could, as best she could. She was a woman who, at her core, was cheerful and honest. Lying to Shiori was never something she wanted to do, Kurama knew that without her saying so, but what he had forgotten entirely was that Botan had the means of knowing when anyone and everyone was meant to die. Even him. Another layer of weight added itself to his mind, generating further sympathy for her position. Not only was she to lie, something he was forced to encourage for the sake of their job, but she was also forced to look others in the eye and be aware that, sooner or later, she would need to guide them to the next world. Botan’s situation was far more complicated than he had realized. He didn’t envy where she was or what she had to do—and especially not what she knew as a reaper—but she didn’t need to face any of it alone. 

As they crossed the intersection, Kurama’s hand tightened around her own for a reason he didn’t fully understand. All he knew was that he didn’t want to let her go until she had finished expressing all she had to. It was a relief when she had sounded far more cheery than before, talking about seeing more of the world than this small part of it. For someone like her, vacations sounded like they were few, and far, far between. The question of where she’d want to visit was on the tip of his tongue when the familiar tone of his mother was heard just behind them. Groceries in hand, it didn’t take a detective to know what she had been up to. Her eyes wandered to their locked hands, leaving Kurama to release Botan’s hand and offer to carry a bag, with Botan doing the same. The three left together, with Kurama allowing Botan to tell Shiori of her very first day. 

Returning home and unpacking the groceries, homework was next on their schedule, and to be frank it was not going to become Botan’s favorite part of any day. Try as he might, no explanation he gave her, no description made simple, had made any of the homework easier on her. Her eyes narrowed into tight slits at Trigonometry, followed by tugs at her hair with low grumbles. History had a funny way of making her puff her cheeks out, questioning how anyone could be so cruel or foolish in the past. Kurama couldn’t understand it either, yet had avoided saying so. The last thing he needed was for Botan to look for any momentary escape from the work she so desperately wanted gone. This was for her own good, and he was making sure he was a good tutor by not letting her excuse herself until the job was done. 

When the last math problem was solved, he could have sworn he saw hope return in her dull, irritated eyes once more.[color=f7941d][b] “You did well for yourself. I imagine Yusuke would also have a hard time with this amount of homework. Double for Kuwabara.”[/b][/color] Kurama said. He had known better than to laugh at her struggle; this was the level of work that drove some students insane, without the influence of a demon in the shadows. The fact she had laid herself down and committed to finishing the work was worthy of praise that she had more than earned. Yusuke and Kuwabara might have been here all night. 

To his surprise, Botan had complimented him in areas he had heard before, but never from someone he held in such high regard. Brilliance was just forcing himself to sit down and understand everything, knowing he had it in him to do so. Diligence was an important part of being a successful student. With enough time, Botan would also be on his level as long as she continued to work as hard as she did tonight. 

Charming? He wasn’t sure what to make of that. Throughout her endeavor he had been with her, patience through her struggle and stress, there to be asked questions if needed. Being a decent person, and knowing how to talk and treat someone, shouldn’t have been seen as special to him. But maybe his idea of charming and hers were different. Or maybe it had been a long time since Botan had sat down and worked with a good young man. No offense to Yusuke, but he wasn’t exactly the poster child for talking to someone well. Keiko had mentioned in passing just how many blows she had to deal to him in the past for brazen comments and… ahem… examinations up her skirt. Classy, Yusuke. 

Good looks. Superficial, but Kurama had appreciated it nonetheless. Beauty wasn’t everything there was to anyone or anything. Even the most striking of women could hold ugliness behind their alluring shells. Kurama attributed it to good genes and nothing more. 

[color=f7941d][b]“You’re all of those things, too.”[/b][/color] Kurama pointed out. Whether or not she heard it had remained to be seen. The beeping of her glasses did not go unheard by him, and as he patiently waited for an update from her Kurama had begun to wonder what Botan saw in herself. Sometimes the bubbliest of people had deeply rooted insecurities and low self-esteem. He had been given a pedestal by his peers for so long that he was unused to hearing anything other than praise. When was the last time Botan had been told she had done a good job, or received a pat on the back for her own contributions? It disturbed him to think that someone such as her went underappreciated by anyone, most of all Koenma himself. Botan needed to know that she was every bit as worth a compliment as he was to her. 

Unfortunately the insight would need to wait. Demons were afoot. 

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Kurama had left with Botan just after explaining to his mother that they were taking a walk. He didn’t miss the twinkle in her eye; two young people going out for a walk so late could mean almost anything, but for Shiori who had dreamed of her son meeting a nice girl, she only hoped that Shuichi would further their relationship, and someday come out with his true feelings for Botan. Kurama smiled as he turned away, knowing exactly what she was thinking. [color=f7941d][i]‘Never change, mother.’[/i][/color]

Setting out, the location in question wasn’t very far from home. Traveling down a dead-end street, the sound of rattling behind bags and bins of trash could be heard, joined with the sound of a creature growling. Reaching into his pocket, Kurama drew out an idle seed and, with his spirit energy, transformed it into a fully formed rose. Just moments after they had drawn their weapons of choice, a stray cat had scurried away from the demon in question, the latter of which pausing to look at them. Botan in particular caught its eyes, licking its lips at her. Whether it was hunger or lust, it couldn’t have meant anything good for her. Dispatching it would be child’s play.

Kurama hesitated, leaving Botan to glance at him, likely waiting to see if he would like to continue. He could do it and allow them to go back home, but this was a demon that was ideal for a rookie detective to defeat, or at least someone unused to combat. Botan was perfect for this.[color=f7941d][b] “Would you like to learn how to fight?”[/b][/color] He asked her, though his eyes did not once leave the imp ahead of them. Through his stare alone he was conveying two messages to it: One, it definitely could be seen. Two, it dare not attempt anything. Botan was one thing, but beside him she couldn’t be touched, and running was out of the question here. She had agreed.

[color=f7941d][b]“No matter how weak or frail a foe appears, never underestimate them. Strike fast and hard, and never with more power than you have to.” [/b][/color]Kurama’s energy within the rose dissipated, causing it to revert to a seed once more. Pocketing it, he had suddenly stepped away, much to the comfort of the imp before them. Botan was being placed between the demon and himself. [color=f7941d][b]“You aren’t equipped to fight with technical abilities. Your oar has a long range, but it isn’t suited for close-range battle. Not only that, it’s not sturdy enough to endure extended fighting. You need to win quickly.”[/b][/color] Placing his left hand on her leftmost shoulder, Kurama firmly grasped it. [color=f7941d][b]“He targeted you the moment you spoke to it, so he knows that you see him. The element of surprise is lost, and with the way he’s looking at you now he looks to you as new prey. You have two options: either you attack, or you react. I suggest that you react for now.” [/b][/color]

The imp ahead of them had begun to hop with excitement, blind and deaf to anything but the attractive blue-haired beauty before it. It had begun to visibly salivate at the mouth, increasing its tongue whipping around its mouth. As vulgar as it appeared, it was a miracle that it was patient enough to let Kurama finish talking. 

[color=f7941d][b]“It’ll leap,”[/b][/color] Kurama said. What was obvious to him may not have been obvious to Botan. Something that small wasn’t about to run up to Botan and gnaw on her foot. It would go for something far more vulnerable, say, the neck. But crediting intelligence to the unintelligent was how mistakes were made. Still, he’ll bet on his instinct. If he were a petty demon with nothing to lose, and a full-figured snack like Botan was right in front of him, he wouldn’t start at the foot if he was looking for a meal.[color=f7941d][b] “Aim for the head, and remember: strike fast, and as hard as you can.”[/b][/color]

There was no countdown to battle, only when someone was ready to make the first move. As Kurama had suspected, the imp had lost its patience and broke into a sprint towards Botan. Once it was halfway to her, it had leaped from the ground and soared towards her with arms outstretched, appearing to be gunning for her chest. It needed something to hold on to, after all. 

[color=f7941d][b]“Now!”[/b][/color] Kurama lowered his head, uncertain of how wide Botan’s swings would travel.