Without a word leaving her lips, Kurama deduced her intentions the moment he felt her hands slipping from his own, and he did not fight to keep them where she was not comfortable having them. The smile that revealed itself told him that what was coming next was not from a place of disgust, or hurt, so he could breathe easier after she had said what she needed to. Just as expected, yet not quite, Botan was refusing his initiative in the most polite way she could while leaving the future one with possibility. He nodded his head in understanding, smile firm on his face to not give her a modicum of doubt that he was hurt by her reluctance. The truth was that he was glad she was thinking farther than the present; the future itself was surrounded by a fog so thick that it was impossible to see what would be in store for them should they have continued on this path blindly. But, he’d be a liar if he said it wasn’t exciting to take that jump. Botan couldn’t—not yet, anyway. 

Her being flattered was a good consolation prize to the original goal, and he was satisfied with it, but she wasn’t stopping there. His eyes opened another inch apart, unable to mask the surprise that Botan needed only a single night to consider him someone to make this relationship one they would carry with them everywhere. It would be convenient throughout the investigation, that much was true, but at the same time he wanted to offer her a sense of what it was like to actually be a human, not simply a student. There was more to the life of people his age than attending classes and returning home. Now, with someone who wasn’t simply after him for his appearance, he had an opportunity to be a little more human. A date with Botan sounded delightful, but taking her out only as a friend would also have been rewarding. Either way, he’d be able to be himself with someone who knew the real Kurama, and not just Shuichi Minamino, a top student at his academy. This was good enough for him, as long as it was good enough for her.

[color=f7941d][b]“Take as much time as you need, there isn’t any rush.”[/b][/color] Kurama said, matching the softness of her voice with his own. The last thing he needed was for her to feel like he was rushing her, on top of already putting her in a position like this, one that she clearly wasn’t prepared for. 

Following closely behind her after removing his own shoes, the scent of the seafood stirfry moistened his tongue as the last house slipper was put on. Mother was a wonderful cook and knew how to prepare a variety of meals, all of which were made with love; cliché as it was to say it, Kurama knew no other way to describe it. Shiori loved cooking, and she loved cooking [i]well[/i]. Fresh ingredients without exception, she had never settled for anything that looked off or smelled odd. She took preparation seriously, kept timers in her head, and did a taste test of everything she made before serving it. A guest in her home would not only know warmth and comfort, they would also know what it was like to have a fine meal prepared by her own two hands. One glance at Botan told Kurama that she, too, valued the lengths Shiori went through to ensure that they both had a fine meal to come home to. 

Having a seat at the table in their usual places, Kurama had begun to sample the food he already knew to be delicious. He had ignored it earlier, but he thought back to the hand Botan had placed on his back. It was a sign of their closeness, as you didn’t place your hand so comfortably against someone you hardly knew. It meant friendship, but it could also have meant more. Even after the discussion outside she was still intending to help him out with Shiori. He saw it working when she first saw the two return. Her smile had grown wider, only a little, but enough for him to know that seeing that gesture had a positive effect on her. Shuichi was out with a nice girl, rather than hoodlums and mischievous types getting into trouble. The truth was far more complicated of course, but he would never betray the thought that Botan was anything but a positive influence on his life. After the bloodshed of the Tournament, he could use her bubbliness more than ever. 

While he was thinking about Botan’s helpfulness, Shiori herself was quietly watching the two on either side of her. She wanted to know about their day, yet at the same time she didn’t. The death of anyone was a hard topic to bring up. While the two students that passed away weren’t particularly close to Shuichi, she feared that whatever stress drove them to such a horrible solution wouldn’t befall the two of them. [color=a187be][b]“Shuichi,”[/b][/color] she began, arousing the attention of Shuichi from his own meal, [color=a187be][b]“and Botan, too,”[/b][/color] Shiori glanced at the girl beside her. [color=a187be][b]“I’d like to talk about what’s happened in the last couple weeks, regarding your classmates.”[/b][/color] She gave a slight pause. [color=a187be][b]“Suicide… simply is not the answer. It never will be. If the stress of your classes begins to wear on you, please, talk to me. I may not have been as intelligent as Shuichi is, but I do know that I care about the both of you deeply, and I would hate it if… if you were…”[/b][/color]

[color=f7941d][b]“Never.”[/b][/color] Kurama knew where this was leading. Two mothers had lost their children recently and Shiori did not want to be the third, nor did she even want to consider that. Botan being mentioned might have been seen as courtesy, but it was just like her to think of Botan as her own child. That was just how his mother was. She was full of love and had more than enough to share. His eyes darkened, growing serious. [color=f7941d][b]“That won’t happen, not to us. You don’t have to worry.”[/b][/color]

[color=a187be][b]“A mother can’t help but worry, especially with what’s happened to two other students,”[/b][/color] Shiori lowered her head, eyes growing moist. She fought the building tears, having no intention of making the mood of dinner any sadder than she already did. [color=a187be][b]“If you ever need to talk, both of you, don’t hesitate coming to me. I’m here for you.” [/b][/color]

Assuring her that the same fate wouldn’t befall them would do no good, Kurama saw that. Without a child of his own, there was no way of knowing for sure just how fearful Shiori would become if another student met a horrible fate. As far as she would know, Botan and he himself were susceptible to the same pressures. All he could do is accept her feelings and do his best to never let her believe they were struggling with any dark emotions. Kurama nodded. [color=f7941d][b]“I will. I promise.”[/b][/color]

Botan’s answer had come as well. Shiori smiled and shut her eyes tightly, brushing away any buildup of tears that threatened to slide down her cheeks. [color=a187be][b]“I’m sorry to bring such an uncomfortable subject up to you both. I care, and—“[/b][/color]

[color=f7941d][b]“We understand,”[/b][/color] Kurama reached over the table for his mother’s hand, gripping it firmly. [color=f7941d][b]“You don’t need to apologize for caring about us.”[/b][/color] Shiori was able to smile, being reassurance by her son. The subject was something he did not want her to dwell on. With Botan’s own efforts, he had seen in her eyes that she believed herself to be someone they both trusted enough to go to. Kurama doubted they ever would. [color=f7941d][b]“How was your day?”[/b][/color] he asked Shiori.

Changing the subject had done the trick. Within moments Shiori had begun to smile like her normal self again. She had gone over her day’s events, nothing too unusual for her, yet had wanted to change the subject to Botan’s experience at Meioh. She had asked whatever she could, face lit with enthusiasm and interest; what did she think of her professors? What was her favorite subject to study, and her least? Did she manage to make any new friends? Was Shuichi a good tutor? As if she even had to ask knowing her son’s studying habit. 

Dinner had come to a close, ending brighter than it had begun. Kurama and Botan both cleaned up in Shiori’s place, allowing her to wash up for the evening. Kurama had made doubly sure that Shiori did not walk away from them without seeing his smile. She had to know that he was okay, and Botan, too. With the dishes done and the kitchen cleaned up, Kurama guided Botan back to his room and gently closed the door behind them, sighing heavily as she did so. It was hard to see his mother so distraught, but he was confident that after that talk she would be confident that the two of them always saw her as someone they could confide in, leaving no doubt. 

[color=f7941d][b]“I’m all she has,”[/b][/color] Kurama spoke the obvious to Botan, frowning. [color=f7941d][b]“The suicides had affected her harder than I realized. She couldn’t help but imagine herself in the position of the parents that lost their children. Were it me instead of their own children…”[/b][/color] He closed his eyes. [color=f7941d][b]“Let’s focus on something different now.”[/b][/color]

The greenhouse was something he had mentioned to her in passing; she had known about the unpopularity of the club, how some joined but didn’t last. The humid conditions were only a part of that. Simply put, tending to a variety of plants wasn’t of heavy interest to many. Even those that joined it to spend more time with him didn’t last long. Some found the hobby boring. For him, it was cathartic. 

He opened his eyes again and took a seat beside her. [color=f7941d][b]“You’re not a fighter, but perhaps you can utilize your spirit energy in other, more defensive methods. Tomorrow after class I would like you to accompany me in the greenhouse. It’s private enough to let us talk more freely compared to the lunch room. Also, I can take a good look at your spirit energy and measure its strength, as well as its potential. Is there anything else I should know about your abilities that I don’t already?”[/b][/color]