Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.

Summary: The two times he tried to kiss her, and the third time he actually did. Kurama/Botan.

Chapter 3: Third Time's a Charm

Months passed soon after and they found themselves at the end of the Makai Tournament.

Botan hadn't been alone with him since the day they talked on the ferry—mostly because she was always busy with her duties as a guide from the heavens. Heck, when she thought more about it, she realized that the only times she had Kurama in her presence were when they were with the others—and apart from that, they were never really with each other. She didn't know how Kurama took it—she couldn't see through that impassive mask where he kept all his feelings hidden underneath the surface. No one could—he was an enigma and he was one no one could solve that easily. Yet that wall of defense fell apart so easily so when it was only the two of them—but the problem was it was never the two of them. Not even from the start of the case in regards to Sensui—and not even when he decided to go to Makai under Yomi's invitation.

Admittedly, it bothered her at first—but Botan took their lessened interactions and cut back alone times as an opportunity for her to sort out her feelings. And though she already had by the time the boys defeated Sensui, there really was no right moment for her to convey all her emotions to the fox. It wasn't as if she didn't try, but with the tournament going on in Makai, she hardly thought it was appropriate. Kurama needed to be in his best state for his fight and she couldn't afford to impose.

He won though.

She planned to tell him at the end of the tournament but again, the right time didn't arrive. Sure, she came to see him and had a few small conversations with him during other battles were still taking place—but they weren't exactly by themselves, and Botan couldn't say anything remotely important to him with the others at their side with each passing moment. And before she knew it, they were both headed for their own paths—he went back to his human mother, she was drowned once again under her huge workload… and she never got the chance to tell him how she truly felt. Never did frustration get the better of her until that moment she realized her opportunity had been robbed from under her very nose.

So now she floated there, sitting on her oar, right outside the redhead's apartment. Granted, it was night and he was probably asleep—but she had had enough. With no upcoming threat fighting to destroy the peace in Ningenkai, there were no missions and no encounters with the former bandit. Who knows when would be the next time for Koenma to allow her a little vacation—though it was supposed to have its effects starting tomorrow—and this opportunity to come by? This was her lightning chance, and Botan had to grab it before it was taken from her yet again.

She directed her oar closer to the window and eyed her appearance for her moment before raising a fist to knock.

However, her knuckles only reached mid-way in its movements, hovering just an inch from the glassy surface before the windowsill was abruptly slid up. Botan started, nearly falling off her oar with the surprise flooding her system. The shock died down a moment after though, and Botan inched just her head through the now opened window.

In the fluorescent blue moonlight illuminating the dark shadows in the room, Botan could vaguely see a viney whip removing its hold from the windowsill before gliding down from the ceiling and to the floor. It disappeared under Kurama's study desk, the spinning chair lightly pushed back as the long vine accidentally brushed against its feet.

Botan snapped her head up as a chuckle reverberated in her ears. She whirled her eyes to the huge lump under the covers.

"Is this your way of sneaking in, Botan? Because if it is, I'd say that you're still in need of a lot of improvement," Kurama's rich, smooth voice resonated in the dimly lit room and rumbled through her still floating form. Botan, realizing she was still on her oar, hopped off of it and landed on her two feet with a soft thud against the cold floor before she made it disappear.

"I'll make sure that Hiei teaches me proper stealth so that next time I don't wake you," she replied, not to joke, but out of the mere desire to respond. She watched as Kurama's body remained unmoving underneath the sheets before it slowly shifted.

The redhead pulled the covers down to his waist and propped himself up by his elbow before focusing his mirthful gaze on her. The corners of his mouth quirked upwards into a charming smile and his back collided against the headboard. "I wasn't asleep," he stated simply, before raising a hand up to beckon her closer.

"Were you waiting for me to come in?" she asked him, even though her feet were already taking her to the bed.

"In a way, yes. I didn't know if you'd actually enter or if you'd go back to Reikai. It was a 50-50 assumption." His emerald eyes—peridot in the moonlight—stared at her, ogling her in a way that caused a shiver to rack down her spine. It was not out of fear though, and she welcomed it wholeheartedly.

The ferry girl flopped on an unoccupied space on the bed. "And the vine?" she whispered, tugging a lost strand from the disheveled mattress. She felt Kurama's demon energy shift a little.

"I gave it a specific order to open the window for you in case you decided on the first option," he answered her hushed question, leaning forward to hook his arms around her waist. He didn't pull her closer though, and waited for her to nod her consent before bringing her to his chest. "I missed you," he husked against her ear as he tilted his head to the side. The soft tendrils of her sky-blue hair brushed against his cheek and tickled his skin and he inhaled a whiff of her vanilla scent.

She buried her chin on the broadness of his left shoulder and snaked her two hands to his back before gripping onto his white dress shirt in her small fists. "I thought I would have to wait for you to wake up before I could tell you anything."

A low, amused chuckle erupted from his throat. "Well, you didn't really do a good job at suppressing your spirit energy."

There was an indignant huff. "Well, excuse me for wanting you to notice my presence."

"You didn't have to purposely let me know you were here." His voice was barely audible as it left his blue-dyed lips. He took in a deep breath as she nuzzled her nose against the flesh of the side of his throat. "Your scent alone would have been a good enough wake up call."

"You said you weren't asleep," she countered almost instantly and he bit back a laugh.

"Not after I caught your quirky smell," he rejoinded in a playful tone, a seductive smirk tugging at the edge of his lips. He could sense the grim reaper chewing on the bottom half of her lip.

"Is this a good time?" she asked him, suddenly worried that she was keeping him up and that he might have important matters to attend to tomorrow.

Kurama vaguely remembered the visit to his relatives that he had planned with his mother the next morning. Yet, he answered, "Anytime is always a good time for you."

Botan pulled apart then and lifted her head up to peer at him. Her pools of amethyst looked at him dead in the eyes, almost as if seeking for the lie. The purse of her lips told him she found it, but the smile that soon found refuge on her feminine visage implied she didn't exactly mind it. She let him off the hook, and instead of reprimanding him or taking her leave, she trailed lazy, teasing circles on his collarbone. She noted the way his muscles flexed under her simple touch.

"I needed to tell you something," she told him, her fingers halting their ministrations as her hand felled limply to her lap. Kurama jerked a little at the loss of warmth and contact, yet he allowed no fracture to disrupt his stoic mask. "What do you think it is?" she continued in a coy manner as she looked up at him shyly and bit the side of her lower lip.

He resisted the urge to claim her lips as he eyed the plump skin grinded between her teeth. He smiled; this particular smile having one fang bared at the ferry girl. "I think I have a good idea of what you mean," he responded honestly, not bothering to hide his assumption.

Botan's mouth curved upwards into a beautiful smile. "My answer," she informed him anyway, "to your confession."

His body turned into a rigid line—though it was not out of surprise as she knew he already saw this conversation coming from a mile away. He was preparing himself—already contemplating the different reactions he would have to act if her response came in the form of a hurtful, blatant rejection.

The deity couldn't help but widen her smile a little at the tinge of fear she could detect hidden underneath the emotion lacking in his emerald orbs. It was a bit cruel to let herself enjoy this too much, but it was flattering and joy-inducing to know that she had such a strong effect on the fox that was sought after by many. He could have chosen beauties that far exceeded hers, yet he still chose her. That mere line of thought brought a sense of female pride to swell in her little heart.

"Relax, Kurama," she chortled as she caught the waves of tension the fox was unintentionally emitting through the spiking of his demon energy. "I'm not going to bite you."

The thief, realizing that he was caught in his own emotional trap, quickly tried to motion his demon energy into small, calm waves. "I wouldn't mind it even if you did," he responded with seduction and suppressed desire laced heavily in his low voice and he watched as the girl's smile faltered before a blush took its place. When she turned to look away in timidity, he knew he had won. He smirked, suddenly poised. "I can sense your temperature rising. Are you okay?"

"Fine," Botan answered with a small huff. It wasn't as if he didn't know.

The irritation dissipated sooner than it came though and the girl casted her gaze to his face yet again. She stared deep into his pools of emeralds, finding herself gradually getting lost in his cool, depthful greens. Her throat felt dry, all of a sudden, but she swiftly mustered up the courage to speak,

"I…" she started, falling short for a moment before proceeding, "I put a lot of thoughts into this and I know it took me longer than expected and I just—well… I just wanted to say that I wouldn't mind it… you know? Us seeing each other, I mean," she rambled quickly, acutely aware of her already warm face heating up until it reached its boiling point. She could have sworn she would have fainted with all the blood rushing to her head.

The wide grin that spread on the fox's face was completely uncharasteristic and mostly resembled that of a child. "Really?" he asked her anyway, out of sheer fear that his ears might have been playing tricks on him.

She could sense his glee practically radiating off of him and that served to make her flush reduce into a lighter color as his happiness brought out her own and earned her bright smile. "Yes."

The quirk on Kurama's lips impossibly broadened. "Thank you, Botan," he said in a breathe of relief as he relaxed, his tense form slouching down in regained composure. "Thank you." His smile lost its wideness, yet it still retained the same vibrance. "I promise, you won't regret it. I'll make you the happiest woman on earth," he swore, features deadly serious and voice equally stern but tender.

"You already have," she whispered, before extending her hands up to cup his cheeks. Her smile turned larger as he nuzzled the tip of his nose against the smoothness of her palm—and was that a purr she could distinctly hear? "Just so you know, I don't share," she added briskly as she abruptly recalled the hot stares women around him would always send him. Kurama seemed to catch on to what she was thinking about.

"You're not the only one always getting lustful leers, my dear," he responded with a roguish grin, even as his voice dripped with intense jealousy. He stared at her and earned a scarlet flush in return—though whether it was out of embarrassed surprise over his choice of words or the sweet pet name, he was unsure. "And for your information, neither do I. I'm possessive and you're…" he trailed off, raising his eyebrows at the still dumbstruck ferry girl.

She caught the look and swiftly finished, "Greedy. I'm greedy."

"Ah," A look of recognition flitted over his features—slightly mingled in heated satisfaction, "greed. Now we're getting somewhere."

Botan turned ten shades darker in the face at the double meaning behind his words. It was obvious that that one aspect of her was actually a—ahem—turn on for the sexy fox. She knew he wouldn't make a move until he was certain she was fully prepared though—and he settled for lingering his hands on her hips than anything more.

His fingers squeezed a little and the girl jumped.

"You're crude," she remarked with a lopsided grin—though the breathy pant that followed her statement begged to differ to her playfulness.

"Not crude enough to bed you right here, right now," he uttered curtly in response as his eyes flashed gold for a moment before reverting to their original color. He gave her an impish grin and the heat disappeared, giving way to pure affection; his love for her now showing on the surface. "There's more time for that—but for now I'm satisfied with just having you by my side."

She nodded her head. "So what now?"

"Now?" A red eyebrow lifted delicately before the curl at the corners of his mouth widened just a tad bit. "Now we wait and see what happens." Neither of them knew what this newfound relationship would lead to—and if they were lucky, hopefully, his countless times of risking his life and her endless service for Reikai would deem their forbidden union at the very least acceptable in Enma Daioh's eyes. It wasn't much of a redeeming fact though—and they were never that lucky.

"I guess… but you wouldn't leave me, would you?" she asked fearfully, suddenly afraid of the prospect of him abandoning her out of reluctance of getting thrown into Reikai prison. She knew he would never stoop that low of course, but still…

"I won't leave you," he quickly said, sensing her fear and wanting to ease her concerns.

"But, Kurama, what if…"

"I won't leave you, and that's final," he repeated, firmer this time as he looked at her straight in the eyes, "Believe me."

She stared back and saw the sincerity in his green irises. "I do." She nodded.

"Good." He smiled. "Know that I will always fight for you… for us. And that I will never give up on you, no matter the circumstances." He took ahold of her hand, bringing it close to his chest so that she could feel the heavy thumping of his heart. "Hear that?"

A blush, but she nodded her head.

"That's proof of my undying love, proof that my feelings for you are real." His fingers intertwined with hers. "So for now, let's not concern ourselves over what ifs. No one knows what the future has in stored for us… but I have you and you have me and that's all that matters. Let's worry about it when it happens. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered, fluttering her eyelids close as he bent down and delivered a soft, featherlike peck on the top of her forehead.

"I love you," he murmured, smiling as he caught the tears of joy brimming in her eyes.

And this time she didn't hesitate as she uttered, "I love you too." She cupped a hand against his cheek, brushing her tender fingers over the smooth flesh. "Always."

His smile broadened and he nodded his head. A short pause lingered in the air before his eyes felled to the soft texture of her pink, honey-dew lips. He licked his lips, swallowing a lump in his throat as she noticed the expression on his visage and pursed her lips for the kiss. He grabbed her shoulders, sparing one last glance at her shaking, closed eyelashes before leaning closer.

He finally claimed her, as his mouth came in contact with hers in a chaste lip-lock.