Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Deny Destiny ❯ One-Shot

A/N My thanks goes out to Lady Miriamele for beta reading and encouraging my writing. I wouldn't have started this without it.

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Yu Yu Hakusho. I'm making no money off this. Please do not sue.

This story contains Shoujo Ai / Femme Slash / Female + Female Romance / Lesbians. Don't like? Don't read.

Botan/Keiko

Keiko POV

Angst, requires some knowledge of when Keiko & Botan met in YYH.

Deny Destiny By Kitt Sseh March 03, 2003

Have you ever gone through life wondering what god controls you? Perhaps wondering if such a thing as "Destiny" exists? Well, let me tell you. There's no such thing as destiny. That is one of the few things I know to be true.

If destiny were real my life would have been a fairy tale. Meet Princess Keiko, the fair damsel in distress. See Prince Yusuke, the fierce warrior. Prince Yusuke is the opposite of Princess Keiko; Strong where she is weak, Smart where she is foolish, and handsome where she is ugly. It's only natural that they should fall in love. But there's no such thing as destiny. I will not play Princess Keiko for Prince Yusuke.

For one thing, Yusuke is no prince. He's crude, perversion at its highest form. Only in fairy tales could he be a prince on a white horse, coming down from the heavens to save the fair princess. For another, I'm no princess. I'm Keiko, an ordinary girl. I'm not one to sit idly by waiting for my prince to come.

Fine, I'll admit it. I've had my fair share of playing damsel in distress. But I can still stand and fight. Don't let my manner fool you. No one knows who I really am. But sometimes I wonder if this one girl can see the real Keiko.

Botan. She scares me. The slightest glance from her send shivers up my spine. Her eyes strip my protective layers away. It's like she can see into my soul. What scares me the most is that I care. I care whether Botan likes what's in my soul.

This feeling keeps trying to escape my heart. I can't let it. Who knows what could happen if I let it out? My wish is to understand this emotion. But no matter how long I sit and stare at the ceiling, willing the answer to come, it won't.

"Solve this on your own. That is the only way." Is all I can hear.

But how? I don't know what to do. My mother would always tell me that it's best to start at the beginning. So when did this begin? Maybe when I first met Botan. I think that's when this emotion started to flutter in my heart.

Back then I had no idea that Yusuke was involved with the spirit world. I still believed in destiny. Because destiny decided to bring my fallen prince back to life, I didn't question it. I was such a foolish little princess.

When I needed him to rescue me, he wasn't there. But she was.

Botan leapt to protect me from the monsters. She reminded me of a raven falling from the sky, as if shot down by a cruel hunters bullet. But she wasn't shot down by a gun. Maybe she was the same as me. Being destroyed internally by the masks society makes us wear. Society. our destiny.

I'm getting some where now. Botan and Keiko, two birds of a feather. The raven and the. what am I? I can't feel any wings. what am I?

I was saved by a raven. She led me away from the monsters as long as she could. But eventually she fell. So who saved the raven? I did, Me, Keiko. I deny my destiny. I am not helpless! I saved the raven; it was me, Keiko, K-E-I-K-O!

So much for damsels in distress. I was out of a job. But somehow, I didn't care.

After that I understood more and more of Yusuke's secrets. I envied his friendships with the others. They were a great team; Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei, and Botan. But Keiko was left outside their circle. I've always been left outside.

But even then Botan would try to draw me into the team.

"Keiko?"

"Huh? What the-Botan? Don't do that."

"Sorry. So tell me, Keiko, Why do you do this?"

"Wha-What are you talking about?" No! Could she read my mind? Were my secrets still safe?

"You're always here, thinking. Don't you want to hang out with us?" Botan laughed and shrugged towards the others. "You know, a cutie like you would liven up this drab group." I shook my head. Botan sighed, but she nodded. I wonder if she already knew the answer before she'd asked. As I watched her walk off, I thought of something.

"Yo-You think I'm cute?"

Botan turned around. She circled me slowly, sizing me up with her eyes. I blushed at the look she gave me. When she finished, she nodded. She jumped at me, knocking me to the ground. A kiss was smashed against my lips. But it was over as soon as it began. Botan got up and walked away, leaving me flustered and confused.

"Keiko, I wish you'd give us a chance." But I was too scared.

Life would have been so much easier if I accepted my destiny. All I had to do was marry Yusuke.

I wonder if I broke his heart. On the night Yusuke proposed to me. We danced around at a local club, me doing things properly and him stepping on my feet. In the middle of our dance, Yusuke twirled me around, and carried me in his arms to the middle of the dance floor. He waved his hand towards the lights, and we were illuminated in a soft glow. He got on his knees and offered me his heart on a ring. I sighed, closed the box and walked out of his life forever.

The others and I didn't agree with how I handled of Yusuke's proposal. Kuwabara was furious at how I'd treated Yusuke, Kurama was ashamed of me, and Hiei simply glared then looked away. Botan sighed and hugged me after the others left. We've been apart for many years.

Destiny had decided that Keiko and Yusuke were meant to be. Well, I deny my destiny.

I have little time left. I'm old now, everything's harder. I feel like a child. weak and helpless. Yes, I understand that it's my time. But I'll go alone. Destiny would have had me surrounded by friends, my husband by my side. But in my own life, I am alone as I take my last breath.

"Keiko." I look up as I hear a voice I never thought I'd hear again. Botan glowed as she flew into my window on her oar. Tears in her eyes, she offered me her arm. I nodded. Taking a hold of her hand, my young spirit slid out of my old body.

"I've missed you. Keiko, I-"

"No. Don't." Botan nodded and looked away. She blinked when I let go of her hand.

"Keiko?" I circled her slowly, sizing her up with my eyes. She blushed at the look I gave her. When I finished, I nodded. I jumped at her, knocking her to the ground. I smashed a kiss against her lips. But unlike what she'd done when she kissed me, I let the kiss last as long as I could.

"Shall we go?" I wrapped my arms around her as she climbed onto the oar.

"Yes."

So I have lived my life in my own way, without destiny.

The End

To clear things up, Botan is taking Keiko to the afterlife. Together in death.

A/N- Can you believe this was started as a fluffy bit to answer Rose Thorne's Botan/Keiko & Shizuru/Yukina fic challenge? But my Repressed Lesbian!Keiko muse disagreed with me.

Now to work on the Shizuru/Yukina part of the challenge @_@;;;

Please leave comments and criticism ^_^; if possible.