Title: Training Hours
Author: Vindiya
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho
Pairing: HieiBotan
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters are property of Yoshihiro Togashi, Funimation, Shounen Jump, and Shounen Jump Weekly. This was written merely for my amusement.
Author's Note: I was watching the beginning of the anime again and I noticed that Hiei seemed to look at Botan with a bit of respect at one point during the Four Saint Beasts Ark. Hence the birth of this little vinegrette.

Training Hours
By: Vindiya

It had started out small and almost imperceptible to most around them. At first it had been a slightly inward respect for the bubble headed ferry girl who was taking some initiative and not running an hiding to wait for the four of them to get the Makai Whistle. As far as the other were concerned Hiei didn't give a damn about her or really anyone but his sister.

He'd made sure to have it look that way but now even he knew he couldn't keep himself from admitting it to himself at this point. Somehow in that moment that he'd seen her kneeling by the unconscious spy her metal bat off to the side Hiei had developed a bit of a respect for Botan, however slight it may be.

Though personally it annoyed him more than ever, which it had taken him as long as it had for him; to figure out that that slight respect for her had changed to be something more. Somehow he found himself standing before the Gate of Judgment more and more.

The long hours of training in the park couldn't change the fact that she had wormed her way into his mind as easily as he had into her's when he'd kidnapped Keiko all that time ago. Even through the intense hours he spent sweating she was still there her happy bubbling features burned into his mind.

Hiei paused, breathing heavily in the center of the clearing. Katana in his heavily bandaged hand he closed his eyes trying to clear his thoughts of her. He wasn't naive and he'd caught the amused looks Kurama had been shooting his way, the fox knew and he couldn't stand it.

"I don't feel anything for her." Hiei reminded himself flatly.

It was a lie and a pathetic one at that and he knew it. Even as he said it her face floated in front of his eyes. His grip on the hilt of his katana tightened, she needed to get out of his head. He couldn't afford for her to be a weakness to him he already had more than plenty of them.

A chuckle pulled Hiei from his thoughts. He turned narrowing his eyes when they fell on his red headed partner.

"Kurama...," He said his tone flat and unconcerned so as not to belie how annoyed he was that Kurama was interrupting him.

"Don't have feelings for who Hiei?"

Hiei narrowed his eyes a fraction more at Kurama but made no reply. He was not about to rise to Kurama's baiting, it would only further prove the fox's assumptions. And he wouldn't want to do that it would only serve to garner more teasing from him.

Chuckling Kurama pushed off the tree, "Very well. We're leaving on another mission soon; we'll need your help."

"I'm no longer obligated to help." The response was easy as Hiei turned away feigning disinterest.

"Even if it's to save her?"

Hiei paused mid-step from walking away and looked back at Kurama, "Her?"

"Botan."

"Hmph...And why would it matter to me that she's been kidnapped."

Again Kurama chuckled, "You're right it wouldn't. Well I'll just leave you to your training."

Hiei twitched a little as he watched his former partner and team mate walk away. With a few quick moves he sheathed his katana before grabbing his cloak and joining Kurama. He knew that Kurama was smirking as they walked but he wouldn't do anything about it, lest he gave him more to tease him with. Couldn't have that now could he?

And he really couldn't leave it to them to rescue Botan they would need him. And he needed to see that she was ok, otherwise there'd be hell to pay by those who had taken her. Much like when his sister had been kidnapped by Tarukene.