This is my first one-shot for Yuyu Hakusho. I love the pairing Hiei x Botan and I hope you would like this story.

I apologize for the mistakes, English is not my native language. I hope it's comprehensible ^^"

It was a fact

Botan sat in a chair, a drink in hand, eyes closed. She was at peace, for the moment. She knew too well that this peace wouldn't last. It was like that since she became the deity of Death. Sometimes, she envied her friends for being so careless. Yusuke could do whatever he wanted as long as he wasn't on duty, as for the others. Kuwabara was at ease to woo the young ice maiden, Kurama to take care of his mother and studies, and Hiei... Well, she didn't really know what he did when he was not with them. Maybe he just came back to Makai. It bothered her a little not to know where he went. If he needed help, she wouldn't be able to... to what? She was no use for him. She was weaker than the weakest demon of Makai. It was a fact. She was not a fighter, she was a ferry girl, the deity of Death, nothing less, nothing more. She often wondered why she had agreed to do that job, why didn't she just accept death?

"Because I didn't feel like that," she murmured. "I didn't want to give up on life, on friends, on love... Pathetic!"

She emptied her drink in one sip and made a face. Even after all those years, she didn't get used to alcohol yet. She almost despised it, but it was the only thing that permitted her to forget her worries.

"If they saw me right now, what would they say?"

For her, it was her role to always be happy, cheery, and even naïve. They needed somebody to who they could explain everything, every time. That was also a fact. In every group you would meet, there would always be the naïve girl, or boy, who was too innocent for their own well.

"And for us, I am that fool," she sniggered. The alcohol was starting to make her dizzy. "It would be better if I went to bed."

She succeeded in standing with difficulty. She was not a drinker either. She sighed, three drinks and she wasn't able to act correctly anymore. She staggered to her bed, helping herself with the walls. Fortunately, her bedroom was not too far from the living room and she soon was able to lay down on her sheets. This time, she hadn't caused a disaster. She hadn't broken her glass, nor the bottle. She hadn't been sick, nor out of mind. It was a relief. Sometimes, when she drank, she lost her common sense and, once she woke up, she could notice all the damages she was responsible for.

"This time, I won't need to clean a mess, I didn't cause a mess, I was reasonable," she whispered, half awake.

It took her only five minutes to fall completely asleep, unaware of the presence behind her window. She didn't shift when the unknown opened it. A light breeze blew through the room, making her shiver. Unconsciously, Botan brought her covers back up on her face.

The moon slightly lighted the young girl. Her mysterious visitor bent down over her, letting his face be revealed by the lunar star.

"The only moment when you're quiet. It's rare enough to notice," Hiei said, smirking.

She drank, he was there, invisible to her eyes, but he was really present, ready to act. Botan was unaware of his game. Whenever she was about to do something stupid, or dangerous, he prevented her from acting, she thought it was... Well, in those cases she didn't really think. Her mind was too stray for her to remember anything strange around her. If an extraterrestrial appeared in front of her, she was sure she wouldn't notice. Maybe, she would even try to get to know it.

Hiei put a chair near the bed and sat down. Eventually, he would stay all night to keep an eye on her. Who knew what she could do in that state! He never slept when he was "on-duty", and so he heard a lot of things. This little unthinking spoke while being asleep. Most of what she said was uninteresting but, bit by bit, he learnt to pay more attention to her words and, when curiosity overcame him, he entered her mind. Hiei finally figured that Botan was not as innocent and ignorant than they all used to think.

In her dreams, Botan used to relive her past as a ferry girl. She recalled the wars, the conflicts – human or not – the pain to be left behind by her dead relatives, the joy to meet with news. For his surprise, she didn't often cry, not truly.

"I am a ghost in their lives," Botan murmured, catching Hiei off-guard.

'She doesn't value herself,' he thought, disdainful.

All of a sudden, Botan shifted and opened her eyes, directing them on Hiei.

"Who doesn't value themselves?" she suspiciously asked.

Hiei blinked. Did he say it aloud?

"Yeah," she confirmed, guessing what he was thinking. "Plus, what are you doing here?"

She narrowed her eyes. She had been woken up by Hiei's voice. She had immediately recognized it despite her state. Finding a guy in her bedroom, a normal girl would had screamed and been horrified, but not her. If Hiei was by her side, there was surely a good reason.

"Hn" was his only answer.

"Oh no, you're not going to escape like that! What are you doing here? Hiei!"

In normal times, she wouldn't talk to him in such a way. She would be shy and cheery – albeit it was more than midnight. Not this night, the alcohol had freed her mind from all the barriers she herself kept. She was able to be her true self in front of him, in front of the man whom she fell in love without knowing, if she did, she swore she wouldn't have let them take such proportions. She was almost afraid of them. What if he didn't love her in return? She didn't want to think about it, because she was sure it was the right answer to this case.

"Mind your own business woman," he growled.

"My, Hiei, it is my house, not yours, what are you doing here?" Botan sighed.

Seeing he wouldn't honestly answer her, she pointed her hand towards the window.

"I think you came from here, didn't you? Just close the window when you get out. Don't want to catch cold."

Hiei only grunted. Finally, he preferred her when she wasn't drunk. A happy Botan was easier to handle than a bored one.

"What do you not act like yourself everyday? Why do you hide yourself from us?" he suddenly blurted out.

"What do you mean?"

Hiei took place on her bed, closer to her.

"Don't try to deceive me. I know you don't always smile-"

"Like everyone," she interrupted him.

"It's not what I mean. You know a lot of things but still, you act like an idiot all the time. Why do you not help us with your knowledge?"

Botan met his gaze. He knew the truth about her. She didn't know how, but it was a fact that he was aware of her true self.

"When somebody is... I never wanted to be a burden, but... but I have witnessed a lot of things because of my job and, sometimes... sometimes I wish I don't know anything about the world and its horrors. I can't explain why I became like that, why I created this character, maybe to keep off the memories I wanted to forget, I can't say when it started but it started and I can't detach myself from that behaviour, not alone..."

Botan didn't expect to confess so soon. She never imagined to talk to Hiei so freely. The demon didn't say anything more, instead he pulled her in his arms. Botan shrieked a little in surprise. She let him hug her, but didn't dare return the embrace.

"Hiei, what are you doing?" she murmured shyly.

"You fool. If you can't do it alone, I'm going to help you. I won't let you destroy yourself" he answered with sincerity.

Happiness and hope grew up in her. She finally hugged him back. Unconsciously, she began to cry. When they were not on-duty, Hiei didn't come back to Makai no, he continued to keep an eye on her.

It was a fact that Botan and Hiei used to worry about each other in secret but this night, in each other arms, the fact changed a little.

From now on, they would worry together. Yeah, it was a fact, a new one.

The End.

I hope you liked it. Please review =)