The group had decided to gather at Kurama's house one weekend for a get together after a long summer apart. Everyone had had jobs or vacations planned and they had been apart for a few months. Botan, Yukina, Keiko and Shizuru stood talking about their summers, while Kurama, Koenma, Kuwabara and Yusuke stood talking about Makai. Hiei was sitting on the window sill watching as the sun set outside.

"Oh shoot!" a voice rang out as Hiei turned despite knowing he shouldn't care and looked at the owner of the voice.

"Hn, Baka onna" he said. His comment meant for the ferry guide who had just spilled soda all over herself and was now looking down at the big brown spot on her formally light pink shirt. Her head shot up and she looked at him in annoyance.

"Baka huh? "She asked glaring at the fire demon in the corner.

"Yes I am a baka, but at least I can tell those I care for how I feel. Everyone in this room knows how I feel about them and how much they all mean to me." She swiped her arm around to include everyone in the room. They had all fallen silent at Botan's raised voice (a rare occurrence) and were now watching the pair.

"Even you! Despite all of your threats and cold comments and despite how you try to push us away I still care about you. My heart still cries when you're hurt and soars when you take down a foe. So go ahead! Call me a baka, call me onna, but at least I can voice how I feel about those I love and can admit to myself that I am better for having loved them, then not. It must be a cold existence to not have any love in it Hiei. To just be cold and cruel even to those who mean the most to you." Tears by now had gathered in her eyes and threatened to fall.

"Hn, Onna you speak of what you do not know." Hiei said with narrowed eyes, his voice angry.

"I know that we all care about you despite your past. I know that loving everyone in this room is better than hating. I know that letting them in to my heart was one of the best things I have ever done and I know that they return my feelings. This is my family, they are my brothers and sisters that I never thought I would have." Her tears fell as she said this and slowly trail down her cheeks. Hiei stood slowly and moved to her where she stood next to Keiko.

"And me onna? Do you count me as a brother?" he asked raising a hand to wipe away her tears. The entire room seemed to melt away and all that mattered was Botan and Hiei. They didn't see the others stare in fascination at Hiei's actions or Botan's words; Kurama and Shizuru were smiling and Yusuke, Koenma, and Kuwabara were staring with dropped jaws while Keiko and Yukina were watching with tears in their eyes.

"No Hiei, I don't think of you as a brother." She saw his eyes narrow as he abruptly drew his hand away from her face. Briefly hurt flashed in his eyes before he caught himself.

"Hn, that's what I thought." He said as he began to move back to the window sill. Before the others could blink (not that any of them wanted to and risk missing what happened next) Botan's hand shot out and grabbed Hiei's arm.

"I think of you as more than a brother." She whispered quietly, however in the silent room it rang out. Leaving the rooms occupants gasping and waiting for the moody demon's reaction.

"Despite my mind telling me I'm crazy, that there is no way for you to feel this way about me, I love you. I love you like Keiko loves Yusuke, like Kuwabara loves Yukina and Kurama loves Shizuru. So no I don't think of you as a brother, because to me that's something that you'll never be." Hiei had frozen at Botan's touch and he now turned slowly and looked at her.

"You love me? Knowing that I threatened you and can kill you in a second? Knowing my history and my crimes? Why?" He watched as she shook her head.

"I don't know. I don't know Hiei, but I do. So you know what call me baka, call me onna, call me whatever you want, but at least now you know. Truly know how I feel about you." Botan let go of his arm and was surprised when he grabbed her hand. Slowly he stretched up and kissed her. It was fast, just a slight pressure if his overly warm lips on hers, but it made her breath catch and her eyes glaze over.

"Hn, Botan if I truly hated you you'd have been dead a while ago." She stared into his eyes and for once he dropped his mask and let her see the truth in his eyes.

"D…Do you love me, Hiei?" she asked shakily. She saw his eyes widen slightly as he considered her. After a few minutes of suspense filled silence in which the spectators held their breaths, he slowly nodded and kissed her again. The kiss started with just a slight pressure, until Hiei nibbled her bottom lip. Botan sighed and shyly opened her mouth for him. Hiei immediately deepened the kiss tugging Botan into his arms. Before anyone could blink the newly formed couple was gone.

Slowly the room came to life. Keiko and Yukina were crying and sighing from the touching scene. The soft clink of Yukina's tears hitting the floor stirred Kurama.

"Even I didn't see that one happening." He said with a smile on his face. Shizuru laughed and turned to the other girls who had begun to chatter excitedly about the new couple. Yusuke let out a slow breath,

"Well, damn! You go Hiei!" he chuckled. Kuwabara was still starting where the couple had been. "Botan and Hiei. Hiei and Botan." He kept muttering to himself until Yusuke finally got tired of it and yelled at him.

"Yeah Kuwabara we got it. I know it may be too much for your small brain to process though." Kuwabara turned to Yusuke,

"What was that Urameshi? I'll beat that smug look off your face!"

"Bring it on!" Yusuke said and with that the two started wrestling. Koenma however was silent and looked deep in thought. It wasn't until Kurama moved over to him that he spoke.

"Does he really love her?" he asked the humanoid fox.

"Yes, Koenma I believe he does. He is not one to say he does and then not mean it. He doesn't just kiss anyone either." Kurama reassured the Prince.

"I think he may end up marking her. Will that be a problem?" Kurama asked as he and Koenma watched Yusuke and Kuwabara still rolling on the floor. Slowly the prince shook his head.

"No I don't think so. I'll just have to redo their paperwork, but other than that I don't think it will be." And with a small poof Koenma left. Kurama sighed and went to go talk with the girls as Kuwabara and Yusuke continued their rumble.

Across the other side of town, Hiei was slowly laying Botan on her bed and leaning over her kissing her. He had never felt like this before. His heart beating wildly and his hands shook a little as he caressed Botan's face.

"Will… Will you let me mark you?" He asked quietly, almost shyly. He saw Botan's eyes widen and fill with tears.

"Hiei, are you sure?" she whispered out.

"Hn, I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't" he said his voice was a little husky and sounded deeper then Botan had ever heard it. She shivered as his breath fanned over her face. Slowly she nodded and sighed softly as Hiei kissed her ravenously. Slowly he moved to her neck kissing and nibbling until he got to the right spot. Then he sunk his fangs in and marked her as his mate. He heard her gasp in pain at the initial intrusion and break of her skin, then she sighed and Hiei felt his cloak being tugged off. Once it was gone she pushed his shirt aside and bit him hard breaking his skin. It wasn't big or deep, but it was enough to leave a mark that would scar as her clam on him. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. They shone with love for him and him alone. He kissed her and soon the night was caressed with their sighs, moans, and whispered words. Hours later Hiei watched his mate as she snuggled deeper into his arms.

"I love you" he said quietly, finally saying the words out loud.

"I love you too Hiei." She whispered back to him. Hiei felt a smile form on his face. Yes, now he felt for once at peace.