Here's Part II!
Prompt: Promise
This was supposed to be posted on Day 7 of the HB Week, but as you can see, I ran way behind schedule.
Anyway, hope you all enjoy the conclusion of Tokyo Nights.
Nearly all of Hiei's senses were assaulted at once upon entering the carnival. He glared at the harsh lights beaming down on him, nose crinkling in distaste under the heavily saturated scents of grease and sugar and humans that soaked the balmy summer air.
Brows furrowed in concentration, he attempted to drown out the boisterous music and overexcited voices that pierced his ears. He called upon all the methods of meditation he bothered to learn at Kurama's behest, but it was to no avail. It was a small consolation that his severe expression did a decent enough job of creating an invisible barrier between him and all of the lively humans that crossed his path.
The ferry-girl was another story, though. She stood far too close to him, her arm brushed against his as she pointed out things that were of little consequence to him, but of great interest to her. He didn't understand why she was so enthralled. He couldn't see the point in this superfluous event. But the woman could. She always had an uncanny way of making the best of her situation and seeing the positive light in everything. She proved to be a decent distraction from all that was surrounding him, so he fixed his attentions on her as they followed Kuwabara and Yukina to a less populated area of the carnival. He allowed himself to watch the lights stain her pale skin in hues of purples and pinks that matched her eyes. He observed the bright wonder in her gaze; the curious curl of her pink lips. He listened to the sound of her voice and the way it lilted up and down in a melody that was all her own.
The ferry-girl was unlike anyone else he had ever come across.
He had yet to determine if that was a good or bad thing.
"Oh, look! Kuwabara's trying to win Yukina a stuffed animal," she gushed, her hands clasped together as they stood behind an empty and abandoned booth. "How sweet!"
"It's foolish," Hiei rebutted. "Yukina doesn't even like such things."
"Really? Because that cute little smile on her face says otherwise."
He scoffed, watching with disinterest as the psychic tried and failed to master the ring toss. The game was obviously rigged; the odds stacked against the player. But the oaf tried and tried and tried again, until he won a paltry prize for Yukina. Kuwabara had always been like that: foolishly determined even when victory was unlikely. Hiei noticed the way his sister's expression brightened slightly so as she hugged the plush bird to her chest. She genuinely appreciated the idiot's efforts. That much was becoming plainly and uncomfortably obvious.
As they moved to a new station, the psychic managed to encourage Yukina into playing a few rounds. She was wildly unsuccessful, but Kuwabara cheered her on as though she won each and every turn. Yukina smiled that peculiar smile again, her expression soft and eyes full of emotion. Hiei didn't want to consider what it meant so he tore his gaze away. He could feel the ferry-girl's knowing grin directed at him, but she was smart enough to keep her mouth shut as they followed to duo to another station.
"Say, Hiei," the bluette began, slender brows rounded hopefully. "Do you want to go on a ride?"
He took one look at the rickety and rusty contraption standing in the distance before shaking his head.
"No."
"Aw, don't be a spoilsport!" she urged, looking at him with pleading eyes and a single finger raised. "Just one ride?"
"I said no, woman."
She batted her eyelashes at him, pink lips downturned into a pout.
"You aren't going to leave me all by my lonesome are you?"
"That's exactly what I'm going to do," he resolved as he pushed forward.
Her coy act vanished almost immediately, melting into a look of incredulity as she stomped after him.
"Hiei!" she complained. "Must you always be so difficult?"
He paused to turn around and glare at her. The lights of the attraction nearest them dyed her form in red and orange now, but her petulant expression remained unchanging under the weight of his icy glower. He wondered when she became immune to his intimidation tactics. He wondered when she stopped being afraid of him.
"Don't you think it'd be a waste to let this opportunity pass us by?" she tried, her voice gentler this time.
"No," he maintained, his tone brokering no argument. "I only have one goal tonight and it does not involve faulty human world contraptions or games."
"But-"
"You can do what you want, ferry-girl," he cut in sharply. The thought of her going off to suit her every fancy should have pleased him, but it only stoked the fires of his irritation. "There is nothing keeping you here."
"Sure there is!" she insisted. "I'm here for you!"
"Because your interfering Prince ordered it."
"Because I'm trying to stop you from doing something you'll regret," she corrected. Her expression softened, concern swimming in her amethyst eyes. "Koenma's orders aside, I really do care about you. That's why I'm here for you and nothing else."
Hiei averted his gaze, the tightness in his chest moving up towards his throat and making it difficult to speak.
"Your priorities seem to be askew," he let out eventually.
"Maybe so, but my instincts have never led me wrong before. And, right now, they're telling me I should stick by you."
"You should know that I have no intentions of participating in any human world pastime," he said, just to be clear.
"That's alright," she acceded easily. "I suppose we really should focus on the mission at hand!"
"I thought you said you weren't following orders."
"I'm talking about the new and improved mission! Operation: get Hiei to realize that Kuwabara is a good match for Yukina."
"I would rather become fodder for the fox's death eating plant than believe a thing like that."
"Oh, don't be so severe! Before the night ends, you'll feel a bit better about the two of them. I promise!"
He eyed her skeptically.
"Just trust me Hiei," she continued assuredly. "Good old Botan will never steer you wrong."
So that was her name. Botan. He always managed to forget, but he resolved to commit it to memory this time.
"I'll reserve my judgment on whether or not there are benefits to having you around," he began. "But if you insist on being of any use, then you'll quiet down. We already risked getting caught twice because you couldn't control that mouth of yours."
Botan winced guiltily.
"Sorry."
"Hn."
"I'll do better," she determined. "Why, I'll be as quiet as a mouse. No, even quieter! You won't hear a peep out of me. Not a single sound. No sir-"
"-Botan," he ground out.
"Shutting up now!" she said, making a show of zipping her lips closed.
They continued to trail after the unsuspecting psychic and the ice-maiden in relative silence. It was easy for them to remain out of sight with a crowd this large and loud. Hiei watched on as Kuwabara introduced Yukina to all sorts of human world frivolities. Each and every one was pointless and silly in his eyes, but he could see that his sister was enjoying it. The ferry-girl was, too, and soon enough, her vow of silence was irreparably broken. When her attention wasn't focused on the carnival or the date they were supposed to be observing, it fell upon him. She had taken to asking about all manner of subjects, ranging from his disinterests to his hobbies and preferences. He found himself voicing opinions he was not used to telling others about and contemplating things he never thought to dwelling on before. It was strange and so very unlike him. He didn't even know why he indulged her in the first place. Small talk was never his forte and yet, he allowed the woman to distract him at every turn with her smiling eyes and curious questions.
They eventually found themselves taking up residence on a bench that afforded a decent outlook of the west side of the carnival. The jaunty music was nothing but a low hum in his ears now and the only light that reached them was a faint golden glow from an attraction a few feet away. Botan's legs swung back and forth, her happy expression unwavering.
"What's your favorite color? I bet it's red, isn't it?"
"Yes, but only in the form of an enemy's blood spurting out from an open wound."
Her nose crinkled in disgust.
"That's highly disturbing, Hiei!"
He smirked.
"You shouldn't have asked if you weren't prepared to hear the answer."
"And you don't have to be so morbid all the time! There are lots of other beautiful things in that shade! You know, like the sunset, roses, your eyes-"
The fire-demon raised a dark brow.
"You like my eyes, woman?" he interrupted.
She blushed an interesting hue of red when her words caught up to her.
"I... you... uh..."
"It's a simple yes or no question."
"They're... nice," she admitted, avoiding his gaze expertly as she played with the fabric of her pink skirt. "In a striking, mysterious sort of way."
Hiei bit back a smirk. He didn't know why the knowledge pleased him and filled his chest with a pleasant kind of warmth. He never cared about looks, much less his own, but her little blunder was something he didn't want to forget.
Botan cleared her throat pointedly, drawing his attention back to her.
"Do you have a favorite teammate?"
"I hate them all equally."
"Oh, Hiei!" she giggled. "That's horrible!"
And on they went, inconsequential words filling up the spaces between them. Normally, he wouldn't waste his breath on anyone's curiosity, but the exchange wasn't entirely unbearable. Her cheerful aura had done a peculiar job of seeping through his defenses and lowering his guards. He wasn't nearly as wound up as he ought to be as he watched the events unfold between his sister and the oaf and he supposed he had the ferry-girl to thank for that. She had a way about her that made things seem less severe than they were, encouraging him to simply exist in the moment rather than bludgeon through it. Perhaps indulging in her brand of small talk proved to be of use after all.
It suddenly occurred to him that it had been a while since Botan's last inquiry. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, thoroughly surprised by what he saw. The ferry-girl's upbeat expression dulled uncharacteristically, but it was the sentiment in her candy colored eyes that gave him pause. He knew that gaze. He was no stranger to the emotions that traced her lonely eyes.
What are you looking at?
Hiei followed her line of sight until he reached the couple walking a few feet away. They were holding hands in a disgustingly saccharine affair. The fire-demon never understood the big fuss over love and he never would, but he supposed he couldn't fault her for her longings.
"Hey, Hiei," she began. "If you could have one thing, what would it be?"
His eyes lifted upwards to meet the horizon. The human world's night sky wasn't all that different from Makai's. They were both dark and dotted with stars and constellations he couldn't be bothered to remember. Their vast depths always calmed him. They always reminded him of home.
There was really only one thing he wanted.
One thing that always seemed out of reach.
"Freedom," he answered easily.
Strength and power were things he could achieve on his own, but he couldn't speed up the time. He couldn't gain his freedom until he served his length sentence under the Spirit World's rule.
Botan hummed in response. He lowered his gaze, bringing it back to the muted woman beside him.
"What about you, ferry-girl?"
"Me?"
"If I had to answer, then so do you."
She fixed her gaze ahead, a distant look on her eyes.
"Well, I suppose I'd want freedom, too."
"You already have it."
She shook her head, blue tendrils spilling over her shoulder like water.
"Not really. My whole life is reduced to my job." Her smile was sad; so far away from the woman he was used to. "I think it would be nice if I could be more than just a ferry-girl."
"I see."
"It's silly... isn't it?" she dismissed. "I should be content with what I have."
"You're allowed to want more," he replied. "There's nothing wrong in that."
A slow smile stretched over her face, much like the one when he beckoned her to join him back in the park. It made his chest tight and his mouth run dry. He didn't know what this feeling was, but he didn't like it.
"Thank you, Hiei."
The longer he stared at her, the stronger that foreign feeling became. He nodded as he glanced away. He didn't know what compelled him to reassure her like that. He wasn't in the habit of lifting others' moods or making them feel good about themselves. But the words came so easily for the ferry-girl. They didn't require any thought at all.
He decided not to dwell on it as he settled into a more comfortable position on the bench. The outline of her body next to his became familiar, lulling him into a sense of security and ease. Yukina and Kuwabara were simply talking now, nothing remotely troubling about their actions, so he let himself fully relax. His senses began to dull, one by one, until he knew nothing but Botan's softness beside him and her scent so near. As he drifted off, he felt the soft brush of her fingertips sweeping his bangs out of his eyes. The gesture was tender and intimate. Gentle and unsure. He wondered why she did it. He wondered why she cared.
.
.
.
Hiei awoke to Botan slapping his arm rapidly, a barely contained squeal making its way out of her throat and into his ears.
"What?" he snapped, grabbing a hold of her wrist to stop her from flailing all over him. "What is it, woman?"
"I think it's happening!" she said excitedly. "He's officially confessing!"
His gaze snapped to where the duo stood. The oaf had taken Yukina's hands and the tenuous strands of Hiei's patience snapped. The sight of a man putting his hands on his sister ignited a flame within him that he couldn't suppress. He stood up stiffly, body moving on autopilot as a sole, unyielding need for blood overtook his mind.
"Hiei wait!" Botan wrapped her arms around his bicep and planted her feet on the ground.
"Let go of me," he ordered sharply, nails digging crescents into his palms as he clenched his fists tighter.
It would be so easy to remove her. A simple burst of energy would be more than enough. But doing so would run the risk of hurting her, and that wasn't something he was willing to do. She monopolized on his hesitation, tightening her grip on his arm.
"No, you absolutely cannot butt in!"
"I can and I will."
"Hiei!" she exclaimed. "If you care about Yukina, even a little bit, then you won't ruin this for her."
"You have no grounds to speak."
"Neither do you! You're being unfair and cruel at this point! It's bad enough that you won't tell her that you're her brother - you can't snatch this opportunity for love away from her, too!"
The fight drained from him almost immediately, leaving something cold and empty behind in its wake. Her words cut deeper than they should have, reaching a part of his soul that he had ignored for so long. No one had ever spoken to him like this before. Not the know-it-all Prince of Spirit World. Not the brazen detective. Not even the meddling fox. But this weak, flighty ferry-girl had the gall, the honesty and the courage to tell him the undeniable truth.
"Oh, Hiei..." she began regretfully, reaching a hand out towards him and then retracting it when he turned away. "I didn't... I wasn't..."
But her voice faded away as reality washed over him. He chose to live on the outskirts of his sister's life. He resolved to distance himself from her and all of the things she did. He couldn't intrude in her personal affairs. Not like this.
"I have no right to interfere in her life," he agreed lowly.
"That's not what I meant..." Botan responded. "I just wanted you to grant her the freedom to make her own choices. You of all people should understand what that means."
His gaze lingered on the ice maiden. Yukina had been oppressed all her life in some form or another. If it wasn't by the elders of the ice village and their strict laws, then it was by the hands of that bastard Tarukane and the Toguro brothers. It was never his intention to do the same.
The last thing he wanted to do was mistreat her like the others had.
He took a deep breath and tore his gaze away, shoulders and fists relaxing as he turned to face Botan once more. It was strange that a woman who was his opposite in every sense of the word was able to ground him so effectively. She was capable of seeing the things he could not. She had the good sense to stop him from making a mistake that would have cost him more than he could imagine.
"...Perhaps you aren't as air-headed as you seem, ferry-girl," he commented offhandedly.
She set her hands on her hips.
"Well, I don't know whether to feel offended or proud."
"Either is fine by me."
Botan rolled her eyes at him before setting her sights back on the psychic and ice maiden. He could see the curiosity in the purse of her lips and the eager way she leaned forward.
"Oh poo!" she lamented. "It looks like we missed the whole thing."
That was just fine with Hiei.
"And they've moved so far ahead that I can't even hear what they're saying now…" she continued.
Hiei's gaze skirted towards the distance. He could hear the duos conversation clearly. Although it caused him to frown, he knew that it would have the adverse effect on Botan. Perhaps he should tell her. He owed her that much.
"They're discussing their next outing."
"Really?" Her expression lit up as she whipped around to view him.
Hiei nodded wordlessly, causing Botan to clap her hands together in a show of excitement.
"Oh, how wonderful!"
He didn't think there was anything wonderful about it, but she was still beaming at him with that expectant gleam in her eye and he found himself at a loss for words.
"What is it, woman?" he bit out cagily. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"We should do the same, don't you think?" she suggested.
He raised a brow.
"...What are you getting at?"
"Well, to ensure that you don't do anything impulsive or reckless, how about we make our own plans on the other side of town, far enough away from the two of them!" she offered excitedly.
He crossed his arms over his chest.
"I don't need you to be the proverbial angel on my shoulder."
"I'm only trying to be a good friend," she insisted. "Besides, tonight was nice, don't you think?"
"You think us skulking around in the shadows was nice?"
"No, silly!" She giggled with a dismissive and light wave of her hand. "Not the stalking around bit - all the parts in between!"
Hiei couldn't deny that the night had gone much more smoothly because of the eccentric ferry-girl. It was even pleasant at some points. But the fact that she was willing to do it again baffled him. There was nothing remotely nice about him. He wasn't sensitive like the psychic. He didn't possess the same charisma as Kurama. And he certainly wasn't as friendly and welcoming as the detective. Botan should have wanted nothing more to do with him. But here she stood – smiling at him like he was more than enough.
"...You're a strange woman," he blurted out unthinkingly.
"So I've been told."
"Far too excitable for your own good."
"Well... that's a little rude..."
"And overly loud."
"Hey!"
"But, despite all of that, I will oblige."
"Really?" Her expression fell into a mixture of shock and disbelief. She leaned closer to him. "You mean it?"
He didn't know why she was so surprised by his answer. She was the one who brought it up in the first place. But if she needed reassuring, then he knew exactly what to do. Yusuke showed it to him once and this appeared to be the perfect time to employ the learned technique. Maybe this would quell her doubt better than words could. Maybe this would convince her that he was serious. Pushing his fist out in between them, he extended his pinky finger out towards her.
Botan blinked down at the offering, head tilting in confusion.
"Are you... are you trying to pinky swear with me?"
"The detective and the oaf said it was a binding and sacred human world ritual," he maintained firmly. "The fox agreed."
Botan tried and failed to hide the flash of mirth that ran through her expression, but he had seen in clearly. His features tightened and twisted into a scowl.
"What is it, woman?" he prompted.
Botan bit her lip to stop from laughing, trying her best to contain her obvious amusement.
"Pinky swears are usually performed by children…" she revealed. "The boys were just pulling your leg."
He scowled as he shoved his fist in his pocket, lips slanted into a frown as the heat of humiliation colored the bridge of his nose. He should have known better than to believe the detective and the oaf, but the fox had stooped to a new low. He had a few creative ideas of how to make them all pay.
"Oh, but I've always thought pinky swears were an excellent way of sealing the deal," she soothed hurriedly. "They always feel more personal."
"My word should be enough," he argued. "Though I have half a mind to rescind."
"Don't be like that!" she pouted. "I'm already looking forward to our next meeting, you know."
The heat of his anger faded and cooled, her words gliding over his temperament like a soothing balm. He held her gaze searchingly, finding nothing but honest sincerity in the strands of purple and pink that colored her eyes.
"You really are a strange woman," he concluded.
"Really and truly," she affirmed, holding her pinky out in front of him. "So, what do you say?"
Hiei hesitated.
This was so unlike him.
Botan was so different from what he was used to, with her softness and affection and concern. His defenses bended and yielded like wet paper in the midst of her presence. His will weakened under the weight of her undeserved kindness.
He shouldn't have entertained the thought of seeing her again. He shouldn't have even brought her along with him to begin with.
And yet…
Somewhere amidst flashing lights and warm smiles, silly questions and undeniable truths, halfhearted insults and melodic laughter, he found himself appreciating this odd, eccentric ferry-girl for all that she was.
Despite all logic and rationale, he wanted to see her again.
He had long since learned that there was never any point in contesting his desires, so he took the dive. Taking a step forward, he extended his fist towards her and watched as she laced her pinky around his. The contact was brief as she squeezed their fingers together and then pulled away, but he could still feel the warmth of her touch even as he withdrew his hand into the folds of his pocket.
"Alright!" Botan exclaimed. "It's a date then."
And as she smiled back at him with a familiarity and warmth that encompassed a thousand Makai nights, he couldn't find it within himself to regret the promise he had just made.
There ya have it! :) Drop a review if you liked!