"Hiei?"

"Hn...?"

"Are you awake?"

"I am now."

The mattress shifted as Botan turned to face him.

"You know what would be super?"

Hiei blinked up blearily at the ceiling, dreading the request that would undoubtedly spill from her lips. At a little over two months pregnant, Botan's appetite had taken a bizarre and peculiar turn. Worst of all, these cravings always tended to arise at ungodly hours of the late night or early morning.

"What is it this time?" he prompted.

"Pickles and ice cream."

Although Hiei had grimaced at her reply, he was not at all surprised by its absurdity.

"Oh, and it has to be the human world kind," she added, as if that made the combination any more appealing.

Crimson eyes glanced over at the analog clock on the nightstand.

"It's 2 in the morning," he pointed out irritably. "And we live in Makai."

"It's a good thing you're so fast, then," she encouraged, the pale moonlight highlighting the brightness of her amethyst eyes and the soft curve her smile. "I'm certain you could make it there and back in record time."

He dragged a hand over his face as he sat up.

"Seriously, woman?"

Botan followed suit, pressing the pads of her index fingers together as she pouted at him.

"Well, it's not exactly a necessity, but I would be forever grateful if I had some," she began. "Besides, it's not just me who wants it. Our baby does, too."

Hiei glanced down to where she had rested a hand on her stomach. Aside from her breasts and hips filling out more (making it extremely it difficult for Hiei to concentrate at times), her physical appearance hadn't changed much. She was barely showing. Even so, the ferry-girl knew that the mere mention of their child was more than enough of a motivating factor for him. She was playing dirty and he would have been impressed if he wasn't so irritable.

"The things I do for the two of you," he grumbled as his feet met the floor and he removed himself from the comfort of their bed.

"We love you, too, dear," she called after him.

Hiei returned home shortly after, carrying three different jars of pickles and a few cartons of ice cream. Botan failed to specify what she wanted and the last time he had gotten one of her orders wrong, she'd burst into uncontrollable sobs. She tried to reassure him – even with the tears falling down her cheeks – that her pesky hormones were to blame, but the incident was one he would like to avoid repeating. Crying women were his downfall and right now, he lacked the patience, mental fortitude and emotional sensitivity required to deal with it.

Upon re-entering the bedroom, he found Botan sprawled out over the center of the bed, blue tendrils fanned out behind her and pink lips parted slightly. He didn't think it wise to disturb her, so he backtracked to the kitchen instead. Flicking on the lights, he moved to pack away the ice cream and place the pickles somewhere she would easily spot them, then took up residence at the table. It was half past two and the speed he employed to make it to the human world and back had him fully wired. He could always train to work off his excess energy, but the stack of reading materials before him seemed a little more important than that. Botan had already gone through them all at least twice, while he hadn't found the time to touch a single one. He reached for the thinnest book at the top and began scanning through its contents.

Two months down, four more to go.

The following morning, Botan hummed to herself as she dunked her second pickle into a bowl of melted strawberry and chocolate ice cream. The treat was halfway to her lips when she paused and blinked at Hiei.

"Oh, how rude of me, would you like some?" she asked, extending the spear towards him generously.

Hiei glanced up from the book he was reading, brow furrowed and red eyes piercing as he dismissed the offering.

"Nobody in their right mind would eat that concoction."

"It's very tasty, though," she sing-songed. "You'd see for yourself if you tried it."

Hiei squinted and shook his head.

"I'll pass."

"Aw, don't be a spoil sport. Just take a bite."

"No."

"Please?"

"I said no, woman."

"Pretty, pretty please?"

"No–mph-"

It was pretty sneaky of her to jam the pickle in his mouth like that, but he had given her little to no choice. She nodded at him encouragingly, prompting the fire-demon to take a vicious bite and pull away.

She watched as he begrudgingly chewed and swallowed.

"So, what do you think?"

"Disgusting," he bit out, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

"Really?"

"Really."

Botan watched as Hiei swiped her teacup and downed its contents in an attempt to rid himself of the aftertaste. He set the cup down with more force than necessary and she frowned.

"Hm, I suppose it truly is a case of the pregnancy cravings, then," she considered, finishing the rest of the pickle. "And here thought I was actually onto something revolutionary..."

"I'd hardly blame this on your hormones," he countered. "You've always had peculiar tastes."

"Hey!" she protested, folding her arms over her chest. "You really shouldn't make fun of my tastes, especially since I chose you."

"Exactly my point," Hiei replied, lips slanted into a smirk as he stood up.

"Leaving already?" she asked, taking a stand as well.

"Might as well get an early start."

"But you didn't even touch your breakfast..." she frowned.

Hiei glared down at the pickle jar.

"I'd rather not eat if that's what's on the menu."

"Oh, don't be silly, I made something separate for you," she informed, moving over the counter to reveal a plate of omurice. "And I prepared a bento as well."

"You didn't have to," he said as he returned to his seat.

"I wanted to." Botan set the plate down in front of him with a smile. "You've been so patient and accommodating lately. This was really the least I could do."

He averted his gaze.

"You shouldn't praise me for doing what a husband should."

"I can and I will," she countered with a decisive nod of her head. "Not everyone is as lucky as me to have such a caring and sweet husband."

"Hn. You still fail to grasp the meaning of that word."

Botan smiled knowingly as she sat down and continued indulging in her latest craving. Hiei hid his disgust behind his chopsticks as he ate his own meal and she shrugged it off. Perhaps one day she would look back and wonder what she was thinking, but right now, the unconventional combination was certainly hitting the spot.

"Do you suspect it'll be busy today?" she asked conversationally.

Hiei nodded.

"Mukuro's goal to increase her territory on the southern border is proving to be more of a challenge than expected."

"I see..."

"And you?"

Blue brows lifted in surprise, before lowering a little wistfully.

"My schedule's pretty clear," she reported, eyes downcast as she played with her napkin. "There's not much for me to do now that Koenma's relieved me of most of my duties."

When Hiei failed to make so much as a dismissive grunt, she glanced up. His features were hard, mouth slanted into a displeased frown and food long forgotten.

"Not that I'm complaining!" she added hurriedly, realizing how bad her words must have sounded to him. "Having the time to prepare and focus on what's to come is nice."

He eyed her doubtfully.

"You're certain?"

She truly was. The change in pace took some getting used to and she certainly missed the stability and routine of her old life, but there was absolutely no way she would risk the health of her child. She was fully prepared to make whatever sacrifices were necessary; a freer schedule was nothing to complain about in the grand scheme of things.

"This is what's best for the baby. That's all that matters," Botan said gently.

His sharp eyes lingered on her for a moment or two, so she continued.

"Besides, all of this free time means that I can visit the human world more often. Maybe I'll go catch up with Yukina and the other girls today," she mused with a light grin.

Hiei's expression eased up, the furrow in his brow lessening as he nodded.

"Now, eat up," she urged warmly. "Before it gets cold."

Like most slow and uneventful nights, Hiei found himself at Haru's family's tavern. The past few days had been relatively calm and uncomplicated and he had learned to appreciate the down time when it came to him. He'd managed to read through all those pregnancy books and fine tune a new attack with the jagan. All in all, life had been good. As the fire-demon stared into the amber liquid of his drink with those thoughts swirling in his mind, Haru stood behind the counter, towel drying a glass.

"I don't know how I always get roped into taking over shifts for my sister," he sighed.

"It's because you're a pushover," Hiei answered bluntly.

Haru huffed, turning to rearrange some of the liquor bottles with a frown. Hiei didn't see the point in the other man's ire, especially when he hadn't said anything untrue. The emotion-reader's will was weak on any given day, but a supplication from a woman in need had him bending and folding faster than wet paper.

"Hana better make good on her promise to come back for the second half of her shift," Haru mentioned. "Cause big bro's got plans tonight."

"With the enchantress, I presume," he said, his tone bored and uninterested as he cocked a brow over his drink.

Haru stiffened in surprise, failing to confirm or deny Hiei's claim.

"I saw her leave your room yesterday," he continued off-handedly.

"You did?" Haru practically squeaked.

"I thought that was over."

"It was..."

"And now?"

"It's... back in full swing?" Haru answered feebly, finally turning around to face Hiei.

The look in his green eyes was unusually hesitant and it only served to agitate the fire-demon.

"She left you," Hiei pointed out tactlessly.

"Yeah…" Haru replied with a wince. "But she also came back..."

Hiei finished the rest of his drink and set it down on the bar with an air of finality.

"Suit yourself."

"Aw, c'mon, Hiei," Haru whined, leaning over the counter with a pout. "Don't be like that."

Crimson eyes narrowed warningly.

"Don't be like what?"

"Disappointed."

"I'm not."

"Then why are you giving me your patented glare of disapproval?" Haru countered.

"My what?"

"You know..." he trailed off, waving a hand towards the fire-demon. "That look that always makes me feel like I just let down my dad or something."

"I don't see why it would," Hiei replied. "I'm not your father."

"It kinda feels like you are sometimes," Haru muttered, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

The fire-demon bristled at the thought, not at all understanding why everyone was saying that lately. First Yukina and now Haru. Those two knew him better than most - perhaps even better than he knew himself - therefore their words should have held some credence. By all rights, he should have believed them, but it was easier said than done. Hiei did not consider himself fatherly at all. There wasn't a single part of himself that even knew where to start, but he was determined to learn. He would do everything in his power to be what his child needed and if Yukina and Haru saw something akin to parental instincts within him, then he supposed he was on the right track.

He lifted his gaze to meet Haru's, putting on an air of indifference.

"If I treat you like a child, it's because you're acting like one," he justified.

Haru frowned petulantly, further proving Hiei's point.

"Well, you should be happy to know that I'm taking it slow this time," he revealed. "I think things could really work out between us."

"Like I said: suit yourself. It's your life."

"Your opinion matters to me, though," Haru said.

"It shouldn't."

"Ah, but that's just one of the many perks of being best buds," Haru teased lightly, reaching over to clap a hand on Hiei's shoulder.

The fire-demon brushed it aside as Haru continued.

"So, don't worry about a thing!" he reassured, puffing his chest out. "I've got it all handled."

Hiei scoffed.

"Trust me, I wouldn't concern myself over something as trivial as your love life."

"I'd hope not! You've got enough on your plate as is," Haru stated, not at all fazed by Hiei's dismissal. "Speaking of, how's Botan?"

"She's fine."

"And you?"

"What do you think?"

"Cranky!" Haru chastised with a shake of his head. "Did she send you on a midnight run to the human world again?"

"It was spirit world squid on a stick this time," he admitted. "And there is no rhyme or reason to her cravings."

"That seems to be par for the course," Haru commented.

"Hn."

"She did give up a lot of her bodily autonomy and freedom just to have your baby," Haru pointed out. "It's your duty to make sure she's happy."

"I'm well aware," he replied.

She truly had given up so much. She no longer ferried souls or assisted the new detectives. She continued to do administrative work, like filing reports and teaching classes, but Hiei knew that she preferred being out on the field.

Her fatigue was no longer an issue with him feeding her his energy regularly, but she was still prone to mood swings, nausea bouts and dizzy spells. It wasn't exactly a walk in the park, and yet, she had always managed to maintain that cheery disposition. She had endured many hardships already; the least he could do was become her personal errand boy.

What was important was that both she and the child were healthy. Hiei had been sharing his energy with her every few days, as well keeping up with their appointments. They appeared to be progressing along fine, but he was still determined to keep a watchful eye out. He found himself checking in on both of them regularly - sensing their energies and auras and finding peace when he realized that all was well. While he had never been the type to err on the side of caution, he realized that he could not afford to be careless in these upcoming months.

Haru rapped at the bar, gaining his attention once more.

"It's just about that time…" he noted.

Hiei glanced at the time on the register and nodded. Botan would be returning from the spirit world soon and he knew she preferred coming home to him rather than an empty house.

Throwing some coins on the bar, he stood up.

"Hey, I told you that it was on me today," Haru protested, before relenting with a sigh. "But I guess there's just no getting through that thick skull of yours sometimes."

"Hn. That's ironic, especially coming from you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You were a colossal wreck the first time the enchantress left you and you willingly choose to make the same mistake twice," Hiei said.

Haru gaped at him, open mouthed and at a loss for words as he continued.

"If you're really going to start again, then you had better know what you're getting into. I have no intentions of seeing you through that mess."

"Aw, Hiei!" Haru said, a sheepish grin spreading over his expression as he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm touched."

"Don't be. I said that more for my sake than yours."

"I'll take your fatherly advice to heart," he continued, wiping an imaginary tear away and ignoring Hiei's dark glare.

The fire-demon turned around and sighed heavily.

He didn't even know why he bothered.

Botan snuggled up to Hiei on the couch, the scent of soap and sandalwood infiltrating her senses as she let out a contented hum.

"Why are you watching this nonsense?" he asked, frowning at the drama she was fully invested in.

"Because it's interesting?"

Hiei was silent for a few seconds, before continuing.

"We should hope that the child does not inherit your strange preferences."

Botan pulled away to hit his shoulder lightly.

"You should treat your pregnant wife with more tenderness and compassion," she huffed.

"You must have me confused with the more agreeable and docile Hiei."

She rolled her eyes - a futile attempt at appearing put off when the smile on her face was evident - and cuddled into his side. She relaxed as he wrapped an arm around her, the heat of his body warming her.

"By the way," she began casually. "Kaisei and Fubuki asked if they could visit."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because if you give those two an inch, they will run a mile with it," he said. "And then they will be here all the time."

Just like in the other reality, her mind supplied. She thought back to those fun evenings with the siblings and smiled.

"Would that really be such a bad thing?" she asked.

"You already know the answer to that."

"Well, it's a shame you feel that way, dear," Botan said as she absentmindedly picked some lint off of his shirt. "Because they're already on their way."

Hiei tensed beside her.

"What?"

She pouted.

"I couldn't say no to them!" she defended.

"Then you should have let me do the honors," he muttered.

"Don't be a grump, Hiei," she urged. "It'll be fun."

"For you maybe, woman."

"For all of us," she insisted, running her fingers up and down his chest. "Especially since I plan on making it up to you."

Hiei raised a brow.

"And how will you do that?"

"Well, for starters, I was thinking we could—"

Three quick knocks on the door caused her to pull away.

"Ignore them," Hiei urged he pulled her closer.

She wanted nothing more than to melt against him and let him have her way with her, but this wasn't the time. As he dipped his head in for a kiss, she pressed a finger to his lips.

"It isn't polite to keep our guests waiting," she said.

Hiei released her with a scowl, crossing his arms over his chest in defeat. He looked absolutely adorable and she couldn't help the smile that lifted the corners of her mouth.

"To be continued. Promise."

"Do what you will," he replied sourly.

She bit back a grin as she stood up and walked over to the front door. Hiei might be a little testy at first, but she knew that he wouldn't mind spending some time with the teens when all was said and done. As she opened the door, she was greeted with the sight of the grinning siblings.

"Hi Botan!"

"Hey, B!"

"Fubuki, Kaisei!" Botan greeted. "I hope it wasn't too much trouble getting here."

"None at all. Koenma set up a nice little portal for us," Kaisei said.

"Excellent," she said, clapping her hands together. "Well, welcome to our humble abode."

She motioned for them to enter and they both looked around curiously as they passed through the foyer and wandered into the living room.

"It's so cozy," Fubuki complimented.

"Yeah, I'm digging the mix of human and demon world vibes," Kaisei added.

Botan beamed. She had tried her best to incorporate the differing styles and had prided herself in how well it all came together.

"Oh, yeah, this is for you," Kaisei said, handing her a novel. "From dad."

Botan let out an excited squeal as she hugged the book to her chest.

"I was going crazy waiting for the sequel!"

"And we didn't forget about you," Fubuki said, passing some chocolate off to Hiei as Kaisei plopped down beside him.

The fire-demon glared down at the bar with a frown.

"I told you I don't-"

"Yeah, yeah, you can drop the tough guy act, shishou. We already saw you go to town on the last one," Kaisei interrupted, causing Fubuki and Botan to break out in peals of laughter.

Her amusement was quickly cut short when she felt Hiei's energy rise warningly.

"Um, how about I give you two the grand tour of the place?" Botan cut in hurriedly, taking a step between her fuming husband and the unsuspecting teens. "Hiei, would you be a dear and reheat the food? We'll be back in a jiffy!"

She didn't wait for his reply as she ushered Kaisei and Fubuki away.

"You two know Hiei hates it when you tease him like that," she admonished, though the mirth in her eyes did nothing to help her case.

"He just makes it so easy," Kaisei returned with a mischievous slant to his lips. "And the look on his face was priceless."

"Yeah, but he's probably going to give us hell in our next sparring match," Fubuki realized with a shudder.

Kaisei slowed down to a halt as the thought settled in.

"Aw, crap, you're right," he groaned. He tilted his head towards Botan, confusion etched into his features and reflected in his blue eyes. "How did such a sweet angel like you marry such a sadistic devil like him?"

"...Opposites attract?" Botan tried sheepishly.

"Like mom and dad," Fubuki piped in.

"Guess so," Kaisei relented with a nod as he followed after her.

Once they had seen just about every nook and corner of the house, they returned to the kitchen. Hiei was leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his chest and expression stoic. He wordlessly motioned for the teens to sit down, but frowned when Kaisei froze.

"Er... what's this?" Kaisei asked, looking down at the dish at the center of the table.

"What does it look like?" Hiei retorted.

"It looks like monja..." he said apprehensively, turning to meet Botan's gaze. "You guys actually eat this stuff?"

She nodded affirmatively.

"Hiei's always liked it and it grew on me."

Fubuki pursed her lips together, choosing not to comment.

"I can whip something else up if this isn't to your liking," Botan offered.

"No, that's alright! You don't have to go through the trouble," Fubuki replied, glancing down at the monjayaki timidly. "We'll just... eat monja."

"Yeah," Kaisei agreed, despite the telling crinkle of his nose. "It's fine."

"It most certainly isn't," Botan replied, hands on her hips. "I can't very well have you two coming all the way out here and leaving with an upset stomach. I'll make something else, I insist."

The teens exchanged wordless glances, before nodding at her with relief in their eyes.

"Thanks Botan," they replied in unison.

"My pleasure!" she beamed. "Now, why don't you two head outside and spar with Hiei in the meantime? I'll have something tasty ready and waiting when you're finished."

Fubuki glanced over at Hiei warily. The fire-demon had suddenly looked as though he had come up with a few creative and torturous methods of training and both of the siblings blanched.

"Y-you sure you don't want any help?" Kaisei offered.

"I'm positive! It's your first time here – there's no way I'm going to let you lift a single finger."

Kaisei's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Okay..."

"Go warm up," Hiei instructed. "I'll be there shortly."

Botan waited until the siblings had trudged outside to address her smug husband.

"Be nice," she advised, fully well knowing that he wouldn't really listen.

"I'll try."

Botan pulled him in by the scruff of his shirt and pressed her smiling lips against his softly. Hiei's hands settled on her waist like clockwork, bringing her flush against him as he took control of the kiss. She let out an appreciative hum as he sucked at her bottom lip and ran his fingers up and down her sides. Just as that familiar heat began to curl in her gut, he pulled away.

Botan's eyes fluttered open in surprise, cheeks flushed and heart racing as she stared back at the fire-demon in a daze.

"Wouldn't want to keep your precious guests waiting," he taunted as he released her.

"Hiei!"

"I'm only following your house rules."

"No, you're being a tease!"

He raised a dark brow, amusement playing in his crimson eyes.

"You're hardly one to talk, Botan," he retorted, throwing a smirk over his shoulder as he exited the house.

Botan pouted to herself as she stomped over to the sink and began to wash her hands furiously. Rinsing off the suds, she turned the tap off and wiped her hands on a towel with more vigor than necessary. Hiei could be so mean sometimes! He was the absolute worst; a complete menace. Why, she was willing to bet that he was probably torturing those poor kids at this very moment. Lifting her gaze to the window, she spotted them almost immediately.

Hiei must have said something amusing, because the teens were seated on the grass and howling with laughter. The fire-demon's expression bordered on the edge of fondness in the fading rays of the Makai sunset and Botan's heart melted at the sight. Moments later, he motioned for them to stand up and the teens were at attention again, hanging off of his every word. Despite his grumbling, he really was an excellent teacher and mentor. The siblings respected and admired him and it wasn't hard to see why.

Botan's expression softened as she continued to observe them. She couldn't help but wonder if she would find herself here in a few short years, watching as Hiei trained their little boy or girl in the ways of a warrior. The thought warmed her heart and filled it with an immeasurable joy.

"Two months down," she said with a smile. "Four more to go."

Thanks for reading! Please drop a review, if you can!