Fair warning: I'm really nervous about this chapter. It's a crucial one and I just hope that I did the characters justice.
Botan looked down at her mismatching clothes with a frown. She must have been extremely drunk when she chose this outfit for herself. The pink, long sleeved flannel shirt was meant for the winter, while the thin blue material of her shorts was clearly designed for warmer weather. She usually prided herself on her appearance, but right now, she looked like a clown.
"What's with that face, woman?"
Botan turned to see Hiei exiting the bedroom, hands in his pockets as crimson eyes fixed her with a mildly intrigued stare.
"Well, I was just wondering how out of my mind I must have been last night to put this combination on," she explained, motioning down to her clothing.
"Hn. You weren't even coherent enough to do that much," he revealed with a huff. "I chose those."
Botan's eyes widened almost comically, her brows rising so high that they became hidden beneath her curled bangs.
"You did?"
Hiei crossed his arms and nodded his head once.
"Is that so hard to believe?" he tested.
"N-no," she answered, shaking her head quickly. She suddenly felt awful for complaining in the first place; especially after all he had done for her lately. Forcing a grin on her face, she looked down at herself and considered the outfit once more. "In fact, the more that I look at it, the more that I realize that it isn't entirely horrible. It's simply... unique."
"Spare me the recanting," Hiei ordered. "You know that I don't care about style, especially not to the obsessive extent that you do."
"That is true…" she acknowledged with a relieved sigh.
"And more importantly, there wasn't much left in your drawers to begin with," he finished.
She had been meaning to tackle the laundry eventually, but between their busy schedules and responsibilities, it somehow slipped her mind.
"Do you want to try washing our clothes today? At the rate we're going, we'll soon run out of clean things to wear."
"Fine."
She was surprised at how agreeable he was being, but she decided not to question her luck.
"I'm not quite sure on the specifics of it all," Botan admitted. "We never really had a need for laundry back home since we're spirits."
"The help took care of it in Mukuro's fortress," Hiei supplied, gaze averted as he spoke.
"Well, I'm sure that between the two of us, we can figure something out," she reasoned hopefully. "Just let me throw on something more presentable, and then we can be on our way."
He nodded and she made her way back towards the bedroom. As she shuffled through the remaining clothes left in her closet, she was dismayed to find that there really was a lack of viable options left. In the end, she settled on an oversized navy blue hoodie that she was ninety-nine percent sure belonged to Hiei and a pair of comfortable jeans. She then turned to the large mass of dirty clothes overflowing from the laundry bin and decided to pull it out into the open space of the bedroom, where she could properly sort through and separate everything.
She was just about finished with her task when Hiei's voice sounded out from the other side of the door.
"It shouldn't take you that long to decide on an outfit," he admonished, a note of irritation in his voice. "Hurry up."
"You can come in now! I was only separating the clothes!" she called out in response from her cross-legged position on the floor.
Moments later, the door creaked as it opened to reveal an impatient looking fire-demon. All traces of irritation vanished when he spotted the bags on the floor, a single dark brow raised in silent confusion.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I thought you said you separated everything?" he probed.
"I did," she maintained as she pointed to each bag. "That black bag contains your clothes and this white one has all of mine."
His brow furrowed.
"Woman, that's not right at all."
Botan looked tilted her head at him, not at all understanding what he was getting at.
"What do you mean?"
Hiei opened his mouth to respond, before pressing his lips together and shaking his head.
"Never mind," he grunted.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive," he replied, as he reached down in order to grab both of their belongings. "Let's get this over with."
"A-alright," she agreed, a bit baffled over his peculiar behavior, but deciding to disregard it for now.
She remembered to pick up the detergent before trailing after him and exiting the apartment. They made their way down to the laundry room in silence for the most part, with Botan pausing to address the people who were now becoming familiar to her. When they arrived to the dimly lit, poorly heated area, Botan was surprised to see Kaisei and Fubuki loading their clean clothes into a basket.
"Fancy meeting you two down here," she greeted.
"Hey guys!" Fubuki replied with a smile.
Kaisei closed the drying machine's door shut, barely regarding Hiei before focusing his attentions on Botan with a playful grin.
"How about I do your share for you, Botan?" he offered, as he leaned back on the machine and regarded her with mischief twinkling in his blue eyes.
"Well, isn't that awfully sweet of you?" she returned.
"Hardly," Hiei cut in, giving Kaisei a hard look. "The boy is being juvenile."
"He really has no shame," Fubuki muttered under her breath with a disappointed shake of her head.
Kaisei remained entirely unaffected though, continuing on without missing a beat.
"I'll even hand wash it for you and everything," he proposed with a grin. "So what do you say?"
Botan smiled.
"While the offer is tempting, I couldn't possibly ask you to do a thing like that," she declined. "I do appreciate the kind gesture, though."
"Anything for you, my lady," Kaisei jested, pushing himself off of the dryer to give her mock bow.
"Thanks dear."
He grinned as he rose from his bow, soaking up all the attention he could while Fubuki and Hiei exchanged a knowing look.
"If you're finished here, you can go," Hiei directed.
"Aw, I was just-" Kaisei protested, but was interrupted when Fubuki shoved their basket against his chest, causing him to grab a hold of it before it fell to the ground. "Hey!"
"Come on, weirdo," she urged, pushing her brother out of the door and down the corridor.
Botan could hear them bickering as they left and she shook her head lightly as she turned to face Hiei.
"What was all of that about?"
"He was being a pervert," Hiei informed flatly.
"He was only being helpful!"
"You really are naive."
She frowned, folding her arms underneath her chest. She didn't like the way he said it; as though there was something wrong with her.
"I don't see how."
"The boy only wanted the chance to see your underwear," Hiei clarified, glancing down at her bag of clothes pointedly.
Botan let out an affronted gasp.
"Kaisei isn't like that at all!" she defended.
"Hn, you'd be surprised by the depravity of males his age."
"Are you implying that you were the same way at that age, too?" she countered.
"No," Hiei denied firmly. "I pursued strength, not women."
Botan leaned in closer, her features closely resembling a feline.
"Oh, so you're saying all the girls chased after you, instead?"
Hiei held her gaze evenly, neither ruffled nor amused by her teasing.
"I'm saying that you should be more aware of your surroundings and less oblivious to what is happening right in front of you," he instructed. "You shouldn't take everything at face value."
Botan pouted, placing her hands on her hips.
"Well, excuse me for having a little faith in people's characters…"
"Hn."
"Putting all of that aside, we still could have asked them for help," Botan stated. "Neither of us knows what we're doing at all!"
"I don't need them."
"Yes, we do!"
"No, I don't," he insisted.
"Fine time for your pride to kick in, Hiei, but we're both completely and utterly clueless. We don't know the first thing about these machines or how they work and-" she trailed off as she watched him begin to load up his clothes within the machine. He seemed sure of himself, as if he had done this before, and Botan couldn't help but watch in amazement. "…Hiei? What are you doing?"
He paused in his ministrations to motion towards the clothes.
"What does it look like?"
"You mean you actually know how to use one of these?"
"I do."
"But you said you didn't do the laundry at Mukuro's," she pointed out.
"I don't."
"So, how do you know how to use it, then?"
He tore his gaze away, mouth pressed into a firm line as he went about loading more of his clothes inside of a second machine.
"Hiei?" she pressed, taking a step closer towards him.
"Blame Kurama's interfering mother," he muttered lowly, pressing some buttons and keeping his red eyes anywhere else but on her.
"Shiori?" she said, as the realization sunk in. Hiei probably spent an awful lot of time at Kurama's home during his probation in the human world. It only made sense that he did, but she would have expected him to slink in under the cover of darkness and stay out of the family's way. She never would have guessed that he was roped into doing all sorts of things for Kurama's mother. "Well, doesn't that paint a cute little picture. Did you help her with the laundry often, Hiei?"
"It was only once or twice, but it was pitifully simple and easy to remember," he replied gruffly.
"Good! Then you can teach me how," she said as she picked up her own bag and proceeded to move to the machine beside Hiei's.
Surprisingly, Hiei stopped her, holding his hand out as he regarded her.
"Give me your clothes."
Her fingers tightened around it instinctively as she hesitated.
"We can add your items to mine," he explained.
"…But then you'll see my unmentionables!"
Hiei gave her a flat look as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"We live in the same space, we occupy the same room and we sleep in the same bed. This should hardly be a point of contention," he pointed out.
"Yes, but this is just so… so intimate…" she replied quietly, feeling her skin heat up.
"If it bothers you so much, then it should help that I've already seen your underwear," he reminded her.
"You what?!" she exclaimed, ready to give him a piece of her mind before Hiei cut in.
"On the first day."
Her mind raced back to that moment instantly. She had entered the bedroom for the first time and was marveling over how beautiful everything was when she spotted Hiei with his hand on the handle of her top drawer and his eyes locked onto a pile of the underwear contained inside. He claimed he wasn't being a creep and she eventually believed him, but the memory still made her cheeks heat up in embarrassment.
"I suppose you have a point there…" she conceded.
"Of course I do. Now stop being a prude and give me your clothes," he ordered.
Botan frowned at him petulantly and he sighed.
"Do you want your clothes washed or not?" he asked impatiently.
She looked between her sack of clothes and the impatient fire-demon in deliberation. Hiei seemed to know what he was doing and she was completely and utterly clueless. She had no choice but to relent to his will, but that didn't mean that she had to be happy about it.
"Alright, fine!" she decided, passing her laundry bag off to the dark-haired man.
Hiei seemed to be moving on autopilot as he sorted through her clothing and threw them inside of the two separate washing machines that already housed his own clothes.
"Why did you put them in two different machines like that?" Botan asked, blinking curiously.
"They have to be washed separately, due to their color or material," he explained.
"Oh, so that's what you meant when you said I had done it wrong earlier!" she realized.
"Hn."
"Lucky for me, you're such a domesticated demon! Otherwise our clothes would have come out all wrong!" she cheered.
Hiei was less enthused, shoving his hands in his pockets as he tiled his head towards the machines.
"Less talking and more working, woman. You should learn how to do this, too."
"Yessir!" she saluted, moving towards the machines and awaiting his instructions.
"Determine the size of the load first," he coached. "These would both be considered extra large."
"Okay…" she said, pressing the buttons accordingly.
"Next choose the cycle. Gentle for the 'unmentionables'," he instructed, pausing to cast a sarcastic look at her. "And normal for the other set…"
She continued to follow his directions, taking note of the correct amount of detergent to use and the necessary water temperature settings. It wasn't so complicated when Hiei explained it all so thoroughly and precisely and they successfully completed the washing without any mishaps or disasters occurring.
As they sat in the living room a few hours later, folding their clothes in silence, Botan paused to consider just how far Hiei had come. From the dastardly villain, to the begrudging and uncaring ally, to the reliable and surprisingly thoughtful man she was proud to call a friend. Her heart melted when she thought back to all of the kind things he had done for her without expecting anything in return, like seeing her home every night after work, or taking care of her after her drunken episode.
Her thoughts were cut short when she heard Hiei grumble out an old Makai expletive under his breath. He was having his fair share of trouble folding his clothes and she bit back a giggle as she watched him fumble with a simple t-shirt.
It took a little time, but she was starting to understand exactly what it was that the other Botan must have seen in Hiei.
The next day was a fairly quiet one, much to Hiei's satisfaction. No visitors, no pressing need to be anywhere and absolutely nothing urgent to do. The apartment was quiet and warm, sunlight streaming through the kitchen window as the scent of freshly brewed tea filled the area. The ferry-girl was in the middle of reading a romance novel that was downright pornographic – he'd seen what was typed out on those pages – while he sat beside her on the couch in deep concentration. He had brought the laptop outside to the living room and was searching through the second list of potential suspects that Mukuro had given him a few days earlier. He was admittedly getting better at searching for people on his own, but every once in a while he would consult with the ferry-girl when he came upon a human term or concept that he was unfamiliar with.
He was just about to ask her what a "facebook" was when he noticed how intently her amethyst eyes were fixed on the black letters of the current page she was reading through.
"Enjoying your novel full of lewd sexual acts, woman?" he taunted.
Her face turned an impressive shade of red as she lowered her book to look at him.
"It's not like that, Hiei! I've told you before, I simply enjoy the romance!"
"It doesn't look that way to me," he countered.
"Well, I can't help it if your mind is always in the gutter," she replied.
"I'm not the one who fantasized about what Kurama does with his rose whip," he reminded her.
She pouted.
"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"
"Not in this lifetime."
"You're horrible," she stated, the words lacking any heat when she was trying and failing so hard to bite back a smile. "The absolute worst…"
"I know," he smirked as he turned back to the laptop and searched through the results.
The silence that enveloped them was familiar and comfortable and he found that he quite liked her company on days like this. It was an entirely strange thing to think, but he had been feeling and doing a lot of things that were contrary to his character lately and they were all because of the woman sitting snugly beside him.
She had been there for him, over and over again, despite how unfairly he had treated her at the start and she had done more for him than he was deserving of. There was a lot that he did not know when they first came here, but she never held his ineptitude over his head; she never made him feel weak or incompetent because of it. She helped him out of the genuine goodness of her soul, not because it was her duty, but because she wanted to. And that, in turn, made him want to extend the same sort of courtesy towards her when the situation called for it. He wasn't sure when the line of duty and obligation had disappeared between them, but the fact of the matter was that his actions were all of his own volition and choosing.
He wondered if this was what the other Hiei's relationship was like. An even give and take between two equals who had chosen each other - not because they were lacking something fundamental and needed completing, but just because they chose not to be without the other.
It was such an uncharacteristic thing for him to ponder, but luckily for him, the sound of Botan's cellphone ringing a chipper tune brought him back to reality. She leaned forward, crossing over him to grab her phone off of the far end of the table.
"Haru?" she muttered, brow crinkling in confusion as she stared down at the caller ID. "I wonder who that could be."
"Don't-" Hiei warned, but it was too late - she already brought the phone to her ear and answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Hey, B!" Haru's voice sounded clearly from the device.
"Hello there…"
"I've been trying to get a hold of Hiei all day, but he's clearly ignoring me. So, I thought I'd reach out to you instead."
"Um, he's right here if you need to speak with him," Botan tried, glancing over at the fire-demon.
"Nah, that's alright. I'd rather talk to you anyway."
Her lips curved upwards as she leaned back against the couch.
"Well, I'm all ears."
"It's so slow at the store today and I'm bored. I took the Sunday shift as a favor to my little sister but this is killing me. Why don't you guys come down? I'll throw in some sweet stuff free of charge!"
Hiei shook his head.
"Uh, well, you see..." she began tentatively.
He took the liberty of seizing her phone from before she could finish speaking.
"I thought I made it clear when I ignored your messages," Hiei began. "I have no intentions of meeting you."
"Put Botan back on the phone," Haru urged.
"No."
"But Hiei~"
He hung up and handed the cellphone back to her wordlessly.
"Who was that?" she questioned.
"My idiot of a partner," he grumbled in response.
"Oh, he sounded fun!"
"He's a nuisance."
"Maybe we should visit him," she suggested.
"No."
"But we've been cooped up inside all day! A little sugary sweetness might be just the thing we need before another week of work."
"I refuse."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Fine, I suppose I'll simply have to go alone, then!"
"Do you even know where the shop is?" Hiei asked pointedly.
Botan wilted a bit.
"No, but I can always ask Haru for the address."
"He will find it strange that you suddenly forgot," he replied with a smirk.
"Well, do you know where it is?"
Hiei averted his gaze, mouth drawn into a firm line.
"You do, don't you?" she pressed, poking his shoulder until he spoke.
"He dragged me there once, during our lunch shift," he admitted reluctantly as he swatted her hand away.
"Perfect!" Botan grinned, clapping her hands together. "Then you can lead the way!"
"Woman, I already said that I'm not going."
"Please?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"No."
"Pretty, pretty, please?"
"No."
"Pretty please with sugar on top?"
"…Do you intend to nag me all day until I finally agree?"
"Uh-huh," she said with a nod.
"Fine, but I'm not staying long."
"Oh, thank you, Hiei!" she gushed, reaching over to hug him tightly.
He remained still in her embrace – by now he had gotten used to the feeling of her soft curves pressed against him – and waited patiently until she released him. There was always a slight emptiness that came when the contact ended, but he had also gotten used to ignoring that, too.
"I'll be ready in a jiffy," she promised, before disappearing behind the bedroom door.
He could hear her humming excitedly to herself as she shuffled around in the bedroom and he frowned at the embarrassing way a little pestering from the woman had him folding like a man with no backbone. He had never been so weak and yielding in the past and he did not want to think of the possibility that this reality was actually making him soft somehow.
His eyes shifted towards the bedroom warily. Then again, he always had a sinking suspicion that those ferry-girls had more abilities to them than met the eye; perhaps Botan had some sort of bewitching abilities that made people bend to her will and it was of no fault of his own that he had done what she wanted time and time again.
Yes, he decided determinedly with a nod of his head, there was simply no other explanation for it.
Hiei led Botan to the cutest little brick storefront, located ten minutes away from their respective workplaces. While the raven-haired man looked as though he was steeling himself for what was to come, Botan could hardly contain her excitement. She wondered what sort of person his partner would be and she couldn't help but fawn over the exterior of the shop.
As they made their way through the entrance, a little bell overhead signaled their arrival and alerted the orange-haired man behind the counter to their presence. He turned around to greet them with a smile so wide that it was infectious. His green eyes were lit up in excitement, slightly obscured by locks of orange hair that fell softly from his head and he wore a white apron over a casual pair of black jeans and a forest green shirt.
"Hey guys!" Haru said, a bit of frosting on his cheek making him look all the more endearing in her eyes.
"Hi Haru," she returned as Hiei grunted at her side.
"Take a seat, I'm just finishing these cupcakes up."
"Alright!" Botan replied.
As they sat at a small little table in the corner, Botan took a moment to examine the place. The walls were painted a soft peach color with white borders and trimmings. All sorts of pastries and decadent desserts were out on display through the glass windows and there were artworks posted up around various stations. She turned to Hiei to comment on how quaint the place was, when she noticed how intently he was glaring at Haru's back.
"What's wrong?" Botan asked quietly.
"I still haven't figured out where he's from," Hiei disclosed. "Which leads me to believe that must be a fool from your world."
Botan blinked at the man. He was tall and lean, definitely fit and in shape due to the nature of his job. She wished she could say she knew who he was, but she honestly couldn't place him.
"I don't know him, Hiei, and I don't think I've seen him in the spirit world, either," she replied.
"Hn."
"Then again, all three worlds are filled with people we don't know and we may have overlooked him in our everyday lives."
"Trust me, though I wish I could, I wouldn't be able to forget a pest like him."
"That almost sounded sweet, you know."
"It wasn't supposed to."
"Well, I'm certain I've never seen him before," she maintained. "And you never know, he could be part of Mukuro's camp. Wouldn't that make much more sense considering he's your partner in this world?"
"Mukuro would never allow a fool like him into her ranks," he declared.
"If you say so..."
"Alright, all done!" Haru announced, turning back to face them.
He removed his apron, before bringing over a tray of assorted cupcakes to their table and setting it down gently. As he sat down beside her, she couldn't help but notice that he smelled like vanilla – comforting and warm.
"It looks delicious," she said.
"And it tastes even better," he guaranteed. "Go on, dig in!"
Botan was the first to react, reaching out for the cupcake with blue frosting and the letter B swirled into it. Haru's green eyes laid on her expectantly as she took the first bite and was immediately overtaken by the sweet and light flavor.
"This is heavenly!" she exclaimed.
"Right?" Haru grinned proudly.
"I'm impressed," Botan said. "You've really got quite the talent, Haru."
Haru grinned, scratching his cheek in embarrassment.
"It's the family business," he said sheepishly. "I guess that no matter what path I chose, it would still be a part of me."
"I think that's wonderful."
"You always say that, and that's why you're my favorite!"
Botan giggled.
"Hey, aren't you going to have some Hiei?" Haru asked, pushing a chocolate frosted treat over to the raven-haired man. "You know you wanna..."
"No," came Hiei's curt response.
"Well, you're no fun," Haru pouted.
"So I'm told," he drawled, closing his eyes disinterestedly.
"Is he always this crabby?" Haru muttered from behind his hand.
"I don't know, you tell me! You probably spend way more time with him at work," Botan teased. "I'm sure it can't be easy having Mr. Grumpy Pants as a partner."
"Could say the same to you."
"It's no walk in the park, I'll tell you that," she joked.
"More like a walk through a raging inferno," Haru continued. "But he isn't all that bad…"
"No, he certainly isn't," Botan agreed wholeheartedly.
"Don't you two have anything better to talk about?" Hiei grumbled, cracking an eye open.
"Nope," they said in unison.
Hiei resigned himself to his fate, settling into his chair and crossing his arms over his chest in a silent warning not to bother him. With the only link between herself and Haru clearly checked out of the conversation, she was left on her own. She wanted to know more about the baker-detective, but it would be strange to start asking him questions as if this was their very first meeting.
"So, how are things going at the station?" Botan asked, deciding to stick with a more casual route in the hopes that Haru would steer the conversation accordingly.
"It's always hectic, but I can't really complain," Haru said. "It is what I signed up for, after all."
Botan nodded.
"How about you? Life at Sakyo Corp. still as thrilling as always?" Haru inquired, leaning forward interestedly.
"Oh, yes, there's always something exciting going on there."
"Are Shizuru and Sakyo a thing yet?"
"I don't know!" she bemoaned. "It's so hard to tell with the two of them!"
"Damn..." Haru replied. "And is Koto still giving you a hard time?"
"I think it's her favorite pastime..." Botan responded. "But, to be fair, she's like that with everyone."
"Yeah, Risho's the same way. I wish he'd quit."
"We can only dream," Botan supposed.
"You got that right."
"But annoying coworkers aside, it's a pretty nice place to work," she acknowledged. "There's always something fun going on, at least."
"Hm, maybe I should switch careers and join in on all the fun," he considered, rubbing his chin in mock consideration.
"As tempting as that sounds, I have a feeling Hiei might miss you."
"Awww, is that true?" Haru asked, turning to face Hiei. "Would you miss me, buddy?"
"Not at all," Hiei replied flatly without hesitation.
"I'm sure you would, deep down!" Haru continued.
"I said I wouldn't-"
Haru slung an arm around his shoulder.
"Never fear, Haru is here to stay!" he declared loudly.
Hiei's expression darkened, remaining that way even after Haru pulled away and Botan couldn't help but smile at the scene. The fire-demon she knew would have forcefully removed Haru and issued a death threat or two, but he must have had a soft spot for the other man since he remained silent.
"Oh, yeah, are you guys coming to the big gala, right?" Haru questioned.
"..."
"You know, we've got that stuffy award ceremony in two weeks!" he reminded her. "There's always some kind of drama going on behind the scenes."
"Oh... of course we are!" Botan decided.
Hiei glared at her but she pointedly ignored it.
"It should be nice," Haru assumed. "I'm thinking of bringing Ruka."
"Ruka?" Botan echoed, tapping a finger at her chin. "Now, why does that name sound so familiar?"
"You remember her, don't you? Smoking hot redhead... bit of a haughty attitude but actually pretty nice when you get to know her..."
"…"
"Dresses in all those ... er... fitted clothes?!" Haru tried.
"Oh!" Botan exclaimed. "I do remember her!"
Haru grinned.
"I knew you would!"
"Are you sure she's the one you want to bring?" Botan questioned warily.
Haru pouted.
"Don't tell me you think I've got no chance with her, either? Everyone says she's way out of my league and that she's too good for me."
"No, it's more like the other way around," Botan muttered, still bitter over their less than pleasant exchange during the Dark Tournament.
"What was that?"
"Oh, nothing!" she replied, forcing a smile for Haru's benefit. "If she makes you happy, then you should go for it!"
The way he lit up was all the confirmation Botan needed.
"I will!"
"Good for you. Be sure to let me know how it goes."
"Always," he replied with a charming wink.
They spent the rest of the evening chatting about anything and everything in between Haru manning the shop and assisting customers. Hiei had even eaten a cupcake, though he did it so stealthily that she hadn't noticed it until Haru pointed it out teasingly. By the time they realized how late it had gotten, the moon was shining brightly in the sky and the traffic outside had decreased drastically.
"Shit... I didn't realize the time," Haru groaned. "I've gotta close shop soon, and I've still got a ton of dishes to wash in the back."
"Well, I suppose it's a good thing you've got me to help you out, then," Botan offered good-naturedly.
"Nah, I couldn't make you do that," Haru declined.
"Really, it's no trouble at all. I'll wash and you dry. What do you say?" she asked as she took a stand.
"Well… if you insist..." he relented with a smile. "I've never been one to turn down an offer from a pretty lady."
She smiled and then turned back to view Hiei.
"Do you mind waiting a little longer?" she asked.
He shook his head wordlessly, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair once more.
"Right this way," Haru said as he led her to the large kitchen in the back of the shop.
The fridge, ovens and overhead compartments were all stainless steel, shining brightly under the industrial lights hanging above. The counters were a bit messy, ingredients and tools scattered all over the place and she had a feeling that was Haru's fault, with the way he rushed to clean it up. She turned to the double sink, where most of the dishes and utensils were already soaking in soapy water. Her job wouldn't be all that hard since Haru had already prepped everything. Rolling up her sleeves up, she turned the water on and got right to work.
Once he had cleared up the mess he made, Haru joined her at the sink and they found an easy and comfortable rhythm as they worked in tandem. They were nearly finished with their task when Haru spoke up.
"Say, Botan?"
"Hm?"
"How did you know that Hiei was the one?"
She faltered at the unexpectedly intrusive question, unsure of how to answer him considering she and Hiei weren't really a couple.
"I get that Ruka and I are really different, but it worked for you and Hiei," he pointed out. "So I was kinda wondering what made you give him a chance in the first place?"
The jovial and light-hearted man seemed so conflicted and Botan truly wanted to help him, she just wasn't sure how she could be of any use. She was the last person to go to for romantic advice, considering she had never been in a relationship before or fallen in love with anyone. Nevertheless, she tried to answer his question as honestly as she could.
"Well... Hiei and I didn't always get along; in fact, we got off to a really rough start. We're both so different and we often clash because of those immense differences..."
"But?" Haru probed.
"But I've always known that he was a good person and that he had a good heart. And I suppose when I saw all those new sides to him, when he actually opened up to me, it was impossible for me not to like him."
"I see…"
"He seems so gruff and stoic on the outside, but he's fiercely loyal to those he chooses to let in. Even though he's quiet, he speaks up when it matters and he's there when you need him the most. He's got a wicked sense of humor and a sharp tongue, but then he'll turn around and do something unexpectedly sweet that you're left reeling. You never know what to expect with that man and I suppose that's what makes him so great," she said with a soft smile. "I like his determination and his strength and his courage. I like that he never wavers and that he always pushes forward. I like that complex honor code of his, even if I'll never understand it. And I like all his quirks and oddities that are so contrary to his character."
She realized that she was rambling now, so she looked over at Haru sheepishly.
"Um, so, what I'm trying to say is, even if nobody else understands, even if you yourself don't understand it, so long as the attraction and affection is there, you should at least give it a chance with Ruka. At least that way you won't have any regrets!"
"I think I get it…" Haru agreed with a contemplative nod. "Thanks B."
"Anytime!"
"Oh, by the way," Haru tacked on as an afterthought. "It's pretty cute to see you gushing over Hiei like you've fallen in love with him all over again."
She blinked.
"Huh?"
"You sound like a woman in the early stages of love, as opposed to having been in a relationship for nearly three years," Haru teased. "How cute."
The heat of embarrassment was steadily creeping upon her, coloring her cheeks and sending her mind reeling. She most definitely was not in the early stages of love or anything of the sort. She and Hiei were simply friends. They had been getting closer lately, but that was just natural – wasn't it?
Botan bit her lip worriedly as she turned away from Haru to wipe her hands dry. Her heart was pounding in her chest and echoing in her ears at the thought of Haru's words being true. It was just too insane, too illogical and too ridiculous. She shook her head, hoping to dislodge his teasing words from her mind. Haru was clearly mistaken. She must have simply been doing such a stellar job pretending to be in love with Hiei that he was completely and totally convinced.
Yes, that was it.
She nodded to herself and hardened her resolve as she followed Haru back into the main area. When her gaze met Hiei's, she willfully ignored the way her heart flooded with warm affection.
The following day was spent in a routine that was becoming familiar and regular to Hiei: he woke up minutes before the ferry-girl and untangled himself from her, showered, threw on a freshly cleaned suit and then took the familiar trek to work with the woman at his side. They parted ways, like always, and then he was saddled with Haru for the next few hours.
They were currently researching a suspect for their newest case – an inept home intruder – and any minute now the ferry-girl would be sending him a message of no real substance, complete with one of those annoying faces attached to it.
But five minutes passed and she never did.
He tapped his fingers against the table impatiently, glaring down at his phone as though he could will it to produce a message.
"Expecting a text?" Haru asked from across the table.
Hiei shook his head and pocketed his phone in the hopes of eliminating the pesky distraction that ate away at his thoughts. It was ridiculous for him to be so concerned with something as trivial as a text message from the woman, so he focused on the files on his desk instead, compiling whatever information he could about their prime suspect.
He was doing a fine job, until he finally received word from Botan.
Pulling his phone out from his pocket and unlocking it, he frowned down at the uncharacteristically short message, which was devoid of any pictures or silly little faces.
'I came home early – wasn't feeling well.'
There were no further details, which Hiei found odd, considering her habit of over sharing and providing more information than necessary.
"Something wrong?" Haru asked in concern, twirling his pen between his fingers as he frowned at Hiei.
"No," Hiei denied curtly, still frowning down at the message.
"You sure? 'Cause you have that constipated look on your face that says otherwise."
Hiei glared at the other man icily and Haru raised his hands in defense.
"Okay, okay… backing off now!"
Haru began scribbling through his report furiously while Hiei eyed the papers on his desk. Perhaps he could try his hand at completing a report for a change. It would certainly provide a much needed distraction. He made it as far as pressing the pen to the paper when blue hair and amethyst eyes flashed through his mind and he found himself wondering what could be wrong with the ferry-girl. She was perfectly fine this morning and showed no signs of becoming sick, but she was the type to downplay her own troubles. A nagging feeling rose from within his gut and settled uncomfortably in his chest. Perhaps it would be unwise to leave her alone. Perhaps the ferry-girl needed him. He glanced down at his phone, replaying that blasted message in his head, before finally taking a stand.
"Where's the fire?" Haru asked, upon noticing Hiei gathering up his things.
"Botan's not well," he replied. "I'm going home."
"Oh man, sorry to hear that…" Haru lamented, and Hiei could see that it was genuine. "Text me if you need anything, okay? I'll hold down the fort here."
Hiei nodded, before grabbing his jacket and exiting the station. He wasn't sure why or how he had become so protective of the ferry-girl, but he could worry about that after he had determined what was wrong with her. The trip back to their building was a quick and easy one, and all was quiet and still within the apartment.
He found Botan in the bedroom, wrapped up underneath the covers. He thought she might be sleeping, until his ears picked up on the sound of a pained whimper. He steeled himself as he stepped further into the room. He wasn't sure what to do or what to say and he hesitated. Botan must have sensed his presence, because her eyes fluttered open and locked onto his own.
"H-Hiei, what are you doing here?" she asked. "Is everything okay?"
"I'm fine, but you clearly aren't," he said. "Your message was vague, even by my standards."
"It's nothing," she dismissed, her voice filled with uncertainty as she pulled the covers over her head in an attempt to hide herself from him.
Hiei quirked a brow at her peculiar reaction and took a step closer towards the bed. He could see that she was curled up into a ball; a far cry from her typically loose and relaxed sleeping position. She was in some sort of distress and he couldn't understand why she insisted on pretending otherwise.
After a few moments of silence, he decided to act.
"Hn, if you've hurt yourself and are too embarrassed to admit the extent of your clumsiness, then you needn't be worried. I already knew that you were a klutz from the start," he remarked.
He expected her to explode in anger, deny his claim and then tell him the truth, but all she did was peek out of the covers enough for him to see her shaking her head.
"No, it's nothing like that..."
"Then what is it?" he pressed.
"..."
"Tell me."
"It's..."
"Woman," he warned, slowly losing his patience.
"It's girl stuff, okay?!" she exclaimed finally.
Eyes widening slightly, he held her gaze as best as he could without showing his hesitation. He knew nothing about … that… and he was not sure what the correct protocol was when dealing with women during this time. He wanted nothing more than to turn around and ignore her sudden plight, but when she winced in pain and returned to the fetal position again, he realized that that was not an option.
"Woman," he began.
"It's okay, Hiei… just… please leave me alone."
"Tell me what you need," he stated firmly.
"What I need?" she echoed unsurely.
"I'll get it for you," he replied evenly.
She paused, brows crinkling as she considered his offer. Eventually, amethyst eyes rolled up to meet his once more.
"Well, I hear there is pain medication specifically for this sort of thing… if you could pick some up at the convenience store, that would be great," she requested.
"Understood."
"Oh, and some chocolate would be nice too!" she added as an afterthought.
"What purpose would that serve?"
"None, but some comfort treats might be nice."
"Fine," he agreed. "Is that all?"
"Huh?"
"You don't require anything more practical?" he asked. Surely there were other items she needed; things that only women had to worry about during this time.
An awkward silence passed between them until Botan finally understood what he was getting at. She shook her head quickly, her face flushed as she spoke.
"I'm all set. The other Botan had it all covered," she explained.
He nodded, closing the bedroom door behind him before making his way back out of the apartment and down to the Sanada storefront. Fubuki was standing behind the counter dressed in her burgundy apron while scrolling through her phone listlessly. She perked up when she saw him and Hiei afforded her with a slight nod of acknowledgement as he headed towards the drug aisle. He searched through the shelves, perusing through the various medications and settling on three separate brands. He then procured a random array of chocolates. He wasn't sure what Botan liked, but something amongst the many colorfully packaged items he had chosen was sure to suit her tastes. As he approached the counter, Fubuki looked over the items and gave him a sympathetic look.
"That time of the month again, huh?" she observed woefully.
"…"
"Are the cramps really bad this time?"
"What?" Hiei stiffened as she continued.
"Guys would never understand, but let me tell you, they can be a real killer…" she said. "At least you're so nice and understanding about it. Kaisei always tells me to suck it up."
Hiei was more than surprised to hear the words coming out of her mouth, but he supposed it made sense. This reality's Hiei seemed well adjusted to everything in his life. He had to be, if he managed to put up with all of the interfering humans that had forced their way into his life. Still, Hiei had no intentions of sitting around while Fubuki spoke all about the female body and all its functions. She continued to prattle on and on as if this was commonplace, and he was beginning to lose what little patience he had left.
He pulled out a few banknotes out from his pocket and placed them on the counter.
"I don't need the change," he told her, as he picked up his belongings.
"Hey!" she protested. "This is way too much!"
But was already halfway out the door, gripping the plastic bag tightly as he strode away from the store. He wasn't retreating or fleeing; he was simply making a strategic exit. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take listening to the girl ramble on about things he had no business knowing in the first place.
He took a deep breath when he returned to the apartment, the familiar sights and scents soothing his agitated state considerably. He was unsurprised to see that Botan had fallen asleep in the time he had gone out and come back. He deposited the convenience store items on her nightstand with the intentions of leaving her be, but something spurred inside of him that made him stay. An uncharacteristic whim or an obligation born from his honor-code, pushed him forward and made him take a seat at the edge of the bed in silent contemplation. The ferry-girl's features were pinched in pain and he reached a hand out to brush her bangs out of her eyes without thinking. Her expression smoothened out peacefully, the traces of discomfort slowly vanishing from her features. Perhaps when she awoke again, the pain would be gone.
That would be best.
Somewhere between his musings, his fingers had come to brush against her cheek, the feeling of her smooth skin against his fingertips jolting him from the moment. He recoiled his hand with a frown, eyes bouncing back and forth between the sleeping ferry-girl and his hand that had moved out of its own volition.
What the hell was he doing…?
"Hiei?" Botan mumbled as she stirred from her sleep.
He tempered his expression, staring down at her evenly.
"I didn't know what you wanted," he said, depositing the plastic bag between them.
She sat up, her back resting against the pillow she had propped up against the bedhead and Hiei turned the lamp on as she rifled through the items curiously.
"Wow, Hiei, you bought an awful lot."
"Like I said, I didn't know which ones you preferred."
"Luckily for me, I like them all," she replied, her eyes softening as she smiled at him. "Thank you."
He nodded in response, though she did not need to display her gratitude so openly or sincerely in the first place. He had only done what was needed. The mattress shifted beneath him as she turned to view the time displayed on the alarm clock.
"Oh no," she groaned. "Is that the time already?"
He frowned.
"What is it?"
"I completely forgot that I was supposed to meet up with Shizuru and the others tonight."
"Cancel it."
"But I…"
"You're in no condition to go anywhere," he pointed out.
"I guess not," she agreed, lips pursed together discontentedly. "I hope they won't be too disappointed."
"They will survive," he replied flatly.
"Gee, thanks, Hiei," she muttered, leaning back into a more comfortable position. "You always know how to make a girl feel special."
"I try," he retorted, catching the way the corners of her lips curled upwards in amusement as she shook her head at him.
"You're the worst."
"I know," he smirked back.
She rolled her eyes at him fondly, before reaching into the bag of sweets and pulling out a chocolate bar.
"Do you want some? I know that this is secretly your favorite."
"It was intended for you."
"But it tastes better when you share!" she said as she unwrapped it and waved it front of him teasingly.
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Come on, Hiei!" she insisted, sending him a pleading look. "Indulge in your sweet tooth a little!"
He sent her a withering look, knowing that she wouldn't give up until she got what she wanted. The ferry-girl was relentless in that way.
"You're such a nuisance, woman," he grumbled, reaching out to break off a small piece for himself. "Satisfied?"
"Yup!"
She was smiling at him in that way that made him nervous, with a mixture of warm affection shining brightly in her eyes and joy stretched out on her pink lips. It was more than he deserved and yet, he selfishly wanted to contain all of it for himself.
He didn't know why a simple smile made his chest feel light or why it managed to loosen the coils of tension within him, like the effects of her white magic on a fresh wound.
He didn't know why it chipped apart at his guard and lowered his defenses so easily.
And he didn't know why he found satisfaction in the knowledge that she only looked at him this way, but as long as she kept smiling like that, he found that he didn't really care.
Finally, our favorite pair is starting to catch feelings. Whether or not they understand them or admit to them is another story entirely.
Next time, we'll have some good old fun with the entire gang. Hope you're looking forward to it!
Last, but not least: thank you, as always, for your continued support and your awesome reviews. Tina Turner sang it best: you guys are simply the best, better than all the rest!