Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters

As the week passed on, Hiei had received more of Botan's loving sentiments, each time reacting a little less. She hadn't voiced it often, conveniently choosing her time and place, and most of the time it was at night after some intimate activity, carnal or comforting, and she would place his hand on her abdomen and whisper, "We love you." The feelings of apprehension were difficult for Hiei to ignore, but he was able to swallow it down now after so many days of receiving her affectionate words and gestures.

It was an unusually hot, fall day, so Botan and Hiei decided to take advantage of the weather. They headed for the park for some fresh air, Hiei occasionally casting wary glances to the ferry girl to make sure she was doing okay. Botan just felt relieved to be out and about, having spent quite a bit of time in the apartment.

The two found a bench deep in a wooded area so she could sit while Hiei trained. Botan had even brought her book with her to read about their ever-growing bundle of joy. She was so excited, and every so often she'd sneak glances at Hiei over the pages, her partner through all of this. He really had come through for her, making sure to get her on a routine so she could sleep. She knew he didn't need to rest as much as she did, but he always made sure to stay with her until she woke up before they started their day, even if he was already awake. She had never expected this much from him, and she couldn't help but fall further for him, even if she knew their relationship was more complicated than that.

Now that she was at twenty-six weeks, she only had fourteen more weeks to go. Their son was the size of an eggplant now. Botan couldn't even imagine how one so small would one day grow into a little person.

His eyelashes were growing, and his fingernails were developing. He could actually open his eyes, now, and he could see what was going on. He was learning to swallow, which would help with his lung development, and weighed about two pounds. It was hard to believe he was only fourteen inches long. Soon, he was going to grow big enough that he wouldn't be able to move around as much. That was okay, Botan guessed. As much as she loved to feel his movements, she could use a break from all those punches and kicks.

Like father, like son, Botan thought happily as she hummed along.

"What are you doing?"

Botan nearly jumped off the bench in surprise, Hiei having appeared behind her, looking over her shoulder as he often did. His hand was on his shoulder, preventing the action as if to keep the woman from accidentally hurting herself. Those eyes of his seemed to hold a silent apology as he gestured his head in the direction of the book as he grabbed a drink of water.

Botan looked back down to her book, noting the part where it talked about their baby's development. "It says his brainwaves are kicking in," she stated. Hiei snorted at the comment and looked away. Botan was surprised by his dismissal. "What?"

"The brat's brainwaves have been active from the beginning," he told her, watching her eyes widen in her shock. "The kid reached out to me multiple times."

"Really?" Botan asked, completely fascinated, her matching purple pools sparkling with her troublesome curiosity. "About what?"

Hiei swallowed nervously, unsure if he was comfortable divulging how tumultuous his emotions had been since the first jolt. Instead of delving deep into those issues, he simply told her of the time she was sick. "You had been upset over my words, back then," he reminded her reluctantly. "You were upset, and it caused him to react harshly. You weren't eating and barely sleeping, and you were constantly getting sick, eventually vomiting blood."

Botan remembered. It had been a horribly scary time for her, and she barely remembered anything but pain and waking up to Hiei in her room. "His energy had increased," Hiei explained, cutting through her memories. "I communicated with him to tell him to cut it the hell out, and he listened. You stopped throwing up after that."

His story shocked Botan, and he could see it in her eyes. He incorrectly assumed that her astonishment was a product of the knowledge that the baby had caused her body so much damage, but the words out of her mouth sent him reeling.

Timidly, she asked, "You…you did that for me?"

Hiei's expression went grim as he remembered how he treated her in the beginning of this ordeal, and her surprise was warranted. He had acted in a way that was unbecoming of him, and he had constantly hurt the woman. Still, it twisted at his gut, the bewildered expression on the woman's face as if she had never expected him to consider her back then. "I gave you my word that I would protect you, did I not?"

Botan didn't answer, but she smiled and leaned back against the bench, happily humming once again as she continued to turn the pages. Hiei leaned back too, looking up at the sky for a moment before closing his eyes letting her soothing tune relax him. It amazed him how the voice that once grated on his eardrums could ease him all these years later.

"Hey, this is neat," she spoke, earning his attention again. "It says since he can see now, if we wanted to get him kicking a bit, we can shine a flashlight at my stomach, and basically he'd be telling us to 'get the light out of his eyes.'"

"Hn," Hiei scoffed, crossing his arms. "So, for shits and giggles this book is recommending we torture our son by blinding him. And the humans think we're depraved."

It was a joke, Botan could tell, and she couldn't help but laugh and sweat-drop at the same time. As she turned her attention back to the book, she could have sworn she saw Hiei's lips curve into a contented grin, but if she were to ever call him out on it, the fire demon would tell her that she was mistaken.

Botan looked herself up and down in the mirror and frowned, sighing as she actively tried to push her insecurities out of her mind. She was getting better at it, but she still couldn't look passed the chunkiness of her features. Well, some days she could. It was starting to be a weird, emotional roller coaster for her.

It was about to peak upward again.

Hiei had entered the room, noticing Botan's displeased expression. His brow furrowed at her form, the woman eyeing herself in the mirror again. Some days, he just wanted to destroy that thing. He didn't understand why the ferry girl did this to herself. What was she looking for, anyway?

To reassure her of what he knew she was thinking, he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting over her middle. She gasped and shakily called out his name. "H-Hiei?"

"You shouldn't worry about these superficial things," he reminded her. "You're keeping our child safe."

Botan felt herself relax considerably. It always made Botan's heart sore when Hiei referred to the baby as theirs. She knew Hiei was right, but she just couldn't help but feel strange. Her navel was protruding outward, and she just didn't look right. Still… With what Hiei said, her hands moved to caress her belly. Their child was in there, and she really was keeping him safe and warm. It didn't matter if her belly button had decided to come out. It was yet another thing that would go away. She would just have to deal until then.

She was about to turn around to thank her lover, only for him to appear in front of her, hoisting her up in his arms. The fire demon crashed his lips to hers, hungrily drinking her in as best as he could. He pulled away, looking into Botan's eyes. The pair exchanged knowing, lustful glances, though Hiei could see pure love in Botan's eyes. The two resumed their passionate session, Hiei pressing against her as gently as he could against the wall. His hand gently grazed her belly once again, feeling comforted by the presence of both his woman and child.

While Botan was getting ready for another day, Hiei came across her book. She left it lying on the coffee table on a page listing her current symptoms. Hiei scoffed when he scanned the page and saw that insomnia and indigestion were symptoms she'd be feeling that week. Honestly, she hardly ever stopped feeling them, and it had been that way for months, it felt like.

He decided to look at his own guide. It had been quite a bit since he had, focusing on the pages he read with Botan religiously. Truth be told, he quite liked those moments. As bothersome as it was to see all the trouble the woman was enduring, there was something strangely comforting when he sat or stood beside the woman, the two silently reading the contents together, experiencing the same joyous awe when they read about the growth of their son or concerns when they read about a new symptom. It became part of their weekly routine.

With the new habit forged, Hiei had been neglecting his guide. Honestly, he would occasionally glance at it, the book giving him tips on how to make Botan more comfortable. Her book did a better job. Still, he figured he may as well as he waited for the woman to finish showering.

"Now is the the perfect time, and possibly the last time for a while, for a romantic getaway," the book read, causing one of Hiei's brows to raise. "Most airlines require a doctor's note for third-trimester travel, and after thirty-six weeks, some airlines won't let her fly at all. Twenty-six weeks is the ideal time for moms-to-be to travel and take off for a romantic fling, especially since travel will be even more difficult with a new addition. So, get up and go, with an okay from you doctor of course."

Dark brows furrowed as he took in the words of the book, closing it after he read the part to carry the majority of the luggage and bring enough water. He never really considered traveling anywhere with Botan. Honestly, when he showed up to act as her protector, he had wanted nothing to do with her. He saw this whole ordeal as an imprisonment, an obligation, and an inconvenience for him. That had long since changed, and he had come to accept that they were together in this. Still, they didn't leave home very often. Before their argument, he had at least tried to get her out often. It was harder to do now that it was getting cold. Despite the frequent trips to visit Yukina and the random outings with the members of the group. Never had he thought that she might want to go somewhere else, somewhere further away, to avoid focusing solely on her symptoms and worries.

An exasperated sigh stole his attention away, and he quickly shut his book and placed it back on the table. He looked to the woman, the ferry girl running her hand through her hair before she awarded him a frustrated, but kind smile. "I should just live in there for the rest of this," she stated. "He's moving around so much in there that I keep having to go."

Hiei snorted and shook his head, but he said nothing more as he moved to approach her. Botan beamed at him, taking his hands in hers, adding. "I bet he's practicing for all that training he's going to be doing."

"Hn," the fire demon responded. "Maybe."

As it to make a point, when Hiei placed his hand on her abdomen and rubbed, the boy sent a couple of well-placed kicks. Botan smiled and, beside himself, Hiei did too, but he jolted out of it when Botan's hand ran through his hair. He felt that similar sensation, the one that felt like her hands were drugged, for, whenever she scratched his scalp, he felt completely at ease.

Botan noticed this and grinned victoriously. For the longest time, Hiei had been looking out for her, and lately he had been doing so out of want instead of obligation. Even so, he had his own worries, many that he rarely discussed with her but she knew were there beneath the surface. He made everything so much easier for her lately, and she had kept hoping she could one day return the favor. Finally, she found it.

"I have an idea," she murmured softly, subtly guiding her demon lover to the couch. He seemed to follow suit despite being out of it. "Why don't we stay in today and just rest. I'm feeling rather tired."

"Mm," Hiei grunted, the sound muffled by his closed lips. As Botan sat, he did too, leaning into her touch as her nails began to gently dig in. He had to clench his teeth to keep a satisfied groan from escaping. His body seemed to move on its own accord as he nestled against the woman. He felt like he was fading and falling fast, and Botan moved so that they were in comfortable positions, curled up together on the couch. Her lips quirked slightly as she observed his tranquil expression, all of Hiei's features smoothed out. She nuzzled against her lover, cuddling close and she continued to run comforting circles through his hair. The two felt asleep together on the couch with nary a care in the world.

From that day, the peace continued to stick with the unlikely couple, their child becoming more active and them getting more rest during the day. It actually helped Botan immensely since this evening insomnia was not going away. As a spirit, Botan was never one to require sleep, but this human body sure did. A full night's sleep was becoming rarer and rarer for both herself and Hiei, if she were being honest.

But at least their afternoon catnaps had become more frequent, and their little unspoken secret.

Her baby kicked, vying for her attention, and Botan giggled as she was pulled from her thoughts. "Hey there," she spoke lovingly to the bump, her hand moving to where she felt the tiny pulse. Her son seemed to target her hand, and she grinned. "You're becoming quite active. Is there something you're trying to tell me?"

"Hope not," Hiei remarked, coming from out of nowhere, startling Botan. She practically stumbled, tripping over her own two feet. Hiei quickly caught her, righting her immediately, and a small wave of dizziness washed over her.

Botan smiled her silent thanks and then said, "Wow, I keep losing my footing there. You know, my book said this could happen. Clumsiness is a symptom to watch out for."

"We're doomed," Hiei jested, though his voice sounded completely serious. Botan eyed him questioningly. "You were already clumsy in the first place."

The woman's mouth gaped open like that of a fish before she blinked at him and then grinned. "Hiei, are you teasing me?" she asked, practically in awe.

Her answer was a kiss, Hiei using his strength to trap her. Botan didn't seem to mind it so much, and she had to admit that she was disappointed when he broke away from her, sitting her down on a kitchen stool. Surprising Botan, he went to grab her a glass of water. Hiei had noticed, unbeknownst to the ferry girl, her gripping her head after he had situated her. She had been getting pesky migraines as of late.

"What else are you feeling aside from being additionally floundering?" He smirked when she slightly puffed her cheeks in irritation, no longer amused by his taunting.

"Well," Botan murmured, thinking about it for a moment, "I'm kind of feeling bloated and gassy, so much so that I don't really want to eat anything." Hiei frowned and shook his head before going to the fridge, knowing that was her warning that she'd probably forget to eat as she should. "I've been having those migraines that Hanako warned me about, and they brought the dizziness back, unfortunately.

"Mm," Hiei grunted in displeasure. "What else?"

"Pregnancy brain," Botan grumbled, earning a confused gaze from Hiei. "What? It's a thing. The book said so. It's that fuzziness of the brain, from the lack of sleep and hormones and stuff. My memory is just terrible. I've had to make lists for myself all week to make sure I remember to do my exercises."

So that was what those papers all over the living space were, Hiei mentally pondered as he pulled out some grapes and cheese snackers for the woman.

"Oh, and the round ligament pain," Botan recalled. "I'm just in a bit of pain today, though. Staying off my feet has been helping."

Hiei paused in his movements and stared into space for a moment before her uttered the word, "Good."

"In addition to all the other stuff," Botan continued, "my eyes have been feeling itchy and dry, and my vision has blurred a couple of times. It doesn't help with the dizziness."

Hiei grinned forlornly before saying, "All of these excuses for the clumsiness, hm?"

Botan laughed a little dismally, understanding why Hiei was attempting another round of the joke. "Well, it's not all bad. I get to feel this little one move around, and that's distracting enough. I think he's ready to get out of there, honestly."

Hiei shook his head. "Not yet. Hanako said he's developing as a human child would, so that means there is still quite a bit left in his development."

Botan nodded before another wave of exhaustion came over her out of nowhere. She was thankful that Hiei brought her the small plate of food. She didn't think it would be wise to move at the moment.

Making conversation, as Botan took the plate, she asked, "Are you planning on going to the park to train today?"

Hiei paused. It was yet another new addition to their routine, Botan being more inquisitive about his day. The fire demon was still getting used to it all. He knew she was asking out of genuine interest and concern, hoping he was having a good day instead of being worried that he'd abandon her. That level of trust was completely foreign to him. It was the same kind of faith the stupid detective had placed in him all those years ago at the Gate of Betrayal. Even then, he had done nothing to earn it, and yet he was given it anyway.

It was just as baffling with the woman as it had been back then. Presently, he could just hide his bewilderment better.

"No," Hiei remarked, surprising the woman. "I made some strides and need a break."

Botan smiled, clearly pleased with his response, though she didn't know he was only telling a half-truth. "It's wonderful that you can see when you need to rest," she told him encouragingly. "I remember how impulsive you used to be and the type of training you did. You deserve a break."

"Hn," Hiei grunted, taking a seat across from her. Unbeknownst to Botan, he would not take his eyes off of her. Truth be told, he had made strides, but he wasn't staying in because he needed a break, and he was still far more impulsive with her training that he would never let her see. There was a reason he felt compelled to stay in. Watching out for the woman had somehow become his first priority, and her accidental moments of stumbling over concerned him. Despite knowing the past would not repeat himself, Hiei still couldn't get her first fall out of his head. Her motionless body was still fresh in his mind. He could not let that happen again.

"If you aren't training today, would you want to help me with something?"

Hiei gave a curt nod, assuming she meant something with cleaning or cooking. "What needs to be done?"

"Nothing earth-shattering," Botan replied. "Honestly, I'm not really sure what it is, but my guidebook said I need to make a 'registry' to prepare for the baby."

"A what?" Hiei questioned, looking confused.

Botan shrugged, making a sound like "I don't know. It's something on the computer where we can put down stuff the baby needs."

Hiei looked to their maze of a living room, so many objects lining the walls that they hadn't touched at all since Kurama and the girls had purchased them with her. The baby needed more? That seemed kind of outrageous, but he figured it couldn't hurt.

"We have the majority already," Botan continued, confirmed. "But there's some other stuff I want to get for decorating his nursery, like a mobile and stuff like that."

Hiei had no idea what a mobile was, but if Botan found it necessary, he reasoned there was nothing that needed to be said.

So, after breakfast, Botan took out her laptop and Hiei took a seat next to her at the kitchen table. The two stared blankly at the screen, Botan looking to her guide to get some kind of information on where to apply. The book didn't give store names, and Botan barely remembered what stores there were.

The woman groaned, leaning her head on the table. "We really are doomed," she grumbled, twisting Hiei's earlier joke. "I don't even know what the stores are that have baby stuff. How am I ever going to take care of a child?"

"Woman," Hiei growled in warning. "It's not a big deal. You already said we have most of the necessities. Just ask one of the girls which one of the blasted stores they took you to, and you'll know."

Botan perked up as if she hadn't just had an emotional meltdown, her eyes bright as she said, "Hey, that's a great idea. Shizuru will know!"

The ferry girl reached for the cell phone Kurama had set up for her and dialed Shizuru. The woman picked up immediately, and Botan felt relieved. "Hi, Shizuru, how are you?"

Shizuru gave her a positive response before asking, "What's up, Blue?"

At that, Botan pouted. "Well, Hiei and I were going to try to do this registry thing, but we don't really know what it is. It's just a function for us to list what we still need, right?"

When Hiei heard that, he looked to the woman, baffled. Couldn't they just write a list on paper? What did they need some backwards computer program to make a list? He was about to voice his distaste at the logic when he picked up the sound of the elder Kuwabara's voice. "Yes, you should definitely do the registry," Shizuru said without giving any indication as to why. "Once you do, text me the registry number, okay?"

Botan seemed just as confused. "Why would I do that? It's our list…"

"Don't worry about that," the psychic replied. "Just send the information. Do you remember the places we went?"

"No," Botan admitted weakly. "That's why I was calling."

"I'll text you the information," Shizuru told her. "I'll get to it after I finish up with this walk-in that just showed up."

"Okie dokie, then…I'll send the info after you send me that," Botan responded before hanging up. She looked to Hiei baffled, the fire demon just giving a shrug. "Well…that was strange."

"They're all strange," Hiei remarked, tapping on the keys of the computer before he accidentally stumbled on the Internet search option. "You know how to work this thing. What's that?"

Hiei pointed to the search bar, and Botan nearly banged her head down on the table again. The fire demon eyed her strangely, not knowing what set her off this time. "I'm a mess," she murmured. "This pregnancy brain needs to go away."

"Woman, what nonsense are you rambling about now?"

"Hiei, we could have just searched baby stores and found the information that way!"

The demon would have been annoyed by her whining if it wasn't for the fact that he was just as irritated. Well, at least they could start somewhere, so they got busy. Hiei decided to have full reign over the computer as Botan was trying to choose items that were far from necessities. They already had the car seat, stroller, crib, and mattress, among other things. Now they just needed a changing table, supplies, a high chair, some swing thing to soothe the baby, and something he could use to walk around. Hiei did let Botan choose her little mobile though, the woman going for colorful dragons that made Hiei roll his eyes. At least that wasn't the worst thing, though he did feel it a little mocking considering his most deadly attack.

The things he chose to suck up just to appease this woman…