Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters

Here's the next submission for Hiei x Botan Week. Enjoy!

Day 3: Ending/Beginning

Hiei stared up at the dark, dingy ceiling of the Spirit World prison. His eyes narrowed in anger, anger at Spirit World, the detective who bested him, and, mostly, himself.

The fire demon couldn't believe his plan backfired. It was foolproof to start. Hiei found a demon who would act as the muscle and take care of the weaklings that dared to get in their way when they stole the three artifacts. He was on somewhat familiar terms with the Legendary Bandit. They found side by side together years earlier. Never did Hiei imagine the older demon falling for this human lifestyle and actually caring for the one he called "mother." It was sickening, and it was Hiei's mistake for depending on anyone else beside himself.

His plan began to unravel once Spirit World's newest spirit detective showed up. It both angered him and impressed him that a mere human was able to do what so many demons who crossed the fire demon could not accomplish. The human, Yusuke Urameshi, had such a pathetic energy. Hiei, regrettably, could admit that he underestimated the boy. That was his other mistake. He loathed when others underestimated him, but he knew it was far worse to underestimate others. It cost him the fight, and it was how he ended up here, in the pit of the world he hated.

The knowledge that he would rot here in this deplorable prison numbed him. He couldn't even think about his sister, who was missing, and how he'd never be able to find her again. He was alone, defeated, betrayed, and imprisoned. It was the end of the line for him.

Hiei sat with Botan in the apartment, her eyes wide as she stared at the ground. Hiei had just made a confession, one he started to regret because of how stupefied the woman seemed.

"You…like me?"

The fire demon glared at the ferry girl. That was a gross understatement as to what he just said. "You know I don't like repeating myself."

Botan smiled and laughed before she finally met his gaze. "You may have to…" she breathed out, much to Hiei's chagrin. "I…I think I need to hear it again."

Hiei grit his teeth; the bones gnashed together. It had taken everything in him to say it all the first time, to lower his pride to finally bridge the gap between them. He figured he'd only need to say it once and then never be forced to lower his defenses like that again. Of course, with the blue-haired woman, it was never that simple.

"Fine," he growled in surrender. He then repeated what he told her about fifteen minutes earlier. "I have feelings for you. I don't know what they are, but you are not the same annoying ferry girl I used to think you are. I want to…" He hesitated, much like he did the first time he forced out this speech. "…'date' you."

And much like before, he blushed and looked away from Botan. Only this time, Botan squealed in delight and tackled him into a hug. Hiei allowed the contact, only because it felt nice to have the ferry girl's arms around him. He was very much looking forward to seeing where this inkling of unfamiliar feelings would go.

To prolong the contact, he wrapped his strong arms around the woman, and she didn't seem to mind it one bit. This would be the start of the rest of their lives.