Botan sat on Hiei's bed, a flowery scent blanketing the air as she folded a load of freshly laundered clothing. It was a calm evening, not many cars passing by or voices drifting from outside. The sky was already a deep and dark blue, streetlights burning amber as the crickets chirped in the distance. It was just as serene within the confines of 4C, the low hum of the television playing in the living room and the soft glow of the lamp lighting the darkness within the bedroom.

After returning from the orphanage, she and Hiei kept to themselves. They didn't talk much, but it was fine. They shared more than enough for one day. More than she ever thought they would. Botan never disclosed her past with someone the way she did with Hiei today. It was always something she kept close to her heart; a story she never thought to share. She still didn't know what possessed her to tell Hiei everything. She didn't have the slightest idea as to why she revealed her innermost thoughts to him, but as she sat in the silence of his bedroom, she couldn't bring herself to regret it. Her admission laid the foundation of common ground between them. It tied them together in a way she never thought possible. It brought them together in more ways than one.

She was starting to realize that Hiei really wasn't half as bad as he seemed. He was a decent listener. He stuck to his word. And when he let his guard down, there was a warmth there that she never thought she would find.

He surprised her so much lately and Botan didn't want things to regress to how they used to be. She wanted to hold onto this newfound camaraderie and move forward with it; she wanted to take it as far as Hiei would let her go.

With that thought in mind, she finished packing the rest of her clothes away and then treaded into the living room. The detective's back was turned to her as he set up his makeshift bed on the couch. While the lounger was comfortable enough to relax on for a while, she found it hard to believe that he was getting a decent night's rest on there. He'd been working so hard, day in and day out, and while he wasn't the type who accepted help or care, there was one small thing she could do for him.

"Hiei?"

He turned around to face her, dropping the sheet that was in his hands down onto the couch. Despite the cooling night temperatures, he was donned in another sleeveless shirt and his usual dark sweats. "What is it?"

"I've been thinking…" she began, wringing her hands together as she forced herself to hold his piercing, red-eyed gaze. "It's not fair that you're banished to the living room night after night…"

Hiei raised a dark brow, lips resting in a neutral line as he waited for Botan to continue.

"So, why don't we just share the bed instead?" she offered through a small smile. "It's certainly large enough for the both of us."

"…I thought you were too much of a prude to do that much," he replied, setting the pillow down with a confused look overtaking his features.

"I am not a prude!" she argued, cheeks enflamed with a mixture of embarrassment and anger as her hands balled into fists at her sides. "I simply understand the importance of boundaries and decency."

"Hn." He crossed his arms over his chest, gaze sharpening challengingly. "And you don't mind blurring the lines of your precious boundaries with me?"

"I trust you," she declared easily, not a hint of doubt in her voice or in her heart. "Besides, this is your home. And I feel guilty for putting you out like this."

"I already told you not to concern yourself over trivial things."

"I know, but I would feel much better knowing that you were getting a good night's rest."

"…"

"If you prefer the couch, then that's fine," she amended. "But the bed is open and available to you if you want it."

Hiei's eyes narrowed slightly as he examined her. "You're sure about this, woman?"

"Positive," she confirmed with a nod.

His expression eased up, frown lines fading into a more neutral look as he returned the nod. "Fine."

Botan smiled as he grabbed his pillow and followed her back into the bedroom.

It wasn't until they were both settled between the cool sea of Egyptian cotton sheets did it occur to Botan that she never slept in the same bed with a man before. It shouldn't have mattered - they weren't going to do anything - but the intimacy of the moment dawned upon her like a tidal wave crashing against the shore.

She tried not to overreact; she was the one who suggested the change in arrangement after all.

Besides, this was Hiei. He had never shown any interest in her before and it wasn't as if he would ever do anything untoward. So she relaxed against the mattress, letting all of the tension escape her body as she inhaled and released a deep breath.

"Good night, Hiei."

"Sleep well, woman."

Botan smiled at his low response and snuggled into the sheets. Although they maintained a respectable distance between them, she could still smell the fresh and earthy scent of his soap. She could feel the heat of his body radiating into her space. He ran hotter than most others in a comforting way. And, before she knew it, her eyes were drooping as sleep overtook her.

Hiei was the first to wake.

He was a little disoriented upon peeling his eyes open and finding himself in the bedroom instead of the living room, and his confusion multiplied when he felt a soft body pressed against his own. He stiffened, eyes widening down at Botan, who apparently made it her unconscious mission to wrap herself around him in her sleep.

Memories of last night returned to him as he replayed her surprising offer and his even more surprising acceptance. Sharing the bed wasn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it was intimate. More intimate than he had ever been with any of his past bedmates.

Botan moved closer towards him, not a single line of separation between their bodies. He could feel every point of contact searing hot and dangerously against him. Her curves and scent clouded his mind and filled it with unsavory thoughts. This would soon become a problem if he allowed himself to linger any longer, so he untangled himself from the bluette and headed straight for the bathroom.

By the time he was out of the shower, Botan was awake and as unassuming as ever.

"Good morning," she sang sweetly. Her smile was nearly as bright as the morning sun stretching inside of the room and falling upon the both of them. She stretched her arms over her head and let out a relaxed sigh. "I slept great. How about you?"

"It was decent," he lied. Truth be told, the bed was leagues better than the couch and he'd slept through the entire night - something that didn't often occur.

"Super!" she beamed, hopping off the bed and padding towards the bathroom with an extra pep in her step.

He mentally cursed her obliviousness, before turning back towards the closet and getting himself ready for another day.

Their commute was pleasant enough. They spoke a little bit on the way to the train station and a little more on the ride into the city. As they walked down the crowded streets leading to the precinct, Botan's cheery attitude began to diminish.

"I've got a whole stack of data entry and a few reports that I pushed off for today," she lamented through a pout. "I wish I had just finished them on Friday."

"You should have."

"I bet you're all up to date, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't know. I cede most of the reports to Haru."

Botan gasped. "Hiei, that's awful!"

The detective pushed his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "It's what he deserves for being a thorn in my side."

"You're so mean."

"So you've told me."

Botan shook her head, large eyes crinkled with mirth and failing to hide the smile she was trying to suppress. She was about to carry on when she stopped short, blue brows rounded and gaze fixed on the cafe at the end of the block.

"Hey, do you want to pick up breakfast? I used to make pit stops here all the time, before…" she paused. "Well, you know."

"I'll wait for you outside."

"Nonsense. You didn't eat anything, either. And breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

He opened his mouth to decline, but she wasn't listening. Grabbing his forearm, she led him down the street and closer towards the cafe. It would've been easy to detach himself from her loose grip, but he was learning to choose his battles. The energy required to oppose her over something so small simply wasn't worth it.

A bell chimed overhead, signaling their entry as they made their way inside.

"I'm paying," he asserted as they inched forward on the line. Hiei hardly knew what to do with all her soft expressions. He didn't know how to handle her sincere words. He was hopeless when it came to dealing with open affections and gentle ministrations. But he did know a thing or two about returning a gesture.

"Are you forgetting our rule? I chose the place, so I take care of the bill."

"I don't care."

Botan looked as though she wanted to argue, but decided against it in the end. Her shoulders fell from their taut position as the lines in her expression smoothened out and lifted into a smile. "Alright. If you insist."

They placed their orders and waited silently for their meals. Now that he was surrounded by the scent of food and sweets, he realized that he was a bit hungry and he supposed her insistence was warranted this time. It was noisier than he expected it to be: voices of the patrons and workers bouncing off of each other, the hiss of hot drinks and steam, the clanging of cookware, and the gentle beat of soft music playing through speakers. People were flooding in and out during the morning rush, intent on getting to their destinations in time. It was just the type of establishment that suited a busybody like Botan. The workers bustled around quickly, weaving past one another behind the counter without missing a beat. Before he knew it, an overly chipper teenager was shouting out their order.

"Someone's extra hungry today," Botan teased, taking count of the extra sandwich he placed in his bag. "And you were so adamant against us stopping for food, too!"

"It's not for me."

She tilted her head in confusion, blinking twice at him.

"…It's for Haru," he mumbled under his breath.

"Well, that's as sweet as it is surprising," she exclaimed, amethyst eyes turned pink under the morning light and sparkling with mischief as she leaned closer to him. "Are you gunning for partner of the year?"

"Very funny, woman," he replied flatly, pushing her bag into her hands and moving along.

Botan grinned, lips stretched into a deep curve as they made their way towards the precinct. Once inside, she proceeded to greet nearly everyone they passed. Hiei merely nodded at the ones he knew and didn't bother with the unfamiliar faces from other divisions. They stopped at the usual spot: the midway point between his division and hers.

"I'll see you tonight?" Botan asked hopefully.

He briefly wondered when she started looking forward to seeing him and when his presence began to bring more joy than misery to the woman standing before him. He wondered when he stopped feeling the threads of annoyance or irritation whenever she was near. He wondered how his opinion of the investigative assistant could have changed so much in such a short time span, but eventually decided it was best not to dwell on the things he didn't fully understand. He wasn't the introspective sort to begin with. Thinking about it longer would only leave him with a useless headache and more questions than he could stomach.

He nodded, lifting crimson eyes back to meet amethyst. "And finish those reports today, woman. You shouldn't procrastinate."

"I will, so long as you do your fair share and stop pushing everything onto poor Haru."

"Not a chance, woman."

"Oh, you're impossible," she discouraged, despite the smile on her face.

He watched her depart, ponytail swaying behind her as she treaded down the hall. Once she was out of sight, he made his way towards his own division. Mukuro was holed up in her office, voice quiet and steady as it reached his ears through the door. Haru was leaning back in his chair, green eyes glued to his phone and a small laugh bubbling out of his lips. He didn't pay much attention to the rest of his division, dropping Haru's sandwich on his desk wordlessly and then claiming his seat. Haru leaned forward, green eyes wide with surprise and delight.

"Aw, buddy, you really do care!" he exclaimed, wiping away an imaginary tear.

"Just shut up and eat."

"Yessir!"

Hiei started up his computer and glanced over at the stack of files on his desk. It had somehow gotten larger since last week.

"Oh yeah, the lab called," Haru mentioned through a mouthful of eggs and cheese.

"And?"

"They weren't able to find anything at all on the photographs or flowers," he revealed. "Not a single trace of fingerprints or DNA."

"Not surprising."

"Yeah, they should be sending the evidence back to us any day now," he said.

Hiei's mouth pulled into a slant. They continued to search all avenues for a road that might lead back to their culprit. Their days were filled with visits to flower shops, photograph developers and delivery companies. They conducted stakeouts near Botan's apartment and collected surveillance videos from all five women's residences. Each time they came up with nothing. They asked tenants of Botan's building if they noticed anyone new skulking around, but no one had any substantial answers.

"Don't fret. We also got some news from our resident techie," Haru added.

"What did he say?"

"Ueno managed to track the payment on one of Botan's gifts to a bank account owned by Gondawara Sukezo."

"Gondawara?" Hiei repeated, brow furrowing deeply in thought. "Sounds familiar."

"It should. He wasa big player in the black market and member of the Black Black Club."

Hiei frowned. "Was?"

Haru rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "He was murdered just after Nao went missing. Apparently, one of his deals went south and he paid the price with his life."

"Of course," Hiei muttered, scowl deepening. It would have been better if Gondawara were alive. Money loving fools were always the first to crack under pressure. Surely they could have gotten something worthwhile out of him. He unclenched his fist and tempered himself; all hope wasn't lost. They now knew their culprit had ties to the underground world. He had a footprint there. And they would surely find him if they did a little more digging.

"Ueno's looking into who could have possibly accessed Gondawara's finances," Haru continued. "He's going to give us a list of potentials. Hopefully one of them might be our guy – or, at the very least, lead us closer to finding him."

Hiei nodded.

"So now, we wait," Haru said, pausing to take a sip from the oversized water bottle he kept on his desk. "Just four more weeks until the perp makes his move, provided he sticks to his usual routine."

"He will. The bastard gets a sick thrill from it."

"And since you've already got Botan staying with you, it'll be damn near impossible for him to try anything." Haru swallowed the last bit of his sandwich and tossed the empty wrapper in the garbage. "We got this, bud."

Hiei didn't need the pep talk. He already knew as much.

"Anyway, I was thinking we should shift gears to the Kaneshiro case," Haru suggested, waving a search warrant at Hiei temptingly. "I have the feeling that today might just be our lucky day."

Hiei smirked.

.

.

.

When Hiei returned to the apartment, the savory scents of fried panko and pork permeated the air. A quick glance at the stove confirmed his suspicions that Botan had cooked. The woman herself sat on the couch in a pair of purple pajamas, hair hanging loose and spilling over her shoulders.

"Welcome back," she said, closing her journal and giving him her full attention. "How was work?"

"Closed another case," he mentioned as he toed off his shoes and hung up his coat.

"So I heard, mister ace detective!"

"And you?"

"Me?" she seemed wholly surprised, setting her journal aside.

"Did you slack off again?"

"For your information, I was very productive today!" she informed proudly. "I finished most of my reports before Yusuke and I were pulled into another case."

"What was it?"

"A standard break-in," she replied, hugging a throw pillow to her chest. "Luckily for us, the thief was a bit of an amateur. He left his fingerprints all over the place, so I'm sure we'll catch him soon enough."

"Congratulations, Himura," he stated, setting his wallet down on the entryway table. "You've managed to earn your daily wages."

"I'm only going to let that slide because I'm such a kind and benevolent soul," she countered. "Anyway, I made some tonkatsu for dinner. Are you hungry? Should I heat yours up now?"

Hiei hesitated, unused to being taken care of by anyone. "It's fine. I can do it myself."

"I know that," she replied. "But - please don't take this the wrong way - you look terrible."

He didn't take any offense to it at all, considering he felt as though he'd been hit by a truck. Between juggling three separate cases and two altercations, he was a little worse for wear.

"Why don't you go wash up and I'll have dinner ready by the time you're done?" she suggested as she stood up.

He was too tired to object, so he simply grunted and continued on to the bedroom. He tried not to apply too much pressure to his leg, but Botan must have noticed the limp in his gait, because she was blocking his way in an instant.

"Hiei!" she exclaimed, a hand on his arm. "You're hurt!"

"It's just bruises - nothing more."

She took his hand in hers and examined his knuckles, bruised and red from fighting. Her fingertips were cool and soft as they ran over them tentatively. "What happened?"

"The same thing that usually does: the criminals put up a fight," he said, pulling away and slipping his hand into his pocket.

Blue brows crinkled over concern-filled eyes. "Did you see a doctor, at least?"

"It wasn't necessary. I've been through worse."

"Well, I would feel much better knowing we had an expert's opinion," she countered.

"It's fine, woman," Hiei reassured. "Nothing I haven't experienced before."

She bit her lip, blue brows knotted. It was obvious she wanted to say more, but she conceded in the end. "Just please let me know if you need anything."

Hiei nodded, trudging into the bedroom as best as he could without further agitating his leg.

He wasn't used to being on the receiving end of anyone's concern, besides Yukina's or maybe Haru's. He'd learned how to cope with theirs by pushing it aside and swallowing it down. But Botan's concern was another beast entirely. She didn't owe him a thing. She didn't need to care about his wellbeing, much less to this extent. She didn't need to be concerned with him at all.

Hiei couldn't understand what drove her to care so deeply.

Nor could he begin to understand why it affected him so much.

Botan sat at her desk, a frown tugging at her lips as she twirled a pen between her fingers.

Hiei wasn't limping like he was last night, but she still worried about him. It was no secret that he threw himself into his work with a reckless abandon. He rarely stopped to think of himself, let alone give his body the rest it deserved. It troubled her more than she allowed herself to admit in his presence, fully well knowing that such attentions would only make him throw his guard back up in the end.

His entire life seemed to revolve around his job. It wasn't healthy.

"If you keep frowning like that you'll get wrinkles," Yusuke warned.

Botan snapped out of her musings, glancing over at her friend. He was leaning back in his chair, all thoughts of work seemingly forgotten.

"Seriously," he continued. "Is everything okay?"

"Just peachy."

"You're not very good at lying, you know," he prodded. "Let me guess: problems with Hiei again?"

"Yes, but not in the way you're assuming," she frowned. "I'm just worried about him is all."

Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest. "He's the last one any of us should be worried about."

"I know he's perfectly capable of doing everything on his own, but I wish he'd be little bit more cautious with himself. He's not superhuman. He needs to slow down at some point."

Yusuke thought about it for a moment, expression contemplative. "Hiei's been like that for as long as I can remember. I don't think that will ever change."

Botan wished she could let it go and reason it away as easily as Yusuke could, but it simply wasn't in her nature. Living with the detective afforded her a glimpse into his private time that few others ever saw. She couldn't ignore the long hours he worked, or the way he dove right back into the fray even when he was home. She couldn't begin to count the amount of times she'd seen him logging into work from his home computer, searching through his files or making calls. He rarely gave himself a break. In fact, it was almost as if he didn't know how to disconnect.

Botan had her suspicions behind what drove him to work so hard and why he continued to punish himself with such a grueling schedule, and if she was right, then perhaps she could help him. He was doing so much for her sake. The least she could do was try and help him in turn.

She would have to start small, though, and take baby steps.

Reaching for her phone, Botan pulled up their text message thread.

Botan: Hello Hiei~

Hiei: What do you want?

Her jaw dropped in offense and she typed up a reply.

Botan: Why do you assume I want something?

Hiei: You never text.

Botan: Because I never thought you would answer before!

Hiei: It's clear that I am. So what is it?

Botan pouted. They weren't starting off on the right note at all, but she already committed herself to the task and she was no quitter.

Botan: Will you be able to wrap up by 5 today?

Hiei: Why?

Botan: I need to pick a few things up at the grocery and I need a big, strong man to help me carry it back.

Hiei: Flattery will get you nowhere.

Botan: Pretty please?

Hiei: Begging won't either.

Botan: Well, what will?

Hiei: Just ask like a normal person.

Botan: Fine, will you please come home on time with me today? I could really use your help.

Hiei: Meet me at the entrance at five.

Botan blinked down at her phone in surprise. She didn't think it would be that easy.

Then again, Hiei did take it upon himself to ensure that she was safe and out of harm's way until the case was solved. Perhaps he only agreed so readily because he had no other choice. Perhaps he considered this to be another facet of his job. Whatever the reason, she wasn't about to try her luck. She smiled to herself as she set her phone down.

"Somebody looks like the cat that got the cream," Yusuke commented.

She winked. "That's because things are looking up for this little kitten."

.

.

.

True to his word, Hiei was waiting for her near the precinct entrance, hands pushed into the pockets of his dark slacks and lips pressed into an easy line. She didn't really need anything at the grocery, but she was forced to live out the lie as they traveled to the store and she pretended to peruse the aisles. Hiei eyed her suspiciously as they returned to the apartment with only two bags between them and Botan pretended not to notice. They settled on takeout for dinner and ended up sitting at the dining table over boxes of Chinese food.

Hiei finished first, his carton emptied save for a few grains of rice and the remnants of soy sauce. He pushed his chair back, preparing to leave when Botan interjected.

"Wait!" she exclaimed, a little more frantically than she meant to.

Hiei stared back at her like she was crazy, red eyes narrowed slightly in confusion and suspicion. Botan supposed she deserved it after that unwarranted outburst, but there was little time to be embarrassed. The detective was undoubtedly going to seat himself in the corner of his bedroom and log onto work, and she couldn't let that happen. There had to be a way to keep him here.

"What?" he pressed.

Amethyst eyes darted around the table in search of a possible distraction. "You… you forgot to open your fortune cookie."

He glanced down at the cookie before scoffing. "I didn't forget. I just don't care."

"Oh, come on," she urged, reaching over to grab one for herself. "It's not right to break tradition. I'll go first, okay?"

Hiei folded his arms over his chest, leaning back in his chair in resignation. "Go on then, woman."

"Let's hope it's a good one!" she said, tearing the plastic wrapping off with a grin. She proceeded to break the hollow shell in half and retrieve the small slip of paper inside. Anticipation sparked through her as she scanned the fortune. "Today your mouth might be moving but no one is listening."

"Hn, how informative."

The bluette dropped the slip of paper with a huff. "Well, that is the rudest fortune I've ever gotten!"

"I think it's apt."

"Because you're positively rude!" she said, tossing the remaining cookie closer to him. "Hopefully the fates have bestowed something a little kinder onto you."

Hiei caught it easily, making quick work of the wrapper. Botan munched on her cookie while watching him eagerly.

"Be wary of blue-haired blabbermouths," he recited tonelessly.

Botan's eyes doubled in size as she nearly choked on a piece of the treat. Coughing, she shot a withering look at him. "It does not say that!"

"See for yourself."

Botan snatched the note from him and peered down at it.

"Make decisions from the heart and use your head to see them through," she read, perking up with a smile. "Hey, this is pretty nice. I wish I had gotten it."

"Then keep it. I have no use for it."

"But it was meant for you."

"I don't really care."

She ignored him entirely, reaching over for his wallet and tucking the paper inside one of its folds. "There. Now it'll always be with you."

"You're far too sentimental, Himura."

She grinned. "I suppose so."

"Hn. If you're done letting silly fortunes dictate your life, I have work to do."

"There's no rush to leave," she reasoned, causing him to stop again. "Why don't we just sit here and let our food settle over some light conversation?"

Hiei paused, the beginnings of a frown forming over his lips. "…I hate small talk."

"Then let's use this time to get to know each other better instead."

"You already know more than most."

"Sure, I know about your past and present, but I don't know any of the fun stuff."

"…What are you rambling about?"

"You know, your likes and dislikes," she explained. "Your hopes and dreams?"

"Those aren't important."

"Of course they are!" she insisted. "And there's no better time to get to know one another better than right now."

She watched his expression go through a series of minute changes: a flash of hesitation in his crimson eyes, the pursing of his lips, a small dip in his brow.

"Please?" Botan tried. "Just for a little while."

He held her gaze for a few silent moments, before rolling his eyes. "Fine, but make it quick."

She let out a victorious exclamation and grinned back at him. "Let's start easy. What's your favorite color?"

"Really, woman? Something as useless as that?"

"Yes," she nodded, undeterred. "I want to know."

"Black," he muttered quietly.

"Mine's pink."

"Should have known."

"Yours wasn't exactly earth shattering, either, you know."

"At least mine isn't an eyesore."

"You're awful, Hiei."

"I know."

"The absolute worst."

"So I'm told."

"A downright menace."

"Are you finished?"

"Yes, to the insulting, no to the questioning," she replied, fixing curious eyes on him once more. She reached out to poke his hair. It was surprisingly soft and thick. "Is it naturally spiky or do you use product to keep it up?"

"Have you ever seen me use anything on my hair?"

She shook her head.

"Then there's your answer," he stated.

"Wow, it must be the eighth wonder of the world…" she said, poking at it again. "How odd."

"If we're discussing oddities - why do you have that unusual accent?" he shot back.

"That, my friend, is the ninth wonder of the world."

"You're ridiculous."

"It's part of my appeal, don't you think?"

"No."

"Ouch. That hurt, Hiei."

"Good."

"So mean!"

"I'm honest," he corrected. "There's a difference."

"If you say so…" the bluette replied. She tapped a finger against her chin, humming thoughtfully. "Let's see… if you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be?"

"You aren't finished with these childish inquiries?"

"Nope! Now answer the question," she instructed. "Any ability at your disposal - which do you choose?"

Hiei appeared to actually think about it for a moment. His gaze turned sharper in concentration as it fell away from hers. She smiled at how seriously he was taking it and when he had come to a decision, his red eyes were clear of any doubt or uncertainty. "Mind reading."

"Ooh, that's invasive!" she commented. "And fun! Think of all the gossip you'd be privy to."

"Or perps I could catch," he clarified pointedly.

"Of course that would be your sole reasoning, mister ace detective."

"And you?" he deflected. "What would you choose?"

"It would have to be the power of flight," she said, glancing out the window. The sun had already descended below the horizon, the night sky colored in hues of navy and violet. "The sky is so vast and beautiful. I'd love to be up there, weightless and free."

"I see."

She turned her eyes away from the window to smile at him. "If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?"

"Nowhere."

"Oh, come on! There must be some place."

"One that's far away from people."

"Okay, mountain man."

"I doubt yours is any better."

"I couldn't possibly just choose one place," she bemoaned. "I want to see it all! Travel the world. Experience the wonders of a foreign country..."

"Unsurprising."

"Aside from the ret of the world, there are still a ton of things I want to do and see right here in Japan, too."

"What's stopping you?"

"Time and money," she said. "Plus… the whole stalker situation."

"…"

"I suppose once this is all over I should finally start crossing things off of my bucket list."

"You shouldn't wait until then," he replied. "Choose something now."

"Huh?"

"You were the one who said you wanted life to go on as usual," he reminded her. "So choose something."

Botan paused, clearly in thought. "Um, well, I've always wanted to go to the Ohara Matsuri…"

He frowned. "The loud and unruly festival in Kagoshima?"

"Bingo!" Botan confirmed with a snap of her fingers. "I think it's in the first week of November. Surely this will all be over then."

Hiei was quiet for a moment, as if wrestling with something internally. When he lifted his gaze to meet hers, there was a steely resolve in his fiery eyes. "If it isn't, then I'll take you."

"Really?" She leaned closer to him in all her excitement.

"You have my word."

"Can we even dress up in matching yukatas?"

"You can do what you want, Himura. I'm not wearing anything festive."

Her smile turned sheepish. "Well, I had to give it a shot."

"Hn." His gaze sharpened perceptibly as he eyed her. "Now that I've agreed to do something for you, it's your turn to do the same for me, woman."

"Sure," she answered easily. Botan's smile fell as she took in the scrutinizing look on Hiei's face. She shrunk back a little, suddenly feeling as though she landed herself straight in a trap. Her voice wavered as she went on, "so long as it's within reason…"

"I want you to tell me what you're up to."

"…What I'm up to?" she echoed tentatively.

"You tricked me into coming home early. And now you intend to distract me with silly superstitions and twenty-one questions. What are you trying to do?"

"N-nothing."

"Don't lie to me, Botan."

His gaze was piercing as it met hers and she suddenly understood the pressure and stress that every suspect was forced to endure when they met Hiei in the interrogation room. He was a force to be reckoned with, exuding an aura that demanded subjugation in lesser souls. He had mastered the art of intimidation, using nothing more than an unyielding stare and a quiet, but commanding air. As much as she wanted to look away, she couldn't find the strength to do so. Now she understood why he had the highest success rate in the station. And no one could blame her for caving instantly.

"Oh, alright!" she cracked. "I just thought you could use a break!"

The hard lines of Hiei's expression bled into honest confusion. "A break?"

"Yes, you know, time to unplug and unwind?" she explained. "I've seen how hard you work. And it's just not sustainable."

"That isn't your concern," he dismissed.

"Well, I'm making it," she countered. She held his gaze searchingly. "Why do you work so hard, Hiei?"

"It's of no consequence to you," he replied stubbornly. His voice was low and tinged with something dark, his walls raised again. "My reasons are mine and mine alone."

"I'm only asking because I think I understand," she explained gently. "You throw yourself into everything you do because you want to prove to the world that you're worth something. And more than that, you want to prove it to yourself."

Hiei clenched his jaw tightly, mouth set in an immovable line. His silence was more telling than anything else. Botan's expression softened as she went on.

"But you're more than enough. You always have been. And you need to know that. You're an intuitive detective, a loyal friend and a caring brother. Your resolve is as unwavering as your will is unbreakable." Her voice softened. "You don't need to prove anything to the world. You only need to wake up and live in it."

Hiei remained silent, but there was something different in his eyes now. Something she couldn't quite place as the clouded anger and obstinacy faded out of sight. It wasn't a resounding acceptance, but it was certainly something worth holding onto.

"So, will you please just give yourself a break?" she continued. "You've got family and friends who worry about you. If you refuse to do it for yourself, then start by doing it for them."

"..."

"And, if I'm allowed to be selfish, I prefer it when you're here," she finished.

Hiei's gaze refocused as it snapped back to meet hers. He was shifting into detective mode again, forgetting about himself and putting all of his attention on her.

"The complex's security is sufficient enough," he told her. "I made sure of that."

"I didn't mean it like that," she said with a shake of her head. "It's just nicer when you're around."

Red eyes widened just the slightest fraction.

"Well, don't look so stunned!" She giggled. "It can't be that surprising."

Hiei was quiet for a while. She had no idea what he might be thinking or feeling in that moment, but his eyes were clearer when he brought them up to meet hers.

"If you wanted me around more, then you should have just said so," he finally spoke lowly.

"Hm?"

"It'd do you well to get straight to the point, rather than flounder around with your words and confuse us both."

"…"

"I'll hear you better that way," he said. "And perhaps I'll even give into your unreasonable demands."

Botan nodded in understanding, determination renewed as a smile spread over her features.

"How about we compromise, then? I'll resolve to be more direct and you have to do a better job at taking care of yourself." She held her hand out between them with an inviting smile. "Deal?"

"I'm not making any promises," Hiei stated, closing a warm hand around hers. "But I will try."

Hope you all enjoyed this one. If you liked what you read, then don't hesitate to drop a review and make my day. :)

As always, thank you all for reading and being so supportive and encouraging. See you next time!