Is it just me or has it been a hellish week? Hope you all are faring better than I am! Here's a new chapter to kick off the weekend~

"Is it Friday yet?" Botan complained, fully well knowing that it wasn't.

Hiei crashed down onto the empty space beside her on the bed, the scent of his cedar and pine soap surrounding him. He lay there completely boneless and responded with nothing more than a low and muffled groan into his pillow. Botan's expression softened as she set her journal aside and stared down at him. She had never seen him display his exhaustion so openly before, so he must have truly been at his wit's end.

"Well, at least we'll finally get a little mini-vacation soon," she tried, hoping to lighten the mood.

He scoffed. "A weekend at the fox's cabin sounds like cruel and unusual punishment."

"Don't be like that," she tried, pushing at his shoulder playfully. "It's going to be so much fun."

"You only think that because you're just as deranged as Yusuke and the rest of that motley crew."

Botan pouted. The annual trip to the cabin was a tradition they followed every fall over the last few years. The woods were beautiful this time of year as the seasons changed and the leaves morphed into gorgeous shades of red, orange and yellow. The time they spent there was always so precious to her, but she could see how a man like Hiei might find it grating.

"All I want is peace and quiet," he muttered.

"Hey." She grinned, sitting up straighter in all of her excitement. "You know what we need?"

"…You'll tell me regardless," the detective replied, turning to face her. "So, what strange notion is running through your mind now?"

"Some good old self-care!"

"Self what?" he asked, sitting up.

"Self-care," she repeated. "It's pretty explanatory, isn't?"

He continued to stare at her as if she had two heads and she giggled.

"Oh Hiei," she said with a shake of her head. "You have so very much to learn. Lucky for you, I'm here."

"Woman-"

"Ah, ah, ah," she cut him off. "Just sit back, relax and let good old Botan take care of you."

"Don't be silly. I don't need such trivial indulgences."

"It's hardly trivial. Everybody needs to de-stress now and again," she advised, hopping off the bed with an excited air. "Even big and strong detectives like you."

She disappeared into the bathroom and reappeared with a basket full of masks, scrubs and lotions. Hiei had moved to the foot of the bed now, eying the products in her hands warily.

"I never agreed to this."

"I'm not giving you a choice," she replied teasingly. "A little TLC is just what you need."

"Botan-"

"What did I say about refusing, mister? You don't have a choice in the matter. Now hush and let me do my magic."

Crimson eyes narrowed as he turned away. "If you utter a word about this to anyone-"

"Threaten later," Botan instructed, taking his chin and angling his face back towards her direction. "Quiet now."

Hiei's mouth was pressed into a displeased line as he crossed his arms over his chest in concession. "Fine, woman. Do your worst."

"Don't be so grave, your highness. This is supposed to be a relaxing affair," she chided as she proceeded to pin his bangs off of his forehead with a few rainbow colored hair clips. The bluette was careful not to let any signs of amusement shine through her expression as she worked, but he looked so adorable right now. She was definitely going to snap a picture when he was unaware, consequences be damned. Clearing her throat, she forced a neutral expression as she regarded him again and sorted through the various masks. "Now, which one suits your fancy between avocado and oatmeal, honey and tea tree oil, dead sea minerals or charcoal and black sugar mud?"

"None."

"Oh, come now. You've got to give me something to work with!" she urged. "Which experience are you going for: purifying, deep cleansing, rejuvenating or detoxifying?"

"Those all sound like frivolous ways of saying the same thing," he stated.

"I suppose you're right," she agreed sheepishly. "Let's go with the tried and true avocado and oatmeal, shall we?"

"Whatever, woman."

She squeezed a generous amount of the clay mask onto the applicator brush and then began to rub the mixture onto Hiei's face. His tone was unfairly even and clear for someone who so blatantly disregarded the rules of skin-care and she couldn't help but envy him a little. He had nice eyelashes, too, she realized as she continued. And such thick and healthy hair. It was such a shame that all those wonderful assets were wasted on a man who couldn't care less about any of it. Shaking her head, she continued on until the surface area of his forehead, nose, cheeks and chin were all covered in the light green paste.

Once Hiei was properly tended to, Botan made quick work of applying the mask on her own face, before grabbing a lighter and one of her candles.

"Is it supposed to feel this tight?" he questioned, opening his eyes to glare at her.

Botan nodded, her own mask still soft and cool on her face. "That's how you know it's working."

"This is ridiculous."

"Just trust the process," she ordered, as she set the candle down and set the wick alight.

Soon, hints of eucalyptus suffused through the air. Botan extinguished the bedroom lights and joined Hiei at the edge of the bed. With the soft glow of the flame setting the mood and the calming aroma in the air, she could almost feel the shift in the atmosphere. She lay down, relaxing into the firm mattress with a sigh.

"Now, for the next ten minutes, we simply decompress and enjoy the moment."

Hiei followed suit, his body warm and relaxed as he lay beside her. His guard was down and he seemed to finally be allowing himself to unwind.

She smiled.

Maybe there was hope for him yet.

"Hey partner," Haru greeted.

Hiei looked up from a case file to see Haru strolling into the division with a box of treats from his family bakery in hand. Hiei nodded, letting out a low grunt in acknowledgment before returning his eyes to the small print on the page.

"There's something different about you today," Haru mentioned, green eyes blinking innocently under rounded brows.

Hiei pointedly ignored the other man in lieu of flipping through the case file. Haru was always saying the oddest things; it was best to ignore the abnormal man entirely.

"What one earth could it be?" Haru wondered, moseying over to Hiei's side of their workstation and leaning against the desk. Eyes narrowed as he proceeded to inspect his taciturn partner. Eventually, he snapped his fingers and grinned in triumph. "Ah, that's it! You look totally refreshed!"

Hiei frowned warily.

Haru leaned closer and poked his cheek. "Why, your skin's practically glowing!"

Hiei paused. There was no way Haru could have known about last night, not unless-

"Botan…" he gritted out.

Haru snorted, dropping the innocent facade and breaking out into a laugh. "I almost didn't believe my eyes when she sent that picture of you in a face mask. You're certainly indulging in a lot of firsts, aren't you?"

"…"

"That pinned back hairstyle was a new look, too. I think my sister has those same clips."

"Drop it."

"And now you've even got matching charms," Haru continued. "After all this time, you're finally beginning to accessorize."

Crimson eyes flickered down to the yin piece that he admittedly forgot to detach. It stared back up at him like a reminder of Botan and all the strange things she kept making him do. Forcefully expelling those thoughts from his head, he pushed his phone in his pocket and glared at his partner.

"That's enough. I'm not in the mood for your nonsense today."

"Aw don't be like that, buddy. I'm actually happy for you."

"What do you mean?"

"Botan's a good influence on you."

"The woman's a menace."

"I wouldn't say that," Haru replied, folding his arms over his chest with a knowing glint in his green eyes. "I haven't seen you this… human in a long time. It's nice."

Although Hiei didn't show any outwards signs of being affected, inwardly, he couldn't help but dwell on Haru's words.

Ever since he let Botan in, she had been subconsciously drawing him out of himself. She coerced him into doing all sorts of uncharacteristic activities, from meeting the children at the orphanage, to last night's self-care session and all the unusual pastimes in between. He couldn't recall a time when his days were filled with more than perps and paperwork.

He couldn't pinpoint the last time he simply existed beyond the realms of his job, outside of his badge.

'Why do you work so hard?' she asked him.

And the answer was simple: to fill the gnawing emptiness inside, to prove that he was worth something more than the troubled child who was rejected over and over.

'You're more than enough,' she said.

And that simple phrase was forceful enough to break though his hard exterior, slip past his guard and settle somewhere deep in his soul. No one ever told him that before. No one ever bothered.

"Hello?" Haru waved a hand in his face. "Earth to Jaganshi?"

"What?" he snapped.

Haru's expression was mocking, lips pulled up into a smirk as he wiggled his brows. "Drifting off into la-la land?"

"I was thinking," he said. "Something you're obviously not familiar with."

Haru shot him a pained look. "So mean…"

Hiei rolled his eyes. "What did you want?"

"I was asking if you wanted to go back to Botan's now," he repeated. "It's not like we're getting any leads here."

Hiei nodded, grabbing his badge and his gun as he stood up. "The stalker has been oddly quiet in the past few days."

They made their way out of the station and onto the bustling streets.

"Has he tried sending anything to your place?" Haru inquired.

"No."

Haru sighed, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "I can't understand him at all."

"That's probably for the best. You should leave all the thinking to me."

"Harsh!"

Hiei concealed his smirk well enough as they carried on down the road. Botan's building came into view quickly enough. They entered with the key she lent him and headed straight for the wall of metal mailbox units. Nestled between the batch of magazine subscriptions and advertisements was an unassuming white envelope with no return address or indication of a sender. And inside the snail mail was another photograph of Botan. She was a few blocks away, dressed in an outfit he distinctly recognized because she wouldn't stop fussing over the white blouse or the ink stains she acquired later that same day.

If he remembered correctly, he was there beside her when the photograph was taken. But the image in his hands was zoomed in and angled in such a way that his presence was completely erased. True to the man's obsessive nature, he had tunnel vision for Botan. On the back of the picture was a single word: 'Mine.'

He passed it off to Haru, fists clenched and blood boiling at the possessive and pointed message.

Haru whistled lowly as he bagged the photograph. "Seems like we've angered him."

"What do you mean?" Hiei asked, turning his hard glare to Haru.

"I think this message was meant just for us… or, more specifically, for you," he revealed. "Now that Botan's living with you, his chances with her are limited. He can't creep into her apartment to watch her sleep anymore. He can't get as close as he would like to - not without running the risk of falling onto your radar. He can't even send her messages without them being intercepted by you. All he can do is watch from afar and simmer."

"So this was nothing more than him throwing a tantrum."

"And trying to mark his territory," Haru said. He folded his arms over his chest and smirked. "It's kind of satisfying to know that he's just as frustrated as we are. Probably even more so."

Hiei agreed. He didn't want the bastard to have any further interaction with Botan than he already had. She'd gone through enough.

"We should check her apartment for any further clues," he decided.

"Maybe he threw a fit up there, too," Haru said. "And if we're lucky, he might've gotten sloppy and left something substantial behind."

They made their way up to the third floor in silence. Botan's apartment was emptier than he remembered, untouched in an eerie and haunted way. It made sense, considering nearly all of her belongings were crammed into his apartment now. Even so, the inherent lack of her presence left an unsettled feeling within the detective.

They did a quick sweep of the perimeter, checking all areas for any signs of an intruder. When it became painfully obvious that there was nothing there, they gave up the search.

"Well, we tried," Haru sighed, shoulders slumping as he dragged his feet.

Hiei bit back a frown as they entered the dimly lit hallway. Waiting off to the side was a sandy haired, blue-eyed teenager dressed in a standard issue black school uniform.

"Um," he began feebly under the flickering lights. "Is everything okay with Botan?"

Hiei's eyes narrowed at the boy suspiciously. Everybody was a suspect. Even unassuming and timid types like the student standing before him.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The boy's shoulders curled defensively, so Haru stepped between them.

"Hey, sorry about my partner, he's a bit of a grump," he assuaged, in that disarming and easy-going way of his. He displayed his badge, movements easy and casual. "I'm Haru Kubo. And this is Hiei Jaganshi. What's your name?"

"Kiyoshi Mitari," he answered, hands tightening on his backpack straps. "I live across the hall. And I heard what happened."

"Well, Mitari, Botan's doing just fine," Haru stated. "She decided to stay with a friend until we got to the bottom of the break in."

"Good…" he breathed out a sigh in relief. "I was worried when she never came back."

Hiei watched the boy intently. There was something he wanted to say; he could sense it in his skittish body language. He could see it written plainly in the traces of worry lining his nervous features.

"If you know anything," Hiei began. "You should say it now."

Haru smiled genially. "What he means to say is: if you have any information, anything at all, we'd be happy to hear it."

Mitari's blue-eyed gaze wavered as the boy frowned.

"I don't know if this is related, but I did see an unfamiliar man in the building a month ago," he mentioned. "He was pale and wore a cap, but I think he had dark hair."

Hiei's mouth slanted into a frown. That didn't do them any good; most Japanese males fit that description.

"Did you get a good look at his face?" Haru asked.

"No, I'm sorry," he apologized. "I only saw a quick glance. He wasn't that tall. Maybe my height? And he looked kind of thin."

Haru wrote it down on his notepad and nodded. "Anything else?"

"He was with Ms. Chiba when I spotted him," the teen went on. "He could have been her guest, but I'm not too sure."

"Where does Ms. Chiba live?" Haru questioned.

"She's down on the first floor," Mitari replied. "1A."

"If you see the man again, be sure to let us know." Haru said, handing the blonde his card. "And we'll tell Botan you asked for her."

"Thank you," he smiled with just the faintest curve of his lips. "I-I really appreciate it."

They waited until the teenager retreated into his apartment, before turning around and taking the elevator down to the first floor.

"Seems like things are looking up," Haru said.

Hiei nodded. Before today, all of their investigating seemed for naught. Evidence was thin. Figuring out an identity seemed like a pipe dream. But if someone had interacted with him, then they would at least have a physical appearance. And that was far better than nothing. They could definitely work with that.

Haru knocked on the green apartment door twice, the light of hope shining in his eyes. Even Hiei felt a bit of uncharacteristic anticipation building up within his chest as they waited for a response. It took a little while for the tenant to answer and when she came to the door with a white cane, his expectations shattered.

The old woman was blind.

Hiei's frustration mounted, hands balled into fists at his side. The one known person who had interacted with their suspect just so happened to have no sense of sight at all.

"Hello Ms. Chiba," Haru greeted without missing a beat. He flipped his badge open on principle as he continued, "I'm Detective Haru Kubo. And this is my partner Hiei Jaganshi. We work at the precinct on block 5."

The old woman reached out to touch the golden shield with surprising accuracy, fingertips gliding against the shape and texture with a nod.

"Good morning," she replied, her voice thin and brittle. The woman's thin gray hair was pulled into bun, small wrinkles imprinted around her eyes and mouth. "What can I help you two with?"

"Well, Mitari mentioned seeing an unfamiliar man enter the building about a month ago. He said he was with you. Do you recall?"

Her expression fell, lips tightening in displeasure. "He insisted he help me inside, although I told him several times that I didn't need assistance."

"Is that so?"

"There was something very sinister about him," she recounted. "I've developed a sense for reading people over the years and I assure you, nothing about that man was genuine or kind."

"Do you remember the exact date of your encounter?"

"Yes, it was the 30th of August. I was just coming back from a doctor's appointment."

"I see. And have you run into him again?"

"No. Not that I know of."

"Alright. Thanks so much, ma'am."

"You boys be careful," she warned. "A crook like that can only be up to no good."

"Don't worry, Ms. Chiba," Haru soothed, tone reassuring and full of confidence. "We'll catch him for sure."

As they stepped out onto the streets, Haru turned to face Hiei. "Well, that bore some promising results."

Although both eyewitness accounts were nebulous at best, Hiei was inclined to agree. Before today, he was starting to think the stalker was an apparition or a ghost: indiscernible and beyond his reach. But now two people had come into contact with him. He wasn't undetectable. He wasn't untraceable. And now that they had a vague idea of his appearance, just the slightest impression of his image, the detective was renewed.

Time was flying by quickly and it was only a matter of a few more weeks until the stalker made his move.

But Hiei would be there to intercept him.

He wouldn't let him have his way.

.

.

.

Later that evening found Hiei and Botan strolling back to the apartment. She insisted on taking the scenic route home, which meant they still had about ten minutes of walking left. The days were become shorter and colder, daylight dwindling. The sky was already dark, just a slight line of burnt orange remaining on the horizon.

Botan turned to face him with a smile, her expression bright even in the fading light of dusk. "Up for another round of self-care later?"

"No," he declined. "Especially not after you told Haru about it."

Blue brows pinched above the guilty wince of her features. "You just looked so cute. I couldn't keep the image to myself!"

He scoffed, pushing his hands into his pockets as he stared ahead. "You're insufferable."

"Don't be angry," she said, sidling up to him.

He pointedly ignored her. His pride was still wounded over the fact that Haru had a degrading picture of him with a face mask on.

"How about I make some popcorn and we can watch one of those gory movies you like so much. How does that sound?"

"Like bribery."

"Even I'm not entirely above it," she replied with a wink.

He shook his head, fighting back the beginnings of a smirk as he averted his eyes from her beaming face.

He thought of Botan in her entirety, with her smiles as warm as the sun and her heart as deep as an ocean. She was far too trusting and believing in others. Granting them chance after chance. Opening herself to hurt and danger and all the things he'd long since closed himself off from. The woman had goodness running through her blood, soaked in the marrow of her bones and threaded into the essence of her soul. She didn't deserve the hand she'd been dealt. She didn't deserve the fate that awaited her if her stalker succeeded.

He wouldn't allow her to fall into his clutches. He couldn't let that come to pass.

For the first time in a long time, his resolve wasn't formed by his duty to his job, his responsibility to his social circle or his obligation to uphold the tenets of his honor code.

He was going to protect her because of who she was and what she meant to him.

It was as simple as that.

"Botan," Koenma called her name from the threshold of his office. "Can I see you for a second?"

"I'll be right there!" she replied, amethyst eyes glued to the screen as her fingers flew rapidly over the keyboard.

It was turning out to be a busier week than expected due to the uptick in crime. And while she enjoyed the faster paced days, it wasn't nearly as rewarding as it should have been when she felt as though she could barely catch her breath.

With a few clicks of the mouse, she saved her progress - once, twice, three times for good measure. Pushing her chair back, she stretched and took a stand. After smoothing the wrinkles in her skirt and tightening her ponytail, she finally made her way across the floor.

It was a few degrees cooler within the four walls of Koenma's office, due to the chief's preference for colder temperatures. Stacks of paperwork balanced precariously on the polished surface of the mahogany desk. One of the buttons on his landline was blinking red, indicating that his voicemail was full. And the incessant sound of notifications sounded off from his cellphone. The poor man never caught a break.

"Everything okay?" Botan asked, moving to take a seat.

Koenma parted the sea of paper and finally came into view.

"That's what I was meaning to ask you," he replied, concern flooding his brown eyes as he ran a hand through his hair. "I've been so wrapped up in everything that I haven't been able to check in properly."

"Oh, there's no need to be sorry, silly. I'm perfectly fine."

He eyed her for a few moments, trying to discern whether she was telling the honest truth or not. As her oldest friend, he knew her better than most. And he tended to worry about her way more than necessary.

"Really, Koenma, I'm fine!" she confirmed. And she was a little surprised to find just how genuinely the statement rested on her conscience. There hadn't been any more gifts or letters. The stalker didn't make any contact with her at all, so it was easy to push him out of her mind and focus on each day as it came and went. Hiei made her feel safe and protected. She no longer felt alone. There was really only one thing she would change if she could. "I do wish someone would tell me a bit about the case and its developments, though…"

"…"

"Is there really nothing you can say?"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, that's the just the way things are. And aside from the legalities of it, there are psychological and emotional reasons behind not telling a victim about an ongoing case."

"I know, but I'm not just some run of the mill victim. I know how the system works. I've been exposed to this world more than anyone else."

"Which is exactly why we don't need you overthinking it. That in and of itself can lead you to doing something reckless."

She pouted.

"Mukuro tells me her team is working around the clock," he consoled. "Hiei and Haru have a pretty high success rate when it comes to difficult cases."

"I know," Botan said. "I don't doubt them."

"Speaking of… how's the living situation?" he asked. "I hope you two aren't butting heads at every corner."

Botan bit back a smile.

"I did want to strangle him a few times," she admitted. "But we're on good terms now."

"He was pretty insistent on having you stay there. Otherwise you could have just stayed with me."

"That's alright," she replied, expression softening as she thought of aimless strolls around the neighborhood, lessons at the gym, quick trips to the convenience store and late night conversations under the covers. She thought of teasing remarks spoke from smirking lips and an understated warmth housed inside piercing crimson eyes. She couldn't help but smile as she glanced up at Koenma. "I think it all worked out how it was supposed to."

"Is that so?" the chief replied, his expression unreadable.

Botan's smile faded as a cloud of self-consciousness drifted in. "What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Koenma shook his head. "It's nothing."

"Well, since I have your attention. Is there any movement on the Ayame front?"

She was sure she wasn't imagining the slight redness in Koenma's cheeks as he coughed into his hand and averted his gaze.

"I don't know what you're talking about…"

"You still haven't asked her out?" she complained, slapping a hand on his desk. "You had better hurry up, mister. She's a catch and any day now, some handsome and charming man will sweep her off her feet."

"It's not that easy," he lamented.

"Koenma," she said, drawing out his name. "You've liked Ayame for as long as I can remember. What's stopping you?"

"We're in a really good place. I can't afford to jeopardize that."

"I think you're scared," she accused. "But there's absolutely nothing to worry about! I know she feels the same as you. There's nothing to lose."

"…"

"Just think about it."

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I can't make any promises. Between work and my father's ambitions, I hardly have time to think about my love life."

She frowned in sympathy. "You need a break. Why don't you come up to the cabin with us this weekend?"

"I've got too much to do," Koenma said with a shake of his head. His expression lightened as he smiled wryly. "Besides, last time I joined you all, I nearly got disowned."

Botan bit back a laugh. They were all a few years younger and wilder. Enma certainly didn't appreciate Koenma hanging around Yusuke or Hiei: two of the most notorious recruits in the academy.

"Well, there's still time to change your mind, if you feel like it," she tempted as she stood up.

"I know," Koenma replied, taking a stand as well. His brown eyes were warm as they rested on her. "If you need anything, anything at all, just say the word."

She nodded. "Yes sir!"

"Oh, there's one more thing," he said, turning around and pulling out a gift basket with an assortment of sweets. "Got it from the mayor."

"Hey, these are the really fancy kinds," she grinned. "The perks of being a chief sure are sweet!"

"Help yourself. Although Jorge already pilfered some of it."

Botan giggled. "He probably deserves the entire thing, considering all he puts up with."

"Don't listen to his slander, Botan," Koenma stated, standing a little taller and puffing his chest out. "I'm a cool, fair and just boss."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head knowingly, before grabbing a few bars of chocolate and closing the door behind her. She hadn't even taken a step away before her poor chief was already on the phone again, dealing with the latest crisis. She smiled. It was awfully kind of the chief to check in with her, especially considering his limited free time.

Amethyst eyes glanced down to the small bundle of chocolate in her hands. She was sure Hiei would appreciate them even more than she would, so she made her way towards the first division. She grinned, remembering how angry he looked when Kaisei revealed his secret sweet tooth. She was certain that she would have to pester him into taking it, but it was worth it if he actually indulged in something for a change.

Upon entering the first division, Botan was a little disappointed to find that both Hiei and Haru weren't at their usual stations. She imagined they were probably out on a case, sliding into the roles of good and bad cop with a natural ease. Hopefully they were having a good day and, if not, then perhaps her little gift would be a decent pick-me-up. She borrowed one of Haru's orange sticky notes and left a quick message with a smiley face next to the chocolates. Grinning down at her handiwork, she nodded to herself and meant to be on her merry way.

She really did.

But when her nosey eyes fell upon a file with her name on it, she could only pause. There was hardly anyone around and the ones that remained were barely paying her any attention. She could easily sneak a peek of the file's contents and get the answers she'd been hoping for. She could finally learn more about the case and its progress. Blue brows crinkled under the warring weight of her integrity and curiosity.

In the end - curiosity won out.

It always did.

Before she could even think twice about her actions, Botan reached out to open the file. Housed inside were a slew of pictures of her, all taken without her knowledge as she went about her daily life. Her hands were clammy and unsteady as she turned the first photograph over. Scrawled out on the back was a disturbing and haunting message: 'I'm a killer, cold and wrathful'.

The bluette swallowed thickly, heart racing and thumping wildly against her ribcage as she searched through the rest of the pictures and notes. Each message was more disturbing than the last and the more she read, the harder it became to breathe.

By the time she reached the last image, the world around her became distorted and muted. Her thoughts were racing with the fears she kept buried underneath her consciousness. The unspoken doubts she hid between the pages of her journal and the hopeless worries she pushed out of her mind were given life, overtaking her steadily and threatening to swallow her whole.

All she could see was darkness. Darkness and death.

And then she heard his voice.

Hiei was calling her name, pulling her back from the abyss.

"Botan."

Her attention refocused as her gaze cut into hard crimson eyes. "Hiei…"

Botan didn't know when he pulled the file away from her, but her hands were empty and the pictures were once again on his desk. His expression was accusing, almost angry as he glared back at her.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked.

Her expression fell into a frown, shoulders drawn defensively and an argument on her lips. Hiei seemed to notice the impending outburst, so he took her by the arm, brushed past Haru and led her into Mukuro's empty office. The door slammed shut behind them, the silence suffocating.

"You shouldn't have done that," he admonished, hand still gripping her arm tightly.

Botan tore away from his grasp, emotions running amok. "You shouldn't have kept everything from me!"

"You know it's against protocol-"

"I don't care!" she exclaimed, voice breaking under the weight of her turbulent emotions. "He's been inside my apartment before the break in and you didn't think to tell me?"

"Because you'd react the way you are right now."

"How else do you expect me to react when I'm the target of a deranged killer?" she shot back. "And those messages… those terrible, vile things he was saying…"

"…"

Botan looked into his eyes, feeling the gravity of her situation crashing upon her. Fear seized her heart and gripped it tight. She felt weak all of a sudden, like her legs could give out at any moment.

"I just want this to be over," she breathed out.

Hiei took a step closer, a steely resolve in his red eyes.

"I don't want to die, Hiei," she pleaded, voice trembling as her vision blurred with unshed tears. "I don't-"

And suddenly, she was enveloped in strong arms and pulled against a warm and firm body. Botan crumpled in his hold, the floodgates blown right open as tears streamed down her cheeks. She felt one of Hiei's hands resting on the small of her back, steady and comforting as she buried her face in the crook of his neck and let out a shaky sob.

"Listen to me carefully," Hiei began lowly, his voice filled with an emotion she couldn't quite decipher. "I will be the one to end this."

Botan held onto the surety of his voice, allowing it to soothe the tumultuous storm raging in her heart.

"I won't allow you to fall to the same fate as the others," he promised, his tone steeped in conviction as he held her close. "I'll keep you safe, Himura. I swear it."