Hello my dear HB Nation! It's been a hot minute, hasn't it? I hope you're all doing well and staying safe, healthy and happy.
This fic takes place a few years after the events of YYH ends, meaning our favorite fire-demon is less abrasive and unsteady as he was during the series. Hope you all enjoy.
Botan nodded along distantly as Kokou continued her diatribe about the tournament and its technicalities in the wake of her defeat to Kujo. The S-Class demoness' arm was slung around the ferry-girl's shoulders, the intermingling scents of hard liquor and expensive perfume clinging to her form.
It was the night of the third Demon World Tournament's victory banquet and spirits were high. The drinks were flowing, the food was plentiful and there was a running theme of cheer and levity charging the air. All previous tensions, hostilities and malice vanished from the competitors and viewers alike in favor of animated conversations and good-natured ribbing. This type of easygoing atmosphere was usually unprecedented in the Demon World, and Botan was keen on enjoying it while it lasted. She had lost sight of the others a long time ago, but at least she wasn't completely alone. Kokou was good company, even if she did tend to jump from one topic to another without much preamble.
"So," Kokou began, sloshing her drink around in her glass absentmindedly. She was dressed in her usual bodysuit and tights combo, with a vibrant orange sash tied around her waist. Green hair pulled into a low ponytail, tendrils of hair framed her face as she wiggled her brows teasingly at Botan. "Anyone catch your eye, ferry-girl?"
"Huh?"
"Don't play coy with me, blue," Kokou continued, a single fang appearing as she smirked. "This place is filled with strapping young men. Not a single one tickled your fancy?"
Botan flushed under the sudden scrutiny, heat crawling all over her cheeks. "I-I haven't really been paying attention..."
"You're a terrible liar, hun," Kokou teased affectionately. "I can see it written all over that pretty little face of yours."
"Y-you can?" Botan lamented.
Kokou nodded smugly, pulling away from the ferry-girl to hike a hand on her hip. "I bet it's one of your former allies from that team Koenma loves boasting about, isn't it?"
Botan's eyes widened, the denial caught somewhere in her throat as she choked on thin air.
"I knew it!" the demoness grinned, yellow eyes glinting under the twinkling chandelier lights overhead. "So, which one is it? Raizen's spawn?"
"Goodness no! Yusuke's like a brother to me!"
"Yomi's former advisor, then?" she tried, wandering gaze zeroing in on the redhead.
"Kurama's wonderful, but no," Botan answered with a shake of her head. "Not him."
"Oh, I see. You like 'em dark and mysterious, don't ya?" Kokou realized, nudging Botan as Hiei came into view. "Cold-hearted fire-demons more your type?"
The ferry-girl's blush deepened as she caught sight of Hiei. He was dressed in deep scarlet robes, expression filled with disinterest as he waded through the crowd with another member of Mukuro's camp. The man at his side appeared to be teasing the fire-demon and managed to maintain his carefree grin even after Hiei shoved him in retaliation. It was clear to anyone who knew the fire-demon that Hiei used much less force than he would have in the past and Botan bit back a smile at the exchange. He had softened a little over the years and she quickly learned that beneath his stone cold exterior lay a heart that was surprisingly loyal and true.
"Are those hearts in your eyes?" Kokou sang.
"W-well... I always thought Hiei was handsome," Botan admitted hesitantly, while fiddling with the sleeves of her indigo kimono. "You know, in a dark and enigmatic kind of way."
"He is a fine specimen," Kokou agreed, taking another swig of the dark liquid in her half empty glass. "Though he could do with an attitude adjustment."
The ferry-girl couldn't deny that.
"But I guess my opinion doesn't really matter all that much." Kokou's features lifted into a playful grin once more. "Seeing as he's your loverboy, not mine."
Botan's doe eyes doubled in size.
"You've got it all wrong! Hiei's not my anything."
"Surely not with that attitude!" the demoness snorted. "But tonight's the night, ferry-girl. Grab the fire-demon by the proverbial horns."
"What?"
"You know…" Kokou waved her free hand dismissively. "Be a little more assertive. Be confident. Be bold."
Botan shook her head, ponytail swaying with the force of her denial. "I couldn't possibly!"
"Why not?"
"Because he isn't interested, for starters!"
"Won't know that unless you ask."
"But-"
"No buts. It's time to take the dive, girly!"
Kokou slapped her back, pushing Botan a few steps forward and directly into an unsuspecting Hiei. The fire-demon frowned as she crashed into him and Botan immediately took a retreating step backwards. Kokou didn't stick around to see the aftermath of her interference, instead pushing through the crowd while loudly calling for Enki.
"Sorry about that..." Botan apologized, trying her best to maintain some semblance of composure despite the hammering of her heart and the flare of heat bursting over her cheeks. "Kokou doesn't appear to realize her own strength."
Hiei examined her for a few moments, his gaze as critical and unreading as always.
"You shouldn't hang around Enki's mate," he commented dryly. "That harpy is hardly a good influence."
"Oh, she's not all that bad," Botan defended. "She may be a little brash, but her heart's in the right place…"
Hiei rolled his eyes. "You would try and see the good in a lush who does nothing but drink all day and lament over her deceased lover at night."
"That was even ruder than your usual jibes!" she remarked. In fact, the fire-demon sounded outright affronted at the mere mention of Kokou. The bluette raised a discerning brow. "Did Kokou say something odd to you, too?"
Hiei averted his gaze stubbornly. "Nothing that bears repeating."
"Don't be so tightlipped, Hiei!" she probed, feeling brave all of a sudden as she stepped closer to him. "You can share with an old friend, can't you?"
"No."
"Please?"
"I said no."
"Pretty please?"
Hiei's ensuing growl was interrupted by a cheery voice.
"You shouldn't make a lady ask twice, Hiei," the orange-haired man chastised from behind them. He set his green eyes on Botan, holding a hand out. "Hey there. Haru's the name, keeping Hiei in line is the game."
"Botan," she returned brightly, taking his hand with a smile. "And it's a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure's all mine, pretty lady," he winked.
"Go away Haru," Hiei gritted.
Haru pouted dramatically as he released Botan's hand. "Aw, that's no fair, you just want to keep her all to yourself."
"I don't want anything other than for you to shut up," Hiei bit back.
"Kokou was right," Haru sniffed, turning his nose up in the air. "You really do walk around like you've got a chip on your shoulder and a stick up your ass."
Laughter bubbled up and out of Botan before she could even hope to contain herself, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as the insult replayed itself in her head.
"Haru," the fire-demon snarled.
"...Oops," the other demon let out nervously. Green eyes darted towards the far side of the room, before lighting up with an idea. "I-I think I hear Mukuro calling for me."
Hiei glared. "She isn't even here-"
"-Yup, that's definitely her calling," Haru lied, already halfway submerged into the throng of guests again. "I better go!"
Botan would have attempted to reign in her amusement in the wake of Haru's abrupt departure, but it was too late. Hiei had already set his unforgiving and icy glower on her.
"It isn't funny, woman," he gritted out.
"But it really is," she giggled, struggling to breathe. "You could stand to lighten up a bit. And when you get angry and storm off, it really does look like you have a stick up your-"
"What are you even doing here, ferry-girl?" he interrupted moodily.
His odd question sobered her up a bit, prompting her to glance around the room and then tilt her head in confusion.
"Last time I checked, the banquet was open to all, wasn't it?"
"What are you doing here without your precious Prince or his blubbering ogre attendant?" he clarified.
"Oh!" she intoned, the realization drawing on her. "Lord Koenma already retired for the night. I was supposed to stay with Yusuke, but I lost track of him a long time ago."
"The ex-detective is behind the bar with Chuu, three sheets to the wind."
Botan glanced towards the bar tucked away on the right side of the hall. Sure enough, she caught sight of a heavily intoxicated Yusuke Urameshi laughing away with Chuu. "I should have guessed as much."
"Hn. You should follow your Prince's lead and head back," Hiei advised lowly, drawing Botan's attention back to him. "The three worlds might be more unified now, but this is still no place for one of your kind to roam around alone."
"I'm not alone, though," she countered. "I'm with you."
"That doesn't mean you're safe."
"Sure I am! You've never done anything to make me feel otherwise."
"We were enemies when we first met, woman. You couldn't have possibly forgotten that."
Flashes of the warehouse were pulled to the forefront of her memory. The desperation of that battle, the very real chance of them losing not just the artifacts, but their lives, and the complete and utter lack of compassion in Hiei's eyes gave her nightmares once upon a time. But over time, all of that changed. Somewhere along the way he stopped being the villain of the scary story, and became an invaluable ally and a reluctant friend. The man standing before her now wasn't anything like the one who kidnapped Keiko in an attempt to claim all three artifacts of darkness. He was so much more.
"Our terrible first meeting aside, you're not half as bad as you want us all to believe," she countered. "In fact, I've always thought very highly of you, Hiei."
Hiei's expression fell from its stoic state, dark brows creasing and mouth curved downwards. Botan couldn't read the look in his crimson eyes at all and she wondered if she'd said too much. It certainly wouldn't be the first time she put her foot in her mouth.
"Um," she began, "but if you'd rather be alone, I could always go and find Kokou." As nice as it was having Hiei all to herself for once, the last thing she wanted to do was stick around if her company was unwanted. Amethyst eyes searched through the crowd in hopes of finding a familiar head of green hair. "It's really no trouble..."
"You can do as you please, ferry-girl," he replied quietly. "Stay or go, it makes no difference to me."
Botan turned back to face Hiei slowly, eyes a fraction wider. Although his words were ambiguous at best, she knew that if he truly wanted her to leave, he would have said so in a much more abrasive manner. His thinly veiled acceptance made her heart flutter like a school-girl, but she couldn't be bothered to feel embarrassed about that. It wasn't every day she got to spend time alone with the object of her affections, after all.
"I'll stay, if it's alright with you."
Hiei nodded wordlessly.
"Your fights were very impressive," she began conversationally. "Are you an S- Class already?"
"Yes, but I have no intentions of stopping there."
"I had a feeling you'd say something like that."
"Are you saying I'm predictable, woman?" he asked, raising a brow.
"I prefer the term consistent," she countered with a wink.
"You aren't much of an outlier either," he pointed. "Unless you've taken up another role besides babysitting the next batch of unprepared Spirit Detectives."
"Actually, I shifted gears lately," the ferry-girl declared proudly. "I've been helping Koenma revamp the outdated and unfair practices and policies in the Spirit World. It isn't easy undoing centuries of Enma's reign, but it's fulfilling work."
"I see…" Hiei nodded in acknowledgement as his gaze fell towards the crowd.
The banquets were always an impressive affair and this year was no different. Soft music filtered through speakers, echoing off of the high ceilings and tall walls. All manner of human, spirit and demon cuisine was spread out amongst long tables. The drinks flowed endlessly. And the guests had all dressed up accordingly. Botan took a moment to observe the fire-demon up close while he was unaware. He had gained a few inches over the past few years, reaching up to eye-level with her now, but still not quite as tall. His posture was upright and confident, the line of his shoulders relaxed as he crossed his arms over his chest. His outfit - which consisted of a pair of black pants, a long-sleeved back shirt and deep red robes - complemented his olive skin tone and matched the shade of his eyes. A red bandana concealed the jagan eye completely, while the head of the dragon tattoo remained as visible as ever on the back of his right hand. The only accessory he wore was his hiruiseki stone, bound by a black leather necklace. He had long since revealed himself to Yukina, and even made visits to see her every once in a while. His time under Mukuro had done him more good than even he probably realized. He was so assured now, so calm and settled in who he was. It was a far cry from the untrusting and angry man she met all those years ago.
"What is it?" Hiei asked, voice cutting into the silence. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
Botan blinked a few times, drawn out of her thoughts and immediately caught by a skeptical pair of red eyes. She swallowed nervously. "I-it's nothing really, I was just thinking."
"About what?" he pressed, having discerned that he was at the crux of those thoughts.
"You're a lot different than what I remember," she admitted. A lot less volatile and agitated. Much more tolerating. Much more approachable.
Hiei frowned, a far off look in his eyes. "I hated the human world nearly as much as I hated working for the Spirit World and I had no qualms in showing it," he revealed. "But this is where I belong. It only stands to reason that I'd be different here."
"Well, the change in environment certainly suits you."
"..."
"I just mean you look good, is all."
"..." Hiei cocked a brow.
"No, what I mean to say is… you..." she faltered. "I…"
"..."
"Oh poo!" She threw hands over her cheeks in an attempt to hide her budding blush. But when she heard a small sound of amusement tumble out of Hiei's mouth, she dared to view him once more. His mouth quirked upwards just the slightest bit, kicking Botan's heart back into overdrive.
"You're still as overly emotional and unfiltered as ever," Hiei commented.
His tone wasn't steeped in derision or annoyance. In fact, he seemed as though he was simply teasing her. That was a new development.
"Well, you're still as blunt and tactless as ever," she returned lightly.
"You're the one who decided to stay."
"I suppose that makes me the odd one, huh?"
"That's nothing new."
The conversation fell into a comfortable lull and she couldn't help the smile that emerged in the silence. She had never done this before: coexist amicably with Hiei. He never gave her the time of day before, but she supposed that was the magic of the victory banquet. Anything could happen when everyone was in generally good spirits.
Her thoughts were quickly broken by a change in the background music. It was fast paced and upbeat, thrilling and new. It was common knowledge that as the night wore on, the banquet tended to become progressively less orderly. It was for that very reason that she, Koenma and Jorge never tended to stick around for too long. It was only by coincidence that she remained this long.
"What's happening?" Botan asked, taking note of the way everyone seemed to perk up.
"They're about to dance," Hiei grumbled, a downward slant on the fire-demon's lips.
"How wonderful!" she said, clapping her hands together.
"It's anything but that." The fire-demon's voice was even as he pushed his hands in his pockets and continued, "I'm leaving. If you have any sense, you'd do the same."
"Are you offering to escort me back?" she asked with a hopeful grin.
"No."
Her expression fell. "But, earlier, you said it wasn't safe-"
"That seems like your problem, not mine, ferry-girl," he replied as he turned away.
"Hiei!"
The fire-demon paused to glance back at her with a wordless smirk. It wasn't one of his mean-spirited, cruel expressions. This was lighter, less menacing and more pointed. He was teasing her. And she was forced to ignore the way her heart fluttered at the unexpected exchange.
"That wasn't very nice!" she admonished.
"Consider it payment for laughing at me earlier."
"I really thought you were going to leave me!" she huffed. "I can't believe you would tease me like that."
"Again: you did it first."
"Well, I—"
The music became louder as the guests began to jig and jump along with the rhythmic beat. She didn't miss the way Hiei's expression darkened. He must have had an unfortunate experience in the prior banquets.
"You can stay here or come back with me," Hiei stated. "These fools are about to become a lot less tolerable and I don't intend on staying here a moment longer."
He turned and stalked off without warning, prompting Botan to skitter after him, dodging and weaving past all manner of inebriated guests.
"This is the best part, though!" she yelled over the roar of the guests and the music. "Are you sure you want to leave?"
"Positive."
He sidestepped a demoness' grabby hands and Botan had to hide her giggle behind her fist as she trailed after him. He looked like a bristly cat as he avoided any and all contact. She caught sight of Kokou in the crowd, who gave her a thumbs up and devious smirk. Botan waved disparagingly at the S-class demon, before continuing on with Hiei. As they exited the hall, the lively voices faded and dwindled in the calm dead of the night. The fresh air was cool, but not unpleasant on her heated skin. The full moon hung low in the dark sky, slightly obscured by a few thin, wispy clouds.
"The fox is here," Hiei announced, his voice cutting through her thoughts. "He can accompany you."
Botan spotted Kurama in the distance. He was in a small group with Touya and Jin, and hadn't seemed to notice them at all. She looked between both of her friends and felt her heart sink. She had nothing against Kurama, but she wasn't expecting her time with the fire-demon to be cut short so soon. She didn't want to let it end.
Be a little more assertive, Kokou's words returned to her.
"You said you would take me back," Botan said suddenly, her hand closing around Hiei's and preventing him from moving away.
Hiei stared down at their joined hands, but he didn't pull away.
Be bold, she told herself.
"I want you to take me back," she voiced evenly, tightening her grip just the slightest bit around his slack hand for good measure. "Not Yusuke. Not Kurama. Just you."
Hiei held her gaze for a few moments, crimson eyes searching and unreadable, before glancing away. "Strange woman."
But he closed his fingers around hers when he said that. And he led her silently towards the hotel without a single complaint. His strides weren't as long or fast as they normally were, allowing them to move at an unhurried and casual pace. Neither of them spoke as they made the short journey to Botan's hotel, but that suited Botan just fine. Words would have ruined the calm and peaceful backdrop that the night provided. In the silence, Botan was able to commit every bit of this moment to memory. The slightly rough feeling of Hiei's palm against hers, the soft pressure of his grip as his fingers closed around her hand, the warmth of his body so close to hers and his unmistakable scent of sandalwood and cinnamon whiskey.
It was nice.
But it couldn't last forever. When the hotel came into view, Botan found her heart sinking. It occurred to her that she probably wouldn't see Hiei again for another few months. And that was only dependent on whether or not he stopped by to see Yukina, or if there was a crisis that required his assistance.
She didn't want her chance to slip away.
"Hiei?"
"What?"
"Did you ever just... want to do something impulsive, ignoring all consequences?"
"You know just as well as I do that foresight isn't my forte."
"That's true," she mused.
His gaze returned to her slowly. Crimson eyes seemed to glow under the moonlight. Everything from his dark hair to his sharp features were colored in a soft light that she wasn't used to.
"If you want to do something, then just do it," he urged.
She blinked at him wordlessly.
"You're in Makai now. That is the way of this world."
"You're right," she agreed, summoning all of her courage.
Botan took a deep breath and placed her hands on either side of his face. Hiei didn't flinch or shirk away from her touch, but she felt him tense just the slightest bit. She looked into his eyes, surprised to find a challenging glint housed within a sea of red, silently daring her to follow through with what she'd started. If he was treating this like a battle, then she refused to back down or retreat either.
The ferry-girl swallowed thickly and leaned in, ignoring the frantic racing of her heart against her rib cage. Hiei was so close, crimson eyes beckoning her nearer as they held her gaze evenly. Under the shine of the stars and the faint glow of the moon, he looked like something meant to be memorialized in museums and art galleries. But he wasn't a mere vision; he wasn't just a thought in a daydream floating around her head. Hiei was here, warm and real, and waiting for her to take the dive.
There would never be a better time than right now, she realized. There would never be a moment lovelier than this, so she closed the distance between them with a gentle brush of her lips and her heart in his hands.
Thanks for reading, as always! Please consider dropping a review if you liked it.
While I'm pretty satisfied with ending it here, I'm still toying with the idea of continuing with a follow-up from Hiei's POV. Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts~