Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters
Well…as the title states, we're snowed in with a lovely blizzard outside XD So I figured I'd write a little something to warm us all up. ;) Enjoy!
Hiei glared out the window of the apartment. Winter was his least favorite season of the human realm. It was cold, cloudy, and desolate. Every so often, those gray skies would release and snow would fall. The ferry girl always seemed to like the snow, but usually only when it left a dusting of white.
Days like today, though, served to remind Hiei of his accursed birthplace. He hated it with a burning passion.
The wind whirred hard, and the whiteout conditions made it difficult to see. Of course, Hiei was not out in the cold or back in the glacial lands. He looked upon the awful blizzard from the comfort of the Spirit World safehouse that had become his and Botan's home—although her fellow spirits believed she lived there alone. It was like their own little world there, with the colorful decorations that made the plain, white room bright and inviting, just like the ferry girl.
Hiei turned away from icy scene and saw Botan in the kitchen wearing her soft, pink sweater that reminded the fire demon of her kimono. The woman was getting two mugs of hot cocoa ready with the whipped cream and colorful sprinkles. Ever since that one winter where Botan wanted to play in the snow—and Hiei flipped out when she nearly slipped in the street—the woman made this same drink each time it snowed. The faux fireplace warmed the room, and Hiei felt calm as he gazed upon the ferry girl.
He crossed his arms and moved to sit on the couch. The fire demon was mildly agitated that they were trapped inside, but he knew he'd get over it once he had Botan at his side. He looked down at the navy-blue sweater Botan gifted him. He noticed recently that she spoiled him a lot during the winters, as if she were trying to distract himself from negativity with warmth and comfort. Though he wasn't accustomed to it, he tolerated it.
"Here we are," Botan chimed as she brought the mugs along with her. She handed Hiei his, and he accepted the offering. The ferry girl glanced out the window, her eyes wide. "Wow, it gets worse and worse every time I look outside." She smiled at her companion. "At least we're inside with nowhere to go."
"Hn," Hiei grunted. "I'm surprised you have nowhere to go. Don't you usually have souls to ferry, even in this weather?"
Botan nodded. "Usually, but Ayame offered to go out instead since I went out during the last one. We take turns in the winter."
Hiei nodded and took a sip of his sugary concoction. The heat of the drink was nothing compared to the fire inside of him, yet it soothed the tension. Surprisingly, though, it tasted different than the last rainbow cocoa. There was a coolness to it that caused a slight chill before the warmth returned. Hiei eyed the mug strangely.
"What's different?"
Botan's lips curved impishly as she took her own large gulp. "I decided to add a little something special today," she admitted. "Shizuru gave me this tasty peppermint schnapps. Since we have nowhere to go…"
Hiei smirked at the woman and took another large sip. "You are downright devious when you want to be, but you'd be foolish to think human world alcohol will have any effect on me."
His words served to make Botan smile. She hid her lips behind her mug, but Hiei knew there was something else the ferry girl was covering up. He took another sip, and then he caught the hint of another flavor. His brow furrowed when he his tastebuds registered the familiar hint of cinnamon—a taste of a Demon World blend.
Crimson eyes met alight amethyst as Botan continued to drink her brew. In an instant later, the mugs were on the coffee table and Hiei hovered above the woman. Her playful grin never faltered.
"You're playing with fire, woman," Hiei warned. His eyes filled with predatory desire but to Botan's credit she didn't shirk away. She welcomed his advances.
Her voice pleasantly lilted. "I know."
A/N: This A/N is brought to you from March 12, 2021 (not the day of the blizzard where I wrote this). I'm sure usual readers would notice that this story lost a significant amount of chapters. That is because I decided to turn some of the chapters into proper one-shots and mini-series. It just feels more organized now.
In any case, moving forward, if those who have reviewed the chapters already find that they can't review under their pennames, please feel free to guest review and type your name. I'll know who you are :)
