Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters

Still catching up on the biweekly challenge prompts.

Prompt: Blood

"You were foolish to think Tarukane would let you walk."

Hiei rolled his eyes as his gaze fell on a cowering man Zeru regarded, one of Tarukane's customers, Ura Urashima. The poor, unfortunate soul purchased drugs off of Tarukane's men for months, but his payments grew later and later as his life combusted around him. Of course, at the beginning, Tarukane allowed a certain 'credit' to the man with the knowledge he'd never be able to pay it. Hiei heard all the excuses over the past month while accompanying Zeru. The addict's wife left him and took him to court for all he had. His depression over the divorce and constant high caused him to lose his job so he had no income. He worked odd jobs to try to keep his home and pay small sums to Tarukane for his product here and there, but eventually those fell through. Now, he was getting evicted and would live on the streets, still indebted to the mafioso.

Another victim was about to die.

"P-please, Mr. Zeru," Ura begged for his life. "I-I know things look bad right now, b-but maybe Mr. Tarukane would hire me… I'll do anything!"

Zeru snickered. "That's the thing, Urashima. Tarukane doesn't hire his clients. Too much of a hassle." The blonde took out a gun and approached the sniveling crybaby. "You see, how would he know if you were truly loyal to him? You're an addict, after all. You could steal product right under our noses."

"I-I would never do that," the man protested a bit too heavily. "Please, I'll be loyal. I have nothing to go back to! W-working for you guys will give me purpose."

"Heh," Zeru chuckled, his eyes closed for a moment as he reveled in the desperation. "You said it yourself, Ura. You have nothing left to lose, nothing left to live for…no purpose. All you have is your addiction which brought you here to me."

"B-but—!"

A shot rang out on the docks, and Ura's body dropped dead. The bullet hit him in his gut, a fatal shot, but one that would prolong his suffering a few moments longer.

"W-why?" the man barely got out. Tears filled his eyes.

Zeru dropped down in front of him, arm rested on his knee as he stroked Ura's head with the cool metal of the gun. "Because, Urashima, you've become a liability. It's my job to protect Tarukane's interests. Besides, your life has gone to shit. I'm doing you and all the people in your life a favor by taking you out of this world."

Ura opened his mouth to speak, but he choked on his own blood. Moments later, the gurgling stopped. He bled out on the wood of the pier.

Zeru stood and holstered his gun. He looked to Hiei and two other underlings under his employ. "You two," he barked out, "clean up this mess. And Hiei." He met the gaze of his newest trainee. "You get rid of the body, understood. No mistakes."

"Understood," Hiei begrudgingly returned.

Although Hiei hated to be the one to do someone else's dirty work, it was a necessary evil to move further into the crime syndicate. He took a large contractor bag and lifted the bloodied Ura into it. He tied it shut and tossed the bag over his shoulder with a grunt. Although small, Ura Urashima let himself go, so he was heavier than Hiei anticipated. He met eyes with Zeru. The latter looked completely enthused, arms crossed as he stood with his air of superiority. Hiei glared but said nothing. It was up to him to dispose of the body far, far away from Tarukane's usual activity. The other two lackeys began to scrub the deck. Soon, it would be like no one was ever there.

The city streets were abandoned at the twilight hour. It was the perfect opportunity for crime to occur. No one would ever know where Hiei came from or what was in his trash bag. Eventually, Hiei came across an abandoned alleyway, several blocks away from the docks. With great effort, he managed to force Urashima's body into a dumpster.

Hiei took out his burner phone and sent a text which read, It's done.

Immediately, he received a response. Gotcha. Good work.

With a heavy sigh, Hiei began his trek home, covered in blood. He grimaced. Even though he was no stranger to blood, it was hardly hygienic to be covered in that of another. What Hiei truly wanted was to get home, get rid of these ruined clothes, and take a long, hot shower before he crashed. He was exhausted.

Hiei trudged his way back to his cruddy apartment building. The lights outside were dim and flickered. It was apparent that the building owner didn't care about maintaining the grounds. After all, when no one went out at night, what was the point?

Slowly, Hiei ascended the stairs. His energy was fading fast as the hour grew closer to four in the morning. He muttered a curse when he dropped his keys. A door opened as he bent down to grab them.

It a moment of heavy silence, Hiei and Botan faced each other. Botan's eyes were wide as she took in Hiei's disheveled and bloodied form. For a moment, Hiei thought he saw fear in the woman's eyes. Although it was not his intention to scare her, this was the perfect opportunity to force her to stay away. She continued harassing him with her kindness since the day at the coffee shop. Apparently Hiei's payment only encouraged her to continue, as she promised she would.

Hiei was about to dig the nail into the coffin and terrify her with words, but Botan's fear gave way to concern. "Oh my God, Hiei! Are you okay?"

Bafflement flooded her neighbor as she rushed over to him and put her cool hands to his face. She searched his wary eyes, and then her hands moved over his body to search for injuries. When her pink eyes landed on his abdomen, the site of all the dried blood, she met his gaze again, tears in her eyes.

"It's all right," Hiei reassured before he clamped his mouth shut. He didn't know why he bothered to tell her that. As her brow furrowed in confusion, he added, "It's not mine."

Surprise flickered over Botan's expression. "Then whose—?"

Hiei averted his eyes. A moment ago, he wanted to frighten Botan in hopes she'd avoid him and any future encounters with him. The moment she showed him consideration and compassion, Hiei couldn't process that. Very few in his life ever cared about him. It wasn't just that she checked him for wounds or expressed generic kindness as she did for their neighbors. No, it was the horror in her expression and the blatant panic in her voice when she thought that he might be injured. It was as if his pain, and his pain specifically, caused her anxiety. How could that be possible? He was a nobody, a random presence.

The man shook his head free of the self-deprecating thoughts of his childhood. It was then he made the decision to lie to the woman. He did not want her to worry unnecessarily. There was nothing more that could be done for Urashima, anyway. "My job," he uttered softly. "I work at a meat processing plant."

Botan's expression softened, and she released a soft laugh. "O-oh," she stammered. "I'm sorry, I didn't think… I thought you were hurt in a fight or something. You must think me silly."

Crimson eyes bore into her with an unreadable intensity. "What made you think it was a fight?"

The woman smiled sheepishly. "Well, it's nothing really. You just strike me as someone who is tough and has seen his fair share of hardships." Then, Botan blushed. "I…I mean. Oh poo…"

"What?" Hiei grumbled, his gaze still averted, lips curved down in a moue, and arms crossed defensively over his chest.

"I don't want you to think I pity you," Botan responded earnestly. Hiei's eyes cut into her as he gave her a sideward glance. "I'm not sure what it is you've been through, but I just know… There's something about you that…"

Hiei sighed and shook his head. "I don't know what it is you think you know about me," he began, "but I am nothing like those others you help. Stay away from me. It's your only warning."

Botan shook her head. "I can't do that, Hiei."

A sardonic laugh escaped him as he met her gaze. With cold cruelty, he told her, "Then you're a fool. I want nothing to do with you."

With that, he left her alone in the hallway to ponder their strange exchange. Once alone inside his apartment, Hiei pressed his back against the door and released the breath he'd been holding. The way Botan looked at him after he said those heartless words was so full of hurt and sadness. It didn't make sense to Hiei why his words seemed to hold any weight to that woman. In the end, it really didn't matter. He was certain that Botan would never want to see him again after that. And, of course, the woman continued to prove him wrong many times over.