Hello my lovely HB Nation! Please be sure to go back and read Chapter 2, if you haven't already. Some people weren't getting the usual notifications from ffnet (what else is new?). Anyway, hope you all enjoy this next installment. Onto the Saint Beasts arc!


Hiei stood in the city of ghosts and apparitions, hands loose at his sides and sword strapped to his back. Lightning flashed intermittently, illuminating the sky and then plunging it back into darkness, while energies and malevolent auras swirled in the atmosphere. A general air of unrest threaded through the realm that reminded him of home.

He was eager to begin the mission, but any hopes he had of a smooth start died the moment he was saddled with the raucous psychic and the brazen detective. And Kurama was just as insufferable as the rest, choosing to err on the side of caution while wearing that unassuming human disguise.

They hadn't even reached the enemy's stronghold yet and Hiei was already at his wits end. He glanced over at the detective as he held them up with pointless chatter by way of the communication mirror.

"I'll continue to monitor the city and get rid of any insects I come across along the way."

The fire-demon's eyes narrowed. He knew that voice.

"You sure you should be out there on your own?" Yusuke questioned. "It could turn into a real shit show with those bugs swarming the place."

"I'll be fine, Yusuke!"

"I don't know. Pacifier breath could've at least teamed you up with an ogre or something," he continued. And it was then that Hiei realized what was going on. His fists clenched at his sides as the inexplicable heat of anger overtook his disposition. "I don't like the idea of you out there without any backup. Who knows what could-"

"Give me the device," the fire-demon cut in.

"Huh?" Yusuke squinted in confusion as Hiei's order was drowned out by a thunderclap.

Rather than repeating himself, Hiei grabbed the compact from the detective's grasp and then vanished from their sight. Once he was sure he was far enough away from the fox's prying ears, he flipped the compact over in his palm and stared down at it. Sure enough, the ferry-girl was displayed on the screen. The blue sky was bright behind her and the collared shirt she wore was noticeably different from her pink kimono.

"Why are you in the human world?" he asked her.

Botan blinked, suddenly registering the fact that she was now viewing Hiei instead of Yusuke.

"Lord Koenma sent me here," she answered, as though it were no big deal - as though Makai insects and infected humans were not currently overrunning the city and turning it into a war zone.

His face must have betrayed him, because the woman spoke again. Her voice was tinny and distorted through the speaker, but her teasing lilt came through as clear as day.

"…Aw, are you worried about little old me?"

Hiei tightened his grip around the compact, the plastic creaking warningly. "Don't flatter yourself, woman. I don't care about what happens to you either way."

Botan's light expression fell. "That's a horrible thing to say to someone, Hiei. Especially in a situation as dire as this one."

Hiei screwed his mouth shut, jaw clenched as he ground his teeth to prevent him from saying anything else. He was suddenly frustrated; more agitated than usual and he couldn't pinpoint why. He never expected the ferry-girl to be a part of the first mission. He didn't think she would be on the field at all. And yet, there she was, out of her signature pink kimono and apparently ready for combat. She should've been back in the Spirit World, with the rest of her pacifistic people, not in the epicenter of a danger zone. He mentally cursed the Spirit World and its hapless ruler.

Botan's voice was soft as she continued, "Contrary to popular belief, I can defend myself, you know. A few enraged humans and insects aren't anything I can't handle."

A few humans, maybe. But not an entire mob of them.

"Koenma is a fool. An infected city is no place for a ferry-girl," he scoffed instead.

"It can't be helped. With you boys preoccupied, there was no one left to defend Keiko."

The name rang a bell, but he wasn't sure why. His brow furrowed in confusion and Botan read his nonverbal cue without much prompting.

"Yusuke's friend," Botan reminded him. "The one you abducted."

"Why does the detective's woman need guarding?" he inquired.

"Because Suzaku might be planning something devious in order to pressure Yusuke."

"You aren't a fighter. I don't see why you should be the one to play the role of her protector."

"It's all part of the job," she answered dutifully. "Besides, I would never forgive myself if I let one of Yusuke's loved ones get hurt on my watch."

There was a steely determination in her amethyst eyes, the same look he'd seen back when she agreed to locate Yukina. There was no talking the woman out of it and he had no place in doing so. She was merely carrying out her job, just the same as he was. The only troubling component was the storm brewing in his chest and the torrent of thoughts that he did not want to acknowledge or dwell on. Hiei only ever felt this on edge and unsettled when Yukina was in danger. He never expected such emotions to resurface for a person he wasn't bound to by blood, least of all a spirit.

Somehow, the strange woman had affected him more than he was willing to admit.

"It's you boys I'm worried about, though. The Saint Beasts might be a motley crew, but they're all strong by their own rights. Please be careful."

"You should take your own advice, ferry-girl."

"I will."

He swallowed thickly and pushed aside the swirling doubts in his mind. He supposed the sooner they ended this mission, the sooner things would clear up in the human world.

"There you are!" Yusuke exclaimed, the others following behind him. "Why the hell did you steal the communication mirror and skulk off? Reverting to your old thieving ways?"

"Yusuke, that's an awfully rude thing to say to your teammate!" Botan's voice crackled from the device.

Yusuke peered down at the screen with a raised brow. "I leave for a couple of months and suddenly Kuwabara thinks he's a full-fledged spirit detective, Hiei and Kurama have decided to fight the forces of evil and you're a part of the Hiei Defense Squad?"

"Hey!" Kuwabara bleated, his voice grating on Hiei's ears. "I am a spirit detective! Koenma asked for me personally."

"Pft, keep telling yourself that…"

"Urameshi!"

"As entertaining as this is, we really don't have time to linger," Kurama's calm voice cut in through the chaos.

"The fox is right," Hiei agreed.

"If you would kindly end your conversation with Botan and return the device to Yusuke, then we can resume the mission," Kurama finished, staring pointedly at Hiei.

Yusuke's eyes trailed to Hiei and then dropped down towards the communication mirror. "You two talk?" he asked in confusion. "Like, willingly?"

Hiei snapped the device shut, refusing to answer such an obvious question.

"What the hell happened while I was gone?" the detective exclaimed.

Hiei tossed the compact back at Yusuke and then turned away. He ignored the shifty look Kuwabara was giving him, the questioning glances from Yusuke and the amused smile on Kurama's face.

It was none of their concern who he chose to associate with. If that just so happened to be a ferry-girl, then that was his business alone.


Botan's body was sore, her head was aching and her limbs were heavy, but her spirits soared high. After debriefing with Koenma, she was more sure than ever that their newly minted team was a certified good thing.

There were no regrets in her heart as she dragged her tired feet down the long hallway that led to her room.

The world was at peace and everyone was safe and sound. She fought the good fight. She helped Keiko. She made a difference. Now, all she wanted was a soothing bath and her soft bed.

Instead, she opened her door to find an unexpected guest waiting at the opposite end of her room. Blue brows rose until they were obscured behind her bangs, lips parting in surprise.

"Hiei!" she greeted, once she'd found her voice. Her energy was renewed at the mere sight of the fire-demon, legs moving on autopilot as she approached him. "Are you alright?"

The fire-demon was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed across his chest and eyes closed. Crimson cut into amethyst as he regarded her with a nod. "I'm fine."

Up close, she could see that he wasn't fatally wounded, but he did sustain a few injuries. His hair was slightly damp and, if memory served her right, the shirt he wore was different from the one she'd seen him in earlier through the communication mirror. He obviously made use of her place, as she'd encouraged him to do many times before, but rather than disappearing into the night, he willingly chose to wait around for her to return.

His sharp eyes scanned her quickly during the silence that enveloped them and she sent a reassuring smile his way.

"It was a close call today, huh?"

"Hn."

"I heard Yusuke was resting over at Kuwabara's house. I plan on visiting soon."

"What's the point? The detective isn't in any mortal danger."

"I want to check in on him, is all. And it'd be nice to see how Kuwabara is doing as well," Botan replied. She tilted her head at him curiously. "Do you want to come along?"

"I detest Kuwabara," the fire-demon bit out as he uncrossed his arms and kicked off from the wall. "I would rather not go to his place of dwelling."

"It might be nice," she sang. "A little team gathering to boost morale and strengthen your bonds."

"I hate the team, too."

"Is there anything that you don't dislike?"

"Being left alone."

"And yet, here you are with me."

A defensive frown crossed his face and Botan raised her hands in defense.

"I didn't mean it as a quip…" she amended quickly. "I said it because I thought that it was sweet of you to stop by."

"I'm not sweet."

"You can be, sometimes."

"You're insufferable, woman," he said, turning away from her slightly. "I don't know why I bothered coming here."

"Oh, don't be like that," she urged. "I was worried about you too, you know."

Hiei's eyes widened just the slightest fraction as his mouth pulled into an unreadable line. She half expected him to deny that he was worried out of principle or pride, but he schooled his features back into their usual stoic state and cast his gaze elsewhere. And that's when it truly sunk in: Hiei was worried over her wellbeing.

The fire-demon was probably out of his element. This was new to him. And it was just as new to her. She never had a friend like Hiei before, with so many complex layers and mysteries enshrouding him. She was used to the more straightforward types like Yusuke and Koenma. Even if they didn't always say what they meant, their tones or expressions always gave them away. But it was so different with Hiei. And she was only now starting to understand what his loaded silences meant.

It touched her heart more than it probably should have and she tucked the exchange away for safekeeping in her memories as she smiled at him. It was obvious that Hiei didn't want to belabor the moment, so she cleared her throat. "Anyway, a nice, warm drink always soothes me after a tiring day. Do you want to head down to the break room and unwind?"

"I doubt your fellow denizens will appreciate the sight of a demon in their space," he reminded her as pushed his hands in his pockets.

"That's just too bad for them! The break room is for employees of the Spirit World, which technically includes you now."

Hiei's features scrunched in staunch disapproval. "If you were trying to persuade me, you're failing spectacularly."

"Come on," she urged through a knowing giggle, grabbing his arm and tugging him forward.

It was the first time she breached Hiei's personal space, so she wasn't at all surprised at the way he stiffened at the initial contact. When he failed to protest or struggle, she made the executive decision to carry on as if she hadn't noticed. It was nice to feel him - solid and alive - beneath her palms. His skin was incredibly warm against her own, heat radiating off of him like the lick of a flame. By the time they reached the common area, he had loosened up considerably, the tension in his shoulders and the hard lines of expression fading away. She released him in favor of motioning towards the selection of beverages and explaining the tastes as best as she could.

The others began to clear out while Botan fixed some hot cocoa for herself and hojicha for Hiei. She was secretly glad for the privacy; after the day she had, she wasn't in the mood to have all eyes on her. The room was just as spacious and brightly lit as the rest of the temple, but it seemed even larger without its usual occupants milling around. It wasn't long before the intermingling scents of sweet hot cocoa and smokey hojicha filled the air.

"Here you go!"

Botan passed the steaming cup of tea to Hiei and their fingers brushed together for a brief, fleeting moment. She was glad to note that Hiei barely reacted that time, simply grunting appreciatively as he stared down at the earthy, red liquid.

A couple of low tables were scattered around, each surrounded by a varying range of seating pillows. As Hiei lowered himself into a cross-legged position, she noted how much he stuck out in the sea of green, blues, and golds. It was hard for her to look elsewhere when he captured all of her attention by virtue of being such a stark contrast to the world around him.

Botan cupped her hands around the warm mug of cocoa and sent the fire-demon an inquisitive look. "Will you tell me about the mission?"

"We defeated the beasts. End of story."

"I'm sure it was much more thrilling than that!"

"Hardly."

"Well, what were the matchups like?"

"Kurama was the first to battle," he grumbled. "Genbu's ability to harden his body was nothing more than a useless parlor trick in the face of the fox's cutthroat and merciless battle tactics."

"Are you sure we're talking about the same Kurama? He always seems so gentle and kind!"

"Appearances can be deceiving, especially when it comes to him."

Kurama must have been a true force to be reckoned with during the height of his infamy if someone like Hiei deigned to describe him in such a ruthless light. "It's a good thing that he's our ally then."

"You wouldn't want him for an enemy," Hiei replied, agreeing in his own roundabout way.

She nodded. "So, who was up to bat after him?"

"Kuwabara insisted on handling the next enemy. It was a clumsy farce of a battle and the oaf couldn't even manage to claim the victory on his own. In the end, another member of the Saint Beasts did the job for him."

"You mean he…" she trailed off.

Hiei nodded, mouth pulled into a downward slant. .

"That's terrible."

"Seriyuu didn't live long enough to regret his duplicity," Hiei revealed. "I made sure of that."

Botan's brows lifted in surprise. "I never would've expected you to avenge an enemy."

The fire-demon deflected quickly enough. "It wasn't a noble action. I merely detest disloyalty."

"Rightfully so!" she agreed. "Betraying your own teammate is a despicable and dishonorable move."

"Hn."

"So, you, Kuwabara and Kurama managed to defeat the first three Saint Beasts," she recounted. "How did Yusuke fare against Suzaku?"

"None of us saw his fight. Suzaku unleashed a horde of mindless slaves upon the city. We fended them off while Yusuke took care of the leader. The struggle nearly cost him his life. If it wasn't for the blubbering oaf offering up his own life energy in a fit of desperate emotion, the detective would likely be dead."

Botan's hands curled tighter around her drink as she lowered her gaze. "It seems we all just barely got by."

"I take it you've encountered your own share of troubles."

She nodded, bringing her eyes up to meet his again. "It was touch and go for a moment. Keiko and I were cornered by a group of infected humans in Yusuke's school. I got hit while I was trying to protect her and blacked out. When I came to, you boys managed to save the day in the end. As soon as the whistle was destroyed, the humans regained their senses and we were safe again."

Hiei's expression was unreadable, fingers thrumming against the wooden table mindlessly. "…I see."

"In any case, I'm glad we all made it out of that fiasco in one piece," she went on. "See? It was a good thing you joined the team after all."

"You give me too much credit," he replied dryly. "Between Kurama's experience and the detective's infuriating luck, the mission would have still been a success."

"That's not true! They certainly couldn't have made it out of the Gates of Betrayal without your impressive speed."

Hiei stopped drumming his fingers and narrowed his eyes at her. "…I never said a word about the gate, ferry-girl."

Botan realized her blunder, a dainty hand over her mouth as she pointedly avoided his gaze. "Oh poo!"

"Explain yourself," he ordered.

"Well, you see," she began sheepishly, pressing the pads of her index fingers together. "I may have gotten a debriefing from Koenma right before I ran into you."

"Then why bother asking about the mission at all?"

"I just wanted to hear your side of things. It's always much more interesting to get a first person account!"

He rolled his eyes, but the action seemed half hearted under the yellow lights, his features slipping from their accusatory and suspicious state. "Your curiosity really knows no bounds, woman."

"Maybe so, but that doesn't make my point any less true," she maintained. "You really were an integral part of the mission's success."

"As far as I'm concerned I was only babysitting," he countered. "I'm still not convinced of which is the less demeaning fate: corralling the detective and the oaf for a few seasons or rotting away in the cell for a lifetime."

Botan grinned knowingly. "I suppose only time will tell!"

The fire-demon hummed lowly in response as he drained the rest of his tea, prompting Botan to do the same as well. As the soothing and sweet flavor warmed her chest, she was confident that this was the first of many victories to come.


Hiei lingered outside of Kuwabara's residence. It was an unassuming two storey home, no different than the rest of the structures that lined the quiet neighborhood. Inside, he could sense the distinctive energies of the ferry-girl, the fox, the detective and the oaf. But even without that, he could hear them clearly from the open window.

He didn't intend to show up, but he admittedly found himself curious to see how Yusuke was doing. The resounding lack of ill timed quips suggested that he was still out cold. Instead, all Hiei heard was Kuwabara fawning over Botan with flowery words and sentimental phrases. It was an embarrassing audial display of affection, so Hiei decided to put them all out of their misery.

Flashing up and through the window, he landed on the hardwood floor of the bedroom silently. Kuwabara had taken both of Botan's hands in his, a lovesick grin on his face, while the woman only smiled nervously in response.

Hiei scoffed, "If you're finished doting on the ferry-girl, perhaps you can give us an update on the detective's condition."

All attention shifted towards the fire-demon.

Botan was completely taken by surprise as she whipped her head around to view him. "Hiei, you actually came!"

"Nice of you to join us," Kurama greeted expectantly, his expression unchanging save for the slight upturn of his lips.

"What are you doing here, shorty?" Kuwabara asked, his entire countenance falling in distaste as he released the ferry-girl's hands. There was a neon orange bandaid plastered on his cheek, along with several poorly wrapped bandages peeking out from the collar of his sweatshirt. "I don't remember inviting you."

"Kuwabara, that's no way to talk to your teammate!" Botan admonished.

"You don't know him like I do, Botan," he accused hotly. "He's rude and he's got a nasty attitude."

"He's got quite the temper, too," she acknowledged.

"And he is prone to being impulsive," Kurama added.

Hiei clenched his fists at his side, wondering if there was a point to all of this.

"But despite all that, he's a great ally and a great friend," Botan finished with a fond smile.

"Friend?" Kuwabara echoed slowly.

The ferry-girl blinked. "Did I say something wrong? We're all friends aren't we?"

"I believe so," Kurama supported with an encouraging smile.

"Well, we did just go through a pretty dangerous life-or-death ordeal," Kuwabara reasoned as he rubbed the back of his neck. "...I guess that does make us more than strangers, at least…"

"That's the spirit!" Botan encouraged. "Now, how about I patch you up? You look a little worse for wear."

The psychic blushed a deep scarlet all the way to the tips of his ears. "I-if you insist, Botan."

Hiei turned away as Botan tended to the injured psychic. He scanned the room quickly, noting that it was every bit as gaudy as he expected it to be. Large images of unfamiliar people and characters were posted all over the pale yellow walls. The study desk to his left was in complete disarray, overflowing with notes, open books and writing utensils. At the foot of the desk was a small cat, napping contentedly next to next to a couple of weights. The bed was propped up against the opposite wall, blue covers drawn up to Yusuke's chest as he slept. And right beside it stood Kurama, hands rested loosely in the pockets of his school uniform. Hiei quickly cataloged the other man's posture, energy levels and pallor.

"You look better than expected," he observed lowly.

Kurama nodded. "I had a few healing balms on hand, but Botan was the biggest factor in my recovery. Her white magic technique is impressive."

"Hn."

"I see you haven't let her heal you."

"I don't need it," Hiei dismissed. She insisted several times last night, but the woman was barely running on fumes. And even if she wasn't, he still would have refused. He would be completely healed by tomorrow, thanks to his natural accelerated rate of recovery. "I'm not so weak as to rely on others."

"Of course you aren't," the fox returned, his tone of voice grating on Hiei's nerves. "I'm sure you could have even bested all four Saint Beasts on your own."

"Kurama-"

"So, uh, do you guys want anything to eat or drink?" Kuwabara interjected, apparently finished with his treatment and failing to read the room. "We've got juice and snacks if you guys are hungry."

"I'm fine," Kurama declined.

"Do you have tea?" Botan asked.

"Anything for a pretty lady like you," the clown simpered.

"Oh, I'm alright, I was just wondering for Hiei's sake."

The fire-demon's expression fell in tandem with the psychic's, the latter's features scrunching in distaste.

"The shrimp's got two arms and two legs. He can come downstairs and make it himself."

"Don't bother. I wouldn't want anything coming from you or your abode," Hiei spat, before setting his sights on Botan. "And I can speak for myself, ferry-girl. You needn't voice anything on my behalf."

"You're so prideful and stubborn, if I didn't ask, you surely wouldn't have," she noted.

"Whether I do or don't, it isn't your problem."

"Must you be so difficult?" she chided. "I'm only trying to be helpful."

"You're being far too intrusive and interfering."

"And you're being mean and ungrateful!" She set her arms on her hips and angled her body away from his. "I was going to invite you back to the Spirit World afterwards, but you can forget about it now, mister."

Hiei grunted dismissively and turned away.

"Uh…" Kuwabara paused, charcoal eyes darting back and forth between the two. "I feel like I'm missing something here… are you two… a thing?"

Hiei's brows furrowed in confusion as Botan shook her head. Kurama barely managed to conceal his amusement behind a polite and well-mannered look, but Hiei could see the mirth hidden in his green eyes.

"Goodness no!" Botan denied quickly. If Hiei was the sensitive type, he would have been offended. "Why would you ask something like that?"

"You just seem kinda close, is all…" he trailed off uncomfortably.

"It's nothing of the sort."

"Oh, so you're single?" Kuwabara asked, perking up.

"Um… yes… I suppose so…"

"Then maybe I can take you out sometime? Like on a date?"

Hiei's eyes narrowed as he watched the two. The anxious pitch of Kuwabara's voice and the color flooding Botan's cheeks indicated that a date was something of significance. Judging by the oaf's clear fondness towards the woman, it was of the romantic nature. And judging by the ferry-girl's hesitance, it was a one-sided affair.

"That's very sweet and I'm extremely flattered, but between being a ferry-girl and the detective's assistant, I have little to no time for leisure," she answered carefully.

"Then maybe we can-"

"That was a clear and obvious rejection, you fool," Hiei cut in. "Don't embarrass yourself any further."

Botan shot him a discouraging frown, before sending a sympathetic smile in Kuwabara's direction. "I think of you as a really good friend. I hope that's alright."

"Sure it is," he acquiesced as an embarrassed blush crept over his face. "But let's not tell Urameshi this ever happened. He'd never let me live it down."

"Of course!" Botan winked up at him. "It'll be our little secret."

Kuwabara grinned sheepishly at her and then she broke eye contact in order to stare down at the detective. His hair was down from its gelled position and mouth parted on an exhale. It was hard to believe that the sleeping teen was the one who defeated Suzaku in the end.

"He seems to be resting peacefully," Botan observed quietly, amethyst eyes softened with fondness. .

"I suspect he will remain as is for at least another day," Kurama stated. "He might have died had it not been for Kuwabara's valiant efforts to keep him with us."

Kuwabara rubbed the back of his neck. "He would've done the same for me…"

"You boys really went through it…" Botan replied.

"The Saint Beasts were pitifully weak and incompetent," Hiei stated, before cutting an aloof glance towards the psychic. "Though even they proved to be a challenge for the weaker members of the team."

"Oh, can it, hamster legs! You just got lucky facing off against that ice dragon guy!"

"Your opponent was nothing more than an overgrown feline."

"You-"

"Boys please!" Botan interjected, both hands raised as she stepped between them. "This is hardly the time for fighting."

"Botan is right," Kurama supported. "Besides, we're no longer the only ones here. We wouldn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves."

It was then that Hiei detected the presence of another energy signal on the first floor of the house. The newcomer was noticeably stronger than that of the average human, but still unimpressive by demon standards.

"Oh crap," Kuwabara bemoaned, his face turning pale. "I forgot all about Shizuru. She probably just got back from work."

"Shizuru?" Botan echoed.

"My older sister," Kuwabara filled in. "I was supposed to be studying. She'll kill me if she finds you guys in here."

Hiei barely contained the cruel upturn of his lips. He had half a mind to stay and let the psychic meet his fate.

"We had better go, then," Botan announced.

"Keiko's coming over tomorrow," Kuwabara noted. "If you guys want, you can stop by, too. Urameshi might even wake up by then."

"I would like to be here when he wakes," Kurama stated. "I suppose we'll see each other then."

"Roger that." Botan saluted.

Hiei had no intentions of returning for that meetup, so he remained silent as he watched Botan seat herself on her oar and glide out of the window. Kurama was the next to exit, jumping out of the window and landing gracefully on the grass. And Hiei followed suit soon after. After a few parting words, the fox headed south towards his own prefecture, leaving the fire-demon and ferry-girl to make their way off the Kuwabara property together.

Twilight was slowly creeping in, signaling the end of another halcyon day. The human world was once more at peace without the Makai insects roaming around. All was quiet as Botan turned to face Hiei with the setting sun outlined her form.

"All's well that ends well, wouldn't you say?"

"Yusuke is in a coma, Kuwabara barely made it through his battle and Kurama continues to be a liability by limiting himself to the confines of his feeble human body. I hardly think this counts as a resounding victory."

"Chin up, Hiei!" Botan remained undeterred. "I'm sure things will get better once you four fall into a groove."

He didn't answer, because he knew she was right. As much as he loathed to admit it, their ragtag bunch could only improve from here. The detective was good at beating insurmountable odds and even the oaf had enough resolve and courage to carry him through the next crisis. However, there was still one unresolved point of contention that burned at the fire-demon's thoughts.

The ferry-girl wasn't a seasoned fighter. She shouldn't have been at ground zero, protecting a human with a target on her back. It frustrated him for reasons he couldn't determine, and if he kept it to himself, it would continue to gnaw away at the forefront of his mind.

"Don't agree to any more suicide missions," he said suddenly.

"Huh?" Botan stopped in her tracks.

Hiei swallowed thickly. Overhead the blue sky was nearly overtaken by hues of pink and purple, not unlike the eyes of the woman who was currently staring back at him in confusion. What he was about to ask was entirely irrational and illogical of him, but he was going to do it anyway.

"Leave the fighting to the team," he continued. "That is what it was formed for, wasn't it?"

"Well, yes… but I can't just sit back and do nothing."

"Do you doubt our success?"

"No! I believe in you all wholeheartedly."

"Then prove it, woman," he challenged.

Botan stared back at him unblinkingly, a touch of emotion lighting her rounded eyes. He knew he was being stubborn. He knew he was being more unreasonable than he ought to. But the thought of the ferry-girl putting herself in harm's way didn't settle well with him. He held her gaze evenly, unwilling to budge from his stance.

"Okay," she agreed slowly. "I'll pick my battles from now on."

"Good."

"But I do have one condition," she added, raising her index finger informatively.

He arched a dark brow. "What is it?"

"Going forward, you have to let me heal you," she stated.

"I refuse."

"Hiei!"

"I don't need to be treated like a third-rate weakling."

"Getting help doesn't make you weak," she argued. "It's like they say: no man is an island."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It's an old human world adage. What it means is: you can't possibly be expected to do everything on your own," she explained. "You've got people you can trust and can lean on now. You have friends who care about you."

He ignored the uncomfortable feeling in his chest. "It all sounds like sentimental drivel to me."

"Think of it transactionally, then," she suggested with a shrewd lift of her brow. "If I have to compromise, then so should you."

Hiei's honor-code prevented him from outright shutting her down and, based on the self-satisfied curl of her lips, the ferry-girl was well aware of that fact. He couldn't force his will upon her without relinquishing something of his in exchange. The last thing he wanted was to become dependent on anyone, but he also couldn't ignore the thread of worry that wound itself around him when she was put in avoidable danger. It was far too inconvenient and he would rather avoid it if possible. Fulfilling her one demand seemed to be the only way to prevent his current predicament.

"Fine," he bit out as the orange sunset washed over them. "If my injuries are serious, I will seek your aid."

Botan's features lifted as she beamed at him. "Then you've got yourself a deal, mister."

They continued their journey out of the sun streaked streets in a comfortable silence. The unfiltered cheer radiating from the ferry-girl should have irritated him - it was bought at his expense, after all - but, in this moment, he found it nearly impossible to stoke the embers of his anger. In its wake was nothing but a tranquil, unfamiliar calm.

The fire-demon fixed his eyes at the darkening sky as he resigned himself to his fate. This being a friend thing was much more tricky than he initially thought.


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