Sherkoni - (pounds every single reviewer on the head with cartoon mallet) You people! Honestly! Are the most INDECISIVE reviewers ever! A third of you say you'll die in horror if I write a lemon, a third really want one, and the other third aren't partial to one, but they wouldn't mind reading it! And to top it all off, the majority of you didn't fail to mention that it was entirely my choice! Thoughtful, thank you, but it doesn't help my situation.

I wasn't exactly wanting to write one, but I thought it might add a nice touch to the story, so I ask the readers. How INCREDIBLY INTELLIGENT - of me.

Thank you Saeka-chan for your second review, it helped. NOW THEN - there will be one, but it isn't going to be a very citrusy lemon and not very descriptive. I apologize to you lemon-addicts and to those who didn't want one at all. eye twitches Please enjoy anyway?

oO0Oo

Jared (Ryu no Hono) does my hebrew translations, which in this story is the demon language. Thank you! (Way to tell me you switched your penname to Ryu no Hono - I almost didn't even catch it! You're on my list buddy. Although I was flattered that I was mentioned in your bio. Tell Dark-Jar to bite me. -sticks out tongue-)

="Speech spoken in demon language"=

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Chapter 7

Cutting of the Hair

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Botan continued to pull Hiei along, up the stairs and into Kurama's guest bedroom. "I thought," she said as soon they'd walked in, carefully closing the door behind them. "That we should just talk....or something."

Hiei jumped up and flopped onto the large double bed, causing the comforter to ripple with the new weight. He gave her a lopsided smile. "Whatever pleases you."

Even though it had been a good fifteen minutes since he had confessed that he still loved her, Botan felt another wave of shock and joy pass through her. She sighed before taking a seat at the desk. "Actually, I think just watching you sit there is making me happier than I've been in a long time." She smiled at the barely distinguishable relief that passed over his face.

Botan leaned back on her hands to watch Hiei some more, absorbing his casual form and accepting face. She'd had dreams like this.

Several moments passed with neither willing to speak and break the uncertain mood. Hiei began to grow tense and nervous under her scrutiny. He shifted uneasily in his nest of blankets. She claims to expect nothing of me, yet--

Botan sighed. "I won't try to seduce you, Hiei."

WHAT!?!

He choked.

"That was unexpected," he remarked dryly, once he had gotten his coughing fit under control.

The ferry girl's lips curved in a gentle, teasing smile. "At least you're not quite so edgy anymore," she said.

Without any further elaboration, she hopped off of the desk. "It's getting late, we'd better go to bed so we don't keep everyone else up. And you are NOT sleeping on the floor."

Hiei grunted, shifting again on the bed. "Hn. As if I'd let you hog the whole thing to yourself."

Botan did not respond. She turned, and in one fluid motion, reached to switch off the lights, leaving Hiei in shadow. His senses were far stronger than any ningen's, and so he could now see the way her hair, made dark by moonlight, spilled smoothly over one shoulder, falling away from her fair, elegant face.

His heart caught in his throat. If she approached him now, he might not have the strength of will to refuse her. Already his instincts were stirring, urging him to mark Botan as his. The heat surging through his body was almost more than he could contain. This was a possessive love, tainted by rage, lust, fear, desire--but most of all, long-repressed passion. Fire demons are by nature dominating beings, and from the moment Botan gave him reason to think she would not reject him, he was unable to control his rebellious emotions.

I am utterly at her mercy.

Hurrying to rid himself of such thoughts, Hiei prepared to sit up and move the blankets and sheets. "Here, I'll move out of the middle," he muttered, avoiding her gaze.

"You need to get off," Botan remarked lightly. "It'll be easier."

"I don't need to get off," Hiei argued. "The sheets are just tucked in way too tight..."

Her smile widened. "Well in that case....we don't want to ruin, or dirty, Kurama's nice sheets." Mischief glinted in her eyes before she jumped onto the bed next to Hiei. "I'll just sleep with you in the middle.

Oh SHIT, he cursed. Is she trying to make this difficult for me?

"I don't think so--"

"Good idea, Hiei," she interrupted calmly, bringing a loose blanket around them.

Botan was getting far too close for his comfort.

"Wait--"

She slipped an arm around his waist, pulling him beneath the thin blanket. He froze, suddenly all too aware of the way her body fit so perfectly against his.

She drew to him to her side, resting her head lightly on his shoulder. She held him so gently--yet those careful hands concealed a fierce, demanding desire. He could taste it in her scent. He could feel it in her short, shuddery breaths, so warm against his neck. He could hear it in the swift rhythm of her heartbeat.

She made it so hard to forget his own hunger, his own need. He let his eyes fall slowly shut. "I thought you weren't going to seduce me."

"Shh," Botan murmured. "You always like to do things the hard way. Not even I can control this."

"But--"

"Hush," she said firmly. He obeyed. When she felt him finally relax into her arms, she smiled. "See?"

He made a soft noise in reply.

"Can I ask you something?"

Her hair smelled like apple blossoms--wilder and freer than the tame ningen variety. It was a sweet, strong scent that Hiei would remember for the rest of his life. "Go ahead."

She closed her eyes. "Why did you leave me? If you really loved me that much?"

Hiei stiffened, surprised and dismayed. She simply waited, a slight smile still playing about her lips. "Circumstances demanded for it," he finally said, my voice barely audible over the sound of our breathing.

"Liar," she whispered genially. "But I won't press you."

"Then can I ask a question of my own?"

She nuzzled deeper into the curve of his neck. "Naturally."

"Did you even miss me?" He was brought back particularly to the memory when he gave her his first, cried, tear-gem. She lifted her head to gaze up at him thoughtfully. Still staring into his eyes, she pulled out a small black gem that was connected to a necklace, strung around her neck. He smiled, but his eyes still glinted with suspicion.

Botan noticed. Her tone was still light, but her grip on his waist grew tighter. "You're thinking too hard," she scolded. "We should sleep . . ."

Several long seconds passed before she moved, leaning forward to kiss the corner of Hiei's mouth. He froze, caught between that soft, chaste touch and the dark hunger burning in her ethereal pink eyes.

"Good night, Hiei," she murmured, reluctantly pulling away.

He was left speechless.

oOo
Hiei awoke by himself in bed. He shifted in the bundle of blankets and pillows, still feeling tired even though he could sunlight streaming through the window. It was the first time he had slept so deep in a long time.

Just as he was about to go looking for the thing that had ensured him the good-nights rest, she came walking in through the door. "Oh good, you're up," she said happily. "Everyone's waiting downstairs."

He groaned and closed his eyes again. "Waiting for what?" he growled.

"You of course. We can't cut your hair without you there," she replied with a giggle.

His eyes snapped open. "What?" He rolled his eyes. "Onna, give it a rest. It's MY hair - it's fine how it is."

Botan narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "It is horrid how it is."

Hiei simply snorted and tried to go back to sleep.

"Hiei," Botan warned him. "I've gotten pretty good with telekinetic powers you know, I could just lift you right out of bed and force you to come."

Hiei opened one eye and gave her a cocky smirk. "I don't think so." He tapped his bandanna. "My Jagan eye has mind powers as well - you couldn't break through the barrier I have."

"I bet I could if your mind was defenseless - like if you were sleeping or something," she replied confidently.

"Even when I'm sleeping there's a small barrier," he said with a cocky grin.

Botan smirked. Carefully, she approached the bed and sat next to Hiei. "I bet I could move that pillow under your head..." she said breezily.

Hiei raised an eyebrow. "The pillow?"

Her eyes glinted mischievously. "Mm-hm..."

He eyed her warily. "What are you doing..."

Botan didn't answer, instead raising a hand. In the next second, the pillow lifted into the air, bringing Hiei's head with it. Before he could protest, the pillow flew outward and his lips connected squarely with Botan's as she softly kissed him.

oOo

"What's taking so freaking long!" Yusuke whined, clipping the scissors furiously in his hand. Kurama quickly snatched the impending weapon away. "Careful, you're going to poke someone's eye out!"

Yusuke growled and was about to retort that it would be HIS eye, when Hiei and Botan came through the door. Yusuke turned and almost couldn't contain his laughter. Botan was walking smugly ahead, with her hand raised just slightly over her shoulder. Behind her, Hiei was dangling in the air, flailing his arms around helplessly, his face slightly red from shouting. "That's cheating, onna!"

Botan simply smirked. "How did I cheat? It was you who let your barrier down."

Hiei growled. "I didn't think you would do THAT! That's playing dirty."

Botan rolled her eyes and brought him down onto the seat they had set out to cut Hiei's hair. As he plopped onto the chair and attempted to get up again, she couldn't resist saying, "Sit boy!"

He gave her a weird look. "Come again?"

The momentary distraction was just long enough that Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama could pounce, placing a hair shawl around his shoulders. Yusuke clipped the scissors in his hand evilly. "Time to cut those dreaded locks off!"

Hiei gave the slashing scissors a nervous look. "Um..."

Kurama gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry - I'll make sure they don't scalp you or something."

Hiei looked a little more reassured, but he refused to let Kuwabara touch his hair. So, Kuwabara and Botan sat in front of him on the couch and Yusuke and Kurama prepared to cut his hair.

"Should we just cut the ponytail off first and then even it out?" Kurama asked, pointing to the messy scarf that was knotted into his hair just below his shoulders.

Yusuke shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

Together, they both snipped at the hair, but it was proving more difficult then they thought. Kurama frowned in disgust. "Hiei, your hair is like a rat's nest, this is going to take forever!"

Hiei grunted. "You could just leave it al-" He stopped as Botan suddenly sprang up and ran her fingers through the hair framing his face. He popped a confused eyebrow.

Botan blushed and sat back in her seat. "It's not bad, but it's not as soft as it used to be," she mumbled. Seeing the odd stares she was getting, she crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "What?"

Yusuke rolled his eyes and continued cutting Hiei's hair. As he and Kurama worked, Yusuke suddenly remarked, "What took you so long getting groceries this morning Kurama?"

Kurama frowned. "There's a small group of girls that seem to...stalk me and they wouldn't leave me alone while I was shopping. I tried giving them the slip by going into the bathroom and switching places with Youko, but then they only pestered me more. Well...pestered is a light way to put it....more like, sabotaged."

"Stupid Mary-Sues..." Hiei grumbled.

Kurama stopped his snipping. "What? Mary..who?"

Hiei shrugged. "It just seemed like the right thing to say."

Yusuke and Kurama looked at each other. Then, they shrugged and continued cutting. Couldn't argue there.

"We're almost done!" Kurama announced happily.

"Yep!" Yusuke grinned and gave one final snip. The large mass of hair that was below the ponytail fell to the floor with a soft thud.

Kuwabara snorted. Hiei's hair was unruly and messy, laying just past his shoulders. It was weird to see him without his hair completely up and out of control.

Suddenly, as one of the snipped pieces of hair flew past his nose, Hiei sneezed.

DOING!

At the exact moment Hiei's head snapped forward to sneeze, his hair jumped to life, standing straight up on his head. Curiously, he ran a hand through his hair, but it refused to go back down.

They all stared in bewilderment for a moment before Kuwabara gave a rueful shrug. "I never did understand Hiei's hair."

"Yep."

"Can't do much else."

"Well that's finished."

"I gotta go find Keiko."

"I best be off too..."

"Bye!"

oOo

"What are you doing?"

Botan sighed and set down her pen. "I'm just writing a small little story based around the characters of my favorite soap opera."

"Can I see?"

"Sure."

Hiei took the piece of paper she was writing on and began to read. "Why does this Vince person call ice cream, sweet snow?"

"He hasn't spent any time with domesticated humans so that's what he calls it."

He frowned. "Wouldn't his friends have told him the real name? I don't think he's some kind of dense child. He wouldn't keep calling it sweet snow."

"Well," Botan stammered with a blush. "He...he just does!"

"I have another question."

"What?"

"When during the show does it say that he likes ice cream?"

"Um..." Botan blushed even more.

"In fact....does ice cream even appear in the show ONCE?"

"Well...I...I guess not..."

Hiei snorted and handed the paper back to her. "I pity the poor fool."

Botan could only stare as he left the room again. "Okay, that was......weird."

oOo

Botan was walking lazily down the hall when a familiar smell wafted to her nose. She smiled even before Hiei came around the corner. His eyes shone for a moment when he saw her.

"Hi," she greeted warmly, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Hi," he answered, brushing his lips over her brow.

She smiled, her stomach fluttering from his touch. "I haven't seen you since this afternoon when I was writing my story."

"No wonder I was starting to feel sick," he murmured.

Botan blushed. She wasn't sure she would ever get tired of Hiei being affectionate towards her. She hadn't stopped blushing like a crush-sick school girl since he had gotten back. She had thought the butterflies would have gone away, but instead they only seemed to get worse.

"It's only eight, but..." She glanced at his face. "Do you want to go to bed early?"

He raised an eyebrow, trying not to think of what she might be implying. He swallowed quickly and nodded, letting her lead him the few steps into the guest room.

They both settled on the bed and Botan curled into his arms much like she did last night. "Night Hiei..." she whispered before snuggling closer to his warm body. In seconds, they had both fallen asleep.

-

Botan awoke silently and tried to get closer to the warmth next to her. She felt a chillrun up the outside of her arms. As she shivered, two strong arms wrapped tighter around her, pulling her closer to the warmth. She opened her eyes to see Hiei's peaceful, sleeping face. How long had they been sleeping? She glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight.

She sighed and moved her fingers gracefully over his face and onto the stray locks across his forehead. She almost giggled when his face twitched into a tiny spurt of pleasure as her finger accidentally brushed over his Jagan eye.

Although covered by his bandanna, she could feel where it made a soft lump on his forehead. Gently, she ran her finger over the outside edges, softly massaging it in careful strokes.

Hiei was slowly being pulled from his dreams by the feeling of something rubbing his Jagan eye. His still heavily sleep fogged mind applied the sensations to the last fleeting vestiges of his dream of Botan massaging his Jagan. Tightening his arm around the firm softness in front of him, Hiei snuggled further into the incredibly soft pillow, while in his dream, he was snuggling closer to Botan's soft body. His mind registered an intense pleasure as the Botan in his dream rubbed her thumb over a particularly sensitive spot.

"Mmm, Botan, please....don't stop.." Hiei spoke softly, not knowing that his vocal cords had come to life and had voiced the compliment.

The Botan in his dream, as well as the wonderful feeling pillow he was snuggled up against, stiffened in shock, and suddenly the haze lifted from his mind. One eye popped open as he pulled back slightly to look up into the shocked eyes of Botan.

They laid there, staring at each other and not really knowing what to do. Botan began to blush as she realized she'd been caught, for her hand--though stilled at the moment--remained touching his forehead. She didn't really want to move it either, she rather enjoyed rubbing it. Then a mischievous thought crossed her mind. Who said she had to move them? Slowly, a wicked smile appeared on her lips.

Hiei really didn't want to relinquish the soft warmth of Botan's body but--at the same time--he didn't want to get too passionate either, lest he not be able to control his desires. Sighing, he prepared to move, but came up short when the pleasurable sensation of his Jagan eye being rubbed started up again. Eyes widening, Hiei looked back at Botan and was shocked to see the look of contentment her eyes bore. Hiei groaned as he pulled her closer against his body, moaning when her fingers brushed over a sensitive spot. As her fingers began massaging his Jagan with extra fervor, working her way towards the center, Hiei shuddered against her.

"Botan, you should stop," Hiei warned her as he tried to pull away a short distance, against his will.

"What if I don't want to," Botan said softly as she applied a bit more pressure as her fingers rubbed over the same spot that had made him shudder before.

Growling in pleasured frustration, Hiei quickly rolled over so that he was resting on top of Botan, using his hand as leverage to hold him up while his head hovered over hers. He nearly sighed in relief when her finger still remained on his Jagan.

"I suggest you stop unless you wish to go much further," He told her, leaning his face down so his breath brushed across her lips to emphasize his point.

He expected her to realize the fine line she was walking and cease rubbing his Jagan. To pull away while blushing and stutter furiously as she withdrew from their intimate position. That's what he expected. He did not expect the smile she directed back at him, nor did he expect her to raise her other hand and begin stroking at the same time. And he especially did not expect her to breathe against his lips in her own point of emphasis as she spoke, "And I repeat," she said, her voice coming out in a near purr of seduction, "What if I don't want to stop?"

Hiei growled at her comment right before he dropped his head and took Botan's lips in a bruising kiss. His tongue swept out of his mouth, and he was shocked when he felt her mouth yeild to his immediately. After getting over his shock, he moved his hand up to her cheek, tilting her head to give him better access to her warm mouth. Botan responded without hesitation, her tongue rising to the occasion to battle willingly with Hiei's.

Botan barely felt the pain in her chest from lack of oxygen through her passion-hazed mind. She reluctantly pulled away and swallowed hard as she stared up into the blazing crimson eyes of Hiei. The gaze was so intent that it sent a delightful shiver down her spine.

He distracted her from her thoughts once again as he leaned down, leaving soft kisses on her chin before moving down to nip affectionately at her neck, relishing in the taste of the wonderfully exposed skin.

"I want..." Botan whispered between pants.

It made his male pride, among other things, swell to hear her so out of breath from just one kiss. He pulled away from her neck and looked down at her, a small smile gracing his lips. He leaned down and pressed his face into the side of her neck, tickling her ear with nose. "You want what?" he all but growled huskily.

Her grip on his shoulders tightened and she pulled him unreasonably close, letting out a soft whimper, feeling almost ashamed at wanting to beg him to claim her.

Hiei smirked against her skin. "As much as I love kissing you, we might be subdued to doing that all night unless you tell me what you want..."

Botan growled and grabbed a fistful of his newly cut hair and pulled his head to where his lips were hardly an inch away from hers. She smirked before claiming his lips in a demanding, lust induced kiss.

He smirked against her lips with unmasked pleasure. "That works too..."

He shifted his hands underneath her, his eyes darkening to a dark scarlet. He began to untie the sashes holding her kimono together and kissing her neck and shoulders, going lower as her kimono became looser, quickly slipping away.

He glanced up at her and Botan tightened with unkempt desire and passion when she saw the burning lust that scorched his eyes. "You're mine."

She smiled with anticipation. "I'm yours."

As momentum of their passions took hold, Hiei might have wondered if his passion was driving him to insanity, except that Botan's behavior proved to him it was normal. He had never dreamed lovemaking would be so thoroughly consuming. Heart, spirit, and body combined in perfect balance as the consummation of their love healed all wounds, bridged all chasms, soothed all fears.

The intensity of their physical union went beyond any earthly description, but the emotional unity they shared rose higher. The love they had felt for each other initially was only an embryo of the complete affinity surrounding them now. Their commitment was refined by pain and tempered by heartache. All they had suffered culminated now in a perfect joy that contrasted measure for measure.

When it was over and the ecstasy that hung in the night air slowly began to simmer, Hiei drew Botan close to him and pulled the blankets over them to protect them from the night chill. She wrapped one arm around his waist and laced her free fingers into his hand.

He snuggled into her soft hair and breathed in the smell he was growing addicted to, apple blossoms. "Mine," he muttered, kissing her hair.

"Always and forever," she whispered, falling asleep in his arms.

-

Botan was awakened from her exhaustion-induced sleep by movement from the body she was laying on. Her sluggish mind barely grasped the memory of what had transpired only...minutes ago? Hours? She didn't know, the meaning of time had been lost in her post coital slumber and the only thought that managed to become clear in her head was: I was just made love to by Hiei.

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Sherkoni - Ta-daaaaaaaaaa! (bows)

-crickets-

-.-;;;; Anyway... Kudos to Robin Autumn, twas her idea to have Hiei's hair appear to stay straight and then have it stand to it's anti-gravity glory. n.n;;; You also all had to sit through my take on the whole sweet snow thing.

Even though I ranted earlier this chapter....I love all you reviewers mway much.Although I must also add...(stabs readers with toothpick) Could not there've been one more review? 99. What an incredibly aggravating number... close, but no cigar...v.v"

(points above) Well that WAS what I was going to put...but right as I went to update, I saw that I had gotten another one. W00t! Thanks again!