Day 5: Saturday
Botan woke to the feeling of rising and falling, similar to the rock of a ship. When she gained her bearings, she realized that she couldn't see. It was all black and...sandalwood-y. She could smell sandalwood everywhere. It was permeating her nostrils. That and the blackness and the motion was making her sleepy again. That was, until she remembered the other day.
That had been horrible and now that she was out and...and...wait, where exactly was she now? Oh, that was right, she was in Hiei's...arms...GAH!
She was snoozing...in Hiei's arms. And he had let her do it, too. That was probably the scariest part. No, wait, the scariest part had been her mind void from yesterday. That had been downright strange...and depressing.
Who was she to kid? It wasn't like anyone would ever really love the deity of death. For Enma's sake, she road a flying oar, had blue hair, pink eyes, and was cheerful...when telling people they were dead. Who could love that? And that dream...that dream had been...had been...terrifying.
The sensation of calling out, but not hearing sound, not being heard. The sensation of attempting to touch, to feel, but receiving nothing for the effort. The sensation of the only solid object being the ground underneath your feet and even that was debatable. The sensation that she...had been forgotten. That no one remembered the sunny face that was Botan.
Botan didn't realize that she was crying into Hiei's cloak until a rumble undulated from his chest, turning into a deep, flowing baritone that was his voice.
"You are soaking my shirt."
Mauve irises met scarlet. Red-rimmed met clear. Sorrowful met emotionless...almost. Botan thought at first that there wasn't anything to be seen in the depths of Hiei's eyes. But, as the saying that the eyes are the windows of the soul goes, it's very much true. Botan could always read what a spirit was feeling through their eyes. Hiei was one of the only mortal beings that she had failed in that area with. Until now.
She could see...what was that? Concern? That was As Hiei looked into Botan's eyes, he remembered something that had been nagging at him for a while.
"Why is it that your eyes are brighter than normal when you are in spirit form, onna?"
Botan blinked. He had never really been interested in that sort of thing about her. "Why do you ask?"
"Never mind. It isn't like I care."
Botan frowned. "Sorry. I'll tell you anyway. It's because the eyes are the windows of the soul." Hiei looked at her for a moment before snorting in an undignified manner and rolling his eyes. She huffed, immediately forgetting why she had been crying.
"It's true! Where do you think that saying came from?" Hiei shrugged and went to get up, but the same as before, Botan held on tighter.
"Onna..." he growled. She whimpered. What she didn't notice was his breathing grow heavy and his eyes cloud over, becoming the color of dried-blood. His body began to shake with strain.
"Onna, get off of me," he bit out through gritted teeth. Her face was washed with comprehension and she let go and backed up quickly, hiding herself behind the couch. She peeked over the side to see Hiei clenching and unclenching his fists, his eyes squeezed shut. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he opened his now clear eyes.
Without another word, he walked into the training room, it being around ten a.m. and Botan sighed. Now, the boredom would strike. Oh, what boredom. As a light bulb flickered on above her head, she figured out what it was that she wanted to do. She wanted desperately to go swimming. She just felt like swimming.
As if on cue, her eyes flickered to the right and she noticed a door where there headn't been one before. This one was labelled 'POOL ROOM'. Botan lifted a curious eyebrow, shrugged, and walked over to the closet, where she had a feeling a swimsuit would be waiting for her.
Sure, enough, in the closet was a flowered two-piece bikini set that was yellow and mauve, to match her eyes. The yellow went quite well with her hair and she was pleased to see that her mortal body hadn't put on any extra blubber lately when she changed into the suit. Her stomach was still flat and her legs still shapely. She grabbed a fluffy pink towel and flounced into the pool room, coming to a stop as her mouth dropped open.
Before her lay an exotic wonder. The pool was made of wood paneling and designed to look like a natural waterfall scene. Several waterfalls cascaded into smaller relaxing pools in a shower of mist while plants thrived. Botan was thrilled to discover that the pool was heated as she had hoped when she dipped her feet in. She quickly walked down the cobbled steps and into the water, dunking her powder-blue head under the surface.
Beginning with slow strokes, Botan began to take laps around the pool, thoroughly enjoying herself. But, once again, her activities had morphed into a spectator sport.
-7-
Hiei was actually bored. That was a first. For some reason, training wasn't satisfying his body. There was some strange thirst there. Like he needed something that only a certain person could give. He had a few theories as to what that could be, but he didn't want to think of that at all.Stopping in mid-thrust, watching his blade glint in the sunlight of the enchanted windows, he sheathed his katana and stepped out of the training room, fully intending to find Botan and have some fun messing with her brain. Nothing offensive, but if she was to be there, he was going to use her to his advantage. Wait, use her to his advantage...best not to think that way...these mating instincts were becoming stronger.
The fire youkai noticed that there was another door in the living room now. It branched off and was labelled 'POOL ROOM'. Hearing and smelling water, he flitted over, leaning to peer one eye in the crack of the door.
He had to fight some distinct urges at what he was seeing. Botan was there, swimming, in a jungle-like pool. It reminded him somewhat of the Makai and he felt a pang as he remembered that he could be out somewhere, enjoying a tree to sleep in. So much for that.
Botan was slowly making laps around the pool, diving under once in a while to twist around pointlessly and continue her circuit. Hiei felt his feet moving and couldn't stop them as his senses fogged. When he found himself at the edge of the pool, he had to regain his control.
Botan looked up, pink eyes surprised. "Oh, hello, Hiei. Why don't you join me?"
Hiei smirked. "Baka onna. Like I'd want to swim in some ningen pool full of filth."
Botan growled and then grinned. Unexpectedly, which was strange because Hiei normally noticed these things, she grabbed his foot and dragged him in (He really must have been feeling off to not have dodged). She laughed hysterically as he came up, spluttering water all over, his spikey hair drooping only fractionally.
He growled at her, furious that his cloak was now sodden and sopping. "What is so amusing?"
She choked out between giggles. "You're hair...is still...spiked..."
He touched his hair and then glowered at her, almost poutingly, which made her laugh harder, as he looked so cute when he pouted. She had to admit, the fire demon was very good-looking. She would have to be blind not to see it. Especially, since the water was accentuating every muscle in his body. She stopped laughing long enough to run her eyes up and down his frame, which he did not fail to catch, causing him to smirk.
He grabbed her chin and brought her face close, his eyes darkened. "Do you...like what you see, onna?" he said huskily.
She gulped and something struck her. Might as well play along. It might help relieve his stress. Then again, it might just get her into a more complicating situation. Botan wasn't one to hesitate, so..."I dunno, Hiei. Do you like what you see?" He blinked, seeming to come back to his senses, and backed up, leaping out of the pool and instantly drying, the water in his clothing evaporating into steamy clouds.
Hiei scowled at her before flickering out of the room. Botan sighed. She had probably just ruined what little progress they had made.
-7-
Hiei leaned against the wall, trying to quell the desires leaping up inside of him like flames. Seeing her in that bikini suit had set him off. He was seriously doubting whether or not he was going to make it without claiming her or...he shuddered, interrupting that thought process.
He would just have to tell her to lock herself in another room or something while he went throught the peak stages of his season. That was going to be fun. Joy be-eth his. For a moment, thinking along those lines, the hiyoukai wondered how Kurama was doing. But, alas, that is for another tale, one that is undoubtedly locked away in the confining enigma that is a writer's mind.
Seeing that he still had a few hours left, Hiei flitted into the training room and unsheathed his katana, going for another round.
-7-
Botan stepped out and grabbed her towel off of the bench, beginning to rub herself dry. Her fingers were all pruney and wrinkled, but she felt better, relaxed, as if some of her excess energy had seeped out through her pores while she was exercising.
She walked back into the living room and grabbed some pajamas, changing back in the bathroom. When she ca,e out, her watch read nine p.m. Botan, feeling thoroughly exhausted, as you were prone to after a good swim, decided that if Hiei refused to share the bed, then he could sleep on the floor.
She rolled herself into the blankets and snuggled in, falling asleep almost instantly.
-7-
Hiei came out of the training room, feeling like he needed a good sleep. When he discovered, to his dismay, that the bed was occupied, his irritation sprouted and blossomed. This would not do at all.
Well, if Botan was going to steal the bed, he wasn't about to take the floor. Plus, waking her up would not be a pretty thing. So, with that, he slipped in beside her, falling asleep in a few moments as her unique, soft scent overtook his olfactory nerves.
Unbeknownst to either of them, the sleeping apparition involuntarily reached a hand up to be twnied in her hair and reached an arm over to drape comfortably and familiarly around her waist. Almost like...a perfect fit.