"Please don't touch anything. Most of the plants are extremely potent and I'm still testing their effects."
Hiei resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You needn't worry, fox. I'm not juvenile like the ex-detective or the oaf."
Kurama returned his claims with a wry smile, but chose not to dwell further on the topic.
"I'll be ready in a moment," he replied, before disappearing down the hall and leaving Hiei to his own devices.
They were all due to meet at the old woman's temple for an occasion that the fire-demon could not be bothered to remember. Normally, he would forego these fruitless gatherings entirely, but Yukina requested he attend. And that made all the difference. He was always at a war with himself when it came to the ice-maiden: caught between the never-ending battle between his solitary nature and the complicated tenets of his honor-code. The latter predictably won out a majority of the time; his will proven to be pitifully weak whenever Yukina was involved. Denying his sister was simply one of those things that he could not do, especially now that he revealed himself as her family.
Hiei tapped his foot impatiently against the hardwood floor. He would have been at the temple already had it not been for Yomi's brat. The boy accosted him last minute with a request that he deliver a package to Kurama. The fire-demon still didn't understand how Shura (or, more notably, his father) knew that he was headed for the human world today, but he decided not to dwell on it. He wasn't particularly interested in learning just how far Yomi's web of intelligence extended. That sort of thing was reserved for the specialist on Mukuro's board. All he wanted to do was make his appearance at the temple, fulfill his promise to Yukina and then return to the fortress. If only the fox would make haste with his preening, then they could finally leave.
The fire-demon crossed his arms over his chest and set his bored gaze around the living area of Kurama's new apartment. It was unassumingly human, with its neutral colors, boring artwork and soft, plush furniture. Though the plants that decorated the room appeared to be harmless, Hiei had long since learned that appearances were deceiving when Kurama was involved. Still. He didn't appreciate the way the fox ordered him around like a child. He didn't like being underestimated after all this time.
Hiei crouched down to view the oddly colored purple and gold plant that he just delivered. It couldn't have been longer than a foot: an unimpressive display of a spindly stalk and a few budding flowers. He scoffed at it. Unlike Yusuke, Kuwabara or Kurama - who seemed to be perfectly content with wasting away their talents and skills in favor of a life of mediocrity in the human world - he was improving himself each and every day within Mukuro's territory. Growing stronger, faster and smarter. There was no way he would ever succumb to the effects of a mere flora.
He pinched one of the golden leaves between his thumb and forefinger out of pure spite and tugged it lightly. Retaliation came swiftly. The largest flower bud opened up and expelled a cloud of purple dust directly into his face, before closing in on itself again. Hiei glared as he swatted the spores away and stood up. He had half a mind to burn the petulant thing to the ground, but before he could enact his revenge, his nose twitched. Once. Twice. Then again. And the next thing he knew, he was releasing a series of violent sneezes.
"Hiei? Is everything okay?" Kurama's voice called from the hallway.
Hiei blinked slowly, a wave of tranquility washing over him. Everything was more than okay. He felt at ease; better than he had in ages.
Kurama came into view, buttoning up one of those long sleeved shirts that made him look even more feminine than he already was.
The fox's brow creased, a hint of confusion and displeasure in the slant of his frown.
It was then that Hiei realized he'd spoken those words aloud. His eyes widened slightly as he tried to make sense of what just happened.
"Hiei," Kurama sighed, emerald eyes moving between the purple plant and the fire-demon. "Please tell me you didn't do what I think you did."
Hiei turned away stubbornly.
"Nothing happened, fox. Your precious flower is fine."
"Yes, but you aren't," he replied. "The veritas veis you so foolishly disturbed discharges a gas which possesses the same properties of a truth serum. For the next few hours, you won't be able to filter yourself. Your reservations will be all but lost."
Hiei pushed his hands in his pockets as the weight of Kurama's words sunk in. He already revealed himself to Yukina as her brother. There were no secrets between them. As for the others – Hiei never made it a habit of sugarcoating his thoughts or opinions. The plant wouldn't change a thing. He was sure of it.
"It makes no difference to me," he said finally. "I have nothing to hide."
The disapproving look in Kurama's eyes signaled that he did not feel the same. "Perhaps you should return to Makai."
Hiei lips pressed into a displeased slant. He hated it when the fox coddled him. He was the general of Mukuro's army, a semi finalist in the last Demon World Tournament, the sole wielder of the dragon of the darkness flame and master of the jagan eye. He didn't need to be protected.
Besides, Yukina was expecting him. He wasn't going to let a mere plant be the reason behind her disappointment.
"Perhaps you should stop treating me like a child, fox," Hiei returned stubbornly as he headed for the door. "I'm going."
Kurama sighed. "As you wish."
.
.
.
A half an hour later all eyes were on him.
"It's more or less harmless," Kurama reassured, having just finished retelling the story of Hiei's earlier mishap. "It merely brings his true desires and thoughts to the surface."
"Probably not good for a guy as emotionally repressed as him," Yusuke joked behind his hand as he nudged Kuwabara.
"Or as violent," the psychic added glumly. "Who's to say he won't go on a killing spree?"
"Kazuma," Yukina chided from beside him.
"Oh, right," Kuwabara winced guiltily. He rubbed the back of his neck as he cast an apologetic glance down at the ice-maiden. "Sorry."
Hiei tuned them out, his attention captured by one person in particular.
The ferry-girl.
Botan.
She was dressed in colorful human world attire, blue hair pulled up into its signature ponytail and doe eyes as bright as ever.
For as long as he had known the woman, he harbored a attraction towards her. He didn't know how it began or why it lasted this long. He just knew that he wanted her, plain and simple. It was an impulse he never planned to act on. He forced it down time and time again, keeping it under wraps and away from view. But as he stood before her now, with the drug coursing through his system and pushing him to be honest, he couldn't find a single reason to hide it. In fact, all he wanted to do was let her know.
Botan fidgeted under the intensity of his gaze, fiddling with the hem of her sleeves as she stared back at him. It was the start of autumn in the human world, so the weather was fairly warm and the winds were getting colder with each passing day. A slow breeze ran past the ferry-girl, ruffling the blue tendrils of her ponytail and carrying the distinct scent of fresh meadows. Slender brows were rounded and partially obscured by the fluff of bangs that parted midway. Amethyst eyes shone pink under the rays of the sun, wide and expressive as ever.
He never truly allowed himself to openly observe her like this before. It was… she was… something else. Warmth bloomed in his chest as he drank in the sight of her, the usual sting of self-depreciation and repression over his attraction to her nothing but a distant memory now.
"Hiei?" she began carefully.
"Botan," he answered.
"Why... why are you looking at me like that?"
The words bubbled up in his throat before he could stop them.
"Because I like what I see."
Yusuke erupted into a raucous fit of laughter, doubling over as he slapped his knee. Kuwabara choked on his drink, prompting an equally stunned Shizuru to clap his back a couple of times. Keiko made a gurgled noise of surprise, while Yukina's eyes went wide and mouth fell open silently. Kurama's lips lifted almost knowingly. But Botan's reaction was the most amusing of all.
Her face was burning something fierce. She resembled one of the red-skinned guards that stood outside the fortress gates.
"You what?!" she sputtered out incredulously.
"You heard me, ferry-girl."
"W-well. Um... I don't..." she trailed off, gaze darting around nervously. "I don't know what to say to that..."
"You don't have to say anything at all."
Her eyes widened in surprise, but Hiei wasn't finished.
"Your heart is beating loudly enough for me to hear it from here," he continued. "Tell me, woman, do you want me, too?"
"Hiei!" she squawked, throwing a hand over her chest as though that were enough to stop the rapid fire pounding beneath it. "You can't — you can't just say things like that!"
He crossed his arms over his chest, lifting a dark brow.
"Why not?"
"Well, because, everyone else is listening for starters," she said, waving her free hand at the others.
While the majority of them had varying looks of shock and amusement written into their expressions, Kurama seemed oddly resigned with the way things played out. He probably detected Hiei's infatuation long before the fire-demon himself. The all-knowing bastard. The fire-demon tore his gaze away from the others and fixed it on the blushing ferry-girl.
"If privacy is what you want, then you should have said so."
"Huh?"
"Leave with me."
"But-"
"When this is over with," he amended. "I know you live for these pointless gatherings."
The ferry-girl fell silent, her lips pulled into a contemplative moue. He didn't need the jagan eye to know that her thoughts were racing a mile a minute.
"...I'll think about it?" she replied carefully.
Botan was kind and compassionate by nature, so he wasn't at all surprised by the diplomatic nature of her response. But there was something new in the traces of her expression; something different in the way she stared back at him. The ferry-girl was curious by nature. She always had been. So even if she didn't exactly give him the answer he wanted, he knew this wasn't over.
"You know where to find me, if you're so inclined," he said, heading back inside the temple.
He heard the buzz and chatter of the others as they broke into confused conversation, but he couldn't find it within himself to care. He was more interested in the spark of intrigue he saw in the ferry-girl's eyes right before he left. He didn't know what it meant. He just knew that he liked it. His lips quirked upwards slightly, unable to contain the smirk overtaking his expression, even as he heard Yukina's footsteps trailing after him.
"Brother."
He turned around to view her and his expression dropped. Yukina's brows were furrowed in concern, thin lips pulled into a frown. He had seen her wear this look many times before. She was worried about him, though he couldn't figure out why.
"Do you realize what you've just done?" she asked gently.
"I only spoke the truth."
"You did," she agreed. "But I'm afraid you might regret it once this is all over."
He considered her words for a moment. Maybe he would. Perhaps when his senses returned to him he would regret everything that he'd said and done today. But, for now, he was at peace with himself. Letting the truth out felt leagues better than holding it in.
"I'll deal with it then," he decided. "I don't much care right now."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Alright," she conceded. "I'll be here for you, if you need me. You don't have to go back to keeping it all to yourself once you're back to normal."
"I know," he answered lowly.
Her expression softened as she nodded once. "Good."
The ice-maiden continued to stare up at him, long after the moment passed. Hiei wasn't sure what she could possibly want from him now, but he was starting to get suspicious, especially now that her good-natured smile eased into a look of doting amusement.
"What is it?" he asked.
She shook her head, hiding her smile behind the sleeve of her kimono. "It's nothing, brother."
"Yukina," he pressed.
"The truth is," she began. "I had no idea you felt that way about Botan."
"I don't know what I feel," he corrected. "All I know is that the woman's cast a strange spell over me. One that I have learned to live with."
Yukina giggled.
"Oh, Hiei. You really are out of your element here, aren't you?"
That consoling tone on anyone else would have bruised his pride and stoked his irritation. He hated being pitied and looked down upon, but Yukina was different. There was a certain fondness in her ruby eyes. A warmth he didn't deserve. And he was compelled to speak the truth.
"Perhaps," he admitted lowly.
"Well, you're more than welcome to stay with me for a while. I was just going to get started on the desserts."
"I'd like that."
Yukina's smile widened. "Me too."
Botan's face felt like it was on fire. She could barely think as she replayed Hiei's words in her head.
"What the hell was that?" Yusuke exclaimed.
"I don't know, but I kinda wanna see it again," Kuwabara snorted.
"His inhibitions are lowered. He's admitted to and acting on feelings he normally wouldn't entertain," Kurama explained.
"So, you're telling me he's had the hots for Botan this entire time, but kept it on the down low?" Yusuke asked.
"It appears so…"
Botan swallowed thickly, her nerves unsettled and on edge. There was no way any of this could be happening. Hiei detested her. He didn't... he wasn't...
Kurama rested a hand on her shoulder. The softness of his emerald gaze and the gentle tone of his voice a comfort to her tumultuous state of being.
"Inhibitions or not, he still has his honor-code. He won't do anything untoward."
She smiled, though it failed to reach her eyes.
"Yes, I know." She trusted Hiei; after all these years there was no way she wouldn't. But his admission was too much for her to bear. "I'm just confused. I didn't think Hiei even remembered me half the time."
"There are still many sides of himself that he chooses to hide from the world," Kurama revealed. There was a knowing glint in his eyes as he continued. "Perhaps today's mishap was a necessary step in the right direction for the both of you."
He walked away without another word, leaving Botan with two pairs of inspecting eyes.
"So…" Yusuke breathed out, hands on his hips. "That happened…"
Botan nodded slowly, looking off into the direction that Hiei disappeared to.
"Is there anything there?" Yusuke probed.
The ferry-girl's attention snapped back to the ex-detective.
"Don't be silly, Yusuke! You've witnessed nearly all of our interactions. Have you ever noticed anything more than what was on the surface?"
Yusuke thought about it for a moment, before shrugging haphazardly.
"Not really," he admitted. "But I learned a long time ago that trying to understand Hiei was a lost cause."
"Yeah, the shrimp's emotionally constipated to begin with, so it would be hard to tell what's going on inside his head," Kuwabara commented.
"Kind of like his twin sister, huh?"
"Yukina's just reserved!" Kuwabara countered loudly.
"I'm only messing with you," Yusuke chuckled, never one to miss an opportunity to remind Kuwabara of the twins' relation. He sobered up a little, expression turning reflective. "Gotta say, I never imagined that Hiei could have long standing feelings for anyone, much less Botan."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, frowning angrily.
"I didn't mean any harm," he explained, hands raised in defense. "I just meant that the two of you are as different as night and day. I can't even begin to imagine what you'd be like as a couple."
"He'd probably just insult her all the time, like he does with us," Kuwabara piped in.
"That's not fair!" Botan replied hotly. "I'm sure he'd treat me with respect and kindness, unlike you two right now!"
Yusuke snorted.
"I mean it!" she maintained. "Hiei's a perfectly decent guy! I've told you that many times before!"
Kuwabara's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"…You always did defend him," he recalled. "Maybe shorty's feelings aren't one sided."
"I…" the bluette's anger deflated as confusion set in.
"Leave her alone, you two," Keiko cut in.
"Yeah, it's our turn with the reaper," Shizuru said, pulling the ferry-girl away from the boys.
As she stood between Shizuru and Keiko, Botan couldn't decide which of was the lesser of two evils: Yusuke and Kuwabara's heckling or the girls' calculating gazes.
"Did you ever have any idea-" Keiko began.
"No! He usually ignores me! Or threatens me!"
"Maybe threats were his way of flirting," Shizuru pointed out. "The guy didn't exactly have the most normal upbringing."
"Or maybe that's just the way they do things in the demon world," Keiko supposed.
Botan rubbed at her pounding temples as her friends continued to speculate. She could hardly believe what just occurred, her brain too frazzled to process the unpredictable turn of events. Before all of this, she was quite positive that Hiei only tolerated her because of his honor-code and his loyalty to the team. He certainly never spared a kind thought or word her way and the extent of his dealings with her were characterized by thinly veiled disdain, budding irritation or empty indifference. Despite that, Botan always held him in high regards. She trusted him as a member of the team and an invaluable ally. She admired his strength and courage. She respected the devout way he watched over and protected Yukina, expecting nothing in return. There was a point in time, at the very beginning of his employment under the Spirit World, where she tried to get closer to him like she was with the others. She tried engaging him in conversation, complimenting his battle style and even offered snacks as bribes, but nothing worked in the end and she learned to support him from afar. They managed to coexist peacefully within their ragtag group. Things were running so smoothly, until just a few minutes ago.
Now her whole world was flipped on its axis and everything she thought she knew was a lie.
"Botan?"
Yukina's soft tone cut through her thoughts and pushed them aside.
"Yes dear?" she answered, looking at the ice-maiden and turning her back on the others.
The shorter woman held a plate of daifuku in her hands and a small smile on her face. "Would you mind getting the rest of the desserts from the kitchen?"
"Yes!" she agreed a little too hurriedly. "I will absolutely go do that!"
She desperately needed a breather anyway. A little reprieve. Just a few quiet moments to herself. But as she made her way towards the kitchen, she froze.
Hiei was in there.
It didn't look as though he noticed her, so she could've probably made a quick and silent getaway, but something rooted her to where she stood. There was no sense in running away; she wasn't a coward. And Hiei didn't deserve to be avoided like he had the plague. That wouldn't be fair to either of them.
Botan took a deep breath and steeled herself. There was no need to walk on eggshells around Hiei. He was her friend and that was a fact that would not change, no matter what state of mind he was currently in. Forcing a neutral expression on her face, the ferry-girl took a decisive step forward.
"Hello Hiei."
Crimson eyes flashed towards her, lingering on her form for a moment or two, before glancing away. He didn't bother acknowledging her presence further, giving Botan the opportunity to stare at him unabashedly. She always thought he was handsome. She quite liked his sharp features and wild, dark hair. She liked the warm ivory tone of his skin and the red of his eyes. She liked the confident way he moved in battle and the assured way he held himself outside of it. But those things amounted to nothing more than weightless observation and opinion. She liked different things about all of the guys, like Kuwabara's strong facial features, Yusuke's expressive grins, and Kurama's eyes. If she paid any special attention to Hiei – if she thought about him from time to time – it was only due to the expansive distance between them, the enigmatic nature of his personality and the folly in her curiosity.
Right now, though, she didn't quite know what to think of him. He seemed so approachable and reachable. So unbothered and at ease. It was a good look on the otherwise guarded demon.
"See something of interest, woman?" he asked, the usual edge of anger gone from his tone as he side-eyed her.
"It's just…" she began hesitantly. "You seem so different right now."
He turned to face her fully, a questioning look washing over his features.
"I didn't mean it in a negative way," she added, taking another step closer towards him. "Not to say I don't like you normally. I've always thought you were a first-rate kind of guy."
He raised a brow.
"Hn. Do you think about me often, ferry-girl?"
Botan folded her arms under her chest as she pouted.
"It isn't nice to tease, Hiei."
"I should be saying that to you."
"Huh?"
"I've lamented over my attraction to you for years."
"...You have?"
"That is what I just said."
"Well, you can't blame me for being so skeptical. You hardly even looked my way most of the time!"
"Because it's ludicrous."
"What is? The thought of you actually giving into an impulse other than violence and rage?" she tested.
"The thought of you and I," he corrected. "I hate the Spirit World and all that it stands for. You are a being of that world. Our differences are far and wide. There never was and never will be anything between us other than a tenuous tie to past loyalties."
Botan's brow creased as she frowned. The callous and clinical way he spoke about them almost hurt on a small-scale level. After everything they'd been through as a team, she thought that they were a little more than estranged allies. The title certainly didn't settle well with her and she couldn't let it stand.
"We may be complete and total opposites, but I've always considered you a friend, Hiei."
His eyes widened, just slightly so. It was clear that her words caught him off guard and that was good. They could stand for a little more transparency between them. It was quite obvious that they both had things they inadvertently left unsaid.
"In fact, I've always admired how steadfastly you stick to your honor code, as well as how resolute and dedicated you are," Botan revealed. "I suppose I should have told you all this before, but I didn't think you'd care."
Something unreadable flashed through his eyes, prompting her to push him a little further.
"Do you care, Hiei?"
"I don't know," he replied. "But I appreciate your honesty, ferry-girl. Perhaps the fox's plant was good for some things, after all. It's cathartic not having to conceal everything."
She nodded.
"I suppose it would be nice not to be so repressed."
He shot her a pointed look. "You're one to talk."
"I am not repressed!" Botan argued, embarrassment and anger lighting her cheeks.
Hiei remained unaffected by her ire. He simply leaned back against the counter and scoffed lightly. "You ramble on like you are."
Botan's arms fell rigidly at her sides, hands balled up into fists as she frowned. "Well, excuse me for relying on more than grunts and monosyllables to get my point across!"
Hiei smirked. He afforded her nothing more than an upward tilt of his mouth and an amused look in his unguarded eyes, but that was all it took to melt her defenses away.
His features were cast into a softer light, washed underneath the warm rays of sun that drifted through the open window. The fire-demon looked like something out of a dream, with his crimson eyes burning a brighter red and filled with an openness she was unused to. It was almost as if she was seeing him for the very first time and something stirred within her soul. Her traitorous heart skipped a beat when crimson met amethyst.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Hiei asked.
The pull of his gaze, so deep and endless, drew her closer to him. She was surprised to find interest reflected in his eyes, as clear and true as the intrigue building within her with each passing second. The burning need to know him resurfaced once more. She wanted to learn everything, including what in the three worlds could draw a man like him to a woman like her.
The timer on the oven went off, breaking her trance. Reality came crashing back to the ferry-girl and she pushed all further thoughts away. She was being impulsive and silly; allowing her romantic fancies to sweep her away. Hiei wasn't even in his right mind and here she was getting all carried away. It was disgraceful. It was wrong.
She had to put an end to this now.
"I-it's nothing," she lied, moving to grab a pair of oven mitts. Silence hung heavily between them as she retrieved the cake and avoided his gaze. "Anyway, I should probably bring this out. Yukina must be wondering what's taking so long."
Hiei didn't say a word, so she brushed past him and ignored the hammering of her heart against her rib cage.
.
.
.
For the next few hours, Botan felt as though she was walking on a tightrope. Pushing all thoughts of the fire-demon out of her mind, steering all conversations and attentions away from the gigantic sized elephant in the room and putting on the appearance of nonchalance were all weighty feats in and of themselves, and ferry-girl prayed that she wouldn't falter under pressure.
It didn't help that she could practically feel the unspoken questions and remarks from her friends, lingering on the tips of their tongues and waiting to be released.
They were all waiting for something to happen; wondering what might come to pass next.
She could feel the tension, like a tenuous thread close to snapping.
Hiei, on the other hand, appeared unaffected by it all. He didn't seem to care that he dropped a bombshell on all of them, nor did he seem to notice the wreckage left behind in his wake. He carried on like nothing happened, mostly keeping to himself when he could. Eventually, she lost track of him entirely and could only assume he retired back to Makai. He must have reached his fill of social interaction and teasing and she couldn't blame him. The prospect of returning home and forgetting all about this day was pretty tempting, but Botan knew it would be highly suspicious behavior on her part. So, when she was sure no one was paying attention, she slipped away and reentered the temple for another reprieve. She locked herself in the first room she could find, leaning against the door with a deep sigh of relief.
"Hn. Getting a little forward aren't you, woman?"
Amethyst eyes flew open, allowing Botan to fully take in her surroundings. She wasn't paying much attention to where she was going, but it was just her luck that she ended up in the room that Yukina always kept available for Hiei.
The fire-demon was leaning against the adjacent wall, arms folded loosely over his chest. He discarded his cloak somewhere, revealing his signature blue tank top. His mother's hiruiseki stone hung from a chain on his neck, resting in the middle of his chest.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were already in here," Botan said. "I just needed to get away."
The fire-demon's features didn't move from their neutral setting, but the perceptive glint in his eye was new.
"That doesn't seem like you at all, ferry-girl."
"Everyone keeps staring," she muttered. "It's unnerving."
He let out a low sound in agreement. He, of all people, must have known exactly how she felt. Her expression softened, brows drawing closer together in concern.
"How are you holding up?" she asked.
"Fine."
"I hope the others aren't giving you too hard of a time."
"Not any more than you."
Botan blinked, entirely surprised that he managed to notice her plight while he was the one who was undergoing the most scrutiny. A slow smile curled her lips as she took a step closer.
"You really do take in more than you let on, huh?"
"If you're saying that I'm observant, then yes, I suppose so."
"I just didn't think you ever noticed me, is all," she clarified.
His eyes were piercing as they rested on her.
"More than you know."
Her heart shouldn't have skipped a beat, but his words were more flattering than they ought to be. Botan wasn't used to being on the receiving end of anyone's affections for an extended period of time. Sure, she had the short-lived suitor or two, but it never amounted to anything.
Hiei - on the other hand - was nothing like any of the others. He was dark, dangerous and extremely powerful. He was equal parts ruthless and merciful. He was confident and sure. She didn't know what it was that he possibly saw in her, but the need to know returned in full force.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" she asked.
"Because I didn't want you to know."
"And if I wanted to know now? If I asked you to tell me… would you?"
Hiei's red eyes remained on her. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, but his features rested smoothly into an almost pleasant expression. His posture was relaxed, the line of his shoulders softening.
"It's a little unfair, woman."
"What do you mean?"
"You know that I'm inclined to reveal everything until the drug is gone."
Botan's expression fell, her good senses returning to her.
"You're right," she realized, guilt flooding in. "I'm sorry. I should probably go-"
She unlocked the door and moved to slide it open, but Hiei's hand closed around her wrist. His touch was as searing as it was unexpectedly gentle.
"It's fine, woman. I was only being difficult." He released her, leaving a trail of goosebumps in the absence of his touch. "If you want to know, I suppose I should tell you. This will be the only time, after all."
Botan's lips parted as she gaped at him wordlessly. She was beyond surprised that he was willing to comply, considering he'd never been the obedient type for as long as she'd known him. Still, she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. If Hiei wanted to bare it all, then who was she to refuse? The ferry-girl closed her mouth and nodded slowly. "If you really don't mind..."
Hiei pushed his hands in his pockets, looking resigned to his fate.
"You're impulsive, whether that be with your emotions or your life. Always jumping from one emotion to the next and willing to sacrifice yourself for your friends with no thought. You pretend not to be offended by harsh words and offhand comments, but you hurt easily. You care about both humans and demons far too easily and indiscriminately. You're willing to trust anyone, despite their past actions and history. You throw on that cheery demeanor like a second skin, but there are times you wear it out of necessity and obligation rather than because you mean it." He paused, bringing his gaze back to meet hers. "Should I go on?"
Botan shook her head. Her throat was dry and she found it difficult to speak. She looked down at her clasped hands. Hiei really and truly knew her. He noticed the small things she didn't think anyone had bothered to see.
"I wish you would have said something sooner."
"Would it have made a difference?"
"I-I don't know," she replied. "But at the very least we could have been closer, as friends."
"Friends," he echoed, his tone tinged with something she couldn't quite decipher. "You would like that, wouldn't you?"
Botan nodded. "Of course I would!"
"Of course you would," he repeated, in that same strange tone.
Silence blanketed them. Botan could still feel the burn of Hiei's touch on her wrist, the weight of his gaze on her form and the significance of his words floating around in her head. She wondered what he might be like as a lover, if he allowed himself to care that way and give into a relationship. She had a feeling he would be a great partner: reliable, unfailing and strong in both mind and body. There was one thing that nagged at the back of her mind, though. He usually went after the things he desired with an unbreakable determination.
If he knew her so well and liked her for so long, then what was stopping him from at least trying to pursue her?
Why was he holding back, even now, with his inhibitions lowered and desires pulled to the forefront of his mind?
"You're looking at me as though I'm one of those silly puzzles the oaf loves to play," Hiei stated.
"I'm surprised you've been so reserved about it all," she blurted out. "You hardly tried anything with me."
Hiei hesitated. The fact that he did not immediately respond could only mean that he honestly didn't know the answer to her question and Botan instantly regretted saying anything at all. It wasn't her business why Hiei failed to pursue her and it was silly of her to question his actions to begin with.
"Never mind," she replied instead. Botan turned her eyes away from the fire-demon and towards the window instead. She managed to make out a slice of orange sky through the barely parted curtains. "It's almost sundown already. I'm sure the plant's effect must be fading. That's a good thing, right?"
"It's still there."
"Oh."
"You look pleased," he observed as he took a step towards her.
Hiei's expression took a turn for the worst - lips angled upwards and eyes taking on that complacent glow. He only looked that way when he got the upper hand on an opponent.
Botan shook her head, backing up against the door futilely.
"I-I'm not."
"You don't sound too convinced."
"I mean it," she asserted, trying to keep her voice even as Hiei's arms effectively caged her in. "I would never take joy in a dear friend's misery."
"I wouldn't say I'm in misery." He leaned closer, their bodies flush against each other. "And I don't think you are, either."
Botan swallowed thickly. This close, she could feel the heat of his body enveloping hers like a controlled fire. His scent - heady and woodsy and deeply Hiei – was muddling her thoughts and her senses, making it hard to think straight. She found her gaze lowering to his lips and tracing their shape, wondering how they would feel against hers. He smirked and she lifted her gaze back up to his eyes, darkened by desire.
"If you wanted me to make a move, you should have just said so," he continued. "I don't do well with all of this roundabout nonsense."
"Hiei!" she screwed her eyes shut, unable to suffer under the force of his crimson gaze. "We can't-"
He let out a dark chuckle and when she finally opened her eyes, she realized that he backed away from her entirely.
"Relax, woman," he said. "When I finally have you, it'll be because you want me, too."
Her brows shot up behind her bangs as she took in Hiei's roguish expression. The telling glint in his eye, coupled with the amused quirk of his lips could only mean one thing: he was teasing her. The nerve of him - playing around with her emotions like that. Especially after she tried so hard to make things less awkward for him.
"You're terrible, Hiei!" she accused, wasting no time wrenching the door wide open. "A downright menace!"
He was probably watching her with a wicked look in his eyes, but Botan didn't dare look over her shoulder to confirm her suspicions as she skittered away. If she spent any more time with him when he was like this, then she would most certainly run the risk of internally combusting.
She placed a hand over her frantic heart. It must not have been pumping enough blood to her brain, because thoughts of Hiei and what they could be wouldn't leave her mind no matter how hard she tried.
And the only one to blame for it was herself.
Thanks for reading! Please drop a review if you enjoyed it and give your girl some of that sweet, sweet validation.
The next chapter will wrap up this little tale.
See you then!