Fear of Fire

Disclaimer - Don't own YYH.

Chapter 2 - What? Truce?

The two ate in complete silence. No words were passed between them. Botan was thinking about the truce she wanted to call. Hiei was thinking about how nice it was that it was silent. Finally, Botan had enough of the awkwardness. She dropped her fork on her plate to catch his attention. He looked up and raised a brow.

"Hiei, I want to... I want to call a truce." He stared at her.

"What? Truce?" She nodded.

"I want to put all misgivings behind us so that we can at least tolerate each other. If we do call a truce, we have to at least act friendly around each other and stop pointless fighting. Also meaning that we do not take our anger out on each other."

"Hn."

"What is that supposed to mean?" She frowned.

"Nice speech." He smirked. "But to call a truce, you have to have the other person's agreement."

"That's what I'm asking!" She stated loudly, narrowing her amethyst eyes at him. "Please do this, Hiei... I can't stand it when we fight."

"Why not, onna?" He asked with a sneer. "Our last fight getting to you?" In fact, it was getting to both of them.

"If you don't want the truce, then we can continue to have fights like that. If it's truly what you want, then you can have it." He looked thoughtful for a minute.

"Let me think about it more." She knew that in that last fight, she hit his soft spots. Yes, spots. He had more than one. However, she wasn't proud of herself. In fact, she could do better when they were getting along.

"Okay." She answered softly.

I don't know... A truce with the hyperactive ferry onna? It sounds like some sort of sinister trap. But why would she tell me that she couldn't stand our fighting? I thought it was quite fun to make her angry. Until she hurled that subject of Yukina and my training at me. I will admit, she did catch me off-guard. I need to watch myself around her. Perhaps she is smarter than I thought. She knows too much about me already...

-Flashback-

"Hiei?" Botan called. Hiei looked up at her and raised a brow. What did she want now?

"What do you want, baka onna?" He asked bluntly.

"We have a little meeting..."

"Well, then, why don't you go to it and leave me alone?" She frowned.

"You have to go, too." He shook his head. "Yes, you do! You've skipped out the last two and I let them slide!"

"Why not make it a third?"

"Why don't you want to go? After all, it isn't like we have a mission."

"Then why have a stupid little meeting?"

"To keep you guys up to date with the activities of possible foes." She stated. "And besides, Yuusuke wants you to come."

"So what? Do you think that matters?"

"What is this, twenty questions?" She appeared annoyed. "I thought you wanted to protect Yukina." He froze and gave her a look.

"Repeat that. I dare you." He snarled. She smirked.

"Why? Didn't you hear me? Or maybe you wanted to train and become stronger to get better than Yuusuke and improve your chances of protecting your beloved sister? Maybe you want to increase your strength enough to overpower everyone who stands in your way in going back to Makai? I'm sorry I interrupted." He lunged at her and pinned her to the tree, his crimson eyes blazing.

"You're asking me to cut your throat, onna."

"Go ahead. I dare you. You know what would happen if you did."

"Yes, I would be rid of your annoying, irritating antics and your loud mouth." She stared at him. "Do you honestly believe that I can stand you? Hardly. It takes all of my will power and control to keep from killing you. I can hardly stand to be within five feet of you!"

-End Flashback-

Hiei whirled around and slashed his sword, sweat beginning to bead on the sides of his face. He had been going at it now for about three hours. Botan was busy reading after finishing some paperwork from Reikai. To be honest, she didn't mind this. She glanced up to watch him every now and then. He was getting better. And he trained willingly. In fact, training was what he seemed to want to do. He only ate and slept out of necessity.

What a routine. I wouldn't be able to keep up with him. There is no way. Even Yuusuke wouldn't be able to train this long. I wonder if Kurama does it.

She looked at her watch. It was only about 5:30. She would stop him in a half-hour.

I wonder why he has such strenuous hours for himself. Pushing himself so hard isn't good for him. But it isn't like I'm stupid enough to interfere. I never noticed how devoted he was to his strength and build. His power is increasing steadily each day. How does he train himself for the Dragon of the Darkness Flame? It must be painful for him. When he had those burns...I could see it every day. He didn't show it easily but I could catch glimpses of pain in his eyes. Why is he trying to hide from us? We'll be together for a while so why doesn't he open up? Does it have something to do with his past? He is very distrusting. But Kurama seemed to have gotten close enough to him to know him in ways no one ever has before. Somehow, Kurama found a way past his barriers. Well, I guess being a thief really worked out for him, then. He knew how to get past the best defenses... I don't know... Do I want to know him that well? I may want to know why he is so cold-blooded but...do I want to delve that deep?

She didn't realize that she was staring at him with curiousness in her eyes or that he noticed. Pain surfaced on her expression for a moment before she tore her gaze away and looked at her watch.

"Oh, my. It's 6:15. We should be heading back for dinner." Hiei was curious as to why she had stared at him like that. She stood up and picked up his cloak, her eyes on him for a moment before she turned away. He blinked. Why was she acting so strangely? She was usually louder than this. And more annoying. He just shook his head and sheathed his katana. How stupid. The walk was silent. And it wasn't the kind of silence that Hiei liked. It was awkward beyond belief. He wanted to ask why she had stared at him like that and what she was thinking about.

Stupid onna. Always finding some way to irritate me.

"We should hurry. It looks like it's going to rain." Her voice was low, concealed behind an emotionless tone.

"Hn." Was the only reply. At least he had heard her. When they got in, Botan closed the door behind them and locked it, taking her shoes off.

"I'll start. How does ramen sound?" He just nodded. The phone rang a moment later, nearly killing his hearing and making him deaf. She answered it and he made a face at who was on the other end. "Kurama? How are you?"

"I was just wondering how things were going. I haven't seen Hiei at all, so he must be preoccupied. He usually comes by for at least an hour to talk with me."

"He was training today." She answered. "For about three and a half hours."

"Oh." Hiei went to the couch and sat down. He didn't yet know where he was supposed to sleep so he would have to hear the conversation.

"We just got in."

"You went with him?"

"Yeah." They spoke a few more words then said good bye and hung up. "Now, to start dinner. I take it that you've used a TV before? Well, just try to find something on." She left the room and he stared at the doorway for a few minutes.

What was she thinking of that she stared at me for so long? And why the hell is it bothering me? I can't seem to help thinking about the painful look in her eyes just before she looked away. Hn. How irritating. I guess I'll find something stupid on the TV... I don't see why ningens bother watching other ningens 'act.' Some of them sound like they're reading straight from a paper.

After he flipped about twenty channels, Botan called him into the kitchen. He felt irritated. He hated being confused. It usually gave him a headache.

"You okay?" She asked, raising a brow at him. She seemed to have gotten over her 'mood' and was back to smiling. Grand.

"I'm fine, onna." He scowled. She gave him a frown and sat down, shoving her bowl away a little.

"What's the problem? If we're going to be together all week long, we can at least try to get along." He sat down, his eyes narrowing.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Why? You're just afraid to open up to someone, aren't you?"

"Onna, don't start with me." She slammed her hand down on the table and stood up, her chair making a grinding noise as it slid back.

"I'm trying to help you, Hiei. I just want to know what's wrong."

"Well, I don't want to tell you." He scowled. "You're being annoying, by the way." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I don't care! This has gone on long enough."

"Has it? I don't think so." He stood back up and walked out of the room. She followed him.

"Don't walk out on me!"

"I don't take orders, wench." He made sure to slam the door on his way out. She sighed and went to the couch, falling back on it.

Why did I even bother? Now he's pissed off at me and I have no idea what-so-ever as to where he's gone. I know I can find him...but do I want to? I think I'll let him cool off a little first. I'll go in an hour.

Despite not knowing where he'd gone, Botan knew where he would be. She approached his usual training spot on her oar. She had let it go for two hours, just to make sure she kept her life. Why did they constantly argue? She figured it was because they were so different.

He has an obsession with training and his sister. I'm not a fighter and I don't have any siblings. He is a cold-blooded killer and I'm 'cheerful.' Those are reasons enough not to get along, not to mention that he's a demon who hates ningens and I'm a ningen spirit. Hoo boy, we're practically on each other's hate lists for life.

As much as she disliked him, she found some good qualities in him, as well.

I like that he's loyal. He wouldn't betray someone in the field of battle or a team member or a partner. And he isn't exactly heartless, though it may seem like it. He does love Yukina. That means that he's capable of loving others, given the chance, right? And he's not a quitter...

Her thoughts sort of faded as she stared down at him, training twice as hard as he was that afternoon.

"Hiei..." There was so much mystery to him that one didn't know where to start if they wanted to find out about him. But, she did. "Kurama can help." And she flew off to find the one person who could answer most of her questions.

"Kurama?" She knocked on his window, desperate for anything she could learn on the cold koorime.

"Botan, what are you doing here?" The kitsune looked positively curious to know. She smiled and flew inside.

"I came to ask some questions that I hope you might be able to answer." He tilted his head to the side and raised a brow. "They're about Hiei." He understood.

"What can I hope to tell you?" He asked, taking a seat at his desk while she sat on his bed.

"Well, I was wondering why he's so easy to anger, to begin with."

"I don't know, to be truly honest with you. He's always had a short fuse." The kitsune wondered what else she had to ask.

"What about his past? I mean, we had a fight today and I was wondering why he never opens up to anyone, why he's so cold and hard-hearted." She frowned. "He didn't seem angry until I asked him what was wrong."

"Let me guess, you tried to 'help' him." She nodded and he sighed, leaning back in his chair. "He's been abandoned before, of that I'm sure. No one really knows of his past except for himself. He often says little bits and pieces and that's how I figured that he's been betrayed. It isn't hard to get hurt when you're young and alone, you know." He paused. "Don't bring it up that I've told you anything, understand? Then I'll be up to here in debts only to be paid in ice cream." She smiled and nodded again.

"If it slips, I'll even help you pay for it."

"Deal." He grinned. "Anyway, that's about all I've ever heard of betrayal. I don't know who did it or why but I know for certain that it happened."

"What does he do when offered the choice of a truce?"

"What? Truce?" He blinked. "You offered him a truce?"

"With a few boundaries. All I asked was that we try to get along and that we shouldn't take our anger out on each other. Just so this week will be bearable for both of us."

"I don't know. That has never been brought up in my presence before." He thought for a moment. "What did he say, exactly?"

"He told me that he wanted to think about it more." She responded, remembering their conversation. He stared at her.

"That he would even consider it is beyond me. I know he doesn't hate you but he finds you a tad bit irritating. It's just his nature to reject others that never seem to be sad or depressed." He looked at the wall for a moment. "He needs time to adjust to people. We fought a lot in the beginning. That was when I learned what ticked him off the most and the subjects that were landmines. But, as time passed, he learned to trust me more, though he still told me little about his shadowed past. I think, in his mind, he wants to be rid of the memories." She stared at Kurama thoughtfully.

If what he says is true, then most of what I've been asking are landmines that I should really avoid. Hiei is pretty complicated. Even more so than I thought before.

"So, if I were to bring something that was a landmine up, would he threaten to kill me?"

"Yes, on some circumstances." He answered. "He's done that to me several times, though I know they're empty threats. As I said before, he doesn't like to trust someone unless he knows them for a long while."

"But-"

"Don't worry about it, Botan. If I know Hiei, he'll cool down. He's used to getting angry with Kuwabara hitting on Yukina."

"But...I've never seen him like that. Not our most recent fight but the one before it." She sighed. "It's been over two hours." She stood and summoned her oar. He frowned and stood up as well.

"Just be patient with him, okay?"

"I will. Thanks a lot, Kurama-kun." She smiled and gave him a quick hug before hopping on her oar and speeding off.

Hn... The ferry onna hasn't come for me yet. Strange. I thought she'd follow me.

Hiei smirked in pleasure as he sat in his tree. His eyelids began to get heavy as darkness spread throughout the sky and stars appeared in their small, white radiance...

"Hiei?" As if in a daze, he opened his eyes. "Hiei, wake up. It's me, Botan." He stared at her coldly for a moment.

"I knew it was you, baka onna." He rubbed his eyes.

"I'm really sorry for earlier." She whispered, hope shining in her eyes. He sighed and closed his eyes.

"It's fine." She smiled.

"Let me make it up to you. How does ice cream cones and a ride sound?" He opened his eyes and raised a brow. Actually, it did sound nice.

"All right." She brightened and decided to keep useless chatter at a low and some things about herself to get started on a conversation. He got on the oar behind her and held tightly onto it, instead of her, for which she was grateful. With a secretive smile, she flew slowly up.

"It is a nice warm night, isn't it?"

"Hn." She counted to ten in her mind to suppress the agitation at that word. Though, in his mind, he agreed with her.

"I remember when I wasn't ferrying souls on a night like this, I would take a slow ride and just stare up at the stars. It's amazing how Ningenkai got something so beautiful and yet, in Reikai, night is pitch black to the point where you can't see anything." Hiei looked at her when she turned to smile at him. "I remember all the ferry girls talking about it when I first began."

"First began what?"

"Ferrying souls. I remember how hard it was carting their crying souls to Reikai. But I was able to mask it and help cheer them up with a cheerful facade. I remember the first night when I cried myself to sleep, remembering and feeling their pain." He blinked. "I know demons can sense emotions well. Have you ever sensed one so strong that you could feel it overwhelm you?" To her surprise, he nodded.

"When I was younger and still in Makai..." He looked up at the stars, taking in the sight with his crimson orbs. "Yukina's emotions always overwhelmed me. They were so strong." She smiled slightly. How nice it was to have a conversation like this with him. She gave out a light laugh.

"I am a little jealous of her."

"Who? My sister?" Hiei blinked. Botan nodded and swung her legs a little, looking down at all of the twinkling lights from the city.

"She has two guys who really care about her. One, though, she doesn't know his true identity. And the other, she doesn't really understand. I've never even had one guy care about me like that...like either of you. I sort of want that." He stared at her. It was only then that he caught Kurama's scent on her.

"You went to Kurama." She blinked and looked over at him.

"Yeah." She admitted softly. "I went to him for advice."

"And?"

"I got it." She smiled faintly. "From now on, I'm going to be less irritating to you. All he told me was that you found me a tad bit irritating. I'm sorry. I really didn't know what you thought of me. I wasn't sure because I thought you hated me." He smirked at her.

"Of course I hate you." She frowned and narrowed her eyes at him.

"You do not."

"Don't flatter yourself, onna."

"Grrr..." She growled.

And so ends the second chapter of Fear of Fire! n.n Please review.