Fear of Fire

Disclaimer - Don't own YYH.

Chapter 7 - Little Farewell

XxXxX

It had been a month since the incident in the park. Botan had tried to get her life back into the normal routine. She would think of him every now and then when she was alone. However, she knew that moving on was the hardest part. She was currently on her way down to Ningenkai to see Kurama. The kitsune had asked her to meet him at a coffee shop. She saw him standing outside and called to him from her oar. Then she flew into the nearest alleyway and ran to him.

"Hello, Kurama-kun!" He smiled at her before opening the door for her before entering. She selected a table in the far corner where she could gaze out the window. "You wanted to talk?" He nodded.

"Well, this is the only place that I could think of..."

...without giving it away...

He finished the sentence in his mind, not wanting her to know that part. He had finally had enough of the constant nagging in his mind.

"It's fine! I like this place. They have the best coffee, don't you agree?" He nodded absently. The waitress came and they ordered their coffee. "So? Why did you want to talk to me?" He stared at her. She looked very cute with her hair styled in pigtails and dressed in her blue sundress. Her amethyst eyes were shining with fresh curiosity and happiness, something he had not seen for a while.

"I...I..." He cursed himself silently for stammering. She tilted her head to the side. The waitress suddenly appeared with their coffee and cream. He sighed and distracted himself by putting in the perfect amount of sugar and cream.

"Kurama?" Botan had never seen him so nervous. In fact, he was always calm to the point where it made her shiver. He nearly jumped at the sound of his name. He looked up at her and met her gaze before looking instantly away.

Why is this so hard? Just say it!

He paused briefly.

"Botan, I really...like you." He watched her carefully. She stared at him for a moment before a brilliant flush tinted her cheeks.

"Uh..." She bit her lip. Why did she suddenly feel like she was on fire? Her face burned and she could imagine the color resting there. "This...was very unexpected." Her voice trembled.

"I-I know. I should not have kept it in so long but..." He bit his lip. "I will understand if you do not feel the same way."

"N-No, Kurama." She shook her head and gave him a small smile. "I have been thinking about my feelings for you for a while. I cannot say that I return your feelings, exactly..." She saw his face fall. "However, I... I can give it a try. I mean, my feelings for you sort of faded because I thought you didn't love me."

"R-Really?" He asked softly. She nodded.

"Yes." He smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. He hoped that things worked out. And so did Botan.

XxXxX

"Shuuichi! Someone left a note for you in the mailbox!" Shiori called up to her son. He walked down the steps and she handed the envelope to him. He turned and went back up to his room. As he sat in his chair, he opened it carefully before pulling out a folded piece of paper. His eyes scanned the contents...

Kurama,

I have been gone for a month now and I somehow survived with my sanity intact. I never meant for the argument to go that way but it is better if you all hate me. Koenma agreed to let me back into Makai, as long as I promise to take care of things there. I thought to send this letter so that you, being the curious idiot you are, would keep your nose out of trouble. I am warning you now, fox, do not tell the baka ferry onna. She is better off being angry and hating me. To get to the point, I want you to forget about me ever coming back. I feel that it is better for a demon like me to remain in isolation or at least where I can be around my own kind. I will consider this a farewell letter and you should, as well. With this letter, I send you something from our past together. I don't need you to go completely insane on me for this, either. Yes, I did hold on to it. Anyway, I need to stop writing before my hand begins to hurt or I burn the pen and paper.

Hiei

Kurama stared at it for a long time. Hiei had neat handwriting... He then picked up the envelope and looked inside. He pulled out a necklace with a ruby gem cut into the shape of a rose. He remembered it, too. He had given it to Hiei at their last farewell, when they believed that it was the last they would see of each other, and now the koorime was returning it with his own good bye.

Hiei...

He remembered the look on Botan's face at the park that day. She cared about him and he wanted her to hate him.

She doesn't hate him and she never will.

He wondered what had caused their fight. He wondered how it had come to this. But, he knew, he could not pry for answers without hurting Botan. He wanted to know, though. He needed to find out what had finally pushed the koorime over the edge.

...And there was only one way to find out.

XxXxX

Botan hummed a soft tune as she went through her mail at her apartment.

Bill...bill...bill...advertisement...unmarked envelope...advertisement...b-

"What?" She wondered out loud as she looked at the white envelope. She heard something move inside and opened it, pouring the contents into her hand. A light blue gem on a chain rested there. She stared closely at it before letting out a cry. Tears blurred her vision and she clenched it in her hand, realizing just who it belonged to. "Hiei..." She pulled it up to meet her gaze. It had to be the one that he wore before...the one that the woman gave him...the one that represented his promise of revenge. A knock at the door startled her and she tucked it in her pocket before gathering herself and answering it. "K-Kurama?" He took one look at her expression before raising a brow.

"What happened?"

"Oh! Uh..." She shook her head. "You just startled me! I was reading a very depressing book. Anyway, what is it?" He sighed before taking out a piece of paper and handing it to her. She backed away from the door and he entered, closing it behind him. He noticed an envelope on the floor and picked it up. A small slip of paper was inside and it smelled of cinnamon... He took it out and saw two words in Hiei's handwriting.

My apology.

He smiled slightly.

Hiei, you liar. You cannot stand to think that Botan would be upset at you.

He frowned then. How would she know who had sent it?

"Botan? Did you receive something from Hiei?" She looked up at him when she finished reading before pulling out the Hiruiseki Stone. The kitsune's face lost its color. "He..." Then, suddenly, he knew why Hiei had done what he did. He had forced himself to hate Botan since he saw her as a potential mate. He had known how Kurama had felt about her.

I caused this. Hiei, I should murder you.

Botan stared at him with a slight frown before touching his face gently. He jumped before backing away from her.

"Are you okay?" She asked; her voice weak and shaky.

"Yes." He said quickly. "I will be fine. Here. This was in your envelope." She took it and handed him back his own letter.

"I wish he never left. It's my fault." The first tear he had seen since the day at the park rolled down her face. She held a look of agony on her face. "Why did he leave, Kurama? Why?" Then she looked up at him. "What did he give you?" He held out the ruby rose.

"I gave it to him back when I thought that I would never see him again." She turned around and walked to the couch before sitting down stiffly.

Hiei is in Makai. I can find him. I can go there and tell him what an idiot he is.

She smiled slightly at the comforting thought.

"Botan, don't go. I will. I know why he left and I think that I can get him to come back." It was killing Kurama to know that she was hurting and it was his fault. "Koenma will let me." She turned and looked at him. He saw hope shining in her eyes.

"You... You will?" He nodded before going to the door and walking out. He was going to get the koorime back. However, he would need some help...

XxXxX

"Sure, Kurama." She grinned wickedly. "I'd love to help out."

"Thank you." Kurama knew that she was the greatest chance he had of finding his friend. She did, after all, have a pretty good sixth sense. She then smiled knowingly.

"You're doing this for B-chan, aren't you?" He nodded.

"Both her and for Hiei. He gave her his necklace with a Hiruiseki Stone on it... It was the same necklace that he wore when I first met him; when he was still thinking of seeking revenge on the ice koorimes." She clapped him on the back.

"Don't worry, Red. We'll get him."

"I cannot thank you enough, Shizuru."

XxXxX

I guess that was a rather short chapter. However, there is much more to this idea than just this.

Please review and tell me how I did!