Fear of Fire

Disclaimer - Don't own YYH.

Chapter 17 - Realizations

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"Yuusuke?" Botan stood outside Yuusuke's apartment door, knocking and calling out to him. The door opened and she found Kurama standing there. He pulled her inside quickly and barely gave her time to slide her shoes off before leading her to the detective's bedroom. "Kurama, what's going on?" She stared at him with wide eyes as he gave her a look. As soon as she was inside the bedroom, she understood what was happening. Yuusuke was guarding Hiei, who was sitting on the bed, looking so irate that she wouldn't be surprised if he blew the apartment complex sky-high.

"We were trying to figure out what was going on. I got a really bad feeling a few days ago and I was wondering what it was." Kurama gently pushed her over to the bed so that she was sitting next to Hiei. She opened her mouth to tell him that she had been in Reikai spending time with a few tons of paper when he interrupted her. "And I want the truth. I talked to Koenma and not even he knew what was going on."

"Hiei, did you-" The koorime gave her a murderous stare that meant something like: 'of course not, you idiotic twit'. She almost breathed a sigh of relief but didn't dare. It was then that Kurama noticed the mark on her throat.

"Why don't you start with that?" Yuusuke nearly would've flipped out on Hiei if Kurama didn't restrain him.

"What did you do to her, you little-" Hiei's katana was drawn and his eyes were narrowed dangerously. He stood there calmly, his dark eyes swirling with distaste and infuriation.

"How dare you wrongly accuse me of bringing harm to the ferry onna?" Though, if Yuusuke knew the story, he still would've blamed it all on the koorime. Kurama could tell that Hiei was edgy and partly guilty. He could sense it all swirling together in the koorime's Reiki.

"Were you cause of her injury, Hiei?" The kitsune asked as he let go of Yuusuke's arms. Botan sat stiffly on the bed, staring hard at all three of them. She looked like she was about to freak out.

"Why are you accusing Hiei, of all people? He's always protected me and saved me from harm. Don't you dare stand there and ask him if he hurt me. Why don't you ask me what happened this time?" Hiei looked back at her, a warning etched deep in his dark eyes. She calmly returned his stare, fully intending to tell them the story to get him off the hook.

"They are my personal affairs, onna. Don't you dare breathe a word." She could fully understand that she would be put on the top of his hit list if she broke the unspoken promise of his privacy. He had trusted her enough to let her in on quite a few things so... However, the point was that she was never a very good liar so she had to make up a perfectly believable lie that was partly truthful.

"We went to Makai because Hiei had some...unfinished business and he needed me to get him there. On our way back, we got ambushed and he couldn't protect me and fight at the same time so...that's how I got these injuries." She stood up, a deep frown on her face. "You could try to trust us more, okay?"

"Botan, that doesn't explain-" Yuusuke started but Kurama mutely shook his head. He gave the two an apologetic smile before letting them both leave. "Kurama, she was lying about the ambush. Even I could tell. What the hell is your problem?" The kitsune sat down on the bed. He was silent for a while, staring at the door.

"She told me more than enough, Yuusuke." Yuusuke noticed suddenly that there were amber specks in his eyes. The look nearly gave him the chills. "I will have to talk to her alone, when Hiei is not around."

"She was obviously protecting his right to privacy. I don't think she'll tattle on him for you." The detective sounded pretty wise just then. "Let it go."

"No, Yuusuke. That night was a full moon. And feelings like that only used to occur on nights when sacrifices were made. Makai still holds onto beliefs and there are still less harmful ceremonies... But that night was different. A true sacrificial ceremony was going on. Something tells me that someone wanted to use Botan because of her purity. The mark on her neck was proof enough." The kitsune's eyes narrowed and the emerald began fading even more. His voice grew deeper.

"Cut it out, Kurama." Yuusuke's voice brought him back to normal. "So...maybe they did get ambushed and someone tried to do one of those ceremony things."

"This wasn't random, you idiot. The timing was too precise. Ceremonies last for days and the sacrifice is offered at midnight of the last day." He sighed and shook his head. The detective looked indignant at being called an idiot. "Hiei's unfinished business...had to be with...him..."

"Who?" Kurama didn't answer but stood up and said his good byes to his friend. "Tell me what really happened after you talk to Hiei, all right?"

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"Kurama knows now, baka onna." Hiei stated quietly. "He must have figured out that a sacrificial ceremony was taking place. All demons know about those damn things. But you gave him a hint with that wording of yours. Unfinished business. Why didn't you just tell him? You can't even lie." Botan turned around and glared at him.

"Of course I can't lie! It isn't right to lie." He snorted and turned his gaze away from her. With a frustrated noise, she reached up to unclasp the necklace he had lent to her. "Anyway, you stubborn idiot, this belongs to you. I don't want to keep it from you any longer." She held it out to him, noticing the color of it.

"It does not belong to me anymore, onna." He shoved her hand away. "I gave my blood to you as protection and that's what changed it. Hiruiseki stones are strange and hold powers all their own. It protected you for me after I gave you my blood." The glittering crimson stone no longer felt icy to her. She had noticed a certain warmth to it. "It is yours to keep now." He was about to take off when she grabbed his hand. "What now?"

"I want you...to come with me. You probably haven't eaten a thing since you got back. And I could sort of say the same." He gave her an annoyed look. "Please? It's the least I could do to repay you for what you did for me." He pulled himself away from her suddenly. She stumbled from the force he used to rip his hand away from her.

It seemed almost like... I burned him...

"I did nothing for you, fool." He vanished from her sight, leaving her standing there staring at nothing. She sighed before beginning her way back to her apartment to eat alone.

There is no one in the Three Worlds more confusing than Hiei... What did he mean when he said that he did nothing? Didn't he say that he gave his blood to protect me? Hiei...what is it now that separates us?

She was almost home when a voice stopped her. At first, the words were distorted and she couldn't understand them. She whirled around to find herself facing Kurama. He had his arms behind his back, his eyes calm and cold as he stared at her. A frown forced its way onto her face and an indignant look brightened her eyes.

"What is it?" She spoke only out of discomfort. It was beginning to well inside of her body at the intensity of Kurama's gaze. After all, the kitsune appeared somewhat less patient. "I would like to eat something before my stomach dries up." The dry humor that she tried to use appeared to have little successfulness. He merely gestured that she continue on her way. Things had been tense around the two of them ever since they broke it off. They had hardly spoken at all, in fact. She began her way back to her apartment, fully aware of the stoic sentry that was Kurama.

Botan sat down at her table after setting a plate of food in front of her companion. He wasn't acting like himself, that was for certain. It had passed all levels of comfort to have him in her apartment when they were alone. Somehow, it just didn't seem right to her.

"What is this about?" She asked in defeat. Her expression turned solemn. "You're acting like you're upset at me. What did I do that was so wrong?" Kurama finally looked her in the eye, having avoided it since they'd arrived.

"You were nearly sacrificed, weren't you?" She looked down at her food, wanting to finish her meal without having to think about the incident. However, it was a major stepping stone in her relationship with Hiei. But now, it seemed like nothing had happened. Things were back to as they were before the test.

"Why are you asking me about this? Is it because you know that I can't completely lie? Or is it something else?" He didn't answer, only continued to watch her with impassive emerald eyes. "Are you blaming me for something?"

"Nothing like that, Botan. Hiei is definitely different and I want to know why. You were with him, there had to be a reason." She frowned. "I am just concerned for him. He seems quite comfortable around you and I was thinking that something happened to change him..." His voice trailed off as he watched her. Her eyes began to shine with tears and her body began to tremble. She looked up at him with a guilt-ridden expression.

"He was consumed with hatred for his father when he battled him. He withdrew again after he found out Eien's true intentions for the ceremony. He was going to make Hiei sacrifice me..." She pulled out the Hiruiseki stone and closed her fist around it to help calm herself down. "He won't tell me anything more and he...seemed so upset at me." Hiei's earlier guilt and the story began to fall into place in the kitsune's mind. Hiei had taken Botan with him because he wanted someone there, obviously. "I don't want him to be angry with me..." Kurama stood up so fast that his chair fell backwards. He pulled her up, a joyous expression on his face.

"I understand it now." He pulled her to him and held her with such intensity that she grew confused. "Hiei is not angry with you. He is merely guilty that he let something like that happen to you. He wanted you there because he wanted your comfort and support. You were the obvious candidate because he knew you would give him both with unquestionable loyalty. He has always been difficult but honorable. He now feels as though he did you a great injustice. You have to talk to him." She wrapped her arms around him, realizing how much she had missed the warmth of an embrace. The lulling scent of roses calmed her raging emotions, just as much as the brilliant kitsune's explanation. "He feels something for you... I am certain of it..." She froze. Kurama's voice had...sounded so sad.

"Kurama..." She looked up at him, hesitant at first. He looked away from her, not confident enough to meet her gaze. "Kurama, what are you trying to say to me?"

"Do you love him?" The question hit her full on. She had never expected him to question her about it. His emerald eyes finally met with hers. The look she saw made her back away from him. The warm moment they had shared was completely shattered. "Well? Are you planning to answer me?"

"Why?" Her voice was quiet. Kurama turned around. He began walking toward her living room, toward the exit of her apartment. "Kurama! Tell me." She watched as he merely paused in his steps.

"You and Hiei are my friends. I just do not want to see either of you hurt. What kind of friend would I be if I did not care?" His cold voice made chills run down her spine. Was he...regretting something? "At any rate, thank you for clearing things up for me. I hope we can speak again soon. Perhaps the others would like to go out again... You should bring Hiei next time."

"Yes..." He stopped walking completely. His eyes were wide as he turned to look at her. Her small hands were clenched into fists at her sides and her eyes were narrowed. "I love him. I am willing to do anything he asks of me. I hope that this time, I will not need to suffer from loneliness." Her gaze hardened. "I will not let him go. My feelings for him will never fade, Kurama. I could never hurt him. This time, it is real." He smiled at her and, though it was small, she realized that it was a blessing. He turned around again and left, this time unhindered. She fell to her knees, the realization of her words and the reality of her situation finally becoming clear.

I love him...more than anyone else. Hiei...how can I show it to you?

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So, did you all like the chapter? Kind of short, I know but I figured that I should get it out soon. Botan finally realized exactly what Hiei means to her! How much more complicated will things get? Did Kurama purposely bait her to her realization? Well, I guess that you can all find out next chapter.

I know you probably don't care to read my problems but I've been working so much and it's been all mornings...so I haven't had much opportunity to write. I am closer, however, to getting my own beautiful computer. Anyway, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Please review!