Chapter 7

A half hour later the two stepped out of the woods and onto the lodge parking lot. "Hn," Hiei said, putting his hands in his pockets as he looked around himself then up at the building. "Looks like it wasn't as far away as I thought."

Botan looked at him sharply. "So you lied?" she demanded, folding her arms and glaring at him, her eyes accusing. "I bet you did. I bet you just said we were very far away so we could end up in that cave and be stuck in a compromising situation."

Hiei glared back. He couldn't believe the things she was accusing him of. Did she really think he would stoop that low? He had half a mind to kill her then but something held him back. Instead he defended himself. "I did not!" he growled. "Stupid onna. How was I suppost to know that would happen?"

"I don't know," she said huffily. "But you have ways..."

He glared at her a little longer then looked away. Who does she think I am? That fool Yusuke?! "Well we're here," he said, walking away from her, not wanting to be accusded of anything else. "And since we are I'm not going to waste anymore of my time arguing with you!"

Botan followed a few steps behind him, her face turned down in a deep scowl. Jerk, she thought. I bet he had planned this. I wouldn't put it past him. she thought about that a moment as she watched his black covered back and realized... it didn't fit him at all. Then again, he has some respect for girls. He's no pervert like Yusuke. Maybe he isn't lying after alll...

By then the two reached the lobby entrance. As Hiei opened the door and he and Botan stepped in at the same time and onna heard a gasp and looked up. She saw Keiko running toward them, her face full of shock and relief.

"Botan! Hiei!" she exclaiumed, hugging Botan but not Hiei since she knew he didn't like to be touched. "I'm glad you're both okay! We were so worried!"

"You didn't have to be," Botan told her. "We're okay. We're fine."

Keiko nodded as she let her friend go and then looked at Hiei who by then was a few feet away, looking over his shoulder, watching. "I'm glad you're okay," she said to him.

"Hn," he turned from her and walked away. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm not a stupid onna that skis in the middle of a blizzard. If I hadn't of followed her she'd be buried under an avalanche by now..."

Keiko seemed startled at his answer. "Well I'm glad you helped Botan," she said slightly taken aback and at a loss for the right words.

He didn't stop or look back at them again. He just stepped into the elevator and let the doors close behind him.

"What's with him?" Keiko asked, turning to Botan. "Did something happen between you two or something?"

"Oh no!" Botan exclaimed, her face turning red. "It's nothing like that!"

Keiko rasied an eyebrow. "Oh really?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. I find that hard to believe. Something's up isn't it?
Botan couldn't hear Keiko's thoughts. She just answered her friend's question. "Really," she insisted. She quickly pushed past her friend. "I uh have to get a shower and change. See ya later, Keiko!"

Keiko watched her friend dash into the elevator, almost knocking the couple over who was stepping out. The brown haired girl folded her arms thoughtfully as the doors closed behind her friend. Something's up all right. I was only joking! Could something have happened between them after all? Hmm... I wonder...

Botan leaned against the wall in the elevator, panting with her hand over her heart. Oh my god! she thought. Keiko almost guessed what happened! Oh, I'm going to get Hiei for this!

The door opened and she dashed out of the elevator and down the hall to her room. She hoped no one was in there so she could just get her shower and be done with it without questions. She didn't think she'd be able to keep her mouth shut about the detail if someone was in there and asked questions. Oh God, please let the room be empty, she prayed.

Too bad for her that prayer wasn't about to be answered. The second she stepped into the room she spotted Shizuru and Yukina sitting on the couch looking worried. When they heard her come in they looked up and relief crossed their faces.

"Botan!" Yukina exclaimed, when she saw her friend. She and Shizuru got up and walked toward her. "We're so glad you made it back! How's Mr. Hiei?"

"Well Ummm... he's fine..." Botan said backing away from them. She looked around for a way of escape. She spotted the bathroom door hanging wide open. "I'm glad to be back too but.. um.." she edged toward that open door. "I need to take a shower now. I'll tell you what happened later. Okay?"

"Botan," Shizuzru began, noticng how strange the blue haired girl was acting.

The blue haired girl broke into a run. "I'm real dirty!" she called, trying to laugh. "You wouldn't want to get too close. You really don't want to smell me!" she reached the bathroom door and clambered inside then she closed and locked the door behind her. Now her friends wouldn't be able to get in.

The onna sighed in relief and turned on the shower. She got undressed and climbed in. As she let the water spray her body she realized she hadn't really been joking. She might not have really been dirty but she felt like it.

Outside the bathroom Yukina cast Shizuru a worried look. "Botan was acting funny," she said. "Do you think something happened to her yesterday when she went to the mountain?"

Hiei happened... the brown haired girl didn't say. She knew he'd gone after the onna. She didn't feel like telling his sister that. She just shrugged. "I don't know, kid," she said as she took a drag of her cigarette. "But whatever it is, we'll find out. Don't worry about it."

Hiei entered the room he was sharing with the other boys and was immediately confronted by them. If almost seemed as if they had been waiting for him to get back so they could pounce on him.

"So you've finally returned," Yusuke said, walking toward the demon. His face showed relief and curiousity. "That's good. How's Botan?"

"Like always," Hiei replied, not really wanting to be part of this conversation. "Happy..." Well not as happy as she should be.

"Oh really?" the ex spirit detective said, giving Hiei a searching look. "What reason would she have to be happy now?" he drapped an arm over the smaller youth's shoulder. "Did you and Botan... do anything by any chance?"

Hiei glared up at the idiot in annoyance. Leave it to Yusuke to assume that. "Hn," he said, shoving Yusuke's arm off his shoulders. "Like I'd tell you!"

"So you did do something!" Yusuke said triumphantly.

Hiei's face reddened slightly. "I never said that!" he growled.

"The why's your face all red?" the raven haired boy prompted.

"None of your business!" the demon pushed past Yusuke. "Why don't you think about something else for once? Like your own life! That pathetic thing has been in need of attention for quite awhile!"

Kuwabara cracked up. "I guess he told you, Yurameshi!"
Hiei glared at the carrot top. "What are you laughing about?" he demanded. "Your life is no better!"

Kuwabara stopped laughing and glared at the short demon. "What do you know, you little shrimp?" he snapped.

Hiei smirked. "Hn. More than you'll ever know." then he turned away from them and went into his room, slamming his door behind him.

"Well," Kurama said after a moment. "Looks like he told you two off."

"Shut up, fox," Kuwabara shouted at him. "That smart aleck little punk-"

"Forget it Kuwabara," Yusuke said. "Hiei's lible to win if you pick a fight with him."

"I wasn't going to pick a fight with him," the carrot top protested, feeling offended. "I was going to-"

"Forget it," Yusuke said again. "I have a feeling our little friend has something on his mind right now. Something female."

"Female?" Kuwabara asked, confused. "You mean he's-"

"No!" Yusuke said knowing exactly what he was implying. "Not that. I mean he's thinking about a girl."

"A girl?" the carrot top asked, looking over at the closed bedroom door. "Hiei?"

Kurama and Yusuke shrugged. "Stranger things have happened," they said as one.

Hiei heard the boys whole conversation through the door and didn't like it one bit. Those idiots could think what they wanted but he knew they were wrong.

That fool Yusuke has no respect for women, he thought as he took off his cloak. He's got no respect for me either. Thinking such things. Who does he think I am? Then he had to stop himself and give it some thought. he knew what Yusuke had been insinuating and he knew he was right for once. The fire demon didn't know why that thing had happened but it had and there was no going back. He and the baka onna had done the one thing he never thought about doing with anyone and they didn't even remember it. How did it happen anyway? he wondered as he sat down on his bed. I just hope the onna doesn't open her big moth and tell someone about it!

A/N

Well I changed a few things than I had originally written because they were confusing. I hope this makes sense to you. Don't worry they'll remember what happened later. I wrote the rest of this story on paper so I know what's happening next. I wonder.. How many of you do that with your stories. (Write them down on paper first I mean)