Not Okay : Friend or Foe?

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. For some reason, fanfiction isn't letting me get documents in, so if it lasts longer, that is why I didn't update a few stories. Just getting that out there. Anyway, things are looking very bad for our favorite Koorime and fire demon hybrid. Read and Review!

I

Hiei knew that Botan's oar could not outrun the Rekai Tentei. It could keep up with them at best. He heard her breathing quicken, and he saw the muscles in her legs jump and spasm. Hiei opened his Jagan. He saw the Rekai Tentei standing just outside of the hotel.

The brat Prince was screaming at Yusuke. Kuwabara kept on squinting into the distance like a baka. The kitsune... he was... he was... it looked like he was sick. Hiei growled. What the fuck are they doing, just standing around like morons? Come and get me!

That was when they started to move. They were coming for him. And there was nothing he could do about it. He told the onna to fly faster, and she nodded. She was clenching her mouth shut as they shot through the sky.

That was when the oar shook. It jerked wildly. Hiei's breath hitched as Botan turned to him, tears falling out of her pink eyes.

"H-Hiei... it hurts..."

He knew. He knew just how much pain she would go through. He felt his heart sink as he sighed.

"Then land."

She shook her head as she hissed, her eyes closing.

"B-but... b-but..."

"Do it, onna. Now."

She tried to shake her head, refusing to comply. Hiei growled and literally embraced her. She stuttered as he hugged her for a moment. She was about to speak when he simply leaned to his left, and off they went. His claws were digging into arms as he made sure that she didn't even slip a few centimeters as they plummeted to the earth.

As he stared at the ground, he smirked. The onna was screaming his name, burying her head into his chest. Their clothes were flapping loudly in the wind. But what he thought about, at that moment, was being thrown off the Island.

No wonder this doesn't even spark adrenalin. He didn't mind as tree branches cut his face as he shielded the ferry onna. At birth, I had to face this danger. The ground was rushing to greet them. At the last possible second Hiei spun and landed on his feet with the grace only a cat could muster.

"D-don't EVER do that again!"

Botan shook in his arms as she struggled to stand. Hiei swung her so she was on his back, like a piggy-back ride, only not. This was Hiei Jaganshi, remember. He didn't do piggy-back rides.

"Come on, let's go."

Hiei didn't run. He didn't even jog. If he did, he knew he would go as fast as he could. The two companions walked. Every once and a while, Botan's legs would tighten around the fire demon and her breathing would become a bit more ragged. She leaned into Hiei, whispering into his ear.

"W-what if t-they find us?"

Hiei's Jagan Eye was open, monitoring the energy of the Rekai Tentei. They were following him. If they kept up their pace, which wasn't sprinting, they would intercept them in about four hours.

If they didn't sprint.

"I don't know yet, onna. Just be quiet."

She didn't just stay quiet, to the Koorime's annoyance.

"I can tell them the truth! They'll believe me!"

Hiei started to walk a little faster, not that it mattered.

"I could be controlling you with my Jagan Eye."

Botan moaned as her legs tightened around the fire demon. In the back of his mind, he felt something swell at the thought of her going through his pain. He couldn't figure it out. It was... nice... but it also made his chest feel like it was shrinking. Was it pride?

"But... you would never do that."

Hiei scoffed.

"Right now, that doesn't matter to them. They already think I kidnapped you, so invading your mind is really no big deal compared to that."

Botan pulled his hair, trying to reason with him.

"Shut up!" Hiei's eyes widen every so slightly. Her lips were against his one ear. It tickled a little. "All of them are your friends. Yusuke, Kurama, even Kuwabara! They have to be torn at the fact that you would do something like this! They have to be doubting this whole thing!"

Hiei didn't want to get his hopes up. He liked to be prepared for reality. At the moment, it looked like his reality was Rekai prison and a life of misery.

"Hn."

II

Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara were silent as they stared at where Hiei had just been. Koenma appeared and frowned as he too was quiet for a moment. Yusuke spoke up first.

"What the hell was that?"

Kurama sighed.

"I don't know if that really was the Hiei we know."

Koenma folded his arms against his chest.

"But... it was his energy."

Kuwabara looked like he had smelled something bad.

"Yeah, but something was... I can't explain it. Off. Like... everything was perfect, the energy, the looks, everything... but you saw the way he acted. He was... flamboyant."

Yusuke couldn't help but snicker at the word. Kurama allowed a smile to grace his face.

"He isn't far away."

Yusuke's head shot up.

"Really?"

Kurama pointed a bit to the west.

"Right there." He brushed some dirt off of his shoulder. "Let's go."

The four men ran towards it, and soon, they hid their energy. The element of surprise was always a good ally to have on your side.

III

Botan felt Hiei tense and stop suddenly. She was instantly awake and ready, even if her legs felt like they were being ripped in half. Her voice was breathy as she tried to gain composure.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

Hiei was slowly turning in circles.

"I can't find them." His voice was ice cold, but it snapped. He was worried. One might say scared. "They've hidden their energy."

Botan was crying a little, her pain showing through her tears.

"What do we do?"

Hiei had no idea. He couldn't think of anything except just let them catch him. If he fought... that would just make the situation messier. That was when he heard a voice that made everything worse.

Hello, Hiei.

The Koorime stopped moving, a sick feeling creeping up from his toes.

What do you want?

The Voice gave a fake gasp of astonishment.

Is that the way to greet someone who just stalled the Rekai Tentei while you were paralyzed in pain on a hotel bed? Tsk, tsk. I knew the Forbidden Child had no manners.

Botan screamed as Hiei's body heated up so fast it felt like he was fire itself. She scrambled off of him as she watched him growl and his eyes flash from being entirely red to their normal color.

Shut up if you know what's good for you.

The Voice laughed.

Yeah, yeah. Look, Yusuke and the others are barely one hundred feet away from you. That got Hiei's attention. If you tell them one thing about what is actually going on, I will kill Botan.

The Forbidden Child paled.

How do you know her name?

That's not important. You can't tell your friends anything. You can not get caught! And Botan can not get into their hands. Okay? In fact, hide her. It will be safer for her that way incase you and your friends get in a tiff.

The Voice was gone. Hiei calmed down and saw Botan on the ground, staring at him. He picked her up bridal style and quickly took her far away. She hiccuped and he leaned her against a tree. He put a warm finger on her lips.

"Sh. I'll be back soon, onna."

The ferry girl bit her lip as she was lowered to the ground.

"W-what's wrong?"

Hiei didn't smile for comfort.

"The Voice talked to me again. I am not allowed for you to be taken by the Rekai Tentei." He paused. "This is for your own safety."

Botan wiped her eyes.

"Do you promise you'll come back?"

Hiei hesitated.

"I promise."

IV

The Rekai Tentei burst through the bushes to see Hiei leaning against a tree. He was not grinning or anywhere close to expressing an emotion. His sword was not drawn. His arms were crossed as he glared at them. Yusuke glanced at Kurama. This was not the same Hiei that they had run into just a few hours ago.

"Hiei?"

Kurama took a step forward. Hiei didn't move.

"Fox."

The kitsune smiled.

"You seem different since I saw you last."

Hiei raised his eyebrow.

"Outside of your house?"

The Rekai Tentei tensed. This made the Koorime shift and uncross his arms, putting them at his sides. Kurama frowned.

"No, just a few hours ago."

Hiei stared at his best friend.

"I was here a few hours ago."

Yusuke spoke up.

"Dude, we just saw you. Are you saying that we saw someone else?"

Hiei didn't answer, knowing he couldn't say the truth. His Jagan was open, making sure the onna was okay. Kurama used his soothing voice, waving Yusuke back.

"It's okay. You can tell us."

Hiei gazed past Kurama and at the toddler.

"Hn. Brat, what do you think about all this?"

Koenma frowned, not breaking his eye contact with the infamous demon.

"I... I don't know." He looked around. "Where's Botan?"

Hiei didn't even bat an eye.

"She's somewhere safe."

A hard silence followed after that statement. Hiei never told them where, or tried to explain himself. The only thing he did was watch whatever his Jagan Eye was watching.

"Hiei, why don't you find Botan, and them come with us." Yusuke ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "We can sort all this out and help you, man. If there's a bigger plot here–"

"No." Hiei's voice cut through Yusuke's like his katana. "I can manage myself."

Koenma finally broke.

"If you leave, then I will have no other choice than to think that you kidnapped Botan!"

Hiei froze. His eyes widened and his fists clenched, and the Rekai Tentei waited for him to deny it. The waited to be called bakas and morons.

The insults never came. No fierce denial was spat out. Hiei just stood there. His eyes were trapped in Kurama's. No one moved. No one breathed.

V

Amiri was merely feet away from Hiei. His golden eyes narrowed when he realized that he had gotten Hiei's character completely wrong the last time he had put on a show.

He's so cold... and he hides his heart.

Amiri shrugged. He'd do better this time. The demon closed his eyes, and he disappeared.

VI

Botan had stopped crying. She was still worried about Hiei. Would the Rekai Tentei really fight him? Would he... would he... die?

The ferry girl hiccuped and frantically wiped at her eyes. That was when she heard footsteps and the whisper of vegetation. She picked up her head to see... Hiei Jaganshi. He walked to her, his face still as smooth as ice.

"Is everything okay?"

Botan nodded.

"I-I'm fine." She struggled to stand, and Hiei supported her. "What about y-you? Did you tell them about the Voice? About the man in my head?"

The demon nodded.

"Yes. Everything is okay now. We're going to track down the demons responsible for all of this." His eyes never left hers. "You've been very strong throughout all of this, Botan."

Botan felt her shoulders stiffen.

"You said my name."

Hiei frowned.

"So?"

His eyes, his face, his voice... everything was perfect! Hiei! It screamed her favorite Koorime. But...

"You... you don't..."

Botan fell as she backed away from him. The demon stood as she tried to crawl to safety.

"Ferry onna." She stopped. Hiei knelt next to her. "Or Botan. I don't know what he calls you." His clawed hands cupped her face. They were cold and clammy. "Do you understand the true hopelessness of the situation? Do you see the true picture?"

Botan was crying again, sobs convulsing through her.

"H-Hiei!"

The demon covered her mouth, leaning closer to her as her warm tears flowed down her face.

"Yes... now you understand." Without warning, the demon crashed his lips on hers. Botan screamed. They felt slimy. He bit her lower lip until it bled. "Next time, I won't make this so easy for you, Botan." He bit her lip one more time. "Next time... you won't be able to tell the difference."

Botan shrieked, her voice echoing through the trees.

"HIEI!" The demon smirked, dissolving away into the wind. "HIEI!"

VII

Hiei's eyes shot open wide and his skin turned ghostly white. It was painfully apparent, and Yusuke was the one to comment on it.

"What's wrong?"

Hiei heard her shout his name again.

"I-I have to go!"

Just like that, Hiei Jaganshi was gone.

Koenma felt his heart clench, and before he could order the immediate capture of the thief, Kuwabara actually said something of interest.

"Did... he just stutter?"

VIII

Hiei raced through the trees and found Botan on the ground. Blood was dripping down from her lip. The fire demon watched her eyes flinch away from his form. Something hurt when she did that.

Is she... afraid of me? Her scent indicated that she was frightened. This struck him as odd. She's never feared me. Ever. Even when we first met, she never displayed fright.

"Onna!" She whimpered as he grabbed her shoulders. That was when he smelled it. He smelled... dirt. Decay. "Onna, who touched you?"

His hands were getting hotter as he was getting angrier. It seemed that when the ferry girl realized it was his demonic heat, she lunged forward, hugging the breath right out of him.

"Hiei! It's really you!"

The demon rolled his eyes.

"Baka onna. Who else would it be?" When he felt her stiffen, he shoved her away so he could see her face. "Who was here?"

"T-the demon!" Hiei's blood ran cold. "He looked like you!"

Hiei knew this wasn't going to be easy form the very beginning!

"What?"

Botan took another shaky breath.

"He must be a shape-shifter of sort." She locked eyes with him. "He sounded just like you. I thought he was y-you..."

Hiei took a few deep breaths. He wiped away the blood that was on her face.

"Why are you bleeding?"

Botan sagged in his arms.

"He... kissed me."

"What?"

Botan covered her face with her hands.

"He kissed me! It was gross! My first kiss... to a beast like that!" Hiei was enraged. Some... demon kissed the onna! He watched her writhe in shame. She spoke through her fingers. "H-how... will I know if it's you?" Her pink eyes peeked through her hands. "H-h-how will I k-know?"

Hiei felt the Rekai Tentei summon their power. The thing was... they weren't moving. Hiei felt his heart beat faster. The oxygen burned at his lungs.

"How did it feel... his lips?"

Botan stuck out her tongue.

"Disgusting. Cold, wet, and slimy."

She shivered at the memory.

"Hn." Hiei frowned. He knew was going to regret this. He knew that he would hate himself even more for what he was about to do. "Onna, listen closely because I am only going to do this once." He watched her hands lower from her face. "I want you to remember what this feels like because I am never going to do this again!"

He leaned forward and kissed her. It was short, warm, and had the after taste of blood. Those were the words that Hiei would forever remember when he described his first kiss.

IX

A/N: Oh. My. God. Wasn't that awesome? Wow. Okay, yeah I was really excited as I wrote this. PLEASE review! Did you like the kiss? I hope you don't think it was too rushed, because it wasn't really romantic... well, it kinda was... but not really. Please tell me what you think, the good, the bad, and the ugly!

-mia