A/N: Happy Bday M-Kins, otherwise known as Crystal Koneko! Hope it's an amazing one!

The roar of the crowd was ringing in Botan's ears as the first round of the Demon World Tournament commenced. The sheer outpouring of contenders had caused a bit of a change in the first round. It started off as a battle royal with various battle locations set up around the area. Once the fifteen-minute time limit expired, the victor of each station would then have a one on one match with a victor from another station. Whoever survived the second stage would advance to the second round. This system cut down the participant pool greatly, allowing the rest of the rounds to consist of structured one-on-one battles. Fifteen minutes had come and gone in a blur of vicious attacks, energy waves and uniquely tailored weapons. Fortunately for them, Yusuke, Kurama and Hiei were thrown in separate locations and upon surviving the battle royal they had each been pitted against demons who Botan had never seen before. Yusuke ended up fighting in the main arena, while the others fought in separate locations, broadcasted by multiple screens at the top of the stadium.

In the time it had taken Yusuke to warm up with his opponent, Kurama had already won his match. He had faced off against a wolf demon, but the fight lasted all of two minutes before the demon dropped to the floor and lost consciousness. She saw a single green sprout root out from the opponent's grey fur and she knew that the victory was Kurama's.

Hiei's fight was over even quicker than that. The fire-demon always appeared to be so confident when in the ring, but this time he simply looked bored. She saw a flash of light as his sword was unsheathed and in the next instant an impressive amount of blood was spurting out from scaly skin. She grimaced as she remembered the scene, having forgotten how brutal the fire-demon could be.

The bright glow of demonic energy pulled Botan from her thoughts and she returned her attentions back to the current fight. Even in the comfort and privacy of their reserved room, the ferry-girl still felt the unease speeding up her heart and flowing through her veins. Koenma was muttering under his breath, something about a bet he had placed on Yusuke's victory, while Jorge decided to broadcast a play by play of the action, his tone and diction so immaculate that it would make even the most seasoned announcers jealous. It was hard to focus when sitting between the two eccentric men, but Botan was used to it by now. She narrowed her eyes, watching as Yusuke and his large muscled opponent fell into a flurry of punches and kicks, most of which were too fast for her to follow. The ex-detective was wearing a satisfied grin and, despite the damage he was taking, she knew that he was enjoying himself. Botan gripped the arm of her seat, a nervous habit she had acquired since the Dark Tournament, as she watched Yusuke's fight. He was strong, but his opponent was older and more experienced. Yusuke was resourceful, though, and Botan knew that it was unwise to underestimate him.

The match finally ended when Yusuke landed a powerful punch to his opponent's jaw. The force was enough to send the other demon sprawling onto the floor in a heap of limbs. He lost consciousness almost instantaneously, going down for the count. Botan jumped up from her chair and cheered loudly, her overjoyed praise mixing and melding with the rest of crowd.

"And that concludes the first round!" the sprightly announcer called out with an energetic twirl. Botan had recalled Juri and Koto dancing around the ring a lot during the Dark Tournament and she wondered if it was somehow a requirement that the announcers all be so expressive in their love for the fight. She shook her head with an amused grin as she returned her attentions to the green-haired girl. "As a reminder, the second round resumes tomorrow at noon. All participants must come an hour earlier to determine their opponents and battle locations."

As a majority of the demons in the stands began to disperse, the Spirit World trio made their way down to the ring where Yusuke was stretching.

"Nice going Yusuke," Koenma commended. Although he appeared to be cool and collected on the outside, Botan knew that he was internally excited at the prospect of having won a lucrative bet.

"Yes, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was a thrilling fight," Jorge piped in.

Yusuke smirked, cracking his neck and stretching his limbs out.

"Always glad to give the people what they want," he joked. "How did the others do?"

"Your camp made it through easily," Jorge informed.

"Kurama and Hiei advanced without any trouble," Botan added.

"As did Yomi and Mukuro," Koenma finished.

"Good to know," Yusuke nodded. "After all, it would be pretty embarrassing to lose in the first round."

Yusuke's opponent, who had just regained consciousness, growled at the distasteful remark.

Yusuke looked mildly guilty, raising his hands in defense as he spoke, "No offense, buddy."

The other man said nothing in return, choosing instead to glare at them disdainfully before walking away angrily. Botan waited until he was out of sight to speak, turning an excited smile on as she clapped her hands together.

"You really did do a great job, Yusuke! I'll admit, I was worried for a bit, but I should have known that you would claim the victory!"

He grinned back at her.

"Just barely, if we're being honest," he admitted. "This is turning out to be a lot better than I expected. I didn't think I would get a guy that strong from the get go."

"Hn. Speak for yourself. My opponent was pitiful at best."

They all turned to the new voice and found Hiei leaning against the barrier that separated the stands from the ring, arms crossed and a scowl darkening his expression. Hiei seemed to be in an absolutely foul mood, but for once his irritation was not in relation to or direction towards her. Botan's gaze lingered on him a little longer than necessary as she recalled the truce they had agreed upon earlier. She wondered how long the ceasefire would hold up, considering how volatile they both tended to be when they were around each other.

"Aren't you a little ray of sunshine?" Yusuke teased. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"Mukuro requested your presence," Hiei answered, before pausing to acknowledge Koenma. "And yours too."

"Can't I send Hokushin or one of the other monks instead?" Yusuke complained, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm really not in the mood for business. Especially not after such a good fight."

"No, she wanted to speak to you, Yomi and Koenma directly," Hiei replied monotonously.

"Damn," he bit out. "Right now?"

"This evening. Six o'clock."

"Good, that means I've got plenty of time to eat and unwind."

"And that gives me a few hours to win back my earnings from last night," Koenma added, rubbing his hands together with a slick grin.

Botan turned to fix her boss with an admonishing glare.

"Sir, you aren't seriously planning on wasting your money at the casino again, are you?"

"Of course not. It's not wasting if I win," he retorted immaturely. "Come, ogre, let's go before all the tables are filled up."

Botan watched as Koenma and Jorge left before shaking her head.

"Well, it's not my problem if he chooses to lose all of his money," she relented, turning towards Yusuke. "Shall we go?"

He paused for a moment, his face taking on an unreadable expression as though he seemed to be contemplating something.

"Actually, I was thinking of seeing what Jin and the guys were up to at the other hotel," he said finally.

"Alright," she replied with a smile. The walk back to the hotel was rather short and with the warm weather and gentle breeze spurring her on, it would be a peaceful trek. It was a little disconcerting to be walking under a blood red sky, but Botan was slowly getting used to the atmospheric conditions of the demon world. "I'll just head on back to our hotel, then. I never got to finish my session at the spa last time, so I think I'll return there after some shopping."

Yusuke never responded and she stared back at him questioningly. Brown eyes were fixed far past her own gaze, looking at a point in the distance that she could not see. When she turned to follow his line of sight, Botan was wholly surprised to discover that Hiei was still on the premises. His hands were concealed within the pockets of his signature black pants as he leaned against the wall wordlessly and his face was completely devoid of any telltale signs of his recent displeasure. Instead his features were smoothed over and set into a neutral position as his slanted eyes stared at nothing in particular. He seemed to be waiting on something, but she could not come up with a single reason for his lingering presence. Hiei's gaze finally drifted in their direction, narrowing in on Yusuke when he realized that the teen had been blatantly staring at him.

"What?" Hiei snapped.

"Here's a thought, how about you look after Botan until she reaches the safety of the hotel?" Yusuke suggested. His brown eyes were twinkling with mischief and his tone dripped with overdramatic concern as he continued, "You wouldn't leave a poor, defenseless ferry-girl all alone in the big, bad demon world, would you?"

"Now wait just a minute, I'm not defenseless and I-" Botan tried to protest but was interrupted by a single, clipped word.

"Fine," Hiei cut in.

Both the ferry-girl and mazoku froze, looking over at Hiei as a mixture of confusion and surprise overtook their matching expressions. That was the last answer she expected to hear from the fire-demon.

"Then it's settled," Yusuke decided with a cheeky grin, having recovered from the initial shock first. He bid them a quick salute for good measure as he continued, "See ya."

Botan's shoulders sagged as the black-haired teen sauntered off without a care in the world. She had been in this world on her own before and she could manage traversing through the relatively safe path towards the hotel on her own! She cast a sympathetically glance in Hiei's direction.

"You don't have to walk me back," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I'm perfectly capable of returning on my own."

"I know," he replied.

He waited until she approached him before he started walking in step with her, making no effort at all to distance himself by increasing his speed or changing his direction. They exited the arena and reached the road that lead towards the hotel in silence. For a while, the only sounds Botan heard were their feet trudging upon the dirt path and Hiei's sword clanking at his side. They had decided to be civil and she was shocked that Hiei was taking it to this extent. She glanced over at him and bit back the smile that was slowly engulfing her expression.

"I saw your match," she began conversationally. "It was … something else."

"Hardly a challenge," he replied.

"Yes, I noticed. The way you painted the arena with his blood was… simply… splendid."

"You don't have to do that."

"Do what?"

"Lie for the sake of keeping the peace."

"Well, in that case, I thought that it was downright gruesome," Botan admitted. "Then again, you always did have a partiality towards bloodshed, so I shouldn't have been surprised."

"It's the way these tournaments go," he replied.

"It's just so ruthless."

"Kurama kills his opponent with some shrubbery and no one bats an eye," Hiei scoffed, hand subconsciously resting on his sword as he recalled his fight. "But I spill a meager amount of blood and suddenly I'm the brutal one."

"You mean you didn't actually kill your opponent?" she asked, both eyebrows raised as her eyes widened in surprise.

"The blow wasn't a fatal one. Whether he lives or not is up to him now."

"That was surprisingly kind and merciful of you."

"It was not."

"Sure it was," she insisted. "You could have easily killed him, but you chose not to."

"Don't do that, woman," he said with a slight sigh in his voice.

"Do what?" Botan blinked.

"The game you play where you pretend that I am something that I'm not."

"I'm not," she asserted.

Hiei looked unconvinced and she continued.

"Why is it always so hard for you to just take the compliment without thinking that I'm deluding myself by believing in you?"

"I didn't ask you to believe in me," he replied instead, eyes averted as he frowned.

"I believe in all of my friends and, like it or not, you fall into that category, mister."

Hiei was silent for a while, and she wondered if she had said something wrong. Judging by the tautness of his features, she must have.

"You still presume to call us friends," he stated lowly. "…even after everything that's happened."

She had said it automatically, without thinking about the meaning behind her words, but this time she stopped to consider them carefully. Botan had always thought of him as a friend by extension, ever since he helped out with the whole Saint Beasts fiasco. She had only really come to consider him as a true friend during their dating arrangement. And even after it had all turned sour, she knew that there was still a small and genuine bond between the two of them. It might have only taken root because of the bet, but it was still real nonetheless. They had both shared parts of themselves with the other, parts that they had kept hidden, and she could not do that with another person unless she had felt some sort of connection with them.

"I do," she confirmed honestly, staring back at him with a reassuring smile.

A brief look of uncertainty passed over his features before he hardened them once more and continued walking wordlessly. She had refrained from saying anything further, instead enjoying Hiei's quiet company and the favorable weather. It was easy to fall into step with him and feel comfortable without saying anything at all. Being near him like this reminded her of the past and how at ease they had been with each other back in the human world. This is how it should be between her and Hiei, rather than the senseless fighting they had engaged in during the past few days.

She loved all of her friends dearly, but Hiei was a special case. She had loved him in a different way once before. She knew him in a different way and in a different light. Years may have passed and the type of love that she had for him may have changed, but she still wanted the best for him regardless and she had hoped that he was happy with his current situation.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

His voice cut her out of her thoughts and she quickly looked away in embarrassment, quickly realizing that they had already made it back to the hotel. She could still feel his eyes on her and she was becoming more and more mortified over the fact that she had gotten caught blatantly staring at him. Botan threw on a forced smile as she shook her head.

"No reason, I wasn't even really staring at you, I was just lost in my own thoughts," she said, giving him a half-truth. "Anyway, I was going to go and check out the gift shops. There are lots of cute souvenirs and I promised the girls that I would bring something back for them. I suppose I'll see you later!"

The ferry-girl didn't wait for him to respond as she quickly meandered through the swarm of guests. She rounded the corner and peeked back in his direction hesitantly, making sure that she was in the clear. As she scanned through the room, she noticed that Ruka was in the lobby as well. The other woman was currently holding Hiei's indifferent gaze with an impatient expression. Neither made any move to cross the expanse of the lobby in order to get closer to the other, but from what Botan could tell, it looked as though Ruka was waiting for Hiei to make the first move. The ferry-girl could not decode the wordless conversation that was occurring between Ruka's heated stare and Hiei's apathetic one, but it ended with Hiei turning away from her and Ruka stomping off in the other direction. Botan briefly wondered if the two were on the outs due to what had happened yesterday, but she quickly dismissed the thought. It really wasn't her business anyway.

She entered one of the shops and browsed through the little trinkets absentmindedly as her thoughts continued to stray towards the fire-demon. They had only spent a short amount of time together and she had already delved too far into sentimentality. If she wasn't careful, her friendly outreaching could very well venture into dangerous territory and she would end up falling back into the pit of infatuation. She fingered a glass trinket, eyeing it sadly as a slight ache ran through her chest at the thought of the past and all that occurred. Swallowing thickly, she pushed aside the sentiments and pursed her lips together. Things were different now; she had three years to get over him and she would not allow herself to repeat the mistakes of her past. It was only hard because it was the first time she was really spending time with him, she reasoned. It would be easier as they settled into a comfortable and platonic friendship this time around – no silly bets, no lies and no falsehoods. It would be better this time, she was sure of it.

After the meeting with Mukuro, Yusuke requested that Hiei meet him at the bar in two hours. Hiei did not know what for, but he went regardless, having nothing better to do. He walked through the dimly lit entrance, passing by a few booths before he reached the main bar. He paused in his trek as his eyes met the sight of the ferry-girl, sitting on a stool and nursing a beer. She appeared to be by herself and he wondered what she was doing in a place like this without any company.

"I didn't take you for the beer guzzling type, woman," he interrupted.

She twisted around in her stool to view him with surprised expression. Her features seemed to soften and glow under the faint lights illuminating the bar as she smiled at him. He could have sworn that her amethyst eyes brightened up with some type of positive emotion as she stared back at him, but he couldn't be sure if it was just another side effect of the dim lighting too.

"Hiei, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Yusuke insisted I meet him here."

"That's funny, he told me the same thing, but I've been here for ten minutes and he still hasn't shown up," she said, eyes grazing over the crowd that had accumulated. "He must be running late."

Hiei scoffed as he took a seat next to the blue-haired woman. Of course Yusuke would be running late to his own meeting, he thought. The bartender offered Hiei a few shots of cinnamon whisky on the house with a knowing grin. He had served Hiei during the prior two tournaments and, as a result, knew exactly what the fire-demon liked. Hiei accepted it with a nod, hand closed around the shot glass as he brought the amber liquid to his lips. The sounds of mugs and glasses clanking and beer taps flowing flooded his ears as the drink burned down his throat and warmed chest. The patrons weren't too rowdy, but the night was young and Hiei had expected that in a few hours the place would become much livelier than this.

"So…" Botan started, absentmindedly strumming her fingers against the cool, smooth surface of the black countertop. "I see you've made quite a name for yourself over the past few years. General of Mukuro's army and all."

Hiei nodded.

"And you also spearhead the border patrol duties, right?" she asked.

"Unfortunately."

"Unfortunately?"

"Returning lost humans is the last thing I want to be doing with my time," he explained.

"I think that's a great feat!" she insisted. "You've saved a lot of people who have accidentally crossed over the border."

She was doing it again – making his actions seem nobler than they were – but he did not have the energy to point it out.

"How did you even know about it?" he asked instead.

"Kurama and Yusuke keep me up to date on all things Makai," she said, before giving him with a mirthful look. "Did you know that you even showed up on the newspapers in the human world? One of the humans that you saved actually remembered you and mistakenly thought that you were an alien invader."

"Should have wiped his entire brain before sending him back," Hiei grumbled.

Botan couldn't stop herself from laughing at Hiei's expense. He took another drink and supposed that the sudden bubbling in his chest was due to the alcohol and not the fact that the woman's light laughter was ringing in his ears. It had been a long time since her heard it.

"In any case, I think it's a good protocol. Things have been changing for the better," she said with a smile.

"Your world has been going through some changes, too," he noted.

Botan looked a little taken back by his statement, but she nodded and spoke soon after.

"That's right. After the Sensui case, Koenma thought it would be beneficial to look into the past dealings in the Spirit World. He was always wary of the prejudicial outlook that the residents of our world harbored for the demon world. After some research, he was disheartened to learn about the cruelty and injustices that were regular practice and we worked diligently to correct it by first trying those who enacted the malpractice and then instituting new rules and procedures. It was a complete overhaul of the system and many people were opposed to it, naturally, but each small victory served to contribute to the entire cause. Before we knew it, major change had occurred. There is still a lot to be done, but I think that the hardest part is over with."

Hiei nodded.

"Other than that, we've also been working with a lot of psychics to protect the human world in case the need arises. Rather than a Spirit Detective team, we've amassed a great deal of recruits who have helped to protect certain areas of jurisdiction," she explained. "Yuuto and many of the others that we saw from Genkai's birthday party decided to lend their skills to the Spirit World after witnessing the near destruction of their world at the hands of Sensui."

"You've worked with him closely in these past years," Hiei said, although he wasn't sure why he had to confirm this particular matter with her.

"You can say that. He's a lot more compliant than Yusuke was, I can tell you that much. But it still isn't the same as it was when you all were the Spirit Detectives."

"I see."

"Do you want me to fill you in on the others, too?" she asked.

"No, but I know that won't stop you from doing it regardless," he relented.

Botan smiled.

"Let's see… Kuwabara's entered a pretty prestigious university and Yukina seems quite content with Genkai at the temple. Kuwabara goes to visit her as much as he can. Shizuru and I drop by too, of course. Oh and Koto and Juri are also there temporarily as ambassadors for the demon world," she informed. "So, Yukina is never really alone."

"She's happy there," Hiei stated.

"She is, but she misses you all," Botan revealed. "She asks about you often."

Hiei refused to comment on that. If Yukina was safe and happy, then that was all that mattered. In time, she would forget about him and the idea of her elusive brother. And that would be for the best.

"Hiei?" Botan's voice cut through his thoughts. "It looks like you have a visitor..."

It was then that he felt the distinct energy of the enchantress enter the area and soon enough, he caught sight of her.

"I'll go wait for Yusuke elsewhere," the ferry-girl offered.

"You don't have to do that," he said suddenly, unsure of why he had even bothered. If the woman wanted to leave, then she was free to do so, but if she was leaving on account of the enchantress, then it was entirely unnecessary. "There's no need for you to leave."

"I just don't want Ruka to get the wrong idea," she explained as she gathered her bag.

"It doesn't matter."

"But..."

"Stay," he said lowly.

It was a simple request, but it seemed to freeze the ferry-girl where she stood and it took a few seconds for her to respond.

"Okay," she relented, sitting back down in her chair uncertainly. "I'll stay."

He could feel the enchantress' eyes on his back, but he did not regard the other woman in the slightest, instead looking ahead and focusing his gaze on the differently sized and shaped bottles of alcohol lined up on the wall behind the bar. He noticed Botan frowning at him from the corner of his eye.

"Aren't you going to at least greet her?" she asked.

"I came for the ex-detective," Hiei reasoned.

Botan looked between the two of them again and he could almost pinpoint the moment when a bout of clarity hit her.

"Are you two fighting?" she asked knowingly. "And does it have anything to do with what happened with us earlier?"

"I told you, she and I aren't like that," Hiei said. "No emotional ties mean no fighting. I'm just not in the mood."

Botan nodded slowly.

"If you say so…" she relented.

They settled into a lull of silence for a while. The sounds of others laughing and chatting filled the lack of sound between them. Botan, who had been tapping her fingers against the bar, suddenly swiveled in her chair to face him with an excited look on her face.

"Hey, I know what we can do to pass the time until Yusuke arrives," she said, index finger raised as she smiled back at him. "How about we play a game?"

Hiei took another shot and brought the glass back down to the bar with a satisfying clink. He immediately knew what was on her mind and he stared back at her through bored eyes.

"If you're referring to that perverse voyeuristic pastime, then I refuse."

"Oh come on, I'll even start us off," she said. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she searched for a potential target. "Okay, you see that leopard demon over there with the mini dress and tight heels? She's actually a pro-fighter. She comes out to the bars all dolled up and unassuming like, but in reality, she's actually here to chalk up the competition. The guys fall all over her senselessly and after a few rounds of drinks, she's got them right in the palm of her hand. They start bragging about their fighting styles and secret moves and she catalogues it away for future reference. Once she gets into the ring, it's anything goes and she's as vicious as they come."

Hiei was unimpressed. It was obvious that the leopard demon was a fighter by no means, but the woman's hyperactive imagination seemed to disagree.

"Now it's your turn," she said. "Just try it."

Hiei rolled his eyes.

"The blue haired woman at the bar," he started. "She talks too much and she has a habit of getting involved in matters that don't concern her. She is a strange woman who partakes in even stranger activities."

It had only taken a second for his words to sink in and he watched as the woman's features morphed into that of shock and slight outrage.

"Hiei!"

He hid his smirk behind his glass as he downed another shot, the whisky burning down this throat satisfyingly and increasing his uncharacteristically good mood. He was surprised to find that even after all these years, doing the oddest things with the woman still managed to entertain him well enough.

Yusuke mentally patted himself on the back as he watched the ferry-girl and fire-demon getting along amicably.

"Yusuke," Kurama warned with a frown. "When you called me down here, I didn't realize it was because you wanted to spy on two of our friends."

"Don't be such a wet blanket, it's not like we're going to get caught or anything,"

"That's far from the point."

"Well then, fox boy, what is your point?"

"Meddling in their affairs and pushing them together like this doesn't seem to be a smart course of action, especially given past events," he said in a hushed tone.

"Oh come on!" Yusuke groaned. "This was a good idea and you know it. Look at them!"

Yusuke motioned over to Botan's smiling visage. Kurama spared a moment to observe them and Yusuke's grin widened.

"She looks happy and he looks less pissed off than usual, I'd say that it was a clear success," the mazoku stated.

"I admit, they do seem at ease with each other," Kurama conceded. "But we shouldn't stand here and spy."

"Just a little longer," Yusuke urged. "I want to bask in the glory of my victory."

The two stood towards the back of the room, concealing the energy signals as a third party approached.

"Well, now, this is getting interesting," Yusuke grinned, rubbing his hands together. "I didn't expect that hot nurse to show up."

"She's an enchantress, not a nurse," Kurama quickly corrected, eyes fixed on Ruka. "And she is involved with Hiei."

"Hiei told me it was just a booty-call," Yusuke dismissed with a wave of his hand.

"That may be so, but judging by Ruka's expression, I'd say it meant a little bit more than that to her."

Yusuke's nose scrunched up in disgust.

"What is with these women fawning over Hiei? Is it the bad boy stereotype, or do they just like his dark personality? Cause I gotta say, I don't get it."

Kurama chuckled lightly at Yusuke's distress and they both watched the scene unfold as Hiei continued to ignore Ruka entirely. The tension was thick between the two and Yusuke frowned. It looked as though they were fighting or something and since it was better for his cause that they were, he tried not to dwell on it. Ruka retired to a booth in the corner with a group of demons he had recognized from the Highlands. Although the redheaded woman appeared to be entertained by the group of rowdy demons, Yusuke couldn't help but notice the way her gaze would intermittently return to Hiei and Botan.

Well, shit, he hadn't meant to ruin things for Ruka, but it was clear that Hiei's attentions lay elsewhere. Yusuke wasn't an emotional or romantic guy by any means, nor was he particularly observant when it came to anything concerning matters of the heart, but he wasn't dense; there was something still there between his friends and he had no intentions of making light of it like he did in the past. He had matured over the years, hell he had even promised to marry Keiko once he returned home for good, so he knew the importance of holding onto what mattered. He only hoped that Hiei would recognize it as well.

"I think we've seen enough," Kurama said.

"Yeah," Yusuke agreed, putting his thoughts aside as he followed Kurama.

They stepped outside and Yusuke welcomed the cool and fresh air. Nights in demon world were different than the ones back in his quaint little town back in the human world. The sky was darker and the stars shined even brighter. It was dangerous, but he always felt at peace, if that made any damn sense at all.

"Why do I have the distinct feeling that you aren't quite finished with those two?" Kurama asked.

Yusuke returned his attention to the fox demon and grinned wolfishly.

"I do have one more trick up my sleeve."

"Yusuke…"

"Don't worry, it's the last one. I figure I gotta strike while the iron's hot, keep the momentum going, so to speak," Yusuke grinned. "Do you want to hear what it is?"

"I have a feeling you will tell me anyway," Kurama sighed.

"Right on the money, as always," Yusuke said, pulling an item out of his pocket and waving it around smugly. "This is Botan's ticket for the tournament. When she realizes she's lost it, she'll have no choice but to ask her temporary neighbor for help. Those two end up on a wild goose chase and hopefully continue to repair their shoddy relations. Then, when no one's watching, I'll just slip it back."

Kurama looked skeptical and Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest.

"What… you don't think it's a good plan? It's genius!"

"There are some holes in your logic."

"It's practically foolproof!" he maintained.

"Botan could very well tell Koenma that she misplaced her ticket and he can easily get her another."

"Here's the thing, Koenma can be a tight-ass when it comes to losing things. Have you seen that guy whenever he loses an artifact or can't remember where he put some legal documents? Trust me when I say that it's in everyone's benefit to reclaim the item before he has a chance to bitch about it and Botan of all people would know that firsthand."

"Yes, but those are actual items of value. This is simply a ticket that Botan might not even need, provided she enters the arena near Koenma's side."

Yusuke's expression dropped.

"You may have a point there," he admitted grudgingly.

"I'm glad that you're finally starting to see reason-"

"But Botan's nowhere near as logical and shrewd as you," he cut in quickly with a sly grin. "I'm sure she'll freak out when she realizes her ticket is gone and that is the beauty of my plan."

"How are you so sure that she will enlist Hiei's help?"

"Because I will be conveniently preoccupied and if she asks, so will you."

"They won't be pleased when they find out," Kurama informed.

"They won't find out," he said with a shrug. "And if they do, they'll probably end up thanking me for my benevolent interference."

After all, he was working towards a goal that benefitted the two in the long run. Last time, he was banking on Hiei failing, but this time, their interests aligned. Or at least, he hoped they did.

"You pretend as though it isn't a big deal to you, but this matters more than you're letting on, doesn't it?" Kurama questioned, his critical emerald eyes cutting directly through Yusuke's guard as he spoke.

Yusuke did not show any outward signs of confirmation, but Kurama was right. The ex-bandit had a critical eye and a sharp mind and Yusuke was not surprised that he could see through his careless demeanor so easily. Yeah, it might have mattered more than he cared to admit, but he didn't want people thinking he had gone soft. He was the successor to one of the three major kingdoms in demon world, direct descendent of Raizen and victor of the Dark Tournament: Yusuke Urameshi, badass, punk and ex-spirit detective. By reputation alone he was not supposed to care as much as he did, but they were his friends and he ruined their chances of happiness with his shitty prank three years ago. This was their second chance and Yusuke of all people knew a little something about the importance of those.

"Like I said before, this is last trick will be the clincher. I won't try anything else after this."

"Alright, Yusuke," Kurama conceded. "So long as you intend to keep your word."

"Scout's honor."

With that said, they both went their separate ways. As Yusuke passed by the bar, he couldn't help but notice the way those two had looked so comfortable with each other, and he knew that he was doing the right thing this time around.

Despite Botan's attempts to get Hiei to play the game the proper way, he continued to stubbornly focus on her and point out the eccentricities in her character. She began to do the same with him in a joking manner and, despite the irritated look she was giving him, she was genuinely happy. But when Hiei made an offhanded remark about her priorities being askew due to her obsession with clothing and attire, Botan simply could not let it pass.

"Hey, I simply have a healthy interest in fashion," she defended. "And what about you? You're hardly one to judge another person's fashion sense."

"I'm a warrior, the clothes I wear are practical and sensible."

"You can still afford to upgrade your wardrobe a little," she suggested. "You looked so nice during Genkai's party. The formal wear really suits you."

Hiei raised a brow at her and she felt her cheeks heating up. She had definitely said too much and she wondered if she could possibly blame it on the alcohol. Botan was only feeling a slight buzz as she looked down at the two empty beer cans. She cleared her throat, giving him a sheepish grin.

"Um, not that I was staring or anything. Everyone looked nice at the party," she amended.

Crimson eyes stared back at her unconvinced and her blush deepened.

"It's not nice to tease me over my blunder," she said. "I didn't give you a hard time when you called me pretty that one time."

"I never said that," Hiei denied quickly.

There was a brief moment where his gaze wavered and Botan found her confidence starting to rebuild in that moment. He was good at hiding his emotions under his guard, but she saw the uncertainty flicker in his features momentarily.

"Sure you did, you said it when we went to the carnival on our second date," she pointed out.

"I said that the foolish human thought you were pretty," Hiei corrected. "There is a difference."

"You still said it indirectly," she teased in a singsong voice, the alcohol boosting her confidence as she poked him in the chest lightly. "No need to be ashamed, Hiei."

"Hn. Don't flatter yourself, woman," he grunted out.

Hiei nearly looked as uncomfortable as she had felt moments ago and she could not contain the laughter that erupted. She was feeling a lot lighter and happier than she had all day. Maybe it was an effect of the beer and the infectious mood of the rest of the patrons in the bar, or maybe it was because she was able to sit with Hiei without any complications or issues arising. In any case, she was sort of happy that Yusuke had called them both out here, even if he had failed to show. Speaking of Yusuke, she glanced down at the watch on her wrist and let out a gasp when she noticed the time.

"It's almost midnight!" she alerted Hiei. "I didn't realize we were here for so long!"

"Time flies when you've got good drinks and good company at hand," the bartender cut in. "I'll get your receipt ready for you in just a moment."

"Thanks," Botan said as she moved to open her purse. Before she could begin to shuffle through the bills and gold coins, Hiei halted her.

"There's no need for that. Charge both of our drinks on Yusuke Urameshi's tab," Hiei instructed the bartender.

The kind eyed man nodded understandingly, then moved to tinker away at the register. Hiei rose from his stool and proceeded to walk away, with Botan following suit.

"That was very naughty of you Hiei," she said, unable to stop herself from grinning as they exited the bar.

"It's what he deserves for wasting our time," Hiei reasoned.

"Well, I wouldn't call it a waste of time. I did get free drinks and I even had some pretty great company, too," she winked.

Hiei did not say anything but she suspected that he felt the same.

As they both walked back towards their rooms, Botan had a few minutes of silence to absorb the information she had learned and she came to the conclusion that the Hiei she once knew had changed somewhat. It was not something as obvious as his new height boost or his prestigious new title. It was an internal change that had occurred beneath the surface; something subtle that required a keen sense of observation to detect.

Now that they weren't in constant confrontation with each other, she had the chance to notice his mood and demeanor. He wasn't exactly subdued, but he did seem to be more grounded now and less capricious. She thought that his time in the Demon World would have closed him off and stunted any emotional progress he might have made in the human world, but he seemed even better off than before. She supposed that back then he always had something to prove - whether that be his strength, his character or his motives – because he had absolutely nothing to his name in the human world. But here in his homeland, his accomplishments spoke for themselves and he found a place where he belonged, a place where he was meant to be.

Botan's jubilant mood was further bolstered by the fact that the two of them had been able to maintain their truce and keep the peace between them like they had promised to. She liked it much better this way, she decided as they both padded down the hallway together.

This was good.

This was more than enough.

Ugh, not too happy with this chapter but I couldn't afford to waste any more time with it. Hopefully you all will feel differently about it.

Anyway, thanks for the sweet reviews last chapter. You guys are the best and I really can't thank you enough.

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See you all next week!