I don't know what the hell happened in this chapter – it turned out way longer than I expected or wanted it to be, but I hope you all enjoy it regardless!
Hiei kicked the rubble from the ring aside as he paced the grassy floor of the arena. He could see the black scorch marks from the dragon marring the stands. The disruption in the dirt nearest to him was where Yomi had fallen and he looked in the opposite direction to see the point of impact that Mukuro created when she had landed and lost the match. That one match had jumpstarted a chain of events that were less than ideal for Hiei and kicked a piece of rubble in frustration as he continued stalking around the area.
The fire-demon hated deliberating. He hated thinking things through. He hated mulling over his options. Such methodologies were better suited to people like Kurama, Yomi and Mukuro. He preferred doing things based off his instinct and his honor-code, and right now the two were sending him mixed signals.
His instincts were telling him to reject the victory. It would bring him undue hardship, added responsibilities and excess frustration. It would be a bother in every sense of the word.
But his honor-code, the irritating moral standard he had lived by his entire life, was foolishly telling him to accept. Not for his sake, but for Mukuro's.
His attention was momentarily diverted when he sensed the approach of two figures. The entire stadium was long cleared out and he was not expecting to see Yusuke and Kurama advancing towards him.
"Congratulations," Kurama said as he joined Hiei in the empty arena.
"Yeah, all hail the new King," Yusuke teased, bending slightly at the waist in a mock bow.
Hiei crossed his arms over his chest and snarled.
"I'm not in the mood for your patronizing or your jokes."
"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Yusuke dismissed, waving a hand flippantly. "You're pissed, but even you've gotta admit that this was probably the most unexpected and therefore most hilarious thing that could have happened."
"On the contrary, the topic of who reigns over this world is no laughing matter," Kurama interjected, emerald eyes roaming over the destroyed stadium as he spoke. "All that power in the wrong hands is dangerous. Hiei will have a very big weight on his shoulders should he choose to accept."
"Yeah, but he's not gonna go through with it," Yusuke retorted. "We already talked about this before the tournament started and Hiei outright said that he wasn't interested."
"Perhaps, but this decision does not affect him alone. He has Mukuro's wishes to consider as well," Kurama filled in.
"True," Yusuke conceded somewhat, turning to view Hiei. "So what are you going to do?"
Both pairs of eyes landed on him and Hiei stared back at them emotionlessly.
"I haven't decided yet," Hiei replied. "If that's what you came here for, then you've wasted your time."
"Actually, I asked Yusuke to join me down here for an entirely different matter," Kurama revealed, drawing the attention towards himself. "I wanted to talk to you both about something in private."
Hiei's eyes narrowed suspiciously, already not liking what he was hearing.
"What is it?" the fire-demon demanded gruffly.
Kurama's expression was neutral, but there was a rare hesitation in his gaze that Hiei was unused to witnessing.
"I have decided to step down from my position in Yomi's camp. I resigned this morning and I thought it was best for you both to hear it from me, rather than from anyone else."
"For real?" Yusuke asked in disbelief, eyebrows shooting upwards as he conveyed the shock that Hiei was too guarded to express himself.
"Why now?" Hiei asked suddenly.
"I allied myself with Yomi as a means to repay an old debt from the past," Kurama explained. "Now that it is settled, I see no need to continue my service under his camp. My debt is paid and I can return to life as it should be in the human world."
Hiei had never understood why Kurama would subject himself to a mundane and trivial existence in the human world before and he could not understand why the fox was so insistent on returning there permanently now. Before he had a chance to voice his displeasure, Yusuke took a step forward.
"Well, since we're in the sharing mood, I might as well let you guys know that I was planning on returning home for good, too, since the tournament's over," the former detective disclosed. "I've been thinking about it for a while and I've talked it through with Hokushin already."
Hiei knew that it would happen eventually - Kurama always talked of officially assimilating into his life as a Shuichi Minamino and Yusuke had always intended to return to the human world after learning about his heritage - but Hiei didn't think that it would happen so quickly and so suddenly.
"So, you're content with running back to the human world, even though the blood that runs through your veins," he paused as his hardened gaze shifted from Yusuke to Kurama, "and the very essence of your spirit originated from here."
Yusuke shrugged.
"Pretty much," he replied effortlessly. "Besides, I've got a girl that I've kept waiting for three years and I think she'd kill me if I made her wait any longer."
"And my priorities have shifted, as you are well aware of," Kurama replied.
Hiei scoffed. It was this weak type of sentimentality that separated him from the others.
"Don't pretend like you're so above it all," Yusuke accused with a sly grin. "I've seen the way you and Botan have been getting nice and cozy with each other lately."
"That is none of your concern," the fire-demon warned moodily.
"You might as well just tell us now," the black-haired teen prodded. "We'll all find out eventually via Botan's big mouth."
Hiei fixed him with a stern look, refusing to comment on that. Even if it were the truth, he would rather keep some things to himself for as long as he could.
"I believe we have pestered him enough. We should leave him to his thoughts," Kurama suggested, before regarding Hiei with an encouraging look. "Think it through carefully and know that we will support you no matter what you choose."
"Yeah, what he said," Yusuke supplemented with a grin.
The two left shortly after that and Hiei remained in the solitude and quiet of the stadium. He looked upwards to the blood red sky and a feeling of calmness settled over him. Kurama and Yusuke were leaving to fulfill their duties in the world that they had allied themselves to, but this was where he belonged. This was where he needed to be. And deep down, he knew what he needed to do. In the infuriating case of instinct versus honor-code, he would have to forego his instincts in favor of fulfilling the parameters set by his honor code; he would have to accept the victory and all that it entailed.
Normally Hiei would not burden himself with the wishes and wants of others, but he and Mukuro shared a complex relationship. She was not merely the woman he served under; she was his second chance at the life that he had deserved all along.
She had given him the opportunity to be more than the forbidden child; to be more than the lowly bandit; to be more than the unfortunate lapdog of the Spirit World.
He had become the general of what he considered to be the greatest and most cutthroat army of the Demon World under her tutelage. She had given him status, power and notoriety by accepting him as one of her own, and now, it was his turn to give her what she had sought after.
With those thoughts spurring him on, he knocked on the Mukuro's door, prepared to accept the position of leader and satisfy his pesky honor-code.
Botan smiled to herself as she exited the cutely decorated confections shop, having just purchased the sweets that Hiei liked best. She needed to get him in a good mood if she was going to heal him like she had planned and she had hoped to cheer him up a bit as well. She thought back to the last expression he had given her before she had departed from the arena and it pulled at her heartstrings.
The ferry-girl had never seen Hiei look so uncertain before and she was honestly a little taken aback. He was always so sure, so confident and so secure, but the look in his eyes when he told her that he did not know what to do with the sudden leadership thrust upon him made her heart ache. He would have never shown her such emotion in the past, or even admit to her that he was unsure about anything. This decision must have been very hard for him to contemplate if he had let his guard down. That, or he had trusted her enough to lower his natural defenses around her.
She rounded the corner contently, pausing when she happened upon a troubling scene.
"I said no."
Ruka stood at the end of the path, looking irritated as she held the gaze of the very same guard who had tried to proposition Botan before. The enchantress appeared to be dismissing the man's advances, and when she turned to walk away, he caught her by her upper arm. Botan was immediately on full alert, trusty metal bat summoned and held firmly in her grip. The pervert was saying absolutely lewd things to the enchantress and it did not appear as though he had intended to let her go. It was absolutely sickening and Botan simply could not ignore a soul in need.
"Hey!" Botan called out, drawing the burly man's attention as her bat swung down against his face in a forceful strike. "When a woman says no, she means no."
He stiffened, muscles contracting from the shock of it all before he slumped towards the floor in an unceremonious heap of limbs. Ruka looked between Botan and the demon currently crumpled and unconscious on the floor, her red eyes wide in surprise.
"I could have handled that on my own," the enchantress said stubbornly.
"I'm sure you could have, especially with your defensive abilities," the ferry-girl agreed, banishing her bat before turning to view Ruka with a sheepish grin. "I suppose I just got carried away."
"Seems a little violent for a being of the Spirit World," Ruka said, placing a manicured hand on her hip.
"I just have a short fuse when it comes to entitled perverts," Botan replied, smiling a little despite the awkward air between them.
Ruka was staring at Botan inexplicably, as though she were considering the answer to a trick question or an unsolvable mystery. The look of perplexity did not last long and was soon erased as her features reset into their neutral positions.
"You're a strange one," the redhead concluded.
Botan opened her mouth to counter that claim, index finger raised in protest, but Ruka had already turned around and begun walking away. The ferry-girl's expression deflated as she brought her hand down and watched Ruka disappear among the hall. Botan wasn't nearly as insulted as she should have been because Ruka's words lacked any malice or biting edge. And truth be told, Botan had been called far worse things than that.
She glanced down to give the unconscious guard one last disgusted look, before making her way back towards her room and deciding to dismiss the entire exchange. She had a moody fire-demon to deal with anyway.
Knock knock.
Hiei did not have to hear her to know that Botan was the one who was waiting at the other side of his door.
"I'm here as promised and I come bearing gifts!" her voice rang out cheerfully.
He knew that it was futile to attempt to dissuade the ferry-girl when she was on a self-righteous mission, so he opened the door and allowed her entry without any complaint. Botan looked a little surprised over the lack of resistance on his part, but she quickly got over it as she stepped inside. He watched as she set a colorful bag on the table and smiled at him.
"First thing's first," she said, pulling a chain over her head and returning the hiruiseki stones to Hiei. "These belong to you."
In all of the madness that had transpired, he had almost forgotten that Botan had them in the first place. He mentally rebuked himself for his carelessness as he accepted it wordlessly.
"Secondly, I think I should take a look at those injuries," she mentioned, taking a step closer to him. "It looks like you've cleaned and bandaged them since I've last seen you, but I'm sure they are bothering you. I was keeping a mental track of all the injuries you sustained during your match and I don't know how you even have the strength to stand right now."
"This is nothing," he protested stubbornly.
"It doesn't look like nothing to me," Botan countered as she proceeded to invade his personal space.
He refused to retreat, but he was not about to let her heal him when he would heal on his own eventually. She reached out towards him with her right arm, a gesture that he had seen her make multiple times before when she was ready to heal someone, and he caught her wrist effortlessly.
"I do not need-"
His train of thought was derailed and his eyes widened as a mysteriously soothing energy rolled over him in waves. Botan's free hand rested mere inches away from his chest, palm opened and fingers spread as she concentrated. He had released her right hand in his moment of surprise, and she had taken the opportunity to use both hands to heal him, the effect doubling in its strength. He had never been subjected to her white magic before and it was equal parts foreign and familiar, rushing through his entire being and coursing through his system. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before, and although he should have put up more of a fight, it rooted him to the ground and he remained still until she was finished.
"There, all done," she said, taking a step back. "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"
It was far from unpleasant, but he would not admit that aloud. He had felt legions better after her treatment; the aches and pains that had been plaguing him earlier had all vanished and he ended up feeling more energized than before.
"Do you make it a habit of healing people who explicitly express their lack of consent?" he deflected, glaring at her as though she had done him a disservice.
"Hmm…" Botan paused to hum thoughtfully, eyes rolling upwards as though she was seriously considering his question. "Only when it comes to stubborn fire-demons."
Hiei grunted in response, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Stubborn woman," he muttered under his breath.
Botan smiled in response, apparently pleased with herself for having accomplished her task. If that was all that she came here for, then she was free to leave, but instead she lingered curiously, looking at him as her expression settled into one of observation.
"Have you had enough time to think things through?" she asked curiously.
He nodded once.
"I have accepted on Mukuro's behalf."
Botan clapped her hands together, her expression brightening as she beamed at him.
"That's wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I'm sure you will be a just and honorable leader."
"I'm not equipped with the morality or sense of justice needed to enact the type of rule that you're thinking of," he denied stiffly.
"Sure you are!" she shot back, as if it were so easy for her to believe that he could want to do the right thing. "And now you have the means and the power to make a difference!"
"I'm not interested in that type of idealistic thinking," Hiei said flatly. "In fact, I'm not interested in any of this at all."
"Then why did you go along with it?" she inquired, face falling in disappointment.
"Because no matter what my reservations about this temporary leadership role are, I owed it to Mukuro to accept," he explained evenly. "I'm her soldier and this is what she wants. It is my duty."
Botan's expression softened as she gazed at him in the same fond way that she had looked at Yusuke on occasion. Those types of looks were reserved for the stereotypical hero, and were therefore entirely wasted on him.
"That's very noble of you," she said finally.
Hiei had never fared well under the admiration of others, and even less so when it was from the ferry-girl. He diverted his gaze from her expression and the warmth that exuded from it, inadvertently catching sight of the bag she brought with her.
"Were those for me?" he asked, motioning over to the confectionaries.
She nodded.
"Bingo! I figured you could use a little pick me up."
"Hn, you never listen," he berated, though it lacked any real substance to it. "I don't like sweets."
"Sure you don't," Botan teased as she moved to open the bag. "But I bought them anyway, since you ate them so quickly the last time."
Despite his initial aversion, the two had spent the remainder of the hour eating and indulging in conversation, though it was mostly one-sided as Botan rambled on and he simply listened, giving input when necessary. Her presence had a calming effect on him and he felt his earlier unease dissipating as she chipped away at it with her bright mood.
There was only one matter that needed settling now: what would he do about her? His recent decision to accept the political power would certainly complicate things. His privacy would essentially become nonexistent after today and his personal affairs would most likely be public knowledge. If he pursued the ferry-girl, then both the demon and spirit worlds would learn about it, and although relations between the both worlds had become somewhat better, tensions and prejudices still ran high. Hiei never cared much for the opinions of others, but Botan did not deserve to go through any hardships because of him. She was content with her life and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her all over again.
He would have to give it some more thought, now that his life had taken an unexpected turn.
Botan had woken up in a good mood that morning. The tournament was over, her friends were all in good condition and Hiei had come to terms with his decision to accept the leadership role.
The victory banquet was going to be held later that evening. From what she had heard, all surviving competitors were welcomed to join, along with special guests, which included Koenma and his party. Botan was especially excited to attend, since this was her first time partaking in something like this.
She had dedicated a majority of her morning to figuring out an outfit for the occasion. She had no idea what was acceptable and she couldn't exactly as one of the boys, seeing as they were all clueless when it came to this sort of thing. She would just have to trust her own fashion instinct.
After countless minutes of searching and deliberating, she settled on a silk woven, Chinese styled dress. It was a tasteful blend of conservative and playful and the navy blue silk, coupled with the golden floral patterns were elegant enough for a classy affair such as this one. The mandarin collar gave way to a teardrop neckline and the long length was offset by the slits to the side. All she needed to complete the look were some hair sticks to pin her hair into a bun, and she had remembered seeing all sorts of accessories in one of the souvenir shops. If luck was on her side, they would have the final component she needed.
The boutique that Botan had chosen was a high-end establishment, filled with ornately designed and high quality pieces. She managed to find some golden plated hair sticks that matched perfectly with her outfit. It was definitely a little overpriced, but well worth it as she examined the item.
When she stepped outside, she was surprised to see Ruka standing outside of the store, as if she had been waiting for her to appear. Botan opened her mouth to say something, she was not quite sure what, but the enchantress was quicker.
"We need to talk and I'd prefer to do it in private," she advised, turning on her heels. "Follow me."
Without waiting for an answer, the redhead started walking out of the shopping wing. Botan was a bit stunned and it took a moment for the exchange to sink in. She had no idea what Ruka would need to talk to her about, but she did not have the luxury or time to contemplate it. The woman was already halfway down the hallway, and Botan followed suit. They stopped at the café, and Ruka led Botan over to one of the smaller tables in the corner without waiting for a waiter or waitress to guide them. Botan placed her gift bag on the empty chair beside her as she took her seat and looked around at her surroundings awkwardly. She had only ever been in opposition with the enchantress and it was strange to suddenly be sitting across from the woman now.
Under the dim light of the café, Botan could see the tiredness in Ruka's usually flawless features. She almost seemed more approachable without her signature red lipstick and heavy eye makeup. The woman looked bare and slightly less guarded as she stared at Botan contemplatively.
"Let me start off by saying that even though I haven't given you any reason to believe this, I'm not the type of woman to bring down another. I may be a bitch, but I'm not usually that petty. What I did to you left a bad taste in my mouth and I'm trying to erase it," Ruka began evenly.
Botan was a completely taken aback by the apology, so much so that she couldn't find the words to respond.
"I'm saying that I'm sorry and I want you to know that I've ended things with Hiei," Ruka continued.
Botan snapped out of it immediately upon hearing that last bit.
"I accept your apology, but please reconsider. Hiei is a great guy."
"Great guy or not, there's nothing I can do if I'm not the one he wants."
"But there's nothing going on between us, really."
Ruka looked off in the distance, a far off look in her eyes as she spoke.
"In all the time that I've known him, he's never referred to us as anything. It was always him and me; he made it a point to keep us separate in every sense of the word," she paused as her gaze cut back to view Botan. "But it's different with you. He talks about you as if you're still part of him."
The ferry-girl's frown deepened in confusion.
"He talked to you about me?" she asked.
"Briefly and not in a negative light, so you don't have to worry your pretty little head," Ruka assured. "Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, there is something still there between the two of you. I'm not the type to sit on the sidelines and watch someone else get their happy ending, so I'm bowing out while I still have the chance to do so gracefully."
Botan suddenly felt extremely guilty. She had spent so much time with Hiei in the last few days and had completely forgotten that he had something going on with the enchantress. She left no room for the other woman; she had forced her way back into Hiei's good graces without realizing what a damaging effect it would have on anyone else.
"I only wanted Hiei and I to get along. I didn't realize that I had come between the two of you in the process," Botan admitted. "I'm sorry if I've ruined things, that wasn't my intention at all."
"You can't ruin something that was never right to begin with," Ruka said dryly, a hint of bitterness in her tone.
"I'm still sorry," she repeated.
"Don't be. I don't need your pity."
Botan wanted to correct her, to tell Ruka that it was not pity, but decided against it. She had dealt with her fair share of prideful people and it was best to just let the comment go.
"Maybe I'll search for a nice guy next," Ruka considered, looking more like herself as she smirked. "These bad boys are more trouble than they're worth."
Botan smiled.
"I hear you..."
Ruka stood up from her chair, casting Botan one last parting look before she left.
"Later ferry-girl."
"Goodbye Ruka."
Botan remained seated in the café long after Ruka had departed, contemplating her words. Botan did not doubt the enchantress' intelligence or emotional depth, but she simply had to have misunderstood the situation. Hiei did not care about her in that sense and there was no way that he ever would now that he was a high ranking general and had women like Ruka seeking his company. It was too farfetched of an idea and Botan decided that indulging in it any further would be pointless and foolish of her.
Her eyes drifted towards the clock on the wall and she quickly grabbed her gift bag and jumped up from her chair. She had a banquet to get ready for!
As Hiei changed into his formal wear, he remembered Botan's admittance. She had liked the way he looked in this type of clothing. The woman was always transparent and he could not help the smirk that overtook his expression. She had been tripping him up as of late and any victory, no matter how small, was welcomed.
He had worn an outfit similar to the one he had donned during Genkai's party, except his tabard was a dark blue color that had a customized design of the dragon of the darkness flame detailed on his front. Slipping his shoes on, he exited his room and purposely waited for Botan. She was usually timely, and he had a feeling that he wouldn't be waiting too long. A few, short minutes later, she had made an appearance. She didn't notice him at first, as she was too preoccupied with fiddling with her bag and making sure that her door was locked, and Hiei seized the opportunity to drink in the sight of her.
The dress she wore was a simple, but form fitting one; her legs were exposed through slits on either side of the dress and the neckline afforded him the slightest view of cleavage. She had even done something different with her hair, foregoing her usual ponytail in lieu of an intricately styled bun. The woman had no clue of what she did to him and he would like to keep it that way for the time being, at least until he figured out what his next move would be.
Botan finally spotted Hiei and her eyes lit up. He smirked upon seeing the way her eyes lingered a bit too long on his form.
"See something of interest, ferry-girl?" he asked. His face did not show any outward signs of amusement, but his tone held a note of arrogance that was entirely purposeful.
"No!" she blurted out, cheeks heating up as she looked away stubbornly. Moments later her eyes drifted back towards him and she admitted with a slight pout, "But you do clean up nicely."
Hiei did not respond to her last comment, though it did give him a sense of satisfaction as he started walking towards the elevators.
"I hope I'm dressed correctly for the occasion," Botan said conversationally as she walked near his side. "I've never been to one of these before."
"Your attire is fine," he told her without looking sparing a glance in her direction.
"Fine?" she repeated, her nose crinkling slightly at his appraisal. "It's just fine?"
"Hn."
Botan's face fell in disappointment and he rolled his eyes.
"What is it, woman?"
"Well, you look great, and you should because you're the guest of honor," she explained. "But I had hoped to make a good impression since this is my first demon banquet and all, and hearing you say that I look just 'fine' doesn't really inspire much confidence."
"Ridiculous," he scoffed.
"It's not ridiculous," she countered. "Just because you don't care about fashion doesn't mean that I'm being unreasonable!"
"You're worrying senselessly over something that is hardly an issue."
"And how did you come to that brilliant conclusion?" she bit back.
"Because you always look good to me."
Hiei continued walking, only realizing his mistake when he didn't hear the clicking of Botan's heels echoing around the hall. He didn't mean to say that aloud and he wanted to cut off his own tongue for voicing the private thought that should have remained locked away in a distant corner of his mind. His shoulders tensed, but he didn't bother looking back at the ferry-girl, who was undoubtedly shocked by his admission. He hit the call button for the elevator and by the time the doors opened, Botan had gotten over her surprise and joined him.
"Thank you," she said quietly as they entered the elevator.
Hiei could not afford to acknowledge her gratitude, instead choosing to press the appropriate button on the panel and watch as the doors closed. She wore a pleased smile on her face for the entirety of their trek towards the ballroom and Hiei had a feeling that she would not forget what he had said anytime soon.
The remainder of their trek towards the ballroom was filled with silence, but Hiei preferred it that way, lest he say something embarrassing again. Once they arrived, Botan let out a sound of wonder and excitement.
"It looks absolutely beautiful!" she said, looking around at the area.
Hiei gave an unimpressed grunt. It was all lavish and unnecessary in his opinion. The only thing worth noting was the array of food and drinks, both of which appealed to the palates of humans, demons and spirits. When Jorge called Botan over to try an overly fancy looking appetizer, Hiei made a beeline for the drinks. Although he ignored it, he had garnered the attention of a majority of people the moment he had stepped into the room with Botan. If this was what it was going to be like for the next twelve months, then he was quickly regretting his decision.
The perky announcer took the stage and although he knew what was coming next, he dreaded it all the more.
"Everyone, please join me in greeting our new ruler: Hiei," she called out.
Those who weren't already subtly watching him decided to turn their attention towards him as he grudgingly walked towards the green-haired woman.
"Hiei will have authority and jurisdiction over the demon world for the next three hundred and sixty-five days. As per usual, there is a limit to this power, but even so, he will singlehandedly have more political authority than any other person in this realm, and as such, we should all adhere to his rulings."
She paused for a moment to remove her gaze from the crowd and place it on Hiei.
"And now, our victor will share a few words."
In the past, Enki spoke about joining together as a unified body and enjoying each other's company for the night, no matter what camp you were from or how long you might have feuded with the person standing next to you. But Hiei was not concerned with the pleasantries and surging of goodwill that usually came with social gatherings. The fools here were free to do whatever they wanted with or without the shoddy power he was granted as temporary ruler. He fixed them all with an uninterested look, before turning to the announcer.
"I have nothing to say."
"Aw, don't be shy Hiei!" Yusuke's hollered immaturely.
The perky announcer ignored Yusuke completely as she forced a grin on her face.
"It's customary that you give us a few words before we partake in the victory banquet," she whispered, through gritted teeth, somehow managing to keep that falsely cheery expression.
This was exactly why he did not want to accept. No matter how much he hated it, he would be roped into doing things that he had no interest in. He looked out towards the crowd with a bored expression. The room was filled with people he hardly knew, only a handful of them were worth noting and the rest were just nameless faces whose fates were of no significance to him. He saw Botan smiling up at him encouragingly near Koenma's side. Kurama seemed to be waiting patiently for Hiei's speech as well, the slightest hint of amusement reflected in his gaze. Further off to the side was Mukuro, who had given him a single nod, a silent instruction for him to get it over with. Hiei steeled himself as he stepped forward.
"I am not the type to be concerned with the affairs of others; peace, security and liberty are not my priority, but I do value one thing and that is my privacy. I don't care what you do tonight, so long as you do it someplace far away from me," he said finally.
There was a hushed buzz that went around the room. Hiei thought his words were clear as day, but perhaps they were far too ambiguous for the rest of the room to process.
"Well, you heard our new ruler," the girl cheered. "Let the festivities begin!"
The crowd shouted in succession and dispersed among the room as people mingled and chatted. Hiei moved away from the microphone, looking towards a secluded corner of the bar. His dark aura turned most away from him and the fools who were too inept to sense his anger were turned away by his dark glare. Hiei did not care for social settings such as these. Normally, he could get through them fairly easily, but this was different. This was in honor of him. He was suddenly thrust into the limelight and that made this particular occasion that much worse. But, so long as he was left alone, he would be fine.
The bartender lined up a few shots for Hiei, but did not try to strike up a conversation, which was fine by him. He was left alone for a few blissful moments, until he felt the familiar auras of Yusuke and Kurama.
"Can't believe you actually accepted," Yusuke said, taking a seat to his left as Kurama took the empty seat on the other side of him.
"Mukuro will be taking on ninety percent of the real responsibilities. I won't be involved in any decision making or implementation," Hiei reasoned.
"Let's hope so, if your opening speech was any indication, this world would be in even more disarray if you did," Kurama noted lightheartedly.
Hiei could not deny that claim as he took a drink.
"Kuwabara's going to be shocked when I tell him the news," Yusuke said smugly.
"Yes, I imagine he will be," Kurama agreed with a smile.
"Like I've said before: the affairs of the demon world are none of that clown's business," Hiei asserted.
"Hey, you never know, Kuwabara could end up being the father of your future nieces or nephews someday," the black-haired teen imagined. "Then the affairs of this world would kinda be his business."
Hiei's gaze turned murderous, energy flaring up as his eyes flashed dangerously.
"Don't make me kill you before you have the chance to return home to your life of human mediocrity."
Yusuke laughed openly, smacking his hand against his knee as he sucked in a few breaths to calm himself.
"Riling you up never gets old!"
"Should have left you all to get crushed back at Maze Castle," Hiei muttered darkly, resting his head in his palm as he leaned against the bar.
"Oh, come on, are you still pretending that you were actually thinking of leaving us back there at the gate of betrayal?" Yusuke asked.
"I'm not pretending," Hiei maintained. "It was foolish of you to trust me to pull the lever. I considered leaving you all to be crushed under the weight of your own naivety, but it was simply more advantageous to keep you alive, considering there were four saint beasts to deal with at the time."
"Yeah, well, however you choose to spin it, I knew that you'd come through," Yusuke insisted with a grin.
Hiei scoffed at the sentimentality of Yusuke's words, but said no more.
"Hard to believe that our first mission was four years ago," Kurama noted. "We've come a long way since then."
Yusuke nodded.
"You know, back when I was the spirit detective, I couldn't wait for it to end. Hiei was a moody little shit, Kuwabara was my annoying middle school rival, Kurama was a nerdy know it all, Botan was a nag and Koenma was a toddler sized pain in my ass. But here I am, years later and I still can't shake you guys," he joked.
"I admit, you all were a rather colorful group. I had only decided to help out on missions to clear my record and then I planned to return to a life of normalcy," Kurama confessed. "But somewhere along the way, you all became valued friends."
Yusuke grinned in response and then the two turned towards Hiei, looking at him expectantly.
"Don't expect me to join in on this cliched confessional. You're all every bit as unbearable as you were from the moment I met you."
"But?" Yusuke prodded, poking him childishly in the airm.
"But nothing, you continue to be the bane of my existence."
"Aw, we know that's just Hiei speak for: I love you guys so much and I don't know what I'd do without you!" Yusuke teased.
Kurama hid a chuckle behind his glass as Hiei's fists clenched.
"Beneath the humor, Yusuke does have a point, and after everything we went through, I never suspected that we would end up on opposing factions," Kurama stated.
"Could you imagine if a war hard broken out?" Yusuke supposed. "I don't think I would've been able to fight you guys, not seriously anyway."
"Nor could I," the redhead agreed.
"I could have," Hiei said flatly.
Yusuke and Kurama exchanged knowing looks, as though they did not believe him, but he was speaking the truth.
"Anyway, it's the end of an era!" Yusuke announced. "I'm going back home for good, Kurama's decided to quit Yomi's camp and Hiei's moving on to bigger and better things."
The thought sobered Hiei up somewhat. Everything was changing and he wasn't sure how to react to that.
"To the future," Yusuke said, raising his glass. "Let's hope it's a lot smoother than the past."
Hiei clinked his glass against theirs, before bringing the glass to his lips and letting the amber liquid wash away the strangely mawkish feeling in his chest.
Botan noticed the way Hiei continued to drink and drink and drink. She wasn't sure what his tolerance was like, but he was consuming an alarmingly large number of alcoholic beverages with no thought to the consequence it would bring. Then again, just about everyone else was doing the same thing and Hiei had been far more subdued than the others. She caught sight of Yusuke singing along to some possibly made up tune with Jin and Chuu and laughed.
Koenma had already warned her to stay away from any from liquor and to stick to the lighter beer and wine cooler brands that she was familiar with from the human and sprit world, but Botan was curious by nature and she had to sneak a taste of the demon world's very own alcohol. She quickly regretted it and washed it down with some juice. It was absolutely repugnant.
Three and a half hours into the festivities, Botan had gotten to know the announcer girls better – they were absolute darlings – and she had spent a good amount of time with Yusuke, Kurama, Koenma and Jorge in succession. She had figured she had given Hiei enough space, and she wanted to check in on him to see how he was doing.
He hadn't moved from the back corner of the room, where the bar was. When she approached him, she expected him to glare at her or tell her to join the rest of the party, but he did neither of those things. Instead, he did something that had her heart jumping in her chest. Rather than harsh words and cold looks, he afforded her with the slightest upward curve of his lips and the softest look she had ever seen housed in his crimson eyes before. He had smirked at her plenty of times before, but this time the familiar expression lacked it's usual arrogance or teasing quality. In fact, it just fell short of being a true smile.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, somewhat stunned and amused by his behavior at the same time.
"I don't know," he answered, the ghost of a smile dissipating, and the softness in his eyes slowly being taken over by confusion. "You make me feel things I don't normally experience. Good and bad."
Botan blinked owlishly, before taking a seat next to him and frowning.
"Bad?"
"You make me second-guess myself," he admitted, gaze fixed on an indeterminable point in the distance. "I'm suddenly experiencing unnecessary sentiments like regret and guilt."
She could only assume that he was talking about the bet from three years ago. If he was still carrying around that guilt, it would tear him apart inside.
"We both made the effort to repair our relationship. You don't have to feel guilty anymore," she told him, shaking her head. "I meant what I said before and I can honestly say that we're friends now. I hope that you feel the same."
Botan smiled at him reassuringly, but Hiei did not look appeased.
"Friends," he muttered, his tone sounding somewhat disappointed to Botan's ears. He extended his arm, reaching out to grab another shot, but Botan intercepted him, holding on to his hand softly.
"Don't you think you've had enough?"
"I'm fine," he mumbled, waving her hand away dismissively.
"Really? Then how many fingers am I holding up?" she challenged, giving him a peace sign.
He pulled himself away from the bar to look at her, eyes completely glazed over.
"Four," he answered overconfidently.
"It was only two," she said, wiggling her fingers mockingly. "Clearly you're intoxicated."
"Doesn't matter."
"Of course it does, you're the new ruler. You can't have your people seeing you in this state!" she said.
Hiei gave her a look that indicated otherwise.
"I couldn't care less about the people's opinion."
"Well you're going to have to learn to, mister. It comes with the territory," she said.
He scowled, looking more like a petulant child than an angry fire-demon, and Botan couldn't help but notice how cute he looked in that instant. She did not have much time to make note of it, because she spotted a slew of reporters and cameras coming towards their direction.
"How about we go and get you sobered up?" she offered quickly.
Hiei shook his head, apparently contented to spend the rest of his night sulking at the bar.
"So you're saying you actually want to stay here, surrounded by all of this?"
His eyes drifted towards the general commotion and he pursed his lips in a tight line, refusing to voice his displeasure.
"I thought so," she said knowingly. "Come on, let's get you back to your room."
Some people were the classic example of the truthful drunk, while others blabbered on without much thought or truth. Botan considered Hiei to be a mixture of both. Perhaps he regretted how he treated her in the past, but all of the other things he was saying? Now that had to be the classic example of a drunken and meaningless ramble. She thought back momentarily to what Ruka was telling her earlier on in the day and quickly dismissed it as mere coincidence. Sober Hiei would never feel those things about her and she didn't intend to fool herself into thinking otherwise.
The moment she had led him to his bed, Hiei was out like a light. Botan pulled his shoes off in an attempt to get him more comfortable and adjusted the temperature of his room so that it was a few degrees cooler. He was surely overheated with all of those drinks he had consumed.
She lingered at his bedside, watching as his breathing pattern slowed and deepened. She was caught in a trance, only aware of the seconds that passed by with each rise and fall of his chest. At times, it still felt surreal to be so near to him after all that had transpired. Feeling braver than usual – most likely due to the light coolers coursing through her system – she ran a hand through his black bangs, watching as the frown lines lessened until he was sleeping peacefully. Running her fingers downwards, she lightly caressed his cheek. Hiei showed no signs of stirring and she allowed her hand to linger there, taking in the warmth and smoothness of his skin. A nostalgic sense of affection spread through her chest as she watched him, so close and within reach. This was the only time she would allow herself to revel in this wistful and downright counterproductive feeling. Things would go back to normal once they all returned to their separate places. The tournament was over and she made it without becoming overly attached to him. It was nothing short of a miracle and she could not afford to waver now.
Hiei awoke the next morning to find some aspirin and a bottle of water on the nightstand. Memories of last night flooded back into his mind; he had gotten drunk, but nothing happened. The ferry-girl sent him back to his room before the media had snapped photographic evidence or jotted down misguided statements. He hadn't planned on drinking so much, but it was all he could do to stay calm when the festivities were going on around him and his mind was in turmoil. Things were changing almost too quickly for him to process and although his leadership would really be Mukuro's responsibility, it was still a significant change.
The next hour went by in a blur as he got himself ready and packed. Hiei hated crowds and he frowned when he saw how packed the lobby had become, filled to the brim as the guests began to check out. He managed to easily spot Yusuke and Botan in the multitude of people and he was not surprised; his eyes always seemed to be searching for her, even in a room as crowded as this one.
It was the official end of the tournament. Nothing was keeping him here anymore and nothing was tying the woman to this world, either. They would once again go their separate ways and once again, he found himself at odds over his instincts and his honor-code. He wanted her to be his, but he knew that dragging her into the public eye all for the sake of satiating his renewed affections towards her was the wrong thing to do.
As he approached them, he saw Botan do something that froze him in his tracks. The ferry-girl closed the distance between herself and the ex-detective, hugging him tightly without any reservations. Hiei was not jealous – not in the slightest – but seeing her clinging to someone else only served to remind him of how welcoming she was. No matter how opening or inviting she was towards him, she had only viewed him as a friend, much like she did with Yusuke, Kurama and the others.
The time they had spent together had only amounted to a renewed friendship and nothing more.
"Chill out Botan, it's not like you're never going to see me again," Yusuke's voice cut through his thoughts and he saw the teen pat the ferry-girl's back lamely.
"You hardly ever visit ever since you relocated to the demon world. The next time I'll see you will probably be during the next tournament!" she bemoaned as she continued hugging him.
"Actually, I'm heading back home," he revealed. "For good."
"You are?" she asked, letting go and watching him curiously. Brows arched highly as the surprise shone in her eyes. "Really?"
"Really," he laughed. "I already talked to Hokushin and the others about it. I've just got a few things to wrap up and then I'm gone."
"Oh, Yusuke, that's wonderful. Keiko is going to be so thrilled!"
Yusuke grinned at that, attempting to play it off as he nodded.
"Yeah, so, cut the waterworks," Yusuke said before looking over at Hiei's direction. "Besides, the one you should really be saying goodbye to is pretending he's part of the furniture over there."
Hiei glared at the detective as he stepped into Botan's line of sight. She smiled over at him as he stopped in front of them.
"I'll leave you two to it," he smirked as he sauntered away.
"Hey," she said hesitantly. "How do you feel?"
"Fine," he answered curtly. "And I suppose I owe you for that."
"It's no big deal," she waved it off. "Besides, I'm sure that you would have done the same for me."
Hiei only nodded in return, finding no sense in denying her claim. Before he had the chance to answer, Koenma appeared from around the corner. He was rushing towards the front desk, Jorge trailing behind him, carrying all of the luggage.
"Hurry up, Botan. If we don't check out in five minutes then I have to pay a late fee!" the Prince urged.
"Alright, give me a minute!" she responded, watching as they headed further away. She returned her attentions to Hiei, looking more thoughtful as she spoke. "I wonder how long it will be until we see each other again. I hope it's not another three years."
"It doesn't have to be," he admitted. Although he still hadn't made a resolute decision, he did not plan on letting that much time go by without seeing her again.
Botan's eyes widened slightly as he continued.
"You know where I'll be," he told her. "And you've proven yourself perfectly capable of reaching Mukuro's fortress if the need arises."
Her expression brightened at the veiled invitation.
"I could say the same to you," she retorted, setting her hands on her hips. "It wouldn't kill you to drop by once in a while. I'm sure Yukina would appreciate it too."
"Hn."
"I suppose I'll see you around, then?"
Hiei nodded wordlessly and Botan copied his action. She lingered for a moment, looking as though there was something else that she needed to say before she apparently decided against it. She twirled around and gathered her belongings, heading off in the same direction that Koenma and Jorge left to. He watched her walk away, before he did the same. He felt strangely empty, as though he had been expecting more. After all, the woman had nearly crushed Yusuke to death with the force of her farewell, but all he received was an awkward goodbye. He had yet to decide whether or not he would actively pursue her once things had settled down on his end, but he wondered if he should have done or said something more.
"Hiei wait!"
Her voice promoted him to turn around and he was surprised to find her much closer than he had expected. Before he had a chance to react, she had her arms around his shoulders and she moved to hug him almost experimentally. He stiffened at the contact, unused to this form of physical contact with the woman. Warmth radiated from her form and he felt the need to keep her near. Without really thinking it through, he brought his arms up to circle around her waist, pressing her against him and prolonging the act. Her breath hitched at the proximity, but soon she leaned into him, fitting snugly against his form. They had hugged once before, but it was entirely new and entirely different now that he had reciprocated. The embrace felt somewhat like her healing magic: calming, familiar and soothing. They stayed that way for a bit longer, until the sound of Koenma yelling for her prompted her to lessen her hold and slowly pull away.
"Don't be a stranger, or else you'll force me to pay you a visit!" she warned.
Hiei nodded and Botan grinned back at him. She collected her bags, giving Hiei one last wordless wave, before scampering off towards the front desk. He watched her disappear into the throng of people, an emptiness filling his insides as the gravity of his situation set in fully. As sentimental and embarrassing as it was, a large part of him did not want to let her go and his fingers itched for the warmth of her touch once again.
Well that's the end of the Tournament arc! I still can't believe that next chapter will be the 30th! We're winding down towards the end – I'd say another 5 or 6 chapters max. Then again, it might be best to disregard me since this story has taken on a life of its own.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm going on vacation next week, but I'll try to squeeze in a chapter before then if it's possible. Let me know what you thought!