I've updated a few days earlier than usual, but that's only because you guys are so awesome. I hope all the regulars had a chance to read the last chapter. If not, be sure to go back and read it before you start on this one.

Botan let out a troubled sighed. She had effectively resolved things with Yuuto, but her mind still felt just as clouded and muddled as before. He believed that there was something left between herself and the fire-demon. It wasn't a guess, nor was he accusatory. He was simply stating a fact, as though it was something plainly obvious to see and everyone but her was privy to it. But that couldn't be… could it?

Her thoughts were derailed when her feet met with an object on the ground, pulling her back to reality and down to the ground. She nearly tripped, but she felt a pair of arms steady her and Botan did not even have to look to know that it was him. The heated warmth of a fire demon was impossible to forget and his comforting scent was embedded into her memory. She could see the mark of the dragon sprawling over the expanse of his forearm, and despite the danger it represented, his power and stability only served to ground her. He held her much more gently than a man with his dark past should have been capable of and she found herself not wanting to let go. Botan's eyes slowly trailed upwards to his face, staring into his eyes and basking in the feeling of the makeshift embrace. The way that her heart skipped a beat as he stared back at her was alarming, but she did not have the sense to dwell on it; the only thing she could focus on was the fact that it felt extremely good to be in this position.

"You need to be more aware of your surroundings," he said as he released his hold on her.

Botan smoothened her disheveled kimono and ran a hand through her hair to help fix her frazzled appearance. She threw on a sheepish grin, embarrassed that she had been so clumsy in front of him and flustered over the fact that she had enjoyed their embrace a bit too much.

"Hiei," she breathed out. "What are you doing here?"

An unreadable component softened his gaze as he stared back at her. Although Hiei did not open his mouth to respond, she heard his voice all the same and his words caused her breath to hitch in her throat.

'Isn't it obvious, you obliviously naive woman. The only reason I'm standing here is because I'm still in love with you.'

Botan blinked, feeling as though her heart had just stopped. It was a faint echo in the back of her mind and she was not quite sure if she had imagined it or not.

"Did you just say something?" she asked. When the fire-demon failed to respond, she frowned. "Hiei?"

"No," he replied finally. "I said nothing."

"I could have sworn I heard…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "I must be going crazy. Yuuto was saying some things earlier that didn't make sense and it really messed with my head."

"You spoke with him," Hiei echoed.

"Yes, I told him the truth and he took it well."

"Hn."

"So, um, why are you here, anyway?" she asked absentmindedly.

"You wanted to see Yukina," he reminded her.

"Oh, that's right! It completely slipped my mind. I really must be losing it," Botan said, laughing sheepishly. "Just give me a minute and I'll be ready to go!"

She stepped inside of her room, closing the door and smacking a hand against her forehead with a groan. She needed to get it together! Yuuto's words had seriously messed with her mind, causing her to look like a complete and utter fool in front of Hiei. Not only had she clumsily tripped in front of him and displayed a complete loss of all sense by forgetting why he was here today, but she had also started hearing strange, unbelievable, impossible things. Even worse was the way her heart fluttered when she heard the illusory declaration. It seemed so real. But it couldn't be.

Dismissing all thoughts on the matter, she made a beeline for her closet and pulled out a comfortable pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She gave herself a quick lookover in the mirror and retied her ponytail. Satisfied with her appearance, she decided to face the fire-demon.

He stood against the wall opposite of her room, eyes narrowed and focused on the hiruiseki stone between his thumb and forefinger. He seemed to be wrapped up in his own thoughts and Botan found it strange that it was not attached to the chain around his neck. She recognized it as Yukina's due to its unblemished and untarnished state.

"Is everything all right?" she asked.

Hiei pocketed the gem and turned to face her.

"Let's go," he said instead.

She led him out of the Spirit World wordlessly as she tried to push all thoughts of Hiei and the fantasy confession out of her mind. The trip to Genkai's was a rather short, uneventful and silent one. They made it there in record time with Botan flying on her oar and Hiei employing the use of his unparalleled speed. Yukina was already waiting for them on the steps of the temple, her smile dropping into an open-mouthed expression of shock when she noticed the fire-demon.

Botan grinned triumphantly as she hopped off of her oar.

"I brought a surprise guest," she sing-songed.

Yukina gathered her bearings quickly enough, greeting Hiei with a polite smile.

"It's good to see you again, Hiei."

He nodded in return.

"I was thinking we could spend some time in the garden today," Yukina suggested. "The weather is beautiful today and it would be a shame to miss it."

Botan clapped her hands together.

"That sounds like a swell idea!" she agreed. "I'll make some tea while you two chat! I'm sure there's a lot you both need to catch each other up on!"

Hiei grunted noncommittally, already heading towards the garden with Yukina following suit. Botan thought she would get some resistance from the fire-demon and was especially pleased to see him complying so readily. She could not help the smirk that stuck to her face as she headed towards the kitchen and began to prepare the tea according to the twins' distinct preferences. Hiei liked it sweeter; while Yukina enjoyed it bitter. Glancing outside of the kitchen window, she wondered what they might be talking about.

The ferry-girl knew very well that Yukina considered all of the team to be her family and even if she did not know the truth about Hiei, he was still important to her. The ice-maiden had inquired about him occasionally during his absence and it was obvious that she had missed him. Botan had hoped that he would drop by more often, for Yukina's sake, and she was thrilled to see him taking those tentative steps. Even if Hiei never revealed himself as her brother, he could still be there for her as a friend.

She picked up the tray and exited the temple. She had planned to deliver Hiei and Yukina's tea and then skitter off to find Genkai, but the direction that the twins' conversation had taken caused her to nearly drop the contents of the tray.

"In the three years that I've been gone, I have yet to hear word about this brother of yours."

Hiei's voice sounded oddly distant as it reached Botan's ears and she frowned.

"I understand," Yukina answered through a disheartened frown. "I'll keep searching for him on my own. I won't give up on him."

"He is probably dead," Hiei replied without missing a beat. "Your search is most likely meaningless."

"I don't believe that."

"You should," Hiei said. "If I haven't found him, then there is little to no chance of you succeeding. Abandon your search and focus on the present. Your brother was a part of your unfortunate past; it's time that you let go of all unnecessary attachments and move on."

"I will never stop looking for him. Even if you've given up, I still have faith," Yukina countered, an icy determination encasing her every word. "Thank you for returning my stone. If you'll excuse me…"

Botan watched in shock as Yukina passed her by and headed off into the direction of her room. The girl's face was impassive, but the chilly aura that had steeped through her guard was more than enough of a sign of the ice-maiden's inner turmoil. The ferry-girl marched into the garden and set the tray of tea on the small, outdoor table. It clanked loudly and the contents of the teacups sloshed over into the serving tray, but Botan was past the point of caring. She turned to face Hiei with a glare and the fire-demon stared back at her stoically as she took his hand and began walking away with quick, angered steps. He could have easily wretched himself from her grip or come to a halt, but he allowed himself to be led far enough away from the compound, where Yukina could not hear them. When she thought that they had reached a decent enough distance from the temple, Botan finally released him.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked hotly.

"I should be asking you that question, woman," he answered, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looked away.

"How could you say those things to Yukina?"

Hiei frowned.

"You were listening in on a private conversation."

"Believe me, I wish that I didn't hear what I just did. What you said was horrible and selfish and cruel."

"It was necessary."

"No, it wasn't," she countered. "Hope is the only thing she has left. How dare you take it away from her? You might not want to acknowledge the fact that you two are family, but you had no right to speak to her like that and tell her to give up on her brother!"

"I have every right and it's none of your business," he gritted.

"I'm making it my business," she snapped. "Yukina is my friend. I can't stand by and watch you hurt her like this!"

"You're being over dramatic."

"And you're being a coward."

Hiei snarled, eyes flashing and narrowing dangerously.

"You're treading on thin ice, ferry-girl."

The shade afforded by the tall trees overhead only served to twist Hiei's already menacing expression into an especially dark and dangerous one. They were isolated from the others, she had no way of defending herself and she had no means of escape. In the past, this dismal picture would have been more than enough to frighten her, but none of that mattered now. Hiei did not scare her in the slightest – especially not when her own righteous anger was rising to the surface.

"I don't care. We both know you won't hurt me, Hiei," she proclaimed boldly. "You need to listen to what I have to say. After everything we've been through, you owe me that much."

Her words seemed to instill their desired effect and he stayed. Botan attributed his sudden obedience to his complicated honor code, and she was glad that something, anything had rooted him to his spot. Somebody had to say it and it might as well be her.

Hiei crossed his arms tightly, posture rigid and tense as he stared back at her.

"Get on with it then."

"I tried not to get involved when it came to Yukina because, ultimately, the decision is yours to make, but I can't stay quiet any longer. I thought that all you needed was time before you came clean with her, but three years have passed and it looks as though you'll never tell her. It's not fair to her. You know who she is and you're allowed to have a relationship with her on your terms, but you aren't even giving her the same courtesy or choice!"

"You don't understand," he said defensively. "And you never will."

"Maybe if you opened up and let me in, I would!"

Hiei looked away stubbornly, mouth pressed into a tight line and she could see that he was not going to budge.

"I don't know why I even bother," she huffed. "In the end, you'll always just do what you want, even if it isn't fair and even if it hurts others in the process."

She stalked away angrily, furious that Hiei was being so stubborn.

Botan stormed past the ogres in the hallway, still a little worked up over her encounter with Hiei. She couldn't believe that he put Yukina down like that. It was horrible of him to do so and she was absolutely livid.

"Botan."

"What?" she snapped angrily, turning around to see Koenma. She blanched considerably, catching herself and losing a great deal of her anger. "Oh, Lord Koenma, it's you. Is something the matter?"

"Hiei stopped by earlier today," Koenma noted as he led her into his office.

"Yes?"

"He said that Mukuro was considering the ambassadorship program."

"That's great news," she replied. She knew how much this ambassadorship meant to Koenma and what it meant for the three worlds as a whole.

"Yes. However, they will only agree if that ambassador is you."

Botan's eyes widened as she pointed a weak finger in her direction.

"Me?

Koenma nodded.

"They must trust you. It seems as though this all hinges on your cooperation."

Botan frowned.

"Weren't you going to hand pick the ambassadors yourself?

"Yes, and I already had you in mind as a candidate," Koenma revealed with an encouraging smile.

"Really?" Her brows rose in incredulity. It was a pleasant surprise.

"Of course. You know the inner workings of this world and you've proven yourself more than capable of getting along diplomatically with demons. You will be a fine ambassador, so long as you use your discretion when dealing with others."

"I'm flattered sir. I always thought you would choose Ayame or one of the more senior girls."

"Ayame is also a candidate, along with Kasumi and yourself," he revealed. "I was planning on sending you to Raizen's territory, Ayame to Mukuro's and Kasumi to Yomi's," he informed. "I wasn't sure how comfortable you would be in Mukuro's territory considering the relations between you and Hiei."

Botan frowned at the mention of the fire-demon. He was probably livid with her and she was most likely the last person he wanted to see right now. She might have ruined all chances of seeing Koenma's dear plan through to fruition.

"I'm not so sure Hiei will want me there anymore," Botan confessed, gaze downcast as she stared at the floor.

"What happened?"

"I might have said a few choice words over his decision to keep Yukina in the dark," Botan admitted, twiddling her thumbs. When she saw Koenma frown, she continued in the hopes that he would see her side. "But he was trying to make her abandon her search and poor Yukina looked so hurt. I couldn't possibly stand by and not say anything in her defense!"

"You always were a bleeding heart and you do have trouble keeping that mouth of yours shut. I can see why it was so hard for you to remain passive," Koenma said.

"Do you think I should have kept quiet?"

"I don't know," Koenma answered. "Their situation is complicated. Hiei has always been unwavering in his decision to distance himself from Yukina, but he does appear to value your friendship more than you realize. Maybe he will take your words to heart."

"I hope so."

"Putting all of that aside, would you still accept?"

"Of course I would!" she replied. There was never any question about it. "It would be an absolute honor."

"I'm glad to hear that, Botan. You will have to brush up on demon world etiquette and customs before you leave of course. And you mustn't forget that the point of this is to spread awareness and debunk the myths that they might have about Spirit World," Koenma instructed. "We were ignorant in the past. I had no idea that my father had committed such heinous acts for the sake of maintaining power, and our reputation is damaged because of it. But we've worked hard to correct all of that. This is a huge step forward for unity between the three worlds."

"I understand, sir."

"Perhaps you should work things through with Hiei first. All of this talk might be futile if he intends to renege."

Botan's excited expression fell. She had no way of reaching the fire-demon, short of going to the Demon World to speak with him directly. She might have very well ruined a prime opportunity for mending between the two worlds by opening that big mouth of hers, but she could not find it within herself to regret her actions. She had only spoken the truth back there and if Hiei was too selfish to see that, then that was something he needed to work out for himself.

She trudged back to her room, their fight still fresh in her mind. Perhaps she could have worded her case a bit better, though, rather than letting her emotions get the best of her. As she entered the hallway that led to her door, she was wholly surprised to find the black-clad fire-demon leaning against the wall with his eyes closed.

"Hiei?" she said, stopping a few feet away from him. "I thought you'd be long gone by now."

Hiei opened his eyes, his expression stoic as he regarded her.

"You were the one who stormed off, woman, not me," he reminded her.

"I was angry," she supplied.

"So am I."

Botan did not miss the present tense in his statement and she could see that he was holding back. He was angry with her.

"...But you're still here…" she voiced, as though it were hard to believe.

"I am."

It was only then that Botan noticed the tightness in his features and the stiffness in his shoulders. She recalled the way he had been staring at Yukina's stone earlier and the uncharacteristic hesitation in his gaze. His recent decision could not have been easy on him. Yukina was the only family he had and he chose to push her away for good. Hiei was not so cruel as to hurt her necessarily and, so, he must have believed that he was doing the right thing.

Regret filled her heart and softened her expression as she opened her door and motioned for him to follow her inside.

Hiei entered Botan's room wordlessly, still on edge and irritated over their earlier squabble. He had wanted to leave, but he knew that their disagreement would torment him all the way back to the Demon World and he did not like leaving things unresolved. Neither of them was willing to speak at first, but after a few seconds of terse silence, Botan broke the ice.

"I'm sorry that I lost my temper earlier," she apologized. "I'm sorry for the harsh and impatient way I came off, but I'm not sorry for what I said."

Hiei's eyes narrowed slightly.

"And I still stand by my earlier decision," he maintained.

"Hiei," she said softly. "Can't you see that you're hurting her?"

"I'm not hurting her. I'm protecting her."

"From what exactly?"

From himself, obviously.

He was saving her from the associated guilt that she would suffer through if she knew that her precious brother had killed, pillaged and thieved. He was sparing her from the disappointment she would face once she realized that the person she desperately wanted to form a relationship with was incapable of such things. He was protecting her from a myriad of let downs and disillusions. He was setting her free from it all.

"I know what you're thinking," Botan said softly as she took his hand. " I know you think you're not good enough or that she's not strong enough to handle having a brother like you, but you're only doing a disservice by both of you. You're devaluing both your self-worth and her strength. She's an incredibly resilient woman and you're an accomplished man. She would be proud to know that you were brother. You're Mukuro's right hand man: wielder of the dragon of the darkness flame and master of the jagan. And even without those things, you'd still be just fine because you're you, Hiei. And that will always be enough. You will always be enough."

Her emotionally charged sentiments had reached a vacant part of his soul; she said things that no one had dared to think or say before. It was hard to maintain his rock hard resolve when her softhearted words permeated through his walls so easily.

"Despite your supposed flaws and past transgressions, I'm still standing here and there's no reason for you to think that Yukina wouldn't do the same," Botan finished.

"You're different," he said, pulling away with a frown.

"You're right," she agreed easily. "If I went through half of the horrible things that Yukina went through, I might have broken. I would have trouble trusting others. I would be cold and distant. But she can still see the good in everyone and she still holds on to hope. She's stronger than either of us give her credit for."

He swallowed. Yukina was not fragile by any means, but he often forgot that when taking into account her docile personality.

"But she is lonely and she's longing for the family she never got to have. How can you keep this away from her and think that you're doing her a favor? How can you possibly think that she will be okay without you?" Botan asked.

Hiei snapped back to reality, his expression hardening once more. He could not afford to waver when he knew that he had done the right thing. Yukina didn't need him. She really and truly didn't. It was a mantra that he had instilled into his mind long ago.

"You're wrong," he said, turning his back on Botan. "Yukina will be fine."

"Hiei!"

His stubborn pride prevented him from stopping as he crossed over to Botan's open window and jumped out of it, landing on the pathway to exit the Spirit World. Botan always had a way of getting into his head and making him see things from a different perspective, but this was the one decision that he simply could not falter on. He had made the choice to stay away from Yukina back when he learned of her existence and he could not possibly change his mind now.

Botan would never understand his decision, but he knew that she would respect it. The ferry-girl was an emotional person and there was no doubt in his mind that she was over dramatizing the situation. Yukina was probably fine, having long dismissed their conversation in the garden. In fact, for the sole sake of proving himself right and getting rid of the annoyingly hollow feeling that had settled in his chest, he found himself returning to the temple.

He was surprised to find Yukina in the forest that surrounded the temple. She looked extremely small and alone in the company of tall trees and the vast expanse of land. He watched as she crouched down and extended her hand to a bird, smiling as it landed in her palm. She caressed its feathers and smiled at it as it chirped. The glimpse of her in a safe and secure environment would usually be enough for him to turn away and give her some privacy, but this time, he chose to linger.

When the bird eventually flew away, her smile had completely dissipated and there was a doleful quality to her expression that did not suit her at all. An image of his mother flashed by his eyes; it was the only memory he had of her before he was thrown off of the cliff in his infancy. That same grief was mirrored in Yukina's eyes and it shook him to his core.

She should have been content here. Why then, were there traces of sadness lingering in her eyes and radiating from her aura? Perhaps it had been there all along and he had been too blind to notice it until now.

His attention returned to his sister as she pulled out her hiruiseki stone, watching it glint in the sunlight. A tear escaped from her eye and rolled onto the dirt floor, landing near her feet. His eyes widened as he watched one more hiruiseki form and settle into the dirt. He knew for a fact that all ice-maidens were trained from birth not to cry in order to protect them from being exploited for the gems they was able to produce, and Yukina was no exception. She had faced physical torture and torment at the hands of that bastard Tarukane and she hadn't shed a tear, but the thought of never seeing her long lost brother was enough to cause her to break. A cold grip clutched at his insides as he watched her wipe the moisture away from her eyes. She bent down to collect the hiruiseki stones that had fallen and put them all within the folds of her kimono before heading back in the direction of the temple.

Hiei clenched his fist and looked away from the scene, feeling sick to his stomach. He had never thought to pay close enough attention before and he had failed to take her emotional state of being into account. He had been completely and utterly ignorant to the detrimental effects that his callous treatment incurred on the only family he head left and he was ashamed of himself.

He was even worse than those who had exploited her for her tears, because unlike Tarukane, he had actually succeeded in making her cry.

"Hiei, I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon," Yukina said, a bit started by his presence. "I'm sorry that I left so abruptly. It was rude of me."

Hiei shook his head as he entered the room.

"You did nothing worth apologizing over."

Yukina smiled and he saw it again; that hint of sorrow attached to her expression.

"Would you like some tea or something to eat?" she offered.

"I just want to talk," he said simply.

Yukina was apparently surprised that he wanted to talk to her, but she did not look opposed to it.

"Please, have a seat," she said. She treaded over to the couch and motioned for Hiei to do the same. He followed suit stiffly and settled down a comfortable distance from her.

The room was silent for a few seconds. He had never imagined telling Yukina the truth and he had no idea how this should go. His mouth ran dry and he swallowed thickly, suddenly finding the air stifling.

"Is everything alright? You looked troubled."

Hiei took a deep breath, fists balled tightly near his knees as he looked over to Yukina.

"Is it that important for you to find your brother?" he asked bluntly. It was a question he already knew the answer to, but he needed to buy some time.

She stared back at him for a few moments with wide eyes that far differed from his own. When her mouth drew into a firm line and her eyes hardened with an unbreakable resolve, he thought he saw a glimpse of himself in her.

"Of course," she affirmed. "He's my brother. Searching for him will always be a priority in my life."

"He might not be the kind of person you envisioned," Hiei insisted. "He could be a cold hearted killer. Perhaps it's best you don't know him."

"I appreciate your advice, but that's not for you to decide. It's my choice to make and I choose to know the truth," she said. "All I want is the chance to get to know him."

She was unwavering; he saw the conviction shining in her eyes.

"Yukina," he said, her name sounding so foreign on his lips.

"...Yes?"

"What if I told you that brother you were so desperate to find is nothing more than a selfish coward who knowingly kept the truth from you all this time?"

"...I..."

Yukina trailed off, eyes following Hiei's movements as his hand dipped beneath the collar of his shirt to pull his stone out. She let out a gasp as her hands flew to cover her mouth, eyes going wide.

"It's been me all along," he said finally. "I am the one you were so determined to find."

He watched as her thin eyebrows furrowed, pink lips quivered and crimson eyes filled with unshed tears. He wasn't sure what type of negative emotion she was feeling - regret, disappointment, disgust - but he was sure that it was directed towards him and he knew that he wholly deserved it.

"I've waited for you for so long," she said, her voice quivering under the strain of her emotions. "I knew you weren't ready and I didn't want to push you, but I was beginning to think that you would never tell me the truth. I thought that there was something wrong with me. That I was too soft or weak. I thought-"

"I was protecting you," he cut in. "I'm not suited to be anyone's brother. Least of all for someone like you."

"That's not true."

When Hiei didn't answer, Yukina grasped his hand softly, the contrast between his calloused and battle worn skin and her smooth, porcelain skin startling. His temperature ran higher than others, while hers was a few degrees cooler. They couldn't be any more different, but the blood running through their veins claimed otherwise.

"I mean it, Hiei. You are no better than I am. In fact, I am so proud to have you for a brother. You have to believe me when I say that."

He nodded slowly, her words slipping past the cracks in his guard and settling in his core.

"I believe you, Yukina, and for what it's worth... I'm sorry," he said lowly. "For making you wait so long."

She hugged him tightly, breaking the barrier of space between them and he adjusted to the foreign feeling as his thoughts raced. He had worked so hard to distance himself from her that he had never even fathomed that they would come to this point. He could feel the tension in her body and he brought a single hand up to rest against the middle of her back. For a while all he heard was the sounds hiruiseki stones falling and clattering onto the floor and he cursed himself for making her cry again. He wondered how many times she had cried to herself in the past, with no one there to console her and he hated himself for it. He had been so ignorantly blind to the truth and Yukina paid the price for it. His grip tightened reassuringly and she began to settle down. Yukina released him soon after, wiping at her eyes and giving him a weak smile.

"You must think I'm sentimental," she said.

He shook his head, his eyes taking on that soft quality that they always did when his attentions were focused on her.

"…When did you learn the truth?" he asked instead.

"It was strange. From the moment I met you I knew that there was something special about you. When you saved me from Tarukane, I felt a sense of kinship. Like I had known you all along. As if you had always been there. But I brushed it off, because it seemed too farfetched. When we met again at the Dark Tournament and I learned that you were a fire demon, I started wondering if it was all just coincidence. The more time I spent in your company, the clearer it all became. When I gave you my stone three years ago, I could see the familiarity in your eyes and I just knew that my speculations were true. I had just hoped you would tell me one day and when you left, I feared that you would never return."

His gaze dithered. He really had been such a stubborn fool.

"I thought that you might never come around, especially after the conversation we had today," she told him. "What changed your mind?"

"It was Botan. She overheard our conversation earlier and she had a few choice words for me afterwards," he explained. "I didn't think it was important that you knew the truth, but apparently, she saw what I could not."

Yukina nodded in understanding.

"There is more you should know," he told her. "The others knew about our relation. I forced them to keep it a secret. Kuwabara is the only one who wasn't privy to the truth. He would have told you had he knew."

"Kazuma…" Yukina said with a fond smile. "He will be shocked when he learns the truth."

"Hn."

"I'd like to tell him that I've finally found my brother. Is that alright?"

"It's not a secret anymore. You can tell whoever you like, though I don't believe he will be too thrilled."

She smiled at him.

"Kazuma will be happy that I am happy," she said simply.

Hiei could not deny that statement.

"I want to know more about you Hiei. I feel like we've lost so much time."

"There are things you shouldn't have to know," he answered with a frown.

"You're my family. If you're willing to tell me, I'm willing to listen and share the burden of your past with you," she told him.

Hiei did not know how to respond to that, so instead, he settled for a wordless nod of his head.

"By the way, I heard that you won the tournament…" she said casually.

"I did."

"You've accomplished so much in such a short amount of time. I wish the elders of our village could see you now," Yukina said.

"Hn, it isn't much, considering how I came upon this power."

"It's still incredible. I'm proud of you and I'm ashamed of the way our own people treated you," Yukina said, glaring down at her lap. He saw a flash of disdain in her eyes, something he had never seen before. "When I think of what they did to you and what you went through because of it… it makes me so angry."

She harbored a deep-seated resentment towards the people of their village. He could not dismiss it or trivialize it, not when he saw it in its rawest form. Perhaps it was time he treated her like his sister and not a stranger.

"I hated them at first. Before I had learned about you, I searched for the ice village with the intent to burn it to the ground," he divulged, drawing Yukina's attention once more. "But once I met the elders, I changed my mind. I felt nothing towards them and you shouldn't waste any more energy hating them for what they have chosen to become."

"I don't understand."

"Those women will never have what you and I do. They are dead inside, empty in every sense of the word and blatantly unaware to the world around them. They will never venture beyond the barriers of the ice village in the same way that they will never grow from the small mindset that they have unwittingly trapped themselves within."

Yukina looked down.

"But you aren't like that," he reassured. "You are nothing like them."

"I guess I took after our mother," Yukina said with a proud smile.

"I suppose."

"Do you want to hear about her?"

Hiei didn't answer, but he would be lying if he said he never once wondered about what type of woman she was.

"Rui told me that she was brave and stubborn, just like you," Yukina noted with a smile. "She wanted more than what the ice village provided. She wanted to experience the world for herself, rather than be taught and trained to hate and distrust what was different."

She sounded like a sensible and headstrong woman.

"Sometimes I wonder what it would've been like if we had all lived together. If she was still here…" Yukina said wistfully.

"There's no use in wondering about what could have been," he told her. "It only amounts to wasted time."

"That's true," she conceded. "What matters is that we're together now. I know that our mother would have been happy to know that."

Despite his aversion to pondering the 'what ifs' in life, he felt the same way too.

The two continued talking for a while. Yukina retold the story of how Rui had revealed to Yukina that she had a brother, prompting the girl to leave the ice village in search for him. It was around that time that Hiei himself had found the village, and Rui told him that he had a sister. They had only just missed each other and the knowledge that he had family, that he had a sister, was equal parts terrifying and comforting all at once.

They had talked about other things, too. She loved all sorts of animals, but birds were her favorite. She preferred the warm weather of summer, despite growing up in a glacial village and having the elemental powers of ice. She revealed to him that she never once felt as though she fit in with the ice-maidens and that she felt more at home with the humans, spirits and demons she had met along the way during her journey to find him. She had strong opinions and inclinations towards things that Hiei never thought to wonder about and he had learned more about his sister in that one afternoon than he had in the years of watching over her. Being so honest and open after working so hard to shut her out was certainly strange, but… it wasn't exactly bad.

He could not say that he regretted finally telling his sister the truth when he looked at the happiness and joy reflected in her eyes. He had thought she was happy here, but he could see now that something was missing and it was his fault entirely. She had needed this and, in some inexplicable way, he did too. Although he felt drained, a part of him felt lighter, as though he'd released the chains that tied him to the past. He briefly wondered if this was what Mukuro felt like when he had destroyed her shackles or when Kurama let go of Youko and all that was associated with his past.

If Botan had never pestered him about this, he might never have told Yukina. Once again the ferry girl had shed light into his life with her persistent meddling.

"Everyone was planning on meeting here this Friday. It would make me very happy if you could visit for a while," Yukina said, breaking him out of his thoughts. He could spare the time, he supposed. "Botan will be there as well."

"What makes you think that matters to me?" Hiei asked.

"I may be a little naïve, but I'm not blind," Yukina explained with a smile.

Hiei averted his gaze with a scowl when Yukina giggled at his expense. Perhaps he really had underestimated her.

Botan arrived at Genkai's temple earlier than necessary, intent on seeing Yukina. She hadn't seen Hiei in the past few days, but she had heard that he revealed himself to her. It was a surprise, especially since the last time she had seen him he was dead seat on maintaining his lie. Yusuke and Kurama were already there and she grinned at them.

"Hello boys, it's nice to see you two again."

"Likewise," Kurama replied courteously.

Yusuke smirked.

"So, did you hear the news?" he asked.

"Yes," Botan exclaimed with a nod. "Hiei's-"

"-got himself a new girlfriend," Yusuke finished, whipping out an article and prostrating it before Botan.

The ferry-girl blinked, scanning over the contents of the story and letting out a gasp when she saw the picture.

"That's me!" she cried, snatching it out of Yusuke's hands and reading it over more thoroughly. "Where did you get this?"

"I have my sources," Yusuke replied, wriggling his eyebrows. "Pretty funny, isn't it?"

"No, this is horrible! Hiei's going to be furious when he sees this!"

"I'm sure he has already taken notice," Kurama informed. "This publication was a printed a few days ago."

Botan groaned.

"Great, just my luck."

"It's not your fault you and Hiei have such sizzling chemistry," Yusuke teased.

Botan was itching to summon her oar and teach him a lesson, but thought against it. She was going to be an ambassador soon and she needed to practice being cool, composed and patient. She handed the article back to a chuckling Yusuke and put her hands on her hips.

"More importantly, did you hear that Hiei told Yukina that he was her brother?" she asked.

Kurama nodded.

"Yes, it was unexpected, but long overdue."

"I agree," Botan replied.

"Yeah, I always knew he would come around eventually," Yusuke added. "He just needed time is all."

"Or perhaps someone finally gave him the push he needed," Kurama said pointedly.

Yusuke followed Kurama's gaze, looking over at Botan quizzically and the ferry-girl grinned sheepishly.

"I think I'll go find Yukina now," she said, ducking out of the room and out of the limelight. The ice-maiden was preparing some finger foods for the gang in the kitchen.

"It smells great," Botan said, stopping near the smaller woman's side.

"Botan," Yukina greeted, her smile turning apologetic. "I'm sorry about before. You came to see me and I left so abruptly."

"No, you had every right to leave," she returned sympathetically. "Besides, I should be the one to apologize. I'm sorry that I kept the secret from you this entire time."

Yukina shook her head.

"Please don't. You were keeping a promise to Hiei. I understand."

"Well, it was less of a promise to him and more of a survival instinct for me. He always used to threaten me with these horrible warnings every time I nearly slipped and blabbed the truth out!" Botan explained. "But I always did hope he would tell you one day, though, and I'm so glad that he finally did."

"So am I," Yukina smiled.

Botan beamed back at the shorter girl, happy that everything was the way it should be. She looked down towards the cheesy appetizer that Yukina had made and sampled one with delight.

"I invited Hiei," Yukina said suddenly, her back turned towards Botan as she put the finishing touches on another dish.

The ferry-girl nearly choked on the food, throwing a hand against her chest and coughing a bit.

"You did?"

"Yes, hopefully he will have some free time. I'm sure that he's busy with his duties back home, but it would be nice to have everyone together."

Botan swallowed and nodded.

"Y-yes, it would," she agreed.

The ferry-girl found herself thinking of Hiei a lot lately and she was anxious to see him again. Things were left uncertain between them and she wanted to tell him how proud of him she was now that he had done right by Yukina.

"Here, let me bring some of these out for you," Botan said, picking up two trays of finger foods and entering the main room. She set the items down at about the same time Kuwabara made his entrance. The orange-haired teen frowned as he stomped past her and glared at Yusuke and Kurama.

"You all knew about Yukina's brother," Kuwabara accused. "You all knew and you didn't think it was right to tell her?"

"We were sworn to secrecy," Kurama said.

"More like threatened into secrecy," Yusuke muttered.

"That's beside the point! I'm tired of being kept in the dark all the time!" Kuwabara yelled.

"Hiei had his reasons. It simply wasn't our place to tell," Kurama answered calmly.

"Yeah and now that it's all out in the open, all's well that ends well, eh?" Yusuke said, trying to lighten the mood.

The psychic's expression tightened angrily.

"No Urameshi! This is anything but okay."

"Kuwabara, please, try to understand. We were all just-" Botan froze, looking over at the figure who had just arrived.

Everyone's attentions turned to Hiei as he unknowingly walking into a tense situation. Kuwabara was the first to react, rounding on the fire-demon and grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt.

"Was this all just a game to you shorty?"

"Kuwabara!" Botan exclaimed.

"No, I want answers," he said. "Tell me why you led her on for years!"

"What?" Hiei snarled.

"Yukina!" he said. "You're her brother and you knew it from the start, but because you're sick and twisted, you decided to keep it from her all this time. I want an explanation."

"It's none of your business, you fool."

"The hell it isn't. Don't pretend like you were the only one involved when you weren't even there to see the damage you left behind in the aftermath," Kuwabara reproached. "You didn't see her every time she was disappointed or discouraged. When she had to hold back her tears because she was trying to be strong. You weren't there when she was hurting, when she was in pain."

"But you were," Hiei said simply, crimson eyes boring into Kuwabara's narrowed ones.

Kuwabara was taken aback by Hiei's calm disposition. The hatred and fire that was usually directed towards Kuwabara was absent and for the first time, he noticed the resemblance between the fire-demon and his beloved ice maiden. It was startling, to say the least, and it caught him off guard. He lost a bit of his ire and he nodded slowly.

"…I was."

"And you will continue to be there for her," Hiei ordered.

"I will."

"Then that's all that matters," Hiei said, pushing Kuwabara off of him, before his features twisted into a dark scowl. "But you should know that if you hurt her, I will kill you in the slowest and most painful method possible."

"Same goes for you shorty! You're her brother and you have to be there for her too."

"Hn."

The two turned away from each other stubbornly, effectively ending the conversation and coming to an understanding that they could both agree on.

"…Did they just have a moment?" Yusuke whispered behind his hand.

"Shh, don't ruin it," Botan hushed, smiling over at the both of them.

Yukina entered shortly after, depositing a tray of food on the table with a small smile on her face. Botan suspected that she had heard the entire conversation.

"I'm so glad that you were able to make it," Yukina said to Hiei.

Hiei nodded in response and the ice-maiden set her eyes towards Kuwabara.

"Kazuma, would you like to help me in the kitchen?" she asked.

"Of course my love!" he said, following after her while muttering compliments to her the entire way.

Hiei turned to face Botan for the first time since he had arrived and she suddenly felt self-conscious.

"We need to talk."

He turned to exit the compound and Botan followed suit, ignoring Yusuke as he waved the magazine at her tauntingly. He led her to the beach on the outskirts of Genkai's property and she removed her sandals, reveling in the feeling of the warm sand beneath her feet. The full moon hung low in the velvet, star studded sky and reflected against the surface of the water. The setting was so romantic and being here with Hiei did nothing good for her betraying thoughts.

She looked over at Hiei, intent on telling him that she was happy for him, but all words died in her throat when those crimson eyes met her gaze.

"The only reason I entertained the idea of telling Yukina the truth was because of you," he said.

She felt her heart thudding in her ribcage and she wondered why it was so hard to remain calm around him lately.

"I only said what the others would have said if they were in my position," she explained.

Hiei shook his head.

"No one had the courage and the gall to say to me what you did," he disclosed. "You were the only one."

She felt goosebumps dance along her skin when his gaze intensified and she had to avert her eyes.

"It was nothing, really."

"You were honest with me and I suppose I should be the same with you."

Her brow rose quizzically as she looked back at him.

"What do you mean?"

Hiei began to speak, red eyes resting on the water's surface in the distance as his voice reached her ears.

"The reason I came to this world, the reason that I am here, isn't because of business," he revealed. "It has nothing to do with an undisclosed political agenda nor was I sent here under orders from Mukuro."

"Then why have you been showing up so often lately?"

He tore his gaze away from the ocean and looked at her.

"I came for you."

"For me?" Botan echoed unsurely.

"You did something to be back in the tournament, woman. And now I can't get you off of my mind."

"I don't understand. It almost seems as if you…"

"I do," he said easily. "I'm the reason you are the only one that Mukuro's territory will accept as an ambassador. It's because I wanted you."

"Hiei…"

"You deserve to know the entire truth before you make your decision about the ambassadorship," he explained calmly. "You owe me nothing. You can be free… free to do as you choose."

There was a flash of recognition, as if she had heard those words from him before. The strangest sense of dejavu took over as if a memory was scratching at the surface of her mind. But it was gone as quickly as it came and the reality of Hiei's confession began sinking in. It was all starting to make sense. Hiei did not drop by for social visits with anyone, but he had done so for her, because he liked her more than he let on; because he cared for her as more than just a friend. Botan couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't speak.

"Look at me," he said, drawing her attention back towards him. "I'm not going to force you into doing anything that you don't want to do. I'll give you the time you need to deliberate. I'll give you the space you need to clear your mind. In return, I'm asking that you consider it."

Consider me.

The words were unspoken, but she could hear his intent clearly.

She swallowed thickly, lowering her gaze to the sandy floor. Her heart was beating so loudly that she was sure he could hear it. Her emotions were running wild and she didn't know what to do.

Hiei watched Botan silently. She was biting her lip as she deliberated and he was beginning to regret his blatant honestly. He briefly wondered if he should have waited until she was back in Mukuro's territory to confess to her and then immediately dismissed the thought. She needed to know now. It would be dishonest and underhanded of him to trick her into the ambassadorship.

"Hiei… I can't…" she said finally.

She did not seem all that convincing and his expression remained impassive.

"Can't or won't?" he pressed.

"I shouldn't," she said instead. "You'll always be my friend and I'll always care for you, but I don't intend fall for you like I did in the past. I can't love you in that way again."

Normally, the rejection would have bothered him but she said something that caught his attention. He could not stop the smirk that slowly tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"I'm being serious here!" she huffed, taking note of his expression. "This isn't some game that you can just play when you're feeling bored. This is real and it has consequences."

"I know that and I'm not one for games. I meant what I said," he explained. "But I didn't know."

"Didn't know what?" she asked, her confusion overriding her ire.

"That you loved me," he answered simply.

Botan's mouth fell open, indicating that she probably hadn't meant to reveal that bit of information.

"I…I did," she confirmed, blushing heavily. "But that was in the past."

Perhaps this was the curse he was forced to endure as the forbidden child; the curse that the elders of his village had foreseen. As the forbidden child born of fire, he was destined to ruin everything he touched, burning everything until nothing but ash was left. He was designed to live a solitary life and true to form, he could see it playing out before his eyes with Botan. When he didn't want to love her, she loved him. And now that he loved her, she didn't want to love him. But he never believed in curses or fate or destiny. He would forge his own path, destiny be damned.

"I'll follow through with the ambassadorship, but we have to remain as just friends," Botan said after some serious consideration.

"I see."

"We will have to be professional during my stay in Mukuro's territory. We can't give people a reason to think that there is something going on between us."

"Of course."

"I care about you too much to jeopardize our friendship by falling into the same problems we did before."

"I understand."

"Do you really?" Botan replied with a pout as she leaned in to examine him closely. "Because that sneaky little mischievous look in your eyes says otherwise. You're not really listening to me are you?"

"I heard everything that you said," he answered, taking a step back so that she was out of his space. There was no telling what he would do when she was so close.

"But you weren't really agreeing, were you?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"No, I wasn't," he affirmed with a deliberate smirk.

"Hiei!" she huffed in a fit of exasperation.

He started making his way back to the temple with Botan hot on his heels. She was lecturing him about the importance of professionalism and boundaries and the like, but Hiei had long learned how to tune her out when she was on a rant.

The woman might have been stubborn and persistent, but so was he.

And if she loved him before, he would make sure that she would love him again.

How'd you guys enjoy this long and emotion-filled chapter? Let me know what ya thought! I worked really hard on it this one because it had some pretty important stuff happening all at once.

On another note: LonelyDreamer7 posted a comic of the gum-snatching, kiss-stealing scene from More Than Anyone Else. It's on Tumblr under the tag "hieixbotan" and posted under her account littlegreenstrawberry. It should be very easy to find, as there really aren't that many posts under that tag. It's currently the first post there and if you scroll further down, you should find the second post, which is part two of her drawing. Check it out if you've got the time and curiosity! I think her art style is extremely adorable and captures the characters perfectly.