Botan had felt the signs for a while; the precursor events that indicated that she was falling for the-fire demon again. She had willfully ignored the spark between them throughout the entirety of the demon world tournament and she disregarded the longing that followed upon leaving him, but it was impossible to pretend that her feelings didn't exist when Hiei confessed his own affections for her so honestly and without hesitation. It was easier for her to keep her own feelings at bay when she considered the fact that Hiei would never be interested in her, but recent developments threw a monkey wrench into her carefully constructed ignorance.

Her heart was gravitating towards his, every word he spoke tugged at her heartstrings, but that didn't mean that she had to give in to it. Feelings came and went all the time and this was probably just a passing phase. If she held out long enough, they would fade for the both of them and they could be friends without running the risk of falling out again.

She did appreciate him telling her the truth about the ambassadorship, though. At least she knew why she was the one they had chosen for Mukuro's territory. And, although the thought of Hiei caring for her romantically worried her, she knew that the ambassadorship was bigger than all of that. His confession changed nothing; she would go to demon world, work hard and maintain a companionable, friendly relationship with Hiei and it would all go splendidly. The fire-demon was doing a fabulous job of ignoring her attempts at getting through to him now, but she knew that he would not do anything to upset her and hoped that he would respect her wishes to keep their relationship platonic.

She had given up on attempting to persuade him, instead settling on following behind him in mock anger. Truth be told, she would much rather Hiei be completely dismissive of her rejection, rather than to have him take it to heart and be upset over it. She knew how much it hurt to feel unwanted, but her refusal seemed to bounce right off of Hiei's thick skin and disappear into the air. When they returned to the temple, she could hear the signs of the group chattering and she was greeted with the sight of Shizuru standing outside and finishing up her cigarette.

"There you two are," Shizuru said as she stubbed it out, the embers fading and dying out. "Now we can finally get this movie night started."

"Sorry about the delay," Botan apologized as she followed the brunette to the living area. "What happened was... we were just..."

"We were discussing business," Hiei filled in easily.

Yusuke's interest was piqued, brows climbing high into his forehead as he looked over at them.

"Business, you say?" Yusuke echoed.

"Yes, business!" she answered a little too enthusiastically. "I've decided to become an ambassador for the Spirit World and Hiei and I were going over a few minor details."

"That's sounds like a great opportunity, Botan!" Keiko congratulated from her spot on the couch. "Are you excited?"

"I am!" Botan smiled. "Hopefully we will be able to bridge the gap between the worlds and foster better relations."

"I'm sure it will," Kurama agreed. "I did think it was a beneficial exchange for all worlds involved when Koenma originally explained it to us and I'm pleased to see that it will be implemented."

Botan grinned in return.

"Me too."

"How long will you be away for?" Yukina asked.

"Just one month. That's as long as we could barter with the three territories for now."

"And I assume you already know which territory you will be posted to," Kurama interjected, emerald eyes drifting towards Hiei.

"Yes, I'll be staying in Mukuro's territory," she revealed. "That's why Hiei and I were talking in private."

"Wonder how that came to be," Yusuke stated with a hint of teasing.

"It just ended up that way," she explained, covering for Hiei as she glanced over at him. He did not look embarrassed or irritated by Yusuke's unsubtle implications. In fact, he appeared to be as cool and composed as ever.

"I'll bet it did," Yusuke muttered under his breath.

"Um, so, how about that movie?" Botan asked, changing the subject.

"Whose turn was it to pick something?" Keiko asked, looking around at the others.

"It was Kuwabara's," Yusuke replied. "So the movie will either be something sappy or something about animals. Or, if we're especially unlucky, a combination of the two."

"Shows how much you know, Urameshi, I picked The Avengers," Kuwabara revealed smugly, prostrating the DVD for the entire room to see.

Hiei scoffed at the title and turned to leave, but Yukina halted him.

"You're not leaving already, are you?"

"I came like you asked. I never intended to stay and watch human films, much less ones handpicked by the fool," he answered coolly.

"Hey!" Kuwabara protested indignantly.

"I hoped you would spend a bit more time with us. Especially if you will be busy in the next month helping Botan to adjust to the ambassadorship," Yukina admitted softly.

Hiei appeared to be torn, trapped between his duty to his sister and his clear desire to leave the compound as soon as possible. Botan grinned slyly, her features taking on those of a feline's when she realized that for the moment, Hiei would not have the upper hand. He had already made it plainly obvious that he did not care about her wishes, so she decided to have some fun with him in the same way.

"You should absolutely stay," Botan asserted. "You wouldn't want to disappoint your dear sister, would you?"

Hiei glared at her, having the insight to know that she was taking revenge on him from earlier.

"You're already here. Might as well eat some popcorn and watch a kickass action movie while you're at it," Yusuke supported with a roll of his shoulders.

"I agree," Kurama insisted. "It has been a while since we were all together like this."

"Well, I don't care what the shortly does, but if my ice princess wants him here, then he should stay," Kuwabara declared, not bothering to look at Hiei as he crossed his arms and turned away.

Yukina smiled encouragingly.

"Please stay," the ice-maiden requested.

Hiei nodded wordlessly and Yukina's smile brightened. As they all claimed spots and snacks, Hiei glared at Botan in a manner that suggested that he would enact his own revenge and she gulped. She had a feeling that she would be at his mercy when she visited Mukuro's territory and the thought both excited and terrified her at the same time. She was really in for some trouble.

Hiei scowled at the television as he sat on the left end of the couch. Yukina had taken the spot next to him, with Kuwabara and the ex-detective occupying the other half of the couch. His irritation rose every time Kuwabara shoveled popcorn into his mouth excitedly or Yusuke made a lewd comment from the other side of the couch. Kurama had made a wise choice in sitting on the floor with Shizuru, as she had made little to no comments and was relatively calm throughout the entire movie. Botan and the detective's woman shared a smaller couch off to the side. He felt the last vestiges of his patience leave him when Kuwabara muttered something overindulgent and sentimental to his sister and he stood up with a frown.

"And where are you running off to?" Yusuke questioned.

"To get some air," he said, glancing at Yukina to reassure her that he did not plan on leaving.

She nodded understandingly and he proceeded to exit the compound. Though he had never admitted it aloud, he did enjoy human world nights. They differed from those in his native land; always seeming more calm and inviting. He welcomed the rush of the cool air, but his face soon fell into a frown when he sensed the approach of the last person he wanted to see right now.

"What do you want?" he asked.

Kuwabara suddenly came into view, sliding the door behind him as he stepped out onto the wooden porch.

"Just wanted some air, too."

Hiei's eyes narrowed.

"This temple is vast enough for you to do that elsewhere."

"Maybe I like this spot!" Kuwabara protested. He gave Hiei a sideway glance, his stubborn expression weakening as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Or maybe I just wanted to talk to you about something man to man."

"That's too bad, because maybe I have no intentions of listening," Hiei returned rudely.

"Not even if it's about Botan?" the orange-haired teen inquired.

Hiei's eyes rolled over slowly to view the psychic. He had no idea what the fool could possibly have to say about Botan, but now he was curious.

"What do you want?" the fire-demon demanded to know.

"You were the one who arranged for Botan to be Mukuro's ambassador, weren't you?" Kuwabara asked.

"That is none of your business."

"I'm not being accusing, I was just wondering," Kuwabara explained.

Hiei raised a suspicious brow, not at all understanding where the other was going with this.

"I don't see why this is any of your concern."

"Botan's my friend. That should be more than enough reason," Kuwabara answered easily, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"She may be your friend, but the affairs between she and I are still off limits to the likes of you," Hiei countered.

But Kuwabara was unperturbed.

"I know that you left three years ago with Botan still in your heart," he said.

The fire-demon grimaced at the choice of words. The fool made it sound so sentimental.

"And I know that she's still there," Kuwabara continued.

"I fail to see your point."

"Just... don't screw up this time."

Hiei glared up at Kuwabara, ready to fight and argue, but reigned himself in when he noticed that the psychic's expression was hesitant and unsure. Kuwabara rubbed the back of his neck uneasily.

"... Make sure you keep her," he finished.

Hiei's expression schooled into something less hostile.

"That is the end goal. I didn't need you to tell me that."

"Whatever, I don't even know why I bothered," Kuwabara huffed, turning to leave.

"It's because you're a self-proclaimed warrior of love who thinks he knows it all when it comes to this sort of thing," Hiei started. "And I suppose you do, otherwise Yukina would not have been taken by your boorish appearance, weak hearted sentimentality and uncultured countenance."

"You can say whatever you want about me, but don't insult my relationship with Yukina. You don't know a thing about it."

"Then tell me: what exactly are your intentions with her?"

"I just want to be by her side for as long as she will let me."

The orange-haired teen was being completely honest; Kuwabara had always been that way from the start. Even though Hiei could see the truth in those dark eyes, it did not make this any easier.

"I meant what I said before," Hiei said. "If you hurt her, I will kill you slowly, painfully and without mercy."

"I would never do anything to upset Yukina," Kuwabara proclaimed. "I... I love her."

"I know you do," Hiei admitted begrudgingly. "That's why I leave her in your care."

"Wh-what?" Kuwabara sputtered. "You mean... You actually..."

"You are far from ideal, but it could have been worse," Hiei was resigned to admit.

Kuwabara appeared to be pleased with himself as he ran a hand through his curly mane.

"Do not confuse it," Hiei snarled. "I still hate you, but if she likes you then there is nothing I can do about that."

Kuwabara's grin widened much to Hiei's dismay.

"Gee, I guess you aren't so bad either, shorty," the psychic said, before he left to join the others.

Hiei could have very well left in that moment. They were all engrossed in the movie and would not notice his absence, but he had agreed to stay for the entirety of the gathering for Yukina's sake and he could not break his word. Steeling himself, he reentered the temple and returned to the room where the rest of the group was viewing the movie. The detective's woman had wandered over to the couch that he had been sitting on, leaving an empty space in the couch next to a sleeping Botan. He had no intentions of sitting on the floor with the fox and the oaf's sister, so sat down beside the ferry-girl.

She roused to consciousness as he settled down, rubbing her eyes and looking around confusedly.

"Wh-what happened?"

"Nothing, but if you really were the one behind this gathering, then you should be awake to endure the torture that is this movie."

"I didn't mean to fall asleep," she lamented, looking over at the screen. "Oh, and I missed my favorite part, too!"

"Of course," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "You've seen this before."

"Guilty as charged," she said sheepishly. "I'm actually surprised that you stuck around for this long. Then again, we did watch the marathon of Love and-"

"Woman," he growled out, pointedly cutting her off.

Botan finally noticed that the entire group had been listening to their conversation and she covered her mouth with her hand, shooting Hiei an apologetic look.

"No, let her finish," Yusuke urged. "Was she really about to say that you two watched Love and War together?"

"What's Love and War?" Keiko asked.

"It's the demon equivalent of a soap opera," Kurama filled in.

"Seriously?" Shizuru lifted an amused brow. "I didn't take you for the drama loving type, Hiei."

"Nor did I," Kurama added, a mirthful look in his eyes.

"I forced him to watch it," Botan said hurriedly. "And I'm pretty sure that he wasn't even paying attention."

Yusuke and Kuwabara immediately started laughing, unable to control themselves and Hiei scowled. He wished he had brought his sword with them, preferring not to sully his own hands with their blood.

"Yusuke, you of all people shouldn't be laughing at him," Keiko cut in. "You watch The Bold and the Beautiful avidly and you get more worked up over it than I do."

Yusuke choked on his laughter, immediately blanching.

"Keiko!"

The brunette did not look remorseful as she gave him a shrug of her shoulders.

"And Kazuma loves The Young and the Restless," Shizuru piped in.

"Shizuru!" the psychic cut in, completely mortified that his secret had been let out.

"See? You boys have your dirty little secrets, so it's hardly fair to make fun of Hiei for being roped into watching a show that he doesn't even care for," the ferry-girl admonished, grabbing the remote on the armrest and turning the volume up on the television. "Now let's focus on the perfectly good movie in front of us and forget all about this."

Yusuke grumbled something under his breath, but agreed as he sat back against the couch and the rest followed suit. Hiei, on the other hand, was not so easily appeased. He continued to glare angrily at the floor, ignoring the movie and the rest of the inhabitants of the temple.

"I'm sorry," Botan said quietly. "But you know I didn't mean for everyone to hear that."

"That's hardly the point, woman."

"I bet I know how I can make it up to you," she propositioned with a wink.

Hiei raised a brow quizzically, wondering if she knew just how provocative that sounded.

"Follow me," she said as she stood up and walked out of the room.

Hiei spared the others a quick glance, noting that they had been too involved with the movie to notice the uncharacteristic exchange and followed after her. His gaze fell down to her swaying hips and he smirked.

"So you aren't as much of a prude as you pretend to be," he noted as he stepped into the hallway.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You just propositioned yourself to me," Hiei said. "Despite wanting to remain as just friends."

Botan turned on her heel to view him, ponytail swaying wildly as she whipped around to stare at him incredulously.

"You – I – ugh – you thought that's what I meant?" she sputtered. "Get your mind out of the gutter, you pervert!"

"How else was I supposed to take it, woman?"

"Any other way but that!" she exclaimed, continuing her trek with reddened cheeks. "I can't believe you that that's what I led you out here for."

Hiei rolled his eyes as he followed her silently. She brought him to the kitchen and motioned over to a tray of brownies that were sitting in the oven. He should have known that he was misconstruing the situation, but he still found himself disappointed when he realized her intent.

"I was talking about giving you something sweet and innocent!" she defended hotly.

"Hn. I do not want it," he replied stubbornly.

Botan gave him a slightly frustrated look, pouting as she placed her hands on her hip.

"There's no need to be prideful. We're all alone and no one will find out," she said.

"That's not the point," he answered.

"Alright, Mr. Grumpy Pants, have it your way," she pretended to relent, pulling the tray out and setting it on the counter. "These delicious fudge treats that were lovingly made by dear, sweet Yukina will just have to be devoured uncouthly by Yusuke or Kuwabara."

He glared at the ferry-girl intimidatingly, an action that might have worked long ago but only served to spur her on now.

"They smell delicious, too. This might be her best batch yet," she teased, attempting to waft the scent over in Hiei's direction by waving her hand over it.

Hiei ignored her skillfully, looking in the opposite direction with a frown.

"Sad to know that they will never realize their destiny… only to be gobbled down by those who are unable to properly appreciate their taste," Botan said with a dramatic sigh.

Hiei's left eye ticked. He had absolutely no idea why he was in love with this crazy woman.

"What a dreadful shame-"

"Just give it to me, ferry-girl," he finally interrupted.

She smiled victoriously, handing him a brownie in a napkin. He snatched it out of her hand and wondered why he had he gone out of his way to ensure that this overly cheerful and downright insane woman would be at the fortress for the next month. Sometimes, it was still hard to believe that she was the one that he was so taken by. It was only until her bright smile turned into one of fondness and affection that he remembered why he had been working so hard to win her back. He was the only one that she had ever looked at like that and he wanted it to remain that way. That thought alone did enough to quell his irritation for the time being.

"You look much more at ease than before," Botan noted successfully. "I knew that some sweets would do the trick!"

It wasn't the sweets at all, but he supposed there was no point in correcting her as they returned to the living area and reclaimed their original positions. He felt some of the tension in his muscles release as he settled in to the plush couch and Botan followed suit. Over the course of the movie, she had breached the territory of his side of the couch in the process of making herself more comfortable. They were arm to arm now, and although she did not seem to notice or care, he certainly did. And when Kuwabara whipped out the sequel to the movie and the group collectively decided to watch it, Hiei had decided that these movie nights weren't so bad, especially if it entailed having the ferry-girl by his side for a few more hours.

Botan, Kasumi and Ayame were all packed and ready to leave as they stood outside of the portal that would lead them to the Demon World. Botan noticed, with a hint of embarrassment, that her bags almost doubled the amount that Kasumi and Ayame had packed, but it was too late to do anything about that now.

"I'm so jealous!" Hinageshi moaned near Koenma's side. "I wish I was going too!"

"Somebody's got to hold down the fort while we're away," Botan winked.

"I guess... But it's going to be so boring without you all," Hinageshi replied.

"It's only for a month. I'm sure that it will fly by," Kasumi reassured.

"And if you find yourself terribly bored, I will be happy to add extra shifts onto your schedule," Koenma offered.

"Oh no, that's alright. I'm sure I'll be busy with these three out," Hinageshi declined, shaking her head. "And you girls can count on me to keep everyone in line!"

Botan nodded.

"Remember what we discussed," Koenma said, his tone serious. "The video capabilities built into the Spirit Detective Briefcases will allow you to make contact with us back home in the Spirit World as well as fax any documents that need to be discussed. We have nothing to hide from any of the Three Kings. Answer honestly and receive any information you deem necessary in return. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to call."

"We understand," Ayame answered.

Koenma's expression softened as he looked at them.

"I appreciate you three doing this. I know that you will do a fine job."

"You can count on us, sir!" Botan said cheerfully.

"I know that I can," he replied with a smile.

They each said a few quick goodbyes and then the three ferry-girls stepped into a swirling and colorful portal. On the other side stood Hiei, Hokushin and Touya; the three representatives of the territories that they would be staying at for the next month. The sight of the fire-demon was enough to cause Botan's heart to speed up in her chest. It was easy to act normal around him when they were at Genkai's because she was surrounded by the others and she was sure that the fire-demon would not make a move with so many eyes watching. But now she was in the demon world, he had the home field advantage.

"Yomi's territory is not far," Touya told Kasumi, pulling Botan out of her thoughts. "If you'd prefer to walk, there is an underground shortcut we can take."

Kasumi smiled sweetly at him, tucking some green hair behind her ear as she nodded her assent.

"That would be nice."

Touya motioned over to the path heading east, waiting for Kasumi to make her move. The green-haired girl hugged Botan first and then bid her farewells to Ayame, before following Touya down the dirt way. Botan watched them until they were far enough away that she could no longer hear their casual conversation. It was just her, Ayame, Hokushin and Hiei now.

"We had better get going, too," Hokushin said. "Our journey is a bit further."

"Alright. Take care of yourself, Botan," Ayame said.

"You too!"

She gave the stoic woman a quick hug and tried to quell her antsy nerves as she watched them walk away. Turning to view Hiei, she forced a smile on her face.

And then there were two.

Botan had no idea how she should proceed in a situation as precarious as theirs. The last time she had seen him, he confessed his feelings and made it clear that he was not going to fight them. She wanted things to be normal between them and she did not want to make things awkward. Hiei had no trouble behaving normally and he advanced upon her without a second thought. Botan's breath caught in her throat when he moved too close for comfort and she was about to protest, but then he stopped. She felt him pull the luggage from her hands and she dispelled the breath she was holding in relief, catching the slight smirk on his face as he adjusted his hold on her bags.

"There is a border patrol unit headed back for Mukuro's a quarter mile away. We will meet up with them and make our way back with them," he informed.

"Okay," she answered compliantly, hoping that her voice didn't really sound as hesitant as she thought it had.

They ambled down the road at a leisurely pace and Botan took deep, calming breaths in order to retain some semblance of composure. The silence was a bit heavy between them, and she thought of topics she could employ to break the silence, but surprisingly enough, Hiei was the first to speak.

"Are you prepared for the ambassadorship?"

His tone was devoid of emotion and his inquiry was a valid one, guiding her thoughts to a more professional avenue and leaving no room for any other worries.

"Yes, I've got all that I need and Lord Koenma has briefed me in the dos and don'ts," Botan replied confidently. "I've also been brushing up on demon world culture and hopefully my stay will be an informative one for both worlds."

"Hn."

"What about you? How have things been with the leadership position?"

The sound of a shutter going off drew both of their attentions and Hiei's expression darkened.

"It's fine, save the occasional annoyance."

Hiei dropped her bags on the floor, hands going to his sword and in a flash he was gone. She heard movement in the trees to her left and she followed the sound until she spotted Hiei holding a lizard demon by his neck. At their feet lay the scattered and broken remains of a camera.

"Hiei!" she called out. "What are you doing?"

"Giving this fool a much needed lesson on the importance of privacy," he snarled.

She caught up to his side, putting a hand on his arm. He tightened his grip on the man's throat and Botan could panicked when she noticed the color draining from his face.

"That's enough!" she exclaimed. "I think you've made your point!"

The journalist, who was sweating profusely, looked at Hiei pleadingly. The fire-demon glanced at Botan for a moment before turning his attentions to the lizard demon and growling at him. He released the man in the next moment, letting him fall to the ground and watching as he struggled to inhale as deeply as he could.

Botan leaned down to see if the man was okay, but Hiei quickly pulled her back by the arm.

"What are you doing?" he gritted.

"You're supposed to show mercy and kindness as a leader!" she whispered to him, ignoring him as she pulled out of his hold and returned her attentions to the demon on the floor.

"That's not the way things work here, woman."

"Well maybe some things could stand to change!" she said, before looking back at the stranger. "Are you alright?"

He coughed a bit, standing up and regarding Botan with a nod.

"I'm fine, thanks to you," he replied, straightening his collar and fixing his shirt. "Fortunately, I can't say the same for my camera."

Botan's eyes rolled downwards towards the sliced up remains of the device with a sympathetic nod.

"Hiei has a nasty temper and he hates when people obstruct his privacy," she explained. "Consider yourself lucky that your camera was the only thing here that was injured beyond repair."

Hiei crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the lizard demon and the demon shrunk back with an obedient nod.

"Let this serve as a warning to you and the others. I won't take this type of disrespect quietly. I suggest you find a new career or at the very least a new subject for your headlines."

The lizard gave the remains of his camera one last regretful look before nodding in understanding. He adjusted the strap of his bag and disappeared into the forest. With the newcomer gone, Hiei's attentions returned to Botan. Crimson eyes bored into hers sternly and, although instinct told her look away, she held his gaze.

"You don't know what those articles have been saying about you," Hiei gritted out, fists clenched at his sides. "He deserved it."

Amethyst eyes softened as she looked at him sympathetically, heart full of gratitude. She knew that many demons were not pleased with the idea of the ambassadorship and in the week that she and Hiei had been out of contact, word must have spread about her arrival. She had no idea what might have been written about her, but she was touched by his concern for her image and reputation.

"People are always going to speculate and make up stories," she explained. "I appreciate your concern, but I don't care about what anyone else says. As long as I know the truth, and those that I care about know the truth, then nothing else matters."

"You can't be so soft here," he said finally.

"Isn't that the sole point of this? Cultural exchanges and the like?"

"If you intend on being effective, you will have to be firmer. This world isn't full of idealistic fools like yours is."

"Being firm and being violent are two separate things, mister. Perhaps you should listen to your own advice," she countered sagely.

Hiei looked away with a stubborn frown tugging at his lips and she smiled.

"Let's go," he said instead. "The unit won't wait around for us."

Botan nodded, following him down the dirt road dutifully. Flashes of lightning sounded off in the distance, but Botan had gotten used to it from the time she had spent here during the tournament. They continued on for a few minutes until she finally spotted the contraption. It was ... It was a giant bug.

"Um, I think I'll fly instead," Botan offered nervously, taking one good look at the creature and immediately feeling the instinct to flee.

"That won't be necessary."

"It is completely necessary. I thought we were going to ride in a vehicle… not on the back of a gigantic insect," she complained. "I have an issue with all things creepy crawly."

"It's harmless."

Botan looked over at it and noticed the way it's huge, black eyes were focused on her. She shivered and then shook her head.

"I can't, it's too creepy!"

The large pest came to a stop in front of them and she took a step back, hoping to distance herself from it as she hid behind Hiei. The fire-demon turned around to fix her with an imperative look.

"You're an ambassador now and the others are watching. You cannot afford to show any weakness," Hiei reminded her. "Besides, you have seen far worse things than this."

Unfortunately, Hiei was absolutely right; she had to be brave and composed and she could not afford to leave any bad impressions. She looked over at him and he nodded in return, his stoic motivation strangely reassuring as she took a step forward.

The border patrol unit at the top of the insect threw a rope ladder down for Botan's sake. It was a few feet short of reaching ground level and Botan let out a gasp as Hiei's hands settled on her hips, hoisting her up enough so that she could reach the bottom rung with ease. She let out a quiet thanks and climbed upwards, taking the hand of a demon who pulled her onto the top of the insect's hard shell. Hiei jumped up shortly after and set her bags down.

There were a few seats strapped around the base of the insect's shell and Hiei led Botan to the ones at the front. She ignored the creepy sensation that washed over her when she looked down and was reminded of the creature that she was on top of.

"There were no humans found on the patrol today. Nor were there any threats to the territory. It was a relatively boring patrol," a dark-haired demon reported. He looked fairly human, and his long hair was pushed back and tied into a low ponytail. There was a jagged scar that ran over his left eye, keeping it permanently closed.

"Good. We don't need any unnecessary hindrances on the day that Koenma's ambassadorship goes into implementation," Hiei said.

"That is true," he agreed. "So this is our ambassador?"

"Pleased to meet you. My name is Botan."

"Hiten," he replied, rubbing a hand at his chin as his dark eyes roamed over her form. "You're a lot different than I expected."

"She is more than adequate," Hiei supplied, making Botan's heart flutter against her wishes. "You should know better than anyone that appearances can be deceiving."

Hiten ran a hand over the scar on his eye; an injury he must have gotten because he had underestimated an opponent. He nodded at Hiei and walked around to the other side of the insect's shell, keeping a lookout for any disturbances with the rest of the unit.

"And what pray tell is wrong with the way I look?" Botan asked, arms folded as she tapped a foot impatiently against the shell of the insect.

"You don't fit the standard expectations one would have of an ambassador," Hiei replied honestly.

"And what does an ambassador generally look like?" she probed.

Hiei paused for a moment, as though he were considering her question. After a few seconds of silence he answered.

"The dark haired ferry-girl's appearances is more suitable."

Botan's face fell disappointedly.

"Well, excuse me for looking the way that I do," she said bitterly as she took a seat.

"Don't be dramatic," he ordered, following suit and sitting down next to her. "You already know that I like the way you look, woman. If anyone has a problem with it, then prove them wrong with your actions."

Botan's gaze locked on Hiei, unable to look away. He was staring out into the distance calmly, as if he had just commented on the weather rather than his approval of her appearance. She didn't understand how he could say such things so easily and readily and she wished that it didn't affect her so deeply.

Hiei glanced over at her and she looked away, a blush staining her cheeks. It was going to be hard to monitor her feelings for him, but it had to be done somehow.

Hiei's eyes roamed over the expanse of the demon world as they made their way over to the fortress. The others had remained on the opposite side of the creature's shell, leaving Hiei and Botan to have some semblance of privacy. He assumed that she knew exactly what she was getting herself into by accepting the ambassadorship and choosing to place herself in Mukuro's territory. He had his chance and he did not intend to screw it up a second time.

"How much longer until we reach Mukuro's?" she asked suddenly.

"A little over thirty minutes."

"Do you mind if I read my book while we travel?" Botan questioned.

"Do whatever you like. You don't need my permission."

"I just didn't want to be rude," she clarified, digging through her bag and pulling out the novel.

Hiei's eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the cover.

"Hn. Still reading this trash," he scoffed.

"It's not trash. This is a thrilling story of romance and friendship and family and... don't give me that look Hiei, this book is pure genius. You haven't even read it, so you have no right to judge."

"Considering your taste in literature, I'd say that my prejudice is warranted."

"Well it's not just my taste. It's Hinageshi's too! She lent it to me," Botan said proudly.

"You say that as if it makes it any better."

Botan frowned at him petulantly.

"One day you'll be begging me to let you borrow one of these books, mark my words," she predicted. "And when you come crawling to me, I'll remind you of this very moment."

"Don't count on it."

Botan stuck her tongue out at him childishly and he rolled his eyes. She flipped through the pages and grinned once she found her spot. Hiei could hear the others talking amongst themselves and he knew that they were not eavesdropping. Now was as good a time as any to remind her of something very important.

"Botan."

She was always surprised when he used her name and this time was no different.

"Yes?" she asked, giving him her full attention as she placed the book in her lap.

"Before we reach Mukuro's, I want you to know one thing: I don't intend to give up on you as easily as the psychic did."

The ferry-girl looked conflicted, her gaze lowering as she wrung her hands together.

"Hiei… we already discussed this. We would be better off as friends," she said, looking up at him again. "Can't you understand that?"

"I don't want to be your friend," he said a little too harshly, judging by the way that Botan's expression dropped.

"I-"

"It's not enough for me," he revealed, his voice cutting through the thick tension, snapping it and distorting it into something new.

"Hiei..."

"I don't intend to share you the same way that the others do because I want you all to myself," he declared. "It's selfish, but I don't really care."

Botan was staring at him, seemingly mesmerized, before she snapped out of it with a shake of her head.

"We can't…" she said firmly. "It simply wouldn't work-"

"I don't think you really believe that," he said as he inched a bit closer.

Botan froze, eyes wide as they stared back at him and his gaze lowered to her parted pink lips. If he wanted to, all he had to do was angle his head just so and he could kiss her. He toyed with the idea for a moment, leaning in slightly and gaging Botan's reaction. Her cheeks flushed and heart sped up, but she did not move away. It would be so easy to follow through and his desire was rising. Deciding to go for it, he swooped in, only to be halted when his lips planted against the cover of her romance novel.

"What in the three worlds did you think you were doing?" she hissed, looking around to make sure that no one else had seen what had almost occurred.

"I thought that much was obvious," he replied, his tone irritated and eyes narrowed as he dragged the backside of his hand over his mouth.

"I understand that you have feelings for me, but you can't just go and do whatever you like. I'm here on business and I would like for us to just be friends. We have to be as professional as we can about this."

"Then why did you hesitate?"

"What?"

"You could have stopped me at any time, but you hesitated."

Botan blinked, eyes roaming anywhere but near him as she fished around for answers.

"That's because I-"

"It's because you're unsure. You're trying to convince yourself that you're doing the right thing, but you won't sway me."

"That's not it at all! I was caught off guard," she said hurriedly. "That's all it was."

Before Hiei could respond, she brought the book up to hide her face and turned away from him entirely. If he focused, he could still hear her heart beating rapidly and he could plainly see the tips of her ears flushed red. He decided to leave her alone for now, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back into his seat. If the ferry-girl wanted to play this game of cat and mouse, then he would indulge her. It was obvious who the victor would be in the end and it was only a matter of time until she gave in.

The next few weeks were sure to be interesting to say the least.

Hello again my awesome readers. It took a little longer to publish this chapter because I wanted to plan out the final chapters of this story. As of right now, it looks The Dating Game will end on Chapter 37, meaning we've only got four more to go. We're winding down to the closing of this tale and I hope you will all enjoy it.

Let me know what you thought about this one! If I could I would send out hugs and a basket of specialty baked goods by Botan for all those who have reviewed so far. Thanks very much for the support.