Hello HB nation - it's been a while, hasn't it? This fic has been in my drafts for ages, so I'm really stoked to finally tell this story.
Shout out to smokeymochi - for being my cheerleader as I toiled away on this ancient WIP.
Hope you all enjoy.
Botan stirred from sleep slowly, lips curled into a lazy smile as she burrowed back into the heat that surrounded her. It was so inviting. So very pleasant. She was just about to drift off again when a strong arm wound around her waist and pulled her against an equally strong body. The ferry-girl's eyes fluttered open abruptly, horrified to find herself laying in an unfamiliar bed with a very familiar face.
"Hiei!" she squeaked, recoiling from the fire-demon immediately and scrambling up into a seated position.
"What?" he grumbled into his pillow.
He didn't appear nearly as disturbed as her over the fact that they were in bed together. In fact, he seemed to bear no concerns over their close proximity or intimate positions at all. He simply laid there, half-asleep with his eyes closed and breathing steady. There were no frown lines marring his face or pulling his lips down. No creases in his brow or forehead. Just a mop of fluffy black hair and—
The ferry-girl brushed his thick bangs aside with a curious sweep of her fingers. "W-where's the jagan?!"
Hiei finally opened his eyes, lifting his fiery gaze up to meet hers. "The what?"
Botan set her sights on his right arm next, shocked to find nothing but a bare expanse of skin. "And the dragon's gone, too!"
"It's too early for you to be talking in riddles," he muttered, pushing himself up into a seated position.
Botan followed the movement of the covers as they pooled around his bare torso. Hiei was completely shirtless and she could only pray that he was wearing some form of pants underneath the barrier of sheets. She forced her attention back on his face, taking in the view of him. His hair was all mussed up, shooting off in many different directions. His piercing gaze lost some of its edge as he slowly blinked the last vestiges of sleep away.
The ferry-girl swallowed thickly. "You look so... so..."
She wanted to say human, but lost all train of thought as their gazes connected. His eyes were so unguarded and open. The sun's pale light washed his features in a softer light, smoothing out the sharper angles of his face. She wasn't used to this new, unfiltered view of the fire-demon and she couldn't help but be transfixed by the very sight of him.
Hiei held her stare for a short while before his expression suddenly changed. There was a downright naughty slant to his mouth as he spoke, "Hn. You really are insatiable, Botan."
The sound of her name on his lips short-circuited her thoughts, so much so that she could hardly react when he cradled the back of her head and pulled her in for a searing kiss. Botan's mind was reeling, thoughts scattering like cherry blossoms on a spring breeze as the fire-demon moved his mouth purposefully over hers. His kisses varied from slow and tempered to deep and hungry. The sensation was more than enough to turn Botan's muffled protests into contented moans. Her eyes slid shut as she surrendered to his will.
For the next few moments, the only thing that existed in her universe was Hiei.
His body bearing down on her as he maneuvered her onto her back.
His heady cedarwood scent invading her senses.
His sinful lips peppering kisses down her neck.
His sharp canines dragging against her pulsepoint.
Botan could have existed in those blissful moments forever, but her senses returned to her somewhere between Hiei's deft fingers slipping beneath her sleep shirt and his warm, calloused hands grazing her bare sides. The ferry-girl jerked away instinctively, kicking the fire-demon right off of the bed in the process. Hiei landed on the floor with a loud thud and a groan.
"Oh poo," she bemoaned, when she realized what she had done. Clambering over to the edge of the mattress on all fours, she peered down at the raven-haired man with an apologetic wince. "I'm really sorry, Hiei. I didn't mean to - I - I just panicked..."
"What's gotten into you, woman?" Hiei asked gruffly as he took a stand. "You're acting strange."
"I feel strange," she admitted, sitting back on her haunches and wrapping her arms around herself. "Maybe I'm sleep deprived…"
Hiei dismissed her behavior with a grunt. Crossing his arms over his chest, he glanced over to the adjoining bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower."
"O-okay," she replied with a slow nod. When he simply stood there and stared at her expectantly, she tilted her head in confusion. "Um, is something the matter?"
"Are you coming?" he pressed.
"No!" she exclaimed, scandalized by the very thought of it.
Hiei arched a dark brow, looking unpleased all of a sudden. If she didn't know any better, she'd think he was insulted.
"No, thank you," she amended carefully. "You go on first. I'm still a bit tired is all..."
"Fine," Hiei relented, before heading off into the connecting bathroom.
He failed to close the door behind him, giving Botan a front row view of his rear as he shed his underwear. The ferry-girl choked down a surprised squeak and turned away, hands pressed to her inflamed cheeks.
Was this a nightmare?
Some sort of terrible, insane dream?
Botan pinched her arm in the hopes of finding herself transported back to Genkai's temple, but her efforts were all in vain. She was still here, seated on a bed far too large for one. The pitter patter of the shower beat on a few feet away, trails of hot steam curling up from the bathroom door.
"What in the three worlds is going on…"
She scanned the standard, run-of-the-mill bedroom critically. It was smartly decorated. Clean and organized. Cozy and homely. There was nothing out of the ordinary about it. Nothing out of place that might lead her to understanding where she was. When her eyes drifted to a picture frame on the nightstand, she reached for it without thinking. Housed inside was a photo of her and Hiei. She was hugging him tightly and his arm was draped around her waist as he stared back at the camera. Despite his lack of a smile, they both looked happy. In love.
"Are we an item?" she wondered aloud as she traced the outline of her smile in the photograph. A ray of light refracted off of something on her hand, pulling her attention to the gold band around her ring finger. "Oh my…"
And then she woke up.
The bluette sat up on her futon, blinking blearily at her surroundings. It was still relatively dark, but a single sunbeam slanted through the window panes well enough for her to discern her location. She was back. Safe and sound and alone in her temporary room at the east end of Genkai's temple.
A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she stared down at her bare ring finger. "…What an odd dream."
Hiei exited the shower, stepping down onto the bathroom mat with a frown. He couldn't shake the sneaking suspicion that something was off. His mind felt cloudy and his body off-kilter.
The fire-demon moved on on autopilot as he toweled himself dry and approached the foggy mirror. On a whim, he pushed his wet bangs aside. Red eyes widened at the unsettling reflection: the jagan was gone. He tried to summon his demon energy next, but nothing came, not even the wisps of a single flame. The dragon had vanished as well, his right arm free of the mark he worked so hard to obtain.
The fire-demon looked around himself in confusion. White tiles, porcelain fixtures and a myriad of women's items laid out over the counter before him. Crimson eyes narrowed. He hadn't the faintest clue of where he was or how he got here.
Hiei stormed out of the bathroom and into a bedroom he had no recollections of, stopping short when he spotted the ferry-girl. She looked a bit different with her hair flowing loosely down her back and her standard kimono replaced by a large purple shirt that barely covered her mid thighs, but it was undoubtedly her.
"Good morning dear," she greeted, approaching him as though it was commonplace for him to be standing naked in front of her. "You should've woke me up. I would've joined you."
He fastened his towel around his waist stiffly. He'd never been one for modesty, but the abnormal way she was staring at him was quickly becoming too much. A mixture of affection and desire darkened her bright eyes, setting Hiei on edge.
"No need to be shy, honey." The infernal woman's voice lilted teasingly as stared appreciatively at his state of undress. "It's not as if I haven't seen what's below the waist before."
He tightened his grip around the cotton towel out of spite as he glared at her. The ferry-girl wasn't the type to make such lewd and outlandish jokes. She knew better than to taunt him. And she rarely stepped into his personal space like this. Before he had the chance to ask what had gotten into her, she leaned in to press her soft lips to his. His entire body froze, the fire-demon rendered immobile by that one, insignificant action.
Botan pulled away first, blue brows hiked questioningly. "Something the matter?"
There were many, many things wrong with this scenario, but for some inexplicable reason, he could only shake his head. This had to be nothing more than a twisted, bizarre nightmare. It couldn't be real.
A cool hand touched his face and chased away the torrent of thoughts.
"Hiei?"
He wanted to pull away. Why didn't he? When had his free hand risen to the small of her back? Why was his body reacting to the meddlesome ferry-girl's allure?
She was leaning closer towards him.
Eyes lidded.
Lips parted.
Just a breath away.
And then she was gone.
The fire-demon jolted awake, chest rising and falling in heavy pants as sweat beaded around his hairline. Crimson eyes darted around the familiar dark walls and furniture wildly. He was back in his chambers. Alone once more, with nothing but the remnants of the ferry-girl's touch lingering on his skin.
"What the hell was that..."
.
.
.
Over the course of the next two weeks, Hiei continued to dream about himself and the ferry-girl.
They centered around the most mundane and inconsequential affairs: early morning domesticity, pointless conversations during mealtimes, strolls around the town, late night movies and more.
He assumed he would at least be free of the ferry-girl in his waking moments, but as he rounded the corner and entered Mukuro's throne room, he saw her there. Draped in a pink throw and absurd glasses, the object of his current troubles was flanked by the equally conspicuous blue ogre, the adult-sized prince and a single spirit defense force member. Hiei frowned irritably, wondering why Spirit World inhabitants would stray so far from their realm. They held no power or leverage in the Demon World, much less within the grotesque walls of Mukuro's stronghold.
He briefly considered retreating, but his pride wouldn't allow that. Unlike their unwanted visitors, this was his home. He belonged here. Besides that, he actually had pressing and relevant business to attend to with Mukuro, so the fire-demon trudged forward. His booted tread echoed dully against the stone floor as he crossed over to a secluded corner of the chamber and waited.
While the two rulers discussed matters that Hiei was content to tune out, Botan had taken to peeking over at him surreptitiously. She wasn't nearly as discreet as she thought was and it was beginning to grate on his nerves.
"See something of interest, woman?" he asked flatly.
The ferry-girl's eyes widened almost comically as she shook her head.
"Then stop staring," he ordered.
"I wasn't," she denied.
"You were."
"I was thinking," she corrected.
Her answer baffled him. Not because he thought she was so senseless that she didn't think, but because the conflicted look on her face brought him to the conclusion that she was thinking about him. He could see it reflected clearly in her amethyst eyes, but he didn't press it. The woman was inquisitive by nature. She probably couldn't help it. He intended to drop the subject entirely, when she spoke again.
"It's just…"
"What?"
"Have you been having weird thoughts lately?"
"No," he lied. "I'm not fanciful and flighty like you."
Her curious expression dissolved into a pout as she set a hand on her hip. "That's an awfully rude thing to say about an old friend, Hiei!"
"I don't care."
"Well, you should! At least I have the common decency not to go around pointing out your flaws, like how mean and antisocial you can be."
"Which begs the question of why you were staring at and thinking of me in the first place."
The ferry-girl faltered a bit as a pronounced blush burned across her cheeks. "It's nothing weird or untoward! I've just–"
"Botan!" Koenma's high-pitched voice cut through their conversation as he called for her. "Let's go. We've still got to meet with Yomi and Yusuke."
"Right…" she replied. Her gaze stalled on his for a moment or two longer before she shook her head and flashed him a blithe smile. "Well, it was lovely seeing you again, Hiei. Hopefully you won't be so rude and snappish next time."
Hiei frowned as a fresh wave of confusion washed over him. The ferry-girl was an odd one - she always had been - and yet, he couldn't help but wonder what she was trying to tell him. He glared at her retreating form until she was out of sight.
It was bad enough he was seeing her in his dreams.
He didn't need to deal with her in the real world either.
Botan suppressed a yawn as she struggled to keep her eyes open. She'd organized a meet-up with the girls at a popular new brunch spot in the human world, however, after a rough night with little to no rest, she found herself fighting the tempting lure of sleep. Reaching for her coffee, she drained the rest of its bitter and lukewarm contents in a single go.
"Everything okay?" Keiko asked from across the table. "Inhale any more caffeine and you'll start bouncing off the walls."
"Oh, I'm fine, dear!" she replied, placing the cup back on its plate with a delicate clink and straightening her posture. "Just peachy!"
"Are you sure about that?" Shizuru challenged, eyeing her discerningly. "Because your smile looks as fake as our gaudy centerpieces."
Botan inwardly winced as the psychic motioned towards the plastic flowers decorating in the middle of their table. She bit her lip as she wrestled with the idea of telling the girls the honest truth.
"Is it Spirit World trouble again?" Keiko probed.
"No, it's nothing of the sort," the bluette denied, raising her hands in defense. In fact, all of this dream-nonsense completely distracted her from the fact that she was essentially banned from the Spirit World in an attempt to protect her from Lord Koenma's more radical opposers. She'd been living at Genkai's for the better part of a month now, stuck in her human vessel. If only she could revert to her spirit form, then she wouldn't require a lick of sleep and this whole fiasco would be a moot point.
"You can talk to us, Botan," Yukina encouraged gently from beside her. "It might help."
The ferry-girl felt her resolve crumbling as she glanced between her three friends. She was never any good at keeping secrets and the weight of her current situation sat heavily in her chest. Perhaps the girls might be able to help, or at the very least share in her misery by way of some good old fashioned commiserating.
"The truth is, I've been having these peculiar dreams lately," Botan confessed, playing with her cloth napkin to avoid meeting their gazes. "No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to make sense of them."
Shizuru folded her arms over her chest loosely. "Normally, I'd say a dream is just a dream, but nothing is ever normal in our lives."
"The elders always said that dreams were gateways to other worlds and different lives," Yukina piped in.
Botan blinked, head snapping up to view Yukina. "Like alternate realities?"
Yukina nodded.
"Oh my," Botan breathed out. "That can't be. I can't imagine there might be some real-life dimension out there where Hiei and I were together…"
Keiko's brown eyes went wide, lips parted in a show of speechlessness. Yukina and Shizuru wore similar looks of surprise, if only a bit more muted. Shizuru was the first to recover, politely and discreetly waving their approaching waitress away.
"I think we're gonna need more context, hun," the psychic prodded.
Yukina and Keiko both nodded their agreement.
"Nearly every night, I dream of a world where we're all human and there are no signs of the spiritual or supernatural…" Botan explained. "In that place, Hiei and I live together. We're in a relationship, and it's actually sort of nice. Hiei's actually sort of nice."
"Never thought the words 'Hiei' and 'nice' could coexist in the same sentence," Shizuru commented.
"That's not very fair of you to say, Shizuru!" Botan countered pointedly, more for Yukina's sake than Hiei's own. Her index finger was poised in an informative point upwards as she continued, "Hiei's a perfectly swell guy once you get to know him. In fact, I think the Hiei that I see in my dreams isn't that much different than the one in the real world."
"So he's nice to you in the real world?" Keiko asked.
"Well… not exactly…" Botan admitted, her finger deflating in defeat. "But I believe he has the potential to be, if he's anything like his dream-self."
"I think I understand," Yukina supported. "He is much kinder than he seems on the surface."
"Exactly!" Botan nodded eagerly. "That's the version of Hiei I've been seeing every night. And to be perfectly honest with you girls, I don't exactly hate the idea of being with him when we're in my dreams."
"Um, Botan…?" Keiko began, suspicion creeping into her tone. "You don't actually like Hiei, do you?"
"Well, sure I do," she answered easily. "After all this time, he's certainly proven himself as an ally and a friend."
"I meant romantically?"
"Oh." The ferry-girl paused, sifting through her bewildering emotions. She always thought that somewhere beneath his cold exterior and nasty attitude was a swell guy with a noble heart. But the truth of the matter was simple: she'd never considered him to be more than a friend and a reluctant ally. Even if that dream Hiei made her heart flutter from time to time, the real Hiei never elicited anything remotely similar to that sort of response. She shook her head, ponytail swaying with the action. "No, not in that sense."
"Then maybe your dreams really are just harmless dreams," Keiko determined. "They'll probably go away once they've run their course in your mind."
"…I hope so," she sighed. "I can only imagine what Hiei would do if he found out I was having all these thoughts about him."
Shizuru smirked. "Who knows, maybe he's dreaming of you, too."
Botan couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous notion. There was absolutely no way that it could ever be. Not in this lifetime, at least.
.
.
.
Later that night, Botan found herself back in dreamland. She was with the rest of the gang, celebrating something or the other at Yusuke's apartment. Much like with most of her dreams, she was transported into the middle of an ongoing event or conversation, left to fill in the blanks on her own. There was an array of finger foods, snacks and alcohol. She had some sort of fruity cocktail in her grip as she listened to Juri and Koto talk about their man troubles. Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves, but she couldn't shake the notion that something wasn't right.
She excused herself from the conversation, setting her drink down to wade through the sea of guests in search of Hiei. There was loud music playing, which prompted some of the party goers to sway and dance in the middle of the room. The remainder had taken to chatting and laughing with each other on the outskirts of it all. As she maneuvered her way through the crowd, avoiding gesturing hands and sloshing drinks, she finally spotted Hiei. He was alone - which wasn't exactly unusual - but as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, she couldn't help but notice how similar he looked to the real-life Hiei she encountered in Mukuro's throne room a week ago. What's more, that hard frown set over his features was painfully familiar.
"Hiei?"
Crimson eyes rested on her, completely devoid of the emotion she expected to see in her dreams. He glanced away, ignoring her pointedly.
"...Hiei?" she tried, stepping closer to him. "Is that you?"
"Who else would I be?"
"A fire-demon with a bad attitude and a fondness for death threats?"
Recognition flashed over his expression quickly enough. "Ferry-girl."
"Yes, it's me!" She nodded, pointing at herself. "How in the world did we—"
"I don't know."
"I thought these were just crazy dreams! But if you're here, then it can't just be a figment of my imagination," she surmised. "Do you have any clue about what's going on?"
"No, but we shouldn't discuss this here," he decided. "Meet me in the forest outside the old woman's temple."
"Huh?"
"When you wake…" he clarified, as the world around him began to fade out. "...Meet me there."
Botan's eyes shot open with Hiei's command still echoing in her mind. Her thoughts were racing as she threw a silk robe over her nightgown and slipped her feet in flats. Her dreams always seemed so vivid and realistic. For Hiei to be drawn into them as well was nothing short of an anomaly. She needed answers, and her best chance at getting them seemed to be by cooperating with Hiei.
She was careful not to wake Genkai as she padded down the hall and out of the temple. The midnight sky bled into lighter hues, giving the atmosphere the dreamy azure tint that signified it was the blue hour. It was still a bit cold this time of year, the trees only just starting to develop flower buds. Suppressing a shiver, Botan wrapped the thin robe tighter around her body and hastened into the forest.
She didn't have to trek far until she spotted Hiei in the clearing. Basked in shadow and the eerie glow of pre-dawn, his expression remained completely unreadable.
"So you've been afflicted by the same issues as I," he spoke first.
"Hello to you too, Hiei," she greeted.
The fire-demon rolled his eyes. He was never one for pleasantries, so she shouldn't have been surprised.
"When did it start for you?" he asked, cutting straight to the chase.
Botan's eyes rolled her up towards the deep blue sky as she thought back to the very first instance. "Let's see... about three weeks ago?"
Hiei nodded, his features stoic. "Then our experiences line up."
"Isn't this incredible?"
"I'd hardly call it that."
"I mean, it's unheard of for anyone to share the same dream. What are the odds?"
"I'm less concerned about the odds and more interested in the cause."
"Right." Botan folded her arms under her chest. "I suppose we should try to figure out why this is happening."
"And how to stop it."
"Yes, of course."
"Tell me about your dreams."
"Huh?"
"I want to be sure that we've consistently been in the same place."
"Well, it appears to take place in the human world. I don't have any of my abilities and neither do you."
"And that's all?"
"Yes!" she replied hastily. "Nothing out of the ordinary aside from that!"
"You're lying."
The jagan glowed blue before she could even protest, causing her pores to raise as the mystical purple eye honed in on her. Try as she might to resist its invading pull, Hiei slipped past her mental guards and defenses with ease.
After a few terse seconds, the fire-demon sent her a withering look. "You didn't have to hide the fact that the human Hiei was weak for you."
"I wasn't... I just..." she trailed off uncomfortably. It felt far too private to be spoken aloud with Hiei of all people.
The jagan closed as his hair fell back into place, obscuring the eye from view. "The other woman was the same towards me, too."
"Well, at least our counterparts are consistent," she commented under her breath.
The fire-demon chose to ignore her statement and focus on the task at hand. "Have you ever heard of this experience before?"
"No," she responded with a shake of her head. "What about you?"
"It's news to me," he answered, shoving his hands into the pockets of his cloak. "We'll need to consult the fox when day breaks."
"Great idea!" Botan agreed with a clap of her hands, inadvertently disturbing a bird that was nesting nearby. "Kurama must know what's wrong with us."
"I'll contact him, then I'll relay the time and meeting place to you afterwards."
Botan hesitated. "...You're not going to use the jagan on me again, are you?"
He sent her a look that was both harsh and insulting. "How else will I reach you, woman?"
"But it's just so intrusive."
"It's effective."
"And invasive!"
"You have no grounds to stand on when you interfere in everyone else's personal affairs."
"I do not-"
"I don't have the time or patience required to argue about your voyeuristic tendencies," he interrupted. "I'll contact you later."
He fissioned away in the next instant, leaving nothing more than his fading afterimage behind.
Hiei swung the café door open with more force than necessary as he strode into the appointed meeting place. The establishment was nestled within the heart of the fox's university, congested with more humans than Hiei cared to see on any given day. He spotted Botan first, seated across from Kurama in a small booth. The ferry-girl was still in her human container, dressed in human world clothes. Hiei had chosen his usual cloak and scarf, sticking out against the backdrop of students lounging around.
He felt several eyes on him as he crossed over to the fox and the woman. Kurama's belongings - a pile of thick books, a crossbody bag, and several human devices - had taken up residence in the area beside him, forcing Hiei to slide into the booth beside Botan.
From what he could gather, she was regaling Kurama with the current state of their situation. The fox sat with his hands folded atop the laminate table's surface, listening intently as he processed the information.
"It seems as though you two are crossing into the same alternate reality when you sleep," he informed.
Botan's brows disappeared behind her bangs as she echoed his words, "An alternate reality… that's incredible."
Hiei's mouth slanted downwards in an outward show of displeasure. He knew other dimensions existed, but he always assumed that alternate realities with carbon copies of existing souls were nothing more than tall tales passed down the mouths of bored fools.
"Hn," he grunted. "So, everything we saw there was real."
"If my theory is correct, then, yes," Kurama replied.
The fire-demon's frown deepened as the truth sunk in. In an alternate reality, he had willingly chosen the ferry-girl. And she had willingly chosen him. A heavy, uncomfortable weight made itself home in his chest.
"I hope you didn't take advantage of that poor, sweet Botan in the other world the way you did to me with your jagan last night," Botan admonished, lips pulled into a sour pout as she closed her hands around her mug.
"Hardly."
"Good," she said, bringing the drink to her lips.
He waited until she was mid-swallow before blatantly lying. "She took advantage of me."
"What?!" Botan spluttered, face turning scarlet as she choked on the sugary concoction.
"You heard me, ferry-girl."
She coughed a few more times before wheezing out an incensed, "You're awful, Hiei!"
"And what about you?" he countered.
"What about me?"
"Don't pretend as though you're guiltless. I saw what was in your mind."
Kurama raised a brow as Botan flushed in embarrassment.
"I-it wasn't like that!" she defended. "The other Hiei, he just suddenly... and I..."
"Hn."
"I stopped it as soon as it started. Which is more than I can probably say for you!" she accused tightly.
"Don't look at me like that, woman. She was the one who pounced on me."
"I find that very hard to believe, Hiei."
"I don't care whether you do or you don't. The fact of the matter is: she couldn't keep her hands off."
"Hiei, you dirty pervert!"
"She was very eager," he smirked.
Botan shrieked, covering her ears. "Stop it, you disgusting, immoral, depraved-"
Hiei turned to face Kurama as Botan continued stringing together insults.
"If you know what ails us," he started, loud enough to overpower the steaming woman, "then you must know the cure."
"Well-"
"You have to fix us, Kurama!" Botan pleaded, hands clasped in front of her chest. "This can't go on!"
"I can see that," Kurama offered sympathetically. "And I may have someone who can help."
Kurama led them to a demon's cavern on the south end of Yomi's territory. The air was thick with the scent of sulfur, heavy in a way that made Botan uneasy. Torches lit the rocky walls, casting everyone in waxing and waning amber glows.
She currently stood in the center of the cave with Hiei, while Kurama's acquaintance hobbled around them on a makeshift cane. The old raccoon demon hadn't said much aside from little mutterings to himself as he examined them closely.
"Interesting," Genji observed, nodding at them with a twinkle in his beady eyes. "Very interesting."
"Are you going to stare at us all day or are you actually going to say something of substance?" Hiei spat.
"Hiei," Botan hissed admonishingly.
"What?" he snapped. "The senile old fool's done nothing but nod to himself the entire time."
"That's because I haven't seen a case like this in centuries," Genji marveled, pushing his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose as he continued to scrutinize them.
"Can you please tell us what's wrong with us?" Botan asked gently, aiming for a softer approach.
"You two are bonded in another reality," the demon explained. "The ties are so strong that they're spilling into this one and beckoning you over while you sleep."
Botan's lips parted on a gasp. Even though she had more than enough evidence to support Genji's claims, it was still surprising to hear that in another reality, her love for Hiei was so strong that it was pulling her to him. It was awfully romantic when she really stopped to consider it. A love potent enough to break barriers, cross dimensions and span realities must have been something truly special.
"What happens to the original souls when we cross over?" she asked. "Do they enter our world?"
"No. They become suppressed," Genji informed. "It causes no harm to them, but it's best not to tamper with the affairs of other realities."
"I understand..."
"None of that matters," Hiei interrupted, his expression hard as he eyed the older demon. "How do we sever the ties to that reality?"
"I should have just the thing…" Genji said, footsteps resounding in the heavy silence as he hobbled over to an alcove on the left. He rummaged through his stocks for a while, sorting through all manner of potions and brews and ingredients, before turning to greet them with a weathered leather pouch in his hand. "Here we go. There's a very powerful powdered antidote inside that you both must consume. Mix a spoonful per day in whichever liquid you choose. It will be more effective if you take it consistently, at the same hour. By the time the antidote is finished, your link to the other world will be null and void."
"Thank you, Genji." Botan accepted the pouch with a nod. She then turned towards Hiei, looking at the fire-demon with a pointed raise of her brows. "Well, go on."
"I'm not thanking him," he grumbled.
"I didn't think you would, but you can at least pay the man for his services."
Crimson eyes narrowed into a glower. "You're the one holding the goods. I don't see why I should be expected to pay the price."
"Because I clearly don't have any demon world currency!" she argued back.
Hiei opened his irritable little mouth, ready to strike back with a vitriolic quip, when Genji interjected with a raise of his clawed hand.
"It's quite alright," he reassured. "I owe Youko a great debt, one that I will spend the rest of my life repaying."
"No, my friend," Kurama said. "With this, your debt is paid in full."
The old demon's features lifted into a smile as he nodded.
Botan thanked Genji once more and bid him farewell before following Hiei and Kurama out of the cave. The red sky was a bit darker now, the winds picking up and whipping through her hair as they headed north. The trio walked in a comfortable silence, interrupted only by the faint sounds of thunder rumbling in the far distance. They made it halfway towards the breach in the barrier between worlds when a thought suddenly occurred to the ferry-girl.
"We should've asked Genji for another pouch," she said, turning towards Hiei. "I can't divvy your portion up if I have nothing to put it into."
"That isn't necessary."
"Why not?"
"We'll meet up at the old woman's temple every night until we've collectively finished the cure."
"What? But why?"
"Because it's the midway point between the demon and spirit worlds."
"But why do we even need to meet?"
Hiei's eyes narrowed a fraction as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't trust you, ferry-girl. You're forgetful, absent-minded, and worst of all, a hopeless romantic."
"What in the three worlds are you trying to imply?!"
"I don't doubt that you get a sick thrill out of being human and living in that world. If your resolve falters and you decide not to take the antidote, then perhaps its effects will diminish. I can't afford to take that chance; I refuse to be bound to that reality any longer than necessary."
"I would never do something so reckless and selfish!"
"You won't," he agreed. "Because I'll make sure you drink it, every night, without fail."
"Hiei!"
The fire-demon didn't pay her any mind, instead regarding Kurama with a slight incline of his head. "I'm late for my shift on border patrol. I trust you'll see the ferry-girl and the antidote back."
Kurama nodded. "Of course."
And then Hiei was gone.
"Ugh!" Botan let out an annoyed shout as she kicked a stray pebble. "He's awful, Kurama! I don't know how you managed to put up with him after all these years!"
"You'll have to excuse his attitude," Kurama stated. "It seems Hiei isn't coping well with the idea of being accepted and loved by another - even if it's happening in a separate reality."
The tense lines of her frown receded slightly. "…That's why he's being so difficult?"
"Yes. His rigid approach towards your situation appears to be the only way he can cope with it."
"Still…" Botan pouted, staring at the space where Hiei once stood. "He didn't have to be so rude about it!"
"Agreed," Kurama replied, wearing a half smile and a knowing glint in his eyes. "Perhaps you might be the one to change his outlook. In more ways than one."
Botan had no earthly clue what Kurama was getting at with his cryptic little predictions, but she knew one thing for certain: the coming days with Hiei were sure to be more harrowing than her worst nightmares.
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