Summary: "Enough," Hiei ground out, fists clenched at his side. "I'll compete in your absurd human games."

In which Hiei is suckered into Game Night with the gang and gains an unlikely ally amidst the chaos.

Credit where credit is due: This was created for the game night prompt for day 3 of the 2024 Annual Hiei/Botan Week on tumblr. The stunning art for this fic was made by Nuarthiel and we cannot thank her enough.

This was a collaboration between MystiKoorime and I. Everything you are about to read is a complete mash up between the two of us. It was truly a team effort and I had so much fun creating this with her. MystiK 1000% deserves all the kudos for how much hard work she put into this. She was gracious enough to allow me to post our first collab under my account, but you can find our collaborative post on ao3 under the names Crystal_Koneko or MystiKoorime. I suggest heading there anyway to see the full version of the artwork! It can also be found on the tumblr post for HB week.


Hiei's Thoughts on Crushing Dimwits and Captivating Ferry-Girls

The night was unforgiving. Heavy rain drops beat against Hiei's face, driven by a relentless wind that howled through the trees like a scorned apparition. Hail descended in sporadic bursts, stinging his skin and making the already burdensome path to Genkai's temple that much more inconvenient. Blinding flashes of lightning briefly illuminated the path ahead, followed by rolling scores of deafening thunder. Despite the treacherous conditions, the fire-demon pressed on determinedly. There was only one goal in mind: Yukina. He promised he'd visit after the latest excursion ran its course and he refused to let something as paltry as a Human World torrent stop him.

As Hiei approached the compound, he noted the amber glow of lights spilling from multiple rooms but thought little of it. He reached out to grab the tatami door's handle, frowning as his fingers nearly slipped off the slick, wet wood. It took more effort than usual to wrench the sliding door open as it creaked as protested against the gusting winds, but he managed to do so without tearing it off its hinges. The wind blasted the door shut almost immediately after he'd entered, diluting the roar of the storm behind it. He made quick work of discarding his outerwear, letting his cloak, scarf and boots lay in a drenched, soggy pile near the door.

Voices carried from the main room, a mix of buoyant laughter and buzzing conversation. Hiei followed the sound instinctively, surprised to find the whole motley crew of humans, demons and a single spirit gathered around a low table laden with sugary snacks and drinks. Board games lay scattered to and fro, some already in progress. The atmosphere was lively and carefree, a stark contrast to the treacherous storm raging outside.

The ferry-girl was the first to notice his presence.

"Hiei!" she exclaimed, voice tinged with surprise, "...is that you?"

Yusuke leaned closer to Kuwabara with a mock-whisper, "And here I thought it was the creepy little boy from The Grudge."

The oaf erupted into a fit of raucous laughter, slapping his hand against the table. "Shorty looks even worse than Eikichi after a bath!"

Hiei shot them an icy glare, raising his energy on autopilot. The quick burst of heat dried the fire-demon off within a matter of seconds, his hair springing back up into its usual flame shape.

"There's our favorite short, dark and moody!" Yusuke hailed with a tilt of his beer can.

Hiei disregarded them all, red eyes flickering past the humans before finally landing on Yukina. A gentle smile unfolded over her features and, for a moment, the tension in his posture eased. He didn't mind putting up with the detective and the clown's ribbing if it allowed him to verify that she was sound and well. The ice-maiden approached him in human world clothes, foregoing her silk kimono for a simple lavender shirt and a long skirt. The open warmth in her expression was a far cry from the sad, burdened and lonely koorime who'd been searching for him years ago.

"You came in this storm?" she asked upon approaching him.

"It was no matter," he dismissed, still so unused to his sister's concern and affection. "Now that I've seen what I need to, I'll be taking my leave."

Hiei turned to escape towards the door without greeting anyone else, but the familiar and delicate weight of Yukina's hand on his arm stalled him.

"Please stay," she urged. "It isn't safe to travel in this weather."

Hiei glanced back at his sister. There was a small crease in her brows, worry tucked away in the slant of her mouth. As if on cue, the wind howled viciously and the torrent of rain beat down harder against the compound.

"We happen to have an odd number tonight," Kurama mentioned, drawing the fire-demon's attention to the others seated at the low table. "If you choose to join us, we can team up evenly. Then when the storm passes, you can safely make your exit."

Hiei let out a derisive scoff. "I arrived just fine and I'll leave the same way."

"C'mon man!" The detective was suddenly right beside him, slinging a loose arm over his shoulder. He smelled of cheap beer and hair gel as he tightened his grip around the fire-demon. "Don't be such a wet blanket. Besides, we need the numbers."

Hiei shirked his arm off roughly, features twisting into a scowl. "I have no interest in your trivial-"

"Forget it, Urameshi. You already know shorty's way out of his element here," Kuwabara cut in, pausing to snicker under his breath. "He probably doesn't even know how to have fun."

Hiei bristled at that, an insulting jab sharp on his tongue when the meddlesome ferry-girl interrupted.

"Boys, please! Let's not get into petty squabbles." She stood up between them with her hands raised in defense. The woman turned to him next, pink lips pushed into a pout and hands clasped together in an obvious display of pleading. "Won't you stay, Hiei? I'm sure Yukina would appreciate it. And we'd love for you to join us, too!"

Hiei watched the bluette bat her curled lashes at him for a few more beats, letting the suspense build before ultimately replying in a flat tone, "…No."

"Oh fooey!" Botan snapped her fingers, her expression falling. "I really thought that would work!"

Shizuru rested a hand on her hip, a touch of amusement mixed into her usually disinterested expression. "The little guy is still so stubborn after all this time."

Kuwbara crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled, "The little guy is a fun sucker anyway. We're better off without him."

"Fun just isn't in Hiei's vocabulary," Yusuke taunted with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Hiei's jaw ticked. "My vocabulary is leagues beyond yours, detective."

"Tch!" Kuwabara chuffed. "If you're really so smart, then prove it, shrimp!"

Hiei glared at the oaf.

"Kurama and Keiko brought a bunch of boring, nerdy games," he stated, prompting the fox and the woman to exchange mutual looks of offense. "Maybe you oughta put your money where your mouth is."

"Ignoring the fact that we aren't playing for money," Yusuke corrected with a grin, "the big lug has a point. It should be a walk in the park for someone as superior as you."

"I don't need to prove anything, least of all to simpletons like you," Hiei growled.

"Then I guess poor Yukina will just have to sit out," Yusuke lamented, setting his hands on her shoulders with a rueful sigh.

Kuwabara took a step forward, a valiant look on his face. "I would never let my love-"

Yusuke released Yukina and jabbed the lumbering oaf sharply in the side, shutting him up for the moment. As Kuwabara doubled over and wheezed, Yukina placed a hand on his arm and proceeded to fuss and fawn over him.

"Yep," Yusuke continued on with his melancholic monologue, ignoring the psychic's pained coughing in the background, "…since she knows least about this stuff, it only makes sense that she'd take the hit for the team."

"But-" Kuwabara began to protest.

"It's alright, Kazuma," Yukina soothed. "I really don't mind."

Hiei watched the scene stoically, the tension in his jaw betraying his conflict. He knew exactly what the detective was doing, but even so, the situation would inevitably unfold exactly as he foretold. Yukina - ever the docile and mild-mannered soul - would opt to exclude herself in favor of allowing the others to participate. And that didn't sit well with the fire-demon. She'd sacrificed enough in her life, partly because of him. He wouldn't allow her to put herself last; not while he was around.

"Enough," he ground out, fists clenched at his side. "I'll compete in your absurd human games."

Everyone cheered upon hearing his answer, but the only reaction he truly cared about was his sister's. She smiled gratefully at him from across the way, extinguishing the flames of irritation that threatened to burn through his already limited supply of patience. His features evened out into a more stoic look as he tilted his head at her in acknowledgment. Words were rarely needed between them.

"Hell yeah!" Yusuke fist bumped Kuwabara. "This will be like taking candy from a baby!"

The detective then proceeded to open another can of beer and spill it all over his chin, tracksuit and the floor. Hiei grimaced at the uncouth display, shoving his fists into his pockets as he resigned himself to a night of madness and degeneracy.

"Alright!" Botan clapped her hands together from between the sleeves of her pink turtleneck sweater, clearly excited by all the competitiveness. "Now that we have our participants, why don't we refuel ourselves and figure out the teams?"

Hiei watched distantly as they each claimed all manner of snacks and beverages. During the exchange, Yusuke and Kuwabara busied themselves with ripping off small strips of paper, scribbling on each one and then throwing the pieces into a large, disposable red cup. They were clearly conspiring together but no one else seemed to pay them any mind - the rest of the group long since immune to their childish antics. Hiei could hardly hear what the idiot duo was saying over the ferry-girl's loud and enthusiastic prattling as she conversed with the rest of the group. Eventually, Yusuke called for everyone's attention once more.

"Listen up, party people. In the interest of fairness I'm gonna pull names at random to form our teams. Anybody got any objections with that?"

The group, sans Hiei, shook their heads.

"Alrighty, then lucky number one is…" He dug his hand in the cup, making a show of swirling its contents around and pulling out a slip of paper. A grin curled the ends of his mouth as he spoke, "Fire-boy."

Hiei's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn't particularly interested in teaming up with anyone at all, but there was little he could do about that now.

"And our favorite grumpy guy's partner is…" Once again, the detective shoved his hand into the cup and snagged another name. Kuwabara could barely choke back his snorting as he peered over Yusuke's shoulder. The detective lifted his eyes and glanced over at one person in particular. "…Well, would ya look at that? It's the Spirit World's one and only sweetheart: Botan!"

"Oh?" Botan intoned weakly, her smile morphing into more of a wince as she inched carefully towards him. "We're a team. Yay…"

"Hn." Hiei shifted away from her. "I'm not any more pleased with this situation than you are."

Kuwabara broke out into loud, ear-splitting chortling. "The shrimp and Botan-" he sniggered, tears gathering in the corner of his eyes. "What a team! Winners for sure!"

Yusuke tried to hold back his laughter, but ultimately failed as a few chuckles filtered through his shit-eating grin. "Okay, next up!" He fished another name out, managing to get himself under control. "The beautiful, the lovely, the biggest nag in the Human World, and my girlfriend: Keiko!"

The brunette rolled her eyes, but leaned forward a little as she waited for her teammate to be picked.

"Clearly, I am loved!" Yusuke retorted as he dug around dramatically in the cup. "And Keiko's partner is … sister of my brother from another mother, so technically, my sister from another mister: Shizuru!"

Shizuru sighed, rising to her feet and crossing over to Keiko's side. "I'm really going to need another cigarette before we start if you plan on doing this the entire time."

Yusuke waved her off, focused on his task. "The star player for the next team is…" He paused to grab another paper and lit up. "Hey, imagine that! The biggest badass in all three worlds: me."

Kuwabara started to protest Yusuke's lofty claim, but the detective's woman was quicker.

"Just get on with it, already!" she snapped.

"I wonder which lucky devil gets to be my partner in crime tonight?" Yusuke narrated, reaching in for another name. His smirk deepend as he set his sights to his left. "Heh, it's the Demon World's most eligible bachelor. The man with a plan and the prettiest hair you've ever seen: Kurama!"

Kurama merely nodded his acceptance, poised and ready for competition in that infuriatingly calm manner of his. It was painfully obvious that the fox was used to winning what they called 'Game Night'.

"That just leaves last and most definitely least: Kuwabara! Joined by his snowy ice-maiden: Yukina."

Kuwabara grumbled an incensed "shut the hell up Urameshi!", but his attitude quickly improved as he joined Yukina and promised to secure her a victory.

"Now, fight to the death!" Yusuke joked, haphazardly tossing the cup behind him and letting its contents fall out onto the floor.

He then sauntered over to the cooler for another drink, whistling a jaunty, irritating tune. Keiko, ever suspicious of the detective's motives, was the first to grab one of the slips.

"Wait a minute," she growled, her features contorting angrily after inspecting it. "Yusuke! Why does this paper say 'LOSERS'?!"

"That one says 'FAILURES'," Shizuru informed as she leered at another paper on the floor.

"And this one says 'DUDS'," Kurama added, displaying the slip between his index and middle fingers.

"Yusuke!" Botan gasped, rounding on him. "You've rigged the game? How could you?"

"You say rigged, I say spiced it up," he reasoned with a careless shrug, before cracking open another can of beer. "Besides, it's too late for complaints. The teams are already picked and you're stuck with your bundle of joy. Game on."

"But why in the three worlds would you pair me and Hiei together?" she questioned loudly. "What happened to the interest of fairness?"

"Life ain't fair, chica. The only thing you two've got in common is that you have no chance in Hell of winning. And that's why you're together."

"Yusuke!" she fumed. "That's a terrible thing to say!"

"Perhaps we should reshuffle the teams," Kurama considered, glancing at the fire-demon and ferry-girl. "Neither Hiei nor Botan are familiar with Human World games. They might have more trouble than the rest of us."

Botan pouted, shoulders deflating. "You too, Kurama?"

"Ignore them, woman," Hiei stated firmly. "It doesn't matter what disadvantages the oaf and detective throw my way. I'll still fare better than either of them."

"That's the spirit, Hiei!" the ferry-girl rallied, eyes alight with renewed optimism as she raised her hand out for a high-five. "And we'll have a grand time doing it!"

Hiei arched a brow at her, the gesture entirely lost on him.

"…We'll have fun no matter the outcome, right?" she tried.

"Hn. Fun is nothing more than a pastime for the weak. The only goal on my mind is victory."

Botan let out a nervous titter as she lowered her arm. "Lucky me…"

Off to the side, Yusuke rubbed his hands together in eager anticipation. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get this party started!"

Everyone took a seat next to their partners around the low, circular table. The ferry-girl scooted a little closer towards him, her seating pillow touching his in the process. He didn't see the need for closeness or proximity, so he made no show of acknowledging the diminishing distance between them. The woman could do whatever she wanted in the name of sportsmanship, so long as she didn't hinder their odds of winning.

"Alright! Now that we have sustenance and designated teammates, we need team names," Keiko stated. "Shizuru and I can start."

Hiei glanced away, drumming his fingers on the table impatiently as the two women spoke in hushed tones among themselves. The storm was still raging outside, the occasional crack of thunder and blinding flash of lightning marking its presence. Despite that, the air of levity within the temple remained at an all time high. Everyone's focus was on the whispering human women, including his sister. He glanced at Yukina while she watched on with rapt attention sparkling in her ruby eyes. She was already enjoying herself, despite not having done much of anything yet. Something within the fire-demon softened. There was no room for regrets. Not when she looked like that.

"We're Team Girls Run the World," Shizuru announced as Keiko moved to write the name down on the large whiteboard beside them.

Keiko glanced over at Kuwabara and Yukina next, hand poised and ready to record their team's handle. "How about you two?"

"Heh, no need for a discussion; that's Team Beauty and the Beast right there." Yusuke grinned, taking another chug of his beer.

Hiei smirked in agreement as Kuwabara waved his fist threateningly at Yusuke.

"Stuff it, Urameshi! My sweet snow cone and I shall be known as: Team Red String of Fate!"

Yukina giggled and nodded her assent to Keiko, while Yusuke and Kurama held their own private team huddle. They appeared to be going back and forth for a good while, before Yusuke turned to the group.

"Team Foxy Detectives," he proclaimed, looking far too proud of himself.

Beside him, the fox pinched the bridge of his nose in embarrassment.

"Okay, sassy. Get it girl," Shizuru teased, snapping her fingers in a triangle formation.

"I don't wanna hear it from Team Girl Power!" Yusuke huffed. "There's no shame in my game."

"It's Team Girls Run the World!" Keiko corrected, already having enough of her boyfriend's nonsense for the night.

"Yeah, okay, Team Spice Girls."

As they continued to squabble, Botan turned to Hiei. "We're up next! What do you think our team name should be, Hiei?"

The fire-demon's expression remained painfully impassive. "The amount I couldn't care less would astound you. Pick something."

"Errr… Team HiBo?" she tried lamely, shrugging at the group with her best attempt at something that fit them.

"Sounds good to me," Keiko approved, jotting it down. "And that's everyone."

"So, what are we playing first?" Kuwabara asked, glancing at the various boxes piled up.

Crimson eyes scanned through the bright, attention-grabbing titles listed on the covers. Pictionary, Monopoly, Clue, Life, Uno, Chess, Checkers, Risk, Twister, and more - none of which the fire-demon recognized. He noticed Yusuke eyeing a black box labeled Cards Against Humanity and warily noted not to get roped into whatever that was by the detective.

"Charades seems like a good starter," Keiko offered, pulling it out from the bunch. "It's simple enough."

"Oh, we've got that one in the Spirit World!" Botan mentioned, sitting up straighter in all her excitement. "I'm a natural. We'll definitely do well!"

"I'll explain the rules for those that aren't familiar with it," Kurama volunteered. "Choose a card from the charades card deck. It will contain a word or phrase that must be acted out by one player without speaking. Their teammate must then guess that word or phrase. Players have two minutes to guess before the round is over."

Hiei nodded.

"You'll receive a single point for each correct answer, and the team with the highest amount of points at the end of the game is dubbed the victor."

"Easy peasy," Yusuke swaggered.

But it was not "easy peasy".

The detective's woman and the oaf's sister went first. The two had a certain synergy about them that was admittedly annoying. The elder Kuwabara deduced every single one of the younger woman's queues correctly and leisurely. She made it look woefully easy. By the time the upper bulb of the minute glass was drained, they managed to rack up nine points.

Yukina and the oaf took a stand next. Kuwabara flailed around obnoxiously for the better part of their turn while Yukina watched on with a slightly confused expression. Hiei almost felt sorry for his sister, but as she was the one who chose to attach herself to the fool, she would have to face the embarrassing consequences of that decision. In the end, the only point they secured occurred when the oaf flapped his arms like wings until he went blue in the face. Yukina's smile lit up as she guessed "bird" and gained a point for their team.

"Alright! Time to show you losers how it's done!" Yusuke grinned, punching his fist into his open palm. "You ready, Kurama?"

"Naturally," the fox replied with an assured flip of his long, ruby hair. It settled neatly over his shoulder and ran down the length of his silken white shirt. A pointed show of perfection for the room, to be sure. Peacocking as usual.

Hiei watched with thinly veiled disdain as Kurama ascertained every single one of the detective's actions in record time. Yusuke barely even needed to put himself into position before the fox - clever bastard that he was - already answered correctly. If he didn't know them any better, he would've assumed that Kurama managed to open up a telepathic link. But no, neither needed to resort to such trickery. And by the time Keiko exclaimed that the round was over, they amassed fourteen points.

"Looks like we're bringing up the rear," Botan said as she took a stand and dusted herself off. "I hope you're ready, partner!"

Hiei dismissed her pointless cheering and rose to his feet as well, setting his sights forward. "Let's just get this over with, ferry-girl."

"So much for team spirit," Botan mumbled under her breath as she took center stage. She then glanced over at the detective's woman expectantly. "Ready when you are, dear!"

Keiko flipped the timer. "Go!"

Botan drew her first card, read it and then lit up. "Oh! It's like—"

"No talking, reaper!" Yusuke reminded her.

Botan pursed her lips shut and started miming odd shapes and motions with her hands. A frown settled over his face as he watched her make a fool of herself. The woman continued on for a few more seconds before sighing. "Oh forget it, I'm skipping!"

She pulled another card and began to make even more foreign, bizarre movements.

Hiei's frown deepened, his irritation spiking as the others reacted to his floundering. Yusuke and Kuwabara snickered openly, the two human women pretended they weren't finding humor in his abysmal failure and the fox hid a chuckle behind his fist. The only one who watched on encouragingly was his sister.

Eventually, Botan threw her hands up in the air. An annoyed flush colored her cheeks as she frowned down at him. "Would you at least try to guess something!"

"I will when you start making sense, woman," he gritted out.

"Ugh!" She threw the card to the ground. "I'm passing again!"

"You'll only have one more opportunity to pass after this," Kurama warned. "And time is running short."

"Oh poo." Botan bit her bottom lip as she scanned the prompt. The light of recognition flashed in her eyes as she turned to Hiei. She pointed to her nose and drew a circle in front of it, then used her hand to honk her nose exaggeratedly.

Yusuke hooted, slapping a hand to his knee. "Oh c'mon! This is a classic!"

Botan glanced over at the timer, watching the sand thinning out worriedly.

"Even a toddler could guess this one!" Kuwabara guffawed.

Botan huffed at Kuwabara, but her eyes grew wide as a thought occurred to her. Inspired, she looked at Hiei meaningfully and then pointed over to the bane of his existence.

The fire-demon understood instantly. "Clown."

"Yes!" She bounced elatedly. "You've got it!"

"Hey!" Kuwabara squawked, outraged at yet another slight at him.

"And time's up," Keiko called out.

Kurama read off the standings from the paper he used to keep track of the score. "We have a tie for last place between Team HiBo and Team Red String of Fate. In second place, and not for lack of effort, is Team Girls Run the World. The team in first place is Team Foxy Detectives, in no small part due to me."

Yusuke cocked a brow. "Really?"

"I demand a new game!" Botan exclaimed. "This one isn't fair. Hiei doesn't even understand most of these human references."

Hiei's brows furrowed. "It's hardly my fault that you're a terrible actor."

"I'll have you know that I am a wonderful actor! Besides, I also think this game isn't very fair to Yukina, either."

"If you're a wonderful actor, then I'm the King of Spirit World," Yusuke mocked. "You're just mad because you're getting stomped on, as predicted. Hiei said he could take whatever was thrown his way so suck it up, buttercup!"

"No, I think she's right," Shizuru supported. "We should play something else so Yukina and Hiei can participate more."

"I may have the perfect solution," Kurama piped up. "I've brought the new trivia game from the Demon World with me tonight. Perhaps we should give it a go."

"I've heard of this one," Yukina revealed. "It uses trivia from all three worlds; a sign of times changing and the worlds becoming more unified."

She punctuated the end of her statement by taking one of Kuwabara's hands and smiling up at him. Hiei resisted the overwhelming urge to wretch as he tore his gaze away.

"Alright, trivia it is," Keiko agreed. She then moved to the scoreboard and added a point under Team Foxy Detectives. "Yusuke and Kurama are in the lead for now, but it's still anyone's game."

Botan turned towards him and whispered conspiratorially, "This sounds like something we might actually be able to win, don't you think?"

"Hn, it'll be pitifully simple."

Botan perked up at that.

"As Yukina stated earlier, this is a trivia game that uses cultural and historical topics across all three realms," Kurama informed, unboxing a small rectangular projector of sorts and several buzzers. He flipped a switch on the side of the mechanism and a holographic image projected in front of the group. It appeared to be the game's title screen, the words 'TriWorld Trivia' flashing in vivid colors.

"Whoa…" Kuwabara breathed out, clearly impressed. "You demons sure are fancy."

Hiei smirked. "Makai's technology is leagues above that of the other two worlds."

Yusuke waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, yeah, we know you have a hard-on for the Demon World."

"Yusuke!" Keiko admonished.

Kurama cleared his throat, drawing their attention once more. "The game has an intuitive AI feature built in that will act as our host. Each question will be read out loud. Once the last word is spoken, the game will allow us the opportunity to buzz in with these." He set a single buzzer down in front of each team. "The color of the team that buzzed in first will flash across the projected screen. Answer verbally, but be clear and concise, as the AI will have to understand you to assign the point. If you answer incorrectly, it will allow one of the other teams to buzz in for a chance to claim the point."

Shizuru folded her arms loosely over her chest as she eyed the holograph. "Straightforward enough."

"Yes," Kurama affirmed while tinkering away with the settings. "I've assigned colors to each of our teams. Green for- " He paused and cringed, "Foxy Detectives. Blue for Red String of Fate. Yellow for Girls Run The World. And lastly, red for HiBo. The game will keep track of our scores and list them in the top right corner of the screen. Any questions?"

"So, we just buzz in, shout out an answer, and then the game takes care of the rest?" Keiko recounted.

"Precisely. However, I'd caution against buzzing in recklessly. You lose a point if you answer incorrectly."

"Well, there goes my strategy," Kuwabara groused.

Kurama smiled knowingly. "I've set it to forty random questions. That should be enough for us to determine a winner."

Yusuke cracked his knuckles showily. "Guess we'll be relying on your brains for this one, fox-boy."

"As you wish."

Kuwabara turned to Yukina with a smoldering look. "The power of love will win this one for us, baby!"

Yukina nodded, her eyes filled with fond amusement. "If you say so, Kazuma."

"We can't let the Foxy Detectives get another point," Shizuru said as she regarded Keiko. "Time to put that big brain of yours to use, Yukimura."

"Trust me, I have no intentions of letting Yusuke win bragging rights."

Botan turned to the fire-demon and prostrated her fist towards him. "We got this, Hiei!"

Hiei stared at her quizzically. Did she intend to hit him?

"You're supposed to…" she trailed off in lieu of softly punching both of her firsts together.

"Why?"

"Just because!" the bluette spluttered as she looked around at the other teams motivating each other.

She actually expected him to partake in this?

"Take your sportive gestures elsewhere, ferry-girl. They're entirely lost on me."

"You're really no fun, Hiei."

"Okay guys, Kurama is starting the game now," Keiko announced. "Everyone be ready to hit your buzzers!"

The first few rounds of trivia were not an impressive start for Team HiBo. The questions were aimed towards the Human World, which Hiei sorely lacked any knowledge about. Botan, who actually knew the answers, lacked the speed necessary to buzz in against duos like Team Girls Rule the World and Team Foxy Detectives. However, Hiei was determined not to lose against the idiot detective or his baboon of a sidekick again. He began watching the ferry girl's face right before she would dive for the buzzer. Her eyes would widen just a fraction once the answers came to her, her mouth shaping into a small 'o'. And afterwards, once the AI awarded a point to the faster team, she would slouch back slightly with her arms crossed and mouth pursed in frustration. The ferry girl wanted this win as much as he did. A competitive fire raged within her soul in the same manner that it burned in his. Finally, he saw something he could work with.

Round six closed out with a surprising win for Team Red String of Nonsense. Hiei silently observed the woman's amethyst eyes dilate and face fall in disappointment. He knew what to look for now. Round seven would belong to them, of this he was sure.

"What human festival celebrates the arrival of spring with cherry blossoms?" The AI's robotic voice reverberated around the room.

Botan's face lit up immediately, as did almost everyone else's, but none of them could match his speed. His hand fell over the buzzer in the blink of an eye.

When 'Team Red' displayed on the screen, the ferry-girl was nearly too stunned to answer. She recovered quickly enough and the word rushed out of her mouth. "Hanami!"

"Correct. One point awarded to Team Red."

Their team name illuminated the screen and Botan squealed happily as they gained their first point. She glanced over at Hiei, amaranthine gaze warm and full of delight. The fire-demon felt a familiar wind kick up in his chest; the stirrings of pride. He knew it was premature - their victory was a small one compared to the others, after all - but it was a promising start.

"Leave the buzzing to me, ferry-girl," he instructed lowly, for her ears only.

"But how will you know if I know the answer in time?"

"I'll know," he declared resolutely. "Trust me, woman."

She nodded without a second thought; so quick to believe in him, so eager to bet on his abilities. He was starting to realize that if he didn't want to run the risk of losing, he'd have to rely on her just as much as she was relying on him. Between the two of them, he was certain that they could win. While Botan refocused her attention on the holographic screen, Hiei fixed his gaze on her.

"Who is the famous Human World author whose works about spirits and demons have gained cult status?"

He immediately noticed the telltale signs of recognition beginning to form in the ferry-girl's expression. Hiei wasted no time, slamming his palm down on the red button a fraction before everyone else could even lean towards their buzzers. The words 'Team Red' flashed across the screen brightly. Keiko, Kuwabara and Yusuke let out deflated groans upon realizing that their attempts were too little, too late.

"Haruto Saito!" Botan shouted with glee.

"Correct. One point awarded to Team Red."

The ferry-girl clapped her hands together and cheered as Team HiBo gained another point.

"What is the Demon World's favorite culinary dish, known for its fiery spices and unique ingredients?"

"Hellfire stew," Hiei answered.

"What is the name of the Spirit World's most watched drama series, known for its intense plot twists and spiritual themes?"

"Echoes of Eternity!" Botan shouted again.

"What was the Demon World's first written legal code, created to regulate the conduct of its inhabitants?"

"The Codex of Malakar," Hiei replied.

And so, the game continued on in that fashion. Hiei knew enough about the Demon World, while Botan was well-versed in all things human and spirit. They made for a lethal combination.

As the game went on, Yukina and Kuwabara fell pitifully behind. While Yukina was from Demon World, she was not well acquainted with its culture due to the isolation of the koorimes. She knew even less about human history and pop culture. Any knowledge Kuwabara possessed was thwarted by his infatuation with the ice-maiden, so distracted by his 'angel' that he failed to reach the buzzer in time. Keiko and Shizuru, though quick on the uptake with Human World trivia, were painfully out of their element when it came to any Demon or Spirit World questions.

The only real competition for Team HiBo was Yusuke and Kurama. They were both easily able to answer questions from all three worlds, though they couldn't hold a candle to Botan when it came to those geared towards the Spirit World. By the time the game was at round thirty-six, the two teams were neck and neck. The next few questions would determine the winner.

Botan fanned herself anxiously, beginning to sweat. She too knew that Yusuke and Kurama could undoubtedly take the win if she and Hiei slipped up at all.

"Don't be so nervous, Botan," Yusuke heckled from the other side of the table. "Wouldn't want to fumble the ball and lose."

Hiei frowned. He couldn't afford for Botan to get the jitters just now. He wouldn't allow Yusuke to taunt her into a loss. He narrowed his crimson eyes at the detective, drawing the attention away from her and placing it back on Yusuke with his next remark: "Your hubris will be your downfall, detective."

"My what? My 'huge prick'? Why Hiei, I never knew you felt that way!" Yusuke howled in laughter while Keiko kicked at the pillow he sat on. Thankfully his jeering was cut short by the AI.

"Which renowned fashion designer is famous for incorporating elements from the Human, Spirit, and Demon Worlds into their clothing lines?"

"Elara Mizuki!" Botan exclaimed with ease.

"Correct. One point awarded to Team Red."

"Shit."

The downward tick of Yusuke's mouth was proof enough that the cocky detective was starting to question his chances of victory. Kurama didn't look any better, a rigidity in his shoulders that was uncharacteristic for the ever-composed fox.

"What ancient prophecy foretells the coming of a human who would unite the Spirit World, Human World and Demon World during a time of great crisis?"

The room fell silent as each team hesitated. Hiei didn't know the answer and judging by the looks on the others' faces, neither did they. He set his sights on Botan once more, watching as she tapped a finger to her chin in thought. In the next instant, her blue brows lifted. Hiei's hand was already on the buzzer before she could complete the thought.

"The Prophecy of the Triune Savior?"

"Correct. One point awarded to Team Red."

Kurama's mouth thinned into a terse line. Team Foxy Detectives was going to lose if they didn't take the next two points. The air turned electric with tension.

"What ancient war took place in the Spirit World, leading to the establishment of the Spirit Defense Force?"

"The Celestial Conflict!"

Botan got it again. Yusuke cursed and crushed his beer can while Kurama resigned himself to clapping for them. They'd already secured their victory, but Hiei wouldn't be content unless it was an uncontested, definitive one.

"Which plague devastated the Demon World during the Abyssal Era?"

Hiei knew this one. He pressed the button, taking the win for the team.

"The Crimson Blight," he answered with a diabolical smirk. It felt too good to take down the cocksure detective and fox.

"Correct. Final point awarded to Team Red. The team with the most points and the winner of TriWorld Trivia is Team Red."

"We did it!" Botan exclaimed, throwing her arms around Hiei and trapping him in a tight embrace. "We actually won!"

Hiei stiffened, suppressing the natural urge to push her away (or slice her arms off). She was practically in his lap, her floral scent suffusing the air around him. "Woman, you have two seconds to release me."

Botan pulled away without much fanfare, still wearing that blithe grin on her lips as she shifted on her seating pillow to view Yusuke. She fixed him with a downright mocking look, amethyst eyes twinkling with delight. "Remind me again... which team did you say didn't stand a chance at winning?"

Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"Hn. It's as I said: the detective's overconfidence would be his undoing," Hiei remarked, a mean-spirited smirk still adorning his expression.

"Mhm!"

"Oh lay off; you guys just got lucky!" Yusuke exploded, before cocking his thumb towards the whiteboard. "Besides, we're tied now. That's hardly a reason to celebrate."

"Yusuke's right. The night isn't over yet," Kurama noted, glancing at the tallies on the board that depicted their tie.

Hiei's gaze narrowed further, his competitive spirit rising. "It might as well be, fox."

"Ugh, boys," Keiko groaned with a shake of her head. "They never grow up."

Shizuru rolled her eyes, seeming to agree. "Somehow, it always devolves into a pissing contest with them."

"That reminds me, I've gotta take a leak," Yusuke announced, pushing himself up from the floor and trotting off towards the bathroom.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a little breather," Kurama deduced.

Yukina nodded. "I think the cakes must be ready by now. I'll go check on them."

"I'll help you, my love!" Kuwabara offered loudly, following after her like a dog wagging his tail.

The rest of the group dispersed around the room, opting to tidy the place up a bit. Kurama gathered the various game pieces strewn around the area while the rest of the women collected the empty wrappers, cans and bottles left behind on nearly every surface. Hiei glanced out the window, mildly surprised to find that the storm had long since passed. He hadn't noticed it at all during the whirlwind of events that occurred inside. Rising to his feet, he decided that some fresh air would do him some good. He never fared well when he was cooped up inside for too long.

Stepping out on the veranda, welcoming the cold breeze as he lowered himself into a seated position. It was a clear, bright night. Now that the storm clouds drifted apart, the stars and full moon were displayed in perfect view. The deluge must've passed as quickly as it came, the only signs of its existence remaining in the sheen over the foliage around the compound and the scent of petrichor still lingering in the air.

No less than a minute later, the door behind him slid open with a low creak.

"Yoohoo!" Botan sang, her voice cheery and melodic. "I come bearing snacks!"

Hiei glanced up to see the ferry-girl carrying a bag of chips and a can of soda in her hands. He turned away disinterestedly. "I'm not hungry."

"Oh, come now." She sat down beside him, undeterred. "I've seen you sneaking some of these when you thought no one was looking. It'll be our little secret."

"Nothing is secret when it comes to you, woman," he said, shoving his hand in the bag and procuring a chip anyway.

Botan grinned, taking one for herself as well. "By the way, you were so well-versed in all things Demon World. I never took you for a historian, Hiei."

"I'm not." Hiei peered out at the forest in the distance. "But the bandits who raised me often passed down stories of Makai's history. I suppose they stuck with me."

"Oh..." Surprise flitted over the ferry-girl's soft features as she blinked at him slowly. She clearly wasn't expecting him to give her a forthright answer. He himself didn't even know why he told her that much, but it was too late for regrets. Rather than make a show of it, the woman simply masked her surprise behind her bubbly disposition. "Well, it certainly worked to our advantage! And your speed was a nice boon, too."

"Don't downplay your contributions. You earned twice as many points as I did with the spirit and human realm categories."

Botan's blue brows lifted behind the curled ends of her bangs. "Was that actually a compliment?

"Hardly."

"I think it was!" she continued with a theatrical gasp and a hand over her heart. "Pinch me, I must be dreaming!"

Hiei glared. "I'll do much worse to you if you keep this up, woman."

But the ferry-girl only giggled in return. "Ease up, Hiei! Everyone here knows you're nowhere near as rude and nasty as you claim to be. Besides, what's a little teasing between friends?"

"We aren't friends."

"Partners, then," she corrected. "So, let's do our best to get along, shall we?"

Hiei stared down at her offered hand, the woman's palm facing upwards as she extended it towards him. He didn't understand why she was so keen on skinship or friendly gestures, but he supposed it was a small price to pay for victory. Reaching forward, he closed his hand around hers. The contact was warm and soft and so foreign to the fire-demon. "You proved useful in that last game, ferry-girl. I suppose the least we can do is endeavor to be civil."

Botan's features lifted into a smile as she closed her hand around his and shook it firmly. "You've got yourself a deal, mister."

"Hn."

She released his hand, then regarded him with a petulant little pout tugging at her mouth. "And while we're at it, can you at least try to use my name? You do know it's not 'ferry-girl', right?"

"..."

"Hiei!"

The fire-demon shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced back at her. "I know your name, Botan."

Her smile melted into something tender and new. It was different from her usual breezy grins; the complete opposite of her teasing looks. It did something indescribable to his insides. He felt light yet heavy at the same time, completely untethered and ungrounded. He ripped his gaze away immediately, breaking the moment.

"Anyway, Yusuke and Kurama looked absolutely miserable back there! They might be even bigger sore losers than I am," Botan recalled, her voice tinged with amusement. "I'm sure they didn't think we'd beat them."

The corner of his lips quirked upwards as he recalled both of their expressions upon losing. "The fox is much more childish and immature than he leads you all to believe, especially when competition is involved."

Botan arched a curious brow. "Really?"

Hiei nodded.

"Well, he'll simply have to get used to the bitter taste of defeat," she stated with a wink. "Because I have a feeling we'll keep claiming the victory."

"For once, we both agree, ferry-girl."

Kuwabara suddenly slid the door open roughly, shouting into the direction of the woods as the door vibrated from the force of his shoving. "Shorty, you out there? Hello~?" he bellowed, before noticing them sitting a few feet away. "Oh. Heh. What are you two up to?"

Botan grabbed the half empty bag of chips and the untouched can of soda, before taking a stand. "We were just strategizing."

"Keiko said to tell you break's almost over." He took a large bite of the cake in his hand, crumbs falling to the floor. "Better hurry if you want any of Yukina's cakes. They're going fast."

He slid the door shut just as loudly, prompting Botan to sigh. "All that ruckus and that's all he wanted to tell us…"

Hiei stood up with a grunt, secretly grateful for the oaf's obnoxious disruption. He didn't know what sort of camaraderie was occurring between himself and the ferry-girl in the name of team unity, but he'd rather not let it continue any longer than he already had. If the others were ready to get this over with, then so was he. He brushed past her without a word, sliding the door open.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Botan called out in a huff, readjusting her hold on the drinks and snacks she'd brought outside. She only made it a single step forward before Shizuru appeared from the adjacent corner, grabbing the bluette by the back of her turtlenecked collar.

"Hold your horses, girlie," Shizuru said, halting Botan's advance. "Let's have a chat about what just happened out here."

The ferry-girl proceeded to giggle awkwardly, pulling her infamous cat face. "What ever do you mean?"

Hiei lurked behind the ajar door, not entirely sure why he bothered to stay and hear what the psychic had to say. There was something about the elder Kuwabara that set him on edge. She was far too shrewd and discerning when it came to the world around her and the souls within it. He didn't trust her intentions, nor could he allow her to get inside the ferry-girl's head. Not when they'd only just begun to find their footing.

"Don't play dumb. I was right around the corner, having a smoke."

"I'm not playing at anything!" Botan insisted. "Now tell me!"

"From where I stood, you two looked awfully chummy."

Botan tilted her head in confusion. "…That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Normally, yes. But Hiei's not a chummy kind of guy and you're not the type to realize what's going on until it's too late."

"I really don't follow, Shizuru…"

Shizuru took a drag and blew a trail of smoke to her left, avoiding Botan's direction. "I think in Hiei-speak, he was totally making eyes at you."

Hiei bristled on the other side of the door. He wasn't making eyes at the woman. He wasn't doing anything of the sort. That damned Kuwabara woman must've just been spouting lies to throw the ferry-girl off her game.

"That's-" Botan's face flushed impossibly red. "That's preposterous! Hiei barely tolerates me!"

Shizuru shrugged. "Didn't look that way to me, blue."

"Well, it wasn't anything like that!" Botan denied. "Your powers of observation are usually keener than this. All that smoking must be dulling your senses!"

"Maybe," she considered halfheartedly, before dropping her cigarette on the ground and stubbing it out. "Anyway, it sounds like they're rounding up the troops. Let's head back."

"Y-yes! We should absolutely do that!"

Hiei carried on to the main room and rejoined the others. There were the scarce remnants of castella cakes in the center of the table, along with an array of fresh drinks and snacks laid out around it. Botan and Shizuru re-entered the room shortly after he did, the ferry-girl's face still showing hints of a pink blush.

"So, what's next?" Keiko asked, adjusting her ruffled blouse and dusting off her slacks.

"I've got something that we can all enjoy," Shizuru offered, pulling a new game out from the pile. The grayscale, monotone box contrasted starkly against her oversized eyesore of a yellow sweater as she presented it to the others. The words 'Blank Slate' were etched across its front in large, white lettering. Shizuru's lips curled up into an infuriating smirk as she directed a wink at the ferry-girl. "This game's all about chemistry."

Botan took a few moments to catch on to the jab, belatedly glaring at Shizuru from across the room. Hiei averted his gaze stubbornly, pretending to be oblivious to the undertones of the exchange.

"Oh!" Keiko lit up. "I've heard of this one!"

"It's usually not played with teams, but we can make things more interesting by only assigning points to each team if they answer similarly," Shizuru suggested.

"Good idea!"

"Uh, you two wanna explain for the rest of the class?" Yusuke asked.

"It's pretty simple," Keiko began. "Each cue card has a sentence with a blank space on it. Players are meant to complete the sentence by writing down a word or phrase on their boards. If you and your partner write down the same answer, you get a point."

"Fair enough," Yusuke said with a nod, brown eyes shifting towards Kurama. "Just don't write any fancy-schmancy words on there."

"Noted."

Kuwabara rubbed his chin in contemplation. "How do we know shorty won't cheat with his freaky third eye?"

"Kazuma," Yukina chided patiently. "My brother wouldn't do something so underhanded."

"Yeah, 'cause Hiei's always been such a model citizen," Yusuke snubbed.

"Take that back, Yusuke!" Botan demanded, pointing a finger at him vehemently. "Hiei's proven to be more than honorable and trustworthy over the years. He certainly doesn't need to resort to such underhanded trickery."

"Damn, when did you two become BFFs?"

"I simply won't have you talking bad about my partner like that!" she huffed, lifting her nose in the air dismissively.

Hiei was a little surprised by the ferry-girl's avid defense in his favor. He'd heard her standing up for him on several occasions, but that was only because Yukina was around and the ferry-girl didn't want anyone influencing the ice-maiden before she could form a proper, unbiased opinion about her secret brother. Now that Yukina knew the truth, there was no need to come to his aid. Especially not when he could do it himself. He swallowed thickly, ignoring the ridiculous fluttering in his chest and the knowing smirk painted on Shizuru's lips as she handed him a slate board and a marker. He snatched the items out of her hands with a hard glare and stomped away. It seemed every Kuwabara had the uncanny ability of getting on his last nerve.

Once they'd all gathered around the table with their markers and boards, Kuwabara was the first to select a prompt.

"Sweet," he read aloud.

Hiei allowed himself an internal sigh. This game was as pointless as it was boring, but he begrudgingly wrote out his response regardless. Beside him, Botan appeared to be doodling, having already jotted down her answer. One by one, the others set their boards down to signal that they were finished.

"You read the prompt, so you can go first, Kazuma," Shizuru instructed.

"Well…" He cleared his throat, an unbecoming blush spreading over his lovesick mug. "I wrote Yukina, of course!

"Sorry, Kazuma…" Yukina's response was equal parts flattered and sheepish as she displayed her board. The word 'Eikichi' was written out in the ice-maiden's neat, thin scrawl. "I tried to think like you, but I guess we didn't have the same vision this time."

"It's alright, baby," he reassured, lowering his voice in that ridiculous and overdone way of his. Hiei rolled his eyes at the pathetic show. "We'll get the next round, for sure!"

"Simp!" Yusuke coughed into his fist.

"Lay off, Urameshi!" Kuwabara snapped, before leaning over to glimpse at Yusuke's board. "What'd you write, anyway? I bet it was something pervy."

"For your information, my answer was Keiko."

Keiko perked up. "Really?"

Shizuru peered over at his board and sighed. "Sorry, hun, he wrote 'cheeks'."

"Called it!" Kuwabara grinned.

Yusuke turned to Kurama. "Please tell me you channeled your inner Yusuke Urameshi on this one. It was too damn good to pass up on!"

"Unfortunately not... I wrote 'dessert'."

Yusuke slumped a little.

"Shizuru and I were on the same page." Keiko proudly revealed the word 'heart' on her board. Beside her, Shizuru did the same with a pleased look on her face.

Yusuke glanced over at Hiei and Botan with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "That just leaves our polar opposites."

Botan sat up a little straighter, confidently displaying her answer. Written in flowy cursive was the word 'snow', surrounded by drawings of ice cream cones. Hiei revealed his board as well, tempering his irritation when the ferry-girl tilted her head and proceeded to sweat-drop at his handwriting.

Kuwabara squinted from across the table. "What the hell is that chicken scratch, shorty?!"

"Are you blind? It clearly says 'snow'."

"Nope, there is nothing clear about that!" Yusuke argued. "That could literally be anything and Hiei's just telling us whatever he wants us to think it is."

Hiei's anger started to spike as he pushed his board aside. "I didn't ask to play this stupid game. It says what it says."

Yusuke opened his mouth to protest, but Kurama intercepted.

"Now, now, Yusuke. If Hiei says that it's 'snow', then you just have to believe him," the fox reasoned, trying and failing to hide his amusement at Hiei's expense.

"Just give us the point!" Botan sniffed.

Kurama proceeded to add a point for Team HiBo and Team Girls Run The World on the Blank Slate's scoreboard, before shooting a withering glance Yusuke's way. "Perhaps it would do all of us well to actually try to strategize in the next round?"

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you loud and clear, fox-boy."

Yukina reached forward and drew the top card. "Pastime."

Hiei wrote the first thing that came to mind; the ferry-girl had done well enough reading his mind so far and he was confident that she would match his intent again.

Beside him, Botan tapped her marker to her chin. He could tell she was trying to deduce what sort of answer would appeal to his sensibilities. Mere moments later, she seemed to have found one. "Oh! Of course!"

The next handful of seconds were marked by the squeaky scratches of cheap markers gliding over the whiteboards' slippery surface. Once everyone's boards were placed face down, Kurama cleared his throat.

"Looks like we've all answered now," he said after a few moments. "Let's see who matched up."

Kuwabara and Yukina held up their boards, both of which read 'baking' - a perfect match for Team Red String of Fate. They smiled sweetly at each other and Yusuke could be heard gagging in the background. Next, Shizuru and Keiko revealed their answers: 'reading' and 'smoking'. No such luck for Team Girls Run the World. Team Foxy Detectives followed, also unable to match up with 'ass-kicking' and 'gardening'.

Finally, Hiei flipped his whiteboard for the rest of the table to see. Botan turned hers over as well, lighting up when she deciphered what he'd written.

"Killing," Kurama recited, a little disturbed. "Of course…"

Yusuke groaned, "Aaaand the demented duo wracks up another point."

Botan just shrugged at the jab as she erased her answer and the angry faces she had doodled around it.

Keiko went next, selecting this round's prompt. "Flower."

Once again, they all began recording their responses. Hiei examined the ferry-girl for a moment, watching as she adorned her answer with pointless sketches. He wasn't well-versed in all things green, like the fox, but he had an idea of what the woman was thinking.

"Everybody ready?" Keiko asked, prompting them to reveal their answers.

"Hell yeah!" Yusuke high-fived Kurama after seeing that they both listed 'rose'.

Team Girls Run The World had selected 'rose' as well, but Hiei didn't see the need for cheering or posturing. It was the most obvious answer, requiring little to no thought at all given Kurama's choice in weapon.

Yukina and the oaf revealed their boards, which displayed 'cherry blossoms' and 'mulberry' respectively.

"Mulberry is a tree, Kazuma," Shizuru stated flatly. "Not a flower.

"Close enough!"

Botan flipped her board and looked over at Hiei expectantly. The word 'peony' was adorned with little doodles of what he assumed to be the flower of the same name.

Hiei resisted the urge to smirk as he revealed his matching response to the group.

"Ok, now you've gotta be shittin' me!" Yusuke shouted. "There's no way Mr. Doom and Gloom knows different kinds of flowers - especially not something random like a 'peo' whatchamacallit!"

"Yeah, he must be cheating!" Kuwabara parroted, like the bird-brained moron he was.

Hiei nearly snapped his marker in two as he gripped it tight. He was growing tired of Dumb and Dumber questioning his intelligence. "It's her name, you fools."

"Huh?" Yusuke blinked in confusion.

"My name means peony!" Botan informed. "That's why it's my favorite flower!"

"Oh…"

Botan looked over at the fire-demon with a soft, surprised expression. "But I didn't think you knew that, Hiei."

Hiei didn't meet her gaze, that uncomfortable feeling welling up in his chest again. "I was only thinking as you would, woman. To win."

"Well, you did a great job."

"Hn."

Botan reached out to pull the next prompt card. "Ooh, I pulled 'magic'."

As everyone took their time to write their answer, Botan hemmed and hawed over what to put down, catching Hiei's attention. The woman certainly knew how to make everything more sensational than it actually was. But tonight, as she tapped her marker to her lips in deep contemplation, he found he didn't mind as much as usual. Or so he thought, anyway - until she pushed the marker into her mouth and began chewing on it.

He'd never really given Botan's looks much thought before tonight. He'd never regarded her as more than the chipper ferry-girl by Yusuke's side. It never crossed his mind that there was anything to look at beyond the surface level of the Spirit World employee. But as the marker sat between her pouty lips and her tongue pushed it to the side of her mouth, he had to consider the repulsive fact that maybe the elder Kuwabara wasn't exactly wrong.

"Time to reveal the answers," Kurama announced.

The announcement startled Hiei from his sentimental musings. Out of his peripheral vision, he caught Botan hurriedly jotting something down. He himself hadn't written a thing.

They were the first to reveal their boards to the other teams. Botan displayed 'trick' to the others, but when she noticed that his was blank, she took it all in stride. "Couldn't come up with anything for this one, huh?"

He merely shook his head.

"Well, no worries partner, I'm certain we'll get the next one!"

"Finally, something you two failed at," Yusuke crowed in a jesting tone.

"Hn."

Shizuru smirked at Hiei from across the table before putting her marker in her mouth and chewing on it. Hiei blatantly ignored her, turning away from the scene entirely. He would not give the oaf's sister the satisfaction of a reaction.

"Both Shizuru and I had 'carpet' for our answers," Keiko disclosed.

As the others voiced their answers, Botan edged closer towards him. Her voice was hushed as she spoke, "What happened back there?"

Hiei instinctively shifted away, the woman's floral scent a little too heady for comfort. "Nothing."

Botan tilted her head in confusion, her rounded eyes searching his. "Nothing came to mind?"

Too many things came to mind, all unsavory and all revolving around the bluette and that damned mouth of hers. He lifted his gaze from those pouty pink lips to her amethyst eyes. "Something like that, ferry-girl."

Botan accepted his excuse without question. "Well, we're still in the lead, so I suppose it's okay. But the others will catch up to us soon if we slip up. We've gotta stay sharp, partner!"

"I know, woman." He smirked. "I have no intention of letting us lose."

The next few rounds were pitifully easy, so long as he didn't let Botan's every move distract him. They continued to play off of each other well enough. Depending on the prompt, they immediately knew which one of their personalities and preferences to lean into. Relying on that logic made the game nothing more than child's play. And, before they knew it, they claimed yet another victory.

Botan cheered exuberantly, flashing a peace sign for good measure. "Team HiBo does it again!"

Hiei crossed his arms over his chest, shooting Yusuke and Kuwabara an arrogant look. "Pathetically easy. Are you simpletons even trying?"

"Hey, watch it, shorty! I'm still not convinced that you didn't use your creepy third eye!"

Hiei growled, "I don't need the jagan for such menial, trivial affairs-"

"Now, boys! Let's not waste time arguing and focus on the next game," Botan suggested. "The sooner we do, the sooner Hiei and I can win again!"

"Oh, buzz off, Botan!" Yusuke yelled and jabbed his marker at her while Kuwabara accidentally knocked the Blank Slate cards on the floor in his anger.

The ferry-girl only laughed exuberantly, enjoying the opportunity to relish in their victory and rile the others up.

Off to the side, Yukina glanced up at Shizuru. "Well, I had fun…"

"So did we, sweetie." The elder Kuwabara folded her arms over her chest. "They're just maniacs."

"You can say that again," Keiko agreed.

Yusuke took a dramatic stand. "Anyone can win at these nerdy, brainiac games! Let's try something that requires more physical skill."

"You're not sparring, Yusuke," Keiko warned. "You promised."

"Not that! You brought Jenga, didn't you?"

"Yes…?"

"Well, why don't we play it with a kinky twist?"

The room fell silent. Even Kurama's calm countenance cracked as he raised a cautious brow.

"Geez, get your dirty minds outta the gutter! I just meant we could tie our wrists together and make it a real 'team effort'," Yusuke explained.

"Hm," Shizuru considered, "that actually doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"Um," Yukina spoke up. "I have ribbons we can use as makeshift bindings. Would that work?"

"Sure would," Yusuke replied.

"I'll be right back then, mister Yusuke," Yukina said, heading towards her room.

Kuwabara jumped to his feet. "I'll help you, my love-"

"Take a single step forward and you lose your legs," Hiei threatened, red eyes narrowing dangerously.

Kuwabara paled, swallowing thickly as he lowered himself back into a seated position. "Ehe, I guess I'll be waiting right here for you, my sweet!" he called out, his voice strained.

Botan's shoulders shook as she tried to suppress her laughter. Hiei didn't find the humor in it, his posture taut with tension as he glared at the psychic. The fool had no business following his sister into her bedroom and Hiei would be damned if he allowed it on his watch.

Yusuke lifted the Jenga box from its perch atop several other games. "Kuwabara and I'll get things set up in the meantime."

While the oaf cleared the floor and the table of the Blank Slate components and Yusuke started stacking the tower of wooden blocks, Keiko turned to the rest of the group.

"Normally, the winner of Jenga is whoever was the last player to place their block on top of the tower. That won't be very fair in this case, though."

"True," Shizuru agreed. "And this cutthroat bunch won't be satisfied with a victory like that."

"Perhaps we can create a Jenga Tournament of sorts," Kurama proposed. "Whichever team topples the tower first will be eliminated. The remaining teams will start over with a new tower, until only one team is left standing."

Shizuru nodded. "I'm in favor."

"Me too," Keiko added.

"No issues here!" Botan said.

They all turned to Hiei.

When he didn't immediately respond, Botan clamped her hand around his wrist and lifted his arm. Clearing her throat, she proceeded to perform a terrible imitation of his voice. "Do as you will, fox."

The remaining three laughed as Hiei broke away from her hold. "Very funny, woman."

She grinned back at him, looking far too pleased with her little show. Strangely enough, the irritation he normally would've felt didn't burn fiercely in his chest. Instead, he found the corner of his mouth fighting to remain level. It took more effort than it should've to maintain his stoic mask and not break out into a wry smirk.

"Game's all set up," Yusuke reported from behind the tower.

"There's no way Team Red String of Fate won't win the one game where we're tied together with a string!" Kuwabara boasted, punching his fist into his hand. "Watch out, 'cause we're making a comeback!"

Keiko, who was wholly unmoved by the spirited display, took a stand. "Right, well, that reminds me..." She added a tally on the whiteboard. "Team HiBo is in the lead with two games won, closely followed by Team Foxy Detectives with one win. If Yusuke and Kurama pull this off, they can tie for the night. We usually end on game four, but I'm sure we can think of a tie-breaker if the need arises."

Kurama stared at the scoreboard and tried to hide his displeasure. "Hm. I believe your plan has backfired on you, Yusuke."

Yusuke glanced over at his partner, arms folded over his chest. "Che, how was I supposed to know they wouldn't be at each other's throats by now? Frankly, I'm a little freaked out by the whole thing."

Hiei tuned them out as he glimpsed at the scoreboard as well. While he did enjoy rubbing an easy victory in the faces of the fox, the detective, and especially the buffoon, he would much rather do that in battle. Suffice it to say, this ridiculous night and all that occurred within it was an oddity that he didn't plan on revisiting.

His eyes drifted over to the ferry-girl involuntarily.

And then there was the pesky issue of Team HiBo's unforeseen chemistry. Although he and the woman made a formidable team, he wasn't prepared to be pulled so intensely into her orbit. They had to win this challenge - for Hiei's sanity. He wasn't sure he could last through another round of competition amidst the strange, stirring sentiments that the ferry-girl was invoking within him.

Yukina padded back into the room with four red ribbons in her hands. "I'll tie each team up and then perhaps my brother could tie Kazuma and I?"

Hiei resisted the urge to grimace at the idea of touching Kuwabara, but schooled his features for the sake of his sister. "I can do that."

Yukina tread over to Hiei and Botan first, prompting them to both rise up from their seating pillows. The ferry-girl stood on his left and offered up her left arm, raising her brows expectantly in a nonverbal cue for Hiei to do the same. She had already pushed the sleeve of her pink sweater up to her elbow, revealing the pale and unblemished skin of her forearm. He looked at her wrist for a moment, realizing he hadn't considered how close they would be when he agreed to a more physical game. Reluctantly, he tugged at the knot of his bandages, unraveling their hold and tearing them off in one swift motion. The dragon tattoo stared back at him, a reminder of all the obstacles he overcame in the past. This arm hadn't failed him in the past and he knew it wouldn't fail him now. With that thought in mind, he crossed his right arm over her left, allowing Yukina to tie the soft sides of their wrists together.

The woman's skin was a cool and smooth contrast against the fire-demon's heated skin. He could feel her pulse thumping quickly against his own. It was oddly intimate. It was rightfully alarming. A quick glance at the ferry-girl confirmed that she wasn't affected at all. He supposed it made sense, given she'd always been the touchy-feely sort. Steeling himself expertly, his expression betraying none of his thoughts as he fixed his eyes ahead.

"There, all done," Yukina reported, before moving on to the next two teams.

When she finished, Hiei (and Botan by extension), stepped before the ice-maiden and psychic. He used the last ribbon to tie the two of them together, not at all hindered by the ferry-girl's arm attached to his. Yukina gave him a smile in thanks, while Kuwabara grumbled his own version of gratitude under his breath as he looked at the sleeve of his blue shirt held tightly to Yukina's lavender one. As the duo turned towards the Jenga tower, Botan leaned in towards Hiei.

"I have an idea," she whispered, her breath ghosting over the shell of his ear. "I think you should be the one to move the pieces."

"Why?"

"Because you're really good with your hands!"

Hiei faltered for a moment, not expecting those words to come out of her mouth.

A blush spread over Botan's cheeks as soon as her words caught up to her. "I-I mean, your fingers are very nimble…"

"…"

"And dexterous," she tried.

"…"

"And swift," she trailed off, becoming excessively redder as she dug herself in a deeper hole. Eventually, she stomped her foot and frowned at him. "…Stop looking at me like that, Hiei, you know exactly what I mean!"

He cracked the slightest smirk. "I do. And I have no issues with taking the lead."

"Perfect, then I'll do my best to direct you. I'm pretty good at figuring out which block is the safest choice."

"Then it appears we have our strategy, woman."

Botan beamed at him. "That we do!"

"We need to win this, ferry-girl," he resolved lowly, for her ears alone. "My patience has long since been exhausted and I refuse to get dragged into another ridiculous game."

"Worry not, partner!" she reassured, placing her free hand over her heart. "We've got this. We can do it. Together."

Hiei held her gaze for a moment or two. There was an infallible assuredness about her, a confidence that wasn't born from arrogance or ego. He was sure he could rely on her abilities and foresight. He was certain that she wouldn't lead them astray. Nodding, he gave her his trust.

With all the ribbons attached and each team ready to go, Jenga (Tied Up Edition) commenced. The first tower ended up being quite tall; an impressive feat for the group. Regardless, it was a wobbly display. It was only a matter of time until it all came tumbling down.

Botan bit her bottom lip in concentration as she examined the tower. She maneuvered their hands around the blocks, gently tapping a few towards the middle of the tower in the hopes of finding a loose one. "Aha! This one should do the trick."

Hiei swiftly pushed the piece out of position, careful not to knock it against anything else. He added it to the tower of blocks and signaled for his sister to take her turn.

"Very well, Kazuma. Our turn." Yukina and Kuwabara took their places before the tower. Her scarlet eyes squinted in concentration as she searched for a decent block to grab. She pointed her finger towards the top of the tower. "Perhaps this one?"

"The perfect pick, my sweet sorbet!" Kuwabara puffed his chest out and made a whole production out of grabbing Yukina's choice of block. However, the lumbering oaf ended up knocking both their hands into the tower, causing the structure to sway and topple over.

"That's what you get for trying to show off, jackass!" Yusuke insulted, sick of listening to Kuwabara laying it on thick all night.

"Heh." The psychic rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sorry Yukina."

Yukina's expression softened reassuringly. "I don't mind. I was happy to play, even if we aren't winners."

Hiei certainly couldn't agree with his sister's mindset, but he was pleased that his decision to stay resulted in her happiness. At the very least, this was not time completely wasted. While the others were distracted with rebuilding the tower, Hiei kept his attention on the ice-maiden.

"Yukina," Hiei beckoned lowly.

His sister walked over to him, bringing Kuwabara along with her. "Yes, brother?"

"Give me your hands."

"What?" Kuwabara pulled away defensively. "Why?"

Hiei glared up at him. "Because there's no reason for you to be attached to her now that you've lost, you oaf."

"Don't be such a sourpuss, Hiei!" Botan chided at his side. "Maybe they want to be-"

"Don't finish that vile thought, ferry-girl."

She glanced up at the psychic with a sheepish shrug. "Sorry, Kuwabara, I tried."

Kuwabara sagged in defeat and lifted his and Yukina's arms towards Hiei begrudgingly. The fire-demon made quick work of unloosening the knot while still attached to Botan, returning the ribbon to its rightful owner.

"Thank you, Hiei," Yukina said, her newly freed hand sliding into Kuwabara's larger one. He perked up immediately and that ridiculous, lopsided grin returned to his face brighter than ever.

Botan tugged Hiei back towards the table. "Glare any harder and you might set him on fire."

"Hn. That was my intention."

She suppressed a giggle. "Well, it could always be worse. At least she didn't fall for Yusuke."

Hiei's expression darkened. He supposed that really would be the worst case scenario. Yusuke was a degenerate, through and through. At least the oaf believed in soppy, maudlin things like romance and chivalry that would keep his boorish hands off the ice-maiden. Even so, Hiei would have preferred it if she didn't choose anyone within this motley crew at all.

"In any case, we really ought to focus on the game ahead," Botan reminded him. "We're so close to winning this whole thing!"

Hiei nodded. With one round down, he was able to get a decent feel for the other teams and their weaknesses. Team Red String of Fate got along well enough, but Kuwabara was clearly the anchor holding Yukina back. He was too clumsy and unsuited for a task that required such precision. It was no surprise that they were the first team out of the game.

Team Girls Run the World turned out to be a surprising flop. To be honest he had expected them to be Team HiBo's competition this time around. However, both women had strong personalities. They each believed they knew what was best and that fallacy led to tension and indecision during the game.

That just left Team Foxy Detectives as the most relentless thorn in Hiei's side. Yusuke and Kurama agreed on the same blocks and made precise moves, but neither could match Hiei's dexterity. Even so, the fire-demon knew better than to underestimate them. They both worked best when their backs were to the wall.

"All done!" Keiko called out, drawing the remaining participants back to the table.

Each team ended up moving the blocks three times without any sort of consequence. The tower wasn't too high this game, but the enmity between Team Girls Run the World was palpable.

The two women didn't seem to have much of a strategy at all, caught up in their ego-filled struggle to call the shots. They were both stubborn to a fault, but Hiei couldn't blame them. He would've fallen for the same folly had he not agreed to a strategy with the ferry-girl beforehand.

"Shizuru," Keiko gritted, pulling her forward. "This is clearly the way to go."

"Sure, if we want to lose," Shizuru answered coolly.

"Get a move on, ladies," Botan sing-songed nervously, not used to such a tetchy atmosphere between the females of the group. "You're holding up the game."

The two bickered amongst themselves for their next few moves, until eventually, it all came to a head. Keiko reached for a centerpiece, while Shizuru had her eye on the left side. Their hands ended up meeting somewhere in the middle, causing the tower to teeter and fall to pieces.

"No!" Keiko groaned as the blocks scattered everywhere.

"Great." Shizuru sighed deeply, lamenting a loss in all four games for the night.

"Them's the breaks, ladies," Yusuke quipped as he and Kurama moved to restore the structure. "But, hey, at least you weren't dead last."

While Yukina untied the women's wrists, offering words of consolation in an attempt to soften the blow of defeat, Hiei focused on the slow rebuilding of the tower. Victory was in sight. It was so close he could practically taste it.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Botan chirped from beside him.

Crimson eyes drifted to meet twinkling amethyst. He afforded her an arrogant, cruel smirk. "I'm envisioning how pathetic the fox and detective will look after they've been thoroughly defeated."

Botan matched his energy with a wide grin of her own. "That's the spirit, partner! Those two are going down!"

Once again, she raised her free hand up, palm postured towards him. And once again, Hiei stared at her flatly.

"Oh, come on!" The ferry-girl's grin receded as she let out a small huff. "It's the final round! The least you could do is humor me, Hiei!"

She stared back at him with rounded eyes and pouty lips. Normally, her blatant theatrics wouldn't work on him, but the ferry-girl managed to chip away at his resistance with every smile, every word, and every victory. They were at a crucial moment, right on the precipice of victory. If it would increase their odds, he supposed he could cave in just this once. So, the fire-demon wordlessly lifted his hand up, allowing the exuberant woman to clap her palm against his. The way she beamed upon completing the action warmed his insides in a way that was entirely unlike him.

"Let's win this!"

Hiei nodded with a resolute smirk.

The final round played out similarly to its predecessors. The ferry-girl's directions remained clear, concise and well thought out. He noticed that she always opted for the thinner pieces first, since they bore less weight and therefore played less of a role in the structure's equilibrium. She also made sure to clear out all the center blocks first, leaving the side blocks for the other team.

Unfortunately for them, Kurama employed the same slow and cautious strategy until all the safe moves were exhausted and both teams were left on equally shaky footing. Yukina, Kuwabara, Keiko and Shizuru watched on silently. Or, as silently as possible, with Kuwabara munching obnoxiously on a bag of chips and the girls sipping from their cans of soda through fancy straws.

Kurama was busy deliberating over which piece to conquer next, when Yusuke broke the silence.

"Screw this, let's make things more interesting!" he suggested, pushing both his and Kurama's arms forward.

Kurama stood firm. "That isn't wise, Yusuke."

"Who gives a shit about wise? If we want to win this, we need to stop playing it safe and put up an actual fight."

The two eyed each other for several moments until Kurama finally exhaled in reluctant agreement. "Very well, this may be our best chance."

Yusuke smirked, clearly ready to throw all caution to the wind and rely on pure luck. Hiei watched the detective pull a piece that, by all rights, should have destroyed the tower. Beside him, Botan watched with bated breath as Yusuke set his piece atop the pile of unstable blocks. They wobbled a bit, but remained precariously balanced against all odds.

"Your turn." Yusuke grinned maniacally.

Kurama looked all too pleased with the latest development, green eyes focused on the treacherous tower.

"This isn't good…" Botan muttered under her breath.

That was a massive understatement. The slightest breath was more than enough to topple the pitiful structure at this rate. The longer they waited, the higher the chance that the damned thing would fall on its own. Team Foxy Detectives would claim the victory and end up tying with Team HiBo.

"I'm sure there's a way to come back from this," Botan muttered, ever the optimist, as she scanned the tower for a possible move.

"We'll play their game," Hiei decided.

"Huh?"

"Choose the riskiest piece," Hiei ordered. He didn't much feel like entering a long, drawn out battle with the fox or detective. If they could secure a block that would disrupt the tower's center of gravity without upending it, then Yusuke and Kurama would surely fail within their next turn. "I won't let the tower fall."

"Are you certain?"

Hiei dipped his chin.

Botan hesitated, blue brows crinkling under the weight of her decision. Everyone's eyes were glued on them. The room was dead silent. Tension at an all time high.

"Careful, reaper," the detective jeered. "Don't wanna make the wrong choice."

"Ignore him, Botan," Hiei insisted.

The woman turned to view him through wide, surprised eyes. She must have been thrown over the fact that he used her name, but if there was ever a time to use it, this was it.

"You can do this. You said so yourself," he reminded her, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

Botan nodded. She took a deep breath and slowly released it, setting her sights back on the game. Hiei remained calm and watchful from beside her, letting the woman tug him to and fro as she circled the tower. He trusted her in her abilities; he'd have to be a fool not to after witnessing the efforts of her reliability over the course of the night.

"I've got it!" She lit up, pointing to a poorly balanced, thick block seated near the bottom edge of the tower. "Put it at the top left."

Hiei moved quickly and efficiently, sliding the block out and placing it exactly where Botan instructed. Her arm felt like an extension of his own at this point, not obstructing him in the least as he completed the action. The tower swayed again, but managed to remain standing.

Botan grinned widely at him, eyes shimmering in exhilaration.

"Your move, detective," Hiei pronounced.

Yusuke looked a little disgruntled as he and Kurama retook their earlier positions in front of the unstable Jenga structure.

"We need to be careful this time, Yusuke," Kurama advised. "The situation is too precarious."

Yusuke wore his usual air of confidence, but Hiei could tell that it was nothing more than a useless front as he regarded Kurama. "We played by your rules this whole time. Just trust in my detective's intuition, yeah?"

"As you wish."

Botan stood a little taller beside him, her fingers lacing together with his. Hiei stiffened involuntarily as her hand clutched his in a white-knuckled grip. The fire-demon wasn't one for physical contact and the like, but he found his own hand closing around hers in response. Jaw clenched tight, he watched what he hoped would be the final move.

"Here goes nothin'," Yusuke said, surging forward in that brazen way of his. He tapped on a piece towards the left side, but before he could fully dislodge it, the tower began to tilt. "Oh fu-"

The discordant crash of the Jenga pieces crashing along the table's surface drowned out Yusuke's incensed exclamation.

And just like that, the game was won.

Botan threw her arms up and cheered, jiggling Hiei's own while she jumped up and down. He smirked and allowed her to wriggle his arm in victory, nodding to Kurama across the table. Kurama sighed at the loss of his winning streak before nodding back at Hiei, a small smile forming on his face at the successful game night with his friend. Yusuke kicked at the blocks on the floor and cursed the demented duo. Yukina clapped her hands, watching as Keiko added one more tally under Team HiBo to the board and then drew a huge circle around their handle - marking them as the winners. Shizuru also smirked, a more knowing one as opposed to his triumphant one, and Hiei's eyes quickly skimmed over her towards her oaf of a brother instead. Kuwabara was still trying to come to terms with the fact that Hiei and Botan swept the floor with them, stammering in evident shock.

While Kuwabara sputtered like the clown he was, Yukina worked on untying the last two teams. She worked on Team Foxy Detectives first, before walking over to the winning team and unfastening the ribbon holding them together. Hiei felt a strange loss as their limbs separated, his arm dropping to his side as the ferry-girl hugged Yukina in unadulterated joy.

Botan squeezed Yukina tightly before releasing her, turning to her companion for the night. She was grinning at him; the victory apparent on her face and the gleam in her eyes just for him. She had the ability to make someone feel like the only person in the room with that smile. His mouth went dry.

"Hiei-" she started, but was interrupted by an arm around her shoulder, shaking her back and forth.

"I can admit that I was wrong." Yusuke dimpled. "Team HiBo apparently had a blizzard's chance in Hell of winning instead of just a snowball's chance in Hell. Color me impressed."

"As I said from the beginning, detective," Hiei grunted.

"Ah, sucks to suck, I guess." Yusuke laughed, letting go of the ferry-girl and crossing his arms behind his head. "I'm just glad Team Girl Scouts wasn't the one to knock out Team Foxy Detectives."

"Yusuke!"

Said spirit detective winced at the smack to the back of his head as his woman stood behind him with her hand raised.

"Quit making fun of feminism!"

Hiei took the woman's shrieking as his cue to leave. He'd already long overstayed what he considered to be his welcome and had no intentions of lingering for the aftermath. While the group finished off their drinks and morsels, yakking clamorously about the surprise win Team HiBo acquired, Hiei slipped out of the room. He needn't announce his leave to Yukina - she would understand. He'd be back. Gathering his cloak and scarf where he discarded them at the front entrance, he pushed his feet in his boots and made his escape.

He breathed in deeply as the cool night air enveloped his skin, the voices of the others muffled by his increasing distance. The muscles in his shoulders that were perpetually tensed when he was around this troupe finally began to uncoil. He wasn't meant for such frivolity, more than ready to return to the familiarity of the Demon World and forget all about this strange night.

As he set his feet in a stance to jump off the porch and into the security of the dark forest around the temple, the ferry-girl chose that moment to follow him outside again.

"Don't tell me you were just going to leave without saying goodbye, Hiei," Botan admonished with a fake pout as she noted the posture of a fire-demon ready to escape his prison. "We didn't even celebrate our victory!"

Hiei let his body ease back when it became clear he wasn't going to make a quiet getaway. He glanced back at her by the door. "My prize for winning is me getting out of this place."

"Come now." Botan sidled up beside him. "Surely it wasn't that bad? You got to put Yusuke and Kuwabara in their place after they tried to cheat us. And you got to spend quality time with Yukina!"

"I wouldn't call that quality time."

She covered her mouth with her hand and tittered quietly, but didn't continue at that. He appreciated the silence she afforded him, using this fleeting moment to study her profile beneath the low visibility of night. The silvery moonlight softened her features in a way that made her look even more otherworldly than she already was. Those twinkling amethyst eyes and chipper smile glowed brighter than the wash of stars above. It was hard to look away.

Luckily for Hiei, the wind began to pick up and pull him from his musings. It seemed the storm would start again soon. He would need to leave shortly if he planned for an easy trek home after the arduous night he had. But before he left, he wanted to know something. He fixed his crimson eyes on the ferry-girl once more. "What were you going to say earlier?"

Botan startled out of whatever it was she had been thinking and turned to look at him. "Hm? Earlier?"

"Before the detective came over."

"Oh!" Her face brightened when she ascertained what he meant before continuing timidly, "... well…"

He waited. It wasn't as though he had any pressing matters to attend to anyway.

"I was just going to say that we made a pretty good team back there," she said finally. "Maybe we ought to try it again."

"Try what again?"

"You know..." she insisted with a wave of her hand. "Cooperating. Collaborating. Coexisting. All of the above? I actually had a nice time with you tonight, partner."

The fire-demon realized that somewhere over the course of the night, he no longer minded being paired up with the ferry-girl, either.

He'd learned that although the woman's temper ran nearly as hot as his, her anger burned out exponentially faster than his. And as impatient, loud, and obnoxious as she could be, she was also caring, kind and thoughtful. She wasn't as vapid as he thought her to be, more quick-witted and sharp than he'd originally given her credit for.

In the midst of all the competition and bickering, a sense of camaraderie sparked between them. And that spark ignited into something more. Something untenable. Something undeniable.

He really wouldn't mind seeing her again.

"Hn. Agreed, ferry-girl."

"It's Botan!"

Hiei's gaze lingered on the woman as he fought the ridiculous urge that told him to stay. To continue engaging in pointless chatter with the bubbly woman. To rile her up enough to awaken that fiery, explosive temper of hers, and then watch it give way to her unshakeable cheer. But he squashed the idea like one would a tiny insect under the heel of their shoe. He had no business wanting such things and even less dwelling on them.

He hardened his expression and sent one last glance her way - a mixture of an acknowledgment and a goodbye - before stepping off the porch and striding towards the forest. If he remained within the woman's gravity any longer, he would surely do something reckless and impulsive. Something they'd both come to regret. The edge of the property was in sight, fireflies glowing in and out of view as the sound of chirping crickets grew louder. In just a few more steps, he would be free.

But nothing ever worked out the way the fire-demon planned tonight.

"Wait!"

Hiei stopped as soon as his ears picked up the distinct sound of her voice carrying on the howling wind. Her footfalls followed. And then her hand was on his arm, urging him to face her.

"Go back with the others," he ordered tightly. "There's nothing for you out here."

Botan's blue brows knotted as she took a step closer. "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Trying to leave!" she snapped. "Why are you always so eager to go?"

"Because I have no reason to stay."

"That's not true." She took another insistent step forward. There was something meaningful just beyond his reach, hidden in the light of her eyes. "You've got lots of reasons."

He raised a brow, his expression blank.

"There's Yukina and Kurama. Yusuke. Kuwabara. Keiko. Shizuru. And…" Botan trailed off suddenly, exasperation overtaking her features. "Oh, you can be so incredibly daft sometimes, Hiei!"

Before he could even growl out a response, the ferry-girl set her hands on his face and brought her lips down on his. The fire-demon stiffened for a moment, surprise flickering across his usually impassive features. For all the agitation she displayed earlier, her touch was surprisingly gentle. The kiss was soft and feathery. Tentative and light. She was unbearably saccharine in her ministrations, until she tangled those delicate fingers into the thick of his hair and tugged firmly.

That was all it took to shatter his restraint into pieces. Hiei dropped his cloak and scarf to the ground and grasped her by the waist, pulling her flush against him. Botan didn't resist; in fact, she became more emboldened and arched into him. Hiei pushed his lips fervently against hers, taking control of the kiss. Botan didn't seem to mind, hands fisting the front of his shirt as her lips chased his eagerly. The tension that built up over the course of the night started to unravel with each intoxicating drag of their mouths.

Just as things were starting to heat up, she broke away with one last, lingering peck. The innocence of it all pulled him back from the edge of desire. The fire-demon's eyes opened and then narrowed as she detangled herself from him.

"See?" Botan said, taking a teasing step back. "You've got plenty of reasons to stay."

"Hn, so this is what you had in mind when you said you wanted to…" he paused, wracking his clouded mind for her earlier words. His self-control was hanging on by a thread at this point and the bluette wasn't making things any easier on him with those doe eyes and kiss bitten lips. He pinned her with an intentional look. "What was it, woman? Cooperate. Collaborate. Coexist."

"Bingo!" she chirped. "You win the prize."

Hiei let out a sound that was a cross between a scoff and a dark chuckle. There was little sense in denying it. He wanted her. The idea of coexisting all night long was becoming more appealing by the second. He was more than ready to show her exactly what more collaboration with him really entailed – if she'd only cooperate and stop backpedaling away from him.

"It's your move, Hiei," she tempted. "So, what'll it be?"

The fire-demon's arm snaked around her slender waist before she could create any more pesky distance between them. His answer was obvious, even as he spoke words of caution, "You're playing a very dangerous game, woman."

"Oh, I think I'll be just fine." Botan's smile sharpened beneath the moonlight as she slid her arms around his neck. She leaned in closer, her lips ghosting over his. "I'm on a winning streak, remember?"

Hiei smirked into the kiss as their lips connected once more. There was little he could do in the face of a challenge as enticing as this one. There was little else he wanted to do than let the ferry-girl have her way with him.

He was only a man, after all.

And just this once, he wouldn't mind losing.