Hi guys! It's been a while, huh? I finally got back into the swing of writing and, although I'm a little rusty, I hope you all enjoy the prequel to If You Love Me, Let It Show. Sit back, relax and enjoy the tale of how Hiei became sprung.

Hiei crossed his arms over his chest, right index finger tapping against his left bicep. His skin itched for a good fight, his blood thirsted for violence. He hadn't been waiting for too long, but he was impatient by nature and the stale, stuffy air of the warehouse wasn't helping to improve his mood at all.

Lately, nothing ever seemed to satisfy him; nothing filled the empty ache in his chest. He could not rid himself of the darkness in his soul anymore than he could revive the barren wastelands of his heart, so when the fox came to him with plans of larceny, he happily obliged. It would give him a purpose - something to work towards in the moment - and it would serve as a distraction to the aimlessness that had overtaken his life.

For a short time, colluding with Kurama and that oaf, Gouki, sparked the embers of something within him once more. The moments spent with them were fairly reminiscent of his earlier days, roaming around Makai with the bandits he had come to think of as family. The thrill of battle, the high of the chase and the spoils of a good steal were highs that he could never forget. He enjoyed every bit of that lifestyle and this time was no different.

But it all began to unravel when that damned Spirit Detective got in the way. He'd managed to best Gouki and then went on to aid Kurama in his desire to fade back into a life of human mediocrity. It was over for those two, but Hiei still wanted to see his ambitions through to their conclusion.

He had nothing better to do, after all.

And that's what brought him here. His leverage was currently lying unconscious on the floor, caught between the transition from a useless human into a slightly more useful mind slave. If the detective intended on saving his childhood friend, he ought to make haste. The sun was already beginning to set, casting shadow and glowing orange rays over stretches of the unlit warehouse. He huffed in irritation, grip tightening on the hilt of the shadow sword. Perhaps he shouldn't have left his instructions with a mere ferry-girl. Perhaps she had misunderstood him. Perhaps she had mixed up her warehouses.

But then the door flew open and Yusuke Urameshi's distinct energy flooded the area. Hiei narrowed his eyes, glaring down at the detective from his higher position atop several haphazardly stacked crates.

The detective was saying something undoubtedly cocky, but Hiei failed to hear him. All of his attention was captured by the woman to his left, the unease in his chest ebbing away the sight of a mere ferry-girl.

She contrasted brightly against the dismal and muted shades of the warehouse. Bright blue hair, wide, pink eyes and a slender frame that was clearly not made for fighting. Her spirit energy was barely a blip on his radar and he could have easily overwhelmed her simply by raising his own, more potent, demon energy. There was absolutely no reason for her presence here and yet, even as his skirmish with the detective was in full swing, he found it increasingly difficult to focus on anything but her.

The woman carried herself with an understated grace and poise that clashed with her loud appearance. She acted without a trace of fear or hesitation, even as the shadow sword's effect on the human girl began to overpower the ferry-girl's abilities to contain it.

A spike of energy from the detective brought him back to reality and he just barely managed to dodge a punch that would have surely been painful.

"You seem a little distracted, three-eyes," Yusuke taunted.

"I'm not distracted, I'm bored," he countered. "You're hardly putting up a decent fight."

That was a complete lie, of course. His battle with the detective was every bit as unpredictable and dangerous as he liked, but he couldn't help the way his attentions were continually drawn back to the ferry-girl.

Even now, she was still fighting to keep the human from falling victim to the shadow sword's effect. It was an admittedly futile effort, but she persisted regardless.

He took it all in, committing the sight to memory: the concentrated furrow of her thin, blue brows, the determined pucker of her pink lips, the gleam in her bright eyes and the light emanating from her dainty hands.

She shined that day and no one could blame him for being distracted — he had been so used to nothing but darkness up until then.

The last thing Hiei remembered before slipping into unconsciousness was a sharp pain in his back and worried pink eyes showing the slightest hint of concern.

As he slowly opened his eyes and adjusted to the darkness of the room, he frowned. The floor was hard and the stone wall he was propped up against was equally unforgiving. His wrists and ankles were shackled tightly, their chains bound to the wall behind him with a special metal that both sealed his strength and energy. Worst of all, his jagan was being suppressed by the ancient wards plastered on the walls. It was obvious that he was in the Spirit World's dungeon prison. He glanced around the room in disdain. There was a window in the far corner of his cell, but it was pointless. He couldn't see much from where he sat and even if he could, the light and air that drifted in was faint at best. The length of his chains only allowed him to move enough feet away to make use of the cot or toilet. The door, presumably only accessible by spirits, was tightly shut.

He wondered why they bothered to lock him up at all. They should have just executed him and put him out of his misery.

Moments later, the toddler prince appeared with the ferry-girl at his side. She was dressed in a pink kimono this time and she looked every bit as vibrant as she did in the warehouse. But there was no point in indulging in such thoughts, so he turned his attention to the son of Enma.

"What do you want?" Hiei asked roughly, his voice hoarse from disuse.

"For your crimes of stealing from King Emma's vault and contributing to the slaughter of twenty-three spirits, you are sentenced to a lifetime of imprisonment."

He met Koenma's gaze defiantly.

"I would rather a swift execution."

"And you probably deserve it, too. But you have Kurama to thank for this more merciful sentence."

"Mercy would be putting me out of my misery and sparing me from another moment trapped in this world," Hiei spat.

"That's no way to behave after being granted leniency," the ferry-girl pointed out.

She had an accent, he noticed. It would sound absurd on anyone else, but it was strangely fitting on her. Her voice held a melodic color to it, like she was singing the tune to a song that only she knew. He begrudgingly admitted that it wasn't an unpleasant sound at all, even if she was spewing self-righteous nonsense at him. As he lifted his piercing gaze to view her, she flinched and averted her gaze guiltily. It seemed she was the impulsive, act-first-think-later type.

"You'll have to excuse me if I'm lacking in gratitude," he bit out caustically. "Rotting away in a world full of uptight, misguided fools is nothing short of a fate worse than death."

She pouted, a hint of disappointment tracing her features as Koenma cleared his throat.

"Well, misguided fools or not, your fate is in our hands. It'd do you well to remember that."

"Hn."

"Your meals will be brought to you by an ogre. A change of clothes, along with enough water and soap for a bath will be provided every few days. And that is all," the prince finished.

As they headed towards the door, Hiei allowed his posture to slump. There was no need to put on a front when no one was around to see it.

"Sir, he's still injured," the woman said quietly. "Shouldn't we give him medical attention?"

"Something tells me he won't accept the offer. Besides, his demon energy will do the trick in a few days' time."

Hiei's brow furrowed, lips pulling into a slant at the slightest hint of concern from another. She had no business worrying about him and he briefly wondered why she did. He quickly dismissed the thought. It didn't matter. He would never see her again and the unfounded interest he had initially taken in her would fade away, along with whatever purpose was left in his lackluster life.

A few days later, when the automatic door opened and an influx of light and cooler air infiltrated the cell, Hiei was caught by surprise. He expected to see another quivering ogre, but instead he was greeted with the sight of doe eyes and a light smile. She was once again donned in that bright pink kimono, dark sandals slapping against the stone floor in a staccato rhythm as she made her way over to him. She stood to a halt much closer than any ogre dared to, wearing an expression unfit for a jailer.

"Good morning Hiei," she said cheerily.

The melody of her voice, coupled with the flowery fragrance of her scent infiltrating his senses quickly snapped him out of his stupor.

"What are you doing here, ferry-girl?" he questioned darkly from his seated position on the floor.

He noticed the way her grip tightened on the tray she was holding as she took another step forward.

"You scared off all of the staff. No one wants to bring you your meals."

"That doesn't explain why you've come in their stead," he said lowly. He could see the hesitation in her candy colored eyes, the uncertain line of her posture. "Correct me if I'm wrong, woman, but I don't think jail keeping falls under your job duties."

She straightened up a bit, a firm resolve in the furrow of her brow.

"I couldn't just let you starve."

"It doesn't matter," he grumbled somewhat petulantly, tearing his gaze away from the brightness of her visage and into the murky darkness once more.

"Of course it matters!" she insisted firmly.

Red eyes pinned her with a baleful look.

"Are you defective or just extremely forgetful?" he insulted, brow arched in honest confusion. "I tried to kill your precious detective and his harlot. You would have been next had I succeeded."

"Is that true? Or are you just saying that to scare me away?"

He hardened his gaze.

"I don't say anything I don't mean."

The woman remained unaffected and he supposed she was right to be. His threat was an empty one on all accounts. There was nothing he could do to her here and, even if there was, he had no real desire to cause her any harm in the first place. Crimson eyes followed her movements as she set the food out in front of him and then took a seat.

"I saw the look on your face when you injured Kurama, you know," she stated quietly.

His frown deepened. He didn't know what she was getting at, but he remembered the moment well. He was aiming to finish the battle with one, decisive strike. His aim was true, as was his resolve. But his plans fell by the wayside when Kurama foolishly intercepted his attack.

"You were worried," she continued. "You clearly didn't mean to hurt him."

"What's your point?"

"I saw something in you - something more than the arrogant, monologuing villain that you pretended to be," she began. "And when I heard Kurama vouching for you to Lord Koenma earlier, I knew that I wasn't mistaken. If someone as kind and noble as he believed in you, then you couldn't be as bad as you seemed."

"Appearances can be deceiving. Kurama isn't as noble as you think he is and I am far worse."

"Are you?"

"That is what I just said, woman," he gritted, his patience growing thin.

"It's Botan," she inserted.

"What?"

"My name... it's Botan."

"I don't care about your name or what you think you saw in me," he said dismissively as he turned away and stared at the adjacent stonewall. His chains rattled and dragged against the floor with the movement, further reminding him of his position and bolstering his irritation. "Leave me be."

He felt her gaze linger on him, but he refused to yield to it. The ferry-girl was insane to think that there was anything more to him than what lie on the surface. There was nothing good in him - there never had been. He was born an abomination and he would die one; he didn't see the point in pretending otherwise.

A quiet sigh from the woman broke his thoughts.

"I guess I shouldn't overstay my welcome," she reasoned. He heard her rise to her feet and dust off her kimono. "You should eat up. It's not the best, but it's certainly better than nothing."

He still refused to look at her, even as she waited for some kind of response.

"I know you may not see it now, but this doesn't have to be the end. Everyone deserves a second chance, Hiei," she said. "Even you."

He glanced up at her, something heavy breaking away in his chest at the sound of her soft and gentle words. There was no judgment, no derision, no fear in her eyes, but there was something imploring in the brightness of her gaze. They maintained eye contact until the door slid shut and, just like that, the stirrings of something new and uncertain began to take root within him, sparking the flame he thought had been extinguished long ago.

Her words stayed with him. Made him want to live, if only for the chance to be free and live on his own terms again.

Later that night, his dreams were hard to recall, but they shined with colors that reminded him of the ferry-girl.

For the next few days, she continued to bring him his meals. Their interactions were always fleeting and short-lived; the woman was always busy with something or the other. Despite that, Botan continually struck up pointless conversations in an attempt to pull something other than a grunt or huff out of him. Much to Hiei's dismay, her mood rarely faltered and she never seemed to be affected by his gruff attitude.

Every day she would stay in his memory and burrow further into his consciousness. Every day his unlikely attraction grew.

Today was no different.

He watched her silently as she entered his cell with a bright grin on her face. He had only known her for a short while, but it was clear that she was the cheerfully oblivious type, her smile remaining even as he glared icily at her from under furrowed brows. Blue hair tied up into its signature ponytail, silk kimono fastened around her form like a second skin and amethyst eyes twinkling with secrets untold.

"Good afternoon, Hiei," she sang, her tone chipper as she set his lunch down in front of him.

"..."

"It's so dark and dank in here. What's the point of that window if it doesn't provide enough light in the first place?" she lamented moodily.

Hiei glanced down at the human food, before lifting his red eyes to meet hers.

"You do realize that this is a cell and I'm imprisoned. It isn't supposed to be a comfortable stay."

"I know, but still. You must be bored down here with nothing to do or see..."

"I don't see how that's your concern."

"It shouldn't be," she agreed, features morphing into that strange cat-like routine she often pulled. "But this interfering little kitten can't help it."

"Does Enma's son know that you've been coming down here?"

She hesitated, her expression faltering for a moment.

"Y-yes?"

Crimson eyes narrowed.

"You're an abysmal liar."

Botan poked her index fingers together, averting her gaze.

"He may be under the impression that I'm off on the morning shift..." she revealed under her breath.

"Hn."

"I'll be leaving soon, anyway. I just wanted to check in on you first."

"I don't need to be coddled. And I certainly don't need your pity, ferry-girl."

"I'm not pitying you," she defended. "And you could stand to be a bit nicer to me, you know."

"It isn't in my nature to be," he countered as he tore off a piece of bread and chewed the tough, stale grain.

"I can see that," she grumbled, folding her arms over her chest. "But it wouldn't hurt to try, you know."

Hiei swallowed and frowned. If all she wanted was a little civility, then she was wasting her time with him. There was a whole realm of foolish spirits outside of his cell, all of who were probably more agreeable than him. The prison was clearly out of the way and secluded from the rest of the world and yet, she continually made the journey to see him multiple times a day. It didn't add up. It didn't make a bit of sense. Once again, he wondered why she bothered with him.

"What do you want from me, woman?" he blurted out.

She blinked, lashes fluttering with the action.

"Huh?"

"What do you think you'll achieve with these visits?"

Botan tilted her head to the side slightly.

"I don't have an ulterior motive or anything..." she replied, the honesty in her eyes as clear as the sincerity in her voice. "I just thought you could use the company is all."

"Do you often spend time in the presence of killers and thieves?"

"N-no..."

He leaned forward slightly as he eyed her.

"So, then, what exactly are you doing here with me?" he pressed.

"I'm just..." she trailed off.

"You what?"

She shook her head and fixed him with a searching look.

"...Do you want me to go, Hiei?"

"Don't answer my question with a question," he chided.

But she was persistent.

"I'll answer yours if you answer mine."

She said it lightly, as if this was all some trivial game and he was a willing participant. He glared at her with all the vitriol he could muster and yet, she held his gaze calmly. He growled and she lifted both eyebrows expectantly in response. It was clear that she wasn't afraid of him, his intimidation tactics failing miserably. The stalemate could go on forever, so he did the only thing he could: he answered her pointless and intrusive question.

"I never said I wanted you leave," he admitted lowly and almost begrudgingly. "I only want to know why you're so eager to stay."

The ferry-girl was as transparent as they came, even in the darkness of his cell, he could see the small smile tucked away in the corner of her mouth and lighting up her eyes. He didn't understand why his admission pleased her so, but he chalked it up to one of the unsolvable mysteries that surrounded the peculiar woman and chose to let it go.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" she prodded.

"It's your turn, woman," he reminded her.

Botan's features lost most of their mirth, but the kindness in her expression remained.

"Well... I just thought it would be awfully lonely for you down here."

Her answer was just as surprising as her reason was pointless.

"I've never needed company. I prefer the solitude."

"I figured you'd say something like that," she replied knowingly. "But solitude tastes different when your freedom is gone and you're stuck in a world you detest."

He glanced away. She was awfully intuitive for someone who spent most of her time with her head in the clouds.

"I thought if I could distract you for just a few minutes a day, this might be more bearable."

"Why?"

"I told you... I thought I saw something in you. Something other than... well... a criminal," she explained.

His expression darkened. So, she was still stuck on what she thought she had seen, as opposed to the plain, irrefutable truth. Even now, he could feel her gaze searching his for some unspoken, redeemable quality. But she wouldn't find anything. No matter how hard she looked, this was all he was and it was high time he pulled her out of such delusions.

"Do you know why I joined Kurama's scheme in the first place?" he probed.

Botan shook her head.

"It was clear that Gouki only wanted a quick and efficient way of stealing souls. Kurama later revealed to Yusuke that he only wanted to save the life of his human mother," she recounted. "But your reasons always remained a mystery."

"My motives were simple: I was bored and had spare time to kill."

"That isn't funny, Hiei," she said sternly.

"It wasn't meant to be," he answered.

"You killed innocent spirits, stole from King Emma's vault and endangered Keiko's life all because you were bored?"

"Yes."

"That's... that's awful..." she accused. "At least Kurama did it for the sake of his dying mother, but you... you were just as despicable as Gouki."

"I never claimed to be otherwise, woman," he said evenly, his tone cold. "This is who I am. You shouldn't delude yourself into thinking otherwise."

She swallowed thickly and looked away. He should have enjoyed the way the light in her eyes dimmed. The way her expression fell away from its usual cheer. This is what he wanted: for the illusion to vanish; for her to see him for what he really and truly was.

"Do you regret it at all?" she asked, though she sounded as though she already knew the answer.

"The only thing I regret is my imprisonment."

"And would you do it again?"

"What?"

"If you had a do over. Would you terrorize the poor citizens of this world, attempt to steal another artifact and kidnap Keiko to lure Yusuke out again?"

He paused for a moment - letting the notion sink in. Truthfully, he had no desire for vengeance. He lost due to his own carelessness and he could accept that. And he wasn't the slightest bit interested in reliving the past.

"No," he confessed lowly.

She perked up slightly, leaning forward.

"Really?"

"It wouldn't be worth all the trouble."

Her expression fell again.

"...Well, at least you're honest," she muttered.

Silence fell upon them, awkward and stifled. The woman now knew what sort of degenerate he was. A bloodthirsty criminal with no honor. Surely that would be enough to end this strange affair between the two of them.

"Now that you've seen me for what I am, should I assume that you're finished with this?" he said, motioning between them.

Botan blinked at him.

"Finished with what?"

"Your strange interest in me."

She shook her head, her ponytail swaying with the action.

"I still think there's a lot more to you than what you show to the world," she answered resolutely. Her expression softened, just slightly so, and that pesky ache in his chest grew. "Maybe someday you'll see it, too."

The fire-demon had nothing to say to that. She had seen the worst of him, back at the warehouse. He had been overconfident and careless and was ultimately bested by a mere human who had hardly mastered his own strength.

She was witnessing him at his lowest point here, in this damned prison.

She had seen nothing noteworthy or impressive and yet, she still remained.

She didn't shy away.

He wondered if there was something wrong with her.

He already knew there was something wrong with him, because he wasn't entirely opposed to whatever it was that was occurring between them.

At this rate there was no hope for him.

Because the more he saw her, the more he wanted. And wanted. And yearned.

Things changed after that day. Botan lingered a little longer and their conversations ran a little deeper. She would often recall her days and he would listen - having nothing better to do and no other connection to the outside world. She was indiscriminate with the information she told him about herself and he had learned more about the woman in these past few days than he had about anyone else.

She sat a little closer to him with each visit - completely oblivious to or willfully ignoring the fact that she was coming dangerously close within his range of motion. Her posture was much more relaxed now; her gaze more and more familiar with each glance.

Against all odds, the ferry-girl had become comfortable around him. At ease and open. And with that, she was prone to saying what was on her mind.

"Oh, Hiei, that stench is awful," Botan stated as she pinched her nose. Her voice came out nasally as she continued, "Haven't you been bathing?"

He glared at her moodily.

"Water and an old rag doesn't constitute as much."

"Well, that just won't do!" She stood up abruptly. "I'll see to it that you have the proper amenities."

"Don't bother-"

But she was already halfway out the door. He leaned back against the wall, letting out a deep sigh as he closed his eyes. There was no point in fighting it - he had learned that the ferry-girl was persistent and stubborn and there was no sense in trying to talk her out of something once she set her mind to it. When she eventually returned, it was with a bundle of items and a triumphant grin. His eyes roamed over the pink bar of soap and the lavender cloth that matched her eyes.

"I got you some extra clothes, too," she said.

"You've wasted your time. It's not like I can change."

"Why not?"

He shook his shackles in response. The best he could do was shift his clothing around until his skin was exposed for a quick and ineffective cleaning. That - or rip them off entirely and suffer through the rest of his imprisonment naked. He doubted the ferry-girl would come back if that was the case.

Botan tapped a finger to her chin and hummed contemplatively.

"Hm, maybe we could disarm them at least once a week. I'll ask Lord Koenma about it."

"That isn't necessary."

"Sure it is. You'll feel much better in clean clothes," she advised. "And you'd get a slight reprieve from those cuffs. Super demon healing or not - they must be uncomfortable after all this time."

They were, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

"You don't have to do this, woman."

"I know."

.

.

.

It turned out the ferry-girl was good at getting what she wanted. Once every few days, one of the SDF came in to release his chains and for ten minutes, he was unbound and free. When he was cleaned, changed and shackled, he smelled like flowers. He didn't know if it was an improvement, but Botan certainly seemed to think so as she appeared before him with her hands clasped behind her back and a pleased grin.

"That's much better."

"Hn."

He admittedly felt better - even if his pride had taken a hit upon submitting to the Spirit World once more. He watched her take a seat, that pleased grin still on her face.

"I didn't realize prison reformation was one of your interests," he said mockingly.

"Hey now... a little gratitude would be nice..."

"I'm serious, ferry-girl. There must be something more worthwhile you can waste your time on."

"That's a silly thing to say!" she berated lightly. "Especially when I hardly consider this a waste of time."

He paused, wondering what sort of rose colored lens she viewed the world through to think a thing like that. But every time he tried to look through her cheery facade, every time he searched for the root of her intentions, all he found was sincerity. He had been in her mind. He knew that the woman was kind. He just wasn't used to that kindness being used up on a soul like his.

"You're a strange woman."

Her smile curved deeper.

"Believe it or not, you're hardly the first person to tell me that."

"Somehow, that isn't surprising."

She giggled and the sound set him at ease. There was no hope of getting rid of her - not any more than there was hope of ridding her from his mind and his thoughts - so he resigned himself to his fate.

Besides, her presence wasn't exactly bothersome. She was easy to look at. He liked the sound of her voice, when she wasn't shrieking at him like a banshee. And she smelled like fresh meadows.

There were many things about her that he could have disliked - her trusting and open nature, her cheery personality, how chatty she was or how obliviously dense she could be when she chose not to use that brain of hers - but he didn't care. She was smart, intuitive and tactful in all the ways that mattered. And even though he hardly deserved her attention, he took it all selfishly.

He was drawn to her in the same foolish way that a moth was drawn to a flame.

Except the woman was harmless. She couldn't hurt him, not physically, anyway. And even if she could, he knew that she wouldn't. It wasn't in her nature to do so.

She was so infuriatingly good.

Too good for him.

And yet, he allowed himself to burn for the ferry-girl. To want the woman who was his complete and total opposite in every sense of the word. To need her in the ways that would spell trouble for the both of them. To think of her in the moments he was without her. To wonder what could be, if he wasn't locked up in this wretched cell.

A dark-haired, somber looking ferry-girl dressed in purple robes brought in his next few meals. This new woman was different from Botan in every sense of the word: muted, quiet and dour. She barely looked at him as she came and went and she never uttered a word. When the door slid open and he was greeted with the same emotionless expression, he frowned. He would be lying if he said he wasn't a little disappointed to see the gloomy woman appear again.

He replayed his past interactions with Botan in his head over and over, trying to find a reason for her absence. Perhaps he had said or done something off putting. Perhaps she had really seen how vile he was and she deemed him a lost cause. Perhaps... this was all for the best.

The thought should have made him relieved - he would no longer have to deal with the woman and the strange ways she made him feel - but it only served to unsettle him more.

"Where is the other one?" he blurted out.

The black-haired ferry-girl's features did not move a millimeter from their tried and true dour setting.

"I don't believe Botan's whereabouts are any of your concern," she answered calmly.

Hiei's eyes narrowed as he watched the woman walk away. He shouldn't have bothered asking at all. His attraction to the ferry-girl was unnatural and unproductive. It would lead him nowhere, so it was probably for the best that she stopped tending to him. He was just about to huff and turn away, when he noticed the way that the grim woman paused at the door.

"I shouldn't say anything at all, but Botan did leave you a message. She wanted you to know that she was on a mission with Yusuke. That is all I will say."

The stone-faced bitch could have prefaced with that, Hiei thought disdainfully. He glared at her back as the door slid open and she exited through it. A bright and blinding light fell through momentarily, before the door slid closed and he was left with nothing but the silence of his own thoughts.

He knew that Botan was also the assistant to the Spirit Detective, but he just couldn't understand the reasoning behind such a decision. She wasn't a warrior, even if she claimed that she had a 'pretty decent swing' with her metal bat. She was best for support and other sideline tasks. The detective had only barely managed to scrape by in their battle and if he failed again, then she would be in danger. Hiei didn't understand why a non-fighter type like a ferry-girl was spreading herself thin, assisting him on such perilous missions while the SDF was lazing around aimlessly.

He took a deep breath to settle himself. There was no point in worrying aimlessly. The detective had an uncanny way of coming out on top in the end. And besides, Hiei deemed he and Kurama the most dangerous threats under Koenma's jurisdiction, so they should be able to handle whichever enemy they were facing now. The woman would be just fine.

She would be just fine.

"Guess who's back!" Botan sing-songed.

The relief he felt upon hearing her voice was downright embarrassing and unbecoming of him, so he buried it all under a monotone voice and inexpressive eyes.

"Ferry-girl."

"Did you miss me?" she teased.

"What do you think?"

"I think you did," she teased. "Even if it was just a little."

"Hardly," he lied. "The other one was quiet and kept to herself. And unlike you, she understood the importance silence."

Botan's cheeks puffed out.

"You say that, but somehow I don't believe you. I think you missed me."

"Think what you will," he replied.

She flashed him a grin as she made herself comfortable. He eyed her for any injuries - any signs that she had been involved in something far too risky - and was pleased to see that she appeared to be fine.

"...Where were you?" he asked finally.

"Didn't Ayame tell you? Yusuke and I visited Master Genkai's. She was hosting a tournament in search of a successor. You can only imagine the type of interest it garnered. And when Spirit World intel caught wind of the demon Rando's dastardly plan to steal her techniques, we decided to put Yusuke on the job."

Hn. Of course the other ferry-girl neglected to tell him the pertinent details.

"And was the detective successful?" he questioned, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Yes, though it was a real nail biter. Rando was extremely skilled, but Yusuke managed to win in the end," she recounted. "And now, he's going to be trained by the great Master Genkai herself. I can't imagine how much stronger he will get."

Hiei smirked.

Fighting the detective was worthwhile. If he managed to get stronger, he would make for quite the formidable opponent. He wouldn't be opposed to a rematch.

"Wow," Botan said. "That's the first time I've ever seen you even remotely happy. I wonder what's on your mind?"

"I was thinking of pummeling the detective a second time."

"Really, Hiei?" she admonished.

He crossed his arms over his chest, the cuffs making it a little more difficult than usual.

"The thrill of battle isn't something I would expect you to understand."

"Well... I guess not. I only ever fight if I have to, and even then, I would never consider it fun," she admitted. "But it is impressive. The way that you and Yusuke throw your whole heart and soul into battle. Watching the two of you fight was something else..."

"Was it, woman?"

"Yes!" she affirmed with a nod. "It was more intense than any skirmish I've ever seen."

"I'm surprised you to managed to notice that much, considering you had your hands full containing the shadow sword's hold on the girl."

"And I'm surprised you managed to notice little old me at all during your battle at all," she teased in return.

He shouldn't have been paying attention to her back in the warehouse. She proved to be no threat to his plans and he was preoccupied with the detective and his strange fighting style. But he found himself transfixed on her anyway.

"Of course I noticed you, woman," he said. "That appearance of yours sticks out like a sore thumb."

"Hey!" she pouted. "It isn't nice to tease me over something I can't change, Hiei."

"I never said it was a bad thing," he replied unthinkingly.

He could hear her heart beat quicken just as easily as he could see the blush blossoming over her pale cheeks. The way she looked at him now was new, amethyst eyes wide with surprise and mixture of some unknown element. For the first time, he allowed himself to wondered what it would be like if she thought of him in the same way that he thought of her.

It was three weeks into his imprisonment and - all things considered - he was doing fine. He spent his time the only way he could: when he wasn't running through mental or physical exercises, he was sleeping or talking with the ferry-girl. It could have been much worse, but somehow, he had managed to keep his sanity in tact. The only thing that truly bothered him was that pesky ward blocking his jagan eye.

He had no contact with the outside world.

No way to check in on Yukina.

No way of knowing if she was okay.

"Tell me something, ferry-girl," Hiei began.

Botan sat up a little straighter, looking over at him expectantly.

"Yes?"

"I assume you keep records of the demons that pass through this world legally."

She nodded.

"We do," she confirmed. "Why - was there someone you were curious about?"

His lips pulled into a tight line. There was no way he was going to tell her any of—

"Oh!" Realization colored her features as she clapped her hands together. "Were you asking for Yukina's sake? Were you worried about your sister?"

Hiei was on full alert, every nerve set on edge at the mere mention of the secret he had been so adamant about keeping. Crimson eyes flashed as they landed on the ferry-girl.

"What did you just say?"

Botan's expression immediately dampened into a look of hesitance and worry.

"Oopsie…"

"How do you know of our relation?" he pressed.

"Um, well…"

"Tell me, woman," he ordered.

"Fine!" she relented. "But you can't get mad."

"We'll see about that."

Botan shot him a disparaging look, but continued on regardless.

"As you know, Yukina came to the human world through permitted means. When that happens, we run background checks and the like. We've been keeping tabs on her ever since," she informed. "Then, when you broke into King Emma's vault, we scrambled to learn as much as we could about you. Spirit World intel is very thorough; we have ties and liaisons in both the human and demon world and information can always be bought for the right price. It was through those means that we learned of your history and your lineage."

"So you know," he scoffed, a bitter edge to his tone. "You know about the circumstances of my birth and the curse of the imiko."

Botan nodded sadly.

"I tried to learn as much as possible about you, Kurama and Gouki. I wanted to help Yusuke however I could - but when I got to your file..." she trailed off, words failing her.

Hiei's anger rose as the realization swept over him.

"So that's why you've been bothering yourself with me."

"Huh?"

His fists clenched at his sides, lips twisted into a snarl.

"You've been pitying me this whole time."

"No," she denied hurriedly. "I did allow your past and Kurama's claims about your character to play a part in my view of you, but it's not in the way you're thinking."

"Then explain yourself."

"I became curious about you — I wanted to get to know you for myself."

"Why?"

"Because I know this world isn't as black and white as the others like to believe it is. I wanted to see what you were like for myself, and, you're far from the abomination those cold-hearted women tried to make you out to be."

His expression faltered, the burning of his anger cooling as he stared back at her. She sounded so sure and certain, but her claims were groundless from the start, considering she still refused to see him for what he was.

"…You hardly know me," he pointed out, almost petulantly.

"I know enough. And even though you've done such terrible things, I know that souls, hearts and minds can change."

"I don't want to change."

"You don't have to. Maybe all you need to do is let go of the chains of the past and move forward freely."

She said it as if it were so easy; as if it were a matter so simple that he could have done it long ago. But those ice witches' prejudices bound him more than he cared to admit. Even if they were stunted and dead inside, he wasn't any better off. Their words wound around his heart in a vice grip that was more secure than the Spirit World patented cuffs around his wrists and ankles. He didn't know how to break free. He didn't know who he would be if he did.

Botan was still staring at him with that look - the one that beckoned him to be better. He didn't know what to say in response, but luckily, he was saved the trouble. Her communication mirror suddenly went off, slicing through the silence like a blade.

"Oh poo," she lamented, fishing through the folds of her sleeve to silence the device. "They've always got the worst timing!"

He watched as she collected the empty dishes and rose to her feet. Her gaze lingered on him as she worried her lower lip between her teeth.

"Spit it out, ferry-girl."

"...Would you mind if I stopped by later tonight?"

She was trying to be sensitive to his needs by giving him the space after such a heavy and uncomfortable conversation, but he wasn't a sensitive or weak soul. He didn't need such things.

"Do what you want."

"I'm asking you what you want," she replied. "It's your call, Hiei."

Her tone was neutral, but it was quickly betrayed by her wavering expression. After all their visits, he had learned to read her like a book, and he could see the truth easily in the anxious curve of her lips, in the uncertain light in her eyes. She thought he was going to push her away. She assumed he would decline her offer to return.

He probably should have, but he didn't necessarily want to.

There was so very little that he had a choice in nowadays; he didn't see the point in denying and punishing himself further. Lifting his red-eyed gaze, he set his sights on her evenly.

"Come back when you can," he said, swallowing his pride and relenting to his weaker whims. "I'll be waiting."

The slow smile that spread across her features was worth it in the end.

.

.

.

When moonlight spilled through the window, just enough to give him a longing for the things he shouldn't, Botan appeared.

"I come bearing good news," she announced.

Hiei raised a brow, prompting her to continue.

"I took the liberty of checking in with the worker assigned to Yukina's watch and there's no need to worry. She's doing just fine."

The tension he didn't realize he was holding within him drained as relief settled into his veins. Yukina was safe. She was unharmed. That was good.

"It's really sweet that even now, you're still looking out for her." Botan smiled warmly.

"She's my twin sister and it's my duty. There is nothing sweet about it."

"Noble, then."

"Hardly."

"She's probably worried about you. Do you want me to send her a message?"

"That won't be necessary."

She gasped, excitement running through her features as she leaned closer.

"Do you two have some sort of telepathic twin link? Have you been maintaining contact that way?"

"No, woman. Don't be foolish."

She deflated a little, but it was clear that she wasn't finished with her speculating.

"Is it your jagan, then?" she tried with a snap of her fingers. "Have you been communicating through it?"

He glanced towards the seals on the walls wordlessly, folding his arms over his chest.

"Oh, right," she said sheepishly. "You really ought to have someone speak to her on your behalf. She must be worried sick over you."

Hiei frowned. The ferry-girl made it plainly clear that she scored through both his and Yukina's files. If she was asking a daft question like that, then Yukina must have failed to reveal the true reason behind her voyage to the human world. He supposed that for all their differences, they still managed to share some similarities; they both preferred to hide their true intentions beneath their own well-crafted facades.

"Hiei?" Botan tried, the sound of her careful tone pulling him back to the present. "What's wrong?"

He looked back at the ferry-girl, bathed in shadow and moonlight and staring at him with concern in her purple eyes. He supposed he would have to tell her - lest she take it upon herself to seek Yukina out and say the things she shouldn't.

"Yukina doesn't know who I am," he said. "She's searching for her brother and her quest brought her to the human world."

"What?!" she exclaimed. "How is that possible?"

"We've been separated at birth. You knew that already."

"Yes, but I thought you reunited!"

He shook his head.

"I found her with the sole purpose of watching over her from afar and keeping her safe. Revealing myself was never an option."

"Why not?"

"That is none of your concern," he replied. "Yukina is unaware of my whereabouts and my identity and I intend to keep it that way."

The ferry-girl's expression fell, but she pressed her lips together and nodded in resignation. She didn't pester him any further, nor did she voice her very obvious disagreement. He appreciated what little tact she chose to demonstrate in that moment.

"I suppose you're entitled to your reasons..." she said quietly. "But have you never once thought about it? Meeting her on your own terms... telling her the truth?"

"Not once," he answered without hesitation.

She frowned, brows furrowing slightly.

"You don't agree," he observed.

"Of course I don't. The poor girl is searching for you and you're willfully remaining out of her reach."

"..."

"It isn't fair, either. You get to know her in some way, but she's kept in the dark."

"I don't expect you to understand."

"I can't understand... especially not when I know that Yukina's life would be much better with you in it."

The fire-demon wasn't expecting to hear those words at all. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that she was wrong, but the notion still did something strange to him. He squashed the warmth that blossomed in his chest as he tempered his expression.

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I guess not..." she admitted. "But speaking as someone who has no family at all, surely you would be better than nothing."

"Sometimes nothing is preferable to the harsh reality of things."

"Do you really think so little of yourself, Hiei?"

"It's not self-deprecation, woman, it's the truth. You know about my origins. You know what I am."

"You're an incredibly strong fire-demon with mastery over the jagan eye. You're prickly and cold on the outside, but you're a surprisingly good listener and conversationalist when you want to be. You've had a rough past. You've been dealt an unfair hand on more than one occasion. You've had a few lapses in judgment and a troubling penchant for committing various crimes, but don't you think you're being too hard on yourself? Doesn't everyone deserve redemption?"

"Only those who want it."

"Don't you?"

"The only thing I want is to be free of this place."

Her features lifted in that peculiar way - the one that made it seem like she was holding onto some mysterious, grand secret. But that was impossible. He had long since learned that she had little to no control over that mouth of hers and often said the things she shouldn't have. If there was something she was supposed to be keeping from him, it wouldn't be a secret for long.

"Maybe you will be, one day," she reasoned.

"Not all of us can be as optimistic as you, ferry-girl."

"That's quite all right - I can be optimistic enough for the both of us."

In spite of himself, he felt the stoic set of his features loosening as his lips slanted into the ghost of a smirk.

"Do as you will, woman."

"Alright, I will," she said, practically beaming at him.

When she looked at him like that, he almost wanted to believe in all of the idealistic things she said.

And maybe - if things were different and he wasn't doomed to these four walls - just maybe, he could have lived by them.

The next time Botan appeared, she wasn't alone. She was far too excited, bursting at the seams. He ignored her strange behavior for a moment, placing his attention on Koenma.

"It's your lucky day, Hiei," the prince announced, his high-pitched voice echoing off the stonewalls. "I've come with a proposal."

"You're not my type," the fire-demon answered flatly.

Botan a stifled a giggle behind her hand, quieting down after Koenma glared in her direction.

"You should take this seriously, Hiei, this is your future we're talking about, after all."

His future? As far as he knew, he was contained within these four walls until he died. Unless—

"I'll allow you to serve the rest of your sentence in the human world, but there are a few conditions."

Hiei schooled his expression expertly; the last thing he needed was for the prince to realize just how enticing the promise of freedom was.

"I'm listening."

"You'll be on probation; bound to then human realm and under observation," he began.

"Go on."

"And I'll need you to work for the Spirit World. I don't expect you to ferry-souls or take on administrative tasks, but we certainly could use your muscle. Join the Spirit Detective Team and fend off threats to the human world."

Hiei's gaze fell away, landing on the stone floor instead. He had the chance for freedom, but at a steep cost. Working for the institution he despised to ensure the safety of a world he found equally revolting was the last thing he wanted to do. He hated both realms and he couldn't care less about their protection.

But he couldn't stand another moment of being trapped. At least he would be relatively free to do what he wanted. And perhaps there would be a few worthwhile battles on the horizon as well.

He glanced at Botan, who nodded at him excitedly, urging him on. There really was no point in declining a deal such as this one. Even he was not that stubborn. Perhaps all those things the woman had said about redemption and second chances were worth the blight of working under the Spirit World. Just about anything would be better than this damned cell.

Hiei's gaze lowered to the prince and he nodded.

"I accept."