Untitled

by JJB Villanueva [~ChibiBotan]

Chapter Two: Changes

VII

Botan almost cried out for worry. If she had a weak heart, she would probably have died again.

It was so weird. He came out of nowhere, demon and all, ready to pounce on her. She had been scared. For a while.

She had debated if he turned evil again, which she believes he did not. And suddenly he growled--no, he cried out.

She asked him what was wrong, and he looked shocked. It was then that he turned back to normal, suddenly falling forward.

All that has transpired in a mere ten seconds.

VIII

"Hiei? Hiei?"

The demon's eyes seemed glazed over. She's close to crying now.

She dropped in front of him. Her hands shaking his shoulders. She wanted to just fall too, but her friend definitely needed her support.

Hiei needs her support.

That scared her. She wasn't used to it. Of the tanteis, Hiei was the one who wouldn't let himself consumed by emotions.

"Hiei.. I'm sorry. Please let me help you.." She was sorry that she doesn't know what to do to help him. Her hands moved to touch his face.

He blinked, and moved so she couldn't touch her.

"You can't take her. She didn't do anything..." he hissed. He was torn between despair and anger.. And something else.

Guilt.

"Now she'll never know I'm her brother.."

IX

It was all so sudden. She could understand now. He heard her talking to Koenma just a few minutes ago. She understood the misunderstanding that has transpired.

Her heart went out to him. He didn't look at her. He was staring at the lake. She knew she had to correct everything fast.

"No. No, Hiei. Listen!" She tried to shake him but he stood and walked away. Hiei definitely don't know how to handle emotions like this. Just how can she tell him he was wrong?

"It isn't Yukina. I'm not taking her! She's not going to die--"

Hiei shot her a murderous glance. "Don't you dare lie to me--"

"--no, I'm not lying!" She was desperate to make him understand. Nobody deserves to suffer this. Not even Hiei. Especially not him. Not when the person they are talking about is his only family. The most precious person to him.

Hiei turned away.

X

"It isn't her. It's Rui!" She blurted. She doesn't care if he murdered her for the situation they're in. For having that conversation with Koenma that lead to him thinking that way. "She's the reason I'm taking Yukina..." She stood, her knees being wobbly.

Her voice was soft when she spoke. "Rui passed away...and we didn't know how else to tell Yukina. Hinageshi was supposed to ferry Rui this morning. But she said she wanted to stay, even for a day, and Hinageshi will go back to ferry her tomorrow." She paused to wait for him to speak. But he just stood there, and she can only see his back. "Koenma allowed her wishes. She wanted to.. personally tell Yukina. So tomorrow, I will bring her to Rui.."

There was a long pause.

His heart was overjoyed, but his mind refused to believe.

He was always doomed right? From the moment he was born. He was meant to be alone. He had always been unhappy. And now, he didn't know how to accept happiness when it came. He was never used to it.

But was it possible? Can he count on hope?

XI

She could feel his hesitation. "Believe me..." she pleaded.

It's not that easy... he thought.

Then he shook his head, not believing that. What in the three worlds?

The girl had believed him even when he was about to strike. Now, she is trying to calm him, heal him, and he can't believe her?

How dare he? Even he himself knew he had no right to doubt her. He looked at her, and felt he had no right to.

She was crying now... she was crying for him. For the fear--the almost death he must have felt.

Suddenly, the Jagan eye closed. Perhaps the Jagan eye cannot bear to see such a heartbroken deity. Without the Jagan eye, he felt forced to look inside... inside him, to know the truth. He looked into his heart. For the first time. And he realized how honest the deity is. How wrong he was to doubt her.

For the first time, he accepted hope. The relief he felt that Yukina was safe after all. He felt so light. As if all the burdens he felt was removed. Pure bliss. He never knew such thing was possible.

And for a long time, they stood there, just staring at each other.

In Botan's eyes were tears of compassion.

In Hiei's.. it was a mix of so many emotions.

XII

Yukina's safe. Contentment breezed through him. He breathed the deepest he could and suddenly, he moved towards her.

She didn't have enough time to react. Who would, in her place? Hiei Jaganshi wrapped his arms around her, in a warm embrace. The kind of embrace you give a loved one - a family, a friend, a treasured person. A pure embrace. It was the first time he embraced anyone at all.

"Thank you..."

It was deep, almost a whispher, but truly heartfelt.

Hiei thanking the deity who had shared his deepest, darkest, most desperate moment.

She was surprised, but only for a second.

"Welcome... friend," and she returned his embrace.

They stayed in that position until both hearts were calm. When they left, Hiei led her, by offering his hand. She accepted, and before the moment finally sweeps away, fired her question.

"Will you.. will you be there tomorrow? When we tell Yukina about Rui?"

XIII

He stared at her. Her eyes full of longing. He saw her sister in his mind.

How could he turn that down? How can he let Yukina down? Rui was the only family she still had. Her brother had died, or so Hiei told her before. He knew how helpless she would feel. Most likely the same desperation he had felt when he thought Yukina is about to die.

"I will."

It was a promise he intended to keep. They walked back to the temple, none of them speaking.

Botan felt at peace. She felt better now that Hiei will be there tomorrow.

She had been upset earlier because she had to bring Yukina. She knew she'd cry, and she couldn't help her in any way other than to be there. But it feels a little better that her brother will be there. Even if she doesn't know it was her brother. Hiei would never tell his sister who he really is.

Nothing's changed right? It's not like Hiei would change his mind. It was a stupid question she gladly didn't ask.

But he heard anyway. Not thru the Jagan eye, but thru his heart.

"Nothing's changed," he answered, and turned the other way. He had no plans to enter the temple.

XIV

She stood there, staring at him as he walked away, thinking of everything that had transpired in the lake.

"Now she'll never know I'm her brother.." She remembered him say with so much guilt. She was filled with excitement with what she thinks will happen tomorrow.

"No, nothing's changed." She smiled when she said that. And she walked towards the temple.

As they walked towards opposite paths, they both knew...

Today was the start of many changes.

-the end-

Thank you for reading!

Author's Notes

Thank you so much to those who reviewed! :) I'm glad you liked the first part. Here's the second, last part, and hope you'll like it too. I hope I didn't disappoint you with making you think that Yukina will die.. It was what I planned to happen from the start. You see, I really wouldn't dare hurt Hiei by hurting Yukina. Though she will be hurt with Rui's death, well, that's different...

Anyways.. I have to finish "Past Life" so I'll have to end this one. As much as I want to write a third part for Yukina.. well, I'm not sure I can actually do it. Though I have always dreamed of writing a fic for the twins. Maybe someday, when I can write better. But as of now, I hope you enjoyed this story. This one means a lot to me.

~Justine!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. Botan, Koenma, Yukina, Hiei, and the rest of the Reikai Tanteis are property of Yoshihiro Togashi.