Protection

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho

Dedicated To: those who think Hiei is hot and that he and Botan look good together.

Author's Words: Enjoy!

[One-shot]

Guards were everywhere around the vicinity. Crimson eyes steadily narrowed his eyes at them, knowing these were the demons that wasted his time. Impatiently and not waiting for the team leader's signal to start, his shadow flitted before the guards, quickly attacking from their blind spot. Blood splattered everywhere as he watched them fall to the ground.

Hiei stopped his attack and briefly glanced behind his shoulder to find the spirit detective's eye twitching in annoyance at the fire demon's surprise attacks. The fox looked at him in amusement but the sound of growling made them twist their heads to find several demons lurking inside the castle, aware of what was transpiring outside.

"The demons here aren't as stupid as I thought they were." Yusuke scoffed, cracking his knuckles as he started forward with Kurama following behind. Kuwabara was nowhere to be found since the oaf had taken extra classes.

"It seems so." Was the fox's only reply as he took out his rose whip.

As the moonlight shone, Hiei swiftly moved with the other two following from behind him. His blade descended, slicing through the air and through flesh.

"Hn."

The demons gasped in sudden pain from where Hiei mercilessly stabbed them. Yusuke who only got to watch the show in front of him, decided to grab unto one of the demon's shirts.

He glared. "Where is she?"

"Find her yourself," the demon said with a sick grin plastered on his face. "If you still recognize her remains, that is."

That was his last words before Yusuke bloodily punched him square in the face. Wretched demons.

Hiei's Jagan glowed in the moonlight from under its white cloth, not listening to the conversation the two had earlier. Immediately his eyes flew open.

"You heard that shorty? Let's use your-"

Before Yusuke could finish his sentence, Hiei had already vanished deeper into the castle, his footsteps barely audible. Muttering vulgar words, he instantly followed, along with Kurama who watched in amusement at Hiei's hasty actions. Knowing Hiei, he would probably be the one to do all the nasty jobs in killing all these ugly bastards at the rate he was going.

The hallways were dark and barely lighted by the torches hanging on the walls. The whole place seemed in massive disrepair as dust and dirt scattered around the stony ground. Even the ceilings and walls had already crumbled and on the verge of collapsing, mixing with other several shards of broken glass from broken windows.

The fire demon treaded them lightly, jumping from one spot to another as he ignored the calls of the annoyed detective a few paces behind him.

More guards appeared and with an irritated grunt, he slashed through them before continuing down the halls, his katana tightly secured on his hand. He, by now, was vaguely aware that he had other companions with him as the whole castle was now filled with screams of pain and despair.

In his mind, Hiei cursed the stupid woman for allowing herself to be captured by these incompetent fools. But later, he soon began to curse himself too, for his carelessness. He had been solely appointed by that brat to be her partner with the permission of Mukuro - instead of that idiot detective - for a short mission she was assigned to. It was his carelessness that got him and the others in a bind. And now, he was in this mess.

He should never have allowed this to happen, not to her.

Rushing through the halls and slaying everyone that stood in his way, he finally came upon a chamber where they kept her. Maybe they hadn't killed her… yet.

But that would be a problem, knowing that the brat would hyperventilate and blame him because of her death. Hiei glared at the doorway. He didn't want to return to that prison. Not now, not ever.

He forcefully pushed the doors open, and he didn't even give the demons a chance to blink before he slaughtered every last one of them. The inside was now a mess of blood and its wretched scent invaded the room with its disgusting smell. Looking around, his crimson eyes settled on a form lying on a pile of torn blankets on the corner of the room.

Slowly, he watched her chest rise and fall and suppressed a sigh. She wasn't dead. He checked for any signs of bruises or scratches, but found none on her body. Good. They didn't harm her. They only knocked her out.

Sheathing back his katana, he couldn't help but freeze and stare at her. Her face was at peace. Clearly, Hiei noted with a roll of his eyes, she wasn't aware of the slaughtering her fellow kidnappers had gotten from him.

Looking at her once again, he noticed how her skin glowed faintly on the moon's illuminating glow. On impulse, he traced his hands on her skin in curiosity, not knowing how smooth and soft it was. Her hair, which was always tied in a pony-tail, was now down too.

"Hn."

As if he hadn't touched her because of his curiosity, he slipped his arms under her legs and back, before gently lifting her up from the blankets. Footsteps echoed towards this room and from the corner of his eyes, he saw Yusuke and Kurama finally arriving.

"Certainly took you both a long time to come up here."

Yusuke ignored his mocking tone as he surveyed the entire room. "Looks like you had it all covered shorty." He gestured to the dead demons.

"Hn."

"Hiei, is Botan alright?" Kurama asked, staring at the woman who was currently being held protectively by the fire demon.

Hiei nodded in response and started walking with the ferry-girl in his arms.

"Since the mission is complete, let me carry her for you." Yusuke said, but Hiei only brushed passed him, seemingly ignoring his words as he silently walked out of the room.

Yusuke glared at him, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him from cursing at his short team member.

"Leave him be. It seems as though Hiei is feeling guilty at the moment for not being able to protect her." Kurama explained and the spirit detective looked at him in disbelief.

"Shorty's feeling guilty? Impossible!" Yusuke waved a dismissing hand and Kurama merely chuckled as they followed suit behind the fire demon.

It was only at that moment when they exited the castle, and the stillness of the evening, that Hiei spoke.

"Detective."

Yusuke glanced at the half-koorime in front of him, along with Kurama who was rather curious as to what Hiei has to say.

"When she's in trouble…" he didn't continue as he looked away but both of them silently got his message clearly even though he didn't finish speaking.

"Yeah, yeah. You'll be her protection. I get it." Yusuke said cheekily.

Hiei didn't say anything else after that. As he stared at the idiot woman's sleeping face, he knew that he needed to protect her; partner or not.

[End]

Did you guys enjoy it? (laughs) I decided to make it a HieiXBotan fic since they're totally my favorite couple in YYH. Since this is my first YYH fic, please tell me what you think of it. Or you can tell me how much it sucks. I can accept both. :P

Please Review! :3