(no subject)

[dream_it_all]

Title: Captive
Author: Dreaming of Everything dreams_of_all
Series: Yu Yu Hakusho
Characters/Pairings: Hiei/Botan
Rating/Warnings: PG/K+, pretty tame. Warnings for het and unrealistic romance.
Summary: AU HieiBotan fic. Hiei, a mass murderer who now regrets his acts, is being held captive in a stone tower by King Enma for political reasons. Botan, a witch in training, crashes through his window to escape from a mob that wants to burn her.


The two stayed wrapped in each others' arms for an indefinite amount of time, each seeking the wordless comfort from the other. They had had to face a lot, the two of them, in their lives, and it was a relief to spend a few brief moments ignoring everything-and there was a lot-that was and had been wrong. For a little while, at least.

After a while the interruptions of life intruded. Botan sighed, Hiei releasing her-almost as if he was embarrassed, she thought-as he felt her subtle movement. The two fell apart, though the easy peace they had had remained; neither moved away from the other, the two hovering so close that they might as well have been touching.

Botan finally reached down and picked up the neglected package of food Kurama had brought, surprising herself with her hunger... But then again, she had missed several meals. Wordlessly she offered some to Hiei, who, equally silent, took the proffered food.

The silence between the two was both comfortable and awkward as both adjusted to what had been said earlier. Confessions, realizations... It had probably been for the best, but in the meantime it was difficult for both to puzzle out the new dimensions of their relationship.

Both noticed, separately and silently, that some part of them was frightened, almost, and...fractured, in a state of shock, with the speedy, sudden changes their life was taking. An equal part balanced, then overcame it, with the warmth of knowing that someone loved them back.

Neither knew how it would all work out in the end. If it would work out.

After all, Hiei was still confined; Botan was still unsure of the fate of her teacher, Genkai, only that she had escaped the mob that had nearly captured her... The country wasn't kind to magic-users who didn't conform to Enma's regime. Someone as powerful and high-profile as Genkai would doubtless be especially at risk, more likely to be recognized.

Botan herself would be in danger as soon as soon as she left Hiei's tower.

A sudden...ripping sensation deep within her chest tore her out of her thoughts, making her scream involuntarily, the noise quickly cut off, though her throat continued to work noiselessly, her features contorted with pain. She clutched at her torso, wrapping her arms tightly against herself, pressing tightly as if her physical actions would ease the psychologically-based pain. Hiei was at her side in a split-second instant, hesitating just as he was about to touch her, afraid to make anything worse. The noiseless scream finally ended, though her silence continued as she began to draw in desperate breathes, holding them for a beat before releasing them and drawing in the next one, frantic, hurried, rushed. Hiei's need to comfort finally over-whelmed his convictions of self-hate. He would hurt her, just like he'd hurt everything else in his life, forbidden child, taboo, murderer, his mind supplied before it was silenced by a wash of need to touch her, hold her, help her in whatever little way he could.

Botan felt warm arms wrap hesitantly and desperately around her even through her pain, and dimly realized who it must be; her craving for a comforting touch was somewhat appeased, and she returned the hug, clinging to him fiercely as some subconscious part of her mind felt warmed by the gesture.

And then it was gone, the pain suddenly cut off. Botan collapsed, completely drained, and only Hiei's arms around her kept her off of the unforgiving stone that made up the entire tower. Her breathe was beginning to ease as a sudden wash of power ran through her, making her shudder, then lie still for a minute, Hiei nearly panicking behind her, before standing on her own again. She turned to look at the demon holding her, eyes telling him that she was fine, even if she was still shaking, before she buried her face into his shoulder, needing the contact. After a few minutes she heaved a sigh, then looked up once more, her shakes residing. She frowned slightly for a minute, introspective, before returning her attention to the concerned fire demon holding her. "My power's completely returned," she said, voice filled with wonder and surprise. "It's like the draining never happened! And... And whatever that was... Oh. Oh!"

"What?" asked Hiei, maybe as shaken as Botan.

"That...priest must have put long-term drains on me! That's why I wasn't recovering! The bastard was draining me for power! That must've been him taking too much at once. That feeling was him pulling trying to pull the roots of my magic out of me..." She couldn't suppress a shudder and Hiei ghosted a comforting hand over her hair, stiffening slightly half-way through the gesture, suddenly worried he had over-stepped his boundaries. Botan smiled at him in encouragement, eyes slightly sad at his continued worry, and he followed through, relieved, taking pleasure in the simple gesture.

"I'm relieved, actually," said Botan finally. "I had been getting worried about how slowly my power was building back up." There was no response but a slight tightening of the arms around her, which she returned, but she was beginning to adapt to that, understanding Hiei's silence.

They were further interrupted by a surprised yelp by a window. "Er... I'llleaveifI'minterruptinganything! Don'tkillmeHiei!"

They both barely caught a glimpse of Yusuke before he fell out of sight, the action followed by a few muffled crashes on the forest floor below. Botan stifled a giggle and blushed as Hiei glared at the window's general direction. The mood was irrevocably shattered.

A few muttered curses later Yusuke reappeared, this time with a few twigs and leaves stuck to his clothes and in his hair. "I came to tell ya that there's something going on at the castle... I'm not sure what. Somethin' big, anyways. All sorts of people running all around. Thought you'd want to know. Bye!"

Before either of the two could respond he was off again, obviously not wanting to be left out of anything important. The two exchanged looks, Botan's baffled and Hiei's purposefully inscrutable. Botan didn't bother trying to hid her giggles this time.

Botan stretched, slow and long, still getting used to once more having a body filled with power. She yawned once, briefly, then got to her feet, opening her mouth as if to say something.

Before she could begin speaking Hiei suddenly stiffened, snapping to attention, moving faster than Botan could see to the other side of the room, gazing out the windows.

"What?" asked Botan, feeling much too exhausted for the time of day.

"The wards are gone," said Hiei, frowning heavily, deeply unnerved. "They're supposed to be tied to Enma, meant to fall with him."

Botan blinked, surprised. "That's a bit... petty."

Hiei half-smiled, a grim, merciless expression. "Yes. It is."

Five minutes later found them both at the servants' entrance of the castle, Botan nervous and Hiei grim, confident and self-assured.

"...with your third eye covered and no sword at least I don't think anyone will recognize you, because the last thing we want is a panicked crowd running away from you or a vengeful lynch mob-"

"I can protect us from anything. It would be no difficult matter to defeat any disorganized attack."

"-good point. Sorry I'm babbling. It's just, I'm nervous about what's happened and...this will be my first time around people since I was first attacked..." She trailed off, blushing, ducking her head to hide her embarrassment.

Hiei's face softened marginally and he brushed a hand against hers, silent encouragement.

"Thank you..." she whispered, voice rough with unshed tears.

The two walked through the back ways that any palace has, servants' steps and no-longer-used areas, the two escaping the notice of everyone who hurried past. It was as if the entire castle had fallen under some panic-inducing spell.

After a subjective eternity the two came to the final door they would cross, a discreet entrance into the throne room, the heart of the palace. If it had been a normal day than Enma would be holding his court in there, attended by a flock of courtiers, maids and footmen bustling about, carefully in the background, higher-up servants attempting to attract the right kind of attention, ambassadors and diplomats from neighboring countries and fiefdoms dancing attention on Crown-Prince Koenma, shrewdly attempting to gauge his opinion on whatever Princess, Duchess or Lady they represented.

With only a slight intake of breath Botan steeled herself before walking in. Almost immediately she shied away from the chaos inside, the mass of humanity, before shaking herself mentally and moving outward. She knew that Hiei was watching her from the shadows in the doorway (they had agreed he had a greater chance of being noticed if he went into the room) and that somehow gave her courage.

At first she was afraid someone would notice her as the magic-worker she was, and what had... happened at her village would repeat itself, but slowly she began to realize that was unlikely. She could feel magic in nearly everyone in the room, and there was barely anyone in the white robes and gold sashes of priests. There were half-demons, too, more than she had ever seen at once, and while the energy level in the room was high it seemed fairly relaxed, exuberant and not nervous or threatened...

A flash of graying pink hair made her turn. "Genkai!" she called out before common sense could cut in and tell her that there was next to no chance it actually was her, and that there was nearly nothing stupider she could do in this situation.

But the person turned and Botan looked up from her thoughts, mentally berating herself, about to apologize, and realized, dazedly, that it was her, the teacher she had worried had died, and the girl couldn't help but throw herself and the stern old woman and sob near-silently into her shoulder.

Hiei itched to go to her, to comfort her. Common sense kept him still, barely.

Genkai turned, irritated, to see who had called her, blurting out her name like that. She never expected to see the student she thought she had lost to that village mob.

And then the girl was wrapped around her, sobbing, and all she could feel was relief. She hadn't died!

Eventually she took her student by the shoulders and held her a little aways from herself so she could look the girl in the eye. "What..." began both, more or less at the same time. Botan giggled slightly at this.

Watching the two Hiei couldn't help but worry. What would Botan's teacher think of her apprentice spending time with... him?

He ignored the urge to just leave.

"What happened?" said Botan finally.

"Revolution," said Genkai grimly. "Enma's dead. The priests are either dead, captured or defected to our side. Right now the magic worker's are in charge of the kingdom."

"...oh."

"What happened to you? How did you escape? Where have you been? I couldn't find you, even after I found someone to scry for you..."

"Could...could we go somewhere more private?"

Genkai looked at Botan, at the slightly nervous tension in her posture and the determined glint in her eyes.

"Yes. We can go to the servants' quarters. They've been blocked off."

"I have someone to go get. How do you get there?"

Of everything Genkai had been expecting, that hadn't been it. To her credit she only hesitated for the briefest moment.

"Here's a map of the castle. It should be one there."

"Thank you," smiled Botan, turning and disappearing into the crowd.

Genkai sighed. When had she started feeling so... old?

oOo

Botan slipped into the room Genkai had agreed to meet her at with butterflies in her stomach. What would her teacher think? That she had fallen in love with... the person who used to be the Forbidden Child.

Botan knew she would react like sane person, but she couldn't help but wish she wouldn't.

Still, she knew she had to try. It wouldn't be fair to just leave, without telling Genkai what had happened. Even if... Even if it meant running away and never coming back, with no chance of ever seeing her teacher again.

It was only fair.

Hiei brushed his hand against hers, just briefly, before they entered the room, sensing her nervousness through (or maybe because of) her defensive mask. Botan felt a deep warmth at the assurance that he was there with her, no matter what, and took a deep breath before stepping into the room.

I seem to be spending a lot of time walking into rooms-and situations-I'm uncomfortable with, recently. She thought.

Genkai raised an eloquent eyebrow as Hiei slipped into the room, a particularly defensive and grim shadow.

Something about him set off a faint resonance deep within her memory.

"This is Hiei," began Botan, swallowing nervously. "And... I suppose I should start at the beginning."

"Good place to start," said Genkai dryly.

"Well, I was running to escape from the mob, and I think I would have succeeded... Except for the drains. None of them was anything much, just passed-along greenwitch charms, but together it was just too much... We had come to a tower, just as I was about to collapse. I knew it was that or death, at that point, and so I took the unknown choice, which at least gave me a chance of survival. I came through the window, blacking out, and the next thing I know I wake up in a bed.

"Actually, I woke up as Hiei was leaning over to check me, but that's a different story. I was weak from my power being drained, barely able to stand, let alone manifest my oar, and so I had no choice but to stay..."

Something about him...

"I spent a few days there, getting to know Hiei and his friends, and we grew..." She paused for a minute, blushing, before continuing. "Closer." Hiei allowed a small smirk at her wording.

She expected that her student was overreacting to something: the demon with her had been imprisoned for stealing from nobility, or something to that effect. Still, the eerie familiarity of him was keeping her from relaxing. Something was... wrong...

"And then... Then..." Botan swallowed convulsively, and Hiei knew that, mentally, she was mirroring his thoughts: Genkai would react as she had to, and that was that, then, wasn't it?

He was...

"I am..."

...him.

"... the Forbidden Child," said Hiei finally, wishing he could look away but knowing that he had to keep watch on the nearest threat, Genkai.

Genkai reacted, moving Botan behind her, instinct making her protect her. She ignored the squawked, surprised complaint Botan made, focusing her attention entirely on him.

She had only seen him once before, distantly, as he ran from Enma's hired assassins. That had been only a week before he had disappeared into history and legend, instead of only nightmares.

But she had seen the graves, and they had been fresher than when Botan had seen them. She had talked to parents, lovers, siblings and friends while the grief was still at its freshest. She had smelled the heavy smoke on the air each day, and known what it was.

"Genkai!" gasped Botan, scrambling franticly upright. As she managed a vertical position she wrapped her arms around her teacher, restraining her with a gentle, despairing grasp from behind.

Genkai knew that, while her student saw the best in all humanity, she was not as lost-in-the-clouds-silly as you would think. She wouldn't...grow close (did she really love him?) with just anyone.

And Botan was still alive. She had spent days with him, and she was still alive. While she was talking he had tracked her with his eyes, when he thought no one was looking; he had gotten a gooey, smitten, soft look, no matter how damped down, when he touched her, little brushes with his hand as if to check she was still there... Still real.

It was not enough to make her relax. Still, she didn't attack and for Botan, at least, that was enough.

The three stood like that, a frozen tableau, no one willing to make the next move, or maybe simply not knowing what that next move should be.

Eventually Botan broke the nearly tangible stillness, cautiously letting go of Genkai. She sat down in a nearby chair, knees nearly giving out, shaky with a certain measure of relief and a greater amount of continued tension.

Hiei had to keep himself from rushing immediately to her side, needing the comfort as much as he needed to comfort her. He knew the situation was still more than delicate and Genkai would interpret any sudden motion as an attack.

That Genkai felt the need to protect Botan from him had hurt. The idea that he was the biggest threat to her happiness, to her life... Some little part of him still feared that he really would end up killing her; a larger part still thought, subconsciously and otherwise, that there was no way he would ever deserve her.

So instead he walked slowly to her, half his attention firmly locked on Genkai.

Botan wrapped her arms around him and he allowed it, softening as she pressed her head into his shoulder, seeking some subliminal comfort.
Genkai watched, and saw. Prejudice hadn't limited her before, and she wasn't going to let it do so now.

Admittedly, none of those situations had been quite like this one.

Still.

It didn't take long for her to come to a decision.

"I... Can't say I approve. But you're no child, Botan, and I don't have a say in the matter. I trust you." She paused for a minute, studying the two, before smirking slightly.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't have you do."

Botan blushed heavily and even Hiei felt his face warm. Never spending enough time around a live person (dead people were a different matter entirely) to be embarrassed had left him with no practice controlling the response.

Somehow, for Genkai, that nearly-invisible flush was more reassuring than any number of words.

It certainly made quite the picture.

--End--