Hi guys. I'm back with another H/B AU story. Just a bit of obligatory info before we begin!

- Everyone is human in this story, and the main YYH cast is in their mid to late twenties.

- Hiei's a little taller but still remains to be the shortest guy in the group. (He grows by the end of the YYH manga, so it's my headcanon that he doesn't stay 4'10 forever) You can imagine him to be whatever height you want, but for the purposes of this story, he's about an inch shorter than Botan and only appears to be taller than her if you take his hair into consideration.

- The new character, Kai, looks like Killua from Hunter x Hunter, but with Botan's coloring.

That's it for now. Happy reading!

In his seven years of life, Kai had never felt as though he really belonged to any place or anybody. He never fit in. Not with the other children at the orphanage. Not with his current foster family. Not with anyone.

Knowledge was the only thing that kept him from feeling truly alone. He had gotten in trouble many times before because of his insatiable curiosity, but he did not really care. He had taught himself more than a child his age needed to know because he had a plan; a plan to change his entire life around. It was simple, really. A kid needed his parents - not some crummy foster family and definitely not the orphanage system - and so, he was determined to find them.

He used to wonder what they would be like when he was younger and actually finding them was just a fleeting dream. But he was seven now. He was older and smarter. He could find them; he just needed the right information.

He needed his file.

He had asked his social worker, Kagura, about the circumstances of his birth a few times. Although she was blunt and a little strange at times, she was the only honest person he knew. She had explained to him that he was the result of an intro vitro pregnancy using a donor embroy. He didn't really understand it at first, but after reading about it and receiving a few explanations from Kagura, he understood enough. His "intended" parents were gone, but he still had his biological parents. Kagura never outright showed him his file, but he had the means and the capabilities to see it for himself.

He skipped school, returned to the orphanage and pilfered his file. He read through its contents and confirmed Kagura's words. He was lucky enough to have two sets of parents. Mr. and Mrs. Yamato were unable to have kids together had decided to undergo an in vitro procedure using a donor embryo. They had unfortunately passed away as indicated by the records, landing him in the care of the orphanage. He glanced down at their photos with a frown, wondering what it would have been like if they were still alive. It didn't make sense to dwell on the past, though, and he pushed through the feelings of regret and sadness in lieu of finding more information about the parents that were still here. Amethyst eyes widened when he finally came across the papers concerning his biological parents. There wasn't much information there, except for their first names and medical histories, but it was more than enough. He was able to pull up some relevant information about them from the internet and was pleased to find that the last record he found of his mother indicated that she was right here in Tokyo. He had already memorized the bus and train lines and with the small monthly allowance he had received from his foster parents, he was able to purchase a ticket. He returned to the last known apartment that she had rented out, but when he asked the landlord about her, they said she had moved away years ago and had no idea if or when she would return.

He trudged down the street, towards the bus stop. His father wasn't even in the same region and he had no clue where his mother was. He would have to rethink his strategy.

His stomach grumbled and he looked around. He couldn't afford a full meal, but he was sure to find something worthwhile in the convenience store.

The bell rang as a black-haired customer exited and Kai entered the doors. He made a beeline for the junk food aisle, only stopping when he noticed a woman drop a cup of ramen in front of him. He picked up the item and as his gaze lifted to return the stranger's expression of gratitude, he froze. Staring back at him was the same woman he had pondered over for the last few nights.

Botan Himura: his mother.

She thanked him and walked away, but he was too stunned to speak, let alone go after her. He watched as she purchased her items, making small chat with the cashier. Her voice was light and melodious and she gave off a welcoming and warm aura. Despite that, he was actually hesitant to approach her. He wouldn't have another opportunity like this, but his feet felt glued to the floor. All he could do was stare at her in a dazed mixture of wonder and surprise.

He knew that if he didn't take action now, he might lose his chance forever. She was gathering her items from the cashier and he desperately wanted to call out to her, but his voice was failing him. No words would come out. Not even a sound. His heart thudded in his chest, beating rapidly. A few more steps and she would be gone; out of his life once again. He clenched his fist at his side; this was no time to be fearful. Just as he finally resolved to do something, she surprised him entirely by turning back around. Perhaps she felt his eyes on her or maybe it was a mother's intuition. Whatever it was, he was glad that she looked back. He found his second wind and he knew that he couldn't pass up on this chance.

And that's how their story began.

One week earlier

Botan sighed as she re-tied her ponytail for the fourth time that morning. She couldn't hold down a steady job, she couldn't hold down a steady relationship and she had yet to find her big break. It was unlike her to be so pessimistic, but with her 27th birthday looming and the prospect of turning yet another year older without anything to show for it, she figured she was justified in wallowing in her own misery, if only for a moment.

As she glanced around her apartment, she found a small bit of consolation in the fact that she was officially unpacked and the place felt more like home now. She had just moved back to her hometown of Tokyo and she hoped that she would find something that would make it worth her while this time.

Not that her life was completely pathetic - she had the best friends in the world. Her eyes traveled to a photograph taken about five or so years ago, when she had graduated college. On her left stood Koenma, her very best friend who she had known since childhood, and on her right was Hinageshi, an old friend she had met in middle school. Beside them stood Yusuke Urameshi, Kazuma Kuwabara and Shizuru Kuwabara.

She met Yusuke and Kuwabara during her freshman orientation. They happened to be in the same group together and were forced to be each other's partners in a series of exercises and activities. She learned that Yusuke and Kuwabara went to the same high school together and fought often. They were the most unlikely trio, but they formed a very natural camaraderie with each other over the years. She and Kuwabara would often study together, while Yusuke complained that studying wasn't his forte. Through Kuwabara, she met Shizuru, his older sister. She had been in law school at the time and, unlike her peers, she never seemed stressed over it.

After graduation, Botan left the city and went to another one in search of more opportunities. She kept in touch with the gang regularly, but just couldn't seem to find her big break. Koenma had always offered her a job in his family's conglomerate, but Botan could not stand the idea of being an office worker. She loved writing and had hoped to find success within the field. After many failed attempts in many cities, Shizuru suggested that she move back home and try to find success here. She had been awfully lonely and at least this way she would always have her loved ones around.

Her eyes drifted back to the old picture she had taken with them, shortly before she left. She was only gone for a few years, but things had changed so much for everyone. While she was away she learned that Shizuru was a full-fledged lawyer with an excellent track record. Botan almost felt pity for the poor souls opposing Shizuru; the woman had an iron will of steel and her cool and composed nature only served the unnerve those in opposition.

Kuwabara became a high school teacher. He didn't look like the studious type, but she remembered all those nights they spent plugging away at math equations and memorizing history dates. She heard that he had quite a way of motivating the students into reaching far past their potential. She wasn't surprised, though. He had a heart of gold and she was sure that his students were the luckiest in the world.

Yusuke owned a food stand and business was very good for him. He was usually stationed in a densely populated area in the city and he was known all around the area for his tasty cuisine. In all the time she had known Yusuke, he never mentioned that he was a great cook. She decided she would have to pay him a visit one of these days and see what all the fuss about.

Although she hadn't seen any of the trio since she arrived - she wanted to settle in first - Koenma ambushed her the moment she returned. He was in town for a few days for business purposes (something about him starting up a new branch of the company, Botan never did pay much attention when it came to his work life) and she could not, in good conscience, keep her arrival a secret from her oldest friend. Although he was now the managing director at a huge company and a pretty important figure in the business world, he would always be her childhood friend in her eyes. Hinageshi had followed for a few days, as she was his secretary.

The sound of her cellphone ringing pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Hello?"

"Hey, you," Yusuke's voice sounded out. "How long have you been back?"

"It's only been a few days," she answered.

"Alright, well this calls for a celebration!"

"That really isn't necessary," she declined.

"Yeah, it kinda is. You and another friend of mine returned at just about the same time. You remember Hiei, right?"

"I remember the name, but I don't think we've ever met," Botan recalled.

"Well, he just got stationed here, too. With you and Hiei returning and Koenma leaving, I figured we could hit a few birds with one stone. Welcome back to you and Hiei and sayonara to the son of Enma. What do you say?"

"How can I deny a request from one of my favorite friends," Botan acquiesced with a grin. "I really would love to see everyone again!"

"Tomorrow night. At the usual spot?"

"Okay," Botan agreed.

"And hey," he added, as if he had suddenly remembered something important. "It's good to have you back."

Botan smiled.

"It's good to be back."

Hiei crossed the street and walked down the familiar path until he reached the area where the busiest food stand was. Yusuke was a nuisance, but he had undeniable talent in the culinary arts department. The lunch rush was in full swing and Hiei wasn't surprised to see the incredibly long line of customers waiting for Yusuke's services. Hiei lacked the patience and the time to suffer through long wait, so he walked to the front of the line and ignored the grunts and stares of disapproval he received in doing so.

"Right on time, as always," Yusuke greeted, as he passed a packaged meal over to Hiei.

Hiei accepted it with a grunt as he dropped a bill on the counter. Today it was yakisoba, which suited Hiei just fine. Yusuke never really had a set menu, instead choosing to cook whatever he felt like making that day.

"What did I tell you about this, huh?" Yusuke asked, waving the money around as though it had personally offended him. Hiei did not care, though. Yusuke's pride might have been large, but it wasn't nearly as big as his own.

"I don't accept handouts," Hiei said simply as he turned to leave.

"Wait a minute," Yusuke called out. "The whole gang's gonna meet up tomorrow night."

"You can do whatever you like, so long as you keep me out of it," Hiei responded as he walked away. He hated being dragged into their shenanigans, but somehow, Yusuke always managed to wrangle him into joining them.

"Aw, don't be like that," Yusuke called out. "You didn't really think you could come back to Tokyo and not be a part of the good old gang again, did you?"

Hiei paused to turn back and give Yusuke an irritated look.

"Yes, that's exactly what I thought," he replied. "And that's what I intend to do."

"Well, too bad for you. Kurama already agreed, and so did Kuwabara," Yusuke revealed as he effortlessly finished preparing the next customer's meal. "And Koenma will make an appearance too, before he has to leave and go back to Kyoto. All drinks on him."

"I don't care."

"...You'll probably get to see Shizuru kick Kuwabara's ass, like she usually does when she's low on tolerance," Yusuke tried.

"That hardly peaks my interest."

Yusuke paused to accept payment from a customer and give them change, before returning his attentions to Hiei with renewed vigor.

"Oh yeah, one of my old college friends will be there too. You remember Botan, right? I'm pretty sure you two met at least once before," he recalled.

Hiei did not bother trying to remember the girl in question, knowing that it was a futile effort in the end.

"I don't make it a point to remember insignificant people," he answered curtly.

"Well, she's hot, single and available," Yusuke teased, wiggling his eyebrows in a lewd manner.

"Not interested," Hiei replied flatly.

Yusuke let out a long-suffering sigh.

"I really didn't want to pull the Yukina card, but you've given me no choice," he started dramatically. "I invited your sister too. Kuwabara gets really handsy when he's had too much to drink, but if you're not coming, then I guess it isn't your problem."

The cheeky smirk that Yusuke was sporting said it all: he knew that he had just secured Hiei's attendance. When Yukina was involved, there was little he wouldn't do.

"What time?" Hiei grumbled in resignation.

"Seven on the dot, at the usual spot."

"Hn."

"See ya then, snookums!"

Hiei walked back to his office and closed his door. He had only returned to Tokyo as a favor to Koenma. Although he would never admit it aloud, meeting Yusuke Urameshi was a far more positive than negative factor in his life. He had met Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama back in middle school. Hiei had always been the anti-social type, and Yukina and Kurama were really the only people he could stand to be around. Somehow, Yusuke had wormed his way into his social circle and with Yusuke, came Kuwabara. Despite going to different universities, Hiei had been wholly unsuccessful in removing them from his life. When he graduated with a business degree and needed a job, Yusuke introduced him to Koenma, who had given him a chance and a position at his family conglomerate in Kyoto. Hiei had climbed the ranks quickly enough and when the company was starting a new branch in Tokyo, Hiei was the one that Koenma asked to head the operations. It was said to be a six-month stint and Hiei agreed out of obligation and duty. It was a good and secure job, but Hiei's ambitions were far grander than that. Once he completed this task, his debt would be repaid and he could move on to bigger and better opportunities.

It was only six months, Hiei thought as he looked out of his window. It would fly by.

But he could not shake the strange feeling that something was approaching; something that was out of his control. He was on high alert against an obstacle that he could not yet see. It sounded crazy, but his instincts had always been spot on and he decided to trust them again. Whatever it may be he was sure that he could overcome it. His ambition and determination were second to none, and nothing would disrupt his plans of success.

As promised, Botan arrived at the bar the following day at exactly 7:00. Nothing had changed: same robust bartender, same bright and lively atmosphere and same crazy crowd.

She had ordered a drink and had a quick chat with the bartender, Chuu, who had always been strangely easy to talk to. He had even remembered her favorite drink after all this time and had given it to her free of charge as a kind way of saying that he was glad that she was back. After bidding Chuu a polite farewell, it was easy to spot the rest of the group at a large booth in the back with Kuwabara's unmistakable curls of orange hair as a guide. He and Shizuru were the only ones there so far. She waved at them from a distance and Kuwabara's face split into a bright grin. In all of her haste to reach them, she had accidentally bumped into a stranger and carelessly spilled the contents of her drink on him.

"I'm so sorry!" she apologized profusely.

Botan picked up a napkin from the bar and attempted to dab away at the liquid, but the man grabbed her wrist roughly and wretched it away. She opened her mouth to issue another apology, but his cold, red-eyed glare was enough to silence her. After pulling off his wet blazer off and discarding it on one of the barstools, he ignored her entirely and ordered himself a drink.

"What a jerk," Botan mumbled to herself as used the napkin to wipe herself off. Luckily it wasn't too bad of a spill.

"Hey, you made it!"

Yusuke's voice drew her attention to the front, where she saw him entering. He still looked like the same troublemaking menace that she remembered so fondly. His hair was gelled back and he was donned in some casual jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

"Yusuke, it's so good to see you again!" Botan replied, giving him a long hug.

"Likewise," he grinned, before looking over Botan's shoulder. Recognition flashed in his eyes and he clapped his hand on a stranger's back heartily. "Hey, you made it too, buddy. I knew you would."

Botan turned around to view the mystery guest with a smile.

"This is Hiei, the guy I was telling you about," Yusuke explained, waving a hand in Hiei's direction.

Botan's smile fell and she stifled the gasp that threatened to escape when she realized who Yusuke was talking to.

"You're Hiei?" she spat in disbelief, amethyst eyes wide as she pointed at Mr. Grumpy Pants himself, the very last person that she wanted to see at that moment.

Hiei's eyes narrowed in annoyance and he crossed his rams over his chest as Yusuke stepped between them.

"Wait a minute... you two know each other?" Yusuke asked, looking between them in confusion.

"We ran into each other moments ago," Botan explained.

"Unfortunately, she means this literally," Hiei added, a biting edge to his tone.

"Ah," Yusuke seemed to understand the situation well enough with a nod. "Botan can be klutz at times, but you'll learn to love her."

"Thanks Yusuke…" Botan replied tonelessly.

Hiei gave her a disinterested look, boredom in his eyes and in his voice as he spoke.

"Hn, she certainly seems like the clumsy sort who ends up bringing more trouble than she's worth."

"And he seems like the arrogant type whose stubborn pride prevents him from accepting a perfectly sincere apology," Botan countered quickly.

She was satisfied to see some emotion pour into his expression, even if it was anger.

"Woman," he gritted out warningly.

"Whoa, guys, settle down," Yusuke cut in, raising his hands in defense. "Tonight is supposed to all about having fun and letting loose! Let's just throw back a few shots and be merry, okay?"

Botan released a deep breath.

"I'm all for having a good time," she admitted, turning her eyes to Hiei. "Can we please just put the earlier incident behind us and start over?"

Hiei's expression returned to its impassive state. Instead of responding to her like a normal person would, he chose to ignore her completely. Claiming his drink from the bar, he walked away without another word. Botan watched as he retreated further, shoulders sagging in defeat.

"I don't think your friend likes me very much," she complained moodily.

"I don't think my friend likes me very much," Yusuke admitted with a careless shrug of his shoulders. "You'll get used to him, though."

"What do you mean? I hope I don't ever have to see his scowling face ever again," she voiced.

"He's here for six months on business, so he'll be around for a while," Yusuke disclosed.

"Just great…" Botan griped under her breath.

"Eh," Yusuke gave her a dismissive wave of his hand. "He's not as bad as he wants everyone to think he is."

Botan had a hard time believing Yusuke's claim as she watched Hiei join the Kuwabara siblings at their booth without even saying a word to either one of them. So, on top of being a jerk, he didn't have any manners to boot. That seemed about right, she thought with a scoff. She didn't realize that she was frowning until Yusuke pressed a finger against her forehead in an attempt to smooth out the wrinkles that had formed as a result of her dark expression.

"Don't worry about him," Yusuke urged. "He'll warm up to you soon enough."

Botan shook her head, dispelling all negative thoughts as she grinned at Yusuke.

"I'm not worried. Not even a grumpy jerk like him can ruin my mood today," she said truthfully.

"Good, cause here comes the other guy I was telling you about: Kurama."

Botan followed Yusuke's line of sight and spotted a handsome redhead walking towards them. He certainly was a sight to behold with his long red locks, emerald eyes and clean-cut appearance.

"You must be Botan," he greeted, voice smooth and calm as he held out his hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

Botan shook his hand and mirrored his smile.

"It's nice to meet you too, Kurama," she returned, glad that he was nothing like the brutish menace from earlier.

"Yusuke tells me you two met in college?" Kurama asked conversationally.

"Yes, we ended up in the same orientation group and we hit it off surprisingly well. At first I thought he was just a slacker and a delinquent, but underneath that bad boy image was an all around decent guy," she teased.

Yusuke grimaced at her wording, but otherwise stayed silent as Kurama chuckled.

"Yes, Yusuke certainly has mellowed out over the years," Kurama agreed. "I'm surprised that we haven't met until now. I have known Yusuke and Kuwabara since we were teens, after all."

"I didn't have much of a social life back then. I was either at school or working and then I moved right after graduation," Botan explained sheepishly.

"I see," Kurama replied. "Well there's no better time than the present."

"That's true!" Botan agreed.

Together they walked over to one of the larger booths in the back, where she was happily reunited with the Kuwabara siblings. Aside from Shizuru's hair growing a bit and Kuwabara dressing more maturely, the two hadn't changed at all. As she shuffled into the booth, she found that she had the displeasure of sitting directly across from Hiei. He was nursing his beer with an unpleasant frown tugging at the corner of his lips, looking as though this was the last place he would rather be right now.

"The entire gang together again. It's a little over due, but hey, I'm not one to complain," Yusuke said as he took a swig from his drink.

"I don't think you can call it the "entire gang" when all you've done is combine two separate groups of friends," Shizuru corrected.

"Yeah, and Yukina isn't even here, yet!" Kuwabara reminded him.

"Yukina?" Botan asked, brows rising in confusion.

"Hiei's twin sister," Shizuru filled in.

"Oh," she replied. Botan wondered what sort of sister a guy like Hiei would have and hoped that she did not share his bad attitude. One of him was more than enough in her humble opinion.

"Yukina works at the hospital, but her shift should be ending soon," Kuwabara said with an overly excited grin.

"You seem to be very fond of her," Botan teased, noting the way Hiei's expression darkened.

"Fond is an understatement. He turns into a love-sick idiot when she's around," Shizuru drawled.

"Shizuru!" Kuwabara shouted in embarrassment.

"It's even worse than how he acted when he met Botan during orientation," Yusuke recalled cocking a thumb in Botan's direction as he regarded the others. "He had the biggest crush on her during the first semester, until he realized that it was going nowhere. He was always putting on this creepy deep voice and trying to act manly in front of her. "

Botan giggled as she recalled Kuwabara's attempts at being smooth.

"It wasn't that bad..." she tried to defend him.

"Yeah, well, it's nothing compared how giddy he gets over Yukina," Yusuke told her.

"Lay off! You're all just jealous that I've found true love!" Kuwabara squawked, his shoulders squared as an embarrassed blush covered his face.

"Yukina hasn't even returned your affections," Shizuru pointed out uncaringly.

"She will one day! We're just taking things slow," he huffed, charcoal eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Hn. You aren't taking things anywhere. I refuse to allow my sister to be courted by a buffoon like you," Hiei objected.

Kuwabara grumbled something under his breath and Hiei's fist tightened around the neck of his bottle. Botan was sure that a fight was about to erupt, when the tension suddenly broke. Kuwabara's expression lit up like a child's during Christmas as he turned to the door at the very same moment that a woman with mint-green hair entered.

"Yukina!" Kuwabara gushed, jumping out from the booth to greet her at the door.

"It's like he's got Yukina-radar or something," Yusuke teased.

"Pathetic," Hiei scoffed, taking a sip of his beer.

"I think it's sweet," Botan defended as she watched the duo.

"You would, woman," Hiei ridiculed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, tearing her gaze away from the two to glare at the raven-haired man.

"I've known you for all of five minutes and already I can see that you're the embodiment of all the traits I dislike: clumsy, overemotional and foolishly idealistic."

"And you're extremely rude and prickly!" she shot back.

Hiei grunted, but refrained from saying anything more as Yukina joined the group. The first thing that Botan noticed about her was how kind and gentle her expression was; other than the color of their eyes, the twins seemed to share completely different physical features.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Botan," Yukina said politely. "Kazuma's told me so much about you."

Botan's ire faded almost immediately as the woman smiled courteously at her. She appeared to be the total opposite of Hiei; docile, warm and well-mannered.

"It's nice to meet you as well! I've heard nothing but good things about you," Botan answered.

Yukina glanced over at Kuwabara and her smile deepened. The two settled in on the other side of the booth as Botan took a sip of her beer. Koenma and Hinageshi joined them soon after and Botan couldn't remember a time when she felt this happy. She had sort of been moving from place to place and while she managed to make a few acquaintances, no one else could compare to the friends she had here. Something was telling her that this was exactly where she needed to be and, for the first time since she returned, she was truly glad to be home.

Hiei resisted the urge to sigh as he stared back at himself in the mirror of the dimly lit and dingy bathroom in the bar. He was roped into meeting up with the others for the third time this week and he wished that he was anywhere but here. Each night went on in the same manner: the oaf persisted in his fruitless attempts to get closer to Yukina, Shizuru and Kurama continued to send unsubtle glances when they believed the other was not looking, Yusuke went on without a care in the world and the blue-haired woman continued to be overly friendly with the ones she had just met. Yukina had taken a quick liking to her, which was to be expected due to Yukina's more accepting and gracious nature, but Kurama was a great deal more discerning than the others and he had even seemed to genuinely enjoy the strange newcomer's company.

The woman's efforts of getting to know the others did not end with Yukina and Kurama, though. She had made the mistake of continually trying to befriend him as well, despite his best attempts to pretend that she did not exist. There was something entirely unsettling about her that he could not place and he did not like it. The less he had to do with her, the better.

He exited the bathroom and his eyes immediately locked onto Botan, who was ordering the next round at the bar. She was oblivious to everything around her, including the man who had saddled up next to her with a less than innocent gleam in his eyes. Hiei wanted to turn away from the scene and leave the woman to handle herself, but he could not, in good conscience, leave her to fend for herself.

"What do you say I buy you a drink?" the man asked.

"That's quite alright," Botan replied with a smile that was much too inviting. "I appreciate the offer, though."

"Don't be like that," he urged, holding up his index finger in a pleading gesture. "Just one drink?"

"Really, I couldn't," she refused, taking a step back.

"Are you sure?" he persisted, leaning closer towards her. "I'll make it worth your while."

Hiei's eyes narrowed as the man snaked an arm around her waist. She was clearly uncomfortable with his advances and the fool was either too drunk, too ignorant or too disrespectful to see that. Hiei was by no means a chivalrous person, but even he had his limits. He crossed over to the bar at around the same moment that Botan slipped out of the stranger's grasp.

"I believe she declined your unwarranted advances," he stated. "Don't make her repeat herself a third time."

The patron's smirk fell, eyes rounding in surprise as he looked between the two.

"My bad, I didn't know she was taken," he halfheartedly explained.

Hiei's glare did not lessen at the pseudo-apology and he stood his ground until the other man took his leave. Botan let out a relieved sigh as she turned to face him.

"Thank you, Hiei," she said, her expression a mixture of surprise and gratitude. "I didn't expect for you to come to my aid, but you certainly did a better job at shooting him away than I did."

"Don't thank me," Hiei answered, looking away as he did so. "I just abhor the thought of entitled idiots."

"Well, it looks like we have something in common, then," Botan stated, her smile light and open.

He stared back at her blankly. He didn't know what she wanted from him and it unsettled him greatly.

"I really think we got off on the wrong foot," she began. "What do you say we start over and at least try to be friends?"

Hiei looked down at her outstretched hand as though he were seriously contemplating her offer. Her expression turned more hopeful with each second that passed, but the gesture was wasted on him. He wasn't one for making friends, especially with the loudmouthed, cheerful type. She was Yusuke's friend and that was all she ever needed to be as far as he was concerned.

"I'll pass," he answered, shoving his hands in his pockets instead.

Botan's jaw dropped in shock and he did not bother waiting for her to snap out of it as he returned to the rest of the group. Hiei noticed the look in Kurama's emerald, all-knowing eyes as he reclaimed his spot at the booth.

"That was kind of you."

"Of course you saw that. You see everything," Hiei scoffed.

"If I didn't know you as well as I do, I would have been surprised by your actions earlier," Kurama noted with an amused smile.

"She's the type to draw the wrong kind of attention and would have caused more trouble if I didn't intervene," Hiei explained. "That's all."

"Well, she is a very interesting woman," Kurama agreed. "Then again, so is everyone associated with Yusuke."

"If you like her that much, fox, why don't you stop talking her up to me and go and pursue her for yourself?" Hiei countered. "Though I don't suppose the oaf's sister would approve of that."

"I didn't mean it in that way," he clarified. "It seems as though she will be in our lives for quite some time. Perhaps you could stand to be a bit less abrasive with her. She is new to your brand of personality after all."

Hiei grunted in response, not bothering to say any more on the subject and Kurama took the hint. The redhead took a slow sip of his drink before returning his attentions to Hiei casually.

"How have you been adjusting to the move?" Kurama asked.

"It's fine," he replied curtly. "The city hasn't changed and neither have you all. You're still the same band of fools that you were before I left."

They both looked over at Yusuke and Kuwabara, who were having a drinking contest. Botan was cheering them on loudly, while Shizuru and Yukina watched in silence.

"I suppose we haven't," Kurama agreed. "And while this wasn't the move you wanted to make, I'm sure Yukina is glad to have you back here temporarily."

Hiei glimpsed at his sister on the opposite end of the booth. Although she wasn't rooting loudly like the blue-haired woman was, the soft smile on her face was enough of an indication of her contentment. She clearly enjoyed everyone's company and it was a reassurance to know that she was living in the same city as Kurama and the others. Even if he wasn't around as much as he should have been, she was never truly alone.

"Hn."

Their conversation was interrupted when Shizuru pinned Kurama with a competitive smirk.

"You look way too comfortable over there," she said, a taunting gleam dancing in her brown eyes. "Come on, let's test that endurance of yours, pretty boy."

Shizuru slid a shot across the table and Kurama caught it deftly.

"If you insist," he conceded, raising the shot glass to his lips and accepting the challenge.

Both Kurama and Shizuru had incredibly high tolerances for alcohol, and their competition would last for far longer than Hiei was interested in. The attentions of the others soon gravitated towards the pair and Hiei inadvertently locked stares with Botan. He held her candy-colored gaze momentarily before she looked away. That slightly foreboding feeling returned, settling in the pit of his stomach. She was as harmless as a fly and he could not possibly understand why she made him feel that way. One way or another, he resolved to figure it out.

The next day was a crisp and cool one. Botan loved the month of March because it bore the first signs of life after a cold and dreary winter. She woke up feeling especially good this morning and hoped that this feeling would continue throughout the day.

Her schedule was clear and she hoped to get a full day of writing crammed into her schedule, but first, she desperately needed to stock up on some essentials. As she was not much of a cook, she had taken to living off of frozen food, ramen and takeout. It was a good thing that the convenience store was within walking distance; she found herself visiting it often. She smiled at the middle-aged cashier as she entered and made her way down the familiar aisles.

A flash of gravity defying hair soon caught her attention. It was Hiei, wearing his usual cold and distant look of indifference. He was dressed in a casual pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt; a far cry from the business attire she was used to seeing him in when he joined them at the bar after work. Amethyst eyes widened at the unexpected sight. He must have lived nearby.

"Good afternoon Hiei!" she waved.

Hiei started straight at her for a few moments, before looking away as if he did not see her at all. Botan's cheer deflated somewhat and she glared at the back of his head as he left. She didn't know why she expected anything from him when she could barely count the amount of times he had been somewhat decent to her on one hand. She gave a small shrug and continued searching through the aisles. There was no need for Hiei's bad mood to rub off on her.

She hummed as she filled her basket with a few of her favorite brands and perused through the recently stocked shelves. As she reached for one of the items on the top shelf, she accidentally knocked over a cup of instant ramen. She grimaced as it fell to the floor, realizing that maybe she was just as clumsy as Yusuke had accused her of being and moved to pick it up. Her efforts were halted when she noticed the cutest little boy at her side. He returned the item to her hand without a word and she accepted it gratefully.

"Why thank you," she beamed, resisting the urge to ruffle his powder blue hair.

He did not reply, but Botan figured that he might have been shy by the way he immediately went wide eyed upon looking at her fully. She afforded him one last grateful smile, before making her way to the front of the store. As she struck up a casual conversation with the cashier and she paid for her purchases, she had the distinct feeling that she was being watched. The sensation grew as she collected her things and, as she made her way towards the exit, she reached the point where she could no longer ignore it.

Turning around slowly, she found herself staring back into the purple eyes of the same young boy who had helped her earlier. She smiled at him again and he flinched as though he was frightened.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Botan started off slowly as she took a step closer. He looked so familiar, but she couldn't tell why. "It's just… you were staring and I wondered if there was anything I could help you with?"

He muttered something quietly and Botan frowned in confusion.

"What was that? I'm sorry, I couldn't quite hear you."

"You're a lot prettier in person," he said.

"Uh - thank you," she blinked in surprise. "Do we know each other?"

"No," he replied with a shake of his head and a surety in his eyes. "But we should."

An amused smile played on her lips as she decided to take the bait.

"And why is that?"

"Because you're my mom," he answered simply.

And just like that, her entire world had changed.

And so it begins!

I've been working on this one for a while and wanted to drop the chapter here to see how the fandom would receive it. Hope you all enjoyed it because I'm excited about this story. Let me know what you thought!