expiationlogs | [open: catch-all]

It doesn't take him long to locate Yusuke and return to his room, with the help of the technology here. Once he's certain the space is secured and there's nothing the ice apparition could do to be of any assistance, Kurama checks in with Yukina, as promised.

For everyone's peace of mind it makes the most sense to stick together, and he's certain from Hiei's suggestion that the fire apparition wants him to keep an eye on her until this danger has passed. Still, there's no reason for her to have to see Yusuke in that condition, there was nothing any of them of them are capable of to help Yusuke now, only wait for what comes next. Better to keep her occupied and out of harm's way unless there's something she can help with.

For now, he'll send a message by text to confirm he's on the way.

Yusuke has been retrieved, I will be there shortly. Perhaps we should see about something to eat while we wait for Hiei to return as well.

It's a distraction, just go with it.

Ever since Yukina heard about what happened, it made her anxious. This world was already so mysterious and to know one of her friends was dead was enough to make her feel she couldn't do anything. For all of her healing abilities, she can't bring the dead back. For now, all she could do was just wait and hope for the best as she tried to help as many people as she could.

...Are you sure? Are you okay with that?

Because, at the end of it all, she just wanted Kurama to be okay.

I believe Hiei would appreciate a meal waiting for him after no doubt building up an appetite for it.

Don't worry about him, it's hardly the first time he's dealt with a dead body of someone he cares about.

...I suppose not. What do you think he would want to eat?

At the end of the day, there was no way that Yukina could say no to Hiei.

I am certain Hiei will not be concerned about the food. He will eat what is available. Do you have a preference?

No, not really. What do you prefer?

Hiei had complained, very much and very loudly, about the house being built below his favorite tree. How many times had he explained to each one of them that he did not need an indoor spot to sleep, that he was not so breakable that even something like snow would worry him enough to come inside? It's one of the better points of his excessive body heat, if he's honest, that he does not have to worry about this kind of thing. He's gotten too used to being away from the others in the Demon World that he did not anticipate this level of fussing, other than when the Genosia mess had been happening. Then he'd been a bit easier to keep closer at hand, if only due to his anxiety to do with Yukina's safety.

Kurama... well. Obviously, he cared about the fox's safety, but he was less concerned about him being overwhelmed so easily. In any case, with all of that behind them, the house had seemed... unnecessary. Of course the fire apparition would consider it as such, as chafed as he was at even the thought that someone may consider that he would need (or like) more creature comforts than the correctly sized curve of a tree branch to its trunk.

A deep bath in the house, though, is more than enough draw of a creature comfort for the fire demon. After the disappointment of the hot springs not being nearly hot enough for him, and his own inability to make it hotter without having the inconvenient experience of boiling everyone else, he's apparently decided to take up a bath in the house and superheat the water as much as his little heart desires. Which of course puts a hell of a lot of humidity and steam not only in the bathroom, but the house, which will no doubt tell on him for being there, hair wilting under all of the water clinging to it, Hiei sinking down far enough that his nose stays above the water but not much else.

His things are unceremoniously tossed where he's taken them off except for his sword, which is carefully leaned against a wall where he can see it.

It was Yukina and Kurama's joint venture to bring them all together after the gnosia event. More specifically, after Yusuke's death, a rather jarring arrival to a new world where even the longterm residents complained of unpredictable dangers. To ensure safety in numbers, and knowing Hiei, to make sure he was included without having to give up his ideal level of comfort. Even if Kurama may not understand going to such lengths to refuse the luxuries of one's own home.

Still, Japan may have much milder winters than this world. They hadn't experienced one yet, and with everything else being so unpredictable much of that remains to be seen, as well. He had the option to come inside if he so chose to, and despite all the grief given over the implication he might, he was there now, wasn't he? Making use of the very thing he claimed not to want or need.

The first tell that the fire apparition had made his way inside was actually visible before Kurama even entered the house. The thing about greenhouses is that they hold humidity quite well, and the glass is transparent. Naturally this means the windows and outer walls closest to the bathroom with a tub in it might as well be pointing a neon sign to Hiei's location. Not that it's so obviously Hiei inside, perhaps Yusuke felt the mood for a particularly hot shower.

The second, and much more obvious, indication of Hiei's presence was the scent. The hot humid stickiness in the air was hardly a comfortable temperature for anyone else, thick and wet as it was, Kurama wasn't so sure the books would survive if it continued to permeate the space like this. Still, he could detect the fire apparition easily enough in the heavy air and he never was one for privacy. Not in these terms, anyway. Only when it concerned something personal.

After opening a few windows, the fox enters the bathroom as if he belongs there without announcement, fixing the younger demon with a look of disappointment that only he was capable of pulling off. “If the house was painted, the walls would be peeling. Is this really necessary?”

Here comes the speech about how the hot spring is far more appropriate if Hiei’s so dead set on living like a dragon, himself. After all, he hadn't wanted the nuisance of a home not long ago, and that included the bath tub that went with it as far as the fox is concerned.

If only Hiei were the type to share, his damages about things like a home or even a group of friends may be, even slightly, a bit more understandable. At any rate the fire demon keeps up his guff about even having a place like this fairly consistently - in his opinion he still thinks they do not really need it. However, if it makes Yukina happy and maybe gets Kurama off his back a little about his whereabouts and his safety, two birds with one stone is something he will gladly kowtow to. Quietly, anyway. If asked he will still heartily bitch about it.

At any rate, with winter closing in the fire demon seems to have resolved to stay close by, more for the sake of his comrades than himself. Cold didn’t bother him or Yukina, but if Kurama wanted him to start a fire or warm something for him quickly… well. He wasn’t going to actually say no, despite the verbal bellyaching.

Naturally Hiei hasn’t thought even one bit about something as silly as fogged windows, peeling walls or curled pages on books. Instead he takes in that disappointed look on Kurama’s face with wide open and innocent confusion, head tipped slightly to the side to ask the question without the words being said.

“Hn.” The classic response, really, though it doesn’t make Hiei change one bit of what he is doing. Instead he rests his arms on the edge of the bath, his chin following shortly after, still relaxed despite Kurama’s obvious annoyance with him.

“The onsen is too cold and I cannot heat it as much as I want with others in it.” A pause, and then in jest -

“Unless you’ve gained a taste for human stew.”

Thankfully, Kurama knows better than to ask Hiei in the first place. His opinion and permission were not requested, he didn't own the tree he'd claimed as a comfortable resting spot and the fox had done his best to ensure construction happened while the fire apparition was elsewhere. It did result in less prodding him about his whereabouts and wellbeing, at least. Whether or not he admits it, the redhead knows that he'll settle eventually despite the protests.

Hiei moves and the annoyed expression doesn't last long, watching with more curiosity than anything to the fire apparition's explanation. The first part, at least, is expected. He almost responds to it, before realizing there was more to be said. The face Kurama makes at that little jest indicates how completely taken by surprise he is.

Although his tone is light as ever when he does respond, once he recovers at least. “Lucky for you then, isn't it? That it seems to be so infrequently occupied.”

He will settle, albeit with many begrudging comments and probable barbs about how annoying it is to share space with all of them. The fire apparition is not really used to concepts like 'sharing' after all, and sharing space is possibly one of his least well-exercised quirks even where Kurama is concerned, considering his aversion to touch. Kurama has at least worked past some of that instinctual dislike for other beings so far in his personal space, but the point still stands.

Thankfully Kurama's surprised expression leads him to laugh, a few rough, small rumbles in his chest as he takes in the rare tell from Kurama that he's caught him off balance somewhat.

"Mn. For some reason I always seem to think it would be nice to use the onsen at the same time someone else does. Shitty luck, I guess." As if he has ever had anything close to good luck in his life, but that's beyond the point. Besides, he would also have to watch out for the people who may show up wanting to use it, and explain that it will boil them alive and, truly, that seems like so much of a pain in the ass that he would rather avoid like a plague when there is a perfectly useable bath here in the house where he can be alone if he wants to be.

"I thought you said some of your plants like the humidity, too." Hiei turns out a hand, invitation enough to settle with him.

"Sit with me."

Edited 2024-11-26 01:50 (UTC)

He's welcome to complain as much as he'd like, considering Kurama finds it to be part of his charm and the fire demon will probably realize in no time that Yukina might be the only one actually bothered in the least by it. Bit by bit - and entirely against his will - Hiei will learn, despite his aversions.

The laugh is enough to school his expression once more, chin tilting slightly as the fire apparition responds. “Perhaps, but I'm afraid that unless you intend to make friends with a dragon, you will need to choose between company and temperature.”

For a moment he seems to debate before moving to take a seat with the invitation, tilting his head back against the wall before acknowledging the comment about the plants. “They do, yes, but... just like humans, they typically prefer not to be boiled alive.”

“Is there one here?” Hiei asks it like he expects Kurama to say he’s been holding out on him or something. Of all the things to be hiding away in Aldrip somewhere a dragon would not shock him in the least.

… And he would absolutely be on the way to see about at least having a working onsen relationship if there was.

“It isn’t that hot.” He says, doubt in his tone even as the water is just a few degrees away from simmering gently, and probably only because Kurama came in to the room to boot. He will refrain from further heating to keep him in the room, even.

“Steam heating the house in one go isn’t bad for you and Yusuke. Yukina and I don’t feel the chill like you two.”

“Would you be surprised?” That's a yes, actually. There's technically more than one, if Claude's counts, but Kurama isn't exactly keeping a tally.

The fire apparition counters that it isn't that hot, that it's not bad for them and Kurama takes a moment to respond, almost cautious with his words. “Draining water of this temperature through the pipes in the house could be very dangerous, actually. Perhaps not for us, directly- but the delicate ecosystem that maintains the balance of things here.”

The fish provide the trees nutrients, the trees provide the fish oxygen. It's a whole thing, just take his word for it. Don't destroy his carefully balanced work, Hiei.

"No. But who?" You can't tell him that there is one, more or less, and not tell him who, Kurama! He needs to know for science or, simply, so he can try and stalk around and see what this person in question is made of more or less. Despite being in a new place Hiei is still much the same in his thought process. Figure out who may be the biggest possible opponent and size them up just because.

Hiei's head tips much like a curious dog as Kurama explains that the water could be dangerous, willing to listen even if he still doesn't quite understand why the ecosystem matters so much. It is no doubt a Kurama thing to understand, that much is very, very certain, but...

He can't help himself, ever.

"Are you just worried about the fish?"

"He goes by Rafal- at least, the one I am familiar with." Hard to say if there were others, he didn't know of. Following that, none of his usual humor accompanies what might normally be a very blatant tease, otherwise. “You may find that you two have some things in common, actually.”

The switch back to the house and Hiei's insistence on pushing this topic is a different matter entirely. Kurama sighs, deciding to approach from another angle.

“Would you like a lesson on the scientific breakdown of the nitrogen cycle? Or do you simply assume I'm not concerned about the plants because I can keep them alive?” Yes, it is very much a Kurama Thing to know or care any bit about biology, and he is absolutely trying to make this conversation as boring as possible so that Hiei drops it.

“Don't tell me you're so bored here that killing my fish is how you intend to pass the time.”

"Rafal.." Hiei repeats, clearly mentally noting it in case he meets this person somewhere along the way. He doesn't really take it much to heart when Kurama says that they may have some things in common - in fact, he pretty much assumes that the fox is exclusively talking about the fact that they have some kind of dragon attached to them more than anything else.

"I don't want the scientific version of anything. But if you could simplify it I will try not to yawn." Well, if they're having a bitchy comebacks competition, Hiei is damn well going to come out swinging as well. While the fox has a point that he is bored, the very unamused stare that follows Kurama's not-question should be enough of an answer, and he just barely remembers that the water is too hot to find a reason to somehow flick it on Kurama just to be petty.

"I can always get Yusuke to spar, so I am not that bored - " But if they're being annoying to one another right now he might as well continue. " - But they are carp, which means they are edible."

... Clearly he has thought about this at least once.

What Kurama is talking about is a certain devotion to their respective sisters, but he's not going to bring that up when it sours the fire demon's mood so much more to talk about it, and they're at some sort of verbal odds already.

“Perhaps not, I would hate for you to fall asleep in there.” He knows Hiei doesn't actually care to learn anything about it, so why bother? The ‘offer’ hadn't exactly worked as intended if Hiei was going to pretend to be open to it just to spite him and he was in no mood to keep pushing his buttons. An angry fire apparition was the last thing he wanted to be dealing with right now.

Green eyes narrow, as the fox watches the conversation go from don't kill the fish to they are edible, which sounds a lot like the exact opposite of any attempted agreement not to do them harm. “They are goldfish, but I will keep that in mind should any of them go missing.”

"You would hate to watch me drown?" Somehow he thinks that's false, at least at the moment. They've been plucking at each other's nerves fairly tit for tat for a little bit now after all - surely Kurama wouldn't at least be amused by him slipping under the water for a moment to cough and sputter as he came back up. Or something like that, anyway.

"We aren't hurting for options, here." Hiei says that as though it's an assurance for Kurama, though he isn't quite sure his goal is achieved by any means. But if it comes down to it, Hiei isn't exactly going to go all in on the fish Kurama is so intent on protecting versus any other monster in the woods around here. He'd expect nothing more than for Kurama to be intent on counting from here on out, too, but.. well.

This is Hiei, the thought of Kurama now counting his fish whenever he thinks of it is kind of amusing as well.

"Are you going to be counting them twice a day now?"

There's a flicker of alarm in his expression, momentary confusion as he tries to piece together where the fire apparition got that from what he'd said, everything taking a second to fall into place. “Not... quite what I had in mind, actually.”

Hiei points out that they're not hurting for options here, which means he's clearly digging in on this topic intentionally, for some reason. Bored enough to resort to a verbal sparring match for entertainment, if the spirit fox had to guess. Of course, one is thinking of hunting and the other about the food that's readily available in Aldrip, but details. “We are not, you are right. So there is no reason for you to be so desperate that goldfish are too much of a temptation to resist.”

Asked if he's going to count them, Kurama raises an eyebrow. In typical having an answer for everything fashion, his response is simple. “That won't be necessary. After all, the house is under constant surveillance.”

"Humor me - what did you have in mind?" Definitely bored enough to just be a pain in the ass for the sake of it, at this point. He has to do something that doesn't involve just being out an about with a sword for the sake of both of their sanity. He's spent so much time lately doing a whole lot of nothing he is willing to pluck at Kurama's nerves simply for something stimulating to do.

Beyond that.. Hiei has a natural draw to things that he shouldn't, or can't, and Kurama's obvious irritation about it all only serves to make him more interested. A rather vicious cycle, so far as Hiei and his little shit tendencies.

But then Kurama goes and mentions surveillance and Hiei turns slightly, as if he's suspicious of the plants around him more than trying to find something tech related. Of course that isn't exactly where Hiei's mind goes first, thinking that the fox was keeping track of who or what was moving in the house with plants reporting back.

"What, are your plants all your spies?"

“Exactly what I said. Don't tell me you've never napped in a warm bath before.” That sounds like an ideal way to pass the time, from his perspective. Two of the fire apparition's favorite things combined, apparently.

Unlike Hiei, Kurama has plenty to do. Sitting around bickering together is not productive when he has work to get to and information to collect. Of course, he doesn't recognize it as Hiei wanting to spend more time together or alleviate boredom. If he had to guess, the fox might think he has irritated him in some way for how much digging his heels in the other is doing.

Nitpicking about the fish just seems like his way of latching onto whatever topic he can, currently.

There's a pause before Kurama just laughs at Hiei's inquiry, humming in amusement at the thought of plant spies. He's still smiling faintly when he responds, as if it's obvious. At this point he still hasn't grasped how little his partner understands of what the reset meant for all of them. They haven't discussed it yet, not in any definitive way.

“There are no secrets here, for any of us.” Vague and ominous? Maybe, but it seems pretty straightforward to him, if they're part of a simulation everything they do leaves a digital footprint and anyone with the skills to access that information could find out whatever they wanted about any one of the Chosen.

Which, of course, does mean if he really wanted to, the fox could - in theory - be aware of nearly anything happening under their roof, or just about anywhere else for that matter.

"Sounds like a good way to almost drown yourself." And considering what he knew of rivers and almost drowning.. that isn't exactly something he'd even like to try again by accident. It's one thing in a shallow onsen, another in a bath where, with his stature, sinking down a little too far becomes much easier than he would like.

Hiei's brow raises as Kurama laughs, though, less amused than his partner about the question. He'd been genuinely asking, but the fox looks too amused for the answer to be a completely truthful yes. The fire apparition is far from understanding absolutely everything about the technology involved in this place, or just how much Kurama can track simply thanks to data trails, but his quickly irritated expression at Kurama's vague answer may be telling. Red eyes narrow suspiciously before he makes something like a tsk of annoyance.

"Whatever the hell that means." Not that he had actually intended to eat the stupid goldfish, but now the little demon is more annoyed than he should be at the implication of possibly being babysat in some form or fashion, despite joking about it seconds ago.

The fox's height privilege might be a factor in not considering that outcome, but he doesn't dare push the issue. It isn't important, anyway.

Especially as the fire apparition appears to shift into true irritation with him. Hiei's response sobers the redhead almost instantly, seeming to realize belatedly that he was not exactly in on the joke. He shifts to rest his arms on his knees before speaking again.

“Nothing you shouldn't already be used to, actually. Just as Spirit World surveillance tracked our moves back home, Aldrip has… its own methods.” Kurama, personally, has no interest in spying on others for no good reason, but he'd never actually claimed to.

“If napping is off the table, I am curious what you do intend to do once you're finished in there.”

Hiei growls lowly as he sinks further into the tub at the news that Aldrip has its ways of tracking them. Of course they do - he kind of knew that they did - but it's different to have it completely confirmed, of course. At least now he knew that Koenma wasn't exactly watching him all the time back in their world, but to basically be back to square one here brings him an amount of annoyance he hadn't truly expected.

It escapes him to ask how Kurama might be able to go through Aldrip's records on them, too irritated at the thought it was happening to begin with.

Instead, he glances at the redhead out of the corner of his eye as he asks what he will do after his bath and... shrugs. He very rarely has grand plans for his day, but the bath had seemed like a good idea, and that way Kurama can't complain at him that he stinks, either.

"I don't know. I don't have plans. Why? Did you have an idea?"

His eyebrows raise as Hiei sinks further into the water, after all that melodrama about drowning. Not that he's going to comment, adjusting his legs into a more comfortable position as the fire apparition seems to eye him suspiciously.

“Maybe I was merely curious how much longer you intend to occupy the tub.”

In reality, it was more that he was making conversation, trying to move to a topic that wasn't a hair's breadth from more griping at each other or worrying about the state of the simulation. Which seems to continually come up, despite his best efforts.

“I suppose I could think of something if you need one, though.”

“Do you want to use it?” Not that Kurama could for a little while anyway, not without killing his precious fish, but… it may make him abandon the tub a little bit faster. If nothing else he was fine with settling in to the tub and allowing a little bit of time to go by without having to fill the time with something or.. who knew what.

“We could spar.” Of course that’s what Hiei is going to offer, red eyes narrowing for a moment as he tries to think of something else they could possibly do.

“Or I could go back to nap in the tree.”

.. Here he is again, inside the house he didn't want.

It seems to be becoming a theme, really, that he comes inside specifically to seek out the fox for one thing or another when he is actually home. It is becoming increasingly rare, which he has been meaning to ask about, but there are very few ways to ask the question without seeming as though he is fussing at him, or tracking his schedule. He is, but that isn't really the point. The fire apparition simply refuses to wonder why his attention is so split lately, or ponder for very long on why he cares, actually.

Which is exactly why he can be found toying with a vine of one of Kurama's plants, having felt his energy coming toward the house through the Jagan a little bit earlier.

"Are you staying here long?" Not exactly a 'hi how are you' or anything like that, but this wouldn't be Hiei if he was so attuned to niceties, so maybe in the end this is for the better.

One thing that Kurama has picked up on is Hiei's more frequent appearances inside their shared home. The thing he hasn't? The fire apparition paying any sort of attention to his schedule, outside of when the fox requests his assistance somewhere, at least.

Things had gotten a bit tense earlier with the network reveal of Scott's assumptions and the direction their conversation had inevitably taken following it. The reality that what they made of this simulation was all they had - which, if he's being honest, Kurama is not sure Hiei quite grasps, even now. Simply because he thought the fire demon had understood the implications before that conversation. With the subject of the reset and all that had entailed.

Some day, Kurama will stop taking his own understanding of technology for granted. Today is clearly not that day.

Despite the oh-so-friendly greeting upon his arrival, the redhead smiles brightly in response, "Hiei, what a pleasant surprise. I didn't have any immediate plans to leave, you're not trying to get rid of me already, are you?"

He looks far too amused for that question to be sincere, actually.

Hiei meets that amused question with a rather bland stare, the kind that reads some form of 'shut up I hate you' without the words nor the actual intent. Of course very little of what Hiei says he actually means, so he is sure that the fox had learned to ignore him a long time ago. He knows that will not work with Kurama to begin with, and so opts to save himself the effort and wasted breath.

"No. You've just been not here as often, lately." Hiei often arrives with a cursory scan of the house to see who was inside, and more often than not lately he'd found the fox to be missing. Not that he could not take care of himself, but.. he's noticed. Of course someone has to make some money around here he supposes, but among all the things going on in Aldrip right now, particularly to do with him and Yukina, and their relationship, Hiei finds himself pining for comfort of some kind.

Considering that Kurama is the one he typically goes to, having him not really around is quite inconvenient when it wants it. It was simply a matter of expressing as much, which Hiei is as inept at as figuring out his own emotions on the daily.

The fire apparition busies his hands toying with the plants in the mean time, debating how best to ask for the fox's time and affection.

He only tilts his head at the stare in response, maintaining the vaguely amused expression through the silence, knowing that given time the fire apparition will come out with what he really means. Or at least, something Kurama can effectively translate into what he must actually mean.

Ah. Well, that might be a bit more direct than he was expecting, actually.

“Yes, well. Some of my new responsibilities have certainly been an adjustment.” By which he means ensuring that the proper amount of time and care went into each of his obligations now that his workload has increased. He was used to juggling three separate realms and a family though, so this shouldn't be too much of a strain on him once he's settled into more of a routine.

At least, that's the plan.

The fire demon fiddling with the plants does not go unnoticed, despite the fox's uncertainty regarding just what had brought this on. He watches for a moment, waiting to see if the other apparition will offer up an explanation, before prompting cautiously.

“Is something the matter, Hiei?”

Considering they'd already discussed the network incident, the thought doesn't even occur to him that this might be related. The quiet unease without the typical griping or silent resolve was almost unsettling with how infrequent it typically was, coming from him.

Hiei's frown only deepens as Kurama keeps that vaguely amused expression and talks about his new responsibilities. Sure, it is not at all in the fox's personality to just sit and wait for something to happen, or not to involve himself in as many things as possible, but Hiei can't help himself. He is annoyed at the thought of Kurama not being as available or nearby, and though that is a very selfish thing to want for or from someone else... it is what he wants. More than anything, really.

It is growth by itself that he recognizes the want as selfish more than silly or unnecessary, though he also thinks both of those things as well.

For a moment the fire demon is clearly tripping over what to say, mouth opening only to close so quickly that Kurama can probably hear his teeth clack together as he debates how stupid any one sentence would be to say. Just how much of a fool of himself he wants to make in front of Kurama is the entire question, here, even if there is a part of him that wants to say fuck it and ask more plainly for Kurama's time and attention. They are stuck here, and possibly not real anyway, what the hell did it matter?

His pride makes much of this a sticking point, but he finally turns to the redhead, extending a hand to bring him a bit closer, but mostly for the contact.

"It's better when you are here." ... Which is not really an answer.

After their previous conversation regarding the state of Aldrip and conflicting approaches on how best to handle that reality, Kurama had taken some time to put thought into everything. The exact thing Hiei complained he already did too much of. Focusing his time and attention into the several jobs he had to juggle these days helped sort things in his mind and served to give him a feeling of productivity in the meantime, opening several more avenues for new plans as he went.

Which only allows him to approach the fire apparition's sudden appearance with the sort of at ease humor that clearly sets him even more on edge. Unapologetically so, it would seem. At least, until he realizes that something is very transparently off about the current exchange.

Considering the fact that Hiei puts so much effort into behaving as if his own wants don't matter, despite stubbornly refusing to budge on them, Kurama would only find the fact that he not only recognizes, but acts on, a desire of his own to be growth in itself. There's a marked difference between refusing to talk about something and working up the nerve to make such a request.

The fox certainly wouldn't consider it selfish or silly to seek comfort in the familiar, especially not after the way they'd spent the first few months here. Any humor in his expression has faded by the time Hiei's mouth snaps shut again, green eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he watches him struggle with just how to approach this before finally speaking.

Hiei - who spent years preferring isolation and the demon world to company - blatantly stating in a direct manner that it is better when he is here, is more of an answer than Kurama would have expected. He is at least used to the fire demon's beckoning, even if not quite in this same context. The wording is almost alarmingly vulnerable, especially when the spirit fox could so easily tease him over it rather than take the request seriously.

“You could always come, you know.” Keep himself busy while conveniently staying close, even. Whether Hiei actually helps or just stays nearby for the company, there were also the cats. After all, staying together in companionable silence wasn't exactly foreign to them, either.

Although the redhead doesn't directly acknowledge the extended hand, he tips his head toward the kitchen in indication.

“I was about to get a drink if you care to join me.”

The level of trust implied by this is new, even between them. There were many things that they understood with discussion or even without speaking on it at all, and Kurama had noticed without comment that Hiei seemed to take comfort in the time spent while in his original form during the glitches. He hadn't expected anything to extend past those moments, if he considered it at all, but this gave him something else to think about and work through just how to navigate going forward.

Growth for Hiei is painstaking, and mostly by his own obstinance. Years ago when they had met he would sooner stab his own hand for fun than admit that he wanted to have Kurama around for company. Or any of them, really, other than maybe Yukina. Yusuke and Yukina require a bit more thought for him to be around, compared to Kurama. Their companionable silence had been hard earned, but for Hiei it’s become somewhat indispensable - silent trust and companionship that Hiei has come to desire to the point that he is willing to ask.

A younger Hiei would consider that an incredible weakness, but this Hiei simply appreciates that Kurama is taking the request without mocking him for it. Or, you know, joking with him simply to make him bristle as he is also quite fond of doing.

“Come where?” Along with him on his jobs? He supposes that he could, though he isn’t sure if that would be more of a distraction than a help. It isn’t as though Hiei has ever truly had a serious job that wasn’t something like serving as a war lord’s military leader, and even then, it wasn’t exactly a classic 9 to 5. With Mukuro ‘retiring’ as a king it’s actually become quite a bit more calm than he expected aside from border duty.

Hiei’s hand draws back and tucks in to his pocket at Kurama’s offer, though the nod of agreement comes quickly behind.

“Mn. I don’t have anything pressing.” If that wasn’t already obvious.

Despite the redheads teasing and nagging when the mood strikes, he was fond of their ability to sit in comfortable silence. They might not have put words to things before meeting Yusuke that they've grown dangerously close to expressing since then, but change was inevitable like that. Especially now, in a world that took unnatural measures to make residents talk to each other and engage in more vulnerable activities despite their best efforts.

The fox, at least, understands that this isn't a time for banter or teasing.

“With me to work.” As if it was obvious, “The cats would enjoy the company, and I'm certain there's something you could do to help, if you'd prefer not to sit idle.” Sure, Kurama had other work besides the farm to worry about, but it was the most time consuming and provided the most variety in tasks to accomplish. Hiei already assists at the apothecary, at least, foraging and running errands as needed, but Kurama never spends too much time there considering he simply doesn't need to.

He smiles faintly at the response, turning to move into the kitchen with his next question, “Then I will get us both something, what would you like?”

Hiei is fast to start making a face as Kurama says the word 'work' - look, he's had a couple jobs by now, with helping Yusuke, border patrol, and occasionally moonlighting with Mukuro, but it's different when it involves doing tasks that he would term more mundane. It wasn't like he was going to be out using the jagan or getting a chance at murder keeping cats company or doing random tasks for the redhead.

He already did a little bit of that, of course, running errands and foraging for materials. A way to pass the time while also keeping him within the fox's more immediate radius. It was good for them both, he thinks.

The fire apparition sits on the implicit offer that Kurama is giving him, instead following him toward the kitchen as he mulls it over.

"I don't have a preference. What do you want?"

Unfortunately, he can not possibly expect to be in multiple places at once. If he has work to do he can't be home, and if he's home with Hiei, he isn't getting work done, this much seems obvious enough to him. If Hiei wanted his company then his best option was to accompany him where he had other obligations, until he tired of the fox's teasing and nagging, at least.

Kurama isn't going to push him, he's in no rush for an answer, but he's also not going to stop working just to hang around the house. Hiei was the one who brought it up in the first place, the offer just seemed like the best compromise to suggest at the time. The farm was protected so it isn't as if he even needs a lookout there.

An eyebrow raises as Hiei turns the question of drinks back on him, unable to resist the tease. “Why? Are you intending to serve me?” A beat before actually answering, “I was planning to make some tea, actually.”

As much as Hiei enjoys Kurama’s company.. he wonders if he won’t feel just as restless spending time trying to occupy himself while Kurama works. Or, if he won’t be in the way at the end of it all. He’s never really had to do things like human jobs, and the jobs he has had have been a bit more action packed. Border patrol ranks first, of course, even if it was dealing with humans from beginning to end of the day most days.

“I don’t think you want that.” As much as Hiei can boil water, he isn’t sure that he has the finesse required to not do it too much, or too long, to make the tea too bitter. Still, since he knows that the fox is teasing him, he’ll continue.

“Unless you want something bitter to warm you up.”

[open: catch-all]

[Closed - Yukina]

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you know what this is

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