The fire demon is no more amused than he ever was by the fox’s continued teasing or that now ingratiating little smile. Of course he would pull this now, when all he had simply wanted was to chase that little moment of abandon earlier.
A shame it had to be crushed between conversation he is glad is over with and yet never wanted to have all at the same time. And that the redhead just can’t help himself.
Red eyes blink for a moment, wide, seemingly debating teetering on shyness on what the fox has just said and his own irritation.
“And yet you insist on doing this.” Being annoying and saying something smooth to throw him off kilter, that is. Ever easy to tip the scales on the fire demon’s expression tips more toward a scowl, already beginning to angle away and calculate his trajectories.
“Let me know when this obnoxious mood of yours has gone away.” Aka when the egg has worn off. Clearly that is to blame here.
His expression falls immediately, between Hiei's retort and growing scowl, reminded of the fox tail charm he'd gifted him before the wish seed incident, and how his response to that hadn't gone over well, either. Kurama is not going to stop him if he's intent on leaving, but even that is reminiscent of an earlier interaction, he's now reconsidering from a different perspective. It takes him a moment to respond at all - seeming to debate before settling on a decision - before asking cautiously, “Doing what, exactly?”
Hiei, for a long moment, gives Kurama one of those long stares that says 'you know exactly what you are doing.' The fire demon waits a little longer as if expecting Kurama to finally come out and admit it, too, fully thinking that the youko is doing it on purpose. It does not occur to him that he is being overly sensitive about it, or that Kurama is by any chance attempting to flirt with him.
Their growing closer is something of a double-edged sword for the fire demon in this way - he becomes even more jumpy to perceived slights, even when they are not.
Kurama does not move as Hiei waits him out, more than half expecting the fire apparition to turn and leave without answering. When he does give one finally, the redhead's eyebrows quirk in disbelief and confusion momentarily, glancing away and exhaling softly before speaking again. He can't claim Hiei is wrong after the initial tease that originally soured the demon's mood, but he'd thought the follow up would smooth things over a bit, not make it worse.
“Saying that I enjoy our time together is not a joke-”
Hiei's arms cross over his chest with a huff. Of course he has no idea how to read these situations, how to even begin to know what the hell was flirting or joking or anything else. To him it suddenly feels as though the entire thing was a little joke he wasn't quite in on, his request something that the fox intends to at least rib him on.
It's not entirely true, but even asking for something like this is entirely new and sensitive for the fire demon.
"How am I meant to tell the difference when you're constantly going back and forth?"
“I suppose we will both have some adjustments to get used to...” He steps forward cautiously, as if Hiei might think better of staying after all. He got what he wanted, at least, Kurama is far from in the mood to continue teasing. “It was not my intention to upset you.”
Had this been anyone else, the fox might suggest they talk about things to reach some sort of understanding, but Hiei had never really been one for talking, he's likely already pushed to his limit on that front. Instead, he closes the distance between them, draping his arms over the fire apparition's shoulders and leaning down to nuzzle into his neck.
“Hn.” Hiei’s surly mood seems to be staying put for the moment, unsure of how to move forward from where they are. This give and take of a relationship is brand new to the fire demon, which is mostly uncomfortable for him. New experiences usually never came easily, though, so he doesn’t begrudge Kurama coming closer.
The want to flee immediately has faded with the fox’s concession, and done away with completely as Kurama presses closer.
With Kurama nuzzled in to his neck Hiei slowly begins to uncoil, tension leaving his shoulders and, after a few moments, turning in to nuzzle in return. A silent indication he is forgiven before a hand sneaks up to tangle in Kurama’s hair.
They linger there for a few quiet moments before Hiei speaks, seemingly ready to gloss things over, murmuring lowly:
“We do not have to go to the clearing if you don’t want to.”
Hiei starts to relax and Kurama takes the chance to wrap his arms around him as the action is reciprocated. He'd deliberately left the fire demon an escape rather than close him in with a proper hug, allowing him to communicate his own comfort level if he'd rather pull away, but Kurama was not expecting the response he did get, instead. Everything is still so tentative and fragile, with neither of them really knowing what they're doing, the fox had anticipated stiff acceptance at best. Which means when Hiei does break the silence between them, he's almost afraid to move.
“I did suggest it. Besides, I haven't been there since winter… it could probably use a little cleaning up.” He doesn't say it will be the first time he goes anywhere near the woods since their month of solitude, but he's sure he knows what Hiei is thinking, even if he's not planning to venture any farther than the clearing itself.
As new and unusual as things like quiet affection are … Hiei would be a liar if he said he didn’t enjoy it. Curled up with Kurama in the woods, or here nuzzled in to him was just the same. It quieted some part of him that he had never known pined for something like this.
Someone to trust and lean on, despite how many misgivings he has about just that from his life before meeting Kurama.
Red eyes roll as the fox says it could use a cleaning up, of course, bumping Kurama a little with his nose in a little exasperation. “You just want to go there to do your tasks.”
… Making fun of people is fine as long as it isn’t him, apparently.
At any point upon first arriving in Aldrip, if someone had suggested even half of what they'd been through in the past year, Kurama would have doubted almost all of it. The glitches alone, where he'd spent so much time as a fox that it began to feel like second nature to fall back on. How much of that time had been with Hiei, and how much of that had been hidden away in their little corner of the woods, just outside the property. Kurama is not unaccustomed to affection and physical contact, especially after being reborn in a human body, but their time together in those conditions had been unusual, already blurring the dynamic between them before the added confusion of kissing and emotions started during the Solstice.
The wish seed transformation only made things more complicated. Already used to an unusual amount of physical contact than they would have been otherwise, the shared feelings between them and the complexity of Kurama's inability to fully recognize allies as opposed to enemies while transformed, compounding the whole experience. Spending nearly a full month incapable of being soothed without the fire apparition's presence lending itself to a certain dependency he would never admit to.
His head tilts at that accusation, leaning back a bit as if to get a better look with that nudge - eyebrows lifted in apparent disbelief at Hiei's response. “If you're that concerned about it, you'll just have to keep me occupied.”
Hiei is far too used to things being complicated, really. There has been very little time in his life where things had been anything like uncomplicated or even happy that even the emotional turmoil and confusion of all of this seems usual enough. A new challenge and new things to learn, sure, but his life would be rather boring in Aldrip if there wasn’t something new going on.
It has not yet struck him how codependent they have become over time. How having one another as their closest ally and confidant, however normal that had become prior to this place, had changed somewhat. Just enough that being curled close like this was beginning to feel comfortable instead of awkward. Enough that Hiei knew he was going to crave Kurama being this physically close more than he will be willing to admit.
“Keep you occupied?” Hiei’s nose wrinkles in confusion and annoyance as Kurama says it, eyes narrowing at his partner in suspicion.
“How the hell am I meant to do th-“ The fire demon stops mid word, his confusion quickly morphing in to realization about what Kurama is implying … and rapidly turning his cheeks and ears a little pink even as Hiei attempts to tuck himself in against Kurama again in an attempt to hide it.
Kurama has gotten used to the presence of Hiei nearby, the weight of another body against his becoming almost second nature in its frequency. Things were certainly different when he was a fox, almost as if the fire apparition felt more comfortable with the physical contact, but having shared a proper bed since the beginning of April, even that seems to have changed over time.
The confusion isn't exactly unexpected, but then Hiei interrupts himself with realization and burrows in against him to hide the reaction. Not the anticipated response, but Kurama will take it over the fire apparition threatening to leave again.
“Am I?” He sounds genuinely confused by the accusation, though not in the least bit offended, “That was what you wanted, was it not?”
“Kurama -“ Hiei sighs, still catching himself. Yes, his preference was when Kurama was being a menace just… not with him, of course. Not with him when he is fumbling his way through every thing and trying not to see mundane things as a criticism even more.
“Before yes but not now.” A huff as the fire demon feels he’s pulled himself together enough and moves to slowly pull away. Not like he’s going to run, at least.
Hiei pulls back, and at this point Kurama is more than half expecting him to leave. It didn't matter, in the long run, he'd come back eventually and they had danced around the topic for months, already. There wasn't much else to do in this place and the fox wouldn't exactly fault him for needing a break with all the back and forth in this conversation alone.
Instead, Hiei says let's go and Kurama simply motions for him to lead the way. He can't imagine why the fire apparition would still want to, if he's not in the mood. Which is, naturally, what he thinks must be meant by his response. He isn't about to question it and risk restarting the cycle of bickering all over again, though, content to follow Hiei's inclination for now, wherever that might take them.
Curiosity, instead of killing the cat, is driving Hiei to not run off for once. He's tired of talking at this point, and whether going to their spot means he learns how exactly he can keep Kurama's attention or the fox gets to work on whatever it is to do out there... They both sort of win, right?
Hiei with learning or some stretch of silence, Kurama with being occupied in some fashion or another.
In usual Hiei fashion he makes quick work of the travel to their favored clearing, taking a moment to scan the area around them as he steps in. Things have grown a little wild in their absence, but nothing that Hiei would count as egregious or in need of much work. Red eyes turn back toward Kurama, expectant.
"Is it so overgrown you want to tame it?" Or would he be more interested in showing Hiei exactly how to keep him occupied?
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expiationlogs2025-04-13 10:48 pm
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The fire demon is no more amused than he ever was by the fox’s continued teasing or that now ingratiating little smile. Of course he would pull this now, when all he had simply wanted was to chase that little moment of abandon earlier.
A shame it had to be crushed between conversation he is glad is over with and yet never wanted to have all at the same time. And that the redhead just can’t help himself.
Red eyes blink for a moment, wide, seemingly debating teetering on shyness on what the fox has just said and his own irritation.
“And yet you insist on doing this.” Being annoying and saying something smooth to throw him off kilter, that is. Ever easy to tip the scales on the fire demon’s expression tips more toward a scowl, already beginning to angle away and calculate his trajectories.
“Let me know when this obnoxious mood of yours has gone away.” Aka when the egg has worn off. Clearly that is to blame here.
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Hiei, for a long moment, gives Kurama one of those long stares that says 'you know exactly what you are doing.' The fire demon waits a little longer as if expecting Kurama to finally come out and admit it, too, fully thinking that the youko is doing it on purpose. It does not occur to him that he is being overly sensitive about it, or that Kurama is by any chance attempting to flirt with him.
Their growing closer is something of a double-edged sword for the fire demon in this way - he becomes even more jumpy to perceived slights, even when they are not.
"This. You are making a joke of it."
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“Saying that I enjoy our time together is not a joke-”
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Hiei's arms cross over his chest with a huff. Of course he has no idea how to read these situations, how to even begin to know what the hell was flirting or joking or anything else. To him it suddenly feels as though the entire thing was a little joke he wasn't quite in on, his request something that the fox intends to at least rib him on.
It's not entirely true, but even asking for something like this is entirely new and sensitive for the fire demon.
"How am I meant to tell the difference when you're constantly going back and forth?"
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Had this been anyone else, the fox might suggest they talk about things to reach some sort of understanding, but Hiei had never really been one for talking, he's likely already pushed to his limit on that front. Instead, he closes the distance between them, draping his arms over the fire apparition's shoulders and leaning down to nuzzle into his neck.
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“Hn.” Hiei’s surly mood seems to be staying put for the moment, unsure of how to move forward from where they are. This give and take of a relationship is brand new to the fire demon, which is mostly uncomfortable for him. New experiences usually never came easily, though, so he doesn’t begrudge Kurama coming closer.
The want to flee immediately has faded with the fox’s concession, and done away with completely as Kurama presses closer.
With Kurama nuzzled in to his neck Hiei slowly begins to uncoil, tension leaving his shoulders and, after a few moments, turning in to nuzzle in return. A silent indication he is forgiven before a hand sneaks up to tangle in Kurama’s hair.
They linger there for a few quiet moments before Hiei speaks, seemingly ready to gloss things over, murmuring lowly:
“We do not have to go to the clearing if you don’t want to.”
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“I did suggest it. Besides, I haven't been there since winter… it could probably use a little cleaning up.” He doesn't say it will be the first time he goes anywhere near the woods since their month of solitude, but he's sure he knows what Hiei is thinking, even if he's not planning to venture any farther than the clearing itself.
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As new and unusual as things like quiet affection are … Hiei would be a liar if he said he didn’t enjoy it. Curled up with Kurama in the woods, or here nuzzled in to him was just the same. It quieted some part of him that he had never known pined for something like this.
Someone to trust and lean on, despite how many misgivings he has about just that from his life before meeting Kurama.
Red eyes roll as the fox says it could use a cleaning up, of course, bumping Kurama a little with his nose in a little exasperation. “You just want to go there to do your tasks.”
… Making fun of people is fine as long as it isn’t him, apparently.
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The wish seed transformation only made things more complicated. Already used to an unusual amount of physical contact than they would have been otherwise, the shared feelings between them and the complexity of Kurama's inability to fully recognize allies as opposed to enemies while transformed, compounding the whole experience. Spending nearly a full month incapable of being soothed without the fire apparition's presence lending itself to a certain dependency he would never admit to.
His head tilts at that accusation, leaning back a bit as if to get a better look with that nudge - eyebrows lifted in apparent disbelief at Hiei's response. “If you're that concerned about it, you'll just have to keep me occupied.”
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Hiei is far too used to things being complicated, really. There has been very little time in his life where things had been anything like uncomplicated or even happy that even the emotional turmoil and confusion of all of this seems usual enough. A new challenge and new things to learn, sure, but his life would be rather boring in Aldrip if there wasn’t something new going on.
It has not yet struck him how codependent they have become over time. How having one another as their closest ally and confidant, however normal that had become prior to this place, had changed somewhat. Just enough that being curled close like this was beginning to feel comfortable instead of awkward. Enough that Hiei knew he was going to crave Kurama being this physically close more than he will be willing to admit.
“Keep you occupied?” Hiei’s nose wrinkles in confusion and annoyance as Kurama says it, eyes narrowing at his partner in suspicion.
“How the hell am I meant to do th-“ The fire demon stops mid word, his confusion quickly morphing in to realization about what Kurama is implying … and rapidly turning his cheeks and ears a little pink even as Hiei attempts to tuck himself in against Kurama again in an attempt to hide it.
“You are a menace.”
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The confusion isn't exactly unexpected, but then Hiei interrupts himself with realization and burrows in against him to hide the reaction. Not the anticipated response, but Kurama will take it over the fire apparition threatening to leave again.
“Am I?” He sounds genuinely confused by the accusation, though not in the least bit offended, “That was what you wanted, was it not?”
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“Kurama -“ Hiei sighs, still catching himself. Yes, his preference was when Kurama was being a menace just… not with him, of course. Not with him when he is fumbling his way through every thing and trying not to see mundane things as a criticism even more.
“Before yes but not now.” A huff as the fire demon feels he’s pulled himself together enough and moves to slowly pull away. Not like he’s going to run, at least.
“Let’s go. Before you have time to be worse.”
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Instead, Hiei says let's go and Kurama simply motions for him to lead the way. He can't imagine why the fire apparition would still want to, if he's not in the mood. Which is, naturally, what he thinks must be meant by his response. He isn't about to question it and risk restarting the cycle of bickering all over again, though, content to follow Hiei's inclination for now, wherever that might take them.
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Curiosity, instead of killing the cat, is driving Hiei to not run off for once. He's tired of talking at this point, and whether going to their spot means he learns how exactly he can keep Kurama's attention or the fox gets to work on whatever it is to do out there... They both sort of win, right?
Hiei with learning or some stretch of silence, Kurama with being occupied in some fashion or another.
In usual Hiei fashion he makes quick work of the travel to their favored clearing, taking a moment to scan the area around them as he steps in. Things have grown a little wild in their absence, but nothing that Hiei would count as egregious or in need of much work. Red eyes turn back toward Kurama, expectant.
"Is it so overgrown you want to tame it?" Or would he be more interested in showing Hiei exactly how to keep him occupied?