Yukina had become the keeper of many secrets, at this point. The two of them, despite never addressing the open secret of their relation, had occasionally fallen in to reminiscing together. Had spoken on things that Hiei wouldn’t dare to expose to anyone other than his own flesh and blood, and even then she’d had to prod it out of him.

If nothing else, Yukina is the perfect repository of information if she chooses to be. If he stone walls enough to justify it, more than likely. She knows, after all, how much time he spent missing the fox while he had been gone from the mortal world. No matter how much bluster he put in to his rebukes for the same man in front of him now.

Kurama mentions the children’s glee at having him at his disposal, and Hiei sighs around his next mouthful. Yes, they would be delighted to have his undivided attention, he’s sure. Especially if their mother has her way with making sure that he stays put and not training with the sun rise. If he weren’t so naive about Yukina and her intentions, he might suspect it was also to try and have him sit still for Kurama as well.

After all, Hiei is just as chastised by his sister as her children are.

“My ability is exactly why I don’t need it.” Well, and that compared to some of Yukina’s children, he is fully demon instead of half. Another bite of his rice ball, and Hiei at least offers some tether back to a snarky earlier comment.

“At the very least I owe Kazuma an ass kicking...” For teasing his uncle at the very least, despite that snark being entirely his own in nature. At least these goals seem to push out his time frame for being here.

It occurs to him that Kurama being back here to check on him is a possibility, but .. considering how they’d left off, he isn’t so sure. The fire demon pauses for a moment but then asks -

“Did you forget something?” In the scramble of it all, he couldn’t say he’d blame him.