The answer is so far from surprising, he doesn't even bother to react. Anything other than no would have been hopelessly naive or a lie, they both knew better than that.

Hiei continues speaking and the redhead waits him out. He doesn't really expect the fire apparition to know what he wants of things just yet, all Kurama had hoped was that he'd be open to something. They could figure out what that might amount to along the way, the same as they had before.

While the last thing said is no surprise to him, the other demon hadn't set out to be with him, the spirit fox had done the pursuing and knew it. Over years, with much patience and honestly more surprised by the eventual reward than he'd ever let on. Saying it now though, in this context, felt much more like a door closing, a decisive statement. He hadn't wanted any of this in the first place, but at least that meant it was a door Kurama had been prepared to find closed on his return.

The fox's tone is carefully neutral, refusing to acknowledge the hurt carving a hole in his chest with those words. While he means what he says, it feels hollow and empty despite his efforts, delivery almost a little too casual for the subject at hand.

“I realize... and I am not asking that of you.”