Hiei responds, but he doesn't acknowledge it, already set on his next action. While the fire apparition is speaking from an abundance of experience, it did leave one wondering why he'd permit as much leeway as he was, in putting up with Kurama's presence now. It had occurred to the fox - belatedly - that maybe he'd never wanted this in the first place, and certainly wouldn't again, but he isn't inclined to ask in the moment.
The redhead hadn't thought of it all those years ago. His little joke about not being interested in Hiei was before Yusuke - with more emotional intelligence than the two combined - had brought it up, changing the entire trajectory of their relationship for the both of them. Not that he regrets a moment of it, even if his former partner seems to regret every single one of them.
For Hiei, the obvious answer is that he's no prize and it made little sense for the spirit fox to even be interested, but by that logic he shouldn't have ever been Interested in the first place. The years of working through Hiei's barriers had to account for something, didn't they? Even if they didn't excuse his decision to leave despite it all, after so many decades. Still, it wasn't his style to give up on anything he was set after, the reward being worth the risks, whatever they may be.
He ignores the flash of teeth, attack being the farthest thing from his mind and - unaware it had even crossed the other's - certain he's gearing up to tell the redhead off more than anything. The fire apparition isn't the only one with conflicting feelings, another moment that he can file away as likely to never happen again for pushing too far too fast, ignoring what should be a clear set boundary between them. Just taking what he wanted conflicted with his typical habit of using patience to his advantage, but Hiei was - seemingly, intentionally - pushing at all the wrong buttons.
Kurama expected to strike a nerve, to piss him off so thoroughly the other demon pushed the fox away with vocal offense. In some shred of self-destructive inclination, that had been exactly what he was going for. The last thing he saw coming was reciprocation, especially considering how he'd gone about it. Kurama is not so gentle in response, teeth and claws from Hiei and he's channeling his frustration into the bite he returns for the fire demon's efforts, even if the sound that catches in his own throat isn't nearly aggressive enough to pass off as a growl, more surprise than anything.
no subject
The redhead hadn't thought of it all those years ago. His little joke about not being interested in Hiei was before Yusuke - with more emotional intelligence than the two combined - had brought it up, changing the entire trajectory of their relationship for the both of them. Not that he regrets a moment of it, even if his former partner seems to regret every single one of them.
For Hiei, the obvious answer is that he's no prize and it made little sense for the spirit fox to even be interested, but by that logic he shouldn't have ever been Interested in the first place. The years of working through Hiei's barriers had to account for something, didn't they? Even if they didn't excuse his decision to leave despite it all, after so many decades. Still, it wasn't his style to give up on anything he was set after, the reward being worth the risks, whatever they may be.
He ignores the flash of teeth, attack being the farthest thing from his mind and - unaware it had even crossed the other's - certain he's gearing up to tell the redhead off more than anything. The fire apparition isn't the only one with conflicting feelings, another moment that he can file away as likely to never happen again for pushing too far too fast, ignoring what should be a clear set boundary between them. Just taking what he wanted conflicted with his typical habit of using patience to his advantage, but Hiei was - seemingly, intentionally - pushing at all the wrong buttons.
Kurama expected to strike a nerve, to piss him off so thoroughly the other demon pushed the fox away with vocal offense. In some shred of self-destructive inclination, that had been exactly what he was going for. The last thing he saw coming was reciprocation, especially considering how he'd gone about it. Kurama is not so gentle in response, teeth and claws from Hiei and he's channeling his frustration into the bite he returns for the fire demon's efforts, even if the sound that catches in his own throat isn't nearly aggressive enough to pass off as a growl, more surprise than anything.