Kurama suspected that Hiei would be too restless to stay long. They both had their own lives and jobs to worry about, and it wasn't as if the fire apparition kept his preference for his homeworld much of a secret. The spirit fox was used to life entangled with humans, having lived well before the barrier was ever put in place and free to come and go with the rest of them, even before his second life as a human child. He did not equate the scent to home or any sense of comfort, it was merely part of the package in his earlier search for power.

He blinks at the nip as if caught completely off guard by it, green eyes wide and pouting slightly with that retort. He was just trying to enjoy a lazy morning, after all.

“Who's being smug?” The response is playfully wounded, he knows exactly what he's doing, but he's still going to play up that initial offense, leaning forward to retaliate with his own nip against Hiei's jaw before burying his nose into his neck, instead.