genkaitemple | Kurahi Catch-All: Unspoken Thing

Kurahi Catch-All: Unspoken Thing

Unspoken Thing

The hardest thing about life is
when the person who gave you the most memories
becomes a memory.

CODE

how odd it is to be

date chronologically pending

haunted

visuals blank playlist

by someone that is still alive

Date
※ 01/27/24 Injured: ⋙ Dark Tournament
※ 01/29/24 Insomnia: ⋙ Dark Tournament
※ 02/11/24 Intimate Bathing: ⋙ Post Series
※ 02/25/24 Loss: ⋙ Post Series
※ 03/04/24 Unspoken Thing: ⋙ Resurrection [completed]
※ 03/19/24 Defrosting: ⋙ Post Series
※ 04/17/24 Garden: ⋙ Resurrection [completed]
※ 06/03/24 Kurama's Return: ⋙ Resurrection [completed]
※ 08/06/24 Picnic: ⋙ Post Series
※ 08/22/24 Domestic Fluff: ⋙ Post Series
※ 09/20/24 Sickness*: ⋙ Resurrection
Chronologically
※ 01/27/24 Injured: ⋙ Dark Tournament
※ 01/29/24 Insomnia: ⋙ Dark Tournament
※ 02/11/24 Intimate Bathing: ⋙ Post Series
※ 02/25/24 Loss: ⋙ Post Series
※ 08/06/24 Picnic: ⋙ Post Series
※ 03/19/24 Defrosting: ⋙ Post Series
※ 08/22/24 Domestic Fluff: ⋙ Post Series
※ 03/04/24 Unspoken Thing: ⋙ Resurrection [completed]
※ 04/17/24 Garden: ⋙ Resurrection [completed]
※ 06/03/24 Kurama's Return: ⋙ Resurrection [completed]
※ 09/20/24 Sickness*: ⋙ Resurrection
Pending
※ MM/DD/YY Kissing Scars: ⋙ Timeline
※ MM/DD/YY Eating Together: ⋙ Timeline
※ MM/DD/YY Swear To Me: ⋙ Timeline
Blank

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Hiei did more often than not prefer the demon world. He missed the smell when he was gone too long, along with the fact that it was just.. home. The human world was easy and gentle, by comparison, and while he didn't dislike that fact, at times the ability to languish at all hours pushed him toward boredom. In the demon world it wasn't really all about the random slaying for him anymore, but there were responsibilities now.

Mukuro relied on him for different tasks to be done, and his opinion was asked from time to time on how to handle things like border incursions or how to handle a particularly rowdy group in the city. Small matters comparatively, but big enough for Mukuro's right hand to be considered.

Hiei hums as he considers his answer, balancing that very pleased expression on the fox's face. The fire demon leans up to nip at Kurama's lips as a playful rebuttal to how pleased he is outwardly.

"Mn. It is a slower morning than when I am with Mukuro. You don't need to be so damn smug about it, though."

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.

“Kurama-” There is maybe even a laugh behind Hiei’s use of the fox’s name. Only here and very select closed spaces with very close comrades does Hiei behave like this. But even then the fox gets something different, sword worn hands taking his turn to bury in thick red locks.

It’s perhaps a dangerous move, considering all that Kurama keeps tucked in his hair, but here he is anyway. Always toeing the line of danger even when he maybe does not need to.

A nuzzle to the side of his head follows, Hiei shifting under him playfully as if he intends to reverse their positions again.

“You don’t mean to tell me that you have no pride in yourself at all for your role in this?”

“Mm-?” As if he can't possibly know what Hiei is getting at, grinning into his neck despite himself with the laugh in the other demon's tone. He's not too worried about hands in his hair, knowing his energy was required to activate any of the plants stored there - and also that he'd taken a great deal out before bed the previous night. Which was all beside the fact that he also knew by now, how much he enjoyed it.

Almost instinctively, Kurama's weight shifts, tensing slightly as if to resist the move, before relaxing again. He's not actually all that interested in fighting for the position if Hiei does choose to roll them over again, but even a lazy morning isn't enough to dull that competitive impulse entirely, playful as it might be at the moment. For now, he settles on nipping at the fire apparition's skin instead, more teeth than lip this time as Hiei continues to question him.

“Perhaps..." There is definitely a bit of pride. He nuzzles into Hiei's shoulder next with a faint smirk, still carefully propped on his elbows there as he relents finally. “Maybe a little. Can you truly blame me, with such company?”

Hiei makes a quiet noise in the back of his throat as Kurama's teeth meet his skin. He's grown used to it with much time and patience, his body's instinct to tense had been an obstacle to overcome at first, but Kurama's usual patience had won out in the end. Thankfully.

The fire apparition hadn't really known what he'd been missing with such close and warm interaction, Kurama's affection, and their ability to (mostly) joke so openly with one another without much in the way of hard feelings. All of it had been hard-earned with time and much affection on Kurama's part, only recently returned in semi-comfort by Hiei himself. He is still learning, and clumsy as a result, but he tries. Hiei does so desperately want to return the affection, the little gestures he now realizes were gestures as he looks back on them. So much had gone right over his head in the early days.

"Mn. For once I'll give in and say you have a right to it." As much as he told him not to be smug, he knows the fox deserves the credit. At least a little bit.

"I'm sure it was a great little game of catch for you at the time."

While the desire to openly give such affection had been born of his feelings for the Hiei, the spirit fox had not truly expected much in the way of reciprocation. It had started off almost amusing in a way, how the fire demon had responded in all of his uncertainty before really warming up to it. The little ways that attention had clumsily been returned had actually confused him initially, although whether Hiei noticed that surprise was another matter entirely. Not that the fox took any time at all to adjust to the welcome change, taking it for what it was as things developed over time.

The warmth at the suggestion he's earned that pride is short-lived. As Hiei's additional comment manages to confuse the redhead completely, leaving him momentarily dumbstruck in the following silence hanging between them. After a moment, Kurama pulls back to regard the fire apparition, thinking it over before responding. He's not sure what to do with that, or how to take it, really.

“A game? You can't truly believe that's what it was.” It's meant as a question, but the delivery is almost flat with how the assertion blindsides him, attempting to understand where exactly Hiei is coming from before truly reacting to it.

Hiei almost looks.. unsure, for a moment, as Kurama pulls back to really look at him. He was, and still is, quite certain that there is very little reason that Kurama would have started this out of a certain fondness for him. They worked well together and usually got along very well, but it still makes very little sense to him for Kurama's affections to lie with him. Despite everything that he had gained through sheer force of will Hiei is still... well.

He's still a forbidden child with not all that much to offer as far as he's concerned.

"In the beginning, maybe." Hiei's shoulders shrug, as if to say that it isn't that big of a deal if it was a game to begin with. It is not now, he doesn't think, and that's truly where it all matters so far as the fire demon is concerned. Hiei's hand lifts to thread through Kurama's hair, gentle this time instead of his usual tugging and general roughness.

"I wouldn't blame you."

The fire apparition's uncertainty leaves him hesitant. In his life, Kurama never did like to rush things or make assumptions without all of the information and there's something in Hiei's body language that suggests his reasoning has more to do with himself than any perceived notion about the fox's motivations.

Insecurity was such an odd thing to see with Hiei, not that he lacks it by any stretch, but that where and when it comes out over the years could sometimes catch the redhead by surprise. This was no different, considering their otherwise peaceful morning up until this moment.

While the history of being cast out looms over him and how he navigates the world, Kurama has simply never viewed him that way. His status with a race of apparitions who chose to isolate themselves from the rest of society never meant anything to him except in regards to how he continues to keep that wall up between himself and Yukina.

The fox remains silent, staying still there a moment longer as fingers thread through his hair before leaning in once more to bury his nose against the fire apparition's neck rather than attempting a response.

Hiei isn't quite sure how to take Kurama's silence. Whether it was that the fox was agreeing with his assessment or insulted wasn't very clear to him and.. if he's honest, it makes him a little nervous. The sudden pall over their warm, cuddly morning isn't something that he can miss, of course, and he struggles to figure out how he can reverse it, or at least attempt to steer them back toward something like what he had just somehow stomped all over with his assertion.

The best thing he can think to do is nuzzle in to the fox's head, hand reaching to bury in his bright hair.

Red eyes stare out at the opposite wall, blinking as he debates how to proceed, whether Kurama is upset or not.

Hiei nuzzles in again, a bit harder to catch his attention, he hopes. A little motion to make sure that he has the other man's attention instead of maybe being lost in his own mind. He doesn't really know what the hell he's doing here, stepping on to some very slippery and possibly thin ice so far as he can tell -

"I didn't mean to... ruin your mood."

Kurama smiles faintly as Hiei nuzzles in, gripping red hair as the fire apparition tries to sort out just how to approach things. He rolls to drop onto the mattress beside him instead, nudging his shoulder lightly now that he's no longer pressed into his neck. He doesn't seem at all concerned with whether or not the motion tugs at his hair in the process. When the fox does respond, his tone is light, pleasant as ever.

“You didn't.”

It's a lie, probably quite obviously, but the reason wasn't something he could admit to. That initial offense at Hiei's words was hardly fair to begin with, it would seem. As well known as the spirit fox was for enjoying puzzles and challenges, cracking codes, it was no wonder the fire apparition interpreted things that way, and it had made it easier and more enjoyable for him, even if it wasn't exactly his true motivation.

The realization that Hiei was speaking from his own self worth and not a jab at Kurama's behavior had come when he didn't double down in his accusation that the redhead was merely using it as entertainment. Which aligned far more with his expectations in the way the fire demon normally approached similar in the past, unwavering in his certainty of Kurama's intentions.

Instead the I wouldn't blame you wasn't the reassurance it was likely intended to be. Where there should have been a sense of relief that he wasn't being viewed through some twisted lens, ignoring his more human side, he'd felt something closer to dread. A cold shock to the system that in reality, Hiei couldn't fathom the idea of being wanted for any other reason. Now here he is trying to soothe the fox's mood, when he should be the one reassuring him. Clearly, he's just going to have to try harder.

“I just hadn't realized.”

"If you say so.." Clearly unconvinced, but he knows better than to try and challenge Kurama on these things. If the fox did not want to talk about it, he wouldn't, whether he try to shake the answer out of him or not. To Hiei, he was simply stating what he thought to be a fact. That he had been an oddity to collect for the other man, at least in the beginning when he had learned the reason for his Jagan, all of that. He couldn't blame the fox for doing what was natural to him.

Still, Kurama saying he hadn't realized makes him curious. The fire apparition nuzzles him again, an attempt at cajoling the redhead to actually explain when he asks.

Hiei can't help himself, he is far too curious -

"Hadn't realized what, exactly?"

Hiei seems to drop the matter, much to Kurama's relief, only to question the last thing he says, instead. The fox pulls back, propping himself up on an elbow as green eyes meet red, curiously.

So much for moving past this. It's harder for him to brush it off under such scrutiny, when the first attempt clearly hadn't worked, casual dismissal would likely only read as avoidance. The last thing he wants is to add more tension to the conversation.

“That you felt that way about it.” A little stiff in the delivery, even if his expression betrays nothing, trying to keep his emotions in check because there's no reason such an unintentional offense should ruin the entire morning. There was obviously more to this, but now was not the time.

“Perhaps I should get up to prepare breakfast.”

Hiei is, for better or worse, the type of demon that does not understand subtleties. Inferring anything from context is beyond him other than his own paranoid thoughts about why Kurama may be interested in him in the first place.

The fire apparition blinks innocently as the fox rises up to look at him again; unsure where this will go. He is so woefully unprepared and inexperienced with everything to do with what they are doing here that he tends to sort of blindly follow Kurama’s lead for the most part. Thankfully Hiei is a fast learner, for all of his less desirable traits.

He knows that it is not a full answer, but if Kurama is so intent on saying nothing … there’s no solve for it. At least not now.

The fire apparition sighs, though, as Kurama mentions breakfast, mouth turning downward. His stomach says he’s hungry, and yet he doesn’t want to relinquish Kurama’s attention just yet.

“Mn… I wish you could cook it from here.”

Kurama is, for the most part, oblivious to Hiei's paranoid thoughts regarding his motivation. For one, he'd assumed the fire apparition understood how important they've all been to each other over the years, for another he doesn't have a full grasp on the depth of his partner's self worth issues, so unlike his own in many ways.

To him, at least, this is a non-issue. A misunderstanding that can easily be cleared up if he just focuses enough on showing Hiei how much he actually matters. Words were never the way to go with the fire demon anyway, with how quick he is to dismiss them.

The fox smiles softly at that response, leaning forward to brush a light kiss to the corner of downturned lips without a thought.

“Another time, maybe. If I plan ahead.”

How many times now had they both participated in saying ‘it’s passed’ and moving on? Hiei’s reluctance to speak about his past beyond what Kurama already knew or could surmise by Yukina’s existence and their separation as young children said enough so far as he was concerned.

That he had been tossed out like vermin by his own family members, and then those he had once considered family weighs heavily on him still. In how the fire apparition, at least by what he claims, keeps all of them at an arm’s length, ready for them to one day decide he is too much and turn their backs on him as the bandits had. Even Kurama may one day realize he’s had enough and shut him out of this place he had made to specifically give them a space of their own.

It isn’t like Kurama couldn’t fill the space with someone else, right?

Yet again they don’t speak about it and assume the other will understand, Kurama’s kiss moving Hiei along instead of insisting upon the subject.

“If you plan ahead?” Hiei asks, amused, a brow raising.

“Will you have the plants cook us breakfast or something?”

Kurama continues to believe that Hiei will speak of things if and when he is ready to share. The spirit fox has so much past behind him at his age that the idea of needing to talk about it has never been a pressing thought of his, to even consider it a topic they should address in the first place. The fire demon can not be rushed into choices he doesn't want to make any more than he can be stopped when he's firmly set on an action, as the team has witnessed several times over the years. A fact he's well aware of, that isn't likely to change any time soon.

For now, at least, it does them both a favor that Hiei doesn't mention these thoughts, that he doesn't suggest to the redhead that he's entirely replaceable or that Kurama would even fathom bringing someone else into this space he'd set up specifically for them. For now, that slip up is dismissed as if it never happened.

The question asked next only throws him off and there's silence immediately following before he's laughing at the absurdity of it. “Mm, now there is an idea I had not considered… They can be quite versatile.”

With that, he stretches slowly before moving to get off the bed, because at this rate their lazy morning is going to turn into a lazy afternoon before either of them will have eaten anything. “For now, I'm afraid you'll have to settle for my cooking.”

“You hadn’t?” Hiei seems like he does not believe him on that note, but … oh well. Maybe he might try it at his suggestion, even for their own amusement. Hiei, for one, would love to see if it’s even possible.

He may have even elaborated if Kurama didn’t make to pull away, already making a little sound of disapproval even as he makes only a paltry attempt to stop him. As much as Hiei wouldn’t mind having a lazy morning that bleeds in to a lazy afternoon … he is hungry. And their lazy afternoon would likely sour if he was left hungry for too long.

“You torture me.” Sweetly, for the most part, but still. The fire apparition stretches like a lazy cat, nuzzling in to his pillow for a moment, debating catching a cat nap.

“Should I come out or stay here?”

Kurama quirks an eyebrow at that question, head tilting curiously before laughing his response. “Why on earth would I have thought of doing that from bed?”

Clearly, Hiei is the creative one here.

“Perhaps, but it can't be too bad if you keep returning.” He huffs a breath of amusement as the fire apparition nuzzles into the pillow once more, seeming set on staying put despite his question, and accusations of torture.

Leaning in to get one last nip at his jaw before the fox gets to his feet, he continues with a bit of tease lacing his tone. “Stay here for now, it hardly makes sense for you to get up only to watch me cook... I could always make something light and bring it to you. Just think, then you won't have to get up at all.”

“Mn. A lazy moment, maybe.” Said as if he isn’t purely thinking of something he would do, if he had the power to control plants from afar. The king of napping as he is, any way he can get something done while simultaneously resting is a win so far as Hiei is concerned.

“I really should work on my penchant for masochism.” Even if the masochism involved with Kurama (for now, anyway) is more often than not tearing himself away from the fox’s presence. Even Mukuro can only look at him in amusement when he finally returns to the demon world after his visits that, very often, extend past when he said she could expect him.

The fire apparition hums, as if he is thinking about his answer at all. Kurama has to know, by now, that he will never disagree with a little lie in where he is involved.

“I wouldn’t mind not getting up. But you knew that…”

“We all have our vices.” Not that he's going to elaborate or clarify what he means by that. Kurama does not ask often about Mukuro or Hiei's obligations back in demon world, certain that whatever the expectations are, he's handling them and scheduling his time here accordingly.

He barely conceals the smile as the fire apparition hums in apparent thought, certain he knows exactly what he'll say next. “I should be careful not to spoil you too much, you might come to expect it.”

Which is only really a concern for reasons he'll never actually mention.

The fox does not wait for a response after that, heading for the kitchen to start breakfast now that he's up to do so. It doesn't take long before he's back with a simple dish, something efficiently put together and easy enough to eat without much of a mess to clean up. Eggs plated over rice on a tray appropriate to use in bed, while definitely not the most impressive meal he's put together, appropriate under the circumstances.

“Here we are, I hope you're awake. It's nothing extravagant but should be filling enough... and, to think, you didn't have to get up at all.”

Hiei huffs a laugh as Kurama so easily says that they all have their vices. It’s true enough, of course. No one, especially demons, can deny that they all have their little quirks and things that they do for their own kicks here or there.

His own is becoming less and less related to getting his ass kicked, and more to do with being here with Kurama. It is partially that the fox spoils him, but majority that he feels such calm and relaxation here with him. The fact that he can sprawl here in bed without even having the passing, self chastising thought that he should be up and training, showing his power and dedication is more than enough for him to know that with Kurama is different.

Different enough that the fire demon is again dozing as Kurama returns, though lightly enough that he perks up as soon as he hears the fox’s foot steps.

“Mn. As you said, you spoil me.” The smell of food has a way with waking him up as well, scooting over to allow the redhead to settle in comfortably as well.

“Rice and egg?” He asks off scent alone before his eyes land on the dish, already quietly pleased. It’s simple, yes, but Hiei is hardly one to worry about how complicated a dish is before he eats it.

“It smells good.”

Kurama would, of course, take pride in his contribution to Hiei's ability to relax finally. Experiencing the ease and comfort of safety so that he doesn't have to be on high alert at all times. After all, it's these little things that he'd really wanted the fire apparition to get to experience in the first place.

“Do I?” The retort is automatic, unable to resist the tease or the amused expression accompanying it. “I could have sworn you were referring to it as torture not too long ago.”

When Hiei shifts to give him room, the fox sets the tray down with a bit of a smirk and offers him utensils as he speaks, sitting on the bed himself. “Yes, just something simple and light, for now. I thought better of risking curry in the bedroom... at least, this time.”

“You do both in equal measure.” And Hiei, obviously, does not begrudge him for it too much or he would not be here at all. Somehow they have grown only closer since that chance meeting that almost ended Hiei’s life then and there, and the fire apparition has no regrets or will to turn back. Even if he had been more than annoyed about being forced to work with Yusuke at first - at the very least he knew he had one capable being along with him in Kurama.

He is eager as always to take his utensils, narrowly reminding himself not to dig in already before Kurama even begins. Thankfully he manages to behave, though narrowly, very eager to dig in all the same.

“Mn.. I’d never hear the end of it if I stained your sheets.” With curry, anyway. The fire demon fidgets again, before he finally simply asks -

“Are you going to dig in yet?”

Kurama watches Hiei eagerly prepare to eat his meal before pausing to ask if the fox was going to, himself. His smile only widens at the question, motioning for the fire apparition to dig in before starting with his own eggs.

“I suppose I am lucky you put up with it, hm?”

As far as he sees it, Hiei could really spend his time however he wanted, the fact that he does stick around when he's always been very vocal about preferring demon world doesn't go unnoticed, even if it isn't mentioned out loud. Despite how much he likes to complain that the fox torments him in any number of ways.

At the part about staining the sheets, Kurama's head tilts curiously. “You could always learn how to clean them.”

Well.. with permission given and his dish mixed to his approval... Hiei is just going to dig in. Thankfully over the years he's learned some manner of table manners, but he's the least worried about having to hear about it when he is only in Kurama's company. Yusuke does rag on him from time to time, but purely to get on his nerves instead of any real concern about the fire demon's manners.

The fire demon blinks owlishly as he chews, though he thankfully does not speak through his food in retort to Kurama's comment about the sheets. Cleaning them seemed... domestic. Perhaps a little too domestic if he's honest, though the fire demon doesn't quite know the words to say so in the moment.

Thankfully, there is time to mull it over until he's had enough time to swallow some of what's in his mouth, a grimace making its way across the fire demon's face. "Why? I would probably do it wrong anyway."

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