A/N: You probably thought I had abandoned this, but fear not! It just took me a really, really long time to revise it. I even have a beta reader who's helping me. Hypothetically, this should have about fifteen short chapters. (See? Not forgotten and even planned out!)
"Hiei?"
"Hm?" The daemon in question regarded Kurama's reflection in the window he had taken to occupying in his spare time.
"I think I love you," Kurama stated offhandedly from the comfort of his rolling chair.
Hiei didn't respond and had yet to look at him. Even with the silence, his tension made it perfectly clear that he not only heard but comprehended what Kurama had said. This placed him in an awkward position -- something Hiei wasn't particularly fond of -- and he got the feeling that Kurama expected an answer. He had several options: replying, ignoring, or fleeing like the felon he was.
"You sure?" he asked tentatively of the reflection.
Kurama paused only a considerate moment. "Fairly."
"That doesn't sound positively sure." Declarations of love weren't common things for him, and Hiei in general had more than enough issues without this.
The chair squeaked as Kurama rocked slowly back and forth. He seemed unaware of the discomfort the squeaking caused Hiei, but in actuality was quite aware as he tried to be with most things. That tiny sadistic bit of him couldn't help but enjoy Hiei's silent suffering.
And then Kurama stopped. "I'm sure."
Squeak. Squeak.
"I've finished," Kurama assured him, allowing the abrupt change of topic for now. "Now I want to talk to you."
Hiei risked a glance at Kurama, suspicion hovering in his gaze. "Then talk." Even Kurama couldn't push him to well-and-truly converse.
Kurama sighed thoughtfully. He had pondered long and hard about this, and knew Hiei would refuse to cooperate. Love wasn't something he tossed around lightly, despite some rumours. Even in his years as a full-blooded, fully-alive daemon Kurama had refrained from such declarations made casually. Kuronue was the only other romantic love he'd had. It was probably far less for Hiei thanks to his rather tragic youth.
He told as much to Hiei. Hiei, predictably, wasn't swayed. "Do you expect me to make declarations of undying devotion?" he asked. "Your sentimentality is disgusting."
Squeak. Squeak.
"No, not really. I figured we would build up to that. Start slow so as not to wound your delicate ego." He wasn't fond of anything of his being called disgusting, even his sentimentality. If Hiei didn't want gentle, he wouldn't get it.
"Not used to being rejected, huh?" Hiei said, finally turning to face Kurama completely.
"I have yet to hear you reject me, Hiei."
"Can you not hear? I won't make declarations of undying devotion." This seemed the end of the discussion so far as Hiei was concerned.
He was also concerned about the enigmatic and entirely too pleased smile that had found its home on Kurama's lips.
Squeak. Squeak.