He always seemed to be watching her, his eyes glazed over but focused with concentration, observing her little chest rise and fall.
He rarely noticed Mukuro was awake unless she spoke, but he would look away as if burned, rising up out of the bed to dress and leave again.
He'd pretend he was going to do something unrelated, and perhaps he was, but whenever he returned he would bring food for them both.
He never held her unless Mukuro asked him to, unless he was required, but his carefulness sometimes bridged on the paranoid. If Mukuro took too long, he'd be setting her down or shoving her back in Mukuro's arms regardless, finishing whatever task she was doing for her.
Truthfully, Mukuro was just as frightened, but she tried not to show it. She knew Hiei wouldn't take the reins, and she refused to allow her fear to get in the way of caring for something so innocent. It didn't deserve neglect. It didn't deserve what either of them had lived through.
It was like that for a while before Hiei finally warmed up to it all, and Mukuro was able to relax again.
By the time the little one could speak, the two of them were getting into arguments - usually silly ones, but sometimes it would upset her and Hiei would reluctantly give her little kisses, and eventually she'd nuzzle and nibble on his face like she often did when she was feeling playful.
Mukuro loved it when she did that - it made Hiei smile in a way she'd never seen.