Hiei stepped into Kurama's kitchen, which was in plain view of the living area, so they could still converse. He looked around, trying to remember what to use and how to make things work, realizing that he had no idea where anything was. He started rummaging around, making a racket.
"Excuse me, Mio," Kurama said with a chuckle as he stood, making his way to the kitchen. Mio nodded, following him to the kitchen with her gaze. From her seat, she was able to see and hear their interactions. "You haven't been here before, have you, Hiei? Let me show you where things are," Kurama said, reaching past Hiei to a cupboard above him to pull out the tea. Hiei took it from him as Kurama crouched down to pull the tea kettle out from underneath.
Mio perked up at the words. 'If Hiei hadn't been here before, it meant that what Shuuichi had said about the unexpected visit was true,' she thought, feeling a small sense of relief. While she knew he hadn't lied, it was nice to have confirmation. She watched them in the kitchen as they moved without words. Shuuichi placed a hand on Hiei's shoulder as he reached for the tea, and Hiei returned the gesture by caressing the top of his head when he reached for the kettle. It looked absentminded, their bodies moving on their own because of the need to touch. She observed as they moved around each other: Shuuichi getting the mugs, Hiei filling the kettle, then switching. Hiei prepares the tea while Shuuichi turns on the stove. There wasn't anything particularly remarkable about the actions; rather, it was the way they seemed to know what the other was thinking of doing without saying a word. 'Almost like a dance,' Mio thought.
Kurama murmured something about the sugar, and Hiei nodded, grabbing the tray with everything and bringing it to the small table in the living room, Kurama following behind him. He set it down and walked back to the kitchen without looking at Mio while Kurama sat back across from her.
"So," Kurama started as he settled into the couch, "I suppose I can start with the fact that Hiei and I have known each other since I was a child. You could say we became unlikely friends then, before Hiei had to... move away," Kurama heard Hiei snort softly from the kitchen, a sound that was covered by the sound of the kettle whistling. Hiei grabbed the kettle and brought it over. Kurama took it from him and poured the water before putting it down.
Hiei settled back on the armrest, draping his arm across the back, effectively wrapping his arm around Kurama's shoulders. "Years passed before we met again," Hiei offered quietly as he looked down at Kurama, who nodded, reaching for his cup of tea and sipping before continuing. Mio followed his lead and did the same.
"Yes, you came to me for help with a project, and we ended up volunteering together," Kurama smiled as he reminisced.
"Hn. Speak for yourself," Hiei retorted, and Kurama chuckled softly.
"Volunteered? So you two worked together? What did you do?" Mio asked curiously.
"Essentially. We spent time with a... detective agency, helping where necessary. That's also where we got to know Yuusuke and Kuwabara." Kurama said, taking another sip as he recalled the story that Botan had created for Keiko at the beginning of their adventures.
"Oh! I remember them! I think they mentioned something about your time there at some point," Mio brightened, somewhat glad that she knew a small bit about the history. Hiei looked at her curiously as he reached for his own teacup, then glanced at Kurama questioningly.
"We've met up with them a few times," Kurama offered. "Went on a few dates with Yuusuke and Keiko," Kurama could feel Hiei's mood shift and his body tense a bit, but he remained silent. Mio noticed the change as well, making a note of the piercing gaze, the hand tightly gripping the teacup, and clenching jaw, and she brought her cup up to her lips as if to hide behind it.
'Oh, seems like he's the jealous type. He looks scary,' Mio thought, a bit wary. A previous experience with an ex-boyfriend made her nervous at the familiar signs, and she was worried about Hiei lashing out. One of Kurama's hands moved to Hiei's knee, and he visibly relaxed, all the tension draining from his body almost immediately. She was amazed that a simple touch was all it took. 'Still has a resting bitch face, though,' she thought.
Kurama rubbed Hiei's knee with his thumb, trying to soothe him. He knew Hiei was going to get easily riled up until he felt more secure. "After our time there," Kurama continued, "we went our separate ways, somewhat. Hiei, Yuusuke, and I worked for different competing entities though there was some overlap with work and special events, so we saw each other occasionally," Hiei smirked when Kurama mentioned 'special events', knowing he was talking about the tournaments. "We had some mutual friends that we would get together with as well when we all had time. Because of their help, we realized there was... something more than friendship and professional courtesy between us," Kurama smiled fondly, squeezing Hiei's thigh before returning his hand to his cup.
Hiei snorted at that. "Yeah, their idea of help was too much alcohol," he said, sounding annoyed, but Mio could see there was a small smile on his lips. Kurama chuckled.
"Yes, that was a rather crude method, though I doubt we would have gotten there ourselves otherwise," he sighed wistfully, remembering the jeering from their friends, all of them convinced that there was already something more happening between them. He remembered that the friendly prodding continued as they drank, but after Chuu brought out the Ogre Killer, he didn't remember anything else. Yuusuke had to show them a video recording of their very heated makeout session to convince them it had actually happened. Kurama glanced over as Hiei sipped his tea, remembering the look on his face, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, while they watched themselves on Yuusuke's phone. Hands were everywhere, clothes were pulled apart, lips touched everything, and there was so much tongue. After a minute or two of hearing the words coming out of their mouths, Hiei bolted out through the nearest exit, a blur of black, white, and red. Those circumstances ended up repeating themselves at almost every get-together afterward.
"So you dated after that?" Mio asked, feeling sucked in by their story. They looked at her and back at each other, not expecting the question.
"Not..." Hiei started.
"...exactly," Kurama finished. He turned back to Mio. "We certainly spent more time together, as much as we could manage, anyway..." He drifted off in thought. "Things were complicated, and prior commitments didn't allow for romantic attachment," Kurama mused, sounding regretful. Hiei looked like he was going to argue but didn't budge. His free hand clenched open and shut repeatedly, and he put his cup down. There was a heavy silence for a while. Surprisingly, Hiei broke the silence.
"Why did you leave?" He asked quietly. Both Kurama and Mio were taken aback by the sudden question. Kurama sighed, clasping his hands together and looking down at them, avoiding Hiei's accusatory glare and Mio's curious gaze. He really didn't want to have this conversation right now.
"Hiei, I don't think-" He started to say but was cut off.
"Answer the question, Kurama." Hiei bit back. He was tired of wondering why, of spending countless hours trying to figure out what happened or if he had done something wrong. He already felt like he had waited too long and wasted too much time.
Kurama sighed, feeling a weight press down on his shoulders. "You know I had responsibilities here that needed my full attention. I couldn't afford to split the time anymore." The line sounded like a mantra, as if it had been recited over and over again, and to Kurama, it was. That was what he had told himself over and over, not wanting to admit the truth to himself.
Hiei stood, suddenly incensed, putting some distance between them. "So that meant cutting off all contact?! Five years, Kurama! Not a word from you or about you! Even Yuusuke would say anything! Do you have any idea-" He stopped himself. All the concern and worry he had felt before suddenly came rushing back to him all at once. He raked his hands through his hair, not knowing what to do with them out of frustration.
"You could have come earlier..." Kurama muttered quietly, still avoiding eye contact.
Now Hiei wanted to punch something. "Not even my Jagan could find you! I was forced to think you didn't want to be found after countless searches!" Hiei huffed in frustration, stalking over to the kitchen and back, unable to keep still. "What's the real reason?! Why did you disappear?"
Kurama shot up and faced him, suddenly feeling anxious and frustrated. "Because I fell in love with you, Hiei! I thought I could be happy to stay by your side like we were, but then it wasn't enough. I couldn't keep kidding myself when you didn't feel the same, so I made a choice! I thought you would seek me out if you felt the same. After years of agony and waiting, I finally tried to move on, and that's when you decided to show up!" Kurama was practically shouting, both of them entirely forgetting that Mio was watching from just a few feet away.
Hiei was furious, his eyes blazing, and his entire body radiated heat. He marched up to Kurama and pulled him gruffly by his shirt. Mio flinched, thinking that he was about to get violent. Instead, she was flabbergasted when Hiei pulled him in for a harsh kiss. Kurama flailed and would have lost his footing if Hiei hadn't gripped the back of his neck to pull him closer. Kurama's eyes widened before closing, melting into the kiss with a soft groan as his lips parted to accept it more readily, gripping Hiei by his shoulders and bringing him close, closing whatever distance there was between them. Hiei brought both hands to hold Kurama's face, breaking the kiss slowly.
"You're a fucking idiot," Hiei murmured against Kurama's lips, slightly out of breath. Kurama gave a soft laugh, feeling a sense of relief wash over him, and nodded slightly, diving in for another kiss.
"Mmn..." A small moan escaped Mio's lips, reminding her hosts that she was still there and had witnessed the entire exchange. She gasped and covered her face with her hands, turning bright red with embarrassment. "Fuck, I wish the ground would swallow me up right now! I didn't mean for that to come out; oh my gosh!" She looked entirely mortified but peeked out from behind her fingers. "You guys are fucking hot, okay?!" She exclaimed, trying to excuse herself.
Kurama burst out laughing, and Hiei stood there defensively. "I'm not sharing, he's mine," Hiei warned.
Mio relaxed and put her hands up in front of her nervously, "Don't worry, I know when I'm beaten," she said, laughing. "I always wondered why you took things so slowly, Shuuichi. I figured it was out of respect, but now I see I never stood a chance," she said. She looked over at Hiei, who had wrapped an arm around him and held him close.
Kurama breathed a sigh of relief. "Mio, thank you. For your understanding, your time, and attention, for everything. I do care about you very much, and I hope that we can continue a friendly relationship," He smiled, and Mio couldn't remember ever seeing him so happy.
"I'd like that," she said as she started to stand. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still kind of upset, but I get it. I'm happy for you," she said, giving them both a bright smile and turning toward the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm sure you have some making-up to do after that fight. I'll see you both later," She giggled and winked at them, letting herself out and shutting the door before they could say anything. Mio paused outside the door and took a shuddering breath, feeling her chin quiver as she tried not to cry. She meant it when she said that she was happy for them, but breakups still hurt, especially with someone as magnificent as Shuuichi. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she wiped it away. 'How am I going to break this to my mom?' she thought, chuckling to herself as she walked away.