By now, they had established a meeting place of their own in the woods, somewhere not too far from the house, but secluded enough to provide a general sense of privacy. A place Kurama had been easily found during the glitches, avoiding crowds in his fox form, and of course manipulating the plants to allow for more coverage. Somewhere safe and uniquely theirs.
He'd sent the fire apparition a message to be there at a specific time in the evening, half expecting Hiei to have arrived before him when he does show up with his surprise for the day. Kurama doesn't bother with a greeting or explanation, setting the basket he brought along with him on the grass and crouching down to unpack it, as he speaks casually.
“I do hope you're hungry.”
There isn't much point in asking, he knows that Hiei can always eat or he'd have been more forthcoming with information about his plans, so that his appetite wasn't ruined before arriving. Instead, the redhead opted to surprise him, curious if the fire apparition has absorbed enough about human customs to understand any of the significance to his dinner plans once they're revealed.
He’s been curious since he’d read Kurama’s message what, exactly, this surprise would be. With Kurama he could never be too sure what he would come up with, or meet him with, when the time came. The meeting place being set for the little clearing they had somehow made their own piques his curiosity even more, and he is, actually, early to their meeting place. Early for a nap, of course, just far enough up in the trees above their meeting place that he wouldn’t be found by eye, though Kurama will likely know he’s there the moment he walks in.
Hiei does not, after all, make very much effort to obscure his energy since most people in Aldrip can’t sense it anyway.
The fire apparition drops out of the tree shortly before Kurama speaks, humming a short noise of agreement at the fact he was hungry. Red eyes dart around to what Kurama is doing, a quirk of his brow indicating his confusion so far.
Kurama has gotten used to seemingly talking to himself when he senses Hiei nearby and out of sight, it seems a fair enough trade considering how often the fox hides in the shadows. Which is why he wastes no time waiting for the fire apparition to join him before getting started, knowing he's up in a tree and will come down in short order, as he predictably does.
The fact that the Chosen arrive from any variety of worlds keeps Kurama more diligent about concealing his energy, at least. There's no telling who can sense it or how they'd approach once demonic energy was recognized. It isn't worth the risk of giving anyone the upper hand in that way, as far as the fox is concerned.
He looks up at the question with his usual disarming smile, answering simply enough as he pulls out a few containers and sets them down. “Christmas dinner. It took a little work to find a place, one of the many things this city lacks is a proper KFC... but I believe this was the best option.”
Hiei pauses for a moment, absorbing both the scent of what Kurama was bringing out for them as well as what the fox was saying at the same time. In a way, he’s more surprised that Kurama had gone to these lengths to continue something he’d brought up in passing about Christmas when they’d been idly talking about the holiday.
It’s about all he really fixates on about the holiday, after all - the food. Primarily the fried chicken. The rest of the sentimentality was pretty much lost on him.
“You found somewhere to make fried chicken?” A pause, and then - “For this meal?”
Color him surprised, even if it’s pleasantly. Hiei removes his cape before he moves to settle down and sit, eager but also immediately trying to work out the why of it all.
“Are you also going to be asking me to track down something particularly difficult, along with it?” Look… he knows how this works sometimes.
Kurama analyzes, it's what he does. It's what he's been doing right along since they arrived here, but most notably with Hiei since things began to change. It wasn't unusual for them to disagree, bicker and get under each other's skin. It was unusual for it to happen quite so frequently. The Solstice was another factor, the fire apparition’s behavior there was so unpredictable and difficult to read, he couldn't help revisiting it since. Trying to figure out what he'd missed somehow, all that overthinking he's often accused of doing.
This is a stab in the dark and he knows it. While the fox imagines he'll appreciate the gesture for what it is, the symbolism and human sentimentality attached to it is likely beyond Hiei. Yet, he does it anyway, and he doesn't bother to explain in any meaningful way.
“It is tradition.” As if this much was obvious enough not to need saying. A tradition that was started not long before he was born in human world, so he'd grown up hearing about it and seeing it all over. Even for someone as oblivious as Hiei it was possible that he'd seen mention of the most romantic day of the year in his time stuck in human world, at least.
He's ready for the fire apparition to question what he's doing or why, he expects him not to really know about or understand the holiday, what he's not prepared for is the question he does think to ask. Kurama pauses, looking at Hiei with a mix of offense and confusion. “Why on earth would I do that?”
At the moment, Hiei is thinking of literally anything but any possible romantic implication. He appreciates the gesture of course, even if he doesn't quite understand doing that undertaking for the sake of having a picnic out here in the woods with him. They have been spending quite a bit of time together, though, and so he thinks that may have some part in it, despite how much of that time is spent bickering and wenching at each other from time to time. Some might consider it annoying, but to Hiei it is simply how they are.
The fox is better company than most, anyway, so it was worth it just to annoy him if nothing else.
"It is... but I wasn't sure if you would want to do it, here." Who knew if it would raise some kind of sentimentality in him that Kurama did not want to revisit, or something like that. The fire demon is always very hesitant to even think of touching the subject of Kurama's mother, especially here and now. Knowing that they may be separated for a long period, if not forever... he doesn't want to possibly accidentally remind him.
The fire apparition looks surprised at Kurama's reaction, stopping sort of in a half-sitting position as Kurama pauses as well. He hadn't exactly said it to offend him, after all.
"You do that, sometimes. Find something to motivate me in order to get me to do something you would like me to." He is aware of it and yet he plays in to it anyway... mostly because it gives him a step to come down to when he does not want to admit his own interest in some matters, but that's beside the point. Hiei drops to his bottom om the ground and shrugs, apparently unbothered by the possibility but... you know. Just wanting to know. "I thought this might be one of those cases."
Kurama is not thinking about his mother, because Christmas Eve is a romantic holiday where Christmas was typically for family and friends. That will be an emotional crisis for tomorrow, today he's focused on this- which means that he's not exactly following Hiei's meaning when the fire apparition suggests he might not want to do it ‘here’.
It also means he will likely isolate himself for a portion of tomorrow to brood in private. It isn't exactly as if he'd needed the reminder, thinking of his mother - and what his absence could mean for her back home - every day, already.
“This seemed like the best place, it is more private. I imagine we'd be interrupted at the house…” He certainly did not get enough food for everyone, as far as he's concerned that was a sentimentality for tomorrow. Even if the holiday itself wasn't a big enough deal for any of them to acknowledge it.
Hiei stops mid-sit and green eyes watch him curiously, taking in the surprise of his expression before the fire apparition speaks to clarify. His eyebrows lift at the explanation, still clearly puzzled by the apparent overreaction to what he'd considered a rather simple gesture. “What about fried chicken warrants tracking down something ‘particularly difficult’, exactly?”
Here, Kurama sighs, because while it was entertaining to see just how much of human customs Hiei might pick up on, the idea that he'd only track down this meal to get Hiei to track something different down for him is not the direction he expected the discussion to go. Yes, he did tend to find certain encouragements to motivate Hiei into doing things from time to time, but he was generally pretty forthcoming about those intentions, leading with what he wanted before attempting to sweeten the deal when the fire apparition resisted.
“It's a meal, the only thing I am asking you to do is enjoy it.”
“Yes. And we would have to share.” Which Hiei obviously does not want to do at the moment. If they had any leftovers, maybe, but he would likely simply drop them off for Yukina and deal with Yusuke’s whining later. It wouldn’t be the first or last time, after all, and Hiei could hardly care in the first place.
The fire apparition at least has it within himself to look a little shy as Kurama asks what would make him think the ask would be difficult. A fair enough question, but one that’s met with a quiet little shrug that says Hiei was most likely over thinking it all.
“I don’t know. You put some effort in so you might expect it in return.” That was what Hiei was used to, anyway, with his general demon relationships. Transactional thinking and dealing was, basically, how demons tended to operate with one another. Particularly in his current spot under Mukuro.
Applying it to Kurama, while not wholly correct, makes sense enough in his mind.
“Not a tall ask.” Hiei not enjoying food is practically an impossibility after all. Though… since he’s already stuck his foot in his mouth, Hiei gestures for Kurama to pick.
His head tips slightly at that, watching Hiei curiously with surprise that the concept of sharing even came up. There was a reason he didn't want to be interrupted, after all. He responds in a matter- of-fact manner, as if this much was obvious.
“I did not bring enough to share, actually.”
The little smile that follows the fire apparition's explanation for his reasoning is automatic, “Everyone puts in some effort for a holiday, that's what makes them special. Stepping outside of routine to do a little extra. It's about spending time together, not leveraging favors.”
Kurama is a demon and he will always be one, that does color his perspective and personality and it always will. This is a human tradition though, and it is one he's treating accordingly. Even if he is watching for any hint of realization on the other's part, that was the extent of his expectations for their little get together. This place has become a bit of a safe haven for them, and he wasn't about to use it for anything akin to a business transaction.
When Hiei gestures for the fox to make a selection, the idle smile only widens. He takes two of the containers and sets them directly in front of the fire apparition, indicating as he speaks. “These are your portions. This is the chicken here, and that one's the side dishes…”
The fire demon can probably smell which is which without the help, but Aldrip was not like back home. Which means aside from the chicken that Kurama had been determined to get for this meal, the sides might be more foreign in nature, reflecting Christmas traditions unknown in Japan. A variety of vegetables, mostly.
“I also made sure to include dessert, but I'm afraid that may be a little anticlimactic after such a meal.” More or less because the traditional Japanese dessert for the holiday was to Kurama's personal tastes rather than Hiei's, but they both know he'll enjoy pretty much anything all the same.
Hiei simply makes one of those sly smiles as Kurama says he did not bring enough to share. He’s far from annoyed at the thought of not having enough to share, of course - the fire demon struggles to remember himself, sometimes, when faced with good foood. It wasn’t all that long ago he was primarily eating with his hands, after all.
The fire apparition tips his head a little at Kurama’s explanation. All of this human sentiment stuff is still so new to him that he does not quite know how to process it. Or what it all means, if he’s honest. A part of him still wonders if some of it is not also a means to gain leverage, but he is quick enough to not allow himself to say as much. They already spend so much time together, he almost wonders what need there is for more, particularly with the rate at which they end up bickering. Lately, they spend quite a good bit of time picking at one another, getting in to little fights with no real meaning or reason. Hiei hasn’t missed that, though he wonders on why.
“Oh.” Another thing he’s been saying a lot, lately. Coming to certain understandings that he hadn’t really understood before that moment. He certainly can still smell the difference in the box of sides, picking them up and smelling through the box before he opens it to actually look. The difference is curious, but thankfully Hiei is not the type to pass on vegetables. Food is food, so far as he is concerned, and there is very little that he will not eat.
He thinks this is basically his go ahead to start, actually, opening the box of chicken to eat first. In his usual style Hiei eats with his hands, plucking up a piece as Kurama goes on about making sure to have dessert.
Interest piqued, the fire apparition thankfully asks before he takes his first bite :
The fox relaxes a bit as the fire demon seems to finally ease into the concept of just having dinner without ulterior motives or involving others. He's not exactly holding his breath for any semblance of manners, but he'll take the other refraining from working leverage into the conversation again for the moment, at least.
Knowing Hiei and exactly what he's dealing with, Kurama wouldn't have brought fried chicken if he was expecting him not to eat with his hands, KFC was hardly fine dining. He remains oblivious to Hiei's thought process as he tries to understand the motive behind the redhead's actions, all this about human sentimentality and the amount of bickering they manage to do more often than not since arriving here.
As far as the sides go, he is relying on the fire apparition's eagerness to eat just about anything for most of them, knowing that some of the options were more familiar than others. Even if Hiei were a picky eater, the chicken was the focal point of the meal, for him at least. Kurama was far more interested in trying new dishes than the same old thing, mostly because the novelty of most things didn't linger long for him, most food was just that as far as he's concerned.
Green eyes watch as the fire apparition inspects the containers, looking over the sides curiously without comment. The thing he does seem inclined to ask about is the dessert, which hasn't been unpacked yet, and the fox looks no less amused at the inquiry.
"No..." In fact, the fire demon makes a little face at the thought that Kurama thinks he would want his dessert too, digging into the chicken breast he's pulled from his box with sharp little teeth. He could've held off to finish explaining, but the smell of it, combined with the feeling of warm meat in his hands was too much to ignore to finish his sentence. At least not until he had a mouthful already on board -
" - You just aren't normally very... eager for sweets." Yes, it's said through the chicken, no he isn't sorry about it. Chalk another thing up on the list they're apparently going to lowkey bicker over, and another little confusion he has going on over what the hell is going on here.
For a long moment, Hiei is focused on his chicken and his chicken only, reminding himself that he doesn't need to eat quickly despite his nagging want to. The faster they finish the meal, the faster they go back to one of Kurama's many jobs or the house with the others... and with that little thought in mind, he finally slows down enough to speak again.
"Does the holiday mean you get some time to not be.. at your jobs? It seems a lot of people here celebrate a little.. differently than in our world..."
Hiei was not normally the type of demon who bothered to pretend to understand human things. Even though his partner lived a mostly human life, the little fire demon saw little value in learning the days and traditions that Kurama tended to mark with even a bit of reserved reverence for, even if it was only for the sake of tradition. However... since they had begun bickering so often, and Kurama had done so much to mark Christmas with a meal that he would like...
The fire demon has decided to make an exception.
Over time he's gathered a few little bits and things that he thinks the redhead would like. An Aldrip version (black in color) of the fox tail charm Kurama carried on his backpack in their world, and of course a little strawberry dessert to match the fox's tastes.
Had he opted out of giving them to him in person and simply left them on his bed when he knew Kurama was close to the house? Yes.
Kurama does not go looking for Hiei once he's found the surprise that's been left for him. He assumes it was left without a word for a reason, after all. He does, however, see no point in playing ignorant once he comes across the fire demon by chance later. Head tilting thoughtfully with the question that comes instead of any sort of proper greeting.
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about who was in my room earlier, would you, Hiei?"
Hiei knows that Kurama will certainly know who the gifts are from, but leaving them in this way takes out a certain level of awkwardness that helps his comfort level. Small steps or something like that. The fire demon has taken refuge in his normal tree after the drop had been made, snacking away on a little bit of a treat he’d gotten for himself as well.
Red eyes fall on his partner from his spot in his tree .. but he isn’t coming down just yet.
“How much earlier?” Might as well play hard to get right?
"That is a good question." He sounds sincerely puzzled, if only because the followup inquiry was unexpected, actually. They both know who it was and they both know that Kurama knows despite Hiei's delivery methods and evasion.
"Recent enough that the dessert was fresh, at least. The timing is peculiar, though."
“Mn.” Little shit fire demon as he is, Hiei isn’t too fussed about revealing himself just yet. In due time of course, especially now that he’s finished his own little treat he’d gotten along with Kurama’s.
Hiei turns so his feet dangle over the side of a branch as he turns to face Kurama more directly at least, hands perched lightly to either side, far too comfortable with heights to be using them as extra grip.
“Any thoughts on possibilities?”
As if anyone would be able to sneak by them unnoticed.
His head tilts as Hiei moves, watching him curiously. "On when-?"
That is the question Hiei asked in the first place. When, not who. Still, he's not quite that much of a troll.
"It's the strangest thing, really. There's no sign anyone else was ever in the room." There were a few people in Aldrip that could pull that off, but they certainly weren't going to do it to leave gifts, and none of them knew him well enough to select something quite so personal.
"That certainly narrows the suspect list down considerably."
The sudden shift catches him off guard and Kurama doesn't respond right away, mentally tripping over his own confusion for a moment before speaking again.
Hiei's head tips slightly from his spot, as if he's puzzling over what is going through Kurama's head for a moment. Lately they've been very good at twisting themselves up in to knots without very much effort, and in the moment he realizes that they are actively tip toeing toward that.
... Having just given gifts, he would like to avoid confrontation (for once in his life) and sighs before dropping down in front of him.
"Good, because I would be annoyed I spent all that time making sure it got here just fine for it to melt up there."
His gaze lowers as Hiei drops down in front of him, expression carefully neutral. They are both thinking the same thing as far as wanting to avoid confrontation, but he can't help himself when the fire demon makes a point of all the effort he made.
"You act like I had to raid something for a piece of cake." The fire demon delays, trying to think of something that is his usual level of avoidant. Trying not to think of the warm feeling that rises in his chest at the thought of bringing something for Kurama to enjoy on his own, maybe a silly little trinket to remind the fox of him at some random hour of the day.
It's a strange thing. He knows Kurama does not feel the way he does, and yet he can't stop.
Kurama very carefully does not point out that Hiei had just said as much. Instead, he smiles at the reminder that they'd had a very similar conversation about the effort put into a certain dinner he'd gotten a few months ago. Hiei continues before he thinks to speak and the thought dies abruptly before it even has a chance to fully form.
"White Day is this month, yes- on the 14th, actually."
Not that it explains why Hiei would think to get him something for the sake it. Or whether he even knows how it works. The fox doesn't expect to get any sort of explanation for any of the questions that come with this exchange, so there's little point in asking them as far as he sees it.
"It would have been nice to share though, wouldn't it?"
[One moment you are minding your own business and the next Jerry has appeared in front of you. It takes only one blink of the eye, and he is there. It’s a bit odd that he has made an appearance, given the only time people tend to see him is for sentencing at the courthouse. Was it a trick of the light? Was it a hallucination caused by food poisoning? No, Jerry is actually in front of you.]
You took definitive action to stop the spread of the arson attack at the training grounds. For this, you will be rewarded. [You have the sneaking suspicion that reward might be a strong word for what is about to be given to you as a task.] Those who have committed criminal activity will provide restoration services to the training grounds and surrounding areas as penance. You, as an upstanding citizen of Aldrip, will preside over monitoring their progress.
[Wow, what fun, right? Jerry seemed pleased with this declaration. He even reached out to shake your hand as if you two are equals when it comes to assisting in the safe upkeeping of the law in Aldrip.]
Please see that the six individuals complete their restoration work in a timely manner. Your team will oversee them at their tasks. Please arrive each day promptly until the work is completed. It should only take two to three days.
[With that, Jerry just leaves. Again, he is there in front of you and the next he is gone again. He leaves behind in your hand from the handshake (or if you refused it, you’ll find it on your person) a badge that clips on a pocket or belt designating you a community service enforcer. Congratulations! Or condolences.]
[ooc: You, along with every other person that helped contain or put out the fires in the training ground, have been tasked to oversee the restoration. You will oversee 6 unlucky sentenced Chosen. You will not participate in the restoration efforts personally, but you will have to talk, bribe, threaten, and manage the six to achieving their sentencing. You may work together with your fellow enforcers to this end as well. A game plan may be necessary as some of these six can be… rebellious.
If you complete your task and stay diligent on this, you will notice the natives greet you warmly, provide supplies and even help you with something that you need done or want. You will also receive a blue great job ribbon for your hard work! Hang on to this ribbon; it will allow you to continue to have free stuff given to you by the natives and it may be used in your own sentencing to remind Jerry of your previous contributions and he will release you from sentencing (unless you really want to participate).
If you and the other enforcers fail to convince the sentenced to complete their tasks, the natives will appear sad and sympathetic towards you. They will pat you on the shoulder as if you have tried and failed to overcome impossible odds. You will receive a yellow you tried pin for your efforts. It looks fancy, but it doesn’t appear to provide you any benefits except some of the natives take pity on you and give you a muffin they baked. It tastes like sadness in your mouth.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Christmas Eve
He'd sent the fire apparition a message to be there at a specific time in the evening, half expecting Hiei to have arrived before him when he does show up with his surprise for the day. Kurama doesn't bother with a greeting or explanation, setting the basket he brought along with him on the grass and crouching down to unpack it, as he speaks casually.
“I do hope you're hungry.”
There isn't much point in asking, he knows that Hiei can always eat or he'd have been more forthcoming with information about his plans, so that his appetite wasn't ruined before arriving. Instead, the redhead opted to surprise him, curious if the fire apparition has absorbed enough about human customs to understand any of the significance to his dinner plans once they're revealed.
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He’s been curious since he’d read Kurama’s message what, exactly, this surprise would be. With Kurama he could never be too sure what he would come up with, or meet him with, when the time came. The meeting place being set for the little clearing they had somehow made their own piques his curiosity even more, and he is, actually, early to their meeting place. Early for a nap, of course, just far enough up in the trees above their meeting place that he wouldn’t be found by eye, though Kurama will likely know he’s there the moment he walks in.
Hiei does not, after all, make very much effort to obscure his energy since most people in Aldrip can’t sense it anyway.
The fire apparition drops out of the tree shortly before Kurama speaks, humming a short noise of agreement at the fact he was hungry. Red eyes dart around to what Kurama is doing, a quirk of his brow indicating his confusion so far.
“You wanted to meet for a meal?”
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The fact that the Chosen arrive from any variety of worlds keeps Kurama more diligent about concealing his energy, at least. There's no telling who can sense it or how they'd approach once demonic energy was recognized. It isn't worth the risk of giving anyone the upper hand in that way, as far as the fox is concerned.
He looks up at the question with his usual disarming smile, answering simply enough as he pulls out a few containers and sets them down. “Christmas dinner. It took a little work to find a place, one of the many things this city lacks is a proper KFC... but I believe this was the best option.”
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Hiei pauses for a moment, absorbing both the scent of what Kurama was bringing out for them as well as what the fox was saying at the same time. In a way, he’s more surprised that Kurama had gone to these lengths to continue something he’d brought up in passing about Christmas when they’d been idly talking about the holiday.
It’s about all he really fixates on about the holiday, after all - the food. Primarily the fried chicken. The rest of the sentimentality was pretty much lost on him.
“You found somewhere to make fried chicken?” A pause, and then - “For this meal?”
Color him surprised, even if it’s pleasantly. Hiei removes his cape before he moves to settle down and sit, eager but also immediately trying to work out the why of it all.
“Are you also going to be asking me to track down something particularly difficult, along with it?” Look… he knows how this works sometimes.
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This is a stab in the dark and he knows it. While the fox imagines he'll appreciate the gesture for what it is, the symbolism and human sentimentality attached to it is likely beyond Hiei. Yet, he does it anyway, and he doesn't bother to explain in any meaningful way.
“It is tradition.” As if this much was obvious enough not to need saying. A tradition that was started not long before he was born in human world, so he'd grown up hearing about it and seeing it all over. Even for someone as oblivious as Hiei it was possible that he'd seen mention of the most romantic day of the year in his time stuck in human world, at least.
He's ready for the fire apparition to question what he's doing or why, he expects him not to really know about or understand the holiday, what he's not prepared for is the question he does think to ask. Kurama pauses, looking at Hiei with a mix of offense and confusion. “Why on earth would I do that?”
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At the moment, Hiei is thinking of literally anything but any possible romantic implication. He appreciates the gesture of course, even if he doesn't quite understand doing that undertaking for the sake of having a picnic out here in the woods with him. They have been spending quite a bit of time together, though, and so he thinks that may have some part in it, despite how much of that time is spent bickering and wenching at each other from time to time. Some might consider it annoying, but to Hiei it is simply how they are.
The fox is better company than most, anyway, so it was worth it just to annoy him if nothing else.
"It is... but I wasn't sure if you would want to do it, here." Who knew if it would raise some kind of sentimentality in him that Kurama did not want to revisit, or something like that. The fire demon is always very hesitant to even think of touching the subject of Kurama's mother, especially here and now. Knowing that they may be separated for a long period, if not forever... he doesn't want to possibly accidentally remind him.
The fire apparition looks surprised at Kurama's reaction, stopping sort of in a half-sitting position as Kurama pauses as well. He hadn't exactly said it to offend him, after all.
"You do that, sometimes. Find something to motivate me in order to get me to do something you would like me to." He is aware of it and yet he plays in to it anyway... mostly because it gives him a step to come down to when he does not want to admit his own interest in some matters, but that's beside the point. Hiei drops to his bottom om the ground and shrugs, apparently unbothered by the possibility but... you know. Just wanting to know. "I thought this might be one of those cases."
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It also means he will likely isolate himself for a portion of tomorrow to brood in private. It isn't exactly as if he'd needed the reminder, thinking of his mother - and what his absence could mean for her back home - every day, already.
“This seemed like the best place, it is more private. I imagine we'd be interrupted at the house…” He certainly did not get enough food for everyone, as far as he's concerned that was a sentimentality for tomorrow. Even if the holiday itself wasn't a big enough deal for any of them to acknowledge it.
Hiei stops mid-sit and green eyes watch him curiously, taking in the surprise of his expression before the fire apparition speaks to clarify. His eyebrows lift at the explanation, still clearly puzzled by the apparent overreaction to what he'd considered a rather simple gesture. “What about fried chicken warrants tracking down something ‘particularly difficult’, exactly?”
Here, Kurama sighs, because while it was entertaining to see just how much of human customs Hiei might pick up on, the idea that he'd only track down this meal to get Hiei to track something different down for him is not the direction he expected the discussion to go. Yes, he did tend to find certain encouragements to motivate Hiei into doing things from time to time, but he was generally pretty forthcoming about those intentions, leading with what he wanted before attempting to sweeten the deal when the fire apparition resisted.
“It's a meal, the only thing I am asking you to do is enjoy it.”
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“Yes. And we would have to share.” Which Hiei obviously does not want to do at the moment. If they had any leftovers, maybe, but he would likely simply drop them off for Yukina and deal with Yusuke’s whining later. It wouldn’t be the first or last time, after all, and Hiei could hardly care in the first place.
The fire apparition at least has it within himself to look a little shy as Kurama asks what would make him think the ask would be difficult. A fair enough question, but one that’s met with a quiet little shrug that says Hiei was most likely over thinking it all.
“I don’t know. You put some effort in so you might expect it in return.” That was what Hiei was used to, anyway, with his general demon relationships. Transactional thinking and dealing was, basically, how demons tended to operate with one another. Particularly in his current spot under Mukuro.
Applying it to Kurama, while not wholly correct, makes sense enough in his mind.
“Not a tall ask.” Hiei not enjoying food is practically an impossibility after all. Though… since he’s already stuck his foot in his mouth, Hiei gestures for Kurama to pick.
“You take what you want first.”
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“I did not bring enough to share, actually.”
The little smile that follows the fire apparition's explanation for his reasoning is automatic, “Everyone puts in some effort for a holiday, that's what makes them special. Stepping outside of routine to do a little extra. It's about spending time together, not leveraging favors.”
Kurama is a demon and he will always be one, that does color his perspective and personality and it always will. This is a human tradition though, and it is one he's treating accordingly. Even if he is watching for any hint of realization on the other's part, that was the extent of his expectations for their little get together. This place has become a bit of a safe haven for them, and he wasn't about to use it for anything akin to a business transaction.
When Hiei gestures for the fox to make a selection, the idle smile only widens. He takes two of the containers and sets them directly in front of the fire apparition, indicating as he speaks. “These are your portions. This is the chicken here, and that one's the side dishes…”
The fire demon can probably smell which is which without the help, but Aldrip was not like back home. Which means aside from the chicken that Kurama had been determined to get for this meal, the sides might be more foreign in nature, reflecting Christmas traditions unknown in Japan. A variety of vegetables, mostly.
“I also made sure to include dessert, but I'm afraid that may be a little anticlimactic after such a meal.” More or less because the traditional Japanese dessert for the holiday was to Kurama's personal tastes rather than Hiei's, but they both know he'll enjoy pretty much anything all the same.
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Hiei simply makes one of those sly smiles as Kurama says he did not bring enough to share. He’s far from annoyed at the thought of not having enough to share, of course - the fire demon struggles to remember himself, sometimes, when faced with good foood. It wasn’t all that long ago he was primarily eating with his hands, after all.
The fire apparition tips his head a little at Kurama’s explanation. All of this human sentiment stuff is still so new to him that he does not quite know how to process it. Or what it all means, if he’s honest. A part of him still wonders if some of it is not also a means to gain leverage, but he is quick enough to not allow himself to say as much. They already spend so much time together, he almost wonders what need there is for more, particularly with the rate at which they end up bickering. Lately, they spend quite a good bit of time picking at one another, getting in to little fights with no real meaning or reason. Hiei hasn’t missed that, though he wonders on why.
“Oh.” Another thing he’s been saying a lot, lately. Coming to certain understandings that he hadn’t really understood before that moment. He certainly can still smell the difference in the box of sides, picking them up and smelling through the box before he opens it to actually look. The difference is curious, but thankfully Hiei is not the type to pass on vegetables. Food is food, so far as he is concerned, and there is very little that he will not eat.
He thinks this is basically his go ahead to start, actually, opening the box of chicken to eat first. In his usual style Hiei eats with his hands, plucking up a piece as Kurama goes on about making sure to have dessert.
Interest piqued, the fire apparition thankfully asks before he takes his first bite :
“Will you actually eat the dessert you got?”
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Knowing Hiei and exactly what he's dealing with, Kurama wouldn't have brought fried chicken if he was expecting him not to eat with his hands, KFC was hardly fine dining. He remains oblivious to Hiei's thought process as he tries to understand the motive behind the redhead's actions, all this about human sentimentality and the amount of bickering they manage to do more often than not since arriving here.
As far as the sides go, he is relying on the fire apparition's eagerness to eat just about anything for most of them, knowing that some of the options were more familiar than others. Even if Hiei were a picky eater, the chicken was the focal point of the meal, for him at least. Kurama was far more interested in trying new dishes than the same old thing, mostly because the novelty of most things didn't linger long for him, most food was just that as far as he's concerned.
Green eyes watch as the fire apparition inspects the containers, looking over the sides curiously without comment. The thing he does seem inclined to ask about is the dessert, which hasn't been unpacked yet, and the fox looks no less amused at the inquiry.
“Why? Did you want mine as well?”
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"No..." In fact, the fire demon makes a little face at the thought that Kurama thinks he would want his dessert too, digging into the chicken breast he's pulled from his box with sharp little teeth. He could've held off to finish explaining, but the smell of it, combined with the feeling of warm meat in his hands was too much to ignore to finish his sentence. At least not until he had a mouthful already on board -
" - You just aren't normally very... eager for sweets." Yes, it's said through the chicken, no he isn't sorry about it. Chalk another thing up on the list they're apparently going to lowkey bicker over, and another little confusion he has going on over what the hell is going on here.
For a long moment, Hiei is focused on his chicken and his chicken only, reminding himself that he doesn't need to eat quickly despite his nagging want to. The faster they finish the meal, the faster they go back to one of Kurama's many jobs or the house with the others... and with that little thought in mind, he finally slows down enough to speak again.
"Does the holiday mean you get some time to not be.. at your jobs? It seems a lot of people here celebrate a little.. differently than in our world..."
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Please don't fight on white day
Hiei was not normally the type of demon who bothered to pretend to understand human things. Even though his partner lived a mostly human life, the little fire demon saw little value in learning the days and traditions that Kurama tended to mark with even a bit of reserved reverence for, even if it was only for the sake of tradition. However... since they had begun bickering so often, and Kurama had done so much to mark Christmas with a meal that he would like...
The fire demon has decided to make an exception.
Over time he's gathered a few little bits and things that he thinks the redhead would like. An Aldrip version (black in color) of the fox tail charm Kurama carried on his backpack in their world, and of course a little strawberry dessert to match the fox's tastes.
Had he opted out of giving them to him in person and simply left them on his bed when he knew Kurama was close to the house? Yes.
But they're there anyway.
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"You wouldn't happen to know anything about who was in my room earlier, would you, Hiei?"
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Hiei knows that Kurama will certainly know who the gifts are from, but leaving them in this way takes out a certain level of awkwardness that helps his comfort level. Small steps or something like that. The fire demon has taken refuge in his normal tree after the drop had been made, snacking away on a little bit of a treat he’d gotten for himself as well.
Red eyes fall on his partner from his spot in his tree .. but he isn’t coming down just yet.
“How much earlier?” Might as well play hard to get right?
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"Recent enough that the dessert was fresh, at least. The timing is peculiar, though."
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“Mn.” Little shit fire demon as he is, Hiei isn’t too fussed about revealing himself just yet. In due time of course, especially now that he’s finished his own little treat he’d gotten along with Kurama’s.
Hiei turns so his feet dangle over the side of a branch as he turns to face Kurama more directly at least, hands perched lightly to either side, far too comfortable with heights to be using them as extra grip.
“Any thoughts on possibilities?”
As if anyone would be able to sneak by them unnoticed.
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That is the question Hiei asked in the first place. When, not who. Still, he's not quite that much of a troll.
"It's the strangest thing, really. There's no sign anyone else was ever in the room." There were a few people in Aldrip that could pull that off, but they certainly weren't going to do it to leave gifts, and none of them knew him well enough to select something quite so personal.
"That certainly narrows the suspect list down considerably."
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“No, who.” Clarified in that haughty tone as always, sighing as if he’s being greatly inconvenienced by this back and forth on possibilities.
He knows that Kurama knows it’s him, and in fact -
“And have you left your dessert to melt?”
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"Of course not... I was merely curious."
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Hiei's head tips slightly from his spot, as if he's puzzling over what is going through Kurama's head for a moment. Lately they've been very good at twisting themselves up in to knots without very much effort, and in the moment he realizes that they are actively tip toeing toward that.
... Having just given gifts, he would like to avoid confrontation (for once in his life) and sighs before dropping down in front of him.
"Good, because I would be annoyed I spent all that time making sure it got here just fine for it to melt up there."
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"Why did you go to all that trouble?"
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"You act like I had to raid something for a piece of cake." The fire demon delays, trying to think of something that is his usual level of avoidant. Trying not to think of the warm feeling that rises in his chest at the thought of bringing something for Kurama to enjoy on his own, maybe a silly little trinket to remind the fox of him at some random hour of the day.
It's a strange thing. He knows Kurama does not feel the way he does, and yet he can't stop.
"You like it. And it was.. White Day, wasn't it?"
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"White Day is this month, yes- on the 14th, actually."
Not that it explains why Hiei would think to get him something for the sake it. Or whether he even knows how it works. The fox doesn't expect to get any sort of explanation for any of the questions that come with this exchange, so there's little point in asking them as far as he sees it.
"It would have been nice to share though, wouldn't it?"
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Enforcement
You took definitive action to stop the spread of the arson attack at the training grounds. For this, you will be rewarded. [You have the sneaking suspicion that reward might be a strong word for what is about to be given to you as a task.] Those who have committed criminal activity will provide restoration services to the training grounds and surrounding areas as penance. You, as an upstanding citizen of Aldrip, will preside over monitoring their progress.
[Wow, what fun, right? Jerry seemed pleased with this declaration. He even reached out to shake your hand as if you two are equals when it comes to assisting in the safe upkeeping of the law in Aldrip.]
Please see that the six individuals complete their restoration work in a timely manner. Your team will oversee them at their tasks. Please arrive each day promptly until the work is completed. It should only take two to three days.
[With that, Jerry just leaves. Again, he is there in front of you and the next he is gone again. He leaves behind in your hand from the handshake (or if you refused it, you’ll find it on your person) a badge that clips on a pocket or belt designating you a community service enforcer. Congratulations! Or condolences.]
[ooc: You, along with every other person that helped contain or put out the fires in the training ground, have been tasked to oversee the restoration. You will oversee 6 unlucky sentenced Chosen. You will not participate in the restoration efforts personally, but you will have to talk, bribe, threaten, and manage the six to achieving their sentencing. You may work together with your fellow enforcers to this end as well. A game plan may be necessary as some of these six can be… rebellious.
If you complete your task and stay diligent on this, you will notice the natives greet you warmly, provide supplies and even help you with something that you need done or want. You will also receive a blue great job ribbon for your hard work! Hang on to this ribbon; it will allow you to continue to have free stuff given to you by the natives and it may be used in your own sentencing to remind Jerry of your previous contributions and he will release you from sentencing (unless you really want to participate).
If you and the other enforcers fail to convince the sentenced to complete their tasks, the natives will appear sad and sympathetic towards you. They will pat you on the shoulder as if you have tried and failed to overcome impossible odds. You will receive a yellow you tried pin for your efforts. It looks fancy, but it doesn’t appear to provide you any benefits except some of the natives take pity on you and give you a muffin they baked. It tastes like sadness in your mouth.]