A/N: Written for my friend Madhumalati. My second ficlet all in dialogue, yay!

Roses are Red

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"...Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Hiei sent you these."

"Yes."

"...Seriously?"

"Yusuke..."

"Why would you think they're from him?"

"Look at the notes they came with."

"...The only thing written on them is your name. Your human name."

"Look on the back."

"... A dragon. Cute."

"He apparently thinks so."

"But... why?"

"To mess with my head, of course."

"You don't seem... uh, messed-with."

"That would be to lose."

"...Why would Hiei suddenly start sending you flowers to creep you out?"

"He found out what connotations roses have. The fact that my main choice of weapon is, in human world, a symbol of romance struck him as very... entertaining. He was calling me something ridiculous at first--the romantic warrior or soldier or something like that. But when that didn't bother me, he started to arrange for roses to be sent to the house. The first few times he didn't know notes were supposed to come with them so I was able to tell my mother they were for her. But then he caught on and started addressing them--to my human name, of course, so my mother would be sure to ask me about them. She thinks I have a secret admirer."

"And it doesn't annoy you?"

"No. I don't mind my mother's teasing. And in fact the whole situation is actually proving quite convenient for me. As long as I can pretend just the right level of irritation, Hiei will keep providing me with a constant supply of new weaponry."

"But why? I mean, you're obviously not going to let this bug you. There's gotta be ten vases in here."

"Eight."

"So why doesn't he stop?"

"Because that would be for him to lose."

"...This is going to go on for awhile, isn't it."

"I imagine so."

"I really don't get it."

"Look at it this way, Yusuke. My life goes a lot smoother when Hiei is using his considerable talent and energy to try to annoy me than when he is using those same assets to try to take over the world. Come to think of it, your life goes a lot easier that way too. So maybe you should stop questioning it. Unless, of course, you want to join the game."

"How?"

"Well, in demon world, the equivalent of sending flowers would be to send a severed limb..."

"...I'll pass."