Atopos - God, I haven't posted anything in so long. Originally, this was going to be part of my drabble series 'In Half A Month, You'll Be Mine', but it bcame too long. It is now a oneshot that is sort of part of the 'innuendo' sort of story... Just R&R, peoples.

I own nothing!!

Not Paying Enough Attention

It wasn't that Kurama hated being invited to parties. He also didn't mind being somewhat social as long as he was able to talk to the people surrounding him. He just had to have common ground with those people, which meant that he only went to those parties when it was Kuwabara or Yusuke inviting him to go.

After he walked through the door, talked to a few people (including many swooning girls from different schools), Kurama then took a seat against a wall with a tall drink of something he hoped was a strong alcohol. Kurama wasn't one to get completely wasted, though, so the drink was mostly just to fit in with the others and look busy when someone approached him.

After awhile, he decided that the party couldn't be all that bad. Besides, when he glanced over in Hiei's general location, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. The fire demon was practically surrounded, not that anyone really wanted to talk to him. Hiei seemed frustrated, as if he couldn't move without bumping into a human. Yusuke was ignoring Hiei, making the situation even worse. All Kurama could think about was that Hiei must have felt like he was going to be suffocated by being so close to people.

Finally, Kurama tilted his head back and downed the pinkish liquor quickly. He stood up, tumbling slightly, and made his way over to where Hiei sat on the only windowsill.

Hiei kept his eyes staring outside, praying to every God he knew to let him leave the place without someone noticing. Kurama joined him, leaning against the sill lazily.

"This is pathetically stupid." Hiei initiated the conversation casually. He turned his attention on the fox before him. "You sure we can't leave?" He acted as if this was the nth time the question had been broached when really this was the first time the two demons had spoken to each other the entire night.

Kurama shrugged. Perhaps the bizarre alcohol had affected him far more than he first thought. "It would be rather rude to leave so soon. We've only been here for… How long as it been?"

Hiei gave him an odd look. "Four hours according to the clock, too long if you ask me. I say we get you home before they force anymore strange drinks down your throat. It's as if they only do that to keep you out of the way while you're here, making it look like they have someone responsible here, and to have blackmail to use against you."

"Perhaps you're right, Hiei," Kurama said thoughtfully after a moment, nodding his head enthusiastically. A shot ran through his brain, and he held a hand to keep him steady. "You'll walk me home, right? I don't think my mother would approve of me showing up like this. I might end up needing help with talking to her."

Hiei got to his feet and led the redhead out by placing a hand on his friend's back and pushing him forward. Kurama couldn't object to the treatment. His hand cradled the side of his head, willing away any pain that could sprout up spontaneously.

"Wait you two!"

Both demons groaned at the voice. Kurama from the headache he wanted to disappear. Hiei from the fact that he had wanted to leave without someone catching up to them.

They stopped in their steps, letting Yusuke catch up to them. He spoke fast after having a generous amount of alcohol in such a short time period. "You two can't leave soon! You practically just got here!"

Hiei looked at Kurama first, his mind already made up that Kurama needed to get away from all the people and loud noises before anything else. He knew Youko Kurama had a high tolerance for drinks, so this one had to have something in it to make Kurama very dizzy and sick. He turned back to Yusuke with that thought in his mind.

"Kurama is ill," Hiei stated sharply, without any room for Yusuke to make a rebuttal. "He needs to sleep in a warm, clean bed." Without five other couples already sleeping in it, rolling around, he added to himself silently. "I'll take him home and explain everything to his mother. Tomorrow, I'll make sure he is well enough to stand, and…" He gave Kurama another critical look, an eyebrow raised questioningly, "Then, if he needs it, I'll give him a lecture about accepting odd drinks, and hold back his hair while he vomits."

Kurama smiled a little, but the look in his eyes showed that he knew Hiei was going to be right. He already felt the nausea rising in his throat. Maybe going home was the best solution overall.

Yusuke sent them off with a wave and went back to his talk with Kuwabara. The other redheaded member of their group looked around, as if expecting Kurama or Hiei to pop up suddenly in front of him.

"Where're those two running off to?" Kuwabara asked suddenly. "I thought they were staying as long they could."

Yusuke shrugged passively. "I don't know what they're up to. Something about Hiei taking Kurama home to a bed and warming him up. I think there was something mentioned about doing…something until he threw up… I don't know, I wasn't paying attention. How about more booze?"

- Atopos