Waking Up

Author's Notes: I'm supposed to be working on updating my chapter fic, but instead I ended up with this. *offers*

Muse: *scans fic*

*Lowers paper, gives author odd look*

. . . What is this?

Author: *twiddles thumbs, looking guilty*

Uhh . . . I'm not so sure, myself.

. . . it, uh . . . has some Hiei/Kurama in it . . .

Muse: *sighs* At least it has one redeeming factor.

*turns to audience, points to author* She doesn't own them.

Author: *annoyed* I know that.

*clears throat, ignores muse* Review?

* * *

Kurama woke well after the sun had risen, vivid on the horizon, on the wet morning after his mother had gotten married. Really, she had chosen a good fellow; after all, he wouldn't have let the man anywhere near his mother if he hadn't met certain exacting standards.

Besides, he hadn't really expected her to stay unmarried; she was an attractive and charming woman, and she wasn't meant to be alone. The happiness on her face at the wedding had been unmistakable. Of course, no matter what measure of reassurance that had been, it hadn't stopped him from getting drunk at the reception. Whether the urge to escape had been the result of worry about her, or the strange yearning he had felt when Shiori had allowed herself to be led away from the reception, a faint blush on her cheeks, Kurama didn't know. Well - it wasn't so much that he didn't know, as he didn't remember.

They had figured on it being a small wedding, but somehow it didn't end up that way. Yusuke had insisted upon being invited, one thing led to another, and among any number of odd circumstances, even Hiei had shown up. In the middle of the reception, someone had been sent out to replenish the dwindling supply of liquor, and it had all gone downhill from there.

Oddly enough, with what little he did remember, two furtively watchful red eyes seemed foremost in his scattered memory. Only there was something else, something he should be remembering and wasn't . . . what was it?

He might have reacted differently to waking up and finding those eyes still watching him, but good alcohol impairs judgement well after the fact. Apparently the alcohol had been very good.

"W' happened?" he croaked.

Hiei, lounging on the windowsill in that deceptively casual manner of his, glared. "You don't remember?"

The kitsune shook his red head groggily.

"Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Hiei huffed slightly.

The fox's fine brow furrowed slightly. "I remember drinking a little too much . . ."

"You got piss drunk," the koorime said bluntly. "You threw up a few times, said something ridiculous about being in love with me, and passed out cold."

Kurama had the grace to look embarrassed.

Of course, Hiei had left the part out about helping him to the bathroom and holding his hair as he puked, and letting the kitsune cling to him as he tried to clean him up. He also refrained from mentioning that he had been the one to carry Kurama to bed, tuck him in, and keep a vigil at his bedside armed with a bucket, just in case the kitsune needed him. That was all completely unnecessary information . . . but so was the whole bit about Kurama confessing his undying love, and somehow that had slipped out.

Not that Hiei was very likely to take such a confession to heart . . . for all he knew, the alcohol had an affection for him Kurama didn't share in . . . as drunk as the kitsune had been, it was possible. It could have been a joke, though neither of them were laughing. Well, Hiei wasn't. You never really knew about Kurama.

"Drink this." He pushed the glass of water on the bedside table into Kurama's unsteady hand, and the kitsune obediently took a sip. He grimaced.

"Leave it to me to embarrass myself at my mother's wedding."

Hiei shrugged. "She and her ningen had long since left."

Kurama blinked. Hiei was acting . . . strange. He wisely decided not to say anything, and secretly hoped it didn't have anything to do with what he'd said last night. It was just the sort of thing that could completely ruin the trust he'd worked so hard to foster between them.

"Kurama . . ." Hiei began, staring intensely.

"Yes?" he answered, hoarse voice tinged with confusion.

Hiei just stared for a very long time, until Kurama was sure he wasn't going to answer.

"Never mind," the fire demon finally grumbled. He paused with one foot on the window, head turned toward him but avoiding eye contact. "Just don't do it again." And then he was gone.

Well, that could have meant just about anything, Kurama thought in frustration. It could have referred to his drunkenness, or embarrassing them both, or . . .

Well, as for not repeating the whole confession thing, Kurama wasn't sure he'd be willing to make any promises.