Title: Oh Brother!

Summary: Kokoda Finds Out A Little More About His Mysterious Stepbrother.

***Authors note: So in the US dub, the brothers name is Kokoda. The Japanese dub (which I have not seen) had him share the name Suichi? But for the sake of my own nostalgia and to avoid confusion, Kurama's brother is Kokoda. Kurama is 16, Kokoda is 13, ish***

I went to bed early that night. Normal bedtime was 10:00, but I was in bed by 9:00, exhausted from running around with my friends at the skate park, the arcade, trying to tell my dad about my day while avoiding the fact that we had been drinking beer. I'm pretty sure he could smell it, but I wasn't going to be the one to break that iceberg. Sighing, I laid back, covering my head with an open comic book and listening to the crickets outside. Heck, it was break; dad would let me sleep in until one if he wasn't in a pissy mood...

I had fallen asleep...?! Damn it what was the point of a later bedtime if you fell asleep anyway? I glanced at the clock, rubbing my eyes; it was 2:06 am. I wondered if I should sneak out, or run downstairs, watch banned late-night television until mom woke up for work...she always left at 5:00,very routine, just like her son. Shiori was a sweet woman, accepting me immediately. I didn't have to call her 'Mother' but I did anyway; my own mom had died in a car wreck when I was three, and I'd only grown up with my dad and the occasional girlfriend who dumped him when He didn't make enough money. Shiori didn't seem to care about his income or mind working the same hours; she loved him. So, I loved her.

I rubbed my eyes and flipped on My lamp, glancing at their wedding photo on my bookshelf. Shiori was a great mom, fixing lunches, asking how my day was, asking nervously if I really wanted my hair like that when I went out. Perfectly normal.

My new brother...not so much.

I'd met him on a dinner date my dad had set up at some new sushi place. I spotted him immediately from description; how many guys could have long, red hair in the small town? He'd been wearing a white cheongsam with silver bamboo in the corner, white pants and long sleeves. He'd bowed to us, called me "Kokoda-San". Made me uncomfortable, being younger than him. Dad said he was unusually polite for his age but I hadn't expected him to be so...weirdly formal. He seemed old.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound if the door opening downstairs. 2:30 in the morning. What the Hell was he doing home so late?

A devious plan formed in my head; catching my perfect straight A brother coming home drunk, possibly with a girl on his arm? The blackmail ideas were endless! I reached the staircase, leaning on the banister with a smirk, expecting him to look up at me, slurry with alcohol.

I felt the blood drain from my face. I opened and closed my mouth; there was nothing helpful or normal to say.

He froze in the doorway, shoes dangling from one hand. His clothes were shredded and bloody, gashes visible. His lips were split and dripping blood too. His normally bright eyes were cloudy and he looked from me to our parents room. Finally, he set his shoes down, shaking his head. He held a finger to his lips.

"What the Hell-" I whispered, and he cut me off with a slicing gesture, his trembling hand sweeping the air in front of him.

"I'll be up in a moment," he hissed, "please...just this once, allow me silence. Go wait in your room."

So I did. I sat on my bed, chewing my nails and looking at my door, wondering what in the Hell he'd gotten himself in to. He was a nerd for God's sake! What kind of fight would do that..?

Finally, an hour later, my door opened. My brother looked considerably better, in a white shirt and blue jeans; but bandages covered his arms, his eyes looking dull with grey circles beneath. He was pale.

"I got into a fight," he said raspily, shutting the door behind him and sliding smoothly into my chair, legs crossed and one elbow on the desk cockily, "I trust you will not tell anyone about this, and I will not be surprised if you ask for compensation."

I swallowed thickly, and he smiled, "So, tell me. How much will it cost for you to keep this a secret? Give me a number, and it can be supplied, Kokoda."

"...are you ok?"

Weirdly green eyes widened and he cocked his head, "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm worried!" I whispered loudly, pacing and ruffling my hair, "I mean, you're supposed to be this quiet nerd and you're covered in blood? Where'd you go? Are you ok? Who was it and what the Hell happened-"

"It doesn't matter," he smiled, shaking his head and standing up, "I got into a fight, obviously. Nothing too severe, despite my appearance. We settled it and went our seperate ways. Things happen from time to time...things I don't want, especially, mother to know of..." he reached into his pocket, tossed his wallet at me, "Do you understand? As I said, for your silence, I will pay you. But I will not have mother knowing of this," his eyes were sad, drifting, "She doesn't deserve such anxiety..."

I opened and closed my mouth, feeling scared and confused, "I won't say anything. To anyone. Just...tell me what happened. Were you mugged or something?"

He cocked his head, smirking, "Something like that. Hiei and myself got into an altercation with some fools who thought it wise to threaten us. We took care of it, with a bit more trouble than we'd anticiptated. Nothing more, nothing less." Hiei; his short friend with the spiky hair. He never talked much, but my step mom seemed to really like him. He made me nervous; he could be described as 'intense'. "So...Hiei's okay too? Where's he?"

"Hiei will be here shortly," Suichi sighed, rotating his head to crack his neck, "He had to run to his sisters to pick up a few things." A moment passed between us and I studied him; at first glance he looked relaxed, normal except for bandages and bruises. But there were small movements, his eyes moving back and forth, tense like he was expecting another fight to break out. Like he fought a lot...

I sighed, stood up and handed his wallet back, not opening it, "You dint need to pay me," I sounded braver than I felt, "And I'm not going to blackmail you. Just don't get yourself killed, ok?"

He smiled softly, "You have my thanks. And now that the matter is settled," he ruffled my hair playfully, "You should be in bed. For God's sake it's past one. And I will not spoil you by letting you sleep all day."

"Yeah yeah," I pretended to glare, sliding under my blanket as he moved silently toward the door.

"Hey, Suichi?" He paused, hand on the doorknob, "Yes?"

"Tell Hiei I said hi. And if you need to talk...you know," I tried to look casual, shrugging, "my lips are sealed."

"My thanks. Goodnight, little brother."

"Night," I smiled, staring at my clock and trying to figure out what the Hell happened. Maybe it would give me a chance to get to know my brother a little better.

Maybe more than I wanted to.