This is my first Fruits Basket fic. I hope it isn't too bad...I know it ain't christmas yet, needless to say post-christmas, but... anyways,here's wishing everyone outthere a fantastic christmas and a great year ahead. Cheers!Please give me your comments, they'd be very much appreciated. Sankyuu!

Specially dedicated to my friend,J.eK, who is a die-hard fan of this pairing and has been asking me for a Fruits Basket fic eversince i wrote my first fanfic. Thanx for reading, and Merry Christmas, dah-ling.

Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is not mine. Neither are the characters.

(words in /.../ are thoughts of the character.)

The Post-Christmas Present

Hatori wearily walked into the room. He was tired. He had difficulty keeping his balance since he had a drink or two, and a lanky body draped on him did not make things easier. He made his way to the bed and put the drunken body on to the bed. The drunk fellow shifted around on the bed and started waving his arms in the air, speaking in a drunken stupor.

"I want more! Bring more wine! Cheers for Christmas! Cheers for Yuki's graduation! Cheeerrssss!"

Hatori wet a towel with cold water and slapped the towel over the drunkard's forehead. The man's eyes opened slightly as the cold towel came into contact with his hot skin, red from drinking.

"Stop your nonsense, Ayame. You didn't need to get so drunk even if it's a Christmas celebration."

"Ah… Yuki graduated from University! My deeaaarest younger brother you know? Doesn't that call for a celebration? I'm sooooo proud of him! Top honors, can you believe it!"

The silver-haired man was rolling all over the bed, bragging about his beloved brother, who was SO charming, SO handsome, SO smart, SO caring, SO helpful… The list went on and on. After rambling on and on for almost ten minutes, he finally got tired and settled down. The doctor pulled the covers over the curled up body and turned to walk away. As soon as he left the side of the bed, the man in bed moaned lazily.

"Uh… Haaatoriii! Don't go…"

The taller man stopped in his tracks. It wasn't usual for Ayame to address him as Hatori. It was usually Hari, or Tori, or Ha-san… or some other annoying cutesy name. He usual only called him Hatori if he was guilty of some troublemaking and was forced to make a confession for his deeds. He turned back to face the figure in bed and asked blandly,

"What do you want?"

Ayame's droopy lids opened halfway. He hiccupped, and then a smile broke out on his rosy face.

"It's been long -hic- since we last chat -hic- isn't it?"

Hatori allowed a slight smirk to show.

/Ayame looks kind of cute when he's drunk, his cheeks get so pink and rosy… and his hiccup-talk… Chotto! What am I thinking?! I must be so drunk… I shouldn't drink./

"Since when did we chat? It was always you doing the talking."

"There's still Gure-chan -hic-!"

"Yes, yes, the two of you flirting and I watching in disgust."

"Aww… are you jealous -hic- that I didn't flirt with -hic- you?"

"Go to sleep, Ayame."

The dark haired-man was about to turn and leave when Ayame decided to get up. Hatori watched as the slender figure sat up in bed, fumbled with the blanked, and upon attempting to get down, tumbled down with the blanket and hit the floor with a loud thud.

"Itaiii! Hariiii! Are you going -hic- to be so heartless and stand there as -hic- I wince in pain?"

The doctor strolled over and helped the 'damsel in distress' up. The long-haired man could barely stand in his drunken state. He wobbled left and right, looking as if he was going to fall anytime. He held on to Hatori for support, and looked up at the man's hazel eyes. Mesmerizing. He got lost in the intense hazel orbs and lost his balance. Good thing Hatori was still sober enough to catch him. But just as he was about to stand up again, he stepped on the blanket he tumbled down with and slipped yet again, dragging Hatori along with him this time. He opened his eyes to realize that Hatori had cushioned the fall for him.

"Itai! You're heavier than you look, Ayame! Get off me!"

"Hari! You saved -hic- my life! And I didn't even get you a Christ-hic-mas present… I feel so -hic- guilty!"

Hatori sighed inwardly. Ayame was still as much of a drama-freak when he was drunk as when he was sober.

"There's no need for a Christmas present. Just get off me."

"Hatori…" Ayame whined.

Hatori found the pair of hazy golden eyes gazing intently into his. There was an awkward silence and an awkward shade of pink was creeping up his cheeks as he remembered the awkward position they were both in. A long elegant finger stroked his cheek with feather-light touches. A gentle smile broke out on the other man's face.

"You're so handsome, Hatori. I've always been jealous, although I'm already -hic-pleased with my heavenly features…"

"Aya--"

Hatori was cut off by a pair of lips crashing into his own. He gasped in shock. Bad move, Ayame had taken the opportunity to deepen the kiss by sliding his tongue into his mouth. He could distinctively taste the wine the silver-haired man had been drinking. Ayame's tongue brushed against his, slick, smooth and swift, everything like the snake he was. He would have retaliated and pushed the snake away, but his mind was fuzzy from the drinking, and the shock that Ayame gave him by kissing him was not helping his brain to function at all. Besides, weird it may sound, but the feeling of the slippery body against his tongue was… wonderful. He was running out of breath, but he didn't care. The frolicsome tongue in his mouth was distracting all his other thoughts. Gradually, the extra warmth began to subside, and his lips were left slightly parted. Ayame had broken the kiss for a breather. He could finally catch some breath, but he felt sort of empty now that the additional warmth he had just adjusted to was gone. The taste of the wine still lingered in his mouth, proving that it had not been a dream or an illusion.

"That was my Christmas present for you, Ha-Chan. Merry Christmas."

The dragon looked into the glistening golden eyes. Yes, they had always sparkled with confidence, but there was something that made them look more dazzling today, he couldn't tell what. Maybe it was just the effects of alcohol playing on his eyesight…

"Ayame, I would have preferred something I could keep or use. I'm not Shigure."

"I have never kissed Gure like that. And if that's your -hic-preference, you could keep me. And use me too."

"Ayame… I don't know what to say to you…"

Hatori sighed in exasperation.

"Say you love me, then."

He stared at the long-haired man still sprawled over his body. He was flabbergasted. He definitely didn't see that coming, and was unable to offer a response. He just stared blankly.

"I love you, Ha-chan."

The said man blinked at the sudden confession, wondering how he should react. He could tell that Ayame had not said it out of a drunken stupor, and that made things even more unbelievable.

"You're drunk."

"I'm not. I really love you, Hatori. I never had the courage to say it. And -hic- Gure-chan was always around to thwart my plans. Though I always seem to be flirting with Gure, I never liked him -hic- the way I've always liked you. Do you love me?"

Hatori looked deeply into the intense golden orbs and gently fingered the silky locks, drinking in the beauty of the man he had been more than familiar with. They were cousins, childhood playmates, best of friends, even known as the Three Musketeers together with Shigure. Thinking back, they had always been close friends. Though Ayame seemed to be closer to Shigure, he shared a special bond with Hatori, because Hatori was always the one who would save him from the mess he created, apologize for his misdeeds, reprimand him for his misbehavior, stop him from making trouble, listen to him blabber about Yuki's latest remarks, and Hatori was also sometimes a bridge between Yuki and him. He depended a lot on Hatori. And to Hatori, though Ayame was a nuisance most of the time, leaving him to clean up after his mess, he thought of him as a responsibility. He would always be there for the snake, and no matter how tight his schedule was, would rush to rescue him from the consequences of his own troublemaking every single time. He cared for Ayame more than he cared for anyone else. Even Akito or Yuki didn't come in as important as Ayame.

"Ayame… I don't love you… yet. It's happening too fast, and I'm having a hangover. I need time to sort out my thoughts."

The slender figure pulled away from Hatori. He stood up shakily and crawled into bed, not saying a word. He had mentally prepared himself for Hatori's possible rejection, but he still could not withstand the impact, although it was not totally a rejection. He curled up with his back facing the taller man. With Ayame finally off him, Hatori stood up and picked up the blanket. He carefully draped it over the slender body and tucked the man in. Gently, he brushed away the silver strands that covered the finely chiseled face. Ayame had his eyes shut tight. Hatori leaned in closer to the other's ear.

"Give me one night. I promise I'll be back tomorrow. To claim my present."

Golden orbs shot open and stared at the taller man, glazed with hope and astonishment.

"Hatori…"

The taller man placed a finger over the other's lips.

"Oyasuminasai."

Ayame watched as the dragon walked out of his room. It hadn't been a rejection after all, since Hatori promised to claim his 'present' tomorrow. Ayame smiled softly at the closed door, vividly imagining Hatori's figure still standing there. Tomorrow, he too would receive a present. A post-christmas present.A present he had been wanting for a long time. A place in that someone's heart.

-owari-