Honestly
by. homeostatis
"Mother?"
"In the kitchen honey!"
Kurama found his mother standing at the stove, stirring a pot of stew. He stood behind her and took a deep breath, catching his mother's attention. She turned around to look at him and grew concerned at the serious look on his face.
"Mother, I-I have something to tell you…"
The crease on her forehead deepened and she faced him completely, pot in hand, "What is it Shuichi?"
He took another breath, "I… I'm gay."
Shiori blinked, "Ok." Gave him a reassuring smile and turned back to her cooking. Kurama was dumbfounded.
"A-Aren't you going to react more violently?" He asked his unconcerned mother, "Shouldn't you be denying it vehemently? Or-Or, I don't know, asking me 'what kind of joke is this'?"
She didn't even turn around to answer him. Instead, her small smile grew into a "my little boy is so cute" smirk, "Oh, don't be silly dear, I've always known. Thank you for being honest with me though." Her gaze never left the pot.
Despite his naturally cool exterior Kurama couldn't help the violent twitch that began in his right eye. He was positively stunned. How could his mother be so calm about all this?
"Are you with that short boy?" The question caught him completely of guard. He squeaked and stared at his unruffled mother, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, "You know… that one with the adorable red eyes?"
"What? No! Mom!" Shiori couldn't help but giggle softly; for once her son actually sounded like a normal teenager.
She tasted the dish, drew out the ladle and put the cover on the pot to let the stew simmer, "Why not?" She smiled again, "He's always hanging around, you two seem to get along, and you would look really good together!"
Outside the window Hiei winced and decided to leave before his ears started bleeding. Smart boy.
Kurama, on the other hand, didn't have that luxury. He was stuck staring at his mother in horror, "Please mother! Don't say things like that!"
"But it IS true isn't it? Who else would you get together with?"
The red-head winced violently. How to get out of this situation…
--
Later, after a rather terrible dinner where he caught himself thinking about committing seppuku with his knife (three times), Kurama stepped out of his house. His face was pale and he looked like he was ready to be sick all over the garden.
Outside the gate he was greeted by the grinning faces of Yusuke and Kuwabara. Hiei was there too but despite the other demon's (almost) calm disposition he looked as sick as Kurama felt. Upon seeing his green-tinged face, Yusuke threw his head back and laughed. Kuwabara looked like he'd been laughing for quite a while already.
"That… was… really…" He couldn't even stop laughing long enough to breathe.
"I TOLD you she'd believe you!" Yusuke only stopped to let loose a few triumphant snickers, "You owe us Kurama!"
The red-haired kitsune, though disinclined to scowling and other such inappropriate facial expressions, grimaced as he dug into his wallet for the yen he now owed Yusuke and Kuwabara. Thrusting it into their hands he looked away as they started another round of raucous laughter. Hiei turned his head in their direction and caught Kurama's eye.
They both turned away, blushing fiercely.
A/N: Ok, let's clear things up… this isn't a Kurama/Hiei fic. They're just blushing because of what Shiori said (honestly, what kind of mother…?) but I really couldn't care less if you took it differently. To each his own; interpret as you will.:) (haha, that wasn't "clearing things up" now was it?)