Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance in this story.

And a special thanks again to Anony and neko kitkat for reviewing chapter ten. I'm sorry I am unable to reply personally, but I appreciate the reviews you've submitted anyway!

Chapter 10

Kurama took a drink out of his gourd, enjoying the feel of the refreshing liquid sliding down his throat. He turned his head, his gaze landing on his mother walking at his side. I must admit, I thought we would be making better time than this. We have only been traveling for three days, but we seem to spend almost as much time resting as we do walking. I don't want to push her, but something needs to be done. Suuichi and Kazuya both think she's dead, he thought. She looked at him, catching his gaze. The redhead held out the gourd. "Are you thirsty?" he asked.

The brunette nodded, wordlessly accepting the gourd and taking a drink. Kurama smiled slightly before turning his head back to the front, a serious expression clouding his features. She looks like she's ready for another break already. However, I don't-- His train of thought was disrupted as he paused, a familiar aroma wafting across his nose. Chouji, remon, shinamon, yu-kari and ro-zumari-- the same blend of herbs used by bandits to disguise their scents. Not good, he thought, warily eyeing the surrounding area. The rocky terrain provided ample hiding spots for the robbers to conceal themselves.

"Shuichi? Is something wrong?" Shiori asked, noting his eyes darting around as if looking for something that he knew was there but could not see.

Before Kurama could respond, the demons jumped out from their hiding places, encircling the pair to keep them from escaping. Immediately, the redhead withdrew a rose from his hair as he pushed his mother behind him, eyeing the demons warily. The leader of the group stepped forward, looking over his catch appreciatively.

"And jus' what migh' we have here?" he asked, grinning maliciously. "A couple 'o humans that missed the border receptionists? It seems today's me lucky day, indeed." He blinked, noticing the rose Kurama held protectively in front of him. "And what be this? Ye planning on asking me out, laddie?" He started laughing at his own joke, the other bandits joining in.

"No. I would ask that you allow us to be on our way unhindered. I will not hesitate to kill you should you refuse," the redhead stated, no trace of emotion coloring his voice. He felt his mother flinch at his words.

"Did ye hear that, men? The wee lad thinks he can kill the lot of us! I dinnea kin what ye think a mere human can do against the likes of us!" the boss replied, laughing at the redhead's threat.

"You presume much to assume that I am a mere human," Kurama growled.

The bandits all sobered immediately, not having expected a ningen to be fluent in the language of Makai. "And where did ye learn that?" the leader asked, eyeing the strange teenager in front of him cautiously.

The redhead ignored the youkai, directing his words to Shiori. "Mother, please cover your eyes," he said softly, turning his head slightly without looking away from the demon in charge. He felt the brunette shake her head, brushing against his back.

"You are my son. I want to see with my own eyes what you are capable of," she said, her voice firm.

Kurama gave her a pained look before nodding once. "Very well. But do not move from that spot. And do not touch anything," he replied, turning back to face the lead bandit.

"Ah'll ask ye once more, boy. Where did ye learn the language of demons?"

"Where I gained my knowledge is of no consequence to you. The only thing you should concern yourselves with is your mortality, should you choose not to heed my warning. Let us pass," Kurama repeated. He tensed, preparing for the attack.

The leader snarled, giving his men the signal to attack. With a practiced flick of the wrist, rose petals filled the air as the redhead jumped forward, dropping his backpack to the ground as a long thorn-covered vine replaced the blossom in his hand. He handled the weapon masterfully, the leader and three of his minions falling to the whip before they realized what was happening.

Shiori had barely seen her son move before she was surrounded by a flurry of petals. They seemed to be circling around her, encompassing her within a protective barrier, although the idea of flowers providing protection from anything was rather ludicrous. She was distracted from her thoughts as a demon with a dagger ran up behind her son, intent on stabbing him in the back. She opened her mouth to call out a warning, but Kurama was already turning, red hair flying through the air as his whip cut through the demon from left shoulder to right hip. He had already moved on to his next challenger before the two halves hit the ground. A strangled cry made her turn, hands flying to her mouth as she watched another demon be literally shredded while trying to pass through the razor-sharp rose petals circling about her. She tore her eyes from the grisly sight, focusing instead on the redhead drawing farther away from her. With a start, she realized the number of petals around her had reduced drastically.

Kurama tore through his opponents, trying to take them out quickly. A breath of cold air washed over him, causing him to turn. The rose storm protecting Shiori was all but gone, the frozen remains on the ground at her feet. Horrified, he watched as a youkai lunged at the defenseless ningen, sword upraised. The redhead launched himself towards his mother, knowing his human body would not reach her in time.

Shiori landed on her back, having been pushed out of the way. Her eyes widened as she stared up at the silver-haired youko standing over her.

The kitsune had the youkai's sword sticking out of his right shoulder, his other arm holding the demon off the ground. Cold eyes glared at the twitching form before throwing him to his comrades. He landed on his back, revealing a gaping hole in his chest. The youko's hand was covered in a red, slimy coat, the blood dripping from his claws and sliding in rivulets down his arm. Almost casually, he reached over and closed his bloodied fingers around the blade, not even flinching as he pulled it from his shoulder and cast it aside. Transferring his whip to his uninjured arm, he waited for his prey to attack.

A smaller demon fell to his knees. "Forgive us, Youko Kurama-sama! We did not realize it was you!" he wailed, quivering in fear in front of the legendary thief. He's protecting the ningen, which means she's my ticket outta here! If I can buy enough time to get to her... "Please, spare us!"

"Speak for yourself, coward!" one of the others snarled, rushing forward with his club raised. The kitsune sent out a bit of his energy, causing the grass to grow up and entangle the youkai's feet while his wooden club lengthened and became sharp, impaling its wielder as he fell. A silver ear flicked to the side as a noise caught his attention.

Eyes gleaming, the smaller demon neared Shiori, pulling a knife out of his belt. The ningen's eyes widened, unable to do anything but watch as the youkai stared at her, a lust for power evident in his gaze. "What would the mighty Youko Kurama give in exchange for your safety, I wonder?" he asked softly. His expression changed suddenly, a mixture of disbelief, shock and pain marring his features. Without warning he collapsed, his body falling into many small pieces. Amber eyes glared coldly at the bloody mass of what seconds earlier had been a living breathing being, the long thorn-covered vine falling back to his side before he turned to the last bandit standing.

"It appears that it is just you and me now, isn't it? The great Youko Kurama verses the Koori-Osu. Too bad for you that I can freeze your plants, rendering them useless," the ice demon said, raising his hand and smiling as the rose whip was encased in a block of ice. "Why don't you just surrender?"

Tossing the now useless weapon aside, the kitsune leaned down and scooped up a handful of frozen rose petals from the ground, his hair falling forward. "It is too soon for you to start celebrating your victory, young one. Only fools rejoice before the battle is finished," he replied, flicking his hair back behind his shoulder. "My plants are not as worthless as you think." In a quick movement, he threw the handful of icy petals, aiming for his opponent's throat.

The ice apparition stifled a yawn. "You know, I really expected more from you. Using the same tricks over and over again-- it would seem that you have outgrown your legend. I'll be happy to take your place by killing you myself," he said, almost carelessly waving his hand to melt the ice. The now waterlogged petals dropped to the ground, useless. The wooden darts behind them, however, were nowhere near as harmless. The youkai's eyes widened, not having time to do anything as the darts pierced his neck. A bit of energy caused them to expand, decapitating the cocky demon.

Satisfied that the threat was gone, the silver kitsune walked towards the ningen sitting on the ground. Shiori was liberally splattered with blood, staring at the gore around her in morbid fascination. Her gaze wandered over the remains of the bandits, unable to tear her eyes away from the ghastly sight. She raised a hand to her mouth, turning to the side as her stomach contracted. Kurama rubbed her back soothingly as he waited for her to stop retching. When the spasm passed, she turned back towards him, resting her head against his chest. She was trembling.

Kurama stood, gently lifting and holding her as one would hold a child with his left arm. Shiori wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his hair to block out the brutal scene. He clenched his jaw, his muscles pulling at the wound as he reached down for the bag. Carefully laying the strap over his injured shoulder, he began picking his way among the gruesome remains.

As soon as the dominating stench of blood was behind him, the demon fox lifted his head and inhaled deeply through his nose. Good, there seems to be a stream nearby, he thought, veering off the beaten path. It didn't take him long to reach it and he gently set Shiori on the bank with the bag before dropping something into the water and watching a red glow cover the riverbed, heading upstream. "Are you alright?" he asked, looking down into the pale face of his mother. She nodded mutely. "The water will be warm enough for a bath in a few minutes," he replied, sitting next to her on the bank. Growing a bowl, he scooped up some water, dropped a purifying leaf into the liquid and swirled it around. He cautiously removed the right side of his gi, not making a sound when the material stuck to the would in his shoulder. Pulling his spare sash from his bag, he dipped it in the water and began cleaning his injury. He stopped as a hand closed over his, gently taking the cloth from him.

"Let me do that," Shiori said, carefully wiping blood away from the tender area. She blinked rapidly as tears started to fill her eyes. "I'm sorry, Shuichi," she whispered.

"Whatever for?" Kurama asked, confusion coloring his deep voice.

"For everything. You were hurt because you pushed me out of the way. I'm the one who's supposed to be protecting you," she said, a bitter smile briefly flitting across her face as she focused all of her attention on his shoulder. "And you had to kill on my behalf."

"That is not your fault, mother. I told you that I would protect you, and I will do everything in my power to uphold that promise. In any case, this injury is not that serious. Demons heal much faster than humans do. My shoulder will be whole in a day or two," he said, pulling a handful of leaves from his hair. He dropped them in another bowl, crushing them together.

The brunette took the mortar and pestle from him, afraid he might aggravate his wound. "I know you will. It's just that...did you have to kill them?" she asked, keeping her eyes fixed on the bowl.

"Yes."

"Why?" She finally looked up, chocolate eyes meeting amber. "Why could you not have subdued them and let them live?"

Kurama sighed, allowing his gaze to rest on the surface of the water. "Because that is not the way of Makai." The kitsune held up a hand, halting Shiori's protests. "This is not Ningenkai. You are not dealing with humans. Most of the creatures in this realm are little better than rabid beasts. There is no such thing as mercy or compassion here. If you show either, it is seen as a sign of weakness. Had I allowed any of that group to survive, they would have gone back and rallied a veritable army. I told you before that I am infamous throughout Makai. Innumerable are the demons that would love to claim my life. If that were to happen, I would not be able to protect you."

The brunette just shook her head. "What an awful world to grow up in." She laughed humorously. "And to think, I was worried about you watching movies that were too violent when you were growing up," she said, running a hand across her eyes. "I just wish I could have protected you from all this."

Kurama put his arm around her shoulders, holding her tight. "I don't need to be protected, mother. You have already helped me more than you can ever know," he said seriously. He took the bowl from her grasp, spreading the poultice liberally over his wound.

"It's just hard to accept the fact that you can't shelter your child from everything-- or anything, in this case. You'll understand when--" She paused, turning to look at her son, an odd expression covering her features. "Do you have kids?"

The silver youko laughed, placing a large leaf over the poultice to serve as a makeshift bandage. "No, I have no children of my own," he replied. Digging through the bag, he removed Shiori's spare change of clothes before standing and slinging the backpack over his uninjured shoulder. "The water should be warm enough now. We'll camp here tonight, so I'll get a fire going. The clothes need to be washed immediately to get the bloodstains out."

Shiori watched her son disappear through the foliage, noting the bushes on the opposite bank had sprung up to provide cover from wandering eyes as well. Feeling incredibly dirty, she quickly undressed, wading into the water and scrubbing the dried blood from her body.

. . .

The next morning, Shiori was enjoying a breakfast of fresh fruit while the silver-haired youko removed their dry clothes from the vine clothesline, folding them and replacing them in the backpack. He was careful not to move his right arm more than necessary, but had refused aid when the brunette offered to do the chore for him.

"Shuichi? May I ask why you choose to remain in your demon form?" she asked, wondering if his newfound stubbornness was part of his repressed personality or if it was a trait shared by all youkai.

"It is safer for traveling. Most of the weaker demons will go to great lengths to avoid a confrontation if they see me coming or catch my scent, regardless of the fact that I am traveling with a ningen," he explained. "My senses are also enhanced in this form, allowing me to detect possible trouble areas sooner and alter our course accordingly."

"Oh, I see. That makes sense, I guess."

"Does this form bother you?"

"No, it's not that-- I was just curious, is all," Shiori replied, popping a strawberry into her mouth.

Kurama placed the last article of clothing into the bag, zipping it shut. He paused, glancing at the brunette. "Did you tell anyone?" he asked.

"Hm?"

"About me. Did you tell anyone?" the kitsune repeated.

"No, I didn't," she replied, lowering her eyes. "At first, I thought Kazuya would hate me for being the cause of his son's death-- and don't say it wasn't my fault. You were headed back inside when I said those horrible things to you and your stepbrother went up on deck to find you. After we were reunited with Suuichi-kun, I was afraid that Kazuya might have thought I'd gone insane with grief and was making up impossible stories to give myself hope that you had somehow survived. And I left before I had time to really discuss it with Suuichi-kun. He knows I believe in demons, but that's it."

Kurama nodded, satisfied with her answer. He stood, shouldering the pack. "I would ask that you not tell anyone about me. Not even my stepfather or stepbrother," he said.

Shiori looked up at him, confused. "Why?"

"There is no reason for them to know. Life will continue as it was before. This is stress that they need not worry about. And also, you know that I am feared throughout Makai. A casual comment of my demonic heritage may be overheard by the wrong ears, even in Ningenkai. And no youkai would hesitate to use my human family against me," he said, looking at her gravely.

"Alright, Shuichi. If you feel that strongly about it..."

"I do."

"Then I won't tell anyone."

Kurama inclined his head. "Thank you, mother. I know I should not ask you to keep secrets from your husband, but this is a serious matter."

"I understand. Besides, I knew you for nineteen years before I found out. It's hardly fair if he learned your secret after only four!" she said, laughing.

The silver-haired demon smiled. "Yes, that is hardly fair, indeed. At any rate, I think we should head out."

They walked for part of the morning before Shiori asked to take a break. However, Kurama had a better idea.

"Carry me?" the brunette repeated, taken back by the odd suggestion.

"Yes. You wouldn't have to tire yourself out and we would make better time. You do want to return as soon as possible, don't you?" the kitsune asked.

"Well, yes, but-- What about your wound?"

"My shoulder is still sore, but carrying you will not hinder me in the slightest," he replied.

"Surely you can't carry me around for extended periods of time. I may not be overweight, but I'm not as light as I used to be," she argued.

"Mother, you forget that I have a demon's strength and stamina. You will not be a burden to me," he assured her. "Besides, both Suuichi-kun and Kazuya think that you are dead. Don't you think that we should do everything in our power to get back as soon as possible? You are not accustomed to traveling like this and consequently need to take frequent breaks. I do not tire as easily."

"But...oh, alright," she agreed.

Kurama slid the backpack from his shoulders, handing it to her and kneeling down. Shiori climbed onto his back, sliding her arms around his neck. "You will tell me if you get tired, won't you?" she asked.

The youko stood up, his left arm behind his back, supporting her weight. "Yes, I will tell you if I get tired," he said. "Shall we be off?" Without waiting for a response, he started running, his mother's arms tightening around his neck as she wondered exactly what she had gotten herself into.

The silver-haired demon ran for hours, showing no signs of fatigue. Shiori's arms were starting to ache from holding onto her son's neck. He came to an abrupt stop, staring down the road. The brunette looked over his shoulder, trying to see why he had stopped. "What is it?" she asked.

"Something I'd rather not deal with right now. We'll have to go around," he replied. Stepping off the beaten path, he took to the trees.

Shiori instinctually covered her head with her arms to protect herself from the leaves and branches they were jumping into, not seeing them move out of the way at Kurama's silent command. When she realized what she had done, her arms flew back around her son's neck, holding on for dear life and wondering why she didn't fall.

"It's alright, mother--I've got you," the kitsune said, his voice a bit strained as he loosened his mother's death grip on his throat.

The brunette looked down, noticing for the first time the vines encircling her and tying her to the silver-haired youko. She couldn't have fallen off if she tried. "Sorry, Shuichi. You startled me when you jumped into the tree," she apologized, releasing her hold on his neck.

"That's all right. Shall we continue?"

Shiori nodded. "Yes, I'm ready," she said, closing her eyes and laying her head against his back. Although she trusted him completely, she didn't think she would be able to keep from practically choking him every time it looked like they were going to run into something.

. . .

Shiori finished the last of her sweet potatoes, setting the plate aside. She watched her son stoke the fire before leaning back and looking at the stars covering the night sky.

"We've made good time these past three days," he said. "I think we should reach the border tomorrow."

"So soon? But, we've only been traveling six days-- that's half the time it took me to find you when I was with Hiei!" the brunette said.

Kurama smiled. "Yes, but according to you, we are not taking as many detours, making our course a more direct route. Also, he did not carry you for half of the trip," he replied.

"I suppose that's true," she admitted. "But, still, to be so close to home already..."

They sat in amiable silence for a few minutes before the youko stood, stretching. "Well, I don't know what time it will be in Ningenkai when we get back, so I suggest you get as much rest as you can tonight," he said.

"Shuichi? Would you mind...?" Shiori trailed off, a strange look in her eyes.

Kurama saw the look, also noticing her hands fidgeting in her lap. "Again, mother?"

The brunette grinned, unashamed.

The kitsune shook his head, a small smile lighting his features. "As you wish. But you cannot ask me to do this once we return," he said seriously.

"That's why I'm asking you now, while I still have you all to myself."

The youko closed his eyes, bowing his head. His arms and legs shortened, turning into paws, and silver fur replaced his clothes, covering his body. His single tail split into nine as his form shrank. The canine looked up, cocking his head to the side as if asking, 'Happy now?'

Shiori grinned broadly, patting her leg. Shaking his head, the silver kitsune walked over to the ningen, jumping lightly onto her lap. He settled down, staring out into the darkness as she ran her fingers down his back. /Must you do this every night?/ he asked.

"Oh, don't give me that. I know you enjoy this just as much as I do," she replied, stroking the soft fur.

Kurama repressed a sigh, silently watching the shadows from the fire dancing across the plants surrounding them. His mother was right in that he did enjoy the attention. He was just worried that something might attack while he was preoccupied and catch him unaware. Laying his head on the ningen's knee, he sent some of his energy out to strengthen the plants serving as their first line of defense.

. . .

Shiori glanced up, a smile covering her face as she looked at the blue sky. She took a deep breath, eyes roaming over the familiar surroundings. She blinked, realizing exactly where she was. She turned as a redhead stepped through the portal behind her, the illusion of the brick wall rippling slightly. She looked at him, her eyes questioning.

"Surely you didn't expect me to remain as I was once we had crossed the border?" he asked teasingly. "After all, kitsune don't general walk about freely in Ningenkai."

"No, I suppose not. But, are we really at your apartment complex?" she asked, looking around.

"Yes. This portal is one of the reasons I chose to live here. Easy access to Makai," he explained.

"But, there's nothing to conceal the gateway. What keeps humans from stumbling into it on accident?" she asked.

Kurama pointed first to the empty pool in disrepair and then to the old sign that read, Pool Under Construction, Do Not Enter, hanging on the entrance gate. "The owners have no intention of restoring the pool," he said nonchalantly.

"Why not?" the brunette asked.

"Because of the portal."

"But, how would they-- You don't mean, the owners are..."

"Demons, yes. Otherwise that would have been sealed shut long before now. The truth is, there are quite a few youkai residing in the human realm," he explained. He pushed open the seemingly rusted shut gate, allowing his mother to exit first. They walked through the complex, coming to a stop in front of Kurama's apartment. He looked in through the window. "I thought as much," he said, sighing. "And I had paid my rent three months in advance, too."

"What?" Shiori looked through the window as well. The interior was empty. "What's happened to all of your belongings?" she asked.

"I would assume Kazuya and Suuichi-kun took them. Remember, I've been dead for..." Kurama did several quick calculations in his head. "Seven weeks, almost two months. I'm surprised they don't already have this apartment rented to someone else," he finished, turning away.

Shiori hurried to catch up with him. "Seven weeks?! It hasn't been that long! You had been missing for two weeks when I went to Makai-- I was only there three weeks," she said.

Kurama shook his head. "Time flows differently in the demon realm, remember? Five weeks have passed here since you entered Makai." He started walking away. "Come on. It's about noon now, so we should be able to catch the one o'clock train and be home around six," he reasoned. "The train station is not too far from here."

"But-- I don't have any money," she admitted. "We left to pick up Suuichi-kun in such a hurry that I left my purse at home."

"Don't worry, I should have enough for both of us," Kurama replied, fishing his wallet out of his back pocket.

The trip to the station didn't take long and they sat on one of the benches talking quietly while they waited for their train to arrive. "I hope Kazuya isn't too angry with me," Shiori said. "He must have been devastated when I disappeared without a word--"

"Shuichi-kun!"

Both mother and son turned towards the speaker. A teenage girl all but threw herself into the redhead's arms, sobbing. "Oh, Shuichi-kun! I thought you were dead!" she cried.

"It's all right, Natsumi-chan. I'm fine," he assured her, awkwardly patting the distressed girl on the back.

The teenager pulled back, looking into Kurama's emerald eyes. "You were missing for so long-- what happened?"

"It's...a long story," he replied evasively before changing the topic. "Did you go to the funeral?"

She nodded. "It was a lovely service. Everyone showed up. But...your poor mother..."

Kurama quirked an eyebrow. "My mother?"

Natsumi's eyes widened. "Didn't you know?" she asked, shocked.

"I'm sorry, I just got back today," he answered, giving his mother a sidelong glance.

"Oh, Shuichi-kun, I'm so sorry! Your mother disappeared the day they found your stepbrother!" she said, tears filling her eyes as she looked at the redhead sadly.

Kurama tried not to smile at the dramatic display. "Actually, Natsumi--"

"Trains two and six are leaving the station. Last call for passengers. Trains two and six are leaving the station."

"Oh, that's me! I gotta go!" She stood, hurrying away before stopping to look back. "If you ever need a shoulder to cry on, you know I'm here for you, okay? Call me later," she said, running to catch her train.

Kurama's smile turned into a grimace as soon as the girl was out of sight. He dropped his head into his hands, sighing. Shiori laughed. "And what, may I ask, do you find humorous?" he inquired, not lifting his head from his hands.

"The girl. She seems nice enough," the brunette replied. "Classmate?"

"Yes. She means well. So do all the others, for that matter, but I had hoped to spend some time with my family before announcing to Japan that I have returned," he said tiredly.

"I think she likes you."

"So do all the others."

"But you don't return any of their affections." The redhead remained silent. "In fact, I cannot remember you ever exhibiting interest in any girl. And, I think I now know why," she continued.

Kurama raised his head, looking into his mother's eyes. I sincerely hope she does not think that I prefer men.

"You aren't attracted to humans, are you?"

The redhead sat back, surprised his mother had picked up on that. "No, I am not. Since living with you I have gained a certain respect for ningen, but I am not physically attracted to them," he affirmed.

"That's good to know. I was beginning to wonder about you. So many girls always calling the house, but you never brought a single one home for dinner. Although, if they are all like that one, I can see why," she said, looking in the direction the teenager had run off in.

"Unfortunately, Natsumi-chan is a good example of the average fangirl," Kurama replied sorrowfully.

"Trains eleven and fifteen have arrived. Passengers please begin boarding. Trains eleven and fifteen have arrived."

"That's us, mother," the redhead said, standing and moving towards the train.

Shiori followed him, glancing at her wristwatch. Just a few short hours more, she thought, wringing her hands. I will see my husband again in just a few short hours. I hope he can forgive me.

. . .

Kazuya and Suuichi were sitting at the table eating dinner, when the front door opened and someone called out. Their eyes widened, both hurrying to the foyer to confirm the owner of the voice.

"I'm home! Is anyone here?" Shiori called, removing her shoes. Her husband and stepson came running around the corner, stopping when they saw her. It only took them a few seconds to get over their shock.

"Shiori! You're all right! Oh, thank goodness!" Kazuya exclaimed, embracing his wife.

"Mom! Where have you been?!" Suuichi asked, also hugging the woman.

"Yes, we feared the worst had happened. Why didn't you call sooner?"

"Well, I wanted to, but I knew you would only try to stop me. And I couldn't stop until I found him," she said, more than a little guilt coloring her voice.

Before the Hatanaka's could question what she meant, the front door closed. "Hello, everyone."

Two heads looked up and two jaws almost hit the floor. "S, Shuichi!" Kazuya breathed, not sure if he should believe his eyes.

The younger boy, however, had no such problems. "Brother!" he yelled, launching himself at the redhead.

Kurama managed to keep his balance as the teenager tried to tackle him, returning the hug warmly. "How have you been, Suuichi-kun?"

"How have I been?! How have you been?! Where have you been?!" he asked, holding his stepbrother tightly as if to make sure he was really there.

"It's a long story," he replied. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up into his stepfather's eyes.

"Well, we have the time to hear it," he said, his eyes shining as he looked the redhead over. "Yes, I think now would be the perfect time," he said, leading both Shiori and Kurama into the family room. After everyone was comfortably situated, Kazuya leaned forward, his eyes locking onto his stepson's. "What happened?"

The redhead took a deep breath. "Well, I saw Suuichi-kun go overboard and jumped in after him, but I lost him in the storm. I'm not sure how long I drifted in the sea, but I'm told that I was eventually picked up by foreign fishermen. I do not know what kind of condition I was in, but I imagine it wasn't good, as I cannot remember these events," he said, pausing as if there was something else he wanted to add. Shaking his head, he continued. "At any rate, I was admitted to a hospital in Sendai. I am told that I was delirious during my recovery and had to be sedated for the majority of my stay. I didn't have any form of identification on me at the time, so naturally there was no way for the doctors to inform you that I was alive. As luck would have it, mother stopped by the hospital about the time I was to be released."

"You jumped in after me?" Suuichi repeated.

"Yes. It wasn't the smartest thing to do, but I wasn't thinking clearly at the time," he replied. Shiori's gaze dropped to her lap.

"That's ...quite a tale," Kazuya said slowly. He turned to his wife. "And what about you? Where did you go and how did you find Shuichi?" he asked.

Shiori looked up, guilt written all over her face. "I went looking for Shuichi," she said. "Suuichi-kun washed up on shore, so I figured it was possible that Shuichi had washed up somewhere else. I made a bit of a road trip out of it, checking all the hospitals in every city along the beach for someone matching his description."

"But, Shuichi's car was still at his apartment-- surely you didn't hitchhike?!" Kazuya asked, sounding more than a little angry and worried.

"Heavens, no! I know better than that. I enlisted the help of a few of his friends," she said, smiling as if there was a joke no one was privy to but her.

"His friends?"

"Fangirls, to be exact. Oh, they were thrilled at the prospect of providing me with transportation and company as I searched for Shuichi."

Kazuya leaned forward, massaging his temple. "But, Shuichi's car..."

Shiori's gaze dropped to her lap again. "I am sorry, dear. I didn't take Shuichi's car because I didn't want you to find me. I know it was extremely irresponsible of me and I'm sorry I made you worry, but this was something I had to do."

Kazuya didn't say or do anything for a moment. He was angry that she had left without so much as a note, but he now also felt at least partially responsible for it. He reached over, pulling Shiori against his chest. "I'm just glad you're safely back in my arms," he whispered, holding her tightly.

Kurama caught Suuichi's eye, nodding his head towards the door.

The teenager took the hint, rising from his chair and following the redhead out of the room. They moved into the kitchen, Suuichi sitting down to finish his dinner while his stepbrother fixed something for himself.

Opening the refrigerator, the older teen looked inside, blinking at the contents. "You two have been ordering a lot of take-out recently, haven't you?" he asked, studying the different cartons filling the shelves.

Suuichi didn't even bother looking up from his leftovers. "Yeah. You know that you and mom are the only ones who can cook," he said.

Kurama smiled, pulling out several of the containers and emptying them onto a plate. "I apologize for jumping overboard to save you, thus leaving you and father to fend for yourselves."

"Sounds like you had a bit of an adventure yourself, what with being picked up by foreign fishermen and all," the teen said, leaning back in his chair. "But that's nothing compared to what happened to me. I was rescued by a demon!"

The redhead hit the 'Start' button on the microwave before turning and giving his full attention to his stepbrother. "A demon rescued you? Was it a leviathan, or some other type of water dragon?" he asked, leaning back against the counter.

"Nope! It was a kitsune!"

"A kitsune? What was a kitsune doing out in the middle of the ocean? They tend to dwell more in forests, according to the research I've done," Kurama replied, folding his arms pensively.

"Beats me. He didn't say and I didn't think to ask. I didn't know you believed in demons, too," Suuichi said, grinning broadly.

The redhead chuckled. "Let's just say I had a few experiences early on in life that cemented the reality of their existence in my mind," he replied mysteriously. Not wanting Suuichi to try and dig any deeper, he guided the conversation in a safer direction. "So, tell me about this fox that rescued you."

"He said his name was Youko Kurama. He had long silver hair, golden eyes that practically glowed, ears, a tail, fangs, claws, the whole nine yards! He was a demon in every sense of the word," the younger teen said.

"Is that so?" Kurama asked politely. Exactly how does rescuing, tending the injuries of and preparing meals for a ningen make me a demon in every sense of the word? he wondered. "Did he threaten you?"

"Well, not really. He actually reminded me of you," the ningen said, tapping his chin with his chopsticks thoughtfully.

The microwave dinged, so the redhead removed the plate, sitting across from his stepbrother. "Did he now," he said, resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands together in front of his mouth. He studied the ningen over his interlocking fingers.

"Yeah. Just a few things he did or some of the comments he made, you know, stuff like that. Oh, and you both have an interest in plants, too," Suuichi explained.

"Plants?"

"Yeah! He kept all kinds of seeds in his hair and he could grow anything he wanted in seconds! And not just make the plant grow, but he could shape it however he wanted! He actually grew the boat we used to get back to shore! Oh, it was huge!" The younger boy gestured with his arms, chopsticks lying forgotten on his plate as he related the story of his rescue.

"A plant master, then," the redhead commented, smiling as the teenager described the ship. To hear him tell it, one would get the impression that the boat we sailed on was larger than the cruise ship, he thought, amused. He idly wondered what other touches would be added to make the 'bland' story more interesting.

The swim to shore was more in keeping with Kurama's memory, although he suspected that was due more to the fact that Suuichi didn't remember most of what had happened. The younger boy's eyes, which had been shining with excitement, were now sad and distant, staring unseeingly at the wall over Kurama's right shoulder.

"And when I woke up, he was gone."

"Where do you suppose he went?"

Suuichi shrugged. "I don't know. I asked him where he was going to go when we got to land, and he said that there was no place in the human realm for him. He looked really sad when he said it, too. I don't think he killed himself, but I don't know what else he could have meant by 'no place in the human realm,' " he replied.

"I believe it means just that."

The teenager blinked at his older stepbrother, not following his conclusion.

"No place in the human realm-- no place in human society. He probably returned to a wildlife reserve, where he could live in peace with minimal human contact," Kurama elaborated.

Suuichi paused, allowing the words to sink in. "I hadn't thought about it like that before. I figured he might be talking about going back to a demon world, or something, but..."

"A demon world? Do you believe such a thing exists?"

"Well, the demons gotta come from somewhere. Why couldn't there be a demon world?" he asked, a little put out by the fact that the redhead was clearly not supportive of his idea.

"The realm of youkai is simply a myth, a rumor started by demons to keep ningen from searching for and hunting them in the wild. Eventually, demons themselves became creatures of legend. Besides, don't you think someone would have found this 'demon realm' if it truly existed?"

"I guess so," the younger teen reluctantly agreed.

Their conversation was cut short as the door to the kitchen opened, admitting their parents. "I'm famished," Shiori said, making a beeline straight for the refrigerator. She paused, eyeing the contents. "I was going to suggest going out to dinner tomorrow night to celebrate, but it looks like you and Suuichi-kun have done that enough, recently," she said.

Kazuya laughed a little nervously. "Why don't we stay home, hm? I mean, you two just got back! I think it would be better for us to spend a little quality time together, as a family."

"With a traditional, old-fashioned, home-cooked meal?" she asked.

"Sounds good to me! What do you think," Kazuya said, glancing at the sons.

"I'm all for that!" Suuichi agreed enthusiastically.

Kurama smiled. "I have no objections."

"Then it's settled. Tomorrow, you two," her gaze slid between her husband and stepson, "are going to learn how to cook."

. . .

The End

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