Title: The Visit
Author: Yoko-cw
Summary: Hiei Finally Returns To Visit Kurama. Only One Problem; He Isn't There. What Happened To The Fox?
PART I
"Damn Mukuro" I muttered, digging my hands into my pockets as I trudged through the knee deep snow of Ningenkai, "You'd think as a Lord she'd know how to keep her nose out of other people's business..." She had asked me how the fox was doing and when I had failed to give an informed response, she forced me on leave. "You are here too much," she said, "You need to go spend time with your husband."
'Stupid woman...' I smirked 'I'll have to remember to thank her.' It had been too long, nearly a month, since I had been home. I had sent orbed messages asking about his well being, admitting that I missed him, but had recieved no response. I put it off to him being busy with those college classes and the job he held at a local bookstore. Such simple tasks seemed to take up so much of his time.
Finally, finally I landed at my destination. I set my hand on the trunk of the large tree, nearly slipping on snow at my cocky landing. Hm...his curtains were drawn; how unusual. He normally kept them halfway open for me. I closed my eyes, let the Jagan search. Maybe he was in the shower, or making lunch. '...He isn't here.' Very strange indeed. I was certain it was Kurama's day off? And even if he left to do something, he always left me a note signed with a doodle of a fox, a sandwich set on the desk. I sat a moment, observed the silence. A chill went up my spine. 'Something is wrong.' A hundred scenarios went through my head and I tried to brush it off by calling myself paranoid but, damn it, this felt...wrong. My insides felt frozen. Finally, after a mild debate, I resigned myself to using the doorbell. Shiori knew me; I would even go so far as to say she liked me. (I had been seeing Kurama for almost ten years, and we'd been romantically involved for three of them.) And what could I say...I liked her too. The woman had a way of growing on you. I sighed and crossed my arms impatiently. Again, there was nothing. Her spirit energy was also chillingly absent. 'What the hell?' And the lights were out. Great; now my curiosity and lingering worry would mean asking Yusuke. I was not looking forward to it.
The trip there was quick, uneventful. 'Cold though' I raped my knuckles against the door frame of the Ramen Shop, knowing they lived upstairs, but customs demanded I not just barge in. The lights were off. 'Yusuke' I called out through my Jagan, 'The fox is gone, and I need answers. Something feels wrong. Open the door!' From upstairs, the window opened. A half asleep Yusuke leaned halfway out, "What were you tryin' to say? All I was gettin' was static." I snorted, patience running thin. "Ku-ra-ma," I said mockingly, "Have you seen him? His home is empty." A silence formed between us. "I think," he sighed, "You should get up here."
"...Died...?" I felt like he had just punched me in the stomach. All the air abandoned my lungs. "Yes," Keiko nodded, tears filling her eyes, "They had no chance. The semi hit them head on and..." A sob escaped and Yusuke held her closer. "His whole family," he whispered, "They were coming back from his aunts and with the bad weather we've been having... I'm so sorry, Hiei." He rarely spoke my name. I fell back against the couch and held my head in my hands. No. No, this couldn't be...! Not my fox. Not my family... "How long?" I whispered. "Yesterday morning," Keiko spoke softly, "We were his emergency contact and we got the call around eight. ...Hiei-" "No...god damn it, no!" I slammed my fist into the table, instantly regretting it as a crack formed. My vision blurred, air coming painfully through my choked throat. The world spun, madness descended. "Oh Hiei," Keiko's arms fell around me; I hadn't even seen her move, "Hiei I'm so sorry." She was crying too. My arms wrapped around her; I fisted my hands in her shirt. Not Kurama, not now. "I'm sorry," she kept whispering, her fingers running through my hair in an attempt to soothe me. We cried together.
"...I'll pay for the table," I whispered through my aching throat. I stood with Yusuke in the kitchen, picking at the soup he'd given to warm me. I had no appetite. He shook his head, drinking coffee, "Don't worry about it. It's an old one, been meaning to get a new one anyway," he took a deep breath, "You're welcome to stay as long as you want. You know that, right?" I nodded and sipped the vegetable broth, mashing a carrot against the roof of my mouth. "Thank you...I think I will. ...I need to visit Kur-his house first though..." I couldn't say his name. Yusuke nodded in understanding. We finished lunch in silence.
"Here you go, Hiei," Keiko said softly as she folded a blanket along their fold-out sofa, "I hope it will be warm enough for you. If not, I have extra blankets over here for you." She sat them at the foot of the bed. Being a fire demon, I normally needed no blankets, but the long journy here and the devastation had left me exhausted. "Thank you, Keiko. It will be plenty." She gave me a soft smile and, almost as an afterthought, placed a soft kiss on my forehead. "It will be alright," she whispered, "Yusuke and I will do our best to be here for you." "I appreciate it." We exchanged broken smiles before she left down the hall and, with the click of a door, I was alone in the dimly lit room. "Kurama...what should I do?" Silence responded.