I actually wrote this a while ago and was too lazy to upload it for the longest time. There's one more chapter too...


As soon as the last dish was nestled in the drying rack, Suichi found himself being tugged gently by the hand into the living room. He met Yoko's dancing eyes questioningly, but the fox only grinned his mischievous grin.

Suichi had heard every word of Yoko's whispered conference with Kuronue in the kitchen, but it had only served to confirm what he already knew. Yoko loved him. Somehow, a creature of such power and beauty loved him. Kuronue's part in the mix didn't bother him at all. Back in school, when we were still one, every time any mention of the inherent wrongness of polygamy arose, the fox in me—Yoko—would always balk and demand that he be allowed to argue in favor…I never let him, because I personally agreed with most other people. But now…somehow, it doesn't seem quite so weird. He loves us both and that's all there is to it.

He didn't mind Yoko's teasing at all. Suichi had quickly realized that Yoko expressed affection through teasing when there was anyone else around, even Kuronue it would seem. The fox's pride wouldn't allow it any other way. Suichi giggled as Yoko pulled him close, arms sliding around his waist. Besides, other than the embarrassment, it's not like he's hurting me. In fact—Suichi blushed as he remembered the curve of the fox's naked body against his own—it's quite arousing, shame and all.

"I love you, Suichi," Yoko whispered, pulling the redhead out of his thoughts. He met Yoko's soft eyes.

"I love you too, Yoko, but what…?"

Yoko looked serious. "Suichi, Mother will need an explanation for my and Kuronue's sudden presence. And I'm sick of lying to her."

Suichi sighed. "So am I, Yoko, but—but what else can we do? She'd never believe it if we told the truth, even if you dropped the illusion and let her see your…demon parts."

Yoko shook his head. "Suichi, you're her son. Have we ever given her reason to doubt you?" Suichi shook his head reluctantly. "Then why should she not believe it?"

"Because it's insane?" Kuronue said dryly. "Suichi's right, fox. No sane human would ever believe it if you told them your story."

Yoko looked disgruntled. "Damn you, Kuro, you're supposed to side with me!"

Kuronue rolled his eyes. "Suichi clearly retained the common sense, fox, if you can't see that your mother won't believe a word of it."

Yoko sighed. "Fine. But what do we have to lose by trying?"

Suichi sighed back at him. "She'd throw us—or at least me—into an insane asylum, or at the very least make me see a therapist."

"She can't 'make' you do anything, Suichi, you're a legal adult and not living under her roof anymore!"

"You're missing the basic point, Yoko. Even if Mother didn't go quite that far, do you think she'd ever trust me again? I can't deal with that, Yoko."

Yoko turned away. "I just…hate lying to her like this…she is my mother, too; she was the entire reason I stayed alive. She cared for me—us—far more than my demon mother ever did, even though we—well, mostly I—were so horrible to her. How can I keep lying to someone whom I care so much about, whom I owe my life and the other most important person in the world to me?"

"Y-Yoko, I…" Suichi was touched. He cares for her as much as I do…

"Yoko, if you told her only part of the truth, would it still be lying? Would you still feel guilty?" Kuronue asked suddenly.

Yoko shrugged. "I suppose technically it wouldn't be, but…still, I—" he paused, looking hesitant, his pride catching up with him.

Suichi touched the fox's cheek gently. "Remember what you said to me earlier? About not being shy? I want to find a solution that works for us both, Yoko, but we can't do that if you let your pride stop you from saying what's on your mind."

Yoko smiled and took Suichi's hand in his own, kissing the redhead's fingers gently. Suichi blushed, smiling, and pulled his hand away. Yoko sighed. "I just—I want her to know…I want to call her my mother, because she is, and I love her like such. I want to thank her for everything she's done for me without knowing it. I can't do that if—if she doesn't know who I am."

Suichi fought back tears and sat down on the sofa, pulling Yoko gently down with him. "I—I never even thought of that, Yoko," he whispered. "If Mother didn't know I was her son…I could see how much that would hurt," Suichi said. Yoko smiled gratefully. "But…I just—what if she doesn't believe us? What then? It would only make things worse…"

"Suichi, I'm more than willing to risk that if it would mean she'd know who I was," Yoko said.

Suichi closed his eyes and laid his forehead against Yoko's chest. "I—I can't, Yoko. I'm sorry. I just—I can't—the very idea of how she would react breaks my heart…" He couldn't stop the tears from flowing this time.

Kuronue sighed. "This doesn't have to be decided right now," he growled. "Give it a rest for now; you're only stressing yourselves out. We can settle this later."

Suichi sniffed, knowing Kuronue was right, and moved closer to Yoko. He hoped the fox wasn't planning on moving any time soon, because he was extremely comfortable in Yoko's strong arms. Those arms pulled him closer, Yoko's face burying itself in his hair. Suichi closed his eyes and smiled. He would never tire of this.


Suichi heard voices in the hallway as he was dressing and frowned. He wasn't sure but one of them sounded like… What on--? With a sigh he finished pulling on his shirt and opened the door. His fears were confirmed immediately.

"Yoko!" Suichi growled, cornering the fox. "I thought we agreed to wait and discuss this further before even alerting mother to your existence!"

Yoko grinned and shrugged. "We did, but what was I supposed to do when she just showed up at the front door? We neglected to consider the fact that she likes to pay random visits, Suichi. So I guess we have to decide this right now, don't we?"

Suichi closed his eyes and leaned against Yoko's chest. "…I suppose we do. Yoko, I—I was thinking this over while I was in the shower and decided that—that I was being foolish. You have every right to want to tell her and what's more, she has every right to know the truth—the whole truth. I'm afraid of her reaction, yes, but that shouldn't decide the issue."

Yoko smiled at him and kissed the top of Suichi's head. "Are you sure, Suichi?" he whispered. Suichi nodded, burying his unease in the back of his mind, and went to face his mother.

She looked mildly confused. "Suichi…there you are. These two boys told me you were in the shower…who exactly are they, dear? I don't remember ever seeing either of them here before…"

Suichi made himself smile. "You wouldn't, Mother. Yoko's been here for a few weeks and Kuronue only arrived last night." He hesitated, glanced at Yoko, and said, "Actually…we needed to talk to you about that, anyway…"

Yoko moved forward, no sign of the agitation Suichi could feel coursing through him visible on his handsome face. He relieved Suichi of the task then, guiding Shiori to the sofa and settling down across from her. "I don't want you to say anything until I'm done," he started. Suichi eased away into the kitchen, unwilling to let his mother see the nerves he could not hide and still afraid of what Shiori's reaction would be. He dawdled in the kitchen, making tea as slowly as he knew how, hardly noticing Kuronue's entrance until the bat spoke.

"You shouldn't worry. Yoko can talk his way out of just about everything, and whenever he can't he charms his way out. Your mother is only human; she won't escape."

Suichi sighed, fussing with the teacups on the tray, arranging them in patterns, still stalling. "I just…I'm afraid that she'll think we're both insane. How can he talk her into believing that? The entire story sounds completely impossible. If I weren't a part of it I probably wouldn't believe a word of it myself."

Kuronue smiled. "He's a fox, Suichi. Casting illusions is what they do best. He can make your mother believe whatever he wants her too without batting an eyelash." Kuronue met Suichi's eyes. "But listen, Suichi. Yoko needs you there with him right now. He's just as or more afraid than you are."

With an enormous effort, Suichi wrenched his gaze away, wondering vaguely why his heart was fluttering. "You're right…I'm being a coward. I left him there all by himself and ran away to hide in here…" He picked up the tea tray and turned to go back to the living room. "I—thank you, Kuronue."

"Yeah, well…" Kuronue looked away. "Just—get outta here."

Suichi smiled, took a deep breath, and pulled his face under control before going back into the living room. Yoko was explaining demon world as he entered and Shiori looked extremely confused and slightly alarmed. Suichi set the tray down on the coffee table and curled up on the sofa next to Yoko, leaning his head on the fox's shoulder.

"…So you two, you're—you're really only one…?"

Suichi paused mid-nod. "Well…kind of… We shared this body for a while but we're still separate people," he said quietly.

"And…he's a demon thief from another world who merged with you while you were in my womb?"

Suichi closed his eyes. "Mother…I know it sounds ridiculous but you have to believe us…What reason could we have to tell such a ludicrous story as a lie?"

Shiori smiled. "Suichi, it is a ludicrous story, yes, but…I believe you, for some reason." She closed her eyes. "It's like I have two sons, then, instead of one."

"You really think—you really see me as your son, then…?" Yoko said hoarsely. Shiori nodded. Yoko's breath came out in a loud sigh. "Good…"

Shiori cocked her head. "But then…what about the other one…?"

"What othe—oh! You mean Kuronue," Yoko said, grinning. "He's—he's my lover from a few hundred years ago who I thought died but didn't and then came back last night."

"I...see..." Her eyes lingered enquiringly on the fingers Yoko was running through Suichi's hair and the cheek Suichi rested on Yoko's shoulder, but she said nothing.

Shiori rose slowly. "I...need some time to digest all of this...you understand. Thank you for the tea, Suichi."

As she reached for her coat, Yoko got up. "I'll walk you home...Mother."

Shiori hesitated, but must have intuited that the fox would not take no for an answer and acquiesced silently.