Twenty eight

"You're going to turn your back on decades worth of memories?" Yomi asked, sounding surprised. "I thought you were smarter than that, Kurama."

"I will not help you unify even a fraction of these people just so you can attack the humans," Kurama replied, arms crossed over his chest.

The display with Genwaku, in the prison below, would have been worrying had he been younger. But Kurama was secured in his power, and in his life; petty displays of anger over past necessities didn't impress him.

"The humans rush to their own demise," Yomi argued. "We would simply be helping them along. The regulations put in place by that paltry attempt at government in Spirit world, let alone the human demon hunters-"

"Enough, Yomi. I will not help you."

"...I see."

This meeting had been private; Yomi could easily dismiss him, and lose no face. No doubt assassination attempts would become the norm for a short period, until enough of them had been killed to prove that it was a pointless venture, but that would be dealt with.

"Will you help Mukuro, then? Ally with your friend Hiei?"

"My life and priorities lie within the human realm, as does my alliance," Kurama said, giving him this bit of information freely. "I care not for the power balances, or lack thereof, in this realm."

Yomi's brooding silence was filled with a slowly rising power. Kurama let his hands drop loosely to his sides, quite willing to fight his way out if it became ultimately necessary, though he hoped it would not. Would Kimiko be able to come if he called her with the beacon?

Actually, better to not consider that idea; knowing her she would force her way into this realm, and leave bodies in her wake in a bid to reach him. It was not a palatable idea.

After several tense minutes, the air of threat abruptly vanished, and Yomi sighed, somewhere between disappointed and disgusted.

"I suppose as long as you stay out of it, that will do. A pity. Your advice could have easily turned the tide of this war. I remember well how your carefully thought out plans always garnered the treasures you wanted."

"Keep in mind as well, how I responded to threats," Kurama said.

And walked out of the room.


Kimiko hummed quietly as she adjusted her carry bag, checking what she'd gotten against the list in her hand. She'd gotten the boxed lunches, the water, the tea... She wasn't sure why it was suddenly her turn to pick this stuff up for her co-workers, but she just mentally shrugged and let it pass. If she didn't hurry, she was going to be late relieving Kokoda, and goodness knew he certainly didn't deserve to be stuck dealing with all the customers.

Just most of them.

She allowed herself an amused smile; technically Yusuke was ten-and-some minutes older than her, and he'd never let her forget it. Having a younger brother was going to be fun.

"Kimiko-san, perfect," he greeted her with unfeigned relief. "Can you take over for a minute, I need to grab some plants from the greenhouse."

She started to nod, then paused, shifting her focus briefly. She had felt something... a fluctuation of energy that put her on her guard.

"...You know what, why don't you let me do that? What do you need?"

"Ah.. two.. ferns, and some more of those miniature rose trees. They're very popular today."

"Right," and she smiled at him. "I'll just put this away, and get those for you!"

He nodded, smiling back and seemed to sense nothing amiss. All the better for her, though she found herself wondering what really would happen if Shuuichi's secret ever came out. She doubted Shiori would care—she loved her son, and he loved her back—but Kokoda and his father...

She deposited the food and drinks in the small fridge in the back room, then headed out to the greenhouse to retrieve the plants... and cast her senses wide. This one thought he was more subtle than the fish demon, but he was more than wrong, and she didn't like the sudden sharp feeling she got off him.

As she approached the greenhouse, her phone rang, and she pulled it out even as she stepped in.

"Urameshi Kimiko."

"Kimiko, stay on your guard. We've just had demons try to get at Shiori and Kazuya, no doubt you and Kokoda are targets as well."

"...I guess Shuuichi told Yomi no," she said, a little dourly. "I thought something was up; between my irritated fish man yesterday and the demon on the roof not too far from the store, we've gotten an uncommon amount of attention."

"We thwarted the demons going after Shuuichi's parents, but all our intelligence suggests that Yomi is the persistent type. It might be time to tell him he needs to come clean to his family," Koenma said.

"Well, I can suggest it, but it's ultimately his choice. Even just admitting he's a demon hunter could stun all three of them. An actual demon is pushing it."

"Well, it's that or Yomi's people try to spill the beans themselves. They were prepared to do that, and one tried to shout it at his mother, even though the demon hunter we assigned to guard her was quick on his feet."

Kimiko made a face. More and more she was coming to dislike Yomi. It had just been on principle before—resenting someone who saw humans only as food was practical, really—but now it was starting to get personal.

"All right. I'll try. Assuming he's in any shape to hear it when he gets here, of course."

"Are you going to do anything about your demon watcher?"

"So long as Kokoda's not alone, I'm not too worried," she said, shifting the phone slightly so that she could cradle the ferns in her elbow. "If anyone's stupid enough to attack the store, they'll regret it."

"Do you need any back up?"

"Thanks, Koenma, but I've got this. If he comes any closer, he'll regret it."

"...well, alright. We'll get someone to make sure Kokoda doesn't get ambushed on the way home, then."

"All right. See you tomorrow."

The demon hadn't moved by the time she came out, arms full of plants, though she certainly did feel a spike of expectation. Pointedly turning her head to the spot where she knew the little bastard was hiding, she gave her best death stare, and flared her power slightly.

Threat displays generally felt crude, even when they accomplished what they were supposed to. The demon remained still, and she returned to the store with the plants, and relieved Kokoda so that he could go take his break.


Kurama walked calmly out of Gandara, quite happy to have the city at his back, even as he acknowledged that it would probably be the last time he allowed Yomi to see it. Visiting Mukuro was as unpalatable as being here had been, and he simply wanted to return to the clearing where he could open the way into Demon's Door, and from there, return home.

The boy in his path was almost a surprise, but then, he hadn't really expected Yomi would let him leave without some token of resistance. He looked very similar to Yomi, and Kurama tipped his head slightly; his child? No... something both more and less than that.

"Just because my father let you walk out alive doesn't mean you get to walk away," the boy proclaimed. "You're too much trouble to be allowed to live!"

"...boy, if you get in the way, it will be your life that is cut short," Kurama warned.

"You don't scare me! I beat demons like you with one hand behind my back!"

Yomi's child needed to learn some manners... But was it really worth the effort to teach them to him? Killing the boy would only enrage his former ally, and necessitate a longer stay in this realm, something he wished to avoid.

"Move," he said calmly. "Or you will be moved."

The boy glared in open anger, energy collecting in his hands. Kurama sighed a little; this child was definitely Yomi's spawn; the same hot-headed temperament, with none of Yomi's learned maturity. He doubted Yomi had actually sent this little prince after him; he was too intelligent now to risk his own heir. So this had to be an idea of the eavesdropping child alone.

Better to just knock him out and be done with it.


Getting Kokoda to stay in the shop, without cluing him in to the reason why, took a lot more effort than Kimiko enjoyed spending. But it did keep her mind off of wondering how Shuuichi was doing, and by the time the day ended, she wanted nothing more than to go upstairs, eat one of the box lunches she'd bought from the store and just pass out.

But she couldn't let Kokoda go off on his own, damnit. She'd never forgive herself if he got hurt, or worse, while Shuuichi was away.

"Kimiko-san, is everything okay?" he asked as they worked to close down the store. "You've been kind of tense and jumpy all afternoon..."

"...I keep thinking someone's been following me," she said, making a split-second decision that she hoped wasn't about to blow up in her face. "Some creep who doesn't know how to back off."

As far as Kokoda knew, she was normal. Maybe a bit stronger than the average woman, but as normal as he was, as normal as he thought Shuuichi was. She didn't want to bank too hard on that being true, but if it was, she might be able to appeal to his sense of family protection.

"And Shuuichi's gone off on this business thing," Kokoda grimaced a little. "Hey, you still need to do your dinner shopping right? Why don't I walk with you for a bit, just to make sure you're not bugged?"

"Would you? That'd be grand."

Inwardly, Kimiko breathed a sigh of relief. She could see Kokoda to the station at least, and from there she'd have to hope that Koenma's guard was as good as he thought.


This brat did not know the meaning of the words 'give up.' Kurama had thrown him through at least a dozen trees, and bounced him off two very tall rocks; still he came back, almost maddeningly persistent. He didn't want to respond to temper with temper, but if this kept up, he was going to have to do the boy a serious injury.

Which would, in turn, bring about some form of revenge by Yomi.

Maybe this had been Yomi's idea.

Kurama shook his head a little as the boy picked himself up again; whether Yomi's idea, or the boy's idea, it didn't matter. This fight needed to end, and he was going to end it.

Yomi's son threw himself at the fox demon, who dodged again and again, working him into position. The indirect approach simply wasn't working; time to get more serious, and more... creative.

He waited for the boy to be fully committed to his 'demon spiral' attack, then seeded the ground where the boy would land, once the attack was expended. Carefully controlling the growth of the plants, even as he dodged the attack, he smiled a little as the boy landed right on one of the small puffball mushrooms.

The powder went immediately up the boy's nose, forcing him to cough and hack, staggering him onto more; it wouldn't kill him, but the puffballs were filled with spores that would put even the most powerful of demons to sleep.

"Y-you..." the child growled, staggering still further and releasing more spores.

"You fight well, but you lack discipline," Kurama said, arms folded loosely across his chest. "Like your father, your temper will be your undoing."

The boys watering eyes narrowed, and he became lined in yellow light... but the effect of the spores was stronger—at least temporarily—than his desire to keep fighting, and he collapsed face first into even more.

Kurama was not above a little bit of overkill if it meant he could just leave.

"Yomi, collect your child," he said coldly. "And teach him manners. Next time, I will not be so kind."

With the boy unconscious, there was no need for the other mushrooms... but he sowed the seeds randomly among the trees just out of spite, and laid a thick carpet behind as he walked away. If Yomi wanted to test his patience, well, he would reply in kind. The spores from those mushrooms would travel quite happily for miles.


Demons, Kimiko decided, were a pain in the ass. Not that this was anything new, but she definitely didn't appreciate this particular one making a nuisance of himself. He was definitely stalking Kokoda, and she was starting to lose what patience she had left.

Kokoda, at least, was helpfully oblivious, even going so far as to volunteer to carry the things she had decided to buy for a dinner she wasn't actually making. Shuuichi had taught her quite a bit on how to not be dangerous in the kitchen, but she wasn't inclined to push her luck while he was gone. It would be a bit hard to explain that she'd lit the stove on fire... again... because she had been impatient.

"Hey, can you wait here?" she asked, as they entered the busiest part of the open-air market. "I need to go find a washroom really quick..."

He nodded, and she ducked into the nearest building that looked like it would have one... then slipped out the back door, and wound her way quickly to an unobserved spot. Enough was enough; even if Koenma's guard was good, Kokoda was under her protection by nature of soon-to-be family. She took threats to her family very seriously.

From her unobserved spot, she jumped between buildings until she was at a roof where she had a view, casting her senses out. The demon who had been following Kokoda was still there, and she pinpointed him on one of the more-deserted upper floors of an under-construction building. The work had ceased for the day, so he wasn't dodging humans...

Well, soon, he'd be dodging one.

Kimiko looked around, carefully plotting her path; while she could take an extreme amount of damage now, doing so unnecessarily was pointless. At least there was something to be said about people in the city; they almost never looked up.

The demon didn't either, not until he realized she was heading for him at considerable speed. He managed to throw up a fairly good block at the last second, all things considered, but it didn't save him from being launched across the mostly open floor of the building.

"I already told fish-face to fuck off," she said when the demon managed to sit back up again. "And enforced that by having some friends of mine drop his ass down a canyon in the mountains. You want a giant target painted on your skull too, or do you wanna just get back to demon world with your limbs still attached?"


Kurama shifted back to Shuuichi as he emerged from Demon's Door cave, breathing in the soft air of the human world and letting it out in a tired sigh. Getting in had been painfully easy, out... well...

Lightly he touched his ribs; the shift back appeared to have done them no lasting harm, at least, and once he called a cab, he could go home to Kimiko; she would scold him for it, but she would heal him too.

He looked forward to it. He had been half-afraid that he would have to spend weeks in demon world, trekking through the forests; coming back after only a day was almost a blessing.

Yomi's lack of retaliation was worrying, though. It couldn't last.

"Good thing I decided to wait here," Hiei snorted a little. "Couldn't take the air of home?"

"Hiei..."

"Mukuro wanted to know what you said to Yomi."

"My alliance is with the human world," Shuuichi said firmly. "I will not support Yomi's unification ambition, nor Mukuro's more anarchistic views, and if either of them bring armies into human world, I will fight with the people of this world to repel them."

"Hmph. Well. You have firm boundaries, at least. Mukuro should be satisfied with that. But are you?"

"I have a life here, Hiei. One that I am fond of," Shuuichi replied, digging into the bag he hadn't opened for more than a few moments in the demon world. "I know of no treasure greater than that."

"Sentiment. How unlike you."

But after a moment, the shorter demon just shrugged in a manner that suggested acceptance. Shuuichi didn't expect Hiei to entirely understand; their friendship was many things, but it was not always mutual recognition. Shuuichi had attained a goal he had never realized he'd had until it was laid bare at his feet; Hiei was still searching for a meaning to his life.

So Shuuichi just nodded a little, and smiled faintly.

"Will you be visiting often?"

"Maybe. Yukina seems insistent on living in this realm."

"Ah. Will you ever tell her?"

"I never intend to. It's... enough."

A brief moment of vulnerability flashed through Hiei's posture, spotted only because Shuuichi had been looking for it. It wasn't his place to push Hiei into saying something, but there would be... other opportunities.

"Very well. Do be kind enough to not die before we can invite you to the wedding," and he smirked a little at his friend as Hiei glared. "I only meant mine and Kimiko's, of course."

"Riiiiiight."


Kokoda was not where she had left him. Neither were the groceries. She'd checked the building she'd gone into, and several around it, growing more anxious with every passing moment; had she been suckered? Shuuichi would never forgive her if she let his step-brother get hurt...

A pulse of energy snapped her head up, and she found herself looking at a blank wall. Too many people were on the street for her to jump it, so she was forced to go around, finding her way to a back alley and then beyond, hissing irritated curses at herself and the world in general.

She did not expect the large, red-skinned, horned demon who looked... well, to be frank, more like he'd enjoy sitting n a recliner with a beer like an American football enthusiast. But he had Kokoda slung, unconscious, over one shoulder,and that put her back up immediately. Lavender energy coated her hands, and she shifted into a fighting stance.

"Put him down."

"Hey, hey, no need for that," he said, smiling affably. "I promise,I was just trying to make sure you found him okay. Those three were trying to haul him back to demon world whether he liked it or not."

He jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards a trio of... Kimiko blinked. She could really only see their legs, as they'd all been stuffed into trash cans, and seemed to have quite a bit of the food she'd bought on top of them. Gently, the large demon set Kokoda onto the ground, looking a bit sheepish.

"I'm afraid I caught him in the head when I turned to check on him. Poor kid dropped like a stone... And uh... sorry about the groceries."

Kimiko moved in cautiously, uncertain; her instinct said that this demon was being on the level, but at the same time, the fact that she had already clearly been duped—not to mention whoever Koenma was supposed to have guarding him regardless, something she was going to have a chat with her boss about in the morning—made her not so sure about anything. Keeping a wary eye on the large demon, she knelt to examine the younger man.

Kokoda was out cold all right, but the knock on the head didn't feel like it would leave any lasting harm. As for the groceries, well, they had been a make-work chore. After a moment she looked up at the demon, and nodded a little.

"Thank you. I wouldn't have been able to face my fiance if his brother had been kidnapped."

"The kid's gonna be okay then?"

"Mmhm. Now, tell me the truth; you're not an energy signature I've felt before, so why are you here on my turf? If you're looking for a fight, you'll get one..."

He blinked at her, then chuckled.

"You're a feisty human," he said, his tone approving. "You remind me of my wife, Koku."

The name rang a bell, and after a moment, Kimiko's eyes went wide.

"I remember her! I had to throw her drunk ass out of a bar!"

Now he laughed, a rollicking, cheerful sound that was impossible to mistrust. Despite herself, Kimiko had to smile a little.

"Yup, that sounds right. She does love her drink, and wanted to try human alcohol. Said it wasn't really worth the effort, but you made the night entertaining. I'm Enki, by the way."

Kimiko shook her head a little, carefully pulling Kokoda upright, and half over her shoulder. He wasn't going to wake up for a while; it was probably best to just take him back to the shop once she was done here.

"Kimiko. It's nice to meet you, I think... Really though, what brings you by? I encountered Koku years ago, so it couldn't be that."

"Ah, right... we've got a bit of a problem in our world. You might know it?"

"Mmm.. Stalemate between Mukuro and Yomi, right?"

"That's the one," he sighed a little, running a hand over his curly hair. "We've stayed mostly out of it, you see; no one could really take Raizen's place when he died, and that piece of the realm has kind of fallen apart. But this stalemate between those two isn't doing anyone any favors. Demons are getting pressed into service whether they like it or not on both sides, and frankly, we're all getting tired of it."

She nodded a little, absently adjusting Kokoda's weight.

"I can understand that, but why come here, to me?"

"Well, you were Genkai's student, right? She's something of a legend, even among us higher-class demons. So me and a group of friends talked it over, and decided I should come find you and see if there was a way you could help us. You're one of the most reasonable hunters around and all..."

She blinked. Though for a moment. Then sighed.

"Well, off the top of my head, I don't know. But I can put the question to my boss, and some other demons, and maybe as a group we can figure something out."

Enki beamed.

"Great! Should I check back in about a week?"

"Maybe two. That'll give me a chance to poll most everyone within reach, I think."

"Two weeks," he nodded. "Where at?"

"Do you know Demon's Door cave?"

"...I'm not very familiar with human world geography, no."

He looked so crestfallen that she had to giggle.

"If you go in that direction, just follow the highway, you'll find a cave system that overlooks the town. That's Demon's Door. It's a place where it's easy to create portals to demon world, or so I keep getting told. I'm not sure where it comes out at, but if you can meet me there, probably in the early evening, I can give you my ideas and we'll see which one of them might work."

Enki nodded, looking in the direction she'd indicated.

"Thanks, Kimiko. You're a nice kid!"

She snorted a little, and waved off the compliment in embarrassment.

"Well, you did help Kokoda, and got me out of a lot of trouble with Shuuichi, so it's only fair I try and help you in return. I need to get him home before he wakes up again though. I'm probably going to have a lot of questions to answer... You're okay getting out of the area unseen?"

"Yup. I know how to look human enough to pass, don't you worry about me! I'll see you in a couple weeks!"

Kimiko nodded, smiling a little again, then turned and started half-dragging Kokoda out of the alley, towards home. She was going to have to do a lot of talking to cover for Shuuichi.


The sun had started to set by the time he made it back into town, paying a cab fare that felt almost like it was more than he'd spent on the way out. But it was good to see the shop, and better to feel Kimiko's muted energy from the top floor. He had texted her the moment he'd finished calling the cab company, but had never received a reply, which had left him worried.

He climbed the iron stairs slowly, feeling the ache in his ribs with every step; before he could push the key into the lock, the door was roughly pushed open, and he was almost bowled over by Kokoda, who jumped back in surprise at the sight of him.

"Shuuichi! You're-" Kokoda glanced over his shoulder, almost guiltily. "...did you hear any of that?"

"Is something the matter, Kokoda?" he asked, concerned.

"...We have to talk, but... Not here," Kokoda said, now distinctly uncomfortable. "I know you just got back, but can you come with me for a bit."

"...all right. Let me go and say hello to Kimiko, first."

Kokoda looked rather like he wanted to protest, but moved aside after a moment, allowing Shuuichi entrance into his own apartment. He found Kimiko picking up the shards of a cup, and muttering unkind things under her breath, most of them aimed at Kokoda.

"...Kimiko?"

She startled, dropping everything she'd collected; she hadn't been paying any attention to her surroundings, and that meant something was wrong. But he couldn't deny the pleasure at watching her anger melt away into delight, and she was on her feet in a flash, reaching out to him. Her delight changed to concern the minute her hands touched his chest—he couldn't help but open his arms for a hug, conceal the wince of pain though he had.

"...You're hurt," she said, concern and a little bit of anger in her tone.

"Yes," he said simply. "And you seem to have had a rough day."

"Well, you wouldn't be wrong. Here, let me..."

She pressed her hands lightly to his chest and he sighed a little as coolness sank under his skin, lavender light flickering across her hands.

"You broke four ribs. And cracked three more. I thought you were going to talk to Yomi and Mukuro, not fight with them."

He rested his hands lightly on her shoulders, the tension in her tone not entirely because of him being hurt.

"I did not fight either, nor did I meet with Mukuro," he said gently. "I told Yomi, and through Hiei, Mukuro will also know, that my alliance is here, with human world, and I will fight against any army that comes to harm it."

A troubled look crossed over her face, then she glanced towards the door.

"...you'd better go talk with Kokoda and reassure him that you know I'm a demon hunter," she sighed. "He's... kind of upset at me for not saying something about it earlier, won't listen to me when I say you know."

"This sounds like it has trouble written all over it."

One side of her mouth quirked into a rueful smile.

"You're not wrong, Shuu... but really, go talk to him. Try to calm him down?" She hesitated. "It might be time for you to admit your own secrets too. Or at least, the ones that could hurt your relationship with your family."

He studied her for a long moment; something had happened. Something big. She was hedging, and that wasn't like her.

"...I will consider it," he said finally, lifting a hand to lightly caress her cheek. "Tell me everything when I get back?"

She leaned into his touch, and some of the tension ebbed as she nodded.

"I will. I'll be waiting."

He kissed her forehead.

"I'll return soon."


Kimiko sighed as she picked up the broken cup for the second time, this time actually getting all the pieces without dropping them again. Really, she'd been trying to apologize to Kokoda for getting him involved at all, he hadn't needed to break the tea cup.

If she was being fair, he hadn't meant to do it; he'd knocked his elbow against it when turning to leave dramatically, and she hadn't been in position to catch it. But at the moment she didn't want to be fair. Blaming her... really, it was Shuuichi's fault, and he was the one who needed to address this.

At least he was back now and could address it. She'd been worried he be away for a long time, but it had only been a day. There was something comforting in that...

She tossed the pieces of the cup into an extra bag, before throwing them away, and turned to grab a dish towel as she pulled her thoughts away from Kokoda and back to the problem Enki had presented her with. How could she offer a solution to that particular problem? Being considered a 'reasonable' demon hunter didn't mean she worked with demon world politics, it just meant that she didn't see the value in ending lives when they could learn still.

She rather heavily doubted either Yomi or Mukuro were interested in having a mediator for peace, though. If they were, it would have already been offered by one or the other.

Making herself a new cup of tea, she flopped into a kitchen chair and considered what little she knew about demon world. Koenma had once likened it to an infinite basement, with the ranking demons being S-class level. The idea that one demon could unifiy it was almost laughable, but by that logic, unification wasn't actually necessary. All you needed was a good mix of upper class demons, and someone to make a portal that lasted longer than a few moments.

Almost, it made her wish for that kikai barrier that had once separated the worlds. Sure a net wasn't the best option, it wasn't going to block everything, but at the same time, blocking high level demons from messing around was a way of minimizing the risk.

After a moment she pulled out her phone and called her brother. Annoyingly, she just got his voice mail.

"Yuu, it's me. I have something I need you to help me with. Call me back."

She scowled a little at the phone, then sighed; he was probably in the middle of the dinner rush at the diner. Speaking of, she was still hungry, and since Kokoda had absconded with the actual cook of the household... She checked the time again, then half-shrugged; if she hurried, she could get some of her favorite take out. Maybe a full stomach would help her find a solution.


"Kokoda, I have known this from the day I met her," Shuuichi said patiently. "Kimiko is nothing if not forthright. The only reason we didn't tell you, or Father is simply because it's not a profession that's treated with a lot of respect. You and he have both expressed disdain for it in the past, not to mention your general disbelief in actual demons themselves."

Kokoda was much to old to sulk, but he was doing a credible impression of it. Shuuichi sighed a little, doing his best to curb his impatience. He loved his step-brother, truly, but he wanted nothing more than to be home, with a cup of his own tea, telling Kimiko about what had happened. No doubt by the time he got back, she'd be bursting with curiosity.

"And what would you have me do?" he asked pointedly. "If Kimiko doesn't fight, this area becomes quite a bit more chaotic, and people are in danger of being hurt. She doesn't enjoy it, but she does it because she is driven to help. She was trying to protect you, prevent you from being hurt."

"She didn't do a very good job of it," Kokoda muttered.

"She does what she can within the limits of her ability," Shuuichi replied calmly. "She's human, Kokoda. We're not perfect beings. She likely left to deal with the overt threat, and didn't realize there were more insidious ones just waiting."

His step brother picked up the coffee he'd ordered, then put it down, untasted; Shuuichi heaved a mental sigh and had to admit that if this mess didn't blow over, he really wasn't going to have a choice about telling the truth. Yomi's revenge would be somewhat inspired if it wasn't so troublesome, designed as it was to leave him in the weaker position.

But Yomi plainly hadn't reckoned on the lengths Kimiko would go to for family. Nor at the unexpected allies she garnered, though he didn't recognize the description of the demon who had fought to rescue Kokoda.

"I will see you home," Shuuichi said, shaking his head a little. "Take a day or two and recuperate, and think a little about what we've discussed. I would appreciate it also, if you didn't tell Mother and Father. I'd like to discuss this with them myself, with Kimiko."

Kokoda sighed a little, then nodded.

"All right... But you gotta talk to them soon."

"I intend to."

Though the topic was certainly something better approached in private...


Shuuichi returned before anyone called her back, and Kimiko wasn't entirely sure if that was a good thing or a bad one.

"How'd it go?" she asked.

"Kokoda's going to take a couple of days to calm down and recover, and he's agreed that it's something I should tell Mother and Father..."

"...you didn't tell him," she said after a moment, giving him a narrow-eyed stare.

"No," he said simply. "That sort of revelation will be difficult enough the one time. I did not want to give him a reason to go stomping away, or worse, in case someone else was watching and tried to harm him again."

While she couldn't exactly argue with his logic, it felt rather like he'd copped out. After a moment she just sighed and shook her head a little, propping her chin in her hands. He went into the kitchen, and returned shortly with the kettle and his own mug, as well as a small plate of cookies she'd completely forgotten about.

"So," he said, settling beside her once he'd refilled her empty cup, "would you like to speak, or listen?"

"You first," she said promptly.

He inclined his head slightly, and began.