Fox, Vixen, Fire, and Wolf

A few days later, Duo and I returned to the living world. The other estate owners informed us that more than a thousand men, and nearly as many women, had been killed. Marina had slaughtered more of my boys than first thought, as many of them had been visiting other estates. The day of the funeral, I met with Trowa and Quatre Barton-Winner. The young blonde was still very shaky on his feet, and Trowa had his arm around his waist, half-carrying him. I knew one thing – if Duo had died, I’m not the only one who would’ve gone crazy. Heero had been one of their best friends as well.

“It feels like someone is out to get us,” Quatre said. “What do we do if someone else tries to come after us?”

“We fight, plain and simple,” Trowa said matter-of-factly. Just then, I caught sight of Duo talking to an old friend of mine. Excusing myself, I walked over to where he was and momentarily stood behind them before speaking. “Madame Genkai, what a pleasure this is!”

“Kurama, my dear boy, it’s been so long!” Genkai laughed as I bent to hug her.

“Too long,” I said. “You never told me that you knew this woman, Duo.”

“Neither did you, Love,” he said sweetly. “She gave me quite a run for my money when she trained me as a young boy.”

“I’d say that’s probably an understatement,” I said. “While I’ve never trained under her, I’ve fought by her side on numerous occasions, and have been amazed by the power she’s had.”

“I don’t have half the power of you and the others,” Genkai said. “But thank you for the compliment. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I see a young dimwit that I still need to speak with. It was a pleasure seeing you both again.”

“The pleasure was all mine,” I said. She took a few steps, then turned back to face us.

“Oh, and Kurama,” she said. “My condolences on the loss of Hiei. And to you as well, Duo, on your loss of Heero. They were both great men.”

“Thank you,” Duo said. As she walked away, I turned to Duo and saw that his eyes were clamped shut, his teeth clenched, tears slipping from the outer edges of his eyes. I crouched next to his chair and wrapped my arms around him. “WHY?!” he cried through clenched teeth. “Why did he have to die? Why did any of them have to die? Why did that stupid bitch and her gang kill them?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “But I can promise you this – they will never be forgotten.” As I looked out at the field, littered with crosses, stars of David, and small Buddha statues, anger filled me. But at the same time, I thought of an old friend and his talent for sculpting. The scene I had witnesses just before Heero’s death, of a young man picking up the body of his injured or dead lover, would be the perfect memorial for the Kurama House. Perhaps I could even contract his help in creating statues of other scenes that took place in the other estates. One that I heard about from those of several different houses was a pair of lovers holding each other as they died, a few even using their last breaths to kiss one final time.

As I held onto Duo that evening, I felt that I had come home. I knew that if Sheila could see me now, she would approve, as would Hiei.
A few days later, I received word that the nursery in one of the other estates was over-run with children because of the deaths of their parent and that parent’s partner. Several foster homes had been found, but it was difficult to find all of them homes. I didn’t want these children to be forced to live in orphanages, and I knew Duo would agree with me, having been raised in an orphanage himself.

“Do you think we should take in some of those children?” I asked Duo that evening over dinner. Duo’s eyes widened, astounded that I would ask such a question.

“I’ve always wanted to raise children,” he said. “Hilde and Ami are raising the twins that we had when Hilde and I were together. They’re wonderful mothers.”

“No doubt of it,” I said. “I’ve seen you with the children in the nursery, and in the last few weeks I have contemplated what it would be like to have our own to raise.”

“You don’t know how long I’ve waited to be able to raise my own kids,” he said, tears in his eyes. “Heero and I talked about it, but then this whole mess happened, and… Damn it all!”

“Calm down, Duo,” I said, taking his hand. “I’m going to take your response as an agreement that we should adopt one or two of those little ones.”

“Kurama, thank you,” Duo said, rolling his chair around to my side of the table with lightning speed, and threw his arms around me. I reached into my pocket and took out my cell phone, calling up one of my lawyers and explained the situation.

“I appreciate this, John,” I said, hanging up the phone. “He said that he would start drawing up the papers tonight. We may very well be fathers by the end of the week.” The only thanks I needed was his brilliant smile. I kissed him, and I could feel in his touch that he couldn’t be happier.

“Kurama, I want you to make love to me,” he said, so softly that only I could hear. That statement sent my hormones into overdrive, and I licked my lips. “Make love to me like we could have children ourselves and were trying our damnedest to conceive.”

“As much… as I’d like… to do that,” I said, already panting under Duo’s caresses and nibbling on my ear. “But we’re in public. We have things we need to do before we return to our bedroom. What do you say we go to the nursery and meet some of the children, and narrow down our choices.”

“You owe me, Suichi,” he growled. “If I could move my legs, I’d make you promise to let me make you my slave for a night in exchange for denying me.”

“Who said anything about denying you,” I smiled. “You’re welcome to me when we retire to our apartment, but until then, we need to have a sense of decorum.” I ran my hand up his hip, kissing him softly. “Hurry and finish your dinner. I want to go choose the children we’re going to raise.”
We soon chose to adopt two boys and a girl. They were old enough to be past keeping us up all night, but young enough to know us as their parents. Two were three, and one of the boys was just over two years old. As odd as it seemed, our daughter’s name Leena, a shortened version of the name of Heero’s late wife. Yuu and Trowa were wonderful kids, and so cute for having grown up around such gruff men as their fathers.

The days following were wonderful. As the owners of the house, we had the resources to give our kids everything. However, as both of us had grown up with less than most, we understood how important not being spoiled was to personality. So, as a couple, we decided to set limitations as to how much we would give them, and how much we would have them earn. But something else, was weighing heavily on my mind, and that was the fact that not only was I ready to be a father, I was ready to be married again. It had been just over a year since Sheila had died, and it seemed that the marriage was the longest relationship I’d had in my whole life. Perhaps if Duo and I married, it would negate any bad luck.

“Daddy!” Yuu squealed as I walked in the door from work. Duo looked tired, but he was absolutely happy. I scooped Yuu up and carried him on my shoulders like Tiny Tim, sitting down with him next to Leena, who was quietly looking at a picture book.

“How did it go today?” I asked, kissing Duo quickly.

“Let me put it this way,” he said. “If I wasn’t in a wheelchair, I’d never make it around the house chasing after these kids. I put Trowa to bed about an hour ago, but Yuu and Leena begged me to let them stay up until you got home.”

“How were you today, Young Lady?” I asked her. “You’re acting like such a good girl right now.”

“I was good, Daddy,” she said, looking up at me, and giving me a huge smile. I hugged her and kissed her forehead. “Papa played with us all day long! I had so much fun!”

“Your Daddy and your Papa love you,” I said. “But now it’s time for you two to get ready for bed.” I picked her up, and Yuu climbed up on Duo’s lap as he wheeled his chair into the bedroom. Afterwards, as the children lay sleeping, I walked out to the living room and collapsed onto the couch.

“Long day, Darlin’?” he asked. I nodded, looking over at him drowsily.

“The business is great, but we have someone buying up a huge number of our stocks,” I said. “I’m in danger of losing control of my company. I’ve spent all day on the phone fighting with my accountants.” I put my hand on his cheek, wiping his hair from his tired face. “I’m hoping your day went better than mine.”

“The day went great,” he said. “Ami and Hilde brought the girls over and we went to the children’s library. Yuu asked me a question that I sure as hell didn’t expect. He asked me why he had two daddies and Jessica and Contessa had two mommies. I told him that everyone has one mommy and one daddy, but that sometimes two men or two women fall in love and live together and raise children, so it’s like having two moms or two dads.”

“For a three-year-old child, he’s got a lot of knowledge,” I said with a smile. “I hope you don’t mind, but all I feel like doing tonight is grabbing a quick bite to eat and then going to sleep. I don’t have to go to work until noon tomorrow, so we can make love in the morning until the kids get up. How does that sound to you?”

“To be honest, that’s all I have the strength for too,” Duo said. “It’ll be fine by me to just fall asleep in your arms.”

“How about doing that with a ring on your finger?” I said. Duo gasped as I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small black box. “This was the wedding ring Sheila gave me on our wedding day. I want to give it to you now, along with my heart. Duo Maxwell, will you marry me, and make me the happiest man in the world?”

“I’m not sure if I’m ready for that,” Duo said. “Can we discuss this later?”

“Of course,” I said, slightly disappointed, but fully understanding his hesitation. “I love you, Duo, and I will wait for you to be ready for a fully committed relationship.”

“Thank you so much for understanding,” he said. “Most guys would be asses and get angry about it.”

“Well, I’m not most guys,” I said, touching his face. “Think about it, at least.”

“I will,” he said as I headed for the kitchen. “A friend of mine stopped by the manor today.”

“Who was that?”

“Max Pegasus,” he said, startling me. “Ya know, the guy with the gold eye.” I closed the fridge and jetted back into the living room. “What’s wrong?”

“I just realized that he may be the one who is buying up pieces of my company,” I said. “Kaiba warned me about him!”

“I doubt it, Kurama,” Duo said. “He said that it was happening to him too, and he’s concerned that it’s being done to a number of other large companies.”

“It seems like whenever Illusion Industries gets into the spotlight, we hear from that boy, Yugi Motou, or from Yami Takishi,” I said. “Those young men are quite accomplished in not only gaming, but also theatre.”

“As are a number of our boys,” Duo commented. “While you were gone, a number of them showed interest in providing some entertainment. If Marina hadn’t shown up, auditions for Les Miserables would’ve been held the next day.”

“Why was I not told of this until now?”

“Because you were in mourning when you came back to us,” he said. “You would, of course, have been told of the play when you came back if it had been under normal circumstances.”

“I think we should go forward with it, if you don’t think it would be too hard on those kids,” I said. “I’ve never been in a musical that big, but I’d enjoy being in it myself.”

“What part do you sing?” he asked. “Tenor or bass?”

“As odd as this sounds, I’ve been trained as an alto,” I said. “I’ve sung the part of Eponine on a number of occasions, in talent shows and such.”

“Never knew you were such a multi-talented person,” Duo said. “I played the part of Jean Val Jean in high school, but I wanted to be Marius just so I could get to hold that sweet girl as she sang that song.”

“Don’t you fret, Monsieur Marius,” I sang. “I don’t feel any pain. A little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now…”

“I’m here,” Duo sang.

“That’s all I need to know,” I sang, hugging my lover. “And you will keep me safe, and you will keep me close, and rain will make the flowers grow.”

“Heero…” He murmured.

“Hiei,” I said softly. “He and Sheila both loved that song, not to mention the play.”

“Now I understand why you feel so ready to get married,” Duo said. “You seem to long for the feeling of forever.”

“You’re right,” I said. “And it’s more than that. It took me ten years to get my head out of the sand and admit that I had feelings for Hiei, and then he was suddenly gone. I knew from the start that there was something different about you that I was amazingly attracted to. I don’t just want to marry you because I love you. I want to marry you because I want to be eternally bonded to the man who has saved my life, soul, and sanity just by staying alive. You don’t have to give me answer tonight, but at least give it some thought.”

“I think I already know my answer,” he said. “I mean, I’m helping you raise children, we own joint shares in this household, and we’ve both been to hell and back to get what we have. I think the answer’s pretty obvious.” He picked the ring box up from the table and handed it to me. “Put this ring on my hand, and I’ll never take it off. Yes, I will marry you.” I nearly leapt up on the couch and shouted to the sky when I heard those words roll of his tongue, but I controlled my voice because I didn’t want to wake the children.

“Thank you, my love,” I whispered in his ear.
The next several weeks were full of fun and excitement as Duo and I began to plan our wedding. Since this was Duo’s first marriage, we decided we would both wear white tuxedoes, with the boys wearing black suits and Leena wearing a delicate pink gown. Jessica and Contessa would be Duo’s attendants, along with Quatre and Trowa Barton-Winner, and Yusuke and Kuwabara would be my best men, alongside Jin and Touya as groomsmen.

This would be a very expensive, no-holds-barred, gala event, with our friends from all over the country in attendance. When we told everyone, however, there were mixed reactions between some of our friends, and especially with my in-laws. While it was true that they loved me and wanted to be happy, Sheila’s family was not very happy that I would be marrying a man. They had invited me to a family Christmas party, and I asked if I could bring my family along. Assuming that I meant my mother, stepfather, and stepbrother, of course they said yes.

Arriving at the door with Duo on my arm and three children in tow created quite a stir. Sheila’s mother didn’t act as upset as I knew she was, but her father was about to go through the roof. Had it not been for Danielle and Anna, Sheila’s sisters, the entire day would’ve been ruined. The children, however, were welcomed into the home immediately, and I was so happy about that.

“Those children really do happy with you,” Dad said, handing me a glass of wine after approaching me out on the balcony. “At least I know that if Sheila had been able to have children, you would’ve given them a good life.”

“Thank you,” I said, looking at him with a warm smile. “I know you don’t approve of my current choices, but I hope you’ll still allow me to continue to be a part of your family, along with Duo and the children.”

“Suichi, you’re just like my son,” he said. “Your partner seems like a decent man, and the kids are great. I know I was angry when I first found out about this, but… I want you to be happy, and if they make you happy, I’m happy for you, and I hope you’ll both join us for the New Years Ever party next week.” Duo had been at the door of the balcony for a few minutes, and as my father-in-law hugged me, I saw him smile. I smiled back at him, then at Dad.

“Thank you for the support, Dad,” I said. “Is it alright if Duo joins us for a drink?”

“I… I really don’t want to impose, Sir,” Duo said, surprised that I’d ask that question.

“Get out here, Son,” Dad said, handing him a glass of wine as well. “Welcome to the family, and Merry Christmas.”

“Thank you,” Duo said, wheeling over to give him a quick hug. “Merry Christmas, Sir.”

“Dad, it would be a great honor for us if you and Mom would be a part of our wedding.”

“Gladly,” he said.
“Merry Christmas, Father,” I said later, placing a small wreath at the base of the headstone of my human father’s grave. “Mother sends her love. I’d like you to meet the man I’m going to marry, Duo Maxwell.”

“You’re talking to him as though he’s standing right in front of you,” Duo said. “The only thing that’s in that grave is a body. He ain’t here anymore.”

“I can understand that statement coming from a Christian like yourself,” I said. “But I ask you not to disrespect my religious beliefs, or my father’s memory, by saying such things here. My father’s been dead since I was six, and he promised me on his deathbed that he would always spend Christmas with me as long as I went back to his grave each year. There’ve only been a few times that I’ve missed it.”

“Sorry, Kurama,” he said. “I didn’t mean it disrespectfully, and I really don’t want to pick a fight with you. I just didn’t realize spending some of your Christmas with your dad was so important to you.”

“I need to be alone with him for a few minutes, please,” I said. “Take the children back to the car.”

“Gampa’s here!” Yuu suddenly said. I smiled, thinking that he just meant that he knew that my father was his grandfather, and that his body was here. But then I realized that he was seeing something none of the rest of us were seeing. “He’s with a boy with spiky black hair, and a woman with long brown hair.”

“Hiei! Sheila!” I cried. “Father! All of you, if you are here, please appear to me!”

“I’m here too, Duo,” Heero’s said as all four of them appeared to us. “I see you did as I told you, my love.”

“Heero!” Duo cried. “But now do you realize how important it was for you to survive? These beautiful children need you, as does this man.”

“Yes, I know,” Duo said. “If only I could walk again.” As we watched, Heero placed his hands on Duo’s legs. Duo explained later that it felt like feathers on his skin, soft and almost intangible.

“Stand up,” Heero commanded. “Suichi, take his hands and help him up.” I did so, and was amazed to see Duo on his feet, standing on his own.

“Thank you, my Heero,” Duo said, close to tears. “Merry Christmas.”

“Yes, we were able to spend it together,” he said. “I love you, Duo.”

“Suichi,” Sheila said. “Aren’t you going to say hello to me?”

“Sheila!” I said, reaching for her hand, but almost frightened to touch her. There were tears in my eyes as I felt her feather-soft embrace around me. “I’ve missed you so much, my dearest Sheila.”

“You’ve been under as much stress as the day we met,” she giggled. “But I was the one who guided you to the two men who love you.”

“They have saved my life,” I said. “I just wish I could always see you, and have you in life again.”

“I know, my love,” she said. “I wish it every day as well, but you know as well as I that it won’t happen, and we won’t be together again for a very long time.”

“Does it surprise you, Angel, that he hasn’t said a word to his father, or to me?” Hiei said in his normal sarcastic tone.

“I’m not surprised,” said my father, a voice I hadn’t heard in nearly twenty-one years. “We normally spend Christmas with each other alone, or with his mother here. He’s not used to this many people.”

“Children, go wait in the car with your Papa, please,” I said, standing and turning toward my father and my companions. “Heero, go with Duo. I’m sure you have a great deal to talk about.”

“Yes,” Heero said, bowing respectfully to me. “Come, Duo, and introduce me to these beautiful little boys, and the girl who bears my wife’s name.”

“Our first Christmas together,” I said, partly in Duo’s direction, but mostly to Hiei. “I think Sheila’s parents would have been even more upset about you than they were about Duo.”

“Sheila, the angel that she is, was able to convince her father that you were doing the right thing,” Father said. I noticed that both Hiei and my father had called her Angel. They both seemed to have great respect for her. Perhaps she outranked them in the heavenly courts.

“Father, Hiei, how good to see you,” I said, small sparklets of tears trickling down my cheeks. “I’ve missed you both so much.”

“My dear boy,” Father said. “I wish that I could be alive to be a part of your life on a regular basis. I’d have loved to have been a part of either of your weddings.” I smiled, so glad I was able to speak with them again, even though it would probably be our last time to do so face-to-face until my own death.

“I hope you have a happy holiday, my Fox,” Hiei said. “Call our names, any of us who have passed, and we will do our best to come and guard you.”

“We will return for you when it is your time,” Sheila said. “But, Suichi, that won’t be happening until long after these children are grown and have children of their own.”

“I will never stop missing you, not for a single minute,” I said, touching her cheek. “But no matter what happens, at least I know that the children will have parents to care for and love them.”

‘Should we tell him?’ Father said telepathically to the others.

‘No, not directly,’ Sheila said. ‘That future may not be set in stone.’

“What is it?” I said, seeing them look at each other doubtfully. “Is something going to happen to one of the children? Or, God-forbid, Duo?”

“That is not for us to say,” Hiei said. “But know this – you and Duo will have a very happy life if you stay strong and endure through the bad times.”

“It is time for us to go now,” Sheila said. “We love you.”

“And I love you all,” I said. As I watched them disappear and turned toward the car, I realized that my eyes were completely dry, and I had a smile on my face. It had been a good Christmas. My in-laws and I had made peace, they had accepted my fiancée and our children, and I had spent another peaceful evening with my father. Finally, I was happy, happier than I had been even on my wedding day. I had a family, a dream that had been shattered when Sheila had died, and worsened when Hiei had flatly refused to be “saddled” with human infants “with no visible potential for fighting.”
The New Year came and went quickly, and the day of our wedding was soon upon us. I awoke to find I was alone in the bed, but that a note was waiting for me on the tray with my breakfast.

My darling Youko, sorry I couldn’t be with you when you woke up this morning, but you know how superstitious I am. See you at the church. I love you. Love, Duo. P.S., have fun getting the kids ready for the ceremony. : p

“You’re gonna pay for that, Duo,” I said softly and playfully. I had kept some things locked in a box that I’d wanted to save for a few nights into the honeymoon, but which, I now realized, would be necessary for a good punishment that night. Handcuffs, a cock-ring, and a threatening pair of scissors to keep him in line. I just worried that he would enjoy it too much and want to make it a regular thing.

Shortly before I was supposed to leave to go to the church, I received a phone call from my stepfather. His voice was so soft that I could hardly hear him, and I instantly knew something was out of the ordinary. “Suichi, I’m afraid I have some very bad news.”

“What’s happened, Father?”

“I was going to let your mother tell you, but she didn’t want to upset you on your wedding day,” he said. My heart fell to my stomach, afraid that my mother was ill again. “But there’s no getting around it now. She just recently lost her twins that she was expecting.”

“When did this happen?” I said, breathing a silent sigh of relief.

“Last night, after the rehearsal dinner,” he said. “She’s in the hospital now, but she’ll be fine. She wanted me to call you because she won’t be able to make it to the wedding.”

“As long as she’s going to be okay, I want what’s best for her, and that includes her getting her rest,” I said. “If Duo agrees to it, we’ll stop by the hospital after the reception.”

“I’ll let her know, Son,” he said. “See you then.”

“Thank you,” I said before hanging up, then dialing Duo’s cell phone.

“Hello, Love,” he said. “You on your way?”

“Soon, but I just got a call from my stepfather,” I said. “She miscarried her twins last night and won’t be able to be at the wedding.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. “I know you were excited about having brothers, and your family was excited as well. Question is, are you okay?”

“I will be, when I’m with you,” I said. “See you in a few minutes.”