Vampire Fox

The silk cloth felt good against Suichi’s abused body as he shifted in a state of half-awareness. Slowly, he opened one eye and stared blankly at the wall before remembering why he was in so much pain. The tears came in a flood. Suichi curled up under the blanket and sobbed, his heart shattered. All he wanted to do was go home and lie in his mother’s lap like he had when he was a child.

She’s the only one who’s never betrayed me…who would never hurt me. She’s the only trustworthy person I know! I thought I could trust Yoko, and look what happened! I don’t care if it was only a sudden mood-swing; he still betrayed me! The human was jerked out of his thoughts by a hand on his head. With a cry, he pulled away, not bothering to look at Yoko.

“Suichi…” the fox’s voice was choked with tears.

Suichi shrugged his hand away. “Go away!” he cried.

“Suichi please…”

"No! I hate you! Leave me alone!” the redhead buried his face in the pillow and sobbed into it. “Just leave me alone…”

The weight was gone from the edge of the bed as Yoko rose and left.



“DAMN YOU, KURONUE!!” Yoko screamed into his pillow. “DAMN YOU TO A THOUSAND HELLS AND BACK!” He collapsed and let the tears flow. “Why do you have to ruin my life, Kuronue? We used to be best friends, and now I hate you! What happened to you!? Why do you do this to me?” he stopped and stared at the wall. “I’m so sorry, Suichi. I couldn’t stop him…I wasn’t strong enough to protect you. No wonder you hate me… I hate me…”

Once more, the fox got up and entered Suichi’s room. He watched the human sob for a moment before speaking. “Suichi, I’m so sorry. It’s breaking my heart to see you like this!”

“THEN WHY DID YOU DO IT!?” the redhead wailed.

“Please listen, Suichi! It wasn’t me! Kuronue…he took over my body and forced me to hurt you! I would never voluntarily hurt you like that! Please believe me!”

“Why should I!?” Suichi hiccupped. “I believed you when you said you wouldn’t hurt me, and look what happened! Just go away!”

The fox managed to make it back to his room before his legs gave way. He collapsed on the floor and yowled his anger to the world.


“Yoko? Yoko! YOKO!” The fox was shaken out of his despaired trance by the rough shaking. He groggily looked up into a blurred face.

“Are you alright, fox? I felt you break down and came as soon as I could…” The face focused and Yoko leapt to his feet, snarling. Kuronue took a step back, startled by the loathing glare in his scion’s eyes.

“Haven’t you caused enough trouble already, Kuronue!?” Yoko spat. “Can’t you be satisfied with ruining every relationship I’ve ever had?”

Kuronue rolled his eyes. “You’re being so childish, Yoko! You attacked me. I had to penalize you somehow!”

“OF COURSE I FUCKING ATTACKED YOU!! YOU WERE MOLESTING MY SCION!” Yoko bellowed, rattling the windowpanes. “I don’t understand what happened to you, Kuronue!” he said in a quieter voice. “Ever since you died you’ve become so arrogant and pushy...we used to be partners. Now you’re just a tyrant!” he looked tearfully at Kuronue. “We…we used to love each other, Kuronue, But it’s hard to love someone who routinely causes me so much pain!”

Kuronue opened his mouth to object, but Yoko kept talking. “I’ve still loved you after I died, Kuronue. Even though it was obvious I was only an inferior to you…a food source… a plaything. It hurt, knowing that you could care so little about your one-time best friend. But I never complained. I had faith in you. And you took advantage of me and my devotion to you. You abused me, and then punished me for hurting. And through all of that, I still loved you.

“Suichi was my friend, Kuronue. Like we used to be. And now…” Yoko’s voice quavered. “…now, he hates me. He hates me because of what you made me do to him! I needed a friend, because you certainly weren’t one anymore.” Yoko’s knees gave out once more, and he sank to the floor to cry.

Kuronue stared at him in speechless horror. “Yoko…I…” he stuttered. The problem was that he knew that Yoko was right. “I’m so sorry, Yoko. I never knew I was hurting you so much, I…” he sank into a chair. “Oh, Yoko. Of course I still love you! I’ll always love you!”

Yoko laughed bitterly. “You sure haven’t acted like it. You broke my heart tonight, Kuronue. Yes, I attacked you, but you were harassing my scion! What kind of master would I be if I didn’t defend him!? You went too far. He did nothing to deserve that.”

“You’re right,” Kuronue whispered, taking the fox by surprise. “I did go too far. I-I was jealous, Yoko,” he looked up at the fox. “I always get scared you’re going to fall in love with your scion and forget about me! I’ve been such an ass! No wonder you hate me!” He buried his face in his hands.

Something warm was in his lap. Kuronue opened his eyes. Yoko had his head in his lap, tears leaking out of his eyes. “I don’t hate you, Kuronue,” he whispered. “I could never hate you. I love you too much!”

“I don’t deserve you, fox,” Kuronue whispered. “After everything I’ve done to you, you still love me!” he stroked Yoko’s silver hair affectionately.

Yoko suddenly burst into a fresh wave of tears. “Suichi…he hates me! He’s convinced it was I who hurt him, and he’s heartbroken! He won’t let me speak to him!” Yoko’s body shook horribly.

Kuronue let him cry for a moment before saying quietly, “Shall I go talk to him for you? He may not be as angry at me as he is at you.” Yoko nodded and the bat rose and went into the next room.

Suichi raised his head to turn one red-rimmed eye on Kuronue. “What do you want?” he whispered hoarsely.

“Don’t be angry at Yoko, Suichi,” Kuronue started. “No, listen to me. He did nothing. It was I who hurt you, I through Yoko’s body. If you’re going to be angry, be angry at me. It’s my fault.”

“If it really was you,” Suichi muttered, “then why are you in here telling me this? Why do you care if I hurt or not? You didn’t care before; you liked it!!”

“Because I feel terrible that I hurt Yoko the way I did,” Kuronue sighed. “He’s in the next room, crying. I’ve never, not in the fifteen thousand years I’ve known him, seen him this upset. He’s had a mental breakdown, Suichi. Let him talk to you… I think you both need it.” He rose and left.


“What’d he say?” Yoko asked.

Kuronue shrugged. “Nothing, but he’s stopped crying.”

Slowly, Yoko approached Suichi’s bed and sat down again. When the human did not demand he leave, the fox spoke his name quietly.

“What?” was the muffled reply.

“I-I’m sorry.” Yoko whispered. “I never meant for any of this to happen… I never wanted to hurt you; that’s the last thing I wanted to do!” he closed his eyes to stop more tears from spilling. “Please, believe me… you don’t have to forgive me, but at least believe me when I say I never meant to hurt you!”

Suichi sat up and looked into the fox’s bloodshot eyes. He sniffed. “I-I believe you, Yoko,” he rasped. The redhead started as Yoko flung himself forward with a cry of relief and held Suichi to him. “Ow…” he managed to gasp.

Yoko let him go. “Sorry…” he said sheepishly.

Suichi smiled a little, and Yoko felt the atmosphere lighten. The fox looked up to find Kuronue leaning in the doorframe, smiling. Yoko knew his master well, however, and easily detected hint of sadness in both the smile and his eyes. Suichi noticed Kuronue as well, and his expression flickered between fear and anger, and he turned away from him.

Kuronue came to the bedside and said, “Suichi, I must offer my sincerest apologies. I have caused you nothing but pain since I showed up. Forgive me,” he took the redhead’s hand and bowed low over it.

The redhead pulled his hand back and eyed Kuronue warily, not trusting nor liking the bat but accepting him as a necessary evil. Yoko gave a tiny shrug and pulled the bat to him, kissing him gently before lying back into his arms, Suichi cradled in his.