Just Desserts

Guukan tensed in human form, stopping in the hallway of the hospital. This is a bad idea! his thoughts warned in his head. The young Kitsune forced them back. No. He had been searching for this man for forty years. He wasn’t about to let what he had done go without consequences. This man was gonna get payback.
He glanced to his left, his golden eyes hidden behind sunglasses. He wore the rest of his usual costume, but looked completely human. He stopped a nurse. “Pardon, but can you tell me where Room 216 is?” he asked.
She smiled. “ Are you family?” she asked. “No. Just someone who owes him.” The Kitsune answered. “Well, I guess it can’t hurt. Just down the hall, on your left. You can’t miss it.” She told him, then continued off down the hallway.
Guukan walked down the hall casually, watching the doors. There! Room 216! He mentally noted. The door was open, so he walked in. A stocky, bull-like old man lay on the bed, barely conscious. He was hooked up to an IV drip, some painkillers, and an EKG. His wrinkled face still had a visage of strength, and he still had all his hair.
As soon as Guukan entered, he spoke. “It’s you. I remember you.” he said, simply and to the point. “It’s been decades, but your face is etched into my memory.” The old man explained, spearing the Kitsune with sharp grey eyes.
Guukan smiled. “Then, I suppose you know why I’m here?” he quizzed. “I do. I didn’t think we’d ever meet again. Please, let me see your eyes. I want to know that I wasn’t hallucinating that day.” The old man asked.
“Here. You weren’t.” Guukan said, slipping the dark glasses off. Even in the brightness of the hospital room, his golden eyes seemed to glow. The Kitsune walked over to the man’s bed.
“ I owe you. I owe you more than I can possibly repay you, were I to live two thousand years.” Guukan started. The hospital patient smiled. “You owe me nothing. I only did my job.” He said. “Wrong!” the Kitsune spoke sharply. He turned and gently closed the door.
The old man sighed. “I’m not much longer for this world. Whatever you have to say to me, say it.” He said. Guukan looked down. “I owe you every second, every minute, every hour, day, week, month, and year since that day.” He spoke.
“You saved my life. You saved me, and my first instinct was to run away. So I did. I never even thought about what I should have said to you until later. You shoved me out from in front of that bus, and I ran off like an ingrate.” Guukan spoke.
“Out with it, boy. Or, are you older than I could ever have guessed? It’s been forty years, but you’ve only grown a few years in that time.” The old man spoke. Guukan bit his tongue.
“I wanted to thank you. To offer my gratitude that my life was in your hands, and you didn’t drop it. To ask your name, so I could always honor it. To settle my debt for good. How can I repay you?” The fox-demon asked.
“You can in two easy tasks. The first, tell me why it was you ran.” The old man stated. “Can you keep this to yourself?” Guukan asked. The old man smiled. “Old-youth, I am on my deathbed. Soon, I shall cross over. And who can keep a secret better than a corpse?” he chuckled.
“It was because I’m not a human. I’m not even supposed to exist, according to regular scientists. So, when you got the close look at my face, I panicked.” Guukan explained. As he did, he reverted to his regular form, tail, ears, fur, claws, and all.
The old man smiled. “My name is Robert Alphonse, former police lieutenant of the NYPD. You wanted to know my name, right? There you are. Now, please, sit with me for the last few minutes of my life. That’s all I want in return.” He said.
Guukan changed back to his human shape and opened the door. Then, he sat in the chair next to the bed, and slipped his hand into the old man’s. “I will be at your side to the end. I owe you that much, now that I’ve found you.” he spoke.
Robert smiled. “I had no family. None of my siblings still live. All of my friends died a long time ago, either from gunfire, sickness, from age. This is the best way you can repay me.” He said, closing his eyes.
“No one deserves to die alone.” Guukan said, changing just his hand into it’s usual shape. The aged man smiled. “Your hand is soft, and warm…” he spoke, his voice trailing off. Guukan watched as his eyes opened, and glassed over. The EKG let off a long, steady beep.
Guu slid his hand from the dead man’s, changing it at the same time back to human shape. “Goodbye, and thank you, Robert.” He spoke, then tucked the still form in, and gently closed it’s eyes. “Thank you for my life.” He added, then calmly turned and left the room, slipping on his sunglasses.

Outside, Mangaka stood waiting by the cab. Guukan joined her. Quietly, they both climbed in the back, and the taxi left. Guukan started staring out the window, his eyes fixed on the heavens. Mangaka became preoccupied with her various business papers, but glanced up every now and again to see what Guu was up to.
After nearly half an hour, he was still gazing up at the blue sky. She adjusted her glasses and looked up at him. “ Did you take care of that old debt of yours?” she asked. Guukan nodded. “Yeah, I did.” He said.
Mangaka watched for several minutes as the Kitsune stared upwards. “What are you looking at?” she finally asked, curiosity getting the better of her. Guu looked sad.
“The day a good man, an unsung hero, left this world.” He explained.