Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dragons and Yaoi ❯ Part 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ characters. I'm not getting any profit from this fanfiction work.

Warnings: Yaoi (male x male). Mirai Trunks x Gohan. Bishounen (`pretty boy'). Absolute OOC.

 

The summary: This is a Fantasy world. A completely new world with new creatures. This is an adventure story spiced by yaoi. Some sci-fi.

Gohan is a warrior, a freely hired man who takes on almost all jobs possible. One day he is hired to convoy a rich man and other people who belong to the group to the city of Angus.

Mirai Trunks…you'll figure this out as soon as you start reading. Long lavender hair…

 

Dragons and Yaoi

 

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

 

Part 3

 

It was midday already. The sun was directly above Athara's, and the two sorcerers' heads. They were sitting at the fire and waiting for Gohan to return from hunting. Athara was holding a bowl of bouillon and listening to his companions while they were filling him in about the events of these five days while he had been delirious.

 

“The storm was very strong and there was no way we could have withstood it,” Darius shook his head. He turned to Delaros. “I said that we needed to get more sorcerers for this journey…”

 

Delaros sighed. “Our company was already way too big, and we would have needed at least five more Master Sorcerers to withstand that storm. And we really would have not taken so many with us.”

 

Darius nodded. “Yes, that's true. What's done, that's done. Let's forget that now,” he agreed.

 

“You shouldn't have locked me in the cabin,” Athara raised his head from bouillon he was drinking. “I could have helped.”

 

The both sorcerers met each other's eyes.

 

“You already demonstrated what you're capable of while we had been fighting the monster,” Darius pointed out unmercifully.

 

Athara painted bright red with anger and shame. He lowered his head and silently proceeded with sipping from the bowl.

 

Delaros didn't say anything. He knew what the younger sorcerer was doing. Delaros rarely interfered into what Darius did. He was much older than Darius, but he had no influence over the short-haired sorcerer. Darius usually listened to his word, but only if he himself chose to. Strangely, this time he thought that Darius had a point. Even though, the short-haired man didn't exactly know whom he was dealing with.

 

“And you'd have drowned and frozen to death if not for Gohan keeping you warm,” Darius continued. “And you'd have died if not for us both,” he motioned at Delaros, “keeping you on a brink of existence for those five days.”

 

Athara didn't say anything, only gulped the liquid down silently.

 

“So, please, just do as you're told,” Darius looked at Athara calmly. “Especially now, when you're in no condition to do anything.”

 

“You go too far, Darius,” Delaros said softly. There was no need in belittling Athara. The lavender male might snap, which might result not very pleasant consequences.

 

Darius looked at him with his big dark eyes. “I'm just trying to keep him out of trouble.”

 

Athara didn't say anything at all, just wondered if it would have been so bad if he had never woken up.

 

“So Gohan saved me?” he asked then. He finished his bouillon and put the empty bowl on the grass next to him.

 

“Depends on how you look at it,” Darius said, holding out a water flask for the younger man. “He released you from your cabin and because of that we had trouble with finding you on the ship. But as he was near you, he got into the same air sphere as you. So it's rather the opposite way... But he kept you warm until Delaros and I approached you both.”

 

Athara lifted the flask to his lips, sipped then lowered it. “So what are we going to do now?”

 

“You need to get stronger and then we'll go to the city and try to get another ship,” Darius said.

 

“A city?” Athara's sapphire eyes rose to the two sorcerers. “Here?” He looked around, surprised. “You said this was an island…”

 

Darius chuckled softly. “Does it mean it MUST be uninhabited?” He leaned back on his hands. “There's a city several kilometers away. We didn't get in contact with any of the people yet - waited for you to get better. I think we'll wait for several days, until you can walk and then go there?” He looked at Delaros, waiting for an answer.

 

Delaros nodded. “Yes, I think it would be the wisest thing to do.”

 

“How is the city called?” Athara asked.

 

“We don't know,” Darius shook his head. “We don't have a map. But as far as I remember we should be on Torsarus Island; we were the closest to it when the storm struck. It's a small island with several cities and villages. It's seventeen days away from Jahuda free port.”

 

“Are you sure that everyone else has drowned?” Athara gazed at the crackling fire. Even thought it was midday, and the sun was warm, because of recent illness he was still cold.

 

Darius looked at him. “I haven't seen the bodies floating, if that's what you're asking.”

 

Athara was silent for some time. “Then I suppose they believe we are dead? It will be much easier now.”

 

“They have many spies and many ways to soon understand that it's not so,” Delaros say. “We need to be as careful as ever.”

 

Athara nodded blackly. He settled back into his nest. He felt tired and sleepy again. “Will Gohan go further with us?” he asked then.

 

Darius thought for a moment. “We didn't ask him. But I think he will. I think he got quite attached to you,” he grinned down at Athara who glared back at him. “As we need more warriors, I suppose you'll keep him interested?” Darius winked, ignoring Athara's chilling glare.

 

Delaros rolled his eyes. For some reason Darius was one of those who found it fun to tease Athara.

 

XXXXX

 

Gohan had hunted down a deer. The four of them now were at the fire, waiting for the skewers with meat to be done. When Gohan came back, he found Athara still sleeping, but soon the younger man began to roust as the smell of roasting venison reached his senses. His body was requiring more and more food to replenish supplies it had lost.

 

Gohan looked at Athara as that sat up all wrapped up in his blankets. “Hey.”

 

“Hi,” Athara nodded, brushing his long lavender hair away from his face. He looked at the grilling meat then turned back to look at Gohan. “Thank you,” he said, “for saving my life.” He wasn't very sure if his life had been worth saving but such things, like saving one's life, had to be encouraged.

 

Gohan nodded but then shrugged. “I suppose I should thank you too - I doubt your friends would have saved MY life otherwise… The bubble was quite small…”

 

Athara didn't say anything. Gohan was quite far-sighted. Athara looked at Darius and Delaros. Delaros adverted his eyes to the fire, uncomfortably.

 

“Yes, quite right; you were lucky to be with Athara at that time,” Darius agreed. He rarely lied. And the truth was that neither he nor Delaros would have had time to look for Gohan or others to save them.

 

Gohan shrugged again. The younger of the two sorcerers was always more talkative. Darius was never rude or aggressive, but he had that authoritative air around him. Darius' powerful build, huge height and dark complexion only added to that picture.

 

Actually he had never seen a sorcerer with such a build, not only a sorcerer, he rarely saw such big men at all. Usually sorcerers were old and slab-sided carrions with their ribs poking out. Well, mostly. Delaros quite fitted that description: despite he was a sorcerer and it was impossible to tell his age, and he looked only a bit over 30, there was that air of age around him that was telling that he was way, way older than he appeared; the sorcerer was quite skinny, quite pale, with long black hair and high cheekbones.

 

Darius kept his hair short. That was an unheard trait for a sorcerer. Or maybe it was simply that he had never seen a sorcerer with short hair before…

 

He quite liked Darius. Darius was always straightforward, and, if Delaros sometimes avoided his questions by just squirming and being silent, Darius would just tell him that it was not his business. No, Darius wasn't trying to order him around but he kept the distance. The ordering around the younger male left for Delaros. Darius seemed to respect the older man. Though, maybe it was because of other reason, but Gohan had no idea which of the sorcerers was more powerful.

 

After long silence Athara squirmed uncomfortably. “Will you go with us further to Angus or have you changed your mind?” then he asked Gohan.

 

Gohan watched Athara while that was shifting between his covers to get more comfortable. He still didn't know much about Athara. Though, now he was sure that Athara wasn't Delaros' lover: he had never seen Delaros touch Athara in any of intimate manner. Although, Delaros and Darius were very worried about Athara while that was unconscious, all touching was limited only to necessarily needed movements. Delaros seemed to treat Athara like his companion or apprentice. Darius treated Athara like the younger man would be a small child and there was seen a great deal of gentleness and protectiveness.

 

The gentleness and protectiveness, with which Darius treated Athara wasn't surprising at all: Athara was giving an impression of a porcelain statue. The delicate beauty emanated from the younger man, his usually rather shy demeanor or suddenly flaring character and his smaller body weight conditioned a rather instinctive protectiveness.

 

“I have been hired to go to Angus and I'll go there,” Gohan said. His eyes didn't miss Darius' wink at Athara who glared daggers back at him. Shortly, he thought what that was about.

 

“As the circumstances deteriorated, I'm sure that Delaros won't hold the grudge against you and even pay for your assistance if you decided to leave now,” Athara said, from the corner of his eye glaring at Darius.

 

Delaros nodded. “Yes, it's fine with me.”

 

Gohan observed Delaros and Darius. Did they have any money left? As far as he knew everything had drowned. Athara really didn't have any money - he could guarantee that after seeing Athara naked even more than one time. Though, maybe money was not a problem - this week he had seen many strange things: monsters, air bubbles, from nowhere appearing clothes and covers, even skewers.

 

“No, I'll fulfill the rest of the deal,” Gohan shook his head. He raised his head just in time to notice something sparkle in Athara's sapphire eyes. Athara quickly lowered his eyes to his lap. Gohan waited for the lavender-haired man to say something but he was silent.

 

“They should be done now,” Darius reached for the skewers. “Here,” he reached one for Athara. “Just don't overeat. You might get sick or get stomach cramps.” Amused, he looked at Athara as the younger man jerked and cursed almost dropping the spit.

 

“Hot!”

 

“Here,” Darius rolled his eyes, raising his palm over the spit with meat.

 

Gohan felt hair on his hair rise up. Even though some of the magic saved his life, he still didn't like it and felt threatened to feel it near him.

 

Darius extended the spit for Athara who took it now without jumping. “Thanks,” he nodded.

 

Gohan again was looking at him. The gaze was hot against his skin. As said, he was used to such gazes and even stares but…it felt…different. Already alone because, differently than in the most times, he didn't find that gaze unpleasant. He quite…liked it. He liked the mercenary and found him very attractive. He liked to be the object of Gohan's attention. But that disturbed him too; there was no reason for Gohan to stare at him like that.

 

Athara subconsciously tugged at his hair. He knew he looked horrible: the hair all matted with grease and dirt, he was stinking horribly and felt very tired and there probably were black circles under his eyes and he had lost weight…

 

XXXXX

 

“Is there a lake or river somewhere near?” Athara asked when Gohan went away to look for dry wood.

 

“Yes, there is a small river near that mouths into the sea,” Darius nodded while watching the fire absentmindedly.

 

“I'd like to bathe. I stink.” Athara scrunched his nose.

 

Darius looked from the fire to Athara. He smelled the younger man unceremoniously. The older man scrunched his nose too. “Well, you'll have to wait a bit,” Darius shook his head. “You can hardly walk, and we don't want you to get a cold or the flu to addition, do we?” He sat up closer to Athara to tuck him in more warmly. As Athara mostly slept and wasn't able to protect himself in any way, there was always someone watching at his side.

 

“I suppose…” Athara sighed, leaning on his elbows, then shifting down and resting his head against several folded clothes.

 

“You're improving fast,” Darius said, “so it won't be long until you can take a hot bath.”

 

Athara opened one eye but didn't even bother to glare.

 

XXXXX

 

Athara woke up after hearing something rustle next to him. He opened his eyes to see Gohan sinking down onto the outstretched mat next to him, in Darius' place. It was Gohan's turn to watch over him.

 

“How do you feel?” Gohan asked, after noticing that Athara was looking at him.

 

“Fine, thank you.” Athara nodded. He raised himself on his elbows. He really felt much better. He already didn't need anyone's assistance when he wanted to relieve himself. Those several days had been very embarrassing. But he knew it had been worse when he was unconscious. Someone must have been cleaning after him all the time.

 

“Why are you with them?” Gohan suddenly asked.

 

Athara startled out of his thoughts. He shifted uncomfortably.

 

“Is Delaros your Master?” Gohan then asked after Athara didn't answer anything.

 

Athara blinked in surprise. Well, he supposed one could think that. And if Gohan himself chose this for an answer he didn't need to think of anything more to explain. “Yes,” he lied, “he's my Sensei.”

 

Gohan nodded. He suspected that Athara was an apprentice. Athara seemed to be a noble one, Athara's father or maybe Athara himself could afford staying under Delaros' tutorship even if he didn't quite manage learn anything. Because, as far as he saw, Athara hadn't learned anything yet. “Why do you need to get to Angus?”

 

Athara faltered. Gohan was being nosy. Not that he could blame the man. After everything which happened everyone would start rising some serious questions. “Delaros has some business there…”

 

“Why is Darius coming along?” Gohan pressed, not coming quite straight out, hoping that if Athara lied, in the end he'd get confused himself.

 

“Darius is Delaros' friend,” Athara answered like that would be obvious.

 

“They don't seem very friendly to me…” Gohan muttered. Though, he hadn't ever been able to understand sorcerers. Darius seemed to be friendlier to Athara than to Delaros. But maybe Athara was telling the truth. Maybe. But very likely the pretty thing was lying through his perfect teeth. “So what's that important business in Angus Delaros has to take care of?”

 

Gohan and Athara turned around at the noise.

 

“He's meeting several important people. A message he's taking there is very important,” Darius approached them, looking quite pissed off. “Listen,” he looked at Gohan, “if you aren't satisfied with terms, you are free to go anytime.” His dark eyes burned into Gohan's.

 

“Darius…” Athara raised his head, and for a moment there, his sapphire eyes blazed with an authoritative air.

 

Gohan turned to Athara, suddenly feeling the air around him growing cold. He thought he caught something in Athara's eyes, but then they quickly closed and when opened held their usual shine.

 

“I'm sorry,” Darius quickly apologized, turning away from Athara and looking at Gohan. “It's that Athara still is not well enough and…”

 

“I'm much better, thank you.” Athara's voice was cool like iceberg.

 

Darius quickly nodded at Athara, apologizing. “Some tea?” he suggested to smooth the things out.

 

Athara looked at him intently then his features relaxed. “Yes, that would be very nice. Thank you.”

 

“I'll just get the water.” Darius took the pot, which Gohan still had no idea how they had obtained, and almost scurried to the river.

 

Gohan was left almost gaping at the burly sorcerer's back. He turned to Athara who was busy with cleaning his fingernails with one of his small daggers. Gohan's eyes slid over the hunched figure. What had just occurred here?

 

XXXXX

 

The evening was silent, only the scrapping from aluminum bowls was heard when the four of them ate. The wind ruffled the trees and long grass, the occasional bird hooking. It seemed that Delaros was quite surprised with the long lasting silence. But the sorcerer didn't ask anything. Gohan had plenty of questions of his own. Only no one wanted to answer them here.

 

Athara and Darius didn't meet each other eyes once, and, as the evening drew darker, the silence in the air seemed to concentrate above their small camp and form into some gloomy and opaque matter.

 

“I'd like to speak with you,” Athara finally said to Darius, just before they started preparing to go to sleep. He slowly rose and walked after Darius after that nodded and went farther from the fireplace.

 

Gohan had to notice that Athara's walk was much steadier and firmer than in the morning. Athara was recovering fast. So maybe a day or so more and they would go to the city.

 

He watched the two men stop under a tree further, their figures only shadows in the cool night's air. He couldn't hear what they have been talking about, but through difficult years of survival he learned reading postures; Athara seemed to be reconciling: his head lowered, shoulders not quite slumped but not straight either, feet drawn together. Athara was apologizing. Gohan wasn't sure what for. He couldn't see Darius - the sorcerer was leaning on the trunk, his figure completely absorbed by shadows.

 

After the both men came back to the fire, Athara was smiling again and Darius helped to make the “bed” for the younger man.

 

Gohan felt relieved. It wasn't that he was concerned but it was just that it was always easier in the band where people didn't glare daggers at each other.

 

Gohan stood up. Tonight it was his turn to watch first.

 

XXXXX

 

“Do you still want to bathe?” Darius asked Athara after they all ate breakfast.

 

Athara lowered his empty bowl to his lap and nodded enthusiastically.

 

“Let's go then,” Darius motioned while chuckling at the younger man's eagerness. “Leave them,” he waved off after noticing Athara reaching for his two daggers. Darius doubted if Athara knew how to use them, anyway.

 

Athara faltered but then nodded. He quickly grabbed a mat from the ground and went after Darius.

 

It took five minutes to reach the river. It was a nice sunny day and Athara felt uplifted while walking between the trees down the rather already trampled out trace to the river.

 

The river was really small, actually rather a stream. Athara walked over to it. He thought about kicking his boots off, and then got quite flustered, feeling Darius' eyes on his back. He turned around, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

 

Darius laughed lightly, amused. “I'm not interested in men, if that's what you are worried about… I'll just see that you wouldn't slip and break that pretty neck of yours,” he chuckled.

 

Athara threw his lavender hair back. He turned back to the stream. “More so,” he grinned at the stream.

 

Darius chuckled. “So modest…” He got then more serious. “Actually I wanted to heat the water up a bit for you.” He snapped his fingers, a bar of soap and a small sponge appearing in his palm. “Here,” he tossed them to Athara who caught them clumsily. “Strip now, and faster. I'm not going to stand here for the rest of the day,” he informed Athara.

 

“How about some shampoo, then?” Athara put the sponge and the soap onto the grass for later use. He took his cloak off. He yelped as something hit his back then bumped down to the grass.

 

“Here you go,” Darius grinned when Athara turned around and lifted a small bottle from the grass. After Athara pulled his shirt off over his head, Darius adverted his eyes to the stream. He raised his palm to the water. “Did you ever think what you'll do after everything is over?” he asked softly.

 

Athara's back tensed visibly. He pulled his breeches down then got rid of them. He turned around but saw that Darius wasn't looking at him, the sorcerer heating the water up. “Yes, I thought many times of that,” Athara finally answered while stepping into the stream. He noticed Darius' eyes concentrate on him. Athara's cheeks reddened slightly and he tightened his hold on the toiletries he was carrying against his chest. “But everything led to the thought that it will never be over.”

 

Darius' dark eyes observed Athara's face. “I think you're quite right,” he nodded. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He lowered his palm away from the stream.

 

Athara's shocked sapphire eyes concentrated on Darius' face. Now he knew why the sorcerer suggested a bath - to talk to him while the other two really wouldn't follow and couldn't hear that. “W-why are you saying this?” Athara stuttered.

 

“Because if you aren't sure, you shouldn't go with Delaros,” Darius answered calmly. For a long time he kept silence; he wasn't sure if Athara wouldn't say about his doubts to the others, which might have caused many unpleasant events and very likely his death, but as he got to know the lavender-haired youth more, he became convinced that Athara wasn't so sure himself about what he wanted to do.

 

Athara stared at Darius wide-eyed. He hardly felt the cool wind stroking his sides, the cold stream chilling his feet. He gripped on the toiletries firmer. Had Darius planed to strip him first and then ask such questions? He felt nude, and not only in the physical sense!

 

“I…” Athara closed his sharp blue eyes. “I'm not sure about anything… I…” He looked at Darius again, the sorcerer's dark eyes making him take a step back.

 

Athara just looked like a scared boy. Darius cursed inwardly. “People call you Mirai, they call you their future,” he softly said then. “But what future will you bring? What kind of future do you hold for us? Will it be better, or will it be worse than it would have been without you?”

 

Athara shook his head in distress. “I don't know. I don't know anything.” He supposed it would have been even worse if Darius knew who he was. Though, he himself hardly knew who he was anymore.

 

“Then run, as soon as you are well enough, leave Delaros and run the hell out from here,” Darius observed the pale figure against him. “You are young and talented; you'll find a new life somewhere.”

 

“I can't,” Athara shook his head, raising his eyes to meet Delaros'. “I just can't…” his shoulders hunched, he slumped down into the stream. “I just can't…”

 

“I could help you for a start,” Darius pressed further. “It's not that I have a permanent home, anyway.”

 

But Athara shook his head. “I don't know…” He wrapped his arms around him. He was cold. And not safe. He knew that Darius was lying to him. He knew that perfectly well. He knew about Darius more than the man knew about himself.

 

Darius nodded then. “Okay. Just think about it. You still have two months left until you're twenty.” He raised his palm to heat the water up; he noticed Athara shivering.

 

Athara kneeled in the stream, feeling the water getting warmer each second. He gathered the toiletries around him. “Will you try to kill me if I choose to stay with Delaros?” he asked then while immersing the sponge into the water then squeezing its contents over his head to wet his hair.

 

Darius' eyes concentrated on the figure before him again. The boy wasn't stupid or naïve, despite sometimes he looked like that. He nodded. “Yes.”

 

XXXXX

 

Gohan's eyes followed Athara who emerged from the wood and walked straight to his outstretched mats. Athara got new clothes from somewhere. Gohan sighed and decided not to ask anything. He rather concentrated on Athara himself. And there were plenty of things to concentrate on: Athara's long hair was clean, his pale-porcelain skin scrubbed and satin. Long straight lavender hair was waving in the soft breeze, the strands rising and falling behind Athara's back, down to his waist and onto his shoulders. The same warm breeze was ruffling the longish bangs on Athara's forehead, the hair-curtain closing and opening the view to two seraphic eyes and finely arched lavender brows. The sparkling blue wells outlined with thick black eyelashes, rosy lips moving with innocent words meanwhile suggesting lush pleasure. The slender, narrow-waisted body that promised unmistakable.

 

“Feels like you died and saw an angel, doesn't it?” Darius chuckled somewhere behind Gohan's back.

 

Gohan's eyes widened and his face painted somewhat reddish. He didn't comment, but turned his eyes away from Athara. Darius was far away from the truth. Athara was not an angel; Athara was a tempter, a sin. Even if the youngster didn't know that.

 

Darius laughed softly behind Gohan's back. He realized only too well to which way led Gohan's thoughts after his comment. Although traveling a short period time with Athara, he had already seen more than several men fall for Athara; man or woman, straight or homosexual lost its meaning near Athara. Their attention had been unpleasant to Athara and in the end it was Delaros who had to solve that problem. Athara didn't feel responsible or cared much about what his looks did to the people.

 

Oh, as said, Athara could look naïve, innocent or ignorant but he rarely was that - he knew what effect he could have on others. Darius thought not once how it would have been if Athara started using the weapons he had long time ago. But for some reason Athara didn't seem to be interested in any of the political and power games.

 

“Where's Delaros?” Athara turned to ask Gohan.

 

“Went to look for some herbs,” Gohan shrugged.

 

Athara and Darius met each other eyes, each man's mind being crossed by the unpleasant thought that their conversation might have been overheard.

 

“Went just seconds ago,” Gohan leaned down onto the grass, missing the relieved expressions.

 

“Ah.” Athara shrugged nonchalantly. He tossed his hair back then sat down.

 

“We can go to the city tomorrow.” Darius sat down on the grass, too. “Athara feels much better. And cleaner,” he added, chuckling.

 

Athara just shrugged. He ruffled the thick grass under his fingers then plucked off one and started chewing on it. He was thinking about Darius' words.

 

“Good,” Gohan nodded, observing Athara who was lying on his back, chewing on a stalk, his sapphire eyes hooded over with something deep and serious.

 

XXXXX

 

They spent the night in their camp then, in the early morning, turned to the city. The day wasn't good for traveling: it was drizzling and the cold wind was blowing directly into their faces.

 

Gohan again had to wonder where the hell they got cloaks from. They cloaks were warm and protected well from rain and wind - he rarely saw such firm and good material.

 

They walked in normal tempo not to get Athara tired. Gohan accepted it as a leisurely walk in the rain. After two hours of walking he finally gathered the courage and sidled to Darius.

 

“For how long have you known Athara?” Gohan asked, keeping his voice low.

 

Darius' dark eyes observed Gohan's face. So, Gohan finally decided that Athara was worth a try. Gods, took him long enough… Darius shook his head in disdain.

 

“For a bit longer than a month,” Darius answered. He shifted a sack on his back when it started sliding down. Darius raised his hood a bit, and turned to look behind him; Athara and Delaros were walking behind them and discussing something. He looked back at Gohan. “Athara is really worth trying. And you already scored several points in his eyes - the boy quite likes you. And if it didn't work - you'd at least have fun while trying.”

 

A smile appeared at the corners of Darius' lips as Gohan seemed to be flustered but at the time seemed to consider his words. Good; Athara seemed to sink into a pit of depression - someone needed to fish him out of there and as soon as possible. He needed to get Athara away from Delaros. Gohan might be exactly that push Athara needed.

 

“Listen, how old is Athara?” Gohan finally asked after five minutes of silence. He wrapped himself more tightly into his cloak.

 

Darius softly chuckled. “Legal, if that's what you are worried about…”

 

Gohan's dark angry eyes shot at him from behind the hood. He hated the manner the sorcerer sometimes spoke. Oh, he perfectly knew that Athara was “legal”; he had enough experience to see that. Athara could behave boyish and be petulant, but he was not a boy - there had been several situations that showed that Athara was rather a man than a boy. Those seraphic sapphire eyes were telling that Athara was older than he seemed.

 

“After two months he'll turn twenty,” Darius said then.

 

“Oh,” Gohan felt surprised a bit but at the same time quite content; yet it appeared Athara was a bit older than presumed. He wasn't even sure why. No, he was sure why, only didn't quite want to think about that. And as he had already started with this questioning, he continued: “Is he even interested in men?”

 

Darius had to laugh at this one. He stilled as Gohan glared at him. “Well, yeah, I suppose he doesn't quite help you to solve the puzzle,” Darius chuckled. Athara attracted both: male and female but he himself didn't seem to prefer one of the sexes. It was just the way Athara was: the more one showed him attention, the more Athara distanced and closed himself, so it was quite hard to figure out which way Athara swung. Though, Athara's pretty looks was quite a clue for everyone, but at the same time “pretty” didn't mean “gay”. But yes, if spent more time with Athara one could notice Athara's eyes lingering longer on one of the sexes. “Yes, he is attracted to men,” Darius nodded.

 

Gohan thought a moment. “And who actually was Yakusho?” he asked.

 

When Darius answered there was amusement clearly heard in his voice: “Yakusho was one of those hornets to fall into the honey and not to find the way out.”

 

“And Athara? Did he ever answer his feeling?” Gohan interested.

 

Darius lowered his hood over his face as the wind got stronger. “I said that he never found the way out. Though, Athara liked him. Maybe there could have been something more serious than friendship from Athara's side. But I truly doubt it. Yakusho simply didn't interest Athara like that.”

 

“Why?” Gohan wondered. As far as he had seen, Yakusho would have been perfect: he was a powerful mage and he still could see that beautiful face framed by the long golden hair-aura, a tall and strong body, sophisticated and refined manners almost the same as Athara's; Yakusho was also caring (he still remembered how Yakusho immediately went to make that tea for Athara and help him to get rid of seasickness); Yakusho was possessive (he still could remember the intensity of those discontent eyes when he was standing too close to Athara for Yakusho's liking) and probably quite passionate as his blue eyes indicated. Everything that one could want from a lover.

 

Darius wasn't surprised by the question. Athara and Yakusho met each other way, way longer than he joined them and their characters fitted. But there was one essential problem. “Yakusho wanted Athara to be someone Athara wasn't sure if he wanted to be,” Darius said.

 

TBC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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