Onmyou Taisenki Fan Fiction ❯ Onmyou Taisenki: The Passing Seasons of Life ❯ Onmyou Taisenki: Autumn's Tale ( Chapter 3 )

So much time had passed by and many memories had been made through the passing years that one had to wonder where time truly went. What happened to the days spent with friends walking the streets, fighting demons in the after hours and working hard for a better tomorrow by training future generations in the art of shikigami fighting? Where did the nights spent in passion with the one you love disappear to? What happened to the quiet moments when one could look up into the eyes of the person you held dear and cherish forever vanish to?

 

Kogenta had no answer but these were the thoughts on the tiger shikigami's mind as he watched his human lover teach a few of the younger Toujinshi how to use Toujinfu and steady their chi. Riku had become an excellent teacher and guide for the new batch of Toujinshi that had sprouted up from the Chi-ryuu headquarters and school ground. It was both Souma and Yuuma who had came up with the idea of a place for the younger Toujinshi to learn, practice and build bonds with their shikigami. But, it seemed that Riku had taken on a more hands on role as the cinnamon haired man practiced and showed the students how to become great Toujinshi.

 

Kogenta thought back to the time thirty or so years ago when he was showing the violet eyed man the exact same ways to use chi energy and steady his drive in preparation for the battles to come. Laughing to himself, Kogenta thought back to those days when he had been a hot-tempered and rude creature who didn't care about anyone or anything except the next fight. It was funny to think how he had slowly changed after meeting his Toujhinshi and getting to know the young man. Riku was like any other Toujinshi Kogenta had ever partnered with the young man had been innocent, timid and far too kind to ever be near a battle. Not to say that he didn't have his own inner fire and fierce spirit but the boy had been just so fragile back then.

 

Kogenta had to put his head down in shame as he thought about all the pain his Toujinshi had suffered through on his own. How he had contributed to that pain with his ignorance and arrogance when contracting Riku and even before when he had…destroyed Riku's life one thousand years ago. Kogenta could admit it now as he bowed his head and closed his eyes and tried to think back on those years ago… no matter how much the tiger shikigami thought back and tried to remember that time was a blank to him. Kogenta shook his head and let out a quiet bark of tortured laughter as he thought how ironic it was that for all his bravado and tough front he hated himself everyday he found out that it was he who had caused Riku such misery.

 

Of course the gentle boy would never have blamed Kogenta for his actions but it hurt to know just how much he had been used to hurt his love and how he hadn't one single memory of that time. Just one memory so Kogenta could use that as a punishment for himself and brand it to his soul in retribution for taking away Riku's life and childhood with his parents. Kogenta felt a fire burst across his body and the white tiger spirit looked up to his love staring at him with a burning gaze that put the fire in Yuuma's eyes to shame. Kogenta gave a nervous smirk and the coughed into his clawed hand before looking over the younger Toujinshi.

 

Kogenta knew he would here about this when they got home; Riku seemed to be very perceptive of his moods and knew whenever something was wrong with the Byakko shikigami. Though they had been over this conversation years ago it still stung Kogenta in those moments of contemplation when he thought about what might have or not have been. Riku had told him time and time again that he didn't hold any grudges or regrets and explained that if things had been different he and Kogenta would never had met and the auburn man made sure to drill that fact into the white tiger spirits head and heart every time Kogenta began to have doubts and regrets. Of course during those, very infrequent times, the young man would share passionate love with his shikigami and both would end up covered in sweat and other body fluids and the bond between them would seem to strengthen a little more.

 

Kogenta waved to some of the other shikigami and Toujinshi who where leaving for the day and then the Byakko spirit was assaulted by one excitable and peeved human man.

 

“Kogenta, what were you thinking about earlier?” Riku asked while knowing already

 

The white tiger began to sweat as he thought about what to answer, if he lied to Riku he would be in even more hot water than he knew he was going to be in. If Kogenta told the truth to his Toujinshi then he could expect to have a very long night, one that could go either very good at the end or really bad. Looking into the shimmering violet eyes of Riku Kogenta sighed to himself and braced his heart for what would come next.

 

“I was thinking about you and what you would have been like if you had lived a full life as Youmei.” the white tiger said truthfully and then waited for the fireworks

 

Riku sighed and shook his mop of chocolate tresses before the man wrapped Kogenta in his arms and pulled the tiger close to his heart. The man didn't say anything for a long time and just let Kogenta feel the rhythmic beating in his chest before pulling back and pressing his lips to the shikigami's. A few gasps and hoots were let out behind them and Kogenta broke from Riku to look back at the shikigami and humans who were staring at him. The white tiger spirit flexed his claws and cracked his knuckles before the crowd of spectators in warning and both he and Riku had a good time watching them disperse and run away.

 

It was known by everyone that Riku and Kogenta shared a special bond and no one was stupid enough or evil hearted enough to say something bad about the duo's relationship. The fact that Kogenta promised a fate far worse than death probably helped and the knowledge that all of the older Toujinshi and shikigami, especially Yuuma and Rangetsu, stood behind them helped a bunch. The brown haired Toujinshi smiled at his shikigami and lover before pulling him towards the parking lot. Riku had bought a small car along while ago and the two got in and strapped inside the car and took off out of the lot without a backwards glance. Kogenta liked the feel of the plush seats underneath him and the cool evening air as he and Riku drove to their home.

 

The white tiger glanced over at his human out the corner of his eye, from time to time, and gauged Riku's mood. The small smile on his face let Kogenta know that the earlier conversation had been dropped and would picked up at a later time but the most reassuring thing to Kogenta was that Riku wasn't mad at him or disappointed with him. Strange to think that all it took was one look from Riku and it would set the white tiger's mood for the entire day as many had found out with a lump on the head whenever the two had had a fight with each other. Most of the time Kogenta would be happy as long as Riku was content but some days had passed with the man hurt or sad and it would set the Byakko shikigami off in the worse of ways.

 

There where times when Riku had taken a blow for one of the younger Toujinshi and Kogenta would be in a fowl mood for days on end. The times when the cinnamon haired man had been hospitalized with the flu the white tiger was more vigilant in watching over Riku than any watch dog could dream of being. On the other hand, when Riku was down in the dumps, it would be Kogenta who was the first person to cheer him up and alleviate the man of all his worry and frustrations. And those times when Riku was in a particularly good mood nothing in the world could make Kogenta upset, not even a horde of bloodthirsty youkai.

 

By the time both human and shikigami returned home it was dark out and the stars had come out to dance with the full moon. Riku parked his car and walked inside with Kogenta and as soon as they had entered the front door the gentle eyed man had talked the Byakko spirit to the ground and rained down a flurry of kisses on his face and neck. Kogenta laughed outloud and thanked the heavens that this would be how Riku would show him that he didn't blame or hate the white tiger. Once the brown haired man had finished dreanching kogenta in love he pulled back just far enough so that his face could been seen and the love in his heart could be recognized by the white tiger.

 

Kogenta looked into Riku's violet eyes and then pull the man into his embrace and shed a few stray tears before getting up and heading to their bedroom. Riku walked silently with Kogenta, who was holding onto his hand with his still larger clawed hand and the man sighed before closing the door to their room with a quiet thump. That evening many sounds could be heard coming from the house and two who loved each other expressed that love again and again all throughout the night and well into the morning.

 

The next morning found Riku outside sweeping the grounds of the shrine his family grandfather had been guarding out behind the apartments while Kogenta was piling the leaves up to be burned with sweet potatoes they had brought out. The white tiger spirit was looking at the older man and smiling as he thought about how much time they had spent together and how long they would be with each other.

 

So much time they had spent together and it seemed that that time was drawing to a close. Three decades had passed since the two had met and Kogenta couldn't help but want those days to last forever and ever. Sadly, the Byakko shikgami knew that humans didn't have forever and that such gentle creatures only lived for a short amount of time before returning to the Great Spirit that gave life to everything. Looking over to Riku, Kogenta wondered why he was thinking about all the bad things that had happened and would happen later on, of recently. All good things come to and end, is what Kogenta had learned millennia ago but he still couldn't help but want to try and still his Toujinshi away and keep him somewhere where time had no hold.

 

Shaking his head, the white tiger shikigami bundled the leaves Riku swept into a small pile and then set them on fire. The leaves slowly burned and heated the hot potato he had set into the middle from outside into the center while getting rid of the excess leaves. Riku watched Kogenta as the tiger shikigami looked at the cooking potato deviously and smiled at his partner. Time seemed to move on so quickly but the memories they shared would last a lifetime. Riku set his broom down and picked up a nearby stick and handed it to Kogenta. The tiger shikigami thanked his violet-eyed Toujinshi and then poked at the cooking spud while turning it around to its other side.

 

Once the potato was a dark brown color Kogenta rolled it from the ash and then grabbed it with his bare hand. The heat caused him to drop it and Riku was there in an instant holding Kogenta's red paws in his gentle hand while looking over the reddening clawed hands. Kogenta blushed at the closeness of his partner but then he gasped when he felt Riku kissing his paws one after another. The brown haired Toujinshi kissed each clawed hand twice before looking up to his best friend and then kissing the tiger shikigami.

 

It wasn't long before Riku and Kogenta's tongues were caressing the others and soon they began to touching and stroking over every part of the other's body. It was a cough that startled them and sent Kogenta in offensive mode while looking at the interlopers.

When Kogenta looked he was not surprised to see the face of Yuuma, Souma, Rangetsu, Fusanoshin, and Yuuma's daughter standing before them. Kogenta huffed before remembering that today they were supposed to take the younger Toujinshi out training. Of course Riku had volunteered both himself ad Kogenta as chaperones, a fact the white tiger spirit gripped about for hours on end. It was a long night of passion that staved off and any more complaints Kogenta may have had and he agreed to go whole heartedly.

 

Both Kogenta and riku walked from the shrine area and into the group before them and then everyone departed for the Chi-ryuu head quarters. The white tiger engaged in conversation with everyone present but kept his mind always focused on his original thoughts. As he looked at the friends he had made years ago Kogenta thought that even if human life was short he would enjoy ever second he had with Riku and the others and not worry about what may happen in the future. Shikigami may exist forever but they only lived once and that one time came when they found a Toujinshi that they care for and would live and die for. Kogenta had found his human and he would spend every minute of the day and every moment of the night loving him and spending his life with him.