Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Shadows ❯ Ties, part 1 ( Chapter 5 )

Shadows

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chapter five

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Ties, part 1

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Schuldig led his father to a quiet inn he knew in a less reputable part of town. There was no way in hell he was taking the man to his home, and his mother would kill him if he showed up on her doorstep with the prick; so, the Grey Goose it was. The place was not as nice as the Koneko, but the patrons there knew to mind their own business, and the liquor was cheap. And something told the telepath he'd want a lot of alcohol in his system if he had to have a long chat with Crawford.

Finding an out of the way table in a drafty corner of the sparsely furnished inn, Schuldig sat down and beckoned a ragged looking server over. Crawford made a big show of cleaning off his seat before sitting down at the scarred table and sniffed at the two pints of house ale that were set down upon it. "Your tastes are deplorable. Yet another thing you didn't inherit from me."

Snorting over his drink, Schuldig drained most of it before he answered the other bound. "Well, I'd normally be at the Koneko right now, but you're the one who dragged my ass out of it. All because Yohji's getting some. Why couldn't I have stayed and joined in on the fun?"

Crawford pinched the bridge of his nose as if suffering a headache. "The fate of the world is partially in the hands of a moron. Why do I even bother?" He then reached for his pint and drained it in a matter of seconds. Schuldig stared at him in awe for a moment before waving the woman over with more. When the fresh pints were on the table, he waited for his father to continue.

"Listen to me, if that is at all possible for you." Crawford's voice was pitched low, to ensure that no one beyond their table would hear him. "You have a very powerful succubae-bound claiming his mate, which means that anyone in Yohji's immediate vicinity is not going to be able to think about anything other than sex until he makes Aya give in to him. If you had stayed there, that would've included you. Which means that all you'd be thinking about was getting into someone's pants, by whatever means necessary." Schuldig snorted again and earned a glare in response. "And since you're a soul gaki-bound, hence rather susceptible to people's emotions, it would've hit you particularly hard to the point that the last thing you would've been thinking of was keeping the fact that you're a bound secret. Now granted, you probably would've had a night of intensely pleasurable sex, but when your lovers regained their senses they would be after your head or blood. Since Fate has decided to be particularly cruel and insist that you have some part to play in the coming future, it would be bad if you were captured or killed."

Pouting over missing the `night of intensely pleasurable sex' part, the longhaired man sipped his beer. "This `saving the world' shit sucks, I'll let you know that right now." He hated having his fun spoiled. Schuldig was willing to bet that he would've finally managed to get Mickey into bed tonight and he knew that the man wouldn't have betrayed him in the morning if his power slipped its leash. Now he'd probably never have another chance of some fun with the too straight man. "If Yohji's power is going to go supernova, won't someone notice that? It can't be good for people to figure out what he is."

"The man's slutty reputation protects him, and not many people will think amiss about an inn full of inebriated people starting an orgy. They'll just put it down to something in the beer or the atmosphere. I really don't want to know what is in this stuff here." Crawford squinted into the contents of his mug and shuddered.

Doing some glaring of his own, Schuldig set down his mug and stared at the precog. "Still, he's a bound too; you should show some concern for his safety. Especially since he's tied to your precious Aya."

"Ah, I sense a little bitterness there." A brow arched over an inquisitive blue eye. "Don't tell me you feel something for this Kudoh fellow, because after tonight, he won't be interested in anyone else ever again."

Suddenly finding something requiring his attention floating in his beer, the telepath quietly muttered that Yohji was just a friend, albeit a good one. "Why can't you leave him the hell alone?"

"Listen, I don't care if the man is your friend, we need him if there's to be any hope of us succeeding."

"Why is it so important that Yohji's involved?" Schuldig stared at his father as he used his talent to probe the man's mind. Crawford was prepared for him this time and managed to raise some shields that gave him a bit of difficulty. Deciding that it wasn't worth the effort at the moment, Schuldig stopped and waved for more drinks. "You have the kage and me, what else do you need?"

It looked as if Crawford's headache had returned. "I swear… you have to be some sort of penance the gods are inflicting on me or something. And miss, it would be best if you just brought a damn tray-full of the stuff over, and a bottle of the most potent liquor you have." He handed the server a silver coin. The woman hurried to comply, and soon there were several pints and a bottle of whiskey on the table. "Pay attention, brat, I'm only going to explain this once."

Schuldig immediately reached for the bottle of whiskey as he had always hated listening to lectures.

"Aya is a kage," the dark-haired man carefully enunciated. "Kage are not human. Not human means completely unpredictable. We need to have some sort of leverage over the kage whose actions _can_ be predicted. That is your friend Yohji. Understand, or do I need to draw you pictures?" Schuldig snarled at him for that comment.

"Judging from the look on your face, no, you don't." Briefly cradling his head in his hands, Crawford then straightened up and snatched the whiskey bottle out of his son's hands as he muttered about being cursed. "Let's skip the abridged version then."

Having had it with being talked down to, Schuldig waited until the man was gulping the whiskey to snarl at him. "Shut up, you prick. I know that kage are unpredictable; anyone who's studied their past can tell you that, but I still don't understand why Yohji? Couldn't any lover be used to control a kage? That's how Ban was brought down."

The empty bottle slammed down onto the table. "Because Ban wasn't really a kage. He fathered the breed, but he himself wasn't one, powers notwithstanding. Ban had been an unborn child when his mother sacrificed her soul and let a shinigami take over her body. The child was affected by the magics, but not completely. He still retained a portion of his humanity.

"All of us bounds are descended from the men and women who allowed part of their souls to be replaced by those of spirits and demons. We are a mix of the two: the stronger our powers, the less human we are. You, myself and, judging from Kudoh's reactions tonight, him as well are almost completely demon encased in a mostly human form." Crawford held up his hand and a quick flex of his fingers revealed the claws that all gaki-bound were born with, regardless of whether soul or flesh. Schuldig could still clearly remember the first time his claws had unsheathed right at the start of puberty. "There is no `almost' where a kage is concerned. There is nothing human in them, other than what they're taught while growing up."

"I know all about what makes us bounds, Pops. Mom taught me that." When Crawford snorted in derision at the mention of his mother, Schuldig shot him a warning glance. "She made me study all about bounds, and I probably know more about kage than almost anyone else alive. Though," he admitted reluctantly, "I don't know how they can be born so different from the rest of us."

Leaning back in his chair, Crawford let a small smile form on his lips. "Nothing against your mother, at least in this one instance, but she's still rather young for one of us and there's much she never had a chance to learn. If she had remained in Esset a bit longer than she did, she would've learned that it's been theorized that a real kage is born when an unborn babe `dies'. It's probably more proper to say the human part of it dies, leaving the bound part of its soul alone in the body. This will only happen if the child is of the kage bloodline, since the shinigami demon inside of it can easily overcome death thanks to its nature. It reanimates the body becoming tied to the form irrevocably. Instead of a stillborn child, a kage is born. If a child of that bloodline is born without problem, the shinigami part of it remains buried, and the person ends up killing themselves before puberty as the spirit longs to escape its mortal bonds. There is always an extensive history of suicide in the kage bloodlines. Death and humanity can't exist in the same body for long.

"It's a suspected fact that because kage are all demon is why their true nature begins to manifest before puberty, unlike other bounds. They might not be able to truly wield their power until later, usually puberty or just before, but if one is knowledgeable, one can identify them before that point: the pale skin, the dislike for sunlight, withdrawn with anyone other than one or two individuals that the kage is extremely possessive and protective about, usually a family member."

Pausing to drink one of the beers, Crawford shrugged his shoulders at Schuldig's disbelieving stare. "Of course, this is all speculation on our part. A way of explaining why the kage are so different from us. Why they aren't limited in the same ways as other bounds, and why some things affect them that don't affect us."

"Gee, thanks for the lesson, Pops," Schuldig responded in a sarcastic voice. All the revealed knowledge did was confirm just how much of a freak this Aya was. And Yohji was now permanently bonded to the man, in part thanks to Crawford. "I don't see how having Yohji make the man his mate is going to help us any, since Aya is so completely different from him or anyone else."

Crawford moaned as he reached for more alcohol. "I never thought I'd meet anyone more stubborn than Jei, but I've now been proved wrong." The precog paused to think about something for a moment. "No, you can't be his; he derived too much amusement from my suffering when I was trying to impregnate your mother to risk putting an end to it prematurely. And he's too smart to be your father." Schuldig snarled a little while he gave the waitress a mental poke to make her bring over another bottle of whiskey. He needed to be drunker if he had to sit here and take this shit, and hadn't imbibed enough yet to affect his bound physiology. "Now try to learn something. Because a kage is not human, just a shinigami encased in flesh that is raised as one, they're almost impossible to control. But shinigami tend to congregate together, you almost never find a lone one. It's their nature to bond to those of their kind. This is where Yohji comes in. Since Aya is the only kage alive, and most likely will remain so for several centuries at least, the closest thing to another kage would be a bound."

Thankfully the bottle arrived at that point, since Schuldig was having trouble trying to control the urge to kill in face of the patronizing tone he was being dealt. "As I said, judging from the innkeeper's reactions tonight, I think he's the strongest succubae-bound I've ever come across, despite his extreme youth." The precog closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes, most definitely the strongest. He is ideally suited for Aya. It almost makes me wonder… such a strong succubae-bound being born during the time of a kage. Those two seem drawn together; it's almost as if Fate is trying to arrange for this kage to find its companion, to be firmly bound to this plane and its events. I think that Aya has a long and strange destiny in front of him."

"Which means that Yohji has one now as well, thanks to your meddling. I hate to break this to you, Crawford, but the man might not be as easy to control as you think." Shoving aside the empty pint mugs, Schuldig leaned over the table. "Yohji can be real damn stubborn when he puts his mind to it, and something happened last year that will make him rather suspicious of being used, especially by a lover he cares for very much."

About to explain what had happened to his friend last year, Schuldig found himself cut off as Crawford waved a hand in the air. "I know all about what happened last summer. You're referring to how Yohji's lover turned out to be an assassin sent to kill the king, right?"

When Schuldig nodded his head, the older bound continued. "The Elders were behind the assassination attempt; they wanted Prince Mamoru killed. Reiji Takatori assured them that he could take care of the boy, and it was assumed that he would use the kage to do so. But the man's greed and possessive nature got in the way, and he chose one of Masafumi's whores for the job. He also ordered the woman, Neu, to kill the king while she was at it, which was against the Elders' wishes. Reiji imagined that he would be able to claim Kritiker's throne once his brother was out of the way, and be able to deflect any repercussions from disobeying the Elders with his newly gained power. The fool."

The two men fell silent for a moment, thinking of how very different the world would be if Reiji Takatori had gained the throne. A power-mad king with a kage at his disposal would be a very bad thing. Crawford was the first one to break the silence. "Heh, it's funny the way Fate ties people together over and over again, intent on forcing a particular pattern onto their lives. Yohji never really stood a chance, not where the kage's concerned. He was fated to be with Aya even before he met the man." At Schuldig's inquiring look, the older bound elaborated. "You see, Reiji's son infused the assassin with kage's blood. That granted the woman some of the kage's characteristics: the ability to negate magical wards and to be cloaked from most foresight. He gave the woman a different personality as well, and Neu became Asuka, who because of the kage blood, took on some of his character as well.

"It's no wonder that Yohji has completely fallen for Aya. In a sense, he already was in love with the man even before they met. Asuka was but a dim echo of the kage, both power and personality-wise, but enough like him to attract the succubae-bound's attention. If he truly did have feelings for the woman as you said, his bound nature would recognize Aya instantly and force him to claim the kage. Add the fact that they are ideally suited as mates, and we now have the means to control Aya. He'll be bound to Yohji, and we can use that to break the hold the Takatoris have on him."

There was nothing that Schuldig could do about the matter, especially not if his friend was fated to love the kage. Hell, it certainly explained why the blond had been crazy about Aya from the moment he saw him. Not that the redhead was hard on the eyes, if a bit pale for Schuldig's tastes. Still, it hurt to know that he was losing his friend this way, and that he never had a chance with the man in the first place. The telepath resolved that he would do his best to watch out for Yohji, and make sure that his prick of a father didn't take too much advantage of his friend.

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Yohji drifted awake, feeling content and energized. Which was quite different from how he usually felt, especially this past year or so. He normally awoke with a hangover and an empty feeling in his soul, as if something vital was missing. That last feeling had always been with him and had intensified after the Asuka affair…. Shaking his head, the blond resolved not to think about the woman this early in the day.

Especially not when he opened his eyes and found Aya sprawled on top of him like a blanket. The man's pale body appeared completely boneless, and there were dark bruises under the closed eyes. Not to mention the various marks scattered all over Aya's skin. It really did look as if the man had been attacked.

Stroking his hand through the ragged crimson hair, Yohji smiled as he thought about last night. The experience had been so fucking intense, he still couldn't make sense out of many of his memories of the event. Just that he'd never felt such bliss, and that Aya had finally broken down and given in to him. The last was very important for some reason, and something inside of Yohji growled in pleasure as he recalled his lover telling him that the man was his.

Gods, but Yohji wanted Aya, wanted to hear the man say those words to him again. He tilted the redhead's face up to kiss him on the lips, but Aya remained stubbornly asleep. Hell, he couldn't have worn the man out that much, could he? Yohji ran his hands all over the pale skin, but still didn't get much in the way of a response. Starting to worry, the blond heaved a sigh of relief when the other man mumbled a little and snuggled closer to him.

"You sure are a stubborn one, cat. But I guess I'll let you sleep, seeing as we've all day in bed to look forward to." Yohji tugged on an eartail as he spoke, and smiled when his actions were met with a low rumble.

Damn but he felt good. It was as if everything was right in his world, as if he'd just been given the best present possible. Yohji's whole body thrummed with energy and pleasure and for once, he didn't feel even remotely hungry. Nope, horny as hell, but not hungry. He lifted up a pale hand and pressed it against his cheek and found his attention snared by the scars on Aya's wrist.

The marks were very faint, apparently years old. But there were so many of them, crossing over each other again and again. Yohji didn't see how it was possible for there to be so many scars, especially considering how young Aya was. His lover had told him that they weren't from suicide attempts. What the hell had caused the cuts, then?

Growling protectively, Yohji held Aya closer to him. If Aya hadn't tried to kill himself, then someone else had inflicted the wounds. Most likely the same someone who had whipped the smaller man until his back was one big scar and was responsible for the faint marks he'd found elsewhere on Aya's body as he made love to the man. If only the stubborn fool would tell him who was responsible, Yohji could ensure that the bastard never laid a hand on Aya ever again. It was kind of hard to dish out new abuse when one was dead and cremated.

Yohji's whole being was suffused with the need to protect Aya. The man was his, completely and utterly, and no one else would ever touch him. Not his lover's secret abuser, nor Kikyou, or anyone else who was interested in him. Aya was _Yohji's_. Now if only the tired bastard would wake up for a little fun, things would be perfect.

An hour passed by with Yohji playing with Aya's hair and touching the man, just enjoying the feel of the silky strands sliding through his fingers and how soft the smaller man's skin was. He reluctantly got up to see to a few basic needs, but hurried back to bed as soon as he was done. Aya hadn't moved at all, just laid sprawled out as Yohji had left him, and the blond growled softly as he sat back down on the mattress after piling the pillows against the headboard then pulled Aya onto his lap. "Come on, wake up love." This wasn't any fun.

A tingling sensation ran through the hand that was stroking through Aya's hair, and Yohji swore he felt something draining from him. But his lover groggily waking up immediately distracted him. Violet eyes blinked at him for several seconds before their owner hn'ed and hid his face against Yohji's neck. "Do I look that bad, love?"

Aya hn'ed again as he curled up more comfortably on Yohji's lap. Loving the feel of the man shifting against him, the blond smiled as he wrapped his arms around the pale body, hugging Aya until he squeaked. When the younger man pushed back to glare at him, Yohji captured his mouth for a kiss. Gods, Aya tasted so damn good, even first thing in the morning. Or afternoon, or whatever time it was; Yohji had noticed that the day seemed particularly bright as his eyes had ached from the light when he'd seen to his needs.

A knock on the door had the two men breaking off the kiss. Scowling at the plank of wood, Yohji prepared himself for some serious carnage if it was Jo or Mickey trying to drag him out of bed. "Who is it?"

"It's Kira, Yotan. I thought you might be a little hungry and brought you some food."

Though he hadn't felt hungry until the mention of food, Yohji thought as his stomach rumbled. "Stay here," he told his lover as he crawled out of bed, unabashedly naked. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Aya curl up under the blankets until only his hair and a pair of amethyst eyes showed over the duvet. Smiling at the image, Yohji unlocked the bedroom door.

Kira breezed into the room, two serving trays on her arm. "Here, I brought enough for the both of you." She looked about for space to put the trays down as he returned to the bed, pulling a sheet over his lap. Yohji obliged her by cleaning off the emptied bottles of wine that littered his nightstand. As soon as it was empty, the young woman set down the food, pausing a minute to peek inside the curtained bed. Growling softly, the lanky man shifted between his employee and his lover, blocking the other man from Kira's sight.

The girl blinked at him for a moment and then blushed. "Ah, I brought some eggs, rice and soup, plus a little leftover sausage. And pots of both coffee and tea, since Aya seems to favor the latter. Sorry to say there wasn't any bread left over, not after the crazy breakfast we had."

Yohji felt the mattress shift behind him. He poured a cup of tea and placed it in the pale hand that was waiting for it. Aya sat up and pressed against his back, causing a thrill of pleasure to run through the blond at the contact. Settling more of the sheet over his lap, Yohji helped himself to some coffee. "Why was breakfast so crazy?"

"Actually, things have been crazy since last night." Kira blushed again and started to fiddle with the pot of coffee. Yohji noticed the unusual behavior; Kira, raised as one of a wealthy merchant's many daughters, had learned not to fidget. The girl had shown up on the Koneko's doorstep a few years back after she'd fled to the capital to escape an arranged marriage with a man almost four times her own age. Although she'd shed some of her refined nature, she never wasted any movement unless embarrassed or agitated. Trying to figure out which it was, he spotted the hickeys on her neck and smiled.

"Oh, and how was… last night?"

Kira blushed at the innuendo, then laughed out loud. "It was insane, to put it mildly. Happened right after you left. It was as if someone slipped an aphrodisiac into the wine or something. People were leaving for their rooms in pairs, at the least, and it wasn't safe to investigate any dark nooks or corners. Then everyone who ended up staying last night suddenly showed up for breakfast about two hours ago."

"So, whom did you end up with?" As if Yohji couldn't guess. "A certain manager, perhaps?" Ah, bingo. Kira turned redder than Aya's hair. Great, Mickey had finally managed to get the woman into bed, after courting her for over two years. Though why the hell no one seemed to mind the large man going after a former stray, but he was given hell in regards to Aya was beyond him. At least Yohji now had some ammunition to use against his friend.

"I have to get going; there's a lot of beds that need to be changed. I'll be back with some lunch, in case you need some more energy by then." Kira winked at her employer before sauntering out the door. Taking a sip of his coffee, Yohji shifted about until he was once more resting against the pillows.

Aya settled at his side and held out his empty teacup. Yohji filled it for the man, then handed over a plate of eggs. "Here, eat something." His stray still looked exhausted with the shadows under his eyes and the languid movements.

Nodding his head in thanks, Aya made quick work of his share of the food while Yohji did the same. As soon as the plates were empty, Yohji stacked them to the side and pounced on his lover pushing him down onto the bed and ensuring he landed on top. It was extremely gratifying when Aya didn't flinch at the sudden assault, but instead wrapped his legs around Yohji's waist. Bending his head down for a kiss, the older man ran his hands along his love's sides. He adored feeling Aya writhe under him at the touch, and once more sunlight started to pour into him.

He moved his mouth to Aya's right ear, tugging on the lobe with his teeth. "Who do you belong to, love?" Yohji had to hear those words again, had to know that the stubborn man had acknowledged his claim. When he didn't get a response he fastened his lips to the skin right below the ear, causing Aya to suck in his breath.

"You."

Ah, that one word had Yohji purring in pleasure. "That's right, mine forever." Aya wasn't getting away this time, wasn't leaving him alone ever again. Yohji found a patch of unmarked skin on the pale neck and set about bruising it, making sure that everyone would know that the redhead was taken with just a glance at him. One of his hands started to pump the smaller man's hardening shaft, causing the fingers clenched in his hair to tighten, and the other hand searched about futilely for a moment.

Sliding his fingers between Aya's parted lips, Yohji moved his hand from the man's cock so he could grind his own against it, making his lover buck his hips for more of the wonderful friction. Every touch was pure bliss as more sunlight poured into him. When the way Aya was sucking and licking his fingers had him moaning out loud, Yohji tore them out of the man's mouth, eager to have them somewhere else instead. Judging from the way the pale man rocked his hips back onto them when he started to push first one and then another inside of him, Yohji had to say that Aya wanted them somewhere else as well. Somewhere that was oh-so tight and warm, and would make him feel so damn good in another minute.

"Let me know if it hurts, okay?" The last thing Yohji would ever want to do was cause Aya any pain, but he needed the man too much to search out the missing container of lube at the moment. When his lover nodded his head in understanding, the blond shifted the long pale limbs wrapped around his waist onto his shoulders. Aya mewled in anticipation as his hips were tilted upward, the sound driving Yohji mad with passion. About to just shove his way in, he controlled himself just in time and slowly pushed inside of the smaller man.

Heat, bliss, friction, gods, sweet friction as velvet walls clenched around him grasping him tight along every inch of his length as he very slowly thrust it inside Aya. Yohji groaned with pleasure, feeling the sunlight set every single one of his nerves ablaze with ecstasy. Aya's fingers were digging into his ass, urging him forward as the man tossed his head about, eyes firmly closed. "Please, Yohji."

"Anything, love, anything. Gods, you're so fucking perfect. Mine, I want ah-all of you." It occurred to the older man that he could be doing something better with his mouth than babbling nonsense, and he grabbed Aya's chin with one of his hands, holding the man's head still so he could ravish the sweet lips. As much as he adored hearing the man mewl, Yohji _had_ to taste him.

Forcing himself to keep his thrusts steady, Yohji rocked his hips forward again and again, causing Aya to gasp from the pleasure. Sunlight seemed to radiate from the pale man, burning him wherever their bodies touched. He couldn't get enough of it, even when it filled him to the bursting. Yohji felt utterly fulfilled at the moment, felt that he was whole for the first time in his life.

A mouth latched on to his neck sucking on his skin until he stroked Aya's neglected erection, causing the man to release him as another mewl burst forth. The sight of Aya spread beneath him with his eyes unfocused from pleasure and the pale face flushed and lips panting made him moan, as Yohji felt the bliss overwhelm him forcing him to come in pulsing waves that shattered him, his essence pouring deep inside of the smaller man. Aya came as well, his body clenching even tighter around Yohji as he strangled out the blond's name.

When Yohji's breathing eventually evened out he started to hum contentedly and buried his face in Aya's hair. He couldn't ever recall feeling this perfectly happy before.

"I love you."

As soon as he said the words Yohji blanched and braced himself for Aya to try and scurry out of the bed and as far away from him as possible. The man wouldn't believe that a stranger could fall in love with him so quickly, and would think he was being toyed with. But when the smaller man remained still beneath him, the innkeeper chanced pulling away far enough so he could look down.

Aya was asleep once more, his eyes closed and a slight pout on the swollen lips. Yohji reached over for a napkin to clean off the two of them off, then tossed it aside when he was done and kissed the sleeping man. Aya came awake at the touch and glared weakly at him. "How do I taste?"

"Like sunlight. Like raspberries soaked in liquor, sweet and potent enough to make my tongue tingle. Perfect, you taste perfect." Yohji smiled at his lover, which only made the glare grow stronger. "My, someone's grouchy." He brushed Aya's bangs out of his eyes, and the redhead only sighed as he closed the violet orbs.

Shifting about until he rested against the headboard, Yohji tucked Aya against his chest and snagged an empty cup and the pot of coffee. Thankfully Kira had brought him a big container of the beverage, most likely because of how irritable and tired he usually was in the mornings, but not today. No wonder, since he was spending the night with his love. Yohji poured some of the beverage and pressed the cup into Aya's shaking hands. With his assistance the pale man was able to raise it to his lips and drink without spilling more than a few drops. When it was empty, Yohji refilled the cup again. "I think it's a good idea to spend the day in bed, considering how tired you are."

"I wouldn't be if you'd stop being so damn voracious," Aya muttered, softly enough that Yohji wasn't sure if he'd heard the words right. When the coffee was all gone, he set the cup aside and tugged on an eartail.

"Are you saying this is all my fault?"

"Hmph." Aya rested his head on Yohji's shoulder and closed his eyes once more. Pressing his lips to the man's forehead, Yohji let his lover fall back asleep. He decided to catch a nap himself, his body more than relaxed enough to do so.

*******

Ran awoke to the sensation of a hand ghosting along his cheek. He tilted his face into the caress, the contact making him shiver with pleasure. He opened his eyes to find Yohji smiling at him as the hand brushed back his bangs. One day soon he needed to get them cut, but he didn't have the energy at the moment to figure out exactly when.

The cause of his exhaustion kissed him softly on the lips. Ran didn't protest the touch; in fact, he tried to force his tired body to shift forward so he could press against the blond. His whole being cried out for more of Yohji, to be nearer to the man, to not be alone anymore. Ran had let his lover mark him somehow, had given into him, and now he found that his soul craved Yohji. It disconcerted him how much he wanted the older man.

Ran wasn't used to needing anyone. The only one he'd felt this way about before had been his sister, and never to this extent. Something had changed last night, had made him shift from feeling affection and some trust for Yohji to this intense want and need. With a sinking feeling, the kage acknowledged that it probably had something to do with his bound nature that he normally tried to suppress as much as possible. He couldn't give in to his true self while tied to the Takatoris; it would just mean more pain for Aya-chan if he protested the abuse.

Yohji gathered him close as the man rolled onto his back pulling Ran onto his chest. A part of the redhead purred at all the delicious contact of skin against skin, and as his craving abated, Ran resolved to have another talk with Cassandra very soon. He had to find out what was going on here, and if there was a way to reverse what had happened. It wasn't good for him to be tied to Yohji like this, considering that he was a murderous freak, here to kill the king and his family. He couldn't let his lover become embroiled in that.

Yet as he thought of ways to break things off with the man, two things happened. Ran heard Crawford's voice in his head reminding him of his vow, and agony tore through his chest at the thought of leaving Yohji, of never touching him again. He gasped in pain.

"Are you alright, cat? What's wrong?"

Another caress to his face helped soothe the pain. Pushing aside the thought of leaving Yohji, Ran concentrated on the man's touch as a means of ignoring his sudden worry. Oh, this was bad, this was very bad. And somehow he got the impression that this situation was all his fault. Why had he given in to the man last night, and again this morning? He never should have told Yohji that he was the blond's, yet something inside of him had cried out to belong to someone and he hadn't been able to resist. Especially not with that maddening tingle which tormented him even now, flowing through him and short-circuiting his logic. Besides, it was just empty words, wasn't it? Yohji didn't really mean for Ran to be his, and most certainly not forever, and it had probably just been the heat of the moment talking.

"I need to get up." The arms about him slowly loosened, and Ran squirmed his way off the taller man. As soon as he stepped out of the shadowed sanctuary of the bed, he flinched again in pain. Sunlight burned his skin and blinded his eyes, causing him to stumble his way to a small chamber. At least the private closet was sheltered from the light giving Ran a reprieve as he relieved himself. Yohji must really have drained him for the light to affect him this badly. He needed to restore some of his energy before he could venture outside or anywhere bright.

As soon as he was done, the kage raced across the room to the sanctuary of the bed. Yohji smiled wolfishly when he all but jumped onto the mattress, probably thinking that Ran had missed his presence. Not in the slightest, though now that he was back beside the other bound, Ran found himself relaxing as he never had around anyone else other than his sister. A pair of arms pulled him against the blond, and it was with a bit of a struggle that Ran wiggled free enough to see if there was any food left over, desperate for the energy it would provide him. Of course there was none.

"You hungry again, Aya?" He nodded his head at the question, wondering if he could wait the remaining hour or so until Kira returned with lunch. If Ran got something to eat and spent a couple more hours in the shadows, he should be able to stand the sunlight uncloaked at some point that afternoon. Hopefully.

Yohji glanced at the door for a moment, a frown on his face. Then the man let out a short bark of laughter and set Ran aside so he could get out of bed. Wondering what was going on, the kage crawled under the blankets once more breathing deeply of Yohji's scent. He felt like he could stay here forever alone with Yohji and hidden from the rest of the world. When the bound returned, a box in one hand while the other rubbed his eyes, Ran held the blankets up for him to slide under.

"Thanks. Is it just me today, or is it really bright out?" Yohji then thrust the box at Ran. "Here, I got these for you yesterday. Shit, wait a sec and I'll be back." The man vanished once more, leaving Ran staring at the box wondering what he was supposed to do with it.

A hiss of velvet heralded the room plunging into twilight, and the kage sighed in relief as he was enveloped by the welcoming darkness. Reappearing with an open bottle in his hand, Yohji once more slid under the covers and pulled Ran onto his lap. "Haven't you opened it yet? I could never wait to tear open my presents."

"Oh." Hesitantly peeling away the festive paper that wrapped the box, Ran slowly revealed a selection of cookies, shaped into flowers. Having never seen anything like them before, he cautiously nibbled on one and was delighted at the almond taste. He twisted back to look at Yohji.

"I take it you like them. Good. Here's some wine to wash them down." Yohji kissed him briefly before handing over the bottle. Ran took a swallow and gave it back to the blond, and after chewing on his lip for a moment, kissed the man in thanks. That caused Yohji to smile when he pulled away and Ran immediately found himself yanked back and the kiss resumed. They remained like that until Yohji tried to pry the box out of the kage's hands causing him to snarl and clutch it close.

Yohji's laughter rang throughout the room. "I take it you _really_ like them, then. Damn, I never thought I'd be jealous of food before." He ran his thumb over the smaller man's lips, brushing aside a few crumbs. Ran settled back against Yohji's chest as he consumed half of the cookies and most of the wine shivering occasionally as the older man continuously stroked his skin, golden hands running up and down his shoulder, neck, arms and chest. When he felt his strength returning Ran reluctantly set aside the delicacies, forcing himself to save the rest for another time.

"So, what do you want to do today?"

The question surprised Ran, since it wasn't one he was normally asked. Before this mission, his choices were usually limited to reading or spending some time practicing his weapons skills on the days the Takatoris didn't have some use for him. The only thing he could think of was visiting Cassandra, but he didn't want to tell Yohji that.

"Hmm, you really need to speak some more, Aya. I'd ask you if a cat had your tongue, but that would be redundant. Or are you trying to think up some ideas?"

It took the kage a moment to realize that Yohji was referring to the nickname that the man had given him: cat. Not sure why the man had chosen that, but used to being called much worse, Ran hadn't objected much upon being saddled with it. The only way he had survived the past dozen years was by not allowing himself to pay much attention to things like that. "I- no. No ideas." He had to get away from Yohji at some point, to try and figure out what was going on with him, but Ran was tied to the blond's side by his promise to Crawford.

A hand stroked through his hair making the pale man purr in pleasure. "Let's see… I think a nice long soak at some point would be perfect, maybe right around lunch when the bathing room should be empty… I need to stop by the kitchen and see what it'll cost me to get Jo to make us a nice meal for dinner… any other suggestions?"

"No." Damn, Yohji really was planning on sticking by him all day long, wasn't he?

"Aya…" Ran found himself being twisted about until he sat facing Yohji and hissed the entire time he was manhandled. Glaring at the other man, the kage's narrowed eyes conveyed how unhappy he was at being treated like an object. The foul mood lasted until Yohji tugged on one of his eartails and kissed him making Ran shiver as the tingle flowed through his body once more. Reduced to blinking his eyes as he tried to figure out what the hell had just happened, the redhead allowed Yohji to snuggle him close.

"Don't tell me you don't want to go out and see the city at all. Isn't this your first time in the capital? Aren't there any sights you want to see, such as the palace or some temples?"

There was the royal library, and Ran had heard about the many bookstores scattered about the city, had even seen one while on his way to Cassandra's the other day. "No."

"You're a strange one." Ran flinched at the comment, wondering if his lack of humanity was that obvious. Yohji stared at him oddly for a moment and skimmed his fingers over the kage's right cheek in a caress. "Are you afraid? I promise I won't let anyone hurt you. The two of us can go wherever you want, and I'll keep you safe." The fingers trailed down his arm until they reached his scarred wrist.

Suddenly wanting to get off the topic before Yohji started to pry into his personal life again, Ran leaned forward and pressed his lips against the blond's. The succubae-bound took the bait, and Ran soon found himself on his back once more as Yohji kissed a trail down his neck. The drain on his energy was much less this time, almost negligible, so the redhead was left with the hope that he would still be able to see the precog sometime that afternoon.

Yohji pulled back and stared down on him, long blond strands brushing against Ran's face as a finger gently traced a cheekbone and his lips. "I promise you I'll keep you safe." It seemed the older bound hadn't been as distracted as he'd hoped.

"You can't keep me safe from everything, Yohji." There were some fates that were unavoidable, and Ran's promised to be one that would hold no protection for himself. It would be best if Yohji would just leave him alone and go find someone else who tasted like sunshine or something better. A pain tore at Ran's heart when he thought of being alone once more, surrounded by humans who would only abuse him, and his arms reflexively tightened around his lover. A part of his soul didn't want him to ever let go of the man, the part that raged against the ties that had been forced on him against his will by Reiji Takatori and his sons. "And I can protect myself."

The statement was met by a harsh bark of laughter. "No you can't, Aya, or else you wouldn't be covered in scars and flinching away from almost anyone who tries to touch you." Yohji's voice slid into a growl, and the green eyes glowed with a feral light. "You're mine, and I won't let anyone ever hurt you again."

Something inside Ran stirred at the sight of Yohji's revealed bound nature, the part that had been craving the man ever since it had made the kage give in to him last night. For the first time in his life Ran didn't feel terribly alone, and he started to purr as he threaded his fingers through dark gold strands, yanking Yohji's face downwards. He'd have to convince the man at a later time that he was anything but helpless, but for now…

A slick tongue speared into his mouth making him moan in pleasure. Long fingers trailed over his skin, his nerves hypersensitive due to the tingle that thrummed through his body. If he tasted like sunlight, Yohji was life: warm, heady and addictive, a spice that flooded Ran's senses until the taste overwhelmed him. His hand stroked down his lover's back and along a lean thigh until it found the center of the man's heat and his touch on the hard cock made Yohji growl savagely. The grip in his hair jerked Ran's head back until his throat was arched and exposed. He mewled softly as a set of teeth bit into his neck, his hands pressing the bound's head closer to his flesh, his legs wrapping around the man's waist as he shivered in pleasure. Yohji's jaw tightened for a moment, and then soft lips brushed against the new bruise, followed by a hot tongue that lapped at the teeth marks.

So lost in the pleasure of the act of domination, neither bound noticed when the bedroom door was unlocked and a slender figure slipped inside the room.

*******

Kikyou brushed his hair out of his eyes as he walked down the hall, intent on his meeting with Manx. He was still in a foul mood from the night before and just wanted to get the next few minutes over with. Chances were the redheaded woman would once more dance around officially naming him as her successor, something that the nobleman was getting tired of. Damn the little slut for holding on to her power as long as she could.

But the outcome was inevitable. He was the only suitable choice for the new Captain of the Guards. Honjyou, his lone competition, was too young and too much of a hothead to be picked over him. Besides, the nobility needed to be placated in the face of a commoner being elevated to the status of Queen, and the best way would be if one of their own held a position that was normally denied them. The Captain had always been a commoner, but the Guards couldn't be prejudiced in the choosing of a new one, not when they were backing a woman who had been raised by farmers for the throne.

The only other worthy candidate for the position had taken himself off the field over a year ago. Kikyou's jaw clenched as he thought of his rival. While Honjyou's name was quite respected by the Guards, it didn't come close to Kudoh's. The bastard's family had been tied to the organization ever since the Guards formed and was spoken of by members of the fraternity in much the same tone that his family name had once been spoken of in court.

But the man had retired in shame to waste his days in alcohol and sex. Or at least that was what Kikyou had been led to believe until one of his spies had reported that Botan and Birman, along with Honjyou, were spending the evening at the Koneko. He'd hurried to the inn to investigate the matter, curious to see if the wizard and spymaster were indeed meeting with the Guard. Kikyou hadn't been happy to see them sitting with Kudoh and instantly wondered if maybe the two were trying to entice Kudoh to rejoin his old organization.

It hadn't helped that the blond didn't seem drunk or dissolute, but appeared to be in glowing health and mentally focused. Then Kikyou had noticed the man's lover and had stopped worrying about his promotion for some time to follow. He had always had a soft spot for pale, gorgeous things, and this Aya was definitely that. The redhead would put any of the beauties in court to shame once cleaned up and decently attired.

So the nobleman had been immediately attracted to Aya and found some amusement in the thought of stealing Kudoh's lover right from underneath his nose. It would serve the bastard right considering the way he had people eating out of his hand so easily. Kikyou had always hated how Kudoh had attracted people to him so effortlessly, people who still defended the man to this day. So he would snatch Aya away in revenge. At first he seemed to be succeeding in his plan, as the pale man hadn't been able to tear his eyes off Kikyou. At least at first. But the more the Guard had pushed, the more Aya had moved away, and Kudoh had stormed off with his lover when he realized what was happening.

Dammit, the redhead should never have been able to resist him! Not when Kikyou was wearing the family heirloom. Unable to believe that someone had been able to resist him, the only other exceptions being Kudoh, Botan and the crown prince, Kikyou had stared incredulously as Aya had gone off with Kudoh. When he realized that the man was indeed walking away from him, the noble had been so infuriated that he had immediately left the Koneko. He hadn't gotten more than a couple meters outside the door when Honjyou came running after him, wanting to discuss how the fights between their supporters were tarnishing the Guards' name. Kikyou had to put up with that bullshit all the way back to the palace.

Cursing in memory of his lousy night, the elegant man fell silent as he approached Manx's office. Carefully schooling his face, he pushed open the door after two knocks. Manx looked up at him from the mounds of paperwork on her desk. "Morning, Captain."

"Ah, Kikyou, I wasn't expecting you so early." The woman gestured to a chair by her desk.

"Early? It's almost noon." He bowed to her slightly before sitting down. "Are you alright? You seem worried about something." Manx's face was drawn with stress, her mouth pulled down in a frown.

Green eyes gazed wearily at Kikyou. "Sorry, I've lost track of time, among other things. But I'm happy to report that there's been no news about any fights amongst the Guards last night; it seems the talks you and Yuushi had with the troops are taking effect. Thank you."

"My pleasure, Captain. You know I wouldn't do anything to bring dishonor to the Guards."

"Yes, I do. Which brings us to why I asked you here." Rising to her feet, the redheaded woman handed Kikyou a letter. "This arrived yesterday."

One look at the expensive paper and Kikyou knew whom it was from. Without saying a word he pulled out his dagger and cut the letter into confetti. Manx raised an eyebrow at his actions and quietly inquired if it wouldn't have been better if he'd read the missive first before destroying it.

"There's no need, I know who it's from. I've no doubts my brother found out about my candidacy for your position and sought to see if I could use my new station to his benefit. I refuse to even consider such a matter." Not after the man had stripped him of his family name when Kikyou, bereft after his sister's murder and with no future prospects as a second son, joined the Guards in hopes of finding the girl's murderer and a place for himself. Now that the asshole had spent the family's minute fortune and was desperate for money, he dared to think that Kikyou would supply him with aid. "The Guards are my family, not… that gentleman."

Manx's expression softened as she smiled at him. "I know what you gave up when you joined the Guards, Kikyou, and I'm relieved to see that you've severed any and all ties with your brother." Ah, so this had been a test of some sort, to see if he'd be willing to compromise his job in the name of family. Kikyou bit back on a snort and smiled sadly back at his superior.

"As I said, he's not my family any longer. I'll send him a letter asking him not to try to contact me through this office anymore, and I apologize for his behavior." The stupid prick. As if Kikyou could have done anything even if he'd been so inclined, after the letter had arrived in such a public matter. But his brother had never been on the intelligent side. If he had, he might have wondered why all his younger sibling had wanted from their father's estate had been the man's ring. Not that there had been much else for him to want at that point, but still, to just ask for a simple ruby ring?

But the ring was fueled with the blood from a bound and lent its wearer the ability to charm almost anybody. Kikyou had overheard his father talk about it one day and had found the bottle of succubae-bound blood the man used to recharge the jewelry. He'd made sure to gain possession of both ring and bottle while his father's body had still been warm.

Maybe the problem with Aya was that the ring needed to be recharged. Kikyou would take care of that shortly and pay the Koneko another visit. He wanted Aya; something about the man attracted him: the pale skin, the astonishing hair and eyes, the withdrawn, quiet air that surrounded him. Oh yes, he could have fun with that one and judging from Kudoh's reaction to his flirting with the man, the blond had finally found a lover he cared for. That only made the whole matter even more delicious.

"Kikyou?"

Ah, he had been lost in his thoughts and obviously missed something. The nobleman smiled at Manx guiltily. "I'm sorry, Captain, I was a bit… distracted. What did you ask me?"

"It's alright, Kikyou. I was asking you if you'd mind dealing with-" A knock on the door prompted a frown from the woman as she broke off what she had been saying. "Enter."

Ken Hidaka nervously walked into the office. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Captain, but Prince Mamoru hasn't returned home yet."

Manx immediately rose to her feet. "My understanding was that your partner, Liss, was to have escorted the prince home last night. Has she reported in?"

"No ma'am," Ken replied quietly. Kikyou hid a smile behind his hand at the distress of the other Guard, plainly not happy to be turning in his own partner. He decided to step in and impress Manx with his level headedness.

"Captain, I was at the Koneko last night, and the prince was a bit… under the table, shall we say." Green eyes flashed at that comment, and Kikyou was willing to bet that Mamoru was going to hear a lecture about drinking too much in public. "Perhaps Liss decided to let him remain at the inn for the night."

"That sounds like something she would do," Ken hurriedly commented.

Manx glared at the ring on her left hand for a moment, twisting it about in anger as she made up her mind. "Hidaka, go to the Koneko and find out if and when the prince left. If he's missing, I want every Guard out there to start searching for him, _quietly_. The last thing we need at this time is rumors that he's been kidnapped, especially if he's just nursing a hangover."

Ken bowed and started to back towards the door. "Yes ma'am." He turned on his heel and fled the room.

Kikyou bit back on a smile again wondering when it would occur to the Guard that he was heading to his former partner's inn. Hidaka had assiduously avoided anything connected to Kudoh this past year. "I'm sure the boy is fine, Captain, if a bit queasy at the moment." With any luck, Kudoh would be held responsible for the youth's condition, and the prince banned from returning to the Koneko. "Now what was it you wanted to ask of me?"

*******

The world quaked and shifted, causing Omi to moan as he opened his eyes. He stared dumbly for a moment before the bright sunlight caused his lids to snap shut in response to pain, but after he thought about what he had seen they immediately flew back open. Omi gazed at Naoe, whose head was resting on the same pillow his was, and who was looking back at him.

Other things were starting to sink into the teen's befuddled mind. Such as the fact that he wasn't wearing any clothes, and from the feel of flesh against his, neither was Naoe. He also had his arms around the smaller youth. Not to mention the fact that Omi felt as if he was about to be very ill at any moment.

Naoe shifted about on the bed, which caused it once more to shake. "Ah, Omi, could you - never mind." The last was said in an almost humorous tone as the prince scrambled out of bed after releasing the brunet and dashed over to the necessities chamber. Throwing open the door, Omi fell onto his knees and commenced to toss up everything he'd eaten in the past year. At least, that was what it felt like as the heaves seemed to wrack his body forever.

When they finally stopped, Omi rocked back onto his heels and started when a cool damp cloth brushed his shoulder. "Here." Shifting around, he saw Naoe, dressed in a red silk robe that was too big for him holding out a damp towel. He gratefully accepted the towel and used it to wipe his face and mouth before realizing that he was still naked. His hand stopped in the middle of wiping off something dried to his stomach when that fact sank in to his aching head. Blushing profusely, Omi tried to scramble to his feet and find his clothes.

Of course he only ended up falling on his ass, which began to throb in pain in time with his head. His stomach made it clear in no uncertain terms that empty or not, it wasn't happy about any sudden movements. Moaning in discomfort, Omi just sat on the floor.

Naoe walked over and picked something up off the floor near one of the beds, which turned out to be the blond's clothes. Omi accepted them gratefully and pulled them on as his face still continued to blush. What the hell had happened last night?

"Ah, you got drunk, I brought you up here to rest, and…" It was Naoe's turn to blush, and that made Omi feel awful about blurting the question out loud.

"Did we…?" They couldn't have, could they? Omi wasn't too terribly clear on the mechanics of sex with another boy, outside of a few garbled lessons Schuldig and Yohji had given him when they had been completely smashed. And shouldn't he remember something as special as his first time? Gods, had he hurt Naoe? "Are you alright?"

A pair of big brown eyes stared at him a moment, then the younger boy shook his head. "We didn't do _that_. We just…."

Omi recalled his itchy stomach and paused in pulling on his rumpled shirt to investigate. There was semen dried on his skin, and with a slight grimace he searched for the dropped towel and wiped himself clean. So, apparently they hadn't gone all the way at least. "Are you alright?"

Naoe smiled slightly. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"I feel like I'm about to be sick again any moment." Unfortunately, Omi only realized what the words sounded like _after_ he spoke them. "I mean, Naoe, I… that didn't come out as I meant it to."

"You're hungover, it's to be expected." Naoe's mask was back on his face, but a smile seemed to be hiding behind it judging from the way the boy's eyes sparkled. Straightening out his clothes as much as possible, Omi rose to his feet and crossed over to where the brunet was standing.

He then tapped the younger teen on the nose. "Naoe, I'm so incredibly sorry that I don't remember anything. I… I hope that I didn't get out of hand, and… damn, I can't believe I could forget something as special as that. Was I any good?" Yes, it was official; Omi's brain was useless. Maybe he should sew his lips shut to prevent any more stupidity from pouring out of it.

So it came as a surprise when Naoe lightly kissed him on the mouth. "It was very nice, what happened. You… were very nice." The boy's blush intensified. "I enjoyed it." Omi was treated to a warm smile, one that took his breath away then something flashed on his paramour's face, something dark and sad that caused the mask to return and Naoe to step away from him.

Unsure of what had just happened, the young blond tugged at his clothes again and reached out a hand to bink Naoe on the nose. "I'm glad to hear that, and maybe next time I'll be able to remember what happened afterwards." Please, gods, let there be a next time. Naoe's eyes went wide at his comment, and the younger boy ducked his head shyly. Omi kissed him on the cheek and hugged him. "I have to get going now, but when can I see you again?"

Naoe seemed torn over something, and after flashing Omi a quick glance out of the corner of his eye mumbled that his days were mostly free. "Good, I'd like to see you again tomorrow, if you think Aya won't mind. I haven't shown you the shipyards yet, and it's always fun to go there and see what's come in." He didn't think he'd be able to get away from the palace today, not after spending the night at the Koneko. Omi briefly wondered how much trouble he was going to be in and cursed the gods for giving him a night with Naoe and taking the memory of it away from him.

"…Okay."

Smiling, Omi kissed Naoe one more time and then hurried for the door. "See you tomorrow, after breakfast." The mention of food turned his stomach somewhat, causing him to gag, but the shy smile the other boy gave him made the prince feel better.

Hurrying down the steps, Omi nearly collided with Liss who was on her way up them. "Omi, thank the gods you're awake. We need to haul ass back to the palace, right now." The young Guard was a bit rumpled in appearance as well and sported a few love bites on her neck.

"Morning, Liss. Did you spend the night as well?"

In the process of dragging Omi down the steps, Liss turned around and smacked him lightly on the ear. "Spoiled brat, what do you think? Fuck, last night was great and I can barely walk, but it wasn't worth losing my job."

His stomach rumbling as they approached the dining room, Omi pressed a hand to his mouth. "Uh, Liss, I still don't feel too good."

The Guard stared at him for a moment with a look of worry on her face then smiled in relief. "Wait here, I know just the thing you need for a hangover. And we can always use you being sick the reason for never making it back home last night."

"Whatever, Liss, just get the stuff right now." Omi felt as if he was going to throw up again. He was glad to provide the woman with an excuse that would save both of their hides, but just wished it didn't make him feel so awful. Omi swore to himself that he'd never drink again.

As his friend hurried off, Omi made his way to the door hoping the fresh air would make him feel better. Taking in shallow breaths once he stepped outside, the boy let out a squawk when his arm was grabbed. Flailing about, he caught sight of his attacker, and suddenly stilled when he realized it was Ken. But the damage was already done, and his stomach, protesting the sudden movement, rebelled.

A hand rubbed his back while the young prince was once more wracked with heaves. "Gods, Omi, what the hell did you drink?"

"Too much, Ken-kun," was the whispered reply.

Ken was brushing back his bangs when Liss appeared, a steaming mug in hand and Mickey in her wake. "What are you - oh, hi Ken."

"Liss, for fuck's sake, what the hell are you still doing here? Manx is about to unleash the Guards on the city, and you're here having breakfast?"

"Dammit, Ken, Omi's not feeling well. We were on our way back, right after I got something in him to make him feel better." Liss shoved the mug into Omi's hands and crossed her arms over her rather ample chest as she glared at her partner.

Who glared right back at her. Omi was relieved over the stalemate, as it saved his poor head from all the screaming, and sipped his drink. It was hot and tasted awful, but he drank it anyway when the first few sips seemed to settle his stomach.

"Hello, Ken, long time no see."

Ken glanced away from Liss and blushed when he saw Mickey. "Hello, Mick… uhm, you look good."

"Nice of you to notice. You know, I didn't think you remembered this place anymore, or your friends who live here." Mickey's voice was thick with reproach.

The Guard blushed some more and turned Omi towards the street, who clutched his half full mug close to him and waved goodbye. "Ah, well, I've been busy. Really busy. And right now I need to get Omi home. See you around, Mick."

"Hidaka, I expect _you_ to return the mug to the Koneko. If not… my brother should be arriving shortly, and I'll send him to retrieve it. Or find out why you let someone else return it. Now have a nice day."

Carefully sipping his drink as he walked, Omi caught the dumbstruck look on Ken's face as the threat sunk in. Great, the man probably wasn't going to let him sneak off again any time soon, not after this morning. Why did he have to get so drunk last night? First not remembering what he'd done with Naoe and now this. Nope, Omi wasn't even going to look at wine again for as long as he lived. Which, between an angry Ken and a furious Manx, wasn't exactly something he felt assured of doing for much longer.

*******

"Ah, it feels great to be home! Great! Clean beds, people to fuss over us, good food, people to fuss over us, Yohji to torment, and oh yeah, did I mention the fussing part?"

Koyu laughed at his lover's antics. "I get the point, Teddy. Now are you going to just stand on the doorstep or actually enter the place sometime today?" The Harper was exhausted and dirty, his long red coat and leggings travel-stained and sweaty, wanting nothing more than to go inside where it was nice and shady and, as Teddy pointed out, be fussed over a little. He and his lover had spent the past three days traveling almost non-stop to reach the capital before the wedding announcement was made and had gotten up very early that morning to continue their journey. And now they were home.

Teddy, dressed in a short robe the colour of his eyes, flashed Koyu a smile as he tossed his braids over his shoulders and opened the door. "We're back! Where are our adoring masses? Come and cater to our every whim!"

There was stunned silence for a minute, and then the hall was swamped with people. Mickey, Jo, Ani, Kira and Touya all crowded around the couple, and Koyu was surprised to see even Ichiyo inside the inn, instead of hiding in the stables. The Koneko's staff repeatedly hugged and kissed the two men.

"Teddy! Koyu! You two had me worried. I expected you home yesterday," Mickey said as he swung his brother in the air.

"Yeah, well we hit a spot of bad weather and spent the day stuck in a barn outside of Royopa." Teddy smiled at his lover over his brother's shoulder, and Koyu smiled back, remembering the fun he and his inventive boyfriend had had that day. He was still pulling straw out of his hair, but it had been worth it.

Jo patted him on the cheek and kissed Teddy's once more. "We've been saving your room and airing it out every day. You two look tired; why don't you go take a nap and I'll fix you something special for lunch. Unless you'd rather have a bite to eat now."

"Thank you, Jo. I think a nap and a bath would be more appreciated than food; we did manage to eat a good breakfast before hitting the road. Not to mention that Teddy here insisted on stopping at Chow Yun's stand for a bite to eat when we came through the west gate into the city."

The younger man stuck his tongue out at Koyu for being ratted on. "Hey, where's Yohji? Don't tell me he's still in bed."

"Afraid so," Mickey rumbled, and Koyu arched an eyebrow when he noticed that the large man had an arm around Kira's waist, and that the young woman didn't seem to mind. Now that was a new development. Glancing over at Teddy to see if his boyfriend had noticed his brother, he found a frown on the man's face.

"Is he that hungover?"

Mickey shook his head. "No, he's one of the few who aren't, after last night. You just missed Omi, who got drunk for the first time. Yohji is all tucked up in bed with his latest boyfriend."

Well, one out of two wasn't bad. Koyu hoped that Yohji got over the Bitch sometime soon to move on and stop trying to kill himself with liquor and meaningless affairs.

Teddy, who had been pouting at that bit of news, suddenly smiled in a manner that instantly made the Harper very nervous. It was never good when Teddy smiled like that, especially when Yohji was involved. He had the feeling they were about to be kicked out of the inn by an enraged blond very shortly. "Well, I'll go tell him the good news about Koyu and me being back." The longhaired man instantly charged up the steps, his robe and braids flapping about him.

Koyu groaned and made to go after him, only to be stopped by Jo. Immediately the staff started to leave calling out that they'd talk more later, until just Koyu, Mickey and Jo remained in the hall. "Jo, what are you doing? Let me go after Teddy before Yohji kills him."

The middle-aged woman shook her head. "No, leave Teddy alone. It's about time Yohji got out of bed anyway."

Something wasn't right, as the cook had always played referee between Yohji and Teddy before. Koyu glanced worriedly up the stairs, awaiting a very loud yell. "I take it something's going on here?" A look at his two friends confirmed that suspicion. "Care to tell me what?"

Mickey nodded his head, but before he could speak, a loud yell of pure fury blasted through the inn.

*******

Teddy snuck up the stairs, pulling a set of keys out of his pocket as he did so. So Yohji was planning on lying in bed and missing out on his homecoming, was he? All for a piece of ass that the man wouldn't remember in another day's time? Well, he wasn't going to put up with that. Teddy had decided on his way back home that it was time to straighten the blond out, and that his adopted brother had wallowed in misery long enough. He and Koyu would be staying for the wedding, as it was rumored to be about two months away, and that should be plenty of time for him to beat some sense into Yohji's head.

Keying open the door, Teddy snuck into the dark room, his eyes taking a moment to adjust. An unfamiliar bed welcomed him, draped in curtains and the source of several soft moans and gasps. Aha, he got to catch Yohji in the act. Wishing he had a bucket of cold water, Teddy smiled as he crept closer to the bed. He placed his foot down on something that rolled under it, sending him flying forward.

Right onto the bed. He landed face first on the mattress surprising the hell out of Yohji and the pale man he was busy kissing. Teddy caught the sight of violet eyes glowing in the darkness like a cat's then was distracted by a very loud, very enraged yell from Yohji. "What the fuck? You're dead!"

The blond rolled off of his lover, tucking the man behind him as he turned to face Teddy, snarling the whole while. Teddy found himself scurrying back off the bed from the sheer force of hostility his friend radiated and fell onto the floor, landing on whatever it was he'd tripped on. Yohji leaned over the bed, his right hand containing several gold threads about to be tossed and suddenly blinked his eyes. "Teddy?"

"Heh, yeah bro."

"Teddy? What the hell are you doing? You're dead, you nosy little bastard!" Yohji dropped the strands, thankfully in Teddy's opinion, and reached for the smaller man's neck with his bare hands. Luckily, the enraged man's lover jerked him back just before Teddy found himself strangled. Sheesh, someone was being a real grouch for some strange reason. What was with all the growling?

Scrambling to his feet, Teddy picked up the small container that had been giving him so much grief and hurried over to the window, wanting a little light in the room and a bit of distance between him and Yohji. For a moment there he actually thought his friend was about to kill him. Which was ridiculous, but the young man couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been a bit closer to death than he usually liked just then. Once the curtains were open he looked at the container and laughed out loud.

Teddy walked back to the bed and jerked the curtains on the side facing the window open. There was a set of two hisses as its occupants flinched from the sudden light. Tossing the jar at Yohji, Teddy perched on the edge of the bed and rubbed his sore bottom. "I think that's yours. Hope I didn't crack it."

"Teddy, I'm going to fucking kill you, I swear," Yohji growled as he tossed the container of lubricant onto the nightstand. The blond, oblivious of his nudity, settled on the bed right between Teddy and his lover blocking the pest's view of the other man. All he'd gotten a glimpse of was white skin and red hair before the man had scurried to a dark corner of the bed dragging the blankets with him. Guess he was a bit shy, something that was somewhat unusual with Yohji's lovers. They usually were as easy with their affections as Yohji was.

"So, who's the latest fuckbuddy, bro?" Smiling at Yohji, the last thing Teddy expected was a slap to the face, one that knocked him back off the bed and onto his sore ass. His eyes wide in shock, the longhaired man stared up at his brother and held a hand to his throbbing cheek.

"He's not a fuckbuddy," Yohji snarled, and then seemed to snap out of his temper as a deep voice murmured his name. "Teddy? Ah hell, I'm sorry. Why the hell are you bothering me already?" He held a hand out to the man.

Teddy stared at it for a moment, trying to digest the fact that Yohji had actually hit him. Nothing he'd ever done to the blond had made him hit Teddy in the past, not even the one time when he'd given the man's then girlfriend a key to his room while Yohji had been screwing her brother. Only the apologetic look on the older man's face made Teddy accept his help off the floor. "What the hell is going on, Yotan? I come home and you deck me. I don't feel very loved at the moment," he pouted.

Yohji jerked a hand through his hair. "Shit, I'm sorry. Listen, Teddy, do me a favor and no smart remarks for a few minutes, okay?"

"Sure thing, bro."

"Yohji, is this your… brother?" The other man's voice was deep and quiet, and held a raspy quality to it, as if it wasn't used very much.

"Yes."

"No." Teddy and Yohji glared at each other for a moment, and then the blond sighed as he pulled his lover onto his lap. Teddy stared at the man in amazement at how pale and beautiful he was. No wonder Yohji hadn't been happy to be interrupted. The redhead yanked a blanket over him until only his face was exposed and regarded Teddy with wary violet eyes.

"Aya, meet Teddy, who is technically my _foster_ brother, and is poor Mickey's real brother. Pest, meet Aya. Treat him anything like the way you treat me, and I'll fucking kill you for real." The growl was back in Yohji's voice and green eyes glared threateningly at Teddy, who, being a bright boy, quickly memorized the fact that this Aya was off-limits.

He held out his hand. "Nice to meet you. Don't listen to a word Yohji says about me, he's just jealous that I'm smarter and better looking than him." Aha, he got the wisp of a smile there, he swore. Aya stared at his hand for a moment, and then cautiously extended his own. Catching a glimpse of a scarred wrist, Teddy barely had a chance to pump the pale hand before it was snatched back and hidden under the blanket. Studying the man closely, Teddy came to the conclusion that his brother had bedded a stray. The man was dead. Why the hell had Jo and Mick allowed this? Well, he was here, and he'd straighten Yohji out on the matter in no time.

About to open his mouth and give Yohji a piece of his mind, Teddy snapped it shut when he saw him cradle Aya in his arms, tucking back wisps of crimson hair as he held the pale man close and nuzzled him on a spectacularly bruised neck. For his part, Aya closed his eyes and relaxed in the embrace. That sure as hell didn't look like the actions of a couple who had only gotten together for a little fun. Teddy cleared his throat.

He noticed the potent scowl Yohji gave him, and the wary look that crossed Aya's face. "Go away, pest. And if you come into our room uninvited again, Koyu's gonna be single real quick."

"Aw, you're no fun, Yohji."

"Teddy, get the hell -"

A knock on the door cut the blond's tirade short, and Koyu poked his head into the room, black hair falling into chocolate brown eyes. "Did you kill him yet?"

Yohji growled as he buried his face in Aya's hair. Teddy smiled at his boyfriend and called out, "Over here, sweetie."

The Harper entered the room and joined Teddy on the bed, staring incredulously at Aya when he caught sight of the redhead. "Koyu, this is Aya; Aya, Koyu." Both men noticed when the pale man started to inch backwards against Yohji as he shifted away from them. Yohji noticed as well and started to growl as he scowled at his two guests.

"Koyu, take your boyfriend and get the fuck out of my room. I'm glad you're home, now _leave_."

Having the greater amount of survival instinct of the two, Koyu grabbed his lover's hand and yanked him off the bed. "Jo's making us a real nice lunch and told me to pass on that she expects the two of you downstairs for it. She also said to tell Aya that the bathing room is empty now. We'll see you later. Nice to meet you, Aya."

Waving goodbye, Teddy let himself be dragged out the door and down the hall to his own room, which was bright and airy, filled with the scent of flowers from the open window that overlooked the garden. His and Koyu's bags rested beside the bed. Teddy flopped down on it and closed his eyes, and Koyu joined him shortly after making sure his harp was safely tucked away.

Turning to face his lover for a kiss, Teddy's eyes flew open when his chin was grabbed. "What happened to your face?"

"Ah, Yohji slapped me when I called Aya a fuckbuddy. Talk about being a bit sensitive."

Dark brown eyes were filled with fury for a moment before the emotion faded. "He shouldn't have hit you, but you shouldn't have said that, either. When are you going to learn not to push Yohji so much?"

"Hey, how was I to know he's serious about this guy? He hasn't been about anyone since that cun-"

"Teddy." The longhaired man fell silent as his lover gave him a reproachful look. "I'm surprised he hasn't killed you for half the stunts you've pulled on him, but it's surprising that he took such offense at that." Koyu gently stroked the bruise and then pressed his lips against it. "There, all better now?"

Rolling on top of the taller man, Teddy smiled down at his love and kissed him on the mouth. "You always make me feel better, honey." He let out a moan as skillful hands rubbed his stiff shoulders. "Hmm, you have a few hours to stop that."

"So, what do you think of this Aya?"

"Ah, ow, yeah, right there, Koyu. Ahh, Aya? He's pretty quiet, and definitely a stray. I want to know what the hell possessed Yohji to bed him; he better damn well be crazy about this guy or I'm gonna gut him."

Teddy moaned again as a particularly sore knot was kneaded until the tense muscle relaxed. It was a bitch walking around for several days with all of his belongings slung on his back. But he enjoyed being with Koyu and could never remain at the Koneko while the man spent the spring and summer traveling about, spreading music and news. Though he did long for the time when the Harper would be able to remain at the Koneko permanently. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be for several years.

"You… don't think this will be a repeat of the Asuka incident, do you?"

At the mention of that bitch's name, Teddy's body became tense once more. "What, you mean Aya? Do I think he's another Asuka?" The smaller man stared at his lover for a moment then rested his head back on Koyu's chest as he thought about the matter. "Well, it's shocking to see Yohji actually caring about one of his fucks for once; the man never managed to hold on to a lover for longer than a couple of weeks before _she_ showed up. But…" Teddy thought about the woman who had shattered Yohji's heart and compared her to the wary redhead he'd just met. "I don't know, he doesn't remind me of her, and I don't have the uncontrollable urge to see him drawn and quartered." Unlike a certain unfortunately dead bitch he could name.

"Well… I had a little chat with Mickey and Jo while you were interrupting Yohji's fun, and they're a bit worried about him. Apparently he's only known this Aya for a few days and claims to be already in love with him. He even threatened to kick out anyone who objected to him taking a stray as a lover." Teddy sat up at that bit of news and stared at Koyu in wonder. "Yeah, he did. So they want us to keep an eye on them and make sure that history doesn't repeat itself."

Yohji had to really be crazy about this guy if he threatened to kick out employees who were more along the lines of family. Hell, he and Mickey had been adopted by the blond's mother, and technically were Kudohs as well. But try as he might, Teddy couldn't feel worried over the matter. He had always been a good judge of character, and Koyu often relied on his advice when deciding whether or not to take up an offer for a place to rest or a ride when on the road. Nothing set off Teddy's internal alarm when he thought about this Aya. If anything, he just pictured the pale man held tight in Yohji's arm and thought of how right the couple looked together.

"No one hurts Yotan, no one. He's mine alone to abuse. We'll keep an eye on the two of them, but I'm not too worried," Teddy claimed. Besides, this was a new side to his adopted brother: in love and extremely protective. That meant he had a whole new arena in which to torment the blond.

*******