Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Shadows ❯ kinship, part 1 ( Chapter 13 )

Shadows

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by nekojita

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chapter 9

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kinship part 1

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Yohji lay in bed, Aya curled up at his side. He felt drowsy and sated, like a well-fed and spoiled cat sprawled out in front of the fire. Guess his lover must be rubbing off on him.

"Just so we're clear on this, you're the cat here, not me," he whispered huskily as he tugged on a crimson eartail. For once he wasn't glared at or snarled at for his insolence since Aya was fast asleep. Yohji had tried his hardest to control how much energy he'd drained from the redhead as they made love last night, but it still had been a considerable amount, humming through his veins even now. He'd return some of it in a few minutes, but at the moment he enjoyed being able to watch his lover sleep.

There was the slightest smile on Aya's lips, and one of his arms was flung over Yohji's chest, holding him close. The pale skin practically glowed in the darkened confines of the curtained bed, though that might just be Yohji's enhanced night vision. Ever since he'd found out the truth about himself, Yohji had noticed how his eyesight had improved, so much so that he'd resorted to wearing shades during the day. He'd become a bit sensitive to light, though luckily nowhere near as much as Aya was. At least he could go outside without fear of being burned, if not of being a bit uncomfortable in the sunlight.

Shadows crawled over the white skin, and Yohji didn't think that was his imagination. Aya's power still amazed him with the way he could shape the shadows into anything he wanted, the way the dark sustenance responded to him. Other than his ability to feed off Aya and the charisma he exuded, Yohji had to struggle to learn how to use his bound abilities. For Aya, it was a challenge to refrain from using his power to keep the shadows from responding to his thoughts and emotions.

What must it have been like for the kage, to have all that power and yet still be helpless to protect the one person he loved? Yohji couldn't begin to imagine the pain Aya had felt: first, unable to do anything when his sister was locked away, and then even after her death. What type of person thought of snatching another person's soul and blocking it from the cycle of reincarnation just to bind someone to them? And Aya thought that he was a monster.

Yohji tenderly brushed the back of his fingers along Aya's right cheekbone. What he wouldn't give to take back the harsh words he'd flung at his mate two weeks ago. The irony of it was, he'd treated Aya so terribly because he'd been afraid of Aya using him as Asuka had. He'd put those fears to rest only to later find out his paranoia had been entirely justified. Aya was indeed another assassin, but he believed the pale man when he said he hadn't thought to include Yohji in his plans. He'd felt his love's honesty and assurance through their link.

But here he was entangled in yet another plot to kill the king. Yohji didn't want to think of what would happen if they failed to rescue Aya's sister. The redhead had said he'd given up on his mission, unable to bear hurting Yohji, but he didn't want to put Aya to the test. It couldn't come down to him and… whatever the girl's name was.

Brad had told him that he and others were working on freeing the girl's soul. Yohji certainly hoped the precog had a plan in mind as he refused to allow Aya to be hurt anymore. Tracing his finger lightly over a scarred wrist, Yohji reflected on how Aya had already been hurt enough. Whoever the man's masters were, they had slow and painful deaths awaiting them. Now if only he could get Aya to reveal who they were….

It still shocked Yohji the way Aya had haltingly revealed his secrets last night. After nearly two weeks of trying to pry them out of the stubborn fool, he'd gone ahead and told his story with no urging on Yohji's part. All because Aya had decided to trust him and hadn't wanted the secrets to come between them any longer.

He was never going to break that trust. Not in a million years. He'd figure out a way to keep Aya by his side, to break the man and his sister free from their tormentors and damn well wring one of Koyu's happily ever-afters from Fate one way or another. He loved the fool too much to do anything else. For a moment Yohji wondered what love felt like for normal people. His only other experience with the emotion had been with Asuka, and that paled in comparison with what filled him now. It was this overwhelming need to keep Aya safe, to make him smile and be content. His instincts screamed at him to never let go of the man. The emotion was all consuming, shocking him with its intensity, and yet it felt so right. They were mates.

It was time for his mate to wake up. Judging from the sounds coming from downstairs, breakfast was underway. Yohji wanted to make sure Aya got something to eat after the night they'd had. With a leer on his face as he stroked a hand along the arm flung over his chest, he concentrated on returning some of the energy he'd stolen.

The response he received as the energy flowed from him was a rumbling purr and Aya snuggling even closer to him. A pair of violet eyes slowly drifted open as the smaller man shifted about until his chin rested on Yohji's chest. He brushed a finger against the still smiling lips, and then slid his fingers through the crimson strands, smiling himself at the feel of cool silk.

"Morning."

"Hn." Aya closed his eyes after a second and immediately snapped them open when one of his eartails was toyed with. "Yohji, don't even think about it."

"Too late." Feeling a bit impish, Yohji tugged on the long strands and earned a spitting sound from his lover. His arms suddenly full of a squirming kage, he laughed out loud as he held on tight and dragged Aya onto his chest. A few bruises, shi-nes and unkind names later, they ended up with him resting against the bed's headboard with Aya seated in his lap. Reluctantly letting go of his toy, Yohji tilted up Aya's chin and soundly kissed his mate. That seemed to take the fight out of the man, although his bottom lip was nipped a wee bit sharply when the kiss broke off.

"Well, that certainly woke you up. I'll have to remember that in the years to come. Who needs alarm clocks or buckets of cold water when a simple yank or two will do?"

"I'm going to cut the damn things off," Aya muttered under his breath, and his lovely eyes went wide when Yohji grabbed his chin once again, though this time not for a kiss.

"Don't you dare. I happen to adore the things. They're part of what makes you you. If that makes any sense." He wrapped one of the long strands around his fingers, brushing the loose end along his lips. Aya stared at him incredulously for a moment and then settled against him, hissing a little as he snagged back his hair.

They remained like that for several minutes, just content with each other's presence, and then Yohji combed his fingers through Aya's hair. "What was she like? Your sister?"

Aya started at the question, pulling away for a second but then he sighed and rested his head on Yohji's shoulder. "My father always called her a `right and proper terror'. She was happy and carefree, a bundle of energy and curiosity. It was like the whole world was created just for her to discover. She had a weak spot for anything injured or that she imagined was injured. You should have seen my mother's face when she brought home a skunk one day. It's a miracle that the creature didn't spray her and the rest of us, but she had a way about her…."

The deep voice drifted off for a moment. "Yohji… her name was Aya. I… I took it when we arrived here to remind me of my purpose, and because it wouldn't fail to catch my attention. None of us gave you our real names."

"I'm not surprised in the least, and I'm relieved to know your parents didn't intentionally name you after a girl." He held his lover close and ran a soothing hand through the man's hair. Feeling the anger inspired by his little joke, Yohji smiled gently and pressed their lips together briefly, mindful of teeth this time. "So what's your real name?" Hopefully the question would distract Aya from any thoughts of revenge.

Appearing deep in thought, Aya didn't say a word for several minutes. As he spoke he pulled away, but remained on Yohji's lap. "It's… Ran."

"Ran." In the old tongue it would translate into `orchid'. Looking into a pair of solemn violet eyes, Yohji could see the connection. It was a perfect image for such a lovely man. "It suits you. Ran…."

"Don't call me that."

Surprised by the hint of anger in the words, which had been all but growled at him, Yohji could only stare at his lover and blink. Pushing back his bangs, Aya answered the unspoken question.

"I don't… I don't want to hear you call me that. Only Naoe and… they do. Besides…" Aya picked up one of Yohji's hands and threaded their fingers together, his eyes cast downward. "Someone told me that I should choose a future, and decide who I was going to be. Ran, a slave, or Aya, your mate."

That decision had been made last night. Beginning to understand the longing and apprehension that had filled the smaller man the past couple of weeks, Yohji knew that Aya had wrestled long and hard over that decision. He'd won out in the end.

"Then I won't call you that. It would be a bit difficult to change things at this point, anyway. You're Aya to me." His agreement earned him that sliver of a smile once again, though this time it was touched with a hint of sadness. Aya leaned in and kissed him, and for several minutes Yohji only thought of how good his lover tasted and how right and perfect it felt to hold him in his arms.

A bit short of breath, he rested back against the pillows as his fingers, like always, sought out one of Aya's eartails to play with. "Love, I hate to keep pushing, especially since you're being so honest, but if we hope to save…." How did he keep the two siblings straight in his head?

"Aya-chan."

Ah, that worked. It made the girl feel a bit as if she was Yohji's sister as well. "Okay, how can I help you save Aya-chan if I don't know who has her? Who and where are your masters? All you've told me about them is that they're wizards."

Aya didn't say a word, just unwound his hair from Yohji's fingers and rose from the bed. Yohji watched as the redhead slid outside the curtains and walked over to the window. Pushing open the shutters, Aya was careful to stand over to the left safely in the shadows, and looked outside. The scent of flowers filled the room.

Getting out of bed himself, Yohji went over to join Aya. He gently wrapped his arms around the man's waist, waiting to see if Aya tensed or pushed him away. The past two weeks had taught him that it wasn't good to let his mate go off by himself and brood, as it usually took a concentrated effort on both his and Naoe's part to bring back Aya's more `human' side.

"Yohji, I don't know what you hope to do to them. They're too powerful."

It was simple; he was going to kill them in the most painful method he could devise and then leave their bodies to the scavengers. But, Yohji didn't think Aya wanted to hear that at the moment. "Love… you're the one who said no more secrets. I need to know, or I can't see how much help I'll be to you."

There was a low snarl that lasted only a few heartbeats, and Aya drew into himself, making Yohji feel cold and alone. Then he spoke two words, his voice dark and sibilant.

"Reiji Takatori."

Oh hell, no wonder Aya hadn't wanted to tell him. This was bad. Really, really bad. "Uh, you don't happen to mean the Reiji Takatori who's the king's brother, do you?"

"Yes."

Well, there went the faint hope that there were two Reiji Takatoris in the world. Jerking a hand through his hair, Yohji growled softly. Now he had a name to heap his curses on each time he looked at Aya and saw his scars. It didn't matter that the man might have become the king at one point, he was still dead.

"Just checking. It doesn't change my feelings on the matter, Aya. We'll still get your sister back and make him - and his sons - pay for hurting the two of you."

The tense form in his arms suddenly relaxed, and Yohji caught a flash of relief, anxiety and love. He'd be willing to guess that Aya had thought he'd back down once his master's name had been revealed, too afraid of taking on a Takatori to keep his promise. Hell, it could be Shuuichi himself and Yohji would still be out for the bastard's blood.

Hugging Aya tightly, he rested his cheek against the man's head, enjoying the feel of silky hair against his skin. "You said your master sent… Asuka here last year to kill the king. Guess the rumors were true about Reiji wanting his brother dead. And that he didn't learn his lesson." A thought suddenly occurred to Yohji. "Wait a minute, he's coming back for the wedding, both him and his sons. What happens to you when he's here, Aya?"

"I don't know. I was ordered to accompany Brad and Farfarello to the capital, and to lay low until the wedding. Then I was to kill the king, and his son if I could manage it."

"Omi. You mentioned that last night. How'd you know he's the prince?"

Aya turned around in Yohji's arms, a sad smile on his face. For a second the shadows formed a black armor around the pale man then faded away. "I'm a kage. Spells don't affect me, including glamours. I saw through his and recognized him immediately. Why does the crown prince spend most of his time with you?"

Tugging his lover back to their bed, Yohji waited until they were curled up against the pillows once again before answering. "That was my job when I was in the Guards. Since I joined so young, when I was only sixteen, it was decided that I'd make a good babysitter. After all, there wasn't that much difference between our ages, so Omi got stuck with me. For six years I've been his friend and confidant and taught him how to swear and play cards and sneak out of the palace. Even after I left, he refused to let our friendship end. He's… not happy at the palace since everyone practically ignores him because he's not in the king's good graces, except for Botan, Manx and Birman. Everyone who works here knows who he is, but they treat him like part of the family. Omi's always been welcome at the Koneko, and he likes to feel that."

"He's a Takatori." Aya's voice had grown cold, sounding much like it had earlier.

Never minding the glare he knew he was going to get, Yohji yanked harshly on an eartail. "He's Omi. That boy has a heart of gold and wouldn't harm a fly. He gets enough shit because no one's sure who exactly his father is, Reiji or Shuuichi, and I refuse to let you be mean to him because of an accident of birth. I thought you were just jealous because of Naoe spending all his time with Omi."

A confused look spread across Aya's face. "No, he's not bad, and Naoe truly cares for him…. Yohji, for twelve years I've put up with whatever abuse the Takatoris decided to inflict upon me, and I've hated them with every part of my being. It's hard to ignore his true identity when I'm dealing with Omi."

"You're trusting me with your secrets, cat, so trust me on this as well. Omi will never betray or hurt you. At the very least, he won't want to cause Naoe any pain, and he's more than aware of how much the two of you care for each other. Why else has he tried so hard to gain your approval?" Yohji brushed the end of an eartail against Aya's cheek. "Hell, he'd probably help me kill his relatives once he finds out they're the ones who've hurt you and the little demon. No, Omi doesn't have much love for his family, but he cares for me and Naoe."

For a moment they stared at each other, gauging the other's sincerity, and it was Yohji who looked away first. "I know I can't begin to understand what you've suffered, but please don't take it out on Omi." He stroked a hand down a scarred wrist, anger building in him as he thought of how many times the white skin had been cut to bear so many thin lines of scar tissue.

"It's from when they bleed me. Bound blood can be used in spells, you know. Makes working magic easier, something about attracting spirits. Kage blood is the most powerful. Masafumi drains me every few months for enough blood to use in his experiments and to transfer some of my powers to his women. He did that with Neu, giving her my blood so precogs or other wizards couldn't foresee her mission, and so she could get through the palace wards with a weapon in her possession." Aya looked at his wrist, a sad, distant look on his face. "It hurts so much. It's as if I'm dying, but it never ends. Afterwards I feel so cold and it's painful to move, even the slightest bit. The night I came in your window, I was returning from killing another bound. He'd been a precog, and the lord who'd held him captive had been using his blood for spells. He begged for death, Yohji. He was happy I'd come for him. We were so alike." The pain and sadness in Aya's voice tore at his heart.

"Hey, you're not going to end up like that. I won't let anyone harm you again." Yohji tilted Aya's chin up and offered his mate a smile. "I'll die before I let you get hurt ever again."

For this unselfish declaration he was snarled and glared at. "Don't say such stupid things, you'll be no help to me if you're dead, Yohji."

"You're such an ingrate, cat," Yohji huffed, but inwardly he was happy that Aya didn't want him to die. "Here I offer to nobly sacrifice myself for you, and you tell me you want me to live. I guess I have no choice but to humor you, then. But you really should give me some sort of incentive for staying in the realm of the living." He licked his lips and leered suggestively.

Aya didn't seem to find that amusing. "Stop being such an idiot," he snarled.

"What was that? You think I'm the smartest, most wonderful man on the face of the planet?" Yohji beamed at his irate lover. "Well, you're not too bad yourself, Aya love."

"Yoh-mph." There wasn't much more he could do to prevent being verbally and possibly even physically abused other than to kiss Aya breathless. As a solution it worked wonders, and within a few moments they were lying on the bed, Aya beneath Yohji with his legs around his waist. Belatedly recalling breakfast, Yohji decided that they could always sweet talk Jo into making something for them if they missed the meal.

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Hurrying up the steps, Nagi half ran the entire way back to his room. He'd soaked a bit longer in the tub than he'd meant to, and as a result he was running late for meeting Omi. For all he knew, the boy was already downstairs in the common room waiting for him.

Entering his room, he quickly shed his robe and started to search for something to wear. As he did so a slight frown marred his face. It seemed that Ran hadn't managed to escape from Yohji's bed yet, as there was no sign of the kage having been here for books or clothes. Nagi didn't understand why Ran just didn't move in with the idiot, considering he'd only spent one night in his own bed since he'd taken up with Yohji. As it was, Nagi was the only customer in the Koneko who had a room to himself, and he was pretty content with that fact, especially when Omi spent some time here with him.

Feeling his cheeks heat up, Nagi tugged his wheat colored shirt over his head and reached for the brown pair of pants on his bed. The same bed Omi and he would lie on as they kissed and stroked each other, enjoying making the other shiver in pleasure. It reminded him of the night they had first spent together, and what he and Omi had done. It had been much nicer to repeat that incident when the other teen wasn't drunk and could actually remember what happened, but lately the touches and kisses left him feeling aching and empty.

He knew things were leading somewhere. After seeing Yohji pounce on Ran so often he had a good idea where exactly that was but wasn't sure if he was ready for that. It was quite a big step to take, and would definitely change things.

Nagi hadn't lied to Ran last night when he'd said he thought he was falling in love with Omi. And he seriously thought that the boy cared for him, possibly even returned his feelings. But there were still several important secrets between them, ones that kept him from taking that final step.

Omi didn't know that he was a bound. From their discussions the past couple weeks, Nagi honestly believed that the young blond wouldn't be disgusted or angry with him if he found out the truth. Omi didn't seem to be prejudiced against his kind, which was rare in a human. He wanted to tell his boyfriend the truth, but if he did he ran the risk of Omi figuring out what Ran, Crawford and Jei were as well. He wouldn't do anything to endanger Ran.

He wasn't the only one who was keeping a secret, of that he was certain. Ran had hinted about something last night, about Omi being there when he killed the king. Of him having to kill Omi as well. Add that to the odd little slips the other teenager made, and Nagi had a feeling he knew what the two young men were hiding.

He'd asked some questions, and he found out that Prince Mamoru was the same age as Omi, and that he was rarely seen outside of his rooms. Also, on the occasions he did attend some state function or another, which had happened a couple times after the wedding had been announced, Omi hadn't been able to visit him. Not to mention that Omi never once offered to show him the palace, or where he lived inside the grand structure. He also brushed aside what exactly it was he did in the palace, which wasn't a very convincing cover, since lately the boy only seemed to return to his home to sleep and almost never `worked'.

There was a very good chance that Omi was Prince Mamoru. Teddy had mentioned one night that Yohji's job as a Guard had been to watch over the crown prince, and Mickey had immediately hushed him up. Plus, Nagi had noticed how all the off duty Guards at the Koneko kept an eye on the teen, and how he always had an escort home. Nagi wasn't stupid, even if the mask he usually displayed to the world was that of a young man totally uninterested in anything it had to offer him.

Nagi wasn't sure how he should feel about falling in love with a Takatori. The clan as a whole could disappear from the face of the earth that day, and he'd shout for joy. But… he couldn't think of `Takatori' and `Omi' at the same time. The two thoughts just didn't go together. The Takatoris were cruel, power-hungry monsters, and Omi… was kind, funny, cheerful and wanted to give him everything.

Combing his hair, Nagi made sure he appeared presentable and left the room. Why couldn't life be simple? He grew weary of all the intrigues and hopelessness that surrounded him. Crawford was plotting something, but he couldn't harm the man because of the slight chance he really was working towards Ran's freedom. Omi was more than he seemed, and Ran couldn't move past his sister. Nagi wanted to scream in frustration, but instead schooled his face to its normal impassive countenance and started down the stairs.

He was a bit surprised to find Jei sitting at the table, since he hadn't seen much of the man the past few days. There was no sign of Crawford, and apparently Omi hadn't arrived yet after all.

"Morning, Naoe. Gonna spend another day with Omi?"

"Yes." He reached for the carafe of coffee and poured himself some, and then turned his attention toward all the food on the table. Ran and Omi better show up soon if they wanted something to eat, since there wasn't much left. "Are you running errands all day again?"

Jei snorted and shoved several sausages into his mouth. Barely pausing a moment to chew them, he swallowed and answered Nagi. "Of fucking course, courtesy of a certain power-tripping bastard. That man loves to give orders way too much."

Curious, Nagi set the plate of eggs he'd pretty much emptied back on the table. "Why do you listen to him?"

There was a moment of silence as Jei poured himself some more coffee. When he spoke, his voice was pitched low enough that no humans could overhear them. "Because I need someone who I do listen to when the madness takes over. Someone who can pull me back from all the blood and death. Crawford's done that when I woulda been lost in the madness and hunger, eating and killing everything that crossed my path until someone put me down. He's arrogant, lacking in most basic human emotions and concerns, and too damn certain for his own good, thanks to his power, but I know he'll never betray me. So, I jump when he says to, for the most part, and bitch about him all the time, but I know he won't let the gaki part of my soul completely take over. And the man attracts wizards to him, which is a nice bonus." Nagi shuddered at the look that crossed his companion's face at that last bit. It was pure hunger, so predatory and disturbing that it had him wanting to move away from Jei, and the other bound usually didn't scare him.

The scarred man shook himself all over, and the look faded away. Instead of an insane demon, Jei was sitting across from him once more. "Oy, so you know, I had a word with the slave-driver this morning. It seems that Aya's finally come to his senses. Crawford was actually smiling as he told me the news, which is a pretty disturbing way to start off the day. Yohji somehow managed to reach him."

The words filled Nagi with joy. Ran had given up on hopelessness, finally. He liked to think that the news of the man's family was what had given Ran the courage to break away from their masters, even if it wasn't very likely. Nagi had spent most of the time he should have been sleeping thinking about what he'd said to his friend last night and had to admit that Ran hadn't been wrong when he said that who his father had been wouldn't change a thing. But he'd been so desperate to make some sort of point that would sink into the man's thick head. It was then that Nagi remembered what Crawford had told him, about how Ran would choose to live for Yohji. Most likely, it had been the threat to him and Yohji that had done the trick.

"Is he ever wrong, your partner?"

"Crawford? Unfortunately, no. Hence the smug bastard aspect of his personality. Which is why you should never bet against him. He says we have a chance now, a damn good one at that, though his failure to see the entire future has him royally pissed off." Jei picked up a loaf of bread and tore it in half. He kept one part and tossed the other to Nagi.

"You better eat. Things will probably remain a bit calm for the next week or two, but the closer we get to the wedding, the stronger my bad feelings become." For a moment Nagi could clearly see that Jei had lived for more decades than the barely two he looked to have. There was a weariness to the bound's voice and appearance that spoke of bitterly attained experience. "No matter what Crawford says, things won't be easy. If we win, it'll be the old-fashioned price that's paid: blood and sweat. Gather your strength now."

As it was some of the best advice he'd heard in a while, Nagi heeded it and started to chew on the sweet bread.

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Ran sighed as he brushed back his eartails just in time. Yohji, who had clearly been reaching for the strands to give them a tug or two, pouted at him before turning to leave the room. Smoothing his, well, actually Yohji's brown shirt straight, he followed his mate downstairs, refusing to call the shadows to him whenever he passed someone. He knew he was quite a sight with mussed hair and the too large clothes that clearly belonged to someone else, but they'd decided that food took precedence over a nice long soak, and he needed something clean to wear down to the common room. As soon as breakfast was over with, Yohji and he would go to the basement and have a bath.

A young woman, walking up the steps with a toddler attached to her hand, smiled at him in a manner that clearly expressed more than just `good morning'. Uncomfortable with the attention, Ran glared at her and shifted closer to Yohji. He didn't like the way that people had taken to looking at him recently, or even worse, the offers he'd received. They weren't something he was used to or interested in. It was hard enough to let the humans who worked at the Koneko show him their affection with the occasional touches and hugs they gave him, let alone suffer the touch of a complete stranger. He still expected nothing but pain from them. They were humans, after all.

No, the only two people alive who touched him regularly without causing him pain were Nagi and Yohji. Well, excepting one incident on both the bounds' part. Nagi had been trying to make him see sense with that slap last night and hadn't even bruised his skin, and Yohji had been too shaken that one night to realize he'd been holding Ran's chin too hard. But then, both young men were bounds and they wouldn't betray him the way humans would and had.

As soon as they reached the first floor, Yohji spun him around and kissed him, wrapping his arms tight around Ran's waist. They stood there for a couple of minutes, savoring the feel and taste of each other until a throat was cleared rather loudly.

"Yohji, how the hell are our guests supposed to get up the stairs if you're blocking them like that?" Ran pulled away from his mate and looked at a very peeved Jo. The woman was covered with flour, most likely from the daily batch of bread, and strands of hair were escaping in every direction from the tight bun she'd pulled it into.

"Hey, I'm just making sure they realise that Aya here is taken. Some woman damn near assaulted him on the steps." A slight exaggeration, but Ran wasn't going to contradict Yohji and risk drawing Jo's wrath down on him. "Can't we put up a sign that says `keep all hands, eyes, and any other body parts off of all redheads' present?"

"Would that apply to you too?" The words had escaped his mouth before Ran even thought about them, and it was worth his consternation over the slip to see the flummoxed look on Yohji's face and the amused one on Jo's.

Yohji growled very softly and stroked Ran's throat, which he was sure sported a bruise or two, considering last night and this morning. At least the marks were beginning to heal faster now and were usually gone by evening, only to be replaced with new ones as soon as he reached Yohji's room to spend the night.

"I'm the exception to the rule because you're mine. After all, you're the kitten in my house. Maybe we'll put a picture of you up as the inn's mascot, cat." What made the indignity of the whole damn thing even worse was when Ran punched Yohji in the ribs all the bastard did was wince a little and then laugh.

As the two of them struggled, Yohji to snag one of his eartails, and Ran to prevent that, Jo actually laughed out loud, her earlier distemper long forgotten. "I think the first idea might be the more practical one, or you'll have people lining up to `stroke' your little kitty there," she said in a lascivious tone of voice. Ran stared at the woman in shock, and he could feel the same emotion radiating from Yohji. Jo leered suggestively at them and winked. "Somehow, maybe from the half dozen or so men that have gone to the healers the past fortnight, I get the impression you don't want to share. But if you do post that warning, be prepared to hear some bitching from Schuldig. That's one redhead who adores being pawed. Well, by other people than just you, at least."

Having the distinct impression that Jo had just aimed a jibe at him and confident that it was all Yohji's fault, Ran hn'ed and pulled away from the blond determined to salvage some of his dignity and go eat his breakfast. As the sound of Jo laughing once again filled the hallway, Ran was pretty sure he preferred it when the woman had been suspicious of him and barely spoke to him at all. He wasn't used to being teased, other than the little bit he suffered from Nagi.

Spotting his friend at their usual table, Ran hurried over to his side. As soon as he sat down Yohji joined him, sliding in beside him and pressing against him.

"Man, that was weird. I think Jo really has inhaled too much flour. Hey, didn't the little demon save us any food? You little ingrate!"

Nagi stared back at the blond coldly. "Perhaps if you didn't keep Aya in bed all morning, you'd be down here in time to eat something."

Ran had another distinct impression, this time that it wasn't a very good idea to be between Yohji and Nagi as they were starting yet another of their fights. He wondered for a moment if he could slide underneath the table and take a seat next to Jei. It would be much safer to be near a hungry flesh-gaki bound than these two battling it out.

Yohji managed an indignant air as he grabbed a plate of sausages. "Why do you always assume that I'm the one keeping him there? Maybe it's the other way around."

It was fortunate that Ran's hands were occupied with pouring himself some tea, or else they'd have ended up wrapped around someone's throat at the reaction to that comment. Nagi snorted and Jei flat out laughed at Yohji's comment.

"Yeah, right, and I'm the king. Try another one, Yohji." Jei chuckled and wheezed for a moment, but a scathing look on his part set the bound straight. Huffing to himself, Ran decided to get through breakfast as quickly as possible before he did kill someone, and then let his temper cool down when he takes a nice long soak.

He wasn't the only one scowling as Yohji was doing his fair share as well. "Listen, abuse me all you want _after_ I get some food and caffeine in me, or I'll make sure your sheets are so starched it'll be like sleeping on sandpaper." Threat issued, the blond returned his attention to eating. Ran caught Nagi glaring at his mate for a moment then the boy looked at him curiously, a smile hovering on his lips. A hand slid across the table and squeezed his briefly. Unsure of what his friend was trying to say, Ran smiled back slightly before looking down at his plate.

The peace lasted all of two minutes, till Nagi started to yell at Yohji for eating all the food, and then, in a quieter voice, commented that he should make sure his boyfriend had enough before being such a glutton, considering how often he was feeding off him. Before Ran could hit the both of them, Teddy and Koyu showed up bearing plates of food. Yohji and Nagi had no idea how lucky they were.

"Geez, it's only morning and you guys are starting with each other already. Stop all the snarling, we come bearing gifts." Teddy set the plates down in front of Yohji and then sat across from him. Koyu actually willingly sat next to his boyfriend and smiled at the table as he did so.

"Thanks for the food. We were running out here, courtesy of some greedy pigs who almost ate it all before Aya and I arrived." Yohji glared evilly at Nagi, who whole-heartedly returned the look. Ran started to think that maybe he wouldn't mind disposing of some witnesses after all.

Koyu laughed quietly and handed a plate of eggs to Yohji. "We've learned that when you guys are involved to bring lots and lots of food if we want to eat too. What did you do to Jo, Yohji? She's back in the kitchen laughing at nothing."

Yohji sighed as he scraped some of the eggs onto Ran's plate. "Apparently, I amuse the hell out of her. But it sure as hell beats being on her bad side, the suggestive comments aside. Here, cat, have some more food."

Refusing to be irritated at being babied, Ran glared for a moment before starting to eat all the food that had been piled on his plate. Yohji and Nagi wouldn't leave him alone until he did, and he was spared from having to attempt to make small talk as long as he was busy eating.

"So, what are everyone's plans for the day? You going out with Omi, Naoe?"

Nagi nodded his head at Teddy. "Yes. We're supposed to check out the Royal Museum today. If Omi ever shows up." Ran caught the disappointed catch to Nagi's voice and thought dark thoughts about `Omi' for a minute. Should the boy fail to arrive, his life was about to become very unpleasant.

Teddy chuckled and tossed a piece of bread at his lover. "Well, a bit of advice: the geology section is great for making out in. No one comes in just to look at a bunch of rocks, and they have the loveliest nooks there to curl up in. I've been led astray a few times there, no idea by who."

Batting aside the missiles, Koyu shook his head with a smile on his lips. "How exactly is it being led astray when you feed me this line about wanting to see the crystal collection and then trip me in one of those aforementioned nooks and beat me to the ground? It's very clear that you spent too many of your formative years in Yohji's presence."

"Hey now! I had nothing at all to do with how that little pest turned out, I'll have you know." Yohji had to practically yell to be heard above all the laughter. Pouting, he tugged Ran closer to him. "See why I want to spend all day in bed?"

Ran didn't do more than hn as Yohji commenced to nibble on his ear, keeping any oversexed comments to himself. He was tired, emotionally and physically, and though the banter was amusing, all he really wanted to do was finish breakfast and have a long soak. All the teasing, even if it wasn't directed at him, was making him nervous and uncomfortable. He had chosen Yohji's world and was now becoming aware of just how unprepared he was to exist in it. Ran hadn't done an awful lot of joking in the past decade, and all this interaction was wearisome. He much preferred spending time by himself reading than all this social nonsense.

Yohji must have picked up on his apprehension as he stopped nibbling and pulled Ran even closer. "You okay, love?" A hand started to stroke his hair, pressing his head against Yohji's shoulder.

"Tired."

"I'm sorry. Get some food in you, and after our bath why don't you take a nap? That will give me some time to help Mickey with some stuff, and then we can go out. It doesn't look too sunny today, and there's somewhere I want to take you after we get the errands out of the way."

Enjoying the soothing touch, Ran remained as he was, drinking in Yohji's warmth and presence. Even if his exhaustion was largely the blond's fault, it felt too good being near him for Ran to worry about eating. As if sensing his thoughts, Yohji broke apart a cranberry muffin and started feeding it to him. Enjoying the sweet treat, Ran obligingly opened his mouth for each piece, and didn't bite his mate even once, despite serious temptation.

"So what are your plans, Yotan?"

"Run errands for Jo, spend some time with Aya, and take care of a few things around here. And before you sneak out of all the work, Teddy, I'm warning you now, I'm gonna need some help later bringing some furniture down from the attic."

There had been an odd note to Yohji's voice as he said the words, and Ran could feel the happiness radiating off his mate. He lifted his head to stare curiously at the man as a hand stroked his cheek.

Teddy and Koyu were confused as well, but Ran noted the hints of smiles on Jei and Nagi's faces.

"Uh, what are we moving? You manage to break your bed already?"

"Teddy." Koyu's voice was thick with exasperation. "I know you've been taught some manners. Use them for once, please."

"We're going to move some of my mom's furniture into my room. There's a chest, dresser and desk up in the attic that will fit now that I've gotten rid of my old bed, and a couple of bookshelves as well. Aya's gonna need them for his things."

It took a moment for the two men to realize what that meant. "Yeah! You did it! He's staying? Nice to see the Kudoh charm works for more than just getting them into your bed, bro."

Koyu buried his head in his hands after smacking Teddy on the back of his. "I've fallen in love with an uncouth idiot."

"Yeah, well better you than me, Koyu," Yohji laughed. "I finally managed it. Make another comment about my bed, Teddy, and your boyfriend will be single." He scowled menacingly at his foster brother and directed a barely more pleasant look in Nagi's direction. "So, you gonna stick around too, Naoe? It won't be the same without your sunny personality here."

Nagi glanced at Ran, and then he nodded his head. If they did manage to rescue Aya-chan and kill Reiji and his sons, then there would be no need for Nagi to leave with Crawford and Jei. For a moment hope fluttered in Ran's heart, the unfamiliar sensation catching him by surprise. Then he recalled his sister's broken body and reminded himself not to get too far ahead of himself. Things could always go wrong, horribly so. He refused to think beyond the wedding.

"I'm staying. Do you seriously think that I'll leave Aya in your hands just like that? He needs to be looked after."

"Why you shitty little demon, I oughta-"

"Naoe, you're still here! I'm sorry for being so late." Omi arrived with the Guard Ken at his heels, which prevented Ran from tying Yohji and Nagi in shadows and leaving them dangling from the ceiling until they understood that he _didn't_ need someone to look after him.

The change in Nagi was instantaneous. From a sullen, quiet teen he turned into a shy, slightly smiling one. Omi kissed him on the cheek and urged everyone to shift over enough so he could sit next to the boy. Recalling Yohji's words to him this morning, Ran tried to behave civilly to the prince. He actually acknowledged his presence for once.

Omi's eyes went wide at the nod and slight smile directed his way, and then beamed with joy. "I'm so sorry I'm late. Ken wanted to come with me this morning, and, well, we got caught up in a few affairs and almost didn't make it here at all. As it was, we had to sneak out of the palace."

"Or rather, he suckered me into creating a diversion for hi- uh, our escape. Oh gods, if Manx ever finds out I was the one who kicked the ball into the Blue Room's stained glass window, she'll have my head. Actually, she won't just stop there." Ken appeared apprehensive for a minute.

"But it was such an awesome kick, Kenken! And from such a great distance, too. Surely she'll think one of the Yueng brats was responsible, especially since it was their ball. You worry too much."

"I wonder why, between you and Yuriko," Ken muttered. Then he fixed Yohji with a stern look. "Who was a bit upset with you last night. We stopped by to see you, only to find out you were 'unavailable'." He glanced Ran's way and blushed a little.

"Well, bring the lady back tonight, because we're celebrating. The Koneko just grew by two more people." Ken and Omi stared at Teddy curiously, and then the teen turned to look at Nagi, hope plain on his face. "Aya and Naoe are becoming permanent residents."

Omi let out a whoop of joy and wrapped his arms around Nagi's neck, nearly strangling the bound. As for Ken, he resumed giving Yohji a stern look.

"Are you serious about this?"

Yohji groaned, and the sound almost changed into a growl at the end. "Hidaka, I will kick your ass if you keep doubting me. Yes, I'm serious as all hell." Then it was the blond's turn to grow apprehensive. "Did Yuriko really want to see me last night?"

"Yeah, she did. And she wanted to meet Aya, too. But we had fun even if you weren't here since Mickey bought us our drinks. I don't think it will be a problem to bring her back down… especially now. Yohji… I'm happy for you, I really am. And I'm sure you won't mess things up." A look passed between the two ex-partners, and Ran felt Yohji's body relax against his. He wondered about the history between this Yuriko and Yohji.

"Gee, thanks Ken. Now sit down and eat something before you have me gushing." The grin on Yohji's face and the happiness that filled him belied his sarcastic tone.

Ran nudged his mate in the side. "Can we go now? I'm full."

"Hm, okay. Let me get our robes and I'll meet you downstairs." Yohji kissed him lightly on the temple and then rose to his feet.

Doing the same, Ran started for the downstairs steps. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to see Jei following him. They made their way downstairs and then entered the stone room that held the hot springs. Someone was bathing, but between Jei's and his glares, the poor woman immediately crawled out of the tub and pulled on her robe, not even bothering to dry off first before fleeing the room.

"Heh, Jo will probably scream at us later for that," Jei remarked as he sat down on one of the benches, his face now appearing perfectly normal, unlike the visage of evil from a moment ago. "So, you finally chose the succubae-bound."

"Yes. You weren't surprised."

The scarred man smiled at him cheerfully and let his human mask slip aside, revealing his true nature. "No, I'm usually not. Some small recompense for having a precog as a partner. Crawford told me to pass on this little tidbit; he felt the future change when you made your choice. He said to tell you there is indeed hope, but it will require some sacrifice. You're not out of the woods yet, and I can already smell the blood emanating from you."

It seemed Ran was always surrounded by blood, both his and his victims. "What's going to happen?"

"Pain and blood and sacrifice, that's all I know. He's trying his best to see the future, but things are so damn uncertain, thanks to you. But almost all roads lead to the prince and his sons' deaths. Did you tell _him_ about them yet?"

"Yes."

"Did he back down?"

"No." Ran wanted this conversation over with before Yohji appeared. Jei seemed to sense his unease and smiled widely, which was a very disconcerting expression with all his fangs and sharp teeth on display.

"I didn't think he would. You have a good one there, kage, don't keep pushing him away. And remember, your masters aren't to suspect a thing. When and if they come, don't let them know you're not Ran anymore. Whatever they do to you, Yohji will make them pay for it later, I'm sure. I'll make them pay as well. This I promise; the younger wizard's death will be exquisitely painful." Lust and madness radiated off the bound causing Ran to shiver, even in the warm and humid room.

They stared at each other in silence, and a few seconds later Yohji entered the room. His whole body went stiff when he saw Jei there and he growled a low warning.

"Don't worry, Kudoh, I wasn't trying to get into his pants. I was just congratulating him on his wise decision. Wish you both centuries of happiness and all that shit." Jei flowed to his feet, his true nature mostly hidden once again.

Yohji stood in front of the door, blocking the exit. "I won't let him go back to the bastards, and he'll never be harmed again." The words were spoken in a challenging tone.

A sad smile spread across Jei's face. "Be careful what you promise, especially to another bound. We have very long memories. And here's another warning; you'll have your hands full with this one. But my partner and I will back you." The two men's eyes remained locked on each other's for several heartbeats, and then Yohji stepped aside.

Relieved when Jei finally left and the door was locked behind him, Ran started to strip off his clothes. He wanted to be clean and immersed in the hot water as soon as possible and try to forget about the world for a short while. As soon as he was naked, he wet himself with a bucket of water and started to roughly scrub himself.

Only to have the cloth snatched from his hands. "Let me." Yohji was gentler to his skin than he'd been, and Ran shivered at the soft touch. Yohji slowly washed his chest, pressing against his scarred back and enveloped him in an embrace. "I won't ever let you go, or allow you to be hurt. I promise you that, Aya."

"Yohji…." He couldn't say it, couldn't caution the man against unwise promises. Yohji wouldn't heed him anyway. So he just nodded his head and stood there as his lover continued to clean him.

Once Yohji was done he tried to return the favor, but was instead held in a loose grip. "Go soak, you need it. I'll just be a minute."

Ran nodded again and slid into the tub, luxuriating in the hot water. It helped to relax him, but the tension didn't completely vanish until Yohji joined him in the tub and held him once more.

"You were upset about something earlier. What was it?"

How did he explain how much he hated to be around other people, especially to someone who craved attention and social interaction? "I… is there really going to be a party tonight? I don't want to be around a bunch of people and noise." It was beginning to sink in with Ran that his life was going to profoundly change in a direction he'd never imagined. That scared him, even here with Yohji holding him close.

"We don't have to stick around for very long. Just let the gang give us a few toasts, and then we'll head to our room. We didn't get much of a lesson in last night, and I want to be as well trained with my talent as possible." A lush mouth nibbled on his ear.

Ran sighed and melted into the embrace. "Who's Yuriko?"

"Ah, knew you'd pick up on that. She's Ken's girl. He loves her silly, and the feeling's reciprocated. One night about a year ago, I… got way too trashed and hit on her." Ran could feel how embarrassed Yohji was at recalling the event. "She punched me, and it pretty much killed my friendship with Ken. Well, you could say that event dealt it the final blow, to be truthful. We'd been screaming at each other for weeks before that, maybe that's why I did it, to make him just go away."

"Hn."

A hand tugged on one of his eartails but Ran was too tired to do more than paw at Yohji's wrist. "I love you Aya. Even more than Ken loves Yuriko, and they can be downright sappy together. Even worse than Omi and the little demon."

"I know, Yohji." Uncomfortable with saying the words, Ran let his emotions wash through their link. Yohji's mouth kissed his neck, a smile on the lush lips, but the gesture was more one of affection than lust and the two of them lapsed into a peaceful silence.

Ran let his eyes drift shut. Terrified as he was, this was his life now: Yohji's world. Or would be, if he could withstand the `blood, pain and sacrifice' Jei had warned him about. But for Yohji he'd suffer through it. He'd do pretty much anything to be held like this by the man. Drifting off to sleep, Ran had one last thought. He'd have to get used to being Aya now.

*******

Yohji surveyed the cloth-covered shapes scattered about the huge attic, and thanks to his enhanced night vision easily found the objects he was searching for. "Hey, they're over here."

"What? Give me a sec to light this thing." Mickey fumbled with a lantern, and moments later light flooded the dark room.

"You know, if we ever cleaned all this out, we could easily fit another seven rooms up here, at least. Maybe even ten," Teddy commented as he rolled up the sleeves of his light blue robe. Beside him was Koyu, who had changed out of his normal red attire for an outfit that wouldn't show dust quite so badly.

Mickey half groaned and half chuckled. "Don't tell me, I'm very aware of that fact. But we'd spend months on all the books up here alone, not to mention the boxes of clothes, furniture and so forth. Though all the antiques could probably pay the Koneko's taxes for the next decade or two."

"Yeah, well I have every intention of siccing Aya on the books after the wedding. I figure we can easily convert a room or two into a library, especially if that new wing is added on like you want, Mick."

The burly man grunted and nodded his head. "A library would be good, but it would take Aya a good year or two to go through all the books Uncle Touya collected and organize them."

Which was perfect, in Yohji's mind. It would give his lover something to do, and possibly grant him a bit of peace if Aya was too busy to get into any trouble. If the man was up here no patrons could try and steal him away from Yohji. As if that could ever happen, seeing as they were mates. It still amazed him how he'd transformed from such a slut into not even wanting to look at another person. His appetite was focused solely on Aya.

"Good thing he's sticking around then." The thought of Aya remaining at his side forever still made Yohji smile, and he had a feeling he'd be doing it for some time to come.

"I'll have you know, Yotan, that you're becoming as much of a slave driver as Mickey. Hey, take a look at this." Teddy lifted the sheet he'd been peeking under and revealed an ornate mirror. The silver glass was surrounded by carved oak with patterns of leaves all over the frame and base. It was a lovely piece of art.

Koyu reverently touched the standing mirror. "It's beautiful."

"Why don't you put it in your room then?" Yohji glanced over at the couple and stopped lifting the sheet from his mother's desk when he saw the stunned expression on their faces.

"You really think we should have it, Yohji?" Teddy's voice was uncharacteristically quiet. "It's lovely, and definitely one of the antiques Mickey was talking about. It should be kept safe up here."

He shook his head. "All it's doing up here is collecting dust. I already have a mirror, and I'm not about to let that be put in one of the guest rooms. It'd vanish in a heartbeat. Besides, all the stuff up here is _ours_. Mom left it to all of us, so take it."

The three men continued to look stunned, causing Yohji to sigh. He guessed he'd never thought much of it before, but Teddy and Mickey were probably used to considering the Koneko as the place they grew up and where they'd always have a home and jobs, and that was it. The inn itself had been left to Yohji, though he knew his mom had wanted him to share. He'd planned on passing it on to any kids he spawned but that wasn't going to happen now, and he doubted there'd be any surprises showing up in the future. Soon after he'd discovered the joys of sex his mom had marched him down to Botan's study to purchase a charm that prevented any pregnancies on the part of his female lovers. No, so that meant the Koneko would pass through Mickey's children, considering that Teddy had Koyu. Unless the couple adopted.

It hurt, seeing all this stuff and realizing he'd have to leave it behind one day. Maybe he could figure out a way to take his mom's furniture with him, but there was no chance that he'd be able to keep all of this stuff. Yohji figured it might as well go to his family here at the Koneko.

"Take it, Teddy, and anything else that piques your interest. That seems to be the best way to clear this place out. It's time these things saw the light of day again."

Tugging at the sheet once again, Yohji was surprised when Mickey hurried over and helped him to fold the dust-covered cloth. The older man stared at him intently for the minute it took to complete the task.

"Got something you want to say, Mick?"

"What's with the sudden change of heart?"

"Don't know what you're talking about. There's nothing sudden about this. I just never gave much thought to all the stuff up here before until I got my gram's bed out of storage." Yohji bent down to inspect the desk and was relieved to see it was still in excellent shape. For a moment he saw his mother sitting behind it, the light from the office window dancing on the gold highlights in her brown hair. She'd always hidden candy in one of the drawers, and as he opened it the scent of sugar and oranges filled the air.

Teddy walked over and peered inside the drawer. "Oh, I thought there might be something in there from the way it still smells. I can remember sitting in her lap as she balanced the books, sucking on a piece of candy."

She'd done that with him too, and Yohji always thought of the woman when he saw the orange candy. The memories he had of his mother was one of the reasons he'd chosen to retrieve her furniture from the attic, considering that at the moment Aya didn't have enough belongings to fill more than a drawer or two. If he couldn't have his mother witness his newfound happiness, at least he'd have a part of her around, plus think of all the fun he'd have dragging Aya around shopping to buy things now that they had room for them.

"It seems to be in really good shape, just needs a little cleaning off first."

Koyu patted Yohji on the shoulder. "I know you have plans for the day, so why don't you get Aya and go have some fun. Teddy and I'll clean the stuff in thanks for the mirror. And I think we three can manage the furniture on our own."

Yohji wanted to argue, but between the three looks he was getting and the temptation of more time with Aya, he soon caved in. "You guys just want me out of the way while you scarf up all the good stuff. Remember, don't touch the books."

"No, I have the impression that Aya would be after us if he found out we'd deprived him of something new to read. Get going, Yohji." Mickey shoved him towards the door.

Dusting off his hands, Yohji left. He straightened out his clothes as he descended from the Koneko's top floor, grateful that he hadn't gotten much dust on his blue pants and black shirt. It only took him a minute to reach his bedroom.

Creeping inside the dark room, Yohji made his way to the bed. The curtains were drawn back on the side facing the door, and he could clearly see Aya curled up inside. There was a frown on the pale face, and the man was sleeping tucked into a ball. Yohji gingerly sat down on the bed and reached out his hand.

Just before he touched the redhead's hair, his hand was seized. Aya blinked his eyes for a moment, the frown becoming more pronounced, and then he used his hold to tug Yohji down beside him. Not about to complain, Yohji curled up beside his lover.

"You still tired?"

"Hn." Aya buried his nose in the crook of Yohji's neck then sat up, sneezing ferociously. "Where were you?"

"In the attic. Sorry, cat, I thought I got all the dust off me." He rose from the bed, stripping off his shirt as he did so, and paused to fish a clean handkerchief out of one of his drawers and tossed it at Aya. "You allergic to dust or something?"

"No, I just didn't expect to inhale a nose full of the stuff." Aya glared at him over the piece of cloth as his sneezes started to die down.

"Don't look at me like that -- wait until you see your new furniture." Finding a white shirt that was clean, Yohji pulled it on and returned to the bed. "On second thought, you're pretty darn cute when you pout."

"I don't pout, Yohji," Aya snarled. Biting back on a laugh over just how adorable Aya looked at the moment, his nose slightly red and rubbing his eyes, all the while trying to glare, Yohji grabbed his mate by the shoulders and jerked him upwards for a kiss.

A pair of arms encircled his neck, and after a not too friendly nip to his top lip, Aya kissed him back. It took all of Yohji's willpower not to end up back in bed, but Aya had just recovered from all the fun they'd had last night and this morning so he figured he'd better behave. Besides, the Royal Library closed to the public in a few hours, and if they started anything now, Yohji wasn't too sure they'd make it to the building in time today. He really wanted to see Aya's face when the man found out that was their destination for the day.

"Hmm, you taste so incredibly good." He was addicted to the sunlight that filled him just from holding Aya close. With a groan Yohji reluctantly pulled away from the pale man, rubbing his hands along his thighs to dispel the pain that crawled along his skin now that it wasn't in contact with Aya anymore. Every day it took his breath away to discover just how tied he was to his mate, and that he literally couldn't live without him.

Aya gazed at him for a moment, violet eyes filled with passion as he shivered and reached for the shirt he'd set aside before taking his nap. The dark purple material highlighted his eyes and pale skin, and black pants completed the outfit. It only took Aya a minute to pull on his boots and wrap a belt around his waist, a dagger added as an afterthought.

He couldn't resist pulling the crimson eartails out from under the shirt, although Yohji only tugged lightly on one. Aya sighed and shook his head, glaring briefly before tugging his hood up. Waiting until the kage had pulled on his gloves, Yohji seized one of Aya's hands and led him down the steps.

A nervous Touya greeted them when they reached the first floor. "Something wrong, Touya?" The young man didn't usually twitch when he saw Yohji, unless he was up to some mischief. Teddy had definitely been a bad influence on the younger man.

"Uhm, well…" Touya fidgeted from foot to foot, and Yohji noticed he was hiding his hands behind his back; in fact, he had shoved them back there when he and Aya had come downstairs.

"What's going on? Don't tell me you're playing another prank on Ani; her girlfriend promised to break your arm if you did that again." Zhing hadn't appreciated finding the sweet girl crying upon discovering her doll collection had been tied to her ceiling, and only Jo being the one to decide Touya's punishment for yet another practical joke had kept her from breaking one of his bones then and there. Touya didn't mean any harm, but sometimes he went too far.

The young man blushed and lowered his head until his black hair covered his face. "No, I'm not playing a joke again. I promised not to, after making Ani cry. Are you going out? I'll see you later." Touya tried to edge around the wall, never turning his back to Yohji for even an instant.

The nice thing about being tall and lanky was that he had a rather long reach. Snagging his friend by the shoulder, Yohji hauled Touya forward and snatched the object he'd been hiding. Which turned out to be a small-ish sized present wrapped in violet paper.

"What the hell is this? Does it explode or something?" It was then that Yohji noticed the silver tag with Aya's name on it dangling from a ribbon.

"Ah, that just arrived a few minutes ago. A courier dropped it off."

Someone had sent Aya a present. While not averse to the idea in general, Yohji realized he was growling softly. Someone had sent Aya a present. _His_ Aya.

The man in question glanced over his shoulder at the package. "It looks like a book."

"Everything looks like a book to you. You've spent too damn much of your life reading," Yohji snapped. Aya stared at him in wonder for a moment, clearly surprised by the angry tone Yohji had used, and then stepped back, his face a blank mask. Cursing under his breath, Yohji jerked a hand through his hair and offered his lover a shaky smile. "Sorry, I'm not angry with you."

Aya didn't say anything, which caused him to grind his teeth together. Touya had no idea how close he came to being hit when he reached out and tapped the package.

"I was going to give this to Jo or Mickey and leave it to them to decide what to do with it, but as long as you know… aren't you gonna open it, Aya?"

Yohji scowled at the man and started to tear at the paper wrapping. "He's not getting near it until I find out what it is." It might be a message from his masters, or something worse. Aya radiated anger and irritation, at least until the present was uncovered. Then, quicker than Yohji could imagine, he reached forward and snatched the book out of his hand.

Flipping through the pages for a moment, Aya reverently closed the book. "It's very old, and from Esset. It's a book of legends, some I've never even seen before." Trust his cat to get all excited about a bunch of dumb stories.

Snatching back the book, Yohji searched through it for any notes or messages, earning a hiss from Aya at his rough treatment. "There's nothing in it, no note or anything. Which means we don't know who sent it or what they want." His last words sunk in, causing Aya to pull away and appear emotionless once again. It seemed the man didn't appreciate receiving a present and not knowing what, if any, strings were attached. Well, neither did Yohji, and he was going to find out who was behind it and what they wanted. And it better not be Aya.

He handed the present to Touya. "Put this in Mickey's office. We'll try to puzzle it out later, after we get back." Yohji refused to have his day ruined and wanted to put the mystery behind him and make Aya happy again. Touya did as he was bid, and Yohji seized Aya's hand again and tugged him towards the door.

As soon as they were out on the street he turned around and whispered in his mate's ear. "Did you sense anything from that book?"

"Nothing. There weren't any spells attached to it." Aya was still a bit upset with him, but nervous about the present as well. Lifting a gloved hand to his lips, Yohji pressed a kiss against it and forced a smile.

"We'll figure it out later, but most likely you have a secret admirer. Now Jo has told me that we have to come back with a pound of pure white sugar for her or she'll have both our hides… well, mine at least. And Kira needs yellow thread to mend some duvets, and Koyu asked for more harp strings. We better hurry and get all those things so I can show you my surprise." He hurried down the street, tugging Aya after him.

*******

Yuushi stared down at the folded blue coat in his lap. He'd removed his uniform after finishing his shift that afternoon and had sunk down on his bed staring at it. Unsure of how long he'd been like this, he shook his head and shrugged his stiff shoulders.

The Guards had been his life, ever since he could remember. His father had been one, as Honjyous had been for the past couple of centuries, and it had always been expected that he would follow in the man's footsteps. When his parents had died in an accident when he was fourteen, it was the Guards who had supported and looked out for him. As soon as he was old enough, two years later, he'd joined and had never regretted it. At least not until recently.

He enjoyed helping people, enjoyed being a force of justice and security. Some people joined because they sought out danger and excitement, some because it was a good, if risky job. But Yuushi had done it to help people. And that was what he'd done, until the past year, when Kudoh had retired. The man had been an assistant of sorts to Manx, and she'd needed someone to take his place. Yuushi had assumed some of the responsibility and Kikyou the rest, and from there it had been more and more politics and less assisting the unfortunate.

Finding out yesterday that he wasn't suitable to be the Captain, and that Kikyou, an intelligent and hard working but hardly a compassionate man, had truly hurt. It had left Yuushi wondering if he should remain a Guard or not. Then to have that strange man show up…

He reminded Yuushi of Kikyou, oddly enough. As with the older Guard, he'd been torn between acceptance and revulsion the whole time the cloaked man had spoken. Oh, he'd woven an interesting tale, that was for certain, of a possible future for the Guards that would restore them to their former glory and save the organization from its slide into politics and compromises. Yuushi hadn't been aware that things had been that bad, he thought ruefully for a moment. But some of the words spoken had had a ring of truth.

So, did he betray his oath and friends in hopes of a better future, or was it a betrayal as well to sit here and do nothing? That was what he had to decide, along with whether or not he'd involve his friends in the matter. It would be kind of hard to hide a conspiracy from those two, and he could always use their help.

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