Faith in the Dawn - Epilogue to Dark Mission

“He won’t live through the night”

“What do you mean? You’re a healer, he’s a healer!”

“Some things… you just can’t heal.”



Tyger sat there at the edge of the bed, Lane’s bed, watching the light of the sunset spilling over the dark pretty blue of the covers. She tried to avoid looking at Lane, focused on everything else but him.



“Ty, just take him home and make him comfortable.”

“…but.”

“There’s nothing we can do.”



Ty startled at a rattled breath from the bed, heart leaping into her throat. Any one of those breaths could be his last, she knew that, his lungs already having such a hard time as filled with blood as they were. She found herself staring at him, watching one breath after another and surviving on the hope there would be a next.

She’d seen him sick before, but this was different. One entire side of his face was bruised and wounded. Yotaka had healed him enough to be comfortable, but couldn’t spare a great deal of healing on him because the others had needed healing as well, purely cosmetic healing out of the question. Ty was still aching, bruised horribly, bleeding but bandaged in a few of the worse places. Her accelerated healing would take care of those in a few days.

Tanji had been in much worse shape, massive internal injuries, which had taken both Kino and Yotaka to heal enough for him to survive. Kesu’s wounds were mostly psychological, he could handle himself, and Amadeus had surprisingly few marks on him at all.



“There has to be something.”

Ty was so persistently argumentative, but Yotaka only shook her head. “Nearly every bone in his body is broken, his lungs are punctured by ribs, one lung collapsed… just take him home and let him pass away peacefully, let his gods take him.”

“They can’t have him!”

Tyger had run then, raced through the Temple gardens, bleeding, not yet bandaged, stumbling and sobbing out of control, but running so far away no one would ever know. She’d calmed down after some time, returned silently and lifted Lane from where he was laying without being seen. She’d placed him so carefully in the backseat of his car and drove him home, laying him in bed just as gently, removing what was left of his ruined clothing, drawing the covers up over his stomach.



And there she sat, hours later, just staring at him as it slowly turned dark. She didn’t bother turning on the lights.

~*~*~*~*~

“Hn,” Tanji growled in retort as his neck crackled, trying to lift his head from the pillow. Hmm, velvet pillows. He opened his eyes to a very familiar ceiling, one he’d woken up to many many mornings. Well it wasn’t exactly morning, but he was glad he’d woken up nonetheless.

His neck cracked once more as he looked to his left, Kino gracing his sight with her simple beauty. She had bruises, a few nicks and scratches on just the flesh he could see, but she was still gorgeous. An angel, laying there peacefully in the light of what remained of the day.

Tanji woke her up the instant he tried moving, her hand emerging from the blanket and palming his chest, exerting just enough force to get him to stay down. She smiled softly and scooted closer, stiffly propping her head up with her arm and gazing down at him. Her hand traveled down from his chest to the lengthy gash across his stomach, only partially healed. She’d left it to the open air to heal, make sure it didn’t get aggravated.

Kino’s lips brushed over the Jagan with a soft sigh, happy the wound seemed better and not worse. Healing that with Yotaka’s help had left her completely drained, she’d barely gotten Tanji home before collapsing herself into bed.

“Killing is easy… love takes strength,” words fell from Tanji’s lips like a waterfall of poetry, probably appropriate in some vague way, but otherwise random.

He just loved doing that. It was so perfectly Tanji, so absolutely normal to tantalize even her genius with his cryptic logic, she could almost forget what had happened to them. But the proof was there, the half-healed wound across his abdomen, the ache in her entire body, the scent of blood on the both of them that would take a few showers and probably just time to wash away.

And the proof was elsewhere. Across the park in that little cottage of Kesu’s, Amadeus would be waking up, and would no doubt have issues to deal with. Just around the block was a naïve and broken boy, not expected to live, perhaps already dead, and the tough girl who pretended she didn’t care.

“Should call Ty,” Tanji sighed, worried beyond belief. He wanted to be there, at Lane’s side, but just the phone seemed miles away.

“She’ll let us know if… and… they should be alone.”

“Angel…” Tanji choked, squeezing his eyes shut.

Kino gently kissed at his forehead, silently encouraging.

“You know I… that I…”

A little smile tugged at her lips, she knew it, he didn’t even have to say it. She pressed her lips lightly to his. “Hai, I know, and I love you too.”

Tanji gazed at her lovingly, ruby eyes shimmering, “Good… just in case, next time is the last time… for us instead.”

~*~*~*~*~

Kesu watched the stars peek out from the darkness, one by one. He’d done this countless times in almost five centuries, just sat and patiently watched the sky turn from light to dark, stars showing themselves even though they had been there the whole time, just hiding. It was nice having a yard. He could sit there in the dew-covered grass and no one would care.

The kitsune had his gray housecoat wrapped over his knees, arms hugging his long legs against his chest, head flung back to continuously watch the sky. He had no idea how long he’d been sitting like that, at least hours.

He’d nearly died on that last mission to Makai, it was so easy to tell himself this was nothing by comparison. He was in very little pain, physically, and yet that seemed easier. At least with that you knew the outcome, heal or die, continue or let the end come. He’d fought that battle already, it was being fought elsewhere now, and he’d gone on… only to lead to this.

Kesu almost wished he had died.

Almost.

Why? Why almost? He’d lived a long and very useful life. A hundred years of study under the most caring and astute teacher the kitsune race had to offer. Decades after that spent putting that study to good use at his teacher’s side, and then employed and gaining a reputation as an assassin and thief that covered nearly all of Makai. Keeper of the Kiro Temple, Guardian of the sacred gate. Bodyguard for the Dragon Prince, secret lovers up until tradition forced their true love to give way to his marriage. Sworn to protect the next Prince, and now the next, right corner of the Kiro Temple…

Kesu sighed, the memories and the list of titles was exhaustive. And still, it wasn’t enough for him to just die now. In fact he was strongly convinced that when Inari called for Kesu Hato to return to her, that he’d stand in defiance and refuse to be taken.

All because of a gorgeous and dangerous vampire he’d fallen in love with.

For months he’d paralleled his own relationship with Lane’s. The Koorime was deeply in love with Tyger, perhaps even moreso than Kesu loved Deus. They were both convinced their lovers cared, and yet the personalities they loved so dearly also tortured them with the façade of not caring, even not being able to care, let alone love. And really they couldn’t blame anyone but themselves, because that was who they’d fallen in love with.

“Fox you’re going to catch cold!” a sharp voice chastised, dragging Kesu up from his thoughts.

Kesu hadn’t even noticed the lights in the house turning on, the figure silhouetted in the back doorway of the little house. He blushed, barely beginning to get to his feet before Deus was right there helping him up.

“You’re clothes are dirty now, silly fox,” the vampire scolded, tugging Kesu toward the door.

Kesu refused to be moved, pulling Amadeus back against him with the momentum of the recoil. Their bodies entwined with the natural pose of months of practice. The vampire gave a little growl, scowling up at Kesu in irritation. Kesu found himself whimpering in return, a meek apology, but it wasn’t enough.

Deus blinked in shock as Kesu’s knees folded, gracefully, sinking down into the grass. Kesu had his head bowed, eyes closed, arms hanging at his sides, oversized housecoat fluttering in the occasional breezes and offering a tantalizing view of Kesu’s lean body. Deus, not one to be at a loss in any situation, grasped the kitsune’s shoulders and tried to force him up. But Kesu was stubborn when he wanted to be.

“Fox… come inside,” Amadeus tried a milder attempt.

“Take me,” Kesu’s small voice trembled.

Deus blinked, wanting to step back away from the kitsune, but finding himself unable to move. What was it about that posture, that tone of voice? “Kesu,” Deus shook his head, “Then come to bed.”

“Here,” Kesu replied simply, not arguing. No, this was pure begging.

Amadeus recognized the sensation this time, a severe jolt originating beneath the waist and tingling his entire body in a way that only feeding usually did. His sharp eyes took a quick glance around. Their nearest neighbor was a distance away, it was dark, the yard was surrounded by thick woods anyway… why not?

And it wasn’t a matter of convenience, or a thrill of the potential exposure, no it was entirely different. Kesu was begging, kneeling in total submission, bent under the severe need to be dominated at that very moment, just as he was.

Deus stopped thinking, and started acting. He swept Kesu’s gorgeous mantle of silver hair away from one side of his neck, settling himself across the kitsune’s bowed legs at the same time sinking his fangs deep into that sweet skin. Kesu’s arms fell back against the ground to support him as his body arched, desperately seeking that delicious pain. Yes, that was what he needed. No one else could own him like that.

“Gods… don’t… don’t be gentle,” Kesu begged desperately when the feeding began to lessen, breathless, tears in his eyes, wanting it fierce to the very end.

Amadeus gripped the hold he had on Kesu’s hair even harder, the arm wound around that slender waist veritably crushing their bodies together. He’d known the kitsune was his, entirely, that had never been in question. Still, there was something different about this, the total abandon of all Kesu’s dignity, a surrender far more complete that wouldn’t let Deus ignore the fox’s begging.

Kesu’s moans rang in his ears, turning far more anguished when Deus forced himself to stop drawing on the sweet fountain of blood, laving the angry wound with his tongue to seal it. He hadn’t wanted to, but Kesu’s pulse was thready enough despite protest from the both of them. It didn’t matter, Deus was sure Kesu was begging for another type of domination as well, something a little less lethal in potential.

The kitsune yelped slightly at being toppled back against the grass, his head reeling from the intense pleasure of the feeding, not entirely coherent as his lover unceremoniously yanked away Kesu’s shorts and then his own. Kesu had barely collected himself enough to throw his arms around Deus’ shoulders when he was speared by a deep and forceful penetration. He cried out with every thrust, entire body focused on that single point of white-hot pleasure.

Tears streamed from Kesu’s tightly shut eyes as he curled himself enough to bury his face in deliciously soft white hair. Deus felt the sting of heat, sparing a hand and a moment’s intense concentration to touch his companion’s cheek.

“Fox?” he breathed softly.

“Don’t stop… please!” Kesu wept at the break in the rhythm, as if it was painful, panting and sobbing in the same ragged breath.

Deus felt it, the tearing of places already injured from the previous violations. The idea that he was being just as brutal to this beautiful creature, it tightened something in his chest. He breathed against the wound in the kitsune’s neck, that vicious mark, actually breathing for a rare moment, probably more habit than anything.

Kesu was getting outrageously loud, making Deus wonder about the neighbors, even as distance as they were. The kitsune released his lover’s shoulders, falling back against the ground with his hair spilling around him like waves of moonlight. His long, wonderful legs wrapped around Deus’ waist, pulling, insisting at the same time those hips arched up to meet his brutal thrusts. Those breaths Deus didn’t need to take caught in his throat watching Kesu laying there, tears streaming, face drawn in pain and concentration.

And for a very rare moment Amadeus was actually worried about not satisfying his lover.

Deus snarled in renewed determination, slamming his hand down against Kesu’s hip and pinning that writhing body to the ground. The other hand closed viciously upon the kitsune’s rigid length, stroking without mercy.

New tears burned down the trails of the ones before, shimmering in the moonlight as Kesu moaned long and loud, thrashing his head from side to side. Deus knew he was putting too much into the thrusts, but dammit if Kesu wanted taken like this then it was his place to do it. This was his fox, only his.

Deus reached the point where he could hold back no longer, releasing Kesu and slamming both hands in the grass to either side of the kitsune’s waist, planting himself to the hilt one last time before shuddering in pure and blinding rapture. Recovering from that was not easy, but he managed, after all he had plenty of practice. He reached and pulled Kesu up into his arms, the fox looking sedated if not pleased, both of them trembling.

“You’re coming to bed now,” Deus informed him, trying to put the irritation back into his voice without effect. He lifted Kesu up as he stood, not without some difficulty, not even going to be denied now.

~*~*~*~*~

“Ty…”

Tyger’s head jerked up, neck cracking in a way that was just not healthy. Shit, she hadn’t meant to fall asleep. Blinking and trying to adjust to the pure darkness, she crawled and peered at Lane, settling just beside him. She grazed fingers over his forehead, wincing at the heat.

He wasn’t awake, must have been talking in his sleep. With a fever like that she couldn’t blame him, but she was almost certain he’d been calling for her, begging for something…

“Wake up Laney,” she pushed back strands of white hair to either side, taking care to avoid those broken places on his face.

She sighed heavily, bowing her head, hands falling into her lap. It was just barely after dark, she hadn’t really dozed off for that long, but she still felt bad. There were so many things, so many godsdamned things she’d thought she had time to say, time to adjust to. And here it was, it was too late anyway. Even if he woke up one last time she probably couldn’t have said them anyway. But he was sleeping, so maybe, just maybe, she could try.

Besides, what was it they said about dying people, if you talked to them they might hear you. And maybe her voice would get him to wake up. It felt kind of silly, but she had to try.

“I have to try, Laney, do you know why? Because I do care about you, I care way too much,” she idly arranged strands of flowing white across the pillow, voice strained to near-breaking. “And you know I care, despite the bitch I always am, you know and just never give up.”

Her shimmering amethyst eyes were stinging, she wiped at them angrily with the back of her hand. “Do you really have to be so damn persistent? Why don’t you ever give up? Am I really worth it? Lane… I know I’m always cocky and, self-confident, but honestly… I don’t think I deserve you. You’re so damn… sweet and caring and gentle. I thought I hated things like that, because I’ve never had them before. Tough, bitchy tigers don’t need… love.”

Tyger bent over him, laying one hand on his forehead, the other on his chest, lips a mere inch from his. She whispered, voice too broken for anything else, “I was wrong.”

She could smell the blood. Gods, so much blood in every breath torn from his tortured lungs. His chest beneath her hand shook with the effort. His heart would miss a beat every now and then, and with each missed one her pulse would race. A tear slipped from her face to his, and she could only stare at it for the longest time.

He’d died once before, and she’d brought him back. Ty had snatched him from the grasp of his gods. No one knew about that, she hadn’t told anyone, not even Kino. As far as she knew Lane hadn’t told anyone, not that he really remembered it anyway.

Ty finally reached and dabbed the nearly dry tear away, “I know why your gods want you, I can’t blame them for wanting you.”

There was a long silence except for Lane’s uneven breathing. Tyger just couldn’t put this into words, but the thoughts of it were making the rage build again. The passion both helped and hindered, fueling her to continue, but muddling her thoughts with the anger.

“They can’t have you,” she repeated what she’d flung madly at Yotaka earlier, arranging a few more strands of hair and trying not to look at his face. “You’re mine… no gods can have you til I’m done… and that’s going to be awhile,” her voice broke again, leaving her breathless and trying to fight the tears.

She couldn’t stand it, fear of hurting him or not, Tyger rested her forehead against his chest, very lightly. She couldn’t fight it either, so she just cried, unrestrained, tears spilling hot across his pale skin, now not as cold as it should have been. For the longest time she just sat there and cried.

Then, very very softly, “Don’t cry…”

Tyger jerked her head up, blinking wildly. His eyes were closed but that could not have been talking in his sleep. “Laney?” she asked far too hopefully.

“Dein, ailain Ty… don’t cry,” he repeated, the motion of his lips making it real for her.

Her mind raced. Even if he was awake, that didn’t mean anything except there was still fight in him. Fighting still might not win the battle for his life, but it gave her far more hope that she’d had a moment ago.

“Ehnn… hot,” he whimpered.

Tyger blinked, shaking herself into moving. She went to the window and flung it all the way open, dousing the room in chilly November air. Then she raced into the kitchen, snagging a towel and a few pieces of ice from the freezer. The Jujin slipped back into her spot kneeling beside him on the bed, tying the ice into the towel and waiting for the cold to soak the fabric.

Gently she touched the cold cloth to his forehead, bringing it down along the side of his face that wasn’t covered with wounds and bruises. She pushed away his hair and continued down along the side of his neck, allowing herself a little smile at his quiet noises of contentment. She managed to avoid the wounds covering him, tracing the melting ice over his chest and stomach, nudging at the blanket draped over his hips now as she caressed over that area.

Ty shivered, tried not to, but it was cold outside. She contented herself with thinking this would make him better, he could draw on the cold, get stronger and heal himself. She cursed herself for not thinking of this sooner.

There was a bit of color to his skin as she worked her way back up to his neck. He even moved slightly, canting his head to either side so she could have better access to the scalding flesh. She found herself suddenly still, just watching him, startling when his hand slid delicately over hers.

For the first time since he’d spoke, indeed the first time since they’d pulled him out of the rubble of that collapsed archway in Koorime, his eyes opened. Those icy orbs focused on her, light and cheery like they often were, even a little sparkle. His lips stretched into a bare half-smile. “They can’t have me… I’m yours.”

~*~*~*~*~

Kesu laid in bed, trying desperately to sleep. He tossed, housecoat and blankets tangling around him. He stared at the window, stared at the clock, at the door. He’d slept for a little while after that incident outside, thankfully dreamless sleep induced in part by exhaustion and partly by that after-sex lethargy. He’d stayed awake and listened to Amadeus only long enough to hear that the vampire was going to the Temple. Yotaka was training him nightly in the control and use of his necromancy, and he was getting quite good. He never stayed away long, the lessons were short but intense, and really the night was never long enough.

The kitsune sighed and tossed again, roaming the width of the large bed, wanting desperately for his koibito. As far as he’d pushed Deus, as totally as he’d surrendered… it hadn’t been enough. He knew he belonged to Amadeus, but he just couldn’t feel it. He wanted to feel it again, wanted it so badly he’d do anything.

Kesu tossed, pressed back against the wall at the same time giving it a vicious kick, hoping it would help his mood. Nope, just a bruised heel. His leg was cramped, and he still smelled like outside, okay outside and sex. Ugh, a shower was probably in order, might help at least a few of those things, if not all. He forced himself out of bed, wandering around the house looking for a clean towel in just his housecoat. Figures a laundry day would fall just after a seriously injurious trip to Makai.

He found himself laughing at that, finding a towel that wasn’t too seriously dirty, padding into the bathroom and dropping his housecoat and the towel haphazardly. He tried to relax as he stepped under the hot stream of water, but he was still terribly fidgety.

Then, blissfully, the most wonderful thing a kitsune could ask for, or well, at least Kesu – a naked vampire sidling up against his back. Kesu fell back into the embrace, bending himself enough to rest the back of his head on Deus’ shoulder, smiling at him softly.

“I missed you koibito.”

“You should be sleeping,” Amadeus retorted in his usual sour manner.

“Can’t sleep,” Kesu turned and nuzzled into Deus, feeling those small and nimble fingers running through his hair, rinsing away remaining shampoo.

Deus grabbed the conditioner, worrying silently as he worked it into Kesu’s amazing amount of pretty hair. He knew by the way Kesu was touching him what the fox wanted, and there was that same blind needing as before. He was still fairly irritated at himself for giving into Kesu the last time, promised himself that this time he wouldn’t.

He had no idea why Kesu had done that. Sure the fox had been battered by what had happened in Koorime, emotionally more than physically, so he was liable to act a little strange until it went away. Deus had actually been a little surprised at the kitsune’s quick return to sexual activities, he had been planning on giving him some healing time, yes despite anything he might have felt on that matter, he’d been willing to sacrifice.

His fox had just pulled out of a long ordeal, Amadeus afforded the barest glimpse as to what the old Kesu had been like, and he’d liked it. Admittedly he liked the submissive, giggly human side of Kesu, but that wasn’t completely gone. Kesu had worked it out, balanced the two personalities, the wild and sexual Kesu with the sweet and boyish Sakon. Honestly Amadeus wouldn’t have had it any other way, two in one, it was perfect, and he could nudge (manipulate, whatever, same thing) Kesu into one or the other depending on what he wanted. Virgin or well-versed lover? Why not both.

Amadeus ran his fingers through those water-darkened sliver strands, so silky with the conditioner. He tried to concentrate on it, ignore what Kesu was trying to incite. But somehow the kitsune managed to turn in his embrace, pulling his hair over one shoulder and somehow managing innocence, leaned forward into the spray of the water.

Deus growled softly. That was a temptation he couldn’t resist, and dammit Kesu knew that. One hand gripped the kitsune’s shoulder, the other his hip with a crushing force, driving into him mercilessly without so much as an adjustment Kesu had placed himself so tantalizingly perfect. The kitsune’s arms shook as he braced himself against the tile, back bowed in a pale expanse rippling with rivulets of water.

The small room echoed with the sounds. Kesu could be quiet, Deus knew that from countless times they’d been together with his mother and sisters sleeping in the next room, but this volume was exquisite. Also, when trying to stay quiet one tended to hold back, but this was entirely uninhibited, which pushed Deus harshly into the same.

“Harder,” Kesu gasped, almost too softly to be heard over the shower.

“Fox,” Deus tried refusing, tried to get his own control back. He hadn’t wanted to do this again.

Kesu was more than just something to be screwed senseless. That was a notion Amadeus had thrown away long ago, as much as it liked to come back now and then just for fun. This was not what Kesu needed at the moment. Didn’t this just make him relive what had happened?

“No,” Amadeus gathered every shred of self control, pushing Kesu away from him. He gasped and was on his knees the instant Kesu collapsed, thrown off-balance by the sudden lack of support.

Kesu blinked up through a sheet of hematite-colored hair, panting – or was that sobbing? Deus couldn’t tell if those were tears streaking his lover’s face or just the water from the shower. He reached to shut it off, but was rewarded only with Kesu throwing himself against the smaller man. It was definitely sobbing.

“Why koibito? Why?”

Deus found himself laying back in the tub, Kesu not unpleasantly covering him with his warmth, sweet wet warmth, their arousals grinding against one another. Kesu was kissing, forceful, desperate, lips and hands everywhere, demanding. Amadeus grasped Kesu’s beautiful face in both hands, fingers buried in thick strands of wet hair.

“I want you fox,” he wasn’t completely honest, but he made an excellent fake of it. It was vague, but Kesu knew damn well what he meant, and Kesu was on top anyway.

Kesu tensed, as if suddenly paralyzed, those jade eyes wide and frightened. Deus found his answer there. This wasn’t his fox, not completely, just a shell. He tried pressing his hand to the small of Kesu’s back, trying to get him to listen, hoping that aggressive side of Kesu would surface. It didn’t.

The water was turning cold. Kesu didn’t seem to notice. His eyes begged Deus to forgive him for not being able to do as he was asked, begged him to continue. Amadeus pushed him up harshly, sitting and turning off the water, reaching for the towel. Somehow he managed to stand Kesu up, doing his best to ignore that aching need within himself long enough to get Kesu in to bed.

He knew he couldn’t resist the kitsune forever, it had taken every shred of willpower just to push him away the first time. Once they slid between the covers Kesu was nuzzling up against him again, desperately wanting for sensation. He tugged his lover on top of him, kissing eagerly at his neck, spreading those long sensual legs. Deus swore to himself a second time this would be different, he’d go easy, gently turn control over to Kesu so that the kitsune might not notice and panic.

He made sure to grasp Kesu in a way so that the kitsune would not be able to wrap those legs around him, would have absolutely no control over the pace or fierceness of the movements. He wanted to stop and find something to make it a little easier, but honestly he only had so much patience. Besides, it was just a little touch of pain as he sank hip-deep into the kitsune.

“Deus,” Kesu hissed, his thrusts not gaining him anything with the way his lover was holding him.

No fox… you’re more than that.

“Please… koibito,” his lip was caught between his teeth, mangled without care.

I won’t, you mean more to me than blood and sex… you do.

Kesu writhed as if in pain, trying hard to incite Amadeus to move with more force. Deus was trying equally hard to ignore him, but damn the fox was good. He found himself slamming hard and fast into the kitsune in minutes, twisting Kesu’s hips just slightly.

Why do you need me to hurt you, fox? This isn’t right…

Deus tried to keep the thought together, the loose string of hints Kesu was showing, the little pieces of the puzzle almost fitting… but the drawing pressure shooting through him made it impossible. Coherent thinking fragmented. He tensed, giving up on the thoughts, trying not to lose control otherwise.

For the second time that night his ego took a bruise at even the notion he wouldn’t satisfy Kesu. Firstly, Kesu was never this hard to please, any number of things were enjoyable to him, but now it seemed only pushing the envelope on brutality could even touch pleasing him. This was just not like him, encouraging that he be taken faster, harder, weeping openly and still begging for more. Amadeus gripped the kitsune’s tumescent length to hurry the sensation along, and still finished before his lover.

As Kesu curled against his chest, Deus managed to shake off the lethargy enough to try collecting those thoughts again. He held his companion close, listening to that breathing slow, smelling sex and tears and blood when he chose to sample the air. Soft and still slightly damp strands of silver tumbled through his fingers as he abandoned the reality in favor to figuring out this puzzle. Kesu was resigning to sleep slowly against him, a warm and comforting presence. Good, he needed to sleep.

Deus sighed and settled into a comfortable spot against the pillows, examining this issue. This was bothering him so much, he couldn’t have rested even if was noon on a sunny day.

~*~*~*~*~

Lane had been fine a moment before.

A moment ago, it seemed like eternity. But the clock blaring its digital red light into Tyger’s eyes keenly told her it had barely been one minute. She clutched at his hand with both of hers, eyes steady on him except for slight checks to the clock. He couldn’t draw a breath. He tried desperately, panicked eyes shimmering upwards, lips parted and stained with blood from the coughing spell that had proceeded this.

Two minutes.

All color drained from his face, all except for that tinge of blue on his lips. He looked so young, so scared. All Ty could do was hold his hand. If he stopped breathing completely she imagined she’d try what had worked that one time before, probably try all damn night if he never breathed again, collapse exhausted, because she’d never stop voluntarily. Perhaps she’d die with him, because she was certain something vital within her would collapse. If he didn’t survive, it was quite likely she’d go mad.

Three minutes.

Tyger had to wonder how long the Koorime brain could go without oxygen. She hadn’t really bothered to count minutes the last time, and last time he’d gone quietly. He was fighting this, trying so hard to draw that breath his lungs just wouldn’t accept, tears spilling from the corners of his eyes at the same time.

Four minutes.

This was it, he was going to die. His gods had come for him, gods who had never once listened to him in all his years of prayer, all his rites of devotion, living every precept to the very holy letter. The perfect shey who’s only failing now was living in the human world, trying to survive, desperately wanting to save his people. He didn’t deserve to die. In Ty’s mind, he was the last of them that deserved to die.

He was fighting more now to keep his eyes open than to breathe, and he was losing both battles. It wouldn’t be long now. His heart was erratic, fluttering wildly before dropping to nothing, only to rise to the staccato again.

Ty squeezed his hand, trying to get him to look at her. She’d been quiet so far, couldn’t think of anything to say, wasn’t sure she had the courage even if she did want to say something. “Lane.”

His eyes focused on her.

“You said the words… you’re mine.”

Five minutes.

“And I can’t stop thinking… that if you’re mine… does that mean… that I’m yours?”

Unable to breathe, barely hanging onto the focus of reality, trembling in pain as his body threatened to doom him… he smiled. Only for a moment, lips tinged with blood, cracked and dry from trying desperately for air, but it was that adorable Lane-smile just the same.

Six minutes.

“Laney… you can’t die…”

His eyes slipped closed, Ty’s heart thundering in her ears, drowning out her nearly silent sob. The rich and elegant lashes rose, just barely, like a thick curtain. Tyger realized she was holding her breath, forced herself to breathe, prayed to every god she knew that if he would be allowed to breathe they could take hers. This was impossible, the clock had to be wrong, it had to be. No one could suffer this long in just this short span of time. She cried freely, softly, her heart torn, but yet holding back one thing. She had to say it.

“I love you.”

Seven minutes.

Lane closed his eyes.

~*~*~*~*~

Kino was nearly out of bed before she was even fully awake, propelled by the crash and the shuddering yell. The kitchen light was on as she flew into the hallway, gasping at the pure display of horror. She had no idea how or why Tanji had gotten out of bed without waking her, no clue what had happened, she’d figure it out later.

The kitchen floor was a pool of blood, Tanji sprawled almost on his stomach, shattered dishes all around him. Kino ignored a stabbing pain in her abdomen, kneeling beside him in a rush of turning him onto his back and grabbing any available towel she could rape from the drawers. She stuff the pilfered towels into the wound, trying to stem the bleeding before the loss was irreplaceable.

The pain in her own stomach returned, making her double over. Trying so hard to focus on Tanji and the bleeding, she finally noticed that even though his eyes were shut, the Jagan was open and softly glowing.

Another stab of pain… and Kino blacked out.

~*~*~*~*~

Amadeus was pacing around the living room when he heard the scream from the bedroom. He blinked, hesitating for only an instant before rushing to see what was going on. Kesu was standing beside the bed, just barely, hanging onto the headboard as if it meant his life. Deus had to look twice to make sure that yes, Kesu’s wings were visible.

The kitsune was clutching at his stomach, nearly doubled over, gasping as if he couldn’t breathe. Deus was at his side immediately, easing his fox to sit on the edge of the bed. He had no idea what was wrong, why his fox was in pain, so he just held him.

~*~*~*~*~

Ty waited. For seven minutes Lane had fought, unable to breathe, lungs failing. The seconds beyond that stretched into forever as the Koorime lay suddenly still. The heartbeat, even erratic had been comforting, the attempts at breathing… there was nothing now.

Nothing.

Lane was dead.

Suddenly an abrupt cracking sound jolted her. Looking around wildly the Jujin realized that every bit of moisture in the air had suddenly crystallized into ice with a magical jolt. She nearly screamed as a vicious pain bit its way through her, stealing her breath, stalling her heart…

…and then it shred through her, leaving behind familiar sensations, a sense of Tanji, Kino, and Kesu.

Purple eyes blinked in shock, fixating on Lane as the air around him crackled, his eyes opening, lips parting to draw in an almost perfectly clear breath. His heart tripped onto a rhythm that was profoundly sacred to her ears. She wondered what the hell had just happened, but at that moment she could have cared less, because at that moment Lane’s sweetly smiling eyes focused on her like they never had before and his hand gently clenched in her grip.

Tyger couldn’t resist the tears. She released his hand and wound her arms beneath his shoulders, face pressed against his neck. Her crying was silent so she could listen to his breaths. There was no hint of liquid, no scent of renewed blood, and not only were those breaths clear, but taken with two healthy lungs instead of the one he’d been surviving on for hours.

She was still so afraid to hurt him, not putting any of her weight on him anywhere. One cool and slender arm lifted to slip around her, still trembling with weakness, but accepted as a small miracle.

Still, she had to be sure it was over, “You… you healed yourself?”

“Mostly,” Ty flinched at his cough, but it was merely the tickle of a raw throat and not fluid-filled. “I’ll live… told you… I’m yours, I listen.”

Ty was crying all over again, and not giving a damn for once. “How?”

“You felt it… you had to. I had to… it’s a very dangerous Koorime technique,” his speech was raspy and broken, so tired, but he had to answer her. “I took some energies, Tanji… Kino… Kesu… then you. It’s like… kitsune ki feeing only several at once. I hope… they don’t mind.”

Ty took his face in both her hands, as gently as she could, “Laney, you were dead… I don’t think any of them would mind saving your life at the cost of a little pain.”

She hugged him again, not having the strength to support herself anymore, finally realizing how exhausted she was. “No more surprises then?”

“None,” his eyes refused to stay open, but this time his breathing was steady.

“You need to rest,” Tyger excused, slipping under the covers and pulling them up over both of their bodies. He was asleep before she’d finished settling it atop them, and it didn’t take much longer of listening to his heartbeat to relax enough herself to tumble into a dreamless state of pure exhaustion.

~*~*~*~*~

Kino groaned as she tried to straighten up, entire body sore, most of her sticky. She blinked, realizing she’d fallen across Tanji’s prone body, by some miracle her arm in the precise place over his wound to continue pressure even after she’d passed out. Still, he looked so pale she was immediately very worried.

Looking around the disheveled kitchen she had the very sickening thought that no body, especially one as small as Tanji’s, should have any more blood in it than that. And yet under a very gentle and scared prodding, Tanji stirred.

“Lane,” the name, like a prayer, struck Kino’s ears.

She blinked toward the large window in the living room, weak sunlight creeping in through the blinds. It was morning. Kino shook her head, slowly lifting her aching body up, “Need to worry about yourself,” she scolded and went to find the medicine kit.

Tanji was good about knowing when he absolutely had to stay still, laying in the same place when she returned with all her supplies, gently fluttering his fingers to try and restore feeling. She removed the ruined towels as best she could without hurting him, as difficult as that was considering how the blood had fused flesh to cloth. He kept himself occupied with his fingers, which she noted vaguely their increasing responsiveness.

In getting the medicine kit she’d noticed his side of the bed was doused with a fair amount of blood, more along the entire hall carpet, smeared across the counter in a demented finger-paint style, where evidently he’d upset the dishes and collapsed at the same time. He’d probably thrashed in bed, aggravated the wound, and gone wandering in a daze of blood-loss and fever. As for the pain that had knocked her out… she had absolutely no way of explaining that.

“Give me the phone?” Tanji asked softly.

“No, lay still,” she scolded, disinfecting the wound. He would definitely need cleaned up better than she could do on the kitchen floor. She sighed, “Come here,” she indicated that he sit up.

“That’s not laying still,” he quirked a half-grin and slipped up into her embrace with a quiet sound of discomfort.

The floor and bed sheets she could take care of later, and it wasn’t like she hadn’t had practice. She praised the fact the carpet was dark anyway. Broken dishes didn’t worry her as much as Tanji did, practically needing to be carried into the bathroom. She supported him as she let the bath water run, kissing his forehead, remembering how the Jagan had been open before she’d passed out.

“Tanji… do you remember last night?”

He shook his head meekly, “I remember curling up against you in bed, you cried a little bit, I could smell the tears but I… I just couldn’t stay awake.”

Kino blushed and kissed him. She had cried after he’d said that about next time possibly being their last moment together, but just a little. “It’s okay, you needed to rest.”

“What about you?”

“I’m fine,” she was tired, very tired, stiff from having spent most of her night knelt over him on the bloodied kitchen floor, but otherwise fine. Her magic was replenishing from the healing she and Yotaka had done on Tanji, and even the arm injured in Makai was hardly tender anymore.

She tested the water, adding a little ki to raise the temperature slightly, stealing away Tanji’s shorts and helping him into the water. He winced when the heat flowed over the wound, but then eased back and relaxed. Kino sat on the edge and washed him of the blood, casting him worried glances now and then. He just looked so small and pale, it was hard for her not to worry. She couldn’t get the image of all the blood on the kitchen floor out of her mind.

“Something must have happened, to upset you into aggravating your injuries… to make me pass out.”

“Iee, angel,” Tanji grimaced, trying not to move.

Kino bit her lip, taking a little more care to pay attention to what she was doing. Tanji was a good patient, and she never would tired of taking care of him, even knowing he could never wait to get better. He paid her back too, just in his own ways.

“It’s still early. Clean the apartment, do laundry… then I’ll call Yotaka, see what’s happening.”

“And Ty and Kesy?” his eyes opened slightly as she let the water drain away.

Kino tugged him gently forward, wrapping a towel around his shoulders and helping him up and out of the tub, “Hai Tanji, but later.”

She led him out onto the couch, drying and wrapping the wound before indicating that he lay down. Then she went to the bedroom and stripped the bed of all its blankets, tossing the bloodied ones in the basket. Thankfully the comforter had been spared, somehow tumbling almost entirely onto her side of the bed. That was strange, Tanji usually stole the covers. She took the comforter back out into the living room and settled it over him. Tucking it gently around him she smiled, and let him sleep.

~*~*~*~*~

Amadeus jerked an eye open, balefully glaring at the ringing phone. He swatted at the damn thing, not wanting it to wake up Kesu. How the hell had a ringing phone woke him up in the middle of the day anyway!?

A little voice from the receiver dangling off the bedside table and swinging strangely against the floor made Deus slit his eyes open again. He resigned to picking it up or the little voices would never go away.

“What?” he snarled.

Vampires weren’t very pleasant at eleven am.

“I’m sorry Amadeus,” Kino’s softly pleasant, but nervously tense voice. “I thought Kesu would be up, we’re worried about him.”

“The fox is… fine.”

For some reason the girl could tell he was lying. “What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s fine, he can deal with it himself,” Deus was getting snappish. Hell with getting, and hell with snappish too, he was downright pissed.

A delicate arm draped across Deus’ shoulder, plucking the phone from him rather slowly. “Ohayou Kino-chan… hai… daijoubu ka… maa maa… Kino-chan,” Kesu sighed and rolled onto his back, rubbing at his forehead with his spare hand.

Deus flopped on his stomach and decidedly ignored the phone cord stretching over his back. Nearly a year in Japan, of course he hadn’t bothered to learn the language, and it was irritating when it was spoken around him. Everyone around him should let him eavesdrop and speak English.

“Mou, nan de mo nai… arigatou…” Kesu continued rattling on, Deus stopped listening until the fox stretched back across him and dropped the receiver into its cradle. He sighed sleepily and nuzzled against his partner’s back, nudging away soft white hair with cute motions of his head.

“What did the female want?” the vampire growled.

Kesu kissed at the back of his neck, “Hmm, just worried about me, wondering if Ty had called here.”

Deus grew even more irritated at the sound of that particular name, “And why would she call here?”

“Because we told her to… if anything… about Lane…”

Deus blinked, forcing himself awake. Kesu had stopped moving, forehead pressed against his shoulder blade, breathing a little rough. When he made the motion to turned onto his back Kesu pushed up off the bed slightly, then settled back against his chest. For as much as Lane and Kesu loved to irritate one another, they were friends. Perhaps not the best of friends, but still friends.

“Are you all right fox?” Amadeus asked very gently, fingers playing through Kesu’s bangs.

Kesu nodded slowly, but Deus could feel him tense, holding back. He pulled his fox closer, cradling him more securely.

“He is… a rather nice boy,” Deus tried hard, but a vampire’s mind wasn’t entirely coherent during daylight hours.

Kesu drew his hand across his eyes, scooting higher and nuzzling into his lover’s neck. “I’m sure he’s fine… or Ty would have called. She might be irresponsible sometimes, but she’d tell us if he…”

“Shhh,” Amadeus hugged him, stroking down his hair.

“She’d tell us,” Kesu repeated, trying hard to convince himself.

“Yes fox, she would have called,” Deus knew the kitsune would believe him, calm him down. Kesu pressed against him, getting the comforting he needed at the moment. Still, Deus knew this was going to be a long day.

~*~*~*~*~

Kino set the phone back on its hook, sighing and running her fingers through her hair. Her amber eyes regarded the two dryers that were coming to a stop as she stepped quietly from the payphone at the back of the little laundromat. The heat of the dryers didn’t bother her as she tugged out the clothes and sheets and dumped them on the table for folding before putting them in the basket.

The laundromat was just around the block from the apartment, as if it was meant for the complex, nestled between the buildings rather conveniently. She and Tanji would usually come once a week, toss the laundry in the wash, head across the street to that rather quaint café for dinner, come back to dry the clothes, just talking or reading homework. This trip was very lonely.

Kino had cleaned the apartment, swept up the broken dishes, and made sure Tanji was really sleeping before coming to wash the laundry. And despite being apprehensive about leaving him alone for much longer, she couldn’t go straight home. She hefted the basket onto her hip and slipped outside, not taking another left around the corner, but crossing the street and stepping swiftly down the block.

~*~*~*~*~

Tyger had finally drug herself up to take a shower, confident that Lane was going to be fine. She had this nagging feeling she should maybe tell some people… she just couldn’t grasp who. Stumbling about half-asleep under a hot stream of water she wasn’t too fond of thinking.

The Jujin growled, glaring when the hot water ran out and shutting off the water rather too brusquely, snatching a towel for her hair and stepping out of the tub. She put her hair up, wrapping another towel around her before she padded out into the hallway. Ty paused at the bedroom door, tilting her head and just taking a moment to appreciate the scene. Lane was sleeping peacefully, sheets tangled around him as he’d shoved away the heavier blankets, a gentle light coming through the window, making a nice play of shadows over his lithe body.

She leaned in the doorway, taking the towel from her hair and gently rubbing the dark wavy mass dry. She’d known she’d cared about him for awhile now, probably before she’d even moved in, but she hadn’t been sure until very recently that she’d loved him. She still wasn’t sure, and she’d wanted to wait until she was absolutely positive. But it was too late now, she’d said the words.

Even if he was hers, totally submissive to her, that meant she had obligations to him, responsibilities she was very wary of. Attachments to things never led to anything good in her experience.

Tyger sighed and let the towels drop to the floor, slipping into some clean clothes carefully. Several areas of her body screamed at her to go easy, still healing, but nothing really serious. Being chained in that dark cell and bleeding badly enough to cover the cell floor, it seemed like a bad dream now, and one she was just going to forget about.

The Jujin perched on the side of the bed, reaching to sweep strands of white from in front of Lane’s face. She debated waking him up, worried about letting him rest, but wondering if he needed anything. He was sleeping pretty heavily to not be disturbed already, as quiet as she was, Lane was a light sleeper. Ty listened to his heartbeat, his breathing. It was slow and even… perfectly normal, and Lane’s regular and slightly chilly aura was back in place.

She blinked, hearing a quiet, almost shy knock at the front door. Ty strode through the apartment and peered through the peephole, grinning as she opened the door. Little Kino was standing there in a cold, brisk wind, laundry basket on her hip.

“That’s okay, we don’t need any towels,” Tyger grinned.

Kino did her best to glare, wriggling her way inside enough to set the basket on the arm of the couch. It wasn’t heavy, just difficult to carry. “You’re in a good mood?”

Ty shut the door, nodding, “Yeah pretty good.”

“So Lane…”

“Icicle’s fine,” Ty was probably overdoing the cheeriness, putting too much effort into looking casual about the long night.

Kino visibly relaxed, “We were worried, all of us, well okay maybe not Amadeus…”

Tyger snorted a short laugh, couldn’t help it. Kino smiled, blushing slightly. “So how’s the midget?”

“Well, something strange happened last night.”

Ty blinked, listening to Kino explain it, trying to remember how Lane had said it, “Well… icicle had to ummm, I guess… he said it was like ki feeding, only it was healing, ki healing I guess,” she shrugged, scuffing at the floor with a bare foot.

Kino thought about it for a quiet moment, chewing on her lip. It made sense.

“He said he took from you, Tanji, Kesu, and me… and he was kinda worried you guys would be mad, but… it saved his life.”

Kino nodded, Ty relieved that the halfling understood and she could stop talking, “If it saved his life then it was definitely worth it.”

Ty couldn’t admit it, but she was sure Kino knew the Jujin agreed. “You can go have a look at him if it’d make you feel better,” she offered.

Kino ducked past her toward the bedroom, peeking around the corner. The halfling was blushing badly when she jerked back, covering her eyes, then slapping at Tyger and hissing in angry whispers, “You didn’t say he was naked! That’s mean! And rude to him!”

“Wha… he’s got a sheet over him,” Ty snickered, feeling so much better.

It was going to be a good day.

~*~*~*~*~

Kesu laid there, eyes wandering over Amadeus in the dim light, what little illumination managed to sneak its way into the sunlight-forbidden room. He’d fallen asleep for a few more hours, and he was still terribly tired, but he knew there was no way he’d get back to sleep at the moment.

He was so tempted to wake Deus, so tempted that it had to be wrong, because they were most certainly for the wrong reasons. The kitsune still had that empty feeling inside him. Twice he’d tried to have Deus heal it and it hadn’t worked. And he was so scared that maybe his lover couldn’t fix this. He didn’t want to feel this way, hells he wasn’t entirely sure the way he felt except that it was sickening to him.

The silver kitsune slipped from the bed. Waking Deus was not an option, he had to come up with another possible solution, which probably meant getting away from his lover to think clearly. Finding clean clothes was a problem, laundry was definitely in order, and still Kesu had no energy to even think about that. Digging about wearily he managed to find a pair of battered sweatpants and a t-shirt. He moved slowly, getting dressed and putting his housecoat on over the thin shirt, brushing his hair. It was early afternoon so it was pretty warm, except for the brisk winds.

Kesu let his long legs more than speed eat up the distance to the park, arms hugged around him and holding the housecoat tight shut against the wind. He wandered around aimlessly, just lost in his thoughts. Strange, he’d used to be able to do this at the Temple.

Green eyes blinked up at a familiar door, a few steps up from the street. A familiar street. His old apartment, now Kino and Tanji’s. How had he gotten here from the park without thinking about it? He shook his head, turning to head back home.

“Kesu?” Kino’s familiar voice.

He looked up, seeing Kino heading his way with a laundry basket. Hmm, did everyone save their laundry until after coming back from Makai? He giggled silently to himself at the thought. “Konnichiwa Kino,” he smiled tiredly.

“Visiting Tanji?” Kino blinked, in a good mood herself.

Kesu shook his head slowly, “No, I was just out for a walk… thinking.”

Kino noticed the hollow tone of Kesu’s voice, chewing on her lip in worry. “I just stopped by Ty and Lane’s… he’s fine. Evidently he did some sort of draw healing last night that involved the rest of us. It knocked me and Tanji out, but Lane’s healed and out of danger.”

Kesu smiled, genuinely this time, not forced. “I remember something vaguely… maybe,” he shrugged, “as long as he’s fine. What about Tan?”

Kino gazed up at the door, “He needs a lot more rest, he lost so much blood. The real fight will be in a couple days just keeping him in bed long enough to finish healing,” she smiled to herself.

“Yeah, that’s true,” Kesu agreed vaguely humored.

“What about you, hmm Kesu?” Kino asked very gently.

Kesu blinked, startled, “Me?” he was at a loss for a moment, and of course during that moment it was easy to surmise that he was far from fine. Sure Kesu liked spacing out, sometimes over nothing, but often over serious matters, visions and things, this was just frighteningly different.

“You’re not okay, are you?” Kino leaned back against the stairway to the door.

Kesu sighed, hugging himself a little tighter, bowing his head, “No… I’ve been acting strange… strange feelings.”

“Given what we went through, I doubt anything could be considered strange.”

Kesu looked up at her, wide and frightened jade eyes shimmering, begging, “How… how was your relationship with Tanji after… after Aya raped him?”

Kino stiffened, a blush immediately rising to her cheeks. Kesu was hurting, searching for some sort of consolation. She was almost certain Tanji would have told him when things went rocky between the two of them, they were best friends after all. But still Kesu was upset, and maybe she could help.

“Well… Tanji was distant for awhile, not from anyone else, just from me. That’s just part of who he is, how he deals with things, he goes away. I thought he could deal with it himself, but he couldn’t. I guess what he needed from me was that, even though he’d been with someone else, we still belonged only to each other.”

A tear slipped down Kesu’s cheek as he continued gazing at her, blinking slowly. Kino reached and grasped his wrist, pulling him close and hugging him. She was blushing furiously, but the kitsune opened up, crying softly.

“Kino I tried… I tried, twice to get that feeling back… I just couldn’t.”

“Shhh,” Kino soothed, “Kesu give yourself some time. Trust me, you need more time to heal.”

Kesu pulled away from her, nodding and harshly wiping off his face, looking everywhere but at her. “Arigatou Kino… I… I’ll be at home,” he managed a weak smile before turning and heading back down the road toward the park.

Kino sighed and watched the kitsune slowly vanish down the road, picking up the laundry basket and finding the apartment keys as she made her way up the few stairs. She slid the key into the lock as quietly as she could, setting the laundry down just inside the door and placing her shoes on the mat. The apartment was slightly dark as the day crept into late afternoon, hitting the windows differently. Tanji was still asleep on the couch, curled up like a steel gray cocoon dotted with little blue flowers.

She knelt beside the couch, leaning her head against the arm and playing at Tanji’s bangs. He had a little more color to his skin, that was reassuring, but he still looked so frail.

Tanji made a quiet noise, stirring slightly. He managed to sleepily wriggle his hand out from beneath the blanket, reaching toward her and silently making it clear what he wanted. Blushing, Kino slipped into the blanket beside him, wrapping her arms around him. He pressed himself against her neck, those shivers she hadn’t noticed vanishing as he cuddled into her heat.

“I stopped by Lane’s apartment on the way back from the laundromat.”

Tanji pulled back slightly, blinking tired eyes up at her in a gentle question. She caressed his cheek lovingly, kissing his forehead. “He’s fine,” Kino assured softly, “whatever happened to us last night had something to do with a Koorime healing technique… it kept him from… slipping away.”

“Hn,” Tanji was obviously not strong enough for articulation, but the sound was happy enough. The little half demon eased back into relaxing completely, eyes closing.

~*~*~*~*~

“Fox,” a harsh and abrupt whisper.

Kesu’s entire body went on alert, startled and defensive. He’d been so engrossed in his thoughts there by the bank of the park’s lake that he didn’t immediately recognize the voice. His keen eyes did quickly find the source, however, and the mischievously glinting gray eye gave it away.

“Amadeus Damien,” Kesu scolded, going back to looking at the water, softly disturbed as it was by the winds.

There was a small snicker from the shadows, one of them moving and coming to sit beside him. “I worried when I woke up a few hours ago and you weren’t there… but of course I had to wait until sunset.”

“And you fed,” Kesu could distinguish the blush to the vampire’s skin.

Deus shrugged, “It’s a big park, I happened upon a snack before I found you.”

“Ahh,” Kesu nodded, flicking a little stone out into the water.

Amadeus scooted a little closer, obviously not liking the fact they were sitting on the ground, but tolerating it for the sake of being near his fox. “You’ve been out all day?”

“Went for a walk early afternoon… visited Kino a bit. Lane’s fine, he did some sort of healing last night that involved the rest of us…”

“When you screamed…” Deus remembered.

Kesu blinked, not remembering that part, actually barely remembering the pain and then Deus holding him until he went back to sleep. He was also a little shocked at the amount of emotion in Amadeus’ voice, that worry. Before he’d been interrupted his thoughts had not been entirely pleasant, remembering what had happened, trying to figure out why he felt so… unacceptable.

“Fox…” Deus looked around, “let’s go home.”

“Amadeus,” Kesu started, then bit his lip and stopped. Around Deus he just couldn’t his mind off of needing to feel what he’d lost, that sense of belonging.

“If you need me to leave, for any amount of time, I will.”

Kesu jerked his head up, blinking in total surprise. Amadeus meant to move out and honestly leave him alone. His lover wasn’t looking at him, but gazing out across the water. He continued, not noticing Kesu’s shock.

“When we returned I intended to give you as much space as you needed. I knew you’d have things to deal with, and I was going to let you determine how to handle those alone before…”

Kesu blinked, startling as a jewel of heat coursed down his cheek. Deus stopped talking and returned the gaze, eyes flickering a few times to the tear. Scowling he leaned forward and nudged the tear away, sitting back where he’d been like he hadn’t moved. That Deus would do that for him…

“I’ll go, if you need,” he repeated.

Kesu looked at the ground between them, expression drawn in thought. His mind just wasn’t clear enough, “Why?”

Amadeus blinked at his fox. He knew why, just lack of words from living an existence of arrogance made it difficult. “I was there, fox, and everything that happened to you happened to me as well. Granted it was different… you have no idea how helpless I felt… and I have no idea how you felt.”

Deus looked away again, continuing, “I held your hand, loved your smile, your jokes even when you were in pain. Then… when I couldn’t touch you anymore I wanted so badly… just to hold you. I could never hold you enough, even if we were given eternity, I would never tire of you, could never stop caring about you despite just being… me,” he admitted reluctantly, quietly, almost sounding guilty. “I would do anything…”

“Iee, waga koibito,” Kesu choked on the emotion constricting his chest.

The kitsune couldn’t will himself to move, too pained to speak. So the two of them just sat there in the relative silence. Amadeus stared out across the water, feeling uncomfortably vulnerable having said all that, but honestly not wanting to leave Kesu. He would go if asked, like he said, he was good for his word, but until then he had no intention of leaving. Kesu was honestly stunned at Deus’ level of concern. Sure he’d been certain the vampire cared but… for Amadeus to talk about eternity.

Deus, already feeling so vulnerable, figured there was no harm to go further. “I’ve been with you almost a year, captivated by your beauty while thinking I was seducing you, finding I couldn’t leave no matter how I deluded myself into thinking I just didn’t want to. It wasn’t just external beauty either. I love your human side… and I love your kitsune side. I stayed with you, knew you were strong enough to deal with that, and loved you even more for putting the two into one. You proved me right in the best way… and I am… honored… to be your companion.”

Kesu reached out delicately, hand shaking, encouraging Amadeus to turn and look at him. There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation before the two of them slowly collapsed into a mutually supporting embrace.

~*~*~*~*~

Bored… bored bored bored, Ty gave up on pattering around the apartment and just flopped on the couch. No wonder Lane worked two jobs, just so he wouldn’t die of the absolute boredom of being home.

She nearly leapt up when she heard the bed proclaim the fact Lane had moved. She’d done that a hundred times, wanting him to wake up, and then again not wanting him to wake up. Who knew her reasons for either one, but he had slept a good long time, through the day Kino had visited and up until that next evening. She was getting kind of worried, in addition the worse fate of being bored. Reikai forbid.

Tyger peered around the corner into the bedroom, grinning at Lane sitting there on the edge of the bed and flouncing in to plop beside him. “Feeling better?” she was way too cheery for everything that had happened the other night to have been real.

Lane nodded, releasing the edge of the bed and sitting up without support.

“Good, cuz I wanna get outta here,” Ty leaned forward and snatched a brush off the vanity, scooting slightly behind Lane and working it through his hair.

“Out where?” Lane sighed, closing his eyes. Sometimes Ty would brush his hair briskly, just to hurry him up, but this time it was rather… affectionate.

“Eh, just driving. Car ain’t been used in awhile, why not? You do feel okay for a drive right? Mebbe get somethin to eat?” she reached and drew back his bangs, running her fingers through the strands behind the brush.

“Mmm, that sounds good,” the koorime hadn’t really needed to answer, Ty’s keen ears picked up a noise of hunger from his stomach.

The Jujin reached for a hair tie, just drawing it back into a simple ponytail. She scowled, watching strands that should have been long enough to be held slip away and into his face. Ah well it was cute either way. She hopped up to the closet, tossing him clothes – a pair of purposefully and fashionably ripped jeans (that she secretly adored) and a random t-shirt. Strange clothes for November, unless you were a koorime.

Ty locked the door behind them, not helping Lane, but keeping an eye on him as he moved slowly to the car and slipped into the passenger seat. He was quiet, but then again he was always like that. Tyger silently praised the fact she was wearing two layers of shirts as they drove, knowing Lane was just loving it, and that made her strangely… happy.

She didn’t even ask him where he wanted to go to eat, or even what he wanted when they got there. With a little plotting smirk she tucked the warm food close against her and kept driving. She parked the long, sleek car at a place a few dates had taken her, or she’d taken them, she’d forgotten which had come first. It wasn’t a grand view of anything, but just a quiet and secluded spot, frequented more often by other dating couples in warmer months. A late and chilly evening in November wasn’t exactly stimulating to hormonal activities, so they were alone.

Tyger finally surrendered her bag of fast food smelling portable heat. The common ritual followed, her stealing everything between the bread of his sandwich and meshing it with hers, giving him the bread and half the fries. Most of the fast food she got was by herself, the two of them didn’t go out too entirely often, based mainly on the necessity of his strange diet and lack of money.

Ty wriggled down in the seat, putting her feet up onto the door and leaning toward Lane, nearly sideways. By the time they were done eating Lane was leaned pretty much in mirror fashion, smiling and nuzzling hesitantly against her.

Conversation was sparse between them, but that was normal. They teased one another without words for the most part, smiling back and forth at one another in a way that served no other purpose but to blanket over those horrible memories with much better ones.

Tyger snatched one of the few fries left to taunt him with, tapping it on his nose when he stopped trying to get it back from her. She’d never appreciated his smile more, the way he’d sometimes blush ever so slightly, close his eyes and look away when he was embarrassed. Everything he did seemed to be made to accentuate his merits, and while she knew that was probably training, he did everything so naturally it was easy to forget.

She laughed and got Lane to lean more toward her to stop the fry torture, slipping away from him and turning in a fluid movement that should have been impossible in a space that small. Lane just barely caught himself from falling, sliding across the seat and up against her, pressing her back against the door.

“Hmmm,” she purred as he lightly offered a kiss to her lips. Tyger tossed the forgotten fry over her shoulder and wound her arms around his shoulders to return the kiss.

The Jujin sighed contentedly when he drew back, his slender body resting so easily atop hers in just the right way. She smiled and brushed delightfully stubborn bangs from his face, kissing his forehead. Lane sighed happily and laid his head down on her shoulder, nuzzling into her neck. Ty was perfectly content to just hold him against her, listen to his breathing, his heart. This cuddling thing wasn’t half bad.

“Should do this more often,” she closed her eyes and leaned back, totally relaxed.

“Really?” Lane’s voice was softly, gently hopeful.

“Yeah,” Ty answered in a dreamy tone, “but… ya know… just alone.”

“Hmm, yes, reputation.”

“Of course,” she ran her fingers through his bangs.

“I don’t mind… just every now and then,” he whispered against her ear, which normally would have turned her on, strange that it didn’t.

“Yeah… or a little more often,” Tyger quirked a grin and went back to just enjoying the quiet moment together.

~*~*~*~*~

“Deus, you’re insane!” Kesu laughed, dodging expertly between trees, chasing a flash of white.

He still couldn’t believe it, they’d just been walking back home through the park and Amadeus had just grabbed a passerby, pulled him into the shadows but still in plain sight, and fed like he’d been starving. Kesu of course had veiled it with an illusion. Then just as surprisingly Deus had dropped the young man, unconscious but not dead, laughed, and took off running toward home.

At the moment Kesu was wondering what had been in that guy’s blood.

“Come on fox, can’t you catch me!?” that roughly sensual voice was so taunting.

Kesu growled, not taking the teasing well, especially when it challenged this ability of his. His keen eyes took in the surroundings, the forest between home and the ark that he knew quiet well, the pattern of direction changes Amadeus had taken, and darted to one side.

The small vampire found himself suddenly wrapped up in Kesu’s arms, pulled to one side and stumbling from the unexpected stop and Kesu’s own momentum.

“How can you go from quiet and serious to playful that damn quick!?” Kesu scolded, taking a deep breath to settle his heart.

“I’ve been playful all night… you were just being too moody to notice,” Deus retorted, gazing up at Kesu with one fang cutely bared in a smirk.

Kesu blinked, at a loss as he tried to think back over the night. He’d gone with Amadeus to the Temple, wandered aimlessly around the gardens during his training, then they’d quietly walked home, not directly, but taking several diversions. Kesu hadn’t really noticed why, just followed quietly thinking Amadeus was looking for dinner.

“Fox,” Deus murmured. He’d been patient, going back to his promise about giving Kesu time to recover. Since that night in the park Kesu had been cheery enough, talkative, going back to work and insisting still on finishing his schoolwork.

Still every time Kesu had tried to get intimate, it inevitably ended rather abruptly with the kitsune apologizing and putting space between them – usually by taking a walk. This time, Deus was plotting, he had adrenaline on his side. He’d made his point that he’d been trying. If Kesu wanted more time, he could wait, but tonight he just felt he had to try a little harder.

“Gomen nasai waga koibito…” Kesu buried his face in Deus’ hair, tangling his fingers in it and loving the way it felt.

“My lover… my lover,” Amadeus sighed, caressing his fox everywhere, trying to find some sensitive place to incite the kitsune. “How do you say that… ai… ai…”

“Ai shiteru?” Kesu blinked, shocked.

Deus smiled and nodded, “Ai shiteru.”

Whether it was the fact Amadeus had finally deigned to use Japanese or the meaning of the words, it didn’t matter. Kesu, tears in his eyes, crushed the vampire against him in a passionately thanking kiss.

Deus wrapped his arms around Kesu’s shoulders, ghosting his lips along the kitsune’s jaw, “Lay me down, my fox.”

Kesu thrilled at the tone, the affection blending so perfectly with the desire. Deus did anything, even things foreign to him, perfectly. He knelt and carefully eased Amadeus back to the ground. He felt so uncertain… but he just had to. He didn’t know why, couldn’t think much past that severe need to just do this. Perhaps it would help something, anything.

Amadeus sensed the hesitation, knew he had to do something. Kesu was still hiding in that submissiveness, had to just draw him out a little bit. He took the kitsune’s hands and guided them to the buttons of his vest, never letting their eyes part from one another. It was like a spell, even though Deus wasn’t exerting any influence.

Hands guided hands until the fabric of vest and shirt was parted, then slipped further down over his stomach, moving slowly. Kesu leaned down and kissed tenderly at the pale skin exposed, up slowly to the base of Amadeus’ neck. He felt fingers playing through his hair, loving that sensation, closing his eyes as he kissed over and over again, so slowly and sweetly.

“I belong to you, my fox… I belong to you,” Deus whispered, head tilted back, eyes nearly closed. He kept his fingers entangled in his lover’s beautiful silver hair, but otherwise did nothing, trusting the kitsune completely.

He’d actually come this far, he thought, feeling Kesu’s lips caressing lower once more, across his stomach as his pants were gently removed. He loved this creature, something between animal and human… and yet more. A powerful spirit, a tender heart, a soul strong enough to survive ages, and a love so profound and tangible he felt wrapped in it and comforted by it. And it didn’t bother him. It didn’t harm his dignity or make him less to love this being, in fact, he felt he was more because of this companion.

Grey eyes flashed open as Kesu pushed deep into him, locking with jade. The blood of some nameless and faceless victim was pulsing through him, adding to the warmth of the slender body atop him. Kesu’s arms slid beneath the shirt and vest Deus still half-wore, pulling him up against him, cradling him close.

“We belong to each other,” Kesu whispered against his ear, the slightest smile dusting his lips as the world consisted of nothing but the two of them together.

~*~*~*~*~

Tyger and Lane had both been drifting in and out of sleep for hours now, but continued rousing themselves and one another. There was a bit of space between them beneath the tangle of sheets and blanket, crossed by lethargic motions to reach for the other and caress here and there.

Lane had gone back to working the one evening job, hadn’t resumed the one in the mornings quite yet, so Ty didn’t feel too guilty about keeping him up. Still, she wasn’t quite sure how well he felt, she didn’t want him to get hurt. He returned her caresses, laying there looking quite content, touching her in ways that were more loving than arousing and yet… as long as it had been just about anything was arousing Ty at that moment.

There was only so much of that she could take, and actually she’d crossed that line a few hours before, only her concern about his health stopping her. Ty shook off the haziness of half-sleep and scooted closer to him, shivering happily in the chill that radiated off him. His arm draped naturally over her hip as she embraced him, nuzzling into the crook of his neck, nipping slightly.

She slipped her hand down his side, both loving and hating the curve of his slender body, loving it for its natural beauty, hating it because it frightened her now and then he was that thin. Forcing herself to put those rather disturbing thoughts aside, she moved her hand further down.

Ty grinned at the gasp and shudder massaging his hip produced, leaving him breathless and trembling against her, straining against the touch, silently begging for more at the same time trying to control himself. She nipped at his ear and quietly chided him for the control, she was more than ready so he didn’t need to worry about pleasing her – anything she could get at the moment would be perfect.

“Ty…” Lane breathed softly, saying it like a prayer.

“Shhh,” she cradled him against her, sliding her thigh over his and pulling him closer, gliding his cool length along her wet heat, then again and again. Tyger closed her eyes and rocked her hips in a slow, sultry rhythm.

She wanted so badly to just shove him onto his back and take him, but she couldn’t. He wasn’t one hundred percent yet, attempting more than what he could safely do was not only physically dangerous but potentially very bruising to his ego. Ty wasn’t in the mood to be disappointed either. She gripped his hip harder and put just a little more into the motion, thrilling at what his lips were doing to her neck and ear.

With a little playful growl, Tyger angled her movements, sheathing him slowly inside her with a husky moan. Lane bit down on her shoulder, not hard enough to break the skin, but just enough for another wicked thrill to race up and down her spine. No words, no sounds except for the slow meeting of their bodies and fragile breaths. Ty focused on his heartbeat, loving it, the light and slightly fast pulse. She was aching, had to try pushing him just a little bit faster.

Tyger blinked and paused totally, the delicate but steady rhythm of Lane’s heartbeat had been disturbed. She listened intently as it missed one beat… then two. Lane nuzzled her to assure her he was fine, trying to incite her into moving again, but she kept listening until she was certain his heart was back to pulsing steadily.

Dying by sex was about the best way to go, but Ty really didn’t want to be responsible for killing Lane. She pulled him back into a slower motion, adding force instead of speed, driving him deeper inside her. Her breasts moved delicious against his chest as she arched back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Very quickly she lost herself in it, shuddering unrestrained in orgasm, feeling nothing but Lane trembling against her, pulsing inside her.

Gasping to calm her heart, Ty nuzzled into that delicious coolness that was Lane, holding him tight against her and not letting go in the least bit.

~*~*~*~*~

Kino played with Tanji’s hair, noticing vaguely as the VCR stopped the movie and rewound it. She had to wonder for a moment if he’d fallen asleep. After a moment Tanji shifted slightly, yawning softly and turning just a bit to nuzzle back against her.

It had been almost a week. Tanji had had a little trouble catching up with the schoolwork he’d missed, Kino had worked ahead before the mission so she never got behind, but tonight they’d actually had some free time. Neither one of them had paid much attention to the movie, just enjoying being together like they often did.

She sat up a little more, peering over his shoulder. “Let me see your stomach,” she nudged.

Tanji made a quiet noise, combination ‘I don’t want to move’ and ‘Of course cuz otherwise you’ll bother me to pieces’, gingerly untucking his shirt. He’d cut down training to nearly nothing, mostly because of needing to catch up on schoolwork, but also because she made him take it easy. Kino was just starting to feel like her energy level was back up to normal, she found it hard to believe he could feel any better.

Kino sighed, nudging him up off her, “Turn around, I can’t see.”

Tanji moved slowly to kneel in front of her, wincing at she decided to just remove the bandaging. She ran her hand over what remained of the wound, horrible diagonal from the bottom of his right ribs to the left hip. It wouldn’t scar, she made sure to offer it enough of her healing power daily to avoid that. The last thing Tanji needed was more scars. About all that remained were a few unhealed scratches and severe bruising.

“How’s it looking doc?” he teased, grinning in that half-cocked way of his that was so adorable.

“It’s looking much better, you’ll be back in regular training soon.”

“Good… annoying to have my schedule messed up.”

Kino feigned a half-hearted scowl, hugging him around the waist. She darted a kiss to the yin yang tattoo around his navel, making him giggle and tug his shirt down, a little blush to his cheeks. He slowly pushed her back down against the arm of the couch, finding her lips and kissing, deeply, but gentle and sweet.

“Hmm… be careful,” Kino tried scolding, it working about as good as it ever did.

“I’m being careful.”

“I didn’t put the bandages back on thinking it would be fine.”

“It’ll be fine,” Tanji replied softly between short kisses to her lower lip.

“I know… but I gotta… I gotta worry,” her eyes slipped shut despite her fighting to keep them open, shivering as Tanji kissed a gentle path from the underside of her chin down to the collar of her shirt.

He’d been as affectionate as ever the past week, cuddling and spending quiet time with her, but there was that ache in her now. Affection she could never do without for long, other attention… well it wasn’t necessary, but really nice. Especially the way he was enticing her, eliciting pleasure from areas normally neglected, avoiding her erogenous areas just yet, teasing the sensation.

“Mmm, Tanji,” she sighed, smiling, eyes still closed, thrilling to the feeling of his roughly textured hands so gently playing over her skin.

He pushed her shirt to fall off one shoulder, tensing so he wouldn’t wince from the pain lancing through his stomach. He’d just moved wrong he convinced himself, he was taking it easy and it would be fine, Kino was worth a little pain. She’d said it herself, back to normal “training” soon. What better soon than now?

Kino just laid back, allowing herself to be wrapped up in the pleasure of the sensations, wanting so much more, but letting that just melt into anticipation. As he kissed along her shoulder his hands had slipped down her sides, caressing so gently, slipping with practiced ease between cloth and skin. She shifted a little bit to help him steal away her pants, noticing her panties had somehow gone with.

“How do you always do that?” she tensed instinctively, cheeks burning as she tried to angle her hips for modesty’s sake.

Tanji slipped his hand so gently along her thigh, answering her with some nondescript sound that got totally lost in her moan when he caressed that bundle of nerves at the hollow of her thigh. She arched her hips instinctively for that touch to slip higher, his delightful touches sliding over her wet flesh.

He was kissing along the base of her neck, nipping so softly here and there when his fingers pierced the flesh of her sex and made her cry out, gripping his shoulders. She pressed up against him, wanting more, following as he thrust into her with a gentle rhythm, stroking against that one spot…

“Tanji, please stop,” she begged breathlessly, dangerously close to coming.

He listened, he always listened so well. He withdrew his touches, settling down against her, continuing attentions elsewhere but letting her excitement dull slightly. Kino’s hands wandered, between them and over his stomach, instinctively avoiding the wound. Her touches feathered over him straining hard against his jeans, as if enjoying that teasing.

Tanji shifted a little bit, sparing one hand to guide hers into manipulating the closure just enough. Almost as if impatient, he laced his fingers with hers and brought it up against the arm of the couch, teasing her sex with his. Badly flushed and dizzy, Kino closed her eyes what little she’d dared to open them at the surprise of him not bothering to undress hardly at all. In fact she was the only one missing anything. Amazing, and she thought she’d been missing him.

“Stop,” Kino couldn’t help but arch up against him.

“Always telling me to stop,” Tanji smiled against her neck, kissing and taking a few deep breaths, loving her scent.

“You’re a tease,” she couldn’t quite get that whimper out of her tone.

“I’m taking my time,” he nearly laughed, “taking it easy doc.”

“It’ll be fine,” Kino smiled, nuzzling against him and squeezing his hand entwined with hers.

She forced herself to relax as that teasing motion against her sex stopped, Tanji pushing so very gently forward. Kino moved, meeting his thrusts halfway, slitting her eyes open when he pulled back slightly, gazing down at her. Their fingers interlaced, eyes never wavering from one another, bodies matching together perfectly and shuddering in a powerful completion - the two of them knew nothing but the love they had for each other.

~*~*~*~*~

Ty was not liking the conversation, but then again she’d started it, so she really couldn’t blame anyone but herself. Although, it was interesting. She’d never really bothered to ask Lane about his past, hated remembering her own, but he was actually more than happy to talk about it.

She found it slightly hard to believe. Lane hadn’t been expected to live the entire first year of his life. That alone was amazing, in Jujinkai he would have been left in the wilderness to get devoured by predators, put out of his misery. Instead his mother kept a firm faith that he was going to make it. Despite that horrible and nearly impossible beginning, he had survived, and the rest of his life up until the invasion of Koorime by the Shadow Youkai had been exceptionally wonderful.

Lane’s mother had, by Tyger’s standards of knowledge, spoiled her son – and for some reason that hadn’t turned out bad. She’d pampered him and sheltered him, yet at the same time expecting the best from him. Love and discipline at the same time.

Tyger shook her head at the thought, plopping herself down on one of the benches throughout the Temple garden. Lane wandered a little bit away, toward the edge of the terrace they were on, the eastern part of the garden, just a ways up from the cliffs. It was his favorite place. Probably because of the biting wind, the Jujin snorted to herself and pulled her sweater tighter around her.

Her violet eyes flickered up to watch him. Standing there in the wind had caused a great many strands of hair to escape his ponytail. Lane tugged the band, shaking his head and letting it all loose. In the dull gray light of late afternoon the whiteness veritably shone, glimmers of blue rising and falling as the strands tumbled over each other. Silently, Ty thanked his mother for having faith in that boy’s strength the first time it had been tested, and whatever had given her the strength to have faith in him the last time.

~*~*~*~*~

Kino twined her fingers with Tanji’s, leaning her head on his shoulder as the two of them watched the sunset reflect off the still water of the pond. Her heart was still a little fluttery from the training session with Yotaka but Tanji didn’t seem the least bit disturbed. Still she worried, chewing on her lip and wanting to ask him if he was okay.

“I’m fine angel,” Tanji answered, making her blink. He loved surprising her with that strange little ability of his.

Kino sighed and nuzzled closer, shutting her eyes. The sun had fully set, so it was just as dark with her eyes closed as it was with them open. Things had gone back to being normal, or as normal as they ever had been before. Soon it would be winter break, then an entirely new year. And still, somewhere out there in one of the four worlds, was that dangerous vampire as far as they knew still intent on torturing them.

Tanji roused her a while later, tugging on her arm and up the path back toward the hot spring and the student quarters. It was hard to walk that very path and not remember the time they had gone the other way, toward the pond…

She shivered, trying to mask it as just the cold. She needed to quit letting that bother her, Tanji had put it behind him. And true, she counted it as a blessing she’d saved his life, but it was still haunting. They’d been through a lot since then, some of which was probably worse by varying standards, but that one memory remained.

Then again, perhaps it was good she didn’t let it get dulled by time. To keep it true to what had happened was probably the only way to give the event the honor it deserved. It had changed his life immediately, and now because he was there at her side it was changing hers. Moments like that didn’t happen often, moments that marked a split in the path of fate. Vaguely, Kino had to wonder if this past event had been a split along a certain friend’s path… and she smirked softly.

~*~*~*~*~

Kesu was standing there waiting for him, looking radiant in the soft light from the lanterns about the temple yard, leaning casually against one ivory pillar of the front gate. Amadeus couldn’t help but smile, ducking his head and striding from the training session with the Temple Keeper to where his lover stood.

“You didn’t have to come with fox, probably boring waiting for me.”

Kesu shrugged, reaching with a slender arm and drawing the vampire close against him. “I’m not bored here koibito… too many memories.”

“Good ones or bad ones?” Deus pressed against Kesu’s chest, into that warmth, letting the distinct and subtle scent of the kitsune enfold him. Kesu smelled of wild wind, a hint of something very gently animal, musky, and of course Deus could sense the blood within him, moving hot and fast. He’d fed already before coming, but still…

“Mostly good,” Kesu nodded, gazing out into the darkness toward the eastern garden, “mostly very good.”

“I recognize that car,” Deus turned his head against Kesu’s chest, quirking an eyebrow at the sleek blue thing parked there.

“Hai koibito… Laney,” Kesu smiled, nuzzling into Deus’ hair.

“Hmm, probably with that… animal,” the vampire growled.

The kitsune smiled at his companion’s irritation, but he knew Deus was actually getting used to Tyger. Not that they’d ever like each other, but they could tolerate speaking briefly with one another without bloodshed. That had to be an improvement.

“We need a car fox,” Deus burrowed a slight bit more.

“Iee, koibito, I can’t afford a car…”

“I know that, but I can. And I know we had that discussion about you taking care of yourself,” he cut Kesu’s argument off before it had a chance to begin. “It will be my car, I’ll just… let you borrow it.”

Kesu shifted uncomfortably, the topic, not from being physically uncomfortable. “Any car you’d buy I wouldn’t trust me with.”

Amadeus chuckled. “I trust my fox,” he reached up and drew Kesu down for a kiss.

“Your fox is… lethal with fast… moving… objects,” he whispered.

“Hmmm, my fox is lethal with many things, it’s very… exciting…”

“Hey there’s a time and a place for that!” Ty’s familiar shout from the eastern path as she and Lane came striding toward the entrance.

Amadeus made some quiet displeased sound at the Jujin, but turned his eyes on Lane to cheer himself. The boy was wearing a tank top of all things, cropped short to show off that sleek and amazing midsection, faded and battered jeans hanging from his hips in just that right way. He was definitely and wonderfully fine, in his element in the near-December chill.

“You’re looking better, Lane,” Kesu smiled, obviously having done the same survey as Amadeus.

“Thank you,” he spoke softly, smiling.

Ty was going to say something, but got distracted by a small pair coming up the western path. “Hey lover-birds, making out in the woods or skinny dipping in the hot spring?”

Kino blushed and glared at her friend, “We were watching the sunset.”

Kesu grinned, “That’s been quite awhile ago.”

The little red-head tried ignoring the jibes, ducking her head, “I was thinking… that guy’s still out there somewhere.”

Kesu noticeably held Amadeus a little closer, “There’s not much we can do about that, ne? Just keep our guard up, search for information when we can, hope he doesn’t bother us again but that we can handle ourselves if he does.”

Deus didn’t like the sound of that, but his fox was right… there wasn’t anything else that could be done. The six of them stood there, blinking back and forth to one another, as if grasping for a better answer. None of them could find one.

Lane broke the silence with his gentle whispering voice, “So we go on… and just have faith.”



~*~*~*~*~

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