Darker Down - Mission 2

“This isn’t real,” Amadeus stared at the window, a window not to some natural outdoor scenery or even the sight of a dirty city, but a window that looked directly into Kesu’s bedroom.

“He thinks you’re dead… it’s actually quite endearing,” the voice from the shadows taunted.

“You’re creating this illusion to try to upset me,” Deus found he couldn’t tear his eyes away, he just couldn’t.

Kesu laid there in his bed, staring at nothing, breath coming in ragged and hitching gasps that shuddered his entire body. His eyes were glassy, red from crying but long since dry. Amadeus wasn’t sure how long he’d watched Kesu cry before he’d run out of tears. Even his mortal mother couldn’t comfort him, he only told her to leave him be. They all thought Amadeus was dead, Victor, Percy… so why was it Kesu that was bothering him so badly? Had he no concern for his brothers?

“He’s only mortal… why do you care for him so much?”

“He’s not precisely mortal,” Deus defended, crossing his arms over his chest, still unable to look away from those glassy jade eyes.

“All right, he’s not human, but he’s also not immortal. He’s only got perhaps another four hundred years left in his existence… and then what? You turn him? Or discard him? What were your plans for this… creature?”

Amadeus’ lip curled. Kesu might have been a fox spirit, but this tormentor had no right to call him a creature. He didn’t want to give his captor the satisfaction of having struck a nerve in him, but he couldn’t quite resist the reaction. Kesu also did not need to be referred to as if Amadeus controlled his fate. Granted he had thought that himself a time or two, whether or not and when to turn the beautiful fox, but Amadeus honestly still could not exert full dominance over him, he couldn’t direct Kesu’s life.

“Much can happen in four hundred years. It’s possible his spirit could sustain him longer than that.”

“Yes, it’s possible, if his god allowed it, but wouldn’t you tire of him after that long?”

Never. Amadeus’ mind replied automatically, startling even himself. “You cannot keep me here, I will find a way out.”

“Oh no you won’t,” there was a laugh from the shadows. “You and I both know I am far more powerful than you. The last time it took a great deal of help for you to elude me… and your brothers believe you dead this time. As well as this pretty thing you found for yourself. No one will be coming for you.”

Amadeus stiffened, watching Kesu nearly fall asleep only to thrash and whimper once more, “You’re torturing his mind.”

“I am not… what is torturing him is the image of arriving just in time to watch your body burn to nothing more than a screaming wraith, and then to ashes. He’s quite traumatized.”

“They will realize it wasn’t me,” Deus growled.

“Oh they won’t. I put on quite a convincing show this time, planned it for years, waiting for the perfect time… when you actually had something worth losing.”

Deus managed to force his eyes shut for a moment, but barely that. He had to watch, as if he could do something, as if he could will the kitsune out of bed and out of that mourning.

The shadow stepped closer, further into his peripheral vision, but remained a shadow. Deus didn’t care, he knew perfectly well who was keeping him captive and he didn’t care to look at him. The vision through the window shifted slightly, making him realize that his captor was most likely using a link to the vision of some animal under his control. Probably a rat considering his company.

“I bet you didn’t realize what exactly you had in this boy,” there seemed almost a tinge of pride in that taunting voice. “This animal protected the gateway between the worlds for nearly a century… killed countless demons of authority.”

“I didn’t know you kept up on Japanese current events,” Deus growled.

“Oh, well since you found this little jewel I decided to do some research on him, try to understand why you might consort with something like this thing. He really is quite fascinating, but I doubt you fully perceive his importance.”

The Silver Dove… Kesu Kamaitachi Hato… one of the most feared kitsune assassins. Amadeus knew, but that had been before his… rebirth into humanity… something the youko now couldn’t shake off. He had changed since he’d met Deus, but it was slow, humanity was a clinging thing not easily shed. He was still so human, so boyish and innocent, and perhaps he’d never lose that completely. Deus wasn’t sure he wanted him to.

“Only halfway through his life and already, quite a reputation, a great deal of power. Imagine if he hadn’t been forced to lose all that, to hide inside human flesh.”

I rather like that human flesh, Deus caught himself smirking and quickly wiped his face of expression. His captor could easily read his thoughts, but he was leaving him to them. Good, Deus hated having his mind invaded.

“And here he is, reduced to nothing, a lifeless shell… because of you, Amadeus.”

“No because of you,” Deus growled in return.

“Well you are correct in that, I must take some credit for this rather wonderful work.”

Amadeus paced in the cell he’d been placed in, his eyes always intent upon that window. He knew he couldn’t get out, he’d tried that for several days already before his captor had decided to come and torment him with the visions of what was going on in his absence.

He had lost count how many times Kesu had almost fallen asleep, and yet that state eluded the poor kitsune despite the fact he’d cried himself into an exhaustion. Deus tried to keep still, watching his lover, trying to work this out.

His captor was an old enemy, a very old enemy that just never seemed to go away. Granted they’d had some rather fun battles with one another, but he had never pulled anything like this before. Usually he preferred the challenge of taking on the entire Damien family, not playing tricks and singling Deus out. Or was it that he’d taken special interest in Kesu and had singled him out? Certainly if he had wanted to do something to Kesu beyond what he was doing now he would have, the kitsune was defenseless.

And what was this fellow doing in Makai? How had he gotten to Makai? Certainly there were ways beyond the Gate at the temple. How long had he been here? How long had he been just contentedly watching Amadeus?

Deus scowled further, angrily lashing out and testing the bars of his cage for the hell of it, the shadow moving slightly. Hey he’d scared him, that was nice to know. Deus’ method of figuring this out was spawning more answers than questions, and it was getting really annoying. Sometimes a good mystery was fun, but this was just downright aggravating.

He had waited until Amadeus had found something worth losing, nothing more than an added bonus. A vampire like himself would never think much higher of a creature like a kitsune, certainly not. Still, Amadeus had found himself thinking far more of Kesu than he’d ever expected, so perhaps if he could break the stereotypes… No, Amadeus shook his head, this fellow’s purpose was torturing Deus, and through that making his brothers suffer with believing he was gone, perhaps enough to get to them. This had been the feud for decades, so why had he bothered doing all that checking on Kesu’s past?

“He is quite beautiful, even if he is trapped within that human body,” the shadow taunted in a smirking tone. “It’s hard to believe that this frail mortal here is the same that I heard about in all those tales. I had expected more from him than this… you must really have worked some spell upon him to effect him this badly.”

Amadeus watched those lifeless green eyes just stare, shining in the darkness. This wasn’t the Kesu he knew either. Deus had thought to himself on several occasions that it was the kitsune who held him in some sort of power. You never could be sure around those tricky foxes. But no, the more time he spent with Kesu the more he was convinced it was a spell beyond the both of them that kept them together… something beyond understanding quite yet… something indescribable.

“I had thought to take him for myself, he would make a wonderful lover for a time… perhaps even an excellent child.”

Deus growled, viciously, piercing eyes glaring at the darkness that was his companion in that dank and dreary room. That was his fox, his, Kesu had promised him that and Amadeus wasn’t about to let him go either.

“You can’t have him… he doesn’t belong to you,” Deus snarled.

“Well it isn’t like he belongs to you either,” the shadow teased, coming closer. “Besides, dearest little Damien… you’re dead to everyone who matters to you.”

~*~*~*~*~

Amadeus roused himself, hearing movement. His limbs were heavy, nearly unresponsive, which meant daylight. He’d lost track of how many days and nights precisely. He was starving, aching with the hunger, but he tried to forget about it and find what had awakened him.

It was from Kesu’s room, that window into his home always open, sometimes obscured by leaves as the little seeing animal hid. It was as if Deus was right there outside the window, gazing in at his fox. The kitsune was perched on the edge of his bed, clutching the sides of it like he might fall if he didn’t. His hair was tumbling down around him, not really shining, but rather dull looking. The loose jacket he was wearing parted slightly to reveal his chest, the slope of his stomach. He looked so gaunt, malnourished, his skin hanging from his bones. He’d wasted terribly, isolated there in mourning.

Kesu forced himself to let go of the edge of the bed, drawing the jacket closed and wrapping his arms around himself. He was blinking out the window, not quite the same lifeless look he’d had. The light of a dreary early morning caught the green of his eye just slightly. He moved, stretching his long pale legs and standing, almost gliding to the window.

The watching creature shifted to hide a little more, but stayed perfectly quiet. Kesu stood at the window, watching as a fog played around the outside of the house, no doubt the movements partially drawn by his power.

“Amadeus,” he breathed, closing his eyes. He opened them a moment later, gazing at nothing, “I know you’re out there… I know it. I know it because I’ve seen visions… visions of the two of us together, far into the future. I know they’re real… so you have to be out there.”

Yes, fox, I knew you wouldn’t believe, Deus laid there, watching everything about the kitsune, entranced.

Kesu closed his eyes again, shuddering and holding himself tighter, “They have to be real… I couldn’t live without you. For as long as you’ll have me, koibito… not even Inari herself will take me from you… I swear it. I am yours… forever,” Kesu nodded solemnly.

Silly fox… you always say forever… do you really know forever? Amadeus blinked slowly, realizing, making himself get up a little bit. Yes… Kesu really did mean forever… he meant to defy his god, to keep his spirit from returning. Could that really be done? Well, if anyone could it would of course be the crazy fox Deus had chosen, only the best.

“I have always trusted my heart, my koibito… and I trust it now. You’re alive… and nothing is going to stop me from finding you,” Kesu’s eyes flashed open, burning silver. “Nothing,” the kitsune moved, swiftly finding clothes before vanishing from his room.

The window of the seer creature dimmed… either that or it was Deus’ own vision. Perhaps… he was so tired…

~*~*~*~*~

“I see your animal has finally moved from its place,” his tormentor was back, oh joy.

Amadeus sat up, taking half a moment to realize what he was saying. Yes, he’d watched Kesu get up, watched him dress and leave his room. “Awww damn, can’t spy no more, poor thing,” Deus sneered back.

“On the contrary, I know precisely where he is,” a shadowy motion and the window reappeared.

Deus blinked up at it, taking a while to register what the scene was. Kesu was running, flat out bulleting across the landscape. Damn, that kitsune could -run-. His hair was flying out behind him, barely obscuring some object attached to his back. Amadeus had to wonder if it was a weapon, he’d never imagined Kesu as the weapon type. He was wearing a dark gray tunic and that gray sweater jacket he often wore around the house, the really comfortable soft one. Odd mix, but no less beautiful.

“I do believe he’s determined to rescue you, he’s headed right this way. I’m not entirely sure how he knows, but he won’t get far.”

Nothing is going to stop me… Deus remembered Kesu’s words, hiding a smirk. Kesu could be so damn stubborn, and he would be in for a serious challenge, but this guy really needed to take him more seriously. After all, he’d already expounded all of Kesu’s good points, his power and importance. Ooh, ignorance was comforting no doubt.

“Foolish mortal to come alone,” the shadow snarled as Kesu raced out of the range of his seer.

Yes Amadeus could probably agree with that. Why hadn’t he enlisted the help of his friends, or Deus’ brothers? It would have been far less dangerous for the kitsune. Deus finally realized why the scenery Kesu had been running looked a little odd.

“Why are you hiding in Makai?” he turned fierce eyes on the shadows.

“My business is none of your affair, and I am not hiding. This world is actually quite hospitable, the neighbors tend to get a little rowdy, but they are easy to control.”

Amadeus didn’t quite understand that, probably didn’t want to. Did he mean that he had influence over the Youkai? Or one of the other hundred races in Makai? There were so many, as many as there were varieties of Jujinkai, as there were countries in the human world, even if the Youkai were the most populous.

Kesu came within view of another of the seeing creatures, his form returning to the little window. This creature could fly, sailing behind the kitsune and side to side now and again to change the view. When the shape of a building came into view in the distance the shadows abruptly moved, the seeing creature sailing to one side and away from Kesu.

“Devoted creature, but foolish. I don’t understand how he found you… but my servants and guards can easily deal with him.”

Amadeus pressed back against a wall, arms crossed over his chest and eyes glaring at the shadows all around him. He was afraid his captor might be right. Certainly a powerful vampire like himself had a great many minions to aid him… and if those weren’t enough then there was always those not quite mortal bonded minions about, and then the vampire himself of course. What could one kitsune do? Even if he was the Silver Dove.

The shadow left Amadeus alone, sweeping away as if almost in a panic. Deus closed his eyes and listened carefully, hearing an uproar further away… almost as if it was above him. That was his kitsune… his fox had gotten into his enemy’s fortress. The sounds were coming closer. With a little more concentration the vampire could almost feel the mental presence of Kesu… that familiar sensation that was actively searching for him. The moment he felt that presence, the sensation that was Kesu grew stronger, establishing a link between them that led the kitsune physically closer at a much more rapid pace.

Humans suddenly poured into the room, as well as a few who weren’t quite human, and several demons the powerful vampire no doubt had control of as well. Among them all Deus could keenly make out the distinct presence of his fox, even if he couldn’t see him. But there… yes, like a flash of silver among the fray, cutting through them and making his way toward Deus. He was wielding a long staff with deadly precision, something Amadeus couldn’t recall seeing before, in anyone. Who knew a long piece of wood could be that… wicked.

Amadeus threw himself against the bars of his cage, trying his best to free himself, but he knew it was hopeless as weak as he was. Even at full strength those bars had kept him, not buckling in the least under his testing. So he watched.

Kesu moved like a silver dance, a beautiful diagonal tilted spin whacking several with this staff before it spun in his hand, behind his back, then over his head to whack a few more. The blows sent some of them flying they were that strong. Kesu dropped to his knees, a sweep kick landing two on their backs, staff spinning from one side of his body to the other as he spun back into standing, leveling them both at waist level as they tried to get back up.

The kitsune wasn’t enraged, there didn’t seem to be an expression at all on his features. His movements were precise, quick, and extremely effective. So this was the Silver Dove, both deadly and beautifully captivating at the same time. His movements were like a dance, perfect.

He wasn’t even in youko form, this was pure human strength, no kitsune power at all. How long had he been fighting? How many had he fought and killed to get this far? And to think Amadeus had doubted his ability for even a second! What had he been thinking. Probably delirious from hunger, certainly.

Kesu had thinned the bodies severely in mere minutes. Somehow he managed to avoid tripping over the number of bodies on the floor. Kesu ducked a swinging sword from behind him yielded by one who was obviously Youkai, large and nearly feral by the looks of him. The kitsune turned the dodge into a swinging movement that brought him nearly a full turn, his right side to the demon with staff moving easily to parry the blade. A vicious back thrust planted the other end of the staff into another opponent’s face who’d been approaching from Kesu’s left side.

The kitsune drew one arm to his chest, twirling the staff in a high arc over his head and whamming it into the Youkai’s face, spraying blood as the demon went down. Kesu spun, completing a downward arc that smashed into the skull of the downed Youkai, just to be sure he’d stay down.

Amadeus blinked when Kesu dangled a key in front of the bars, slipping it into the lock, “How did you get that?”

“Please… I am a thief,” Kesu winked, opening the door. He turned and whapped an oncoming human upside the head, catching the mortal and handing him over to Deus, “Here… get your strength back.”

Kesu returned to the center of the room, defying the shadows with his silver light. Amadeus was torn between feeding and watching the beauty of the kitsune finishing off the rest of the opponents in the room. Finally Kesu turned and stretched his hand toward his lover. “Shall we depart?”

“Indeed,” Deus took his hand elegantly and stepped over bodies to accompany the fox out of the room, following easily as they traveled up and up with little resistance.

“Go ahead and go… I dare you,” that taunting voice, Amadeus knew it all too well.

Kesu looked back at his companion, blinking curiously. “The exit,” he nodded, not twenty meters ahead was indeed the main door that no doubt led outside. But Amadeus realized why the old vampire enemy had teased him about escaping.

“Kesu… the dawn,” Deus shook his head, glancing toward the shadows that had spoken.

“I dare the sunlight to screw with me right now,” Kesu snarled, whipping off his jacket and wrapping it tenderly around Deus, sneering at where the voice had come from. “He’s mine… fuck off.”

Kesu swept Amadeus off his feet, concealed within the softness of that sweater jacket that he had always joked was two times too big for Kesu. The kitsune bolted for the door, minions leaping from the shadows to stop him. He weaved and dodged, pelting out into the open Makai air at a flat run. Deus clung to his fox, feeling the air around him crackling with energy, daring a look up at the sky. Clouds were pouring towards them, driven by a vicious wind, drawing across the lightening sky.

Amadeus drew the jacket back over him, fighting himself to stay awake. “Kes…” he moaned.

“I know… I have a hiding place nearby… just another minute…” Kesu pushed himself faster, crashing suddenly through underbrush and dodging trees. “Right around… here,” he recognized the surroundings and ducked into what looked like merely a shallow indent in a rocky outcropping that actually dropped down into a long tunnel.

“Here… try to ignore the dust,” the kitsune laid Amadeus down on a less than entirely comfortable surface, but better than the stone floor of that cage. He slowly removed the jacket from around the vampire, caressing his face.

“Fox… that was… unbelievable…” Deus reached up, playing at strands of silver with motions that took a great deal of effort. “Are you all right?”

Kesu nodded, closing his eyes and pressing their foreheads together, “Just… used a lot of energy. Sleep Deus… we’ll move first thing this evening,” he ran slender fingers through beautiful white hair until he was confident the vampire had surrendered to that natural instinct of sleep, then joined him in resting.

~*~*~*~*~

Kesu forced his eyes open, blinking and adjusting to the darkness of his little cavern hiding place. Deus was sitting beside him, inspecting the staff Kesu had used. The kitsune forced himself up, finding his jacket had been laid over his shoulders, pulling it tighter around him as he drew his knees to his chest and shivered. It was a cold night.

“I never knew a piece of wood could be deadly,” Amadeus continued inspecting the staff. “Where did you learn to fight like that?”

“My old kitsune master… it’s training we all go through,” Kesu scooted closer.

“We?” Deus set the staff down, wrapping his arms around his fox and drawing him to his chest. He couldn’t offer him warmth, but he knew it would comfort the kitsune.

“Kitsune boys… at birth we’re taken from our parents and given to a teacher,” Kesu pressed his face against Deus’ neck.

“So you never knew your parents?”

“He was… the only thing I knew of family,” Kesu answered softly, shivering.

Amadeus held him, exchanging the pleasure of warmth for the comfort of being held. He ran his hands through that silver mass of silken hair, savoring the sweet smell of it. “You fought the known reality, went on a whim, defied all expectations of no doubt several dozen mortals and demons and one vampire, held back the dawn… just to find me?”

Kesu nodded, blinking, “Of course, koibito.”

“Thank you, fox,” Deus whispered, closing his eyes.

Kesu startled himself, blinking at the darkness, realizing he’d drifted back to sleep. Amadeus shushed him gently, caressing his hair so lovingly. “Should… get moving.”

“Fox you’re exhausted… I’m not worried. He could track us easily no matter where we are.”

“Too close… too close to relax,” Kesu struggled to get up, but found his body wouldn’t listen to him properly, leaving him yet in Amadeus’ arms, just a slightly different position.

“You really did over exert yourself,” Deus closed the jacket around him again, kissing his forehead. “Just rest.”

Kesu closed his eyes, letting himself be carried away by the feel of his lover’s touches, resting a moment before trying to draw ki to strengthen himself. Deus recognized the ripple in the air, the subtle breeze, but ignored it and just held him. He found himself listening to the kitsune’s heartbeat, realizing how fast and thready it was.

“Kesu… Kesu?” Amadeus pushed him away slightly, of course getting no resistance. “Are you all right?”

Kesu nodded, trying to slit his eyes open, but only getting that far before they fell shut once more. His skin was a terrible ashen tint, lips parted and breath raspy. Deus scowled and pulled him close again, listening to that heartbeat with worry. The breeze that had begun had faltered and died. The vampire still wasn’t sure how long he had watched Kesu just lay in bed in his room, mourning his lover’s ‘death’, but it had certainly been at least a week.

“Something’s wrong,” Deus pursued the issue.

“I can’t… my power… won’t answer me,” Kesu gasped, painfully.

“Silly fox… always in trouble,” Deus held him tighter. “You can’t sustain yourself with your power alone, human body, remember? All those days without eating, not even getting out of bed.”

Kesu blinked his eyes partially open, “How…”

“My dear host allowed me sight into your room with a servant creature, had a fun time torturing me about it.”

The kitsune’s body shuddered, his voice a mere whisper, if that, “I thought… what I saw…”

“Hush fox, I know… I know,” Deus had to consciously force himself to sound more tender, stroking back Kesu’s hair. “What matters is that you didn’t believe, you didn’t let the bastard trick you.”

A weak little grin crept across Kesu’s strung out features, “Can’t trick… a trickster.”

~*~*~*~*~

Kesu watched the last tendrils of light flee from the sky, gazing in the direction that fiend’s fortress, glaring actually. His power had finally kindled enough to answer him, drawing ki from the area to sustain the human body until they could get back to Ningenkai, which would have to be soon. Deus was right, he couldn’t ignore the fact he was still for all physical purposes, human.

“Kesu?” Amadeus emerged from that slender crevice that hid Kesu’s little den, sweeping his hair back and binding it before slipping up next to his lover.

“That vampire… you know him?” Kesu remained staring in the fortress’ direction.

“Yes, he’s an old… old enemy,” so old Amadeus could barely remember when the feud had began, and certainly couldn’t remember why.

Deus slipped his way between Kesu’s legs, encircling his arms around the kitsune’s waist. He could feel that… energy that had returned to his fox’s human form, a facile strength, but enough to get them back to Ningenkai. He noted the direction Kesu was gazing.

“He’s certainly moved by now, he wouldn’t remain there. Vampires don’t allow enemies to know where they rest in the day.”

Kesu nodded vaguely, pulling Deus close against him, finally tearing his eyes away, closing them as he nuzzled into the vampire’s beautiful white hair. He sighed heavily, trying to relax. Of course he would have fled already, the coward. Kesu knew where he had been, however, and that was good enough. He could track him from there.

“I will hunt him… and I will kill him,” Kesu whispered.

Amadeus pulled back slightly, frowning at his kitsune. “Kesu, you can’t be serious.”

“I am serious koibito… I’m going to kill him.”

“Kesu Hato, that is a vampire older than myself… you can’t just find him whenever you please and kill him that easily,” Amadeus scolded.

“I never said it would be easy, but I will find him,” Kesu met that piercing gaze with shining silver eyes. Deus could read them all too easily, the fox was serious about this quest.

Amadeus sighed, realizing he wasn’t going to change Kesu’s mind. At least, not at the moment. He still had that glassy look in his eyes, that determined expression that said he wasn’t going to yield. Damn fox could be stubborn for certain. Then again… he was the Silver Youko. No, this vampire was not from Makai, he was not like anyone else Kesu had ever assassinated. He and Victor had tangled with this fellow on more than several occasions, their only real reason for still being alive was that the fellow preferred playing with them instead of killing them. Deus feared he would have no such reservations about the kitsune.

Deus tried to forget about it, distract both himself and his lover from the topic. His hands slipped beneath Kesu’s jacket, beneath the gray tunic top, caressing his sides. He moved that touch upward, cradling the boy’s ribs for a moment, noting with a small shiver their protrusion.

“You need to get home fox, rest and eat,” Amadeus felt silly stating the obvious.

Kesu’s eyes wandered back to meet the vampire’s gaze, softer now, a little confused. His mind wasn’t entirely clear. Deus’ words weren’t so obvious to him. “I’m fine koibito,” he whispered, blinking those pretty silver eyes.

Deus switched tactics, “We should go to the temple, inform the Keeper of what happened, correct?”

Kesu blinked several more times, mulling over the words. Then he nodded slowly. “You’re right. I fear this has something to do with the mission before…”

“When you almost…”

Kesu’s nod spared Amadeus from completing the horrible sentence. He found himself rather unexpectedly burying himself into the kitsune’s chest, holding him tightly. What was the matter with him? Was that… fear? At a simple memory? Yeah right.

“Why do you believe this had something to do with that? Wasn’t that just a… scouting mission?”

“Yes koibito… but someone knew we were coming and laid a trap for us. Those Shadow youkai, they weren’t in those ruins on any permanent basis like we’d heard, they were just there waiting for us.”

Amadeus thought that over, not seeing any clear connection between the two. Then again, Kesu had barely been back in Ningen a day before that charade had been orchestrated, it was rather coincidental, a little too coincidental. Had the trap at the ruins been some sort of morbid assassination attempt at Kesu? Or just another way to draw Amadeus into a trap? Ugh, it was confusing whatever the hell it was.

Deus caught himself sighing in frustration, catching the attention of his fox. Kesu was trying to drag himself out of that… feeling, the one that made his voice sound hollow, like a daze. He nuzzled against his lover’s temple, slipping further from Kesu and more toward Sakon, the old defense of innocent humanity that felt so comforting.

“You think he was controlling the youkai?”

“There were several in his fortress… all of them from the same clan, koibito, I can not mistake that clan… Shadow Clan.”

“Why is that fox?” Deus drug himself from that embrace far enough to look into Kesu’s eyes. The silver was slowly teasing back to green, like tilting a jewel so slowly in the light.

“It was a Shadow youkai who killed me, a kyoushu, a Hunter, like I was… an assassin. Sent after me because I killed the leader of their Clan.”

“Always in trouble,” Deus didn’t even need to say it anymore, it was becoming canon.

“It was a job,” Kesu had slipped back into that hollow tone, but much softer now.

Kesu was starting to worry Amadeus, okay not staring, but getting much worse. “We should get back to your temple,” he finally spoke, very quietly.

He perceived the tremble in the kitsune’s body before the sound passed over his lips. It was unmistakably heartbreaking, the quietest, cutest little sob, almost silent. Deus slipped his arms around Kesu’s shoulders and pulled him down toward him. The kitsune slipped from the rock he was sitting on and knelt, grasping Deus around the waist and letting the vampire support him. Amadeus had no idea what had upset his fox so quickly, all he could do was hold him, shushing him gently, nuzzling into that wonderful hair, running his hands through it, trying anything and everything to calm Kesu down.

Kesu fought hard to get a grip on himself, ashamed to let anyone see him this broken down, especially Amadeus. The beautiful and noble vampire didn’t need a crying and sniveling half animal clinging to his chest. But his lover surprised him, holding him tenderly, comforting him.

Why had he even done that? What was this damn… sadness in him? He couldn’t… couldn’t think.

“You’re exhausted, fox, we need to get you back. You haven’t had a decent rest in a week,” Deus tilted his face up with a gentle touch to his jaw, cradling that elegant curve.

“Deus… who… who am I?” Kesu blinked large silver eyes up at his lover. They had the appearance of that human aspect, and yet the color of the kitsune power.

Amadeus cradled that beautiful, tear-streaked face in both hands, kissing him deeply. “You’re my fox, my pretty fox,” he kissed him again. He didn’t want to do it, but it seemed like he had to. He exerted a touch of mental influence onto the kitsune to get him to calm down.

Kesu gasped when he broke the kiss, melding against the smaller man, unable to fight that soothing wash that ran through his body. He was only vaguely aware that was Deus’ power over him, that convincing that everything was fine. It wasn’t fine, it would just be dealt with later.

At the moment they had to get out of Makai. Kesu was living solely on his magical feeding, exhausted to nearly losing that, and now suffering emotionally. Certainly he had suffered enough in the mourning caused by the charade of Deus’ death. That had been shoved away long enough to accomplish what he needed to, drawing back into that old Youko personality. Now he was confused, lost between the two, too weak and too upset to pull completely one way or the other.

“I’m sorry…” Kesu started.

“Shhh, none of that fox,” Deus scolded. “Let’s just get you back home, rest.”

Amadeus pulled Kesu easily to his feet, making sure the kitsune was stable enough. Kesu of course knew the way back to the Gate, easily, and it really wasn’t that far. They’d be back in Ningenkai before midnight without problem.

“Deus… tell me… that vampire?” Kesu stopped his lover for just one more moment, giving a last glance back to the fortress.

“Yes fox?” Amadeus blinked, curiously.

“What’s his name?” Kesu, the old Silver Dove, was back again, and he was ready to start hunting.

“Joshua Augustine.”

~*~*~*~*~

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