Intertwined Destinies (Chapter 31)
Ohno hissed as his mind finally caught up with the information that Nino had given him. He stared at the man who was now in front of him, talking to Aiba in hushed voices. He frowned a little as his eyes wandered to Jun, who was in front of their small group. He now understood at least the hatred in the other man. It explained so much.
His first thought was to run up to Nino and demand an explanation from the other man, but he held himself back. He didn’t understand why Nino did what he did. He was kind to him if sometimes a little cold. God, Nino should hate him, his family. At the same time, his father had told him horror stories about the Ninomiya family and how they treated the people, and he should fear the other, but… But Nino was a nice person. He was complicated, Ohno knew that. He did things Ohno didn’t fully understand most of the time, but he was driven and seemed to know exactly what he was doing and had to do.
Ohno supposed this new knowledge should make him hate Nino. Still, to him, Nino was still the beautiful, young, mysterious man he had gotten to know over the last few weeks. A small sigh left his lips. He would help Nino however he could, Ohno had already decided that. This knowledge didn’t change that even if that meant probably that Nino might kill him in the end as well to be free of his family.
“The brooding look doesn’t fit you, my lord,” Aiba’s voice brought him out of his musings with confusion.
“What are you talking about?”
“My lord, what is going through your mind?”
“Thoughts,” Ohno said with a wry smile.
Aiba nodded in understanding. He sighed as he looked to the front where the others were, with Jun glaring at Nino who was frowning as he stared at the floor. “Just don’t take to long and I hope that you wouldn’t break the trust I put in you,” he said as he walked faster again to put an arm around Nino.
Ohno rolled his eyes slightly, but not without amusement. It was something that he had expected to be honest. Aiba was very protective of Nino and Ohno wasn’t sure if it was needed at all.
“My lord, are you coming?” Jun called, and Ohno was about to fasten his steps when a growl stopped him mid-step. He turned around to be met by a beast breaking through the line of trees.
Ohno stumbled back with a yell lifting his sword to defend himself when it advanced to their group.
Nino swore when he saw what was happening. “Stay back!” he said, shoving Jun out of the way when the guard made to stand beside his lord.
“No,” Jun shouted as he tried to get to his lord to help him when there was a source of energy pushing him back. He groaned when he hit the stump of a tree with a thud.
“Masaki hold him,” Nino growled as he stepped over the man. His eyes were blazing in a yellow glow as he finally managed to get in between Ohno and the beast. He pushed him back carefully as to not hurt Ohno or himself with the drawn sword.
Masaki moved swiftly to keep Jun away from the other two men. He knew that it was mostly because Nino didn’t trust his powers yet, and without a person too close, it was safer for him to attack. Ohno being so close was difficult enough. He stared at his long friend, hoping that Nino was as strong as he should be.
Ohno stood behind Nino when the other pushed him softly further. He didn’t want to hinder Nino who was looking seriously as the beast stood in front of them. Ohno didn’t know why but at least it didn’t advance forwards anymore. He stared at the … thing, trying to work out what it was. It was bigger than any animal he had ever seen before, and he couldn’t place it anywhere.
Nino had his arms up to the height of his chest, his palms pointing outward to the attacker. Ohno shuddered when he felt the power coming off of Nino in waves. He was surprised that Nino was able to do so without Niji around, honestly.
“You don’t belong to this world,” Nino said in a soft voice. His hands began to glow slightly, and he stepped closer to the beast.
“What will a little human like you do against that? You four will make a good meal.”
Nino snorted a little as he put his hands in front of his chest. He closed his eyes, saying a small prayer, before opening his eyes again and looking at the beast there.
“How lucky then that I am no mere human, right?” he asked with a grin. He moved his fingers, too fast for Ohno’s eyes to follow, and just a few minutes later, a blue light appeared where the beast had been, and when it vanished there was nothing left.
Nino let out a breath before his eyes closed and he collapsed into himself or would if not for Ohno who let go of his sword in favour of catching the younger man before he could fall.
-
“Is he okay?” Ohno asked when Aiba looked up from where he had examined Nino.
They had settled down after Nino had fainted in his arms and now Ohno was anxious about the other as he had not yet woken up.
“Exhausted,” Aiba said as he rubbed his chin. “Which is not surprising. He used way too much energy to ban that demon,” he said, clicking his tongue. “Then again, it was the first. It was probably to be expected.”
“So it was a demon then?”
“A hell hound, yes,” Aiba said as he sat down finally. “They will appear more often. And with them other creatures. That’s why he is so worried.”
“That is why he wants to go to the city?”
“Yes, the king must be stopped before he opens the crack further.”
“Which crack? What are you talking about?” Jun said with a frown. “And how can you speak so calmly about killing another man. Aren’t you supposed to be a priest?”
“I am not talking about it calmly. But I know what must be done. I got taught as much by his family. The same I got taught about the old Gods and how this world came to existence and the fate that awaits humankind if the dragons leave this world.”
“I still can’t follow,” Jun said bristling slightly as the other stared him down.
Ohno sighed as he sat down beside Nino and caressed his temple. “You really need to stop fainting on me,” he mumbled as he made sure that Nino was laid down more comfortable.
“I don’t think he did it on purpose,” Aiba said, his eyes dancing in amusement. He sighed as he clapped his hands and got up, maybe realising that Ohno wished to be alone with Nino and not talk about this.
“Help me find firewood, and I tell you more if you are a good boy,” Aiba said to Jun who grumbled but got up. Ohno didn’t know if it was because of curiosity or because Jun thought it was part of his duties to make sure they were warm during the night, but he nodded to Jun when he looked at him for a second.
“Make sure he drinks that, my lord. It will help him to feel better,” he ordered.
“Yes, thank you.”
Aiba nodded and then he left with Jun in tow. Ohno sighed as he caressed Nino’s forehead. He couldn’t help himself. He looked peaceful like that, he thought with a small frown.
“I wonder,” he mumbled to himself as he tried to get more comfortable. “Did your mother know how you would suffer when she carried you under her heart?” There was, of course, no answer, since Nino was still out of it. “And would she still have born you if she did?”
A small smile was on his face as his fingers caressed the soft lips, he wondered how it would feel to kiss them. They felt soft on his skin, after all. “And still, and still, Kazu, I’m very thankful that you are here now. Even if that makes me a bad guy.”
“Are you always talking to me when I sleep?” Nino murmured as he blinked his eyes open. He tried to sit up, groaning when he felt his muscles protest with the movement.
“Only when I think you are unconscious,” Ohno said, trying hard not to blush as he propped Nino up. “Drink this. And maybe I will talk to you properly.”
There was a small, shy smile on Nino’s face as he obediently drank the bitter connection Ohno held out from him. He tried hard not to spit it out and closed his eyes when he felt his stomach warming up.
“So you worked it out?”
“Yes, and I wonder if I should call you, your highness, or something like that now,” Ohno said with furrowed brows as he looked him over.
“I will hit you, if you start that,” Nino warned before lifting an eyebrow. “What is wrong?”
“I saw you naked,” Ohno stated.
Nino nodded slowly. “Yes, shortly after we met. You watched me taking a bath,” he said with a small glare as he remembered that.
“I wonder… You have no mark.”
Nino sighed deeply. “You humans are so easy minded. That is why dark forces can take over you so easily.”
“No, they can’t. There are no dark forces anywhere… Okay, that demon probably counts,” he allowed after another look from Nino.
“I didn’t mean that,” Nino said as he carefully opened his robe. He slipped out of the sleeves and let the cloth pool around his waist.
Ohno’s eyes wandered over the pale, flawless skin of Nino’s body, following the lines and trying hard not to stare or blush. But Nino was a very beautiful man, and he was very attracted to him.
Nino’s fingers traced the skin on his hip, to the middle of his back. Ohno’s eyes followed the movement. Just so holding back to hunt them with his own fingers as well when his eyes widened as dark lines appeared on the flawless skin.
“People having magical marks, of course, have the magic to hide them,” Nino explained softly.
Ohno looked up into Nino’s face again before his eyes fell onto the mark. Now he wasn’t able to hold back anymore, and his fingers soon touched the warm skin, tracing the dark lines, not realising the goosebumps appearing on Nino’s body at his touch.
His first thought was to run up to Nino and demand an explanation from the other man, but he held himself back. He didn’t understand why Nino did what he did. He was kind to him if sometimes a little cold. God, Nino should hate him, his family. At the same time, his father had told him horror stories about the Ninomiya family and how they treated the people, and he should fear the other, but… But Nino was a nice person. He was complicated, Ohno knew that. He did things Ohno didn’t fully understand most of the time, but he was driven and seemed to know exactly what he was doing and had to do.
Ohno supposed this new knowledge should make him hate Nino. Still, to him, Nino was still the beautiful, young, mysterious man he had gotten to know over the last few weeks. A small sigh left his lips. He would help Nino however he could, Ohno had already decided that. This knowledge didn’t change that even if that meant probably that Nino might kill him in the end as well to be free of his family.
“The brooding look doesn’t fit you, my lord,” Aiba’s voice brought him out of his musings with confusion.
“What are you talking about?”
“My lord, what is going through your mind?”
“Thoughts,” Ohno said with a wry smile.
Aiba nodded in understanding. He sighed as he looked to the front where the others were, with Jun glaring at Nino who was frowning as he stared at the floor. “Just don’t take to long and I hope that you wouldn’t break the trust I put in you,” he said as he walked faster again to put an arm around Nino.
Ohno rolled his eyes slightly, but not without amusement. It was something that he had expected to be honest. Aiba was very protective of Nino and Ohno wasn’t sure if it was needed at all.
“My lord, are you coming?” Jun called, and Ohno was about to fasten his steps when a growl stopped him mid-step. He turned around to be met by a beast breaking through the line of trees.
Ohno stumbled back with a yell lifting his sword to defend himself when it advanced to their group.
Nino swore when he saw what was happening. “Stay back!” he said, shoving Jun out of the way when the guard made to stand beside his lord.
“No,” Jun shouted as he tried to get to his lord to help him when there was a source of energy pushing him back. He groaned when he hit the stump of a tree with a thud.
“Masaki hold him,” Nino growled as he stepped over the man. His eyes were blazing in a yellow glow as he finally managed to get in between Ohno and the beast. He pushed him back carefully as to not hurt Ohno or himself with the drawn sword.
Masaki moved swiftly to keep Jun away from the other two men. He knew that it was mostly because Nino didn’t trust his powers yet, and without a person too close, it was safer for him to attack. Ohno being so close was difficult enough. He stared at his long friend, hoping that Nino was as strong as he should be.
Ohno stood behind Nino when the other pushed him softly further. He didn’t want to hinder Nino who was looking seriously as the beast stood in front of them. Ohno didn’t know why but at least it didn’t advance forwards anymore. He stared at the … thing, trying to work out what it was. It was bigger than any animal he had ever seen before, and he couldn’t place it anywhere.
Nino had his arms up to the height of his chest, his palms pointing outward to the attacker. Ohno shuddered when he felt the power coming off of Nino in waves. He was surprised that Nino was able to do so without Niji around, honestly.
“You don’t belong to this world,” Nino said in a soft voice. His hands began to glow slightly, and he stepped closer to the beast.
“What will a little human like you do against that? You four will make a good meal.”
Nino snorted a little as he put his hands in front of his chest. He closed his eyes, saying a small prayer, before opening his eyes again and looking at the beast there.
“How lucky then that I am no mere human, right?” he asked with a grin. He moved his fingers, too fast for Ohno’s eyes to follow, and just a few minutes later, a blue light appeared where the beast had been, and when it vanished there was nothing left.
Nino let out a breath before his eyes closed and he collapsed into himself or would if not for Ohno who let go of his sword in favour of catching the younger man before he could fall.
-
“Is he okay?” Ohno asked when Aiba looked up from where he had examined Nino.
They had settled down after Nino had fainted in his arms and now Ohno was anxious about the other as he had not yet woken up.
“Exhausted,” Aiba said as he rubbed his chin. “Which is not surprising. He used way too much energy to ban that demon,” he said, clicking his tongue. “Then again, it was the first. It was probably to be expected.”
“So it was a demon then?”
“A hell hound, yes,” Aiba said as he sat down finally. “They will appear more often. And with them other creatures. That’s why he is so worried.”
“That is why he wants to go to the city?”
“Yes, the king must be stopped before he opens the crack further.”
“Which crack? What are you talking about?” Jun said with a frown. “And how can you speak so calmly about killing another man. Aren’t you supposed to be a priest?”
“I am not talking about it calmly. But I know what must be done. I got taught as much by his family. The same I got taught about the old Gods and how this world came to existence and the fate that awaits humankind if the dragons leave this world.”
“I still can’t follow,” Jun said bristling slightly as the other stared him down.
Ohno sighed as he sat down beside Nino and caressed his temple. “You really need to stop fainting on me,” he mumbled as he made sure that Nino was laid down more comfortable.
“I don’t think he did it on purpose,” Aiba said, his eyes dancing in amusement. He sighed as he clapped his hands and got up, maybe realising that Ohno wished to be alone with Nino and not talk about this.
“Help me find firewood, and I tell you more if you are a good boy,” Aiba said to Jun who grumbled but got up. Ohno didn’t know if it was because of curiosity or because Jun thought it was part of his duties to make sure they were warm during the night, but he nodded to Jun when he looked at him for a second.
“Make sure he drinks that, my lord. It will help him to feel better,” he ordered.
“Yes, thank you.”
Aiba nodded and then he left with Jun in tow. Ohno sighed as he caressed Nino’s forehead. He couldn’t help himself. He looked peaceful like that, he thought with a small frown.
“I wonder,” he mumbled to himself as he tried to get more comfortable. “Did your mother know how you would suffer when she carried you under her heart?” There was, of course, no answer, since Nino was still out of it. “And would she still have born you if she did?”
A small smile was on his face as his fingers caressed the soft lips, he wondered how it would feel to kiss them. They felt soft on his skin, after all. “And still, and still, Kazu, I’m very thankful that you are here now. Even if that makes me a bad guy.”
“Are you always talking to me when I sleep?” Nino murmured as he blinked his eyes open. He tried to sit up, groaning when he felt his muscles protest with the movement.
“Only when I think you are unconscious,” Ohno said, trying hard not to blush as he propped Nino up. “Drink this. And maybe I will talk to you properly.”
There was a small, shy smile on Nino’s face as he obediently drank the bitter connection Ohno held out from him. He tried hard not to spit it out and closed his eyes when he felt his stomach warming up.
“So you worked it out?”
“Yes, and I wonder if I should call you, your highness, or something like that now,” Ohno said with furrowed brows as he looked him over.
“I will hit you, if you start that,” Nino warned before lifting an eyebrow. “What is wrong?”
“I saw you naked,” Ohno stated.
Nino nodded slowly. “Yes, shortly after we met. You watched me taking a bath,” he said with a small glare as he remembered that.
“I wonder… You have no mark.”
Nino sighed deeply. “You humans are so easy minded. That is why dark forces can take over you so easily.”
“No, they can’t. There are no dark forces anywhere… Okay, that demon probably counts,” he allowed after another look from Nino.
“I didn’t mean that,” Nino said as he carefully opened his robe. He slipped out of the sleeves and let the cloth pool around his waist.
Ohno’s eyes wandered over the pale, flawless skin of Nino’s body, following the lines and trying hard not to stare or blush. But Nino was a very beautiful man, and he was very attracted to him.
Nino’s fingers traced the skin on his hip, to the middle of his back. Ohno’s eyes followed the movement. Just so holding back to hunt them with his own fingers as well when his eyes widened as dark lines appeared on the flawless skin.
“People having magical marks, of course, have the magic to hide them,” Nino explained softly.
Ohno looked up into Nino’s face again before his eyes fell onto the mark. Now he wasn’t able to hold back anymore, and his fingers soon touched the warm skin, tracing the dark lines, not realising the goosebumps appearing on Nino’s body at his touch.