There will be magic, chapter 16, RukixKai, RukaxYomi
Title: There will be magic
Author: yukigafuru
Chapters: 16/?
Pairings: RukaxYomi, KaixRuki for now
Bands: Gazette, Naitomea, D... (and a surprise)
Rating: PG-15 for now
Warnings: will be angst, yaoi, a bit of gore here and there
Genre: AU, Angst, Romance
Disclaimer: I am not connected to the real persons. This is just a figment of my imagination and I don't make any money nor profit in any way out of this (well, except gathering your love that is).
Summary: The age of magic and mystery is coming towards its end. But what if someone that has the gift to see the future can join forces with others who have the power to stop it? What will be born then? What will be found?
Chapter 16
Asagi couldn't understand why didn't he see any visions. Surely the future must have changed greatly now that they had Ruki with them; and they didn't just have him, Ruki and Kai were in love. That meant that their chances of completing the quest had just sky-rocketed. The panther was one of the keys of the story after all.
Then what? Could his gift, or better said, his curse, be abandoning him? Betraying him? Or was some other force interfering? Lost in his thoughts, Asagi didn't notice Yomi approaching.
The little kitsune had just barely managed to escape Ruka's arms (and lips) and seeing the seer submerged into what appeared to be painful thoughts, Yomi decided to talk with Asagi.
“Why do you worry so much, Asagi?” he asked, in what he hoped was his 'I'm just worried about you' voice and not the inquisitive one.
“I just...”
“You know, even if you have no more visions, we'd still be able to go on.”
Shell-shocked, Asagi could only shape a 'what' with his lips, unable to let the sounds out.
“You have seen the faces of the actors, haven't you? And you do know what it is we're supposed to do. More than any of us, anyway. So there's really no need to torture yourself with scenarios of death and failure... You're allowed to feel, Asagi.”
“No...” A parched voice replied. The seer didn't know if Yomi realized it but, without the visions, Asagi was nothing, no one, he had nothing. “Without the visions, we wouldn't be able to know how to save the...” He stopped.
“Wouldn't we? You know, Asagi, lately I've started to think that if it's meant to happen, it will happen. I don't know to what extent we can control our own destiny, but I'd like to think we definitely aren't meant to be toyed around with. My love for Ruka is certainly not a result of...”
“No, I didn't... I'm not...” He wasn't toying around with anyone, was he? He, himself, felt like he was the play thing of fate, sure, but was he unwillingly making the others feel the same way? Was he hurting them? Should he care? He shouldn't, should he? The visions were him, his role, his destiny, his curse, his death... sure, Yomi could talk about being able to control your fate or your body and feelings, but Asagi knew better. He had control over nothing, even his body was tainted by the visions. “I'm nothing without these visions, Yomi.” He finally said, his voice cold as a December wind.
Yomi's face softened further and his eyes became glossy. And in one fluid move, Yomi was embracing the crunched over seer.
“You're you, Asagi.”
There is no 'me', little one, Asagi would have said. But he kept quiet, knowing that there was no way Yomi could understand, there was no way anyone could understand. He was alone facing the chilling winds, him and his fate, and there would never be anyone to stand by him...
…........................................
“So where do we go from here?” The king asked.
No one answered. Except Asagi, no one had the remotest idea.
“What if we go back into town and ask around a bit?” Ruka suggested.
“I really don't think they'd be willing to share anything with us right now.” Kai answered sheepishly. He had destroyed a good part of the town after all... And he hated the way his love would start shivering if that blasted place was even mentioned. No, better to leave now, far, far away from here, to a place where Ruki could heal.
“Kai, when you scouted to find the town, what else did you see? What lies beyond it?” The king asked.
“That's the weird thing. I couldn't see much beyond it. I think that on the other side there are more forests. But I could only see the first lines of trees. Further than that, thick mist was surrounding everything. I don't even know if the forest completely surrounds this plateau or if there is still some way around it.”
“I have this vague impression that we're supposed to go through that mist...” The king joked. “Things are never easy for us, after all.” Everyone could agree with that.
“Asagi, why don't you tell them?” Ruki's clear voice resounded in the air.
“What?” The surprised seer reacted. Damn, he was either losing his touch or he was becoming way too easy to read. Yomi earlier and now Ruki? Although the panther...
“That you're scared.” Everyone gaped and the king snapped his head towards his seer. Asagi, afraid? “That you don't want them to go through there.”
“I...” Asagi had the insane urge to wrap his arms around himself, prevent the shivers that coursed through his body. The king did that for him, enveloping him in a warm embrace. It was warm enough to make his heart beat a little slower and allow him to answer. “It's just that I haven't had any visions since Kai saved you, Ruki. And in the previous one, when we went through that mist...” Asagi shuddered to think about it. The seer closed his eyes, although that could not erase the images burned deeply in his mind.
“But that just means we have to go through there, doesn't it?” The king said. “There's one thing I've figured out about your visions: they never show you things you needn't do. They show you markings, pieces of the puzzle that are indispensable, but they never let you know what is it the puzzle is supposed to look like. And in fact, the puzzle itself changes constantly. It's just those pieces that don't.”
“Like a map.” Yomi said. “When you mark the towns and maybe the roads, but you leave empty large places in between.”
“So if your visions showed that we have to go though there, then we won't be able to go another way anyway. So why not barge in?” The dragon snickered.
“No one is getting killed or hurt this time.” Ruka growled and put his arms possessively around his lover, making a flushed kitsune out of Yomi. “I promise that.”
Kai just tightened his fist until it hurt, silently agreeing with the vampire. He'd rather tear himself apart than let anything happen to Ruki.
“So then it's settled? In the morning, we cross through town and head towards the mist on the other side.” The dragon resumed. Everyone, except Ruki nodded.
A few hours later... when the sun was already preparing to retire for the day, and the six of them were getting ready to eat and then go to bed...
“Ruki, you have nothing to fear. Not while I'm with you. You don't have to tremble every time you hear that we need to come into contact with humans.”
“It's not that, Kai. I don't hate all of them...”
“You don't?” Kai asked. How could he not, he wondered to himself.
“No, there are some humans that are very sweet and gentle and kind... They're not all cruel...”
“Could you tell me?” Kai wanted to know more of the other's life.
“Someday, Kai, I will. It's just... that place brings so many bad memories. I've been in that town for a long, long time, longer than in any other place and there's just so many bad memories...” Ruki's voice cracked towards the end.
Kai just wound his arms tighter around the frail being in his arms and stopped asking questions that were upsetting his lover. There was plenty of time for Ruki to open up to him. It didn't need all be in one day. In the meantime, Kai could be the one to share with Ruki.
“You know, Ruka and I used to be childhood sweethearts.” Kai snickered.
“What?” Ruki asked, his eyes already blazing towards the vampire.
The roc chuckled. Oh, he had his panther's attention now, didn't he?
“It was hundreds of years ago. When the dragons and rocs and vampires were allies. The three of us saw each other often back then. We used to go exploring the palaces. The one that would get in trouble every single time would always be the king though. You see, Ruka, his senses were really sharp back then too, so even if he somehow got lost or into trouble, he'd always count on that to get himself out of it. He never relied on anyone. Me, well, I just used my brains. But the dragon, he loved the adventure, discovering all the hidden secrets of the castles and he used to say that all the fun would be gone if he used his powers. He stubbornly held on to that, even when he was hurt or lost. He never once used them.
And one day, it was my turn to get lost actually. I don't know what happened. We were playing hide and seek one minute and the next, I had fallen through a trap door and found myself somewhere deep withing the catacombs of the vampire lord's castle. And those are some catacombs. You could spend an eternity in there. I tried to use my magic, but it wasn't working. Later, I found out, that there are protection spells that don't allow anyone but the vampire lord's family to use magic in there.
So I wondered around the place, filled with the creepiest things you could ever imagine. You'd think catacombs are used to store tombs, right? And that should be scary enough. But well, the vampires don't die that easily, so instead of a cemetery, that place had become some sort of prison or torture chamber or storage place... only the lord knew what in heavens that space was supposed to be anyway. I found rooms filled with dried bones, others filled with priceless artifacts, others with torture devices, some even had wild beasts that scared the shit out of me, I tell you...
But the scariest thing was that I didn't know how to get out of there. I didn't even know how much time had passed. I was tired and weary and scared and had probably given up at some point, when, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, the smaller version of today's Ruka launches himself at me. I was scared out of my whits for a second there. I didn't even realize it when I had started crying.
Ruka just held me, and when I calmed down, took me out of that place. He used his powers, of course. He told me later that he had sensed me down there. I was still pretty out of it for a week or so, though, and the vampire and the dragon noticed. They tried everything to get me to play with them again, but I just stubbornly stayed in the castle's beautiful gardens.
One morning, Ruka came to me.
“I promise you that nothing will happen to you anymore. I will always be at your side.”
I was really happy to hear that, and flustered. Maybe I had a bit of a crush on the vampire back then. I got even more flustered when I heard Ruka declaring:
“And I couldn't let anything happen to my future bride anyway.”
After that, we started playing around again. And the years passed. I grew up. We all did. And somehow that day's promise became just a memory. I wonder if Ruka even remembers it anymore.”
Kai had gotten so absorbed into the story that he hadn't noticed Ruki tighten up like a string next to him, so he couldn't react fast enough when Ruki suddenly bounced and shot himself at Ruka.
“Kai is mine!” Ruki's voice thundered in the air, shocking everyone else. Ruka was just staring at the panther, not understanding what the hell the panther was talking about. “You're marrying him over my dead body!”
Ruka just stared. “Marry Kai?” The vampire was saved from Ruki's wrath by the same flustered roc.
“Really, Ru... We were kids. I bet he doesn't even remember it anymore. And I have no plans of marrying the vampire anyway. Too much bad blood runs in the family...” Kai tried to joke. Ruki was still glaring daggers. “Ruki, I love you. I'm gonna marry you. So come back to bed with me, love.” Ruki simply deflated at that and gave up the glaring contest he had started.
“Really, Ru, I never thought you'd be able to get that jealous over something like that. It was ages ago... I love you.”
“And I love you, Kai. But if you ever, ever, even think about any other promises of marriage you might have made in your life, I will personally tie you up to a tree and never let you go.”
“Mmmm, that doesn't sound too bad actually. So this would not be a good time to tell you about the thousands of candidates to the throne that are just waiting for me to come back home?” Kai asked, wriggling his eyebrows, putting on a devilish grin.
Ruki growled and Kai jumped. Soon enough, the roc's kisses made Ruki forget not only about the other marriage proposals, but even his own name.
“You really are too cute, Ru.” Kai whispered later towards his tired, sleeping lover. And then cuddled closer to him. Oh, who needed dinner, any way?
In the meantime...
As soon as Ruki left, the vampire exhaled. That had been weird. He was happy his lover wasn't a jealous one. Speaking of his lover... he turned towards him. Uhoh... maybe he had spoken too early.
“Baby... I promise I have no idea what Ruki was talking about.”
A seething kitsune, his arms crossed over his chest, his body wound up tight as a spring, his lips drawn tightly together, was glaring at his vampire lover.
“Well, baby...” Yomi stressed the endearing word, making it sound like a threat instead...” You better remember it fast because otherwise...”
Ruka definitely didn't like the way Yomi's anger made his powers rise and rise, so fast in fact that to his vampire eyes, Yomi glowed with power and rage at the moment. What had he done to deserve this?
“Yomi, I promise you that I do not nor have ever loved Kai more than friends. And even that was a long time a... Oops.” Ruka suddenly remembered. Yomi caught on.
“So you were saying?” Yomi's cold tone warned Ruka that he better talk fast.
“It was nothing, baby. We were kids and I remember him feeling bad and helpless once and me trying to raise his spirits and... well, telling him he'll be my bride one day.” Ruka rushed through the last part.
Yomi's anger deflated as sudden as it had begun.
“Oh, it was just that? Well, I guess almost everyone has a memory like that.” And he turned away. This time, it was Ruka's turn to jump.
“What? Whomever did you make that promise too?”
Yomi turned around and his eyes were as piercing as before. Ruka gulped.
“Wouldn't you like to know?”
Damn it, the vampire was pretty sure Yomi hadn't been so volatile before, had he?
“Would you like to add something, honey...” Yomi's voice seemed like sweet venom to Ruka. Damn it! And Yomi getting closer was not getting better. “Now tell me, love, do you have perchance any suitors back home, like Kai does?” Yomi inquired.
“Me? Whatever makes you think that? Haha... Who would want to marry the grouchy vampire king anyway?” Ruka joked. Bad idea. Because at once, the fiery Yomi from before was gone and instead, he seemed sad and on the verge of crying. Ruka swore. Was this the effects of Yomi's powers mutating or was there more to it? The vampire didn't waste anytime in embracing his kitsune.
“Love, I swear that I couldn't give a damn who would want to marry me. I am not engaged and unless it's you I find down that altar, I have no plans to ever marry.”
“I'm sorry, Ruka. I don't know what came over me. But just the idea of losing you. You're everything to me, Ruka, I can't lose you.” Yomi almost sobbed.
“Baby, you have me and just like I'll never let you go, I'm positive you'll never let me go either.” and Ruka quite franly had had enough of chatting for the night, so he sealed Yomi's lips in a fiery kiss, adoring the shyness Yomi still had when kissing him, the way he would rather let himself be led by Ruka, the way his body would just become putty in his hands. Yomi's touch, his taste, his smell, his very being, and his angry voice earlier had made Ruka one aroused vampire. That's why he really couldn't contain himself anymore and his fangs breached again the soft skin, sucking in the wonderful elixir. Yomi just leaned his head more, exposing even more of his neck, letting his blood mingle with the vampire's, moaning softly.
In no time, starts exploded behind their eye lids and the two lovers collapsed one next to the other.
“Ruka, I love you.” Yomi sighed. “And I want more of you.” He added in a whisper, knowing the vampire's senses would pick it up anyway.
“And I want you, Yomi. But you're not yet ready to bond with me.” Ruka answered, in the same soft tones. He never wanted to hurt his love. He knew what Yomi was asking of him, and he wanted it more than anything else too, but he would never risk hurting his lover.
“Why? Is there something wrong with me?” Yomi asked and his voice cracked, revealing his insecurities.
“No, love, of course not. But bonding for vampires isn't exactly... And for the lords, it's... Damn, this is so hard to explain. Baby, if I try to bond with you now, I might end up killing you.” Ruka confessed.
“Why?” Yomi couldn't understand.
“Because I'm dead, Yomi.” Ruka softly answered and the kitsune felt the pain in the other's tone and he let it rest. He knew Ruka loved him more than anything and that someday they would be married, and that was enough for now. Tired, the kitsune closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber.
Ruka watched the light of the fire creating a play of light and shade on his lover's beautiful features and his heart hurt. He hurt for making Yomi suffer, even if there was nothing he could really do to make it better. And who knew when they'd be able to marry? When this quest would be over...
A/N Because of the holidays and all, I decided to leave the more heavy stuff for the next chapters, so this one was a bit of fluff, a bit of angst and a bit of mystery. Happy New Year to all my lovely readers. Hugs
Author: yukigafuru
Chapters: 16/?
Pairings: RukaxYomi, KaixRuki for now
Bands: Gazette, Naitomea, D... (and a surprise)
Rating: PG-15 for now
Warnings: will be angst, yaoi, a bit of gore here and there
Genre: AU, Angst, Romance
Disclaimer: I am not connected to the real persons. This is just a figment of my imagination and I don't make any money nor profit in any way out of this (well, except gathering your love that is).
Summary: The age of magic and mystery is coming towards its end. But what if someone that has the gift to see the future can join forces with others who have the power to stop it? What will be born then? What will be found?
Chapter 16
Asagi couldn't understand why didn't he see any visions. Surely the future must have changed greatly now that they had Ruki with them; and they didn't just have him, Ruki and Kai were in love. That meant that their chances of completing the quest had just sky-rocketed. The panther was one of the keys of the story after all.
Then what? Could his gift, or better said, his curse, be abandoning him? Betraying him? Or was some other force interfering? Lost in his thoughts, Asagi didn't notice Yomi approaching.
The little kitsune had just barely managed to escape Ruka's arms (and lips) and seeing the seer submerged into what appeared to be painful thoughts, Yomi decided to talk with Asagi.
“Why do you worry so much, Asagi?” he asked, in what he hoped was his 'I'm just worried about you' voice and not the inquisitive one.
“I just...”
“You know, even if you have no more visions, we'd still be able to go on.”
Shell-shocked, Asagi could only shape a 'what' with his lips, unable to let the sounds out.
“You have seen the faces of the actors, haven't you? And you do know what it is we're supposed to do. More than any of us, anyway. So there's really no need to torture yourself with scenarios of death and failure... You're allowed to feel, Asagi.”
“No...” A parched voice replied. The seer didn't know if Yomi realized it but, without the visions, Asagi was nothing, no one, he had nothing. “Without the visions, we wouldn't be able to know how to save the...” He stopped.
“Wouldn't we? You know, Asagi, lately I've started to think that if it's meant to happen, it will happen. I don't know to what extent we can control our own destiny, but I'd like to think we definitely aren't meant to be toyed around with. My love for Ruka is certainly not a result of...”
“No, I didn't... I'm not...” He wasn't toying around with anyone, was he? He, himself, felt like he was the play thing of fate, sure, but was he unwillingly making the others feel the same way? Was he hurting them? Should he care? He shouldn't, should he? The visions were him, his role, his destiny, his curse, his death... sure, Yomi could talk about being able to control your fate or your body and feelings, but Asagi knew better. He had control over nothing, even his body was tainted by the visions. “I'm nothing without these visions, Yomi.” He finally said, his voice cold as a December wind.
Yomi's face softened further and his eyes became glossy. And in one fluid move, Yomi was embracing the crunched over seer.
“You're you, Asagi.”
There is no 'me', little one, Asagi would have said. But he kept quiet, knowing that there was no way Yomi could understand, there was no way anyone could understand. He was alone facing the chilling winds, him and his fate, and there would never be anyone to stand by him...
…........................................
“So where do we go from here?” The king asked.
No one answered. Except Asagi, no one had the remotest idea.
“What if we go back into town and ask around a bit?” Ruka suggested.
“I really don't think they'd be willing to share anything with us right now.” Kai answered sheepishly. He had destroyed a good part of the town after all... And he hated the way his love would start shivering if that blasted place was even mentioned. No, better to leave now, far, far away from here, to a place where Ruki could heal.
“Kai, when you scouted to find the town, what else did you see? What lies beyond it?” The king asked.
“That's the weird thing. I couldn't see much beyond it. I think that on the other side there are more forests. But I could only see the first lines of trees. Further than that, thick mist was surrounding everything. I don't even know if the forest completely surrounds this plateau or if there is still some way around it.”
“I have this vague impression that we're supposed to go through that mist...” The king joked. “Things are never easy for us, after all.” Everyone could agree with that.
“Asagi, why don't you tell them?” Ruki's clear voice resounded in the air.
“What?” The surprised seer reacted. Damn, he was either losing his touch or he was becoming way too easy to read. Yomi earlier and now Ruki? Although the panther...
“That you're scared.” Everyone gaped and the king snapped his head towards his seer. Asagi, afraid? “That you don't want them to go through there.”
“I...” Asagi had the insane urge to wrap his arms around himself, prevent the shivers that coursed through his body. The king did that for him, enveloping him in a warm embrace. It was warm enough to make his heart beat a little slower and allow him to answer. “It's just that I haven't had any visions since Kai saved you, Ruki. And in the previous one, when we went through that mist...” Asagi shuddered to think about it. The seer closed his eyes, although that could not erase the images burned deeply in his mind.
“But that just means we have to go through there, doesn't it?” The king said. “There's one thing I've figured out about your visions: they never show you things you needn't do. They show you markings, pieces of the puzzle that are indispensable, but they never let you know what is it the puzzle is supposed to look like. And in fact, the puzzle itself changes constantly. It's just those pieces that don't.”
“Like a map.” Yomi said. “When you mark the towns and maybe the roads, but you leave empty large places in between.”
“So if your visions showed that we have to go though there, then we won't be able to go another way anyway. So why not barge in?” The dragon snickered.
“No one is getting killed or hurt this time.” Ruka growled and put his arms possessively around his lover, making a flushed kitsune out of Yomi. “I promise that.”
Kai just tightened his fist until it hurt, silently agreeing with the vampire. He'd rather tear himself apart than let anything happen to Ruki.
“So then it's settled? In the morning, we cross through town and head towards the mist on the other side.” The dragon resumed. Everyone, except Ruki nodded.
A few hours later... when the sun was already preparing to retire for the day, and the six of them were getting ready to eat and then go to bed...
“Ruki, you have nothing to fear. Not while I'm with you. You don't have to tremble every time you hear that we need to come into contact with humans.”
“It's not that, Kai. I don't hate all of them...”
“You don't?” Kai asked. How could he not, he wondered to himself.
“No, there are some humans that are very sweet and gentle and kind... They're not all cruel...”
“Could you tell me?” Kai wanted to know more of the other's life.
“Someday, Kai, I will. It's just... that place brings so many bad memories. I've been in that town for a long, long time, longer than in any other place and there's just so many bad memories...” Ruki's voice cracked towards the end.
Kai just wound his arms tighter around the frail being in his arms and stopped asking questions that were upsetting his lover. There was plenty of time for Ruki to open up to him. It didn't need all be in one day. In the meantime, Kai could be the one to share with Ruki.
“You know, Ruka and I used to be childhood sweethearts.” Kai snickered.
“What?” Ruki asked, his eyes already blazing towards the vampire.
The roc chuckled. Oh, he had his panther's attention now, didn't he?
“It was hundreds of years ago. When the dragons and rocs and vampires were allies. The three of us saw each other often back then. We used to go exploring the palaces. The one that would get in trouble every single time would always be the king though. You see, Ruka, his senses were really sharp back then too, so even if he somehow got lost or into trouble, he'd always count on that to get himself out of it. He never relied on anyone. Me, well, I just used my brains. But the dragon, he loved the adventure, discovering all the hidden secrets of the castles and he used to say that all the fun would be gone if he used his powers. He stubbornly held on to that, even when he was hurt or lost. He never once used them.
And one day, it was my turn to get lost actually. I don't know what happened. We were playing hide and seek one minute and the next, I had fallen through a trap door and found myself somewhere deep withing the catacombs of the vampire lord's castle. And those are some catacombs. You could spend an eternity in there. I tried to use my magic, but it wasn't working. Later, I found out, that there are protection spells that don't allow anyone but the vampire lord's family to use magic in there.
So I wondered around the place, filled with the creepiest things you could ever imagine. You'd think catacombs are used to store tombs, right? And that should be scary enough. But well, the vampires don't die that easily, so instead of a cemetery, that place had become some sort of prison or torture chamber or storage place... only the lord knew what in heavens that space was supposed to be anyway. I found rooms filled with dried bones, others filled with priceless artifacts, others with torture devices, some even had wild beasts that scared the shit out of me, I tell you...
But the scariest thing was that I didn't know how to get out of there. I didn't even know how much time had passed. I was tired and weary and scared and had probably given up at some point, when, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, the smaller version of today's Ruka launches himself at me. I was scared out of my whits for a second there. I didn't even realize it when I had started crying.
Ruka just held me, and when I calmed down, took me out of that place. He used his powers, of course. He told me later that he had sensed me down there. I was still pretty out of it for a week or so, though, and the vampire and the dragon noticed. They tried everything to get me to play with them again, but I just stubbornly stayed in the castle's beautiful gardens.
One morning, Ruka came to me.
“I promise you that nothing will happen to you anymore. I will always be at your side.”
I was really happy to hear that, and flustered. Maybe I had a bit of a crush on the vampire back then. I got even more flustered when I heard Ruka declaring:
“And I couldn't let anything happen to my future bride anyway.”
After that, we started playing around again. And the years passed. I grew up. We all did. And somehow that day's promise became just a memory. I wonder if Ruka even remembers it anymore.”
Kai had gotten so absorbed into the story that he hadn't noticed Ruki tighten up like a string next to him, so he couldn't react fast enough when Ruki suddenly bounced and shot himself at Ruka.
“Kai is mine!” Ruki's voice thundered in the air, shocking everyone else. Ruka was just staring at the panther, not understanding what the hell the panther was talking about. “You're marrying him over my dead body!”
Ruka just stared. “Marry Kai?” The vampire was saved from Ruki's wrath by the same flustered roc.
“Really, Ru... We were kids. I bet he doesn't even remember it anymore. And I have no plans of marrying the vampire anyway. Too much bad blood runs in the family...” Kai tried to joke. Ruki was still glaring daggers. “Ruki, I love you. I'm gonna marry you. So come back to bed with me, love.” Ruki simply deflated at that and gave up the glaring contest he had started.
“Really, Ru, I never thought you'd be able to get that jealous over something like that. It was ages ago... I love you.”
“And I love you, Kai. But if you ever, ever, even think about any other promises of marriage you might have made in your life, I will personally tie you up to a tree and never let you go.”
“Mmmm, that doesn't sound too bad actually. So this would not be a good time to tell you about the thousands of candidates to the throne that are just waiting for me to come back home?” Kai asked, wriggling his eyebrows, putting on a devilish grin.
Ruki growled and Kai jumped. Soon enough, the roc's kisses made Ruki forget not only about the other marriage proposals, but even his own name.
“You really are too cute, Ru.” Kai whispered later towards his tired, sleeping lover. And then cuddled closer to him. Oh, who needed dinner, any way?
In the meantime...
As soon as Ruki left, the vampire exhaled. That had been weird. He was happy his lover wasn't a jealous one. Speaking of his lover... he turned towards him. Uhoh... maybe he had spoken too early.
“Baby... I promise I have no idea what Ruki was talking about.”
A seething kitsune, his arms crossed over his chest, his body wound up tight as a spring, his lips drawn tightly together, was glaring at his vampire lover.
“Well, baby...” Yomi stressed the endearing word, making it sound like a threat instead...” You better remember it fast because otherwise...”
Ruka definitely didn't like the way Yomi's anger made his powers rise and rise, so fast in fact that to his vampire eyes, Yomi glowed with power and rage at the moment. What had he done to deserve this?
“Yomi, I promise you that I do not nor have ever loved Kai more than friends. And even that was a long time a... Oops.” Ruka suddenly remembered. Yomi caught on.
“So you were saying?” Yomi's cold tone warned Ruka that he better talk fast.
“It was nothing, baby. We were kids and I remember him feeling bad and helpless once and me trying to raise his spirits and... well, telling him he'll be my bride one day.” Ruka rushed through the last part.
Yomi's anger deflated as sudden as it had begun.
“Oh, it was just that? Well, I guess almost everyone has a memory like that.” And he turned away. This time, it was Ruka's turn to jump.
“What? Whomever did you make that promise too?”
Yomi turned around and his eyes were as piercing as before. Ruka gulped.
“Wouldn't you like to know?”
Damn it, the vampire was pretty sure Yomi hadn't been so volatile before, had he?
“Would you like to add something, honey...” Yomi's voice seemed like sweet venom to Ruka. Damn it! And Yomi getting closer was not getting better. “Now tell me, love, do you have perchance any suitors back home, like Kai does?” Yomi inquired.
“Me? Whatever makes you think that? Haha... Who would want to marry the grouchy vampire king anyway?” Ruka joked. Bad idea. Because at once, the fiery Yomi from before was gone and instead, he seemed sad and on the verge of crying. Ruka swore. Was this the effects of Yomi's powers mutating or was there more to it? The vampire didn't waste anytime in embracing his kitsune.
“Love, I swear that I couldn't give a damn who would want to marry me. I am not engaged and unless it's you I find down that altar, I have no plans to ever marry.”
“I'm sorry, Ruka. I don't know what came over me. But just the idea of losing you. You're everything to me, Ruka, I can't lose you.” Yomi almost sobbed.
“Baby, you have me and just like I'll never let you go, I'm positive you'll never let me go either.” and Ruka quite franly had had enough of chatting for the night, so he sealed Yomi's lips in a fiery kiss, adoring the shyness Yomi still had when kissing him, the way he would rather let himself be led by Ruka, the way his body would just become putty in his hands. Yomi's touch, his taste, his smell, his very being, and his angry voice earlier had made Ruka one aroused vampire. That's why he really couldn't contain himself anymore and his fangs breached again the soft skin, sucking in the wonderful elixir. Yomi just leaned his head more, exposing even more of his neck, letting his blood mingle with the vampire's, moaning softly.
In no time, starts exploded behind their eye lids and the two lovers collapsed one next to the other.
“Ruka, I love you.” Yomi sighed. “And I want more of you.” He added in a whisper, knowing the vampire's senses would pick it up anyway.
“And I want you, Yomi. But you're not yet ready to bond with me.” Ruka answered, in the same soft tones. He never wanted to hurt his love. He knew what Yomi was asking of him, and he wanted it more than anything else too, but he would never risk hurting his lover.
“Why? Is there something wrong with me?” Yomi asked and his voice cracked, revealing his insecurities.
“No, love, of course not. But bonding for vampires isn't exactly... And for the lords, it's... Damn, this is so hard to explain. Baby, if I try to bond with you now, I might end up killing you.” Ruka confessed.
“Why?” Yomi couldn't understand.
“Because I'm dead, Yomi.” Ruka softly answered and the kitsune felt the pain in the other's tone and he let it rest. He knew Ruka loved him more than anything and that someday they would be married, and that was enough for now. Tired, the kitsune closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber.
Ruka watched the light of the fire creating a play of light and shade on his lover's beautiful features and his heart hurt. He hurt for making Yomi suffer, even if there was nothing he could really do to make it better. And who knew when they'd be able to marry? When this quest would be over...
A/N Because of the holidays and all, I decided to leave the more heavy stuff for the next chapters, so this one was a bit of fluff, a bit of angst and a bit of mystery. Happy New Year to all my lovely readers. Hugs