Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all its characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, not me. All I own is a Bankotsu and Jakotsu charm bracelet, a low-quality tape with a few Shichinin-tai arc episodes on it, and an unhealthy obsession.
Warning: If you're uncomfortable with slash (male/male) now would be the time to leave. This is mild stuff, but there's some light naughtiness. Don't say I didn't warn you.
For all the time that he spent outdoors, Bankotsu was a man with very little to say on the subject of the four seasons, choosing to look at them in the practical sense rather than the philosophical. Spring was always followed by summer, which preceded fall, which was chased by winter, which he had a personal grudge against. It was as simple as that. Though he was quite thoughtful by nature and examined new ideas like a Tanuki pawing treasure, somehow the seasons were almost never included in that list. Today could safely be called almost.
It was idyllic, the picture of a perfect spring day. The sun beamed down gently, with none of the searing bite it had in the summer, and mixed with a gentle breeze to create air more livening than good sake. Bird song colored the forest, and an air of all around peace reigned. It was, Bankotsu realized, as close to Heaven as someone like him was ever going to get. He very quickly shrugged that idea off. Sobering as it was, he had never let thoughts of the afterlife get under his skin before and didn't intend to start now. The young leader was in the business of living.
Besides, right now he had a missing companion to find.
If Jakotsu was anywhere, it would be here in this place of calm, eerie beauty that was everything he loved and everything he was. The atmosphere reminded Bankotsu of the days before the Shichinin-tai, when it was just the two of them. Those lingering days spent roving together, bloody battles fought in stifling heat, and warm nights spent clinging to each other under a blanket of moonlight. This thought caused a pang of loss to cut at his heart and quicken his step. Fortunately, it wasn't long until sharp eyes caught a glimpse of familiar pink among the green and brown hues of the forest. Once the kimono had been sighted, the rest of Jakotsu seemed to melt into view.
He was sitting against a tree truck, leaning on the palm of one hand while the other twirled a flower. Dark eyes stared into the pale yellow petals pensively, with an air of sadness uncommon to the swordsman. His thin shoulders rose and fell once in an unmistakable sigh. Concern crossed Bankotsu's face. He raised his hand halfway, only to reconsider. Did the older man really want company now? Another look settled that argument. He waved and called out the other's name.
Jakotsu had been too engrossed in his private thoughts to notice the sound of anyone approaching. His head jerked up suddenly, eyes wide. But as he recognized the speaker, his surprised expression melted into one that could have warmed a freezing winter's night.
"Hey, Bankotsu!" he called back, waving an entire arm. He scootched over to allow his friend room against the tree, smile never fading as the owner of that name set Banryuu down and took a seat.
"Hey!" he greeted. With one hand resting on a raised knee, he looked casual as ever, relaxed even in a strange environment. An unspoken "I missed you" sparkled in the endless blue of his eyes. For some reason, it felt like a thousand years had gone by since they'd last seen one another. And yet, through the pleasure of their reunion, he couldn't help but notice the surreal feeling of the little clearing. "Cherry petals?"
The trees surrounding them looked out of place among the normal temperate ones, almost seeming to have come directly from Jakotsu's mind. As if nature itself had decided to answer, a gust of wind blew out of the forest's stillness and stroked one of the trees overhead, sending a flurry of petals down on the two. Under a light dusting of the soft pink things, Jakotsu laughed at his similarly covered friend.
"You look good like that, Ban-chan"
"I'll take your word for it," Bankotsu grumbled. As he started brushing himself off, Jakotsu gathered a handful of fallen petals off the ground and tossed them brightly over his companion's head. In return he received a cerulean glare that lost much of its power behind the pink, fluttering shower. Soon even that faded to a smirk--Bankotsu's glares never lasted long. "So, while you've been playing with cherry blossoms, I've been turning the forest upside down trying to find you."
Jakotsu nodded sadly. "I'm sorry, oo-aniki. Circumstances and all."
Bankotsu shrugged. "At least you've found yourself a nice hiding spot. This place is amazing"
"Isn't it?" Jakotsu gushed. "It's like something out of a painting. The kind of place the gods demand you bring someone pretty"
Bankotsu winced inwardly, tracing a seam on his pantleg that his eyes never left. He masked the injury in his voice behind a chuckle. "Maybe you can drag Inuyasha here one day."
For once, Jakotsu didn't go starry-eyed at the hanyou's name. He didn't even reply, just looked once at Bankotsu before transferring his gaze to the cage of trees in front of them. When the heavy silence caused Bankotsu to chance a sideways glance, he saw the same forlorn look in his friend's eyes that had been there before their greetings. They carried on like this for what seemed like ages, sensing something of unknowable significance about to happen and counting the moments until it did.
"Maybe, but I don't want to. Not anymore."
Bankotsu cocked an eyebrow. "Why not?"
"Because Inuyasha is just another one of THEM. You know, the same as...just..." Giving a frustrated sigh, the swordsman rotated his wrist, grasping for the elusive description. No explanation was needed, for Bankotsu knew it all full well. Inuyasha was another one of the countless men that had served as Jakotsu's playthings. A cute face attached to a nice body, all of which could fight and scream and bleed and eventually die. A nod of comprehension signaled Jakotsu to go on.
"It's such a beautiful place here, almost pure. I couldn't ruin it by doing something like that. I want to be here with the one I love."
The owner of that name felt smooth fingers lightly touch the side of his face. His head was turned, no, more gently led than actually turned, to face his companion, and suddenly he was being kissed. It was infinitely warm, soft, and lasted just long enough for Bankotsu to taste its sweetness. Then it was over and Jakotsu was pulling back, but not before giving Bankotsu's forehead a quick nuzzle with his own, letting the soft bangs tickle the star-mark.
"Forgive?" he asked softly.
Bitter little memories were whispered into Bankotsu's ears, memories of past pains. But as he looked up into the inky eyes, shining with all the love in the world, any jealousy or anger he'd held onto slipped through his grasp and was carried away on the fragrant breeze. He took the hand from his cheek and, eyes shut in lazy contentment, pressed it to his lips, kissing each knuckle. "Baka, of course I do."
Jakotsu shook his head. "You're too trusting, y'know. If I hurt you like that, you have the right to yell at me, turn away, tell me I'm a heartless jerk."
"Why would I want to do that?" Bankotsu replied, his eyes shining so innocently that a quick sarcasm scan was needed. "I'm not some little woman. Besides, at the end of the day, I always know you're mine forever."
Even when it wasn't audible, seduction was always lurking in Jakotsu's mind, ready to leap down into his voice at a moment's notice. It rang out loud and clear now in the form of a purr."Shall I prove it?"
"No."
Cold.
Emotionless.
Before Jakotsu had time to let the word soak in, he found himself flat on his back against the cherry blossom carpet. Pinning him down was a lover who fully intended on keeping him there. Sapphire orbs glittered playfully as they looked down into charcoal black, then both sets of eyes closed as the two met in a passionate kiss fueled by separation. The power of his current position delighted Bankotsu, and he licked lightly at a full bottom lip, the taste of red paint nowhere near overpowering the taste of his beloved. With a breathy sigh, Jakotsu honored his request at once, taking the soft appendage into his mouth.
The lean body beneath his own arched up into Bankotsu, hips finding his own so exquisitely it couldn't have been an accident. The young leader's eyes flew open, accompanied by a gasp, and he felt Jakotsu smirk into the kiss.
"You did that on purpose," Bankotsu drew back to complain heatedly. Jakotsu looked like he'd been accused of some horrible crime.
"What? This?"
Again. Spot on, hot, strong. Bankotsu buried his face in the pink folds of his partner's yukata, and in doing so lost the battle. Jakotsu reversed their positions, easy as anything. Kissing down from jawbone to neck, he began undoing the armor plates with hands experienced to the job. As the smooth tongue and talented lips reacquainted themselves with the spot near Bankotsu's jugular--the one of which Jakotsu's discovery had been both a blessing and a curse--tanned hands caught fistfuls of fabric in a fierce grip. He wanted him, needed him, needed more. Needed to communicate that.
"I love you."
Any further breath stayed within his body, fueling the heat that raged there, and he could say no more. Jakotsu looked up, taking in the sight of his leader, lover, and best friend. His everything. Beautiful as summer, with all of the Shichinin-tai's power and dark fame in the palm of his hand, Bankotsu could have had just about anyone he wanted...and yet he had chosen Jakotsu. Chosen to trust him, lie in his arms, love him.
A lump formed in Jakotsu throat; he didn't trust himself to speak right then.
As for the other things racing through Bankotsu's mind, words weren't needed. Jakotsu always knew what the younger was saying, both in times of silence and times like now, when words burned up in the heat of the moment.
It was just one of his many talents.
Starlight. The moon peeked down through the gaps in the treetop canopies, a milky cataract-ridden eye on a dark blue face that still managed to instill comfort in all it watched over. The birds that had been singing earlier were replaced by crickets, spring frogs, and other choirs of nocturnal creatures. Fireflies tauntingly flashed their lights, as if a handful of the millions of stars that dotted the heavens had fallen. It was at this time that the inevitable happened, as it must happen to everyone who reaches that perfect place. Bankotsu remembered. The last battle with Inuyasha, a fight for vengeance, an attempt to grab back the shreds of everything he'd lost. He remembered every sword thrust that had led to the final moment, screaming yellow light, the feeling of his very blood boiling in the veins, and a hellish agony that had faded into nothingness. He remembered and he knew. And yet the knowledge came to him with no fear or sadness, only with a sleepy, casual realization. Though he distantly realized the gravity of it, here death was just a fact. It was simple as finding a cherry petal on your sleeve.
"Did you ever think it would be like this?" he asked, leaning against another tree and quietly stargazing.
The two had not left the cherry grove since their "let's make up" moment that afternoon. Jakotsu looked up from where he'd been polishing Jakotsutou, which apparently had enough life in it to come here with him, and shrugged. "I didn't think we'd ever get here at all. Heh, s'pose we did something right, though."
"Yeah."
Bankotsu took a deep breath, letting the night air melt against his tongue. The current situation might not have bothered him, but that wasn't to say he didn't have a few questions. The fact that you could breathe gave him some amusement, and he wondered what lie in other parts of this surreal landscape. Mostly he tried to fathom why everything was so empty, finally deciding on a very simple answer; for now, all he wanted was solitude. This was what he and Jakotsu hadn't known since the their responsibility-free preShichinin-tai days, the feeling of being the only ones around for miles, free to savor the quiet peace of each other's company. Eventually, everything else would fall into place.
"Hey Jakotsu?"
"Hm?"
"...I'm glad you're here with me"
Jakotsu chuckled, a lovely, silky sound. "Always"
High above, the clouds were whisped slowly, as if polishing the moon. It remained watching over that mysterious place on the edge of eternity, where happiness can be held as easily as a lover's hand, and the cherry petals are in full bloom.
THE END