Yuya Shina & Onime No Kyo

Kyo isolated himself from the others by stomping to the sliding door and thrusting it open more aggressively than necessary before sitting down. The man tapped his sheathed sword in agitation as his dexterous fingers toyed with the shallow drinking cup before filling it up and taking a quick shot of sake. Kyo's hair fell across his exotic eyes and tickled his long nose but the feeling wasn't itchy enough to care. Outside, the view overlooked a tranquil garden and serene pond where fireflies drifted carelessly, painting an almost surreal wash of colors that clashed intolerably with his troubling thoughts.

He was aware of the nervous glances and hushed whispers his servants shared with one another. Their movements were overly cautious and their attempts at small talk were feeble at best. Benitora's smile was forced and his words clipped. Yukimura drank more heavily than usual and offered no witty comments or obnoxious observations. Sasuke twitched at the slightest sounds and muttered darkly to himself, keeping a tight grip on the hilt of his sword. Even Botenmaru seemed to be more wary than usual and kept his hands busy and in plain sight.

And Yuya… she acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. She pretended that the life threatening water dragons growing inside her was perfectly fine and that it wasn't Kyo's fault she was in that very predicament. She returned the men's watchful gazes with warm smiles, nursed Muramasa even though his health steadily declined with each passing moment and helped in any way she could to prepare the warriors for the many battles to come.

Kyo's scowl deepened as he tracked a pink kimono and long blonde hair amble towards the bathing pools with a bundle tucked securely in her arms. He took another sour gulp and struggled with the red hot anger simmering away inside him. The mass amount of alcohol consumption was not helping with his anger management issues.

It was absurd. Simply preposterous that Kyo found himself worrying about that mutt and her pitiful life. Somehow she had weaseled her way into his gruff affections and made herself a place in Kyo's consciousness. If Ugly was in trouble Kyo would find his body moving on its own accord to throw himself into harm's way to protect the idiot that followed him around. She served no real purpose other than to irritate the man with her high, squeaky voice and torture him with her idealistic views. He wanted nothing more to lock her up until he could finish off what he started.

Knowing Yuya, she would gnaw her way out of any cages Kyo could find and follow after him stubbornly onto the battlefield to throw herself in a direct path to danger again and again, forcing the man to not only watch his opponents but to keep an eye on the magnet-for-trouble Dogface. And she would do so with furious anger and loving disrespect that she willing gave each and every person she met. Kyo briefly mused if she was the loyal servant or if in fact it was Demon Eyes Kyo, Killer of a Thousand Men who was the faithful dog that Yuya led on a leash.

Kyo heard the soft open and close of a sliding door and shut his tired eyes for a few blissful seconds, allowing his head to tilt back against the door frame. However, those precious moments of stillness were not to be found. Kyo grew conscious of the nervous pounding of his heart, and the tightening in his chest. His throat was parched, and no amount of sake would get rid of the feeling of dread he experienced so ferociously since he became acquainted with that girl. He couldn't see her, and that made him anxious.

And then he remembered just how Shirei put those damn parasites inside Ugly and Kyo felt his fury threatening to bubble to the surface and explode. Yuya's and Shinrei's lips locked together, her green eyes wide with shock. Shinrei and his arrogant smirk as the dragons rushed into her body to coil within her chest, caressing her organs with chilling intent. The ring on Yuya's chest was a sick after thought – a theatrical touch to mark the girl in a way that was burned into Kyo's memory. And then Shinrei threw Yuya to the side like she was nothing but trash - a mere tool that had served its purpose and was no longer required.

If he didn't do something soon Kyo was going to lash out at the first thing that crossed his path.

"Useless bitch." He grumbled under his breath before downing yet another cup of sake. Kyo swirled the contents of the jug when a familiar voice chimed inside his mind, halting his actions as if he had run head first into a solid rock wall. Kyo hated that voice with a passion and would do almost anything to rip it out of his skull.

Come now, Kyo. You and I both know you don't feel that way about her…

Kyo's jaw tightened and his fingers curled around the cup until it cracked under the intense pressure. He gritted his teeth, his body tensed. Only one man could make him so mad by simply saying hello.

She has changed us, you know…

"Get out."

For the better…

"Shut up."

Admit it…

"Fuck off!"

There was a heavy silence following Kyos's snappy remark and the man was working up into frenzy that threatened to destroy all in his path. He threw the cup across the room shattering the dreadful silence sharply and knocked the half empty jug over in his unrestrained rage. Kyo unfolded himself off the floor and stalked out of the crowded room, slamming the door shut behind him. He ignored the worried exchanges from his servants and stomped blindly through the gardens. Sooner or later he would find the exit and slash up a wild boar or... or something!

He felt pressed and angry. And… and…

"I hate that mutt."

"Kyo?"

Kyo turned back towards that high pitched voice that was laced with concern and mentally grimaced. The fact that she could make Kyo feel things that he thought were long dead grated on his nerves. She couldn't be trusted – she would be his demise. Kyo was a man of solitude and he preferred it that way. Friends only end up hurting you. They cut you up and spit you out and laugh about it while you're lying in the street.

And yet, Kyo wanted to touch her, to make sure she was still alive. That it wasn't just his imagination. That she would be okay and back to normal again. Kyo realized he didn't want Yuya's life to be cut short in any way. Maybe that was the reason she meant more than he would care to admit than life itself. She saw something in him that no one else seemed to.

For once in his life, Demon Eyes Kyo felt like he fit in.

And he hated her for muddying the waters of his single goal in life. Emotions were weakness, and he didn't like the way Yuya played him like a violin. He completely disregarded the fact that Yuya brings out his fighting spirit more than anything in the world.

You care… we both do…

"Are you going somewhere?" Yuya looked up at the man that she once feared with worry when something flashed across her features that Kyo couldn't quite place, gently softening her expression.

"You're late with my drink."

Whatever that emotion was flickered out and Yuya seemed appalled with herself for a moment before promptly fixing a steely eyed glare that could compete with Kyo's own murderous glower. Kyo found himself wanting to smile as she struggled to keep her composure.

"Get it yourself! You have hands."

"You noticed." He snickered and pinched her nipple playfully, disregarding her angry shriek.

"And I'm not your servant." She slapped his hand away and crossed her arms over her chest, protecting her breasts from further harassment. "You can go and get your own sake!"

"So you say." He smirked, his eyes lidded and tracing the line of her sweet lips. Yuya tucked them into her mouth, making the man want to laugh out right, but he controlled himself. Barely.

"And… oooh!" Yuya glared at Demon Eyes Kyo and stomped her foot prettily, like a young girl denied her favorite candy. "You make me so mad!"

He closed his eyes titled his head back, smiling.

"Kyo!"

He turned his back on her and swaggered off heading to the first door he saw with the girl trailing after him, giving him a piece of her mind. He tuned out of her endless sentences and eventually guided the girl back to her own room without Yuya realizing it. When they reached her room Kyo unceremoniously shoved her inside, threw the door shut and waited out her flurry of unintelligible curses to die out and she gave up.

He listened to her shuffling about in the room and her tired sigh before reopening the door just a crack. He took in her sprawled out form, and her tossing and turning with her inability to find the right spot to fall asleep. She still seemed to be moody but at least he knew Yuya wouldn't be going anywhere any time soon.

Kyo leant back against the wall and closed his eyes once again, settling down for a nights rest.

Sasuke found Demon Eyes Kyo half an hour later lightly snoring outside Yuya's room with his long sword tucked securely in his arms. He smiled faintly and quietly exited the corridor to leave the man and woman alone.

"He's so whipped." Sasuke muttered to himself. "Fuckin' pussy."

Sasuke was just jealous that he didn't get to sleep at her door first.