A calm wind blew, brushing trees and shrubs. On one side of the park, Suoh Mikoto was walking with a young man in his arms; on the other side of it was sea which was embracing the sun.
Just when he was about to meet the King to go one of the underground gambling houses HOMRA had business with, Tatara had gotten into trouble again. Being the weakest member of HOMRA, he was a trouble magnet. When Mikoto arrived at the designated rendezvous point, a group of thugs had been beating him. He made them pay for it but Tatara was completely beaten up and it was impossible to proceed.
When Tatara's senses started to come back to him, there was nothing but one familiar scent and the feeling of being carried by a pair of strong arms. He was too battered to even budge a finger. Pain would have filled his entire body if he tried to move, he thought to himself.
That scent... It hasn't changed for years, it has always been this charismatic. "King..." his inner voice resonated inside his mind, he was too exhausted to even open his eyes but he wanted to see the face of this man who was now carrying him in his arms... For some reason, it felt so safe and peaceful. Did he feel this way because it was "him"? His heart beat differently making him force himself to part his eyelids a bit, as if he would find the answer by doing so.
Red and yellow rays of sunset danced on the sea, painting it and making its blue unrecognizable. They also lighted Mikoto's face and were in harmony with the color of his hair and eyes. It wasn't until Mikoto shifted his gaze upon him that Tatara realized he was watching him for a while now. His head on Mikoto's chest, he could feel Mikoto's breathing and his heart beating. It was warm.
"Kusanagi and others will go instead of us. We are going back." Mikoto averted his eyes and silence fell for a while. Tatara could read that something was bothering him.
"K-king..." he uttered in a low voice, causing Mikoto to stop walking and their eyes to meet. Something inside his chest hurt because the expression this man was making was more than being bothered by something: he was sad.
Being a king, Suoh Mikoto was bearer of great powers and with great powers came great responsibilities. He seldom shared his worries, though, and when he did it was only with Tatara and Kusanagi. Kusanagi usually stayed silent as Tatara reassured the King, something about the blonde was calming him down and giving him a peace of mind.
Mikoto closed his eyes. "You know hanging around me brings more danger than anything, yet you are as careless as ever."
"Don't sweat it." Tatara smiled. "You arrived just in time, right? Besides, I-" He paused to cough, Mikoto was listening quietly. "I know it can be dangerous but I've figured out just now, the reason I don't mind it." His eyes met the amber eyes again. Trying to ignore the pain, his hand reached to touch Mikoto's face. He was still smiling fondly and as always, unlike other members of HOMRA, his lack of fear towards the King enabled him to connect with him on an emotional level. This time, too, no words were needed. As he caressed Mikoto's face, he could feel the red haired guy's heart beating faster. He leaned in to leave a soft kiss on Tatara's lips. The blonde didn't want those lips to leave his own, he wanted this moment to last longer but he felt as if he was about to pass out.
"King, I have a favor to ask." Tatara's voice was faint. Mikoto started to walk as he remembered that time at the hospital. "I don't want Yata and others to find out my condition." He didn't want to make them worry. Although it wouldn't be possible to fool Anna, the rest could still be kept in the dark.
"You will stay in my room." These were the last words Tatara heard before he drifted into sleep.
