Disclaimer: I do not own Seimaden or any of the characters therein. The characters mentioned in the following fanfiction are property of Higuri You. All Rights Reserved.
Teteiyusu sat upon the bed near a sleeping demon he knew, the rays of the early morning sunshine illuminating the marble floors of the bedroom. The demonic angel brushed off some dust from the sleeping Zadei's face, the infamous general of the demon realm. He seemed as peaceful as ever, and the touch of his love's fingers sweeping over his features did nothing to rouse him.
But why should it? He'd been sleeping for well over 200 years. Teteiyusu had almost given up hope that the demon general would arise from his slumber ever again. But just in case it did happen, he would be the one who said, "Yes, Zadei, I've been here all this time, waiting for you. Won't you join me for your first real meal in decades?"
Teteiyusu couldn't make sense of the feelings that bound him here. He couldn't fully understand what made him stay in Laures' abandoned palace, ordering servants in his master's stead day after day, tending to a bedridden camatose with whom he shared some unshakable destiny.
The first task that Teteiyusu would tend to every morning was to check upon Zadei, and see if there was any change in his status. Of course, every morning he would find the same man in the same bed without any significant alteration whatsoever. Often times he would even bend down to place a small kiss on Zadei's lips, almost hesitantly, but the spell on him never broke. Even so, his lover's lips were soft and pliable. Curious, even, that the only movement Zadei was capable of in sleep was to injest some food that had already been crushed and gnashed for him.
Zadei had already lost a considerable amount of muscle from such a lean diet, the sheets covering his frame sheltered a weak and vulnerable body. Teteiyusu ran his hands along the biceps and shoulderblades of the sleeping Zadei, amazed that these arms had once pinned him down so many times, had broken his body as well as his spirit.
He wasn't the only one displeased with the demon general, after all. If he had ordered for Zadei's body to be removed, no doubt the ones left faithful to Laures would have torn him limb from limb. How odd it was that the one most thankful to Laures of all the rest had taken on the duty that not even a lowly chambermaid would have dared. Even so, in this duty he gained some soft of meager satisfaction. It was Zadei who needed Teteiyusu now, Teteiyusu was the protector, the one who held his fellow demon's life in his hands. He wasn't going to give up this one thing he had gained from the whole affair.
Now and again the angel's thoughts would return to his master. Laures had not once returned, he had continuously slipped under the radar of his demon scouts. He seemed more like a shadow than anything. Once you saw him out of the corner of your eye, he would disappear again. He apparently had no desire to be found, and even less of a desire to become the Lord of Demons once again. The void still stood in his absence, the lack of a leader of the demons caused many uproars and uprises throughout his kingdom. Karon, The leader of Hades, had also been eradicated, yet the demon Gerum had taken his place with very little resistance. He was well liked and received by the peoples of Hades, fortunately enough for him.
Teteiyusu could have taken the throne for himself, he suspected, but he knew that once he had fallen into the role there was no means of escape. He lacked the drive as well as the power to fill the shoes of Laures. There was no possibility that he could live up to his master's great legacy. Teteiyusu had the cunning, that was sure enough, yet the weakness of his spirit and body forced him into the part of the advisor for now unto eternity. And that was alright with him, as long as he had a master to whom he could confide. The void then, perhaps, hit Teteiyusu more significantly than anyone.
Hilda, however, he had heard much about. Though she was now long dead, she had become one of the human's worlds greatest celebrities, her vivacious dancing drew in crowds from miles around. He'd longed to see her dance, yet he never dared. Not only would the human world weaken him, he would be hounded by the humans and would have not even been allowed to take a glimpse at her, much less stay to see her dance. He thought that perhaps he would find Laures there watching her, but he knew that his place was here.
He had to put Laures out of his mind forever. The chances of finding him became slimmer as the years drew on, and upon the news of Hilda's death Teteiyusu expected news that Laures had been spotted somewhere in the human world, that he'd come out of hiding to search for her next reincarnation. The news, sadly, never came. Occasionally he would think of his master now, but moreso as a fond memory than in anticipation for a return.
Teteiyusu looked upon the face of the sleeping Zadei again. Zadei was really the only hope Teteiyusu had left. Laures would never return, yet there was always a chance that the demon general would awaken once again. He longed for it, yet in some ways he also feared it. They could not go on as it was before. Laures was gone now, and Teteiyusu was fully alive. There was nothing in the way now to stop them from being together, but something tore at Teteiyusu. It wasn't even a feeling of regret, though he did regret often and he did cry from time to time. It seemed to be more like a constant worry that stuck in the back of his throat, preventing him from breathing freely. What if he actually had to try and be happy with Zadei? What if, by some strange twist of fate, he began to actually love the man who had killed him in such a horrible way that he could only vaguely remember? Would Zadei replace Laures as the idol in his life, his true August King? That frightened him more than anything else.
Rising from the bed, Teteiyusu walked over to the great window facing east, and he opened it to let in the fresh breeze. The room must never get musty. No, not this room.
Staring out at the vast demonic kingdom of his old master, Teteiyusu began to talk to the sleeping Zadei, though he knew that he was, in actuality, only speaking to himself. He never expected an answer, really. It was as some people do with plants, the superstition that talking to them made them grow. Teteiyusu half expected that speaking to the unconscious Zadei would return some of his strength to him. Perhaps Zadei even heard him, who knows? But he never insulted Zadei in his sleep. He only said simple things, like about the weather, or the gruel which he fed to his patient for breakfast every day. Speaking of which, it should be coming soon.
"It's a lovely day," Teteiyusu remarked, looking over the hills as he sheltered his eyes from the sunlight. "Don't you think so? No, you wouldn't. It's nothing but darkness for you…" As he spoke, he began to close his eyes, drifting off into a daydream as he waited for the servants to bring their breakfast. For the longest time he heard nothing but the birds chirping, or the leaves brushing against one another. As he began to drift off into a full sleep, he heard a noise that made his heart stop instantly.
It wasn't coming from the outside. It was a soft noise, like the shuffling of legs and arms underneath crinkling fabric. He did not turn around to see what he already knew was happening, and then he heard a low whine, almost a growl, coming from someplace close. Turning his head slowly around, he faced the bed where Zadei lay. He dared not move closer towards the other now, yet from his place near the window he could see the other's eyelids twitching occasionally as the eyeballs underneath them began to move and adjust. The demon general's head and neck began to move then, and Teteiyusu could see Zadei's face contort in pain as blood flowed to the rigid muscles there which enabled movement.
Almost transfixed by this sight, Teteiyusu moved gingerly towards Zadei, until he stood directly over the bed which he had been sitting on only minutes before. Looking down in horror at Zadei's face, he almost jumped back as the demon general's eyelids slowly opened to reveal dim ecru orbs. Zadei's eyes were unable to adjust to the light of the room, and he groaned as his arms reached up to shield his vision from such a harsh brightness. Teteiyusu rushed towards the windows without thinking, shutting them and pulling the curtains tightly. Turning around once more, he could hear someone speaking in a hoarse and unbelieving voice, and he knew that it was himself. "Zadei! You're awake!"