Free! doesn't belong to me. Neither does High Speed!
This fic was written for SouKisu Week. The prompt was 'alternate universe', so I chose magic and dragons.
Wingless flight
.
As Rin speeds up, the raindrops hitting Sousuke's face feel like knives carving deep cuts into his skin.
It doesn't matter. Sousuke digs his heels into the dragon's flanks, telling him to fly even faster, higher– as if he could escape his past if he got far enough. It doesn't matter that he shouldn't do it, that he can't even do half as much as before the accident, that he lacks almost five kilograms of his body and his left arm and the slightest turbulence could make him lose his precarious balance and fall more than fifty metres before hitting the flooded ground.
He's angry. He's angry and resentful and scared and it wasn't his fault. He doesn't understand; he did was he was told to, he never disobeyed any order–
Sousuke's teeth hurt from gritting them so hard. His head hurts due to the cold and the rain; even his eyes itch, watered by the wind and his desperation. Not even his lungs seem to work properly; the air is too thick, humid as a lightning flashes across the black clouds.
It's a warning. The first and only one.
Sousuke ignores it. So far the only thing warnings and rules have been good for is maiming him.
Rin's terrified screech as a thunder shakes the sky up is what the lightning was warning Sousuke's from.
The dragon –bigger than most, covered in blindingly red scales and one of the noblest beings Sousuke has ever met– instinctively tries to stop, to fly away from the storm, of what he's feared since he was born. He beats his wings quickly, trying to recoil as Sousuke slips forward, unable to properly grip the reins with only his right hand.
He knows he cries out; as he seeks something to grab onto, skidding across bright scales, he feels Rin turning his long neck around, trying to see what's wrong despite his panic and making Sousuke fall right between the dragon's neck and wing.
Yet he isn't angry with Rin even as the dragon's red figure gets smaller above him. As the wind makes him spin in messy, unpredictable turns and he sees the trees getting closer and closer, Sousuke thinks, a sudden calm taking over his angry mind as a prelude of unconsciousness, how fitting is that Rin finishes what he started.
Killing him.
.
Someone is caressing his cheek.
At least, that's what it feels like when Sousuke notices he isn't asleep anymore. After paying it attention, though, he realises it lasts too long to be a single hand, and it isn't as warm as people's skin usually is; not to mention the strange tingling the soft brush leaves on in its wake. Sousuke lets it, enjoying the affection until a sudden pain in his non-existent left arm makes him flinch.
"So you're already awake."
Sousuke takes his time before opening his eyes, swallowing the bile at the thought of feeling pain from something he doesn't have anymore. He still feels that fresh touch on his skin, but curiosity is stronger and soon he is looking around, taking in a small bedroom, with a closed laptop and a mobile phone laying on a desk next to the window. The light filtering through the curtains looks like morning, and there's a man about his age sitting on a chair, giving him a lazy smile.
For a second, Sousuke doesn't know what to say. Not only because, as the latest events come to his mind, he realises that the stranger must have taken care of him; it's also because he has seen that man before. Lanky and fair-skinned, with violet eyes and soft, light hair.
"Kisumi?!"
Kisumi's smile grows wider.
"You remember me!" Soon he's showing his teeth, so excited it makes Sousuke frown as he remembers the summers they spent together as children. "It was a bit scary when you fell down from the sky– quite literally."
But Sousuke has just recalled something more important:
"Where's Rin?"
"Oh," Kisumi runs his hand through his hair, "outside, playing with Hayato. He seemed very worried when he brought you here, mind you."
Sousuke bites the Rin is a dragon he has on the tip of his tongue. He can play it cool as much as he wants, but truth is he and Rin are a team, regardless of storms and lost limbs, and he now regrets his recklessness the night prior. He shouldn't have pushed Rin that much.
Sousuke sighs, closing his eyes. Maybe he'll apologise later.
"You've changed a lot," Kisumi notes.
"That's the best euphemism for 'you lack an arm' I've heard since I lost it."
It's strange. Kisumi doesn't look away, nor does that dreaded pity appear in his eyes, like Sousuke has seen up until now. He snorts and shakes his head, rolling his eyes.
"I was talking about the fact that I haven't seen you for… ten years?"
"Nine," Sousuke corrects after a quick calculation. He can't help but speak in a softer voice when he asks: "Are you the most powerful wizard in the country yet?"
"I'm on my way," Kisumi replies, and the cheerful hint in his tone is the same as when they were children. "Why did your dragon land on my parents' garden, anyway?"
Sousuke frowns. Now that everything is clearer, he can't help but wonder the same thing. He can't recall where he was exactly when he fell –at least nothing more specific than 'outskirts'–, but he supposes Rin still remembers the long days they spent in Kisumi's house.
"Maybe we were close and he thought you'd help."
"Excuse you, I did help," Kisumi replies, pretending to be offended. Or at least Sousuke hopes he's just pretending. "You looked like you had gotten into a fight with the whole forest, with so many scratches."
Sousuke lifts his hand towards his cheek, where he can still feel the faint tickling, realising now that it's Kisumi's magic healing his wounds.
"Thanks," he mutters.
Kisumi shrugs and walks out of the bedroom, mumbling something about breakfast.
.
Here's the thing: Kisumi is Sousuke's friend.
Nobody exactly understands, not even Sousuke himself, but even though the Kisumi in his memories is usually quite annoying Sousuke has never held a grudge against him. He can't, not when he remembers twelve year-old Kisumi trying to control his magic (and usually failing), how good he's been with Rin since they met at the tender age of eight (unlike most children, who were scared of even approaching him) or the lights he made with his hands to distract Sousuke whenever he had a nightmare (Sousuke still thinks Kisumi's abilities let him know how people feel even asleep).
But then, Kisumi hurt his little brother.
He had tried to avoid getting sent to a boarding school where he would be taught to control a power that was too great for a child, had tried to stay with his family because being alone and away terrified him. But he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried, and that incident was what made him finally realise that he would be dangerous unless he learnt to control his magic.
Sousuke still remembers the day Kisumi left. He remembers his friend's attempts to smile, how he tried to make his voice sound excited even though he looked like he had lost the springs under his feet and his eyes were dull with something that was a mixture between fear and shame.
It still surprises him, that Kisumi never lost control of his abilities that day.
"I know a girl that can talk to plants, but not even she can talk to oranges," Kisumi mutters, effectively snapping Sousuke out of his thoughts. He looks up from his glass of juice.
"What have you been doing these years?"
Kisumi shrugs, and takes his time to chew on a grape and think.
"Studying a lot, basically," he finally replies. "My parents want me to specialise in healing magic."
"Oh." Sousuke takes a sip from his juice. "So that's how you healed me."
"That's easy," Kisumi replies, playing it down with a gesture. "I'm bad at most spells, though; apparently my energy is 'too enthusiastic' and heals too fast. I'm working at the hospital, but I don't touch any patients if I can help it."
"But you didn't hurt me."
"Which is good for you, but weird."
Sousuke hides his smile behind the glass, but soon he's too busy picking at the various fruits on the table. He hadn't realised how much he used his left arm until he lost it.
He can feel the tension in the dining room, though; even after all these years Kisumi is too obvious for his own good. His curiosity doesn't prevent him from eating as much as he can, making a mental note to ask Kisumi where his parents are; while Hayato is still outside, scratching Rin's neck and inspecting the thorns on the dragon's tail, Sousuke hasn't known anything about their parents since Kisumi left.
Soon, though, his thoughts come back to Kisumi. His friend is practically hunched over his toast.
Sousuke kicks him under the table, making him flinch and glare.
"Ow! Was that necessary?"
"Say whatever you want to say already," Sousuke grumbles.
Kisumi looks aside.
"I was thinking about your arm," he admits.
"Don't," Sousuke quickly replies. "Thinking about it is useless anyway. I'm not a starfish, so it won't grow again."
Kisumi's own glass falls when he tries to grab it, orange juice spilling over the table. Sousuke frowns.
"Uh..."
"Okay, okay, I get it, I'll say it now so don't kick me again or I'll turn you into a manta ray," Kisumi interrupts him, speaking too quickly. "But I'm not promising anything, because I know next to nothing about that regenerative magic, okay?"
Sousuke blinks, waiting.
"There might be a way for you to get your arm back."
.
The good thing about Kisumi being a wizard is that he knows other wizards.
That one, he explains, lives only a dragon ride away (or a train ride away, but Rin likes stretching his wings and the trip is cheaper this way), and has been really interested in regenerative magic since they met. He also has a dragon that apparently dislikes Kisumi.
"Well, he dislikes anyone but his owner," Kisumi corrects himself, arms slung around Sousuke's waist as he grabs Rin's reins.
Rin's slow pace to adjust to Sousuke's disability is even slower with Kisumi's added weight, but he seems to be enjoying himself. Last night's storm has left a radiant day in its wake, and the bright red scales glint under the sunlight. At times Sousuke has to make Rin fly a bit higher so they don't crash against the highest buildings; the dragon is making sure nobody on land misses his splendour.
That show-off.
"It's in that house," Kisumi says into his ear, raising his voice to be heard over the roaring wind.
That shouldn't send a shiver down Sousuke's spine, but it does.
'That house' is a building surrounded by the biggest piece of land without inner divisions Sousuke has ever seen. It has even a lake, and the two humans notice, at Rin's low growl, there's a black dragon swimming in it. Probably a male.
"Oh, that's Haru," Kisumi says casually as Sousuke tries to convince Rin to stop flying in increasingly low circles over the water.
Haru shows them –or, more probably, Rin– his teeth. As he finally obeys Sousuke's order, the red dragon lets a small flame out of his mouth.
"I had never seen a dragon swimming," Sousuke comments when Rin lands next to the house, jumping to the ground next to Kisumi. "If they are too cold they can't shoot fire. Hell, I didn't even know they can swim."
Kisumi laughs, shakes his head to, apparently, get his hair messier than it is already.
"Haru is a bit special. Apparently Makoto's mother found him when he was still in his egg; he hatched out around the time Makoto was born, so they've been always together."
Sousuke huffs, unimpressed by the emotive story.
"That sounds like a beautiful way to say he isn't trained and all he's good at is lazing around in the lake." He pets Rin's nose when the dragons nuzzles his shoulder, seeking attention. "Yeah, not like you. You're the best dragon anyone could ask for– What?"
Rin nuzzles him again, then raises his head and turns it towards the lake before looking at Sousuke eloquently.
"You want to go with him." Sousuke raises his eyebrow when Rin unfolds his wing, expectant. "Okay. But no fighting. And behave yourself; this is his home, after all."
Sousuke is pretty sure he's never seen Rin advancing that way, half-walking half-flying. It's ridiculous; from nose to tail Rin is ten metres of hard scales, pointed teeth, thorns and claws, and Sousuke can't think of anything more resembling to a puppy right now.
"I don't think they'll fight," Kisumi says, laughing. "Are you coming?"
Sousuke nods, suddenly remembering what they came here for. He almost loses his balance when he counts on a weight that isn't there anymore to trail after Kisumi; but if his friend notices he doesn't make any comment.
They find Makoto waiting for them at the front door. He's looking at Rin, and Sousuke prays he isn't having the wrong impression of his dragon.
"Hello, Makoto," Kisumi greets him.
Makoto turns towards them. He's almost as tall as Sousuke, with green eyes and a bright smile on his face. For some reason Sousuke finds him unsettling; despite Kisumi has told him Makoto is their age, there is something older in his eyes, a wisdom of sorts that doesn't belong there.
"Hey," he replies. He fixes his eyes on Sousuke. "You must be Sousuke."
"Yes."
"I see... I was surprised when I read such an urgent text."
"Oh, sorry if it's rushed," Kisumi almost pouts. "I guess I got carried away."
"It's okay! I was free today anyway." Makoto's smile grows, as well as Sousuke's uneasiness. What bothers him the most is not being able to tell why it disturbs him so much. "But better let's go inside. My siblings are at a friend's house, so they won't bother us."
Makoto's house, despite being as huge as the field he lives in, isn't pretentious. It has what it needs, but with his whole family having magic it isn't exactly devoid of eccentricities, such as spell books, wands –"Can you believe they use wands?," Kisumi mutters disapprovingly– and other magical artefacts.
They arrive to an office of sorts on the first floor. The shelves that cover the walls are mostly empty, which makes Sousuke wonder if that family knows where books are supposed to be. Makoto sits on a chair at the other side of the table, and after a second of hesitation Sousuke drops on his own seat next to Kisumi, who smiles brightly.
Makoto coughs weakly to get Sousuke's attention.
"So," he starts, "you lost your left arm."
"As you can see," Sousuke mutters, not in the mood for introductions.
Kisumi clears his throat.
"I've been working on regenerating limbs for five years," Makoto starts. "One could say that's a lot of time, but truth is it isn't. We've made great achievements, though. It's still a new technique when applied to humans, but it's been relatively successful in all cases."
"'Relatively'?" Sousuke repeats.
"There has been only one death since we started perform it on humans; but out of sixty-seven people who went through the treatment and had a part of their body regenerated, only nine of them have them completely functional," Makoto explains patiently. "Most patients recover some mobility, but a regenerated limb is hardly ever as useful as the original one. As a general rule, the more you get back, the less functionality it has; even though physical therapy certainly helps. Oh, and since it's not perfected yet, it's free."
It's then that Sousuke understands what's so unsettling about Makoto. He talks like the people who chopped off Sousuke's useless arm, talking about cold statistics in that impersonal voice. And Sousuke supposes it's his job, but he can't help but dislike him.
"So I'd get a useless arm for free?"
"'Relatively' useless," Kisumi corrects him, smirking a bit.
Sousuke looks at his shoulder, at the empty sleeve cut up and sewed to make it less creepy. Fixing clothes is one of his less favourite chores since he has no arm to fill the sleeve. He imagines not having to do it anymore, or using both hands to sew without feeling like he's fighting against the thread. He imagines flying with Rin again, as fast as they can, without being afraid of falling.
And he imagines not feeling any more pain coming from a limb that isn't there. He isn't sure how much normalcy he would get back –not even Makoto knows it–, but a half-normal life is better than not even being able to run properly– than this.
"What is that treatment about?"
.
They spend many hours talking about Sousuke's future arm. By the time they walk out the house Sousuke has to force himself not to cringe; now he knows what they're going to do to him, and even though Makoto has tried to reassure him Sousuke can't help but think it's going to hurt a lot.
So he tries to focus on anything else.
"We're going to pick Rin up," Sousuke explains when Makoto walks them out. After a whole day with him, he can't keep thinking the wizard is disturbing, even though he still feels a bit wary.
Makoto smiles. "Then I'll see you tomorrow."
Neither Sousuke nor Kisumi talk as they walk towards the lake. Unlike this morning, though, that silence doesn't feel tense. Kisumi looks happy for Sousuke's sake, a relaxed smile softly painted on his face. Sousuke bites his tongue, despite knowing he'll have to say it eventually.
But he likes the silence, so he doesn't say it now.
Rin and Haru seem to get along better than Sousuke though; judging by Rin's wet scales, shining like fire under the sunset, he's been swimming with the black dragon that now looks like he's dozing off next to him.
Sousuke huffs. "Great, now we have to wait until he dries up."
Kisumi snorts.
"You weren't worried about that last night," he remarks, but he plops himself down on the shore, observing the two dragons almost reverently.
It's not that Sousuke respects them any less, but he is more used to them. As he sits down next to Kisumi, he admires how healthy Haru looks despite water not being dragons' best ally. He is about Rin's size and even his belly is impossibly black, and when he turns to lay on his back and stretches one wing out until it brushes Rin he looks like a very big, very lazy cat.
"Sousuke?"
Apparently two male dragons being friendly to each other isn't interesting enough, because Kisumi is looking at him.
"What?"
"How did you lose your arm?"
Sousuke was starting to wonder how long it would take Kisumi to ask about that, but the dread and the instinctive mind your own business never comes.
He fixes his eyes on the water, trying to sort out memories and feelings. It's not even a tragic story, and he hates not being able to remember without stopping whatever he's doing at the moment.
"There was an exhibition at the academy," he carefully starts when he finds his voice. "Some assholes who came to visit –witches from a very important girls school or something, mind you– had nothing better to do than bothering Rin, apparently. But Rin is too well trained to attack anyone, obviously, so I don't know how long they had been there before he called me."
Out of the corner of his eye he sees Kisumi frown, but the wizard keeps silent. Sousuke supposes it's better this way.
"Thing is, they weren't happy when I told them to leave. And dragons are almost immune to magic, but I'm not... and Rin got really angry when they started using their tricks with me. He didn't mean to harm anyone," Sousuke looks up as Rin shoots flames into the sky under Haru's calm gaze, "but he kind of stomped on me when he tried to fright them away."
"I'm sorry," Kisumi mutters, and he sounds like he means it. Sousuke looks at him; even now the dreaded pity is nowhere to be seen.
Sousuke shrugs. "I was lucky it was only my arm, I suppose."
It's what everyone has told him for the last weeks, and even though Sousuke hates it he doesn't want Kisumi –or anyone– to feel bad for him. But, like himself, Kisumi doesn't look reassured by those words in the very least.
"But it's not fair," he insists.
"But it's what I got." Sousuke sighs. He doesn't understand why Kisumi looks more upset than himself. "Besides, I'm going to get a new one, right?"
Kisumi looks aside, and Sousuke guesses what he's thinking about almost too easily.
He can't exactly say he hasn't been avoiding mentioning the only person who died trying to get a limb back on purpose. But worrying won't help anyone.
"Have you heard about… uh… those wild dragons?" he blurts out.
Kisumi stares at him, tilting his head.
"The ones wreaking havoc at the coast?" Sousuke nods. It's the first thing that has come to his mind, but it's a better topic than his arm. "I've heard something."
Sousuke breathes out through his nose, relieved.
Kisumi may be the annoying kid he spent four summers with as a child, but not smiling really doesn't suit him.
.
Sousuke doesn't remember asking Kisumi to go with him to his weekly appointments to the hospital, but apparently he did it while he was asleep. That, or wizards are actually as crazy as rumours say.
Kisumi always has a plan; be it going to the cinema or eating ice-cream as they walk back from the hospital to the park Rin patiently awaits to take Sousuke –and now, Kisumi– home, Sousuke has the feeling his friend is trying to make up for the nine years they've spent apart.
And it should be annoying –it is–, but at the same time Sousuke appreciates it. Kisumi probably doesn't realise it, but he helps Sousuke not to think about the less pleasant parts of getting his arm back, helps planning what he'll do when he has it instead. And his smile is so bright Sousuke can't bring himself to be pessimistic when he's close.
It's about a month after Sousuke fell from Rin, when they're walking towards the park Rin is waiting for them, when a realisation hits Sousuke so hard he stops in his tracks.
Kisumi's steps come to a halt when he notices Sousuke is no longer by his side.
"Did you forget anything?" he asks, eyes wide and hair tousled and too much innocence hidden within his voice.
Sousuke inhales sharply, shakes his head and resumes walking, refusing to look up until he bumps into Rin.
"Shut up," he grunts at the dragon's snort, climbing onto his back.
When Kisumi settles behind him, arms surrounding his waist to secure him and chin leaning on Sousuke's shoulder, he has to fight the urge to get down and walk home instead. He doesn't think he's ever been as aware of Kisumi's presence before.
Hell, he doubts he's ever been this aware of anyone's presence before.
When Kisumi gets off Rin and walks towards his house, Sousuke feels that his daily I've really missed him has never fallen so short.
.
Makoto invites Kisumi and Sousuke one afternoon.
He's interested in Sousuke's case, even though he isn't in charge of it himself. Sousuke has met him several times since that first day, and he knows by now how to ignore the faint dread that gets weaker as days pass.
After staying until sunset, Sousuke and Kisumi walk to the lake, watch as Rin and Haru play around and end up throwing each other into the lake.
"If they all were like that," Sousuke mutters.
"Huh?"
Sousuke shakes his head. "I was thinking about those wild dragons on the coast," he explains. "They haven't been subdued yet."
"Oh."
They fall into a comfortable silence.
"Hey, Sousuke."
"Hm?" Sousuke lowers his gaze.
"Haven't you–" Kisumi pauses. "Have you thought about the surgery?" he asks in an oddly small voice.
Sousuke doesn't look at his friend. He tries to ignore the cold claw squeezing his stomach, tries not to think that next Thursday he'll spend more than six hours sleeping as wizards and doctors attach his 'relatively useless' brand new arm to his shoulder.
"I just hope it won't hurt," he replies, though.
Kisumi seems to understand.
"Yeah– Sorry for sounding pessimistic. What are you going to do afterwards? Apart from flying with Rin."
Sousuke shrugs.
"Give anyone a proper hug, if I'm able to."
Kisumi lets out a laugh.
"I hope so."
His hand rests on the ground, centimetres away from Sousuke. It's a pity he lacks that arm.
Next Thursday.
Maybe.
.
In the end, it's on Wednesday.
Sousuke doesn't really think about it. He's getting increasingly worried and he doesn't go anywhere that afternoon; instead he sits on his house's roof, where Rin is taking a nap, and leans on his red scales, trying to think about their warmth, about Rin's light snoring, about anything that isn't related to his surgery.
Kisumi shows up when the sun has disappeared behind the mountains and the sky is dark. This afternoon, there has been no appointment, no invitation from Makoto; yet Kisumi doesn't try to give him an excuse. He levitates instead of climbing to the roof and plops himself next to Sousuke.
"Do you remember the lights I used to make when we were younger?"
Sousuke remembers, because the most beautiful ones happened when he'd had a nightmare and Kisumi was trying to cheer him up. So he nods.
"Look."
Maybe it's the lack of moon. Maybe it's Kisumi's closeness, which seems to burn Sousuke's arm whenever it brushes Kisumi's own. But the lights coming from Kisumi's fingers know more colours than Sousuke remembers, and they're bigger and brighter and they seem to dance around them, and there's that fresh tingling that Sousuke associates to Kisumi's magic when he reaches out to touch a particularly beautiful shade of violet.
He smiles despite himself when he turns to his side and sees Kisumi holding blue flames on his hand.
"What is this for?"
Kisumi shrugs, but he can't fool Sousuke. He isn't trembling only due to the cold. "You liked it back then, so I thought you'd like it now."
Sousuke wonders if Kisumi feels guilty for bringing up not-so-happy topics some days ago. He shouldn't, he thinks.
"Well, you were right. It's nice."
Kisumi's eyes widens. Too busy looking at him, Sousuke doesn't notice him getting closer, doesn't register his warmth until soft lips land on his own.
Sousuke doesn't know what to do, how to proceed to keep Kisumi there. So he parts his lips a millimetre so Kisumi's mouth fits better against his. He hears a whisper, but before he realises it the kiss is no longer there.
"I want," Kisumi starts when he draws back, whispering the words on Sousuke's skin, "to be your first proper hug after your surgery."
Sousuke smiles. He wishes Kisumi could see himself, all the shades of sunset reflecting on his face as warmth radiates from his flushed cheeks.
"And a kiss too? Greedy."
Kisumi clicks his tongue. "Kisses are what you'll get in exchange. Deal?"
Sousuke's reply is kissing him again.
.
The first thought Sousuke has upon awakening is a surprised it doesn't hurt.
The second thought Sousuke has is I can't move.
His eyes snap open to a sickeningly white ceiling, but it's the only part of him that works. Sousuke can't even feel his limbs, can't feel anything apart from his accelerated breathing and the hammering of his heart against his ribs; and it occurs to him that maybe he's lost his other arm and his legs too, that maybe something went wrong and they had to–
"Sousuke?"
Something pink appears at his right, but Sousuke can't make out that face. He tries to speak, to ask about his limbs, but all that comes out is a shaky groan.
He feels a cool hand landing on his cheek, a familiar tingling tying him to the voice.
"Hey– You're alright, everything went well." Kisumi's words sound softer than usual, weak with worry. "What's wrong?"
It's a relief that he waits patiently for Sousuke to find his tongue. Kisumi's face gets a bit clearer, and now he has two really pretty eyes and a little mouth pressed into a thin, concerned line.
"Can't move," Sousuke finally slurs, not even understanding his words himself. "Can't… feel. Anything."
"Oh, they were talking about that earlier," Kisumi muses. "The drug they gave you to keep you sleeping through the surgery was really potent; they said you won't feel anything for some more hours." Sousuke blinks. "But hey, look at the good part– now you have a really cool arm."
As Kisumi speaks, he keeps caressing Sousuke's cheek; it's as if he knew that's probably the only thing he can feel at the moment. Sousuke closes his eyes, calmer now that he knows what's going on. He probably drifts off at some point, because when he looks around again he realises he can move his neck and see Kisumi's head leaning on his arms, on the bed, soundly asleep.
Sousuke doesn't really think when he reaches out to wrap Kisumi in a hug. It isn't until he notices how sloppy his left arm feels that it sinks in– he has a left arm.
"Kisumi. Hey, Kisumi."
Kisumi raises his head, frowning when he finds himself trapped between Sousuke's arms.
"Huh? Can you move already?"
Sousuke nods, trying to tighten his embrace.
"Look. Your hug. Now we're even."
Kisumi laughs, sliding his own hands around Sousuke's back, under his arms, and pulling him close as his lips land on Sousuke's jaw.
"No, not yet."
.
Sousuke soon realises what Makoto meant when he talked about regenerated limbs' limitations. Clumsily hugging Kisumi is one thing; controlling his fingers and making precise movements with his hand, though, is beyond his abilities by the time he's discharged from the hospital; not to mention the huge difference in strength between his right and his left arm. Sousuke can't even keep his regenerated limb raised for more than ten seconds.
"That's what physical therapy is for," Kisumi comments.
They're at Kisumi's garden, on the outskirts; it's been almost three weeks since Sousuke's surgery and he's staying for dinner with his family, but the food isn't ready yet. Rin seems to be having trouble to get used Sousuke's new arm; he sniffs at it whenever Sousuke is close, as if looking for something wrong with it. He hasn't found it today either, though, because soon he takes off and flies towards the forest, probably looking for his own meal.
Sousuke sighs, wincing when he notices Kisumi is playing with his left hand. That's another thing he has to work on; he hates the numbness preventing him from feeling things like this most of the time.
"I guess." He leans towards Kisumi, traps his lips in a kiss. "And afterwards I'll learn how to play the piano. Just to prove I can."
Kisumi reaches for Sousuke's right wrist, pressing his palm against his own face.
"Playing an instrument isn't the only thing you can do with your arm, you know?" he whispers, and his voice sounds oddly hoarse.
Sousuke hopes he isn't as red as he thinks he is.
"W-We're at your parents' house," he manages to reply, trying not to drown in the heat melting his stomach. "Have some decency."
Kisumi slams his lips against Sousuke again, then pulls back some centimetres. His face is as flushed as Rin's scales, but there's also an unmistakable mischievous glint in his eyes.
"There are thousands of things you can do. You're the pervert who is talking about sex when my little brother could look through the window any moment."
Sousuke raises his eyebrow. "Me. Sure. Mind you, Rin has a really good hearing and he's a very innocent creature."
Kisumi isn't exactly successful at concealing his giggle behind a judgemental scowl.
.
It happens after dinner.
At first the cartoons Hayato is watching are interrupted by the news, but nobody but the child pays attention to it, and when he tries to get Kisumi's attention, his brother walks him to his bedroom, obviously with the sole purpose of letting Sousuke alone with his parents.
Only Rin's screech is loud enough for Sousuke to forget how imposing Kisumi's parents look. He stands up abruptly and walks outside the house in long strides, not paying attention to Mrs. Shigino's question, only to find the dragon glaring at the sky.
"What's wrong?" he asks, barely listening to Mr. and Mrs. Shigino's hurried steps behind him.
Rin growls, not taking his eyes off the shadows flying over the moon. Sousuke squints, not really believing what he's seeing. It can't be–
"Hayato says he heard in the news–" Kisumi trails off as he stops next to Sousuke, mouth hanging open as he looks up. "Oh."
Dragons.
At least fifteen of them.
And judging by how tense Rin is, they aren't exactly friendly.
"Oh," Sousuke mutters, mimicking Kisumi's reaction.
Those are the dragons that have been wreaking havoc for the last weeks. Sousuke hasn't paid them much attention since his surgery, but he thought they would be gotten rid of by now.
He was wrong, apparently.
He has more important matters to care about, he notices when Rin opens his mouth and angry blue flames come out of it, bright enough for the wild dragons to see them.
"Rin, don't–" he starts, knowing it's too late.
But then something white crosses the sky like a shooting star, colliding with the fire and swallowing it before extinguishing. Sousuke turns around just in time to grab Kisumi with his good arm before his boyfriend falls down.
"Kisumi?"
Kisumi leans his head on Sousuke's shoulder, breathing inexplicably fast. He's trembling, even though it isn't cold.
"Control your damn pet," he hisses between his teeth.
"Are you alright?" Mrs. Kisumi steps towards her son, worried.
Kisumi nods, stepping back as he looks up. "Try dispelling dragon flames and tell me how alright you are, Mum." He takes in air, swallowing down. "Make sure Rin doesn't do that again."
Convincing Rin isn't easy, and the dragon almost shoots fire twice more, but finally Sousuke manages to make him lower his head and flicks him on the nose.
"Don't you dare. I don't think you want them to break your wings." Rin lets out a puff of smoke. "They're more than ten and you're only pretty, so don't push your luck. Do you remember when you couldn't fly for two months?"
Luckily, that seems to pacify Rin. He walks towards the trees to lay down between them and avoid being seen, though he keeps glaring at them when Sousuke pretends not to be looking.
He then walks back into the living room, where he finds Kisumi's magic flowing across the room. He can hear Mr. and Mrs. Shigino talking in the first floor.
"What are you doing?"
Kisumi sits on the table, head falling back until he's staring at the ceiling. "Putting protective spells around the house. They won't do much, especially with Rin here, but it's better than nothing."
"And how do we go out?"
"Through the door." Kisumi smiles. He looks tired; getting rid of Rin's flames has really taken its toll on him. "My magic doesn't prevent people from doing what they want."
Sousuke steps towards him, barely able to hide his concern. He knows magic is energy, and knows dragons are almost impermeable to magic, but he's never seen Kisumi this exhausted. He lands a kiss on Kisumi's temple, hugging him.
"Shouldn't you rest for a bit?"
Kisumi shrugs, leaning into Sousuke.
"Maybe. But mostly I just need to eat something… and know what's happening. Turn on the TV."
Sousuke hasn't even disentangled his arms when the screen lights up. He frowns at Kisumi.
"What about resting?"
Kisumi huffs. "I'm tired, not useless." He fixes his gaze on the TV, where the newswoman is talking about preventive measures as the screen shows the damage those dragons have already caused in other cities. "Why are they so… angry?" Kisumi whispers as a witness recalls how her father was disembowelled before her eyes. "I mean, Rin is like a big puppy, and even Haru can't hurt a fly."
"Probably because they were hurt." Sousuke sighs, letting go of Kisumi as he fixes his gaze in a purple and black dragon that caused a forest fire last week. It has a long scar where no scales grow on its side. "Training them is one thing; but dragons are usually stubborn and proud, and many people find hurting them easier. And I admit it's faster, but I wouldn't like being their owner after they realised they were bigger and had fire."
Kisumi looks away.
"But isn't animal abuse forbidden?"
"Yeah. Murder and theft are, too."
Kisumi falls silent.
"So what are they going to do with them?"
Sousuke doesn't answer. He doesn't want to think about it.
Luckily Kisumi doesn't have the time to insist; the sound of small feet running down the stairs startles them both, and seconds later Hayato is in the living room. He walks right towards Sousuke, stopping one metre away from him.
"Where's your dragon going?" he asks.
Sousuke can feel the blood draining from his face.
"What?"
Hayato points at a window. "I just saw him taking off. I thought you had told him to."
Sousuke practically runs outside, Kisumi and Hayato following close. Rin's big red body isn't curled up next to the trees, and he feels like throwing up Mrs. Shigino's delicious dinner when he looks up and recognises Rin's silhouette flying towards the city centre.
"I'm going to kill that stupid lizard," he snaps.
He is taking long strides towards the road, but stops when Kisumi grabs his arm.
"Where are you going?" he almost demands.
"What do you think?" Sousuke snaps back. "To make sure Rin doesn't get into a fight with seventeen rabid dragons."
"You can't."
"Huh?"
"There are seventeen wild dragons. They'll roast you."
"So what? I only need to find Rin and ride him home. I'm not going to kill them."
Kisumi's fingers dig into Sousuke's skin when his grip tightens.
"And have you thought that your arm isn't exactly at its best?"
Sousuke feels his hands curling into fists. Out of all people, Kisumi has never–
"Is that what you're worried about? Do you think I can't fly by myself?"
Kisumi purses his lips together.
"That's not what I said," he snaps through his teeth. His anger flows with the wind, making the air hot and thick around them. "But you can't–"
"Don't worry, I'm not useless." Sousuke doesn't want to hear it. He doesn't want Kisumi to think he's something fragile that can't manage by himself.
"It's not about–"
"Keep your pity to yourself. I don't need it."
Kisumi stops trying to speak all at once.
Slowly, almost delicately, he lets go of Sousuke's arm and steps back.
Suddenly the night feels very cold.
"The only thing about you I pity is your pea-sized brain," he says. Sousuke tells himself he's imagine the tinge of sadness in his voice.
Sousuke snorts. Every second he wastes arguing with Kisumi Rin is closer to those dragons.
"Whatever. Are you coming to make sure I behave like a good boy now?"
Kisumi shakes his head. "I'm the only wizard in this house."
"Wonderful. See you later if I don't fall from Rin and die before."
He is too angry to wait for Kisumi's reaction; he turns around and starts running down the road, hoping to find a taxi willing to take him to the city centre.
Kisumi's words keep repeating in his mind the whole way.
.
Three things happen by the time Sousuke catches up with Rin.
Firstly, that Rin has catched up with the group of wild dragons and picked up a fight with one of them. Thankfully it's smaller than him, so he seems to have the upper hand.
Secondly, the group has divided and now each dragon is making a mess of a different part of the city. The good part about it is that some of them have gone back to the forest.
Thirdly, that there are more dragons fighting against the wild ones, defending the city. It's surprising because trained dragons aren't likely to challenge others, but it's also necessary. There are many people outside, but they can't possibly win against such creatures.
The trained dragons are still outnumbered, though.
Sousuke goes to one of the highest skyscrapers and takes the lift to the rooftop, where he can see amazingly well how Rin and a green dragon wrestle in the sky, too caught up in their fight to notice anything else.
"Oi! Rin!" he yells. He isn't exactly surprised when Rin ignores him, but it's annoying nonetheless. "You stupid self-centred lizard!"
Sousuke sighs, looking around. He finds a piece of a brick and decides to risk it. He walks towards the edge of the skyscraper, trying not to look down, and after some seconds he throws it with all the strength he can muster.
It hits the green dragon. And unfortunately for Sousuke, it notices.
He finds himself stepping back even before the animal fixes its yellow eyes on him, trying to remember what to do against a wild dragon with a wound pride. All he knows is that the best course of action is killing them, and he honestly doubts he's about to find a new way to deal with them. The dragon disentangles its limbs from Rin and flies towards Sousuke–
And then the floor trembles so hard under Sousuke's feet he falls on his butt, and when he looks up all he sees is Rin's red belly. Sousuke can't see the other dragon; Rin's wings keep him hidden from its view, and despite he doesn't know what's happening he can hear Rin's roar and feel the heat of the other dragon's flames, and he silently thanks Rin for sheltering him. Sousuke makes sure he isn't too close to Rin's legs, though.
He feels oddly isolated, not having a clue of what's going on; he only hears a really loud thump and realises, when Rin folds his wings and lets him see, that there's another dragon fighting the green one. Black, as big as Rin and with a tiny flame that betrays all the time he spends into the water.
"Your friend is here too, isn't he?" he mutters, standing up and patting Rin's side. The dragon gets the hint and bends so Sousuke can climb on his back, never taking his eyes off Haru.
He hates to admit it, but Kisumi is right; his left hand can barely close around the reins.
"Now you and I are going home," he tells Rin. "And next time you decide going off by yourself I'm chopping off your tail," he warns. "There was no need to put yourself in danger like that– shit."
As Rin takes off, the green dragon seems to remember it was fighting against him before Haru distracted it. Sousuke grabs the reins as tight as he can, sinking his heels into Rin's flanks to make him speed up all he can, but it's not fast enough. A row of sharp teeth clamps down on Rin's wing, piercing through the membranous structure.
Rin's screech pierces through Sousuke's ears as he writhes to get free from those teeth, losing height before flapping his wings to try to get away. Everything trembles when Rin hits the floor, but soon he takes off again. Sousuke can only cling to him, closing his eyes and praying the wild dragon will leave Rin alone now.
He hears a screech and sighs when he recognises Haru, but he has more important things to think about. Sousuke is able to tell Rin doesn't land, but falls, when the world shakes around them harder.
When he feels Rin's shaky breathing beneath him, though, he forgets about the rough landing. He slides down his side and runs towards Rin's head, caressing his nose softly.
"Hey," he calls. Rin opens his eyes a bit. "Thank you," he whispers. He looks up; Haruka seems to be doing fine against the green dragon.
Sousuke soon forgets about him, though; he turns his head to see Rin's outstretched wounded wing. Blood pools around the wounds and on the ground, but it doesn't look especially serious. Sousuke pats Rin's nose again.
"Do you remember what I told you not to long ago about not being able to fly for a while?" Sousuke sighs. "Come on, you've earned a visit to the vet."
Rin doesn't move.
Sousuke rolls his eyes, but then a shadow covers the sky above them. He tenses up until he realises it's just Haru, who lands next to Rin and sniffs at his wounds before letting out a disapproving snort.
"No need to do my job, you big lazy cat," Sousuke says.
Haru just stares.
Sousuke huffs, exasperated. "Fine, if he doesn't want to go to the vet, then the vet will go to him," he decides, putting his right hand on his hip. His whole left arm hurts from straining it when Rin has been wounded, but Sousuke walks towards a bigger street nonetheless. He's glad Rin has landed close to the hospital, because the vet is right next to it. "You take care of him until I'm back, alright?" he tells Haru. "And I'll–"
But he never finishes that sentence.
Sousuke is already at one of the main streets, and he can see three people hurriedly walking among the crowd to the hospital entrance.
Mr. Shigino, Mrs. Shigino and Hayato.
Something cold squeezes his stomach. He doesn't scan the crowd twice to make sure he hasn't missed Kisumi. There is no way he would do that.
"What–" he hears himself croak, running towards the incomplete family. "Where's Kisumi?"
Mr. and Mrs. Shigino look at each other, neither of them knowing what to say. There are unshed tears in Mrs. Shigino's eyes, and Mr. Shigino's shoulders are visibly tense. It's Hayato the one who answers, voice trembling:
"The house crumbled away. He protected us, but he forgot to protect himself."
.
'The house crumbled away' is a euphemism.
One of the dragons that flew back to the forest landed on Kisumi's garden. Sousuke wonders if it smelt Rin's trace, or if it had got to see Rin's flame before Kisumi extinguished it.
It doesn't matter. What does is that the dragon destroyed the house and everything went to hell.
"He made a barrier so the rubble didn't hurt us," Mr. Shigino explains, looking down as the arm he has around his wife's waist tightens, "but the spell didn't reach him."
Sousuke swallows and looks away. It doesn't really matter where he looks at: everything is white. It's been three hours since he found out about it, but they don't know anything about Kisumi yet. He's called a vet so he cleaned Rin's wounds –and learnt those teeth are venomous–, taken the dragon home and told him to sleep –which hasn't been difficult, considering Rin is exhausted– and managed to shoo Haru away.
And now he's back at the hospital, breathing through his mouth so he doesn't have to smell the too clean air. He can't help but recall their last conversation, and his words press so hard into his chest breathing becomes difficult at times. They sound stupid and petty in his head, overly dramatic and not entirely necessary.
His left arm hurts, sore from being overworked, and Sousuke remembers that he would be dead if it weren't for Rin, and wants to bite his tongue off for mistaking Kisumi's worry for pity. He wants to apologise for talking like that and throwing Kisumi's good intentions to his face. He wants to at least talk to him and clear everything out, for Kisumi to listen to him for a second and understand his side of the story.
Hell, he just wants Kisumi to be alright.
.
It's almost dawn when Kisumi's family and Sousuke are allowed to see him.
He's still unconscious, and he'll be for a while, but there are no permanent injuries, a doctor explains. The fact that Kisumi was exhausted from doing magic doesn't help, but if he eats properly his wounds and broken bones will hear faster than if he weren't a wizard.
Sousuke stands next to the door, watching as Kisumi's mother fusses over him and his brother looks at every visible bandage as if he could make the wounds beneath disappear if he stares hard enough. Mr. Shigino only sighs and sits down on a chair, obviously tired after such a long night.
As for Sousuke himself, he can't stand looking at Kisumi for more than ten seconds. He's too pale for his liking, and even though he isn't awake a light frown betrays a sort of discomfort. Besides, he isn't smiling. Kisumi not smiling never means anything good.
He walks out of the room when the air grows too thick for him to breathe.
.
Sousuke sleeps until the afternoon.
When he gets up, the first thing he does is checking on Rin and making sure his wing isn't infected. Luckily Rin is just tired, and apart from his obvious annoyance and refusal to take his medicine he seems to be alright.
"You asked for it," he mutters, patting the dragon's neck, satisfied when Rin finally swallows it down. "It could've been worse, so don't whine now."
Rin snorts, hitting the wall with his tail to catch Sousuke's attention when he walks outside the garage he sleeps in.
"I'm going to see Kisumi," Sousuke explains, and he can feel his shoulders slumping forward. "I'll be back soon, okay?"
Rin growls and hides his head under his uninjured wing, but he seems to understand.
.
Kisumi wakes up two days afterwards.
By now, two of the wild dragons have been killed, but the others have escaped, angrier and more dangerous than they were before. It's sickening, Sousuke thinks, how there is no way to stop this without violence, be it to hunt them down or to scare them away, making them more prone to attack people they find in other cities. It won't stop until the last dragon dies, and then there will probably be more idiots willing to hurt them.
But it's the only thing they can do.
Sousuke is cleaning Rin's wounds when Mrs. Shigino calls him to announce the news. It's enough for Sousuke's left arm to give away, hand falling on the wound. Rin hisses and tries to pull his wing back, making Sousuke slid down to the floor.
"Sorry, Rin," he mutters as he stands up, shoving his phone into his pocket. He climbs to Rin's wing again, covering the wound. "I'm leaving," he adds, feeling a bit guilty for how little time he's spending with the dragon; but Rin just shoots a tiny flame, resigned.
He's in the hospital in twenty minutes, hits repeatedly the fifth floor button as he impatiently shifts his weight from one foot to the other in the lift. Less than two minutes later he finds himself before Kisumi's bedroom. Cheerful voices come from inside, and at some point Hayato laughs.
Sousuke takes a deep breath before opening the door.
He finds Kisumi noticeably better than when he left the room last night, sitting up with his back leaning on a pile of pillows. He's still pale, and his hair looks like he's been flying on Rin for hours, but most of his wounds have already healed thanks to curative magic and his own nature.
He looks up at the sound of the door opening, and his smile vanishes as he fixes his gaze on Sousuke. The surprise on his face quickly turns into something different, worse.
Mr. Shigino, Mrs. Shigino and Hayato's voices die down when they notice Sousuke's presence, and he realises he hasn't greeted them yet. He can't find the words, though, not when Kisumi tears his gaze off him and glares at the window, hands closing into fists in his lap.
"Hi!" Hayato beams at him. He's grown fond of Sousuke, mostly because he lets him play with Rin.
"Hello, Hayato."
An uncomfortable silence spreads through the room.
"Uh..." Mr. Shigino frowns, and Sousuke wonders if Kisumi has told them anything. "How about a snack?" he suggests, offering Hayato his hand.
"I'm not hungry," Hayato protests, but grabs his father's hand nonetheless.
"Well, I am," Mrs. Shigino replies, already walking towards the door. Sousuke forces his legs to step aside. "We'll be back in a second," she says, smiling brightly at Sousuke before turning around and looking at her son.
Her husband pushes her so she keeps walking, and Hayato closes the door behind them, leaving Sousuke and Kisumi alone.
Kisumi is still stubbornly staring at the glass. Sousuke bites his lip, trying to remember the words he's spend the last days preparing as he takes a hesitant step towards the bed.
"The other night–"
"I'm sorry," Kisumi cuts him off, finally getting tired of looking through the window. He looks at his hands instead.
Sousuke frowns. "What?" Kisumi visibly tenses up. "I mean, what are you apologising for?"
"What I said. It's not that I–" Kisumi breathes out through his nose. "I don't think you're useless, I was just worried."
Slowly, Sousuke reaches the bed. He doesn't dare getting closer, though. So he stays there, within Kisumi's reach, trying to respect his space.
"I know," he replies quietly. "I've been thinking these days. I just– I didn't want you to pity me, too, and I got defensive." Sousuke lets out a sigh. "But I had to get to Rin. I'm sorry I didn't understand."
Kisumi nods, still not looking up or doing any move to touch Sousuke.
"My father told me about Rin. How is he?"
"Unbearable, like every time he's sick. But better."
"Good." Kisumi fiddles with the hem of the blanket. "Aren't you angry?"
Sousuke risks reaching for Kisumi's hand. He wills the fingers of his left hand to curl around Kisumi's, which they somehow manage to do.
"Not with you. You're partly right, I can't do the same as before with this, even though it's better than having no arm at all."
Kisumi squeezes his hand back.
"I'm glad you're fine," he whispers, "I really am."
Sousuke huffs.
"What about you? You let a house fall on you."
Kisumi shrugs. "I didn't think about it until there was nothing I could do," he admits. "But it worked, didn't it?"
"It's one way to see it."
Sousuke can't help the smile reaching his lips when Kisumi finally looks at him, his gaze hopeful.
"Are you going to just stand there?" he asks, playfully tugging at his hand.
"I can't go any closer," Sousuke replies. Kisumi proves him wrong by pulling at him until he falls on the bed, and it's too easy to be just physical strength. "I thought it was magic what had you exhausted," he notes.
Kisumi shakes his head as Sousuke sits properly on the side of the bed.
"You aren't that difficult to move. It would be harder if it were Rin."
Sousuke lets go of Kisumi's hand, pulling him into a hug. His left hand is still far from being completely functional, but he can pull Kisumi close, though not with the strength he would like.
Kisumi looks at him, kisses the corner of his lips.
"Your hugs are getting better," he comments.
"Really?"
"No. They were fine to begin with."
Sousuke kisses him, this time on the lips.
"Good."
.
Kisumi is out of the hospital two days after he wakes up, and a week later there's no trace of wound on his skin. He is busy rebuilding his family house, and as soon as Rin is able to fly again Sousuke comes to help.
He ends up tired at the end of the day, but it's strangely rewarding. Kisumi has to be careful when using magic, but he refuses not to let it flow out of him when he's laying on the ground at sunset next to Sousuke, painting the sky with light. That is too natural to be tiring, he explains, and Sousuke doesn't sound too convincing when he tries to say he doesn't like it.
Summer is coming to an end, and on a particularly calm evening a cool breeze makes Kisumi roll over the dry grass until his back is pressing against Sousuke's side. Sousuke slides his arm below his boyfriend's neck to hold him close, opening his eyes to see Rin flying above them.
"I heard they killed the last wild dragon," Kisumi comments.
Sousuke only nods. He feels Kisumi's fingertips, cool with magic, slide down his throat.
"How is your arm?"
Sousuke tenses up and closes his eyes.
"Not better," he mutters. He knew it since he talked to Makoto for the first time; that even with physical therapy, there is only so much a regenerated limb can do. He's been unable to move his fingers independently for weeks, and the doctor told him yesterday: that he's reached his limit. "Still better than having no arm at all," he adds in a softer voice as he opens his eyes again.
Kisumi hovers over him, leaning one hand on each side of Sousuke's head.
"I told you. You got a relatively useless arm for free."
Sousuke just smiles.
It doesn't frustrate him, not anymore. He can fly with Rin again. He can manage himself, he can do nearly as many things he did before he lost his arm.
"Thank you," he whispers, arms reaching for Kisumi's waist.
.
And he can hug Kisumi close, and he doesn't need much more.