Chapter 4: Spring Rain
(Thanks so much to wonderful reviewers Bluehaze24 (Sorry about the wait! More is on the way with less waiting.), Layra (Here you go! And more is coming soon!), Fanficstalker (There's some love and some fighting in this one...good mixture!), MandeeMaggot (Tetsuya's recovery will take time, but he will have lots of support, from family, friends, his new love and another interesting source!), Autheane (Tetsuya and Katsuro will have some good bonding time as he heals, but things will be dangerous for everyone with that demon on the loose!), Alabirdie (Thanks so much! Sorry about the long wait for this. But I am already at work on the next chapter, so that will be along soon!), Anonymous (Yeah, I am sooooo mean sometimes! LOL), Walkure (Sorry for the long wait. And yes, lol, I am going to have a chapter of The Woman in Me ready soon!), Tomyallen (Well, some excitement is definitely on the way!), and Mina Kye (Katsuro will give Tetsuya some nice incentive to heal quickly!) Enjoy the new chapter! Love, Spunky)
"It feels strange, not having the children with us," Byakuya said, looking over at the empty bassinets near the bed.
Renji slid his hands beneath his husband's yukata, gently caressing his chest and soft belly, catching a fingertip in his navel, then teasing his nipples lightly, while he ducked his head beneath the noble's chin and nibbled and licked the white skin of his throat.
"I feel the same," he admitted, "But they are safer under guard with the king. And we have to get up early to go to the planning meeting. Anyway, it's nice to get some time alone with you. It's been all about the kids lately, and I've almost forgotten what you taste like."
"Renji..." Byakuya whispered, falling back as the redhead slipped the noble's yukata down off his shoulders and did the same to his own.
Byakuya's fingers traced the bold markings on Renji's chest, and his eyes hazed over and closed, as Renji laid down on top of him, parting his slender thighs and bringing their awakening erections into direct contact. Byakuya moaned and his eyelids fluttered at the feeling of heat and the lovely, dizzying masculine scent of his lover. Renji attacked his mouth more hungrily, his hands striving to touch Byakuya everywhere, from the pretty, angular curves of his face, to the graceful white throat, the muscular shoulders and chest, proud, erect nipples, delicate ribcage, long, slim arms and delicate looking hands, soft, relaxed belly, following the fine black hairs down to where their naked members rubbed together, along the slender thighs, strong calves and down to his very toes. He crawled down Byakuya's body, kissing him all of the way, and making his quieter counterpart blush sweetly.
"That's right," Renji whispered, "That's the lover I remember..."
"O-oh!" sighed Byakuya, blinking and losing focus as Renji kissed his way from breast to thigh and spread the noble's thighs wide, "Gods, Renji! I didn't realize how much I missed this..."
Renji made a soft sound of amusement.
"You sure you're the same guy who ran away from me after the first time we were together on our wedding night? You look like him...but you're looking at me through very different eyes."
"It is not that I am looking at you differently," Byakuya corrected him, "It is that I am really seeing you, Renji. I am sorry for how I acted on our wedding night. And I promise that when our anniversary comes, I will make it up to you."
"No need for that," Renji assured him, sliding forward and rubbing sensuously against his entrance, "Not that I won't happily accept, but I understand how difficult it was for you to obey the order to become my mate."
He pushed inside Byakuya's body in slow, gentle thrusts, watching the noble's eyes soften and go hazy as he was taken.
"It may have been difficult at the time," Byakuya whispered, closing his eyes and catching his breath softly as Renji's hips moved, and the redhead began thrusting, "However, I just needed time to adjust."
Renji sighed and continued the steady, intense motion.
"I should have been more accepting of that. I hate that I hurt you...that...after you lost your first baby, I couldn't comfort you. You took it all on yourself."
Byakuya moaned feverishly and raised his hips to meet Renji's increasingly heavy thrusts.
"That won't happen anymore," Byakuya panted, writhing beneath the redhead as Renji angled his thrusts to strike the pleasure center inside the noble, rendering him unable to speak, but not beyond crying out in ecstasy as gave in to the rush of pleasure that roared through his body as Renji's seething heat filled him inside and his own seed erupted in warm spurts onto their skin.
"I love you so much!" Renji panted, lowering himself to devour his lover's spilled seed, then attacking his mouth with a storm of blazing kisses, before he collapsed onto Byakuya's chest, catching his breath and listening to the falling rain outside their room.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Renji promised, nibbling on Byakuya's ear, then kissing him on the pale throat, "I swear I won't."
"You are in just as much danger as I am, Renji," the noble reminded him, "This demon is savage...relentless. Kami, it nearly killed Tetsuya. I don't know what I would have done if your father hadn't helped to stabilize him. I only hope now that Tetsuya will be able to make a full recovery. It is a lot to ask, considering how badly he was injured..."
"But he has a good healer," said Renji, "And my dad's not going to leave him alone for a minute. He really has fallen head over heels in love with Tetsuya."
"I thought that it riled you somewhat that your father was pursuing a lover so much younger than himself."
Renji shook his head.
"Not so much anymore," he admitted softly, "Because I see how happy they make each other...the way my dad's flirting flusters Tetsuya, and as much as he thinks he should resist, Tetsuya just can't help but love him."
"Sounds like an oddly familiar story," commented Byakuya, kissing the redhead's throat and tracing along one of the tattoos on his shoulder with his tongue, "The Akabuke clan is a scandalously bold lot, but I must admit that they are also intoxicating lovers, to whom, it seems, the members of the Kuchiki clan have little to no resistance, in the end."
"Well, I'm pretty damned happy about that."
"Yes, I see that."
XXXXXXXXXX
Kazuki stood quietly under the soft fall of rain in the clearing near the palace, still panting softly from the exertion of his and Akabuke's nightly love ritual. The samurai stood behind him, with his arms wrapped around the noble, and his lips running kisses up his pale, rain-slicked throat.
"I hate that we'll be separated again," said Kazuki, "I know that your place is with his majesty during this crisis, but my heart aches knowing how soon we must take our leave of each other. We have only recently been reunited."
He turned to face the samurai, and was met with another warm onslaught of kisses.
"You, Byakuya and Renji will find and eradicate that demon," Akabuke said calmly, "And we will be together again before you know it."
"I know that," replied Kazuki, holding his lover more tightly, "I believe it with all of my heart."
"Then we will be all right," said Akabuke, slipping a hand into his and leading him back through the rain soaked gardens and to the balcony of their room.
They nodded to the guards who had been positioned at strategic points around the palace, then moved inside, closing the garden doors behind them.
Outside in the cover of the trees, the demon watched quietly, waiting for his opportunity.
XXXXXXXXXX
Tetsuya's wide blue eyes blinked open, and he found himself looking up into Katsuro's affectionate gaze. He moved his lips to speak, but caught his breath worriedly as his voice failed to sound. The calm, kind face of the king's healer appeared next to the samurai's.
"Do not worry, Tetsuya Kishu," he assured the young noble, "I have only placed a protective kido on the injured region of your throat. It will be some time before I can be sure, but right now, it looks as though you will regain use of your voice with rest and additional healing."
"So no talking," said Katsuro, grinning at him, "But that's okay, love. Talk is somewhat overrated, in my opinion. And even if not, you and I say plenty without uttering a word, ne?"
Tetsuya gave him a momentary look of reproach.
"See there?" Katsuro asked the healer, "He was clearly saying that he can't wait to regain his voice so that he can whisper his undying affection to me."
The noble rolled his eyes and shook his head resignedly, relaxing his body as Katsuro and the healer carefully turned him onto his stomach so that the healer could examine the healing wound on his back.
"You were extremely lucky here," said the healer, "Although you took damage to some of your internal organs, we were able to heal them, and I do not see signs of swelling near the spinal column, so it looks as though you will retain your mobility. However, you will move about somewhat gingerly for a time. I would say that you should refrain from anything that puts a strain on your back for a week or so, then gentle riding for a time after that. I'm afraid you will not be able to assume your post with the Kishu for three weeks to a month."
"Well," said Katsuro, noting the mixture of relief and frustration in Tetsuya's expression, "selfish as it is, I am rather pleased you won't be abandoning me right away to take off with that rather stuffy bunch of riders. This will be like something of a preparatory vacation, ne?"
"Very well," said the healer, smiling at the flustered look Tetsuya gave the samurai, "I will leave the two of you to sleep for the night. I will be back on the morning to check your progress."
"Thank you," said Katsuro, gratefully, "Tetsuya and I owe you for everything you did to stabilize and keep him alive."
The old healer smiled and shook his head.
"I patched him up," he said, glancing at the young man, "but it was you that convinced him to give his best to staying with us. Good night, then. I will see you in the morning."
Katsuro watched him leave, then smiled at his youthful counterpart, who had shifted onto his back and settled onto the pillows again.
"So then," the samurai said quietly, his dark, red-brown eyes taking on a more amorous shine, "It looks like you will be staying with me for a while, ne Tetsuya?"
The younger man arched an eyebrow in challenge, but Katsuro shook his head dismissively.
"King's orders," he said firmly, "This demon that attacked you has yet to be found. And while the search for him goes on, we cannot eliminate the possibility that it may have targeted you for a reason. In any case, I want to be close by to aid in your healing. I may be a samurai first, but I can give you reiatsu infusions and gentle massage to relieve your discomfort."
He leaned closer and whispered the next words into the younger man ear, bringing a blush to his face.
"And if those are not enough, I can certainly distract you away from the pain in other ways."
He read the sudden look of uncertainty that had come into the younger man's eyes, and caressed his cheek lightly.
"What is it?" asked Katsuro, "Do you still have doubts? Do you still question that we are meant to be together?"
Tetsuya's sapphire eyes fastened on his, and Katsuro's own eyes widened as he heard the faint sound of Tetsuya's whisper in his mind.
I do not doubt that we are meant for each other.
But I am afraid.
I lost my first love, Naoki, before we could be together. And you are a heedless, reckless man...one who will always place himself in harm's way willingly...brash and fearless. You keep death's hand close to you, and will embrace it calmly when it reaches for you. As dangerous as your sword is, your love is more dangerous still.
Katsuro sighed and smiled at him a bit sadly.
"I cannot help the way I was made. I am sorry that it is such a weight on your heart. But you too have a great fighting spirit. I can feel that. And once you take your place with the Kishu, you will be as heedless and reckless a defender of the king as I am."
That is why I choose to follow my heart. You do not simply accept me as I am. You love me for it. When you look at me, you do not see a noble tainted with peasant blood, you see someone beautiful and powerful. You look at me with deep respect, with honest affection. And I cannot resist you anymore. I do not want to resist you. So, ask what you will of me. My heart belongs to you, Katsuro Akabuke.
A mischievous twinkle came into the samurai's handsome, red-brown eyes. Tetsuya gazed at him questioningly.
"Marry me, Tetsuya Kishu. Marry me right now!"
But I...?
"Marry me."
Tetsuya gazed up at him for several long minutes, then reached up and removed the samurai's hair tie, letting the long, mingled red and silver strands spill down over his shoulders. He looked into the relentless, loving eyes, placing his hands on Katsuro's face and running them through the fallen lengths of his hair. The samurai waited breathlessly.
Release the protective kido on my throat.
"What?" exclaimed Katsuro, looking surprised, "No..."
I will answer in a whisper, but I will answer you aloud.
The samurai gave him a disapproving look, but released the kido.
"You are allowed one word. Hopefully yes," Katsuro said, smirking, "Then, I am replacing that kido spell!"
Tetsuya smiled.
"Yes..."
He started to say more, but was immediately silenced again. Katsuro lifted the younger man out of bed, and Tetsuya looped his arms around the samurai's strong shoulders.
"Let's go and wake everyone up, shall we?" he asked, turning towards the door.
He hadn't taken but one step towards the door, when the balcony doors shattered and a creature, blacker than midnight burst through and charged towards them.
Tetsuya reacted instantly, firing a hard blast of kido that altered the demon's course, just enough to keep it from striking them. Katsuro set him back down on the bed, at the same time, calling his blade to his hand and fending the beast off, as it came at them again.
The two locked their bodies together as Tetsuya crawled onto his knees and looked for an opening to attack. The demon threw his weight against the samurai, forcing him back against the wall and straining against the blade that held him away.
"You are the second!" the beast snarled, raising his claw to attack.
Kido fire erupted from Tetsuya's hands, striking the demon and forcing it to loose its grasp on Katsuro. The younger man reeled from the use of his powers so soon after his injury, but remained on his knees on the bed as Katsuro launched himself at the demon.
Pounding feet sounded in the hallway outside their room and the palace sirens began to wail. The demon glared at them, hissing with hatred as it slashed at them again, then broke away and dashed back out the broken doors. Katsuro launched himself after the creature, flash stepping onto the balcony rail, then loosing his shikai.
"Seek and burn, Hinote!"
Tetsuya staggered to the door, just in time to see a breathtaking red, orange and golden dragon explode from Katsuro's extended blade and follow the demon down into the trees. Renji's red tiger form appeared with Byakuya clinging to his back, on a nearby balcony. He followed Katsuro's seeking dragon, as the dragon's master shouted a warning to Tetsuya to remain with the guards, then flash stepped after. Kazuki and Akabuke followed, with their swords drawn and the noble's starfire lighting up the area ahead of them so that they could see better as they pursued the fleeing demon.
Tetsuya remained in the shattered doorway, panting heavily and leaning against the damaged frame as he fought to stay on his feet. He caught his breath in surprise as a strong arm wrapped around him and provided support as he was turned back towards the bed. The man who had assisted him helped him into bed, then smiled down at him. Tetsuya was stunned all over again at seeing by the man's livery that he was none other than the captain of the Kishu. And behind him, stood several others, likewise dressed. He gazed at them with surprised, questioning eyes.
"Tetsuya Kishu," Captain Yemon said, noting the young initiate's look of confusion, "You may not have begun to serve with us, but you are one of us, nonetheless. The Kishu are an ancient brotherhood, a class of riders unparalleled in all of the three worlds. And when one of us is attacked, all of us respond."
Tetsuya offered the gathered men a look of deep gratitude as the king's healer appeared and began a quick assessment of the noble's condition.
"We will leave you to your healing," Yemon said quietly, "but some of us will be posted near you at all times until this creature is destroyed."
He spoke quietly with the other Kishu, then left as several of the men took up posts at all of the entrances to the room.
"You are lucky, young man," the healer chided him, "You could have singed your spirit centers, using full power again so suddenly. Though, I suppose you had little choice with that demon trying to get at you."
Tetsuya only half listened. His eye kept returning to the broken balcony doors and his heart could only focus on the man he had just agreed to marry. He heard Arashi's worried whinny sound outside the palace and connected with the concerned stallion's mind.
I am safe. Arashi, you must go to Katsuro. Protect him as you would me.
He heard a soft equine snicker in his mind.
As you wish, Master.
But even knowing that Arashi was going after the samurai, he couldn't help but feel an odd chill inside.
It won't be like that.
He isn't going to leave me the way Naoki had to. He is stronger than that demon, and he is going to come back safely.
But no matter what he told himself, he couldn't relax enough to fall asleep again until word came that the demon's trail had been lost, and that the fighters were returning to the palace.