Hate begets hate.

Desperate footsteps were drowned by the rain. The sound of boots against the cobblestones and the the hooves against the wet ground were a cacophony, panic was in the air. The siren cried at a distance, the ordinary citizens were confused about the commotion as the throngs of guards rushed thither and hither. The rain fell heavenly from the sky. The pelting rain sounded like a cry of sorrow against the pavements, as if devastation and all of their desperation have mingled with its molecules. Lightening flashed. The path traveled by the fractal looked like a crack in the sky. Thunder roared from the distance, the booming sound reverberated to thousand of hearts, it sounded like an elegy.

HIs small hands were stained with mud for falling countless of times while running. He's finally caught his prey. He saddled the other boy to prevent him from escaping and intwined his fingers around the other's neck. Blood rushed to the young Mikoto's head, he wanted to kill the boy who was under him no matter what, even though the other one had no more strength to fight back. He was angry, he'd been waiting for this day to arrive to kidnap the prince and avenge his mother and family. He was the reason why his family perished. Killing him was the right thing to do. Because after all, he's a son of a murderer. The other boy struggled so hard against Mikoto's tightening grip until he finally let go. He looked squarely at Mikoto. His violet eyes digging deep into the red head's golden orbs in a sort of forgiving way. As air could no longer travel through his system, his consciousness was slowly fading away. Mikoto was surprised, the anger that felt disappeared in an instant, that curious look that the other man gave him disturbed him. He loosened his grip. But the anger in his heart was lit anew. He grabbed his knife and was about to pound the wedge forcefully against the other boy's heart when one of his comrades called out to him and told him to leave the boy behind. The enemy troops were on their tracks. They don't have any other choice but to retreat. He bit his lip, clenched his fist and went with his comrades. The prince was left alone lying on the ground, disheveled, wounded and nearly dead.

Reishi was disheveled and barefoot. Because of fury, he rushed outside Mikoto's villa and tried to get away from it as much as possible. He didn't care how he looked like, or how the red king's servants would perceive it, all he cared about was escaping. He lost the horse that he took from Mikoto's villa when he was finally a bit far from it. Now he was in the middle of the woods. He smelt a faint earthy scent and that's when he realised that it was drizzling. Petrichor tickled his nostrils. The strong smell woke him from his reverie. He looked up at the sky, remembering a vague memory. His vision was getting fuzzy. The branches from the trees that looked like fingers trying to reach up to the sky swayed before his eyes. He swallowed a lump on his throat and tried desperately to calm his furiously beating heart. The rain was starting to pour and then it came, the heavy downpour. Reishi blinked a couple of times, allowing his eyes to adjust. it was difficult to see without his glasses. The rain streamed down his upturned face. He felt every drop like icy needles on his skin. His arteries tightened and his breath constricted. His head throbbed. He was in panic already. He needed to take shelter or else he'll die. He broke down to his knees and choked. He couldn't breathe properly. This kind of weather always unnerved him, it has always this effect on him. Thunder roared from the distance. Reishi trembled but he was trying to calm himself down. His throat felt parched, he was feeling light headed. It was as if he was losing control, as if the ground where he's standing is about to crumble any minute now. He closed his eyes shut and for the first time in his life, wished with all his heart that Mikoto would find him.

Suoh… Suoh…

Mikoto rushed outside with his horse to find Reishi. He also instructed some of his men stationed at the villa to find the blue king, he did not at first intended to let his men interfere but the situation has gotten out of hand.

Reishi knew that it was a bad idea to rush out of the bastard's place. But then again, it was always better to get away from that man. The neigh of the horse echoed, that made his heart beat. But he couldn't move, he was still trembling and he's breathing still hurt. He waited for the stranger to come into view, in his heart he was hoping it would be Mikoto even though he hated him, even though he's the last person he wanted to see him so weak.

"Reishi?"

The bushes rustled as a blond man was leading his horse by the reins. He was about to call his name when he felt his consciousness slip away from him. And then he passed out on the ground. Izumo rushed to his aid and tapped his face to wake him. The blond's eyes automatically shifted towards Reishi's neck and shoulder, the places where Mikoto likes the most. He saw red spots on the other's skin, which looked like insect bites and a bruise near his collar bone. His majesty was not wearing any bandages, he always wore them as if its already an appendage of his body. Izumo wondered the reason for this. On top of it all, his upper garments were a mess. He was drenched in the rain that his clothes were sticking to his skin, revealing a slender body. His eyes caught sight of Reishi's areola and his pink projections. The blond swallowed a lump in his throat and tried to ward off unpleasant thoughts. Mikoto would have his head if he wasn't careful. He took off his frock coat covered Reishi and carried him off.

The sound of the rain drowned Mikoto's surroundings, he was alone in the middle of the woods trying to find Reishi when he stopped and remembered a memory. Violet eyes looking at him. Eyes that was looking straightly at him as if could it could see through him. The way that person closed his eyes shut as he struggled for air, and the way he tried his hardest to push Mikoto away did not change through the years. Mikoto closed his eyes and smiled a sad smile.

This is really the last time I'm going to touch you.