"Not here."

Okay. "You want tea? I could..."

"No. Just... your room. Please?"

The red eyes behind the mask narrowed a little, but Ryu didn't complain, just led his lover to the huge master bedroom. His mind was awhirl. Rikugo rarely requested that they take the short cut. If he wanted to go to the bedroom and just cuddle it was even worse. What in Enma's name had happened to shake this powerful shikigami so badly?

When they were inside, Ryu turned to gaze into the black eyes, startled when a hand reached out and undid the mask.

"Oh," he murmured sheepishly.

Stupid, really. Still hiding. Still insecure. Still not accustomed to their stares when they looked at him, felt his aura.

An aura that now flared to life and stretched, like a cat after a nap. Like huge wings, which he actually possessed, the energy lines rose around him.

Rikugo smiled and leaned forward, stealing a kiss. "It was in the way."

"Uh-huh. Now... what happened? You look... a bit on the downside."

"I had a bad day."

Rikugo caught his lips again and suddenly embraced him, resting his head against one shoulder, surprising the demon even more.

"Rikugo?" he murmured, wrapping his arms loosely around the tall man.

"I ran into Kurikara. I got between him and Tsuzuki. It wasn't pleasant."

Ryu's eyes widened at the few words that still told him so much. He tightened his arms around the other man, immediately loosening his embrace as he felt him wince.

"How bad?" he demanded.

"I'm healing, Ryu."

"Rikugo! How -- bad?"

"It was bad enough." Rikugo closed his eyes, looking tired. "He's powerful. It was as if I was a low level shikigami. I never had a chance."

"He's the most powerful of dragons," Ryu murmured, drawing on his vast knowledge of shikigami. He had endless rows of books about them in his library that rivaled no other. He carded his fingers through the loose blond strands. "No one can win against him on his own, not even you, love."

"I had to fight him. He threatened Tsuzuki. I could never stand down and let him get hurt." Rikugo shivered a little. "Even though Tsuzuki ordered me to. He didn't defend himself at all. He just wanted to talk to Kurikara. Talk!" There was a little puff of air as he laughed weakly. "Couldn't let him get hurt..."

"No, you couldn't, Rikugo, it's in your blood."

He understood the deep-seated urge of shikigami to protect their master, and all twelve, well eleven now, would always protect Tsuzuki, no matter what.

"How bad?" he whispered again, stroking over the slender frame.

"Bites, cuts, slashes... you know... dragon fights..."

Ryu sighed softly, disturbing fine strands of hair. He had seen Rikugo in all his dragon glory before. He was awe-inspiring, beautiful, perfect. He was graceful, powerful, the embodiment of his element.

"Come," he only said and pulled the other man toward the bed.

He watched as Rikugo slipped out of the heavy cloak, letting it slide to the ground were it pooled in a graceless heap. More clothes followed until there was only the long, thin shirt and a pair of simple pants left.

Ryu scanned for any kind of visible injury, but there was none. Sliding onto the mattress he got his next surprise as Rikugo only snuggled up to him, seeking physical contact, and he gave it.

Okay, this was a major depression. Rikugo was really interpreting too much into this fight. Kurikara was a fire dragon, he was of the highest order, and history told that it had taken the Emperor's army and his power to defeat the king of dragons. What did Rikugo expect?

"Tell me," he only whispered.

And Rikugo did.

° ° °

The room was bathed in the twilight of dusk, the windows unbarred, giving him a wonderful view of the night sky. No clouds obstructed the stars and the half moon was bright and illuminating the Palace ground.

He had no eyes for the dark beauty outside. Only for the one sharing his bed.

Ryu studied his lover as the shikigami slept, wrapped into the heavy blankets, embraced by Ryu's arms, and he stroked over the naked back, careful not to touch any of the bruises. Those had been deep wounds once and the slash marks on the shoulder were still there as scars. All of this would disappear soon, but it was a sign of how bad it had been before the healing had started.

A fire crackled softly in the background, now and then there was a pop or hiss as wood burned slowly, and the orange glow was calming. Ryu let the warmth of the fire chase away a cold that settled within him after Rikugo had finished the story.

Kurikara... He knew that name only too well. The dragon king. And Rikugo had faced him, defended Tsuzuki against this powerful shikigami, coming away with terrible wounds and a seriously cracked pride.

Tender fingers brushed over the silky hair, still braided. So close. So close to losing him.

Losing them both.

He still loved Tsuzuki. Not like he did this man in his arms, not with such freedom and joy, but the shinigami would never leave his thoughts completely. For different reasons, though. They were almost related. Ryu smirked a little.

Rikugo moved sleepily and the embrace tightened. Warm breath ghosted over Ryu's naked chest and he pressed a kiss onto the blond head.

"Nice," Rikugo murmured.

"Hm, I agree. Slept well?"

"Wonderful. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Ryu snorted. "Don't know what you're talking about. You're never an inconvenience."

Rikugo gave a soft hum, rolling Ryu onto his back and resting his head on the demon's chest. He was still holding him in an embrace and Ryu spread his legs a little to accommodate the other.

"Comfy?" he teased.

"Very."

He rested his hands on the warm shoulder blades. "Good."

They stayed like this for a while and Rikugo sighed softly. "I can hear your heart beating," he whispered. "It's nice."

Ryu smiled a silly little smile that he just couldn't stop from coming forth. "Idiot," he murmured.

Soft, moist and rather warm lips nibbled at his skin and he shivered.

"Rikugo..."

A nipple was getting interested in the warmth and he shivered as it was encased in that moist heat. He moaned softly, feeling teeth scrape over the sensitive nub. A wet path was kissed along his collar bone and up his neck. He threw back his head as teeth gently bit a rather delicate spot and he groaned. Finally the lips sealed his own, swallowing his appreciative moan as nimble fingers continued their arousing path.

"Ryu," the astrologer breathed, black eyes meeting red ones, clouded with need.

"Yes?"

"I want you."

He silenced the tempting mouth with his own, rolling them around so his lover was on the bottom, smiling down at him when they separated.

"You'll always have me," he whispered and ran his hand over the sensuous body, careful of the bruises. "I don't want to hurt you more, Rikugo. Are you sure?"

"Very. Love me, Ryu. Please."

"I do. I just want you to enjoy it. Your injuries..."

"Don't bother me."

He caressed the face framed by pale hair. "They bother me, Rikugo. I hate to see you hurt."

"It's okay. Please, Ryu... please... I need you."

He gazed into the black depth, read the longing and need in there, but he was cautious. Rikugo's injuries couldn't be taken lightly and he had been almost torn to pieces by a fire dragon. Rikugo was strong, he was a powerful shikigami bound to a truly unique master, but even he couldn't just shrug off such wounds.

"Okay," he whispered.

But on his terms. Gentle and careful. Without harm.

He made love to his partner. Sensuously and slow, drawing only whimpers and moans of pleasure from the open lips, stroking over special spots while keeping away from painful bruises. He held his lover as he shuddered to completion, whispering Ryu's name, and the demon closed his eyes as his own climax emptied him into the man he loved. They lay together, breathing hard, sweaty and slick and hot, and Ryu only slowly disentangled himself to the protest of the shikigami to clean them.

"Be right back," he promised.

And he was.

Rikugo embraced him sleepily when he slipped back and finally fell into a deep sleep. Ryu just watched him, his own body recuperating much more quickly and
demanding only a doze.

"Beautiful," he whispered as he played with a wisp of hair.

° ° °

He had watched the serpent's arrival with interest. Touda was different than many of their kind. He was fire, which was rare in itself. Fire was one of those elements not born in abandon like water, earth and wind. Fire shikigami rarely bonded with other fire shikigami because of their temperament and volatile nature. If they chose lovers or partners, they found them in earth or even water, elements that calmed and balanced, rarely in wind, which only managed to ignite more of their inner burning soul.

Out of those unions, the children were almost never fire. So it was a rare element. Fire was also dangerous, especially in the more powerful ones of them. Fire was everywhere; it was an element, but few were born with a power that rivaled a high one's.

"Fire is the element of change and passion. It is creativity, motivation, will power, drive and sensuality."

Kurikara smiled as he remembered the words he had read in Genbu's ancient and vast library.

Passion. Yes. Passion and temper and such power inside him that sometimes it burst free. Suzaku was a prime example of passion, too. She had been a child of two fire elements, her mother being the former Protector of the South, her father a very powerful mid-level shikigami. Both had perished in the wars.

Touda, though... he was control. Utter and iron control. He was a hell serpent and with it a rare deviation of the pure fire shikigami, a dangerous and terrifying being. Kurikara was a dragon of the highest order, like Sohryu, and he was fire, which spelled just as much trouble as hell fire.

The black shikigami walked up the mountain slope and stopped at an overhang of rock, settling down on a huge boulder that let him overlook the valley below.

Kurikara just watched.

Touda's face was calm, even, without much expression other than patience. The last time he had seen him was behind a visor.

Shackled.

Enslaved.

Kurikara sneered.

Incomplete and without his powers, weak and thrown aside.

But still with his rank.

It was such a contradiction.

Now he was here, sitting in his territory again, waiting. What for? Kurikara had no intention to follow that stupid offer from Sohryu.

The aura wafted around the black shikigami, announcing freely and openly who he was, waiting. He made no secret out of his presence.

The sun rose, spreading warm light over the cold mountain sides, bathing the serpent in warmth and Touda closed his eyes, face turned to the sun. Kurikara remained where he was, intrigued by the patience. And he was growing curious.

What could Sohryu possibly gain from sending this shikigami here? Kurikara had no connections to Touda, other than meeting him once before. He was just one of the twelve. Well, eleven now. He was an enigma, a dark shadow, a shikigami born under a sign of incredible power.

One of the shinigami's slaves.

He sneered.

Kurikara knew that he would never throw himself at anyone's feet, serve a master who could use him to his whims and will. He had bested and destroyed challengers before; he would be free till the day he died.

Touda had been forced into this servitude by the Council, pressured into it for his freedom. He served a master because of his crimes. He served Sohryu, too. Kurikara wondered how well that was working.

He accompanied the fool into my territory, he mused. Why? To deliver him to me or to protect him? In all the time they had stood on opposite sides, with Rikugo bleeding from the deep wounds Kurikara had inflicted, Touda hadn't moved a muscle.

Just watching.

He did that a lot.

Suddenly the serpent rose, brushing off his black clothes. He turned his head and Kurikara froze as those golden eyes were looking directly at him, in his hiding place.

"I will be back," Touda only announced quietly.

And with that he changed and the impressive and strangely beautiful serpent flew off.

Kurikara just snarled and stalked off to his cave.

tbc...