Chapter 14
"Kotetsu" Izumo said rolling off Raidou as he wrapped the sleeping kimono around him running to the door. He followed his lover's back; Kotetsu limped sluggishly towards the apartment door "Tetsu, please" he called after him. He heard a moan from behind him and watched Raidou's face drop in excruciating heart break as he threw up. Izumo was being split in two; he couldn't decide whether he should go to his wounded friend or to his lover. "Raidou?" he called questioningly behind him. He called out to Kotetsu again "baby wait, I can explain!" Though Kotetsu was limping and was clearly in pain, he was slowly nearing the apartment door. If he let him leave it would all be over. He looked behind him to find Raidou curling into himself as he threw up again. Izumo formed hand signs water release, syrup capturing field. That should stop Kotetsu for a bit while he sorted Raidou out, he knew Kotetsu was lacking chakra and wouldn't be able to send it effectively to his feet.
Izumo run to Raidou's aid and helped him up "Rai, look Rai, none of this is your fault OK? Once I explain to Ko, he'll…he'll understand" Izumo really hoped he had read all the signs correctly. But he wasn't sure; his lover was in a fragile state and had just caught him with another man, even if it was Raidou. "Izumo go to him" Raidou pushed at Izumo "Go" he shouted again looking Izumo square in the eyes. Izumo paled at the emotion he saw in Raidou's eyes but he did leave.
Izumo found Kotetsu mumbling curses whilst he struggled to gather chakra in his feet so he could escape. He sighed heavily causing Kotetsu to stop what he was doing and go silent. He approached Kotetsu cautiously to not upset his lover any further. "Ko?" he called trying to look at his lover but Kotetsu turned his face away from him. "Ko please, let me explain" he said softly trying to reach for him but withdrew his hand when he saw Kotetsu flinch.
Kotetsu knew if Izumo touched him right now he would break down but he couldn't gather chakra to his feet to get out of the syrup. He cursed his weak body he had no choice. "Get me out the syrup please" Kotetsu said trying to make his voice sound calm and level but Izumo could hear the distressed hitch in it.
Izumo heard footsteps behind him and saw Raidou collapse against the wall, knees pulled to his chest with his arms hugging his legs; he was staring at Kotetsu's back intently. "I can do that Ko" he gathered chakra in his own feet and drew nearer to Kotetsu "Will you listen to me please?" Izumo asked placing his hand on Kotetsu's lower back where it always fitted perfectly like a glove in the groove of his spine; he knew all of Kotetsu's weak point, knew his lovers body better than in his own. Izumo felt Kotetsu's muscles recoil under his hand and it stung him. After so many years together, to have his lover shrink away from his touch hurt, it was like a knife to the heart but he deserved it. He got no answer from the black haired Chunin, so bent down gathering chakra in his hand to release Kotetsu, picking him up into his arms. Once he was out of the pool of syrup Kotetsu struggled against his grip to be let down still hiding his face behind in his hair. "Please…please put me down" Kotetsu asked politely in a voice that betrayed no emotion, like he was talking to a stranger and not his lover and best friend of over 20 years.
Izumo obeyed, the sheer shock of Kotetsu's behaviour making his body lose its strength. Izumo watched Kotetsu's receding back "Baby, please. I love…"
"Don't" Kotetsu shouted brokenly "don't" he said again in a loud whisper his voice trembling. Kotetsu clenched and unclenched his fists as he lowered his head and slumped his shoulders. "I…I don't deserve you. I never have". Kotetsu started walking away again; Izumo this time reached out and forcefully turned Kotetsu to face him, he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Ko, what are you saying? Baby…" Izumo stopped mid-sentence abruptly taking two steps back as his breath left him. What he saw in Kotetsu's face, what he felt at that moment would haunt him for years to come. He saw it shatter, the precious soul of his lover, his best friend and his partner, his everything "Ko..."
Kotetsu chose to ignore Izumo's pleas of Ko and shifted his gaze away from Izumo to over his shoulder. He noticed Raidou looking at him unblinking and Kotetsu tried his damned hardest and smiled at Raidou swiping at his eyes "I'm sorry Rai, I'm really sorry". He looked back at Izumo and smiled; he sheepishly reached for Izumo's face wiping the tears from his tanned cheek with his thumb silencing his mantra of Ko please "He needs you Izumo, be happy OK?" Kotetsu said with a broken smile as he released Izumo's face. He turned towards the door smiling back at his friends, if this was going to be the last time he saw either of them he wanted them to see him smiling, that it didn't bother him and he really meant it be happy he whispered.