Author: Nami-chan.
Pairing: DateSana, MotoMoto, KojuSasu.
Disclaimers: I own nothing that my mind didn't provide
beta : star roaring blaze
Dragon Tales
Chapter 21
When he stepped into the dimly lit room, Yukimura mind at first rejected the image of his bedridden master, stripped of his armor and so pale looking, to focus on the other people present.
Kasuga in the background was busy making tea, her eyes deviating from Keiji and from his Oyakata-sama to Kenshin. For a woman ninja, she really didn't hide her expressions, she was watching Keiji, admiring Kenshin, but Yukimura couldn't really understand why she often glared coldly at Shingen and why her glance was so suspicious.
Keiji didn't need to be monitored as the only thing he was doing was sitting, stroking Yumekichi head that rested on his knees.
Kenshin was smiling at him, calm and quietly. He remained near the futon where his lord rested, and this reassured Yukimura who then finally deigned to look more in detail the current state of his role model and mentor.
He was just sitting, the heavy cover of the futon covering half of his body, a slight smile highlighted by his mustache, but without his armor he seemed… as if he was no longer the same man. He didn't have his headdress and his bald head was bandaged. Seeing that still after several seconds, Yukimura wasn't reacting, Shingen smile gradually faded and his eyes became less soft. It was all that needed for Yukimura to ignore the sensation of spiders running thorough his body and finally show a reaction.
The young tiger bowed hastily, putting his head on the tatami, refusing to meet the prying eyes he felt around him. He gathered his voice as best he could, trying to not let it tremble with emotion, not to reveal himself, not to shame his lord by spreading how happy he was to see him again, safe and sound .
"Oyakata-sama! I, Sanada Genjiro Yukimura am back at home!"
His words were enough for Shingen to understand his true state of mind and Yukimura was upset to have chosen them so badly when he heard Kenshin chucking softly.
"Yukimura." Shingen's voice had lost none of its power and the young tiger felt every muscle in his body tense.
To answer this call, Yukimura would have to raise his head, yet it remained impossible! It took great strength of will to do so, mentally preparing for the blow which would surely come not only for being late, for having not being here because he had agreed to accompany a stranger and above all making him ashamed just now.
Yukimura slowly opened his eyes he couldn't remember having closed to suddenly widen them when he found himself facing the biggest smile he had ever seen on Shingen, his jaw dropped slightly.
"You grew up well." Shingen said before he could utter a word.
Yukimura eyebrows never had been so close to the base of his hair. What answer to this?
"B-But I-I way gone for only a few days." he mumbled before realizing he had spoken aloud.
And this time he really feared to have offended his lord by contradicting him, his eyes were wide open when the hit he expected didn't come, and instead of this, Kenshin's chuckle was the only sound that remained in the small pavilion bedroom. Yukimura blinked, truly he didn't understand...
"I don't think Shingen was talking about physical growth." Kenshin explained to him, he himself hadn't expected such a reaction from the other lord when Yukimura were presented to them bearing a mark in the neck that was obviously nothing like an insect bite.
"Oh, forgive my ignorance in this case Oyakata-sama." Once again Yukimura bowed.
Shingen able to use a great self-control not to send Yukimura flying through the garden, the presence of his rival and the fact he wasn't at home helped greatly. He grunted and still let out some mumbling.
"But if I ever catch this dragon ..."
It took no more for to Kenshin burst out laughing. This pleased Keiji who joined in, it had been a long time since he had heard his friend from Echigo laugh like that. Kasuga seemed captivated by the sound of it but was now launching a vicious glance at Yukimura she held responsible for pushing her beloved lord to lose his composure. However, Yukimura waited remaining stoic, not having the heart to really laugh, his eyes looking in spite of himself toward to the door leading to the garden.
"Why does the Lord Date not join us? Kasuga, didn't you say he accompanied Yukimura?" Shingen asked then.
It was normal for the young lord to avoid meeting him, knowing perfectly Shingen would immediately saw what he had done to Yukimura; it was just that he thought this one was more reckless. He hadn't doubted the success of Sasuke mission, but actually seeing Yukimura and Masamune here took a thorn out of his heart.
Kasuga again, raised her head from the tea she had just finished serving and seemed to hesitate, a single glance to Kenshin and she tried to answer but Keiji beat her.
"He had turned into a dragon! Really this is the first time I see a blue dragon."
Shingen and Kenshin seemed to digest the information and Kasuga furiously threw up an empty cup that Keiji skillfully intercepted, sending a wink to the fulminant blonde.
Shingen growled again, Masamune was crazy to do such a thing, everyone knew he was a half-blood, and using all the power of the dragon race wasn't something that the half-blood could do with impunity, whether king or not. He looked at Yukimura with stern countenance, thus his protégée was also worried about Masamune, but he would be much more if he had been fully aware of the situation.
"He took huge risks." Kenshin informed. "My men won't do anything to him, but he should have known that any dragons that were to be found in dragon form outside of Oshu may be executed on the spot." And it was also a good source of concern.
Yukimura gasped, unable to stop the shiver that traveled his body, he could not resist to take his companion defense.
"We had no choice ... but anyway it doesn't matter, I wasn't dutiful and was here too late Oyakata-sama." His shoulders fell and his body relaxed under the weight of shame.
Finding a smile, Shingen ruffled Yukimura hair affectionately, squeezing him reassuringly when this one backed away at first.
"It is I who had been impudent, there is nothing that you would have been able to do, but I'm fine, the castle can still be reconstructed, that's what matter.
"Really? But if I had been here, I-"
"Yukimura!" Shingen launched cutting Yukimura in his tracks. "Go join him and watch over our guest." It was the only thing that he could think of to calm Yukimura and hoping to rest a little too. "That's an order." He insisted.
The young tiger of Kai launched a hesitant look outward, his lips trembling in the idea of having been somewhat rejected. Yukimura bowed once more and stood up, preparing to leave the room, he was relieved to see that his lord was safe, turning to get assured he remembered to have forgotten something important.
"The Date army is heading toward Kai!" he snapped. "They will not find anything at the castle and they will not know where you are!"
"I'll wait in the fortress." Keiji said, rising, Yumekichi was making a victory sign perched on his shoulder.
"Kasuga, my wonderful blade, I prefer that you accompany him, the night is dark and you wouldn't lose your way."
Kasuga knelt before her lord, with enamored expression and stars in her eyes, her lips moved in an inaudible whisper before she could find her voice again.
"O-Of course Kenshin-sama."
Kenshin took her hand and brought it gently to his lips. "Do not fear for me security, agreed?"
Kasuga seemed on the verge to fainting from the contact. The other three men and animals heads fell to the side, wondering what happened before their eyes and were does that pink cloud that had invaded the room came from .
Ooooooooooooooo
Yukimura trotted in the dark just made bearable by the few torches illuminating the lane. The samurai had initially thought his heart would burst from his chest when he was out of the house and found that his dragon was gone, thankfully, he quickly found the huge figure whose scales were made brilliant by the crescent moon.
When finally joined his companion, Yukimura found out that the dragon stood on the shore of a lake and seemed monopolized by anything he observed on the surface.
"Masamune?" he called out quietly.
A small growl answered him. Yukimura looked into the lake, curious to know what was holding Masamune attention so much. The tiger frowned when he saw that the dragon was looking at the moon reflection.
"You knew that you had risked being executed?" although full of reproach, Yukimura tone didn't erase his concern.
After several seconds, the dragon sat back on his hind legs and turned his large head to the young man and answered with a heavy nod.
The anger was visible on Yukimura's face and he suddenly seized the muzzle before hugging it.
"And it's me who am supposed to be the idiot? I don't want that Masamune, what would I have do if something had happened to you." Yukimura said, rubbing his cheek against the warm and soft scales.
Seeing him shivering in the cold autumn wind, Masamune wrapped his large body of a fantastic creature around the young tiger's, he felt Yukimura sit and snuggle against him, and let out a sigh, he hated to upset his beloved, but he knew that the worst was yet to come. Yukimura felt his eyelids grow heavy, while a feeling of comfort spread through in his tense muscles.
"How is your wound?" he asked, suppressing a yawn, he had intended to ask once more why Masamune he remained in this dragon form but changed his mind, they were just too good in this position.
Masamune showed his paw which was decorated with a red ribbon. Yukimura was surprised to find it was already healing. Masamune would have liked to be able to tell Yukimura, that the extent of his draconic powers were so great that if he waited a little longer and resisted the urge to fly to the moon tugging hard in him before resuming to his human form, it would be completely healed. But his ears only heard the quiet and idle young tiger breathing. He smiled amused, touched by the fact that once again, the beloved one was asleep against him.
Ooooooooooooooo
"Sanada! What have you done!"
The cry more than the force of the blow that send him in the lake suddenly awoke Yukimura. The icy water more than the pain ended to make him come back to him, he quickly raised ready to battle with the coward who dared to attack him in his sleep.
"This is your fault!"
But the punch undoubtedly more violent that should have followed never came, while in front of Yukimura, Masamune held his servant back the best he could with his arms bare and shivering.
"Kojuuro! Stop!" the young king rebuked.
Eyes full of rage the black dragon moved away from the young tiger to come smolder Masamune.
"Masamune-sama!" he shouted, pulling his long coat.
The samurai hastened to cover the naked and shivering form of his sovereign, some scales were still on his white skin, refusing to retract and shining in the moonlight at is the highest point in the sky.
"I did what I wanted to Kojuuro… wanted it!" Masamune frantically threw back.
Yukimura tried to approach the two, but the Kojuuro glare cut him in his tracks. His members remained paralyzed because no matter how many times Masamune affirmed the contrary, it was Yukimura that pushed him to turn into a dragon and the tiger cub soon realized that this was what he was reproached by Kojuuro .
"Don't-ever-touch him-again." Masamune hissed between his teeth, clutching his retainer arms with all the strength he had left, his wild dragon instinct reflecting again in his eye.
Kojuuro held his master cold gaze for some time before making a sad smile.
"I can promise you that only if you survive to prevent me to do so."
Masamune smiled back and turned to Yukimura while he stated with a confident tone. A new thrill traveled the General from Kai, the situation didn't really appealed him:
"I shall not die, there are still idiots who need me."
Kojuuro and Yukimura didn't know if this statement was really directed to both of them or not. Kasuga decided it was time for her to intervene, still stunned by the scene that had played under her eyes and almost trembling under the intensity of it.
"I-I'll show you your room." She managed to articulate.
Without turning to the men, she went to the pavilions. Kojuuro followed her supporting against him a breathless and staggering Masamune, but still he looked one last time at Yukimura but this time more calmly and thoughtfully.
"Do not just stand there, you'll freeze."
Yukimura swallowed, anxiety getting the better of him, but he wasn't shaking from the cold, the words exchanged between Kojuuro and Masamune had dug a hole in his heart and even his burning soul couldn't warm him. That was with awkward and almost robotic steps that he followed them as instructed.
Ooooooooooooooo
Dried and adorned with a much warmer red kimono, Yukimura stood before the door of the pavilion that housed Masamune without finding the strength to enter it for several minutes. Finally, with the strong image of Shingen winning him, he took a deep gulp of air and refused to be a coward while his master wasn't far from him.
He pushed open the sliding door and entered after announcing himself. Kojuuro sighed when he watched him enter, refusing to speak to him. Yukimura preferred then to return his attention toward Masamune. The young lord wasn't in a position far different from that in which he had found his Oyakata-sama earlier. Only Masamune wasn't sitting and smiling at him. No, he couldn't. Drops of sweat trickled down his temples, his hair stuck to his forehead, his chest heaved rapidly and in spite of all his efforts he couldn't contain his entire pained groan.
Yukimura rushed to him, touching his neck to find an erratic pulse and a burning skin.
"Masamune! What have you got? Tell me? Is this because of your wound?"
Masamune replied with another audible groan as his eyelid tightly clenched over his lone eye and he turned his head to the other side.
"The human nature and dragon nature of Masamune are now fighting in him." Kojuuro simply replied, forgetting his anger for the sake of Masamune.
"What? I can't-I don't understand? Masamune will be okay, right?" this entire world and this vocabulary were much too unknown for Yukimura to grasp the full extent of the situation.
Kojuuro also turned his head away from Yukimura, his lower lip getting stuck between his teeth.
"No, no Masamune! Tell me that you're going to be alright!" Yukimura insisted shaken with sobs he tried to suppress. This couldn't be happening...
"Your hands ..." Masamune stammered, his voice trembling. "They are cold ... nice."
Managing a faint smile, Yukimura let a tear escape, he positioned himself behind Masamune and gently placed the brunet head on his knees, then he withdrew a few strands on the other forehead while his mercury gaze plunged into his hazelnuts. He began to gently caress the pale face, neck and shoulders.
This motion calmed Masamune who let out a sigh of comfort and rubbed his cheek against Yukimura knees.
Masamune began to giggle suddenly, surprising both Yukimura and Kojuuro. "I even almost felt like devouring you for a moment ... true Dragons are real assholes." He smiled, seeming genuinely amused by the absurdity of the affirmations.
Kojuuro let out another sigh, feeling the need to reprimand Masamune again.
"The animal instinct becomes almost unbearable when we change into dragons ... you have also shown great strength by resisting so long." Kojuuro frowned realizing that it sounded more like a compliment, it just couldn't help but to be somewhat proud of his lord. "But that doesn't mean that I approve of your reckless actions Masamune-sama."
Masamune answered with a snort, then with a low growl in his throat, while Yukimura as nibbling his lower lip, realizing more and more what Masamune actually went through. Kojuuro noticed him, and taking pity on the younger, began to think of a way to make him useful to Masamune.
"Masamune-sama must drink this." Kojuuro handed a small vial containing a pinkish liquid to Yukimura. "But it seems that he can't absorb any liquid without choking, may be you could be of some help." Kojuuro eyes said more about his thoughts, 'you put Masamune-sama in this state, now it's up to you to make him better ' remained unspoken.
Yukimura accepted the strange liquid in the transparent container, first seemingly considering what he should do with it, and then he looked down toward Masamune.
"I'll try." He asserted.
Carefully he lifted Masamune by holding it against his chest, taking more care when his movements drew a pained moan from the other young man throat. But Yukimura was relieved when, placing one hand under Masamune chin for leverage, his lips parted transformed in a smile while despite his current condition, Masamune's gaze became lewd when he understood how the young tiger wanted to help him drink the potion.
"Ko ... Juro ..." he tried to say, "you should go and see how the men are." He went on after regaining his breath.
Arching an eyebrow at first, Kojuuro smiled inwardly realizing that his lord just wanted to be alone. The Samurai was reassured of how the change in the very soul of his lord operated, the potion would soon take effect and calm him ... he no longer feared as much that Masamune didn'tmake it to the next morning. Also, but still half-heartedly, he stood ready to leave the room, his gaze lingered on the couple, remembering only too well that Masamune was gifted to hide his true pain, just hoping that his fear wasn't founded this time, he added a final comment :
"I will see you later. Take good care of him Sanada." He said before leaving without a last glance.
Masamune, head against Yukimura heart, the reassuring hand on his lover's jaw, closed his eyes in contentment.
"Alone at last." Masamune whispered, still slightly breathless.
"You're burning ..." Yukimura caressed his face with one hand and held the man against him with the other, an expression of deep anxiety about Masamune concealed agony.
"It's nothing." Masamune once again forced a smile.
Yukimura continued to reassure him with his caresses while he was uncapping the vial with his teeth, his eyes not leaving Masamune's, he took the contents in his mouth trying not reflexively to spit it when the rancid and very bitter taste invaded him to even his nostrils. It was no wonder that Masamune couldn't swallow a drop of this.
Tenderly, he leaned over the young king and pressed his lips against his burning ones, Masamune allowed himself a sigh of relief at the contact. Yukimura then poured the contents of his mouth into Masamune's, controlling the gagging reflex by playing with the dragon tongue, he felt Masamune horribly tense suddenly against him and felt a bit of the foul beverage escaping from their joined lips, and he bought up his sleeve in an attempt to wipe it.
Yukimura hadn't expected at all for Masamune to suddenly seize that sleeve, squeezing it so strongly he almost did shred it; the young tiger broke their kiss just in time to see his one eye blank from shock and his jaw open in a silent scream. Then, even before Yukimura could register what had happened, Masamune relaxed, falling against him, his eye still teary.
The two lovers marked a long pause during which Yukimura took the opportunity to try to calm his crazed heart, while Masamune, smiled and curled his fingers into the long and silky ponytail that Yukimura presented to him. Once again surprising the young tiger, he pulled him over him and pinned Yukimura back against the futon, using his weight to keep him from moving, he caught his lips, devouring Yukimura mouth with a hunger that the young tiger made some time to register.
Finally Yukimura pushed him away. "Masamune! Are you trying to eat me?" but it was only to ask this question when he remembered the comment about the matter the dragon had done earlier.
Yet it wasn't fear in Yukimura eyes, but playfulness, and a hint of desire while the fear of losing Masamune and the anxiety to see him at his worst disappeared with the kisses that littered his neck.
"Since the first time ... I had wanted to…. Again." He mumbled between kisses.
Yukimura laughed softly before the frenzy with which Masamune tried to remove his clothes, covered him with kisses, love bites and saliva. "Are you sure?" he himself wanted to be assured they weren't doing something wrong.
In response Masamune put two fingers to his lips, pressing insistently, Yukimura smiled once more, understanding that there was no valid reason to refuse to Masamune considering the difficulty of whatever that he just had gone through. Apparently it was over now, but it was serious enough that Kojuuro considered the untimely death of his lord.
Yukimura wrapped his tongue around the fingers provocatively. Masamune's eye widened in surprise before his face turned into an expression of pure passion, Yukimura was simply divine, whether passive or not. but still Masamune felt weak and seeing Yukimura this bold, he prayed inwardly that he wouldn't try to reverse their position, not this time, it was for him to devour the young tiger, it was only like that that could satisfy the fire that consumed him.
Finally, he replaced his fingers with another kiss, stealing until the last particle of lucidity into Yukimura brain while with one hand he freed the young tiger excited erection.
"This much already?" he laughed breathlessly, feeling compelled to comment.
Yukimura pouted adorably and turned his head to hide his blush with shame.
"Your fault." He accused.
Masamune shrugged and replied, giving dangerous pressure to the engorged member in his hand. Yukimura couldn't restrain his voice when he loudly moaned his pleasure. Then Masamune used his wet fingers to come to the part that Yukimura hated the most. Distracting his lover as best he could he prepared him, trying to understand himself what he was doing, his mind hazed as it was by this wild fragrance of beech wood, leather and metal.
Soon he already was in Yukimura. He could feel him writhe in pleasure beneath him. And the carnivorous desire filled his senses, the desire of the flesh, the smell of iron and sugar, this hunger. He could literally feel this ardent liquid with a sweet taste that exceeded the taste of iron filling his mouth and come to past his tense throat as his teeth pierced and tore this soft texture which smell was so appetizing.
He was too lost to hear the screams of pain beneath him. Yukimura shouted his pain and begged him to stop when Masamune bit his neck, and ravaged him his violent thrusts. But it was no use, Masamune was no longer there. He tried to hit him, to put a struggle, it had the only effect to push Masamune to seize those offending arms to pine them over Yukimura head, almost crushing his wrist under the pressure as he no longer controlled his strength ... it wasn't Masamune anymore... it was a dragon. All he could do was holding back his tears ...
Masamune vaguely heard a desperate cry, and then trying to meet Yukimura eyes he met the vastness of a beach so large that no one could see the end of it, the sky was gray and stormy, sobs reached his ears, why Motochika was crying? Who was the lifeless form wearing gold he pressed against him?
"Why?" he heard him said between sobs. "Do you hate me this much?"
Finally he saw the green form that stood behind Motochika, Motonari, his trait drawn tight by anger, his lips tightened into a thin horizontal line; it was as if his feelings were his own.
Rage, despair, sadness, hatred, betrayal, jealousy...
He saw Motonari holding a circular blade, his brilliance blinded him when it fell on Motochika.
No ...
The beach became a plain and the stormy sky became hurricane, his vision cleared but he only distinguished a purple and silver silhouette, holding a sword in its hand, but the thing that hit him was Kojuuro who was prostrated against this figure, he tried desperately to raise himself while fear intrudes in his eyes ... he was bleeding ... when the blade of the figure blinded Masamune again.
No ... No ...
This time he came to the familiarity of his room at Oshu, a feeling of deep peace filled him when he saw the person in his arms.
Yukimura rose up in a sitting position, looking at the full moon. He put an indigo haori with circles of different color and size over his shoulders, the haori of the Date clan.
"I would have liked it to end differently Masamune."
What? Masamune couldn't have heard correctly.
"Tomorrow ... I would have to kill you."
When Yukimura turned to him, the night wasn't hiding his radiant smile, or the rivers left by his tears. Masamune's body moved without his consent and he kissed his lover bare shoulder.
"So ... I should kill you first." That was Masamune voice, but ... he...
NO!
"Aarrrrh!"
The guttural roaring that came out of Masamune mouth brought him back to the reality of the dimly lit room of Echigo castle. Shaking with sobs and shivers, feeling as weak as a newborn, the only thing that prevented him from collapsing was Yukimura beneath him. A ghostly pale Yukimura, glassy eyed, blood clotting in his neck and hair. He raised a trembling hand to a Masamune who still didn't believed to be back to reality.
"You came back ..." he murmured, touching his cheek, his voice broken.
"Yu-Yuki?" he asked.
The impact of the punch that he received then sent him crashing heavily against the wall behind him, his wavering consciousness allowed him still to see Yukimura who curled in the corner of the room farthest from him, looking like a wild wounded beast. Then when everything started to become dark, he saw two figures hurriedly enter ... ah ... there was nothing to be worried about then...
TBC