Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters related to it. They all belong to Konomi Takeshi. Also, I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the elements from the series.

Rating: T for implied adult themes in certain chapters.

Author's Note: Hello everyone! We are a ways into December already /o\ ! Yes, time flies soooooo fast orz

So let's see, T_T for Rikkai losing the fight (darn you Echizen!) Yay for Captain Yagyuu stepping up yet again into the role of the commander. FEELINGS for everyone about everything that has transpired and what will be coming. Bonus points for Dragon King Sakaki and a pat on the back for King Atobe. Thank you all for holding out for the stretch between the last chapter and this one.

November is NaNo month and this year was 60,000ish words (it's hard to write when you have a busy job with a middle school + high school band program). For NaNo, I worked on the prequel to this story (centered around Yukimura's father) and an additional story (about Yagyuu's parents). There are a few other oneshots in the works for this universe too so please look forward to everything.

Otherwise I've just been busy with HS Football playoff games, marching band stuff, band concerts, Christmas cards!, and gearing up for my trip to Japan to see my brother (who is studying abroad this year). Oh, and Pokemon HeartGold before Novemeber and now Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem (so many cavaliers on my team and I LOVE it). AND this story has picked up a great collection of fanart (I'm just so humbled by everything) from friends. 3

Okay, about this chapter... Niou gets to kick off another part of the story :) Lots of backstory time and Platinum Pair loving as everyone starts to head home anxiously. Hope you enjoy reading - reviews are much loved and appreciated!


Part 4 - The Protected - Chapter 1 - Blood of Pride

Sleeping in a convoy was the most enjoyable experience, but at least it helped conserve some energy that would have otherwise been lost walking. It was also warmish, huddled under blankets and surrounded by fire orbs. Niou was sure that no other convoy had the luxury that he had, but then again, they were not hosting the lifeless body of the commander of the army or the worn out and injured battle strategist.

Niou rolled over restlessly just before the convoy hit a large bump and everything jostled everywhere. Yanagi and Kirihara were sound asleep still and Niou was amazed that they were completely unaffected. Niou was a very heavy sleeper, but he knew that he would have woken up to that especially since he was still extra sensitive from battle.

The reason why he was there was because Yagyuu ordered the soldiers to rotate napping the day so that the injured weren't overexerting themselves and so that the others would not be extremely taxed by the pace they were moving at. It was a very wise move to get back to the capitol as soon as possible just in case what the Dragon King gave Sanada wore off early.

He frowned as he sat up, looking around to see who else was in the convoy. He saw that the Wyvern Lord and the Sentinel were sleeping in another corner by the door. The Sentinel's head was in his lap and the Wyvern Lord was propped up, head lolled to one side. He now had a black eyepatch over his eye, and even though Niou felt sorry for his loss, he thought that the eyepatch with his short and neat, dark navy hair made him look even more like a badass.

He shrugged of his blanket gingerly as he stood up and stretched. Niou figured a breath of fresh air was needed before he would go back and attempt to get some sleep. As he approached the doorway, another large bump caused him to lose his balance and topple over.

"Do you and the ground have some kind of affair going on?" the Wyvern Lord asked amusedly, cracking one eye open. Niou stuck his tongue out at him as he stood up and dusted himself off.

"What gives you that idea?" Niou aced and the Wyvern Lord chuckled.

"The entrance gate guard told us about your futile attempt to get onto the castle grounds."

"Damn him…" Niou said, gritting his teeth. "He's probably at home laughing his ass off about me."

"I wouldn't put it past him," the Wyvern Lord said, grinning at Niou, who rolled his eyes. "You are an amusing person and he takes his job very seriously."

"No joke. All of you do though."

"Well, you know now what happens if we don't."

"Yes, I've ran enough laps, done enough drills, been hollered at constantly, and have been slapped enough times," Niou said, remembering his harsh training. "But honestly, we would have never been that strong without such exemplary leadership."

"I have faith that General Sanada will rise again," the Wyvern Lord said confidently before shifting a little to let the Sentinel's head rest more comfortably in his lap. "If he doesn't, then I'll resign before Lord Yukimura's wrath annihilates me."

"For someone who is normally an enigma and very serious, you're actually quite funny."

"I'd prefer that fact to remain a bit of a secret," he said with a wink. "I used to be like this more often, but times have changed and so I have changed with it…" His voice trailed off ever so slightly, causing Niou to wonder what specific circumstances caused him to change. "Anyways, something on your mind?"

"Er, you and the Sentinel… an item?" Niou asked, fishing for something to ask and reminding himself to inquire about his past another time.

"Oh no, no," he said with a lofty laugh. "Just good friends. For a long time."

'Even that laugh is peculiar for the Wyvern Lord,' he noted mentally. 'He can't hide from me either - I can tell he's hiding a lot from the world.'

"He's a cool guy," Niou said, grinning. "Very charismatic and good-natured. He wanted to try his hand a little at archery." Niou knew now was not the time and place to dig deeper into his friendship with the Sentinel.

"Oh really? How did he do?"

"Better than Yagyuu on the first day," Niou revealed and they both ended up laughing.

"I appreciate the compliment," the Sentinel murmured, opening his eyes and Niou's jaw dropped to the floor.

"How long have you been awake?" the Wyvern Lord asked and the Sentinel turned over to look straight up at him.

"Only for a few seconds… when Niou said I was a 'cool guy'."

"Okay, good."

"Was there supposed to be anything I shouldn't have heard?"

"Not at all," the Wyvern Lord reassured, smiling gently down at him, before looking to Niou. "Going out for fresh air?"

"Yeah. For a bit. And to see Yagyuu."

"Do us a favor and drag him in for rest," the Sentinel requested, closing his eyes again. "He's really pushing himself."

"Oh believe me, I've noticed," Niou said, knowing that it was the main reason he couldn't sleep for the last few days. "And I'm going to take care of it."

"Best of luck to you, Niou."

"One of us will switch places with him if you succeed."

Niou waved them off as he opened the door quickly and slipped out. The day wasn't that cold and Niou was thankful for that. They had been moving for a week and a half now, and even with the nap system, they were fatigued to the core. The snow in the area was kind of melting and Niou was amazed that it was close to spring already.

He jumped off of the convoy and landed gracefully before heading towards the front of it. Yagyuu was not too far ahead, sitting with a slightly less than a ramrod posture on his horse. Niou took a deep breath before hurrying to catch up to him.

"Afternoon, Yagyuu!" he greeted cheerfully and Yagyuu turned to look at him.

"Has time really gone by that fast?" he asked softly and Niou shook his head.

"No, I've got hours left on my nap, but needed some fresh air."

"It is a good day to," Yagyuu said, turning away from him and looking ahead. "It's not chilly, the sun is out, and I can see some grass amidst all of the snow."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to not freezing my balls off anymore." Yagyuu didn't respond with even a small chuckle, which Niou was hoping for. Cracks in Yagyuu's facade were starting to show - he had faint shadows under his eyes, he didn't smile much at mealtimes, and he didn't want to sleep as closely with Niou at night. Niou had been brushing it aside as consequences of being preoccupied with new responsibilities, but now he was sure there was some more thoughts on his mind.

"So… how ya feeling?" Niou asked chirpily, swinging his arms in step. He probably looked like an idiot to the other soldiers, but he really didn't care much about reigning himself in.

"Fine," Yagyuu said, still looking off in the distance. "A little tired, but things are where they need to be, so that's comforting."

"Why don't you… take a nap?" Niou sugared brightly, petting his horse gently on the mane. "Feels real good, you know."

"No, I'm fine, Niou," he said dismissively as he squeezed the reins in his hands. "I get enough sleep at night."

"Liar."

"Excuse me, Niou," he said stiffly, turning to look at him seriously. A look like that would have sent soldiers scampering into order, but Niou knew what he could get away with. "I would appreciate it if you were less disrespectful."

"Well, excuse me, commander of the army," Niou snapped back a bit heatedly. "But at least I'm not a hypocrite and dishonest with myself as you are."

"How am I being any of those things?" Yagyuu asked in a steely tone and Niou rolled his eyes.

"Okay, first, you are not fine," Niou pointed out and Yagyuu's eyes shifted a hair to the right before returning back to look at Niou. "Something is completely eating you up inside. It probably is more than one thing though."

"I have to maintain calm and control," he reminded him. "Meaning that I have to put my personal feelings aside."

"There's a difference between aside and letting them fester."

"Okay, fine. There are things bothering me, but I can handle them myself. Why don't you explain how I am a hypocrite then." It was a mean threat, and normally Niou didn't like angering Yagyuu, but this time he really didn't care.

"Have you taken a nap once since we left Central Camp?"

"… No…"

"And yet you have ordered everyone else to."

Yagyuu sighed, but didn't respond verbally to Niou, who frowned at him.

"Listen, the Yagyuu that I fell in love with, that the soldiers look up to, isn't this complete idiot who thinks that being invincible is the way to lead an entire army."

"I have to be stronger than they are if I do not wish for them to want to give up," Yagyuu said, tugging on the reins slightly to slow his horse down.

"Listen, you are not Sanada," Niou said firmly. "You never will be and nobody wants you to be exactly like him."

"He is the commander for a reason."

"Yeah and he's great at what he does. However, you didn't earn where you are by being a ruthless, stoic, unforgiving basted who doesn't seem to have any limits on what he can do."

"Niou, I think you should go…"

"I will be more than happy to," Niou said snidely with a mocking bow. "I thought you were different from all of them - unaffected by the lure of power and fame and able to be your own person. Apparently I was wrong."

"Niou!"

"I hope you enjoy wallowing in your self-pity the rest of the way back," Niou finished, waving him off before running back to the convoy. When he jumped onto it, he opened the door and strode inside, trying to avoid slamming the door.

"Well, well, it looks as if Yagyuu's stubbornness won over yours in the end," the Wyvern Lord noted playfully.

"Shut it."

"Hey now, do you want to talk about it?"

"I just… said some things… bluntly," Niou admitted, sitting down with his legs crossed and propping his head up with his hands. "It all just kind of came out… and I think I seriously wounded his pride."

"Good job, Niou."

"Huh? Are you being serious?"

"Absolutely."

"I felt like an ass."

"I have no doubt, but think of it this way," the Wyvern Lord said, putting one hand on Niou's shoulder. "How many times in Captain Yagyuu's life do you think he was reprimanded for something?"

"Errr, possibly close to none."

"Even the best of people need a scolding once in a while - it's what keeps us humans in check… and what keeps humans acting as decent humans."

"Sometimes people don't get the hint though."

"Ah well, then you'll know who the good ones are," the Wyvern Lord said with a hearty laugh. "You can't force anyone to change against their will - you can only guide them and support them and lecture them and so on, but they have to take the steps themselves."

"You… are surprisingly full of advice," Niou commented and the Wyvern Lord smiled at him. "Cause of Lord Yukimura's father, right?

"Aye. We were the best of friends along with the military school commander, who as you know, was the commander before Sanada. We were similar to each other in our ability to give advice, although the commander could be rather cold and blunt about it sometimes."

"I see, I see," Niou said, reaching for a blanket. "Mind if I lay here and mope to myself?"

"Not at all," he said, removing his hand off of Niou's shoulder and patting the ground. Niou scooted over to the area and then, before being able to stop himself, snuggled against the Wyvern Lord and put the blanket around him. The Wyvern Lord chuckled and gently ran his hand through Niou's hair fondly and he felt happiness welling up inside of him instantly.

They sat in silence for a while, just thinking through things. There was the occasional groan whenever the convoy hit a rough patch on the ground and the Sentinel would snore softy once in a while. Niou couldn't get his mind off of the things he said to Yagyuu, but he couldn't believe how cold and distant Yagyuu was being to him either.

He felt like a strange mixture of anger, hurt, concern, and curiosity. Niou sighed, focusing on the feeling of fingers playing idly with his hair and hoping that it would distract him. It did, but unfortunately, it reminded him of how much he longed for his father to do that to him - to show him that he was proud of him or that he loved him dearly.

"Something wrong?"

"Just… feeling a lot of complicated things."

"Ah, I see."

Niou closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them, surprised that they were wet with small tears.

"Hey… have you ever wanted… to be a father?" Niou asked softly, now curious about the person who turned out completely different than he thought. He had assumed the mysterious Wyvern Lord was another version of Sanada, but slightly less extreme and not as hot-tempered. They rarely got to see their commanding officers out of training anyways so it wasn't like he had a way of knowing what he was really like.

"There are days I wish that, yes," he replied.

"What stops you from that?"

"Other than the fact that I like men?" the Wyvern Lord stated in a ponderous tone. "I suppose it's because I'm entirely committed to my duty. I would never be able to give my significant other or children the attention they deserve, nor do I think I'm worthy of someone's deep love."

"I do know the feeling… a bit too well."

"I'm sorry to hear."

"Don't worry too much on it," Niou assured. "Please continue."

"Well, I have always seen General Sanada as a son," he said, now no longer running his fingers through Niou's hair, but just resting his hand there. "After Lord Yukimura Sr. passed away especially. The military school commander was like a father to the present Lord Yukimura. I guess us two have always seen all of the young ones as our children."

"For you, even people outside of the wyvern riders?"

"Of course - anyone that I have personally interacted with, but I am the closest with my wyvern riders."

"So… does it hurt… when they die?"

"Always," he said, breathing a heavy sigh. "The loss of life, especially for someone so young, is always hard. But, you know, some of them don't come from loving families or might have no family at all. Others are poor or don't see themselves doing anything other than serving their country. It is my privilege to be able to be something positive in their lives - someone who is proud of what they achieve and someone they can trust."

"If you keep talking, I think I'm going to bawl…" Niou said, sniffing and the Wyvern Lord tapped him on the head.

"Okay, but rest easy knowing that you are greatly loved."

"You would have been the coolest father. We could have gone hunting or fishing together. I could totally see you farming too," Niou said thoughtfully as he closed his eyes. "And you would have gotten me a wyvern too… that I would have totally named Apollo, but all I've got are my chickens…"

The door opened unexpectedly and Niou opened his eyes to see who it was. They widened considerably when he saw that he was looking at the forlorn face of none other than their Silver Knight.

"'Bout time," Niou said dryly and the Wyvern Lord hit him on the head gently. "Hey! Don't be mean after all of the gentle treatment you gave to my head earlier!"

"Be nice!" he chided him before removing his hand. "I don't want you scaring him off."

"Good afternoon, Wyvern Lord," Yagyuu greeted kindly. "I hope that Niou hasn't been bothering you."

"Not at all. He's a good kid," he replied as he gently shook the Sentinel. A few seconds later, the Sentinel opened his eyes and blinked a few times.

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to take Captain Yagyuu's spot so he can get some rest."

"Oh? He's here?" he said, sitting up so that the Wyvern Lord could stand up and stretch. The Sentinel formed a bemused expression when he looked at the new arrival. "Hello, Captain Yagyuu."

"Good afternoon, Sentinel. Sorry to disturb your nap."

"Not a problem. I'll fall right back asleep when the Wyvern Lord heads out," he said, massaging his neck gently with one hand and brushing his pale golden brown hair out of his eyes. "Hey, you're going without your armor?"

"I don't have time to put it on," he said as he put on a cloak and secured it with a clasp near his throat. "It's not like we're going to be attacked."

"Yeah, but doesn't' that make you feel… naked?"

"Incredibly, but I want to get out there soon since no commanding officer is outside."

"Fair enough. Have a good one."

"Sweet dreams, Sentinel."

"Hey, before you go!"

"What is it?" he directed at Niou who suddenly smiled at him.

"For the record, I think you deserve more love than you think you do. Don't know what's holding you back, but I just know that you're worth it."

"I appreciate that, Niou," the Wyvern Lord said, returning the smile and saluting him. "Really, I'm fine, but thank you for your support."

"Shall we go to a different corner, Yagyuu?" Niou asked, standing up with his blanket still around him and sauntering away. The Sentinel laughed amusedly and Yagyuu sighed loudly before following him. Niou went to the back corner that wasn't occupied by Yanagi, Kirihara, and Sanada, and laid down with his head on a folded blanket. Yagyuu went to grab his blankets and to strip off his armor before joining him.

"What made you change your mind?" Niou asked when Yagyuu was finally laying next to him.

"The fact that I was being the idiot you so eloquently described."

"I'm sorry, Yagyuu. I should have been more tactful."

"No, I'm the one who is the most sorry. I should have never snapped at you."

Niou smiled before reaching under the blankets to pull Yagyuu against his body.

"Stop, Niou."

"Nobody is here to see. And besides, I want to warm you up."

Yagyuu pondered the thought for a moment and then shifted closer and let Niou's arms wrap around him. Niou looked at his face closely and noticed that he looked even more fatigued than he did earlier. It was apparent that he had spent some time doing deep thinking about himself.

"Hey, do you want to tell me what's wrong now?" Niou asked and Yagyuu shook his head.

"It's really nothing."

"Yagyuu, I am here for you. Don't keep me out because it isn't fair."

There was a moment of silence before Yagyuu started fidgeting with the blanket he was under with one hand. Niou reached out to hold his hand still and kissed him on the cheek.

"I just keep thinking about the time where I was talking with Thunder Sage Inui," Yagyuu revealed finally.

"Did something happen before I got there?" Niou asked in an unsure tone, and Yagyuu shook his head.

"No, no. It was just before Dragon King Sakaki showed up."

"Ah, I see."

"When our army was starting to lose patience and wanted to fight for General Sanada's honor… even though the conditions of the battle were already completed. The decision of what to do fell to me… and I stalled."

"Yagyuu… you wanted to do what was right. There was nothing wrong with that."

"I just felt everything was out of my control. I shouldn't have hesitated before making my decision," he spat out bitterly.

"It wasn't like making decision earlier was going to do something. The arrival of the dragon laguz stopped everything."

"But still…"

"Yagyuu, I doubt that even Sanada would have made a decision that quickly in an unforeseen situation," Niou said firmly. "But are you really telling me that you wished that the dragon laguz never showed up so that unnecessary lives would have been wasted?"

"No! That's not what I am implying!"

"Good, but then what?"

"I just felt inadequate as a commander," Yagyuu said truthfully and Niou gave him an incredulous look.

"If you were inadequate, then we'd probably still be stuck there fighting with each other in a disorganized and upset mess."

"…"

"Yagyuu, did you forget our purpose?" Niou asked rhetorically. "Lord Yukimura said to end it quickly while saving as many lives as possibly. Now we didn't win like we wanted to, but we didn't lose the Fire Emblem nor did we get subjected to unreasonable terms. In fact, somehow we got future peace out of it."

"If it wasn't for King Atobe and the dragon laguz…"

"Yeah, we got lucky," Niou acknowledged with a grateful sigh. "But count your blessings while you got them. At least Lord Yukimura can bash King Atobe's ego in the head the next time he sees him."

Yagyuu finally laughed and Niou nuzzled him sweetly, letting his hair brush across Yagyuu's skin.

"So earlier when you said I didn't get where I am by being Sanada-like…" Yagyuu started and Niou silenced him with a kiss.

"I meant it. You two do share that ruthless work ethic extreme pride, and vicious tenacity. You demand perfection from those around you, but even more from yourself. However, people respect you for your natural kindness and levelheadedness."

"Niou…"

"Some of your Lance Knights and my archers expressed that they would do anything for you because you just care so much. And you're personable and easy to get along with… kind of like the Sentinel, except that he's very charismatic and fairly playful."

"Niou, you've really gotten to know them - the Wyvern Lord and the Sentinel and our units," Yagyuu said with a pleasantly surprised expression.

"Just a bit here and there, but I really like them."

"So do you want to join the military yet?"

"Oh hell no."

"Well, it didn't hurt to ask," Yagyuu said as he settled back more into Niou's body. "So where did all of this observation of me come from?"

"Months of watching you," Niou said with an embarrassed laugh. "Plus I learned something from the archers I trained with."

"What did you learn?"

"That good people sense good people and will follow reasonable orders regardless of that person's background. It was the only thing I could come up with for why they believed in me and were so grateful for me being their teacher."

"Hmmm… yes, we do try to pick good people or teach them to be good," Yagyuu said, remembering military school fondly.

"And in times of trouble, they're not looking for invincibility or super strength. They're looking for someone human too… someone that will not make them feel discouraged for feeling the way they do."

"Empathy, right?"

"And you have that wonderful ability," Niou said, carefully brushing the hair out of Yagyuu's eyes and into his normal part. "So stop blaming yourself for what is out of your control. The soldiers sense that and they blame themselves for things that they could't control either. Once you decide to be the leader you've always been, they'll change with you."

"Gods, Niou. You really are something," Yagyuu said, overwhelmed by Niou's thoughtfulness. "I dismiss you quite often for just keeping to yourself… and maybe not being so good with advice."

"I'm in love with you. You get in my head and I can't keep you out. You make me say things I never thought that I was capable of saying," Niou said dryly. "And I want to keep you from completely turning into Sanada. I don't know how much I'd like to be dating someone with such a permanent frown. And ugly eyebrows."

"Mmm… And I love you too."

Niou sighed contentedly and closed his eyes, trying to listen to the sound of Yagyuu's heartbeat to lure him off to sleep. Yagyuu's fingers threaded themselves into Niou's underneath the blanket and Niou's other hand found itself massaging the small of Yagyuu's back. Niou was so happy that they were finally sharing a peacefully blissful moment for the first time in weeks.

Everything was still for the next few minutes, but right on the brink of sleep, the convoy hit something large and their bodies bounced off the floor by a few inches. Armor rattled noisily and a few weapons fell over and clanged onto the ground.

"Who the hell is driving this thing?! I am gonna -" Niou hollered heatedly and Yagyuu pressed a hand to his mouth.

"Shh… you'll wake the others!" Yagyuu warned and Niou rolled his eyes before the hand was removed. They took a quick look around and saw that no one else had moved an inch.

"What I wouldn't give for my ability to sleep through anything to come back…" Niou grumbled and Yagyuu nestled against him again.

"We'll be home soon, Niou."

"I want to know more about you."

"Where did this suddenly come from?"

"My everlasting quest to know every little detail of you," Niou said. "And I can't sleep at all now."

"Well, you did bring me here to sleep so I'm going to try," Yagyuu pointed out. Niou knew that he was right, but that wasn't going to stop him from hearing a little bit. He hooked a leg over Yagyuu's lower body and slid a hand under his shirt, feeling around the contours of his muscles.

"Stop."

"Stop what?"

"What you are doing to me," Yagyuu said vehemently, trying not to move in response when Niou pressed against a sensitive spot.

"Story or I keep going," Niou said cheerfully as he moved his hand towards the top of his pants and snuck a few fingers under. "Something tells me that you're going to have to… take care of something later unless you want a painful ride on your horse later."

"Fine, Niou," Yagyuu said viciously and he withdrew his hand. "What do you want to know?"

"Are you afraid that I am going to ask you something embarrassing?"

"Actually, yes."

"You really do have a low opinion of me," Niou said, laughing as he kissed a blushing Yagyuu on the cheek. "But honestly, I want to hear about your childhood."

"It's a bit of a sad topic," Yagyuu said, surprised. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. The Wyvern Lord and I were talking about parenting and such earlier," Niou explained and Yagyuu adjusted his body so he could look at Niou directly in the eyes. "And I will talk about mine in exchange."

"You want to move on, don't you?"

"I want us to move on. Together."

There was a pause for Yagyuu to collect his thoughts and Niou reached for his hand again. Niou knew that this would be the best time out of any for this particular conversation.

"Well, my father and mother met when they were both in the military. My father had been there for around two years as the strongest archer and they had just recruited a group of healers."

"Was it love at first sight? Like us?"

Yagyuu chuckled at how suddenly enraptured Niou was in the tale.

"For him, yes. My mother kept ignoring his friendly advances because she did not want to get married or even to be in a relationship, but she didn't tell him any of the reasons. You could say it was a battle of tenacity between them. And their friends were either encouraging then to pursue each other or to forget each other."

"At least now I know where you get your extreme amount of it," Niou noted dryly. "So what finally won her over? His amazing looks? His gentlemanly personality? Or was he secretly a rascal in bed?"

"Funny, Niou."

"I'm being serious! Tell me! Tell me!"

"Well, he was very good-looking and he could be gentlemanly if he wasn't being flirtatious. But it really wasn't any of that that won her in the end," Yagyuu continued on, kissing him gently on the nose.

"I knew it… a passionate beast in bed…"

"Oh my gods…"

"Sorry, please continue."

"They had been sent to a few battles already, but my father rarely was hurt. Then there was this nasty fight somewhere and my father ended up taking a major blow to protect their commanding officer. Reinforcements did show up and Rikkai managed to win."

"So your mother happened to be the one to heal him?"

"She told me that it was the scariest moment of her life because she was afraid he wasn't going to live. When he finally came to and saw who it was, his first words were 'Like what you see?'"

Niou broke up laughing when he heard Yagyuu say that, remembering that was exactly what he had said when he was caught bathing in the river.

"Did she slap him?"

"Of course."

"I like your mother."

"Then she started crying and said she was sorry for repeatedly breaking his heart. She said she felt like a fool for ignoring her feelings for so long."

"What was her reason for not wanting to be with someone?" Niou asked curiously. It was interesting to him to hear of a woman who would ignore her feelings of love or to not welcome the affections of others. He had always assumed that women fantasized about a charming man to come and sweep them off of their feet, and wouldn't hesitate to go along if that happened to them.

"She knew that being in the military meant her life was always at risk so she didn't want to become attached to anyone or want anyone to become attached to her."

"Thoughtful woman. Brave and sacrificial woman too."

"She really was, but they were so happy when they were finally together," Yagyuu reminisced fondly.

"Were they both from aristocratic families?"

"Yes, but my father was much wealthier."

"So tell me about little Hiroshi," Niou asked sweetly and Yagyuu turned a little pink. "Awww… are you embarrassed?"

"A little. No one has called me by my first name since I was a child. When they were still alive…"

"Hey, sorry, Yagyuu. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want," Niou said and Yagyuu shook his head resolutely.

"No, I need to."

"Okay, talk as much as you want," Niou said, squeezing his hand. "Now i want to hear about little Hiroshi."

"Well, I was almost the same as I am now - dutiful, polite, courteous, and serious. My parents were usually gone for training throughout the day so I was watched by my caretaker. I spent most of the day reading or helping clean the house."

"You were such good kid. It sort of disgusts me," Niou said with a laugh. "How did you ever have fun?"

"Reading," Yagyuu said stiffly and Niou poked him playfully.

"I know. Continue on."

"My favorite time of day was when they came home. My father would always scoop me up in his arms and ask 'How is my Hiro today?' before carrying me to the dining room to set me on the table. He would then leave to put his equipment away and get changed and my mother always had this begrudging look on her face as she watched him walk away."

"He called you 'Hiro'?"

"Because I was a champion to him. My mother just called me Hiroshi."

"She had to wait her turn to hug you? Is that why she was annoyed at him?"

"Yes," Yagyuu said with a nostalgic smile. "While my father was changing, she would pick me up and sit me on her lap at the table and we would talk about the day. I loved hearing about their training and she loved hearing about what I had read. And if father was acting up, then she would complain about him freely."

"I take it she thought he was a hooligan?"

"Where do you think the Niou side of me comes from?" Yagyuu stated and Niou nudged him.

"So dinner was cooked by your father?"

"Yes, and my mother baked. And I helped with everything."

"My mother would have killed to have you."

"You are a handful. I was a good child."

"Makes things more exciting. Anyways, tell me about how you spent time together," Niou insisted. He was so happy to hear Yagyuu reveal so much about himself and he just wanted to know more and more. It made him feel like they were moving into another level of their relationship - one that had even more trust, security, and closeness.

"On weekends, we did had a picnic on the hill if it was nice out. We would have story time by the fire - they would let me lay between them until I fell asleep. And horseback riding was wonderful."

"Hmm… one more topic for you, Yagyuu," Niou said, grinning at Yagyuu. "How did you not become an archer? I mean, it's obvious that your skills were subpar the first time we met, but I'm sure there's a fun story there."

"It's kind of funny," Yagyuu said, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. "My father tried so hard, but I just couldn't get the hang of the bow."

"Awww… Little Hiroshi with his little bow!"

"Niou, you had a little bow, didn't you?"

"Oh yeah. Made it myself, but unlike you, I could actually shoot it and hit the targets."

"Shut it."

"So the lance?"

"One day, my father's friends were over to have a good afternoon of drinking and I was serving drinks. Some of them asked if I was going to join the military when I got old enough, and I said I wanted to, much to my mother's protective disapproval. Then they asked if I was going to be an archer, and my father said that I would be the best of my generation."

"And then?" Niou asked excitedly, grabbing onto Yagyuu's clothes and pulling on them. He looked a bit disgruntled at being manhandled, but he kept talking regardless.

"One of them handed me a half-sized lance they got for their kid. I started mock battling just to see how it felt. After a few moves, I turned to look at them and all of their jaws were dropped to the ground."

"Bet your father wasn't too happy."

"My mother said he asked the gods why they had forsaken him so that night," Yagyuu said, chuckling softly as Niou slowly released him. "I had walked in, thinking something was wrong with him, and she told me to just ignore him."

"Your mother is so cold!"

"She is tough love," Yagyuu admitted. "But she loved deeply. She got me my horse, Reza, when I was old enough to ride one."

"And thus was the beginnings of Yagyuu the Silver Knight," Niou said fondly, mussing Yagyuu's hair. "How old were you when they died?"

"Eleven," Yagyuu said sadly. "I felt that my world had shattered when I heard the door knocker sound and ran to open it, expecting to be picked up in his arms and hugged from behind by my mother, but instead… it was… was just his bow…"

"Gods Yagyuu…"

"It was s-salvaged… mother must have put… some kind of protection sp-spell on it…" Yagyuu sniffled loudly, burying his face into Niou's shoulder. It was unbelievably painful to see Yagyuu so distraught, but as he tightened his hold on him, he hoped that his listening was some form of consolation.

"Cry it out."

"I just never… got to say goodbye," Yagyuu said and Niou felt copious amounts of hot tears drip onto his skin. "Or tell them one… last time that I… I loved them."

"I'm sorry," he said genuinely. It hurt him to see Yagyuu so distraught, but it was time for him to let down his guard and be vulnerable. Yagyuu needed this release - that Niou was sure of.

"Thank you."

"There isn't anything that you can change in the past, but like I said before… they are always watching and they're so proud of you."

"They wouldn't have been proud of my recent behavior."

"No one's perfect," Niou reminded him, wiping the tears from his eyes. "But I think they're even prouder of the fact that you pick yourself up so quickly and always seek to do your best."

Things fell quiet as Niou let Yagyuu cry his remaining tears, trying his hardest not to join in too. When at last, Yagyuu's body stilled and Niou could hear Yagyuu's characteristically calm breathing, he kissed him as gently as he could. Yagyuu's lips parted slightly in response and the sweet flavor that he tasted was delightful.

"Mmm…"

"Your turn, Niou."

"Okay, my dad met my mother at a sort of community potluck. After tasting her cooking, he inquired who had made it, and they got to know each other."

"Your mother really does cook well."

"I hope you didn't choose to be with me for her cooking," Niou said and Yagyuu laughed.

"Certainly not, but it is a nice bonus."

"Anyways, my dad was so taken by her despite the fact that she was a farm girl and he was from a wealthy family."

"So how did she end up in a small house?"

"His family sort of disowned him when he told them the news. After they got married, they chose to live there and save up money to be able to travel the country since he had always wanted to do that. And he wanted to share that with her."

"And then she had children," Yagyuu said, now squeezing Niou's hand as Niou felt the all too familiar feelings of rage and hurt fill his body.

"Yeah, we ruined his grand plans," Niou said bitterly. "He only truly loved our mother and didn't want to try taking care of us when I came along. I don't think he ever wanted to be stuck in that house for as long as he was and started hanging back out with his aristocratic friends."

"Niou, I'm sorry."

"I think it would have been better if he choose to ignore us," Niou said with a hollow laugh. "But instead, he was a jerk to me about how much attention I got from mother and was constantly talking behind our backs with those friends about how we were the worst things to have happened to him." He remembered how much his blood had boiled when he had eavesdropped on one of his conversations, and how he was ready to attack him if his mother hadn't caught him first and sent him to his room first.

"What about your mother though?" Yagyuu inquired curiously. "Wouldn't they have had horrible words to say about her?"

"That would be one of the only things he would get upset about. They stopped mentioning her after they got the hint."

"So after the third child…"

"He couldn't handle it anymore. As much as he loved my mother, he wouldn't try or change. And he knew that he was breaking her heart by staying there so he made the decision to leave. He took most of the money though since he was going to be traveling, but left enough for us to survive."

"It was the best for your mother. You know that now," Yagyuu reassured tenderly. "Sometimes the best that happens to us hurts the most."

"Yeah, but that never took away from the pain that I felt for years," Niou said, turning his head towards the ceiling as hot tears welled up in his eyes. "My mother was utterly heartbroken, and as best as she tried to hide it, I could see through all of the forced smiles. Struggled to take care of all of us and the land… cried every night in her sleep… I blamed my existence for her misery, but also him for not thinking beyond his own wants."

"Gods, Niou," Yagyuu said softly as Niou found that he was unable to hold his composure any longer. "I am glad that you never gave in to despair."

"There are times that I wished I did," he admitted before biting his lip to put himself back together. "But I ended up really picking up the bow seriously and going off into the woods to practice. Nothing made me feel better than imagining those targets to be that jerkass. Archery was an escape."

"Better than a lot of things, Niou. So much better."

"I did try drinking at sixteen. Mother was so close to flogging me when she found me wasted that night and throwing my brains out."

"Niou!"

"I'm sorry! I am a rebel!" Niou said loudly after Yagyuu hit him on the stomach. "And don't worry, I didn't try it again since then. The hangover was miserable." He blinked the last of his tears out of his eyes before turning back towards Yagyuu, who gave him a scornful glare. Then Yagyuu smiled warmly.

"Despite it all, we made it," he observed and Niou felt incredibly relieved that he didn't think less of him. "Through the bleakest days where we didn't want to go on… we lived for those who loved us the most."

Niou kissed him firmly on the lips and then clung onto him as closely as possible. Yagyuu smiled so brightly that it seemed to pierce the semi-darkness they were in. He felt so much better overall - happy to have finally let go of the past and to embrace his future.

"Hmm… what now?"

"When we get close, I will send the Wyvern Lord to inform Lord Yukimura that we made it back."

"What information will you tell him?"

"The battle outcome, which is a stalemate. Dragon King Sakaki and the terms we agreed on. And that we will group at the eastern grounds for orders unless he wants otherwise."

"You… are not going to mention Sanada's condition?" he asked hesitantly and Yagyuu sighed.

"No… he will see soon enough," Yagyuu said distantly. "He probably will not question who lost - he will see for himself."

"He's going to flip a bigger table if he gets his hopes up," Niou said glumly. "Are you sure I can't hide at my house?"

"No, we have to do this together," Yagyuu said wearily, sounding as if he was ready for Sanada's condition and the battle outcome to be merely a nightmare that he needed to wake up from. He also looked like he was ready for a long rest as well.

Niou nodded and closed his eyes, letting his tiredness sink in.

"Okay Hiro, you brave champion of champions," he mumbled groggily.

"Just make sure you don't call me that in public."

"Heey Yeagyuuu…"

"Go to sleep."

"Do you think Yanagi and Kirihara were listening the whole time? Maybe the Sentinel too?"

"… Probably Yanagi shortly after you yelled about hitting the giant bump in the road. I don't know about Kirihara or the Sentinel."

"… Damn it…"

"Must we always do this before sleeping?" Yagyuu grumbled and Niou grinned.

"Yes Hiro, dear."

A loud 'umph' issued from Niou when Yagyuu elbowed him hard in the ribs and three distinct tones of laughter issued from two areas of the convoy, confirming Niou's suspicions.