Series: Reversal||Title: Desired Disobedience
Characters: Ryou, Juudai, Lucifer, Desire, OC (or is it?)
Chapters: 3-3||Words: 5,446||Total: 15,833
Genre: Supernatural, Drama||Rated: PG
Challenges: Diversity Writing: YGO GX: Reversal: I34, supernatural genre; One Character Boot Camp, Marufui Ryou, #46, handle; Word Count Set Boot Camp, GX, #, 15,833; Include The Word Boot Camp, YGO, #1, route; Chapter Set Boot Camp, GX, #41, 3 chapters
Notes: This takes place in my Reversal AU. . If you're new, that means that Juudai is the incarnatnion of the Destructive Darkness, is genuinely evil, and has done horrible things for many years, including brainwashing Johan and having Ryou turned into a vampire. We pick this up three years after that latter event. I wrote this as a birthday gift to myself!
Summary: It's been three years since Haou had Ryou turned as a vampire. There's a celebration to be held, one Ryou has no interest in. His interest is in feeding. But the one he intends to drain has other ideas, one that involve the death of Haou. That's... good, right?
"Did you find anything interesting?" Lucifer asked as his image appeared in Desire's sphere. Ryou kept himself quiet; he wasn't sure yet of what Desire had in mind. Better to observe until he knew more and possibly could do more - if he ever could.
"Oh, I did indeed. And you're going to love this," Desire chuckled. He grabbed Ryou by the back of his neck and dragged him to where he could be seen. "First, I've located the vampire."
Lucifer regarded Ryou for a few seconds before he looked back at Desire. "Someone used sigil magic? Haou isn't going to like this."
"It gets even better. It's Vail. He thinks he can use Hell Kaiser to drain Haou dry."
The two Fallen Angels regarded one another in silence for a few moments, then both laughed uproariously. Desire shook his head, dropping Ryou back onto the bed and returning his full attention to his brother. "If I'm reading the sigils right, though, it's going to be difficult to get the collar off him. It's designed so only someone of the blood of Light can do it."
Lucifer frowned. "That's not even possible. I made sure of that. The Blood of Creation has been extinct for over twenty years."
"I know." Desire shrugged. "There might be someone around with enough of Hope in them to be useful? Does anyone even know what happened to that family line?"
"Not that I know of. Hope likes to stay out of sight and pop up when one least expects it." Lucifer considered. "I'll pass this along to Haou-sama. How long are you going to stay there?"
"I think until he releases Hell Kaiser to go feed on Haou. Someone should keep an eye on him. Vail thinks I don't like having to serve you and Haou." Desire snickered. "How little he knows."
Ryou shifted position quietly. He knew exactly why Desire wanted to stay here and it had nothing to do with keeping an eye on Vail. Or at least, it wasn't just because of him. Desire lived his name, after all.
"I'll see you next week, then. Do amuse yourself. I know how you can be when you get bored." Lucifer smirked before the sphere's magic faded, and Desire tucked it back to wherever it had come from. He turned his full attention to Ryou.
"Have you missed me?" Desire murmured, sliding his helmet off and his armor fading away. "I've certainly been looking forward to seeing you again."
Ryou turned his head away. The sigils had been slightly altered so that they didn't drag him down as much so if he'd wanted to, he could have answered. But he doubted Desire actually wanted to hear him speak. At least not in words.
Desire tucked one hand under Ryou's chin and turned him so that their eyes met. Desire's eyes were nothing like Yuusuke's - not a sweet violet, filled with shadows and mystery. They were a brilliant scarlet, matching his wings, just like his hair, and shone with a rich form of life that made Ryou shudder. He knew this look so very well.
"Did you know Haou promised you to me for an entire month if I brought back interesting word about your whereabouts? I think this qualifies. I look forward to that month - and to the rest of this week. You really were born to be someone else's property, weren't you?"
Ryou's eyes sharpened as he tried to pull himself back and found that he couldn't - bound by both the sigils and Haou's standing command to allow Desire to do as he willed that didn't interfere with any other commands. "No!" He could at least say that. Regardless of how it seemed true sometimes. He might not have been meant to be a tool, but plenty of people treated him like that.
Desire only chuckled and pulled him closer. "You were born to be used - and reborn to make it easier. You should stop fighting it."
And after that, Desire lived up to his name.
Vail had too much to do to spy on whatever it was Desire and Hell Kaiser were doing. He knew exactly what it was, after all. Desire made no bones about what he enjoyed doing. So instead of doing what he might have if it had been anyone else taking their pleasure with the vampire, he researched exactly what he would do after he'd had his pet vampire kill Haou.
It wouldn't be easy to do that, he knew. That was why he'd had the sigil-crafted collar made, to override Camula's control. Camula herself could override it if she stood there, but he'd seen to her. As tempting as it was to have her killed, doing so would release Hell Kaiser from her control, and he wanted nothing of that. A vampire needed to be controlled and used. They were undead beasts who pretended to life. Not at all like him. His pulse had never stopped. He'd never stopped drawing breath. He didn't need human blood - he just needed their souls.
I should have a good meal or two before I go to sleep. He needed normal food as much as anyone else did; his dining upon human souls merely kept him from dying. He considered his options, then had his guards bring him one of the captives he kept for just this purpose. Really, he would have to imprison more people for whatever crimes he could, if both he and Hell Kaiser were to feed off of them. He didn't need a good soul-meal as often as a vampire needed blood but unfortunately, it wasn't possible to share kills. Otherwise, the meals would have gone on farther.
Though he'd never actually tried to take someone's soul as they were being drained by his vampire. It might be worth testing out. He knew the perfect test subject as well - Haou himself. Just what would it be like to take the soul of the incarnate form of Dark Destruction? Vail licked his lips just at the thought of it.
He prodded his shock collars and pondered exactly who he should have Hell Kaiser duel. He had more than one option; it would all depend on who he thought was the most interesting. He had so many plans that pruning them down to the ones that had the best chance of success could take most of the coming week.
What matters most is finishing Haou off. After all this time, he doubted that Haou even remembered what he'd done to earn Vail's ire. Would he even remember how he'd come to be Brron's chief gladiator? Or did it remain on the dustheap of memory alongside everyone else that he'd murdered over the years.
Vail cheerfully admitted to himself that he didn't remember how many people he'd ended up killing himself. It all blended together after a while. He didn't think it mattered that much. Not when he would always need to kill more. The count would keep rising. Why keep track of it?
Lucifer put away the sphere and considered his options before he shook his head. As much as he would like to, now wasn't the time to inform Haou. By this time of evening, Haou would be in his bed, savoring the sweetness of his consort.
Something strange about that one, Lucifer mused, as he so often had since he'd first seen Johan Andersen in person. He couldn't quite put a finger on what made him strange, only that he was, and it felt oddly familiar, in a way that he'd not encountered in quite some time. It confused him and Lucifer didn't like to be confused.
But he would figure it out another time. It wasn't as if he could do anything to hurt Haou. Haou - Juudai - had gone out of his way to ensure that Johan had been broken quite thoroughly. He knew that his purpose wasn't to lead a rebellion or fight against Haou. He served to kill those whom Haou wished dead and to provide intimate pleasure for his master.
Truly, Juudai quite took after him. Lucifer approved thoroughly. He'd done much the same thing to Zerato so many years earlier. He remained a good, obedient servant as well, currently taking care of Lucifer's home castle.
When morning rolled around, Lucifer made a point to arrive in front of Haou as soon as he settled himself on his throne. He would have delivered the news at breakfast, but Haou never enjoyed doing business while he ate. So he'd kept himself confined to simply pleasantries during the meal.
"Lucifer?" Haou asked, eyebrow quirked up. "You have information?"
"Oh, I do. I heard from Desire last night. I didn't think it wise to interfere with your night, though." Lucifer chuckled softly, his wings twitching in pleasure. "It seems that Vail thinks he can use your vampire to take you out."
Haou remained where he was for a few moments, head tilted very lightly to one side. Finally he spoke. "Are you serous?"
"Very. Even better, so is he. He currently has collared Hell Kaiser and used sigil magic to keep him under control. Desire is going to stay there and keep an eye on him until next week, when Vail will send him back with orders to kill you."
Haou's lips twitched, eyes glittering golden. "Really."
"This is the most interesting part." Lucifer gestured briefly. "It seems he's crafted both collar and sigils so that only someone from a very specific family can break the collar. One that he believes no longer exists - and one that doesn't exist. I should know, I made sure to wipe it out myself."
He wasn't surprised to see acknowledgment dawning in Haou's eyes. He'd always been a bright one. "The Light of Creation."
"Exactly. Though Hope could do so as well. No one knows where that family line is right now." Lucifer shrugged. "Though knowing them, I'd not be surprised to find them in the rebellion."
Haous' fingers tightened on his throne for a few seconds before he turned to where Johan knelt, head down, awaiting for when his master needed him. He started to open his mouth, then shook his head.
"You wouldn't remember, would you?" He murmured, fingers going through Johan's hair for a few seconds. "You don't remember anything about the rebellion."
"They're your enemies, and your enemies are my enemies," Johan replied at once, tilting his head a little, but not enough to move Haou's hand from his hair. "Is there anything else that I should know, Haou-sama?"
Haou smiled down at him, hand caressing the side of Johan's face. "Not at all. Don't worry yourself about it. I'll deal with it."
Lucifer didn't take his eyes off of Johan the entire time. The more he regarded Haou's consort, the more that strange sensation crept over him. The longer he looked, the more something began to look familiar. He'd never noticed it before, but now he began to suspect that was because he'd never truly looked at Johan with this in mind.
It had been a long time since he'd seen the features of someone who carried the Blood of the Light of Creation. He'd certainly not expected to see them kneeling at Haou's feet.
Slowly, he began to smile. "Haou-sama. I think I have some interesting news."
Awareness crept back over Ryou. He opened his eyes and saw Desire's wing remained tucked over him. He closed his eyes again and wondered if he would be allowed to feed today or not. Vail at least made sure that he didn't get too hungry, but it was getting so very close to the "celebration" when he'd be sent back to kill Haou. That meant food would be withheld so he'd be completely dry.
Desire's hand crept up his chest. "Awake, are we?" He murmured, sounding quite sated and pleased. He usually sounded like that after their activities earlier.
"Yes." Ryou knew if he didn't answer, Desire and Vail both would take pleasure in dragging the words out of him. He would at least not give them that satisfaction.
He wasn't surprised that Desire chuckled at that. His fingers sank into Ryou's hair and he tugged the vampire closer to him. "We'll be going back to Haou-sama soon. Won't that be amusing." That wasn't a question, so Ryou didn't have to answer it.
But he had been thinking about it regardless. He considered before he said anything. "Killing Haou isn't going to be that easy. He has Lucifer-sama and Johan - at the least. There's also the Death Duelists to consider." He chose his next words carefully. "Vail-sama thinks I can just be pointed at him, released, and no one will defend Haou-sama."
"I know he does. And that's what's going to make it even more amusing." Desire made himself quite comfortable, wing still folded around Ryou. "I've heard from Lucifer and Haou-sama. They're well aware of what's going on."
Ryou didn't find any comfort in that. He suspected that Haou's manner of dealing with this might well just be to bind him out in the sunlight or slam a wooden stake between his ribs. Or perhaps he could find a way to destroy the collar regardless of not being of the line of Light. He was Destruction, after all.
Desire nudged at him. "But they don't want me to tell you what they're planning. You'll find out when we return."
Of course. Not only were both of them overly dramatic, but it wouldn't be safe to let him know, since he would pass it on to Vail if he were asked. He did wonder if Vail would ever ask, but that might mean the dark sorcerer considered him capable of giving useful information. He doubted that would happen any time soon.
When they joined Vail in his favored chamber, Vail gestured towards Ryou. "Tomorrow night you're going to start back so you can kill Haou. Make it as painful as you can. I want to hear him scream - and I will be there to hear him scream."
Ryou made no gestures of acknowledgment but Vail continued as if he had. "Swallow every drop of his blood. Don't stop until he's dead. I'm going to take his soul at the same time."
Where Ryou knelt, he could see Desire. The Fallen Angel had restored his helmet and armor and when Vail said that, Ryou could see him twitch. Someone else would be laughing hysterically. Ryou thought he would have done the same thing.
He didn't want to trust Haou. He didn't have any reason to trust Haou. But he didn't have any choice. Haou knew he was coming and knew that Vail wanted to kill him. Haou wasn't the type to just die. Ryou's life wasn't that good. Or his undeath. Whatever.
By the time Vail looked up again, Desire composed himself perfectly. Ryou wouldn't have been surprised if he had a smirk on under the helmet, but it wasn't possible to tell.
"Would you join me?" Vail wanted to know. "I'm certain I can find a use for you once I've claimed Haou's realm for my own."
"I don't doubt it for a moment," Desire replied, voice absolutely calm. "And I would be quite honored to see this."
Ryou closed his eyes. He hadn't been looking forward to this 'celebration' at all. This wasn't making it any better.
The trip back to Haou's castle was indeed different from the trip out. Ryou couldn't travel as quickly as he did on his own, nor did Desire. Vail loaded them both into his personal carriage and they all rattled along ill-kept roads. The carriage had been enchanted to not only have all the necessary room, but to keep the sunlight out during the day. This allowed them to travel when normally they would have to rest. No horses or oxen pulled the carriage, but it rumbled along all on its own. There was a coachman at the front who guided them along the road with gestures of his hands but nothing more.
Ryou appreciated one thing about this trip - it meant Desire wasn't going to have the chance to bed him again. He suspected if Vail wanted to, they could have stopped somewhere, taken rooms at an inn, and matters would proceed as they normally did when Desire was around. Thankfully Vail didn't do that. They did take short breaks for Desire and Vail to spread out a blanket in a sunny area, feasting on the supplies Vail brought along, while Ryou remained in the carriage by himself. That didn't bother him. He enjoyed the time by himself.
Being in the carriage alone also allowed for Cyber Dragon to be there with him. Now that they'd begun to speak again, the spirit stayed close by no matter what. Ryou couldn't say much; he didn't want Vail or Desire to figure out what he was doing and prevent him from having that tiny connection. He didn't want to think about what Haou might do when - not if - he ever found out. But he took the time to enjoy it while he could.
Great silver scales snuggled close to him, Cyber Dragon's head resting next to his. He didn't close his eyes, not wanting to miss a moment of this. He didn't think he'd been this comfortable in years - three of them, in fact. Probably more. He'd certainly never been comfortable during his living torment by Haou.
We will be there for you, Cyber Dragon reassured him. Do you trust us?
Ryou tilted his head. He kept most of his responses to gestures when he could; much better than to risk being heard. Cyber Dragon pressed harder against him.
Good. Cyber Dragon sounded extremely satisfied before fading out of sight. Moments later the door to the carriage swung open and Desire entered, followed by Vail. Desire glanced at Ryou, and while his expression couldn't be seen, Ryou wondered if he'd somehow become aware of Cyber Dragon's presence. If he was, he said nothing about it as he settled beside Ryou, tucking one scarlet wing around him.
Ryou fell back into total silence, wondering what the Cyber Dragons and Cyberdarks had in mind. He couldn't do much else. The sigils on the collar made that impossible. The sigils that had first bound him weren't in effect now. Vail apparently didn't think them worth the effort, not with Desire there to keep Ryou in check as well.
None of Haou's guards seemed to think there was anything to worry about when Vail's carriage arrived at the palace. The celebration already seemed to be in full swing as they entered, with music and feasting filling the air. Ryou could feel the nervous tension in the air regardless - something wasn't right somewhere and he didn't know what it was.
Desire pressed his fingers onto his shoulder, hard enough that it would have left bruises in mortal flesh. "Let's go. The show is about to begin."
Unable to stop himself, Ryou moved forward, just slightly behind Vail as the other strutted his way to where Haou sat on his throne. Johan knelt in his usual place beside him and Lucifer stood to one side. Ryou noticed a fading bruise on Johan's cheek and wondered if Haou had been more enthusiastic than usual. He didn't usually bruise Johan these days, though Ryou had heard that during Johan's initial training, he'd been covered with them.
"Haou," Vail addressed the name with mockery edging his voice. "It has been a very long time since I saw you last. You've come up quite far in the word since then."
"Vail." Haou uttered the word calmly. "Or I suppose I could call you Saruyama." He said it in a way that shaped the word as a weapon. Vail hissed ever so softly.
"I would prefer if you didn't." Vail waved one hand. "But we can discuss names some other time. I've quite enjoyed having the vampire with me the last few days. So did Fallen Angel Desire, in fact."
Haou snorted. "I don't doubt that at all. Now if you intend to attend, then step aside, remove that rather admittedly attractive collar from my vampire, and go get something to eat. You have five seconds to comply before I lose my patience."
Vail stared until he started to laugh, shaking his head. "You don't even understand. You're still the same foolish boy that you were all those years ago. Let me demonstrate what I can do. Hell Kaiser Marufuji Ryou, fulfill the orders that I have given you." He stepped aside with a flourish of his black cape, and Ryou started to take a step forward. He hadn't fed in a day and a half by now and while he still had some control over his mind, he remained aware that there was blood not that far away and he only needed to reach it to have it.
He shifted the weight off of his feet and flitted forward as quick as he could, despite the inner scream that told him his target was Haou-sama, that he couldn't do this, his body wasn't allowed to hurt his master, and at the same time he couldn't stop himself.
The roar came from his deck. Cyber End Dragon and Cyberdark Dragon flashed out, Cyber End coiling all around Ryou and holding him into place, so that he couldn't take another step towards Haou. Cyberdark Dragon lashed their tail at Vail, knocking him down and then coiling their dark-scaled tail around him, wings spread and fangs snapping threateningly.
Cyber End raised all three heads towards Haou. "Even we cannot hold him forever, so long as the collar binds him. Find a way to remove it!"
"I already have." Haou replied, far more pleasure in his voice than Ryou would have wanted to hear under any other circumstances. He tapped Johan on the shoulder. "Do it."
Ryou had no idea of what Haou had in mind, until Johan stood up and walked over to him. He barely even seemed to notice the spirits holding Ryou into place. He did step around Cyber End Dragon's tail carefully but he didn't look the metallic dragon in the faces. All of his attention was on Ryou. He reached up and laid the tips of his fingers on the collar, then slid them under the lock and tugged a little. The lock came open at once, and Johan pulled the collar away, going back over to Haou.
Slowly Cyber End Dragon released Ryou, taking a position up by him. Cyberdark didn't move from where they held Vail, and no matter how he struggled, with Cyber Phoenix hovering overhead, there wasn't anything that he could do to stop them. Ryou didn't need to breathe but he took a deep one regardless. He'd never thought he would be so grateful to Haou, let alone to Johan as he was now.
Haou took the collar and examined it as Johan sank back down to his knees, clearly pleased that he'd satisfied his master's orders. Haou rewarded him with a hand on his head for a few moments, then tightened his other hand around the collar. A column of thick darkness rose up from his hand around it, and with a tiny snap only dust and ashes remained.
"An amusing trick, but did you really think that I couldn't counter this?" Haou turned his attention to Vail, who looked fit to explode from rage. "I could have told you - my vampire belongs to me. He cannot harm me, even if he wanted to."
Ryou hated to think of how true that was. He also hated the thought of the Cyber Dragons having to live under Haou's rule as he did now. But he could feel all of them not caring.
"Now, what to do with you," Haou mused. Vail thrashed in Cyberdark Dragon's grip and snapped towards Desire.
"You would serve me!? Then destroy them! Destroy all of them! Now! I command it!"
Desire didn't so much as twitch a wing. Instead, he turned to Haou. "Lucifer informed me that if I provided interesting information as to Hell Kaiser's whereabouts, I'd have him in my bed for a month. Is this true?"
"Of course." Haou waved one hand. "Starting after the celebration, you may do with him as you please."
That didn't surprise Ryou. At this point in his undeath, not much would have. He didn't care that much. He had the spirits of his deck back. That mattered a great deal more than anything that might happen to his body.
But now Haou regarded Vail carefully. Ryou noticed his attention also slipped around to Cyber End Dragon and Cyberdark Dragon. But most of his focus remained on Vail. Finally he spoke.
"Hell Kaiser."
At once Ryou straightened up. He knew that tone - he was about to feed. He knew who he'd feed on; he knew far too much about Haou thought.
"Haou-sama." After the last week, he uttered the title with just a trifle more pleasure than he ever had any time he'd addressed Vail.
"How often did Vail allow you to feed this past week?" Haou raised one hand before Ryou spoke. "In fact, tell me everything that happened this entire week."
Ryou at once started to talk. He related about how he'd gone there to kill Vail in the first place and had intended to bring some of Vail's treasure to Haou as the gift he'd wanted. He told about the sigils binding him and exactly what Vail did until Desire showed up, and afterward. He left nothing at all out.
"Desire?" Haou asked, one eyebrow quirked upward. "Is this all true?"
"Yes, it is," Desire agreed, admiring the spread of his own wings. "Though I could go into more detail on exactly what we did. If you'd like, of course." Ryou suspected one of those insufferably smug grins existed under his helmet.
"I'll consider that for another time," Haou decided before looking back to Ryou. "Drain him dry. Make it as painful as you possibly can for him. I want to hear his screams. I want everyone to hear his screams. That is the treasure I desire."
Ryou didn't hesitate for a moment. Cyberdark Dragon dragged Vail over to him and held him in place as Ryou grabbed onto the dark sorcerer's shoulders. The other babbled, but none of it made any sense. It seldom did when Ryou fed. He sank his fangs deep into Vail's neck, the sweet taste of the blood coursing down his throat. His grip tightened on the shoulders and Cyberdark Dragon slowly released Vail as Ryou fed and Vail's strength failed him. The sorcerer batted at Ryou's hands feebly, but no matter how hard he tried, he could do nothing. The screams that echoed off of the walls soon faded away, and Ryou continued to feed, fulfilling the command - not a single drop of blood to be left.
He didn't normally feed that much off of one person. Feeding smaller amounts off of many different people kept deaths to a minimum. So when he bled someone dry, it was usually because Haou wanted him to do so. He kept on sucking, finally stopping and letting the body drop to the floor.
"I had intended for you to feed off of the captives that my Death Duelists brought back," Haou said, once Ryou had recovered enough from his feeding to focus on what was being said. He gestured to a corner where five people huddled, wrapped in chains, terrified expressions plain. Ryou glanced from one of them to another, checking.
Not his brother. Not Shou.
Not his friend. Not Fubuki.
Not his lover. Not Yuusuke.
Not Edo or Saiou or Asuka or anyone else that he knew from the rebellion. If these were rebels - and he couldn't even be sure that they were - then they weren't ones that he'd known. The way they existed in small cells of ten or twenty in each enclave helped with that. But he returned his attention to Haou, who smiled a devil's smile.
"A little much for you right now, though. So you'll feed off of them once a night until they've given you all that they can - and until I have no further use for them."
Ryou nodded. A small flicker of gratitude existed that no one he cared for was in this bunch. He would have preferred it if it consisted of people more like Vail than innocents, but when he couldn't choose his own prey, then he had to deal with what he was allowed.
Haou glanced at Lucifer. "Is the army ready to move in?"
"Of course." Lucifer nodded. "Would you like me to deal with it?"
"Yes. Let me know when you've taken it all." Haou dismissed him with a wave of one hand and Lucifer headed out quickly. He smiled in satisfaction, leaning back on his throne, before he looked at Ryou again. "Vail's realm will now belong to me. Lucifer is taking in my army to deal with any resistance.
That made horrible sense. Ryou suspected there would be people who fled there and went on to join the rebellion. It happened like that everywhere. Haou moved in and those who didn't want him as their lord fled to join those who fought against him. Some of them ended up as his dinner or as Haou's slaves or who knew what else.
None of that seemed to matter to Haou right now. He watched as other servants carried the body away, and Cyberdark Dragon joined Cyber End Dragon beside Ryou.
"How pleasant to see you all again," Haou said, this time addressing the spirits directly. "I thought you would have abandoned Hell Kaiser when he died."
"We would never do that." Cyberdark Dragon hissed, dark scales gleaming in the enchanted light, tail twitching. "He did not call for us. We must be called."
Haou's lips quirked. "Of course. I should have known." He rested one hand under his chin, the other playing with Johan's hair. "I might allow him to duel again. And I believe Vail had something interesting in those shock collars - I might have to check into those."
Ryou didn't look forward to that. Something else had his attention regardless. He shifted briefly and Haou glanced at him, one eyebrow cocking.
"You have something to say, Hell Kaiser?" Haou wanted to know.
"How did Johan get the collar off me?" Ryou wanted to know. "Only the blood of the Light could do it." The sigils had been very clear. Even worse, Vail had been very smug about that fact. It shouldn't have been possible.
Haou's hand didn't leave Johan's head. "Because it seems that my precious toy here is of the Blood of the Creation's Light. He never knew himself. But it seems when Lucifer destroyed Norbu all those years ago, he and his siblings were taken away to be kept safe." Haou chuckled a little. "How fascinating that he ended up with me. And his siblings are still out there somewhere."
He kept on stroking slowly. Johan closed his eyes and keened, a low pleasure-filled sound. "That is going to be one of your tasks - to find Yubel and Rune Andersen, and bring them here to me. Unharmed."
Ryou nodded. He wondered how he was going to do that. Before he could ask for any further information, Haou waved a hand towards Desire, who'd patiently waited all this time.
"Feel free to retire and enjoy yourself," he told the Fallen Angel. "He won't be on duty until the month is over with, except for feeding."
Desire had one arm around Ryou's shoulders a breath later. Cyber End Dragon and Cyberdark Dragon both faded from view, though Ryou could feel them watching. He wanted them to know that it didn't matter; he'd dealt with this before. Cyberdark didn't seem very happy about it regardless. But they said nothing else. It seemed Haou would allow them to remain.
"Thank you, Haou-sama." Desire guided Ryou away, and Ryou wondered if his spirits could take a message to Yuusuke, or bring one back. No, probably not. He wasn't allowed to communicate in any way with the rebellion. At least not deliberately. Accidents could happen. But sending his spirits out deliberately wasn't allowed.
But thinking about Yuusuke made what came over the next month, and what came after, much more bearable.
The End
Notes: There are other scenes I could have put in here but they didn't quite fit with everything. Remember, Johan will only be bruised if Haou decides that he will be. So why is Johan bruised? Exactly what happened between Lucifer, Juudai, and Johan? I know. And one day, I'll tell you.