Forever For Love by Clow'd9
Chapter 4 - Dormant No Longer.
The first thing Touya noticed was Yue's pronounced glow of energy apparent to him even without his powers, energy that had been stored for a year and was finally being released. The main thing Eriol's more discerning eyes honed in on, after blinking several times at the strength of the creations aura, was Yue's rather hunched form. The Guardian was bent over and in the process of flexing his limbs experimentally.
"Why is he standing like that?" Touya whispered, his anger making even that quiet question sound harsh.
The reincarnation shook his head slowly continuing to watch more closely as Yue leant back against a tree trunk, his head still bowed forward. Quick enough to make both his watchers jump and with a gasp audible enough to make them almost start forward they watched the slim figure straighten and flatten itself against the solid support, thus bracing himself the Guardian worked out a year old kink in his spine.
Eriol's voice was hushed and a little concerned when he finally answered Touya's question. "Now I understand. . .of course. . .Yukito is substantially shorter than Yue and Yue will have been cramped in that smaller body for a long time now without opportunity to straighten or stretch like this."
"It was his choice, one I'd very much like an explanation too!" The older mans voice was getting louder by the syllable.
"Just wait." His companion murmured.
Having finally brought control back to his breathing Yue stayed where he was for a while, head thrown back, face taut with concentration. The arrival of five swans on the mirror smooth surface of the lake roused the being.
Moving gingerly the creation stepped forward away from obstructions and seemed to hesitate as though prolonging some painful experience. The swans were arranged so that they all seemed to watch him expectantly. Yue was in the process of taking a deep breath when Touya sensed Eriol looking determinedly away.
"What's the matter?" He asked with his eyes still fixed on the tensed and slender body.
"If he's about to do what I think he's about to do I'd rather not watch."
A moment later Touya understood. The arrival of Yue's wings brought with them a louder, renewed hiss of pain from the rapidly paling Guardian and a crack of protesting bones that might have been loud enough to ripple the still waters before them.
Touya was appalled. Why would he do this to himself?
The swans were silent observers while the Guardian remained still until with sluggish, uncoordinated movements he began removing the silver swath of wraps around his torso. He stopped several times to flex and drum his fingers into life or to simply breathe steadily. With these interruptions it took an endless, breathless while until Eriol and Touya saw the fabric slither to the ground. From that point on Yue wasted no time, he walked immediately, if unsteadily to the dock, knelt, and without hesitation dunked his head in the icy lake.
The reincarnation and the footballer swapped glances and began counting silently. It was approaching one minute before Yue reared back dripping and gasping and Eriol was finally able to release the hold he had on Touya's upper arms to stop him from charging forward to save the seemingly 'suffocating' Guardian.
The being stood shaking his head like some long-haired, silver cat, the rippling power of his bare back muscles implying the larger variety.
Touya's heart may have considered it a beautiful sight but his mind was still fuming. "Why are we waiting?! I want to-."
"You survived the winter then." Yue called, the volume muted by a slight rasp of unused vocal cords.
Eriol merely raised his eyebrows but his co-observer was hard pressed to just mouth; 'What the hell. . .?'
"In fact we have an addition." The creation continued. It took a while before they realised he was in fact addressing the swans. "Hello little one." He murmured softly, the words carried by the breeze.
At first Yue walked on the surface of the water towards the newer, smaller bird but it became agitated and fluttered its broad white wings, in doing so it revealed its weakness.
"What's wrong with that one?" Touya questioned.
"Its called 'Angel Wing' the left wing is deformed," Eriol shook his head pityingly. "He would have been born with it so I'm surprised he has survived this long being unable to fly from predators."
The Moon Guardian had stopped upon sight of the injury and seemed to debate his next course of action. His towering height was frightening the bird so he returned to the dock and began taking off his jewelled foot straps. Eriol was grateful, for the safety Touya's heart rate, that the being stopped there and left his leggings on before stepping into the water. Neither of the watchers knew how deep the lake became but Yue never allowed himself lower than waist depth and seemed immune to the doubtlessly freezing temperature.
The four other healthy and whole swans came to greet him somewhat loftily, a characteristic they probably learned from him, Touya thought snidely. It was obvious they had done this before, possibly every year since his lover's true form had 'died.'
They could just see Yue lips moving as he spoke to his 'friends' and petted them when they permitted it. . .which soon became constantly as they rediscovered the joys of gentle stroking. Even from a distance Yue's tenderness towards the creatures was clear. One of them, the large signet, enjoyed the firm press of a thumb pad beneath his beak, another just liked to shelter beneath Yue's own drawn up wings while the other two pestered to have fingers combed down the entire length of their necks.
Touya shifted uncomfortably - well it was hardly cosy crouching behind a bush like a spy! . . . That was the only reason.
After a while the frailest of the swans grew bolder and ventured closer, but not close enough for Yue to see to his wing, that proximity would have to be earned and Yue was well up to the challenge.
It was much like Touya understood Horse-Whispering to be, gentle approach, slow retreat, quiet, encouraging words and everlasting patience. The human was captivated and while he was unable to look away Eriol alternated between stealing glances at the awe-struck young man and watching his past forms idea of perfection with equal admiration. The wise grey eyes gained a note of understanding, surprise and finally acceptance.
"Shall we approach him now Touya?"
The darkly featured head shook slowly his gaze never wavering from their object of fascination. "No. . .lets just. . .watch. . ."
So they watched but it wasn't for long, at least, it didn't seem like long, soon the shy creature was letting Yue extend the deformed fan of its wing feathers.
"Would you like to fly little one?" Intelligent black eyes blinked back at him but the question hardly needed an answer and with a brief almost insignificant flash of topaz light Yue healed the lifelong injury.
In fairy tales of course this would be the point where the swan suddenly took to the air in confident and skilled flight, real life however is much different and the creature was hesitant, pecking continually at the perfected wing as though scratching an itch. Yue left it to its investigation and turned to the rest of the birds.
"Come on guys, I've come to stretch my wings, care to race?" The swans preened but did not respond. "What are you, swans or seagulls?" That spurned them on. Clearly they shared Yue's pride as well as his loftiness Touya sneered, trying desperately to keep his anger fuelled and stop himself falling under the Guardian's spell once more.
Using his wings infinitesimally Yue rose out of the water as steadily as a chrysalis being lifted by a branch and stood tall amongst the array of indignant birds.
"Go easy on me, I'm out of practice." Paying little or no head to the Guardian's dry request the four swans lifted in unison and once moving maintained an endless glide on a single beat of their wings.
"Show offs." Yue muttered, both Eriol and Touya were struck by his grin as he flew after them his movements tentative, a little rusty. Despite his slow start the Guardian was soon completing every manoeuvre his feathered companions could demonstrate but while they quickly became either tired or bored and sank gracefully back down to the water Yue continued to. . .play, that's the only word to describe it. Until that day neither Touya, nor Eriol has seen him simply have fun. . .and they'd certainly never seen such a sight as a silver haired man using the momentum of his own winged flight to skate on water! But that's exactly what he did. Sending up crests of white foamed ripples and spray in his wake he ploughed the length of the lake. When he stopped he simply stood at the very centre of the moons reflection on the water, his entire half naked body bowed backwards luxuriating in his symbols balmy nectar bathing his skin. The bare flesh of his torso glowed dimly, his sigh stirred the branches and rustled the leaves, his next words travelled on that same gust of breath to the reincarnation and the footballer.
"I have missed this. . ."
ENOUGH! Touya's fist strangled an uncompromising tree root. Enough of this. Poor victimized Yue, he'd missed the moon had he? He'd missed flying. . .hell, he'd missed the bloody swans for Christ sake! What about people? The people he had left behind! No matter how touching this display of simple enjoyment, no matter how alluring the athleticism - Touya shook his head abruptly - HE HAD DONE THIS TO HIMSELF! He hadn't been forced into it. . .he made a choice-.
"A damned bad one." He said aloud.
"Touya!" Eriol hissed his eyes glued on Yue as the being froze. For a moment it seemed they had been uncovered until the Guardian suddenly flew off in completely the wrong direction. They waited. . .well, Eriol at least waited but Touya had lost all patience. He crashed noisily out of the thicket.
"Quit hiding Eriol, enough of these games." The tanned young man scowled at the empty sky. "We are going to go into the cabin and wait for that poxy Judgment Maker to get back and when he does I have a few judgments of my own to make!"
"Now's your chance."
They both jumped - a sight to see in Eriol's case - when the familiar but long denied voice came from the other side of the tree trunk where Yue was leaning nonchalantly.
One could easily forget that mere minutes ago he had been smiling ecstatically up at the moon and doing pirouettes in mid-air. His face was cold and calm. . .almost daring in its serenity.
"Well Touya?" he prompted.
Life returned to the feline eyes when the young man simply stared incredulously at him before he ground out.
"I pray you'll never know how much I hate you right now."
Yue blinked, even the reincarnation was surprised at the venom behind the words. The Guardian recovered admirably.
"So you intend to pass judgment on me then Kinomoto?" Formality could be a weapon but right now, in his mingled fury and relief Touya was invincible.
"What's the point judging what I've already condemned?" One contemptuous look from hooded brown eyes before, despite himself, he passed judgment. "You're not worth it." Purposeful and proud he strode to the cabin leaving the creation and his former masters reincarnation alone.
Eriol could here Yue's breathing, a sound which betrayed more than his bleak expression.
"And you Eriol," he asked conversationally. "What have you to say on the subject?"
The youth didn't fail to notice the preparatory intake of breath, the sound of someone stealing himself for a second round of verbal annihilation. Eriol was not sorry to disappoint and he loathed the predictable so he smiled broadly and genuinely. "It's good to see you Yue."
Then the impassive face did smile, warm and grateful and directed at a human he usually resented.
"Its not altogether irritating to see you again either Eriol."
The youth blinked before managing to translate what was actually a compliment in negative wording. Yue relished the momentarily baffled expression.
"Come, I'm guessing you've been crouched down there for some time and Touya's fury is probably stoking the fire even as we speak so would you like to go inside?"
Eriol didn't respond immediately. "You've changed Yue, you seem more relaxed. . .refreshed."
The Guardian laughed which did little to disprove the observation. "Most creatures do after a holiday!"
The reincarnation did not respond to that and allowed himself to be led back to the cabin.
When they arrived Touya studiously ignored the Guardian. "Eriol, there's plenty of food in the fridge," Obviously the youth was hungrier than he let on as Touya looked up from buttering a small stack of crackers to see him shoot into the kitchen. "Take whatever you like." He added.
Yue cleared his throat and approached the worktop the young man was sat at. "Except the last nikuman, I know for a fact Yukito wouldn't want you to eat that."
The tanned man looked up abruptly. "Oh do you now?" Touya's voice was dangerously low, his eyes glitteringly ominously. "That's right, you know his thoughts, his feelings." He sipped his drink calmly enough but his knuckles where white. "Then you also know how devastated he was by your 'death,' how he cried into my shoulder for almost an hour until he was hoarse and exhausted." He rose to his feet and approached the frozen Guardian. "You know I take it that he treasures the lock of hair you gave him, that it's been around his wrist for almost five years! You know that for the first year we were together he slept with his arm across my chest to make sure I wouldn't leave him too! You knew all that Yue and you still did not reveal yourself. . .that is worse than if you had not known at all."
He was stood mere steps from Yue now and the being actually felt threatened. "I know tha-."
"You know nothing!" Touya snarled. "You abandoned him and you were the only family he ever really had!"
The Guardian pushed himself away from the counter. "He had you!" He snapped. "I never owed you anything human and don't pretend you were anything less that eager to 'comfort' Yukito!"
From where he was hovering in the kitchen Eriol became worried when Touya prowled up close to the livid creation and stopped a breath away still holding an endangered cracker in his hand. Fortunately Yue's angry retorts evaporated, he studied the young man closely finding he had to look up rather a long way. "You've grown." He muttered sounding peeved.
Touya nodded. "Hai. . .so has Sakura and Tomoyo and the gaki, Kero too. . .sideways at least, even Yukito has grown in some ways. . .but you wouldn't know about *that* would you?" The cracker snapped and flaked when he bit into the corner savagely before turning his back and marching up the stairs and instinctively into his Snow Bunny's designated room. Yue stayed where he was, flicking distractedly at crumbs on the kitchen counter hiding whatever emotions he was unable to suppress behind a curtain of hair.
"I haven't lost my people skills then. . ." A door slammed overhead. "That's good to know."
Eriol stowed a chopstick above his ear, needlessly stirring a bowl of rice with the other. "You can't expect him to just pat you on the back and say 'good to see ya.'"
"No you're right. . ." The Guardian shook his head. "But I didn't expect to have him glaring at me like he longed to *stab* me in the back. . .repeatedly."
The reincarnation had seen that look too but since he knew the reason behind it he wasn't fazed. "Give him a chance to calm down, I bet he's up there right now deciding he's being unreasonable."
Yue looked doubtful the whole structure of the cabin seemed to seethe alongside Touya. "You think?"
Yukito's pillow was suffering, anything forced into violent contact with Touya's fist was bound to suffer.
"Damn it! Damn him! Damn me!"
He flopped down enveloped by a familiar scent. "Yuki." He mumbled nuzzling into the source. "Yue." He growled discerning another scent, one he'd managed to ignore for five years, he cursed the fact he'd never wondered exactly 'why' or 'how' it was still there if Yue wasn't. . .but it had hurt to think of something he thought he had lost, memories had become painful.
//"I. . .I hurt Touya," Ahh. . .but Touya remembered all too well, such a fragile appearance as one hand had risen and rubbed at a wounded heart. "After any loss we are comforted and told time will heal it, it will fade to an ache." Human emotion in inhuman eyes. . .so beautiful. . . "This isn't fading Touya and the curse of immortality is that neither am I."//
Then the kiss- THE DISHONEST CREATURE HAD KISSED HIM! Kissed him with that same expression of genuine farewell. . .HOW COULD HE!? Retrospect could tarnish even the most beautiful experiences, Touya had never realised until now just how close he had held the memory of there one and only kiss. The way the Guardian's warm lips had clung momentarily to his, brief flashes of fire in one so cold. No longer was the memory of something soft and sensual, gentle and generous, it was just another sign of planned deceit, of premeditated betrayal!
//"I am not heartless Touya, things would be a lot easier if I was."//
Indeed things would be easier, if Touya hadn't been permitted to glimpse the vulnerable sweetness the ageless Guardian housed and usually hid. Easier to live, easier to sleep!
How odd that he had been the one to give 'permission' for the feigned death;
//"You'll let me?
"I can't stop you."
Yue looked wistful. "Oh you could Touya. . .you certainly could."//
Eriol was clearly not the king of cryptic words. So what, was it his fault? He'd been tested and failed? Someone should really fill him in on the rules and the prize. . .not that he was interested in playing.
A glint of metal caught his eye and he smiled. Yukito at least always kept his word, three trophies stood on the bedside table, ready and willing to gather dust to the best of their ability.
Trust Yuki.
He turned his head and found his face swamped in moonlight. Indeed, trust Yuki! He'd chosen the only bed that fell directly beneath the full moons glow.
He closed his eyes and remembered something else. Yue stood at the window, before the moon, *his* moon, saying what he had called his 'final farewell.' Whatever it was had been beautiful, spoken in English, nothing more than modulated pitch and sound to Touya. Clipped and precise, not the most romantic language but clear as water from a fresh spring, the perfect language for Yue. . .
"Argh! Kami." He groaned in exasperation before grabbing the blanket and yanking it over his head. He was going to sleep, NOW!
. . .Predictably he was still awake by dawn and when he stood before the window the glorious sight of fir trees and acres of unspoiled woodland was superseded by that of a single delicate swan taking flight and a white-clad man watching and smiling. Touya caught the full impact of that smile as the Guardian looked back at the house and saw him at his window. The young man held his gaze and watched the face become as unsmiling as his own. When Yue looked for the swan again it was a disappearing dot. . .he felt envious but then his desire to fly away was what had started this mess in the first place. . .he'd landed back on Earth with a bump. . .a.k.a. Touya.
Ack! All four of my new chapters lack heart and I'm sorry for that, I'm just really, really busy at the moment. I'll make it up to you I promise. I hope you'll review anyway.
Chapter 4 - Dormant No Longer.
The first thing Touya noticed was Yue's pronounced glow of energy apparent to him even without his powers, energy that had been stored for a year and was finally being released. The main thing Eriol's more discerning eyes honed in on, after blinking several times at the strength of the creations aura, was Yue's rather hunched form. The Guardian was bent over and in the process of flexing his limbs experimentally.
"Why is he standing like that?" Touya whispered, his anger making even that quiet question sound harsh.
The reincarnation shook his head slowly continuing to watch more closely as Yue leant back against a tree trunk, his head still bowed forward. Quick enough to make both his watchers jump and with a gasp audible enough to make them almost start forward they watched the slim figure straighten and flatten itself against the solid support, thus bracing himself the Guardian worked out a year old kink in his spine.
Eriol's voice was hushed and a little concerned when he finally answered Touya's question. "Now I understand. . .of course. . .Yukito is substantially shorter than Yue and Yue will have been cramped in that smaller body for a long time now without opportunity to straighten or stretch like this."
"It was his choice, one I'd very much like an explanation too!" The older mans voice was getting louder by the syllable.
"Just wait." His companion murmured.
Having finally brought control back to his breathing Yue stayed where he was for a while, head thrown back, face taut with concentration. The arrival of five swans on the mirror smooth surface of the lake roused the being.
Moving gingerly the creation stepped forward away from obstructions and seemed to hesitate as though prolonging some painful experience. The swans were arranged so that they all seemed to watch him expectantly. Yue was in the process of taking a deep breath when Touya sensed Eriol looking determinedly away.
"What's the matter?" He asked with his eyes still fixed on the tensed and slender body.
"If he's about to do what I think he's about to do I'd rather not watch."
A moment later Touya understood. The arrival of Yue's wings brought with them a louder, renewed hiss of pain from the rapidly paling Guardian and a crack of protesting bones that might have been loud enough to ripple the still waters before them.
Touya was appalled. Why would he do this to himself?
The swans were silent observers while the Guardian remained still until with sluggish, uncoordinated movements he began removing the silver swath of wraps around his torso. He stopped several times to flex and drum his fingers into life or to simply breathe steadily. With these interruptions it took an endless, breathless while until Eriol and Touya saw the fabric slither to the ground. From that point on Yue wasted no time, he walked immediately, if unsteadily to the dock, knelt, and without hesitation dunked his head in the icy lake.
The reincarnation and the footballer swapped glances and began counting silently. It was approaching one minute before Yue reared back dripping and gasping and Eriol was finally able to release the hold he had on Touya's upper arms to stop him from charging forward to save the seemingly 'suffocating' Guardian.
The being stood shaking his head like some long-haired, silver cat, the rippling power of his bare back muscles implying the larger variety.
Touya's heart may have considered it a beautiful sight but his mind was still fuming. "Why are we waiting?! I want to-."
"You survived the winter then." Yue called, the volume muted by a slight rasp of unused vocal cords.
Eriol merely raised his eyebrows but his co-observer was hard pressed to just mouth; 'What the hell. . .?'
"In fact we have an addition." The creation continued. It took a while before they realised he was in fact addressing the swans. "Hello little one." He murmured softly, the words carried by the breeze.
At first Yue walked on the surface of the water towards the newer, smaller bird but it became agitated and fluttered its broad white wings, in doing so it revealed its weakness.
"What's wrong with that one?" Touya questioned.
"Its called 'Angel Wing' the left wing is deformed," Eriol shook his head pityingly. "He would have been born with it so I'm surprised he has survived this long being unable to fly from predators."
The Moon Guardian had stopped upon sight of the injury and seemed to debate his next course of action. His towering height was frightening the bird so he returned to the dock and began taking off his jewelled foot straps. Eriol was grateful, for the safety Touya's heart rate, that the being stopped there and left his leggings on before stepping into the water. Neither of the watchers knew how deep the lake became but Yue never allowed himself lower than waist depth and seemed immune to the doubtlessly freezing temperature.
The four other healthy and whole swans came to greet him somewhat loftily, a characteristic they probably learned from him, Touya thought snidely. It was obvious they had done this before, possibly every year since his lover's true form had 'died.'
They could just see Yue lips moving as he spoke to his 'friends' and petted them when they permitted it. . .which soon became constantly as they rediscovered the joys of gentle stroking. Even from a distance Yue's tenderness towards the creatures was clear. One of them, the large signet, enjoyed the firm press of a thumb pad beneath his beak, another just liked to shelter beneath Yue's own drawn up wings while the other two pestered to have fingers combed down the entire length of their necks.
Touya shifted uncomfortably - well it was hardly cosy crouching behind a bush like a spy! . . . That was the only reason.
After a while the frailest of the swans grew bolder and ventured closer, but not close enough for Yue to see to his wing, that proximity would have to be earned and Yue was well up to the challenge.
It was much like Touya understood Horse-Whispering to be, gentle approach, slow retreat, quiet, encouraging words and everlasting patience. The human was captivated and while he was unable to look away Eriol alternated between stealing glances at the awe-struck young man and watching his past forms idea of perfection with equal admiration. The wise grey eyes gained a note of understanding, surprise and finally acceptance.
"Shall we approach him now Touya?"
The darkly featured head shook slowly his gaze never wavering from their object of fascination. "No. . .lets just. . .watch. . ."
So they watched but it wasn't for long, at least, it didn't seem like long, soon the shy creature was letting Yue extend the deformed fan of its wing feathers.
"Would you like to fly little one?" Intelligent black eyes blinked back at him but the question hardly needed an answer and with a brief almost insignificant flash of topaz light Yue healed the lifelong injury.
In fairy tales of course this would be the point where the swan suddenly took to the air in confident and skilled flight, real life however is much different and the creature was hesitant, pecking continually at the perfected wing as though scratching an itch. Yue left it to its investigation and turned to the rest of the birds.
"Come on guys, I've come to stretch my wings, care to race?" The swans preened but did not respond. "What are you, swans or seagulls?" That spurned them on. Clearly they shared Yue's pride as well as his loftiness Touya sneered, trying desperately to keep his anger fuelled and stop himself falling under the Guardian's spell once more.
Using his wings infinitesimally Yue rose out of the water as steadily as a chrysalis being lifted by a branch and stood tall amongst the array of indignant birds.
"Go easy on me, I'm out of practice." Paying little or no head to the Guardian's dry request the four swans lifted in unison and once moving maintained an endless glide on a single beat of their wings.
"Show offs." Yue muttered, both Eriol and Touya were struck by his grin as he flew after them his movements tentative, a little rusty. Despite his slow start the Guardian was soon completing every manoeuvre his feathered companions could demonstrate but while they quickly became either tired or bored and sank gracefully back down to the water Yue continued to. . .play, that's the only word to describe it. Until that day neither Touya, nor Eriol has seen him simply have fun. . .and they'd certainly never seen such a sight as a silver haired man using the momentum of his own winged flight to skate on water! But that's exactly what he did. Sending up crests of white foamed ripples and spray in his wake he ploughed the length of the lake. When he stopped he simply stood at the very centre of the moons reflection on the water, his entire half naked body bowed backwards luxuriating in his symbols balmy nectar bathing his skin. The bare flesh of his torso glowed dimly, his sigh stirred the branches and rustled the leaves, his next words travelled on that same gust of breath to the reincarnation and the footballer.
"I have missed this. . ."
ENOUGH! Touya's fist strangled an uncompromising tree root. Enough of this. Poor victimized Yue, he'd missed the moon had he? He'd missed flying. . .hell, he'd missed the bloody swans for Christ sake! What about people? The people he had left behind! No matter how touching this display of simple enjoyment, no matter how alluring the athleticism - Touya shook his head abruptly - HE HAD DONE THIS TO HIMSELF! He hadn't been forced into it. . .he made a choice-.
"A damned bad one." He said aloud.
"Touya!" Eriol hissed his eyes glued on Yue as the being froze. For a moment it seemed they had been uncovered until the Guardian suddenly flew off in completely the wrong direction. They waited. . .well, Eriol at least waited but Touya had lost all patience. He crashed noisily out of the thicket.
"Quit hiding Eriol, enough of these games." The tanned young man scowled at the empty sky. "We are going to go into the cabin and wait for that poxy Judgment Maker to get back and when he does I have a few judgments of my own to make!"
"Now's your chance."
They both jumped - a sight to see in Eriol's case - when the familiar but long denied voice came from the other side of the tree trunk where Yue was leaning nonchalantly.
One could easily forget that mere minutes ago he had been smiling ecstatically up at the moon and doing pirouettes in mid-air. His face was cold and calm. . .almost daring in its serenity.
"Well Touya?" he prompted.
Life returned to the feline eyes when the young man simply stared incredulously at him before he ground out.
"I pray you'll never know how much I hate you right now."
Yue blinked, even the reincarnation was surprised at the venom behind the words. The Guardian recovered admirably.
"So you intend to pass judgment on me then Kinomoto?" Formality could be a weapon but right now, in his mingled fury and relief Touya was invincible.
"What's the point judging what I've already condemned?" One contemptuous look from hooded brown eyes before, despite himself, he passed judgment. "You're not worth it." Purposeful and proud he strode to the cabin leaving the creation and his former masters reincarnation alone.
Eriol could here Yue's breathing, a sound which betrayed more than his bleak expression.
"And you Eriol," he asked conversationally. "What have you to say on the subject?"
The youth didn't fail to notice the preparatory intake of breath, the sound of someone stealing himself for a second round of verbal annihilation. Eriol was not sorry to disappoint and he loathed the predictable so he smiled broadly and genuinely. "It's good to see you Yue."
Then the impassive face did smile, warm and grateful and directed at a human he usually resented.
"Its not altogether irritating to see you again either Eriol."
The youth blinked before managing to translate what was actually a compliment in negative wording. Yue relished the momentarily baffled expression.
"Come, I'm guessing you've been crouched down there for some time and Touya's fury is probably stoking the fire even as we speak so would you like to go inside?"
Eriol didn't respond immediately. "You've changed Yue, you seem more relaxed. . .refreshed."
The Guardian laughed which did little to disprove the observation. "Most creatures do after a holiday!"
The reincarnation did not respond to that and allowed himself to be led back to the cabin.
When they arrived Touya studiously ignored the Guardian. "Eriol, there's plenty of food in the fridge," Obviously the youth was hungrier than he let on as Touya looked up from buttering a small stack of crackers to see him shoot into the kitchen. "Take whatever you like." He added.
Yue cleared his throat and approached the worktop the young man was sat at. "Except the last nikuman, I know for a fact Yukito wouldn't want you to eat that."
The tanned man looked up abruptly. "Oh do you now?" Touya's voice was dangerously low, his eyes glitteringly ominously. "That's right, you know his thoughts, his feelings." He sipped his drink calmly enough but his knuckles where white. "Then you also know how devastated he was by your 'death,' how he cried into my shoulder for almost an hour until he was hoarse and exhausted." He rose to his feet and approached the frozen Guardian. "You know I take it that he treasures the lock of hair you gave him, that it's been around his wrist for almost five years! You know that for the first year we were together he slept with his arm across my chest to make sure I wouldn't leave him too! You knew all that Yue and you still did not reveal yourself. . .that is worse than if you had not known at all."
He was stood mere steps from Yue now and the being actually felt threatened. "I know tha-."
"You know nothing!" Touya snarled. "You abandoned him and you were the only family he ever really had!"
The Guardian pushed himself away from the counter. "He had you!" He snapped. "I never owed you anything human and don't pretend you were anything less that eager to 'comfort' Yukito!"
From where he was hovering in the kitchen Eriol became worried when Touya prowled up close to the livid creation and stopped a breath away still holding an endangered cracker in his hand. Fortunately Yue's angry retorts evaporated, he studied the young man closely finding he had to look up rather a long way. "You've grown." He muttered sounding peeved.
Touya nodded. "Hai. . .so has Sakura and Tomoyo and the gaki, Kero too. . .sideways at least, even Yukito has grown in some ways. . .but you wouldn't know about *that* would you?" The cracker snapped and flaked when he bit into the corner savagely before turning his back and marching up the stairs and instinctively into his Snow Bunny's designated room. Yue stayed where he was, flicking distractedly at crumbs on the kitchen counter hiding whatever emotions he was unable to suppress behind a curtain of hair.
"I haven't lost my people skills then. . ." A door slammed overhead. "That's good to know."
Eriol stowed a chopstick above his ear, needlessly stirring a bowl of rice with the other. "You can't expect him to just pat you on the back and say 'good to see ya.'"
"No you're right. . ." The Guardian shook his head. "But I didn't expect to have him glaring at me like he longed to *stab* me in the back. . .repeatedly."
The reincarnation had seen that look too but since he knew the reason behind it he wasn't fazed. "Give him a chance to calm down, I bet he's up there right now deciding he's being unreasonable."
Yue looked doubtful the whole structure of the cabin seemed to seethe alongside Touya. "You think?"
Yukito's pillow was suffering, anything forced into violent contact with Touya's fist was bound to suffer.
"Damn it! Damn him! Damn me!"
He flopped down enveloped by a familiar scent. "Yuki." He mumbled nuzzling into the source. "Yue." He growled discerning another scent, one he'd managed to ignore for five years, he cursed the fact he'd never wondered exactly 'why' or 'how' it was still there if Yue wasn't. . .but it had hurt to think of something he thought he had lost, memories had become painful.
//"I. . .I hurt Touya," Ahh. . .but Touya remembered all too well, such a fragile appearance as one hand had risen and rubbed at a wounded heart. "After any loss we are comforted and told time will heal it, it will fade to an ache." Human emotion in inhuman eyes. . .so beautiful. . . "This isn't fading Touya and the curse of immortality is that neither am I."//
Then the kiss- THE DISHONEST CREATURE HAD KISSED HIM! Kissed him with that same expression of genuine farewell. . .HOW COULD HE!? Retrospect could tarnish even the most beautiful experiences, Touya had never realised until now just how close he had held the memory of there one and only kiss. The way the Guardian's warm lips had clung momentarily to his, brief flashes of fire in one so cold. No longer was the memory of something soft and sensual, gentle and generous, it was just another sign of planned deceit, of premeditated betrayal!
//"I am not heartless Touya, things would be a lot easier if I was."//
Indeed things would be easier, if Touya hadn't been permitted to glimpse the vulnerable sweetness the ageless Guardian housed and usually hid. Easier to live, easier to sleep!
How odd that he had been the one to give 'permission' for the feigned death;
//"You'll let me?
"I can't stop you."
Yue looked wistful. "Oh you could Touya. . .you certainly could."//
Eriol was clearly not the king of cryptic words. So what, was it his fault? He'd been tested and failed? Someone should really fill him in on the rules and the prize. . .not that he was interested in playing.
A glint of metal caught his eye and he smiled. Yukito at least always kept his word, three trophies stood on the bedside table, ready and willing to gather dust to the best of their ability.
Trust Yuki.
He turned his head and found his face swamped in moonlight. Indeed, trust Yuki! He'd chosen the only bed that fell directly beneath the full moons glow.
He closed his eyes and remembered something else. Yue stood at the window, before the moon, *his* moon, saying what he had called his 'final farewell.' Whatever it was had been beautiful, spoken in English, nothing more than modulated pitch and sound to Touya. Clipped and precise, not the most romantic language but clear as water from a fresh spring, the perfect language for Yue. . .
"Argh! Kami." He groaned in exasperation before grabbing the blanket and yanking it over his head. He was going to sleep, NOW!
. . .Predictably he was still awake by dawn and when he stood before the window the glorious sight of fir trees and acres of unspoiled woodland was superseded by that of a single delicate swan taking flight and a white-clad man watching and smiling. Touya caught the full impact of that smile as the Guardian looked back at the house and saw him at his window. The young man held his gaze and watched the face become as unsmiling as his own. When Yue looked for the swan again it was a disappearing dot. . .he felt envious but then his desire to fly away was what had started this mess in the first place. . .he'd landed back on Earth with a bump. . .a.k.a. Touya.
Ack! All four of my new chapters lack heart and I'm sorry for that, I'm just really, really busy at the moment. I'll make it up to you I promise. I hope you'll review anyway.