Looking at the chocolate cake, now almost eaten, Sohryu felt a sliver of old pain. He had been so foolish in his pride and perceived power. Tsuzuki had become his master, his to protect and to serve, but he had never liked him. The disgust from long ago came back, but this time not directed at the slender man relaxing on one of the chairs but at himself.
His pride and arrogance had led him to a situation every shikigami feared – he had been responsible for nearly getting Tuszuki killed because of his hard headedness, his stupidity, and his distrust of the man who had summoned him.
Sohryu swallowed a piece of chocolate, not really tasting it.
It was in the past, but he had never forgotten. It was a painful, harsh reminder of his failure, of his betrayal of Tsuzuki's unconditional trust, and his stupidity.
Tsuzuki had forgiven him, like he forgave so much. A smile, those large eyes holding nothing but reassurance and still viable trust, and a warm voice telling him he wasn't to blame.
But he had blamed himself.
Bitterly.

Sohryu stood in one of the many bedrooms of his palace, gazing at the lone occupant of the bed, his non-human eyes piercing the darkness of the room with ease. Tsuzuki was still unconscious, his chest and right arm thickly bandaged.
Fool, he thought. Fool.
Why had he saved him? Why had a shinigami saved his shikigami?
We are his to command. We serve him. I serve him… he has no obligation to save me.
But Tsuzuki had. He had driven the devil that had nearly overpowered Sohryu through sheer luck away, exposing himself… and getting injured in turn.
My fault, the dragon thought as he walked into the room, eyes still on the shinigami he was sworn to as a servant.
He had been too sure of his kill. He had actually been annoyed that Tsuzuki had called him, even though it was his duty. But he had underestimated his opponent, which had driven its claws and fangs into the dragon's throat, intent on killing him.
And Tsuzuki had intervened.
He could still hear the cry of the shinigami, the outrage, the anger, the shared pain. He had felt the well-known power flare, and then the devil was off his back. For the few seconds it had taken the injured dragon to get his bearings, the creature had attacked its new target, wounding the now so very exposed man who had thrown everything at the creature to save his shikigami.
Fool.
Sohryu stood over the bed, took in the by now very familiar features, the delicate, pale skin, the bruises and cuts. Tsuzuki was suffering from severe poisoning and his healing powers were barely able to work through the damage. Sohryu had brought him here, to GensouKai, and he didn't even know why.
Instinct?
Protecting this fragile human being was suddenly so very important. Tsuzuki Asato had wormed himself into his consciousness, his mind, his heart and then his soul. A man who could be a total airhead one minute and a powerful opponent the next. Such a strange creature, so contradictive, so… unlike anyone he had ever met.
A soft moan startled him and he watched as Tsuzuki's forehead wrinkled in pain. The good hand twitched and a whimper came next.
Sohryu reached out and brushed over the slightly damp skin, drawing a sigh. He stopped, but when Tsuzuki moved uneasily and cried out, he settled down on the mattress, caressing the unruly hair. The young man quieted down after a while, his breathing evening out, but Sohryu didn't stop. It felt strange doing this, but also familiar. Like he had done for his children when they had been very young. Tsuzuki looked just as vulnerable, radiated just as much need, and it felt good doing this. It calmed his own soul.
What are you doing to me, shinigami? he thought. I didn't want this. I didn't want a master.
You insist I'm your friend. You want us to be equals, but your power is so incredible. You hide from the world and I can still see you for what you are.
The was a muffled sigh from the man on the bed and suddenly he blinked open blurry, amethyst eyes.
Such an unusual eye color, Sohryu mused. Not human in any way. It wasn't just a trick of the light either. It was real.
Tsuzuki tried to focus, the hand Sohryu had unconsciously held throughout the last hours twitching a little. He squeezed it reassuringly. Tsuzuki gasped as pain hit him and Sohryu calmed him with a soft murmur and a soothing caress of the sweat damp hair and face.
"S…soh… ryu?" Tsuzuki asked, voice barely a whisper of a breath.
"Yes."
"You… okay?"
Why do you care so much as to what happens to any one of us? Why do you always worry about others? But it was one of his many endearing qualities. It was what had weakened Sohryu's defenses, had opened his heart and soul for this man.
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Good," Tsuzuki breathed, eyes sliding shut. His body tensed as a new wave of pain hit him.
Sohryu felt the hand in his grasp tighten around the hold he had, not strong but stronger than before, then Tsuzuki finally relaxed, breathing hard.
"Why did you do it?" he asked softly.
Tsuzuki opened his eyes again, slightly confused. "You were in danger."
"I'm a shikigami. Your shikigami. It's my duty to defend you."
Tsuzuki smiled faintly. "You're my friend."
So simple.
Sohryu stared at him, mind whirling. Friend? Tsuzuki saw him as a friend? He had barely talked to the shinigami when he had come to GensouKai and he had been more than angered to be summoned. His reluctance and the way he had underestimated the situation had gotten Tsuzuki injured!
"No," Tsuzuki breathed as Sohryu voiced that out loud. "Not your fault. I wasn't fast enough…" He winced in pain again and stopped, biting his lower lip.
The dragon leaned over him and two pairs of very non-human eyes met, the stronger one currently hovering over the weaker one.
"Stop that, Tsuzuki!" he growled. "It was my fault! I didn't think you had any right to call me for a weak devil, but he was stronger than I thought. I didn't trust your judgment! You are my master, I'm supposed to obey you, die for you if I have to."
The weak squeeze of Tsuzuki's hand interrupted him and a distressed expression was on the pale features.
"No, Sohryu," the human whispered, slightly shaking his head. "No!"
Sohryu stared at him, saw the urgent glow, felt the hand holding his tighten.
"Never die for me," Tsuzuki begged. "Promise… me…"
But he could order him to. That was what being the master of a shikigami meant, the dragon thought, amazed again.
"Tsuzuki…"
"No!" The voice was stronger, Tsuzuki using what strength he had. "No! I don't want it! You're my friends… I'm proud of you all, so very proud… don't die for me, Sohryu." He was begging now, clearly upset by the very thought.
The shikigami carded his fingers through the longish strands of soft hair. There were tears in those fascinating eyes that could be hard and cold, large and child-like, or warm and loving.
"I don't want you to serve," Tsuzuki managed, voice shaking. "It's not your duty to die… not for me, please, Sohryu…"
The dragon followed the path of the tears with wide eyes. He reached out and wiped the wetness away, something inside of him reaching out toward the injured man, caressing his presence with his power.
Sohryu found himself smiling, a real, true smile. A smile from the depth of his heart. For the first time he understood Rikugo's words about this very special person.
"Then I will be your friend, Tsuzuki Asato," the Protector of the East said, never stopping his caress. "As you will be mine. I will serve you in battle when you call me. It's my honor – as a friend."
Tsuzuki smiled and it was a smile that touched the shikigami's very soul. It was that smile he had seen Tsuzuki bestow upon the others, had seen how Byakko craved that warmth, and at the time he had called the tiger weak. Now he was just as pathetic. But it felt good to be weak, to have this young man smile at him, call him a friend.
Tsuzuki Asato had unconsciously given Sohryu more than the dragon had ever thought possible. He had felt his own strength grow, both in body and in mind. His fighting power had almost doubled and he hadn't even been aware of it. He hadn't been weak to begin with, but Tsuzuki's strength had fortified his shields, had shaped his own power… and he hadn't even actively sought it out. Shikigami gained from their masters, but he would never have believed to gain this much.
"Thank you," he murmured.
Tsuzuki blinked tiredly. "Huh?"
"For everything. I don't give praise easily, but you have done more for me than I can ever repay."
"Sohryu…" came the next protest.
He stilled him by placing his fingers against the pale lips. "Accept it, Tsuzuki Asato. You won't hear me say these words very often, if at all."
The young man smiled a little. "Okay."
Amethyst eyes closed as the water dragon continued the gentle massage, and the hand holding his relaxed. Sohryu had never experienced anything like this. Never had he felt like this. It was a kind of love, but not like he had held for his wife or still held for his children. It was different.
Very, very different.