Terazuma watched his lover while they ate, took in the lines that hadn't been there before he had left, and he knew he had hurt the shikigami with his accusations and his subsequent leave of GensouKai without seeing him again.
"I'm sorry," he said after a while.
Sohryu raised an eyebrow. "What for?"
"Everything. I overreacted."
"You were hurt. I understand that now."
Terazuma played with a carrot. "Well... I was... I felt like you didn't trust me, like you only wanted to use me."
"I'm not like that."
"Yeah. Like I said: sorry."
Sohryu smiled warmly, but whatever he was about to say was interrupted. There was a light knock on the door before it was pushed open and the little girl Terazuma had met before bounced into the room, followed by an older boy with blue hair -- Sohryu's son, he assumed. Tenkou beamed happily at her father, climbing onto his lap and chattering about the events of her day.
Terazuma nodded a greeting as she waved at him, sending him a flashy smile and a hello, and he simply watched how Sohryu listened to her talk nineteen to the dozen and even asked a question here and there. The boy had sat down at his father's side, answering the questions about his day far more quietly, and something inside of him stirred. Sohryu apparently was a loving father, putting everything else behind. So unlike his own...
Looking up Terazuma realized that it had become quiet, and he blushed a little when he noticed the intensive blue-grey eyes of his lover directed at him. Sohryu smiled before he returned his attention toward the little girl on his lap.
"Tenkou, it's past your bedtime already. Say goodnight."
Tenkou wrapped her arms around her father's neck and kissed him soundly on the cheek before she took her brother's hand, waved a good night at Terazuma and disappeared.
"You really love them..." Terazuma muttered, sipping at his wine.
"Very much. They are all my pride."
"Will your son follow in your footsteps one day?"
"No. He's not supposed to, if that's what you're asking, and even if he wanted to, as a wind shikigami he wouldn't be able to. He could be Byakko's heir one day. No, it's Tenkou who can become Goddess of the East. She's a water shikigami. But only if she chooses to. She's not forced to follow a path she doesn't want to go because of silly traditions."
"Ah."
For a brief moment Terazuma wished his own family had had that take on traditions. It would have made his life easier.
"Hajime..."
The gentle tenor drew him out of his thoughts and he looked at his lover. Sohryu stood, stretching out his hand in a silent invitation, and Terazuma took it, following him willingly into the large bedroom -- and into the large bed.
° ° °
Waking up in the middle of the night, feeling pleasantly sore in places that hadn't felt sore in all his lifetime was a relatively new experience for Terazuma. The moon was bathing the room in a bluish light, illumination enough for him to see the face of the man lying at his side. He had never seen Sohryu sleep, it occurred to him, and he couldn't help watch. The fine chiseled features relaxed, the long blue hair looking almost like a veil on the pillow, defined shoulder muscles -- a man in every sense of the word.
And he had fallen for him. He, Terazuma Hajime, had fallen for a man, was lying in his bed right now, had slept with him, and it had been good. Oh yes, it had been good. Sohryu knew a lot of tricks from the book and he had used each and every one on him, starting with a deep muscle relaxing massage with warm scented oil that had Terazuma almost melt into the mattress, followed by skilful hands and fingers turning the massage in a deeply erotic sensation and finally the lips and tongue in places where he had never even assumed a tongue would go.
Sohryu had introduced him to the secrets' of male loving, but they had gone all the way only once before. This time Terazuma had felt much more at ease and relaxed, and he had encouraged his lover to take him, to extinguish the burning need he felt. Sohryu had followed his -- more or less - silent requests only too willingly, and after taking the edge off -- twice - he had finally slipped into him, cradling his body against his chest, and caressing his sweaty skin until Terazuma had screamed out his release hoarsely. Sohryu had followed him over the edge with a choked moan, buried deep inside him. The shikigami had held him afterwards, riding out the afterglow together and Terazuma had fallen asleep to the soft stroking of Sohryu's hands on his skin.
Right now Sohryu didn't look much like the god he was. Without all the robes and kimono, without all the tresses and stuff he wore when representing, without the scowl that used to appear when he was under stress, Sohryu looked young, almost ageless.
Handsome.
Why did I fall for you, Sohryu? Why was it that you wormed yourself under my defenses?
I'm not gay.
Terazuma stretched out a hand, slowly sliding fingertips over the soft skin he had touched often in the past, had felt sliding against his own, had even tasted.
I'm not gay ...
Blue-gray eyes regarded him sleepily, and he started.
"Hajime?"
"I'm not gay ..."
Strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him down onto the slender figure, lips met his gently.
"I love you, too."
° ° °
It wasn't unheard of that shikigami manifested in Meifu. There had been instances of Suzaku or Byakko appearing, though in a destructive manner because Tsuzuki had been about to be completely taken over by a devil. On this Friday afternoon, a tall man strode confidently through the halls of the judicial building. Long blue hair, bound into a pony tail that started high up on his head, fell down his back. The narrow face was handsome, the blue-gray eyes definitely not human with their slit pupils. He was wearing a simple white, long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers. Not exactly the outfit of a shikigami, let alone a high level one, least of all of a God and Protector.
Sohryu smiled to himself, noting the looks he got from the few shinigami still on duty. He stood out, he knew. The pointed ears were a dead giveaway, as were the eyes, and if not for that, the aura was quite outstanding.
It was no great surprise for him that when he entered the Shokan Division he was already expected by his master. Tsuzuki must have felt his arrival, one of the many little connections between shinigami and shikigami, just like Sohryu could always tell when Tsuzuki was visiting GensouKai.
"Sohryu!"
The greeting was a beaming smile and he was hugged Tsuzuki-style, the young shinigami embracing him. Sohryu wrapped his arms around the slender form, smiling at the stormy welcome.
"What are you doing here?" Tsuzuki asked, pushing away to stand an arm's length away. He took in the outfit. "Oh, wow... Looks different."
Sohryu chuckled.
"But it looks great," Tsuzuki added, still smiling. "You looking for Terazuma?"
Sohryu froze. He hadn't known how to approach the subject of why he was here. He hadn't come for a social visit and he hadn't come to see his friend.
Tsuzuki's smile warmed even more. "He's in the archives, looking for something. You'll find him there."
"Tsuzuki..."
"I know," was the gentle answer. "Go and see him, Sohryu."
The dragon stared at him, once again surprised by the young man. He would never be able to understand him, his thoughts and actions, his whole being. Tsuzuki was Tsuzuki, and understanding him took more than a life time.
"I will. Thank you."
He was hugged lightly. "I'm happy for you."
Something inside Sohryu fluttered. It sounded like a blessing and from his shinigami it meant more than anyone could ever know.
He left for the archives after a promise to see Tsuzuki before he went back to GensouKai, whenever that was.
The archives were located a good distance away from the main office structure and Sohryu encountered hardly a soul. It was Friday and only those working a case were here. It suited his purpose because the attention he had gotten already was enough. Enma-Daiou was probably aware of his presence here and if the Lord of Hades objected to it, Sohryu would know soon enough. So far he had been left alone.
The archives were part of the library building and with it under the control of the GuShoShin. Sohryu knew the library. Well, as much as one could know the building one had been involved in destroying after the grand reopening. He smiled slightly. Tsuzuki still wasn't allowed back unless Hisoka was with him. The same went for the archives. Terazuma had apparently been let in without a watchdog because the dragon couldn't see a trace of Wakaba anywhere.
Following the large signs indicating the archives, he finally stepped into the cool, semi-dark vault. Fine-tuned senses took in the room, looking for his lover, and he smiled to himself as he discovered him not too far away. Sohryu quietly approached the man.
Terazuma grumbled to himself as he searched through the old files, looking for that one name that had so far been eluding him. The case had been simple until the moment the names had no longer fit the facts. So they were looking for a ghost, a shadow, a name that had been altered or gone lost, and the soul now associated with it wasn't the one they had been sent out to look for.
The case had no high priority and he knew he should be on his way home, get some beer, relax, sleep in, watch TV. Monday would come up sooner than expected.
But there was no one at home and he didn't look forward to the loneliness. He had changed; he had a lover. He missed his presence and while on a case that was usually no problem. He could live with that. Cases took all his concentration and he was on business. His private time, though... well, that was another matter.
"There you are," he muttered and finally pulled the file out of the electronic database.
He scanned over the entries, then sent it to his and Wakaba's office addresses for further actions on Monday. With that done he shut down the computer and rose, stretching stiff muscles. He hated computer work, just as much as he hated libraries. He had told his partner once that books gave him headaches and it was true.
Terazuma felt a brief tingle at the edge of his senses, but no alarms went off. The shikigami usually rose when there was danger, but apparently the lion felt completely at ease.
There was a presence and Terazuma was about to turn when a pair of strong arms slipped around his waist. He felt the warmth of the other body, smelled the familiar scent of his lover, and his whole posture relaxed into the light hold. Sohryu kissed his neck, warmly, wetly, teeth scraping lightly over the sensitive skin.
Terazuma gasped when those teeth tortured one ear and his knees almost gave way under the sensation.
"Sohryu!"
"Yes, love?"
"Stop that!"
Another nibble. "Why?"
"Because it would be embarrassing if I came in my pants!" Terazuma whispered hoarsely.
A chuckle made him shiver and Sohryu stepped in front of him, smiling seductively. Before Terazuma could reply he was kissed. Deeply, lovingly, with a lot of fervor... oh hell!
He wrapped his arms around the other man, holding him close, giving as good as he got. When they finally separated his braincells were wildly misfiring. Sohryu was still smiling, eyes warm.
"Hello," he murmured.
"Uh..."
"Mhm, I like you speechless."
Terazuma forced the gray mass between his ears to work. "What are you doing here?" he stammered.
"Visiting my lover."
"But... uh... okay." Red eyes blinked, dazed. Then he discovered the outfit.
Oh... Hell...
Sohryu looked... edible. Terazuma found one hand gliding over the white shirt, coming to rest on the waistband of the jeans.
"Nice," he murmured.
Sohryu smiled again, looking sex and simply irresistible. "You free tonight?" he asked.
"You asking me out for a date?"
"That depends..."
"On what?"
Sohryu grinned more. "You interested?"
Terazuma leaned in very close. "Very much," he breathed.
"Good. Your place or mine?"
Terazuma nipped at the delectable lips. "My place is in the world of the living."
"Meifu is fine, too."
The kiss was proceeding, the nips and licks growing deeper, more insistent, and Terazuma found himself pushed back against the computer table. He clung to the taller form, the temperature in the room rising.
"Sohryu!" he gasped. "Not here..."
"Like I said, your place or mine?"
He looked into those loving eyes and smiled. "Well, you're here already... and there are some nice places..."
Sohryu stepped back and Terazuma straightened, trying to pull himself together. "Lead the way," he murmured.
And Terazuma did, quite conscious of the handsome man at his side as they left the judicial building. The weekend was looking better and better. Actually, it was going towards perfect.
tbc...
