Garnet & Amber ...
XO'MagickMoon'OX
Whirlwind of Emotions …
Koryu sank down into the tub, shuddering as the hot water enveloped his freezing body. Soon he had adjusted, and he relaxed, finding comfort in the warmth.
It wasn't necessary for demons or angels to take baths or showers, but such activities had purposes other than hygienic ones. In Koryu's case, his reason for taking a bath was to quell the numbing cold clinging to his body and to calm the storm of emotions raging in his heart.
As his mouth disappeared under the water, leaving just his nose and eyes above the surface, he began thinking. His long walk hadn't helped much; he was still frustrated and irritated. And his little run-in with Kohaku hadn't helped either. And falling into the icy pond definitely hadn't helped.
But his body tingled in the warm water, his frozen skin slowly thawing, his tangled nerves gradually unwinding. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Then he began analyzing the facts:
Kohaku was still in love with Shuichiro, and for all Koryu knew she would always be in love with Shuichiro.
Therefore, Koryu didn't have a chance with Kohaku.
He would live his life in eternity one day at a time, and Kohaku would never know of his true feelings for her, Koryu was sure of that.
Not unless she returned the feelings.
Which Koryu was certain would never happen.
As this hopelessness slowly settled itself in Koryu's heart, he felt a subtle sort of freedom.
Defeat.
He gave up. He gave up the struggle of fighting for Kohaku's heart.
Shuichiro had already won.
So stop fighting, Koryu, the demon told himself.
And just like that, Koryu gave in to defeat.
He sat up, and surveyed the bathroom as if seeing it with a newfound sight. His heart had stopped aching … it was numb. The numbness that comes after losing a battle had consumed his heart. Sad as though it may seem, Koryu finally felt okay, like he could see Kohaku without the urgent need to hold her tearing through his limbs.
He stood from the bath, feeling infinitely better than he had ten minutes ago – both physically and emotionally –, and stepped out of the tub, water spilling down the side. He drained the tub before grabbing a towel and drying his body. Then, using a simple spell, he conjured a casual and comfortable outfit: a black T-shirt and baggy cotton pants, neglecting his traditional robes, yet still sticking with his favorite color scheme.
Then he left the bathroom and joined the others in the kitchen, a content smile lighting his face.
Everyone, especially Kohaku, was relieved to see his irritable mood had passed. Why it had, no one could guess, but they were relieved nonetheless.
Ruri and Hari settled themselves beside their master, purring happily. Hisui set around the food for herself, Kokuyo, Ruri, Hari, and Koryu, and passed around milk and honey for the angels.
The meal was pleasant, no bad moods or harsh words, even between Kokuyo and Ryuki. They sat and talked for a few hours, enjoying each other's company, each – even if for that short while – forgetting their woes and strains and troubles, just having a good time. It was an atmosphere that none wanted to wane. Despite the fact that the time was spent between three Angel Masters, two renegades, two demon servants, one exceptional angel, and one unique demon, they all felt at ease with each other.
Peace and cheer … the way things should always be.
But not the way things always are.
---
Just before sunset, the Angel Masters returned to Heaven, bidding their friends farewell.
Then, the six others sat on the porch, watching the sky fade from blue to pink to orange to red to eventually black, at which point nightfall was upon them. Quiet and serene, the stars twinkling in the inky sky like diamonds.
Kokuyo held Hisui against him in the silence, his fingers playing through her golden hair as they gazed out at the garden.
Koryu kept his eyes away from the couple. Ruri and Hari were no longer cats, but were now in their original forms: two identical, young female demons intent on pleasing their master. Koryu had his arm around Hari, and Ruri was sitting in his lap, her head against his chest. Kohaku sat alone next to the three demons, toying with a tassel on her robe.
At that moment she longed for someone to hold her, to sit with their arm around her, like Kokuyo did with Hisui, and Koryu did with his servants. It was unfair that she had no one, while everyone else seemed to have someone.
Why was the world so unfair?
Things had seemed so much simpler in Heaven, before Hisui had disappeared, before she had met Shuichiro … before everything had gotten so complicated.
Soon it was too dark to see the garden.
Hisui stood. "I say we go inside for the night."
"I agree." Kokuyo stood as well, and the other demons followed suit.
Kohaku then got up and stepped through the back door into the house. She heard the others come in behind her soon after.
"Koryu, will you sleep tonight?" Hisui asked.
Koryu nodded. "I …" He chuckled. "I am actually tired."
Hisui smiled. "That's what happens when you spend so much time on Earth … you pick up human habits. And then, like with all habits, it can become an addiction – a physical or mental need. We are addicted to sleeping, though we don't really need to sleep. We just feel like we do."
"I like sleeping," Kohaku chimed in. "I like dreaming."
She glanced at Koryu before disappearing down the hall to her room.
Koryu raised an eyebrow. What was that look for? It wasn't angry, or sad, or particularly happy, just … thoughtful.
Whatever.
"I haven't really slept in a while; I don't have a place to sleep," Koryu said.
Kokuyo smirked. "Would you like us to find you a tree?"
"Bastard," Koryu growled, sticking his tongue out at Kokuyo.
"I think Shuichiro kept an extra futon mattress somewhere," Hisui said. "I'll go find it." She disappeared down a different hallway.
"Good night." With a slight nod of his head, Kokuyo left for his room.
"Master Koryu, shall we be staying with you?" Hari asked.
Koryu grinned. "I think I'd be terribly lonely without you."
---
Koryu pulled the covers around him and his servants, staring up at the ceiling. Hari and Ruri snuggled against their master, Hari fingering Koryu's hair, Ruri resting her head on his chest.
Hisui had laid the futon mattress down in the living room. She had rearranged the other furniture and pushed the mattress against the wall below the window, supplying pillows and blankets.
"Master Koryu?" Hari said softly.
"Mmm?" he responded.
"Do you …" Hari paused.
"Do I what?" Koryu prodded.
"Do you love Kohaku?" Ruri finished.
Koryu froze, his heart beginning to race. "W-What?" he stammered. "No!" He rolled over onto his stomach, pushing Ruri from his chest.
"Are you lying, Master Koryu?" Hari asked impishly.
Koryu shook his head.
"Come on Master Koryu!" Ruri cried. She nuzzled her nose against the side of his head. "You can tell us!"
Koryu pushed her away. "I don't even like that little perky, bubbleheaded angel, let alone love her!"
"Someone's touchy!" Hari whined. "Come on, Master Koryu. You can trust us! We won't tell anybody, and we'll keep bugging you until you tell us the truth."
"Ugh," Koryu moaned. A deep blush was creeping into his face, and tears were gathering in his eyes. Why wouldn't everyone just leave him alone? He had finally found relief from his emotions, but no one else seemed content with letting them go.
"Master Koryu!" his servants cried.
Koryu screwed his eyes shut, trying to block out his servants and his heart. Soon it became too much, and he lost control of his tongue. As his thoughts about Kohaku began reeling, connection got lost somewhere between his head and his mouth, and before he could stop himself, he blurted, "Yes!"
The other demons traded surprised glances. "'Yes'?" they asked.
"Yes," Koryu repeated, burying his face in his pillow to hide the tears rolling down his cheeks. "I … I do … love her."
"Awwww!" Hari squealed. She slid her hands up Koryu's arm, resting at his shoulders, trying to calm him down with a massage. He didn't refuse her offer.
"That's so sweet!" Ruri added.
"No, it's not sweet," came Koryu's muffled voice. "It's torture."
"Aw, come here, Master." Hari tried to pull Koryu up, tugging on his hair. Ruri pulled on his arms.
Grudgingly, the demon sat up, resting back on his knees. He wiped the tears from his cheeks.
Ruri and Hari were frightened for a moment. They had never seen their master cry.
But soon they were intent on doing nothing but making Koryu happy. Hari leaned over his shoulder, playing with the raven locks falling down the right side of his face. Ruri sat on his lap and began kissing his neck.
He ignored their seductions, letting them kiss and grope and massage and purr, refusing to return any of the gestures. He just sat there, staring straight ahead, his garnet eyes clouded with thought.
Why? After he had finally learned to let go of his love and force it to the back of his mind, why did the topic keep resurfacing? When anyone used "Kohaku" and "love" in the same sentence, it made his heart ache. When he saw Kokuyo and Hisui together, he felt a twinge of jealousy. Why couldn't the subject just be put to rest?
Why couldn't love just leave him alone?
"Master, why are being such a stick in the mud?" Hari whined at his unresponsiveness.
"Yes, play with us!" Ruri insisted.
Koryu just folded his arms and continued to sulk.
"Rrrrgh, if this whole 'Kohaku' thing is going to ruin your mood, why don't you just go tell her how you feel?" Hari suggested tiredly, twirling a stray lock of her ebony hair around her pointer finger. Hisui, Kokuyo, and the Angel Masters had decided to let Koryu and Kohaku work things out for themselves, but the whole ordeal was putting a damper on Hari and Ruri's fun.
Giving a little relationship advice couldn't hurt, could it?
Koryu looked curiously at his servants. Then he shook his head. "She'd just turn me away, or laugh at me, or never speak to me again. She's in love with Shuichiro. I don't want to do anything that would ruin the small love/hate relationship we have now, and telling her that I love her would go under the category of ruining that relationship."
Hari sighed. "But, what if she doesn't turn you away?"
"Or laugh at you, or never speak to you again?" Ruri added.
"What if," Hari whispered in Koryu's ear, "she feels the same way?"
Koryu jumped up. "What are you getting at?" he demanded angrily.
The female demons giggled. "Nothing, Master Koryu!"
They knew how Kohaku felt about Koryu from the talk that the Angel Masters had had with Kokuyo and Hisui. They knew more about the situation than Koryu and Kohaku! (Talk about ironic). But they couldn't give away too much at the risk of "interfering", something the elder angels and demon did not want them to do. They'd sworn the mischievous demons to secrecy, the penalty for blabbing being unspeakable tortures, from both Heaven and Hell. (And to a demon, there can be "unspeakable tortures" unleashed from Heaven).
Koryu sighed and laid back down between Hari and Ruri. They snuggled against him and slowly drifted off to sleep. But Koryu lay awake for a while longer.