But unlike the last time it didn't give him the distance to think clearly. Last time he had gone through his thoughts, had analyzed his emotions, but this time whatever he tried, he couldn't understand what had happened.
Ryu had... pushed him away. He had accused him of using him, of... seeing only a toy to satisfy needs once in a while.
A sick feeling spread through him as he thought of the encounters with Sohryu. The dragon had been what Ryu had accused him of being -- only interested in a quick lay, in his primal pleasures, with no tenderness, with no deeper emotions.
"I'm not like that," he whispered desperately.
He hadn't gone to the Palace just for that. He enjoyed the Count's company, his warmth, his gentle voice. He also loved the temper, the spark in that agile mind that had him on his toes in their analysis of a chosen book, a discussion about a topic they were differing about, and so many things. Yes, he loved what he saw when they were both in bed. He loved it very much, enjoyed touching that very responsive body, but he loved the spirit the same way.
"Ryu, why?" he murmured. "I never treated you like this, did I? What made you think I would use you like that? Throw you away?"
Red eyes gazed into the perfectly blue sky, seeking answers he couldn't find.
In the end he returned to the only place he could, unless he wanted to teleport to GensouKai, which he didn't. Tsuzuki was home, thank the Gods, though he had a guest. Rikugo felt something shiver through him as he looked at Hisoka, who was curled up on the couch, looking comfortable and very much relaxed, and he turned. He couldn't stay and interrupt the few private moments his master could share between assignments.
"Rikugo, wait!" Tsuzuki called, making a grab for his arm. "What...? You can come in!"
He summoned a smile and shook his head. "No. I apologize for interrupting you, Tsuzuki. I'm taking my leave for now."
"Rikugo!"
The voice had hardened, had become more demanding, and he froze instinctively, his body and mind following that unheard order.
"Rikugo, what's wrong? I thought you were staying at Ryu's place...?"
"No, I'm returning."
"Already?" Those violet eyes held an expression that told Rikugo Tsuzuki wasn't buying any kind of lies.
"Yes."
"What happened?"
He tensed. "Tsuzuki..."
A warm hand touched his back and he balled his hands into fists.
"What happened?" Tsuzuki repeated, voice soft and empathic.
"You have a guest, Tsuzuki," Rikugo tried.
"I can feel it from here," a new voice made him flinch and Hisoka joined his partner, scowling at the tall shikigami. "And it's not good."
"Master..." Rikugo tried again, then almost stepped back under the violet glare.
"Now I know it's even worse," the shinigami muttered and grabbed the astrologer's arm, forcing him to follow the smaller man, lest he would hurt his master. "Sit!"
He did, evading the knowing eyes.
"The last time I saw you you went into the Palace," he heard his master say. "Now you're here, and considering it's been just a few hours... something happened in that time and it's not good, right?"
Rikugo tried to calm his racing thoughts, the words flung at him by Ryu echoing in his mind.
"Rikugo...?"
There it was again. The gentle voice, the soft inquiry, and the shikigami had to look up; it was an almost compelling force. Tsuzuki crouched before him, enveloping his hands in his own.
"I don't need to have Hisoka's powers to know that something's tearing you up inside. What happened?"
"Ryu... threw me out."
And Tsuzuki gaped. "He... what?"
"I don't know what happened. I just... came in, found him upstairs... and he was wearing the mask. He was the Count again, not the man I had come to know. He said..."
Rikugo stopped, too pained still over the words.
"He said I used him," he finally whispered. "He said I only saw an entertainment in him. Gods, Tsuzuki, I would never... I never did... Never!"
He was pulled into a firm embrace. "I know."
"And you left him in that state?" Hisoka's voice suddenly interrupted the tender moment.
Rikugo was fully aware that, for a Divine Commander and one of the twelve most powerful shikigami he was currently not very divine in appearance, looked into a pair of blazing green eyes.
"You left him in that agony? Alone?"
"I... he told me to leave... My presence alone was setting him off..."
"Hisoka?" Tsuzuki asked.
The empath almost growled. "I can feel the emotions and I know it was bad. It's giving me a damn headache! If it was this much to create such havoc with your own emotions, think of what he feels like, Rikugo!"
The astrologer blanched. "No..."
"Yes!"
Tsuzuki rose abruptly, pulling the blond with him. "We're going."
"W-where?" Rikugo stammered.
"The Palace of Candles. I don't know what happened exactly, but Hisoka's right. We can't leave Ryu alone."
He stopped outside and looked up into the wide, onyx eyes.
"Change. We're flying."
"Huh?"
Very intelligent, Rikugo, he told himself.
"Change, Rikugo. It's the fastest way."
Of course it was.
The huge dragon waited as his master jumped onto his back, then looked at the other shinigami. Hisoka just shook his head.
"You go. I doubt the Count wants someone else there. Tell me later." He gave Tsuzuki a little, warm smile, which was returned.
Rikugo spread his wings and pushed off from the ground, then was airborne.
° ° °
The flight was short and the speed was incredible. Tsuzuki hung onto a few strands of the mane of his dragon shikigami, trusting in Rikugo not to run into something, or crash-land. The earth dragon landed with grace despite the sudden descent that would have given any living being a heart attack, and the shinigami slipped off immediately.
Wide-eyed, he looked at the obvious signs of destruction already visible from the outside.
"Oh no..."
He ran up the stairs to the palace and through the wide open door that looked like something had blown them out of their hinges -- from the inside. It smelled of smoke, of a fire that had been put out but was still smoldering, and there was a distinct crackle of static in the air. He nearly stumbled over Watson. The gnome looked at him out of one wide eye, wringing his hands.
"What happened?" Tsuzuki demanded.
"He... well, his lordship has... lost control."
"What!"
"It's actually not the first time, but it was never this bad. I fear for him."
Enma's name...
"Where is he?"
"I think he's upstairs, but I wouldn't got there, Sir. He's quite unpredictable and this time his powers broke through, too."
Rikugo was as white as a sheet and he overtook Tsuzuki as they headed upstairs.
There was a clear discharge of energy not far away and Tsuzuki felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck. All around him there was nothing but destruction. No picture had remained undamaged, all mirrors were broken, the walls were blasted, scorched, partially crumbling, and what there had been in the form of carpeting had long since been burned or molten.
He stopped as he walked into what had been a banquet room once. Now it looked like a demolition site. In the middle of the field of destruction was a well-known figure.
"Enma's name..." he whispered, aghast at the Count's appearance.
Gone was the formal wear, the suit and the tie. There was a man in ripped pants, stained with blood and dust and whatnot. The white shirt was torn in too many places to count. His hands looked like claws, power collecting in their open grasp. Red eyes burned with the inner fire of the demon now free and waging a war on the building. Ryu bared his fangs and growled softly.
"Ryu..." Rikugo groaned in disbelief. "No..."
"Leave!" the demon whispered harshly, power thrumming.
"I'm here to help..!"
"I said leave!"
Tsuzuki was just fast enough to dodge the lance of energy homing in on him.
"Ryu!" Rikugo yelled, aghast.
"I told you once, I'm telling you again now: leave! You have no place! I will not be used!"
And he attacked again, still keeping his distance, simply driving the shikigami back.
Tsuzuki's own power churned, awakening as he evaded the new attack, reacting to the demonic kin so close. But he wouldn't use it to hurt this man; something had broken inside him.
The Count snarled and collided with Rikugo, pushing the startled and too shocked shikigami away, then going right for Tsuzuki.
There was a flash of movement and Ryu was upon him. Tsuzuki cried out more in surprise than pain when he was thrown on his back, debris crunching underneath him. The Count was straddling him, hands clawing into his shoulders, snarling softly.
"Ryu, stop, please!" Tsuzuki begged.
"I'll stop it, once and for all," the Count whispered harshly. "I was such a fool. I thought I could feel again, but I'm nothing but a tool for each and every one! For Enma, for Rikugo... they all just use me! I should have known!"
It was almost a wail.
"Rikugo loves you!" Tsuzuki tried.
The blond shikigami was picking himself up, shaking. His eyes were open, all of them, and there was an expression in them that Tsuzuki didn't like.
Hell, the whole situation was bad! And it was getting worse by the minute because now Rikugo found himself between a rock and a hard place. His lover was fighting his master, and the shikigami's loyalties were clear.
"Rikugo, don't hurt him!" Tsuzuki yelled.
Dark laughter answered his plea. "Why not? You think he would mind? No one can love a thing like me."
Blood red eyes flared, looking at the astrologer.
"I was a fool to believe you, shikigami. I was a fool to believe in fate, in luck... in love."
Tsuzuki felt cold horror settle in.
"I'm nothing, Tsuzuki," Ryu whispered. "I exist without existing. My name has been erased from the books, I'm trapped in this cursed place, and I will forever serve this sentence. No pardon, no chance to love, to live, to be happy. I'm nothing at all!"
The hands dug painfully into his shoulders, but Tsuzuki ignored the pain. "That's wrong. You're Ryu. You love Rikugo and Rikugo loves you back."
"Lie!"
Power congealed around them and Tsuzuki gasped. He saw Rikugo move, power sparking around his shikigami as he followed his instinct to protect his master, and Tsuzuki knew he had to act. A blast of darkness struck the Count, pushing him off just as he was about to plunge a strike into his victim. The demon snarled in rage and hissed, then sprung at him. Tsuzuki evaded, desperately trying not to use more of his powers, but Ryu was fast and powerful, and very, very pissed off.
Something scorched his thigh and he cried out, crashing to the ground.
"Tsuzuki!" Rikugo cried and Tsuzuki felt the summons of his shikigami's power, the ability to freeze time -- and do much worse.
"Don't hurt him!" he screamed the order. "Rikugo!"
tbc...