Touda knew that the news about his father would give Sohryu the last blow. It would tear his world to pieces, shatter his believes, and it would drive him away. So he finally walked to the private room that no one dared to enter unannounced and did just that – walk in unannounced. His own mind was turning the revelations over and over, again and again, and he was hard-pressed not to give in to his own pain and despair.
So many had suffered.
So many had died.
So much could have been prevented.
But his pain was minor to that of his oldest friend.
Sohryu was in the room. His face was devoid of all emotions, his
eyes fixed on something outside the window. He wasn't really looking
anyway. His eyes were empty.
Touda closed the door behind himself
and remained where he was. Waiting.
"Did you know?" Sohryu asked tonelessly all of a sudden.
Touda met the cold, gray eyes evenly. "For about half an hour before we came here."
"I see."
Silence descended again and Sohryu's aura was hard as granite, not giving anything away.
"Sohryu?"
"Go. Leave me."
Touda gazed at the dragon, then nodded slowly. He knew the other too well to interfere.
But he would be there for him should he need an open ear or more.
°
The news that the Protector of the East had left his palace came a
few minutes later. Touda just looked into the azure sky and watched
the mighty dragon disappear in
the distance.
He wanted to do the same, but he had something very important that kept him from doing so: Tsuzuki.
His master was still in danger and while Touda remained in GensouKai, he didn't have the luxury of simply disappearing, cutting himself off from everyone and everything.
° ° °
It wasn't a dark and stormy night. It was actually a quite pleasant evening, the sun was just setting, there was hardly a rain cloud in the sky, but the weather was still predicting a storm to come. Not a force of nature; more of a political upheaval of immense proportions.
Touda was ready to call it a day when he heard the knock on his door and he frowned a little. The palace was quiet, Byakko was still in his office and working, and the servants had been sent away.
He opened the door.
Blue-gray eyes in a drawn, haggard face looked back at him.
"Sohryu," he whispered.
The dragon had never looked more unlike his usual self than now. Gone were the regal robes. Only he very simple robe he wore on his skin had remained. It was dirty and had a few tears. The long blue hair was undone, had knots in it, and was haphazardly bound back.
"Touda?" Sohryu asked.
He didn't need to elaborate. It was a plea and a question and a quiet desperation that tore Touda's heart. He held out one hand and Sohryu took it, allowing himself to be pulled inside.
The mighty dragon appeared so lost, so alone, and so very, very young all of a sudden. Young and confused and full of pain. Tremors raced through the slender form and Touda stepped up behind the man, wrapping his arms around him in comfort.
"Sohryu," he whispered again.
He felt the tremors increase and suddenly the strong fingers dug into his arms, holding on, as if Touda was the only steady rock in the tumultuous sea Sohryu's life had become.
Touda tightened his hold and maneuvered the unresisting man toward the bed.
They lay together in a tangle of arms and legs, Sohryu burying his face in his oldest friend's black-clad chest, and then the tears came.
"Oh Sohryu," Touda murmured and stroked over the tangled hair.
Memories of old times came back, of holding the young man Sohryu had once been, of stroking over warm skin and listening to the rough voice moan its approval.
Those were times long gone. They had moved beyond this, had become much more. It was why Touda didn't say anything, just held the man who didn't ask for more than just that. He understood Sohryu; he was probably the only one.
He never had time to mourn the death of his father because he had a job to do. His mother died soon after, probably from grief. In all those centuries he never had a moment; now, as he knows the truth, he could. He could give in to the emotions inside his soul and he could finally start to heal wounds that had never closed.
"Kurikara was right," Sohryu managed. "And he was banished for it. Father died... he was killed... and I was so stupid..."
"You were young," Touda said softly.
Sohryu's hands clenched into his shirt with bruising strength.
"I was naive. I was so idealistic..."
All that time. And he had never believed. He had been so single-minded, so firm in his believes. He had seen Kurikara's words as blasphemy. He had been too young for the job of the Protector of the East.
He had been a child. With the responsibility of a man centuries older than him.
He had lost Touda because of it. He had lost his lover and best friend. He had lost his childhood. Keijin had been born soon after, Sohryu still so very young, his heir.
Wars might have been avoided if the Emperor had had a true successor.
Wars and blood and pain; Touda's sentence... his happiness might have persevered. He might still be together with Keijin, his son might be alive.
So much.
It all poured out of him and Touda took the brunt of the emotional force. He let Sohryu cry, let him rage, and he felt his own emotions break free.
He felt the same grief, the same pain. He had lost Sohryu back then, the moment the elder Sohryu had died. He had lost his own childhood, his best friend, his lover, his confidant.
So much pain.
Because Enma-Daiou had kept the Emperor's sudden death to himself, had played with a power he hadn't been able to wield, had taken two positions without being able to fill those shoes.
No Lord could reign two realms. It was impossible.
He held Sohryu who was fighting so hard to keep his last shreds of dignity, but he was losing.
Touda whispered softly to the dragon and Sohryu finally let go of everything. Drained, emotionally so vulnerable he had nothing left, he lay in his oldest friend's arms and Touda knew he would protect him.
He always had.
When Sohryu fell asleep, the hell serpent carded his fingers into the tangled mess that was the blue mane, smiling sadly. This would need so much time to heal, and he knew it wasn't over yet. Sohryu would need to be ready to face the world soon, sooner than he was prepared for, but Touda wouldn't let him walk out there alone.
°
Byakko had sensed the approach of the Protector of the East. It was hard not to feel the aura of such a powerful being. It came of little surprise that Sohryu was here, so he didn't feel particularly alarmed. He only ordered the servants to leave him and Touda alone, then went about his business.
They were all affected by the news, by the revelations, and he Byakko was fighting hard not to lose it himself, to lash out and simply destroy something. His suffering had been because of Enma's attempts to destabilize Tsuzuki with whatever means possible, even using his shikigami against him. He had made it possible for a devil to enter GensouKai through Byakko undetected, and he had stood by and watched as the tiger had nearly lost his mind.
The fallout had affected not just the wind god; it had also almost destroyed Rikugo, who was still quite plainly showing the after-effects.
Byakko pushed that aside. He had dealt with the nightmares. He could deal with the truth now, too.
°
He gave Sohryu and Touda an hour, then he approached the bedroom. He could feel the two auras. Sohryu was still there and he appeared a little calmer than before, but only a little.
Byakko opened the door and peeked into the room, saw the Protector of the East curled up on the bed, held by Touda, and golden eyes met red ones.
Touda? he asked silently.
Not now, was the answer. It was still too soon.
The white tiger nodded, gave his lover a brief smile, then closed the door again. There were enough guest rooms for the night.
He was about to turn in for the night when he heard voices, one particularly loud and demanding to be let in. Byakko's eyebrows rose as he recognized Terazuma, and he walked to meet the agitated shinigami halfway. He was trailed by servants who were trying to convince him to leave again.
"I'll take it from here," Byakko announced quietly and they bowed, retreating.
"Where is Sohryu?" Terazuma asked, the black eyes filled with worry.
He was an unusual sight for Byakko, who had always ever known him with his signs of possession. Now he was as human as the others.
"With Touda."
"With...? Where?"
"Terazuma, leave them. Sohryu needs this."
"I heard it all from Watari and the others!" the shinigami exclaimed. "I want to be there for him!"
Byakko smiled. "It's their time now."
"But..."
"Hajime, please."
"Sohryu is my partner!"
"I know."
"And he's with Touda, who happens to be his past lover and your current one!"
"I'm very well aware of that."
"Byakko..."
"You can be with him, but not now. This is something between them. It happened before out time. Give them the necessary time."
Shoulders slumped in defeat and Terazuma looked suddenly very tired. Byakko placed a gentle hand on his back.
"Come. Get some rest. You're under a lot of pressure yourself. How's the Black One by the way?"
Terazuma seemed to stiffen a little. "Could be better."
It was a dismissive reply and Byakko took it as a hint that the other man didn't want to talk about it. He respected it and just guided his guest to a room to make him rest.
They all needed rest and sleep and a time to recuperate. Somehow he didn't believe they would get a lot in the days to come.
tbc...