The party was in full blow. Food was consumed, people talked animatedly with each other, exchanging old stories and new ones, having fun. Tsuzuki had conquered an ornate couch as his and sat leaning back, smiling to himself as he watched all his shikigami, the other guests, and bathed in a warm and happy family atmosphere.

Blue-grey eyes sparkled at Tsuzuki as Sohryu sat down at his side, offering him a slice of chocolate cake.

"Chocolate does wonders for the soul," the dragon quoted his friend, something Tsuzuki had said a long time ago, offering his shikigami cake.

"It does," was the happy reply and the cake was thankfully taken.

"You always had a sweet tooth, haven't you, Asato?"

Tsuzuki swallowed the last bite of cake and beamed at the dragon. Sohryu had lost some of his official robes and didn't look that impressive right now. He visibly felt more relaxed, too. But it seemed as if there was something on the dragon's mind.

"Sohryu?"

"I knew you were special when you mastered Byakko."

"Huh?"

"Nobody masters a God, Asato."

"But...?"

"Let alone four." Serious blue-grey eyes turned to him. "You could even master Kurikara now."

"I don't want Kurikara any more. We had this out before and I told you back then, too. Even with all of you, I was never a match for him. It's a miracle I didn't end up like Hisoka."

Sohryu's expression didn't change. "You could now."

"Sohryu, what are you talking about?"

"Genbu is right. The darkness you fear, Tsuzuki, it's only part of what you are. That might have helped you win your challenges, but it wasn't what mastered us. You always treated us with respect and love, and we... we can't but respond to that. We all love you, Asato."

"I... I'm proud to have you. I never meant to conquer you..."

"And you didn't. You are our master, but we freely serve. You alone have the power over the four Protectors and all twelve Divine Commanders, Asato. It's our honor to be yours."

Tsuzuki gasped when Sohryu leaned forward and placed a soft and tender kiss on his lips. It still surprised him, though he already knew it was his shikigami's way to express their feelings – toward him, toward each other.

"You will be a good Lord of Hades one day, Tsuzuki Asato."

All color drained from his face. "But I... no..."

A gentle finger silenced his protest. "Not now, you won't. One day. I look forward to that day."

"Sohryu..."

Somebody cleared his throat and Tsuzuki jumped up from the couch, staring wide-eyed at a pissed off looking Terazuma Hajime.

"Terazuma! It's not what it looks like... it's... well... " he stammered.

"Is this a private party or can everybody join in?"

"Feel free, Hajime," Sohryu answered levelly and Tsuzuki gaped as Terazuma stood in front of him, scowling, leaning dangerously close into his personal space – and kissed him fully on the lips.

Red eyes winked.

"Just so you know what you're missing out on."

"Tera-zuma?"

The other shinigami grinned and walked off. Sohryu winked at his master and followed, leaving a baffled Tsuzuki behind.

"But ... that guy hated me," he managed.

Hisoka chuckled "No, he didn't hate you, Asato. He hated himself."

"Whatever for?"

"For liking you the way he did."

Tsuzuki needed a full ten seconds before it dropped. "Hajime? He... with me!"

"He felt something for you, Asato. Even he couldn't resist you. And he hated himself for feeling that way."

"You knew?"

Hisoka shook his head. "Not at first. But when I touched him the first time it was quite obvious to me. From there on all I needed was a little observation."

"Oh."

Hisoka looked up into the confused, violet eyes and shook his head. "Idiot."

"You're mean," Tsuzuki replied automatically.

"If the shoe fits."

Tsuzuki still chewed on the revelation, like so many in the last days, then decided it was in the past. It was over. He followed Hisoka outside where the young empath was putting some distance between himself and the other people. Tsuzuki hesitated, but when Hisoka wrapped an arm around his waist and then leaned against him, he wrapped his own around the slender form and held him.

° ° °

He had been watching the party, wondering what Ryu was doing. Probably working. There was a lot to do throughout he days and nights in the Palace, and his partner had told him not to worry about him. Enjoy the party.

Well, he was.

Even if it was a permanent good-bye from his sensei, his friend, his confidant. Genbu had taught him, had helped him find his way, and now the Protector of the North had entrusted him his title and rank, his place in the Council, until a new Genbu was born.

Rikugo was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a powerful aura approach. Sohryu, a glass wine in his hand, stepped closer.

"Rikugo."

"Sohryu."

Both dragons sized each other up and Rikugo felt himself tense involuntarily. He was no match at all any more for the sky dragon. His hair was barely the length of a young dragon's and while he regretted it sometimes, the rash action that had led to this, he wouldn't handle it any other way any time. He had wanted to help Byakko, and he had done so.

"Rikugo, since you're going to sit to my right in the council from now on," Rikugo winced slightly, "there are things we really need to settle."

The astrologer felt his own aura flare in defense, but Sohryu didn't respond to it. It was pitiful at best anyway.

"Whatever would that be?" he asked coldly.

"Rikugo, I... I haven't always treated you right. I want to apologize. I was... "

"An asshole?"

Sohryu choked on the sip he was currently taking, but nodded. "You could say that, I think."

"A stubborn asshole?"

Sohryu sighed.

"I deserved that. You were my teacher, like Genbu was yours, and... I took my entire frustration and bitterness out on you. I lashed out at you, and I'm fairly certain I hurt you on occasion. The incident with Byakko finally opened my eyes."

Rikugo evaded the stormy eyes of the other dragon. Sure, Byakko was whole again, the ugly remembrances all but vanished, but he would never forget what he had seen in the tiger's mind. That Sohryu had treated him differently had started before that. Right after Touda's almost fatal encounter with the computer virus. It had been in small ways, here or there, and Sohryu had really made an effort.

But after the possession, he had truly changed.

"I'm glad you're no longer alone, Rikugo. You deserve happiness."

"What..."

There was a warm expression in those normally so hard eyes, especially when they were turned on him. Sohryu's face softened.

"Being alone hurts," the dragon went on, not really looking at Rikugo any more. He was letting his eyes travel across the room. "It takes something from you, it leaves you empty, and it makes you hard. I know I wasn't very polite toward Ryu when he first came here, but he is welcome here."

Now those eyes were on him again.

"As you are welcome as part of the Council, Rikugo no Genbu. You are my equal. You have always been." He smiled.

And then Rikugo stopped breathing for a heartbeat as soft lips descended onto his in a closed-mouth gentle kiss, fingers brushing through his cut hair.

"I never realized how truly loyal you are, Rikugo sensei. I'd never have been able to treat you this cruelly if there hadn't been something on your part to begin with. I knew it and I betrayed that. I hope you'll forgive me one day. I need my thorn." With that he left, leaving a gaping and thoroughly flabbergasted earth dragon behind.

Sohryu had known...

Sohryu had known!

Rikugo touched his lips, his stomach constricting, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. There had been only one moment in their past, in their past as lovers, when such a kiss had occurred. Gentle, almost loving, without the hard, demanding and dominant air to it. It had been throughout the first days when Sohryu had met Terazuma, when he had come to Rikugo still, while also discovering something for his later shinigami lover.

It had been a single moment.

Soft and warm and filled with something that could never be between them. That moment he could have fallen in love. Maybe he had, for a second, but it hadn't lasted. He had looked into blue-gray eyes that were so soft, so warm, so... tender... In that moment he would have done everything Sohryu asked, without a fight, without an argument. And then that moment had passed and they had parted as opponents again.

Dragons weren't meant to be with dragons. Their tempers clashed, their personalities didn't fit, and their relationships among each other were always filled by posturing and tempers boiling.

Things were still changing. Not even he could See what the future would bring.

tbc...