Rikugo had been busy as the new Protector of the North and he had spent hours upon hours with Sohryu, learning the ropes, so to speak. The other dragon had been very patient and very thorough in his explanations, something that had struck Rikugo immediately. There was hardly anything of the old animosity left. They worked together now, as friends, and it was growing into a trusted friendship.

His work had him neglect his lover, who was just as busy in Meifu apparently, because no visits interrupted the tight schedule. Ryu was now officially able to leave the Palace and while he might make use of that to walk around Meifu, he had yet to come to GensouKai. Rikugo had heard from the Lords' decision about the new status of Ryu and 003, but he had yet to meet with his lover.

So when there was finally a break in his duties, in visiting his new quarter of GensouKai, introducing himself to the shikigami there, Rikugo entered Meifu.

The Palace looked like always. There were no changes to the exterior to alarm him in any way to the state of mind of its master, and Watson greeted him as usual.

"His lordship is in the study," the gnome told him with a bow.

"Busy?"

"As usual."

Rikugo smiled and walked past the servant, easily finding his way into the study. When he entered, the demon looked up from his books and the red eyes opened wide. The astrologer felt the demonic aura, the new, healthy aura of a man who had been freed from a debilitating seal. It was a far cry from the furious and painful explosion he had encountered when Ryu had lost control, and it wasn't as aggressive as when he would defend who he cared for. It was actually... warm. Intense but warm, and very familiar.

Yes, there were other signs, subtle signs, like a deeper red in those beloved eyes. Little sparkles of fire deep within, and a hint of fangs. Just a hint. It was enough and it was telling Rikugo that his lover was okay.

"Rikugo!" Ryu exclaimed and rose. Then he stopped, those blood colored eyes widening. "What... you... your hair..."

He quickly walked over to his shikigami lover, reaching out to touch the long braid. There was an expression of wonder on his features. Ryu had never seen him with his usual length of hair, he had never seen him in his full power.

"How?"

"The Emperor."

"He... made your hair grow?"

Astonishment was written on the handsome features and the slender hands were still tangled in the long, white blond strands.

"Spiritual power does that. And he has it."

"I believe that." He smiled softly. "This is wonderful, Rikugo. I'm so happy for you."

The new Protector of the North caught the hand and pulled his lover into a kiss. Ryu wrapped an arm around his waist, holding back tightly and opening under the gentle pressure.

"How are you?" Rikugo asked as he left the tempting lips and nibbled at one very slightly pointed ear.

"This takes a lot of getting used to."

Rikugo understood just what 'this' was. It encompassed everything. He sensed the demonic aura mingle with his more powerful one, like a tentative touch, quizzical, unsure.

"Ryu," he murmured.

"This is so new," was the soft reply.

"Don't mask yourself in front of me."

The demonic aura grew bolder, rose in strength, and Rikugo welcomed it like he welcomed any touch from this special person.

"I had a visit from Tatsumi," Ryu remarked almost casually.

"Oh?"

"He complained about getting no invitation to the Autumn Festival. We talked. I think we're getting to know each other."

Rikugo nibbled at his lover's lobe, making him shiver.

"Tsuzuki comes by often, but he's getting back into the usual trot as well. I think there's some kind of normalcy now, with a few exceptions."

The astrologer pulled back a little. "Why didn't you invite Tatsumi?" he wanted to know.

"There was no festival to begin with..."

"Why?"

Ryu evaded the deeply black eyes. "I didn't feel like it. It's not like I'm hiding, but knowing that your immediate neighbor is a demon and finally seeing him unmasked are two things. I didn't feel like being the center attraction for a gawking public."

Rikugo tangled his hands in the black strands. "They are curious."

"There will be other parties."

"I know I was," the shikigami murmured and kissed him again. "I Looked, which wasn't very polite either."

"That was different."

"Not very much."

Ryu shrugged. "Whatever. Two millennia are hard to ignore and I need to approach this at my own pace. Having one visitor at a time is fine. Entertaining them while they stare at me... no."

Rikugo chuckled and hugged him. "How does your schedule for today look?"

"Now that you're here?" Red eyes sparkled. "Perfectly clear for the rest of the day."

The astrologer hummed his pleasure and kissed him again, with more need this time, pushing the slender form back against the heavy desk. Auras flared and Ryu moaned as clever fingers worked under his clothes, as teeth nipped at his throat. His fingers dug into Rikugo's arms, his hips jerking as those maddening fingers rubbed him seductively.

"Missed you," he groaned and Rikugo kissed him deeply.

"Bed," the astrologer murmured.

They managed it somehow, though only into the next room that had a bed, and with clothes already flying in every direction.

°

Watson picked them up a few moments later, ignoring the sounds from behind the closed doors.

° ° °

In his palace, Enma-Daiou watched as his realm stabilized, as normalcy returned, as changes were accepted. Tsuzuki Asato was still working as a shinigami, was still responsible for the quietest sector, Kyushu, and he still worked with Kurosaki Hisoka.

Enma felt equally stabilizing echoes from GensouKai where the new Emperor was taking care of matters and where the shikigami were trying to adjust to the changes there. A slight imbalance remained since there were only eleven Divine Commanders now. It would be interesting to watch that development.

He liked to watch. It was how everything had begun. He had never planned on taking over GensouKai or conquering all realms. It was foolish to think that one Lord could rule all. He had been proven that kind of fool.

When the Golden Emperor had died, only he had felt and seen it. He had been there on time to intercept the Emperor's energy from seeking a new candidate and he had been naïve enough, or maybe too experimental, to believe that he could cover both jobs. At least for a while. He had had ambitions, but not to rule, just... He smiled a little. He didn't even know what he had been thinking, only that he regretted a lot.

So young and foolish, he mused. Or too bored. It had been a challenge to be the Emperor, to see how long he could fool the shikigami. It had been long enough, but in the end Sohryu had found out. Instead of surrendering to that knowledge, Enma had made his next mistake.

He had killed the current Sohryu's father to let the knowledge die with him. It had been the beginning of the end because the young son of the old Protector of the East had been too inexperienced to take over completely where his father had left off. Wars had been the result, wars and bloodshed and finally the instability of a whole realm that was so tightly interwoven with Meifu.

Fool, he thought to himself.

One thing had started another, and another. It had been an avalanche. Like in a leaky boat he had tried to close the holes while new ones broke open, the boat filling with water and sinking.

Now it had finally sunk and hit rock bottom, taking him down with it. Heaven and Hell had reacted quickly to his betrayal, his deceit, and they had appointed watchers. It was ironic that the being he had called into his realm, saving him from a life-time in Hell, was now Hell's representative here – against his will again.

The future would prove to be interesting.

Enma-Daiou smiled to himself as he walked down the halls.

Very interesting indeed.

fin for this story