Chapter Thirty Seven

Another kind of dark chapter, like I said I'm kind of in a dark place right now and this sort of helps. Writing can be very therapeutic. Um...on a side note, it gets a little mature again but nothing adult. (However, I have an extended version of this chapter...if you want that version then PM me and I'll email it to you. I didn't feel like changing ratings.)

Steve looked at Kay as she pulled him into the study and he asked, "I'm sorry, what just happened?"

"You're helping me seal a treatise," she said quickly and closing the door, but remembering the lock was broken. She hoped no one would decide to barge in, but she knew it was highly likely. She could see Steve was really irritated but he managed to keep far more calm than any of her comrades. He was a leader through and through even when it affected him personally. "I really didn't want it to happen this way."

He put his hands on her shoulders, he didn't like Talpa making her upset, "I get that Talpa wants to marry us..."

"Yeah..."

"But why?"

"Because Talpa wants to ruin any good thing that I have ever had," she said angrily. "Talpa likes to think I'm his. He found me, he saved me, he kept me like a porcelain doll, and then he taught be to become a demon. Hoshi's body just makes it seem like he's harmless, but Steve, this is all just a power trip that he's getting off of. He can control one more aspect of my life at this moment, and he loves every second of it. He could marry me to an ant, and I would have to accept in order for any of this to work. We don't do anything he says, he'll open the gates prematurely and make the world go dark."

Steve hated either of those options and pulled her close. She was shaking in the armor and clenched her hands tightly to herself. He laid his head against hers easily, in the armor she was almost a whole foot taller, and kissed her forehead. He hated feeling helpless as he did, but it wasn't his world. He was backup in this situation and he didn't want to make matters more complicated or worse which seemed very likely. He asked softly, "has Talpa done this before?"

She looked at him nervously, "before the ronins defeated him, he had the intention of using me as a bargaining tool with Raijin. I was supposed to be their treatise."

She had put it very politely but it amounted to Talpa had taken her from her original family, so that he could raise a 'daughter' to marry off. He laid a hand on her cheek, "we'll have a proper ceremony later."

She laid a hand on top of his, he was such a wise man, and smiled wearily, "with proper attire?"

He leaned to kiss her when the door opened and Ryo walked in. He rolled his eyes, "are you love birds done or can we get on with this? The less time we have to interact and playing nice with Talpa the better."

Kayura dropped her hand, "you have impeccable timing."

He rolled his eyes at Steve, "good thing Talpa chose you, but it also means there some sort of malicious plan as well."

"I would assume so," Steve said crossing his arms.

"Glad he's not as dumb as Kento is being," he complained.

Kayura reminded him, "don't forget, you were dumb enough to go along with Rowen's plan in the first place. I don't think you have any right to say anything about Kongo."

Ryo rolled his eyes and then said to Steve, "well if that's all well and good. Can I speak to him alone for a minute, Kayura?"

She smiled at Steve, "don't let him talk you into a hair brain scheme."

Ryo waved as she stepped out and then hissed at Steve, "you can't do this."

Steve crossed his arms, he knew of how Kayura had given her heart to him and he rejected it. He wondered if the man was starting to regret his choice and so he asked, "its not like its official or anything but even if it was, I don't think Kayura has anything left for you."

Ryo glarred, "this isn't about me."

"Then, why don't you tell me, son?"

"Don't condescend to me, old man," Ryo hissed. "You go along with what Talpa says, you just let him manipulate us into a tighter and tighter corner."

"Not like we have a whole lot of chips to bargain with ourselves. Most of my team has vanished off the map because that's what the nether realm does," he said with heavy sigh. "Honestly, I don't think that's what you have in mind here."

Ryo rubbed a hand through his hair, "okay, sure...I did love Kay. I still kind of do, I decided to keep my feelings to myself so that she wouldn't get dragged into Rowen's plan..."

"Look how well that turned out."

Ryo groaned, "but this just means you'll keep being stuck with us as a target as long as you're together. Are you really up for that? I mean, you have your enemies to fight..."

Steve laid a hand on the man's shoulder, "I knew that when I gave Kayura the ring on her hand, that there was a possibility of being a part of stuff like this despite us both saying we wouldn't meddle in each others affairs. The problem with that is that neither of us knew that both worlds were intertwined a long time ago. I appreciate you looking out for me, but I think you have the wrong idea about me. I love her and everything about her but that means I accept all of this and I will do what I can to keep her safe. If that means I get involved, it's better than running away."

"And what about your world then? We all know that Kay being Stark's sister puts eyes on her," he growled. "What if Loki decides her armor is crucial to him? Can you risk that?"

"If Kayura trusts me to do this, then I think I can trust her in my world as well."

Ryo seemed to throw his hands up, "aren't you mad though?"

"I am," Steve said abruptly. "...Kay doesn't deserve any of this. I want to give her happiness and this sort of thing makes me very angry that she has to let herself be manipulated by someone who tormented her for a millennium but acting on that anger will only make this situation more hostile."

Ryo looked at him, "maybe, you are her soul mate."

"Look, I'm sorry Ryo, but you missed your chance. I learned that a long time ago, that you have to go with what your given when you live lives like ours."

"Right," Ryo said quietly as he left.

Steve quietly went to the window and saw Talpa waiting in the garden. She waved at him and tapped her wrist and he sighed. Part of him wished he could fight the demon himself, but part of him was hopeful there was a way to save Hoshi. He realized that maybe Tony was better with her around.

He turned around and headed out of the study and saw the little girl from the day Kayura came back. She stepped forward and turned into a red haired woman in a kimono and handed him a bell off of her cross, "the Kami bless your union despite the darkness sanctifying it."

She vanished instantly and he slipped the bell in his pocket, there was a strangely sweet sound it made as he did so. He walked down the stairs and realized everyone was probably out in the garden. He could feel his chest grow tight and he realized he was nervous. Why? It wasn't like it was a real ceremony. Although, his heart wished that it was. He wanted to see Kay in beautiful white kimono with him, standing in front of both of their friends.

She wasn't in white thought, she was wearing the Oni as he walked out to join her. He thought she looked rather beautiful in the terrifying armor. Her hair was beautifully cut and her weary eyes still twinkled with endearment. She reached out an armored hand to him and he took it softly in his. He hoped she feel him squeeze it but she turned her eyes forward. The ronins and warlords were broken up on each side Talpa. Kento lingering closer to the woman who used to be his wife with a tray with three cups that varied from small to large. He was looking away irritably.

Kay whispered as Talpa stood up, "I hope Ryo didn't say anything stupid."

"He cares," he said quietly.

"Great," she mumbled under her breath as they stopped in front of Talpa.

Talpa clapped her hands together and smiled, "wonderful, like a wedding of old! I missed battlefield weddings."

"Get on with it," Kayura mumbled.

Talpa shook her head, "you were always a grumpy one, even as a child."

Steve saw Kayura's eyes feel with hate and he squeezed her hand again. She squeezed back but the look didn't change as she smiled, "thank you so much for this highest of honors."

"Yes, well, sarcasm aside," Talpa said. "I don't think I need to go through the sanctifying by the gods routine."

Steve thought about the spirit briefly.

"...so I'll just move on then," she said as she grabbed the cups from Kento. She blew a kiss at the man and looked away in disgust which made Talpa smirk. She held out the tray to them, "please, have three sips form each."

Kay let go of his hand and reached for the small cup, she asked, "is this poisoned?"

"Now, why would I do that?"

Kayura exhaled and touched the cup to her lips, she lifted it twice and sipped the sake the third time then handed it to Steve who repeated her action then returned the cup to the tray. They repeated it with the medium and large cup and Talpa smiled as she handed the cups back to Kento. She asked Steve, "do you have anything to say to Kayura-chan before I continue?"

Kay slipped her hand back in his and he turned to her. He wondered if it was the time to be sincere or be more vague. He decided sincerity was the best route, "Kay, I didn't think that I would ever find anyone who would ever be able to keep up with my crazy life. The day you jumped the Nendo in my back yard was the craziest and most wonderful day of my life since the war. I promise that I will have something better to say in the future."

She smiled sweetly and Talpa laughed as she summoned one of the long blades and everyone instantly tensed up in defense. She rolled her eyes, "relax, I don't have a Sakaki Branch. So this will have to do."

Kayura relaxed as Talpa held out the sword to them in both hands. Kay motioned for Steve to take the sword with her and they both knelt down with it to place it on the ground in front of Talpa. Kay bowed in front of the sword on both knees and Steve followed her movements. They bowed twice and clapped their hands together twice as they sat up. Kayura looked up at Talpa who motioned for everyone to drink their sake, "happy?"

"Almost," she said kneeling down to her. Steve didn't hear what the woman whispered to her but he saw Kayura shove her away angrily and take off into the house. He got to his feet quickly and dashed after her as Talpa said loudly with a maniacal laugh, "you should enjoy your last moments of peace!"

Kay let her armor vanish as Steve followed her back to her room which was still a mess after she had pushed over the mirror and thrown things at him. He closed the door, "what did she say?"

She shook her head, "said she was going to enjoy breaking my heart."

He hugged her, realizing the intention of threat was directed at him, "I won't let that happen."

"I know, just...I hate having to play nice when all I want to do is lop off her head."

"I'm surprised you haven't thus far."

"There's still a chance of saving her," she said softly to him as she snuggled close. "If I can get to Rowen, I can have him reanimate her but we need to defeat Raijin first."

He kissed her head, "that sounds like its going to be hard."

"Unbelievably so," she said softly as she broke her grip with him to sit down on her bed and yawned. "Can you believe it's only ten in the morning?"

"We should get some rest," he agreed as he sat next to her.

She laid her head against him and he held her close. She was quiet for a long time before stood up in front of him, holding his hand. She put her hands on his face, "Steve, I love you."

He rested his hands on her hips and smiled at her, "I love you, Kayura."

Kayura slowly ran her thumb to his lips, "I know...we agreed to wait...Steve..."

He felt his cheeks turn hot.

She bit her lip as she pushed him back against her bed. She lifted her sweater up above her head, "make love to me."

He gulped as starred at her beautiful nude torso, there was blood on her skin but the small bullet wounds were pretty pretty much closed now. He managed to clear his throat enough to ask, "what brought this on?"

She leaned over him and touched her forehead to his, "we could die tonight and I don't want to die without knowing what we would be like together..."