Hey, all. Sorry this took SO long to get out, I just got really really busy with this camp I was running and helping my dad move and all this other crazy hectic stuff. Anyways, Here it is - this is probably the saddest scene I'll write and probably the part I was leading up to/hinting at all through my After Five Days story. Sooo...yeah, enjoy...or not :) Tell me what you think! :)

Rated: M - explicit yaoi

Atsushi – make that Lord Atsushi of the South – ran forward to greet InuTaisho and Takeo at the gate. He swept the InuYoukai into a massive hug, spinning him around and showering kisses on his cheeks and head.

"How's my little puppy doing?" he crooned. The young lord flushed and squirmed free. "Oh…right… Welcome, Lord InuTaisho," the war demon corrected himself, laughing. With a playful smirk, he added. "Have you been a good puppy?"

"I have been very good, I think," InuTaisho replied, lifting a skeptical brow. "So will you or will you not invite Takeo and me in?"

"Oh, I guess you guys can come in. Have you come to take back the south?"

"No…No I quite like you here as the ruler. I think this should be a more…permanent arrangement than I first let on," Taisho replied as they all came in. "And because of that, I want to adjust some of the border lines as well as arrange a formal alliance between our lands. That is, of course, the purpose of my visit."

"I that so? So you didn't just want to come visit your poor, old nanny?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I wanted to see you, but as ruling lord, I can't exactly run off on a whim."

"I don't know, isn't that kind of what being lord is about? Being able to do what you want to do?"

"No, it is about governing your people in a just and fair way. It is about doing your duty," the dog demon replied.

"Yeah, but if you don't take some time off to just do what you want, you'll work yourself to death…assuming you don't die of boredom first." Atsushi showed them rooms and the two lords went to talk politics, leaving the healer behind to stay in his room. InuTaisho looked around as they strolled through the garden.

"You have humans working here," he commented. The war demon nodded.

"Well, they live in the town near here, and they were good at their work, so why not?"

"No reason, it's just…well, not many demons do. Then again, you've never disliked humans as others have. I suppose it's actually a good idea. As a good ruler, I should reach out to them – they are my subjects after all."

"Anyways, about this alliance…"

"Well, you already know that I will always support you, as long as you don't turn into some evil, murdering maniac."

"As comforting as that is, I think it would also be nice to actually get it in acceptable legal terms."

"Acceptable legal terms…right. Should you ever enter into a state of war where you are not the aggressor, I will unconditionally offer you my assistance. Should you be the aggressor, I will guarantee no action before I have analyzed the situation. I will not declare war on you given that you do not unjustly aggress on another land. We can put that in writing." Taisho chuckled.

"You're better at this than you first let on." They went to his office and sat down to write the alliance agreement. After that, they spent a good long while pouring over a map, redrawing the previously careless boundary lines. It was after sunset before they got finished with all their work and the dog demon retired to his room. Atsushi then made his way to Takeo's room. He knocked hesitantly on the door.

"Come in," the healer called. The war demon opened the door and came in. "Atsushi. Did you get everything worked out?"

"Yeah…welcome. I never…got around to saying that." The healer was standing at the window, staring out at the sky. Takeo smiled at the stars, not bothering to turn around.

"Thank you. It's good to see you again." Suddenly, the war demon was right behind him, hugging him tightly against his chest. The fox demon leaned back into his embrace. "Did you miss me?"

"Of course." The healer turned around, returning the embrace.

"I missed you, too, Atsushi." The lord of the south tipped up Takeo's chin and kissed him sweetly, sighing into his mouth. Long, slender fingers slid up to rub his jaw and neck, pulling him closer. The war demon slid his tongue into the other's mouth as their bodies pressed closer together. They drew apart, panting softly. Eyes locked and held each other. Takeo whimpered softly, his fox-like ears flattening down against his head as Atsushi combed his fingers through the younger's hair.

"Oh, Takeo, I…I can't take seeing you so infrequently. Every time you go away, you take a little more of me with you."

"Tell me how much you love me," the fox demon whispered. Atsushi smiled and pressed his lips to the other demon's ear.

"I love you more than anything else in the world. I love you so much it hurts when I'm not with you. When I see you, it's like I can finally breathe, again. It's like the whole world suddenly makes sense, and if I can just be with you, I would never want anything else. Being near to you makes my heart race and my breath catch in my throat. Oh, Takeo. I love you. I love you. I love you." He trailed off in order to shower kisses over the other man's head and ears. Takeo whimpered softly, curling his hands into the other man's kimono.

"A-Atsushi, I w-want…I want you," he breathed. "I want you to mark and mate me…please…"

"Takeo…are you sure?"

"Do you…not want me?"

"I do, but…we can't be together often."

"So? At least…if we do this…we're always connected, right?" Atsushi swallowed hard. Then, slowly, he nodded.

"Okay."

"I-I'm a carrier, so it's…it's all fine, really. I want…I want to bear your kits." The war demon's heart fluttered and heat went straight to his groin. He nipped Takeo's neck, pulling their bodies flush together.

"Takeo…" he murmured. Slowly, gently, he began to tug away the fabric of his lover-to-be's kimono. Casting it carelessly aside, he removed the haori and next the hakama. Then, he stared on his own clothes, pausing every so often to press delicate kisses against his lover's lips. Within a few minutes, they were both naked, eyes scanning over each other appreciatively. "You're so…beautiful."

"But I'm not a woman. Do you feel weird…about this?"

"No. Not at all. Love isn't about man or woman. It's about two people living for each other's sakes and sharing each other's pain and pleasure." Takeo whimpered and pushed his body tighter against Atsushi's. Their mouths meshed and merged, tasting each other's sweetness. Large, calloused hands ran down his body, feeling the sensitive skin of his sides and back. Takeo arched slightly under his touch.

"Ahh…y-your hands feel…ah!" he was cut off by a sharp gasp as Atsushi tweaked his nipple. Encouraged by the reaction, the war demon ducked his head to suck it into his mouth. "Atsushi!" The demon lord smirked against his lover's chest and nipped lightly.

"So sensitive," he muttered. Casting a predatory glance up at the fox demon, he growled, "Get on the bed." Takeo moved to the bed and sat down. The bigger demon smirked and stalked over to him, crawling up on top of him to push him down and kiss him ferociously. He nibbled the other's lip and then licked it apologetically. Gently, the bigger demon pushed the other's legs apart and settled between them. Takeo whined softly, squirming. Smiling, Atsushi lifted his legs up onto his shoulders. "I want you to moan my name with pleasure." He accentuated the statement by drawing his tongue along the inside of his thigh.

"Ah! A-Atsushi!" the fox demon cried. Atsushi chuckled and then stopped short.

"Um…"

"Wh-what? Did you…change your mind?"

"No, it's just…I didn't know how to do it…with a man."

"Well, y-you just use the a-anus…you have to stretch it first…and use lubrication. I mean, I've never done this before, but I've known demons that have and I am a doctor, so…so I think that's everything." Atsushi nodded and kissed Takeo swiftly.

"Well, here goes, then…" He lifted the fox demon's hips up further and pressed his tongue into his entrance.

"Wh-wha-ah! What are you doing?" Atsushi drew back.

"Lubrication," he replied before sticking his tongue back in. Takeo gasped, his eyes going wide in ecstasy. Now, Atsushi withdrew his tongue and slid a finger inside.

"Atsu…Atsushi, it feels…it feels g-good." The war demon added a second finger, and his lover arched off the bed. "Oh, Kami, I n-never thought….ahhh…Never thought it would feel so amazing." The demon lord pumped his finger in and out of that inviting hole. Once he was confident Takeo was ready, he slipped in a third finger, reaching as deep as he could. "Mph. Oh, Kami…I-I'm ready, Atsu…shi." He withdrew his fingers and then pressed his manhood against Takeo's entrance.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. Very." Shaking with anticipation, Atsushi pushed forward. Takeo moaned in agony. "Keep going. Please, keep…going."

"B-but I'm hurting you!"

"Don't stop. I-it only hurts a little…I can take…I can take it." At length, the war demon managed to get all the way in; he stopped, waiting for the healer to adjust. They lay there, perfectly still save for the heaving of their chests as they caught their breath. "I'm…I'm ready."

"Are you sure? I can wait."

"I'm sure. Don't make me wait. Please." Atsushi drew out and then pushed back in. "Ahh…" The war demon repeated the motion, receiving another gasp of pleasure.

"Does it still hurt?"

"No…no it feels…feels so good." The demon lord continued to slide in and out of that tight, quivering hole. "M-more…please…" He pulled further out and then thrust quickly back in. "Yes! Ah!" Atsushi moved faster, his hips snapping forward as he pushed deeper into the body beneath him. Takeo arched up to meet his thrusts, moaning passionately. "Atsushi. Oh, Atsushi. Oh, Kami, I love you. Ahhh!" Takeo went rigid and spasms ran through his body. The demon lord cried out, spilling his seed into his lover's body. Takeo's scream became one of agony. He convulsed, his eyes wide with pain. Atsushi yanked out, the last remnants of his orgasm spurting out on the fox demon's thighs.

"Takeo!" he cried, horrified. "Ta-Takeo what's wrong?" The healer curled into a ball, tears spilling down his cheeks. The demon lord sat there in shock and mortification, unable to do anything. "Takeo…what's wrong? What happened?"

"I…I…don't know…It h-hurts. Ats-Atsushi…so-something's wrong. It hurts…so bad…" Takeo sobbed. Atsushi grabbed him and pulled him against his chest, rocking him back and forth, hoping to somehow soothe the pain.

"Takeo…I'm sorry. What happened?" The healer slowly uncurled and laid his hands on his own stomach, his eyes fluttering shut. "Takeo?" The fox demon's eyes opened and his lips parted in a small gasp. "Takeo? What is it? Takeo?"

"M-my insides…oh, Kami, my…my reproductive organs, they're….they're destroyed."

"What?! What do you mean 'destroyed'?"

"I-it's as if acid w-was poured over my insides." Atsushi recoiled in horror, his eyes as wide as saucers.

"It was me." Tears rose up in his eyes and spilled over his cheeks. "Oh, Kami…Takeo it was me that did that to you…wasn't it?" He scrambled away from Takeo, wrapping his arms around himself. "L-Lord Masahiko warned me…that it was my nature…to destroy. I should have listened." Takeo moved to reach for him, but fell back to the bed, clutching his stomach. The horrified demon threw open the door and sprinted to his room where he slammed the door shut, slumped to the floor, and just cried.