Atsushi sat at his desk, staring listlessly out the window. A heavy sigh issued from his lips, and he tore his eyes away from the view beyond his room. Rubbing at the ache in his chest, he reread the letter he'd written to Takeo. It was passionate, most embarrassingly so, in fact, and filled with expressions of love and longing. Then he recalled the pained cry of his lover as his insides were destroyed and he stood up, clenching his hands. It had been a decade since the incident, and he hadn't seen Takeo since then, nor had he forgiven himself. He missed the fox demon more than anything. He wanted to hold him, to kiss him, to touch him. On nights like this, he thought he could just die from the pain. Plagued with guilt and stricken with longing, he could hardly bear to think about his love, and yet he couldn't tear his mind from him.

"My Lord," a voice called softly. He turned, folding the note and placing it in his desk drawer, and did his best to control his emotions.

"Enter." A young woman came in carrying a piece of paper.

"A letter has arrived for you." He forced a smile at the human, but she clearly saw through it. She shut the door behind her. "What has you so melancholy, My Lord?"

"It's nothing."

"Perhaps the letter will lighten your mood. It is from the Western Palace." Atsushi took the letter, brows furrowed, and opened it. The woman waited, watching expectantly. Atsushi swallowed hard and glanced down first to see who it was written by. Takeo. His stomach squirmed and his heart fluttered with both anticipation and fear. "Go on and read it, My Lord." He nodded and started to read.

"Lord Atsushi," the letter began. "Not a night goes by that I don't miss you. I know you have yet to overcome your own guilt. I wish you could understand that it's not your fault – you never could've known what would happen. Even when it ended as it did, that night, you made me the happiest man alive. I wrote to inform you that Lord InuTaisho has accepted a political mating with one Lady Keiko of the Shiro Inu Tribe of the East. He wants to invite you to the mating ceremony. Personally, I think he's more nervous than he lets on. I think he could really use your support, and I would love to see you, again. Please consider taking a vacation and coming to visit us here in the West. We both miss you, so much. I love you. Write me, sometime.

- Takeo."

Atsushi folded up the note, exhaling deeply. The servant was waiting, watching him anxiously. He stood, swallowing hard. The idea of seeing Takeo again set his nerves jumping. He nodded.

"I'm going to the Western Palace for a while." She smiled and curtsied.

"Very well, My Lord. I will make sure that your palace is run to your satisfaction in your absence."

"Thank you. I have utter confidence in you." Thirty minutes later, he was heading off towards the Western Palace.

Upon his arrival, InuTaisho came to greet him with a warm embrace. Takeo waited for the demon lord to finish before moving inwards to greet Atsushi. He smiled up at the purple-haired demon, though his smile faltered when Atsushi only gave him a pained look, back.

"Please don't…" he whispered. The war demon swallowed hard and waved, forcing his best smile. "Welcome to the Palace of the West. I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he muttered gruffly. Then, he healer backed away and left to go tend to his duties. "So, Taisho, I heard about that woman – what was her name, again?"

"Lady Keiko."

"Right, her. Takeo wrote to me about her. Said you were a little nervous?"

"She's…well, you'll see. Come on, we have a lot to catch up on. Oh, what's up with you and Takeo."

"W-what?"

"You two seemed…strained. Usually you click right into place, but it was the same last time we parted…what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"I…I don't know what you're talking about. Anyways, I was hoping we could spar a little. You know, make sure Lordship isn't making you flabby." Taisho grinned and shrugged out of his kimono and haori as they went to the courtyard. Atsushi also rid himself of his haori – he wore no kimono – and assumed a fighting stance. They stood there, crouched and staring at each other, for a long, tense moment, then, with a feral growl, they launched at each other.

Takeo watched from his window as the two demon lords sparred. He swallowed hard, eyes riveted to the war demon's bare torso. Perfect, sun-kissed skin, gleaming with sweat in the waning light. He licked his lower lip, pressing his hands against the glass. The healer sighed sadly. He'll never touch me, again. I ruined everything. If I hadn't pushed him to do it with me… I never thought it would be like this. I was prepared for some awkwardness, but this…Kami, this is horrible. It's all he can do to look at me. Can't he see I don't blame him? Why can't he stop punishing himself over this? A tear trickled down his cheek, soon followed by many more. He let out a gasping sob, clasping a hand over his mouth to stifle himself. There was a tap on his door and he quickly wiped away his tears, sniffling.

"C-come in," he called, horrified that his voice shook. And who should enter but the future lady of the house, Lady Keiko. She was a slender, elegant woman. Long, silvery-white hair, and slate grey eyes as cold and hard as steel. Her face betrayed no emotion, nor did she show an overwhelming capacity for sympathy. "My Lady, how may I be of service to you?" Takeo asked, a bolt of instinctual fear running through him as she flexed her impressive aura threateningly. He forced a polite smile.

"I would like herbs to prevent a pregnancy until I so desire," she announced boldly. Takeo bowed.

"Of course, My Lady, I have them right here." He opened a cabinet to fetch them.

"I smell salt—tears," she commented. The fox demon hesitated.

"Forgive me, if it displeases you."

"They are your tears?"

"I must confess, they were." With no consideration for the nerves she might have been hitting, she pried deeper.

"And why were you crying?"

"I-it is nothing you should concern yourself with, My-"

"Answer-!" She frowned and tried again in a less harsh tone. "Answer the question, fox." Takeo looked away. He couldn't see how it was any of her business, but he didn't dare defy the Demon-ess what she desired.

"I fear my relationship with my very close friend is…irreparable."

"Do explain. Is your 'very close friend' angry with you?"

"No, no. Actually, he is stricken with guilt such that he cannot even bear to look at me. You see, he accidentally injured me at our last meeting, and while it has been a long time since then, he has yet to forgive himself."

"An accident is an accident. He should just move on. Clearly he is hurting you more now, by prolonging this distance."

"That is easily said, My Lady, but…but it's not easy for him." She "hm"ed softly and walked over the window, staring out at the two demons in the courtyard.

"He is magnificent, is he not?"

"Lord InuTaisho? Yes, he is something to behold."

"You knew his father, did you not? Lord Masahiko?"

"Yes, I did. I served as his healer."

"Ah yes, you were there…when he died." Takeo winced but bit his tongue. "That must have been difficult for you. You seem to be an overly-attached individual."

"P-pardon?"

"Well, here you are, crying over this 'very close friend' of yours, and the way you look down at my future mate…you seem almost fatherly, and the way you got all misty-eyed speaking about his father…I would never let my emotional balance fall into such a precarious position by placing it in the hands of others."

"I-it's not like that!"

"Oh? You take up argument with something I have said?"

"There is nothing wrong, My Lady, with loving deeply. It is my job to be compassionate, discrete, kind, and supportive. Should I not soften my heart to those around me. If they are to trust me as their healer and confidant, should I not trust them, as well? My 'emotional attachments' to those I care about is not only a vital display of that trust but also a necessary tool for me to properly sympathize with my patients."

"You're bold, speaking that way to me." Takeo flushed and looked away.

"F-forgive me if I have offended you, My Lady."

"Does Lord InuTaisho allow you to speak so freely to him?"

"Yes, My Lady, as did his father."

"And what have you done, to earn such a privilege?"

"I…I don't question the mercy of my masters, My Lady. I simply am grateful and take what I am given."

"Tell me of Lord Atsushi, my future mate seems very close with him."

"Yes, Lord Atsushi is sole existing war demon. He was Lord InuTaisho's caretaker when he was young as well as an advisor to Lord Masahiko. It was Lord InuTaisho that granted him the Southern Realm, as both the South and West were his to inherit."

"Yes I recall that – it was quite shocking."

"Well, Lord InuTaisho has always had a way of defying conventionality with a sort of grace and eloquence that stuns the rest of us into just going with his decisions."

"…Indeed. But what about Lord Atsushi's personality?"

"He is a very honorable demon, though he never had a taste for politics, no matter how keen his mind was for them. He is a warrior, unafraid to draw his sword and force a settlement, yet I would not say his nature was one of battle. He would much prefer to handle things peacefully, rather than in bloodshed, most of the time."

"Most of the time?"

"In situations regarding the well being of those he sees under his protection, he can be quick to violence. For instance, he would not hesitate to take up arms against a demon threatening the safety of his subjects or Lord InuTaisho."

"So he still sees himself as my future mate's guardian."

"He would like to see himself as the world's guardian if he could. He has a strong sense of justice and honor." Takeo smiled a little fondly. "But he's not very uptight. Like your future mate, he has a good sense of humor and can take a joke."

"And what is his positions on ningen?" Takeo hesitated. It was a well-known fact that Lady Keiko abhorred humans and anything related tot hem. It had been a source of argument between her and InuTaisho, already.

"He takes up a friendly position with ningen, recognizing not only his need to serve them as any lord does his subjects, but also taking special care to make them feel welcome in his palace. Many of his servants are human, My Lady." He saw the InuYoukai's lips tighten into a small frown. It is probably best not to mention that he was once a human, himself, Takeo thought, a guilty pang running through him that he had not yet even told Atsushi of his heritage.

"I see. That is all." She turned and walked away with her bottle of herbs. When Takeo looked back out into the courtyard, the demon lords were gone. He sighed and turned back to organizing his herbs and bottles and the like. Suddenly, he sighed and set the bottle in his hand down. No, I have to…I have to do something about Atsushi. Exhaling deeply, he walked off to find the war demon.

Atsushi was in the garden alone, staring into the koi pond. He jolted as Takeo approached and sat down next to him. The war demon looked away from him, swallowing hard.

"Stop it, Atsushi. It's been…it's been so long since the event. Ten years. And I don't blame you. Can you not…let go of it?"

"Takeo, I hurt you! I…I-!"

"Stop it!" The fox demon grabbed Atsushi's hand. "I love you, still, and I…it's killing me, what you're doing right now." He held the war demon's hand to his cheek. "Touch me. Look at me. Please. I…I need you…now, so please don't, don't keep me at a distance." Atsushi sighed, but he didn't pull his hand away.

"I'm sorry. I never meant…I never meant for things to be this way."

"Nor did I," the healer whispered. "Atsushi. Kiss me."

"B-but what if…if something happens?"

"Nothing is going to happen, except a moment of perfect bliss." Atsushi hesitated, then, slowly, he leaned in and placed his lips over Takeo's. For one, breathless moment, it was as if he could just forget what had happened. His eyes fluttered shut as he let a pleased sigh escape his lips into the other man's mouth. The fox demon leaned up into the caress, his hands coming up to cup Atsushi's jaw. Slowly, Atsushi wrapped his arms around his lover, pulling their bodies tightly together. Takeo's lips parted, allowing for the war demon's tongue into his mouth. A soft whimper rose from his throat, a sound eagerly swallowed by Atsushi. At length, they parted, gasping for breath. "Thank you," Takeo whispered. "Thank you so much, Atsushi." The demon lord smiled a tiny bit, relief smoothing the lines of his face.

"Thank you," Atsushi replied. "I'm sorry…for leaving you alone, like that."

"No more apologies. All that maters is that you're here, now, in my arms. I missed you, so much." Atsushi smiled weakly, resting his cheek on the fox's head.

"I missed you, too."

Sorry for the wait, again! Read and review! :)