A/N: Because of popular demand, the Ran v. Boris face-off is coming in the next chapter, but this is some build up to it. Yuui's just too stinking nice in this chapter, but... oh well... Enjoy! I think Ran's done plenty to piss off Boris. Plus, I wanted to tie up the Fei-Wang stuff, so this is the best way to do it. My husband and I have a joke, hurting Yuui is like stepping on a baby bunny with its ears slicked back, huge eyes, and a wiggly, little nose. It just isn't done!
Part Fifty-Eight:
Fai tried his best to straighten out Ashura's thick, glossy hair with a brush. There was so much of it to deal with. Ashura had always had nice, long hair ever since Fai could remember. He remembered when he was very little and Ashura would rock him to sleep, he'd grip a clump of his black hair for comfort as he drifted off to sleep. Maybe that's why he always liked dark hair; it made him feel safe and comfortable.
"I'll get some maids to come in and wash his hair and clean him," Lady Suwa offered.
"That's okay. I'll do it myself a little later. He's done so much for me. I want to care for him," Fai said.
She knelt beside Fai and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Fai was about to lie to her, smile, and blow her off, but she'd become more to him than just Kurogane's mother. He remembered how Chii was always too scared to show him and Yuui affection and how perpetually sad she was. He would never know all the things going on in her mind that weighed her down enough to commit suicide, so he'd decided to not judge her or be angry with her any more.
Knowing Lady Suwa had helped him come a long way towards forgiving Chii. Lady Suwa filled most of the gulf that Chii had left in Fai's heart; she wasn't a replacement for Chii, but certainly a soothing substitute he had so desperately craved.
He did smile at her. "When I was eight years old, I was very keen on finding a wife for Ashura. We had a very nice nanny and all, but it wasn't the same as having a mother. I tried to play matchmaker at court. I tried to find him a wife in my own silly ways. Ashura was so patient, but he took me aside one day and told me he couldn't have a wife, because she might have children. He told me that we were all the family he wanted, and he didn't need a wife to make him happy. I always thought he seemed lonely, anyway, and would like some companionship."
Fai gave a slight chuckle and a brighter smile. "Now it's so clear why he imposed isolation on himself. When he stole Yuui's eyes, I was so furious with him. I felt he'd betrayed us. But now I'm starting to pity him and understand why he lived his life as he has. He's sacrificed so much for us." Fai took a deep breath and shook his head vigorously. "I love him with my whole heart, but he hurt me by hurting Yuui."
"It's natural for a parent to sacrifice for their child. They'll always want their children to achieve more than themselves. In Nihongo, we believe that a successful child is something a person can take pride in without being accused of vanity. A child is the most important way you can maintain your family. So, the ice king is your father and did his best to raise you, in spite of his illness. Do you accept that reality?"
"I stopped being angry with him a little while ago. It's too exhausting, and Yuui wouldn't want me to be angry with him. I remembered when Ashura first brought us to Celes. He parted Yuui from me at first and gave him over to some healers. I was so mad and bit his hand, because he wouldn't let me see Yuui while they were working. I thought for sure he'd slap me like our grandfather would have.
"Instead, he healed the bite and held me until I calmed down. Then he explained to me that Yuui was seriously injured, and if I loved him, I would be patient. He then distracted me with this." He held up the Gordian Knot with Yuui's eyes in it. "A very simple one, of course. But it helped me wait on Yuui's recovery. I think Ashura was trying to send me a message with this."
"Your heart aches for him because you love him. He's your father and he hurt your twin, whether or not he knew what he was doing. It's fine for you to be conflicted about what happened."
"He adopted us. I think it took a great act of love for him to do that." Fai gave her a sly expression. "So Kuro-kir explained our plan? To adopt? Was it okay with you and Lord Suwa?"
At that point, Lord Suwa walked in, looking very chipper. "So what plan were you talking about?"
Fai flashed him the brightest smile. "I was asking if Kuro-jiji had explained our plan for children. I was about to ask if you both could accept adoption."
"Well, we have to, whether we like it or not," Lord Suwa said in a tone a little sour to Fai's taste, but Lord Suwa took a deep breath and shook his head. Fai felt deflated, but then Lord Suwa said, "It's not your and Kurogane's decision that upsets me. I'll be blunt, I wish you would have consented to Kurogane taking a concubine, but you didn't, and I understand why. I am sympathetic to that. I'm just worried about convincing other lords. I have to now convince them to not declare war on us. Any boy you and Kurogane choose to raise will be welcomed by Hitomi and me, but that might not be respected elsewhere in Nihongo. You must be prepared to make your son strong against all challenges."
"Our daughters will be able to protect themselves in the most dire situations! I told Kuro-daddy I wanted fifteen daughters. Is he persisting in this one son idea?"
Lord and Lady Suwa looked at each other with slack-jawed shock and then turned back to dreamy Fai. Lady Suwa was the one who breached the subject of, "You know Suwa would be obligated to provided dowries for each girl? Fifteen would be a bit on the high side."
"Do you know how much rice we'd have to give away to get fifteen girls choice matches? We wouldn't make a profit for at least thirty years! Fifteen girls? No way! Over my dead body!" Lord Suwa raged.
"And is the price of rice an obstacle to your granddaughters' happiness? Think about their teary eyes when Kuro-grandpa-grumpy is stingy with the dowries and they can't get the boys of their dreams." he said, latching onto Lord Suwa's chest. Lady Suwa couldn't stop snickering at Fai's overly dramatic antics.
He pointed at Fai's head and said, "Hitomi, rescue me from this very expensive leech!" To which, she only burst out laughing.
"Don't worry. I have work to do before I start planning out your granddaughters' wardrobes," Fai said, scrambling across the floor and lofting the green, glowing magic puzzle. "I should go visit Yuui and let him know how close I'm coming."
"Kurogane and the reanimator of Celes took him out for some fresh air," Lord Suwa said, crossing his arms.
Fai took up the puzzle and flopped down beside King Ashura. "Oh that... The Earl of Sludge and Slugs infuriates me. I really can't stomach him." He turned his head to Ashura as his fingers flew over the orb. "When you get well, you better have that man horsewhipped and banished back to Valeria."
"I think the reanimator is quite a pleasant person," Lady Suwa said. Fai pouted as he continued the puzzle.
Ran drew his katana and lunged at Xing. She dodged and struck him with the flat of her hand, knocking him against a wall. He pushed off the wall and swung his katana upwards, nicking her cheek. Her arm shot out and caught Ran's neck. He was knocked to the ground beside Yuui.
"Be careful," Yuui begged Ran.
"What?" Ran sprang to his feel and lofted his katana to keep the witch at bay. "Why wold you say that to me?"
"I don't want you to get hurt! I want a chance to make things right between you and Fai."
Ran gasped and glanced at Yuui tucked away in a corner. His emotions were boiling in his mind. Guilt and shame started eating at him. "What's possessed me?"
Xing's foot kicked at his face. Ran sliced towards her leg and wounded her. She lofted her hand and red lightening crackled. Ran swung his sword in an arch and deflected the lightening.
"Give up your hostage. Fei-Wang requires him for our plans," Xing said in a bland tone.
"No. He's mine!" Ran said impassioned. He still felt a mad compulsion to keep Yuui. She ran toward Ran, drawing two daggers. Before she struck him, he thrust his katana deep into her stomach. She stilled and sank to the ground. He yanked his katana out of her stomach, just as Yuui screamed.
He turned to see Yuui gripping his head and shaking. "She dying, isn't she? I can feel it."
"Yeah, I had to kill her. She works for Fei-Wang and she would have killed me and taken you off."
"Fei-Wang?"
"He's a power-hungry wizard. He's not fond of your brother, so I'll keep you out of his hands."
Yuui frowned and said, "You aren't fond of my brother either."
Ran had a flair of anger at Yuui's impertinence. He heard horses approaching rapidly. He quickly grabbed Yuui's wrist and yanked him outdoors. "Damn!" Ran swore, noticing Kurogane and that other mage riding up. He hustled Yuui to his horse and dragged him up with him. He spurred his horse on further to the north.
"Careful," Kurogane warned, pulling back on the reins when he saw the fishing shack's door opened. Boris pulled up beside him. They slid off their horses and took up their weapons. They moved cautiously towards the shack and peered in.
"Xing Hou!" Kurogane quickly crouched by the bleeding woman. He could tell it was too late to save her, but he may get some answers. "Wake up, witch, and tell me what happened."
Her brown eyes drooped opened. "Your cousin... he is the one who is responsible." She gasped, blood trickling from her mouth.
"What were you doing here anyway?" Kurogane demanded.
"I was trying to capture the healer of Celes for Fei-Wang so we could bring your mage under control. Unfortunately... Fujimiya's heart is too deeply poisoned. His lust... and hate... too powerful to control..."
"Poison?" Kurogane asked, but Xing's head drifted to the side as she died. Kurogane got to his feet, and turned to Boris. "So Ran was here with Yuui."
"Now where would he go?"
"The next province is Toyota. He'll have to cross that one to get to Tsukiyono." They mounted their horses and Kurogane was able to find one set of hoof prints in the muddy ground. "That way!"
"So is your cousin insane or what? Slicing up that woman like that doesn't seem like something a right thinking person would do."
"I don't have a clue what's gotten into him, but don't feel bad for that woman. She would have handed Yuui over to a real madman. So at least Ran has a kernel of rational thought to resist her. This just isn't like him, though! Why is he doing all of this?"
"I don't pretend to know, but he better not so much as scratch Yuui. I won't be pleased," Boris said in an icy tone. Kurogane spurred his horse on, and they left quickly. He shook his head, marveling at how Ran was able to "charm" every foreign mage he met. The only blessing he could count was that King Ashura was unconscious. He shivered a little at picturing what would become of Ran if the ice king got a hold of him. No, that wouldn't be so pretty.
"Well, he can't be too far. Plus, he's riding double. It'll slow his horse down."
"So he killed Xing. What a shame," Fei-Wang said with an apathetic tone. "Enough of this playing around. Kyle, go deal with Ran and bring me his hostage. I want the mage of Celes under my control, so I can crush Mamoru Takatori and start my march towards Edo."
Fei-Wang didn't miss the nervous flash in his assistant's eyes. There was finally a greed that came to the man. In the end, he bowed and left in a red, hazy cloud.
"Please, stop and take me back to my family," Yuui pleaded. "I promise I'll say I went with you willingly if you just take me back now. I won't let you get into trouble."
Ran pulled the horse to a stop and looked around the woods. He adjusted Yuui so he wouldn't slip off the saddle. He had Yuui riding in front of him, sidesaddle. Ran felt inflamed again.
"Stop asking me that! You're going nowhere except where I say you go."
"Where are you taking me?" Yuui asked, sounding in utter misery and on the verge of tears.
"To my home. I'll have my sister look after you when I'm gone."
"Your sister? Won't she find my presence odd?"
"No, because you'll tell her you're there of your own free will."
"Why would I do such a thing?"
"Because I'll make peace with your brother and not try to kill him again if you agree to let me keep you."
"But Kurogane..."
"Screw Kurogane! He has his! I want mine!"
"But I'm not yours. I'm someone else's."
"You'll change your mind after a while. Your heart will change."
"No, sadly for you, it won't. I can finally admit it. I love Boris and nothing you can do will change that. Please let me do for you what I can, which is make peace between you and Fai so you can have an amiable relationship with him."
"Stop talking about Fai!"
"But he's the one that's causing all your pent up resentment."
Ran grabbed Yuui around the throat, causing the blond to gasp in wide-eyed shock. "You nag too much. Stop." Yuui nodded and then suddenly stiffened up. Ran let go of Yuui neck. "What is it?"
"Another person just appeared out of nowhere. It felt like when someone teleports magically near me. I just start picking up emotions suddenly."
Ran looked around. He couldn't spot anyone, but he did have a sense of being watched. He knew there was a hot springs village nearby with plenty of vacated spring houses. He'd have to switch horses soon, so he had to head there anyway. He'd keep Yuui clear of any locals; they'd all assume he was Fai if they saw him from a distance. He prodded his horse to the hot springs.
Kyle watched them from behind a tree. His drugging of Fujimiya had been extremely successful. Fujimiya, underneath those still, cool waters was a raging inferno of emotions, dark desires, and unrequited lust. Kyle couldn't have picked a more perfect person to test his drug on. All Fujimiya needed was the mechanism to ignore the rigid, social controls he maintained.
Kyle was about to follow Fujimiya, but two more riders appeared: Kurogane of Suwa and one of the other foreign mages. Both looked in a fury. Kyle then smiled when he saw them continue on right after Fujimiya. Kurogane of Suwa would be an excellent, next, test subject.
If worst came to worst, he could drug Kurogane, too, and get the cousins to do each other in. He felt in his dark brown kimono and found he had another vial ready to use on Kurogane.
The hot springs resort right over the border into Toyota province was renowned. Ran looked everything over from a small hill and guided his horse to one of the smaller, older hot spring sauna houses that was in disuse. This wasn't the season to use a hot spring houses. He felt good that it was deserted for the summer.
He saw in the distance the village that was supported by the hot springs' income. He knew he could get a fresh horse there and some broth for Yuui. The blond seem to be wilting and sweaty. Not only that, his tender skin seemed incredibly red. Yuui slumped against Ran's chest and struggled for breath.
"You come from a very dark world, don't you? I've heard it was nothing but a constant winter," Ran asked, warping an arm around Yuui's shoulders.
"Yes. Compared to this world. Much hotter than I'm used to. My skin hurts."
"I've found a place you can rest." Ran prodded his horse towards a small spring house on the western outskirts of a small village.
Boris was looking decidedly unconformable by the time they pulled up on the outskirts of the hot springs village. Boris dismounted his horse and slumped over, hands on his knees.
"What's wrong, reanimator?"
"The heat. It's almost unbearable." Boris seemed to draw on some inner strength and remounted his horse with a grimace. "Let's go!"
Sure enough, Kurogane now noticed Boris' skin was getting burnt, badly. He was afraid the man was so stubborn he'd dehydrate before they found Yuui and Ran. "Wait! I have something for you."
Kurogane dismounted his horse and looked around in the brush in the forest. He finally found the tiny, yellow flower he was looking for. He yanked a bunch of them up and walked them over to Boris. "Rub the flowers on your skin and eat a few of the leaves. It'll help protect your skin and keep you a little hydrated. I forgot it was was one of the first things I had to teach Fai. The first two weeks he was here his skin wouldn't stop peeling."
Boris did as he was told and got focused. "I'm fine now. Thanks. Let's find them."
"There are a lot of small spring houses, all abandon because they're used during the winter."
"We should split up and meet in the middle," Boris suggested.
"Good idea. His horse is a pure white stallion; you'll know it when you see it because of its superior quality. If you you see it, you know you're close. Fai used to be able to send a magical burst in the air to warn me to danger. I assume you can do the same? Only it'll be purple?"
"Yeah."
"Great. Let's go. You west, I'll get the east, meet in the middle. Sound good?"
"Fine by me." They split up and approached the hot spring houses from different sides.
Kyle decided to pursue Kurogane and drug him, and then he'd worry about the foreign mages and Fujimiya. He headed to the east of the hot spring houses and found Kurogane creeping up on the first one close by the the woods.
Kurogane felt Kyle's presence and swung his sword at the doctor's neck before he could throw the vial of his drug. He jumped back and clenched the vial, giving Kurogane a gloating expression.
"Having trouble with your cousin of late?"
Kurogane held Ginryuu in a two-handed grip and asked, "Yeah, you know something about it?"
"Oh yes, I had everything to do with it. The dupe doesn't even realize he's now a puppet to his repressed urges. Whatever evil whims lay deep in his heart are now flowing forth. There are no more rules he obeys."
"I knew it," Kurogane said. "Ran's a bitter, nasty hot-head, but he's not stupid enough to kidnap my mage's twin without something deluding him."
"Don't worry. I'll let you be my next test subject and you can enjoy the perfection your cousin has found," Kyle said, with an evil smile.
"Not a chance. Besides, I owe you and your boss for last time."
Yuui was sitting in a corner while Ran crouched in front of him. Ran was helping Yuui drink water from a ladle. Yuui's skin was starting to cool off. Ran placed his hand on Yuui cheek, but the blond flinched away and lowered his face. Ran took the water away from Yuui and set it aside. "Not too much. You'll get sick, and I want to get you to Tsukiyono soon.
"Please take me back to my father. He's very, very ill. I'm the only one that can heal him. Please think of your own father. Wouldn't you be upset if he were sick?"
He gripped the front of Yuui's black yukata and gave him a firm shake. "Don't mention my father after what your brother did to me!"
"What happened to cause so much anger?"
"There was a group of foreign mages that killed my parents. My honor demanded I avenge them, however your brother banished them back to the realm they came from. Now I have something I will demand of Fai. He bring back those foreign mages and let me avenge my parents."
"But all this bloodshed would only lead to more grief. Killing them won't bring back your parents. I know it's very painful for you, I can sense that. But if you learn to forgive..."
"And you've forgiven every wrong done to you in your life?" Ran asked. Yuui gasped at the question being turned back on him. He shook his head and lowered his eyes. "I thought so."
Ran stood up and started pacing. He clenched his fists to keep from doing something really dreadful to the blond at his feet. He started wanting to take the blond to the floor and satisfy his overwhelming lust.
"Ran, what is it you really want? In a perfect world what would you want to see?"
He paused and looked down at Yuui. "I'd want my parents avenged. I'd want my sister to be happy. I'd want to have a chance to free myself from both wanting and hating Fai. I'd free myself from Shion's overbearing ways." Ran felt some of the rage inside subside at his own honesty.
He knelt in front of Yuui and tried to caress Yuui's face, but he flinched the minute Ran's callous fingertips touched his cheek. Ran clenched his fists in frustration that Yuui wouldn't respond to his touches. He refocused on their conversation. Ran admitted, "No one has ever asked me that before."
"Please think all of what you're doing, though. How does taking me away from my family accomplish any of that? How does killing those who killed your family make you life any better? I can tell you Fai won't do as you ask. He'll only trick you and get back at you for taking me away. He holds powerful grudges, a lot like you. You have a sister you seem to care about. Wouldn't she rather you be happy than eaten up with anger and sorrow?"
"Aya is a good-hearted girl. I want to make her happy and proud."
"Do you think she'd take pride in you right now?"
"No, she wouldn't." Ran fell sick to his stomach imaging Aya's tears if she knew what he was doing to Yuui. He felt stiffness in the back of his neck, his stomach roiled with anxiety. His will felt as if it was drowning in blackness. It was finally extinguished like a candle's flame. He grabbed Yuui by the hair and yanked his head back and forced a deep kiss on the healer. His other hand fumbled with Yuui's clothing. His hand gripped Yuui's bare thigh to keep from getting kicked and then slid it higher, almost to Yuui's most intimate parts.
He couldn't wait any longer to have Yuui. He was going to take the blond healer as his own. No more waiting. He wanted to sate himself at Yuui's expense, and he didn't give a damn if Yuui wanted him or not. Ran took a moment to jerk his hair harder and said, "You run your mouth too much, like your brother. You better tame your tongue or I'll do it for you."
He shoved Yuui to the ground and felt himself get overheated and empty. He kept struggling to get Yuui under control. When Ran finally subdued Yuui, he pressed firmer, deeper kisses and gripped Yuui's upper thigh so hard it'd leave bruises. Good, as far as Ran was concerned, it'd train Yuui to not rebel or sass him. He felt the blond quiver. He parted slightly from the blond and gave him an inquisitive look.
But then a smile mysteriously came to Yuui's lips. "Boris!"
Ran hopped up and grabbed his katana. He swirled around and lofted his katana. The reanimator was leaning on the door post with his magic staff draped over his shoulder. He gave Ran an arrogant smirk and then let his eyes drift to Yuui. Ran could see fleeting anger in the man's eyes and then the mask was back on. This man was dangerous; Ran could sense it. He readied himself for a powerful fight.
Boris had seen the large, white stallion Kurogane had told him about. He had been standing outside of a small spring house on the west side of town. He slipped off his own, borrowed horse and got his staff. He had approached the spring house cautiously and peered in the door.
He felt wrathful when he saw how Ran was attempting to force himself on Yuui. And then to threaten Yuui into silence was beyond the pale. He was about to make his presence known, but somehow, Yuui's empathy picked him out. The healer looked so overjoyed and it touched Boris deeply when he appeared.
"So, Yuui, doing some sight seeing with me?" Boris asked. "I think I met your tour guide before. He finds your brother as delightful as I do, but I doubt we have much more in common."
"Please, Boris, be careful. He's not in his right mind."
"Obviously." Boris stood upright and got ready to fight. "Are you okay, Yuui?"
"I'm fine."
"Well, he won't be so fine in a minute," Boris said. "Come outside and face me like a man before I just fry you with a hex."
Ran smirked at him. "Yuui's mine and I'll defend my claim."
Boris gave a deep laugh. "So manly to bully a blind person. You really impress me. Do you pluck wings off flies, too, or just kick bunnies as a hobby?"
"You bastard! I'll face you! And I'll be the one keeping Yuui!"
Boris stepped aside, aching to give this swordsman the spanking he so richly deserved. "Fine. Let's play."
To be continued.
