Chapter Eighty-Three

Light snowflakes had just begun to dust the roof of Hiko's house when Kenshin closed the front door behind him. The inside of the small mountain home was warmer than the outside, but the temperature was not nearly high enough for Kenshin to be comfortable with. It had been the same last winter when he had stayed for training, but whenever he had tried to heat it himself, Hiko had complained. Making a face as he pulled off his shoes, Kenshin remembered Hiko complaining about it being too hot even when he hadn't used his internal flame to heat the house.

Maybe he's actually an ice dragon.

Muttering silently under his breath, he glanced up when Hiko yelled for him. Kaoru was already seated at the small dinner table, and her chin was turned back at him with a smile that touched her eyes.

"Make yourself useful and heat up some tea. Kamiya-san looks half-frozen"

Feigning a complacent smile, Kenshin's violet eyes closed. "Yes, Master."

"It's not that bad." Kaoru tried to argue, but when Kenshin came closer, a brush of his hand against her face proved that she was lying. Furtively, her eyes darted up at him, and she relented under his skeptical gaze. "Maybe it is a little cold."

"I won't be long." Pulling the hair charm from his pocket, he hooked it to her ponytail and hung it forward over her shoulder so that it was in plain view. Both of her hands latched to it gently, and she ran the long length of the braid through her fingers in a slow caress. It was warm against her skin.

"Is he okay?"

Affection unwittingly softened Kenshin's fake smile, and his lips tugged ruefully to one side.

"He's fine. A little water won't kill him."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could feel but ignored Hiko's assessing gaze. Turning on his heel, he walked unhurriedly to the kitchen where the komainu were already getting the kettle ready for him to heat the water. A small tray of snacks was being prepared as well. Back in the other room, he heard Hiko ask about her family.

"You didn't tell us Kaoru-san was a human, Ken-nii." Ayame's input was a statement, but there was an obvious question woven within it. Offering her a small smile, Kenshin took the kettle of water from Suzume when she offered it.

"I didn't know until a few months ago. How… did you two find out?"

"We asked, of course."

Suzume nodded.

"It was easy to tell, Nii-san. We've always found humans to be very compassionate and curious creatures. It's why Master Hiko likes them so much."

"I see…" Bracketing the kettle in both hands, Kenshin turned his back to the two lion-dogs to place it on the stovetop for stability.

"They also have a unique presence. We used to get a lot of human visitors here, before the war." Ayame picked up a plate of cookies and directed her sister to bring a plate of crackers. "They came to the Master for guidance."

"They knew he was up here?" Surprised, Kenshin poured the hot water into a waiting tea pot.

"Mmhmm. They used to bring gifts, too. Sometimes for us!"

"The children were our favorites. They played with us whenever they came."

Suzume nodded despondently.

"I miss being called 'Big Sis'."

Kenshin's chin lowered guiltily into his chest. He had always hated humans, until Kaoru, but these two had loved them for centuries.

"Shall I start calling you Big Sis?" The question was half-teasing and half-serious, but both komainu denied him immediately.

"It doesn't sound right coming from you."

The flat refusal was a bit cutting, but he laughed over the passing snub and followed them into the other room with the tea pot and cups in hand. Kaoru's lively expression revealed that they were speaking on something she was passionate about, and Hiko's now dark eyes watched her attentively as she spoke. With the suppression of his dragon features, his hair and irises were once more jet black, and his skin was smooth in the absence of scales.

"My father taught me Kamiya Kasshin-ryu from a really young age."

"Hmm. I could tell by the way you move that you are well-trained. He must have been a great teacher." The calm rumble of his voice was neither over-complimentary nor mocking, but was instead thoughtful as he allowed Kaoru to speak as much as she wished. It was a foreign tactic to Kenshin, coming from Hiko, as he was used to the hermit dragon coming at him head on.

"He was! Everyone agreed! Well… until all of the students quit." All of the energy appeared to drain from her face, but then her sapphire eyes darted up to flicker over Kenshin and her wide smile reappeared. "Kenshin's been helping me train lately. He's a great teacher, too."

Hiko's dark eyes tilted curiously in his direction and Kenshin unwittingly froze for two seconds. Those eyes felt uncomfortably like they were judging him. Closing red lashes again to feign a smile, he forced his foot forward to show no weakness in front of this man who tended to exploit them mercilessly.

"Is that right?"

"Uh-huh." Kaoru was too happy to share to notice that Hiko's attention had shifted to studying Kenshin. Of course, she herself was too preoccupied with watching the fire demon to take much notice. When Kenshin knelt next to her and placed the tray with the tea on the table, her grin widened so hard her teeth flashed at them. "He's a lot stricter than he looks."

"Is he hard on you?"

Finally, Kaoru blinked and turned her attention back to Hiko. She nodded easily without hesitation.

"As he should be. My dad was strict, too. I don't want or need to be babied, and I learn best under strict guidance. Besides," her grin came back in ornery delight, "training with Kenshin is a lot of fun."

Tea was served to Kaoru first as she explained how she preferred to be trained, and was then provided to Hiko and the lion-dogs before Kenshin poured tea into his own cup last. In direct contrast to her warm words and expression, Kaoru reached for her cup with visibly trembling fingers. Worried that she might burn her tongue while so preoccupied, Kenshin intercepted with a soft warning.

"Let the tea cool, Miss Kaoru."

Sitting back on his heels, Kenshin took both of her cold hands in his and rubbed her knuckles to generate warmth. Ayame sat up and pushed the plate of cookies towards them with a happy smile.

"Have some cookies first."

"Thanks!" Since her hands were captured, she didn't actually reach for the sweets, but her gaze eagerly picked out which one she wanted. In that moment of reprieve, Hiko shifted his attention between Kenshin and the affectionate tinge of red on the human girl's cheeks.

"What happened to your family, Kamiya-san?"

Violet irises darted up and over at the same time that Kaoru's features fell. This was what Kenshin had worried about explaining to the water dragon. Necromancy was forbidden, and it was against natural law to allow a revived soul to reside within the living world. Most everyone, outside of their small group of friends who already knew and accepted Kaoru as she was, would find it unnatural for her to be alive. Worse, as a dragon, there was a certain level of responsibility Hiko had as a sacred being to protect life, and revived souls were historically detrimental to those living. When Kenshin tried to speak, however, Kaoru pulled one hand free of his grasp and placed it on top of his to stay his response. Quickly, his eyes lowered to her touch and then lifted to study her face. Kaoru was looking directly and steadily at Hiko, and Kenshin averted his gaze in shame and remained silent.

"I don't know." There was something heartbreaking about the way she spoke the truth, and Kenshin's chest twisted painfully. "I hope… they lived to old age." Her tone was sadly optimistic, and her smile even partially returned. Squeezing his eyes shut, Kenshin knew her hope was most likely misplaced. The war had started the day she had died. More likely than not, her parents had died long before old age would have caught up with them.

"You hope they lived." Hiko repeated the words as if to point out the way her past-tense had betrayed her. "Kamiya-san… I have met and conversed with thousands of humans throughout my long life. Humans have very specific auras that are much different than our kind. They are not muddied by special powers or energy, but are in fact pure and untainted at their core. You are most definitely human. There is no question. However, there is something… distinct about your aura. It is one I am very familiar with, even if you yourself seem to be unaware of it." Something gentled in Hiko's voice, and his hand extended across the table. "You must have been lost for a long time for your form to appear this way. If you are looking for a home, I am happy to take you in here. My mountain is safe and protected, and you would not be alone."

Kaoru's dark eyebrows lifted into her hair, and she looked between the offered hand and Hiko's patient expression in confusion.

"Um… tha-nk you…" She chewed her lip uncomfortably and answered just as awkwardly as she felt. "I'm flattered, really, but I'm committed to staying with Kenshin."

"Hiko-sama." Displeasure soaked the address and turned the respectful title into something threatening. "I did not bring Miss Kaoru here to leave her. I only need your assistance in keeping her safe while I figure out what can be done about the Sky Emperor."

The water dragon's kind countenance tightened with a frown, and Hiko sat back. He said nothing for a long time, and instead continued to study Kaoru as she now shifted uneasily under his scrutiny.

"My mistake." He sounded unconvinced, but eventually tore his narrowed eyes away from the girl and turned to focus his attention on Kenshin. "I saw the alert claiming you two to be terrorists. What did you do to piss off that old bastard now?"

For now, it appeared they were going to bypass Kaoru's history, which was perfectly fine with Kenshin. He preferred to explain it when it was just the two of them and he could judge Hiko's reaction.

"I don't know, but his intentions are not to imprison us. I was fortunate enough to receive a warning from someone inside the palace, and we were able to escape before we were cornered in my apartment." Bowing his head over the table, Kenshin stared at the wood grain as he asked forgiveness. "I apologize for bringing this trouble to your home, but there was nowhere else I could think to go that would be safe from the Emperor. I only need a couple of weeks, and perhaps some guidance, to finish my transition."

"Transition?" Kaoru had just picked up her cup of tea, but frowned at him over the rim. "To what?" Violet eyes glanced at her, but lifted a hand under the lip of the table to stall her line of questioning for later. She pursed her lips, but unwillingly obliged him.

Partaking in his own tea, Hiko sat the cup down and sighed low in his throat.

"I'm sorry, boy, but that's not going to happen."

Stiffening defensively, Kenshin scowled.

"Are you denying us your protection?"

"No. You are welcome here for as long as you need, but I'm afraid you won't be transitioning anytime soon. You're still healing."

Enlightenment dawned, and Kenshin's tense features loosened in defeat.

"It's because my core's too damaged." Vaguely, words from a dream whispered in the back of his mind, and he was reminded that he wasn't wounded so much as missing a piece of his core. Shaking his head on a growl of defiance, he sat up straighter. "I can handle a little pain. I'll fight through it."

Hiko shook his head gravely. "You won't grow any further until that wound has healed, and forcing a transition with your core that damaged might kill you. At the least, it would cause some other irrevocable damage to your body and possibly your soul. I expected you wouldn't be able to surpass this threshold immediately, but you did well to reach it so soon."

Numb to the compliment, Kenshin dug his blunt nails into his palms, and glared down at his lap.

"Are you telling me there's nothing I can do to keep Miss Kaoru safe on my own?"

"Kenshin…" Kaoru's soft voice threaded through his ears, and her still cool fingers touched his forearm. Hiko grunted before she could say anything more, and he stood up from the table to stare down at his idiot student with disappointment in his eyes.

"Don't be so dramatic, boy. You don't have to do anything on your own, and you don't have to be a dragon to defeat one." Motioning for the komainu to clear the table, he turned to walk out the back. "It's late. Get what sleep you can. We start training again at dawn."

X

Something soft and light tickled the back of Tomoe's neck, and her heavy eyelids blinked open like someone had tied weights to them. Comfortable warmth heated her front, but, in contrast, her back was chilled unevenly wherever it was exposed. Every one of her muscles ached from sleeping in an upright posture, but she didn't move to stretch them. In fact, she never wanted to move again. Letting her leaden lashes fall, she listened affectionately to the solid heartbeat of the man she adored and tangibly felt her love for him grow.

His beautiful, dark feathers embraced her, and the ebony gloss of their texture glowed like the deepest ink in the early morning light. Strong arms held her to his chest, even while relaxed in sleep, and she felt safe and secure for the first time in days. Soft, warm breath feathered her forehead, and her heart throbbed in painful joy. This man, so sweet, so earnest, had refused to share her bed, which was why they sat together in her small living space. While his denial had confused and stung at first, now with the shadows of night gone, she smiled softly to herself and hugged her arms around his ribs tighter.

"I will share your bed, Tomoe-san, when you are my wife and not before."

Such a claim told her a few things about who he was. While he had recognized her desperation and had willingly offered her comfort through it, he had not allowed it to taint their relationship. He had, in fact, refused to join her in that desperation, and thereby protected her from rash decisions. Being intimate with her when her emotions were not calm would have changed that first interaction from a cherished memory to sorrowful regret. It would have felt less like a mutual act, and more like a coercion. As if she had guilted him into sleeping with her. Akira had recognized that, and had successfully steered them away from heartache.

His words also confirmed that he was a bit old-fashioned and highly-respectful. While it might have appeared outdated to others, the knowledge that he wished to wait to be in a physical relationship made Tomoe feel valued and not disposable. He was serious about their relationship, and had committed himself to treating her like a woman he wanted, not just for physical intimacy, but for every aspect of his life. It was not a shallow show for the benefit of others, quite simply because no one else knew about it. Which made his dedication all the more sincere. She already knew he found her desirable. That was certainly not a concern. Previous interactions had easily confirmed his own difficulties with holding onto those principles he had set for himself. But his desire for her was not uncomplicated lust, and that made all the difference.

Last, but certainly not least, his words had quietly and simply confirmed that he wanted to marry her. Without even having been asked yet, Tomoe already knew that she wanted to say to yes. Nothing would make her happier than to marry this man. Right that very minute, if he agreed.

A single needle of anguish pierced her contentment, and she turned her nose into his chest as her emotions plummeted like a rock into the ocean. There was a high possibility that she would not live to become his wife. Fighting back tears, she parted now clumped lashes and stared blankly at the wing blocking her view. Entertaining miserable thoughts, her heart sank further into despair.

You are not good enough for this beautiful man, anyway. Tilting her chin up, she looked despondently upon his sleeping features. A sad smile tugged at her lips, and she sniffled softly. I thought crows were only attracted to sparkly things. How can he love me?

"I'm just a lump of coal." The degrading observation whispered from her mouth, and she expected no response. Almost immediately, however, a crease formed between his brows, and his arms tightened even as his dark lashes parted to gaze down at her.

"No, you're not."

Inhaling shakily, she fought for a smile.

"I didn't know you were awake. Would you… like breakfast?"

Her attempt to brush the topic aside failed when he stopped her from pulling away. Concern colored every inch of his face, but his eyes darted back and forth between her own. A sure sign that he was struggling to find the right words to say. A strong and powerful daitengu he might have been, but he was still her gentle and clumsy scientist.

"Do you… not like who you are, Tomoe-san?"

Any response she might have given stalled in her throat, and she lowered her gaze from his. She had never hated herself before. In fact, she had always felt content with the way that she was. That feeling was gone now, though, and she was left floundering in its absence. Something had shifted inside of her after Sojiro had blackmailed her cooperation. Despite her determination to see her part through, to glean as much information from that shadow demon as she could in order to save Kaoru's life, she was on the verge of despising who she currently was. After all, he had targeted her for a reason, and she knew it was because she was weaker than the others.

"I love who you are."

The simple statement drew her eyes back to his briefly, but his gentle smile only made her feel ashamed. Slowly, his arms loosened, and silence descended between them. Long moments later, the tentative brush of his fingers wiped away a stray tear on her cheek.

"Did you know…?" Softly, his tone projected into the stillness of her apartment, slightly nervous but earnest, like he always was. "That coal is just carbon?" A soft sigh exhaled from between her lips. "A-and so are diamonds."

"Akira-kun… diamonds are not made from coal. That's an old misconception."

"T-that's not necessarily true. It's just not very likely since most diamonds take millions of years to form and are made up of the purest form of carbon." His words were rushed now as he tried to explain.

"Whereas coal is full of impurities." Her counter-argument dropped his shoulders.

"W-well, yes, but… at its purest form, coal turns into graphite. It's not likely that graphite turns into diamonds, either, of course, but just because it's not likely doesn't mean it's impossible. All it would need is the right environment and circumstances."

Pushing herself away from his chest, Tomoe frowned.

"I don't understand what you're trying to say."

His anxious energy released slowly, and he stared into her slightly accusing features with a growing smile. Both of his gentle hands lifted to cup her cheeks, and his stormy eyes sparkled with pure excitement.

"Carbon is such a versatile element with such a beautiful range of final forms. It can do so many things, and have so many purposes. You are not just a lump of coal. You are an uncultivated form of carbon with so much potential. You could be anything you want, Tomoe-san. You could do anything that you want. Such limitless possibilities are rare and wonderful. Everyday I am with you, I feel so underserving. I am but a crow, and you are an unrivaled treasure."

Coal black eyes stared into and through his own as she absorbed what he was saying. Her powers had always been minimal, but she had thought herself quite proficient at using them.

Is he suggesting I could change the shape of my constitution? That's… that's ludicrous!

But what if it wasn't? What if she could? She had always focused on being a coal demon, and her powers had developed naturally within that context. Coal was just carbon, as he had said. What if she tried to develop her powers within that context. Trying certainly wouldn't hurt anything.

If I could change, even just a little, could I do more than just submit to this path? Could I change it, as well? Is it alright… for me to imagine a future with this man?

Unfocused pupils locked back onto his features so suddenly that Akira froze, but Tomoe smiled like the sun appearing from behind dark clouds.

"I love you, Akira-kun." His weight shifted, and her fingers curled into the collar of his dark yukata for stability. With his hands still bracketing her face, he pressed their foreheads together and visibly trembled with happiness.

"Come back to the Tengu Clan village with me. Your brother is already there. We can bring your father, as well, to be safe. I want you there, with me. I… I want you to meet my mother."

Closing her eyes to cling to this wonderful feeling of warmth and comfort, Tomoe stalled for as long as she could before she shook her head.

"Thank you so much for looking after my little brother." A shaky breath filled her lungs, but her voice, when she continued, was filled with conviction. "I can't go with you. Not today…" Steadied, and now certain of what she needed to do, black lashes lifted to reveal her normally composed gaze was tinged with joy. "But please take me there later. I would love to meet your mother."

Akira looked more worried than crestfallen, and his hands lowered to grasp her shoulders.

"If you can't go, then let me stay with you."

Her head shook again, and this time humor lifted the corners of her eyes.

"You may have silenced your phone, Akira-kun, but it still vibrates every time someone calls or sends a message. I've lost count of how many times you've ignored it since last night."

His mouth opened to argue, but she lifted a hand to place over his lips.

"Your clan needs your guidance, and I am needed here right now." Briefly her eyes dipped downward in sorrow. "I thought cutting ties with you would be the best way for both of us to accomplish what was necessary, but I was wrong. Because I know you are waiting for me, I can do what needs to be done. I know it's selfish, but… will you wait for me, Akira-kun?"

"Of course." There was something so very serious about his response that her heart skipped. "It's just…" Suddenly, he looked very sheepish. "I promised your brother I would bring you with me. I'm afraid he won't allow our relationship if I fail."

A light giggle tickled her throat, and she leaned forward to kiss him gently on the cheek.

"I'll call Enishi later and talk to him."

"Will you… be staying here or the lab? Honestly, I'd feel better if you were inside of Takani-sensei's barrier."

Her smile lessened, but she forced it to remain in her eyes. She couldn't tell him where she would be or what she would be doing. There was no telling what Sojiro would do to Kaoru if he thought any of their actions would interfere with his plans. At the very least, she knew he would take Kaoru away, and Tomoe knew that she was safest with Kenshin. For now, Sojiro was allowing her to stay with Kenshin, which meant he did not believe Kenshin could stop him. From Tomoe's perspective, Sojiro was a fool to dismiss Kenshin's strength and determination so easily. Which made her wonder why he did. Was it only because of whatever dangerous timebomb she had inside her chest, was it the revived soul of Kenshin's father, or was there something else?

In order to find out, she knew that she needed to go with that lurking shadow demon without interference.

"I planned to head to the lab first thing this morning. I… already packed." A hand was lifted towards her suitcase, and Akira nodded to accept her inference without argument.

"Good. I'll take you there before I leave."