[Sandcastles and Fireworks]

Erion felt Yuji's thick cock against his ass, but instead of his usual desire for Yuji, Erion found himself quite close to a small panic attack. He quickly calmed himself before alarming Kansas, wriggling around to face Yuji with a rueful little grin.

"I've missed you, too, baby, but..." Erion's voice trailed off and he looked over at the thin curtain that separated them from Satoru. "I can't. I just can't. All I can picture is atararim's face, and my stomach feels like it's full of lead and my dick is made of fail." He touched Yuji's cheek gently, his silver eyes begging Yuji to understand. "I'm sorry, baby."

Yuji giggled a little bit at the way Erion worded his refusal, but he smiled at the young elf, stroking his cheek softly, whispering, "It's alright. I understand. He's quite close, so we won't do anything. You want to cuddle?"

Kansas peeked around the corner of the curtain and hissed at them, "You old perv. Can't you keep it in your pants until you're at least at home? Sofu is sleeping right there, you moron."

Yuji looked up at Kansas and stuck his tongue out at the youngster, who grinned back, with a mock frown, but then he bent down and dragged the other futon closer and whispered to Erion, "Do you want to cuddle with Yuji or just with me?"

Erion slipped into Kansas's arms with a little sigh. "I think I'll just cuddle with you, 'lokiamin, if that's okay. I'm really sort of tired, and feeling out of it." Kansas could feel the small ripple of relief that ran through Erion as he curled up in Kansas's embrace.

Kansas wrapped his arms around Erion and nodded, prodding the futon into place against the wall with his foot, and stuck his tongue out at Yuji over Erion's shoulder with a grin.

"Let's go to sleep, isilmeamin. That old pervert can just jerk off to the thought of us naked," Kansas said with an impish grin and helped Erion down on the futon, then lay down behind him and cradled Erion tightly against his chest.

Yuji blew a quiet raspberry at them, but then he turned around on his own futon and reached his hand out to touch their heads, stroking their hair softly. He leaned over Erion and kissed him lovingly, then kissed Kansas quickly, whispering, "Alright, you two. I'll just be old and perverted and jealous on my own futon. Sleep well, my loves. I'm sorry, Erion, I didn't mean to upset you. Good night."

"I wasn't," Erion began, and then sighed deeply. "I'm not upset. It's just all weird right now. I love you, Yuji. You're my only old pervert, you know that." He sounded a bit forlorn as he sighed again. "Please don't take it to heart. I think I just need to get a good night's rest, and I'll feel better."

Yuji laughed quietly, soothing Erion's silver hair, and looked the little elf right in the eyes, his voice full of love, "I didn't take it to heart, my sweet Erion. Don't worry about it. You are not the first sweet little thing to turn me down, although I think that was the cutest let down I've gotten so far. Kansas usually just kicks me out of bed, and Satoshi scoots away until he falls out of bed."

Yuji smiled lovingly and leaned over to kiss Erion again, not pushing for anything, just teasing a loving kiss over Erion's lips and then stroked his silver hair once again, his eyes brimming with love. "Now go to sleep and have a good night's rest. You deserve it."

Kansas smacked Yuji on the top of the head with his flat palm and growled teasingly, "Now git, you old perv. Good night, Yuji and sleep well."

Yuji smacked a quick kiss to Kansas's lips and then lay down on his futon, his hand reaching across the floor to continue stroking the silver and raven heads lovingly.

"Good night, Yuji. Good night, 'lokiamin. Sleep well, my loves." Erion let himself drift slowly into his reverie, the warmth of Kansas around him and the gentle stroking of his hair by Yuji relaxing the young elf quickly.

As tired as Erion was, he did not manage to stay in reverie for long. Satoru made a small noise, a machine beeped, and Erion found himself awake, wrapped comfortably in Kansas's arms. He snuggled closer, hoping to be able to relax back into reverie, but Erion simply could not seem to drift off, and he sighed almost silently as he gently extricated himself from Kansas's embrace and decided to get some cool sweet tea, or water.

Sand was awake as well, sitting at the side of Satoshi's bed, his blue eyes glittering briefly in the moonlight as he turned his head when Erion walked past. Erion snagged a bottle of water and came over to perch on the arm of Sand's chair, looking at Satoshi as he slept. Every now and then, a tiny wrinkle would crease Satoshi's brow, or he would almost seem to smile, evidence that he slept and had not slipped back into a coma.

"You should take some reverie, toror' en' atara'amin." Erion reached out to stroke Sand's silky hair as his uncle smiled gently. Erion's voice was so soft that only elven ears would have registered it, and Satoshi did not even stir. "You're not going to be any good to him if you're exhausted."

"I am fine for now, ai'edhel." Sand motioned for Erion to curl up with him on the chair. "You have not been so well, I think, but you are better now?" Sand arched an eyebrow, and Erion sighed as he slipped into his uncle's arms.

"It's been..." Erion's voice trailed off and he took a deep breath. "Can you feel me? Do you sense the blood bond between us?"

"You ripple along the Weave, Erion. You are also Yuki, and he is an eldarin godling." Sand stroked Erion's hair affectionately. "So, when I feel my eldest nephew flirt with fading, I tend to notice, even if I am otherwise engaged."

"Ah. Yes. That." Erion took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He had forgotten that Sand sensed the most minor ripples in the Weave now, and did not need to feel the blood bond that Erion felt.

"You know about Kansas's past." It was not a question, and Erion continued before Sand could have responded anyway. "This whole accident rocked Kansas badly, and he hid inside Puppy for a while. It was the easiest place to be, because he didn't have to love Satoshi there. He didn't have to know Satoshi yet."

Sand nodded, his long fingers sliding through Erion's silver hair. "Did he know you?"

Erion shook his head. "I didn't realize that at first. He was busy pleasing all the adults, and I was just another adult that had to be pleased. He offered himself to me, and I was stupid enough to think that I was making love to Kansas. He cried afterward, and I hated myself." Erion brushed away a stray tear that beaded on his lashes. "After that, I just couldn't. I mean, I was totally unable to get hard with him. I suppose that was for the best, you know?"

Sand pressed a kiss to the top of Erion's head. "It most likely was, Erion. But do not blame yourself overmuch. Puppy can be beguiling and very attractive. It was what he was trained to be, as sickening as that notion is for us."

Erion shivered a little. "Anyway, a few days later, the day Satoshi went into the real coma, he came home and he was showering. I helped him dry off, and he got all insistent about wanting sex. I tried to deflect him, and that's when it happened." Erion fell silent, his breath hitching. "Even when it was happening, I kept telling myself it wasn't what it seemed to be, that he wasn't actually... forcing me. Oh, fuck." Erion began to cry silently. "I can't even say it. But that's what it was."

"Puppy raped you." Sand voice was very gentle. "And yet, you have not faded. You are so very strong, Erion. There are not many of us who can resist the need to fade."

"How did you do it? You didn't fade. You managed to resist." Erion asked, looking up at Sand, his expression pleading. "You talk about yours so calmly."

Sand smiled and stroked the tears from Erion's cheeks. "I was raped as I fled Luskan, and it was a price I was willing to pay to be free of that cesspool. That man used my body, but he never touched me. I was still Sand en Nosse Iradil, mage and elf of Evereska. I would not allow him the victory of hurting me. Flesh is simply the cloak the soul wears, and it can heal." Sand looked into Erion's eyes. "You made that choice as well. I see it in your eyes. Tell me."

"It wasn't Kansas. It was Puppy." Erion took a deep breath, the tears slowing, trying not to stutter on the ugly words. "It was Puppy who raped me, because Puppy was made to do that to the younger puppies, to punish them. And it wasn't me he raped. I was just another puppy, who needed to be taught a lesson."

"Yes, Erion. That is the truth of it. I see it." Sand smiled again, encouraging Erion. "And when Kansas awoke?"

"Oh, Seldarine," Erion breathed. "He nearly faded as well, when he realized what had happened. And then I slapped him, and screamed at him. It stopped him from fading, at least, even if I'm not exactly proud of that, either." Erion's eyes were wide in the dim room. "He wanted to commune. He showed me what Satoshi meant to him, and I showed him what he meant to Satoshi. He can't see it, most of the time. He has no idea how perfect he is, and he didn't know they have a bond between them already."

"No, he is much like Satoshi in that regard," Sand said, and the love in his voice warmed Erion. "They will learn, when we have told them often enough." He looked at Erion with a wry smile. "You have no idea how much you amaze me, though. I was a great deal older than you when I had to come to an understanding with my own rape. You are not more than a breath away from your elflinghood, and you prevailed. You are perfect yourself, young elf."

Erion ducked his head, his cheeks flaming. "I just listened to my heart, and it told me to hold on. Half the time, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be an elf or a human, anyway, so maybe it was easier because of that. Or maybe I'm just too damned stubborn to let myself fade. Kansas and I shouldn't pay the price for what was done to Puppy, and I can't blame Puppy for what he did, either. He just did what he had to, to survive. I just know that I love Kansas, and I wasn't giving up on us."

"And now? How are things between you?" Sand asked as Erion let his head rest on Sand's shoulder.

"We're taking it slow, like we did when we first met in Evereska. We kiss, and touch, and taste, but we haven't made love yet. I think I'm ready, though. I want him, and I want to give myself to him." Erion felt the truth of that fill him as he said it. He did want Kansas, and he did want to make love to Kansas, to be filled by his lover and to scream out his pleasure and joy.

"Do not worry too much about turning Yuji down, then," Sand murmured, his voice rich with love and amusement in equal measure. "I think he will survive, and I think you have chosen wisely, to allow Kansas to be your first once again."

Erion relaxed all at once, knowing that Sand was right, and he was right to wait until he and Kansas could make love. He looked up at Sand, his face radiant as he gave his uncle a hug before sitting up. "Thank you. Thank you for understanding and for listening to me. I'm going to go back and snuggle up with my Kansas. I think I can reverie now."

Erion gave Sand a last hug and a kiss on the cheek, and Sand stroked Erion's hair one last time, watching his remarkable young nephew slip back onto the futon, Kansas smiling in his sleep as he gathered Erion close to himself. Sand was sure that Kansas would come to him at some point as well, and he hoped he would find the right words to reassure that other remarkable young man that nothing had been broken. On the contrary, it seemed to Sand that the bond between Kansas and Erion was stronger than ever, something that pleased Sand more than he could say.

Vale looked up as Kohaku walked into the waiting room, hesitant, oversized dark glasses hiding most of his face. Emiko was right behind him, with Fuji and Kaede, and Vale stood to greet them, his smile sweet and welcoming.

"I'm so glad you made it. Satoshi is due to wake up any minute now, if he keeps to his schedule." Vale opened his arms to hug Emiko, kissing her cheek warmly.

Kohaku nodded his head slowly, tugging at the cuffs of his jacket, and looking around nervously, while Emiko greeted Vale warmly, and Fuji tugged on Vale's sleeve, asking quietly, "Akira-san, is Ryuu here?"

Kaede wrapped her arms around Vale's legs and squealed happily, "Akira-san. Is Aika and Hikaru here, too? I want to see them. I'm going to marry Hikaru soon. Aika said she's going to talk to him."

Vale laughed and scooped Kaede up as he smiled at Fuji and bent to kiss her cheek. "Ryuu is here, and should be back in a moment. He went with Yuki-san and Tetsuo-san to get more juice and tea. Of course, this meant that Hikaru had to go, and Aika went to keep an eye on Hikaru."

Fuji nodded, brightening up when she heard that Falon was with them as well. Kaede giggled again, delighted to hear that her very best friend and her betrothed were both around.

Vale looked at Kaede, giving her a kiss on her cheek. "So, you are going to marry my Hikaru, are you? He's very lucky to be getting such a perfect princess as his bride."

Emiko made an amused scoff, and held out her hands for Kaede, winking at Vale. "Yeah, let's just hope they are still this in love after fifteen years or so. How about that, Akira-san. Now, girls, what do you say we go and take a peek at Masato-san. I bet he'll be happy to see you both."

Fuji hugged Vale happily and dashed off ahead of her mother, while Kaede waved at Vale enthusiastically, telling him loudly, "I promise I'll be just as much in love with Hikaru-chan in fifty years."

Emiko smothered a giggle in Kaede's shoulder while she walked down the hallway, and Kohaku scratched the back of his head as he started to follow.

"Kohaku-san, wait up," Vale said, catching up to the tall Japanese man. Kohaku had always been willowy, but he seemed painfully thin, as though he had not been eating much at all, and his eyes remained hidden behind the diva glasses. "Let the girls say hello first. Come and have a smoke with me, and then we'll go in and see Satoshi. He should definitely be awake by then."

Kohaku looked up at Vale with a pained look, and his hands trembled ever so slightly, but then he nodded and followed Vale to the smoking area. He nervously plucked at the cuffs of his sleeves, and his hands shook when he lit up his cigarette, and he looked almost like he was trying to hide inside his jacket.

"You look like shit, Kohaku-san." Vale lit his cigarette and leaned back, reaching out to take Kohaku's free hand, to keep it from worrying his hair ends, his sleeve cuffs, and his shirt buttons. "What's going on? I promise, we're going to get Satoshi back on his feet and making music."

Kohaku's hand trembled in Vale's grip, and the singer looked up at Vale with a sigh. He raised his sunglasses up on his head, to reveal deep dark circles under his bloodshot and red-rimmed eyes, and his voice was hoarse. "Am I that obvious, huh? I've just been so worried about him. I haven't been sleeping properly, and my appetite is just gone."

Kohaku sighed and leaned against the wall beside Vale, keeping his voice low. "You know, I've always loved him so much. Ever since the first day we met. He was this newly graduated low level engineer at the studio, who Matsu had convinced his father, he couldn't do anything without. So, when I get moved over to Matsu's studio, Matsu insists that Satoshi should work with me. And Satoshi told me right off the bat that he was a fan."

Kohaku smiled happily at the memory, and ran a hand over his eyes. "I immediately thought he was another suck up, so I put on my full on diva act, and Satoshi just told me to shut the fuck up, and that he wouldn't work with me, if I couldn't behave myself. He made me laugh so much, that I couldn't breathe. Ever since I've adored him. And it only took a couple of years for that to develop into physical attraction as well. And now, I live every day in the fear that I'll lose him. Not just in the 'he'll die' sense, but in the sense that he won't be able to play guitar again."

Kohaku sniffled a little, small tears pearling in his lashes, and he suddenly pushed his left sleeve up and showed his scarred wrist to Vale, tracing the surgical scars with one thin finger. "Look at these. I started playing guitar when I was about ten, and I loved it. It was the very reason I went into music, honestly. But during my debut years, I was doing drugs and fell down a flight of stairs. My wrist shattered, and the surgeries only made it worse, so I had to give up the guitar. I sometimes play when I'm writing, but I can never do it for long at a time."

"Why didn't you tell me this when Satoshi was first injured?" Vale asked, his green eyes so gentle and warm that Kohaku sobbed a little. "You must have been going crazy with worry, and I was telling you all the wrong shit."

Vale pulled Kohaku into a hug. "Fuck's sake, we're family. Satoshi loves you, which would be good enough all by itself, but we've all decided we love you and Emiko and the girls. Hells, my son is marrying your daughter, apparently."

Vale lowered his voice, pulling Kohaku forward until their foreheads were touching. "So, because you're family, I'll let you in on something. You already know we're a little odd, and I don't mean the bed hopping and shit. Some of Satoshi's fingers were broken and others damaged, you heard that the first night, but I have contacts, doctors who can fix that. They operate on the cutting edge of what's possible medically. It's a lot of things that are still in development, but they've pulled off miracles for us."

Kohaku sobbed softly, some of the tension leaving his body, and he looked up into Vale's eyes, a little startled as always by the sparkling green depths. "You mean the doctors that cured Yuji's cancer? And they did something for Satoshi's uncle too, didn't they? I never asked what it was, but Satoshi mentioned something about his arm being fixed," Kohaku said quietly, a faint flicker of hope in his eyes.

Vale nodded. "Exactly. Yuji was terminal, and they killed the damned cancer and gave him back to us. And Satoshi's uncle? It was Yori, who's now his husband. His arm was injured, and then the surgeons botched the operation to repair it, and added nerve damage. He spent fifteen years in agony, losing himself to drugs and alcohol, his arm useless."

Kohaku stared at Vale, his voice filled with awe when he answered, "Hell, his arm was paralyzed? For how long?"

"For nearly fifteen years," Vale replied soberly. "He couldn't use it at all, couldn't feel anything in the hand or arm, nothing. It was such a tragedy, and I know he hated what the drugs made him become, but the pain from the damaged nerves in the shoulder was unendurable without them. They sent this serum over, and Yuji's sister administered it, and damned if it didn't work."

Vale stroked Kohaku's hair gently. "They are very low key, and don't want a lot of publicity about what they do, and Satoshi may even be a test case. But honestly, I'd rather be a guinea pig for these guys than try all the conventional treatments that can't promise to fix things."

Vale smiled a little. "I'm not in the business of false hope, Kohaku-san, but I've seen what they can do. If they can restore muscle that's been damaged and atrophied for fifteen years, they can fix Satoshi's hands and arm so he can play again. And if they can't, I'll find someone who can."

Kohaku stared wide eyed at Vale, but there was not a hint of disbelief in his dark eyes. He flexed his ruined left hand a little and smiled a little bit. "I believe you, Akira-san. I have no doubt that you will not rest until you have Satoshi back to the way he was. You've even given me hope that someday I might be able to play again too. This injury has bothered me since it happened. There is no nerve damage that I know of, but the bones and ligaments never healed properly. It usually aches when it's cold outside. Thank you, Akira-san. Thank you for giving me back my hope."

Kohaku embraced Vale again, and held the elf tightly, the last of the tension melting out of his body, only to be replaced by the faint tremble of exhaustion. Kohaku drew his hand over his eyes again, and tried to smile at Vale as he stumbled ever so slightly. "I think I should find something to eat. I don't think I've eaten at all for three days."

Vale resolved to get some of the water from Evereska for Kohaku, and a few vitamin shots that could not hurt the way too thin singer. "Come back to the room. Masato's had half the restaurants of Tokyo dropping by with orders. I've been sneaking food to the staff, we have so much."

Kohaku chuckled a little bit, and nodded, letting the elf guide him to the room, taking comfort in the warm embrace of his friend. Vale kept up a light chatter, his green eyes bright and gentle. "I'll warn you, though. Don't be surprised if the girls are munching mochi. Masato's developed a passion for them lately, not that his sweet tooth is anything new. He'll say that he doesn't care for sweets, but watch and see who the first one is to nibble something from the dessert selection. He's worse than the kids."

Kohaku laughed, and his dark eyes sparkled with glee. "Oh, I love mochi. I love anything sweet, honestly. But the girls might be reading Masato-san the riot act about brushing his teeth. I get that every time I even look at something sweet. We've had to limit Fuji to only brushing three times a day, she's that fanatic about it."

Vale threw his head back and laughed merrily. "I hope they do lecture him, not that Masato isn't diligent about such things. I just like the look on his face when he's on the receiving end of a lecture for a change."

Kohaku giggled, and tried to smother it with his hand, a faint blush rushing into his cheeks. "Well, Kaede does give a very adorable lecture with that lisp of hers. I'm a terrible father, but I can never listen to one of her rants without laughing."

"Oh, that doesn't make you a terrible father," Vale grinned. "I, on the other hand, have been known to encourage Hikaru to talk in multiple languages all at once because it drives Aika wild when he does that."

Kohaku gave Vale a mock horrified look, but then laughed happily and gave Vale a little squeeze. "As much as I love watching Fuji play baseball, I still don't understand the game very well, so when we watch games on TV I encourage Kaede to ask every inane question she can ever come up with, until Fuji threatens to fire us both."

Vale returned the squeeze, his green eyes sparkling as he laughed with Kohaku. "I so understand. I don't get most of the sports, to be honest, except for track. I can understand that. But golf? Really? I'm dreading when Hikaru starts playing soccer or baseball. I'll be the prized idiot. But thankfully, they love us anyway."

Kohaku sighed a little bit, and smiled one of his radiant smiles, his face lighting up finally, so he looked far younger than he was. "Ah, that is true, they do love us anyway. And if you think about it, those of them that do end up in sports don't understand what it is that we do, really. Poor Fuji can't sing to save her life and has no patience for music. And Kaede thinks my job is to act silly on stage. She does not get the music part at all. At least not yet."

Vale chuckled happily. "Hikaru says I move papers around and wants to know if I get to color anything. He's far more interested in what I do in the kitchen than what I do at the academy. He likes my ties, though, as headbands."

Kohaku laughed loudly at that, again smothering his laughter in his hand, as he realized he was making a little too much noise for the hospital corridor, and his eyes sparkled. "When Fuji was six, she once heard something somewhere about how some singers sleep with their fans for kicks, and the next day we got called in to the headmaster's office where we were questioned about what I do for a living. Fuji had gone around the school telling everyone that I sleep with women for a living."

Vale had to smother his own laughter at that, his green eyes wide and bright. "Oh, fuck, I'm sorry, but that had to be one hell of an explanation." He shook his head. "We already had to deal with trying to explain Ryuu's picture of the family, because he decided to include all of us. I think the nursery school's just decided to pretend we're normal and take our money quietly, since the kids are wonderful. It's the parents who are oddballs." His merry grin made a passing nurse smile back at the two men.

"Yes, the kids are always wonderful. Even when they do get us parents into nipple deep shit with their honesty and outspokenness, they are still wonderful. And even when we want to scold them and send them to bed without dinner, they just smile and bat those pretty little eyes at us, and make us feel like such monsters for trying to discipline them properly. Emiko seems to be immune to that though, so I leave the disciplining to her. She says I'm incapable of being stern." Kohaku grinned at the nurse too, and then tugged his sunglasses down on his nose again.

The two men entered Satoshi's room, still smiling, and Sand looked up with a bright smile of his own. "What perfect timing," Sand said, opening his arms to hug Kohaku briefly. "Go and say hello to Satoshi, Kohaku-san. He will be so glad to see you."

Kohaku embraced Sand tightly with a bright smile, but when Sand told him to go and say hello to Satoshi, he stiffened slightly and his eyes widened a little in surprise. "He's awake, Masato-san? Really?"

"He is most definitely awake, and found it entirely too amusing when Fuji insisted we all go brush after our mochi," Sand replied, his face radiant with happiness. "I know he wants to see you."

Kohaku smiled brightly, but his eyes were shaded with his worries about Satoshi. He drew a deep breath and braced himself before he walked over to the bed slowly.

When Satoshi heard Sand greet Kohaku he turned his head towards the door, but his view was blocked by the curtain. He tried to crane his neck, but had no luck.

When Kohaku came around the curtain, Satoshi smiled his brightest and greeted Kohaku with a bright voice. "Kohaku-san. How great to see you. You look like crap, dude."

Kohaku let out a loud breath of relief and hurried over to the bed, reaching out to cup Satoshi's cheek lovingly, his voice shaking with emotion. "Satoshi-san. My friend. I'm so happy to see you. I've been so afraid for you. I'll be here to help you get through this. I'm here."

Satoshi smiled up at him with sparkling eyes, and then giggled, "I'm on some pretty strong painkillers and I'm as high as a kite right now. You want some mochi?"

Kohaku sank down on the chair beside the bed, his hand resting on the pillow, stroking Satoshi's hair slowly, a smile on his lips. "I'll have some mochi later. I think Akira-san wants to feed me something first. I haven't been eating enough lately. How are you feeling?" Kohaku asked with a loving voice, and his eyes sparkled with his love for Satoshi.

"It hurts sometimes, a little bit, but the nurse just gives me some painkillers and I'm giddy as a kid. Why haven't you been eating?" Satoshi answered with a sweet giggle, his eyes slightly dazed with the pain medication, although he was pretty clear headed.

"I've been worried about you, and I got a little too worried, I guess," Kohaku whispered, and Satoshi's smile faded as he stared up at his friend, his dark brown eyes clearing a little.

"You worried about me so much, that you forgot to eat?" Satoshi whispered back and Kohaku blushed faintly as he looked down, nodding his head slowly.

Satoshi nudged Kohaku's hand with his head, turning his head to make Kohaku touch his cheek, and then Satoshi pressed his cheek against Kohaku's hand a little, his voice filled with warmth and friendship as he whispered, "I love you too, you know. It's not just the drugs talking. I really love you. You're a wonderful friend, Kohaku-san, and I love working with you. I don't regret anything that happened, you know. And I am so sorry for being an idiot and getting myself into this. I know that you're getting pressured by management to finish your album, and I understand that you'll finish it with someone else."

Kohaku pressed his finger against Satoshi's lip and shushed him softly. "Don't even think that. I won't work with anyone else. Matsu and I have been working on some small things, that we can't fuck up, even when there's only the two of us, but we'll wait for you. I've told management that, and made it clear, we will wait for you to come back. I even made a public announcement, I'm on hiatus until you get back. You are far more to me than just a coworker and a friend. I love you, Satoshi-san."

Satoshi smiled lopsided up at Kohaku and moved his head again to press his cheek against Kohaku's hand, his only option to show affection, since both his hands were broken. Kohaku stroked Satoshi's cheek lovingly, and they chatted in hushed tones, their eyes sparkling with their feelings for each other.

Vale nodded to Emiko, and they stepped out to the waiting room and quietly began to put together a plate of food for Kohaku, Emiko smiling as Vale made sure to include a couple of mochi, his eyes twinkling. As Vale had warned, Sand was indeed keeping various restaurants busy supplying the family with food, and only the fact that Satoshi could not eat solid food yet kept Sand from feeding his husband all his favorite things.

"Masato has gotten heartily sick of the hospital's food. He swears he'll never eat Hayashi rice again as long as he lives," Vale said, not hiding his amusement. He grew serious again for a moment. "We're going to get Satoshi back on his feet and back to playing his music. A friend of mine has ties to a team of medical researchers, very cutting edge stuff, and they can do astonishing things. I'm not going to rest until we have Satoshi back fully, and I promised Kohaku-san that. I don't promise unless I can deliver, Emiko-chan. I wouldn't give him false hope. But I hope he'll be a little better now."

Emiko smiled at Vale and gave him a quick hug, sighing slightly with relief. "Thank you, Akira-san. I know that Kohaku loves Satoshi deeply, I have always known that, but now I've realized just how deep those feelings are. It will mean the world to Kohaku to have Satoshi back. I hope he'll be back to normal now that we know Satoshi will be alright."

"I hope so, too, Emiko-chan." Vale smiled and smoothed back a lock of Emiko's hair with that easy brotherly affection he showed to her whenever she had visited the estate. "You know he's utterly devoted to you and the girls. You all are his life. It's just that hearts are funny things."

Emiko smiled, nibbling on a piece of mochi, and her eyes sparkled youthfully. "I know. We broke up once, you know. We'd been dating for three months, and he was up to his eyeballs in alcohol, drugs and women, and everyone around him kept showering him with whatever he demanded. He was like a spoiled child, honestly. And one night he called me from the road and told me he didn't want to be with me. I could tell he was drunk and probably high, so I told him that if that was what he wanted it was his choice."

Emiko's smile faded and her eyes darkened for a moment, but then she smiled up at Vale, her love for her husband obvious in her eyes. "Three weeks later I got a voice mail message from him, where he sounded completely out of it, but he said three little words that had me running for the night train to Osaka. I found him near death in his hotel room, and took him to the hospital. He's been faithful and clean since. And he adores me and the girls. They are honestly his greatest achievements, or so he says. And I honestly could not be prouder to be his wife. He really is an amazing person, as nuts as he is. And I know he will never stray."

Emiko smiled confidently up at Vale and there was a clear understanding in her eyes. "Truthfully, if he were ever to stray, there is no person that I would rather have him stray with than Satoshi-san. I see how much Kohaku loves him, and since I got to know your family, I've begun to understand it far better than I used to."

Vale laughed a little and shrugged lightly. "We're not the average family, that's for sure. But the one thing we do understand, and cherish, is the love we all have for each other, as friends, lovers, parents, and family. All of it makes us stronger." Vale smiled at Emiko. "I'd be really pleased if you thought of me as some sort of brother, actually. I know Willow loves you like a sister already, and our kids are practically inseparable."

Emiko blushed a little but then she wrapped her arms around Vale's middle and squeezed him as best she could, and sighed a little. "I would be honored to call you my brother, Akira-san. Although I'm going to keep calling you Akira-san, because I still can't pronounce your other name properly. And have you heard? Kaede and Aika are apparently planning Kaede's wedding to your Hikaru-kun. And please don't say anything, but I think Fuji might have a terrible crush on your nephew, Tetsuo."

Vale laughed in delight, hugging Emiko happily. "I heard something about that, yes. Kaede-chan informed me that she's going to love Hikaru-kun for the next fifty years, too. So, see? We'll really be related. But I promise not to mention a word to Tetsuo, although I think he'd be very flattered." Vale looked at the plate they had heaped for Kohaku. "Shall we go feed that skinny husband of yours?"

Emiko looked at the plate and her eyes widened a little and then she made a funny little face at Vale. "You know what I do hate about that skinny ass husband of mine? He hasn't eaten a proper meal in days, he looks like a toothpick, and he'll still be able to eat all this without blinking, then he'll be hungry again in a few hours. He can eat like four people and never gain a pound. Me on the other hand, I smell mochi from a mile away and I gain three pounds. Hell, I even just think about getting pregnant again, and start craving and gaining weight."

Vale threw his head back and laughed. "I don't believe a word of that, you beautiful woman. You couldn't gain an ounce, because you're always moving, taking care of your family and chasing that crazy husband of yours. But I know, he burns it all off just from eating the food. Yuji's the same way, even though he worries about his weight. Can you believe that?"

Emiko giggled and leaned against Vale a little as they headed back towards the room, her voice bright with laughter. "Yuji-san? That stick? I know that Satoshi sometimes worries about his weight, but I know he has reason to. But Yuji-san has always been all arms and legs. But honestly, Yuji-san is getting to that age when all men start worrying about their weight, and their wrinkles and their gray hair. You should hear the tormented screams that I hear from the bathroom sometimes when Kohaku is looking at his roots and finds a gray hair."

Still giggling, Vale and Emiko went into Satoshi's room, armed with food, and delighted to see the smiles wreathing both Kohaku and Satoshi. It was another step on the road to healing, and when Satoshi started to get tired, Kohaku gave him a last tender stroke on his cheek and settled into devour every bite of food, exactly as Emiko had predicted.

[Funny Typos]

Nope, it wasn't a typo. Kags says her parents were nuts, and I pointed out in her status update that until she was over 50, her parents weren't nuts. However, she can be called nuts with impunity.

[Week 65: 1-1-12]

Pen Name: BronxWench

Story link: Play It Safe

Type of fic: Flashfic

Rating: Adult+

Fandom: Fantasy & Science Ficton > Slash - Male/Male

Warnings: AFFO, ChallengeFic, M/M, Oneshot

[The big C word]

I'm sorry to hear the news, Melrick, although I know they've been dancing around this diagnosis with you for a while now.

There really are no words of wisdom that help, but if you need to vent, I do listen well.

[Sandcastles and Fireworks]

Hikaru ran to Vale, happy to be scooped up and snuggled by his chichi, while Sand cradled Ryuu, tears of joy beading in his lashes, feeling Ryuu stroking Sand's long loose hair in exactly the way Satoshi always did.

"Ah, Ryuu-kun, sochi-chan," Sand murmured, nuzzling his thick raven hair and inhaling the wonderful scent of small clean boy. "I am so glad you came, my sweet boy. Come, let me look at you, so beautiful like your chichi."

Ryuu hugged Sand hard, his own eyes spilling over with tears. "Is chichi really awake now? Is he really going to wake up and see me?"

"He may not wake this very moment," Sand said, kissing Ryuu's velvet cheek. "But come and give him a kiss, and you may get a tiny smile."

Sand lifted Ryuu onto the bed, holding him carefully so that Ryuu could bend over Satoshi and press a kiss to his uninjured cheek. Satoshi did not wake, but his lips did twitch slightly, and Ryuu looked up at Sand with his eyes bright with hope and excitement. Sand smiled and scooped Ryuu up, his eyes warm with love.

"He knew it was me, didn't he?" Ryuu asked softly.

Sand sat Ryuu down on the other bed, and rummaged in the boxes from the dinner order he had placed to find the daifuku mochi and mango mochi he had requested. Ryuu's hand went unerringly to the daifuku mochi, and he nibbled on the sweet treat, looking so like his father in the memories of the tea house that Sand nearly gasped aloud.

"I am sure that chichi knew it was you. He opened his eyes earlier, and saw gifu and keifu, and me, and he called us by our names. He asked for anikisan as well, so I know that he is going to be fine." Sand nibbled a mango mochi as he snuggled with Ryuu. "He needs to sleep a bit, a proper sleep, and then he can wake for longer."

Erion had wrapped himself around Vale and Hikaru while Kansas was hugging Yuji, nuzzling in to his blond uncle with a sigh.

"He's really okay? Satoshi?" Erion stepped back, his eyes searching Vale's face. Hikaru wriggled to be put down, and Vale stooped briefly to set the half elf on the floor, watching as he made a dash for his tousan.

Vale straightened and reached out to stroke Erion's silver hair tenderly. "You look better, ai'edhel." Erion flushed and ducked his head a little, and Vale continued. "I think, aside from the fact that he looks like a couple of ogres played 'toss the imp' with him, that Satoshi will be fine. We can deal with the physical stuff. We just have to keep him in good mental spirits while we get him healed up, but this way, in the hospital, takes so long." Vale wrinkled his nose slightly, as unimpressed as ever by human medical practice.

Erion sighed a little. "We can't cheat, not while he's here in the hospital, though. We knew we'd have to live like humans, especially for stuff like this." Erion grinned a little. "Well, except for sex. None of us would be able to walk otherwise."

Vale chuckled. "Go hug Yuji. He's missed you."

Erion grinned again, brighter this time, and he bounced over to wrap himself around Yuji, who was now hugging Hikaru tightly, the little half elf nuzzled into his tousan contentedly. Yuji reached out to pull Erion close, nibbling a kiss from the young elf as Erion hugged him tightly.

Kansas had moved over to Satoshi's bed, looking down at Satoshi with the most beautiful and loving expression. Kansas reached out slowly, stroking Satoshi's hair gently, tracing one eyebrow with a fingertip, whispering softly, "I'm here, Satoshi, love of my heart, I'm here. I will let you rest, but I wanted to let you know I'm here. I love you so much, and I've missed you so much, but I can feel you again. Can you feel me?"

Kansas stroked Satoshi's hair and cheek lovingly, and suddenly Satoshi moved his head a little towards Kansas's voice. His eyes fluttered a couple of times, then they opened and his dark brown eyes focused on Kansas's face, his lips moving. "Tatsuya," he whispered barely above a breath, then his eyes fluttered closed again, and he fell asleep again, with a small happy smile on his lips.

Kansas sobbed when Satoshi opened his eyes, and whispered back, "Yes, my love. I'm here. I'm always here."

When Satoshi fell asleep again, Kansas leaned over him and kissed his lips gently, before he righted himself and his eyes filled with tears of joy, his hands shaking hard.

Erion moved over to wrap his arms around Kansas, his joy at hearing Satoshi whisper Kansas's name shining through their bond. "This is perfect, 'lokiamin. He knows you, and he loves you, and this is perfect."

Kansas nodded his head as it sank down on Erion's shoulder and Kansas started sobbing with relief. "I'm so glad he's awake. He's going to be alright now. And he's stronger now. I can't explain it, but he is. I need to sit down," Kansas mumbled, his voice shaking with his sobs, and his knees started to tremble, his arms tightening around Erion.

Erion eased Kansas into a chair, curling up next to him on another chair, his slim fingers tangling in Kansas's hair as he pulled Kansas close to him. "We're good, baby, we're good here. It's all fine again, and we're good. Just let it out a bit."

Kansas tried to smile, but his tears poured out, and his sobs were too hard, so he just leaned into Erion's embrace and allowed himself to cry with his relief. After a few minutes of crying quietly, he mumbled to Erion, just loud enough for Erion to hear him, "Isilmeamin. I was wondering if you would do something for me. Could you commune with me, and see if you can see that bond between me and Satoshi in my old memories? I really want to know if it's always been there, or if it only formed at the wedding in Evereska."

"We can do it now, if you want," Erion offered. "I can join us while we're awake." He dried Kansas's cheeks with the cuff of his hoodie, his eyes clear and silvery.

Kansas's smile was a little wobbly, but he nodded and his eyes shone with his love for Satoshi and Erion. "Let's move to the couch and try to get comfortable while we do this. I love you so much, isilmeamin. You are so perfect. You are so lucky that you got to be his husband before all this happened. He'll be so happy to see you, his little husband," Kansas said while he tugged Erion to his feet and moved towards the two seat hard couch that had been brought into the room.

Erion curled up on the couch with Kansas. "I've missed him, too, and I'll be happy to see him. It's enough right now to know he's back, though." He cupped Kansas's face between his hands. "Just relax and let me link us. I'll let you walk us back when we're communing, once I get us to the wedding."

Erion reached out through his bond with Kansas, his mind touching Kansas's mind with tenderness and love, and Erion took the hand of Kansas's inner self. He led him down a path to the wedding and past it, toward what appeared to be one of the mazes in Hanali's temple garden.

"The little grottoes will hold the memories you want. Just peek in and see," Erion murmured, his fingers laced with Kansas's fingers.

Kansas drew a deep breath and started walking through the small grottoes before he finally ducked into one, tugging Erion along with him, the memory unfolding before them. The memory was bright and happy, Kansas laying on the grass in Neverwinter Park, catching his breath with laughter on his voice, and Satoshi lay beside him equally winded.

Satoshi tried three times to roll on to his side, before he finally managed it and nuzzled into Kansas's cheek, whispering into Kansas's ear, "I love you, Tatsuya. My heart belongs to you, always. I will always return to you. You make me so proud, every day. And you make me so happy."

Kansas turned his head to look at Satoshi and his gray eyes sparkled brightly in the sun, his voice trembling with his enormous love for Satoshi. "I love you, Satoshi. Always."

Kansas nudged Erion a little through their bond, as if to ask what the elf could see.

"I see it," Erion said, and the delicate golden twist appeared as Erion spoke. "It's there, your bond with Satoshi." Erion looked at Kansas and smiled, his eyes filled with love.

Kansas smiled as bright as the sun, and then started pulling Erion through his memories with Satoshi all the way back to the night when Satoshi had broken through to Kansas, and the golden bond was there, strengthening while Satoshi held Kansas.

Kansas stared at the old memory, and then he looked at Erion with wide eyes, whispering softly, "Forgive me for this." And then he dragged Erion on into the memory of the night when Satoshi had saved him, the two of them in the car, and the bond was still there, a golden thread that reached out from them both, touching tentatively.

Kansas didn't stop for long, but dragged Erion on to the day when Satoshi had found Kansas at the mansion, and while they stood there and watched Satoshi playing his guitar for the little puppy, the golden thread reached out from both of them, connecting in the middle, forging as if it had always been meant to be.

Erion smiled radiantly, his arm sliding around Kansas's shoulders. "That's so beautiful. Look how your souls reached for each other. This is why I could never be jealous of the love you and Satoshi have. It's supposed to be, just like us."

Kansas nodded, his heart hammering in his chest, his arms pulling Erion onto his lap, and nuzzling the elf lovingly. "Thank you, my love. You are so perfect. I can't help but wonder if you have a bond with Sand though, because if he had not met Satoshi, then you and I probably never would have found each other."

Erion laughed sweetly, nuzzling back and nibbling a tender kiss. "I have a family bond with Sand, a blood bond. Moon elves don't usually form them, but I'm half star elf, and star elves have powerful blood bonds among kin."

Kansas giggled and nodded, his cheekbones flushing a faint pink. "Of course. I didn't even think that a family bond could serve the same purpose. But I am so happy to know that I have always been bound to Satoshi. Can you see a bond between Yuji and Satoshi?"

Erion nodded. "It's different, though. They're bonded, but it looks like the bond between Sand and Vale. It's there and will never vanish, but it's not as vivid as the bonds with their lifemates." Erion blushed in his turn. "I see lifemate bonds as much brighter, more intense. I always knew Sand and Vale didn't have one, but no one asked me, so I never said anything."

Kansas nodded, scratching the back of his head. "That's right, they're bonded through Vale. I forgot for a moment. But they have that now. They've just always been so attuned to each other, that I've often wondered if there was some sort of a bond between them already before Vale, you know."

"But there is a separate bond. Between Yuji and Satoshi. They just can't see it, and it's a little bit frayed here and there, but it's there." Erion shrugged a little. "I can show Satoshi, when he's better. He needs to see all his bonds."

Kansas leaned into Erion's embrace and kissed him lovingly, whispering, "I'm so happy to hear that, my love. They are connected and always have been. I wonder why it's frayed though. Do you think it might break?"

Kansas shook his head and frowned for a second, then he leaned in again and kissed Erion a little deeper. "I love you so much, and I know that Satoshi loves you just as much. He was so happy when you accepted his ring. He was actually nervous as hell when he decided to give you his ring."

"I love him," Erion said simply. "He's perfect, and I love him so much. I was a little surprised when he gave me his ring, but I'm so happy he did. I need to give him mine, now, once I pick one. I'll need it for Yuji, too, some day. But don't worry about the bond between Satoshi and Yuji. It won't break. I think the fraying bits are maybe arguments? Whatever they are, though, the bond will hold but it won't pull the other into fading."

Kansas tangled his fingers in Erion's silver hair, softly teasing one delicate ear, his voice heavy with love. "I know that their bond won't pull the other into fading, but I know that they would never be able to go on as they are without each other. They are too bound up in each other. I won't worry about the frayed bits of their bond. They have such history, much of which I know nothing about, so I won't worry. I love you, isilmeamin. Thank you for giving me this."

"I love you, 'lokiamin. I'm glad if I could help." Erion looked at Kansas, and his eyes were filled with a pure and untainted love. "I forget sometimes that I see things that no one else except atar can see. Well, maybe Sand, now, but he's not going to mention anything because he's polite, mostly." Erion laughed and nuzzled closer. "But I have no secrets from you, baby. Never." Erion shifted slightly, and looked at Kansas, his eyes growing briefly serious. "I'm going to talk to Sand, when Satoshi is more on the mend. I want to get his advice, on dealing with what we've been through. I'm not going to be much of a social worker if I can't deal with my own past. I just want you to know that I'm going to talk to him."

Kansas's face grew serious as well and he nodded, his eyes filling with the shame he still felt over what he had done to his precious elf. "I understand. I'll want to talk to him, too. And I'm going to talk to Satoshi when he's better. I'm sure he'd like to talk to you, too, to make sure that you are alright. But I'm sure you'll be a fantastic social worker, because you have such a generous and loving heart." Kansas leaned in and kissed Erion lovingly, stroking his ear softly.

Erion nodded, and his smile was gentle and full of love as he returned the kiss. "I'll talk to Satoshi, and let him know that I'm alright, and I'll only be stronger for the experience. And thank you, my sweet love, for having faith in me." He curled into Kansas, an impish smile playing on his lips. "When we get home, I have two things I want to do. The first thing is to get back to planning our wedding."

Kansas smothered a sob in Erion's neck and nodded his head with a radiant smile. "Oh, I would love to do that too, isilmeamin. But I don't want to get married until Satoshi can attend the wedding. I can't get married unless he's there," Kansas said quietly, looking into Erion's eyes with a slightly impish look.

Erion nodded in turn. "Of course we have to wait until Satoshi is well. We can't get married without him. It would be all wrong." He nibbled a kiss, teasing his fingers along Kansas's cheek. "The second thing I want to do, well, we're going to need a little more privacy and a lot less clothing."

A small tear trickled down Kansas' cheek, and he bit his lip hard to keep in the shout of joy that tried to erupt. "Are you absolutely sure, my love? I don't won't you to push yourself. I can wait."

"I'm sure," Erion replied, and he looked into Kansas's eyes, letting his love and desire shine outward. "I need to make love with you, to feel us together again. I'm ready, and I'm going to enjoy every moment like it's our first time."

Kansas kissed Erion with passion, keeping his hunger in check, but he let Erion feel it through their bond, boiling just under the surface. "I love you. You are one of the strongest people I know. You are so perfect and amazing. I love you so much," Kansas whispered and held Erion tightly, nibbling soft kisses from the elf's lips.

Erion let Kansas feel his own passion, holding Kansas just as tightly. "You make me strong, because I know I can do anything with you beside me. I love you, Kansas. I love you so much that I can't begin to find enough words."

Kansas smiled and cradled his elf tightly, cuddling with him on the couch, looking up at Satoshi and sighing a little, and through their bond Erion could feel something heal deep in Kansas's heart.

They cuddled for a few moments longer, watching as Yuji brought Hikaru over to see his gifu. The small blond half elf pressed a sweet kiss to Satoshi's cheek, and whispered his love to his gifu as Ryuu nodded approvingly. Erion looked at Kansas and stroked his cheek as Hikaru slid off the bed carefully and tiptoed over to Ryuu to get the mochi his oniisan offered him.

"I need to say hello to Satoshi," Erion said quietly. "I think I'm ready now, my love."

Kansas nodded and kissed Erion lovingly on the cheek. "Yeah, you go and let him know you're here. I'm going to eat something. I haven't been eating enough lately, and now my appetite is coming back with a vengeance," Kansas said and giggled a little bit.

Erion grinned. "I think Sand had a restaurant's whole kitchen delivered here, so I'm sure you'll find something."

Erion walked over to the bed and took a moment to look at Satoshi, the pale face of his gentle husband looking more peaceful than when he had been in the coma. It seemed odd to Erion to think that, but much like Erion himself felt stronger now, Satoshi seemed stronger as well, more complete. The delicate twist of gold that ran to Kansas was brighter than ever, and the bonds that linked Satoshi to Vale, Yuji and Erion himself were clear and free of darkness once again. Satoshi's bond with Sand was literally glowing, and Erion smiled as he leaned over to feather a light kiss to Satoshi's pale lips.

"Hi, baby. It's Yuki. I love you, my husband, my sweet Satoshi. Sleep and heal, and I'll see you when you're ready to wake up for a bit longer. I'm so glad you're back, baby." Erion dusted another tender kiss over Satoshi's lips and straightened up, slim fingers stroking Satoshi's hair lovingly.

Satoshi's lips twitched ever so slightly, and he sighed softly in his sleep. Suddenly a silver and emerald koi fish swam above Satoshi's head and around Erion's head, stroking the elf's cheek gently and trailing behind it there was a tendril of a deep indigo light, as dark as the night sky just before sunrise. The koi swam around Erion's head and shoulders, then faded out of sight again when it swam over Satoshi's head, the dark indigo thread of light touching Erion's chest gently.

Erion watched the koi with delight, his silvery eyes shining, and he watched the thread of indigo light until he felt it touch his chest, Erion gasped a little with pure joy as he felt Satoshi in the indigo light, knowing that Satoshi would feel him now.

"When you wake up, my sweet husband, we'll do this properly." Erion felt the tears of happiness beading in his lashes, and he turned to look at Kansas with such a radiant smile that Kansas held out his arms. Erion pressed one last kiss to Satoshi's lips. "Sleep, my love, and heal. I'll be here when you wake up." Erion then hurried over to sob out his joy in Kansas's embrace.

Kansas wrapped his arms tightly around Erion when the elf hurried into his embrace, and stroking the silver hair Kansas whispered quietly, "I saw it, Erion. I saw the bond he offered you. I'm so happy for you. I want to bond with him properly when he wakes up and feels up to it."

Yuji watched Erion and Kansas, the little elf sobbing in Kansas's arms, but he seemed to be sobbing with joy, so Yuji did not say anything, only smiled lovingly at them and leaned against Vale a little bit.

Vale put his arms around Yuji, his bond with Satoshi once again active, watching as Erion ran to Kansas for an embrace, and smiling at Sand and their beautiful sons, nibbling mochi and speaking in hushed tones to make sure Satoshi could sleep.

"It's all going to work out, a'maelamin. I don't know exactly what was going on with Kansas and Erion, but Kansas seems himself again and Erion is happy. I can feel Satoshi, and he knows we're here and love him." Vale nuzzled Yuji's blond hair, noticing the beginning of raven roots. They had been spending so much time caring for Satoshi, first with his depression and now since his accident, and the last thing any of them had thought of was styling their hair. "The sooner we get Satoshi home, the better. I have a feeling we may need to consult our specialist friends again. They did such good work for you and Yori."

Yuji sighed painfully, his eyes scanning all the metal braces that rose out of Satoshi's skin, like some crazy robots, and the plaster that covered his leg and pelvis and worst of all his hands. Yuji bit back a sob, and rose quickly, excusing himself and saying he needed a cigarette.

Vale followed Yuji, not speaking until they were in the smoking area and had both lit up cigarettes, Yuji's hands trembling slightly as he held his lighter to the cigarette. "Talk to me, my love. Don't keep it all inside where it'll fester and eat you alive."

Yuji shook his head quickly, his perfect eyes filling with tears. "It's nothing like that, my love. I just didn't want to upset the others. I just realized something. It's going to break Masato's heart, and it's going to crush Satoshi," Yuji sobbed, his hand clinging to Vale's shirt. "It's his hands. And his arm and shoulder. He's never going to be able to play guitar again, Vale. The damage to his fingers is too much, and it's the right shoulder that's broken. That's the shoulder that takes the most strain when you play guitar. He'll never be able to play as well as he could before."

Vale's eyes widened as he looked at Yuji. "Oh, fuck, baby. I hadn't even thought about that. I was just so glad that he was alive, and then that he came out of the coma." Vale pulled Yuji close, rubbing his back and letting Yuji sob into his shoulder. "Okay, we're not going to let that happen. We can fix this somehow. I'll talk to Eryn and I'll get in touch with Ardiel. We'll have the best damned people on this, and we're going to get him back to his music."

Yuji nodded against Vale's shoulder, his voice trembling. "We have to, Vale. He lives and breathes music, and if he can't play he gets so depressed. He gets far worse than he was this summer. It's like the very life has been sucked out of him if he can't play music."

Vale's voice was calm and decisive. "Then we'll make sure of it. We have options, Yuji, that most people don't have. Depending on the circumstances, even death isn't necessarily permanent. I'll get to work on the appropriate research documentation to cover our asses." Vale kept his voice very low, so that no one aside from Yuji could hear him. "I don't care if we have to make Eryn call Corellon to heel. Satoshi's had enough shit happen in his life, and now that things are finally getting good, we're not letting it all fall away again. Not Satoshi. He's the purest one of us."

Yuji nodded decisively and lifted his head from Vale's shoulder, wiping his tears with the back of his hand, sniffling a little, and cleared his throat before he found his voice. "You're right. He is. And I know that Eryn's been secretly hating us all for not letting her fix him with her magic, both when he broke his ankle and now. So, we'll do whatever it takes to fix this. No matter what it takes." Yuji was careful to keep his voice low enough for only Vale to hear him, but he was just as determined as Vale.

Vale chuckled a little, his green eyes warm and loving. "I wouldn't say that Eryn hated us, exactly. More like considers us a bunch of foolish little birds who can't manage to fly two feet without smacking into a window, but I don't think she hates us. Still, I'm waiting for the lectures." He mimed a shudder, although it had been a while since Eryn had managed to scare Vale speechless.

Yuji managed to laugh a little, his goofy giggle floating over the smoking area, and he nodded. "Yeah, maybe hate is too strong a word, but honestly, I've never been as scared of her as I was when Satoshi broke his ankle. I thought she was going to rip us all a new one, including Satoshi."

Vale grinned, the sound of Yuji's giggle warming his heart. "Trust me, that woman can scare all of the Vale Guard, including Santhiel, and half the Graycloaks with less than ten words. Hawk was only joking a little when he said that she gives Corellon his orders each morning." He finished his cigarette, debating having another. "But she's an extraordinary healer, and so is Ardiel. We'll make this happen for Satoshi."

Yuji snickered, lighting another cigarette. "I know. I've seen Hawk when Eryn gets pissed. Not even Hikaru runs that fast when he knows he's going to get a scolding."

Suddenly Yuji burst out laughing, loud and happy, and he nearly tipped over backwards over the back of the chair he was leaning against, tears running down his cheeks. "I just realized that Hawk gets that same look on his face when he pisses Sora off, and he runs even faster when she starts bristling."

"The only one that's immune is Sand. He never turns a hair when Eryn's furious with him. I've never seen anything like it." Vale threw his head back and laughed. "Although Sora can make Sand at least pause. I suppose getting stepped on by a dragon, having an undead Shadow Guardian rip half your back off, and killing a god can pretty much make you immune to ordinary forms of intimidation."

Yuji hiccuped with laughter, tears pearling in his lashes. "And yet Willow can stop him in his tracks for a second."

Vale snickered wickedly. "No one crosses Willow. Not even Sand. I don't think even Takara is willing to take Willow on. Let's face it, our wife is the scariest bitch on the block. But for some reason, she loves us, and I'm going to hang on to that with both hands."

Yuji wiped the tears from his lashes, still giggling quietly. "No, that is true. No one crosses Willow. Takara tried, but then decided she wanted to grow up at some point. And I think our wife loves us because we are so easily manageable," Yuji said, and started snickering again, his chest heaving as he forgot to breathe and squeaked a little with laughter.

"That's got to be it," Vale sniggered, nearly falling over as he gave in to the laughter. "She's got her harem of easily handled males for endless sex, she gets to write in peace, and the kids are fucking gorgeous." He was sobbing with laughter by now, giddier than Hikaru the first day of school.

Yuji draped his arm over Vale to prevent the elf from falling over, not thinking about the fact that Vale was far more likely to drag Yuji with him in this position, and he sniggered, "But she still complains about us daily, and says she doesn't understand what she's doing with all of us. But she does love us, of that there is no doubt."

Yuji's laugh died down, and he sighed a little, and his voice was a little more serious when he continued. "And I think that's what counts the most. She does love us. We are so lucky we have her. Just think, if I hadn't been married to her, you and I never would have met."

"I know," Vale replied, sobering up himself. "She loves us enough to let us love each other, and that's just so incredibly rare. We're more than lucky. We're blessed." He looked at Yuji, and his green eyes were filled with the utter love he had for his husband. "If we never met, I would have lived my life and never known what passion really was, what it meant to love with everything that I am. I love you, Yuji. You complete me perfectly, and make my life whole. You are my everything."

Yuji smiled brightly at Vale, and stroked the elf's golden hair, teasing the slightly faded emerald streaks, and his eyes filled with love as he whispered, "I love you, Vale. His tone and their bond was filled with all of the emotion that he could pour into those four little words, and then he added quietly, "I can't find any more words to tell you how much I love you, or what you mean to me. All I can do is let you feel it." Yuji opened his bond fully and let Vale feel his very soul and heart.

Vale gasped a little as the wave of emotion rushed over him, and then he realized that even in this, he and Yuji were perfectly matched, loving each other with the same all consuming passion and intensity. Vale did not need words to respond. He lifted one slim hand and cupped Yuji's cheek, his emerald eyes bright with the promise he had been making since he first met Yuji. Vale was Yuji's, and that was all he would ever need to be.

Yuji pulled Vale into an embrace and held him tightly, stroking the golden hair, whispering under his breath, "I know. I love you."

Vale and Yuji stood there, taking comfort in each other for a few more moments, and then they linked hands and headed back to Satoshi's room, more determined that ever to see their slender pierced husband healed and happy once again.

Ryuu was sitting on Sand's lap next to Satoshi when they returned to the room, the small boy resting his hand on his chichi's hair as he watched him sleep. Hikaru was on the other side of Sand's lap, trying to hide an enormous yawn against Sand's ribs as he fought to keep his wide green eyes open.

Ryuu's eyes were hooded, but he was obviously intently focused on staying awake, despite being just as tired as Hikaru. Yuji smiled as he reached down and gently removed Hikaru from Sand's lap, whispering, "Hey there, sneaky turtle, how about we go and nap a little bit? I see your mama packed your pyjamas and toothbrush. But what do you say we be naughty tonight and not brush our teeth? We can brush them tomorrow."

Ryuu smiled a little lopsided and mumbled, "It was hibaba who packed our bag. Mama was making plans with sobo."

Hikaru giggled sleepily as he nuzzled into Yuji's neck. "Let's be naughty, a little bit." He wrapped small arms around Yuji tightly. "I love you, tousan, a million million times." It was Hikaru's newest favorite word, one Ryuu had taught him and that Aika had told him sagely meant a whole lot.

"I love you too, turtle, a million million times and one. How about we sleep in keifu's bed, because he doesn't use it anyway. Where are your pyjamas, turtle?" Yuji said, sitting the boy on the hospital bed and opening the bag to pull out the pyjamas that Sora had packed.

Hikaru took the pyjamas that Sora had packed for him. "These is mine's, and these is Ryuu's," Hikaru announced, and began to tussle with his shirt. He was cheerfully oblivious to the fact that the size difference in the pyjamas would have given away which set was his as he managed to get himself hopelessly tangled in his shirt and tipped over sideways, giggling a little.

Yuji laughed and righted the boy, then stuck his face into the neckline of Hikaru's shirt and said playfully, "Hey there. I've lost my turtle in here somewhere? Have you seen him?"

Yuji grabbed Hikaru's foot and peeled off one of his shoes, while making faces at the little half elf where he was tangled in his shirt.

Hikaru's voice was only slightly muffled as he finally managed to free one arm, and then the other. "I founded a turtle but he snappeded my nose." He tugged on the shirt again, but could not seem to get it over his head, and he wiggled a little as he nearly tipped over again.

Yuji grabbed Hikaru, biting his lip to stifle a giggle, and reached into the bundle of shirt and unbuttoned the top three buttons quickly to let Hikaru pull the shirt over his head, then he pinched Hikaru's nose and stuck the tip of his thumb between his forefinger and his middle finger, asking with an astonished tone, "Is this your nose?"

Ryuu peeked over Sand's shoulder at the playful game on the bed, and snickered quietly into Sand's shoulder.

Hikaru's wide green eyes got wider, and then he began to laugh, his sweet little voice bright in the quiet room. "You founded it, tousan! The turtle snappeded it right off!" He clapped small hands over his nose in glee.

Yuji inspected the "nose" intently and then he looked at Hikaru with a serious face. "It's so pretty. I think I'll keep it."

Yuji poked himself in the nose with his found nose and then looked at Vale with a bright smile, asking with laughter on his voice. "What do you think, my love, does it suit me?"

Vale came over to inspect Yuji's new nose, and leaned over to kiss it experimentally. "Hmm. It looks very nice, a'maelamin. Maybe you can switch with Hikaru-kun, and he can have your old nose."

Hikaru bounced happily, pulling at his other shoe. "Tousan's nose wouldn't fit me!"

Yuji gasped and looked at Hikaru with wide eyes, sounding shocked. "What do you mean? You think my nose is big? But if you have my old nose, then at least people will see that your are my son, too." Yuji grabbed Hikaru's other foot and pulled a little, making the small boy tumble backwards on the bed, and then Yuji tickled the sole of his foot a little bit.

"Of course I'm your son," Hikaru giggled. "You're my tousan. But I like your nose, too." his little toes curled in their socks as he squirmed and giggled helplessly, his blond curls tumbling as he laughed.

Yuji laughed too, tugging the sock off of Hikaru's small foot and then he pressed his lips against the sole and purred loudly.

Hikaru let out a shriek of laughter when Yuji purred against his foot, earning him a fervent shushing from Ryuu, who was trying to hide a smile even as he looked at Hikaru.

"Oh, alright, turtle, then I'll give your nose back. But only if I get a million hugs and kisses," Yuji said, while he tugged Hikaru's other sock off, and then grabbed the bottoms of his trousers and upended the boy by his pants.

Hikaru giggled and fell out of his pants with a flourish, trying to turn a somersault as he landed on the bed. It failed, but Hikaru did manage an adorably sideways flop that landed him half onto Yuji's lap. He bounced up and threw his arms around Yuji, blond curls flopping into his eyes as he grinned. "Okay, tousan, but you gots to count. I can only count to ten."

Yuji laughed quietly, and made a mock frown at Hikaru when Ryuu shushed at them, but then he smiled lovingly, and helped Hikaru into his pyjamas, telling the half elf, "Then you count, and we'll leave it at ten. You can pay the rest later when you learn to count more. Now let me give your nose back, turtle, and then we'll nap."

Yuji lifted Hikaru up and rubbed his nose against Hikaru's for a moment and then kissed the tip of Hikaru's little button nose, and lifted the little boy up to look at him critically. "Hmm, I think you might be right. I think your nose fits you much better than it fits me."

Hikaru giggled again, his green eyes sleepy, and he nuzzled Yuji happily. "Your nose is perfectest, tousan. I'll give you hugs and kisses and then we can nap." He gave Yuji ten hugs and kisses, counting carefully and trying very hard not to tangle up his fingers, and when he reached ten, he yawned again and curled up into Yuji's arms. "I love you, tousan. And I look like your son because I am."

Yuji leaned back in the bed and wrapped the blanket around them both, cradling Hikaru close to his chest, whispering back, "I know, turtle, you are my son, my beautiful son. I love you, too, more than anything. Now sleep well, and have sweet dreams." Yuji kissed the top of the golden curls and stroked them lovingly while Hikaru fell asleep on his chest.

Ryuu nuzzled into Sand's neck and stifled a yawn, his eyes fluttering closed, but then he jerked upright, his eyes wide open and a little cross eyed.

Sand looked at Ryuu, curled up on his lap. "What about you, watashi no ryu? Do you think you can nap for a bit? I promise that if chichi wakes up, I will wake you."

Ryuu shook his head but then yawned so wide that his jaw popped, and his voice was terribly groggy when he answered, "No, tousan, I want to wake with you. You've been awaked so long, I want to have juice now."

"Mmm," Sand replied. "Juice does sound good. I believe we have orange juice. Nurse Tamura is very serious about drinking lots of juice and eating lots of good food." Sand stood easily with Ryuu in his arms, and carried his sleepy son over to the small refrigerator in the room. He took out a carton of orange juice, and curled up on the bed with Ryuu, who managed to insert the small straw between huge yawns.

"After your juice, we can brush our teeth and put on our pyjamas together. Gifu and Hikaru-kun have left us plenty of room to sleep in the bed." Sand pressed a kiss to the top of Ryuu's head.

Ryuu nodded his head slowly, and drank the juice in big gulps, but after three or four swallows his head sank forward on his chest and the straw fell from his lips to leak a bit of juice down the front of his sweater, startling him awake, and his chin wobbled a little bit. "I'm sleepy," he mumbled and looked up at Sand plaintively, nuzzling into Sand's chest, and trying to catch the juice straw again with his tongue.

Sand caught the straw and held it so that Ryuu could finish his juice. "It is alright, Ryuu-kun. I am sleepy myself. We can save some juice for later, yes?" Sand was already loosening Ryuu's shoes, and when Ryuu put his arms up, Sand eased the sweater over his head. Sand helped Ryuu undress, and then helped Ryuu into his pyjamas, kissing Ryuu's soft cheeks.

Sand was already in his sleep pants, and he gathered Ryuu into his arms and carried him over to the bed. "I think we can be just a little bit naughty and wait until the morning to brush, too."

Ryuu nodded, his eyes already falling shut, and he curled up in Sand's arms when Sand got into the bed. Yuji scooted over a little bit on the bed to let Sand lay down, whispering to the elf, "I'll move to the couch once Hikaru is properly asleep. You can sleep in here with the boys."

Sand lifted his brow, his lips curved in a smile. "Thank you. It will feel good to take a proper rest, and I have missed these two dreadfully." He nuzzled his face into Ryuu's soft hair. "Wake me if you need me. I do think I will actually sleep, rather than reverie."

Yuji nodded, pressing a kiss to Hikaru's hair as he rose from the bed and lay the blond bundle next to Sand, and helped Sand with the sheets, tucking them tight around the elf and the two boys. Then he leaned in and kissed Sand lovingly on the lips, and whispered, "We'll wake you if we need you, or if anything changes, which I doubt it will. Just rest and gather your strength, because you are going to need it. I love you, Masato."

Sand smiled, his blue eyes already closing fully as he began to give himself over to a true sleep. "And I love you, Yuji. Thank you." Sand fell into a peaceful slumber, the small bodies beside him as peaceful as the elf.

Yuji stroked Sand's raven hair gently as Sand's eyes closed and then he righted himself with a small sigh, turning around to face Vale, a small smile on his lips. "So, my love. What shall we do now? Did you bring cards or something to play? Or should we test the sturdiness of those railings in the bathroom?" Yuji said with a teasing wink, sashaying his hips a little as he walked towards Vale.

Vale laughed, his green eyes bright. "I play cards just as well as I do pool, baby. But I can certainly manage a small cone of silence just about the right size to cover that bathroom, and I have a feeling those railings might just hold up to a little tugging." He turned to let Yuji walk into his arms, his lips already seeking Yuji's lips.

"You're a little bit of an exhibitionist, my love, have I told you that?" Yuji purred and walked into Vale's embrace, then continued pushing Vale backwards towards the small ensuite bathroom, while he plundered Vale's mouth with a hungry passion.

"Just a bit?" Vale laughed, walking backwards and letting Yuji guide him into the bathroom. As Yuji kicked the door closed, Vale murmured the words of the spell that would make sure the rest of the Intensive Care unit did not share in the pleasure they were about to enjoy.

Yuji fisted his hand in Vale's blond hair, tugging hard to make Vale arch his neck, so Yuji could revive the dark mark under Vale's jaw, his other hand reaching down to tug at Vale's belt, his voice rough and breathy when he mumbled, "We better be quick about this, or we'll traumatize the staff if they find us in here."

Vale chuckled, loosening Yuji's pants just as quickly as Yuji was working on his. "Then allow me to expedite things, baby." He dropped to his knees gracefully, his slim fingers working to free Yuji's cock, his tongue already wrapping around the head.

Yuji stumbled back against the wall when Vale wrapped his tongue around the head of Yuji's cock, stifling a groan against his forearm. He grabbed the support rail that collided with his ass with his free hand, while his other hand fisted tighter in Vale's hair and Yuji pushed a little, urging the elf on, groaning as Vale took him in, "So, that's the way you're going to play it, huh? Oh, fuck, Vale, yes, just like that. Fuck, you're so good at that."

Vale pulled back suddenly, releasing Yuji's cock with a soft pop and a wicked chuckle. "Oh, you didn't think I was just going to make it quite that easy, did you?" Vale stood and moved over to the shower, letting his jeans slide past slim hips as he gripped the rails and bent over, presenting his ass to Yuji. He looked over his shoulder, sultry and inviting. "I'm ready, and now you are, too."

Yuji growled a little when Vale pulled off his cock, his eyes burning with lust while he watched Vale move over to the shower, but then he hurried over, shoving his jeans down a little further as he walked. He gripped Vale's slender hips in a tight grip, and shoved his cock into the tight pucker hard and deep, then stopped, only halfway in, and pulled out.

"Tease," Vale growled, and did his best to buck back onto Yuji's generous cock. Vale could feel the lube within him, and he knew Yuji had drawn a bit down lower to ease his passage, but Vale wanted to be taken hard, and he wanted Yuji to make him howl.

Yuji chuckled, and smacked Vale's ass hard enough to leave a faintly rosy mark, and then rammed back in harder pushing in until he was buried balls deep in Vale's delicious ass. "Oh, don't complain like you don't like it," Yuji purred into Vale's ear, and bit sharply at the delicate tip, then righted himself again and pulled out all the way, then rammed in again. He repeated his teasing a couple of more times, then finally set a hard and brutal pace, his breath shallow and raspy, as he started moaning in pleasure.

Vale howled softly as Yuji pounded into his ass, his back arching as Yuji rode his prostate hard and mercilessly. His cock was rock hard and throbbing, precum weeping from the slit as Vale clung to the railings to brace himself for Yuji's powerful thrusts. "Oh, fuck, baby, just like that," Vale moaned, bucking back to grind himself down on Yuji's cock. "Oh, fuck me sideways, yes!"

Yuji pounded into the slender elf, his hands digging dark bruises into Vale's hips. "Touch yourself. Make yourself come for me, Vale. I want you to come completely undone," Yuji ordered hoarsely, and grabbed the back of Vale's shirt to raise the elf up a bit. He fisted his hand in the back of Vale's shirt, and held the elf upright, his other hand reaching around to teased one pierced nipple through the shirt, Yuji angling his thrusts so that he would ride Vale's prostate relentlessly.

Vale moaned wantonly, one slim hand wrapping around his cock as he fisted it, slicking the length with his own precum before beginning to stroke in time with Yuji's thrusts. He mewled as Yuji teased his nipples, and when Yuji mouthed the triple spiral through his ear, Vale's back arched even more, his ass tightening a little around Yuji's cock.

"Oh, fuck, Yuji, I'm there, baby," Vale managed to pant, his balls hard and full. Yuji slammed forward as hard as he could, and Vale howled, his cock jumping in his fist as his balls emptied, thick white ropes of cum painting the shower wall. His ass clamped around Yuji's cock so hard that he could practically feel the thick vein pulsing on the underside of that generous length.

Yuji let out a strained howl, and his hand wrapped around Vale's throat as he rammed in a few more times, erratic and out of sync, and then his whole body tensed against Vale's, his cock jumping as he came in thick hot spurts, filling Vale's ass.

Yuji shuddered through the last of his orgasm, and sagged a little against Vale's back, licking at the triple spiral in Vale's ear, his voice hoarse with pleasure, "You are so perfect, Vale. Utterly wanton and wonderful. Just perfect."

Vale chuckled, still a little breathless. "And you are so perfect, my Yuji. You make me want to be wanton, and you can fuck me spineless so deliciously." He turned his head a bit, offering his lips to Yuji.

Yuji plundered Vale's mouth with great heat, his hand stroking the long column of Vale's neck while they kissed. Yuji broke the kiss when his softening cock slipped out of Vale's ass, and he cupped Vale's cheek lovingly, looking the elf in the eyes as he asked, "I didn't hurt you when I grabbed your throat like that, did I? I know you don't like it much, but sometimes I just can't help myself."

Vale's smile was radiant, his cheeks still sweetly flushed with arousal. "You didn't hurt me, baby. I'm not big on being choked all the time, but it fit today, and it added to the pleasure. You know you never go too far with me." He nibbled another kiss, his bond with Yuji filled with contentment and love.

Yuji nodded, and answered the kiss, his hands gently pulling Vale's pants up and tucking his cock away, and he answered between kisses, "I know. But sometimes I worry I may have pushed too far and then it's better to ask, than pretend like it didn't happen. You know that. But I've gotten better at judging when I can push your limits a little. I love you, Vale."

"I love you, Yuji," Vale responded, his green eyes utterly at peace. He turned and helped Yuji dress as well, stealing soft kisses and then he looked at the wall of the shower and chuckled. "Let me just tidy up a bit here." He murmured a cantrip and the bathroom was pristine again. "I don't need Nurse Tamura smacking me for being messy."

Yuji chuckled a little bit as he adjusted himself in his jeans, and then he tapped Vale's ass gently and whispered, "Oh, she's the type to spank us hard if she'd catch us. But now, what shall we do? Should we stay up, or try to sleep a little on that torture device they call a couch?"

"Mmm, the youngsters are curled up on the couch, and I'm not in the mood to oust them," Vale murmured. "I do know an on-call room where we can sneak a nap. One of the residents showed it to me when he thought Sand was sleeping the other day. I'm game for a nap there."

Yuji smacked himself on the forehead, and laughed, "See, I'm so tired I forgot the boys are on the couch. Let's tell Kansas we're going to the on-call room, so he won't get worried. I think he'll wake up if anything changes with Satoshi," Yuji said as he pulled the door open and let Vale exit first, just so he could tap Vale's ass again and make a little wolf whistle.

Vale gave an extra shimmy as he walked out, and they quickly filled Kansas and Erion in on where they would be, before they walked down the hall to the on-call room, fingers laced together.

[Occasus]

Please remember that AFF does not support or endorse downloading or copying a fiction without the express permission of the author.

[The Great Sue Hunt]

Posting on behalf of our beloved Orgymaster:

Foe was thankful that his face was obstructed by the Storm Trooper helmet he was wearing. The top half of his body was decked out in the standard white armor, while below that was a grey kilt. Kelk was standing next to him wearing…nothing. The Tarenth sneak had decided that his best costume was no costume at all. His only admission of modesty was the belt around his waist and matching helmet on his head. Of course, neither boy was going to admit the lightsabers they were wearing were just as functional as the helmets on their heads – if not more so. Cal had gone a little crazy with the modifications, adding everything from nightvision to x-ray vision. Not only was it possible for them to count the number of bullets in the pistols carried by the cops and security, but Kelk was taking the opportunity to scan for other “objects of interest”. Foe had done the same thing, but the x-ray vision was presented in a dark green hue which wasn’t exactly something he would consider appealing.

Much more useful was the Sue finder, and that Foe was paying attention to. Here and there various bodies were highlighted in bright pink, designating them as possible Sue potential. Of course, considering the environment it was also possible they were just really crappy fanfic authors who hadn’t figured out why self insert characters were a bad idea. He would have to flash a bit of his powers at them later or maybe drop his name into the conversation somewhere as well. It wouldn’t matter if someone tried to drop a dime on him – there was so much alcohol and other such intoxicating substances floating about that people would just dismiss the tattler as drunk or stoned.

There was one group he was worried about, however – the Wharf Rats. The Rats were a group of die-hard MilSF fans, and it was pretty much guaranteed that their weapons were going to be entirely too functional. Con policy was that there were to be no functioning weapons in the hotels – a rule the Rats generally flaunted by dabbing their guns in bright orange paint and other bright colors. Some actually carried Con specific weapons that had been decorated in quite garish patterns, including the neon pink AR-15 carried by the head of Wharf Publishers. They’d be more than real – they would be fully loaded as well, as more than a few unhappy muggers had found out.

The one problem Foe had with this was that if any large scale encounters did break out, the Wharf Rats would be the ones running towards the fighting, rather than away from it. Granted, most had some form of military or police training, but they would still be heavily outmatched by the perfectionist power of the Sues. Trying to keep them out of the line of fire was going to be a pain in the ass. On the other hand, they might useful as a means for gathering information. Of course, that would require letting them know something was up in the first place. Maybe if he dressed it up as a LARP…

“Hey, Foe, where do you want me to park?” Cal asked.

“You’re a seven story assault transport armed with nuclear grade fire power,” Foe answered dumbly. “I am fairly sure you can park wherever the hell you want to.”

“Should I change form?”

Foe shook his head. “Better not to. You’ve already drawn enough attention the way you are, I’d having to explain how you managed to vanish into thin air, especially when people are going to be stopping by all night for photo ops.”

“So what’s the plan of action then?” Kelk asked, each of his two haremites taking up their positions at his side. They had been dressed in slightly more complete sets of form fitting armor, though their helmets had been left off. It was partly so that they would be easier to keep track of them that way, and partly because Foe wanted eyes to be on the pretty faces more than on the two boys.

“I actually think I see a familiar face,” Foe answered as he began to push his way into the crowd. “Come on folks, let’s play follow the leader…”

[help finding Sess/Kag story]

The link to the story is here.

[Sandcastles and Fireworks]

Sand held on to Satoshi as they watched their past unfold, the samurai and the monk falling in love as perfectly and as easily as if there could have been no other destiny for them. When Satoshi returned to his lord, and Masato found a place at court, it seemed as though they were to be rewarded for their devotion to each other, despite Satoshi's marriage. Masato made every effort to ensure that he did not demand too much of Satoshi's time, but it was not enough.

Satoshi's wife was bitter, unable to share even the least of his attention with the quiet monk, and she plotted her revenge in silence. Sand gasped and held Satoshi tightly when the samurai clenched his stomach in pain, and when the vengeful woman slit the monk's throat, Satoshi keened in grief, his tears spilling down his cheeks as Sand comforted him.

It came as no surprise to Sand that the samurai managed to cling to life, fighting off the effects of the poison long enough to see justice done as his wife was brought before the lord for judgment. There was something that nagged at the back of Sand's mind about the tomb that the samurai had built for his lover, the monk's ashes treated with the love and reverence with which the two men had always shown each other. Satoshi sobbed as he watched the samurai pray daily at the tomb, the samurai's tears falling as freely as his own.

Sand was stunned by the virulence of the witch's curse, his very blood turning to ice as he felt the malignant power within her, and Satoshi moaned, turning to bury his face in Sand's shoulder for a moment. They had just walked back to this point through the evidence of the effectiveness of her curse, and even Sand, as powerful as he was, was briefly appalled at a hate so strong that it had lasted for well over a thousand years. The samurai gathered the last of his formidable strength, and carried out the sentence when the executioner quailed before the witch, drowning her as the lord had decreed. The samurai then went to the tomb of his beloved monk, and fell across it, his eyes filled with tears as he let go of life and followed his beloved into death.

It was Sand's turn to sob, then, for the courage and beauty of that samurai, that first Satoshi, who had all the purity of soul of the slender man in his arms. Satoshi sobbed with him, and they clung to each other as they watched the other samurai approach and reverently gather the dead Satoshi, honorable to his last breath, the lord himself damp-eyed as he watched.

"Saiai," Sand mourned, cradling his slender husband. "This is the source of it all, the darkness that plagues you and reaches out to ensnare you."

Satoshi raised his head from Sand's shoulder, his slender body shaking with his sobs, and he nodded slowly. "Yes, poldoramin. This is where it all started. Her curse is what has affected me through all my lifetimes. I think she must have grown stronger over the centuries, and that is why she managed to reach out to me so strongly now."

"We know now what we face. Let us go home, and get you well so that we may deal with this properly." Sand looked into Satoshi's gorgeous eyes, his own blue eyes wet with his tears. "We will put an end to her, and her evil."

Sand began to stand, and the memory shifted until they were back in the small park, standing on the pier by the pond once again.

"What mischief is this?" Sand asked aloud, and his telkiira began to glow softly beneath his skin. "It is time to go home. We will not tarry here."

Satoshi rose on unsteady feet, starting to agree with the elf, but then Sand's telkiira started to glow beneath his skin, and Satoshi felt something stir in his chest, a feeling he had gotten a few times before in his life, and he reached out to grab Sand's hand tightly.

"This isn't over, my love. She's here," Satoshi whispered, and in the blink of an eye his attire changed to his training hakama and kimono, his katana tucked into the obi, and his eyes grew hard as he steeled himself against what he felt was coming.

Sand nodded grimly, his own attire shifting to his hakama and kimono, and the gorgeous katana Satoshi had given him was in his obi. Sand's telkiira appeared, throwing off its rainbow of colors before settling into a warm radiance, and Sand's hair shifted slightly in a breeze that only he felt. He lifted his head a little and smiled, the wind caressing his cheek with a promise of aid.

"Then let her face us, and we will end her evil. It is long overdue, and she owes us both a great debt." Sand's eyes were narrowed as he felt the evil strengthen around them.

Satoshi nodded sharply and reached out his hand for Sand's hand, silently asking for the strength that he drew from his husband. Sand obliged, filling their bond with love and strength, letting the power he could pull from the very air around them augment his own will.

Satoshi turned around to face the pond, and the black water rippled as the head of a woman breached the surface, waves of pure evil radiating out from her, her eyes burning with her hatred of the two lovers.

"So, finally you show yourself, malignant shade," Sand challenged. "In all this time, have you not learned the Path? You cling to that which can only twist and deform you, and you have grown small and bitter with your hatred." He spoke with the assurance of his former life as a monk, yet his hand rested on the hilt of his katana as he held Satoshi tightly with his free hand.

Satoshi eased his hand from Sand's grip, resting his hand on the hilt of his katana, and his voice was strong and focused, his confidence flowing through his bond with Sand, utterly open and uninterrupted. "Show yourself, witch. Take your punishment with some dignity," Satoshi said, his thumb slowly pushing on the hiltguard of his katana, to ease it loose from the scabbard.

The witch rose out of the water slowly, her long black hair hanging down like thick curtains, framing her pale face, her slanted eyes burning with centuries old hatred, her white kimono floating around her body eerily. Her lips parted in a manic smile and her voice sounded like a funeral bell, hollow and dire. Her eyes landed on Sand and she cackled a little when she spoke. "Shut your mouth, monk. My war is not with you. You died without a fight, too taken by my husband to notice that you were also poisoned, and you let a woman end your life. You were a shame to the name of the samurai."

Sand chuckled mirthlessly. "Then you are even more of a fool than I thought, to think I would have not accorded the rank of samurai to you simply because you were a woman. I always viewed you as an equal, and the shame is yours for resorting to a woman's weapon instead of the knife you used so well." His katana was also loose in the scabbard, and his blue eyes were bright as that private breeze stirred his hair. "You made this war my concern when you took that which I loved from me, and dishonored both our families."

The witch hissed at Sand, and Satoshi stepped forward. "Then what is your war with me? You were not the only woman to have her husband seek love in the arms of others. As I remember it you found love with another as well, and I never slighted you for that."

The witch stepped up on the pier, and raised her head a little, squaring Satoshi with a glare, her voice dripping with hatred. "You sought love in the arms of a man. You were a grown man, a samurai. It was a disgrace, a dishonor on both our families. And you betrayed our wedding contract."

"We were discreet, taking care that none would know of our love. The lord, your uncle, did not seek to punish us for our love. What right did you have to usurp the justice only your lord could administer?" Sand's voice was sharp, his eyes still narrowed. "Satoshi no more betrayed your wedding contract than you did, witch."

Satoshi nodded his head in agreement. "You were the one who betrayed our wedding contract first, yet I never said a word, even when you did not hide your infidelity. I never demanded any sort of justice from your uncle for that. I served him with dedication, even after I returned from the mountains, I still served him, and was discreet about my love for Masato."

The witch screamed in anger and launched forward, her voice rising to a painful screech. "You betrayed me, you onnagirai! You shamed our sons and our daughter. You shamed our family name."

Satoshi pulled his sword out of the scabbard, and shouted back, "I did not shame my family name. The only shameful blemish on my family was you, you hag."

Sand nodded agreement, his voice still razor sharp. "You left your children without parents, and you heaped the shame of witchcraft on your lord and uncle's name. You tarnished his honor, and for what? Because in all your seeking, you could not find one tenth of the love we had between us?"

The witch screamed again, her voice turning hysterical. "I did not tarnish my uncle's honor. He was ten times the man that you were!" She launched herself at them, pulling a long wicked dagger from a hidden sheath under her obi, aiming for Sand's throat.

Sand moved almost languidly, his slim bare feet finding their way unerringly on the wood of the pier as he stepped to one side and drew his katana in a single smooth motion. Satoshi moved with Sand, stepping in the opposite direction, his katana flashing as he raised it, the witch flanked by them.

The witch spun, as fast as a cat, spitting and snarling as she slashed, but the throat she sought was not there. Instead, her blade rang harmlessly as it struck the flawless katana that Satoshi had given to Sand, the elf twisting the katana to deflect her blow away.

Satoshi deflected a blow from the witch, as she spun again, attacking him with the same ferocity, another dagger flashing in the dim light as she drew it from another hidden sheath.

Satoshi raised his sword in an attack stance, his bond to Sand throbbing with his faith and love in the elf, as well as his confidence that he and Sand would be able to defeat this witch together.

"Showing your claws, hellcat?" Sand asked, and his voice dripped with derision. "I was teaching my lord's children how to fight when you were still in swaddling clothes, child." This part of the battle was all show, Sand knew. She was seeking to bait them, to get them to lash out rashly, and neither Sand nor Satoshi was fool enough to fall for her tactics. Sand let his own confidence flow through his bond with Satoshi, but he knew this fight was just beginning.

The witch sneered at Sand, cackling manically, her eyes still glowing with her hatred. "Do not overestimate yourself, monk. You had not touched a sword for decades when I killed you, you filth," she hissed, and then she drew herself up to her full height, and started chanting a spell, the air around her darkening and filling with a terrible malice.

Sand moved with terrible grace, his katana inscribing an intricate pattern in the air that glowed slightly, disrupting her chanting. "You underestimate me, witch. I might not have touched a sword in decades back then, but even so, I had forgotten none of the arts of the blade that were drilled into me. And you underestimate me still. By your own actions, by your own curse, my soul traveled a path that has led me to places you cannot even hope to know."

The witch fell back a step when Sand disrupted her chanting, her eyes widening a little with shock, and she dove at them wildly again, slashing at Satoshi this time. Satoshi twisted out of the way, deflecting the strike easily, blocking the other dagger as the witch tried to strike him backhanded.

Sand admired the fluid grace of his slender husband, Satoshi's katana an extension of him that never failed to make Sand suck in a quick breath at the sheer mastery of his technique. The long forgotten voice of the monk Masato reminded Sand that bushido required him to stay his hand and not attack from the rear like a shameful ronin, and so Sand merely watched closely, ready to intervene only if he absolutely needed to act.

The witch attacked Satoshi with a fury fueled by centuries of hate, but Satoshi blocked each attack with a perfect ease, using each opening he could find to press his advantage, but the witch started to chant another spell, the air around them darkening.

"No," Sand said, and his voice resonated with power, his eyes glowing like sapphires. "I will not let you use your fell magic against him. You cursed him once, and now it is me you must face, if you dare. Turn around, and see where your curse has led me, witch. I am no longer a monk." The very air around Sand crackled with power, and the telkiira simply absorbed the darkness of the witch's spell without dimming in the slightest.

The witch spun around and fear flashed across her face for a moment, but then she growled and hissed at Sand as she launched another rapid attack at him. "You are not the only one who has learned new tricks over the centuries, monk."

Satoshi stepped aside, his sword raised but in a passive stance, and he watched his lover fight the witch, his soul remembering all that he had learned through the ages.

Sand parried the witch's blade with careless ease, and her second blade was blocked by a sword carved from pure blackness, that sent a chill back up her arm. "Tricks? You will need more than tricks, witch. I know you can sense the font of power that surrounds us. Have you learned to sip from its cool waters? Or do you prefer the brackish taste of its shadow?" The black sword held position, the chill emanating from it held at bay by Sand's will.

Satoshi sucked in a quick breath when he saw the black blade in Sand's hand, but he remained still, watching Sand battle with the witch.

The witch glared at Sand, her hatred for the former monk as cold as the black blade in Sand's hand. "My magic is strong, monk. Your tricks are showmanship, nothing more." She hissed, and the air around her darkened again, as she pressed her attack on Sand again, and the pier under their feet shuddered, then began to crumble into the pond.

Satoshi suddenly lost his footing and slid off the wooden pier, and into the black water. The witch laughed as she spun away from Sand and jumped into the water as well, her daggers aimed at Satoshi's exposed back.

Sand gestured, and a shining orb surrounded Satoshi, lifting him from the black water and deflecting the witch's blades. At the same time, Sand dismissed the black blade and a globe of energy formed in his hand, glowing like a miniature sun. "What do you look like in the light, little witch, with all your shadows gone?"

Sand lofted the orb, and crackling energy arced out to lash the witch with bright tendrils. "I have slain one who had those shadows running through his veins like blood. I have walked on the bones of a dead god. What do you think you can do that I cannot turn against you, little witch? If need be, I will rip every vestige of what little power you command from your very bones, and scour them with the energy that lives at the heart of the sun."

Sand guided the orb that held Satoshi to the grass, his eyes never leaving the witch. "I turned down godhood for the love of this man."

The witch screamed when the bright energy lashed her, and Satoshi floated out of her reach, but then she turned around to face Sand once again, her voice still that screeching hysterical tone, but her face finally revealing her for what she was.

Her hair blew back from her white face, dark circles under her eyes only accentuating the yellow glow deep within them, and her white kimono was stained with blood. Her fingernails grew into black claws, and her teeth became wicked points, and one of her daggers grew longer, a wicked gleaming blade, while in her other hand a black orb of energy appeared in place of the other dagger.

She floated out of the water, landing on the grass, closer to Satoshi than Sand, and the black orb hurtled through the air at lightning speed, exploding just before it reached Satoshi, and he was thrown back with a shout of pain, his kimono ripping in the front as if he had been lashed by a hundred slender whips.

Sand roared with fury, and power rippled out from him like a great wind, his eyes blazing as the telkiira around his neck flared to life. A powerful shield formed around Satoshi, and Sand stalked forward, his bare feet making no sound on the grass. "You are free to attack, saiai, as you will. The shield does not impede you, but her evil may not pass. It is a protection from evil that I brought back from the heart of the Weave, and not even the gods may dispel it."

Sand lifted his blade, and it was no longer the peerless katana, having transformed into Sand's songsword. The breeze that had played with Sand earlier returned in earnest, dancing through the blade and summoning a melody of delicate purity that grated on the ears of the witch. Sand began to move in the intricate steps of a bladedance, his feet sure and the air around him glowing with a web of arcane symbols as the melody lifted and soared around him.

"You threaten the lives of those I love, and I will not abide this. For my husband," Sand said, and a lash of energy spun out to wrap around the witch like a noose. "For our son." Another lash wrapped around her. "We will not be held here by you!"

Sand gestured, and the scene dissolved around them as they returned to the pond where the witch was drowned. "Here is where it all began, and here is where we will end you, witch."

Satoshi jumped to his feet only moments after he got hit by the magic missile of the witch, then he stood and watched the scene unfold before him, a chill running down his back as he sensed the rage that pulsed out of the witch as Sand bound her. The witch tried to fight off the nooses that Sand used to bind her, but even her magic failed her, and she screamed in fury as Sand moved them to the pond where she had been executed.

"Saiai. Release this spell. I must face her with my own power in order to break this curse," Satoshi said to Sand, his face set with a look of determination. He looked at the elf quickly, his bond flowing with love, and he smiled softly, nodding. "Trust me, Masato. I can do this."

"I trust you, Satoshi, my love." Sand released the spell that bound the witch, and dismissed the shield that had guarded Satoshi. The air around Sand continued to move, energy making bright sparks along his raven hair. "My strength is yours, saiai."

The witch fell back when Sand released her, and she backed away from them until her bare feet entered the water of the pond, and both Sand and Satoshi could sense the strength of her magic triple. She smiled wickedly and raised her arms as she chanted another spell, three small black orbs of energy racing towards Sand and Satoshi suddenly.

Satoshi nodded at the elf, and closed his eyes as he raised his sword in front of himself, drawing a deep breath, centering himself and reaching his zen state in only a moment. Sand could see all of Satoshi's former lives merging with the slender man, augmenting his strength to his full power, and when Satoshi opened his eyes again, they were nearly black, filled with energy and confidence.

Sand watched, his own eyes still glowing that vibrant sapphire blue, but he watched Satoshi with love and pride as Satoshi drew on his many lifetimes of training and experience. Sand also knew that Satoshi was armed with the one weapon that the witch could neither match nor defeat. Satoshi knew what it meant to love. Sand let his own love for Satoshi and for their children, their other spouses, and their friends radiate outward in a cleansing wave.

Satoshi answered Sand's wave of love with equal love, and blocked the black orb easily, dodging the other one. The witch threw her arms forward, a stream of energy rushing out from her, and long barbed lashes of dark light slashed at the two lovers, Satoshi blocking a few of them, but another two slashed against his arm, tearing at his kimono and leaving behind bleeding gashes in his pale skin.

The witch's attacks aimed at Sand were absorbed into the telkiira that shone against Sand's pale skin, the elf refraining from taking any actions against the witch directly. Instead, he focused closely on Satoshi, the melody from his songsword changing slightly to one that slowed the bleeding from Satoshi's wounds, and neutralized any poisons that might have been transferred by the witch. It was all Sand could allow himself to do, unless Satoshi gave him leave to act.

"You were a proud woman of the samurai once. But you lost your mind to your black magic and hatred. You want me dead, so come on, woman. Wife. Fight me hand to hand, instead of hiding behind your tricks," Satoshi said calmly, his eyes blazing, and he held his sword to his side, as if it were still in its sheath, and bowed to the witch in a show of respect for his opponent.

"Reign in your dog then, and I'll fight you on your grounds, you filth," the witch hissed back, her two daggers appearing again in her hands, and Satoshi nodded.

"Masato, my love, fall back and wait for my call. If she tries to backstab me and use her magic, you can interfere. Please do this for me," Satoshi said quietly, and smiled quickly at Sand, without taking his eyes off the witch. The woman came out of the water, her kimono shrinking and transforming into a hakama.

Sand bowed deeply, and pulled back his power, the telkiira dimming to a soft radiance. "I will do so, my love." The songsword became his katana again, and Sand held it as Satoshi did, unsheathed, but at his side.

The witch bowed in response to Satoshi's bow, and then raised her long daggers in an attack stance, Satoshi taking a defensive stance, and then he nodded at the witch with a calm smile. She attacked with far more ferocity than before, but Satoshi answered her blow for blow, deflecting her vicious blows easily, and pressing his own attack whenever he saw an opening.

The two danced around each other with equal grace, the woman's white kimono and hakama, and her raven hair swirling around her in hypnotizing waves. Satoshi's deep black hakama and kimono and his cherry red hair seemed to shine eerily in the dim light of the night, but around him there was an air of kindness and love, and gentle peace, radiating in waves that clashed with the evil that poured out of the witch. They slashed at each other with wicked strokes, landing a blow here and there, but never enough to cause serious injury, although they drew blood.

Sand watched closely, prepared to intervene immediately if the witch tried anything magical or underhanded, but for the moment she was abiding by Satoshi's rules. Sand found himself utterly in awe of Satoshi's skill, the slender man's mastery of his blade and his ability to be exactly where he needed to be at every turn the mark of a true master. Still, the elf did not let down his guard, and the gentle breeze that wafted around him was equally alert.

Satoshi and the witch continued fighting in that graceful dance, their blades flickering in the moonlight, and they both seemed to only see each other. The witch faked a move, and nearly managed to slide her dagger into Satoshi's arm, but he dodged the strike just in time, bringing his katana up in a graceful arch, slicing the witch across the chest and shoulder, the cut deep enough for her to fall back and scream in pain as she fell to her knee.

The woman clutched her chest with a whimper, one of her daggers laying on the ground beside her, the other dagger grasped tightly in her other hand. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as if she was struggling to catch her breath, and Satoshi's chest moved a little, as he calmed his breathing again.

Suddenly the witch lifted her head and threw a spell at Satoshi, small spears of energy rushing towards him, and Satoshi instinctively raised his sword to block the attack even though he knew it was useless against magic.

The breeze that had been playing with Sand's hair became a gale instantly, driving the spears of energy away from Satoshi and turning them away to fall into the pond. At the same instant, Sand moved with preternatural speed that Satoshi realized was not at all magically augmented, the flat of his katana slapping the witch sharply and disrupting her from further casting.

"Say the word, saiai, and I will take her head," Sand growled, his blade utterly still and ready to make good on his words.

"No, saiai. I must be the one to kill her to break this curse. But you can fight her beside me now. I do not think she will be fighting with honor from now," Satoshi said, moving up to stand beside Sand, and glancing quickly up at Sand, he asked with a slight tone of curiosity, "You can control wind?"

The witch remained on one knee while she caught her breath, her hand still tight around her dagger, and she bowed her head in what seemed like surrender.

"It is something I learned from Tae," Sand replied. "I thought it fitting, since she sent me off to find you when she could no longer stay here. There are times I almost think I feel her touch." Sand's blade remained poised, his eyes on the witch. "I am at your side, saiai. Let us end this, and cleanse this evil at last."

Satoshi nodded his head and wiped his sword on a cloth that he pulled from under his obi.

The witch suddenly launched herself upwards, her dagger aimed at Sand's ribcage, under his sword arm. Satoshi cried out, and his sword came down in a quick arc, striking her on the shoulder, slicing into her neck and into her chest.

Sand looked at the wound carved along his rib and he slapped the witch's arm with the flat of his katana hard enough to break the bones, her dagger falling to the ground. He refrained from going for a killing blow, knowing that Satoshi was correct, and he had to be the one to end the witch's life.

The witch screamed when Satoshi's blade sliced into her body, and almost in the same instant Sand's blade broke her arm. Satoshi stepped forward as he dislodged his sword from the witch's neck and his voice was filled with peace as he raised his sword again. "I break your curse, and damn your soul to eternal suffering in repayment for your crimes and sins. May your soul find peace when that debt has been paid."

The witch lifted her head, blood flowing from the wound in her neck, and from her mouth when she tried to spout out another spell, but she barely managed the first word, before Satoshi's blade came down in a beautiful arc and severed her head from her body.

Sand watched as the witch's head fell to the ground, her body falling the other way, and he nodded with grim satisfaction. "Is she truly dead, saiai?"

Satoshi wiped his sword again, carefully removing every trace of her blood from the gleaming steel.

"I think so, saiai. I think we have won," Satoshi said quietly, and walked towards the pond, watching as the water seemed to clear.

Sand nodded, and murmured a few words, both of them feeling slightly stronger when he was done. "A temporary measure, I fear. But it should suffice to let us find our way home. Are you ready, my love? It may be harder for you when you wake, for a time."

Satoshi finished wiping his sword, and walked into the pond slowly, his voice still filled with that peace that he had found when he had killed the witch. "In a moment, saiai. I want to wash this taint off. Join me?" Satoshi asked, and held out his hand to Sand, as he walked into the pond, the water rising slowly to reach his chest.

Sand smiled, and walked into the pond, reaching out to take Satoshi's hand, his eyes filled with love and admiration for his husband. "Where you go, there shall I be," Sand said, and laughed. "That is from a poem, I think, a very old elven poem. But it is the truth, saiai. I love you, and I will be at your side whenever you wish."

Satoshi smiled happily and took Sand's hand, pulling the elf into the pond with him, and wrapping his arms around Sand's neck as they moved too far to reach bottom. "And where you go, there shall I be, Masato. For four lifetimes I lived without you, and each time I came to a tragic end, because I got distracted by a memory of these beautiful pale eyes of yours. I love you, I always have, and I will for eternity."

Satoshi pressed a kiss to Sand's lips and moaned softly before he let go of the elf and dunked himself under the surface, then rising out of the water again, and the last of his darkness was washed away, his heart filled with peace and love, and the knowledge that he had won this battle for his own life.

When Satoshi reemerged, Sand held him tightly for a moment, his lips seeking Satoshi's lips in a kiss, and then he looked up at the emerald green ribbon that seemed to float past them. Sand chuckled and looked at Satoshi, his blue eyes bright. "I do believe that is our ride home." He cradled Satoshi's face between his slim hands, stealing another tender kiss. "You were magnificent, my love, utterly perfect."

Satoshi answered the kiss with passion, and then laughed brightly. "You were utterly magnificent as well, my love. There is one last thing that we must do before we leave."

Satoshi swam to the shore of the pond where the body of the witch still lay, and knelt on the ground, his head bowed in prayer. Before him a funeral pyre materialized and Satoshi grabbed the witch's head and tossed it onto the pyre, then he grabbed her body and started to drag it to the pyre as well. "We need to burn her remains to purge our lives and the estate of her evil."

Sand nodded, and helped Satoshi to place the body on the pyre. Sand chanted the prayers as he remembered them from his life as a monk, and then he held out one hand to Satoshi. Taking Satoshi's hand, he raised their joined hands and called down a pure blue flame, igniting the pyre and burning the witch's remains in its cleansing embrace.

Sand continued to pray quietly, Satoshi's voice weaving seamlessly with his, until the pyre was nothing more than ashes, not a single piece of bone remaining to be picked. The gentle breeze that had wound around them both as they prayed dipped and blew the ashes almost tenderly, scattering them until there was nothing left, not even a scorched mark on the ground.

Satoshi let out a deep breath, and nodded at Sand, holding his hand tightly, his eyes scanning the grounds where they stood, and he smiled gently as he asked, "Do you recognize this place?"

Sand frowned slightly, and then he looked surprised. "I think I do. Is this the Ishikawa estate?"

Satoshi smiled with a small giggle, and nodded his head as he started following the emerald ribbon that wafted above them. "Yes it is, my love. We will need to ask Kenji how far back he can trace the history of the estate, because it looks like it belonged to the Mori clan, and then passed on to the Ishikawa clan."

"I still cannot believe that I was an Ishikawa myself," Sand laughed. ""I think Kenji would be quite surprised to find out we might be related."

The emerald ribbon seemed to tug at them, and they followed it, spiraling upward, their fingers laced tightly together.

In the hospital room, Yuji watched as Sand suddenly shifted, his first independent movement in four days, and then sat up slowly. As he did, Satoshi's brow wrinkled gently, a small frown crossing his face, and Yuji nearly killed himself trying to get out of the chair to call a nurse into the room, tears of joy streaming down his face.

[Weird news of the day]

Okay, that is actually creepy...

[The Great Sue Hunt]

BW looked up, startled, as Cal announced that he thought he had crushed the Delorean. "Oh, fuck!" She dashed into the galley, seeing the same reflection that Apollo did, her eyes wide. "Talk about an entrance. Okay, not a problem. We can pull this off. Glamor, honey, and we go out Hollywood. We have just become an unannounced publicity stunt."

Apollo looked at BW for a moment, and then began to grin. "That could work, and if anyone can pull off Hollywood, it's us."

"Cal, can you come up with a fairly low tech but dramatic way to get us down to the ground?" BW asked. "We want something feasible for this universe and time."

BW could almost hear the grin in Cal's voice. "Nothing easier."

"That's what you said about my bodies," Kelk quipped.

"Whenever you're ready, I've got a platform I can lower. Suitably low tech and still dramatic." Cal still sounded amused, and BW grinned.

When BW emerged from Cal, she was wearing a sleek bodysuit that looked like it was made of thin red scales, slightly iridescent in the artificial light of the hotel. Sleek high-heeled boots in red leather made her look taller, and her white hair tumbled loose over her shoulders. A thin gold mesh belt hung just above her hips, holding up a sheer red skirt that was slit to the hip on both sides. It was exotic but not unreasonably inappropriate, and the small bag of holding on her belt, also in red to compliment her outfit, kept her weapons close at hand, just in case.

Apollo was in full Goddess mode, in an almost sheer peplos in gold and white and gold high-heeled sandals, her glorious auburn hair tumbling down her back, imperious and devastating. Her skin was perfectly tanned, golden and glowing, and she flashed BW a mischievous grin. Foe and Kelk, dressed in Stormtrooper armor and kilts, served as escorts for the two women as the platform lowered to the ground.

When they were about halfway down, Apollo raised one arm and called out, her voice perfectly pitched and modulated to carry, "So where the hell's the 501^st Division? Those boys late again?"

The crowd went wild as they cheered, assuming this was some incredibly fabulous publicity stunt staged to make this a Dragon*Con to remember. There were cameras flashing, and video cameras, and the Atlanta police had a job keeping the eager parade goers from pressing too close to the platform as it lowered. Apollo and BW waved happily, with Foe and Kelk on either side of them as Cal managed to use the distraction to absorb the raw materials of the hapless Delorean.

"Waste not, want not," Cal muttered to himself, a philosophy that had proved sound. On the bright side, the most dangerous things being aimed at him at the moment were flashes, and that was a welcome change, considering most of their recent arrivals on this Hunt. Of course, being seven stories tall had its advantages as well, and unbeknownst to the Atlanta police, Cal's weaponry was fully functional.

The Atlanta police might have been disgruntled, but they were, for the most part, used to strangeness when Dragon*Con was in full swing, and they took the AT-AT in stride, even going so far as to clear a path for Apollo and BW, and their kilted Stormtroopers to sweep into the Hilton. Apollo stopped and posed for a few pictures with Foe and Kelk, and then urged BW to do the same. BW moaned a little, but let Foe and Kelk drag her off for a few pictures, while Apollo signed autographs for a few of the less savvy parade goers.

"Well, here we are," Apollo muttered under her breath to BW as they walked into the lobby of the Hilton. The sheer number of costumed people, badges displayed proudly, was breathtaking, and the ingenuity and creativity of most of the costumes made BW grin in delight. She knew that they still needed to be on their guard, and that there were Sues scattered throughout the crowd, but for a few moments, BW let herself just relax and enjoy blending in. Of course, that entrance of theirs was bound to make a few Sues a bit jealous.

"Keep your eyes open," Apollo murmured. "It's damned hard to tell the Sues from the civilians at this Con." She looked briefly grim. "I have a feeling they might come looking for us, though."

BW nodded, keeping a smile on her face as she looked around, tucking an arm through Kelk's arm. She looked up and arched a brow. Well, at least she thought it was Kelk. "In that case, I want a glass of wine. Let's go find a bar, and then we can check out a few panels. We might do well at the author panels, you think?"

[My Story is Gone?]

I located the story and it should be visible again. In the event that this happens again, please remember to tell us the name of the story and the subdomain it's published under. It makes this much faster to process. Thanks!

[Waiting to see if the world is going to end]

Eternal "almost-there"? Nah... Besides, at the age I plan on being when I finally shuffle off this mortal coil, being almost there could be the achievement!

[Seeking reference materials for xeno original fic]

Strictly from a traumatic point of view, there'd be massive evidence of that sort of damage, and yes, while the uterus is designed to stretch to accommodate a growing fetus, that's a gradual process aided by hormones. The invasion of a tentacle pushing through the cervix would cause the uterus to rupture, which would result in internal bleeding. Externally, there would most likely be swelling, bruising, and eventually skin tearing if the intrusion of the tentacles continued and the abdominal muscles ruptured.

A probable research direction would be to look at the sorts of war crime violence perpetrated against women. That would be if you're looking for realistic depictions of what would happen. For a more tentacle related direction, this article does contain some interesting links... http://www.cracked.com/article_18472_6-depraved-sexual-fetishes-that-are-older-than-you-think.html

[Waiting to see if the world is going to end]

I think I'd like to die laughing as well, or at the very least in the middle of something from my bucket list. (And yes, I have a bucket list.)

Humor is what keeps me going, and always has. I like to laugh, and I think it's left me with much nicer wrinkles than frowning ever would. As far as dying in the bosom of my family, I plan on outliving most of them anyway. In all seriousness, I have no particular desire to die anytime soon. I have way too much left to do. But when I go, I want it to be either in the midst of my friends who make me laugh, or in some spectacularly insane way, like hang gliding off Ayers Rock, or seeing exactly how fast a Lamborghini can go.

Until then, I plan on espousing my usual philosophy of living life with a wanton disregard for personal safety. It's worked so far!

[LOTR - Per TOSMail report, in wrong category]

Per a TOSMail report, this story is in the wrong category within LOTR. It is under LOTR Movies > Slash - Male/Male when it should be in LOTR Movies > Het - Male/Female. Noting it here for when you reach this archive.

Gifts of the Valar

Reporter notified that this will be addressed when this archive is cleaned up.

[List of pairings]

Were you thinking of this list?

[Seeking reference materials for xeno original fic]

Hmm. This is a pretty broad request, since xenophilia can be defined as anything from an interest in other cultures and/or races to an interest in other species entirely.

It would help if you could narrow the parameters just a bit. Is the story science fiction, or fantasy based? If science fiction, are you contemplating extraterrestrials or simply scientific experimentation? All of these could (and have) been adapted to include tentacle porn, so that part of your request sort of goes without saying.

[Funny Typos]

Heh. They're never quiet at 16... I had 3 of 'em over today and my ears still hurt...

[Category request: Game of Thrones]

There is a category under books for this fandom:

A Song of Ice and Fire

[Sandcastles and Fireworks]

"How very curious," Sand murmured. "This one particular day, over and over, is it?"

Sand knew enough from Satoshi and from Yuji and Satoru to know how damaging Shizuko had been, how she had rejected her son over and over until it was all he expected, Satoru kept at bay by her web of deceit. Although this young version of Satoshi was already wary of his mother, he did not seem to have been totally beaten down and demoralized yet. Certainly, he retained enough spirit to go off for tea and sweets with an older foreigner who had seemed harmless.

Sand bit back a wry chuckle. Whether or not he was truly harmless was always a matter of conjecture, but even in this dream where Satoshi had fled, he knew not to fear Sand, and that was something, at least, a small victory of sorts. Taking heart from that, Sand adjusted his appearance to alter his clothing, this time settling on a neat black suit and a very pale blue shirt, a deep indigo tie loosened a bit to allow the top button of Sand's collar to be left open. His hair was neatly tied back, and he slipped off his polished black leather shoes and silk socks to cross the soft grass to the pier.

"Hello, Mori-kun," Sand said, bowing politely. "I am glad to see you again."

Little Satoshi looked up from his book, squinting a little bit against the sun, but then he smiled brightly and closed his book hurriedly. "Mori-sensei. How nice to see you here," he said with a respectful bow, his tone one of a child greeting a teacher.

"Oh, come now," Sand said, sitting down and rolling his pants a bit to dangle his feet. "I am just Mori-san today. I brought you something I thought you might enjoy." He handed Satoshi a book, a Japanese edition of The Little Prince.

Satoshi received the book with both hands and bowed deeply, a great tone of awe and gratitude in his voice, "Oh, wow, The Little Prince. My au-pair from France read it to me once in French. Or at least so my father told me. I never thought to ask father if they had translated it to Japanese. Thank you so much, Mori-san."

The little boy flipped reverently through the book, his eyes sparkling with excitement, his small hands gently caressing the spine and pages as he scanned the text.

Sand smiled in delight. "You had mentioned Paris yesterday, and I thought of this. I am glad you like it." His smile made his blue eyes light up with youthful enthusiasm. "It is a small thing, to be sure, but you have been kind enough to befriend a visitor to your neighborhood."

Satoshi blushed a little bit and lay the new book down on top of the book he was already reading, then he smiled up at Sand, "I'll try to read it quickly so I can give it back to you. Thank you so much for lending it to me."

Satoshi bowed again, and then peered over the edge of the pier, splashing his feet in the water, the koi fish swimming around them both, and nibbling at toes. "I don't have a lot of friends, really, so it's always fun to meet new people to talk to. Hardly any of the kids in kindergarten like to play with me, and I usually end up spending most of my time with my nannies." Satoshi's voice was a little sad, but he gave a small shrug of his shoulders, as if he had accepted this as just the way the world worked.

Sand looked puzzled. "I cannot imagine why the other children do not like you. Perhaps they simply have not taken the time to get to know you." He gave a similar small shrug. "I think you are quite intelligent and most interesting to talk to, which I do not say often, even to adults. I am sorry, though, that you must spend your time with nannies so often. Do you not have a chance to do things with your parents?"

Sand's heart ached a bit at the way, even this young, Satoshi seemed to think that he was owed so little in life. Shizuko had a great deal to answer for, dead though she might be, and Sand filed that away next to Satoru's small lapse into bitterness.

Satoshi shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, and leaned back on his arms, looking around the park while he spoke. "My lungs are sort of weak, so I often have to stay inside when we have recess at kindergarten, so I don't have a lot of chances to play with the other kids. And they think I'm weird because I know how to read, and I'm always asking our teachers about all sorts of stuff."

Satoshi stroked invisible wrinkles from his shorts, and his voice took on a slightly wistful tone, the little boy carefully hiding his face from Sand's view. "My parents are very busy. My father takes me out for a drive in his car sometimes, and sometimes he takes me to this little cake shop that he likes. But my mother is always very busy. I'm not a very good son, you see."

Sand bit back a scathing remark, managing to keep his tone polite and mild. "I am sure that I presume much in saying this, but I simply cannot believe that you are anything but a perfect son. You are thoughtful, polite, well-mannered, intelligent and diligent. Those are hardly the habits of a street thug or a bully." Sand sighed a little. "It is difficult to accept that adults, who should know better, are often so poorly behaved."

Sand waved a slim hand, the faint scars showing briefly in the afternoon sun. "Never mind. Let us speak of something else, or I do think my manners might fail as well. You mentioned the catacombs in Paris."

Satoshi looked up at Sand with an angered look when he mentioned adults being poorly behaved, but when he waved the comment off and mentioned the catacombs of Paris, Satoshi's brow unfurrowed, and he looked out over the pond again. "Father brought me picture postcards of the Catacombs when he came back home from France. He also brought pictures of the Eiffel tower, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame. I really like the Catacombs the most."

Satoshi tugged at his shirt collar in an effort to straighten his shirt, his voice a little sad. "I really like small dark places. All places where you can hide are good. This pier isn't very small or dark, but it is my hiding place. I have many hiding places."

"They are a fascinating place, the Catacombs, and vast. It is a city of bones, beneath the city of Paris. One can become lost as easily as one can hide." Sand looked at Satoshi thoughtfully. "Would it be presumptuous to ask why you are hiding here today, on this pleasant pier?"

Satoshi mumbled something under his breath, and then looked up at Sand a little sideways and asked with a little puzzled frown, "What does that word mean, presumbutous?"

Sand blushed a little. "Ah, forgive me. It means to assume something, or in this case, it means that I am afraid I am being rude by asking." He ducked his head a little, looking sheepish. "I forget to stop being a professor sometimes. I am sorry."

Satoshi laughed a little bit, and hid his smile behind his hand. "Oh, no, it's alright. I just like to learn new words. How do you pronounce it? Presumbutous? Presumptious?"

Sand laughed, his face making that transformation to youthfulness again. "It is pronounced, pre-sump-tu-ous."

Satoshi repeated the word a few time, after Sand, until he finally had it correct, and then he repeated it exactly seven times, before he looked back at Sand and answered the question.

"Today is a good day. That's why I'm here. It's a very good day. Before everything turned to shit." A bitter tone entered Satoshi's voice, and for a moment it sounded far older than his six years, his dark eyes filling with bitterness and anger as he glared down at the pond.

"I do not understand," Sand said, his voice puzzled but gentle. He watched Satoshi, his blue eyes dark.

In the blink of an eye little Satoshi was back to the sweet little child, and he smiled innocently at Sand, his voice tittering a little with excitement. "I'm starting school tomorrow, and I'm a little stressed about it. So I decided to come here to relax a little bit. And my mother isn't very happy with me today too, so staying out here until dinner is what I'm going to do."

His voice grew sad again, and he crossed his arms over his chest, wriggling his toes at the koi that swam around Sand's feet.

"Ah, well, starting school is a very exciting thing, but it can be stressful. It is very different from kindergarten, I am sure." Sand could not help but think of Ryuu, facing the very same challenge, and how excited he had been, as loved and supported as he was. "If you are going to stay out until dinner, then perhaps we might have some tea again?"

Satoshi nodded somberly, and then pulled his feet out of the pond shaking them vigorously. "Yes, please. I would love to have some tea again," he said with a happy giggle and then glanced at Sand's suit with a slightly disappointed look, since he could not see where Sand might be hiding his handkerchief this time.

Sand produced more handkerchiefs from an inside pocket with the air of a magician, offering one to Satoshi. They dried their feet and donned their shoes and socks, as they had done the day before. Satoshi giggled happily as he accepted the handkerchief and dried his small feet, then pulled on his socks and shoes, and walked beside Sand out of the park.

Once they were out of sight of Satoshi's home, Satoshi shyly reached out and tucked his hand into Sand's hand, glancing up at the tall stranger through his lashes.

Sand smiled down at Satoshi, his blue eyes warm and open, a strand of long raven hair framing his face as he gently closed his long fingers around the small hand. "Shall we go back to the same tea house? They really do make lovely mochi there."

"Yes, please. I'm not really allowed to go much further without telling my nanny, or the housekeeper. And the lady at the tea house knows me, so I know I'm safe there."

Sand nodded, knowing that the realities of the world meant that children needed to be cautious about strangers, something unthinkable in his homeland. But it was a mark in his favor that Satoshi trusted him this much, and Sand needed to retain that trust. "I think perhaps I will have some of the daifuku mochi today."

Satoshi giggled brightly and climbed up on a low stone wall that ran along the sidewalk, still holding Sand's hand, and his other arm stretched out to his side to keep his balance. "I think I might have some mango mochi. Have you ever tried green tea mochi? That's very good, too."

"Perhaps we can persuade the owner to make us a mixed plate of mochi," Sand said with a wide smile. "That would be nice, with a pot of her excellent tea. I would like to try the green tea mochi as well, I think." Sand held tightly to Satoshi, automatically adjusting his arm as he would have done with Ryuu.

Satoshi agreed with Sand about the mochi and tea, and his bright laughter rang out over the street as he walked along the low stone wall, his small hand grasping his two books tightly, struggling to keep his balance on the slim wall.

Sand's laughter mingled with Satoshi's laughter, and the elf provided strong support for Satoshi as he walked along the slim wall. The late afternoon sun gilded Satoshi's raven hair with reddish light, and his beautiful eyes sparkled with happiness. Sand felt a tightness in his throat, sorrow that Satoshi had to retreat this far back in his life to find a day when he could be this carefree.

"What is your favorite subject in school?" Sand asked, trying to keep things light for a little longer.

Satoshi laughed a little, squeaking when he teetered a little bit, but Sand's strong hand righted him again, and Satoshi answered with a giggle, "I just told you, I'm not in school. I'm starting tomorrow. But I do like to learn reading, and writing. And I also like to learn foreign languages, and music. I really want to learn music."

"Ah, music is a wonderful thing to learn," Sand said. "And you are right, you did tell me that you start school tomorrow. How forgetful I am! But what is your favorite instrument? I can never decide if I like the flute, or the guitar, or the piano."

Satoshi laughed again, and stopped walking, his little hand slipping out of Sand's as he poised himself as if he had a guitar on his front, and the small hand holding his books swung down in a great arch as Satoshi yelled happily, "I want to play guitar like Presley!"

Satoshi's arm swung in a circle as he pretended to strike the strings of a guitar, and he cried out something that was supposed to be the chords of a song, but the sound changed to one of dismay as the two books went flying out of his small hand, and crashed down on the sidewalk by Sand's feet. Satoshi jumped down and cried out in dismay as he saw the pages crumble and crease, and with the blink of an eye the memory shifted.

Suddenly Sand was standing in the driveway of the Mori home, a slightly older Satoshi standing behind a car that Sand did not recognize. Satoshi was sobbing quietly, his school bag in his hand, one of the shoulder straps broken, and his school books spread over the wet asphalt of the driveway.

Satoshi was scrambling to pick up the books and stuff them back into his bag, his eyes filling with tears and his voice keening softly in his throat as he heard the front door open and a woman's voice called out to him.

Sand watched helplessly, unable to make his presence known in this memory, his heart aching for his gentle Satoshi. He longed to be able to intervene, to reassure Satoshi that the books could be replaced, the school bag as well, and to dry those tears that tore his heart.

Satoshi grabbed the last book off the ground, biting back a shout of fear when Shizuko came storming up to him and grabbed him by the arm, spinning him around harshly. She was tall for a woman, but as slender and delicate as a reed, and her face was very beautiful, but that beauty was only skin deep. Her brown eyes were hard and showed no compassion, and her lips were tight, as if she avoided smiling with a great diligence. And her voice was the voice of a woman that was used to getting her way, by any means possible.

Shizuko shook Satoshi a little and hissed at him, careful to not let the neighbors see her abuse her son. "What the hell are you doing, you little shit? How the hell did you ruin your school bag? You have got to be kidding me! You've ruined your school books too!?"

Shizuko dragged Satoshi inside the house, the slender boy stumbling as he tried to follow her, his voice shaking with fear. "I'm sorry, mother, I'm sorry. The other kids were teasing me on the way home. They were pulling on my bag, and I think that's why it broke. It broke when I was walking up the drive way. I'm sorry, mother, I'm sorry."

"You will be, you useless little shit," Shizuko shouted as she slammed the front door closed behind them, the blonde nanny running from the kitchen to her room as she saw the state her employer was in.

Satoshi cried and begged as he took off his shoes and carried his bag in to the house, Shizuko berating him and calling him names as she shoved him on into the house. She turned to the closet that served as a broom closet now, and from a top shelf she brought down a thin rod, and little Satoshi cried out in fear, but he did not run away.

Shizuko grabbed Satoshi and all but flung him against the pole at the bottom of the stair railing and ordered him to pull his pants down. Satoshi sobbed and hiccuped, begging his mother not to do this, that he was sorry, but still he unbuttoned his shorts and pulled them down, with shaking hands. Then he tugged his shirt up a little bit, exposing his ass and thighs, and wrapped his arms around the pole, as his mother whipped him across the ass, hard enough to leave behind a red welt.

The mad woman whipped her eight year old son until there was barely an inch of unmarked skin on his ass and the back of his thighs, all the while she yelled at him, calling him the nastiest names, and berating him for being ungrateful and badly behaved. And the little boy cried quietly, begging his mother to forgive him for being such a failure.

When Shizuko finally stopped she ordered Satoshi to get dressed again and go to his room to do his homework. Satoshi obeyed, and the memory faded and switched again as the little boy disappeared up the stairs, his broken school bag in his arms.

Sand realized his hands were clenched, and the air around him, even in this place between worlds, was charged with arcane energy as he struggled to tamp down his rage at Shizuko. Had she been alive, she never would have survived Sand's wrath when he returned. As it was, Sand intended to ask Vale to Planewalk him to find Shizuko's soul. There were places where a soul could learn the meaning of both pain and eternity, and Sand knew many of them.

When the memory shifted, Sand found himself standing on the small pier again, but this time the little Satoshi was standing at the edge, the day gray and rainy around them, and the little boy was screaming in rage, his small hands fisted so hard that the knuckles shone white through the skin.

Sand immediately shoved his own anger down, and dropped to his knees in front of the small boy. "Please, Mori-kun, Satoshi-kun, tell me what is wrong. Tell me why you are so angry." He held his hands out, not touching Satoshi, but the offer of an embrace was there.

The little boy's scream slowly died out, his voice that of the grown up Satoshi, but when he spoke his voice had returned back to the voice of a broken little boy. "That bitch. She made it all worse. Instead of listening, instead of helping, she blamed me, and called me a liar when I told her what the other kids did. I hate her," Satoshi screamed at Sand, rushing into the elf's embrace and pummeling the elf with his small fists.

Sand pulled Satoshi into his arms, ignoring the last few blows from the small hands, stroking the soft raven hair tenderly. "Hush, Satoshi-kun. It is over. No one will hurt you," Sand said softly, his voice gentle and warm as he smoothed Satoshi's hair with the gesture Satoru used. "I will not let you be hurt. Is this why you are hiding here? Who do you hate so much that you need to hide?"

The little boy tried to hit Sand a few last times, his little fists landing on Sand's shoulders, but the force of the blows was utterly spent. His voice was ragged with tears and he sobbed so hard his small slender body shook in Sand's arms, but he did not try to pull away. "Today was the last good day. The day before it all turned to shit. Before I started school and all the kids started to torture me, too. She used to torture me all the time. Everything I did, everything I said wasn't good enough, or it was all bad, and when I came home from school with bruises, or torn clothes or ruined books she would hit me, and yell at me, and call me a liar when I tried to tell her that the other kids did it. That's why I never told father. Because he would call me a liar, too."

The hot tears spilled down Sand's cheeks, and his voice was slightly ragged with emotion. "Does it help to know that I believe you? Does it help to know that your father believes you now? It was not you that was not good enough. It was never you, never, Satoshi-kun."

"Father saw the marks that night. I had to sit through my homework and through dinner without showing any reactions, while my ass and thighs hurts so badly that I wanted to die. Father saw them when he put me to bed, but he didn't say anything. Just called me his little fighter like he always did, and then the next day I saw the cane in the trash." Satoshi sobbed loudly, and slumped a little into Sand's embrace, his tears hot against Sand's neck, and then he whispered painfully through his sobs, "Does father really believe me now? Why didn't he believe me then?"

"Your father really believes now, I promise you." Sand cradled the small body, his heart aching. "I think he was afraid to believe then, because it would mean he had married a monster. That is a hard thing to face, Satoshi-kun, but it was harder when he did realize it, because then he feared that he had lost you."

Sand found yet another handkerchief in a pocket, and carefully dried Satoshi's cheeks with the cloud-soft Egyptian cotton. "That was the loss he could not bear, Satoshi-kun. Losing you was the one thing he could not bear."

Satoshi lifted his head from Sand's shoulder as the elf wiped the tears from his cheeks, and asked between hiccups and soft sobs, "Really? Father thought he lost me?"

Sand nodded, his eyes gentle and warm. "You were how she kept him. She threatened to take you away from him, and so he stayed, but he still thought he had lost you, and his heart was heavy."

Satoshi sobbed a little more, and one small hand guided Sand's hand, which was holding the handkerchief, to his face to let the elf dry all of his tears. "I didn't know. I thought mother hated us both. She started working at a new company when I was seven, and all of a sudden she was having us take family portraits, and going on company hanami picnics. She threatened to take me away from father? Why did she do that? How was she going to do that?" he asked with a small voice, his eyes still glistening with tears.

Sand sighed a little, his blue eyes darkening with sorrow. "She offered to let him leave, with you, and he wanted to do that. He was ready to do that. Then she got that new job, and the firm she worked for valued families. She needed you both to look perfect. She wanted to look like something she was not. She wanted to look human, so no one would see the monster behind her eyes." Sand took a deep breath. "Your father stayed because it was the only way to be near you. When people divorce, the courts give the children to the mother most of the time, and he could not prove that she was a monster."

Satoshi's eyes widened a little and his voice wavered for a moment, but his tears slowed a little. "Once I heard them arguing about a new baby. I didn't really understand it, but she said something about another woman and a baby, and then she grabbed me and threw me at father and told him to leave and take me with him. We spent the whole weekend at a hotel, just me and father. But we forgot my school uniform at home, and the next Monday we had to go home and get it, and then my nanny came to get me when school was over, and everything went back to the way it was."

Sand nodded. "Yes. The new baby was your half-brother. Your father found love elsewhere, for a short time, and at first it looked like he would leave with you. But monsters do not surrender their victims easily, and she pulled you both back when she needed you for her purposes. And so your half-brother was left to be raised by a thug because your mother could not bear a blemish on her image. She could have said he was adopted. It would have been acceptable, but she wanted to punish your father, and so Mamoru was cast aside."

Sand stroked Satoshi's hair gently, his movements slow and tender. "You were the perfect accessories, you and your father. You were handsome and bright and accomplished, and in the family portraits, you all look perfect, if you do not look into the eyes. Your eyes, and your father's eyes, they are filled with sorrow, and her eyes are as flat and lifeless as those of a snake."

Little Satoshi nodded slowly, his eyes darkening, and the knowledge of Satoshi's thirty-two years was evident in their depths. The little boy looked up into Sand's face and hesitantly he reached up and stroked Sand's cheek, his voice slightly wobbly. "You have very beautiful eyes. They are so bright and full of love. Your wife is so very lucky to have you. I'm sure you love your children more than anything."

"I do love my children more than anything, except for one person I love more," Sand replied, his eyes never leaving Satoshi's eyes. "I am married to the most perfect man, a man who completes me in ways I cannot begin to describe with my poor words. He is the music of my soul, and I love him more than anything. Together we have three children, and they are the joy of our lives."

Satoshi twitched a little bit, and shook his head with a small sound of disbelief. "A man? You can't be married to a man. You can only marry a woman."

And with that the world around them shifted again, and Sand was left kneeling on the pier, looking at little Satoshi sitting on the edge of the pier again, his feet in the water, and his book open on the same page he had been reading for the past two days.

Sand shifted his clothing one more time. Today it was neat jeans and sneakers, with a sweater over a button-down shirt. Sand held a small shopping bag in one hand, and he sank down beside Satoshi gracefully.

"We meet again, Satoshi-kun. It is good to see you, my young friend." Sand took off his sneakers and socks, and rolled up his jeans. "Do you think the koi are becoming fond of professor toes?"

Satoshi only glanced up from his book, and then down at the water where the koi were swimming around their feet lazily.

"I don't know. At least they're keeping your toes clean," he said, then buried his nose back in his book and tried to make it look like he had no interest in talking to Sand.

Sand looked down at his feet, and nodded gravely. "So they are." He reached into his shopping bag and pulled out a book of his own, a book about the catacombs of Paris, filled with pictures and maps of the vast ossuary. He also took out a small well-worn leather journal, and an old-fashioned fountain pen, and began to write some notes, referring to the maps in the book from time to time, his kanji neat and precise.

Satoshi glanced sideways when Sand pulled out his book, and the little boy's eyes widened visibly when he saw that it was a book about the catacombs that interested him so, but he forced himself to look back down at his own book, and managed to maintain the illusion of being disinterested, for all of five minutes.

Finally he lowered his own book and peered over the edge of Sand's book and stared, utterly entranced at the pictures and maps. He put his own book away without putting the bookmark into place and then he wriggled a little closer, not even noticing when he accidentally kicked one of the koi fish in the face, and then he leaned closer to Sand, to peer over the side of Sand's book, his eyes darting between Sand's book and his journal.

"What are you writing?" Satoshi asked with a reverent voice, glancing shyly up at Sand.

Sand smiled warmly, and shifted the book so that Satoshi could see it easily. "I am using the maps to refresh my memory, and writing down some of the things I observed in the catacombs." He pointed to one picture. "Do you see that fountain? They put a pair of fish in there once, but the fish were not happy to be in so dark and cold a place, and so they would not make more fish. A silly thought, to think that fish would be happy in the dark." He looked at the koi. "They are creatures of light, sparkling in the sun. And here? This is the sepulchral lamp, that burns eternally."

Sand nodded when Satoshi looked at him, silently asking permission to turn a page. "You must walk on a very careful path as a visitor, and there are guards to make sure that the bones are not disturbed, but the catacombs are much larger than most visitors see. I was allowed to see some of the closed tunnels, and they were full of astonishment and wonder."

Satoshi made a small sound of awe as he flipped the pages and drank in the pictures with immense interest. He pointed to some of the pictures and asked about them, his heart hammering so happily in his chest that Sand could hear it. Then suddenly he twitched and looked into the pond to poke his foot at one of the koi fish, chastising one of the fish, a white one with a red dot on the top of its head, slightly larger than the other fish.

"Hey, I've told you not to bite so hard, Tetsuo-kun! It hurts when you do that." Then Satoshi looked up at Sand and shook his head a little, as he told the elf, "You have to be careful of Tetsuo-kun. He likes to tease you, and sometimes he nibbles too hard. I think he eats too much. Did you know that there are fish that do live in total darkness in some cave somewhere. They are white and totally blind, because they don't need their eyes anymore. There are also fish that live in the ocean, so far down that there is no light there. Those fish have a little light bulb on a stick, that hangs over their head, and they use that to trick their prey to come closer."

Sand looked delightedly at Satoshi. "Perhaps that is what we need, then, some of those blind cave fish, who might like to live among the bones. We should write a letter to the officials overseeing the catacombs together, since you came up with this idea." He looked at the koi that Satoshi had called Tetsuo-kun. "As much as the visitors would feed him, I think Tetsuo-kun would miss your toes too much to live there."

Satoshi smothered a giggle in his hand, and then he shook his head decisively, answering, "I don't think the blind cave fish would feel good in the catacombs. And I also think that the bones would not like the fish there. The dead should be allowed to rest in peace."

"Ah, perhaps you are right about the blind cave fish," Sand agreed amicably, tilting his head up to catch the afternoon sun. "And the catacombs is truly a peaceful place, despite the visitors. There is a sense of great respect when you walk among the halls of the dead. I have spent so much time in ancient places that I am accustomed to talking to the souls of those who once walked there. Perhaps it is silly, but I think they appreciate being asked forgiveness for my disturbing their peace. I think perhaps they are pleased to think that they might live again, even if only in our imaginations."

"I think they do live again. That's what the monks and Kenji teach me. When your soul is ready to be reborn, you come back and live again. A whole new life. Now that would be nice," Satoshi said, his voice enthusiastic at first, but then it dwindled and he spoke the last words quietly, more to himself than to Sand.

Sand looked at Satoshi, his eyes warm and kind. "I was taught that we have but one life, and that we should live it to the fullest extent, to cherish every day as a new gift. I do not know if what I was taught is correct, that we only have one life, but I do know that each day is a gift that I am glad to receive, and I try to live each day to the fullest."

Satoshi bowed his head respectfully and his voice was very respectful when he answered, "I'm sorry. Kenji has taught me that there are many other beliefs in the world that think that. But I'm Buddhist, and Buddha teaches us to live our life to the fullest, but to always do so with respect, and with love, and to always be true to our beliefs and morals, and never harm others. And when we die, we go to Buddha and live with him for a while, until our soul is rested and ready to learn new lessons. Then we go back and are reborn to another lifetime. If you do bad things, your next life will be bad, and you have to repay for your bad actions, but if you do good things, you get good karma and then your next life will be good."

Satoshi looked back into the pond, gently teasing the koi with his feet, and again his voice took on that wistful pained tone as he mumbled to himself, "I think I've earned a better life. So, I'll just wait here for this one to end."

"How can you say that, when your life has just begun?" Sand asked gently. "What has hurt you so, that you cannot face another day?"

Satoshi whipped around to glare up at Sand and his voice switched to his adult voice, and the sadness that Sand had witnessed in Satoshi's eyes while he had been battling his depression flared up in the dark brown eyes. "You know full well how I can say that! For fuck's sake, are you going to make me show you all of it?!" Satoshi hissed and shoved Sand hard enough to make the elf fall over a little.

"And so you will sit here and wait for death? There is nothing back there that is worth living for?" Sand countered. "You have always fought, and fought hard, and you have always found that reason to take one more step. And now that you are not alone, now that you have found your way to love, you will give up?"

Satoshi stood up, and yelled back at Sand, the little boy growing up to the beautiful man that Sand had married six months earlier while he spoke, his anger and fear pulsing out of him in waves. "I'm not giving up! I'm just not fighting anymore. I've fucking had it. I know that if I wake up I'll suffer for weeks, months more. And with everything that I went through, with all the shit that I was told half my life, it's a fucking wonder that I've made it this far. Just fucking let me go, because I don't want to fight anymore. It isn't enough that I had my mother berating me every fucking chance she got, or the kids from elementary school to high school telling me I was worthless and stupid, I had a professor at university that sought every chance to fail me, I've had bosses and colleagues that took advantage of me. I've had friends who used me and abused me, I even had a fucking girlfriend who only dated me so she could hit on Yuji. And then on top of all that, I have fucking ghosts coming after me! I've had it. I can't fight anymore. I'm too broken. I don't know anymore what's real and what isn't, and I don't know if I'm loved at all."

Sand looked at Satoshi, his love for his husband radiating out in a powerful wave as he also stood. "I love you. I have always loved you, my soul bound to yours as one before we even said the words that joined us in marriage. Kansas loves you, with a fierceness and a purity that is transcendent. Erion took your ring in joy, as did Yuji and Willow and Vale. Our children love you, those incredibly perfect beings that we helped to create, those utter miracles." Sand lifted his chin, proud and fierce. "I will stand beside you, no matter what comes. I will share the pain and help you heal. I will battle the ghosts that haunt you. If you believe nothing else, watashi no kokoro, believe this. My love is real, real enough that if you do this, if you surrender, I will stand beside you even in death, saiai."

Satoshi tried to suppress a sob as he shoved Sand again, tears filling his eyes, his voice more sad than angry. "Don't you get it, you stupid elf? You can't love me enough. None of you can. All this shit in my head, all this darkness, it's just too much. I can't deal with it. It doesn't matter how much you tell me that life is good now, I'm still stuck with all this darkness in my head and in my heart. Don't you understand that I love the way I do, exactly because I was told so many times that I was worthless and a burden. I have always needed to earn love. And I can't do it anymore. I'm too tired."

"You do not need to earn my love. You never have. It has always been yours, without strings. I place no conditions on my love. There is nothing you can do to lose my love." Sand sighed a little. "In the very heart of the Weave, surrounded by pure magic, the magic that runs through my veins and has for my whole life, the goddess Mystra offered me a seat at her side, to be a god. My answer came without hesitation, saiai. I chose you, as I will always choose you. My love is yours, my soul is yours, my life is yours."

Satoshi gasped and sighed, his tears spilling over and he shook his head in defeat. "I don't know what to do. I'm stuck here. I don't want to leave, Masato. I just don't want to. This was the last day where I only had my mother to deal with. You don't know half of the shit that went on in my life. And the worst part is, I can't remember anything good about my life. All I can remember is the pain. All I can remember is when Ryuu went flying off the deck on his tricycle and got hurt, because I wasn't watching him, and when Takara ran into the wall when I was chasing her. I know you had Eryn fix that with magic. I dread it when Michi gets older. What do you think I'll do to her? I'm scared shitless that I'll cause her some irreversible harm with my incompetence. I am giving up, Masato.

Satoshi sobbed painfully and turned away from Sand, his hands fisting in his hair and his sobs wracking through his chest.

"There has been good. There has been a great deal of joy. Whatever is holding you here does not want you to remember, but I will help you." Sand reached out to try to pull Satoshi close. "Matsu was someone good, someone who loved you simply because you are worth loving. Do you remember how you met?"

Satoshi turned around slowly, his brow furrowed in puzzlement and he asked, "Matsu? Who's Matsu?"

"Matsumoto Ren," Sand replied, his eyes dark. "You met in school. He insisted on sitting with you at lunch, and you thought he was only going to turn out to be another bully, but he did not. He was your friend, and is still your friend. You work together now, at the studio. Saiai, surely you have not forgotten Matsu?"

Satoshi stared at Sand for a few moments, frowning as if trying to remember. Satoshi started to walk towards Sand, but stumbled and Sand jumped to grab him, but the world around them faded for a moment and suddenly Sand found himself standing in the middle of a high school classroom, Satoshi sitting in his seat in the second row by the window. All around Sand newly eighteen year old kids of both genders were piled in small groups, a few girls with bleached hair grouped together in one corner, in another three proper and prim girls sat and whispered to each other, while another table played host to a group of some slightly geeky looking boys.

At the back of the class room there sat a group of boys who acted tough, yelling at the pretty girls, or making fun of the geeky boys and prim girls, but most of all they talked loudly and derisively about Satoshi, who ignored them utterly, his eyes trained on the rain washed window, the young boy utterly lost to his own world.

A slightly chubby teen suddenly slipped into the class room, his hair cut in a childish bowl cut and his jacket collar too tight for him to be able to button up the top button. The bullies at the back all glanced at the newcomer, but seemed to decide he wasn't worth the trouble, so they turned back to their conversation.

The chubby newcomer looked around the classroom for a moment and then his eyes landed on Satoshi. He smiled a little and walked with his head held high and a confident stride over to Satoshi and politely asked if the seat beside Satoshi was taken.

Sand stood by and watched as Satoshi met Matsumoto Ren, a talkative, funny and warm teenager with a sharp wit, and easily bruised emotions, who strangely was utterly immune to the bullies. His emotions were bruised by Satoshi, when Satoshi asked if he was befriending Satoshi on some dare from the bullies, but when the bullies made fun of his stocky stature, Matsu only sashayed his hips and rubbed his round butt, winking at the bullies and asked if they were jealous that he was more of a man for the girls to love than they were.

Sand stood by and watched as Matsu introduced Satoshi to his mother, and her lesbian lover, and then later to his father and his thirty-two year old stepmother. He watched as Satoshi introduced Matsu to Yuji, and Matsu had a very dramatic hero worship moment when he admired Satoshi for having a friend in university. Then Sand watched as Satoshi and Matsu started university together, and how Matsu stood up to a professor who was in the habit of ripping Satoshi apart at every lecture, belittling his work in front of the entire class at every opportunity, and Matsu got the entire class to walk out and press a formal complaint about the professor, on Satoshi's behalf.

The last memory was of Matsu's wedding, a beautiful ceremony at a Christian church where Satoshi stood beside his best friend as his best man, and the joy and happiness that shone out of Satoshi's face when he danced with Umeko at the reception, only to have Matsu cut in and steal Satoshi away for a dance, which had the entire reception party, including the bride's parents in stitches of laughter.

The memory faded as Matsu dipped Satoshi in their dance and then loudly declared his love for Satoshi in a drunken slur, only to then add, "Oh, wait, you're not my wife!" and promptly drop Satoshi on the floor, but he had not realized Satoshi had a grip on his jacket so Matsu ended up tumbling on top of Satoshi, and Umeko had started crying with laughter.

Satoshi shivered where he stood on the pier and his tears trickled down his cheeks, although his smile was radiant and he chuckled a little bit. "Matsu. He's so nuts," Satoshi mumbled and looked up at Sand, the fear and the sadness in his soul a fraction less than it had been.

Sand smiled back at Satoshi, his blue eyes almost glowing with love. "And Kiyoshi. What about Kiyoshi?"

Satoshi swallowed thickly and shook his head a little, the scene changing before Sand's eyes this time.

Satoshi changed into a seventeen year old, a bit smaller and more slender than his peers, and his hair and attire almost too perfect for his age. He was running as fast as he could along a path that ran along the river, a slightly longer way home than needed from summer school, but Sand knew that Satoshi had often tried to find new ways home to avoid his bullies. Suddenly a rock came whizzing through the air and brushed past Satoshi's head, the teenager whimpering as he felt the rock blow past his head. Behind him the three bullies that had burned him two years earlier came racing up the path, yelling vile threats after him.

Satoshi whimpered, his heavy school bag bouncing against his back, and then he stumbled, and went sprawling down on the ground, skidding along the pavement, with a loud whimper of pain. Sand was forced to only stand by and watch as Satoshi got up on his hands and knees and started scrambling on, trying to get to his feet only to fall over again because of the heavy backpack he was carrying, and he rolled over, to scramble away from his fast approaching attackers.

Suddenly a rock came flying through the air from behind Satoshi, and hit one of the bullies hard on the shoulder, and the slender teen was surrounded by a group of boys, around his own age, all of them taking a protective stance and some of them raising rocks above their heads, ready to throw. Sand watched while Kiyoshi stepped forward and exchanged words with the bullies, the group of boys right behind him, forming a protective wall all around Satoshi, who cringed on the ground, as afraid of these strangers as he was of the bullies.

When Ogawa and his bullies finally backed down and left, Kiyoshi knelt beside Satoshi and asked if he was alright, and when Satoshi asked back if they were going to beat him up to, Kiyoshi looked genuinely puzzled and asked back "Why should we do something as mean as that?" Satoshi was then offered a chance to join the boys' soccer game, but when Satoshi said he didn't play, he was offered to sit behind one of the goals and run to get the ball if the players kicked out of bounds.

Kiyoshi's little brother had the same role on the other side of the field and Satoshi spent that summer getting to know the ten year old, as well as Kiyoshi, and the other soccer players, and Yuji sometimes joined the after school game, ecstatic to see Satoshi befriending some new people. Satoshi smiled a lot that summer, and he did not fear the bullies as much as he had, since Kiyoshi went to the same high school, and he was as protective of Satoshi as Yuji had been.

Outside of school, Sand watched Satoshi befriend Kai and Cho, as well, and when he finally met Matsu, he introduced his new friend to a small but close knit group of friends that quite obviously adored Satoshi more than anything.

The memory faded again, and Sand found himself on the pier yet again, Satoshi shivering slightly in front of him, and his eyes were filled with confusion. "They really care about me," he said, swaying slightly on his feet as his mind struggled to understand how anyone could love him at all.

"Yes, saiai, they do really love you, as do I," Sand said and reached out to gather Satoshi into his arms. "You are very much loved. Your father is a part of our lives again, and loves you with his whole heart. You have Mamoru, our Momo-san, your brother. There is so much love in your life, love freely offered to you because you deserve to be loved."

Satoshi leaned into Sand's arms and sobbed quietly, his voice cracking. "I know. I remember. You and Yuji, Willow, Vale, Erion. My beautiful Tatsuya. Ryuu, Takara, Michi and the kids. Father. Eryn. I remember. All of my friends."

He buried his face in Sand's shoulder, his arms tightening around his elf, and he sobbed again, louder and more heartwrenching, his voice shattering. "She told me I was worthless, a burden, a fucking disgrace and a failure, and I always tried not to be, but nothing was good enough. That's all I've been remembering since my accident. The beatings and the canings, the name calling, how she would look at me, like I was the most vile thing in the world."

Satoshi looked up at Sand, his eyes flowing in tears, and his sobs tearing through his body with such force that he could barely stand. "I need to face those memories. I need to let them go, or I'll never make it out of here. I'll never be strong enough. I need to lay those memories to rest."

"We will face them together, watashi no kokoro. Lean on me, and let me be strong for you." Sand wrapped his arms around Satoshi, holding his beloved husband tightly, kissing his gorgeous cherry red hair. "I will always be at your side, to fight beside you, to support you, and to love you with all that I am."

Satoshi smiled weakly at Sand and he reached up to touch Sand's cheek softly, his eyes filling with love and wonder. "I love you. I still don't understand what it is that you love about me, and sometimes I doubt I will ever get it. But I know that you do. I know you will always be beside me. You have such beautiful eyes. They were the first thing I noticed, those pale eyes. I love you, Mori Masato." Satoshi's voice trembled a little but it was with love, not fear, and as he stroked Sand's cheek a pair of rings materialized on his finger, a slender band of precious stones on his left forefinger, and a braided red gold band on his left ring finger, below it a slim simple yellow gold band appeared, and Satoshi smiled softly.

Sand looked at the rings, and his smile was radiant and brighter than the sun. "You do not need to get it. Simply know that I love you, that I have always loved you, and I will always love you." He leaned in to kiss Satoshi tenderly, his eyes luminous and filled with love for his pierced husband. "Let us put these memories to rest, so that you may come home with me. I love you, Mori Satoshi."

Satoshi responded to the kiss with equal love, his hand fisting in Sand's hair, his other hand tangling in Sand's shirt and trying to pull him closer than physically possible. When he finally broke the kiss, a little breathless, Satoshi smiled, one of his beautiful shy smiles, and asked hesitantly, "Are you sure you can handle it? It's pretty gruesome at times."

"I will handle it, saiai. There is nothing I cannot cope with if it will bring you peace, and I am not without my own resources. I will be strong for you, I promise you, my Satoshi." Sand stroked Satoshi's cheek with love and wonderment. "You are so very beautiful, my love."

Satoshi smiled a little more confidently and then nodded his head slowly, his voice finally calm and steady. "Alright then, let's do this. I think we should start on the last one, and work our way back. I'm not feeling strong enough to battle my mother just yet."

[Rating or Review]

Generic Review! Heck, I'd rather have an imaginative flame than a five star rating.

What JayDee said... The ratings are meaningless to me, but if you take the time to review, well... that says I reached you.

[Sandcastles and Fireworks]

Erion lifted his head slowly, his eyes a dark and stormy grey. He looked at Kansas for a long moment, his expression hard to decipher, his face immobile, so unlike the usual lively parade of expressions that would dance across those beautiful features.

"I understand. I've always understood," Erion said, and his voice was a shattered thing. "I'll show you." It was seamless, the young elf not bothering to hide his ability to press communing, and almost instantly, Kansas was watching through Erion's eyes as Kansas and Satoshi exchanged their vows in Evereska.

Kansas stiffened slightly when Erion pressed the communing on him, but then he relaxed as Erion's words sank in, and he opened up to let Erion lead him into the memory. When he found himself standing and watching himself marrying his beloved Satoshi in Evereska, his heart soared and he smiled brightly, his whole being filled with Erion's feelings.

Erion had focused his attention on Satoshi's face, and the expression of utter joy as Satoshi made his vow to Kansas, his eyes never leaving the little imp's face. Kansas had stared back into Satoshi's eyes with that same rapt intensity, and the two of them might as well have been alone, so deeply connected were they.

Erion allowed Kansas to feel what he had felt, the pure happiness at seeing Satoshi and Kansas able to express the vast love between them, and to have it acknowledged and celebrated as it should be. Erion's love for Kansas was also there, and alongside that love, the first blossoming of Erion's love for Satoshi.

But the consummate moment came as they finished exchanging their vows, and the golden light that was Hanali's blessing showered down on them, illuminating a slender braid that ran between Satoshi and Kansas. It was not quite a bond, and not quite a soul light, this delicate strand, but it bound Satoshi and Kansas as surely as any bond, and it shone with the radiance of a soul light to Erion's eyes, and the young elf's heart had soared with joy to see it.

Erion dipped his head slightly, allowing the memory to fade slowly, and he paused as if inviting comment from Kansas.

Kansas gasped a little and his arms tightened around Erion as it dawned on him that Erion had always known how deep the bond between Kansas and Satoshi was, perhaps he had even known better than Kansas and Satoshi themselves knew. Kansas lifted his chin a little and nuzzled into Erion's neck, tightening his arms a little more around Erion.

"There's more," Erion rasped, his tongue darting out to moisten dry lips, his saliva tinged red. Once again, he pulled Kansas into a memory effortlessly, Kansas seeing through Erion's eyes, and feeling what Erion felt.

Satoshi and Kansas were sitting in the living room, playing a game of Go. Kansas was bent over the board, his brow lightly furrowed as a small frown covered his beautiful face, his concentration so intense that he was oblivious to Satoshi's expression. Erion, however, had a perfect view, and he had smiled as he watched Satoshi watching Kansas, the slender pierced man's face bright with pride as Kansas assessed the board. Kansas loved strategy games and excelled at them, his keen intelligence allowed free reign.

Suddenly Kansas smiled, his face lighting up with delight, and he flipped a stone and looked up at Satoshi with glee. Satoshi laughed and threw his hands up, acknowledging defeat, and as Kansas grinned happily and began to put away the game, Satoshi watched him with pride and love. It was a small moment, just a tiny glimpse, but the love in Satoshi's eyes was as pure and perfect as the dawn.

Erion watched these two men that he loved, seeing the bond between them. He was content to curl up, knowing that the love they shared only enhanced the love they offered to Erion, and his heart was filled with peace and joy.

Once again, Erion let the memory fade, and he waited to give Kansas a chance to breathe.

Kansas drew a sharp breath when he saw the look on Satoshi's face in the memory, and then he sobbed quietly and nuzzled closer to Erion, his voice broken and sad, but filled with love as well. "Does he always look at me like that?" he whispered, shivering slightly on the cold floor.

Erion nuzzled Kansas's hair gently, and through his bond he sent a warm wave of affirmation. His hand stroked Kansas's hair while his other arm tried to pull Kansas in closer to share warmth with him.

"One more," Erion managed, his voice painful to hear, and he led Kansas into another memory.

Kansas watched through Erion's eyes as he strode onto the stage at Nihon University, his kimono and striped hakama perfect as he prepared to receive his diploma. There was a small noise next to Erion, so soft that only an elf would have heard it, and Erion turned his head to look at Satoshi.

There were tears pearling on Satoshi's lashes, and his gorgeous eyes shone like jewels in the light as he watched Kansas, slim and beautiful and confident, walking across the stage with graceful assurance. As Kansas bowed deeply and then accepted his diploma, Satoshi's face lit with a smile whose radiance rivaled the sun, and under cover of his haori, Satoshi took Erion's hand and squeezed it tightly.

Erion could feel the selfless pride and love that radiated from Satoshi as he watched Kansas achieve what should have been impossible, what would have been impossible if not for the endless love and devotion that Satoshi had poured into helping Kansas become the man he was.

As Kansas turned to leave the stage, he looked out over the audience, and despite the many people there, his eyes went unerringly to Satoshi, and he smiled, and Erion felt tears of joy spill over as he saw the love and devotion returned as Kansas looked at his Satoshi.

Erion let the memory fade, his head bent to obscure his eyes.

"Sometimes," Erion said, and the terrible ruin of his voice was painful to hear, "Sometimes, I'm jealous of the others, but never Satoshi." A wave of tangled emotion washed over Kansas, sorrow and love and shame all jumbled together.

Kansas sobbed quietly as he saw the pride and love in Satoshi's eyes as he watched Kansas graduate from university, and Kansas's soul soared with the knowledge that those were Satoshi's real feelings for the little imp, that was real pride and joy in what Kansas had accomplished.

Kansas moved closer to Erion and snuggled into the elf's embrace, reaching up to touch his cheek with a trembling hand. "I love you, Erion, I love you as much as I love him. And I know that he loves you as much as he loves me. You don't need to be ashamed of anything. I'm so sorry for what I did. I'm so sorry." Kansas's voice trembled, but it was clear and filled with emotion, that cold unconcern he'd been radiating the whole week gone.

"I know how much you love me," Erion managed, the words slow and tortured. "Satoshi is a part of us, and that's right. I love you both." He dipped his head further, turning away slightly. "What happened is forgiven. The shame is for the times when I'm small and jealous, when I forget what matters."

Kansas sat up and cupped Erion's face in both his hands, trying to lift Erion's head so he could look the elf in the eyes. "I love you. You are my soul, Erion. You are my starlight, my moonbeam, my very reason for living. You are never small or jealous. You never forget what matters. You are always there when I need you. You are always the strong one, the one who holds me together. I'm sorry that I'm so weak and useless, and so lost in my past. I'm sorry." Kansas spoke slowly and sobbed painfully between his words, large tears flowing down his face.

Erion feathered his fingers over Kansas's bruised cheek, his eyes still dark grey. "I hurt you. I love you more than life, and I hurt you. My dragon, 'lokiamin, fëa'amin. You aren't lost anymore. You're here again, and I won't let go this time." His cheeks were wet, the tears slipping down them unnoticed. He coughed a little, a spot of blood appearing on his lip, and he grimaced.

Erion reached out to brush away Kansas's tears, trying to smile a little. "Atar wouldn't approve but I think I need to go be sick, and then maybe drink a potion."

Kansas sobbed quietly, and wiped the spot of blood from Erion's lips with his thumb, then thoughtlessly stuck his thumb into his mouth to lick the blood off. He licked his lips quickly, stroking Erion's cheek, his voice breaking a little bit. "I hurt you. This is nothing, compared to what I did to you. I'm sorry. I got lost in my head. I went back there. They sometimes forced me to do that to the little puppies. I just wanted some affection, but then something snapped when you said no. I'm sorry."

Erion shook his head quickly, his eyes fluttering closed as he sucked in a quick breath. "I couldn't. It happened, once, and I felt filthy afterward. You were back there, back then, and you cried after I was done. I couldn't do that again. This was better."

There was a quiet desperation in the broken voice, a wordless plea for understanding, and Erion's eyes locked onto Kansas's eyes as he searched those pale depths for salvation.

Kansas hesitantly pulled Erion into a hug, stroking the silver hair gently, and his small hand reached up to wipe Erion's tears from his cheeks, his voice a fraction stronger than it had been, a confidence in it that had not been there before.

"I forgive you, Erion. I know what I'm like when I get like that, and I know how hard it is to realize before it's too late. I've done the same thing to Satoshi and Yuji. I do forgive you. Honestly, it might have been worse if you had not done it, because Puppy gets more upset if you don't respond to him."

Erion sank gratefully into the hug, needing the comfort and the touch, needing to let go for a moment and just give in to the sorrow. "He pretended to like it but he cried. Amin hiraetha, ro nalle. I'm sorry, he cried. I haven't had any desire since then. I couldn't. I can't." Erion sobbed, and the sobs made him cough again, and then retch a little.

Kansas scrambled to his feet and tugged Erion with him, all but carrying him to the bathroom and opened the toilet for Erion. He knelt on the floor behind Erion and held the silver hair back, gently stroking Erion's back with one hand, his voice soothing and full of love. "I know, my love. He's like that. Puppy was taught to like it, no matter whether he liked it or not. He was conditioned to beg for more, even if it hurt so bad he wanted to die."

Kansas leaned over and kissed Erion's shoulder lovingly as he continued. "I understand that you had no desire. I completely understand. And I can wait for as long as you need me to. I will wait until you are ready again, my starlight."

Erion retched again, and then vomited, shuddering as bile and bright blood spewed into the toilet. He sobbed between heaves, trembling as Kansas stroked him tenderly, his already damaged throat burning from the bile.

When he was finally done, Erion leaned back and let himself sink into Kansas's arms, shivering and miserable. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, 'lokiamin. I should be stronger than this. I'm a warrior, not a fucking maiden." He leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment, waiting to make sure that his stomach was truly emptied. Deciding he was not going to vomit again, Erion struggled to his feet, awkward and clumsy, and clung to the edge of the sink as he ran water to rinse his mouth.

Kansas rose to his feet with Erion, stiff and unsteady himself, but he did not even flinch as he hurried over and pulled the basket of healing potions out of the cupboard and flipped through the vials until he found one of the strong ones, uncorked it and handed it to Erion, stroking the elf's silver hair.

"Yes, you are a warrior. You are so much stronger than me. You have the strength to survive this. We'll do it together." Kansas stepped closer to Erion and leaned his head against the back of Erion's shoulder, his arms stroking Erion's arms gently, and then Kansas whispered, his voice filled with fear and sorrow. "I felt you begin to fade, and I knew I'd lost you. All I could think was to lie down and fade too, so you wouldn't leave me."

Erion drank the potion, feeling the warmth of the healing work its way through him, and he took a deep breath, shuddering again as forgotten pains flared briefly before disappearing. "Thank you, 'lokiamin. You need one yourself, for your cheek." He turned a little, to look into Kansas's eyes. "I couldn't help it, the fading. It's how we react to..." He stopped, and closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply. "There are things that damage our souls, things we can't seem to handle, and we fade. But sometimes, you can find a way to survive what shouldn't be survived. Sand did it, and I knew I could."

Erion turned the rest of the way, seeking the comfort of Kansas's arms. "I just couldn't stand it when you started to fade, and I just did what Ryo told me worked. I'm sorry."

"Thank you for that. For not fading." Kansas sobbed, stroking Erion's cheek lovingly, his tears falling again, and he looked down in shame as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around Erion's shoulders and pulled him into a hug. "I know what you mean about things that damage your soul. You know what I've lived through. That has damaged my soul. I fight it every day, but sometimes I get overpowered by it. I get overwhelmed by that darkness and I can't stop myself. But I can't live without you any more, Erion. My beautiful Yuki. That's why fading was all I could think of doing. I'm so sorry that I raped you."

Erion flinched a little at the word, laying a gentle finger on Kansas's lips. "Even the word has power, 'lokiamin. I... it hurts to even hear it." Erion looked utterly distraught. "I don't want anyone else to know, though. I don't think I can stand it if they look at me like..." His voice trailed off, and he bit back a small sob.

Kansas gasped a little bit and tightened his arms around Erion, his voice filled with regret. "Oh, Seldarine, I'm sorry. I'll never say that again. I'm so sorry. I won't tell anyone." Kansas hesitated, and gnawed on his lip for a moment, then he continued in a trembling voice, "I want to tell Satoshi, when he comes home and is up to talking. I need to tell someone, and he's the only one I trust enough. I don't want to tell Ryo, because he would just get angry at me. He loves you like a brother. Momo would probably kill me. But I need to tell Satoshi. He is after all your husband already. He has every right to kill me, to be honest. But I promise, I'll never use that word to you again."

Erion shivered hard, and he knew suddenly what Kageoshi had felt, what Momo had felt, what Kansas had felt over and over. The shame, the need to hide, the feeling that it was all somehow his own fault, all of it washed over Erion and he clung to Kansas.

"No, baby, it's okay." Erion looked at Kansas, and his eyes were paler, the faintest hint of silver in their depths. "I think maybe I need to not hide from it. I don't want to chat about it over dinner, but I think Satoshi should know, and maybe I should talk to Sand as well, when Satoshi is home again. I don't know any other elf that managed to avoid fading, and maybe he can help me, too. But can we call it something else, 'lokiamin? At least until I talk to Sand?"

Kansas held Erion tightly and stroked his beautiful silver hair gently, nodding as he answered, "Of course, isilmeamin. Call it something else? We could call it non consensual, or say that I forced you. Which ever you want, my love. But I will not shy away from it with Sand and Satoshi. If Sand wants to punish me for this, I will take it like a man. I need to be a man and face the consequences of my actions."

Kansas lifted his head to look Erion in the eyes and stared deep into the dark silver eyes, his own eyes still silvery but darkening slowly. He drew a deep breath and then leaned in to kiss Erion softly on the lips, just a quick peck, and his voice wavered for the faintest moment, when he spoke. "I have never been as afraid in my life, as I've been this week, since Satoshi had his accident. Not until now. When I felt you start to fade, it was even worse than when I tried to push you away in Evereska. You are my whole world now, Erion. There is nothing that I will not do for you. And I promise you, I will do whatever you need me to, to help us through this. I love you, Erion Iradil. I want to marry you, and spend the next eight hundred years making you happy."

Erion rummaged in the potions basket and dug out a potion for Kansas's cheek, handing it to his beloved imp. "Drink this, baby. I'm so scared I fractured something when I hit you. And then I think I want to shower. Don't leave me?" He turned to start the water in the shower, talking over his shoulder to Kansas. "Sand won't punish you, but you might get a lecture. You ask me, I'd rather have the punishment than the lecture, which may be why he does it."

Erion turned back around, looking at Kansas steadily, his eyes silvery and clear. "I love you, Hayashi Tatsuya, my Kansas, my life. I'm going to marry you, and we'll spend the next eight hundred years making each other happy. You're already helping me by standing with me, and I know we're going to get past this. But right now, we need to get our Satoshi well and home. Maybe we can't do anything fancy like Sand, but we can help and make things easier for everyone else until Satoshi's home. Then we can fuss over him until he beats us off with a stick, or one of his fancy canes."

Kansas eyed the potion for a moment, but then decided not to tell Erion that he felt like he did not deserve being healed so quickly. He downed the potion quickly and then moved over to Erion, reaching out to help Erion undress, but then hesitated, unsure if Erion wanted Kansas to touch him.

"I might deserve a lecture, and I'll take it. Do you want me to help you shower, my love? I can wash your hair and your back, if you want me to," Kansas said quietly.

"I do, baby," Erion said, reaching out to cup Kansas's face tenderly. "I'm probably going to be a bit shaky, emotionally, that is. But I want to be near you and to sleep next to you and hold you and be held. The rest will come back, but please don't think you can't touch me."

Erion let Kansas help him peel off his clothing, and he sighed happily as he stepped into the shower and let the hot water wash over him. Kansas's hands were strong and tender as he washed Erion's back carefully, only pausing as he got close to Erion's rounded ass. Erion reached around behind himself, and laid his hands over Kansas's hands, guiding them down and over the silky globes.

Kansas stepped into the shower with Erion, his heart easing a little as he realized that Erion might forgive him some day, and he was as gentle as he was with Michi as he washed Erion's hair and back. He hesitated, when his hands came close to Erion's ass, but he sighed inwardly with relief when Erion guided Kansas' hands down over his round ass.

"I love you, 'lokiamin," Erion murmured, leaning back a little.

Kansas leaned a little closer and kissed Erion's shoulder gently. "I love you, isilmeamin. And I'll wait, for as long as you need me to. But thank you for letting me touch you. I always feel safer and more secure if I can feel your skin against mine. But I'll wait for you to be ready," Kansas whispered, stroking his soaped hands over Erion's backside, and his hips. There was a small surge of desire that ran through his bond with Erion and his cock twitched ever so slightly, but he clamped down on that immediately, and harshly forced himself to will his cock down.

Erion looked over his shoulder at Kansas, his eyes silver and bright with love. "Do you remember when we met, and we weren't ready to actually make love? We kissed and touched and stroked, and eventually tasted, and when we were ready, we made love. You think that would work again? Sort of starting over? I mean, we're officially engaged and everything, so I think some cuddling and kissing and touching could be in order." He brushed his lips over Kansas's lips, and it felt so right. A powerful wave of love washed out through his bond to wrap around Kansas.

Kansas sobbed quietly with relief and tangled his hand in Erion's hair, his other hand sliding around to his chest to tease one pink nipple, his lips tickling over Erion's neck, as he answered, his voice filled with love, "We can do that, my love. I like that actually. You lead the way, just like you did then. I won't rush you. I love you."

Erion's smile was bright as he half turned and leaned in to nibble Kansas's plump lips gently. "I love you, 'lokiamin." He let himself fall into the kiss, deepening it a little, and for the first time since he had inadvertently slept with Puppy, Erion felt a stirring in his groin, his cock hardening slightly, and his heart soared as he realized that he would indeed heal. His slim fingers slipped into Kansas's thick hair, and he moaned sweetly into the kiss, his back arching slightly as Kansas teased his sensitive nipples.

Kansas eased Erion around as they kissed, Kansas's hand sliding through the silver hair to tease the delicate point of Erion's ear, his other hand stroking Erion's nipple until it stood erect. Then he slid his hand slowly down Erion's slender body, teasing the pale blue jewel in Erion's belly button. Kansas deepened the kiss a little more, gently pressing his already throbbing cock against Erion's groin.

Erion moaned again, one of his throaty little moans, and he ground back gently, his own cock hardening rapidly at all the familiar little touches, the things Kansas always did, touches he knew drove his elf wild with desire. These were the thing that had been missing, things Puppy would never dream of doing, and yet were exactly what Erion needed to help heal. One slim hand slid down to toy with Kansas's nipples before sliding lower and wrapping tentatively around Kansas's generous cock. At the same time, Erion wriggled a little, his cock rubbing against Kansas deliciously.

Kansas moaned breathily, and pressed his hips forward, sliding his cock into Erion's hand. "Oh, I love you so much, my beautiful star elf," Kansas whispered, feathering kisses down Erion's neck, nibbling sharply at Erion's collarbone. He traced his tongue down to Erion's nipple and teased the tight little nub to hardness, his hand wrapping around Erion's cock and stroking it gently.

Erion gasped a little and stroked Kansas's cock in time with Kansas's stroking of his own cock, his head falling back to give Kansas better access to his neck. As Kansas's mouth moved lower, Erion arched his back beautifully, presenting his nipples, his cock jumping a little in Kansas's hand.

It had been a few days since Erion had even wanted to be touched, and the heat in his belly grew rapidly as Kansas continued to stroke his eager cock. "Oh, 'lokiamin, that feels so good," Erion murmured, his voice sweet and filled with love. "I don't know if I can last, baby."

Kansas moaned as he suckled a little on Erion's nipple, but when Erion murmured, Kansas dropped to his knees, and wrapped his lips around Erion's cock, taking him in to the root, swallowing around the head as it hit the back of his throat. Kansas moaned softly, his hands stroking Erion's hips and his stomach, teasing the glittering bellybutton piercing as he sucked Erion's cock with a happy smile.

Kansas pulled off completely and looked up at his love with heated eyes, his voice purring with his arousal, "Come for me, my love. Let me taste you. Let go, and come for me."

Kansas wrapped his lips around Erion's cock again, and sank down over him, taking him in to the root, and swallowing with a happy moan, his cheeks hollowing when he pulled back, his dark grey eyes staring up at Erion, brimming with love, happiness and joy. He teased the cleft under the head with the tip of his tongue, sliding the tip of his tongue over the slit, then sank down again, one hand cupping Erion's balls and massaging them gently.

Erion's back arched as Kansas sucked his cock to the root, Kansas's small hand expertly caressing his balls. Erion's fingers slid into Kansas's thick hair, tugging gently as the young elf howled softly. "Oh, baby, I can't hold on," Erion mewled, and he howled again, his voice sweet and pure as he felt his achingly full balls empty, his cum thick and hot as he filled Kansas's mouth with spurt after spurt. Erion writhed a little, his back arched and his fingers tightening a little in Kansas's hair as he let out another happy scream, his bond wide open and throbbing with love and utter bliss.

Kansas moaned happily as he milked every drop from Erion, savoring the taste of his beloved, and he threw his bond wide open, allowing Erion to feel all of his pleasure and bliss, and most of all his endless love for Erion. There was a tiny trickle of sadness and worry for Satoshi, a small aching in his heart but that was focused entirely on Satoshi, and not on what had just happened between the two lovers.

When Kansas had milked every drop from the slender elf, Kansas rose to his feet and gathered him into his arms, teasing his lips over Erion's lips, purring softly. His cock throbbed against Erion's abdomen, and Kansas pressed his hips forward a little to slide against the silken skin of his elf.

Erion purred back, nibbling on Kansas's lips, his tongue teasing as it sought entry. "I want to taste you, 'lokiamin. All of you, starting here." Erion delicately plundered Kansas's mouth, his fingers sliding into Kansas's hair as he lost himself for a long moment in the kiss.

Erion moved along Kansas's jaw and down his pale throat, nibbling and sucking the translucent skin until he reached the tender hollow at the base of Kansas's throat. Erion lapped at that sweet depression, savoring the taste and feel of Kansas as he kissed his way slowly down to Kansas's tight little nipple, his tongue dragging catlike over the hard nub. Erion teased it further with his pearly teeth, alternating tongue and teeth until Kansas was moaning.

Kansas moaned into the kiss, letting Erion plunder his mouth. When Erion moved down to his throat and then nipple, Kansas leaned back against the wall and moaned loudly. Kansas threw his head back and moaned, pressing his chest into Erion's mouth, his hands tight on Erion's back, stroking slowly, as he gave himself completely over to his pleasure.

One of Kansas's hands slid into Erion's hair and tugged gently, trying to get the elf to move over to the other nipple, his moans taking on a slightly needy sound.

Erion obliged, subjecting the other nipple to the same tender assault, his hands sliding around to cup Kansas's ass. When Kansas arched again, grinding against Erion, Erion let his hot mouth travel lower, across the hard planes of Kansas's belly to his navel. Erion circled Kansas's navel with his tongue, trailing the tip just around the very edge, and then Erion slid the tip of his tongue into Kansas's navel as his lips pressed down to suck gently as his tongue probed.

In the meantime, one slim hand slid around Kansas's hipbone and feathered down, teasing along the sharp curve of the bone. Erion could feel Kansas's throbbing cock bouncing gently against his chest, and he purred a little before moving his questing mouth lower. Erion flicked his tongue out almost delicately, licking the beads of precum from the head of Kansas's cock and savoring the taste of his beloved imp for a moment before lowering his head to engulf the head of Kansas's cock, sucking daintily and letting his tongue swirl around it.

Kansas stared down at Erion as the young elf moved down his body, sending sparks of pleasure up his spine to his head. When Erion finally wrapped his tongue around Kansas's cock, Kansas let out a soft howl, his hand fisting harder in Erion's hair, but then Kansas let go and raised his arms above his head, clawing at the slick tiles of the wall.

"Oh, Seldarine, that is so good, my love," Kansas moaned, his knees trembling with his pleasure and his eyes shining with adoration as he stared down at Erion.

Erion let his mouth slide slowly down Kansas's cock, his lips stretched beautifully around the generous girth and his tongue flat along the underside. Erion moaned in delight as he took in more and more of Kansas's cock, not hesitating at all when the head hit the back of his throat. Erion simply tilted his head and let Kansas slide in all the way, until Erion's nose was buried in the chestnut curls at its root. Erion slid his tongue past his lower lip to lap at Kansas's balls, one slim finger massaging the tender flesh between the base of Kansas's cock and his tight pucker.

Kansas moaned loudly, his legs spreading slightly to give Erion better access, his hands clawing at the wall above his head, fighting the urge to tangle his hands in Erion's silver hair and shove the young elf down on his cock. Kansas's eyes fluttered closed as he gave himself over to his elf. He moved one arm down to slide his hand over Erion's hand, tangling his fingers with Erion's, his eyes dark grey and burning with pleasure, as he watched his beloved elf.

"I won't last, my love. I can't hold on." Kansas moaned, his hand reaching down to touch Erion's cheek, still not daring to tangle in the wet silver tresses to guide his elf like he sometimes did.

Erion slid back up the generous cock, his tongue flat and teasing the thick vein that pulsed along the underside of the shaft, his cheeks hollow as he sucked hard. One slim hand released Kansas's hip to pull Kansas's hand to his hair, and Erion purred happily when Kansas slid his fingers into the long silver mane.

Erion slid back down on Kansas's cock, feeling his beloved imp's fingers tighten as he swallowed the head of Kansas's cock with a throaty little purr, swallowing hard to push Kansas to the edge and over, his finger pressing hard on Kansas's prostate from the outside.

Kansas sobbed a little with pleasure when Erion moved his hand to the silver hair and he tugged slightly to guide Erion down on his cock. Not hard, just enough to hold the illusion of being in control. Kansas threw his head back as Erion pressed on his prostate, and his hips involuntarily thrust forward a little, and he moaned loudly.

"I'm coming, my love," Kansas cried out, his eyes widening, dark gray and glittering with pleasure, and his balls drew up slowly, his cock twitching in Erion's mouth, and then load after hot load shot into the tight little mouth, and Kansas howled at his elf, blissful tears falling from his lashes.

Erion swallowed happily, pulling back to savor the taste of his Kansas, his own face a picture of bliss as he drank down Kansas's cum with relish. Erion's bond was thrown completely open, his love and joy radiating outward, and he wrapped his arms around Kansas's hips as he milked every drop from his imp.

Erion guided Kansas as he sank down against the tile wall, the young elf wrapping his arms around Kansas and leaning in to nibble a sated and blissful kiss from Kansas's plump lips. "I love you, 'lokiamin, my blue dragon, my young god, my everything. I love you."

Kansas gathered Erion into his arms as he sank down on the floor of the shower, panting slightly and shivering with the aftershocks of his orgasm. He held the elf close, their bond open wide and filled with love and pleasure, as perfect and fulfilling as it had ever been. "I love you. You are so perfect, isilmeamin. My starlight, my moonbeam, my young god. Perfect companion of my soul. I love you," Kansas whispered, kissing Erion back, and holding him tightly, as he stroked Erion's silver hair.

Erion curled up in Kansas's arms, feeling all the tiny little aches and wounds that had troubled his soul over the last week vanish in the heat of Kansas's love. He could not help nibbling small kisses, his heart peaceful, and he felt a new strength fill him as he snuggled close enough to feel Kansas's heart beating against him.

They cuddled for a few minutes, and then the cold tile grew too cold, so they finished washing and warming up under the hot water. They dried each other carefully, with small caresses and kisses, and dressed in comfortable sweatpants and t-shirts before heading downstairs to see if they could help with dinner, or wrangle small children, or just be useful in some way, their fingers laced tightly together as they came down the stairs.

[Sandcastles and Fireworks]

Sand waited with growing anxiety for Tanaka to emerge from Satoshi's room, his blue eyes dark with distress. He reached out tentatively along his bond with Satoshi, meeting that cold wall again, and it took a great deal of will for Sand to refrain from battering that wall down.

The time seemed to drag as slowly as a glacier, and Satoru watched as Sand stood and paced a bit, his desire to be doing something driving the elf into motion. Despite not having rested at all, Sand was still a bundle of nervous energy, and he slid his fingers through his long hair, tugging on it a bit as he kept peering out the door of the waiting room to look down the hall.

Yuji cried until he simply had no more tears to shed, resting in Eryn's embrace utterly motionless, staring off into space. Satoru moved closer to them when Sand stood up, and stroked Yuji's back gently in reassurance.

Yuji did not respond to him, but instead he let his eyes fall shut, and then his lips started to move slowly, his voice ghosting out of him in fervent prayers, his hands pressed together so hard that the skin of his fingertips turned white.

Eryn looked up at Sand, the slightest of edges in her voice. "Utinuamin, sit down, would you? You're making me dizzy with your circling."

Sand did not seem to hear Eryn, his long fingers running through his hair over and over as he grew more and more anxious.

"Masato!" Eryn's voice rang out in the quiet room, the voice of someone who expected to be obeyed without question. "Enough now. Sit and cease this prowling."

Sand blinked a bit, and his eyes filled with tears. "I cannot stand the waiting. I need to know what is happening with him."

"You aren't helping anyone else," Eryn observed, and Sand looked at Yuji, his eyes widening in dismay.

Sand hurried over to drop to his knees and clasp Yuji's hands between his hands. "I am sorry, Yuji. I am so sorry. You are as distressed as I am, and I have not acknowledged that. Forgive me, my love."

Yuji's whispers faltered and he hesitated as he tried to remember the next line of the prayer, but when it eluded him, his brow furrowed and he blinked his eyes open slowly, focusing on Sand, his eyes filled with sorrow. He reached out hesitantly and tugged at Sand's arm, pulling the elf closer so he could wrap his arms around Sand's shoulders, tugging the elf into an embrace, his voice trembling so badly that it was difficult to understand his words.

"I'm sorry. I should have been here for you both. I'm afraid it's nothing good. This is not good. This is not good, Masato. I'm afraid we're losing him," Yuji said, his chin wobbling, and his eyes narrowing as he started crying again, but without tears, his eyes only turning redder, and his sobs tore through his chest.

"No, Yuji, we will not lose him. We did not lose Hawk, and we will not lose Satoshi." Sand's voice grew stronger, the elf's eyes clearing a bit, and Eryn smiled slightly before releasing her hold on Yuji and moving over to Satoru.

"We are not going to let him slip away from us. He has far too much to live for now, and we will make sure that he lives every day that is his to live." Sand stroked Yuji's back as he held him, knowing how deeply wounded Yuji was to show his pain so openly.

Yuji nodded against Sand's shoulder, his whole body shivering with the effort of stopping his crying. His voice was muffled in Sand's neck, but the elf could hear him clearly, his words broken by his sobs, but his voice was a fraction calmer now. "I got jealous when he first fell for you. I didn't want to let him be with you at first. But I saw the way you looked at him. The way you made him smile. I had seen that smile before, you know. When he looked at me. He still does, but it's even more beautiful when he looks at you. Please, don't let him slip away from us. I can't live without him. I'll tell you whatever you need to know, everything that I know about him, to help you. Please, Masato, bring him back."

Sand stroked Yuji's hair. "I have never thought to come between you and Satoshi, my love. He is yours, as much as he is mine. More so, perhaps, since you were each other's first loves. But I promise you this, Yuji. I will bring him back, no matter what it takes. I will not be afraid and I will not flinch away. I can do this, and I will." Sand kissed Yuji's forehead tenderly. "We need to know what the doctors can tell us first, and then we will know what needs to be done. I may need you to run a little interference with the staff here, though. They are very devoted to our Satoshi, and I may need some time alone to do what I must."

Yuji nodded slowly, and tugged Sand up on the chair beside him, whispering back, "I'll do whatever you need me to. Whatever it takes."

Yuji leaned into Sand's embrace, and looked up at the elf with bloodshot eyes, swollen and red rimmed from his tears, and he suddenly looked as young and lost as Kansas, his voice pleading softly, "Please hold me? I need to find strength somewhere, and you are the only one I can turn to right now. And I did not mean that you had come between us. I meant that I was a possessive fool who did not want to share him with you. But I saw the love between you two, so I knew I had to or I would lose him. I do not regret that at all, Masato, I do not regret sharing him with you, because no one has ever done for him what you do every day."

Sand held Yuji gladly, his heart lifting slightly as the two alpha males finally cleared the last barrier between them. "I love you as well, Yuji, because you have kept him together for so long with just the force of your fierce love. We will always share him, and I am glad of that, for there is no one I would trust more with our gentle Satoshi than you. Let me hold you, my love, and share my strength with you."

Eryn looked at Sand, her eyes narrowed slightly. "What you propose is madness, Masato. Who will be your anchor?"

Sand smiled faintly. "Vale can anchor me, and lend me strength as well. He is formidable in his own right, as you well know. There is no other way, and I would ask you to help as well, should we need your particular skills."

Eryn nodded, and turned to Satoru. "I will explain later, my husband, when we can talk privately."

Yuji raised his head from Sand's shoulder, his eyes a little wide and he wiped his nose on his hand unconsciously as he asked Sand in a whisper, "What does she mean?"

"If Satoshi will not wake for the doctors, I will simply have to go and find him, and bring him home as I did with Hawk." Sand smiled at Yuji, looking calmer than he had in days. "This I know. This I can do. It is something that will make me feel useful, more so than sitting in an armchair and begging Satoshi to come home."

Yuji blinked his eyes and stared stupidly at Sand for a few moment, his mouth slightly open, and then he licked his lips nervously, nodding slowly. "I'm not even going to pretend like I understand what you mean, but I'm here for you. Whatever you need, I'm here. I'll tell you everything you need to know," Yuji said quietly, and a small flicker of his strength flashed in his eyes.

Sand's smile widened. "That is exactly what I need. I do not know what I will find, but I need to know that I can ask you about what I might see. You have shared dreams with Vale, yes? It will be similar to that. I will simply join his dream, and coax him home with me."

Yuji nodded and managed a small fragile smile. "Now I understand. I'll be here, and I won't hide anything, I promise. I need him back, Masato. I've come to realize this week that I can't live without him. I might not fade, not completely, but I won't be myself anymore without him."

"None of you would be the same," Sand said, his voice gentle. He did not bother telling Yuji what Yuji already knew, that Sand would fade, joining Satoshi in death if he could not coax him back among the living.

Eryn looked at Sand, her eyes filled with love. "My foolish little bird. You keep flying so close to the sun, and your wings will catch fire."

"They have a legend here, of a bird who is reborn from his own ashes. A phoenix, it is called." Sand smiled again. "Satoshi talks of this bird with great reverence and love. Perhaps I am destined to be a phoenix. Perhaps not. Either way, life is not worth the living if we do not, on occasion, step off the precipice."

Yuji nodded, his smile a fraction stronger. "He used to have a necklace, a small red gold phoenix, with red gemstones set in its wings. I gave it to him after he got out of the hospital after he was burned. We used to say that he was like the phoenix, because he survived that attack. But he lost the necklace. It disappeared the winter before the vacation."

Sand looked at Yuji, and his smile was close to radiant. "That is so very like him, and perhaps we should have another necklace made for him. It would make a wonderful gift for Christmas from you, I think."

Sand's calm confidence that they would be exchanging Christmas gifts made Eryn smile a little as well, and she held tightly to Satoru's hand.

The door to the waiting room opened, and Tanaka walked in, his expression serious. He took a deep breath as he faced the family, watching as they all drew closer together, seeking strength from each other.

Yuji smiled at Sand, nodding at the suggestion, and Sand's confidence bolstered him enough to start believing that Satoshi would be home before Christmas. But when Tanaka walked in to the sitting room, his serious expression made Yuji's heart sink and he crumbled in on himself again, leaning against Sand with a quiet moan of despair. Yuji fisted his hand in Sand's shirt and trembled a little, his eyes filling with sorrow again, his throat working hard to keep his sobs in.

Sand held Yuji close, stroking his back gently as he looked at Tanaka. The doctor bowed deeply to the family before he took another deep breath.

"We've given Satoshi-sama as much of the drugs to awaken him as we dare to give him. Any more, and we can do harm as opposed to helping him," Tanaka said. "I wish I had a reason to give you, but Satoshi-sama is not waking up. He's moved into a true coma, not just one that we induced to let him heal, and I will be honest with you, there is not one single medical reason for him to be in a coma."

Yuji stared up at the doctor while he spoke, utterly still and quiet, his eyes wide. When Tanaka said Satoshi had slipped into a true coma, Yuji moaned painfully and choked a little, sagging against Sand as he lost all the strength he had just gained.

Satoru stared at Tanaka, his lips moving slightly as he tried to form words, but his words eluded him, and large tears spilled from his eyes to roll down his cheeks.

Sand projected a torrent of love and strength to Yuji, his eyes still calm and confident as he nodded slowly

Eryn slipped her arm around Satoru's waist, reassuring her husband gently as she looked at Tanaka steadily. "What do you propose, then?"

Tanaka looked at the petite woman. "We wait a day or so, and see if he shows signs of coming out of this coma. So far, he's breathing well on his own, and I'd like to keep him off the ventilator if possible."

Eryn nodded firmly. "His lungs are not strong, and the ventilator only weakens them more. I concur." Despite her not having any credentials in Japan, Tanaka found Eryn's opinion mattered to him. "Are you thinking of trying another round of the drugs then, or is there something else you have in mind?"

Satoru wrapped an arm around Eryn as well, kissing her shoulder softly as she talked to the doctor. Her confidence and straightforward attitude strengthened him, and he drew in a deep breath to calm himself, forcing himself to think about this logically, and his tears stopped as he focused on the two doctors, listening intently to their words.

Yuji on the other hand clung to Sand with such despair that it was as if Sand was Yuji's last tangible hold on reality, and his own sanity.

Tanaka ran a hand through his hair. "I don't think the drugs would do anything useful. We've seen far too many patients come out of comas like these as suddenly as they slip into them, so I would rather be optimistic. Satoshi-sama is young, and strong, and very healthy, and he has a great many people who care about him." He looked at the family intently. "What you do, spending time here every day, talking to him, letting him know he's not alone? That's the kind of medicine I can't give him, and it might be what brings him back. We'll keep looking for reasons, but in the meantime, do what you've been doing, and believe in him."

Satoru nodded his head decisively, dashing his hand over his eyes to wipe away his tears, and his arm tightened around Eryn, as he answered, "We will. I failed him once before, but this time I'll be here. I'll be here until he wakes up again. And he is not one to give up easily. He is a fighter, he always has been."

Satoru's eyes were bright and his face set with determination, and he even managed a loving smile for his Eryn.

Yuji turned his face towards Sand, and whispered brokenly, "We have to go and get him back. He won't come back on his own. He'll need your guidance."

Sand leaned his head close to Yuji's head, and murmured, "I will go and find him. I need Vale here. Will you arrange that for me?"

Tanaka gave the family a small smile. "Go in and see him. All of you. The nurses know that I'm lifting the restriction on how many of you can be in there at once. I know you'll be sensible."

The family bowed to Tanaka, who bowed back with great respect, and he stepped aside to let them hurry down the hall to Satoshi's room.

Satoru held Eryn's hand tightly as they stood and headed towards the room, but Yuji stumbled when he rose to his feet, his knees refusing to carry him.

Sand held Yuji up, the slim elf surprisingly strong, and he smiled a little at Yuji. "We will do this, my love. I will bring him home, I swear this to you. Be strong for him just a little bit longer, Yuji. I need you to guide me."

Yuji sucked in a sharp breath, and his fists clenched as he forced himself upright, his eyes darkening with his resolve. "I'll suck it up and be strong. I'll guide you, Masato," he said and drew a few forced deep breaths before he turned towards the door.

His hand snaked around Sand's hand, giving it a small squeeze, and he leaned into Sand as they started walking, and he whispered barely above a breath, "Please, don't tell Vale this, but right now, I feel as hopeless and frightened as when I got sick with the cancer last time, and I realized that the chemo wasn't helping."

Sand smiled at Yuji reassuringly. "I will not tell Vale, since I know how he will worry. He will most likely know, but he will pretend not to know if you do not tell him. He is good at that. But please, Yuji, do not despair. Do not let the darkness suck you in. I am sure Vale told you what I did to find Hawk, and I find I am capable of so much more now."

Yuji managed a feeble smile that reached his eyes, and he grew stronger with every step. "I know, even if I often pretend not to know. Vale told me what you did to save Hawk, and I know that you would do the same for Satoshi without the slightest hesitation. I won't despair," he said, squaring his jaw stubbornly with the last statement.

Just before they reached Satoshi's room though, Yuji stopped and tugged Sand to a halt as well, asking him in hushed tones, "I'm sorry for the bad timing, but since you said it... Do you think I hide too much from Vale? Should I rather tell him everything, and never try to shield him from my own messed up head like I do?"

Sand smiled and reached out to cup Yuji's cheek, his blue eyes filled with love. "I have found that hiding anything from Vale when he truly wishes to know is impossible. He has a delicate grace about him, though, and he will not push if he feels you need that privacy. He is truly a remarkable person, and I am grateful every day that he met you, because you bring out all that is beautiful and magnificent and breathtakingly perfect in him."

Yuji blushed faintly, and looked at the floor for a moment to gather himself. "So, I should stop trying to be such an alpha and just trust that he is strong enough to deal with whatever is floating around in my head, huh?" He smirked a little bit, a faint blush coloring his cheeks, and for a moment he looked slightly ashamed of himself. He nodded his head towards the room where Satoshi lay, and he squeezed Sand's hand gently when they started moving again, and whispered to Sand, "You bring out all that is beautiful, magnificent and breathtakingly perfect in Satoshi. And I am grateful that you found him, and he found you. I am even more grateful that I realized my own hypocrisy before I ruined everything for you two."

Sand smiled again, so gentle and loving that Yuji felt himself grow stronger. "You were never a hypocrite, Yuji. I did not treat Satoshi as well as I should have at the vacation, and you were right to be wary. It is that streak of possessiveness in you that makes me trust you with him. I know you will never allow him to be harmed. But I am glad I have proven myself, and earned your trust, and I will continue to earn it in the years to come." Sand tightened his hold on Yuji's hand a bit. "Now, let us go and bring our husband home."

Eryn let go of Satoru, giving her husband a reassuring smile. "Why don't you go in with Masato, my love, and Yuji and I will get some tea for us all. I think Yuji might like a chance to have a cigarette as well."

Yuji gave Eryn a grateful smile, and gave Sand's hand a last squeeze before he let go. "I could use a cigarette, or ten, to help me calm down a little," Yuji said wryly.

"Good. You go raise a cloud, and I'll get tea and meet you," Eryn said briskly, tucking her arm through Yuji's arm.

Yuji managed an impish smile as he walked away with Eryn, and Satoru smiled back at him until Yuji turned away. Then Satoru's smile disappeared and he entered the room, holding the door open for Sand. "Masato-san. We need to talk," he said in a very serious tone, and his eyes darted around the room as if to make sure they were alone.

Once Satoru had looked around the entire room, he turned to Sand, but hesitated and then walked briskly to the sink that was on the wall by the door, and looked quickly at the mirror that hung above the sink. He quickly pulled off his jacket and hung it over the mirror, making sure that the mirror was completely covered. Then he grabbed one of the blankets that lay folded on Sand's chair and hurried into the small bathroom off the room and covered the mirror there with the blanket, closing the door securely behind himself when he came back into the room.

Satoru rubbed his hands together nervously and then he looked at the elf, his eyes dark with worry. "I think I might know why he slipped into a coma," he said, barely above a whisper, and the room suddenly seemed colder than it should be.

Sand had watched the proceedings with growing concern, wondering if this man he had come to think of as a father had given in to the strain of Satoshi's illness. "What do you think might have caused it, otousan?" Sand asked, his blue eyes grave.

Satoru shook his head a little and ran his hand over his face, muttering as he walked up to the bed and stared at his son with great love and sadness in his eyes. "You're going to think I'm utterly nuts, Masato, but I think it was the witch."

Sand looked at Satoru very calmly. "I do not think you are nuts, at all. I intend to walk into Satoshi's very dreams to find him and bring him home, and therefore I hesitate to call anyone nuts. Will you tell me of this witch?"

Satoru looked up at Sand, and saw the utter truth of his words in those blue eyes, and he sighed a little bit, wondering if he had lost his marbles somewhere along the way, but then realized that he'd much rather have this wonderful family and no marbles, than all his marbles and no family. He smiled a little at himself and his utter nonsense, and then he nodded at the elf, drawing a deep breath to center himself. "I saw her here. She was standing by the headboard of his bed, when the doctors were trying to bring him out of the coma. I do not know why she is after him, but I do know that she is the source of the Mori family curse."

"I think Kenji knows more about her history, but I know that she was married into the Mori family many centuries ago, and then her husband shamed her in some way, and she cursed the family. I know that she was the one who tried to drown him when he was one, and again when he was seven. And then Yuji told me that Satoshi had nearly drowned at Kenji's house a few years ago. It can only have been her. It was she that attacked him at your house, and again at my house. She's learned to use mirrors." Satoru looked up at Sand, his eyes pleading with the elf to understand. "I did not say anything then, because I did not want to upset Satoshi more. I have never been good at discussing these gifts that are passed down in our family, and more often than not I have doubted my own sanity, because of some of the things I see. Please forgive me, for being a foolish old man."

Sand nodded, his expression thoughtful. "You are far from foolish, and I know how these things are doubted in your world." Sand smiled briefly and tucked his hair behind one gracefully pointed ear. "I am doubted in your world, and yet here I am. But this explains much. The attacks, at the estate and in your house... I felt a terrible evil, and yet it felt familiar somehow, as if I should know it. It is nothing I have faced before that I can remember, though. But yes, mirrors are a gateway. We know this well, we who use magic." Sand looked at Satoru levelly. "I must ask your forgiveness as well, otousan. We agreed, all of us, that using the magic that comes as easily to me as breathing is wrong, in this world, and so I did not protect Satoshi enough. I should have known that this evil would not give up. Forgive me, for not protecting him."

Satoru reached out to wrap a hand over Sand's shoulder, and his tone was grave when he spoke, but he put a heavy emphasis on his words, a tone that meant that he would not listen to any further argument on the issue. "You protected him as well as you could. From what he told me, you dragged him out of that witch's clutches when she broke his ankle. If that is not protecting the one you love, then I do not know what is. You have given him a love for life that I thought he would never regain, and you have brought him out of a shell that I thought he was lost to forever. If you need to hear me say that I forgive you, then I do forgive you, but I do not agree that you did not protect him."

Satoru sighed and rubbed his eyes a little, and added, sadness lining his voice, "I was the one who failed him. I did not protect him. Not from the evils of the world, not from the monsters that haunted him, nor from his mother, who was perhaps the worst monster of them all."

"I will accept that you forgive me, otousan, and allow that I have tried to protect Satoshi as well as I could within the restrictions the family has agreed on, but you must also forgive yourself." Sand looked at Satoru, his eyes warm and compassionate. "Satoshi loves you, and he has always loved you. Having you in his life again has healed wounds I could not have healed. You believed your wife when she told you what she did, because it seemed logical, and you cannot blame yourself for that. Her soul will pay the price for her misdeeds, as I understand it, and that is justice. But you were blameless, and no more able to see what was so carefully hidden than I was to keep Satoshi from this accident."

"You are right. Satoshi told me you have an annoying habit of doing that," Satoru tried to joke with a wan smile, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "He has healed me too, taking me back the way he has. He is my little fighter, always has been. So, please, do what you need to do, to bring him back to us. I am not sure what you need in order to do this, but I will answer your questions truthfully and as accurately as I can. There are many things that Yuji will probably know better, but I will do what I can. Just bring him back, Masato-san."

Satoru turned back to Satoshi, and then he added in a slightly bitter tone, "Do not tell your mother this, but truthfully, I do sometimes pray that Shizuko is suffering terribly for what she did. Sometimes I pray that her soul is being tortured all day and night to repay her sins, and that she will never finish repaying for what she did to Satoshi."

"As I told Yuji, I will need you to help him run interference with the staff, at least until I have been able to reach Satoshi. I will most likely appear to be sleeping, once that has occurred, and if Akira is here, he can make sure that I am not disturbed. He is also a mage, and can serve as my link here, my way home." Sand looked at Satoru levelly. "I have braved far worse than this, and I will not falter. I will bring him home, I swear it."

Satoru nodded once, his eyes bright again. "I trust you, Masato-san. He is my most precious son, and I trust you with him."

[Sandcastles and Fireworks]

Sand sat in the hard chair, one hand gently stroking Satoshi's hair, his eyes almost never leaving his beloved husband. His blue eyes were slightly red-rimmed from his earlier tears, but he was far calmer after seeing his family. The nurses were in and out frequently, checking the clear bags of fluids that ran into Satoshi's arms, adjusting his monitors, taking his chart and making small notes, and in general looking after Satoshi with great diligence.

Sand did his best to keep out of the way of the nurses as they came and went, but he still managed to remain touching Satoshi at all times. His soft voice never faltered, a steady murmur of encouragement and endearments directed at Satoshi although the nurses noticed that sometimes the quiet foreigner was not speaking Japanese or even English.

A young nurse walked into the room, picking up Satoshi's chart and making notes on it based on his monitor readings. Sand looked at her for just a moment before turning back to Satoshi.

"Oh, saiai, what a pity it is that Kansas's visions are not clearer. I would have held you tight and called the studio myself, and begged Matsu-san and Kohaku-san to understand that I could not risk losing you." Sand managed a small smile, his heart aching. "How very long I lived without you, and how very quickly I have come to know that I cannot live without you now that you have touched my heart. My beautiful husband, with your boundless ability to love a very foolish person whose world exists inside the boundaries of your smile. Lle naa ilya'amin, you are my all."

"Mori-sama?" The young nurse bent over and spoke softly to Sand. "I can sit with your husband if you need to refresh yourself."

Sand looked mildly surprised by the nurse's words, but he found a gentle smile for her. "You are very kind. I think perhaps I will stay here a bit longer, if that is alright. I know that the medications will not permit him to wake, but I still feel the need to be here with him."

"Of course, Mori-sama," the nurse replied. She seemed a little uncertain of how to handle this grave foreigner, with his flawless Japanese and polite manner that did not quite hide a stubborn determination to ignore anything he did not want to hear. "Please remember that you need to take care of yourself as well. You will not be any good to your husband if you make yourself ill." She bowed politely and glided away silently.

Sand watched her for a moment or two, his hand never ceasing its gentle stroking. He turned back to Satoshi, however, unwilling to take his attention away from his beloved imp for long.

"They are quite kind here, saiai," Sand said, his voice soft and tender. "I am very grateful for all the kindness they have shown me. I imagine I am a dreadful nuisance, sitting here like a large and immovable lump, and yet they have not shown me the door."

Sand shifted slightly in the hard chair, looking at Satoshi's pale and peaceful face. "I miss your sweet voice, saiai. I miss your laugh, and I miss the way you say my name. No one can quite make it sound as musical as you do." Sand leaned forward to kiss Satoshi's pale forehead, his skin cool under Sand's lips. "Perhaps, if our Akira comes, I will be able to leave you for a short time, to shower and eat. Or should Yuji or Willow come, I can tear myself away briefly. But it will only be for a fleeting moment, watashi no kokoro, cormamin. Being away from your side holds no appeal for me."

An older nurse entered the room, and paused to check Satoshi's chart, making another small notation. She looked at Sand and arched a brow, and Sand was reminded of Hideko. This nurse would not be as easily dismissed as her younger colleague.

"Mori-sama, you have not moved from your husband's side since he was brought in." The older nurse put her hands on her hips and fixed Sand with a stern look. "This is not good for either of you. There is a shower down the hall that can be used by family members who are staying with patients. Go and shower, and I will have a meal sent up for you. You'll eat every speck, and then you can come back in here."

Sand looked at her calmly. "I have no clean clothing to wear, I am afraid. I seem to have quite ruined my shirt, and I was told that my clothing was potentially infectious." He started to turn his head back to Satoshi.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll get you some clean scrubs to wear." The nurse gestured for Sand to come with her, clearly not about to take no for an answer.

Sand sighed a little and stood, one hand still tangled in Satoshi's hair. "I really would prefer to wait for a family member to be here, to sit with my Satoshi."

"He's not going to wake up, Mori-sama. He will survive thirty minutes without you." The nurse shooed Sand out of the room, walking him down to the shower and handing him clean scrubs, a couple of small towels and a washcloth.

"You remind me quite a bit of my okaasan," Sand said with deceptive mildness. "She is a doctor, and can be quite forceful."

The nurse snorted, not in the least bit intimidated. "Doctors are forceful, but nurses get things accomplished. Things such as making sure I don't wind up with a second patient on my hands. I'm busy enough."

Sand chuckled a little. "I shall endeavor not to become your patient, then." He bowed politely and stepped into the shower room, closing the door and locking it behind himself.

The shower did feel good, and Sand scrubbed thoroughly, washing his hair and rinsing it completely. He chuckled again when he saw the disposable toothbrush, preloaded with toothpaste, that the nurse had tucked in with the scrubs, along with a comb.

Truthfully, it did feel better to be clean, and Sand shook out his hair to let it dry. He wiped the shower clean and took his towels with him as he left, placing them in the hamper outside the shower room. He was about to head back to Satoshi's room when his nemesis intercepted him.

"Ah, Mori-sama, very good." The nurse looked at him with a small smile. "Come with me and we'll get some food into you."

Sand looked at her identification badge. "Tamura-san, I would appreciate being allowed to check on my Satoshi first." He gave her what he hoped was a suitably imploring look, but Nurse Tamura was apparently immune to his charms.

"Your husband is resting peacefully. I checked him not five minutes ago myself." Tamura looked at Sand sharply as he rubbed his right arm, the elf unaware that he was doing so. "The sooner you get a meal in you, the sooner I'll let you back in there. What's wrong with your arm?"

Sand looked briefly startled. "My arm is fine, as you can see." The scrub shirt was short sleeved, and aside from a faint pinkness where Sand had been rubbing, his pale skin was unmarked other than by his tattoo, the beautiful image of Suldanessallar.

"Then why are you rubbing it?" Tamura asked.

Sand replied without thinking. "Satoshi's arm aches there." He arched a brow at Tamura. "I would like to eat and return to my husband, if I could."

"Is that his only pain?" Tamura asked casually, leading Sand into a small dining room that the staff used. There was a meal laid out for him, with containers neatly arranged and chopsticks in their paper wrapper placed alongside the food. A Thermos flask of tea and a small cup were also in place, and Sand seated himself carefully. Tamura had brought soup and rice, and there was a plate of curry that was at least edible, but nowhere near as good as what Satoshi or Vale made.

"It is the worst of it at the moment." Sand poured himself some tea and sipped it with relish. He tucked into his food, eating swiftly although still with impeccable manners, eager to return to Satoshi.

Tamura glanced at her watch, concerned. Satoshi was not due another dose of pain medication for at least two hours, and it was not a good sign if he was uncomfortable this long before the next dose. She was not sure how Sand knew with such certainty, but she did not doubt him. In her years of working in the intensive care unit, she had seen odder things than a spouse being aware of a patient's pain. She would just watch Satoshi closely for now, and see if she could see any signs of discomfort.

Sand finished his soup and rice, and managed most of the curry before he looked at Tamura speculatively. "Have I done well enough?" he asked dryly.

"Not bad," Tamura replied. "I'll grant you that the food here is not all that wonderful, but it's mostly tolerable and it'll keep you alive. Come on, let's get you back in with your husband."

Sand rose so quickly that Tamura blinked, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of returning to his vigil at Satoshi's side. Tamura had seen any number of couples over the years, but the devotion that Sand had shown was extraordinary. He literally resented even thirty minutes away from his husband's side, and Tamura found herself liking the foreigner quite a bit.

Tamura had to try not to chuckle when they returned to the room. She had asked that a more comfortable armchair be brought in for Sand, but he was so intent on Satoshi that he did not notice the new chair at all. In fact, he nearly missed it altogether as he went to sit where the hard chair had been. Sand caught himself at the last moment, his eyes still not leaving Satoshi.

"I am back, saiai. I am sorry I had to leave you, and I will try not to do that again unless Yuji or Willow or Akira is here. I hope you can forgive me, watashi no kokoro." Sand rubbed his arm, his brow furrowing. "But I am back now, and I will be here for as long as you need me."

The morning wore on, and Sand remained in the comfortable armchair, the nurses working around him as he continued to talk softly to Satoshi. His voice was slightly ragged, but he kept up the gentle chatter about their children and their friends and family, the love and warmth in every word evident. Tamura was in regularly to check on Satoshi, and her deft and gentle touch drew a small smile from Sand each time, even when she had to tug Satoshi's chart from his hand, the one that was not stroking Satoshi's hair.

"You don't even know what most of this means," Tamura said, arching a brow at Sand.

Sand shrugged slightly, his voice a bit rough from the constant talking. "Perhaps not, but I can remember what is written and ask my mother or Hideko-chan. They will tell me what these cryptic notes mean for my husband."

"You can ask, you know," Tamura replied a bit sharply. "I'll tell you."

Sand leveled a look that had quelled a Lord of Neverwinter at Tamura, but she did not flinch. "Tell me, then. What do all your obscure scribblings portend?"

Tamura looked at Sand, and her expression softened at the pain that ran through his words. His worry for his husband, and the love he had for the slender man was so enormous that it almost took her breath away, and it made her willing to forgive him his momentary lapse of manners.

"I spoke to Tanaka-sensei about your husband's pain. It was obvious from the various readings we're taking that he was uncomfortable, and you felt he was in pain as well, which does count." Tamura leaned over to brush a wrinkle out of the sheet. "We've increased that pain medication, but I'm counting on you to let me know if it's still not enough. You seem to have a good feel for his state of mind, Mori-san."

"Thank you, Tamura-san," Sand said, and his own expression smoothed out as well. "He is more dear to me than anything, my Satoshi. I feel so lost without him, and there is nothing I will not do to see him well again."

"I'm going off shift now, but I will make sure that our charge nurse, Inoue-san, looks in on your husband regularly." Tamura bowed with great respect, and Sand stood to return the bow with equal respect. "We'll get him well again, Mori-san."

The morning dragged on, and Sand lost all track of time as he watched Satoshi, so deeply asleep and looking curiously peaceful despite the tubes and wires and machines. Somewhere in the distant reaches of his consciousness, Sand was aware of a growing headache from the incessant noise of the machines, but he simply ignored that as irrelevant, his long fingers running through Satoshi's hair and smoothing stray wrinkles from the sheets. Inoue-san had mentioned that wrinkles could become agonizing to those who were bedridden, and Sand was determined to remove all wrinkles that could potentially trouble his Satoshi.

Twice, as Sand fussed and smoothed and talked until his voice was slightly ragged, he felt a small and very distant tug on his bond with Satoshi. It was so faint, and so very tentative, but it kindled an enormous reserve of hope in Sand, and brought back some of the usual sparkle to his eyes. He did not dare reach out through their bond too strongly, but Sand let a delicate trickle of love and hope flow back, trusting that Satoshi might feel that and be strengthened by knowing that he was not alone.

The intensive care unit seemed to operate outside time to a large extent, with the spouses of the patients there all of the time, but a slight increase in activity made Sand aware that visiting hours had commenced. He looked up as an older couple walked past, on their way to another room, and then he spotted a pair of very familiar faces.

"Do you know who has come, saiai? Cho and Kai have come to see you." Sand smiled as they hovered in the doorway, and stood up, walking over to hug them both. "Thank you both for coming. Please come in. Satoshi is being kept asleep for now, to give his body a chance to begin healing, but I do think he knows when people come."

Cho entered the room with her arms wide open, wrapping them tightly around Sand. "I'm so sorry, Masato. We got here as soon as we could. We took the first train out when we got the news. I'm so sorry," she whispered to Sand, unconsciously stroking his hair like a sister would, and then she turned to look at Satoshi in the bed, her arms tightening a little around Sand's shoulders.

"Oh, gods, what a mess." She moaned softly and slipped out of Sand's embrace.

Kai still hovered in the doorway, being careful to keep the curtain between himself and the bed, his dark eyes filled with tears as he stared at Sand.

"Hello, Masato-san. How are you?" Kai asked stiffly, his teeth worrying at his lip, and his hands fisted in his sleeves. There was a tone of anguish in his voice that made it clear just how upset he was.

Sand returned Cho's hug, touching her cheek with brotherly affection. When Cho slipped away to go to Satoshi, Sand held out his arms to Kai.

Kai's eyes brimmed over as he hesitantly stepped into the room, opening his arms a little, silently asking for a hug, and his voice shook terribly. "How bad is he? Is he awake? I don't know if I can do this." Kai trembled hard and sobbed, his tears spilling over.

"I am so very glad that you came, Kai-san. I know how dreadful this all looks, but most of the injuries are broken bones, and the doctors believe that Satoshi will recover. He had only minor internal injuries, as frightful as it seems." Sand touched Kai's cheek with the same gentle affection. "Do you wish to sit a moment?"

Cho stroked Satoshi's hair gently when she came to the bed, her eyes sad as she took in the damage he had suffered. "Look at you, short stuff. How the hell did you manage this? You fucked up your bike too, didn't you? And look at you, all naked like this. Did they take your tongue stud out, too? Don't worry, babe, I brought you a retainer just in case. You better recover soon, though. You can't be stuck here for christmas and new years."

Sand kept his arms around Kai, holding the gentle stylist tightly. "Satoshi is sleeping for now, Kai-san. The doctors want him to stay that way for a week or so, and then they will let him wake up. We will know more then, of course, but I want him home as soon as possible, so for now I will have to be patient and let the doctors do what they must."

Kai nodded against Sand's shoulder, sobbing quietly. "So he's on one of those machines that breathe for him? And is he all plastered up?" Kai asked in a pained whisper, his hands shaking as he eased out of the embrace a little, but not letting go of Sand completely.

Sand nodded. "Yes, the machines are breathing for him, but he is not all that plastered up. They wish to be able to get at my poor Satoshi, although I am sure that he will be plastered up once the doctors are sure things are beginning to heal properly. I will tell you, though, that I am not accustomed to seeing Satoshi without his beautiful piercings. It was quite a surprise to see him so."

Kai shook his head a little, more tears flowing down his cheeks, but he drew a deep shaky breath, and he spoke haltingly. "I need to see him. I'll be strong and not break. I didn't go and see him in the hospital when he got burned, so I must see him now. I just love him so much. He's one of my best friends. This is just so scary."

Kai drew a few more shaky breaths, his whole body trembling, and he clung to Sand's arm as he moved further into the room, bracing himself for the sight that awaited him. When he cleared the curtain, he gasped loudly and trembled, swaying on his feet a little as he grabbed Sand's arm tighter and he whispered, "I need to sit down."

"I know that it is quite alarming, Kai-san," Sand said, easing Kai into the comfortable armchair. "But we must keep up our hope and our courage, for Satoshi's sake, and we will see him well again. I believe that utterly." Sand stroked Kai's hair very softly, like an older brother would. "He loves you as well, Kai-san, you and Cho-san. You are both among his dearest friends, as close to his heart as family."

Kai nodded slightly, tears flooding his cheeks as he stared at Satoshi with wide eyes.

Cho moved closer to Kai and took his chin gently, making him look up at her. Her voice was warm and loving, and her eyes brimming with something that Sand could only interpret as understanding. "Kai. I know this is scaring you, but you need to be strong. Satoshi needs you to be strong, so you can help his family now. You need to be strong and believe that Satoshi will wake up soon. Can you do that for me, my love?"

Kai stared up at Cho, his eyes wide, but his sobs slowed greatly while she spoke. His tears lessened and finally he nodded slowly, and his voice was still trembling, but it was stronger than it had been before. "Yes, Cho. I understand. I can do that. I need to be strong for Satoshi. I can do that."

Kai cleared his throat loudly and rose from the chair, still trembling slightly, but he dared to move on his own. He moved over to the bed and stroked Satoshi's arm lovingly, his other hand stroking Satoshi's hair gently.

Cho moved closer to Sand, stroking his shoulder gently. "I see that they removed all of his piercings, so, I'm guessing they removed the tongue piercing as well."

"I brought a retainer to put in his tongue, to prevent the piercing from closing. It goes into the piercing and keeps it open, but doesn't interfere with the tubes and stuff, and shouldn't get in the way if they have to intubate him again, or something like that. And it shouldn't fall out if he's unconscious." Cho's voice was warm and loving, but her eyes were sad, showing that she was fighting with the longing to cry.

Sand nodded. "They gave all of the jewelry to me. They removed the piercings, but they cut off his rings. I must remember to ask Yuji or Akira to take them to be repaired." Sand looked briefly lost and surprisingly young. "Really, he does not seem the same without his piercings. I know he will be anxious when he wakes, so if you can keep his tongue piercing from closing, he will be happy about that."

Sand shook his head slightly, managing to collect himself a bit, and he stroked Cho's arm gently. "Thank you for thinking about his piercing. Honestly, I am so glad everyone else seems to have their wits about them. I fear mine are quite scattered."

Cho stroked Sand's shoulder, not really noticing that she was doing it, and she tried her best to smile. "They cut his rings? Oh, gods, I doubt that any jeweler will be able to fix that. You will probably need to buy new rings."

Cho dashed her hand over her eyes and tried to smile again, but it looked more like a grimace and she glanced at Kai who was whispering gently to Satoshi. "I think you are allowed to be quite scattered for a while. This is a terrible shock, Masato-san. I know I would not be able to keep my wits about me if something like this happened to Kai. And I'll keep an eye on his piercings for you, and bring more retainers if his lip piercings show any sign of closing. They shouldn't, since he's had them for so long, but you never know."

Sand's smile was warm and grateful, his blue eyes filled with friendship and love. "Thank you, Cho-san. I am so lucky to have the support of friends like you and Kai. I do not think I could manage this without such support. But, I keep in the front of my mind that I need to be strong for Satoshi, that he needs me to stay strong, and I find I can cope if I just remember that."

Sand rubbed his right arm without seeming to notice, his fingers tracing a path up to his shoulder and back down to his elbow.

Cho managed to smile gently this time and moved to wrap her arms around Sand's neck, but then he started to rub his right arm, and she stopped. She stared at the path that his fingers took up his arm, and turning around slowly she looked at Satoshi's right arm, the steel brace looking like some sort of science fiction torture device, where it rose out of his flesh.

"Oh, gods, his koi," Cho whispered and moved around the bed to look closer at Satoshi's arm, her eyes filling with tears again, and Kai nodded slowly.

"I noticed, too. They cut up his tattoo. It's ruined. You think Masa can fix it?" Kai said slowly and Cho shook her head as she reached down to touch a fingertip to the beautiful koi tattoo that adorned Satoshi's arm.

"I don't think even Masa can fix this. He's going to be devastated when he wakes up," Cho said, choking on her tears and Kai nodded, his eyes brimming over again.

Sand looked at them both, his eyes widening in pain as he grew pale. "I had not even thought..." Sand's voice trailed off, his eyes filled with sudden tears.

"Oh, saiai, not your koi. Not your beautiful soul light." Sand's breath hitched, and he slipped into elven without even realizing it. "Amin hiraetha, cormamin. Lle vanima fëame'a. I am sorry, my heart. I am so very sorry."

Kai was closer to Sand and he turned around quickly and grabbed Sand into a hug, as Cho moaned a little bit and finally her tears fell.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Masato. I didn't realize you hadn't noticed. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Cho said as she hurried over to embrace Sand too, and Kai nodded hard.

"I'm sorry, too. I know how much he loves those tattoos. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Kai whispered, and tried to move Sand over to the armchair to make him sit down.

Sand shivered a little, but he shook his head, his tears wetting his pale cheeks. "No, thank you, my dears. Please do not apologize. There is a great deal that has not quite sunk in yet, and I am sure I will come across such things many more times." He managed a small smile. "You have not upset me or hurt me at all. In fact, I am glad not to have been alone for such a realization."

Kai stroked Sand's back gently, and Cho poured him a glass of water from a bottle that stood on a table by the bed, kneeling by the chair as she handed him the glass. "Perhaps you are right, my friend. It could have been even worse had you realized when you were alone. I still feel terrible to be the one to point it out to you, but I'm also glad that we were here," she said softly and stroked Sand's arm gently.

"Perhaps it will not matter. Perhaps it will be just one more scar to mark a battle won. We both have collected our share of those, my Satoshi and I." Sand leaned over to press his lips to Satoshi's pale forehead. "They only make him more beautiful in my eyes. My brave and enduring Satoshi."

Cho nodded but her lips were set in a stubborn line, her voice determined. "I will contact Masa and tell him what has happened. Then when Satoshi gets better, you can go and see him, and he can tell you if it can be saved or not. I know that he will be more than happy to fix what he can."

Kai cleared his throat softly, and added, "But that's not something to think about now. The tattoo can wait. Now we should all focus on getting Satoshi better, and quickly." He moved to stroke Sand's back again, adding, with a slightly more confident voice, "I'll be here for you, Masato-san, for whatever you need. Satoshi is one of my dearest friends, and I consider you a dear friend as well. So, no matter what you need, do not hesitate to call me. I'll even come here regularly to wash his hair. The shampoo they use here would probably ruin his hair after only a couple of washes."

Later that day, Erion drove Sora and Hawk, and Mist and Santhiel, to the hospital to see Sand and Satoshi. Sora was dismayed over Satoshi's condition, and Hawk held his wife tenderly as she wept bitterly at the sight of her all but adopted great grandson in the hospital bed, small and lost.

Mist went straight to Sand, looking into her younger brother's eyes and demanding that he not hide his feelings from her, and Sand found himself unable to refuse his sister. His tears were scalding as they tracked down his cheeks, Sand whispering his fears brokenly while Mist and Hawk held him.

The rest of the family arrived later in what would become a pattern for their days. Although Kansas needed to work, being too new at his job to take much time off, and Erion could not afford to skip classes, they took that first day off and would come after work and school beyond that. Yuji and Vale were able to cut back their hours at the school, and Maela and Taren helped Willow with the children and the household. Of course, the family from Evereska helped with the children gladly, and Falon especially was an enormous aid to Willow, even Takara falling under his spell.

After Erion had driven the Evereskan family back to the estate, he decided to try and grab a bit of a nap, not having managed much reverie the night before. Kansas was already in their bed, under the covers and sleeping fitfully. Erion stripped quietly and slid into the bed, trying not to make much noise. Kansas had been odd all day, seeming younger than his years, almost lost, and Vale said quietly that he had been sleeping a lot. Erion moved next to Kansas, even the proximity of his imp comforting for the young elf.

Erion slid closer, snuggling up behind Kansas, feeling the warm silky skin of his lover against his own skin. The unique scent that was Kansas filled Erion's nostrils, and he nuzzled his face into Kansas's thick hair, kissing his shoulder gently as he began to settle in.

Kansas mumbled in his sleep, the sound strangely similar to a moan, and he uncurled himself a little bit, scooting backwards into Erion's embrace, pressing his ass back against Erion's groin, his back arching in a seductive way. He arched his neck as well, pushing his shoulder down to offer Erion better access to his neck and shoulder.

Erion nibbled the tender juncture between Kansas's neck and shoulder, his cock thickening as Kansas's ass pressed against him. All the tension and grief and fear of the past two days washed over Erion, and he needed the closeness of his Kansas, and so he ground his cock back into the sweet round ass of his lover.

Kansas mewled softly and pressed back, grinding his ass down on Erion's cock, tiny soft moans escaping him as he undulated his hips, and arched his neck more to offer himself up to Erion. One small hand fisted in the sheets as he did so, the other clenching around the edge of his pillow.

Erion let his hand slide down to cup one sharp hipbone, his cock sliding into the cleft between Kansas's cheeks as Erion reached behind himself for the lube. He nipped and nuzzled the inviting curve of Kansas's neck, lapping gently where he had nipped before nuzzling Kansas's thick hair again.

Kansas arched his back beautifully when Erion's hand wrapped around his hipbone, and let out a small hungry moan. He lifted his leg and wrapped it over Erion's leg, giving the elf better access to him, and at the same time he ground his ass back down against Erion's cock, mewling when it slid over his twitching pucker.

Erion arched his own back a bit, rubbing his sensitive nipples against Kansas as he stroked the tender pucker with lube-slick fingers. Erion carefully pressed one finger in, feeling Kansas tighten slightly and then loosen, and Erion thrust gently before adding a second finger.

Kansas stiffened a little when Erion's finger slipped into his tight pucker, but then he let out a slow breath and relaxed, the same happening when Erion added another finger. Kansas half buried his face in the pillows, arching his back and neck invitingly, those small hungry little moans falling from his lips in an endless stream, in sync with Erion's thrusts.

Part of Erion registered something off about Kansas's behavior, but Kansas pressed back against Erion's cock, and Erion completely forgot what he had been thinking. He quickly slicked his cock with lube, stroking his fingers over Kansas's tight little ass, and then lined his cock up, thinking to press in slowly and tenderly. It had been such an awful couple of days that Erion craved slow, tender lovemaking.

Kansas let his head fall back and he let out a decidedly lascivious moan as Erion breached him. His small hand let go of the sheets and his slender fingers feathered over his own lips, his eyes closed and his lips parted in a beautifully hungry look. Kansas pressed his hips back to meet Erion's slow thrust, but he did not press back hard enough to demand more than Erion was willing to give him. It felt more like Kansas was offering him more, begging Erion with his actions to give him more.

Again, part of Erion registered the odd behavior, but Kansas was warm and delicious and right there, and Erion ached deep inside. Like most elves, Erion found sex soothing and healing, and sex with his beloved Kansas, his husband to be, was exactly what Erion needed. He pressed his hips forward slowly, letting the head of his cock breach Kansas's tight little ass, and it was Erion's turn to let out a wanton moan as he was sucked into the snug heat of that tender ass.

Kansas pushed back to meet Erion's thrust, those hungry little mewls of his changing slightly in pitch when Erion moaned, but then turned back to the original wordless begging. Kansas turned his face back into the pillows, and moved his hips slightly, as if to get accustomed to being filled in such a way. His right hand was fisted so tight around the edge of his pillow that the knuckles shone white through his pale skin.

"I love you, 'lokiamin," Erion murmured, one arm sliding around the slender waist of his lover as Erion slid himself fully into the tight ass. "It'll be okay, baby."

Erion ground himself in a bit, and then withdrew slowly, his cock sliding over Kansas's prostate as Erion withdrew until only the head of his cock remained withing Kansas. Erion slid forward again, slow and easy, setting a languid pace as he nibbled one delicate little ear.

Kansas mewled in rhythm with Erion's slow thrusts, but when Erion whispered to him he twitched a little and his voice hitched. He pressed his ass back to meet Erion's thrusts, his voice strangely disconnected when he whispered into the pillows, "I love this. I love when you fill me up like this. This is so good. This is so good."

Kansas gasped a little, his back arching hard, a gesture that usually meant that Erion had hit his prostate at just the right angle, but Erion knew that he had not done so just now. Kansas's fingers continued to feather over his lips, his tongue peeking out to tease his fingertips, and those hungry little moans sounded more hollow than they had before.

Erion was a young elf, and his body often reacted in ways his conscious mind could not control, but although Erion knew this, he was still appalled by the heat that coiled in his gut even as his mind screamed at him to stop, that something was horribly wrong here. Kansas's moans made it sound like Erion was normally the one to top when they made love, and yet Erion actually was happy to be Kansas's bottom more often than not. The moans sounded more desperate than wanton, and Erion was forcibly reminded of something Momo had told him on the roof, of how Kansas had been taught to beg for more no matter how badly he was being hurt. Erion froze in mid stroke, his heart pounding.

Kansas stopped moaning a moment after Erion froze, and then he let out an almost desperate mewl, pushing his ass back on to Erion's cock, begging in a whiny little voice, "Don't stop. Please, don't stop. I want you. It's so good. Please, give me more. Please. Don't I feel good? Fuck me, I need you so bad."

Kansas stopped touching his lips and reached behind himself to tug on Erion's still hip, his round ass pressing back on Erion's cock, withdrawing and pressing back, with small shallow movements.

Erion's eyes widened, the little litany a complete parody of desire, but Kansas's ass was tight and sweet, and the familiar scent of his lover in his nostrils, the feel of Kansas around him and against him, combined to push Erion past the point of being able to stop, the shallow thrusts making his balls tighten painfully. Erion gasped and muffled a small sob in Kansas's shoulder, his traitorous body demanding release, and Erion reached around to try to stroke Kansas's cock.

Kansas bucked his hips and his small hand wrapped around Erion's slender fingers as they wrapped around Kansas' cock. He was not fully hard, but hard enough to seem aroused, and he mewled desperately as he started stroking himself with Erion, guiding the elf's hand a little, his cock jumping to full attention as if on cue.

"You want me to come for you, lover? You want me to spill myself into the sheets for you?" Kansas whispered between moans, his hips bucking constantly to try and slam his ass down on Erion's cock.

Erion choked back another sob, his eyes brimming, and he was glad he was behind Kansas. Much to his own surprise, his voice was reasonably controlled as he murmured, "Come with me, 'lokiamin. My love, my sweet dragon, like we always do. Come with me." He thrust, still keeping his steady pace, not wanting to pound into Kansas with his usual abandon.

Kansas's moans faltered for a moment, and then he gently peeled Erion's hand away from his cock, mumbling into the sheets as he bowed his head until his chin was almost touching his chest, "If that's what you want. I can do that." Then he wrapped his hand around his own cock and stroked it hard and fast, bucking his hips in a way that would make Erion slide hard over his prostate in every thrust.

Kansas shivered slightly as he stroked his own cock, picking up on those little panting mewls again, and then he whispered, "Let me know when you want me to come."

Erion's ball were beyond painful at this point, but a small voice in the back of his mind screamed at him as Kansas's sweet voice and his tight little ass sent two horribly conflicting messages to him. There was little else Erion could do at this point. Kansas was fully lost in some sort of terrible flashback, and if Erion rejected him now, he could hurt Kansas worse than if he played along. Sucking in a ragged breath, and hoping it would pass for lust, Erion murmured, "Come for me, baby. Come now."

Kansas slammed his face into the pillows and let out a small scream of faked pleasure, his hand stroking his cock hard and fast, and then his tight little ass clamped down around Erion's cock, spasming as Kansas shuddered and moaned into the pillows. He stroked his cock as if to milk every last drop from himself, but since they were still under the covers Erion could not see anything.

As Kansas moaned through the last of his forced orgasm, he brought his hand out and made a small show of licking his fingers, the small pale digits smeared with what looked a bit like small amounts of precum, and very little actual cum.

"Fill me up, lover. Please, I want to feel you fill me up." Kansas moaned as he licked the nearly clear liquid of his fingers, eyeing Erion out of the corner of his eye, but the passion there was empty and meaningless, his eyes pale grey and utterly lost.

Erion came, his balls emptying as he filled Kansas's ass with his hot cum, and Erion choked back the bile that rose in his throat as he thrust a few last times, his heart aching as his eyes burned with the tears he did not dare shed just yet, hoping that Kansas would mistake them for tears of pleasure. He felt utterly unclean, as if he were the most vile creature to have ever existed, and yet he knew that he had intended only healing and solace. Kansas moaned and ground against him, the feigned passion and lust carving bloody runnels in Erion's heart, and the young elf shuddered as his orgasm finally faded, his now flaccid cock sliding out of Kansas's trembling body.

Erion's voice was thick with tears. "You were perfect, baby. That was just perfect. We can cuddle now, if you want. Just cuddling, no more touching, okay?" Erion looked up, and in the dim light of the room, the faded blue streak looked lost in the pale silver moonbeam that wrapped around it.

Kansas shivered when Erion's cock slipped out of his ass, and he nodded his head slowly, mumbling, "I did good? I was good? Thank you. I would like to cuddle." Kansas buried his face in the pillows as his legs pulled up and he curled up again, pressing his back against Erion's chest, his small hands fisting in the covers to pull them up to his nose. A small shiver ran through him again, and his back heaved a little, much like it did when he cried. Tiny soft sobs were drowned in the pillows, so low that no human could ever have heard them.

"It's alright. We don't ever have to do that again," Erion said softly, and he wrapped his arms around Kansas. "We can just cuddle, and when they ask me, I'll tell them that you are perfect. You'll be safe here, I promise." Erion's tears scalded his skin as they spilled over, his ears filled with the barely audible sobs of his trembling lover. "No one will hurt you here. I won't let them."

Erion offered up a prayer to the Seldarine, begging them to forgive him for what he had done this night, in his ignorance. The elven words spilled out, a silvery torrent in the still of the room.

Kansas nodded his head slowly, and mumbled between his silent sobs, his voice drowned in his tears, "I like to cuddle. You're so warm and kind."

"I want to sleep now. Can I sleep now?" Kansas asked, his voice taking on a slightly childish tone, and he shivered hard in Erion's arms, utterly exhausted.

Erion gathered Kansas close, cradling the shivering imp in his arms with tender love. "Sleep, my sweet love. I'll watch over you and keep you safe. Amin hiraetha, 'lokiamin. Amin mela lle." His eyes were a dark and stormy grey as he held his Kansas close, counting each breath the imp took, reverie a distant thought.

Kansas shivered for a long time, his sobs continuing even after he fell into a deep sleep, a sleep of utter and complete mental and physical exhaustion. After a long while his sobs finally stopped and he began to breathe normally, the rhythmic breathing of heavy sleep, one without dreams or nightmares, but whether it was healing remained to be seen.

As for Erion, he let one slim hand stroke Kansas's thick hair as he watched the moon's shadow crawl across the ceiling of the room, cold and distant. At one point, he heard the door open, and saw Vale peer in. Erion was reasonably sure that Vale could tell that Erion was not in reverie, but the gentle sun elf said nothing, merely crossing the room to leave a couple of bottles of sweet tea on the nightstand before leaving as silently as he had come.

For the first time since the night he had parted with Momo, Erion greeted the dawn with dread.