by Sessha Batto
“I can't believe it's really you, Ren,” she sobbed. “I thought I’d never see you again. It's been so many years.”
“Why am I here?” He tried to pry tenacious arms from around his neck. “I need to breathe.”
“I’ve missed you so much. I’ve been trying to get you back for years.”
“Back from where?” the newly revived man asked in confusion.
“From the dead,” Kazuki said with a sadistic grin. “She betrayed Kobayashi shuudan, ruined countless lives and almost destroyed your son, just to bring you back. You should feel honored.”
“She was Kobayashi no Shuhan before they removed her for treason,” Yoshi added spitefully. “Now she's nothing but a traitor.”
“You should talk, whore,” she snapped back. “You’re only sleeping with Kazu because you want something. I just haven’t figured out what yet.”
“Stop it, princess. You have no right to talk to him like that, or at all,” the spell-caster threatened.
“What did you do to my son? Get away from me,” Takahashi Ren demanded, pushing her to the ground. “Don’t touch me.”
Rin wrapped her arms around her beloved's legs, clinging to him as he struggled to free himself. “No, you don’t mean that.”
“Of course I do,” Ren retorted. “How could I not? Loss is part of life Rin, it's what we accept when we become ninja. This is a betrayal of the worst sort. And why me? There was never anything between us. Why didn’t you live your life, find someone to love?”
“Because she's selfish and heartless,” Kazuki hissed. “She never once thought about how her actions hurt those under her. Payback's a bitch, isn’t it, princess?”
“You bastard.” She turned wild eyes on the spell-caster. “I did what you asked, why did you betray me?”
“I didn’t betray you. I gave you exactly what you wanted. It's not my fault you didn’t anticipate the consequences of your actions.”
“This is your fault, whore,” Rin growled, turning her attention to the shadow wolf. “Why anyone would waste time on something like you is beyond me.”
“He is not a whore,” Kazuki rasped. “Yoshi is, and always has been, the consumate shinobi. He did as you ordered … pimp.”
She rushed at the shadow wolf, only to find herself held back by Kazuki's hard hand. “Touch him and die,” the spell-caster threatened. “You’ve hurt him enough.”
“Stop it,” Yoshi's voice cut through the clamor. “Rin, why do you hate me so much? I never even met you before you became Shuhan.”
“You look like your father, whore. He betrayed me, you paid the price.”
Recognition finally hit, and Ren's eyes widened as he realized the powerful shinobi in Kazuki's arms was his grown son. “Yoshi?”
“You're dead, I found your body. You aren't real,” the shadow wolf whispered brokenly. “Please, stop this, Kazu. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't make me talk to him.”
“Oh, pretty,” the spell-caster husked, pulling the trembling shadow wolf into a tight embrace. “I am sorry, I never meant to hurt you. Can you forgive me?”
Kazuki decided they'd heard enough. Before Ren could say more he cast another illusion, watching dispassionately as both Rin and Yoshi's father were consumed by a ball of sickly green fire. “Come, pretty.” He grabbed the stunned shadow wolf by the elbow. “Let's get away from this stench.”
Yoshi found his voice when they were out in the corridor. “Why? Didn’t you need her?”
“Kenta can perform the ki transfer on his own,” the legendary assured him. “She called you a whore one time too many. I will not let you be spoken of like that.”
They continued down the hall to the lab, opening the door to find Kenta lying motionless in the bed Souta had once occupied. Kazuki rushed over to check on his apprentice's condition, letting out a wail of despair when he realized the man was dead. “That bitch. Even dead she thwarts me.”
“Are you sure it was Rin?” Yoshi asked.
“Her ki is all over him, and his skull is crushed,” the legendary explained. “He obviously fought back.”
I’m sure he did, because I cast the illusion to make him look like Fukazawa-san. She never even knew who she killed. “What about Junko?” Yoshi suggested. “Can she do what needs to be done?”
“No, she doesn’t have the training. I-I’m going to die.” Kazuki staggered back against the wall, clutching his chest in shock.
“No you will not.” Yoshi grabbed the spell-caster by the shoulders and pulled him into a protective embrace. “We’ll figure out something. I can harness my ki now. I trained under Oonishi-sama for years, you can teach me the technique. Junko and I will perform it together.”
“I doubt that will work, although I appreciate your willingness to try,” Kazuki replied faintly. “Let's see if we can find her.”
They hunted the bowels of the complex, eventually sensing her weak ki in Rin's quarters. When they finally broke down the doors they found the young woman lying in a pool of scarlet, both her wrists slashed. “Why?” Yoshi asked as they worked to stop the flow of blood.
“I saw what she had Kazuki do,” Junko whispered. “She never told me. I wouldn’t have let her disturb your father's rest. Now she's gone, and there's no one left for me to live for.” She shut her eyes, chest rising and falling sporadically before stilling completely.
“She's dead, pretty, and so are our hopes,” the legendary declared. “There's no way you can do this without her.”
“I won’t let you give up,” the shadow wolf insisted. “We will figure something out. Hideaki will be here soon.”
“Will you stay with me till the end?” Kazuki asked in a small voice.
“Of course I will,” Yoshi swore. “I won’t leave you alone.” He scooped the forlorn figure into his arms and strode back toward the living quarters. “We’ll go rest now, when our minds are clearer we can try and come up with a plan.”
THE THIRD GATE
GATHERING STORM
Souta staggered through the forest, stumbling in his haste to put distance between himself and his captors. “Hold.” A familiar voice rang out, and he looked up in relief to see masked figures looming over him.
“Thank god,” the assassin breathed, making some gestures and releasing the illusion.
“Fukazawa-san, is it really you?” the black op asked.
“Yes. I’m so glad to see you guys,” Souta replied. “We need to go rescue Takahashi. He helped me escape but he stayed behind.”
“Our orders are to extract you and get you back to the shuudan,” his escort replied. “Takahashi wasn’t mentioned. He must be someone else's problem.”
“He's my problem,” the assassin insisted. “He risked himself to save me, I can’t just leave him behind.”
“You’re going to have to. My orders are clear,” the operative retorted. “We’ll carry you if you resist.”
The group set off toward home at a brisk pace, opting to carry the still unsteady Souta so they could make better time. When they reached the gate the Shuhan himself came running out to greet them, pulling his lover off the black op's back to wrap him in a desperately tight hug.
“I thought I’d lost you,” Daisuke muttered. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”
“Takahashi saved me. I wanted to go back for him but they wouldn’t let me.” He jerked a thumb toward the black ops contingent.
“Yoshi says he has a plan,” Makoto cut in. “We’re trusting his judgment. How was he, did you see him?”
“When I first arrived they took me to see Nakamura Kazuki. Yoshi was there. I was pretty out of it, but I'm sure he kissed me and told me he had a plan. I didn’t see him again until he was shoving me out the door. He's not restrained though and I didn’t see any injuries.”
“Kazuki was planning on transferring your ki into his body,” the Shuhan explained. “Did they do anything to you?”
“They kept me pretty doped up. I did think it was odd no one tried to question me
. Now I guess I see why,” the assassin muttered.
“I think you two should take this somewhere more private,” Makoto suggested. “You really don’t need this spread all over town. Besides, I’m sure you want to catch up. I’ll see you both later.”
The Shuhan and his lover disappeared, rematerializing in their private quarters. “I missed you so much,” Daisuke moaned as he kissed every inch of his lover's face. “I’m so glad you came back to me.”
“I love you too,” Souta husked. “I was so worried I’d never get to taste you again.”
“I have a confession to make.” The Shuhan studied his lover solemnly. “I need to tell you right away.”
“What, did you have my funeral already?” the assassin joked.
“I slept with Makoto. He was worried, I was worried. I know it's not an excuse and I wouldn’t blame you for being mad at me.”
“It's alright, Dai,” Souta soothed. “I’m not upset. How was he?”
“It was nice, different, I don’t have much to compare it with. He's hung like a horse though, you were right about that,” the Shuhan stated.
“So, are we still on for that foursome? Because I will feel cheated if you’re the only one who gets to experience Makoto's monster cock.”
“Souta!” The Shuhan smacked him hard on the shoulder. “You are incorrigible. Still, as far as I’m concerned it's a go. Of course, you need to convince Yoshi.”
Both men turned when they felt a new ki source appear. “Hey, Sato,” a gravelly voice proclaimed. “I have a message for Sasaki-san, where is he?”
“Pi-natsu, is Yoshi okay?” Daisuke asked.
“There's been a change of plans,” the demon wolf announced. “Rin, Junko and Nakamura's apprentice are dead and Kazuki is dying. The boss needs to stay with him until then. He should be back in a few months. Now I really need to find Makoto, do you know where he is?”
“I’d try his house,” the Shuhan ventured and the familiar disappeared without even a word of farewell.
“Now, where were we?” Souta muttered as he pulled his lover into his arms and kissed him breathless.
****
“Hey Sasaki,” the wolf began as soon as he appeared. “I have a letter for you from the boss.” Pi-natsu dug in the bag strapped to his flank until he located it, quickly passing it over and turning to leave.
“Do you want something to eat or drink?” Makoto asked as he turned the envelope in his hands, hesitant to open it and see what was inside.
“I’d love it, but I have another letter to deliver. I’ll be back later, boss said to wait for your answer.”
The interrogator sat down at the table, passing the envelope back and forth between his hands as he tried to prepare himself for whatever it might contain. When he could stand it no longer, he started to read, picturing Yoshi bent over in concentration as deft hands inscribed the elegant strokes.
My dear Makoto,
You have no idea how happy I was to hear you were awaiting my return. I wish I could say it would be soon, but circumstances here have changed. Rin and Junko are dead, and Kazuki only has a few months to live. Once he is gone I will come directly home. I hope you will still be glad to see me.
There are reasons behind my actions. I don’t have time to go into them here, but were I to leave now, Kazuki would raze the shuudan to the ground to get me back. I would, in any event, refuse to leave him to die alone. I have grown to care for him in my time here. We have eased each other's pain.
I hope to see you on my return.
Yours always,
Yoshi
He sat down on the couch, put his head in his hands and cried tears of loss and frustration, unable to reconcile the thought of his Yoshi having feelings for the much reviled traitor. He said there was more to explain. I need to trust him, he isn’t trying to hurt me … I don’t think.
Finally throwing up his hands in frustration the interrogator made the signs and appeared in the Shuhan's office. “Daisuke, could I talk to you a minute?”
“In here, Makoto,” Souta called from the private quarters. “Come on in.”
“I need your help,” the torture master began, following the sounds into a spacious kitchen. “Yoshi sent me a letter, and he wants an answer. I have no idea what to say.”
“Can I see what he wrote?” Daisuke held out his hand until the paper was passed his way. As soon as he opened it Souta darted behind his back, chin on his lover's shoulder as he, too, read the private message. Makoto felt his cheeks heat as the Shuhan and his lover sent him long, measured looks before refolding the letter.
“How do you feel about his decision?” Daisuke waited patiently while the interrogator gathered his thoughts.
“I’m not happy about it,” Makoto admitted. “It hurts to think he's so close to Kazuki. Is Yoshi using me for some twisted reason? Not that it would matter, I guess. Anything he wants, I made a promise.”
“Well, if that's the case just speak from the heart,” Souta suggested. “Tell him you love him and to hurry home to you.”
“I never said I loved him.”
“Yes you did. It's in everything you say,” Daisuke retorted. “Now go write your response, get it to Pi-natsu and hurry back. Dinner will be ready in half an hour.”
“You don’t need me intruding on your dinner. Souta just got back, I’m sure you two want to spend some time alone,” the interrogator demurred.
“Oh no, you don’t,” the assassin insisted. “There's no way Dai's gonna have all the fun. Go do what you need to and get your ass back here.”
“Pushy, pushy.” The interrogator disappeared, grabbing a blank page and scribbling a few brief lines before infusing it with his ki. Not five minutes later Pi-natsu was back to collect the letter, refusing refreshment yet again.
“I’d love to, but the boss is waiting. He’ll be impatient to know what's going on. I’m sure he’ll be back in touch.” The shaggy wolf disappeared with a faint pop, leaving the interrogator rushing to change for dinner.
****
Genki stared at the paper in front of him in horror. In it Yoshi had detailed the fate of Rin, the brief revival of Takahashi Ren, Junko's suicide and his part in Kenta's death. He sent a brief prayer up for the princess in the afterlife. He’d miss her raucous presence, even if she did do despicable things at the end. He didn’t know how he felt about the rest of the news, in particular the last few sentences.
Kazuki is dying. He has, at most, two months left to live. I will be staying with him. We have become very close during our time together. He wishes to see you in the hope of healing the breech between you. He still loves you, you know. I also welcome the chance to clear the air between us. You don’t need to come now, but send word so we know to look for you. And don’t wait too long, you wouldn’t want to arrive too late.
The sage sat deep in thought, lost in memories of long ago days when he was still in training. Before I knew about shishou. Before it all turned to shit. Genki dug deep, trying to sort out how he felt about his old friend, not to mention his only living relative. Patching things up with either man was a daunting prospect for the easy going shinobi, the thought of dealing with both of them at the same time was overwhelming.
It's now or never. He pulled the letter over and penned a response before sealing it and shoving it in his pouch until Pi-natsu returned.
****
I wonder where that damned wolf is? Yoshi continued to comb the tangles from his lover's long dark hair. “There you go, koi. All done.”
“Thank you pretty,” Kazuki husked. “You take such wonderful care of me.”
“Why wouldn’t I? I love you, it gives me pleasure to make you feel special,” the elite replied easily, a wicked smile creeping onto his face. “You could always repay me, you know. I can think of a few things I’d enjoy.”
“Oh really?” the spell-caster quipped back. “And what might they be, or do I have to guess?”
“I’ll let you know when you’re getting warm.” Yoshi l
eaned in and kissed the lithe man possessively, reveling, as always, in the way the powerful nin melted in his embrace.
“Oonishi-san should be here in a few days,” Kazuki ventured when they finally broke for air. “What are you planning to do with him?”
“I really don’t want to discuss this right now.” The shadow wolf dove back in for another long, searching kiss.
“I’m serious,” Kazuki insisted, pulling back to survey his younger lover with haunted eyes. “I know you feel guilty about what happened to Hideaki, but I’m not going to let you put yourself in danger. He's too volatile for you to discuss such things with him.”
“And just how do you think he’ll react when he finds us here, together?” Yoshi asked. “He's too intelligent not to look for a connection. He knows me too well to believe I'd willingly betray Kobayashi shuudan. We have had a few encounters in the past. I guarantee he has all the powers of perception his clan are so well known for.”
“Fine, then tell him what you will,” Kazuki snipped through pursed lips.
“What's really bothering you?”
“What if he wants this too? Will you share yourself with him?”
“What would you have me say, koi?” The elite pulled his lover close and tipped his head to look into azure eyes. “Would you have me deny him? Would you deny him?”
“I would keep you all to myself, beloved.” Kazuki shut his eyes and leaned his head on the shadow wolf's broad shoulder. “I have so little time left and I do not wish to share.”
“Then we shall not. I will not hurt you, not knowingly.” Guilt crushed Yoshi's heart as he reminded himself, yet again, that it was his fault the spell-caster was dying in the first place. This wasn’t what he had envisioned when he switched Kazuki's apprentice with Souta.
Yoshi cuddled the smaller man close, laying soft kisses on the top of his head as he crooned his devotion, smiling when tension eased from the spell-caster's shoulders and his head drooped, inky mop tumbling against the firm planes of the shadow wolf's chest. “I’m sorry,” Kazuki whispered.
