Things were going pretty good until it was time for bed. Helga had spent most of the meal and the sitting around and drinking afterward glaring daggers at McGann and Tamazusa. Like as in “if looks could kill” glares. McGann ignored her. Tamazusa, shit, she thought it was funny. She sneered down her nose at Helga while treating me like I was the best date she'd ever had. And you know, it was the best “date” I'd ever had, if you wanted to call it one. Tamazusa was attentive and flattering, flirty almost. I wondered briefly where she had learned to act like that and then decided I didn't want to know. I had a good guess and didn't like it, but now her relationship with her boy toy made a lot more sense to me.
My stuff had been moved into the “married” section of the hut, right next to where Wolf and McGann were. There weren't too many of us there, about a handful, which made Helga being alone odd. If they were that short of women, she must have been a wicked bitch not to have a man of her own. Or too picky for her own good, but I was going with her being a bitch. Wolf and McGann settled into their little corner, and I could tell that McGann was exhausted. A couple more days like this and she'd just drop. We had to get out of here before that happened.
"You mind sleeping on the inside?” I asked Tamazusa.
She was looking... not nervous, but uneasy. Then I realized how long it must have been since she had shared a bed with anyone, not that there was really one here. The setup was some sort of straw mattress supported by a crudely made platform of rope pretending it was a box spring. It wasn't doing a good job. I wanted to tell her to relax, that it was going to be all right. But I didn't think she'd appreciate it. Hell, I knew I wouldn't.
"Do you think—” she started with a snarl and then stopped, visibly trying to calm down again. “Yes, the inside would be most acceptable."
"Logan'll look after Keno,” I told her.
"Why do you think that he needs that?” she snapped. “Or that I would worry?"
"'Cause he's really like your kid brother or, shit, your brother-in-law,” I said. “You and the boy toy are family."
"I really don't understand why you keep referring to Aboshi-sama as my ‘toy',” Tamazusa said with a slight smile, starting to calm down again. Shit, this was harder for her than me, so Tamazusa giving me shit was something I could live with. She wasn't showing me the Jell-O trick, so I was happy. And you know, I was getting to like her. She seemed a lot more fun when she wasn't on her estate being the bitch queen.
"He's pretty, and you're the one running things,” I said, giving her something to focus on besides the fact we were crawling into bed together.
"Was he pretty the last time you saw him?” she asked me, stripping out of her pants and shirt. I was grateful she was wearing something that looked like a slip underneath. I had forgotten that casual nudity was something that was okay with her and her people, because they bathed together, even if it wasn't coed. I slipped out of my shoes and shirt but kept the pants on. It wasn't comfortable, but it was safer than stripping down to my underwear.
I thought about that. The last time I saw Samojirou was when he, Tamazusa, and Fuse's sons had invaded Boylston Street from the Dreamlands to rescue Fuse and Keno. He'd looked like something out of my worst nightmare, dead white skin, claws, and a horn in the middle of his forehead. Not pretty. That he'd been carrying a damn big sword and hacking his way through all the eggheads hadn't helped either, he'd been pissed that we—well, the Trust—had kidnapped Keno. I was glad I hadn't been around when Samojirou had found out that Keno had been tortured.
"Not really, not that it mattered to Keno,” I said. “Shit, they...."
"I understand,” she said with sad smile. “Seeing them together is wonderful. Aboshi must be frantic. He probably thinks that we're dead."
"And why would he think that you're dead?” I asked.
I didn't get an answer, not that I expected one, because she seemed to be asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. I shrugged and crawled in beside her. Pretending to be asleep would get her out of a lot more than avoiding my questions, if I was going to be an asshole.
* * * *
I woke up the next morning kind of curled around Tamazusa like she was my teddy bear, and one part of me was a bit more awake than the rest of me. I was really glad I had decided to sleep in pants. I knew Tamazusa was awake from the way she wasn't moving. Shit, she was barely breathing, and I hoped she didn't think I was going to roll her over and fuck her. One: it would be rape. Two: I really didn't get into public sex. There wasn't even a curtain between us and the rest of the place. Not that it mattered to these people, because I was hearing more than one couple going at it. Loudly too.
"I told you it was stupid,” I said. “Sleepin’ alone, it never does this. Asshole."
She relaxed when I said that and turned around so she was sort of facing me, but she had scooted away so we weren't really touching. It was cozy still, and I wondered how badly Samojirou was going to kick my ass for this, if Keno didn't beat him to it.
"Are you implying that you don't find me attractive?” she asked with a smile.
"I keep callin’ you a sexy mama. What do you think?” I asked back. “But I know you're really not interested, so this isn't nice. Also, shit, not being rude or anything, but when's the last time you slept with someone?"
"Do you really want to know that answer?” she asked dryly, back in control, it seemed to me. But she had to be very aware that to get away from me, she'd have to go over me.
"I can guess,” I told her. “I don't really like the answer, but I like that you're not giving me shit about this.” I waved down at the bulge in my pants.
"I understand your reasoning, even if I don't have to like it,” she said.
"Yeah, and I better get out of bed before Keno comes over here and gets pissy about it,” I said.
"You have such a hard life,” Tamazusa teased.
I grinned at her and resisted giving her a kiss, since I liked my insides the way they were. I got out of bed and dug through my pack, handing her a clean shirt before I grabbed one for myself. I slipped it on and then went to find Keno.
He was bunking near Logan, and I knew the other man wanted to ask Keno exactly what was happening but was showing some sense by not doing it in such a public area. There might be hope for Logan yet. “Want to go for a walk?” I asked Keno.
"It would be a good idea,” he said carefully.
The rest of the Vikings ignored us, but Logan looked like he wanted to join us. It wasn't like we had chores or anything to do, unlike the women. We had to get out of Viking-land fast, because I didn't think McGann was up to this. That “woman's work was never done” saying didn't fucking cover it. She and Tamazusa and the rest of them never stopped moving. When we walked out of the hut, I wasn't surprised that Logan tagged after me. The man wasn't stupid, and I thought he had put enough of the story together, so I let him.
* * * *
Keno
Dinner the night before had been difficult. I had been shocked that Tamazusa had been acting like Mason was her patron, serving him more elegantly than I could ever have dreamed of. I wondered if Mason knew how honored he should have been. I doubted that, though. Not that Mason was dumb, it was just that he didn't understand things like that. I was amazed that Tamazusa had been able to snub Helga and the rest of them, as she was pretending to be Mason's humble companion. Even if no else could see it, I saw the scorn she had for the Norse women. She had shown them how one was supposed to treat a patron. I was amazed and humbled by the experience.
It was hard for me to be mad at Mason, even now. I waited until we had gotten out of hearing range of everyone but Logan to ask with tightly controlled anger in my voice, “And how did you sleep last night?"
"She hogs the covers,” Mason said. I glared at him. “She... shit, what do you want me to say?"
That stopped me. I really didn't know what I wanted him to say.
"I apologize,” I said stiffly, trying to stop being angry. I guessed it was more
that we were trapped in this situation that made me angry than the fact he was sleeping with my lord.
"You're worried about her,” Mason said. “Cuttin’ you slack because of that."
I frowned, and he grinned at me again, determined not to take this seriously. “Shit, she's a lady, and I ain't forgetting that."
We were silent after that, but eventually came upon a group of Norsemen looking at some of the debris from the ship. I didn't care about that; it was Iida's ship, but something caught my eye, and I got closer. I was surprised to see a couple of the Norse examining a pair of swords: a katana and a wakizashi. I knew neither man knew how to use them, looking at how they were handling them. I also wanted some sort of weapon to protect Tamazusa.
"Those are mine,” I said politely, lying through my teeth.
One of them was named Egil, and he was crazy, from what I could tell, and warped-looking too. The other man was really big as opposed to just big and was called Tholf, a little more even-tempered than the rest of them but still nasty when he had a drink or two in him, as I had found out last night. Both of them seemed to think I was a child, since I hadn't even attempted to drink with them or join in any of their “amusements.” It didn't help that I was shorter than everyone else here, the same height as Tamazusa.
Egil looked down at me and grinned. “I doubt it, boy."
"You wouldn't be able to do anything with them,” Tholf rumbled, laughing at me.
"Do you want to find out?” I asked quietly.
Egil looked at me and then held the katana above his head, just out of my reach. I hate being short at times.
"Don't be an asshole,” Mason told him. “Keno wouldn't lie about shit."
"And what do I care about what a pair of skraelingjar ask for?” Egil sneered.
Mason's mouth tightened, and I thought he was going to punch Egil for that.
"Mason-san, I can take care of myself,” I stated.
Logan just was hanging back, but the other two were watching him. I wondered if it was because they thought that he was in charge, because he was white. I knew that sounded stupid, but they were the ones calling me and Mason names.
I had talked to Logan a little last night. Not too much, since I didn't know who would be listening. He'd asked questions about my “sister” and me. I told him as little as possible, because I didn't trust him. Really, I wasn't naive enough to think he was a good guy because he was with Wolf and Mason. I remembered how nasty some of the scientists had been back in the real world. He seemed like a nice guy, but I couldn't take that chance, not now.
"I take it that you're not going to give me back my property?” I asked politely.
Both of them just laughed. It wasn't a nice laughter, and so I didn't feel bad about what I was going to do. I kicked Tholf behind his knee, hard, making him stumble to the ground. That put us at the same level, almost. I struck Tholf on the shoulder of the arm holding the wakizashi and then hit him in that same wrist so that he dropped the weapon. I caught the wakizashi as it fell and kicked him in the head after that, wanting him to stay down for a while. I didn't care about being nice about it.
I whirled and blocked Egil's strike with the wakizashi, dancing back after, feeling the shock of his blow up my arm. I knew I wouldn't win in a contest of strength against anyone here but Logan, maybe. Egil held the katana like it was one of their two-handed swords, and I almost laughed at how awkward it looked. But the man was trying to kill me, so it really wasn't funny.
I did a leg sweep, trying to dislocate his kneecap. It almost worked. He went down on one knee, a snarl on his face. He thrust the katana forward, as if it had a sharpened tip. I batted it aside, whirling again and kicking him on the side of the head. It was showy, and if it had been someone who had been better trained, I wouldn't have done something like that. It stunned him, and he dropped the katana. I followed up that kick with a couple of more, and soon he was unconscious on the sand.
I scooped up the katana, sheathed it and then the wakizashi, and thrust both of them between my belt and the pants I was almost wearing. It looked ridiculous, but I didn't care. The whole thing had taken about a minute. “Are there any other objections?” I asked in a frigid tone.
"The swords are yours,” Tholf rumbled, looking angry and impressed at the same time. Either he was tougher than I thought he was or I was weaker; I was betting on weaker. There was something about being a spirit here that made someone stronger. “Take them, skraeling."
"I thank you for seeing reason,” I said softly before turning and stalking down the beach, knowing that Mason and Logan would follow me. I was shaking and didn't want them to see it. We got out of earshot of the others before Mason said something.
"You're doin’ good, kid,” he told me proudly, tousling my hair.
Logan was just frowning thoughtfully. “That might be—"
"Fuck ‘em,” Mason said. “Keno can kick ass. So what?'
"He just embarrassed two high-ranking Norsemen in front of others. I think that it might cause trouble,” Logan said. “We should tell Wolf about this."
I sat down. “I don't think that I'm recovered as I should be,” I said faintly. “Can we just sit here for a while before telling Wolf about this?"
He was talking to Njalsson about something, which was why he wasn't with us. I was certain Mason and Logan were scouting out the island for some reason. I sat down before I collapsed, which would get me in all sorts of trouble with everyone.
"I didn't think that Samojirou would give something like that as a gift,” Mason said after he sat down.
"And just what do you think that he'd give me?” I asked, not wanting to tell him I had lied. I wasn't going to tell them I had been disguised as Tamazusa's maid for this trip. That really wasn't their business. Mason would tease me about it, although I didn't mind being teased. I was looking forward to Seki and the rest of his squad doing so when we were returned home. I was very glad they hadn't been on the ship with us, because I feared they would have drowned like those poor sailors.
But here and now was not the place or time for teasing me like that.
"Hell, the way that you dressed, I don't know what, but not swords,” Mason said with a grin.
"Way he was dressed?” Logan asked curiously.
"His boyfriend got a kink about dressing him as a chick,” Mason said. I wondered if I could just smack him. That was no one's business but Samojirou's and mine. That it was a good disguise for me for a number of reasons wasn't something I was going to tell them.
Logan looked at me strangely for a second before saying quietly, “Don't mention that to anyone here. Seriously, these people have less tolerance for such things than the military does."
Mason rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. “You still see Fuse-hime?” he asked me after a quiet minute.
"I see all my family,” I said.
"Family?” Logan asked.
"Long story,” Mason said. “But tell her that I said ‘hi’ for me next time that you see her."
"I will,” I promised.
Logan looked to be thinking hard on something, but he didn't ask any more questions. We sat there quietly until I stopped shaking. Mason frowned at me. “You know that I'm gonna have to tell Tamazusa about this too. You look like crap. And I don't want her mad at me because you hid this from her."
"I know,” I said.
I was tired, drained really, but I didn't know why. I should have been recovered from almost drowning by now. I needed to rest, which I knew wasn't going to happen. We had to get back to Nippon, fast, and I was going to push that fact with Wolf and the others. I didn't know what their mission was, but I didn't care; mine was to get Tamazusa back to her kuni as quickly as I could and get back to my lover before he did something we would both regret.
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Chapter Seven
Samojirou
I woke up several times, but each time I was given some sort of overly sweet tea to drink, and I drifted off into
unconsciousness again. I didn't care to be awake, which was the main reason I let them drug me. When I woke up this time, I heard the rustle of silk and a gentle hand on my forehead.
"You seem to be better,” a soft voice told me. It was Fuse.
I didn't know if I was better, but I knew she was here for a reason. I tried to gather my wits about me, and all I could think was that Keno was gone. I knew I should mourn Tamazusa also, since we had been together for centuries. While it was I who had caused her to be here in the Dreamlands, she had forgiven me. I eventually forgave myself when I saw how happy she was here with the power she had wielded. But all that was echoing in my heart and my head was that Keno was gone.
I slowly opened my eyes. Fuse was looking down at me with a worried expression on her face. I noticed that Yukiko, Keno's personal maid, was with her. She had dressed as Sakura when Tamazusa and Keno had left, an excellent idea I was surprised Keno had thought of. It was a move in the Game I hadn't expected out of him. I thought Yukiko had been amused that they had switched roles like that.
"Yukiko-san, could you get us something to eat?” Fuse asked with a smile.
She bowed and left the room, after looking at me with a frown on her face. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and this was about the only time I hadn't seen her with a smile on her face. As a flower spirit, it was her nature to be cheerful all the time.
"He's gone,” I said numbly. My throat felt odd for some reason, tight, and I was unable to swallow.
"Samojirou-sama... Aboshi, please,” Fuse started, her eyes bright with unshed tears as she handed me a cup of tea after I sat up. “He wouldn't have wanted this."
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