Yami No Matsuei : "Traitor"

Author: Ganni

Author's Notes: Takes place somewhere in manga vol.9-10, after Hisoka's return from the forest with Byakko and Riko.

Rating: PG

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Tohda glanced sharply up, visor glinting in the sun. His serpentine eyes trained themselves on a small, lightly colored blur that was moving quickly across the fields, heading towards the cobble-stoned plaza on which Tohda and Tsuzuki reclined. The shinigami was deeply asleep, dozing in the warm sun, head cradled in the shiki's lap. His lips were curled upward at the corners in a smile that spoke of sweet things and sweet faces, everything with sugar and a cherry on top. Tohda wished that he would dream again. It hurt to sleep in blackness and blankness every night.

The little blur resolved itself into Byakko, hurtling at top speeds, his long white hair whipping behind him. Tohda's shoulders untensed; he had been expecting Suzaku Nee-san, come to start another battle; he wasn't able to relax at the thought, even though he knew that she wouldn't dare harm him when Tsuzuki was cradled in his embrace like this. But she sure as hell would be jealous. Sometimes, however, Tohda feared Byakko being near him even more than Suzaku. He knew how to act with the Fire Shikigami. He knew what to say, what to do, what to think; with Byakko, he didn't know anything. His heart sped up and his thoughts jumbled; voices and words flew by him, and he heard them, but couldn't remember. He began uncoordinated, and had to remain still so as not to embarrass himself. He felt weak, and it scared him.

"Heyheyhey!!" The Wind Shiki greeted cheerily, plopping down next to the sleeping Tsuzuki and quiet Tohda. He averted his gaze from the snake God's, poorly disguising his uncertainty of how to act around the other. His manner was upbeat, though, characteristic of the young, outgoing shikigami.

Seeing as Tsuzuki was still dozing, Byakko turned his attention to Tohda. "Heya Tohda-kun. Guess what I did yesterday! I took Kurosaki-kun to find a shiki. He didn't find what he wanted... he was rather upset." The exuberant God trailed off with a plaintive expression, then perked immediately back up. "I thought it was cute, though- he caught a Riko! I love how those things dance." Byakko squirmed from his seat on the ground in a poor imitation of the hip-wiggling jig that the cacti had performed. He scooted closely to the snake God and sleeping Tsuzuki, leaning over to pluck a petal out of the shinigami's hair that floated over and landed there during his Riko-imitation. "What were you up to?"

Tohda shivered slightly as the gesture brought the top of Byakko's head right up under his chin, and he could smell the strawberry-sweet shampoo that the white tiger used. Byakko's words, his warm breath, tickled the bare skin of Tohda's exposed chest, and the serpent shiki shifted slightly in discomfort. Tsuzuki muttered something as he was moved, and flipped over, seeking the warmth that he had just lost.

"I was at home."

"Really?" Byakko seemed to be warming up. The feelings of uncertainty he had harbored before were falling away as he crossed the prejudiced boundary that Suzaku and SohRyu had set up. "What were ya doin'?"

"I made miso."

"Ooooh, yum, sounds good ne." Byakko was quiet for a moment, and Tohda sat stiffly, willing his heartbeat to slow down. A chill breeze passed through the open plaza, and the Wind God seemed to relish it, breathing it in deeply. Tohda, however, was a cold-blooded creature, and he shivered slightly, his basic instincts telling him to move into the sun and get warm again, but his conscious mind keeping him from doing so, with a slumbering Tsuzuki in his lap.

"Are you cold? Tohda-kun." Byakko shifted closer, scooting along the ground in his seated position till his thigh touched the other shiki's and aligned against it. The spread of warmth was immediate and Tohda was grateful. His heart pulsed erratically as the soft, soothing sensation of Byakko's ki flooded through the contact area.

At a loss for something to say, Tohda just remained quiet and still, and Byakko studied him silently, gaze roaming over the visor and dark locks, cut short to bring disgrace, and the metal claw-like finger cuffs on each broad hand. He watched the crocheted white shawl that Tohda wore flutter in the cold breeze, and noticed the rippling of muscles across the larger shiki's back whenever he shifted slightly.

"I'm sorry." Byakko said suddenly, his face a study in confusion and mixed emotions. "I'm sorry I've been acting so distant from you. I never really agreed with the Divine Twelves' decision to punish you so severely, and I was elated when I heard how Tsusuki had saved you, unlike the others. I apologize for the way I went along with their prejudices... while they still alienate you and curse your footsteps, I have forgiven you, but I continue to act distant, just as they do, for the sake of conformity. I know you're a changed shiki, Tohda. I know you are good at heart." Byakko leaned in closer until his shoulder touched the serpent God's as well, and dropped his forehead down, resting and leaning against the silent shiki. "I'm sorry."

Under his visor, Tohda's eyes were closed. His nostrils flared, his breathing heavy, but he couldn't open his mouth to exhale; he couldn't move. His heart hurt, his head hurt, and Byakko was too close. Heat was rushing into his belly, then a prickling, pulsing, entirely wonderful feeling was creeping into his groin. The Wind God's youthful, energetic ki was pouring into him from all points of contact, a sign of compassion and forgiveness- and something else, something that Tohda couldn't quite put a finger on. It made him weak, but he couldn't quite hate it anymore. He didn't know why. And right now, he didn't quite care.

"Tohda?" Byakko asked after a long moment of silence, as if awaiting confirmation that Tohda had heard and accepted his words and apologies. "Tohda-kun?"

"Aa." Tohda choked roughly out, his voice sounding strange and unpolished to his own ears, after so little use. He kept repeating in his mind, 'I love Tsuzuki. I love Tsuzuki. I live by his will, and I owe everything to him. I owe him my life, my allegiance. I love Tsu... zu.......'

Byakko was placing a fingertip on Tohda's lips, and smiled brightly, if a little sadly. "It's alright. I didn't really expect you to say anything anyway. Your ki tells me enough, what I wanted to know. I feel it. It's very strong." He laughed lightly, and brushed a few strands of the dark hair from over the serpent shiki's black visor. "Maybe we can be friends now, ne?" His eyes were hopeful.

"Nn." Tohda whispered, his throat tight. He hadn't meant to say anything, but his lips had parted on their own and a little noise of acknowledgement had seeped out. He vaguely wondered what meaning his extended ki had conveyed to the younger shikigami. Surely not...?

"Mou... chocolate decadence... orange crème turnover cake... rum raspberry whipped pie with ice cream...." Tsuzuki mumbled in his sleep, tiny fists forming in Tohda's sheer shirt.

"Tsuzuki-chan is dreaming about sweet things again!" Byakko said after listening with an amused, fond expression. He patted the sleeping shinigami on the head affectionately and stood with a graceful sweeping motion. He smiled warmly at Tohda, lingering anxiously. "Maybe we can have tea tomorrow, Tohda-kun?" His long, striped tail twisting in the air behind him, his smile hopeful.

Tohda swallowed heavily, and raised his head to look up at the younger shikigami. "Hai." His voice was deep and grainy from suppressed emotion and arousal.

Byakko clapped his hands together in good cheer, then clapped them over his mouth when he realized the loud sound had disturbed Tsuzuki, who flipped over, mumbling something about honey buns again.

"Okay." He bent over to lean in close to Tohda, placing his lips right up against the serpent God's ear, whispering to keep form disturbing the shinigami again. "Tomorrow, ne? At my house. Promise, Tohda-kun? I'll be waiting." The shiki pulled away and smiled briefly before dashing off.

Tohda squeezed his eyes shut, trying his best to ignore the pounding of his heart and the blood in his ears. Tsuzuki, although protectively held, was temporarily forgotten, and the Shikigami's body shook and trembled, the suppressed emotions beating against his heart like turbulent ocean waves, and pouring down his face from his eyes like tears.

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What do you guys think? A chapter 2? Ne! Tell tell! ^_~