Hello people!! Yes, this is a multi parted fic. I say, don't trust anything I say, as I've proved to be incapable to keep my word, lol. If you are one of my old readers, I must warn you, this fic is TATSU, and it will stay TATSU until the end. Don't worry, I haven't been converted to the dark side; I just had to give this pairing a try and I had this great idea (besides, there the one person who pestered me until I promised I'd write a TATSU fic, but that's beyond the point.)

I'll update when I can guys, but you know I'll always update. And no, this won't be 30 chapters long, I hope.

Enjoy!

DEAD RECKONING

PROLOGUE

Fire.

It always started with fire. Black, hot fire of death and destruction. The world around him would begin to crumble as the flames devoured it all, and he would be glad. There was no fear, no doubt. Sorrow, yes, but that would be over soon. He would hurt no more. Maybe it wasn't the way he'd imagined it, but it was what he wanted, wasn't it? For the pain to stop; and not just his own.

The huge snake would twirl and turn over their heads and he would stare in silence, knowing that the outcome would hurt others, knowing he should have found another way to solve things before it went that far, that there would be no turning back. But he also knew it would be better for everyone in the long run.

And then, that young boy would jump into the flames, screaming that it wasn't right. And it wasn't. He was being selfish, putting his own pain over the others'. That young boy, who'd suffered in life maybe even more than anyone else there, would have the courage to do the right thing, in spite of his own well-being.

He would doubt then, seeing that selfless and yet so selfishly loving act. Was it really what he wanted? Was he ready for what would come after? For the prize he'd have to pay? The answer was always no. But, in his dreams, he wasn't able to fix his mistake, and the flames would destroy everything before he had a chance to scream he'd changed his mind.

And his life would be over.

Tatsumi woke up with a start, cold sweat covering his skin and thick, hot tears streaming down his otherwise impassive face. Every night since that night, every night the same dream. Every night the same guilt.

Tsuzuku