Tactics:

Melting By Your Smile

Summary: When Haruka gets a nightmare he suddenly wakes up and lashes out accidentally hurting Kantarou, who was checking up on him, in the morning Haruka becomes concerned about his master and decides to talk to him…HaruKan

Pairing, HarukaxKantarou

Not sure on what the rating should be, I'll keep it on T, hope it's not too creepy, but the beginning does seem a bit disturbing, if you don't like this kind of thing along with a bit of BL then turn away hell if I'm getting flamed, think of this part as a warning okay? I don't want to be held responsible if this scares a persons mind...

And once again I am sad to say I do not own Tactics or this pairing…wish I did though…

Can Nightmares Truly Tell The Future?

"K-Kantarou!" Haruka froze, his eyes wide open, seeing Kantarou's corpse lying on the floor, blood being drained away, many rivers were being formed by his blood, Haruka couldn't help but stand there horrified, how did this happen? How could he have let this happen?

"This was your wish wasn't it?"

Haruka looked up to see a figure hovering over Kantarou's body, he gasped, that was him, no that wasn't him, those eyes, those azure eyes, those demonic features, those claws laced in blood at their tips, those clothes that he wore when he was released, that gaze filled with blood lust and overpowering terror, Onikui Tengu, Oni Eating Tengu, was this what he was like before he met Kantarou?

"To never hear the voice of that baka of a man you call master?"

Those words sounded so cold, his words felt like ice, pure cold ice being fired at Haruka's direction, he didn't want to hear Kantarou's annoying voice, but not like this, he didn't want Kantarou's voice to disappear completely, he shock his head viciously, answering his inner demon's question.

"No, I didn't want anything like this"

"Really" Onikui narrowed his eyes, a blood thirsty smirk curving on his lips, he walked over to the corpse that lay lifeless on the floor, bending over and tracing his hand unto the wound that caused the blood to escape, until his hand was completely dipped in the red substance, lifting it up and licking his tongue unto the hand that was covered in beautiful crimson.

Haruka flinched in disgust…his hands trembling

"But you always wanted to know what his blood tasted like…didn't you?"

"No I didn't!!" Haruka shouted

"Since he was the descendent of the one that sealed you, you swore to exact revenge didn't you? You always wanted to hear him scream in pain…" the other ushered, his voice in a slow demonic rasping, Haruka denied everything that was being said by his former self, he wasn't like that anymore, he wasn't going to kill Kantarou no matter how much he was tempted he wasn't going to do it.

"I never thought that"

"Hearing those addictive pain filled screams and watching how he squirms under your grasp…"

Haruka clenched his fists, he wasn't like that, he wasn't like that at all, he'd never do anything like that to Kantarou. "No I never wanted to do anything like that to Kantarou, even if he's the descendent of the one that sealed me away or looked like him, I'd never try to kill him"

"But you did before, are you forgetting how close you were about to slice him with that staff of yours…you could've ended his life there, even if the contract would've gone for eternity you still could've killed him as a substitute for the one that did seal you away, didn't you think he looked very tasty…"

"No…" Haruka growled, those words were coming from his own voice, that guy over there was him, but not the way he thinks now.

"The thing is, you did think that, you felt as if you could've devoured him like all those other demon's that you came across, even if he's human, you wanted to know what the blood of a human tasted like so why not test that theory on the very person who's descended from the one who sealed you up…"

"Stop it" Haruka warned, his hands changing into the very thing that he was, the very thing that he was in nature that brought fear over the demons that brought fear over the humans.

"Why not test it on Kantarou Ichinomiya…"

"That's Enough!!"

"Haruka!! Wake up, Haruka!!" Kantarou yelled his hands on the demon's shoulders, he heard the taller man's voice from his room and he was afraid for the Tengu's well being. He did think about getting Youko in here to help him but went against it since Youko was out on a late shift at work; working over time was never any fun. So he continued to try and wake Haruka up.

"Haruka! Haruka! Huh?" Kantarou saw Haruka's eyes flying open, those black orbs gazing into the world of the waking, "Haru…" before Kantarou could even ask if the black haired man was alright, he felt a hand going unto his throat and before he knew it his body was pinned on the floor, another hand joined the first, fingers curled around his neck, strangling him, slowly taking the folklorists life away from him, all Kantarou could do was look at the Tengu with weak eyes, placing his hands unto Haruka's.

"H-Haruka" he wheezed, but he felt Haruka's hold strengthen the longer he held on.

"Ha-a-ru-ka" Haruka looked at Kantarou's face, azure eyes staring into his red orbs, for a moment he didn't recognize his master's voice until he heard Kantarou whispering his name again, only then did he realize what he was doing, his eyes changed to blacks once more, horror wrapping unto his face as he loosened his hold on the silver haired boy.

"K-Kantarou…" he muttered in fear, his eyes looked terrified at what had just happened was he…trying to strangle Kantarou? He looked at the young man, Kantarou's hand on his neck, to ease the throbbing pain that was still around his neck, Kantarou looked at Haruka, seeing the Tengu's reaction, then placed a gentle smile on his lips.

"I-I'm sorry for startling you" Kantarou muttered weakly, his lips were trembling a bit, "I didn't mean too but it looked like you were having a bad dream" Kantarou explained "But I only ended up disturbing you…" Haruka still kept his eyes on Kantarou, he felt a bit concerned for Kantarou, but before he could even say a word to him, Kantarou just rose to his feet and began to make his exit.

"Gomenasai" Kantarou made sure to close the door behind him, so that he wouldn't be able to disturb his companion again. All that Haruka could do was stare at his hands, wondering about what happened, it was an accident, he knew it was just an accident, He knew why his master was in the room but still he felt like Kantarou shouldn't have been in here in the first place.

Haruka had a nightmare about him and his former self, he was arguing with himself and then he just woke up and took it out on Kantarou, and that was all the Tengu could remember. His mind continuously pondered over how Kantarou must've been feeling about the whole ordeal, but it was best to leave it until morning…

Morning

"Morning Haruka!!" Greeted Youko, the young Kitsune demon looked like she was in a cheerful mood, settling plates and dishes unto the table, breakfast was one of Haruka's favourite meals besides Dinner, Haruka sat down on the table, getting his favourite rice bowl and pouring in some water so that he can drink out from, sake wasn't really for mornings.

"Hi…" was Haruka's only reply when he gulped down half of the liquid, it's refreshing coolness rushing down his throat, it was a nice feeling. Youko looked around the room; something seemed to be out of place. "Is something wrong?" Youko turned her blue eyes over to Haruka, her smile faltering a bit.

"Where's Kantarou? He's usually here by now?"

"You sure he's not in his office writing the Manuscript?" it was known that before breakfast Kantarou would usually be found in his office trying to think up ideas on what to write before his editor decided to come and raise hell. Youko shock her head. "No he wasn't in the office when I came in" Youko said to the Tengu, arms folded while she thought out another reason for this "Kan-Chan must still be in his room, Haruka could you go and see if Kantarou is in his room and if so, tell him that breakfast is ready…"

Haruka froze for a bit, the memories of last night crawling into his head once more, recalling the events, his hands around his throat, those scared red rubies looking up at him, his masters reaction, his master's pleas, his master's voice still racing through his head, then he just shock it all away hoping that they would disappear.

"Haruka?"

The Black Winged Goblin rose to his feet, placing his bowl unto the table as he turned to the door and exited while saying "I'll go get him" from there he wondered up the stairs, wondered down the corridor until he reached Kantarou's room, his hands making a gentle tap on the door, there was a slight moaning sound but no intentions of letting the visitor come in.

"Kantarou, it's me I'm coming in…" it was always best to tell the person on who it is before entry. There was no reply so Haruka just entered anyways, wondering if Kantarou was alright. "Kantarou" he called out again before venturing into the room, his, master was in the room, his head snuggling unto a pillow, Haruka could also hear his master's gentle breaths, carried by the wind and reaching his ears.

He wondered if the silver haired man was still asleep, feet trailing on the tatami floorboards, until he was standing exactly above Kantarou, seeing his sleeping face, it looked blissful and at peace.

Then his eyes trailed to the red marks that were around Kantarou's throat, the memory of last night making its way back to Haruka's mind, he shock his head of the thought. Haruka lightly and gently placed a hand unto Kantarou's shoulder as he shook the young man a bit. "Kantarou…" Kantarou moved a bit with a little moan escaping his lips, the Tengu drew his hand back encase Kantarou was going to freak out on him. But all that Kantarou did was pull the covers closer to him.

"You going to sleep all day?" asked the demon. His hand tapping unto Kantarou's shoulder. Kantarou turned his whole body over to Haruka's direction before opening his red eyes, those bright crimsons looking in to Haruka's dark onyxes, a gentle smile placed on his lips.

"Morning Haruka" he whispered. Haruka froze at the sound of Kantarou's voice, it doesn't usually sound like a wheezing sound. "Is breakfast ready?" Haruka frowned at him angrily, how could he just come out and say this after what happened last night, as if nothing has ever happened what so ever, for some reason this irritated him greatly.

"Yes it is, Kantarou about last night…"

"Haruka don't, it was my fault I shouldn't have intruded" the rasping voice was really what made Haruka feel worse about. "Your right you shouldn't have!" he snapped, but then halted himself seeing the look in Kantarou's eyes, he was just giving the young man a hard time because of the fact that he would've gotten himself killed if he strangled him further, but the very thought sent a painful chill down his spine. But that was nothing compared to what Kantarou was feeling right now or so Haruka would think

"Sorry…"

"No, no, it's alright, you have a point, but I was just worried, don't worry about it I'm okay" Kantarou shifted his body to the opposite direction, his head snuggling down to the nice warm, comfy pillow.

"This was your wish wasn't it? To never hear the voice of that baka of a man you call master?" Echoed the Onikui's voice through Haruka's mind, his eyes looking at Kantarou softly, he felt a great pain, was that really what was happening here? Was the Onikui going to take control over him? One day he knew he was going to lose control and kill Kantarou, but now he just doesn't want to do that, not now, if he did then he wouldn't be able to live with himself, even though he knew it was inevitable.

Although that Kantarou could still use his voice, it was the way he was sounding now that bothered him greatly.

"I think I'll skip breakfast…" muttered the silver haired boy softly, his head burying itself into the pillow followed by gentle breathing. "I'm not that hungry" Haruka placed a hand unto Kantarou's head, he could feel the boy tense but he just soothed his hair down a bit before slipping it unto the covers "May I?" there were a couple of minutes of silence, Haruka thought that maybe Kantarou was still being a bit wary to him because of what happened last night, but Kantarou nodded lightly, it was okay.

The Tengu slowly took the quilt off Kantarou for a bit, seeing the red marks once again that was inflicted onto the scholar's neck, the one's that he caused, the one's that he inflicted, the one that he caused on his master, by his own hands.

"Haruka, are you okay?"

"How?" Kantarou's body froze for a bit, but he waited for what Haruka had to say next. "How can you just act like nothing happened, I almost killed you…" silence fell between them until Kantarou decided to break the silence that gripped them in its walls.

"Hmmm…I wonder…"

"Wonder what?" Haruka wanted an answer and he wanted it now. Kantarou tilted his head to the Black Winged man's direction as he answered softly "Maybe it's because it happens to be you Haruka…" a soft kind smile soon followed. Haruka couldn't put his finger on it but there was something about that smile that chased all these fears that the Demon Eating Tengu had, like ice melting in the summer's rays.

"I mean we all get misunderstandings sometimes, we all have issues, so it just has to be the same for you, your no different than anyone else who has them…Youkai have things to deal with as well don't they?" That made sense, in away; it was disturbing to hear something that serious from his usual childish master.

"What about you Kantarou? Do you get nightmares too?" the walls of silence came back again, Haruka wondered for awhile if he asked the wrong question but that faded away when Kantarou sighed, sitting up and looked at his Tengu with a sad expression on his face.

"Sometimes…" he replied

"What were they about?" Kantarou gave Haruka sly smirk "Well aren't we the curious one?" well that would've sounded like a teasing remark if it wasn't for the soft rasping.

The silence came back but that didn't mean that Kantarou wasn't going to tell him:-

"They're mostly about the Youkai that gave me the scar…" a hand was placed on his chest, right on the mark, only by this did Haruka thought it was probably a bad idea to bring back something that would be too painful to bare. "It's more like a memory coming back to me in my head than a made up dream, it was from the first case I ever did when I was fifteen…" Haruka turned his head down to the tatami floor; he knew this wasn't really a subject that Kantarou would willingly tell him about.

"I can still hear it's chilling laughter in my head…feeling its claws slashing into my chest, blood covering my face and…" Haruka grabbed Kantarou's wrist as he dragged the young exorcist into a light hug. "H-Haruka?"

"You don't…" Kantarou looked up at Haruka, but he understood what the Tengu was going to say.

"You don't have to tell me something that you're not comfortable with, if it's something very painful, then I'm not going to force you to tell me…" Red orbs blinked twice in clueless-ness then softened along with a gentle smile.

"Okay…"

The End

Youkai Of Hearts: Awww just a nice warm touching ending, something a lot more nice and sweet than a disturbing beginning, meh, that's plot Bunnies for yeah, although this would be something that people would expect to have a happy ending, like Snow White except there's no Dwarves and Kantarou isn't a girl…Although Haruka would make a good prince (YOSH, a smexy Prince ;) ) except for the fact he's a demon eating Tengu with big black wings and attacks people with a staff, but enough about comparing Tactics to Snow White & The Seven Dwarves (That would just be criminal of me, plus I don't think Kantarou could ever wear a dress like that…those colours would clash with his hair and eye colour know what I mean:)

Hm Now that I think about it I wonder what Kantarou would look like if he ever was a girl, but then that would take the class out of Tactics ;) Although you can't help but think what it would be like?

Well until next time kiddos

Youkai Of Hearts Out!!