Warning: AU, Fantasy, PG-13, Ran/Ken.

Disclaimer: Weiss belongs to Takehito Koyasu and Project Weiss.

City of Steps By HeatherR

Chapter 36

Ken came back to himself with a deep intake of air. His awareness focused immediately on Ran's weight, still pressing him into the bed, and Ran's lips as they ghosted over his damp cheeks and forehead. He could still feel Ran inside him, though he was softening, and clung to that connection, glad his husband hadn't pulled away. It was as though Ran knew he needed to feel him to know he was safe.

When they'd returned to their room Ran had stripped him bare in every sense of the word. Physically and emotionally. His husband had exposed his fear and desperation just as he had exposed his flesh. Then, once all was revealed, Ran had proceeded to burn through Ken's terror and worry with his passion and desire until there was nothing left but an empty void, which he'd filled with his magic words. Ken never knew he could feel so much. Too much. The emotion and the pleasure had left him laying sated and spent in their bed, unable even to lift an arm to prevent Ran from leaving. To his immense relief Ran hadn't gone anywhere while Ken had lain senseless. He'd stayed.

Ken sighed and allowed himself to just lay where he was and feel. He felt as though he were part of every molecule of air in the room, every thread in the sheets and feather in the mattress. That he was part of Ran and Ran was part of him. It was at once wonderful and scary, but mostly wonderful.

Ken sighed again.

"Hmmm," Ran hummed above him and Ken could tell he was smiling as his husband rubbed his nose along Ken's own. "Now do you feel better?"

"Mmm," Ken hummed in reply. He wasn't sure he could speak. He knew he couldn't move and he was barely able to hold onto a thought. He liked the way their hearts were beating together and smiled.

"Good," Ran muttered and returned to kissing him.

Ken breathed in deeply again. Their scent, the smell of them, filled his lungs and he relished it.

Ran shifted and his softening member slipped a little. Ken found the strength to grab Ran's upper arms, although his grip was weak.

"Don't," he rasped, his voice weak as well from exertion.

"Sorry, Love," his husband replied. "I'll stay in as long as I'm able."

And there it was, one of the magic words. The words that filled Ken up and made him overflow.

"Say it again," he demanded, forcing his eyes open so he could see Ran by the light of the one guttering candle.

Ran's flushed, sweat soaked face smiled down on him from within the halo of red hair that stuck to it.

"I love you," he said and chased the words with the beautiful wide smile he'd begun using.

"Mmm," Ken hummed again, happy tingles starting up all over inside him. He returned Ran's smile. "I love you too," he said, meaning it with every fiber of his being.

Ran's wide smile got impossibly wider and his violet eyes twinkled down at him.

A contented sigh came from the chair in the far corner of the room and Ken suddenly remembered they weren't alone. Nor were they likely to be for quite awhile to come.

Fioré had jumped from Ran's shoulder and flown to the chair the minute they'd arrived back at their room. Almost as though she'd known what was going to happen. Ken blinked up at Ran who smirked down at him.

"Yeeees?" the red-head asked.

"Fioré," Ken murmured.

"What about her?" Ran asked.

"Can you...communicate with her?"

Ran smiled, then nodded.

"Mm-hm," he said.

Ken blinked at him again.

"Annnnd?" Ran asked.

"I don't know. I just...wondered," Ken answered. Suddenly his right hip twinged in discomfort and he shifted to adjust it. In doing so Ran slipped from his body and he whined in protest.

"Shhhhh," Ran soothed, kissing his face again. "I'm still here. Right here."

Ken felt his breath hitch as unbidden tears leaked from his eyes. He slid his arms around Ran's back to hold him.

"Sorry. I don't...know why..."

"Shhh. It's all right," Ran said, smiling gently. "This has been a very...difficult week."

"Yeah," Ken agreed while admiring his husband's talent for understatement. "Does...does Fioré talk to you?"

"I can feel what she wants, sort of," Ran answered. "When I think things at her she responds, either verbally or emotionally."

"Why aren't you afraid?" Ken asked. He'd been wondering that all afternoon.

"Of Fioré?"

"Of everything that happened today."

"Because I feel in control," Ran answered.

Although he'd said it softly Ken could feel Ran's confidence and command in his voice. He'd certainly been in control of what they'd just done, and he'd taken control of the conversation at dinner. Ken felt a knot of anxiety he'd been unaware of loosen and begin to relax. He trusted and believed in his husband. If Ran was in control then everything would be fine.

He smiled.

"You like that?" Ran asked, arching one red eyebrow.

"Yeah," Ken said and giggled.

"Good," Ran smirked then kissed him again. "I hope you'll like where we're going."

"Where is that?" Ken asked, surprised that Ran had even been thinking about that particular subject.

"Your brother's house," Ran answered.

Ken started, blinking rapidly as his shock set in.

"My old home?" he asked tentatively.

Ran nodded, his countenance serious.

"Why?"

"Don't you want to?" Ran asked.

"Yes. Yeah, I'd love to show it to you, and for you to meet Eden," Ken said quickly and Ran began to smile again. "But...why?"

"Fioré wants to go there," Ran said, and looked at him in a way that Ken didn't understand but made him all tingly again.

"Fioré wants to go to my old house?" Ken repeated in wonder.

"Mm-hm," Ran nodded. He looked as though he were waiting for Ken to figure something out. Something obvious.

"Does she think there's a gate there?!" Ken asked, suddenly catching on.

Ran chuckled.

"That is what I presume she thinks," he affirmed, then winced as his chuckle caused their skin to pull.

Ken winced too as he realized they were now effectively stuck together. One good reason why Ran usually moved away from him after sex, and always had a wet towel handy.

"Ow."

"Sorry, Love," Ran said and looked regretful, "but I'm afraid I have to insist on cleaning us up now. Are you truly feeling better?"

"Yes," Ken answered and meant it.

"Good," Ran said then pulled away from him.

"Ouch!"

"Morning!" Ken called loudly to those gathered in the dining room the next morning. He ignored the fact that they all stopped eating to stare at him, he was in too good a mood to care. After he and Ran had cleaned up they'd talked some more, then he'd slept like a log and awoken feeling completely refreshed if a little sore. He grinned around the table as he took his seat, then pointed rudely at Aya. "Hey, you're still here. Did you sleep over?"

Ken cast a significant look at Omi and winked.

"Don't let Ran find out," he said.

The Prince choked on his coffee and Aya turned bright red.

"I'll have you know that I went back to the Countess Menyn's last night and came back here early this morning," she cried hotly.

"Just kidding," Ken chuckled, then lit into his breakfast.

"Well, your mood is certainly improved," Omi commented with a smile.

"Yeah, what did Ran do to you?" Aya asked snidely.

"Things you shouldn't do until you're married," Ken answered.

Aya threw a roll at him and he laughed.

"So, what's up for today?" Ken asked looking around.

"First off, finish our conversation from last night," Omi said.

"Since Ran curtailed it by whisking you off to bed," Aya added. Ken stuck his tongue out at her. "Where is my brother?"

"Outside," Ken answered and he knew he sounded a little too nonchalant, especially after the kidnapping attempt and his own reaction to it, but seeing everyone freeze and stare at him was a little unnerving. "He'll be fine," he assured them. "Fioré's with him."

Farren sat up straight at that and raised his eyebrows at Omi who blinked.

Ken ignored the exchange and went back to eating. He felt half starved since he'd only picked at his dinner, which had been followed by their rather strenuous activities. He could've used a midnight snack but he'd been asleep.

Ran entered a minute later and Ken beamed at him.

"Good morning, everyone," his husband said with a soft smile. He sat beside Ken and thanked the servant for his and Fioré's breakfasts. "I see you're back bright and early, Aya."

"Yes, thank you, Ran. Ken's already pointed that out," she said.

Ken snorted out a laugh then waved Ran off when he looked at him. His mouth was too full to say anything, but he didn't want to confess that he'd jokingly accused his sister-in-law of sleeping with her finacé. Not to his possessive husband anyway.

"Sleep well?" Farren Quint asked and Ran nodded.

"Excellently. Thank you," he replied. "You?"

"Not particularly, no," the elder crimson answered.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Ran said, then began eating.

"So, what are we going to do?" Aya pressed, looking around the table. "I mean, do we really need to go anywhere now that Von Heffel's been arrested and his people are scattered?"

"I'm afraid so," Farren Quint answered. "Von Heffel and his group may have been the loudest, but they're by no means the only ones interested in the sum...in Ran."

"And according to you they were working for Indira," Omi said.

"That's where they said they planned to take me," Ran nodded.

"Could they just have been saying that?" Ken asked.

"Possibly. But under the circumstances I don't see why they would have lied," Ran replied.

Ken nodded. It didn't make sense to him either, but he thought he'd put it out there.

"And we're sure they're the ones that killed my father, your parents, burned our house, and assassinated the O'Malleys and Nixs?" Ken asked.

"The scale of those attacks, and the fact that they happened at all, does suggest the involvement of a higher power," Omi said. "The seven individuals responsible were traced to Von Heffel's, but Farren is correct when he says there could easily be others."

"Even here," Farren stated with a hint of challenge. "Something caused a peaceful society to rise up and commit genocide. That something is still out there. The laws against crimsons, as well as the false histories, have tried to be undone without success."

Ken felt a shiver pass down his spine and glanced from Farren to Ran, then back again when the former continued speaking.

"The genocide, and the oppression that has continued to this day, have all but convinced me that there is something or someone out there that doesn't want the magic released."

"But...from what you said the other night that would destroy the world," Ken said.

"Yes."

"More likely it was all done through ignorance motivated by fear and jealousy," Ran stated. "the Emperor of Indira, if in fact he is the orchestrator of all this bloodshed, is doing it out of greed. He wishes to possess not me, but my power. Which is ridiculous when you consider that eventually he, and all his people, will most likely get it."

"Of course, you'll have to travel the world to open all the gates," Aya said.

"Exactly. It only makes sense that the dragons I summon will choose tamers from all cultures and countries," Ran said, then grinned. "And I know right where I'm going to begin."

Ken found himself on the receiving end of another dazzling smile and beamed back at his husband again.

"You've decided?" Omi asked sounding surprised.

"And where are we off to?" Farren enquired.

"I can hazard a guess," Aya said.

"We'll be heading out to the plains to pay an overdue visit to my new brother-in-law," Ran stated, looking from one face to another as he did so.

"And may I ask what inspired this idea?" Farren asked.

"Fioré did," Ken answered, and watched as all eyes turned to the carefully eating red dragon.

She sat up, licked her jaws and let out a series of chirps and trills. Maku paused in her eating to listen and burbled back before looking at Omi, who blinked down at her.

"Maku agrees. She wants to go to the plains in the east," he said once more sounding surprised.

A trumpeted call from the distance made Ken jump then roll his eyes, but it left Farren nodding.

"Seems there's a consensus," he said.

"Morning all."

Ken jumped again and all eyes turned toward the door where Yohji stood sporting a black eye and a wide grin.

"What happened to you?!" everyone but Farren cried.

"Please, come in and join us," Omi added.

"Thank you, don't mind if I do," but he halted three steps into the room. First he stared, then slowly his eyebrows rose, then he completed his journey to the table. "Things have been happening, I see," he said indicating Farren Quint, the two dragons, and the side of Ran's face where his own bruise was continuing to shrink.

"Uh, yeah," Ken said glancing again at Ran.

Yohji stretched out a hand to the elder crimson.

"Yohji Kudou, former heir to Kudou Manufacturing," he said.

"Former?!" Aya gasped.

"Farren Quint. A pleasure, Mr. Kudou," Farren said shaking his hand.

"Yohji, please," the lanky blond said with his easy grin, then sat down and turned to Aya. "Yes, former."

"What happened?" Ran asked, frowning.

"My brother proved to be somewhat more ambitious than I ever gave him credit for," Yohji answered. "And thanks to my 'appalling laziness and natural disinclination to work' my parents have sided with him."

Ken felt his mouth drop open in shock. He saw everyone else at the table was in a similar state. Ran's lips were pressed into a thin line, Omi's face had gone pale, and Aya's eyes were about to burst from her skull.

"B-but...what about Asuka?!" she cried.

"She swears she'll stand by me, foolish woman. Her parents say 'not on their lives'," Yohji said and shrugged. "I spent the night at her place, but was asked politely to leave this morning. I've been thrown out with only the clothes on my back, plus a few items that I managed to pack, and I thought I'd come ring some sympathy out of my nearest and dearest friends." Yohji leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. "So, kids, what's been happening with you?"

"Well…," Omi said, looking a loss for words.

"Dorian Von Heffel tried to kidnap Ran using Yuushi Knight because Ran can open magical gates and summon dragons," Ken stated. "And now we're going to visit my brother."

"Von Heffel tried to kidnap you?" Yohji asked Ran, starting to look angry.

Ran nodded.

"I never did trust Yuushi, but I never thought he'd stoop to kidnapping," Yohji muttered.

"They told Ran they were working for Indira," Omi added.

"Indira?" Yohji said, then whistled. "Their Emperor's a real piece of work."

"That's what we've all been told," Omi agreed.

"And he wants you because of these little guys?" Yohji asked, indicating Maku and Fioré.

"Girls, actually," Ran corrected him with a smirk.

"Really? Ladies, I do apologize," Yohji said with a smile and a bow.

Both dragons blinked at him.

"So," he said with a grin. "When do we leave?"

"Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to stay here and fight for your rights as heir?" Ran asked Yohji a little while later.

The two of them and Ken were relaxing in the morning drawing room. Since Ran wasn't allowed to go anywhere until the Prince was certain he was safe there was nothing for them to do. Ken was fine with that, but he could tell Ran wasn't too pleased. His husband liked to remain busy.

The breakfast conversation had degenerated shortly after Yohji had announced his interest in joining them. Apparently any number of their friends coming was okay, but when Aya began discussing which servants to bring and which to leave Farren Quint had nearly exploded with criticism. That had made Aya incandescent with indignation and Ken hadn't helped by pointing out that he hadn't traveled with any servants when he'd come to the city. He'd only spoken the truth, but it had made matters worse.

"Naw, Lawrence can have it. My mother was right, I am lazy," Yohji answered. "Besides, whatever it is you're up to sounds much more interesting. And I've always had a secret desire to visit the countryside and see how our flat footed citizens live."

"Hey," Ken frowned at him, but Yohji just smiled back.

"So, what can she do?" their friend asked indicating Fioré who was perched on the back of the settee they were on.

"Right now? Eat, sleep, and fly," Ran answered.

"Hunh. Interesting. Well, I have to admit that I never suspected you could actually do anything, but she is cute. Perhaps you could breed her and sell her issue," Yohji suggested.

"What?!" Ken cried.

"Hardly, Yohji," Ran said, rolling his eyes.

"Dragons choose certain people," Ken explained, feeling indignant on Fioré's behalf. "One day she'll be huge, and breath fire."

"Really? She'll get bigger? Hmmm. How much bigger?"

"Maku was the size of three cable cars laid out end to end," Ken answered.

"Fioré isn't as long, but she's actually larger," Ran added. "She'll be quite magnificent."

"Yes, I can see she will be," Yohji agreed. "But what will you do with her? Teach her to do tricks and entertain at parties?"

Ken exchanged a look with Ran.

"I mean, why is she here? What is her purpose? What are you intending to do with her?" Yohji asked.

"Those...are very good questions," Ran commented.

He was looking thoughtful and Ken watched him. He'd been wondering those things himself after Maku was summoned, but the attempted kidnapping had basically emptied his head. Thanks to Yohji it was beginning to fill back up with questions again.

"Farren said she'd have to learn to draw the magic, and when she did she would get bigger again," Ken murmured to himself, then blinked when he found Ran's eyes fastened on him.

"He intended us to go to the Enclave without delay," he posited. "Perhaps that is where he expects her to learn."

"Yeah, but he also said you'd have to go where the gates are," Ken said. "How many of those does he expect to find at the Enclave?"

"Maybe most if not all of them," Ran said. "In the past dragons only chose crimsons."

"What is the Enclave?" Yohji asked curiously.

"Somewhere Farren's been hiding all the crimsons since the genocide," Ken answered.

The lanky blond whistled.

"He's obviously older than he looks," he commented.

Ken nodded then felt his brow darken as a new thought struck him. Dragons lived a long time, their tamers shared their long lifespan, and Ran was a dragon tamer. He looked up, suddenly worried, and met Ran's eyes.

"Shhh," Ran said and kissed the side of his head. "Stop thinking whatever you're thinking."

It was a softly spoken command. Ken nodded in reply and tried to follow his husband's order.

"So, Farren assumed that any dragons you summoned would...bond?...to crimsons only, and all the crimsons...except you, obviously...are tucked away at this Enclave. Under those circumstances it would make sense that he'd want you to go there," Yohji reasoned.

"Then Maku chose Omi," Ran said.

"So, naturally now you've decided to go on a tour of our farming communities," Yohji said. "What could make more sense than that?"

"Ha-ha-ha," Ken said.

"Hey, look, I don't care where you go as long as you let me come with you," Yohji stated. "It just seems a silly choice. What's out there?"

"My brother-in-law," Ran answered and Yohji nodded.

"Fair enough," he said. "So, I repeat, when do we leave?"

"When Aya stops arguing with Farren, gets her affairs in order and her bags packed," Ran said sounding a bit exasperated.

"Next year," Ken guessed.

Author's note: That's it! The end! To be continued! And, yes, I have started on the sequel, but...well, you know, LIFE. I'm going as fast as I want to. I meant to publish these last year, but I never got them typed. However, I think my work benefits from months, sometimes YEARS, of rereading, rewriting, and editing. So, by the time you get to read it (if you get to read it, times being what they are...NET NEUTRALITY!) it'll be really something...I hope. Anyway, Happy Holidays!