So, This is the end, the last chapter. It's been a fun and wild ride and I must say lots of props to my readers and commenters, you guys make this all worthwhile :)

Unfortunately, I won't be uploading any more stories here. I can be found over at Ao3/dreamwidth as rocquellan or LJ as randrews25. Ciao :)

Nervous and restless, Feilong waited under the cover of night for his visitors. The lamps at the back door weren't lit because the last thing he wanted was for eavesdropping, nosy people to know his business. The trickling of water and thud of the segmented bamboo tube hitting rock from a Sozu* water fountain nearby resonated throughout the neighboring vicinity. He stood by the door, on the inside, looking out while wearing a cloak over his tunic. He didn't know what time to expect Asami, but he knew it couldn't be early and by this time it was pretty late.

Tao was upstairs, in his room asleep because his grandmother, as they found out, took a long trip to another province and was not available to keep the teenager. Yoh did not like the idea of his son being around when something dangerous was about to happen, but by this time it was too late. The man didn't trust his child in the hands of others, so the boy stayed, although his father made him go to bed earlier than usual. Yoh himself was in their bedroom, putting together whatever he needed for their plan while he kept watch, it wasn't like Asami gave them a specific time for his arrival.

"Anything yet?"

Feilong looked away from the blackened scene of the landscape covered in darkness, except for the few houses and people that had their lamps burning, to look at his lover. "No, I haven't seen anything. What time is it?"

Yoh looked at his spring driven clock, looking at the segmented hours from sunset to determine their current time. "We're in the fifth hour…."

Feilong nodded before glancing back outside, then he turned fully to his expectant lover.

Yoh looked at him. "I'm making tea, honey lemon."

Feilong smiled. "My favorite."

He was about to walk away when the bristle and clap of hooves against dirt and stones could be heard. He paused, looked back out into the semi-darkness to the palanquin that stopped a few meters away from his back door. There was only shadows and silhouettes as he watched, but the feel of Yoh over his shoulder didn't deter from his need to know if this was the moment of truth. Was it them? Was it Asami and company?

Sure enough the figures approached steadily. The palanquin languidly moved away and even as the shadows stood on his doorstep, Feilong didn't light ay lamps. He could feel the palpitation of his heartbeat resonating throughout his body.

"You can open the door."

Recognizing Asami's voice immediately, Feilong gasped before throwing his door open. He pulled Asami's shadow inside his house, realizing that the man had an arm around the shoulder of his companion, who grunted at the sudden movement. He and Yoh ushered their company around the corner, into the heart of their family room where a single lamp was lit.

Feilong drew in a breath when he realized Asami was supporting Akihito, it made his heart flutter gladly. He hadn't seen him in so long.

"Akihito?"

The blond nodded before smiling weakly at him and it took a moment for Feilong to register that Akihito was in worse shape than he realized. His posture was a little stiff and his eyes were a bit droopy. When he led them over to the couch Asami gently deposited the younger man, who gingerly took a seat, wincing slightly before he was almost completely down. He quickly sat down beside him and took him in fully. Even through his clothes he could see the bandages.

"You're hurt…" he then looked to Asami. "What happened to him?"

"He was hurt in battle," Asami answered stiffly, obviously agitated at the situation.

He looked back at a perspiring Akihito, who smiled weakly at him. "Hi, Feilong. It's been a while."

Akihito tried to smile through his sentence but ended up coughing instead.

Feilong almost panicked. "Water, he needs…"

He was about to stand when he saw Yoh entering with a tray housing a tea pot, tea cups and a glass of water…he hadn't even realized he'd left. He smiled gratefully before standing and pouring Akihito a cup to drink. He was about to feed him when Asami grabbed it out of his hand and did the honors himself. He was a little startled, but then he smiled at the man. That one gesture proved the man's feelings for his young friend.

"So, what really happened after I left the Okiya?" Feilong prodded.

Asami briefly retold the sordid tale of all that led up to this moment.

Yoh frowned at the end of the story. "You do know it will be very risky getting you two to China, don't you?"

Asami nodded.

"And you do know you will be endangering my family, don't you?"

Again Asami nodded. By this time there was barely concealed animosity between the two men and Feilong would rather avoid the contention, so he decided to create a distraction. Akihito was half awake with his head bucking at interval and he said, "Asami, there's a futon set up in the guest bedroom for both of you in that room, let him get some rest until we're ready."

Asami led Akihito to where Feilong pointed and when they were out of hearing range Feilong glared at Yoh. "Was that even necessary?"

"It's the truth. Let's go, I have the ship ready to set sail and the coffins around back."

*******VF*******

While Yoh prepared things on his end, Feilong took his make-up kit to the guest bedroom. He knocked before entering to the sight of Asami sitting on the futon with Akihito's head in his lap while he rest. He walked over and knelt before them, then he place the kit on the floor beside him.

"What is that?" Akihito asked groggily.

Feilong looked at his friend before answering. "Makeup, you two have to look the part, don't you?"

Akihito frowned. "What part?"

"We'll be crossing over to China in coffins."

Akihito gulped.

"And both those coffins will be painted with the number four in the hope that the guards at the port will be too superstitious to look into it," Feilong added.

Akihito gulped again. "The number four? But that number is pronounced with the same word for death. What if we really die because we are in coffins with the number equivalent of death on it?"

Feilong became grave. "If you don't leave Japan, you both will definitely die at the command of the Shogun, there is nowhere in Japan for you to hide forever. Getting out of the country is your only hope and I'm sure that by now all samurai and retainers are on high alert for both of you. A direct command by the Shogun for both your heads will not be easily overlooked."

Akihito was definitely agitated and Asami just seemed indifferent. Feilong wanted them to get away and live just as much as he's sure they wanted to stay alive. He started by applying make to Asami first, since Akihito tended to burst into cold sweat because of his injuries and worries. When he was through, both their exposed upper body was completely white and then lighter shades were applied to create a gaunt, deathly look. It took about a half hour to do both men. Now all that's left is to go and get the new kimonos he got them just for the occasion.

"Wait here, I'll be right back."

Akihito looked solemnly at Asami when Feilong left the room and Asami in turn held his chin and tilted his face up for a passionate kiss. Confident and determined, he looked into those hazel eyes he adored. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you live, even if it's the last thing I do."

Akihito smiled, returning that loving gaze to the man he gave himself over to completely. "And if you fall into the deepest layers of hell, I'll descend with you."

Both men, knowing that this could possibly be the end, conveyed their love for each other without words, through actions that rang out louder for both of them than anything else ever could.

I love you.

I love you too.

"Ehem." Feilong watched as both men separated from their intense kiss at the sound of his interruption. He handed them both black kimonos. "Remember to wear the right side over the left."

Akihito paled; he was certain he would not be favored by Buddha tonight.

*******VF*******

"Don't I at least get to see Tao before I leave?" Akihito whined, wanting to delay the inevitable for as long as possible. They stood in the barely lit back yard where the coffins laid innocently under a shed in a cart, attached to two horses.

Yoh handed Feilong the transfer papers for the two 'Chinese men who died in Japan and their families requested their bodies to be buried in their homeland of China'. He got it signed as a favor by a Buddhist priest he knew.

"Tao is asleep, he's staying out of this," Feilong answered.

Akihito grabbed his stomach as a sharp pain shot through him and Asami was there holding him in the blink of an eye.

"Are you alright?" Asami asked with concern evident in his voice.

Akihito bit his lip and nodded, riding out the sensation of the stab wound in his stomach acting up. "I'm fine."

Feilong was also concerned; he wanted to get them away from here so Akihito could get dealt with by a physician without hinder as soon as possible.

"Let's hurry, the sooner we get this over with the better. Plus, we need the cover of darkness to make this work, it will be light in the next few hours," Yoh pointed out. He made sure everything was in order, then he instructed the two men to get into the wooden boxes, which would not be properly sealed in the event the men needed to make a quick getaway.

Akihito was dealt with first, since he believed heavily in superstition and Asami needed to be the one to reassure him before the coffin was closed. Feilong could hear him breathing heavily through the wood and he touched it lightly. "Please, Akihito, relax."

Akihito's breathing slowed minutely and he smiled. "Take deep breaths until we get there, I want both of you to get out of this alive…and for me and Yoh to return safely, of course."

At that Akihito's breathing slowly regulated.

Feilong smiled. "I have the utmost faith in you, that you'll both make it out of here…"

There was no response except Akihito's attempt at calming down.

"Feilong, we need to go."

"Dad?"

At the sound of the teen's voice, both men abruptly stopped what they were doing and looked at him, frightened.

Yoh moved towards his son, who was rubbing his eyes sleepily while trying to suppress a yawn. He held him by the shoulders and looked at him sternly. "Tao, what are you doing up at this hour?"

Tao shrugged. "I don't know."

Yoh looked back at Feilong apprehensively, what should their next course of action be regarding his son?

"Where are you both going?" Tao's worried voice asked. He then realized he was looking at coffins, his eyes widened. "Father, what's going on?"

"Stay here, don't move," Yoh commanded and he left the teen standing there to converse with Feilong.

"He won't stay by himself now, he can tell something's wrong." They both looked back at Tao's timid expression.

Feilong frowned at what he was about to suggest. "Do you think we should bring him?"

Yoh looked grimly at his frightened son. "What if something was to go wrong?"

"Then he'll be left behind to face the shogun's wrath, he'll die a painful and dishonorable death."

Yoh nodded. He took the child to change him out of his sleepwear into more presentable clothes. When they returned, Tao was afraid to go near the coffins.

Tao stuck close to his father. He inclined his head at the coffins. "Who's are those?"

"You'll find out later," Feilong answered. Tao was allowed to ride with him on the front of the horse and as much as he could tell Yoh didn't like the idea of Tao's presence as much as he did, there was no other choice at present.

*******VF*******

The two samurais that stood guard at the entrance to the port looked from Yoh to the paper in their hands, and then to the coffins skeptically. As hoped, none were too keen on the bad omen perpetuated by such coffins being in such close proximity.

"Where did you say you were heading, Yoh-san?"

Yoh didn't hesitate to answer. "China. As the papers suggests, these bodies needs to return to their homeland for burial."

Both samurais looked at each other hesitantly. "Won't you take a look in them?" one asked the other.

The other one sighed before walking over to the coffin Asami was in, thank fully, with a lamp. When he pried the top open, he was greeted with the gaunt, lifeless face of Asami. Feilong did a very good job with the makeup. The bulky man didn't engage in any further inspection and closed the lid. He seemed to have no interest in looking at the other. Before he could return to his earlier position, he glanced at the horse with the other two.

"There's a child here, why?"

At this query Feilong answered. "Nightmares."

The man bought the excuse, then he walked back over to his partner. "Sign for the transfer so these can be shipped out immediately."

The other samurai did as told. Yoh was handed the papers and they were allowed to pass through the gates without further preamble.

Feilong was glad things went relatively smoothly and by the time they were a little distance away, there was a command for them to halt from one of the samurais.

Sensing the tension, Feilong held his breath before looking back. His eyes widened minutely, because not only was the samurais there, but a third person had joined them and from what he could see, it was Kurou-san, the other trader that's been after him for a while.

"Yoh, go."

Yoh could tell something was wrong, because both samurais advanced on them with their swords drawn and on the defense. He spotted the other man smirking and frowned, he would kill him tonight. He'd been wanting to harm him ever since he found out he'd touched his lover and was openly soliciting him behind his back, but couldn't risk his lively hood nor life for such a worthless person.

But now…

Feilong watched as Yoh drew his sword. He did the same and then dismounted his horse, leaving a frightened Tao there.

"Do not move, stay out of harm's way." Feilong instructed the young boy before hurrying to his lover's side.

"Hold it right there!"

Yoh drew the sword he had hidden in the cart, knowing that their cover was blown. Kurou-san, although just a shadowy silhouette of himself, could be heard laughing.

"If I can't have you, then you'll die, Liu Feilong," Kurou-san chuckled under his breath as he watched the proceedings. He'd been passing their household earlier when he caught sight of the strange carriage and its companions and decided to eavesdrop on what was happening in their household. It was hard to make out in the darkness of night, but when he realized what they were doing he'd decided to throw a wrench in their plans. He would have them all killed for their transgression of not allowing him to taste the sweet, forbidden fruit of a man more beautiful than his own wife. He was highly obsessed, beyond the point of no return in his need for the man.

The fighting men advanced and the four were pitted against each other in a sword fight to the death. The clanking of sharp metal against sharp metal sliced through the stillness of the early morning darkness as they attacked, alerting others to what was taking place.

Sensing the shift in circumstances, Asami kicked the lid off his coffin and grabbed the sword hidden at the side of said coffin. He rose like the harbinger of death and attacked the samurai that Feilong was fighting. Two against one-it was hardly a fair match and in no time that samurai was impaled through the stomach. He fell to the sandy floor of the coastline, dead, painting the area beneath him in crimson. The two were about to assist Yoh when about seven more samurais ran through the gate, all with their swords drawn and their eyes burning for their blood. They were surrounded and outmatched; eight against three, but come high or low they would die fighting, that is the samurai way after all.

Feilong, Yoh and Asami stood with their backs to each other while the men surrounded them. It was Asami who spotted Akihito's silhouette out of the corner of his eyes as he dismounted the coffin and cart and he wanted to tell him to stay put, to stay out of harms way, but it seemed no-one else noticed him and he wanted to keep it that way.

Tao also, whose chest palpitated like an African drum in his ears fell off the horse and started backing away from the fighting men. When Asami and Feilong had killed that samurai, it left him emotionally and physically handicapped. With the fear that pumped through his blood and coursed through his veins, his instinct was telling him to run, to get as far away as possible from the carnage and he was going to…until he felt a firm pair of hands grab him from behind. He jumped in fright and screamed, trying to fight his attacker off.

"Tao, shhhh. It's me, Akihito."

At the realization, Tao turned tear filled eyes up at the blond, young man holding him. Tears off joy mixed with overwrought horror ran down his cheeks and he buried his face into Akihito's chest while hugging him tightly in return.

"I don't want to be here," Tao sobbed even as the rambunctious duels continued some distance away. He didn't want o see anybody hurt his friends nor family, but neither did he want to see them hurting anybody else like before.

Akihito hugged the boy tighter, but then he looked at the edge of the water and spotted various ships decked by their anchors as they swayed softly on the rippling body of water. He needed a place for them to hide.

"Tao, show me your father's ship."

Wiping tears from his eyes with one hand, Tao's gaze swept along the coast and when he spotted his fathers ship, he pointed to it. "There."

Akihito nodded and then he stood and started leading them to the ship. Tao would be safer in there.

Even with all that was happening, Asami still kept an eye on his Akihito, and when he realized what the plan was, he smiled to himself. He was about to focus back on the battle when he realized that one samurai had veered off in the direction of the two. The man was sneaking up on them and Akihito didn't realize it. But he had to keep him-them safe, and with a burst of energy accompanied by the fear of losing his loved one, he managed to kill the two samurai he was fighting before sprinting towards Akihito's location.

Akihito didn't realize how close both he and Tao came to death until there was a scream behind him. They both turned around in shock to the sight of the samurai poised over them, frozen stiff and eyes wide with both hands in the air holding his katana, ready to strike them down. But he didn't miss the hilt of the katana that protruded from the man's stomach. He covered Tao's eyes with one hand as the blood trickled from the man's lips to spot on his dark hakama. He fell face first into the sand with eyes still open and lifeless and Akihito stared at Tao then Asami.

"Go," the older man instructed and Akihito turned Tao around and led him away, but not before realizing that he mouth the words 'I love you' to Asami before the man threw himself back into the fray of the others. When they boarded the ship, he took Tao down to the cabin and kept him there.

Yoh knew that if they were all to escape from this they would need to end the fight now and leave. Unfortunately, these samurais were highly skilled men and it wasn't an easy feat defeating them. Even though he'd managed to counter-attack and block a lot of his attacks, his enemies did the same, and he was sometimes fighting two at a time. The orange tinge of early morning was bathing the land in soft light, and even though the battle seemed to be in their favor, it would mean complete loss if they stuck around for the enemy to gather re-enforcements. He could tell Asami and Feilong knew it too and they worked in harmony to try and bring down the men, but it wasn't an easy task.

"ASAMI!" Feilong shouted when he realized one of the samurais was going to make a sneak attack on the older man. Asami turned around just in time to counter-defend, then he slashed the man's throat. Blood flew everywhere and Feilong found himself dodging an intended stab through the heart. He surmised that they were running out of time fighting like this, and if they didn't get away soon, they wouldn't be leaving at all…except to be buried.

It came as a God-sent boon to Asami when familiar yelling could be heard as two men ran through the gates towards them and started attacking the enemy. Asami smiled at the sight of his two most trusted men; Kirishima and Suoh, dressed in matching hakamas and brandishing katanas of their own. He felt elated that they'd survived. How they found him he had no idea, nor did he care, but with their help the battle moved along a lot faster, the enemy died out quicker.

Yoh had no idea who the men were, but they weren't enemy so he didn't pay particular attention to them. As he withdrew his bloodied sword from the chest of the last man he'd killed, he looked towards the gate, eyes narrowing and skin burning for the need to kill the man cowering behind said gate in fear. He ran with break neck speed towards Kurou-san, watching as the man tried to fumble away as the fear numbed him.

Feilong watched as Yoh ran towards the gate. He called out for him but he stood his ground when Asami planted a hand on his shoulder. He didn't understand until he realized who his lover was after. When without preamble Yoh decapitated the man that caused them so much trouble. His spirit lifted like a bird set free from its prison, that man would be causing no more problems for anybody ever again.

"Asami-dono." The two new comers greeted Asami reverently with their heads bowed.

Feilong recognized one of them, the dark haired one from his time in the Okiya when Asami use to visit him.

"I'm glad you both made it," Asami chuckled. He took a deep breath as the exertion from the battle took over. They were all tired and sore, apparently.

Yoh jogged up to them. "Let's go, we'll all have to leave since I'm sure by now news have reached the local authorities and ultimately the shogun of us all. None of us can stay here."

Feilong nodded. He could feel himself tensing slightly at the thought of leaving his home and his country behind, but he knew it had to be done. He had his family, and he wanted to live his life. There would be no honorable death to be had here. By now, the first of the early morning rays bathed the landscape with its tendrils of light and they started walking towards Yoh's ship.

"Wait," Suoh broke the tense silence, stopping the group in their tracks as they turned to look at him. He ran towards a bag that was lying on the ground a few meters away. When he took it and brought it back, he explained it was mini bombs he'd took from a man he'd killed back at Asami's once castle. It was a new European invention brought over by men of high stature and he took them for emergency purposes.

"Let's prevent others from following us, shall we?" Kirishima grinned and the other three got on Yoh's ship, then watched as Kirishima and Suoh bombed the other four ships anchored at the port.

"Good thinking," Asami praised as the men got on board. He and Yoh lifted the rope ladder and the anchor, then they started the engine and began moving out, away from their old life and towards their new one.

The ship started to set sail and they stood at the bow, watching as other samurais and local authority figures filed on to the water front amidst the littered bodies of their comrades. They were rendered immobile since all other ships had holes in them from the bombing. The group watched the last sight of their homeland they'll ever see with ambiguous feelings of triumph and loss.

As the ship sailed further away, Asami had both hands wrapped tightly around his Akihito, who had joined him once the ship started moving.

Yoh had moved to the stern with Feilong, and they shared a long, passionate kiss of gratitude for making it out alive and having each other. Tao had joined them amidst their kissing, scrunching his nose at the action. But laughed and ran to hug them both when they welcomed him with open arms, happy that they were together and not separated for any reason since things could have gone much differently.

"Well, aren't they a happy family?" Akihito teased lightheartedly when he spotted the three. He had an arm around Asami's waist while the man held him across the shoulders.

Feilong smiled. "So are you two."

Tao ran towards Akihito, bumping into him and wrapping his arms around his waist. "Akihito, I'm so happy to see you again!"

Akihito groaned at the contact, Tao didn't know he was stabbed. He softly pried him off. "Sorry, I'm hurt." Tao looked extremely apologetic and he stepped away from him. He ruffled his hair and smiled down at the boy. "I'm also very happy to see you too. Let's go below and make something to eat, shall we?"

Tao laughed and dragged the blond off. "I'm a great cook, Akihito, just wait and see!"

"I'm going below too, I'm filthy," Feilong announced. He gave Yoh a final peck on the lips before walking off, bowing to Asami as he walked pass.

Asami grabbed the man and pulled him into a tight hug, making him know undoubtedly that he appreciated the risk he took to save both his and Akihito's life. With an endearing smile, Feilong pulled back and walked away.

Asami stood and faced the side of the ship, looking out at the vast sea and he felt Yoh come to stand beside him. He didn't look at the man, but he also wanted to let him know his gratitude at his sacrifice. He drew in a breath before muttering a simple but heartfelt 'thank you'.

"I didn't do anything for you," Yoh answered.

"I know," Asami answered as the morning air whipped around them. Anywhere Feilong went Yoh is sure to follow, and for that, in this moment, he was eternally grateful.

The ship sailed away from the past and towards the future, a future hopefully filled with good fortune and unequivocal blessings for the seven people who gave up everything for what they believed in.

THE END! :D

I'd appreciate any thoughts/crit on this last chapter. Thanks guys :)

*Sozu-is a type of water fountain used in Japanese gardens. It consists of a segmented tube, usually of bamboo, pivoted to one side of its balance point. At rest, its heavier end is down and resting against a rock. A trickle of water into the upper end of the tube accumulates and eventually moves the tube's centre of gravity past the pivot, causing the tube to rotate and dump out the water. The heavier end then falls back against the rock, making a sharp sound, and the cycle repeats. This noise is intended to startle any deer which may be grazing on the plants in the garden.

Source: Google