by Yai-tzu Hin
Warning: No part of this story or cast of characters may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the author, Yai-tzu Hin. If you do, dogs will wake you at 3:00 am in the morning, your hair will go gray at an early age, all you pens will run out of ink at the most inconvenient time, and your computer will always freeze up in the middle of the best part of a fic.
Yatsurugi shivered. That presence was back, but he couldn't do anything about that now. His professor was going on about history as if no one knew what it was. This left Yatsurugi plenty of opportunity to do search out the presence, but not to act. It wasn't as if he could suddenly spread his wings and take off in the middle of class without someone noticing. At least most everyone's guardian angel didn't notice him. They thought of him as another mortal apparently for none had approached him. Not like they would unless he became friendly with their charge. The presence vanished again before Yatsurugi could identify it. He let out a deep sigh.
Come on, he thought bitterly. It's not like I know who you are! I don't recognize your essence at ALL!
"Is there a problem Aisaku-san?" his professor asked suddenly. Yatsurugi stiffened.
"No sensei." The professor gave him a stern look and went back to his lecture. Yatsurugi tried not to growl, but the sudden image of the man wearing nothing but a fig leaf in front of his entire class popped into mind. A cruel smile parted his lips. It was tempting.
"Again?" Keien asked when he met with Yatsurugi after class.
"Yes. I don't know who it is, but they're seriously beginning to bug me." Yatsurugi replied in an agitated tone. "When I get my hands on whomever it is, I think I'll see if they can fly without wings."
"You think it's an angel?" Keien inquired stopping to look directly into his boyfriend's eyes.
"Either that or a damn annoying little spirit." Yatsurugi clenched his fists. It had been more than a week since he'd first felt the spy and a day hadn't passed when he didn't feel its presence. "I'm almost tempted to skip classes until I get this guy. I haven't had a good night's rest in days!" Yatsurugi continued, his eyes growing hard and angry. "I may have to ask Kayumi for help. God, I really don't want to do that." Keien patted him on the shoulder. If they weren't at school, then Keien might have kissed him, but even when he dated Suiichiro, he couldn't bring himself to do more than hold hands in public. It probably all stems from my father, Keien thought.
"Oniichan!" Both men turned to see Meiko running towards them with the biggest smile on her face. "Aisaku-san!"
"Hai, little sister?" Keien grinned as Meiko slid to a halt in front of him. Trying to catch her breath, she waited a moment before speaking.
"Oniichan, I saw the most incredible guy wandering around campus." she began. Her eyes dancing as she spoke. "He was taller than both you and Aisaku-san, with long pale blond hair. He was dressed in this outfit, oh my God, I thought I'd just died and gone to heaven. I mean this guy was drop dead gorgeous. And that voice. A nice soft baritone. He was so polite and gentlemanly. It was a if he'd stepped out of some romance novel!" Keien didn't look amused.
"And what makes you think I'm interested in this guy? I already have a boyfriend." He winked at Yatsurugi, who smiled for the first time in what seemed like years.
"Because," Meiko replied holding up her index finger in front of Keien's nose. "He asked if I knew anyone named Aisaku Yatsurugi. I told him that I did and that he was my onnichan's roommate." Yatsurugi paled.
"Did he give you a name?"
"No," Meiko told him. "Sorry. I think he sort of expects you to know him by description. Do you have any idea who he is?" Yatsurugi shook his head.
"Not a clue. I'll have to think about it. He may have been an old junior high or high school guy I knew." he said shrugging innocently.
"Well, if you do know him. Do you think you could find out if he's single?" Meiko asked practically gushing. "And prefers girls." she amended.
"Right." Yatsurugi replied as Keien rolled his eyes. Meiko smiled broadly, hugged Yatsurugi, then Keien, and ran off to her next class. Once she was gone, Keien leaned over.
"Sounds like Azreal."
"I know."
"Why do you think he's looking for you?"
"I don't know."
"Are you going to be all right?"
"I don't know, but we'll find out soon won't we?"
***
Night descended on the city. Feeling restless, Yatsurugi was pacing around the apartment. Around the kitchen, into the living room, down the hall, and about his room before starting the circuit over. Keien watched him from his room. He was sitting at his desk attempting to do homework, but his mind kept wandering to his troubled roommate. Finally giving up on the set of questions, Keien got up and stood in his doorway. When Yatsurugi passed by, he grabbed his arm.
"Stop, please. You're making me bonkers." Keien growled. Yatsurugi looked up at him with tired eyes. "You need some sleep."
"It shows up and watches me when I try to sleep." Yatsurugi countered. Keien sighed.
"Well, then I guess you should continue pacing, but how about outside? I'll even go with you. We can talk."
"Am I being that annoying Keien?" Yatsurugi asked.
"Yes. Now, come on. Let's get our coats." They retrieved them from the closet and put on their shoes. Once out in the night air, Yatsurugi leaned against Keien in exhaustion. They walked in silence for a long time just letting the gentle wind caress them.
"Keien?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being there." Yatsurugi whispered, taking a hold of Keien's sleeve. Keien smiled and began to walk slower. They continued along in silence enjoying each other's company. Suddenly Yatsurugi stiffened. It was back and very close. Keien stopped and stared directly in front of them. His eyes narrowed as Yatsurugi looked up at what Keien was glaring at.
A man stepped from the shadows. He was dressed in dark clothing that hid much of his body. His hair was dark auburn and his eyes glowed with an unfriendly light. He took another step towards them.
"You're Aisaku Yatsurugi." It was more a statement than a question. Yatsurugi moved in front of Keien to protect him.
"Who are you?" The man smiled.
"So I was right, you are him. I have a warning for you."
"What?" Yatsurugi snapped back narrowing his own eyes.
"Leave Azreal alone." The stranger snapped. "Or else."
"Or else, what?" Yatsurugi demanded of the other angel. Yes, he was sure it was an angel, he could sense his powers more clearly now.
"You don't want to find out." He replied with a snarl.
"Did Azreal send you?" The angel only smiled. Then he spread his wings, which were gold with blue bands on the primary feathers. Yatsurugi couldn't believe this guy, who the hell did he think he was? Suddenly a blast of energy sped towards them. Yatsurugi threw up a shield, protecting both Keien and himself. The energy whirled about them as the angel continued his attack.
"What the heck is with this guy?" Keien yelled.
"I don't know!" Yatsurugi said. With some effort, he pushed his shield forward hoping to neutralize the energy. "Keien, I want you to get away from here."
"No way. This guy is probably waiting for you to do that. I would just be a target. No. I'll stay right behind you."
"Keien, this isn't the time to argue. Please!"
"No."
"Keien!" Yatsurugi pleaded. He didn't want to see his boyfriend end up charcoal just because the other angel was trigger-happy.
"My, such devotion." The angel said, lowering his hand and stopping the energy. "Such an endearing quality in a mortal." Yatsurugi snarled.
"What the HELL do you want?" he yelled, his voiced reverberating off the buildings.
"I told you. Leave Azreal alone." Then the angel attacked again. This time Yatsurugi was prepared. He counter attacked with a blast of his own energy. The two beams met and shattered into thousand tiny lights. The angel flew up and began raining down small fireballs. Yatsurugi called forth water to protect both he and Keien.
As the angels dueled, Keien watched in awe and horror. He couldn't believe that they were fighting. Weren't angels above that sort of thing? He didn't know much about the inner workings of the immortals, but he was certain this sort of thing was frowned upon. Keien tried to move but found himself trapped. Something was preventing him from moving more than a few feet in any direction. He stared about him and saw the sheen of a protective shield similar to the one Yatsurugi had used earlier about him. He was inside a giant protective bubble. No doubt Yatsurugi had erected it to keep him safe, but that meant he had less energy to fight with. He swallowed hard. Yatsurugi might loose. The other was determined to destroy Yatsurugi and he was more concerned about keeping Keien safe than himself. No. Yatsurugi needs all his strength; I can't let him waste it on me, Keien thought desperately as the realization that he might loose his guardian angel and lover. It's because he's protecting me. And there is nothing I can do to help. Keien sank to his knees. No, God, please. Make them stop. I don't want to loose Yatsurugi. Onegai.
"Your little mortal can't do anything but weep for you. How pitiful." The angel teased hovering just above the sidewalk. "If this is how you treat all your lovers, I wonder why you're allowed to remain an angel."
"I was about to ask the same of you." Yatsurugi growled. The other smirked and raised his hands to summon another storm of fire. Yatsurugi prepared for the attack, wishing that Keien wasn't here to witness this. He didn't want Keien involved in a dispute with Azreal's underling or Azreal himself. Yet, why had the archangel gone to such trouble to find him and send this obviously unstable angel to duel with him? "Good bye!" the other yelled hurling fire at him. Lightning flashed and struck the ground causing the attack to dissipate. Startled the angels both looked up, then down. On the sidewalk written in Sanskrit were the words: "All actions will cease at this moment. To continue will bring retribution. Mortal lives are at stake."
"It's a message from the Almighty." Yatsurugi breathed. He looked up at the other one. His eyes were narrowed and his fists clenched in rage. "If either of us disobey, it will be our lives at stake." Yatsurugi pointed out quietly. The other looked away.
"I'll leave you alone. For now. Just heed my words." With that he vanished. The words on the sidewalk began to evaporate as Yatsurugi slowly walked over to where Keien was still kneeling. His hands were clasped together and his eyes wide. Yatsurugi waved the protective shield away.
"Keien?" Keien stared up at Yatsurugi, then suddenly leapt up. His arms wrapped around the guardian angel and held him tightly.
"I thought you might die." Keien whispered, choking back tears.
"I'm immortal." Yatsurugi said. He could hear everything that Keien didn't have the strength to say. His thoughts were open to Yatsurugi; no barriers blocked him out. "It'll be all right. The Almighty sent down a warning. The other will listen to it, for a while at least. We'll be safe." Keien didn't feel reassured, but neither did Yatsurugi.
"Do you know who he was?" Keien asked softly lifting his head to look into Yatsurugi's blue eyes.
"No."
"He knows Azreal."
"Apparently. The question is why has Azreal sent him?"
"Only Azreal knows."
"And he asked Meiko about me." Yatsurugi said remembering what Keien's younger sister had said.
"Yes." Keien agreed.
"We'll just have to wait until he makes an appearance before we find out anything more."
"Or you could ask Kayumi for help." Yatsurugi hesitated. He didn't want to involve his sister any more than he had too.
"I don't know." He began, but Keien cut him off.
"We'll discuss this later. Whatever problem they have with you, it now involves me. I won't abandon you." Keien stated standing up and releasing him. "In the mean time, let's go home. I've had enough fresh air for one night."
"Me too." They practically ran home just in case their enemy wasn't going to take the Almighty's message seriously.
***
The next morning Keien and Yatsurugi sat eating breakfast together. They were both still shaken from last night. So many questions had been raised, but only one had been answered. There was someone stalking Yatsurugi and it was another angel. Keien toyed with the idea of calling Kayumi himself, but Yatsurugi still didn't want to call her. Torn between trusting Yatsurugi's judgement and the creeping feeling of dread that only the involvement of Kayumi and possibly Hades might cure. Yatsurugi couldn't do this alone. He couldn't go against an archangel and win.
"I still think you need to call Kayumi. If anything to warn her. What if that guy goes after her too?"
"Kayumi can handle herself." Yatsurugi muttered. "But you may be right. He may attack other friends and family. If that's the case, Meiko and Haruka are also in danger. I better tell Reimu too." He looked worn out and stressed. He needed a good night sleep, which hadn't gotten last night. Keien leaned over and patted his hand and smiled weakly.
"The more people who know, the more you have on your side. You may have to take your case all the way to the Almighty himself."
"The Almighty itself." Yatsurugi said slowly as his mind tried to fathom going before the powerful being. "Oh, I hope it doesn't come to that. Maybe Azreal simply lost touch with reality. I could talk to Michael, Gabrielle, or Ariel. They might know something more."
"Yeah, talking to the other archangels is probably a better idea before going over their heads." Keien agreed. He took a bite of his breakfast just as someone knocked at their door. Carefully Yatsurugi got up and walked to the door. Keien set down his chopsticks and slipped around the corner to look at who was there.
Yatsurugi stepped back to let in Hades and Kayumi. Both looked grim and worried.
"Ohayo." Keien said walking fully into the living room. They nodded.
"Yatsurugi, we need to talk to you." Kayumi said. "It's really important."
"I understand. Does it have anything to do with Azreal?" Yatsurugi asked.
"Or the identity of our attacker last night?" Keien added, then suddenly wished he hadn't as he saw the surprised look on their faces.
"You were attacked?" Kayumi gasped looking directly at her brother.
"Yes. By an unknown angel." Yatsurugi admitted lowering his gaze. Hades sighed while Kayumi hugged her brother tightly.
"Were you hurt?"
"No." Yatsurugi told her. She released him and walked over to Keien. Hugging him too, she whispered.
"Thank God you both are all right."
"I was hoping that you hadn't been approached." Hades said walking over to the couch and sitting down.
"By who?" Yatsurugi asked.
"You remember I told you that I recognized some one in the restaurant the other week?" Keien and Yatsurugi nodded. "I remembered where I'd seen him before and went back to the other plane to talk to my superior, Hecate the Lead Angel of Death. I described him to her and she said she knew whom I was talking about. She said she was surprised that he was in the mortal plane. He's a messenger angel, mainly between the Department of Death and the main branch of the Department of Life."
"What does he look like?" Yatsurugi asked.
"A bit shorter than you, but taller than me. Dark auburn hair cut short and light hazel eyes. His wings are gold with blue bands." Hades said.
"That's him." Keien stated. "I'd never forget someone like that." Hades looked down at his hands.
"What's his name?" Yatsurugi asked. Hades didn't respond. "Hades, his name."
"Dante."
"Dante." Yatsurugi repeated.
"Yatsurugi, there's more." Hades said. "I don't think you're going to like this."
"I already know he works for Azreal. He told me himself last night."
"Not only works for." Kayumi said laying a hand on her brother's shoulder. "He's his lover."
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