Divine Worlds
By: S.R.
Shinohara
~ *~ : * : ~ * ~ : * : ~ * ~ : * : ~ * ~
Chapter XV
Precious Smile
~ *~ : * : ~ * ~ : * : ~ * ~ : * : ~ * ~
Some ask me why I put up with it…Why
do you put up with hiding the things my heart wants to scream out from the top
of Tengoku? I say because I feel like it, or I just don’t answer at all, but
really…
“Kohaku-kun…”
She WINCED at his touch, the youth pulling away, heartbroken. And looking into her
eyes, he could see such edginess that it made him bleed, stepping back and
hanging his head.
Why do I stay? Sometimes I wonder
myself…the pain gets unbearable sometimes…but I can’t do it. Her smile…that
lovely smile that warms my soul…I never want it to disappear. I’d never turn my
back on her, even if she can’t help but pull away from me if my emotions get
the better of me. I could never pull away because of how she was raised…because
of what is natural instinct to her…
As he
lifted his head, Kohaku smiled kindly, shaking his head. “It’s OK, Ruko-sama…I
understand. I’m sorry for scaring you.”
I could never do the very thing which
hurt Saori-imouto to my Ruko-sama…
~:*:~
“Wah! Stop it! No, no, no, no!”
Hiiro
wouldn’t stop grinning as he pulled her from her seat, her feet scraping
against the floor of Ruko’s palace as he tried to get her to dance with him.
“Come on! This is a party! It’s time for you to dance a little, Saori!”
“No,
stop it!” Being the smaller of them was definitely a downfall, her struggles
proving futile as he swept her up with a laugh, making her dance amongst the
other Faeries who’d taken taller forms for the night to entertain them.
Ryu was
looking as irritable as Saori as he sat quietly near Kayoko who watched it all
with a smile, though it was more because he disliked so much noise and
attention which the female Faeries were more then happy to lavish upon
him. Ruko couldn’t help sweat-dropping, watching her own sisters flutter
about him, for once relieved of their duties so they could have some fun. I
hope he doesn’t explode while he’s here…at least Kayoko-san bears the male
Faerie’s attention with a smile since they always approach her in their small
forms…Ayano-sama help me if they ever took their true forms. She’d be
petrified.
“Ruko-sama!” Kohaku appearing in front of her so suddenly
with a HUGE smile made her yelp, blinking as he held up a large platter.
Kohaku always was at his best during feasts. “Please try one~! I made
some new treats with the others and they’re quite good!”
Ruko’s
smile widened as she chewed and swallowed the soft and chewy cookie. “Delicious as always.” She promptly popped in two more.
“Ruko-sama
has such a sweet tooth.” Smiling fondly, he looked away when she stared at him.
“Saori-chan and Souhi-kun…came to an understanding…”
“…Really…?”
Moving her gaze to the currently irritated goddess, she smiled in slight
relief. “Good…”
Kohaku
made a sound of agreement. “She told me while we were coming here…they cleared
the air.”
“I
can’t leave mother’s side,” Souhi murmured as they stood in the foyer, “And I
probably won’t be able to visit still…but I won’t hurt you with my words
anymore, even if I never meant them…I understand they hurt you now…”
“I’m
just glad…for one dinner…you could eat here with us,” she grinned, “And I know
one day we can eat dinner together like we used to, so don’t give it much
thought. And don’t tell me you won’t, because it’s a lie. Our family always
thinks about things too much until we’re either sick or blue in the face.”
Souhi
twitched nervously. “Oh shut up…”
“We’ll
be able to be like before someday, Souhi-ani,” Saori muttered, “So…I’ll try and
keep Shiko at bay better. And maybe I can…”
Souhi
cut her off with a LOUD laugh. He knew what she was going to say. “Don’t even. Ain’t possible, though the gesture is appreciated.”
A vein
throbbed on her head. “You're right. Never mind. Just get going before she
storms Illusian looking for you.”
The
mental image popped just as Ruko could hear the door slamming for
exaggerated effect. Smiling nervously, a LARGE sweat-drop ran down her
head. “Sounds like they’re going to be OK…definitely…”
“Everyone
in my family is always OK, in the end…” Kohaku smiled, still facing his sister’s
direction as she sent Hiiro crashing into something for doing something stupid,
seemingly ignorant to Ruko’s eyes which stared at him sadly. “We always find a
way to come out OK.”
“Kohaku…”
His eyes
suddenly popped out of their sockets, his skin paling 10 shades whiter. “WAH! Saori-chan, not the~!”
CRASH!
Too
late. Eyes large and watering, Kohaku sobbed loudly and dramatically as the
huge chandelier that was above them crashed to the floor once Hiiro was punted
into it. “NO~! I had to pay 50 kegs of our best Faerie wine to get the dwarves
to agree to make this replacement for you!”
Saori
blanched. “…Replacement…?”
“It was,
sniff, to be a gift, sniff, to welcome you home, sniff…sniff…for
the one…sniff…Ryu-san destroyed…Sniff. 50 kegs…!”
It was
Saori’s turn to let out a shriek and a wail. Ryu glared at him, wishing he
wouldn’t bring that up as he plugged his ears to try and lessen the volume of
their wailing. Blocking it completely was impossible anyway. But he was trying.
The
sweat-drops and nervous smile on Ruko’s face were growing progressively larger.
SO much alike…you can always see the family resemblance somehow…
~*~ : * : ~*~
“Hiiro…”
Saori winced as she tried to help the disoriented and MUCH TALLER god to
his home with little success. “Where’s that stupid tiger when you need him?”
Letting him plop down against the fountain, she stretched her aching limbs with
a grunt, half glaring at Hiiro who was so drunk he couldn’t walk. “You drank
too much you donkey’s ass.”
“So
cold…” he whined, gripping the bottom of her shirt. With on forceful tug he
made her topple down with a loud yelp, right over his legs that were stretched
out flat along the garden’s marble floor which surrounded the fountain. The
water came from
After
several failed attempts to get up, it was obvious he wasn’t going to let her
get up. Damn it… “I’m not cold. I just hate dealing with any deity if
they’re drunk.”
Her face
burned as Hiiro put his face nose to nose with her, his eyes sad. “Even me?”
ESPECIALLY
you. “Yes.”
“When
did things go wrong…?” Saori wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or just
musing out loud. “When did Saori become so distrusting of me…?”
“It’s
not distrusting,” she grumbled, “It’s being cautious.”
“You
were never cautious either…you trusted me without thinking before…” Hand to his
head, the effects of the wine was finally starting to kick in as he groaned
slightly, the distraction allowing her to sit against the fountain beside him. “When
did I lose that from you…?”
“The
first time you tried to molest me.”
“I was
drunk,” he protested.
“Like
now?” Saori saw him stiffen and sighed. “Sorry.”
“You’re
right…don’t be sorry…” Leaning his forehead on her shoulder (quite an effort
considering the difference in height), Hiiro muttered, “I want to talk more…but
this headache hurts and I’m tired…I don’t want Saori to go either…”
“I’ll…”
Saori pulled a face as she shifted him so he could lie his head on her lap, the
strain on his back disappearing and a smile crossing his face as he wrapped an
arm about her waist to keep her warmth close, sleep overtaking him as he heard
her mumble, “…stay until someone finds us here…”
Silver
orbs shut calmly as he smiled, “Always…near me…Saori…You’re always near me…”
His grip tightened around her, Isako’s magic working wonders as pleasant dreams
and memories began playing in his mind.
A fond
smile crossed her lips, watching his face. It was so peaceful, and to the
unknowing eye he looked like an innocent child. “Yes…I’ll always be near you,
Hiiro…So sleep. I won’t go anywhere for now…”
~*~ : * : ~*~
Kohaku
had to stretch his wings of their soreness as he landed, setting Ryu and Kayoko
down with a small grunt. “Mou…Saori-chan always leaves me to do the hard stuff.”
His face dropped as he grumbled darkly, “And helping Lord Hiiro…he better not
try anything to my Saori-imouto or I’ll…”
Ryu
couldn’t help arching an eyebrow. “Kohaku, you’re actually capable of being
dark?”
“My son
is capable of a lot that might surprise you.” Kosuke smiled, opening Illusian’s
front door to greet them. “Have fun?”
“DADDY!”
Like a little child, Kohaku turned small, clinging to Kosuke’s face with happy
arcs for eyes from behind his glasses.
Ryu
couldn’t help twitching. Screwed up family…Why am I not surprised…?
Kosuke’s
expression matched his sons as he waited for him to turn big again to rustle
his hair affectionately. “Been a long time, Kohaku-kun. Come on in. We haven’t
talked for a while.”
Ryu
pretended not to see a tail pop out behind him and wag like a happy dog as the
father and son went off to talk. He needed sleep. He was starting to get a
headache and he didn’t even have any wine this time.
“A very
affectionate family,” Kayoko laughed with a smile as she walked by him, her
room just doors from his anyway, “All Kosuke-sama’s children love him dearly,
even if he doesn’t see them much. Lady Kiryo is by far the most eccentric
though. Last time se was here, she and Kohaku-san who’d been visiting were
fighting on who could have his attention.”
A LARGE
sweat-drop fell down his head. There were just no words for it.
“Good
night, Ryu.” With that said, she slid inside her room, shutting the door with a
click.
Ryu followed
her example, sighing once he collapsed onto his pillows face first. Sleep. He
needed sleep. Kosuke’s family was just too much. Way too much…but…
“Ryu-kun!”
Laughter filled his ears, his and someone else’s, before he jumped into the
waiting arms of a loving woman, her lips pressing to his cheek once he was
wrapped up securely in her arms, hugging her neck as all children did. “Time
for your nap.”
…Haha-ue…
A sad smile drifted to his face despite himself, a cool night breeze coming and
caressing his hair from his open windows. …I envy them too…Lady Isako, it’s
been so long since I did, but if you can hear me, let me dream of my home
tonight…
He
didn’t even hear the answer, already lost in pleasant dreams as a cloak as
black as night blew in the breeze before it disappeared from his room as
suddenly as it appeared. “As you wish…little warrior…may sweet dreams
wrap you in their embrace tonight…”
~*~ : * : ~*~
Kosuke’s
smile was wide as he and his son sat in his study, in front of a gently burning
fireplace that kept the temperature just right, the windows open to let the
chill air in. “Now this is how wine should be consumed. Your wine is as
magnificent as always, Kohaku…”
He
beamed, taking a sip of his own and relaxing into his father’s incredibly
comfortable chairs. Not too stiff but not too hard. Just right. “I’m happy you
think so, papa.”
“How
have you been?” His eyes were thoughtful as they gazed at the fire, its
red-orange light lost in his deep raspberry orbs that matched his son’s.
“Great!
Celestia is in excellent shape and we just got a new shipment in and…!”
Kosuke
stopped his rambling with a firm shake of his head. “…You know what I mean…”
Kohaku
lowered his eyes, gripping the slim stand of his goblet. “I know…”
“So how
are you?”
“Like I
always am,” he chuckled quietly, painfully, “I’m happy…but I’m sad. When Lord
Hiiro came today, Ruko-sama actually said to him, first thing, ‘Oh,
Tetsuo-san isn’t here too?’ and then she was saying, ‘I invited him, but
work was swamping Ichiro-kun so he can’t come. The wars breaking out on Phylos
keep him busy lately’. It hurts…but she’s a caring woman and I know it
doesn’t mean anything but…” His shaky grip didn’t steady, even as he felt his
father’s comforting hand on his clenched one that threatened to ruin a
perfectly good goblet. “I wanted to do nothing more then hold her…and say ‘I’m
here’ or ‘Don’t think about them’…”
Kosuke’s
eyes were sad as he nodded understandingly. “It’s my blood which makes you this
way. Faeries are small creatures, so they dislike being hugged. It’s a
subconscious fear of being crushed or something, your mother told me once, even
if they are in their big forms. But my blood reversed it…it made you a strongly
affectionate man…who desires to be held…”
“But
that’s the one thing I can’t do because she’s afraid of me if I try it…and I
can’t hate Ruko-sama for something she has no control over…” His eyes saddened
as he muttered, “Look what it did to Saori-chan…because she was inflicted with
two different personalities, her child one and her ‘normal’ one, she was
teased mercilessly and it hurt her. Her strong magic even created her third
personality…Shiko…as an outlet so it didn’t destroy her in conjunction with her
sadness. And the teasing got worse then! The hurtful things they said after
Shiko came to be…it hurt Saori deeply despite herself and made Shiko into this
embodiment of darkness…of her pain, sadness, anger, despair…”
Kosuke
was pained as he nodded. “You don’t want to make Ruko feel as Saori did…to feel
hurt because of something she has no control over. So you decided to bury your
need for affection and compensate by bringing out everything else that you
usually buried, like your childish nature. Before, you were always the most
mature of my children. Outbursts of ‘Daddy’ or the eccentric actions you
use now had always been Saori or Kiryo’s things.” As an after thought he
smiled, “Not that I mind it. I’m actually glad for that part.”
Kohaku
gave him a half-hearted smile. “You’re a glutton for affection.”
He took
a long drink of wine, finishing it off with a wide smile. “Yep.” More seriously
he said, “But so are you, Kohaku…You know it can’t stay buried for long. Though
simple things like hugs and kisses, even small pecks to the cheek, seem
meaningless and insignificant to anyone else, to those in this family they have
huge affects…in your case though…your body will start showing reactions to the
lack of physical love soon…”
A true
smile threatened to break his face as he arched an eyebrow and asked amusedly, “So
are you saying I should start being like Lord Hiiro? Though, granted, he hasn’t
been bedding anyone lately if what I heard is true…but you get what I mean.”
Kosuke
twitched. “By the skies of Tengoku, no! That would be even worse!” Standing
from his seat as he set his refilled wine goblet down, he squatted in front of
Kohaku and took his free hand, watching his limb shake slightly. “The shaking
hasn’t stopped…it will get progressively worse, you know, if you continue
holding this back…”
Kohaku
took his hand away and smiled knowingly. “I know, but it wouldn’t be better
either unless it were Ruko-sama who held me…and that would never happen…so I’ll
just continue as I am. I’m in no imminent danger anyway until I start getting
sick, right?”
“Right…but…”He
rubbed his head in pain. Even Kohaku is stubborn as a mule… “Damn, why
are all my children so STUBBORN?”
His
son’s smile really did split his face, eyes turning into happy arcs as he
laughed jovially, “We were born from a stubborn daddy, that’s why!”
Kosuke
didn’t even feel pain as his head crashed into the hard floor of his study hard. I’m getting a migraine…and it isn’t even
from banging my head on cold, hard marble either. Father was right when he said
I have a hard head…
That
thought made him want to hit his head again, this time harder.
~*~ : * : ~*~
Ruko gave
a tired sigh as she fluttered to and fro, Illusian’s magic soothing instead of
intimidating like with most people. Personally, she liked it, but then again,
Faeries were close friends of Necromancers. They were around magic all the
time. In fact, Necromancer magic was partly responsible for why Celestia was
floating in the first place. Of course I’m comfortable with magic…it’s
protected me since I was born.
“Ruko-hime!
You mustn’t leave Celestia’s borders!”
“But
why?”
“You are
the future Queen! We can not risk you being captured!”
Bad
thoughts, Ruko, don’t go there. Shaking her head, she yelped as she nearly
flew straight into a tree. “Maybe I should walk…” Rubbing her forehead, she
couldn’t help sigh, “I still can’t figure this out…”
“I’m
Kohaku, Ruko-sama. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He took her hand and kissed
it, a charming smile on his face. “I hope I won’t disappoint you.”
“…How
does Ruko-sama…feel for me…?”
She
blinked, at a loss. “I’m very fond of Kohaku, of course. You’ve been my dearest
friend and chased away the loneliness I’d always felt before. Why are you
asking me such a thing now…?”
Before
she’d realized it, he grabbed her in a tight hug, his face pressed into her
neck, his breath warm against her skin. “Ruko-sama…I love you…not as a
friend…but as a man…”
She’d
flinched. It wasn’t even voluntary, her body reacting on its own to the display
of affection. Kohaku had obviously felt it, pulling away with such a
heartbroken look it nearly broke HER heart. But he was too close…much too
close… “Kohaku…please look at me…”
His head
was lowered and didn’t move for awhile, but when it did, a kind smile was on
his face like always, the half-faerie youth shaking his head in understanding.
“It’s OK, Ruko-sama, I understand. I’m sorry for scaring you. Kohaku no baka,
ne?” Bopping his head, he broke into a large grin, sliding out of her room.
“I’ll go get you some snacks, ne?” Happily, he waved before SKIPPING towards
the direction the kitchen was whistling some nonsense tune he’d probably picked
up from his father.
Ruko
shook her head viciously. I’ve never been able to answer him properly. Why
won’t my mind think of something I could say to him? He’s always acted so
outrageously and makes me smile, but what’s behind Kohaku’s smile…? Are you
really smiling, OK with never having gotten a clear answer, or are you hiding
the truth from me? I know there is something behind it…
“I
should be going, daddy.”
“Alright
then; give my best to Ruko too.”
She hid
behind a tree despite herself. I owe him a proper answer…but what would it
be? I’m so fond of Kohaku…I can’t think of another way to put it. But what is
‘fond’?
She
wanted to rip at her hair. Something. She couldn’t put it off or brush it aside
anymore. It always comes back…always…I tell Kohaku everything…all my
problems…but this one. I can’t talk with him about this one, even if he could
probably think of a solution for me. He’d hate himself, knowing him, for supposedly
putting me through this frustration.
“Ruko-sama?”
With a
startled yelp, Ruko whirled around, her head still in her hands. When she
finally realized they were there she took them away quickly, hiding them behind
her head and smiling nervously and trying to ignore his surprised look.
“Kohaku…I was worried so I thought I’d come see what kept you.”
“I
decided to stay and talk with papa for awhile,” he smiled happily, tail
appearing and wagging happily. Ruko couldn’t help chuckling a little. “I’m
happy Ruko-sama came for me!”
Though
she smiled, inside she sighed sadly. I know that. You always are. That’s
what makes this so difficult to say. “Ne, Kohaku…”
“Hmm?”
His eyes were bright and smiling, as if nothing in the world could bother him. So
very much like his father, but much better at hiding things.
“Would
you mind accompanying me on a trip to Atlantis?” Mentally, Ruko cursed her own
mind. “I have some business down there and I think we could both use some fun,
ne?”
Kohaku
lit up, turning small. It was so slight she wouldn’t have even noticed if it
weren’t for his sudden pause, but he hugged her shoulder tightly, fluttering
beside her as she took flight again. “Really, Ruko-sama!?”
“Hai,
hai.”
Kohaku
was absolutely beaming, and not just because of the trip. When I’m small…so
you don’t mind it when I’m small…Ruko-sama…? He could feel the shaking of
his hand stop, letting go and transforming back in the air beside her. “That
sound like a good idea! I’ll bring the wine!”
Ruko
sweat-dropped, brushing some of her loose black hair from her face. “I don’t
think that’s necessary…”
“But I
must as a gift!” Kohaku did a loop de loop as they broke through the clouds,
laughing joyfully. He was truly happy about something. There was no way it was
a cover up. At ease, her amethyst eyes relaxed, watching him laugh from ear to
ear like a child. “It’s customary, ne? Oh, and we have leftover cookies so I
must wrap them at once then!”
“Nagi-san
will enjoy them, I’m sure,” she chuckled, “He’s a big fan of Kohaku’s cooking
like me. It’s the wine he dreads.”
“Aw~!
That’s mean!” His eyes went large and teary, turning small in a puff of smoke
and clinging to her hair wailing. “Nagi-san is so mean! That’s my specially
blended wine!”
“Your
specially blended wine that makes people feel twice as crappy the next
morning,” she teased with a smile, looking to the side laughingly.
That
only made him wail more. “WAH! Ruko-sama~!”
“Hai,
hai. Gomen ne…Kohaku’s wine is twice as good as any other kingdom’s wine
though.”
Big and
teary, Kohaku clung to her nose as she landed at Celestia’s gates gracefully,
Nahora & Ayu already coming to greet them, bickering the whole way. Eyes
big and watery he sniffed, “Honto~?”
“Hai,
hai…now let’s go.”
Letting
her nose go, Kohaku fluttered over and changed to his big form again, a soft
smile on his lips as he watched her go break up Nahora and Ayu’s quarrel with a
tolerant smile. “…I can hold you in my small form…Ruko-sama…” Shutting his
eyes, he sighed to himself, “I can accept that…At least I know I can hold you
now without making you uneasy…”
Turning
to look behind her, Ruko smiled amusedly, “Come now, Kohaku, or we’ll get
caught in the storm Lord Raikou has been brewing up!”
Relaxing
at her expression, Kohaku bound after them jovially. “Ah…hai!”
“A…Friend?”
“Un…”
Taking her hand gently, he smiled comfortingly as she flinched, eyes
understanding as he rubbed the back of her hand gently with his thumb.
“Physical displays of affection are common among friends. Do you mind when I do
this?”
“Not…really.”
Staring at his hand, Ruko slowly relaxed, the uncomfortable feeling settling
down. “But…nothing else for now, alright? It’ll take a while for me to get used
to.”
“Sure,
Ruko-sama.” With a smile, he stood up, extending a hand to her. “But as your
friend, the first thing I must ask is if you would like to go see Inferno with
me. I’m meeting Kosuke-chichi and Saori-chan, but you’ve never been outside
Celestia, have you? Let’s go see it together.”
“Let me give you your freedom…” Is
that what you’re saying, Kohaku? Smiling fully for the first long time in a
while she laughed, grabbing his extended hand, “Hai!”
…I’ll do anything to protect that
precious smile…that was kept locked away from the light…Ruko-sama…
~ * ~ : * : ~ * ~ : ~ * ~ : * : ~ * ~
: ~ * ~ : * : ~ * ~ : ~ * ~