Prologue:

He couldn't find him. He wasn't in his quarters, nor in Konzen's offices, not in jail even. Where was he?

Grimly, he figured the day of reckoning had come.

****

He remembered meeting the spirited young general at one of the more tedious social gatherings in the inner courts of Li Tou Ten's lodgings. In fact, he would probably have left early with a halfhearted attempt at an excuse if he had not noticed that there was someone else, even less interested in the pomp of the occasion than he was. Being able to watch the features knitted in boredom and the nimble fingers that played with his sake dish just a little too often was rather entertaining in the face of the pretentious atmosphere. Here was one who was not serving up praises to the higher authorities seated across to him, someone who, just maybe, was able to plow his way into the ranks based on sheer ability.

He let his gaze linger on the man, until their eyes inevitably met. The other's eyebrow rose, but only a small fraction from annoyance. There was something dancing in eyes, a spark of mischief that fascinated him, allowing him to hold the stare until he broke away. Ah, how unsuspecting he seemed, so different from the people about him.

He paused. What was that? Oh yes, certainly, the cherry blossoms are quite lovely. Allow me to serve you a cup of wine. What? Was I dreaming? No, just deep in thought...

The party was breaking up, people were going of in twos and trees to walk through Li's blooming garden. It was just that time of year when the delicate pink blossoms unfurled their petals with a profusion of sweet perfume. Perfect for a private stroll or a sip of sake.

With a slight note of amusement, he noticed that the newly appointed general making his purposeful way towards him. It may not have seemed terribly obvious to the other guests, but to him, he might have been an arrow tipped with fire.

"Oi, what were you looking at?" were the first words that issued from his mouth as he fell into step with him.

"Nothing really. You just appeared interesting. You're new, aren't you?"

"Yeah, got promoted last month. Got tied up after that. The name's Kenren."

"So I've heard."

"Oh? And who are you?"

"You don't know? Who do you think I am?"

They were straying further away from the main body of people. Away from the poisoned words coated thickly in honey that poured from the lips of the attendees. The dropped hints of favours needed and budgets that were to be approved under the table.

In a while, they had completely left the crowd behind them and drifted into a secluded copse of fragrant pink. He turned and smiled a warm, genuine smile at the mildly perplexed man following him.

"What? Aren't you going to tell me?"

"Ah, who I am... it's a minor technicality. Life, even if immortal, should not be wasted on insignificant details. I'm just another who has to pander to the whims of the higher ups just like everyone else."

"You're not uh.. you know..."

"Yes? Don't be afraid to speak your mind."

"Hells no. I just thought you might be one of those who entertained them," a thumb was jerked backwards in the direction from which they had come.

"Entertained?"

"C'mon, look at you! You don't dress like the rest, you don't act like the rest. You could be one of those who do little night favours. I dunno."

"My, " he chuckled, and the wind seemed to share his mirth. It lifted the raven dark hair from his shoulders and threw the wafting petals into mild confusion. He composed himself before continuing, "You certainly are a blunt one."

"I take pride in it. Anyway, there's nothing wrong with what you do. I mean, guys sleep their way to the top all the time."

"Did you do it?" there was another trace of laughter in his voice as he saw the other colour.

"Wha... course not! Wouldn't be able to look in the mirror if I did. Are you saying I look cheap?"

"Are you saying the same of me?"

Kenren murmured something in embarrassment, then scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. "Well, sorry. I just--"

"No offense taken, " a hand waved it off casually.

They spent a few minutes in companionable silence after that. Despite the challenges of his occupation, the stresses it brought and how it separated him from his texts, the world was a placid place in that moment. A simple, pleasurable scene of shifting flowers and quiet company. To think that this merry-making would never end...

But was there really no end in sight? How could they sit in Heaven, complacent of their own positions, constantly thinking that they were better than the humans below the clouds because they were free from the Wheel of Reincarnation? If they did not enrich themselves with many lifetimes and experience like the humans did, how did they better themselves? Did death and rebirth make the humans better or worse?

"You know, " he finally said, stretching out beneath the shadows of the cherry blossom tree, "I'd like to die here, under the spring flowers."

"That was a real quick change in conversation, " Kenren quipped. He too sat down, the edges of their clothes brushing as he did so. "Why suddenly so morbid?"

"Just a thought."

"Heh, thinking about death would be pointless. We can't die. You see, we're just like that, " he pointed at two blue and black butterflies, skittering about in the sunlight. "We live life to enjoy it. Nothing is sacred."

"I certainly didn't expect that to come from you. You don't seem the type who will say that." he raised his finger to trace the random dance of the winged insects.

"Nope, I usually don't. I don't know why..."

He looked up and saw Kenren's face cast in light shadow, framed in an aureole of light and cherry blossoms. The latter wore a slightly puzzled expression but he might have misinterpreted a look of scrutinizing interest. It was accentuated by the curious way he tilted his head. He looked charming... Intriguingly childlike yet wise, and all encased in a handsome body of immortal flesh.

Perhaps it was the mystic beauty of the scene, the drowsy afternoon or unlikely as it was, the sake, but he propped himself up on his elbows so that their noses almost touched and said, "I think I agree. We all live life to enjoy its pleasures See how whimsical they are?"

His breath whispered against the general's lips as he said it, dry like an autumn wind. All he could see then were the impressive orbs of Kenren's eyes, which he widened though he made no attempt to shift away in a fluster. This made him even more alluring, that he was not afraid, that he would meet a challenge like this without batting an eyelash.

"What do you think would happen if people were to walk by suddenly?" Kenren asked, not breaking the eye contact. His muscles however, were tensed like a tightly strung bow.

"It wouldn't matter, would it? Being who I am, no one would think the worse of it."

Who closed the gap was not important. What mattered was that their lips touched for the briefest of moments but the effect of it was so profound that he could not think of anything to say. It felt good. A simple phrase, but it was a sensation that needed no elaborate poetry to describe.

"We..." Kenren looked as if he was on the verge of some silly statement.

"... smoke the same brand," he finished for him.

"Aa."

With his eyes half closed, he could just see two pairs of powdery soft wings flecked with gold fluttering against baby blue. The stuff that fantasy was made of, really, something beautiful that he wanted inscribed in memory.

"You're not half a bad guy, y'know?" he heard his companion remark.

His only response was to shut his eyes with a smile. The man did not know what he was talking about, but that was fine.

It seemed to him that he fell into the arms of sleep, for he became aware of a distanced voice calling out to them. He sat up slowly and rubbed the last traces of slumber from his eyes to see that there was indeed a manservant making his way towards them.

"Marshal Tenpou, the master was getting concerned. He requests your presence back at the residence."

"Ma-Marshal?"

He gave Kenren a sideways glance.

***

They certainly had been through a lot together, even though their relationship had taken an unusual start. He had judged Kenren's character very well, much to his satisfaction. He had not minded the inequality of their positions, had scoffed at it to boot, and become a welcome visitor to his rooms, be it for business or otherwise.

That he really cared for the other made it even harder for him to use Kenren as a pawn for his own designs. As long as he remained loyal, as long as his character was unsullied, as long as... well, as long as he made enough trouble in the lower ranks to keep the officials away from sniffing about his own activities it was enough.

To really think about it made a curious feeling slide through his chest, like a scalpel was making a clean incision between the halves of his heart. A good reason to push it all the way into the back of his mind.

He did not want to entertain the possibilities of emotional bondage. That was why there was sex. It helped to keep emotions and impulses at bay, but above all, it was an ideal way to stop searching conversations short. It was terrible and it was good. Terrible because he did not allow himself to be addressed as 'lover' nor did he call Kenren any thing such, but good because it didn't need to be said.

***

He was walking in a stiff, straight-backed manner, the white fabric of his lab coat slapping against his trousers. His thoughts were dark and his mouth was set in a thin line that belied the storm brewing within. He wanted a cigarette to sooth him, but he didn't trust himself to light one without mangling it first.

The entire situation surrounding Kenren's sudden disappearance smelled of a trap to lure him out. The man would not leave for anything without telling him first, much less for a whole week.

He was disgusted.

He never reckoned that the one behind it would stoop to such levels to take him down. Then again, he had slipped up as a brilliant tactician if he had so underestimated the enemy. He had probably been doing things wrong for a long time since his connections with Kenren could be used in such a debased way.

The shadows were growing long and the sky was blushing a muted red. As his shoes clicked on the paved path, he felt the unmistakable sensation of being followed. He kept determinedly to his pace, not about to give away that he knew.

Spring was visiting the gardens again as he walked through the familiar scene of weeping petals. It was the last, most unlikely place that he thought Kenren could be, but then, it was the only place.

Polished stone gave way to dark green grass littered with decomposing pink. He stopped, turned around and struck off in the direction of a clearing, his nose wrinkling at the unwholesome stench of rotten cherry blossoms. It was so unusually strong, his insides twisted alarmingly.

Every step he took forward, the smell invaded his nose ever more harshly. Not just his nose, but his eyes and his ears and his mouth. Some one needed to keep the garden in order. Badly.

He coughed as a particularly pungent wave of stink hit him hard. It was mistake, he realized, as it only made him inhale even more of the ungodly odor. This was too much, too much to simply be the fault of the caretakers...

He stumbled a few paces, still gagging while his hand searched for a support. His fingers curled around a squishy, moist branch.

Only, it was not just that. He flung himself back, repulsed by the bruised arm extended towards him. A moan fought to rise out of his throat as his eyes travelled upwards.

The face was still recognizable despite its battered condition, if not, the impressive black uniform was a dead give away. The eyes were hollow, not telling a whit of the agony he had probably been through. He looked like he had been messily crucified, his arms sticking out at different angles but tacked forcefully to the trunk of the tree. The top half of his coat was unbuttoned to display the open cavity of his chest vulgarly. Some petals had caught themselves on the body like they had been strewn in a mocking funeral rite.

Tenpou covered his mouth as his innards flip-flopped. He had seen worse in his career, much worse. Seeing it done to someone who had been so close was different. Grossly different. Whether it was grief or regret that threatened to rip him in two as he stood there trembling, he couldn't be sure.

Oh fuck...He had to get out of there. Practically speaking, Kenren was dead and he would be too is he stayed too long.

He had almost forgotten that he was being tailed since he entered the gardens. He whirled around a half a second too late, only managing to see a shadowed figure and the flash of silver-blue as a halberd was thrust unerringly into his back, pinning him face first to the same tree. He sagged against Kenren's body in pain, the dark red of his blood spreading across the white of his coat.

Not a normal weapon, he thought weakly. It was fashioned for immortals like himself, it was probably even from Nataku's arsenal. That pretty much meant that he was going to die, did it not? At least it was going to be quicker than whatever Kenren had endured.

As the blood drained away from him, he pressed his face into the black fabric of Kenren's clothes, his chest heaving into the sticky mess of his internal organs. Damned weapon had pinioned them together in a macabre embrace that would incite the most outrageous scandal when they were found.

Oh hell. What did it matter? The images were starting to swim in his mind, and Kenren's face was blurring. It must have been his fancy, but he could have sworn that the sun had re-emerged, that there were butterflies of black and blue floating carelessly here and there. A pleasant breeze was blowing, there was not a care in the world.

His hand reached out and sought the other's and he whispered something that he would never have said if he had been alive, though he wished he had said it.

"... a... i... shi.."

His fingers stilled.

~End~