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Chapter Text

Yuuki scowled as Yo-ka's phone rang through to voicemail. Again. He might not know how, but he was certain Jui was responsible. Hauling himself out of bed, Yuuki tossed on the first clean clothes he could find as he called Satoshi, trying not to fuss at the ringing phone.

“Moshi moshi.”

“Tosh, about time. I need to go to Osaka today and you need to come with me.”

“Uh, why?”

“Yo-kun's gotten his stupid ass in over his head,” he muttered, using a bit of magic on his hair before giving up and picking out a sunhat. “Can you come or should I ask someone else?”

“Oi, now, you know you can always count on me. Just give me fifteen and we can meet at that Starbucks?”

“You and your coffee addiction. Fifteen minutes, Tosh.”

Satoshi grumbled something unintelligible and hung up. Yuuki stopped at his altar, debating with himself for a moment before tucking his ritual dagger into his satchel. He just ... wouldn't give any cops an excuse to want to look in his bag.

Satoshi looked only half awake when Yuuki met him, his friend grunting before going into the coffee shop. Yuuki would have preferred skipping this part, but he knew better (now) than to get between Satoshi and coffee, especially first thing in the morning. Even if he thought Jui deserved to have to deal with a coffee-deprived Satoshi, they still had to get to Osaka first and he didn't want to have to deal with that.

“Right then,” the redhead grumbled as they settled into Yuuki's car, “what, exactly is going on?”

“Did you know Jui-senpai was youkai?” he asked.

“... huh. No, but I never really thought about it,” his friend said with a shrug.

“Well he is and Yo-ka's gotten in over his head with him. So now I have to go down to Osaka to rescue his stupid mundane ass.”

“While looking like a hobo? Yuu-chan....”

“Yo-ka isn't answering his phone and it's not like I can portal to Osaka. I'll cast a glamour once we've found his idiot self, that should be good enough.”

From Satoshi's grunt, he could tell his friend didn't agree with him. Well, they had hours of driving ahead of them. If, at the end of it, he decided Satoshi was right, he could always go out and buy something better than his current jeans and t-shirt. No big deal.

~*~*~

Yo-ka shuddered as he came down off his orgasmic high ... and crashed hard into the reality that he was naked and sweaty in the back of a tour van, their tour van. Hot shame coursed through him, making Jui's touch feel cool in comparison.

“Such a beautiful blush,” his senpai murmured, “but you needn't be so worried, pet. I shielded us before I called your witch friend, no one heard or saw a thing.”

Another shiver and then Jui was kissing him again, his whole body going limp as he offered himself completely to his Master. That little smile as Jui sat back ... Yo-ka could die happy right now, knowing he was responsible for that smile. Certainly nothing else in his life mattered as much as knowing he had pleased his Master.

“Get dressed,” his senpai chided softly, though he was still smiling. “We should reach Osaka in another, hmm, half hour or so?”

“So soon?” he asked, scrambling back into his clothes with a nervous blush.

“Mm. You were so deliciously tempting and I do so hate being rushed,” Jui replied. It hadn't felt especially languid to Yo-ka, but maybe that was Jui's magic? Though now that he was getting dressed ... he winced as he felt something ache in his limbs and a low burn from his ass. Okay, maybe they really had been indulging in each other that long.

“Oh shh, hush pet, it's only a passing thing,” Jui murmured, catching Yo-ka's chin and pressing another kiss to his lips. He could feel the magic flowing through him, the aches melting away, along with any desire to do anything more than just lay here and kiss and caress and adore his Master.

“Thank you, Master,” he murmured, closing his eyes and just savoring the now fading feel of magic within him. He wanted more, but he also wasn't going to be so greedy as to try asking for more right now. Later tonight, he could ask for more kisses, more of that magic touch, after they were done for the day. Until then he would do his best to make his Master proud of him, to earn those sweet kisses.

~*~*~

Yuuki smoothed out his shirt, then hitched his satchel up his shoulder again, nerves fluttering in his stomach.

“Stop that, before you start making me nervous,” Satoshi mumbled, pushing his sunglasses back up his nose. Yuuki huffed, watching as his friend swept his hair out of his leather jacket.

“Aren't you hot?”

“Always,” the tanuki said with a wink and a flick of his tongue. “Is this the place then?”

“Yeah,” he said, taking a deep breath. Jui had severed his link with Yo-ka, but he had still been able to find him without too much trouble. Catching up with his friend at the hotel like this, Yuuki had expected to find Yo-ka in the company of his bandmates, maybe a few of their senpai as well. He hadn't expected to find him in the hotel lobby, casually chatting with a pair of vampires, though in hindsight, maybe he should have.

“Yuuki-kun? Ah, and Satoshi-kun, too! It's been awhile, ne?” Ruiza called out, waving them over. Yo-ka looked tense, eyes darting to the side, but Yuuki didn't see Jui anywhere. Well, that was fine with him.

“I hate to crash and run, but do you think we could steal Yo-kun for dinner?” Yuuki asked, putting on his most innocent face for the vampire sitting next to his friend. And for an instant, he actually thought it was going to work. Then Ruiza snapped his fingers and everything froze. Even in frozen time, Yuuki's eyes couldn't track the vampire as he went from sitting next to Yo-ka to suddenly standing in front of Yuuki, one finger tracing his cheek.

“You are truly beautiful, even under the glamours,” the vampire cooed. “It's a shame I can't make you one of us, it really is.”

“Yoshi.”

“I want him,” Ruiza purred, no longer even looking at Yuuki. “Just a taste, at least? Please?”

“I think you've already gotten into enough trouble with our dear Juichi-sama, don't you?” Asagi said, though that statement, whatever it was supposed to mean, didn't stop the elder vampire from trailing fingers along the backs of Yuuki's shoulders.

“Yes, I think that's quite enough from the both of you,” Jui said. Where the hell had he come from? Another snap of fingers and time resumed with seemingly no one noticing anything had gone awry. Yo-ka's eyes widened a moment, then dropped to the floor, and something like fear twisted in Yuuki's stomach. Yo-ka was in deep.

“Yuuki-kun,” Jui said as he walked up behind him, a restraining hand brushing against the small of his back, “you really didn't need to come all this way. But since you have ... dinner? Satoshi-kun, too, of course.”

It was too public but he couldn't help it, spinning around to glare up at his senpai.

“He's a human, not a chair. Let him go,” he hissed.

“And as I tried to tell you, that's not how this works. But let's ask him, shall we? Yo-ka-kun, do you want me to release you?”

The panic in Yo-ka's eyes when the man glanced up at them twisted the knife in Yuuki's stomach.

“No, senpai.”

“There, you see? Dinner? Or are you trying to make a scene here in front of mundanes for a reason?”

He needed to get Yo-ka away from both Jui and the vampires, but he couldn't do it by himself. Glancing at Satoshi, his friend gave him a subtle head shake; the tanuki didn't think they could break Yo-ka free under the current circumstances either.

“Just the four of us?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“Just the four of us,” Jui agreed with a nod. Yuuki still didn't know what exactly Jui was, other than an arrogant son of a bitch, but maybe....

“All right,” he said with a nod, balling his hands into fists as he watched the way Yo-ka continued to act around their senpai. The submission wasn't entirely a surprise, per se, but seeing how quickly he had fallen to Jui ... it wasn't right. And yet he held his tongue as they walked from the hotel to a nearby restaurant, even managing a smile for the hostess as they were taken to a private room. He saw Jui do something as soon as her back was turned, but even with his years of studying the arcane, he couldn't tell what exactly had been cast. A shield of some sort, he thought, but....

“Permeable privacy shield. I assume Satoshi-kun knows what you are, yes? Shall I also assume this means you two are fine with me telling Yo-ka-kun the truth about the two of you then?”

“You don't know anything about me!” Yuuki snapped. “Or my relationship with Toshi!”

“Clearly, you don't know anything about me, either, little witch,” Jui shot back. Something flared around the other man and then Yo-ka's hand was on Jui's shoulder and his senpai's aura was calm once more.

“No. No, he doesn't,” Satoshi growled, grabbing Yuuki's elbow. “Excuse us a minute?”

Yuuki was already being dragged from the room even as Jui was nodding and smiling. He didn't understand, following Satoshi into the men's room.

“Okay, we're staying for dinner because duh, but I am not taking on a phoenix, you can just forget that, okay? I don't know what you were thinking, but yeah, no, forget it, Yuu-chan. We have dinner, we make nice, we go home. If you want to try anything, you're on your own.”

“What are you –?”

“He almost flamed your ass,” Satoshi said, lowering his sunglasses to peer at him over the rims, disbelief clear in his voice, “and you didn't See it? I'm telling you, we're all in over our heads here, but if you want my professional opinion? Yo-ka's not the one who needs rescuing right now.”

“Toshi....”

“No. Jui-sama may look like a normal human, but that's a kami behind that glamor. A kami that Yo-ka just reigned in with a touch. I know you've been enjoying having him in your bed, but I'm telling you, let him go.”

Yuuki scowled, turning and leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. The thought of Jui being a kami had never even entered his mind. It just ... didn't feel possible. But at the same time, he couldn't imagine why Satoshi would make up something like that.

“... I should've brought Hiro with me.”

“Oh cuz that would have gone well,” Satoshi replied, rolling his eyes and pushing his sunglasses back up his nose. “Hiro-kun still barely knows his ass from his elbow when it comes to this stuff and you know it, which is why you called me in the first place.”

As frustrated as he was feeling, he couldn't very well argue with that. He and Satoshi had been shoving as much information into Hiro's head as possible over the last six months, but his practical skills were lagging behind badly. He could certainly act intimidating as hell, but that wasn't going to work on someone as strong as Jui, kami or not, which was why he had called Satoshi instead.

“Admit it, Yuu-chan, you've liked being at the center of your own little reverse harem of hot guys. And now you're mad cuz you have to let one go.”

“Stolen from me, thank you,” he muttered. “Yo-ka's my friend and a mundane, I was supposed to be protecting him from this.”

“You know, senpai's always come across as a genuinely good guy. Why are you assuming this is going to end horribly? Come on, we'll have dinner and if he's still giving you bad vibes, we'll go home and plot things out properly. Don't know what any of us can do against a kami, but....”

Another cranky huff, but Yuuki had to admit Satoshi was right. Challenging whatever type of youkai Jui ultimately proved to be ... it would have to be done very carefully.

~*~*~

Jui watched Satoshi practically drag Yuuki out of the room, unable to stop himself from sighing when the door closed behind them.

“Master?” Yo-ka murmured, scooting closer.

“Has Yuuki-kun ever told you the truth of what he is?” Jui asked, shifting to tuck an arm around the younger man's waist.

“... I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume you aren't talking about his polyamory or his kinks,” Yo-ka replied, smiling and then scooting away when the door opened again. Jui offered the waitress a soft smile, soliciting Yo-ka's help with a drinks order for her and feeling quietly grateful when they were left alone again. He was a little surprised Yuuki and Satoshi hadn't returned yet. Should he wait for them to come back to explain? Would they come back? Yuuki didn't strike him as the sort to run away or back down easily, but....

“... so when you call Yuu-chan a witch, I take it you don't mean it figuratively,” Yo-ka said at last, toying with a napkin in an effort to quell his nerves.

“No. And I don't mean it in the pop culture neo-pagan sense, either. He's human, like you, but someone, somewhere, started teaching him arcane magic. How much, I don't know yet, enough to make him interesting, perhaps even dangerous in the wrong conditions.”

“Dangerous? Yuu-chan has a sharp tongue, but he wouldn't hurt a fly.”

“Historically, youkai and onmyouji haven't had the best relationships,” Jui said, glancing up when the door opened again. Just the waitress with their drinks, politely asking after a dinner order. Well, fast service was one of the reasons he liked this place. He considered his options a moment, then went ahead with a dinner order for all four of them, again getting Yo-ka's input for their two absent companions. Yuuki wasn't going to just walk away, his coming down here already proved that much.

“And Satoshi?” Yo-ka asked when they were alone again, but before Jui could answer, the two men were back, Yuuki's unease practically shouting at him despite the calm mask he wore.

“Ask him yourself? Ah, we had to order while you were out, but Yo-ka-kun helped, so hopefully it will be acceptable,” Jui said, smiling and watching the two closely. A frown flickered across Yuuki's face before he sat down with a shrug, as if he didn't care. Satoshi, on the other hand, seemed genuinely curious, taking off his sunglasses and tucking them into a jacket pocket.

“All right ... Toshi-kun, what have you been hiding, then?”

“Eeeeeeeverything,” the guitarist said with a laugh. “But if you're asking what I am.....”

A beat and familiar tanuki ears popped out of the mass of red curls, wiggling in a way that was somehow both comical and suggestive. Jui couldn't help laughing at the display.

“Makes the two of you a bit of an unlikely pair, ne?” he said, glancing between the bandmates.

“What can I say?” Satoshi said, laughing a bit as he shrugged his shoulders. “From the minute I saw Yuu-chan, I knew I had to have him. And then I found out what he was, and I had to have him even more.”

“Funny to hear you put it that way,” Jui said with a frown. “Especially after the things he's said to me.”

“Toshi doesn't own me,” Yuuki grumbled. “We're friends. Sometimes working partners.”

“And sometimes bedmates, when you need a good tumble and can't get one of your other boys to give it to you,” Satoshi added with a playful smirk. “And a couple times even when you could.”

Yo-ka shifted uncomfortably at that comment and Jui made a mental note to ask him about it later, when they were alone again.

“The point,” Yuuki said, throwing a quick scowl at his tanuki friend, “is that Toshi doesn't try to control my life. He doesn't try to act all superior just because he's youkai and I'm human.”

“Is that what you think? Oh Yuu-chan, Yo-ka's right, you cut like a dagger, but you've quite misunderstood me, little witch.”

“Oh I don't think I have at all,” the blond muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. Jui swallowed a sigh, sitting back at the arrival of dinner. When their server was gone, he flicked his fingers at the door to seal it for their meal, then turned a hard look on Yuuki.

“Are you here because of love or because of jealousy? Do you even know?”

Yuuki inhaled sharply, but his jaw remained clenched tight. So perhaps he didn't even know himself? A quick breath and Jui risked opening his third eye. Just a moment and then he was shutting it again, turning to cup Yo-ka's face in his hands and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“Shh, shh, stop fretting so, my precious. He cannot take back what you have already freely given. You are indeed my Shield, dearest one. Shall I show you both?”

“Sh-show us?” Yo-ka stammered. Another brief kiss to his forehead and Jui drew back, taking Yo-ka's right hand and laying it palm up on the table.

“This way it's going to hurt a bit, I'm afraid,” Jui murmured. “Watch carefully, little witch, don't make his suffering be for nothing.”

Holding Yo-ka's wrist firmly, he pulled on the magic, drawing the Mark to the surface. His Shield hissed in a breath at the fiery pain shooting through him, but he didn't try to break Jui's hold on him. He was going to have to reward him extra later.

“As I said, we are bound together,” Jui said softly as the Mark cooled to a ruddy henna brown. There, in the palm of his hand, delicate lines formed the image of an old-style dou with flames etched into the scales. “You are my Shield, Yo-chan, entrusted to guard my heart, just as you, yourself, promised.”

Yo-ka swallowed hard, wriggling his fingers but not actually closing his hand.

“Jui-sama....”

“It'll fade again by morning, perhaps sooner,” he said, leaning over to brush a kiss to his Shield's cheek. Satoshi was suddenly leaning over the table to peer at Yo-ka's hand, holding it open as he scowled at it. A beat and then that scowl was moving up to the singer's face.

“What exactly did you say?”

“I ... don't remember, exactly. Quoted Tolkein a couple times. The bit about having my sword and being his.”

“Try to remember, it's important,” Satoshi insisted. “As exactly as you can.”

“Well, we were talking about his youkai nature being a secret. He asked if I could keep it secret, I said yes. He asked if I could serve a god and I said yes. He pressed, I said yes again, then he got really quiet. That's when I pulled out the Tolkein. You know, the passage where Aragon says 'if by my life or death I can protect you, I will' bit. And then, um, he questioned it, so I told him I meant what I said, you know, the essence, if not exactly the whole having my sword bit exactly.”

“Faithful servant, adoring acolyte, willing slave, and loving shield were the exact words,” Jui interjected when Yo-ka couldn't – or perhaps hadn't wanted to? – remember the specific words.

“Yeah, that,” the young vocalist agreed with an abashed mumble. “He, um, he pushed again and that's when I pulled out the vow from Minas Tirith: I am yours, in any way you wish or desire, until death takes me or my lord tires of me. At least, I think that's how it went, right?”

Jui watched the color draining out of Yuuki's face and swallowed back a sigh. True, he could be vengeance itself, but there was no need to be cruel. Better, then, to just end it.

“Thrice over he swore himself to my service. I could not undo that so casually even had I wanted,” he said not unkindly. Satoshi finally sat back, nodding, while Yuuki simply sat there, staring at his plate, looking lost. It was enough to make him feel sorry for the kid.

“The two of you should stay with us tonight,” he said, though it would cut into his time alone with Yo-ka. “You came all this way, it would be too cruel to force you back yet tonight.”

Yuuki flinched and everyone in the room noticed it. Satoshi laid a hand on top of Yuuki's for a moment and Jui wondered if they were about to refuse.

“Jui-sama is most generous,” Satoshi said instead. “Thank you.”

~*~*~

Yo-ka fell quiet, watching the way Yuuki forced himself into a cool, professional, detached demeanor that might have been enough to fool someone else, but he knew better. He didn't regret one word of what he had said to Jui last night, even if he was mostly certain he didn't fully grasp the consequences, but that hurt he was seeing in Yuuki ... that he regretted. Once dinner was finished, he fished out his room key and handed it to Satoshi.

“You two know where the hotel is. Go on ahead, yeah? I need a minute with Jui-sama.”

Another flinch from Yuuki, but for the moment he pretended not to notice. Not that he was sure why, what with the way Jui was looking at him. Yo-ka didn't even know what to say, falling into step with him silently as they lagged behind the other two. He knew his senpai was curious to know what he wanted to discuss, but ... other than the hotel, he didn't know where they could go for privacy. So he wasn't too surprised when Jui walked him off to the side of the hotel lobby instead of back to the room. This time he could swear he almost felt the whisper of magic as Jui shielded them from the rest of the lobby.

“Is this where you tell me it was all a mistake and I need to release you?”

“No, absolutely not,” Yo-ka said with a shake of his head, glancing around before moving in closer. “I might not have realized what I was getting myself into, I still might not, but I don't want out. But I need you to explain it better, cuz Yuuki ... he looked crushed and I....”

“He's important to you.”

“He's my friend,” he said softly. Something about the way Jui was studying him sent an uncomfortable feeling crawling down his spine, but he silently endured it. And then his senpai was nodding, cupping his cheek as he brushed a quick kiss to his lips.

“Shield is the modern term, taken from the English. Before that it was Shelter,” he said, drawing the two kanji for protection, shelter, conservation. “It's usually a gift bestowed to the one who gives me the most peace, the safest heart. It's not automatic, mind you. I have had many lovers, but my last Shield was an earlier incarnation entirely. I can't remember the last time someone declared himself my Shield and it actually stuck.”

The sadness in Jui's smile tore at Yo-ka's heart and without thinking, he cupped his face, pressing a desperate kiss to his lips. Logically, he knew he couldn't erase that hurt so easily, but oh did he ache to do just that. A beat and then Jui was sitting back, shifting to brush a kiss to Yo-ka's forehead.

“Thank you, precious. See? You feel it, even if you don't understand it consciously. The words you used ... Yuuki-kun came here to save you from me, to rescue you as it were, but ... that's not the situation at all, is it? And now he has to let you go. Without, it seems, having ever told you before just how much he loves you.”

Pain shuddered in Yo-ka's chest. He really hadn't ... he had been avoiding thinking about it too seriously, his relationship with Yuuki. He knew the man was important to him, but he hadn't wanted to risk ruining things between them somehow. Especially with Yuuki being, well, Yuuki. Someone who wasn't about to be tied down or restricted by something like a traditional, monogamous relationship.

“And you love him,” Jui said, that sadness pulling at Yo-ka's heart again.

“It's not ... I don't ... I ... Master...,” but he couldn't make the words work. And then Jui was pressing a shushing finger to his lips.

“I know you are at least somewhat familiar with the concepts of polyamory and open relationships,” Jui said, that sad smile still on his lips. “So is it that you never saw yourself as being polyam yourself or are you just afraid of how I'll react if you say you are?”

“... both?' he mumbled, averting his gaze to the floor. After all, Jui was a kami. And he had already been terrifyingly clear what would happen if Yo-ka disobeyed or disappointed him. Fingers brushed his cheek and then Jui lifted Yo-ka's hand, forcing him to look at the dou still visible on his palm.

“You are my Shield, Yo-chan, nothing but your death could change that. And I will throw everything I have at it before I would let Danger get a second look at you, dear one. Do you understand?”

“No,” he admitted, shaking his head.

“My magic makes you mine, but your words, your intentions, your heart made you my Shield. But a house is not a home until it shelters more than one.”

Yo-ka gaped at Jui in wordless shock. That had sounded a lot like ... but that couldn't....

“A god can never have too many servants,” Jui said, the casual tone and shrug undermined by the twinkling smile that appeared afterwards.

“Oh there is no way Yuu-chan is going to go for that,” Yo-ka said with another shake of his head.

“Oh I don't know, I can be pretty convincing,” his master countered with another little smirk. “There are many ways a properly trained witch could serve a god. But that part should probably be discussed with him, ne?”

“Yeah, but he's ... stubborn. And not someone who will be ruled easily.”

“Few things worth doing are actually easy, my pet,” Jui said, patting his cheek and then ruffling his hair. Yo-ka certainly had no argument for that, worry still dogging his thoughts as he followed Jui back to their room. And yet he couldn't help a small smile at seeing Satoshi sprawled on one of the beds while Yuuki had obviously been pacing the small space. Not sure what Jui intended, he moved around him to claim a spot on the foot of the unoccupied bed, then held his hand out to Yuuki. And tried to ignore the hurt from the way he snorted.

“Yuuki....”

“Don't 'Yuuki' me, you! You forfeited any right to tell me what to do when you gave yourself to him,” the other man snarled, his whole posture tight with anger.

“As if I ever had that,” Yo-ka snapped back, internally wincing. This wasn't how he had wanted things to go, it certainly wasn't going to help persuade Yuuki to agree to whatever it was exactly Jui had in mind.

“Now boys,” Satoshi said, suddenly standing between them. “Yo-kun, I know he's a brat, but you can't tell me he didn't ever listen to you. And Yuu-chan, stop being such a prickly ass. You could at least listen first before passing judgement, yeah?”

“Listen to what, exactly?” Yuuki countered. “He's made his choice. We should be going back to Tokyo.”

“So why aren't you?” Jui asked, walking over to the mini fridge, silently pulling out a melon soda and handing it to Yo-ka. Yuuki huffed, arms crossed tightly over his chest as he glared at Satoshi. A beat and Jui sighed.

“You know,” their senpai said, “this likely would have gone easier if the two of you had just admitted you were in love with each other from the start.”

“And what possible difference could that make now?” Yuuki demanded, still tight in his anger. “You've been perfectly clear that you aren't going to share, so what difference does it make?”

“You really don't know anything about me, Yuuki-san,” Jui said, shaking his head. “Just what sort of monster do you take me for?”

“Oh let's see ... the jealous, possessive, vengeful and petty type?” the shorter singer muttered, finally unwinding from himself, if only just enough to tick off each supposed trait on his fingers.

“If I were actually petty, I would have done worse than just cut your link,” Jui countered, offering Satoshi a chilled bottle of water. “Of course if Yo-chan had just told me about his feelings for you in the first place....”

Yo-ka blushed and ducked his head, but he couldn't help leaning into the hand that ruffled his hair. He could feel warmth flowing through him and it was enough. Maybe he wasn't in love just yet with his precious senpai, but he could feel himself falling a little more all the time. With each touch and kiss and gesture, each proof that Jui actually needed him.

“... what are you talking about?”

“Yuu-chan, clean your ears, yeah?” Satoshi teased. “He's saying what I've been saying for months, Yo-kun's in love with you, he just hasn't wanted to tell you. Or maybe hasn't wanted to admit it even to himself? And considering the way you are, I don't even blame him.”

“And just what is that supposed to mean?” Yuuki snapped, but at least his irritation was pointed at someone else now.

“It means you have a bad habit of just saying things without even listening to yourself,” Satoshi said with a shrug, moving back to sit next to Yo-ka. “For example ... how many boyfriends do you have?”

“None. I don't like that term and I never have. And everyone I sleep with knows it. Monogamy is for straights anyway,” Yuuki said and though he tried not to, Yo-ka still winced, turning to press his face into Jui's shirt at the twisting in his chest.

“See what I mean? And for the record, up until, what, last night? The correct answer was two and a half,” Satoshi drawled. Yo-ka could feel the guitarist slowly rubbing his back, though he wasn't sure why.

“What? What are you talking about, Toshi? I think I would know how many boyfriends I do or don't have!”

“Yeah, you'd think,” the guitarist agreed with a snort. “And then you say stupid shit and wonder why Yo-kun never confessed to loving you. Idiot.”

“Toshi....”

“And how come suddenly you're the only one allowed to love more than one, hmm?”

Yo-ka couldn't see Yuuki's reaction to that accusation, tension knotting his shoulders in the growing silence. Whatever the witch's reaction, it made Jui laugh and Yo-ka sat back, cautiously peering up at his master. Yuuki must have done something to put that smile on Jui's face, though he hesitated to even guess what.

“As I just got finished telling Yo-ka,” Jui said, running fingers through his hair, “a house is not a home until it shelters more than one. Or did you think you were the only polyamorist in all of Japan?”

“... you can't be serious.”

“Wrinkle your nose like that at me again and it won't matter,” Jui snapped and Yo-ka winced again, swearing internally. “Your ego is going to get you killed some day if you can't learn to control it.”

“He does talk a hell of a lot of shit for such a tiny little thing,” Satoshi agreed. “Believe it or not, Yuu-chan, not everyone wants in your pants.”

“Indeed. I have no interest in either observing or participating in what the two of you might do in bed together,” Jui said, a note of disdain in his voice that had Yo-ka hiding a smile in his senpai's shirt. “Which is not to say you can have free reign with him, either. He is my Shield before he is anything to you, little witch. If you want him, you will have to petition me for permission each and every time you so much as want to take him to coffee, unless....”

“Unless?” Yuuki asked.

“If you were to join my Court, swear yourself to my service,” Jui said casually. “I could perhaps be persuaded to relax the rules a bit for you.”

Yo-ka couldn't bear the silence that greeted Jui's words. And yet when he turned back, Yuuki's face was a cold mask that could have meant anything. But probably meant he had been right, Yuuki wasn't going to accept Jui's terms. It ached, but really, what choice did he have? He loved Yuuki, but Jui ... Jui actually needed him, something Yuuki could never, would never say.

“What if I did it?” Satoshi asked.

“Did what?”

“Joined your Court, then asked him to coffee, knowing Yuu-chan would be there,” the redhead replied with a casual shrug.

“... looking for loopholes, Satoshi-kun?”

“Hey, it's what I do,” he replied, a sly grin on his lips. “I'm just trying to understand the rules, yeah?”

“Are you saying you're going to be trying to get my Shield into bed with you, too?” Jui asked and Yo-ka couldn't help a twitch. It was nothing against Satoshi, but....

“So I was right. Jealous, possessive, and petty,” Yuuki muttered. “Forget it, come on, Toshi. Yo-ka's obviously made his choice.”

He couldn't breathe, staring at his hands to keep from watching Yuuki walk out on him. He thought maybe Satoshi was saying something, but he couldn't make sense of the noise over the rushing sound in his ears. He had been expecting this, hadn't he? And yet he hated it, hated it completely.

Lips brushed against his cheek and only then did Yo-ka realize he was crying. He started to wipe away his tears only to have Jui catch his wrist and brush another kiss to his fingers. His breathing hitched and stuttered as more kisses trailed into the palm of his hand.

“Jui-sama....”

“Try not to worry about it any more tonight, yeah?”

“But ... I love him,” Yo-ka mumbled, misery curving his shoulders inwards. “I've loved him for so long now and he....”

“Shh, I know, my heart, I know,” Jui soothed, brushing feather-light kisses to his forehead, his closed eyes. “He's convinced I'm a monster, love. He hasn't shared you with anyone else before, ne?”

“N-no, it's ... I'm not sure how Satoshi was counting us to only get two and a half. He and I ... we always said it was just friends with benefits, but.... And I know he's slept with each of his bandmates at least once. And then there's this sudden thing he has with Nokubura's Hiro. But no, there's never been anyone else in bed with us and I haven't been sleeping with anyone else. Last night was the first time since he and I hooked up and....”

“He's hurting,” his senpai said softly, settling on the bed and pulling Yo-ka into his arms. “As I said before, he came charging down here convinced you needed saving from me. He wasn't expecting what he found.”

He knew Jui was trying to be comforting, but it wasn't really working. He couldn't stop hearing those cold words or seeing without seeing the way Yuuki had just walked out on him. As if it had all meant nothing.

Jui's cell phone buzzed, his senpai's arms shifting around him as he answered it, but Yo-ka wasn't interested, didn't care. His heart hurt, ached and throbbed in his chest, and it was too much effort to be bothered listening in on his senpai's conversation with whoever it was. Until it finally clicked that his master was talking to someone else instead of focusing on him and why the hell would he be doing that all of a sudden? Frowning up at his senpai, he was surprised at the way Jui suddenly smiled, tipping his phone down to brush a kiss to Yo-ka's forehead. What in the world...? But now that he was listening, there were no more words, only little hums that didn't give him even a single clue who could be on the other end.

“Maa ... good enough for tonight, I suppose,” Jui said at length. “It doesn't change my position. I don't give my trust easily anymore. Especially not in this.”

Yo-ka couldn't hear what was said of course, but he could almost feel Jui's snort of disdain and for some reason that made him smile, snuggling into his master's chest.

“We can discuss it when I'm back in Tokyo, on Tuesday. That gives you that much more time to sort it out, yeah? And stay away from Gi-tan and his merry little band of misfits. They're nothing but trouble and you're already in enough of that.”

Yo-ka's curiosity was overflowing as he sat back again, watching as Jui rolled his eyes at something the other person said, then laughed. Jui winked at Yo-ka as he slipped out from under him, reminding whoever it was that he would see him on Tuesday and not to call back before then. And then he hung up, fiddling with the phone for a moment before tossing it on top of his bag and turning back around to give Yo-ka his full attention.

“Now then, I believe you've had a long enough day, so ... bath? I have just the thing to make you feel like heaven.”

“I ... I don't know if....”

“I was actually thinking of a bath product, precious,” Jui purred and when had the man crossed back to his side of the room again? At the touch of that hand to his cheek, the static in Yo-ka's head finally vanished. Closing his eyes, he leaned into Jui's touch, a whimper catching in his throat.

“Shh, it'll be all right, precious, I've got you. I'll protect you, I promise.”

It was all happening too fast, all Yo-ka could do was hold on and hope for the best.

Chapter Text

Satoshi wasn't particularly ... proud of what he had done, but it wasn't like this would be the first time he had gone against Yuuki's stated position. He loved the man, he did, but sometimes he could really be a stubborn idiot. The sort of idiot who would cut off his own nose to spite his face. Satoshi loved him too much to let him take things that far.

“Ugh, Toshi, whyyyy?” Hiyuu groaned from the other end of the call. “I was finally asleep goddammit!”

“Sorry, sorry, but hey, as long as you're awake....”

“I fucking hate you right now.”

“No you don't. Look, I really ... need to come over. Yuuki ... I need to talk to you. In person.”

“What the fuck did you two do now?”

“I can't explain it over the phone. We'll be at your place in ... thirty minutes?”

“This better be one hell of an explanation, Toshi,” Hiyuu grumbled. Satoshi couldn't completely stop himself from smiling. He would just be sure to stop at an all-night combini, pick up some of his friend's favorite snacks. In his experience, food always helped.

He was feeling a little less certain of himself by the time he was standing on Hiyuu's doorstep, Yuuki still very much asleep in his arms. But the irritation dropped out of Hiyuu's face the second he saw them, quickly replaced with worry.

“What the hell did you do to him, Toshi?!” Hiyuu demanded in a low mutter, ushering them into his flat.

“Nothing! Okay, I knocked him out, but that was after we got back in his car.”

“Well, go put him in the bedroom and I guess I'll make us some tea,” the bassist said with a heavy sigh, freeing the combini bag from his grip as he passed. Satoshi swallowed against an instinctive apology, taking a moment to be sure Yuuki would stay asleep through the night before rejoining Hiyuu. His friend looked even more pale than usual and Satoshi had to bite his lip to keep from commenting on the way his shirt hung off him, the too obvious prominence of bones that should have been padded in flesh and fat and muscle.

“You're doing it again,” Hiyuu mumbled as he poured their tea.

“Yeah, well, so are you,” he countered, ignoring the tea for a moment to wrap his arms around the other youkai's too skinny frame. “Starving yourself isn't going to change what you are, you know that, right? Is this why you've been ducking Hiro-kun's calls?”

“I ... I'm fine, Toshi, just....”

“Like fuck you are, Hiyuu,” he muttered, squeezing him briefly before digging up his phone.

“Toshi, don't....”

“Hiro-kun would be beside himself if he could see you right now and you know it, Hi-kun,” Satoshi said, glowering at his friend. “He's bringing breakfast. Unless you want me to wake Yuu-chan and let him lecture you about biological imperatives. Again.”

Hiyuu wrinkled his nose, shuffling over to the couch. The other youkai was practically radiating exhaustion, no wonder he had been so annoyed at being woken up unexpectedly. Still ... this was worse than last time and Satoshi frowned, taking the space next to him and tucking an arm around worryingly fragile shoulders.

“Hiyuu ... come on, Hi-chan, don't do this. Don't shut us out like this. We're family, yeah?” Satoshi pleaded, tugging him in closer.

“No, we're just a bunch of misfits,” Hiyuu mumbled, plucking at a bit of fuzz on his pants. “If it wasn't for the band, we never would have been anything to each other and now.... Why are you even here?”

“You really are a sullen son of a bitch sometimes, you know that?” Satoshi said with a soft sigh, tugging Hiyuu closer. “Come on, baby, have a bite. You're gonna make Hiro-kun cry if he sees you like this. And you know what happens when Hiro-kun starts crying.”

Hiyuu's laugh was such a fragile thing just then, but he shifted closer, curling fingers into Satoshi's shirt while pressing his nose into his throat. He felt the familiar psychic tug and forced himself to relax into it, sighing as Hiyuu's warmth slipped into the cracks in his confidence. He wasn't sure how much he had to give, negative emotions were more of a human thing, but with all the anger and doubt from dealing with Yuuki and Yo-ka, maybe it would be enough?

“Okay, but you really need to explain what the hell it is I just ate, you ass,” Hiyuu mumbled, curling up against his chest.

“Well, you know how Yuuki's been in love with Yo-ka for ... ever?”

“A blind idiot could see Yuu-chan was in love with Yo-kun. Hell, even Hiro-kun could see how much Yuu-chan loved Yo-kun. He almost made me fat he was so twisted up over it at first.”

Satoshi couldn't help a low chuckle at that, using a bit of magic to help himself to a handful of chips.

“Yeah, well ... Yuu-chan being Yuu-chan, Yo-kun was keeping his own feelings to himself. I don't know, I guess he thought Yuu-chan really didn't feel the same way? Whatever he thought, he'd convinced himself they were just casual. I don't know how things went down exactly, but ... Yo-kun's given himself completely to Jui-sama. Like Marked and everything. Yuu-chan ... he's not taking it well.”

“Marked?”

Satoshi gently nudged Hiyuu around until the other youkai was situated in a way that he could see his hands. He then rubbed his right hand over the back of his left enough times to pull his own Mark to the surface, a pair of phoenix feathers cradling a temari ball.

“I mean, Yo-kun's is different, obviously, he's Jui-sama's Shield, but....”

“Wait, wait, back up. What are you talking about?”

“Jui-sama's a god in human form, a firebird, maybe the firebird. Yo-ka-kun made himself Jui-sama's Shield last night. It's ... a little terrifying how fast and how hard they've bonded, to be honest.”

“And let me guess, Yuu-chan's angry, said something stupid, and made everything worse?”

“Well, you know Yuu-chan,” Satoshi said with a soft sigh, smiling a little when Hiyuu snorted.

“This is why you needed to see me? Because you've actually given yourself into someone's service for once?”

“Well ... yeah. It's not like I've ever done this before, you know. And, well, um....”

“And?”

“And I may have promised to try to smooth things out with Yuu-chan. Which is ... Jui-sama is hyper-protective and Yuu-chan's insisting on taking it as some kind of proof that Jui-sama's a jealous, possessive, abusive jerk. But that ignores that Yo-kun wouldn't stay with someone like that, you know?”

“Yeah, but if Jui-senpai's a kami, couldn't he have Yo-kun under some sort of, I dunno, mental thing?”

“... well, yeah, I guess, but he doesn't, I'm telling you. I've seen the two of them together. Jui-sama was one wrong word from turning Yuu-chan into a smoldering heap and Yo-kun pulled him back from that with a touch. And come on, Hi-chan, do you think I would have pledged to him if I thought that was what was going on?”

“I'm just saying,” Hiyuu said with a soft sigh. “You're right, he isn't the type and Jun-senpai wouldn't put up with him if he tried it, but you gotta know that's how Yuu-chan's thinking. Or something even worse.”

“... what do we do?”

“We? Who's we?” Hiyuu countered, but there was a soft laugh lurking under his words. “For right now, we snack and watch one of your stupid movies. And we let Yuu-chan sleep until Hiro-kun gets here.”

“And then?” Satoshi asked, hating the worried tremor in his voice.

“And then ... and then we see where he is on everything. I don't know, Toshi, I'm not magic, I can't just see the future, you know.”

Satoshi sat back, giving Hiyuu a hard look. He still didn't look particularly healthy, though he looked a hell of a lot better than he had. Still...

“... Hiro-kun's so gonna cry on you when he sees you. Maybe I should go push you at Yuu-chan? I'm sure he's got plenty of negativity for you.”

“You do know that isn't going to make this mess just go away, right?” Hiyuu asked, frowning a little.

“Of course, but ... I mean, his ego's half the problem, getting all that negative bullshit out.... I mean it worked wonders on Hiro-kun....”

“Yeah, that ... that was different,” his friend mumbled, shaking his head.

“Maybe. Maybe not. It was just a thought, something to get some more color in your cheeks before Hiro-kun sees you and starts blaming himself again, yeah?”

“Later. Maybe. Now pass me the cheese puffs, dammit. And pick your damn movie so I can maybe actually get some sleep yet tonight.”

Satoshi laughed, then got up to make sure everything was set. He even made sure all of Hiyuu's favorite snacks were in easy reach before plopping back down next to his dear friend. It wasn't what other people meant by “Netflix and chill,” but he was fine with that. And by the time the movie was finished, Hiyuu was indeed fast asleep. Amused, Satoshi carefully slipped out from under him, turning everything off for the night with deliberate care. He was almost tempted to wake the other youkai, but ultimately decided against it. Maybe just waking up next to Yuuki would be enough? Satoshi wasn't exactly looking forward to sleeping on Hiyuu's couch, but the way he saw it, things would be all around better if those two woke up without him in the immediate picture. Besides, he had definitely slept on worse.

~*~*~

Yuuki rolled over with a little huff, surprised to find Hiyuu next to him, one hand up as if caught in the act. He looked ... “full” was the only word coming to mind, even if it wasn't quite right. And while that eased a knot of worry, it also raised a bunch more question

“So,” Hiyuu drawled, his hand dropping back down to the bedding, “we need to talk. And Hiro-kun's coming over with breakfast.”

“What? Why? When did we even ... Toshi. Toshi knocked me out. Oh that sneaky little....”

“He was worried,” Hiyuu said, fingertips ghosting against Yuuki's cheek. “I think you know why.”

Yuuki rolled over onto his back with a sigh. Yo-ka. Thinking that name didn't hurt and he frowned. It should hurt, Yo-ka had betrayed him, chosen someone else over him, and yet he felt....

“You fed off me.”

“You gave me standing permission, dearest, remember?” Hiyuu said, ruffling his hair. Yuuki couldn't argue with that, but Hiyuu hadn't done it in awhile and never in his sleep. He felt ... strangely empty. Like he could remember feeling angry, even livid with Yo-ka, but the actual emotion was gone now, a tinge of sadness at losing his lover all that was left.

“... just how much did you eat?!”

“A lot. You're an idiot, you know that, right? Gods, I love you, Yuu-chan, I do, but you're an idiot.”

“The hell?” he muttered, sitting up to throw a scowl at the youkai. Smooth as silk, Hiyuu was up and pinning Yuuki on his back, the youkai's weight surprisingly heavy across his hips and thighs.

“You were such a miserable little knot of fear and anger,” Hiyuu murmured, bending down to nuzzle into Yuuki's throat, “and it was delicious. So much self-inflicted pain, I couldn't help it. There was so much and I was so hungry and you're always so good....”

“Hiyuu, what....”

The rest of his words were lost in a hungry kiss, Hiyuu's hand sliding up his side, pushing up his shirt. And for a moment, all he could do was surrender to it, moaning softly. Then Yuuki shook his head, pushing back against Hiyuu's chest, and the youkai relented, pulling back.

“You can't just ... just distract me with sex, Hi-kun,” he muttered, frowning up at the bassist. To his annoyance, Hiyuu actually laughed at that. And then he was leaning down again, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“All right, well, Hiro-kun should be here soon, if you don't want to talk to me about Yo-kun,” the youkai said as he got up from the bed.

“... how do you get that from ... you were the one who started kissing me!”

“So does that mean we are going to talk about this or...?”

“What's to talk about? You ate everything anyway,” he huffed.

“Well, we could start with why you feel like it has to be all or nothing,” Hiyuu said, frowning at him. “Why are you the only one allowed multiple lovers in this scenario? And don't tell me this is all on Jui-senpai. The way Toshi tells it, he was willing to share.”

“Provided I begged him for permission for everything little thing first!” Yuuki growled, pulling himself up the bed to sit up properly. “That's not sharing, that's controlling and I won't play that game!”

This wasn't about him not wanting to share Yo-ka, it wasn't. But he wasn't going to just ignore that Yo-ka had gotten mixed up with an abuser. Why couldn't anyone else see what was happening? Why was he the only one who could see the obvious??

~*~*~

To be fair, Hiyuu wasn't in a strong arguing position – he hadn't been there and he didn't really know Jui at all. Fortunately for him, Hiro chose that moment to burst into the bedroom, scowling hard.

“... well, you don't look half starved now,” Hiro grumbled, marching over to the bed to catch Hiyuu's chin and press a firm kiss to his lips. “Why do you insist on being so stubborn?”

“Runs in the family, apparently,” he mumbled, pulling himself up for another kiss. “Though if you brought breakfast, Yuu-chan could use something with substantial protein in it about now.”

“Eggs, sausage, bacon pancakes, chocolate. I know what happens when you feed,” Hiro said with a wry grin. “Though we should probably get to it before Toshi-kun eats everything.”

Hiro gave Hiyuu one last quick peck before turning to Yuuki and simply scooping him up, tossing him over his shoulder fireman style and completely ignoring his protests. Hiyuu had to bite his lip to keep from giggling as he trailed after them. Then again, sometimes that really was the best way to deal with Yuuki. And other times it was the only way.

“Hiro-kun, you put me down right this second, you hairy American beast, or I'll –.”

Hiyuu could only stand back and watch as Hiro used his whole body to flip Yuuki back over his shoulder and flat onto his back on the floor, the move forcing the air out of Yuuki's lungs in a huff.

“Or you'll what? Stop teaching me? Cut me off? Like I can't finish my training with someone else. In fact, I'm pretty sure I know a Prince of Heaven who'd be plenty happy to finish what you started,” Hiro snarled, obviously livid. Not that Hiyuu blamed him in the least, but....

“I wouldn't take that bet, were I you,” Hiyuu murmured as he stepped up beside where Hiro was pinning Yuuki to the floor, brushing fingertips across the back of his shoulders. “Come on, you know Yuu-chan doesn't think before he speaks half the time.”

“First rule in martial arts: be mindful of what the fuck you're doing. I should think that would go double for anyone studying fucking arcane magic,” Hiro growled, still scowling down at Yuuki. A beat and then his expression softened as he jabbed the smaller man in the chest with a finger before getting up again.

“I get it, you're angry about Yo-ka-san and however much this guy ate,” Hiro said, jerking a thumb at Hiyuu, “it's not like it doesn't come back a few times first. But don't take that shit out on me.”

Yuuki was scowling himself as he sat up, rubbing his chest. But before he could actually say anything, Satoshi was shoving a plate full of food at him.

“Eat this first, then you can be all cranky sensei on our student. Unless Hiro-kun did the thing I told him absolutely not to do until we'd all talked about it?”

“What, you mean the thing you yourself already did?” Hiro countered, smirking as he ducked into what passed for Hiyuu's kitchen.

“That's completely different!” Satoshi protested, taking a seat on the couch with his own plate. “I'm not anyone's apprentice!”

“Oh relax, of course I haven't done the thing. Yet,” Hiro said as he came back, startling Hiyuu by handing him a plate with some sliced melon and sausage. “Yet. We're all in this together though, yeah?”

“... Toshi, what idiotic thing have you done now?” Yuuki grumbled.

“Nothing, because it's not idiotic,” the tanuki said, taking a bite of pancake and practically moaning at the taste. “Oh gods, Hiro-kun, when did you learn to cook like this?”

“I did retain a few things from that year, even if I did give up the most important thing,” the younger vocalist muttered, stabbing a forkful of scrambled egg. Setting aside his plate, Hiyuu scooted closer to the younger man, tucking an arm around his waist and molding himself to his side. He was too full still from Yuuki to take in any more pain yet, but he could still offer physical comfort and support.

“Dammit, Toshi, stop deflecting. What did you do?”

“Satoshi is forbidden to discuss anything with you until you've eaten that entire plate of food, Yuu-chan. Especially the chocolates,” Hiyuu said without moving away from Hiro. “I insist.”

By that point, Yuuki was scowling at all of them, but then he started eating and that was all that really mattered. Well, almost all, but though he could feel the self-loathing and guilt in him, Hiro wasn't letting the emotions swallow him whole the way he had in the past. It was progress and he brushed another soothing kiss to his cheek.

“All right,” Yuuki said when breakfast was legitimately finished, “why does this feel like an intervention? Because I don't need one. Yo-ka's made his choice and I'm ... whatever. It's his life, I don't own him. If this is what he wants, then fine, I just hope he's happy.”

“Well that's an impressively large crock of shit and I'm disappointed in you for thinking any of us would actually buy it,” Satoshi said with a roll of his eyes.

“Fine! I hate the very suggestion that some arrogant prick fire elemental has Yo-chan under his thumb! And don't you dare tell me it isn't slavery just because of a few words!”

“Okay, first off? He's a kami, not an elemental. Big difference. You were pissing off said fire kami to the point where he was about to turn you into a crispy briquette and Yo-kun stopped him with a touch. You saw the Mark, every time Jui-sama asked, Yo-kun chose to stay with him, just because you think Jui-sama's an abusive ass doesn't make it the truth!”

“You ... you ...,” Yuuki muttered, eyes narrowing as he glared at their tanuki friend. “Oh you horny little ass! You gave yourself to him, didn't you?? Fucking hell, Toshi, why?!? Why would you do something so ?? How could you possibly think that was a good idea?!!”

“Oh fuck off, Yuu-chan,” Satoshi snapped back. “I've been around longer than you have, remember?”

“Toshi....” Hiyuu started, but it was already too late.

“What does that even have to do with anything?!”

“I make my own choices, you don't own me any more than I own you, remember? Oh and you're welcome by the way,” the tanuki said, eyes flashing.

“For what?” Yuuki asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“For a chance to consider your options again, you pig-headed ass,” Satoshi replied, getting up to get himself a soda. “Since you didn't even let him explain them to you before throwing it back in his face last night. You were a disrespectful jerk to a god, but sure, go off I guess.”

“I refuse to participate in his abusive little games,” Yuuki snarled, arms still tight across his chest.

“That's because you still refuse to see the forest for the trees,” the guitarist grumped right back at him. “Because of course it's completely preposterous to think a god would worry about harm coming to his Shield. Or that someone might feel like Jui-sama's rules and desires shouldn't apply to him.”

“Oh please, Toshi, what he wants is abuse! He wants to control Yo-ka's every move!”

“Uh, Yo-kun did declare himself Jui-sama's willing slave, nutloaf.”

“Yo-chan's a kinky little shit in the bedroom, sure, but he's no more a slave than you are!”

Satoshi twitched an eyebrow at that and Hiyuu had to turn to press his face into Hiro's shoulder to keep from being seen giggling.

“For your information, I actually called him after knocking your ass out last night, talked to him for a bit. Just because Yo-kun wasn't that subby with you, that doesn't mean that side of him isn't real now that he's found someone who can handle that part of him properly. I love you, Yuu-chan, but when it comes to being a hard Dom, you really kinda suck at it.”

“What the fuck are you even talking about?”

“There's nothing wrong with your Dom side as it is, it just.... Look, you're good for a short scene, a spanking or something. And you're ace at aftercare! You just ... don't have the right personality to sustain a hard Dom aspect for long. And that's fine, that's who you are and I wouldn't change you for love or money, babe, I wouldn't. Just means there's a side to Yo-kun that you've never reached. And he's happy with Jui-sama, why can't you accept that?”

“They've known each other, what, two days and you think I should just be happy for him that easily??” Yuuki countered, snorting.

“Yeah and how long did you know me before you decided we needed to be more than just colleagues?” Hiro interjected with a little smirk.

“That was different,” Yuuki grumbled. “And I still waited for you to be single first.”

“Which puts us right back to you being an idiot and not making things clear enough to Yo-kun, since he thought you two were just casual fuckbuddies and consequently, Jui-sama didn't know anything about you until it was already too late,” Satoshi said. “If that's even the right phrase.”

Pulling away from Hiro a little bit, Hiyuu could see how badly Yuuki wanted to keep arguing. And how frustrated he was at not being able to find the words to counter Satoshi's latest point.

“Look,” the tanuki said after a long moment of less than comfortable silence, scooting around to tuck an arm around Yuuki's shoulders, “Jui-sama has a not unreasonable fear that you're going to break Yo-kun's heart. Or worse. He's willing to let me fix this, but first you're going to have to be honest about your feelings and what you want, okay? You've already hurt Yo-kun enough walking out on him like you did, so just ... stop being reactive and think about what it is you're actually feeling for starters, yeah?”

“Meaning?” Yuuki huffed.

“Meaning,” Hiyuu said before Satoshi could accidentally say the wrong thing, “what is it you really feel? Do you even love me at all, Yuu-chan, or am I just another fun roll in the sack?”

“What?? Hiyuu! You know how I feel!” Yuuki protested, a stricken look flickering across his face a moment. Hiyuu couldn't help it, scooting closer to catch one of Yuuki's hands in both of his.

“I do know, yes, but only because of my nature. If I wasn't a psychic type, I'd have justification for wondering with the way you never say the words,” he said softly, squeezing his hand briefly. The stricken look came back, tugging at his own heart

“Hikkun....”

“Yeah, I know, you know I'm a psychic, so you don't worry about saying it because you know I'll pick up your feelings any time I feed. But how often do I actually do that with you? Especially lately?”

Yuuki couldn't argue with this, either, of course, instead falling quiet. The truth was Hiyuu hadn't fed off their singer in almost four months and a part of him had been starting to wonder if things had changed between them.

“Sometimes,” Hiro murmured, suddenly wrapped around Hiyuu from behind, “it's nice to just hear the words. I love you. I need you. I'd be lost without you. You mean the world to me. Or, you know, whatever it is you're actually feeling.”

“I hope you're not suggesting you don't feel any of that,” Hiyuu mumbled, elbowing his lover lightly. The younger vocalist laughed and squeezed him tighter for a moment, nuzzling the back of his neck.

“Tch, don't even, babe,” Hiro scolded. “You know I adore you, don't lie.”

“Nice to know someone does,” he murmured, though not all that quietly.

“Oh please, you brat,” Yuuki said, rolling his eyes as he pulled his hand free. “Everyone and my mother adores you, Hikkun, and don't tell me you don't already know that.”

“You mother loathes the very sight of me, thank you,” Hiyuu said even as he leaned back against Hiro's solid chest. “Pretty sure she blames me for you still not going back to the family business.”

“Oh no, she totally blames Toshi for this music thing. Wait, is that why you're kowtowing to Jui-senpai, Tosh? To get protection from my family?”

“The fuck?” the tanuki said with a snort. “Please, if I was running scared ... Jui-sama's not the only kami in Tokyo. Though now that you mention it, I should fill him in on that on Tuesday. They haven't tried anything so far, but ... have you even told them the whole disbanding thing was a fake out?”

Yuuki's silence said plenty. More than that, Hiyuu could feel the sudden unease rising in Hiro.

“Um, is this something I should be worrying about?” his lover asked.

“Oh probably,” Satoshi said at the same time Yuuki barked a sharp “No.”

“So which is it, senpai?” Hiro asked with a low chuckle.

“They're onmyouji, it's Satoshi and Hiyuu and Zero they'll go after.”

“Mm, and they're selfish assfucks who won't stop just because a human got in their way, so yeah, you should stay on your toes, too, big guy,” Satoshi added.

“Anyone hurts Hiro, they'll have to face me,” Yuuki growled, which was at least enough to bring a smile to Hiyuu's lips. So typical.

“Not just you, either,” he murmured, “but nice job deflecting us off the original point. Then again ... what is it that Jui-sama is saying, Toshi?”

“That he needs to be kept in the loop, as Yo-kun's Master. He's especially touchy about Yuu-chan because of past history and things with Yo-kun are still pretty new.”

“That's it?” Hiyuu asked, ignoring the snort from Yuuki.

“Basically. They're kinda in the honeymoon period, yeah? Yo-kun is his first, but if his schedule is free, no reason why we can't still hang out, have drinks together or whatever. We are all still friends, right?”

“I don't like it, it reeks of abuse,” Yuuki muttered, arms crossing over his chest again.

“Yeah, we heard you the last five times you said that. You're wrong, but hey, why let that stop you?” Satoshi muttered, rolling his eyes. Hiyuu stifled a sigh of his own. They weren't actually getting anywhere like this, Yuuki was digging in his heels now. As far as he was concerned, there wasn't anything else they could do, at least not until Yo-ka was back in Tokyo. Until then, well, he could think of worse ways to spend a couple days than playing host to his closest friends. If Satoshi and Yuuki even stayed that long. And if they didn't ... well, perhaps he would insist that Hiro stay, instead. He had been neglecting him lately....

~*~*~

Jui supposed he should probably be sleeping, but while the live that evening had helped, he could still feel that bleeding wound on Yo-ka's heart. And so instead of sleeping himself, he sat silent vigil, using his powers to keep an eye on his Shield's dreams, nudging them away from the dark paths they kept trying to take.

“I hope you realize you can't keep doing this for the rest of his life,” his ex scolded via Skype. “He needs to mourn and you're not actually helping with that right now.”

“I don't intend to do this that long, but for tonight ... he needs the sleep more than I do. It's a small enough thing I can do for him right now.”

“You always were a stubborn son of a bitch,” Kisaki grumbled. “I don't know why you even called me.”

“Think of it as payback for all the times you came fussing at me over San-kun?”

“That was a completely different situation! I wouldn't have bothered if Isshi-kun hadn't already involved you!”

“You could have gone to Sacchan,” Jui said. “The two of you were even working together at the time.”

“Oh yes, of course. Mind you, he had already claimed to have gotten out of the witch business. And the small matter of my never telling him what I was.”

“He was Issama's student,” he countered, smirking sidelong at his ex. “Do you really think he has no idea?”

“Shut up or I'm hanging up on you. What do you even want from me?”

Jui stayed quiet for a long moment, needing to get his thoughts in order again. He was honestly surprised that Kisaki didn't hang up on him. Surprised, but grateful.

“How did you do it? Keep a Court.”

Silence echoed back at him a moment, his eyes flicking to the screen beside him. But he still couldn't read Kisaki half as well as the dragon could read him. Bastard.

“It's not that hard when you're the one at the head of their label.”

“Are you suggesting I secretly buy Ains?”

“Why, so you can repeat my mistakes?” Kisaki countered. “No, love, that would just be asking for trouble. Let your Shield find his balance on his own.”

“And the rest?”

“The rest? Who else have you bonded?”

“So far? Just Satoshi of Lycaon. But if you've seen them, you know how ... close they are. And Yo-kun and Yuuki-kun ... it's complicated.”

“Probably less than you think, dearest,” Kisaki said with a soft chuckle.

“Oh you wish, Tadashi,” Jui murmured.

“The Court serves at the pleasure of its god. For you, I imagine the occasional meet up for drinks would be sufficient for anyone less than a lover. Which I'm assuming, since it's you, will be all of then but Yo-ka-kun.”

“And what, have them do chores around my flat?”

“If that's the sort of thing you want done for you. Just sharing a drink would be enough to keep the bond active. Remember, all it takes is an act of service. Spending time socializing with you counts.”

“Why do I smell bullshit?”

“Ask Isshi-kun if you don't believe me. I realize you haven't held a Court since you left your temple, however many incarnations back, but I promise, it's not hard. You just like to make things more complicated than necessary.”

Jui rolled his eyes, but despite his annoyance with the man (dragon), he kept the connection active, gaze dropping back down to the man sleeping beside him. Yo-ka really was beautiful, inside and out. And Jui was firmly ignoring the little voice of doubt at the back of his head.

“... I know that look, Junichi. What idiot thing are you thinking now?”

“He's in love with a human who thinks I'm the devil. What if this is all just another mistake? That does seem to be my strongest talent.”

“Idiot,” Kisaki scolded fondly, startling Jui with the sudden touch of a hand on his shoulder. The dragon was standing beside the bed, but Jui still couldn't read his expression at all.

“Tadashi....”

“Well you obviously weren't going to listen to me if I stayed where I was,” the water dragon said with a smirk before trailing his hand down Jui's chest to brush fingers through Yo-ka's hair. “Look into his heart and then tell me this is a mistake.”

Jui huffed but didn't argue. He had already Seen the glow of love under the haze of doubt that clouded his Shield's heart. He couldn't say he understood it, because surely they hadn't known each other long enough for this, and yet....

“Sleep, love,” Kisaki murmured. “You're winding yourself up over nothing. Sleep. You have my word, he will be protected from nightmares.”

“You're not even supposed to be here.”

“And he will never know that I was. Have a little faith in me, dearest.”

He couldn't really argue with that, either, could he? With a heavy sigh and some grumbled token protests, he allowed himself to be shepherded to sleep. There were worse ways to spend a night than curled up with his Shield while being watched over by his ex.

Chapter Text

As much as Yo-ka loved doing lives, a part of him was relieved to be back in Tokyo again at last. Even if it felt a little weird to be bringing his senpai back to his apartment.

“Are you sure –.”

“Yo-kun. You keep asking that. Are you hiding something terrible in your apartment?” Jui asked, brazenly stepping in to nuzzle his neck right there in the hall. Fortunately for his strained dignity, none of his neighbors were around to see, but he still stammered and fumbled with his keys a moment before finally getting his door open. Unfortunately, that immediately led to the next problem – his tiny apartment was a complete mess, papers and discarded containers littering virtually every surface while a jumbled basket of laundry was still sitting on one end of the couch.

“Sorry, I know it's terrible, I wasn't exactly expecting company,” he said as he rushed forward to start gathering up the worst of his chaos. Jui caught him in just a few steps, turning him around and pulling him into a gentle kiss that was still enough to take away his breath and very nearly his senses.

“Yo-chan, really, it's fine,” his senpai said softly, cupping his cheek. “I've seen worse, trust me. Lived with worse. But if it bothers you that much....”

A snap of Jui's fingers and little ... Yo-ka didn't know what to call them, tiny figures seemingly made from living flames that bounced and glowed and started cleaning his apartment without so much as singeing a single straw wrapper. He could only stand there gaping for a long moment as they worked.

“S-senpai?” he stammered, but even as he spoke, the fire sprites finished their work and vanished. “... maybe I should invite you over more often....”

“Lazy,” Jui teased, drawing him in for another kiss. Yo-ka couldn't resist, practically purring as he felt himself melting into his master's embrace. Vaguely, he felt there were things he ought to have been doing, but at the moment, he couldn't think of a single one.

“Oh my precious,” Jui said with a light laugh, “you're too dangerous like this. I could lose entire days in you, I'm sure of it.”

“Is that ... bad?” he asked, a trickle of fear sliding down his spine like ice.

“Only in the sense that there are other things that need doing, precious,” his master murmured, brushing fingers against his cheek. “Order us dinner, then start unpacking.”

“What does Master wish for dinner?” he asked, lingering close for the moment.

“Whatever you like, as long as it's not shellfish.”

An odd directive, but Yo-ka nodded, slipping off to what passed for his kitchen and pulling out the menu for his favorite delivery place. He doubled his usual order, then grabbed his luggage and started unpacking. It wasn't like it was terribly difficult – nearly everything he had packed now needed to be laundered. The actual washing would have to wait until tomorrow, but he could at least get it sorted.

He was just finishing up when Jui informed him that dinner was ready.

“... I've been a terrible host,” he mumbled, frowning down at his bowl of ramen to keep from seeing the disappointment in his master's eyes.

“Such things you say,” Jui scolded, a fondness in his tone that had Yo-ka's head jerking up in surprise. “You were following my orders, remember?”

Fingertips brushed against his cheek, sending tingling warmth shooting through him.

“Neither am I just some guest, just another bandman. Although ... there are things we should discuss, yes?”

“Things?” he echoed, uncertain what he meant.

“To be sure we're both on the same page, dearest. You may have labeled yourself my willing slave, but I refuse to just assume that you mean that the same way I would. Besides, you are my Shield, primary of my Court, and that, too, is worth discussing.”

“All right, well, I'm ... not sure where to start with any of that. I didn't even really believe in youkai before all of this,” he confessed, a shiver of something like shame slithering through him.

“Doubt is fairly common these days. In some ways, it makes life easier. And some days I miss the old ways, the simple adoration.”

“Is that why you turned to music? To be worshiped again?” Yo-ka asked, silently praying that hadn't come out as snarky as he feared.

“The adoration of fans is hardly the same thing, though it doesn't hurt, either. But no. I sing because to not do it, to not sing would be too painful for words.”

Yo-ka hummed a little and nodded; to be honest, he felt much the same when it came to music. If the day ever came that he couldn't sing anymore ... he didn't want to think about it.

“Despite what was said that night ... Yo-ka-kun, I'm not sure I'm the sort of Dom you think I am,” Jui said softly. Yo-ka's head jerked up and he was surprised to see his master frowning into his own ramen, as if trying to avoid looking at him. Did Jui think Yo-ka was going to be disappointed if he ... if he what? Jui was right, they had a lot to discuss.

“What? Why? Master ... whatever it is you fear you lack, it isn't true,” he said, shaking his head. “I will do whatever it takes, whatever you need from me to convince you I speak truly. I swear it is completely clear to me, my place is where you command.”

“Yo-ka....”

Jui's sigh was heavy with something he couldn't identify and for a moment Yo-ka thought his senpai might actually explain. Instead, he shook his head.

“All right, Yo-kun, all right. But you must promise me you will tell me if you feel your needs aren't being adequately met, in anything. I will not have the bond between us left to starve because you took it upon yourself to just 'make do' instead of seeking what you need, all right?”

“Of course, Master,” Yo-ka murmured. Something flickered across Jui's face and he worried he had answered too quickly, come off flippant when he was truly sincere. He wanted to say something to reassure his senpai that he was committed to this ... but the moment passed before he could find the right words.

“Tomorrow I have a meeting with Satoshi-kun. If you're available, I would like your company. I have not held even a partial Court in ... quite some time. Having you close would help.”

“Of course. I'll double-check with Kei, but it shouldn't be a problem. But I don't understand.”

The sadness in Jui's smile pricked at his heart. But listening to Jui's reasons for not holding a Court or naming a proper Shield in so long was even worse. His dinner lay unfinished as he scooted around the table to wrap his arms around his senpai and just hold him. Yo-ka sat and listened as Jui explained what it meant to be a phoenix, a god incarnated into mortal flesh, of death by shattered hearts and reincarnation. Ancient temples, betrayals by humans and youkai alike, and the power in a phoenix's feathers. They sat together for hours, Jui talking and Yo-ka listening, learning. So many things Yo-ka had never really believed and now his senpai was telling him the stories were all true, if not necessarily in the exact way he had been told.

“There's more, of course, so much more,” Jui said in a low huff. “I haven't even told you about Tousan and the found family into which he dragged me. I ... I don't think I can tonight. Or should. Not yet, anyway.”

“For you, I can be patient,” Yo-ka said, brushing a kiss to Jui's cheek. “I trust you, completely.”

Jui shifted around in Yo-ka's arms, cupping his face and pressing a brief kiss to his forehead.

“You truly are a blessing, dearest,” he said softly, that deep sadness still in his eyes. Yo-ka's chest ached at that pain, he wished he could be enough to take it all away, though that was probably far too arrogant a thought for a mere human.

“All that and you still haven't said why exactly we're meeting with Toshi-kun tomorrow,” Yo-ka said gently, hoping a shift in subject might help.

“Satoshi-kun ... you've played fantasy RPGs, yes?”

“A few, yeah. Why?”

“Satoshi-kun is what we would call a support class, more of a bard than a rogue or hunter. He can fight when he has to, but his role with Yuuki-kun is more to provide cover, distraction. In his urgency to protect Yuuki-kun from himself, he let slip that they're a group: mage, rogue, bard, thief, and a couple warrior-types to round it out. Satoshi is supposed to have been using this time to convince the others to join my Court. Tomorrow we find out if he succeeded or not.”

“And if he did?”

“Then ... we see,” Jui said, shrugging and then brushing an all too brief kiss to his lips. “But before any of that, you really should finish your dinner. And then ... share a bath with me before bed? It's gotten late and I'd not want you looking exhausted tomorrow because we made poor choices tonight.”

“Being with you is worth losing a little sleep,” Yo-ka said with a shake of his head. “Toshi-kun can tease all he likes, I don't care.”

“Mm, well, you still need to finish your dinner, love,” his master murmured, smirking this time and patting his cheek. “Stamina and all that.”

Yo-ka couldn't help a light laugh at that, hugging Jui tighter for a moment when he heard the other laughing as well. Definitely worth losing sleep to hear that laugh, to feel this glow in his chest for knowing he was responsible. And he would keep doing whatever he could to give his master more reasons to laugh.

~*~*~

Yuuki wasn't exactly happy to be walking into this place, but Satoshi was insisting. At least he had Zero with him, though how much help he would be remained to be seen. Hopefully they would be able to at least get him to take this situation seriously. With Zero, that wasn't always so easy.

“Hmm, maybe we should've had that tumble before this after all,” the guitarist teased, slender arms draping around Yuuki's shoulders as they waited for the hostess to tell them their group's room was ready. Satoshi snorted, but it sounded like amusement rather than disdain. And then the hostess was back, apologizing for keeping them waiting. Given that, Yuuki couldn't say he was surprised to see Jui and Yo-ka already present, even though they were exactly on time. He said nothing, didn't even look at Yo-ka as Satoshi introduced Zero.

“So does that make you the rogue to Satoshi-kun's bard?” Jui asked and now it was Yuuki's turn to snort. Leave it to Satoshi to put things in such childish terms.

“Sometimes,” Zero agreed as he took his seat. “Some days, sneaky is the only way to deal with Yuu-chan. But then Yo-ka-san knows all about that, ne?”

“I wouldn't say that,” Yo-ka said. “Apparently I'm no good at reading between the lines.”

Someone else might have missed it, but Yuuki could hear the stiff politeness in the other singer's words. He glanced across the table at him, but Yo-ka's face was a cold mask, as if he didn't care what happened here. Not for the first time, Yuuki found himself questioning why he had even come.

“Has Satoshi-kun explained the situation at least?”

“I'd say about ... sixty percent,” Zero said, twirling a straw wrapper around one finger. “I mean, you've been around a long time now, no one's ever talked about you being supernatural anything before, let alone being a kami. I mean, I could maybe understand it if you were still under Kisaki-sama's kamidere thumb, but it's been years since vidoll 'graduated' and still....”

“Oh Kiki never ruled me, dear,” Jui drawled and Yuuki was hard pressed not to roll his eyes at that. “But you're right, I've kept to myself for the most part and haven't cared to hold a Court in centuries.”

“So if you don't mind me asking,” Zero said, unwrapping the bit of paper from his finger, “why the sudden change? No offense, but it's not like you need a Court to protect your Shield, right?”

“You're right, I don't, but it would make certain things easier. For him and for you.”

Yuuki pinched himself to keep from rolling his eyes again. Zero, on the other hand, tilted his head to one side a moment, visibly thinking it over.

“How much protection, realistically, can you offer?” the guitarist asked.

“How much do you need?” Jui asked in counter. For the first time, Yuuki noticed the two small balls of flame Jui was rolling in the palm of his hand. As a show of power, it wasn't very much, but maybe that was the point?

“Well, Yuu-chan's family is all quite nuts and not at all happy that he's chosen music over their brand of hunting,” Zero said with a casualness that was at odds with the words he was saying.

“My family is not –,” he started, hands fisting at his sides.

“I've met your mother, like, five times now,” his friend interrupted. “The woman hates me. Loathes and despises, probably because I'm mixed blood. They don't cross the line, but your family doesn't exactly like youkai.”

Yuuki huffed, but Zero wasn't ... entirely wrong. Still, the idea of turning to Jui for protection from his family ... it wasn't right. They didn't like his music, they thought it was a waste of his gifts, but to suggest that the band was somehow in danger....

“If you take my Mark, I will know instantly if you are harmed. If you are attacked, the Mark will rise, along with a shield, and those who recognize it will know you are under the protection of the House of Suzaku.”

“That's it?” Zero asked, quirking on eyebrow in obvious skepticism. “Doesn't sound like very much.”

“It would be immediately obvious you are under the protection of a fire god,” Jui said, calmly dispelling the flame balls. “What more are you wanting? Anyone stupid enough to continue past that might not live long enough to regret it. Just because Seiryu and I are not currently lovers does not change the deep bond between us.”

Yuuki's head jerked up just in time to see Yo-ka's minute shift of discomfort. And yet he could take no pleasure in seeing that the other singer hadn't known about this connection between the phoenix and the dragon before this.

“So by joining your Court, we'd also get the protection of the Dragon of the East?” Zero asked, head tilted to the side again.

“To a limited extent, but yes. We two, Seiryu and I, are both incarnated into human flesh, constrained by certain human limitations. And yet our protection is still not something to be taken lightly, by anyone. More than that, my Court would again be allied to the Throne of the Infinite Heavens, and you would be expected to behave appropriately.”

“Um, you have seen us perform, yeah?” the guitarist asked with a worried glance in Yuuki's direction.

“Have you seen what I do on stage?” Jui countered, grinning.”Appropriate is relative. I'm even willing to overlook your little side business, Yuuki-san, though I might ask you to scale it back a bit.”

“Side business?” Zero and Satoshi asked together.

“How the hell did you....”

“If I said the name Master Kihara, would that mean anything to you?”

“You know Master Kihara Ichirou?” Yuuki asked, disbelief warring with something else in his chest.

“Yes, of course, but that's something for another time.”

As much as Yuuki wanted to press and know how someone as un-kinky as Jui could know the near-legendary Nagano Master, he was right about now not really being the best time to discuss it. But if Jui thought he could just tell him to cut back on his private clients ... well, he had been thinking about doing that anyway, but that wasn't the point, dammit!

“It would be a request, not a demand,” their senpai said gently. “Your place in my Court would not be contingent upon it.”

“I never said I wanted a place in your Court,” Yuuki muttered darkly and really, why was Zero jabbing him with his elbow??

“And yet here you are,” the phoenix said, toying with his wine glass. “Unless you're trying to say Satoshi-kun tricked you into coming?”

The look Jui shot at the tanuki should have made him happy, but it didn't. At all.

“No, no tricks,” Yuuki sighed. “I know what he expects and I know he's just the first. And I know that no matter what I say, he's already part of your Court and that isn't going to change.”

Jui looked about ready to say something when his phone apparently started ringing. The phoenix scowled a moment, then pressed a brief kiss to Yo-ka's cheek before excusing himself. How incredibly odd. And yet it was an opportunity too good to let go to waste. Palming a slip of fuda, he hurried around the table, invoking the magic as he pressed the piece of rice paper to Yo-ka's forehead.

“Speak only truth. Yo-ka, are you happy?”

“Yes,” the other man said without hesitation.

“Are you in love with him?”

“Falling in love, yes. He needs me, in ways I know you never will. He's not what you think, Yuu-chan. He's not abusive or controlling, just scared. Protective from old hurts he doesn't want to see repeated. I love you, but you're the one who made me choose. I don't regret choosing my Master.”

“S-stop,” Yuuki stammered, stumbling backwards away from him. And yet Yo-ka caught him so easily, pulling him down beside him.

“I still love you, Yuuki. I will always love you. But do you really love me? Did you ever really love me?”

“I said stop!” Yuuki hissed, pulling away to move back around the table again.

“Shouldn't use a truth spell if you don't want to hear the truth. I am not being forced to stay with him, I stay by my own free choice.”

“All right, we get it, Yuuki's an idiot,” Satoshi said, slapping Yo-ka upside the head. “There, better?”

“Y-yeah,” Yo-ka stammered and for the first time he looked sheepish. “Yuuki, I....”

“I leave the room for not even five minutes and you put a compulsion on my Shield? Do you even have a code of ethics, little witch?”

“I needed to be sure, you selfish ass,” Yuuki snarled, pouring his hurt into anger. His eyes widened as he watched Jui draw a blank slip of fuda from the air. A beat and kanji flared into existence, almost as if they were being burned into the paper.

“This is the proper spell,” their senpai said. Before Yuuki could do more than glance at it, the slip was being pressed to his forehead, still warm with the firebird's magic.

“Speak only truth,” Jui murmured and Yuuki could feel the spell sparking through him, making him shiver. “Are you in love with Yo-ka?”

“Yes,” his mouth said for him. And yet that was all, an honest answer to a straightforward question, unlike what had happened with Yo-ka.

“Feels different, doesn't it?”

“Yes,” he said, shivering again.

“How many others have you taken to your bed since falling in love with Yo-ka?”

Yuuki frowned a little, not sure how to answer that. When exactly had he fallen in love with the other man? Even with the magic, he wasn't sure.

“Four,” his mouth said for him. Well, that sort of narrowed things down, didn't it?

“Ah, so you are allowed to have five lovers, but Yo-ka is only allowed the one, you? Or is it that you don't trust in his feelings for you?”

“W-what?”

“Jui-sama...,” Yo-ka murmured and Yuuki was surprised to hear worry in the other vocalist's voice. Jui snapped his fingers and Yuuki could feel the spell dissolving. And then the phoenix was handing him the strip of fuda. The spell was spent, but the kanji were still there on the paper, a dull brown.

“I could use a Court Mage, but you have a great deal of studying to do before you can attain that title. Starting with that spell.”

“I never said...”

“You are already sheltered in Yo-ka's heart, of course you will join the Court,” Jui said softly, but Yuuki couldn't help shying away from his touch, the brush of fingers against his cheek. Yet instead of anger, Jui laughed.

“The Court is not my harem, little Dagger,” the phoenix scolded, a smirk breaking loose a beat later. “That has never been its purpose. You'll see.”

Yuuki shivered, glancing down at the fuda in his hand. He hadn't studied under a master mage since leaving home, he was mostly self-taught. Was Jui offering to teach him more? And if he was, was that really an offer he could take?

Was it one he could really afford to refuse?

“... if we agree to this,” he started, his eyes sliding over to where Yo-ka was pretending to be fascinated with his melon soda, “what are you expecting from us?”

“The purpose of holding a Court is security and companionship for my Shield and information gathering for myself.”

“You want us to be spies,” Yuuki scoffed.

“More passive than that, at least for now,” Jui countered, reclaiming his seat beside a subdued and visibly uncomfortable Yo-ka. “While the five of you are in transition between Lycaon and Initial'L still, I want you, specifically, Yuuki-san, to work on fixing your own mess. When you've made proper amends, then we can talk about continuing your arcane education.”

“J-jui-sama,” Yo-ka stammered. Jui shifted to press a kiss to the other singer's forehead and Yuuki's heart clenched at seeing the silent communication between the two men, the way Yo-ka relaxed so easily into Jui's arms. Only a couple of days and already they were that deeply bonded? Maybe it was useless to even try.

Except the truth spell he had used had compelled Yo-ka to admit he still loved Yuuki, too. He couldn't throw that away again.

“Then what would you have us do?” he asked, hands fisting at his side as he tried to fight down the anger still bubbling in his heart. So he was taken aback by the sadness that flickered through Jui's smile when he turned and looked at him again.

“First, you must let go of your anger. The vow will not hold if you take it with a heart full of spite.”

Yuuki's jaw clenched, but he had to admit, the words made sense. He just wasn't sure he could do it so soon, so easily.

“You don't have to force it, Yuuki-san. When the time is right, you will know.”

A failure. He was a failure and Jui was telling him that was fine. He wanted to punch something. He wanted to storm out and scream. But something about the way Yo-ka was watching him kept him rooted in place. Yo-ka truly loved him, he couldn't just give up and run away. He would make this right. Somehow. He had to, for all their sakes.

~*~*~

Yo-ka sat silent and watched the anger boiling inside of Yuuki as Jui told him the vow couldn't hold in a heart full of spite. He had been the one to tell Jui that this wouldn't work, that Yuuki wouldn't bend to him, but he took no pleasure in being right.

Even with last night's talk about rogues and bards, Yo-ka was not in any way prepared for the short blade suddenly in Zero's hands. Or the effortless way Zero handled it, spinning it around to offer the hilt to Jui.

“Though my talents are few, I offer them in service to you, my lord Jui-sama,” the guitarist said as he bowed low before them both.

“Rito!” Yuuki said in an aggravated gasp and yet Zero didn't even flinch, silent and unmoving until Jui accepted the dagger. And even then all he did was sit back on his heels, his head still bowed submissively.

“Your service is humbly received,” his lover murmured, drawing the blade from its saya. For a moment, spectral flames danced along the blade and saya both, but if anything changed, Yo-ka couldn't tell. Jui slipped the dagger back into its scabbard, then passed it back to Zero.

“See that it is used to the protection of the Court.”

“Always,” Zero replied, bowing low once more. He looked like he was about to say something more when the door opened with the arrival of lunch. Yo-ka had no idea how the guitarist had made the dagger disappear so quickly, he was just glad it was gone. As grateful as he was for the arrival of lunch, he could see Yuuki fuming, so he wasn't terribly surprised when, once the wait staff was gone, the shorter man swatted Zero's shoulder.

“Ri-chan, what the fuck??”

“I've been leaning on you for protection for most of my adult life now, Yuu-chan,” Zero murmured with a little sigh. “But this? Being part of something more? That's better, isn't it? Besides, Yo-ka-kun's mundane ass is going to need all the protection he can get, right? Ne ... huh, do I still call you senpai or...?”

“Senpai is fine for casual or common use,” Jui said with a light smile. “I only really stand on formality beyond that when you're making an official report or petition.”

“So who's in senpai's Court?”

“Yo-ka, of course. You and Satoshi-kun. No one else has made the vow to me just yet, though Jun-kun has been waiting for me to form a Court again for ... decades. He's something of a special case, though.”

“Small Court,” Zero said with a slight frown.

“Yuuki-san is not the only pending offer,” Jui said with a slight, almost careless shrug.

“Am I allowed to ask who else?” the guitarist asked. Yo-ka was surprised that Jui actually stopped to consider it, then nodded.

“Satoshi-kun mentioned the five of you all work together. He also mentioned an apprentice.”

“No,” Yuuki said sharply, shaking his head. “No, he's not ready.”

“And neither am I,” Jui replied with a nod, catching the whole table off guard. “Satoshi-kun knows. Or at least suspects enough to give me a name without a band. Did you really think I wouldn't figure it out just because you didn't tell me?”

“Well no,” the tanuki confessed, huffing a noise of defeat. “He's made a lot of mistakes, but things are getting better. But after some of the things you said that night ... it can wait. He's leaving the country tomorrow anyway.”

Yo-ka frowned a little, wondering what that was all about. He would have to ask later, though he could practically feel the upset in his lover. He didn't want to make that worse, especially in front of Yuuki, but he also didn't understand what the problem was with Hiro. Still ... bad enough that he itched in his own skin, struggling against the urge to scratch like a dog right there. He rubbed his palm against denim, but it didn't really help.

“Eat,” Jui admonished softly. He tried, even managed a few small nibbles, but nothing tasted right. Jui turned Yo-ka's face towards him, frowning briefly, then pressing lips to his forehead for a far too fleeting kiss.

“All right, love, all right,” his treasured senpai murmured. “Go home, take a hot shower. I don't suppose you have any sage?”

“Sage? No, I don't think so, why?”

“Sage is a cleansing ingredient,” Yuuki said before Jui could. “Helps dispel lingering magical energies. I have a bar of sage and sea salt soap I could give you ... assuming that's even allowed.”

Yo-ka winced at the obvious bitterness in the other man's voice. He really wished he knew how they were going to repair their broken relationship like this. Not helped by the little voice in the back of his head insisting things wouldn't be this way if the two of them had just been honest with each other from the start.

“Of course it's allowed. Yuuki-san, I am not against the two of you repairing what's been broken between you, I never have been. But I do need to know I can trust you. Can I?”

“Trust is earned,” Yuuki grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. “You're the one who cut my bond to him.”

“On him.”

“What?”

“On. You said to, but the link I severed was one way, laid on him, not built by you both.”

“That's ... he's a mundane! He doesn't know anything about how to do magic!”

“So? You still could have built a link with him instead of marking him like a dog. Or is this another failing of your arcane education?”

Yo-ka watched as Yuuki fell silent again. He didn't understand what it was Yuuki had done wrong, but maybe that was the point?

“Love is honest, it flows freely in both directions or it turns to poison. If you can't understand that, then I'm not sure Hiro-kun is safe in your hands.”

“... you know, you can't threaten your way into me trusting you,” the smaller singer grumbled, arms crossing over his chest once again.

“I'm not trying to threaten you,” the phoenix countered, shaking his head. “But I am concerned. You say one thing, yet do another. Maybe you thought you were protecting him, but Yo-ka is my Shield now. At least promise me you will be as honest with him as you are with Hiro-kun.”

“Of course,” Yuuki mumbled, blinking and leaning back in something like shock. “Yes, of course. I don't know that I can ... but Toshi and Zero can teach him at least the basics of self-defense.”

“Oh I can do better than that,” Satoshi said with a lopsided grin. “But if lunch is over ... if you need me to, I can see he gets home okay. And gets that soap.”

Yo-ka turned to Jui, feeling an odd twinge in his chest at the thought of being separated from his senpai, though he wasn't sure why.

“Gi-tan's a menace,” Jui murmured for his ears only, cupping Yo-ka's face. “I have work to handle yet this afternoon, but we'll do dinner at your place this evening?”

“I ... I'd like that.”

“Good, we'll do that then,” he said, smiling and then pressing another kiss to his forehead. “And don't forget to talk with Kei-kun later.”

Strange parting words, he was definitely going to have to call Kei later now, see what his friend knew about it. In the mean time ... an awkward silence reigned as he left the restaurant with Satoshi and Yuuki. Worse, Yuuki wasn't even looking at him, leading the way to his apartment in grim determination. By the time they got to Yuuki's place, Yo-ka was half convinced he wasn't going to be let in, or if he was, it would only be for a few minutes before he was sent on his way again.

“I don't know why you're itching, but you might as well shower here,” Yuuki said as he headed for his bathroom without even so much as a backwards glance. “Just give me a minute to get that soap for you. And set out towels. Toshi, start water for tea, yeah?”

“Can I trust you to keep your hands to yourself?” Toshi asked.

“Fuck off, Toshi,” Yuuki grumbled, still not looking back. It all felt surreal, familiar and yet alien.

“Hey, whoa, stop, stop,” Toshi said, suddenly grabbing Yo-ka's wrists. Frowning, he looked down and was shocked to see he was bleeding from scratches on his arms.

“Fuck. Yuuki, ya got a cleansing soap that doesn't have sea salt in it?” Satoshi called out, walking Yo-ka towards the bathroom without letting go of his wrists. His skin was on fire, he didn't know how he hadn't noticed his scratching, but now that he couldn't anymore, it was complete torture.

“Not made up, wh– what the fuck? Why is he bleeding, what did you do?”

“Not me, you. He was scratching his arms the whole walk, but I didn't realize it'd gotten this bad. What the hell did you do??”

“Nothing! It was just a little bit of magic, it shouldn't be –.”

“Guys, can we argue blame out later? It's like a million fire ants all over, make it stop, please, I'm begging you.”

“Of course, of course. Toshi.... This is gonna sting a bit.”

A wiggle of tanuki ears and all three of them were naked in Yuuki's shower, Satoshi still holding his wrists while Yuuki started rubbing him down with a soapy cloth. When it hit the scratches on his arms, Yo-ka yelped at the unexpected pain, far more than just a little sting.

“I know, I know,” Yuuki mumbled as he kept going. “I don't get it, this shouldn't be happening.”

“Yeah, well, it is,” Satoshi muttered, shifting his grip on Yo-ka's wrists to one hand while he used the other to start rinsing him off. He bit his lip at the fire in his arms, but at least the itching was less.

“Still itches,” he mumbled when Yuuki stepped back. The shorter man scowled at nothing a moment, then huffed and started washing Yo-ka all over again. In total, it took four washings before the urge to claw off his skin finally vanished completely. By then he was both thoroughly tired of being restrained and embarrassingly turned on by the whole thing.

“Toshi, bandage his arms, yeah? I'm going to start tea,” Yuuki mumbled, throwing on a yukata while pointedly not looking at Yo-ka. It was unnerving and why did it have to make his cock twitch?!

“You know, if you need a hand with that....”

“Satoshi!”

“Right, sorry, old habits die hard. So, you want to take care of that and I'll get some bandages and meet you at the couch?”

A grimace but his hard-on wasn't going away on its own. He waited for Satoshi to leave the room before closing his eyes and taking himself in hand. Jui's image popped into his head almost unbidden. What would his lover say if he could see him right now? Not that he really had time for indulging in fantasies. In his mind, he could almost feel Jui's hand on top of his own, Jui's warmth against his back as he stroked himself quickly. Could almost feel the breath on his neck as his beloved senpai ordered him to come for him. A few strokes more and he was done, the climax leaving him breathless and limp against the shower wall. He could have sworn he felt phantom lips on his skin, hear Jui whispering something he couldn't quite make out but that sounded like an apology. But that was impossible, just his mind playing tricks on him. Yo-ka quickly dried himself, then slipped on the yukata that had been left for him. He still felt awkward as he made his way to Yuuki's lounge, not helped by the smirking Satoshi he found there.

“Have a seat so I can get you bandaged up, yeah? Then tea and I swear to all the gods, if you two don't start actually talking to each other, I'm going to smack you both.”

Yo-ka didn't know what to say to that, instead meekly presenting his arms for tending. It was more than a little disconcerting to see how badly he had scratched himself without even noticing.

“There, that should be good enough, at least until Jui-sama can heal your properly. Time's up, Yuu-chan, so stop dithering.”

A noise rather like a snort came out of the kitchen. And yet the Yuuki that joined them was not one Yo-ka recognized, submissive and subdued.

“Yuuki....”

“It shouldn't have happened,” the other man mumbled. “You should rest.”

“Oh no,” Satoshi interjected. “You are not getting out of this by trying to make him take a nap right now! Talk to each other properly!”

“Resting –.”

“I can rest and listen at the same time,” Yo-ka said, sipping his tea. “You can start by explaining why my being with Jui-sama makes you so mad.”

“I was supposed to be protecting you,” Yuuki mumbled, pink and grey strands obscuring his eyes. “I knew from the moment you told me about Asagi-sama's proposal that something terrible would happen before the end, but I never thought....”

Yuuki trailed off into silence and as much as Yo-ka wanted to press for more, he stayed silent instead. Trying to push with Yuuki rarely worked anyway. So he waited, surprised to find his cup empty.

“Really, you should rest,” Yuuki mumbled at last. Yo-ka grabbed the other man's wrist, tugging him down into his lap.

“Yuuki, he's not what you think. You heard the magic, I'm not being forced, the only one making me choose is you. Why? I love you both, why can't you be happy with that?”

“Just because you think you love him ... he wants to control everything you do. That's not love!”

“That's not it at all,” Yo-ka argued, lifting Yuuki's wrist to brush a kiss to his palm. “I love you, Yuuki, but you're wrong about him. I wish you could see him through my eyes, he's not what you think.”

Yuuki jerked his hand back, scrambling to his feet.

“Stop. Stop it. Toshi, take him home.”

“Yuuki....”

But before he could say anything else, he was back in his own apartment, Satoshi pushing him down onto his own couch. How the hell ... magic. But why?

“I thought you wanted us to talk.”

“Oh I do, I've been trying to get him to be open and honest with you for months, but I also know when he's digging in his heels. Yuuki has issues, to put it mildly. I don't know how kinky you two got and I'm not asking for details, but ... how submissive are you, really?”

“Pretty sure that's none of your business,” he growled, scowling as he watched the man prowl around his tiny flat, checking windows and doors. When he was done, the redhead came back to the couch, crouching down in front of Yo-ka and pushing his sunglasses up to the top of his head. A beat and then he was pressing a bottle of water into his hands.

“Look, I'm not asking for a cheap thrill and it probably isn't my business, but Yuuki's dug his heels in on thinking Jui-sama's abusing you. So ... how submissive are you?”

Yo-ka took a deep breath, then a long drink from the bottle, frowning a little. How had he gotten this dehydrated anyway?

“Hey, Yo-kun, focus, yeah? I know magic's distracting, but this is important.”

“Is that...? Um, it depends on who I'm with. I guess overall I'm a switch, but I tend to be drawn to more dominant partners. With Yuuki... it wasn't always like that, you know what he's like....”

“I know what he's like with me, but that's not really the point, ne?” Satoshi said with a little shake of his head. Yo-ka shifted uncomfortably, not really wanting to talk about this. The tanuki seemed to understand, taking pity on him and patting his arm.

“It's one thing to say the words. It's another thing to actually put yourself completely in someone else's power.”

“Yuuki never ... it was always just bedroom games with him, never anything more. If I disappeared tomorrow, he'd be fine. Jui-sama ... everything is different with him. I would do anything for him. I will do anything for him. Yuuki was almost a boyfriend. Jui-sama is my master.”

There was power in saying the words out loud like that. A knot in Yo-ka's gut unclenched and he sat back with a sigh, closing his eyes. A piece of his heart would always belong to Yuuki, but if they couldn't even be friends anymore, well, he would find a way to make his peace with that.

Everything was quiet for awhile, long enough that Yo-ka must have nodded off. It was the only explanation for the small body curling into his side, the soft scent of Yuuki's shampoo tickling his nose. Still, it was a good dream and he was content to keep his eyes closed, his arm settling around the slender form he knew so well.

Chapter Text

Yuuki watched, his breath caught in his throat, as Yo-ka explained his feelings. Satoshi's spellwork really was a thing of beauty, the seemingly effortless way he transported them across town while masking Yuuki's presence entirely. Not that he was sure he even wanted to be here, but....

“Yuuki was almost a boyfriend. Jui-sama is my master.”

He bit his lip hard to keep from sobbing at that confession, not wanting to give away his presence if the tanuki hadn't masked him for sound, too. Those weren't words he had wanted to hear, but that didn't make them any less true. How had he not noticed Yo-ka holding back with him, suppressing a part of himself? It hurt to hear he had been neglecting a man he loved with a strength that surprised even him. He really had been a complete fool. No wonder Yo-ka had gone running to someone else.

“Do you get it now?” Satoshi asked him so softly he almost didn't hear him.

“I really did fail him completely, didn't I?” he mumbled, hugging himself tightly even though it didn't help.

“Yeah, you did,” Satoshi agreed in a low murmur. “Good news is, he still loves you. And they're willing to give you a second chance.”

“But how do I even begin...?”

“Be there for him. That's where it all starts, right?”

Yuuki nodded, watching Yo-ka almost fall asleep on his couch. He'd had a rough day and too much of that was Yuuki's fault. He still didn't know what had gone wrong with his magic, wasn't sure how he was going to fix things, but he knew he had to try. Taking a deep breath, Yuuki walked over to the couch, smiling a little. And yet Yo-ka didn't even twitch when he sat down beside him. Maybe he thought he was already asleep? Well that was okay. Closing his own eyes, Yuuki curled up against Yo-ka's side, tucking himself against the man's chest. A nap sounded like an excellent idea.

~*~*~

Jui hesitated a moment, having silently let himself into his beloved's apartment. Yo-ka was on the couch, more asleep than awake and unaware that it wasn't just his imagination that had put Yuuki in his arms. As for the witch, Yuuki was very much asleep and yet clinging to Yo-ka in dire fear, as if he thought he might lose him at any moment. Well, perhaps that was not such an unfair fear after everything that had happened over the past few days.

“Nothing's happened,” Satoshi said softly. “They haven't even talked to each other yet. Not properly, anyway.”

“Have you been here all afternoon? And what happened to his arms?”

“We walked to Yuu-chan's place first. He was itching the whole way, but I didn't realize how bad it was until we got there. He said it felt like a million fire ants, it took four washings to get it to stop. I'm guessing it was a reaction to the spell Yuu-chan used?”

“I knew he'd used a compulsion, but I didn't realize ... you should have called me,” Jui said, glancing back at Yo-ka's couch. His Shield was awake now, looking at Yuuki in a mixture of worry and confusion, probably wondering if he really was awake or not.

“I thought about it,” Satoshi admitted. “But we were able to get it under control, so. And then Yo-ka fell asleep and I didn't see any point in disturbing you for that.”

A nod and Jui walked over to the couch, amused that Yo-ka didn't even notice him until he was standing over him, carding fingers through his hair.

“... Jui-sama....”

“Shh, I know,” he said, smiling. “Satoshi-kun already filled me in on your afternoon. How do you feel?”

“Hungry, but I don't think I can move.”

“How about we wake up Yuu-kun and see what he wants for dinner then?” Jui suggested.

“In a minute,” Yo-ka mumbled, looking back down at the man clinging to his chest. A little voice was trying to insist he should be jealous, but he recognized it for the intruder it was. He knew the truth of Yo-ka's feelings for him, he had Seen them quite clearly. Just as he had Seen the truth of his Shield's love for Yuuki. It was enough to make him accept that there was more to the little witch than what met the eye. For now, it was enough.