Back to ze past

Sadaharu hesitated slightly. "Would it be wrong of me to say yes?" He asked and set his jaw.

"No." Yuki said, looking away to hide his embaressment. "Because it is how I feel."

"Then yes, I wanted you to say it." Sadaharu said, smiling slightly and twisting his hair over his shoulder.

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"Mo-chan, there's another set of hot springs over here!" Taro exclaimed happily. Mori knuckled his forehead and stood up. 'Really? fantastic." he said dryly and followed Taro. Raven had found them earlier and had told Taro, already having bathed.

Taro practically dove in after removing his clothes in what Mori decided was record time. He scowled darkly at the steaming spring before following suit, minus the diving.

Yuki laughed and splashed the boy again.

---

Amaterasu squeeked when the old man jumped down from his hiding place and sat happily in the nearly kindled fire side.

Raven moved to sit beside Amaterasu and stetched his back with a yawn. his hair was still wet, spiking up at odd angles, and he looked more than half asleep, eyes not seeming to register as the monk appeared out of nowhere.

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"Hey, i was being serious, you jerk" Sadaharu laughed, blinking water from his eyes. "oh, and thanks for helping oout last night" He added, making a face.

Amaterasu sighed and sat behind Raven, fixing his hair up. "I feel like your mother sometimes."

Wuu grinned at them.

---

Yuki winked. "It was my pleasure." After a pause the rat spoke again. "How do you feel? Not just with the lack of drugs but about... Everything I guess. Me, Ama, The pieces..."

"With the drugs, if I try and eat something, it will not be pretty." He admitted. "I'm concerned about the pieces. My sister has somethingg to do with them..." He let his hands float on the surface of the water. "And I feel like a truly terrible person" He said, finishing in a soft voice.

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Mori's eyes narrowed whereas Taro's remained closed as he smiled widely. Mori snorted and carefully washed out one of his numerous wounds, grunting as the hot water touched the cuts and the burn. Taro just smiled, letting his head rest against the back of the spring, arms crossed as he sunk into the water till it was above his chin. Mori glared defensively. What the hell was it that made his smiles seem so evil?

"Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile. Moments can pass you by but," Yuki whispered, moving closer to the boy. "Love is a moment that lasts forever."

Sadaharu's eyes met Yuki's and he gave a small smile, moving forwards and looping his arms loosely around Yuki's neck. "I love you." He said in a whisper, hair fanning out in the water behind him. "I love you, and I don't regret it."

Yuki smiled. The rats smile grew as he leant in, kissing the boy he was never meant to love, and did.

Hikaru sighed, giving in.

Kuroi looked at her questioningly as he held Momiji who'd been practicing her knives

"we're going to find out what the hell is going on," she said scowling
"Bloody Ayama being all secretive, UHH! she knows i can't stand not knowing..."

he sighed
"You said you would stay out of it. We don't need to go looking for trouble."

"But if whatever it is is more important than killing us then its probably something big.
we walked right into her trap and she did nothing!! thats got to tell you something."

"What about Momiji?"

She looked at the girl for a long moment.
"We wont make the same mistakes again. her abduction, all thats happened! THAT was what happens when we ignore the others movements. I won't be caught off guard again!"

"Fine..."

they gathered up Momiji and her knives and set off to the village.
A kitsune friend of hers had seen Mori and heared of a few of the others in the area.

Sadaharu kissed him back fully, running his hands over Yuki's shoulders. He drew back slightly with a small sigh, smile still playing over his face. "Glad we've reached an understanding."

"Leave Ama." Yuki said, hands resting on the boys hips.

"I'll have to." Sadaharu said, smile faltering. "I can't just do this to her and go on as if..." He shook his head.

Yuki lifted the boys face up. "I love you."

"I love you too." Sadaharu said softly, smile lifting slightly. He took a deep breath. "I can deal with the consequenses for that."

Hikaru and Kuroi strode into the Village
Momiji on Hikaru's hip, watched warly their surroundings

"Theres a boy." Yuki smiled and ruffled Sadaharus hair. "Now, should we finishing washing?"

"What do you want, demons?" Arashi stepped forwards, bow in her hand but arrows still in her quiver. "What's your buisness in this village?"

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Sadaharu smirked and playfully punched Yuki's shoulder, chuckling as he washed himself off in the water.

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"Would Mo-chii wash my back?"
"Hell no!"

Taro pouted, catsing a look over his shoulder, barely able to retain his amusement. "You wash mine, I'll wash yours!"
"You stay the hell over there!" Mori warned from 'his side' of the spring.

Yuki washed what he could, but was mindful of the bandage.

---

The old woman stepped out. "Child. How many times must I tell you. Give me the bow, give me the bow, give me the bow."

Stamping her foot in sheer exasperation, Arashi turned on the elder. "I didn't even threaten them! It was a simple question!" She said angrily, glared at the lot of them and stalked off, leaving the elder and the demons.

"Silly child." The old woman commented. "Always ready to attack."

Kuroi smirked
Hikaru elbowed him in the ribs
"We are looking for someone, a demon."

"Demon's come, and demon's go." The old woman said. "What demon are you after?"

----

Yuki left the baths and sat on the sides, his legs crossed as he waited to dry himself.

Hikaru alaborated
"A Kurohyou; Samaria, Mori-san"