Part 18

Sou na... At the moment, it was the only thing Rukawa could manage to think of as Hanamichi continued to kiss him passionately. His entire system went dead with shock at the appearance of Hanamichi in his world, and at the action he had just done. No matter how much he willed himself to pull away so that things wouldn't get even more complicated, he couldn't. His body chose to remain still.

Hanamichi didn't mind the lack of response from the raven haired boy as he slanted his head to one side so he could give Rukawa a longer and hotter kiss. He was also very aware that he was standing in front of what looked like a million demons, dressed like some kind of prince, and was kissing the heir of the Underworld, but he wouldn't chicken out now. He just had to tell Rukawa how much he loved him, how sorry he was for doubting him, and hoping that Rukawa would forgive him.

Finally, after what seemed like 40 seconds, Hanamichi released Rukawa's lips and leaned back slightly, their foreheads against each other. They both gasped for air, their chests heaving as they breathed in and out. Hanamichi, managing to regulate his lungs and heart first, looked up into Rukawa's eyes and whispered lovingly, "Aishiteru."

Rukawa's eyes widened to the size of a fist as he stopped breathing, staring at Hanamichi in shock. Nani?...

Hanamichi shook his head and continued gazing into Rukawa's eyes, their foreheads still touching. "I loved you all along..." His shoulders shook as he said that, relieved to finally get it off his chest, as he forced himself to continue. "I was blind. I thought that my wish was to have Haruko, but, it changed when you came into my life."

Rukawa breathed in and out rapidly. Me?

Hanamichi nodded at the question Rukawa asked through his eyes. "Yes, you." Then, he smiled warmly. "You were the one who I fell in love with blindly. At the beginning, I saw you as a demon sent from the Underworld to get me what I wanted. I saw you as a tool, a guardian, someone of no great importance, but now..." Hanamichi exhaled and closed his eyes as he touched the tip of his nose against Rukawa's. "I finally see you."

Rukawa stiffened at that. Hana...

Hanamichi chuckled softly. "I see Kaede Rukawa, a beautiful person with a caring heart, a mischievous character, and a protective friend. I see you as someone who loves and needs to be loved in return. I see a powerful leader, born to make the right decisions in life for both his people and himself." Hanamichi opened his eyes then and looked into Rukawa's stunned blue eyes. "I see someone I love, someone I loved from the very beginning, and someone I'll love till the very end of my life." He place a chaste kiss on Rukawa's lips and whispered against them, "I see and love only you..."

Rukawa was shaking already as Hanamichi whispered all those words to him. He bit his lips hard at the last sentence Hanamichi said, and lowered his gaze to the floor, digesting everything that had just happened. Doshite...Hana?... His clenched hands shook harder as closed his eyes tight. Naze da? Why'd you have to make things more complicated?

Hanamichi leaned in close to Rukawa and whispered in a concerned voice, "Kitsune...you okay?"

Rukawa exhaled the breath he unconsciously held in and licked the wound he made on his lips. Then, making a decision in his mind regardless of what might happen, he pulled away from Hanamichi, gave him a passive look, and turned towards the crowd.

Hanamichi blinked as Rukawa turned away from him, then, he slumped his head, a tear escaping his left eye. He clenched his teeth tightly together as he balled his hands into fists, forcing himself to remain calm. It's over, Hanamichi. You have done the exact same thing to him, so now it's pay back time. It's over. Hanamichi admitted this to himself over and over again so that the tears wouldn't erupt right then and there.

Mitsui gave Hanamichi a worried look, then turned to face his cousin with a glare. "Kaede-"

Rukawa place his hand in front of Mitsui's face, thus stopping whatever Mitsui was about to say. Mitsui sulkily backed away, still glaring daggers at the raven haired boy, as Rukawa faced the crowd one more time. Rukawa looked around the hall for a while, then announced without any emotion on his face, "As my cousin here, Hisashi Mitsui, has announced, I will marry Hanamichi Sakuragi."

"EH?!" Almost everyone's mouth dropped to the floor at that announcement, including Mitsui's. Eri was seething with rage, her teeth grinding against each other as she refrained herself from screaming out her protest. Sylvester, on the other, looked as pale as a sheet of paper, the scroll in his hands falling to the floor, obviously not expecting this to happen.

Hanamichi choked back a cry at that announcement, and raised his head up to look at the back of Rukawa's head, his fists shaking because of his wanting to cry. Kitsune...

Rukawa didn't turn to face Hanamichi, even though he heard Hanamichi call him out through his mind. Instead, he faced the crowd and continued. "And instead of the usual ritual of marking my bride as mine in front of all of you, I will change that rule. I will have my bride in the privacy of my chambers. That is all. Thank you all for coming."

Even though he had ended his speech already, Eri burst out angrily, "You can't marry HIM, Kaede! He is a MORTAL!"

Many demons once again gasped in both shock and horror, not knowing that the young man with red hair was a mortal. Most of them couldn't sense the difference from a mortal to a demon, due to their powers, but those with very powerful blood could. Eri was one of them, and she wasn't going to give up her chance to rule with power. Mitsui read the look she had on her face, and clenched his hand. Things were going so well, but she just had to point it out. He looked up from her to Rukawa's face and silently asked, What are you going to do now, Kaede?

Rukawa closed his eyes for a while as if he was in deep thought. Then, he looked around the great hall, and finally, his eyes landed on Eri. "I have made my decision, and I won't change it. Sylvester." He called out suddenly.

The advisor, slightly startled, stuttered for a while before standing up straight. "Hai, Kaede-sama?"

Rukawa leaned back slightly as he stated, "Please ensure the safety of all of our guests as they make their way home. Since I have already chosen my bride, and I won't have them watching the ritual, they have nothing else to do." With that, he turned around, gave Hanamichi a look, then faced the servant standing beside Mitsui. "You, when Hanamichi is ready, bring him to my room."

"Ha-hai, Kaede-sama!" The servant gasped out. Then, without another word, Rukawa walked towards his room, leaving a very stunned Mitsui and Hanamichi staring after him.

* * * * * *

Eri grinded her teeth together as she stared at Rukawa. He turned to say something to the servant boy beside Mitsui, then left, leaving that mortal and Mitsui alone. She turned around angrily and stomped off towards the exit, determined to tell her parents about this insulting ceremony.

Then, she paused as she remembered something. Her parent's told her to invite Death over for dinner on Tuesday, and if she remembered correctly, her mother said that Satan left everything under the care of Death. She paused for a while and looked around. For all the time she has been in here, she hasn't caught sight of Death for one second. She turned around, and at the exact same time, saw Sendoh and another demon appear from a portal in front of Mitsui. She place herself in stealth mode then and moved closer to the 4 who were talking, Sendoh doing most of it, anyway.

Sendoh laughed out loud, proud with himself. "Well, everything went according to plan!" He announced, seeing that there was no one near enough to hear their conversation.

Mitsui sighed out in relief and smiled at his brother. "Hey, how'd you manage to get Death out of the picture, anyway?"

Sendoh grinned and pulled out an old looking book. "Well, Koshino here stole Death's little diary, and found a spell to keep him trapped without anyone to get him out...for the time being that is." Sendoh shrugged and looked at Mitsui. "By the way, what's the status report on Purgatory? Is he going home to New York now? Or what?"

Mitsui shook his head. "No. I heard him telling General Rufus that he'll be passing by Hawaii before going home on Monday."

Sendoh rubbed his hands together, an evil chuckle escaping his lips. "Goodie..."

Mitsui laughed at his brother's expression and looked back at Hanamichi, who stilled had a stunned expression on his face. He waved his hand back and forth across Hanamichi's eyes, and as expected, there was no reaction. Mitsui blinked. "He's out of it."

Koshino did the exact same thing Mitsui did, then sighed. "Well, it looks like he won't be able to walk to the bathroom for the cleansing ritual."

Sendoh shrugged. "Then let's go." With that, the 3 of them hoisted a very stiff cardboard-like Hanamichi on their shoulders and made their way towards the bathroom on the top floor.

When they were finally gone, Eri got out of her stealth mode and chewed on her nail, her mind already formulating a plan on how to get Rukawa to change his mind about his choice for his bride. With an evil giggle, she disappeared into a puff of smoke.

* * * * * *

Mitsui gave an exasperated sigh and slapped Hanamichi in the face one more time. "Come on, Hanamichi! Snap out of it!"

Sendoh rubbed his head and settled for waving his hand in front of the still shocked redhead's eyes. When he got no response, he too fell back, a groan escaping his lips. "Darn it. After all the trouble we went through just to get them together, this just had to happen."

Koshino rolled his eyes and looked at the door beside the tub. He turned to face Sendoh and asked in a quiet voice, "Doesn't that door open up to Kaede-sama's chambers? Why don't we call him?"

Mitsui thought that option over for a while, then shook his head. "Nah. I think Kaede's in the middle of his own cleansing ritual."

Sendoh shrugged in defeat, then, had an idea. "Koshino, get the bathrobe. Mitsui, help me undress Hanamichi."

Both stared at the blue eyed boy as if he had grown horns on his head.

Sendoh stared back at them with a confused look on his face. Then, understanding dawned on him. He defensively place out his hands, shaking his head fiercely. "I didn't mean that we mark him! Jeez! I just thought of a plan, so please, can you help me with it?" Sendoh gave them an I-don't-believe-you-guys look when he finished saying that. "Come on! My plans haven't failed anyone yet, so..."

Mitsui sighed and nodded. "Fine."

As they started doing what Sendoh ordered them to do, Hanamichi still remained passive and deaf. All he could see in front of him was Rukawa's face as he made that announcement to the entire demon society about him being the chosen bride. Hanamichi still couldn't believe it. All he wanted to do when he realized what he felt for Rukawa was tell him, hope that Rukawa still loved him, and live happily ever after, like all his simple-minded imaginations. However, he never expected to MARRY the raven haired boy! No. That plan never came up. He was still lost in his own thoughts as Koshino finally tied the sash of the bathrobe around his waist, not knowing that he was naked underneath.

The trio nodded at each other, and they all said their good-bye's at Hanamichi as they left him standing all alone in front of the tub. They all exited the large, marble bathroom, a particularly wide grin on Sendoh's face as he closed the door shut, making Hanamichi notice how deafening the sound of silence could be.

Hanamichi then released the breath he had been holding in, glad for the silence and the loss of people. He needed to think, and fast. Okay, firstly, he has been already announced as the bride of Kitsune, so there's no turning back now. Secondly, he had kissed Rukawa in front of millions of demons, which wasn't like him at all. And finally, he was going to be...

Hanamichi blushed at that thought and swallowed nervously, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. When he had heard Rukawa announce that he would 'mark' him in his chambers, Hanamichi thought of it as some kind of joke. Come on! Millions people watching 2 persons making love right in front of them?! It wasn't possible. Well, it sort of was, considering that they were in another dimension or world. Hanamichi blushed and grabbed a fistful of the bathrobe he was wearing, feeling scared and anxious. Rukawa was...He was going to...

"What the hell is wrong with you now, do'aho?"

Hanamichi's mind froze at that voice, and unconsciously, his body moved on it's own accord to face the owner of that voice. Hanamichi gulped, feeling that a bucket of ice was poured on over his head. There, standing by the door that connected the bathroom to what looked like a room, was none other that Rukawa. He had on the same kind of bathrobe Hanamichi wore at the moment, only Rukawa didn't have any expression on his face. His eyes were blazing with a certain energy, yes, but his face remained passive as he looked Hanamichi over, a frown suddenly appearing on his cool exterior.

Hanamichi's eyes widened in fear as he took a step back. "Ki-kitsune?" It was strange. The voice that came out of Rukawa's voice sounded so harsh, so angry, so...disgusted.

Rukawa shook his head and walked towards Hanamichi, an irritated and impatient look etched on his face. "Sendoh called me from my room just now. Why haven't you taken a bath, do'aho? I'm suppose to have sex with you by now."

Hanamichi blushed at that, and backed away from Rukawa. With each step Rukawa took forward, Hanamichi took one back. "Ma-matte yo, Ru-"

"Why should I wait?" Rukawa said indifferently, not stopping in his stride as he glared angrily at Hanamichi.

Hanamichi's spine bumped against the wall, and he gasped, feeling like a trapped animal in front of a beast. When he turned to look at Rukawa, he uttered a surprised cry when 2 strong hands shot past his head to lie flat on the wall by his ears. He blinked as Rukawa leaned forward, a dangerous gleam in his eye. Hanamichi shrunk back in fear as he turned his head to one side, closing his eyes at the same time. "Onegai..." He whimpered softly.

Rukawa stopped leering over Hanamichi, pausing midway as he watched the redhead in between his arms. Angrily, he demanded, "What do you want to say, Hana? Huh? Come on, tell me."

Hanamichi bent his head lower as he clenched his teeth. "Why are you mad?!"

Rukawa gave a mocking laugh at that. "Why am I mad?" He grabbed Hanamichi's arms and slammed the redhead against the marble wall, bringing Hanamichi's eyes open and to lock with his. "Do you want to know why? Okay, I'll tell you." Rukawa leaned in closer and muttered with venom in his voice, "You could have almost been KILLED! Are you so stupid as to risk your own life to come here, not knowing what demons may do to you?! If you had been on the road outside the castle all alone, believe me, the demons there would have eaten you in a second. Then, you showed up in the middle of the wedding ceremony, wherein over a million demons were present, and if any of them paid attention to you and found out that you were a mortal, then you'll be murdered! Tell me, are my reasons for being mad good enough?!"

Hanamichi choked out a cry. "All I wanted was to see you again!" He locked his arms around Rukawa's neck and buried his head on the shoulder blade of the raven haired boy. "All I wanted was to tell you that I love you and hoped that you still loved me!" Hanamichi broke down then, burying his face deeper into the bathrobe of Rukawa as he released all his pent up anger and regret.

Rukawa remained still for a while, then, after a while of staring at Hanamichi sobbing on him, he exhaled, his tense muscles relaxing themselves. He buried his face into Hanamichi's soft locks, wrapping his arms around Hanamichi's body, breathing in the scent that was distinctly the redheads. He murmured brokenly as the tears he had held back from the time he had arrived here poured out continuously, "I tried so hard to forget you, knowing that you'll be happy, but when you risked your life to come to my world..." He squeezed Hanamichi tightly. "I was so mad. I didn't want you to get hurt both physically and mentally because of me."

Hanamichi shook his head against Rukawa's shoulder and lifted his tear stained face up to look at Rukawa. "I'm so sorry for not seeing your love and returning it! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry for being a do'aho!"

Rukawa smiled gently at the redhead, despite the tears that were falling down his face. He cupped Hanamichi's face in his hands and nodded. "Aa. Omae wa honto ni do'aho..." When Hanamichi's eyes became watery again, Rukawa leaned in close, their lips almost touching. "But...you are my do'aho..." He gave a chaste kiss on Hanamichi's quivering lips, then said against them, "I still love you."

Fresh tears burst out of Hanamichi's eyes as he locked his arms tightly around Rukawa's neck, and kissed the blue eyed boy, releasing and forgetting all of his doubts, fears, resistance, and hatred into the air. He felt so happy and light. Rukawa still loved him! He still loved him, despite all the things he had done. Hanamichi kissed Rukawa passionately, a smile forming on his lips. Aishiteru, Kitsune! Daisuki!

Rukawa kissed his redhead back, feeling like a heavy load was taken off his chest. He pressed Hanamichi against the wall, his mind and heart racing. When he finally caught both of Hanamichi's wrists, he pulled them above Hanamichi's head and pinned them against the wall with one of his hands. Rukawa observed the way Hanamichi was breathing so hard, his eyes glazed as he looked up at Rukawa. Rukawa smiled warmly and murmured, "Do'aho..."

With that, he bent down and kissed Hanamichi with all the love he felt, feeling free at last.

And before Rukawa could answer that question, Hanamichi kissed him squarely on the lips.

TBC