Chapter Ten

Tales of a Flower

The trio stiffened as if on cue, Blue’s gasp of shock sealing what their sharp senses of sound and smell – instincts included – had picked up. They were back in Hige’s cluttered apartment, having managed to walk the short distance there. Not surprisingly, their wounds were beginning to heal fast and as Toboe jumped to his feet, trying not to stumble at the sudden wave of dizziness that washed over him, he sniffed once…twice.

“Kiba,” he stated simply. He turned to them with panic in his eyes, his features pale and drawn with worry. “Something’s happened to him.”

Hige was nodding, hands reaching for his jacket. “I’ll go find them. You two stay here and…”

“Are you kidding?” Blue all but growled as she too rose to her feet. She had to steady herself against a cabinet for fear she’d collapse. She might be healing fast, but the blow from that bastard, Darcia, was still affecting her locomotion. “If you go, we go with you. Right, Toboe?”

“Right,” the boy added emphatically, looking determined. Both he and Blue had bandages around their heads, and hardly looked in any condition to get into another fight. Hige wasn’t really sure of just how bad the situation was with Tsume and the others, but he’d be damned if he dragged these two into it. Besides, he had promised Tsume to look after them.

“You can’t come with me,” he yelled in frustration, for Blue was already searching for her coat. “Listen, the two of you…”

“We don’t have too much time,” Blue interrupted. She shrugged into the white outfit and began to head for the door, dark blue eyes fierce with the same fight that was now in Toboe’s heated gaze. “We owe Darcia a little thank you for what he did. Don’t worry, we’ll be careful.”

“That’s the least of my worries,” Hige mumbled, having no other choice but to follow the duo before him. He prayed that whatever awaited them wasn’t going to be as terrible as he was predicting.

Be all right, guys, he begged inwardly. Please be all right, for all our sakes.

---

Tsume’s howl of anguish shot through Jagara like a knife. She had never heard anything so primal, so raw, so…intoxicating. She sighed at the sight of the two men below, wishing that things had been different. It would be a pity to have to end both their lives. All was lost now. There would be no redemption for a woman like her. The thought of finding paradise must have been an illusion, only shattered by her blind faith in Darcia.

Damn his treachery!

“His death has brought me no joy,” she said, now pointing the gun towards Tsume. “Now I realize my grave mistake. I was so determined to find him, that I forgot his role in finding the flower. The girl who goes by the name of Cheza.”

Tsume had made no move, his back still turned to her, his gaze seemingly trained on the bleeding man lying on the cold earth before him. The only motion he made of having heard the deranged female was a tremble of his shoulders and the clenching of his hands into tight fists.

“But she does not exist,” Jagara continued. She walked down the jagged rocks, being careful not to trip. “Don’t you think if she did, she’d be attracted to his scent? That she would have sought him after all this time. Just as you and the others all met, where is she in all of this? Why hasn’t she showed herself?”

She stopped behind him, watching the back of his head. “Aren’t you even curious to know what this girl must look like now?”

She pressed the muzzle of the gun against the white hair, cocking it as she smirked. “Or perhaps you’re jealous that there is a girl out there, waiting for him…longing for him…just like you lust for…argh!”

He finally moved, so fast, she barely had the time to compose herself. Like a caged beast, Tsume had spun around, burying his fangs into her wrist, the warm taste of her blood pouring into his mouth like liquid fire. The gun fell to the ground and with a swift kick, it was sent into the lake, furious gold eyes trained on the screaming woman above him. He sank his fangs deeper, ignoring the blows she was beginning to rain on his head with her free hand. He would bite her fucking hand off. He wouldn’t let go, not even if she begged for mercy.

“You animal!” she howled and tried to kick him with a heeled boot. Again, fast reflexes had Tsume dodging it, his hand gripping her foot to send her tumbling to the ground. He straddled her, watching her features seem to elongate with terror, spittle and drool escaping her wide mouth as she screamed and screamed – an endless cacophony of horror.

When he felt the bones within her flesh, he released her, only to wrap his hands around her neck as her now useless right wrist and hand fell with a loud and sickening thump.

“You killed him,” he growled and squeezed. “You greedy, selfish, BITCH!”

Her face was beginning to turn a sickly shade of blue, her eyes seeming to bug out of their sockets as she tried to breathe. Tsume had never felt this angry before. He had thought that dealing with Sykes and his cronies was anger, but this…this was indescribable. His entire being thrummed with a fire that threatened to scorch him. Feeling Kiba’s warm blood against his hands while holding the limp body against him was enough to drive him mad. To think that he’d never be able to speak to the bastard again, to see those eyes trained on him, to know what he really tasted like.

It was this bitch’s fault and she was going to pay by God!

“Die,” she croaked and coughed at the same time. A tiny dribble of blood was beginning to escape her mouth. “Death…is…but…a…welcome….ending…”

“What are you talking about?” he growled, only to hiss sharply as he felt something hot pierce through the right side of his torso.

“A…little…gift…from…me…”

Tsume pulled back a little to see the tiny but ornate cylindrical object that was sticking out of his jacket. Jagara must have been hiding the phial all this time, looking for the right opportunity to use it on him. How foolish had he been? Tsume could already feel the poison working through his system, making him feel sluggish and his vision blurry. He eyed the woman below him, now knowing that simply choking her wouldn’t be enough. He removed his hands slowly from her neck, having made dark red grooves against her pale flesh.

“It’s you and me in hell then,” he said with a smirk as he leaned closer. “You and me, bitch.”

Sinking his fangs into the exposed flesh was extremely satisfactory as her low guttural cry sealed her fate. He could feel the life draining out of her, just as the poison within him worked its own brand of magic. When Jagara’s heartbeat ended on a slow but solitary note, he rolled off her body and to the ground, trying hard to catch his breath. His own heart rate was slowing down and he could hear it thudding within his eardrums, as if toying with him, daring him to do something to prevent an inevitable death.

“Not…yet…” he whispered, dragging himself across the grass and rocks to find the one he sought.

As he approached Kiba’s prone figure, to Tsume’s dismay, he could feel his eyes welling with tears.

Happening all over again, he thought bitterly as he reached for Kiba’s hand to hold on tightly. We just never quite make it to the end, do we, Kiba?

His chest tightened, but not from the poison, but at the thought of what might have been between them, if only they had lived. He shuffled closer to the prone body, allowing Kiba’s blood to warm the coldness that crept up his flesh. With a trembling hand, he cupped Kiba’s cheek, forcing his glazed gaze to focus on the rather peaceful visage. He traced the full lips gently, leaning closer until a breath separated them.

“When you come back,” Tsume began in a choked voice, struggling to hold back this moment of weakness. “You had better find me again, Kiba. You hear me. Come find me again and this time…this time I promise to make it right…for both of us.”

He kissed Kiba for the last time, inhaling the sweet scent that seemed to flow from him. He tasted the bitter salt of his misery and loneliness, praying for one last moment of warmth from Kiba before he passed away. Perhaps he imagined it, as his senses began to dull, but Tsume could swear he heard voices calling out his name, but most importantly, there was a responding pressure from the lips of the man he had thought dead.

Kiba, his mind screamed in doubt, in fear and in hope.

Tsume, came the whispered words from somewhere in the darkest recesses of his mind. Tsume…come back to me…Tsume…!

---

I have always been alone.

“Is he awake?”

Never knew my parents…family…what family?

“He seems to be rousing up…look his eyes are moving behind the lids!”

“Stop pointing!”

I have journeyed for so long…so long…all alone…

“Is he talking in his sleep?”

Until I came here….and met…him…

“I think he’s trying to say something.”

…until I smelled him…wanted him…needed him.

“What? What’s he saying?”

Tsume.

“I think he’s saying…”

“Tsume.”

“Tsume?”

“Aaah! He’s awake!” came the loud cries from Toboe and Hige, who had been doing all the talking over Kiba’s prone figure on the hospital bed.

“You two are morons,” Blue said, rolling her eyes as she pushed Hige aside to smile at Kiba. “How are you feeling? We thought we had lost you back there.”

Kiba opened his lashes a bit wider, now realizing where he was. The sheets felt scratchy against his back, while the blinding whiteness of the walls and furniture was giving him a headache.

“How long have I been…?”

“One week!” Toboe said with a grin. “You had a gunshot to the stomach area, but the doctor said you’d be fine. She’s hot!”

“Toboe!” Blue chided, although she was trying not to chuckle.

“But she is, Hige said so.”

Hige waved his hands about, just as Blue gave him a cold look. “Hehehe, I never said any such thing. Toboe likes to exaggerate things.” He eyed the younger boy, who was now giggling, and made a slicing motion across his neck. He was going to kill Toboe for yapping so much.

Kiba watched the camaraderie for a moment with a small smile on his lips, but there was one person missing. One person who would make this picture complete. “Tsume?” he finally asked, feeling his insides become cold at the immediate reaction the name caused.

Toboe had stopped chuckling, his lashes lowered as if hiding a dark secret. Blue toyed with the hem of her shirt, while Hige scratched his head and then his nose before speaking.

“He…” He looked to Blue and Toboe for help.

“He was poisoned,” Blue finished quietly. “The woman he killed…”

“Jagara,” Hige added quickly.

“Yeah, her. She must have poisoned him with something the doctors are not even sure of. If it wasn’t for Dr. Cheza…”

Kiba stiffened, eyes widening at the sound of the name. “Who?” he began slowly. “What did you say her name was?”

“Dr. Cheza,” Blue replied. “She was the only one able to find an antidote, so Tsume’s resting in Intensive Care at the moment.”

Heartbeat pounding harder and faster than ever before, Kiba struggled to sit up, eliciting cries of dismay from his new friends. He had to find her. He had to talk to her, to make sure this wasn’t just a figment of his imagination.

“I have to find her,” he argued as Hige tried to pin him back to the bed. “Let me go, Hige!”

“And what do we have here?” came the lithe singsong voice that had the four of them turning toward the door in unison. Standing there was a young woman with shocking pink hair with eyes that matched. Her smile was warm and infectious, the long white lab coat, hiding the slender figure beneath. There was a seeming innocence around her, and yet neither four could deny the sweet, nearly heavenly scent she gave off whenever she was close by.

“Che…Cheza?” Kiba croaked.

“Dr. Cheza,” the lady said with a laugh as she pointed to her badge. “But I’ll make an exception for you, since you’re quite cute. As for the rest of you.” She clapped her hands smartly. ‘Visiting hours are over.”

“Aww,” Toboe whined. “Can’t we stay for a little longer?”

“Not today,” Cheza said, shaking her head while placing a soft kiss on the boy’s forehead. His sigh of pleasure was worth it. “When you come tomorrow, I just might have some candy for you.”

“Awesome!”

“You’re so easy to bribe,” Hige scoffed as he waved goodbye to Kiba. “So gullible and…”

“…and I’ve got fresh baked doughnuts just for you, Hige,” Cheza added with a cheeky grin.

“Sweet!” came the enthusiastic cry from Hige. “I’m so here tomorrow.”

Their laughter faded away with the slow close of the door, leaving Cheza and Kiba alone to stare at each other for a long minute.

“You know,” Kiba finally said when he was sure he could find his voice. Her gentle and yet sad smile was all the answer he needed. He moaned and lowered his head within his hands, only to have them pulled away gently as Cheza sat on the bed beside him. She cradled them within her sure hands, as if sending her warmth into the cold flesh.

“I promised to find you when I returned,” he whispered in sorrow. “To find our paradise together. You…you were what I was searching for all the time and I…I failed, Cheza.”

“Failed? Why do you think you failed?”

He lifted his pained gaze. “Can’t you see all that happened with Darcia and Jagara? I did not remember on time and…and I nearly got everyone killed all over again.”

“But you didn’t Kiba,” Cheza said softly as she caressed his cheek. “You succeeded. You have found your own paradise…without me.”

He blinked in bemusement. “Wha…what do you mean?”

Cheza smiled and rose to her feet. She paced to the window and looked out into the dying sunset. “You once loved me, Kiba. Enough to do anything to take me to a place where we both belonged. You who were once alone, found friends and those you could care for.” She closed her eyes, her fingers clutching the thick green curtain tightly. “Those were difficult times for us, Kiba. We were in a world where wolves and humans barely got along, where pain and suffering seemed to reign and the world knew no better.” She opened her eyes and turned to him, and he could see the tears shimmering within them. “I loved you too, Kiba and I wanted us to be together again…”

“So why can’t we?” Kiba asked, even though he knew within his heart, the answer to that. He desperately tried to find the blind attachment he had felt for her in the past, to find the unquestioning devotion…but all he could see…feel…

“You know the answer to that, don’t you, Kiba?” Cheza replied with a tremulous smile.

“In this world, your paradise has already been found. With him, you can both find the happiness you deserve.”

Kiba’s cheeks suffused with color. He tried to look away, but her face held him captive. He didn’t move even when she moved closer to kneel before him. She took his hands between hers and placed a tender kiss on each finger in reverence.

“And what about you? What about your happiness, Cheza? Have you…found it?”

She nodded and looked around the room. “Here. In this hospital. In this world, I can bring healing to many this way. Everyday, people walk through those doors with pain and suffering in their hearts, not just the physical ailments. To see them smile at the end of the day is all I could ever want. So yes, I am happy here, Kiba. And I want you to be just as happy too.”

Kiba flushed and lowered his gaze, staring at the white sheet with acute fascination. His happiness. Would it finally be his? And with a person like…him? He didn’t know what the future held, but he was going to try – to try for both of them.

“Will…will you take me to him?” he finally asked in a hoarse whisper.

With a warm smile, Cheza nodded and rose to her feet. “Come with me then, Kiba. He’s been waiting for you.”

---

Tsume stared blankly at the ceiling, trying to catch his breath. He was doing his 100th sit up and the sweat rolled off his skin like beads of rain. The light gray pants he wore hung low on his lean hips, his bronzed torso and chest glistening with his exertions. Since his ‘imprisonment’ in this godforsaken hellhole called a hospital, the doctors had thought it necessary to keep him in for a day or two longer, even though he felt perfectly fine.

Since the events at the ruins, where he had honestly thought he was a goner, things had been a whirlwind of eye-opening revelations for him. He now knew that the voices he had heard, was only Hige, Blue and Toboe arriving at the scene just in time and that the voice that had called his name was actually Kiba, who was rousing from his faint. Damn it all! And there he had thought Kiba was dead.

Now angry again, he turned on his stomach to begin a series of push-ups, grunting as he moved up and down, faster and faster. The tiny puncture, where Jagara had poisoned him, was healed and thanks to that female doctor, Tsume felt as good as new again. He wasn’t a fool, he had recognized her as soon as his vision and senses had recovered completely. In the vision shown to him at the ruins, he knew it was Cheza, the flower, only this time she was a healer of another kind.

Unfortunately, his jealousy had forgotten to take a back seat.

She was still as beautiful as ever, and her personality was enough for any hot-blooded male to fall in love with. Tsume’s mind had immediately gone to Kiba’s reaction and how he would receive her again. He was sure that Kiba would be all over Cheza like he had before, that he would want to remain with her, willing to toss Tsume away now that his goal was achieved.

“Damn,” he cursed and slumped to the floor, closing his eyes at the pang of pain that seared through his chest. Why did he even give a fuck? If Kiba decided to stay then…then…

I’ll just go back to the way things were. Find another lousy contract job and hope I remain alive. What a life.

“…without Kiba…”

A light knock on the door had him opening his eyes with a sigh of frustration. Great. Another nurse to tell him to get back to bed.

“Come in,” he called out in a gruff voice, watching the door open slowly. Still lying on the floor, he looked - everything was upside down to him - but there was no denying the bare feet and jeans that belonged to only one person.

Ignoring the skipped heartbeat, Tsume sat up and tried to look as uninterested as possible. “Look who’s finally here.”

Kiba coughed lightly and held up the basket of fruits, something Blue had insisted he bring with him today. He had been released from the hospital a few days ago, but had found himself a bit shy to actually face Tsume face-to-face. Since Cheza showed him Tsume’s room a week ago, he had visited everyday, simply content to sit beside the silent man, wondering just what he would say to Tsume when he did wake up. When the news had come that Tsume was active again, Kiba had come up with as many excuses as possible as to why he couldn’t visit the hospital. It was Blue who finally gave him a good kick in the pants and forced him to come here today.

“Sorry…” Kiba mumbled, making a show of arranging the fruits on the bedside table. “Been busy…”

“With Cheza?” Tsume asked, unable to keep the bitterness away from his voice. He kicked himself inwardly for being so transparent.

“We only had dinner once…and lunch…once,” Kiba defended himself quickly. He met Tsume’s cool gaze and lowered his. “But there’s nothing between us.”

“Like I care,” Tsume mumbled and rose to his feet. He tried hard not to stare too long at the t-shirt that seemed to cling to Kiba’s physique like a second skin, or the dusky outline of those tantalizing nipples to his gaze. He struggled to gather moisture into his dry mouth. “Toss me an apple or something.”

Glad to be doing something with his hands, for fear he would lunge for Tsume’s bare chest and caress that scar or lick it or worse, Kiba tore the wrap open with trembling fingers and pulled out an apple.

“Here.”

“Thanks.” Tsume caught it deftly and sank his teeth into the fruit, its juices whetting his parched tongue and throat. He took another big bite and finally noticed Kiba staring at him…hungrily.

Goddamn it. Kiba was driving him insane.

“What are you staring at?” he asked, eyes darkening with unbridled lust. “If you want an apple, get one yourself.”

Kiba stared at the basket, licked his lips slowly and then eyed the one in Tsume’s hand. “I want…”

“You want…?” Tsume smirked, watching Kiba’s feral instincts begin to take over. It was beautiful to watch the transformation, to see the shy, timid Kiba become what was hidden within – a beast. The low growl that seemed to emanate from deep within Kiba resonated with Tsume, as heated gazes met and locked.

“You,” Kiba breathed.

“What are you waiting for?” came the husky tease as Tsume spread his legs apart and rested on his elbows, daring Kiba to come for him.

Kiba needed no second invitation. With a low growl, he moved swiftly, straddling the inviting legs to seize Tsume’s lips in a kiss that left them shocked at its intensity. Tsume had no time for foreplay. It had been too long since he was denied the pleasure of taking Kiba completely. He parted his lips to welcome Kiba’s questing tongue, sucking, tasting every inch of the sweet offering. Kiba could taste the apple on Tsume’s lips, gasping as he felt Tsume’s strong hands cupping his ass to knead it roughly.

He tore his lips away, panting harshly as his hands traced Tsume’s scar tenderly. ”Fuck me,” Kiba commanded against Tsume’s lips.

“Thought you’d never ask,” came the gruff reply.

Kiba was all but tossed to the bed, Tsume’s hands making quick work of the jeans as Kiba’s hands tugged the sweatpants down Tsume’s hips in fervent jerks. Fevered gold and teal depths remained locked, only broken as both felt their erections finally free from their constraints. When Tsume slid two fingers into Kiba’s mouth, it was sucked on with vigor, the digits coated with his saliva as he watched Tsume’s flushed features above him.

“Oh God…” came the breathless moan when those cool and wet fingers teased his puckered opening just as his balls and cock were stroked at the same time. He jerked into Tsume as the fingers probed deeper, wrapping his arms tightly around the taller man’s neck as dull pain flared into indescribable pleasure. Tsume’s fingers dug through the tight ring of muscle, stretching and all but coming as he felt the tight pressure against his flesh. Fuck! If it felt this good with just his fingers, what would it feel like when he finally…

“Now, Tsume,” Kiba moaned. “Now…can’t…wait…”

“Patience,” Tsume replied with a low chuckle that shook with desire. He couldn’t believe he was actually saying this, but for some reason, he felt he had to take it slow now, to make Kiba feel as good as he hoped he would. He withdrew his fingers, eliciting a low mewl of disappointment from Kiba. Tsume placed his hands behind Kiba’s knees, raising his legs to give better access to his dripping cock.

“God, you’re fucking beautiful,” Tsume rumbled with emotion. “You have no idea, do you?”

He closed his eyes and slid in slowly…carefully…all the way in, sucking in a harsh breath at the feel of Kiba tightening, sheathing, imprisoning his cock with each thrust. Tsume didn’t stop until he felt his balls against Kiba’s ass, leaning forward until their lips barely caressed each other, their bodies stiffening to get used to this level of intimacy.

“Aah…fuck…feels good…” Tsume moaned.

And Kiba, who had struggled to hold back his tears of not just satisfaction, but of finally…finally feeling complete after so many years of loneliness, whispered thickly against Tsume’s lips.

“I love you.”

Tsume’s eyes widened. “Wha…mmmph!”

Kiba stole whatever questions he might have asked with another searing kiss, hips bucking upwards to force Tsume to move. It took them less than a minute to establish a rhythm, their bodies straining with a passion that rose steadily to a heart pounding crescendo. Their low grunts, moans and groans filled the room, beads of sweat rolling off clenched muscles. Kiba dug his fingers into Tsume’s strong back, his body arching off the bed as the pleasure rose to a fever pitch. He was dying. He had to be dying. Nothing was ever allowed to be this good to him.

Tsume! Tsume!! Tsume!!! His mind screamed over and over again, allowing his body to do all that his lips couldn’t say. His confession hung in the air between them, and Kiba wasn’t ashamed of admitting it. It seemed impulsive, but the words had come from deep within him, knowing that it was the right thing to do. He wanted to be with Tsume, for as long as the other man would let him.

“Kiba!” came the sharp grunt from Tsume as he too approached his peak. He stiffened, his cock swelling within the tight sheath. With a final gasp of ‘Oh…fuck…’ he exploded, his entire body quaking with the force of his orgasm just as Kiba’s warm semen coated his torso and upper thighs as he too came. The world swam before his eyes and he collapsed upon Kiba, panting and struggling to catch his breath as he felt the strong arms around him. He could feel his seed pouring into Kiba, making those slick walls even slicker as more of his seed escaped to trickle down to the sheet.

Tsume nuzzled Kiba’s neck gently, tongue darting out to lap the sweat off his lover’s neck. He smiled at the low moan Kiba gave, allowing his pleasure-dazed senses to come back to earth.

“Hey, Kiba,” Tsume drawled, fingertips now tracing the hard nubs of Kiba’s nipples through the t-shirt they hadn’t bothered taking off. “When you said you…uumm…loved me…did you…” Tsume couldn’t believe he was actually blushing while saying this. Thank goodness Kiba couldn’t see his face at this time. “…did you mean it? I guess it might have just been said out of the heat of the moment, but…” He cleared his throat, heart pounding faster now as he set out his proposal. “…it’s not a big place or anything, but…if you want to stay with me…for a while at least…then, you’re more than welcome to. So…what do you say?”

A heart stopping silence greeted this proposition.

Tsume felt his cheeks darken with embarrassment. Damn Kiba! Why couldn’t he say something. “Kiba?” He lifted his head slowly. “What do you think of…?”

The words died on his lips as the light snore from the other man had Tsume groaning in disbelief. Not again!

“Kiba, you bastard! Why are you never awake for the most important things!”

And as he began to shake the oblivious man awake, outside the door, Cheza giggled and walked away with a smile on her lips. With assured confidence that at least things were looking up for those two, she really couldn’t be happier for Kiba and his new friends.