[WARNING] :: There are spoilers for Demon's Child and A Shore in Twilight. Also, slight boy love. Well... king/kirin love.

[disclaimer] :: In these series of drabbles, things may or may not contradict with the canon. Timelines may or may not be rearranged, messed up or otherwise ignored. Terms, places, phrases and spellings may or may not be 100% correct. Tiny tidbits of information may or may not be included. In short, these stories are just fun little ideas that have popped into my head concerning the characters and their relationships with each other. 100% canon accuracy isn't what I'm aiming for since the 12K world is huge and somewhat confusing. But I did my best and hope that you enjoy it nevertheless.

He awoke to the sound of someone crying out. He wasn’t sure why it woke him so suddenly. Perhaps his years as a general and then his years all alone had heightened his senses. He sat bolt upright, alarmed. Yet all around him was stillness and quiet. Nothing stirred in the dead of night and he briefly wondered just how late it was. Gyousou did not bother trying to go back to sleep. Somewhere subconsciously he knew what he had heard even if it was physically impossible for him to have done so. The bedroom of the king was not near the bed of the taiho, after all. The king of Tai had never wondered why that was nor had he cared but tonight he found it a bit of a hindrance. After tugging on his robe he made his way there, pausing when he reached the entrance. He heard soft sobs coming from the darkness within and a deep frown creased his face.

“Kouri?”

His voice instantly caused the crying to cease and the room went still. Worried, Gyousou waited until his eyes were more adjusted to the darkness before he entered. He could see Taiki’s faint outline sitting on the bed. After a few minutes he managed to get some proper lighting in the room. The black kirin sat on the bed, wearing his own sleeping gown and wrapped up in the blankets. Even in the middle of summer it was bitterly cold at night. Even after all this time Gyousou was still surprised by how much Taiki had aged. He was no longer ten, but sixteen, with his mane now grown out to a more appropriate length than it had been when the kirin had been reunited with his master. His face was stained with tears.

“What’s the matter?” the king asked after a moment of silence. “I heard you cry out.”

“Heard me? But you’re so far away,” Taiki replied. His voice was quiet and weakened.

“I know. It’s strange.”

Gyousou moved closer and sat on the edge of bed beside his kirin, peering at him with concern. His hardened warrior’s face seemed incapable of showing it but his eyes were always readable, especially to Taiki.

“What happened?” He pressed and Taiki suddenly looked away.

“I’m sorry,” he said weakly. “This is embarrassing.”

Gyousou watched him rub his face furiously, trying desperately to rid himself of his tears. He chuckled kindly. “There is no shame in crying.”

“I’m a crybaby, even now,” Taiki replied bitterly. “Just like I was when I was little. I’m pathetic.”

“You’re not.

“It was just a nightmare but I can’t stop shaking or crying. I think that’s pathetic.”

Gyousou shook his head with a soft sigh. “You’re too hard on yourself. That hasn’t changed either.”

Taiki hung his head and his master rested a hand on his head lightly. “You’re still having them, then? The same nightmares?”

Taiki nodded miserably. Even now, after so much time had passed since his rescue in Hourai, the memories haunted him. Death of those around him, the managed bodies of his parents covered in blood, crimson footprints of animals he felt he should recognize but was only frightened of instead, the feel of his horn being torn from his body… all of it haunted him. When he closed his eyes he saw nothing but death and blood. He gave a violent shudder and a wave of nausea over took him.

Noticing him turn a few shades paler Gyousou moved his hand down to touch Taiki’s cheek. He felt warm, like a fever. “I thought the physician had cured you of them.”

Taiki chuckled wearily. “I don’t think nightmares can be cured so easily.”

Gyousou was silent for a moment and his hand slipped away. “Forgive me. When you needed me the most I wasn’t there. I could not protect you.”

“L-Lord Gyousou…” Taiki looked up in alarm, embarrassed suddenly. “Please don’t say that. It’s… It was no one’s fault, what happened.”

For some reason Taiki felt like crying again. Absently he reached out and touched Gyousou’s hand, causing the king to glance up at him. The kirin forced a faint smile even though the tears had not completely gone away.

“We shouldn’t lament on the past. We need to think about Tai’s future. If we keep worrying about what happened then we can never move forward and the kingdom will suffer.”

I should take my own advice, Taiki thought sadly. Wanting his king to move forward when he was still incapable of doing so seemed hypocritical. Or maybe the kirin just wanted his king to be strong where he could not. They were, after all, two halves of one whole. If one was weak the other had to make up for that weakness. That’s how it worked, right? But what good am I? Lord Gyousou is so strong all the time and I’m not. I couldn’t possibly make up for any weakness he might have. These insecure thoughts, so familiar from his youth still plagued him. It frustrated him. He shouldn’t be feeling like this now. After all, things were looking so much better now. Gyousou was back on the throne, the traitors had been dealt with for the most part, and Risai seemed to smile more.

Then why am I not happy?

Somehow it seemed that no matter what Taiki could never feel completely happy. It was crippling and everything he did was a struggle to cope with it. He couldn’t stand it yet he didn’t know how to make it go away. And on top of it all he was lonely. Sanshi and Gouran, gone forever because of his foolishness. Even the dreams he had of them, when he was happy and playing through the fields of Mt. Hou with Sanshi, had become cruel nightmares of times he would never have again.

“Kouri, you’re crying again.”

Taiki started and quickly lifted a hand to his cheek. Indeed he was and he buried his face in his palms in shame, sniffling pitifully.

“I-I’m sorry, Lord Gyousou.”

“Please stop apologizing.”

His mater’s voice was gentle and Taiki felt soothed by it. At the same time it made him cry harder. Why? He felt strong arms embrace him and Taiki hid his face in the fabric of Gyousou’s robe. Despite it all Taiki couldn’t help but feel a sense of delight when he was held. This open affection was something for him and no one else. Gyousou was never like this in front of ministers. Only when they were alone did this rare side of the king show itself. Taiki continued to cry and felt a hand brush against his face. He looked up, vision blurred from his tears. Gyousou leaned down and, quite literally, kissed his tears away.

Taiki blushed and felt his heart beat wildly. This, more so than the embrace, had been unexpected. When the king was done he pulled away to stare into Taiki’s dazed face. He smiled.

“It will be all right. I promise.”

With those words spoken by his master Taiki felt his sorrow slowly melt away. For the first time in a long time he saw a small light of hope.

“Lord Gyousou? Will you stay with me?”

“If that is what you wish.”

The light in the room flickered, signaling that it would soon be going out. That’s okay, Taiki thought absently. The darkness isn’t so scary anymore.