Inu no Hana? ((Flowers for a Dog?))

How on earth such an adorable kid managed to talk him into coming home with him was beyond him well him and Yuki Ijo. For what was it again a study session? How nice so here they were inside of the castle that held the rulers of the vampires of Earth as Tai glanced about and his eyes landed on a man sitting there with a blindfold on.

"You don't have a problem with us all studying for school do you Kyoki? We'll be in my room there classmates of mine.....well....one is the other is the one I.....sorta...." he fell silent why was it soo hard to admit he had this huge crush and loved Yuki? Especially to KYOKI!

Hakai Hana looked at the top of Tai's head and sighed before glancing around the castle which sat in the ruins of the once grand Ryu castle. He spared the man in the throne half a glance. They were an odd bunch the only one in school uniform obeying the rules was Tai himself. Yuki was dressed as usual and well Hakai?

His long royal purple hair was tied off with white cord over his shoulder. He wore a black kimono and hamaka, with a deep green kimono over it, the white cords falling about his shoulders and a white sash over his shoulders under the green kimono. His feet were bear but he wore the wooden sandals moving about easily enough in them. His blue violet eyes taking in the sights around him before going back to Kyoki Inu who was Taishoku's guardian. Glancing again at Tai who fell silent rather then ramble. Trying to gather his nerve to tell Kyoki what was clear.......that Yuki Ijo was the one he was in love with.

Kyoki moved a little, shifting his head to 'look' at Taishou and sighed as he stood up and moved closer to them and his 'gaze' if one was willing to call it such a thing when Kyoki was obviously not really looking at them....or was he? He had been wearing the blindfold for so many centuries that it felt as if he were staring right at them when all he honestly saw was darkness underneath the piece of gray cloth, fell on the new one. He had never met this one before...

"What? You want to study with this little Hana? How amusing..." Kyoki mused lowly and smiled before he turned to look at Yuki, and sighed. "Fuck him in his room where I can smell it and hear it...I swear I'll cut your dick off..." he warned Yuki lowly, who simply sighed and closed his eyes. The thought of having Kyoki come anywhere near any part of him made his skin crawl.

"Trust me...I would rather die than have you touch me...." Yuki answered lowly which got a dry laugh out of Kyoki.

Tai if he was capable of it would have blushed three shades of red as Kyoki soo bluntly said that. "Kyoki.........." he protested. Yeah leave it to Kyoki to put something that way. "We just studying for school that's all......." he said there was no way something like that would happen with Hakai there it would be too ackward or with Kyoki's threat hanging in the air. Of course Tai had no idea why Kyoki seemed to be so over-protective at times and angry with him at other times. If he could get a straight answer out of his mother he'd know. But then it dawned on him what he called Hakai.......

Hakai looked at Kyoki sharply annoyed, his blue violet eyes narrowing as he gazed at the man wearing the blindfold. He was well aware of the fact that Kyoki saw jack shit through the blind-fold that what he actually saw..........or rather sensed was the change in scent with emotion the shift in breathing no matter how subtle it was the faintest of shift of muscle the sound of movement. Oh yeah Hakai was aware of it but more then that he made no point of hiding his irritation when Kyoki said 'What? YOu want to study with this little Hana?' that it was amusing no it was the fact that Kyoki called him a flower and they had never met........although Tai spoke that moment.

"Oh......Kyoki do you know Hakai?" Tai asked since the quickest way to get under Hakai's skin and irritate him was to call him in any way or shape a flower......

The reaction of irritation got Kyoki to smile that crazy smile of his and he turned his attention to Taishou. "Never met him before..." he answered lowly, yet honestly and then turned his attention back to the new guy.

"Something the matter Hana? Don't tell me you dislike me calling you that...after all...you should have known I would find something to irritate you with...especially if you can sense that I can't really see you...." he said lowly and licked his lips.

Of course he couldn't see see, but he could make out shapes, outlines and could smell and sense everything going on around him. If it wasn't for his sensitive eyes, he wouldn't wear the blindfold, but his eyes were sensitive to bright light, and he usually just kept them covered to avoid any possible discomfort.

"Yeah...I know you know. But it doesn't take a genius to figure out how I can do it...not if you're a vampire anyway...."

Hakai looked at him and away again. "Over sensitivity to light. Your other senses added in with the bit of light that seeps in through the edge of the blindfold allow you to see shapes and outlines. Your sense of smell is so keen it allows you to pick up the faintest emotional nuisances in a person, allowing you to function as if you were not wearing it. A Yoru no inu, or night dog." he said as he shifted and turned to face Kyoki who was wearing the blindfold and that really large collar.

Tai looked between them curious to no end about what was going on here. They way they were talking to each other. It was as if Hakai wasn't concerned about pushing Kyoki and as if Kyoki himself wanted Hakai to push him.

Hakai looked at him. "My name Kyoki Inu is Hakai Hana. And only a fool would think they could walk into a room with you in it and not think for a moment that you would be anything other then amused and happy to find something to irritate those around you with. You rather enjoy having the advantage." He said as if he was getting even by changing his last name to Hana but he wasn't. Flower of Destruction. A rather soft name.........unless you knew what his powers were. And although it seemed Hakai was out to push Kyoki he was simply making conversation.

Kyoki snorted before he burst into laughter. He was very amused by this one. Over observant, but amusing. And if you managed to amuse Kyoki in the slightest....one had better be prepared for the things that were to come....

But at the sound of the last name, Kyoki fell silent for a few minutes before he snorted and looked over at Tai. "Well, what do ya know? I was right after all..." he said lowly and smiled as he turned his attention back to Hana, his face growing serious.

"You may be good at observing and the likes, but it doesn't matter to me...observation and strategy only work on an opponent who actually fights with a pattern...or even uses their powers..." he said lowly, coolly.

"I don't even know what my powers are....never used them...." he said and shrugged. The only 'power' he had ever used was his ability to shift into dog form and that was something that he had learned to do the moment he sat foot in the world as a small child.

"If you expect me to be as predictable as the other idiots in the world...you're very sadly mistaken...however, you're right...only a fool would come in here and expect that they had the advantage over me..." Kyoki mused lowly and smiled a little before he moved, vanishing from where he had been standing and reappearing in the throne again, sitting there as if he had never moved, leg draped over the arm as he usually did.

"But...you're not a fool, are you Hana? You knew what you were getting into the moment you said you'd come into this castle...I wonder why? Were you really that curious about me, about my brothers and I?" he asked lowly as his attention was solely on Hana.

Tai shifted Kyoki was only too interested in Hakai and Hakai seemed as cool and nonchalant as ever. As if even Kyoki didn't phase him and perhaps he didn't. All he did know was that at the moment he wasn't sure how things would work out.

"True observations works it's best with an opponent who is showing off a particular pattern. But it works well against those who are unpredictability as well that very unpredictability becomes a predictability. " he said as he looked at Kyoki who was so sure of himself having called it on having been right about his name of course it didn't help Hakai probably scented much akin to a flower garden.

"Of course I did. One does not willingly go into the presences of one of the Inu brothers unaware of where they are going and why let alone all three at once. Each of you are powerful but you had earned a reputation for your strength and cunning in a fight that is not easily forgotten or overlooked in the vampire community." Hakai said easily as he looked at Kyoki who was sitting there.

Hakai stepped down despite wearing the wooden sandals which should have made a sound should have given some indication of movement it did not. He was on the other side of Tai his fingertip against Yasei's nose who had been about to lunge and take down Tai to catch him off guard not foaming at the mouth but frozen in mid movement staring at the man whose fingertip was against his nose before Yasei was tossed over Tai and went sliding as if an over grown puppy playing a game and at that Yasei laid down he wouldn't have hurt Tai.........he was in the mood to play rough and felt he was toughening up the kid.

Hakai looked over at Kyoki. "It is not Jigoku no Inu nor Yasei Inu that particularly interest me. I know that Jigoku stopped his singing career to take up his position as guard, and that Yasei came in later. That Yasei is a bit of a wild pup still learning the dos and don'ts of the world around him. Jigoku is the gentlest of you three and you are the oldest of the three brothers and the one who keeps Yasei in check." It was here that Hakai turned. "But not much is known about the great white dog that guards the gates. The one who can tack down thousands of Nosferatu by himself without them being able to leave a mark on him. Not much at all personally and it is perhaps for that bit of curiosity that I am here."

Kyoki snorted and looked over at Yasei for a few moments as he spoke lowly, "I never said that I didn't think when I fought...I'm unpredictable for a reason you know..." It was true, anyone could become predictable if they were watched closely enough, but if one were to be honest, Kyoki didn't care. He would get dangerously close to a close range fighter just for the thrill of it if he had to in order to win his fight ad claim his prize.

But after a moment, he vanished and reappeared before Hana, face inches from Hana's. "I don't let very many people know anything about me...the only ones who know anything about me are the ones I work for and my brothers...and even my brothers are pretty clueless at times..." he explained and moved back a little and smiled at Hana.

"To be close to me, to learn things about me...it's what you want, right? Studying is a lie...especially for one as smart as you....what you really came for was to see what I was like...up close and personal...am I right Hana?" Kyoki asked as he leaned in close to Hana again and took his blindfold off to actually look at this one closely.

Hakai looked at him as he spoke as Kyoki talked about himself and looked into the eyes of the man not many dared to get close to for fear of there lives. "Studying wasn't a Lie Kyoki. Although what I wished to study and learn or rather who........was not school work. I agreed to come study I just never specified what it was I would be learning about."

His blue violet eyes locked with those of Kyoki's own for a moment the crimson hues as dangerous as they could be were lovely to look into. "As beautiful as a rose but just as dangerous." He said which was fitting in it's own right even if Kyoki would disagree with it. A rose for all it's beauty and allure was highly dangerous. The rose itself on it's thick branches covered with thorns and if one was stupid enough to find a way to digest one that was not 'specially' grown poisonous. It's beauty was not without it's price to get close to.

Hakai looked at him. "Oh it is curious I want to get close but at the same token I care not for pointless things Kyoki. As dangerous as getting close to you can be it's rather pointless if in the end it turns out to be nothing more then the life of candlewicks flame......although it begs to question Kyoki do you really think it is safe to get so close to me? To dare to cross that line." To get any closer to Hakai Hana could be as dangerous if not more so then Kyoki as he reached up moving out of sheer instinct nothing indicating the move and caught the man's chin before him as close as he was. "Do not for a moment think that if you come and meet me.........that I'm soo inclined to let you walk away again." he said and let go his touch had been firm not feather light nor crushing firm enough to feel even as his fingers released Kyoki's chin.

Yasei went wide eyed his ears flying up as this man just suddenly 'touched' Kyoki without his permission no one touched Kyoki no one crossed that line except for Ame and perhaps at times Krylancelo but for this one...........it was nice knowing him.

Kyoki wasn't surprised, had known that he was getting dangerously close to this one, and hadn't cared. He was dangerous yes, but stupid no. Kyoki knew what he was doing, and just what he was dealing with. The kid's name was enough to give it away. That...and this kid's scent.

Instead of getting angry, he tossed his head back in laughter. Oh how amused he was by this. To Kyoki, this was simply a game. A dangerous one mind you, but still a game. But over all, Kyoki knew when to be serious and when to have his fun.

When Kyoki was done, he lowered his head and gaze to Hana and smiled again. "I normally don't like those who lie...especially when they believe that skirting around the truth is any different than telling lies...however...for you, I'm willing to ignore it this once...simply because you amuse me far too much to kill you,"" he said lowly as he leaned back down to face Hana once again.

"Crossing lines? Dear Hana, I've crossed far too many lines to leave this one alone...but the better question is...do you really want to know all you can about me? Are you sure you want to walk around knowing things about the great white dog that guards the gates?"

Hakai looked up at him quietly. "I know what it is I'd be getting into Kyoki. But as I said........I play for keeps." he said lowly his own eyes narrowing a bit as he watched Kyoki who was getting dangerously close to him. AS if thrilled in it. "To kill me Kyoki, there is a fine line between lies and truths. There was no lie I am not the one who needs to study for school Tai and Yuki are and often they pick my mind so yes I am here for there studying. But my own as well. There was no deceit you knew very well my intentions by my scent alone when I walked into the room even if I had not spoken them aloud I had not hide them. The truth was there if one but knew where to look. As to killing me........now there is an interesting thought.........I know who you are Kyoki Inu......what you can do."

"I'm sure........but once again Kyoki. The moment that that line is crossed there is no turning back. You'll not be able to so easily cast me off as you do that one you play with back on Tsuin Sekai. The one who scent hoovers it the air faintly around you or the other who was more recent. I am not such a man.........but if all this is to you is a passing amusement Kyoki. Then forever will you remain a mystery."

Kyoki snorted at Hana's words. "I can kill if it is desired...but I'm not trying to kill you, nor am I simply after a passing moment..." he said lowly and moved, putting the blindfold back on as he walked back over to the throne and sat down.

"However, if you believe that to be the case, then please...go study with Tai and Yuki...they need a babysitter anyway..." Kyoki said lowly, coldly. Oh yeah...now he remembered why he simply played with ones who were willing to play...because others who were serious were actually complete asses....and it hurt.

"Please don't let me stop you...continue on your way..." he said lowly, waving them off with one hand, as if trying to shew them all away, to make everything become nothing again.

Hakai looked over at Kyoki as he shoo'd them off to go study. Pain.....that hurt was that the answer and it wasn't Kyoki's. The amusement was on Kyoki's end was seemingly done. What he had been looking for the answer was that this wasn't a game even if it didn't last centuries that it wasn't a game. Hakai was tired, tired of being hurt by others because of his 'beauty' to the eye. He hated that.

No he glanced side-long at Kyoki and for a man who could drift into an out of the room on those wooden sandals without making a sound without them clicking harshly against the surface of stone or tile he stepped down and the click of the wood on the ground could be clearly and neatly heard in the room. He had miss stepped. He had his answers getting them wasn't always a good thing they weren't always what he wanted to hear.

Tai looked between them as if he had missed some great conversation that went far above and beyond his head but then he was young very young compared to any of them in this room it seemed.

Yasei laid on his belly trying to blend into the floor his ears falling back at the loud snapping sound of the wooden shoes on the ground. It hadn't been done on purpose and although he seemed to be stepping down to walk out of hte room and go with Tai and Yuki and each step after made not a sound that first one still hurt.

Hakai left no indication that he had mis-stepped that the end of that conversation had stung and hurt. It was an uncanny ability of his while he sorted out the pain and discomfort inside his own head and heart everything seemed to disappear nearly the exact second it appeared. Leaving him a shining blank slate so to speak as he dealt with and sorted out the conversation and the pitfalls in his own head.

Kyoki sighed and got up out of the throne and moved, flashing to the large double doors of the castle and threw them open, letting them slam back against the walls on either side of them and he walked outside, shifting into his true form as he took the first step and then vanished behind the castle.

The garden that had been planted there still flourishing and the roses there still as beautiful as they had been the first time they had been seen by Kira's eyes. And as Aoi had once done in the past, Kyoki walked to the center of the garden and laid down, letting his head fall to rest on his front paws as he closed his eyes and huffed.

Frustrated and hurt, Kyoki lay in the garden, eyes closed and sun shining down on his silken white fur. It was warm here, despite the winter cold outside. Aoi had left a spell here long ago to help protect the roses from the harsh winter, and had never removed it so now, even when it snowed all around the castle, this garden had hardly any snow on the ground.

Hakai stepped down and paused looking back at Kyoki rushed off to go somewhere else. Somewhere where no one else was no doubt. But paused when a man walked in and looked at Yasei before glancing at Tai and Yuki.

"Tai take Yuki to your room and study don't irritate Kyoki by doing more then that." Jigoku said as he glanced over at them then looked at Yasei. "Lay your ass there Yasei and don't move..........if I have to do something about your misbehaving you won't be happy."

Yasei nodded not in the mood to be bitten by either of his brothers today so he just simply choose to lay there and 'behave'.

Jigoku though looked at Hakai. "You come with me..........there's somewhere we need to go."

Hakai went to argue but something about Jigoku no Inu said not to it wasn't that he couldn't handle whatever Jigoku through out at him it was that it was something else. So he turned and followed along behind the man.

Jigoku walked along leading the way through the snow following after the great stretching paw prints and lead into the summer garden walking up to where Kyoki was laying there sulking more or less hurting and wanting to be alone.

Hakai looked over at Kyoki the roses were beautiful no doubt about that but his attention was on the white dog laying in the middle of the garden looking wounded.

Jigoku walked up and looked at his brother as he laid there before shifting and drawing closer he didn't dare approach in his human state no matter how much his body didn't register pain he didn't need to be crushed by his brother either. Hakai was there but down wind and his scent blended in to those of the flowers.

"You saw something you liked." Jigoku said it wasn't a teasing tone but it was clear he was talking to Kyoki. "Aniki?"

Kyoki growled and bared his fangs, a small warning to Jigoku to keep his distance or risk getting bitten. "I'm not in the mood for your shit right now Jigoku...if you have something you want to say, you'd better fucking say it...other wise...fuck off..." Kyoki told him lowly and moved, snapping at Jigoku's ankles and nipping one to make his point even more clear.

"You know damn well I saw something I liked...but as usual...I've wasted my time in getting close...I just get hurt when I get close..." he told Jigoku lowly after what seemed to be a eternity of silence. Kyoki wasn't one to talk about his feelings, or let others see. But in the back of his mind, he knew Jigoku wasn't alone, even if the one who was there could move silently, it wasn't silent enough.

Jigoku looked down at the ankle that had been nipped raising that paw like a good boy even if it didn't hurt he didn't feel it. He did though look at Kyoki. "He wants to get close to you Kyoki even I can scent that. The problem is if he knows about us at all he knows your heart belonged to Ame and is hesitant because he doesn't want to be a replacement or a passing fancy for you. I walked up as he started to walk away Kyoki he was hurting as much as you are now and still is. He just wanted to know he wasn't a game to pass the time, even if all you could tell him 'we'll see where it goes' it's better then to think he's nothing more then a plaything for a moment or two."

Jigoku wasn't out here to play games he was out here to make the two of them listen to each other to hear each other. He was tired of seeing Kyoki hurting and more then that he promised Ame. Ame made him promise that if anything happened to him and Kyoki had a chance at love again, a chance to be happy that he wouldn't let his brother let it go. Even if it got him maimed and bitten half a dozen times. Jigoku sighed and closed his eyes. "I saw you Kyoki, the energy in you when you saw your flower. You were happy and you haven't been that happy in a long time.... All that flower was looking for was that you wanted to keep him. That no one else would have that flower, that he would belong to you alone."

Hakai knew Kyoki knew he was there despite being down wind, despite the flowers in the garden these flowers had a pure scent that death did not touch his scent was darker and he knew it. He was flowers that killed these were those that brought peace. But Hakai closed his eyes what did it matter? Hakai knew nothing serious would ever happen. To Kyoki Inu the world began and ended with Ame, what more did he need to know Ame was gone and he had his answer as easily as Kyoki cast him off as easily as Hakai could cast off his emotions. He just wanted to get this done and go home. But Jigoku seemed to have other ideas.

Kyoki growled and bared his fangs again. "What difference does it make if I want to keep something? It never fucking happens that way!" he said in annoyance as he stood up and grabbed hold of Jigoku by his throat and slung him across the garden and into the castle wall.

"What point is there for me to love anything at all? Everything I love disappears. Everything I love dies Jigoku!" he exclaimed in anger as he bared his fangs at his brother for a third time, but after a moment, his ears went back and he sat down on his haunches and he whined a little.

"But what's worse...is that everything I love...is everything that can hurt me....I can't...I can't stand it when those I love try to turn things I say into some twisted form of reality...try to make it look like I don't give a damn about anything at all..."

Jigoku got up easily enough as if being thrown into the castle wall didn't mean anything at all as Kyoki screamed at him let out the anger and pain that Ame had died. But Ame had known his time in this world even as that of a vampire was short he had been dying when he was changed too badly damaged inside to survive a full life.

Jigoku came back up and sat down looking at his brother as he did and sighed. "It matters Kyoki. He's not trying to hurt you, just trying to be sure he's what your looking for." he said wondering if he should tell his brother the promise but the words 'What point is there for me to love anything at all?'.........hit him hard. For Jigoku whose blood and body was laced with silver it would be fatal to any lover. But for Kyoki.....

Jigoku looked at him and shook his head. "Because it's what he wants. Ame knew his time in this world was short. He knew the damage done before we found him and you saved him was too great. Kyoki, Ame made me promise to not let you suffer for all eternity. That if you found love again if you found happiness again after he was gone that I wouldn't let you let it go no matter what you did to me." Jigoku knew he was in for a beating that Kyoki was gonna throw him around 'hurt' him for this but it was the truth. "That's how much Ame loves you Kyoki, he wants you to be happy. That flower that boy brings you happiness Ame would want you two to be together Kyoki. He wanted that more then anything when he made me promise him. Love can hurt Kyoki but rejecting love can hurt even worse. If I didn't know any better I'd swear Ame sent him this way because he knew......Hakai Hana would bring you happiness again."

Hakai watched them compared to the two Inu brothers he was tiny and could be crushed under one paw but he watched quietly not saying anything not wanting to interrupt them.

Kyoki shook his head, as if trying to shake the words out of his head and pawed at his own face before he once again grabbed hold of Jigoku and threw him into the ground, a giant paw coming down to land on Jigoku's chest. "Shut up! Shut the hell up!" he screamed, feeling the tears welling up. To hear that Ame had known all along...to hear that Ame had made Jigoku make such a promise...

Kyoki shook his head again as he tried, but failed to get the words out of his head. They echoed and resounded all throughout his mind and it hurt so much... So much in fact, that for the second time in Kyoki's life, he felt the tears start to fall and wet his fur, and the blindfold as they fell one by one and he heard them drop down on Jigoku's face.

"Stop it...don't say anything else..." he pleaded as he crushed Jigoku down into the dirt, grinding him into a hole as if he were trying to put out a cigarette. He couldn't take it. "I hate you...I hate all that you could ever stand for Jigoku...to lie to me...to let Ame lie to me...I will never forgive you for that...no matter how much I may love my brother...I will never forgive you..." he said lowly as he moved away from Jigoku to go sit in the corner and curl his tail up around his feet as he let the tears fall.

He felt so betrayed. Betrayed by his own brother...betrayed by the brother he had so desperately went back to retrieve from his family, the brother he had so desperately protected over the centuries...he would never be able to escape the feeling of betrayal now...

Jigoku laid there he hadn't betrayed him hadn't wanted to stay silent about it. There was no physical injury that could hurt him but Jigoku rolled over and curled up the hole in the ground burying his nose under his tail it wouldn't matter it was told him the night Ame died. Then he was afraid of telling Kyoki for fear of hurting his brother and now this. The words I hate you stung worse then any injury tore deep into him and more then that he knew Kyoki would never forgive him for this.

Jigoku laid there in the hole as he had when he was a pup not whining not making a sound there was no point. He hadn't told him even if he had worried it would hurt Kyoki he hadn't told him and that...........the way his brother moved away. Jigoku had always told him everything until that one. Two promises the night Ame died one to make sure Kyoki found happiness and the other to not tell Kyoki in essence lying to him and now now all he wanted to do was curl up and die. As he had wanted as a pup being beaten and trained to be cruel and dominating of everything around him in order to control his elder brother. It wasn't Jigoku. He had just wanted to be accepted and Ame made it seem like he accepted him as long as he obeyed.

A messed up dog born 'deformed' and demonic in appearance the first ever accept him was Kyoki and yet his desire to be accepted by others had caused him to hurt Kyoki yet again. IN the end he was still a stupid pup and he knew it. He buried his nose beneath his paws and didn't move.

Hakai looked at the large black dog who's maw looked like it had been melted together placing a hand on his snout and rubbing the soft black fur a moment. "Stupid pup.....this one is a hard lesson to learn." Hakai said softly shaking his head.

This Ame....to use his one like this if he knew anything about Kyoki if he truly love him the way he said then making this one no doubt promise to be silent he knew would hurt Kyoki more then anything. Had to know what it would do to them. Hakai walked up to where the large white dog was upset and crying hurting. No doubt because this pup had hide something from him and shouldn't have. But what was done was done.

Hakai looked up at Kyoki quietly a moment or two before sighing. He wasn't afraid of being tossed around of being hurt by this one. He looked up at him as he soaked the blind fold and the pup back there sulked and stayed in the hole he was in. What a mess was this what that Ame wanted? To create pain and friction between them? He had no idea that Ame was getting revenge against Jigoku because no matter how much Kyoki loved Ame it was never as deep a connection as it was with Jigoku. Or rather to Jigoku Ame's only importance was his meaning to Kyoki so that Ame made the great black dog suffer.

Hakai looked at Kyoki. He was quiet as he moved and sat down to wait sitting down on a log letting Kyoki cry and speak to him when he was ready.

Kyoki, after a long time of silence, spoke lowly, "Satisfied now Hana? You've gotten what you wanted..." he said lowly and just lay down where he had been sitting, head resting on his front paws, blindfold wet with his tears.

"Everyone has gotten what they wanted from me...to be hurt, to be loved, to be accepted, to love someone, to tell them how I really feel...but at what cost?" he said lowly as he shifted back into his human form and hugged his knees close to him as he sat there in the grass.

"What does it matter if I get hurt? What does it matter if I love or accept someone? Even if I love or accept someone, I still have to pay some kind of price...what use do I still hold here in this existence?"

Hana looked at him and sighed as he moved kneeling before Kyoki and reaching out to once again grasp his chin. "And what the hell makes you think for a moment that this is what I wanted? What I wanted was you Kyoki Inu. But what I feared was that you'd accept no one into your heart but him." His grip was firm but he was doing it to make the blind folded man look at him. "What purpose does your existence serve? That pup needs you and messed up trying to be no doubt accepted by the one who meant the world to you. Tai.....if anyone talks poorly about you defends you believe it or not Kyoki."

He shook his head and sighed. "It matters because my purpose here wasn't hurting you it was finding out if I stood a snow balls chance in hell of becoming your lover. I wasn't looking for something fleeting." He didn't talk poorly of Ame that would be a good way to anger Kyoki nor would he ever. He did say that the pup messed up trying to get acceptance and that could happen but it was clear by the way Jigoku curled up he hadn't meant to hurt Kyoki.

Hakai though looked at the man whose chin he dangerously held between his fingers. "I know all about prices to love someone Kyoki I'm not asking for a price only for a chance to be loved and love in return. Tai needs you for one. That human bitch Ayame Mitori is put him through enough hell that's for sure....her and that damn human she married and calls a husband. Honestly six months ago Tai was afraid to shift or do anything that might be precieved as something to call them and get him in trouble for being unlady like. He's more alive now then he's ever been and that's since you came into his life Kyoki. You have great meaning to those around you." he said having no idea that Ayame Mitori which was her maiden name........was the name of a witch on Tsuin Seikai who had enchanted Kyoki got herself pregnant then ran to earth and altered Tai's scent to the point that it was impossible for a normal vampire to tell that the man she married wasn't Tai's birth father. Or that there was hints of the Inu clans blood in Tai before the change.... Hakai had no more idea about that then Taishoku did himself. All Tai did know was he'd defend Kyoki because the man made him feel safe. Even if the man himself was dangerous.

Kyoki jerked away from Hana's grasp. "I may be a protector, a savior for those that no one else seems to want, but I'm not a fucking saint. Nor am I a mind reader...If I was..." he trailed off and sighed. If he was a mind reader, he'd be like Aoi...

"I can't know what everyone expects from me, but if everyone walks on eggshells around me, how the hell will I ever understand anything?" he asked lowly as he took off his wet blindfold and looked up at Hana.

"I would not have been so interested in you had I been simply looking for a passing moment with you Hana...nor would I have gotten so excited when you said you were interested...but even you can push my limits...I can only love so far before everything falls apart Hana..."

Hakai looked at him quietly as he said that and sighed softly his hand moving to cup the side of Kyoki's face. "I've been hurt before Kyoki, one who swore he loved me and he left his mark. I'm not trying to push your limits nor was I attempting to pull away. But I was afraid that was all it was I suppose that's my fault I've gotten too good at hiding what I'm feeling." he said shaking his head as he looked at the man before him. "I don't want you falling apart Kyoki. Just the opposite I would not have come here if you were any other then what you are. Then who you are. Make no mistake I'm more then just interested in you."

Hakai slowly let his hand fall from the side of Kyoki's face. "Far more then just interested. But even I can misread someone.......and what I was afraid I had read was that I was nothing more then a passing moment I was wrong I am no more a mind reader then you." Hakai closed his eyes. "But it doesn't change the fact that I want you for a lover Kyoki that when you dismissed me it nearly crushed me......." that for Hakai Kyoki felt like the one he had never felt a blow hurt so deep then when he had been told to go 'babysit' Tai and Yuki. And what he feared was that although for Hakai Kyoki felt like the one that the only one that had ever been meant for Kyoki Inu was Ame.