Archive of Our Own ^beta

A full moon was hung low in the dark sky and the stars were far brighter than most of the city-dwellers were used to seeing. There was an almost pink haze over the glowing orb that added to the overall dreamlike effect of it all. Some trick of the cosmos with a sound scientific reason behind it perhaps, but Fuyuki Shido was too busy enjoying the rare skyscape to care about what had caused it.

It wasn't often that he could even see the moon from his chosen home.

He was sitting in the window of one of Mugenjou's higher buildings, doing his level best to pretend that the humanity below him didn't exist. There was a party going on down there, a celebration of a recent victory over a gang of Babylon thugs. Technically speaking he should have been there, enduring if not enjoying the festivities. He considered it a duty, if nothing else. One of many that came with being one of Raitei's four kings and usually he'd have sucked it up and made himself bear it.

The Beast Master didn't get along with most humans. Since his entire tribe had been wiped out by a rivaling one, he'd found little in them to like. In the years that he'd been on his own, most reactions towards him had been a mixture of pity and fear, hatred and distrust.

His non-human companions were far more accepting and understanding of him.

And dammit, they actually liked him and didn't make him feel like some kind of freak of nature.

Almost as if she had heard his thoughts, the falcon resting beside him gave a huffing caw and rubbed his shoulder with the side of her elegant head. Shido smiled at the gesture of comfort and stroked the downy feathers. Fadori was a good friend.

"They really are fond of you, aren't they?"

Unlike most people might have, Shido didn't start in surprise at the sudden voice that intruded on his solitude. He'd been well aware of the other young man from the moment Fuuchouin had ventured up towards his floor. He wasn't sure why his fellow king would want to stand in shadows watching him brood, but he didn't understand much about human beings in general and Fuuchouin Kazuki in particular was a mystery to him.

"We understand each other," Shido offered quietly, not sure why he was bothering to answer at all. He usually just ignored the few humans who dared come close enough to actually speak to him. Raitei was an exception, of course. He held a deep respect for the younger man he'd accepted as his leader. Emishi was another, though that was more through sheer obstinacy on the joker's part than anything. He'd teased and cajoled and wormed his way into a tiny chink in Shido's armor and refused to be dragged back out again. And he was a poignant reminder of the closest thing Shido had to a brother, another of the very few survivors of the Maryuudo.

One day he'd have to introduce the pair. He had a feeling Amon and Emishi would get along famously. The world might not survive, though.

Kazuki's soft chuckle, practically right next to him, pulled Shido's thoughts back to the present and he cursed his lack of attention. It was a dangerous thing to let your guard down so much that you were unaware of another's movements so close to you no matter where one happened to be. In Mugenjou, it could be downright fatal.

The long-haired Threadmaster had that kind of disarming personality though. His charisma could take up the entire room or he could fade into the woodwork from one breath to the next and Shido was still getting used to him. It didn't help his sense of internal peace that Kazuki was far more attractive than anyone had a right to be.

More than once in the weeks since they'd joined collective forces under the banner of the Volts, he'd found his eyes following the Fuuchouin heir. There were even times when he actually had to restrain himself from initiating awkward conversation with the beautiful man.

Shido was painfully aware that he was harboring what amounted to a schoolboy crush.

It was damned disconcerting.

He'd been brought up to respect love in all it's forms, but underlying that open-mindedness there'd been a definite knowledge that it was his responsibility to carry on the Fuyuki name and, after the massacre, his tribe. To do that he needed to find himself a suitable, acceptable girl and settle down somewhere nominally safe enough to have a half a dozen little boys to continue what he started. Shido knew he had no business making doe eyes at some pretty boy who already had one devoted watch dog and another dozen or so panting at his feet.

It wasn't easy to remember that when said pretty boy stood so close and smiled up at him in such a teasing manner. Why couldn't Kazuki react as the others had, with distrust and wariness?

Big brown eyes were wide with gentle humor. "So one must be a beast to understand the Beast Master?"

Shrugging, Shido could only be thankful that the night shadows helped hide most of his blush. Hopefully. "It helps."

Kazuki held one hand out towards the falcon, waiting for it to pass judgment before moving further. Fadori eyed the long haired human for a long minute, her gaze seeming to seek out all the secrets of his soul and then some, before giving another soft caw and ruffling her feathers. She nipped gently at his fingers before settling again.

"She likes you," Shido translated, more than a little curious interest in his voice. Fadori didn't much like anyone human other than the Beast Master she'd chosen to serve. For her to voice her approval as she had... He'd only seen her similarly with Raitei.

It made him look at the other man with fresh eyes, wondering what it was in him that she saw. Shido trusted the instincts of his animal friends over even his own any day.

Keeping his movements slow despite the endorsement, Kazuki lifted a hand to stroke the falcon's neck. "I'm glad. It's awkward when one's friends don't get along, isn't it?"

Something warm and soft fluttered in Shido's chest at the look on Kazuki's face just then and he couldn't help but smile back, however soft and hesitant it might be. "I suppose it is."

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fin