Chapter Text
“No!” Saruhiko shrieked the moment the gun fired, desperately trying to push past Reisi- who had turned around and shielded him in case Niki decided to shoot at them instead- but it was to no avail. Reisi's arms became a vice grip around him, pulling him into his chest as Saruhiko viciously attempted to break free, giving up after a brief struggle as the weight of the situation finally hit him. His anger, however, did not waiver. “This isn't fair! I was supposed to have a say in this!”
“Suoh...is he truly gone?” Reisi whispered through a sigh as he continued to train his hands around Saruhiko's waist, keeping him in place.
“He's gone...trust me. Sword is gone, too.”
The tone in Mikoto's voice was borderline disgusted though there seemed to be something akin to relief there as well. Reisi was vaguely aware of the fact that Yata had begun to walk over to them but didn't even register it until Suoh also began to approach them, with a deep exhale Reisi turned to look at them- an expression mixed with sadness and physical pain that exceeded what he thought was possible. He had never felt so broken in his life and it wasn't just the fractured bones making him feel that way.
“Please, give me a moment with him,” Reisi pleaded to them as he watched their expressions fall before they shifted into understanding. Truth be told, he was saving Saruhiko from unwanted attention because he knew he didn't need it. Knew that without even saying anything that Mikoto would take that man's body away from the ship and away from Saruhiko so he could properly mourn- and not mourn for that man at all. Only when they were alone did Saruhiko speak again.
“I was...I wanted...this isn't right.”
“Saruhiko....”
“No, you don't understand!” Fushimi said too quickly, stopping himself when he created enough distance between them for him to lift his head. The look in Reisi's eyes, that subtle hurt, he wondered if it showed in his own. If anyone knew what he was feeling then it was Reisi- and Mikoto-, but considering the circumstances he could only bring himself to look his King in the eyes and slowly let his mask crumble. Reisi had been right, things would have been much easier if he had never put one on in the first place.
It started with a frown, a thin line pressed on his lips that fell at the corners but before he knew it, there was a tear was rolling down his cheek. His lips shaking as his body felt devoid of life itself, it was cold, and the pain and the loss that came with it shattered his will to fight back against that new onslaught of emotions. One tear became two, and two was where it ended but before he could even register what was happening to him, Reisi removed the glasses from Saruhiko's face and folded them into his pocket. Waiting patiently for some sort of response, one Saruhiko finally gave him.
“My entire life...has been based on lies...not knowing where I came from, thinking that my family must have been killed...that to finding out that they were alive but didn't really care for me at all.” Saruhiko began quietly as he hung his head down out of shame, “I found...I found some happiness, though. I found a place to belong and people to belong with...but I wanted to know...why that man hated me that much.”
“Fushimi Niki was a very sick man,” Reisi whispered as he continued to coax him forward until their contact was reestablished, this time, Saruhiko slid his arms around Reisi and buried his head in his chest. The Blue King tried not to flinch when his bones screamed in protest, he instead cleared his throat and began to speak again. “You did not deserve any of this, you deserved to be happy. None of this is your fault, you did nothing wrong.”
“That doesn't answer my question,” Saruhiko laughed bitterly as he tried to regain control of his breathing. “I want to know how he could hate me, his own flesh and blood...how he could blame me for everything...even his death.”
“That was not your fault!” Reisi reiterated with a hint of aggravation in his voice but it was apparent that it was more from the fact Niki had done that rather than what Saruhiko had said. “His power was evil and so was he, that is not your fault. Fushimi Niki brought a gun to his head and pulled the trigger himself, nothing about is your fault. He wanted you to have no say in his life and he wanted ultimate control, I know this is going to be hard to hear and it's likely the last thing you want to hear but you must not allow him to win. You mustn't allow this to destroy you.”
“All I wanted was to have some sort of say in my life,” Saruhiko confessed, his voice shaking slightly as another wave of emotions toppled over him. “Was that wrong of me to wish for that?”
“Absolutely not,” Reisi answered as he lifted one hand up- ignoring the fresh stinging that radiated from under his skin- and gently ran it through Saruhiko's hair. “You might have had no say in the things that have come to pass...however, you can decide where you go from here. You can be the decider of your future. No one, not even Fushimi Niki can take that away from you.”
Except for Suoh Mikoto...if he has to kill me... Saruhiko thought to himself but he refused to say it aloud. Only listened to the Blue King's words and tried to force them to sink in, tried to make some sort of sense of what had transpired and what he would do from that moment onward. Truth be told, he was devastated, he was a wreck, but Reisi was right. He didn't have to let that be the end of him, he didn't get what he wanted and he never would have the answers to the questions he had- which was something he knew he'd regret for the rest of his days- but the past didn't always have to dictate the future.
But not knowing what the future held was part of the battle, he could only wonder when the battle over his soul would begin and when he would awaken as a King. He wondered if he could hold that kind of power up in his current state, wished that he could find some sort of way to answer that question before the time actually fell upon him but he knew that was impossible. What he needed was support, he figured, and he reasoned that he had enough of that. All he had to do was fight and that came pretty naturally to him at this point.
This was just another battle.
“Is there anything I can do for you, Saruhiko?”
He could only nod his head slowly, looking for the right words to say before he finally formulated a sentence in his mind.
“Just take me home.”
- -
“The ship is running as fast as we can take it, the Blue King convinced some Kelpie to help push the ship and Mikoto's got the dragons stirring the wind a bit faster.” Yata explained as he flopped down on the couch next to Saruhiko, offering him a small smile when their eyes met. “I wish they'd rest already, their wounds are pretty serious but they don't even seem fazed by them anymore.”
“They're being foolish,” Saruhiko mumbled as he brought his knees to his chest. “It's still going to take us a few hours to get back, who knows if I can hold out that long.”
“Hey they're just trying to help,” Yata frowned as he reached out and put a reassuring hand on Saruhiko's shoulder. “You're gonna get through this...I know this wasn't what we wanted but have some faith.”
“Faith is a hard thing to have when you've never had a say in anything that's ever happened to you before,” Saruhiko snickered as he leaned back into the couch a bit further. “I'm not ready for this.”
“Ready or not, it's only a matter of time, Saru...but you can do this. You're a really strong guy, and you've got all the support in the world, you know?”
“Yeah,” he managed out in response as he shakily pulled himself off the couch and waited for Yata to rise, “I'm going up top. I need fresh air.”
“Of course.”
As they walked through the hallways of the ship he began to feel light headed, leaning slightly on Yata for support the closer and closer they got to the stairs. Going up those was hard enough but considering his new disoriented state of mind the task was even greater. Somehow, he managed to get on the deck, flinging the door open with reckless abandon as he stepped out into the brisk weather.
The sky was dark and clouded, and sure enough the dragons were flying a bit above the ship and the creatures directing it were able to be seen every now and again when the waves rose them into view. He chalked up the nauseousness to the pace they were moving at and forced himself to stray away from Yata- if only a little bit- as they approached the two Kings who stood at the helm of the ship.
Reisi slipped his hands off the wheel and Seri took it, smiling kindly when Saruhiko looked her way before shouting out for the deckhands to loosen the main sails once again. Mikoto nodded solemnly in his direction before calling for Yata- who looked at him for reassurance before following after him- leaving Saruhiko and Reisi in relative privacy as the former stared off into the vast expanse of the ocean.
“You should rest,” Reisi said with a slight sigh as he placed a reassuring hand on the younger man's shoulder, “you look ill.”
“Like you've rested any, don't be a hypocrite,” Saruhiko snorted, inhaling the fresh air as he leaned in a bit closer to his King. “Besides, I’m just sea sick.”
“I apologize,” Munakata coughed, wincing when the extra tension rattled his broken ribs, “whenever we return we can rest as much as needed.”
“Captain,” Saruhiko suddenly gasped, grabbing at the railing of the ship as a tight feeling stirred in his chest. “Somethings...not....”
“Awashima-kun, man the ship,” Reisi curtly commanded as wrapped his arms around Saruhiko, keeping him steady on his feet. With one glance in Suoh's direction they formed a mutual understanding, the next, they were all gathered around the helm, watching as Saruhiko took in a few deep breaths before his eyes began to glow, a blue color brighter than any ocean or sky any of them had ever seen.
“I need you to listen to me,” Reisi whispered in Saruhiko's ear, “this first bit is always the worst, no matter what happens...do not give in, keep fighting back, no matter how badly it hurts you.”
Saruhiko only clicked his tongue, allowing himself to be sat down on the floor of the ship as he gazed up at the sky.
“I have to back away from you until you get it under control, but remember, I and everyone else here has your back, don't forget that.”
“Yeah,” Saruhiko said with a nod of his head, listening to the footsteps retreat away from him as he kept his eyes trained above him. In one moment, he was there and completely aware of what was going on around him, in the next- in his head, anyway-, he was somewhere else entirely.
What lay before his eyes was a sea of white flowers, pristine and reaching towards a blinding white light that rested somewhere above them. In that field, Saruhiko stood, his eyes frantically gazing around him as he tried to find some sense in his new surroundings. He knew it was a hallucination, but it felt more like a memory to him. On shaky feet, he stepped forward, eyes catching on one flower in particular that stood out from the rest. Against the other flowers on the ground, this one was a color darker than any shade of black he had ever seen before.
The moment he reached down to grab it, a thorn stuck into his skin, blood bouncing off the white flowers around him, staining their petals with red. And for some reason he couldn't explain in that moment, he turned away from that flower, walking back to where he started and beyond that in the opposite direction. When he reached another flower, different than the others, he felt something spark to life in his eyes.
It was white too, that much was true, but this one glimmered in the light, like frost clung to it's petals though they were almost warm to the touch. In his head, he could hear one phrase ring out throughout the valley.
Choose wisely, young King, lest you wind up like those before you.
“Before me, huh?” Saruhiko snorted, finding such irony in the setting and the words that came from within his own soul. This place was the joke Yata had made personified, that worry was the empty fear he had in his heart about winding up being just like his father, and it was then that it made sense.
The black flower...that's the power my father had...this one...I wonder what this one is? he mused as he knelt down beside it. Fingers looping around it's stem as he watched with childlike awe as the glimmering petals danced in a nonexistent breeze. Whatever it is, it's better than the other.
Without any further hesitation, he plucked the frostbitten white flower and was suddenly forced back into reality- where he sat on the ship, eyes fixated on a new object that had appeared in the sky.
“The Sword of Damocles,” he whispered to himself, eyes gleaming a new shade of color, a purple far more vibrant than what could be found in nature itself. The sword itself was black, with that same color purple running up and down the hilt and two gold pieces that looked like the framework of wings stuck up from the handles on either side. In the center sat a glowing lavender gem that looked much more like an eye, more gold plates surrounded it and in the air itself, wrapping around the blade, were what looked like two golden colored chains. For Saruhiko, it was mesmerizing, and the pain was now an after thought.
“It's beautiful, a true sign of incredible power,” Reisi offered as he took a tentative step forward, “Saruhiko, can you stand?”
Saruhiko clicked his tongue in disapproval, getting to his feet as quickly as he could as he dropped his eyes back down to meet Munakata's.
“I don't get it, I thought you said this process went on for ever...why does it feel like it's over for me?” Saruhiko questioned with a forlorn expression, “shouldn't I be doubled over in agony right about now?”
“I never said with any amount of certainty that that would be the case,” Reisi clarified with an innocent smile. “Perhaps the Gods knew you had been through a lot today and decided to waive your passage, either way, you are a King now...that power seems to have already rooted itself in you. I don't suspect that you will begin to feel any more pain.”
“I told you that you could do it, Saru!” Yata said happily as he took a few steps closer to his life long friend, “granted, I didn't really know it would be that easy for you...but still, you did it!”
“Yeah,” Saruhiko mumbled back, a small smile on his lips though that soon faded away as he gazed back up at the Sword of Damocles. “How...how do I know what I’m capable of?”
“I have a theory,” Kusanagi interrupted as he stepped out from behind Suoh, “perhaps Anna can tell you that, if not, at least once we're on land it will be easier to figure out.”
“I think that is a wise theory,” Reisi laughed slightly as he placed a reassuring hand on Saruhiko's shoulder.
“How do you feel?” Mikoto grunted, kicking off the side of the ship as he stepped closer to his ex-clansman, eyes examining him and for good reason. Saruhiko pursed his lips.
“Not much different, I suppose, stronger, perhaps.”
“Fushimi Saruhiko, or should I say Colorless King, I want to congratulate you on your passage,” Nagare inputted from his spot close to the helm. “I'm sure every King is in agreement when we say we look forward to working with you.”
“Right,” Saruhiko mumbled, his eyes scanning across the ship- not at all surprised to see that the Gold and Silver Kings were not on deck. “Would you all mind...if I had some space?”
“Of course,” Reisi smiled as he politely asked everyone to get back to their tasks at hand, when the crowd slowly diminished, Saruhiko felt Yata tug on his sleeve.
“So, you're really a King now,” Yata laughed as he scratched the back of his head, “gotta admit, it's a lot to take in.”
“Tell me about it,” Saruhiko snickered as his eyes went back to the Sword of Damocles that hung in the sky. “I had the strangest dream.”
“What was it about?” Yata prodded as he jumped up and down excitedly, “did you see different worlds or is it some kind of King secret?”
“It wasn't something like that,” Saruhiko chuckled as he looked back over at Yata, silently thanking him for trying to make him laugh- seeing as it worked. “It was...a field of flowers.”
“Flowers?!” Yata spat out in complete disbelief, “Saru, what if you really are the King of flowers?!”
“Wouldn't that be something,” Saruhiko laughed, wondering why his heart and head felt so light, compared to where he was just a few hours ago. He felt as if his entire perspective had changed, as if the world itself wasn't this cold and cruel place they all believed it to be, he could feel the earth and sea beneath them, swaying and rocking the ship as it itself was breathing. While he knew the emotional scars would last, he couldn't help but think that the curse his father bestowed on him had actually turned out to be a gift in the end.
- -
“Well, Anna? What do you see?” Mikoto asked as the young girl took one of her marbles away from her eyes, smiling kindly at Saruhiko- who only looked at her out of concern.
“His power is that of life,” Anna began as she took a few steps toward Saruhiko, “at least, that's the best way to describe it. Saruhiko can fix things that are broken effortlessly and purify the lands and creatures created by the former Colorless King. That being said, immortality isn't something he can grant, but rather prolonged deterioration of his own body and others, namely meaning it would take three times more damage to wound him than it would a normal man.”
“Offensively?” Reisi inquired as he looked down at Anna, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
“Equal parts offensive and defensive, a mix of Red and Blue to precise.” Anna smiled as she looked back and forth between Reisi and Mikoto. “I think it would be best suited for a weapon wielder like you, Reisi.”
“Guess I’m in the right line of work then,” Saruhiko sighed though he couldn't even begin to mask the relief he felt at finding out he was someone completely opposite of Fushimi Niki.
“Well, it's not flower power, but it's something close to it,” Yata laughed from across the room. “Anna, you can see all of that just by looking at him?”
“Mhm,” Anna happily answered, “Misaki is getting much stronger, too. Mikoto, he could be Izumo's rival soon.”
“E-eh thank you, Anna,” Yata blushed as he hung his head, something Saruhiko only shook his head at.
“So, Captain, what's the plan from here on out?”
“Well if your Sword of Damocles wasn't a sign to the people that a foreign King was in this Kingdom then I don't know what could be,” Reisi smiled as he sat down beside Saruhiko on the small couch in their common room. “As of now, your Sword hangs above this castle, next to mine. As we've discussed before, a land with two Kings isn't unheard of, take the Green Kingdom for example.”
“What will you tell people, Munakata? That's what he was asking.” Mikoto clarified with a stern voice, slinging an arm lazily around Yata's shoulders.
“That one of my clansmen because a King, of course. Fushimi Saruhiko is a citizen of this land and he is my clansman, technically speaking. I will tell them that I still remain in ultimate control and that nothing will change within this Kingdom, that's all there is to it.”
“You think people will be that willing to accept that?” Saruhiko mumbled as he turned to look at Reisi, catching the glimmer in his eyes.
“They trust me, and I trust you, at the end of the day they will listen to what I say and in time you will earn their trust, too.”
“How can you say that with a straight face?” Saruhiko muttered as he rubbed his eyes, fighting off the exhaustion he felt. “Bossing around masses of people without batting an eye...you're truly...interesting.”
“Thank you, Saruhiko.” Reisi grinned as he glanced across the room at Suoh, Yata and Anna. “What do you all plan on doing now?”
“Going home I suppose,” Mikoto answered with a noncommittal shrug, “unless Yata, if he wants to stay here.”
“Saru, do you want me to stay?” Misaki mumbled as he looked his friend over, smiling when he noticed the content look on Saruhiko's face.
“Go, Megumi and Minoru will need you and something tells me I'll be just fine,” Saruhiko snorted as his eyes flitted over to Reisi briefly before returning to Yata.
“I'm sorry it had to end the way it did,” Misaki sighed as he crossed his arms, “but...I'm glad there has been some good in the day. I'll be back before you know it, or you could visit me, you know? It's too damn cold here.”
“Sounds good to me,” Saruhiko shrugged, a small smile on his face as the Red clan all began to stand up, some making their way to the door to go and pack their things- each offering him some sort of goodbye until only he, Yata, Suoh and Reisi were left in the room.
“Thank you all for your help,” Reisi said with a sly grin, “make sure you rest, Suoh. Yata, please do take care of yourself and your siblings, and as much as I hate to ask this...don't forget to take care of Suoh, too. He's not good at remembering that he needs to rest.”
“Munakata....”
“Of course, of course!” Yata laughed as he waved a hand dismissively in front of the Red King, “make sure you write me and keep me up to date, I wanna know everything, you got it, Saru?”
“Got it,” Saruhiko confirmed with a small smile and wave of his hand, “also...thank you, Suoh Mikoto.”
“Don't mention it,” Mikoto grumbled, ignoring Yata and Reisi- who both looked at him quizzically.
“Next month we should launch a recovery mission for the lands lost, I’m sure by that time Fushimi will be adapted to his powers and have full control of them. When that time comes, you and your clan are more than welcome to join us.” Munakata said with a nod of his head as Suoh smirked and headed for the door, “for now, do rest and relax for a little while. Things will be quiet here while Fushimi and I get things settled.”
“You're both Kings, you'll figure it out.” Yata smirked as he followed after Mikoto, pausing in the doorway, “by the way, Blue King. Uhm...make sure you take good care of Saru, or else!”
“Eh?” Saruhiko gawked as he stared over his shoulder at his friend- who blushed and bowed once before slamming the door after him. Once he was gone, Saruhiko let out the sigh he had been keeping in.
“You still feel a bit ill, do you not?”
“A little, just a headache, nothing that will be too serious.” Saruhiko answered with a flat tone of voice, “I'm more annoyed with today's outcome than anything. Like Misaki said, I am relieved that things weren't worse for me, however....”
“Fushimi Kisa played an equal role in this scenario and we have her in custody, perhaps you should set her punishment for her crimes.” Reisi laughed as he stood up from his seat and instead sat down on the table across from Saruhiko, “would you like to have a say in that?”
“It would compensate for something, at least,” Saruhiko smirked as he pulled a knife from out of his sleeve and began to spin it between his fingers- a nervous habit. “So, Captain, how do you feel after all of this?”
“Hurt, sleep will be on my docket for the day and I think you could use some rest as well,” at this, Saruhiko clicked his tongue. “That being said, I’m also incredibly disappointed in myself.”
“For what exactly?”
“Letting you down again,” Reisi scoffed as he adjusted his glasses, “if I had it my way, you would not have had to go through any of that the way you did.”
“You covered me,” Saruhiko said with a bland expression, though Reisi's eyes widened a little bit. “You turned me away so I wouldn't have to see it, though things didn't go according to plan it wasn't like you failed completely.”
“Are you insinuating that I still managed to protect you?”
“In some way or another, yes,” Saruhiko snorted, clearly a bit embarrassed with himself for having to say that aloud.
“It is I that should be consoling you, if anything,” Reisi coughed as he scooted forward on the table, a hand resting on Saruhiko's knee. “Is there anything I can do for you at this time?”
“You're being less formal with me,” Saruhiko chuckled as he glanced over at the Blue King, “is that because we're technically equals now?”
“Not at all,” Reisi disagreed with a shake of his head, “perhaps I have just grown even more fond of you and feel comfortable enough to act like myself around you.”
“Is that so?” Saruhiko snickered as he glanced down at the hand on his knee, “I suppose being around you does make things a bit easier.”
“You're still talking as if I was your King,” Reisi stated in a matter of fact tone as he caught the younger man's attention again.
“Perhaps that's what you still are to me, then. It's not like our professional lives will change after this, I’ll be working like we talked about and do whatever you need me to do. I never wanted to be a King, I chose my own path before I had this forced upon me. I’m not straying from that path.”
“On a personal level, and you'll have to forgive me for being so blunt, but do you...still place any trust in me? Despite the number of times I have let you down with no intention of doing so...I wouldn't blame you if you had your doubts.”
“Something...something like what happened today was inconceivable. You tried, for some reason or another, to prevent putting me into a bad situation and when that didn't work you still did whatever you could to make sure I didn't see something I didn't need to see. Despite the fact my becoming a King was a quick process, this will be a big adjustment and I will need help learning to contain it, I suppose.”
“So...you don't blame me? You answer questions like a Barron would, deflecting the real question while talking of something else entirely.” Reisi laughed as he scooted forward once again, Saruhiko tilted his head back, resting it on the back of the couch.
“I don't blame you, no.” Saruhiko replied with a slight chuckle, “but I still don't know why you'd go to such great lengths for me.”
“I thought we had that established already,” Reisi smiled as he rose to his feet, walking behind the couch as he did so. “I told you already Saruhiko, I care for you and I’m fond of you. Is that someth-”
Cutting him off, Saruhiko reached back and grabbed the collar of Reisi's coat, dragging him down until their faces were only a few inches apart. “Fond of me? Isn't there a simpler way of describing it?”
“Oh?” Reisi laughed as he pried Saruhiko's fingers off of his coat, walking around the couch until he was on the table again, this time he coaxed Saruhiko forward until they sat face to face. “Would action suit you better, Saruhiko? I didn't want you to have the impression that I was in this for, as you so lucratively put it, funny business.”
“You talk too much,” Saruhiko growled as he scooted a bit closer to him, impatience showing on his face clear as day. Reisi however could only smile at him, closing the rest of the distance between them as he gently pressed his lips against the younger man's.
Saruhiko's head swam at the contact, his mind racing then coming to a crashing halt as he processed what was happening in that moment. Instinctively yet timidly, he moved his lips against Reisi's, his arms finding their way around his neck as one of Reisi's hands found it's way to his waist and the other rested on the back of his head, keeping his chin tilted up and their lips locked.
Saruhiko never expected fireworks to go off- as some people described it- and while that never happened, his heart did beat a bit faster, and breathing became an after thought to him. While the kiss itself was blissfully perfect, everything else was not. He was fighting the hardest battle of his life, and Reisi had already fought his.
The smell of blood was thick in the air, and Reisi's coat and body was a tattered mess, but so was Saruhiko's mind. He knew they'd have to work a lot of things out, have to take some time to sort through his problems and find a way to channel that anger into something good, but he had the means to do it now. He wasn't the same kid who was orphaned at five and raised to be a hunter, he was a King, a being with incredible power and a will to do something with it. Something good, something that would benefit the world that had been so cruel to him.
The moment that his lips left Reisi's, he closed his eyes, feeling another kiss being planted on his forehead before two strong arms pulled him in closer- and he couldn't help but be thankful that even though Reisi was in pain, he wanted to make sure he was comfortable first. He didn't know what he did to deserve someone like him but he wasn't about to question it either, and so he leaned forward, resting his head on Reisi's shoulder as they both let the day's events replay in their minds once again.
“I can't help but think...that maybe this is how things should have happened,” Saruhiko admitted after some time, feeling his heart rate decrease and the pressure in his head return.
“If you could go back and change anything about it, would you?” Reisi mumbled in his ear, keeping his arms trained tightly around Saruhiko's waist as he patiently waited for an answer.
“No,” Saruhiko smiled, a genuine smile that was starkly different than the mask he had made for himself. “If the outcome would be different if things had gone my way then certainly not.”
“I'm glad you feel that way,” Reisi returned as he held the younger man just a bit closer to him.
“So am I,” Saruhiko whispered as he tightened his grip around Reisi's neck, peacefully closing his eyes as he did so.
In the end, you had been right all along. I had the power to chose my own path, to forge my own way in this world. Not even he could stop me from doing that, and now that he's gone, he cannot destroy my world anymore. I want to build something so great that the Gods would be unable to destroy it...and as much as I hate to admit it...with you, Munakata Reisi, that task doesn't seem the least bit daunting.
Yata, Megumi, Minoru, Mom, Dad, Suoh, Reisi...everyone...thank you.