Sunshine and a Blue Castle Prince

Chapter 26: Renewal of Bonds

CW: SMUT, Anal Sex, Fingering, emotional sex. Minors DNI

While the southern skies erupt in hues of amber, scarlet, and azure, a specter of white and black wanders the streets around the Blue Vixen.

From the shadows, Sakusa scans his surroundings warily. The eyes of the Ookami often make already tense walks even more uneasy. But Sakusa acknowledges the safety they provide and ignores them entirely.

"Kiyoomi?"

Sakusa turns. "Akiteru."

"You're out late."

"Bars are noisy. Nishinoya-san and Shouyou-kun are even more so."

Akiteru nods. "This is the first time Shou-kun has been let out of bed in a week. I will admit, his resilience impresses me."

"I agree. I do think that the news of Phantom Magic helped."

A few days before, Osamu had come by the Blue Vixen long enough to leave the notes he took during his conversation with Minori and Akemi. After he left, the Lights spent several hours answering questions, leaving everyone with a renewed sense of hope.

Sakusa huffs a sigh, once again trying to shake the chill of unseen eyes from his shoulders. "Walk with me?"

The question draws a bright smile out of the older man.

With Akiteru by his side, the discomfort of being watched eases.

"Our loud companions aren't the only thing driving you out here, is it?" Akiteru asks after a while.

Sakusa shrugs. "I should know better than to try and hide things from you."

"Kei and Kageyama do the same thing, trying and hiding their emotions behind their surliness."

"I do not... try to hide my emotions behind surliness."

Oh really? Ryo chimes in.

Hush.

"In all seriousness, Kiyoomi. What's on your mind?"

"The southern territories. I never managed to get the Mage's Association to send Light mages. Motoya said he would or that his wife would---"

"But you're still worried."

"Yes. I'm a capable Light mage, but we need to go north with Shouyou and Iwaizumi. I'm the best person to try to teach Shouyou-kun more advanced magics while teaching him and Kageyama-kun Phantom Magic. But I'm also the most accustomed to strong-arming the mage's association."

Akiteru lays a light hand on Sakusa's back. "Trust Motoya-kun. Has he failed you before?"

Sakusa looks down at the blond, lamplight glittering in deep black eyes. "No. Motoya will do what needs to be done. I just hope it's soon enough."

Akiteru reaches a hand up and flicks Sakusa's forehead. "Enough of that. Trust Motoya-kun and focus on more immediate problems."

"Like?" Sakusa's voice drops by half an octave at the slight playful note in his mate's voice.

"This," Akiteru says breathlessly before drawing Sakusa into a deep kiss.

Akiteru and Sakusa return from their late night kissing about the same time Osamu and Kenma return to the Blue Vixen.

By this time Asahi and Iwaizumi and their respective mates have gone to bed, leaving the room blessedly quiet.

Osamu sets a sleeping Kenma down for a moment, before stretching his arms and cracking his neck.