Spinning Fate's Threads

Tazzy: You\'ll find out about the blond later.

DarkCrusnikMagician: So happy that you\'re enjoying the Abel/Gun interplay. I wasn\'t too sure who I was going to throw Abel together with at first but Gun just seemed to be a good balance for him.

Kuromei: Thanks so much for the review. I\'m very happy and flattered that you went back and read the backstory. I know it\'s a lot. I hope you\'ll continue to enjoy.

Some1SaveMe: Ick! Sorry about the YnM thing. Don\'t feel bad. Most of mine there have a 3 just because there really aren\'t any sex scenes. I hope you\'re still enjoying this as much as I enjoy your work.

To everyone still reading, thank you and I hope you enjoy.



*****



Abel wiggled a little, trying to get more comfortable in his seat between Gun’s thighs. He was still leaning against the other man’s chest, lulled into an almost meditative state by Gun’s even breathing and the steady beat of his heart. Enjoying the feel of Gun’s fingertips strumming along the length of his arm and shoulder then back down again in a gentle caress. Some part of Abel’s mind registered the reason he was enjoying it so much was the fact that he had been touch deprived for nearly a millennia. While another part of him realized it was simply because it was Gun touching him that made it special.



“Tell me what happens tomorrow,” Abel said absently. He honestly didn’t care as long as Gun was there. “I know you’re all worried that I’ll pass out again.”



Gun chuckled. “That thought had crossed everyone’s mind.” Gun mentally weighed exactly how much to tell him about the proceedings. “Promise you’ll actually sleep if I tell you the majority of it?”



“No promises but I’ll try,” Abel said.



“It’s a little different for everyone who’s adopted. Depends on who is taking them into the family, what the circumstances of it are, etc. So I’m not completely sure what will happen but I know the gist of it.”



“But you’re all worried about something. I can tell. When Cailleach pulled me to the side to talk to me you all watched like you were worried she’d rip my heart out or something.”



“She could have,” Gun said seriously. “Not that I’ve ever seen her do so but it has happened in centuries past. Blaze was worried about it when Cailleach wanted to talk to Oracle as well before she adopted him. All things considered it went very well, even if it did end up with him being challenged.”



“Challenged?” Abel asked, glancing around at Gun.



“Damn. I should have kept my mouth shut,” Gun grumbled, then sighed heavily. “I suppose I should tell you all of it. But we’d better get out of the tub first. I don’t know about you but I’m getting all pruny. Not attractive at all.”



*****





AX along with the rest of the members of Red Shaman arrived very early the next morning. Tres immediately went to find Takara, finally locating her on the highest cliff peak overlooking the water. The sky was just beginning to brighten with the silver, blue and gold of dawn. She stood up as he approached her and he wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned against him with a contented sigh.



“Much as Mom hates it, it’s good to be home,” she said.



“What are you doing out here so early?”



“Waiting on a friend,” she said. “Seek me not in darkness, nor when stars light up the skies, but turn your face toward the East, and find me in the sunrise. It’s something Taliesin said to Mom before he died. I never understood what it meant to me until Ran and Yohji died.”



“So what does it mean?”



“It means different things to different people. To Mom it meant that Taliesin would be reborn the next morning. To me, it means that no one really ever dies as long as they’re remembered. That the people I love who have gone on are still alive in me. They’re in my heart with every new day. It only helped a little when Christopher died though,” she said musingly.



“Does it bother you?” Tres asked, sounding very serious.



Takara put her arms around his neck. “That some part of him is still alive in you? No. I first cared about you for you, not because part of his brain is in your body. Though I do consider that a bonus.”



Tres chuckled a little. “That’s good to know. But doesn’t that mean you’re still technically married since he never completely died?”



She drew back a little to look at his face. “I really hadn’t thought about it. I suppose that’s up to you, all things considered.”



“I have no trouble with it if you don’t.”



“Imoto!” came a call from somewhere behind Tres and Takara looked around him to see two people she hadn’t been around in ages coming up the steep hillside toward them.



“Niisan!” she said, letting go of Tres and picking her way down the rock strewn slope to meet them halfway.



Tres looked on curiously as she immediately went to a young man who looked around sixteen or so and literally picked him up while hugging him. He frowned until she set him on his feet again.



“Gods, stop that, Taka. You make me feel like a rag doll,” the young man complained.



“Oh, stop being such a cranky butt, Soka,” she said, before leaning sideways to plant a kiss on the other, taller man’s cheek. “Come meet Tres. We’ll go in for breakfast in a minute, Tsu. I promise.”



“We’ve heard interesting things about your boyfriend. Gods, that sounds so stupid considering the age.”



“I can imagine. I’ll explain everything you pick up from him later, Soka,” she said, dragging both of them up to where Tres was still standing. She went and put her arm around Tres’ waist. “Tres Iqus, I’d like for you to meet my brother, Hisoka Kurosaki,” she said, nodding to the younger looking man. “His partner and mate, Asato Tsuzuki.”



****



Cain growled a little at seeing Jormun with Circe. That would make his task of getting her away from everyone a thousand times harder. The Norse gods didn’t allow those under their protection to be trifled with in any way, shape or form without dire consequences. He remembered that all too clearly. While Jormun might seem distant and cool on the outside, there was a sadistic streak in him that stretched for miles. That was another thing Cain remembered well. The last time he and the World Serpent had crossed paths Cain had come out with the worse end of the deal and literally every bone in his body broken. It had been done slowly and meticulously, with the other man smiling the whole time he was snapping Cain’s bones like twigs. He was not anxious for a repeat of that.



Cain was also certain that Jormun would know about his visiting Circe in her dreams. Circe would have told him the gist of it at very least because she always told him everything. More so than she ever told anyone else, even her brothers. He rubbed his forehead to try easing the ache that had suddenly settled there.



“Damn it,” he snarled. “She’s mine. She’s always been mine and will always be mine.”