[Multi-chapter] The Watches Series: Affinity (11/14)
Title: The Watches Series: Affinity
Authors: tsuchi8562
Beta: andreja1989 <-- as always arigatou ♥
Pairing: SakurAiba
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Romance
Rating PG-13
Disclaimer: No, we don't own anything... We're just Border Watch's glaziers
*MASTERPOST*
“Masaki? Masaki, wake up!” Sho’s voice was coming like from some well. The dream didn’t want to disappear but at least a fact that it’s not reality calmed him down a bit.
“I don’t want you… Go away…” Aiba whispered and woke up finally, rubbing his eyes and looked at Sakurai’s worried face. “Good morning Sho-chan!” The taller man’s voice became really bright when he pecked his beloved’s lips.
“The same dream again?” The Border Watch’s officer didn’t allow Masaki to fool him. It seemed that the idea of finding the new vessel became stronger and stronger with every day (more specifically - night, when the nightmares were coming). The taller man didn’t remember them well, just some unclear details flew in front of his eyes. All in all everything coincided with the fact that Aiba subconsciously didn’t want to be the Treaty anymore. Of course it was illogical, because the probability of finding new holder was close to zero but the younger man somewhere deep inside hated the whole idea of balance and vessels…
“I don’t know, I don’t remember…” Masaki stretched and looked at the man beside him. Sho was looking so tired and somehow frustrated that Aiba’s heart started to hurt. The older man put far too much effort in his new “mission” that dark circles were shining under his eyes. Plus, of course, lack of touch and kisses could also reflect on Sakurai’s condition. No matter how many times the taller man offered his help in releasing all tension, the Border Watch’s officer refused, saying that it’s not fair. “Sho-chan, you know I can…”
“How many times I have to say ‘no’ until you understand that I don’t want it?”
“I know you need it… Let me help you, please…” Masaki’s hand landed on Sho’s thigh, going higher until it was stopped by real tight grip around his wrist. Aiba hissed from pain.
“I’m sorry…” The clasp was loosen up. “I won’t feel good when I will know that I can’t repay you…”
“But you can… I am stronger now, I…”
“Masaki, please… Don’t start the same subject again. Soon, I’ll find the vessel and this madness will end. Just bear it for a little while longer…”
“A little while? Who knows where the new vessel can be found! Sho-chan… I can’t any longer… I don’t care, I won’t mind, just please… let me touch you…”
“Masaki, please…” Sakurai repeated; it was obvious that he is hurting and it’s all Aiba’s fault.
“I am sorry… Sho, I am really sorry… I don’t want you to force yourself so much… Rest as much as you can.” The taller man’s hand landed on the latter’s cheek. “Take care of yourself…”
“I am here to take care of you and…”
“Shut up already and kiss me!” Without waiting for reply Masaki pressed his lips to Sho’s and kissed him sweetly, trying to repay for all his care with just this one caress. When, as expected, things heated between them, Sakurai with the last piece of will power pushed Aiba away. No words were needed: Sho knew well that Masaki wants to apologize, Aiba knew that his beloved man forgives him, as always.
“Come on, let’s get ready… We have a plane to catch…”
“Yeah… Where this time? China again?” The taller man asked, looking for his pants that should be somewhere on the chair.
“No, China is next week, now we’re going to India… According to the schedule we’ll be landing on some small airport in… some town I can’t even pronounce its name… and we’ll drive to Delhi… Not exactly a safe solution but we have no other choice… Then the lecture…” A sigh left Sakurai’s lungs. “They force you so much…”
“It’s my job… I don’t have any other choice. We’ll handle… What can happen?”
“Many different things! For example that bloody Shouge can appear with a shotgun! Since that stupid attempt of taking the Treaty away from you she disappeared, remember? She left the stupid letter…”
“A letter? You didn’t say anything about it…” Masaki was standing shirtless and looked at Sho, who stopped in the middle of the sentence. The taller man blushed and quickly put on his T-shirt, knowing that the sight of his birthmarked shoulder makes Sakurai go crazy. Not that he wanted to avoid the long awaited touches but he was fully aware that the Border Watch’s officer will eat himself from guilt.
“It was her resignation but she wrote it in such a chaotic way… She wrote something about feeling guilty and trying to redeem somewhere in mountains… I have no idea what she was talking about but who knows if she didn’t mean Indian part of The Himalayas? And who knows what she wants to do? She may try to take the Treaty away again. And after your dreams…”
“You’re afraid that I will give it away…” Aiba took a deep breath and looked down. No, he can’t promise that he won’t do it. The thought of getting rid of the ballast he had inside of him was haunting him more and more often. He was feeling guilty because he hated the thing he believed in, he felt like a blasphemer who offences his God disgusted with the weight he put on his shoulder. On the other hand, he felt so human. It was natural that he felt that way but that doesn’t mean he will leave this weird kind of religion and betray the Border Watch or Sho. No he will give the Treaty to the other vessel or keep it inside him until the time he will die.
“I would take the Treaty away from you, even for a while… But I know you wouldn’t agree…” Sakurai’s voice bought him back to Earth.
“You know right. I won’t allow you to feel sick, like before. I will get through this… No… WE will get through this. Now, let’s go or we’ll be late. I don’t want them to scold us again…” Masaki smiled and finished dressing up, waiting for the Border Watch’s officer to check for the millionth time if they took everything they need. As always the car took them to the airport, where chartered airplane was waiting, ready to take off as soon as they will get on board. This time no translator was going with them, because old Tokyo Border Watch’s chief’s friend was transferred to Indian office. It’s good to have somebody who knows their native language and the city well and the fact that their guide will be Japanese.
The trip wasn’t long or maybe the fact that Masaki was sleeping peacefully for the most of it made it pass real fast. In a blink of an eye they put their feet on strangely red ground of Indian airport. They were alone for quite a long time and Aiba already started to get impatient, worrying if the officers of local Border Watch were informed about their arrival, when finally he saw a small silhouette approaching. Something was telling him, that he knows the person, some moves were familiar, but the feeling disappeared when small woman stood in front of them and bowed.
“Welcome. My name is Matsuyama Akiko and I will be your guide. We’ll go to Delhi tomorrow in the evening, so now, please follow me to my house, where you’ll stay until the trip.”
“But aren’t we supposed to be in Delhi in the morning?” Sakurai asked and grabbed his luggage, slowly following the woman. Aiba was looking around and enjoyed the nature, not paying attention to Sho’s and Akiko’s conversation. Just when he heard about some ritual and his lover’s indignation he focused on them.
“What ritual?” The taller man asked, apparently curious.
“The head of the town’s council died today and his family is preparing sati for tonight. They had to catch Nila, she escaped this morning… Silly girl, she thought she will manage…”
“Wait…” Sakurai frowned, like if he was looking for some information inside his mind. “Sati… You mean the sacrifice? Burning the widow with the body of her deceased husband?! Isn’t it forbidden!?”
“It is but the beliefs and religion has strong roots here. Tonight every person from the town will go to the funeral. Of course, you are also invited, as guests.” Matsuyama stated extremely calm, as if it was some typical, regular feast and not a murderer. Yes, Aiba thought about it this way and somewhere deep in his mind he started to think if it’s really unavoidable.
“Excuse me but can you tell us something more about the ceremony? Do we have to attend it?” Masaki asked shyly. The last thing he wanted to see is a burning young (as he presumed) woman alive.
“No, of course you don’t have to, but… The son of the deceased is the head on Delhi’s Border Watch. It would be really impolite to reject his hospitality. I will be back in an hour, please make yourself at home.” The woman looked at them and bowed gently, leaving both men in their room and she excused herself.
“Sho-chan, do we have to?”
“Apparently we have to. I heard about current policy and my boss said that we mustn’t make local officers angry. It’s not that I will enjoy this bloody bath but I am afraid that we don’t have any choice.” Sakurai sighed and hugged the taller man tight.
“I want to help this girl… Can’t I do anything? I mean, this is evil… I am keeping the balance…”
“No, Aiba-sama, you can’t do a thing about it.” Sudden voice sounded in the room, making Masaki jump a bit in fear. “I am sorry; I didn’t want to scare you. My name is Saad and I am the head of the capital’s Border Watch. I see that I came in the wrong time…” The man frowned a bit, seeing Sho still embracing his lover.
“No, Excellency…” Sakurai bowed gently letting Aiba go. “What brings you here?” Change in the tone surprised Masaki. Tokyo’s Border Watch’s officer wasn’t rude but somehow his slight anger was visible or more like audible. Saad seemed to feel it to, because he moved his jaw apparently irritated but he said nothing more than invitation for the ceremony that was planned in two hours and disappeared. Is it possible that the man planned their visit in this small town because he wanted to meet the Treaty and because his father was sick, he arranged the meeting here?
“Are you alright?” Sho asked and waved his hands in front of the younger man’s eyes. “You spaced out.”
“I keep thinking about the girl…”
“Stop… We can’t do anything about it… Let’s just survive this together…” The older man sighed and pulled Masaki closer, closing him in tight embrace and kissing him sweetly.
***
As Matsuyama said, all townspeople appeared in the large square in the middle of the city. Everybody seemed to be calm, some mourners in the front were lamenting in the front but except that it didn’t look like a funeral but more like a feast. Aiba didn’t feel well in this surroundings, so he just stared at the ground, squeezing Sho’s hand as hard as he could, praying for everything, for a miracle to appear. And then they heard her voice, screaming and begging, probably asking for mercy. The foreign words were invading his ears, causing the golden letter vibrating in his mind. It wasn’t painful, just slightly unpleasant (or maybe Masaki already got used to the pain?). People were silent, practically not paying attention to the yells because nobody moved an inch to help the poor girl who was desperately trying to escape. Two big men were leading her to the stake where the body, wrapped in white canvas was already lying. Another three dwellers were standing near the wooden construction, ready to burn it as soon as the girl named Nila will be thrown there. Aiba couldn’t stand this, he wanted to scream and help that poor young woman but he couldn’t do it from three reasons. First was the stupid esteem towards the local Watch and possible war if the Treaty will act disrespectful in any way. Second - the golden letters that were floating in front of his eyes, covering his sight. The last one, and probably the most surprising - was a loud, familiar voice shouting some words in local language. Masaki could swear that he heard this voice before, speaking in Japanese… The rumble rose with passing time when suddenly somebody climbed on the roof of a car parked nearby and started to point on Nila and then on Aiba. The words drowned in the wind and were barely understandable but one name that was spoken by Sho explained everything. Well, at least the bigger part.
“Shouge…”
“What? Where?!” Masaki started to look around and spotted the familiar woman, when the Treaty calmed itself and let him do so. Sachiko was apparently moved by something, jumping on the top of the car and pointing on Aiba and the widow. Sakurai started to wade through the crowd to reach his co-worker and trying to receive any explanation of such behavior.
“Sachiko-san! What the hell are you doing?!” Sho pulled her down and looked at her with anger. “What’s the meaning of this?!”
“She has the same color! The same as Aiba-san!”
“What are you talking about? What color?!”
“The aura! It’s the same!”
“What aura?!” Sakurai apparently was losing his patience, probably suspecting that this is another trick to take the Treaty away from Masaki.
“Golden with greenish beams…?” Sachiko asked, surprised. “Can’t you see it? It’s exactly the same that’s why I was shocked. I am sorry…” She mumbled the last sentence and stared in the ground. The same aura?! Aiba frowned and if not the circumstances he would laugh from the silly idea Shouge just spitted. Then, sudden thought hit him. There is no other person in the entire world with the same aura as his; he is the Treaty and it determined the colors and shape of it. The young widow couldn’t… Only if she was the vessel…
“Shouge-san, are you trying to say that Nila is the vessel!?” Sho apparently read Masaki’s mind, saying his thoughts aloud. Sachiko wanted to say something but angry Saad came and demanded the explanations. The Tokyo’s Border Watch’s officer ignored him and continued. “Are you one hundred per cent sure?”
“I am, Sakurai-san! I am sure like never before!”
“It seems that my co-worker found the new vessel… The ceremony has to be canceled, Excellency. You know the law.” Sho smiled and he looked like somebody took off a large weight from his shoulders. Masaki had mixed feelings though. The new vessel, the new training, the new test… What if Sachiko was wrong? And what the hell she was doing here?! The clarifications will have to wait since the rumor rose and they had to take the scared girl and take care of her safety. Is it possible that all their problems will be solved just now? Somehow it was too good to be true…