Kindling

Tobirama curled tighter into a ball, the heavy net of seals the only thing keeping him from climbing the handsome Daiyokai and twining around that strong frame like he was never going to leave, it was hard to remember that the kirin wasn’t his when everything in Tobirama was screaming the need to have those broad gloved hands everywhere on him, claiming him, owning him. But no matter how Tobirama’s instincts and power howled the Daiyokai wasn’t his and Tobirama could only hope that the other was kind enough to leave the seals in place so the younger yokai didn’t get thrown into a wall trying to tangle them together so completely the Daiyokai could never leave him (Tobirama had been punished by the Call for decades and never had he met another he hungered for like he did this man, it ached all the way down to his bones). He wanted to tangle his hands in that smoke-like mane of dark hair and trace the lines of the double golden horns where they arched back over the kirin’s head, he wanted to trace those handsome sweeping features with his fingertips and gaze into eyes he was sure were royal-purple and see what markings kirin got when they came of age, and he knew he wouldn’t get a single second of it. Not Tobirama who was twisted and wrong and cuffed and – a hand in his hair and the pain of the Call and the seals abated a bit as the Daiyokai stroked over Tobirama’s head, gloved fingers lingering near Tobirama’s furry gray ears before petting back through his white hair.

There was no way on earth that Tobirama could have stopped himself from pushing into the touch and he couldn’t stop the whine when the strong hand was pulled away but he wrestled himself under control anyway and panted out “Leave” only vaguely aware he was interrupting something the Daiyokai was trying to say “the seals keep me from acting on my instincts but they wont if you break them” let the Daiyokai make of that what he would (no yokai should be that close to their instincts, no yokai should be such a slave to the primal urges, Tobirama knew that well by now – he had been told often enough and remined painfully enough). There was a long pause and then the hand was back, a firm weight on his head as the Daiyokai spoke in a considering voice, his words only sort of penetrating the heavy buzz in Tobirama’s head, bits and pieces sinking in while the whole washed over him unheard “No I don’t think…..overpower you….shouldn’t do this to yourse-….” And then the kirin and his wall of warmth and power was moving away and Tobirama couldn’t have stopped the hopeless whimpering with all the will power in the world, except – in the next instant there was a flash of power and a visceral shattering sensation as the Daiyokai overpowered the seal net and snapped it, Tobirama moving without a thought and across the low room twining around the kirin in a breath; tangling his arms around the Daiyokai’s throat and pressing as close as he could from in the other yokai’s lap, shaking with relief and the overwhelming sensation of closeness as he nuzzled into the dark feathery hair, half hair, half power made manifest and all wonderful as Tobirama’s mind went white with relief and pleasure.

Madara would admit that deciding to break the seal net without more information was a bit rash, even if he was confidant he could overpower the other yokai if he needed too, but what else could he do? Warning about his instincts (and wasn’t that an interesting warning too) aside Madara really couldn’t see any reason not to break the net and stop this stomach turning horror right here and now, and really the other yokai had all but given him permission by acknowledging his Daiyokai status. At least that was what Madara was going with as he moved back to find the keystone rune needed to break the seal net, his heart lurching at the absolutely heartbreaking noise the other yokai made as they curled into a tight little ball of old gray fabric and fluffy tails that made Madara feel rather ill with the strength of his need to make that awful noise stop and comfort the other yokai (he had never reacted to another yokai so strongly before in his life, was their plight really so great to effect Madara so deeply?).

Clumsily Madara nicked the tip of one finger and let the blood drip down his long blunt nails, charging it with power before slashing through the keystone rune and shattering the seal net with the sheer weight of his power. It was a good seal and fascinating in its construction but it was designed to keep someone in- even someone that knew how to break it and get out- not to keep outside forces from altering it so it bent under his power with little work, Madara pulling his attention away just in time for a flurry of movement and then a lithe yokai to land in his lap and wrap around him like he was trying to tie them together and purring up a storm as he did so; long pale legs sprawling on either side of Madara’s where he was pushed back to sit and two long fluffy tails winding around any bit of Madara that was close enough as the kirin instinctively dragged the other yokai even closer, the Call that had never bothered him suddenly stronger as it was satiated and the neko-yokai (for he- and it was a he, Madara could feel that- had to be some kind of neko-yokai though Madara wasn’t sure what kind) chirping and purring in his ear. It was….overwhelming, the scent of storms and ink and lilac flavored with pain and bloody dust but strongest with pleasure and relief as the neko tangled their hands in Madara’s hair and nuzzled at his throat, purring kicking up a notch like Madara was literally the best thing the neko had ever found (and wasn’t that heady beyond belief).

For a long moment Madara was lost in the heady pleasure of having a lovely, wriggling, purring yokai in his lap and it took the sharp scent of new blood intruding in the wonderful storminklilac scent to jar Madara out of his blur of bliss. Swearing quietly Madara wrapped one arm tightly around the narrow waist and tried to figure out how to get out of the low room without snagging his horns or letting go of his purring yokai (that seemed like….a bad idea somehow), finally inching out backward as the neko nosed at his neck and Madara had to take a second before spilling both of them out into the main cave. The neko chirped and Madara crooned gently as he looked around, trying to figure out how to stand with his lithe burden – which, speaking of, Madara pulled back and looked at his new yokai friend and – oh wow, he was…..lovely. His hair was snowy white, and his face was sharp and fine and lovely with its red marking and red-on-red eyes and holy flames Madara was in trouble.

The neko chirped and the gray leopard ears lay back flat as the fine face twisted in worry and Madara crooned, pulling the other yokai back in before that confusion turned to hurt. Ok, ok, he needed to take his new companion back to his home where he could tend to him (there was no way Madara was letting the other yokai out of his sight until after the Call was over – if then really) and he needed to do that without letting go of the pretty neko and hurting the white haired yokai, at least hopefully the traps in the woods wouldn’t grab at him with the neko with them. Mind made up Madara gathered the neko close and stood, pleased (rather too pleased honestly) when the long pale legs wrapped around his waist automatically and the neko clamped on tightly enough Madara only needed to keep one arm around the narrow waist to hold them together. Carefully he made his way out of the caves, not bothering to look for clothing or anything else to take; what he could give the neko was much nicer and better suited anyway.

The crags were harder to navigate but doable and the woods to his relief were quite easy as they seemed to melt back from them in deference to the yokai in Madara’s arms, taking the neko past the curse markers made the pale yokai shiver but he didn’t protest and just clutched at Madara tighter; clinging with all his strength and whining once or twice in worry in the kirin’s long pointed ear no matter how much Madara tried to sooth him. It made Madara ache, and all he wanted was to sooth the neko and make him comfortable, so seeing his manor on the cliffs was a great relief and Madara leapt up the cliffs with the help of his kirin-fire, relived at the faint burbling chirp from his lovely passenger interrupting the whining. Finally Madara stepped off the fire cloud and onto the outcropping before his front door, the small outcropping adorned with a small but intricate garden with groomed trees and hidden water features and carefully placed boulders in the plants surrounding the slate stone path leading to the huge slab of green granite that was his front step before the large black wooden door with its silver and gold detailing and large handles below the silver knocker.

The neko had gone quiet and shivering as he clung to Madara and the older- he thought- yokai rubbed down his back as he pushed the door to his home open and stepped in onto the smooth cut stone floor, heading straight down the halls over a mix of cut stone and wood as the manor came in and out of the stone of the cliff the shuttered windows throwing intricately cut shadows over the floor and walls as Madara headed toward the guest room closest to his rooms (which wasn’t very close, hmm…that might be a problem), shifting his grip on the neko as he started to sag with exhaustion and pent up anxiety. It wasn’t surprising, those seals hadn’t looked restful and the scent of pain had been so thick in the cave that Madara wasn’t surprised that the neko was lagging – he had been in those seals for at least six or seven hours given he had been there for a while before Madara started looking and it had taken Madara hours to fight through the traps and protections and find the hidey hole (clever, clever neko!) and beyond that he was thin clearly in need of care, well luckily that was something Madara didn't mind giving.