by Aeryn Jaden
“Yeah, about that.”
Trojan hesitated for a moment and gestured to Python to grab a seat at the table. Seems like it’s gonna be a long talk then. Maybe Python will finally get the courage to open his mouth and confess all his mistakes once and for all.
“My mate made a good point yesterday. He’s much wiser that one would expect from his age. He said that it seemed strange that after centuries of us getting along and being practically inseparable, you suddenly start acting out of character. He pointed out that maybe I was quick to judge and let myself be blinded by hurt, that maybe I should ask myself why you were doing what you were instead of just reacting. So. Yeah. Well. Consider this me asking. Is. Err, this is awkward. I feel like I’m on one of them blasted human soap-operas and we’re having a moment or some crap like that.”
Python felt his face blanch and was sure Trojan had noticed as his brother suddenly stopped his uncharacteristic babbling.
“Fuck. He was right, wasn’t he? Something did happen to make you run amok.”
“I. Trojan. Shit.”
They both looked down at their hands, the silence awkward and tense. Peeked at each other’s face at the same time, trying to gauge the other and what to say and do. They were really similar and not only in appearance. Trojan sighed and rubbed his hands tiredly across his face.
“Just spit it out already. This all heart-to-heart is starting to freak me out.”
It was starting to freak Python too, and he’d always been the more socially relaxed one between them two.. Still. How did you start saying-
“I’m dying.”
A loud crash could be heard from somewhere below them, and Trojan’s face paled. They were both up and running before they knew it. Surprisingly, Trojan’s shields and protection spells let him easily follow his brother down to his caves, where his mate and his children were. Panicked and out of breath they both jumped down the pit several hundred meters down and were running toward the now louder scuffle noises even before touching ground. Python nose wrinkled, smelling a most peculiar thing but he dismissed it as being most likely one of his brother’s housed guests from his side-business of babysitting damaged supernaturals, though he was surprised he was doing it while having a new mate and newborn snakelings close by. Trojan was a regular bleeding heart and often offered to do it for free, just to offer the discarded supernaturals a better life. He had some sort of charms or spells or spelled trinkets that kept his guests’ minds occupied and happy, while he was also slowly working towards getting them more stable. Python had always been envious of Trojan’s knack for energy manipulation aka magic and the uses he found for it.
They got at the end of the hallway and turned the corner still running. The nursery was just a bit further and they could both hear the dogs barking like mad, the children crying and hissing in terror. They could both taste the fear in the air as they stumbled into the nursery and Python’s eyes widened at the sight before him.
A human was crunched before his brother-in- law and the rest of the room. He had a wicked long and crazily sharp sword in one hand, a glowing dark glock in the other. He turned to his equally speechless brother.
“You gave Honjo Masamune to a human?”
“You know that sword cannot be given. Honjo chooses its own masters. What I would like to know it’s how it did that from a spelled locked showcase in my workshop. At least it’s not the Muramasa sword. Rei, are you cutting air or what? Showing off? You’re scarring the kidlets.”
Troy mumbled a “and us” under his breath and slowly made a step towards the crazy looking man. Python just stood there and felt his mouth go dry as he inspected the gorgeous specimen in front of him. He resembled somewhat his brother-in-law, the same bone structure, the same silky shining straight hair if much shorter, eyes that bore into him like hot coals. There were related that’s for sure and he wasn’t being a racist asshole and saying that because of their Japanese features. This guy had the same stubborn chin and same button nose though placed on a more stern and severe looking face and a trace of Ryuu’s similar essence flavored the air around. He didn’t have the softness Ryuu possessed and was easily seen in his brother-in-law’s expressions, or he had it well hidden away. Python wouldn’t bet his life on it. His body too, was less limber and more muscled and worked as if he did a lot of physical work and that had sculpted his human body until it looked like carved from stone. The human was not overly tall but with an air about him that made Python feel smaller. Vulnerable. Salivating for a taste of that. And shit. There popped his woodie. And well, there went his wow of abstinence and all that becoming a monk for whatever time he had left.
“Did you see it? There! Get out of my way, moron!”
There was a sudden flash of light and a tinkling noise before Python got run over by a human one head shorter, brandishing a lethal sword rumored to be able to cut anything deserving. Yeah, at least it wasn’t the Muramasa. That one cut things indiscriminatingly. He had a second to be glad about it, watching the human practically bounce up and over Python’s now prone on the floor body- and when did that happen- before taking another sniff of his tantalizing smell and frowning in consternation. Troy was looking at him warily, Ryuu was now behind his mate with their snaklings clutched to his chest. The short guilty glance Trojan threw his way face clichéd it for Python and he felt dizzy and fain for the first time in his long , adventurous life. Rei, this was Rei. Ryuu’s brother. Python’s supposed mate. A noise coming from the other corner of the marble hallway pulled his eyes open just in time to see a form materializing from a sort of golden-pinkish burst of light. The new arrival, a tall dude, strangely colored -but not blue this time- obviously some sort of indian godling aka distant-or-not-so-distant relative if he was to judge by the stone embedded in his forehead, immediately caught Rei’ swinging sword with his bare hands and just stood there with his impassive face.
Several things happened at once and none of them reassured Python and his trembling hands. Maybe it was time to move off the floor but when he tried his legs seemed to have been transformed in overcooked spaghetti. Metaphorically. Troy let a relived sigh as if he knew the newest arrival, Ryuu relaxed and told his brother, Rei, to release the sword, and… A effeminate dude dressed in a velvet pastel corsage and army black pants topped with combat boots and long sparkly earrings appeared right behind Indian guy and karate kicked Rei to the floor, next to Python’s shameful position.
Python maybe saw all that happening. He wasn’t sure you see as he only had eyes for Rei. Who was his brother-in-law’s brother. Who was Python’s mate.
* * * *
“Let me get this straight. The one attacking before you two showed up is called Vasuki, King of cobras or something, send by some jealous bitch goddess Parvati. Dude is cousin to Manasa’s father, Sesha. But nobody knows that Sesha is her father and you came to tell that to these two because? Some sort of god rivalry gone wrong and too far that you want to fix? Of course over a woman and broken marriage vows. Ugh, gods’ private lives rival a soap show. ”
Lilac-pink guy nodded somberly. Hermaphroditus, dude in corsage and army pants was staring at Arun, aka pink guy, like he’d want nothing more than have a bite of that. Rei thought he could maybe see a bit of drool too. He avoided looking at the other guy, the one he’d run over and was now occupying the farthest chair from him, lHe already knew how Python looked like- like a bloody drama queen with all the proverbial ships sunk. He had known at first glance who the guy was, his resemblance to Troy, green hair not-withstanding, was uncanny. Dammit all to hell, why did the guy interested him if he was just a Troy look-alike? He’d never thought so impure thoughts about his brother-in- law. Thank God the supernaturals present were not werewolves, they would have drowned in the instant lust shimmering around Rei. He resented all this mating business and was determined to have nothing to do with it. Pink guy started talking and oh yeah, Rei had asked him the ‘why’ question.
“Sesha is a good guy. He’s suffered having to lea
ve Manasa but had done it for her safety. Shiva is to self-involved to be of any help and his wife is weaving havoc still trying to erase Manasa and any trace of her from this planet. That includes Trojan and Python and any other eventual offsprings that she knows about. She’s maybe a bit unhinged over this.”
“Ya’ think?”
“Rei.”
“What? This is bullshit! These are my nephews, that snake guy was trying to kill. And over what? A deranged wife and a guy who couldn’t keep it in his pants?”
The last was said with a pointed look at Python who grunted as if struck, his face taking a most pleasing green color. Rei had not forgotten the guy had almost killed his baby-bro. He wasn’t the type to be forgiving either. He was the type that got even.
“Jezzus, Rei.”
Ryuu cast a pitying look at Python making the big guy smile faintly in reassurance before he nodded in Rei’s direction, acknowledging of the verbal dig.
“I do fear it’s gotten a bit more complicated than anybody expected. Parvati is trying to erase Manasa so that her husband doesn’t find of her existence or of any of the acts she did against her. Vasuki, Parvati’s loyal servant, is trying to keep appearances as the King of Nagas and fears the power Manasa holds. Vishnu, brother to Shiva got involved too, he’s Sesha’s true mate let’s say. My brother is their unofficial guardian of sorts so that’s where I, Arun, come in, carrying news to you all.”
“That’s a lot of heavy duty names that you just sprouted there. I may not be a mythology expert but I’m pretty sure I heard most of those guys’ names as being some of the most powerful in Hindu Pantheon.”
Troy thunderous expression confirmed it, the silence at the table just reinforced the seriousness of the situation. Rei sighed and slapped his hands down on the table, studiously still ignoring Python. He could do this. War was his business after all.
“Okay. You- he pointed at Arun- stay put and provide any info you have. The rest of us need to think of a plan and take this shit back to them. The best defense is a good offence after all. Troy, did you finish that inhibitor for Gataro? I really don’t like the thought of him chained to the bed while we plot this. It may take a while.”
“I just need to clinch the charm.”
“Whatever that means, you lost me.” He waved his hand, unconsciously having taken charge and shooed Troy to his workshop. Ryuu laughed in his mate’s dumfounded expression and mock frowned at his brother. Rei smirked back.
“Final touch and Gataro can have his free will back. That oath thing is part of his energy so it’s a bit difficult to suppress but-”
“Yada- yada, you’re a genius, yeah.”
Troy laughed at his impatience, showing some wicked fangs there and Rei gulped, remembering the guy really was a genius. With magic. Then he remembered he was mated to Rei’s brother, had impregnated his little brother and transformed him in something else than human. Yeah, Rei was pretty sure he could talk back and have Troy just take it. He smirked challenging. Ryuu tutted his disapproval, Arun got a glimmer in his eyes that could mean amusement or not, the guy was the definition of stonefaced. Difficult to be read when your face had only one expression- constipation- on show. Python half-smirked faintly in Rei’s general direction and Rei continued to steadily ignore the guy. Finally, Troy huffed and left to set Gatoro free form his bounds. Rei thought his head will soon explode just thinking of what his life had become. Here he was, sitting at a table in a magically protected cave, with his naga-something baby-bro, two snaklings that same baby-bro had given birth to playing in a nearby pool, a dude with pinkish skin that just flashed here, another dude that had dubious clothes’ taste and not to mention: Rei’s freaking mate. While waiting for a sweet kappa to storm in the room. His cock was confused on who to focus on and that spelled capital trouble. Damn Python and his face. Nagas maybe haven’t smelled where Rei’s mind had went- meaning, in the gutter- but kappas had a more developed sense of smell. Gataro will know immediately. Like he’d known when Rei had drooled over him. Rei hated this mating business. He didn’t want Python. Well, he didn’t want to want him even a little bit. And Gataro didn’t deserve Rei’s cock misbehaving this way. No matter that they’ve not done more than talk and Rei’s biggest accomplishment there had been holding the little guy’s hand. What? It had been a great handholding. There’s been fingers caressing skin involved and a lot of eye gazing. Luckily, nobody was privy to his inner thoughts and how he was a teenage girl on disguise.
They all waited in silence, mostly watching the babies frolicking in the stone pool that Troy’d carved especially for them. Mostly- as Python seemed to want to bore a hole in Rei with the power of his fixed stare and Hermaphroditus seemed to be doing the same to Arun. Yeah, they could give new meaning to that expression of ‘cutting the tension with a knife’. Finally, Rei could hear hurried steps padding in their direction and a smile blossomed involuntary on his face. Gataro made the corner almost slipping in his rush- they really needed to give him or tell him to choose a name for himself. And clothes. They really needed to get clothes for the little guy.
Gataro wore a long shirt, Rei’s, and some of his sleeping trunks. He’d been tied to the bed graciously provided by Troy and Ryuu for his own safety and in case he was coerced in any manner. It had been Gataro’s request at Troy’s suggestion and Rei had never been so happy to see anybody up and out of bed as in that moment. He’d hated keeping the little guy literally a prisoner. Rei had the impression Gataro had been a prisoner for most of his life, that’s why he seemed so at ease with the total loss of freedom of movement. Did that suck or not? Rei definitely will get the guy his freedom back. The bracelet devised by his brother-in-law was just a temporary fix, he knew that. For Gataro to be free, Rei needed to cut the root of the problem. He needed to get rid of one Kitagawa Utamaro, Gataro’s own grandfather unfortunately.
He got a lap full of clingy, mostly naked, lithe arousing half-kappa and Rei’s eyes instinctively sought Python’s reaction. Peculiar, as he’d tried his best not to care about the other man’s, or naga or whatever, feelings. Not that Ryuu had not worked on changing that but Rei had never been the forgiving type, hadn’t he said that before? Still, Python. And did these guys had porn star names or what? Really? Python and Trojan? OMG. He started laughing like a lunatic and Gataro just held for the ride as he bounced up and down in his lap (and didn’t that feel interesting?). Python’s face lost that hurt expression and got confused again and Rei just couldn’t stop laughing and pointing at the twin nagas. Ryuu had an understanding look on his face and Rei knew for sure his little brother had thought it all before and will understand why… why he was having kind of a meltdown here. As a matter a fact his little brother quickly deposited his kidlets in their other father protective arms and kneeled in front of him, hands on his knees. Gataro too, he was slowly caressing his shaking back and god, thank god Rei wasn’t crying hysterically and just laughing. The last months had just caught up with him and he’d just realized that this supernatural business? Came with consequences when it pulled you in. He was staring at two of them right then and had no idea what the hell he was supposed to do with a lap full of insanely attractive kappa while Rei was glaring at what was supposed to be the other half of his soul and most likely a monumental pain in the ass.
* * * *
“What do you think?”
Troy sighed and didn’t even flick a finger to extinguish the light. He nuzzled his slender mate’s hair and pulled the blankets up over them, feeling beyond tired after everything today. It had taken him a bit of an adjustment to sleep in a human bed, with pillows and blankets, not to mention his butt was still going numb by morning no matter how soft the mattress was. Luckily, he’d quickly fixed the back pain problem but he would not change anything of these last few months. Sleeping together like this was something his mate needed and Troy had long ago found there were certain advantages when he wanted to ravish his mate. Not tonight though, a rare thing with them but after all they had guests,
a lot of them and all of them in their home, their sanctuary. Troy’s skin was buzzing with their intruding energy signatures, no matter that he could feel their intentions and they weren’t out to harm him and his own. But… But snakelings. His kids were too small and vulnerable and his caves seemed to be overrun by strangers right and left. Python’s presence and their slowly mending relationship eased Troy’s frazzled nerves a bit but he could already see how it will be a long night and not a restful one either. Good thing he didn’t need that much sleep, though Ryuu apparently had kept that human quirk even after being turned.
“I think my brother has his work cut out for him and a really long wait until your brother even gives him the time of day.”
“Gataro is a complication too. I don’t know what’s happening there but.” Ryuu sighed and Troy nodded. The way Rei reacted to the vulnerable kappa was most telling. He wondered if his brother could accept that maybe he won’t be the only one in his mate’s heart. Maybe that’ll change but Troy doubted it. When he’d woven the bracelet to bind Gataro’s sworn oats, he’d had to adjust the spell to the kappa’s energies. Energies that were remarkably tangled with his brother-in-law’s.
“He will though. Eventually. Python just needs to hang in there, my brother is not stupid and although yuck- Python!-, I could see the appeal. After all he is remarkably similar to someone else I know.”
Ryuu smiled and ducked his head in a false shy move that looked endearingly coy and sly on him. Troy’ lips twitched and his hands started kneading on his mate’s backside seemingly on their own. He had lots on security in place, he’d be alerted immediately if anybody even tried to enter their kids’ pool room and Rei was sleeping with an open eye with his new sword, right next to the nursery.
“Oh really? Do tell.”
He got a half-hearted slap on his chest for his seductive tone and he took that as permission to start nibbling on that soft alabaster skin peeking from under Ryuu’s pajamas’ collar.