To Dance By Moonlight

Chapter Thirty Two

Kei was so happy to see the palace, he nearly cried again. He still couldn't quite fathom how little time they'd actually spent here, and yet, being away from it made him miss it so damn much. Maybe that's why, when he gave it a little extra thought, he felt like he was coming home.

The first to welcome him home, after Tetsu let him go, was Ji. Which was only right, after all. Ji ran from the palace doors, all the way into Kei's arms, knocking them over onto the ground! There was laughter, tears, and Ji even started yelling at him for being so stupid and sacrificing himself like that. But even so, Ji held him tight, and gave him one last kiss after they sat up.

"What was that for?"
"I love you, you're still my best friend. But..."
"You have Bokuto, and I have Tetsuro."
"Yeah. Luckily, this means we'll always be together, too."
"As if we'd ever be apart."
"Never again, Kei."
Ji meant it as a demand and a promise. Kei understood all too well.
"Never again," he agreed quietly.

The next to welcome him home, albeit rather shyly, was Bokuto. Kei grinned at him. This big, beefy, often imposing, man was also a big softie. Especially when it came to Ji. He was the man who Tetsu loved first, and the man who took care of him, made him happy. He was also the man that stepped aside once Tetsu fell in love with another, happy that his best friend had finally found the one meant for him. There had never been any hard feelings between them, and never would be.

When Bokuto held out his arms, offering a hug, Kei gladly stepped into it, wrapping his own arms around his broad, muscular back.

"Thank you, Bokuto," Kei whispered. He felt the slight stiffness, the little shock, before he was held just a bit tighter.
"Welcome home, Tsuki," he replied. "You can call me Bo, if you want. Or Kou."
"And you can call me Kei."
Kou chuckled and pushed away slowly. "I'm glad you're home, Kei."
"Yeah. Me too."

Once they parted, it was almost a free for all of greetings and welcome homes that it took longer for them to even get inside the palace. Once they made it through the doors, Tetsu kissed him, over and over, ignoring the cheers and good natured teasing they received from the palace staff and guards.

Perhaps the one welcome home he would always remember for not only its brevity, but also its significance, was the solitary greeting from Nekomata. He bent his head, and bowed low, surprising Kei into standing still. The man straightened and came up to him, holding out his hand. Slowly, Kei took it.

"Welcome home, young master," he said quietly, only for Kei to hear. "You've brought him so much happiness in such a short time. He loves you, and there's nothing that would ever make him leave your side."
Kei must've had some kind of confused look on his face because Nekomata chortled.
"Love is a mysterious thing. It can be instantaneous, or it can take years to develop. But... never doubt it, and never let it go."

Fatima absolutely came through with her welcome home feast, held in the grand hall. Everyone enjoyed the platters of fruits, nuts, veggies, and vast amounts of bread for the first round. And it went on after that; meats, once they were cooked to perfection, would be brought out steaming hot, smelling fantastic, and definitely mouth-watering. Everyone managed to save a little room for her desserts, especially the stuffed apricots, honeyed figs, and dried dates.

By the end of the feast, people were moaning and groaning that they ate way too much, but no one dared say the food was less than wonderful. And it was. Kei was convinced Fatima could work miracles when it came to feeding people. It didn't matter the number, she had plenty for everyone to eat, and hardly any leftovers.

Wine flowed freely, as if there was an endless supply. Kiyoko and the ladies danced, and pulled Kei and Ji up to dance with them. Drums provided a rhythmic beat, and naturally, everything somehow blended together, forming one long piece. They danced until they couldn't anymore, and by then, people were drifting away, leaving the party to go to their beds. Saving their welcome home greetings for Kei, the ladies hugged him and wished him a pleasant evening. The only two that remained were Kiyoko and Hitoka.

And Kei knew, without a doubt, that this was also a goodbye.

"We have to leave, Kei-chan. Even as much as we'd like to stay, we do have another engagement, and if we are to arrive on time..." Kiyoko said as they were all seated around Kuroo's table.
"I know. Still, I wish you could stay a little longer."
"And I wish you could come with us. Dance with us as you were meant to all along." She held up her hand to stop the two ready to object. "But, your life is here now. You have new roles to fill, and I won't get in the way of that."
"We'll miss you both," Ji said as he leaned against Bokuto's chest.
"Indeed. We'll miss all of you. Please, don't hesitate to make yourselves at home if you're ever back this way again."
"Thank you, my lord," Kiyoko bowed. "But, if I may...?"
"Ask away," he smiled at her.
Kiyoko nudged Hitoka, who spoke up. "I humbly ask if I might stay, my lord?"
Kuroo smirked, and Bokuto was grinning happily. "I don't see why not," Kuroo replied. Movement from the doorway caught his attention. "And I believe your reason is waiting for you."
"Thank you, my lord!" Hitoka exclaimed, as she moved to stand. Kiyoko helped her, as did Bokuto. Without another word, Hitoka went straight into the waiting arms of Eita, who gently guided her out of the hall.
Kiyoko turned and bowed. "Thank you for having us, my lord. It was an honor and a pleasure to be here."
"And I thank you for your help, Shimizu-san," he replied.
Kei and Ji, who perhaps had a bit too much wine, suddenly burst with laughter. With startled faces, and awkward smiles, the rest waited until either of them could explain.
"So formal," Kei wheezed. "Aren't we all family now?"
Kiyoko blinked, and then smiled proudly. "I'd like to think we are."
"Same here," Kuroo agreed quietly.
"I've always wanted sisters," Bokuto said sleepily. Ji rolled his eyes and whispered something in his ear.
"I guess we should all go to our beds," Kuroo laughed. "Good night, everyone. Sleep well. We'll see you in the morning."

~*~

He was welcomed home most properly by Tetsu, later on. They barely made it into their bedroom before Tetsu was taking off clothes, checking for injuries, he said. A pretty lie, Kei managed to think before Tetsu scrambled his brains with his hands, his mouth, and... and... at that point, Kei gave himself up to Tetsu's loving. Gods, how he'd missed this. Skin to skin, mouth to mouth; there was no way to tell where he ended and Tetsu began. He moved with Tetsu, arched against him, felt him so deep inside, it was a wonder he hadn't passed out from pure pleasure, and screamed his name when he reached ecstasy. Tetsu was only moments behind him, leaving marks on him instead of screaming himself. But that wasn't the end of it. Not at all. They couldn't have enough of each other, and they loved for what felt like hours.

Now, they lay in a sweaty heap on the bed, Kei's body feeling used, but well-loved. He was pleasantly unable to move, and that was fine. Tetsu made sure he couldn't move, by virtue of collapsing half on top of him, an arm and leg stretched over him, and his face nestled into the crook of Kei's neck.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice sleepy and half-gone from his screaming. He felt Tetsu smile against his neck.
"I love you too, my Firefly. I love you, too."