FIC: Summer Vacation III: Honeymoon in Japan, Part 3 of 9

[geri_chan]

Title: Summer Vacation III: Honeymoon in Japan, Part 3 of 9
Rating: NC-17 overall
Pairing: Aric/Takeshi, Snape/Lupin
Word count: ~10,275
Author's note: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts
Disclaimer: Based on the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling; no money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Warning: AU; this is a continuation of the Always series, but the main focus is on Aric and Takeshi, and Snape and Lupin appear mainly as supporting characters.
Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, Phoenix Rising, Aftermaths, The Revenant, and Ash's Story. Although it's not so much a sequel to the latter two stories as it is a companion piece. The Revenant, Ash's Story, and Summer Vacation III all begin at around the same time, a couple of days after the ending of Aftermaths, and pretty much run concurrently.
Summary: Aric arrives in Japan and meets Takeshi's brother.

Part 1, Part 2

***

"Are you happy about the job?" Aric asked.

"Yes," Erika replied. "I wasn't really planning on a career dealing with magical creatures, but I got good grades in Study of Magical Creatures." The course at Durmstrang, while similar to Hogwarts' Care of Magical Creatures class, put as much emphasis on learning how to defend against the creatures as it did on how to care for them--which might have been a helpful addition to the Hogwarts classes, considering the kinds of animals Hagrid had them caring for. "And it's a Ministry position--that's the main thing."

"Father and Mother must be proud that their heir will be working at the Ministry after all," Aric said, a little bitterly.

"Aric," Erika said, looking worried, "you're not upset about me taking the position, are you?"

"No, Erika," Aric reassured her. "I'm still angry at Father and Mother, and Grandfather and Grandmother, but I'm not angry at you. I meant what I told Weasley; I don't want to work at the Ministry, so you're welcome to the position, Erika. I really mean it."

"Good," Erika said, relaxing. "Are you happy, Aric?"

"Yes," Aric replied, the bitterness easing and a smile spreading across his face as he thought of Takeshi. "I've never been happier in my life."

"I'm glad," Erika said, smiling at him. "You'll have to introduce me to your boyfriend later."

"It's too bad that we're leaving for Japan just when you've come back to England," Aric said regretfully. "But we can get together and have dinner when we get back." He grinned. "I'll take you to my in-laws' restaurant; the food is great there."

"I'll look forward to it," Erika said, grinning back at him. "In the meantime, I'll get settled in at the Ministry."

"I'm sure you'll be running the department in no time," Aric laughed.

"The Minister didn't actually give me Amos Diggory's position," Erika said. "It would cause too much dissension if he appointed a newcomer over the older and more experienced workers. The next senior staff member after Amos was promoted to Department Head, and I'm moving into the new vacancy." Erika smiled smugly. "But don't worry; I intend to work my way up to Department Head eventually. Sooner rather than later."

"I've no doubt of it, sister dear," Aric said with genuine respect. He held out his hand and asked, "Would you like to meet my pack leader?"

"I would love to," Erika replied, placing her hand in his. "I should pay my respects to the guest of honor, after all."

So Aric led her over to meet Lukas and Narcissa, and Erika politely greeted them and thanked them for looking after her brother. Narcissa seemed pleased to meet a pureblood woman who was being friendly towards her without wanting to discuss prurient gossip about her werewolf husband, and the two were soon deep in discussion as Narcissa gave Erika some advice about Ministry politics. Erika seemed pleased to receive it, and listened with interest, knowing that Narcissa had an intricate understanding of how the Ministry worked, since Lucius had worked there for so many years.

"I like your sister," Lukas told Aric. "She rather reminds me of a wolf herself."

"She's definitely a predator," Aric said with a grin.

"I think that her coworkers and superiors at the Ministry had better watch their backs," Lukas said with a sly smile.

"Oh yes," Aric agreed fervently.

Lady Selima announced that the dancing would begin, and music started playing on cue, and Lukas excused himself and escorted Narcissa onto the dance floor. Aric was about to ask Erika if she wanted to dance, when a very angry-looking Paul Keller marched up and demanded, "Where's Takeshi?"

Apparently Paul's family was high-ranking enough to warrant an invitation to Lady Selima's party. Aric vaguely recalled that the Kellers were a well-off pureblood family, although nowhere near as wealthy and high-ranking as the Snapes or the Blacks or even Aric's own family. "He's not here," Aric replied coldly. "He had to work tonight. But if you have a problem with him, you can address it to me, Keller."

"Fine," Paul snapped. "Tell him to stay out of my personal life and stop sending his friends to carry malicious gossip to my girlfriend! Anna came to me in tears the other day, all hysterical over some nonsense Hannah Abbott told her--and I know that it was Takeshi who put her up to it!"

"It's not nonsense, and you bloody well know it," Aric snarled. "All she did was tell Anna the truth--which you obviously haven't."

"Whatever I choose to tell or not tell my girlfriend is none of your or Takeshi's goddamned business!" Paul said through gritted teeth, obviously struggling to keep from shouting. "He gave up his right to interfere in my life when he--" Paul paused, his eyes flickering towards Erika, who was watching their argument with interest. "When we had a disagreement about pureblood social customs, and chose not to associate with each other any longer," he finished more circumspectly. "Tell him that I never expected him to be so petty."

"He's not doing it out of spite, you stupid git," Aric retorted, finding it increasingly hard to control his inner wolf and keep himself from attacking the man who had insulted his mate--and not just any man, but a former rival, someone who had dared to touch his mate intimately. And worse, someone stupid enough not to value what he'd had, although Aric supposed that he should be grateful for Paul's stupidity, since it had turned out to be his gain. Still, the wolf wanted to rend Paul limb from limb, while Aric would have settled for punching him in his handsome, arrogant face. Aric's lips drew back from his teeth in a snarl, and Paul took a nervous step backwards.

Aric realized that he was baring his teeth in a wolf-like manner, and took a deep breath, trying to get himself under control. "He's only worried about Anna," Aric said, with what he felt was admirable restraint. "He doesn't want to see her get hurt."

"It's none of his business!" Paul repeated. "Tell him to stay away from me and from Anna, or I'll..."

"Or you'll what?" Aric snarled, forgetting about control and restraint.

Paul turned pale, but he blustered, "Or...or I'll make you sorry, werewolf or not! In fact, if you try to threaten me, I'll have you locked up as a dangerous beast!"

"Oh, I don't think you want to do that," Erika said sweetly.

"And who the hell are you?" Paul asked.

"Erika Dietrich, newest member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," she replied. "It's my department that decides what is and is not a dangerous beast." She gave Aric an amused little smile. "And I hardly think that my little brother is a dangerous beast."

"Dietrich? Brother?" Paul said, looking from Erika to Aric. "You're his sister?"

"That's right," Erika said. She took a step forward, grabbed his wrist, and said, still smiling sweetly, "And it's not a good idea to threaten my family."

"I don't care who you are--" Paul started to say, then yelped and said, "Hey, that hurts!" when Erika tightened her fingers around his wrist in what Aric knew from experience was a bone-crushing grip. She had always been strong for a girl.

"Go ahead and scream if you want, Mr. Keller," Erika told him. "But that would attract attention, and it would be pretty humiliating for everyone to see a girl kick your arse across the ballroom, wouldn't it?"

"She can do it, too," Aric helpfully informed Paul.

"Ow ow ow!" Paul whined, as Erika literally started twisting his arm. "Okay, okay, I'll leave your brother alone! Let go of me!" Erika released him, and he hastily fled, pausing briefly to glare at Aric, but only once he was safely out of Erika's reach. Then he left the ballroom, and presumably, the Manor itself.

"Well, Erika," Aric said with an ironic smile. "I'm not sure whether I should thank you or feel humiliated that I needed my big sister to beat up the bully who was picking on me."

"Oh, I know that you could have kicked his arse yourself," Erika said with a grin. "But that would have gotten you into trouble, since technically you are a 'dangerous beast.' And as the newest member of my department, I don't really have that much clout at the Ministry yet. But now he won't dare mention this to anyone, because then he'd have to tell them that he was scared of a little girl." She batted her eyelashes innocently.

It was a bit of a stretch to describe Erika as "a little girl," Aric thought, although he prudently kept that opinion to himself. She was tall and statuesque, but still a few inches shorter than Paul, and dressed in an elegant formal gown, she looked as feminine as any of the other pureblood ladies present. And although she hated doing so, Erika could simper and act dainty when it was necessary. No one who didn't know her intimately--such as the little brother she had once beaten up for breaking her favorite doll--would ever believe that she could physically manhandle and threaten Paul. If he tried to file a complaint against her, he would only look like an idiot and a coward. Aric had to admit that it really was better to let her handle it than to take on Paul himself.

"Thank you, sister dear," Aric said, kissing her on the cheek. "Would you care to dance with me?"

"I would be honored, brother dear," Erika laughed, allowing him to take her hand and lead her onto the dance floor.

***

Aric and Takeshi had packed a couple of small suitcases with some clothes, a few books, and some gifts and toys for Takeshi's friends and relatives in Japan. Takeshi told Aric not to overpack, because they could always buy things in Japan or Portkey back if they really needed something they'd left behind. In fact, Isamu and Haruko probably would Portkey back every now and then to check on the restaurant during their vacation.

There were two Portkeys to Japan, Takeshi explained. The one that the human wizards used was a scroll in the Sakura that led to the land surrounding Professor Kamiyama's temple. The other was kept in a locked and warded room in the Kimuras' flat, because it led directly to the land of the crane folk, and only someone who possessed crane blood was able to use it.

"So you'll have to hold my hand while I touch the Portkey, as if you were Apparating with me," Takeshi told Aric. "My mother and father will do the same."

The Portkey turned out to be a silk robe hanging on the wall. It had once been white, but was now yellowed with age. "It was the bridal robe of my ancestress, the crane maiden who married the human man who saved her," Haruko explained in a hushed, reverent voice. "It is woven from her own feathers, so it seems fitting that it eventually became the focus of the portal that allows her descendants to return to the land of her birth."

"My brother will weave my feathers into such a robe for you," Takeshi said tenderly, then smiled. "Well, not a bridal robe, precisely, but a gift to symbolize my love for you and seal the bond between us."

"Thank you," Aric said, blushing as his in-laws smiled affectionately at him; he still wasn't used to how open Takeshi was around them. But he took Takeshi's outstretched hand, and Takeshi touched the robe with his free hand. There was the brief disorienting and dizzying feeling one got from being Apparated, and then Aric found himself standing in a lush green valley surrounded on all sides by steep mountains that seemed to enclose the valley like a fortress wall. Haruko and Isamu joined them a moment a later.

Aric voiced his thought out loud, and Takeshi told him that his mental analogy was quite apt. "The crane folk deliberately chose this valley for their home because it is so easy to defend. The steep cliffs are difficult for intruders to scale, and there are powerful enchantments laid on the valley. There are permanent misdirection and illusion spells that cause humans to turn away if they wander too close, and even if a Muggle plane should fly overhead, the pilots will only see a barren, rocky wasteland. And there are defensive spells to deter hostile wizards. The crane clan has lived here in peace and seclusion for nearly a thousand years. No outsider may enter the valley without the consent of the clan. Human spouses are considered part of the clan by marriage and are allowed to come and go with their mates, of course, and members of the Wizards' Council and diplomats from other clans are occasionally given dispensation when they are carrying out a particular mission. But the wedding between Chizuru and Karasu is the first time in our history that outsiders will be welcomed into the valley en masse."

There was a large lake in the center of the valley, and Aric could see dwellings built on the valley floor, as well as others built into the mountain walls overlooking the valley. "Are there real cranes nesting in these mountains?" Aric asked curiously.

"No, cranes don't normally live in the mountains," Takeshi replied. "They normally live in marshes where they can forage for food--mostly insects, fish, amphibians, and small rodents. Also grain and rice when they can find it. My ancestors only moved to this valley for security purposes, to avoid being captured or hunted by humans."

"Come," Haruko said, leading the way to one of the buildings on the valley floor. "There are guest quarters available to those of clan who choose to live outside the valley; this one has been set aside for our use. Even if some of the pureblooded cranes might frown upon those of us with human blood, their loyalty to the clan is absolute, and they would never turn us away. Anyone with even a drop of crane blood has the right to reside in the valley if they wish."

"And their mates?" Aric asked, not feeling entirely confident about all this. It was beginning to remind him a little too much of his old life in England, living as one of the pureblood elite--except that this time, he was the one who was scorned for having impure blood. Maybe this was his punishment for all the casual, unthinking insults he had uttered about Mudbloods and half-bloods when he had still been a pureblood himself.

"And their mates," Haruko replied, with a reassuring smile.

Takeshi reminded Aric to take his shoes off before entering the house, as was the Japanese custom. "It doesn't really matter here, where it's just us, but--"

"I know," Aric sighed. "Your purebloods are big on tradition, just like the ones back home, and I wouldn't want to commit a breach of etiquette." He smiled wryly, thinking how ironic it was that the purebloods back home looked down their noses at the non-humans, while here in Japan, the pureblooded cranes regarded the humans as inferior. It might be kind of fun to lock both sets of snobs in a small room together and watch the feathers fly--both literally and figuratively.

But taking off his shoes wasn't really a big deal; he'd already gotten into the habit of doing it at home because Takeshi did. He looked around the house--more of a cottage, really--with interest. It was constructed with sliding doors instead of hinged ones, to save space, Takeshi said. It was sparsely furnished, with low tables and cushions, but no chairs--and no beds, either, which puzzled Aric, until Takeshi showed him that the beddings were kept rolled up and stored in a closet when not in use, again to save space.

"Very efficient," Aric said, eyeing the rolled-up futon mattresses a bit dubiously. "I guess it will sort of be like camping out."

"They're more comfortable than they look," Takeshi assured him with a smile.

"It doesn't matter," Aric purred, nuzzling his mate's neck. "I don't intend to spend a lot of time sleeping in them, if you know what I mean." Takeshi giggled, and Aric frowned as he looked around the room more closely. "You know, these walls seem kind of thin, and your parents' room is right down the hall..."

"That's what silence spells are for, my love," Takeshi laughed. "But not now," he added, gently but firmly pushing away Aric's hands as they started to wander across his body. "We need to get unpacked, and then we'll visit my brother."

"Oh, very well," Aric sighed regretfully.

After they had finished unpacking, Takeshi said, "The Weavers' Hall is located high up on the mountain, and there aren't any footpaths leading there." He smiled. "Most of the crane folk simply fly up and down, you see. So I'll Apparate us over."

They appeared in a large room filled with people weaving on looms, or sitting on the floor embroidering lengths of bright silk. They were all dressed in kimonos that were, for the most part, more subdued in color and less ornate than silks they were weaving and embroidering. One man, who was clad in an indigo kimono patterned with a white feather design, rose from his seat and smiled at them warmly; he was a little taller than Takeshi, and his silky black hair was shorter, pulled back in a shoulder-length ponytail, but there was a strong family resemblance between them. And a moment later, Aric's guess was confirmed when Takeshi said, "Oniisan!" and hurried forward to hug his brother.

Ichiro hugged his brother back, saying, "It's good to see you, Takeshi." Then he turned to Aric and said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "And this must be your wolf."

Aric flushed a little, bowed, and said, "I'm pleased to finally meet you, Oniisan." Takeshi had told him that he should address Ichiro as "Oniisan," or "older brother," in the same way that he called Haruko and Isamu "Okaasan" and "Otoosan."

"Oh, you can just call me 'Ichiro' if you like," his brother-in-law said casually, patting Aric on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "There's no need to stand on ceremony with your family." he smiled ruefully. "I'm afraid that you'll get enough of that from the rest of the clan."

Two little girls, about four years old, came running over and flung their arms around Takeshi, shouting, "Takeshi-niisan!" They had black hair, brown eyes, and fair skin, like Takeshi and Ichiro, and looked adorable in matching flowered kimonos. An incredibly beautiful woman with ankle-length black hair tied back in a long tail set aside the cloth she was embroidering, rose to her feet, and glided towards them with an almost unearthly grace, and Aric realized that he must be looking at a pureblooded crane maiden.

"This is my wife, Kaori," Ichiro said, and the lovely crane woman bowed gracefully. "And these are our daughters, Kumi and Shoko." He added, somewhat unnecessarily, "They're twins."

The two little girls stared at Aric with wide, curious eyes, and Takeshi smiled and said, "This is my mate, Aric."

"Have you forgotten your manners?" Kaori gently chided. "Greet our guest properly, Kumi-chan, Shoko-chan."

In almost perfect unison, the girls bowed and recited what was obviously a carefully rehearsed speech: "Welcome to our home, Aric-niisan. We are very happy to meet you."

"'Niisan'?" Aric echoed, giving Takeshi a puzzled look.

"There's a word for 'uncle' in Japanese, but it usually refers to a middle-aged man," Takeshi explained. "So children in Japan usually address older-but-still-young relatives and family friends as 'Big Brother' or 'Big Sister.'"

With the formalities out of the way, the girls started asking Aric eager questions, reminding him of the cubs in his werewolf pack. "How did you meet Takeshi-niisan? What's England like? Are you really an oukami-san?"

"Okami-san?" Aric asked Takeshi with a confused smile. "Isn't that your mother?"

Takeshi smiled and the girls giggled. "No, my mother is the Okami-san, or Proprietress, while an oukami is a wolf." He stressed and held the "ou" a little more than he did the "O" in "Okami."

"Wolf," the girls chorused, looking pleased to learn a new word.

"Yes, I'm a wolf," Aric told them. "Well, technically I'm a werewolf, so I only turn into a wolf once a month, on the night of the full moon."

"A wolf!" Kumi (or was it Shoko?) said, clapping her hands together delightedly. The second twin said, "We've never seen a wolf before!"

"They're not the least bit afraid of me," Aric observed, feeling a little bemused.

"There are very few lycanthropes in Japan," Ichiro explained with a smile. "There is a small pack of werewolves that lives in the mountains behind Kamiyama-sensei's temple, but they keep to themselves and bother no one. So our children have never been raised with the fear of werewolves that the British children have. And of course our children, being cranes themselves, are used to the idea of shapeshifters."

"I have a favor to ask of you, Niisan," Takeshi said. "When you have the time, I would like you to weave a robe for Aric from my feathers."

"Ah, a lover's token?" Ichiro asked, smiling knowingly, and Aric's face turned bright red. Ichiro laughed gently and said, "Of course, I would be honored to weave a robe for my new brother, but I'm afraid it will have to wait until after the wedding."

"Of course," Takeshi said. "There's no rush." He explained to Aric, "Ichiro and Kaori are weaving the robes for the wedding party. It's a very great honor."

"I hope that we're not keeping you from your work," Aric said politely.

"The robes are nearly completed," Ichiro assured him. "There is just a little embroidery left to be done, and we must be ready to make any needed last-minute alterations after the final fittings. Would you like to take a look at them?"

"Of course," Aric replied, curious to see his brother-in-law's handiwork, after all the stories Takeshi had told him about the crane folk weaving feathers into silk.

There were several robes hanging displayed on the walls; Ichiro pointed to one made of white silk. "This is the bride's underrobe, or kakeshita," he explained. The robe looked plain and simple at first glance, but the silk seemed to have an odd texture to it, and when Aric looked closer, he saw that a design of cranes in flight had been embroidered on it with white thread. It was beautiful, in a very subtle way, and almost impossible to see unless you were standing very close to it.

"And this is the bridal robe, the uchikake, which is worn over the kakeshita," Ichiro said, gesturing towards another robe. Aric gasped when he saw it, and his brother-in-law smiled proudly at his reaction. It was a magnificent robe of crimson silk, with long, wide, wing-like sleeves, and a long, flowing train. It was embroidered with an intricate design of cranes and crows and flowers so lifelike that it almost seemed as if the birds might fly right up out of the silk. Even the most expensive formal dress robes that Madam Malkin's had to offer could not compare to the quality of the uchikake, and Aric said so.

The weavers all looked very pleased by his compliment. "Thank you," Ichiro said. "We have been laboring on it for several months, ever since the betrothal was formalized. It usually does not take so long to weave a kimono, but as this is for our princess, every detail must be perfect."

"Was it woven from feathers?" Aric asked.

"Yes, from the princess's own feathers," Ichiro replied, then pointed to the embroidered crows. "Except for these. I made the black thread for the crows from Karasu-sama's feathers." He smiled. "The thread is coarser than the silk spun from crane feathers, but it is strong and sturdy, not unlike Karasu himself."

"Very symbolic," Aric said, grinning. "Bride and groom are joined together in the robe, as their lives will soon be joined in matrimony. The girls at Hogwarts would find it incredibly romantic."

"As an incurable romantic myself, I agree," Takeshi laughed. "It's a nice touch, Niisan."

"A very nice touch," a melodious female voice said.

"Ohime-sama!" Takeshi exclaimed, and Aric turned around to see a woman walking into the room. Only she moved with such grace that it seemed more like she was gliding, her feet barely touching the ground. She wore a white silk kimono with black trim on the sleeves and hem, mimicking the coloring of a crane's feathers. Her black ankle-length hair had the same smooth, silky sheen to it as Takeshi's and Kaori's, and it was tied off at the waist with a length of gold cord that had been fashioned into an elegant, decorative knot, causing her hair to fan out across her shoulders like a thin shawl of black silk. He would not have thought such a thing possible a few minutes ago, but she was even more beautiful than Kaori, which meant that she was as lovely as a goddess. There was no way that anyone would ever mistake this woman for a normal human, and Aric was beginning to understand why some of the pureblooded cranes were so haughty and prejudiced, since they were obviously superior--at least in terms of physical beauty--to humans. He had to admit that to the eyes of an unbiased outsider, Takeshi would probably look ordinary, even homely, standing next to Kaori and the newcomer, who was presumably Princess Chizuru. Of course no one, not even a princess or goddess, was more beautiful than Takeshi to Aric, but still, the sheer beauty of the princess left him slack-jawed and dumbfounded for a moment before he noticed that everyone else in the room, even the two little twins, were bowing very low. He hastily followed suit, murmuring, "Your Highness."

"Oh, please don't do that," Chizuru said, sounding very embarrassed. "I get enough of that at court. Please, raise your heads." Aric straightened up to see the weavers, except for Ichiro and Kaori, smiling and returning to their work, as if this was a common occurrence. Meanwhile, Chizuru was gently scolding Takeshi, "You know that you don't need to bow to me like that, Takeshi-san. I used to sit in your parents' restaurant and enjoy the food there like any other customer, and you would call me 'Professor,' not 'Princess.'"

Takeshi smiled at her kindly and pointed out, "But you were a Professor there, while here you are a princess, Chizuru-hime. You know that the...ah...less enlightened members of the clan would complain loudly of my uncouth manners if I treated you with less than proper respect. I do not really care what they think of me, but it would reflect badly upon my brother, who must live and work within the clan."

Chizuru sighed and said wistfully, "Sometimes I miss being at Hogwarts, where I was only 'Professor Chizuru' and no one knew that I was a princess. It's a little better at Mahou Gakkou, but even there, everyone knows who I am, and some of the students treat me with more deference than I'd like. At Hogwarts I could be just an ordinary person..."

Aric grinned and said, "I don't wish to contradict you, Princess--or if you prefer, Professor--but even at Hogwarts, no one thought you were ordinary. I wasn't there while you were teaching, but my classmates still talk about you. The boys sigh dreamily and talk about how beautiful you were, and the girls sigh and say they wish they could be as lovely and graceful as you."

Chizuru sighed again, and Ichiro smiled sympathetically at her, but said, "I understand how you feel, Chizuru-hime, but the truth is that you are a princess, whether you wish it or not. And as a princess, you have the opportunity to change the clan for the better--for example, by improving our relations with the tengu clan."

"As always, you remind me of my duty, Ichiro-san," Chizuru said, smiling at him ruefully, but not seeming offended by his gentle lecture. She turned to Aric and said, "And this must be Takeshi's mate."

Aric blushed; it was still a little weird to hear himself being called "Takeshi's mate," but so far everyone in the crane clan seemed to be taking it in stride. Of course, he hadn't met the stuck-up purebloods yet, but Aric figured that they couldn't be any worse than his own family.

"This is my mate, Aric Dietrich," Takeshi confirmed. "He belongs to the werewolf pack led by the man you knew as Lukas Bleddri, who has assumed his rightful identity as Cyril Diggory, head of the Diggory clan. Aric, this is Chizuru, a teacher at Mahou Gakkou, the Japanese school of magic; a former Professor at Hogwarts; and princess of the crane clan."

Aric bowed and murmured a polite greeting in Japanese. He had memorized a few phrases of greeting, apology, and thanks, but there had not been time for Takeshi to teach him much else--aside from the impromptu lessons in bed, which Aric doubted he could use in polite everyday conversation, at least not without ruffling a few of the cranes' feathers!

"Welcome to the clan, Aric-san," Chizuru said, smiling at him warmly. She must have noticed the surprise in Aric's face at her words, because she explained, "Even if you have no crane blood, you are mated to one of us, so you are part of the clan. Although they might grumble about it a little, even the most close-minded members of the clan will not dispute that you have a place among us."

"Th-thank you," Aric stammered, touched by her words, although at the same time he felt a pang of sorrow at the contrast between the werewolves and the cranes, who had accepted him so easily, and his true blood relatives, who had just as easily cast him aside. But then Takeshi smiled at him tenderly, and Aric reached out to clasp his lover's hand, and found comfort in the touch of his mate as Takeshi's fingers closed around his.

It turned out that Chizuru had come to have her wedding robes fitted, or rather, had used that as an excuse to slip away from the exhausting wedding preparations and her etiquette-conscious relatives for a little while. So Aric and Takeshi went back to the guest house, leaving Ichiro and Kaori to their work, and took the twins with them, to visit with their grandparents and keep them out of the way while their parents worked on the wedding robes.

Aric had gained some experience in baby-sitting small children through the cubs in the werewolf pack, and they were able to keep Shoko and Kumi sufficiently entertained. They loved piggyback rides just as much as Max and Lyra and Lance did, and they shrieked with laughter as Aric chased them around the house, barking and growling like a wolf. He was having almost as much fun as the kids, but it was a rather strange experience for Aric. The werewolves had been hailed as heroes after the war ended, but the actions of the rogue Auror Williamson had proven that the old fear still lingered just below the surface; it had taken only a couple of staged attacks and a few insinuations to awaken the old hostilities and prejudices. Aric wondered if things would ever reach the point where children in Britain would ever think it was fun to be chased by a werewolf.

When Aric was worn out, Isamu and Haruko distracted the twins by serving them a snack, and Takeshi gave them some presents he'd brought them from England. They tried some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, making comical faces when they bit into one of the unpleasant flavors, like liver or booger. Takeshi also gave them some hairpins and ribbons that they seemed quite pleased with, but the gift that they liked the most was a deck of Exploding Snap cards. So they all spent the rest of the afternoon playing cards, which was fine with Aric since it allowed him to rest and recover from chasing the twins around the house. Aric and Takeshi won most of the games, but that might have been because the girls seemed to be losing on purpose because they liked watching the cards explode.

Ichiro and Kaori came over for dinner, and Aric mostly listened as the family chatted and got each other caught up on things that had been happening in England and Japan. They carried on the conversation in English, presumably for Aric's sake, and Aric asked if everyone in the clan could speak English, which seemed a little odd to him since they were so isolated.

"No, not everyone," Ichiro replied. "I do, because I lived in England for awhile, of course, and so do those of us who deal with the outside world, such as Chizuru, who works at Mahou Gakkou; and my uncle Yokuto, who is the crane representative to the Wizards' Council."

"Ichiro travels outside of the valley as well," Kaori added. "He conducts business in the human world on behalf of the clan, selling the silk that we weave and using the money to buy the things that the clan cannot grow or make ourselves. Mostly we are self-sufficient: we fish from the lake, and grow our own rice and vegetables, but there are still some supplies that we must buy from the outside world."

"Let the one with human blood deal with the humans, seems to be the clan's philosophy," Ichiro said with a grin. "It allows me to get out into the Muggle world, which is a relief, since life in the valley, while pleasant for the most part, can be a bit confining at times. I keep an office in town to conduct business in--"

"And to play with his ippanjin toys," Kaori added, looking amused.

"Oh, that's right!" Aric said. "Ash mentioned once that Takeshi's brother sends him video games from Japan."

Ichiro smiled sheepishly. "Yes, but please don't tell the clan elders that. Most of them frown upon Muggle technology. They are rather like the old pureblood families in England, very much bound by tradition."

"The young people are growing restless, though," Kaori said. "They wish to follow Chizuru-hime's example and venture outside of the valley, maybe even travel to other countries, which I think is a good thing. So some of them have started learning English and other languages, like French or German--against their parents' wishes, for the most part. So you will find that many of the younger cranes can speak a little English."

"And English has permeated the language of the Muggles, what we call the ippanjin, in Japan, so most of the human wizards can speak and read a little English, although they might not be fluent," Ichiro continued. "There's an elective class in English at Mahou Gakkou, to aid those who wish to study the Western forms of magic. You'll find plenty of people able to converse with you during your stay here, Aric."

"And I'll work hard to learn Japanese, too," Aric said. "Takeshi's been teaching me."

"Oh yes," Takeshi said dryly. "He's been a very enthusiastic student."

If they'd been back in England, Aric would have kicked his lover under the table. As it was, they were sitting on the floor Japanese-style around a low table, so he settled for giving Takeshi an "I'll get you for that later" look, then turned back to Ichiro and said, "I speak German and Russian, because those are the languages used at Durmstrang, where I used to go to school. But most of the British wizards can't speak anything but English, and Professor Lupin says that maybe Hogwarts should start teaching foreign languages, to promote better understanding and friendship throughout the wizarding world."

"A very good idea," Ichiro said, nodding approvingly.

After dessert, Ichiro and his family bid them goodnight and returned to their own home. Haruko cleared the dishes off the table; Takeshi and Aric offered to help, but she smiled at them in an indulgent, motherly fashion, and said, "It's kind of you to offer, but I can manage. Why don't the two of you go take a bath while your father and I clean up?"

So they showered and had a brief soak in the tub, but for once, bathing didn't lead to sex, because Aric was mindful of the fact that his in-laws were in the house, and would be waiting to use the bath after them. He couldn't help becoming aroused at the sight of his mate's body, though, which left him feeling edgy and frustrated as they got ready for bed. It didn't help that Takeshi donned a light cotton kimono that he called a "yukata" instead of pajamas. He belted it loosely around his waist, and it kept falling open, revealing tantalizing glimpses of bare chest and legs, which somehow excited Aric even more than simply seeing him nude.

He helped Takeshi take the beddings out of the closet and unroll the futon mattresses on the floor. Then Takeshi sat cross-legged on one mattress, humming to himself as he combed out his long hair. His yukata fell open just enough to offer a glimpse of his bare, white thighs.

"You are such a tease, 'Keshi," Aric said accusingly.

"Why, whatever do you mean, Aric?" Takeshi asked with a look of wide-eyed innocence that might have fooled Aric if he hadn't known his lover so well.

"You know exactly what I mean," Aric replied firmly. He reached out and slipped one hand beneath the kimono, sliding his fingers along Takeshi's chest until they encountered a nipple, then gently caressed and teased it into hardness as Takeshi gasped. Aric's other hand pushed the folds of the yukata away from Takeshi's lap and began stroking his thigh. Takeshi moaned, and the comb fell from his fingers and dropped to the mattress, forgotten.

"Aric," Takeshi whispered in a husky voice.

"Just remember, you started this," Aric murmured into Takeshi's ear, then began nuzzling his neck. Takeshi moaned again, a little more loudly, as Aric's hand began moving more purposefully on his thigh, sliding up towards his crotch. "Shh," Aric said. "Don't forget that your parents are in the kitchen." He paused to listen with his keen werewolf hearing, then corrected himself, "Actually, it sounds like your dad is heading to the bath."

"Silence spell," Takeshi groaned urgently.

Aric complied promptly, casting the spell with a quick flick of his wand. His embarrassment and nervousness about having sex under the same roof as his in-laws were rapidly fading as the wolf's hunger asserted itself. With a sharp tug, he yanked away the loosely-knotted belt from Takeshi's waist, causing the yukata to fall open. Aric pounced on his mate, and Takeshi laughed as he fell back onto the mattress, then suddenly yelped in pain.

"Are you okay?" Aric asked, and Takeshi smiled sheepishly, and rubbed his calf as he picked up the forgotten comb and carefully laid it aside. Aric examined his mate's leg; there were small indentations where the tines of the comb had dug into his flesh, but they had not broken the skin. Aric kissed the wound anyway, gently running his tongue across it in a soothing manner, and Takeshi sighed and lay back down on the futon, spreading his legs apart to allow Aric to continue kissing his way up Takeshi's leg, moving from calf to thigh. Aric couldn't resist nipping at the soft flesh on the inside of Takeshi's thighs; he was trying to be gentle, but perhaps bit a little more sharply than he'd intended, because light bruises began to form on his mate's fair skin. But before he could feel too guilty, Takeshi moaned loudly, the desire evident in his voice and in his brown eyes as he stared up at Aric imploringly.

His mate's desire for him was headier than any drug. Aric quickly stripped off his pajamas and used his wand to summon the jar of mint-scented cream to his hand. Before he could apply it to himself, Takeshi took the jar from him and whispered, "Let me." His hands, always so nimble and efficient when treating a patient, expertly stroked Aric, who was already half-hard, into a full erection, spreading the cool, soothing cream against his hot, aching flesh. Aric groaned, thinking to himself that Paul and Ash and all of Takeshi's other ex-boyfriends must have been insane to let him go. Then he growled possessively and bared his teeth, but Takeshi did not look frightened; in fact, if anything, he looked even more excited. "Mine!" Aric said fiercely.

"Yours," Takeshi whispered, tilting his head back and exposing his throat in submission. "I am yours, my wolf."

Aric bit down on his mate's throat, and Takeshi moaned again, the sound causing Aric to go nearly dizzy with lust. The wolf wanted to claim its mate right now, but Aric forced himself to wait, and reached for the jar of cream, dipping his fingers into it. His inner wolf growled impatiently, but subsided for the moment; wolf and man were both in agreement that they would never do anything to harm their mate.

He pushed one finger and then another into Takeshi, who raised his hips, pushing into Aric's touch as he moaned urgently. It seemed that his mate was nearly as impatient with hunger as he was, because his body seemed to open up eagerly to Aric. "Please please please," Takeshi whimpered, writhing on the mattress in a most delightful and delicious manner.

That whimpering noise was driving Aric mad with desire. He hadn't spent very long preparing his mate, but Takeshi certainly seemed eager enough, and the wolf couldn't wait any longer. He pulled his hand away and knelt between Takeshi's legs, but then Takeshi rolled over onto his hands and knees.

"I want you...to take me like a wolf," he panted, sounding out of breath, as if he'd been running. He turned his head slightly to look back at Aric, his brown eyes glazed with lust.

Aric growled happily; he enjoyed making love to Takeshi slowly and tenderly as a man, but he also loved it that Takeshi desired the wolf in him as well. He wasn't afraid of the beast, or even simply tolerant of it, but was unabashedly excited by it, and that never failed to excite Aric in turn.

So he grabbed Takeshi's hips and slammed into him with a deep, hard thrust, surrendering himself completely to the wolf without fear. He snarled and growled, pounding furiously into his mate, without any gentleness, knowing that in this instance, none was required. He delighted in his mate's loud cries of pleasure, and in the way that his body eagerly pushed back against Aric's, urging him on. Takeshi's cries soon began to take on a note of urgency and frustration beneath the desire. They both knew from experience that Takeshi couldn't lift his hands from the mattress without losing his balance, and Aric knew what his mate wanted of him. He ignored the cries for a little while, teasing his mate to whet both their appetites, then reached below him with one hand to grasp Takeshi's erection, his fingers still slippery from the cream sliding easily up and down the hard length of flesh.

Takeshi was crying out in Japanese, but Aric was too consumed by his inner wolf to put his recent language lessons to use. But it didn't really matter, because Takeshi's body communicated its need and desire quite eloquently to the wolf. Aric moaned, leaning forward to press his chest against Takeshi's back, suddenly wanting more contact with his mate, to feel the sensation of his skin against Takeshi's. He inhaled, drinking in the scent of his mate, and let his tongue dart out to lick a few droplets of sweat off Takeshi's skin, savoring the salty taste. Takeshi shuddered, then tilted his head forward slightly in what seemed to be an invitation, his black hair falling away to expose the nape of his neck. The wolf didn't need to be asked twice; Aric immediately snarled and sank his teeth into the exposed flesh, and Takeshi cried out as he came, his body convulsing with pleasure. Aric thrust hard into his mate a couple more times, and then he threw back his head and howled joyfully, the sound echoing off the walls as a wave of ecstasy washed over his body.

The collapsed onto the mattress, trembling in each other's arms, and when Aric's mind had cleared enough to begin forming coherent thoughts, he said a bit sheepishly, "I really hope that silence spell was working." There was no reason why it shouldn't be, but the walls in the house were very thin, and he was suddenly once again conscious of the fact that they were living in very close quarters with Takeshi's parents.

Takeshi giggled. "If it wasn't, then I'm sure we'd know it, because the entire valley would be in an uproar, thinking that they were being invaded by rampaging werewolves."

"You weren't exactly being quiet yourself, my lovely crane," Aric pointed out as he nuzzled his mate's neck.

"I blame it all on you," Takeshi said, sighing contentedly as Aric soothed the bite mark on the back of his neck with gentle kisses.

"Do you want to take a bath?" Aric asked with a mischievous grin. "I mean, we are all sweaty and sticky, after all."

"I don't think I can move," Takeshi groaned, and Aric chuckled, a low, wicked sound.

"Have I worn you out already, my love?"

"Yes," Takeshi replied sleepily. "But there's always tomorrow."

Lust gave way to a sense of profound tenderness as Aric gazed at his mate, who looked so beautiful and vulnerable with his eyes half closed, his long hair falling loose across his face and shoulders. "Sleep well, 'Keshi," Aric whispered, and gently kissed his lover.

"Aishiteru," Takeshi whispered, snuggling closer against Aric's chest. He smiled and his eyes closed fully, and he seemed to be fast asleep a second later.

"I love you, too," Aric whispered. He was tired, but he stayed awake a little longer, savoring the musky scent of their lovemaking and the warmth of his mate's body resting in his arms, until he could no longer keep his eyes open and he slipped into slumber as well.

***

Time passed quickly and pleasantly during Aric's first week in Japan. He met a few of Takeshi's crane friends and relatives, but everyone in the clan seemed to be busy getting ready for the wedding of their princess, so Aric and Takeshi were left to their own devices for the most part, which suited Aric just fine.

Takeshi's little nieces came over to visit every day, and Ichiro and Kaori stopped by for dinner a few more times, but Aric met Ichiro's in-laws, the Head Weaver Shiori and her husband Ozora, only once that week. Takeshi assured him that was not a slight on their part, as the weavers were all busy working on the wedding party's robes, and on top of that, Shiori was related to the royal family, and so had a major role in the wedding preparations. But they did show up to pay their respects to their son-in-law's family one afternoon, making polite small talk over tea. Aric didn't really talk much with them, as Shiori and Ozora spoke almost no English, and Aric wasn't up to conversing in Japanese yet, so any comments directed between them had to be translated by Takeshi or one of the other Kimuras. But they did greet him politely, with pleasant smiles, and Aric didn't sense any hidden scorn or disapproval. Shiori was lovely, as all the crane people seemed to be, but compared to Chizuru's ethereal beauty and contrasting down-to-earth manner, the Head Weaver possessed an air of regal, stately grace. In some ways, she behaved more like a princess than Chizuru did--not arrogant like the pureblood elite in England, but she spoke slowly and seriously, as if choosing her words with great care. Her husband Ozora seemed a little shy and timid, which was how most of the crane folk--particularly the older ones--were around outsiders, Takeshi informed Aric later. But Ichiro's father-in-law seemed to warm to Aric when Takeshi told him that Aric had a talent for potion-brewing. It seemed that Ozora was an herbalist, who brewed dyes for the weavers' silks and medicines for the entire clan. Some of the beautiful colors and designs for the silks were created with magic, but Ozora prided himself on being able to create exquisite colors through natural means.

"It is a craftsman's pride," Takeshi said with a smile, translating for the elder crane. So Aric and Ozora had a pleasant if slightly awkward chat about herbs, using Takeshi as an intermediary.

Aric also met Takeshi's "Uncle" Yokuto, although it turned out that he wasn't actually Haruko's brother, and the blood relationship was several degrees removed. It seemed that Yokuto's many-times-over great-grandmother had been the sister of Takeshi's ancestress, the crane maiden who had married her human savior, and the families still remained closely bound together even several hundred years later.

"Clan means everything to the cranes," Takeshi explained. "They never forget or forsake their kin. And Yokuto-oji's son Tsubasa is my favorite cousin. He isn't here right now; he's been living with the tengu for the past several years, but you'll meet him at the wedding."

Yokuto was extraordinarily handsome, as all the crane folk were, but there was a careworn look about him that Aric had not seen on any of the other cranes he had encountered. His hair was long and silky, but there were streaks of white among the black, and there were lines on his face that somehow reminded Aric of Sirius Black's handsome but ravaged face. He had a kind smile, though, and was more friendly and less reserved than the other crane folk. Yokuto chatted pleasantly with Takeshi and Aric about their lives in England, seeming interested in Takeshi's work at St. Mungo's and the charity clinic, and about what things were like at Durmstrang and Hogwarts. He spoke excellent if slightly accented English, and explained that he took more of an interest in the outside world because he was the crane representative to the Wizards' Council, a kind of ambassador for the crane clan. He didn't actually say so, but Aric assumed that his fluent English was probably due to his wife, Reiko, who was pretty enough but quite obviously human, lacking the supernatural grace and beauty that even the part-blooded cranes seemed to possess. She spoke English with an American accent, and said that she had been born in the States and met Yokuto when she had been visiting relatives in Japan shortly after graduating from the Salem Witches' Institute.

"Your cousin is a half-blood, then?" Aric asked Takeshi after Yokuto and Reiko had left.

Takeshi shook his head. "No, my uncle's first wife was a pureblooded crane. She died when Tsubasa was very young, which is why Yokuto-oji looks so much older than my mother, although they're about the same age; his sorrow weighed on him very heavily and aged him beyond his years. As I told you before, many of the crane folk do not survive the loss of a mate. I was not yet born at the time, but I have heard that my uncle nearly died of his grief until he met Reiko, who comforted him and mended his broken heart, and became a mother to Tsubasa. The clan has never been quite sure what to make of her. They're grateful that she saved Yokuto's life, of course, but she is twice over an outsider--not just human, but a foreigner as well. The family moved to America for several years after Yokuto and Reiko married, and the conservative members of the clan resent her for taking Yokuto and Tsubasa so far away from home for so long." Takeshi smiled. "Fortunately, my aunt is a strong and determined woman, and she does not let the gossip and complaints and subtle insults bother her or sway her course of action. And Okaasan says that it was probably easier for Yokuto-oji to heal in his new home, where he wouldn't have to constantly face painful reminders of his first wife's death."

"So your cousin went to school in the States?" Aric asked.

Takeshi nodded. "Yes, which is probably why he's not as shy or standoffish as most of the other cranes." He smiled, looking amused. "I think that the two of you should get along quite well."

"What's so funny?" Aric asked suspiciously.

"You'll understand when you meet him," Takeshi replied. "I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise."

***

Takeshi could be quite maddening when he wished, and refused to elaborate further. But Aric figured that his curiosity would be satisfied soon enough, and in the meantime there were plenty of diversions to keep him occupied. When they weren't baby-sitting the twins, Takeshi showed him around the valley. They went hiking up mountain paths; visited Ozora's herb gardens; went swimming in the lake (which contained no giant squids, Takeshi assured Aric with a grin) and had picnic lunches on the shore, or in a boat that they took out on the lake. It seemed that boating on the lake was a popular activity for the young courting crane couples, and there were often numerous little boats on the lake, propelled by oars for those who didn't mind a little physical exertion, or by magic for those who did. The girls looked like flowers, dressed in light cotton kimonos in bright summery colors, with matching paper parasols to shield their pretty faces from the sun, and the boys were almost as lovely as the girls, although their kimonos tended to be a little less colorful and flowery. The whole scene was like something out of a fairy tale, and Aric felt like a wanderer who had accidentally stumbled into a marvelous enchanted realm.

And of course his lover was like something out a fairy tale himself. One day when they had gone out for a walk and a picnic lunch, Aric reminded Takeshi, "You promised to let me watch you transform again when we were among your people."

"That is true," Takeshi said with a smile, and he flung his arms out wide, and Aric felt his skin tingle as that familiar aura of magic swirled around Takeshi like a gust of wind, and his lover's body slowly melted into the form of a large crane. The bird took a running start, then launched itself into the air, beating its wings, and soon it was soaring high above Aric, gliding gracefully on the air currents. Aric watched from below, awestruck, admiring his mate's beauty and feeling a little envious of Takeshi's ability to fly. The crane swooped through the air in a joyous manner, as if exulting in its freedom.

Then the crane circled back, landed on the ground, folded its wings, and laid its head against Aric's chest. Aric gently stroked his mate, marveling at how smooth and silky the bird's feathers felt, just like Takeshi's hair. He was a little surprised to find that the red crown on the top of the crane's head was a patch of bare skin, not feathers as he had assumed. Aric tentatively stroked that patch of red skin, and Takeshi made a low purring noise that sounded like it should be coming from a cat instead of a bird; Aric gently placed a hand on the crane's long, elegant neck, feeling its throat vibrating from the purr.

And then Takeshi transformed again, and Aric found himself holding his human lover in his arms, his hand stroking long, silky hair instead of feathers or skin. "Mmm," Takeshi sighed, still purring a little. "That feels so good."

"You are so beautiful, 'Keshi," Aric whispered, and tilted Takeshi's face up with one hand so that he could kiss him.

"Come with me," Takeshi said, taking Aric by the hand. "I want to show you something." He led Aric to a large thicket growing at the foot of the mountains. A wooden post had been set into the ground just outside the thicket, and there was a wooden sign hanging from it by a loop of twine. Takeshi flipped the sign around so that the back was showing; there were Japanese characters written on both sides, but Aric couldn't read any of them.

"What does that say?" he asked.

"'Occupied,'" Takeshi purred, giving Aric a sultry look that made his knees suddenly go weak and wobbly. Takeshi murmured a charm, and the bushes drew aside to let them pass, then closed up behind them as they went by.

Aric found himself inside a natural little alcove that curved into the mountainside, enclosed and shielded by the wall of dense greenery. There was a carpet of thick grass beneath his feet, and in the center of the alcove was a small pool that seemed to be fed by an underground spring; Aric could see the water bubbling up from below, and there was steam rising from the surface of the pool. He knelt down and cautiously lowered his hand into the water, then exclaimed, "It's warm!"

"It's a natural hot spring," Takeshi said smugly, and began undressing. Aric watched spellbound as he unfastened his robe and let it fall to the ground, then slipped out of his trousers and underpants, slowly sliding them over his hips and down his long legs. Takeshi's braid had already come unbound when he had transformed, and he stood before Aric naked, his glossy black hair cascading over his shoulders and contrasting beautifully with his fair skin. He stepped into the pool and slowly lowered himself into the water, then gave Aric an inviting smile and asked, "Well, what are you waiting for, my wolf?"

Aric snapped out of his daze and quickly shed his clothes and joined Takeshi in the pool. It was just big enough to hold two people without feeling cramped, and the water was pleasantly warm but not scorchingly hot as Takeshi usually seemed to prefer it ("the boiled lobster effect," as Aric called it). He pulled Takeshi into his arms, and the two of them relaxed and soaked contentedly for perhaps a good fifteen minutes before Aric's inner wolf started getting aroused. He kissed and caressed his mate until they were both trembling with desire, then they crawled out of the pool and made love on the grass beside it, Aric growling with pleasure as he thrust into his mate, who was writhing and moaning beneath him, his legs wrapped tightly around Aric's waist.

Aric now understood the reason for the "occupied" sign outside the thicket, and as he neared climax, suddenly remembered that they hadn't bothered to cast a silence spell. As usual, he bit his mate's throat as they both came, and although he couldn't stop himself from howling, he tried to muffle it by keeping his mouth clamped on Takeshi's neck.

Afterwards, Aric was growling happily, nuzzling his mate's neck, but Takeshi was frowning as he combed his fingers through his long hair, trying to pick bits of grass out of it. "Next time, remind me to conjure up a blanket beforehand," he grumbled. "Or better yet, a mattress; my back hurts. You know, making love outdoors sounds very romantic and sexy in a novel, but the reality leaves something to be desired."

Aric chuckled and kissed Takeshi. "I didn't hear you grumbling about it at the time," he teased.

"Yes, well, I was caught up in the heat of the moment," Takeshi said sheepishly, flushing a little. "And besides, the wolf seemed rather impatient." Then he sighed, "Oohh, that's better," as Aric began rubbing his back.

"I live to please you, my sweet crane," Aric said, planting a kiss on the nape of his mate's neck. A massage eased Takeshi's sore back, and Aric got rid of the grass in Takeshi's hair, as well as the grass stains on their bodies, with a quick cleaning spell. Then they got dressed and Aric combed out Takeshi's hair; ever practical, Takeshi had packed a jar of lubricant and his enchanted comb in the basket that held their picnic lunch. The only thing he had left out was the blanket, as they usually simply conjured up a temporary one, but this time they had been too impatient to bother with it.

"I guess I'll keep you around, then," Takeshi said, his eyes half-closed with pleasure as Aric combed his hair.

Part 4