A/N: Hey Lovely People! Kenar is back with an update. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to write Christmas fic or make Christmas art so take this as a present okay? Merry Christmas!! [If you don't celebrate it - which I actually don't really either - just accept this present XD] Again, this chapter is over 3K words. I wanted to make it longer but then it wouldn't end in a cliffhanger *evil grin*. Okay, Enjoy!!!

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-Silica, District One, Before the announcement-

"Ha... Ha-cough cough! cough!"

Riku curled up on the floor, struggling to get air into his lungs. His asthma was giving him hell. To his surprise, there were no symptoms of Magic Exhaustion. He did not feel his magic rebelling and trying to take over his body. Good. He was having enough trouble as is.

"Wahhh! Rikkun's medicine." Tamaki used his dragon claws for ripping Riku's blazer and any clothes underneath apart in an attempt to find the medicine in a panic. Once he found it, Tamaki transformed into a human, helped Riku sit up and made the boy inhale the handmade medicine through his mouth.

Good thing Riku's attack calmed down within 5 minutes. The problem was... his clothes were ripped and he was sitting there shirtless. "Tamaki, you do realise white magic cannot mend clothes, right?"

"I was scared, okay?!? You looked like you were dying." Human-forme Tamaki argued. "I've seen Mikki help you with your attacks, but he's never told me where you keep your medicine." He was clearly pouting. Left without a choice, Tamaki transformed into a baby dragon and pulled a patch of fluffy white fur from his body. "Wah?! What are you doing?" Riku was surprised by Tamaki's action.

"Doooooon't worry~ My fur grows back fast, see?" Tamaki pointed to that spot he just picked from. The bald patch was no longer there. "Here, use my fur to make your clothes."

"And how am I supposed to-" Riku took hold of the fur. He was about to ask for instructions when there was a 'poof' sound. The smoke completely covered the fur. When it disappeared, Riku's clothes that he had just lost were in his hands. "Unbelievable." They were brand new and sparkling clean.

Tamaki transformed back into a human and smiled proudly. "See? Do you understand now, Rikkun?" Tamaki continued when Riku tilted his head in confusion. "Imma dragon. Dragons are created by Sou-chan to help look after human worlds, so I possess a power similar to him - the power of creation."

"The power of...creation?" Riku finished buttoning his glittering and stunning red and gold blazer and stood up.

"Yeah." Tamaki nodded happily. The dragon gave the lord a friendly push on the shoulder, which turned out to be so forceful it made Riku stumble. "You have that power too. Well, you don't, but it helps with your magic. Anyway, hey, Rikkun is a half-dragon!"

Riku has never seen such a wide and genuine smile on Tamaki's face."You seem very happy. Why is that?"

"It's been so long since I had a dragon friend!" Tamaki jumped in to hug Riku, which surprised the redhead. It actually felt nice for someone to be so casual with him.

After that conversation, Riku rode on the back of Tamaki's full-dragon-forme, hoping to return to Majabah. On their way, they passed the SkySilica and happened to see Gaku, and most shockingly, fighting Tenn, whom Riku had spent the longest time looking for. The two did not know how to get in, so they broke the glass wall to enter.

~~

-Majabah, the Nanase Mansion, Nighttime-

By the time Riku got back to his mansion with Gaku, Tenn, and Tamaki, it was nighttime. They were having a quick meeting with Otoharu and Sousuke beforehand. Tenn's blood boiled when his gaze met Sousuke's, but the two knew not to say anything to each other with the high lord present.

Upon the group's arrival, Tsumugi and Momo told there were 3 rescued Silicans staying at the mansion and that Mitsuki returned with a disability. The two servants wanted to apologise for taking people in without permission but were interrupted by Riku's hurt expression. Gaku felt a strong wave of nausea hearing about what happened to Mitsuki's leg to the point that he had to excuse himself. The butler was after all traumatised by his own experience of having limbs torn apart. Seeing Gaku stumble away, Tenn volunteered to go check on Gaku. Dragon-forme Tamaki was too tired to care about anything, so he went off to find a quiet, chilly spot in the garden to sleep.

"I shall see Mitsuki." It was supposed to be a lord's order, but Riku's voice came out so weakly. Not only he felt responsible for not being able to protect all of Majabah, but he also made one of his dearest friends suffer time and time again.

A moment later, Momo announced his presence before carefully sliding a room door open. Momo's eyes almost teared up when he saw sleeping Iori curling up in Mitsuki's arm. The boy's head was resting on Mitsuki's left leg. A gentle hum stopped sounding from the older brother who was sitting on a futon with the blanket shoved to the side when he noticed he was not alone with Iori.

"Oh hello, Momo-san." Mitsuki turned to smile at the Geomancer. However, it was easy to see that the smile was partly forced.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt." Momo spoke with his quietest voice. Still, it was loud enough for Iori to notice. "Ah! Sorry to wake you, Iori-kun!"

Mitsuki's smile completely disappeared when Momo slid the door open further to reveal the high lord standing right beside him. A shock could be seen on the doctor's pale face. He was hoping he would not have to face the kind lord before he got his mechanical leg from Silica.

"Nii-san, what's wrong?" Iori worriedly asked. He forced himself to focus the moment he turned his head to find a stranger at the door.

Mitsuki stared into Riku's eyes, and those were the pair of eyes that squeezed his heart tightly. He couldn't figure out why he could deal with seeing Iori cry his eyes out but not with Riku covering his mouth with tears running down his cheeks. Momo respected his lord's wish to have a private conversation, so he bowed and left. Seeing how Momo acted and judging from his brother's expression, the perfect high school student caught on right away that the lord of Majabah was before him and his Nii-san. Iori's mind was suddenly filled with a lot of feelings, mainly anger and hatred towards the man in front of him.

Riku entered the room slowly, closed the door and approached Mitsuki. He crouched down, reaching his hand to touch the remains of his servant's right thigh gently. It took everything in him not to break down uncontrollably.

"You have no right to cry."

Riku looked up to find Iori glaring at him. "Iori!" Mitsuki was pulled right out of his sad mode. He pushed his brother's head down and bowed to Riku. "My lord, we're sorry. My brother has a sharp-"

"No, I am not sorry!" Iori forcefully pushed Mitsuki's arm away. It was very rare for the boy to raise his voice. He continued to stare daggers at Riku. "You've destroyed everyone's life. First, you threw away your twin brother, who has done nothing wrong. You've been using my Nii-san like a tool, and now you're just pretending to cry when your heart is actually pitch black!"

Riku was badly hurt by those words and it showed. The lord had his hand on his chest as he could feel it tighten. It got harder for him to keep his breaths steady.

"Iori, stop it!" Mitsuki shouted as loudly as he could to stop his little brother.

That was not enough to quell Iori's anger. "When Nii-san went missing, I did everything in my power to locate him. You, on the other hand, had resources and power, yet you did nothing to save Tenn-san!"

Mitsuki grabbed Iori's shoulders tightly, shaking the boy to prevent him from acting on his emotions any further. "Stop jumping to conclusions when you don't know the whole story!"

"If I was so heartless then why is the pain so unbearably torturing?"

Riku's voice was so shaky it could easily break anyone's spirit. Mitsuki knew he had to speak to each of them separately, but the decision on whom to ask to leave could affect their bonds.

"Riku." Finally, the doctor released the grip on Iori's shoulders and turned to face the lord. He touched Riku's hand gently. "Do you mind giving us some time to talk tonight?" Mitsuki chose to talk to Iori first because he knew his brother would have a hard time forgiving him if he chased him away.

Part of Riku understood Mitsuki's decision. Another was so wounded he wanted to just escape from this room. "I understand." He would do anything for Tenn-nii as well, though he was not so sure anymore after getting an earful from a stranger who seemed to care about Tenn more than himself. Did he truly use all of his power to try to save Tenn? Was it wrong for him to give up on the search? Was it wrong for him to feel so hopeless he gave up on living?

So I am a monster after all.

~~

"Better?"

Tenn sat in the garden with the pale butler, who was trying to get some fresh air. "I'm surprised you've thrown up that much after eating nothing"

Gaku sighed and turned to glare at Tenn. "I'm fine, brat."

"Oh?" A mischievous smile appeared on the younger boy's face. "So if I cut your arm off right now..."

"Ugh, stop it!" Gaku covered his mouth, feeling he was going to hurl again. "You're making me sick."

"You said you're fine, liar." If Gaku was not in bad shape, he would have pointed a shuriken at Tenn's neck by now. The butler sighed again. "Let's talk about you. Apart from Silica, where have you been all these years?"

"What do you think?" Tenn frowned when the answer should have been obvious to Gaku. "I woke up in the middle of nowhere without anywhere to go. I had no money, status or even a family name. What do you think I would have done?" Gaku stayed silent because if that happened to him, he would rather have his life taken away honestly.

"The previous high lord died not too long after your execution." Gaku began to explain his side of the story. "My lord took on the ruling and began to search for you. Obviously, we didn't know what surname you took on."

Tenn shook his head. "I didn't expect anyone to come for me, so I knew I had to fend for myself. I suffered a lot but I don't hold it against you or Riku. We all know how messed up the previous high lord was."

Gaku decided not to tell Tenn about Riku's suicide attempt for the same reason he did not tell Riku about Tenn's execution. "So, what now?" Gaku took out his shuriken and spun it around in his hand. "Are you going to stay here and serve my lord?"

"It's not easy." Tenn chuckled and smiled a little. "I want to stay with Riku but I've also found someone I care about in Silica."

"Ho?" Gaku smirked. "Care to spill?"

"Not in a million years. Your dumb mind wouldn't understand this kind of thing anyway." That sentence caused Gaku to send the shuriken in his hand flying towards Tenn. luckily Tenn saw that coming and cast a barrier to protect himself just in time.

"Well," Gaku went back to the serious topic. "Without question, my lord would be overjoyed to have you here. While you are here, I have a suggestion."

Tenn raised his eyebrows.

"You should train with me and my lord to use that Dispel magic of yours"

Tenn felt the need to decline right away. The secret about him and Iori would surely be uncovered if he was to be trained to use such a powerful spell. His plan was destroyed when Gaku spoke his next words. "I'm afraid you can't refuse. My lord will have a meeting with Silica's lord soon. You will understand why once you learn about the worlds' situations."

Suggestion, my ass. Tenn cursed under his breath. While he was thinking of an excuse, he was interrupted by Gaku shooting up and taking a high alert stance with a shuriken in his hand. "What-"

"Shhh!" Gaku's covered Tenn's mouth and forcefully pulled the boy to hide under a large bush.

In the more open area of the garden, Riku appeared, gazing at the moon with tears rolling down his face. He knelt down and wept, his hands continually wiping away his tears. Gaku and Tenn turn sharply to look at each other, appalled. Acting purely on instinct, the two of them sprang out of the bush and ran to Riku.

"My lord!"

Gaku held both Riku's shoulders and knelt down right next to the lord. Tenn took another side, rubbing Riku's back. "My lord, what's wrong?" The butler took out his handkerchief to wipe Riku's wet face. His heart was torn. The last time he saw Riku in this state was when the boy set the mansion on fire. "Please tell me, Nanase-sama," said Gaku, but Riku kept crying, unable to say anything.

Tenn told Gaku to take Riku back to his room. The boy's breaths were unsteady. Worry could be seen on the idol's face, fearing it would develop into a full-blown attack. Without hesitation, the butler moved one of his arms and slid it underneath Riku's thigh. "My apologies." Gaku lifted him up to find he was slightly shivering. Exposure to cold air was the last thing Riku could take right now. "Tenn, come. I need your help."

~~

Gaku set Riku down on the king-sized bed in Riku's room. Riku was kept warm with a blanket. Tenn was out to find Momo to notify him to have the herbal medicine ready just in case. Being a natural overprotective brother, he asked Momo to prepare calming aromatic herbs and some others to help with swollen eyes and tension headaches in large quantities as well.

Riku seemed to have calmed down a little thanks to Gaku's presence. "I am sorry," Riku muttered.

"Why?" Asked the butler who stood next to Riku.

"I am a cruel lord, am I not?" Riku took a sudden deep breath. "Always causing trouble. Always causing people pain and fear. I do not deserve-"

"Don't say it." Gaku cut his lord off. "A cruel lord would sink the world, not save it. Serving you is my pride, not my pain. Lastly, people fear your status, not your heart."

"You fear me." Riku's eyes started glowing, which made Gaku hold his breath for a brief moment. Dissatisfaction could be seen on the lord's face, though that made him appear quite cute rather than scary to the butler.

"I do. I must admit. I know I've hurt my lord." Gaku bowed deeply. "But no way in hell I'm letting it stop me from seeing you differently, even if it takes time. "

Gaku smiled. That small but sincere smile made Riku blush unknowingly. "In order to conquer my fear, will my lord listen to this humble servant's request?"

Riku blinked twice. It was unusual for Gaku to make a request outside of duty. "Very well. Let's hear it."

"Tell me what you know about yourself, what happened after you stopped the destruction and what upset you just now."

After a brief moment of thought, a reserved smile appeared on Riku's face, which made Gaku feel a little more relieved. "I am glad you are willing to hear." The lord sat up before throwing his legs to the side of the bed. He was now fully facing Gaku, who swiftly bent down on one knee. "Firstly though, it is time for your punishment."

Gaku swore he did not see that coming. In fact, he thought his lord had forgotten about it. He gulped. "A-Anytime, my lord." His heart was thumping hard while he was readying himself for a magical impact.

Riku slowly placed his feet on the floor and stood up. He stumbled slightly, thanks to his uneven breathing. Good thing Gaku caught him in time. "You shouldn't be up yet. You could have an attack at any time!" The butler panicked.

Riku pouted before telling Gaku to follow him. Soon, the butler found himself in a hot, steamy room with a floor made of gravel. He noticed a large hot spring with naturally mild green water. The butler's face turned red not because of the heat, only because he just realised he had followed his lord into the private onsen. Within a short distance in front of him stood a familiar figure who seemed to be unbuttoning his shirt and unzipping his pants. A second later, the man stopped what he was doing.

"Gaku, why are you standing still?" Riku turned around and tilted his head in confusion. Approaching his butler, Gaku could see Riku was ready to undress. Eyeing the lord up and down, flustered Gaku asked for an explanation. "N-Nanase-sama, what are you doing?!?"

"I have not had a nice long bath in such a long time." Riku bent down to grab a basket full of strawberry-scented toiletries. When he got back up, he pushed it into Gaku's hand. "You will scrub my back... and um... supervise me." Riku's glowing eyes darted left and right. "You know how many times I have passed out in here." He giggled cheerfully. "You should enter the bath as well, as it is likely you will get wet." The moment Riku saw Gaku opening his mouth to argue, he shut him down by saying, "This is your punishment. Now, undress me. "

Riku lifted his arms up sideways. Gaku hesitantly went behind Riku and took off his blazer and his clothes. Then, he proceeded to gently pull down Riku's trousers and, finally, his underwear. Gaku blushed. Sure, servants were trained to dress and undress their lords properly, but Riku usually insisted he would do it himself.

And damn, Gaku could hardly take his eyes off that pretty body.

~~

Tenn was on his way back to Riku's room after getting an armful of herbs and medicines, which were being carried by object-manipulation magic. He noticed several parts of the mansion had changed. He wondered if Riku had wanted to renovate those parts or something, but they looked just fine before he was chased out.

While passing one of the rooms along the hallway next to the garden, Tenn heard the sound of what seemed to be an argument. Being cautious, he decided to investigate by closely listening in to the conversation. Tenn was surprised when he recognised one of the voices.

Izumi Iori...!

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BITTERRRRRR! Damn you Iori! Damn the whole fic for the fact that I am using it to destroy IoRiku lol! These two need to fight! Riku needs to find out about Tenn and him and order Gaku to execute them! DIE!!!

*Ahem* Okay I've calmed down. *smiles* How was the chapter? I realise it was dialogue-heavy but I hope you lovely ppl enjoyed it nonetheless. Votes and comments are greatly appreciated so feed me chocolate please XD

Tenn is about to reunite with Iori once again fufufufufufu~ Will it go well?

If you want to scream at me my twitter is kenarkrsun :P