Part 5


He catches his head, feels beside of him. The place is empty. Heaven, what a dream! He needs some minutes until he gets a grip on himself and gets up. It is already afternoon, precisely the right time for a small Brunch. Maybe that will help him to get a clear head again. After having provided himself with bread, meat and fruits (without paying for it, of
course), he sits down on the quayside and observes the activity around him.
As always is it very busy in the port, ships are unloaded, carriers curse, traders haggle over the price of their product. Usually, it takes his mind off but today he is too far away with his thoughts. Koji gets up and strolls slowly in the direction of the "Full Cup". He would like to pay his visitor a small visit, and check if the Lotus drugs still work. Koji knows, that they are still effective, Izumi will sleep until the next morning if he isn't disturbed.
But it is at least a good excuse to see the boy.
He suddenly hears wings rustle in the air. Screams sound. Even before he can turn around, he is torn and flung down.
Tetsu'ko stands in front of him.
His aggressive hissing and the sparkle in its eyes let suspect nothing good.
With a jump is he over Koji, the mouth only a hand's length away from his face. Testing Tetsu'ko flickers his tongue towards Koji, checking if Izumi's scent is on him. The result makes him even angrier, small flashes run from his nose; almost singe Koji's hair. The dragon growls deep, hate is in his eyes.
Koji fights his panic; he is suddenly completely calm, knows exactly, what the dragon wants.
"He is well. If you kill me now, my friends will perhaps kill him
also. I'll return him tomorrow morning." The dragon hesitates. Doubt creeps into his look. "As long as I exist, nothing will happen to him."
Tetsu'ko releases Koji, one of his paws tears four furrows into the solid stone ground, each one about 2 feet deep, directly beside Koji.
Koji swallows.
The warning of the dragon is obvious. "I understand. Tomorrow morning, he will be back to you - unhurt." The dragon casts a last murderous look at him and arises elegantly into the air. After a short arch over the port, he changes his course in the direction of the palace.
Koji gets up slowly and dusts his clothing off. His shirt in torn but otherwise, he survived it well. That was brief. The people around him start talking all at once, patting him on the back. Excited voices hum around. Koji is a hero, somebody who survived a dragon attack. He endures praise words and shoulder pats, and vanishes into the tavern as soon as possible. It seems to last an eternity until he finds his way through to the rear room. Everyone wants to buy him a drink and clink glasses with him. As he finally closes the door behind him, he heaves a deep relief sigh. Shibuya already awaits him.
"Koji! Are you OK? What wanted the dragon? Why did he release you? I thought
he would roast you!"
Koji grabs a wine jug and fills it, drinks at once.
"Slowly Shibuya, one after the other. First tell me how the ransom delivery worked this morning."
Shibuya twitches his shoulders. "It went  wrong, for Linus as well as for us. Linus actually brought a prettily packed hostage in; it was a complete disguise. When a messenger of King Boltis tried to deliver the ransom to Linus' middleman, that crazy dragon suddenly emerged.
He flew low over the place and grabbed the hostage. Linus' people had no chance, they've been simply swept away. Two riders were there, the dragon placed the bundle at their feet. When they unpacked it, one of the girls of the port's brothel, a small meager one, was brought to light.
Before someone could do something this animal turned back and shoot over the place. Around 10 steps before the highwaymen he created a big flash. Four of the men immediately rose in smoke.
Neither the dragon riders nor the city guards could keep the nasty bastard from toasting the bandits. He completely flipped out. Ikaru dragged Linus into a sewer, they both barely managed to escape. No one from his people did survive. That means, that your protégé still stands on top of Ikaru's wish list.
And don't tell me that this beast only wanted to say 'Hello' to you, this dragon
is a public danger."
"He was looking for the boy." Koji drops the empty jug, knocks thoughtful onto the table. "Ikaru and Linus have to leave the city as fast as possible. King Boltis has a lot of humor but he hates that someone tries to pull wool over his eyes. He'll surely takes offence into the fact that they tried to sell him a street whore as dragonrider. A nice reward is certainly already exposed on them."
He turns back to go. "Koji! Where do you want to go?"
"I like to look after my visitor. Before sunrise, Nuruk and I will bring him back to the palace. He should be awake for that."
Shibuya grins again broadly. "So, so. Then I'll send Nuruk down to wake both of you up. Be careful that you don't rob the small one of his virginity." He ducks laughingly under a wine jug Koji flung after him and disappears through the door.
Koji comes down the stairs slowly. He moves as secure as a cat in darkness. According to the afternoon heat above, below here it is moist, cold and musty. Koji shudders because of cold as he arrives at the heavy cell door. It is closed, just like he expected. Nuruk is thorough when it comes to question of 'Guests'. He doesn't hurt them, however, but pays
perfectly attention to them in every respect.
Koji draws his always-available picklocks and opens the door without problems.
He enters the cold room that is lighted up scantily by a small lantern. A smile flits over his face. Nuruk packed the boy under so many furs and sheets because of the cold, that only a dark mop of hair is seen. Koji takes off a couple of layers. Izumi sleeps deeply; his breath is calm and regular.
He lies curled up on the bed, his face is completely relaxed, lips opened a little.
Koji sits down at the edge. His fingertips stroke the face; track the outlines of the cheekbones cautiously.
Simply beautiful. He ruffles through dense, brown hair, enjoys the tender strands between his fingers.
Koji bends down to the boy and starts to place light, small kisses to his ear and neck. He licks over skin, enjoys the taste. Salty-sweet. Koji's hands wander slowly deeper, stroke, explore the firm body. Only this blasted tunic is in the way, Takuto still wears the clothing he wore on the banquet. Koji pulls away the last sheet, opens Takuto's belt and slips him out of the tunic. Then are boots and trousers removed.
After some stripping Izumi lies finally naked on the bed. His body is slim and sinewy, firm muscles emerge under smooth skin.
Koji literally sucks the sight in. He strips his own shirt off and cuddles up to the warm body.
Something is not right. The body besides him hardens suddenly. As Koji raises and looks at his face, he is hit by an angry look, followed by a hard fist. Koji falls literally from the bed, lands on his feet and turns around surprised. Izumi is awake - earlier than planned and still half stunned but already combat-ready. And extremely furious. They stare at each other.
Koji has to choose: He can leave now and go look for a nice girl for the night or he can overwhelm Izumi. Which wouldn't be a great problem.
He grabs his shirt and leaves that dungeon. He is a thief and a gang-leader.
Not a rapist.
Koji at least repeats that to himself, while in the tavern he visits a pretty brunette sits down on his lap and tries to seduce him with sweet wine and kisses.

Koji enters the room short before dawn. He bends over Takuto, touches his shoulder. "It's time to get up. You have to go back."
Izumi peels himself out of the sheets, get dressed. They step the way back through the dark walk, a meager breakfast is ready in the wine cellar. Both chew silently at their bread. Koji breaks the silence. "I return you to your dragon, this beast really missed you."
"Mhmm."
"Izumi ... There is no reason to be so angry. Nothing happened to you. Yesterday it simply overcame me."
Two bright, brown eyes stare angrily at his blue ones. "I don't believe one word. You wanted to use me like a whore, nothing else. Bring me back to the surface, after that I won't see you ever again."
Something in Koji cracks; he can feel how his inner self spins around. He reaches helplessly for Izumi to stroke over his face. Izumi whacks the hand away, gets up.
Koji arises too.
Suddenly he wraps his arms around Izumi's body, hugs him hard. "I love you whether you
believe it or not. If you did not love your dragon so much, I would not have let you go." As soon as his grip loosens, Izumi steps back. "There is nothing else for me. I am soon back in the base and you are only a memory. Forget it."

Koji leaves the wine cellar silently, climbs an uneven stairs upwards. Nuruk and Izumi follow him. After a short time they reach the palace. Hardly are they at range of vision of the Dragon pen when loud whining sounds and Tetsu'ko storms to the small group. With a well-aimed stroke of his tail, he sweeps Koji and Nuruk aside and pounces on Izumi. It seems for a moment, as he wanted to flatten him. At the very last moment he stops and bends gently his big head down to the boy.
Takuto strokes him without a word. He turns and goes to the palace with Tetsu'ko close to his side, leaving his companions. Koji flings a last look after him and disappears in the dark lanes with Nuruk.
No one noticed the two men in the shadows, one with red hair, the other one a black hairy giant, who watched the whole scene attentively