A Piece of Peace

Daiya felt Kovash's presence in his mind fade away as his and God's body dropped in a quivering mass to the forest floor. Angels rained down from the sky, their bodies thumping to the ground before they began to sizzle and decay.

Shaking, he carefully made his way down the remainder of the tree trunk, slipping into Fin's arms as he helped him down.

"Fin..." He whispered as he wrapped his arms around the man's neck, returning the strong hug he was getting.

"I know, Dai. I saw and I'm sorry. Even though I hated him, I wouldn't have wanted him dead. You loved him, and that's all that mattered to me." He said before Daiya squirmed his way free to turn and look at the smoldering pile of fur and flesh.

The haze around them had begun to diminish and the gigantic tree beside them was starting to whither. He felt his feet move closer to the two large steaming bodies in front of him, stopping right at the edge of the smoldering grass and leaves.

Tears ran tracks down his dirty cheeks as Devil's large dragon stalked over to him, sniffing the pile of bodies near his feet.

I apologize, Daiya. It was Kovash's plan. He said solemnly as he reached forward and scraped at the charred remains. It was impossible to tell what ashes had been his good friend.

Daiya watched quietly as Devil continued to paw at the mass, then started nudging his nose into it.

"Okay, that's kind of gross." Fin said as he walked up beside them and knelt down. Daiya joined him, fighting to keep himself from reaching out and burning his hand.

Wait.

Devil's thought drew their attention toward where he was beginning to pull away from the burned remains. Just as his nose lifted from the pile, a new one appeared from the ruin.

"What...?" Fin whispered at the same time Daiya gave a quiet gasp.

Tiny little bat wings followed soon after, one of the claws protruding from it managing to snag Devil's snout. The hold allowed Devil to pull it, and in turn, easily maneuvered the small creature from the steaming ashes.

"It's... a baby Kovash." Daiya said in disbelief.

The tiny bat-demon released Devil and dropped to the singed grass, shaking its sandy brown coat out before looking up at the three faces staring down at it.

"Please tell me that he can't talk yet." Fin said as he reached toward the little Kovash, only to jerk his hand away abruptly as the tiny demon lunged for his fingers.

Bite me!

"Kovash!" Daiya cheered as he scooped up the little guy and hugged it tightly. "I'm so glad that you're okay." He said, earning a snuggle from his friend.

Thank you for caring, master, but I feel as if I am no use to you in this little form. Kovash replied to their minds as he squirmed free of Daiya's arms to climb up and perch on his shoulder.

I did not have time to do much else, Kovash. I apologize. I had to grab your soul before it drifted off, but your body was too badly damaged to save enough flesh to reincarnate you at your normal size. Unfortunately, you will have to wait and grow like any other living thing. Devil said with a hint of humor to his words.

"Wait... like any other living thing? You mean?" Daiya said as he looked at Kovash and grinned.

Yes. He is alive now.

Renewed excitement coursed through Daiya's veins as he plucked Kovash from his shoulder and squeezed him in another suffocating hug. "I'm so happy for you, Kovash! Isn't this great, Fin?" He asked, grinning up at his love.

The man's expression clearly didn't seem to agree, but after a moment he just sighed and offered a small smile. "If it makes you happy that he is alive and well, then I am happy, too."

Devil's dragon snorted at that, but Fin just bared his teeth before looking around them. The forest had brightened considerably and where it had once been desolately silent in the wake of their fight, he could now hear birds and small animals slowly returning to the area.

"This place is beautiful now that I can take the time to look at it." He mumbled as he turned in a circle.

Indeed. She used to make things gorgeous beyond your wildest dreams. Hills of flowers. Forests of tall, outreaching trees. It is unfortunate, how things turned out. Devil thought to them as he nudged his nose back into the pile of ash.

When a small silver paw reached out and swiped at him, Devil snorted out a puff of smoke.

"Wait, is she back?" Fin asked as he quickly stepped in front of Daiya, who simply side-stepped him, wanting to see and not worried about the possibility that God might have returned.

Not quite. I let her memories go, but her body has been reborn. He thought to them as a second paw emerged from the grey pile and grasped his nose, little claws catching his scales to allow him to pull her out.

A tiny baby silver fox fumbles its way free of the pile and flopped to the ground with a squeaky grunt. Devil calmly reached down and grabbed her with his jaws, then lifted her onto his back.

I will take her. We will start anew. He said with a nod toward them.

"Treat her well, Devil. I'm sure that she will do great things in your care." Daiya said as he reached over and took Fin's hand, squeezing gently.

Devil gave them a pointed look, then nodded toward a small group of trees. Another dragon-like creature, this one a faded emerald color, walked out from behind the tree. Unlike Devil, it had a mane of pitch black hair down its back and bright blue eyes.

He will take you back home. Devil said before turning his narrowing eyes to Fin.

I would warn you to not harm Daiya, but I believe that he intends to handle you better than you know.

Fin's mouth opened slightly as he stared down at Daiya, then back to Devil as he began to flap his giant wings and take off from the ground.

Enjoy yourself, Daiya. You have earned it.

They waited in silence until Devil was gone, then Daiya slowly turned toward Fin with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"What's that look for?" Fin asked, backing up slightly, only to feel the withered remains of God's tree at his back.

Glancing down at Kovash upon his shoulder, Daiya winked, drawing a groan of discomfort from the little bat demon.

I will take my leave before I wish I were still dead. He thought to them as he carefully climbed down from Daiya's shoulder and bounded over to the dragon that had remained waiting for them.

After another moment, both of them disappeared into the forest, leaving Daiya and Fin alone.

"I love you, Fin." Daiya said as he stepped forward, clasping his hands behind his back nonchalantly.

Fin fidgeted, looking around them, though it was obvious he wasn't sure exactly what he expected to find.

"I love you, too," he said right before Daiya's mouth covered his own abruptly, cutting off anything else he might have wanted to say.

The kiss held all of the emotion Daiya had been keeping within himself since he'd been young. All of the love he'd wanted to show the man he'd thought long dead.

When they finally broke apart, they were both panting heavily. Daiya's eyes were on Fin's bare chest, his tongue swiping across his lips hungrily. Fin's own eyes were dilated, his lips moist and parted as he took a careful step forward. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, Daiya closed the distance between them again and reached up, while at the same time using one of his legs to take one of Fin's out from underneath him.

His man fell backward into a thick pile of leaves and Daiya eagerly followed him down.

"Fin." He whispered as he leaned over from where he rested upon Fin's chest and pressed his mouth to his. He would never grow tired of kissing him.

It took a minute, but soon Daiya felt Fin's body relax beneath his own as strong hands grasped his hips and squeezed, then moved upward to wrap him in a tight hug as they continued to explore each others' mouths.

"Daiya." Fin rasped as they broke the kiss again, their eyes meeting.

He'd waited so long to have Fin's affections. To see love in the man's cold eyes.

Fin pushed himself up slightly in the leaf litter and was about to speak when he clearly noticed something over Daiya's shoulder. With a frustrated grunt, he took Daiya's wrist and stood, pulling him up before turning and walking behind the massive dead tree.

"What are you doing?" Daiya asked as he stumbled along, only to be grabbed and kissed hard when Fin stopped walking.

When he was given a moment to breathe a minute later, Fin leaned back against the tree and smirked.

"I wasn't interested in giving Kovash or that stupid dragon Devil had summoned a show. The peeping bastards." He growled, only for Daiya to tilt his head back and laugh with fervor.

When he had finished, his laughter dying down to a few small chuckles, Daiya wiped at his watery eyes and looked up to see Fin smiling at him warmly.

"As much as I would love to ravage you where you stand, and I feel, that you hold the same sentiment, I believe that you deserve somewhere a little more... private." Fin said as he grasped Daiya's hand and lead him back around the tree, then gestured for the dragon to approach.

Daiya snickered and smirked, leaning up on his toes to steal another kiss from Fin.

"You want to keep me all to yourself, master Fin?" Daiya said with a hint of taunting to his voice right before he was unceremoniously tossed up onto the dragon's back behind Kovash.

Fin joined him a moment later, wrapping an arm around his waist as he grabbed the dragon's mane to hold on with the other.

Right before they took off to head home, together, Fin leaned over and pressed a kiss to Daiya's ear, then whispered. "Until death do us part."

-End