The Sohma Litters *a Traditions Sequel*

Chapter Eighteen: In Black and White.


Kagura walked into the nursery that was set up in her mother\'s house. She stood at the door and watched. This was her favorite part of the day. She would come into this room each night and watch as her husband said goodnight to their children. The babies were only two years old, and yet they had made a lifetimes changes in the man.
Haru very rarely went black anymore. He was the calm White Haru almost all day, and if she thought she saw any sign of the other coming out at a dangerous or inappropriate time she would simply sigh, mention something that Masami had said or some cute thing little Haruna had done and he would snap right back. It was a comfortable life.
\"Ushii-kun. How are you feeling?\" Kagura was no fool. She knew that the news of her \'one rival for Haru\'s affection\'s\' death would be devastating. She was here to comfort him if he would just allow it. And he was here, in this room, because he was in need. He was fighting his dark side and this was his best weapon against it. But, Kagura had another one, a better and more lasting one, one that promised a stronger bond and a more secure foundation, and allowed him to let that dark side go just long enough to properly mourn the loss and share the intensity of his emotion.
\"She sent me a letter.\" he stated simply. Kagura was not surprised. Rin had always been the type to have the last word.
\"It was her way. Did she say goodbye, or was it something else?\" Haru turned at her words. His eyes were narrow as he looked her over.
\"She wasn\'t like that, and you know it. It was an appology, she wanted me to understand.\" Kagura let a sigh escape her throat.
\"And do you? I don\'t. I never will.\" Haru took two measured steps forward.
\"I understand what she means, but I don\'t understand why it was neccessary. Why are you being so hateful?\"
\"Me? Maybe because I can. I hate what she has done. It was selfish of her. I don\'t accept her explanations because she never felt a need to give Me one. She did what she wanted and never took my feelings into account. And when she left, she left me to clean up after her, Every Time!\" Kagura was treading on dangerous ground and had backed out of the doorway. This was not the thing to do in the room her children were in. Haru followed her, stalking her into the hallway.
\"What do you mean? Clean up after her?\" He was close and her look, that she returned to him, was bitter.
\"She messed with your head, and left me to bring you back to reality. Just like this. I get to pick up the pieces of the shattered man, and she is free from all the responsibility of what her actions cause. Look at you. If you aren\'t \'Black\' by the end of the night, I would be surprised.\" Haru was so close to her, she could feel the heat coming off of his skin.
\"Black! You want to see black?\" He pushed forward shoving her against the wall. Her head connected with an audible crack. She was never so happy that her parents had not opted for the traditional style house, then she would have probably gone right through.
\"Yes! Show me Black. Show me you are still alive! That she didn\'t take you with her, away from me, forever.\" And his hands were around her throat stopping her words before they sank into his mind. His kiss was brutal and possessive. She responded in kind, by raking her nails down the back of his shirt.
\"Now, we will see who is the blackest this night, My Wicked Black Kagura.\" and they moved to the right and went through the door to their room. Bodies molding together and rapidly stripping off clothing in a heated and vicious dance toward the bed. When they fell together the dance continued. Haru had removed most of the offending clothing and was stradling his wife as he chewed a path down her neck. His hands exploring in a motion that could not be called a caress in it\'s savageness. She met his anger with a vehemence and returned in kind. Soon, they were sweating in their frenzy and as they moved to join, Haru pushed in firmly and Kagura dug her nails into his shoulder biting her lips not to call out. This was not the time for loving calls or satisfied moans, this was angry sex and she would not give him the satisfaction of giving in. She could enjoy as much as she wanted as long as she gave no outward signs. Haru was continuing his assault with a fervor and Kagura met him thrust for thrust. Soon the intensity of the encounter was too much for either of them and they screamed into a shared kiss that was also too fierce to be called by any other name. Haru collapsed.
Kagura was patient. She, too, had come a long way over the last few years. Her love for Kyo had shown her that forcing someone to be hers would never work. No, she had learned that to truly own her lover, body and soul, she had to supply the need, desire and drive to keep him with her. She had to be what he needed, when he needed it. And she had to know when he needed to be black. Haru lay with his head buried in Kagura\'s shoulder.
\"You did that on purpose.\" he stated not moving.
\"You\'re learning. It helped?\" He nuzzled in, and nodded so lightly that only she could know it had even been a movement.
\"It helped.\"
\"Black is only going to be managable if allowed to express himself once in awhile. And angry sex is good in it\'s place.\"
\"You liked that?\" he questioned. Still hidden in her hair.
\"I liked that, but it isn\'t something we need to do everyday. Black belongs in my bed.\" Haru chuckled into her skin. \"White belongs there, too. And our children need him. All of them.\" He lifted his head finally to stare into her eyes.
\"All of them?\"
\"Yes, I imagine we shall have as many as Tohru and more.\" She smiled at him conspiringly.
\"You are . . . ?\"
\"Not yet, but just as soon as someone has had the new horse, you will get yours.\" He stared. \"No, I will not give you the new horse. I do not intend to share with her ever again.\"


:::I appologize to all of the Haru/Yuki or Haru/Kyo fans. But this is my favorite pairing for the Ushii. I think the very idea of those two intense personalities playing off of each other is just too good to pass up. Next chapter - Ritsu, I love the little monkey.::::