A Lust Affair

Author: lillypuff

Email: lilly_puff22 (at) yahoo (dot) com

LiveJournal: http://lillypuff.livejournal.com

Pairing(s): Tenpou x Goujun x Kenren
Rating: NC-17

Written For: valentine_smut

Warnings: threesome, explicit sexuality, light angst, language, "free love" (read: promiscuity), light voyeurism

Summary: Goujun POV, It's been a few very interesting years since Kenren's transfer to the Western Army…
Disclaimer: Sadly, Saiyuki does not belong to me. I wish it did =) Just having some fun. Don't sue me, I don't have any money anyway.

Author's notes: Written for 2light2dark at the valentine_smut gift exchange. The prompt for this fic was "twisted". This is an odd little fic and the idea is actually something I've been thinking about for awhile and this prompt was what got it in gear. The situation these three get themselves into is something I can see happening, though, ideally, I'm sure we'd rather it didn't!

I have a clear recollection of when it all began. It was the summer after General Kenren's transfer to the Western Army. Well, it was summer down below, but in Tenkai, a summer day feels much like a winter day and a winter day much like a spring day and so on. Perhaps the seasons in Tenkai can be better reflected by the mood and actions of its denizens. When it is summer down below the soldiers up above are often more difficult to deal with then at any other time. They are restless, rowdy and playful and much like the human men they live above. Perhaps it is a final release from a spring full of courting ladies and, in secret, other soldiers.

And that is how I remember it was a summer day, because on that day I was constantly disturbed by the sounds of rowdy soldiers sparring in the courtyards of the Western Army Complex while I tried to complete paperwork that was piling on my desk, almost as if out of thin air. The dragon kings of heaven may live full, rich lives, but we earn it in paper cuts as much as we earn it on the battlefield. In all honesty, I would much rather live every day of my long life in battle if it meant I would never have to deal with another requisitions officer again; but I digress.

It was on that summer day that I was visited in my office by Field Marshal Tenpou, General Kenren in toe, as he so often was. The two were practically inseparable in those days even though the general was only newly transferred; and nothing in the handful of years since then has changed that.

On that day, the marshal and the general, though Kenren was mostly silent during the whole visit, invited me to Tenpou's quarters for drinks that evening. It was not to be a formal affair, just a time to 'kick back and relax' as the general would often say.

I believe it goes without saying that a king, especially one in control of one fourth of a very large, very powerful army, has very little time for a social life. Many years ago, things were a little different and I often enjoyed the casual company of those I risked my life beside on the battlefield. But time will change everything in its path and Tenkai is no exception. The more glamorous days of being a heavenly soldier have long since come and gone.

So instead of accepting their offer for what was probably a well deserved round or two of drinks, I told them I would consider it but that I did not think I would be able to make it; duty, paperwork and all things considered.

They accepted my partial declination of their offer and Tenpou told me that they would probably get started once they were off duty for the night and that if I wanted to stop by at any time, I was more then welcome. After that, I thanked them and they departed to return to their own pressing duties among the workings of the Western Army, leaving me to contemplate their invitation.

Marshal Tenpou has been under my watchful eyes since he was but a cadet in training; more years ago then I would like to admit. I have watched him grow and travel up the ranks, and I have seen him transform from a head strong young soldier to a tough, unyielding and honorable Field Marshal. At the time this all started we were close friends, and we still are to this day. Having drinks with Tenpou was not a thing unheard of. We often did when we had the chance and the prospect of enjoying time with him outside of our duties was pleasant one.

General Kenren, on the other hand, I had no such history with, even though I had known of him for almost as long. I knew him as the 'crazy cadet', then the 'looney lieutenant', then the 'major pain in the ass' and a whole other slew of interesting names that my brother Ao-Kuang used to refer to him as when Kenren was under his command instead of mine. Eventually Kenren was promoted to general and my brother promoted his name to the 'unruly general', a moniker that stuck between us two brothers long after Kenren's transfer, and even to this day, when Ao-Kuang sits patiently sipping tea and listening to me go on about the general's recent exploits, just like I had once done for him long ago.

But just as Ao-Kuang was know for making up names for both his favorite and least favorite soldiers, he was also known to exaggerate a bit from time to time; so I wasn't completely surprised when I finally did meet Kenren and he turned out to be half as 'unruly' as my brother had made him out to be, which is not to say that Kenren was easy to deal with. No, it only meant that he was merely two or three times worse then the average soldier, instead of the five or six times I was led to believe. But every army has a soldier like that and he was, and still is, ours.

I have to admit that in those first few months after Kenren's transfer, I did not get to know him very well, but that is how things often go. I knew him as a subordinate, not as a fellow brother in arms. Tenpou was more suited to getting to know the ins and outs of the men who served us faithfully and with regards to Kenren, I do believe he did that job well enough for the both of us. But while I did not know Kenren very well on a personal level, there were a few things I did pick up along the way: he liked his sake, he liked his cigarettes, he hated messy offices and he was none too fond of dragons.

Of course, that last tidbit was of the most interest to me and it often led me to wonder what exactly had transpired between my brother and Kenren, or perhaps another of our kind, for the general to dislike us so.

And those were the thoughts that bandied about in my head as I dotted my 'i's and crossed my 't's for the rest of the evening, signing my name and giving my seal to more requisitions and documents then I ever thought possible in one day; and when I left my office I found myself really wanting a good stiff drink for all my efforts.

And of course, where did that lead me? To none other then Tenpou's quarters, quite sometime after my two subordinates would have gotten off duty, but the marshal had said anytime, so I took him at his word. And to think that if I had decided to return to my palace for a night cap instead, the last few years may have ticked by in a much different fashion.

*****

When I arrived at the marshal's quarters I tried to make myself look like I was not dead on my feet. In all my years I have never understood how sitting at a desk, filling out paperwork could be so tiring. After a moment or two of patting down my uniform and running a hand through my hair, I knocked on the marshal's door.

For a brief moment there was silence and it was long enough to make me wonder if perhaps I should have just gone home. But when I heard Tenpou shout "who is it?" I straightened and replied.

"It is I, Goujun."

A brief silence followed before Tenpou replied again, "Enter Goujun."

Now, we dragons in general are a polite bunch when it comes to social situations; we are etiquette incarnate, polite, dignified and incredibly apologetic when we arrive late. So the second I walked into Tenpou's quarters, closing the door behind me, I was already apologizing for my untimely arrival that evening.

"Forgive me Marshal, General, for my lateness. It would appear that paper has learned to reproduce on my…"

I cut myself off; something was amiss. It may have been the lab coat and tie that were decorating the floor or Tenpou's sly grin as he sipped from a small bottle of sake. Looking back though, it was probably fact that a topless general was currently kneeling between Tenpou's legs as the marshal sat on the couch. Said general's head was bobbing in a fashion easily recognized by any man who's ever had someone between his legs.

I was dumbfounded, to say the least. My mind was sounding the retreat, but my body was not giving in to the call. It never did in battle; I should not have been surprised that it would refuse to do so then as well.

"Ah, Goujun…how good of you to join us," Tenpou crooned through his grin, his voice was breathy and excited, "I'm sorry we started without you, the good general has only one patient bone in his body, and even then he has his limits."

I couldn't help but wonder, as I stood there watching the general at his current task, if perhaps I was a little out of touch with my soldiers. Apparently "drinks" had become some sort of code word or slang for very casual get togethers amongst the soldiers. Although, to their credit and judging from the assortment of bottles that were lying about the room, there had been a fair amount of drinking going on that evening.

There have only been a few times in all my life that I have found myself completely at a loss for words. That night was one of those times. Nothing I could say seemed to want to come out and my body was still glued to the spot where I had stopped, so I merely stood there and watched as Tenpou's head lolled from side to side in enjoyment and as Kenren's head bobbed up and down in an easy, rhythmic pattern. When Tenpou ran a hand through Kenren's short hair I felt a twinge of something that was not pain in my groin. When Tenpou gripped a fistful of the short black strands and used his grip to pull the general's mouth from his cock I let out a low rumble that couldn't be suppressed. From my vantage point I could see both men grin at the sound.

I watched as the two soldiers stared at each other for a moment before the marshal spoke in a gentle tone that betrayed the grip he still had in the general's hair, "Kenren, do be so kind as to help Goujun get comfortable."

The general chuckled at that, "Sure thing," he replied, casual as always.

It was then that I found myself moving, or more appropriately, being moved, towards the couch where Tenpou sat with his hand now loosely gripped around his erection. Once I was sitting, Kenren stood before me, looking down at me silently, as if waiting for me to say no or stop or put some clothes on. I should have said something, but I didn't.

After a moment of silence under the scrutiny of two pairs of eyes, Kenren closed the remaining inches between us as he gently spread my legs with a knee, slipping down between them when he had enough room. From my left I could hear Tenpou release a satisfied sigh and the sound of it sent a shiver down my spine as Kenren began to undo the straps and buckles of my pants.

When Kenren reached a skilled hand inside my pants to help free my own erection, there was no longer space to deny that the unexpected scene I had stumbled upon had got to me in the best, or perhaps it was the worst, of ways.

"Looks like you were right," Kenren addressed the marshal with a grin as he began to stroke me with a perfect rhythm. I couldn't help but groan at his touch.

"I always am," Tenpou answered with a grin of his own as he too began to stroke his cock. To this day I still do not know what exactly the marshal had been right about. I would have attempted to ask, but at that moment Kenren took my cock into his mouth and everything started to spin away into nothingness.

To say that it had been awhile since I had had any physical contact of this sort would be an understatement. Not since the passing of my fourteenth wife some years before had I been in a sexual entanglement with another. It just did not seem to matter anymore, at least not until I sat, still slightly dumbfounded, watching as my pale erection slid in and out of Kenren's talented mouth in a dedicated rhythm. After that, I was not sure how I had ever gone without.

It did not take long, what with the time since my last encounter, coupled with the way that Kenren licked and sucked and stroked and the occasional grunts and moan's coming from Tenpou's side of the couch. Before I knew it I was gripping the cushions beside me and growling deeply as I came inside of Kenren's mouth. And not but a few moments later I would find myself leaning over towards Tenpou who still had not found release, even though he had been well on his way to it when I first arrived, and I would take him into my mouth, wanting to do for him as Kenren had done for me. And so I licked and sucked at Tenpou's weeping cock, all under Kenren's watchful eyes.

As an aside, I must say that the general had remarkable self control that night. His arousal was apparent through his tight leather pants and there it stayed as he watched me swallow Tenpou's cock as deep as I could take it.

Tenpou came in my mouth a few moments later; his spend salty against the back of my throat. I think it was then that things suddenly began to click into place, when everything suddenly began to make sense, even though there was no rhyme or reason or explanation. We were just suddenly all on the same wave length, as if a couple rounds of oral sex had suddenly tuned us to each other.

I looked up then, from my position on the couch, into Tenpou's eyes and he gave me a knowing grin that I echoed with my own expression. In unison, we both slowly turned our heads to look at Kenren who was squatting nearby, elbows rested on his firm thighs, head tilted to the left ever so slightly.

Slowly a smile crept over his face, "My turn?" he asked knowingly, eyebrows arched. Both Tenpou and I nodded in agreement.

From there we moved on to Tenpou's bedroom which was a part of the marshal's quarters that I had never seen. It was spacious, almost as big as my own bedroom, although the bed was not quite as large. Then again, it may have been the towers of books in the room that made everything else look small by comparison. Well, almost everything else.

It was there in Tenpou's private bedroom that I learned a few things about my subordinates that a commander was usually never privy to. To my surprise I found that Kenren didn't mind being on the submissive side as long as what he got in return for his submission was on the rough side. The man obviously had a decent masochistic streak inside him. Oddly enough, it worked, because Tenpou seemed to have a matching sadistic streak. The man not only liked to tease, but he also liked to be teased, especially if it would further drive the teaser into sexual madness. He would play with you and light up your senses until you thought you might exploded and then he would turn away and give his attention to someone else and you be left wondering what the hell you ever did to make him tease you so. Of course, the answer to that question was 'nothing', that's just they way he was.

And where did I fit into all of this? In the beginning I was not sure but later that night as the three of us lay in a tangled heap of limbs I figured that I was just some elaborate play thing for them to enjoy, and amazingly enough, that didn't seem to bother me. It would only be later on, when I was fully settled into this new, strange relationship, that I would find out I was a fair bit more in the great scheme of things.

You see, ever since the general's transfer, the rumors had been circulating that there was something going on in regards to the marshal and the general. I had seen that first hand but it still didn't explain what exactly was going on, except for the obvious close order drills. But as summer turned into fall and fall into winter and the soldiers of Tenkai went from rowdy to bitter because of horridly cold and strenuous assignments down below, I began to notice little things. Like the way they were almost always together and they way that Kenren always seemed to be hovering near Tenpou, no matter what the marshal did. I was beginning to think that there was more to their little get togethers, and ours as well. It showed in the way that Tenpou watched Kenren when he thought no one was looking and it showed in the way that Kenren fiercely defended Tenpou's ideas and actions when the marshal did something reckless in the field. They were falling for each other, hard and fast, and if you knew what you were looking for you could see it as it happened.

But even though the signs where there, it was almost like they didn't know it, or at the very least, they didn't want to know it. And through it all, we still had our strange arrangement, one that was becoming increasingly dangerous in many ways because the desire would sneak up on us when we least expected it.

There was one time, after a briefing in one of the Western Army conference rooms, when my two subordinates cornered me after all others in attendance had departed and subsequently we had all taken turns pounding each other into the large oval table that we nearly broke on several occasions. And all this occurred behind the closed door that not a single one of us thought to lock and if anyone had come back to retrieve papers they had forgotten, or to ask their superiors for clarification on one of the topics we had discussed, they would have found themselves walking in on a grand display of dragon lust, rough sex and Tenpou's remarkably flexible body.

It was after that day that the three of us agreed that we would curb our lust the best we could until we could find time to be alone in private quarters. Sometimes that meant we would go a fair stretch of time between our get togethers, but we had to do it or it would be our hides that would pay the price.

And so we carried on through the winter, our relations giving us extra warmth for the time we spent down below in the harsh winter nights full of wind and snow and bitter cold; and it was near the end of that winter when Tenpou came to my office, alone and rather angry with me, that things really took a sudden turn for the unusual and the whole affair suddenly seemed like nothing compared to what would happen next.

*****

"You sent him alone?" Tenpou nearly shouted as he burst into my office without so much as a knock and I knew at that moment that the marshal was indeed angry if he went so far as to forget about common courtesy.

"I did no such thing, Marshal," I replied through a slight growl, angry at having been disturbed in such a manner, "He has twenty five soldiers with him, that hardly constitutes alone." I was not trying to play innocent, I knew what Tenpou meant by 'alone' but I guess Kenren's joy of pushing people's buttons was starting to rub off on me. A distressing thought, I know.

"And why aren't I with him?" Tenpou asked, "It's not like there is anything pressing going on for me to tend to."

The marshal's voice was cold and full of poison and it did nothing to help my mood. I stared at him, silently contemplating the best way to handle the situation when a short string of words from his mouth decided everything for me.

"Are you going to answer me?"

Hearing that I stood, glaring at the marshal in a manner that had silenced many a soldier that had stood where he stood then, "Sit," I ordered through a full growl, something I rarely had to do with the marshal. Thankfully, he listened.

Never taking my eyes off of him, I walked around my desk and stood looking down at him as if he were some petulant, misbehaving cadet who needed to be put in his place. Frankly, that was exactly what he had reminded me of.

"I have no idea what has gotten into you, Tenpou," I tried to keep my voice even and in control, "But I will not have it from you or anyone else. Your blatant disrespect for my decision is unappreciated, to say the least. If you had simply asked why I chose to send him without your aide, I would have told you that I wanted you here incase something did come up. It would save me from having to send someone out into the field risking death in the freezing cold to track you down. Do you understand?"

Tenpou nodded, suddenly looking very worn. It hurt me to see him that way. He looked unnaturally small and meek for a moment, before he turned away and took a deep breath. When he looked back at me the Tenpou I knew was beginning to return, at least in spirit. His eyes betrayed him though. His eyes were still worried and maybe even afraid. I could tell he didn't like not being able to keep a protective eye on the general, but it was something he would have to get used to.

To be honest, it was kind of sad to see that sort of devotion in the marshal's eyes when I knew that his denial ran even deeper. All the signs where there as they had been for some time, but if I were to come out and ask him, he would no doubt deny it. I sighed and squatted down to be at eye level with my long time friend.

"Tenpou," I said, softly this time, "Is there something that you need, is there something that I can do for you?" For a moment Tenpou just looked at me, staring back blankly and then he leaned close and our lips touched and our tongues began to tangle and we both groaned desperately.

To this day, I swear upon the life of my father that what I had meant by my offer of 'help' and what actually happened were two completely different things. But once it had started, there was no stopping it and soon I was lifting Tenpou and laying him out on my desk atop paperwork and files, as we began to quickly remove each other's clothing. It was like so many times before in three different bedrooms, on beds and desks and couches and conference tables, except one thing was obviously missing; Kenren. And deep down inside I could not help but think we were betraying him in some way.

I know, I know. It sounds strange, seeing as how they often did that sort of thing without me, but that had been going on before they ever invited me into their strange affair. This seemed to me like a different thing all together, like I was crossing a line of some sort. But despite these thoughts that swirled around in my head, I continued to focus my attentions on Tenpou and then I took him hard and fast atop my desk as if I was making up for the general's absence by doing things the way he liked it.

Afterwards, when Tenpou and I were clean and dressed again, the marshal stood gazing out the window from my office to the outside world. He wore a crooked smile that I could not interpret so I merely watched him as he watched everything else. After a few moments, he sighed, turned and headed to the door.

"I am sorry if I caused you any trouble, sir," Tenpou said as his hand reached for the doorknob.

"Don't be," was all I could think to say in reply.

"Goujun...he won't mind." Tenpou said ib a comforting voice, apparently my concern was written on my face. After a moment of silence, a grin started to creep along Tenpou's face. "I mean, come on, it is Kenren after all."

At that I snorted and kept watching as Tenpou turned the door knob. When it came open easily, Tenpou laughed and I looked at him with wide eyes, not understanding the sudden outburst.

"We forgot to look the door again," the marshal said, still laughing as he exited my office.

At that I couldn't help but laugh.

Two weeks later, Kenren returned from his field assignment and for almost a full day no one, not even myself, saw hide nor hair of the marshal and the general. The day after, both men appeared in my office, Kenren with his paperwork from the assignment down below and Tenpou, as always, with an invitation. Just like that, we were back in the swing of things and if Tenpou ever told Kenren about our deed during his absence, no one mentioned it to me; at least not on that night.

After that, time passed on as it always did, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly and sometimes, particularly when you were in the process of filling someone while being filled yourself, time stood still. Soon enough winter melted into spring and young soldiers turned their thoughts to wooing girls and older soldiers tried not to remember what it was like to loose that pretty little thing they thought they loved when spring was over. And just like that, it had suddenly been a year since Kenren's transfer and I still found myself not fully understanding the man that often shared one third of my bed.

When it came to the general, I often felt I was dealing with two different people. In our off duty hours, especially those spent between the sheets, I very much enjoyed the general's company. I had always known he was intelligent, but he surprised me with how intelligent he was on nights where the three of us would actually spend our time talking and drinking and nothing more. He seemed to let his guard down when Tenpou was present.

In our on duty hours, Kenren was quite different; he was much the "unruly general" my brother had dubbed him. He was sarcastic and contradictive and just an all around pain in the ass. Sometimes it was amusing to hear him argue with me about an assignment or the way I wanted something handled because I knew that the next time the three of us got together, there would be no argument from him, not when I pushed my way inside him. The only words out of his mouth would be moans and curses then. But that was a different side of Kenren, this Kenren, the one that argued with me and didn't salute and drank like a fish was one that always met me with tension instead of flattering words. It was frustrating, annoying and intriguing all at once.

*****

It was during that spring that Kenren came to visit me in my personal study at my palace, in a similar fashion to the way Tenpou had visited me a few weeks previous; but the general was never one for knocking, so when he burst through the door I wasn't nearly as surprised when I looked up and saw him standing there. Kenren, much like Tenpou had been, was angry, but unlike Tenpou, I could tell that for once he wasn't angry with me. That was a little surprising; but more surprising was the fact that Kenren was in Tenkai at all. He was supposed to be down below with Tenpou.

After a few moments, Kenren moved away from the door and made a beeline to my liquor cabinet and it was then that I noticed that he was injured. Nothing looked terribly serious, but there were several tears in his uniform that were caked with dried blood and he was limping ever so slightly.

"You are injured," I said then because it almost seemed like he did not even notice.

"That's very astute of you sir," Kenren responded as he poured himself a cup of sake, then knocked it back in one gulp. He poured another cupful before turning to look at me. "It's no surprise that you have made it so far in life because of your keen observation skills."

I did my best to ignore Kenren's comments, there was obviously something going on and I needed to know what it was, "General, why are you here?"

Kenren looked at me for a moment, then knocked back the second cup of sake before he spoke, "Tenpou said you were a good lay."

If Kenren was anything, he was blunt. Needless to say that was not anywhere near what I was expecting to hear, but it did explain why he was in my home instead of, say, the infirmary.

"I am flattered General, really, but I need to know why you are not in the field with the Marshal."

"He sent me back."

"Why?" To that, Kenren did not respond and I sighed in frustration, "Do not make me order you to tell me, General."

At that, he snorted as he began to walk closer to me, "Don't make me be insubordinate, commander."

I stood then, knowing where he wanted to take things and not knowing if I wanted it to go there myself. "This is not the time for…" I began, but was unable to finish because he was suddenly very close to me and I could smell his blood and his sweat and the dirt and grime of the battlefield.

"I agree Goujun, this is not the time for talking," Kenren replied before pushing me up against the nearest wall, taking me in a kiss that was angry and desperate.

"Kenren…" I managed to mutter when our lips broke apart, but it did not come out like I hoped it would. It should have been forceful and commanding, but instead it was needy and wanting and it had to have conveyed all the confusion I was feeling because Kenren looked me in the eyes for a moment and I could see pity somewhere in the depths of those dark violet orbs.

"Oh what a tangled web we weave," Kenren whispered against my neck as he began to unbutton my uniform, placing kisses in seemingly random locations. I was of course very curious to know exactly what he meant by that. Certainly there were the obvious implications, but there had to be more behind it. Frankly, the words should have been unsettling; they probably would have been if he had not been sucking on my neck with skilled lips and running practiced hands against my skin; and I almost forgot about them as I began to carefully peel the general's uniform from his body, weary of his recent wounds.

When the general was fully undressed, I pushed him back against my desk and began to gently run my tongue and hands along the general's body, going from old scar to new injury and enjoying the feel of the unmarred flesh in between. I began to get concerned though, when I noticed some of his wounds were beginning to bleed again.

"Kenren, you really should see a doctor…" I began, but Kenren cut me of with a snort as he pushed himself up to sit on my desk.

"I've had worse," he replied with a grin as he wrapped his legs around me and pulled me close. "Now, are you going to continue to stand there staring, or are you going to fuck me?"

I groaned, but held my ground, "Are you going to tell me what happened down there?"

"Jesus Goujun. Fine, after."

"Very well. Do you have any lubricant? Unlike you and the marshal, I do not keep it in every pocket and drawer."

Kenren rolled his eyes as he released his legs from their grip around my waist, "Inside pocket of my coat."

Without another word I quickly retrieved his coat and dug through the inner pockets until I found the small bottle of lube. I wasted no time in applying its contents to my hard cock as Kenren watched silently and when I moved back to where he sat and positioned myself between his legs, the general leaned back a little on the desk.

When I slowly began to push inside him, Kenren groaned out a "fuck". When I began to pick up the pace, he rewrapped his legs around my waist, pulling me in close as he began to move his hips in sync with my own; his hand moving down to give attention to his erection. When he came all over his hand a few minutes later he let his head fall back as he let out an incredibly sexy sound that helped me reach my own release. I watched as he fell back against the desk, where he lay twitching, bleeding slightly from a few places and rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands.

After a moment, he uttered two words I almost didn't hear, "Fucking dragons".

Needless to say, I was not sure how to take that remark. I almost asked for clarification but then I noticed the general was starting to bleed onto my desk, which thankfully was devoid of any important documents.

"Wait here," I told the general sternly, half order, half request, as I quickly threw on my uniform pants and walked to the door of my office, intent on retrieving some bandages. If he wasn't going to visit a doctor, he at least needed to be cleaned up.

When I went to open the door, I was met with more resistance then I expected. I looked down at the doorknob and snorted. At least he had remembered to lock the door.

When I returned a few minutes later, I found that Kenren had moved from my desk and was instead sitting on my chair, lazily smoking a cigarette; mostly naked except for the pair of boxers he had donned. I was glad he was no longer bleeding on my desk, but I was not sure that bleeding on my chair was any better.

Without a word, I began to wipe clean Kenren's wounds, starting with what looked like the worst one on his leg. I planned to give him a couple minutes to start talking before I forced it out of him. We had an agreement, after all.

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately considering what was about to be discussed, Kenren began to tell me what exactly had occurred down below; and he began the conversation in the strangest of ways.

"Your brother says 'hello'."

Considering this was Kenren, I made the correct assumption that he was speaking about Ao-Kuang, "When did you see him?"

"Couple hours ago."

"What was he doing in your patrol area?" I asked, then added, "Or what were you doing his?"

Kenren snorted, "He was in ours. You know I don't play games down below."

That statement was open to interpretation, but the general was right for the most part; on the battlefield he was, miraculously, a model soldier. It went a long way to explaining why he was still a part of the heavenly army.

Silently I continued to treat Kenren's wounds as I waited for him to continue his 'report'.

"He said he wanted to see me since it has been quite sometime since we were last in each other's presence."

"And?"

"And I told him to go fuck himself."

At that I nearly choked on my own breath, "Kenren…"

"Don't even say it Goujun," the general replied, rather harshly, as he fixed me with a cold stare.

"Fine," I replied sharply, "Continue."

"There's not much more to say, we had words, and then Tenpou showed up. Apparently one of my men ran off to get him because they all thought we were going to throw down right there."

"Would you have?"

For a moment Kenren was silent.

"Kenren?"

"Yes, I would have, if he'd made the first move."

"So none of these wounds are his?"

"No, we were on our way back from a scrape when he showed up."

"What happened after Tenpou arrived?"

"Heh. Tenpou did his overly protective, 'back off or I'll make you sorry you ever got with in five hundred feet of me' routine and Ao-Kuang left."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. I think he was actually afraid of Tenpou."

I snorted at that, "He would be a fool not to be." I was glad to finally know what exactly had happened, but I had a feeling that was not the whole of the story, and unfortunately I was right. "Kenren, why was Tenpou being so protective of you? And why did he send you back?"

"Because he knows things you don't. And he knew that if I wasn't there, there would be less chance of your brother returning."

Needless to say, I did not like where this was going. "What aren't you telling me, Kenren?"

At that, the general sighed. "Let's just say that if you ever want to piss your brother off, just tell him that I regularly let you fuck me into next week."

That moment was another of the few times in my long life that I found myself completely speechless. I am amazed that I had been able to continue tending to the general's wounds.

After a few silent moments passed I was able to gather my thoughts again.

"You once had a relationship with Ao-Kuang, then?" I was surprised to find that once the words were out of my mouth I was beginning to feel the slightest pangs of jealousy. I forced them away the best I could.

"No." Kenren replied with disdain.

"What then? He wanted to sleep with you?"

"No Goujun, he wanted to fuck me. There is a difference. I fuck you. I sleep with Tenpou."

I am not sure which surprised me more: the way he referred to our tangled relations so casually - not that I thought they were anything more then casual - or the fact that he had just openly admitted there was something going on between him and the marshal. Needless to say, it only made me more confused about my own role in things, but for a moment, I pushed all that away.

"He never did though, did he?"

"No, he didn't, but he tried."

The thought of what that implied made me a little angry, but it also explained a lot of things about the way Kenren acted, especially towards me when he first transferred.

"Kenren…" I began, but I could not continue. What was I supposed to say?

"Don't," Kenren began as he stood and started to don his clothes, his wounds now cleaned and bandaged, "It's in the past."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I asked, truly wanting to know.

"I dunno, didn't seem all that important."

"But you told Tenpou?"

"I tell Tenpou a lot of things I don't tell you, Goujun."

There was not much I could say to that; instead I just watched Kenren as he continued to dress. When he was finished he just stood there motionless, staring back at me. To my surprise I found myself gathering the courage to ask the question that had been plaguing me since our little love affair had begun.

"What is my role in all of this?" I asked as I began to clean my chair and desk of the blood that had dripped on to them. I had to do something to keep my hands busy.

"You want the truth, or the bullshit?"

"The truth."

Kenren nodded, "The truth is that with you in the picture, Tenpou has less to worry about when it comes to us."

I arched my eyebrows, "As in you and him?"

"Yeah, with you around, the only four letter word that beings with 'L' that Tenpou has to concern himself with is lust." There was no denying that Kenren's words sounded bitter.

"I am sorry," I replied quickly, it was the only thing I could think to say.

Kenren gave a breathy snort as he began to walk towards the door, "Don't be. We dragged you into this mess." He did have a point there. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to fall into a bed, alone, and sleep."

"Please do so, Kenren. And afterwards I want you to report to the infirmary. I am not a doctor and you need to be looked at by one. I will drag you to one myself, if I must."

Kenren smiled, slightly deflated, "Yes, sir."

*****

Looking back on that night, that whole year really, makes me wonder if perhaps I had begun to go insane. After the conversation I had with the general, I should have put an end to the mess we had found ourselves in. Yes, that would have been the sane thing to do and at first that had been my exact plan; but when I met with Kenren and Tenpou a few nights after the rest of the army had returned to Tenkai, well, things did not go as planned.

It may sound selfish, but as I tried to address the situation that night, I found myself not wanting to give up what we had, no matter how twisted it may have become. It was much like Kenren had said, it was all a matter of lust; and even though we are often hard pressed to admit it, we dragons are no different from other beings. We can become victims of lust as easily as the next.

Things are starting to change in Tenkai; we have a Taishi again, which seems to take some of the strain away from the soldiers. I almost think that Tenpou is slightly relieved by this; it gives him more time to concentrate on the millions of other things that float around in his impressive head. Kenren, on the other hand, seems to have developed a soft spot for the war god and that concerns me, he walks a fine line with most of my superiors as it is. And as if one heretic was not bad enough, there is now another and both Tenpou and Kenren seem to be spending a lot of time with him and his keeper. All I can do is watch and hope that they do not do anything rash.

It has been a handful of years since our lust affair began and many things have changed in Tenkai, but the three of us go merrily on. They still come to me and I still go to them. Sometimes we drink, sometimes we talk, and sometimes we get down to the 'nitty gritty', as Kenren would say. Sometimes, when Kenren is off on an assignment, Tenpou will come to me alone; and Kenren is no exception when Tenpou is off doing the same. Sometimes I wish they would not, but still I cannot seem to express that to them. Eventually though, one of us will break.

At first I thought it would be Kenren, he seemed to have the most to be bitter about regarding the whole situation, but as time passed, I started to wonder if it might be Tenpou who would give in first. I mean, how long can one man stay in denial? Eventually time would answer that question though, and it would become apparent that the marshal could remain in denial for quite some time.

These days, I have a feeling it is going to be me who cracks first. I can only stand seeing so much of Tenpou's denial and knowing that Kenren remains bitter even if it is now he who often initiates our get togethers.

Yes, it will be me, if for no other reason then the fact that both Marshal Tenpou and General Kenren are incredibly stubborn bastards.

Kenren was right in what he said on that night long ago…it was a tangled web that we had begun to weave; and it is now only a matter of time before that tangled web becomes complete.

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