55 Always, Tomorrow By Together

[TAMIKO]

"I have to leave, Hinata. Duty calls," Lord Sadako said when the sun was high up in the sky. The whole morning, they had played games with each other, though it was more of Lord Sadako offering the young lycan a distraction.

He had seen how disturbed Tamiko was and had figured that he could at least try to make it better for the kid.

However, even then, Lord Sadako wished that he had had more time. He needed to know more about Tamiko so he could tell his brother in bits, and maybe, just maybe, his brother would be better, right?

"Well, this was fun. I guess I'll see you in a few days for the meal then you can tell me when you want to train me, yeah?" Tamiko said as he looked at the man he had grown so comfortable with.

If anyone didn't know them, they could have assumed that right now, Lord Sadako and Tamiko were a father and son duo. They bonded so well it was a beautiful sight.

"I'll let you know. Don't worry. If I can't make it, I will send you a dream," Sadako said and Tamiko burst out laughing at the absurdity of the statement that the lycan Lord had just suggested. Surely he couldn't really be thinking he had some magic and shit, no?

However, when Tamiko revealed how dead-serious Sadako was, he went from laughing to being curious, which was something that Sadako had expected.

"Wait, you can really do that? Can I too? Is it something that all lycans can do? I could use that on a few bastards in Grealor," Tamiko asked and this time, it was Sadako's turn to laugh at the kid with him.

The young lycan looked so curious it reminded Sadako of the time he and Zaffuto had gone to visit Quen Liana's mother.

It was something that the lycan king had not known how to do, so a day before the visitation day, they had walked door to door asking the older lycans what was expected for an introduction.

At the end of the day, they realized that they had even gone to Queen Liana's parents to ask for advice. It had been an interesting meeting the next day when the lycan king and Sadako showed up at the same door where they had sought advice.

Thankfully, it wasn't as awkward as they had expected anyway. This kid was slowly turning into his father, at least the few happy moments that the lycan Lord ever really interacted with like any sane person would.

"Easy there, Hinata. No, you can't. It's something that only the elite lycans can do. Don't worry though, there are other awesome things about being a lycan. I will teach you in due time, son. About Grealor–" Lord Sadako began but Tamiko stopped him.

Grealor and the pain that he was experiencing was his business. If I wanted to be better, he had to learn to do some things on his own. And with his vengeance, he was going to make sure that he made them feel the pain of what they had hurt him through.

He would make their lives a kind of hell that even the devil himself would have to flee from. That had always been his promise and even as he looked at the lycan Lord that cared for him. Tamiko knew he would never change that, not even for Sadako.

"Don't worry about me in Grealor. I can handle myself," Tamikom said confidently. Even though he wasn't confident about what was waiting for him.

With Igor probably already gone, Tamiko would be alone without any backup.

He would have to stand up for himself in ways that he wasn't sure he was ready for yet. But then he had to get justice for himself, even though he was only ever interested in the vengeance kind of justice.

"But–"

"No buts, Lord Sadako. I can do this on my own. Besides, I have been enduring it for twenty-five years. I can do that a little longer. I will be fine," Tamiko said and Lord Sadako looked at his nephew.

He wasn't sure if leaving the kid was a good idea but he had to respect Tamiko's choices because otherwise, there was a really high chance that he would never see Tamiko again, and that would break his heart.

"Alright, alright. I won't interfere. But only if you don't call me Lord Sadako. It makes me sound like an old general–" Sadako began and Tamiko aborted at the man's statement again, making Sadako sign.

This kid was something else, but at least he was happy, right?

"Should I call you the not-so-old Lord Sadako?" Tamiko teased and Sadako reached to smack the kid, but he got up just to show the lycan Lord his tongue.

At that moment, as Tamiko ran around to avoid the smack, Sadako couldn't help but think of his brother.

King Zaffuto Hinata had been lonely for twenty-five years. He hadn't had something to live for or even look forward to. For those years, his brother had fought to stay sane because of the vengeance that was ruling his heart.

Sadako wondered if he could tell his brother that he had found someone who looked like Liana and Zaffuto so much it was pretty obvious Tamiko was the lost lycan prince. He wondered if he could tell his brother that the war was over and that his son was alive.

Oh, but Sadako had so many wishes.

As he playfully ran after the kid, he imagined it was Zaffuto. He imagined that his brother was the one playing with his nephew and not him. he imagined himself sitting on the sidelines, watching as the father and son bonded.

Sadako had known his brother for so long, long before anger and a desire for destruction turned him into the sinister monster that somehow Queen Liana had managed to tame.

But with Zaffuto's light gone, and darkness looming over, Sadako wondered if perhaps Tamiko coming into his brother's life would be the brightest star in Zaffuto's universe and the best thing that would ever happen to him.

Perhaps such a day would come and perhaps things would be fine eventually, right?

"Ouch," Tamiko winced when he hit his leg on one of the huge stones there, making Sadako pause instantly and rush to the kid. The first thing he did was to effortlessly hurl the huge-ass rock in a different direction like that would protect the kid. Oh, Sadako.

"Shit, sorry kid. Let me heal you," Lord Sadako said.

Once again, Tamiko looked at him wondering what kind of lycan had healing powers and magic. It just didn't make any sense, but then the powers that are yet to be unlocked in the young prince would be way more intense than a lycan Lord with magic.

"I was scared for a moment there. I'm fine though. The poor stone though," Tamiko chuckled, but Sadako wasn't even saying anything.

"Be careful kid, don't get hurt alright? I hate it when you get hurt," Lord Sadako said protectively before he pulled the kid into a hug after healing him. It was a suffocating one, but Tamiko felt safe in the lycan Lord's arms, so he figured he wouldn't complain.

"Uncle," Tamiko whispered against Sadako's shoulder.

"What?"

"I'll call you uncle, not Lord Sadako," Tamiko said as he pulled away from the hug. His body was tiny compared to the lycan Lord, making the hug a little warmer than he had anticipated. Because he felt the blank space instantly. But at least they were not enemies, right?

"Oh, son," Sadako said as he looked at the lycan kid who reminded him so much of Queen Liana. Maybe in another life, they would all be one big family that didn't have to worry about anything, ever, right?

"Don't tell me you hate that too. Or I will call you crazy Uncle Sadako," Tamiko teased and Sadako just facepalmed. This kid was really something else.

"Fine, fine. Uncle is fine. I have to go, kid. If you feel overwhelmed, don't hold it in. You can always call for me with this amulet. Any time and I will show up for you, always," Sadako said and Tamiko looked at the green amulet that Sadako was handing him.

It didn't look as strange as Tamiko had expected, but at least this way he wouldn't feel like he was alone.

"Thank you so much, uncle," Tamiko said, hugging Sadako one more time.

"Be well, Hinata," Sadako whispered softly as he disappeared into the woods once he was sure Tamiko was in his shelter.