Ch.6 The men's circle

That night at dinner the men didn't join them probably finding a place to sleep or just refusing to see their wives at the dinner table but it seemed the children didn't even notice. No one spoke not even Mikage himself who had learned of the events while he was away from the children and was in no way surprised. Onikiri and Kotesu took the left overs and took them outside where to their surprise all the men were camped out. Forming a small semi-circle or an almost circle. Tomoe in the center with Kurama and Katorou to his left and the king to his right.

Earlier as Tomoe was setting up for the night Katorou came up to him. "Do you mind sharing a fire with me and some company? I'd like to apologize for my actions earlier." Tomoe smiled and nodded. "Its fine with me and I believe all is forgiven towards you I hope the same is for me?" Katorou smiled and nodded and prepared a camping tent since he wasn't really that good at roughing it outdoors. After night settled in reluctantly but apologetically Kurama joined them as well as the king who didn't bother to ask but the way his stare was set no one dared to stop him in his troubled state. "Was the talk with the wife that bad King?" Kurama asked as he stroked his own neck fearing he might open a can of worms. The king looked up and had an aura of envy radiate off of him. "I guess no one is truly perfect as I once thought." He said to no one really. "Got that right hell look how we all ended up." Kurama stated. "Kamehime revealed her buried feelings not long ago and I couldn't believe I didn't see it. I never knew how much she was suffering because of my position until now. I made her feel so belittled and worthless I'm truly a vile man as well as the worst husband." The king said as he hid his face in his hands. "That's not true king. There are men who don't even love their wives and often times who hate and kill them. I think you feeling the way that you do shows that you care, but if so how are you going to fix this?" Katorou asked. The king sighed and shook his head. "I haven't the slightest clue unless I forget my duties all together and focus on family then I don't see any other option." Tomoe scoffed and looked at the king. "Balance is key oh mighty dragon king. You balance the work load of your duties as well as your time with family else you'll never get anything done. It's the same for me as I am a familiar to Mikage Sama." Tomoe said calmly. Kurama kept his mouth shut respecting the conversation but disagreed with Tomoe being absolutely perfect. "I guess your right I'll try to make it my first task when I get home after speaking with my wife." He took in a breath and let out a hopeful sigh as he stared into the flames. Kurama began tapping his fingers on his knee then like swallowing vinegar, took a large gulp and stood. "All right I'll only say this once and say any wise ass remarks once I'm finished." They all stared up at him awkwardly as Kurama took a breath and rubbed his hands together preparing for his speech. "Ok…I'm sorry of most of the words I say today and I apologize fully. I will admit I'm prideful not only in my accomplishments but also in my son and took heavy offense not that I didn't throw out my fair share of insults and again I apologize. So….that's all I'm going to say." He quickly sat down leaving his audience flabbergasted and just focused on the fire before him and didn't bother to make eye contact. Tomoe chuckled making Kurama turn his head with a heavy scowl on his face. "Oh and what by chance is so funny Tomoe?" he asked with a evil smile on his face. Tomoe discontinued his little chuckle and with a clear face gently smiled. "I believe we all including myself have made an error during today one that I believe will be repeated in time as it rolls on. I'm just glad we can all apologize and hope that this won't come between this quite awkward relationship. So on my behalf I'd like to apologize and express my surprise and - to your apology." Kurama looked as if his mind had exploded but quickly returned as he eyed him. "You just wanted to sound cooler didn't you?" with this Tomoe closed his eyes and sighed. "Of course you just can't accept any good I do nor anything other. I only wanted to commend you on your honesty is all." Kurama shrugged and leaned against the log he was once sitting on and let out a deep sigh releasing all the weight of the day on his shoulder. As Tomoe tried to imagine the fights or arguments they had with their wives his eyes landed on Katorou's but couldn't seem to imagine or figure out why he wasn't with his wife who loved him too dearly to hate him or to be angry with him. "Katorou?" Tomoe called him getting his attention. "I would think that you would have been the easiest to be forgiven by your wife why are you here with us when you could be with your wife?" HE asked with an arched brow with a curious demeanor. "Um…Well ww…hhh..yyy do yo…you ask?" Katorou trying to sound calm but failing miserably. "Because for as long as I've known you I can't come to understand how you out of all of us managed to incur your wife's anger." "Oh well that's simple I gave myself the punishment cause I was in the fight too he hurried on." Tomoe thought it likely but knew a partial lie when he saw one. He spoke true but knew there was more than one reason. "I find that true but still I can sense that you've left for an ulterior motive. What is it?" Katorou gulped and began to blush a deep hue of red. Taking a breath and hollering at the group to where only they could hear him. "Because I needed a nightly break from Himemiko ok!" He hid his face in his arms on his knees as the others stared with their jaws dropped and shrugged simultaneously thinking. "It's always the quiet ones." And all began to hold back snickers and light chuckles. "It's not funny I'm dying over here." He sighed and looked as if he would fall into a puddle of self-pity. "Well you are a man Katorou why would you not be happy with your wife's affections?" asked Kurama. "Because it's every night after chasing the kids, helping her run things, not to mention my studying in University. It's too much for me to handle. At first I welcomed it but as time went on I became too tired for it, man I'm so pathetic." The men were still in a daze but the dragon king smiled and spoke. "I envy you Katorou, I truly envy you. You have the opportunity to spend every waking moment with your family and with the one you love. If I had a chance to be with my beloved I'd fall to her whims of such like we were during the early years of our love." His eyes glazed over with such love and joy as he remembered their times together and when they were blessed with a daughter. Tomoe smiled as well and closed his eyes and leaned against the tree behind him imagining the times with Nanami. Their passion and love, their anger and frustration, but most of all the love and fear they had the day their son was born. He remembered before they married Nanami's fear for her future, of breaking his heart, and never having the opportunity to have a child with him. The joy that followed after his son's birth and the love that never ceased he carried with him as clear as if it happened moments ago. "I agree, I wish to be holding my wife at the moment feeling the swell of her belly under my hand and the movements of my child. Instead I've stupidly incurred her wrath and now spend my time wondering what she's doing knowing I'm missing moments with her." Kurama nodded and looked at his hands. "When I first held Mei I was more worried than when Yui was born. She was my first daughter and so little and fragile I felt so scared that she'd break I wouldn't let her go. Her own mother had to fight me to let her hold her own baby. We laughed so much afterward and Yui following my lead trailed her like a sick puppy and was there whenever she cried." He chuckled at the memories but then soured. "I let go of my baby girl to divulge in my own pride and grief over Tomoe. What right do I have to be a father of someone that precious?" Kurama stated as he hung his head low wallowing in his self-hatred. Katorou placed his hand on Kurama's shoulder and smiled. "Just regretting this much and how much love you have for her only proves what a capable father you are and I should know I have three children to prove my experience." They both chuckled followed by the king and Tomoe. Katorou sighed and looked up at the stars through the canopy and said. "We are mad men in love aren't we and we don't seem to mind at all." They all laughed at this while nodding in agreement. Seeking revenge for his embarrassment earlier Katorou looked toward Tomoe and Kurama. "So me and the king have explained our nightly passions what of the two of you? Any problems or craving perhaps." He said intrigued. Tomoe turned and blushed and Kurama chocked on air and began to cough along with a blush that began to spread. "Come on it can't be that embarrassing to tell. Oh wait yes it is cause I had to do It too." Seeing that the two wouldn't escape the vengeful man and the curious sea god they gave it up. "Nanami and I are pretty normal as she would put it. We only occasionally succumb to our passions maybe every 3 days if we are in need of it." Tomoe said quickly getting the description out of the way. They looked to Kurama who swayed his head for a moment and shrugged his shoulders. "Ami isn't much like Himemiko or like Nanami but she's just so cute you can't help but want to hold her and love her." He said innocently until Tomoe caught what he meant. "So what you are saying you rather than your wife is like Himemiko and instead of complaining like Katorou, no offense." He said to Katorou who nodded in agreement. "Just takes it instead, right?" Tomoe said as he gestured toward Kurama waiting for his answer. Kurama cringed as if he'd hit it on the nail. "Lesser than that but yes." Into a fit of laughter they roared incurring his wrath but it soon died down and they all gazed into the fire calmly when Onikiri and Kotesu walked up with their dinner. After their punishment not only were they all able to make up with their wives but also received love as well from the missing days of their punishment and some would probably be hosting their own baby shower not long after Nanami.