RWBY: Tiger King and Dragon Queen

We do not own RWBY or any other copyright content. All rights to it go to Monty Oum, Viz Media, and their original owners. All OCs are owned by us.

Writing credits go to Uzumaki Ricky, Monsterhuntergod, Sharad the hedgehog, and Traines.

Tiger King and Dragon Queen

Volume 1 Chapter 9: Twin Tigers' Birthday Bash

Everyone stood in awe at the stunning performance that had been unleashed. Too much in awe as the room soon became wreathed in an eerie silence. A fact that quickly displeased Trivia and she soon made it known.

'Really? I go through that much work and not even a birthday hug to your favorite cousin?' The multi-color haired girl signed indignantly.

As if on cue, the room erupted in thunderous applause, which instantly soothed Trivia's hurt ego. As soon as a small smirk curved onto her lips, the hulking frames of her younger cousins came up and pulled her into a hug. The rest of the crowd quickly saw any and all negative thoughts the girl had melted away in that hug.

Azura pulled back from the hug and gave Trivia a smile. "Thank you, Trivia. You know we always love your birthday surprises. You always know how to mix things up and make a big show of things."

"That was awesome, Triv! A surprise worthy of the future clan head and the world's strongest swordsman!" Kenshi cheerfully and boastfully praised.

'What can I say? Only I can provide the best for my favorite cousins. Are you going to trust sis Aoi to pull off something that cool?' Trivia signed with a face certain of the answer to her question.

"I saw that, Trivia! You know it is improper for a young lady to be so boastful!" A voice called out from across the room.

At that moment, two girls, a young woman a bit taller than Yang around her early twenties and a girl a bit younger and shorter than Ruby made their way over. The taller girl had long royal azure blue hair pulled up in a bun with a princess style cut with deep azure-blue eyes and was dressed in the finest eastern formal robes. She had an air of dangerous elegance and grace about her, like a jungle cat stalking its prey. The young woman also had fine and noble facial features that currently bore a cross and stern look on her face.

The younger girl, on the other hand, was quite different in appearance. She had the same royal azure blue hair but kept short with slight bangs. Her eyes were as pink as the petals of a cherry blossom, but with a spark of mischievousness in them. Her less formal robes had shorter sleeves and were far less elegant than the taller girl's. Topping off her appearance were surprisingly cute facial features and a mischievous grin on her lips.

'It's only boastful if you can't back it up. Oh, wait Aoi, I did.' Trivia signed with a smirk and a flourishing bow.

The older girl, now identified as Aoi, gave her sister a stern look. "You should still try to be more ladylike, dear sister! We have a public image to uphold!"

"Oh, don't be such a stick in the mud, Aoi! It's a party! Loosen up!" The shorter girl chipperly piped up.

"Aokō, you're too free spirited for your own good." Aoi sighed.

'Don't listen to her. I think you need more freedom in that spirit. If I can go into gymnastics after I thought my dream was crushed, don't let anything stop you queen!' Trivia signed, lifting her arms to the sky to emphasize the last part.

Aoi frowned at that. "Do not encourage her, Trivia! I am trying to make this tomboy younger sister of ours into a proper young lady!" She replied.

Red, who had stayed behind everyone as they entered the dining hall, stepped in between the bickering sisters, and put up his hands in a placating gesture. "Girls, girls, you're all pretty. Can we get back to the party please?"

'You can start by getting me a ginger ale.' Trivia signed.

"Some sake please, Red." Aoi replied with a sigh and a smile.

"Pineapple fruit juice for me, please!" Aokō said with a smile.

Red sighed and mumbled something that sounded like, "Well that's that crisis averted." as he went to prepare the drinks the ladies had requested.

"Azura, anyone ever tell you your family is kinda crazy at times?" Yang asked the blue wonder to her left.

"As we say in East Mistral, 'No shit, Rong.'" Azura replied with a grin.

"How long have you been sitting on that one?" Yang asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Did you stay up all night working on that one kid?" Qrow asked sarcastically as he looked around at the immaculate room.

Azura chuckled a bit. "No. That one was on the spot." He shot back playfully.

Aoi gave a playful smirk to Azura as she walked over. "Happy birthday, dear cousins. Now then, Azura… I believe you have some unfamiliar faces to introduce us to?"

Azura blushed a bit at that. "R-Right. Girls, this is Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, their uncle Qrow Branwen, and their father Taiyang Xiao Long. Everyone, these are my cousins. The taller, more elegant one is Aoi, the playful tomboy is Aokō, and you have already met Trivia." He told them, doing the introductions.

"Pleasure to meet you." Ruby said sweetly.

"An honor to meet you." Yang followed, remembering to bow her head.

Qrow did not respond verbally but simply raised his hand in a wave.

Taiyang simply rolled his eyes and spoke up. "Don't mind him, he has the social skills of an alligator. It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Tai."

Qrow playfully punched him in the arm and offered up a simple, "Kiss ass."

"For the gods' sake, Qrow! Think of the children." Tai chided but still smirked.

Red reappeared with a tray with Trivia, Aoi, and Aokō's drinks. "Your drinks, ladies." He said as he handed each of them their requested beverage.

'Thank you, sir. Finally, punctual service around here.' Trivia signed with a smirk before taking the drink.

"I aim to please, Miss Vanille-Sōtora." Red offered with a small smile of his own.

Aoi gave a smile as she accepted her drink. "Thank you, Red. As sweet as always."

"Thanks, Red!" Aokō replied as she eagerly downed her juice from her glass.

"Slow down, Aokō. We do not want you spilling juice on your robes." Aoi chided.

"Aw come on, sis! I won't make a mess! See?" She replied as she finished her drink before putting the glass back on Red's tray for a later refill.

'You were saying, sister?' Trivia signed, looking at Aoi with a look of pure 'told you so.'

Aoi rolled her eyes with a smile as she sipped her sake. "Fair enough. Enjoy the party, honored guests. And happy birthday, Azura, Kenshi." She replied before heading off to socialize and schmooze.

Aokō rushed up and hugged Azura tightly before doing the same to Kenshi. "Happy birthday, guys! And it was great meeting you all!" She energetically said before rushing off to find some new friends to cause trouble with.

'Have fun, everyone. The knuckleheads finally figured out where the door is.' Trivia signed with a smirk, following her little sister into the depths of the party that began unfolding.

It was at that moment that the doors to the other side of the dining hall burst open like a pitcher drink man from a juice commercial. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOSS/CHIEF!" Two loud and boisterous voices boomed out over the din of the party before two blurs rushed through the crowd to pull Azura into a bear hug.

One of them was a young man of Kenshi's height with a scarlet red pompadour, a long toothpick in his teeth, and a katana at his hip. He wore blue non-formal robes under a black leather biker jacket with the Sōtora clan's tiger head mon symbol on the back. He had the widest smile on his face as he practically squeezed the life out of Azura.

The other was a young man the same height as Azura with very spiky electric yellow hair. He wore a red headband on his forehead with bandages wrapped around his hands and forearms. His non-formal robes were black in color with the Sōtora clan's tiger head mon symbol on the back and only bandages covering his bare chest beneath them. Topping off his appearance was a pair of sandals with no socks on.

Azura was finally allowed to breathe as the two dropped him and each gave him a playful punch on the arm at the same time. "Hello, Ryū, Sano. How are you two enjoying the party?" He asked with a sigh and a smile, speaking like a lord addressing his retainers.

"Boss, quite the party you got brewing up here! Just like Red on the bar with the drinks… who's those people over there?" Ryū loudly said, before looking confused at the Xiao Long-Rose Family.

Azura rolled his eyes. "Right. Ryū, Sano, this is Yang, Ruby, their father Taiyang, and their Uncle Qrow. Everyone, this is Sagara Ryūnosuke and Ichimonji Sanosuke, two retainers of mine. I affectionately call them 'Ryū' and 'Sano' for short." He told them, addressing the two sides.

"So, you picked them up cheap with a two for one deal then?" Yang asked, skeptical of the two before her.

"Yes, I did." Azura replied in a deadpan.

"So, these are the new friends you mentioned in your letters? Ryū, mah brother! Rejoice, for we have before us the newest buds of our young master! Let's celebrate by opening up a big ol' can of whoop ass on them!" Sano barked out with joy.

"Finally, some new meat around here to beat! Wait a minute… Ryū didn't think that one through." Ryū said in a roller coaster tone.

"No. No you did not." Azura said before getting in front of them and bonking them on the head like children, "Now knock it off, you two. These are my guests that I personally invited. Are you disrespecting my judgment?"

Sano bowed his head. "We're sorry, Chief! Please forgive us!" He exclaimed, sounding like he was about to cry.

"Look Boss, you don't understand! We're simply trying to ensure your judgment is top notch as always! We can't have you looking like a bozo like Sano over here! Just be in bad form with your meat… what is with me and meat lately?" Ryū groveled, bowing like a monk who pissed off their deity of choice.

"... Remind me again why I picked you two knuckleheads up off the streets?" Azura asked, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Because yer an honorable and charitable samurai lord who believes firmly in the compassion of tenet of the Bushidō ways." Ryū answered with nothing but the biggest of puppy dog eyes.

Sano, who was crying freely at this point, managed to choke out "Brown noser!"

"At least I ain't crying my eyes out like a little bitch, Sano!" Ryū snapped back at his frenemy/sworn brother.

"I'm showin' our Lord true regret, yah freak!" Sano snapped while whipping his eyes.

"... You two are so incredibly lucky that you are extremely loyal and have the potential to be great Yakuza bosses someday. And Sano… do not cry." Azura replied, sighing in frustration.

Sano simply responded with a choked up, "Ok."

"Yer likin' this shindig Cao whipped up, right?" Ryū asked.

Azura smiled at that. "Yes, Ryū. I am enjoying the party. Please tell Cao that he did an excellent job at planning and setting up the party, all right you two?" He told his two retainers.

With brief and hurried goodbyes, the two bowed deeply, apologizing for their actions wordlessly. As soon as they began shuffling off, however, two much larger forms as if on cue stepped up to fill their space. They were very tall, towering even above Azura and Kenshi at about seven feet tall. They both had farmer's tans and farmer's builds, muscled to high hell with each having a large tetsubō in hand. The most notable thing about them was that one had light green eyes and hair with some spots on his face while reading a book and the other had brown hair and eyes with bear ears on top of his head.

"You rang, my lord?" The one with the bear ears boomed.

Azura rolled his eyes and gave a smile. "Hello, Yama. No, I did not summon you. But, while you are here, I can introduce you to my new friends."

"Gama, you fucking liar." Yama growled at his partner.

The other boy, Gama looked up from his book, titled "Ronin Romance," and asked in a pretty relaxed tone, "Did you say something?"

"You said our lord summoned us. Yet the lord said he didn't. Mother told you not to lie." Yama growled.

"Easy, Brother. That was just the fastest excuse to get us here." Gama claimed easily.

"Okay, what's in the water around here to make people taller than you?" Yang asked.

"Good veggies?" Ruby asked.

"And this is why you eat those, Ruby." Yang shot back.

"Shut up." Ruby pouted.

Azura chuckled a bit. "Yama, Gama. Meet Yang, Ruby, their uncle Qrow, and their father Taiyang. Everyone, these two mountains of muscle are my future bodyguards Yamashita Kohaku and his brother Gamatotsuka, also known as Yama and Gama." He told them.

"Charmed." Yang said simply.

"Agreed, my lady. My lord, bartender, twelve o' clock." Yama said as he saw Red walking towards the group again from behind the bar.

"I'm about to have my hands full, so I'm just going to go ahead and give you your gift now!" He said happily.

With a snap of his fingers, the swing doors to the dining hall were opened by two servants. Then slowly but surely, laboring under great weight, a forklift rolled in with a smaller crate than expected. Before anyone could make mention of it however, the machine stopped and dropped the front forks to the ground with a surprising thud. Then the driver kicked into reverse, and it left with the industrial beeping ringing through the halls.

Azura walked over to the crate with a raised eyebrow. "... What the actual hell is this?" He asked in confusion.

Red swiftly left the room and just as quickly reappeared brandishing a crowbar, then went about opening it.

"Ta-dah!" Red said happily as the crate was opened, "Oh by the way there are some books in there, but I think they're at the bottom."

Azura raised an eyebrow at that. "Then what's at the top?" He asked before looking inside the crate.

To his and the others' surprise, what was in the crate… was a massive number of bottles of melatonin. Pulling out one of the bottles, Azura inspected it and saw that it was extra strength melatonin.

"Is that amount legal?" Ruby asked innocently.

"Let's leave that for them to worry about." Yang answered.

Rolling his eyes, Azura smiled at his friend. "Thanks a lot, Red. That is really nice." He replied sarcastically.

"Don't say I never gave you anything, also the books are from Vacuo." Red replied while patting his friend on the shoulder.

Azura smiled. "Now that is more like it! Yama, Gama. Would you two please take this crate up to my room and then return to your guard duties?" He replied, turning to his two bodyguards.

"Yes, sir." Yama said as he and Gama put their weapons on their back holsters and walked towards the crate.

Gama simply offered a small bow as he went about helping his brother. With a deep grunt they lifted the crate up and slowly carried it off. With a smile, Azura turned to Red and Guren. Red gave a silent bow and left to go take up his position behind the bar.

"You've been oddly quiet, Guren." Azura told his childhood friend.

Guren gave Azura a bright smile. "I wanted to let you finish the introductions. Well, as fun as this has been, I've got things to do myself. I'll see you all later on in the evening!" She replied, giving Azura one last hug before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

As everyone began to calm down, the more perceptive members of the group felt something. It was faint at first, but slowly and surely it grew. Soon peoples' glasses with their contents began to vibrate in short concussive bursts. It almost felt like… footsteps.

"Kid, did someone get you a Beringel for a present?" Qrow asked Azura.

Azura and Kenshi had deadpan looks on their faces. "It's not a Beringel…" Azura told him.

"It's something much worse…" Kenshi finished for his twin.

"Skylar! Where're the birthday boys!?" A loud, booming male voice rang out.

As a set of doors flung open, everyone turned to look at the new arrivals. Three of the band of four were women of varying ages. The eldest wore a gold, black and red dress, standing out against her golden eyes, silver hair, and the wolf ears on top of her head. Her daughters, one a busty girl around Azura's age and the other around Aqua's, both had pale-ish blue hair and the younger one azure-blue eyes and pale-ish blue wolf ears like her mother while the other had silver eyes like Ruby's and a pale-ish blue wolf tail. Both wore long flowing blue dresses for their sizes.

However, the father stood the most out, not the least for his size being taller and more towering than even the bodyguards. His dark black hair, tanned skin, the wolf claws on his fingers in place of fingernails, and his many scars clashed with the simple white shirt and jeans he wore. Like he did not even try to pick out something fancy.

"I can't see them, dad! You're too big!" The youngest of his children Skylar playfully pouted, trying to climb her dad from behind.

"Don't worry, child! I see them!" The behemoth in white answered.

With speed seemingly impossible for something so massive, the man ran up with his arms spread wide and wrapped one around each boy in a bone crushing hug that nearly made them both squeak like dog toys. Swiftly the birthday boys were lifted from the ground, practically helpless.

"Happy birthday, boys!" The man boomed.

"Thank you… Uncle Scar…! Now please… put us down…!" Azura gasped out in pain.

"Ribs… crushing lungs…! Can't… breathe…!" Kenshi gasped out in just as much pain, trying to not pass out.

"Not before the traditional Tenrō Clan head pat!" Scar answered as he moved his hands up towards their heads and patted them on the head surprisingly gently.

"I… do not… consent to this…! These… are… non-consensual… head pats…!" Azura gasped out against the painful hug and surprisingly gentle head pats.

"Neither… do… I…!" Kenshi gasped out alongside his twin.

"Scar." The tiny woman in gold said in a calm but chilling voice.

"Yes, Shiro!?" Scar asked in about the quietest voice he could, which still boomed in the ears of the boys like explosions.

"Down." His wife Shiro told him simply pointing to the ground as if she was commanding a pet.

"Yes, dear!" Scar answered, dropping them like a sack of potatoes from his arms.

"I think… she meant… gently…!" Kenshi groaned in pain.

"Mom didn't say gentle, Dumb Azura Copy." The busty blue haired beauty said with sass for days.

"Shut… up… Sapphire…!" Kenshi groaned in agony.

"I think he broke something…!" Azura groaned out in equal amounts of pain.

All most onlookers could do at the absurdity of this entire situation was barely hold back laughing. Only the overwhelming urge to be respectful towards their hosts was keeping this from turning into a complete comedy routine. Tai walked over to help Kenshi up, while Yang and Ruby helped Azura up from the floor slowly. Qrow chuckled and sipped a pale lager as he watched the scene.

Catching his breath, Azura panted as he tried to introduce his friends to the new guests. "Yang… Ruby… Lord Branwen… Lord Xiao Long… this merry band is-"

"What's up, my fellow busty beauty? Hey, tiny flower." Sapphire said, addressing the sisters with a bit of a chill when she addressed Ruby.

"Hello." The two sisters answered, Ruby being more nervous than anything.

Azura was confused by this. "You've met before?" He asked in confusion.

"Long story…" Ruby nervously said, as if she was ready to flee from the situation entirely.

"We met through my brother." Sapphire said in a simple tone.

Azura placed a gentle hand on Ruby's shoulder to calm her down. "I understand. So how are all of you enjoying the party?" He replied, addressing the family from the Tenrō clan.

"REEEEED! GET US SOME DRINKS UP IN THIS BITCH!!" Scar boomed at the bar, forcing Red to work double time as he headed to the bar.

"This sounds like it will get expensive." Shiro sighed as she followed her idiot.

Kenshi looked at Sapphire with a smile. "Wanna go and catch up, Saph? I saw a very good-looking waiter over by the buffet." He offered to his and his twin's Tenrō friend.

"Sure, not like they got a shot with me though." Sapphire said, rolling her eyes as she walked out of the room with a swing in her hip as Kenshi followed behind her.

"Skylar, follow us! Aqua's by the buffet!" Kenshi called out as he left with Sapphire.

"Okay, Dumb Azura Copy! Happy birthday, you two!" Skylar said as she ran off in the direction of the food with a mischievous devil grin.

Azura turned to the family with a smile on his face. "Well, now that the most major introductions are out of the way, we can enjoy the party in peace. Feel free to mingle and have some fun."

"I'm going to hit the bathroom…" Ruby nervously said.

"Same." Yang said, raising her eyebrow at her sister.

"Have fun, you two!" Qrow yelled out from the bar, surprising everyone at how he got there so fast.

"Don't drink too much, Uncle Qrow!" Yang yelled.

"Too late!" Qrow called back, knocking back shots.

"Figured." Yang muttered as she followed Ruby.

"For once, I get some time to myself. Man, that's a rarity." Tai muttered as he soon disappeared into the mass of party goers.

With that, the party got into full swing. Qrow got into a drinking contest with Scar and the visiting samurai, having a good time pushing his liver to its limits for the occasion. Taiyang managed to attract some attention from the visiting older single women while also chatting with some of the visiting male samurai, having a great time regaling them all of tales from his time in Team STRQ before settling down. Yang had to drag Ruby away from the bathroom window and make her go have some fun, leaving Ruby grumbling as she stomped off into the party to go find Guren. This left Yang by herself to occupy her time. She danced with some visiting samurai boys for a bit, had some food, and then headed to the bar to try to get some drinks.

"Hey, Red. Got some drinks?" Yang asked.

"Not for you, Yang. Azura told me your birthday isn't for another couple of weeks. So, no alcohol for you for now." He told her as he was cleaning a glass.

"That giant, blue haired…" Yang grumbled before being stopped by someone at the bar, turning to see a very plain looking young man before her.

"Don't mind him. On the house for you, my lady." The young man said, handing her a bottle of fine travelers' sake and two cups.

"Thank you, good sir." Yang said with a smile and hid them in her dress as she headed off to find her blue haired host.

As she looked around, it did not take long to find Azura. He was talking and schmoozing with some visiting noble boys and girls in a big crowd. Squeezing through the crowd, Yang managed to make it to him. As she looked him over, despite how subtle he tried to be, Yang could tell he was a tiny bit uncomfortable around them. Deciding to put aside lecturing Azura from keeping her away from alcohol for now, she made her move to liberate him from the situation.

"Lord Azura, would you honor me with your presence on a walk?" Yang asked, offering her hand to him.

Azura looked surprised, but also a tiny bit relieved for a moment before composing himself. "It would be my pleasure, milady. Ladies, gentlemen. Enjoy your time at the party." He replied with an aristocratic smile as he took her hand and left with her, much to the displeasure of the women in the crowd.

Soon, Azura and Yang left the party as they made their way out onto the outer area of the castle on a higher floor. Sighing in relief, Azura turned to address Yang with a genuine smile on his face. "Thank you for the save, Yang. I do not like having to play politics at a non-formal party." He told his blonde female friend.

"Anything to help a friend in dear need. Besides, just in case, I got you something to help calm your nerves." Yang said, pulling out the sake and cups from under her dress.

Azura's eyes widened in disbelief. "Yang… where did you get that?" He asked, confused about how she got it.

"Does it matter?" Yang asked.

Azura shrugged dismissively. "I suppose not. I could use a chance to unwind." He replied as the two carefully sat down and poured themselves cups of the sake.

With that, the two began drinking together as they tried to relax and enjoy each other's presence. As the alcohol worked its way into their systems, the two began to loosen up more. After about a few minutes of them drinking together, Yang spoke up to break the silence.

"So, Azu… got any cool hobbies or stuff that got your interest?" Yang asked in an uncommonly brazen manner even by her standards.

Azura smiled at that. "Well, outside of a love for literature, I also love motorcycles, dancing even though I'm not very good at it, cooking as you know, and I also play guitar and sing a little." He told her.

"I can teach you, Azu. I'm so good I wrecked a whole bar and dance floor after some bastard failed to give me the info I wanted about my mother. Wait, I said the quiet part out loud." Yang said, looking away in confusion at the second part.

Azura raised an eyebrow at that. "Information about your mother? Why?" He asked, trying not to pry too much.

"Figured since my mom ran off, likely to support herself she had to become a criminal. So, I figured fuck it, go to a place run by Hei Xiong Junior. That crook might know." Yang continued, bitterness beginning to leak from her voice at the mention of her mother.

Azura looked aghast at hearing that. "Your mother ran off? Why? You and your father are incredible, so I cannot see why anyone would want to walk out on you." He replied in confusion since Yang had never opened up about this before.

"Want to know why? I know why. Dad tried to keep it quiet when he talked to Uncle Qrow, but I heard him. She was afraid of commitment. She was afraid of the consequences of her shitty past and shitty actions catching up and harming people. So instead of having the cajónes and standing her ground, she up and ran. Then Summer came in and was the greatest supermom ever. Before she went off on a mission and died, leaving dad depressed, Ruby never knowing her mother and lonely as fuck, and I had to step up to be the adult of the place until dad could pick himself back up. That's why!" Yang explained, bitterness and frustration only muffled by bits of tears forming around her eyes.

Seeing the obvious pain Yang was in broke his heart. He could not stand seeing a woman as strong as Yang enduring this. Setting his cup down and taking hers from her, Azura wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her into a hug. 

"Azu, don't… I don't need…" Yang said through sobs, her tough visage breaking down by the word and breath.

"Shhhh… it is okay, Yang… just let it all out… No one can be strong all the time…" Azura whispered in her ear, gently rubbing her back.

Biting back a whimper, not wanting to appear too weak, Yang wrapped her arms around Azura and accepted the embrace. Nestling her face into his chest so that he would not actually see her crying, Yang sobbed into Azura's shirt. Letting out all the emotions she tried to keep to herself for so long, the alcohol in her system gave her enough courage to allow herself to be vulnerable for once.

As Yang slowly got her emotions under control, Azura pulled back to look at her. Seeing the flushed look on Yang's face, clearly not from embarrassment, Azura raised an eyebrow. "Yang? Are you drunk?" He asked her, a bit concerned.

"No, I'm not… Shut up…" Yang sobbed, pressing her face into his shoulder as she fully realized what she just did.

Rubbing her back, Azura tried to calm her down. "It is okay, Yang. You do not have to hide yourself from me. Everyone has their own pain that they keep inside… their own form of loneliness that they grapple with…" He told her, trying to comfort her.

"Pour me more sake." Yang said through his shoulder.

"In a minute… you take as long as you need to calm down first…" The azure shogun replied, trying to comfort his friend.

"Pour it now." Yang said firmer, gripping his clothes as she did.

"Not until I know for sure you're okay." He replied just as firmly.

"I will be when you pour me more of the forget me juice." Yang firmly said.

Sighing, Azura poured her some more into her cup. To his surprise, Yang slipped herself into his lap and accepted the cup so that she could drink without Azura needing to break the hug. As Yang continued downing her sake, Azura took sips of his too.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you've got beautiful eyes? They're like… what's something blue and pretty other than you?" Yang asked, her cheeks flushed with red.

Azura blushed at that. "My ex-girlfriends used to tell me that a lot…" He admitted, feeling a bit self-conscious even if it was less so than usual.

"Well, fuck them. That's why they're exes. They're not good enough for a man like you." Yang asserted.

"To be fair, out of the four of them, I am on good terms with most of them. Though one of them did have pictures of me all over the walls of her room even if she apologized for it. And another did originally only date me to rub it in the face of some bullies even if she felt bad for it. And one did… well…" Azura explained, looking a bit nervous about admitting this part.

"Say no more, big boy. If I ever see those two bitches, I'll punch them in the schnoshe." Yang said with a fierce smirk.

Azura smiled a bit. "Please do not. I am not worth getting yourself in that kind of trouble." He told her.

"Quit being down on yourself like a lump of potatoes left out too long. You're worth more than your weight in gold. All two thousand pounds of it." Yang said with a smile.

"Actually, I'm a bit over two hundred…" Azura told her as he moved to pour her some more sake for her cup.

"That's what I said. Thank you, big boy." Yang said, taking the cup out of his hand and sucking it into her mouth in one go.

As Azura moved to refill his cup, Yang then did something that surprised him. She cupped his face, made her look at him, and moved to smash her lips into his in a kiss. However, as she tried to jump him, she passed out in his arms, falling asleep.

Azura looked at her in surprise before smiling, gently moving Yang. Laying her head in his lap, he gently stroked the snoring blonde's hair. Smiling, the golden-haired dragon nuzzled into his lap and slept soundly. The blue samurai found himself entranced by how Yang looked in the moonlight, the rays of silver light dancing off her golden blonde hair like a halo.

"Masterfully done, my lord. Your mother would be happy to see such a development." A calm and oddly soothing voice said from the shadows.

Azura sighed at that, looking at the source of the voice. "It is not like that, Hattori. She is just a friend."

A man wreathed in shadow, features barely visible through his uniform and the shadows that surround him, changed his continence to that of a more jovial mood. As much as a man of his nature would allow that is. Taking his hand off his sword for a moment, Azura could notice the faintest smile piercing his cloth face covering.

"Isn't that how they usually start, my lord?" Hattori asked.

"And, every time, they did not pan out. I am content with things the way they are now." Azura told the man.

"Forgive my coyness my lord, but it appeared you required some humor to fortify your mind against what had recently happened." Hattori answered him.

Azura nodded at that. "Thank you, Hattori. Can you… leave us alone for a while, please…?" He replied to the enigmatic ninja.

"You know the answer to that, my lord." Hattori answered mirthfully.

Azura sighed and nodded as the man slipped back into the shadows. Gathering Yang up, the azure shogun held her up in a bridal carry as he made his way through the halls of the castle. Making his way to a room, the blue samurai gently slipped the blonde pugilist under the covers of the bed so he could leave. However, to his surprise, she grasped tightly onto him as soon as he tried to leave, refusing to let him go.

"No, Azura. You're my bestest friend…" Yang muttered drowsily.

Gently, Azura shook her in an attempt to wake her up. "Yang… please let go…" He told her, already seeing where this was going.

"Don't… wanna…" Yang said through a tired yawn.

With that, before Azura could protest, Yang dragged him into the bed and snuggled up against him. With her arms wrapped tightly around him, the golden dragon clung to him like white on rice, a glass of milk, and a paper plate in a snowstorm. Sighing, the azure tiger gently hugged her back as the two of them nodded off.

The Next Morning

Yang's wakeup call was the organic alarm of a splitting headache. Gripping her head in pain she sat up on the bed in confusion and frustration. As she sat there trying to nurse her headache, the previous night slowly began to return to her at what happened. Blushing, she looked next to her to see Azura sleeping soundly on the bed. Right next to where she was. Causing her face to become a flushed crimson as she got off the bed quickly.

'I just… slept in the same bed as Azura. I slept with a boy. Not in that way like I have before, but… fucking hell, why did I take that drink?' Yang thought, her mind being scattershot in its attempts to comprehend what happened.

With that, the door burst open. Alarmed, Yang jumped a bit away from the bed in shock as Azura jolted awake. It was at that moment that Azura's father bolted into the room with a boisterous smile on his face as he quickly reached the bed and grabbed Azura by the throat.

"GOOOOD! MORNING! AZURAAAAAA!" He roared out as he lifted Azura up by the throat, preparing to choke slam him to the floor.

On pure instinct, and to the day she died Yang did not know where it came from, she sprang into action. Jumping at Azolum, she grabbed him in a face lock that made him let go of Azura, and in keeping parallel to the ground, brought his regal face crashing into the floor with shocking speed and power. It was so fast and efficient by the time Azura came properly to, all he saw was his father on the floor face first, and Yang arms arched upwards in a victory pose.

"... Wow, Yang. Color me impressed. It looks like our training sessions are already paying off." Azura commented with a smile, blushing from the memory of what happened last night.

"Thanks, Azura. You got anything for a hangover…? My head is killing me…" Yang said, clearly fighting through the pain.

The azure shogun nodded and got out of the bed, making sure to fix the sheets and blanket first. "Follow me to my room. I have something that should help." He told his blonde friend.

"I owe you one, Azura." Yang answered with a smile.

With that, the two left the room as Azolum twitched helplessly on the ground. Weakly, he lifted his hand and slowly closed it in a thumbs up.

"She's a keeper, son…!" He groaned out in pain as his arm and hand, thumb still up, slowly lowered to the ground…

To Be Continued...