Rating:: T

Disclaimer:: I wish, but sadly I don't own the beautiful Soubi or the cute Ritsuka. -sigh-

Notes:: Another One-shot. This one is pretty old so sorry if it's got a cannon mix up. I can't remember. STILL DON'T HAVE A BETA, SO LET ME KNOW ABOUT TYPO'S!!

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Ritsuka waited. Soubi had promised to show up this time and so he would. It just hurt that the fighting unit of Beloved was three hours late is all. The cat eared boy had promised he'd wait at the park though and he would, at least until curfew because he didn't want to try and sneak in when his mother would surely be waiting for him. "Where are you Soubi?" He asked tiredly. Anger had been spent on the pile of shredded leaves below him and sadness lost to the wind leaving behind only dried tears.

Why was he waiting? It wasn't like Soubi ever kept his promises. He didn't answer the phone, he fought without Ritsuka, he didn't show up, he didn't explain things. He didn't even care if Ritsuka was hurt by his lack of honesty! Why should Ritsuka suffer the heartache and near physical pain when his fighter did these things to him? "I shouldn't but what else would I do? I can't let them take me because that would betray Seimei and I can't do that! Would someone tell me what to do please?"

Frustrated tears welled up in his eyes and he angrily swiped them away with his arm. No tears for this one, not anymore. He was Loveless wasn't he? He should have expected this! But expecting and knowing and realizing and having it happen were all different things and they all brought him pain no matter what he did. Ever since he'd learned his name he'd fought it. Perhaps he shouldn't fight it anymore?

Soubi was Seimei's fighter, he knew that. Where was his? Had his fighter been captured? Had they died or did they even know that they were supposed to be with him? Soubi and Ritsuka didn't share a name. Could never have the bond that a named pair did. Why did Soubi stay with him then? Wasn't a fighter supposed to be with his sacrifice? Breathless had seemed shocked that he was still alive. Its because of Seimei he's here. You know that.

Yes he knew that, of course he did! More angry tears were welling up in his eyes and he didn't bother to try and wipe them away. Why bother when he was sure more would follow? It was always like this, he'd cry and cry and then Soubi would show up just in time for Ritsuka to decide he wouldn't yell at or ignore him if only he'd show up. Not this time though, this time he wasn't going to be here when Soubi decided to finally show himself.

"Good bye." Ritsuka whispered not at all surprised when the wind carried the sound away from him with what sounded to his desolate mind like a miserable sigh. He felt a twinge of sympathy for the element. It never had anyone to pair itself with. Fire had water and earth the heavens but what did the wind have? Things flirted with it for sure but nothing ever stayed. Just as the leaves caught in its arms fell to the ground so to would Ritsuka's friends and family fall from him.

Ritsuka would wait no longer. Over the years his curfew had been extended and now he didn't have to be home until midnight. His mother had said he was a big boy now, nearly eighteen, and could take care of himself. Another thing that had gotten better with his age, his mother. She had given up hope that Ritsuka would ever go back to being her ten year old son and instead was treating him as a distant relative that you had to allow board and meals.

It was only proper she look after her long dead cousins son right? Forgetting that she never had any cousins because both her parents were only children and her husband had left her years ago. Perhaps that was the cousin? After he'd left she'd decided that Ritsuka was just a relative and her Ritsuka had died with Seimei in his school.

This line of thought was making him feel depressed so he turned his mind to something else while he physically turned a corner. The Zero's weren't after him for anything but fun now. They'd been teaching him things without Soubi as well, how to command your fighter, how to beat an opponent with much more experience, what sorts of drinks could be mixed to give you the effect of alcohol without actually ingesting any.

That last thought made him smile and Ritsuka barely felt any pain as the corners of his lips turned up. It used to be bothersome to smile, always fake to make someone else happy, somehow it felt good to smile for himself. "Soubi's probably waiting at the park wondering where I am." The thought made the smile widen. Let the older man wonder and worry, he'd done it enough to Ritsuka in the past couple of years! Without realizing it he'd gotten very close to Soubi, Ritsuka knew this. He also knew that Soubi brought him nothing but pain.

While sighing he went inside his house, waved at the cheerful greeting from his mother, and opened the door to his room. He looked up and blinked wide purple eyes in surprise for there, standing in the middle of his room, was Soubi holding a present.

"Sukidayo Ritsuka, happy birthday." Tears gathered in purple eyes and the cat boy closed his door with a resounding click that seemed to echo in the sudden silence. Moving forward with feet that felt like lead he took the gift and looked down at the bright wrapping paper. "What are you doing here Soubi?" He'd forgotten it was his birthday, no one had reminded him. "I'm here to give Ritsuka his present. It is his birthday after all."

A black head of hair shook as if denying this fact. It was Ritsuka's seventeenth birthday, five years without Seimei. Three years of battles and fear and confusion. Three years of Soubi. "Thank you." They stood with Ritsuka's head bowed while he held the package and Soubi staring down at him with a soft smile for several minutes before the fighter moved. "You should open it Ritsuka, before your birthday's over and you have to wait another year!"

Both of them went to sit, Ritsuka in the computer chair and Soubi on the floor beside his bed. The paper was carefully unwrapped as it was every year and then folded before he opened the box. A small chuckle left him as he lifted up the blue and black scarf that looked to be hand made to find porno magazines and a packet of cigarettes. He'd taken up the habit a few months ago and found that it helped keep him calm much better than a bath.

Purple eyes looked at Soubi in amusement as he realized that the porn wasn't heterosexual but rather yaoi. "How thoughtful of you Soubi, now explain why you weren't at the park? I thought we were meeting there today." The blond looked up from the thread he'd been picking at on his coat and smiled a bit sheepishly. "I wanted to go to the park but Kio said this would be more romantic. I don't think he knew that I was giving you porn for your birthday though."

Porn most definitely wasn't romantic in any way unless you were making it yourself. Ritsuka still lifted the mags to see how many there were and turned bright pink when he caught sight of what was under them. A bottle of purple lubricant, a pair of handcuffs, and what appeared to be very erotic pictures of Soubi and himself that had been sketched. His wide eyes were so focused on these surprises that he didn't notice the arms snaking around him until he was firmly caught and hot breath was fanning over his neck. "Why don't we make use of that lubricant Ritsuka? Your not a child anymore."

Several hours, three orgasms, and a very earless Ritsuka later they lay in the bed exhausted and sweaty. Ritsuka was sleeping peacefully for the first time in months with a small smile on his face in Soubi's arms and the older fighter couldn't help smiling down at the teen even in his sleep. Echoing in the darkness of the peaceful room, nearly carried away by the gentle breeze coming from the open balcony doors were the softly whispered words of someone who cared very much for the purple eyed sacrifice.

"Happy Birthday Ritsuka." A blood soaked figure left the balcony grunting softly upon impact with the ground. Loveless would not ruin the seventeen year olds perfect world now. He had taken care of that. Sleeping peacefully Ritsuka and Soubi were unaware that the other half of Loveless would never again see the light of day.

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REVIEW PLEASE!! I don't usually wirte Loveless, but this was itcihng in me after I finished the anime and book 2 of the manga so...