Valentine Mystery

by Dlbn

It started as a normal week, but when Ritsuka received a rose with a strange note, the week was about to become anything but routine.

Dlbn: Happy Valentine's Day, All! Fun fact. My friend is going to Anime Boston as Koya. Whee! Anyway I have two alternate endings for this chapter. If you want to read them as well, let me know! They're all vastly different. But none end in character death, I promise.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Loveless or anyone/anything from it. That all belongs to Yun Kouga.

000

It seemed like it was just going to be another pointless day dealing with inane classmates, Yuiko's inability to call herself anything but her first name, and the painful loneliness that had set into Aoyagi Ritsuka's chest ever Since Agatsuma Soubi left him in the cemetery about two years prior. As usual, his mother had thrown something at him that morning as usual, but her tirade was short lived and she retreated to her room to do whatever she did when he was at school. Yuiko and Yayoi had waited for him at the end of the block, hands linked, like they always did. As usual for February, snow littered the streets and practically covered the grass. However, from the moment Ritsuka set foot on school grounds, he got the feeling that something wasn't quite right. A few girls that he and his friends passed giggled for some reason, and a few of the guys they passed spoke in hushed whispers while staring directly at him. Normally the other students, some he knew from elementary school and some he didn't, would just ignore the trio. When Yuiko first agreed to be Yayoi's girlfriend, they had received the same attention from people who knew them since elementary school and even earlier than that. But they had never done that concerning him. Was someone about to confess their love for him or something stupid like that? The last time a girl did that he had had to politely decline and feed her some nonsensical excuse about his parents not allowing him or his now deceased elder brother Seimei to date until they were at least seventeen. She had bought it and moved onto some other guy the next week. He didn't want to have to deal with that kind of nonsense ever again.

He bid Yuiko and Yayoi their goodbyes just as the first bell to signify that the students had to rush to homeroom rang. Their homeroom was right across the hall from his, so it wasn't like he had far to go. Luckily for the couple, they didn't have Sagan Yoji and Natsuo with them. Unlucky for Ritsuka, he did. It wasn't that he didn't like the twins-friends of his since Soubi had defeated them in battle about two years ago-, but they could be overbearing and get him into trouble he didn't need to get into. He opened the door and walked into the room to see a rose laying on one of the desks. With a groan he realized it was his desk and had a feeling it was a girl like he had dreaded. No wonder everyone was giggling at him. He dropped his bag by the desk and picked up the flower. It had no thorns on the stem, and a little note was tied to it with black ribbon. He sighed and opened the little note. It simply said in typed-out font, 'one for the day we met'.

What the hell did that mean? It sounded like there was possibly more coming? And for the day they met? Well, that could have been anyone in the school; male or female. His sensei entered the room and grinned at him.

"Looks like you've got a secret admirer, Aoyagi-kun." He greeted, making other students laughed.

Ritsuka flushed red. "Yeah, I see that…" he stated.

"Do you have any idea who it could be?" An orange haired girl he was lab partners with in science the year before asked him.

"Not a clue." He replied. "It's not like I have people falling for me left and right or anything."

"Only one since school started, right?"

"Right."

They'd sort of become friends, if for nothing more then to be lab partners again if they had to. This year they hadn't.

"Who's the flower from?" Yoji wondered, plopping down next to Ritsuka.

He hadn't even heard the mint haired menace enter the room, which was highly unusual for either of the loud, hyperactive Sagan twins. Speaking of, it didn't look like Natsuo was with him. That was rather unusual, too.

"No clue." Ritsuka shrugged. "Was just sitting here. The note is typed so I can't even tell by handwriting if it's a girl or a guy."

"Can you imagine if it were a male that did that?" His former lab partner giggled. "How funny would that be?"

"Why would it be funny?" Ritsuka's tail involuntarily wrapped around the chair leg.

"Well you've already had a girl go for you, so if it was a guy, ti would be a tie. I wonder who would break that tie. A guy or girl?" She laughed.

Ritsuka rolled his eyes. He didn't think she was necessarily stupid, but her naivety was rather annoying at times. Then again, he was often described as more mature than an adult, so that wasn't a surprise. And considering the adults he knew-particularly the twins' 'mother' Sagan Nagisa, Soubi, and Minami Ritsu-it wasn't much of a surprise that he would be called that in the first place. After all, even Ritsu had said that Seimei was as mature as the devil himself. Considering what children his father and mother were, it was a surprise that either of their sons could turn out intelligent or mature, yet they got two of them that were. How strange.

"Heh, could you imagine if it's from Blondie?" Yoji laughed, reclining in his seat by tipping the chair backwards. "How creepy would that be? Two years without a single peep and suddenly you're getting flowers."

"Who's Blondie?"

"Yoji and Natsuo's cousin Soubi…" Ritsuka sighed. "He was close friends with my brother and became my friend after he died. He's been missing for the past couple of years."

"Missing for a couple years? Do you even think he's still alive?" A boy in front of Ritsuka turned around, having heard the conversation.

"He wouldn't just up and die." Yoji scoffed. "No way."

"You never know…"

"I'd have to agree with Yoji. He's pretty strong and all, so I doubt he'd get killed by someone."

"Even strong people can get hurt, you know. So can smart people or careful people."

"He's sort of a mixture of all three when he remembers to think for himself." Ritsuka muttered.

"He could still be hurt."

"I doubt it. Sometimes he goes off on his own." Natsuo informed, dropping a little pile of papers onto Ritsuka's desk. "It's no big deal."

"Two years is a pretty big deal." Ritsuka stated. "What the hell is this?"

"Minami emailed me that and said to make sure you get it. I don't know what the hell he wants." Natsuo shrugged and sat at his desk, putting his feet up on Yoji's as the bell rang to signify that homeroom was starting.

"Natsuo, feet off the desk." Their sensei scolded. "Morning, class."

"Good morning Irmamotuo-sensei." The class greeted as one, standing and bowing.

"Have a seat." He waved them off. "Morning announcements will begin shortly. Please try and pay attention…even as those words leave my mouth I know they're ridiculous."

The students laughed and began their chatter, continuing as the voice of the principal came over the loudspeakers.

"Even if he was trying to get a hold of you guys, wouldn't he contact his cousins first?" The boy in front of Ritsuka asked.

"Eh, we've never really been close." Natsuo shrugged.

"Yeah, we just reconnected a few months before he left." Yoji added.

Truth be told, they hadn't met Soubi before the day they had been sent to get Ritsuka and Soubi had found them first. They had beaten almost the life out of him during their spell battle and Yoji had even driven a nail through his hand for fun. But in the end, Soubi had won and the defeated twins were cast aside by Nagisa. Or perhaps they were just too afraid to go home and tell her that they failed. In the end, they had moved in with Soubi and had become close to both him and Ritsuka, who had found Soubi after another unit had almost killed him in battle and the blonde had accidentally called both Yoji and Ritsuka instead of his best friend Kio to come and get him. Ritsuka and the twins had bonded, and that bond didn't break even as they returned to Nagisa in Gora, and eventually back to Tokyo to be with Soubi and Ritsuka out of concern for their safety. He was grateful they had come back even if they had wreaked havoc in his sixth grade class after they had joined under Nagisa's orders and influence. If they weren't there, he wouldn't have had much support after Soubi left with Seimei and he was left in Tokyo as a complete wreck. Their tough love had knocked some sense into him and he was able to act as if everything were normal in front of his friends and mother. But he knew deep down that he was still hurt and still reeling from the experience of Seimei ordering Soubi away, and Soubi not listening even as Ritsuka fell to his knees begging him to stay. He at least had a gut feeling that Soubi wasn't dead-not yet, anyway-but he doubted the blonde would bother to try and come back after all this time. Didn't he know how much he had hurt Ritsuka, who he had once proclaimed his love for, by leaving as he did and not staying? Hell, if he did, did he even care? He had begged Ritsuka to not abandon him like so many in his life had beforehand, but in the end he had abandoned the neko. Ritsuka would take him back if he wanted to come back, but as far as being anything more then friends or a Fighter-Sacrifice unit went, it wasn't likely to happen.

"Still, you'd think he'd check in with you from time to time."

"Maybe he had no cell service wherever he went." Ritsuka shrugged. "I mean, he went to get a picture of the Iramote cat without saying anything and had no service while he was gone."

That was a favor he had done for Ritsuka when the neko ordered the semi-ridiculous request after Soubi had pissed him off by harassing his sixth grade teacher, Shinonome-sensei.

"Huh. Guess that makes sense." He shrugged and turned around to mind his own business.

"So strange that he'd just go and leave like that." Ritsuka's lab partner shrugged one shoulder.

"He's a little flaky." Ritsuka admitted.

"A little?" Yoji laughed. "That's an understatement."

Ritsuka was about to argue with him when the bell rung. The other students scrambled to get their stuff together and leave. Ritsuka's lab partner bid him promises to see him and the twins at lunch and rushed off to her English class on the other side of the building. Ritsuka and the twins leisurely strolled out of the classroom together; none of them in a rush to get to their first period study hall. It was both a gift and a curse to have a free period so early. A gift when they had homework they hadn't finished the night before, and a curse because if they didn't have homework, it got downright boring.

"Maybe it really is from Blondie." Yoji folded his arms behind his head, making other students have to duck to avoid running face-first into his elbows.

Ritsuka shoved one hand in his jeans pocket, the other clutching the strap to his bag. The rose was sticking out from underneath the zipper on the side.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Could just be from another student."

"Yeah, like we need another one of those incidents for you to explain yourself out of." Natsuo laughed, hands shoved into his jeans pockets moving as his shoulders moved with his laughter.

It wasn't that Ritsuka wasn't into women, since he wasn't really sure what he was into yet, but dating would just complicate things for if and when Soubi ever managed to come back from Seimei's side. Minami had told him that if Soubi was gone that long, the possibility of him returning was close to zero, but Ritsuka didn't want to believe that. Soubi would come back eventually. Whenever Seimei was done with whatever psychotic schemes he had taken Soubi for. He already had his true Fighter Nisei to do his dirty work. Why did he need Soubi? As a blank, Soubi was able to become the Fighter of whoever he was given too. In this case, he was given to Seimei from Minami and had Seimei's true name of Beloved carved into his neck by Ritsuka's-at the time-fifteen year old brother.

"Yeah, exactly." Ritsuka sighed. "I hate to have to let someone else down like I did the first time, but…"

"You're saving yourself for Soubi returning." Yoji shrugged. "We get it, Loveless."

"Don't call me that."

Loveless was Ritsuka's true name. A name he hated with a fiery passion despite the fact that it had appeared on his side once Soubi left him. The exact opposite of his brother.

"Too late." Yoji slung an arm around the raven's neck. "So what's the paperwork from Minami the Blind about?"

Seimei had gorged out Ritsu's eyes with a knife the day they had encountered one another a couple of years ago. After Ritsu's organization Septimal Moon had lured Ritsuka and Soubi up to Seven Voices Academy-a Fighter school in Gora-Seimei and his true fighter had broken into the school. Ritsuka and Soubi had defeated his Fighter, but they had ended up having to trade him to save Soubi's friend Kio who wasn't a part of that world.

"I haven't read it yet." Ritsuka shook his head.

"I read a bit while I was printing it." Natsuo admitted, running a hand through his long mahogany hair. "It has something to do with your brother, surprise-surprise, but I didn't really read into it."

"Probably better if I wait until I'm home to do so, too." Ritsuka stated.

The risk of his mother finding it was significantly lower than one of the school bullies stealing it out from under him if he dared to read it in school somewhere. The bully problem wasn't as bad in middle school as it had been in elementary school-Yuiko was the one who normally got picked on by her former mean spirited friends-but once and a while they decided that the rather petite Aoyagi was a good target if Yoji and Natsuo weren't with him. No one really cared if Yuiko or Yayoi were around because they were too fragile to do anything. But once Yoji had almost shattered a boy's wrist when he once dared to lay a hand on Natsuo, no one really wanted to mess with either of the twins or any of their friends while they were around. But when he was alone in History and a couple other classes, and sensei weren't around, they might get bored and decide to give him a hard time. And with the flower in his backpack, it wouldn't surprise them if they started on him today.

The trio managed to slide into their seats in study hall just as the first bell rang. Their monitor looked up at the students with a nod of acknowledgement before pulling out the roll call sheet and crossing off people. Three were missing.

"Did you finish the math homework?" Yoji wondered, turning to face Ritsuka. "I missed like three problems, and Natsuo was no help."

"Hey, words are my strong suit, not numbers." Natsuo huffed.

The one-eyed teen was the Fighter of their unit. As a Fighter, using carefully crafted and connected words as spells in a battle was his forte. Yoji only took the damage and gave him orders, though his partner normally didn't need much direction as it was. While annoying and rather rude at times, the Zero boys were a formidable team. So were the female Zeroes before they quit.

"Figures." Yoji rolled his eyes. "What good is a Fighter if he's useless half the time, hm?"

Where Soubi would bow and utter apologies, Natsuo just brushed off Yoji's quips about his abilities. As Fighters and servants, the two were as different as night and day.

"Oh shut up, Yoji." Natsuo ordered. "A Sacrifice is no better then his Fighter. So if I'm useless half the time, that make you useless half the time as well."

Yoji glared. "Well, Aoyagi?" He changed the subject.

"Yeah."

Ritsuka unzipped his bag and took out a folder. He pulled out the paper Yoji wanted and the mint haired neko pulled it from his fingers before he had a chance to say anything or offer it to him.

"Aw man, I'm wrong on three of the ones I did myself." Yoji groaned, erasing the work he'd done on one and fixing it.

He copied down the other answers and handed it back to Ritsuka.

"Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem."

It was a routine now that one of the Zeroes would copy something from him in this study hall and share it with the other, then the other would do the same thing later on in lunch. He hadn't really liked it a first, considering it cheating, but eventually he had let it go once they had done so a few times and hadn't gotten caught. Eventually, though, their luck would run out.

000

Later that night, Ritsuka sat in his bedroom staring at the note attached to the flower. Lucky for him, no one had bothered to bug him about it, and his mother had been asleep when he got home, so he had a free pass to get to his room without injury. The information Natsuo had printed and gave to him was just more meaningless dribble about his brother that he already knew from Soubi and Seimei's former friend Gomon Mikado, who he had betrayed. The two were in Septimal Moon together and had the same outlook on life or, at least, Seimei had faked sharing her mindset. Ritsuka didn't know what had happened between them to make him do it, but his brother had ordered his true fighter to take her ears by force and cut her hair. Ritsuka found the older raven disgusting for doing what Seimei had asked in that manner; regardless of his excuse of Seimei taking away his free will to argue against him and made him do it. He didn't want to hear the rat's mindless excuses. They were ridiculous and lacked any substance and, honestly, he was tired of listening to him whine about all the unfair things Seimei made him do or how unfair it was that Ritsuka had never apologized or made Soubi apologize for breaking his finger the day after he and Seimei had broken into the school. The lithe Fighter never seemed to shut up about it.

He still had no idea who would send him a flower of all things. The cryptic message didn't leave any clues, and the longer he stared at the little card, the more frustrated he got. Okay, so what if it did come from Soubi? Had he done it on his own free will? Or was it Seimei's order? And if so, well what the hell did his brother want? To torture him? Actually, that was pretty likely.

Ritsuka's cell phone buzzed at his side. He answered without looking at it.

"Hello?" He wondered.

"Hey, Ritsuka-kun! It's me, Yuiko!" The bubbly pinkette's voice nearly shattered his eardrums.

"Hey, Yuiko." He replied.

"Are you busy?"

"Not at all."

He listened to her drone on for a good hour about her plans for Valentine's Day in about a week to surprise Yayoi. He had really only half listened to her. The idea of having to celebrate that holiday at the Friday before in school for another year was painful enough, but the fact that he'd spend the actual day alone when all his friends would have someone with them-Yoji and Natsuo, Yuiko and Yayoi, Yamato and Koya (the female Zeroes. Ritsuka had a bit of a friendship with the blonde after they'd reconnected a year before at Comiket), Gomon and Tokino (her Fighter), Soubi's best friend Kio and his boyfriend Akira, etc-really stung. He would have spent it with Soubi but since the blond was MIA with no hint of ever returning, there was no chance that was happening. He'd probably get out of the house for the day so he didn't have to deal with his mother and, if he came home for once, his father. No matter where he'd go, he'd be surrounded by loving couples celebrating the holiday together. Maybe he'd go see if Hanabi at the college was busy with anyone. He and Soubi helped her out once wit Comiket and she'd sort of taken the aspiring photographer under her wing since he left and took him to Comiket every year to help with the booth and to just hang out. She was really the reason Ritsuka had reconnected with Yamato. He was on a coffee run getting the manga-ka a latte in a café connected to the building Comiket was in, and he'd run into Yamato-almost literally-on his way to deliver the coffee to the bespectacled young woman.

"Alright, Yuiko, I need to take my bath before bed, so I need to go." The raven finally told his hyperactive friend.

"Oh, okay, Ritsuka-kun! We'll talk more tomorrow! Oyasumi!"

"Oyasumi." He hung up before she could think of something else she 'needed' to tell him quickly before they hung up.

He knew better. She was most likely just bored because one or both of her parents weren't home yet. Even though it was seven at night, they had both started going to work later now that the middle school started later then the elementary school, which meant Yuiko would be home alone until eight or nine at night. She insisted she was fine with it because she'd always been a latch key kid, but he knew it wasn't. He set the phone down with his rose on his nightstand and pulled his shirt over his head. His fingers brushed against the slightly raised skin on his right side where his name stood, as much as he didn't want it to. It had taken about to weeks, but eventually the entire word had appeared there in English cursive-looking handwriting. For some reason, all names seemed to appear in English. Then again, it was the language preferred by Septimal Moon, so maybe it was connected in some way? After all, as long as there had been spells, there had been Septimal Moon.

Unfortunately, he had to use the bathroom at the end of the hall. But luckily for him, his parents' room was downstairs and his was on the second floor. Even if his mother was out of her room downstairs, she wouldn't know he was using the shower unless she came up the stairs. The neko wrapped a towel around his waist to hide his name and pulled off his jeans, socks, and boxers. He then grabbed his night clothes in one hand and clean clothes in the other one. He exited the room and made his way to the bathroom. He deposited his dirty clothes into the hamper just inside the bathroom door as he ran the bath water to a lukewarm temperature. He hated both cold and hot things, so a warm bath was best for him. Once it was settled, he tossed in a ducky from the sink and submerged himself into the water. He slid down until his head was underwater for a few minutes before popping back up, taking deep breaths to regain oxygen he'd been withholding. A warm bath would not only ease the tension in his muscles and take the sting out of the cut on his cheek from the plate his mother threw at him that morning, but would give him a little time to clear his head so he could think. That flower was going to be the death of him.

The neko sighed and closed his eyes, submerging himself so only his nose and up poked out. The little ducky floated by, unaware of the thoughts plaguing its companion's mind.

000

The next day, Ritsuka was surprised to find two roses sitting on his homeroom desk this time. With a sigh of aggravation, he plopped down at his desk and checked the note tied around the stems. The same typed print as before greeted him. Two for you and me.

Well that wasn't helpful as to who the sender of the flowers was. Just like the day before, it was ambiguous as hell. How irritating.

"Wow, two today?" His lab partner wondered. "Someone's a lucky guy. Does it say who it is?"

"No." He showed her the card. "Just as much information as the last one."

"Cute, though." She shrugged. "I wish someone liked me enough to send me flowers."

"I'll buy you one when the school sells them Friday."

The school always sold flowers and had a bake sale on Valentine's Day for people who were either single, wanted to express their love to one another, or forgot it was Valentine's Day and needed to work their way out of a hole. Neither Yuiko nor Yayoi had forgotten, as she had told him the night before that Yayoi had gotten a reservation under his father's name at a restaurant and she had gotten him a couple games he'd been eyeing. Yayoi had dragged Ritsuka along with him a month ago to help him pick out a bracelet for Yuiko. They settled on a silver chain with a strawberry charm on it since she liked strawberries. He wasn't certain if Yoji and Natsuo were going to do anything for one another, but he highly doubted it. As close as they were, they insisted there were no feelings between them outside of brotherly love. With the looks they'd once and a while give one another when the other wasn't looking, Ritsuka and the others were certain they were full of it.

"Aw, you're sweet." She smiled at him, blushing gently. "Thanks for making sure I don't feel left out."

"You're welcome."

"I'd say I'd get you one so you're not alone, too, but you're already getting gifts."

"Yeah." He replied. "But something tells me I'll be alone on that actual day."

"Don't feel bad, I will be too. My sisters and their boyfriends are going out, my brother and his girlfriend aren't coming back from their vacation until the Monday after that day, and my parents have plans with my uncle and his girlfriend." She sighed, leaning her chin in her hands. "Why is there no holiday for us single people?"

"Who wants to celebrate being lonely?"

"Who says we're all lonely? I'm certainly not. Unless you are…?"

"A bit…" Ritsuka muttered. "It was always Yuiko and Yayoi and me, but now they've got each other. Before that it was Soubi and me but he's gone. And even before that it was Seimei and me, but then he died." He sighed. "I don't know, maybe I'm destined to be alone." He lay his head down on his desk.

My name certainly thinks so.

"Aw, cheer up." She rubbed his back. "That's not true. You'll have someone too, eventually. Don't you have a friend from your old school? Doesn't she like you or something?"

"No, she's got a boyfriend now." Ritsuka muttered.

"Ouch, sorry."

"It's fine." He shrugged one shoulder. "I'll just have to get used to it."

"Hey, maybe your little secret admirer will reveal themselves before that day."

"I sort of doubt it. You'd think they'd get clearer in their notes as time goes on, not stay as confusing and unclear."

Maybe he'd talk to Kio and ask if this was something weird Soubi would do just to be…well…Soubi. As loving and protective as he was, the man could be downright childish, foolish, and a tad creepy.

"I guess so." She shrugged. "Unless they're being this way just to be like 'never would have guessed it was me, huh'?"

"Yeah, sure."

"What's wrong with mopey?" Yoji wondered, lightly kicking Ritsuka's chair as he came in.

"Oh, he's just feeling a little down about Valentine's Day."

"Seriously?" Yoji scoffed. "God, don't go into this crying your eyes out emo stage again. We could barely stand it after Soubi left."

"Yoji, be a little more sensitive." Natsuo scolded. "He's our friend, remember? The only friend we have outside of one another?"

Yoji was clearly the more childish of the two.

"You don't consider Yuiko and Yayoi friends?"

"We're friends." Yoji corrected. "Just we're closer to Ritsuka. I mean, he was friends with our cousin first."

"How is that possible?"

"He was Seimei's friend." Ritsuka muttered.

"Oh, alright." She sighed, twirling some of her hair around a finger. "All this Valentine's Day talk is getting me depressed as hell, and I'm never depressed." She perked up. "Ritsuka got more flowers."

"That I see." Natsuo stated, slipping the card out from under Ritsuka's folded arms.

The ravenette sat up and yawned, rubbing one eye. "It's no different then yesterday. Typed writing, ambiguous wording. Nothing special."

"How boring." Yoji complained. "At least write it by hand. Lazy…"

"Probably trying to conceal their identity that way." His lab partner piped up, holding up a finger. "If I was doing this kind of Secret Valentine thing, I'd do anything I could to make sure they didn't find out it was me until I wanted them too."

"Well you got two today, so maybe three tomorrow and a note with a better message." Natsuo shrugged, handing the card back. "I still say it's Soubi."

"Don't hold your breath." Yoji snorted. "He'd be more likely to send a text begging for Ritsuka's forgiveness than to send roses. So cheesy."

"Now if it came with chocolate, that would be cool." His lab partner laughed.

"Ohayo, class."

The students stood. "Ohayo, sensei."

"Once again, announcements soon. I don't bother telling you to listen this time. No one ever does. Not even me."

The class laughed as announcements began and it was business as usual.

000

On his way to lunch from his locker, Ritsuka was stopped by a couple of guys he knew from elementary school. They had been in class 6-3; Yayoi's class.

"Hey…" He greeted, wary of the teens he barely knew.

"Aoyagi, right?" The teal haired one asked him.

"Yeah, that's me."

"So we were wondering something, Aoyagi." The brunette asked.

"Wondering what?"

"What's up with you carrying roses around now?"

"I keep finding them on my desk." He shrugged. "No idea who's sending them."

"Someone's sending you flowers every day? What, do they think you're a girl? Or are you gay or something?"

"I don't know, maybe it's something they'd like to have and thought I'd like it too." Ritsuka replied. "And no, I'm not gay."

"You sure?" The teal haired one wondered.

"Positive."

What an outrageous lie. Then again, what business of theirs was it? He wasn't even sure yet.

"Hm…alright." The brunette sighed. "Lucky for you."

"Why lucky for me?" His ears twitched.

While he wasn't certain what he was into, he was certain Kio and his boyfriend, and possibly Soubi and the twins were.

"Because things would get rather…hard…for you around here. But you're not, so things will be fine…for now."

One of the boys shoulder checked him as they walked away. Ritsuka shivered from disgust. He really couldn't believe that in this day and age, there were still kids his age that had a problem with it. He knew two-possibly three if you counted Yoji and Natsuo being in the closet and Seimei's true Fighter and his so called best friend-homosexual couples and the stand alone Soubi. He and the others were fine with it, so why couldn't his classmates be okay too?

He shrugged the thoughts off and got in line to get his lunch. Once he was through the line, he spotted his usual table thanks to the unusual hair colors most of his friends sported, and made his way over. He plopped down across from his lab partner with his tray.

"What took you so long?" Yoji wondered, dipping a French fry in mustard.

"Oh, just got stopped by some guys in the hall asking about the flowers." Ritsuka stated as if it were nothing.

To him, it was. All motion stopped at the table.

"You okay?" His lab partner asked. "They didn't hurt you?"

"No, just asked who they were from and, for some reason, wanted to know if I'm gay."

"Are you? Not that it matters, I'm just wondering!"

"Chill, Naeko." Natsuo ordered, rolling his eyes. "No one took offense to that."

She flushed.

"No, I'm not." Ritsuka answered.

"Bullshit." Yoji commented.

"Like how you and Natsuo aren't anything other than brothers?" Yayoi wondered, adjusting his glassed.

Yoji glared while Natsuo blushed and hid behind his bangs.

"Ass."

Yayoi only grinned. Ritsuka laughed at them, running a hand through his hair.

"They said it would make things very hard for me around here if I was." Ritsuka shrugged. "Can't believe there are still people our age who think like that."

"Better not come out of the closet then." Natsuo smirked.

"Yeah, you two neither."

The others laughed as the twins blushed and glared at him.

"Not you, too, Aoyagi." Yoji said, feigning hurt.

He only called him that when he was joking with him about a serious matter or annoyed with him. Otherwise it was Ritsuka in normal situations and Loveless in scolding and joking when they were alone.

"Couldn't resist." He grinned, taking a bite of what he was pretty certain was an odd attempt at lasagna.

"Well, whatever." Naeko smirked. "Hopefully your mystery woman, or man, reveals themselves soon."

"Yeah, the questioning is killing me."

"Try not to think about it, Ritsuka-kun." Yuiko popped up with less than helpful advice.

"If it were that easy, I would."

"It's like when Soubi first left. All he can think about is that. Where'd he go, why'd he leave, etc. Now it's who is it, what do they want, etc." Yoji rolled his eyes.

"Well, Soubi did just up and leave for no reason. I think we were all wondering why." Yoji pointed out.

He and his brother knew exactly why he'd left. Out of Ritsuka's friends, only they, himself, members of Septimal Moon, a unit named Breathless, Yamato, and possibly her girlfriend Koya knew the real reason why he left and roughly where he had gotten off to. He'd heard from Gomon that she and her Fighter had faced him, Akame, and Seimei in battle a couple weeks after he left, but no one had seen or heard anything concerning any of the unlikely trio since. Maybe Seimei had killed off his Fighters for failing. Well, no, that couldn't have been true. He'd gotten an email from Akame, who he had never given his email to, which complained about his finger as usual and reassured him that Seimei wasn't done yet and to get the message to Septimal Moon. Okay, so at least he'd heard from one of them. Just not the one he wanted.

000

Ritsuka was less than happy and very unsurprised that there was a trio of roses on his desk again the next morning. He groaned and sat down, grabbing the roses to read the note. Once again, typed writing that gave no information.

Little nekos three.

What did that mean? Himself and Yuiko and Yayoi? Or maybe himself and Yoji and Natsuo? Or maybe even himself, the sender, and someone else? Maybe not even that? He and his brothers were nekos…but neither Akame nor Soubi were. Neither were his parents. They had a cousin who still had her ears, but they weren't that close.

"More?" Naeko asked, actually getting there after him for once.

"Yeah, and another note." He showed her the paper.

"What the hell? That's worse than the last two! At least they made some bit of sense." She pouted.

"Yeah, this has officially gone from weird to annoying."

"Again?" Yoji snatched the roses and read the card. "What the hell?"

"That could be any group of three." She thought aloud. "I mean, there are six nekos at our table."

"Yeah, but one couple, one set of twins, and then you and me. We can't split into groups of three without breaking up one of those groups." Ritsuka pointed out.

"Hm…Wait! But you and Yoji and Natsuo are all connected to their cousin that they think sent these, right?"

"Right." Natsuo confirmed, crossing his legs out in the aisle in front of him.

"And then you, Yuiko, and Yayoi were all friends before Yoji and Natsuo transferred over."

"Right." Ritsuka nodded.

"Hm…well if it's the cousin, then it's you three. If it's not, then who knows."

"Could even be you, Ritsuka, and the persons ending them."

"Someone wants a threesome?" Naeko's nose crinkled. "Gross."

"It could just be someone you and I both know. That would be a clue." Ritsuka offered.

"Point! Didn't we have a group of three in Lab once?"

"Uh yeah, Hanema-chan's lab partner was out one day and she was with us."

"Let's ask her. Maybe she or her lab partner sent them."

"Wasn't her lab partner a male?" The boy in front of Ritsuka asked.

He'd been absent the day before.

"So?" Naeko wondered. "We haven't decided if it's a male or female yet."

"I doubt it would be her lab partner. He had a girlfriend that year, and still does." Ritsuka pointed out.

"True." Naeko nodded. "Still we should ask her."

"But you guys have a lot of people in common." The boy in front of Ritsuka stated. "Maybe it's one of your friends feeling sorry for you."

"Roryu!" Naeko scolded. "How mean."

"I doubt any of my friends would." Ritsuka stated. "I mean, it's the kind of thing these two would do, but they know I see right through them." Ritsuka nodded at the twins.

"Yuiko used to have a crush on you once." Natsuo pointed out.

"I think she still does." Naeko added

"Isn't she with Yayoi?" Roryu wondered.

"So what? She can still have feelings. I mean, you two never settled that kind of stuff."

"We just don't talk about it, but if it was her, she wouldn't be able to keep the secret. And I doubt it would be Yayoi. This just isn't something he'd do, and Yuiko would be mad at him for it if it was."

"Um…I don't think Hanema-chan has her ears anymore, now that I think about it." Naeko commented.

"Pretty sure that was just a rumor to explain why she was gone those two weeks. I talked to her and she was on vacation and got sick." Roryu explained.

"Oh, okay. So we should ask her. The worst that could happen is we look like jerks." Naeko nodded with finality. "We'll do it today between History and Math, Ritsuka."

"Okay."

"Hey, what about your friend from your first school? What was her name again?"

"Osamu."

"Right, Kimizuka-chan, right? That's what she wants everyone else to call you? Could it be her? I mean, maybe it's her saying she wants you and her and her boyfriend to hang out sometime."

"I don't…"

"And when she came to visit you, you said it was you, her, and Yuiko, right?" Natsuo pointed out.

"There's a group of three nekos right there." Yoji stated.

"I don't think so." Ritsuka shook his head. "I'll text her later though."

Osamu had tried to help him get back some of his memories when he returned to school and she got back from vacation. She was the first friend he really had, other than Seimei, after his memory loss. He knew she kind of had a thing for him, and a collection of candid photographs of him as well, but he doubted she'd do this. Especially not when she had a boyfriend who he didn't know and probably wouldn't like it.

"Okay, then if Hanema checks out and it's not her, ask Kimizuka-chan."

Only Ritsuka and now Yuiko were allowed to call her by her first name.

"You sure it's not from you?" Natsuo pointed out.

"I wouldn't do such a thing." She denied, shaking her head. "Besides, I'm not that bold of a person when it comes to the romance department."

"Neither am I." Ritsuka muttered. 'I don't really like people telling me they love me. It always feels like a lie…"

"Why?" Roryu cocked an eyebrow.

"It just does…no one that's ever said they loved me has stuck around…" Ritsuka sighed. "I don't want to talk about it."

He was afraid that if he did, he'd expose the name on his side to people who were safer not knowing.

000

After history, Naeko dragged Ritsuka by the wrist to Hanema's locker. The long haired raven barely acknowledged them as she shut her locker.

"What's up?" She asked, eyes shifting to the roses poking out of Ritsuka's backpack.

"Um…I know this is going to sound weird, but…" He explained the situation and why they thought of her.

She grinned, laughing a little. "So you think I sent them? Sorry, but I'm not that clever."

"We just thought we'd ask everyone that has a connection to the two of us to make three."

"Well it's not me. I've got my eye on someone else."

She blushed as a green haired boy walked past and winked at her.

"I see." Naeko smiled. "Sorry to waste your time."

"It's fine. I won't tell you asked. Good luck finding your mystery florist." She saw a group of friends and ran off after them.

"Well that was a bust." Ritsuka stated. "I knew it wasn't her but it didn't hurt to ask."

"Yeah, same here. So ask Kimizuka-chan after school."

"Yeah, tonight when she's not likely to be busy."

She nodded. "Well, let's go to class. We won't find any more clues here."

000

It took four rings for Osamu to pick up the phone that night.

"Oi, Ritsuka!" She greeted. "How's my favorite transfer student doing?"

"I'm fine, Osamu. How are you?" he asked.

"I'm great! My boyfriend's got plans for us on Valentine's Day. It's going to be fun."

"Cool."

He didn't really care. Damn that holiday.

"So what's up? Not like you to call me out of the blue."

"I just had a question for you. Now, hear me out first. I know it's going to sound crazy…"

"If you're asking if you're gay, Ritsuka, I can't answer that for you."

"No! God, why does everyone think I am?" He groaned.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Take a joke, why don't ya?" She laughed. "Seriously, what's up?"

He told her about the flowers.

"Huh, what a weird message. Sorry, Ritsuka. Wasn't me." She denied. "Maybe your friends were right and it's their cousin."

"I doubt it would be."

"Why?"

"He's been missing for two years and has made no attempt to contact them or his best friend, let alone me."

"Hm…maybe he wants to reconnect and explain why he left and where he's been."

"Someone I know saw him in Gora but no one's heard about or from him since then." Ritsuka denied. "I have no idea where he is or why he can't be bothered to send me a damn text."

"Maybe he's in trouble or busy. Or no service. Or…"

"Don't say it…"

"Dead…"

"That would kill me…"

"Why?"

"Well, without Seimei, he's all I have…he was Seimei's friend…"

"I get it." he could hear the smile in her voice as she said that. "I really do, Ritsuka. He's the only connection you have to Seimei."

"Well…it's a bit more than that…"

"Yeah?"

"He protected me and kept me safe…I got to go to Comiket with him once and now I'm hooked. He bought me my cell phone, my new camera…he gives me a place to stay to get away from mom for a while if I need to…he picks me up from school and takes me to therapy on Wednesdays and chaperones my friends and I when we go to places like Yokohama…" Soubi had dragged Kio along to actually stalk Ritsuka that day, but it turned out to be a pretty good day. "I just…it's like there's a giant hole in my life that he left when he vanished…and there's no one that can fill it. Sure, his cousins and my friends try to help, and his best friend and his boyfriend, and Soubi's manga-ka friend try and fill the void, but it's just not the same. There's no one like Soubi…"

That was both a blessing and a curse. Ritsuka wondered what his real Fighter was like. He had been hired by his father as a math tutor for Ritsuka before his memory loss when his grades were lousy. But he couldn't remember him, and there was no chance at a reconnection since Seimei killed him to fake his own death. The similarities between the two were shocking.

"Can I ask you something, Ritsuka? I need you to be honest."

"Yeah…?"

"Are you sending the flowers?"

"What? No! Would I be asking you if you sent them if I did? And where would I get the money?"

"Sorry, just you miss this guy so much and…"

"Of course I miss him. I love him, I…er…"

She giggled. "Back to the 'am I gay' thing again?"

Ritsuka flushed. "Don't tell anyone is aid that. Not even your boyfriend or Yuiko! I already had a couple guys threaten me on suspicion that I was gay. If anyone found out I was crushing, hard, on a guy, then…"

"Mum's the word. Pinky swear." She informed.

"Thanks."

"Any time. Don't worry about it, alright? You know the twins will tear anyone who hurts you a new one."

"Heh, that used to be Soubi's job…fighting for me…defending me…"

He rubbed his wrist where a mark from a restriction had caught him in a battle long ago.

"And now it's his cousins' job. Must be a family tradition."

"Yeah…family tradition."

Little did she know just how many traditions ran in his family.

000

Four roses and a note. That was what Ritsuka found on his desk the next day. He really wasn't all that surprised. However, he was surprised to see two sets of roses; one in a group of four, one a group of five. Well, since Valentine's Day was on a Sunday this year, he guessed the sender had to speed it up if they were trying to get a week's worth of roses in.

"Wow, two sets? Someone must know we're onto them." Naeko laughed.

"Yeah, or its cause Valentine's Day is on a Sunday. Can't send a week's worth of roses in five days."

"You'd think they'd have one sent later in the day."

"Yeah, you'd think." Ritsuka shrugged, grabbing the card from the four to read.

Four in an apartment.

"What the hell?" Naeko wondered.

"Um…going on the idea that this might be Soubi…"

"Yeah…?"

"When I'd hang with him and the twins, there would be four of us hanging out in his apartment."

"Okay, so maybe this really is him. What does five say?"

Five days in a school week.

"Okay, so reiterating the fact that they need to find a way to put seven days' worth into a school week."

"Why not just send the last two to your house?"

"Yeah, my mother would be happy with that. Her son getting flowers from a random stranger. 'Ritsuka wouldn't do such things'." He mocked his mother. "Such crap…"

"Huh?"

"N…Nothing…"

"Okay…then…? So sending stuff to your house isn't a good idea, okay then. Why not send them to Yoji and Natsuo's place?"

"That's their cousin's place. Would seem a little suspicious and quite obvious if they were sent there. I only know a few people who know where he lives, and that's myself, the twins, Yuiko and Yayoi, Kio, Akira, and Hanabi. No one else knows."

"Who, who, and who?"

"Uh Kio is his best friend, Akira is Kio's boyfriend, and Hanabi is his manga-ka friend."

"You know Hanabi-chan?" The girl in front of Naeko whipped around, hair floating about her. "The manga-ka that writes all those graphic boy-love manga?"

"Uh yeah. Yoji and Natsuo's cousin goes to school with her. We helped her sell her manga at Comiket once, and I've bene helping on my own since he left."

"That's awesome. Her stuff is so good."

"I'll let her know."

She grinned and turned back to her friends.

"Boy love?" Naeko laughed. "The whole 'I'm not gay' thing isn't going to fly long, Ritsuka, if shit like that gets out and breaks it down."

"What's so funny?" Natsuo asked.

Yoji wasn't with him.

"Where's your other half?" Naeko asked.

Natsuo flushed, thinking she meant them being lovers and not twins or a unit.

"Bathroom." Natsuo replied with a huff. "More flowers?"

"Yeah, a set of four and a set of five." Ritsuka stated. "I think they're doubling up to make it fit in a school week."

"Makes sense." Natsuo stated. "Did Osamu know anything?"

"She thinks it's Soubi, too, but it wasn't her."

"Okay, so that's four on the 'it's Soubi' train. What about you, Ritsuka? Still thinking it's someone else?"

"Yeah, maybe it's his brother." Yoji laughed, plopping down. "This is the creepy kind of mind game shit he'd play."

"Seimei's dead…?" Naeko wondered.

"He's just being funny." Ritsuka kicked the mint haired neko. "Or at least what he thinks is funny."

"You know I'm hilarious." Yoji stuck out his tongue. "The notes?"

Ritsuka showed the twins.

"Well, that would make sense four Soubi, that group of four one." Yoji shrugged. "I mean, you slept over so often it was like you lived there."

"Slept over? You never mentioned this." Naeko chuckled.

"Sometimes not going home is a good thing. My mother's a little…"

"Bat shit cuckoo?" Yoji offered.

Ritsuka sighed. "Pretty much…"

"Okay…then…"

Like most of the world, Naeko didn't know about the beatings Ritsuka would endure under his mother's crazed hands. Only the twins, Seimei, Akame, Soubi, Kio, Akira, Shinonome-sensei from sixth grade, and possibly Gomon and Nagisa knew the details. Everyone else was kept in the dark. He was too afraid to be taken from her and lose the only living family he had left-his always absent father didn't count since he started a new family with some girlfriend of his-if anyone else knew and told the wrong person. Shinonome-sensei was too timid to get involved with his home life, Soubi wouldn't do anything unless ordered to, Kio and Akira would keep secret for both Soubi and Ritsuka's sake, Gomon and Nagisa were in Gora and couldn't be bothered, Seimei was supposed to be dead, and he was pretty certain that Akame sort of liked the fact that his mother beat on him. They hadn't liked one another from the start.

"So let's just say it's Soubi." Natsuo offered to relieve tension. "Why?"

"To let you guys know he's alive without saying it?" Naeko offered.

"Why not just send a text or make a call and hang up or something?" Roryu asked.

"Maybe he's in trouble and it's some sort of a code."

"Like whoever it is won't let him contact anyone so he's doing it anonymously hoping you'll get the hint and get help?"

"But what police agency would believe that flowers with strange messages attached were a cry for help? If I was a cop, I'd pin the person sending them for being a creeper."

"Who knows? Maybe he's expecting you guys to do something yourselves. How strange would that be? Letting you get hurt."

"We don't get hurt." Yoji stated, nodding at Natsuo. "No pain receptors."

"See?" Natsuo pinched his cheek hard enough to make it red and the other didn't even flinch.

"Woah, that's so cool!" Naeko commented.

"Not really. They get frostbite and overheat easy." Ritsuka stated.

"And if we broke a bone, we'd never know."

"I think you'd notice your arm not working or being unable to walk." Roryu commented.

"Well, yeah, but we wouldn't feel the pain when they reset it. I guess it's a blessing and a curse, you know?"

"Yeah."

"Just like these flowers." Ritsuka stated. "If he's sending them, then it's a blessing that he's alive. If he's not, then we're back to square one about me having a stalker or a secret admirer I'd have to turn down because of my parents' no dating until seventeen rule."

"Stupid rule." Naeko stated. "I think you and Chiya would have made a cute couple."

"Thanks…" Ritsuka sighed. "But I barely knew her. I still don't. I just see her in the hall and she blushes and sometimes waves, but that's it. Don't even have classes with her, and never did, so I have no idea how she knows who I am."

"And she moved on quick." Natsuo pointed out. "The next week she had a different guy? Come on."

"Part of me thinks it was a set up."

"Why?" Naeko wondered.

"Either someone felt bad for me, or someone thought I'd be an easy target."

"Maybe…but she seemed sincere."

He shrugged. "Maybe she was; I don't know."

As the class and their sensei did their usual morning greeting and announcements began. As his friends began to theorize over who it was that sent the flowers, Ritsuka couldn't help but feel like maybe this was all just a prank.

000

Faking an injury to get out of gym class, Ritsuka sat on the bleachers toying with his cell phone. Having said earlier that he thought Chiya was just a prank being played by his classmates, he had to start considering that these flowers were just some weird prank. Or maybe it was Kio or Akira trying to cheer him up? No, that didn't make sense. They barely communicated now that Soubi was gone. Maybe it was better that way. Having all those photographs of himself and Soubi or just Soubi, saved voicemails, old texts, and Yoji and Natsuo were enough of a painful reminder. Seeing his best friend in a happy relationship while he and Soubi were apart and lonely was something else entirely that he didn't want to deal with. But he was happy for Kio. He'd been alone for a while and had always been pining over Soubi, but Soubi was always too interested in Ritsuka or serving Seimei properly to give his friend the light of day in a romantic sense. Seimei probably wouldn't have allowed it anyway, complaining that it was taking away Soubi's focus from him.

Flipping open his cell and looking through the contacts, Ritsuka found the one person likely to prank him and dialed the number. He didn't want to hear this man's voice, but if it got him an answer or two, he'd deal with it.

The phone was picked up, its owner yelling something in angry, muffled Japanese at someone.

"What?" He wondered finally.

"Akame?"

"You called me, brat. You should know who it is." The gruff voice was losing patience with him.

'Um…year…"

"Well? What do you want? Sempai and I are in the middle of something."

He was hoping it was a game or homework, but even if it was, he didn't want to know.

"I just have a question for you."

"What?"

Ritsuka explained the situation.

"This isn't some elaborate prank from you, is it?"

His chest tightened as he waited for the answer. Akame started laughing.

"You're really so desperate that you thought I did this?" He laughed. "Well, Aoyagi, I'm flattered that you think highly enough of me to think I'd think of something like this."

"So it's not you…"

"No, Loveless, it's not." Akame denied. "But the fact that you thought it was is cute. I'd love to take the responsibility for this, but it's just not my style. If I wanted to screw with your head, I wouldn't send flowers like some romantic dipshit. Fuck, even Mimuro knows I'm no romantic, and he still wants to try and get in my pants."

Ritsuka heard protest come from the blonde in the background.

"Yeah…um…sorry to bother you."

"Whatever, it's fine." Akame stated. "Is that all?"

"No…um…Seimei…he wouldn't…ah…"

"You think your brother did this? Hm, while it's his style, I doubt it. He'd brag to me about it first and I haven't heard heads or tails form him since we lost against Gomon."

"Oh…have you heard from…or about…uh…Soubi…?"

Silence answered.

"Akame?"

"Thought I hung up? No, I'm here, brat. I don't associate with the blank." He spat it as if it was disgusting and, to him, it probably was. They hated each other after all. "It's most unfortunate I had to spend so much time with him when Seimei took him."

"Is he still with Seimei? Do you know?"

"Not likely. He was pretty pissed when we both lost. Damn near cut my name out of my hand but I had the wits to stop him. Didn't even bother to paralyze me with that mind control spell he loves so much. The one he used when…"

"The Gomon thing, right." Ritsuka cut him off.

He didn't want to hear that bullshit again. He doubted Nisei would refuse any order to do anything that would end up hurting someone else, especially Gomon who he hated even more than he disliked Ritsuka.

"Whatever." He huffed. "If Blondie's sending them, he isn't with Seimei. Seimei would never let you two talk. Trust me, Agatsuma begged him to let him call or message you, but Seimei threatened him with punishment if he even tried and didn't shut up. He really doesn't know how to share, your brother."

"I'm aware…"

"Yeah, so it's not a prank from me, it's most likely not Seimei, and I doubt it's Agatsuma if they're together still. If they're apart, then it could be him. It's the only way he'd ever be allowed to communicate directly with you."

"Alright. Thank you."

"Yeah, sure." Akame stated, seeming uninterested in what he had to say to him.

"Yeah…"

"If you do hear from the blank at all, do tell him I'm going to get him back when he least expects it for my finger. You know, the damn thing didn't heal right? I had to get it broken again and then reset. Twice. I'm lucky there aren't any screws or pins in it, honestly. I can't believe you let him…"

Ritsuka hung up. He didn't want to hear that rant. He'd heard it a thousand times, and besides, he'd already gotten the information from Akame that he needed. His phone rang before he could pull out homework to do.

"Hello?" He answered.

"That was rude." Akame complained. "Where'd you get your manners from? Your brother?"

This time he hung up. Of course, the Fighter had to have the last words. Shocker.

000

"You seriously asked Akame?" Yoji laughed. "What were you thinking?"

"If this is a prank, the only one with enough knowledge about me and enough hatred for me to do it is Akame. Besides, he'd know if it was Seimei." Ritsuka stated.

Going to put his books away at the end of the day, the neko was caught by Yoji and Natsuo and walked down as they bombarded him with questions.

"Let's just go with the acting theory that it is Soubi and that Akame was right. He's not with Seimei." Natsuo offered. "I mean, Akame's a liar and a creep, but maybe he's got something right."

"I doubt it. I mean, he was probably right that Seimei didn't allow any contact between us, and that the only way Soubi could communicate is if Seimei wasn't around, but that's probably about it."

"So do we think this is a cry for help from Soubi? Or is it an announcement that he's free?" Yoji wondered.

"I don't know." Ritsuka replied. "I don't think it's anything. It's probably just his way of saying he's sorry, if anything."

"That or it's the weirdest Valentine's Day gift ever."

"I've heard of dinner theatre and dinner with a movie, but not flowers and a mystery."

"I'm pretty sure it's Soubi." Ritsuka stated, spinning the combo to his locker. "He's the only person I know that would do something this weird."

"Yeah, true." Yoji offered.

"Honestly, that whole prank by Akame thing wasn't a bad idea." Natsuo stated. "The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. He likes fighting using mental torture and shit like that, right?"

"Yeah, using your fears against you. Bloodless did it, too." Ritsuka admitted. "I think it's some form of psychological warfare leftover from when this stuff was used for more than what it is now. If it ever was."

"The most history we know is Ritsu's current Septimal Moon overthrowing the one before it." Yoji shrugged. "And only reason we know is Nagisa was a part of it."

"I wonder if she's doing this." Natsuo laughed.

"She'd go after us, too, if not instead." Yoji informed.

Ritsuka laughed. "Yeah, why would she want to send me flowers? Ritsu's the one she's in love with. I get we have a similar name, but…"

The twins laughed. It was a running joke in Septimal Moon that Nagisa had unrequited and suppressed feelings for Minami Ritsu. She'd always scream and deny it, but the blush on her face would say otherwise. Sure, she called him names, hit him, and screamed at him, but she did that with everyone she loved. Even Yoji and Natsuo and her best friend Nana; Septimal Moon's Seven.

"Good one." Yoji stated, wiping a tear from his left eye.

'Thanks."

Ritsuka opened his locker. A note and a little red box fell to the floor with a light thud. The three nekos stared down at it in disbelief.

"How did that get in there…?" Ritsuka wondered.

"Did someone slip it in when you weren't looking…?" Yoji asked.

"I think I'd notice…" Ritsuka commented.

He picked up the box and the card. Once he opened and read it, he was a bit annoyed with himself that he didn't see that coming.

"What is it?" Natsuo asked when he groaned, trying to look over his shoulder.

"Read." Ritsuka ordered with a huff, thrusting it into the one-eyed Fighter's hands.

He'd gorged out his own eye as a kid to see if it would hurt. Of course it didn't.

"Now this is the creepy kind of prank I'd play. Nice try, Aoyagi." Natsuo read. "It's from Akame."

"Ugh…creep…doesn't he live in Kyoto or something?" Ritsuka finished putting his books away and slammed the locker shut. "He said he and Mimuro were busy. How did he get here so quick and do this?"

"He's probably got connections that he had do it. Maybe Faceless. No one would remember her after she finished and left."

"Breaking into his locker is an Akame thing to do, but the Sacrifice for Faceless is supposed to be really good at this kind of shit too."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's outside waiting just to humiliate me and laugh at my pain. What a dick." Ritsuka muttered.

"Dick? Since when do you talk that way?"

"You're rubbing off on me, Zeroes, and I don't exactly like it."

When they went outside to leave, Akame was nowhere in sight.

000

A bouquet was on Ritsuka's desk with six flowers, and one with seven was on the chair when he got there the next day.

"Aoyagi, more flowers." His sensei greeted him. "These were on your desk also, but I didn't want anyone to eat them."

He handed Ritsuka two more heart shaped boxes of candy tied together with string and a card attached to it. Ritsuka sighed.

"Thanks." Ritsuka replied.

Those had to be from Akame and in no way connected with the flowers. At least they weren't in his locker this time.

He went to his desk and moved the chair bouquet to the desk with the other one.

"Chocolates, too?" Naeko asked. "Someone's stepping up their game."

"No, these are a prank. Jackass put one in my locker for me to find after school yesterday too." Ritsuka handed her one of the boxes. "Eat up."

"Really? Thanks!" She opened the box and popped a chocolate into her mouth. "Strawberry filled…yum!"

Ritsuka laughed and checked the note.

This is getting fun, Aoyagi. Remind me to start doing this early next year, too! Akame

Ritsuka rolled his eyes, not surprised that that's who had sent the candy. He put the other box on Yoji's desk for the twins to share. He didn't want anything from Akame, even if it wasn't tampered with that he could tell.

"Well? The flowers?" Naeko asked, mouth full of candy.

"Candy, too?" Roryu asked before he could answer.

"They're from this jackass that I hate."

"Why would he send you candy…?"

"I called him to see if this was a prank by him since that's something he would do." Ritsuka explained. "He found the whole thing hilarious and broke into my locker to plant candy and a card yesterday. Today he just sent them to homeroom. Probably afraid of getting caught since he's eighteen."

"You know him how?"

"My brother's friend that's pissed that Seimei paid more attention to me than he did to him."

That wasn't a total lie. Akame was a jealous little thing when it came to Seimei.

"So he's teasing you."

'Yeah."

"What do the flowers say? Forget the candy idiot." Naeko ordered.

Ritsuka grabbed the six flower bouquet's tag.

Six nekos at the lunch table.

"Wow, someone's a stalker."

"I doubt it's Soubi now…" Ritsuka muttered. "He's too cautious to spy on me at lunch…"

He felt is heart shatter at that. He had really, really hoped it would have been Soubi.

"Bummer…what does seven say?" Naeko wondered.

Seven for how many days I'll be waiting to come back to you.

"Waiting to come back? Sounds like someone's dropping by for Valentine's Day."

"Come back…that would be Soubi…he's the only person who's left hat would do this and come back for me…" He felt his heart swell and fought back the tears. "He's alive…and he hasn't forgotten about me…"

"That's awesome." Roryu commented. "At least you cracked the code."

But what if this was just some elaborate prank? And if Soubi had seen them at lunch, then surely the twins would have sensed a powerful Fighter nearby. Then again, they hadn't discovered Akame when he was planting his prank candy, so maybe both Fighters knew some kind of cloaking spell.

Yoji practically ran into the room, Natsuo on his heels.

"What's it say?" He wondered, skidding to a stop at Ritsuka's desk and slamming his hands on the table, book bag forgotten as it slid down his shoulder to his wrist.

"Do you always have to make a spectacle of yourself?" Yayoi wondered, adjusting his glasses.

He and Yuiko must have followed the twins inside.

"He always does." Natsuo grinned.

Ritsuka handed him the cards.

"Come back to you…?" Yoji read aloud.

Ritsuka was surprised the entire class wasn't looking at them, but then again, there were only two or three people who didn't know what was going on and their sensei in the room, so he wasn't too surprised, really.

"He thinks it's Soubi." Roryu informed.

"That would make sense." Natsuo nodded. "I mean come back? Come on, now…that one's so obvious it hurts. I thought he was good with words. How disappointing." Natsuo sat back at his desk.

"It's been so long since we've seen Soubi-san!" Yuiko clapped, bouncing a little on her toes. "I can't believe he's coming back. Oh, he better explain where he was!"

"Family emergency?" Yoji asked.

"Then wouldn't you be there, too?" Yayoi pointed out.

"His side of the family."

"Oh. But for two years?"

"Who knows, who cares? He's coming back, that's all that matters. No more moping Ritsuka and his depressed emo phases."

"You make it sound like I'm a cutter or something, Yoji…"

"You really shouldn't point that out when there's a cut on your wrist." Roryu pointed out.

"Not self inflicted." Ritsuka pulled down his sleeve. "Was picking up glass off the floor and cut myself on accident on a piece I didn't see until I felt it."

"Why were you picking up glass?"

"Mother dropped a cup this morning. I cleaned it up for her since she was so surprised. She had a few cuts on her hands, too."

More like she'd thrown the cup at him, missed and shattered it, and attacked him with a shard, but whatever. He'd tell Yoji and Natsuo about it later, but the others didn't need to know.

The first warning bell rang.

"We better go." Yayoi pointed out. "Come on, Yuiko."

"Coming!" She took his outstretched hand in hers and followed him out of the room.

"More chocolate from Akame?" Natsuo asked, focus shifting to the box on Yoji's desk.

"Yeah, you two can have it."

Yoji sat at his desk, abandoning the flowers on Ritsuka's, and tore into the box of chocolates.

"For such an ass, he has good taste in candy. Pretty sure this shit's expensive."

"Probably. He said once that his family's rich but I thought he was full of it."

"Maybe, maybe not. Give the guy a little credit." Roryu offered, shaking his head a little.

"You wouldn't if you knew him."

Roryu took one from the box Ritsuka gave to Naeko and plopped it in his mouth. "Mm…coconut."

"You must be the only person ever to like the coconut ones." Naeko laughed. "Call Ripley's Believe It Or Not! We found one!"

Ritsuka laughed as the morning greeting and announcements began. Soubi was coming back. After all these years. He was coming back for him…for Valentine's Day. How…romantic…

000

When Saturday passed without any incident, though Ritsuka did find a box of chocolate addressed to him on the front steps when he went out to buy some paint to give Soubi for the holiday, the neko was a little disappointed that there wasn't a message waiting for him about where to go. When he woke up Sunday morning, February fifteenth, he was a bit disappointed to not see Soubi in his room, on his balcony, or in the yard down under it. He had texted Yoji around ten that morning to ask if he had seen him, but the twins hadn't and were busy sleeping anyway. How odd of Soubi to not go home if he was planning to come back and see him. Was that all this was? Stopping by on his trip to go wherever else Seimei was sending him or dragging him to? No, Seimei wouldn't have allowed a pit stop. He had to have been on his own if he was showing up. Ritsuka sighed as he stared at the roses in the large vase on one corner of his desk and the pile of candy and cards below it from the Valentine's Day celebration the school had the day before. All these gifts and yet the only thing he wanted most in the world was unattainable. He took a nap around noon and was greeted with nothing but a message from Naeko to check on him. He was about to get dressed to go out on his own and return the paints when his phone buzzed. Probably one of his friends checking to see if Soubi had reached out or stopped by yet. He sighed and checked the message. He was surprised to see Soubi's name and an icon of one of his paintings on the display.

Ritsuka, do you remember your first kiss?

First kiss? Well that had been with Soubi; of course he had remembered it.

Yes.

He wrote back. When he got no response, he sighed and got dressed. Maybe that was a clue from Soubi about where he was. Dressed in a pair of dark skinny jeans, his favorite hoodie he'd borrowed from Soubi and forgot about, and a red button up, Ritsuka made his way downstairs. Not seeing or hearing his mother, he went to the front door and slipped on his sneakers. He managed to get out without incident.

Okay. So his first kiss. With Soubi. So unexpected that one was. But he knew right where it was; in a clearing in the park with one solitary bench. Ritsuka waited at the bus stop and took the local train with his student card to the park. When he got there, he didn't spot anyone familiar or the blond. Well, that wasn't a total lie. Yuiko and Yayoi were having a picnic on one side of the park that he could see, which he could tell form her telltale pink hair and girlish squeals. He must have given her the bracelet.

Ritsuka sighed and took the cobblestone path to the clearing, paints rapped in pink paper with red hearts tucked under his arm. He made it to the clearing and was surprised by what he saw. The sun was just beginning to set and cast an eerie darkness over the tree-covered clearing. However, red and white paper lanterns with heart shaped holes were strung between the trees. Red paper hearts and blue paper butterflies were wrapped around the solitary lamp post in the clearing. There was a red and pink striped tablecloth on the picnic table. On top sat two red candles, red plates, white napkins, red cups, and a little picnic basket.

"Soubi?" Ritsuka called out.

The wind blew the trees, sending sakura petals fluttering about. He received no response. With a sigh, he sat on the side of the table he'd been sitting on when Soubi first kissed him. Maybe that's what he was supposed to do. The picnic table felt smaller now than it had two years ago. A nice growth spurt in seventh grade had given him a few inches of height that he rather enjoyed. He may have been thin and feminine, but at least he wasn't short now. Though he supposed there were worse things he could be. He peeked into the picnic basket and saw some of his favorite foods inside, but nothing to hint at where the blond was hiding. Maybe this was all just a joke. But whoever had set it up had used Soubi's phone to text him. And other than Ritsuka, only he and Soubi knew where they had first kissed. So this had to have been just Soubi's doing. Unless he had chickened out and decided not to come. Well this was disappointing. Ritsuka sighed and used the lighter stick to light up the candles as darkness set in. He took out some of the food for himself and dug into it.

"It's not nice to eat before everyone arrives, Ritsuka." A voice he barely recognized anymore greeted.

He sighed. Alright, so this was where whoever started this nonsense came forward to tell him it was all a hoax and snap photographic evidence that they'd pulled one over on him. He looked up from his plate and was pretty surprised to see a familiar wire framed, blue-eyed face framed with soft blonde locks that were falling down from the ponytail the rest was held in. Soubi was wearing a black blazer with matching pants and shoes, and a fuchsia shirt with a white tie. There was clearly a canvas held behind his back.

"What do you expect when your host doesn't bother to show up on time?" Ritsuka wondered, swallowing.

"Who says I was late?"

"I got here first. You invited me."

"Did I?"

"Don't play mind games with me."

Despite the tears threatening to attack his eyes and the painful thrum of his heart against his chest as he realized this was not a prank and that the real Soubi had set up this romantic setting, planned this scheme, and had actually shown up, Ritsuka couldn't help but still be a little angry with him for walking off with Seimei in the first place.

"Pardon, but I wasn't late." Soubi leaned the painting up against his side of the bench and kneeled on it with one leg.

The position was pretty familiar to the neko, and he got onto both of his knees on the bench as well. Fists on the table, the ravenette's lips trembled; and it wasn't from the cold.

"You're shaking."

"I don't know whether to be happy to see you, relieved that you're alive, confused by that elaborate flower thing, pissed off that you abandoned me and didn't say shit for two years!" Ritsuka growled. "But…most of all…I'm relieved that it was you and not some stupid prank by my brother or Akame or some other asshole."

Soubi smiled gently. "I'm sorry." He stated, taking one of Ritsuka's fists in his and kissing the knuckles.

Ritsuka shivered. Soubi was about to kiss him again, wasn't he? When they had first kissed, he had kissed his hand, said something about lending him his strength, and then kissed him full on the mouth. He'd lured Ritsuka here, mimicked the same position he had been in when they first kissed, and he was probably going to mimic just what happened that day.

"For what…?"

"Everything…for leaving…" A kiss to the fourth knuckle. "For disobeying you." A kiss to the third. "For serving Seimei." The second. "The flowers and the confusing notes." The first. "For being late." The wrist. "For everything."

"Soubi…"

"Hai…?"

"I forgive you…"

Warmth spread to both of their cheeks at that.

"I'm glad…I know I don't deserve such kindness." Another kiss to his wrist.

"Soubi…"

"Hai…?"

"Instead of kissing my knuckles…"

"Hai…?"

"Why not kiss my mouth instead…?"

Soubi smirked at that. "Only if you'll let me."

"I'm the one who suggested it, baka." Ritsuka huffed.

Soubi didn't answer. He just leaned forward until his lips were pressed to Ritsuka's the same way they were over two years ago. His first kiss recreated on this lover's holiday, only for them to know and share,

Ritsuka pulled away as he did the first time. Hey, why not make everything match?

"I got you a gift. I know it's stupid, but it's the best I could think of on six days' notice." Ritsuka muttered.

"You didn't have to…"

"I did." Ritsuka thrust the package at him. "You spent so much on those flowers. It's the least I can do…"

"I don't require reciprocation…"

"It's fine…it's from me, okay?"

Soubi gently opened it to find the expensive paint set inside.

"Are you certain, Ritsuka? So much money…"

"I'm not worried." He shrugged. "Saved up allowances from father to keep my mouth shut about his affair."

"Ritsuka…"

"I don't want sympathy, Soubi."

"Gomen."

"It's alright." Ritsuka smiled. "Food is getting cold…"

"Hai."

They dug into their food. After about twenty minutes of reminiscing and catching one another up on what they were up to in the past two years-mostly Ritsuka about his friends and school and his mother and father, and how much he missed Soubi, and Soubi's apologies, stories of how he'd piss off or injure Akame, and how much he missed Ritsuka as well-the neko finally cleared his throat.

"So…um…are you back for good…?"

"Hai." Soubi nodded. "I'm not leaving…unless you want me to."

"Of course I don't, baka!" Ritsuka slapped his arm, feeling rather feminine all of a sudden for some reason.

Soubi chuckled. "Good. Because even if you ordered me to stay away, I don't think I could."

"You certainly are good at disobeying my orders."

"I suppose so."

Ritsuka smiled gently.

"Do you want to know why I was late, yet not late?"

"Who are you, the Mad Hatter?"

Soubi chuckled. He pulled up the painting and showed his companion. On the canvas was a beautiful recreation of the spot they were in, with Ritsuka sitting alone on the bench.

"Soubi…"

"I was watching, painting you and finishing the rest around you." Soubi informed.

"You creep…you big, romantic creep…" Ritsuka whispered.

"Sukidayo, Ritsuka."

"Sukidayo…Soubi."

He felt his heart swell and saw joy painted on the artist's face at his confession. That was the first time he'd ever uttered those words to him before. To hell with the 'trouble' those two at school promised. He wasn't exactly gay. It was just Soubi. It was always Soubi.