A/N : not mine. Kouga Yun owns it all.

Chapter 1

I need to talk to you. May I see you?

He had been staring at his phone for half an hour already. When he had received Soubi's text, it had been so unexpected he had assumed it was someone's else phone that had rung. But the glowing screen had drawn his attention and he had read his message in disbelief. If it was Seimei's idea of a joke, it certainly wasn't his. But no matter what, if he had even the tiniest chance of seeing Soubi, he would go. Of course he would, it concerned Soubi.

"Where?" he texted back. When was simply irrelevant. His eyebrows flew up to his hairline when he read the address. The park where he had fought and lost against the Zero girls? Why would he chose a place that held such negative memories? Was it a warning? Was it a trap and Seimei had send the message? Did it matter? He had already taken his decision anyway.

It wasn't long before he reached the sandlot. Nor was it difficult to find Soubi, his tall and fair figure in stark contrast against the dimming light and darkening ground. He stopped, looked around and noticed no other human form. They seemed to be alone but there was no way he'd put any trust on Beloved. None of them. He went on cautiously until he was near enough to throw himself in the Fighter's arms. Circling his waist, he held him tightly, buried his nose in his coat and inhaled deeply, revelling in Soubi's presence all over him again. If he could disappear into him, if they could melt together, he was all too willing to proceed. For a few blessed minutes, they silently stood in each other's arms and warmth, his anger and hurt momentarily forgotten in the sweet reunion. But nothing lasts.

"Is Seimei around?" Ritsuka finally asked from the folds of his clothes.

"No."

"His Fighter?"

"I'm here."

"I meant Akame," he spat and stepped back a couple of meters, ears flat and tail rigid in displeasure. "Is it safe here?" he clarified.

"Yes." Soubi hadn't even tried to hold him back and just faced him, hands clasped behind his back.

"You left me," he accused.

"Yes," he whispered. He didn't elaborate. For someone who wanted to talk, he wasn't forthcoming.

"For three months," he stated calmly.

"I know." So he had counted down the days too. That was a good start at least.

"Why?" he barked and that single word held more emotions than he was willing to confess.

"Seimei would have hurt you."

"And you didn't?" he scoffed in anger and outrage.

"I'm sorry. I only thought to protect you," he amended.

"Everyone wants to protect me and ends up hurting me. Don't hide the truth from yourself: you followed my brother because you wanted to."

"I belong to him Ritsuka and Seimei doesn't share his toys. What I want is irrelevant to him."

They stood there awkwardly, Ritsuka adopting a wary posture. He sometimes looked so much like Seimei it was unnerving. He was as unyielding as his elder and while Soubi respected this in a Battle, he knew it didn't bode well outside of it. Ritsuka. It had cost him so much to be able to come back here. He was happy just looking at the child. He had come, despite his curfew that he wouldn't be able to respect and the retribution that was sure to follow, despite his anger, despite the three-months absence, despite the possibility that it might have been a trap. He had come because he had asked him to. He felt honoured. No-one has ever done this much for him. Ritsuka deserved everything.

"You wanted to talk," he said suddenly, breaking him out of his musings. "I'm listening."

"Seimei has sacrificed some pawns to make ripples. He's waiting out the outcome to decide how to play his chess game."

"Why are you telling on my brother? I don't care much for Septimal Moons or whoever he is after."

"We fought Moonless," he continued and threw the younger male off balance. "A few more others. I had forgotten how it is to fight for Beloved, what it entails. Your brother wasn't exactly pleased."

He lapsed back into silence and Ritsuka let him find his words at his own pace. Soubi would tell him in his own time. He hadn't even come close to the real matter of this conversation. Sure enough, after a few minutes, his voice rose again.

"Your brother has heralded his presence and reaffirmed his supremacy by making me fight. He will rely on Akame to spy for the time being. Which means he has no use for me right now. I argued with him for coming back here." His words hang in the air between them, heavy in their implication. There were many threads to be picked up and he would let Ritsuka choose which one to broach first. He took his sweet time to do it.

"How long before he claims you back?"

"I don't know. It depends on how people react to his little show. I'll wager a couple of months."

"I wasn't aware you know how to disagree. Especially with your Sacrifice."

"I've learned."

"Is it still painful?"

Yes, it was. Apart from the onetime Seimei had branded him as Beloved, he had always refrained from touching him. There was no contact with Seimei. But when he had argued with him, when he had dared to speak up, he had definitely touched him. And it hadn't been very pleasant. But Ritsuka didn't need to know about this.

"What your brother does to me doesn't matter, Ritsuka," he chided gently, head slightly cocked to one side, his usual wan smile finding its way on his lips.

"It matters, Soubi!" he exclaimed. "He has no right to do so!"

"And your mother has no right to hurt you."

"Leave my mother out of this, Soubi," he warned and his tone brooked no argument. Whether he chose to let it go because he didn't want to anger him, because for once he had obeyed or because he didn't want to quarrel, he had no idea but he was glad all the same. "Soubi, what do you want?" he asked, knowing the other had been beating around the bush from the beginning.

"Don't you understand?"

"I want to hear it from you."

"I would like you to allow me to come back to you."

"I'm not second-choice, Soubi. You can't expect me to take you in each time Seimei cuts you some slack."

"I know that." He closed his eyes and drew a steadying breath.

Somehow, it appeased him to see Soubi so un-composed. Still, he wasn't going to help him out of the hole he had dug for himself. He only had to close his eyes and remember how his heart had shattered when he had followed Seimei. He had turned his back on him without a second thought. Let him explain on his own, however difficult it might be. Everyone gets his in the end.

"I'm a Fighter. I've never considered myself anything more, Ritsuka. A Fighter, who lives to serve. Ritsu trained me as such, your brother used me as such. Ritsu instilled in me the idea my Sacrifice would be my everything. That my life would revolve around him and all my thoughts and actions would pertain to him. Who was I to defy his teachings? I only ever knew the both of them. The idea they might be wrong never even crossed my mind."

"Surely Soubi, you witnessed other Units' relation. Didn't you find it strange it was so different from yours?"

"I was angry at Ritsu when I left Gōra. He had betrayed me. I had no wish to go back there and if I had ever defied Seimei, where could I have gone? I was seventeen then."

"But Seimei? He has always hurt you."

"I'm used to it," he shrugged casually. "And we always defeated the other units. Seimei was proud of me when I won, Ritsuka."

"Soubi, you can't possibly find it sufficient?" He saw him smile sadly and he knew he wouldn't like his answer.

"What are you willing to bear for your mother not to leave you, Ritsuka?" The younger boy looked down, head bent, shoulders hunched, tail and ears low. "Did you merely assume I can't understand what makes you stay in this house and protect her when she clearly attempts to kill you? Do you still need me to explain why I've been so loyal to your brother? Your brother who chose me as his Fighter, who deemed me worthy enough to bear his name, me who am blank and have no name? Me, whom some unknown entity has decided I wasn't good enough to be fated for a Sacrifice? Do you really need me to explain Ritsuka?" he repeated and there was an edge to his voice that the younger boy had never heard before.

He looked up at the Fighter and watched him carefully. He was tense and there was the same urgency in his eyes that he had perceived in his voice. He couldn't explain his loyalty with words. It was such a raw need, such an deep link that he couldn't bear to order him to break it, despite his own hurt and need. He understood now that Soubi would never be his. His name would never be changed and he would remain Beloved. Loveless he was because his broken heart shattered a bit more at this sudden realization. He would never have a Fighter since he would never accept someone else. And Soubi would never abandon a name that bore such psychological weigh. Could he make do with second-choice without losing his mind and freezing his heart? Did he really have a choice? Was he ready to let Soubi go? No. No, he wasn't. And he knew it as a fact that he would never be ready. He wanted to go to him, to hold him. But he restrained himself and fisted his hands at his sides. He would hear him out and tend to his wounds in private later.

"No. I understand," he whispered loud enough for the other to hear the admission.

"We've fought Moonless and won. But Seimei ordered me to hurt them."

"Soubi—" he began but was cut short.

"You told me not to kill our enemies. You told me not to hit the losing opponent across the face. Moonless had come to my condo. They had met you. That night when I saw them I thought about you Ritsuka. I had no wish to hurt them after their defeat. I thought about you so strongly that I didn't realize I had refused to obey aloud. I had refused and Akame was too hurt to do anything."

"You disobeyed?"

"Hai. Seimei wasn't pleased with me. He said you had spoilt me."

"What has he done?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me!"

"I really doesn't Ritsuka. That night I realized I could refuse an order without the soul-wrenching pain I was expecting. I realized I could oppose my Sacrifice if I was willing to bear the punishment that followed. I realized that Ritsu's teachings might have some leeway. Ritsuka, I don't like your brother. I was grateful he chose me. I was grateful he needed me. But you chose me once too. You needed me too once. I don't want to be faithful to Beloved. I don't want to follow his command anymore. I want to follow yours. I want to be your Fighter. I want to be Loveless. I want you to change my name. Ritsuka," he pleaded, dropped down to his level and took his hand in his, "would you allow me to be yours? To protect you and stay by your side? Would you allow me to be your Fighter?"