A/N: Herro! I just fell in love with this pairing for the second time as I was playing the game a while ago. I'm at the part right before you get Endrance back. He's one of my favorite characters to play with, so I was constantly trying to get him to join my team. I never really read the message he sends back, though. I did for the first time just a bit ago and it made me love the pairing even more! 'Goodbye, Haseo… Goodbye… My Beloved.' Really? Seriously? How can you not love him to DEATH ; 3;.

This takes place like 2 and a half years after the end of the game :]. This is going to be a short chapter. Just kind of introducing the plot. Not really, but meh. It's where I'm deciding to stop the introductory chapter. Enjoy if you can~!

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor claim to own, any of these characters. This stands true for the following chapters, as well.

Summary: Kaoru is thrown headlong into the world he's always hidden from. At least there's still a familiar face. Kind of Melodramatic...

Pairings: m!Slash. Endrance X Haseo / Kaoru X Ryou


Waste Some Time
Chapter One
The Fall of the Rose


There are many things you want to hear from the one person who means everything to you. Maybe it's the love confession you've dreamt of, that thank you went out of your way to earn, or just a warm greeting; as long as they acknowledge your presence. And although there aren't too many things you do not want to hear from them, when you do it does far more damage than those little things can repair.

The controller that fit so well in his hands slipped from his slackened grip, clattering to the floor with a noise that he heard even over the background music that had become the soundtrack to his life. The man behind the avatar of Endrance froze, thin fingers clenching around thinner air.

As there came a lull in the music, his headset blared with the small avatar's response to the Terror of Death's words, "How dare you speak to Master En that way, Haseo! I've tolerated you this long for him, but this time you've gone too-" SakuBo shrieked, sounding as affronted as he felt.

"You honestly think I care what you have to say? You're even worse than him!"

He felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. His chest clenched and his uncut nails dug into his palms as the words stung.

SakuBo took a step back, ambiguous face set in a frown. "You're not just going to stand there and let him speak to you like that, are you, Master En?" she shrieked as she turned toward The Temptress. His avatar remained as it had been: pixels and polygons just moving as they were programmed to when the players behind them let them sit for long enough. The girl's expression softened after a moment of silence. "…Master En?"

The character design he'd come to love just smirked at him.

"You see, he's realizing that I'm right. He's completely worthless."

His heart pounded in his ears, his chest aching as he stared in disbelief at the avatar that belonged to the one person he cared the most for.

"H… Haseo?" his soft voice cracked on his end of the microphone, but it was covered up by the advanced technology invested in the specialized headsets- the voice of Endrance sounded just as smooth and airy as it always did, if a little hurt. His hands dropped to his lap and he felt blindly around for his controller. He felt it against his foot and bent down, his forehead bumping the desk as his hands groped around for it in the room he rarely felt a part of.

When it was safely back in his hands, Endrance took a step toward Haseo, one arm outstretching slowly as it always did. He longed to touch him, even in cyberspace, just to know he could touch him. That he was within range. But he wasn't. He couldn't touch him and he would never try against the other's will, no matter how much he yearned for it himself.

As the dark smile faded from the multi-weapon's face, replaced by the glare he'd seen directed towards others, he felt the threat of tears prickling.

"Why won't you just go away?"

He retracted his hand, eyes on the face of the game character. He desperately tried to discern whether this was some kind of cruel joke. Surely… "Is that really what you want, Haseo?" he asked, the playback of his voice harder than he had ever heard it before. He gripped his controller to his chest as he leaned over his desk, waiting breathlessly for the answer he hoped he'd never hear.

And yet…

"Yes."

Endrance's eyes closed as he turned away. Kaoru's thumbs froze at the controls. He didn't want it to be true. "Then… I suppose," he halted in his words, fighting to make sure there was no hint of his distress in the voice the man of his dreams heard, "This is goodbye, Haseo." And with that, Endrance warped out of the field. He didn't bother to save his progress; he wouldn't be back.

"Master En!" was the last thing he heard before he logged out.

Then there was absolute, disorienting silence. Nothing but silence and black.

In the solitude of his room, Ichinose Kaoru once again dropped his controller. He took off his headset and unplugged his computer. He got out of his chair, moving toward his untouched bed. For the first time in more than a week he fell onto the sheets, curled up on the covers and closed his eyes.

And he cried.