(Disclaimer: I do no claim to own Loveless or its characters.) [Reviews=love]

"Seimei!" cried Ritsuka excitedly. He raced into his brother's room and up into the occupied bed. "Why didn't you tell me you were home?" There was no answer. "Seimei?"

He touched his shoulder lightly only to find a sticky red liquid on the pads of his fingers. Scared, Ritsuka stumbled off the bed landing loudly on the hard floor.

"Ritsuka? What are you doing in my room?"

Quickly Ritsuka crawled over to his brother holding tight to his leg. "Seimei! There's some-"

"I know, Ritsuka," Seimei said gently. He lowered his hand into Risuka's black hair, ruffling it.

The older of the two brothers began to tend the injured blond in his bed. Ritsuka watched, eyes wide. He was glad Seimei wasn't angry he'd came in without permission.

Seimei used the first aid kit to tend the slumbering blond man. His fingers were careful and precise but didn't have the tenderness Ritsuka was used to when Seimei treated him after one of their mother's fits.

"Seimei, what happened to him?"

"He made a mistake," Seimei said evenly. Ritsuka came over and crawled into his brother's lap. Seimei was petting the long blond hair, his other hand rubbing circles along his brother's back. Ritsuka's ears laid flat against his head. What kind of mistake had this man made? Who was he anyway, why was he at their house? Was he a friend of Seimei? If he was then why hadn't Seimei ever introduced them before?

The two watched the blond man as he slept. Seimei's gaze held an odd fascination. Ritsuka just couldn't look away. His thoughts were absorbed by the stranger.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"He'll be just fine," Seimei smiled at the youngest of their family. "Ritsuka, one day, when I'm gone, he'll be here to protect you. I need you to watch over him too."

Ritsuka's eyes grew wide with worry. "Seimei!" he exclaimed, distressed. Before he could continue Seimei shushed him into silence, smile never leaving his lips. He hated it when Seimei talked as if he wouldn't be there for him. He didn't do it very often but when he did Ritsuka was loath to hear him talk.

"He'll be here for you when I can't, Ritsuka."

"Who is he, Seimei?"

"Nobody, Ritsuka, nobody important."