Yazoo POV

The gathering group had all regrouped, save for one person. "Where's Daj?" I looked at the others. No one knew so we all started walking towards the area he always went to. We were all calling to him but we weren't getting an answer back. Eventually Zack stopped. "Look maybe he went back to the den sight already. We all know he hates having to travel with the group."
Everyone agreed and we went back. The problem was, when we got back, the others said he hadn't come back. I went to our den to see if he had just slipped by them. Some of the pelts were gone. I instantly knew. Daj had tried to run. I bolted out of the den, pushing Velvet Nightmare into it's holister. The others looked at me. I knew their question so I answered it. "Daj ran. He'll never survive the night. I have to find him." I walked toward the entrance only to be stopped by Sephiroth. "Yazoo, he's probably already dead. Forget it. We'll find you another mate."
"I don't want another mate asshole. I want Kadaj." I shoved him out of the way and went out looking.

I looked the rest of the day and into the night. I was ready to give up. Daj was no where to be found and with the temperature dropping he was probably already dead. I turned to walk back when I heard a crash behind me. Something had just fallen out a tree. Hard by the sound of it. I figured that it was an injured monster. If I couldn't find Daj I might as well bring back some meat. I pulled out Velvet and went towards the crash. Hiding behind a tree, I looked on. There was definatly a monster, but it was riping something apart. A bag of some sorts. Daj's bag. I watched as the creatures attention snapped to something else and it moved to attack. When it moved I saw what it was going for. Daj. I took aim quickly and shot. It took a few shots but it finally died, falling right on top of Daj. I bolted over and pushed the monster off of him. He was passed out but alive. I picked him up gently after replacing Velvet into it's holister. I ran as fast as I could back to the den site.

Kadaj POV

I was dead. That was the only explanation for the warmth that was surrounding me when I woke up. When I opened my eyes though I saw gray walls in the dim morning light. Cave walls. I sat up and instantly regretted it, my body and head screamed in pain. Falling back to the floor I held my head. No, I wasn't dead. I hurt too much. Since I couldn't move I looked around. It was the den me and Yazoo shared. "How did I get back to the den site?" I spoke through the emptyness.
"Yazoo brought you back. You were in bad condition. We weren't sure you would make it."
I looked over to see Tseng sitting with Yuna and Elena. "Yazoo?"
"Your mate. The guy you seem to hate so much even though he's done so much for you. He defied Sephiroth to go looking for you. You should be grateful." Tseng walked towards me, kneeling next to me to change my bandages. Bandages? "How bad am I?"
"Pretty bad. You have multiple broken bones and a light concussion. You won't be doing anything for awhile."
"Where's Roze?"
All three of them looked at me oddly. "Um...in her den with Genesis. She's pretty pissed at you Kadaj." Yuna stepped up to help Tseng.
"Oh. Can one of you get her when you leave? I want to apologize to her."
"You should be apologizing to Yazoo. He's been searching for you since everyone came back from the gathering trip. Honestly, what were you thinking?" Tseng said as he lifted my head to look at me.
"I'll apologize later. I need to thank him too I guess."
"Yes, you should. But for now you need to rest. We'll send Roze in but after that you need to try to sleep." they finished changing my bandages and left.
Roze walked in a few minutes later. "Kadaj James Yuiki. What were you thinking? You had me worried sick."
"I'm sorry Roze. I just wanted to go home to the Church." I looked away from her.
"Dear Gaia Kadaj. This is our home now. Why can't you accept that?"
"Because I hate it here. I wanna go home. I mean, it wasn't perfect out there but at least I knew what I could and couldn't do. Out here everything is so different and I'm so confused." I threw my arm over my eyes to hide my tears.
I was so close to telling her, but I knew I couldn't. It would just hurt her more. She was pushing me towards it though. Roze walked over and sat next to me. "What about me and Zack and the others. Don't you realize that we'd miss you? That I'd miss you?"
"You wouldn't miss me. You have Genesis." I said his name with as much venom as I could muster, though it wasn't much.
Roze looked at me in shock. "What's wrong with Genesis?"
"Nothing. Forget it. It doesn't matter. It never has, it never will." I rolled my head to the side, causing shockwaves through my head.
Roze took my head gently. "Don't move Daj, you'll just hurt yourself even more. And what are you talking about. Please tell me Daj. I'm worried about you."
"Just forget it Roze, please. Even if I told you it wouldn't make a difference. You'd just get mad at me and you wouldn't treat me the same."
"Now I really need to know. Kadaj will you please just tell me? I promise I won't treat you any different."
I rolled my head to look at her, ignoring the pain. "You really want to know? I'll tell you. I think I've been in love with you for the last few years. But at the Church I couldn't say anything and then here you have Genesis so I couldn't say anything here. That's one reason I've been fighting Yazoo so much. I didn't want to give up yet. Maybe the monster should have just ripped me apart. It woulda made things alot easier."
Roze sat in shock for a moment before compossing herself. "Don't say that Daj. If the moster had got you then I never would have know how you felt. Daj, I wish you had told me along time ago."
"But." I knew there was a but and I knew what it was.
"But I'm happy with Genesis, and you could be happy with Yazoo if you'd just let him in."
"I know. He really likes me doesn't he." I moved my arm off my eyes to look at her.
"Honestly Daj, I think he's in love with you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I mean, he went looking for you all day and night. He waited to mark you till you were better adjusted. Now he'll have to wait even longer till you're better."
"You think I should let him in?"
"Yeah. Give him a chance Daj. You might find you like him."
"Ok. I'll try Roze. You promise you aren't mad?"
"I'm mad that you ran off Daj, that's all I'm mad about."
"I'm sorry Roze. I promise I won't do that again."
She stood up. "You just rest for now. later though you need to apologize to Yazoo. If you want I can send him in now."
"No. I want to think for awhile first."
She nodded and walked out.

I stayed up for awhile, thinking about Yazoo. He might be in love with me? I couldn't believe it. I mean, I never really paid any attention to him. Now that I thought about it though, he had always been incredibly nice. Starting from the day we met at the church, he had done so much for me. All I had done was give him trouble for everything. It made me feel so horrible that I started to cry. I had to go find him, I had to apologize. Slowly, I pushed myself up, ignoring the throbbing in my head and the screaming of my broken bones. I made my way towards the den entrance, but I didn't make it far before falling and yelping in pain. My sight went black, though II could still hear. Someone ran up to me, picking me up gently. "Daj. I thought Tseng told you to stay in bed. You're going to hurt yourself even worse."
Yazoo. I reached out, trying to find his shoulders. "Yazoo, I can't see anything. Everything is black."
"Shit. I'll get Tseng in a second. First I need to get you to bed." he layed me down on the pelts gently. "What were you doing Daj?"
"I had to come find you."
"Why? What could be so important that you had to risk making yourself worse?"
"I had to apologize. I've been so horrible to you when all you've done is be kind to me. I feel so horrible."
"Dammit Kadaj. You should have waited. What if you lose your sight permanently?"
"You...you don't think that could happen do you? Yazoo, I'm scared. What if I die or something? Tseng said they weren't sure I'd pull through."
"Don't be stupid Daj. Of course you'll be fine. And look, I wish I had realized how desperate you were to go back to the church. So I thought about it and I'm going to take you back once you're well enough."
"Really? But what about you? You'll be without a mate. Will you just find someone else?"
"No, I won't take anyone else. If I can't have you I won't have anyone. And please don't ask why."
"You know I'm going to Yazoo, But I might already know why. Roze said that she thought you were in love with me. Am I right? Is that why?"
I didn't hear him say anything, and I wondered what he was doing. For a second I was afraid he had left. "Yazoo? Are you still there?"
"Yeah, I'm still here."
"I got worried cause you weren't saying anything. I hate this, not being able to see you."
I heard him snort. "Why would you want to see me. You hate me."
"I don't hate you Yazoo. I don't think I ever did. I think I was just trying to hold out for Roze and that's why I was so horrible to you. Maybe I thought it would drive you off."
"Well you failed miserably. Look it doesn't matter. I'm taking you back. End of story."
"Ok fine. I still want you to answer me. Was I right or not?"
"Daj just drop it ok?"
"No, not until you tell me."
"Daj."
"Yazoo."
"Kadaj."
"I want to know Yazoo. Will you please just tell me?"
I heard him growl. "You wanna know so badly? Fine. Yes, I love you. I have since the moment in the church. Before you I used to call all that love at first sight stuff crap. But when O saw you I instantly believed it. Will it kill me to take you back? Yeah. But will I do it anyways to make you happy? Yes. Because you are just that unhappy here, and it kills me to see you so damn unhappy. Now, are you happy?" I heard him get up and start walking away.
I flayled my arms to grab at him. "Yazoo wait. Don't leave me! Don't leave me alone Yazoo!" it was too late though, he had already left the den.
When Yazoo didn't come back I cried myself to sleep. He was like that everynight. Never coming to bed till after he was sure I was asleep, so each night I cried myself to sleep. I had driven the only person who really loved me away, and he practically never spoke to me. Each day he didn't talk to me seemed like a lifetime. And once I got my sight back I was up and walking, trying to find him. He was really good at avoiding me though. I couldn't figure out why him avoiding me hurt so much. Yeah, being avoided by anyone hurt unless you absolutely hated them, but this was more. This cut me deep each day I failed to find him, or when I found him and he only spoke two or three words to me.

Eventually the time came that I was nearly perfectly healed. I was still kinda sore, but that would fade. I had given up trying to find Yazoo. If he hated me that much then there was no point. Even without him though I had come to like it there. It was my home now, like they had said, Yazoo's promise forgotten. Or at least I had forgotten. Yazoo walked in, his face blank of any emotion. "Pack your stuff."
I looked at him. "What?"
"I said pack your stuff. I told you I'd take you home when you were well enough to travel and you are. Now hurry up."
I looked at him in shock. "But I don't want to go. It's nice here."
"You're going back. End of story. If you won't pack your things then I will."
"But why? Do you want me to go so badly?"
"Yes. I don't want you here."
Tears welled in my eyes. "But...you said you loved me."
"Things change. Now hurry the fuck up." he turned and stalked out.
I pulled my knees to my chest and cried. Yazoo thoroughly hated me. He wanted nothing to do with me. After a few minutes I stood up and packed what little stuff I had. Yazoo was waiting for me at the entrance with everyone. I hugged each one of them, the ones that I liked anyways. I hugged Roze the tightest. She had always been there and now I was leaving her behind. Tears were coming back and were close to flowing over when Yazoo pulled me off into the forest.

The walk to the church was quiet. I didn't know what to say and Yazoo refused to say anything anyways. When we got to the church I hugged Yazoo tightly, and he was too shocked to do anything. Before he could yell at me or something I ran into the church to find Seymour sama. I found him in the library. Walking in, I called to him. "Seymour sama. I'm back!" when he looked up at me I ran up to him, hugging him tightly.
"Kadaj. What do you think you're doing here?" he pryed me off of him.
"I came back. The SOLDIER that took me brought me back."
"Interesting. Well where will you be staying then?"
I looked at him in confusion. "Here of course. I mean, I can change rooms if needed. That is not a problem."
"But it is a problem. Only members of the chruch can stay here."
I was really confused now. "But Seymour sama, I am a part of the church. This is my home."
"No, your home is in the forest. When you left you were no longer a member of the church. All you are now is a filthy forest rat. Now shoo rat. This church is for those who are holy." he shooed me out and shut the library door before I could say anything.
All I could do was cry. I had been kicked out of the church, and now I had no where to go. I couldn't go back to the den site. Yazoo hated me and I just couldn't face him. I had figured out why too, but it was too late. Distressed, I jumped up and bolted out and back into the forest. I knew it would be dark soon but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore.
It wasn't long before I was completely lost and exhausted. I kicked and hit the tree before spinning and leaning against down, I pulled my legs up to my chest and hugged them tight. I wanted to cry but I had cried so much that I just couldn't cry anymore. So I just sat there and waited. I wasn't quiet what I was waiting for, probably for my death. Eventually a monster would find me. If not, I'd just freeze to death tonight.
Footsteps approached my spot but I didn't look up. Who ever it was it didn't matter. I only wanted to see one person and he absolutely hated me. "Just go away. Leave me alone." I mumbled, not looking about.
"So you can do what? Get ripped apart by a monster or to freeze to death tonight? Not likely."
That voice. Soft and calm, addicting. I jumped up and hugged him tightly. "Yazoo! They kicked me out. They wouldn't let me stay."
He hugged me back after a minute. "Daj, I'm sorry. I never should have forced you to go back. Just calm down. COme on, I'll take you back to the den site."
"But you hate me now. You said you do."
"Daj, I'm sorry. I don't hate you, I promise."
"Then why did you say you did? Why did you make me leave?"
"Because it was what you wanted. You hate it there."
"Not anymore. It's my home Yazoo. My home is there, with you."
"Me? I'm one of the things you hate about it."
"No, I mean, you used to be, but not anymore. I mean, I..."
"Daj?"
I buried my head in his chest and mumbeled."I love you Yazoo."
He looked at me. "What? Daj I can't hear you if you mumble."
I turned my head slightly. "Love you Yazoo."
He smiled. "Love you too Daj. I'm glad you're back."
"Can we go home now?"
"Sure. Come on." he pulled away and took my hand.

Everyone was shocked to see me back, but they were more shocked to see me hand in hand with Yazoo. We both ignored the others and walked to our den. I'm guessing they misunderstood our intentions and left us alone all night.