Hello! Thanks for all the feedback, you guys rock! So here goes the third installment, please enjoy!

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Give this one
On bended knee
Price to pay
Please wait for me
A trial by fire
A setting Sun
A love I've won...

Not really paying attention (Could you blame him when Ren was wearing those shorts?), he realized too late the moss covered rock sticking out of the ground, and could only brace himself for the fall. But then Ren was there, arms around his waist, pulling him back.

"Horohoro! Watch your step, baka!" he snapped, face showing more worry than annoyance. Horo grinned, loving the expression on the Tao's face.

"Sorry Renny."

"Just… Follow me. We're not far now."

The purple haired shaman took Horo's hand in his and began to weave through the trees on what was apparently a path only he could see. To the Ainu he was guiding, however, that hardly mattered. The warmth of Ren's hand was far more important right now, as was the slither of electricity sliding down his spine that it caused. Oh, and breathing. Can not forget breathing.

"No need to rush, Ren," murmured Horo, more content than he had been all day. A dying sun sent spears of vermillion and orange through a rustling ocean of leaves. He found himself in a relaxed kind of trance, daydreaming about stars and suns… And orgasmic hamburgers. Being fed to him by Ren. Who was wearing those nice shorts-

"Hey, we're here."

Already a bit distracted from having been pulled so cruelly from his musings, Horo could only stare befuddled at their supposed destination. A black, foreboding hole, peeking out of a mossy slope of earth greeted his confused stare. He glanced questioningly at Ren. The Tao smirked smugly (well, more so than usual) and started to enter it. Halfway there, he paused.

"Well?"

His voice sounded tired, quiet. Not like him at all.

'Well? Well what?' he thought, for some reason suddenly on the verge of panicing. 'Does he honestly expect me to go in there? I don't know what's down there, and he's obviously not about to tell me! I can't go down there!"

Not one for thinking much about his actions, he wasn't really surprised to find himself right there beside the Ren, grabbing the boy's hand and gazing patiently into the darkness ahead.

"You know I trust you, Ren."

He didn't look at the other shaman, as he doubted Ren would appreciate that at this particular moment. If there was a bear or a wolf or something in there, and Ren wanted him to go in there and volunteer to be lunch…then he'd do it.

Simple as that.

He didn't need to know exactly why, but the feeling he got from holding Ren's almost too warm hand was more than enough reason. Still facing the dark entrance, Horo idly ran his fingers over Ren's, palm, the back of his hand, waiting. The other boy needed some time, though for what, Horo wouldn't try to guess. So wait he would. For as long as it look, and longer. But not so long, it seemed, as Ren's hand was tightening; he could hear the other boy taking a deep breath. He smiled, for some reason feeling…Relieved.

Something good had just happened, he could feel it!

"Then let's go, Horokeu."

Not bothering to try and figure out the curious expression on his face or the odd note in his voice, Horo followed Ren into the pitch black before them.

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