A/N: Yes, I updated tonight. C: This chapter's a little shorter than the others, but I thought it might be important to understand when Gaignun actually fell in love with Jr. CX Maybe it's not and I was just feeling the fluff. Idk. The next chapter will be better though.

The Original Oxymoron: Thank you so much for your compliments. CX And yes, Albedo will get his very own chapter. How did you know!? Are you a ninja too? 0.0

Ganon XD: Whoa, let's all calm down a little bit and breathe. Breathe. XD And to your lamb that you so randomly bought at Wal-Mart that is extra fluffly and cute. I'm glad you decided to name him Lamb Jr. after my Jr. he is a little creepy too. I hope this chapter pleases him.

Albedo's Jerusalem: (or applesauce, since you said I could call you that??) Yes, I've been updating a lot. 0.0 A lot a lot. So just calm down and relax. This story's writing itself.

Tualha: First of all, I'm not stupid. I purposely wrote Friday so that I wouldn't be expected to update tonight, but thank you for ruining that. --; And also, hush. No one cares what you think and to anyone reading this, she has not played Xenosaga and does not understand its greatness. So if you read her reveiws and find her stupid. She is. XD The end.

I do not on Xenosaga, but I wish I did b/c there would've been a lot more of our favorite U.R.T.V.'s CX


Conflicting Numbers
Chapter 9
I love you

Nigredo awoke in a hospital or so he guessed. The walls were white and he was strapped to a bed with wires poked into him. So it wasn't hard to guess. He blinked against the white lights and frowned at the racking pain that seized his body. "Ow..." he groaned pathetically. As if making noise was going to make him feel any better. He raised his right hand to shield his eyes but it wasn't enough. With great effort he began to raise the other when he felt something slid off. Squinting against the light, he found Rubedo asleep against the bed. That's why he'd felt so heavy. Rubedo lay halfway stretched across the bed, his head on Nigredo's legs. He smiled. Had Rubedo stayed up all night with him? He carefully opened the link between them, trying to gain information without waking him up.

"You can't take me away from him!" Rubedo screamed, trying to make his way behind the white doors where Nigredo had vanished. "You can't! He'll die!"

A silver haired boy held onto his shoulders, trying to whisper calming words. "I won't lose him! I won't let him die!"

"He'll be ok." the boy whispered, pulling Rubedo away. "It's just to stop the bleeding. Just a small nanosurgery." But that didn't convince Rubedo. He fought against the boy who held him.

"I want to go with him! Let me go with him!" He yelled angrily, "What the hell is wrong with you!?"

The boy held him turned him around, holding his arms against his sides to stop all his thrashing. "Look, he's going to be ok."

"Not without me! I-I need to be there! I need to help!"

"If you go in there," chaos said, frowning, "You could contaminate the sterile field. If you just stay here and wait a little while, he should be out in about an hour. Just relax, ok? He'll be fine."

Rubedo stared daggers at him. "If he dies," he threatened darkly, "I'm going to fucking kill you."

The boy only nodded and smiled at him. "If he does, I'll gladly give you the opportunity."

Rubedo hadn't left his side since the moment they'd brought him out of the surgery room. chaos came in from time to time to say encouraging words and to make sure Rubedo ate. Three days and nights Nigredo was under and unresponsive to the random cursing Rubedo was screaming at him. "Damnit Nigredo! Wake up! You're driving me fucking insane! I know you're alive, I can hear your pulse! Quit ignoring me. If you don't wake up soon then I'm going to kill you, you bastard! Nigredo!"

On the fourth day, Rubedo was still awake, complaining through the link to his silent brother when Nigredo screamed. His green eyes snapped open in fear. A glazed shadow haunted his eyes as he blindly screamed.

"Nigredo, what's wrong?" Rubedo jumped up. Nigredo was thrashing and arching off the bed from pain, straining against the wires. "Nigredo?!" But he couldn't hear him, lost in his pain. Rubedo threw open the door and looked up and down the hallways for someone, anyone. No one, not even chaos was around. What kind of hospital was this? Nigredo's shrieks brought him back into the room. Rubedo forced his way through the link, something he hated to do unless he absolutley had to. Yo, Rubedo. Rubedo shook with anger at Albedo's presence.

What are you doing to him?

Why, Rubedo I haven't done a thing.

What are you doing to him?!

What is it you see in him that made you abandon me Rubedo? Tell me!

Nigredo screamed again. STOP IT!!

There was laughter. I just love to hear your anger, Rubedo. Please, scream at me more! I love it! Sick laughter floated to him from down the link. Oh, and say goodbye to Nigredo for me.

Albedo! Rubedo threatened, but he was gone again. No no no no no! Rubedo panicked. He had no idea what to do. Nigredo was screaming, writhing, dying from whatever Albedo had caused. There was no way he'd survive the pain, it was shutting his body down. It fought against it, trying to go into shock, but it couldn't. Whatever Albedo had infected him with was making his body torture itself, soak up the pain. Rubedo, in a desperate attempt to save his brother, pressed down on Nigredo's shoulders with both hands to keep him as still as he could. With a dying link and incredible speed, Rubedo began absorbing his brother's pain. It was so intense he didn't know if he could do it, almost couldn't even handle a piece of it, but he pulled it out anyway. He trembled under his pain, soaking it up bit by bit until Nigredo's eyes fell shut again and his screaming stopped. The link broke immediatley and Rubedo fell to the floor, trembling in agony. I can handle this...he told himself bitterly, I can handle this. As long as Nigredo's ok. I can do this. Nigredo stayed unconcious for the next two days, while a sleepless Rubedo fought the pain. Finally, on the sixth day of his vigil, the pain was gone. He collapsed on the white sheets. He took one last look at his younger brother and grabbed hold of his hand. "If you're not awake when I get up." An exhausted Rubedo barked, "I'm going to fucking rip you apart." And with that he passed out.

Nigredo was shocked at all of this. Had he really been out for six days? Had Rubedo really...? "Nigredo..." Nigredo looked over at a sleeping Rubedo, talking in his light sleep. "Wake up, please. Don't...be stupid. I need you..." He smacked his lips together and rubbed his face against the sheets. "Idiot..." he sighed. Nigredo almost cried, grabbing hold of Rubedo's hand and squeezing it tightly. "Rubedo, you're absolutley amazing." He watched Rubedo sleep, ignoring the weakening pain, thankful so much for his brother. I love you, Rubedo.


Gaignun couldn't help but smile when he awoke. Jr. lie asleep in his arms. He looked so peaceful. He hadn't moved all night, glued permanently to Gaignun's side. It was still early, but Gaignun didn't care. He'd never been so awake in his life. It was as if his brain had demanded him to spend every waking second he could with Jr. He smiled involuntarily at the boy's peaceful face and gently rubbed his back. He placed a kiss on his forehead. Jr. grumbled and frowned. "Always so grouchy." Gaignun said, amused.

"Always so stupid." Jr. said, opening his sleepy blue eyes, a motion Gaignun found extremely beautiful and tilted his head to kiss him again. "Jeez, Gaignun. You're such a girl."

"Perhaps," he said, pulling Jr. closer to him.

"Perhaps," Jr. said mockingly, trying not to make it too obvious how much he liked being pressed up against Gaignun.

"You're a jerk." Gaignun laughed.

"It's better than being a girl." Gaignun placed a hand behind Jr.'s neck, effortlessly flipping them over and placing a deep kiss on his lips. "If I'm a girl," he said huskily, balancing himself on hands and knees above his older brother. "Then why where you my bitch the other night?"

Jr. blushed at 'bitch' and pouted, "You weren't even that good..."

Gaignun kissed him again, coaxing his way into Jr.'s willing mouth. The boy whimpered helplessly and wrapped his small hands into Gaignun's black hair. Gaignun pulled back, a sly smile on his face, enjoying the flush on Jr.'s skin. "I-I-that's...tha'ts not what it looks like!"

Gaignun chuckled, "Jr, just face it. You might as well tattoo 'Property of Gaignun Kukai' on your cute little ass."

Jr. blushed, "Gaignun! When the hell did you start talking like that?! Language, mister! Language!"

"Your language was never good."

"I'm Jr.!" he shouted, throwing his hands up, "I'm supposed to cuss and swear and say ridiculous things! You're Gaignun! You're supposed to be cool and calm and elequent and you know, all that stuff. When did we switch places?!"

"Who said we switched? Maybe I'm more like you than you thought?"

"This is so wrong." Jr. said, smiling.

"Yes, it is." Gaignun said, hanging his head a bit

Jr. laughed and leaned up, "But I like it."

It was Gaignun's turn to blush as Jr. gently placed his lips against his own.

I love you, Rubedo.


A/N: Wow, if that wasn't fluffage I don't know what is. XD Things will start picking back up next chapter though. Maybe another lemon if I'm brave enough? XD And what about Albedo? 0.0 He's fantastic, yes. XD Reviews are my muse so inspire it up, people. C: