Disclaimer- I don't own Negima.

Sorry for the slow update! I have tons of chapters done, but the library wouldn't let me uupdate yesterday!

About this chapter...hmmm...Eishun doesn't get enough love.

Enjoy!

"A-la Ru-bra, A-la Ru-bra, A-la Ru-bra, A-la Ru-bra," chanted the girls as the stomped in, towing a small boy along with them. "A-la Ru-bra, A-"

"I'm guessing you want to hear an Ala Rubra story?" interrupted Albireo.

"C-Colonel-san," said Negi Springfield in a small voice. "A-Am I allowed to be here? Asuna and Konoka insisted that I come, so-"

"You're fine, Negi-kun. Sit down and get something to eat. I'll oblige you all by telling an Ala Rubra story...hmm...oh, I have one...it was about twenty years ago, and Nagi, Jack, Filius, Eishun, and I were traveling Magicus Mundus battling in the war...we had just finished a tough battle, so we took a break at a hot springs..."

Al was very glad he was good at hiding his injuries, because this was going to be hard to pull off. In their last fight he'd broken his wrist, most of his ribs, twisted his ankle, badly bruised both his legs, and possibly sprained his tailbone. His back was also an assortment of yellows and blacks, and he was sure his neck was the saw, although as his neck was so sore he couldn't turn it, he didn't have any way of knowing. His magic was severely drained, so he couldn't even heal his minor injuries, but he put a mindless smile on his face and marched on with the others.

The reason for all this pain was because Nagi had made a ridiculously stupid mistake in battle and hadn't even realized it, and if Al hadn't been there to take the brunt of the attack Nagi probably would've died. Al didn't want Nagi to know how injured he was, because although Nagi would've outwardly laughed it off he would secretly be very guilty inside, and when Nagi was guilty it made life hell for everyone- he spent his entire time moping after you, asking if there was anything he could possibly do for you.

Al was managing to walk without limping, a miraculous feat, and was engaging Eishun in some light conversation (he'd rather talk to Filius, but he knew him well enough that he would be able to tell Al's discomfort), when Nagi yelled, "Awesome-sauce! There's a hot spring up there!"

Al cursed under his breath. Now, of all times...normally he adored hot springs, but now the very idea of hot water gave him the shivers.

He pretended to love the idea along with everyone else, but when they got in the hot spring he declined and sat on the bench nearby, the mere heat paining him to no end. He should've expected that sitting out would make him subject to attacks from Jack and Nagi- they started splashing boiling water at him, and he laughed with them, although inside he was writhing with pain.

They spent the night at a nice hotel adjoining the hot spring, and Al paid for his own room, grateful to get somewhere he could sleep and nurse his rooms in private. But just his luck- right when he took off his shirt, Eishun walked in. He expected Eishun to run off to tell Nagi and Jack, but he raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms.

"I knew it!" he announced. "The others are too stupid to notice, but I could tell you were in pain."

"Really?" replied Al curiously, wishing his chest wasn't quite so bruised, as Eishun could see the impressive display. "How?"

"I saw that stunt Nagi pulled and the way you protected him. The idiot didn't even realize it..." sighed Eishun. "Also, you haven't been brushing your hair. A girly man like you always keeps his hair in top shape, and you've been neglecting it lately."

A laughed. "You're very observant."

"Sit down," ordered Eishun suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"I still owe you for that truck, so sit-"

"Oh, don't worry about that,," tittered Al, waving his broken wrist at Eishun, wincing afterwards. He really needed to learn how to minimize pain instead of ignore it.

"Turn around so I can see your back," growled Eishun.

Al turned obligingly so Eishun could see the bruises ad broken ribs- and also the large dragon tattoo covering his back.

He could feel the shock on Eishun's face. It was literally palpable.

"Is that...a...Yakuza tattoo?" stammered Eishun.

"I've been around," shrugged Al, wincing as he did so.

"But that design...only the top Yakuza bosses have it! And it's so intricate, and the colors are so vivid..." marveled Eishun.

"Still? I've had it a good twenty years. I thought it would be fading by now."

Eishun shook his head. "Your tattoo isn't what's important here. Do you have any bandages?"

"Not on me, I usually heal my wounds with magic, but I'm nearly drained-" Al cut himself off. Now that Eishun knew he was magically weak he was going to have a much harder time convincing him to leave him alone.

Eishun raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. "Lie down on the bed."

"Hmm?"

"Don't be coy, Al-san, just get down there."

"Where do you want me to go down?"

"A-Al-san, please, listen to me," stuttered Eishun, blushing. "I'm just trying to help.

Al sighed and pressed his face against the bed, suppressing a groan of pain. Eishun hovered over him, pressing his back to check for injuries. "You're severely injured, Al-san," said Eishun. "You should take better care of yourself."

"Why? What's going to happen if I don't?"

Eishun didn't know what to say to that, so he rummaged up some bandages and started to wind them tightly around Al, pausing just before he did so. "Al...I can set the bones if you want me to, but it'll hurt..."

"Do what you want to," replied Al breezily, his head still smushed against the pillow.

Eishun took a deep breath and set three of Al's ribs in succession, one right after the other. Al was very still throughout the entire process, and Eishun marveled at his bravery.

"I'm not brave," mumbled Al. "I just have a high pain tolerance."

Eishun treated the rest of Al's injuries in a similar fashion and then settled onto the bed next to him.

"Why do you act so tough?" asked Eishun quietly. "You're not like Jack and Nagi, you don't go out of your way to be macho."

Albireo examined his polished fingernails. "That's a good question. Even if I don't look like one, at the end of the day I'm still a man."

"I don't get it," Eishun confessed. "To me, if something hurts I'll yell and then do something about. I won't just let it bleed. I don't think I'm as brave as you guys."

Albireo shook his head. "I don't know about Jack and Nagi, but this certainly isn't bravery. I just told you that a minute ago. It doesn't take bravery to ignore injuries that will not kill you. I do not and will never know if I'm a brave man."

Eishun clenched his fists. "That's ridiculous! Of course you're brave. No one fights like you."

Al met his gaze evenly with his deep blue eyes. "That's not what I'm saying. I can fight strong because I know I will not die. If that advantage were to be taken away from me, would I still be able to fight? Or would I quake in fear and collapse?"

"That's really bother you, isn't it, Al-san?" asked Eishun quietly. "For what it counts, I think you would be a most formidable fighter with or without the advantage of immortality. I would never want to go against you."

Al leaned against the pillow, his breathing growing shallow. "Ah...that is very kind. But my personality has been shaped on this immortality of mine. I was not a good man before I possessed it. If I lost it, would I cease to be the man I am now?"

Eishun seriously thought about. He sat silently, watching Albireo struggle to fight off sleep. "No."

Al raised a tired eyebrow. "Why? Do you have a reason?"

"No. Do I need a reason?" Eishun thumped his stomach. "I feel it in my gut, and we've made decisions based on less than that. If you ever doubt that answer, look inside you. You'll be able to see what a great person you are...but seriously, don't you think you should get some sleep?"

To his surprise, Al's calloused hand grabbed at the sleeve of his turtle-neck and pulled him onto the bed with him, where Eishun slept peacefully, still in his clothes, next to Al. Maybe, Eishun figured, he wasn't as useless to Ala Rubra as he'd thought.

As soon as the story was over, Konoka jumped up in the air. "Yes, my father did something! And he was cool! Secchan's going to be so happy!"

"Yeah," agreed Asuna. "He gets overshadowed by everyone else a lot, but he really is a good guy."

Chisame's mind was stuck on something else. "You have a Yakuza tattoo?"

Al smirked. "If it's still there. It's been a while since I last checked."

"Can we see?" asked Chisame apprehensively.

Al obligingly turned his back to them, discarded his robe, and pulled up the back of his turtle-neck. In addition to a large burn scar on his lower back and side there was, lo and behold, a colorful dragon tattoo covering the whole expanse of his back.

"The colors are so vivid!" gawked Asuna.

"Oh my..." whispered Negi, images of bright Nagi tattoos shining in his mind.

"Still?" asked Al, amused. "My tattoo artist must've been exceptionally talented."

"Wow..." said Konoka. "I wish I was in the Yakuza..."

No one was sure how to respond to that, and they were all grateful when Konoka changed the subject.

"I want to go tell Secchan how awesome my dad is!" announced Konoka, standing up.

Negi blushed. "Ala Rubra's so cool..."

"You think they're hot, don't you, Negi-kun?" grinned Asuna.

"Well..." Negi glanced at Al. "In a m-manly sort of way..." Negi scuttled out after Konoka, embarrassed. Asuna waved a couple fingers half-heartedly as she left.

"Nice to know," commented Al. "And you?" he asked Chisame.

"I think I'll stay," muttered Chisame. "You're going to explain to mean how exactly you earned this tattoo. And then you're tell me why your pain tolerance is so high. Also, I'd like to know about that weird scar. And maybe about your chest hair, too. You seem to have a lot."

Al rasied his teacup. "We may be here a while."

Chisame shrugged. "Not like I have anything better to do."

"I'll toast to that."

Sorry if you love Negi...but he's ten,and to me ten year olds are boring. I think this is the very first time ive ever written him.

What did you think? Reviews are love! :)