A/N - Stregian, I'm so happy I was able to renew your interest in Zetsuai/Bronze. It really is a great series. One of my top five : ). I'm having a little more fun now that I think people are actually reading this! Hopefully I'm not disappointing! Without further ado, chapter ten!

--

Izumi was half-jogging in his eagerness to crest the hill and get his first glimpse of home in over half a month. Not long, comparatively. He'd been away on missions for longer, but for some reason it felt like he hadn't seen the camp in years.

They'd agreed to meet back at the point where Koji and Izumi had parted ways. Izumi promised to be back before 19:00 in exactly two days. Koji had looked mournfully on as Izumi had turned to walk alone the rest of the way.

He wondered with some interest what Koji would do if Izumi never came back. He'd be devastated, of course. It was then Izumi realized the full extent of the trust Koji was placing in him. Izumi could easily have been lying about there being a camp in this area and used the opportunity to disappear into the scattered maze of the wasted city.

He wondered if Koji would try to find him…

All further thoughts of Koji vanished as he finally reached the top and looked down upon the old world fortress his people had converted into their home. The dust colored walls encircled the residential area, while small vegetable gardens littered the surrounding area.

Izumi sprinted down the hill, sliding several inches at a time as the muddy hillside gave way beneath his heels.

One of the guards patrolling the wall had spotted him. His rifle was locked on Izumi's running form. Izumi waved a hand at the man. The guard faltered, lowering his gun. Then he was suddenly jumping up and down in excitement, calling over to the other side of the wall.

The thick concrete gate opened a sliver, just wide enough for a person to pass through. Oddly, before Izumi could reach the door, a blurred figure shot out of the gap and collided hard against him. This was followed by a smaller black-haired blur.

"Brother!"

"Brother! Brother!"

Serika threw her arms around Izumi as Yugo tackled his brother's knees. A double attack. All three fell laughing to the damp ground.

On the hill a lone figure had appeared, watching the reunion unnoticed.

--

"There's a mark on your neck."

Izumi hastened to pull his collar up, concealing the small bruise. Serika was studying him intently, her lips pressed contemplatively together. She pulled at her necklace.

"That looks pretty on you," Izumi said, pulling the needle up through the patch he was attaching to Yugo's shorts. Serika stopped fiddling with the necklace. Seashells. Very rare this far inland. She held it clasped in her fingers.

"Thanks for the necklace, even if it is two weeks late," she teased.

"Better late than never," Izumi quoted with mock sagacity. Serika dropped her hand for the shell she'd been holding.

"Brother, wont you tell me where you've been? I know you don't want the others to know. I wont tell them, but wont you tell me?"

Izumi put down his crooked sewing project. It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done.

"You can't tell anyone, Serika," he warned, his clear eyes locked on hers. She nodded.

"I won't," she replied solemnly. Izumi trusted his sisters word implicitly.

"I've been in Central," he began, resuming his patch work so he wouldn't have to meet her eye. Serika gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth.

"A-are you doing spy work?" she asked shakily. She half-dreaded his answer. Izumi shook his head.

"No. Serika, I was a prisoner." Serika looked both horrified and puzzled. POW's that lived to return from Central were badly disfigured, mentally and physically. A result of the torture they underwent. None of them came back with only a hickey to show for it.

"But… How did… You escaped?" she guessed, still bemused.

"No. He let me go. Conditionally… You remember how I said I'd have to leave again soon? I have to go back. Tonight. In," he glanced at the clock, "two hours. I don't know when I'll come back." If I come back, he thought. Serika was speechless for all of two seconds.

"No. No! Takuto, you can't go back. You just got here. We were so worried!"

Izumi took a steadying breath.

"Serika, he knows where we are. The camp, I mean. By breaking that promise, I could be putting everyone here in jeopardy," he insisted, dropping the sewing abruptly on to the table. Serika, however, started to catch on.

"He? He who?" she asked carefully.

He struggled with what to say. He looked intently at his sister. He'd always been able to tell her the truth. Besides, Serika was too observant to successfully lie to.

"That night after I executed Delta… Was on my way back when he just... showed up. Their leader." Serika's face was blank. It took her a moment to process this.

"Their leader? The Oppressor?" Izumi's silence was confirmation enough.

"We fought. He was stronger and… I've been at the Tower ever since," he finished. Serika didn't look as scandalized as Izumi'd imagined. Instead she looked almost understanding.

"He's the one that gave you that mark," she announced with certainty. She began fiddling with her necklace again.

"I've talked to Mrs. Ozaki. You and Yugo are going to stay with her until I get back. I'll cook dinner tonight before I leave. I'm meeting him at the post office." Izumi rose from the metal chair he'd been sitting in walked over to the kitchenette. He grabbed a box of matches, turned on the gas stove, and lit the eye. He was in the process of pulling out a frying pan when Serika stopped him cold.

"I'm going with you."

He rounded on her so fast, you could hear his neck pop.

"I want to meet him. Even if it's just once. I'll go with you tonight to see you off. I have to make sure my big brother is going to be okay," she declared. Izumi looked like he'd rather swallow fire than let this happen. Serika recognized the foreboding expression and hurried to finish the rest of her argument.

"I wont be able to stop worrying. I need to know what kind of person he is. I need reassurance." Izumi struggled for a refute, but one was not forthcoming. Serika, as usual, was too clever for her age.

Izumi relit the stovetop. It'd gone out while they were talking.

--

TBC...