Title: Sometimes

Author: Wearable Bishounen

Rating: R

Summary: Sometimes it's hard to leave the ones you love. Sometimes you find a new love at the most unexpected times and in unusual places. Sometimes the Pretear can be a male.

Disclaimer: We—authors Lennith and Cheza-chan—do not own Pretear in any way. If we did… well, some of you might not be able to watch the show.

A/N: Urgh… I don't feel good. I think it's my chicken alfredo fettuccini with brocolli… or whatever… (waves a hand) But that's not going to stop Cheza-chan from bringing out the newest chapter of this Pretear fic. Lemons! (rings the bells) From here on out, there are lemons… and to read these lemons, you must head over to the link that I recently put up in Wearable Bishounen's profile—the only thing in there. Enjoy!

Chapter Ten – Confessions

After reporting what had happened to the others, Mannen meandered throughout the inn taking in little as he went. It was hard for him to believe that one boy could stir up so many feelings inside of him: hate, love, worry, concern, and even suicidal and homicidal tendencies. Izumi doesn't like you.

The Ice Knight stopped and lowered his head, his expression shadowed and dark. 'Maybe he really doesn't,' he told himself. Turning sharply to punch the wall, his fist stopped a hair's width from Shin's curious face. Mannen smiled slowly and opened his hand, cupping the side of the boy's face.

"Mannen, is something wrong?" His green eyes mirrored the utmost concern.

"Shin," Mannen sighed, slowly leaning forward.

Shin blushed as the older Knight's forehead pressed against his own and closed his eyes as the hand slid down and around his neck. He whimpered against the lips on his own, eagerly parting them. 'Mannen...'

Mannen pulled the blond against him, slipping his tongue by soft lips instantly meeting the other's. They teased and tasted each other, all feelings new to them.

Shin broke the kiss, though Mannen still nibbled and sucked on his bottom lip, realizing the hall wasn't the best place for them. "There's several more empty rooms at the resort," he stated in a low, suggestive voice close to the Ice Knight's ear. He smiled a smile that made the innocence in him give way to obvious experience.

Mannen mumbled his agreement, feeling more wanton than ever, as his mouth hungrily suckled on the pale flesh of the Plant Knight's neck. Shin reluctantly pulled him away, kissing him quickly, before leading him off the main hall.

§§§

"It's a problem," Sasame said firmly, head bowed in concentration. The older Knights were situated in his and Hayate's room to have a meeting. "His fear, wherever it stems from, is hindering his own protection," the Sound Knight continued, looking up to meet three identical hard gazes.

Where it came to his Pretear, especially this one, Goh would always put his desires aside to focus on finding an answer, a reason. "I don't think it's just the Jun boy, or that other guy," he stated, red eyes narrowed, "It would take more than a few school years to scar someone that deeply."

"I know..." Sasame tugged his lip between his teeth, groaning almost inaudibly. "It's not helping any of us if we don't know what happened."

"...Minna." The small, trembling voice drew everyone to the door. A red-eyed Izumi stood there, arms hanging limply at his side and the inn's sleepwear showing how small he himself actually seemed. "Minna..!" he started again, his voice rising a pitch.

Surprising to all, it was Hayate who was there to catch the boy as he fell. He lifted him carefully and wordlessly, and carried him to the middle of the room, placing him on the futon. The Wind Knight stayed kneeling, but moved back, giving Izumi space.

The dark-haired Pretear pulled the sheet up, hugging it to his chest. No one made a motion towards him or any sound. Izumi sniffled, covering his face. "When I was about ten..." he hiccupped, voice muffled.

Goh clenched a fist tightly at his side. The only thing that stopped him from drawing blood was Kei's hand closing around his own. He glanced at the blonde with a restrained fury that was directed to no one in the room, but there nonetheless. Hajime appeared in the room, settling in quietly. His own sea-green eyes held an unreadable emotion.

"I was left with my mom for one day," Izumi continued softly, "Because my father had some important business meeting out of town and he didn't want to take me with him. One of her clients... He..." His voice broke, tears wetting the sheet held against his face. Nana hadn't even known about this story. Izumi swallowed hard and took a deep breath. His voice was steadier when he spoke. "He was the one who put the idea in my head that everyone was after my body."

With his fists tightly clenched, Hayate glared at the floor, his dark blue eyes harder than usual. Even Sasame was allowing signs of anger onto his face.

"He disappeared after that day but reappeared outside once more outside of my junior high school." Izumi lowered the sheets, staring at the simplistic thread design on it. "Nana had recently died around that time so when I came home looking as though I'd been fighting, he accused me of going through a phase of 'expressing myself'. I was just trying to protect myself."

"And when you got to high school?" Sasame interjected, curious as to how long such a behavior lasted.

"No." Izumi's chest rose sharply then fell as he exhaled deeply. "He was gone. Left the country was what he told me. But then Jun… And you… I thought I was never going to be free. I'd rather not be like my mother," he added in a whisper-soft voice.

Sasame nodded understandingly. He glanced around at the other Knights, taking in their final reactions. Kei kissed the palm of Goh's hand, leaning against his side. Goh wrapped an arm around him, sighing. He massaged the blonde's side, comforting himself and Kei.

Izumi stood shakily, putting Hayate back on alert. He regained his balance and smiled at the Wind Knight; an actual smile with no hidden fears or meanings. Hayate gave a small one in return, standing. He made his way over to Sasame's side, turning his head so his mouth was near the other Knight's ear. "He's still pure," he whispered. "That's a good sign."

The Sound Knight nodded absently, recalling the Izumi's reaction when he'd realized he was in his basement of his own house. 'He must have hidden down there countless times…'

"I feel better," the dark-haired teen admitted softly, drawing the attention back to himself. "History like mine doesn't go away completely, but I promise to cooperate more often now."

"Take your time," Goh laughed with a grin, hand behind his head.

Izumi nodded and let go of the sheet. "Maybe I should give the springs another chance."

"That's great—"

"Without you..."

Goh hung his head, sweatdropping at the laughter elicited from the other Knights at the blatant shutout. 'He's healing. It must've taken a great deal of courage for him to come out and tell us the way he did.' The Fire Knight smiled, joining in the laughing.

Izumi left the room feeling as if a weight had been lifted from his chest, even smiling a little as he closed the door. 'They don't hate me and they weren't disgusted... Maybe there's a chance to be friends after all,' he thought to himself as he turned to walk down the hall. He was a bit startled to see Mannen disappearing around the far corner of the hall, being lead away by Shin.

Izumi's heart gave a peculiar twist, causing his spirits to dampen. "I have to apologize to him later," he mumbled to himself, hesitantly starting towards the springs and cursing his teenage hormones when several methods of apology sprang to mind. "I have to stop hanging around Goh!" he cursed. "Next I'll be calling him 'Snowflake' and be constantly surrounded by shoujo-bubbles."

§§§

He hadn't meant to, but he couldn't help it. He'd gone there after the meeting. Tears now ran in rivulets down the Water Knight's face as he stood outside the room where Mannen and Shin were located. The sounds drifted clearly out to him and yet he couldn't bring himself to move.

One of the inn attendants entered the hall and stopped as she noticed the teen. "Are you all right?"

Hajime's head jerked up and he wiped a hand roughly across his face. He tried to smile his reassurance, but new tears just fell. The woman wrapped an arm around his shoulders and led the crying boy away, whispering softly to him. "Your friends," she said after they'd finally stopped walking. The Water Knight looked up and staggered backwards, away from Goh and Kei.

"Hajime!" they yelled but he turned and ran blindly through the inn's halls, not knowing where he would end up.