Author's Note

Aren't they the cutest! (Can you tell I have a thing for FujiRyo? Bahaha.) Anyway, I've just written out the skeletons for the rest of the chapters in this fanfiction... And I've also come to an important decision. What is this life-changing decision, you might ask? Well...

...

You'll just have to wait to find out!

Thanks again for reading! Reviews will be given love and a chocolate chip cookie 3

I still do not own PoT. Or anything in this story, really.

Also, I just realized that all the page breaks I put into the chapters get lost somehow when I post them... Eep. Sorry if it's been confusing at all, guys! I'll try and make sure they're in from now on.

Chapter 10

A hand groped a bedside table in the dark. The quiet shuffling noises were masked by the gentle pitter-pat of rain against the window. Finally finding what he was looking for, the owner of the hand lifted the covers of his bed and quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to wake the other boy that he shared the room with. He opened the door to the room quietly, cringing at the creaking of the wood, and left the room, closing the door behind him. He padded down the hall and reached the bathroom. Stepping inside, he pushed a switch on the wall beside the door. As the alchemical globe lit itself with a gentle swoosh of flames, the boy closed the door behind him.

A lever was pulled, and a stream of cold water fell from a sleek little water spout into a glass sink. Two hands cupped the water and splashed the boy's face with it. Water droplets dripped down damp chestnut hair, as hazel eyes were raised to stare themselves down in the mirror. Sliding on his spectacles, Tezuka looked at himself. His normally cold and clear eyes were lined with pink, and bags were starting to form under them. The stoic youth sighed, grabbing a towel and wiping off his face, catching any drops that had fallen from his hair onto his bare chest. He leaned onto the counter in front of him, his head bowed in thought. Lately, the captain had found himself distracted, his mind filled with thoughts when it was usually crystal clear. Ever since the arrival of the team's newest member, the young prince had become the center of Tezuka's world. Golden eyes, soft emerald locks, and cheeky smirks filled his mind.

'Not to mention that tan skin, lean muscles, that tight waist and that…'

Tezuka shook his head, shocked at the direction his thoughts were even leading him in. "What is wrong with me?" he muttered aloud. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, trying to clear his head. He didn't need to be thinking about Ryoma in that way.

'But why not?'

Tezuka tensed as a voice, sounding much like his own, came floating into mind. He cautiously glanced into the mirror, but noticed no one else in the bathroom.

'You want him, don't you? And you certainly can't get anyone else get to him…'

Images of Ryoma danced before Tezuka's eyes. Ryoma laughing with Momoshirou and Kikumaru, Kaidou carrying Ryoma after he had passed out, Ryoma talking to Sakuno before they left… And then there was Fuji, who seemed to also have his eyes on the youth. The face in the mirror frowned.

'After all,' the voice continued, 'you are the one most worthy of being with him, right? Even if he doesn't yet see that… Perhaps you'll have to be the one to open his eyes to that reality.'

Hazel eyes met hazel reflections, determination reflected in them. Tezuka nodded. He would have the boy, one way or another. He turned to leave the bathroom, catching one last reflection in the mirror before the alchemical globe went out. It had appeared long ago, while he was still just a boy; The tattoo of a black dragon coiled on his left shoulder blade and down his back.

The sky was dark when Ryoma awoke, the rain drumming gently on the glass of the window. It seemed that Momoshirou had woken before Ryoma and had shut the window, but not before a good section of the floor had been drenched. The golden-eyed boy stretched, arching his body backwards, before rolling over and curling up again. His eyelids got heavy, and began closing. From somewhere beside him, Karupin gave a yawn and a stretch as well, before snuggling closer to her master and falling asleep again.

'Rain has always made us sleepy…' Ryoma mused, already drifting off.

"Ne, Ryo-chan, you really should get up now." Ryoma felt a gentle hand on his head, running through his hair. He sighed happily, pressing his head against the hand for more.

Fuji giggled. Ryoma was acting just like a cat. He probably wasn't even aware that Fuji was right beside him. "Ryoma," he said in a singsong voice. He didn't have a particular reason for calling the boy. He just liked the way the name rolled off his tongue.

Ryoma hummed, the closest that he could get to purring. He liked the sound of his name, said with that voice. He liked the hand that was petting his head. He liked the warmth of Fuji Syuusuke beside him.

Golden eyes flew open. "Fuji!?" he said, sitting upright in bed and staring wildly at the brunette beside him. Karupin hissed at the sudden disturbance as she was thrown off the covers. She scrambled onto Ryoma's lap and fixed Fuji with an evil glare. Ryoma was suddenly aware that he wore very little, as he usually did to bed. Hugging the covers closer to him, he questioned the elder. "What are you doing in my room?"

"I keep telling you to call me by my first name, Ryoma." Fuji held back his laughter as best as he could. Smiling, he replied, "It's almost noon, I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I was worried you might catch a cold, with the rain coming in through that open window, but I guess Momoshirou closed it in time."

A tinge of pink appeared on Ryoma's cheeks as he recalled the events of last night. "O-oi, get out of the room so I can put on a change of clothes," he said, speaking more to Karupin than to Fuji. The brunette couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips.

"Very well, Ryoma," he agreed. "I'll go find some food for Karupin to eat, ne?"

At the words "food" and "Karupin", the cat pricked up her ears and leapt off the bed. With a happy meow, she followed Fuji out the door and down the stairs. Ryoma sighed, falling back into his pillow. 'Ten more minutes won't hurt…'

A few hours later, Ryoma stumbled down the stairs sleepily. He had changed into a plain green long-sleeved shirt, with a lace-up collar, and black shorts. At his waist, he wore only his three daggers, opting to leave the heavy bandolier and sword upstairs on his bed. The house seemed quiet; the noisier of the bunch had gone to explore the town and enjoy the second day of the festival. The three Fuji siblings had also left the house, needing to tend to their own tent. Karupin, sensing her master was awake, walked up to greet him, rubbing up against his legs as she did. Ryoma smiled and bent down, petting the cat.

"You and me today, just like old times, ne?" Ryoma said softly to the cat. Karupin's ears flicked forward, catching Ryoma's words, and she meowed, rolling onto her back playfully, her collar jingling. Ryoma obliged the cat, batting at her paws as she tried to catch his hands. Ryoma laughed, enjoying his time with his best friend.

"Ah, Ryoma!" The boy and his cat turned around to see Kawamura walking into the main hall. "You're finally awake. There are some leftovers from lunch in the kitchen if you're hungry."

At the mention of food, Ryoma's stomach growled. He blushed, standing up with Karupin in his arms. "Thank you, Kawamura."

"Taka is fine," the gentle boy said smiling. He had grown rather fond of the stubborn youth. "Will you be going into town today too?"

Glancing out the window, Ryoma shook his head. He did not want to get caught in the rain. "I think I'll stay here and rest for the day."

Kawamura laughed. "Yeah, it's good to get a break from those other guys once in a while. Well, enjoy your day of rest, just give me a shout if you need anything!"

Ryoma nodded. "Ah, thank you, Kawamura." He watched the brown-haired boy walk up the stairs before turning on his heel and walking into the kitchen. A cover was lifted off of a platter to reveal a bowl of stew and a small roll. It had been sitting in the kitchen for a while, waiting for the youngest Regular to awaken, and had gotten cold. Carrying it to the dining table, Ryoma decided this would be a good time to try some of his magic.

Holding the bowl in both hands, he tried to imagine the heat of his body collecting in his hands. His hands glowed warmly, as though he were made of fire, and soon enough the bowl of stew in his hands began to steam. Ryoma smirked, thinking that he had finally gotten his magic under control, when the stew began to boil.

"Ahh!" Ryoma cried as the stew bubbled, some of it splashing onto his hands. He quickly dropped the bowl onto the table, examining the burns. A cool sensation rushed through his hands, and Ryoma could see droplets of cold water pooling on his skin. His water magic cooled down the burns. Finally, Ryoma tried to use his latest element, the element of wind. A gentle breeze swirled around his hands, drying them. Karupin sat on the floor beside Ryoma, watching all of this in amusement.

"I've got it, Karupin!" The boy said smiling, proud of himself. He turned to the table, eagerly tucking into his late meal.

After his meal, Ryoma decided to explore the giant estate. There were many rooms; libraries, banquet halls, ballrooms, conference rooms… There was even an indoor swimming pool and a giant hot-spring styled bath. Walking by an elegant courtyard, Ryoma shook his head. Just how big was this place? He compared it to the little cabin in which he'd lived all of his life. There had been enough room there for him and his family.

'Doesn't Yuuta feel lonely here, all on his own?' Ryoma frowned. Karupin bounded ahead of him, stopping to investigate anything interesting she came upon. She meowed and looked up, drawing Ryoma's attention to a ladder that climbed up a wall. Following it with his gaze, Ryoma saw that the ladder led up to a small nook in the wall. Curiosity got the better of him, and he began to climb the ladder. Karupin hopped on his shoulder, catching a ride up. Reaching the top, the boy climbed onto the ledge. It was cushioned, with pillows and blankets scattered everywhere. The far wall was made up of glass, enabling Ryoma to look outside. There was barely room for two people. Ryoma settled down in a corner as Karupin jumped off and lay down on a cushion. It was comfortable.

Remembering the book that Sumire had given him, Ryoma closed his eyes and concentrated on where it sat in his room, inside the Everholding bag. Raising his arms in front of him, he summoned the power of wind. Feeling the gentle wisps around his fingertips, he directed it towards the book, pulling it up and out of the bag, and then summoning it to him. His eyebrows furrowed in frustration. The book was heavy, as he was lifting it with moving air. After a long while, a whoosh announced the arrival of the book. It landed with a soft thud on Ryoma's lap, as he dropped his arms and let out a breath, breathing hard. After a short rest, he finally turned his attention to the book. Opening the brown-covered book, he began to read…

"Preface: The Great War

Before the age of man, there was only the Original Nine. Together, the elements created the world, the cosmos, the atmos, and all life on earth. But chaos reigned supreme as the new life struggled to understand the world around them, and in the end, it was deemed that the Nine would each command an element, in order to restore order and balance. To each spirit, an element was assigned; Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Space, Time, Vision, Truth, and Death. However, the darkness from which chaos had been formed was not pleased with the new order, and waged war upon the nine spirits. The Great War was a dangerous time, with battles of magick being fought between forces greater than anyone could comprehend. Life was in danger. From the need to defend themselves, masters of the elements were born, each master able to fully control one sole element. However, because none were able to experience death firsthand, the ninth element was completely unknown to all, but one; The Guardian.

The Original Guardian fought alongside the other masters to protect and defend the people from the war of the spirits. The Original Nine recognized the spectacular and selfless being, and fashioned a weapon for such a warrior. Made from the Earth, forged in Fire, shaped by Wind, and cooled by Fire, the bells were made from Space and Time, a Vision that Death had in pursuit of Truth. Each bell was a catalyst for the use of one specific element. With the bells, The Original Guardian was able to seal the darkness of Chaos that endangered humans. However, the beast could never be sealed completely, and it was widely known that the Great War was far from over. Chaos would return.

In preparation to combat the force when it re-awoke, a new Guardian was chosen every generation. The discoveries and records of every Guardian are recorded within this book. Now, young Guardian, this book is passed to you. With it, comes power and responsibility beyond what you can imagine. We, the Guardians of the Past, can only wish you the best in continuing our fight.

…"

It was evening when Fuji returned home, along with his siblings, Kikumaru, Momoshirou, Kaidou, and Yuuta's friends. It had rained steadily for the entire day, but that hadn't dampened his friends' spirits. The competitive boys had run amok throughout the entire town, their main event being a tug of war that ended very muddily. As such, they were all dirtied, and couldn't wait to get clean.

"We can all use the hot-spring bath!" Yuuta had announced. Yumiko smiled at her brother, although she declined his offer, being the only female there.

Fuji merely nodded. "I'll go let everyone else know. You guys can go ahead, we'll meet you there."

The group cheered, heading off. With a wave, Yumiko also took her leave, disappearing into her own chambers and heading for her private bathroom. With that, Fuji was off.

Turning the corner into one of the many libraries, he was met with Inui and Tezuka, both of whom seemed deep in conversation about where they would go next. Fuji cleared his voice, quietly announcing his arrival. "It seems we'll all be bathing together in the hot spring bath tonight," he said.

Tezuka and Inui nodded. "We'll finish this discussion later then, Tezuka?" Inui said, looking at the other bespectacled boy. The stoic captain nodded. "Ja, I'll be heading there first." Inui packed up the books and loose pieces of parchment that lay spread out on the table. With a nod to Tezuka and Fuji, he headed out of the library to return his books to his room.

"Have you seen Oishi, Kawamura, and Ryoma?" Fuji asked Tezuka.

"Kawamura and Oishi should be in the kitchen," Tezuka said. "They were discussing what to prepare for dinner tonight."

Fuji blanched, remembering how complicated the Fuji mansion's kitchen was. "Ja, I'd better go help them out. Would you mind finding Ryoma then, Tezuka?"

The taller boy nodded, and strode out of the library. Fuji frowned slightly. He had wanted to be the one to find Ryoma… but knowing the Fuji kitchen, Kawamura and Oishi probably needed his help. With that last thought, he turned towards the kitchen.

Tezuka paced down the hallways, checking every room he came across. He had looked in the prince's room, in the libraries, the dining hall, the ballrooms… He'd even looked in the courtyard. But the young boy wasn't in any of them. The captain sighed. "Where are you now, Prince…"

A jingling caught his attention. Turning around, Tezuka noticed a ladder leaning against a wall. A familiar meow was heard somewhere above him. Turning his head upwards, he saw a furry face and two small brown ears. Bright blue eyes twinkled mischievously, and Tezuka was sure that Karupin was smirking at him, wearing the same smirk that the young prince often did. The captain began climbing the ladder.

"Ryoma, are you here?" He called quietly. Climbing onto the secret loft, he froze and stared at the sight before him. The young prince lay asleep, curled up on top of a mountain of pillows, his emerald hair forming a soft halo around his head. A book rested near his hand, and a blanket had been drawn over him, most likely by Karupin. The captain smiled, and crawled closer to the sleeping boy. Tenderly, he stroked the boy's hair, feeling the soft locks flow through his fingertips. He took the stolen time to examine the boy's face. His eyelashes were long and his lips were soft and pink, like a girl's. The sharp angles in his face were only now developing as the last of his baby fat disappeared. Slowly, softly, and almost subconsciously, Tezuka lowered his face closer and closer to that face. 'He truly is beautiful…'