Chapter 25

'What do you think we should do,' Arados sighed wearily, as they continued to try and snap Taylor out of his stupor.

'Well I know one thing we can't do right now,' Drake shot the others a look, 'and that's let either Tristan or Kaiba see him in this state. The way they're being at the moment they'll probably kill us all on the spot.'

'Its not like it was our fault,' Lus pulled a face.

'You think they'll see it that way,' he shook his head, 'come on, you should know what they're like by now.'

'They'll know this isn't our fault though, if Taylor's really been acting strangely that is.'

'Maybe,' Drake was forced to agree, 'but do you really wanna take your chances with that?'

'Good point.'

'I thought you'd see it that way,' turning his gaze back to Taylor, Drake began carefully tracing the features of his face, searching for something to get his boyfriend responding again.

'He's not a wind up doll, you know,' False sighed, 'you're not going to find the switch to turn him back on.'

'I'm not looking for a switch,' Drake glared.

'Then what are you looking for?'

'I don't know, a sign he's still in there maybe.'

'It'll be okay Drake,' Arados placed a hand on Drake's shoulder.

Instantly Drake pulled away from him as though Arados's hand was a hot iron scolding his skin.

'Don't touch me,' his voice was shrill, 'don't ever touch me.'

'Sorry,' Arados swallowed visibly hard, 'I forgot.'

'You forgot? YOU FORGOT?' Drake sounded almost hysterical. 'How could you forget something like that? You… your… you…'

'Calm down Drake,' Lus's voice was gentle, 'getting yourself worked up like this is not going to help Taylor.'

'Then what is going to help him?'

'I don't know.'

'But maybe I do,' False sounded thoughtful, 'if this has something to do with Ni, then maybe I should…'

'No,' the response from the other three boys was unanimous.

'Don't you trust me?'

'No, we trust you,' Arados folded his arms, 'it's him we don't trust.'

'But if he's…'

'Then he'll just use it as a way to con you into hurting Kisara and I know you don't want that.'

'I…'

'Come on False,' he held his ground, 'you asked me to act as your buffer when all this began, so let me act as it already. Going down to see him would be a big mistake and you know it.'

'Someone has to find out if it's him,' False shifted his gaze away.

'Then I'll go,' Arados shrugged.

'No,' Lus and False protested in unison.

For a moment an awkward kind of silence descended around them. There was something about it. Something about the way False and Lus had been acting all day which made Drake wonder if it was really Kisara they were both interested in. It was possible they were both using it as a cover story to hide the fact they were really into Arados, but even that didn't make a whole lot of sense. So what were they…?

'Why not,' Arados broke through Drake's train of thoughts in the same way he broke through the silence around them. 'Why can't I go; I mean, it's not like I can't defend myself.'

'That's not the point though,' False shook his head. 'Its not… right for you to go down there.'

'Why not?'

'Because you're… because…'

'Jo,' Lus stepped in. 'Because of Jo's dealings with him, he might see you as an easy target.'

'Is that what you were going to say,' Arados narrowed his gaze on False.

'Yes,' False nodded quickly. 'I was going to say because you're Jo's brother, but I couldn't get it to sound right in my head,' he averted his gaze. 'What other reason could I have?'

'I don't know,' there was more then a hint of suspicion in Arados's voice now, 'what else could you have said?'

'There isn't anything else Ara,' Lus assured him, 'I promise you there wasn't.'

For a few moments Arados's gaze flicked between the pair of them, then a strange smirk appeared on his face.

'For rivals you two sure do come to each others rescue a lot,' he laughed, 'are you sure it's really Kisara you're fighting for?'

'We're not fighting over you if that's what you're thinking Ara,' Lus rolled his eyes.

'I was thinking more along the lines of you two fighting to cover up the fact you're really hot for each other.'

'What,' both cried in horror, their faces first going white, then flaming red as they caught the others gaze.

'Don't be ridicules,' False turned completely away from the group, 'I am not gay.'

'And neither am I,' Lus gritted his teeth. 'The only reason I'm agreeing with him is because I promised myself I wasn't going to fall into Ni's trap. False might be my rival, but I still respect the guy.'

'Respect him or love him,' Drake teased, liking the momentary distraction from his own worries.

'Respect him,' Lus insisted hotly. 'I am not gay.'

'And neither am I,' False reiterated.

'Me thinks the ladies doth protest too much,' Arados chuckled.

'Mmhmm,' Drake nodded in agreement.

'We are not gay!' Lus was starting to sound frustrated and annoyed.

'Are you sure?'

'We're sure,' False was firm, 'and if I was Ara, I'm telling you now, I'd be more interested in you than that Mortal God,' he pointed accusingly towards Lus.

'Really?'

'Yes. I mean, who would be interested in a scrawny little runt like Lus?'

'Kisara for one,' Lus glared back at him, 'and who the hell do you think you're calling scrawny?'

'You, you runt.'

'I'm not scrawny, I just been ill for a long time.'

'And that's made you scrawny, you…'

'Stop it,' Drake cut them off. 'Look, it was a fun game, but can we please get back to the problem in hand.'

'Right, me going down to see Ni.'

'Not you False,' Lus shook his head. 'Me. I'll be the one to go see him.'