This story does contain Shounen-ai (Male/Male relationships) material between Serge and Slash(Nikki in the English version) Nothing really major...Just making sure that no one reads this without first knowing what they are getting into (that means that no one can say I didn't have a proper warning!)
Other than that, enjoy and let me know what you think! *^_^*
"I was beginin' ta think we'd never find an inn with an open room!" Kid stretched and fell back on the bed she was currently occupying, "Bloody good luck, eh Serge?"
"Yeah…" Serge yawned as he stepped from the makeshift changing room they had created using extra sheets found in the Termina Inn closets, "But I still don't understand why we couldn't just stay on the Magical Dreamers' Boat. It would have cost less."
"I don't want them to know I'm back in town. They'll be on me to start rehearsing, besides, we're only staying a night," Slash answered quietly from where he sat on the floor tightening the strings on his guitar, "But it's a good thing everyone else stayed back in Arni. Otherwise we wouldn't have had enough space for everyone."
Kid pulled the dingy blankets over her slim form, "Guess Serge here woulda had to make the sacrifice and slept outside."
Serge blinked as he sat on his own bed, "I wouldn't sleep outside."
"Well I wouldn't!" Kid's voice grew louder, "If you think for one minute I'd go outside and freeze my arse off just because yer bein' a-"
Slash strummed his guitar, effectively cutting her off and Serge gave him a grateful look, "It doesn't really matter. They're not here and we're inside."
"I guess yer right…G'night mates," Kid grumbled before sticking her head under the pillow.
"Goodnight…Hey, Slash, aren't you going to sleep?" Serge asked as he lay on the center bed.
"In a little while," Slash didn't look up from his guitar, "I just have a little more work to do."
"Ok, but don't jeopardize your health for a guitar. We need you at full strength tomorrow."
"'kay…" Was the quiet reply from the darkness.
Serge awoke to a soft humming noise, he blinked slowly and rubbed at his blurry eyes. The bright moonlight streaming through the small window told him it was about one in the morning. Kid was rolling around in her bed, caught up in some dream fight where she had the upper hand if her snickering was any indication, but the bed on the left side of Serge, Slash's bed, was still empty.
"Slash…?" Serge whispered, straining his eyes in the dark, "Where are you?"
"Did I wake you up?" a soft voice called from the floor somewhere past the beds. Serge silently padded to where Slash sat, leaning against the wall and looking out the window.
"Why are you still up?" Serge asked in a low voice, noting that Slash had at least changed and taken off his makeup.
"Just thinking." Slash shifted and smiled faintly up at Serge.
Damn he looks good without all that makeup on… Serge shook his head quickly to clear his thoughts, "Can't you think in the morning?"
Slash's smile faltered a bit, "Every time I close my eyes I dream of confrontations with enemies, confrontations where everyone doesn't come out OK!"
"Slash…" Serge dropped to his knees and looked him in the eyes, "It must be horrible to worry so much that you even dream of defeat. Now I know you have huge bags under your eyes in all of the posters hanging around town."
"You think so?" Slash felt his faltering smile turning into a full grin under Serge's concerned blue-eyed gaze, "But worrying must be a little better than to have so much fluff in my head that I'm nothing but optimistic and amiable!" He grabbed Serge in a headlock and mussed his hair.
"Kagh," Serge attempted to kick free, "For a guy who's built like a toothpick you sure are strong…"
"It's from all the fighting I've been doing with you and Kid…." Slash released Serge, "Why are you two fighting so fiercely anyway?"
Serge sighed, sat next to Slash, and leaned against him, "To protect my home world and this world, I suppose. Someone has to do it…"
"So we're going to be heroes."
"With any luck…" Serge turned his face into Slash's shoulder, "You smell good."
Slash blinked, "W-what?"
"I-I mean-" Serge pulled away from Slash …why did I just say that out loud?
Slash grinned at him, his violet eyes sparkling, "You think so? Miki bought me this cologne for my birthday. I usually wash it off before I go to sleep but since we didn't get to the baths tonight I still have it on."
"She has good taste," Serge sighed, glad that Slash was now only smiling in amusement and moved back next to him, "Hey, just what is Miki to you anyway?"
Slash yawned, "Co-worker and sister, I suppose."
"That's it?"
"Yup. Probably will be forever. Miki's to much like family for me to ever consider taking as a lover." Slash draped a long, thin arm around Serge, "How about you and Rena?"
"Rena?" Serge thought for a moment, "I thought I wanted to spend my life with her. She's the only other person my age that I've ever really known. But I'm not so sure anymore…"
"Is this journey making you rethink your outlook on life? No longer content to be a fisherman in a quiet village?" Slash joked.
Serge blushed a little, "I guess that's it…Traveling can change your beliefs, your morals, and make you into a different person."
"I have someone I love, you know," Slash moved a little closer to Serge and lowered his voice, "I just don't know if that person feels the same way."
"What?" Serge went pale. Someone he loves? He felt something grow cold in his stomach, like an Iceberg Element had just struck.
"Serge?" Slash scooted to sit in front of the younger boy and noted the drain of color from his cheeks. He grabbed Serge's small shoulders with his own petite hands and gently shook him, "What's the matter?"
"Nothing. I'm going to sleep." The coldness in his voice shocked him as much as it did Slash.
"Serge…" Slash began somewhat helplessly. Serge shrugged his hands from his shoulders and stood. In a last, desperate impulsive move, Slash stood quickly and embraced him.
Serge gasped when the other boy's scented body pressed close to his own and warm breath whispered in his ear, "What did I say to make you so angry?"
"Nothing, I just suddenly don't feel very well. You should get some sleep too. I'm sure that whoever it is you love…She'll be happy to know." Serge choked back warm tears, "Goodnight."
Slash watched Serge flop on his bed and pull the covers over his head. He moved slowly and lay down in his own cold rented bed and gave one last glance out the window at the sparkling clear sky. "…She?" he whispered, crisply and bitterly aware of his folly, and helpless to correct it.
"See Serge!" Slash's form wavered in his dreams, a faceless, shapely female specter at his side. "I love her! I'll be with her forever! You don't even deserve a chance!" His beautiful face with its wonderfully expressive lipstwisted into a cruel smile, Slash's large, slightly sorrowful eyes looking completely out of place, he laughed a unique, soft, sweet laugh that sounded like the chiming of a distant bell and pulled the girl closer, "Go away! And never come back!"
"Aren'tcha ever comin' back?"
Serge snapped awake to find Kid leaning over him.
"Mornin' mate! I was beginning ta think you weren't gonna wake up!"
If only… Serge pulled himself slowly out of bed. Seeming pleased by this, Kid whipped around to face Slash, still sitting slumped in his bed.
"And you!" She waved an arm at him, "Stop sittin' there like a beaten dog and get ready!"
Slash's shoulders appeared to droop a bit more before he heaved a sigh and pulled himself up. "Lazy men…" Kid scolded, "I'm gonna head ta the tavern and see about getting something to eat. Head over as soon as yer dressed."
Serge watched until Kid slammed the door to the rented room behind her, he pulled on his shorts silently, refusing to look at Slash.
"Hey, Serge," Slash broke the silence after ten minutes of nothing but the sound of clothes rustling, "About last night…"
Serge reached for his bandanna, "Don't worry about it. I was being rude."
"This isn't' about how you acted," Slash fiddled nervously with his hair, "I-it's about what I said…the person I love. It's not who or what you're thinking," He looked at the guitar pick in his other hand, "Actually, it's-"
"OK!" Serge cut him off and frantically reached for his pack, "I-I understand!" He turned and fled from the room.
Slash stared at the door, "No. You don't."
I'm so stupid! Serge mentally kicked himself, stupid, stupid, stupid! Slash was going to clear everything up, and I ran out! He wanted to make sure we were still friends… He slowed as he reached the local tavern, I'll pull him aside later. Serge promised himself, we need to be in good spirits to challenge Yamaneco. Holding this promise firmly in his heart, Serge pushed open the door and went inside.
"I was thinkin' you got lost!" Kid scrunched up her face at Serge as she shoved another spoonful of soup into her mouth, "Where's Slash?"
Serge sat down, "Slash? I left before him."
Kid dropped her spoon into the bowl, "What?! You idiot!"
"Eh??" Serge pushed away from the table with a clatter and the other tavern occupants gave him annoyed looks.
Kid banged her fist on the table, "Ya idiot! Slash is a superstar! His face is everywhere and ya left him to just wander about on his own?!"
"Y-yeah. So?"
"How dense can ya be mate?" Kid rubbed her head, "Slash can fight but how well do ya think he could fair against someone who knows his worth?"
"You're not serious…" Serge dreaded the path of this conversation.
"Yer gettin' it! Think how much you could get for the biggest star of this world and another. Think how much his disappearance could disrupt the mindset of his comrades."
The color drained from Serge's face, "You don't think anything happened, do you?"
"Who bloody knows!" Kid threw some money on the table and shouldered her pack, "I noticed lotsa people staring at him when we came in ta town yesterday."
"Damn!" Serge ran from the tavern, leaving Kid far behind.
"Slash!" Serge yelled, throwing open the door to their inn room. He glanced about nervously until his fearful gaze fell on Slash's thin form lying still on the bed he had used.