His arm was not wrapped around the boy's shoulders ... quite. Merely laying across the ridge of the bench they shared, lazily and undisturbed. Although the boy's soft skin touched the fabric of his sleeve, it was not an embrace in any recognizable sense. An embrace, a hug, a touch of that sort would have frightened the creature-- who had become very weary of being touched recently. But the boy was not afraid, nor nervous, nor threatened by the presence ... he was instead disturbed. By the shadow of a memory ... or rather the void where a memory should be. Troubles that pulled him so far inside himself it was doubtful that he was even aware of the arm resting almost over his shoulders. Doubtful that he noticed the cigarette smoke curling around him as if it was attracted to his breath. These things might have bothered him if the pain in his heart was not quite so great.

"I can win," Rocky said. He was entranced by some intangible thought in the distant part of his mind. A revelation that was so close he could almost speak it, but that bleed through his fingers when he reached out for it. His eyes flickered sharply in his companion's direction, forming a glare that had grown more hateful in the past weeks.

"Can you now?" smoke curled from Seishirou's lips. He glanced for only a second at the boy, to confirm that the statement had been directed at him and not a street lamp or parked car. Even with the Sakurazukamori's shades, Rocky could tell the eyes were bored. Uninterested, unthreatened, unamused ... that his presence and his declaration meant nothing to the man. He had learned, Subaru had taught him, not to let his heart be stolen by those warm smiles on the Sakurazukamori's lips. Smiles like the one the man wore as he said, "what makes you think that?"

"I know what you did to me."

The statement startled Seishirou, but he did not show it. Nor did he deny the incident to which Rocky was referring to. "And how is that possible?"

"Well I don't know exactly what ... but I can smell you on me ... and that's all I need to tell Subaru. That you broke your promise."

"Aa ... not intentionally," Seishirou corrected smartly. "How was I to know?"

"He'll be furious."

Rocky crinkled his nose as Seishirou brought the cigarette to his lips and inhaled sharply, holding the smoke in his lungs as if it was the thought he was digesting. The man flicked the ash as he exhaled lazily, concluding ... "I killed his sister."

Rocky made a little startled hiss and turned to look directly at Seishirou, who was as impassive as ever. "What?"

The smiled on the Sakurazukamori's face changed courses, looking a little sadder than before and a little less cocky. "I killed his sister," he repeated. "Do you think that anything will change if you tell him? He knows this, and yet ... he's still here. And you are not half as precious to him as she was."

The creature fell silent, eyes searching through the tears as if there was some obvious solution written on the pavement.

"You're absolutely right, he will be furious ... but it will change nothing."

"He won't forgive you ... not for betraying me like this."

"No," Seishirou purred through another breath of smoke. "You are probably right about that too."

Rocky's eyes were as hard and glassy as black volcanic ore. "I won't let you hurt him. I'm going to beat you."

Seishirou felt what he believed people called 'pity'. So sweet and innocent, so willing to atone for even the crimes of others just so he wouldn't be alone ... such people deserved the world didn't they? Nevertheless, Seishirou is was still Seishirou. Subaru may have planted emotions in his heart and forced him to feel things, but even those saplings of emotion couldn't make him think of this boy as anything more than an object in his way. He didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt over almost killing him.
----------------

Rocky had never been to a hot spring before.

He had heard of them of course, but only bits and pieces from people that ran in and out of the good doctor's house where he had been taken care of for his whole life. Fragments of advice here and there. Bits of murmured wisdom about the therapeutic qualities in such an escape. But he had never been to such a place nor would he ever have had the hope of going until Subaru opened his back and the world to him.

The doctor and his wife had never intended to adopt him, only find him a good home once he was well enough ... and they had he supposed. They found him Subaru. For 16 years he was alone, taken care of by kind hearts who would not be a family. Until the young onmyouji with the strange scars on his hands touched the fragile shell of his heart and claimed him forever.

Slivers of medical advice and muffled words familiarized him with the concept of a hot spring. They did not prepare him for the reality of it.

Not that it was an especially horrifying reality.

"It smells," he commented, wrinkling up his nose and taking a small step back. He knew Subaru was behind him, he was not aware of how close. And when his back bumped into Subaru's chest he 'eeped' and shot forward, the blood rushing to his cheeks.

Subaru chuckled softly and stepped into the spring, like his body was melting into the water. Slowly inches of pale flesh were swallowed up by the hungry hot water, massaging the senses with heat.

Rocky watched, unable to look away from the intoxicating sight before him. There was a tiny part of him the felt like such a pervert watching the water lap Subaru's naked body, and he tired to convince his eyes of all the fascinating qualities about his feet. But they would not believe him and argued that the figure before him was much more interesting.

The Sumeragi sighed contentedly, letting the heat enter every pore and flood his body with its deep relaxation. He rotated his shoulder as the steam worked at tense knots in his muscles. He needed this ... he had probably needed this for a long, long time. When was the last time he had a vacation?

Come to think of it ... he never had a vacation had he? He opened his eyes, snickering at his own discovery. After this mess with Seishirou-san was settled, if he survived it, he was going on vacation. A month long vacation...

From across the pool he spotted his young charge looking quite flustered and unsure of himself. Dipping his toe in than jerking it out, noting the deep red color tinting the skin. The boy bit his lip and shook his foot a little, wondering if it was practical to wait for the water to cool...

Subaru cracked a smile. "Just come in, you'll get used to the heat."

Rocky made a small startled sound and he blushed furiously, almost rivaling his toe in color.

Subaru's eyes drifted shut again as he listened to the sounds of the water gently rippling against Rocky's skin. The boy sighed, the heat made his skin tingle. At first it was painful, the water flushing him a delicate shade of pink, the steam clogging his lungs and making him sweat. But he sank into it and the waters began to work into him, calming stiffness here and there, soothing aches and bruises.

An uneasy stillness fell over the spring, one that was punctuated by the boy's nervous glances at Subaru ever few minutes. He couldn't have gotten any further away from the Sumeragi if he melted into the rock.

In between those stolen glances, the boy stared shyly at the surface of the pool, trying to force his mind to wander elsewhere. A way from the naked body of his beloved. Think about anything other than that. Trees ... birds ... clouds ... fish ... hot water devouring hot fle--No! No! Bad Kamui! Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts!

One green eye opened lazily and Subaru watched the boy's careful lamenting for a moment, noting that Rocky was twitching ever so slightly. It was a subtle and barely noticeable quirk just below his eye, but persistent and worrisome.

"What's the matter?" he kept his voice smooth and peaceful, flustering the boy even more.

The creature made a little jump, the water twinkling around him as moved. "N-nothing!"

Subaru chuckled and pushed away from the wall, slowly approaching the boy. "No ... something's wrong ... now what is it?"

He stopped half way across the pool, not wanting the creature to feel cornered or trapped.

Rocky blushed a deeper shade and looked up into Subaru's eyes. He pushed forward and waded with little hops until he had closed most of the distance between them. "Subaru?"

"Aa?"

"Can I..." he trailed off nervously and the little twitch sent another spark through his face. He shrugged and waved his chin towards his back.

Subaru studied the boy, then glanced around the spring to confirm that they were indeed alone. "Are they bothering you?"

"They itch ... I think it's the heat..."

The Sumeragi nodded, leaning back to rest once again at the end of the pool. "Aa, go ahead."

"You won't get in trouble?"

"There's nobody here, anyone coming this way we'll likely hear before they can see anything."

The boy grinned brightly. Then a breath ... and all emotion was washed away by a moment of solid concentration. He arched his back to accommodate the force pushing up against it. The water parted around the big black wings as they emerged from their human container. He stretched with a happy little sigh, the tips of the wings scratching the stars, and practically melted into the pool.

There were approximately 10 minutes of absolute peace before a wave of warm water smacked Subaru in the face.

His eyes snapped open, blinking in confusion before coming to rest on the boy grinning mischievously before him.

"You splashed me..."

Rocky nodded, smiling wildly.

"You splashed me..." Subaru repeated, pushing his damp bangs out of his eyes.

"Uh-huh," another nod, then the confidence was drained from his face and purple eyes trembled with silly fears. "...oh ... I'm sorry Subarr---ACCKKK!!!"

Before he could move away he was swept out of the water and hanging upside down, hair lapping at the pool. Subaru's arm was wrapped firmly around his waist and a delicate smirk of raw evilness smeared across the Sumeragi's face. The boy stared blankly at the onmyouji before his eyes came to a horrifying conclusion. "Oh no, Subaru-- no, no, no!!"

His shouts came out in waves of giggles before Subaru dropped him unceremoniously into the pool of steaming water. Moments later the water exploded, waves cresting like a flower in bloom, the boy emerging with a gasp from its center. Several rough coughs and chokes later, he shook the water from his smoky hair-- sending a ripple of droplets all around him. Subaru lifted his arm to block the spray from his eyes with a small amused laugh

Rocky scowled before pouncing, wrapping his arms around the Sumeragi's neck and his legs around his waist. "You rat! I got water up my nose!!"

"Well you started it," Subaru grinned.

The creature's black wings beat strongly-- asserting their dominance over the onmyouji. Or at least ... that would have been the effect had the force not knocked Subaru off balance and caused them to fall back into the spring with a startled squeal from the boy.

Subaru shook off the water with a cheerful laugh, looking down at the boy now nestled in his arms. Rocky looked like a drowned rat, scowling coldly with water dripping from every edge of his body. He coughed a few more times glared up at the hysterical Sumeragi. "This is not funny... I got water up my nose again ... eck..."

It took a few minutes for Subaru to force his laughter down to only an occasional chuckle between words. "I'm sorry ... are you all right?"

The boy snorted and folded his arms sternly over his chest. "I could have drowned!!!"

"I know, I'm still disappointed," Subaru smiled.

Rocky blinked a few times before he realized that was an insult and punched the onmyouji's shoulder hard. Another bout of splashing and wrestling broke out shortly there after, with the winged boy having a distant advantage with his large black shadows.

"You bastard I'll show you who you're dealing with!" the boy squeaked as he thrashed helplessly in Subaru's hold. It was pretty obvious though, that he was not fighting the Sumeragi that much. Not nearly as much as he could given the powerful wings folded neatly on his back.

Subaru growled something into the boy's ear that made him explode into helpless giggles. A sleek wing flipped a bit of water into the Sumeragi's face. The arms around him fled, allowing him to back Subaru into the wall.

Breaths came out in soft pants, laughter and snickers shared between them before Rocky placed his head on Subaru's shoulder and smiled. "I give up," he sighed. "You win..."

The Sumeragi chuckled and marked his victory by nipping his victim below the ear. Rocky squealed and twisted closer until Subaru's arms circled his waist.

"Subaru?"

"Aa?"

The boy was lounged in his arms. An odd position, Subaru thought, since it should feel very awkward and embarrassing for them ... but it didn't. His head rested on Subaru's shoulder, arms almost wrapped around his neck and wings lazily circling them both in a half hug. Subaru did not mind it, perhaps it was because Rocky loved him and cared nothing for satisfying his own desires because of it. He was content just to be allowed in Subaru's presence, something Subaru found oddly sweet, and could not turn him away.

"Why do you love him?"

Anyone else would have asked, "why do you love him instead of me?"

Rocky had an odd way of knowing what it was not within his right to change, and not fighting it.

"Well ... Why do you love me?" Subaru asked gently.

"Because you're Subaru."

Subaru smiled, "so you'd love anyone else named Subaru?"

"No... I meant... you're a good person."

"Aa," he let his eyes drift shut slowly. "It's the same."

He felt Rocky tense, as he knew he would. "Subaru, Seishirou-san is not a good person."

One green eye opened with a smile embedded in it, "I didn't mean that. We don't love the people who deserve love. There is no perfect person ... no person without flaws that can't hurt and injure. We love those who need it. The more badly they need it, the more we love them. You love me, because you see that need and wish to fill it. If I was perfectly happy would you still love me as much, even though I was the same good person and still deserving of love? It is the same."

Rocky closed his eyes tightly, pain... pain, it took him a moment to recognize it as that. Pain from hearing something I could not deny but did not want to admit.

"Loving Seishirou-san kills me it hurts so much ... but he needs it, and he needs it from me because I'm his equal."

He let the boy cry... and said nothing, knowing that Rocky was trying to hide his tears. They were not hard sobs, only gentle tears of a truth he had wanted so badly not to accept. Soft drops of salt water rolling down the pale skin naturally and unresisted.

"And as for why I don't send you away if I love him so much ... you need to be here, and maybe I need you here too."

It was a horrible cruel thing to say, Subaru realized as the words were spoken, but he could not call them back. And they were true, if nothing else Rocky was a distraction that kept him grounded in reality. Someone to keep him from falling into himself. The loneliness always made him think of things he did not wish to consider.

Besides, he was rather fond of the boy.

"What do you hope for Subaru?" Rocky asked suddenly, terminating the closeness between them as if sensing that the intimacy Subaru would allow him had reached its peak.

Subaru blinked, "how do you mean?"

"If you had the option of choosing exactly how things would turn out, what would you decide Subaru?"

The onmyouji frowned, "I'm not fond of idealism Kamui--"

"I know but..." he glanced around cautiously. "There's no one else here and I won't tell. Nor do you have to feel obliged to follow through just because you've admitted to it. I'm just curious."

Subaru ruffled the boy's hair teasingly, he could be so cute sometimes. "Well... Let's see... first there's Seishirou-san I... well I'm not sure what I'd want from him, nothing seems probable. But, I'd like to be with him ... who ever that turns out to be ... living as we did before he realized he loved me... maybe..."

"Maybe what?" Rocky stared at him in a way that demanded total honesty for him.

"Maybe, I'd like to give up onmyoujitsu, and I'd like him to do that as well."

"And live a normal life?"

"No... we're beyond normal's reach now I think. Just a less complicated one."

"Anything else?" Rocky asked hopefully. He was rather obvious like that, Subaru thought. He was looking for his spot in this little future.

"I'd get you a girlfriend," Subaru smiled. Rocky made a little indigent snort and pretending to be hurt. He knew the statement was not meant to offend him, only divert from what Subaru could not answer.

"Subaru?"

"Aa?"

"Did he ... did he really kill your sister?"

The question startled Subaru so deeply that a sudden gasp slipped passed him lips. "How did you know about that?"

Rocky looked down into the milky silver surface before him, feeling strangely guilty for stealing this little bit of information from Seishirou and being caught with it. "He said he did ... but I wonder how he meant it. Sometimes people say that metaphorically. I thought maybe--"

"No..." Subaru breathed, his voice soft but dark-- cast in deep shadows of a pain that had branded his hide. "He meant that literally ... he murdered my sister ... when did he tell you this?"

"Yesterday night."

Then it was true, the boy thought, if after all this Subaru still loved Seishirou ... Subaru belonged to Seishirou. No, he hated the sound of that ... It shouldn't be like that. That Subaru was just an object to be owned ... it wasn't like that, even if it had been at one time.

Subaru belonged with Seishirou.

Maybe it made sense. He loved Subaru, but they were so far apart ... thrown together by utter necessity. Still ... why couldn't he make his heart understand? Why after all this time wouldn't it realize that wanting Subaru was like trying to grab the stars with your hand?

They only appear close enough for your reach.

"I should go," he murmured. "I should go, I should go..."

Tears were running down his cheeks again and a whimper escaped his lips to chase after them. He felt Subaru wade closer and strong arms gently wrap around him. He savored the warmth and scent of the Sumeragi for what he was sure would be the last time, wanting to burn it into his memories forever.

"You don't have to you know," Subaru whispered, husky but gentle and undemanding. "You can stay for tonight with me, and then after a week or so ... you could come back. You don't have to leave Kamui, not forever."

His hands let the feather-soft smoke colored strands slip through his fingers with gentle strokes. The boy nuzzled the base of his neck gently, the longing swelling in his heart before his whole body shook it away. "No ... no ... I have to leave Subaru. Now, while it hurts to be here. If I don't I might never escape it. I might never be able to stop wanting you."

"... I understand," Subaru smiled softly. "But ... where will you go?"

"I'll survive ... maybe go back home, I'll find somehow Subaru." The boy looked up with an honest smile. A wide smile that although smothered in sadness, was not forced. "Don't worry about me, really ... I'll find a way."

"On your own? All alone in the world?"

Rocky nodded, "it's not so bad when ... It won't last forever, not if I don't want it too. I can make friends and..." he laughed softly. "Well ... I'll find a way."

Subaru planted a kiss on the top of the creature's head. "You're very brave ... thank you ... if you ever need anything, anything at all..."

"Of course, of course," the boy grinned. "You and Seishirou-san will be the first people to get me out of trouble" Then after a pause, the boy looked up again. "Subaru?"

"Yes?"

"What are you planning to do? I know ... I know you're going to do something, which is why you can allow it ... why you can stay with him even when he-- Well ... I know I have no right to know, but I have to ... otherwise for the rest of my life I'll wonder what it was and what happened to you."

Subaru sighed, leaning back onto the rocks and staring up to the navy sequined sky. "I don't know really..."

"Is ... he going to kill you?"

The Sumeragi's breath was seized in his lungs with a soft hiss, his eyes snapped open and he stared at the boy in his arms in shock. "How--"

"Someone told me you were going to die ... I don't know beyond that. I knew it was the truth though, and I had to ask Subaru. Is it true?"

"Yes."

Eyes that felt the pain of betrayal but none of the shock searched him for an answer. He knew it had been true, he could sort of feel it in Subaru. The tire, the long for an end. It was faint, but he knew Subaru so well ... perhaps not in fact as Seishirou did, but in sense. "Why?" he whispered. "Why do you want to die?"

"I'm tired..." Subaru admitted sadly. "Life presents so much pain, I think it's worn me too far down. But--"

"But?"

Subaru smiled again, petting the ridge of the boy's dark wing gently. "I want to stop him Kamui, I can't allow it ... because it would hurt him if he killed me."

"So ... what will you do?"

"I don't know ... I have to face him Kamui. I have to follow through and hope for the best. I don't believe I will die-- as much as I may harbor that hope. That everything may just end and I won't every have to confront suffering again ... I don't believe that will happen. I don't know what will happen."

"I should go," Rocky announced again, drawing himself out of Subaru's arms and leaving the shelter of the springs. The words had more resolve in them.

He dressed quickly, almost afraid to look at Subaru as the man followed his lead, raising from the pool of silver steam and reaching for his towel.

"I wish I could say that I hope you and Seishirou-san are happy together, but I cannot because I do not wish that. I do hope that you forget me quickly and regret nothing." His words were quick as his fingers laced together the buttons running down the back of his neck

"That's very sweet of you..." Subaru smiled. "Do you think it's possible to love two people at once?"

Rocky blinked, "Subaru..."

"I care about you very much," Subaru's hand cupped the boy's cheek. "I also care about Seishirou-san very much ... I have no desire to weight and judge who I love more. Don't think that I'm choosing him over you, know that this is only what I must do. Even if I felt nothing for Seishirou-san ... things would be the same."

"Subaru" his voice was no longer one of a boy. It was firm, the voice of an equal. "May I ask something of you?"

"Go ahead ... I'll do what I can."

"May I have one thing to take with me that you give to no one else? Not even to him ... I know it's a lot ... but ... can I have one moment, even if you can only manage a second, one moment where you are with me ... actually with me Subaru. One moment where what might happen in the future and what happened in the past doesn't matter. Just one moment Subaru, escape time and stand here with me."

Subaru's smile broaden and he stroked Rocky's hair tenderly. There was a long silence like that Rocky had never known, a soft warm silence and he knew that his request would be granted before Subaru spoke the words, "all right."

The Sumeragi's eyes drifted closed and he took a deep breath, all his masks and defensives slipping away from his face. He did not look sad, or happy. He looked like he had fallen into the deepest peace, like he was asleep.

When his eyes opened again there were stars in them. A vast sky of green, sparkles twinkling throughout. They were so bright, so naked, so pure. Like pools of light dew collected on green leaves. Rocky breath was caught in his throat, for he knew that Subaru was focused totally on him. His eyes wandered over the vision slowly, want to hold as many detail in his memories as possible. Subaru was ethereal, a relaxed mind unburdened by worries and memories, his body seemed to glow with a simple pleasure. A soul that quivered in pain so often was for but a moment at peace.

The boy was in awe. And before he could even think to resist it, he buried his face in Subaru's chest, drinking in the Sumeragi's presence.

He knew that he was risking losing this gift, but he also knew that if he did not do it... he would remember the want over everything else. So there was no other choice. He lifted his heels off the ground and pressed their lips together.

Subaru was only momentarily surprised by the kiss, a small startled grunt clicking in his throat as the boy's soft skin touched his. He accepted the gesture warmly, drawing the boy just a little closer and responded gently. His body calm and tender, but not submissive. Just accepting, taking what was offered and thanking the boy for his kindness.

Rocky reached up with his hand and touched Subaru's cheek. He felt a flicker on the skin and he knew the moment was fading quickly. So he didn't protest when Subaru pulled back as the thoughts of what was to come swept those naked eyes away from his face.

The boy was sad, he missed the moment already. But he was also happy. Subaru had given him more than he thought he would. "Thank you," he breathed, his hand sliding into the Sumeragi's. Subaru squeezed it gently.

Rocky's wings fanned out gracefully and the breeze lifted him off his feet. The silver drops began to trickle down his cheeks as he let his body be lifted off into the air steadily. "I love you Subaru, remember only that ... that someone loves you, and always will."

"I will," Subaru said, still holding the boy's hand.

Rocky's grip loosen, his hand sliding away like water slowly draining off a surface. "Good Luck."

Subaru nodded. Then as the boy was lifted higher by the air stream and their fingers slide apart he whispered, "Goodbye Kamui."
---------------

"I'm sorry," Subaru said simply. "I didn't know."

Rocky shrugged, his wings twitching softly as he hung his head down and swung his legs slightly, sitting on Subaru's bed. "It's okay ... I survived, and it hardly seems to matter now that he's ... gone."

"It does matter. He shouldn't have done it ... I wish I knew about it before."

Rocky looked apathetically over his shoulder at Subaru, "what would you have done if you had?"

Subaru began to say something, but decidedly that was a lie before the sound reached Rocky's ears and cut it off. He let out a soft sigh of frustration and stared guilty at the floor boards. The anguish was real, but it was gone so quickly and the words Subaru spoke were meaningless to him. Rocky didn't know what Subaru was trying to preserve anymore. The man had changed so much since Seishirou had died and now he had to stare though layers and layers of ice to even see a flicker of the Sumeragi he once knew.

It hurt his heart to watch it.

"He was right, it wouldn't have changed anything ... so it was better that you didn't know about it. Besides," the boy beamed, a sudden rush of cheerfulness flushing his face. "I survived, so it's okay."

"If I hadn't..." Subaru began. He stopped as he wasn't sure whether he wanted to continue his line of questioning. Then he apparently decided that he had to know. "If I hadn't told you no last night, if I had taken you up on your offer ... would you still have told me this?"

"No ... I don't know why I told you in the first place, I don't really know anything for sure ... just vague feelings ... I didn't intend on ever telling you. But-- I can smell it Subaru..."

"Is that why you asked?"

"Maybe," the boy admitted softly. "I really wanted to help you though, but I also wanted some freedom from the guilt too. I thought maybe ... if I did, then the nightmares would go away. Or I wouldn't be scared of them anymore, having experienced the reality."

"How long have you been having nightmares Kamui?"

"Since he died..." the boy paused, tongue trying to speak, but words choking in his throat. Finally he lowered his head a little and confessed softly, "Subaru ... I killed him."

Subaru approached carefully, pulling the boy into his arms gently, being very carefully not to startle him. "You did nothing of the sort."

Subaru's voice indicated absolutely no reaction. It appeared that whatever fragment of his soul had been exposed had already withdrawn under the protective steel of his green eyes.

The creature's control had melted into little sobs which he desperately tried to choke back. "Yes I did ... if I hadn't been there, you would have..."

Subaru 'shhhed' him gently, but it was something that made the tears more violent than ease them ... because they both knew well enough the Seishirou had taught Subaru the act. That the Sumeragi's soul was cooling with each passing day ... until not even Kamui could reach his heart. Until everyone was worthless to him.

"I didn't want him to die ... I didn't want him to ... I hated him for what he did, but ... I miss him too..."

Subaru fell silent, his hand stroking the boy's hair softly. But there was no spirit behind it, only habit of what one should do for someone in pain.

"Subaru ... did he really...?"

"You don't know?"

The boy shook his head, "I thought that maybe ... but everything's so fuzzy, I can't remember what really happened and what I can remember doesn't make sense."

"What can you remember?"

"A dream..."

"That's it?"

The creature nodded.

Subaru's face was blank, totally devoid of any reaction to what he was being told. Perhaps he could no longer feel, his heart broken and numbed by waves of loss and betrayal. Perhaps he did not allow himself to feel anymore.

Rocky felt as if he was staring into polished glass, seeing only his own distorted reflection. Or maybe that deformed image of himself was the truth and the clean, beautiful boy the lie. He turned away, tears cluttering his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Subaru said. His voice was warm, but then, so had Seishirou's. "I feel that by giving him emotions I made him more dangerous than ever before. He wouldn't have done that if he cared nothing for me. It was cruel."

"It's okay," Rocky murmured. "I don't know anything for sure .. But I can smell him on me ... still ... I know he did something Subaru." His voice cracked and the tears began to drain out. "I just ... I don't remember."

Subaru soothed him, allowing the boy to bury his face in his shirt. "It was a spell ... Just a spell Kamui, he forced you to sleep and erased your memory."

Rocky nodded and bit his lip with a soft whimper. "It used to be you ... I used to feel you in every part of me. And I was yours and no matter what I had someone to whom I belonged. I want that back Subaru ... but he won't give it back."

"What about you Kamui? Can't you belong to yourself?"
-----------------

"What? You don't like her? She was very healthy I assure you."

The Tree grunted, unsatisfied. Nevertheless her roots took the Sumeragi's offering mechanically. Not stubborn enough to deny the need from hunger, but no less upset about the blood it was being feed.

Subaru felt a rush of relief as the blood worked its way into the Tree's system and the Sakura released his mind for a moment while it feed. For a moment the insanity he had inherited from Seishirou was gone.

He understood now that Sakurazukamori's were trained to have no emotions as an act of mercy.

The Tree stirred with sloppy slurps. Talking with its mouth full of blood Subaru mused.

"What? The blood is good isn't it? I told you she was perfectly healthy. And you obviously enjoyed her soul..."

A branch blooming with pink blossoms reached out and touched his face gently.

"Don't be vain," Subaru snorted. "You're the most beautiful and impressive tree in the park ... possibly all of Japan."

The Tree was not satisfied.

"What? What could you possibly want?"

The Tree grinned eagerly.

Subaru frowned, not understanding. "Why do you want that?"

"Please?"