Shen was still asleep, twitching slightly like a nightmareing child, still curled up around the cold beretta, his tanned fingers clutched at the trigger. His source of comfort for the time.

Long watched silently, like a ghost or wraith

A small, breathed whimper escaped the mostly still form as it shivered, and curled up tighter, pressing close to the gun like a familer stuffy.

Long delicately stroked the man's head. As if he were petting him*

Shen sighed, the comfort subconsciously making him relax, his white knuckled grip on the gun loosened.

The martial artist sighed, stroking gently, a hand moving to the hand on the gun

Shen sighed and moved closer to Long, his long fingers still around the grip, but not so tight, but there.

Long gently stroked his fingers, coaxing them to loosen.

The hand lets go, albeit reluctantly, just seeking to touch the mettle, but is no longer holding on to it.

"That's a good boy..." he pulled the gun away and softly kissed the clone on the brow.

Shen curled closer to Long, his hand twitching around for something to hold on to. When the clone is asleep, he looks younger then his scars would suggest, but not innocent, never innocent, but more...in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Heh, poor baby...in a way, you are my son." he continued petting him gently, knowing what places to avoid. "In a way, it's beautiful." he brushing his fingers over the other's lips.

A small, comforted smile appeared on the sleeping face, it wasn't like his usual smiles, cold, mocking, macabre jester...no, this one was for lack of a better term, real. His tanned fingers found they're way to the edge of Longs shirt and coiled loosely among its folds.

The Kempo Master smiled at the action, being very gentle in his touches. He moves a little closer, affectionate, strangely so considering this is the first one.

Shen relaxed totally, basking in the strange feeling of being safe for once, every worry line, every harsh presence's on his form is gone, a soft, contented cat. His grip on Longs shirt tightend, gathering more of the material.

"Shh...Such a cute little kitten." he smiles, tracing the now relaxed features.

A quiet rumbling, mostly felt, not heard sounded out from the back of Shen's throat, much like a purr. The skin where Long touched only twitched slightly to show his passing hand.

The Kempo Master moved closer when pulled, liking the purr. It was like petting a cat...in fact it most likely was if what the old Tomcat said was true

Shen let go of Longs shirt, his arms sliding around what he could reach of the other man, using him as a Teddy bear now. The subtle shift allowed his choppy bangs to slide over his's features slightly.

Long sighs, allowing himself to be used like that. "Hmm...Demoted to a mere cuddle toy..." he chuckled, nuzzling to make himself more comfortable*

Shen soon settled down into a comfortable position, arm's locked securely around Long, and his head resting on the Original's stomach.

The martial artist looks down, petting his head. He breathed deeply, leaning back

Shen soon became the dead weight we know as deep sleep. Deeper then he had had for a long, long time.

Long tested slightly, but knew he was for all intents and purposes, stuck. Slowly, he stroked the man's face.

Shen's lips parted slightly in a low sigh as he snuggled closer.

The martial artist's fingers paused over the clone's lips, feeling the breaths.

Shen's tongue flickered out for a second to get rid of a dry spot on his lower lip, right above the scar on his chin, and beside Longs finger.

The brown eyes gleamed a little, moving his finger to bush the other's tongue.

The wet appendage quickly retreated, startled a bit at the foreign object, then tetivly poked back out, prodding at it.

Long moved his finger, brushing over Shenlong's tongue, mimicking kissing

The tongue stayed for a moment, almost returning the caress, when, like a dog heeding its master's call, retreated and the lips firmly closed.

Longs lips were curved in a spirit. He caught the brief reciprocation.

Shen gave a sleepy moan, and his eyes flickered slightly open. However, they were devoid of the brilliant blood colour they usually sported, in fact, almost empty of any colour at all, except a very pale grey with a tinge of pink to give hint what they should be. "Hmm....?"

"Morning sleepy head." Long murmured, brushing his moist finger over the man's cheek, smiling.

"What's going on...?" he asked softly, looking up at Long in a hint of confusion.

"You appear to find me a cuddle toy..." he chuckled, finding this amusing

"Oh...." his eyes filtered to the normal colour and he tensed, but the colour was drained and he relaxed again, tightening his grip and not wanting to let go.

"...And it seems you still find me one." he smiled

"Do you mind...?"

"Not really...would you think I would?"

"They seem to think so...." He sighed.

"They?"

"The other two...I just tend to get shoved back allot."

"...Schizophrenia"

"wha?"

"Never mind"

"Alright...."

"Now..."

"Now what..." Shen asked hesitantly.

"What are you planing on doing?"

Shen shook his head. "I don't know."

"Would think so..." Long stroked the side of his face again, almost absent- mindedly.

Shen just sighed, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly in to a smile, content to stay quiet.

"And one thing..."

"Mmm.?"

"Shen...could you please move up a little, you're crushing my gut."

Shen pushed him self up into a sitting position, biting his lip slightly as he pushed on a sore spot. "Sorry."

The martial artist took a breath; glad he could breath properly now

Shen's pale eyes peered at Long, not completely sure of anything now.

Long found the clone to look like a lost child, not knowing what he was doing or where he was going. He leaned down, kissing his forehead softly.

Shen stiffened, eyes wide, a slow tinge of red appeared on his cheekbones. "What...?" he asked softly

"Don't think, Ne?" he pets his cheek, not quite sure if it's fatherly, or something else.

Shen sighed and practically melted against him. "This isn't going to last long you know...Shen'll either wake up...or Shenlong's gonna get bored playing with his tiger..." he said sadly.

"And which one are you?"

He shrugged slightly. "I don't know...."

"Hmm..." he scratched under his chin lightly*

Shen purred lightly as his eyes closed. "But I was there first..." he breathed as a whisper.

"Then you would be my 'son'...."

"Maybe...that has allot nicer ring to it then 'the kid'...

"I'd imagine so"

Shen sighed. " Sometimes...its like I'm just a computer ghost...not supposed to be there..."

"Hmm..." he rocks him gently

"Ok... so i know im not supposed to be...Shenlong was supposed to be first and only...but somehow i was there before the lizard killed me...."

"Hajime is a fool..."

"A dangerous one."

"Hn." he sneered

"He's even scarier then you are."

"...Now that's not nice comparing me any way to that limp wristed idiot"

"..Sorry..."

"It's alright."

"So what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know, just wait and see"

: "You aren't going to try and kill me again...are you...?" he asked, scuffing a hand over the sparse blanket slightly.



"Now why ever would you think that?" he was still petting gently

"Because I heard you tried before...an i dunn wanna die again..." he sniffled.

"It's true I tried to kill you...but you killed yourself."

"I ment earlier...the water thing?"

"Ah yes." Long smile wickedly. "That was fuunn..."

Shen shuddered. "I can still taste the salt...waters horrible..."

The martial artist nods. "Ocean water never does taste very good..."

"Well it doesn't..." he complained softly.

The Chinese man laughed softly. "Oh poor little Shenny-pu.."

Shen winced. "You don't give do you.

"I don't give what?"

"Its only fair you get one taunt.... And one taunt only..." then he sighed. "But since when is existence fair anyway...?"

"Existence is never fair, that is one of the most important things to remember"

"Maybe...."

"Not even a maybe...it's a fact."

"If life cant be fair...how come it cant be normal?" he asked in a 'why is the sky blue' voice

"Because that's just how the world goes round"

"Why?"

"Stop asking why."

An impish grin appeared. "Whyyyyy?"

Long smacked him upside the head

"Ow!!!!" Shen sniffled, looking up at him like a kicked puppy

"Told you don't ask why"

"I just wanted to know...."

"You don't question some thing for their will never be an answer"

"But...isn't there always an answer?" his nose scrunched up in contemplation

"No."

"How do you know?"

"It's just the way thinks work"

"But...that doesn't make sense."

"Of course not, it's not supposed to."

"But...if a question is a combination of two causes.... Then the answer is the separation of them.... There fore, every question has an answer." Shen declared proudly.

"That's what you think."

"Why am I wrong then?"

"Questions are made by man and so are their answers, yet they aren't the holders of true wisdom. Questions and answers have no relevance but as mere stimulation's of the mind."

"Oh.... I guess when you put it that way..."

The Kempo Master nodded

Shen sighed, it was getting harder and harder to keep his eyes open, he was tired. His limbs fell limply spread around him, leaning against Long.

The martial artist watched him sleep for a little, then slipped out from under the clone.

Shen curled up around a pillow, snoring softly, some of the signs of a rough life coming back, but not all.

"Good night...my son." he placed a soft kiss on his clone's lips.

He sighed softly, not stirring from his sleep, yet you could tell, somewhere deep inside, he had heard the validation.

Long straightened then headed out.