Disarm:

Chapter Three: I think that your body is something I understand…

"Cause I don't care

If they eat me alive

I've got better things,

To do than survive

I've got a memory

Your warm skin in my hands

I've got a vision of love

Of sky and dry land…

Just gonna get my feet wet,

Until I drown…"

~Ani DiFranco

Thomas grinned widely and shuffled back to Raven with a little wrapped package in his hands. The other smiled, admiring his housemate's handmade decorations reading "Happy Birthday, Raven!"

"Open it!" Thomas said, holding it out to him.

"Huh?"

"Open!" He repeated, grinning wider.

"You didn't have to--"

"Well, I did! Now, Open!" He laughed as Raven took it carefully and removed the paper and unfastened the little box. Inside stood a small creature, made from wire, screws and other assorted junk. "It's not much, I made it myself. It's my extent of art." He laughed as the other smiled and examined it in the light.

"It's so adorable! Thank you so much, Thomas!" He said as the Lieutenant almost giggled.

"I'm so glad you like it!" He threw his arms around him, accidentally pinning him to the bed. "S-sorry." He said breathlessly as Raven blushed and nodded. Slowly and timidly, they kissed, soft and sweet. Thomas looked down on the dark haired pilot, licking his lips cutely.

The gift slipped onto the bedspread from Raven's fingers as Thomas kissed him again, a soft moan escaping his lips. His long, slender fingers tangled themselves in his sandy hair. The Lieutenant pulled his hands up the other's hips, stripping off his shirt. The maverick panted softly as he kissed down his neck and along the center of his chest, then suddenly stopped.

"W-what's wrong, Thomas…?" He asked softly as he sat up, his fingers lingering across a scar, traveling from his ribs, down his side.

"What's that?"
"A scar, I got it in a battle--"

"You…"

Raven sat up quickly and pulled his shirt over his head.

"You….you're the one…who I remember." He said softly as the rebel stood and folded his arms across his chest., turning away. "You left me, didn't you?" A soft, guilty nod. "Why? Why did you?"

"For your own good. I'm dangerous."

"No you're not--"

"You have no idea, Thomas."

"Then tell me."

The dark haired pilot blinked, blushing softly, looking deep into his striking green eyes.

"Please?"

He shook his head and opened the window, letting the cold air blow in.

"Where are you going?" He asked, watching him climb out onto the semi-level roof.

"Out--"

"But why?" He stepped to the window and leant out. "Are you going to watch the stars?"

He didn't say anything, just sat himself down to the left of where he was. He hugged himself against the chill, then felt Thomas' hands close around his, snuggling up to him. "I just thought that since you like them so much. Why do you, Raven? Why are they special?"

He looked at him with a cautious tone.

"Why do you want to know my every action, my every thought?"

"Because…" Thomas said quietly, resting his hand on the other's cheek, placing a gentle kiss upon his lips. "I love you."

He shivered against the winters' icy chill, but shook for other reasons as well. He was frozen in place, unable to run, from his pain, his past, his friends and his feelings.

The sandy haired Lieutenant looked entreatingly to him and Raven wavered, closing his arms around him, whispering to him. "I love you, too and I'm sorry…"

The serene silence and their embrace lasted quite some time, as they leant against the windowsill and watched the stars.

"So, why are they so lovely to you? Whenever you look to them, you seem to be so focused." Thomas said from nestled against his chest, drawing lazy circles and curlicues on his thigh with his index finger.

He pointed slowly. "The blue one, there. It's not a star, it's a planet, far, far away. It's called Earth. That's where I'm from."

"Really?"
"We all are, just some families have been here longer. None of us humans are native to Zi, only the Zoidians are. Reese and Fiona…"

"Hm. But why is it so favored to you?"

"Well, you know, I grew up in this house, right?"

"Mmhm."

"And right over there," He motioned to the laboratory area's rooftop that was burnt black with old fire damage. "My father would show me the stars, constellations, galaxies, planets….he would tell me stories, passed down from our past family. I knew I would like it there…since my father believed there were no Zoids there."

"Hm…it sounds nice…" he said sleepily as Raven smiled and smoothed his sandy-blonde hair.

"Yeah…"

——— † ———

A few months later…

Thomas pouted at Raven, kneeling on the bed beside him.

"Please?"

"No." He said, unwavering but with a cute, slight smile.

"Why not? Why can't I have my present yet?"

"Because, it's not your birthday till tomorrow, love, now if you keep asking I may reconsider." he told him, acting like a parent to his little child.

Thomas pouted again and received a kiss from his partner.

"Now get some sleep, remember, Meara and Karl are taking you out tomorrow so you can't sleep all day."

"Hai…" He said softly, nuzzling into his side.

The next morning Thomas sat straddling Raven's chest.

"Can I have it now?" He begged as the other smiled wryly and tickled him.

"Nope. Not yet."

"When?"

"Tonight."

Thomas gave a slightly lecherous grin. "Ooh, is it what I think it might be?" he teased, watching Raven try not to blush, but manage to keep a straight face, otherwise. His arms encircled his waist and flipped him gently onto the bed.

"We'll see." he told him, kissing him softly on the lips.

Thomas sat at the café with Karl and Meara chatting lightly, the brunette thumping her heavy black boots onto the table, laughing.

"So how have you been, Thomas?" His brother asked as he froze while sipping his coffee.

"Fine, just fine." He answered noticing Meara begin to chew on her bottom lip.

"That's good. How's the work we've been sending you?"

"Easy, boring, you know." He shrugged, playing with the tablecloth.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit you much; there have been a lot of new want-to-be soldiers wishing to join the Guardian Force…So it's my job to weed out the skill-less and give the some what skillful more." He sighed. "I think for once I'll say I hate my job."

"Yeah, but Meara helps, ne?"
"Hai, but still. You do not know the intelligence level we're dealing with here."

"Oi, they're complete idiots, all of 'em." Meara rolled her eyes. "They couldn't tell an AEZ 20mm Beam Gun from a Pulse Beam Gun!"

Thomas laughed as she used her fork to shove around the remainder of her salad.

"And Van….ugh Gods! If that cocky bastard and his bitch try and glorify themselves anymore, I swear it I'll kill 'em!" She shook her head and moved her hands. " 'But, I'm the hero why do I have to help with this?'…'Oh, but I'm one of the planets original life forms, why do I have to do this?'…"

Thomas laughed harder and Karl tried not to. Meara sighed and looked at her watch, a catlike grin passing her lips.

"Hm! I think we'd better get you home, Thomas-kun, you still have one more present left."

He blushed softly and watched Karl look from him to Meara with a confused look.

Meara watched Thomas wave and walk to Raven who looked unbelievably nervous. When they went inside she drove off.

"Mea?"

"Yeah, Karl?"

"What the hell is going on." He said, looking to her with concern.

"What do you mean?"
"Is Thomas keeping something from me?"

"N-no, of course not—"

"Please, Meara, I'm worried about him."

The brunette bit her lip and flicked off the radio. "Look, he's fine okay, I don't think it's my place to tell you-- on behalf of Thomas or Raven."

"Raven?"

"Hai."

He paused a minute, then looked to her again.

"You don't mean they…." The Imperial Officer trailed off, looking to her.

"Hai." She said softly, her eyes shifting back to the road, her foot pressing a little more on the gas.

"You can't be serious…"

"Karl, love, Thomas grew up a long time ago, he's not a kid anymore, you can't keep sheltering him from everything. He can make his own decisions."

His mouth opened then closed and he focused his eyes on his hands in his lap.

"Thomas is a big-boy now…He and Raven are very happy together, they were too."

"What do you mean by 'were'?"

"Lets just say that things happened between them when we came to the base. After Thomas got hurt, Raven got really upset and left. He made me promise I would never tell anyone about what they had together unless Thomas flat out asked…."

"But, why?"

"Raven thought he was cursed. Everyone he loved either died or got hurt…He wanted to save Thomas from that, he wanted to make sure that Thomas never felt pain, especially not at his hands."

Karl fell silent while Meara sped up on the vacant desert road.

"So is that why Raven took Thomas in?"

"Well, yeah, but if it were a stranger he'd have. You may not realize it quickly, but Raven really has a kind heart."

"So does Thomas know--"

"Yes."

——— † ———

Raven stroked Thomas' blonde hair, his free fingers trailing down his bare flesh. The Lieutenant purred softly, wrapping his arms around his lover's neck, and kissed him again. The other smiled and pulled his hands down his waist, curving his hands to the shape of his hips. He delicately traced a finger down his stomach and past his navel, stopping finally near his groin, hearing a soft, pleased moan.

"I love you, Thomas…" he whispered, grinning mischievously as he smiled back caressing his cheek.

"I do too."

[ end chapter three: to be continued…]

a/n

Oha minna. What's up? Here's chapter three. *sighs* I'm so tired… *whines* Um so yeah. Naughty, naughty Naomi Hunter *giggles* Yeah. So there's a little bit of what goes on beforehand in the Karl and Meara dialogue. (Ugh I have no conversational skills) And yeah, I've been Looking for spoilers and ended up having my friend Ryudo-san (Neo-Conker) tell me. ((Ryu-san If I spelled it wrong, gomen ne sempai, It's been a long day)) Well R&R.

-ps: Just a note, updating may get slow since I have like so many other fics to update *counts* Todana-no Nakani, Emotion Sickness, †he Blood Lus† vigne††es, probably more….and not to mention start chapter what is it 19 of A Warrior's Path for Akili Moonwolf…. Hoe….*whines*

Mata ne!

--Naomi Hun†er.

Disc: I do not own Zoids, TOMY does. -.- Trust me, if I did, it would never be considered a "kids show". The lyrics are to the song "Swan Dive" by Ani DiFranco. Praise her, she rocks. Note: the weapon types Meara names I got from the issue April 02 vol. 10 no. 4 of Animerica: anime and manga monthly, that I finally found in the depths of my room.