A/N: I'm SO sorry it took me this long to update this! I had a touch of writer's block and ended up cutting a scene from last chapter because I didn't like the direction it was going. (If you read it with two more kitten type people...Sorry! They're gone. One was a shameless self-insert, and I *really* didn't want to go there.) So, for my reviewers, thank you for sticking with me through my dry spell while I ran off to write something else. I'll owe an even bigger apology when Generations gets updated.... ~sigh~

Silvermoon Maru: I love making new friends! IM me or e-mail me, I love the reviews you've sent me. =)

Kira: Can't fool me, you *do* want to be Touya. Well, you probably won't at the end of this chapter....

Peacewish: Yes, we have another battle ahead of us, though the aftermath of the first *is* an important part of what I wanted to put here. I also swear I will have a review on your story soon. Very soon. I would have had it days ago if not for ff.net going wonky. ~glares~

Others, thanks for the reviews! I appreciate it! Thank you for reading!!! ~hugs~

Silent Eyes

Ebb and Flow

Touya lay on his back, feeling the warmth of the sunlight creep across his skin. It crept closer and closer to his face, to his eyes, and finally struck him with daggers of light between the slits of his eyelids. His automatic response was to curl up with Yuki and bury his face in his love's hair. He started to turn over, but his body came back with some strange information. He couldn't decide which direction to turn. The sun continued taunting him with the painful brightness while he tried to figure out why he couldn't decide which way to turn.

Well, that was easy. He couldn't remember which side Yuki was on. To know that he'd have to open his eyes, and that was not an option with the sun glaring at him.

Wait, why couldn't he remember? Usually it was an easy decision to make. Yuki was right there after all. Always. They always cuddled while sleeping.

They were cuddling right now after all.

Wait.

There was that comfortable weight on both arms.

Both?

His eyes flew open in shock, blinding him momentarily and starting a small headache behind his eyes. He groaned, trying to sit up to get away from that hideous morning sunshine, but he was effectively pinned in place. He blinked, letting his eyes adjust to the accursed light. The sight that met him was well worth it.

Curled up on his left was Yukito. His short gray hair glowed silver in the direct sunlight. The strands were so fine that many of them spread out, sticking up, giving him an unearthly halo around his innocent sleeping face. His pale skin looked luminous when touched by the sun, especially pressed up to Touya's own darker skin. Every curve, every angle, every inch of the body pressed up to him was familiar from long years of loving exploration. One arm was resting across Touya's chest, fingers entwined with those of another hand from the other side.

That brought Touya's eyes to his right where Yue was pressed against him, mirroring his other half. Yue's hair was loose, flowing everywhere and glowing a bright white in the sun. His skin was even paler than Yuki's, his body was both familiar and new to Touya's wandering eyes. Yue's face was just as sweetly innocent while relaxed in sleep, making the two of them more similar than ever. Touya's eyes kept flicking back and forth between the two. He was almost afraid to breathe too heavily for fear of waking up from this perfect dream.

He finally laid his head back, tightening his arms around the two of them slightly in affection. All three of them were sprawled together in naked perfection, just loving each other and being loved. His mind couldn't quite grasp how incredibly lucky he felt at this moment, let alone last night. Last night had been mind shattering. Last night had been indescribable. Touya thought he would never be the same again.

And after the full moon he would never have this again.

He cursed his selfish thought as he had it. They needed it. They were both self-destructing without each other. More than that though, Sakura needed it. Dividing them like that was killing her, and no amount of selfishness could make that price remotely worth paying.

Yue and Yuki woke up at almost the exact moment. Amethyst and amber met deep brown in twin gazes of contentment mixed with satisfaction. The two halves of the same self then exchanged a glance and returned to meet Touya's gaze with mischief. Yuki moved to close the curtain, and they did their best to put an eternity of love and desire in to the short time they had left.

~~~~~@~~~~~

Sakura stared into the mirror. It was almost as if a stranger were looking back at her even though it was the same reflection as always. She somehow felt detached from who she was seeing though. She wasn't feeling real anymore.

She ran the brush through mousy brown hair and almost shuddered. So plain. If it weren't for the magic she'd be just like everyone else. That secret was a burden and a blessing. She had something special, she was unique and could do wonderful things. She had been through experiences that no one else would dream could be true. Yet--she had been targeted and tortured because of her gifts.

She pulled bandages off of her wrists carefully, trying to ignore the maddening itch of healing skin. It was a relief to finally be able to do this on her own again. Both hands moved freely, without the intense pain that had flared up erratically since her capture. It seemed that Yakusoku had really and truly been able to take away that pain. It was the longest she had been without that pain.

She turned to the foot of her bed to thank him, but no one was there, not even the adorable kitten form that Sakura loved so much. He always slept as a kitten, purring as he curled up across one of her legs. He must have woken up and left silently as usual.

Kero-chan was snoring away in his drawer and Sakura thought about waking him and talking to him. Then she remembered how strange he was acting last night. He didn't understand. He didn't trust the one person who had done so much for her the last few days.

Actually, since the rescue she had been left alone mostly. As soon as she was safe that had been it. Everyone was oh so concerned about Yue and Yukito, but what about her?

What about Sakura?

Almost raped, exposed to everyone and tortured in their own little peep show, but everyone scrambled to figure out what had happened to Yue and Yukito rather than deal with anything she was feeling. Was it that bad that no one else could stand to face it either?

Was she that unworthy of their attention that the only one that cared was the one who knew her the least?

Even her boyfriend, even Syaoran.

Abandoned.

Sakura continued to stare into the mirror and almost was almost glad that looking at that image didn't feel like looking at herself anymore. If no one else could face her, she was glad she didn't really have to face herself either.

~~~~~@~~~~~

It was getting harder to shut them out. The spirits of the dead. There was nothing Yaku could do about them, nothing he could do to help them, but they haunted him anyway. There had been a time when "conquering" an enemy wizard would have kept them at bay for a month without effort. It had been only a week since his tryst with Fujitaka and he could feel his "bubble" of safety being pushed against.

"You're all dead. Leave me alone." He couldn't see any of them, couldn't really feel any of them, he could just feel their energy robbing his own as they tried to come closer.

He ran, shifting into his kitten form as he dashed away so that he could just run without having to hand over explanations. He needed to find...needed to find...needed to find a new source of magic. He grinned as he felt what he was looking for. Moon energy. Yue.

This time he wouldn't play games with the guardian. Not to say he wouldn't be playful, but this time Yue was alone and his lovers were at work. There would be no teasing. There would be no way his prey would escape. Yaku's sanity depended on it. He needed to keep out the ghosts.

"Yue."

When Yue turned around he was smiling, looking happy. Yaku purred.

"I wasn't expecting to see you...what can I do for you?"

"I was hoping you'd ask me that."

~~~~~@~~~~~

"No!" Yukito was eating lunch in the crowded restaurant when a feeling of dread overcame him. People stared at him as he cried out, but it didn't matter to him. He tossed money on the table and ran.

He realized he was running home after he was almost half way there. He would never make it back to work on time from there. It didn't matter. This was more important by far. Something was wrong with Yue. Yuki ran home with no thought on his mind but to be home. He didn't even wonder what he could possibly do that Yue couldn't handle on his own, he just ran.

The front door was wide open. The house was unnaturally silent. He tore through the house, looking for his other half while terror overtook him. He couldn't sense Yue's presence at all. He was frantic by the time he opened the bedroom door and saw Yue laying there, nude, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Yue! What happened? Are you okay?"

He sat up slowly, carefully. There were scratches all over his body and other marks that showed that there had been some sort of a fight. The bedroom showed further signs of a struggle, but Yukito was only aware of those peripherally. The only thing that mattered was Yue.

"He ran--"

"Who was it?"

"He ran as soon as you were near enough. Without you I only have half of my magic, and I wasn't strong enough to fight him. But...he could tell when you started getting near and he ran."

"Who?!"

Finally Yue's eyes came into focus and he started seeming more like himself. "I don't remember. I knew a moment ago, but I don't now. This shouldn't be possible. This should not be possible at all."

"Some of those cuts are deep. Let me tend to them?" Yukito was carefully, tenderly exploring the extend of the damage.

"Thank you." Yue pressed a grateful kiss into the palm of Yukito's hand, opening up to his other self again. Yuki stood quickly, nearly running from the room as the fear and horror and confusion that Yue had tried to hide began to overwhelm him. He returned with the first aid kit and tended to Yue with tears in his eyes.

"What force on earth could do this to you?"

"I may be powerful, but I'm hardly omnipotent."

Yukito shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I mean, why would anyone do this to you? Why would anyone do this to anyone? First Sakura, now you...what kind of monster would do this?"

"This isn't like what happened to Sakura. Korvath is dead."

"That's not very comforting. It only means there's someone else out there just as sick and cruel, and he has magic too. That's not comforting at all. We should tell the others so they know there's a new threat to face."

"No."

"What?"

"I said no. I don't want to worry everyone else right now. We don't know that this will happen again, or to anyone else, and we need to deal with the problems at hand first before we worry about anything else."

"What if it is a serious threat, Yue?"

"Then we'll find out soon enough from someone else. I really don't want anyone else to know about...about this...." He gestured to himself and to the state of the bedroom. "I especially don't want Sakura to know about this, and it would get back to her eventually. How can I be her guardian if she knows I'm so weak?"

"Yue, she won't think less of you if--"

"No. Right now she needs to think I'm strong, unbeatable. I need to be strong for her while she's feeling vulnerable. Please, promise me you won't tell anyone."

Yuki nodded reluctantly. He didn't like this, but in a way Yue was right. Anyway, it wasn't his place to say anything to the others. Maybe when Touya got home and saw the cuts and bruises he could talk some sense into Yue.

~~~~~@~~~~~

Yakusoku glared, angry at his botched attempt. How had Yue resisted? Everything had been fine until they reached the bedroom, but suddenly Yue had found himself and been able to resist.

Impossible.

He was losing control, losing power faster than he should. He was also wandering around unfulfilled, and the ghosts pressed in on him closer at such times.

He would have to resort to conquering a weaker target. Someone whose magic was weaker, constantly being drained by a different source. Someone who might be more open to suggestion.

And maybe he could try again with Yue once he had Touya in his thrall.