Rowen poked the obviously spacing Cye. "Cye? Hey Cye?"

Nothing.

Rowen pursed his lips and turned to the sink, filling up a glass of water. Looking over at the bearers of Wildfire and Halo, he smirked, before promptly emptying the contents of the glass on top of Cye's head.

Cye blinked and sputtered. "Huh? Rowen? What?!!" he screeched noticing that he was soaked to the skin. "What did you do that for?!!"

Rowen doubled over in laughter but soon stopped when he saw the worried and angry expression in his friend's eyes. "Cye, I . . ."

"Save it Rowen!! I don't want to hear it!" Cye's eyes were like chips of solid ice as he glared at the Strata bearer. Holding out his shirt, he eyed it critically before sighing and peeling it off. He might as well wash it since it was soaked.

Heading out of the room, he dropped the shirt in the washer along with some of other items before heading up the stairs to his room to get another one. He paused slightly at the landing looking forlornly at Mia's room, where he knew Kento was. Shaking his head in confusion, he entered his room and flopped down on his bed, not caring about the damp jeans he still wore.

He was soon asleep, his dreams filled with images of Kento both as a girl and as a man and he could feel himself growing warm at the thoughts that were running about in his head.

~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ryo stared after Cye's retreating back before turning on the archer. "Look what you done, Rowen!!"

Rowen blinked. "But I didn't mean anything by it. I just wanted to snap him out of his fugue."

"Well, you made it worse. Did you see his face? I think he's finally realized that he cares for Kento a lot more than just as a friend."

Rowen's gaze shot to the blonde's. "You mean as in . . .?"

Sage nodded thoughtfully. "That's exactly what I mean. Cye's in love with him. He just doesn't know it yet."

Rowen smacked his forehead. "Oh man. I was only kidding with him. I-"

Ryo sighed and pressed a finger over Rowen's lips. "We know Rowen. The question now is what are we going to do about it? And do we have any idea how Kento turned into a girl?"

Sage shrugged. "I say we leave Cye alone. He'll eventually figure it out. If he doesn't we can always give him a push."

"But what about Kento? Does he feel the same way?"

Ryo shrugged. "Only time will tell, I guess."

Rowen nodded as he looked up the stairs at the landing, wondering how Kento was handling things.

A sudden loud protest was his answer and he smirked. Kento was obviously not happy with the choice of garments that Mia had picked out for him.

~*~*~*~*~*
"Damn it, Mia. No!! I will not wear that!!"

Mia glared at the slender girl in front of her. "You will wear it Kento and you will like it. Or else."

"Or else what?"

Mia's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I will have Cye stop feeding you. You will have to fend for yourself."

Kento groaned and rolled her eyes. "Fine, you win. But I don't have to like it."

"I didn't say you did. But it's the only outfit that even remotely fits you, so deal with it. It won't be for very long. Soon as the stores open, we will go to the mall and get you some better clothes."

Kento blinked. "Mall?" He squeaked out pulling on the floor length skirt.

Mia nodded.

Kento began to rapidly shake his head. "No Way. I am not going to the mall. I refuse to go to the mall. You can't make me Mia. Not Like this."

Mia's eyes narrowed again as she stood with her hands on her hips. "Like what?"

Kento gestured toward his chest. "Like this. I'm a girl for pity sake!!"

Mia nodded. "So you are. What's the big deal? I'm a girl too in case you hadn't noticed."

"But Mia . . ."

Mia shook her head. "No more buts. Put that top on and come on. We'll have to get you some bras and some new underwear; you can't go around wearing those boxers. They are too big for you know, anyways."

"MIA!!!!!" boomed an undignified squawk as Mia continued to rattle on about what Kento would need. Kento probably turned several shades of crimson in the process before he finally managed to get the low cut, tight fitting white blouse on. A pair of white sandals completed his outfit as he stared at himself in the mirror. He had to admit he looked good. Shaking his head, he bit his lip. What on Earth am I thinking?

Still musing to himself, he never noticed Mia brushing his hair back and pinning it on the side with a small butterfly clip. Nor did he notice when he was shoved out of the room. Stumbling slightly on the landing, he turned to glare at her but stopped when his eyes landed on the figure standing in his doorway to his room. Time seemed to stand still as his mouth went dry, his blue eyes eagerly eating up the lithe muscles of the water bearer's washboard stomach.

Cye blinked hazily at Kento as he stretched. His mind was still a bit foggy but he had awoken to the loud protests Kento was making. He was about to go see what was wrong with his friend when the girl stumbled out of Mia's room, looking positively stunning. Feeling Kento's gaze on him, he looked up. "Kento?"

Kento shivered slightly at the huskiness of Cye's voice. The spearsman had obviously fallen back to sleep in the time he was in Mia's room. Liquid heat shot to the center of his being and Kento almost gasped at the pleasure he was feeling from simply looking at Cye. What the Hell is wrong with me? He's my best friend. So why?

The thought was cut off by a low whistle coming from below. He looked down over the balcony railing and blushed to the roots of his hair at the openmouthed stares he was receiving from his friends. He began to shift uncomfortably at the intensity of their looks.

"Kento?" came a soft voice that Kento would recognize anywhere. Whipping around, he saw that Cye had moved and was now at arm's length. He felt his pulse begin to pick up as he drowned in pools of sea green.