"It looks as though you've healed a bit already," Momo noted as she rubbed at the wounded area with a wet cloth. "Does it hurt at all?"
Ryu didn't answer.
"Ryu?"
Ryu still didn't answer.
"Lost in thought, huh?" She smiled warmly at the sight. "Well that's okay, you go right ahead."
Ryu still didn't answer.
Three trips to the sink later, Momo finally sat back on her heels. "Well, doesn't that just beat all…"
Ryu slowly turned his head toward her, an expression of shock plain. "What did you just say?"
Momo shrugged. "It seemed to be the most appropriate thing to say." She gestured toward his side. "You're completely healed."
"You're kidding." Ryu raised his arm to see for himself. Sure enough, other than a few flecks of dried blood, no sign of a wound could be found. "Well, doesn't that…" He caught Momo's amused smile and snorted. "Yeah, I see what you mean."
After refreshing the cloth at the sink again, Momo set to work cleaning the last of the wound and gathered her courage. "Ryu, I have a question…"
"Sure Momo, what is it?"
Momo took a deep breath before continuing. "While you were in you Kaiser form, you…said something…to me…" She bit her lip to try and stay focused. "Ryu…do…do you love me?"
Ryu returned to staring at the wall, but his breathing deepened, his face flared red, and Momo realized that she had likely started a war within the young dragon. "I-I'm sorry Ryu, I shouldn't have asked-"
Ryu suddenly stood up, grabbing his shirt as he did. "I'm going to bed. Good-night, Momo." He hurriedly put his shirt on as he headed for the door.
Momo scrambled to her feet and hurried after her friend. "Ryu, wait, please!" she cried.
Ryu stopped by the door long enough to say, "I'm sorry, Momo. I'll leave in the morning. I don't want to cause any more trouble." Then without looking back he left, the tumblers in the door thundering in Momo's ears.
She stared sadly at the door, unaware of the tears that slowly slid down her cheeks. "Ryu…"
Ryu paced within the confines of his borrowed room, his mind trying to race but running into the many walls of confusion, preventing him from achieving clear thought.
"D…D…D…D…Dammit!" Ryu swore for the first time in his life, the frustration having overwhelmed him. "I'm so confused!"
Random thoughts rolled and crashed in the ocean of his mind. "The young plump ones, huh Bono?" he asked a memory. "What's wrong with Momo? Sure, Nina's cute and winged and a princess, and…plump…" He grimaced. "But Momo's a woman, she's not cute. She's beautiful…and smart, too." He clamped his hands around his head. "What am I saying? I don't understand…"
It was as though there were two entities within Ryu. Rather than fighting for control, one was trying to help the other understand.
Ryu became aware of a sudden change from within, and he pulled his hands from his head to find his body taking on the colors of the Kaiser. "Oh no, not now…"
Momo jerked awake from a troubled sleep to a sudden scream from Ryu's room. Not bothering to don her robe, she ran barefoot the short distance from her room.
She found Ryu crouched, hands on either side of his head, and shifting colors wildly. Kaiser and back, Kaiser and back, Kaiser… "Ryu?"
Ryu's head snapped up to look at her, and she could plainly see the confusion and terror in his eyes. "Oh God, stay away, I don't wanna hurt you…"
Momo didn't fully understand what was going on, but she knew that she had to help him in any way she could.
She smiled softly. "Don't worry Ryu, I know you'd never hurt me, you said so yourself." She slowly made her way toward him, never taking her determined eyes off of his panicked ones. "I don't know what you're going through, but I'll help you the best I can."
When she drew close enough, she knelt down in front of Ryu and held out her hands. "Take my hands, Ryu. Everything will be okay, I promise."
The fluctuating dragon looked at her hands, back to her eyes, back to her hands, then slowly reached out a hand and touched her. Apparently satisfied that his touch wouldn't harm her, he reached out with both hands and took hers.
Momo slowly, carefully led Ryu to his feet then pulled him into an embrace. Ryu accepted and began to sob into her shoulder as he held her as close as possible.
The very thought of someone as strong as Ryu being reduced to his current state almost brought tears to Momo's eyes. But she remembered all of the times that Ryu had been her support and realized that now…now…he needed her to be strong.