Your Song

Part 3

~ Innocent - Mujaki na Mama de - ~

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JC: Part three. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I love you all!

Van: I'm ready to have a NERVOUS BREAKDOWN!

Irvine: Why am I being so cruel to my precious Van?

Raven: Yeah! That's my department… heh heh heh… torturing poor little helpless Van. Naked and tied up and… (gets knocked away by JC)

Van: I'm scccaaaaarrrreeeddddd!!! (buries face in Irvine's… … lower regions)
JC: …

Irvine: (happy sigh)
Herman: OK… while the happy people are… busy. I'll do the disclaimer. JC doesn't own Zoids. I think I'll go bathe now. (starts undressing)
JC: 0_0

O'Connel: HHEEEERRRRRRMMMAAAAANNNNN!!! (chases Herman over the horizon) TAKE OFF THE SHIRT! TAKE IT ALL OFF BABY!

JC: One look at that six pack…

Moonbay: And … WAIT FOR ME! (joins the chase)
Irvine: Isn't this story about us?
JC: Oh, right! Mobilize!

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Van slumped against the wall. That did not go as planned. Although… planning was now the least of his worries.

"Hey Van, Irvine! Open up!" Thomas knocked on the door and fell through on the second knock since the door never locked when Irvine stormed out. The blonde was surprised when he saw the emotionless look on his friend's face.

"Thomas! Didn't you tell Van and Irvine about dinner..?" Fine trailed off when she peered into the room.

"Van? Where's Irvine?" the two looked at the half-naked man just staring into space.

"Excuse me, Fine… but er…" Thomas gently ushered Fine out. "Guy talk."

"Van, what's the matter with you?" When Van didn't respond, Thomas began his relentless tickle assault.

"Wah… AHAHAHahahahAHAHa…" Van struggled, but Thomas failed to bring the other boy back to his normal self.

"Van, we're going out to dinner." Thomas said. Van didn't move.

"OK, but it's going to be really good." Van still didn't move.

"All right, we're going to leave without you." No response.

"I heard that there's a lot of papaya dishes at the restaurant we're going to." Thomas sighed and turned to leave. When he turned to shut the door, Van was slowly getting dressed.

"All right Van. Five minutes. If you're not downstairs in five, I'm eating all the papayas!" Thomas announced before exiting. He shut the door and turned to face Fine.

"Is he all right?" The girl asked, worried.

"I think something happened… And where is that Irvine guy anyway?" Thomas shook his head.

"…" Fine rubbed her temples. She was concerned now. Van definitely confessed to Irvine, and judging by the look on her best friend's face, Irvine had not taken it well.

Soon, Van emerged from the room, his eyes slightly red and his spirits low. Dinner was silent, and uncomfortable. Moonbay and Thomas tried to cheer everyone up… Thomas, though, more on the unintentional side as he spilled spaghetti sauce on his pants, knocked a waiter carrying water over by getting out of his chair, and finally slipping on some of the water and falling face first into the papaya and custard pie a couple was sharing on the next table.

Fine and Moonbay were practically falling out of their chairs, but Van didn't even crack a smile. The whole time, he poked miserably at his plate, and hardly ate a thing. Even the papaya ice cream sundae, which was left practically untouched.

When they finally returned to the hotel, Thomas went straight to his room to take a bath, while Moonbay followed suit in her room. Fine was really concerned for Van, however, the pilot wouldn't talk to her, or anyone. She had a good urge to kick him, but then realized that if Van didn't want to talk about it, Van didn't want to talk about it. In the end, she decided to give Van his space and retired to the room she shared with Moonbay, but not before wishing Van goodnight.

Van stayed in the small lobby for a while, just staring at the wall. Soon, his eyelids grew heavy and he slowly trudged upstairs towards his room. He pretty much convinced himself that if Irvine was in, he'd at least apologize and leave. If not, then well, the bed was his… however…

As he opened the door, moans came from behind it. However, Van didn't really think much of it until he entered the room and found Irvine in bed with somebody. A young boy. Both of them naked… and…

Van's vision swirled. His fist clenched tight with anger, but he held it. The two didn't seem to notice him as he stood there watching them, seething until he finally turned on his heel and left, slamming the door behind him.

'I hate him. I hate him. I HATE HIM!' Jealousy, pain, sadness… every painful and hated emotion poured into Van's heart as he slumped against Thomas and Zeke's door… and fell into the room.

"Rrr?" Zeke looked up in surprise as his owner fell into the room and landed face-first on the floor.

"What's the matter Zeke?" Thomas asked, leaving the bathroom with his toothbrush halfway in his mouth.

"Rrewwrr." Zeke muttered as he helped Van to his feet.

"Something the matter?" Thomas asked, but when he looked closer and saw the suffering look and state Van was in, the toothbrush fell out of his mouth.

"I… hate… that… slut… that MORON!" Van whispered.

"RRRRRWWRR!" Zeke backed away in alarm as Van clenched his fist so hard blood started dripping from his hands.

"Van!" Thomas reached for the injured hand, only to have his hand slapped away.

"RRRRAARRR!!!" Zeke came up from behind and restrained Van.

"LET GO ZEKE!" Van protested and thrashed.

"Good job! Keep him steady while I get the first aid." Thomas disappeared into the bathroom and returned with the first aid kit. Soon, a grumpy, but still very emotional Van was bandaged up, and tranquilized into a peaceful slumber.

"The things I do for this kid." The blonde sighed as he rubbed his bruises that Van gave him for trying to bandage the wound. If Zeke wasn't there to help hold him down, he didn't know what he was going to do.

"You two can have the bed. I'll sleep on the floor." He said as he grabbed a pillow and blanket and lay on the floor, muttering something about whether sleeping on the ground was really good for a person or not.

Zeke lay near Van, listening to his friend's heartbeat. However, he sensed something was terribly wrong. Van wasn't resting comfortably. Zeke could feel Van's pain; and wanted to ease it. Without a sound, Zeke's chest plate opened and wires and cords wrapped themselves around Van and pulled the boy in.

Van shielded his eye from the glaring sunlight.

'How long have I been sleeping?' He wondered as he shifted on the grass.

'Wait a minute… grass? And a soft breeze?' Van sat up, confused as he took in his peaceful surroundings. He was under a tree in the middle of a grassy field. A gentle breath of wind rolled over the green, sweet smelling grass.

"Van."

Van didn't recognize the voice or the boy it belonged to when he turned around. The kid was roughly his height, blonde hair, and had piercing red eyes.

"Who… who are you?"

"Silly Van. It's me, Zeke."

To Be Continued