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Chapter Eleven


Eyes crossing briefly as he looked at the fingers, Rajura smirked. "Well...ah, yes, I can sense the Troopers nearby. We are indeed in the correct area." he said softly, a fairly evil grin on his face.

"Well then! We're in the right place, ne?" Amiboshi grinned. "Come one. We have to find a descent spot where I can start." Smiling as he nodded, Rajura followed him, moving stealthily. Moving through the brush, Amiboshi stopped. He could hear the laughter of one of them. He mimed for Rajura to cover his ears. Rajura knelt down and covered his ears, watching Amiboshi in worry. Climbing up a tree, Amiboshi brought the flute to his lips and began to play. He put his chi behind it, letting it filter into the Suzakus and Troopers. Rajura watched his lover play his flute, wondering what he was doing, but was content to stay in ignorance as he kept his ears plugged.

Seiji tilted his head slightly, looking around. Ryo noticed and stopped walking as well. "Seiji?" he asked softly, noting the alert status of his other friends as well. Seiji only frowned as he listened.

Miaka perked up, looking around. "Oh! It's a flute! It's so pretty! I wonder who's playing it?"

The Troopers frowned in concern. /Seems Seiji is the only one hearing it currently./ Touma said to his friends, who nodded, watching Seiji as he tried to pinpoint the source.

Rajura watched in evil wonder. 'Can Amiboshi be controlling them?' he wondered as he watched his enemies. The music filtered through the trees, only Seiji and Miaka hearing it. Nuriko frowned, staring at them. What was wrong with them? They seemed distracted over something. Seiji frowned, then started to walk over where the music was coming from. Ryo followed behind him, careful to stay quiet so as to not disturb him. Suddenly, the music stopped as if it had never been.

Seiji frowned and stopped. Ryo came up next to him, asking, "What's wrong, Seiji?"

Frowning even more as he scanned the forest, Seiji replied softly, "The music stopped."

Rajura smirked as he wove his own illusion carefully, covering his love from their eyes. 'Not yet, little boys. You shall not meet him just yet.' Amiboshi watched his adversaries carefully, gauging their strengths and weaknesses. The one called Seiji...him hearing the music had been unexpected. But no matter. He would fall, just as the others would, in time.

Seiji sighed and shook his head, then turned to Ryo with a slight frown. "Let's go....it was...just a fluke." he said softly and Ryo nodded, wisely not saying anything.

Once they were gone, Amiboshi jumped down from the tree and returned to Rajura. He had a frown across his features, seemingly preoccupied. "He shouldn't have heard that. I don't like it."

Rajura opened his arms to his lover and said softly, "Seiji is...very intuitive. He can see...the truth in things. He is my biggest obstacle next to Shu no Kongo."

"Hmmm...I will need to be extra careful then. Matters not. Even he won't be able to tell what I'm doing with my music." Amiboshi replied, snuggling gratefully into his lover's arms. "We should go. They'll be at the village soon. That's where I want to join them."

Rajura nodded slightly as he rubbed soothing hands up and down his lover's back. "And then....do you wish me to stay around nearby?" he asked softly as he laid his head against Amiboshi's head.

"I'll always want you nearby." Amiboshi smiled, placing a kiss to his lover's lips. "But it's too risky. After I join them, I'll be all right. Besides, you did promise to watch over otouto for me."

Sighing softly as he remembered that promise, Rajura conceded reluctantly. "Alright...." He was silent for a bit, his hands never ceasing their slow motions before he broke the silence. "Do you have a pendant?" he asked softly as he rubbed his cheek against the blond head.

"A...pendant?" Amiboshi frowned, staring at his love. "Uhm...not really...though I do have a piece of jade that I keep around my neck for luck..."

"May I....have it? It will only take a second." Rajura said softly as he looked into Amiboshi's blue eyes.

"Uhm...sure." Amiboshi moved back reluctantly and removed the jade pendant from around his neck. He handed it over to Rajura, a wordless question in his eyes. Smiling gently, Rajura took the stone, then closed his eye. Concentrating, he did the same incantation he did for Suboshi's pendant, but put two images within. One held an image of Suboshi, smiling and hanging from the tree. The second....was of Rajura and Amiboshi twined together after making love.

Finished, he handed the pendant back with a soft tired smile. "Look into the stone....what do you see?" he said gently.

Taking the pendant, Amiboshi looked into it and smiled. He caressed the stone as he gazed at his brother. Turning it over, he gasped, watching as he and Rajura snuggled together. He bit his lip, looking up and smiling. "Arigatou."

Rajura smiled back. "Keep us close to your heart. And know we are always with you." he said softly, his one eye sad.

Tears filled his eyes and Amiboshi hugged Rajura close. "Arigatou! I know I'll always have you with me, no matter what happens."

Rajura smiled sadly as he held onto Amiboshi desperately. "Yes...you always will. Just as your brother has you close to his heart now." he said softly. Letting the tears fall, Amiboshi clung to his love tightly, not able to say anything. It was too wonderful. He'd never imagined anyone would feel this way about him, aside from his brother of course. Rajura felt a tear roll down his face and wondered once again if he could break away from Arago....if only to live with his Koutoku. He hadn't been in love since....before he received his armor.

Sighing softly, Amiboshi looked up at his lover. "I guess...we better get going. We have all day to kill, really. We won't make our move until nightfall."

Smirking evilly, Rajura said, "We shall just have to wile away the time then." He chuckled.

Amiboshi cocked an eyebrow. "Oh really?"


+ Book I : Chapter Ten +

+ Book I : Chapter Twelve +