Chapter 12

phoenix the 1st: Kai's not in this one, no. But you might like the start of this chapter.

BitterCherries: You've hit the nail on the head. ^_~

russle: Yes Spencer won because Biovolt cheated. They even said it in the series. Damned cheats. And no, Bryan wouldn't start fights. :p

Black Jaggan: Depends what you mean by 'fix him up'.

Castles in the Sky: You're just going to have to wait and see what happens when Boris finds out. ^_~

Ashla: Not a sound, no. Strong boys.

Matty KakaSaku rulz: Why is Panas evil?

eyriess: When will they leave? Well...

Bloody Mary: Welcome Bloody Mary. Yes, no raped Tala, only a raped Bryan, and he went down fighting. I'm sick of raped helpess Uke Tala too.

Jay Kamiya: Who? Me? *innocent*

aki-naoe*kudoku: I'll have to come take a look.

Some nice quiet time. Muchly needed quiet time at that.

Disclaimer: See first page

Ice blue eyes fluttered open, at once taking in the warm air that flowed over his chest. He was lying down, on something soft no less, which was an occurrence that had not happened since Boris had first called them to the meeting.

Taking in his surroundings, Tala pushed himself up, gazing around, blinking. He was in an unfamiliar room, the texture of the walls, ceiling and floor telling him he was not in the Abbey itself, but instead underground in a place connected to the Abbey.

Bryan was stretched out beside him, breathes even, indicating sleep. Tala reached out, running his hand through Bryan's hair, the untameable lavender strands soft as if recently washed. Bryan's pants and shirt were both crisp and clean, causing Tala to blink. Boris would not have done this, so who?

Pushing himself up, Tala faltered, waiting for the dizziness to settle. Spotting an object nearby, he reached out, fingers closing around Wolborg. Looking up, he spotted some fresh clothing, eyes narrowing before he smiled faintly. Ian and Spencer, it had to be.

Sliding from the bed, Tala explored his new home, finding some stew still in the pot on the stove and setting it to warm ever so slowly. Taking up the fresh clothes, Tala headed for the bathroom he had found and showered, freshening up.

Feeling a lot better now he was clean, Tala emerged back into the main room, straightening his shirt and crossing to the stove. Satisfied that it was cooked, he found a clean plate and heaped it onto it, eagerly digging in.

"You're going to make yourself sick."

Tala looked around, noting that Bryan's lavender eyes were open, watching him with faint amusement. "I don't care. I'm hungry."

Bryan smiled, rolling onto his back and stretching. "How long you been up?"

"I showered, but that's it." Tala gestured around him. "Where are we?"

"Some sort off bunker in a passage that leads from the boiler room of the Abbey, that's all I know." Bryan pushed himself up into a sitting position, scratching at his neck. "Panas brought us here."

"Panas?" Tala frowned, looking toward him. "I thought it was Ian and Spencer."

"They broke us out, Panas led the way." Bryan filled him in on the escape, answering everything he could though it became obvious to Tala that Bryan had not been completely himself at the time, as many details seemed hazy to the elder teen.

Tala chuckled. "I wish I could have seen the fight."

Bryan smirked. "I can get another one going for you anytime you want."

"I don't doubt that you could." Tala finished his meal, sighing. "It's good to be able to move about again."

"Boris is gone a week, so we have that long before we are discovered to be missing."

Tala frowned. "If he was going to leave us a week, with no intention of us being watched or fed, do you think he wanted us to…"

Bryan's hard gaze settled on him. "There is really no question as to his intention. Our failure removed our invincibility and Kai's. We're useless to him now."

Tala stared down at the table. "Why not just have us removed from the Abbey?"

"And allow us to be free? Come on, Captain, do you think he would have allowed that?"

"No, you're right." Tala sighed, shaking his head. "If we were anyone else he might have, but not us. Not us two."

Bryan watched him, crossing his arms over his chest and closed eyes as he rested his head against the headboard of the bed and sighed heavily. "There are times I wish I had been the one to sneak out to steal Black Dranzer."

"You would have been destroyed, as would I." Tala looked at him. "Kai had Voltaire, and Voltaire was the one overseeing the project. We have no one."

"Not true." Bryan raised an eyebrow. "We have each other. You've always stood by me, as did Kai when he was here. You're my family."

Tala smiled, slipping from the chair and moving toward the bed. He slid onto Bryan's lap, straddling him. Bryan opened his eyes as Tala trailed his fingers over a cheek, leaning forward to press his lips against his.

Bryan slid one arm around Tala's waist, resting the other hand on a leg as Tala settled a hand on Bryan's shoulder for support, the kiss deepening, actions speaking louder than words with each gentle caress.

Bryan lifted his hand from Tala's thigh to run it through his hair, Tala nibbling on Bryan's lower lip playfully before kissing him forcibly, Bryan fighting back. Tears collected in the corners of Tala's eyes only to escape and trail down his face. Bryan felt them, pulling back to trace their path with his fingers.

"Tal?"

Tala smiled faintly. "It's nothing, Bry, just… I've been wanting to do that for so long. I thought I'd lost my chance… it feels like a dream."

Bryan cupped Tala's face in his hand, the younger boy nuzzling it. "It's not a dream, Wolf, though I wish it were. That way we would be far away from here."

Tala looked at him, reaching up to press his hand against Bryan's. "I know what you mean, Falcon, but I'm glad it's not. It means that I won't wake up and realise that it's not real."

Bryan raised an eyebrow. "You get emotional too easy."

Tala chuckled. "I make up for what you lack."

"I can get emotional."

"Anger and frustration doesn't count."

"What about disappointment?"

Tala leant forward. "What about love?"

Bryan frowned, eyes distant as he sighed, shaking his head. "I've never felt love."

Tala kissed him gently, shifting and wrapping his arms around Bryan, curling up against his chest, tired once more. "We'll have to do something about that."

Both awake and their first official make out session. How sweet. *Ducks a swipe from Bryan* Oh come off it, Falcon, you enjoyed it.

Bryan: *Smirks*