He usually wore his hair down, so that if he bent his head forward, it would swing into a position that hid his expression. But the shirt was more of a color to bring out his eyes, and less his hair, and he wanted to see if anyone, besides Iryu, would notice. He tagged along behind his brother, silently following him to the picnic he no longer had an appetite for.

Hyoga's eyes lit up at the sight of his lover, then widened when he caught a glimpse of Shun. "Wow. You look good enough to eat! Are you on the menu today?"

"Of course not!" Shun laughed, and settled next to Shiryu while his brother gave Hyoga a lesson on where to keep his eyes. He'd already decided he wasn't going to mention that Iryu was gone, he would let that come up. If Ikki had known of the house, surely the others did?

"Glad to see you could join us. You got any room to wiggle in those pants?" Seiya asked.

"Of course." For the hell of it, and to see if he could get any reaction out of Shiryu, Shun proceeded to demonstrate his 'wiggle room' with an impromptu bump and grind. He smiled around the group when he finished.

"Damn, he's gonna give me a nosebleed! Hey, lover, can we…" Hyoga's voice dropped as he whispered something in Ikki's ear that made that knight clout him, then pin him to the ground and kiss him fiercely.

"I thought this was going to be a picnic, not a sex show," Shiryu said quietly. Ikki sat up, pulling Hyoga into his lap and very blatantly stroking the blond knight.

"It is a picnic," he growled, "but I don't recall you being such a prude last time. Strawberries and whipped cream, if I remember correctly?"

A slight flush signified the hit, but Shiryu only patted the ground next to him. Shun dropped rather dispiritedly into the space, grabbing a couple carrot sticks to nibble on, pointedly ignoring the prominently displayed bowl of strawberries a smirking Seiya had offered to him. He'd gotten a rise, literally, out of all of them except Shiryu.

The carrot sticks stuck in his throat. He didn't try to eat anything else, and didn't touch the bottles of wine that the others were making disappear. He needed no extra incentives to be maudlin, he already felt bad enough. He sat quietly through the entire thing, wishing for escape, for Shiryu to say something - anything! - to him, for the ground to open up and swallow him.

Shiryu said nothing at all to him, merely aiming a few increasingly ribald remarks at the inebriated couple across from them, and chatting pleasantly with Seiya. Shun tried talking to him, but Shiryu silenced him with a light kiss, then turned back to Seiya. What is going on? Am I here, or not? He's never… ignored me before. I don't understand!

Shun bent forward, tugged the tie on his hair. It spilled free, spilling over his shoulders and drifted over his face when he shook it forward. Hyoga made the only protest, one that Ikki promptly ended. Shun rose. "I think I'll walk a bit."

No one objected. He walked back up to the big house, started up the stairs for his room. Realized he didn't want to go there, and sat down on the steps. He was still sitting there when Shiryu entered with Seiya.

"…the best."

"Yes, but I still think you should tell him." Their voices carried easily to Shun. "He's bound to think it was something he did wrong, you know how he is."

Shiryu sounded surprised. "Shun did nothing wrong! Why would he think that Dark Dragon leaving had anything to do with him?"

"Are you blind or something?" Seiya demanded. "Shun's been his lapdog since he came here. Running errands for him so he wouldn't have to leave his room. He might believe you were jealous!"

"Me? Of Iryu? No. But I am not going to have to explain why…" Shun missed the last of the comment as the two entered the kitchen, the door swinging shut to cut off their words. He huddled against the stairs, then scrambled up them to fling himself across his bed.

Tears soaked into the pillow. Seiya and Ikki had similar thoughts about Shiryu being jealous of the time Shun spent with Iryu, but just as obviously, Shiryu hadn't had such a problem. Shun couldn't forget the dismissive, annoyed tone Shiryu had used in his response.

And he was sure he hadn't really spent all that much time with the dark knight, but again, both Seiya and Ikki had pointed out how much time he spent running errands for Iryu. "We haven't seen much of you lately…" "…been his lapdog…" Shun sat up, clutching the pillow to himself as he tried to figure out if they were right. He was counting on his fingers when he became aware someone else was in the room. "Shiryu?"

"Shun." The other approached his bed, settled on it, but did not offer to touch him. They stared at each other a long moment, Shun drinking in the other's perfection. Almost hesitantly, he reached out.

Shiryu caught his hand, dipped his head to brush a kiss over his knuckles. "Shun, tell me what is wrong."

"I don't know," Shun answered before he thought. "I… I don't know."

"Are your tears for Iryu?" Now Shiryu brushed his thumb lightly over Shun's cheek, capturing an escaping tear.

"For me." Shun drew a shuddering breath. "Were you going to tell me?" he asked dully. "Were you ever planning to tell me?"

"I knew you would find out he'd left without me needing to tell you."

Shun drew back. "Why did he leave?"

The hope flickering in his eyes died when Shiryu answered. "Sienna provided him with a house, and enough money to get by until he was able to find a way to support himself. He chose to move to it."

He's lying to me. Fresh pain welled in his soul, became the crystal drops that rolled down his cheeks. He's lying. I was there. Iryu asked him… and he I didn't need to know, but I never thought he'd lie to me about it! His thoughts remained unspoken. Shiryu was kissing him, kissing away the tears, kissing his eyes, his mouth. Shun let him, let him unfasten all the small buttons on his shirt and pull it off, helped him remove the tight pants.

He lied to me. Why am I letting him do this? He sighed a little when Shiryu stroked revealed skin, spreading his legs more at the older knight's insistence. Lifted his hips wantonly, letting his own hands freely roam his lover's form. He lied. Penetration, and a kiss that tried to steal his wounded soul.

He responded to both out of habit rather than pleasure, his body moving almost of its own violation. His eyes shimmered with the tears that continued to spill from his eyes, his mind unable to concentrate on the pleasure he knew his lover was providing. All he knew was that his lover had lied. Lied, and taken him.

He felt used when Shiryu finished. Finished and grabbed his clothes up off the floor, dropping a kiss on Shun's forehead before leaving, saying that he had to get cleaned up before he went to help in the library. Shun laid on his bed, legs still spread. He could feel the wetness pooling around his rump, and the ache of need.

I wonder if this is how he felt, when Ranome betrayed him. Like it didn't really matter what happened next, because no matter what it was, his heart and soul hurt too much to care what happened to the rest of him. If he took the sex because he hoped it would make up for the pain… only to realize that it made him feel used…

He ignored the need, forcing himself to his feet. He stripped the blankets from the bed, stuffing them haphazardly into the hamper. The new clothes, he dumped in the trash can. He already knew he wouldn't be welcome in the shower, he'd learned within a few days that Shiryu didn't care for water play and wanted absolute privacy in the bathroom.

Instead, he reached for the small box that had been in with his clothes, and wiped the worst of the mess from his skin before grabbing a light robe from the closet and hurrying from their rooms. He went straight to Iryu's, knowing there would be no one in it, and used the shower there. It wasn't the first time he'd done that, just the first time Iryu hadn't been in the bedroom right outside.

He used cold water, as usual unwilling to relieve himself, this time scrubbing until his skin was nearly raw. Shun shivered when he stepped from the shower and pulled the robe back over his body. He didn't make it to the door, collapsing in the middle of the room. His reflection seemed to mock him, portraying him as he saw himself - a shuddering, sodden mess sprawled unwanted on the floor.

"Come on. This way. I'll help you escape." He felt himself lifted, his feet shuffling on the floor. "That's right. Take a step. And another. Hurry. I don't want them to know I'm here…"

The person supporting him was his height, and strong. He was being urged down the hall, half-dragged, half-walking. He couldn't see where they were going, couldn't see who held him. The lights were out. "Know… you?" he whispered, certain that the voice was familiar.

"Yes, you know me," the voice told him . "You knew me very well, once. Come. Come. There, we're outside. This way, quickly. Come on now."

"Who?" He wasn't able to say more, suddenly seized by a fit of coughing that tore at his damaged throat. His face was pressed into a strong shoulder, his weak body supported by the other until the paroxysm had passed. Then he was urged onward, his question apparently forgotten in the urgent need to get away.

He was soon bundled into a car. He leaned back against the seat, listing to the side. That same strong body supported him, seemed to be doing something with his hurts. He didn't really know what, didn't really care. "Ranome…?"

"Easy, easy. Ranome's dead. I saw, when I took you out of there. It took me too long to find you. You've been damaged."

Damaged didn't describe how he felt. Ruined, perhaps. But this wasn't Ranome. He turned his head, just a little, looking into eyes similar to his own. Stared at his reflection in the mirror, and wondered who had finally removed Ranome's body from his own. Blinked, and wondered when Ranome would come to tell him everything would be fine. To tell him that he had been punished enough, and would be released. Sugase had promised to release him.

A touch, on the fresh, still raw scar Ranome had carved into his body. He hissed, but the touch worked at the wound, making it worse. He screamed.

Screaming, he catapulted from his bed to land in the corner, hands out to ward off the specter of his dream. He trembled and shook, eyes darting frantically around the unfamiliar room, looking for the one he knew was still out there. Somewhere close. His chest heaved as he fought to draw breath, one hand touching his aching throat. The other stayed out defensively.

He stayed in the corner until the sun lit the room enough for him to see around it, to recognize where he was. Iryu rose slowly, eyes sweeping the room. "My room. In my house," he murmured, then winced as his throat protested being used.

He crossed to the nightstand, taking up the cup of cool water that rested there, and drank carefully. He didn't bother with going back to bed, after one of his nightmares, he was never able to sleep. His troubled gaze went to the window, and he moved to it, looking across the city in the direction of the mansion he'd been staying in.

Shun had been right. Physically, he had healed. Psychologically, he was still a prisoner. But then, he'd never told Shun the whole story. Never told him how he'd managed to escape, or what had happened after that. Never told him of the desperate bid for freedom that had brought him to the mansion's gates, and nearly cost him his life. All he had said was that he'd had help getting away, and then had gone to Shiryu for help.

Iryu turned from the window, clumsily swallowing more of the water. Help… he'd received help. But it had not been his double who had helped him. Except for that first bath, and when Shun had been present, Shiryu hadn't done anything. He'd arranged things, but he had done nothing. Shun had taken care of him, seeing that he was fed, changed, bandaged. Shun had been the one who had slowly talked him through the events that had led to his disfigurement. Shun who had come when he had screamed, and Shun who had been there to comfort him after his nightmares.

Shiryu had seen to it that he had a place to sleep, and a doctor to see to his injuries. Shiryu had seen to it that a home and money was provided for him. And Shiryu had seen to it that he was removed from the mansion… but Iryu still didn't know why. Shiryu had refused to tell him why he needed to leave, why he'd been there too long. Had refused to tell him why he had avoided him so much, and why he no longer cared for him.

But Iryu was fairly certain he knew. Shun. It had only been yesterday that he'd stood before his mirror, truly looking at his ruined body. He'd lost the beauty that had attracted Shiryu in the first place, had his voice reduced to a grating rasp of sound. He'd covered up the scars, allowing his hair to hide the ragged scar that marred his face. And for the first time, he'd stepped from his room, determined to confront Shiryu.

He'd made it to the stairs, and followed the sound of voices to the kitchen. Had seen Shiryu pull Shun to him and kiss the young knight until he'd had to cling to Shiryu to remain standing. Had clung to the doorframe, realizing at last that he stood no chance with his bright double, and understood why. He'd gone back to his room immediately, and gone straight to the window.

He'd watched Shun leave, watched the other knights have their practice. Seen the kiss Shiryu had given the beautiful one before helping him take his packages into the house. He'd stayed in front of the window, trying to understand. Shun had come after lunch, the way he always did. In the new clothes that displayed his body to perfection, and enhanced his beautiful eyes.

Iryu's fingers clenched on the cup. He'd been so foolish! He'd told Shun so many of his secrets, that he hadn't been able to hold back telling his fear that Shiryu had chosen Shun over him because of his disfigurement. His fear had lead to the young knight being hurt, and he'd never meant that. He'd actually left his room, planning to apologize, but hadn't known where to go, and Shun had no longer been in sight.

He'd gone back to his room, and thrown himself into the chair Shun was so fond of. Shiryu had entered only moments later, without knocking. Had told him that he'd made arrangements for him to leave, and that he thought it best if he left in three hours. Had told him that would give him time enough to pack whatever he wanted to keep. Had told him that there would be a man in front of his room, so that he didn't go wandering off before the car came.

The absolute rejection had shocked him. He'd asked why, of course. Had asked and asked, and only gotten his door shut in his face. He'd opened it, and been dismayed to find that a guard really was in place outside his door, a guard who wouldn't let him follow Shiryu. He'd gone back into his room, and stared around it. Found the bag that Shun had bought for him on one of his shopping trips, and began going through Shiryu's castoff clothing. When Shun had come… he'd hurt the young knight even more, and Shun had still said he loved him. Had offered him the only thing he had to prove it. And he, like the fool he was, had taken it. Taken that precious gift, and perhaps wounded the beautiful knight in a way he would never understand

Iryu looked now at the small, insignificant case. It held nothing except a few toiletries, all purchased for him by Shun. He'd brought nothing else, except the memory of Shun's final gift, and the tragic betrayal on his face when he'd heard his lover's answer to Iryu's questions. Shun was the reason Shiryu no longer cared for him. And the reason he'd been avoided was…. His hand brushed over the scar on his face. That was obvious.

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You know, for some reason, I only remember Black Dragon and Dragon fighting in the show. I don't remember Black Dragon having a twin brother. Except, I happened to be job hunting the other day, and saw one of the manga books, and grabbed it for a looksee. Guess which one? That's right. The lovely dark knights - more specifically, the battle between the dragons. And Black Dragon had a twin fighting with him - Shadow Dragon. I now have these huge question marks dancing over my head points up as proof, and am wondering if any of you devoted followers of KotZ aka Saint Seiya have any memory of there being a twin in the show?