Well I hope that wasn't too long of a wait...? I've been playing a lot of Final Fantasy Nine lately, does it show? Mreow... I wanna thank you guys (Kloudy Reignfall, Princess of Mirrors and Lions-4-life) for your reviews! Meow! And I hope you guys continue reading and that it's good enough for you to send more!

PS. Princess of Mirrors, I just might! Mreow...

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The forest was dark and eerie, what made it even more worse was that Drake had went up a head and left JJ all by himself... JJ wandered through the thick brush and called out for Mister Drake, receiving no reply...

"Mister Drake!? Oh, Mister Drake where are you!?" JJ called as he pushed a branch out of the way, "Mister Drake! Please! Answer me!" Oh...who does he think he is! How rude! This man has no manners what so ever! Grrr... you don't leave me out in the woods to forget me! Double-crossing no good... "AH!!"

JJ soon found himself up high as the net he found himself in was holding him above the forest floor. Oh no...this isn't good! "Mister Drake! Help me!" Wait...why do I keep calling for the no good cheat? Could it be that maybe he's the only person I know... yes that has to be it...isn't it?

JJ called and called, but there was still no reply... until he heard the snap of a twig. JJ looked around for the source of the sound... hoping that someone had heard his cries (like Mister Drake), "Hello! Mister Drake is that you!? Please you have to help me! Please get me down!"

Another snap of a twig was soon joined by a light growling as a pack of very hungry looking wolves came slowly stocking out of the bushes around him... Oh no! This is not good! "MISTER DRAKE WHERE ARE YOU!!!!????!?!?!"

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"He's like no one I've ever seen before..." Drake moved quietly through the bushes, "His eyes... his hair... he looks like a foreigner, Dee."

"You say he has blue eyes...?" Dee moved closely behind him, "And I thought that my eyes were rare..."

"Yeah, but three people in the village have green eyes not including you..." Drake moved more into the clearing where he had told JJ to wait, "I've never seen anyone with blue eyes like his... they are so bright and big..."

"And beautiful...?" Dee placed his hand on Drake shoulder, "It's sounds like you're developing a crush on this guy, Drake..."

"What...?" Drake stopped and turned to Dee; his face turning a shade of bright pink, "What are you talking about? Dee, for once in your life can you not be an asshole...?"

"To you...? No..." Dee smiled and ruffled Drake's hair, "Besides I'm not being an asshole I'm just stating the truth..."

"That's not the truth! I'm not gonna fall for some outsider!" Drake was starting to yell; but then calmed down when he realized it... Goddamnit I hate you Dee...

Then if you aren't why are you getting so upset...eh Drake? Dee looked at his friend. Could it be true that there is someone out there that can finally unthaw Drakey-boy's ice covered heart...? This I have to see... "So where is this blue-eyed boy...?"

"He should be here..." Drake looked around for the hooded figure; but he wasn't anywhere to be seen, "JJ! JJ, where are you...?"

"You lost him...?" Dee sighed and punched Drake lightly in the shoulder, "Way too go Drake, lose your lover in this forest... smooth, very smooth..."

Fear took over Drake... Calm down... why are you getting so worked up? Why the hell are you so worried about someone you don't even know...Drake looked around, but he's all along... what is something happened to him? I made him a promise, and I never break my promises...! NEVER! "JJ! WHERE ARE YOU!"

"SOMEONE HELP ME! MISTER DRAKE WHERE ARE YOU!!!!!?????" came a scream from within the forest...

"Dee!" Drake yelled out as he headed toward the plea of help, "It's JJ! He's in trouble! Come on!"

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The wolves were jumping to try and get him down for their feast. One of them got hold of his cloak and began to pull down. JJ tugged back but soon the weak branch the net was tied to snapped... dropping the small man to their level... JJ looked around at the snarling beasts that were slowly encircling him. His heart raced and tears of fear stung his eyes and he thought of how safe he would be if he stayed at the castle...

SNAP! One of them grabbed hold of his sleeve pulling him. JJ thrashed and struggled to get away but the one's grip was too tight... The others soon took suit as the pounced on the defenseless boy... JJ closed his eyes and waited to die... What is going on...? I thought this would hurt a lot more than it is...? Are they not trying to eat me...? JJ slowly opened his eyes and to see his heroes...

Drake and a dark-haired man were scaring them away... The other man was pushing two of them back with a thick stick as Drake lifted some of the ones away so he could get to JJ...

When one of the pack jumped and grabbed hold of Drake's arm. He yelled out and the other man came to his aid as he beat the wolf with his stick... the wolves soon retreated to the safety of the woods.

"JJ!" Drake turned to the young man that sat paralyzed on the ground, "Are you alright? How bad did that hurt you!?"

JJ looked at Drake who was kneeling down in front of him... hand out, wanting to touch but afraid of breaking a boundary. The tears finally fell down JJ's cheeks and he threw himself into Drake's chest and found himself locked in Drake's comforting embrace...

"I am so sorry!" JJ bawled into Drake's chest, "I disobeyed you! If I had stayed where you told me to none of this would have happened! I am so sorry, please Mister Drake forgive me!"

Drake stroked the light blue locks and whispered, "It's alright... I shouldn't have left you alone in the first place... it's my fault, can you forgive me, JJ...?"

JJ looked up as Drake wiped away the tears, "Yes... as along as you forgive me for my disobedience..."

Dee watched the closely... studying the way Drake was so gentle and the way JJ was very clingy... Well I'll be... so it is true, Drake really is falling in love with someone...but with someone as odd as JJ? Why does it feel as if I know something about this guy...? "Hey, Drake do you think we should get back...?"

"Huh... oh yeah..." Drake stood up; carefully pulling JJ up with him, "I bet the boss is gonna be steaming..."

JJ looked at the dark-haired and then back at Drake... his face had on that look of confusion as he asked, "Boss...?"

Dee looked at JJ, "Yes, our boss. Drakey here and I are professional thieves... didn't he tell ya...?"

"No actually..." JJ thought back to the odd way that the two had first met, "I guess I should have the way the guards were yelling at you..."

"Heh... Rose has always been wanting to get our guild... but we've always be smarter than that idiot!" Dee smirked and put his hand out for JJ, "The name's Laytner, Dee Laytner..."

JJ remembered what to do with this strange gesture, he took Dee's hand and shook it, and "I am JJ as you have probably already heard."

"Well how about we get going before our boss gets really pissed off..." Drake took JJ's hand and the three began to walk again...

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"You idiots!" the boss smacked Dee and Drake a few good times before screaming at them again, "What the hell were you two thinking about bring an outsider here!"

"We..." Dee began but wasn't able to finish before the boss screamed again.

"Don't answer that! I already know the answer! You two dolts weren't thinking!" he smacked them again.

"Chief!" Drake caught his hand before he received another punch, "What the heck were we supposed to do the kid would have gotten eaten by the wolf pack!"

"You dolt!" the boss pulled his hand out of Drake's grasp, "We're thieves not good Samaritans! I'm holding you responsible for him, Parker!"

"Yes boss..." Drake hung his head low as he and Dee left pulling JJ out with them.

"I am terrible sorry... I did not mean to be such a problem..." JJ looked down at his feet and sighed, "I think you should take me back..."

Dee was just about to say something with Drake lifted JJ's chin and smiled, "Don't worry about it... kiddo! He's always crabby like that, even when he does get to know you...! Trust me and Dee on that one, okay?"

Dee watched as JJ's pale face light up with a huge smile. Drake's hand was still holding his chin up and staring back with a smile on his own. Dee cleared his throat but when the two didn't snap out of 'La-la Land', he knew something was up...

"Well then..." Dee grabbed Drake's shoulder (finally getting him back), "Shall we go show the newbie to everyone else?"

"Oh right..." Drake frowned and held his hand out for JJ, "I'll show you everyone else who works here at the thief guild..."

JJ took Drake's hand and smiled brighter, "Oh thanks... well you be tagging along to, Mister Laytner...?"

"Actually I have something else I have to take care of..." Dee turned to go but then called back to them, "I'll meet you later..."

"Yeah see ya later, Dee!" Drake waved but soon flinched (remembering the wolf bite), "Oww..."

"Oh!" JJ lightly touched the mark and watched as Drake winced, "I forgot that you were wounded..."

"Aw, it's no big deal... just a minor! Whoa what are you doing!?" Drake's face went as red as the blood on his arm as JJ was busy unbuttoning his shirt. Whoa... what's wrong with me? Why do I feel so lightheaded all of a sudden? Just one touch and I can barely stand...?

JJ examined the bite wound and then thought to himself for a few seconds before he ripped part of the bottom of his cloak, tightly binding it around Drake's arm, "There you go... after it stops bleeding I will finish cleaning it up for you..."

Drake looked at JJ and just had to ask, "JJ, how good are you with medicines and stuff like this...?"

JJ looked at up at Drake, what is he talking about...? "Pretty good I guess... why are you asking...?"

Drake pulled JJ in closer to him and whispered, "We have a friend that is need of help..."

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"Yo walrus, you hollered...?" Dee came into the boss's room, "What do you want...?"

"Dee..." the chief sat and leaned back in his chair, "How is he doing...? He's still holding on isn't he...?"

"...Yes... he is, but...." Dee turned his eyes away, "Boss, I don't know how much longer Ryo's body's gonna last."

"So he's getting worse...?"

"Yes... I'm surprised he held on this long..." Dee noticed the look in the chief's eyes, "What a minute, what are you planning...?"

The chief dropped a notice on his desk and smirked, "That boy you and Drake brought in... he has some 'connections' we can use, to save Ryo."

TBC

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Oh my gosh! What is to become of our dear sweet JJ? And will Drake put up with it...? Is Ryo going to die? So many questions I have left unanswered... mreow! Til the next chapter! Meow!

Neko-Rinny