Title: Underground

Author: Lennith

Rating: PG-13 (expect the next chapter to be R, kekekeke!)

Pairing: Kazuma/Ryuhou overall. KazuTachi too, because variety is the spice of life!

Disclaimer: I am not a genius, hence I did not create Scryed! The story and all characters belong to Bandai, Yosuke Kuroda, Yasunari Toda, the little green gods, Bill Gates, and whoever else contributed to their creation. Namely, not me!

Warnings: This is a yaoi fic! If you don't like man on man action, please don't read this! If you do read this, it's your own damn fault so don't come crying to me when you have nightmares about Cloud, Sephiroth, and a random tentacle. Also, as you can see, I have a twisted sense of humor. I should put a warning for that too... Probably plenty of swearing, blood, guts, and adult situations. M/M sex in later chapters.

A/N: Oh my! 6 reviews! Thank you so much for your support, everyone! I know it doesn't seem like much, but considering the average number for reviews on Scryed fics seems to be 2, this seems like a massive achievement for me! Haha, I'm in the wrong business, I guess. If I were writing a Naruto fic I'd be getting a lot more readers, but I do adore under-appreciated series X3 Thanks to all your encouragements, I'm now definately planning on writing that KazuTachi side-fic! ::Love!:: The only thing is that my sister, master controller of this PC, will have the next two weeks off of her classes, SO I probably won't get a chance to work on it, or this fic, very much for a while. I promise to work on both of them as much as I can, though. ((I'm a college student back at my family's home for the winter holiday, so as a guest I have to put my family's needs first.))

Eloy Brightdreamer: Haha! Yes, poor Ryuhou is utterly clueless. All of his stomach problems are really him just feeling the wonderful pains of anxiety that come along with love; he's just never felt them before and too deep in denial to recognize them XD That's really the keyword for Ryuhou in this fic: Denial! But don't fret, he'll eventualy come to terms with such things. It just seems like the way he would behave naturally, to me. As you say, "No flowers and sweet kisses for these guys, nope." At least certainly not at the start n-- Thank you again for your support! I doubt I'd be working so hard without your constant reviews and encouragements! ::hug!:: Review and stalk me as much as you like! The more you do, the more the fic will grow!

Cheza-Chan: Ohohoho! Rena, you know how much I depend on you and how I hold your opinion in the highest regards! Any feedback and help from you is so very much treasured! Personally I like your Kazuma better too, it's just that I don't think him and Ryuhou are at the stage that Kazuma can pull off the kind of stunts you have him pulling yet without Ryuhou either killing him or fleeing for his virginity X3 So my Kazuma will have to stay a little more subdued for a bit, kekeke. Doesn't mean he can't get frisky with Tachibana yet, though! DUN DUN DUN... ::dramatic music::

Quycksylver: Oh how wonderful! A new reviewer! ::pounce!:: Once again, I'm very happy that people are thinking that my characterizations are believable. I just can't imagine Ryuhou going all gooey and floral right off the bat... He is such an uptight prat, after all! Aww, but he does have a good side... It's just a matter of forcing the jerk to show it. I'm very happy that my Kazuma is satisfactory, too! I was a little worried about it as I was writing him... and I haven't really had a chance to develop him too much, but this chapter should fix that. So if he seems off, please tell me. As for Tachibana.... yes, the poor dear. I'm a huge Tachibana fan myself! I mean, where would s.CRY.ed be without the regent soccer-mom? He's such a good character and I feel badly for putting him in such a position, but I'm working hard on figuring out a way to carry out the fic with him gaining a little happiness too!

ixi

Chapter 4: Eggs and Tentacles

Ringing, stinging,
jerking like a nervous bird,
ramming up against its cage.
Calls to me throughout the day.
See the feathers fly!
I've been on fire, yet I still stay frozen so deep in the night.
My smooth contemplations will always be broken.
My deepest concerns will remain buried and unspoken.
No, I don't have any change, but here's a few subway tokens.
Cake, "No Phone"

ixi

Ryuhou was slightly worried that Kazuma slipped from conscienceness again on the bumpy ride back to the village, but true to his unpredictable nature the young man awakened again just as they reached Tachibana's house. He yawned loudly and started to make a show of stretching his arms but hissed and quickly stopped when pain refreshed his memory that his arm was still injured. Ryuhou shook his head, and muttered something that sounded like the word "idiot" amidst a jumble of low curses.

Kazuma frowned, pouting a little as he unbuckled his seatbelt and waited for Ryuhou to get out of the jeep to try and get out himself. To his disappointment, Ryuhou bypassed his door and walked straight to Tachibana's doorstep. "Hey, have a little heart, Ryuhou," he said sulkily. "I'm injured here and I think I broke a couple ribs thanks to your driving skills. C'mon, help me up, ya prick!" Ryuhou gave him a cold glare, but relented. The green-haired man helped Kazuma to his feet. "That's more like it! So, are you going to lend me your shoulder, or would you prefer to carry me over the threshhold like a bride," he sneered, batting his eyelashes. Refusing to be baited, Ryuhou slung Kazuma's left arm over his shoulder and and gripped his injured burden firmly around the waist with his own arm. It was a bit awkward, but the two managed to stumble the short distance to the door.

"Idiot, at least have the decency to knock!" Ryuhou hissed as Kazuma twisted the doorknob and flung the door open with his free hand.

Kazuma rolled his eyes. "If you don't loosen up, one day you're going to snap in half. Tachibana! Tadaima," he bellowed into the house, breaking out of Ryuhou's hands to stagger inside.

"Careful, you fool!" Kazuma had barely gone five steps before he wobbled uncertainly on his feet and Ryuhou rushed forward to support him again. It was a moment before he looked up to notice that Tachibana was standing in the kitchen, looking a bit stunned, with a young man and a little girl. Ryuhou felt a little blush of embarrassment creep up into his face. It must have been a strange sight for Tachibana's guests, two men stumbling into his house unnannounced, one of them unable to walk on his own. And there he was, with his arms full of Kazuma, looking like a complete dolt, he was sure.

"T... Tadaima," Tachibana returned the greeting. He got over the initial shock far quicker than his guests and now had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing out loud. He was used to seeing Kazuma in comprimising situations, but seeing Ryuhou trying desperately to look proper with his hair sticking every which way while trying to keep Kazuma steady was rather amusing. Tachibana quickly moved to help the ruffled alter user and set Kazuma down on the couch. "That was fast, Ryuhou," he said grinning. "How bad is he, anything urgent?"

Ryuhou shook his head, trying to tame his hair now that he'd realized Kazuma had messed it up. "Not as far as I can tell," he said in a slick tone. "Just his arm and a few minor injuries."

"I can still talk, you know! Damnit, I hate when people talk around me like I'm not there," Kazuma scowled.

Tachibana grinned in reply. "If I asked you you'd just say something like 'I'm fine, don't worry about me' like the tough man you are."

The scowl curved into a grin and the pained alter user gave a hearty laugh. "Damn straight, I would. I am fine."

Tachibana shook his head and returned his attention to his guests, who were looking rather confused but were waiting patiently in the kitchen. "Sorry to cut our visit short, Mayu-chan, Kiru-kun, but I think I'd better patch up this patient of mine," he said apologetically. Ryuhou finally got a chance to notice them now that Kazuma had been distracted with an apple. They were both good, honest people by the look of them. The little girl had an uncommonly sweet face, as the youth's was uncommonly attractive. Judging by the fact that they had the same piercingly blue eyes, they were most likely related.

"That's all right, nii-chan! We'll tell you when the oranges come in," the girl chirped good naturedly.

"We should have asked before coming over anyway," the young man said, rubbing the back of his neck and looking a bit disappointed. "Sorry for intruding. We thought we'd give you first pick of the berries we got in since you're always taking care of Mayu-chan."

Tachibana's smile broadened a little. "Since when do friends intrude? Thank you very much for the berries, and please come visit again when you have the time." The two said their goodbyes and left, the little girl giving Ryuhou a curtsy and the young man a polite nod before leaving. "Kiru-kun is the grocer of the village," Tachibana explained, moving back into the living room and kneeling in front of the couch where Kazuma sat looking a bit disgruntled that everyone had been ignoring him while he was in pain. "Mayu-chan, his little sister, is frail and catches colds easy, so I see a lot of them. I don't really charge them, but they always let me know if some fresh supplies are coming in."

"Yeah, yeah. What's-his-name just wants in your pants," Kazuma gave a small chuckle.

Tachibana rolled his eyes and gave the ceiling a disapproving look. "Not everyone is as asinine as you, Kazuma."

"That hurts! Here I was thinking you'd be happy to see me and all I get is abuse. First Ryuhou and now you too." Kazuma gave his best attempt at a solemnly offended look, but it didn't suit him at all and he broke into a grin not too far into it.

"I'd be happier to see you if you didn't always come in pieces," Tachibana scoffed. Ryuhou merely looked stiff and uncomfortable and didn't offer any comment. "So, what is it this time? Where does it hurt?"

Kazuma managed to become at least a little serious as Tachibana slipped from friend to doctor mode. "Right arm, obviously. 'Tsnot so bad this time, I've been trying to be careful, sensei." Tachibana snorted, unable to hide his amusement from being called "sensei" by Kazuma. "And, letsee.... Oh, I think Ryuhou broke a couple of my ribs and gave me a minor concussion. It feels like my ankle is half twisted off and my lower back is sore too."

Tachibana turned a little and gave Ryuhou a questioning look. Ryuhou only managed to smirk ever so faintly and brush a few strands of his long hair aside, cool as a cucumber. The purple-haired medic gave a sigh that was almost a groan. "I know it's foolish of me to ask, but I would have thought you two could manage to communicate without drawing blood by now. In any case, I'd better just patch you up, Kazuma, before you start whining."

The auburn haired alter user grinned and leaned forward to press a quick kiss to Tachibana's lips. "Thanks, doc. Nobody treats me as good as you."

The younger alter user gave a small cough and blushed slightly before closing his eyes and summoning his alter. Ryuhou had a look so dour on his face that it could have made flowers wilt. "Excuse me, should I leave?" he asked in short, clipped words. 'The last thing I want is to see Tachibana 'treating' that bastard right now. Do they really have to look so comfortable with one another?'

Eternity Eight hovered mutely in the air around Tachibana as he turned his attention to the almost forgotten third party. "You don't have to leave, I'd be happy to have you stay here," he answered, with a flick of his violet hair. "This might take a couple hours, though. If you'd like you can go out, though it will be getting dark soon, or you can borrow the bed upstairs for a nap. You look a little peaked yourself, after all."

Ryuhou felt his anger towards the young man loosen its hold. He was really being irrational, and his all too rational mind chided him for it. "Thank you. If it's no trouble I'll borrow the bed for now. Wake me if you need any help."

Tachibana bade him well and Kazuma waved goodbye, giving him a crooked smile and a look that seemed important, but was unreadable to Ryuhou. Shaking his head slightly, the former Holy commander made his way up the stairs and, not bothering to undress, collapsed on the warm, soft bed. His fingers curled slightly into the sheets. It seemed far to much had happened in one day. Finding Tachibana, discovering his relationship with Kazuma, then finding said alter user himself... Ryuhou clenched his eyes as tightly shut as possible, his brows knitting upwards with worry. 'Kazuma... kissed me. That bastard... my first kiss was with... but he doesn't, I mean he's with Tachibana. I don't understand.' The uneasy feeling in his chest had loosened, but now it felt somehow sad. It made him feel weak and gentle, feelings he tried to avoid whenever possible. He'd been trying not to think about it, but lying on the comfortable bed on the verge of sleep, he couldn't help but mull over what had happened. He heard Kazuma grunt in pain downstairs and Tachibana's murmured apology. His thoughts turned angry again, which was far more comfortable to him than that soft feeling he'd had only moments ago. He fell asleep then, wondering what in the world the rogue alter user was doing to him and his motive for implementing such torture.

ixi

A few hours later, the sun had already dipped beneath the horizon when Tachibana finally released his alter with a faint sigh of exhaustion. Kazuma pulled the smaller boy up onto the couch next to him, rotating his arm testingly. There was a faint ache in it, like in freshly healed flesh, but it was a healthy feeling in comparison to the poisonous pain that had been there before. The two took a moment to catch their breaths, simply enjoying eachother's warmth. "Thanks doc, you're a genius," Kazuma finally broke the silence, planting a playful kiss on the top of Tachibana's head.

Feeling rather drained from the extended use of his alter, Tachibana leaned appreciatively against Kazuma's strongly muscled shoulder. "How's everything feel? You're right, it wasn't nearly as bad as the other times," he said lowly.

"Can't complain," the other drawled, mentally assessing his injuries. "The arm's a little sore, but everything else is just dandy. How about you, kid?"

"Just tired from altering. I'll fix us all some dinner in a moment."

"Nah, just lay down and catch your breath back. I'll fix something," Kazuma grinned, standing up and rearranging the smaller boy on the couch. Tachibana visibly paled. Kazuma's cooking was something more of an intestinal workout than nourishment. "Relax," he laughed, catching his lover's grim look. "I'll just make some eggs. I do that decently."

Tachibana released a sigh of relief, much to Kazuma's amusement. "There's some rice already prepared in the pressure cooker. You could make omelet rice," he suggested, brightening at the fact that dinner might actually be something to look forward to."

"Your wish is my command," Kazuma stated grandly with an overexaggerated bow. With that, he sauntered over to the kitchen, put on the customary yellow apron and rolled up his sleeves. "Yosh! Here I come, eggs!"

ixi

Feeling far from rested, Ryuhou awoke to a large clanging noise, Tachibana's groan of exasperation and Kazuma's fierce laughter. He opened one weary crimson eye hesitantly. His body complained that he needed more sleep, but his stomach argued that the smell of food was worth getting up. Rubbing his aching head, he made his way down the stairs and into the warm light that flooded the living room and kitchen.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Kazuma greeted boisterously, waving a spatula in the air. "Just in time, I just finished making your dinner."

Ryuhou's face paled and hi mouth dropped open. Just as he'd described to Tachibana that he couldn't imagine, there was Kazuma in an apron, setting what appeared to be eggs on steaming mounds of rice. "You... cooked?" He couldn't help but allow a trace of fear creep into his voice.

Tachibana laughed from the set countertop, where he was already seated on a stool. "That was my reaction too, but don't worry, he's good at eggs."

Ryuhou stood stiffly, still unconvinced. "You don't know how badly he managed to mess up canned soup and freeze-dried rations."

"Shut up, you! Keep insulting me and I'll eat your portion and you can go hungry," Kazuma threatened with the ketchup bottle, sending some red sauce splattering onto the floor. "Oops, sorry 'bout that, Tachi," he said as he sheepishly cleaned it up.

Both Tachibana and Ryuhou were surprised when the plates of appetizing, though slightly untidy, rolled omelet rice with ketchup designs on them were placed in front of them. Tachibana's had what looked like a child's rendition of one of his cats in ketchup on his, to his delight. On Ryuhou's was what looked like an angry octopus. "Cause you're a sour-puss and you have a thing for tentacles with that freaky alter of yours," Kazuma explained with a sneering grin. Still feeling strangely forgiving of the man, as he had before falling asleep, to Kazuma's surprise the green-haired young man simply thanked him for the food and started to eat.

Kazuma, who had the eating habits of starved wolves, finished long before the other's and took a moment to look between the two men. Ryuhou looked... softer somehow since he'd gotten some rest. When he'd seen him first that afternoon, the elder alter user had looked like a rubber band about to snap, but now he was quiet in a far less angry and far more contemplative way. He joined Tachibana in conversation, though of course Ryuhou's idea of conversation was three words quipped in when deemed appropriate. From time to time a single ruby eye would turn to peer at him a moment and then look away as suddenly as the gaze had fallen on him. Tachibana seemed much livelier now that he'd replenished his energy, and was obviously very happy to have company. Ryuhou's words to him about his lover bothered him though... The relationship that had seemed mutual and acceptable to them both now worried him. He'd told Tachibana that he'd be coming and going with the wind, and that he'd probably never settle and couldn't bear the thought of someone waiting and worrying for him. From Ryuhou's reaction though, the boy had obviously become more emotionally attached than he'd intended. Or was Ryuhou merely overreacting? With a solemn sigh he decided to talk to Tachibana about it later when they had a chance to be alone. He genuinely liked the guy, and didn't want to hurt him.

His eyes turned back to Ryuhou, who was watching him out of the corner of his eye again. He smirked cheekily at the elder, who then quickly turned his attention back to Tachibana. Kazuma kept smiling. To him, this was a challenge he'd been waiting to rise to, and he'd be damned if he'd let Ryuhou off the hook this time.

ixi

A/N: Woo, I'd intended to make this chapter longer and throw in some KazuTachi smut, but time simply slipped away from me. I'll probably be slow on updating for the next couple weeks, for reasons mentioned above. T-T Sorry! Haha, I had the chapter named something else before hand, but it turned out to not fit the chapter as it developed. So, please excuse the very freudian chapter title XD It just seemed amusing to me at the time... sorry if it kills the serious tone of this fic, lala! Thanks again to the readers and reviewers!