A/N: What did you think of the previous chapter? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Hmmm... I'm doing what my reviewers said, and putting in lots of tension (or a least trying to). Tell me if I'm doing anything wrong, or if you would like an input into the storyline!
And don't worry, you romantics! There will be some fluff!
If ever a boy stood on the moon
All the heavens would call them angels 'round
Stop the tears from troubled sky's falling
If ever the river could whisper your name,
Would the choices you made still be the same?
Like a flower that dies from angry rain,
Why do we hurt ourselves?
Where is the love that lets the sunlight in to start again?
The love that sees no colour lines?
Life begins with love.
So spread your wings & fly;
Guide your spirit safe & sheltered,
A thousand dreams that we can still believe.
Celine Dion, Where is the Love?
Midnight Unusualities
Talks with an Invaluable Cousin
When Yuki had exited the room, dressed in a pale peach-coloured kimono embroidered with turtle-doves and lotus flowers, and her hair tightly knotted into a bun, with her shusken dangling from her obi, Neal allowed Dom into the room and drew up a seat for him.
"So Dom," Neal drawled, and for once, even in his intoxicated state, Dom could tell why people said that even Neal saying 'hello' to you made you want to punch him. Dom thought Neal deserved a good smack right then. "What is your problem? You come to my room, just past dawn, well maybe not, and make me wake up! Am I in such high demand?"
"Nealan," Dom growled warningly, clutching his suddenly aching head. Maybe he had had just a little too much alcohol. So much for drowning his sorrows in drink.
"Alright, alright," Neal submitted, giving up on his sarcastic tone of voice. "So what is the matter? Yuki told me it was something important, but I had already guessed that for myself, yet wouldn't tell me what! She said something about letting you tell me yourself. Although she did mention something about a woman," Neal looked slyly at Dom. "Got woman troubles have you, Domitan? Has the famous lady-killer got problems with a woman? Never thought I'd live to see the day-"
That's it, Dom thought resolutely. I have to shut him up. Is he trying to provoke me?
And that's just what Dom did. He shut Neal up by giving him a good, hard punch on his jaw. Dom swore he heard something give an unmistakeable crunch.
"Argh!" Neal yelled. Realising he couldn't talk with a broken jaw, he applied his Gift to the broken bone, the green magic glowing around the affected area.
Damn Meathead, Dom thought angrily. Why does he have the Gift? Trust him to mess things up!
Once Neal had 'repaired' his jaw and tested it by biting down on it a couple of times, he turned back to Dom with an angry scowl on his face. "What was that for?" He yelled. "Did you think that breaking my jaw was some kind of joke?"
Dom shrugged. "You wouldn't shut up."
"Oh, so that's some kind of an excuse, is it?" He replied heatedly, and then softened slightly. "It must be pretty important. You've never hit me that hard before."
Hearing Neal talk normally made Dom sober up slightly and assess the situation. Should he tell Neal what had happened, or not? Neal could use it as a weapon against him. then again, he didn't think Neal would do that on something as serious as this. So he decided. "I slept with Kel last night."
Neal gaped for a moment and then recovered, letting a massive grin spread over his face. "You two did it? Oh Mithros! I've been waiting so long for this to happen! You two will finally settle down and get married have lots of little Domitan's and Keladry's all running around..."
Dom held up a hand to halt Neal's train of fanatical and non existent thoughts. "That's never going to happen. She told me to get lost."
"What?" Neal spluttered. "Kel told you to get lost. She told you to get lost? Keladry of Mindelan? Are we talking about the same person here? Kel told you to get lost? Am I right? Mithros! Please tell me I'm wrong!"
"No, Nealan," Dom muttered sullenly. "You got the point alright."
Neal's eyes opened wider than they ever had. He had never seen Dom take the loss of a lady, any lady, no matter how beautiful, this hard. And quite frankly... Kel was not beautiful. Neal was sure she was not Dom's type. He was sure he knew his cousin. Obviously not.
"I don't know what to do," Dom sighed, his head drooping even further downwards. "I loved her and she just turned me away. I mean, I didn't even have enough time to tell her how I felt-"
"Wait!" Neal cried, shoving one of his hands over Dom's mouth to stop him from speaking. "You slept with Kel without telling her how you felt about her! Gods, Dom! We've had this conversation before! Last time you promised me you were going to tell her! But you did this instead! No wonder Kel chucked you out!"
Dom's eyes flashed with anger. "Is there something wrong with the way I handle my love affairs, Nealan?"
Neal, not realising the momentary danger from his furious cousin sat by him, carried on. "Yes! You know what Kel is like, Dom! She probably thought you were using her! You know, she does like you that way, but you'd have to tell her. She doesn't really appreciate people rushing in and doing things before she has a chance to know what's going on!"
Dom bowed his head in submission. "I guess you're right. I'll have to talk to her sometime. To appologise."
A/N: Poor Dom! Again! I am such an evil abuser! And just so if anyone was getting confused, Dom woke Neal up when it was nearly lunch becuse he was still in bed with Yuki wiggles eyebrows suggestively