A/N: For the lovely people who are reading this, I am once again writing as Yuan since he is damnably easier to write as. Any objections/other ideas that are quite probably better, let me know. Should I make the previous chapter longer?

Thanks to: Goldenfur, RavenGhost and Katandshadow for reviewing the last chapter. I love you all! Hehe.

Kat: I don't have aim but feel free to drop me an e-mail if you want. My address should be on my profile. Emphasis on should.

I still don't own 'em, just having fun playing with their minds.

Oh, and one last thing. Since I no longer have the whole day (school instead SIGH) to spend writing these chapters, updates might take a little longer. Especially since I still haven't started my reading list, I'm already getting too much homework.. But I should still be able to update pretty often. Unless flying pigs steal my computer. This chapter took so long to write since I was toying with the idea of writing as Kratos again. Didn't work out too well. lol

Kratos Is Not Amused

At the risk of sounding scarily similar to Lloyd, I was bored. I spent almost an hour just staring at Kratos, who's attention seemed to be focussed out of the window. I was surprised when he asked me about Genis' outburst yesterday. It was something like: "That doesn't mean he's got a hunny!" Seriously, that little brat has to learn to keep his mouth shut. And the idiot chosen and the successor or Mizuho. I swear, they have their own private rumour mill. Although, why Kratos thought I had anything to do with it is quite beyond me. Surely he knows I don't stoop to such levels!

Eventually, he tricked the information about Sheena's suspicions from me. It took me a while to realise why he had stormed irritably out of the house, muttering about 'gossiping women'. He's a fine one to talk. I remember when he used to be the one who knew all the gossip. A strange idea huh? Well, it's true.

Anyway, I caught up with him just as he was flying in the direction of Mizuho. How I knew he was going to Mizuho is also pretty questionable, since I didn't have a damn clue where the hell the village moved. Needless to say, I am not on their list of 'honoured guests'.

He only acknowledged me with a noncommittal nod and whilst we waited for Sheena, we sat in silence. The air seemed thick enough to be cut with a dagger. He was tense. Beneath his hair, I could see a pulse flickering at the corner of his eye. Not a good sign. He glared death at me and I felt colour drain from my face. He was SCARY! I turned away and began to count the wooden panels on the wall. One, two..

Seventy five.. Seventy six...

Three hundred and two.. Three hundred and...

"Sorry about the wait! Some people were asking to see me and I- Hey.. Kratos.. Yuan."

I didn't turn around. I had a feeling that I wouldn't want to see the look on Kratos' face. I had no clue what he was so mad about, but I was hoping fiercely that it didn't have anything to do with me.

"Sheena," I greeted quietly. I didn't hear Kratos reply.

"Just what rumours have you been spreading about me Sheena?" He demanded darkly.

I immediately focussed my attention back onto the panels. Three hundred and two..

"I haven't been spreading any rumours," she replied, sounding vaguely amused.

Three hundred and three...

"Then why, pray tell, are Genis and Zelos gossiping like women about my personal life, and why is Lloyd interrogating me about the same issue?"

Three hundred and four...

"Because they see the same things I do. Perhaps, not Lloyd though. He probably got it from Genis."

Three hundred and five...

"Got what? Is it contagious?"

I had to clap a hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing. Three hundred and six...

"Oh, sometimes you are just as dense as Lloyd!"

I'm sure a snort escaped my hold at that comment.

"Just tell me what is going on!" Demanded Kratos.

Three hundred and seven..

"Nothing. I simply observed that you were acting as if you had a lover.."

Three hundred and... eight...

"I- That is none of your business!"

Three.. Hundred... nine..

"Is it Yuan?"

Three hundred and.. "WHAT!" I all but yelped. "How come I don't know about this!" I spun around to see Kratos glaring down Sheena.

"Okay, okay," she gave. "But I reserve the right to say 'I told you so'." She turned and stalked out of the room. About five seconds later (Kratos was still fuming. I don't know what it is about Sheena that infuriates him so much. Perhaps it's how much of her chest she shows that gets him all flustered.) Zelos strode into the room, wearing a bright grin and very little else. Why he was wandering around Mizuho in his swimming costume will forever remain a mystery. At least, I hope it will!

"Hey!" He said cheerily. Consideration of anyone's (cough: Kratos) mood was not on his list of priorities apparently. He looked a little put out when neither of us answered, but just pouted and continued prancing around like an idiot. What an idiot. "I'm to see you out!" He said merrily. I rubbed my temples. Today was just going to be another headache, wasn't it?

Kratos ignored him and left on his own. Leaving me to apologise for him and speak to that ass of an ex-chosen. I didn't say much. I just wished him luck with Sheena and he blushed like a tomato. Seeing someone else blush so much is very reassuring. It doesn't make me feel nearly so sissy. I left him to stutter incoherently to himself. I had better things to do, like catch up with Mr Mood-Swings. I wondered vaguely if it was that time of the month. Despite him being male. Stranger things have happened. Like little sweet Mithos trying to destroy the damn world.

But once again, I am getting off topic. It didn't take me too long to catch up with Kratos, but by the time I got there, I was so out of breath that it was difficult to understand anything I was saying.

"Going.. To my base," I gasped out. "I need.. To sort some things."

He nodded again. Oh, what a talkative soul. But he followed me. He followed me all the way to my base in Triet, even though he didn't have to. No, by no means did he have to. I had expected him to go off and sulk for a while, since he seemed to be in that sort of mood, but now he just seemed.. Contemplative. It didn't help that he was staring at me the whole time. I could feel his intense gaze on my back and I felt like turning around and screaming at him to stop it. But, being the wonderfully brave angel I am, I tried my best to ignore it.

I strode down the well-known corridors that had been my home for so long, with a strange tense nervousness building up in my gut. Something was going to happen. I seemed to be hypersensitive, hearing everything even louder than normal, Kratos' gaze burning holes in my back; I jumped every time I touched something. .

I met one of the Renegade group leaders on my way to my study. "Kai," I said to him, rather pleased that I had remembered his name. "Do you know where Lloyd Irving lives?"

He looked at me, his expression somewhere between pleased and baffled. "Yes sir."

I winced. His voice was hurting my ears. "Not so loud. I need you to take your group and do a bit of maintenance work on the exterior wall of his home."

"Yes sir. I'll get my men ready right away sir," he all but whispered.

"Mhmm."

He didn't go anywhere. Oh wait, that's right, I hadn't dismissed him. "You can go."

He left, almost at a run. Far too eager if you ask me, but I'm sure he's a good man. Like most of the Renegades, he was probably in awe of my oh-so-terrifying cloak and angel wings of death. I'm not really that scary, am I? I stepped into my study; sure it had taken twice as long as usual to reach. Apprehension made my hands tremble as I searched through the drawer in my desk. The Rheiard repair kit is always in the top drawer of my desk.

Thankfully, Kratos' intense gaze was lifted from my back. I heaved a sigh of relief and my hand clenched around the small item that I had been frantically searching for. I wished I knew what was going to happen. I began to chew on my lower lip. It is a habit I have, when I am nervous. I barely noticed until the sweet tangy taste of blood filled my mouth.

"Yuan."

The voice came from close behind me. It was low pitched and quiet, barely above a whisper, and I felt a rush of warm air against my ear. I inhaled sharply and tensed up. I didn't dare turn around for fear that what was running through my brain might be reflected in my eyes. I felt reality shift slightly and blinked to focus myself. Ok Yuan, I told myself. You can do this. Just turn around. It can't be that bad.

Against my better judgement (as usual) I turned. My heart clenched. It was Kratos. He was stood, directly in front of me, fixing me with that intense stare of his again and my traitorous knees turned to jelly. I grabbed the edge of the table to hold myself up. No Yuan! Deal!

"I realised something today Yuan," he continued.

"O-Oh?" I fought to keep my expression neutral and the shove that pathetic blush back away from my face. Stupid blood.

"Yes."

If it was even possible, he stepped closer. I moved back uncomfortably, pressing my back against the wooden desk.

"W-What is it? Is something wrong?" I was having a hard time avoiding eye contact, and I felt the blush creep up my face. He was too close. I looked at the ground.

"Nothing's wrong. I just realised; I have nothing to lose."

"N-Nothing to l-lose?" Yes. It is I, wonderful, genius Yuan, who can't even speak without stuttering. I nervously pushed myself even further away, so that I was half sitting on my desk. "Kratos?" I questioned in a squeaky voice as he leaned close.

"What?"

"Umm," I drew in a shaky breath. I was about to speak when he leaned forward even more and pressed his lips against mine. I must have looked pretty stupid, half sitting on my desk; my eyes wide open in surprise, not even daring to respond. It wasn't long before he broke the kiss, but he didn't move away. His eyes searched mine, possibly looking to gauge my reaction to the kiss.

My head was filled with swirling orange mist. No, I don't know why it was orange. It just seemed fitting for it to be orange. A million thoughts twisted in a crazed vortex of confusion and I just seized the first one that came into my head. I slid back so that I was sitting fully on the desk, grabbed him by the collar and meshed our lips together. At first, he seemed as surprised as I was, then he relaxed into the kiss and deepened it. His fingers wound tightly in my hair. My mind was off in its orange 'happy place' and I didn't have a clue where my hands where or indeed where I was. At the risk of sounding repetitive, all I can say is: It was nice. It was very nice.

When he broke apart to breathe, the spoke to me, his lips moving softly against mine. I was sure I looked totally dazed.

"What do you want most in the world?"

I didn't even have to think. "I want you t-"

He kissed me again to avoid the ending of that sentence. "Stop there," he breathed, "and I will grant you your wish."

Well, it wasn't was I was going to say, but for now, it will do. There is plenty of time to persuade him to stay with me, but for now, this was enough.

I leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to his inviting mouth.

"Sir?"

I was vaguely aware of a random Renegade poking his head through the door. I shot a weak bolt of lightning at him and he left quickly, yelping in pain.

I turned my gaze back to Kratos. His hair was a little mussed and his eyes slightly glazed. I felt a little pleased that it was me that had made him like that. I smiled at him.

"Beautiful," he sighed before reaching for me to finish what he'd started. I wasn't complaining.

A/N: AAAND I'm gonna finish there. I'm thinking.. about three more chapters to go...