A/N: Thanks to Katandshadow and da deltadasherdemon(did I spell that right?)for reviewing once again .

I still don't own Yuan, Kratos or anyone else that you recognise. If I did, I'd be sifting through the letters of complaints about lack of a playable storyline or something like that.

Um, I suppose I should warn you about innuendo, implied lemons, stuff like that.

Awakening

Once again, I found myself slowly coming to surrounded by shadows and freezing air. This really was turning out to be the weirdest few days of my life. I lethargically pushed myself into an upright position, trying to decide whether or not I had died somewhere along the way. The cold, damp stone beneath my knees was familiar, but the memory was just out of reach.

Who am I?

You are Yuan.

Oh yes! That triggered my memory. I had tried piggy-backing on one of those infernal transporting devices and got split into millions of tiny pieces of thrown out into the nether regions of space. Which didn't explain why I was kneeling on a damp floor, seemingly in one piece, surrounded by purple swirling light.

Maybe it was Heaven. Or perhaps Hell since I hadn't been one of the more righteous people.

The dampness was seeping through the knees of my trousers. Damn. Why did I insist upon wearing white? There was going to be a hideous stain. Oh why was I worrying about this! I was probably dead!

I inhaled slowly, listening to the plangent music echoing down the hallway. It was also very familiar.. Cold lilac stone.. Swirling purple sky..

It did seem like the humans' interpretation of Heaven.. But the humans' interpretation of Heaven was... Derris-Kharlan! I had done it! I was alive, in one piece, and in the place I had intended to be!

But.. My knees were getting stiff and red fluid was dripping onto the cold stone. Blood. I was bleeding. I cautiously lifted my left hand after identifying it as the source of pain. I am ashamed to say that I almost fainted in that moment.

Blood was spurting from the remains of the smallest finger on my left hand. It was gone. I'd made it out of my crazed warp point-leap in one piece - save for my little finger. And it was bleeding profusely. I screamed. Like a little girl. Again. Pathetic ne?

Right. There had to be something I can do about this. I cursed my lack of healing knowledge once more. It was going to be the death of me.

Damn Kratos for doing this to me. Damn him.

Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes and a whispered voice floated into my head.

Staunch the blood flow. Bandage. Look away.

I roughly tore the end from my cloak and tied it tightly around my wrist to cut off the blood flow. I then wrapped the fabric over the stump so that I didn't have to look at it. Oh Martel I hope that helps, I thought to myself. I debated speaking, just to ensure that I could, but the rawness of my throat protested and I gave in.

I had to conserve my energy to get to Welgaia.

I stumbled to my feet and began the tedious work of walking. Or quite possibly, simply controlled falling. Which is all that walking is really. It took far too long to alight upon the floating city of Welgaia, that seemed to get more and more creepy every time I visited.

It was relatively empty. Aside from the few half-elf angels that called this place their home. Kratos wasn't here. I couldn't sense him. Familiar panic seeped into my veins.

Vinheim.

Of course! That huge creepy palace. He would be there, because those angels saw him as their new leader. Over to that huge intimidating platform then.

As I approached, the angel guard asked for my identification. Oh these people annoy me, I thought, reaching for it.

I handed it over wordlessly, my legs feeling as if they were only just holding me up. Blood sullenly seeped through my makeshift bandage.

"Lord Yuan!" The angel exclaimed.

I looked up at him blankly.

"Allow me to assist you my lord."

Now I remembered why I avoided Welgaia so vehemently. This 'lifelessness' gave me a headache. I hope Kratos manages to find a cure. The man grabbed me and held me up, centimetres from the floor and warped me directly to Vinheim.

I was surprised to be set down in a sort-of throne room, opposite Kratos himself. My feet touched the ground and the shakiness in my legs increased. I almost fell when the angel let go.

"Yuan!" Kratos exclaimed. "What on Symphonia are you doing here!" He rose slowly from the chair. My relief was so great upon seeing him that I briefly forgot the pain in my throat.

"Miss you," I replied.

He stepped forward, taking in my broken condition.

"What happened?" He demanded.

Hot tears filled my eyes once more. "Stupid human," I rasped, promptly collapsing on the floor in a dead faint.

His face swam before my eyes as I awoke. Really, this was becoming a habit.

I stretched, pleased to find the ache in my muscles and throat were gone. A quick glance at my left hand showed that the stump of my little finger was fully healed. I was also naked. Not funny. But the silk sheets were nice. Hm. Best stop that thought before it goes any further.

He smiled at me. A melty smile. Yes. I know 'melty' isn't a word, but I'm busy being incoherent so you'll have to excuse me.

His hand caressed mine, fingers brushing over the tender scar tissue of my missing finger. I whimpered meekly, trying to draw my hand away. He grasped it in his own, twining his fingers with mine. He knew that I was uncomfortable with my latest loss. (Namely my left little finger).

"It doesn't matter, Yuan," he whispered. "You're still beautiful."

I felt the blush flood my face and heard his soft chuckle. My eyes slid away from his. For some reason, I wanted to cry.

"You did it again Yuan," he murmured sadly. "You rushed in without thinking. You almost got yourself killed and you didn't think twice about how that might make me feel."

A tear escaped my hold and trailed down my face. He wiped it away gently. Kratos' weight was added to the bed. I closed my eyes, squeezed them tightly so that he wouldn't see my weakness. I didn't dare speak.

"But I forgive you. Sometimes I think you take advantage of that." He stroked my hair gently and it was all I could do to stop from purring.

"Other times I think you're completely oblivious to the effect you have on me."

I leaned into his touch. I wanted to apologise but had no reason to interrupt the sweetness of the moment. My stupid sentimental heart!

"Open your eyes Yuan. I know you're awake."

Foiled. I opened them slowly, blinking at the artificial light my eyes were unused to. I smiled wryly and opened my mouth to speak. He covered my mouth with his hand. I cannot tell you how tempting it was to bite him. Childish urge.

"I don't know why you followed me up here, but Derris-Kharlan isn't quite out of Symphonia's gravitational field. I can still take you back."

Stupid, stupid man. Sometimes I see Lloyd's stupidity in him! I was tempted to tell him so. Instead, I settled for wrapping my free arm around his waist and latching on. No way was I letting go now. I had come too far for that.

He petted my head. "I hoped you felt like that," he murmured.

"I love you," I whispered into his side.

For a moment, I was content. Derris-Kharlan may be a cold, unfeeling planet, but my lover was far from those things. And I was away from Lloyd's infuriating delusions of manliness.

"I know."

I was perfectly content to simply sit there, wrapped around him, safe in the knowledge that if I waited long enough all his inhibitions about keeping me would dissolve. Oh look. There I go. Talking about myself like a damned possession. What has gotten into me!

I felt his deep breaths, heard the quickening beat of his heart, sensed the change in his mana, all before I looked up and saw his intentions swirling in his eyes.

Deep brown eyes that were so expressive he liked to hide them beneath his hair to keep up his emotional barriers. I love his eyes.

He pried me off his waist and lay me back down on the bed. I watched him closely, anticipating. He stood up.

"Are you hungry?" He asked quietly.

"A little," I admit, feeling a twinge of annoyance. Had I been anyone else, I probably would have admitted that I was hungry, very much so in fact, but not for food. Food is for sissies. But, since we have already established that I am a sissy, I decided to eat.

One of Kratos' 'subjects' appeared, carrying a tray of what looked like risotto. I narrowed my eyes in its direction.

"You didn't make this, did you?" I asked Kratos.

He shook his head, looking faintly amused.

I took the food, still suspicious, and proceeded to eat it with my fingers. Yes, it was a very messy task. Yes, I am a very messy eater. No I don't care.

He watched me with that stoic expression that grated on my nerves. It reminded me of why he had become like that. A time that I would much prefer to forget. I resolved to make him show emotion as much as possible. After all, it wasn't like there was anyone up here to see it.

Except those lifeless beings, but in their eyes Lord Kratos can do no wrong.

I finished off my food and looked for someplace to wipe my fingers. Kratos, being strangely unhygienic, grasped my hand and licked the food off my fingers.

Blood predictably rushed to my face. Blood that wasn't rushing elsewhere anyway.

His eyes were fixed on my face, watching the reactions that I'm sure were flitting across my features. I was as readable as a book. Provided you know how.

He took the plate from me and handed it to the waiting angel, before shooing him and his comrades out of the room.

"I need some clothes." I informed him, eyes falling from his. Unfortunately, they settled on his lips. Teeth indented the lower lip, showing his restraint about something. I licked my lips.

Stupid Yuan, I thought to myself, You, a four thousand year old ultimate being, are acting like a hormonal teenager.

, I thought to myself,

He leaned close, until his hair brushed the side of my face and I could feel his shallow breaths upon my cheek.

"Why would you be needing those?" He whispered.

I shivered agreeably, too many thoughts flooding my brain to answer.

He leaned a little closer and pressed those delectable lips to mine. I'm sure that he intended it to be perfectly innocent, but I however, had other ideas. I grabbed him around the neck and pulled him down on top of me, a sharp exhale the only indication of his weight. I roughly shoved my tongue into his mouth, winding it around his and keeping our mouths airtight.

He made funny little sounds as we kissed, a kind of mix of a purr and low pitched moan. So hot. His hands flowed fluidly over my body, down my sides, stroking reverently. Heat flushed my body and I'm sure the whole of me was blushing.

Sorry. Bad time to be self- conscious. I told myself.

It was perfect, but unfortunately, even angels have to breathe. As we broke apart, gasping, a thought trundled into my mind.

"Hey, Kratos."

He nipped at my neck. "Mm?"

"Just then. You rhymed."

He looked up and met me in the eye. A grin crept across my face, and the moment he blinked, we both burst out laughing.

"Only you, Yuan," he sighed breathlessly as the giggles faded. "Only you."

"Only I what?" I teased. Oh, he looks so gorgeous like that. Hair mussed and all over the place, lips kiss swollen and breathing heavily.

"Only you would say something like that, at a time like this." He gestured emphatically as if to prove his point.

I decided to ignore him and picked irritably at his clothes. "I say you have an unfair advantage. What do you say?"

"I say, you should definitely rectify that."

A/N: One chappie to go!