Title: Endless Bouts

Author: Cheza-chan

Rating: R

Pairing: Kazu/Ryu… Ryu/Kazu

Disclaimer: Hehehehehe... HahahahahaHAHA! I'm sorry. Just thinking what it would be like if I actually owned s.CRY.ed. (snorts softly)

A/N: I said I wouldn't take as long bringing out the next chapter, but… look at what happened. Also, I'm not sure, but did I warn you guys that this was going to be pure fluff and the last chapter? Think I did. (smile) Okay, maybe I used the word "cute", but yeah… it's fluff. It's a no-meaning final chapter and I hope those of you still reading enjoy it! (salutes and runs off)

Chapter Six – Pets Are People, Too

"Ryu-chan, ohayou!"

Ryuhou scowled and continued feigning sleep, hoping to send the other away. No such luck. The bed shifted and creaked beneath him but he still refused to acknowledge the other man was even alive—sleep was too hard to come by and he wanted his. He turned onto his side, away from the noise. 'I don't want to get up… Leave me alone!' Ryuhou's brow furrowed at the wetness to his ear. Had Kazuma's tongue always been so grainy? Ryuhou sat up slowly, narrowed and sleep-filled crimson eyes staring at the puppy that was no assaulting his nose with wet kisses. He looked up at the grinning brunet holding the animal. "No."

"Aw," Kazuma whined, drawing the dog back to his chest. It pawed at his chin, licking it. "But I found him. And he's so cute." He laughed, raising the dog high into the air.

'Twenty-two and he still acts like a child.' Ryuhou tossed back the covers with a sigh and stood, stretching the muscles of his tense and tight body. "I don't want another dog," he mumbled, disappearing into the bathroom.

"Another?" Kazuma inquired, setting the puppy down on the bed. He grinned as it went straight for Ryuhou's pillow then sat back on the back of his legs. "You had a dog before?"

Hardly seeing his lover as the type to run around laughing and playing with a canine, he snorted.

"What's so funny?" Ryuhou asked coolly from the bathroom's doorway. He shot the puppy burrowing its way under his pillow a glare and the muscles of his jaw tightened. "I'm serious, Kazuma. Get it out of here," he ordered.

"You're so sour," Kazuma scoffed, tugging gently at the short tail wagging in the air. He knew when Ryuhou spoke his name with such a sharp tone that he was truly being serious. The dog gave a little jump and disappeared completely. The younger man grinned and lifted the pillow to see it cowering in a tight ball. "Gomen, gomen," he cooed, scooping up the animal. "We're forced to have breakfast with Papa Ryuhou and the stick up his ass but after that, we'll head back out into the world and receive everyone's love, especially Uncle Tachibana's."

The frame of the bathroom door cracked under Ryuhou's grip but he displayed no more anger than that. He followed after the Shell Bullet and scowled at the tail-waggingly happy puppy. "What's for breakfast?" Kazuma asked, settling his newfound friend on his shoulder.

"Whatever I decide to cook," the other retorted.

"Do you want me to cook?" Kazuma offered. He set the small creature onto the counter as he walked to the fridge, leaving Ryuhou to protect the dishes from being knocked onto the floor as the puppy tried to follow its rescuer. He didn't want to hold it so he set up obstacles in the dog's path.

"Let me cook," the former HOLY member snapped, snatching the back of Kazuma's shirt and dragging him out of the way. The brunet shrugged and retrieved his pet. Kazuma sat for ten minutes playing with the nameless dog while Ryuhou made breakfast. Once it was finished, he then began sharing his food with the animal.

"Dogs need food that benefit their body and health," Ryuhou sighed, sipping his black coffee. With a frown, he drew his plate away from the curiously sniffing canine. "But like I said, it's not staying here." A tick appeared above his eyebrow as Kazuma babbled on in a babying voice as he fed the puppy pancake strips. He stood from the table, taking his plate and coffee mug with him as he left.

The Shell Bullet sighed, "Guess he really doesn't want you. Come on. We'll go to Uncle Tachibana's now." He emptied his plate, placed it in the sink, then yelled out he was leaving as he walked through the front door.

§§§

Tachibana laughed, unable and unwilling to stop the onslaught of licks from the puppy he held. He rode along with Kazuma into town to help pick out dog food for the dog that he wouldn't be able to keep even though he wanted to. "I can't believe Ryuhou won't keep him, but if he had a dog when he was younger, I doubt he'd want something that reminded him of the past."

"Whatever. Sorry!" Kazuma yelled as he avoided hitting a street booth. He grinned broadly and kept driving.

Tachibana hugged the puppy close, praying for their safety. A weary smile slid onto his face as the alarm began blaring and glanced at the man seated beside him. Using the canine's paw, he waved.

Kazuma grinned and jumped from the Jeep. Tachibana gasped and leaned his head out the window. His vehicle now sat in a sinkhole. He placed a hand lightly to the dog's head and sighed. "That man has the biggest heart of anyone in the Lost Ground, even if it doesn't seem that way some times. That's why I love him…" He scooted over into the driver's seat and after placing the dog in the free chair, used Eternity Eight to lift his car out. From there, he continued on with the mission of finding dog food.

§§§

The walk back into the town was a silent one and both bleeding men were exhausted. With a lack of experienced fighters, the Mainland had begun to increase the number of troops they sent out to try and capture the Lost Ground. Thus, dragging out the battles for no reason. Kazuma grunted, flexing his right arm, then glanced at his lover out of the corner of his eye. Ryuhou looked just as he had when they first met, save for the scars and the slow re-growth of his hair. Kazuma grinned.

Ryuhou glanced in his direction and scoffed, eyes narrowing slightly. "What?" he snapped.

"Nothing," the brunet drawled. "I was just thinking about how loud you screamed 'fuck me' when you invaded my territory." Ryuhou bristled but said nothing, and continued walking. An arm was wrapped around his shoulder and his lips curled downward even further. "I'll listen," Kazuma whispered, nibbling playfully at the older man's earlobe. He chuckled as the body against his stiffened. "We'll have to get patched up first. Should we stop off at Tachi—"

"It's just a flesh wound," Ryuhou cut in icily.

Kazuma grinned but at the same time, his heart went out to the other former HOLY member. Tachibana had been on the same team as Ryuhou but what had he done to make the older man hate him so? He sighed and dropped his head to his lover's shoulder. 'Life's so damn difficult.'

Plans were quickly cancelled as the two men found a few interesting packages sitting on the doorstep of their house. One was a large bag of puppy chow and the other was Kazuma's puppy in a basket, a jade sphere in its forehead. The object was removed upon their arrival—it disappeared soon after—and the small creature yawned loudly. Large, brown eyes opened and the dog yipped happily at the sight of the humans.

Ryuhou remained emotionless as it rubbed against his leg and Kazuma bent to pick up the animal. "Guess Tachibana couldn't keep him either… Hmm?" He pulled the rolled up paper from the collar the dog now wore and opened it. Kazuma grinned. "Kanami made him give him back and she decided on a name."

Ryuhou grabbed the top of the dog food and unceremoniously dragged it into the house. He dropped it into the first corner he saw then continued on to their room. Kazuma's question made him stop short, his eyes wide.

"Ryuhou. Isn't 'Tetsui' the name of your Alter? Or is it 'Zetsuei'… I don't know. You slur your words when you talk. Anyway, Kanami suggested—"

"Quiet," the older man hissed. "Get rid of that dog before I do." And with that, he vanished down the hall.

Kazuma's eyes narrowed and he set the animal down then wrenched open the front door and slammed it shut behind him. The small puppy looked in the direction each Alter user had disappeared and tilted its head back, howling in abandonment.

After twenty minutes, Ryuhou was no longer able to take it. He stepped into the hall and grudgingly called for the animal. He sighed as it scampered over his feet into the room then followed it to the bed. He picked it up by the scruff of his neck and set it in the middle of the mattress. "I can't call you 'Tetsui'. Kanami should know that."

Ryuhou swore he saw the young girl smile even though they were miles apart. He smirked and held out his hand to the canine. "You're a different color and a different breed. You're more of a Shepard, he wasn't." The dog lapped tentatively at the man's finger, causing the tag on the collar to catch Ryuhou's eye. He tilted the dog's head gently and stared at the engravings.

"First-Born Child of Ryuhou and Kazuma."

Ryuhou made a soft sound in the back of his throat, similar to a scoff, and scratched behind the puppy's ear. "What do you want to be called?" The small dog growled softly and the man's eyebrow rose as he once again smirked. "Kazuma would probably skin me alive for calling you 'Inu', or he probably just wouldn't care… How about 'Ran'?" The dog yawned again and Ryuhou realized exactly whom he conversed with. Shaking his head, he stretched out on the bed and closed his eyes. Ran immediately tried climbing atop his stomach.

That's how Kazuma found them when he returned. After following the gut instinct that told him to go to Tachibana's to find Kanami, his gut, though empty, was right once again. The young girl was there, along with Mimori. The Mainland's "princess" had reluctant divulged the information concerning the name "Tetsui" and the Shell Bullet now felt even closer to his lover than before.

Kazuma studied Ryuhou and the dog curled atop his stomach and grinned. He shucked off his excess layers of clothing and joined them in bed. He took Ran down and placed him on the pillow behind them. Ryuhou's eyelids fluttered open and he stared sleepily at the brunet grinning across from him. He gave a faint smile and turned onto his side so he faced Kazuma properly. As they leaned in close, Ran whimpered and slid down between them from the pillow he'd been placed on.

The Shell Bullet snorted. Hopefully, having a pet didn't strain his and Ryuhou's personal time too much. He placed Ran back onto the pillow above his head and drew Ryuhou against his chest. The older man sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth. He fell asleep shortly after and the remaining two members of the household followed suit.

Fin