Yes, Shiloh, Fran knows me! XD
These are the lyrics to Garbage's "#1 Crush" and if you've never heard it I suggest you dl it and listen to it right now! Even the beat of it is so sensual, and it's my theme song for Soubi now. Thank you to Lady Gizarme, Nikkler, and evvy for returning to review! If you'd like me to email you when I update, anyone, just send me an email and I will add you to my list. I've already started on the chapt 4!
And for your viewing pleasure, one of the best artists out there, Ponderosa: www. ponderosa .com/artwork/anime/lovelesssoubiritsuka01.jpg (Make sure to take out the space after the www. !)
I would die for you
I would die for you
I've been dying just to feel you by my side
To know that you're mine
I will cry for you
I will cry for you
I will wash away your pain with all my tears
And drown your fear
I will pray for you
I will pray for you
I will sell my soul for something pure and true
Someone like you
See your face every place that I walk in
Hear your voice every time I am talking
You will believe in me
And I will never be ignored
I will burn for you
Feel pain for you
I will twist the knife and bleed my aching heart
And tear it apart
I will lie for you
Beg and steal for you
I will crawl on hands and knees until you see
You're just like me
Violate all The love that I'm missing
Throw away all the pain that I'm living
You will believe in me
And I can never be ignored
I would die for you
I would kill for you
I will steal for you
I'd do time for you
I would wait for you
I'd make room for you
I'd sail ships for you
To be close to you
To be a part of you
'Cause I believe in you
I believe in you
I would die for you.
Mendless
Soubi was vaguely aware of his surroundings. Ritsuka's lap was warm to his cooling skin, and he nuzzled it, at least he thought he did. Well, if he was conscious he did. He was still bleeding, and his breath was ragged. He felt his Sacrifice's wet tears hitting his face as his hair was brushed aside, clinging with sweat and blood to his neck. So then, IT had bled again as well. He would have sighed if the move would not have hurt so much. It was too much to keep his eyes open, but all that he wanted to do was reach up and wipe the tears from that pretty face. He forced a smile anyway, 'Don't cry,' He wanted to say, but he hadn't the breath, 'This is nothing. I will be fine. I've had worse. I protected you, so it's alright.' The raven haired boy's emotion was touching to him, and he wanted to enjoy it while it lasted, even if it was crying over him, it proved something to him. He'd bleed all he had to to protect what was his, his Master and Sacrifice. Seimei ordered him to do this much, but none of that mattered now. Until snatched kisses and worthwhile subtle gropes weren't enough, he could survive on Ritsuka's tears alone. He wanted to drink them, take them into his self and absorb his pain, make it his. For now those tears washed away his pain, streaking his face with blood and tears, how poetic. He wanted to continue smiling, but he felt tired.
Ritsuka removed his Fighter's small round glasses, putting them in the pocket of his jacket as he cried. He'd called a startled Kio, and the college student was fast on his way to them at this moment. Soubi's eyes were closed now, and he sniffed, wiping at his eyes. "Hurry, damn it. . ." He moaned pitifully, clutching Soubi's jacket like a lifeline, as if he could keep him alive with that alone. It was no good getting answers if Soubi died, and not him! They weren't Soubi's questions! He didn't care that Soubi knew more than he could say right now, just that he insisted on getting hurt to protect his own silence. If he could force someone else to spill it, he didn't have to betray anyone, right? It was so cold he could see his breath in the air.
"Oiii!" A voice hailed them, and Ritsuka tensed all over until he recognized the blonde heading for them, waving his arm. He sniffed again, helplessly, as fresh tears spilled down his cheeks. Kio's purple eyes widened impossibly as he beheld the gravity of the situation, and he kneeled quickly. "What the hell. . ." He asked, then shook his head. "Can you help me?" He asked, looking to Ritsuka, then catching his breath. The black ears were flat against his head, and his eyes were somewhat void.
"Soubi. . .He closed his eyes, Kio. I didn't mean for this to happen. . .I promise!" He pleaded, sniffing as he looked at the pierced boy. "I remember what you said, on the boat. . .I told him not to come!" He stopped when Kio glared, fists clenching on Soubi's jacket.
"Then stop whining and help me!" He snapped, his bitchy attitude getting the better of him. He knew Soubi would be angry with him if he hurt Ritsuka's feelings, but with his best friend wounded like this he was short on thoughts. "He got hurt for you, so the least you can do is suck it up long enough for us to save his life, right?" He said, a margin calmer. Ritsuka nodded, shaking his head and grabbing an arm.
It was difficult getting him to the car. Soubi was taller than them both and outweighed Kio by ten pounds at least, and at Ritsuka's height he wasn't much of a help. Kio commented that his friend wasn't going to be happy when he saw the bloodstains on his back seat, but he quieted as soon as they were on their way to Soubi's apartment. The two miraculously managed to half drag him up the stairs, across the floor, to his bed. Kio began stripping his clothes immediately, a little too eagerly for Ritsuka's taste though he wasn't about to complain right now, and he blushed when Soubi was naked.
"I-I should turn on the heat. . ." He said softly, coughing once as he stood and rushed to the busted air and heat gauge, frowning. "Kio, it's. . ."
"Just get some cloths wet, Ritsuka." The blond replied, already digging in a cabinet for supplies.
"Oh! Right. . ." The sixth grader nodded, rummaging through cabinets until he found a few hand towels. He ran warm water over them and wrung them out, heading back over to help Kio but he found his feet frozen. Soubi was cut all over, but he had almost stopped bleeding already. Even the lacerations could not mar the beauty of that pale skin, so shamefully bared to the room's two awake occupants. He swallowed hard, the tip of his tail waving madly.
". . .suka. Ritsuka!" he shook his head at Kio's urgent and impatient voice, nodding and rushing over, careful not to trip over his own feet. He handed the towels to the blonde, blushing madly, and he turned his back. "You're a mess, kid. You're easy to read too." Now that he'd seen the extent of Soubi's damage and he was no longer fearing for his classmate, Kio became talkative as he wiped the smooth skin clean of blood. With his back turned, Ritsuka could not see the wild blush that was covering Kio's face as well. It was shameful to be aroused by this, but the fact was he had never seen Soubi naked before either. As much as he hit on the taller blonde, offered, invited, and tried to seduce him, he had come to expect rejection almost before it left the blonde's mouth in an inevitably polite manner. "I can't believe you're blushing. We're helping him. Tch. . . Why's he want a kid like you for. He's such a pervert."
"He's not a pervert!" Ritsuka blurted, then swallowed when Kio turned his head to regard him with slightly shocked eyes. "I mean. . .He-he is a pervert, but. . .It's not like. . .We've done anything." He said, fidgeting with his own jacket. His eyes widened when he realized that his jeans were bloody, as well as his jacket. Kio's laughter confused him, and he frowned but remained quiet as the older boy bandaged the last of Soubi's injuries.
"There." He said with a triumphant smile. "Now, um, boxers. . ." He stood and walked straight to Soubi's underwear drawer and pulled out a pair of pale blue boxers. Ritsuka was angry suddenly that Kio knew just where they were, but he bit his tongue as Kio slipped the boxers onto Soubi. Kio smiled as he stood back to inspect his work, hands on his hips.
"Is that all you're going to dress him in?" The sixth grader asked suddenly, blinking.
"Yeah, those bandages will need changing in the morning and it would hurt to have to move to take clothes off just to change them. Blood will dry and get pulled off and all that."
"But it's freezing!" Ritsuka protested, standing too. Kio's smile startled him, wide and when accompanied with his slight blush, he could almost imagine the drool from the corner of his mouth.
"That's what body heat is for, silly kid!" Kio almost shouted, ripping off his shirt. Ritsuka grabbed him before he could leap onto Soubi's unsuspecting body, glaring at the taller blonde.
"Wait, wait! You can't just. . .He's almost naked!" The boy shouted, blushing with his arms around Kio's waist. Kio only smirked more,
"Oh, to be a young boy with ears intact!" He said dreamily, mockingly as he clasped his hands together. "You don't know the joys that naked flesh can bring!" The blonde snickered, and Ritsuka looked away. He didn't know, that much was true, but he had felt -something- the last night.
"H-He's not awake. . ." Ritsuka said weakly.
"So? I just want to cuddle him a little! He'll freeze, remember?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Ritsuka was at a loss for words, his jaw working but nothing coming out. Finally he let go of Kio, but he held out his hand when Kio went to climb onto the bed.
"I'll do it."
"What?" Kio's eyes widened.
"I'll lay with him."
"You're too small to keep him warm, and don't you have school tomorrow?" The teen said skeptically, his eyes running up and down the black-eared boy's scrawny frame. Fire lit Ritsuka's cheeks and his hair hid his eyes, but he clenched his fists.
"Well I'll do what I can. He got hurt for me. . .I'll do what I have to to help him." He said quietly. Kio sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Alright, fine. We'll both lay with him." He relented. "But first let's put your jacket and your jeans in the bathtub with my clothes to soak the blood out." He said, slipping out of his jeans—even though they weren't that bloody, and walking over to the bathtub to turn on the water. Ritsuka slipped out of his jacket and brought it over, then shyly stepped out of his pants. The sleeveless shirt he wore looked two sizes to big for him—it had belonged to Seimei—and his dark purple boxers were low on his waist. Kio blinked, scrubbing the materiel a little as he let his eyes survey the twelve-year-old. Alright, so maybe he couldn't get on to Soubi as much anymore. Ritsuka was young, but he was cute, and there was something about him that made you want to protect him—or slap him and make him grow up.
Ritsuka had eyes only for Soubi as he wondered back over to the bed, climbing in next to Soubi and over him so that he was between the wall and the blonde. He pulled the sheets over them and snuggled close, surprised at the heat that the injured Fighter was radiating. His skin was soft, but the bandages itched, though he ignored that. He moved under Soubi's arm and pressed against his side, suppressing a shiver. He was already fast asleep by the time Kio had gotten the worst of the blood from the garments and refilled the tub, ready at last to lay down. He set his phone's alarm and climbed in, laying one arm over Soubi's slender waist and bringing his leg up to rest across the tall blonde's thighs. He laid his head on his crush's chest and settled down to sleep comfortably.
Fail was covered in bandages as he made his way down the hallway, coming to a stop before the door that he dreaded opening. With a deep breath, the normally brash and loud teenager opened the door slowly and stepped in. He bowed deeply after he closed the door, waiting to lift his head.
"You failed, Fail." The statement was obvious, and spoken coldly. Fail was a disgrace to show himself alive, he knew.
"Y-Yes, Akui-sensei. I have no excuse. . ." He led off, still staring at his own shoes in the shadowed room.
"And your Fighter?" An unforgiving tone.
"Adori was badly injured. . .He used our Dislocation spell on himself to cause him to take the brunt of our final attack, and he's still in bed." Fail said.
"Idiot. You could have continued fighting if he had not done so, is this not correct?"
"I. . .We were in the lead, but I was badly wounded from the amount of blood it takes for the Blood Pact. I. . .might not have survived much longer." He said honestly, but he could tell by the silence that his sensei was not pleased. He swallowed, opening his mouth to speak when Akui spoke again in a harsh voice,
"He will be punished."
Fail looked up, his mouth open in protest but the slap caught him before he could speak, turning his face to the side. "Forgive me, Sensei!" He said, lowering his head again. "But Adori is badly wounded, and he will take several days to heal properly. . .It was my call, I should have taken a different approach to the battle, I underestimated—"
"Stop it, Fail. You're tolerance for pain is a match for Agatsuma's. You could have stood and you would have endured. Until death sweeps you from your feet you will stand, remember? Adori must learn his place. If he wishes to feel pain then he will feel pain, but not on the battle field." Akui said smugly, tapping his pen on his desk. "Nagisa failed to defeat him with -her- pets. It's my turn to take a hand at Ritsu's prize." He said with a growing smirk. "Get out. And Fail? If you go anywhere near Adori for the next few days, I will personally discipline you." He said coolly as the raven haired teenager bowed and left.
The first thing that Soubi knew was that he was warm. Impossibly and comfortably warm. He opened his ice blue-violet eyes and looked down. The first thing that he saw was the blonde hair of his best friend, and he smiled. Up close, his hair really was green-blonde, like he had gone swimming in chlorine one to many times without bathing and it had stained his hair. The silver of his earrings glittered in the sunlight coming in from the glass balcony doors. So then he had decided to keep him warm with his own body, hm? What a noble thing to do, he thought wryly. He tried to move but found that his other arm was unresponsive. Glancing to his right his whole body tensed at the sight of those soft black ears and Ritsuka's head of black-purple hair.
A serene smile crossed the Fighter's face as he moved his arm, flexing his fingers to work out the stinging tingle. The boy had been laying on it, it seemed. He brought the hand down to stoke his hair softly, not able to keep himself from scratching those fluffy ears. So soft, he thought as he fingered them, bending them and rubbing them. Ritsuka took a long slow breath, like a small gasp, and Soubi smiled more as he curled into him like a kitten. The sheets were moving a little, and he almost chuckled when he realized that Ritsuka was swaying his tail like a content cat. The ears and tail –were- cute. How was he ever going to be able to remove them? He turned his back to Kio, sliding out from under his arm and leg easily without waking him, and wrapped his arms around Ritsuka's shoulders.
Never had he felt more like he could protect someone, or like he wanted to this badly. Something so pure and true as Ritsuka, he would do anything for him. Gladly, he would die for him. It hurt him more than he could say that he could not tell Ritsuka the truth, what he knew of it. So he pet his ears this morning, with Kio cuddled against his back, quite comfortable between the two people that mattered most to him in the world. Ritsuka made a sound, shifting to look up slowly. He blushed when his nose was almost close enough to touch Soubi's, but he smiled brightly.
"You're awake. . .Are you feeling better?" He asked softly.
"Yes, I told you I heal quickly, so don't worry, I'll be healed in time for you." Soubi said, his tone hinting. Ritsuka frowned.
"In time for me to what?" He asked, falling right into the trap. Soubi's smile took on its usual smug satisfaction.
"To punish me for disobeying you." He quipped, and Ritsuka's eyes went wide.
"Baka!" He shouted, though he buried his face into Soubi's bare chest, feeling it vibrate with his Fighter's chuckle.
"Mmmmm, what's goin' on?" Kio's sleepy voice asked, yawning.
"Nothing." Soubi and Ritsuka said as one, and Kio sat up quickly.
"Oh. . .That sounded suspicious." He said with a smirk. He grabbed his phone and looked at the time. "We still have two hours. Soubi, go back to sleep and rest you pedophile." He said, laying back down and placing his back against the Fighter's.
"Yes dear." Soubi said politely, but Ritsuka jabbed him lightly on a bandage. The small act of jealousy brought Soubi too much joy to feel the pain, and he bowed his head to Ritsuka's, touching their foreheads together. "Sorry, Master." He whispered, smiling. Ritsuka was about to admonish him, but he stopped and huffed. The three of them fell blissfully back to sleep.
Dun, dun, dun! And a new enemy appears. Was he creepy enough? Bastard enough? I think so. I don't like him much. XD