A/N: Well, uh, yeah, I haven't updated in like, a month and I know that seems a bit frustrating, but I'm was paying more attention to my Lord of the Ring's fic because people reviewed me so much quicker on that story so I put the chapters up much quicker. I also said last time that I was thinking of changing the middle of this story because the way I originally had it, it got a bit supernatural and I didn't want everyone to think it came out of nowhere, then to stop reading and not understand why I did it, so…

This is REALLY important:

If you want this story to continue past this chapter, speak now and review, or forever hold your piece because I'll just delete the story if no one wants to review.

-not angry- -not a threat-

This is not a threat. I'm just saying it because I think you'll all hate my story after this chapter, but if the majority of reviews actually likes the way I take it, then I'll continue.

Lizz:Uh, thanks for your review. You kind of reminded me I had a story that I forgot about and made me decide to continue. I hope you review again instead of remaining silent.

Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to LIZZ for making me remember this story.

Chapter 7

"You hungry?" Rowen wondered.

"Not really."

"You haven't eaten for more than twelve hours; you must be hungry. I'm famished!" He grunted and cleared his throat. "Let's go out for something to eat."

Sye shrugged his shoulders and they took off, racing each other; several times, nearly hitting oncoming traffic.

Rowen directed Sye to a place in town he had frequented once or twice, but he knew they had good pancakes, so there they went.

They walked in a decided a booth was too far away and the bar stools were closer to the kitchen, equaling quicker service of food. They had barely a second to adjust themselves onto the cushioned bar stools, when a woman came over to them carrying menus which she placed in front of them with forks, knives, and spoons wrapped together with a napkin.

The waitress was probably in her mid-thirties and a little too plump around the middle, but very kind looking and with a loving voice.

"What'd you like to drink for starters gentlemen?" She asked with a soft voice that caused them to strain their ears to hear her, but she only smiled and spoke up a bit.

"Oh, uh, I think I'll have a large milk with my meal, but a regular coffee to start." Rowen stammered as his lips quirked into a smile in exchange for her gentle demeanor.

Sye smiled at his friend's tender treatment to the nice waitress, then he turned to the lady with an even more radiant smile. "I'll have the same please, only a small glass of orange juice to go with my coffee. Please." He added, speaking as kindly as humanly possible.

She returned their smiles and nodded as she went to get their drink. Not two minutes later they had what they'd ordered for drinks.

"Do you need more time to decided on what you'd like?" She wondered with her continued good-hearted nature.

"Yes, please." Rowen responded, briefly glancing up at her before he looked back down at the mouth-watering picture of a huge pancake platter with meat and egg galore.

She left them, once again to attend to some other customers that had just walked in a moment before.

Sye leaned over to Rowen as he watched her go. "I like this waitress. Let's give her a good tip." He whispered into the other boy's ear. A shiver passed down Rowen's whole body and he shivered pleasantly at the close contact.

"Absolutely." He replied; his voice slightly more rugged than he'd intended it to be.

Sye smiled secretly at the effects he'd had on Rowen. What a lovely day this was turning out to be.

Sitting in the café, Sye and Rowen attracted quite a bit of attention. Not that they meant to at all, but they were rather strapping and handsome, the both of them.

They ignored all this, of course. Neither really wanted to pay any attention to their surrounding audience of admirers of all genders; they just wanted to have a nice little breakfast together and enjoy each others company, before they went home and really enjoyed each others company.

The waitress came back after another few minutes and turned on the TV in the far upper corner of the room which displayed the worldly news all day long. After adjusting the sound so that it wasn't too loud but still loud enough for everyone to hear, she walked back over to Rowen and Sye.

"Have you decided?" She asked politely.

"Yes." Rowen answered, then looked at Sye to make sure he had finished as well. Sye nodded a 'go ahead' and Rowen proceeded to spout off the list of things he wanted for breakfast added onto his platter of pancakes, sausage, toast, eggs, and a muffin. Once he was through, he gestured for Sye to begin.

Sye was trying not to break out into fits of laughter at the list of things Rowen had wanted. Their poor waitress has tried to remember it all –as she had done many times before with hundreds of other people- but found she couldn't halfway through his list and had had to snatch up her notepad and pen quickly to jot it all down. Sye waited for her to finish the last of what Rowen had wanted before he announced his order as well:

"English muffin and scrambled eggs, please." He told her. She nodded appreciatively to him –quite happy that his meal would be much simpler to fulfil. After writing that down as well, she left to tell the cooks. Sye slyly looked at his companion. "Damn, Rowen." He murmured and Rowen looked at him innocently.

"What?"

"Order enough?" Sye wondered casually, his smirk still in place.

Rowen blushed deeply, his face going crimson for a while. "I'm a growing boy." He replied and Sye broke out into a gentle fit of laughter.

"My mom used to tell me that too." Sye commented, then saddened at the thought of his mother. Rowen noticed and seemed about ready to hold Sye incase he wanted to cry or something, but Sye quickly recovered and the shadowed passed from his face. He started to joke again. "Where do you plan on putting all that? You ass?"

Rowen pretended to look offended. "My ass is not big!" He defended weakly and started to blush again.

Sye just laughed before he soothingly rubbed Rowen's lower back –for a moment quite serious. "No, you don't." He affirmed.

Rowen looked into Sye's eyes and was startled by the honesty and… love… he saw there. Sye leaned their foreheads together for a moment and kissed the other boy's cheek before leaning back and preparing to change the topic with some current events from the TV.

Casually, a tall redhead stood from his seat in the corner of the room and walked nonchalantly up to Sye, who didn't care to take notice at all because of how enraptured he was with Rowen's presence beside him. He sat in the seat next to Sye.

Sye wasn't even paying attention; he was in a heated talk with Rowen over their families and heritage.

The man just leaned over and kissed Sye's cheek.

Sye spun around, offended, and glared at the redhead. The redhead was leaning close to him and Sye pushed the guy away.

"What are you doing?!" He growled.

"I saw you talking with your little friend and you seemed bored." The redhead smiled broadly. "You're beautiful." He stated bluntly.

"The only thing I'm bored with is your shallow flattery." Sye snapped and pushed the man more roughly away. Rowen frowned, staring at the guy. "And he's not my little friend. He's my boyfriend." Rowen felt a flush of pride and love for his boyfriend. As Sye turned back to Rowen, the other boy blushed lightly.

Rowen caressed Sye's hair, curling it behind his ear with a nostalgic look upon his face. "Boyfriend?" He whispered tenderly and Sye smiled.

"Of course." Sye replied and leaned closer, about to kiss Rowen, when the redhead pulled him back and out of his own seat, into his lap. "What the hell!" Sye yelled attracting the attention of the few people that sat around them in this little rundown place.

The man tried to kiss Sye again, pressing his cheek against Sye's –to his utter disgust and repulsion.

Rowen stood up furiously, knocking his stool over. "Let him go!" He yelled, enraged.

"No." The redhead hissed, keeping his voice low, and tightening his hold of Sye. Sye struggled to get loose, but couldn't; the man was abnormally strong and far too calm for his liking.

"You're asking for trouble." Rowen snipped curtly.

"He's mine." The man declared, smiling wickedly.

Rowen swung at the man's face and he jumped up, still with Sye in his arms. He was so tall, he lifted Sye off the floor by an inch and Sye was still upright.

"Let me go!" Sye yelled and kicked at the man hatefully. He couldn't move his arms because of the way the guy had him, but he managed to land some hard blows on the man's legs, though the brute didn't flinch a bit.

"Keep doing it." The man laughed gently in Sye's ear. Sye scowled.

"Sadist! Masochistic bastard!" He spat venomously. "Let go!"

"Now, that's not nice!" The guy laughed as he backed out the door. People were gathering as they went out into the streets yelling and Rowen attacked the guy again, but missed once again.

He's so quick. Rowen thought idly.

The guy pulled out a knife and held it to Sye's neck. That caused Sye's movements to cease completely mid-kick. The redhead laughed and licked Sye's cheek; deriving some kind of pleasure seeing Sye so scared. Sye clenched his teeth in disgust as he allowed the gesture.

Rowen felt like his hands were tied. He couldn't do anything to help his boyfriend and now there was a knife to Sye's throat. He needed help! Where's a cop when you need one?

A blow came to the man's head from behind him as he stepped off the sidewalk. The hit was so hard and strong that the redhead dropped Sye and grabbed his head in pain. Rowen caught Sye as he tumbled into his arms; both grateful that he was free again.

"Sye." Rowen gasped and helped him while steady himself. They glared back at the redhead and saw him facing Ryo and Seiji.

"Sye? You alright?" Ryo yelled over to him.

"Yeah!" Sye replied rubbing his cheek where the man had licked him. "Nice shot, Ryo! Thanks!"

"No problem!" Ryo shouted.

"This guy bothering you two?" Seiji questioned with pre-conviction already.

"He's a perverted bastard!" Rowen answered. "Show him what for!"

Seiji's glance caught on Sye and Rowen quickly, before he proceeded to fight this brute. They were kissing briefly and holding each other tight in their safe arms; forgetting for a moment, the scene around them. He remembered that feeling. It was so blissful like that when he kissed Ryo and it made him want to hit this asshole all the harder for touching Sye in any way.

Sye and Rowen parted quickly as they remembered what was going on.

The redhead started to laugh before Ryo even moved. He started cackling, then tilting his head back and laughing even harder and louder. Everyone there was staring at him in fear and scorn.

"My prince was right! You are protective of your lovers!" He laughed continuously and everyone stared at him like he was a loon, which he seemed to be. Within the blink of an eye the redhead was behind Ryo. No one had time to react. He had Ryo in his grasp within another second and he had created a slit in the world of time like the shape of a black diamond. It was a void with swirling marble in the center. He leapt into the void and disappeared.

"What the fuck?! Ryo!" Seiji screamed and went closer to the void, diving in without a second thought. Rowen and Sye ran over to the thing and paused, looking very frightened, but they jumped in after their friends and screamed profanity all the way down.

A/N: A bit of a cliffy. Sorry. So, please review if you like the story, then if not… well, I hope you read something else of mine and review. Toodles.