A/N: Ayuka-chan: (laughs) Well, when you're an officer that's the least of your worries, and as for the plot, this is one of my longer stories where everyone's got something happening to them. Everything will soon become clear.

Chapter Six

Tala lay flat on his stomach on the top bunk, his elbow digging into the mattress as he rested his head in his hand, deep in thought. He stared vacantly at the wall ahead that separated him from the outside world, not really taking into account the presence of the other who lay opposite him, on top of the other bunk. It took three yells to pry the redhead out of his concentration. He shook his head in alarm.

"Hm?"

He saw the well-built body of his lover staring up at the pale ceiling, his hands behind his head.

"If you keep thinking about Kai like this, it'll continue to consume you,"

"I'm not..."

Bryan tilted his head slightly and gave his lover an unconvinced look.

"It's been six days," Tala finally said.

"From when you stepped into his dorm that day, you knew what to expect," Bryan replied, resuming his eye contact with the ceiling.

Tala sighed. Bryan was right. Revealing to Kai about his devotion to someone else had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done. He'd hope that Kai would have voiced his rage in the form of excessive violence or by an uproar, but Tala knew Kai better then that. It wasn't in Kai's mannerisms to behave with such brutality. He preferred to make his victims suffer, and the silent treatment was his speciality.

"His winning, you know?"

Tala looked up, bemused.

"He wants you to feel guilty," Bryan added. "Looks like it's working."

"I've got nothing to be guilty for,"

"Really?" The reply was sceptical.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tala asked, his normally dry voice, raising a octave.

"Well, you never really did break it off with him before me,"

"I never saw you complaining,"

Bryan merely stared up at the ceiling uninterested and a small silence reigned. Tala was an emotional wreck. Not the same controlled persona he had once been and this lead Bryan to suspect that his boyfriend still held a torch for the slate haired character. But he knew better than to bring it up because it was liable to cause problems in their relationship and what Tala needed was a firm shoulder to cry on. Bryan just hoped it wouldn't come to that. He had just recently come out of his shell about their relationship, but he wasn't used to dealing with its emotional circumstances properly as of yet.

"Ah, perhaps you're right," Tala said finally, giving in. "I guess I was just kidding myself that everything would turn out alright."

The redhead saw his lover sit up and jump down from his bunk.

"Just give him some time," Came the reply as the icy character strolled over and stroked his face. "He'll come around."

-------------------------

That lunchtime, Max had sauntered into the hall alone, a bitter scowl hidden behind his features. He hadn't seen Tyson at all since morning and it bothered him to no end, but he thought best not to dwell on it. He was probably just being stupid or something. Soon, he caught sight of the familiar attires of Oliver and Enrique as they waved him over and though he was quite reluctant to speak to anyone at that precise moment, he decided to join them. Maybe they might cheer him up a bit and take his mind off of certain aspects.

"Hey Max! How's it going?" Enrique had said, as soon as the other blond had taken his seat.

The duo were huddled up a little too close for comfort and this lead Max into believing that they were up to something. Nonetheless, he let it pass.

"I'm good," He replied, shortly after.

"So where's Tyson? He keeps disappearing these days," Oliver added.

Max nearly choked on his potatoes. So much for taking his mind off his problems.

"He's...he's around," Came the hesitant reply.

Oliver and Enrique exchanged familiar glances.

"Okay, what's going on?" Oliver blurted out so suddenly, that this time, Max did choke on his potatoes. Once he swallowed them, he sighed.

"I don't want to talk about it,"

"Oh come on, Max. We've known you since they sent you here," Oliver pressed. "He's got you run down. You don't smile these days and you have such a nice one at that...

The compliment held so much of a flirty infliction that it made Enrique shoot his boyfriend a meaningful look, but Oliver merely smiled and leant on the blonde's shoulder, characteristically reassuring Enrique that he had plans for them later.

Max had to admire their bond. Both were so alike and so different. They had both derived from the same trade that had got them imprisoned in the first place. They were both flirts. They were both attractive in their own way, Max believed, but ever since they had gotten together, Oliver held that slight authority above Enrique. Perhaps it had something to do with the intimacy that they shared or the fact that Oliver, though in touch with his feminine side, was a dragon in disguise, sensuous and discreet. He had heard about the story concerning Ian and had often wondered how Enrique could've stood watching his boyfriend making advances on another man. But then their relationship had always been rather open and when it came down to business, anything went. Nevertheless, Max believed that the result of their scheme had been rather harsh, but he had to admire their courage.

"Okay, so maybe Tyson is bothering me a bit," The younger blond sighed in defeat.

"A bit?"

"...Okay, a lot," Max finally added, dropping his utensils onto the plate.

He folded his arms onto the table and began to explain to the pair about how their relationship had deteriorated from the days of risks and romance. He explained that as a couple, they weren't the same anymore and that Tyson seemed to get a kick out of flirting with their personal officer right in front of him. Enrique's expression had turned from calm to concerned, while Oliver's played on the features of a girl who's just received the biggest gossip of the century.

"No way!!" Enrique had said, after the point about Tyson smacking their officer's arse had been told.

"I never knew he was like that?"

"Me neither!" Max moped.

He now pushed aside his tray, deciding that he couldn't finish the contents on it.

"Well you know what you have to do?" Oliver pressed again.

Max looked up.

"You've got to confront him," Enrique answered.

"I have!"

"No! I mean really confront him. Show him who's boss," The taller of the two blonds replied. "That's the only way you'll get some respect."

"But he never listens!"

"That's your problem, Max," Oliver's voice was now composed. "Tyson's a hothead and he needs someone to counter that occasionally. You've got to be a little more assertive or he'll just walk all over you."

"But, he..."

"You've got to talk it out with him properly. Take no for an answer,"

"That, or you might have to consider that he's just not right for you,"

The last two statements rang in Max's ears. He had a choice. Stand up to Tyson or break it off, but in truth, he wanted to do neither. He wanted to avoid a full on conflict in fear of pushing Tyson away and he most certainly didn't want to break it off. Aside from the problems that plagued his mind now, Max cared for Tyson more then anything and being without him just wasn't possible to him. But what if the twosome were right. Tyson and Max were opposites, Tyson being in your face, while Max was a little more modest. People had said they complimented each other well, but now he was left with room to consider otherwise. The fate of their relationship now rested on his choice.

Across the room, only a couple of tables away, Ian smirked.

TBC