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Truthless

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Soubi frowned down upon the empty pack of cigarettes he had removed from his pocket. He couldn't recall when he had smoked the last few that were contained within the crumpled packaging but it was obvious that he was out now and would be for quite some time…

"Soubi-kun!"

He crushed the carton further in his hand as he peered up at the cheerful Yuiko as she hurried up to him, the scarf about her neck coming unwrapped from her constant activity and ears perked with her enthusiasm as always. It seemed that whatever it was that had made her seem a little solemn recently, had passed and she had returned to her old self.

Seeing Yuiko there, reminded the fighter of the night he had smelled her on his Sacrifice's clothing…the night that he had hoped on obtaining Aoyagi's name…but it didn't happen. No, it was a hope bribed upon him by his former teacher, a lie that had made him dare to imagine a name across his body that linked him to the teenager…

"It's been a while, Yuiko."

"Yeah!" she nodded, clasping her hands behind her back and smiling up at him in her usual cheerful light. "You haven't been coming to pick up Ritsuka recently…did something happen?"

The Sentouki lowered his eyes, opening his fingers to peer down upon the crushed cigarette pack that rested in a crumple on his palm.

"There is…somewhat of a problem." He said quietly, lowering his hand and pocketing the package briefly. "But it isn't something you should concern yourself with. Ritsuka and I will be able to handle it."

"Oh…ok." She nodded a little but her eyes revealed obvious concern for a moment. "But, I think that Ritsuka will be happy to see you! He's been dealing with a lot of rumors from our classmates after all!"

"Rumors?"

The high school girl tilted her head somewhat to the side, peering up at the adult in what was apparently a look of surprise mirroring Soubi's.

"They are curious about Ritsuka's ears." She said, her own fuzzy appendages drooping as she lowered her eyes to the pavement, "He lost them so suddenly, they wonder if he was…well…"

Soubi held up a hand, revealing that he had heard enough and the hand gently touched the top of her head, patting the pink strands of her hair a moment before he heard hurried steps and managed to turn about in time to catch the arm of the teenager that had walked so swiftly past him.

Immediately, the teen came about and looked right up at the Fighter with familiar violet eyes that flashed dangerously the moment they met the calm blue staring right back at him.

"Ritsuka! You were going to leave without saying goodbye?" Yuiko asked, pouting as she recovered quickly from her rather serious composure. "How mean…"

"I have to get home…there's some things I have to do." He said, eyes rolling away from Soubi's quickly and focusing upon the high school girl instead. "I'm sorry. I can't walk with you today, Yuiko."

She immediately shook her head, holding up her hands as the color rose over her cheeks a bit. The on-going pigtails flailed about in her rapid head movement and the matching hue managed to cover up the flustered face before she turned away and hurried up the sidewalk a few steps.

"Ritsuka, Soubi-kun! I'll see you later!" she called, spinning about and waving to them when she was far enough for the color of her cheeks to not be too noticeable.

"W-Wait for me! Yuiko-san!"

Ritsuka's attention went to Yayoi as he scrambled beyond the gate, his shaggy hair that he had recently cut in attempt to appear more appealing to the clueless girl, whipped about, making him groan as his own bangs stung his eyes. The sight was amusing in away…watching Yayoi dash up the pavement while trying to hang onto his glasses while fending off his own hair at the same time.

"Shall we go, Ritsuka?"

Soubi rest a hand upon the teen's shoulder and he immediately froze up, his fingers tensing at his sides as his fighter's warmth seeped through the very fabric of his coat. It wasn't fair that he always warmed him over so easily. Did all people in love experience these strange rushes of warmth, or was it just his?

Closing his eyes, Ritsuka lowered his head, reaching up and touching the hand upon his shoulder stiffly, his other hand clenching into a fist. He lightly curved his fingers about Soubi's but didn't hold the Sentouki's hand for long. Upon noticing the fact that they were still in front of the high school, he released the warm hand and shrugged away the touch hesitantly.

"Yeah…let's go."

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How did I end up here?

Ritsuka swallowed as he sat down upon the edge of Soubi's bed, the neat bedspread now creased about him from his miniscule weight. He watched the Fighter cautiously as he cleaned up a few paintings that had toppled over, all of them natural with watercolor to oil paints that colored them in amazing shades that made it hard for the Sacrifice to focus on his Sentouki alone.

"Yuiko told me…about the rumors spreading throughout your school?" Soubi confronted Ritsuka, slipping his fingers into his pockets while pressing his palms against his hips; waiting for the teen's response.

"What about the rumors?" he asked cautiously.

Stepping closer to Ritsuka, Soubi lowered himself upon one knee, "If there are rumors spreading, these rumors are questions, and these questions bring up the fact that you have not told anyone about myself or the fact that you have a lover."

"H-How can I just tell people about you—about us?"

Soubi leaned closer, tilting up Ritsuka's face a bit so that he could catch at least a glimpse from the teen. "So…then I am your secret?"

Ritsuka grit his teeth, glaring at Soubi.

That glare, unknowing to the Sacrifice, sent an electrifying shock through the Fighter that made him touch the teenager's thighs without thinking, leaning in so close that he was almost able to brush his lips over Aoyagi's.

The movement caused Ritsuka to lean away from the Fighter Unit, his eyebrows furrowed as he glared at the man. "Don't."

His voice was firm…commanding.

Soubi obeyed, lowering himself back to his former position before standing up again.

"I love you, Ritsuka."

The teen paled, his eyes wide as he stared up at the man.

That's right…I told him…about how I felt…

"Soubi—"

"I love you."

The Fighter's hands cupped his face in them.

This gentle touch was all it took…but Ritsuka believed that Soubi already knew the effect that his words had over him. His hands…the bare touch of his skin was all it took to bring back every single memory of the night that they had shared together upon the very same surface the Sacrifice was seated upon. Soubi ran his fingers down to the teen's jawbone, the digits slowly smoothing over the curve of Ritsuka's face, disappearing back into his hair.

"I love you, Soubi." Ritsuka breathed without thinking, his body leaning towards the source of this touch and he felt his head bump against the Sentouki's chest as he stepped up closer to him. Hands managed to relocate themselves, wrapped about the Sacrifice as his own arms rose to meet the waist before him.

The man's chest rose and fell in a deep sigh that carried Ritsuka with it. A hand ran over the earless Aoyagi's head soothingly as the Sentouki pondered a moment; savoring the touch as he considered his reflections.

I have not heard from that teacher in some time…should I tell Ritsuka? Is he ready to hear about it?

"Ritsuka…"

Lifting his head from the fabrics of his shirt, Ritsuka peered up at Soubi with a quizzical expression across a flustered face. It was cute…he was adorable.

"What is it?"

Soubi shook his head, pressuring the teen's shoulders until he lie back against the mattress, the man climbing on over him and peering down at the Sacrifice.

"It's nothing." He murmured, stealing the youth's words that he had used so many times before.

Descending his lips upon the Sacrifice's for the first time since the night Ritsuka had stayed with him, Soubi's thoughts still lingered in the back of his head.

As he removed the Sacrifice's shirt, a solemn thought crossed his mind.

I have to tell him…the reason why I wanted him to lose his ears…

The hands clinging to his back, nails biting him through the thin layer of fabric that was his own shirt made him want to call out to the Sacrifice, but the train of thought still whispered like a ghost in the very back of his mind.

Ritsuka, you're so adorable…but…I'm sorry…

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A/N:

((Yeah, this is the second chapter. I had a lot of trouble writing this one because I'm a bit sleep deprived and a lot has been going on so the quality may have depleted a bit this time. Also, my plot is at risk since I am loosing more and more time that I used to have to write. Sorry, but I might have to close off this fan fiction soon, unless someone wants me to keep trying to write it. Reviews would be nice...but it is only a nice gesture that fuels my writing. I'll try to beef up the chapters the further I get. Please keep reading and reviewing.))