Ritsuka's eyes slowly fluttered open to find himself, once again, laying on a seemingly invisible surface in the black void within his own mind. Almost as soon as he stood to his feet and oriented himself, he found himself suddenly face to face with his alter ego. His head was still in a slight daze and he was quick to question the other version of himself in a panicked voice.

"W-what's going on? What happened?!"

"Hey, just calm down a second; we are home, in bed, everything is fine."

"But what happened? The last thing I remember was being in the middle of a battle with Youji and Natsuo."

"We won."

"What?! How?!"

"Well…as soon as you took the first hit, we switched. There wasn't any time to try and switch back or fight with you about it, so I just finished it. You never said a word after we switched anyway." Ritsuka's eyes then grew wide in a slightly panicked shock.

"You…you fought in my place?"

"Yeah. I didn't have a whole lot of other options Ritsuka."

"I…I don't understand…I've never had any problems taking damage before…why now?"

"I honestly don't know this time." Ritsuka then fell to his knees with his face held in his hands as he began to sob uncontrollably.

"Oh come on Ritsuka…don't do that."

"W-what am I going to do now…"

"What do you mean? It's over and done with! What are you so damn upset about?"

"Just shut up!"

"No! Tell me what the big deal is." Ritsuka then moved his hands from his face to place them on the sides of his head in a depressed and angry panic.

"I…I j-just…c-c…"

"Ritsuka! Stop the water works and just talk to me! Calm down and just tell me what the hell your deal is!" Ritsuka then slammed his hands down on the ground before looking up to Riku to yell at him in between sobs.

"You don't understand what you've done! I have no purpose now!"

"What are you talking about?" Ritsuka then gritted his teeth and wiped the tears from his red cheeks before clenching his fists and standing to his feet to retort in a low even tone that scared even Riku.

"Riku…I know you think you know everything about me, but you're missing the most important thing in my life…"

"And that is?"

"Soubi."

"Ok…but what does that have to do with what happened?"

"You took that from me…battling…being his Sacrifice is the only thing that I can do for him. He does so much for me and all I can do in return is take the damage for him. So if I can't even do that…then I'm useless to him." Ritsuka then began to sob once again as even more tears streamed down his face. "It's not fair! I'm willing to take the damage! I'm happy to do that for him…but you took that from me! I'm no good to him now and it's all your fault!"

"That's what this is all about? Really?!"

"Just leave me alone…" Riku then let out an aggravated sigh before taking a few steps to stand right in front of Ritsuka with arms crossed in a slightly annoyed manner.

"Ritsuka, you can't actually believe that can you?"

"It's the truth…"

"That couldn't be further from the truth. Despite what you think, I do pay attention to everything in your life and I can honestly tell you that he would never think you are useless."

"You don't know that! I'm his Sacrifice, that's my purpose…my reason for living."

"You're more than that idiot."

"How can I be?! What else can I possibly offer him? We don't even have the same name! Seimei was his true partner, I can never be that…but at least I could take the damage." His own words hit me deep in the pit of his stomach and he fell to his knees once more and allowed the tears to trickle to the ground as he sobbed. The sight actually seemed to strike a chord with Ritsuka's usually aloof counterpart and he uncrossed his arms as his expression and tone both softened.

"Come on now, we're better than that. You're better than that. Besides, it was only one battle."

"Just leave me alone…"

"Fine. I'll just prove it to you then."

Ritsuka's gaze then shot up in a panic, but before he could argue, his alter ego had vanished and his detached vision began to flutter into focus. Once again, he could only watch on helplessly as the scene unfolded before him.

Riku's eyes quickly opened with a strong sense of purpose before he rolled over with a grin to wrap his arms around the blonde sleeping peacefully next to him. The sensation caused Soubi to let out a small groan in his sleep.

"Hey Soubi…" The soft sound of the boys' voice was enough to fully wake Soubi from his sleep and he quickly opened his eyes to see partner's face looking at him though the darkness of their bedroom.

"Ritsuka?"

"Afraid not blondie." Soubi then let out an aggravated groan before rolling over in the bed in an attempt to ignore the intruder.

"Go away already."

"Oh come on! Why are you being so mean to me? I really helped you out back there."

"Nobody asked you to interrupt."

"Hey it wasn't my fault. Ritsuka is the one who switched. I guess he couldn't handle it."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not!"

"Just leave me alone." There was then a short silence before Riku propped himself up on an elbow to lean over the blonde's body and speak to him in a coy and seductive tone.

"Why don't you just ditch Ritsuka and let me take over full time. I'd be a much better partner than Ritsuka."

"I would rather die first."

"Oh come on! Ritsuka couldn't even handle one hit in that battle. What kind of Sacrifice can't even take the damage for his Sentouki? Ritsuka is useless, just be with me instead." Riku was then taken slightly by surprise when Soubi quickly rolled back over and pinned him down hard to the bed with his arm pressed firmly against his throat. The blonde then gave a glare that bored it's way right through Riku before replying in an icy and furious tone.

"Don't you ever talk about Ritsuka like that. You'll never be able to understand the bond that Ritsuka and I share. He is more than just a Sacrifice to me. He is my partner in and outside of battle. I would give my life just to see him smile. I couldn't care less if he took the damage for me or not; I love him no matter what. He is not useless…he is the reason I breath. He is the only purpose to my life." Riku then began to struggle slightly as he did his best to reply despite the pressure against his throat.

"O-ok…I get it, I get it."

"Good." Soubi then released the pressure before lying back down in the bed and rolling over to face away from Riku. A few moments of silence passed before Riku spoke once more.

"I still think you could do better."

"If you aren't going to give Ritsuka back then get out of my bed." Soubi then extended a long leg behind himself and shoved the small boy out of the bed and onto the floor with a thud.

"Ow! Fine! Geez…see Ritsuka? I told you so." Soubi then heard another small thud as Ritsuka's body went limp on the floor. He felt as though he was finally starting to get better at realizing when his partner made a switch, so he quickly leaned over the side of the bed to confirm his suspicions.

"Ritsuka?" The boys' body remained still on the floor for a moment before his eyes finally shot open and he let out a small gasp as he shot up to a seated position on the floor.

"S-Soubi!" Before the blonde knew what was going on, Ritsuka had sprung from his spot on the floor and pounced onto him with teary eyes. Despite his confusion, Soubi happily embraced the small frame that was now lying firmly on top of him. Soubi held Ritsuka tightly and nuzzled his face into soft jet black hair, until he felt warm droplets fall against his chest.

"Ritsuka? Is everything ok? You're crying…" Ritsuka gave a few small sniffles before lifting his head from Soubi's chest to look at his Sentouki with a smile.

"Everything is fine. I just love you and I missed you and I'm just so sorry for everything." Soubi chuckled slightly at the boy's jumbled and hurried response.

"I love you too and you have nothing to be sorry for."

"Yes I do…I couldn't keep control during that battle…" Soubi then gave a grin as he took Ritsuka's warm face in a large hand and raised it to catch his lips in a quick and tender kiss.

"I don't care about any of that."

"You don't?"

"No. All I care about is you. You are safe, and that is what matters."

The blondes' words truly warmed Ritsuka's heart and he buried his face into Soubi's sturdy chest before taking a very deep and calming breath. The room then went peacefully quiet, save the sound of shallow breathes, as Ritsuka drifted away to sleep wrapped in Soubi's arms. Soubi was quick to follow suit with a smile on his face, just happy to have Ritsuka back once again.

The new morning sun shone in through the drawn curtains of the quiet master bedroom and cast warm rays on the tall blondes' cheeks, stirring him just slightly from his sleep. Soubi let out a small groan, feeling like it was far too early to be up, before repositioning himself to wrap around his partner that had ended up on the opposite side of the bed sometime in the night. The sensation was more than enough to stir the small boy from his sleep and his eyes soon fluttered open in a slightly confused manner. Soubi then heard a small groan and realized that he had woken his partner.

"Good morning Ritsuka."

The boy then suddenly shot up to a sitting position in the bed before whipping his head around in a panicked blur of heavy gasps and wide eyes. The sight sent Soubi into a panic of his own.

"Ritsuka?! What's wrong?!" The boy then finally snapped a panicked gaze firmly on the blonde next to him.

"What the hell?! Why am I here?!" Soubi then immediately gained a sour expression at the boys' question.

"Riku…?"

"Yes! It's me!" The blonde let out an aggravated sigh before standing from the bed, putting on a shirt and making his way towards the door.

"Let me know when you are done invading Ritsuka's body." Soubi then felt a small hand pull on his sleeve and he shot a sinister glare over his shoulder.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"I'm not doing this…Ritsuka honestly took over last night." Soubi then begrudgingly turned around to face Riku with arms crossed.

"And you actually expect me to believe that you didn't force your way out again?"

"Yes I do! I have no reason to be here right now and I gain nothing from it." Soubi's expression began to soften softly as he analyzed the boys' genuinely distressed face.

"Well…just do whatever you have to do to talk to Ritsuka and switch back."

"Ok ok, I'll try." Riku then took a few deep breaths before closing his eyes and focusing all his energy on reaching Ritsuka.

"Ritsuka…what are you doing?! I'm not sure what you're playing at but I need you to get back out here…" There was then a short silence as he awaited reply. "Ritsuka?! Answer me!" After another short silence, Riku's eyes shot open once more to look at Soubi in a panic.

"Soubi…he isn't answering me! He has never done this before! I can't even switch back, I tried! I-I don't know what to do…I don't know what's happened to him…" The blonde then quickly became concerned and finally uncrossed his arms but made sure to keep his distance just to be safe.

"Well…we could try going to see Dr. Katsuko. She has been helping Ritsuka through this whole mess." Riku then averted his gaze quickly to the floor upon remembering how his last visit with the doctor went.

"Umm…I may have burnt that bridge already." Soubi rubbed his temple with his fingers in frustration for a moment before replying in an annoyed tone.

"Really…?"

"Yeah…"

"Well she is our best bet to figure this out so you are going to have to suck it up and apologize for whatever you did."

"Ah no! Come one Soubi! That's against my better nature."

"Too bad."

"Ugh….fine!"

"Good. Now get dressed so we can get going."

"Ok, Ok."

Soubi then swiftly exited the room, leaving Riku alone to get dressed. He took a deep breath before finally hauling himself off the bed and towards the dresser. He then looked into the large vanity mirror where he stared in silence for a moment.

"Ritsuka…you had better be alright in there. I really don't like the looks of all this…"

TBC

I am so sorry for how short this one is! New job has me sleep deprived and with no spare time. Will update as soon as possible. Thanks! ^_^