A/N: I'm beginning to wonder about the current situation. I seem to have a lack of reviewers. Is my fanfic really that unpleasant? If so, please don't hesitate to tell me what seems to be wrong. I enjoy this fanfic very much, and I wish for all of my readers to feel the same. With that said, I strongly encourage you to leave a review with your opinion on what I might add or change to make it better. Thank you. And enjoy this chapter.

KousukeAsazuki: Yes, Raven is kind. But her patience has limits, as dearest Hizumi-kun will soon find out.

Polaris18: I'm glad you enjoyed it. It makes me very happy to know that you're reading this, but you know what else would make me happy? If you post the other half to the oneshot (Tenchi no Yami) that I did. It's been over two weeks already. Post it, or I'll have to ask you for another favor.

----XXX----

"You…you what?" Hizumi blinked, unable to process the girl's words.

"I said that I accept your apology. I forgive you." Raven repeated, although not liking doing so. "Now I have nothing more to say to you. Goodnight, Mr. Mizutsuro." The ebony-haired girl said with a slight nod, then turned and made her way down the lit streets until she could no longer be seen.

Hizumi blinked a few times, stunned that Raven forgave him so easily. In his stupor, he barely noticed the sharp rings of his cellphone trying to snap him back into reality. "Uh…" The boy blinked once more before fishing said device from his pocket and checking the caller I.D. "Oh great." A frown curved his lips at the bother it would be to take the call. The frown all too soon gave way to a frustrated sigh, but he flipped the phone open, anyway to put the Watchers mind at ease. "What do you want?" His tone was a bit more aggravated than he had hoped to sound, and he knew he'd get an earful about it.

"What do I want? That's some attitude you've got, Hizumi! You shouldn't be so rude when people are worried sick about you!" The woman yelled frantically, in hopes to get the message across.

"You don't have to shout." The mint-haired teen huffed.

"Look, just…come home, alright?" There was just a hint of worry and fear evident in her voice that Hizumi was able to pick up.

"Nee-san, are you….?" He fought back the urge to laugh, though he was actually somewhat concerned.

"It's your night to do the dishes." Kirie said, bluntly.

"Wh-what? Hey, Kirie, hold on a sec-!" Hizumi yelped, getting only a soft click as his reply. "The only reason she was worried, was because she'd have to do the dishes if I didn't come home…I should've known…hm." Hizumi shrugged and slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Jeez, it's not even that late." He observed with a frown. "Heck, not even grade schoolers are asleep yet, and she wants me to come home…and just to do the dishes, no less…" he concluded. "She doesn't really need me…Kiyotaka doesn't even need me. I'm nothing. A clone….a copy of my brother….no one needed Mizutsuro Yaiba. No one understood him….so why should they have need of me?" Those perfect pink lips curled into a silent growl and his hands fisted at his sides. 'They don't need me…. They never will. I'll turn out just like my brother and then they'd kill me too. Why would they have need of someone who they see to be a threat?' he questioned himself, losing hope that there would ever be a reason he'd be needed. With a heavy sigh, the frustrated boy collapsed on the edge of the fountain, lightly running his fingers over the scabrous cement.

Circling, you're circling, you're circling your head.
Contemplating everything you ever said.

"You come here, too, hm?" A voice questioned from the opposite side of the fountain.

Hizumi recognized the voice immediately, and frowned, turning his gaze to the ground. "What do you want?"

Now I see the truth I got a doubt,
A different motive in your eyes,
and now I'm out.
See you later.

I see your fantasy.
You wanna make it a reality paved in gold,
See inside, inside of our heads yeah.
Well, now that's over.

"Want?" the voice parroted. "Nothing, really. You just seem like you need someone to talk to." The sound of footsteps drew closer until the figure was standing in front of Hizumi. "You don't seem like yourself." A hand was extended, and slender digits lightly raked through that feathery sea of mint green hair.

I see your motives inside,
Decisions to hide...

Mizutsuro growled, slapping the hand away quickly. "Don't touch me! What makes you think you have the right to touch me? And I don't want to talk to you!" those burning amber orbs stared into calmer, more startled brown ones. "What can you, of all people, say to make me feel any better?" Hizumi yelled, standing quickly, and feeling better at eye level.

Back off, I'll take you on.
Headstrong to take on anyone.
I know that you are wrong,
Headstrong, we're headstrong.
Back off, I'll take you on.
Headstrong to take on anyone.

I know that you are wrong, and this is not where you belong.

Ayumu sighed. "I can be here to listen if you feel like talking. You may not want to with me, but who else can you turn to? The Blade Children? Kiyotaka?" the brunette asked, knowing that he was Hizumi's only could turn to. "It's ok…" hesitantly, he brought his hand out, running it through those silky tresses once more. "You can…"

I can't give everything away.
I won't give everything away.

Conclusions manifest,

"I said, don't touch me!" Hizumi fussed, once again, slapping the hand away. "We're rivals, Narumi. Fate's determined that from the beginning. I was meant to kill you, in order to prevent the blade Children from being saved, not to get close to you." The boy explained with a scowl.

Your first impression's got to be your very best.

"You can fight fate." Ayumu offered the confused teen a tiny smile. "Or will you choose to stand still and let it carry you along, forever knowing that you couldn't do a thing to change it? Can you honestly say that you won't fight? Can you honestly tell me that you're ok with sharing the exact same fate as your older brother; that you won't fight fate and try to change it?"

I see you're full of shit and that's alright,

That's how you play I guess you get through every night.
Well now that's over.

"Shut up." Hizumi interrupted, knowing that all Narumi said was the truth, but lacking a reason to deny it. "The last thing I need is a lecture from you. I don't need your help, and I never did." Deeming the conversation done with, the boy turned, in hopes to get home before Kirie called with another excuse to bitch at him.

I see your fantasy.
You wanna make it a reality paved in gold
See inside, inside of our heads yeah.
Well now that's over.
I see your motives inside.
Decisions to hide...

Ayumu sighed, growing frustrated with Hizumi's stubborn streak. As much as he hated to admit to it, he and Kousuke were almost exactly alike. They both shared the same headstrong attitude and stubbornness. "So you're ok with living the rest of your life forever being known as a devil….just like your brother? Just like Mizutsuro Yaiba?"

"I said shut up!" The amber-eyed teen shouted, turning to face the irritating Narumi. "Just looking at you pisses me off!"

Back off I'll take you on,
Headstrong to take on anyone.
I know that you are wrong,
Headstrong, we're headstrong.
Back off I'll take you on.
Headstrong to take on anyone.
I know that you are wrong,
And this is not where you belong.
(Where you belong)

I can't give everything away,
I won't give everything away.

"Think so?" Ayumu kept his calm façade, despite being somewhat fearful of what the boy would do in his violent state. He wanted to laugh at how easily Hizumi could get rubbed the wrong way; he was exactly like Asazuki, but other times, he was just as dangerous as Kanone, and that's what scared him. Now was one of those times, he realized, as he noticed the murderous glint in those angry amber pools. "If it does, then there's a simple solution to your problem. Don't look at me if it gets you upset." He spoke. "But wouldn't you think it would be better if you try to face your problems head on, instead of trying to figure out a way around them?"

I know,
I know all about,
I know,
I know all about,
I know all about your motives inside,
And your decision to hide.

"Don't tell me how to deal with me problems! You're my problem, you got that? You always have been, and you always will be, until the day I send you to hell! Just you wait!" The mint-haired boy growled, wanting nothing more than to beat the boy to a bloody pulp and leave him for dead. "Just stay the hell away from me, you got that? Never want to see you again!"

Back off I'll take you on,
Headstrong to take on anyone.
I know that you are wrong,
Headstrong, we're headstrong.

"That's impossible." Ayumu spoke, knowing that unless he died or moved elsewhere, they'd eventually run into each other. It was a small world, after all.

Back off I'll take you on.
Headstrong to take on anyone.

"Why the hell is it?" Hizumi shouted, attracting the attention of the late-night park attendants and a few people around them.

"…We have class together tomorrow." Ayumu stated, bluntly, taking the frustrated boy completely off guard. The last thing he wanted was to be the center of attention, but with Hizumi, that hope was shot down in an instant. "And could you at least try to keep it down? Your big mouth is going to get us kicked out of the park."

I know that you are wrong,
And this is not where you belong.
(Where you belong)

"Don't tell me what the hell to do, you hear me, Narumi? You don't own me, and you're not my boss, so…!" The young devil was caught completely off guard when Ayumu grabbed his wrist, pulling him forward. Those deep amber pools widened as he fell forward, landing right into the brunette's arms, and his breath was taken away by a deep, crushing, mind-blowing kiss. Those golden orbs stared frantically into dark, chocolate brown ones, only to find them closed, and despite knowing his enemy was kissing him, Hizumi felt safe enough to know that he could let himself blush without fear of being seen and ridiculed about it later on. 'Thank god his eyes are closed.' He gave a mental sigh of relief, before the world stopped spinning and reality brought him back with a harsh slap in the face. He was kissing Narumi. Ayumu Narumi. The boy who he was fated to be rivals with! Hizumi immediately brought his guard up, shoving the brunette away from him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

I can't give everything away.

"What's wrong with you?" Ayumu parroted, frowning. Even when giving Hizumi something nice, something he thought they'd both enjoy, (despite telling himself it was just to shut him up) he had to be a complete ass and complain about it. "Why can't you ever be grateful for once?"

(This is not where you belong)

"Grateful for what? You!" Hizumi yelled, glaring at the loser with unrestrained hatred. If looks could kill, Narumi'd be dead thrice over.

I won't give everything away.

"You're impossible." The brunette-haired teen sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. "There's no use in trying to do anything for you. What's the point if you don't appreciate it? Maybe you are just like your brother." He realized, never knowing that he'd actually be saying it aloud. "You're beyond reason. You're so intent on having things your way, so you just go about your own path, unknowingly pushing away the people around you, and even thought you don't know it, your sinking deeper into the same fate as your brother. You're lost, Hizumi; sinking deeper into Yaiba's shadow, and you don't have a lifeline. If that's how you want it, then fine." Ayumu turned, walking away from the mint-haired teen without another word. He hoped the message had gotten through to him, that Hizumi would see that he needed help; that not everyone could save themselves from their own fate. If he wanted to be helped, then he'd have to stop being so stubborn and rely on someone to help him. 'I did what I could. I can only do what I can, and that's all. It's up to him now. If he wants to break free from the path his brother traveled…then he'll need to trust someone…rely on someone to help him. But if he doesn't…..so be it.'

(This is not where you belong)
This is not where you belong.

A/N: I told you all the chapters would start getting better, didn't I? Perhaps I overdid it with the arguing and angst, but Hizumi really doesn't have a clue that he's treading the exact same path as Yaiba. Of course, Ayumu would be the one to pound that into his head when no one else will…such a nice guy, isn't he?