Jorele kissed Kalel and took him into his arms.

"You're thinking too far ahead," he soothed. "I can't marry until I take the throne, and that won't be for another two years." He smoothed Kalel's tangled hair. "Until then, relax. When this is all over," he whispered, "we'll go back to Alluria, and you can pick out the ring you want." Kalel nuzzled his head beneath Jorele's chin and sighed.

"Thank you."

Chapter 7: Coming Home

Kio groaned quietly as his lifted his head out of the glass and debris. He rolled onto his side to get up, but he quickly fell back to the ground as more glass pierced his side. He rubbed his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Plain white.

"It's so dull," he muttered. "How can Ritsuka stand to be in this room?" He sat up again, this time without rolling, and sneezed. "Yuck." He shook his hand curtly to rid his skin of the effects of his sneeze. "Ritchan," he called tentatively. "Ritchan, are you home?" He slowly rose from the floor, sitting up in the dim room.

Where's a light when you need one, he sighed. The only light in the room sifted through the curtains of the large glass door that lead to Ritsuka's balcony. The street lights had only been light for an hour or so, Kio assumed, and he rested his arms on his knees. Escaping the room wouldn't be too difficult for him, since Ritsuka's room had a door that led outside.

"Going unnoticed will be a problem," Kio muttered. "That crazy woman might kill me if she spots me." He rose to his feet, brushing the glass off his pant legs. "Ouch," Kio whined as a glass piece scraped his thumb. A small bead of blood slid from the cut.

That blonde kid, Kio thought. He did this, him and that tall guy. There were… petals, and Sou-chan was… Kio rubbed his sore temple.

"Why don't I remember what happened?" he hissed between gritted teeth. Wiping the blood on his shirt, Kio slid into the coat Ritsuka left by the window. He was surprised by how small the coat looked in the first place, let alone the fact that he could wear it without the coat feeling too tight. "This kid is small," Kio mused. "Why is Sou-chan more interested in him than in me? Does he like guys smaller than him?"

At last, after fumbling with the buttons on Ritsuka's coat, Kio slid the glass door open. A cold breeze blew past his face, and he shivered, pulling the coat's fur-trimmed collar closer to his face. "I'm coming home, Sou-chan," he rasped dramatically, afraid that Misaki would hear him. He stepped onto the balcony. He slid the door shut, and he sighed with relief. He made it out of the house alive! Kio shook his fist victoriously.

"I'm coming home, Sou-chaaaan!"

--

Soubi quietly turned the lights off in his apartment. Ritsuka had fallen asleep on the couch long before, a half-eaten candy sucker in his mouth. Soubi chuckled to himself as he plucked the candy from Ritsuka's lips.

"He can be so sloppy sometimes," he mused. Soubi tossed the candy into a nearby wastebasket, and he walked to his room. The door to Kio's room was half-way open. Soubi slipped his head inside the door; Kalel was snoring peacefully in Jorele's white arms while the prince slept silently, his breathing barely audible. Soubi smiled to himself, and he began to close the door.

"Goodnight, you two," he murmured.

"Good evening to you as well, Soubi." Soubi flinched. Jorele had awoken.

"You're awake?" Soubi wondered. "You startled me, Jorele." Jorele tossed his long, dark hair.

"Kalel's snoring kept me awake," he chuckled. "The poor boy swears he doesn't snore because it doesn't wake him." He eyed Soubi intently. "Are you going to bed?" he asked. Soubi let the door swing open.

"I was planning to," he replied. Jorele motioned for Soubi to come closer. Soubi stepped quietly; Kio's room had a creaky floor, and he didn't want to disturb Kalel's slumber.

"You look terrible," Jorele grinned. "You miss your little Ritchan, don't you, Soubi?" Soubi closed his eyes.

"What makes you say that?" he asked. "I haven't changed my behavior in the slightest."

"Your face tells on you," Jorele answered. "Your eyes are sad and full of longing. Little Ritchan is very dear to you, and it was cruel of Kalel and I to separate you like that." He flashed Soubi a mischievous grin. "I'm sure he'll come back to you very soon." Soubi nearly jumped as the front door slammed shut. "That must be him now." Soubi started toward the door.

"Wait." Soubi turned back to Jorele. "Have you and Ritchan done 'it,' yet?" the prince asked. "Show him pleasure tonight, Soubi. Show Loveless how much you love him." Soubi shook his head.

"Ridiculous," he muttered. As Soubi closed the door to Kio's room, Kalel began to stir.

"Jorele," he murmured, his hands reaching for Jorele's face. The prince took both his Fighter's hands, and he kissed them.

"Yes, Master?" Kalel slowly opened one eye.

"Who was here?" he muttered. Jorele pulled Kalel closer to his body.

"Only Soubi," he replied. "I told him to show love to Loveless."

--

Soubi hurried to the door. Had Ritsuka really come?

"Soubi," came a weak voice. Kio stood at the door, blood on his pants and face. Soubi heard quiet sniffles, and he could smell the boy's salty tears.

"Ritsuka," Soubi beckoned. Kio ran to Soubi's arms, a low whine slipping from his mouth.

"S-Soubiiiii!" Kio sobbed. He threw his arms tightly around Soubi's waist. "It was horrible!" Soubi hushed Kio's cries and stroked his soft, dark hair.

"Tell me all about it, Ritsuka," he murmured under his breath. Kio looked up, his dark eyes red from crying. Soubi bent over him, and he kissed his lips softly. "I love you," he whispered into Kio's ear. Kio blinked back his tears.

"L-love me?" he sniffled. Soubi nodded his blond head slowly.

"Of course, I do." He cradled Kio in his arms and carried him to his room, kissing Kio's warm mouth with each step. Soubi laid Kio on his bed, and he closed the door behind him.

--

"You what??" Kalel screeched.

"I told Soubi to make love to him," Jorele grinned. "After all, they are partners, even if they don't share the same name." Kalel opened his mouth to speak, but, suddenly, he covered it with his hand. He dashed out of bed, still covering his mouth, and ran for the bathroom.

"Kalel!" Jorele gasped. He heard a loud cough coming from the bathroom, and then a long, drawn-out moan from Kalel. The prince slid out of bed. "Kalel, are you all right?" he asked. He wrapped himself in a robe before walking softly to the bathroom.

"Go... away," Kalel muttered from the bathroom, his head half-hidden in the toilet bowl. His throat burned, and the smell of vomit lingered around his head.

"Kalel, get up," Jorele said, taking his Sacrifice's arm. "Let me clean your face." Kalel caught sight of a glimmer on his cheek out of the corner of his eye. A warm cloth touched his face as Jorele wiped the vomit from around his mouth.

"I'mf fine," Kalel muttered, spitting the cloth out of his mouth. "I just felt a little nauseous, that's all." He trudged back to the bedroom, leaving Jorele to clean up in the bathroom. He let himself fall onto the bed covers, and he wrapped his arms around his waist.

Why, he thought. Why now? Dammit, why now?!