Resolution
Chapter 8
"Deliverance"

"Time to wake up, Ritsuka."

Ritsuka opened his eyes and found Seimei sitting on the edge of his bed, favoring him with a warm, gentle smile that was impossible not to reciprocate. The teenager yawned and turned over onto his side to face his brother, eagerly nuzzling against the smooth hand that lovingly caressed his jaw while his ears and tail flickered happily at the open display of affection.

Wait a minute.

Ears? Tail?

Before he could touch the top of his head to confirm that his ears were still there, as well as ponder why he felt as if he should no longer have them, Seimei took his hand and kissed it softly, tenderly.

"Did you have a bad dream?" he asked.

"I… I don't know," Ritsuka responded with a slight frown. There was something… something right on the tip of his tongue that he felt he ought to know but… no, he just couldn't grasp it. He blinked at Seimei, who regarded him with a kind, almost hypnotic gaze. "I don't remember. Is that weird?"

Seimei crawled into the bed and wrapped his arms around Ritsuka's waist, and then rested his chin on top of the boy's head. "Not at all. Some dreams should be forgotten."

Ritsuka nodded at his brother's wisdom- was there ever a time when Seimeiwasn't right?- and gave himself up to the soothing embrace. There was nothing in the world that could compare to the comfort of Seimei's arms. Not even Soubi—

Soubi!

Overcome by a sudden sense of panic for a reason he did not know, Ritsuka moved to sit up only to find himself now being pinned down by those same comforting arms.

"S-Seimei?"

"Stay with me, Ritsuka," Seimei pleaded, pressing his forehead against the teen's. "Please stay with me…"

xxXXxx

"Damn it."

Seimei stared at his little brother's limp form, snugly and sickeningly cradled by a Zero. Now that he had disengaged from Ritsuka's mind, he could feel him moving towards consciousness, hurtling towards the truth. Time was growing short.

So why was Soubi still standing there?

He looked the tall blond, his face peaceful while his eyes were filled with unmistakable contempt.

"I gave you an order."

xxXXxx

Seimei's voice was low and razor sharp, and it cut through the wall of Soubi's hesitation with deadly precision. Soubi knew that when he won this fight- there was no question of 'if'- the chances were slim, bordering on nonexistent, that he would survive Seimei's subsequent wrath. And while death did not concern him at all, not anymore, the sight of Ritsuka lying unconscious, so very small and fragile, concerned him very much. It cut into his heart with a viciousness that he hadn't expected and it hurt in a way that made physical pain seem like a treat, and for one rare and fleeting moment, Seimei had ceased to exist in his mind altogether.

But now that moment was gone.

Cold eyes passed over the faces of his fellow Fighters and Sacrifices, old faces and new faces, and in that single glance, he was quickly able to determine each pair's strengths and weaknesses. None of them stood a chance against him. And surely Ritsu must have known that. So what was he thinking in sending them there to die?

"Battle system, initiate."

Soubi's barrier eclipsed the others', trapping them all inside of the ominous enclosure. The size of it was not meant to brag or intimidate; it was simply a reflection of the sheer enormity of Soubi's strength now that it had been fully unleashed. At this point, he could not have reined in his power if he had tried. It surged through him in waves so massive that the ensuing combined Zero attack barely warranted his effort. The same four synthetic beings who were able to reduce him to a broken and bloody mess all those years ago were utterly powerless against him now.

Youji, Yamato, and the other Sacrifices fell to the ground amid a flurry of binding, immobilized and fully restricted. Natsuo, Kouya, and the other Fighters soon crumbled beside them, clutching at their heads and writhing in agony. All of this, with the mere uttering of an elegantly worded phrase. It was entirely too easy.

With that out of the way, Soubi approached Natsuo, who, in spite of his torture, blanketed Ritsuka with his body in a futile attempt to shield him. He bent down, easily nudged him aside, and swept Ritsuka into his arms…

xxXXxx

Ritsuka knew those arms.

"Soubi?"

They were the arms that had held him countless times over the past five years. They were the arms that felt like home.

He opened his eyes and peered into Soubi's face…

… and then he remembered what Soubi did.

xxXXxx

In spite of the excruciating pain that threatened to split his head in two, Natsuo sensed an opening when Soubi picked up the teenager. It was a small opening, one that would likely lead to nothing, but still, he hadto try. For Youji, for Ritsuka, for Ritsu and the others… even for Soubi.

He spotted Seimei, whose features were distorted through the blurred vision of his left eye. The Sacrifice's attention was diverted, focused on his brother and his Fighter. Natsuo knew that he would not get another chance like this.

Summoning what was left of his strength, he reached out to Seimei with a trembling hand.

"Restrain," he whispered. "Your body can no longer move."

xxXXxx

Soubi felt something rush past him, some mighty and unseen thing, but there was little he was able to do as he found himself trapped in a purple-eyed gaze filled with the sting of betrayal.

He was finally facing Ritsuka.

And Ritsuka knew everything now.

Everything.

xxXXxx

Seimei was not sure which he found more annoying: the essence-draining chains that now bound him about the neck and wrists or the fact that Soubi was so distracted by Ritsuka that he had allowed it to happen. In an odd way, his annoyance trumped the ache of being restricted, enabling him to refrain from succumbing to it.

But it should have never happened in the first place.

If he had not already made up his mind to kill Soubi after this was over, his failure to protect him was more than enough reason to do so.

"Soubi," he said through gritted teeth. "Bring me my brother."

xxXXxx

Ritsuka knew that voice.

"Seimei?"

For one traitorous instant, his heart was elated. Seimei had been his refuge since the day he was born, after all, his haven from Misaki and the only person in the world from whom he had ever felt love. At least before he met Soubi.

How many times had he curled into a ball on his bed, biting back tears in the wake of his mother's abuse and wishing that his brother was still there to protect him?

Well, his wish had finally been granted. But this… this was not what he wanted.

"Soubi," he said quietly. "Put me down."

xxXXxx

Seimei smiled happily at Ritsuka, as if all was right with the world and those around him were not on the verge of demise. Because all wasright with the world as far as he knew or cared. Ritsuka was there so nothing else concerned him. Not even the chains that limited him.

"Ritsuka, come here."

Ritsuka approached Seimei slowly, cautiously, stopping just beyond arm's length. Standing face to face for the first time in years, the brothers were now almost mirror images of one another, save for the recent subtraction of Ritsuka's ears and tail.

"I'm so happy to see you," Seimei said, trying to reach out for Ritsuka… and failing. The Zero's spell was far more effective than it should have been; if Soubi had bothered tending to his task properly he would not be in such a predicament.

Speaking of his waste of a Fighter, he merely stood there like a living statue, one half of his orders remaining egregiously unfinished. Seimei could not wait to be shut of him.

Keeping his expression fixed for Ritsuka's sake, he penetrated Soubi's mind, delighting in the way that the blond winced at the mental intrusion.

What the hell are you waiting for? Kill them all. Now.

xxXXxx

I don't want to.

Soubi was taken aback by the clarity of his inner voice, which had been so muted for so long that it was all but lost until now. However, it was too late to rebel. The damage was far too irreparable and his sins, unforgivable. The last thing he wanted was to subject Ritsuka to more death and destruction, not when the boy had already suffered so much because of him.

But Seimei's word was law, and his will, absolute.

He looked upon the bodies of the Fighters and Sacrifices and raised his hand towards them, prepared to obey his master's orders one last time…

"That's enough, Soubi. Let them go."

… until Ritsuka's hand came to rest on top of his, catching him off guard and causing everything to break, Seimei's hold and the spell.

And Soubi's heart.

A lifetime of bondage, undone with a single touch. Defeated. Just like that.

"Ritsuka…"

Soubi hung his head, his hair obscuring his face, his guilt and sorrow and shame unbearable.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice thick with remorse. "I'm so sorry."

xxXXxx

"Youji!"

Natsuo cradled his partner to his chest, overcome with relief and relinquishing his hold on Seimei in the process.

"What happened?" Youji asked. "Is it over already?"

Natsuo rose to his feet and pulled Youji to his. He motioned towards Soubi, Ritsuka, and Seimei, all of whom, at least momentarily, seemed oblivious to their existence.

"It's not over," he replied. "But something's… different."

Kinka and Ginka joined the Zero, their arms wrapped around each other for support. "We should attack while they're distracted," Kinka suggested.

"Look Sleepless, you guys may be in a hurry to get hurt again, but you're going to have to give me a minute," Yamato piped in, cringing as she rubbed the spot just above her ample cleavage. Soubi's spell very likely damaged her most of all, considering the disappearance of her mark.

"This is why I didn't want you getting involved," Kouya said.

While their counterparts bickered over Yamato's health and the others licked their respective wounds, Youji approached Natsuo, who had moved away from the throng to watch the trio from a reasonably safe distance.

"I knew he was stronger with Seimei, but this is crazy." Youji took a deep breath, his fingers intertwining with Natsuo's. "I hate to admit it but we're no match for Beloved."

"You're right," Natsuo agreed, his voice uncharacteristically soft and thoughtful. "I don't think we were ever meant to be."

"What do you mean?"

"I think Ritsu was just using us to force his hand."

Youji frowned in confusion. "Seimei's?"

Natsuo shook his head. "No," he said. "Ritsuka's."

xxXXxx

Do you love Soubi? No matter what he is made to do? Even if it's something… horribly unforgivable?

It's like Soubi can't even breathe without his permission. And as long as Seimei is alive, that's how it will always be.

A man can do anything in the absence of will.

You are the only one who can save him.

So please Ritsuka… please… bring him back.

As the words of Ritsu and Kio resounded through his mind, Ritsuka stared at Soubi, his heart a melting pot of love and pity and disgust and anger. He was horrified by his longing to touch him again, as if the man hadn't killed his mother and Ai and Midori, and he closed his hands into tight fists, nails digging into his palms hard enough to break skin, to prevent himself from doing so.

The others were safe for now. That was all that mattered. As for Soubi… well, Ritsuka couldn't bring himself to think about him just yet.

And as for Seimei…

xxXXxx

Seimei was livid, although his façade showed otherwise.

Soubi had failed him spectacularly. There was no way that he could face the other teams on his own and he was fortunate that they decided not to attack again. He would have to retreat, something that upset him even more.

This was not how his reunion with Ritsuka was supposed to unfold. While he faced the likely yet anguishing prospect of allowing his enemies to live- for now- Seimei was willing to suffer the loss if he could only have Ritsuka in return.

All he wanted was Ritsuka.

"Ritsuka."

Now that he was able to move freely, Seimei eased closer to the young man. Soubi just stood there like a fool, and Seimei was consumed by a near insurmountable urge to lash out at him. But there would be time for that later.

First, he had to set things right with his brother.

"I've missed you," he tried again, beseeching his attention.

Ritsuka observed his brother in the guarded and distrustful way that one might observe stranger.

"You were alive this whole time. You liedto me."

"I know. But I had to disappear because my life was in danger," Seimei explained, conveniently failing to add that such was the case as a result of his own devious actions. "I couldn't come back until I knew that it was safe for us to be together again."

"Danger from who?" Ritsuka glared at Seimei, his eyes blazing with confusion and sadness and fury. " Breathless? Mom?"

"No, Ritsuka, your life was the one at risk as far as she was concerned," Seimei said. "What on earth did you think that she would do to you after you let Soubi… do what he did?"

Ritsuka flinched visibly at that, as if struck. "She may have... hurt me... But she would have never tried to kill me."

"Do you really believe that?" Seimei asked doubtfully. "She never loved you, Ritsuka. Dad never loved you either. Your true name is Loveless for a very good reason."

He held out his hand before continuing, his voice smooth and inviting. "But I love you, Ritsuka. I'm the only one who loves you. So come with me, right now…"

xxXXxx

"…before it's too late."

"Don't listen to him, Ritsuka!"

"Huh?" Ritsuka barely registered Soubi's voice when the man snatched him forward and held the teen's face in his hands, forcing their eyes to meet.

"It's a spell. He's trying to—"

Seimei moved with astonishing quickness. "You've betrayed me for the last time, Soubi."

Although he made no noise, pain bloomed on Soubi's face. Before Ritsuka could understand what had just happened, before he could realize that he had just witnessed firsthand the true extent of his brother's unfathomable evil, the Fighter fell face-first onto the ground, revealing the handle of the knife that protruded from his back.

"Soubi!"

Forgetting his previous hesitation, Ritsuka grabbed Soubi by the shoulders and carefully turned him onto his side, seized by a sense of panic unlike anything he had ever felt before in his life.

"Soubi?" Ritsuka shook him vigorously, his terror complete. "Soubi?"

Seimei brutally yanked out the knife and turned the bloody blade in his hand, admiring its severity. He then glanced at Natsuo and Youji, who now flanked Ritsuka, ready and poised to fight, and in spite of his murderous rage, his countenance remained serene, his voice still frighteningly calm.

"I'm waiting, Ritsuka."

"He's not going anywhere with you," Natsuo informed him. "I don't give a shit what you do to me."

"No, you don't," Seimei mused, deliberately acknowledging Youji before returning his attention to Natsuo and smiling with horrible kindness. "But I think you do care about what I do to others."

"Stop it, Seimei!" Unaware that he had even started crying, Ritsuka wiped his eyes and looked up in disbelief at the brother he thought he knew. "What is wrongwith you? Please… just... stop."

Seimei stared at Ritsuka for a very long time.

Eventually, he spoke again.

"All I ever wanted was to make a place in the world where we could be together. You are the most important person in my life, Ritsuka. The onlyperson in my life. Can't you see that I'm doing this for you?" Seimei let out a forlorn sigh, as if having become aware of some great and terrible thing. "This is my fault. I failed you because I wasn't here for you."

He reached out and lovingly smoothed his fingers along Ritsuka's earless head, the knife dangerously close to the boy's face. "But I'm here now. So make your choice, Ritsuka. Do I kill them or—"

Suddenly, Seimei froze. His arms fell limp to his sides, the knife clanking down to the ground. Ritsuka, Natsuo, and Youji gaped at the Sacrifice, unable to make sense of what had just happened… until Soubi sat up with a grunt and removed his glasses with a fumbling hand, his breathing hard and labored as a result of his wound.

"Soubi!" Rituka cried, insanely relieved.

"… out of here."

"What?"

Soubi latched onto Ritsuka's shirt and wavered unsteadily, his face a grimace of discomfort. "I can't hold him for long," he whispered. "You have to get out of here."

Ritsuka emphatically shook his head. He hadn't forgiven Soubi and didn't know if he ever could, but there was a foreboding in the man's voice that alarmed him, a grave sense of finality in his words that he dared not contemplate.

"I'm not going anywhere without you."

He gasped as Soubi cupped his jaw and used his thumb to wipe the wetness from his cheek. Ritsuka instinctively closed his eyes and pressed against him, not realizing until that moment just how desperately he still craved his lover's touch.

After everything that had happened, how was that even possible?

"I love you very much, Ritsuka. I always will. Now go to sleep."

"Wait—!"

Ritsuka's eyes widened… then immediately fluttered until they closed.

And once again, he plummeted into the darkness.

xxXXxx

Born again.

Dying.

For Soubi, both felt accurate.

Ritsuka had saved him. For the first time in his life, he was really and truly free.

And now he would return the favor before it was too late.

Soubi stared down at Ritsuka's sleeping face and carefully swept the hair away from his forehead. There was a strange stinging in his eyes as he did so.

Then, understanding it for what it was, he laughed bitterly.

He hadn't cried since he was a child. And he wasn't about to start now.

But… it was kind of nice to know that he remembered how to do it.

Soubi looked at Natsuo and Youji, former enemies who had evolved into two of the most unlikely, albeit occasionally annoying allies. Funny, he was actually going to miss them. A little bit.

"Take him and go. Get everyone out of the barrier," he ordered them.

Knowing full well what Soubi meant to do, Natsuo shook his head slowly, sadly. "No."

"Do it," Soubi said firmly. "And whatever happens, whatever you see, don't come back."

To be concluded.

xxXXxx

All the time before us
Doesn't taint my memory.

When the love we share forgets us,
This dream will set us free.

~ Deliverance by Quietdrive