I don't want to give anything away since it will all be answered in the next chapter...

But here:

There are four rings. Only one is a copy.

Wataru's ring. [1]

Yuichi's ring. [2]

Copy made by Asaka. [3]

Wataru's matching ring. [4] Remember this.

Chapter 4.

The radio was the only sound in the small black car other than the unheard hissing of the heater. Wataru turned it down slightly, annoyed fully by the announcer of some odd brand of cleaning products. Those people where always perky and it bit into his skull like a zombie. Though then it would have to be a zombie eat zombie world since he was convinced he might turn into one if he had to keep in the secret for any longer. Now that they both agreed to asking and telling all, it was like a stomach ulcer. The waiting was always the worst part. A trickle of sweat ran down his face as he looked down to his feet which were cutely huddling together.

Kazuki gripped the wheel and stared ahead. He had seen Wataru's parents and they had loved him. Karin, who was the only one who knew of their relationship in the families, would be there to hopefully give a bit of back bone of the soon-to-be invertebrates. His grip was way too tight, but when he finally pried his fingers loose, the wheel was slippery with the sweat of his fingers. If you thought Wataru was worried, well just look at Kazuki and disregard his damn good looks.

Occasionally the two would look at each other, but not for very long. The tension really did bite tensely at one another and the teeth were getting sharper by the moment. The sun had gone behind clouds and it didn't seem like it would get any brighter out. The sky was as worried as the—brinnnggg brrrinnnggg… Quickly, Wataru pulled his cell phone from his pocket and cleared his throat.

"Ah… Hello?" A name came up in response and he felt like he was about to faint. "Asaka…?!" He yelled, now officially woken up. Yuichi took his eyes off the road and shot his gaze to Wataru.

"Yuichi! Road! Ca—Roa-YUICHI?!" He took the wheel and pulled them out of the wrong lane which would have sent them smack into a truck.

Kazuki pulled the car over to a gas station and kept glaring at the phone.

"Ah well, we are on our way to my parents' house." He answered, looking a bit nervous for still talking to this man. "J-just distracted is all…" Wataru bluntly whined in annoyance and Asaka picked up on it. "Well no! I-"

Yuichi snatched the phone from Wataru's hands without a say in it. Guilt and shame raged in his stomach while he sat there like a scolded puppy. Yuichi on the other hand looked about ready to snap it right in half.

"I believe you have no right to speak to him." He stated, sounding calm as he spoke into the phone. With all he needed said, he closed the phone and held down the power button. "Wataru? I will not forgive a person like that. I really might lose it." With the lack of emotion in his voice, it seemed he really might lose it and Wataru was fully aware of this.

With his cell phone given back, he placed it back in his pocket. The car was silent while Kazuki got out to give the car some well needed gas. His heart ached from the worry and he felt numb. The heater was blowing onto his clothed skin but goose bumps crawled up his arm to hug his body tightly. At the moment, he didn't think he was scared of just seeing his parents anymore. Kazuki opened the door and sat in the driver's seat his face was emotionless which meant he was beyond stressed. The car moved forward and once again they were on the road.

Wataru sighed and looked out the window at the passing trees. He would count how many trees still had leaves, but soon lost count after the first half hour. He slouched down in the warm seat and tilted his head. Those beautiful eyes shut closed.

"Wa—" Kazuki started as he looked over, but he noticed the sleeping body in the passenger seat. "Wataru…" He whispered into his lover's ear as he bent down. A warm kiss was placed under the boy's ear and his eyes started to open. It was a warn feeling and he knew how much he wanted it to last. "Neh, Wa...tar...u...." He teased as he now placed a kiss on the boys lips, licking off a tiny bit of drool on his lips.

"Ehh... W-what...?" He grumbled, only half awake.

"We are at your parents..." Yuichi answered softly.

"WHAT?! Why are you kissing me then?!" In response, he quickly sat up and ended up smashing his head against Kazuki's. The man groaned and winced with pain. His hand immediately covered what looked like a well developing bruise. It just had to be smack on the center of his forehead as well. Wataru did as well, feeling a small bump grow on his forehead.

"Hey! Wataru!" A girlish voice called from the front of the house.

Aside from the throbbing head of his, he looked up at the girl standing on the porch. She was clad in a pair of dark jeans and a light blue sweater. Her hair was a soft brown and looked almost like Wataru's except it was more feminine obviously. Her over all complexion was quite close to her brother's, though, there was one major difference. Two two men shut the doors to the car and walked up to the house. The flustered younger, stood for his sister who took him into an embracing hug, glad to see him after a few months.

"Neh... Karin... Have you always been taller than your brother?" Kazuki asked, trying to hold in the giggle that was dying to come out.

Wataru peered up at his lover as Karin let go. Well, she held him at arms length, holding onto his shoulders. Her eyes ran the length of his body and Wataru to hers. W-was Karin really taller? His face became pale and Kazuki started laughing at the look on his sister's face. She seemed absolutely delighted, not to mention she was probably very amused now.

"I didn't think your little sister would out grow her older brother!" The look of bliss, mixed with the normal sibling act, so Wataru didn't fully blame her.

Two adults opened the door; one was an older woman, short dark hair and a slender body. She stood at least two inches over Wataru but overall, this is where he got his looks. Both their eyes were a slate gray, large and held a bit of mystery. While the man standing next to her was a tall, handsome man. His hair was a jet black with specs of white and grey from old age. His eyes were covered by reading glasses, which meant that they were probably waiting for the two of them to come. He opened his mouth to speak, but the woman beat him to it.

"It's chilly out! Why don't you three come in?" She asked politely, looking to Kazuki first. "There is some hot water on the stove. Wataru, why don't you make some coffee for everyone?"

He nodded and the three walked in. The inside of the house felt quite cozy and had that holiday feeling. The fire in the seating room was warm, along with the heater, it kept the house at a fairly warm temperature. Kazuki took a seat with Karin on the couch that faced a rather large television. A decorated tree sat happily smelling of pine in the corner of the room. On the mantel, was a set of holiday figures; mini Christmas trees and fake presents. Already, there was a set of stockings up. One decorated in a 'Santa' had the name "Dad" threaded on it. There was an angel for his mother, a snowman and woman for his sister. Each already had things stuffed inside, but they were not to be opened yet. Next to Karin's, was a stocking with a puppy getting into presents, but there was nothing in it yet. Kazuki was the only one paying attention to such a thing though...

As Wataru's parents took a seat on the love seat next to the larger couch, Wataru walked in with a small silver platter, on top, was a set of five mugs. The scent of coffee and sugar followed him. He placed the tray on the small table between the couches, then took a seat next to his lover. Each, even though they didn't give it away all that clear, were nervous out of their minds. The rings that were evident on their fingers, were hidden as they clasped their hands together on their laps. Karin was the only one who reached for a mug. The air in the room smelled like newly baked gingerbread cookies, but anyone would know that the air was uncertain. Wataru's mother spoke again, but kept her head down for a moment before looking up.

"Kazuki." She stated, getting the man's attention right away. He looked up, but didn't say anything. "My Wataru is not causing you any trouble, is he?" The way her complexion and normal face looked, you really couldn't tell how purely and utterly serious she was being.

"Ahh... he is no problem at all. We share house work, and rent..." He started, feeling a bit awkward about the question.

"Is that so...." She murmured, not looking for any reply. "He is almost ready to move out though. I hope he is looking for a house." Mrs. Fujii was looking at her son while she said this, but kept her voice talking to Yuichi, who just seemed to be a loss of words. Even Karin was slightly disturbed at where this was going. To keep his mouth from speaking, Wataru reached for the mug and held it in his hands. It felt warm and smelled delightful. Bringing it to his mouth, he took a sip.

"Oh... and Wataru does have yet to bring home another girl friend."

A flustered Wataru coughed right back into the brown liquid, sending it splashing up onto his face and shirt. "M-mother!" Well, this was ironic, he thought as he stood to his feet. Kazuki stood up as well, right on quo with the splash to avoid getting the hot liquid all over him. Fujii didn't overly care, but actually sent a small look sideways to her husband who looked like he was just there. Overall, he just didn't want to get involved. Wataru put the mug down, not wanting anything else on his shirt. Coffee would never come out of these clothe...

"There are still some of your clothe in your room." Karin noted, keeping Wataru from shouting. "Kazuki, why don't you go with him...?"

The two nodded; Kazuki, frantically and Wataru, a bit more nervous. His mother watched them off. The house was two stories, so they walked up the stairs silently and headed to a back room that was down the hall to the right. Pictures lined the wall that seemed captivate Kazuki for a little while. Along the slanting wall of the stairs, were school photos, showing over time for Karin and Wataru. The first picture, showing him with rosy cheeks, teary eyes and messy brown hair, to a goofy picture with braces showing for middle school, to a handsome young man as a Freshman. It was the Wataru he fell in lo-

"Coming?" Wataru asked, holding his shirt in his hands with his bare skin showing. Kazuki nodded and followed, leaving the pictures behind. The hall wasn't that big, but rather, it was small for a hall way. Again, paintings and pictures hung on the wall, that kept turning and taking the attention of Kazuki's eyes. But something else was even more interesting... "Eh... I didn't realize that I haven't been here in so long. I never thought these things would still be here..." Wataru added as he dropped the coffee stained shirt on a bed, clad in a set of blue sheets and a fluffy light blue comforter. The walls were white with many posters of bands and some of anime's that were rather popular at the time. A book shelf to the back held a series of novels, to biographies, to picture books. Dinosaur figures stood as book holders or just because there was no place else for them.

Wataru walked to the closet and flipped through the clothe he had while Kazuki explored. The first thing he was lead to, was the bed side table, which had a lock on it. At first, he just tried to open it, but it was a fail. "There is a key somewhere around here. Good luck finding-" Kazuki held up a silver key from behind a small poster. "Ah, well don't go looking through my things!"

Kazuki quickly stuck the key in the hole and twisted it. Wataru tried to stop him, but his lover held him in a head lock, immovable. "How bad can it be? What, you have pictures of me nude and stuff?" Yuichi's eyes widened at what he did see. There were a few photo clippings and some school photos. Wataru struggled out of the grip as it got lighter and sat on the bed, a bit embarrassed.

Yuichi ignored the innocent actions and scanned through them. There were a few pictures of him and other guys, like Kawamura, so they must have been friends. A few were girls, but he really didn't seem to have any pictures of anything love related. Yet. Wataru walked over to the side table and pulled out the small note book in there. Again, he took a seat on the bed, this time, Kazuki joined him. As Wataru opened the book, Yuichi's eyes seemed to widen.

"I liked to keep things that I thought were special..." He noted, looking down at the picture in it's slot. It was lonely on the page, but it held so much meaning that it would remind Wataru he was never alone. "Kawa...Kawamura saw us that time in the park... and snapped a picture with his phone. I don't think he was planning on doing anything bad, but he was just full of disbelief..."

"Wataru?! What is taking so long? Hurry up!" Called his sister, knowing that something was probably going on. Though it was their mother that rushed this.

Wataru closed the book and put it back in the drawer with the other pictures on top of it. Kazuki still sat there, slightly in awe. How could a simple picture make him think so much? He wondered, not too sure of how he was even supposed to respond to such a thing. Pulling on a plain white shirt, then a small sweat shirt over that, he motioned for his lover to come with him. The motion, by the way, was a wake up kiss since Yuichi had clearly dazed off. This time, Kazuki blushed.

"Sorry, I was showing him what my room looked like... I didn't think you would leave that stuff there..." He mumbled, trailing off since he knew it wasn't going to be that important anyways.

The older woman looked to Kazuki only as the two took seats on the couch. Now, more than ever, they were nervous, more like freaking out! Karin was now by herself in the kitchen cleaning the dishes, but she listened in so when she was needed she wouldn't have to make her mother ask twice. Or, more of a reason, if Wataru needed her.

"You haven't had a single girlfriend since you broke up with that girl as you became a Freshman." She noted, holding her nose up high and putting her business in her sons.

"Well... I..." Wataru started, a bit flustered that it was put that way, but obviously nervous at the irony of this whole thing.

But, that's when Kazuki was the one to make a move. "Mr. and Mrs. Fujii..." He started to get their attention. The two of them looked up to him as he stood; even from the kitchen, Karin was up against the door listening to the whole thing. Yuichi bowed deeply to pay some respect. "I would like your permission to bring your son with me to America this holiday vacation."

Without a moment to even look up, he was confronted with a blatant: "No! Absolutely not!" The older woman shouted. Wataru stood up and opened his mouth to yell, but closed it and sat down with the deadly look he was given by his own mother. Kazuki looked up, not sure how to react. In his mind, he kind of figured a small debate cause that is what Wataru seemed like the person to do so he expected it from his parents, but that wasn't the case. "He is coming, and staying home with us until he can get a house of his own. We have lovely candidates that he will get along with great and he will live a normal life." Wait... she didn't figure it out did she?

"Mother! I don't want to stay here, I want to be with-"

"With that man?!" She yelled, now standing up as well. The woman pointed rudely to Kazuki. "I will not have it. Obviously he is influencing you in the wrong ways. I knew this was a bad idea."

"Y-you don't know him!" His voice soft and shaky.

"Exactly! So we can't trust him! Every year you spend the holidays with us. Your family! He is not your family!"

"Maybe I want him to be!" Wataru shouted directly at her.

The room went silent and even Kazuki had a dazed look on his face. Wataru looked around, from his parents, to his lover, then hoped to find his sister somewhere in between. His mother's face looked red hot with anger but no words came out of her mouth. Inside, he took a deep breath and stood close to Kazuki. Moving his hand just slightly to the left, he took hold of Yuichi's hand. The man responded with holding a grasp. Karin, behind the door, quickly gathered up a plate of sweets and cocoa for her parents and walked into the living room to break the silence.

"I love your son." Kazuki said, the first thing since Wataru's out burst.

"What... have you, why, are you...!!" She started out softly, but got louder to the end when another voice, not yet heard broke in.

"Let them." Spoke Wataru's father. He stood and held onto his wife's arm. He stood a bit taller than her, and had more features that looked like Wataru's. His eyes were soft and large while his hair was obviously greying, but it was in the same style of swept. She turned to him, facing him in almost shock.

"You can't be for this! Where did we go wrong with him?" She asked, clearly against such a thing, not only the going to America part.

"We didn't go wrong. Wataru." He stated, then looked to his son who was grasping his lover's hand tight. "You can go to America, but I expect a card ok?" The man said to lighten the mood. "No, we didn't go wrong. We taught him right. He has fallen for someone..."

The woman pulled out of her husband's grip and stormed past Karin into the kitchen and what sounded like walking up stairs. He sighed and looked to the two, who held such expressions, you couldn't put words to it. Not really excitement that they had permission to go, but more like the fact that they both just got rejected in favor of Wataru's mother. Which could have been sorrow or disappointment.

"Wataru... we will not make you come home for good, but it doesn't mean that we don't want to see you... stop by once in a while. Now... as for you..." He said, holding a sly look on his face. "I have a few things I want to talk to you about my son with... alone."

Kazuki chuckled, getting the joke right away while Wataru, and Karin both looked at each other with wonder. "Shoo shoo, I will call you in when I am done ok?" He told his son and daughter. The two just shrugged and left into the kitchen.

Wataru fell back on the bed back at their apartment and let out a huge sigh. He was concerned, really concerned, but not exactly sure how to put it or contemplate it since it was so damn late now. The digital clock next to his bed read eleven-thirty, but it felt like it was at least two in the morning. Kazuki unbuttoned, and pulled off his shirt, tossing it in the near by laundry basket. Along in a few minutes went his pants. This was normal, the two were now usually sleeping in just boxers. It almost felt like they were a couple - Which was Wataru's view of it all, though he hadn't expressed it. Kazuki climbed into the bed and pulled Wataru in a hug that he was obviously not expecting. The poor kid grunted slightly as he heard his back crack, though Yuichi did not let go yet. Not until his lover finally returned arms.

"Hey... Kazuki..." Wataru wondered something... "What was it that my dad wanted to talk to you about?"

Yuichi, now straddling the boy under him, couldn't help but chuckle at how innocent his lover really looked at that moment. "Do you really want to know?" I won't really ruin it... I am determined to make you mine; permanently. Like most, Wataru's father did speak to Kazuki about sexual matters, but there was something else as well that only he had picked up on... "Well, seeing as though you are a Senior in high school, and I am out of school working... he asked me how long ago we first spent a bed."Wataru blushed immensely and Kazuki only laughed. "He was only asking because he remembered that you came home one day, walking funny and that you had issues sitting down for a little while. Almost like you had something stuck up your a-"

"Kazuki!" As Wataru blushed, his lover laughed one more time before giving a more sympathetic look. "Don't say such things!"

"Why? We are not in public. Even there... we don't have to. No more..." No longer would they have to endure putting up with hiding things like their rings. The two were lovers and now, they wouldn't care who saw...

"No... more?" Wataru couldn't be anymore happier for actually hearing those words.

"Wataru... I love you so much... I don't care about anyone else anymore. Their opinions do not matter anymore..." Kazuki said with full confidence. "Honestly... even if your parents had said no completely, I would have taken you anyways..." I am determined to make you mine; permanently. Yuichi thought, leaving it out of his words.

"Ka...zu..." Though he was unable to finish since his lips were taken captive by the evil force known as his lover Yuichi Kazuki. Their breath grew grunted and misinterpreted for some sighs and maybe a moan or two. The lights overhead were out just as their elemental lights burst on, seeing through the dark to be able to find their bodies. Mumbles of "I love yous" turned into contented sighs that oddly matched the noise the bed underneath made. Bodies rocked and the sea of shadowed sheets underneath burned their memories into their skin. Hand held hand and connection held fast, holding words which trailed off like the closing of eye lids.

I am such a bad person! His mother is so out of character... but I didn't want to make it a funny/happy scene, since this is a tragedy. Which means bad stuff is going to happen! The ending sucks by the way. So don't yell at me, I just needed to finish it. The next chapter... I know you will all like. It is going to be long, rough and dangerous! Not to mention your questions and crap will be answered!

Review, comment... you know the drill...

Note. Next upload will most likely be an authors note to clarify anything. And, since it is the holidays, I am getting booked way over my head. So I am working hard on chapter five, but I might be late to post it.