Of Butterflies And Bumblebees
Chapter 4: Demon
By Ice Lioness
Loveless Fan Fiction
Rating: R (sexual situations)
Status: Chapter 4 of ?? Posted
Couple: Soubi x Ritsuka
Summary: Soubi watches as Ritsuka slowly begins to change from a delicate boy, to a cold blood man and wonders how best to bring back the Ritsuka he fell in love with.
Started: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 12:42
Finished: Monday, November 5, 2007 - 19:53
Disclaimer: I do not own Loveless nor any of its characters. Loveless is property of Tokyopop and Yun Kouga.
(Authors Note)
Ice Lioness: It's amazing! We've made it to Chapter 4!
Yuiko: Yay!
Ritsuka: ...I still don't understand what's going on...
Ice Lioness: Well, I think the story is moving along nicely. We still have quite a few chapters to go, but it's all coming together. Originally I was going to have done a large time skip, about four years when the story came to living up to its rating but I settled on keeping the pace instead. Which means that yes, Ritsuka will be twelve or thirteen, and yes, this will be shota. The lemon portion of that future chapter will be posted somewhere else, I have yet to decide where exactly but I'll post it in the author's note of that particular chapter.
Ritsuka: What's so special about a lemon that it gets its own chapter? I thought this was a Loveless fan fiction...
Soubi: ...
Ice Lioness: ...
Ritsuka: Ano... Soubi? Why are you grinning like that?
Ice Lioness: I think we better move on...
Yuiko: Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

Of Butterflies And Bumblebees - Chapter 4: Demon
"We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people." - Arthur Schopenhauer

I turn my head to look at the sketches covering my desk then look back to the canvas sitting in front of me. The due date of my art project draws nearer and I have yet to even begin my masterpiece. Over the last few weeks I had drawn several sketches of Ritsuka. Yet, as I stare at each of them, I still feel like I'm missing what this project is all about. I don't understand what the teacher wants from us. Draw the person as we see them?

Ritsuka is Ritsuka. I don't see him as anyone else. However, as I stare at these drawings, I just know there is something more here.

With a sigh I give up on the attempt and lay the piece of charcoal down. I calmly wipe my fingers free of the black substance and stand, moving into the kitchen for a glass of water. Only three and a half weeks left before I have to turn in a finished piece and I don't even have the rough sketch done.

I glance at the clock an- Damnit! I was supposed to meet Ritsuka at his school half an hour ago to pick him up. I quickly finish the contents of the glass and set it in the sink before I rush into my room and change. Within minutes I have the door locked and I'm jogging down the street. After ten minutes, nearly being run over by two cars, and several dodged people later, I arrive at the school to find no Ritsuka. I glance around quickly, hoping to see him somewhere on the grounds. Did I pass him in my rush to get to the school?

I spot Yuiko and make a beeline towards her. She spots me before I reach her and her face lights up as she abandons Yayoi in my favor.

"Soubi-kun! What are you doing here?" She looks up at me with her cute innocent eyes and if I had the time to smile I would, but other, more pressing matters are on my mind. Like where Ritsuka is.

"Have you seen Ritsuka?" I try to submerge the panic rising in my voice and I have to congratulate myself on that task.

Yuiko tilts her head at me then points in a direction opposite the direction I came from, "Yeah, he went down that way. He saw something and just started running."

I barely stop long enough to give her a short thank you before running off in the specified direction. Was it Zeroes? Could it be someone from Septimal Moon? Could it be...? I stop that train of thought with a shake of my head. No. It wouldn't be him.

I run into the nearby park and begin to jog through it, dodging trees and people alike as I look for a familiar set of ears. I hear two arguing voices off to my right and decide to give it a closer investigation. I move towards a few trees, oddly placed close together. Quickly I distinguish Ritsuka's voice and my feet move all that much faster. I come to a stop between two trees and my heart nearly stops.

Standing no more than three feet away from me is a tearful Ritsuka. That isn't the shocking part. It's the person he's facing that causes such a heart stopping reaction. Standing there, a smirk on his face and a black mane, still complete with ears, is none other than Ritsuka's brother and my old master.

Seimei.

"I thought you were dead... They found your body, how can you be here...?" Ritsuka's tear filled words assault my ears and my heart goes out to the boy.

The smirk on Seimei's face causes a frown to mar my features, what is he planning?

"Why, I crawled back from the dead so I could come back to mother. Don't think for even a second you could try to replace me." Seimei's words cause Ritsuka's eyes to widen as my own in turn narrow. Something definitely isn't right.

Ritsuka's head shakes frantically and I don't know if it is in attempt to hold his tears back or respond to Seimei's accusation, perhaps, it's a little of both, "N-no! I would never try to replace you!"

A cold, bitter laugh erupts from Seimei's throat and I can't help but cringe. The elder man sets his eyes once more on Ritsuka and a grin plasters itself across his face, "No, you didn't replace me, because you couldn't. You'll never measure up to me. You know as well as I that mother favors me over you."

I wait for Ritsuka to retort but he says nothing as the tears slowly begin to trickle down his cheeks. Why isn't he defending himself?

Seimei seems to take this as a sign to continue his taunts and speaks once more, "Mother would be so excited if I returned, she'd probably forget all about you. All about the pitiful second son she had." He laughs once more and my gaze centers on Ritsuka.

The broken look on his face is the last straw for me and I walk from my hiding place, doing nothing to hide my presence any longer, eager to make myself known if it'll save Ritsuka from this humiliation. Ritsuka seems shocked to see me, though Seimei smirk becomes ever more present upon his face, "Oh my, my. If it isn't Soubi."

I remain silent for the moment, I don't really know what to say to him, nor do I know how to address him. The sniffles behind me draw my attention and I glance behind to see Ritsuka frantically trying to get his composure together. My eyes narrow as they focus once more on Seimei, my mouth opens as I ready to open a battle but I'm cut off by the elder Aoyagi boy with a dark chuckle, "Now, now, Soubi. It's much too early in the game for that."

With that he turns and starts to walk off, his black tail swaying behind him, "Until next time, little brother."

He disappears behind the trees and I stare at the spot he once stood in, my mouth sliding closed. After a few minutes I hear a small hiccup and turn. Ritsuka stands there, ears and tail drooping, his eyes red, and tear stains on his cheeks.

I take the short few steps towards the younger boy and wrap my arms around his form. For a few moments we remain still, till I feel his small hands knotting in my shirt. I tighten my hold on him and he struggles after a few moments, the usual fire lighting in his eyes, "Stop smothering me."

I can't help but smile, my arms moving so my hands rest on his shoulders, "Of course." My smile widens and I take the boys bag off his shoulder, slipping it onto my own before lifting his small body into my arms. He blushes and struggles, trying to escape my grasp.

"Soubi!"

I merely laugh, doing my best to hold the cat-eared boy, "I'll drop you if you don't stay still."

That seems to do the trick and he stops moving, though the blush darkens a bit, "Put me down."

I only smile and start to head out of the park, "Where would you like to go?"

He's silent for a long moment so as we reach the edge of the trees I stop, looking down at Ritsuka. He just seems to pout before muttering under his breath, "Home."

My smile fades and I give a nod. The thought of returning him to his mothers clutches unnerves me, but, I'm only a fighter. What right have I to argue? My feet turn and begin the trek to the Aoyagi household.

Ritsuka looks around a bit before looking up at me with a look of confusion on his face. I smile and answer his unspoken question, "I'm taking you back to your mother."

He shakes his head and looks back up at me with what appears to be irritation and...embarrassment...? His gaze turns away as he speaks and the blush on his face darkens, "No. I want to go home."

I stand there for a long moment, unable to believe my ears. Did I just hear what I think I heard out of him? The smile widens across my lips and I nod, turning in the direction of my apartment. He seems to relax at this though he no longer looks me in the eye. Sometimes he's just so cute. I lean down and brush my lips against his, causing the boy to tense in my arms and for him to struggle against my chest, "Hey! Put me down!"

I laugh and this time comply, gently setting the boy on his feet. Ritsuka, blushing and all, reaches up to take the bag from me then starts to walk off. I smile, leading the boy away from his demon and to the safety of my home.

Maybe, just maybe, everything will be all right.

(Authors Note 2)
Ice Lioness: All right. That's the end of that chapter. Didn't really go anywhere but I really wanted to put something up so. Here it is. Sorry it's also a bit shorter than the last two but I promise to make up for it with the next chapter.
Ritsuka: And when do you plan on putting that one out...?
Ice Lioness: Hush you. Anyway, with any luck I'll have it out sometime in the next two days or by the end of the week. I'll try to get the next one out faster.
Soubi: Preview and review responses are below. Please review and flames are accepted. Thank you.

Chapter 5: Pastels
Ritsuka and Soubi get to spend a quiet weekend at home and we get a bit of a dip into Soubi's thoughts on Ritsuka.

Review Responses:
Vicious Cabaret: Thank you for your support and don't worry, both you and Soubi will get your wish, I wont change the rating. X3
Deshera: Thank you!
sasuke5010: Thank you! Hope you enjoy it.
Vanessa: Aww, very appreciated. Thank you!
Panicchannel: Thank you and I will!
Sonya4ever: lmao, that's great. I'm sure you're portraying the characters just fine. Let me know when you post it, I'd love to read it. Also, lemons can be a bit tricky, but, as they say, practice makes perfect. X3
dragonlance: Thank you very much, I do my best with each story and while I have a bit of difficulty with first person, I think it's going along quite good, as well.