Disclaimer: I own Taitsu and Tohma.

Yoru: Well, I'm back again with an all new chapter of Deai! Couldn't stand to leave you guys hanging for long, since I still feel bad about the first time I did it.

Kuronue: cough coughyeahrightcough cough

Yoru: (glare) I do feel bad! I'm glad to be back on track with this story and so off I go!

Youko wasn't sure how he had forced his way out, but before he realized what he had done he was in control of his body again. Because it was done before he realized it, he landed flat on his face in an undignified heap.

"Graceful…" came a weak voice from beside him. He practically leaped up, wrapping his arms around Kuronue and pulling him close. The Chimera coughed.

"Don't let…me die…please…"

"I won't. I swear." Youko ripped off a piece of his shirt, wrapping it around the wound. He hefted Kuronue into his arms, turning to face his brother. Taitsu, crimson eyes almost ablaze with fury, stood a few feet away. His body was translucent, adding to the eeriness of his red eyes.

"He will die. I refuse to let this be otherwise."

"You lost, Taitsu. Get over it." Youko glanced down worriedly at Kuronue's wound. Blood was already soaking the makeshift bandage.

"Kuronue, you have to hold on."

"I'm trying."

Youko felt a blast of cold air. He realized Taitsu had tried to hit him.

"Taitsu, you don't have a body. You can't hurt me."

"I refuse to give up! I will destroy you!" shrieked Taitsu, swinging wildly at his brother. Youko sighed and started walking out the door.

"You'll never escape me! I'll find a new body!"

"Okay, Taitsu." Youko darted out the door, running faster than he ever had before. Kuronue's breathing was shallow and unsteady, but Youko was not willing to lose him after all they had been through.


Kuronue was barely conscious, but he still clutched Youko's shirt in a viselike grip. He would never let go again, ever.

He was free of Taitsu, and Youko would never let him die. He clenched his hand tighter, and felt a responding squeeze from the bandit above him. Smiling, Kuronue let unconsciousness overtake him.


Youko felt Kuronue go limp in his arms, but the hand on his shirt's grip didn't waver. Youko couldn't help smiling.

"Tohma!" he shouted as soon as he entered the bandit camp. Immediately he was beset by bandits, two holding his arms and one taking Kuronue out of his arms…or trying to; Kuronue refused to let go. He woke as they pulled at his fingers. Growling weakly, he held even tighter.

"Kuronue, let go." Tohma had come out of his tent and was glaring at the scene.

"N-no…"

"Let go so we can take care of you. You won't be able to be with Youko if you die."

At these words, Kuronue let go of Youko's shirt like it was a snake. Youko watched the bandits take Kuronue into a tent. Tohma suddenly blocked his view.

"If you'd come here alone, I would have killed you. But that scene proved you're Youko. Kuronue would never have held onto Taitsu like that."

Youko shook the bandits off with a glare. He hid his smirk; regardless of their anger, they still knew who was boss.

"Tohma, you'll save him?"

"Of course. You tell him that you love him yet?"

Youko smiled, "I think he knows."


Youko entered Kuronue's tent a few hours later. The Chimera was asleep, a clean bandage wrapped around his torso. His face was no longer twisted in pain, and Youko admired his beauty. Sighing, he touched a bruise, dealt by Taitsu sometime in the past few days. Kuronue made a small noise, turning over and snuggling deeper into the blankets. Youko sat on the bed, absentmindedly running his fingers through Kuronue's long raven tresses.

Taitsu could still come back, he knew. Only this time, Youko would make sure to kill him completely.

But how?

How does one kill a ghost?

Youko growled low in his throat. He couldn't keep fighting Taitsu for the rest of his days. He had to destroy him the next time they met.

Kuronue mumbled something in his sleep. Youko leaned close, and smiled when he realized that it was his name.

"Youko…"


When Kuronue woke up, he felt a body next to him. Before he really thought about it, he had scrambled backward and wedged himself in a corner of the tent. Seeing the silver hair spread out over the pillow made it worse.

As the minutes passed, Kuronue remembered. This wasn't Taitsu, it was Youko. Youko had saved him, and was watching over him. Kuronue crawled over to Youko, peering over his shoulder into his face.

Kuronue had always thought Youko was beautiful, but now, as he slept, he was simply breathtaking. He looked innocent and yet strong, and Kuronue's heart swelled with love.

He sighed as he admitted it to himself: he was smitten with his savior.


Youko woke to the feel of a warm hand on his shoulder. He turned over to see the Kuronue curled up beside him. The Chimera was awake, dark eyes half-lidded as he smiled serenely at Youko.

"How do you feel?" Youko asked, hand traveling to Kuronue's cheek and stroking it.

"Okay. My stomach hurts a little, but not nearly as much as it did."

"I mean emotionally."

Kuronue shrugged, "Drained."

Youko nodded and moved his hand into Kuronue's hair, running his fingers through the Chimera's bangs. Kuronue shifted position so that he lay on his back.

"Taitsu can still come back, can't he?" he asked suddenly. Youko sighed.

"Yes. But I'll destroy him next time."

"No. I will." Kuronue sat up and looked down at Youko, a fire in his eyes.

"You? How?"

"I don't know. But after what he did to you…"

"Me?" Youko was shocked. Kuronue was the one who had been beaten, raped, and used. Why was he saying all of this?

"It's true that Tohma and I took the physical abuse, but you love us and Taitsu tried to break you by using us. It's unforgivable."

Youko sighed again and pulled Kuronue into an embrace.

"We'll destroy him together."

"You just try it."

They turned to see a man in the door…or rather, a decayed corpse. Familiar red eyes shone out from the depths of rotting flesh.

"How can you kill that which is already dead?"