Author's Notes: Alright guys, I'm really sorry that I couldn't update earlier, but I had stuff going on in my life that was more important than writing. I have priorities, and I'm sorry to say that fanfiction isn't one of the top ones. Even so, I re-wrote chapter 3 because I didn't like the last version. Now, I know it's a little short (only 4 pages, Dx), but I wanted this to be more of an explanation chapter than anything. It's still a vital part of the story.

So, here it is... finally.

By the way, thanks for all the reviews! This is the most reviews I have ever gotten for a story I've written, and only for two chapters! Thank you all so much! (:

Also, on another note, I'm starting a Loveless fan group on MSN Groups! Please tell me in your reviews if you'd be interested in helping me out. I would really like to just get together with other Loveless fans and role play, share fanfiction, etc. Leave me your e-mail and we'll talk it over. (:

I would also like to apologize for all of the grammar mistakes in the last chapter. I'm no longer using Microsoft Word, and am currently using OpenOffice Writer, and the spell check doesn't seem to want to pickup any mistakes that I make. Sorry! ): Must be defected.

NOTE: After reading manga scanlations, I realized that Ritsuka actually does have a father. That was bad on my part for saying that he didn't. But I have a plan to fix this situation, haha. (:

And as promised, here's a longer, fluffier chapter for you all to read.

Summary: AU. Kio makes a bet that Soubi can't go without sex for a single month. However, when Kio introduces him to his "temporary lover" Ritsuka, a weak and abused boy attending their school, will Soubi give into temptation, or will he change for the better? SOUBIxRITSUKA

Disclaimer: I don't own Loveless or any of it's characters. I also don't own the plot line for "40 Days and 40 Nights".

"T-thank you, Agatsuma-san," Ritsuka said quietly as the older man set a mug of hot chocolate down on the coffee table and handing him a fleece blanket.

Soubi only smiled as he handed the other a blanket and sat down next to him, sipping his drink carefully.

"I didn't know if you wanted anything to eat, but I can go get you something if you'd like," Soubi said politely, looking down at the other, taking in his petite form. Soubi thought it was rather unusual for a high school student to be so small and fragile...

"A-ah, no thank you," Ritsuka replied, and, blushing as he caught the other staring at him, Ritsuka pulled the blanket over his shoulders. Soubi's smile widened at the sight.

"Sure?" Soubi argued. "They have great specials on today. I'll buy," he finished, trying to be a gentleman.

"I'm fine, really," Ritsuka said a little strongly, looking away from blonde. "I'm not hungry, anyways..."

Soubi raised an eyebrow in quiet contemplation, pondering over the boy's sudden change of attitude. "Well, alright..."

It remained silent for a few moments, Soubi lost in his thoughts, and Ritsuka trying not to draw any more unwanted attention to himself, neither able to find any appropriate words to say. But Soubi, sensing the boy's tension on the subject, decided to enlighten the mood.

"So," Soubi said finally, "what do you plan on doing after you finish high school, Ritsuka-kun?"

Ritsuka blinked in surprise at the drastic change in subject. "Er..." he started nervously. "I'm not sure yet..." he said in a near-whisper and looking down into his lap. "...What about you?"

Soubi, who again was surprised at the other's strange actions, had to take a moment to gather himself before speaking. "I've been thinking about going to a university of arts. I'm into Japanese art," he replied simply, not digging too deep into the subject.

"Really?" Ritsuka said, astonished, glancing at the blonde and sitting up straight. "That's cool, Soubi! Not a lot of people can do Japanese art!" he finished, a smile gracing his lips delicately. Though, Soubi realized that it wasn't a smile that quite reached his eyes...

He only smiled.


After parting ways with Soubi a few minutes earlier, Ritsuka began trudging his way up the stairs to his dorm room. As soon as he reached the top of the staircase, Ritsuka rested against the door as he attempted to catch his breath, a tiny hand resting over his heart and clutching against his chest tightly. He closed his violet eyes as needles of pain shot through his body and a sense of dizziness came over him. Breathing heavily to regain himself, the boy slowly turned and, after working the door knob, entered his room.

The short walk over to his bed seemed to stretch on forever, but Ritsuka was thankful when he was finally able to rest upon the comforting surface. The boy turned over on his side and groaned painfully, a few quiet tears slipping from beneath his eyelashes. His only wish was for this searing pain to run it's course, to take Ritsuka in it's deadly arms and cover him in a blanket of enveloping darkness. He couldn't live every day like this any longer. The pain was too great for his delicate body to handle, and Ritsuka didn't know how many more days, weeks, or months he could take it.

These days, Ritsuka didn't even think about anything longer than months. He knew he wouldn't be alive long enough to ponder on what fortune the years to come would bring him.

That's why he couldn't answer Soubi today.

What was he going to do after high school? There wouldn't be an 'after high school' for Ritsuka...

When he was twelve years old, after the death of his older brother Seimei, Ritsuka fell into a deep depression that he still struggles to escape. His eating habits plummeted, and after a year the habit became an illness as his body developed both anorexia and bulimia. Throughout the next two years until he was fifteen, his body began to eat away at his organs from a lack of food in his system, and his heart was the main target of the frenzy. Now Ritsuka tries to eat at least once a day to prevent any further damage, but he knows that the hole in his heart is already big enough to kill him. It can't pump and circulate blood through his body properly, and he often has a shortage of fluid to the brain, causing nausea, dizziness, and Ritsuka often becomes faint. He cannot participate in any form of physical activity for a long period of time, or even walk for more than half an hour before he needs to rest.

With his condition, there would be no future for Ritsuka to look into.

A single tear streaked down Ritsuka's face.

Vrrr.

Ritsuka slowly opened his puffy red eyes as the cell phone in his pocket vibrated annoyingly against his thigh. Knowing it could be none other than his mother, Misaki, Ritsuka shakily reached into his pocket and pulled out the intruding device.

"Yes, mother?" Ritsuka said, trying to sound moderately happy. His mother had bought him the cell phone before he left to go to boarding school, knowing that her son might have a problem reaching a phone if he had one of his attacks. She wanted Ritsuka to be able to call for help if something was ever to happen to him.

But truth be told, Ritsuka had no plan to call for help if death was on his door step.

"Hello, honey," came a feminine, cheerful voice from the other line. "How are you? I just thought I'd call and see how you're doing on your first day."

"I'm fine, mother, thank you..." Ritsuka said as he clutched his chest tightly.

"Are you all settled in? How are things there? Have you met anyone new?" Misaki continued on.

Ritsuka smiled slightly at her evident curiosity. "It's ok, mom, the school is nice... And I made a new friend today." He said this last part with more enthusiasm, though one may not have noticed.

"Really, dear? That's great! I hope you two will get along fine," she said proudly, but with a hint of worry in her voice. She knew that her son had socializing problems and had difficulty making friends. Misaki was aware that, despite how many times she told him not to worry and that his heart could be fixed, Ritsuka had given up on life, and often didn't want to meet new people, knowing that he would soon have to leave them. Not only would it bring Ritsuka pain to have to leave the people he'd grown to love, but he also didn't want to bring suffering to others. However, Misaki figured that if Ritsuka could find just one person who cared about him, he could continue on living.

"Me too, mother, he's very nice," Ritsuka said with a small smile.

"Well, I'm happy to hear about that," she replied. "...But I have to go now, honey, Ritsu and I need to go grocery shopping."

"Oh..." Ritsuka said quietly, his smile fading at the mention of Ritsu-san. "Alright then."

Ritsu was his mother's boyfriend, and he wasn't a pleasant person to be around. Ever since Ritsuka's father and mother divorced after the death of Seimei, Ritsuka's older brother, Ritsu had been around to take the role of husband in their broken family. However, Ritsuka often got the impression that Ritsu hadn't married Misaki for her love, but so that he could be around Ritsuka more often. Ritsuka was too young to understand it at first, but Ritsu always had this strange glint in his eyes whenever he saw the boy, and it was an emotion that he wasn't quite aware of at the time. But when he was older, Ritsuka understood what the other man wanted, and he got the message in a way he wish he hadn't. It was a night he wouldn't soon forget.

Even to this day, Ritsuka continued to wear a pair of fake ears and tail for the sake of his mother.

"Good night, sweetie! Call me if you need anything," Misaki closed, ending the call.

Ritsuka sighed and put his cell phone on the nightstand near his bedside before removing his fake ears, hiding them away underneath his pillow.

He didn't even bother to change his clothing or turn off the lamp as he began to drift into a restless sleep, a new kind of pain beginning to invade his chest as he dreamt about Seimei, Ritsu, and for some reason...

Agatsuma Soubi.

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Author's Notes: Well, that's it... Sorry for this chapter being so short despite the fact that I promised it would be longer, but I decided to re-write this chapter, as explained earlier. I needed a chapter to kind of explain some of the important aspects of the story and build the foundation. The next chapter will be more about Soubi, as this one is more so focused on Ritsuka. I have an entire week off to do nothing ('cept work xx), so in my free time I will get to work on writing you guys chapter four.

Please R&R, and remember to e-mail me about that Loveless group! (: