A/N: Another update, mostly EyesXKanone and RioXKousukeXRyouko.

Disclaimer: I do not own Spiral.

"Eyes, why did you leave her back there? Eyes?" Sometimes Kanone thought that silver-haired prince was in his own world. "Suit yourself," he sighed, retreating back into the kichen where Rutherford had abandoned the groceries on the counter. Hmm, it certainly didn't look like Rutherford was going to cook tonight. And if was such a shame too because Kanone missed those home cooked meals. Living on fast food was a chore by itself. But what was the point in eating healthy when dying young? Perhaps he should just call room service like he had the night before and the night before that.

"Kanone?"

"Hmmm, so the silver hair prince calls." Kanone smiled affectionatly. He had always had a soft spot for Eyes. Just like how he had always had a soft spot for cats. But Eyes was closer to him than a brother. "What's wrong?" The renowned pianist was still sitting on the chair that he left him in. "You know, there was a time when you used to tell me everything." But that was also the time when he didn't try to kill the only thing he loved. His eyes darkened for a moment, remembering recent events he would rather forget. No more. Eyes would suffer no more because of his misguided thoughts.

It was then that he realized what was wrong. Eyes was clutching his side. They were all missing a rib. That was what made them Blade Children. The missing rib. Those nasty things that periodically cause them all pain. Kanone couldn't bear the fact that his younger brother was suffering. And Eyes who couldn't cry out...There was always something very sad in a kid who couldn't cry. He had once said, I'll be your tears. But that was years ago.

"For how long?" he asked, pointing to his condition. The condition that all of them shared.

"It's been worse ever since you've left," Rutherford answered. Kanone nodded solemnly. The never-ending pain was the badge of honor for being a Blade Child. Children who killed and died young. There was no happy ending for any of them. That was fact. None of them could expect to live very long. That was their recklessness playing their part. Besides, what were you going to do with children who didn't care if they lived or not. Just playing their part. The "gun with wings" knew that long and well. He was perhaps the oldest of their little group. The most experienced. The only one who had truly known despair while the others were still preoccupied with their hopes.

"Don't worry about me...H-Hizumi has him." Eyes held a note in his hands. "Narumi-Otouto."

"Did you tell the others?"

Eyes shook his head. Good, the others didn't know about Hizumi. The despair to their hope. The despair... "It would probably kill them if they knew when they already have so little to look forward to."

"Eyes, you think too much," he smiled warmly. People often thought the pianist cold and unfeeling but Kanone knew that Eyes truly cared. "Go to sleep. I'll keep watch," he said, gladly taking guard duty like when they were younger and it was just the two of them.

Rutherford nodded. There was something so natural in having Kanone there and sleep soon swallowed him. Able to rest easy with Kanone by his side. His tormented mind finally at peace.

"Eyes, I'll always be your tears," Kanone whispered into the night, watching Rutherford's beautiful sleeping form. I'll always protect you.

The light. The blinding light. So bright. It was almost like someone was holding a flashlight to his face. Someone was. He squinted. He found that someone had also removed his glasses, wrapped his bandages, and his left arm was going numb. He could barely make out the shilouette of the pint-sized bomb specialist who held a flashlight to his face. "Rio? W-Where am I?" He remembered the hard pavement. Someone distictively shaking him...And a soft bed? "Rio, where am I?" he repeated.

"Kosuke! You're alive! Well, you're in Ryouko's apartment, of course!" the girl with pigtails said cheerfully.

"How did I ge---"

"She dragged you here!" Rio winked as she pointed to the athlete's sleeping frame that lay next to him on the bed. Everyone knew that Kousuke and Ryouko were a couple, even if the two refused to admit it. How they fought with each other...How they fought for each other... It was so natural that Kousuke shouldn't have been surprised to find Ryouko hugging his arm in a death grip. No, he was just sorry that he wasn't getting his arm back any time soon. "She nearly passed from carrying ya," Rio teased.

"Shut up, pipsqueak!"

Rio grinned. It was their running gag. She was small. So what? Kousuke knew very well that Rio had no trouble taking out him and a good chunk of the bad guys as well. "Where did you guys go, anyways?" Rio continued pestering him.

"Um...we were running and..." Kosuke blushed, suddenly remembering his confession. I love you, he had told his childhood friend. "...eh, I-I don't remember much after that," he lied, using the blanket as a cowardly shield to protect his embarrassment.

"So, that's all..." Rio's voice trailed off. Huh? Normally, Rio would have been as hopelessly annoying as Ryouko and pressured him until she got the information out of him. But she didn't even seem to notice that he was beet red. That's strange...

Kousuke sat up. "Uh Rio, did something happen while me and Ryouko..." he blushed. He couldn't even say her name without blushing.

"Uh, yeah..." the girl dropped her normally cheery disposition. "While you were sleeping, Kanone called. Hizumi has Narumi-Otouto."

"Kiyotaka's little brother," Kousuke muttered bitterly under his breath. "Him again. Do we ever talk about anything else? Eh, Rio?" The girl pouted.

"That's not very nice." He winced. For a second, he had thought that she was going to slap him. It wouldn't be the first time. "Just be ready tomorrow," was all she said. "We're gonna find hope," she said with some of her usual spunk back. Hell, she had a lot of it. Her face glowed with determination.

"Kousuke?" He tensed as the figure next to him moved. "What's wrong with Rio?" Ryouko asked groggily. She had just waken up as the boy with reddish-pink hair froze. "Oh, never mind," she dismissed. She strangled him in another hug.

Oh, why do I hang out with women who could kill me? Kousuke thought and he tried to free himself from her arms. No avail. The more he tried...he just ended up more tangled up in limbs. His heart was racing. His cowardly hide just couldn't take it anymore. Shit. Ryouko was crying.

"I-I almost lost you again!" she sobbed. So...even tough girls could cry. Kousuke knew that Ryouko was tough. Helluva lot tougher than him. And he had just the bruises to prove it.

Kousuke finally surrendered and quit struggling. His better self decided not to say anything because he knew that he always got in trouble when he opened his big mouth. Instead, he just silently lent a shoulder to cry on. He sighed, knowing this was going to be a long night and an even longer morning.

To be continued...

A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing. Hopefully more updates soon. :)