Disclaimer – Own this I do not. To imitate Yoda I try.

A/N I had actually finished most of this about a month ago, but had set it aside during the Exam schedule because… well… there were Exams. Then I went on vacation, though I admit it was rather short. I was determined to be lazy this summer and as I was perusing my files looking for something interesting to do, I stumbled across this again. My first reaction was a horrified "I thought I'd already posted this!"

Now, without further ado, I give you the third installation of "Caught." This will be the final chapter, though I will eventually post a sequel of sorts. Though, that one will be about Kratos and Yuan… who are on Derris Kharlan.

Summary – Dealing with Seles Wilder is never easy, especially when she's your sister. Between his sister's misplaced anger and Lloyd suddenly coming down with the same bug Zelos had only a few days earlier, the ex-Chosen of Tethe'alla really needs a vacation from his… vacation…

Relapse

Zelos glowered at the wall, trying very hard not to watch as Lloyd thrashed in his sleep because, quite frankly, if he did watch then he might very well start crying. Lloyd was not supposed to get sick, after all. The gorgeous brunette was supposed to be smiling and awake and… and not suffering from nightmares that Zelos couldn't seem to save him from.

"Big brother?"

Zelos jumped in his chair, only just managing to keep the uncomfortable and, supposedly, fashionable piece of furniture from tipping over. He brought his attention over to the door and offered Seles a tired smile. "I was wondering when you'd get here."

"It's a long trip from the Abbey now that the world has been reunited," she replied coldly. Then, in a softer and much kinder tone, she asked, "is your friend going to be okay?"

"Yeah. He'll be fine; the doctor just left a few minutes ago after his fever broke. Now I just have to wait for him to wake up." Zelos paused as he moved the chair so that he could face her while still watching Lloyd and then added, "at least, that was how it worked for me when I was sick with this a few days ago while we were at Asgard."

"What exactly have you two been doing together, anyway?" Seles demanded.

"We've been collecting Exspheres so that they won't hurt people anymore."

"Exspheres don't hurt people," Seles immediately refuted. "Exspheres help people become stronger."

"Exspheres are made through the death of others. That strength comes from the souls trapped inside," Zelos countered softly. At the sight of Seles' horrified face, he stood and hugged her. "It's good to see you again, sis."

Seles stiffened at first, but she slowly relaxed and, to Zelos' surprise, hugged him back in return. "I didn't mean it, in the letter. I don't want us to sell this house… I just wanted you to come see me again.

"Can we go downstairs and talk? I'm sure Sabastion can watch over him –Lloyd? – right?"

"I… I kind of wanted to be here for him when he finally woke up," Zelos protested weakly.

"I've been hearing rumors about you two," Seles stated after a long moment. "People have been saying that you two are… are a…"

"We're a couple," Zelos finished in the affirmative, settling back into his chair. "I love him."

Seles stared at him as though he'd morphed into a monster. "He's a man; you're a man. You can't… you can't love him! That's just… it's wrong!"

"We don't think so."

"That's because you're both sick in more ways than one. What would you're hunnies say…"

"They said good for us and then told Lloyd what would happen to him if he broke my heart… which is only fair because Raine said the reverse to me." Zelos' expression had long since morphed into a frown. "I knew you weren't going to take this well."

"Of course I'm not going to take this well. This is…" Seles grew silent and then pinned him with a glare. "This is a sin."

"So it's a sin to be in love?" Zelos sighed and cut her off before she could respond. "The Church of Martel has been abolished and it's edicts that cause prejudice of any kind have been abandoned. Does it really bother you so much that it is him and not a her who makes me so happy?"

"You certainly don't look happy now," Seles observed.

"Of course I'm unhappy right now!" Zelos took a deep steadying breath. He didn't need to let loose his temper, but it was getting harder to hold it in check. "My boyfriend is sick," Seles twitched, "and my darling sister doesn't seem to be able to feel much beyond hatred for me. Oh yes, why aren't I happy?"

"I don't hate you…" she whispered.

"Well you don't show that very often. Every time I came to visit you when we were younger, you'd start yelling at me and not stop until I left. That's why my visits slowed. I thought you didn't want to see me."

"I thought you didn't like me," Seles whispered.

"Me? I always went out of my way to treat you kindly. I always told you that I loved you, sis," Zelos sighed and leaned back into his chair. "Why didn't you believe me?"

"I… I was afraid you really hated me. I didn't mean to push you away… it just… happened." Seles moved her gaze onto Lloyd, who shifted and mumbled incoherently in his sleep. "Do you really love him?"

"Yes, I do. He's… I know he isn't perfect, but I love him, flaws and all, and I know he feels the same for me."

"So he loves you, flaws and all," she echoed.

"Yes, he does."

"I… I don't know what to think, Zelos. I've been taught to hate gays…"

"And I was taught to hate half elves. It isn't easy to get over conditioning like that, but I've done well enough that I adore my darling sister who stands before me and consider Raine and Genis, two half elves, to be as good as family."

"I'll try," she promised. "I can't make any guarantees, though. Zelos… I need to go think about this," she whispered and then fled the room.

Zelos stood, prepared to go make sure that she was all right, but halted when a sleepy voice called out his name.

"Zelos? Zelos are you there?"

He was immediately at Lloyd's side. Zelos linked his hand with the sick hero's and used his other hand to brush the hair away from his love's chocolate brown eyes. "I'm right here, Lloyd."

"Didn't mean to get sick," he mumbled, squeezing Zelos' hand apologetically.

"That isn't your fault. You caught it from me…"

"Not your fault either," was the emphatic interruption. "Was Seles here? Thought I heard angry voices… or was I still sleeping…"

"She was here," Zelos answered. "Um… I suppose she didn't take the news about us very well, but she's promised to think about it and… to try and accept it."

"Seles loves you, Zelos… she'll come around…" Lloyd struggled to sit up, ignoring the protests that Zelos made, and hugged the redhead with a surprising amount of strength.

"Love you," they each whispered.

----

"I'm not an invalid, Zelos. I can feed myself, you know."

Smirking, Zelos put down the soupspoon and leaned over to kiss Lloyd soundly. When he, reluctantly, moved away, the recuperating teen was too dazed to protest when another spoonful was fed to him. "You fed me when I was sick; it's only fair that I return the favor, love."

"Mm… oh, yeah. You insulted me so I shoveled food into your mouth to quiet you…"

"I only say sweet things, Lloyd," Zelos deadpanned. Then he prepared to feed Lloyd another bite of the soup. "Now I know how you felt when I was sick… goddess, you scared me, Lloyd."

"I guess that, whatever it was, it definitely wasn't that flu going around Asgard," Lloyd said and then he leaned over to slurp up the soup from the spoon. "Let's not get sick again any time soon," he added when he'd finished. "You looked so sad every time I woke up; I don't like seeing you sad. I like getting you to smile."

The bowl was empty, so Zelos set it aside and then clambered on top of the covers and pulled Lloyd into his arms. Burying his face in the brunette's hair, Zelos felt himself start shaking slightly.

"Zelos!" Lloyd struggled in an effort to turn around and return the embrace. "Zelos, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing," he stammered out, pulling away slightly and sniffling. "I… I don't deserve you, ya know? I've always been a terrible, spoiled creature…" he swiped his hand at the tears that had appeared in his eyes.

"I doubt you've ever been genuinely spoiled, love," Lloyd said, finally managing to turn and wrap his arms around Zelos' waist. "I know your life's been hard on you, even if you don't want to admit it."

He didn't answer, he just held Lloyd closer. Breathing in Lloyd's scent, Zelos finally felt himself calm down and relax for the first time since Lloyd had passed out the day before.

----

Lloyd grumbled something unintelligible as Zelos pulled the brunette insistently towards the gaggle of noblewomen that normally swarmed about the Chosen. "Hello, hunnies. I'm baaack," he singsonged happily.

"Uh, yeah, we can see that," Anne, the unofficial leader of the group teased. "You're… Lloyd, right?" she asked, redirecting his attention to Zelos' companion.

"Yep, that's me," Lloyd confirmed, reaching a hand up to shade his eyes. "Ugh, after Asgard, this place is burning up."

"It isn't that bad, Lloyd," Zelos said, linking his arm with Lloyd's. "Anyway, Anne… Merete, everyone, really… Lloyd and I are… we're, uh dating now…" he paused and blushed as the entire group squealed in delight.

"Oh, that's great! We're so happy for you, Zelos!" all of them said in some variation. Anne waited for silence and then added, "though I don't doubt your both in love and will live very happy lives together for the rest of your lives… Lloyd, just know that if you break the heart of our dear Zelos you'll have all of us, plus a few, tracking you down to do unmentionable things to you."

Lloyd paled at the threat and nodded emphatically. "Trust me, I'll never break Zelos' heart. I love him too much…" Lloyd's cheeks turned pink as he glanced over at the object of his affections.

As the girl's 'awww-ed' again, Lloyd leaned against Zelos slightly. He waved off the concerned look that the redhead sent him and then brushed the hair out of his eyes while breathing a heavy sigh. "Are you sure you don't think it's too hot out here?" he muttered so that only Zelos could hear. "I feel like I'm being toasted…"

Zelos tugged off his gloves, ignoring the curious looks the ladies sent his way, and put his left hand up against Lloyd's forehead. "And here I was hoping you hadn't caught what I had…"

"I'm not sick," Lloyd protested, but to no avail.

"It feels perfectly fine out here; the only one who's hot right now is you… and I'm not talking about looks, love…" ignoring yet another group squeal, Zelos started tugging Lloyd towards the mansion while making hasty good-byes to his friends.

"Zelos…" Halting at the suddenly weak voice Lloyd was using, Zelos halted in front of the steps to his house and turned to his boyfriend. "You're right… I don't feel so good…" Lloyd started to bring a hand up to his forehead and then collapsed towards the ground. Stunned, but not immobile, Zelos caught Lloyd's prone figure in his arms as panic began coursing through his veins…

"Zelos?"

The redhead jerked awake and he looked over to the doorway where Seles stared at him uncertainly. "Uh… yes?" Taking a quick stock of his surroundings, he was relieved to find that he was in his room on his bed with Lloyd asleep in his arms. What relieved him further was the definite lack of fever in the Sylvarantian's body.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you…"

"It's fine, Seles. Really, it's fine."

"You both look… actually… kind of cute together." She smiled and walked over to sit at the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry about the things I said earlier and the way I've always treated you… and don't say that's fine too. I want to make it up to you. I don't want to impose… but could I join you and Lloyd on your journey together? I won't be a third wheel or anything, I promise," she asked quickly, her eyes pleading. "I really can be helpful."

"I doubt Lloyd will mind and… and I'd like for you to come with us, Seles." Zelos paused, considering his next choice of words. "Actually, you probably won't be the only one joining us. Genis has been mourning the death of the guy he had a crush on, the kid is bi… the last time you saw him I think he still had a thing for Presea. The point is; he could really use a friend to cheer him up and something to do that would take his mind off his grief. Do you think that you can be the friend he needs?"

"I… I'd like to try, big brother. But doesn't Genis have a sister to watch out for him?"

"We haven't asked her about it yet, but I think she'll agree that Genis really does need to find a release for his pain and that joining our Exsphere hunt may very well be what the doctor ordered."

Seles nodded and a few minutes later she closed the door to let Zelos get back to sleep.

Snuggling closer to Lloyd, Zelos pulled himself under the blankets and readjusted them both so that they wouldn't get cricks in their necks. Just before he drifted off to sleep, a smile on his face, Zelos wondered how he was going to explain to Lloyd that their 'alone time' was basically over.

----

Zelos woke up to the feeling of fingers running through his hair and a mouth kissing its way down his neck. Moaning in appreciation, his blue eyes opened and settled lazily upon the very awake form of his boyfriend. "I always want to wake up like this."

"And how is that, exactly?" Lloyd teased, leaning up in order to capture Zelos' mouth with his own.

"W-with you here in my arms. Th-that's how…" Zelos answered after the kiss had broken and he'd managed to regain most of his ability to breathe.

Lloyd grinned and kissed the tip of Zelos' nose. "I like waking up in your arms, too. However, I suppose we're going to have to be discrete since two people are going to be joining us soon."

His face paled slightly and Zelos began to stammer out an explanation. Lloyd laughed softly and kissed Zelos again to quiet him. "I don't mind, Zelos. I understand all the reasons why," and, with that said, Lloyd craned his head up and began trailing kisses up towards Zelos' ear while the other slid his hands under Lloyd's shirt.

They were interrupted by a bright red Seles who squeaked out the message that breakfast was served and then fled.

Frustrated laughter bubbled up from both of them as they sat up. "I'm tempted to say we should stay here and continue," Zelos said when they finally stopped giggling, "but I don't know what that kind of imagery would do to my sister's psyche if we did…"

"True…"

"However," Zelos cut Lloyd off, "for waking me up in a way that makes me want to do an innumerable number of naughty things to you, I will be exacting my revenge later on." He leaned forward and kissed Lloyd softly on the lips. Then he brought his face over to mere inches before the brunette's ear and whispered, "that's a promise."

"I'm going to hold you to that promise," Lloyd warned the redhead as they regretfully left the bed, donned house slippers, and, in Lloyd's case, a robe, and then left the room together.

A/N I was actually going to end it after Zelos fell asleep, but then the little 'wake up' scene popped into my mind and… voila. Genius. As to why Lloyd already knew Zelos' plans, he woke up when Seles walked in, too. He just didn't react.

Now, about reviewing… I really love to read feedback from my readers. So I ask that you do review. Trust me, you'll really make my day.