Chapter 6: Escape to die?

Natsuo and Ritsuka seemed to get acquainted with one another very quickly. They were going on and on talking and laughing about everything from random gypsy stuff to their own personal life stories.

"Hey you two!"

They both turn there heads at the yell, at first thinking it belonged to a guard ordering them to be quiet, but the voice sounded to young to be that of an adults.

A man, well actually a boy, walked over to their cell. He gripped the bars and leaned forward with a smirk, his long teal tail flickered behind him.

"Youji!?"

"Who else?" He asked as he started to twirl a ring of keys around his finger.

"This is your friend?" Ritsuka asked his cell mate.

"Yeah." Natsuo looked back at Youji as he started testing each key to see which one opened their cell. "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like? Dammit." He cursed when yet another key didn't work. "Besides it's not like I'm going to let these pricks pluck out your other eye."

Natsuo smiled. One because of his friend and two because another key didn't work and knowing his friend's luck it would probably be the last key he tried.

Ritsuka was glad he and Natsuo were gonna getting out, it was also nice to see Youji, who Natsuo was talking so much about. He could tell just from how Natsuo was talking about him that they were close and he cared a lot for the other boy.

"Oh my god, can you hurry up and get the right key before a guard comes and plucks your eye out!" Natsuo snapped, starting to get annoyed.

"Hey don't yell at me! This is all your fault."

"How is this my fault!?"

"For getting caught."

"I only got caught cause I pushed you out of the way."

"You were still the one that got caught!"

"Because of you!"

"Would you two stop it!" Ritsuka hushly yelled, afraid if he were to yell any louder it would alarm the guards.

Youji and Natsuo looked at him kind of surprised, not many people yelled at them, they both smiled.

"You're gonna get us caught." He warned.

Natsuo looked back at Youji. "Try the last one."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Youji put the last key in the lock and...

*Click*

The cell was unlocked and Youji pushed the door open. His ears flatted, annoyed.

"Quit sulking and undo are chains." Natsuo laughed at the other.

Quickly, Youji put the same key into the chain that held Natsuo's ankle and with that same click he was freed. Soon after he went over to Ritsuka and freed him as well.

"Hey aren't you Loveless?"

Ritsuka nodded.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Youji asked.

"Your right. What are you doing here?" Natsuo asked too.

Everyone knew how kind and caring Loveless was and that his name was only meant as tease by the Beloved gypsy, but after time it just caught on.

"I don't know. The guard said it was an order from the king and-"

"Wait the king!?" Youji turned around to Natsuo. "Why is the king getting involved with gypsys?!"

"I don't know, maybe it's because what we did last year."

"Hey!" Ritsuka shouted, remembering Nisei had been caught as well. "Did you buy chance see Beloved any where in here?"

"Yeah." Youji remembered the sight he witnessed as he was sneaking into the prison. "He knocked one of the guards out with his chains and took off."

"He got away?"

"Doesn't he always?" Natsuo smirked.

"Yeah, yeah he does." Ritsuka didn't even know why he was worried, it was true, in any situation Nisei got himself in he's always able to escape.

...

Nisei didn't know what to do as Seimei was showing him around the church, not really explaining anything just taking a walk around the place. Nisei knew that if he left he would be caught by a guard and this time odds are wouldn't be able to escape, but if he stayed with this Seimei guy who knows what would happen to him.

It was starting to irritate him. He always thought people were boring, two dimensional, and see through, always being able to tell how a person is just by looking at them, but with this guy he wasn't getting anything! He didn't know why he was helping him, or if he could even trust him, scratch that, Nisei knew better then to trust anyone, but still why was he helping him. He wanted answers.

"So what are you some religious freak?"

"No." Seimei's tone sounded bored.

"Then why are you here? Calling 'sanctuary' for me?"

"Because I want to." He shrugged not even sparing him a glace.

"Can you be more pacific?... Please." He added, though it sounded more threatening then kind.

"I got into some trouble growing up, but in here I found out I was untouchable."

"So, you use this place to escape from the law?"

"I did. But now I just come here for how calm and quiet it is."

"Uh huh. And were are you taking me?"

"I'm not taking you anywhere. You're choosing to follow me."

"I would still like to know where we are going."

"There's more then one exit to this place. You can hide at my place if you feel the need or scamper off to wherever."

"Oh so that's it! You sick fuck!"

"Please!" They both looked back over to a nun that lived in the church. "Refrain from using such crude words." She scolded the gypsy for his foul language before walking off into a hallway.

"Believe me." Seimei looked back at the gypsy boy, for the first time since they started walking. "Whatever it is you're thinking, I am not."

Nisei thought for a moment that he could be telling the truth, after all the boy still had his ears and tail. Which Nisei didn't quite understand, the boy looked very charming and talked elegantly, people must be attracted to him. So why did he still have his ears?

"Well do what you want." Seimei's voice broke Nisei from his thoughts. "It's not like I'm going to try to convince you." He turned back around and started walking again. "But I do know that gypsys can't stay confined in one place for to long."

...

"Well that was easier then I expected." Natsuo said as he, Youji and Ritsuka were walking away from the prisons.

"It was definitely easier sneaking out then it was sneaking in." Youji stated.

"Probably because they haven't noticed where missing."

"Not yet anyway."

"We should probably hurry to The Gypsy Capital before they do." Ritsuka suggested already ready to walk towards home.

"Oh no no no no. We're not going there."

"Yeah, if they do find out you two are missing that'll be the first place they send their horses."

"And they'll get there before we do and we'll just be caught again."

"Then were are we going?" Ritsuka asked, very confused. He understood that if they went towards The Gypsy Capital odds were they were gonna get caught, but he didn't understand where else they were suppose to go.

"We're going to a friends house." Youji informed.

"A friend?" He thought for a moment. "Would they be okay with me going too?"

"Of course!" Youji Laughed.

"You're Loveless remember. Who wouldn't be okay with you at there house?" Natsuo went and grabbed his arm and began pulling him. "It'll be fine."

...

It was far from fine Ritsuka thought as the 'Friend' Natsuo and Youji brought him to was Agatsuma Soubi, the same man that had made his heart and breathing stop. His ears were down as he tried to look every where the blonde wasn't. He had this weird, nervous feeling that he couldn't shake and he didn't like it.

When they had entered Soubi's home it of course woke the blonde as Natsuo and Youji yelled they were home, Ritsuka now knew they had wanted to wake the man up to introduce him to their knew friend, Loveless. He never understood why people made such a big deal about him. Anyway upon the two introducing them Soubi had kissed each of his knuckles as his way of saying 'Hello' and Ritsuka quickly pulled his hand away red.

Natsuo simply laughed calling Soubi a pervert as Youji pulled Ritsuka into the dinning area so that Soubi could fix them all food, they had a long night after all.

Natsuo looked at Ritsuka who was obviously tense and he noticed when ever Soubi walked by he got abit tenser and stopped moving.

"You know Soubi's not actually a pervert." He informed. "I was just joking, he's not a bad guy."

"Yeah, he takes care of us just because we come to him." Youji put a spoon full of food into his mouth.

"Why don't you guys live at The Gypsy's Capital?" Ritsuka questioned.

"That place is nice, but..." Youji started.

"They can't take care of themselves." Soubi informed with a smirk.

"Yes we can!" They both shouted, obviously offended.

Natsuo turned to Ritsuka. "We just like to have things done for us." He explained.

"Yeah!" Youji stuck his tongue at Soubi.

Ritsuka looked at them, they were strange. He had never heard of a gypsy depending on anyone other then another gypsy and to think someone would actually help one was strange. He looked over to Soubi who seemed to be picking out clothes for them to wear, he honestly didn't see him as a bad guy but still it's better to be safe then sorry.

"Here." Soubi placed three piles of clothes on the table. "You can change into these when your done."

"Thank you." Ritsuka whispered out, feeling like he needed to since Natsuo and Youji didn't say anything.

Soubi smiled gently at him, it was nice to see he was warming up a little and that he had manners.

"Put your dishes away when you're done." Soubi looked at the other two.

"Yeah yeah." They waved him off.

He sighed and went back towards his room still tired from being rudely awoken in the middle of the night.

...

Nisei in the end with no other choice followed Seimei out the church all the way back to his home. It was a fair size, nice then most homes and definitely nicer then the homes at the capital. It looked so very nice and clean, him being the only thing out of place.

"Wow." He whispered to himself, gently rubbing a leaf from a potted plant. "It's been awhile since I've been in a house."

Though it was just a whisper Seimei's ears still caught it. "When was the last time you've been in a house?"

Nisei thought. Not counting all the times he was violently forced into one and almost assaulted. "Ten years." He answered, to busy looking around to remember he should still be wary about the man.

That answer seemed to surprise Seimei. The gypsy looked young, so did that mean he hasn't been in a house since he was a child? Seimei wanted to know but at the same time didn't care enough to want to ask.

"You can sleep on the couch."

Nisei turned around to look at him.

"Spare blankets are in there." He pointed at a closet door. "Bathroom's that way." He pointed down the hall. "And my room's over there." He pointed towards another hallway.

Nisei peaked over a little.

"Don't go in there." He ordered.

Nisei immediately straightened his back at Seimei's cold tone.

"Good night." Seimei said, not even looking at him, before walking off towards his room.

'Who the hell does he think is?' Nisei sat back on the couch.

Who was Seimei? What was he? He wasn't really a gypsy hater, if he was he would have never helped him or worse turned him into the guards. He said he wasn't religious. And it was more than clear that he wasn't a pervert, if he was he would have offered Nisei to stay in his room not threat him for even looking at it.

Nisei yawed, his energy was spent, with all the running and being on guard. He lied down on the couch to tired to get back up for a blanket.

...

Everything was dark even though time was creeping into the hours of morning. The streets empty with everyone in there homes and beds, sleeping and resting. Though it seemed not everyone was resting as there are two cloaked shadow figures, hiding in the dark, an obvious man and woman.

"What!? Why? For what reason?!"

"Honestly, I don't think there is one."

The man turned away from his companion. His whole body language showed just how mad and angry he was at what he just found out.

"You need to warn them before it's to late."

"I wish I could, but I don't know where they are or where they went."

A troubling thought came to the woman's mind. "What if they're already caught? He could have ordered this to be done discretely. After all Loveless and Beloved are both adored not only by you guys but everyone in this kingdom."

"Yes" His hand was at his chin thinking of everything regarding the two gypsys. "Is he planing anything with anyone else?"

"Not to my knowledge. Why?"

"I sense a storm and I have a feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg." He pushed off the wall he was leaning on. "Thank you for informing us about this."

"Hai." She nodded, watching as the man left and as soon as he disappeared from her sight, she headed back the opposite way to her home.

...

Ritsuka yawed as he woke up it was nice, sleeping on an actual bed, even though Youji and Natsuo kept pushing him through the night. They all had to share a bed which was fine with all three as the bed was big and they were all still small at there age.

He crawled off the bed and stretched his, arms, leg, and tail, just like at cat would before and after it's naps.

"You're awake."

Ritsuka turned towards the door to look at Soubi.

"I was just coming to wake you three."

"Well they're still asleep." Ritsuka motioned towards the two on the bed who were hugging each other.

Soubi looked at the two boys and rolled his eyes.

"Why were coming to wake us up?"

Soubi smiled. "I made breakfast." He gestured the boy to follow him as he left the room.

Ritsuka smelt eggs and his tail swayed, he quickly followed the blonde out towards the kitchen. Where he gave him eggs, toast and a glace of milk. They both sat at the table and ate after Ritsuka thanked him for his food again.

Soubi just smiled and watched the boy as he nibbled away at his toast.

"Loveless?"

Ritsuka looked up."?"

"Whats your real name?" This was something he was wondering all night but didn't want to ask as he saw the boy was tense, but now he seemed better.

He poked at his egg with his fork. "Why do you wanna know?"

Honestly he felt kinda weird giving out his name, no really knew it. Aside from, Kio, Chouma, Nisei, Yuiko and her friends, he hadn't even told Natsuo or Youji his name. Which is why they introduced him as Loveless last night.

"Just wondering. You do have a name right?"

Ritsuka nodded. "Yes. It's Ritsuka."

"Ritsuka?"

He nodded again, there was something about the way Soubi said his name that made his cheeks tint pink.

"Whats going on in here?" Natsuo and Youji walked out of the room.

"Yeah why didn't you wake us up?" Youji asked as he sat down at the table.

Natsuo went to the kitchen and started to make him and Youji a plate.

"You to are growing up, you should be waking yourselves up, besides I thought you two said you can take care of yourselves."

"We can. Doesn't mean we want to." Natsuo sat a plate infront of Youji and himself.

...

Seimei was trying his hardest to keep his cool, but it seemed like the Beloved gypsy wanted nothing of the sort.

"I don't understand how you people can wear such dull and distasteful colors."

Seimei took a deep breath and counted to ten. Nisei would not stop complaining about his new attire, picking at everything, and anything, that he saw unfit, boring or dull.

"Well it's either that or prison." Seimei sounded as if he was ready to throw him into the slammer.

"Hmph." Nisei looked the other way and adjusted his new shirt.

They both turned their heads towards the window. There was the loud sound of many horses running around.

...

"All citizens are to meet at the town square immediately!" Guards were yelling as they ran through the town on there horses.

...

In the middle of town square the whole kingdom stood, except the gypsys since they weren't considered citizens, though there was a few there that were working before the guards started to run around collecting everyone.

Seimei and Nisei stood in the crowd as Ritsuka and his friends stood in the school's yard. Everyone was talking wondering just what was going on, but all went silent as they saw three royal assistants walking up the walkway. Which was only meant to be used by the member of the castle.

Kouya and Yamato walked infront of Nagisa, almost as if a human shield from what ever may threaten the pigtailed chairwoman. As they reached the end of the walk way, where it opened into a stage they split and stood straight on either side as she walked passed them to the center.

Nagisa looked out at the town folk most of them were already silent and those few that weren't soon shut up'd as she looked over them.

"The king has put out an order." She started loud and clear. "If anyone is harboring or knows the whereabouts of the two gypsys: Loveless and Beloved. You are to contact the guards and turn them in immediately. If you don't and are discovered to have aid the gypsys, you will be served the same sentence. Death."

Nisei heart started to race as he began to back away from Seimei ready to disappear into the crowd and hide off in The Gypsy Capital, that is until Seimei's hand grabbed his wrist in a steal grip. Nisei heart began running ten times faster, panicked. He looked over at Seimei, only Seimei was listening to Nagisa go on with what she had to say.

"Death"

Ritsuka's heart stopped as that word rang in his ears. He didn't want to die. He didn't want Youji, Natsuo, and Soubi to all die, that is if the blonde didn't turn him in to save his own skin.

Ritsuka jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder he looked up at Soubi.

"It's fine." He smiled, a warm comforting smile.

Ritsuka just shook his head. It wasn't fine! Though he didn't say anything as he let Soubi's warm hand continue to hold him.

"That is all." Nagisa turned and began to walk away, Kouya and Yamato in tow.

Whispers and mumbled words could be heard through out the crowd. Some saying it was about time for the gypsys to learn their place and others saying that they didn't want to lose their favorite gypsys.

Seimei finally let go of the Beloved gypsy's wrist no doubt leaving a bruise behind.

"Lets go Nisei."

Nisei looked as the other began to walk away and then back up to were Nagisa had been standing. Some part of him felt relief, the other part amiss and confused, either way he began following after the eared boy.

Author's Note: I'm sorry this took a long while to come out and that it may suck? But I actually kinda gave up motivation on this, but the past two month I kept getting follows and favorites for it so I decided, Hey if people like it it I'll keep writing it ^^. Sorry if this chapter was kinda slow on the action :|