CHAPTER 123

Mitsu woke to hearing the front door slam open and a stampede making it's way upstairs. All the while 'Mitsu' was being yelled. It took him a couple of seconds to feel a weight on his stomach and a mild pain to go up his back.

"Ryoma..." Snort dripped from the boy's nose and his eyes were puffy. "Why are you crying?" Mitsu grabbed his glasses from the side table before getting a better look at the cat and rubbing his legs hopping to calm him down.

"You didn't come home this morning and then you wouldn't answer my calls. So Kei went to get you then he phones me later saying that you couldn't walk. Then Eiji said it was because you got probed by aliens. Then I asked him what aliens were and he said scary green thing that live in space and the I got worried thinking that you would never return, but you're here and safe. Don't disappear, I love you too much for that to happen." Ryoma laid down so he was chest to chest with him. Mitsu winced as he moved slightly so the cat was in a more comfortable position.

"You shouldn't worry Ryoma. I promised you didn't I. I would never disappear, besides I wasn't taken by aliens." He smiled when he felt Ryoma's lips on his neck. "What are you doing?"

"Making you mine. So if aliens do come, they know not to touch you." Closing his eyes Mitsu felt Ryoma kiss his neck, knowing the boy was making a love bite he stay completely still. Taking note in how gentle the cat was being with him.

Mitsu had been laying there for 5 minutes. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at his situation. Ryoma while making the bite had fallen asleep. The captain could only conclude it was due to the amount Ryoma had forced himself to worry throughout the day had finally gotten to him. The only problem Mitsu found was he was still in pain and trying to get up along with the weight of Ryoma included was out of the question.

Bringing one of his hands up, he unclipped Ryoma hood and pulled it off the boy's head. "Ryoma..." He whispered hoping the boy would open his eyes for a few seconds. He felt the boy move and nuzzle his neck.

"I want to sleep." Came the quiet reply.

"I know. Take off your shoes and jumper then you can. Okay." Slowly, Ryoma got off the bed pulling both his jumper and shirt off at the same time. Pulling down his trousers the boy frowned when he couldn't get them past his ankle. "Shoes." Mitsu reminded him.

Eventually Ryoma cuddled into the blankets. Snaking his arms round Mitsu's waist.

The boy woke to the sound of talking. He could hear them downstairs. But what confused him most was that there was another familiar voice added. In excitement at finally recognizing it, Ryoma leaped out of bed and down the stairs and into the lounge in a flash.

"My hero!" Ryoma squealed as he dove into the other, rubbing his face into their back. "I haven't seen you in so long." He mumbled.

"Hey Ryoma." Tachibana said as he turned himself round only to freeze when he got the first look at the cat. He could only see the boy's hair, but it was what he saw on the hair that caused him to still. "Umm..." He turned his head when he heard a slapping, seeing Keigo had slapped himself on the forehead due to the boy.

"Brat, for crying out loud. How the hell do you forget to put on clothes before greeting people?" Kippei could feel the boy's hands ball into fists on his shirt before letting go. It was then he finally got a look a the boy's front. He could feel his heart stop at seeing the scar running down his chest. He barely caught the tail swinging viciously from side to side show how anxious Ryoma really was.

"I... I..." Was all the cat could stutter out as he tried to think of an excuse. Ears on his head bent flat against his skull as he finally grabbed his tail twisting his hands around it in his own way to comfort himself. Taking a step back to the lounge door, Ryoma back hit a solid object. Turning, he looked into bright blue eyes.

"Ryo-Chan... You okay?" Syu asked, taking note straight away on the boy's posture.

If Kippei Tachibana had trouble speaking before, now it was totally out of the question. He could feel this lump in his throat making it hard to get any sound out. 'His back.' The Fudomine captain thought. He couldn't take his eyes off all the burns, scars or the fact the no where on the boy's back wasn't covered. 'How can he be so happy?' Was the question he asked himself.

He noticed the boy's tail coming out from a hole in the boxers and followed it up. 'Is it part of his spine?' Was his next question. He knew that cat tails were part of it and seeing the angry red scar going up Ryoma's back silently confirmed it.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking down he met golden. "Do you hate me?" Opening his mouth to speak he still felt that lump forcing nothing to come out. He was stumped. How was meant to react to this. He never would of imagined that the torture the cat went though was so server.

"I have to go." And like that, he knew he had said the wrong thing even before they passed his lips. "Bye." Leaving in a hurry, he tried to collect his thoughts on the whole thing.

Ryoma stood there stunned. Hearing the front door open and close telling him that his so called hero had left. 'It's all my fault. Because of me he ran. Just like master said. I'm a beast. A monster. No one should love me.'

Opening his mouth, the cat roared and punched the wall. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his hand he looked over to Syu and then Kei. "Leave." He said in an animalist tone.

Kippei Tachibana had gotten to the end of the driveway when he heard the roar coming from inside the residence that he just left. Guilt coursed though his entire being. He knew he shouldn't of left. He knew he should of stay and told the boy that they'll be friends no matter what.

Tachibana ran home. Slamming the front door to his house shut, he leaned against it and slid to the ground holding his head in his hands. He hated himself. 'How can I hurt him like that? He always seems happy when around others.' Deep in his mind he answered his own question. 'It's just an act. If he seems happy no one will worry.' Taking deep breaths he held the tears down. He didn't want to cry. Kippei heard the door behind him click and could feel someone trying to open it.

"Hey, anyone here?" Came the voice of his little sister.

"An." He asked moving from the door to let her in. He sat on the wall opposite as he watched her looking down at him. Gritting his teeth, he looked away in shame. Hearing more moving he felt an arm go round his shoulder.

"What wrong brother?" He opened his eyes as An rested her head on his shoulder.

"Have you ever done something you regret?" Kippei frowned in thought as his mind kept replying the scene over and over again.

"Everyone does something once in a while that makes them hate their actions. It's probably worse though if you run instead of facing it head on." She felt her brothers for slump even more. "So what's this about?"

"After Momo came to the courts to pick you up he had forgotten to take Ryoma's tennis rackets with him. I just assumed that he was going to return them so I looked inside and found the address of where he lives. Fuji let me in and Atobe was just behind him. They invited me in as I gave them Ryoma's things. I swear it sounded like a stampede." Tachibana let a small smile gaze his lips as he remembered the sound of Ryoma rushing down the stairs. "I saw Ryoma and for the first time I didn't know how to cope with seeing his full appearance."