WARNING!
This story contains the following: Shonen-Ai, Yaoi - Lime and Lemon, Violence, Language, Male/Female sex.
*....* denotes italics
/..../ denotes thoughts
DAY FOUR PART FIFTEEN Aya started out of his sleep. His hands gripped the chair's armrests, and his breathing was labored. He gulped down air, trying to steady himself. /Just a dream, Aya,/ he told himself. He shook his head to dispel the lingering images there. He stood, straightening his robes. His face was flushed from embarrassment. Last night, Omi had been concerned about Yoji, and had asked Aya to do a locating spell. The mage compiled, and saw what night activities Yoji had been involved in. Aya had heard somewhere that dreams were the mind's perception of reality. If that was so, his mind saw reality different than he did. He had never had serious thoughts about his colleagues. But now, a dream where Yoji was making love not to Seth, but to *him*. Another flush crept up his neck to stain his cheeks. Yoji's bed was empty. He hadn't returned last night. Aya shook his head to clear his mind. /It's for the best. I couldn't face him after that dream./ Remembering where he was, he thought of Cordelia downstairs. Her tears, her shaking body on his, were still vivid in his mind. She fascinated him with her fear. He was like a moth drawn to a flame, the flame being her fear. He had to find out, or he'd go insane with curiosity. Grabbing his staff, he marched out of the room, leaving his night dreams behind in his wake. There, once more, was Cordelia in the tavern, this time cleaning mugs. He walked over to her, leaning on the bar. She gasped in surprise as his sudden appearance frightened her. She backed off, lowering the mug so that her shaking hands would not drop it. "Wh... What?" she asked softly, wide eyed. /Ever since I got here,/ he thought to himself, /I've been acting strangely./ "You still haven't told me why you're afraid of me. I won't hurt you." Cordelia turned her back on him. "Just leave me alone." Aya reached out, and before a thought could register in his mind, he grabbed her wrist and hauled her out from behind the bar. He marched out of the tavern, dragging the struggling girl with him. The presence of the morning air cleared his mind. /What *am* I doing?/ he wondered as he walked along. /What's wrong with me? I... I'm being a fool./ He walked until he found a public park, and entered among the trees. Reaching a bench next to the path, he threw her down upon it. Cordelia instantly curled up, tears staining her cheeks. She whimpered as he fixed her with his gaze, crossing her arms over her breasts. She lowered her head, her hair covering her face. "Just do it quickly," she whispered hoarsely. Aya took a step back. What had he done to her? "Do... what?" he asked in confusion. He reached out and touched her shoulder. She jerked back. "If you're doing to do it, do it fast!" She muffled a sob with her hand. "I'm... I'm used to it..." Aya decided it was best if he backed away from her. He sat down on the other side of the path, his back against a tree. "What am I going to do to you?" he asked softly. Silence reigned for a few moments as Cordelia realized that she was alone on the bench. Slowly looking up, she saw Aya sitting across from her. He made no threatening move towards her. "Stop playing with me!" she cried, a fresh batch of hot tears trickling down her face. "If you're going to rape me, get on with it!" Aya's orchid eyes widened, and a flush crept up his face. "You think I'm going to... rape you?" Cordelia's eyes narrowed and blinked rapidly, trying hard to fight back the tears. "Don't all red mages rape? It's happened before..." Aya stood up suddenly, instantly understanding her fear now. He remembered her words from yesterday. About people she loved being killed. There could only be one solution to her fear. "A red mage killed your family, didn't he? And then he raped you. That's why you're afraid of me, right? You think I'm going to do the same thing..." "Well, aren't you?" Cordelia replied bitterly. She cringed back as he stepped close to her. Reaching out, Aya cupped her cheek in his hand. He brushed the tears away from her face. "Shh," he hushed, sitting next to her. Slowly, he drew her quivering body close to his, putting his arms reassuringly around her. /She's like Aya,/ he thought. /As beautiful and vulnerable./ He looked up to the lightening sky. Long moments passed as the shivering girl sat tense in his arms. Slowly, Cordelia relaxed in his hold. His calm presence assured her. He wouldn't do anything to her. He had said that he wouldn't hurt anyone. He was keeping his promise. /Aya,/ the mage thought. /I'll take back my name while I'm here. I can't protect you at the moment, so I'll protect her. Do you mind? In a way, I'm still protecting you. Please understand Aya. I'll be back soon to save you. But for now... For now I'm going to be Ran. I'm going to live for myself./ ~~~~ PART SIXTEEN Daylight filtered into the room and Yoji slowly wakened. He hadn't slept much. Blinking his eyes open, he wondered where exactly he was. /Funny,/ he thought to himself. /I had a really graphic dream that I had slept with Seth./ /You did./ Yoji opened his eyes all the way and looked down at himself. In his arms, he tightly held the younger boy pressed against himself. "Shit!" he cursed, pulling away quickly as if he had touched something repulsive. He climbed out of bed and began pulling his clothes on. His body shook. He remembered the night. The moment he had entered Seth played over and over in his mind. How much he had liked it, the feeling of Seth’s hard body against his own. The hard body of a man, not the soft body of a woman. Yoji shook his head and quietly slipped out of the room. Seth had not awakened. He lay, alone and small, in the rumpled sheets of his bed. As Yoji looked back at him once more, he almost felt the urge to return to the bed and the boy. He waited until he had cleared the elf woman's property before lighting up a cigarette. His hands shook as he did so, and the shaking didn't stop after he felt the usually comforting nicotine flow through him. He ran his hand through his hair and leaned against a stonewall. What was he going to do now? What *exactly* had happened last night? He shook his head, covering his face with his hands. He had made *love* to Seth. He had had *sex* with Seth. /Goddamnit!/ he thought. /I fucked Seth! And I... I liked it!/ He banged his hand against the wall. What was going to happen now? He had always been attracted to women. Long ago, when a friend of his had openly proclaimed himself to be gay, Yoji had made the promise to himself that he would never follow that path. He could never like men. Men were awful and despicable. They hurt women. He had made it his own personal mission to protect women from those kinds of men. But Seth. He had been gentle and kind. Of course, he had been pretty aggressive the afternoon before, but Yoji could tell that there was a kind of wariness about it. As if he had been hurt in the past. /Damnit! That's not the point!/ He chewed on the end of his cigarette. What was going to happen now? He had to avoid Seth, of course. This could never happen again. /It was just an experiment. Lots of guys do it to test themselves. And I... I like wome.../ "Damnit!" he howled. He couldn't even lie to himself. He *had* liked it. And now, he couldn't look at women right. He blew a cloud of smoke into the air. Would he look at his fellow teammates that way now? Would he think that Aya had a cute ass, and that Ken was a good man to settle down with? He pushed away from the wall and headed towards the inn. He needed sleep. He needed to stop thinking. He *hadn't* been thinking the other night. /You said to screw thinking,/ the voice in his head reminded him. /Instead you screwed Seth!/ Dry laughter at his expense echoed through his head. Yoji shook his head, throwing his cigarette away. "If only there were guns in this world," he muttered. "I'd end that life of yours." /And yours along with me./ ~~~~ He reached the inn and threw open the door. His three teammates sat around a table, eating breakfast. Yoji stalked across the floor and threw himself down into a chair. "Yoji!" Omi exclaimed. "Where have you been? You never came back last night!" Yoji waved away the question. The smell of the food was making him nauseous. His head was pounding, and his stomach was churning. Drinking so much of that foul ale last night was definitely a bad idea. The thought brightened him a bit. /I could blame it on the ale. I was drunk last night, after all. So really, it wasn't my fault!/ Yoji shrugged. "I was... out," he replied vaguely. He stood back up. "I need some sleep. I'll be upstairs. Don't anyone bother me. And if anyone comes looking for me," he blushed, "Tell them I'm not here." He walked away. His boots shuffled loudly on the steps, and each step made his head pound even more. Reaching the room, he pulled off his clothes and threw himself into his bed. The sheets felt cool, and he liked being alone. The moment he noticed the silence was the moment the thoughts started to flow back into his head. /What would happen after this? Will I always like guys, and not girls? Could I even make love to a girl now? Or would that just be too weird?/ He pulled the pillow over his head. "Aarrgghhh!" he cried. "Why do I have to think so much?" He felt the thoughts eat away at him, slowly devouring his mind. They wouldn't let him sleep, they wouldn't let him rest. And he could never get them to go away. The sound of the door alerted him, and he looked up suddenly. Aya closed the door and then faced him. He regarded the haggard looking Yoji for a moment before lowering himself to sit in his chair. "Go away, Aya," Yoji mumbled. He didn't want to hear the redhead's snide comments on his absence last night. "Yoji," Aya said in such a tone that Yoji couldn't help but turn to look at him. Emerald eyes met violet ones. "What?" he asked unhappily. Aya sighed. "Omi was worried about you last night." "What's new?" "She forced me to cast a locating spell." Yoji froze, his blood suddenly gone cold. Did Aya know what he had done last night? "I told Omi that the spell had failed. I didn't want to tell her that...," Aya trailed off, looking very uncomfortable. Yoji smirked, eyes mocking, though the ridicule was aimed only at himself. "Couldn't tell the poor girl that I was fucking a man?" "Yoji," Aya said quietly. They looked at each other, and Yoji flushed. "Sorry," he mumbled. He sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "I don't know what happened to me," he said. He clutched the sheets to his chest, like a child after a nightmare. "It just... happened. And now the thoughts are going to eat me alive..." "Yoji," Aya said, reaching out a hand to put on the older man's shoulder. His eyes were soft and understanding. "I felt that it was your secret to keep, and that the other's shouldn't know. I hope you don't mind..." Yoji smiled, a small smile of relief. "Thanks, Aya. I'm glad that you didn't tell the others. I still... have to figure this out myself." Aya nodded, standing up. "I'll be downstairs. If he comes to see you, I'll turn him away." He walked to the door, resting his hand on the knob. "Thanks," Yoji repeated, lying back down. He frowned unhappily. As soon as he was alone again, the thoughts would come back to eat at him. "Would you like me... to help?" Aya asked. Yoji looked up. Aya wiggled his fingers suggestively in a gesture of magic. Yoji smiled. "Ah. No, I'll be fine." Aya's brows knitted together in concern. "You sure?" "Yeah." Aya opened the door. His face flushed slightly as he remembered his other purpose for coming up here. "Say Yoji." "Hmm?" "Do you think... dreams come true?" Yoji opened his eyes, looking curiously at Aya. Aya wouldn't look at him. He frowned slightly. “Yeah. I do think they do sometimes.” He laughed, bitterly. “They’re usually the weirdest dreams that come true.” Aya nodded, slipping out of the room. A red blush stained his cheeks. "Yeah," he agreed. “The weird ones.” Before he closed the door completely, he whispered, "Good night." ~~~~ PART SEVENTEEN Ken sat there, toying with a knife. Confused thought still flashed through his mind. He still wasn't sure about Omi. After she had confessed her love to him last night, he couldn't think of anything to say. He dropped his face into his hands. *Why* of all things had he been so mean to Omi? He should have at least said that he could think it over. Anything except the hurt he caused the girl. He looked at Omi out of the corner of his eye. Aya had left them to follow Yoji up the stairs. Omi gazed at the fire, her chin in her hand. The firelight flickered across her face, highlighting her golden hair. She hadn't spoken much during breakfast, only the necessities to Ken. Aya could practically touch the tension that crackled between them. Ken sighed. Omi really *was* beautiful. And she was so sweet. She had confessed her love for him, but she had been rejected. He was too stupid to let her down nicely, or even take time to *think* about her words. Omi could have any guy or girl that she wanted. Better to fall in love with a man who only knew her as a girl the whole time. But, no. Omi had to choose *him* to fall in love with. He frowned, pounding his fist on the table. *Why?* Omi looked up, startled by Ken's action. "Ken?" she questioned, looking at him with wondering blue eyes. She then flushed and looked away. Better to still be friendly than not talking at all. Since last night, they had barely spoken, and when they did, it was stiff and uncomfortable. He smiled half-heartedly. "Sorry. Guess one of my thought got the better of me." Omi replaced her chin in her hand, but kept her gaze on Ken. "What were you thinking of?" Ken flushed, looking around nervously. The longer he looked at Omi, the longer he regretted his decision the other night. He spotted Cordelia, doing her rounds amongst the customers. A lie right now would be better than the truth. He didn't want Omi to know how much he suffered over what was said the other night. "Umm, you know. Her," he said, pointing. He said it, looking curiously to see how Omi would respond. How would she take his obvious insult to her? Omi looked to see where he was pointing. As her eyes rested on Cordelia, her face fell into despair. "Oh," she said softly. "I see." She sat back, clasping her hands in her lap. So Ken liked the serving girl better than he liked her. Ken winced inwardly. /That was cruel,/ he thought. At least, if they couldn't be together, they could have some semblance of friendship, right? And here he was, being an idiot and slowly whittling away at it. And yet, for some reason, he couldn't stop himself. He knew it hurt Omi, but he couldn't stop. He pushed himself up from his seat, and forced a laugh. "I'm going to see if she's interested in a guy like me." But, Ken...!" Omi cried. Her eyes were wide, and full of desperation. "What?" he asked, looking closely at her. She turned back to the fire. "Nothing," she whispered. Ken walked away, rubbing the back of his neck. What was Omi feeling? Was she jealous that he was more interested in Cordelia? Why was she trying to hide her feelings from him? Why didn't she just say out loud that she didn't like it? He walked to where Cordelia was standing behind the bar. "Say," he said. She looked up and leaned closer to him. "Yes?" He sighed. "I got this friend, you know..." Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "A friend, huh?" Ken flushed. He knew she wasn't going to guy this. "Yeah, a friend. You see, he and this girl, they've been friends for a long time." "I see." "And then the boy saw the girl with another guy, and got real jealous. The girl later confessed her love to my friend, and he turned her down. But now as he thinks about it, he doesn't know how he really feels about her." Cordelia watched him. "I see. So your friend needs to know how he really feels about this girl so that he knows where to go, huh?" She leaned forward and brushed his long bangs out of his dark eyes. Omi watched in horror. She was *touching* him! How *dare* she touch him! Didn't she realize that Ken was hers? And that he wasn't even supposed to be talking to that wench? Then the realization hit her. Ken wasn't hers. Ken could do as he wanted. He didn't even like Omi. He didn't like her because he had known her for so long as a boy. That was all he could associate with her. Omi the schoolboy, assassin in arms. And so, she would never have a chance at his heart. It was probably for the best that he found a real girl to love him. Ken would never be hers. Cordelia didn't miss Omi's reaction. She smiled at Ken, putting her hand on his cheek. "I see what you mean. I'm sure I can think something up to help your friend." Ken looked up. "Really?" He thought about it for a moment. "Will it show how they both feel about each other?" Cordelia winked. "It will." Ken sat back down, wondering what Cordelia was going to do. He was sure that she hadn't missed the obviousness of his story. He had no friends except the three he worked with. Omi wouldn't look at him. "Have a nice chat?" she asked, barely keeping the contempt from her voice. Ken nodded. "Yeah. She's really nice." Omi sighed. She ran her forefinger over the scarred tabletop. So much like her. Scarred everywhere. Scars that couldn't be healed. Family scars, friendship scars. Omi looked over at Ken. Scars on her heart that couldn't be mended. "Ken, darling!" Ken and Omi both looked up simultaneously. Cordelia leaned on the table near Ken, putting her hands on his arm. "What are you doing tonight?" she asked coyly. Ken blushed, scratching at his head nervously. "Ohh... Nothing, I guess." Cordelia smiled. "Then you'll be able to come out with me, right? You'd like that, huh?" "Well, I..." Ken glanced at Omi. Omi's eyes were wide with terror. Ken was being snatched out of her grasp, and right in front of her! She paled, and tried hard to keep the tears from her eyes. She knew Ken wasn't hers anymore, but to see him being stolen right in front of her. Cordelia thought that the plan needed something more. She slipped herself into Ken's lap, putting her arms around his neck. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Come on," she pleaded. Ken looked helplessly at Omi. "It's not...," he began. Omi stood up from the table. Her head was bowed and her golden bangs covered her eyes. She couldn't blink back the tears anymore. Her heart hurt too much. "Excuse me," she whispered hoarsely. "I'll go check on Yoji." Turning, she walked stiffly away. They watched in stunned silence. As Omi reached the bottom of the stairs, Ken called out, "It's not what you think, Omi!" Omi paused for a moment. She looked back at Ken. She forced a smile, although it didn't reach her eyes. "Have fun on your date tonight, Ken. You know how I feel..." Turning, she vanished upstairs. Aya descended the stairs. He watched as Omi rushed past him, and then focused his eyes on the pair at the table. His eyes were hard as he looked at Ken. Cordelia pulled away from Ken. She smiled. "My work here is done." Ken stood up angrily. "You didn't do anything except hurt Omi some more!" Cordelia reached out and tapped his nose. "Think about it some. Think about how you reacted." She winked and walked away. "You'll find your answer." Ken felt his hopes sink in despair. Omi was gone. He had already screwed up his chances. Everything was so confusing now. Omi was gone. She probably hated him even more. Last night, she had been hurt. Now she hated his guts, he was sure. He could almost see his friendship shatter, like a rock through a glass window. He wondered if there was a way to pick up the pieces. Aya crossed the floor, his staff ringing loudly on the floor. "What was that?" he asked tersely. His eyes flashed dangerously as Ken looked up. "I was an idiot," Ken sighed. He looked away. "I was stupid. I hurt her, and I didn't want to. I've lost everything now. We can't ever be friends again. I ruined it all..." "Fool!" Aya hissed. "Couldn't you see that she was in love with you?" Ken sighed bitterly. "I know. She confessed to me last night." Aya sat down. "She has had feelings for you for awhile." Ken didn't like the sound of that. "You noticed?" he asked warily. Aya looked at him in surprise. "She was all but throwing herself on you. I'm surprised that you yourself didn't notice it." "This is in Tokyo, right?" Ken asked. He tried hard to keep the disgust from his voice. Aya nodded. He hadn't missed Ken's reactions. "Yes. In Tokyo. She's felt this way for a long time. And you went and ruined it all." Ken's hands bunched into fists and he banged them against his thighs. "Damnit!" he cried. "I always mess things up!" Before Aya could stop him, Ken bolted out of the inn. Aya held out a hand uselessly. Sighing, he dropped it back into his lap. Cordelia wandered over, raising an eyebrow at Aya. "They always run away from you?" Aya frowned, glaring at the girl. "Half of this is your fault, you know." Cordelia shrugged. "Love happens. Ken asked me for help, and I gave it to him. Once he sits down and thinks about how he reacted, he'll find the answer." She smiled, looking towards the open door where Ken had last been. "He loves her. I'm sure of it." ~~~~ PART EIGHTEEN It was mid-afternoon when Aya noticed the timid boy in the doorway. His quick, dark eyes scanned the room before advancing into the tavern. Aya nodded to himself. /That's the one,/ he told himself. Seth walked over to Cordelia, tugging on her sleeve to get her attention. "Excuse me," he said meekly. "Yeah?" "Do you know which room Yoji is staying in?" Cordelia pointed up the steps. "Second floor. Third door from the end, on the right." Seth nodded. "Thank you," he murmured. He clutched the note in his hands tightly. He walked to the steps and made his way up. Aya looked at Omi. Omi had only come down because Ken was no longer here. She sat, wallowing in her own depression. "Omi, I'll be back." "Mmm." Aya frowned, but he didn't have time to deal with her at the moment. He mounted the stairs and followed Seth. Seth stopped outside the door. He rapped on the wood. "Yoji?" he called. Yoji couldn't sleep. He had been able to doze off two or three times, but only long enough to see the dreams. To relive the night before. He lay there, trying hard not to think of anything. The rapping at the door startled him. He heard Seth’s voice call his name softly. He scrambled out of bed, wondering where he could hide. He couldn't deal with the boy now. Not *now* of all times! "What do you want?" Yoji froze. Was that Aya's voice? He sighed, sinking down on the bed. Aya had said that he would help Yoji. He flopped back down. Aya would take care of everything. Seth blushed, fidgeting under Aya's scrutinizing gaze. "I wanted to see Yoji." "Yoji's not here at the moment." Seth looked at the door. "Are you sure? You might not have seen him come in..." Aya also looked at the door. He said loudly, "No. I'm not sure if he's in there or not. If you'll wait a moment, I can check." Yoji bolted up from the bed. He looked around frantically. Where was he going to hide? There were no closets to hide in. He looked under the bed. Shaking his head, he backed away. /No way. There's no way I'm hiding in all that muck./ Aya loudly put the key into the lock. Seth waited expectantly behind him, crushing the note in his hands. Yoji dived behind the bed. The foot of each bed rested on either side of the door. Behind the headboards, there was a large open space, where the table and Aya's chair sat. Yoji knelt behind the headboard of his bed, hoping against hope that he wouldn't be seen. Aya opened the door, figuring he had given Yoji enough warning. Seth peeped over his shoulder, and they both looked in on an empty room. "Oh," Seth sighed, disappointed. "He's not here." Aya swept into the room, blocking Seth from following. "I'm sorry," he said simply. Seth looked at the parchment in his hands. "I would like... to leave this, though. So that he can find it when he does get back." Aya nodded, holding out his hand. "I'll set it on the table there so that he will see it when he gets back." Seth reluctantly handed over the note. He waited and watched as Aya walked across the room to place the note on the table. Aya glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw Yoji kneeling on all fours behind the bed. The older man flashed a desperate, weak smile. Aya turned, clasping his hands in front of him. "Is there anything else you need then?" Seth shook his head, stepping back. "I... I guess not." He looked down the hall, then back to Aya. He bowed respectively. "Thank you." "Anytime," Aya replied, waving a hand as Seth hurried away down the hall. Aya closed the door and waited for Yoji to surface. Instead, Aya heard the thump of Yoji falling to the floor. He walked over and peered behind the bed. Yoji lay sprawled on his back, hands over his face. "What have I done?" he moaned. Aya sat down on the bed, holding Seth’s note. "There is this, you know." Yoji leapt to his feet and snatched the note from Aya's grasp. "Lemme see that." He unfolded it and read it slowly. *Yoji, You weren't there when I awoke. I want to talk about what happened last night. Lady Aithne is having a party tonight. I will be outside in the back for a few hours before the party starts. Please come. We really need to talk, and I need to see you. Love, Seth* Yoji reread it several times. Aya sat, eyes closed, waiting. Finally at the end of his patience after several long moments, he reached out and grabbed the letter from Yoji, reading it for himself. "You need to talk also," Aya commented. Yoji snorted. "I can't see him again. And I don't want to talk to anyone." Aya looked at Yoji critically. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe if you talked to someone, the thoughts in your head wouldn't eat you alive?" Yoji opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. He sat back, frowning. "Besides," Aya continued. "I know you. You couldn't stay away from an invitation like this anyway." Yoji stood up and began to pace, his face thoughtful. If he went, he'd have to face Seth again, and he didn't think he could handle that. All the memories from the previous night washed over him once more. He flopped onto the bed, running his hands over his face. "Maybe you're right," he sighed. "Maybe if I did talk about it, then I wouldn't have these demons inside me." Aya nodded. He remembered Omi downstairs. The way the girl was acting scared him. He didn't want to leave her alone, not now. He stood, smoothing his robes. "Omi needs me. I'll leave you alone for now." He stopped and looked curiously at Yoji. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?" Yoji sighed, shaking his head. "No. No, I didn't." ~~~~ PART NINETEEN Ken wandered down the street, hanging his head in despair. His arms were crossed over his chest, like he was seeking warmth from himself in the hot afternoon. /Fool,/ he told himself. /If there had been anything at all between you and Omi, you went and screwed it all up. Not only did I ruin a chance for us last night, but I also ruined our friendship this morning. I've screwed everything up.../ He angled his path northward, making for the gate and his lake. He had heard from a passerby that the name of the lake was Saffir Lake. Saffir for sapphires. Ken sighed. The color blue only made him think of Omi's beautiful cerulean eyes. He ran a hand through his hair. Omi was his best friend. They had always sought advice and companionship from each other. Any friendship that had been left between them was destroyed by his foolish actions this morning. Ken walked to the edge of the lake, letting the lapping waters touch the toes of his leather boots. If only he hadn't been a fool yesterday. He had told Omi that he could never feel that way about her. /That I could never love her, because in actuality she's a boy inside. I wonder if that's how I *really* feel about it though./ He had always been close to his best friend, Kase. They had grown up together, been together most of their lives. When they had been little kids, they had repeatedly confessed their love for each other, not really knowing what they were saying. That was what had provoked his parents to teach him that same-sex relationships were bad. But Omi was a girl. A *girl*. And so it was technically all right for him to love her. And if they never returned to Tokyo, he'd really like Omi to be his. A blush surfaced on his cheeks. "I... want Omi?" he asked himself out loud. "Could I... settle down with Omi if we never returned to Tokyo?" /Yes,/ he thought to himself. /I could love Omi the way she loves me./ /You *do* love Omi, you fool,/ the voice commented in his head, as if pointing out to an idiot the nose in front of his face. /Why you turned her down last night, I don't know. You really are an idiot to turn down such a beautiful, willing girl./ The voice sighed longingly. He stood up, determination lighting the fire in his eyes. /It can't be too late. Omi's still newly hurt, which means that I can still get rid of the pain. I can prove to her that I love her. Maybe then she’ll forgive me./ He searched the ground, looking for the right type of rock. Finding a black one, he pulled out a piece of parchment from one of his pouches. Aya had forced them all to carry some in case they had to send a note back to the others. He scribbled on the paper with his charcoal stick. Throwing the rock away, he turned towards town. Jogging on the path back to the gate, he allowed himself a smile. /Omi might not take me back. But I can try. If I don't try, then it means that I don't care./ "And I do care," he finished. His smile grew broader as the feelings surged in his head. "Why didn't I see it before?" he asked himself. "I think I... I think I really *do* love Omi!" ~~~~ Omi stepped out of the inn. Aya hadn't returned from checking on Yoji yet. She stood in the late afternoon sun, closing her eyes against the warmth. She leaned against one of the poles that held up the awning above her head. It felt so good just to be alone, thinking of nothing except how beautiful the day was. "Hello, beautiful." Omi opened her eyes at the voice that addressed her. She squinted her eyes against the sun, and saw the figure that stood before her. Her vision was hazy. He was tall and broad. /Like Ken.../ "Ken?" she questioned. The boy came closer. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was Ravi, and not Ken. She frowned, not wanting to deal with him at the moment. "Not Ken. Is that your boyfriend?" Ravi asked. He leaned on the other side of the pole, letting their shoulders touch. "Is he the one from yesterday?" Omi nodded, lowering her head to let her hair cover her face. "Yeah. That's Ken. But he's not my... my boyfriend." Ravi grabbed her hand, pulling her to face him. "Then give me a chance, my angel!" Omi pulled away, turning her back on him. "Leave me alone." Ravi reached out with his other hand and placed it on her shoulder. "Please! Just one date. That's all I'm asking. You'll see that I'm better than your Ken any day! I love you, my angel! Please!" Omi turned, locking eyes with Ravi. His were so dark and deep, pleading with hers. So unlike Ken's naive innocence. Unlike Ken's impishness, his cheerfulness. Ravi didn't have the bright sparkle in his green eyes that always marked Ken's eyes. The warmth in those brown eyes that just wanted to reach out and gather Omi up. But Ravi was different. Ken was almost childish in his clumsiness. Ravi was knowing, mature in his confident stare that he leveled at Omi. He stretched out his hand to touch Omi's slightly flushed cheek. "I'll show you things that your Ken couldn't. If Ken's not here with you now, then he doesn't care. *I* care. I want to be with you always," he said softly in a seductive tone. Omi slowly closed her eyes, leaning her cheek into his palm. It felt so good to have someone paying attention to her like this. She had tried for Ken's attention, but he had refused her. She had known that he would respond the way he had, but she had to tell him then. Would she so quickly forget Ken with Ravi? Is that what he offered? Solace from her pain, even if it only lasted a short while? "I..." "Omi!" Her eyes flew open and she turned to look down the road. Ken, running as fast as he could, waved frantically as he ran. The biggest, silliest grin ever was plastered on his face. He skidded to a stop in front of them. He leaned over, his hands on his knees, as he tried to catch his breath. When he could breath normally, he looked up. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Ravi. "Do you mind?" Ken asked coldly. "I need to talk to her alone." Ravi frowned, holding tight to Omi. "She agreed to go on a date with me. I think your time is up." Ken looked at Omi, his eyes unreadable. "Is this true?" Omi looked away from Ken. It was painful to look at him. The feelings in her heart surged up and she wanted to look lovingly at the boy she cared for. But she knew it would only repulse him even more. "No," she whispered. "I didn't agree to anything." Ken walked up and pushed Ravi away. The thinner boy staggered away, glaring at Ken. He tried to grab for Omi again, but Ken put his body between them. "I think it's time that you left," Ken said, ice coating every word. "Omi was just going to answer me," Ravi shot back. "We were planning on going on a date." "Well, its been canceled. Omi's mine, got that?" Ken stabbed a finger at his own chest to emphasize the point. "Mine! So get lost! Stop bothering her! She doesn't want you around!" Ken took a menacing step forward. Spitting at the warrior's feet, Ravi turned and shoved his hands into his pockets. Flipping his head nonchalantly, he sauntered away. "If you want me, Omi darling, you know where to find me." Omi could only stare in shock as Ken turned to face her. What had happened during the time they were apart? /Since when have we been a couple? What *is* Ken doing?/ Ken grinned at her, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at Ravi. "Showed him, didn't I?" Hurt tears leapt to her eyes and she turned her head away. "Stop," she whispered. "Don't do this." The smile dropped off Ken's face. "Do what?" "Stop playing with me. It's... painful..." She hid her face, not wanting to see Ken's disapproving look. Instead, he reached out and placed a hand on her golden hair. Ruffling the silky strands lightly, he pressed his note into her hand. "I'm sorry, Omittchi. We have to talk, so please come." Startled, Omi looked up to see Ken's concerned gaze. "Come? Where?" He smiled gently at her, caressing her face with his calloused hand. "You'll see. Please come tonight. I want to see you..." He trailed off, his eyes staring into hers. Quickly, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. Turning, he jogged away without a glance back. Floored, Omi could only stare at his retreating back. Her legs wobbled, and gave way, causing her to sit down hard upon the cobblestones. Her clenching hand felt the note, and she unfolded it. In Ken's customary sprawl, he had written: *Omi, Please meet me on the northern shore of Lake Saffir. Exit the northern gate and follow the shore to the north. I'll be waiting there tonight after sunset. Please come. We really need to talk. Ken* Omi reread the note several times. The northern shore of the lake must be a secluded spot. Why he wanted to meet her up there, she didn't know. They would be alone, just the two of them. Omi's head swam, and she almost swooned. /Ken wants to meet with me... alone. Just the two of us./ Her cheeks flushed and she clapped her hands to them. A silly smile spread on her lips. She sprang to her feet and rushed inside the inn. Aya was back, sitting at the table with his eyes closed. He looked serene and content. He cracked an eye as Omi neared. "Where did you go?" he asked. "Just out for a moment." Omi couldn't wipe the smile from her face. She sat down next to Aya, resting her chin in her hand. Staring off into space, she dreamed about what would happen tonight. Noticing Omi's daydreaming state, Aya also took in the note she had placed on the table. Picking it up, he unfolded the paper and scanned the note. He arched an eyebrow. Coming close, Cordelia read the note over his shoulder. She laughed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Looks like the two finally found each other, huh?" Aya frowned slightly. "I don't like the fact that they're going to be out there alone together." Cordelia laughed. "You sound like their father!" "Hmph. Someone has to look out for them." "Besides," Cordelia continued, "They're old enough to make decisions for themselves. If they love each other, then it's their business what they do about it. You'll have to stay out of this one, Dad." Aya directed his frown at her. She only laughed and tugged on one of his ear tails before whisking off. He watched her for a moment and then returned the note to Omi. Stretching out his hand, he shook the girl next to him. Omi snapped out of her daydream. "Yes?" she asked. Aya scowled, pointing to the note. "You'd better not do anything you'd be ashamed of. And don't forget who you really are." Omi pouted slightly. "I love Ken," she said. She looked at the table stubbornly. She couldn’t look Aya in the eye when she said her next sentence. "I have for a long time. I'll do what feels right." Aya sighed, placing his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him in surprise and he smiled slightly. "I only hope that he loves you as much as you love him. And that he makes you happy." Omi smiled in her usual cheery manner. She took Aya's hand between her own and squeezed it. "He doesn't even know how much he makes me happy." ~~~~ PART TWENTY Yoji shifted for the fifth time. The ground was uncomfortably wet, and the bark of the tree was digging into his back. He turned his head to peer around the tree, lifting the sunglasses from his nose for a moment. Seth guarded the servant’s door into the mansion. He looked around frantically, each moment making his gestures more hurried and rushed. He bit his lip nervously, anxiously awaiting the appearance of Yoji. Yoji sighed and rested his head back on the tree. He wasn't sure if he could even face Seth now. After what had happened last night... He shook his head, cursing softly. /What a damned fool I am. Here I was, for once more interested in work than girls, and I end up fucking a man. Great, Kudou. Superb./ Crunching leaves on the path beside him shook him from his thoughts and he looked through the shrub that protected him. Seth, face troubled, walked past Yoji without noticing him in the brush. Rising silently to his feet, Yoji noiselessly tracked him. /What a fool I am,/ he thought to himself. /I hate myself for what I've done, and here I am following the boy to talk to him./ Seth walked down the dirt path until it opened up into a garden. Hidden by the thick trees, this garden could not be seen from the mansion. Grass and weeds grew wildly here, littered here and there with a bright, gaudy flower. In the center of the garden was the most majestic fountain Yoji had ever seen. It was gray stone and the intricate carvings had long since been eroded away. And yet, the fountain retained an air of antiquity, a beauty in ages past. Seth walked through the knee-high jungle and reached the fountain, sitting himself down on the edge of the basin. The water did not dance from the fountain anymore. Instead, stale water encrusted with algae sluggishly moved with the few creatures that lived in the muck. Yoji sighed and trekked across the lawn. Seth, staring into the dirty water, his lips moving in silent speech, didn't notice the older man. Only when Yoji had stood there for a few moments did Seth finally detect his presence. "Yoji!" he cried, leaping to his feet. "You came!" He threw his arms around the startled man and buried his face in the crook of Yoji's neck. "Ah." Yoji patted the boy's shoulder uncomfortably, and then pulled away. Seth frowned. "Yoji," he said, this time more softly. "What's wrong?" Yoji sat down on the edge of the fountain, looking into the water. Seth slowly lowered himself next to the man, sitting close so that their bodies touched. "Last night," Yoji began. Seth blushed, taking Yoji's hands in his. "It was wonderful," he replied. He leaned his cheek on Yoji's shoulder. "It was... my first time..." Yoji closed his eyes tight. This was going to be much harder than he thought. He took Seth's shoulders in his hands, pushing the boy away and looking him in the eye. "I'm sorry, Seth. But last night... was a mistake. It wasn't supposed to happen." Seth's face paled and his head shot up. "What?" he blurted out. Yoji turned away. He couldn't face the hurt in those dark eyes. He gulped and forced the words out. "It was a mistake," he repeated. "I don't... feel anything for you. And I can't see you anymore." Seth's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Yoji squirmed under his penetrating gaze. "You... used me?" he asked in a low whispered. Yoji looked up, his eyes pained. "Seth, I never...!" "But you did!" Seth's eyes widened. Tears sparkled in his brown eyes. "You used me. You're the first person... that I've ever given myself to. And you used me!" "Seth. Just listen to me. I never meant to...!" "Hurt me?" Seth turned away, wiping at the tears that threatened to spill onto his cheeks. "Do you know how many times I've heard that? Can you even imagine how many people have used me?" "Seth, I..." "Ever since I was little. The boys knew that I didn't like girls. So, if it wasn't forcing me to dress like a girl, or date girls, they'd play with my emotions. Each one would come to me, cooing about how much he really liked me. Realized that he didn't like girls, and that I attracted him instead." Seth drew a knee to his chest, holding it tightly. "I listened. I was a fool. I believed every one of them. After a kiss or two, they'd dump me in front of people. They humiliated me, every time. It's happened... so many times..." A sob cut off his words and he buried his face in his hands. Seth stood, turning his back to Yoji. His shoulders still shook with silent sobs. "I just thought... that I'd finally found someone who loved me. That I loved enough to give him my body." He shook his head and turned his pained eyes to meet Yoji's unreadable ones. "It's all I have to give. My body, these feelings... "I hate myself. I trust people too easily. I always believe them. I believed you and your stupid lies..." Yoji watched wordlessly. Seth's tale of pain and betrayal touched deeply in his heart. Yoji didn't want to be another nameless torturer of the boy. /I hate myself./ It echoed in his head. How many times had he said that since last night? How long had Seth felt the same way, repeating the same phrase? /Why did I sit there for so long, just watching Seth? Why didn't I just approach him and tell him that I didn't want to see him again? Why was I... scared to talk to him?/ /Because of the feelings in your heart,/ replied the dry voice in his head. Yoji felt like a spectator as his body stood up and pulled Seth to him in an embrace. He felt as if he looked on, and was not participating in the event. And then suddenly it all crashed down on him. "Fuck," Yoji whispered to himself, burying his face in Seth's ebony locks. "I hate myself," he said to the boy next to him. "I hate myself because I've never felt this way about a man. It's so... confusing. I don't know what the hell I'm doing... But something that feels this right can't be wrong..." Seth turned in his arms, draping his arms around Yoji's neck. "Do you like me?" he asked with wide eyes. "Did you like what we did... last night?" Yoji closed his eyes tight, resting his forehead against Seth's. If he said 'yes', then everything would change. But if he said 'no', then everything would stay the same. He'd still be Yoji the Womanizer, and not Yoji the Gay. He smiled without humor. What would the other guys think? Omi would understand, but Aya and Ken? If he ever brought a male date home with him instead of a girl, he could almost see the shock on Ken's face. But like he had said. Something that felt this right certainly couldn't be evil and wrong. This was *meant* to be. "Yes," Yoji whispered. He couldn't deny it. He had loved last night. Never had anything been so mind blowing, or felt so good. No woman had ever fully satisfied him like that. And how nice it had felt to curl up with Seth in his arms after their love making. "Yes, damnit. I loved it. And I... I do like you, Seth..." Seth took Yoji's shirt into his hands and openly wept into it. His body quivered against Yoji's with the tension of the wait finally being released. He had been so nervous since this morning, not knowing what was going to happen. And now, everything was falling into place. "Yoji," he whispered. "Since I first met you... Our first kiss... I knew something was going to happen. Since you kissed me, I haven't been the same. I want... to stay with you forever." Yoji held the trembling boy close to him. "Shh," he hushed. "Since I kissed you, you've thrown my world in chaos." He laughed. "All I've thought about is you. I can't get you off my mind." Seth looked up timidly. "I can't say I love you... but I know that we have a deep connection..." Yoji smiled, kissing Seth's forehead. "We have the time to figure out what this is." /Time is one thing you don't have./ /Shut up,/ Yoji shot back to the voice. /I'm tired of hearing you. You never help. All you do is mock. Leave me alone for once./ He refocused his mind on Seth, who had closed his eyes and titled his head up, awaiting Yoji's kiss. Leaning down, he wrapped the boy in his arms and brought their lips together, sharing a deep, sweet kiss. ~~~~ They walked back down the path, hand in hand, towards the mansion. Before they exited the screen of trees, Yoji drew Seth to him once more. The boy gratefully collapsed onto the older man's chest and angled his face up. Cupping Seth's chin in his hand, Yoji bent down and pressed their lips together for one last sweet kiss. In all appearances, it looked like the two men were just friends as they walked back towards the mansion, in sight of the servants who now guarded the kitchen door. Yoji looked curiously at the bustle of activity that he hadn't seen before. "Didn't you mention something about a party?" Yoji asked. Seth nodded. "Lady Aithne is having a ball tonight for the elite of Talaith. It'll be held in the upstairs ballroom." Seth sighed. "I have to be there all night, so I can't come visit you." Yoji's bright green eyes were scanning the house, Seth only a faint disturbance at the moment. He licked his lips, a feral smile appearing on his face. "A party, huh?" He turned to Seth, looking at him eagerly. "Will anyone be downstairs?" Seth shook his head. "No. No one will be allowed. There might even be a guard or two to make sure that the guests don't wander down there." Yoji chuckled deeply. "I see. I see." Seth stopped, looking closely at Yoji. "What are you planning?" Yoji smiled innocently. "Nothing, darling. Nothing at all." Seth reached out and grabbed Yoji's collar, bringing their faces dangerously close. "*Tell me*," he demanded, his dark eyes flashing. Yoji gulped and pulled away. He pushed his shades up far on his nose, hiding his eyes as he turned away from Seth. "Didn't I tell you that I was...?" Seth stomped his foot. "From another world? Yes, I know. Now what has that got to do with tonight?" Yoji turned, shaking his head. "Nothing. In this world, I'm a thief." Seth's eyes widened. "A thief?" Yoji shrugged. "Yeah. And since I saw her..." He let his gaze wander to look at the house. "So that's why you wanted the statue...," Seth breathed. He put a hand over his mouth and staggered a step backwards. "Are you... just using me again so that you can get inside the house?" Yoji frowned and glanced around. They were in the open. Anyone could see them at the moment, and probably be close enough to hear. Grabbing Seth's arm, he hauled him back into the thick forest and out of sight. "Damnit!" Yoji exclaimed after he had thrown Seth into a clearing. He glared at the boy. "Of *course* I'm not using you like that! I thought we had this figured out!" Seth backed up against a tree, his eyes wide as he regarded Yoji. "How... do I know that?" Yoji advanced on the boy, taking his shoulders in his hands. "How do you want me to prove it to you?" He leaned down, their breath mixing. "I told you before, I'm not using you." Seth closed his eyes. "Tell me... what happened." "What happened?" "How you came to Lady Aithne's house." Seth's eyes snapped open. "How you came to this world." Yoji backed off. He pulled his shades off his nose and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "Do you know how *long* that's going to take?" A sudden thought chilled him. What if Seth wanted to know what he did back on his world? Should he tell him the truth? /I don't want to lie to him... But I can't tell him that I was an assassin.../ Yoji smiled weakly. "Why don't we save this story for another time, okay?" /Time?/ came the amused question in his mind. /Tonight, you won't have time./ Seth frowned, his eyes uncertain. "I don't know... I still don't know..." He sighed, looking down at the ground. "You confuse me," he whispered. Yoji reached out, drawing the boy to him. "*I* confuse you? You've confused the hell out of me since I first saw you." Seth smiled. He parted the neck of Yoji's vest and leaned up and kissed the bare flesh. Yoji closed his eyes, wanting so badly to just throw Seth down and make love to him here. He turned Seth's face to his and they kissed once more. "Trust me," Yoji breathed after they parted. "Just trust me, that's all I ask." Seth nodded, leaning heavily against Yoji. "I'll trust you," he whispered back. They stood, holding each other for a while. Suddenly, Seth jumped out of Yoji's arms. "The party!" he exclaimed. "I have to get back! Lady Aithne is going to kill me!" "Wait!" Yoji cried, grabbing on to Seth's wrist before he could bolt away. "The party..." He looked away for a moment. "I *have* to go, Seth. I have to... steal some of her wealth. It's this desire... I can't stop it!" Seth smiled. He winked cheekily. "Steal enough for the both of us then, huh?" Pulling his hand free, he slipped away into the forest to return to the mansion. Yoji leaned back against a tree, a small smile quirking at his lips. "Enough for the both of us, huh?" he repeated. He raised a hand in farewell even though no one was around. "I'll steal so much that we'll be millionaires for the rest of our lives, Seth." ~~~~ PART TWENTY-ONE Aya pushed open the heavy door to the tavern. He walked with his head dropped, all his energy gone. He practically fell onto a barstool. He let his head sink into his hands. /What a tiring day,/ he said to himself. He had left the tavern that afternoon to search for any magical artifacts that might aid them in their quest to get home. He went to every magical booth and shop that he could find. No luck. Every mage and witch he had talked to knew nothing of a spell that would transport them to another world. Except one. "A spell you seek, my boy?" Aya recalled the old man saying. "Only one has it. One of fire. And you won't get it without a fight." When asked what it looked like, the old man had drawn him a picture. Aya pulled the parchment out to look at it again. He shook his head. The picture was badly drawn, as if a child had done it. It was of a thin black book with intricate runes on the front. The rune code was the only clear, distinct part of the picture. Aya sighed and pushed the paper away. That wouldn't help very much. There must be millions of thin black spell books, and each one has their own code of runes on the front. And *who* was this one person who had the book? /I forgot to ask *where* this person was,/ Aya chastised himself. /For all I know, he could be half way across the world./ "Drink?" Aya looked up. Cordelia stood behind the counter, looking down at him with concern in her eyes. He raised his head, running a hand over his eyes. "Ahh, no." "Something wrong?" she asked. She looked unwilling to leave him. Aya smiled slightly. Since he named her fear, she had been more responsive to him. She was still afraid of him, but not as much. She was trying to befriend him, to make up for her touchy behavior before. Aya shook his head. He didn't want to tell her about Tokyo. It was already confusing to them. /But... she might be able to help./ Aya pulled out the parchment again. "Have you ever seen a book like this?" Cordelia looked at the paper, studying it critically. She shrugged. "There are hundreds of mages who carry black books." "How did you know it was a spell book?" Cordelia pointed to the runes. "These. Regular books don't have them. They seal the book from other mages and ordinary people, protecting the mage's spells." She looked curiously at Aya. "Shouldn't you know this? You're the mage." Aya rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well... I guess I'm just a different kind of mage." Cordelia regarded him for a moment longer. An awkward silence reigned over them. A slight flush surfaced on the girl's cheeks. She averted her eyes from Aya. "I'd like to talk to you," she said quietly. Aya looked up in surprise. "Alone," she added, her face flushing deep red. She moved out from behind the bar and towards the door. Silently, Aya rose to follow her. They exited the tavern and made their way in the dusk to the park they had visited earlier that day. Cordelia sat down on the bench, her face hidden in the shadows. She tried to will herself to be calm. She was tense and scared, unable to completely trust the mage. Sensing her unease, Aya whispered a few archaic words and the crystal ball on top of his staff burst into light. A small area around them was lit up, including Cordelia's startled face. Aya knew that she would be uneasy sitting the dark with him, and only hoped that she would find comfort in the light and in his presence. Aya leaned against a tree across from her, thinking that that would be the safest position at the moment. "What did you want to talk to me about?" he asked. Cordelia blushed, looking at her hands clasped in her lap. "I wanted to... apologize for my behavior before." Aya smiled, waving a hand. "You don't have to. I understand, seeing how you were scared of me." "A mage... lived in our village," Cordelia began softly. Behind her, filtering through the trees, came the scarlet rays of the dying sun. "A red robed one, like yourself." Aya slid down till he sat on the ground, his back still pressed against the tree's trunk. He placed the staff in the crook of his arm, clasping his knees to his chest. He listened intently to her story, knowing that it was hard for her to tell him this. "Red robes are neutral, as you know. He used to help out in the village. Everyone liked him; he was so nice. I...," she blushed deeply, "I had a crush on him, like most of the other young girls. He was a handsome mage, after all. "One day, he invited me to his cottage. He had never done anything before, so I had no reason to worry. But... he...!" A sob cut off her words. Aya stayed put, knowing that she'd have to deal with it herself. Cordelia's face was pale as moonlight, and she put her hands over her mouth to try to stifle any future sobs. "He raped me," she whispered hoarsely. "He was... so cruel, so different than what anyone else knew. He told me that I was his first, but that he'd get the other girls in the village. He did. He made me promise not to tell, or he'd do something bad to my family. I couldn't tell anyone anyway. It was too embarrassing." Cordelia wiped furiously at the tears on her cheeks. She tried to pull herself together as she finished her story. "Parents found out. They came together and decided that they'd have to banish the mage. A large group of townspeople got together one night to confront the mage. When they reached his house, he stepped outside. He cast a spell that destroyed everything. Everything... All gone," she whispered, her eyes glassy. She was silent for long moments as she replayed the horror in her mind. "Only a few of us escaped the destruction. How, we don't know." Cordelia dug her nails into her palms so that she wouldn't cry out again. Tears ran freely unchecked down her face, which was contorted in pain. Aya longed to go to her and comfort her. "Why me?" she whispered, her eyes unfocused. "Why am I the only one left? Why didn't I die instead? Why am I left alone?" Aya stood, crossing to sit on the bench next to her. He put an arm around her stiff shoulders. At first, she made to pull away, but then relaxed in his hold. He looked down at her, his eyes soft. He knew how she felt. /Why did Aya have to be hurt? Why couldn't it have been me? I ask these questions myself all the time./ The guilt of being the only one in his family left alive welled back up in him, and he bit his lip to still the tears in his orchid eyes. "I know how you feel," he whispered. "My parents were killed, my sister injured in front of me. And I'm the only one left." "Only one left," Cordelia said softly. "The tainted one, still alive. To suffer with the guilt of being the only one to survive." She pulled away and looked at him, eyes reflecting the haunted feeling Aya felt. A small, sad smile appeared on her lips, but not in her eyes. "Isn't it awful? Living with the guilt of it all..." Aya looked away. "It's been years, but the pain doesn't go away." "It's doesn't," Cordelia agreed. She wrapped her arms comfortingly around Aya's neck, nestling her face in the crook of his shoulder. "I don't want to be alone anymore. I see people around me everyday, but I don't... connect with them. I'm all alone..." "Alone," Aya repeated. He shook his head, embracing Cordelia, letting the tears spill onto his cheeks. "I feel that way too. I don't want to be alone. I don't want to feel guilty..." They sat in silence, in comfort in each other's arms. Time passed as they sat there; minutes, hours, moments. They found comfort in each other's pain racked past. A common feeling bound them closer than they had ever been. Any words that they could say to each other would not have done their feelings justice. Finally, after long, pain haunted years, they found someone who understood. Aya slowly opened his eyes, and watched the waning moon rise in the sky. /Dying,/ he noted idly of the moon. /Like us. We're dying inside from the guilt that's been placed on us./ His lazy eyes registered that it must be nearing midnight. He moved his head when he felt Cordelia's restless movements. She looked up, and their eyes met. They smiled, tentatively, tenderly at each other. A heady feeling flowed through the air. Something in this night was different from the others, and they were affected by it. Cordelia slowly reached up and brushed Aya's cheek gently, cupping it in her hand. She leaned forward, tilting her head up. Slowly, her eyes closed until the moonlight reflected off only slivers of bright green eyes, penetrating into amethyst orbs. Aya felt the same spell of the night affect him, and he as well leaned forward towards the beautiful girl in front of him. Cordelia's feral emerald eyes were all that he could think of as he was swept into the night. ~~~~ PART TWENTY-TWO Dusk had fallen a while ago, and Omi found it hard to find her way through the forest. She lifted the hem of her dress up high, cursing Ken for not giving her more precise directions. She stumbled a few paces forward. The ground seemed to be getting more and more spongy as she progressed. She moved a few steps forward, and suddenly, she was up to her ankles in cold water. In an uncharacteristic moment, Omi began to curse loudly with all the vocabulary she had ever picked up from Ken or Yoji. Shaking her feet, she walked back to the dry ground. /Now I'm cold and wet and lost./ She sighed. /Where's Ken when you need him?/ The thought of Ken boosted her thoughts. She couldn't wait to talk to him. The way he had talked to her earlier, the way he had *kissed* her, she knew something good was going to happen. If only she could find him though! Omi looked down at her boots and the soggy ground. No one had mentioned the marshes around the lake. As she stood there, she felt the ground slowly give, forcing her to shift her weight so that she wouldn't sink into the muck. "Ken!" she cried. She couldn't find him. She needed his help. Hopefully she wasn't on the wrong side of the lake. She didn't think she had gone *that* far out of her way. "Omi?" came the faint reply. She looked around. She couldn't see anything in the darkness. The trees obscured the faint moonlight, and she could barely see her own feet. "Ken!" she called again. "Over here! Oh please, Ken! I'm lost!" She heard him moving through the underbrush, sounding like a bear as he crashed around. She heard him laugh, and it was much closer this time. "You got lost?" he asked. "Even with my easy directions?" Omi pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh shut up. You didn't mention the marshes around the lake, which I stepped in. And you just said go north. Which I thought I was doing until I ran into the lake." The crashing stopped and Omi looked around frantically. "Ken?" she asked worriedly. Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind. She screamed as loud as she could, struggling in the grip of her captor. She continued to flail about until she heard Ken's laughter ringing in her ears. As soon as she stopped moving, he put her back down on her feet, taking her hand in his. "Ken!" she cried. He began to walk, pulling her along behind him. "That wasn't funny!" Ken laughed, turning his head to face her for a moment. His brown eyes sparkled in the faint moonlight. "I'm sorry, Omi," he apologized with a smile. "I couldn't resist." They walked in silence for a while, and soon reached a campfire in the middle of a clearing. "You've been here for awhile?" Omi asked. Ken let go of her hand and sat down on one side of the fire, picking up a stick to poke at the blaze with. "A little while," Ken said. His eyes roamed over her quickly. "You say you stepped in the marshes?" Omi shook her wet foot. "I went in up to the ankles. My feet are all cold now." Ken crossed over to her, pushing her to sit down. Kneeling in front of her, he began tugging off her boots. When that was done, he placed them in front of the fire to dry. He smiled, a bit shyly. "At least you didn't get your dress wet." Omi blushed. "Yeah." She pulled the sleeves over her hands nervously. Ken sat down in front of her, looking her over again. His eyes widened in surprise. "That's not your blue robe, is it?" Omi shook her head. "No." Ken smiled, clapping his hands in delight. "Then you *did* go and buy that blue dress that we saw!" Omi nodded with a smile. "It looks great!" Omi bit her lip. "You really think so?" Ken nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Blue is your color." Omi smiled. "Thank you." She then looked up, her curious eyes meeting Ken's. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Ken sat back, nervously playing with the hem of his shirt. He had been thinking all day about what he was going to say to her, and now his mind went blank. Any words that he had wanted to say seemed stupid and silly. He didn't even know what to say, or even how he felt! "Ahh," he stuttered. He rubbed the back of his neck in his customary nervous gesture. Omi sat there, waiting expectantly. She watched Ken struggle for words. She smiled. /He has the cutest expression on his face when he's at a loss./ "I wanted to talk to you about... about... what you said last night." "That... I love you?" Omi asked. Ken's face flamed red. "Uh, yeah..." Omi reached out, taking Ken's hand in hers. He looked up in surprise. She drew the hand to her lips, kissing the back of it lightly. "I do love you, Ken. I just want you to know that." With a strangled noise in his throat, Ken leapt forward and gathered Omi to him. He turned her face to his, and crushed his lips against hers. He held her close to him, his hand tangled in her golden hair. It was the sweetest kiss either of them had ever experienced. Their lips pressed pleasantly against together, and their tongues swirled between their mouths in a beautiful dance. To Ken, no girl had ever tasted as sweet. /Perhaps it's because I know secretly she's a guy... It adds a new flavor, more excitement.../ At long last, he released her. They slowly opened their eyes, panting heavily. A thin thread of saliva still joined them. Their hot breath mixed and they breathed the other in. They looked deeply into each other's eyes for a long time before either of them spoke. "That was... incredible," Ken breathed, his face flushing. "Ken, I..." "I love you, Omi." He leaned down and kissed her again, full of all the newfound love he had discovered. When he had called her out to the lake, he hadn't known what he was going to say because he didn't even know how he felt. But now, when the moment called for a decision, he knew deep in his heart that he really did love Omi. The newfound love burned within him. He had never realized how deeply he cared for the girl. For Omi, it was more than she expected. She had thought that Ken would confess his love, or lack of love to her, they might share a few chaste kisses and then head back to the inn. But certainly not the passionate, intense kiss they had shared as their first. It was more than she had hoped for. They kissed again and again, each time their kisses becoming deeper. Before they knew it, they found themselves sprawled on the forest floor, trying to frantically remove the clothing that restrained them. They tore at the ties and buttons that hindered them, and in a short period of time, they were undressed. Their bare skin was caressed by the cool night wind, and the heady feeling entered their minds. They felt slightly detached from their actions, of kissing and feeling the new areas presented to them. "Ken," Omi panted. He raised his head from where he had been kissing the sweet skin surrounding her breast. She closed her eyes tightly. "I need... I want..." Ken reached out to stroke her face lightly. "Are you sure? I mean, remember who you are..." Omi nodded, opening her cerulean eyes. She dug her nails lightly into Ken's shoulders. "Please," she begged. "I don't care. I only know that I love you." Ken nodded, his eyes wide. His hand trailed up her thigh, gently parting her legs. He positioned himself above her, tangling one hand in her golden locks, the other resting on her hip. He kissed her deeply, biting her bottom lip lightly as he pushed into her. Her cry was muffled by his kiss. Her body went tense against his and he didn't move a muscle in fear that he'd hurt her. He pulled away, looking down at her, his eyes filled with fear. "Omi?" he asked with bated breath. She slowly opened her eyes. "K- Ken," she replied. Slowly, her body relaxed. "Do you want to do this?" he asked. He couldn't imagine stopping now, but he would if Omi didn't want this anymore. Omi nodded. She reached up and pulled Ken's face near hers. Her hands trailed over his back, tracing his backbone and sending shivers through Ken's body. "I want this," she whispered. "Now I can show you how much I love you..." "I know how much you love me," he whispered back, gazing down at her. His warm brown eyes were filled with love for her. Nothing had ever felt this right before. He knew that Omi was the woman for him, always. Omi laid her head back, her eyes unfocused as Ken resumed his motions. Slowly and gently, they made love, reacting to the other's needs and trying to please each other. Ken felt the much needed release build quickly up within him, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to prolong the moment. He moved his hand up from her hip to stroking the pale skin of the body below his. He wanted to fully explore the new territory presented to him. He had had sex with women before (he clearly remembered Yuriko), but he had never made love to one like this. And none of them had ever been as beautiful as Omi. Omi herself felt the burning sensation grow. She bit her lip hard, drawing blood. She smiled against his lips as Ken kissed the salty blood away. Her nails dug deep into Ken's back, but he didn't complain. This had to be the best feeling in the world. She had been a virgin until this moment, and she was terribly glad that she had saved herself for Ken. The heady feeling increased as they knew they were nearing their end. They tried to stretch the wonderful, blissful moment out as long as they could, but each knew that it would end all too soon. The waning moon was positioned above them, ready to strike midnight, as the two lovers neared their climax. ~~~~ PART TWENTY-THREE Yoji chuckled to himself as he neared the mansion. He looked through the thick trees. No one was at the kitchen door entrance. Unable to hide his smile, he crept forward and entered the house. Two men rushed around the kitchen, grabbing pots here and ingredients there. They never noticed Yoji as he snuck through the hot room to the swinging door that divided the kitchen from the dining room. Pushing through, Yoji found himself in the semi-dark eating room. He stood there for a moment, silent. He heard faint shuffling from the other room and crept towards the door. Sure enough, as Seth had said, a guard stood there. His bloodshot eyes darted here and there, looking for signs of movement. He sat comfortably in a chair, and the armrest, Yoji noticed, would prevent the guard from drawing his sword smoothly. Yoji looked at his wrist. It was crude, but familiar. He had fashioned a device that was similar to his one of the Tokyo world. It was no longer a watch, but a primitive coil and spring. One use only. Pointing his wrist out, he pressed the small catch. A length of wire spun out and wrapped around the guard's neck. The man never saw it coming, and he was unconscious before he had even seen Yoji. Yoji smiled, creeping into the room. He listened again, but didn't hear any movement from this side of the house. He unslung the bag from his shoulder and opened the mouth. Yoji looked around the room, licking his lips in anticipation. /What to steal first?/ he asked himself. He scooped the loose jewels and gold from the tables first. Then he went around the room, removing figurines and trinkets from shelves. He returned to the dining room and opened the drawers to a fancy cabinet. Inside lay dishes of the finest gold edged with the prettiest pink pearls. The silverware was encrusted with emeralds and rubies and other fine stones. He took them all. He hefted his bag. It was half full already. He slung it over his shoulder and rubbed his hands together, pushing through to the next room. As he went around the library, collecting fancy baubles and rich ornaments, he noticed the huge jewels that were embedded in the golden fireplace. Setting his bag down, he pulled a knife out. Setting it to the edge of one jewel, he flipped it expertly out. He did several more before the sound of someone stopped him. He turned, readying his knife. No one was in the room with him, but someone was coming close. He was on edge. If he were caught now, everything he had done since he had landed here would be for nothing. He imagined himself in the dungeon, Seth visiting him to steal a kiss now and then. He shook his head. /It's not going to happen!/ He crept towards one of the doors and stood right next to it. He crouched, ready to spring at any moment. The swinging door was pushed open, and a short figure walked in, looking around. Yoji frowned. The person acted as if they knew someone was going to be here. /He must be the second guard./ The door closed behind the person. Yoji leapt forward and put the knife to the person's neck. "Don't move," he growled, clapping his hand over their mouth. The figure didn't struggle at all as he felt the cold metal pressed against his neck. "If I move my hand, you won't scream, will you?" The figure shook his head. Yoji ran a hand down his prisoner's body, searching for weapons. He found none, which was odd for a guard. Slowly, he removed his hand from the person's mouth. "Who are you, and why are you here?" "Yoji! It's me, Seth!" Yoji frowned. He dragged the boy over toward the window. He moved the curtain slightly to let the faint moonlight play over his captive's face. It was, indeed, Seth. With a noisy sigh, Yoji dropped his arms from the boy. "What are you doing here?" he asked gruffly. Seth smoothed his rumpled clothes. "I wanted to see how you were doing." Yoji shook his head, waggling the knife in front of Seth's face. "I would have killed you, you know! And I'd have never known it was you." He dropped his arm, shaking his head. "Don't *ever* bother me while I'm working." "But Yoji..." "Do you *want* me to kill you?" Yoji exploded, holding the knifepoint to Seth's chin. Seth stared back at Yoji. Tears sparkled in his eyes. "Yoji, I..." Yoji dropped the knife on the floor and embraced Seth. "God, I'm so sorry, Seth," he whispered. The younger boy clung to him, silent sobs raking his body. Yoji himself felt his body shaking, and he let out a huge breath to try to steady himself. "I was so scared. When I saw it was you, I thought of how I could have killed you... God, you scared me to death!" Seth wiped at his tears. "I'm so sorry, Yoji. I didn't mean to interfere with your work. I was worried. I didn't know how you were doing. I *had* to see you!" "It's okay," Yoji soothed, running his hand up and down Seth's back. "I need to finish up here, though." Seth nodded, pulling away. He strayed toward the door. "I need to get back too..." Yoji followed him to the door. He touched Seth's shoulder, and the boy turned. Leaning down, Yoji pressed his lips to Seth's in a sweet, gentle kiss. Pulling back, Yoji smiled. "Go now. Come to the inn tonight. It won't be safe here." Seth nodded. He touched his fingers to his lips, winked, and then disappeared through the door and into the darkness. Sighing, Yoji turned to retrieve his satchel. He picked up his dagger and returned to the fireplace. He set it to the edge of the next biggest emerald. But to his surprise, it easily moved with his touch. Sheathing his knife, Yoji put his hands to it. He noticed that the jewel didn't fit exactly in its hole. It was a bit smaller than the actual fitting. Putting his nails into the small groove, he pulled on the jewel. To his amazement, it came easily out. He wasn't very surprised when the bookcase next to him turned sideways on a pivot. "How cliché," he muttered to himself. Then again, this world didn't have fantasy novels (cheap romances or not) that used the same plot over and over. He picked up his bag and closed it. It was almost full anyway. He must have a couple million in gold alone. He looked into the dark hall that had been revealed by the bookcase. A thought struck him. Something valuable must be down there if Lady Aithne had bothered to hide it by a secret entrance. He redrew his dagger and proceeded down the narrow hallway. The floor sloped downwards. The walls and ceiling were clean of mildew and spider webs, the two characteristics of an evil dungeon. He stopped for a moment to listen, but no sound except his breathing could be heard. He reached the bottom of the passage and walked into a large, perfectly round chamber. As if he had passed through a trigger, seven torches, evenly spaced around the walls, burst into flame. Yoji jumped at this surprising event, but tried to reason it out. "Ashes," he told himself. "They were smoldering and the air sparked them to life again..." Although he said it, he himself didn't believe it. Something strange was going on here. He turned to look at the rest of the room. Mahogany wood panels with intricate designs lined the walls and covered the floor. But there, in the exact center of the room, was a golden pedestal. Atop it was the most intricate, detailed, and beautiful chalice Yoji had ever seen. It was two feet tall, and encrusted with various precious jewels. Blue diamonds and periwinkle sapphires, blood red rubies and verdant emeralds. Yoji had never seen jewels that large or bright. The light from the torches made each jewel sparkle with it's own life, and each one captivated Yoji. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the treasure. It *had* to be his. That alone would ensure a happy, comfortable life forever. And to steal this from the elf woman. It was the ultimate challenge. But first he had to get out of the house with it. He reached forward, his fingers itching to touch it. He wanted to caress the smooth gold, feel the ridges on each jewel. He wanted to fondle it like a lover. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. He felt heady as he reached for the chalice, an urge that wouldn't be satisfied until he touched it for himself. ~~~~ PART TWENTY-FOUR It was a pleasant summer evening, and a cool breeze wafted through town. It blew through houses, carrying conversations for miles, dog barks half way across the city, and the smell of love to simmer in the gutters. An enchanted air mixed with the wind, and Aya could feel it enter his mind as he leaned forward. Their position was close enough to hear the chimes of water clocks as they struck midnight. They heard many chimes from different houses, in unison and in staggered intervals. At the moment of the first chime, Cordelia's lips touched his. Aya clasped the girl closer to him as they kissed. Their lips were pressed pleasantly together. Their felt their worries and cares be swept away as their lips meshed. All that mattered was the person in front of them and the tender, tentative sweetness they offered. Never before had they opened up in such a way to another person. The midnight chimes continued, but they didn't pull away from each other. Their kisses became desperate, like lovers stealing moments together. They both understood their need for someone, their longing for someone to comprehend their pain. And so their unity, while not necessarily out of love, was filling a desire to finally relate. The eleventh chime struck somewhere, and slowly they parted, their need for air greater than their need for understanding. Slowly, their eyes opened to look at the other. ~~~~ Omi clutched tightly to Ken as his movements became more frantic and hurried. They both needed to reach their glorifying peak, expelling their energy in love's most powerful act. A harsh wind struck them as a large, dark shape flew over them to perch in the tree above them. Neither one noticed, as their minds were too far-gone, seeped in pleasure the other was providing. A great owl turned its golden eyes away from their bodies. Miffed that people were invading it's territory, and knowing by its internal clock that it had finally reached midnight, the owl began to hoot. Omi felt her mind slip away from her, a fierce sensation of pleasure coursing through her. Her nails bit deep into Ken's flesh as she reached her climax, her body tense and shuddering in his arms. The owl continued its call. Five. Six. Ken gritted his teeth, trying to hold on to prolong the moment. But no longer could he. Crying out loudly, he spent himself in Omi. His arms were weak with the force of his orgasm, and they shook as he lowered himself on top of Omi. Omi's thin, sweaty arms wrapped him in an embrace and their lips found each other's. Ten. Eleven. Their tongues met, and they shared a deep, loving kiss. Their frenzied actions were over. Blissful calm settled over them, and the enchanted air blew on, leaving them. They lay in love, for once completely happy and at peace with themselves. ~~~~ The tips of Yoji's fingertips brushed the edge of the chalice. It was cool to the touch. He took a step closer and cradled his hand around the side of it, feeling the smooth gold and the textured jewels. He paused for a moment as he heard the clear sounds of a chime ringing. The wall opposite the door had a small shelf, and on that was a tiny water clock. The clock struck two more times as he watched before turning back to the chalice. His breath was shallow and his eyes sparkled with untamed greed as he readied his other hand. He wanted so badly to just grab the cup and run, but the spell that captivated him would not let him. His movements were slow and measured, sluggish almost. As the sixth chime sounded, the light died. All seven torches went out. Yoji stood there in the darkness, his eyes unable to penetrate it. His hand left the side of the cup unwillingly and went to his dagger, which he pulled out. The eighth chime struck and an invisible force wrenched the knife from his hand. Unprepared, he staggered away with the blow. He nursed his stinging hand, his verdant eyes searching from one side of the room to the other. /If only there was a light, any light!/ As if on command, the torches flickered back into life. The tenth ring sounded. Yoji shook his head, closing his eyes tight. When he opened them a moment later, they had adjusted to the light. He gaped in surprise at who stood across from him. "Your presence here is unwelcome." On the eleventh chime, an unseen pressure struck him, hurling him across the room into the wall. His head struck the side with an audible crack, and his vision quickly faded. He crumpled to the floor, unconscious.