A long nail clipped quietly on the door, alerting Andy to a situation which he was not aware of. Had Mai run into trouble outside while he had been moping about in his disarrayed emotions inside? Locking her out, leaving her all by herself to wonder over his intentions. Did she know? Could she see the truth in the blue-gray irises which she looked into and trusted with all her heart? *What the hell am I thinking?* He rose from his slumped position on the floor and turned the lock until it popped open.
"Mai…are you okay?" His whisper came out as a stab of guilt, an overeager attempt to compensate for the way he deceived her.
"I brought the water bowl for Terry," she replied softly. Her red lips pursed together in the darkness, moistening them with her tongue. "You must have forgotten…" The sentence fell apart when she gazed over at Terry. Up until that moment, she hadn’t been able to see him because of Andy’s protective nature. It had been beneficial to both herself and Terry if they stayed away from each other. At least that was the way Andy had put it. So Terry could keep his dignity and Mai would be able to keep her distance.
Andy followed her line of sight and inwardly kicked himself. He had ignored Terry for too long. The nightmares had caused his brother to toss the blankets off of the other end of the bed. At any rate, Terry’s fevered nightmares and the cool room temperature would make him very sick. Mai reacted before he could move a muscle. She swished into the room, her ninja outfit flapping behind her. "Mai, you don’t have to…I can take care of him."
"And a fine job you’ve been doing too," came the sarcastic retort. She picked the blankets off of the floor and bundled Terry up in them again. Not once did she stare at him or react with disgust. Her gentle hands ran a wet cloth over his brow, cooling the heat there. Mai seemed to be gifted with the compassionate love of a mother. Maybe someday she would make a great one as well as a beautiful wife.
*But not with me.* No, he could never be her husband as much as she wanted it. The love she displayed for him was genuine and ran very deep within her spirit. However, Andy could not return those feelings and dreams for a future together. Only one person had ever stolen his heart and that man would never love him back. To fall in love with his own brother, what a ghastly punishment. *Now I know how Mai feels when I reject her. It’s worse than returning from a tournament with broken bones, no money and a stupid ribbon for second place.*
"He wanted me to leave."
Mai regarded him with some sympathy. As she was distracted, a flailing fist smacked into her left arm. *Ouch!*
And then, the words which Mai had never imagined hearing joined with that attack. "Burn…ing…knu…ckle."
"MAI!"
She watched Andy jump onto the bed to pin Terry down by his elbows, not wanting to hurt his wrists further. It didn’t take much of an effort but the sound of Terry screaming made Andy let go. The second his hands freed Terry, his thigh was grasped by five fingers which attempted to rip into him. Mai shrieked when a second punch knocked her teeth together.
"Terry, calm down. No one is here to hurt you." Instead of peeling those fingers off, Andy covered Terry’s body with his own and held him tight. "We’re going to help you get through this…I promise." His words cut through the fog and sent Terry back into his nightmare realm. But this time, Andy was there to protect him. The fever broke as Andy stroked his warm face, soothing him with promises which would not be forgotten.
"Ohhh…my jaw."
"He didn’t connect with his burning knuckle I hope." Andy was almost too afraid to see what kind of damage Terry had inflicted.
A light smile lit up Mai’s bruised lips. "It doesn’t matter. He can hit me all he wants but it will take more than that to get rid of this ninja woman. I’m as loyal as they come." She grinned and dabbed at her bloody lip with a tissue. "Remind me never to get into a real fight with Terry."
*Loyal.* Mai was loyal but Andy knew that he was a real asshole for not giving her that same devotion back. "Mai…can I talk to you about something important?"
Her smile vanished. "I would prefer it if you didn’t say anything else." She retrieved her hair pin which had fallen off in the scuffle. "And don’t lock the door either. I can’t get in if there’s an emergency."
*She knows.* Andy disengaged his limbs from Terry’s, well aware of how bad their positioning had looked. "I’m sorry. I tried to tell you before but you were too sweet and the next thing I knew, we were dating. I didn’t want to do this to you…anybody but you," he blurted out. "But it didn’t just happen overnight. Even when we were kids, I loved him. Terry has always been the only person I’ve loved with so much certainty."
Mai’s mouth moved but no coherent words came out. She stared at him, seeing nothing but a lying, cheating bastard. "I don’t believe you." Her hands clenched into fists which pressed into her chest. No air would provide oxygen for her lungs. Was she dying? "No…" She shook her head, acid stinging her eyes with watery mascara. "All this time…you lied. I gave you my heart!"
This was one of those dilemmas where Andy had accidentally assumed that Mai had been angry over one thing when it was another entirely. "I thought you knew." He felt dizzy from the fear which built inside of him. Of losing her as a friend, one which he cherished regardless of their personal relationship. "You got all angry…"
"I was angry because I thought you didn’t want me to see Terry naked! And now this! How could you? What kind of man are you?"
Her receding footsteps reached Andy’s ears but he didn’t look up. How could he deny what had just come out of his own mouth?
"Andy."
"Oh shit! Not you too, Terry." Andy approached the bed, nearly crushed beneath the weight of his guilt. "You heard everything, didn’t you?"
Terry blinked in confusion. "Heard what?"
*Thank goodness for small miracles.* "Do you need anything? Something to drink…eat?"
"The tournament…was it postponed?"
Maybe Terry had been traumatized worse than Andy had imagined. To want to know about some useless tournament after what had happened was not healthy. It didn’t matter. How could it possibly matter after the abuse Terry had endured? "I don’t know. If Joe showed up…" The mention of Joe’s name made Terry shiver but only for a split second. "…then you would have been disqualified. Whenever a fighter fails to show up, they forfeit the match. I’m sorry."
"No. I’ll challenge him to a rematch." Hatred burned in Terry’s eyes as he shoved Andy out of his way to climb out of bed. "I need to practice my techniques…to beat him."
"Absolutely not! You’re going to stay where you are and recuperate."
"Don’t boss me around, Andy! I don’t need your help or your sympathy. Get out of my way!"
The authoritative tone was enough to move Andy to one side. He grit his teeth to watch Terry struggle onto his feet. That was as far as he got because the next minute Andy was holding onto him. *I can’t even stand on my own.* He fought long and hard to keep the rising turmoil out of his eyes and throat. *How could I let Joe…?* Terry lashed out, brutally smashing one of the golden trophies on a high shelf. His fist narrowly missed knocking Andy out with it.
"Do you feel better now?" Andy’s tone was soft and comforting as he continued to support Terry. He looked down at the monumental object that had been his first symbol of achievement. His very first trophy ever…destroyed in a moment of anger.
"I didn’t mean to…I’m sorry…Andy, I’m so sorry." Terry turned to hug Andy, resting his head on the shoulder which accommodated him.
"It was only a material possession. I can replace it but I can’t replace you." His wisdom seemed to get Terry’s attention because he straightened up a bit. Their eyes met and everything else became lost. *I can’t. I shouldn’t. He doesn’t need this from me, not now.* But Andy ignored his only semblance of decency to cover Terry’s mouth with his own. Whereas there had been doubt before, now only churning emotions lay. Inside the hearts of brothers who were named so only by adoption. Was what they craved so forbidden?
"Andy."
His name was spoken carefully, as if to test what had just happened. Andy had kissed Terry straight on the lips. Not one bit of frost awaited him when his tongue pressed against those soft lips. Should he continue? He felt the mouth beneath his ready, waiting for him to make the next move. But was it out of affection or the need for a deeper sense of consolation? Andy could not make that mistake and live to regret it in the future. If Terry wanted this as badly as he did, then it could be approached again. Later. When the bridge between them wasn’t so shaky and covered in shady spots.
"We’d better not." He turned away from Terry to gather up the scattered trophy pieces on the floor. When he looked back, the broken fighter had returned to slouching on the bed. Anything to relieve the tremors going through him. "I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings." Andy touched Terry’s shoulder to comfort him.
"You didn’t. I actually feel like less of a loser now." A twinge of humor marked his words along with something that Andy chose to ignore for now.
"Always glad to be of assistance." He sighed, shaking his head in amazement at how strongly Terry fought to recover from what had gripped him earlier on.
**
Unsteady eyes followed the movements of a man that should have made more noise with his frame and height. But he was quiet, deathly silent with each lap he took around the table. Joe sat with his fingers drumming on one knee, under the long dining table laden down with goodies. He could almost taste those sweets on his tongue. But none of them could compare to the scent and flavor of Terry Bogard’s flesh. The striking sky blue of his eyes or how he seemed to match like a jigsaw puzzle. When Joe had taken Terry, their minds had coalesced into one all encompassing thought. Love. Terry loved him. There was not a solitary doubt in Joe’s heart that it was not true. They were like two kindred spirits. How could anything possibly be more perfect?
"Higashi! Are you listening to me?"
What an accent! Joe had been so intoxicated with the man’s voice. Each infliction, rise and fall of breath, intonation of oncoming doom. With all that working in his boss’ favor, why did he need to listen to the words? Just by following the melodic rhythm of promised pain and suffering, Joe had been able to lose himself to a dream. An unfruitful, sexual fantasy with nothing adhering to his lecture.
"Um…yeah Boss. Heard every word."
"Oh, did you now? So maybe you wouldn’t mind summarizing what I just said."
"Could you repeat the last part again?"
Armor clinked to a stop, heels grinding their impatience as the man appraised Joe’s idiocy. "Are you mocking me?" There was that accent again. If his business had not been murder and domination, Lord Krauser could have been misinterpreted to be a worldly, educated man. One that knew the rest of the world outside of Germany and socialized with the upper crust of society. Krauser was all that but only as a front, a means of throwing off suspicion. Even then, his act was all part of a past life, prior to his defeat at the hands of…Terry Bogard.
"Hell no, Lord Krauser. I just got bored when you described what you would do with Terry…twice. Maybe a little, itsy, teeny bit jealous." Joe fingers inched apart to indicate just how jealous he felt.
"It is not your place to be jealous of me, wench. I am your master and you will do my bidding. I have gone to a lot of trouble to prepare my castle for Mr. Terry Bogard." The name left Krauser’s mouth acidic, a bitter taste of shame. "He will soon learn that it is not an easy feat to dismantle what I fought so long and hard to attain. I murdered my own father to take his place as head of the throne. It was many years later before I took over what my illegitimate half brother, Geese, failed to rule. South Town nearly lost its corruption after…" Krauser sneered. "…Terry Bogard defeated Geese. Who put everything back into place? Who went to all the trouble of maintaining the natural order of things? It was I, and I alone that stamped the name Krauser onto the forehead of every fighting stadium throughout the world. I reap the rewards, the profits, instill fear into the hearts of cowardly men. Before Terry came along, I was King!"
"And now you want revenge." Joe yawned and leaned back in the chair. "After your plan is finished…after you punish Terry…can I have him?"
"We shall see. Although I’m not too sure if Terry will be much of a man once I’m done with him." Krauser doubled over laughing, making his way to the cathedral sized organ at the end of the ballroom. He set his fingers down to begin an eerie tune marred with a suffering yet to come.
**
"Andy, where did Mai go?"
"We had an argument. Or I really offended her. I’m still trying to figure out which it is." Another day had risen fresh from the last, replenishing Terry’s energy and leaving him fully alert. It was good to see him out of bed, gingerly avoiding stretching bruised areas of his body. But the horrific actions of Joe were far from stale.
"Would you mind if I went for a walk? My joints are really stiff."
"As long as I tag along. I don’t want…" Andy bit off the rest of the sentence. He could see that Terry understood and didn’t question what had been cut off. They needed time to heal and sometimes silence brought strength. "Do you need anything before we go? More lotion?"
A fire burned two patches of crimson red on Terry’s cheekbones. He still couldn’t believe what Andy had been doing to heal him. More specifically, where Andy had put his hands. "I can manage."
Just then, a rock crashed through the window. Andy reacted instantly, knocking Terry to the carpet, shielding him from any further assaults. None came.
"Oww," Terry groaned. "Don’t expect me to go for a walk with you now."
"Sorry. I couldn’t take any chances." He helped Terry up before kicking the rock over with his foot. A note had been wrapped around it with scotch tape. "A warning from Joe," he surmised. "Childish son of a…" But it wasn’t. When he removed the tape, the note and a small, bright object dropped into Andy’s open palm. "We have your girlfriend," he read. "I don’t think this was meant for you, Terry." When he read on, his mood darkened. "Come to Strau Krauser estate before noon tomorrow or Mai Shiranui will not be alive to carry her bloodline any further. Terry Bogard, if you are a real man, you will come alone."
The bright blue ornament that had come attached with the note was recognized as the pin which kept Mai’s hair tied back. She left the apartment only to be abducted!
"What have I done?" Andy wrung his hands miserably, searching the apartment for any other signs of a struggle. There were none. She had been attacked on her way home or maybe even in her home for all they knew. "Mai."
"I’ll get her back."
"You will?" He shook his head, denying that the situation existed. "Give me a break, Terry. You can’t fight, not in your condition. I’ve already told you this! Do you want him to kill you?"
"Who are we talking about?"
"Joe, you idiot! He’s snapped obviously and drawn poor Mai into the middle of our battle. She shouldn’t have any part in this."
"How do you know it’s Joe? Why would he choose Krauser’s castle? This has nothing to do with Joe."
"Keep saying that until you believe it. I can hear the fear in your voice. Don’t think you can fool me." Andy smiled thinly at Terry. "This is one of those times where the hero of South Town won’t be needed. I can handle Joe on my own. If you came…you would only get in the way. You know it’s true. We can’t jeopardize Mai’s safety just because you want our enemy to be Krauser, a man that never forced himself on you like Joe did. A safer person to fight because you know what’s at stake. Mai is at stake here, Terry but I have what it takes to get her back."
"You always win when we argue." Terry’s lowered his head in submission. "I never could make a dent in your stubbornness."
"You’re just as stubborn. I’m surprised that you’re giving in so…" Thump! Andy hit the floor with a nice red welt on his forehead.
"I’m sorry, Andy. But Krauser wants me to show up alone and you aren’t welcome. I’ll bring Mai back to you for what you’ve done for me. Then…maybe you will still want me and not out of pity." He crouched down to kiss Andy’s closed eyelids. "Once you realize that I’m right, you’ll forgive me."
Terry replaced the lamp he had struck Andy with on the coffee table. After gathering some necessities up into a bag, he went to vent his frustrations on a man he had presumed to be dead. This time, Krauser would not be faking suicide to come closer to death. Terry would send him on a one way trip six feet under.