Ritsuka sat at his desk, his body already in knots from the long hours in the hard chair as he stared at his spiral notebook. He had already changed into his soft white pajamas, and his door had been safely locked from the inside. It had been three days since he had last seen him. Ritsuka chewed the end of his pencil as he thought about it. His purple eyes moved on their own to the light blue phone sitting next to the computer and when he caught himself reaching for it he shook his head. No, he wouldn't do it! That idiot, he was probably sitting somewhere outside the window watching him right now… And that brought his eyes to the sliding glass door. The curtains remained unmoved; the door was closed. Why did he even care? The eraser came off in his mouth and he spit it into his palm with a gag. Glaring at the ruined pencil he threw it onto the floor. Not even a text! That bastard!

It wasn't even as if they had left on a really good note. After that dream Ritsuka had been having nightmares every night. And who could blame him? He shuddered as the images came back to him, placing his hands over his black ears as if to lock them away. He wouldn't think of it! And yet, the one that could make all of the bad thoughts go away was missing. And after all he had said that day… He –was- a fool to believe him. He looked hopelessly to the half filled page and read it over. He tore the page out without resolve and crumbled it, throwing it onto the floor beside the small trash bin. The sudden gust of wind startled him, causing him to knock over his chair as he stood with a gasp. His deep purple eyes narrowed as soon as he realized his mistake. The intruder wore his trademark black fur-lined purple coat, light green shirt, and pale blue jeans with the black tie belt.

"SOUBI!" He shouted, then covered his mouth, his eyes towards the door of his room. His mother was still awake… Hearing no sound he glared again at the tall blond with the aggravating smile. "Where the hell have you been? You've been gone since that day and you haven't answered your phone! Weren't you always supposed to pick up?" He asked, clenching his fists at his sides. Soubi kept smiling, and he moved closer until he was standing so close that the smaller one could feel the heat of his body.

"I'm sorry, I was busy. I had school work and other business." He said calmly.

"And I suppose you 'can't tell me' what that other business is?" Ritsuka asked with a glare… well, even though it was more of a pout, his black ears lowered.

"I'm glad you understand." Soubi quipped, tilting his head and moving to embrace the shorter boy. Ritsuka moved back so fast that his hips hit the desk and a few pencils rolled off of it.

"What are you doing? You think you can just come in here after leaving me alone like that and touch me? I don't want to see you. I wish you had stayed gone." He growled, and Soubi's smile only slightly faded.

"But I love you Ritsuka… I told you, if you're angry than punish me." The Fighter said, reaching for the buttons on his shirt. His Sacrifice's eyes widened and he reached up, taking a hold of Soubi's hands.

"Stop that! And stop saying that you love me! If you loved me you wouldn't leave me! Everyone that says they love me leaves or ends up hating me…" He sniffed, closing his eyes tightly. They stung with tears that he didn't want anyone—specially Soubi—to see! But his Fighter hugged him tightly, pressing the sixth grader into the solid warmth of his chest and tucking his head under his chin. "Wh—what are you doing!"

"All you have to do is say it. Say, 'Stay with me at all times' and I will." The blond said slowly, and Ritsuka blushed deeply, clenching his fists against his tall Fighter's chest though he made no move to escape the comforting arms. They were so strong, he had seen for himself that Soubi was undefeatable, and they reminded him so much of… He began to cry.

"Idiot! Who would want that? You're annoying… Always coming around when I don't need you, but you're never there when I do. Do you know what I've been dreaming? How much I've been worried…?" He asked, his ears falling back against his head again though his tail was swaying slightly. Soubi ran those long slender fingers of his though his Sacrifice's short hair slowly, as if petting him.

"You worried for me?" He asked, his voice amused if not touched.

"Who said that? I meant I was worried about being attacked…"

"Then order me." The voice was so breathless that Ritsuka blinked, pulling away slightly to look up to his blond guardian. Soubi's pale blue eyes were half closed as if he was tired, his round glasses catching the light from his desk lamp slightly.

"I won't order you." He said, pouting again. Oh, it was supposed to be a glare. Soubi smiled, playing with the long lock of hair beside Ritsuka's pale cheek. "I won't ever say that… It wouldn't be right. You have a life, not just me. You have Kio, and school…"

"But aren't you lonely?"

"That doesn't matter! I don't own you. I don't want to…" He stopped, his face turning crimson as Soubi's face moved closer to his. He didn't fight it as their lips met. Warm, soft, and slightly damp, Ritsuka's eyes closed slowly as he leaned up into the kiss, his ears falling back as his tail swished quickly back and forth. He –was- lonely. He had noticed it first when he had gone to (that place with the Ferris wheel…) with Yuiko, Yayoi, and Hitome. Sure he had been having fun with them, but it hadn't escaped his notice how often he looked to his phone. And then there was the fact that the only thing he could think of when the beautiful scenery from the Ferris wheel was revealed that he had thought instantly of Soubi. He felt safe with the tall blond, even with all of the questions and the doubt, he didn't feel like he was pretending to be Ritsuka anymore. Soubi said he loved him, -him-. With Yuiko, Yayoi, Hitomi and even his kind counselor Katsuko, he was lonely. There was something that they couldn't give him, not even when they were all together. By the time he realized that the kiss was not ending, he also realized that Soubi's strong arms were lifting him. "Mm—What are you doing?" He asked, his lips feeling numb.

"Bearing near you." Came the breathless answer before Ritsuka's back touched his bed and the blond was on top of him. His closeness was maddening. The warmth of his skin from his half unbuttoned shirt, the taste and feel of his lips and tongue as they played with his own, and his cool slender fingers which were sliding up the his pajama shirt to skate over his stomach and chest, causing his skin to prickle. He gasped,

"Soubi, stop it…" He said half-heartedly as his back arched in response, his head falling back.

"I love you," That smooth voice cooed, and those lips latched onto his throat.

"Nah, ah—Soubi…" It came out a whisper this time, and Ritsuka closed his eyes tightly as his Fighter's quick hands unbuttoned his shirt. Why didn't he just push him away again? His hands were closed tightly on his own sheets, his pale chest rising and falling with quick breaths, and his cheeks splashed with crimson. Soubi's thigh was between his legs and his weight though close was not enough to keep him from behind shoved off—perhaps he expected too be. But for now he continued to kiss his Sacrifice's neck, his lips moving down his chest as his hand moved up from the inside of Ritsuka's thigh. "Oh… S-Soubi… No, I…" The sixth grader said, though he didn't know what words he wanted to say next. His body was hot, unbearably hot, and he could hear his heart hammering in his ears as Soubi's hand drifted ever higher. His ears were tingling in the most unusual way. He opened his mouth and gained the breath to speak when something made him stop. The hand on his thigh had been removed swiftly, and Soubi's thigh had tensed, his lips leaving their soft vice on Ritsuka's neck. "S-Soubi….?" He asked, and moved to sit up when his Fighter moved. The blond pressed his smooth cheek against his, his hand moving to smooth back Ritsuka's hair and ears.

"It's not time yet… I promised not to do anything, remember?" He asked, his voice strained.

"But Soubi…"

"Shhh… Unless you're ready to order me, you can keep them Ritsuka. Besides… I think they're cute." He said with a smile that the Sacrifice could feel. He blushed, more at his predicament than at the expected comment. Soubi stood as swift as the wind, and the desk light was turned off.

"Hey, what—?" Ritsuka complained.

"I love you…" Soubi said, and Ritsuka squinted to see him but could only make out his silhouette from behind, his eyes adjusting to the light change.

"Shut up! Get out of here!" He shouted, throwing the deadly weapon that was his pillow and hitting his Fighter in the back. He flung himself back onto the bed and turned towards the wall, but he wasn't really angry. Soubi chuckled, walking out to the balcony and closing the door behind him. Ritsuka frowned, reaching down to his collarbone and wiping off the moisture there. He'd slobbered on him! No… Even in the dark Ritsuka could make out the dark liquid that was blood. He sat up, turning to the balcony, but his Fighter was gone. Where had the blood come from…?

Soubi removed his hand from his neck as he walked home, looking at the red that stained it and licking it off slowly. Across his collarbone the word 'BELOVED' bled slowly.