Embrace

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Branch

Ritsuka finds his feet and certainty, and a place for Soubi. Soubi returns the favor with all the care he can take of Ritsuka. This arc takes off from the ninth volume of the manga and traces out a possible conclusion. Increasingly sane Ritsuka/Soubi.

Ink Burns

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

This is a work of fanfiction, produced according to the principles of transformative fair use as put forward in US copyright law, and abiding by the custom and practice of fan-produced work in Japan, where the source texts were created. No author is in any way affiliated with any of the creators of the source texts, nor with the companies who distribute their products, nor any other rights holder, and these stories were not authorized by either the creators or the producers. Ink Burns is a fan site and the material here is freely provided for the enjoyment of fellow fan-community members; there is no commercial infringement.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 US license at the Ink Burns fanfiction archive (http://www.branchandroot.net/archive/).

"Drown in your Blue Sea" published on 2008-02-14 18:10:23.

"Ride Your Wild Horses" published on 2008-02-20 14:14:06.

"Taste Your Salt Water Kisses" published on 2008-02-27 15:09:57.

Attributions can be made by author's name and a link to the archive.

This ebook edition was published on September 6, 2019 by the Ink Burns fanfiction archive.

Cover illustration is "Birkenwald im Fruhling" by Lesser Ury, public domain (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lesser_Ury_Birkenwald_im_Fr%C3%BChling.jpg).

Cover design by Branch.

Drown in your Blue Sea

Soubi's pov when Seimei first claims him. Drama with Creepiness, I-5, spoilers vol. 8

Warning: Contains mutilation and very questionable consent.

Soubi was very confused. He had expected to be Sensei's Fighter. What else had he been trained for?

This, apparently.

He listened as his Sacrifice spoke of butterflies, breath catching at the slow rip of the knife through his shirt. Reborn? Did his Sacrifice want him to become... something else?

He would do whatever his Sacrifice said, of course. That was the only way he could be a true Fighter. Sensei had taught him that. He figured it was even more important for a blank Fighter like him.

"Would you like it to hurt? Or would you rather it not hurt?"

Soubi groped for an answer. His Sacrifice's eyes crinkled a bit, warmed.

"I think you would like it more if it hurt."

Was that what his Sacrifice wanted him to become? All right.

"Pain," Soubi murmured and tipped his head back for the point of Seimei's knife to write his new name. "I want it to hurt. I like pain."

End

A/N: Raserei Hojo's translation of this scene dialogue was used. Many thanks.

Ride Your Wild Horses

A final confrontation between Seimei and Ritsuka requires Ritsuka and Soubi to finally make their choices. Drama with Romance, I-4, spoilers to vol. 9

One: Ritsuka

"Just listen," Ritsuka said softly and pressed the replay button on the answering machine.

Ritsuka? Ritsuka, it's me; Seimei.

The voice was gentle and cheerful and made Ritsuka's guts twist. He wanted the days back when his memories were clean, before he had to remember his brother's cold, crazy eyes matched to this soft voice.

Ritsuka, do you really not forgive me? Can you really not love me? Well, either way. I want you to come to me, Ritsuka. Come to me at Seven Moons.

A click ended the call and Ritsuka hit erase, hard.

"Will you go?" Soubi asked softly.

Ritsuka turned and leaned against the wall, head bent over his crossed arms. "Yeah." He had to try at least once more, to get his brother back.

To hope there was a brother to be gotten back.

One way or another, he had to be sure.

"Very well." Soubi's hands clenched for a moment and Ritsuka frowned.

"Maybe you shouldn't come." He looked up just in time to see the tension in Soubi's face wipe away to bleakness.

"Of course not," Soubi stated, quiet and flat. "I betrayed you. You can't trust me."

Ritsuka grabbed Soubi's sleeve. "That wasn't what I meant!" This didn't make a dent in Soubi's expression and Ritsuka nearly stamped his foot in frustration. "Soubi!" He pulled on Soubi's sleeve until the man at least looked at him. "Seimei scares you," he said softly.

Soubi dropped to his knees and caught Ritsuka's hand, bowing his head over it. "You are my master. I need to protect you. But I can't disobey Seimei!" His voice was harsh and drawn. "I can't even beg your forgiveness for that."

Ritsuka frowned, worried, and wound his arms around Soubi's shoulders; Seimei really brought out the worst of this in Soubi, and any way he turned that thought he hated it. "Don't be an idiot. If there's nothing you can do about it, it isn't your fault." Soubi said nothing and Ritsuka chewed his lip for a moment. Finally he ventured, "Do you want to try? To do something about it?"

"I can't really imagine that." Soubi looked up and there were tight lines around his eyes, but the look in them was open and pleading. "But I don't want to leave you."

Ritsuka nodded slowly and wound his arms tighter around Soubi's neck, burying his face in Soubi's shoulder. "You come too, then," he whispered.

Two: Soubi

Soubi didn't want to leave Ritsuka, but, looking into the unforgiving chill of Seimei's eyes, he was afraid he was about to.

"I killed the Loveless Fighter." Seimei smiled, bright and careless, and Soubi swallowed hard past familiarity. "What makes you think you're different?" His smile turned hard. "Destroy yourself. And then Ritsuka will be all mine again."

Ritsuka's voice broke as he yelled, "Stop!"

Soubi looked over at Ritsuka through the floating after-shreds of battle spells, shivering. "Ritsuka. I'm sorry..." At least he wouldn't take Ritsuka with him—in the end his unbound nature was a mercy after all. He'd barely cleared his throat to do as Seimei ordered, though, when Ritsuka caught his wrists, staring up at him.

"No." His hands tightened.

The necessity of following Seimei's order shook Soubi's whole body, now, and he stumbled down to the floor in Ritsuka's insistent grip. "I'm sorry," he repeated hoarsely. "I can't—"

Ritsuka's fingers touched his lips and Soubi started.

"I know."

Soubi stared at Ritsuka, wonder distracting him for a moment. Ritsuka had a tiny smile on his face and his ears were pitched ruefully. He watched Soubi with grave eyes, child's eyes, heart-hurtingly clear. In that clarity, will flashed like links of a steel chain—will and determination.

"I didn't understand," Ritsuka told him simply. "You surprised me. I didn't understand any of this." His wave took in the building around them and the pair behind him. "But I think... I think maybe I do now." Ritsuka bit his lip and his voice turned small. "It scares me. But..."

Ritsuka flung his arms around Soubi's neck and Soubi could feel him trembling.

"I understand, now. So. Your name... is Loveless." Ritsuka's voice rang in Soubi's head like a bell as he repeated, "Your name is Loveless."

Soubi felt the connection, a piercing shock through his solar plexus, or his heart, or his soul, whatever it truly was that anchored a bond, and he cried out, clutching Ritsuka against him, eyes wide and blind. Ritsuka held on just as tight, half laughing and half crying against Soubi's neck.

"I am your Sacrifice. You are my Fighter," Ritsuka whispered. And even softer, "I love you."

"Yes." Soubi bowed his head to Ritsuka's shoulder, breathless with passion and dazed with shock. "Yes, Ritsuka, I swear. I belong to you, body and heart and soul." He felt dizzy with how good it was to belong completely again. And then he twitched at the lazy lash of Seimei's voice.

"He's still mine first, though. And I gave you an order, Soubi."

"No." Ritsuka drew in a long breath and straightened, ignoring the two at his back, taking Soubi's face in his hands. His chin firmed stubbornly and Soubi thought he might cheerfully drown in the fierceness of Ritsuka's eyes. "Soubi, I order you. You will not obey Seimei."

Soubi jerked, locked suddenly between two orders neither of which he could disobey. His voice turned thready. "Ritsuka..." Compulsion and the fresh bond pulled at him, opposing, and he panted, trying to catch his breath, fighting to submit to Ritsuka's will and only Ritsuka's will. "I... I will... not... obey... S-Sei..."

Seimei laughed, bright and sharp, and Soubi flinched.

Ritsuka's eyes blazed and he wrapped his arms around Soubi again, whispering in his ear. "This is my choice. And you are my Fighter. You and no one else."

As hard as the struggle had been to reach it, the change was just as simple as that. A Fighter must obey his Sacrifice without question or hesitation. That truth was engraved in Soubi deeper even than Seimei's name.

And Ritsuka was now his Sacrifice.

Warmth flowed through Soubi, and he relaxed. Soft and serene, he answered, "I will not obey Seimei." He took one of Ritsuka's hands in his and bowed his head to kiss the palm. "I am your Fighter. I obey only you." He rose and smiled down at Ritsuka. "Our name is Loveless."

Ritsuka smiled back, shaky. "All right, then." He turned, standing at Soubi's side, and pointed at Beloved. His voice firmed, low with sadness and hard with determination. "Defeat them."

The bond wound around them both and Soubi clung to it, his shield against the frozen rage on Seimei's face. "Yes, Ritsuka," he said, calmly, and raised his hand.

Three: Soubi

Kio looked up as Soubi stripped off his paint-spattered shirt and tossed it in the solvent-before-washing basket.

"You really did get rid of the bastard. Good."

Soubi stared over his shoulder, arrested. "What?" Kio wasn't there, he couldn't possibly know what had happened.

Kio snorted and nodded at Soubi's neck. "Those cuts are finally scabbing over the way they should." He turned back to cleaning his brushes and sponges, scrubbing more viciously than even oils really warranted. "Makes me sick every time I think of what he must have been doing to keep them raw this long..."

Soubi didn't bother correcting Kio; it would take far too much explaining. Instead he made for the mirror. They couldn't really be...?

They were.

He stared, running his fingers over the knitting edges of the name. Even when Seimei had cut their bond, however he'd done that, these had stayed raw—one of the things that had made him truly wonder whether Seimei was still alive. But now...

Was it Ritsuka?

Warmth stole through his veins at the thought that Ritsuka held him tightly enough to make this happen, even if he didn't see how it possibly could.

The teachers might be able to tell him, he supposed.

"Kio," he called, "I need to borrow your car again."

Four: Ritsuka

Ritsuka folded back his ears and hung onto his patience with both hands. He wanted to be sure Soubi was all right. And he wouldn't kick an injured person in the shins.

Wouldn't. Wouldn't. Really wouldn't....

"Hm." Ritsu-sensei ran his fingers over the old cuts on Soubi's neck some more. "Well, I suppose we'll see. I doubt it will ever actually heal. But for now, at least, you seem to have established a genuine bond with Ritsuka. It's proper enough for him, at least, to take a blank Fighter, given the Loveless Fighter is dead." His hand rested on Soubi's bare chest and Soubi twitched.

Ritsuka couldn't take it any more. "Get away from Soubi," he snapped, glaring at Ritsu-sensei, tail lashing. He didn't care if the man was blind, he was going to stop fingering Soubi right now!

Ritsu-sensei's lips curled. "Quite a proper bond." He stepped back, feeling for his chair and lowering himself into it.

Ritsuka stomped forward and caught Soubi's hand tight in his, not mollified. "And Soubi is the Loveless Fighter!" Soubi stepped closer to him and the singing line of their bond coiled around them both. Ritsuka switched his tail, vindicated.

Ritsu-sensei sniffed. "If you'd come and been taught when you should have, you'd know the difference—"

"Ritsu!" Nagisa-sensei broke in, staring at Ritsuka and Soubi. "They are!"

Ritsuka ignored them both, too busy noticing the warmth in his palm. Hesitantly, he unclasped Soubi's hand and looked, eyes widening. Black letters faded up onto his skin. He looked over at Soubi, questioning, but Soubi was staring, transfixed at his own hand.

There were letters in his palm, too.

Nagisa-sensei seized their hands, examining them with growing disbelief, but Ritsuka was too busy looking up at Soubi to protest much. Soubi's eyes were wide and shocked. "Does this mean..."

"It's not possible," Nagisa-sensei interrupted again, letting them go and backing off. "Ritsu, they're both Loveless! They both have the name on them!"

Ritsu-sensei seemed to be too stunned to say anything, which a corner of Ritsuka's mind noted, rather nastily, was a nice change. Ritsuka reached out for Soubi's hand again, pressing their palms together. Soubi's eyes warmed, slow and wondering, looking down at Ritsuka for a long moment before looking up at the two teachers, cool again.

"Should it have been possible for Seimei to break his bond with me, once the name Beloved was written?" he asked, mildly. "He did, though."

"So much," Ritsuka put in, "for being taught properly." He tugged on Soubi's hand. "Let's go, okay?"

Soubi inclined his head, hiding a faint glint in his eye. "Whatever you wish." He held the door for Ritsuka without letting go of his hand and left the two adults still sputtering behind them.

Ritsuka drew a deep breath once they were out of the building. "I don't think," he said firmly, "that I need to learn anything from them."

"I couldn't agree more," Soubi murmured, thumb brushing Ritsuka's wrist.

Ritsuka looked down at their joined hands and up at Soubi a bit shyly. "It's... it's where you kissed. When you agreed to be with me."

"That's the strength of your heart and your will, Ritsuka," Soubi said softly. "To claim even me for your own, forever." He leaned down, fingers stroking the line of Ritsuka's jaw, lifting his head, and kissed him gently. "I'm glad."

Ritsuka kissed back, light and soft, cheeks heating a bit. "Let's go home," he murmured.

Five: Ritsuka

Ritsuka felt queasy. "Are you sure this will work?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Kio-san told him firmly. "Listen to the man with the body modifications." He paused to eye Soubi and added, "The healthy ones."

Soubi sniffed and leaned back in his chair to light a cigarette.

"You're the one who wanted to know," Kio-san admonished. "So listen up. Keep picking off the scabs and cover the cuts with this," he tapped a bottle of greenish goo on the table. "It'll take longer to heal, but it won't scar."

Ritsuka swallowed hard and took a deep breath to settle his stomach. He was a little afraid of how Soubi might answer the next question, but the tiny smile on Soubi's face when Kio-san mentioned not scarring made him ask it anyway. "Can I... Is there some way I can help?"

Soubi looked up to meet his eyes, faint smile softening. "You've already done it." He stood up and herded Kio-san out. "All right, I'll do it. And be careful," he added as Kio-san raised a finger and opened his mouth. Closing the door behind his friend he came back to Ritsuka and bent to place a kiss in Ritsuka's palm. "And I will belong only and completely to you."

That still made Ritsuka's stomach flutter uncertainly, but Soubi was standing on his feet and his eyes were peaceful and that made Ritsuka happy. He turned his hand to curl around Soubi's and smiled up at him.

"Okay."

End

Taste Your Salt Water Kisses

Ritsuka won't move out so Soubi moves in. Everyone involved has to readjust their lives. Drama with Angst and Romance, I-5, implicit spoilers

One: Soubi

"You can't just move in!"

"Why not?"

"Well..." Ritsuka's ears saddled. "I mean... It's not the kind of thing..."

"Ritsuka." Soubi touched his cheek, eyes dark. "I can't just leave you here unprotected. I can't. Don't ask me to, please." He was perfectly willing to beg for this, except that didn't always work with Ritsuka. A tiny part of him didn't think that was fair.

Ritsuka was frowning and chewing on his lip. "But... it might just upset Kaa-san more. And," he folded his arms tightly, "the only other bedroom used to be Seimei's." He looked up, straight into Soubi's eyes. "I don't want to put you there."

The sweetness of his Sacrifice's care for him stopped Soubi's voice for a long moment.

"You're both idiots," Kio put in from where he was rummaging in Soubi's fridge. Ritsuka glowered and Kio grinned. "Who says a room has to be a bedroom? Go on a cleaning spree or something, move everything around. Make the old bedroom a closet or something."

"Oh." Ritsuka looked thoughtful. "Hm."

There were times Soubi was tempted to feed Kio his own paints, but he was useful every now and then.

Ritsuka was looking around Soubi's apartment with a more measuring eye now. Finally he turned back to Soubi and wound his fingers in the bottom of Soubi's shirt. "Okay, look. Let me pick the time, all right? I want to ask Kaa-san when she's in," he paused and Soubi mentally inserted a sane phase, "a good mood."

"As you wish," Soubi said, voice low. He could only hope Ritsuka wouldn't wait too long.

Two: Ritsuka

Ritsuka put his hands on his hips and looked around, pleased.

They hadn't actually done anything with Seimei's room; he'd known Kaa-san wouldn't agree to that. But they had moved other things, and now the long upstairs room that had held some of Tou-san's old stuff was cleaned out and turned into Soubi's room and studio in one. Soubi was fingering the pale curtains Ritsuka had dug out of the bottom of Kaa-san's old sewing basket and smiling.

"Perhaps you should think of a career as an interior decorator." He looked over his shoulder at Ritsuka, a faint teasing light in his eyes.

Ritsuka flicked his ears back but didn't glare too hard. He was just happy that Soubi wasn't as tense as he had been lately. He didn't like the idea of a tense Soubi around his mother.

Soubi crossed the room in two long strides and caught Ritsuka's face, delicately, in his hands. "Thank you, Ritsuka," he whispered.

Breathless, Ritsuka leaned into him. A little voice in the back of his head noted he was getting awfully used to doing that. "What for?"

Soubi smiled, dry and sweet. "For indulging your Fighter."

Ritsuka snorted a little. "Right. Come on, let's go down to dinner." He tugged Soubi out of the room and down the stairs.

Dinner was... odd. He was pretty sure Soubi hadn't had a chance to speak to Kaa-san when Ritsuka wasn't there, and the only thing Soubi had said to her when Ritsuka was there was I am here to protect Ritsuka. He'd kind of expected Kaa-san to try to send him away, at that, the way she had Hawatari and Shinonome-sensei. But here she was, serving Soubi seconds and smiling. It was fragile, under bruised looking eyes, but she was smiling.

He wished he could believe it would last.

While it did last, though, he would enjoy it. "It's really good fish, Kaa-san. Can I have some more?"

"Of course." She busied herself getting him another portion and some more pickled vegetables to go with it. "It's good for you, Ritsuka. Eat as much as you like."

For this moment, with dishes clattering in the warm evening and three people around the table, he could believe everything would be all right, and, while his mother was turned away, he smiled softly up at Soubi.

Soubi's rare open smile answered him.

Three: Ritsuka

Ritsuka flinched as a glass shattered against the wall over his head.

"You care more about some stray than your own mother?! Fine! Then get out, both of you get out!"

"Kaa-san..." Ritsuka reached out a hand only to jerk back as a plate followed the glass, and then Soubi was there, hand wrapped around Kaa-san's wrist. His eyes were cold.

"That will be enough."

It scared Ritsuka a little to see Soubi look like that and he reached out again, pleading. "Soubi..."

Soubi's eyes met Ritsuka's, and his mouth tightened, but he finally bowed his head. When he spoke again his voice was quieter. "Come, Aoyagi-san. It's time to sleep for a while."

Kaa-san was crying now, but she went along easily as Soubi led her away. Ritsuka just slid down the wall to the floor and rested his forehead on his knees. He was shaking a little. Not because of the sudden violence. Because of the sudden stop.

Because, deep down, he hadn't really thought anyone but Seimei could stop Kaa-san when she got like this.

But there were no more screams or crashes. Just the faint murmur of voices and the click of a door being shut.

It really was just him that was the problem.

"Ritsuka." Soubi's arms were around him and Ritsuka turned his face into Soubi's chest, tired and hopeless. "Ritsuka, please." Soubi's whisper was urgent. "Please, let me take you out of here."

Ritsuka laughed, one harsh breath. "Maybe I should. Maybe it really would make her better if I left."

Soubi's arms tightened. "Ritsuka."

They were both silent for a while. Finally Soubi gathered Ritsuka up in his arms and stood. Ritsuka stirred. "I should clean up the pieces."

"I'll do it tomorrow morning," Soubi stated, not pausing as he carried Ritsuka up the stairs.

Ritsuka let Soubi undress him and tuck him under the blankets and, when Soubi hesitated, sitting on the side of his bed, reached up silently to pull him down. Soubi promptly slipped under the covers and cradled Ritsuka close, stroking long fingers through his hair, hesitant and tender.

Finally Ritsuka managed to say, softly, "I am glad you're here."

He could feel Soubi relax as he cuddled Ritsuka closer.

Four: Soubi

Soubi stood in the kitchen doorway, arms folded, watching Ritsuka's mother. She started when he finally spoke.

"Do you understand what you're doing to your son?"

She turned wide, dark eyes on him. "I.. I love Ritsuka. He's all I have left."

"You're hurting him," Soubi said flatly.

She folded her hands in front of her mouth, staring at him, silent and trembling. Soubi's thin patience snapped.

"You are going to stop, Aoyagi-san, because you are going to go see that psychologist of his if I have to drag you, and you are going to talk to the woman if I have to force you." He stalked forward as he spoke to stand over her, perfectly willing to intimidate the woman into cooperating or drag her down the street, screaming, if that was what it took.

He stopped short in surprise when she smiled.

"Yes."

Soubi blinked.

"Take me." She held out one wrist as if offering to be dragged and strangeness wrapped around him for a moment, like deja vu turned inside out.

Maybe her smile just reminded him of Seimei's. It was probably only that.

Taking no chances, he took her arm and led her to the door. She went easily, put on her coat when he handed it to her, didn't rage or even protest.

But when he wasn't directing her she didn't move at all.

She gave the clinic receptionist all her information and agreed that she wanted to see the psychologist. She smiled. She cooperated. But when the doctor held open the office door for her she didn't walk through it until Soubi grabbed her arm again and took her in.

He ignored the doctor's raised brows and leaned in a corner, out of the way, with his arms crossed and tried to stifle that queasy feeling of recognition.

Whenever the woman hesitated in answering one of the doctor's questions she looked at him. And then she answered, as if he had... Soubi stifled that thought and kept on trying not to really listen.

"Seimei isn't here to make me stop anymore, you see."

Not succeeding very well, but trying.

He wasn't surprised, when the doctor finally asked what Aoyagi was doing to Ritsuka and Aoyagi slowly turned to look at him, silent, eyes wide and waiting. Soubi swallowed behind clenched teeth and managed to grate out, "Tell her."

The woman obeyed immediately, and the doctor only had a moment to look at him with sharp eyes before she had to pull her professional mask back on. Soubi ignored them both. He didn't want to do this. He didn't ever want to do this. He didn't want to be the one who gave orders. For him to be the one in Seimei's place...

He wondered, distantly, whether Seimei really was god, after all. The universe certainly seemed to have his vicious sense of humor.

By the time the first session was over he was shaking a little and the doctor stopped him on the way out to ask softly whether he was all right.

"I'll be fine once I get back to Ritsuka," he answered, unstrung enough to give her the truth. He'd be fine once he had his Sacrifice to obey and the world was right side up again. He started a bit as the doctor's eyes flashed.

"You can't put all of this on a thirteen-year-old boy," she told him sharply. "If both you and his mother are doing that, then you'll just both have to stop."

Soubi stood as if turned to stone for a long moment before his head bent and his fists clenched under the weight of those words. "I... understand what you say," he managed at last.

The doctor sighed and patted his shoulder more kindly. "Well. I imagine I'll see you next time, too, then."

Soubi took Ritsuka's mother home and went up to his studio and sat, staring at a blank canvas, for a very long time.

Five: Ritsuka

What used to scare Ritsuka was the anger on Soubi's face when he stopped Kaa-san in one of her rages. Now there was something else there, and he didn't know what and that scared him even more. Soubi still looked grim, those times, but his eyes creased like he was hurt, too.

And it wasn't always rages Kaa-san had, now. Ritsuka was happy, glad that he could finally help Kaa-san, at least those times when she just put her head down on the table and cried. But that didn't stop him getting worried.

Finally he cornered Soubi in his bedroom one evening, while he was drying off some brushes. "Soubi. Will you tell me what's wrong?"

Soubi's long hands hesitated. "I... don't want to burden you," he said quietly, without turning around.

Ritsuka scowled. "Don't be dumb." He came and wound his arms around Soubi's waist firmly. "We're a pair, right? Closer than anything else." He rested his cheek on Soubi's chest. "Just tell me."

Soubi's fingers settled softly on his hair. "Your mother," he said, after a long, silent moment. "I see Ritsu-sensei in her. Even Seimei in her. Yet, I see myself in her as well. And so I see them in myself, and I..." A shudder ran through Soubi. "I don't know... what to do now."

Ritsuka wasn't sure he understood, but... Seimei had protected him, and now Soubi protected him. Every now and then, Kaa-san's eyes reminded him of Seimei's. He could see that much. Maybe there were just too many reminders of other people, for Soubi. Slowly he asked, "Can you just be Soubi?"

Soubi stilled. Finally he leaned down to press his lips against Ritsuka's hair. "Who do you want Soubi to be?" he asked, very softly.

"No, I mean..." Ritsuka looked up at Soubi, confused. "I mean, can you just be you?" He laid his hand on Soubi's chest, over his heart. "Be whoever Soubi really is?" He glanced aside, tail curling shyly. "I'd... I'd like that."

He worried some more when Soubi sank down to his knees, but relaxed again when Soubi caught his hand and kissed the palm. Soubi was all right when he did that. Soubi's eyes were dark when he raised his head, but his mouth twitched like he was about to laugh.

"I'll try."

Hesitantly, because he really didn't get Soubi sometimes, Ritsuka leaned into him and put his arms around Soubi's neck. "I'd just like it if you were happy."

The laugh that escaped against his ear was soft and shaky and true.

"I'll try that, too, then."

End