Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ A Fine Line - FY ❯ Of Cats and Dogs ( Chapter 9 )

Author's notes and warnings: I'm not too happy with Stargate-Atlantis. Not their fault really, but it sure brings my enthusiasm for my Atlantis idea down quite a bit. Who would have known they were planning something like that? And although I'm not using a Stargate…it's just way too similar. *sighs* But then again…great minds think alike, ne? Uh…but I'm not so sure theirs so great. ^^;;

Anyway…if you've read AFL-WK-9, you would know that The Atlantis Project involves dimensional traveling of some kind… This is my way of linking A Fine Line to the Universe of the Four Gods. I honestly thought it was brilliant until Stargate-Atlantis came out. *shakes head* You'll find out exactly how it all works in a bit, ne? I'm so sorry this took so long but various plot bunnies bigger than AFL's were at large. ^^;

Special thanks go to Hitari-chan who labored tirelessly through the hurricane and my horrible grammar…Xellas for always being so supportive even when I threw all kinds of insanity at her. ^__^

This chapter is quite long. I have to deal with the pre-mentioned phobia and there is no short believable way about it. The method that Ceilen is teaching Tryffin is quite real. It's loosely - very loosely - based on a program that teaches people who are afraid of water to swim. Please keep in mind that while this method is real, it normally takes weeks to months - depending on the individual, to master it. Tryffin is just going through it at hyper speed. ^^;; I don't have three chapter to spend on it, ne? And then the boys just took over…*shakes head* I hope it's not too boring…

Special note: I'm combining the stories at this point…the boys are together now so it's really going to be super redundant if I have to write all the chapters with same scenes but different POV. So the chapters will continue from where I left off in the WK version. If this is going to be a problem, I can write a recap of the WK chapter up here for anyone who doesn't read that section of the story. Please let me know. Thank you.

Warning: Lots of Ceilen/Tryffin snuggliness in this chapter. ^__^

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A Fine Line - FY: Chapter 9 - Of Cats and Dogs

By Moonraven

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(Day six - after Ran and Ken left the room with the information on The Atlantis Project)

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"You know, I don't appreciate you treating me like I'm a blabber mouth or something." Tryffin didn't go to the bed like he had been instructed to, but stood glaring down at his bodyguard angrily. "We're in the middle of a goddamn ocean, who the hell am I supposed to blab to?"

Ceilen didn't bother looking up from his work as he waved airily to the bed. "It's not that. Go practice."

Tryffin gritted his teeth and took several deep breaths. "No."

Ceilen closed his eyes momentarily and then looked up calmly at him. "I have to find Mamoru. Can we please discuss your ability to keep your mouth shut at another time?"

"I thought you were looking for someone named Omi."

Ceilen waved at him again. Tryffin growled.

Ceilen looked up this time and frowned at him. "They're the same person and if I don't find him soon…" Ceilen paused, looking slightly frazzled. "He could be in great danger."

Tryffin stared at his bodyguard silently, not knowing what to say. He felt responsible for everyone else's well-being… First it had been the drowning pair of kittens and now this green blinking Omi-Mamoru-dot.

Ceilen went back to his computer without waiting for his reply, as if he knew that Tryffin wouldn't have anything to say anyway.

Tryffin hated that. So he plopped down on a chair next to Ceilen and watched his bodyguard work. He wasn't about to admit defeat and going back to the bed would have said just that.

Ceilen glared at the screen but said nothing to him. After a few minutes, Tryffin saw that Ceilen had enlarged the location where the green Omi-dot was and now they were looking at the map of an area somewhere in the South China Sea.

Ceilen stared at the map for a long time, chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully. Tryffin couldn't help blinking at his arctic-cold bodyguard in surprise. The image of Ceilen chewing on his bottom lip was strangely…heartwarming. Tryffin found himself smiling and wanting to reach out and kiss the abused lip.

Ceilen must have noticed him staring, for he turned and looked at him quizzically. "What?"

Tryffin's smile got bigger at the puzzled look on the other man's face. "Nothing."

Ceilen frowned at him and then went back to staring at the screen. Tryffin sighed quietly: no more lip biting.

"He's not gonna jump out of the monitor no matter how hard you stare." But then again, Tryffin wasn't so sure. The man could put names to some blinking dots, maybe he could make them do stuff too. "He isn't…is he?"

Ceilen made a snorting sound that could be interpreted as a laugh…if one were desperate enough. "I'm not THAT good."

Tryffin turned and blinked at him. "How good are you?"

Tryffin's jaw nearly hit the ground when Ceilen turned and smiled genuinely at him. "That would be telling."

Damn but his bodyguard was bent on shocking him to death one way or another, wasn't he? Tryffin gaped and before his stunned mind could come up with a witty reply, Ceilen turned back to the monitor. This time instead of glaring at it, he muttered to himself softly.

"What's that?" Tryffin hated to be kept in the dark almost as much as he hated being predictable.

"Looks like we don't have to go to them after all." Ceilen muttered a bit louder but Tryffin wasn't sure if that was for his benefit or not.

"Go to whom?" Didn't he say he hated to be kept in the dark?

Ceilen turned to give him an annoyed look. "The bad guys who took Omi."

"Oh. Why?"

"Apparently, they are coming here as well. Come on. You need to practice." Ceilen stood up and walked to the bed, leaving a frowning Tryffin behind.

"You know, you've been alone for far too long. You're going loony up here." Tryffin tapped his head meaningfully. "Instead of talking to yourself or your damn cabinets or some damn blinking dots, why not talk to me?" Tryffin grumbled as he grudgingly followed the older man.

"I AM talking to you." Ceilen pointed out as he sat down at the foot of the bed. He folded his legs underneath him then motioned for Tryffin to sit facing him further up the bed.

Tryffin frowned but complied. "Most of the time you talk AT me." The redhead was still grumbling unhappily. "You must think I'm an idiot or something but you know what? That project of yours? Well, if it's what I think it is, I may know more about it than you think."

Tryffin moved the pillow off to the chair and then settled himself more comfortably on the bed. His posture mimicked Ceilen's and when he was done, he looked up at his suddenly motionless bodyguard. Ceilen was staring at him as if Tryffin had learned how to swim and hadn't told him.

"What?"

"What do you know about the Atlantis Project?"

Tryffin felt like sticking his tongue out at the man. "That would be telling."

Ceilen narrowed his eye dangerously.

Tryffin clicked his tongue disapprovingly and shook his head. "If you want me to share, you're going to have to be nicer than that."

Ceilen studied him for a moment then snorted derisively. "You're bluffing. You don't know anything."

"Really." Even though Tryffin had a pretty good idea that he was being baited, he couldn't help but bite. "So I wouldn't know then that Atlantis could very well be Indonesia or rather, a MUCH larger Indonesia some, oh…eleven thousand years ago?" Tryffin shrugged dramatically. "Or that it didn't sink because of a volcanic eruption, but the lower lands were covered by water at the end of an ice age? So…Indonesia as it is today was only a tiny part of a huge land mass. And I definitely wouldn't know that this lost civilization may or may not have some weird `portal' of some---"

"Enough!" Ceilen stared at him hard, as if he'd misjudged Tryffin all this time; something that must equal some heinous crime in the man's book. "How…?"

"I told you my parents died when their boat sank but I didn't tell you it sank while they were on an assignment in the South China Sea. They were researching the lost continent of Atlantis."

Ceilen looked at him impatiently. Tryffin narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You didn't already know that, did you?"

Ceilen didn't answer him but continued to frown. "You were too young. How could you have known?"

Tryffin shrugged. It really shouldn't surprise him that Ceilen knew about his parents. The man was…weird! "I liked to dabble in what my parents were doing. They took me with them sometimes when they were on site but that time…" Tryffin cleared this throat abruptly; he didn't want to go into all that, yet by telling Ceilen about his past, he knew he no longer had control over that option. But he could certainly try. "Anyway, that was 8 years ago, what's it got to do with you guys now?"

Ceilen looked like he was thinking really hard.

"And stop feeding me crap! I'm beginning to feel like a mushroom here!" Tryffin scowled at his bodyguard.

Ceilen glared back at him. "It's a long story."

"And how did I know you were gonna say that?"

Ceilen actually looked torn; it was priceless. "Let's make a deal," Ceilen finally said. When Tryffin was about to protest, Ceilen held up a hand. "You learn the meditation technique and I'll tell you everything."

"Everything?" Tryffin narrowed his eyes at Ceilen suspiciously.

Ceilen looked like he was going to smile but held it back just in time. Damn!

"Everything relevant to you, of course."

Tryffin knew it. Getting information out of Ceilen was never that easy. Tryffin frowned. "You promise?"

"Yes."

"Okay…but what about the…you know…yesterday, when we…" Tryffin didn't know how to say it. Did Ceilen know about the man with blue hair? He was sure that they'd both experienced the same thing. It was so…freaky but in a good kind of way.

Ceilen's face lost all expression and he stared at Tryffin blankly. Now THAT was freaky in a BAD kind of way.

"I thought we agreed to talk about it later."

"Yeah but---Who's the man with blue hair?"

Ceilen frowned in irritation at Tryffin. "If you mean the one in the photograph, that's me about ten years ago."

"No, not him. You know…before! The one that kept showing up in my dreams." Man, even HE had to admit that sounded SOOO lame.

"And I would know what you dream because…?"

Tryffin could feel his face heating up. He looked down at his hands; he didn't think he could look Ceilen in the eye while he said this. "I had a couple of dreams with um…a man…he looked just like you but he had a strange blue hair and then yesterday when I had my panic attack…you…I…" Tryffin swallowed then took a peek at Ceilen's face. "You were him…but who is he?"

Ceilen had that blank look again and it was irritating the hell out of Tryffin. His bodyguard's moods were more volatile than a woman's.

"You felt it too, don't deny it!" Tryffin was angry now; why was Ceilen bent on treating him like an imbecile?

"I don't know any man with blue hair. I don't know what you're talking about." Ceilen looked irritated again, which to Tryffin was better than the blank look. Not much, but better.

"But you looked like you were there…in that place with me! You have to know!"

"No, I don't know! I didn't see anyone with blue hair."

Of course! Tryffin smacked himself on the forehead, earning an even stranger look from his bodyguard. Ceilen was the man with the blue hair so he wouldn't have seen himself. Idiot!

"Who did you see then?"

Ceilen looked uncomfortable. "You."

"What color hair did I have?" Curiosity was a bitch, wasn't it? Idiocy was even worse. Of all the questions he could have asked…

The corners of Ceilen's mouth quirked slightly. Maybe it was the right thing to ask after all…

"The same." Ceilen's eye traveled to his hair and Tryffin could have sworn that the hard look disappeared from Ceilen's face.

"Yours was blue."

Ceilen's lips quirked into a lopsided smile. "I gathered." Tryffin colored again. It really sucked when a man was made to blush so often.

"But what wa---"

"I don't know but I wouldn't worry about that now," Ceilen interrupted suddenly. "We don't have a lot of time left before we have to leave. You need to master this technique." Ceilen held out his hands, palms up. "Give me your hands."

Tryffin sighed and did what he was told. "You know, this could be so much more romantic if you'd just lighten up."

Ceilen ignored him and tightened his hold on Tryffin's hands. "Close your eyes."

Tryffin closed his eyes.

"Focus on your hands, just like we did before."

Tryffin shut out all thoughts and focused on the feel of Ceilen's fingers in his hands. They were strong, rough in some place yet soft in others. Those fingers tightened and relaxed randomly, forcing Tryffin to stay focused on them and not allowing his mind to wander on to other things.

"You're not focusing," Ceilen's melodic voice reprimanded him sternly.

"Am too," Tryffin mumbled and wondered how the hell could Ceilen tell that he kept wandering off.

"Deep breaths…now focus on the feel of my hands, nothing else."

Tryffin was good. Really. They worked on Ceilen's hands and then when his bodyguard felt that he could sufficiently focus without Ceilen reminding him, the older man's hands were removed.

"Now focus on how your hands feel."

Ceilen walked him through each part of his body…making him consciously think about what every inch of his body was feeling. This part wasn't hard. The hard part came when Ceilen added the element of water. Tryffin wasn't sure how the man did it but he could swear he smelled the ocean and felt the wind blowing in his hair.

"Eyes closed, mind focused!" Ceilen reminded him sharply.

Tryffin's mind automatically went to catalogue the feelings in his limbs. Damn, his legs were getting numb. And his back, shit, his lower back was aching too. More focusing made him realized that he had to use the restroom. Oh, boy.

"Er…Ceilen?"

At the sound of his voice, Tryffin felt the wind stopped and the smell of the ocean disappeared. He wasn't sure how Ceilen was doing it and he wasn't going to dwell on it…he really needed to go. Bad. How long had they been practicing anyway?

Ceilen sighed in front of him and Tryffin could feel the warm breath brush against his face. He hadn't known they were that close.

"What?"

Tryffin opened his eyes and blinked at the bright blur that greeted him. What the…? He blinked again several times. Everything was so fuzzy; he didn't think he'd had his eyes closed that long.

"How long…?"

Ceilen looked at his watch and said, "Forty five minutes."

Tryffin's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

Ceilen rewarded him with a small smile. "Really. You did quite well this time."

Tryffin beamed at him. Wow…that was a compliment. His insides melted again.

"Now why did you stop?" Ceilen asked.

"Oh." Tryffin really felt stupid now. He could vaguely hear his mom telling him to use the restroom before leaving the house…how lame was that?

"Er…sorry but I had to…um, go." Tryffin cleared his throat and looked anywhere except Ceilen.

His bodyguard didn't say anything for a few seconds and then, "Fine. We should rest for a while anyway before the next stage."

Tryffin was in the process of getting up; he froze. "Next stage?"

Ceilen got up and stretched. Man, he looked really good, slim yet lean and powerful at the same time. Tryffin stared unabashed.

Ceilen turned and saw his leer. , "You can stop drooling now," his bodyguard told him with a shake of his head. "Go." He pointed to the door. Tryffin was glad that Ceilen wasn't angry with him for once but actually looked amused. Most of the time, Ceilen acted like Tryffin was out to molest him or something.

Tryffin grinned and left before Ceilen decided that he should be mad after all.

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"NO!"

"Yes."

"NO!"

Ceilen sighed and crossed his arms over his chest (and what a fine chest it was, too), but Tryffin was angry at the moment and he wasn't going to think nice thoughts about the man. The freaking idiot wanted him to do WHAT?

"I won't let anything happen to you." There it was again, that sentence that was supposed to make everything alright.

"You don't know that you can…" It apparently worked because Tryffin felt the anger leave him though dread remained intact. The man couldn't promise him that. No one could…

Ceilen studied him closely for a few moments and then said, "But I do know. Trust me."

Tryffin did trust him, more than anyone he'd known since the deaths of his parents. It was strange since they had just met but Tryffin felt like he'd known Ceilen all his life…he couldn't explain it. Still…

"I can't. You don't know what you're asking of me." Tryffin shook his head and began to back away slowly.

Ceilen didn't move towards him but stood watching him almost sadly. Then he held up his hands in front of him; a gesture that was quickly becoming familiar to Tryffin.

"Give me your hands." Ceilen's voice was soft and reassuring.

Tryffin stubbornly shook his head, not moving. Ceilen didn't move but he repeated the request again gently.

Hesitantly Tryffin took small steps up to his bodyguard then placed his hands in Ceilen's who clasped them securely.

"Ficus on my hands."

Tryffin knew this. He had done it before but never with his eyes open or on deck…

"Focus, Tryffin."

Tryffin did what he was told and focused on the hands, his eyes staring blindly ahead of him. He was barely aware that Ceilen was taking him into the hallway and then up the steps leading up on deck.

He froze. He couldn't do this.

Ceilen squeezed his hands gently, bringing him back from his fears. He turned and found his bodyguard watching him with a small encouraging smile. Ceilen looked so different when he smiled…he looked that much more like the man with the blue hair. Tryffin's heart gave a quick lurch. If he could just focus on that smile…

But Tryffin found that he couldn't, not without wanting more than just the smile. Before he knew what he was doing, he was leaning forward, his eyes focusing intently on those curving lips. He barely checked himself in time and came to a shocked stop, his lips just inches from Ceilen's. He took a sharp breath and moved back hastily. The last thing he needed now was a pissed off Ceilen when they were so close to being topside. Being hurled into the ocean was definitely NOT on his agenda.

But Ceilen, who was bent on surprising Tryffin, didn't look pissed off. In fact, if Tryffin hadn't known better, he would have said that Ceilen looked a little disappointed when Tryffin pulled back.

Tryffin blinked at him.

Ceilen was looking at him as if he was trying to figure out something…as if Tryffin was one gigantic puzzle that his bodyguard desperately wanted to solve.

"Sorry," Tryffin offered; not because he was, but because he felt he needed to say something to reduce the tension in the air.

Ceilen still hadn't said a word, nor had he moved. Tryffin looked at him a little nervously…what could Ceilen be thinking?

Suddenly, a mischievous light glinted in Ceilen's eye and his bodyguard pressed him up against the wall on one side of the staircase.

"Maybe we can work on something else for you to concentrate on." And without further ado, Ceilen kissed him.

`What the fuck?' was definitely an understatement but that was the closest thing to anything coherent Tryffin could come up with. His mouth opened automatically, as his brain had shut down the second Ceilen's lips touched his and the rest of his body functioned on autopilot.

Ceilen's hand reached up to cup the side of Tryffin's face gently, making the redhead sigh contentedly and press his body closer to the older man. When Ceilen pulled away, Tryffin leaned forward, unwilling to let him get away. He hooked his arm around Ceilen's neck and pulled the man back in for more as his body eagerly rubbed itself against Ceilen's.

Tryffin thought he heard a moan as Ceilen gave up and allowed the redhead to take over the kiss. Tryffin's heart skipped a beat…Ceilen was actually letting him do this. His bodyguard's hands cupped his ass and pressed their bodies even closer, their hardening arousals grinding together oh, so deliciously.

Tryffin whimpered when Ceilen's lips left his to travel across his jaw-line down to his neck. Soft sighs escaped his lips when Ceilen began sucking gently on the side of his neck, all the while rocking his hip into Tryffin's.

Then as suddenly as he had begun, Ceilen stopped, pulling away before Tryffin could find enough sense to prevent it. Tryffin whined again in protest and when he reached out to find Ceilen, his bodyguard captured his hands and held them fast.

The look on Ceilen's face was enough to make him several notches harder that he already was. It was nothing short of absolute need and longing burning bright in that one molten brown eye…yet the man held himself away, his jaw clenching and unclenching sporadically.

Tryffin's stomach tightened painfully. Was Ceilen going to turn defensive again and launch into more verbal abuse? Tryffin braced himself knowing that no amount of preparation could ever take the pain away.

"I'm sorry; that went further that I'd planned." Ceilen was breathless, his voice soft and husky.

Tryffin blinked again. Ceilen had this wild look about him that made Tryffin groan out loud. Damn, he was right about Ceilen today…if Tryffin didn't die from drowning it would certainly be of shock.

"I don't mind." Tryffin said quickly.

Ceilen laughed and shook his head. "I'm sure you don't." Then he sobered up suddenly and frowned, looking away.

"You're not mad, are you?" Tryffin asked.

Ceilen didn't look at him but shook his head. "Not with you, no."

Meaning he was angry with himself. Tryffin was glad that he was able to make Ceilen lose control, yet he was nervous too. He didn't know where he stood now. This Ceilen was very different from the man he'd come to know this past week. Tryffin stood there mutely, not knowing what to do or what to say. His body ached with need but he didn't know how far to push, he had never been sure of anything when it came to Ceilen.

"Why is it so bad to…take what's offered?"

Ceilen released Tryffin's hands and closed his eye briefly before shaking his head. "I can't."

"Why?" Tryffin reached up and tentatively ran a thumb across Ceilen's bottom lip.

Ceilen closed his eye again and turned away without answering.

"Is it because of her? Kouran? Are you in love with her?" That hurt, but somehow he managed to get it out.

Ceilen stiffened next to him and Tryffin regretted ever bringing up the woman's name. Ceilen was beginning to act human and actually opening up…until Tryffin'd had to go and mention HER.

"Leave her out of this." Ceilen's voice was hard but he still hadn't turned to face Tryffin.

"Oh, she's out. As far as I'm concerned, this has nothing to do with her." Tryffin ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach and trudged on. "What you and I do doesn't have to affect anything between you and her."

Ceilen turned and glared at him. "So you're suggesting I cheat on her. With you."

Tryffin swallowed hard. Somehow that didn't sound quite right when Ceilen said it. "No one would have to know." Tryffin's voice was small and unsure. He had never cared about things like cheating and commitment, it wasn't something he and Kouji practiced but now with Ceilen…it all sounded so wrong.

Ceilen narrowed his good eye and the effect combined with the black eye patch made him look positively feral. He pressed his palms against the wooden panel on either side of Tryffin's head and leaned in closed, his eye boring heatedly into Tryffin's.

When he spoke, his voice was soft but hard as nail. "You may be okay with a casual fuck, but I'm not." Something glinted in the narrowed eye but Tryffin couldn't identify what it was. "Nothing can happen between us because if it did…"

Ceilen didn't finish, he was so close that all Tryffin had to do was lean forward and their lips met. Would it be so bad to be with one man…to never experience another partner? Could he be satisfied with just Ceilen? His mouth opened and his tongue hesitantly traced the outline of Ceilen's lips.

Could he…?

Ceilen pulled away from the kiss but didn't move away. Instead, he brought one hand to grip Tryffin's chin firmly. "You're not listening. NOTHING can happen between us."

"Why not? It's not like you're immune!" He proved his point by cupping his hand over the hard bulge between Ceilen's legs. "You want me and I want you. So. Fuck. Me." His hand tightened just a bit more as he said the last two words.

Ceilen valiantly fought for control over his body and Tryffin admired the man's willpower almost as much as his annoyance for it. Why was it always about control with Ceilen?

Then Ceilen snorted - a sound that Tryffin was beginning to associate with laughter - and shook his head. "What is it with you? You don't listen. You don't think. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into yet you'll hop right into it and all just to get what YOU want." It was Ceilen's turn to trace Tryffin's lip with his thumb. "Do you even know WHO I am? WHO everyone involved in the Atlantis Project THINKS I am? Or why they all want me so badly? Do you?"

Tryffin blinked and shook his head, confused.

This time Ceilen threw his head back and laughed - really laughed. He almost sounded happy and carefree that Tryffin stared in awe…

When Ceilen looked at Tryffin again, he was still smiling but the mirth left his face completely. "So you don't know as much about the project as you think you do. Maybe if you did, you wouldn't be so fast to jump into my bed."

"Wh---what do you mean?" Even as he asked the question, Tryffin was afraid he might already know the answer. The famed continent of Atlantis was supposed to hold a gate to another dimension and…and could only be opened by one of the people from that dimension. And if they wanted Ceilen…

Ceilen read the realization and fear in Tryffin eyes and his humorless smile got bigger. "So you do know. I'm impressed." Then his smile was gone completely as he stared hard at Tryffin. "Do you still want me to fuck you?"

Tryffin drew in a shaky breath. Did he? Did it matter? What's on Atlantis was hypothetical anyway. For all he knew; Ceilen was just another man…just like him…

"What about Kouran? I thought you don't do casual sex."

"Kouran is dead."

Tryffin gasped and stared hard at his bodyguard. What? Dead…? Tryffin blinked mutely in shock. The stain! That wasn't chocolate sauce? Was it…was it…?

"How…?"

Ceilen's eye narrowed dangerously. "Do you think I had something to do with it?"

Tryffin shook his head. "I don't know. I mean---you were just saying earlier about cheating…I didn't think…"

Ceilen continued to look at him and Tryffin thought he saw weariness in the brown eye. "My parents are dead. My lover is dead. Everyone who came close to me died… We may all die in a few days…all because of ME." Ceilen's eye searched his closely as his lips quirked sardonically. "So…do you still want me?"

It was meant to sound light - a joke but Tryffin could feel the need hidden deep in Ceilen's question. The need to be loved… The need to be who he was and not hide… The need to be accepted…

"Yes." Tryffin whispered and wound his arm around Ceilen's neck, pulling him back in. "More than anything." He pressed his lips to Ceilen's startled ones and tenderly kissed the shock away. His heart ached for Ceilen; his bodyguard obviously didn't expect anyone to want him after all he'd revealed. Tryffin didn't know why but he wanted Ceilen more now than he'd ever wanted anyone before.

Ceilen kissed him back harshly, almost desperately before wrenching his lips away once again. His bodyguard stared at him wonderingly, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Then he smiled and shook his head at Tryffin. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Well…" Tryffin grinned back and left the sentence open as he rubbed himself suggestively against his bodyguard.

Ceilen laughed and Tryffin thought it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Ceilen looked different, almost like he was another person. Tryffin felt happiness fill his heart and he was sure it was running over into the other organs in his body. He felt light and tingly…what the hell was this feeling?

But Ceilen shook his head, his expression strangely wistful. "If you still feel the same after all this is over…we'll see."

"But you said we could all die!"

Ceilen looked thoughtful for a second then he gave Tryffin another quirky smile. "Then we're going to have to make sure we stay alive, don't we? And that starts with you conquering your fears."

Ceilen took a hold of his wrist again then turned back to the steps. Tryffin hesitated briefly, his heart started to pound again but this time it wasn't anything pleasurable. Ceilen rubbed his thumb across Tryffin's palm and tugged. Tryffin followed, his foot laden with each step; he really didn't want to go but couldn't resist Ceilen's pull.

"Close your eyes." Ceilen told him gently. Tryffin did what he was told quickly.

"Feel your legs as they move. Concentrate on the muscles carrying you." Ceilen's voice was hypnotic and Tryffin fell back into the routine they'd established earlier. He began cataloguing the feeling in his limbs again. Step by step he concentrated on moving his legs, on the feel of the wooden panel by his side, on the sound of Ceilen's footsteps and occasional instructions.

When Ceilen told him to open his eyes, Tryffin was sitting cross-legged on deck with Ceilen sitting across from him. Tryffin's eyes widened in panic but Ceilen's grip on his hands tightened and he was forced to look into his bodyguard's eye…despite the fact that he was surrounded by rushing water…

"Focus on the here and now." Ceilen repeated. "If you can't concentrate and block out the possibilities, we can't go on."

Tryffin began to close his eyes again but Ceilen said sharply, "No!"

Tryffin looked fearfully at the other man but saw only approval. "Next step is to keep your eyes open. Now focus on what's happening now."

Tryffin did his best, it was damn hard but with Ceilen's watchful eye, he managed. It was a big help that his heart and mind were filled with thoughts and images of what had transpired below deck. What was going to happen between him and Ceilen now? How was he supposed to act? Was Ceilen still serious about not having casual sex? Was Tryffin okay with that? How would all this affect the way his lived? What about Kouji? What the hell was he going to do?

There were more questions than answers but when his mind wandered from what his muscles were feeling, those thoughts kept him in a safe place… By the time Ceilen pronounced that it was okay to stop for the day, Tryffin was so drained he could hardly walk without support.

When they got back to Ceilen's cabin, all Tryffin wanted to do was crash…but he couldn't; Aya and Ken were there, leaning against one wall glaring at his bodyguard.

"Hey." He greeted them weakly. From their expressions, he guessed that now they knew about Ceilen. Tryffin turned to look at the man beside him sharply. How was that little fact going to affect the precarious relationship between the men now?

Ceilen ignored them and helped Tryffin to the bed.

"What happened?" Ken asked by way of greeting.

"Practicing on deck." Tryffin sighed in relief as he sank onto the bed. He snuggled into the pillow and turned to look at the three men facing each other.

Aya moved away from the wall and handed the CD back to Ceilen silently, his eyes never leaving the man face. "How accurate is the information on the CD?"

Ceilen shrugged. "There's only one way to find out."

"You mean you don't know if you're…" Ken glanced quickly at Tryffin on the bed before turning back to Ceilen. "You know."

"From another dimension?" Tryffin supplied from the bed. Damn these people don't think much of him, did they?

Both Ken and Aya turned to him sharply. "He told you?"

"No, my parents did."

They blinked at him.

"Man, what's up with you people? Do I have `Stupid' stamped on my forehead or something?" He glared at them. "Like I told HIM…" He motioned to Ceilen standing not far away. "I know a whole lot more than he - and now apparently YOU - think!"

Aya turned to Ceilen thoughtfully. "Was he monitored by the Syria Faction?"

Ceilen shrugged. "His involvement seemed to be coincidental."

"Nothing's coincidental. Not with these people."

Tryffin didn't like the way Aya was looking at him. Surely he wasn't suggesting that Tryffin was involved in whatever it was they were involved in? Not on the same level anyway.

"What about Omi?" Ken asked as he came to stand next to Aya. "Did you find him?"

Ceilen nodded and looked at his watch. "He should be on Itu Aba in a couple of hours."

"Itu who?" Both Ken and Tryffin asked at the same time.

"Itu Aba. The island I showed you earlier."

"Is the Taiwanese government in on this? Whose side are they on?" Aya asked.

Ceilen shook his head. "There are no Taiwanese on Itu Aba. About 9 years ago it was infiltrated and taken over by the Faction's agents. They're maintaining the Taiwanese front to avoid conflict. They are using it as base while they search for the Shinzahou."

"The Shinzahou…" Tryffin had a feeling that he should know this. The word meant something…but he couldn't grasp it. It was very familiar, yet for the life of him he couldn't recall where he'd heard it.

"It's what they call the hypothetical gate." Aya supplied absently, his eyes still on Ceilen. "Do YOU know the location?"

"Maybe."

Ceilen and Aya stared at each other intently; neither one blinked.

"Oh man, not the alpha male thing again." Ken whined. "Why don't you just use Rock-Paper-Scissors or something? It'd be faster."

The image of the two stoic men brandishing their rock, paper or scissors was just too much for Tryffin and he burst out laughing until his sides ached. Ken bent over giggling so hard he collapsed on the bed next to Tryffin.

The two alpha male contenders didn't seem to see the humor, however and Tryffin and his cohort - Ken - found themselves staring at the infamous Fujimiya death glare. Ceilen hadn't moved from his spot but his own glare indicated that he was also far from pleased.

"What?" Tryffin asked Aya, who was now next to the bed. "It was HIS comment, go glare at him."

Ken snorted next to him. "Yeah, but I'm sure it's more stimulating for him when it's YOU." Ken got up abruptly and moved to the other side of the room. "Maybe you would like Ceilen and I to leave, Aya? Then you guys can carry on doing whatever it was you were doing when I interrupted you last time."

Tryffin knew his face flamed. What the hell was wrong with Ken? He looked up at Aya, who was staring at Ken through narrowed eyes. He sighed. No help there. He turned to Ceilen and found that his bodyguard was watching him expressionlessly. Oh shit.

"No, it's not like that." He shook his head quickly. That was before he'd met Ceilen. It was an entirely different world…

"Oh puh-leeze, spare me." Ken rolled his eyes. "You admit you seduced him in the bathroom."

"Yes but it's not…quite like that." Oh god, the more he tried to explain the worse it got. He looked to Aya for help but the man was just staring at Ken.

"Yeah." Ken crossed his arms over his chest. "Like I don't know what a condom and a tube of lube is for."

"Ken." Aya's voice was a warning but the brunette just glared at him.

Tryffin shivered as he felt the temperature dropped drastically in Ceilen's direction. Oh shit. They'd come so far…

Shit, shit, shit!

Maybe it wasn't too late to convince Ceilen to throw these guys back into the sea after all…

TBC…

** ** **

Thank you!!!!

If you're interested, AFL-WK-10 is actually finished. It's waiting to be betaed and then I can post. ^__^ I am so proud of myself! Oh, and FY-10 is being written as well!!! Yeh!!

Big hugs to everyone!