Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ A Fine Line - FY ❯ Of Hopes and Dreams ( Chapter 10 )

Humongous hugs and blessings go to my reviewers, no da!!!!

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A Fine Line - FY: Chapter 10 - Of Hopes and Dreams

By Moonraven

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(Day 6 - late night, after Ran and Ken had left the room)

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Tryffin continued to clutch onto Ceilen's shirt even after Aya and Ken had left. He was afraid but it wasn't entirely because of his phobia…well, actually it wasn't his phobia at all. He was afraid that Ceilen would reject him again. After Ken's comments about Tryffin and Ran, Ceilen had shut himself off completely. All the warmth and tenderness Tryffin had experienced with the man earlier that day had disappeared as if they had never been. Tryffin wasn't sure why that should cause him so much pain but he couldn't bear it any longer.

"You're still tense; you're not focusing." Ceilen's distant voice broke through his dismal thoughts and Tryffin burrowed his face deeper into the crook of Ceilen's neck. Maybe if they stayed like this…

"Tryffin," Ceilen called again and even though his bodyguard hadn't pushed him away, there was no warmth in the tone or in the embrace.

Tryffin felt like crying.

And then he felt like finding Ken and smacking him upside the head. It was the brunette's fault that Ceilen was all icicles again.

"Don't be mad, Ceilen, please," Tryffin mumbled into the warm neck, clutching the man to him almost desperately as he allowed Ceilen's familiar scent to sooth him.

Ceilen tensed even more, then he gripped Tryffin's shoulders and tried to push him away. "You don't have a panic attack."

Yes I do, Tryffin wanted to say but all he could do was hold on tight and shook his head. "I don't want him, I don't."

"It's none of my business, is it?" Ceilen's cold voice cut deep into Tryffin's heart and he let out a choked cry at the pain that was almost physical.

Tryffin shook his head again as he refused to come up for air. "It was a long time ago…before I ever met you. It's not like that. Not anymore." And as he said it, Tryffin knew it was true. He really felt nothing for Aya, something that he hadn't realized until now.

Ceilen was motionless and silent in Tryffin's arms. He no was no longer trying to push Tryffin away but he wasn't holding him either. He seemed to be thinking about something. Tryffin pushed his luck just a bit more. "Please."

Tryffin could just make out a sigh as the body he was clutching relaxed just a tiny bit. "A long time ago…it has only been four days." Ceilen tilted his head back as if he was looking for the heavens to give him strength.

Tryffin snuggled closer. "That IS long for me," he murmured as he nuzzled Ceilen's neck.

He felt Ceilen sigh again then his bodyguard said softly, "Exactly."

Tryffin blinked against the warm skin, not wanting to move but wanting to see Ceilen's face. Why had he sounded so sad?

Reluctantly, he lifted up his head far enough to see Ceilen's face. His bodyguard was looking down at him with an expression that Tryffin had never seen before.

"What do you mean?" Tryffin asked.

Ceilen closed his eye and tried to turn away but Tryffin brought his hand up to gently cup his bodyguard's cheek and turned him back. "Exactly…what?"

Ceilen looked at him silently and Tryffin's chest tightened at the sadness he saw in Ceilen's gaze. Ceilen brought up a hand to cover Tryffin's before removing it and kissing his palm. "In four days, how will you feel?" Ceilen traced the side of Tryffin's face softly with his fingertips, his expression suddenly guarded. "How will you feel when you're safe back home, in your lover's arms?"

Tryffin's breath caught in his throat and suddenly he couldn't breathe. He'd thought about Kouji, about their relationship and their lifestyle. But he hadn't thought that far…he knew that things would change, he just didn't know how much.

Tryffin shook his head again though he hardly knew why. "I will still want you," he told Ceilen softly but he couldn't deny the uncertainly he heard in his own voice. Would he? Could he? Exclusively? That was what Ceilen wanted. He'd said as much earlier that day.

"I would," Tryffin insisted even if deep inside, he really wasn't sure.

Ceilen gave him a small smile. "Maybe you believe that now…" Ceilen trailed off, shaking his head. He tried to push Tryffin away from him again but the younger man refused.

"Okay. I admit I don't know what's gonna happen but…" Tryffin cupped Ceilen's chin and made the other man look him in the eye. "But I KNOW that I have never felt this…" Tryffin tried desperately to find the words to describe what he felt. "This..." He rubbed at his chest, as if that would help the words to appear in his head. Tryffin gave up. "I just KNOW that I've never felt this before. Never. I don't know what this feeling is…but I know that the thought of being without you…hurts."

He looked imploringly into Ceilen's eye, hoping that the other man wouldn't turn him away. "We don't have to do anything. Just…just don't push me away. Please."

Ceilen shut his eye tightly, his lips pressed into a thin line. He remained silent. Tryffin pressed himself closer, burying his face in Ceilen's neck once again, murmuring repeatedly, "Please, please, please…"

A choked cry tore from Ceilen as he crushed Tryffin to him. His hand wove into the thick red hair and he pulled Tryffin's head up as his mouth came crashing down on the stunned redhead.

Tryffin wasn't sure what happened exactly; his mind was blissfully setting off fireworks and the next thing he knew, they were both on the bed and half his clothes were already gone. Yay!

Ceilen was delightfully attacking his chest, lavishing his aching nipples with tiny bites while his hands worked furiously to rid the redhead of his pants. Tryffin gasped when his erection was freed from its confinement and then groaned gratifyingly as Ceilen took a hold of it. He thrust into the hand while his own hands tried to get Ceilen out of his remaining clothes.

And then they were no longer on Ceilen's bed in his bodyguard's cabin but on a larger bed…somewhere else entirely. Tryffin wondered briefly what the hell had happened but that thought was soon driven completely out of his head when he realized that he was naked and the man with the blue hair was between his legs. Whoa! When had that happened?

"Ah…!" Tryffin groaned as wet heat enveloped him. Despite his confusion, his body knew what it wanted. He thrust up instinctively even as his mind fought to stay lucid. He looked down at the soft head that was clutched in his hands, bobbing enthusiastically up and down his length and struggled hard not to give in to the pleasure… Gods but it was hard. HE was hard. He just wanted to come…

No! Where the hell was Ceilen? Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods…he was coming…

Tryffin stifled a groan as he bucked up into the talented mouth and came hard. Still dazed and panting from his euphoria, Tryffin hardly noticed when his lover moved up his body until the soft hair brushed his cheek and warm lips kissed his neck.

"Don't tell me I wore you out, Tasuki-chan." A laughing voice teased him and Tryffin lazily opened his eyes to look up at the warm mahogany one gazing down at him.

Ceilen, Tryffin thought but he couldn't say anything; it was as if he was in someone else's body. Instead, he heard himself say, "Chiri."

The man's name was Chichiri…Tryffin remembered now. He wanted to say so many things but his body wanted something else. Chichiri rubbed his still-hard erection against Tryffin…or Tasuki…and he could feel himself tingling once again with that first touch of arousal. He moaned when Chichiri moved between his legs and rubbed his hot shaft against Tryffin's. Oh gods…

----- flashback ------

Chichiri laughed as Tasuki rolled them over. It was now the bandit's turn to hover over his lover.

"What's so funny, Chiri? This IS the reason why you like younger lovers, isn't it? Our stamina?" He rocked his half hard cock against the burning thickness of the man below him. Chichiri tipped his head back and moaned.

Tasuki took the opportunity given him and clamped his teeth firmly onto the soft yielding flesh of his lover's neck. At the rate Chichiri was squirming, it wouldn't take Tasuki long at all to be achingly hard again.

"Oh, yes…love `em," Chichiri murmured as he pushed upwards roughly, trying to get more friction. "Now get working and earn that reputation, no da."

Tasuki chuckled into Chichiri's neck. "So demanding...I guess I have to obey my elders."

"Tasuki..." Chichiri's voice had turned husky with desire. "Shut up."

Chichiri reached between them and grabbed Tasuki's arousal firmly. He pumped the length hard, pausing now and then to rub the pad of his thumb across the top. Tasuki moaned and thrust into the hand. It seemed that Chichiri was reaching his limit and wanted to get serious now. He had no problem with that.

Tasuki moved to straddle the older man while reaching for the jar of oil under the pillow. Chichiri was already fingering Tasuki's opening impatiently, pressing and rubbing insistently. The monk took the jar from Tasuki's trembling hands and soon two slick fingers slid inside the bandit.

"Oh...yeah..." Tasuki rode the fingers enthusiastically, his head thrown back in abandon. He groaned deep in his throat when Chichiri twisted his hand and brushed up against that sweet spot inside his body, Tasuki's throbbing cock twitched excitedly and he grabbed at it, caressing and pumping.

To let his lover know that he wanted more than his fingers, Tasuki reached behind him and wrapped his hand around Chichiri's hot, hard shaft. He gave it several short hard pumps then brought it up to his entrance.

Chichiri removed his fingers and reached for more oil.

"No." Tasuki put the tip of Chichiri already wet cock against the opening and pushed down gently.

"Tasuki, wait..." But the bandit wanted his lover now; he sank down swiftly and groaned at the pain of improperly prepared penetration. But it felt damn good too and once in a while, that was exactly how he wanted it. Hard and fast.

"Idiot," Chichiri scolded him half-heartedly. His lover knew very well how Tasuki liked it. Still, he guessed it was too much to ask that Chichiri not be worried.

Tasuki grinned down at his lover and began moving. Oh, yeah...this was exactly how he liked it.

Chichiri closed his eye and stifled a moan as Tasuki pushed down roughly. The bandit grinned through the haze of pleasure, loving every sound his lover made. He repeated the motion several times until Chichiri was writhing mindlessly beneath him. Then Tasuki pulled up again until he was almost free from Chichiri's hard length but this time, instead of dropping down quickly, he paused. Chichiri whimpered and opened his eye to see Tasuki smirking down at him. The monk glared and bucked his hips to get deeper into his lover. Tasuki grinned evilly, shaking his head.

"Who was it that kept lecturing me about patience?" He blinked down at the unhappy monk.

"I don't believe I was fucking you at the time, Tasuki!"

Tasuki shuddered at the heat in Chichiri's eye. "Suzaku, I love it when you talk dirty, Chiri," Tasuki groaned deep in his throat before dropping down swiftly, impaling himself hard on the straining monk.

Chichiri cried out and jerked up almost violently. Tasuki shuddered again, this time from sheer pleasure. He wasn't sure he could take much more of this, his cock was so hard, his entire length felt like it would explode if he so much as look at it.

"Are you ready, Chiri?"

"I've BEEN ready, you sadistic imp!" Chichiri retorted. He arched up as he pushed himself deeper into his lover. "Tasu…ki…"

Reaching his own limits, Tasuki rolled them over, allowing Chichiri to set his own pace. The monk moaned gratefully and thrust hard.

"Prepared to get fucked stupid, Tasuki-chan." The eloquent monk of Suzaku whispered hoarsely into his ears. Tasuki shuddered again at the raw need he heard in his lover's voice.

"Yes…fuck me, Chiri. Now!"

Chichiri complied. They moved together feverishly, almost desperately, their bodies glistened wet in the candlelight. Soft moans turned to urgent cries as they increased their pace, frantically urging each other on to new heights of pleasure. Tasuki was only aware of one thing as he move against his lover...that he loved this man...loved him with every ounce of his being...

When Chichiri wrapped his hand around Tasuki's aching cock, his world exploded. And as Tasuki came for the second time that night, he shouted out..."I love you, Chiri!"

-------- end flashback -------

Tryffin jerked out of his dreams with a startled cry. He sat up and looked around frantically as he tried to pinpoint where he was.

He gave a relieved sigh when he saw that he was in Ceilen's cabin once again…and very much alone. He quickly looked under the covers and found that he was completely naked, the evidence of his pleasure all over the cover and his own body...he wasn't sure what Ceilen would say about that. He looked around the room again but there was no sign of Ceilen. What the hell happened...?

His mind furiously tried to work out the details…was the whole thing just a dream, then? But he was in Ceilen's room and not with Aya so the part where he came back to his bodyguard was real… He took stock of his lack of clothing again and frown, scratching at his head. Where had his clothes gone - well, technically Ceilen's clothes but that was beside the point! If Ceilen hadn't removed them…who had? He didn't remember doing it.

And where the hell was Ceilen? What the hell was going on? Who the hell were Chichiri and Tasuki? What did they have to do with Tryffin or Ceilen? Was he losing his mind?

What the hell was going on? His mind repeated the same questions over and over again… Yet there was no answer.

Tryffin felt like screaming and would have, if he hadn't known it would bring three men running to his room. At the moment, he only wanted one man to do that but he wasn't sure how to go about making that happen.

So he would just have to go find Ceilen. And this time make the man answer his questions. Tryffin threw back the covers and made another face. He decided that Ceilen could go jump in the lake - or in this case, off his own goddamn boat - if he didn't like the little gifts Tryffin left in his bed. It was the man's fault after all…

Tryffin stood and looked around the room for his clothes. Now he knew he hadn't stripped himself; his clothes weren't strewn all over the floor. Unexpectedly, the door opened. Tryffin gave a startled squawk and grabbed the pillow to cover himself. He was about to growl something about knocking before entering when Ceilen stepped into the room. His bodyguard closed the door quietly and stared at the semi-naked redhead standing by the bed.

Tryffin stared back.

Ceilen wore the same clothes he had on earlier - Tryffin remembered the soft white shirt he had clutched to him as he held the man - and looked as unruffled as he usually looked. Tryffin swallowed.

WAS he losing his mind? Had it all been his imagination?

"What…the hell happened?" Tryffin finally vocalized one of the questions that plagued him.

"You passed out," Ceilen said quietly.

Tryffin snorted. "Yeah, right."

His bodyguard just stared at him.

"I DON'T pass out." Tryffin frowned. "That's…a girl thing."

"Well, you did," Ceilen said as he moved into the room and straight to his fucking computers.

Even if Tryffin hadn't liked what he heard, he grudgingly accepted it. It did explain a thing or two but not…

"When?"

Ceilen looked slightly uncomfortable but he didn't speak. He sat down on the table and started to shift papers about.

"Did we…do anything?" Tryffin asked.

"You passed out," his bodyguard repeated.

"Yes, you keep reminding me of that!" Tryffin growled. "But did we do anything before that?"

Ceilen looked up at him thoughtfully, as if weighing what he should tell Tryffin.

"Please…" Tryffin begged. "I think I'm losing my mind…I keep seeing things." He ran his free hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't know what's real and what's not anymore…please, did we…what did we do? When did I pass out?"

Ceilen sighed and stood up. He went over to a cabinet at the foot of the bed and took some clothes out and then handed them over to Tryffin. Tryffin absently took them with his free hand, his gaze still pleading for an answer.

"We had oral sex and then you passed out." Ceilen's account of the incident was so bland that had Tryffin not heard the word sex, he would have thought the man was giving him a weather report.

"YOU went down on me?" So at least THAT part was real…but it was Chichiri who gave him head…wasn't it?

"You were exhausted, I shouldn't have…" Ceilen trailed off with a reproachful look before shaking his head in irritation.

"No…no, I loved it - really. I just wish the rest was real too."

"The rest?"

Tryffin's face heated up fast. "Yeah, well…it was just a dream…I think." His face scrunched up in confusion; would it have been better if it were all a dream?

"Is it the man with the blue hair again?"

"It's YOU with the blue hair," Tryffin said defensively. He couldn't explain why having Ceilen think of him as being sexually promiscuous was bothering him…it shouldn't, because it was all true. Yet…

"He's you," Tryffin repeated. "Down to the eye." Tryffin reached up to caress the dark eye-patch. Ceilen stiffened but didn't pull away. "He didn't cover it though. He didn't mind that I saw it."

Ceilen frowned and Tryffin dropped his hand in resignation.

"What's going on?" Tryffin asked again. "Who are these people I keep seeing?"

"I don't know."

"Bullshit!" Tryffin grated out. "You KNOW! You have to. You felt it too…you were there!"

"I don't!" Ceilen was getting angry and he turned away abruptly, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know who they are or why it's happening! Just because I experienced it doesn't mean I know what it is."

"You're lying!" Tryffin turned Ceilen back around roughly. "I'm freaking out over this more than I am over the goddamn water and you're parading around like it's the most normal thing…yet you want me to believe that you're just as confused as I am? That Mr. Control Freak is okay with this?"

Ceilen glared at him darkly. At that moment, Tryffin could care less whether it was because he had yelled at the man or that he'd called him a control freak.

"I am not okay with it but I have more important things to take care of," Ceilen told him coldly. "Things that could save lives, including yours."

Tryffin blinked at him in frustration. What the hell was he made of?

"But…but…" Tryffin tossed the clothes on the bed, running his freed hand through his hair and then pulling on it roughly. "I feel like I'm going crazy," he started off in frustration. "I look around and I'm somewhere else…with someone else…doing things we've never done together. And then it was you again and then…I don't know what's going on. And it's getting worse and worse…" Tryffin trailed off in quiet desperation, his hand fisted tightly as he tried to control his emotions.

Tryffin heard Ceilen sigh in front of him as if his bodyguard was about to do something he hadn't wanted to do.

"You're not going crazy," Ceilen told him quietly. "I…I've seen things too. When I was very young I used to see them very often, before some people showed me how to block them out. I haven't had problems with them until you showed up." Ceilen rubbed his face tiredly. "I'm not…`freaked out' by them because I'm used to them."

"But that's because…you know…you have these strange things going for you. But me? Why me?" Tryffin was vaguely aware that he had brought up the pillow and was hugging it to his chest. His bodyguard seemed to be having a hard time keeping his eye averted.

Ceilen shrugged. "Maybe because I do have these powers, it's affecting your subconscious as well. I don't know. Or maybe you have powers of your own."

Tryffin snorted. "I don't think so. It started when I met you so it must be you." That seemed to make sense to Tryffin though he still didn't know how to make it go away. "Now that I know you're doing it---well it isn't ME!" He interjected when Ceilen made objecting noises. "Like I said…I don't feel so crazy now." He heaved a sigh of relief. "So maybe you can practice blocking out this thing more, okay? I have enough stuff to worry about with you planning to drag me into the water and all."

Ceilen frowned at him but didn't say anything.

Tryffin grinned and turned his back to his bodyguard, dropping the pillow as he bent over the bed to get the clothes. "So, is this thing like your fantasy or something?"

He heard choking noises behind him and he turned to see Ceilen staring at his bare butt before the man turned away sharply and engrossed himself in the designs of his cabinets.

Tryffin grinned evilly then turned back to the bed again, making sure that he bent over just far enough…

"Did you hear me?" He asked as he picked up the t-shirt and then turned around to face Ceilen. "Was that your fantasy?"

Ceilen was staring at him with undisguised lust but the man remained immobile by the door. "We don't know for certain that it's coming from me." His voice was low and barely controlled.

Tryffin held on to the shirt but didn't put it on; instead, he walked slowly toward Ceilen. "You know, you never did get me clothes."

"You can use mine," Ceilen said. "Now would be good," he added hoarsely when Tryffin made no move to get dressed.

Tryffin smiled as he came to a stop in front of his bodyguard. "And then take them off again? I don't think so. As I recalled…we didn't get to finish what we started," he said in a low voice as he pressed his body up against Ceilen's. "I want `the rest' to be real now."

"We can't."

"Why not?" Tryffin asked. "I know you want to." He emphasized this by rocking his hips forward, grinding into the hardening flesh in front of him.

Ceilen's mouth twitched slightly at the corner. "Mmm…yes but I can't have you passing out again. How will I explain it to our guests?"

Tryffin scowled at Ceilen but he didn't give up. "It's your fault that happened, so I'd make it up to me if I were you."

"Really," Ceilen said softly as his arms went around Tryffin's willing body and his hands clasped firmly on the taut round cheeks. "Maybe another time," Ceilen said with a merry twinkle in his eye and before Tryffin knew what to expect, his bodyguard had smacked him smartly on the ass.

"Hey--!" Tryffin's protest was cut off when Ceilen leaned in and kissed him hard.

Then his bodyguard pulled away suddenly and pushed Tryffin towards the bed. "Get dressed now."

Tryffin blinked confusedly at Ceilen for a long moment and his bodyguard pointed to the bed again. "Get dressed," he repeated.

Before Tryffin could say anything else, someone knocked sharply on the door. Ceilen gave him an `I told you so' look before turning answer it. Tryffin squawked and dropped the shirt, opting instead for the sweats and pulling them on hastily.

When Tryffin was semi-decent, Ceilen smirked at him and then pulled open the door. Aya and Ken were standing anxiously on the other side.

"What are you doing?" Ken asked impatiently.

Ceilen didn't answer but stood to the side to allow the two men to pile into the room. Ken looked at Tryffin's bare chest and raised his brows and then he turned to Ceilen and narrowed his eyes. But then he shook his head vigorously and said, "Nah."

"What's going on?" Tryffin asked as he pulled on the t-shirt.

"We're meeting some friends," Ken said with a knowing smile.

"More cats?"

Ken grinned. "It's a surprise." He turned to Ceilen and tapped on his watch. "C'mon Peregrine, aren't we there yet?"

Tryffin turned to Ceilen and noticed a small frown on the man's face as he looked at Ken. "What surprise?" Tryffin looked from his bodyguard to the brunet, then back to Ceilen again. He wasn't sure he liked that guarded look on Ceilen's face. Whatever the surprise was, the man sure didn't like it.

"It's a surprise! If we tell you, it won't be one," Ken said with a huge grin. Tryffin wondered at the volatile brunet's sudden, happy mood.

"Okay, what are you high on?" Tryffin asked cautiously and glanced at Aya but the tall redhead's expression gave nothing away. Tryffin shook his head and turned to Ceilen.

"Are we picking their friends up the same way we did THEM?" He cocked his head towards the Kritiker agents.

For a second there, Ceilen looked as if he didn't quite understand what Tryffin had said and then he blinked and said, "Sort of."

Tryffin frowned. "What's that mean, `sort of'?"

"You'll see," Ken said with a smirk.

"Ken," Aya reprimanded gently and Ken subsided sheepishly.

Tryffin stared at them and then he burst out laughing. "I know! You guys made up! It's about time!" He beamed at them and then turned to Ceilen. His bodyguard just stared at him. Tryffin rolled his eyes and turned back to the pair that had just joined them. Aya looked about as thrilled as Ceilen had, while Ken just turned a few different shades of red.

"What? You did, right? You're together again?" Tryffin asked, looking from Ken to Aya.

"What do you mean, `together'?" Ceilen asked with a frown.

"Together as in, you know, boyfriends." He rolled his eyes at his bodyguard again. "They had some problems a few days ago…" Tryffin paused, not sure if he should mention his part in it. "…but I guess everything is okay now."

The two men by the door remained silent, although Ken was fidgeting an awful lot.

Tryffin stared at them for a moment, before a thought occurred to him. Duh!

"You're not boyfriends, are you? Never were."

"No," Aya told him after a short pause. "It was our cover."

Tryffin smacked a hand on his forehead. "No wonder you guys were so weird. But…" He remembered the looks Aya gave Ken when he thought the brunette wasn't looking; those couldn't have been part of the act. They had been too real. He looked at them again and shook his head. "But you guys are together now."

Ken's face got redder, if that was possible, and Aya's face actually twitched.

"That's hardy relevant," Aya said coolly before turning to Ceilen. "How long?"

"In about ten minutes." Ceilen said as he walked to the computer. He checked various screens then looked up at Aya. "Make that five. The current is faster than I thought. Get ready, gentlemen."

The men from Weiss nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Tryffin looked confusedly from his bodyguard to the two men. "What are we doing?"

"We're going fishing," Ceilen answered quietly. "Stay here."

"But---"

"Stay here," Ceilen repeated, his face grim. "We won't take long."

As Aya and Ken filed out of the room and Ceilen started to follow them, Tryffin caught his wrist and turned him around. "What's the matter? Why are you upset?"

"I'm not upset," Ceilen answered, tugging at his wrist for Tryffin to let go.

"Yes, you are. This `surprise' Ken mentioned…you don't like it."

Ceilen managed to free himself with an annoyed frown. "I think we've established that I don't like surprises. Especially ones that are not a part of my plans." Ceilen turned and walked out the door.

Tryffin felt lost as he was left alone in the cabin. He should be used to it by now but it was hard to accept that one was useless. That was pretty much how he felt since this whole thing had started. Lost, useless and confused as hell.

He went over to the round window - porthole - if he remembered what Ceilen had said correctly, and tried to look out to see if he could spot anyone. He couldn't; it was pitch black. He turned to Ceilen's clock on the table and saw that it was two in the morning. Damn, these people sure didn't sleep!

Some time passed and Tryffin heard movements up above him. By the sound of it, there were quite a few people up there. No wonder his bodyguard was bent out of shape; after all, the man was the textbook definition of `anti-social'.

A short time later, the footsteps and muffled voices grew much closer. He wasn't sure what was about to happen and he certainly didn't want to be caught snuggling in bed so he got up and moved towards the door.

Before he got there, it was suddenly thrown open and Tryffin found himself engulfed in a wet and crushing hug.

"Tryffin!"

The redhead was about to clock the guy who grabbed him, but then he recognized the voice…

"Kouji." Tryffin blinked blankly. How…?

Kouji pulled away and held Tryffin at arm's length, studying him critically. "I was so worried. How the hell are you?"

Tryffin stared opened-mouthed at his soaking wet lover, stunned. How…?

Kouji laughed and lifted Tryffin's jaw shut. "Are you still sane after a few days at high sea?"

Tryffin blinked again then nodded. "What are you…doing here?" He asked, still blinking numbly. He vaguely noted that people came into the room behind Kouji but he couldn't make his brain work long enough to recognize any of them.

"Surprise!" Someone cheered - sounded like Ken. It was enough to stimulate Tryffin out of his stupor and he turned to face the rest of the room. Aya and Ken stood next to a stony Ceilen who was next to a very wet young man with pink hair, who in turn, was next to another wet person, this one tall and wearing sunglasses. Tryffin blinked and then gasped.

"You! You!" Was all that came out as he pointed to the man whom he recognized as the one from Rabid the other night, the one that gave him the coat and tossed him over his shoulder. He hadn't been wet then, but Tryffin would have recognized him and his glasses anywhere.

"Yo," the tall man greeted with a grin and then he began shaking water out of his hair. "Hey, where's the towel?"

With an irritated glare, Ceilen went to the cabinet and took out an armful of towels then tossed them at the three newcomers. "I'd asked you to strip on deck but no!" He grumbled as he stared pointedly at his soaking floor.

"It's freezing up there!" The tall man - who Tryffin couldn't recall the name - protested.

Ceilen glared.

"I'm terribly sorry, Peregrine-san," the boy with pink hair said politely. "Thank you for picking us up."

Tryffin turned to the study the speaker curiously. He looked very young but if he was with these guys, he couldn't have been THAT young. Tryffin thought he'd seen that face somewhere before but he couldn't place him. Something tugged very gently at the edge of his memory, but try as he might, he couldn't come up with anything tangible.

"Ceilen," His bodyguard corrected immediately.

The young man smiled and held out his hand, shivering slightly. "Shinji."

Ceilen hesitated then he reached out and shook Shinji's hand.

"Oh, hell…" The tall man stuck out his hand as well. "Youji, at your service," he said with a lazy grin.

Ceilen's frowned deepened as if touching Youji would make him go over a quota he'd set. Nevertheless, he shook the man's hand and then pointed to Tryffin. "I'm sure you know who he is."

They both nodded and smiled at him.

Tryffin smiled back uncertainly and gave them a small wave.

Ceilen frowned at the men facing him then sighed heavily. "Oh, why not. It's not like this party hadn't been crashed already. The head - restroom is to the right and a spare cabin where these men--" here he pointed to Aya and Ken. "-are staying is to the left. Please try not to waterlog my floor."

The men mumbled their thanks and filed out of the room. Kouji turned to give Tryffin a quick grin before he too disappeared out the door. Tryffin stared after them silently, still in a haze, not knowing how they had all hooked up together. He turned to Ceilen and his heart sank.

Ceilen was watching him silently, his expression completely blank. The mask had gone up again and Tryffin knew that with the arrival of Kouji, he would never see the real Ceilen again...no more quirky smiles, no more carefree laughs, no more gentle touches…

He didn't know why that thought gave him such an acute feeling of despair that it almost felt like a physical blow.

Why was he feeling this way? Shouldn't he be happy that his lover came? Didn't he call Kouji only a couple of days ago to come and get him? Why was he now wishing that Kouji hadn't come? Why was he wishing that he could spend more time alone with Ceilen? The rest of his life, if possible?

What was this that he was feeling?

Unbidden, the image of the blue haired man appeared in his mind. "I love you," the man told him again, his beautiful smile igniting something warm and tingly in Tryffin's chest.

Tryffin gasped and took a step back as he stared at Ceilen.

Oh god…

He was in love with Ceilen!

TBC…

*********

Hee hee hee…yeah, it's supposed to mirror the ending of WK-10. What do you think?