Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Our Version of RW with a Crossover Twist ❯ Going Back ( Chapter 19 )

A/N: Oh my god, we're actually updating.

JC: We've been waiting to get this out as soon as possible.

Kathrine: People didn't tell us what they wanted so we decided for ourselves. We hope you like the outcome.

JC: Don't get too excited though.

Kathrine: We're trying to update as much as we can to make up for not doing so for so long. Next we have to work on Yugioh and Beyblade though.

JC: But we'll try to update another YST story too,

Kathrine: But please be patient.

JC: This is longer than normal to make up for not updating for so long.

Disclaimer: We do not own. Unfortunately. It took us almost a year to find a place that sold the DVDs, how long do you think it would take to buy the show itself?

Warnings: Shounen Ai, angry Mama Faun, flashback, surprise. Not too much to warn about in this chapter.

Our Version of RW with a Crossover Twist

By JC and Kathrine

Chapter 19 - Going Back

Mouri Residence/Pottery Shop -

" Oh my baby!" the brunette's mother cried out as she rushed to him. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. " Are you boys all right?! I was soo worried about you!"

" We're fine Mother," he assured her, glancing back at the snicker that escaped Touma's lips.

She just continued to hug him even tighter. " Oh, after I saw that terrorist attack on the Emergency News I couldn't help but wondered whether or not you were anywhere near it! Oh my little dolphin."

" It's okay Mother," he patted her on the back soothingly.

The dark-haired woman looked up and to stare at the four boys that remained a short ways off. " And you four should be with your families," she admonished. " They'll be worried sick about you right now. Ryou, you know your grandmother will have a stroke if you don't get home soon! Shu you know your mother is going to have your hide when you get back! Touma you know it's not safe, your father must be frantic!" Her eyes landed on the final member of their small group and she realized that she didn't even know who he was.

" Mother, this is Seiji," Shin introduced her to the blonde. " He's from the Colonies and just started at our school last week."

Mouri-san gave him a gentle smile. " It's nice to meet you Seiji."

" Thank you," the blonde teen gave a small traditional bow.

" Your mother and father must be concerned for you as well," she told him.

" They're dead," Seiji responded.

Mouri-san's eyes widened at the blunt way the young teen spoke. It was indeed worrying. Oh the poor boy, she thought. She could see the look of sympathy that crossed his mother's eyes and knew she was going into one of her moods. " Seiji lives with his brother," he explained.

" We better get going," Ryo pointed out. " You're right, our families probably are worried about us."

" All right," Mouri-san agreed. " You all better call to let Shin know that you got home safely."

" Yes ma'am," Shu nodded to her. " We will."

" Ja ne," Shin waved goodbye to them before leading his mother into the house. " See you at school tomorrow. I'll try to call you later."

" At least no one will ever have to wonder where Shin learned the art of 'Mother Henning'," Touma chuckled. " I swear at times I almost think she IS my mother from how she acts."

" I wish my mom was so easy-going," Shu sighed. " Mama's going to kill me, cut me into pieces, and fry me up in one of her main dishes. It's like eight o'clock at night and I was supposed to help with the dinner crowd."

" Don't worry," Ryou told him. " I'll stop by your house with you and try to help explain things."

" I told her that Touma needed my help," the ash-haired boy pointed out.

" Well, I can just say that I was with you guys or something," the raven-haired boy shrugged. " At least it's better than going up against Mama Faun alone." Shu nodded seriously at that.

" I guess this is where we split," Touma stated. "I have to go in the opposite direction."

" Isn't your apartment complex by the Preventer's Building anyway?" Ryou remembered. " Man you're going right by where all the action was!"

" Yeah, but I know how to keep outta sight, believe me," he wasn't concerned. "Besides, they don't know what we look like now do they?"

" Except Seiji," Shu reminded them. " Man, what are ya going to do? I still don't think you should go back there."

The blonde didn't look at him, merely continued to walk in the direction they were heading. " I shall be fine," he assured him. " Heero will not let anything happen."

" You're awfully sure about your brother," Ryou told him. " But there are some things people just can't control."

" You don't know Heero," he said. He wasn't worried. His Nii-chan wouldn't let anything happen to him. Heero had sworn to protect him and he knew that Heero was nothing if not thorough. He would never make such a promise if he didn't plan on holding to it.

" We better go," Shu checked his watch, apprehensively. " Mama is soo going to kill me."

" I'll make sure she at least does it quickly," Ryou patted him on the back lightly. " C'mon." The two broke away and crossed the strangely empty streets. There were people out, but it seemed as if the numbers had greatly decreased and that showed by the lack of cars on the road.

" Man this place is almost deserted," Touma remarked. " No doubt the Preventers have warned everyone to remain at home." He turned to look at Seiji and noticed that the blonde didn't answer him. He just continued to walk as if he was going on a mission. What is going on with him? he wondered. He's always been so different, ever since we met him. Man, that wasn't even too long ago! I don't get why he acts like this.

" Hey Seiji," Touma touched his shoulder. The blonde stopped instantly, his body stiffening. The blue-haired teen removed his hand. " Sorry."

" What is it?" the bearer of Korin inquired.

" I know a short cut that goes from here to the street my apartment building is one that's near here," he told him. " We can take that and you can call your brother from my place."

" That wouldn't be wise," he contradicted. " Heero will know something is wrong if he finds me at your home."

" Nah," Touma shook his head. " You can just call him from there and wait for him outside in the alley or something. My apartment is on the top floor, but the elevators move really fast so you'll be down there before he comes to get you if you're concerned. Don't worry though, it's not like your brother would say anything about us, especially when he wants to protect you."

" Yes, Heero is quite talented at keeping things unknown when they're not meant to be," Seiji agreed with him.

" Good," Touma gave him a smile. " C'mon, the shortcut is this way." He showed him the way down the street and into a darkened alley, leading him out of the main roads.

Rei Faun's Home/Restaurant -

Shu

" Xiu Li Rei Faun!" the voice boomed as they entered the building. The ash-haired boy winced at the sound of his full name spoken in his mother's angry Chinese accent and he could see Ryou visibly cringe. They were so in for it.

" I'm right here Mama," he saw no reason in hiding. It was too late for that now anyway. His mother wasn't one to accept excuses she knew were completely false.

" I am on the verge of taking my metal ladle to your behind!" she frowned. Shu couldn't feel any smaller or more chastised. " You better come up with a good explanation." She then turned her attack onto Ryou. " What are you doing at this time of night when your grandmother just recovered from being so ill?"

" I was at Touma's when the stove almost blew up," the raven-haired boy lied. " There was smoke everywhere. Touma called Shu so that he could fix it and hopefully prevent a fire from breaking out. Shu came over and took apart some of the wires so that it wouldn't do anything and then all that stuff at the Preventer's Building happened. There were so many officers around and we weren't allowed to leave the building until now."

" Is that the truth?" Mama Faun asked, her tone was doubtful. She was still sure that the phone had not rang at the time that her son said Touma had called. But she also knew that he would have only run off for a good reason. If anything they could possibly be telling the truth, just not all of it. He could have called from Touma's…unless the phone lines were out due to the terrorist attack. Something else had to be going on though. What other reason would Shu have for lying to her?

" All right," she nodded. Then she took the dark-haired boy into her arms and hugged him tight. " Next time you scare me like that I will take my ladle to you and make sure you can't sit for a week!"

" Yes Mama," the nodded, taking shallow breaths due to his mother's tight bear hug.

" Let me get my coat and I'll take you home Ryou," she said. " My son here has a large pile of dishes to clean."

Shu face contorted in dismay, but he knew he couldn't say anything in protest. This was his punishment. Oh well, he sighed. Maybe I can still get some food.

Hashiba Apartment -

He opened the door and motioned the blonde inside. " Sorry it's not much," Touma smiled sheepishly. " Dad's not home much and I'm not into buying things so most of this place is just empty space. I don't know why he bought such a large penthouse in the first place."

" No need for excuses or explanations," Seiji assured him. " Most of the items in my home were bought by Duo to make it seem more lived in and 'cozy' when they are actually at work most of the day and I do not have anything that is of true personal value so my room is rather bare and untouched. Duo has been asking me to change that."

Touma was a little taken aback by how much the blonde had spoken at one time. It seemed that he was a little more relaxed when not in a public place and away from the others for even though they were quickly becoming companions, he still felt uncomfortable and out of place around them. It pleased Touma that Seiji felt more at ease when just with him, but it also left him with questions as to why the newly-discovered Fifth of their group was still keeping himself distanced from the others.

Why happened to you to make you so closed off? He wondered. Is that why you and your brother left the Colonies? Is that why he's only a year older than you and yet already a Preventer? There is so much about you that I don't know, so much that you're not willing to tell.

" Why are you upset?" Seiji asked him, sensing his discomfort and underlying questions. " Is it something I have done?"

" No," Touma shook his head immediately to show how untrue that belief was. " Everything is just happening really fast now and I just want to make sure that we know everything before we screw something up or something unexpected happens."

" Understandable," he agreed. He looked about the home and could see that Touma preferred to have a clean home. It was spotless. " You father is not home often?"

Touma was a little put off by this question. Seiji had never asked any of them about their families form he'd seen and heard. " No, he's at his lab most of the time," he replied. " But he does come home for two or three hours every week to make sure I'm okay, get a shower, drop off his dirty clothes and pick up some clean ones."

" So he does not spend time with you?"

" Not really," the blue-haired boy answered and shrugged, not uncomfortable from the inquiries. He was used to this by now. He had accepted the way his father was a long time ago and it didn't hurt really anymore when someone brought it up.

Seiji, on the other hand, did seem rather discomforted in a way by this. " And this is normal for you? That is how fathers act?"

" Normal for me, yeah, but not for dads," he replied. " Shu's parents would NEVER leave their kids alone, they're that in love with them. The only people they would leave the kids with are family members and, of course, Shu. Shin always said his dad was a wonderful person before he died. Ryo didn't get to know his very well because he disappeared when he was Ryo was only like five."

" I see," the blonde spoken in a soft tone. Then how are Fathers supposed to act? He wondered to himself. He had always wondered about parents, how they were supposed to behave and treat their children. He believed at a time that they were like Nii-chan had always told him when he was a child and they lay together in bed trying to sleep and just keep away the nightmares, that parents cared and loved you and took care of you. But then something happened that changed that belief.

*****Flashback*****

The fist connected with his cheek and he didn't even wince, didn't react at all. They had been doing this for so long now that it was ingrained into his body how to deal with such things. The pain was nothing compared to half the things they had done before. Another slammed into his gut and he could feel the air leaving his body, but his didn't fall. No, that was a wrong reaction, he would be punished with solitary confinement for that. Instead he held himself up, keeping his breathing as normal as possible.

" Keep it up," Anold was smirking at him. " He'll break eventually."

Seiji didn't even look at him as another man kicked his leg from under him. He let himself fall backwards, but caught himself easily, flipping backwards and landing on his feet, his knees bent reflexively.

One lunged at him, knocking his body back into the cold metal wall, his head hitting it with an echoing crack. He did winced then, his ears ringing with the pain in the back of his skull. The hands came up then, tangling into his hair and pulling at it painfully. Another hand was digging short nails into his arm, holding him back. Anold stepped towards him then, sliding his hands over the blonde's abdomen.

Seiji did react then. He gasped, trying to pull back away from him, but he had nowhere to go. The other guards held him tightly, not giving him a chance to do anything. His eyes were wide as the hands continued to move in, slowly opening the zipper of his tight vest. Seiji tried to hold it in, but his fear was rising to drastic measures. He had been able to do so when others touched him, but Anold was someone that scared him in a way that only Doctor J had been able to best. His eyes were beginning to tear eye, his body shaking.

/ Enough. Secession is over for today. /

Everything ended there. The man pulled away and Seiji moved back from them. He waited quietly as Anold left the room. He didn't know where he went when he wasn't leading the blonde back to his room, but Seiji didn't rightfully care. He just wanted to man to stay as far away from him as possible. All of his training had made him strong and the genetic modifications enhanced his natural abilities, including his empathy, but nothing enforced the ten-year old's courage against Anold.

/ Seiji return to your quarters. / The command was blunt and he knew better than to do anything but what he was told. It was almost a reflex now for him to obey.

The blonde bowed subserviently and nodded. " Hai, Doctor," he spoke softly, but loud enough for the microphones set up around the room to catch. He stood straight and walked around the guards that watched him, exiting the sliding door as it opened, stopping when it slid shut behind him. He turned then and headed down the hall, walking silently as he had been taught to do, his steps going unheard.

He turned two corners and was thrown off by the sound of voices speaking. One sounded like Anold, a voice he would always recognize, and the other was most definitely Doctor J. He halted there, curious as to what they were speaking about. No, go to your room, he told himself. Anold will punish you if he finds out your eavesdropping. But as all young children were wont to do, he couldn't help himself. His body was slipping towards the other hall even though his worry for physical well being voted against it. Slowly and quietly, he peeked around the corner, catching sight of his two worst tormentors instantly.

" …receiving harsher training, he needs to be stronger," he caught the end of the scientist's sentence.

" What about the other one, Seiji?" Anold asked. " Heero's training has taken another level, but his is greatly lacking."

" Seiji's part is not directly on the front lines and Heero's is," the white-haired, crippled man replied. " I have a greater plan for him, his training will proceed as I see fit."

" I still say I should-" The clawed hand rose to silence him.

" Do NOT question me," J's voice was cold and irritated. " I know why you seek to further the boy's training with you. The secessions are meant to fortify their resistance, but I will not have you breaking him. I need him for it all to succeed as I planned, he and Heero are too important to lose. They are not expendable like the others."

Anold growled at him. " You just want to get off 'cause you can't get it up any other way." The cane that was always in the 'doctor's' hand rammed into the unprotected side of Anold's body forcefully. The dark-haired man gasped, wincing in pain before falling back against the wall to collect himself.

" Never speak like that to me again," the elderly man ordered. " I will not allow insubordination, especially not from you. You will obey me."

Anold pushed himself upright and then bowed to the man before him. But Seiji allowed himself to open his abilities and could tell that the submission was forced. Anger and hatred raged inside of the man. " Yes," Anold seemingly complied. " I will obey you…Father."

Seiji's eyes widened and everything stopped. 'Father'? he repeated in his own mind. But how could that be? Fathers were kind, loving, and cared about their children and any other children. Doctor J could not be a father, let alone Anold's. Anold was a cold calculating person who did nothing but make his life a living hell, and no doubt his brother's as well. J was someone who enjoyed toying with others, bending them to his will. They could very well be related, but father and son?

" Come out Seiji."

His was startled by the tone that Doctor J's voice had taken and knew that he could not get away. Instead he steeled himself, letting none of his emotions show in anyway. He stepped into the hallway and made his way towards the two men. A heavy hand caught him across the face. He didn't even flinch or try to protect himself as his head thrown to the side and his neck wrenched.

" A little spy, have we?" Anold grabbed a hand full of his long golden hair that was well past his shoulders now, at least to the middle of his back. " You were told to return to your quarters."

" Hai," Seiji wouldn't deny, there was no point. " Disregard for orders results in punishment, I accept sentence." He couldn't turn back now and awaited whatever judgment they threw down on him. He was used to being punished. It was not unusual for him to disobey and get a severe penalty for it. All he had to do was block it out. He had even gotten better to closing his mind when he was forced to spend time alone with Anold.

" Call Heero," Doctor J told Anold. " I want him in my chambers in fifteen minutes."

" Nani?" Seiji couldn't help but be confused. Why would he call for Heero?

The scientist smirked at him. " You are becoming far to fortified against out chastisement," he replied. " So from now on, when you disobey or do not perform to your maximum capabilities, your 'Nii-chan' will be punished for it. And afterwards you will be forced to watch a video of it repeatedly for five hours."

" No!" Seiji burst in shock. " I will do better, don't hurt him! Punish me!"

" Shut up boy!" J smacked him across the face again, pulling hair that was still in Anold's grasp. " You will do as your told and for your disobedience, Anold will make sure you remain in the Open Chamber until Heero is released to his room."

The blonde's eyes widened. No, please not the Open Chamber, please no! But there was nothing he could do. Anold was already dragging him away. He could only stare at the man who had brought him to this place, destroyed his life. He's not a Father, he reminded himself. Fathers aren't anything like him. They don't hurt children or hit their own. Nii-chan said Fathers are kind and loving and protect children. He couldn't be one.

*****End Flashback*****

" Seiji, are you okay man?" Touma was worried by the faraway look in the blonde's visible eye. The blonde had been standing like that for a few moments.

" I am fine," the blonde replied immediately, but the blue-haired boy felt that it was too fast for his tastes.

" Well, the phone is on the table so you can call your brother," he motioned to the small table next to the couch that he had sat down on. It's a cordless in case you want some privacy."

" There is nothing that needs privacy," he told him. " Nii-chan will not speak of us to anyone, besides Duo, perhaps Wufei. They are more than as trustworthy than you would believe. They will not speak."

" Well, I guess you would know best with your family," Touma shrugged.

Seiji stared at him after he spoke those words. " Family…" he whispered. It was such an odd word, but he was comforted by the thought of it concerning Heero and Duo. They were his family, they cared for him and did much to make him happy and secure. They were very important to him. My family… He picked up the phone and dialed a number that only he and a very select few new, an alternative to Heero's cell-phone.

Preventers Headquarters -

Heero

He finished with the new orders to the lower agents and watched as the clean-up crew continued to remove the debris from the scene. Any and all of the people that were injured were taken to the hospitals nearby, the most severe to the closest they could get to. Une and he had not had a chance to converse as much as they needed to yet. She was too busy overseeing everything and didn't have to time.

People were being held back by some of the local police officers, all of them wanting answers that the brunette knew they wouldn't accept. Commander Une had already devised a nearly unflawed explanation about a bomb and terrorists, coordinating with the easy answers the media had already conjured up for her to use. Heero didn't give a damn if she told them it was aliens.

He was trying to blank out, keep his emotions in check. Everything was confusing him, more so than anything that had happened to him before. Why had this happened? Who was behind it, save those people who claimed to be sent by their 'Mater'? Who was he, or her? What did Seiji have to do with all of this? What had been the armor he was wearing? Where had his brother gone? How could he find him?

Suddenly, he felt a vibration in his back pocket. He knew it was his phone. He looked around and could see all of his teammates nearby. So who would be calling him when the most important people were here at ground zero? He pulled out the phone and answered it. " Here."

{ " Nii-chan…" }

Cobalt blues eyes were wide. He looked around inconspicuously and walked into one of the alleys that had already been searched, now empty. " Seiji," he spoke in a low tone into the phone. " Where are you?"

{ " I am with a friend," the blonde answered, his tone blank so nothing could be deciphered. }

" Are you injured?"

{ " No." }

" Location," Heero stated.

{ " Apartment complex on Kizuharu Avenue, penthouse A," he answered. }

" I will be there as soon as possible," he told him and cut the connection. He knew better than to stay on too long. Now all he needed was to get Duo to cover for him with Une while he went to collect his brother and take him somewhere that he knew no one would be able to get to him. There were already rumors about someone he knew being part of the attack, or at least having connection to it. He would not let them dig too far into it. Seiji would not be taken from him again.

Hashiba Apartment

Seiji hung up the phone, resetting it on the stand. " He is coming," he spoke.

" Good," Touma nodded. " At least he'll make sure that no one knows your back yet. You've got it the worse out of all of us. People know you were there at the building when it was attacked."

" Much can be explained," the blonde replied. " If I must I will simply leave, I have not been here long and many will not notice my departure." Yes, he, Nii-chan, and Duo could simply leave if things became too complicated.

" Unfortunately, I don't think that would be a good idea," Touma frowned. He sure as hell didn't like the thought of Seiji going anywhere. " We need you here with us to fight whatever is coming. It's our destiny to do this. You'll be an easy target when you're alone."

" What are we fighting?" Seiji asked. " You and the others know far more of this than I do."

" Kaosu is like the special guardian that watched over our armors, remember?" Touma decided to recap what they had told the blonde first. " When he came in our dreams it was only after we had the dreams about the yoroi. When we found to energy crystals that harbored them he came to us and told us of the battle that would lead to darkness enveloping the land. But then he said that we could stop it, but only once all five armors were reunited, once we were complete."

" So now we are meant to fight this 'darkness', which those five fighters from earlier are a part of?" Seiji thought he understood.

"Yeah," the blue-haired boy confirmed. " They're most likely the attack dogs."

" We must speak with Yagyu," Seiji repeated what he had told all of them only hours before. " He knows about this, he will know what to do."

" Well, we can ask him some questions during lunch tomorrow," Touma replied. " But if he does know anything, we might come out better prepared for this." He looked at Seiji then, really taking in his appearance, as he had not done all day. The blonde's hair was in disarray and yet still looking perfect. His one visible lavender/blue eye was full of curiosity and yet still guarded. It was as if he was a wise child, knowing everything about the world, yet still not comprehending the smallest of details.

Touma could not deny how beautiful his friend looked, golden locks sticking out of the usually pristine braid, his bangs more in his face than normal. Gods, even as a mess I think he's gorgeous, he thought. And yet I know I can never have him. He's too guarded to let me and his brother would kill me first.

" What distracts you Touma," Seiji asked him. " You are staring at me again." The blonde felt a strange feeling coming from his friend, but didn't know what it was. From the look in the blue-haired teen's eyes, he would have believed that he would feel the dark thoughts that he always felt when he was around the guards at the moon base. But instead he felt an uplifting feeling, as if his stomach was fluttering or his heart was beating too fast.

" Sorry, just looking at your hair," he replied. "It's coming out of the braid and looks like it could use a good going over." He stood up then. " I'll get you a brush from the bathroom and you can fix it up before your brother gets here. You just sit down and wait."

The blonde nodded, " All right." He then took a seat in the corner of the couch that his friend had been sitting on. Touma almost thought that the younger boy was going to smile from the awkward twitch in his lips. He beamed contentedly as he walked down the hall.

The newly christened bearer of Korin looked down at where his hands were clasp in his lap in confusion. What was this strange feeling? I have never felt something like this before, he thought. His heart was beating erratically and his stomach felt sick. He didn't think he was supposed to feel like this. Might Touma know what is wrong with me? Just the thought made his stomach even worse, as if it was flip-flopping about. But he couldn't speak to Touma, that would be admitting that he was weak and he couldn't do that. Not when Touma was concerned.

" Hey, Blondie," he turned and saw the object of his thoughts walking towards him with a brush in hand. " Here ya go." He tossed the brush and Seiji caught it easily.

" Arigato," the lavender/blue-eyed boy thanked him. He pulled his braid over his shoulder and removed the two ties he always used to hold it together. Then he methodically began to undo the strands, letting them fall over his shoulder and down his back to puddle on the floor. He ran his fingers through the slightly tangled mass, smoothing it out as much as he could before using the brush to run through it.

Touma was completely enchanted by the routine of Seiji brushing his hair. The blonde's head was titled to the side, his hair falling over his shoulder and face, but the pale expanse of his long, elegant neck fully exposed. There was so much hair. The archer could even recall right then what it felt like when he himself had brushed it while it was wet, the silkiness of it as he ran his fingers through the golden locks. His fingers itched now with the desire to touch it again, wrap it around them as he pulled Seiji close and…

He forced himself to back off of that line of thought. He shouldn't be thinking those things about Seiji. He knew that the blonde had been physically abused when he was younger and was probably far from ready for any type of relationship beyond friendship. Was that why you and your brother left the Colonies? He wondered not for the first time. There had to be some reason for it, but at the same time he wondered about all of the research he had done over the past week.

He knew that Seiji's brother worked as a Preventer and there were files saying that he was one of the best. But then there was Duo and Wufei, who were also Preventers. Something about the former was quite familiar, especially his long braid that was nearly the length of Seiji's. The latter just seemed to exert the aura of high-class authority, while as the same time seeming completely dedicated to his friends. They were a strange bunch that was for sure. But no stranger than me and the guys.

But he wasn't sure that everything was so simple as them being young Preventer agents. Something about them was familiar and yet completely different from anyone else he had ever known. He thought that he might have seen them on television one day, but he couldn't think of when or from where. But then he thought of just the day before. Seiji had been on Ryo's computer looking up something and it reeked of Preventers and confidentiality. What had he been looking at? And why was he?

" Touma?" Seiji called to him. " I am finished."

Indeed he was, but only with the brush. The pale golden tresses were completely brush and even shining slightly as if glowing from an unseen light, which they probably were. They fell about the blonde's head and body, trailing down him like water would after getting out of the shower. Seiji's face was obscured by his lengthy bangs and Touma couldn't help but think of how young the blonde seemed.

" Do you need help braiding it?" he asked. " I could help you tie it up."

" My ties are frayed," he told him. " They won't last any longer holding my hair together."

" Well I don't have any hair-bands," he replied regretfully. " I don't have a need for them 'cause I keep my hair so short. But I do have a headband of something you could use to keep you hair out of you face so much."

" All right," the blonde nodded.

The bearer of Tenku thought about which hair band would work best to keep the blondes bangs from completely covering his face and snapped his fingers instantly. Then he lowered his head and pulled the dark blue band from his own head. "Here," he extend it to the other boy as his lock forelock fell to his nose. " This usually helps my hair pretty well so it should work for your bangs at least. Let me put it on for ya."

Seiji wasn't sure he wanted the other boy so close, at with the strange emotions that he was getting from him. But at the same time he actually wanted Touma close to him. He didn't understand why, but he found himself nodding in compliance. His heartbeat changed again at the smile the other boy gave him.

Touma stood and walked behind the blonde reaching out slowly and stroking his fingers through the forbidden locks. He caught himself before getting too indulgent with his actions and simply pulled all of the hair back as much as he could. Then he slid the band over the blonde's head and to his neck, pulling the hair from within it so it wasn't trapped against his friend's neck and back. Next, he slid the band up once more, setting it in place on the other boy's brow. He picked up the brush from the arm of the couch and ran it through Seiji's hair to smooth it out again and back away.

He stepped in front of the blonde and knelt so he could check his work. The bangs were held back mostly, save a few wild strands, and he could clearly see both of the pale orbs looking out at him. " There," he rubbed his hands together. "All done. You can keep it if ya want, I have plenty of headbands like that one."

" Thank you," Seiji told him in a low tone. Why am I feeling like this? His head felt light and his chest felt constricted. He didn't know whether to be saddened or relieved that Touma had backed away from him.

" No problem," Touma waved his hand with a dismissive air.

" Touma?"

" Yeah?"

" Why are you my friend?"

" Nani?" This question threw him off. He stared at the blonde confusedly. " What do you mean by that?"

" We have only know each other for two weeks," Seiji replied. " And yet I now have friends, you are one of them. Why are you my friends?" This had been something on his mind for quite some time. He had been taught that a person didn't need friends, that they would complicate the mission and get you killed. But now he didn't have mission, Doctor J was dead. But he still didn't understand what it meant to truly be friends, let alone why someone would want one.

" Well…" Touma thought for a moment. His feelings for Seiji were a little deeper than friendship, he knew that, but he couldn't tell Seiji. " You're a nice person, care about your family, and don't let people try to control you. You stand up against people when they try to push you around and know when to say what you're thinking. Really, you're just a great person all around."

Seiji wasn't going to believe that. He didn't believe that Touma would either if he knew how many people he had killed since he was nine, or how long he had been training to kill them. Touma couldn't tell what the blonde was thinking. His face was expressionless. " Now tell me why you like me as your friend," he requested. " I mean, it's only fair."

Seiji didn't know how to answer that. " I don't know," he admitted. " There is…something about you…"

" Okay…" Touma smiled. " I wish I knew what that something was, maybe I could bottle it and sell it to people. Could it be my 'charming' personality?" Seiji didn't answer. The blue-haired boy was still staring at him. The blonde's eyes were rounded, yet also shaped more towards his Japanese heritage than anything else. His skin was pale and yet he spoke more clearly and acted quite formal, like many important traditional families. It was like his two ethnic backgrounds had melded perfectly to create him.

Gods, he so beautiful, he thought again. So effeminate and yet so strong and masculine at the same time. If someone looked at him from far away they would believe he was a girl, but if you were close enough you good see the obvious maleness of him. To Touma he was perfect no matter what way you looked at him. Without even realizing it, he was leaner closer to the blonde.

" Touma?" Seiji felt taken aback by the emotions that were filtering through the other boy. He could feel desire, the same lust that he felt within many others, but it was mixed with concern, understanding, caring, and many other emotions that he didn't know the names to. What was the blue-haired boy doing? And what were the feelings he himself was battling with?

Hot breath was against his face and he was frozen. He didn't know what to do. He was frightened almost, but his body didn't want him to move, wanted him to let this continue instead. Dark blue eyes had closed just as lips touched his own. He knew that this was what some people did, Anold had kissed him before, but never with such friendly emotions rushing through his body. The lips were not harsh or demanding, they merely pressed against his own lightly as a tongue flickered out to caress his mouth.

Midnight orbs opened wide then, suddenly understanding what they had just done and Touma pulled away just as the door to the penthouse was opened. Both boys turned towards the hall leading to the doorway and Seiji didn't know what to do. Touma sat on the floor, his eyes trained on the figure walking steadily towards them.

" Nii-chan," Seiji spoke, his mind blocking out everything else at the relief of seeing his brother. He stood up and stepped towards him.

The brunette stopped and looked between the two boys. Touma was forced to remain as still as possible, unable to look at the older boy. He didn't even say anything about the other walking into his house without knocking.

" What happened?" Heero almost demanded in a cold tone. Neither boy answered, and the former Gundam pilot knew better than to get into now. If it went to far he might be urged to kill the boy sitting on the couch. Instead he turned to a different tactic. "Why are you here with him?"

" Touma offered to allow me use of his phone," Seiji replied. " I thought it best than to return to the Preventers."

" We will talk about this somewhere else," Heero stated and turned around, walking towards the door. Seiji nodded, following after him.

" I'll see you at school Seiji," Touma called out to him. The blonde turned to look at him, but didn't respond. Soon he heard the sound of the door shutting and fell back against the couch, a deep sigh on his breath. What the hell did I just do?

Seiji

They exited the building in the back and walked straight into an alley where Heero had parked the car. Seiji didn't speak, didn't know what to say. Would Nii-chan ask him about what happened at the Preventers Building? Or would he ask him about what he had walked in on? The blonde didn't even know how to describe the latter.

" Get in the back with your head down," Heero told him. " And what happened to your hair?"

" The ties were too weak to hold it together," he answered as he absently reached up to touch the headband holding his hair away from his face. Heero grunted at this and got into the driver's seat. Seiji got in the back as he was told and laid back, his body out of view from anyone looking in from a distance. Neither boy spoke, they didn't need to. Seiji could tell that his brother had been worried about him and Heero was relieved by the fact the blonde was all right.

They pulled out of the alley and drove down the street, heading where the brunette knew would be safe for now. He watched the world outside move above his head from the window and tried to make sense of what had happened with Touma. The blue-haired boy had kissed him, but he hadn't been afraid. He had been trapped in his place, unable to do anything, whether it was from confusion or merely because his body didn't want to. He lifted his hands to his lips, still feeling the wetness from the other's tongue touching them and felt his stomach become uneasy.

" What is wrong with me?" he whispered in a soft tone. Heero's eyes flickered to the back seat and then turned back to the road. He had to get Seiji to somewhere safe.

JC: See? A little Touma/Seiji to keep you happy.

Kathrine: Sorry, but no heavy stuff, Seiji just wouldn't be ready for it and Heero would kill Touma.

JC: We hope you liked it. Warlords in next chapter and finally a new day to start out a chapter.

Kathrine: We'll see how everyone is dealing with the aftermath.

JC: And who knows, maybe we'll add another character if we can squeeze it in. There is a real twist coming up soon.

Kathrine: You'll just have to wait to see what it is. ~_^

JC: Now review and tell us what you think. We're hoping to hear from ya. And excuse the shabby editing, we just HAD to get this out.