Monster Rancher Fan Fiction ❯ The Secret of the Guardians (previously Hare's Secret) ❯ Do You Love Me? ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer: I don't own MR. Yaoi Tiger x Hare.

Do You Love Me?

~dream~

'Wake up. Hey, bunnytail, wake up!' a voice commanded, the tone strangely amused. Hare opened his eyes to find himself staring into pools of gold laughing back down at him. 'T-Tiger?' his lips whispered the name as he sat up, checking himself over once to find himself back in his guardian form. 'What were you dreaming?' the other youth asked, sitting down beside him. 'Huh? Oh... it was strange, really. You wouldn't believe me,' the brown haired boy blushed lightly, turning away to watch the sun rise above the mountaintop.

'Tell me,' Tiger insisted, curling the other youth into his body. Hare smiled and rested his head on his love's chest. 'Well, I dreamed that Moo captured most of the guardians, and I escaped. I went down to the surface and became a monster Hare, joined up with a group of rebels, met an annoying Tiger of the Wind who reminded me of you...'

Gentle fingers tipped his chin back, golden eyes smiling down at him once more. 'Reminded you of me. Of course, he must have. When one is bonded, they can never forget their partner. Tell me, did he ever... kiss you?'

'Tiger??! No way! He was a total jerk. Always calling me names and stuff, I really hate that,' Hare grumbled, snuggling closer. 'But, you are a baka trickster hare,' the blue haired boy smirked as he pushed the younger one away. 'Huh? What do you...' Hare trailed off, as the once beautiful scene turned to darkness. The proud city of the Guardians lay in ruins, the grass withering beneath him. Pushing himself to his feet, he stared at the golden eyed tiger guardian who was now grinning cruelly back at him.

'I don't... I don't understand,' Hare whispered, unable to comprehend what was happening. 'Don't you get it? I hate you. You failed to protect your own home, you ran away when we needed you the most, when I needed you. You left me for dead and went off to play in the world below. What kind of fool are you? You aren't a monster, you're a guardian. You don't deserve to love!' the halfing tiger slashed out with his sharp claws, ripping through the robes the other youth was wearing.

Hare stumbled back, crossing his arms over his bleeding chest and staring shock eyed up at Tiger of the Wind. The monster was smirking back at him, teeth gleaming dangerously. Beside him stood the tiger guardian, both wearing the same cruel look, the same intense gaze.

'Stupid Hare.'

'Did you really think I'd let you live?'

'You betrayed me!'

'Traitor!'

'Trickster!'

'Thief!'

'Liar!'

'Betrayer!'

The words echoed into the young hare guardian's mind, even as the pair came closer. Hare fell back, his fingers touching the very edge of the cliff, his eyes downcast at the clouds surrounding the mountain. 'Poor Hare. It's time to die,' two voices whispered in unison... They struck out, and the hare was swept over the side of the cliff, tumbling down to the lands below, never to return.

'AAAAAAUGH!'

~end dream~

'Hare! Hare, wake up!' the voice jolted him awake. Hare soon became aware of the boy leaning over him, after staring at the opposite wall in a daze for several moments. The rest of the gang was still sleeping, amazingly enough. Glancing down at himself, Hare realized that his dream must have triggered his transformation back to the guardian hare. 'Are you ok? What happened?' the boy wanted to know. Dark brown eyes gazed back at him, filled with pain.

'I... I need to take a walk,' Hare announced, pushing himself to his feet. Genki stared after the halfing, unsure what to do. It was obvious that he had been dreaming, it must have been a nightmare.

~*~

Cold water soaked through his skin, his lungs gasping for air. Hare leaned over the small spring, hands cupped to drench his face again. His heart was pounding in his chest, a memory of the pain flooding his half human body. ~Over and over again. The same nightmare. Tiger really does hate me, both of them. Why does it hurt so much? Does the tiger guardian really believe that I betrayed my own kind? I can accept his hatred, but not if that is the reason behind it. I would never, ever try to hurt him or the others.~

The young guardian was so preoccupied with his thoughts, that he didn't notice someone slip into the small room. 'Back to that form, I see,' a cool voice broke the air. Hare didn't even bother to turn around, he knew who it was. Instead, he settled for staring down at his own halfling reflection and replying, 'What do you want, Tiger of the Wind?'

Tiger raised an eyebrow. The youth's voice seemed strange tonight, almost weary. 'Finally, I'm getting some respect from you,' the blue furred beast kept his eyes on the figure kneeling by the pool's edge. 'Not really,' Hare smirked to himself, amazed that he could even act in such a cold manner. ~It's better this way.~ 'I just don't want to confuse you with someone else, if you get my point,' the boy taunted, standing and turning to watch the other monster with cool brown eyes. Tiger was too shocked to answer, even as the halfling stepped past him, eyes sweeping him for a moment, before focusing on the entrance.

Tiger spun round, part of him furious at the hare for leading him on, another part confused by the change in attitude. Hare was pulling on his long robe, but not before the beast's golden gaze fell upon the enticingly innocent seeming fluffy brown tail on his lower back. The white cloth soon covered it, the hare guardian slipping from the small room and back to the group.

~It's better this way. I can't afford to let my feelings show. It's not like Tiger cares anyway, and if I admit aloud... then... I don't know anymore! Everything was so much simpler when I was just a normal hare. Being a guardian involves responsibility. I'm the most powerful one here, I have to protect them all. And that means, I have to remain calm and controlled. I can't let my feelings rule my powers, it could cause destruction. I don't want anyone to die. And so, I must not let myself...~ Brown eyes swept closed in exhaustion as his body shimmered back into the monster hare form. It was better this way. To be alone.

~*~

~Stupid hare! How dare he? How dare he lead me on like that?~ Tiger of the Wind was furious. Even as he paced around the small room, he couldn't get his mind of the youth's voice. The cold tone that had replaced his smile, the cool gaze that was once bursting with life and energy. ~It's like... he's becoming something he's not. Changing... but, I don't want him to change. I want him to remain the same hotheaded thief I'd met so long ago, the one I...~

Golden eyes gazed down into the pool's calming waters. The face of a tiger monster stared back at him. ~Why do I fool myself? He isn't just a hare anymore. He is a guardian, why the hell would he be interested in me? It's not like I'm anything special to either world. A rebel, a thief in my own past, a cold hearted beast. Even my own little brother hates me, why should I expect Hare to give me a second glance. Still... I can't stop my own feelings. He is vulnerable even though he probably doesn't realize it. I'll protect him... like I always...~

Golden eyes drifted closed, sudden exhaustion driving him into an uneasy sleep.

...tbc...

Author's Note: Tiger hasn't figure it out yet. More yaoi coming up, as well as more secrets left to figure out! Who is the last missing guardian? More importantly, where is the Tiger Guardian?