Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Holiday Memories and Nightmares ❯ Secrets Best Left Alone ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: NEXT CHAPTER OF OUR NOT SO NEW STORY!

JC: Don't ya think you're acting a little to into this?

Kathrine: I like how this one came out.

JC: Me too, but just don't get all weird on me. I just had to put up with helping Jenny write her fic. Man I swear I never want that put on the site.

Kathrine: Why?

JC: Fluff and comedy, I'm going crazy.

Kathrine: Yeah, well let's hope it's not overly done.

JC: It's not even about Seiji!! She wrote it about Shu!

Kathrine: We can always change that.

JC: Oooh, good idea.

Kathrine: now can we get on with the fic?

JC: Yeah. Here ya go people, enjoy. ^_^

Disclaimer: DON"T OWN RW/YST! !_!

Warnings: Angst, Implied NCS, and Eavesdropping.

Holiday Memories and Nightmares

BY Kathrine and JC

Chapter 1

" Over here guys!" Shu called from his smoking car next to the sidewalk. School had just ended and three of his best friends were walking down the walkway.

" Not again," Touma sighed as he saw the smoke. " The 'Junk and Bolts' broke down again."

" I heard that!" Shu frowned. The others just shrugged as they walked to him.

" So what are you going to do?" Shin asked. " You know you can't push it back to the mansion."

" I guess I'll have to leave it here," Shu pulled his coat around him as his breath steamed from his mouth. " I'll come and fix it tomorrow."

" It's t-too c-cold," Ryo rubbed his hands together, trying to generate heat.

" Of course this is too cold for you Pyro boy," Shu smirked. Then he looked around in confusion.

" What?" Touma cocked his head to the side.

" We're missing Mr. 'Cool and Icy'," Shu stated. " Where is he?"

" Last I saw him was around 6th period when he was hiding in the science room," Ryo grinned. " The 'Mob' was after him again."

Shu could only snicker, " I can't believe all the luck he has with girls and yet he's scared to death of them."

" Hey, that's his thing to work out with them," Shin replied. " You shouldn't tease him about it. Especially at this time of year." Shu huffed slightly but knew his best friend was right. Seiji would be real snippy sooner or later this week, seeing as he was always that way during winter vacation. He just seemed to close off more and stay in his and Touma's room. He'd been doing it for the two years they'd been living with Nasuti, and they just didn't try to pry into it. Knowing Seiji, he would have closed off the link if they had even attempted to.

" There he is," Touma pointed to a figure coming from the back of the school. His blonde locks covered the right side of his face as he walked up to them. He seemed to be looking for someone until he noticed his friends.

" You finally got away from them?" Shu snickered.

" And it broke down…again?" Seiji smirked as he motioned to Shu's truck.

" Shut up," Shu frowned. Seiji always knew just how throw an insult right back at him.

" What is that saying about stones and glass houses?" Touma smiled devilishly through the cold.

" I get the picture!" Shu as he turned to head towards the bus stop. The others followed behind him, still smiling to each other. Well except Seiji, but that was normal.

" So what are your plans for the holidays?" Shin asked to his friends.

" Going home to see the folks and my sibs," Shu replied.

" Mom's pulled through and is taking me with her for a few days in Italy," Touma smiled.

" That's great!" Shin congratulated. Touma didn't get to see either of his parents often, but was ecstatic when he did get to spend time with them. Shin was happy for the archer.

" What about you, Shin?" Shu asked.

" My aunt and uncle are coming to visit from Britain so I'll be going home for a week," he explained before turning to Seiji and Ryo. " What about you two?"

" Staying at Nasuti's," they answered in unison. They looked at each other and Seiji almost cracked a smile.

" Why?" Shin frowned.

" My Grandfather doesn't need me to bug him all vacation," Ryo answered first.

" More time for Nasuti, huh?" Shu snickered again.

" No it isn't," Ryo defended as he blushed. " I'm going to spend Christmas Eve and Day with him though." But he knew he couldn't hide his true feelings no matter how hard he tried. All of the Ronins knew about their leader's feeling towards the red head, but he still tried to keep them on the low key.

" And why not, Mr. Date?" Shin growled. Seiji could only shrug his shoulders. He knew that Shin believed religiously in spending time with your family. He couldn't really explain the truth to them. " Why?" Shin repeated.

" Just don't want to put up with my grandfather's antics," Seiji snapped. " Is that a problem?"

" No," Shin winced at Seiji's harsh tone. " Just thought that maybe you'd actually want to spend Christmas with them this year. You haven't for two years."

" So what?" Seiji asked icily. " Not like it's some huge festival at my house. Mostly ceremonial technicalities we're forced to do by my grandfather. My father doesn't get a say in the matter."

" At least go see them Christmas Day," Shin urged.

" Maybe," Seiji thought. " Satsuki will call the house every day if I don't."

" See," Shin smiled in victory. " I knew you couldn't stay away for so long."

" Whatever," Seiji shrugged as he stopped in his tracks. A familiar gray and black car was coming down the street towards the bus stop. The blonde could only stare as a well-known figure was seen in the driver's seat. He could tell the black eyes were staring at him and he wanted to run. It was HIM! HE had finally returned. That's when the car pulled up to the curb and stopped.

" Oh my God," the driver awed. " Little Seiji, is that you?" He got out the car and stared at the blonde with his dark eyes, hiding evil behind a broad grin.

" Excuse me?" Shu opened his mouth, as usual. " Seiji, do you know him?" He looked at the man who could have been about four inches taller than Seiji, with short cut black hair that he seem to be losing. HE smiled widely again and nodded.

" Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized. " I'm Jack Williams. I went to college with Seiji's father. Haven't seen him since he was thirteen though." Seiji said nothing.

" Oh," was all Shu could reply with. He had noticed the paler look of Seiji's already flushed skin.

" Well, it was nice meeting you," Mr. Williams smiled again. Then he turned to Seiji. " I'll be staying with at your house for a while. I guess your dad didn't tell you. He said you were staying with friends for a while and I was hoping you would stop by so we could catch up. I would love to know what you've been doing these past few years."

" Well, I won't be able to visit this Christmas," Seiji replied quickly.

" Oh, too bad," HE frowned. " Guess we'll just have to catch up later." Seiji nodded, not taking his eyes off the ground. " Well it was good to see you've grown," HE smiled quickly. " Hope you've been being well behaved."

" I have," Seiji said immediately as HE walked around to the driver's side of his car and got in.

" Nice talking to you again Seiji," HE waved. " Hope you do come to visit while I'm here. Wouldn't want to miss you."

" Okay, bye," Seiji agreed. Then HE nodded to the others and pulled away.

" What was that about?" Touma frowned to Seiji. " He talked to you like you were five years old."

" Always has," Seiji replied. Shin could tell something else was wrong. He could see the fear that was pushed to the back of Seiji's lavender blue eyes and felt the fear he pushed back with his empathic abilities. Seiji could tell Shin was about to say something when he quickly cut in, " The bus is here."

*****

Within the next two days Shu and Shin had left for home and Seiji seemed to be acting more tense than usual for the season. Shin had wanted to wait another day, but Seiji assured him he was fine and pushed him out the door. He knew he would be better off with the only other Empath in the house gone for a whole week. He knew Touma was leaving the next day so he would have his other 'problem' pushed back for a while.

The truth was Seiji was falling for the blue-haired archer and didn't have anything to grasp on to. He couldn't tell his friend how he felt or he would lose his friendship. He didn't want that. He couldn't bear to lose his best friend over his own crush, he wouldn't let it happen. He sat quietly looking out the window into the snow as his worried thoughts plagued his mind. Thoughts that were surrounded with by memories of HIM.

Why has he come back? Seiji wondered. He'd said he would be back. It seemed that HE wouldn't let him be. I've been good. I haven't done anything wrong. I've been a good boy. His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. He let out a deep sigh before answering it. " Hello?" he asked into it.

{ Hello Seiji.}

" Why are you calling?" he almost shouted. It was HIM. " How did you get this number?"

{ Why Seiji you sound worried. I got it from your father. He said maybe I could talk some sense into you.}

" Sense for what?"

{ Your mother wanted you home for Christmas. She misses you and it makes her upset that you won't be here.}

" I said that I couldn't make it," Seiji tried to keep the fear out of his voice. He could feel his bottom lip quivering.

{ You're a bad boy, Seiji.} HE growled into the phone. { Only bad boys upset their mothers. I thought you were going to be a good boy from now on.}

" I-I am a good boy," Seiji began to revert back to his child mentality at the sound of the words 'bad boy'. His voice was weakened as he tried to remain calm. " I'm not going to let you bully me Jack. This is going to stop, now."

{ Yelling back to your elders? Guess you are still a bad boy.}

" J-just stop it," Seiji pleaded into the phone. " I'm not little anymore. J-just go away and let me be."

{ Your dad invited me. I just wanted to make sure you were coming to visit. At least for one night.}

" No," he said instantly. " You're going to leave me alone." He then felt a tingle of his senses, but quickly ignored it.

{ Maybe I should tell those friends of yours what a bad boy you are. Wonder what they would think?}

" Leave them alone Jack!" Seiji growled. " You better not try to come near them. They won't even be in town so you won't be able to do anything."

{ My, aren't we getting angry? I thought I had gotten rid of your temper. Maybe I should try harder next time.}

" There won't be a next time," Seiji replied. " You will never hurt me again, hear me? I won't let you do that to me again. Never!"

{ Remember last time you tried to rebel against your punishment?}

" Stay away from me!" Seiji yelled into the phone before slamming it down onto the hook. He took a deep breath and held back his tears. He knew not to cry, it would only make it worse. He used what was left of his mental strength to reconstruct the mask that had been almost completely shattered. He wouldn't let the others see him like that, especially not Touma. If he hadn't been so worked up he would have realized that someone else was on the phone, listening

*****

A blue-haired archer sat on his bed stunned at what he had just heard on the phone. What does this all mean? Touma wondered. What did he do to you? Thoughts crept into his head and he quickly tried to fight them off. Not that, he begged. Anything, but that.

He had been lying on his bed thinking about Seiji when the phone rang. He barely even registered the rings as he was deep in thought. He had noticed the way Seiji seemed to be more closed off and more nervous towards them in the past few days. He didn't want to leave him there when he was like that. He knew Ryo and Nasuti would be pretty occupied with their own 'affairs' and wouldn't try to butt into Seiji's business.

It has to do with that Williams guy, he told himself. Seiji was so quiet and tense when he was talking to him. And the look he had when he saw the car coming was like Hell itself was driving down the road. Something was definitely wrong and still is. He thought of his trip with his mother and how it would be nice for Seiji to come with them. His mother had wanted to get to know him better since Touma had admitted to her his feelings for the blonde swordsman.

Touma couldn't deny his love for Seiji even if he tried. Fear of rejection was what held him back, hiding his feelings as good as he could. He wouldn't ruin their friendship over something like this. But it still would be nice if Seiji could join him on his trip to Italy. That's when the idea came to his mind.

Why couldn't Seiji come with him and his mother? She wanted to meet him and he didn't need to be cooped up in the house when Nasuti and Ryo were doing their own 'things' for the holidays. His mother wouldn't mind, he knew that. She was too modern and would mostly like push for it. With his mind made up, Touma picked up the phone on the desk and was about to call his mother. But that's when he had heard the voices on the phone…

{…make sure you were coming to visit. At least for one night.} Touma didn't recognize the voice for a second.

<No. > It was Seiji's voice and he sounded upset. < You're going to leave me alone. >

{ Maybe I should tell those friends of yours what a bad boy you've been. Wonder what they would think?} Touma couldn't help but listen to the conversation where Seiji was getting very angry.

< Leave them alone Jack! > he'd shouted, almost hurting Touma's ear. <You better not come near them. They won't even be in town so you won't be able to do anything. > Jack? Touma thought before recognition came to him. It's Williams!

{ My aren't we getting angry? I thought I had gotten rid of your temper. Maybe I should try harder next time.} The voice seemed to laugh.

< There won't be a next time. > Touma could hear the cracking in Seiji's voice. < You will never hurt me again, hear me? I won't let you do that to me again. Never! >

The voice whispered into the phone. { Remember last time you tried to rebel against your punishment?}

< Stay away from me! > Seiji practically screamed into the phone before hanging up very loudly. Touma held still for a second, trying to collect everything in his mind, before hanging up as well.

He sat on his bed now feeling guilty for listening in on what he could tell was very private phone call. Yet, he was getting somewhere in the case of why Seiji was acting so strange. Something Jack Williams had done in the past to Seiji was the cause of it. The way he talked to Seiji, as if he was still five, and the way Seiji seemed to be both angered and scared just at the sound of the man's voice could only mean a few things. Oh Gods, I hope not! Touma tried once again to rid himself of the thought that reentered his mind. He better not have done something like that to MY Seiji. I'll use him for target practice!

Now he wanted nothing more than to take Seiji on the trip to Italy. Maybe he could get him to tell him the truth about Jack and what happened between them. He knew it must have been eating at him and being Seiji meant he would say nothing unless forced to. Maybe if he does come with us he'll actually open up to me, Touma hoped. Maybe I could actually have a chance. Well, it's now or never… The Ronin simply got off his bed and headed downstairs.

*****

He found Seiji sitting on the couch watching television, something he barely ever did. " Seiji?" Touma whispered so not to startle him. It was no luck, seeming as the boy jumped at the mere sound of his own name.

" What?" he turned his head quickly. He sighed when he saw who it was. " Don't do that Touma!" he frowned.

" Gomen," Touma apologized as he sat down next to him on the couch.

" It's all right," Seiji assured him after his heart calmed down a bit. It wasn't going to calm down completely with Touma so close to him. Touma saw Seiji was trying to watch the game show that was on and knew it was a trick, Seiji despised game shows. He guessed that it was time for him to make his move.

" Hey Seiji?" Touma caught the blonde's attention.

" Nani?" Seiji asked as he looked directly into Touma midnight blue eyes, looking away instantly.

" Well, I was thinking that since Ryo and Nasuti will be 'busy' this vacation that you'd be pretty much by yourself," Touma started. " And then I realized that my mom really wanted to meet you and-" He suddenly couldn't find the rest of his voice.

" And what?" Seiji asked, his eyes showing confusion. Touma noticed they were watery as if he had held himself instead of crying over something. The sight of the tears trapped in Seiji's eyes made it easier to continue.

" Well I was thinking that you could come with me and my mom to Italy," he finished.

" What?" Seiji stared, noticing the conviction in the other boy's eyes. " You're serious? I couldn't do that."

" Why not?" Touma wondered.

" You don't get to see your mom often and I wouldn't want to intrude on the 'mother/son bonding' thing," Seiji shook his head.

" I told you, Mom's been dying to meet you," Touma replied. " She wouldn't mind at all. She'd probably think it was her own idea."

" You really are serious," Seiji smiled. Touma had to keep himself from melting into the smile and claiming the beautiful rose lips.

" Yeah I'm serious," he answered quickly. " I don't want you to be left here alone, especially on Christmas."

" Thanks Ro," Seiji patted him on the shoulder. " I won't be alone. I'll be going to see my family Christmas Day."

" Telling the truth?" Touma cocked his eyebrow to the side. Seiji could feel the desire growing in him at the mere sight of it. Touma was just too cute for his own good, or anybody else's.

" Yeah," Seiji nodded before getting up.

" Where you going?" Touma asked.

" To take a shower before bed," he faked a yawn. " Things are just starting to catch up to me." With that he quickly dashed up the stairs and into his and Touma's room.

Touma could only stared in confusion. Was that my wishful thinking or are Seiji's pants getting too small? He shook his head, telling himself it was just his sick imagination. Then he looked at his watch with a sigh. Nasuti and Ryo had gone to the mall four hours ago. He could only imagine what was keeping them.

*****

That was too close! Seiji took in a deep breath as he sat down on his bed. How is it that he can do this to me with out even trying? The blonde looked down at the bulge that had grown in his pants. Things are going to get really complicated if he sees this. Going to his dresser and collecting a pair of boxers and some pajama pants before heading into the bathroom connected to his and Touma's bedroom.

It was so much easier to deal with such 'problems' having a bathroom right off of your room. It didn't help that the cause of the 'problems' lived right across the room from him. I'll just have to deal with that after I deal with Jack, he told himself. But first… He walked into the bathroom and quickly turned on the cold water, hoping to rid himself of his obvious hard on.

A/N: What'd ya think? Everything's kinda getting interesting I guess. What will Seiji do now? Will Touma be able to help him? What are Jack Williams' intentions for Seiji now?

Kathrine: Now I know that we said we used the RW names, but I decided to change them to the YST ones. They just sounded better. I don't know why, but they do.

JC: Now please review. (Gives big brown puppy dog eyes.)