Author's notes : Just to warn you, this is a rather depressing story, which suddenly grew out of my control. Can you tell I love angst ? *sighs* Oh this is an AU too. In this world Talpa took over the human world and his warlords are making sure nobody disobey the emperor. But five young boys with nothing in common, not even supposed to be together but for their holy armors have decided to fight for their freedom, and their future… A darker look into what could be… but mostly Sage-centric.

Warning : Yaoi, straight, dark themes, yaoi lemon not very graphic (my favorite pairing, if you know me you will know what to expect ^_~) and lot of angst. Not a happy story indeed ! ^^;;; And since I really don't know what this story is worth, I would really appreciate it if you could give me your opinion, be it by review or e-mail. Thank you.

Disclaimer : I don't own the ronins, Sunrise do so don't sue me please. Any flames against yaoi will be use to burn all my old school books. ^_^

Rain

By Shadow of Arashi

"What a day, it's still raining…"

Mia sighed as she dropped the curtains. Ryo just walked over to her and hugged her. She smiled slightly and twisted in his embrace, kissing him lightly on the lips. Ryo smiled back and let her go as he heard his friends coming.

Mia took a step away from him and smooths her hair, an amused smile on her lips this time. Ryo smiled sheepishly at his girlfriend.

Turning his head, he saw Kento entering the house, two huge bags in his powerful arms. The boy rested the bags on the lounge table and ran a hand through his unruly dark locks, looking tired. He must have work himself too hard again on training Ryo thought.

Cye was next. The more slender boy walked calmly in that almost soothing way that was his own and nodded at Ryo before disappearing into the mansion's kitchen with the bags previously carried by Kento.

A minute later Rowen and Sage entered the room. The blue hair teenager was smirking and disappeared into the kitchen as well, more than likely to tease his little lover after giving to the two others people in the room a grin.

Sage just sat on a chair near the window and stared through it at the dark city outside, silent as usual, locks of blonde hair hiding his eyes from view, so that nobody could tell what he was thinking.

Ryo sighed and glanced at Mia. She simply shook her head. Ryo looked at Sage again and almost sigh again. Sure he had always knew that their little group was very unlikely to be in the first place but still, sometimes he wondered if all of this was really worth it. When he looked at it this way, he always felt depressed, but it was the true.

They were fighting from the freedom of their world but they have so many troubles on their own already… And sometimes they didn't even seem to be able to communicate with each others because of their differences…

Ryo shook his head to clear it and decided to see what Cye was making for dinner. Stepping into the kitchen, he saw the auburn hair boy already at work, his mate on a chair watching him silently with half lidded eyes.

They looked happy, one would say normal. But Ryo knew better. Their situation was anything but normal, but at least Cye and Rowen have each other, just like him and Mia. While in the meantime Sage had locked himself in a prison of ice where nobody could reach him, and that even before they had met him…

But at least they were still a team right ?

But, then again Sage wasn't the only one with problems. They all have their own demons Ryo realized. And what scared him was that he didn't know if they could overcome it all in order to success in their mission.

He himself didn't have too much trouble dealing with it, he had Mia with him to help him and he didn't felt quite so sad about his parent's death now.

But his girlfriend on the other hand, had lost her grandfather when Talpa had took over their world, making a deep wound into her heart and pushing her into a suicidal rebellion. He had just followed her.

He knew she wanted revenge and when he discovered he had one of the lost armors, the armor of Wildfire, it had only seem natural to do what she said and fight against the Dynasty… for her…

Then there was Cye and Rowen. The young boys had join the group together when they discovered they have two of the lost armors, Torrent and Strata, and more than once Ryo had thought that the only reason they were fighting at all was to have a peaceful future together.

To be able to sleep without fearing what tomorrow may bring. They fight and guard each others back, not really caring about anything else in battle. They were comforting each other afterward and they actually seem to believe in their fight, for so far nothing had managed to break their hope.

And for that Ryo was grateful.

Kento was another matter. He was working harder than any of them, but for Sage maybe. The muscular boy was putting all of himself onto their mission, hoping to save his family from slavery. When Talpa started ruling their world, half of the population was killed while a massive part of the survivors were captured to be servants for the dark king and his warlords.

By luck, if it can be called luck, Kento's family was in the second case. Now the foreign boy was doing his very best to free them, clutching to the hope that they were alive and wealthy. He had started fighting alone with the people that were still freed and had hide themselves in this dark city, then found out he had an armor as well, Hardrock, and joined them.

And then there was Sage, the last to have joined them. Ryo suspected him to be there only because of his armor, Halo. The boy was always emotionless, or at least seems emotionless, and most of the time never speaks unless spoken to. It was like he was lost in his own world, never really there, like an empty shell. And sometimes it was truly frightening.

He could be lost in his thoughts and spazzing off for a whole day with glassy eyes at the rain outside. He always looked sad and depressed in fact. But when he was in battle he just changed dramatically and was a true devil then.

Oh he wasn't much more talkative, but he fights like a demon. Honestly, of all of them he was surely the best fighter among them with himself. They never did managed to made him speak about his past though. They only know his name and his age. That wasn't much from someone you are supposed to trust with your life on a battlefield…

/We are one hell of a fuck up team aren't we ?/ Ryo thought to himself. /And we are supposed to save the world…/

"Food is ready !"

Cye called from the kitchen. Ryo was startled for a second then sit down on a chair, waiting for Cye to serve them dinner. Kento arrived soon enough and then Sage, as silent as ever, with Mia.

They eat in silent, sometimes making small meaningless comments. When they were over, Cye made the dishes while the others left to do whatever they have to do.

Ryo simply left after Mia, hoping to spend some free time with her. He knew very well that he could be dead the next day and so he had learned to enjoy each passing moments of his life very quickly.

His girlfriend was in the living room, watching the rain like Sage had not so long ago. He came to stand beside her and looked at her. She looked worried.

"Mia ? What's wrong ?"

He said gently. He saw her shivering slightly and the next moment she was in his arms, crying softly.

"I'm so scared Ryo… I'm scared of what will happen to me, to you, to us… Talpa is looking for us everywhere, he may very well destroy this city tomorrow if he feels like it ! We humans have been lucky that he let us hide in those cities, because he knows most of us are no threat to him. But Ryo, he also knows about you and the others and about your armors… He already has sent his most vicious fighters after you to get those armors back and kill you… And it's all my fault… Maybe I shouldn't have force you into this suicidal fight. Maybe we could have had a normal life then…"

"Don't say that Mia. You know that since we all got our armors we didn't have a choice but fight. It's our fate, and our choice. We can't possibly let this monster destroy our world any longer. Too many people have died and suffered because of him, and since we have found armors from his world with power to help us, we can't give up our only chance."

"But did you see what he did ? He appeared into our world only five years ago, and now our world is covered with darkness and death… people are scared to get out of their house, children are growing up in an atmosphere of decay ! The sky is no longer blue and the rain never stops.What can we do ? Ryo…"

"Hope. That the only thing we have left. But it's our strongest force. Never forget it Mia."

"Ryo…"

Mia whispered. Ryo hold her and murmured soothing words in her ears. After all, he was right. They could only hope…

****

Upstairs Sage could feel Mia's inner turmoil and he closed his eyes in an attempt to shut it out. He was already feeling everybody's pain in this house and his own, he didn't need any more angst now. He let out a sigh and shook his head.

The others didn't knew about his mental abilities which have came along with his armor, and he was having a hard time trying to keep it under control.

This has result in him being almost totally emotionless. Having to deal with all those hurt, he didn't have much of a choice. It was either that or breaking down… And there was also those flashback, which didn't help at all…

Sage shuddered as the unwanted memories came back and pushed them away. Now wasn't the time for this. He had promised himself to live long enough to have his revenge when he got his armor, he wasn't going to break down now.

Sage got up and left his room. He saw Ryo and Mia downstairs and as he head toward the door, Ryo called him.

"Hey Sage, where are you going ?"

"Outside."

"Oh. Be careful then, the warlords may be looking for us today. We gave them a good beating last time but still."

"I know."

Sage said as he closed the door behind him. Ryo watched him leave then turned his attention back on his girlfriend.

****

In the nether realm…

Cale stared at the human city outside when suddenly he heard his master calling. /Damn, he doesn't sound happy./ He thought with a groan. Not wanting to made his master wait, Cale teleported into the throne room only to see that Dais, Anubis and Sekhmet were there as well.

Anubis threw him a murderous glare but Cale dismissed it to concentrate on his master. Talpa was watching them, his eyes blazing red, proof that he was seriously displeased. The warlords quickly bowed and kneeled.

"I can't believe that you still haven't get rid of those ronins after all this time ! I'm fairly disappointed my warlords."

Talpa's voice echo into the throne room eerily. The four warlords cringed at the displeasure in their master's voice, knowing what would happen next.

"You deserve to be punish, and next time I won't accept failure !"

Talpa said, nether spirits appearing next to him. The warlords glanced at them nervously and clenched their teeth when they felt the nether spirits's dark power striking them as surely as electricity.

Talpa watched as his warlords suffered agony for a while then stopped and dismissed them. The warlords quickly disappeared in their quarters.

"If they keep it like this, I will need new warlords to control the humans cities…"

Talpa said absently to himself, the nether spirits singing softly around him…

****

"Argh ! All of this is your fault Cale !"

Anubis shoot as he winced in pain, his body reminding him of his earlier punishment.

"My fault ? And how it is my fault, oh dear leader ?"

Cale said, voice dripping with sarcasm. Anubis shoot him a look and suddenly thrown him against the nearest wall, holding him at the throat.

"But it is your fault ! If you hadn't messed up the last mission, Talpa wouldn't be mad at us now ! I should beat you into a bloody pulp for this !"

He hissed. Cale stared at him coldly and managed to made him lose his grip on his throat.

"If it's a fight that you want, I can give you one Anubis."

The blue haired man said calmly. Anubis smirked at the other warlord.

"Now that's not a bad idea, what do you think ?"

Cale simply smirked back. Dais and Sekhmet glanced at each other and wisely disappeared, not wanting to be involve in a stupid fight between two overly proud warriors.

The others two didn't noticed it as they started their battle.

****

"Eh Ryo, where is Sage ? I've been looking for him for the last ten minutes."

"He left earlier. Didn't said where he was going though. You know how he is Rowen."

"Well, actually I wish I know Ryo…"

"…I see…"

"No I don't think you do."

"You're right, maybe I don't…"

"..."

****

/Damn that son of a bitch !/

Cale thought as he collapsed on the dark, dirty alley. His fight against Anubis had left him weaker than he thought, and with Talpa's punishment his body was just too weak to keep going on like this.

Cale struggled for breath as pain ran through his body and he closed his eyes, trying to find the strength to move. He hadn't thought about running into the mortal world to heal his wounds, but Anubis's anger hadn't left him any other choice.

He simply couldn't stay in the nether realm for the time being, not with their master's favorite angry with him. Anyway he wasn't wearing his armor, so maybe some humans would find him and help him…

/Oh come on, whom am I kidding ? Those people are too scared to help anybody but themselves. And it's our fault… my fault…/

Strangely, the thought left him feeling empty inside, rather than the feeling of power and strength that should have been there.

Cale shook the thought off as he heard soft footstep coming his way, cursing the never ending rain that soaked him to the bones and made him shiver.

As he lose consciousness, Cale find himself praying for the first time in 400 years, praying for someone to help him…

****

Sage walked slowly down the streets, not paying attention to the cold rain. He didn't have any goal in mind, he just wanted to forget everything for a while and the empty streets were just what he needed.

As he walked, he heard a soft noise and stopped, warrior instinct kicking in at once. Nobody was out with this weather, so what could it be ?

When Sage heard the noise again, he noticed that the source was coming from a dark and small alley between two buildings.

Feeling unusually curious, the blonde stepped forward in the alley, but not without taking out the small dagger he always carried with him first. He hadn't survived this long on his own to be caught weaponless after all.

What he saw wasn't what he was expecting though. Indeed a tall, dark skinned, blue haired man was laying on the dirty ground of the alley, blood pooling around him in a slow but steady flow.

Sage stared at the man for a full minute before somehow switching on auto pilot. He putted his dagger back into its place and carefully took the blue haired man in his arms, looking for a pulse.

When he found one, Sage get up, the man still in his arms and processed to carry him to a safer place where he could check the other's injuries.

It wasn't an easy task, for the man was heavy and totally limp, but Sage managed to do it without stopping once. All the while, the same thought was running in his head.

/Why ? Why am I helping this stranger ?/

Nobody answered him...

****

Watching for afar, a tall man with long white hair stood alone under the rain, a pained smile on his lips as he watched the young ronin helping the dark warlord.

"I'm sorry to use the both of you, my friends, but I have no other choice to stop this war. I hope you will forgive me. Especially you Sage, warrior of light. From now on the fate of the both of you has been sealed."

The sad voice echoes into the empty street as softly as a ghost's voice, before the strange man disappeared. For all we know today, he could have been a ghost himself…

****

The first thing he was conscious of in the darkness surrounding him was pain. A hot, bright pain in his whole being, blanketing him and making him forget everything else.

Then slowly, the darkness faded and he could heard some noises around him. He was becoming aware once more. The numbness was leaving, though the pain wasn't, but he could deal with it now.

When he finally regained the feel of his body he tried to open his eyes, slowly. He blinked a few time against the light as he did and waited for the blurred images in front of him to become clearer.

Once he was sure his vision was back to normal, he cautiously turned his head to the side and noticed that he was in a small room.

It was dark, as if the walls had been burned but it was rather clean, as if someone had cleaned it and he was in a bed. A cheap chair was standing next to the bed with a bucket full of water resting on it.

The water was stained pink and a white towel equally stained pink was laying next to the bucket.

But apart from those the room was empty. The door wasn't existing anymore and a curtain had been draw in an attempt to hide the only window of the room, which was destroyed.

The glass, which was broken, was probably on the outside of the room since not a single piece of glass could be seen on the ground.

It was all very puzzling.

/Where am I ? And who could have drag me there ? It certainly wasn't me, the last thing I remember was passing out in an alley./

Cale was still lost in his thoughts when he heard soft footsteps coming his way. He looked up toward the door then and waited to see who it was, only to see an angel standing in the doorstep.

It seems to Cale that it was the only way to describe the young boy standing in front of him. The boy had golden, silky looking hair falling across his face, pale ivory skin and bright, gorgeous violets eyes.

Cale almost lost himself into those breathtaking eyes, before seeing the hidden pain and sadness lurking in their depths. It was hard to see, for the boy's eyes seemed almost frighteningly empty, but for someone like Cale it was as clear as night and day.

This boy had been hurt before, he thought. Somehow, Cale felt sorry for the boy. And it shocked him greatly, for he had never felt something like this before.

The young boy watched him expressionlessly then stepped into the room.

"I see you are awake. How are you feeling ?"

"I'm fine… I guess... Who are you ? Why did you help me ? And where are we ?"

"You definitely are feeling better than when I found you if you can talk this much. My name is Sage, and you are in what is left of my old house."

The boy said as he pushed the bucket and towel away and sat in the chair. Cale raised an eyebrow.

"Huh ? Your old house ? But… it looked like it had been burned. What happened ?"

He asked, curious. Sage sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking through the window with a distant look in his eyes.

"Exactly that. The warlords burned my house five years ago when they first arrived into our world. They also killed my whole family in the process."

He said softly. Cale stared at the blonde in shock and suddenly felt very, very cold inside.

"You said… you said the warlords ?"

"Well in fact it was one warlord. Cale, the warlord of Darkness and Corruption… He was the one who destroy my home that day…"

Sage said, his voice ending in a whisper at the end of his sentence. Cale just stayed still, feeling the cold inside him turning to ice. Then the blonde shook his head and looked at Cale, his face expressionless once again.

"And you ? Who are you ?"

"...I...I live here, I think. I'm confused. I don't remember everything."

Cale lied. He couldn't tell this boy the true, he just couldn't.

/But why ? Did that fight with Anubis shook me more than I thought ? He is so gentle, and I can't find hate in him like I usually do in other humans... he is so strange.../

Cale stayed silent then, thinking as he watched the blonde boy tend to his wounds, without asking him anything else. Still Cale was puzzled. When Sage had finished his task, he left the room, leaving Cale alone with the promise to come back tomorrow.

Just before the blonde left Cale stopped him and told him his name, his real name. The one he used to wear before he became a warlord. Somehow, he didn't want the boy to consider him merely a nameless stranger. Why was beyond him.

Very few words had been spoken between the two after that.

****

"Sage ! There you are, I was worried that you had met one of the warlords. Where were you, you had us all worried to death about you !"

Sage shrugged at Ryo's questioning glance and walked upstairs.

"I'm fine, that's what matter so you shouldn't worry."

Ryo stared at him, then shook his head and dropped the subject. He knew that nothing good will come out of it.

****

Fire and screaming. Smoke, laughers and flames. Here he was, watching a house collapsing. He was laughing, he could heard his own voice in the distance.

Those screams, they were from those people, a woman with her two daughters and her husband. They were screaming as they watched the burning house falling down on them.

"NO ! "

That voice... he had heard it before. He turned his head.

A young boy, around 12 years old was standing near the house and watching, wide innocent violets eyes filled with tears, blonde hair enlightened by the eerie light of the fire...

The child's eyes caught his own, and he saw the horror and pain in them changing into a cold, furious determination. The child wiped his tears and ran, leaving his home behind with the promise of vengeance written deep in his eyes.

Cale wake up with a start, breathing heavily.

/It was a dream. But... no, not a dream, a memory. And this boy, it was him !! It was that blonde, Sage ! Now I remember… So he really was saying the truth…/

Cale stared in front of him, panting hard, eyes unseeing as his mind was lost in his memories. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. He didn't understood what was happening to him, why this memory was shaking him to the core the way it did or why he felt somehow... concerned for the blonde.

He was the murderer of his family, he knew that fact from the moment the blonde had told him about his past. And he was feeling guilty for the first time in 400 years, through he didn't know why. It was really upsetting. In rage Cale hit the nearby wall, making small breaks where his fist had hit the wall.

/Damn ! I don't get it ! I've just met him for a day and my whole world seems to have been turned upside down. What does that mean ? How can I feel this… for him ? I never had this kind of emotion before. Hell I don't even know what I'm feeling…/

Cale was almost ready to tear down what was left of the house in his frustration when the soft sound of the door opening pulled him out of his trance. Raising his head, Cale noticed that it was Sage who had came back, just as he had promised him the day before.

"Hello Kujuurou. How are you feeling today ?"

"Better. Thank you."

The blonde nodded and sat down next to Cale and for the next hours tend to the warlord's wounds. The whole time they stay in a comfortable silence. Then Sage left again, saying he had to get back to his friends before they started worrying about him again.

Cale watched him leave and sighed, before he leaned on his pillow. Closing his eyes he found his mind filled with pictures of an angelic blonde boy…

****

In his room Sage was staring at his ceiling, eyes unseeing as the picture of a blue haired man danced in his mind.

/I don't really know who he is, but I can't ignore the fact that I feel draw to him somehow. But I wonder why… There must be a reason for this, I never felt anything like this in my entire life before. But why does he seems familiar ?/

Sighing, Sage rubbed his forehead and took a sip of the half empty glass near him before he finally fall asleep, in a world filled with dark dreams, fire and blood.

****

It has been almost been two weeks since Sage had started taking care of Cale and the warlord was almost completely healed now. But the blue haired man's heart was still tormented by his memory and the new found emotions he was feeling.

He had also noticed that the blonde seemed to be slightly nervous too when he was with him and he didn't know if it was because of his reactions of because the blonde was feeling the same.

He really didn't know how to deal with it and was wondering if he should leave and get back to the nether realm as soon as possible. For all he knows he wasn't even sure he was still welcome.

After all he wouldn't put it past Anubis to try and say he had betrayed Talpa for the humans.

But the more time he spend with Sage the less it seems important to him. They had fell into a nice, happy pattern and were almost always doing the same thing. They meet in the morning in the old, burned house and talk about nothing and everything, sometimes even joking and Cale was surprised to find himself waiting impatiently for the blonde's visits.

But Cale knew that their good fortune could not last. Not in this world. Something was bound to destroy their small happiness, one way or another. And what Cale was dreading finally happened, barely a few minutes after Sage had left him.

****

Here He was, alone again. Sighing Cale ran a hand through his hair as his thoughts floated back to the young blonde who had tae care of him. Then he felt the air suddenly becoming colder and almost jumped out of his skin when a hissing voice echoes into his head without warning.

//Cale….//

//Nani ?! What's the hell ?//

//Cale ! What are you doing ? It's time you come back to the dynasty warlord of darkness.//

//Badamon…//

//Yes it's me, Talpa wants you back to his castle as soon as possible, and you should leave now before that blonde you had become so fond of come back. He could have an accident…//

//If you do so much as touching one of his hair I will kill you myself !//

//Then move your lazy ass ! Talpa is waiting, and you know he hates that.//

The voice disappeared with a mocking laugh, leaving the blue hair man shaking and feeling almost ill. It was like this that Sage found him a few hours later.

"Kujuurou ? What's wrong ? You look sick."

"It's… it's nothing Sage, don't worry about me."

"But I'm worry, you look like you just saw a ghost or something."

"Don't worry it's nothing really, nothing important."

"Liar. But well if you don't want to tell me it's your problem after all. But… you're leaving now right ?"

Cale looked up at the blonde in surprise. Sage wore his usual expressionless mask, but Cale could see in his eyes that there was something else, something close to pain.

/Still, I wonder how does he manage to read me so well…/

Finally Cale dropped his head and nodded.

"Yes… I will have to leave as soon as possible."

"That what they told you ? Well whoever it is, I don't care anyway but I take it you remember your life completely now…"

Cale nodded again, staring at the blonde in silent awe. Sage shrugged and sit down next to the warlord. They stayed in a comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying the other's presence, till Cale noticed something that shocked him.

Tears.

Tears, clear and bright as crystal were falling slowly, quietly from glazed violet eyes as Sage turned his head to the side, hiding his face behind his lock of blonde hair, hands trembling slightly in tight fists on his laps.

"Sage ?"

Cale murmured, almost afraid and not knowing what was wrong. He putted a tentative hand on the blonde's shoulder and pushed gently so as to face Sage, and felt his heart aching when he saw the blonde crying.

Sage smiled weakly and wiped his tears, feeling embarrassed and even a bit stupid. He didn't even know why he was crying. He just knew that since Kujuurou had told him he was leaving, he was feeling awfully cold and his heart was hurting him.

Finally Cale putted his arms around him and draw the blonde into a tight embrace. Sage shivered a little at first, not used to such human contact for a long time and then relaxed, closing his eyes. He felt so nice and warm there that he was sure he could fell asleep in this stranger's arms. Well not really a stranger anymore but still…

"Sage… why ? Why are you crying ? Was it something I did ?"

Cale whispered as he stroked the boy's blonde hair. As he did he couldn't help but to feel awestruck. He had been a merciless warrior for so long, that he almost couldn't believe the gentleness, the concern he was now showing, and feeling, for this boy.

He felt Sage shaking his head against his chest and then the blonde raised his head to look at him. Their eyes meet and it left them almost frozen in place. They couldn't look away, as if they suddenly had been spellbound.

Sage stared into the midnight blue eyes of the man who was holding him, vaguely aware that he was blushing. Then something happened that was going to change forever their entire life.

He kissed Kujuurou.

He didn't know why he did it, but at the moment it didn't seem to matter. He just did it. And Kujuurou kissed him back, hard. One second he was in the blue haired man's arms and the next he found himself flat on his back pressed against the mattress.

Not that he mind. He felt as if he need this, this desperate contact and this total abandon of all rational thoughts, even for a short while…

He moaned then when Kujuurou kissed him again, and he moaned even louder when the man started to lay little feverish kiss everywhere on his body. Soon enough he was naked, laying in this strange man's arms and trembling but enjoying every second of it.

It was a desperate joining, in every sense of the word. Every little touch, every little kiss, each gave as if the world was going to end any moment. And it sure felt this way for Sage.

The passion, the emotions were so strong that it felt him breathless, heart hurting both sweetly and cruelly at the same time. He felt as of he was going insane. Opening glazed violet eyes, he saw Kujuurou panting above him, with a look in his eyes that surely match his own if he could look into a mirror.

A look in which you could read pain, loneliness, disbelief, longing, wanting, hope, insanity maybe if you at it closely… a thousand different things which are so human…

But he had no more thought left to think about it now, as Kujuurou was doing the most pleasurable things to his body. He felt his legs being parted and gritted his teeth at the slight pain in the small of his back, but it was distant, almost like in a dream. Then he gasped and his jaw fell opened when Kujuurou filled him.

Blinking at the strange but delightful new sensation in his butt that was running in his whole body, he looked up and lost himself in a pair of haunting, beautiful dark eyes. It was like floating in a dream.

"Sage…"

Cale murmured reverently above him, like he was seeing a prayer, or a holy name. Sage blinked again, startled back into the "real" world and raised his hand, caressing absently Cale's cheek, and smiled.

Cale took his hand in his own, pressing it against his cheek, and smiled back.

Sage's body was now following his lover's rhythm, hips raising to meet his lover's and back arching at every thrust of the blue haired man, stars and psychedelic colors dancing somewhere in his mind.

Then Sage putted his arms around Cale's shoulders and raised his body into a sitting position, pressing himself further against his lover and practically sitting on his laps. He buried his face into Cale's neck and when the man ran a hand in his blond hair, Cale knew he was crying.

"Sage…"

It was all he could say as he thrust into the warm body on his laps, burying himself as deeply as he could while repeating his name again and again, not realising he was crying himself.

And then just as quickly as it had start, everything stopped. Two muffled screams, unnoticed, were the only sounds as they fell back against the bed, eyes glazed and filled with inexplicable tears.

Cale pulled Sage into his arms and hold him, as if hoping to chase away whatever pain the blond and himself were feeling. Sage for his part was silent, eyes unseeing and empty as he gazed into emptiness, tears sliding down his cheeks softly like misplaced jewels.

Cale didn't say anything either as he wiped those tears away.

When sleep finally found them they were still tangled with each other, their souls at peace for a while at least in their slumber.

****

Cale was slightly confused when he woke up the next day, until he saw Sage still sleeping by his side. The blonde was sleeping peacefully on his side, his back facing the blue haired man, making it impossible for him to see his face, but he could see the gentle raising of his body as he breaths.

Cale stared at the boy for a full, long minute before he turned away almost violently, getting up hastily.

/I can't believe it ! I can't believe I… that I made love to him ! He… he is but a child… and I am the murderer of his family ! How could I do this to him ?/

Degust, rage, concern, fulfilment and a couple of other feeling he couldn't identify warred in his soul. Taking a deep breath, Cale turned again to see the blonde still sleeping.

/After what I did, I cannot stay. I will only hurt him if I do. I'm a warlord, and he is a human. My presence at his side is a danger, I must leave./

He told himself and prepared to leave. Calling his armor to him, Cale thrown a last look to the strange boy he had come to care about, even love even if he wasn't totally aware of it, the feelings still confused in his mind, unused as it was to such sensory overload.

Finally he walked back to the bed and bend over, giving a light kiss to the boy's one visible cheek. As he did, a single tear fell unnoticed on the pale skin. Then he walked away.

"I'm sorry Sage… I didn't want this but it's better that way… I hurt you enough in the past even if I wasn't really conscious of it. Forgive me, and most of all forget me, I don't want to see you hurt again…"

He whispered in a hoarse voice, hoping that his desperate message would somehow reach the sleeping blonde, and that he would understand. Then he closed his eyes and called his power to him, disappearing from the house in a small cloud of blackness and heading for the dynasty.

As Cale left the mortal realm he didn't see the blonde's eyes opening, having heard everything.

He didn't see the wounded, haunted look in their violet, crystalline depth nor the fresh tears that were falling anew. He didn't see Sage hugging his pillow tightly as he cried his heart out. And he didn't heard it when his soft, broken voice called out to him either.

"Cale… so it was really you… Why… Why ? Why did it have to be you ? Why did you have to leave ?! To leave me ?!…. I just hope that you are fine and happy wherever you are Cale… Now that I know you, I don't know if I will be able to fight you again. Look like we both have our secret ne ? You a warlord and me a ronin… It's pathetic really…. If… if I can make one wish, it would be for us to be together again. That's all I want, Cale… I don't care who you are, can't you understand ?!"

The broken heart blonde whispered into nothingness, eyes wide, empty and unblinking.

Hurting

Lonely

Afraid

Hoping

Praying

Waiting for a miracle

For a lost love…

A song lost in the wind…

"Although loneliness has always been a friend of mine
I'm leaving my life in your hands
People say I'm crazy and that I am blind
Risking it all in a glance
How you got me blind is still a mystery
I can't get you out of my head
Don't care what is written in your history
As long as you're here with me

I don't care who you are
Where you're from
What you did
As long as you love me
Who you are
Where you're from
Don't care what you did
As long as you love me

Every little thing that you have said and done
Feels like it's deep within me
Doesn't really matter if you're on the run
It seems like we're meant to be

I don't care who you are
Where you're from
What you did
As long as you love me
Who you are
Where you're from
Don't care what you did
As long as you love me

Bridge

I've tried to hide it so that no one knows
But I guess it shows
When you look into my eyes
What you did and where you're coming from
I don't care, as long as you love me, baby.

I don't care who you are
Where you're from
What you did
As long as you love me
Who you are
Where you're from
Don't care what you did
As long as you love me…"

OWARI… Or To Be Continued ?

Author's note : I have an idea to end the fic with a less angsty end but it's up to you if I should write it or not. Tell me what you want. I can either left it that way or write a sequel/second chapter. Review and tell me what you would like to see please ? And well, I noticed that this fic is rather "fast" when you consider all the events and time it cover, but I didn't have the strength to do it any longer and beside, it was Sage-centric I told you. I hope this detail won't bother anyone. ^^;;;;