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Of Fire and Ice	By : kaseysanada Category: +S to Z > Shaman King Views: 2811 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Fire and Ice
- 1
(Shaman King does not belong to us. It and all its characters belong to
Takei Hiroyuki-sensei)

Kasey: Hey everyone! Recently I�ve really gotten into Gaia, and my best
friend Ember (aka Moenokori) and I were role playing in order to earn gold, and
this fic came out of it! It�s my very first Shaman King fic, so I hope you all
enjoy our labor of love! Oh, and by the way, in this Ember-chan is playing Horo
and Lyserg, I am playing Ren and Ryu, and we both play Yoh and Anna. Enjoy!!

Of Fire
and Ice

By Kasey
Sanada and Moenokori

Horo looked down at his mug of cocoa, musing on the events
of the past hour.

It had been one of those quiet lazy days that would
amount to nothing. Even Anna had been lax in her strict rules of cleaning, and Yoh
had somehow persuaded her to go out for a walk in the snow. Manta, of course,
had joined them, which had left Ryu, Ren, and Horo to find ways to amuse
themselves. Ren had instantly locked himself in a room with instructions that
he wasn't to be bothered for any reason. This, of course, had meant that Ryu
and Horo had instantly set to the task of annoying the shit out of him.

It didn't take long.

Just some loud music, some obnoxious singing, and a few
minutes of banging on his door was enough for Ren to emerge from his room,
ready for some ass kicking.

Ryu had run off like a coward.

But Horo had stayed to face the music.

Horo shook his head at the thought.

They'd been fighting - yelling, screaming, hitting - and
then...Ren had thrown that idiotic punch...and Horo had caught it...and tugged
the irate boy into his arms, trying to calm him down. They'd stilled, both
breathless, and it'd taken less than a heartbeat for their lips to smash
together.

He didn't know why it had happened.

He still didn't.

And as he fingered his lips, still feeling the pressure
of Ren's lips there...he realized that he wouldn't mind kissing the other boy
again.

Sitting on a bench in a park nearby Yoh's home, Ren was
still trying to come to terms about what happened. One minute, he and the snow
idiot were fighting, and the next....

Ren shook his head trying to fight the blush that was
coming. His first kiss, and it had to be Horo. But was it really that bad? He
knew for a long time he had always preferred boys over girls. Hell, girls, especially
that Anna, annoyed the hell out of him. So did Horo, but in a good way.

Sighing, Ren leaned back, stuffing on hand into his
jacket pocket but the other one going to his lip, still feeling the tingle from
Horo. 'Dammit, out of the guys out there, why did it have to be him?'

"Is he gone?" Ryu asked, sticking his head
inside the door. Horo raised one blue brow and shook his head.

"Yeah, he's gone."

The man flopped down beside his friend. "Whew."

"You sure took off fast, coward."

Ryu paused, spared him a look, and sniffed indignantly.
"I never want to be on the wrong end of his over soul."

Horo took a sip of his cocoa and didn't say anything. In
all actuality, he would have preferred Bason's over soul to the shocked
expression his fellow shaman had worn before he'd torn out of the house like
death was right behind him.

It...hurt, Horo decided. It hurt that Ren hadn't enjoyed
the kiss as much as he had. It hurt that the other boy hadn't even wanted to
stay with him, maybe talk it out, maybe even continue what they were doing.

"I'm a fool," he concluded sulkily, standing to
go to his own room, leaving Ryu to stare after him curiously.

He failed to notice the snow falling outside.

Walking back to the house, Ren tried to decide what to do
when he got there. Did he was to smack the snow boy, or did he want to continue
where they left off?

The second idea had more promise.

Stopping in front of the door, Ren could hear Horo and
that idiot Ryu talking. Smirking, he went in and said as he went towards the
kitchen, "Well, look who decided to come back. What's wrong, do you really
want that ass kicking?" he asked as he turns his head towards the older
boy, his eyes showing promise of what he planned to do.

Ryu paled. "Oh, boy, I just remember. I promised the
boys I'd go visit and... Bye!" He quickly ran out of the house.

The smirk still on his face, Ren went into the kitchen to
grab some tea. "Coward. I can't believe he's actually a shaman..."
Facing the counter, he grabbed a cup to make some tea.

"Hey sis...�

Horo frowned. "No...I didn't know that. How's
everyone? ...That's good. NO. JESUS NO."

He pulled the phone away from his ear. "I didn't
swear! NO! I DIDN'T!"

A sigh. "Yeah...everyone's good. Yoh? What the hell
-...Okay, I did swear there. Sorry. Yeah he's okay. Ren? Why the hell do you
want know about that stick the mud?"

His frown deepened. "I most certainly do not. NO.
Would you quit giggling? ...ARG.
Fine. FINE. Yeah, love you, too."

He hung up the phone. He'd called Pirka with the
intention of trying to get his mind off his situation, but she'd seemed intent
on dredging it all up. And then she'd of accused him of being in denial and
being grumpy.

He frowned so hard it made his face hurt.

He was NOT grumpy. OR in denial.

He heard the clinking of dishes in the kitchen, and
thinking Anna, Yoh, and Manta had returned, he got to his feet, assuming dinner
was being prepared and knowing that - if there was one thing that could get his
mind off any problem - it was food.

He unfortunately found the center of his problems
standing in the kitchen making himself a cup of tea.

He cursed silently, and leaned against the doorframe,
crossing his arms. "Welcome back." he bit out.

Ren turned at the sound of Horo's voice. "Horo..."
Feeling his heart race, he turned back around, taking the tea bag out of his
cup. "Look, I... I want to apologize for running off like that."

Horo shoved himself away from the doorframe, anger
coursing through his body.

"That's all you can say?! THAT'S IT? You're
SORRY?"

Ren turned back around. "Yeah, I'm sorry! I'm sorry I
ran away!" Clenching his hands into fists he whispered. "I got
scared.... so I did the first thing I thought of. I'm sorry if I hurt
you."

Horo...didn't know what to make of that.

Ren never apologized.

He never...he never admitted to being scared. He was
always strong and resilient...and seeing him afraid like that...it touched
something within Horo.

He reached out and hauled Ren into his arms.

"I'm sorry then," he whispered into Ren's hair,
"I guess I was afraid, too."

Ren stiffened for a moment before melting into the other
boy's arms. It felt nice...

It felt safe.

"Horo..." he whispered, wrapping his arms
around him. "Horo, I..."

"Shh," Horo whispered, placing two callused
fingers onto the other boy's lips, "it's okay."

"This," a voice, unmistakably Yoh's, said,
"I never would have expected."

Horo balked and jerked away from Ren, turning to find
Anna and Manta standing behind the brown haired boy with identical looks of
bafflement on their faces.

Yoh was just grinning cheekily - liked he HAD expected
it, but was playing along like he hadn't for the other two.

Manta gave a squeak.

Anna, regaining her composure, settled on a light glare.

"I certainly hope you two behaved yourselves in my
kitchen."

Horo's face turned fascia. "EHHHH??"

Red tainted Ren's cheek at Anna's comment. "Oh hell,
women, how often do we even see you in here?" Turning to Horo, he smiled
and said, "How about a walk in the snow?" And shocking everyone,
including himself, he leaned forward and kissed Horo on the lips.

'Oh yes,' Ren thought happily, 'This really was the
better option.' Pulling away and looking at Horo, he said, "So?
Walk?"

Did Ren just kiss me...in front of PEOPLE?

"So? Walk?"

Ren's voice penetrated his daze, but, try as he might, he
couldn't get anything to come out of his mouth but gibberish.

Yoh helped by slapping him on the back in a not-so-gentle
manner, knocking the wind out of him.

It seemed to knock some sense into him as well.

"Yes. Walk. Good."

Simple syllable words seemed the only thing his brain
could comprehend.

Smiling to himself that he actually got the boy flustered,
Ren started walking to the door, walking past a shocked Anna and Manta.
"Well then, best get your coat. It is nippy out, but then again, I could
keep you warm myself.... your choice Horo." Ren bit his lip to keep from
laughing from the soft gasp Anna made. Grabbing his coat and gloves, he put
them on before moving outside to wait for Horo.

Everyone stared after Ren in astonishment; completely
floored by his behavior.

Anna turned to Horo.

"Is he drunk?"

"WHAAAAAAAT??" the blue haired boy screeched,
taken aback. Yoh let out a laugh.

"I think it's called 'love', Anna."

The blonde scrunched up her nose. "Sissy
stuff," she concluded and turned to leave the kitchen. The others watched
her go.

"I didn't think Ren knew what love was..."
Manta said, shaking his head. Horo spared the shorter boy a glare.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Manta squeaked. "NOTHING!"

Anna came back caring Horo's coat and hat.
"Here." she said, softly, reluctantly, "It's cold outside."

Speechless, Horo took them from her and put them on. He
paused, wanting to say something - thank you perhaps - to her, but one look
from her and he went on his way.

Yoh laughed as he turned the corner.
"Romantic," he said, throwing an arm around her shoulders. She
shrugged out of his embrace indignantly.

"So?"

As Ren waited for Horo to come out, he was mentally
kicking himself in the ass.

'What the hell has come over me? I'm acting like a love
sick fool!' He froze when Ren realized it. 'Oh Kami-sama.... I can't be in LOVE
with him, can I?' He shook his head wildly. 'No, that can't be it. I must just
be horny or something.' But he wasn't so sure that was the case.

Horo paused in the doorway to watch Ren. Snow had started
falling, and the specks of white that had settled in Ren's hair seemed to
shimmer when they caught the light.

His cheeks were a nice, rosy red; a stark difference
standing out on his pale skin.

It was like catching an angel bathing - you weren't
supposed to see it, but once you had you couldn't take your eyes away.

Horo felt the breath catch in his throat.

Beautiful...

He shook himself out of his trance.

"Hey," he said, coming up behind the other boy,
wanting to reach for his hand be not knowing if he was allowed to, "ready
to go?"

Ren looked up at Horo, smiling slightly. "Hai."
Pushing himself off the wall, he fell into step with the baby blue haired boy.
As they walked, Ren noticed that Horo kept clenching and unclenching his hands.
"Horo.... is something wrong?" Ren asked, trying to keep the worry
out of his voice, not knowing that the other boy was wanting to hold his hand.

He flushed and looked away. "Of course if you don't
want to say anything, that's fine. It's not like I care either way."

Ren bit the inside of his cheek. 'Way to go baka. Make him
think you don't care.' Even though he had known Horo and the others for five
years, he still slipped into his old attitude.

I wish he'd make up his mind...one minute he's all over me
and then the next...

"My hands are cold." he finally mumbled.

Ren said nothing.

"They need to warm up."

Still nothing. He groaned, frustrated.

"Blast it! I want to hold your hand!" the blue
haired boy bit out, stopping himself and grabbing Ren's forearm.

"C...can I?"

He felt like his face was on fire.

Ren felt his own face turn pink. 'H... Hai, I'd like
that. My hands are cold too." He smiled shyly, knowing he was acting like
a love sick school girl, but he didn't care, knowing he couldn't deny it to
himself anymore.

He was in love with Horohoro.

He didn't know how or when it happened. When they were
younger, the blue haired boy annoyed Ren to no end. They were always fighting over
something, hell, they just hated each other. The Gods were probably laughing
now.

A grin broke out over Horo's face, and reaching out, he
gently intertwined Ren's finger with his own.

"I'm warmer already," he whispered.

The feelings Ren dredged up in him...scared him
truthfully. He'd never experienced something so intense so fast (next to anger,
but that was something he understood). It was almost too much for his racing
heart to take.

Almost.

The small smile that played on Ren's face seemed to melt
something inside him - made the blizzard that had been raging inside him since
he could remember lessen somehow. Maybe now...he wouldn't be lonely anymore.

Ren tried not to blush anymore than he already was when
Horo intertwined their hands. Ducking his head, he tried to cover the smile
that was growing on his face. He had never felt this... happy before. Maybe his
sister was right. Maybe he could find happiness, and maybe it would be with
Horo.

Looking up again, he watched as the snow fell around
them. "I can see why you like the snow so much Horo. It's so white... so
pure. Like anything, or anyone, can start over." He smiled in
embarrassment. "Gomen. I'm talking to much, aren't I?"

"No...you're not." I like the sound of your
voice. "A lot of people think that about snow. But...it's not as pure
as you'd like to think..."

Horo shook his head for probably the millionth time that
day. No. He wasn't going to think about old wounds. He wasn't going to let what
happened in the past harm what might make him happy in the future.

That's how people chase themselves in circles.

And make themselves unhappy.

"But...are you saying I'm pure, RenRen?" He
smirked, leering at the other boy, "Because, let me tell you, I'm as
tainted at the next eighteen year old guy."

Ren blinked before making a sound of amusement. "No,
I don't think you're pure Horohoro. I know I'm not. Hell, I know our dimwit
leader Yoh isn't." His smile faded. "But everyone deserves a chance
to start over." His hand tightened slightly around Horo's. "After
all," he whispered, "you all allowed me to..."

Horo coughed, somewhat uncomfortable. He didn't mind those
sorts of things going unsaid...but Ren voicing them so freely and
sincerely...was odd.

"I'm...glad then." He managed a smile and
squeezed Ren's hand back.

Ren smiled back, and without realizing, leaned forward.
"Thank you Horo," he said softly. Just before pressing his lips
against the older boy's he whispered. "Ai shiteru..."

Horo jerked away.

"Whoa, hey, yo...LOVE? Isn't that...a little
FAST?"

Ren fought the sudden sickening feeling in his stomach. He
loved Horo. He knew it! But.... what if he didn't feel the same way? "Are
you saying... you don't feel the same way?"

"I...I...honestly don't know, Ren."

He gulped, tightening his grip on the other's hand until
it was almost painful. "It's just so fast...don't you think?"

Ren winced slightly when Horo tightened the hold on his
hand. "Horo," he whispered. "Out of all the years you've known
me, you should know I don't say things I don't mean...." He swallowed
hard. "I love you Horohoro. Probably for a long time. I've just been
denying it up until now."

Horo stopped himself from panicking and took two slow,
soothing breaths. It wasn't that he didn't care for Ren - he did. But...LOVE?
That was just a jump in a direction Horo wasn't ready for.

But he saw the look in Ren's eyes - the helplessness, the
faint light of hope that hung that, just wanting him...not asking for
anything...just him.

And he decided that, despite his misgivings, the least he
could do was give it a chance.

He owed Ren that.

"...give me a little while," he relented,
"and take it slow."

Ren nodded, smiling in relief. "Alright. Thank you
Horo." Tugging his arm slightly, they began to walk again.

Ren was fine about taking things slow. If that meant he
could still be with Horo, he could live with that. A small smile appeared on
Ren's face again.

It was sometime later - perhaps minutes, perhaps hours;
neither were sure, having lost themselves in each other's presence - when
Horo's stomach gave a distinctly loud rumbling noise.

He rubbed the back of his head softly, somewhat abashed
for having such a thing happen when Ren was snuggling into his arm.

"Eh...I haven't eaten since this morning?" he
grinned bashfully, feeling quite hungry.

Ren blinked at the sudden sound before laughing. "Do
you want to find something to eat?" he asked. Looking around, he noticed a
hotdog stand. "How about that? They smell really good...."

After the two had had their fill of hotdogs (in Horo's
case, six, in Ren's, two) they'd strolled back towards Yoh's, hands still
intertwined, faint blushes still on their cheeks.

Though Ren's revelation of love had scared the crap out
of him, Horo had instantly taken a liking to having the shorter boy so near,
and so willing to pause every few feet for quick kisses whenever the urge
struck Horo's fancy.

They were up to fifteen.

But Horo wasn't counting.

He grinned, pulling his 'friend' into another kiss, this
one searing and anything but short, just the type of kiss that made one's toes
curl at the intense-ness of it all.

"Don't make me turn the hose on you two," Yoh
said in passing, yawning and scratching at his side as he meandered by
sleepily.

Horo grunted his reply. Was it really already that late?
He hadn't noticed.

"So...it's bedtime..." he said, feeling
awkward. How does one say good night without meaning anything by it?

Ren noticed how nervous Horo suddenly became. Smiling
softly, his cheek still pink from embarrassment and the cold he said,
"Good night Horo." Leaning up, he brushed his lips against the
other's, liking how warm they were. After a moment, he pulled away, still
smiling. "See you tomorrow," he whispered before going inside,
heading to his room.

Horo stared after him for a second, unhinged, but then he shook
himself out of it.

"Well," he said softly, "well, well, well."

He had nothing but sweet dreams that night.

The next morning Horo woke the to very unhappy sound of Anna
yelling. He wondered briefly if Yoh had made his breakfast explode in the
microwave again, but was surprised when he head Ren's tenor arguing back with
her. Blinking back his sleepiness, he stumbled out of his bed and pulled on his
pants, hurrying toward the kitchen.

"I swear
woman, you are the most infuriating person I've ever met!" Ren snapped at
Horo entered the kitchen. "I sometimes wonder how Asakura puts up with
you, you're such an annoying bat!"

Ah, yes, the old Tao Ren was back, even just for a few
minutes.

"Ren, uh, maybe you should calm down," Yoh said
nervously, afraid for Ren's wellbeing, as well as his own.

Ren didn't hear him. "You need to keep your nose out
of other people's business!"

Anna crossed her arms. "It is if it's going to be
going on in my house." She then turned to Horo. "Horohoro, if there
is going to be any sexual relations going on in my house, you better tell me
right now."

Horo felt his
face go into a slow burn.

Now he understood why Ren was so upset.

"What the hell is that?!" he snapped, clinching
his fists, "Cripes, woman, can I have no privacy?! Like I'd do that with
Ren. HERE. IN THIS HOUSE. Where you or Yoh could hear it and get off on it. NO
FUCKING WAY!"

Yoh gave a distinctly nervous laugh and inched away from
the situation. No way was he going to be present when the shit hit the fan.

Anna set her face, determined to not let Horo's comments
get to her - or let them upset her as much as they were. She frowned so hard
she was sure she'd pulled something.

His fists
clenched, Ren seriously contemplated hitting a woman for the first time in his
life. "Kami... I'm going for a walk!" Storming out of the kitchen he
grabbed his coat and started for the door. Muttering as he slammed the door,
"Stupid onna... no wonder I'm fucking gay."

Yoh looked at Anna in disbelief. "Anna, did you
really have to go that far? It's none of our business what they do!"

"Our
house, my rules. I don't want them doing that under my roof."

"HELLO?!" Horo barked, irritated, "I'm standing
right here! AND I CAN HEAR YOU!"

Anna gave him a cool look. "Point?"

Horo bristled. "Listen here, fuck your rules! You
have no right to -"

"Why don't you go join Ren outside?" Yoh
intervened, trying to ward off an explosion of tempers. Horo caught the look in
his eyes; "Just go...and leave Anna to me."

"FINE." he relented, "But the only reason
I'm not handing you your ass on a plate is because I respect Yoh too
much." The comment was aimed at Anna, and it just made her frown all the
harder.

Horo left without another word.

Ren kicked
some snow into the air with his foot angrily. "Damn that onna! Argh!"
Falling backwards into the soft pillow-like snow, Ren stared up at the sky. Why
did that stupid girl have to bring up that stuff anyway? It wasn't like they
were ready for sex... where they?

Ren sighed, closing his eyes. Probably not. After all,
they became a... item, as some would say nowadays, only yesterday, but even
that wasn't very clear. Did Horo want to be with him?

Horo flopped
next to Ren, artfully boneless, trusting the snow to cushion his fall. He could
still hear Yoh and Anna arguing in the house - it was low, but it was there -
and he'd shot Manta a very unpleasant look when the little dweeb had shuffled
by, sending them a look that clearly put the blame on them for the morning's
disruptions.

"What a pain in the ass that was," Horo
concluded, nuzzling at the other's cheek, "don't you think?"

"Hm,"
Ren smiled slightly, enjoying the attention he was getting from the blue haired
boy. Leaning into it, Ren kept his eyes closed and listened to the sounds
around him. The birds chirping, the snow falling to the ground, Horohoro's warm
gentle breathing in his ear....

Ren sighed contently and moved his body towards him. "Horo,"
he whispered, finding the other boy's hand and just holding it. "I'm glad
you're here with me..."

"Yeah...I'm
pretty damn spiffy," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

Sometimes Ren got a little too intense for him. Couldn't
they just snuggle without going into the 'I love you,' stuff?

He hoped it wouldn't always be an issue in their
relationship.

Shit...relationship? When did that happen?

He pushed his paranoia down, intent on not ruining a good
thing. Just because he was being a freak didn't give him any good reason to
hurt Ren, unintentional or not.

"You're pretty spiffy, too." he added hastily,
at a loss.

A big smile
appeared on Ren's face. "You really think so?" he asked, rolling to
his stomach, his cheeks pink from the cold, or embarrassment, no one could
really tell at this point.

Ren obviously
hadn't noticed his inner turmoil, to which Horo was grateful. He liked this
new, more cheerful Ren, dare he admit it, and he wasn't about to bring back the
old, mean, crotchety Ren because he couldn't keep his thoughts to himself.

"Oh yeah, INCREDIBLY spiffy," he affirmed with
a nod.

Before pouncing on the other boy, sending them rolling
through the snow.

"I wiiin!!" he caroled, unsure of what it was,
exactly, he had won, but loving the way Ren's body brushed against his with
each tumble.

Ren laughed,
his hair now covered with a light layer of snow. "Well, since you won, you
get this." Sitting up, he brushed his lips against Horo.

Despite it being cold out, Horo's lip felt like a warm
and sweet to Ren, kinda like the hot chocolate the boy liked to drink. Ren
wasn't really fond of the stuff before, but this certainly got him hooked.

Pulling away slightly, Ren's face was a little redder,
this time from embarrassment. "Horo..." he whispered, brushing some
of the boy's hair out of his face.

"Shut up
already," Horo said playfully, pulling the dark haired boy into an intense
kiss.

It was like electricity had sparked through every inch of
his body, making him feel alive, making him so aware of the snow that was down
his shirt, slowly melting, and the soft little noises that were escaping Ren's
throat, which were driving him absolutely mad.

He groaned, feeling his body respond, and dove into Ren's
mouth, trying, desperately, to drink a bit of the boy into himself.

If this isn't love...it's something damn close to
it..., he decided, pulling away slowly.

Ren looked at
Horo in a daze, his hands clenching to the blue haired shaman's jacket so not
to fall back.

'Oh great gods! That kiss was... was...' A startled sound
was the only thing Horo could get out before he was on his back in the snow,
Ren's lips pressed hungrily to his.

Horo squeaked.

And belatedly realized that Ren was just as strong as he,
if not more so, and was more than willing to pin him to the ground and shove
his tongue down his throat.

As he was doing now.

He moaned again, this one a bit lower than the last, and
gripped at Ren's slender hips, silently begging for Ren to crawl into his skin.

A cough caught him by surprise.

The two broke apart reluctantly.

Anna stood over them, hands on her hips. "I was
supposed to come and apologize," she lamented, annoyed.

Yoh stood a few feet behind her, head in his hands,
obviously trying to smother his laughter.

"Oh
bloody hell," Ren muttered, giving Anna and Yoh a glare that meant death
if they didn't go away. NOW.

Yoh gulped at the look Ren was giving him. "Eh,
Anna, why don't we come back another time?" Grabbing her arm, he quickly
dragged her away. "Say, next week?"

After they had left, Ren groaned and laid his forehead on
Horo's chest. "They always come at the wrong time..."

"They
really do..." Horo agreed, wrapping his arms tightly around Ren's
shoulders and squeezing.

They laid there for awhile, lost in thought, before Horo
decided he was cold enough and wanted to get up.

"What should we do today?" he asked, brushing
snow off his clothes as he stood. He motioned at Ren to turn around so he could
get the snow off the other's back when he was done.

"Hmmm...."
Ren said softly, thinking as Horo brushed the snow off his back. Suddenly his
eyes lit up. "Oh! I always wanted to go ice skating!" He turned to
look at Horo. "I always heard from you how fun it was. Would that... be
okay?" Ren flushed slightly. "I mean, if you don't want to that's
okay..."

Geez, what was happening to him? In less than a day, he
was acting like a girl in love! Oh well....

"Ice
skating?" Horo repeated, pondering.

He nodded.

"Yeah, alright. I haven't been ice skating since I
was a kid!"

A huge smile
appeared Ren's face. "Great! Come on!" Grabbing Horo's hand, the two
started walking to the skating rink.

As they walked through downtown heading towards the rink,
Ren was on cloud nine. So much so, he didn't notice people staring at them.

"Can you believe them? Two boys together?" one
woman whispered.

Another one nodded. "I know. That's just sinful.
Those boys will burn in hell for that..."

Ren looked over at Horo and smiled, squeezing his hand,
not at all hearing what was being said about them.

Horo felt a
certain amount of glee when putting on his rented skates.

The last time he'd been skating had been with Pirka. He'd
been about eight...and try as they might the two had had to lean on to one another
more than once for support. He'd fallen on his butt a great many times before
he'd gotten the hang of it.

He glanced over at Ren, who was still lacing up his
skates. "Ready?" he asked.

Ren finished
lacing up his skates and looked up at Horo. "I think so..." he said,
a little nervous. Moving over to the rink, he didn't get more than two feet
onto the ice before he fell backwards onto his butt hard. "OW!" Ren
cried. This was harder than it looked....

Horo couldn't
help it.

He laughed. Long and hard and LOUD. Seeing Ren spread
eagle on the ice was almost too much for him, and he clutched at his stomach
when it started to hurt from too much laughter.

He could practically *feel* Ren frowning at him.

"I'm sorry," he relented, wiping at his eyes,
trying to calm himself down, "but that was just HYSTERICAL. Do you know
how long I've wanted to see you off kilter?"

Ren huffed
and crossing his arms, looked away. "Oh, yes, falling on my ass is QUITE
funny, I'm surprised I'm not laughing." Ren tried to stand up again, but
halfway up his foot slipped out from under him, falling onto his front.
"Oh, dammit to hell!" he cursed. Rolling onto his back, he watched as
Horo started laughing again. "You find this amusing Horo? Let's see how
you like this!"

Grabbing the older boy's foot, he pulled, making Horo
lose his footing, but instead of falling backward like Ren had thought, he fell
forward, right on top of him. "Oof!"

Horo let out
a yelp when Ren tripped him.

He was expecting to land on cold ice.

He landed on Ren instead.

He grinned. "Fancy seeing you here." he
quipped, crawling off the other boy to sit beside him.

"I promise to play nice if you do."

Ren smiled
slightly and sat up also. "Very well. We'll call a truce. For now. Now,
tell me how you actually stand on these things." He moved his feet
slightly. "I recall Yoh... 'rollerblading' on things similar to
these..."

"Rollerblading
is a lot different," Horo said knowledgeably, "mostly because
rollerblades have wheels, and we're on blades."

He grinned. "But it's the same basic principle -
don't fall on your ass. So here, we'll take it slow."

Horo stood and reached down for Ren's hand.

Ren blinked
before smiling and taking Horo's hand. Horo pulled him up, but because they
were still on the ice, Ren's feet fell out from under him.

"Oof!" Ren made a sound as he fell into Horo's
arms. "Sorry!"

"S'ok."
Horo said, smiling from ear to ear. He placed a quick kiss on Ren's forehead
before turning him around, his back settling right against Horo's chest. Horo
put his hands on Ren's slim hips, his gloved fingers gripping at the fabric of
Ren's jeans.

"Now...we'll just try it like this," he
whispered into Ren's ear, moving his body in a way that communicated how he
wanted Ren to move.

Ren blushed
softly as he felt Horo's body pressed against his. "O-okay..." he
said breathlessly, resting his head against Horo's, feeling his breath against
his ear. "Wha-what do I do?"

"Follow
my lead." Horo said, and whisked them off, spinning around Ren to grab his
hands; he skated in front and backwards, his feet setting a steady rhythm he
knew the other boy could keep up with.

Horo admitted in the subconscious depth of his mind that
right then, that moment...would forever be imprinted on his memory as the day
his deepest dreams came true.

He'd never felt so warm.

Ren laughed
happily. For the first time in his life, he finally felt free. Free to be who
he wanted, not having to worry about his family watching every move he made.
Now he was free to be himself.

When Horo moved in front of Ren again, Ren wrapped his
arms around the older boy's neck. "Thank you Horo," he said softly,
smile still in place. "This has been the best day of my life."

Horo smiled
back, his smile tinged with a radiant happiness not even he could grasp to the
fullest extent.

And then his insecurities reared their ugly heads again.
He felt his stomach a horrible lurch; he almost winced.

Maybe he did love Ren...no...he knew he did...and
that...that's what scared him the most.

Ren stretched his arms above his head, yawing softly, a
small smile on his face. Yesterday had been so much fun. After ice skating they
went and had hot dogs, which had quickly become Ren's favorite.

Sitting up, a frown appeared on Ren's mouth. One thing
puzzled him though. Horo seemed.... different after ice skating. Oh, he was the
same loud, obnoxious, lovable Horo, but there was something in his eyes that
were different.

Trying not to think too much about it, Ren got up and
quickly took a shower before walking into the kitchen, where Yoh and Anna were
having breakfast.

"Morning Ren!" Yoh chirped happily. Anna
mumbled softly.

Ren smiled slightly. "Good morning. Is Horo up
yet?"

Yoh frowned. "No, he's not up yet. I'm surpised too,
since its french toast this morning."

French toast. Horo's favorite. Something was wrong, but
Ren didn't know what.

Horo looked
down at the plane ticket in his hand.

It'd taken all of his savings to pay for it - and then
some. He felt like such a stupid, useless coward, running away and leaving Ren
and the others to worry without a word.

But he had to go.

He had to leave...to sort out what he was feeling...to
overcome the irrational fear that loving Ren had released inside of him. He
didn't know when he'd be back, or even if he would. He just knew that...he had
to get away for awhile.

He heard his flight being called.

And with one last look out the large glass windows beside
him, he said goodbye.

~.*.~
ONE YEAR LATER ~.*.~

Ren wanted to
cover his ears so badly. 'How does he listen to this stuff?' he thought in
dismay. He winced as a guitar blared through the speakers. It was winter again,
and right now he'd rather be ice skate... Ren's heart squeezed painfully. He
was doing it again. He was thinking about Horo.

It had been a year since Horo had up and left him. No
reason why, no note. He just left. Ren waited for weeks, hoping he'd come back,
that it was just some stupid joke, but he didn't. After that, he cried himself
to sleep, not eating anything for a week, until Yoh actually threatened to
force feed him.

After that, he just shut down, and basically went back to
old self, snappy and snobbish, until three months ago.

When he started dating Lyserg.

He remembered Lyserg being a whiny brat who only cared
about exacting revenge on Yoh's older brother. Oh how things change....

"Lyserg!" Ren yelled loudly. "Can we
please leave? I think I'm losing my hearing!" He was surprised anyone here
hadn't lost their hearing yet to this band... what was their name..... Storybook
of the Month, or something....

"Aww...Renny,
don't be so stiff. They're about to play In the Shadows."

The green haired man grinned, his face having gotten
longer in the past years, his chin stronger, his eyes narrower, sharper. His
hair was still the same shade of green, but it was now worn heavily gelled and
spiked. A faint outline of stubble clung to his chin stubbornly, and no amount
of shaving could get rid of it.

Someone had recently told him he was starting to look
more and more like his father everyday. Once, that would have been of the
highest of compliments. Now it was just something he always heard, something he
never seemed to be able to overcome.

He cherished the memory of his parents. But their shadows
seemed to loom over him in his adult years, giving him a prestige he really
wasn't ready for. Or, for that matter, wanted.

He'd dropped out of the police academy three weeks before
graduation.

And he'd floundered for months, trying to find something,
ANYTHING, that would spark something inside of him.

Like chasing Hao had.

That's when he had run into Ren. Wet, cold, and
half-drunk. They'd both been drinking pretty heavily that night, and neither
could honestly remember how they'd made it back to Lyserg's apartment.

They'd woken up sore and headachy, but oddly content,
cuddled together under Lyserg's tattered blanket. And it'd turned into a steady
session of sex and alcohol - with the occasional attempt at being a normal
couple.

Which was what tonight was - an attempt, mostly on
Lyserg's part, to get Ren to lighten up.

It wasn't working.

"Come on Ren - would you chill out? You're ruining
my good mood!" he yelled above the speakers.

Making a face
of irritation that he didn't bother to hide, Lyserg saw, rather than hear, Ren
mutter the word, 'Fine,' before facing forward. Dammit, he knew he should have
brought his earplugs.

(Hour and a half later)

Ren tried to unplug his ears so he could get some noise
in, even though there wasn't anything in them. "Damn, Lyserg, I can't
understand how you can't listen to that noise. You could barely hear the
singing...."

"Sure
you can...it's that screaming noise."

Lyserg could practically feel the frown Ren was
giving him. But it didn't really matter - he'd agreed to come with hardly a
fight, and in Lyserg's book that was progress. Generally, he had to bug Ren for
a good three days before his boyfriend would accompany him to something so
loud.

He reached for Ren's hand.

"No - really - I thought Story of the Year wasn't
that bad...compared to the stuff I usually drag you to."

Ren felt
Lyserg squeeze his hand and a small smile appeared on his face. "Yes, I
suppose you're right about that." Suddenly he smells something
mouthwatering and his stomach grumbles. "Let's get some hotdogs..."

I've never
seen someone so obsessed with hotdogs...

"Sure." he agreed, pulling his wallet from his
back pocket in an offer to pay.

Ren didn't stop him.

They bought some and continued on their way, silent, but
content. Lyserg idly rubbed the back of Ren's hand with his thumb.

"I love you, you know." he said around a
mouthful of food. He kept saying it in hopes of Ren returning it, but he never
did.

'I love you, you know.'

Ren wished he could Lyserg�s feelings. He WANTED to. But
he was still in love with Horo.

Damn him.

He hated the blue haired man for leaving him like he did.
Hell, he'd probably kick his ass if he saw him. But he was still in love with
him.

Having finished his hotdog a long time ago, Ren turned to
face Lyserg and pressed his lips against the younger man, wrapping his arms
around his body.

Lyserg
sighed.

Mostly because this was always Ren's reaction, and mostly
because every time Ren touched him it was like heaven. It just felt so right to
him, being with Ren, and...dammit all...even if he was still in love with that
foul Horohoro, he could see past it all to the possibility of Ren actually
loving him for him.

He'd gotten exceedingly good at lying to himself.

"Hey," he said softly, licking at the lingering
taste of Ren on his lips when they'd pulled apart, "what do you say we go
back to my place?"

He nipped at Ren's ear.

Ren let out a
soft moan, tangling a hand in Lyserg's green hair. "H-hai," he
whispered, letting his body fall against the other's trustingly. Even though he
wasn't in love with Lyserg, he cared about him a lot, and hopefully one day it
would turn to love. He had to hope.

Lyserg woke
the next morning with the after taste of sex in his mouth. With a grimace, he
threw the covers back and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

He heard Ren roll over, grumble something in his sleep,
and then settle again.

He couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of
his mouth. Ren was, unknowingly, quite cute when asleep. Especially when he
unconsciously cuddled up with you, and woke with the distinct impression that
you had been cuddling him.

It was those little idiosyncrasies that had made Lyserg
fall for Ren so hard and so fast. He knew so much about Ren, from watching,
from listening. And that's why, in Lyserg's mind, no one else was as perfect
for the older man as he was.

Especially Horohoro.

At the thought of the blue haired man, he gripped his
toothbrush and started scrubbing at his teeth extra hard.

Ren was so fixated on Horo he didn't even notice the
small things Lyserg did for him. Like...being dominant, which was completely
against his nature. But Ren wanted it - he'd craved someone that could take the
harsh control that had always been forced into his life away, and Lyserg,
despite his apprehension, had been that someone.

Just once, he'd like to wake up, and see Ren watching
him, loving him, for sacrificing so much of himself to make the other happy.
Maybe...if he waited long enough...Ren would come to his senses...

The telephone broke him out of his thoughts.

"Ren!" he called from the bathroom, having just
gotten into the shower, "Could you get that, love!"

"hnnnn...."
Ren rolled over towards the phone and blindly grabbed for it, grabbing the receiver
on the third try. "H'lo..." he mumbled.

"Ren! Hey, it�s Yoh!"

"Yoh..." Ren opened an eye and saw that the
clock read 11:30. Groaning, he covered his eyes. "What the bloody hell do
you want Asakura?"

Use to this side of Ren in the morning, Yoh let it slide.
"Yeah, well, Anna and I were wondering if you and Lyserg wanted to come
over for dinner."

"Do not include me in your plan, Yoh!" Ren
heard Anna yell from the background. "This is all your doing!"

Ren sighed. "She still doesn't approve of my
relationship with Lyserg?"

"Well, that's not exactly..." Yoh said
nervously. "I mean to say..."

Sitting up, Ren swung his feet over the side of the bed.
"Oh, stop it. I really don't care what the hell your woman thinks. We'll
be there at seven."

"Great!" Yoh said, a little too happily. "See you then!"

Forcing himself to hang up the phone instead of throwing
it at the wall, Ren sighed. Yoh and Anna hadn't agreed with his and Lyserg's
relationship since the beginning, but he didn't really give a shit. He was
happy with Lyserg.... or as happy as he could be. Ren smiled softly. He could
be happier.... if he could just let him go....

Yoh set the
phone back in its cradle, a bit too happy with himself. Anna was shooting him a
light, disapproving glare, but he decided he couldn't care in the least.

But...ah...Ren was going to shit a brick when he found
out who was back. And, if Yoh had anything to do with it, he who was back, and
intending to have just a brief visit, was going to be staying put until
everything got worked out.

Yoh popped his head into the kitchen.

"Cooking up a storm, eh, Ryu?" he asked, and
the older man nodded as he chopped at some chicken to throw into a pot.

Yoh nodded back and went on his way, pausing at the
guestroom and the sleeping figure therein.

"Stupid Horo...best not mess up this time."

Walking into
the kitchen, Anna watched Ryu with her arms crossed. "I don't like this
Ryu. There's going to be shit hitting the fan. Can't you talk him out of
this?"

Throwing the chicken into the pot, Ryu looked at the
young woman. "I could Anna-san, but since I've met Yoh-san, I have not
once question his decisions and I don't intend to start now."

"Are you saying that you're chicken?"

"No," he said, turning back to the pot.
"I'm saying that I trust him, as should you." But even though he said
this, Ryu was still worried.

Anna looked over at Yoh, who was watching tv. "I
hope you're right Ryu."

Lyserg
toweled at his hair as he appeared fresh from the shower, another towel riding
low on his hips.

He paused at the sight of Ren sitting in the middle of
his bed with an odd, pondering look on his face.

"Something wrong, dear heart? Who was on the
phone?"

Ren looked up
at Lyserg's voice. "It's nothing. Yoh invited us over to dinner at seven
is all." Standing up, he went over and wrapped his arms around the green
haired man, not caring that he was still dirty. "Thank you for putting up
with me," he said softly, his chin resting on Lyserg's shoulder. "I
know I haven't been easy to be with, but I'm really going to try and change
that. I... I want this to work Lyserg." He really meant that. Even though
he still, and probably always would, love Horo, he was going to try with
Lyserg.

Ren...oh...REN."

Lyserg felt tears flood his eyes, and, uncaring of his towel,
his hands flew to Ren's cheeks, gripping lightly as he crushed his mouth
against the other's, lips demanding, insistent.

I love you...I love you so much I can't stand it
sometimes...love me back Ren, PLEASE, just love me back...

He shoved Ren back onto the bed, and they went tumbling
into the covers, gasping and ready.

Later, sated
and snuggled under the covers, Ren was watching Lyserg as the boy rested.
Cupping the younger man's cheek gently, Ren watched as his eyes fluttered
slightly. He was going to try dammit. No longer was he going to wait for that
bastard.

Horo woke
with the sudden intuition that he'd lost something dear to him.

At first, he'd been terrified that something had happened
to Pirka...but settling down after he'd observed that, really, he would have
KNOWN if that had happened, he hastened to the bathroom to relieve his full
bladder.

He caught sight of himself in the bathroom mirror when
he'd finished and was washing his hands.

He looked...different...than he had a year ago. His blue
hair was longer, shaggier, no longer short enough to be put into his customary
spikes. It was flippant and soft, and settled around his earlobes.

He ran a hand through it, trying to free it of tangles.

His eyes were brighter than they had been, more intent on
something; life perhaps. His chin had matured from its childish roundness to
the pointed longness of an adult. Tough, admittedly, that was the only part of
him that Horo felt had grown into adulthood. His limbs were still too long and
gangly to give him the graceful sway that he thought an adult should have.

Ryu had it, in his own awkwardness, Anna, Manta, even
Yoh. But he...he was still a child, trapped in a man's body.

He shook his head. I came back too soon...I wasn't
ready yet...

Deciding that the least he could do this time around was
warn his friends before he took off again, he turned from the mirror, going in
search of Yoh.

Who was standing in the bathroom doorway, staring oddly
at him.

"Whaaaa! You nut job! What're you doing?!"

"You need new clothes." Yoh said decisively.

Horo balked. "NO. No FUCKING way are you allowed to
dress me!"

"Oh! Okay then!" Yoh chirped, deterred far too
quickly for Horo's liking.

"...what're you up to?"

"Nothing!"

"Oh...you lie."

"I do not. It just so happens that I'm helping Ryu
cook, and have no time to play dress up with you, but if you really want to,
I'm sure Anna would be happy to help you out."

"WHAT?!" Horo demanded at the same time as a
voice down the hall.

Glaring at
Yoh, Anna said, "You do know we're going to talk later about this."
Looking at Horo evenly. "Get your coat, we're going shopping, and if you
say anything otherwise, I'll shove my foot up your ass."

Horo face
faulted.

But he did go to get his coat, and to change his pants,
and met Anna by the front door five minutes later.

"Is this going to hurt?" he quivered.

"Only if
you bitch enough," Anna replied as they started walking to the mall.

Both were silent for more than half the trip before Anna
said, "I am going to ask once, and you better damn well give me an answer.
Why did you leave the way you did?"

"It's
complicated." Horo floundered lamely, feeling stupid.

Stopping,
Anna leaned against a pole, arms crossed. "Enlighten me," she said
dryly. "You left, not telling anyone, leaving Yoh, Ryu, and I confused,
and someone else heartbroken. Why did you leave like that?"

Horo brushed
past Anna with a snort. "Like I'm going to tell you. If and when I see
Ren, I'll explain it to him - and he's the only person that deserves to
know."

'You'll be
seeing him a lot sooner than you think,' Anna thought to herself, following
Horo. 'I just hope there's no blood shed when Ren sees you again...'

Pulling a
shirt over his head, Ren looked at himself in the mirror before yanking the
shirt off. "Dammit!"

He hated that he still looked like a kid. Sure he had
grown into a comfortable 5'5'', but he still felt... young. His hair was still
in his old hairstyle, liking it for some reason even after all these years. His
eyes had softened from the harden look he had perfected, and made him look
almost like a warm person. Grabbing a light blue collar shirt, Ren looked at
himself again and sighed. Yanking the shirt off, he went to his closet and
tried to find something else to wear, even though half his stuff was on the
floor. Even though they weren't really living together, Ren kept most of his
stuff at Lyserg's, especially since he knew how Yoh and Anna felt. "Bloody
hell!"

"S'matter,
love?" Lyserg asked, wandering in again after his second shower, his hair
still damp. He knew better than to walk out in just a towel this time around -
now he had a pair of low riding jeans on.

He stopped short at the sight of the mess Ren had made,
eyeing it. "Hurricane Ren strikes again," he quipped. Ren groaned and
flopped backwards on the bed, throwing the shirt that was in his hand onto the
floor. "I don't have anything to wear!" he complained. "Why
didn't you tell me I dressed like.... a KID?!?�

Lyserg sat on
the bed, straddling Ren's hips.

"You? Dress like a kid? I don't think you do."

He pondered. "Although...there is that one
shirt..."

Ren glared up
at the younger man. "You're not helping Lyserg." Sitting up and
wrapping his arms around Lyserg's waist so he wouldn't fall back down, he
pondered for a moment. "Wait... I do have that one outfit you really
liked..."

Lyserg's eyes
perked.

"THE outfit? But...just to eat dinner with Anna and
Yoh? Isn't that a bit much?"

"Come
now, it's not THAT bad." Ren leaned forward, nuzzling Lyserg's ear before
taking the lobe into his mouth. "Beside," he whispered, "It's
just a black leather jacket and pants. That's tame compared to the OTHER outfit
you like..." He pulled Lyserg close to him.

"Mmm...oh...Ren...if
we keep this up..." he gulped, determined not to have a repeat of earlier
this afternoon, "we're going to be late."

"Oh,
very well, I'll be good." Surprising Lyserg, Ren flipped the younger man
over onto his back. "But when we get home...." Leaving it at that,
Ren gave Lyserg and quick, but very heated kiss, before going into the bathroom
to take a shower.

"Oi!
That's cruel, love, real cruel." Lyserg said to Ren's retreating back,
"The LEAST you could do is finish that kiss off with something!"

"I
look..."

"Yes?"

"...like..."

"YES?"

"SEX!"

Horo gave himself an appreciative once over in the mirror
before turning to glomp, unexpectantly, onto Anna. The poor blonde woman barely
had time to react - which was just a sharp intake of breath and a warning of,
"Be careful of the baby."

It'd been QUITE the surprise finding Anna seven months
pregnant upon his return, mostly because one really couldn't tell she was
pregnant at all. She'd always been a bit bitchy, so the mood swings were
cleverly disguised, and her stomach had barely swelled at all.

Yoh blamed it on her rigorous exercise.

Horo blamed it on the fact that both of the child's
parents were as skinny as twigs.

Releasing Anna just as quickly as he'd attacked her, he
turned back to the mirror to gaze once more at his reflection.

Anna had picked out a simple blue turtleneck sweater that
matched the shade of his hair surprisingly well. Loose fitting blue jeans hug
from his hips, giving him the impression of being taller than he was, and
large, clunky brown boots adorned his feet, adding another few inches to his
imaginary height.

He looked trendy.

Horo giggled at the thought.

Anna gave him a weird look.

"Let's just go, huh?" she asked, moving toward
the cash register.

Ren brushed his
bangs out of his face as he looked at himself in the mirror. Damn, he forgot
how hot he looked in this outfit. The leather pants seemed like a second skin,
fitting every curve perfectly. He was also wearing black boots that added a
good two inches to his height, which he liked.

Having already put on a clean white shirt, Ren slipped
into his well loved leather jacket, something he bought on impulse a few months
back. Smiling at himself, he turned around and asked Lyserg. "Ready to go
yet?" He blinked when he realized Lyserg was staring at him. "Nani?
What's wrong?"

"MR. SEX
ON A STICK." Lyserg said, grinning, lust in his eyes, "You'd better
be ready when we get home, because I'm going to jump your bones."

He grabbed his keys from the bedside table and walked
past Ren, slapping his ass as he went, and dashed out of the apartment, knowing
Ren was hot on his heels.

He HATED it when Lyserg did that.

Soon they
were in the car and on their way to Yoh and Anna's. But for some reason, Ren
became increasingly nervous. He couldn't explain it, but he suddenly felt sick
to his stomach.

He was so lost in thought, he didn't notice when Lyserg
stopped in front of Yoh's house.

"Ren?
Love?" Lyserg nudged the silent man's shoulder. "We're here."

Ren blinked.
He didn't even know he had spaced out. "Oh, okay." Getting out of the
car, he and Lyserg walked up to the door, but Ren hesitated to knock. He didn't
know why, but he KNEW something what in there he wasn't going to like....

"Are you
feeling okay? Do you want to go home?" Lyserg asked.

Ren just shook his head. Lyserg shrugged, figuring Ren
was a big boy and would know when he was sick, and turned to knock on the door.

A knock at
the door startled everyone in the house, even Yoh, who'd been expecting it. He
turned to Horo with a nervous smile.

"Wanna get that?" he asked, fidgeting with the
already flawless table setup. Horo shrugged and nodded, turning to go answer
the door.

'I'm probably
just freaking out if Yoh's cooking,' Ren told himself as the door opened.
'There's nothing to worry....' Ren's brain shut down as soon as he saw who had
opened the door. No, it couldn't be him, it couldn't be! But there he was,
standing right in front of him was....

"Horo..." Ren whispered, feeling like he really
WAS going to be sick.

"Ren..."
Horo breathed, momentarily lost at the sight of him, beautiful and real,
standing there with an expression as shocked at Horo's own. And then he snapped
out of it and, before he could tell himself that it wasn't the best of ideas,
he'd hauled Ren into his arms, crushing Ren's lithe frame against his own and
showering his face in kisses.

"Oh GOD Ren I missed you so much! You don't even
know..."

Ren was in a
state of momentary shock as Horo kissed him before anger flared up in him.

Putting his hands on Horo's chest, he shoved at the older
man. "IIE!!" Ren lost his balance and fell back into Lyserg, who
quickly wrapped his arms around Ren's waist. "Wha... what the hell are you
doing?!" he gasped, trying to regain his breath and temper.

"Ren...?"
Horo asked, confused, reaching out lamely for him.

Lyserg jerked him away.

"GO THE FUCK AWAY! Haven't you done enough
damage?!"

"And what FUCKING business of it is yours?!"
Horo snapped.

"I'm his BOYFRIEND." Lyserg hissed.

Horo felt like his world had fallen out from beneath him.

"Boy...boyfriend?" he gasped, voice ragged. He
jerked toward Ren, his look pleading. "Is it true?"

Ren felt
himself shaking, from anger, and just being upset. "Why does it matter to
you?" he asked softly. "Apparently I didn't mean enough to you
because you just up and left, not leaving me any explanation why. I
waited..." He voice slowly began to rise. "I waited for six MONTHS! I
didn't eat. I cried myself to sleep, thinking I did something wrong! I finally
decided to move on and try a life with Lyserg, but then you show up!"

Tears welling up in his eyes, he yanked himself out of
Lyserg's arms and flung himself at the blue haired Ainu. "WHY!" He
slammed his fists into Horo's chest, hitting him repeatedly as hard as he
could. "WHY DID YOU LET ME POUR MY HEART OUT TO YOU AND LEAVE ME LIKE
THAT?!?" Tears rolled down Ren's cheeks as he continued to hit his first,
and more than likely, true love. "WHY!?!?!"

Horo didn't
try and stop Ren's attack. He simply took it, because he knew he deserved it.
He deserved far worse.

If only you could understand how afraid I was...how
much I wanted to stay but needed to go...Ren...if only you'd WAITED...

"I'm...I'm sorry...I'm sorry I hurt you..."
Horo got out, grabbing one of Ren's fists, "But...I do love you."

Ren's head
snapped up, his golden eyes wide with shock, happiness, and dismay. 'He... he
loves me. He finally said he loves me....'

"I... I..." Suddenly feeling sick and light
headed, Ren started to slump to the ground, the world going black around him.

"Ren!"
Lyserg cried, catching him as he fainted. Horo made to grab him out of Lyserg's
arms, but the green haired man shoved him away.

"Haven't you done enough?" he snapped. Horo
looked away, ashamed.

By then, everyone inside the house had made it outside.
Yoh looked worriedly over at Ren, and then at Horo, and then at Lyserg, and
knew his plan had blown up in his face.

"This is what you get for meddling," Anna
whispered under her breath.

Ren wasn't
out for more than a minute, but when he opened his eyes, he saw a worried
Lyserg looking at him.

He turned his head to look at Horo, who was just as
worried, but also a sad look was in his eyes.

'I love you...'

Ren wanted to throw those word back in Horo's face, tell him
he hated him and never wanted to look at him, but those just would have been
empty word because the truth was...

He still loved Horo as much as he did a year ago. He
wanted to spend his life with the blue-haired man.

A sob escaping his throat, he buried his face in Lyserg's
chest and cried.

Lyserg
clutched the sobbing man to his chest, rocking him back and forth slowly,
stroking his hair and making soothing noises in the back of his throat.

"Let's get him inside before he freezes to
death," he said, standing and pulling Ren along with him.

Wondering
what all the yelling was about, Ryu came out of the kitchen just in time to see
Lyserg helping a crying Ren into the house. "What's going...."

"Ryu, would you please make some tea?" Anna
said softly, giving him a look that she would explain later.

Surprised, and a little worried, at the soft gentle voice
coming from the girl, Ryu nodded and went into the kitchen again.

As soon as he was seated, Ren's head slumped into
Lyserg's lap, still crying, but softly.

"I'm sorry," Yoh stammered, "I didn't
know... I didn't think it would turn out like this..."

"You
PLANNED this?" Lyserg sputtered, exasperated. "This was all your
idea, Yoh? I thought you had more sense than that!"

"I'm
sorry..." Yoh whispered, not knowing what else to say.

Anna placed a hand on her husband's shoulder.
"What's done is done now, so there's nothing to gain by yelling at one
another." Kneeling in front of Lyserg, she stroked Ren's hair with a
gentleness that no one had seen from her before. "Right now we have
someone here that is so upset, I don't even know what to do."

"Here is the tea, Anna-san." Ryu brought the
tea over and placed it on the table.

"Arigato Ryu." Pouring a cup, she helped Ren
sit up. "Here, Ren, drink this."

Ren took the cup, but didn't drink anything, just looked
at it with a blank stare.

Horo took a
seat beside Ren, wanting to do something to help, but not knowing what.

"Ren...will you look at me? Will you...forgive me? I
know I hurt you; probably more than any person ever has or...ever will. And
that's not something easily forgiven. I know that. But...Ren...I had to
do it...I had to leave."

He reached for Ren's hand, which was as cold as ice.
"Will you trust me again?"

Ren loved how
warm Horo's hand was, even more than the tea he held. He wanted so badly to say
yes, to let himself be surrounded in Horo's arms, and never let go.

But Lyserg...

Ren knew he would never love Lyserg like he loved Horo,
that's just how it was. But he knew he cared deeply for the younger man, so
much he didn't want to hurt him. Ever.

"I... I forgive you, but I can't be with you,"
Ren whispered, feeling his heart break in two. "I'm... I'm with Lyserg
now..."

Lyserg's
heart skipped a beat.

Ren? Giving up Horo? To be with him?

"Ren..." he began, wanting to tell Ren to do
what his heart told him to, WANTING to tell that if he went with Horo, he'd
bare him no ill will.

But he couldn't. He couldn't let go of Ren, who was his
everything...who was the very air he breathed, the sole reason for rising each
morning and living each day to its fullest extent.

He opened his mouth a second time to respond, but Horo
interrupted his would-be question, having left the table so violently that his
chair fell over.

Ren stared after him so worriedly that Lyserg almost went
after him.

But someone else beat him to it.

A firm but
gentle hand rested on Lyserg's shoulder, and when the green haired man looked
up, he saw Ryu smiling at him.

"I will go talk to Horo, Lyserg. You stay
here." Walking outside where Horo had stormed out, he stared at the man
for a moment, watching as snow fell onto his shaking shoulder.

Stepping out and going over to him, Ryu said simply,
"I understand how you feel my friend..."

"How can
you POSSIBLY understand!?" Horo spit out, whirling around, "How can
you understand how much this hurts?!"

Staring Horo
in the eyes, Ryu said softly, "Because the person I have been in love with
since the moment I laid eyes on him is in there, comforting someone who's heart
is torn in two."

Horo stopped
short, shock etching itself across his face. Then he grinned, gave an ironic
laugh, and turned away again.

"How pleasant," he said dryly, kicking at the
snow. "Irony sure has a way of coming back and kicking you in the
ass."

Silence fell for a moment.

"You've...always loved Lyserg?" he finally
asked, forgetting his troubles in his curiosity.

Ryu nodded.
"Yes, very much so. I was going to tell him how I felt, but when I
discovered he got together with Ren, and how much he was in love with him, I
kept my feelings to myself. I am content seeing Lyserg happy, and anything I
would have said would have ruined that."

Ryu continued to stare at the blue-haired Ainu. "But
while I am fine staying on the sidelines, you, my friend, are not. You are in
love with him, more so than I have ever seen anyone, and the same goes with our
pointy haired friend, but he is at a crossroads. He has two people who love him
deeply, and while he may be in love you, and would do anything to be with you,
he can't seem to bring himself to hurt Lyserg, not when he has been his
contance these past few months." Ryu put a hand on Horo's shoulder.

"I'm not saying you should give him up. Hell, you
should fight for him. All I'm saying is, look at the position he is in. Do you
understand?"

"Yeah,"
Horo said softly, "I understand. It�s just..."

He gave a great sigh, as if the world were crushing down
on him, "Why...didn't he wait for me?"

"He did
wait for you," Yoh said angrily, letting the two know he was here.
"He waited nine months, and still waited even when he started dating
Lyserg." He walked over to Horo.

"Yoh-san..." Ryu said, never seeing the Shaman
this angry.

"How long did you expect him to wait Horohoro?"
Yoh snapped, ignoring Ryu. "How long where you going to be gone? God
dammit, he's still in there waiting!" Yoh grabbed the front of Horo's
shirt.

"Yoh-san!" Ryu grabbed Yoh, trying to pull him
away. "Please calm down!"

"Waiting?!
WAITING? Fuck, Yoh, he said he was going to stay with Lyserg, or did you miss
that part!"

Horo wanted to fight; he wanted Yoh to hit him...he
wanted...

He wanted out of there, and he wished...that he hadn't
come back.

"Back the hell off Yoh," he hissed, suddenly
not feeling in the mood at all, "or I swear I'll knock your ass down a
notch."

"God,
you really are a dumbass Horohoro." Yoh let go of his friend roughly.
"He loves you more than you'll ever know, and you're not even fighting for
him. You think because he said he wanted to say with Lyserg, he meant it?!? If
you really believe that, then go ahead and leave again, I really don't care. I
can't stand to see Ren hurting like this anymore." Yoh turned and stormed
back into the house.

"HOW THE
FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO FIGHT FOR HIM YOH?! HUH??! HOW?!! COME BACK AND TELL ME
THAT YOU BASTARD!" Horo screamed, grabbing a sizeable rock from the ground
and hurling at the brunette's retreating back. The throw went wide and he heard
the shattering of glasses; most likely a window.

He sank to his knees and sobbed, feeling helpless.

Why....WHY...?

Anna cried
out as a window was broken. "What the?!"

Ren looked up, dropping his cup, spilling tea all over
the floor. "Horo..." he whispered.

"It's
alright," Lyserg assured him, squeezing his shoulders, "I'm sure
Horo's just fin-..."

He stopped mid sentence as Yoh stormed in.

"Yoh..."
Anna said softly, never seeing the usually happy man so pissed.

"I'm going to bed," Yoh snapped. "I'm sick
and tired of seeing my friends hurting. Tell me when it stops." He goes to
his room and slams the door.

Anna looked at Lyserg and Ren. "I'll go try and calm
him down." She quickly left.

Ren didn't say anything, but was shaking slightly.

"Ren,"
Lyserg said slowly, as if what he was about to say was hard, "...go find
Horo. Go talk things out with him. I can't..."

He closed his eyes, willing himself not to cry. "I
can't stand that you're hurting. PLEASE. Even if you decide that he's what you
really want...I'd rather you be happy than...just with me because..."

He looked away, unable to finish.

Ren looked up
at Lyserg, confused. "But I... I can't just leave you. You've been there
for me through so much..."

"And
I'll always be here Ren...but...just go alright? Don't make me repeat
myself."

Ren looked at
Lyserg before leaning over and kissing him softly. "Thank you," he
whispered before getting up and running outside.

Horo had just
finished packing, his duffel thrown over one shoulder. He was staring up at the
sky forlornly; feeling like a part of him had been ripped away.

He was too late.

He'd waited to long.

It didn't matter what Yoh had said, Ren deserved
Lyserg...someone who loved him...who was willing to sacrifice and be with Ren
no matter what.

And he...he was just selfish, running off, leaving Ren like
that without so much as a why.

"I really do love you..." he whispered to no
one, turning to leave...and to never come back.

"HORO!!"
Ren ran out of the house, running over to the blue-haired man and throwing his
arms around him. "Horo!!"

Horo, Ren having
sent him off balance, fell gracefully on his ass, the other man falling into
his lap.

"Ren?" he asked, confused.

Cupping the
older man's cheek in his hands, Ren pressed his lips all over Horo's face and
lips. "Horo," he gasped, tears streaming down his face. "Please,
I'll do anything, just please don't leave me again! I don't know if my heart
can take it!"

"Wha-wha-what?"

Horo was TRULY baffled.

"What about Lyserg?"

Ren looked at
Horo. "I care about him, enough to not want to hurt him. But.... he let me
go." Still holding Horo's face in his hands, he said, "I love you
Horo. I couldn't love anyone else if I tried. Please.... don't leave me
again..."

"Hell
no," Horo got before he started sobbing again, and he buried his face in
Ren's shoulder, too relieved for words.

Ren held Horo
as he cried, stroking his blue hair softly. Never again was he going to let his
Horo go, and he'd hurt anyone who tried to break them apart. "I love you,
Horo," he said softly into his ear. "Now and forever."

Lyserg watched
the scene before him, feeling so broken hearted he could hardly stand it.

"I'm still weak," he whispered harshly, "I
wasn't strong enough to make him stay...for him to WANT to stay."

He turned, wanting to run away, wanting to put distance between
Horo and Ren and their eternal happiness.

But he bumped into Ryu instead, and he gave a gasp of
shock before he fell on his ass.

Having heard
what Lyserg had said, Ryu knelt down in front of him. "You are in no way
weak Lyserg," he said in a soft but firm voice. "because you had the
strength to let him go, putting his happiness before your own." He brought
his hand up to Lyserg's cheek, wiping away a tear that was rolling down the
boy's cheek. "You are stronger than any person I've ever known."

"If
that's true then why does it hurt so much? If I did it to make him happy...then
why aren't I happy that he's happy?" Lyserg babbled, feeling
disgusted with himself.

He turned away from Ryu's imploring face, not wanting the
other man to see him cry.

Hating having
to see the one he loved cry, Ryu wrapped his arms around the young man and held
him close. "If you need to cry Lyserg, cry," he said. "Do not
hold it in; it will only make it worse in the end. Believe me, I know."

"I'm...so...WEAK..."
He got out before dissolving into sobs, clutching at Ryu's shirt.

Not knowing
what else to do, Ryu just held the weeping boy. "It will be
alright..."

Ren continued
to hold Horo until the older man's sobs had quieted down. "Feeling better
love?" he asked softly, still stroking his blue hair with his fingers.

"A
little," he said, sniffling. He pulled back, face serious.

"Ren...is this...what you really want? Don't do this
because you think it'll make me happy...okay? I know I hurt you..." he
trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

Ren looked at
Horo, eyes sad. "You're right. You did hurt me. But that didn't stop me
from loving you. I just.... I need to know why. Why did you just up and leave
me like that?"

"Honestly?
...I was afraid."

Horo gave a nervous laugh. "I've never been in love
before...and...I...I didn't even know who I was Ren, I was still
changing...still making decisions about how I wanted to live my life. That was
just too much on my plate too soon. So I was a coward and I ran. Because...it
seemed like the only option."

"And....
have you decided what you want now?" Ren asked softly, his hand clenching
in his lap. "Do you know what you want to do with your life?"

Horo grinned.
"I've absolutely no idea."

He paused.

"But...I realized something. I can still figure out
who I am and who I want to be...loving you doesn't mean that I have to change
everything in my life - it just means I add something to it. A GOOD
thing."

Ren's eyes
filled with fresh tears. "You really mean that?" Letting out a happy
cry, Ren pushed Horo backwards into the snow. Seeing the white fluffy stuff
fall down around them, Ren remember them being like this, just one year ago.

Tears of happiness rolled down Ren's cheeks. "Gods,
I love you..." he whispered, letting his body drop against Horo's, kissing
his lips, not even noticing the cold snow anymore.

The next day...

Lyserg woke slowly, his head pounding. He attempted to open his
eyes, but the soft sunlight that filtered through the curtains burned his eyes,
and squeezed them shut with a groan.

"Ugh..." he mumbled, attempting to roll over.

And promptly fell off the couch with a squeak of surprise.

"What the...?" he started, but stopped when he noticed
that, not only was he not in his own bed, but that the warm body against his
back hadn't been Ren's.

Memories came rushing back to him, and he sighed, remembering.

After he'd let Ren go, he'd run into Ryu on his way leaving Anna
and Yoh's house, and cried like a baby. He must have fallen asleep in Ryu's
arms...embarrassing as that was, and Ryu had just curled up on the couch, too
nice to wake him up.

What a good friend, he thought,
reaching out a hand to shake Ryu's shoulder.

"Hey...hey wake up Ryu."

Ryu's face
scrunched slightly, before relaxing again. His ebony black hair no longer in
his usual hairstyle, it now laid straight around his face, making him younger
and more innocent than his twenty two years....

Lyserg tried
again. "Ryu! C'mon...wake up."

He shook his friend's shoulder harder.

"Lyserg..."
Ryu murmured softly, his face rolling over towards the green haired man.

"Yes.
It's me...now PLEASE wake up..."

"Why...
couldn't it have been me...." Ryu said softly, still in a deep sleep.

"Been
you what? Wake up you big doof!" Lyserg said, pouncing on his friend.
"It's morning!"

Ryu's eyes
widened and let out a sound of surprise. He shot straight up. "What
the...." He was cut off though when his lips accidentally connected with
Lyserg's.

Lyserg barely
registered the act, as, as soon as it'd happened, he'd given Ryu his right
hook.

It had just been a natural reaction.

"Oh! JEEZE! Ryu! I'm so sorry! Are you
alright?"

Lying on his
back again, Ryu rubbed his jaw, looking up at the younger man in amazement.
"You have an amazing right hook, my friend. Remind me not to piss you off."

Lyserg
grinned ruefully, feeling, to his immense astonishment, quite light hearted.

"Ryu...thanks...for last night I mean."

Ryu smiled
gently. "Think nothing of it. You needed a friend, and that's what I
am." His eyes saddened slightly, just enough for Lyserg to notice.

"Ryu...?"
Lyserg ducked his head, just enough to catch Ryu's eyes. "Hey...come
on...what's the matter? Is it...something I said last night?"

Ryu silently
cursed himself before smiling sadly. "It is nothing my friend. Just
thinking of something I'll never have." Ryu moved to push Lyserg off him.
He had to get away. His feelings for the green haired man were getting to him.

"No
damnit!" Lyserg swore, grabbing onto Ryu's shirtsleeve with surprising
force. "You listened to me last night then...the LEAST I can do is listen
to you now."

"I don't
want to talk about it!" Ryu snapped, his usually cheerful face now showing
anger, despair, and regret all within five seconds. Letting out a soft huff, he
looked away, suddenly looking tired. "I've dealt with this on my own for
five years. I'd prefer to keep it that way..."

Ryu..."
Lyserg said softly, confused. He looked away from the other's tall figure and
clinched his eyes shut, willing the tears back.

From the
kitchen, Horo watched the exchange with suppressed irritation. The two so
obviously had feelings for one another (though, admittedly, Lyserg was too
dense and heartbroken to notice them) and they were just dancing circle around
one another avoiding them.

He frowned deeply.

He knew first hand how hard it was to contain bottled up
feelings; and how much it hurt in the long run.

He silently resolved to help them in anyway he could.

"I'm
sorry I made you angry, Ryu." Lyserg murmured, "but...please...I do
want to help you. What can I do?"

Knowing he
would most likely regret it later, Ryu, still not looking at Lyserg, said
softly, "You once asked me why you never saw me with anyone. It is because
I'm in love with someone. I have been since the moment I laid eyes on him, but
right now, his heart belongs to someone else..."

Lyserg's eyes
grew a few sizes, and he swallowed thickly. "OH." he said, feeling
stupid.

"Well...he's an idiot then, for not seeing you for
what you are. You're a wonderful person Ryu; anyone would be lucky to have
you."

Ryu swallowed,
hating the feeling of anger he suddenly felt. If he was so wonderful, then why
hadn't Lyserg himself noticed him? Gently pushing Lyserg off him, Ryu stood,
trying to keep himself from shaking. "I must go relieve myself. Excuse
me." Not looking at the younger Shaman, Ryu made his way down the hall to
the bathroom.

Ren looked at
Horo worriedly, seeing the man's face full of anger. "Horo, calm
down...." he said, putting a hand on his lover's shoulder.

"Fuck
no!" Horo quietly hissed, "Your EX is being a dumbass! And Ryu's one
of my best friends!"

Horo made to go toward the living room.

Ren grabbed
Horo by the waist and pulled him back against him. "You have to let him
learn on his own!" Ren whispered in Horo's ear. "Lyserg is not
stupid. He has to realize sooner or later that it was HIM Ryu was talking
about."

"He's
STILL a dumbass," Horo relented, allowing Ren's words to sink in because
they were the truth. Still...

"Poor Ryu." He sighed, turning to gorge himself on the pancakes he
and Ren had started.

What he found was a wide-eyed Lyserg standing behind him,
face impossible to read.

"Me? He's talking about ME?"

Ren suddenly
felt like smacking himself and Horo. "Lyserg..." he started to say,
ready to lie and say no, but knowing the boy could read him like a book,
sighed. "Hai, he was talking about you."

Lyserg sank
to his knees in disbelief.

"Why...why didn't he ever tell me?" he asked in
a small voice. He buried his face in his hands.

"Jesus Christ...I can't handle this...I CAN'T!
Loosing Ren and then...Ryu...?" His voice had gone small, too small, and
before Ren or Horo could stop him he was to his feet again, sprinting out of
Yoh's house; uncaring of his lack of shoes and a coat.

He just had to get away for awhile.

He needed to clear his head.

"Oh
Kami-sama! LYSERG!!" Ren cried. "Come back!"

Ryu came out of the bathroom, hearing the front door slam
and Ren's cry. "What's going on?!?"

"Lyserg thinks he's lost you too!" Ren said frantically.
"He ran out, without shoes or a jacket, and it's below twenty degrees
out!"

"Oh shit..." Throwing on his shoes and his
leather jacket, Ryu yelled as he ran out. "I'll go look for him! Get Yoh
and Anna up!" The front door slammed behind him.

'Dammit Lyserg!' Ryu cursed, following the snow
footprints left behind by the green haired Shaman. 'As soon as I find you,
we're going to settle this!'

For the
third, maybe forth, time in two days Lyserg was sobbing. Sobbing so hard he
couldn't see, and he found himself tripping several times without reason.

It just wasn't fair. Why did everything in his life get
taken away? First his parents...and then Ren...and now...

"Ryu," he choked out, tripping again and landing
face first in the snow. He didn't seem to care; he just curled into a ball and
sobbed all the harder, wanting, for the first time in several years, for Hao to
finish what he had started.

Ryu continued
to follow the footprints, his long black hair blowing in the wind.
"Lyserg!" he yelled. He looked around before noticing a something
curled up in the snow.

"Shit!" Running over, Ryu dropped to the
ground, sitting up a crying Lyserg. "Lyserg...." Quickly taking off
his jacket, Ryu wrapped it around the man's shoulders. "Stop crying,
Lyserg, please...." he whispered, wiping his tears away. "I can't
stand to see you like this..."

"Why
didn't you tell me?!" Lyserg demanded violently, shoving at Ryu's warmth
weakly, "Why didn't you...tell me Ryu, why?"

"I was
going to tell you, but then you and Ren...." Ryu cupped Lyserg's cheek,
feeling how cold he was with his warm hand. "You seemed so happy with him.
I didn't want to ruin that, no matter how unhappy I was seeing you
together..."

"Damnit,
Ryu, still! I had the right to know!" Lyserg cried, knocking the other
man's hand away and surging up to capture Ryu's lips in a very intense kiss.

Ryu eyes
widened as he fell backwards and winced when the cold hit his arms, but he
didn't care. Lyserg was kissing him.

HIS Lyserg was kissing him.

Groaning, he pulled Lyserg's lips away, breathing
heavily. "Lyserg, am I just a.... I mean you and Ren just...."

Lyserg
frowned. "No. Don't bring Ren into this...this is between you and I, and
whatever it is, or...whatever it turns out to be has nothing to do with him.
I'm not saying I love you Ryu, because I don't."

He paused, the words sounding more blunt than he meant
them. "But...I want to give it a try. I want...to be with you Ryu."

Ryu stared at
Lyserg for a moment before replying. "Fine, we will try." He cupped
the back of Lyserg's head and pulled him forward. "But one day, I hope you
can love me.... as much as I love you." With that said, he sealed their
lips together.

Lyserg
grinned into the kiss, feeling a part of himself fill up that had been empty
and broken for a long time.

Is this...what love really feels like? Ryu...I'm
willing to try for you.

When the kiss broke, they stared at one another for a
moment, silent, content, before Lyserg threw his head back and laughed, the
boisterous sound bouncing off the snow laden trees.

"Come on...let's go back inside," he said,
laughter still dancing in his eyes.

Ryu laughed
also before picking Lyserg up and throwing him over his shoulder. "Fine, but
I am not letting you walk back with no shoes on."

Ren smiled as
he heard Ryu and Lyserg return, laughing. "I see Ryu was able to talk to
Lyserg," he said to Horo as they lay snuggled together on the couch, Ren
leaning back against the blue haired boy's chest.

"You
know what would be the perfect ending to this?" Horo asked, placing a kiss
to Ren's head.

"If Anna went into labor." He chuckled.

Ren
shruddered."Well, that won't be happening for a couple more months, thank
gods..." Grinning, he turned around and straddled Horo's lap. "You
know what I want to do right now? Something I haven't done in nearly a
year?"

"Hmm?"
Horo asked, rubbing lazy circles in Ren's back. He really, REALLY didn't want
to move. Ever.

Ren's eyes
slowly fluttered shut in pleasure. Leaning his forehead against Horo's he said,
"Well, I was going to say ice skating, but just being here with
you...." He opened his eyes as he placed his hands on the older man's
chest and smiled. "Just being here with you is way better."

Horo grinned.
"Oi...that's good then." he gave a great yawn and pulled Ren down on
the couch with him as he laid out, ready for a nap - even if it was just ten in
the morning.

Ren smiled
and snuggled into Horo's chest, resting his cheek on Horo's shoulder.
"Mmmm.... Horo?" Ren murmured softly as he felt arms tighten around
him, as if he would leave any minute. "I love you...."

"Mmm...love
you, too. Now shut up would ya sweetie? I'm trying to sleep."

Ren continued
to smile as he closed his eyes. Everything was alright now. He had Horo again,
Lyserg and Ryu were together, and even Yoh and Anna were happy.

And no matter what happened now, Ren knew that as long as
he had Horo by his side, they would get though anything.

.~*
CHRISTMAS *~.

Yoh looked
around at all his friends, feeling an immense sense of gratitude for all the
good things in his life.

Horo, Ren, Ryu, and Lyserg were the happiest he'd ever
seen them - and it showed in the way their faces glowed, reflecting the joy
this special day brought back to everyone around them.

"Hey, love, you'd think you'd want one of those for
your own someday for as much as you're holding it," he heard Lyserg
comment nervously. Ryu was holding Yoh's newborn son, just a few weeks old,
with the utmost adoration shining in his eyes.

Horo laughed. "Good thing Ren here doesn't have any
mommy urges - we'd make terrible parents!"

Ren flushed
as he watched Ryu holding Yoh's son, longing in his eyes. "I don't know
Horo," he said softly. "It wouldn't be so bad if we had a kid of our
own."

Ryu laughed at the surprised look on Horo's face.
"See there? You don't know Ren as well as you thought, isn't that right
kiddo?" he cooed to the baby.

The baby gurgled happily and grabbed Ryu's long hair,
which he had started wearing down since that day he and Lyserg got together.

"NO REN!
Say it isn't so! Say you don't want an annoying rug rat of your own!" he
wailed.

Lyserg promptly leaned over and flicked him on the
forehead, which sent everyone into peals of laughter.

Ryu chuckled.
"Here, try holding the 'rug rat' before you decide." Before Horo
could protest, Ryu placed the child in the blue haired man's arms.

"Cradle
his head," Anna instantly responded, ever the watchful mother. Yoh put an
arm around her and they shared a look.

Horo will be careful, trust him.

As for Horo, he didn't know quite what to make of the
little bundle in his arms. It was cute, he'd give it that, and...it smelled
okay now that Ryu had changed it's diaper but...

"Aww..." he cooed softly, taken with the
innocent way the baby had cuddled into his arms. It was kind of sweet, now that
it wasn't screaming.

"I think that baby's going to have five daddies."
Lyserg laughed, reaching over to rub the baby's soft head.

Ren laid his
head on Horo's shoulder, smiling. "You two look cute together, Horo.... It
wouldn't be so bad having a kid, don't you think?"

"I guess
not. But you are SO getting up with it in the middle of the night!"

Ren burst out
laughing, burying his nose in Horo's neck. "You know I'd do anything for
you Horo," he whispered so none of the other could hear.

Horo leaned
into him. "As I'd do for you." he whispered back, kissing Ren on the
head in a show of affection.

He took a moment to gaze about the room, seeing the eager
faces of the people he loved, that supported him. Even if there were to be
bumps in the road ahead, or mountains to climb, he knew they'd all be there for
one another - and he knew that, in this world filled with distrust, hate and
fear, any sort of family was a good one.

But Horo figured his family was the best.

Through his trails and tribulations he'd learned many
things, but most importantly that you can never run from who you are, or what
your heart really wants.

He smiled genuinely, his heart feeling so full he was
afraid it'd burst, and pulling Ren closer to his side, he let the past be what
it was.

The past.

It was of fire and ice - passion and pain - and while
those things could teach you, they could hurt you, too.

There'd been enough pain. Enough to spare for everyone.

He looked to the future and let his worry drop away.
Should he ever need a home, a place to stay, he had one, and that was enough.

Finally...it was enough.

~ fin

Kasey: So I hoped everyone liked our first co-write together. Email
comments to kasey_sanada@hotmail.com
or to Moenokori at niwa_daichan@hotmail.com.
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Of Fire and Ice