‘....’ Conversation in English

“....” Conversation in Japanese

Chapter 9

//Touma ... If only I had your strength with me now ... I wish I had both you and Kenji home, I hate not knowing what’s happening to both of you. I don’t know what I would do if something happened while I’m gone.//

Seiji took a deep breath, it had been a long trip back home and he was tired. The whole time on the plane, he kept thinking of his father, if he was going to make it back in time. But most of his thoughts and concerns centered around Touma. He was nervous leaving Touma behind, even though his friends were there to take care of him.

What also worried him was the stress Touma was under, he had seen the scars on the archer’s wrists, what if things became too much for him? Would he give up if they couldn’t find Kenji? Oh gods, Seiji could see their world falling apart piece by piece if Kenji was nowhere to be found. Thinking of these things made Seiji both physically and mentally tired.

He kept dozing off in the car while Shu drove him home even though his friend had tried to talk to him a few times, Seiji just couldn’t keep his eyes open for long. But then Seiji snapped awake the moment Shu pulled into the driveway of the Date household. Turning to his friend, Seiji gave him a weak smile. “Thanks for the ride, Shu. Sorry that it was at the last minute, I know you’re busy, but ...”

“No problem,” Shu pulled Seiji into a rough embrace. “I know how important it was for you to get back here as soon as you could and I know you’d do the same for any of us. Need any help with your bags?”

“I got them. Thank you again.” Seiji got out of the car and grabbed his bags out of the back seat.

“Give everyone a hug for me!” Shu called out to the blond as he raced up the steps to the house. Shaking his head, Shu drove out of the driveway, he had to get going, he was already late for work and he couldn’t stop to visit with the Dates. He wished that Touma could be there to comfort Seiji, the blond sure looked like he needed it.

Throwing the door open, Seiji tossed his bags to the side and ran upstairs to where his parents’ bedroom was, ignoring his sisters and their husbands who were in the front room. Once he got there, he saw his mother sitting on the side of the bed, talking softly to his father.

His heart wrenched in pain when he saw how frail his father looked. The strong man that Seiji still looked up to today, was now only strong in spirit. His body was thin and weak, his skin looking as white as a piece of paper and dark circles were under his eyes as if he couldn’t sleep at night.

It made Seiji want to cry at the thought of his father wasting away like this. His father had once been so strong, but his illness that had plagued him for years had reduced him to this. How his father had fallen so ill was unknown to him, it also scared him that the same could happen to him.

He could just imagine what it’d be like to see Touma’s pale face, blotchy and red from crying and grieving over his dying form. His bright blue eyes looking tired and heartbroken as Seiji slowly wasted away into nothing. And how he’d feel to know that there wasn’t anything he could do to comfort the archer, that he couldn’t even tell him that everything was going to be all right ... Shaking such thoughts from his head, Seiji settled his gaze on Mr. Date, who tried to sit up, but only fell back down when he saw Seiji.

“Seiji, I was almost afraid that I wouldn’t have the chance to see you again.” Mr. Date smiled at the sight of his only son.

“Father ... How could I not come home?” Tears flooded Seiji’s eyes as he went over to his father’s other side and grasped his hand. “Is there anything you need or want that I can get you? Just name it and I’ll do it in a heart beat.”

“I know you would, but you came home and you’ve finally found someone you truly love, Touma, right?”

“Yes ...”

“Then I could ask of no more of you, my dear son.” Mr. Date tightened his grip on Seiji’s hand the best he could.

“I’ll be downstairs if you need me,” Mrs. Date got up from where she was sitting and gave the father and son their privacy. “It’s good to see that you made it back home,” she said as she gave Seiji a kiss on the cheek before leaving.

Sitting at his father’s side, Seiji talked quietly with him, his body filled with pain at the thought that the man in front of him was dying. The whole time he kept a hold of his father’s hand. He kept thinking that it was too soon, his dad should’ve had several more happy years before he passed away. But here he was, laying in bed, unable to care for himself anymore and there was nothing that Seiji could do about it. Kourin could not heal illnesses and his father had already told him once that he did not want Seiji using his armor to try to help him.

Seiji couldn’t do anything to try to save him. He could bring Touma back from the dead, but he couldn’t help his dying father. Why was it that he could save one person he deeply cared about, yet he could not save the other? It was frustrating for Seiji to possess the armor of Kourin and not be able to use it to help his father.

The father and son talked of old times, tournaments Seiji had won, holidays they celebrated together, birthdays and those funny moments in life that you just can’t forget. They relived old memories, laughing and crying over them. Soon the topic moved to Seiji’s life, his father wanted to make sure that his son was truly happy with the decisions he had made.

Was he happy? The blond just smiled and nodded, the sincerity in his eyes was an answer enough for Mr. Date. How could he not be happy? He had Touma in his life again and that was all he truly needed.

Did he enjoy his work? Seiji did, he loved to teach and he had to confess that he liked to work in the dojo as well with the younger class.

Did he have any regrets leaving Ryo? Seiji shook his head and told his father that his heart and soul belonged to Touma and even though he loved Ryo for a long time, it could not compare to how he felt for Touma now.

Was the thought of having to help raise a four year old boy scare him? A little, he admitted, but Seiji reassured his father that Touma had been helping him. And if he needed to, he would always fall back on how a certain someone raised him. This got a cheerful grin from Mr. Date.

“You know that I’m proud you, don’t you?” Mr. Date looked at his son with pride and love. “I’ve never said it much when you were growing up, but everyday you’ve made me so proud of you. Even when you went against your grandfather’s wishes, I was proud of you. I remember that determined look in your eyes when you told all of us that you wanted to be a teacher and that you were going to live with Ryo. That took more courage than I even have. And when you brought Touma and Kenji over for Christmas Eve, you didn’t try to hid the affection you had for Touma in front of all of us. I truly couldn’t have asked for a better son.”

Tears filled Seiji’s eyes again. “And I could not have asked for a better father.”

“I love you, Seiji.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

His listen to his father talk for awhile, till his voice faded away. Looking up, Seiji smiled softly when he noticed that his father had fallen asleep. Tucking the blanks closer to Mr. Date’s thin form, Seiji planted a light kiss on his forehead. Needing sleep himself, he got up to go to his old room, then stopped. Picking up an extra blanket off the foot of the bed, Seiji curled up on a nearby chair and let exhaustion take over.

================================================================

Kenji sat at the top of the stairs, it was past his bedtime, but he couldn’t sleep. He was going to go into the kitchen for some water when he heard voices downstairs. He knew his mother was talking with her friend, but he really didn’t care. At least he was on speaking terms with his momma, but he still hated her for what she had done to his father and for taking him away.

Usually when his papa and Seiji were in the living room talking, Kenji would sit in the hall and listen, he liked to hear them talk to each other. They would talk about what their future might be like, of their friends and family, tell each other that they loved one another and even talk about Kenji and the possibility of adopting another child so he’d have a little brother or sister to play with.

Sometimes though the conversation would grow silent and there were other sounds Kenji couldn’t describe. That’s when he knew it was time for him to go back to bed, that kind of time was only for his papa and Seiji.

Now he could hear his mother talking with another woman. At first he wasn’t very interested and he was going to go to get his water, but then they started talking about his father. Sitting as still and as silently as he could, he listened in on what they were saying. His small heart was racing in his chest, he wanted to know more about why his father was dead and was almost scared to find out.

'You've got to be kidding me ... I saw it. He was shot right in the chest, there was no way he could've survived or recovered so quickly.'

'I know what I saw. How many blue haired, pale as hell, Japanese men are out there in the world? And I know what he looks like, it was Touma, I know it.'

Grace quickly swallowed the rest of the amber liquid in her glass, trying to calm the shaking in her hands. Gods, this was just too much. How could Touma have survived? He looked pretty dead when they left him there, laying on the floor in a puddle of his own blood. And who came to save him?

Yes, she had to admit that she was happy to hear that he was alive. Grace loved Touma, everything about him was perfect. But the problem was that he probably hated her now for what she had done. Of course he would hate her! She tried to have him killed and ran off with his kid to England. All she had to do now was run over Seiji, his blond lover, to make Touma come after her with death on the mind.

'To make things even more interesting, he called me yesterday.' Angela smiled as she refilled Grace's glass with her finest aged brandy, knowing that her friend was probably scared to death by now. Who wouldn’t? Grace had been thoroughly convinced that Touma was dead and now Angela had seen him alive at the airport. 'He wants to talk with me.' Leaning closer to her friend, Angela grinned wickedly. 'I have the most wonderful idea, Sarah.'

'Don't call me that,' Grace snapped. She emptied her glass again and held it out for more, her hands trembling even more than before. She could just imagine how furious Touma was. He was going to kill her, she just knew it. Her doctor had warned her about drinking in the past, but hell, she was going to die a horrible, horrible death once Touma found her, so why stop drinking now?

Angela pouted and tilted her head. 'What? You don't want to hear my idea? That's rather rude you know.'

'I don't give a damn! Do you know what Touma is going to do to me when he finds me? He's going to take Kenji and then break me in two! I had him shot, for god's sake! I tried to kill him ...' Getting up from her seat, she paced around, sweat beginning to form on her forehead. ‘Touma was dead ... I saw him die! Matsuji killed him ... How could he have survived!? It’s not possible!’

‘Are you done yet?’

‘No! Oh gods, this is bad ...’

Angela watched her friend, a clear look of boredom on her face. 'Now, if you're done going off like a mad woman, will you let me talk?' Before Grace could reply, Angela went on. 'What do you want more than anything? Be honest now, I know when you tell a lie.'

'I want Touma to love me and not that damn blond!' Grace spat out the last word bitterly. She hated Seiji though she had never met him before. It had always made her so jealous that all those years Touma was still in love with him even though Seiji had cheated on him. And yet he couldn’t love her, who had been his friend and was the mother of his child! 'I want him to stay with me! I'm the one who had his son, Touma belongs to me.' Sitting back down, she slumped in her chair. ‘I wish he’d see how much I really do love him, that I would do anything for him now ...’

'Then your wish is my command.' Withdrawing a small bottle from her jacket pocket, she tossed it to Grace.

'What the hell is this?' Grace asked as she caught the bottle and stared at the transparent liquid.

'It's magic. It's the thing that'll give you Touma.' Angela winked and chuckled softly. 'I promise you, by tomorrow afternoon, Touma Hashiba will be all yours.'

Could it be true? Was his father really alive? Kenji began to tremble slightly, there was still hope. He had learned a lot of English from his mother, though he always spoke Japanese, and he found that he could understand nearly everything they were saying. That lady his mother called Angela had said that she had seen his father alive, so he must be all right. But if his papa was alive, then why hadn’t he come to get Kenji yet? What was he waiting for?

Maybe his father had to go find Seiji. Or maybe he was going to buy him some presents first to try to make up for all that he went through. Why didn’t his papa understand that he didn’t care if he got every single toy he ever wanted, he just wanted his papa and Seiji back.

Or it could be that his father didn’t want him anymore. He and Seiji could have decided that they didn’t need a little boy and let his mother take him away. His father could’ve stopped loving him and maybe just stopped caring about him.

Running into his room, Kenji jumped onto his bed and buried his face in his pillow, tears coming out at the thought that his father and Seiji had abandoned him in a strange place with his momma. He hoped his father and Seiji would come for him soon and all of his worries were false. His missed Papa and Seiji, he missed their small house, he missed his aunt’s and uncle’s, he missed his Grammy, Grampa and Grandfather Date, he missed it all.

“Papa? If you’re really alive, then why haven’t you come to get me yet? Don’t you still love me?”

================================================================

‘Touma, here’s your coffee, black of course, and your blueberry pancakes, just the way you like it.’

Liz put the mug and plate in front of Touma, trying to cheer him up some. The young man was gloomier ever since Seiji left and she getting seriously worried about him. She knew he hadn’t been getting a lot of sleep or been eating very well. With all the stress already on the archer, Liz didn’t know how long he could go on like this.

Going back over to the stove, she finished frying the rest of the pancake batter. Djinn would get herself out of bed soon and there was no doubt she was going to be hungry. Glancing back at Touma over her shoulder, she frowned slightly at the lost look on his face.

‘I hope you like it, you look like you could use something good to eat. Is there anything else you’d like?’

‘No thanks Liz, everything is really good. You’re just as good of a cook as my friend back in Japan, Shin, is.’ Touma gave her a half smile and silently ate his breakfast while flipping through the newspaper.

‘TOUTOU!’ Djinn came bounding into the kitchen, violently throwing her arms around him. Touma leaned forward and began to cough, he had nearly choked on his coffee as the hyper woman pounced him. Rubbing his back soothingly, Djinn pouted and gazed into his stormy blue eyes. ‘Is TouTou okay?’

Muttering a few Japanese curses and glaring at her, Touma replied, ‘I don’t know a TouTou, but I, TOUMA, am all right now.’

‘Great!’ Djinn sat down next to him and began devouring the food in front of her. Liz just smiled and took her seat on the other side of Touma, eating her breakfast as well. ‘So, TouTou,’ Djinn said between bites, ‘what’re you going to do today? Try to look up this Sarah Miller gal?’

Touma nodded solemnly. ‘Something to that effect. I’m going to leave after I finish up breakfast here, I’ll be back for dinner though.’

Touma was going to be meeting up with an old acquaintance of his. Angela had been surprised to hear from him and was eager to meet him for lunch. He was hoping that she might know something about Grace and Kenji. If anyone would know, it would be her, she and Grace were practically sisters.

Once he found Grace though, Touma really didn’t know what he was going to do. How could he just walk up to the woman who tried to get him killed and demand his son back? He was hoping that he’d be able to reason with her, but if Matsuji was still around, then something similar as to what happened before might occur. And this time he wouldn’t have Seiji to save him.

'Need any company?' Liz asked, wondering if it was a wise idea to let him go out by himself. ‘Djinn and I would be happy to come along with you, at least we’d be of some help, other than providing room and board.’

‘Yeah, let us help and if we don’t get anywhere, we can drown our sorrows at home with a bottle of wine or vodka or whiskey or something with alcohol in it. That always makes me happier.’

Liz raised an eyebrow. ‘You’re a bloody drunk, that’s why! Any kind of alcohol makes you happy! You really need to cut down before you kill yourself.’

‘Geez, don’t be such a mom.’

‘I am not! I can’t help it if I’m a responsible drinker and you’re not.’

Djinn gasped in shock. ‘How dare you say that I’m not responsible?!’

Liz glared right back at Djinn. ‘The last Christmas part my boss had. Remember? You, a lamp shade on your head, a sheet as a cape and bottle of vodka!’ At this point Touma had to clamp a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing at Djinn, he could just imagine her just the way Liz had described her.

‘Oh yeah ... I guess I do get out of hand sometimes ...’

‘You guess!? Thank god that I didn’t fired for what you did that night! And I’m surprised you haven’t tried to make your coffee Irish yet!’

‘Who says I haven’t already?’ Djinn grinned widely as Liz shook her head and rolled her eyes.

‘Still haven’t gotten off the bottle yet?’ Touma chuckled softly. The last time he had seen Djinn drunk, she had more or less molested him in the middle of a party, right in front of the astronomy professor of the university. Though she tended to do that even when she was sober and it didn’t seem to matter to her where she chose to occasionally grope his ass.

‘Hey, do you see me sitting on some bottle? For your information, I haven’t had a drink since ... Um ... A couple of days ago. So anyway, onto more important issues, do you want us come with you? We’re damn good company and I know a 101 car songs we can sing on the way!’

'No, thanks for the offer though. And thanks for breakfast, Liz, can't think of the last time since I had such great pancakes.' Finishing the rest of his coffee, Touma left the table and went back into his room.

Liz looked over to her friend with worry in her eyes. 'Djinn, is it just me, or do you have this sinking feeling in you that something is going to happen?'

'Rest assure that you're not alone on that feeling,' Djinn replied, picking at the rest of her pancake.

About an hour later Touma left, he wanted to leave early. The sooner he got information on Grace, the sooner he could go back to searching for Kenji. He just hoped that Angela would know something, anything that might him. He idly wondered if she knew what Grace’s real name was, for some reason he just couldn’t stop thinking about that.

As Touma drove the car he borrowed from Djinn, his thoughts drifted to Seiji. This had to be such a hard time for the blond and Touma longed to be with him. But fate had a different plan and the archer had to continue his search for his son while his love had to suffer without him. While he had to suffer with his love.

Everything had been going so perfect. Touma had everything he could ever hope for; his son, Seiji, good friends, great sex. What more could one person ask for? Life was perfect and to top it all off, they had a house. Now the world was once more crumbling from under his feet and there was nothing he could do about it.

Was their love strong enough to make it through this though? Fate had allowed them to come back together after six years of separation and had let Seiji save him from death. But fate was also very cruel to Touma. After the blond had found love for him in his heart, would it all of a sudden be taken away? Once before Touma was convinced that Seiji had loved him, yet that proved to be false.

Could it happen again? Even after all the times Seiji had reassured Touma that he loved him, could that love prove to be weak during times like this? Was he going to come home from England to find Seiji in someone else’s bed like he had before? Was history destined to repeat itself? Maybe he was meant to be alone, maybe Seiji’s heart and soul were something’s that Touma could never truly have no matter how badly he wanted and needed them.

//No, I can’t think like that. This is ridiculous Seiji loves me, he told me so, he wouldn’t lie to me. I trust Seiji, he would never hurt me like that ever again. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past, I fully trust Seiji now and he loves me, I know he does. Hell, blondie bought me a house of all things for us to live in. He loves me. He loves me, not Ryo ... Or at least I think so ... No! He only loves me.// Touma shook his head. //I can’t believe that I’m still jealous of Ryo. I guess you can’t get over something’s in life.//

Pulling off to the side of the road, Touma checked his map and the directions Angela gave him. He wanted to make sure that he was going the right way before he got hopelessly lost in a foreign country. Sighing, he rubbed his face and yawned, he was still tired, he hadn’t gotten the large amount of sleep that he was used to getting. Looking out the car window, Touma stared out at the clouds, smiling fondly up at the sky and the bright sun.

He sat there for awhile, thinking of the different shapes the clouds looked like. It was one of the few things Touma did as a child to keep his mind off things, so he wouldn’t have to worry about what tomorrow would bring. He tried to keep track of what he saw in the clouds. So far he had seen a dragon, an angel, a horse, a whale and one that kind of reminded him of Tenku.

//Hey! That cloud sort of looks like Seiji!// Touma blinked a couple times at that thought. “My god, I miss him so much I’m even seeing Seiji in the clouds. Damn I’m lonely,” he said out loud. //Oh wow! That cloud almost looks like Seiji’s ... No! If I think about that I’m going to be both lonely and horny! Certainly not a good combination!//

Starting back up the car, Touma tried to keep himself from thinking too much. He found that too often his thoughts would go to either Seiji or Kenji. His heart ached with loneliness, he missed both of them so much. There was nothing that he longed for more than to have his son back and to be in Japan with Seiji at their house. To have things back to the way they were before this whole miss happened.

After what seemed like forever, Touma pulled up in front of a large house. It was outside of the city and surrounded by the beautiful country land, sparsely populated in this area. It reminded him a little bit of the mansion that Nasuti owned, since it was surrounded by a forest, giving it more of a peaceful look.

He almost couldn’t believe that Angela lived there, when she was going to the university, she and Grace could barely afford their apartment, mostly because Angela was never good with keeping a steady job. Getting out the car and walking up the path to the house, he knocked loudly and waited for her to answer.

It had been such a long time since he last seen her, he wondered if he’d recognize her. It didn’t take long for her to come to the door and let him in. Touma was rather surprised to see that Angela really hadn’t changed much over the years, she almost looked the same as when he last saw her.

The regular cheerful greetings were exchanged and she led him into the living room. ‘Just sit down where ever you want. I’m going to go get some tea.’ She smiled gently at him and disappeared into the kitchen.

Taking a seat on the couch, Touma looked around the house. Angela was very well off, though he didn’t know why she had such a big home, it didn’t look like she was married or had any children, Angela just wasn’t that kind of person. He could be mistaken though, so he didn’t want to be rude and ask.

She came back with a tray that had some tea and cookies on it. Setting it down on a nearby table, she sat down on one of the chairs. ‘So Touma, what brings you here? It’s been a long time.’

‘It has been a long time ... Well, I came here because awhile ago Grace took our son Kenji and the last place she was seen at was in England. I know you two were close so I was thinking that maybe you knew where she might be.’

Angela looked at Touma critically. ‘So you think that I had something to do with Grace kidnapping your son?’

‘No! Of course not! I just need to know if Grace contacted you or told you anything. Please, if there’s anything you know, anything that could just possibly help me, please, tell me.’ Touma could feel his eyes begin to water and fought hard not to start crying right then and there.

Angela then understood why Grace had fell so hard for Touma. That sweet, saddened look on his face made her want to break down and tell him all that she knew. The raw emotions on that face could not have been forged and Angela could almost feel her heartbreaking for him. She could see why Grace had thought that he would make such good prey, but Angela didn’t cave in, she had been told that this man was unusually strong willed.

‘Touma, I’m sorry, but I really don’t know anything. The last time I heard from Grace was when she was in Japan and she told me that you had been murdered. Hm, why would she tell me that?’ Angela hoped to get an answer to why Touma was still alive, Grace was not one to leave a job half finished. And even if he had been shot, he wouldn’t be able to travel as much with that wound.

Shrugging slightly, Touma replied, ‘I can’t help you there. I don’t know why she would say that either. So, are you sure that there isn’t anything that you can tell me, anything at all?’

‘I’m sorry Touma, but I don’t know anything.’

‘All right then. Thank you for your time, but I should be going now.’

‘What? You’re not even going to stay for a little bit? I’m going to be having lunch soon, wouldn’t you like to stay?’ Angela asked slightly alarmed, she couldn’t let him go now or then her plan would be ruined.

‘I really need to be going. Thank you again.’ Touma smiled faintly and was about to go when he heard the front door open and then slam shut.

“Momma!? I’m back! I don’t wanna play in the woods no more!” The voice of a young boy called out, speaking fluent Japanese.

Angela cursed under her breath, Kenji was supposed to be in the forest playing. What was he doing back? Grace had clearly instructed him to stay in the backyard till she came to get him. Now things really were beginning to fall apart for them. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Touma felt his heart stop for a second, he knew that voice better than he knew Seiji’s or his own. “KENJI!?” Running towards the front room, he ran straight for the little boy who was standing by to the door and taking off his stiff coat. Sweeping him up into his arms, Touma held the boy close. His tears soaked his son’s stunning blue and small arms snaked around his neck, hugging him back.

“Papa? Papa? You live! You’re not dead!” Kenji sobbed as he tightened his grip on his father. “I didn’t know if I could see you ... Momma said you die ... I was scared, Papa, that I couldn’t see you or Seiji. Where’s Seiji? Is Seiji okay?”

“Seiji’s fine, he’s back in Japan. We’ll see him soon though. We’re going home, I promise.” Touma kissed his son’s forehead and closed his eyes. He was so relieved that his son was finally safe in his arms again. Now they could go home to Seiji. //I’ll be seeing you soon, love, both Kenji and I are coming home.//

“Papa? Why didn’t you come sooner? Why come now?” Kenji asked, curious as to why it took his father so long to find him.

“I would’ve come sooner, but I couldn’t find you, I couldn’t find you where ever I went.” More tears rolled down Touma’s cheeks. “But now I found you and we’re going to go home.”

A sharp needle then plunged into Touma’s side and he gave a small yelp of pain. Almost as soon as it went in, the needle was jerked out, leaving his side stinging. Clumsily turning around, Touma stared at Grace and the syringe she was holding loosely in her hand.

“I’m afraid that I can’t let you go back. See, that would interfere with what I have planned for you, Touma.”

“Gr-Grace? W-What did you ...” Touma couldn’t finish his sentence as he stumbling a bit, the room felt like it was spinning and he couldn’t stay on his feet. He clung tight onto his son, the only thing on his mind now was to protect Kenji.

Only after a few seconds, Touma fell backwards, smacking his head against the wall and slowly slid down it till he reached the floor. He could barely hear Kenji crying in panic, begging Touma to answer him. Blinking a few times, he tried to focus his sight on the small face in front of him.

“Ken?” Touma’s voice was slurred and unsteady. His vision was beginning to blur slightly and his muscles felt heavy and was unable to move them.

Grace knelt down next to him, her soft hand was stroking his cheek while in the other was a new syringe, filled with some clear liquid. Slowly she eased it into his arm, while whispering soothing things into his ear and pulled it back out. He heard none of it as he tried to struggle away from her, to get himself and Kenji far away from this place as possible, but he could no longer move his body.

He wanted to scream when he felt someone take Kenji from his arms. Weakly he tried to keep his hold on his son, however his body would not cooperate with him. His eyes stung with tears, this time he could hear his son’s wailing and could feel his panic and fear. A small sob of anger escaped Touma, he wanted Kenji back, someone had taken the boy away from him again and again he was helpless, unable to save his child.

“Just calm down, dear.” Grace whispered, her lips barely touching the sensitive skin of Touma’s ear. The hand that had been stroke his cheek cupped his face and brought it towards hers. Kissing his stilled lips, she watched as his eyes finally closed once the drugs took over. Looking up at her friend, she said, ‘Put Kenji up in his room, I can deal with Touma.’

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO PAPA!? YOU KILL HIM!! WHY DID YOU DO THAT? WHAT DID PAPA DO TO YOU?” Kenji was screaming at his mother, furious that she did this for the second time.

“Baby, I didn’t do anything to your papa,” Grace wanted to reassure him. “Don’t worry, he’s going to wake up soon and then he’ll be all better. You have my word of honor, Kenji.”

Wiping his tears in his shirt sleeve, he looked at his momma distrustfully. “He’ll be totally better?”

“One hundred percent better!” Grace smiled and nodded. “Now just let Aunty Angela take you to your room and you go take a nap now.” She watched as Angela took her now silent son upstairs and looked back down at Touma. Kissing his cheek, she ran her hand through his soft hair and her smiled became even bigger at the thought of keeping this man all to herself, not having to worry about anything taking him away. “Now things are going be the way they’re supposed to be. No one is ever going to take you away from me, darling, you belong to me now.”

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Seiji laid on his stomach as he watched his niece and nephew play Go Fish on the floor. Satsuki’s son, Shiro, looked to be winning, but Seiji had a feeling that his older sister, Inori, was letting him win. Despite what a good parents Satsuki and her husband were, their son was almost too hard to handle sometimes. It wasn’t that Shiro was spoiled ... well, he was. Still, he loved these kids and he was thrilled to see Yayoi’s baby boy for the first time too. He was glad that Yayoi had her baby in time for their father to see him before it was too late.

He smiled at the five and six year old playing. He loved his family with all of his heart, but a good part of it was missing. Touma and Kenji weren’t there and it didn’t feel right not having them with him. And concern was chewing on his soul, Touma didn’t call him yesterday. If Touma didn’t call sometime today, then he was just going to have to call him in England.

Glancing up, he noticed his grandfather watching him from his seat in the corner of the room. Getting up from the floor, Seiji took the chair next to his grandfather and they sat there in silence for awhile. Seiji didn’t know how Grandfather felt about his lifestyle or the fact that he hadn’t fully taken over the dojo.

Seiji didn’t want to be a disappointment to his grandfather, he had always sought his approval before and it was still important to him now, though not as much. It took him a great amount of strength to stand up to his family and them what he wanted in life. That he wasn’t going to follow whatever plan they had for his future. He didn’t know how his grandfather had felt about it all, if he was angry like his mother had been at the time or proud like his father was.

Though it did help ease Seiji’s fears when he saw his grandfather talking with Touma on Christmas Eve. He over heard the old man urging Touma to put Kenji into a martial arts class, he had even offered to give the boy free lessons at the dojo. His grandfather had told Touma that he saw much potential in Kenji and what a shame it would be to lose such a gift. And his grandfather didn’t even say that about his own grandchildren who were older than Kenji!

Even if his grandfather disapproved of him living with Touma, at least he had taken a liking to Kenji. Yet it was hard not to love the little boy. And Seiji was fairly confident that Grandfather also liked Touma, or his grandfather wouldn’t have told his lover all those stories about the blond when he was younger. His grandfather had even let him buy that house from them, that had to mean something.

“I’ve noticed that you haven’t been on the phone with Touma for a day, has it? Is everything all right?” Grandfather asked, breaking the silence between them. Seiji could hear a touch of worry in his voice, which surprised him.

Seiji sighed softly. “I don’t know, but if he doesn’t call soon then I’m going to try and contact him. I hope nothing happened to him.”

“I hope so too,” Grandfather gently patted Seiji’s shoulder.

“Grandfather! Shiro hit me!” Inori ran up to her great grandfather and climbed up onto his lap. She hid her face in his chest and peeked out to glare at her younger brother and to stick her tongue at him.

“Inori, that wasn’t very lady like.” Grandfather scowled lightly, then looked over at the five year old boy and said in a stern voice, “And you, young man, are not to strike out at your sister, do you hear me? There is no honor in striking a woman when you’re not sparring with her. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir.” Shiro replied softly before scampering off into the other room, looking for his mother.

“Children these days ...” Grandfather smirked at Seiji. “You wouldn’t have even dared to hit one your sisters.”

“I know I wouldn’t have! I’ve never had a death wish!” Seiji laughed.

“Seiji?” His mother called for him, the blond went into the kitchen and promptly was given a tray. On it was some chicken soup, soft bread and tea, his father had always been fond of Western food. “Will you go take this to your father? He must be hungry by now, I’m running a bit late today.”

“I’m sure he’s fine, Mother.” Seiji took the tray upstairs to the bedroom his parents shared. Carefully he opened the door and walked in, not spilling a drop of soup from the bowl. Putting the tray down on the small table next to the bed, he checked to see if his father was still awake.

His father’s eyes were closed and a peaceful look over his features. Seiji smiled, it had been some time since his father’s rest had been this peaceful. The blond didn’t want to disturb him, so he’d just have to take the tray back down to the kitchen, his father could eat when he woke up.

However something didn’t feel right. The room was silent when it was usually filled with the raspy sound of his father’s breathing. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Seiji felt a pain in his chest when he noticed how still his father was. There was no rise and fall of his chest and his body was now cold. It was like when he had found Touma dead on the floor of Grace’s house.

Maybe he was just imagining things, maybe his father was really asleep. Gently shaking his father’s shoulder, Seiji tried to wake him up. “Father? Wake up, Mother made you lunch, she made your favorite soup.” His eyes misted over when he got no response. “Father? Please get up ... Father? Please don’t leave me now ...” His voice cracked with emotion as he began to sob uncontrollably. “Father ... I love you ...”

Gathering up his wits, Seiji left the room and went downstairs. He found his family in the dining room, getting ready for their own lunch. Standing in the doorway, he watched them going about their everyday routine. He didn’t want to tell his family about Father, he didn’t want to ruin their meal or shatter their hearts.

“Seiji, sit down, lunch is ready.” His mother smiled at him, but then it slowly melted away when she saw the look on Seiji’s face. “What’s wrong, dear? Is everything all right?”

“Uncle Seiji, are you sad?” Inori walked up to her uncle and wrapped her tiny hand around his.

“I ... I just needed to tell you ... That Father ... Father won’t be getting up today ... Father passed away ...”

Mrs. Date gasped and everyone else was silent. Then Inori started crying and ran to her mother, who was crying too. It began a chain reaction of tears and realization of what Seiji had told them. Seiji stood there watching his family for only another minute before he ran back upstairs.

Seiji spent the rest of the day in the room he spent a good part of his childhood in as everyone in the house was weighed down in grief as well. They had already taken his father’s body away, but Seiji still didn’t move from his spot on his bed. The blond stared blankly at the wall, laying limply on his bed. It almost didn’t seem real to him, as if his father was going to yell from downstairs that it was dinner time or that it was time for his kendo practice.

At least when Touma had died, Seiji was able to bring him back. He was able to save his love from death, but he could not save his father. Seiji didn’t know what hurt more, that his father had died or that he couldn’t do anything. Even gifted with the armor of Kourin, there was nothing that he could do.

“Seiji.” Grandfather sat down in the chair next to his bed and looked at his devastated grandchild. “I know what you’re feeling right now, but there really wasn’t anything any of us could do for him.”

“I could save Touma and I couldn’t save him.” Seiji whispered. His grandfather knew the story of when Touma had died and that Seiji brought him back.

“Touma’s life was taken from him, he didn’t have the chance to really live yet. Your father knew what was coming and he accepted it. He already lived his life and he was happy when he left us. Take your time to grieve, Seiji, but don’t forget about those who need you and love you.” After affectionately ruffling Seiji’s hair he got up and left the blond to think.

As soon as he heard the door shut, Seiji sat up and grabbed the phone sitting on his night stand. Snatching the scrape of paper Touma had jotted down the number for Liz and Djinn’s apartment, he started dialing the number. The phone bill was going to go through the roof, but he’d pay his mother back later.

He had to know what was going on with Touma, he had to talk to him and hear his sweet voice again. He needed to spill out to his love all the emotions in him, he needed Touma to tell him what he was feeling.

//Please be there, Touma ... I need you.//

Djinn sat at the table with her millionth cup of coffee and was resisting the urge to pour some alcohol in it. Liz was staring at her watch, counting off the seconds as they passed, she gave up on coffee an hour ago and was staying up by pure will. They were both going mad with worry, Touma left, saying he’d be back by dinner and he never came back.

‘Maybe aliens got him. Tall, blond aliens with violet eyes,’ Liz suggested out of the blue. ‘They took him up in their spaceship and are having their way with him. Right now they’re taking him back to their home planet where they’ll give him immortality and make him into a god.’

Scooting her chair farther away from Liz, Djinn stared at her warily. ‘And you accuse me of being an alcoholic. What the hell have you been drinking, woman!? Are you holding out on me again? Or have you been smoking something when I got to the bathroom, huh? Aliens,’ Djinn snorted. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me! Touma was taken by a tribe of horny blondes and a shrine was made to him.’

The phone began to ring, causing both girls to jump out of their seats and fight over it. Djinn managed to claw it out of Liz’s hand and triumphantly answered it.

‘Touma!? Is that you!?’ She practically shouted.

“Hello? May I speak to Touma.” A Japanese voice asked and Djinn could not understand a single word of it.

‘Oh bloody hell, he's speaking Japanese. Here, you win, take it. I’m pretty sure it’s Seiji cause I can’t understand what this guy is saying.’

Liz took the phone with a smirk. “Hello? Seiji?”

“Liz! Is Touma there?”

“Um ... Well, that’s the funny thing that’s been going on here ... We sort of lost Touma for the time being.” Liz winced at her own words and was glad that Seiji wasn’t there to strangle her.

“What do you mean you lost him!?” Seiji snapped. “How could you lose him? Where is he? Where did Touma go?”

“If we knew where he was he wouldn’t be lost! I’m sorry, but he went out the other day, he said he’d be back for dinner and we haven’t seen him since. He hasn’t called or anything. We don’t know where the hell his is and we’re both worried sick!” Liz tried hard to not start crying with frustration, it had been hard for both her and Djinn to cope with all of this.

“All right, I’ll try to be there as soon as I can. I’ll give you my number so you can call me just encase Touma does show up.” Once he gave Liz his number, he hung up and buried his face in his hands.

How could this happen? It wasn’t like Touma to disappear without telling anyone where he was going. So many possibilities as to where Touma might be or what could’ve happened to him flew in his mind. The only thing Seiji knew for sure was that he needed to go back to England and find Touma. He probably wouldn’t be able to make it to his father’s funeral, but he would understand.

Seiji couldn’t forget about the person who loved and needed him the most.

================================================================

Something pulled him out of his sleep, even though he didn’t want to get up right now. Slowly he managed to open his eyes, one at a time. Everything around him was so unfamiliar and frightening, he wanted to go back to sleep, he didn’t want to be here. Clutching the blankets on him closer to his body, he sunk his head deeper into the pillows under him. It was then did he become mindful of the fact that he wasn’t wearing any clothes and he was laying in someone’s bed. Or maybe it was his own bed, he didn’t know.

A movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Turning his head towards it, he saw a pretty young woman walking into the room, closing and locking the door behind of her. She wore an almost see through white robe and apparently nothing else. When she saw that he was awake, she smiled and went over to the bed, laying down next to him, nuzzling his neck.

“It’s about time you woke up, you must’ve hit your head very hard.” Her fingertips glided over a bump on his head.

He flinched in pain. “What happened? Who are you? Where am I? Who am I?”

She frowned, “You don’t remember anything?”

“No.”

“I’m Grace, your wife, you’re Touma Hashiba and you’re in our bedroom. I’m not sure what happened, I think you must’ve fell down the stairs or something. My poor baby,” she kissed his forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” Touma glanced at his left hand and sure enough, there was a thin, gold band there. “I just can’t remember a single thing.”

“Well, then maybe I can help jog your memory.” Grace’s hand slipped under the covers and began to massage the area between his legs. She grinned when she saw his eyes flutter shut and a moan escaped his parted lips. Roughly pumping the piece of flesh in her hand, Grace pulled back the covers and rolled on top of Touma’s nude body.

Guiding Touma's hand, she let it rest on her breast, pleased at how Touma began playing this her nipple. She tightened her grip on Touma and commanded him to spread his legs farther apart, which he did obediently. Fondling his balls, Grace smirked as she watched him squirm with pleasure. Lowering her lips onto his chest, she bit down on one of his nipples while her thumb teased the slit in his penis.

Letting go of him long enough to get rid of her robe, she then shamelessly rubbed herself against his now hard sex. Positioning him at her entrance, she let him slip the head of his member into her and that was it. “Do you like that Touma? Do you want more?”

“Yesss,” Touma hissed, opening his eyes again and arching his back, trying to go in farther and growled when she pressed his hips back down onto the bed. His breath came in small pants and his bright blue eyes were clouded over as if he were daydreaming. Unconsciously he whispered, “... Seiji ...”

Grace swiftly slapped him across the face, snapping him out of his trance. He stared at her with shock for a few moments, then Grace injected a needle into his arm and took it out. Touma had no idea what she was trying to do, but he was scared. The world was getting fuzzy and he could barely feel Grace rubbing his face.

“I really didn’t want to have to use this, believe me when I say this. I’m just doing this for your own good.” Leaning closer to him, she said, “You are to never speak that name again. You don’t know anyone by the name of Seiji. Do you?”

“No,” Touma’s voice was faint, “no one by that name.”

“Good boy.”

She carefully impaled herself on Touma and rode him torturously slow. Digging her nails into his skin, she held his hips down, telling him who was in control of the situation. Despite Touma being drugged, he was still the best man Grace had ever gone to bed with. His weak moans and struggles just turned Grace on more and her ride became faster and roughed. She was so lost in her pleasure that she ignored that Touma was beginning to whimper with pain.

It didn’t take long for her to climax and soon after that Touma’s seed filled her. He was hardly even conscious anymore and fell into another deep sleep. Getting off of him, Grace cleaned herself and Touma. She couldn't remember a time, other than her first with Touma, when she had felt this good, totally satisfied by the man under her.

Climbing back into bed with him, she pulled the blankets over them. Wrapping her arms firmly around him, she tucked his hair behind his ear and kissed his cheek. “I love you Touma.”

<<>>

Hiruma: I finished this chapter WOOHOO!!!

Touma: HOW COULD YOU!? YOU KILLED SEIJI’S DADDY!!!!! YOU’RE SICK!!!

Seiji: AND THAT BITCH TOUCHED MY TOUMA!?!?!?!

Hiruma: EEP! *Hides under bed.* Well, I hope you liked the chapter ... I know they didn’t ... So, please review ... Before I die ...

Seiji&Touma: GET BACK HERE YOU BITCH!!!!