Scene 1 : He likes to spy

He was always watching.

He hadn't really meant to spy, really, didn't even mean to drop by. Everyone knew of the weird family who lived at the west side of Kyaro town. The old man who was practically a hermit, who brought home a little girl a when he was still one year old, and, when he was three, they were talking about a new little boy.

He didn't really mean to walk down the narrow path nobody really followed. He didn't really know what he was doing. All he could remember was that he had accidentally broken one of his mother's vase, which caused his little brother, Marco, to wake up and have a fit, and make his father mad because he couldn't work with Marco screaming at the background. So he had gone away.

But there he was, and there he went the next day, and again and again, seeing the two figures, almost as big as him (or small?) as they kicked at each other.

Jowy Atreides knew it was bad to kick and slap each other, but the two seemed to do it more gracefully than the local boys who knocked each other silly. He wanted to do it as well.

The little girl was so energetic, almost a head taller than he. That disturbed him a little; he didn't like taller kids. But he read in his little book that Mother gave him for his third birthday that girls grew up faster than boys. He didn't know why, couldn't remember if the reason was written there or not.

The boy was a little taller than him, too, but Jowy surmised it was alright. Although Jowy had to admire his skills in kicking (and it was difficult to kick with short legs), he seemed to fumble after the girl a lot. He fell on the ground more, and got reprimanded more.

The old man always seemed to know he was there, but Jowy never thought he would say anything. Sometimes, he would stand at the edge of the fence and watch, biting his lip.

Sometimes the old man would watch the two kids punch the air and turn to his direction. Jowy would always hide behind the post but he could sometimes glimpse the warm smile on the old man's face.

He wished he was his grandfather.

~ * ~

Scene 2 : He is invited to fight

The boy came near first, and Jowy was glad he did. It seemed he had only realized they were being watched.

"What're you doing here?" the boy asked.

Jowy pulled back a bit, inching slowly towards the path where he could take his run. "Um...I dunno," he mumbled.

"Were you watching?" the boy went on curiously.

Jowy knew his face was red.

"'Cause...'cause if you wanna come...and you wanna...you know..." The boy looked uncomfortable and he began to fidget. "Nobody...nobody usually comes here," he finished in a rush.

"I'm Jowy Atreides," Jowy said, because there was no answer to the statement.

The boy smiled. "I'm Riou. That's my older sister and Grandpa. My sister's name is Nanami."

"Are you always fighting?" Jowy blurted out.

Riou looked surprised, then grinned. A tooth was missing but his smile was radiant. "Naw. Nanami...she hits hard and I get off-balanced, but I like her and I think she likes me, too."

They looked at the side of the house again and saw that Grandpa and Nanami had stopped their practice and were looking at them. Nanami saw Jowy's gaze and she grinned as well. Two teeth missing. Well.

Jowy felt like hugging Riou. Like hugging himself.

The old man came near, large fingers wrapped around Nanami's pudgy hand. "Atreides, am I right?" he asked in a husky voice.

"Y-yes, sir," Jowy replied meekly.

The old man looked down at him. "You wanna fight?"

"Will it help me beat the bigger kids?" Jowy asked eagerly.

The old man gave a loud laugh and Riou and Nanami grinned.

"It'll help you beat a lotta other kids," Nanami assured him, jumping a little in her excitement. "A whole lotta other kids."

Jowy felt a thrill of excitement run through his chest.

~ * ~

Scene 3 : A tower is named, a knight is born, and a princess falls asleep

It was tall.

So tall.

"Wonder if it'll fall off one day," Riou wondered aloud.

"Wonder if it'll fall off the cliff," Jowy wondered next.

They returned to staring. Then, Jowy grinned at Riou. "You wanna be a knight?"

"Whatcha gonna be," Riou retorted, "day?"

"Not 'night', 'knight'!" Jowy exclaimed.

A confused expression crossed Riou's face at his statement. "Um."

"Y'know...the people with the sword...the big men who fight in the castle protecting a king...the people who get to dress fancy and drink red stuff all day."

"Nights do that?" Riou asked doubtfully. "I thought they turned black and they're not people."

But Jowy was busy climbing up the branches. "C'mon! Let's make this our tower."

Riou looked up. "Nights climb towers?" he wondered next.

Jowy looked down to see Riou steadily climbing the branches, brushing twigs and leaves away from his face. "We can play here all day," he told his friend, grinning excitedly. "This'll be our tower, and we gotta protect it from the bad things...and protect the people inside."

"Who's gonna be the people we protect?" Riou asked, brow drawing together from the lack of imagination.

Jowy looked around. "Oh...the birds, I guess." He glared up at his friend who was already hanging from a branch on top of him. "You're no help, Riou."

"Un," Riou grunted an agreement, giving a final swing before falling on the ground, rolling to break his fall. He looked up at Jowy. "So we protect the birds. And the tree's our tower. Do we get to have a princess, too?"

"Princess?" Jowy wondered.

"Yeah, 'cause Nanami always says that towers got princesses and a bunch of guys who protect her," Riou explained, grabbing another branch to haul himself up.

"Those are the 'knights'," Jowy supplied.

Riou nodded, settling beside his friend. "Sure. Nights. We're these nights." He yawned and snuggled next to Jowy. "Ne, Jowy, can we be 'nights' tomorrow? I'm kinda sleepy right now."

Jowy blinked at him, then smiled softly. He really couldn't help it. Not with Riou. "Sure. Tomorrow."

"I like it up here in the tower," Riou mumbled sleepily, leaning on his shoulder.

Jowy looked out to the sky, where the mountains met the sky that was turning pink and red because of the sunset. He hadn't realized it was already late. He started to feel drowsy as well. A rational part of him told him that they'd better get down or else they'll fall if they slept on the branch. But the other didn't care.

"Ne, Jowy," Riou went on softly.

Jowy yawned. "What?"

"When we DO play, ya wanna be the princess?"

The other boy blinked, startled at the proposal. "What? Why?"

"'Cause...'cause you asked me if I wanted to be a night who protects princesses and people." Riou yawned and went on a little inaudibly: "I wanna protect you, Jowy."

Jowy grinned. "Only girls get to be princesses, Riou."

"Oh." Riou straightened for a while, looking thoughtful, before snuggling next to Jowy again. "Well then, next time, we should get Nanami to play princess."

"Sure," Jowy agreed, closing his eyes. "Tomorrow."

~ * ~

Scene 3 : He weeps because his friend is missing

Nanami's arms were comfortable and it made him want to cry more. He didn't like that, but if he pushed Nanami away, he would hurt her, and he really didn't want to get rid of the comfort, so he just went on crying.

"It's. It's all my. All my fault." He hiccuped as Nanami's arms tightened around him. "I should've gone after him. I didn't mean all those things I said. I didn't mean any of them. I was just so mad and he was mad and he made me madder and I just shouted at him that--Nanami, I shouted at him to go away and leave me alone."

"Ssh," Nanami soothed.

"And...and he DID and he didn't have to DO that because we were fighting at the backyard and this is HIS house, his, yours and Grandpa Genkaku and I live at the north side of town and my house is over THERE and I should've gone instead." Jowy took a deep breath and began to bawl again.

"Well, for one thing," Nanami started, "you shouldn't have been arguing."

"I already KNOW!" Jowy wailed, burying his face in Nanami's chest, sniffing loudly. "I hate me! Riou must hate me, too."

"No he doesn't!" Nanami shouted. "He can't hate you, Jowy, and Grandpa will come back with Riou and he'll be okay, you'll see!"

"I wish I was dead," Jowy said miserably.

"Stop SAYING that!"

Jowy sniffed again and hiccupped. His tears had in no way stopped and he was still crying but Nanami was holding him and it was okay.

Riou would come home soon. He'd better.

~ * ~

Intermission 1 : 13 - Unicorn Brigade

So it's night.

I don't like nights. Not much. I'm lying on an open field, watching the stars float on the sky, wondering why they never fell. They made a dizzying circle and if I stare too long they would seem like they would certainly fall on me.

But it's silent and cool and so I guess I could like it.

The uniform makes me itch and I wonder when I can take it off. Captain Rowd might find me and give me another humiliating scolding but I don't really care because the chances of him finding me is very small.

I wonder how things are back home in Kyaro. It's only been a two years since Grandpa Genkaku died, and I wonder how Nanami is, back at the dojo, alone.

At the distance, I can hear quiet footsteps and I close my eyes to weight the intruder. Short. Light. Small. Quiet.

"Riou," I whisper.

"Jowy?" he calls out softly. "You there?"

I keep silent, letting the silence engulf me, the alone. I've always been alone, and sometimes, it's nice. Being alone is nice because you only spend some time with it until it's already the next minute and you think of something else altogether. Like now. Somehow, I'm not ready to give up this alone.

Then, the footsteps began to fade again and I sit up. "Riou," I call out softly. The noise stops. His face pops out from behind one of the trees. I smile at him and pat the grass beside me. "Come here."

And he smiles back.

~ * ~

Scene 5 : To make the most improbable impossibility possible

"Hey, Jowy," Riou said thoughtfully to his friend, "do you think you're going to become great someday?"

Jowy shrugged. "I don't know." He turned to Riou. "You might, though."

"You're flattering me," Riou replied, smirking.

Jowy snickered back and looked out to the mountains. They'd live here all their lives, and it would soon be time to go. To the army. To serve their kingdom. Like "knights".

"But you," Riou went on quietly, "you're Someone, and you're likely to be destined for something bigger and better."

Jowy turned to his friend and saw the serious expression on Riou's face. Unbiddenly, he reached out and squeezed Riou's hand. An inch of wistfulness disappeared from his friend's face. He smiled softly. "You're probably going to become even better than anybody else, even me."

"I'll never leave you behind, Jowy," Riou said. He squeezed his friend's hand.

"Neither will I," Jowy replied quietly.

~ * ~

Scene 5 : The mouth does not stimulate sexual thoughts

Riou was still staring out at the horizon, looking thoughtful. Jowy's gaze dropped to his mouth, gently being chewed by the upper lip. So soft and tender. He wondered what it would taste like, if he licked those lips and sucked gently at the tongue.

Blushing, he dropped his gaze and felt his hand slowly slide away from Riou's.

~ * ~

Scene 7 : Neither does the hand

Jowy groaned silently. NO, it does NOT!

~ * ~

Intermission 2 : Muse Jail

If I hold you close enough, maybe I will become a part of your skin, which is what I've always longed for. I've always wanted to become you, to be you for even just a moment.

I bury my face into your shoulder and you sigh in your sleep, and I wish I can kiss you because I've never tasted your lips before.

If I held your hand as often as I do now, would you mind? If I suddenly grab it and hold it, never to let go? To show the broad daylight that what I feel for you isn't something that I can just ignore?

Riou, my friend...

...when will holding you ever be enough?

~ * ~

Intermission 3 : Northwind Castle

"I wonder what you're thinking," I whisper to the moon and I smile.

It is a long way to Highland, and you are not here by my side. This is not right. I should not be if you are not here with me.

"I wonder what you're thinking...Jowy," I whisper and I close my eyes.

Blessed is the morning for I can think of you and hate. Curse the night for I can think of you and remember. And smile.

~ * ~

Scene 8 : The tower still stood

The tower still stood.

It was a long way to Kyaro, and he had taken toils to make sure no one followed him from the castle. Jillia and Pilika would be back from Harmonia soon, and he would then give up all his rights as a leader, as a king. He was already too tired. He was only fifteen years old, and already, his face wore a frown.

But not now. Today, he would be back in Kyaro, back in the empty dojo that still had the scent of days that were never to return. Here, he could still hear children's laughter and an old man's scolding. Here, he could smile.

So, then, it all began here.

He looked up at the tree. It wasn't so tall now. Maybe it had shrunk, or he had gotten taller. But it was still ominous and beautiful. He reached out a hand to the nearest branch, hauling himself up the tree.

The mountains were so beautiful, the sky so beautiful.

The tree was beautiful as well.

Jowy didn't feel beautiful. But he closed his eyes and pretended.

~ * ~

Scene 9 : The tower still stood 2

The tower still stood.

He had passed through his old bedroom, breathing the scent of his sheets that had been unchanged since his last return. He sat by Nanami's bed, remembering the times he had sat here for a different reason, to cry at her, to ask her for advice.

Nanami had told him to hurry back. She had wanted to come along but had been conned by Zamza into a little cooking contest from which she could not back out from. But she had given flowers for Grandpa Genkaku's grave. He picked up the bouquet from the table and went out to the back.

He knelt before the stone grave and closed his eyes, clasping his hands together in a prayer.

"Thank you," he murmured, as he had done for the past four years Genkaku was dead.

And he stood and looked around again before going out to the front so he could go to the old tree, the old tower, where it had all began.

~ * ~

Intermission 3 : Reunion in Kyaro

Riou.

You've come.

I'm--I'm glad.

~ * ~

Scene 10 : A not-tree is renamed, a not-knight comes back, and a not-princess smiles

A little boy looked up at the branches, blinking at the slight movement among the leaves. "You're here," he said simply, a little surprised.

Another little boy looked down. "Yeah, so are you."

There was silence, then Jowy patted the large space of the branch beside him. "Come on. There's plenty of room."

Riou visibly hesitated for a moment, but he nodded and began to climb up. Before long, he was sitting beside Jowy, looking off into the direction his friend was staring at.

They were silent for a long time. The birds were chirping around them, and there was a whoosh that indicated that a flying squirrel had passed them by.

Then, Riou turned to Jowy, grinning. "Hey, I wanna be a knight," he told his friend.

"Aren't you tired of playing all these court games, Riou?" Jowy asked wearily. "Of being kings and warriors and being special? Aren't you tired of all this?"

"We-ell, yes," Riou replied slowly, catching Jowy's right hand with his left and slowly tracing a pattern on the palm. Jowy bit his lip. "But...but Jowy, I said once I want to protect you. Even if everything would change, even if we became so different, that's the one thing that would never change."

Jowy did not turn to him. "I'm not a princess, Riou," he said harshly. "I'm nothing."

Riou leaned into his shoulder. Jowy tensed for a second before relaxing and slowly putting an arm around his friend's shoulder. "No, you're not a princess," Riou agreed softly. "You're a king."

"And you're a warrior."

"But here," Riou continued, closing his eyes. "Here, we could live something for a while, something that we've always wanted that we can never be, ever."

Jowy shook his head. "That's going to hurt."

"Are you backing away, Jowy?"

Silence. Then, Jowy replied, "I don't want to be a princess or a king. I want to be 'Jowy Atreides' for now."

"And I want to be 'Riou'." Riou sat up and grinned. "And this isn't a tower, it's a tree."

"And we're together," Jowy replied, grinning back. "This is better."

"Together." Riou leaned forward and caught his mouth in a kiss.

Jowy pressed himself closer, closing his eyes, feeling his heart beat erratically against his chest. He tipped his head, opening his mouth when Riou opened his as well, and their tongues met in a dance that begged for more, after all the years of holding back.

Riou's palm pressed against his chest, slowly pushing him away when they could not breathe.

Their foreheads touched, their eyes closed.

"Ne, Jowy," Riou whispered.

"Mm?"

"Can we be 'Jowy' and 'Riou' for a while longer, here? Can you...can you not go back for just a night?"

Jowy smiled. "Of course, Riou," he whispered, tears in his eyes. Riou's eyes were closed but he could sense them. Immediately, his arms wound around him and Jowy clung back to him as if a lifeline. "Of course."

They kissed again.

~ * ~

Intermission 5 : Somewhere, Anywhere, Everywhere, Nowhere

So it's night. And there are the mountains, and here is the tree.

And even if I'm not you, I have the next best thing. And that is having you next to me, holding me, as I have always wanted to hold you.

Thank you for being "Jowy" for me, Jowy.