PLEASE FEED THE AUTHOR!

<Part 1>
 

The group was experiencing a lull in missions, but their stress level was higher than ever! Marron was being even more somber than usual and that in turn was making everyone edgy. Carrot was becoming anxious. Tira and hocolate had paused in their war over the eldist Glace and Gateau was caught in helpless frustration.

After a week they delegated Tira to confront the young mage. She walked quietly up to the hill Marron stood on and smiled helpfully, "Ah. . . Marron?"

"Yes Tira?"

"What's wrong?"

"I don't. . . "

Tira grabbed his robes before he could run away, "Please Marron! We're all worried about you! Poor Gateau hasn't posed for anyone all week! arrot hasn't gone girl hunting outside the inn! chocolate hasn't made a pass at Carrot in days! We're all worried sick."

"I assure you Tira, it is nothing."

"I promise not to tell anyone, but please talk to me. You need to get it out."

Golden eyes turned to stare at the sunset and he sat quietly beneath the nearby sakura tree.

Tira sat beside him and waited.

Almost five minuets later he turned his attention to her. "My training is not over." He began "All novices are sent from the  temple for a certain number of years to be spent traveling, gaining knowledge of the world before we take our final task and become true mages."

"Your task is soon isn't it."

"I leave tomorrow to begin my journey bak to the temple."

She nodded but didn't offer a comment. She didn't need to. They all knew how trying and dangerous a mages final task was, even though none of them had witnessed such.

Marron diverted his eyes and took a deep breath "I am expected to bring someone."

"Who?"

"One who would be very close to  me."

"Carrot will go Marron. I'm sure there are girls he can chase at the temple." She frowned, "Maybe I should go too."

Marron swallowed hard, "I was not talking about my brother."

"Oh?" The pink harried girl blinked, "Then who. . .?"

"*mumblemumble*"

"What?"

"Gateau."

She almost fell over, "Uhm. . . G. . . Gateau? So you really are. . ."

He nodded, "But I don't think he wants forever Tira, and that is what this would be."

"Marron how long have you. . . Gateau. . . I mean. . . how long have you LIKE liked him."

He shook his head, "Oh Tira, It's been so long! Only a year after we were reunited. He is so warm and kind and so innocent, so. . . I love him Tira. I truely love him. I just don't beleive he ould love me."

Tira smiled "Marron, what's not to love?"

He gave a quiet whimper that tried very hard to be a chuckle, "What is there TO love? I'm pale shy, quiet, almost anti-soial, skinny. . . I will never be strong or agressive. He deserves more than me."

"Everything you just said is only more reasons to love you. And you are not skinny. You're slim. Think Marron he's been flirting with you since Carrot let it slip that you liked guys."

"Tira." Marron sighed, "Gateau flirts with everyone."

"But he spends more time with you than all of the others combined."

The mage shook his head, "I'm convinient, that's all."

"Do you truly beleive that?"

He almost sobbed, "Yes."

Tira smiled and hugged him close "Marron when will you understand how special you are? Gateau is crazy for you! ou think he'd get so solomn if he was worrying over someone else? When was the last time he bragged about his body?"

That made Marron smile lethargically, "One week, three day, and fourteen hours."

"You got it bad."

He sighed and melted back against the tree, "I know."

"Why not try to tell him? If you don;t take someon with you to the cerimony isn't that taken as a vow of celebacy?"

"Yes."

"Then this is your last chance! Tell him!"

"What if he says no?"

"What if he says yes?"

"I. . . you're right."

She grinned, "Of course I am!"

"I will ask him! He hugged her again "I will!"

Gateau choose that moment to walk up to them "You will what?"

The mage blushed.

Tira smiled and stood, "I'm going to check on Carrot."

Gateau winked "Last I saw he was alooooooone."

"REALLY!?" Tira was gone in a flash followed by Gateau's laughter.

Marron blushed again and smiled shyly "Gateau."

"Marron." He knelt on the ground in front of his friend, "You're smiling again."

"Hai."

"I missed your smiles."

"I had alot on my mind."

"And it's all better now?"

"I hope to make it so."

"Can I help?"

"Am I pleasant to look at?"

The large man blinked stunned "What brought this on?"

"Please."  He begged, " just tell me."

Strong fingers lifted his chin "Marron. How many times have I told you you're beautiful?"

"Did you mean it though."

"Everyword I've ever said to you I meant."

"My final task toward becoming a mage is in a few days."

Gateau grabbed Marron's arm "Isn't that dangerous?!"

He nodded.

"Let me come with you Marron! I promise I wont embarrase you. Let me accompany you."

"A person who acompanies a mage in training is bound to them forever."

"I'd rather be bound to you than anyone else."

"It can't be annuled."

His gaze never wavered "I don't mind."

Marron hesitated and Gateau went down on one knee as his friend stood, "Marron" He began, taking the boy's hands in his, "I have waited for so long to hear you say you return my felings. Now that you have, I never want to be apart from you."

"Gateau. . ."

"Shh." He grinned, "It took me three days to write this!"

Marron giggled and nodded.

"Every breath I take is yours to share. Every smile and every joy in my life is for you. You make me whole in a way I never thought could exist outside stories and songs. I want to hold you forever. Be with you for always. Can. . . I mean. . . May I share your life? Forever?"

Tears rolled over Marron's cheeks "Gateau."

"Yes?"

"Yes." He fell into the otherboy's arms happily still crying for joy "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"May I kiss you?"

Marron looked at Gateau in awe, "You want to kiss me?"

"So much."  His face moved closer and Marron seemed hypnotized by the full lips coming so close "Yes." He murmured before Gateau embraced him, pressing their lips together as lose as possible. Neither made a move to open their mouth or take it any further. But the signafiance of it made the touch so much sweeter.

They stayed on the hill, sharing innocent touches and smiles until the moon rose high above them, then they walked back to the inn hand in hand.

Tira smiled when the entered the main room "I told you so."

The beautiful mage blushed and Gateau held him tight against his chest, "We're going upstairs, we have a long walk ahead of us tomorrow."

"Wait!"

Both turned to stare at her.

"What about Carrot?"

Marron looked at Gateau with wide eyes, "I had forgotten about my brother."

"I'll tell him."

"Gateau. . .  "

"Let me try."

He accented grudgingly and kissed his love on the cheek "Be carefull. My brother is not rational when it comes to my wellbeing."

Gateau grinned, "Hey, carefullis my middle. . . WHOA!" He tripped and fell.

Marron turned pleading eyes to their two feminine companions, "He's dead. Carot is going to kill him."

"Now let's now be too hasty. . ."

"YOU"RE WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Chocolate walked up behind Marron and sighed, "Poor fool."

"Sister!"

Marron just watched the door, "Oh gods."

<Part 2>
 

    Gateau walked into the bar of the inn and toward Carrot's table nervously. ". . . carrot?"

    The elder Glace looked up and blinked, "Hey Gateau."

    "ah. . . there's lots of girls around here huh? Why aren't you. . . you know. . ."

    "I'm worried about Marron."

    Gateau sat down and nodded.

    "I mean, I know I disappoint him, I'm not at all like him, except our slim builds there's nothing that
even hints that we're brothers."

    "Marron understands."

    "I know." Carrot took a drink of his beer and leaned back so his chair balanced on two legs,
"Since he got back from the temple he's so. . ."

    "Beautiful? Talented?" Gateau guessed. Carrot shook his head but Gateau was lost, thinking about Marron. "Classical perfection. Graceful, untained, fresh, clean, sexy as He. . ."

    "GATEAU!!! HE'S MY BROTHER!!!!"

    The frenchman blinked and blush, "I. . . uh. . ."

    "I was going to say serious." Carrot growled then settled back, "It's like I'm not his older brother
anymore. I'm the youngest."

    "Well. . ."

    He shook his head, "I know how I act but I really do worry about him. I love him man he's my
little brother!"

    Gateau nodded, "He's back."

    "He is?! Did he tell you what was wrong?! Is he. . .?!"

    "His mage's trial is very soon."

    "So that's it."

    "We're leaving tomorrow."

    Carrot paused and glanced up, "We?"

    "He and I."

    "He has to go alone or with the girl he's gonna be bonded to."

    "I know."

    "So that means you aren't going."

    "Yes I am."

    "Gateau, alone means without anyone else."

    "And the chosen bonded doesn't need to be female."

    "Do you know what bonding means?" Carrot sighed like he was talking to a child.

    "I'm going to marry him."

    Carrot almost fell out of his chair. He grabbed the table for balance and stared at the blond in front of him, "YOU'RE WHAT?!"

    "We. . ."

    "I heard what you said! You. . . you pervert!! Stay away from my brother!"

    "but. . ."

    "You don't deserve him! No one is good enough for Marron especially you!"

    By this time a sizable crowd had gathered around the two of them, neither noticed. "I love him
Carrot. There's nothing that can change that."

    The slim hunter growled deep in his throat and lept over the table, grabbing Gateau's neck,
"Bastard!!!"

    Both crashed to the ground and Tira and Chocolate rushed inside, tearing them off of each other.
"Stop it! Carrot! Stop!!"

    "Darling! Let go of him!"

    but the voice that got through to him was his little brother's, "Carrot!"

    He jumped, dropping Gateau and starring, "Marron?"

    The delicate mage knelt by his blond frenchman and looked up at his brother pleadingly, "Carrot, please. Understand!"

    "What am I supposed to understand?! That he's perverting you? That you're. . . you're. . ."

    "Say it brother." Marron said softly, "I'm homosexual."

    "Even that I get but Gateau?! You can do better Marron!"

    Gateau was up in a second and facing the enraged boy, "I love him carrot. I love him. I know he
deserves better than what I can give, but all I have is my soul."

    "He's my little brother." Carrot's voice broke and Tira and Chocolate both hugged him soothingly.

    "Yes brother." Marron smiled and kissed Carrot's forehead, "But I am also a man. I know myself. I know what I want and need in life. It's him. Please be happy for what we found."

    "Marron. . ."

    Marron took Gateau's arm, "We're going to sleep now. We have a long journey ahead of us."

    Carrot watched, crushed, as his little brother left the room. Only when they were out of sight did
he fall to the floor of the inn's tavern in helplessness. "Marron."
 

    Once outside of the bar, Marron collapsed into Gateau's arms. "my brother."

    "Marron?"

    "He will hate me for this Gateau. I've dissapointed him so badly."

    "Marron, Carrot loves you very much. He's afraid he disappoints you! Don't worry, he'll get over it. For now, let's get some sleep."

    Gateau lay Marron on his bed gently, pulled off his shoes and undid his robes, leaving only the baggy britches he wore beneith the robes. Then Gateau shrugged out of his armor and clothes until he was down to his underwear.

    Marron let out a startled mew when the broad man crawled under the covers with him, "Gateau! You know I need to be pure for the cerimony don't you?"

    He smiled and nodded, "I just wanna hold you."

    Marron didn't know if he was relieved or dissapointed.

    The blond laughed deeply and nuzzled the frowning mage's neck, "Not that I don't *want* to lick you up and down, undress you with my teeth and rubbed your thick, hot. . ."

    "Gateau!"

    More laughter followed and Marron curled back against his newly descovered love. spooning himself in the powerful embrace of the man he needed with all his heart.

    "Good night Marron." Gateau smiled, "I love you."

    Marron's snuggling closer to him was his only answer.

    It was enough.

~tbc~