Legend:
Emphasis is shown with * *
Thoughts are shown with / /
Telepathic communication is shown with italics

Glossary:
aa - yeah
aishiteru - I love you
ano - um
arigatou - thank you
baka - idiot
chigau - no; that’s wrong
demo - but
hai - yes; okay
iie - no
iya - no
nan demo nai - nothing
nani? - what?
ohayo - good morning
onegai shimasu - please (formal)
sou da - that’s right
sumimasen - I’m sorry; excuse me
To-ya - an alternate romanization and pronunciation of Touya’s name---Yuki’s affectionate nickname for Touya
wakatta - I know; I understand

*****
You’ve captured me
For all time
My heart cannot
Open for anyone else
*****

For the next three weeks, once every few days after Yuki was finished with work he would go to Eriol’s house, and Yue would spend a few hours with Eriol. To a casual observer these quiet hours, spent in idle conversation or reflective silence, sometimes accompanied by a game of chess or a pot of tea, might have seemed inconsequential: nothing but two old acquaintances spending time together. But to Yue, every hour allowed him to slide another piece into the jigsaw puzzle his mind was slowly building, a picture of Hiiragizawa Eriol. Every hour spent in Eriol’s presence provided Yue with another recognition of the similarities between Clow and Eriol, and yet every hour, for Yue, equally evidenced the fact that Eriol was someone quite different.

One rather large jigsaw piece happened to fall into his lap on a particularly lazy Sunday, just as afternoon was starting to slide its way towards evening. At the time, Yue and Eriol were playing a particularly casual game of chess, Eriol sitting with his legs crossed, eyes only occasionally glancing upwards towards his opponent, while Yue sat with his elbow against the table and chin in his hand, regarding the chess board from under half-lowered eyelids. His sleepiness was, of course, entirely feigned, and only a half-hearted attempt to hide from Eriol the fact that he was cheating. Of course, Eriol knew this fact perfectly well nonetheless, but took no notice, particularly because he was also cheating. For some reason, Nakuru, who had spent most of the afternoon playing the hawk over Yue’s shoulder and crowing agitatedly whenever Yue sneaked several pieces off the board, didn’t seem perturbed in the least by Eriol’s own actions, although surely her eyes were sharp enough to also notice that the sleeves of Eriol’s robe were starting to bulge from the weight of the pieces he’d stashed there.

“Mm…” Nakuru murmured finally with a yawn, stretching her hands towards the sky. “Only the two kings left now. I wonder where the rest of the pieces went…?”

“I honestly have no idea,” Eriol said with a discreet cough, and he blinked innocently when the motion of his body caused a number of plastic chessmen to scatter from the safety of his sleeves, cracking loudly against the pavement beneath the table.

“It’s a mystery,” Yue remarked noncommittally, regarding Nakuru from beneath his lowered lids with the same idle interest with which he had been eyeing the chess board for the last hour.

“Hmph,” Nakuru said, as she gingerly picked a bishop out of Yue’s hair. She glanced up suspiciously when for a moment, seeing the chess piece held so carefully between her slender fingers, Yue’s resolve seemed about to crack, the briefest of smiles flickering against his lips.

She sighed.

“Well, I’m going to go make dinner,” Nakuru said, rolling her eyes at both of them. “If you two ever decide to stop being immature, feel free to stop in and have a bite.”

Eriol chuckled quietly behind a hand as his guardian flounced off towards the house, slamming the door behind herself.

“Do you suppose she’s really disappointed in us, or simply jealous?” Eriol asked, smiling as he watched Yue slowly lift his eyes to meet Eriol’s gaze.

“Jealous?” Yue repeated, without any particular inflection.

Eriol’s smile widened.

“Yes. Ruby has always particularly resented you for the place you still hold in my memory, and for the respect I have for you. You are her direct counterpart, after all.”

As of yet, Eriol and Yue hadn’t spoken of the two guardians Eriol had created, both alike and unlike those created by Clow.

“She has also always resented me for the fact that I deprived her of something she wanted,” Yue murmured after a moment’s reflection, and he took the opportunity of Eriol’s smile---eyes closed, of course---to sneak Eriol’s king off the board, tossing it hastily into the bushes to one side.

“Yes, that’s true, I sup…” Eriol began, but his voice cut off into a burst of laughter when he opened his eyes and spotted the near-empty chess board, Yue’s king standing in a solitary position of victory. Eriol glanced up, lifting an eyebrow, and Yue gave him a long, slow blink from beneath long silver eyelashes, very effectively giving the impression that he had no idea what Eriol was laughing at.

“Ah, Yue…” Eriol said through his chuckles, grinning warmly. “I remember so well how often you used to do this, you and Cerberus…you would sit across from me just as you are now, and you…”

His voice trailed away into silence as he watched Yue slowly lift his chin from his hand and regard him with mildly narrowed eyes. Quickly, he traced his words back to their source, and winced perceptively when he realized what he’d done. He closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Yue…I didn’t mean…”

“So defensive,” Yue murmured, and Eriol’s eyes snapped open, his voice falling silent when he saw the way Yue’s eyes had softened. Yue tilted his head slightly, and after a moment he offered Eriol a small, hesitant smile. “I know…I know very well what it’s like to occasionally confuse my own memories with those of somebody else. So don’t be so defensive.”

For several moments Eriol seemed torn between uncertainty and shame, but Yue persisted, holding Eriol’s eyes and smiling that same slight, determined smile until the tension slowly released from the younger man’s shoulders and he allowed himself a small smile of his own.

“Thank you, Yue,” Eriol said finally, closing his eyes and inclining his head towards Yue in a slight bow. “Your understanding is greatly appreciated.”

They spent another moment in companionable silence, each of them contemplating the words they’d spoken in the last few minutes.

“You really do remember the strangest things,” Yue remarked finally, inevitably, his eyes again on the chess board. “Little details that I myself had forgotten. Three lumps of sugar…the way we used to play chess…”

“…The way you used to smile,” Eriol said quietly, his tone suddenly, utterly somber as he leaned forward, eyes open now and watching Yue closely. Yue’s eyes shot up, widening in surprise. “I remember the way you used to smile, before he died.”

/I wish you would smile for me./

The thought was unmistakable, wavering across the idly guarded connection between them and embedding itself in Yue’s thoughts. At first Yue wasn’t sure how to react, but he certainly didn’t mean to react in the way he eventually did. The moment he felt the blush creeping up his cheeks, he hastily dropped his eyes back to the chess board, and cleared his throat.

“By the way,” he said, trying to sound casual and wincing inwardly at the way his voice quavered, “…check mate.”

His hand reached out towards the one remaining chess piece. He froze, the blush suddenly becoming a full red bloom when his fingers brushed lightly against Eriol’s, hovering over the abandoned king. Yue snatched back his hand and sat ramrod straight, his former casual posture dissolving entirely. His eyes were fixed on his lap, and he tried to ignore the way Yuki’s consciousness was bouncing around excitedly in his mind, making it painfully obvious that at least one of the two of them had just had an epiphany.

“What makes you think the game is over?” Eriol asked quietly, and when Yue finally reluctantly lifted his eyes, the first thing he saw was the white king held carefully between Eriol’s thumb and forefinger. Slowly, Yue allowed his gaze to travel upwards, until he found Eriol’s soft grey-blue eyes. For the first time, it was Eriol’s eyes that held a hint of challenge, daring Yue to take the bait.

Fortunately, Yue was saved from the task of trying to come up with a suitable reply by the sound of Nakuru’s shrill cry out of the kitchen window.

“Supper’s ready!”

“Ah, good, I’m famished,” said Eriol, and oddly enough, his voice sounded strangely as though he was about to laugh. “Won’t you join us for dinner, Yue?”

“No,” Yue blurted, getting quickly to his feet.

Yue! Yuki exclaimed, as though he was capable at this point of being surprised at his other self’s capacity for rudeness.

Eriol smiled, but Yue could feel a pulse of real embarrassment move across the barrier.

“I’m sorry, Yue…I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” Eriol said in a tone of genuine contriteness. He took the few steps around the table to stand in front of Yue and lifted his hand, palm up. Yue dared a glance at it, and saw the white king resting lightly against Eriol’s palm.

“Let’s consider it a draw,” Eriol suggested, and he was obviously trying to be serious, but he failed miserably when Yue took a step back and several plastic chess pieces tumbled out of his hair and clacked against the ground.

Through his laughter, all Eriol managed was a good-humored, “Here, let me help,” as Yue, extremely flustered, took another step backwards, obviously feeling a bit cornered.

Yue watched, feeling his cheeks burning again, as Eriol carefully placed the white king aside and stepped towards Yue, moving around behind him.

“Hold still,” Eriol murmured, smiling warmly as he started to pick the remaining chessmen out of Yue’s hair, his hands extremely gentle as they moved through the delicate silver strands. Slowly, Yue let out the breath he’d been holding and relaxed, waiting patiently for Eriol to complete his task.

One moment passed in silence, and then two, and then Yue noticed something odd…suddenly Eriol’s hands weren’t so careful in his hair. If anything, he had become more gentle, but his movements were no longer methodical…now his fingertips paused, lingered, stroking cautiously through the fine strands as he worked the chessmen free. Along with this realization came two others, just as quickly. First, Yue became aware of the fact that the movement of Eriol’s hands was accompanied by a strange feeling from Eriol himself, unhampered by the full force of Eriol’s usual mental barriers because of the close contact. At first Yue was sure he couldn’t quite identify the heavy, soft emotion that wavered from Eriol’s fingertips through Yue, fast enough to leave him trembling slightly, but then he realized that he did know this feeling…something slightly more than curiosity or fondness, and just slightly less than longing.

The second thing Yue realized almost immediately was that the pulse of feeling that moved through his consciousness, leaving him breathless, wasn’t entirely Eriol’s. Mixed in with Eriol’s sentiment was something of his own, something so foreign to his experience now that it took him utterly by surprise, and left him wondering if his knees would hold him upright for much longer. Part of him was hoping fervently that there were a good deal more chessmen than he remembered, and that he’d tucked them further into his hair than he’d meant to at the time, so that perhaps Eriol’s hand might brush just slightly against the small of his back, or the curve of his hip, as he was questing towards his goal…

Yue shook his head, suddenly, blinking in shock at himself, at the odd turn his thoughts were taking. Yuki, too, seemed oddly frozen within his mind. But the moment he moved, Yue froze, his entire body going stiff as he realized that somehow, his thoughts had become a reality. The movement of his body had brought him suddenly in contact with Eriol’s fingertips, pressing through the strands of his hair and brushing ever so slightly against his hip. As quickly as he became aware of this, Yue also realized that he wasn’t the only one who had noticed. Eriol was suddenly very quiet; the only thing that pierced the silence between them was the sound of Eriol’s breath, soft and yet somehow harsh against the cool evening air. For a moment he felt as though if he pressed just slightly closer, until Eriol’s palm rested against his hip, then he might be able to see for once exactly what Eriol was feeling, what went on behind that cool blue-grey mirror that always shielded his eyes…but then it was gone.

Eriol had withdrawn his hand, and held up a rook for Yue’s inspection.

“There. That’s the last of them,” Eriol said, and if he knew that his voice was strangely hoarse, he did nothing about it, only swallowing calmly as Yue nodded and lifted a hand to clasp the chess piece, carefully avoiding touching Eriol’s skin.

Yue kept his mouth tightly shut for several moments, afraid of what he might say, how his mind might betray him now, in the moments since Eriol’s emotions had suddenly become a total blank to him. The feelings he had received through Eriol’s touch had hidden themselves behind a solid wall of black as Eriol withdrew, turning to make his way back around to his side of the table.

But regardless of the thoughts of his mind, Yue’s hand obviously had other ideas, because Yue could have sworn that he hadn’t deliberately meant for it to reach up just then, to grab Eriol’s sleeve so gently and yet so insistently. He watched the way Eriol turned back to him, watched the way Eriol’s eyes widened slightly, releasing his pupils from their mysteriously dilated state.

“If you intend to attract my interest…” Yue said quietly, surprised at how even his voice sounded…almost as even as Eriol had sounded several moments before, when he had spoken of the game. In this moment, Yue was entirely aware that although Eriol hadn’t been speaking of chess, he also hadn’t been speaking of this; the look in Eriol’s eyes told him that he wasn’t the only one who hadn’t consciously considered this development until now. “…You needn’t bother. You have my attention.”

Eriol stared at him in silence for several moments, although he did swallow several times, as though he couldn’t quite moisten his throat enough to speak. When he finally did open his mouth, obviously about to say something important, something that would change things forever, for better or worse…

“ERIOL!!!”

Both of them jumped, each moving several steps backward, like two guilty junior high students caught in a compromising position, despite the fact that they hadn’t even been touching.

“Are you coming to eat or not!?” Nakuru demanded from where she now stood in the back doorway, frowning thunderously towards her master. “Honestly, don’t you ever appreciate the things I do for you!?”

Both Yue and Eriol stared at her as though she’d just sprouted six legs.

“Well!?” Nakuru demanded, waving ominously towards Eriol with a spatula.

“Er…” Yue began finally, and then he paused for a moment, mainly because he was trying to remember the last time he had said anything even approaching an ‘Er’. “I should go. To-ya will be waiting.”

“Of course,” Eriol said, coughing slightly when he heard the way his voice started towards an embarrassing squeak. “Give him my regards.”

“I will,” Yue said, and then he nodded curtly as though they’d just finished a business dealing, and he turned on his heel and left.

“Give him my regards?” Eriol repeated to himself, closing his eyes and pressing his palm to his forehead. “How…idiotic.”

“Nani?” Nakuru asked curiously, blinking several times as she fought to understand what she had just witnessed.

“Uh…nan demo nai,” Eriol said quickly, shaking his head and offering her a shaky smile. “What’s for dinner, Ruby? It smells delicious…”

Meanwhile, Yue had waited until he was in the shelter of the trees in Eriol’s front yard before he allowed himself to transform back to Yukito, who only barely managed to refrain from assaulting him with a barrage of questions.

Just…go home, Yue muttered, and Yuki couldn’t quite tell whether he was merely confused, or on his way towards a royal bad temper. Give me some time to think.

Yuki only nodded silently as he started on his way home, but he couldn’t quite contain the way his heart was beating. For the first time, he had briefly felt what it was like to feel his own emotions swept away in the tide of something more powerful from his other self. Even now, his throat felt dry at the thought of it. He couldn’t quite decide if what he felt was discomfort or excitement, but either way, he intended to speak to Yue about this as soon as possible, and after that…he thought he would have to have a talk with Touya. Probably…a very *long* talk.

The way Yue grumbled in his mind told him instantly that in this, the two of them were in agreement.

*****

That evening was one of the most awkward Yuki could ever remember spending with Touya, and considering what he and Touya had gone through just over three months before, that was quite a claim to make. Yuki fidgeted throughout dinner, remaining in uncomfortable silence despite the fact that the whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions that was spinning through Yue’s mind in the background of Yuki’s consciousness was making Yuki so restless he thought surely he could have bounced around the house like a rabbit and it wouldn’t have helped to release the excess agitation. Even deliberately thinking up an image as humorous as that didn’t catch Yue’s attention, much less distract him from his reverie.

Touya, for his part, said nothing about Yuki’s strange behavior, although Yuki knew better than to believe Touya hadn’t noticed. Yuki was relieved beyond measure by Touya’s patience, and when he finally pushed back his chair and quietly thanked Touya for the food, he could see by the look in Touya’s eyes when their gazes met briefly that Touya understood that the thanks wasn’t just for the meal.

Yuki couldn’t decide what to do after that. He tried to read a book, but ended up reading the same paragraph nearly fifteen times before he finally placed the book aside and sighed, running his hands through his hair before he reached out for the remote control and switched the TV on. He flicked through several channels before finally settling on a movie that looked somewhat interesting, but after only a few minutes the image on the screen switched to a scene of two people playing chess. Yuki fumbled the remote control and nearly fell off the bed directly on his head in the mad scramble to catch it, which, although embarrassing, *did* finally manage to catch Yue’s attention.

“Yuki,” Touya called from the office next door, “what the hell is going on in there?”

“N…nan demo nai!” Yuki called back as he quickly turned off the TV and put the remote control on the table. “I’m just…trying out for the klutz of the month award.”

“Baka,” Touya returned easily, and then the apartment fell silent again, and Yuki became painfully aware of the clock on the wall, ticking the seconds by as he sat stiffly on the bed, legs crossed, staring at his hands. He knew why it seemed so unnaturally quiet to him. Yue’s thoughts had come to a complete standstill, and Yue remained dormant in the back of his mind for an interminable period of time, until Yuki thought surely he would scream with frustration.

How…do you feel about this? Yue finally asked, in a soft, quiet tone that sent an odd shiver dancing up Yuki’s spine.

Yuki didn’t have to ask what Yue was talking about; both of them had been thinking about what had happened that afternoon ever since, analyzing every second in minute detail. Yue, for his part, had been remembering various glances and touches, placing them alongside forgotten sensations and comparing them for compatibility. Yuki had been so busy trying not to eavesdrop and yet at the same time trying desperately to understand or even anticipate Yue’s eventual reaction to the realization of that afternoon that he hadn’t even bothered to examine his own feelings on the matter. But now that the question was directly asked, he found that he really didn’t have to think about it for long.

“It feels…strange,” he admitted, letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding as he forced himself to relax back against the headboard.

You feel embarrassed, Yue murmured, …as though you’ve intruded on something private.

Yuki closed his eyes, and allowed his memories to carry him back to the first few months after he had become aware of Yue’s existence. Those first months had been confusing for both of them as Yuki grew used to the sensation of another personality awakening within his mind, and Yue grew used to the fact that his thoughts would now be under the same scrutiny he had paid Yuki’s until that point.

Even before Touya had given Yue his power and finally discussed Yue’s existence with Yuki, Yuki had begun on occasion to have the strange sensation that he wasn’t alone, except that it wasn’t like that all-too-common feeling of being followed or having someone standing over your shoulder watching your every move. This feeling was much more personal…more like that something within his own mind was awakening, and watching him. After Yue had accepted Touya’s power, Yuki had finally been able to accept the fact that he truly wasn’t alone. After that, he started more and more to feel Yue’s presence, until after only a few weeks, he was almost always aware of Yue’s thoughts, and aware of Yue’s voice, separating itself from Yuki’s consciousness and speaking to him. It took months, however, before Yuki was comfortable with what his mind still resisted as an invasion, and not long after that, he had begun to realize that Yue felt the same way, particularly when it came to certain aspects of Yuki’s life…and his relationship with Touya.

It had literally taken years before both of them had become truly comfortable with each other, and Yuki had received the impression that the transition had been even more difficult for Yue. For the longest time, Yue had recoiled from the fact that even in some slight way he had to participate in Touya and Yuki’s romance, and especially their lovemaking. Oddly, Yuki found that once he had accepted Yue’s place in his own life, he had almost as readily accepted Yue’s place in his relationship with Touya. Although at first he had felt some resentment towards Yue for what he had seen as an intrusion into a private area of his life, he had gotten over those feelings remarkably easily. Yue, on the other hand, had taken considerably longer to stop feeling a rough, heavy feeling that to Yuki felt vaguely like shame whenever Yue would experience, just as clearly as Yuki did, the intense sensation of Touya’s touch.

Now, finally, Yuki understood entirely what Yue had been feeling.

“It’s different,” Yuki said out loud, insistently, frowning slightly towards the mirror across the room. “You’d had months to come to trust Touya…you must have trusted him, or you wouldn’t have accepted his power…”

Are you saying you do not trust Hiiragizawa Eriol? Yue said quietly, and Yuki paused, mouth hanging open slightly as he fought to come up with an answer to that, and realized that he was trying too hard.

“I…iie,” he said finally, dropping his eyes back to his hands, pale and small, resting against his knees. “I’m not saying that. I…trust him.”

How much? Yue asked, voice falling soft again.

“I…why are you asking me this!?” Yuki demanded, lifting his head again to stare into the mirror. He could see the conflict in his own eyes, and knew it wasn’t all his own. “You’re the one that…”

Iya, Yue said somewhat sharply, cutting Yuki off mid-sentence. If I take that step, you take it as well. This is another thing I will not do without your knowledge and consent. I can consider this no further until I have your answer.

“Demo Yue, I…”

You must understand what would happen, Yue said firmly. You must understand that my feelings would not be the only ones at risk.

Yuki was silent to that, finally closing his eyes to shut out the sight of his own confused expression in the mirror.

“I…can’t love him,” Yuki said softly. “I can’t.”

He felt something, an odd sort of reluctance, waver through him, courtesy of the open connection between his feelings and Yue’s.

And if you do? Yue asked, in a voice so soft it was almost gentle. If you do come to love him? You know…you must know that I love To-ya.

Yuki caught his breath, eyes snapping open and going wide.

My love for him is not the same as yours, Yue continued quietly. But I love him. If I love…Eriol…what if you come to love him as well? Are you comfortable with that?

Yuki’s forehead had creased in something that wasn’t quite a frown and wasn’t quite simple confusion.

“I…” Yuki began, and then his voice fell silent…he had no idea what to say, and no matter how hard he pushed himself, he knew that wasn’t going to change until he’d had more time to think.

Then do, Yue said simply, with a mental shrug. Give yourself time to think. Take a bath. I’ll be waiting.

Almost despite himself, Yuki found himself getting to his feet and making his way towards the bathroom, simply because it would give him something to do. He left the door open as he usually did, and almost the moment he’d lowered himself into the bath, sinking chest-deep into hot water and bubbles, he heard a footstep out in the hall, and then Touya appeared in the doorway. Yuki, sans glasses, lifted his head and blinked up at Touya’s familiar blurry shape questioningly.

“To-ya,” Yuki said, a bit surprised, as Touya came into the bathroom and sat down on the tiled edge of the tub, heedless of the moisture that seeped into the fabric of his blue jeans.

“Thought maybe you could use someone to scrub your back,” Touya said casually, offering Yuki a gentle grin which Yuki slowly returned as he tried to relax down into the water, letting the hot water pull the chill of conscious thought slowly away. Yue had gone entirely dormant again, seemingly taking a doze within Yuki’s mind as Yuki relaxed, arms crossed over the edge of the tub and head resting against his arms, letting his eyes fall closed. He sighed softly when he felt Touya’s hand against his head, Touya’s fingers stroking lightly through the soft grey strands of his hair.

He didn’t open his eyes or look up when he heard Touya get up, even when he heard the sounds of rustling cloth and running water. He only finally opened his eyes when Touya stepped into the water just behind him, and Yuki had to shift to the left to allow Touya room enough to sit down. Almost the moment Touya had settled himself back against the wall of the tub, Yuki moved back again and relaxed himself into his usual position between Touya’s legs, his back pressed against Touya’s front. He sighed quietly, letting himself relax into the warmth and comfort of Touya’s touch as Touya slowly ran his hands over Yuki’s arms and legs and stomach, lathering soap over his skin and then pausing to rub little circles in the bubbles, just to allow himself the extra moments to touch.

“To-ya,” Yuki breathed, just as Touya’s hand closed gently around Yuki’s semi-erect penis. His palm felt soft, made slick by soap as he moved his hand up and down the familiar length, only pausing slightly when Yuki’s hand fell to his. Touya waited to see if permission was about to be denied and then relaxed back into the rhythm of his former motions when Yuki’s hand only closed around his, helping.

“Mm?” Touya murmured against Yuki’s neck, his lips gently caressing down the curve of his shoulder.

“Do you…” Yuki had to pause, his breath catching in the back of his throat as Touya’s touch became more insistent, “…love Yue?”

Touya’s hand stilled, fingers going slack for a moment, and Yuki opened his eyes, staring forward at a tile across the way that suddenly seemed extremely fascinating.

“Aa,” Touya said finally, a harsh whisper that echoed against the moist tiles. Touya paused, then, and Yuki imagined that he could hear Touya moistening his lips. “…Do you mind?”

Yuki shook his head, and slowly closed his fingers around the back of Touya’s hand, encouraging him, until slowly, almost contemplatively, Touya began to run his fingertips along the length of Yuki’s sex.

“I don’t mind,” Yuki said quietly, closing his eyes again and leaning his head back against Touya’s shoulder, sighing as he felt Touya’s lips brush against his temple. “Is it the same as the way you love me…?”

“Chigau,” Touya said immediately, but then he paused for a moment as though considering his answer. “I mean…it’s not…I don’t love him the way I…”

His voice finally fell silent, and again his hand halted its motion, making his awkwardness apparent.

“You don’t love him the way you love your sister or your father,” Yuki said softly. He was aware of the way Yue had come back into his awareness, settled in silence as he too awaited Touya’s answer. “But not the way you love me.”

“Aa,” Touya said finally, softly, and his touch grew bolder, clasping firmly around Yuki now, making Yuki arch his hips up to meet Touya’s strokes.

“And if Yue…loved someone else…not the way he loves you, but if he loved him…what would you say?”

Yuki’s voice was so soft, so hesitant…he was almost surprised by the way he felt Touya’s breath speeding up, puffing out gently against his shoulder as Touya’s hand moved a bit more firmly over Yuki’s flesh.

“I’d say…fine,” Touya said softly, so softly that Yuki knew instantly that he was serious, even though he knew that Touya wouldn’t have lied. “Whatever he wants, it’s fine.”

Yuki’s mouth opened to let out a soft moan as he pressed back against Touya, feeling Touya’s arousal rubbing against him, and alternately pushed forward into Touya’s touch.

“S…sou da,” Yuki whispered then, opening his eyes and arching his back, feeling Touya’s arm closing securely around his waist. Yuki’s hands had moved out to either side, pressed against the tiles as he pushed himself back against Touya, trying to feel him closer, deeper, wishing nothing more at that moment than to move past this liquid heat and into release. In his mind, he could hear ragged breathing, someone else struggling wordlessly towards the end.

Yue… Yuki whispered, surprised to hear his own mental voice, to hear that it sounded like a moan. Yue, whatever you want…it’s fine. I mean it.

Yue said nothing in response to this, but he didn’t need to say anything…it was too late to say anything, because all that was left in the world was Touya, his heat and his skin surrounding them both, and Touya’s hand, pressing closer…just a little farther…

Yuki cried out and arched upwards as climax hit him full force, shuddering through his body like electricity, wavering for a brief instant on the knife edge of pain before his muscles relaxed. In his mind, he heard Yue cry out, a wordless cry, a soundless plea, and then Yuki shuddered again in the wake of Yue’s release, mental more than physical.

“To-ya…” Yuki whispered as he finally let himself relax back against Touya, feeling Touya’s arms move up around his chest, embracing him warmly. “Aishiteru.”

“Wakatta, Yuki,” Touya said patiently, and Yuki could feel his smile in the curve of his lips against Yuki’s shoulder. “Wakatta.”

*****

One day passed, and then two, and then a week, without any word. On Sunday morning when Yuki woke up, he already felt restless. He hadn’t slept much, mainly because of the fact that Yue had once again wound himself into a hard knot of tension. Every waking moment for Yue had come to be spent waiting and wondering, and Yuki knew that if something didn’t happen soon, he was going to march over to Eriol’s house and get this resolved one way or another, whether Yue liked it or not.

Oddly enough, Yue seemed to find this thought amusing, and Yuki felt slightly better at the lightening of Yue’s mood as he got up and got dressed, making his way out to the kitchen. It was his turn to make breakfast today, and he set to the task with a new vigor, smiling slightly and humming as he cooked. Touya glanced up once or twice from his newspaper with a raised eyebrow, but both times he simply shook his head and went back to reading, not bothering to ask.

Just as the two of them were getting up to take their dishes to the sink, someone rang the doorbell, and both of them glanced up, wondering who would be calling this early on a Sunday morning.

This time Yuki went to answer the door, so it was he who took the full brunt of the surprise when he saw absolutely no one standing out in the hallway. He blinked and took a step out into the hallway, glancing first left and then right.

“Sumimasen,” a low, dull voice hailed him, and he instantly glanced upwards, in the direction the voice had come from. He blinked again, this time in utter shock, when he spotted Eriol’s sun guardian, Spinel Sun, floating up in the shadows in the corner of the hall, the fairy-like wings of his false form fluttering silently as he slowly dropped down to Yuki’s height. He eyed Yuki in silence, his large, cat-like eyes blinking only once in the moments that followed. Yuki simply stared back, rudely, unable to get his voice to work.

“Ohayo,” Spinel said dryly, and then he inclined his head slightly. “May I come in?”

“Oh…of course,” Yuki said, a blush creeping into his cheeks as he quickly stepped back and waited for Spinel to hover into the room in front of him before he stepped inside and closed the door behind himself. Spinel stopped just inside the dining area, eyeing Touya---who was standing stock-still near the table, apparently a victim of the same shock that had overtaken Yuki---with the same dull-eyed stare he’d given Yuki.

“Ohayo,” Spinel said again, finally, as an afterthought.

“Ohayo,” Touya and Yuki both echoed, and Yuki cringed slightly, rubbing the back of his head.

After that the room fell into an awkward silence, and when it finally became painfully apparent that Spinel had no intention of explaining his presence or doing anything other than peering at Yuki with that same unnerving, unblinking stare, Yuki and Touya both shifted slightly, Touya coughing quietly and Yuki clearing his throat.

“Well, I’ll be in my office,” Touya said, quickly picking up his coffee and making his way past Yuki, toward his study. Yuki watched him go, biting his lower lip, feeling torn between betrayal at being left alone in a difficult situation, and relief at being given a chance to get to the bottom of this, because he was sure that it was mainly Touya’s presence that left Spinel unwilling to say what he had come to say.

“Uh…onegai shimasu, Spinel Sun, won’t you…have a seat?” Yuki said awkwardly, glancing between the tiny creature and the enormous chairs at their dining table.

“Arigatou,” Spinel said in the same patient monotone as he fluttered over and lowered himself to the table top, settling himself on Touya’s place mat. He glanced up at Yuki expectantly, as though expecting him to take the chair on the other side.

“Ano…did you…want to talk to Yue?” Yuki asked hesitantly, again reaching up to rub the back of his head.

“Hai,” Spinel said simply after a moment of regarding Yuki in silence.

Yuki felt unspeakably relieved, particularly since Yue didn’t seem nearly as perturbed by the little feline’s presence as Yuki felt.

“Ano…one moment…” Yuki said awkwardly, and without pausing to await an answer, he darted down the hallway and into the bedroom.

“What does he want?” Yuki whispered as he closed the door, and he closed his eyes as he felt the warmth surround him and then dissipate, just as quickly.

“Why don’t we ask him?” Yue asked, lifting an eyebrow slightly as he glanced towards the mirror. He shook his head slightly and opened the door, making his way slowly back out towards the dining room.

“Spinel Sun,” Yue said, in a fair approximation of his own best monotone. He seated himself across from the small animal, who continued to regard him unblinkingly.

“Yue,” Spinel Sun returned, and Yue was relieved in spite of himself when Spinel continued, obviously content to make clear his point in coming now that he had Yue alone. “I’m here to speak to you about my master.”

“What about him?” Yue asked, lifting an eyebrow again. The little beast shook his head slightly.

“Forgive me for intruding. Eriol’s affairs---”

“His what?” Yue said somewhat sharply.

“Eriol’s activities,” Spinel continued smoothly, not disturbed in the least by the interruption or the mildly affronted tone of Yue’s voice, “are none of my business. Frankly, I don’t care in the least who he associates with, or why. But the fact that I have to live with him unfortunately has caused this matter to become a concern to me.”

Spinel blinked once, owlishly, and Yue fought the urge to squirm. The little creature somehow conveyed an air of extreme intelligence, and the calm, dull tone of his voice was starting to grate on Yue’s already-frayed nerves.

“I’ll come directly to the point,” Spinel said coolly, and Yue wondered if the other guardian could hear the way his teeth were grinding against one another of their own accord. “Eriol has become…”

Yue waited, breath held, in the silence of Spinel’s pause.

“…unbearable to live with,” Spinel said finally, his deadpan tone of voice finally cracking slightly into something approaching annoyance. “It would be stupid of either of us to say we don’t know why.”

Yue blinked, surprised despite himself at the sun guardian’s perceptiveness.

“Your affairs are none of my concern either,” Spinel said simply, and then, to Yue’s surprise, he bowed his head slightly, a very Japanese gesture of respect. “But I humbly ask you to consider speaking to Eriol, before at least one of his guardians goes utterly insane and decides to go on a rampage.”

His voice had fallen to a low growl by the time he finished his speech, and Yue felt his own mouth tightening as he attempted to hold back a smile.

“Thank you for your time,” Spinel said simply, and then he got up and floated towards the door, dropping down to the level of the handle and placing his small paw against it.

“Iie…thank you for your time,” Yue said as he got to his feet, stretching his wings slightly before he made his way across the kitchen. He had spotted a plate of cookies on the kitchen counter, and he now held the plate up as Spinel turned slowly back, wondering what Yue wished to say. “I’m sure Hiiragizawa Eriol thanks you for your concern. In thanks…would you like a cookie?”

It was the lowest of the low---indeed, it was nothing short of cruel---but nonetheless, Yue took an odd pleasure in the way Spinel’s eyes widened, and the sound of his voice as he squeaked out a hurried, “Iie…arigatou” and flitted out of the door, slamming it shut behind himself.

Yue, Yuki said in a tone of admonishment, trying to rein in his own laughter. That was mean.

“People who never display any emotion bother me,” Yue said, smiling slightly as he started back towards the bedroom, listening to the warm sound of Yuki’s laughter echo through his mind.

“So…” Yuki began a few moments later, after he’d regained his body. “Will you do as he asked?”

I will do as he challenged, Yue corrected, and Yuki grinned again. This afternoon, if that’s convenient.

“Works for me,” Yuki said with a shrug as he settled back on the bed and picked up his book, willing to at least attempt to occupy himself until the afternoon, even though he was sure he would spend far more of it wondering exactly what Yue might say or do that afternoon than paying attention to the words on the page.

*****