Title: Give A Reason ~Brave Souls~
Author: The Even Hentai Shin-Chan
Date: 02/26/02
Warnings: AU, 2+Seiji, Shin+Shuu, Ryo+Touma, yaoi, kinda angst
Archive: "Murphy", anyothers that dare
Yet another chapter in my now nearly epic series! The song is sung my L-Sama and is from the Slayers NEXT. Or in other words, not mine. 'Nyways here's the fic.... don't flame me.... onegai?
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I yelp as his arms slacken around me and he collapses. I hear another yell, a distant part of my mind ids it as Ryo's. Shin gives me a cursory glance as he kneels down nexr ro my blonde lover. The worried sea-green eyes close and a glowing symbol, shin I think, appears i his forehead as Seiji's battered green armor fades into the thiner armor the others have on. Gasping, shocked at the armor's dissapearence but more so at the red-tinge the thin armor has. Painfully, heedless of my own pain and bloodloss, I crawl over to him.

"I can see you wonder, just like always you do
"I know you get under you aching sad fire
"'Everybody's in vain', you're whispering yourself
"You're in trap again, that's no, you don't wanna be."

'Damn these bandages are ichy!" I scratch gingerly at my arm, my gaze still resting on Seiji's still form. Gently I touch his face, lightly brushing his pale, silky hair. I jump, started, as someone strokes my hair lightly from behind, trying to comfort me, "Gomen, daijoubu?" I nod, shiverin slightly, "Hai....Daijoubu..." The tall archer sighs, "Hai. If you say so," he turns to leave, "just take care of youseld, Seiji wouldn't want anything to happen to you, aliright?" I blink, trying to hold back tears, but fail miserably as the realization that my lover's condition was caused by me.

"Follow your own heardt even though naive
"Get ready to start. I truely believe,
"Takeing modesty never ever helps you
"Having honesty leads to the way to go"

Shin pops his head into the darkend room and smiles, leaving the two injured young men to rest. quietly going back down the stairs, he stops at the bottom and sighs. Ryo and Touma lay together, both soundly asleep, on the couch with Byakuen curled up on the floor. Shuu looks ip at him, "How are thy?" The bearer of Suilo sits down on the arm of his chair, leaning into the Chinese boy, "They're both asleep. I do hope that they'll be alright..." Shuu encircles the smaller Trooper's waist with his arms, pulling him closer, "You know Seiji, he'll rebound and Duo-kun, well.... something just tells me that he'll be fine too... Just," he pulls Shin into his lap, "Quit worrying!" The auburn-haired boy sighs, leaning his head against him...

"Don't be afraid of failing in the game
"Your don't want to care for the name
"Don't worry, being alone in the dark
"For anywhere, for anytime
"You will find me by you."

I blink awake, hearing someone calling my name, faintly. I feel him shaking, him reaching out for me. Gently, I grab his hand and pull itomey lips, "I'm her, koi. Shhh...." He blinks at me, momentarily confused, then pulls me to him in a tight hug. I let out a startled yelp, partially from pain, but mostly out of suprise of his sudden movement. He buries his face in my hair, whispering, "You're safe... you're.... Duo..." I look up at him and realize that he's crying. Smiling, I kiss him lightly, "Seiji-koi, daijoubu?" He reaches out shakily, trying to find the lamp. I lay my hand on his arm, turning the light on for him, "Don't worry, It's alright, I won't leave you.... I promise." He pulls me downtohim and kisses me solidly, "I know koi, I just worry sometimes..."

"Remember technicolor dream once we had,
"As we keep it deeply yet still alive
"So we hold it tightly yet still in time
"We can make it come true with our soul."

As we lay there, spooned together, limbs inter-twined, I hear a rumbling from downstairs. I am olted fully awake by a familiar presence in the back of my mind. y movement awaked Seiji, he blinks his pale lavender eyes sleepily. I smill, kissing him lightly and snuggle up closer to him. I open my mouth to tell him to go back to sleep when a lightl knock on the door, followed by Ryo's head, interupts me. His normally cheeful blue eyes are tired and shadowed, "Guys. we've gotta problem..." I nod, suprising both of them, "I know.... it's him again..." Ryo blinks, stepping full into the doorway, "It's who? How do you know?" Seiji gently tightens his arms, "Go one, Duo-koi, what is it?" I shiver, npot wanting to lie to them, "Just call it an educated guess..."

"Let's head up towards the Sun in the sky
"It's long overdue to spread wings to fly
"We are brave it out with our own pride
"Give a reason, for life over again."

i see them fighting, futally wishing I could help them. Clutching the thin shirt Shin lent me, I work my way closer to them. The man in the blood red armor smirks at me, grabbing Shin as he blocks his attack, "So, my little beauty came back. I knew you would." Someone, Seiji I think, yells out to me. I stop dead, leveling my gun at his face. His laugh turns into a snarl, "Come here now. Or else your little friend here will have a meeting with the true Shinigami." I smile at him and pull the trigger, "Iie." The shot hits him, full in the face, as he throws the gentle suiko bearer away from him, towards the edge of the building. I let out a startled yell as he goes over and, without thinking, go over after him, guilt heavy in my head.

"You are impassice tomat ewith yesterday
"I am agressive to wait for tomarrow
"Why don't you take off your backward desire?
"That's wrapping you like a heavy coat to tire."

I gently lay my hand on his shoulder, quietly asking him, "Daijobu? Seiji-koi?" He turns to me, pale blue-violet eyes widening slightly, "D-Duo... Y-you're..." 'He was crying, over me? He must've thought me dead.' I smile and nod, taking his hands into mine. Realizing that I'm realy me, he pulls me into a tight hug. In doing so, a few dark black feathers lazily drift down. Releasing me, he curiously picks one up, I'm hoping he'll be able to take this. "Seiji-koi, I-" I start but am cut off by his fingers upon my lips. He twirls the feather in his fingers, "what is this, besides a feather, and where did it come from?" I blink, "Gomen... Gomen for not telling you sooner but, the feathers are... well..." He looks up at me and brushes his fingers over my cheeks, "They're what? Please tell me, koi." I look down, shifting uncertaintly, causing more feathers to dall, "THey're mine. That's why he wanted me. It's my fault...." He lifts my head gently with a finger and kisses me lightly, "Daijoubu ku." I'm shaking inside, I almost wish I didn't have to tell him but, I look up at him, "Honto?" He nods, "Hai, Duo, don't worry. Ai shiteru... Ai shiteru zutto." I glomp him, my dark wings fluttering slightly...

"We are the team go on together
"Having respect foreach other
"As far as you stick to your own pride
"For anywhere, for anytime
"You will find me by you."

Touma and Ryo jump, startled as Seiji and Duo walk down the stairs. hte two on the couch gasp at the blonde's seemingly woundless form but, more so at Duo's large, black wings, folded up neatly against his back. Byakuen raises his head, eyeing up the American and lowers it again with a whumph. Duo smiles, walking over to them, his feet barely whispering over the carpet. They look up at him as the archer starts curiously, "Ne... Duo'kun... I din't realize you were... uh... here. Is Shin back too?" Th epilot snickers, setting his hand lightly on Touma's shoulder as it [his hand] glows darkly, "Yes, Shin-kun is still well and alive. I just hope that Hee-chan and Wuffie are, Namagomi ₍₁₎ still hase them..." The blue haired boy tenses at the glow the nearly gasps as his wounds heal. Ryo backs away slightly as the winged American heals him, "W-what are you?" Duo snickers and tosses his braid over his shoulder nonchalantly, "simple. Boku was Shinigami₍₂₎," he starts cracking up at Ryo's horrified looks and Touma's amused one, "Actually, not but, all I can say is that I'm not evil. I mean if I was, how could I be a pilot? Besides the fact that most evil peoples are SO butt ugly which," he flutters his eyelashes at them, "I am DEFINATELY not!" The blonde swordsman chuckles, wrapping his arms around Duo's thin waist, "Quit teasing our 'fearless leader'." The blue-haired archer snicker, "Yeah. we don't need him to wet himself!" Ryo smacks at Touma as the rest stop laughing but, he freezes as Duo laughs, "Take it to your room, boys!" With that, the four of them, three Troopers and one pilot, engage n a free-for-all pillow fight.

"Remeber technicolor dreams once we had,
"As we keep it deeply yet still alive,
"So we hold it tightly yet still in time,
"We can make it come true with our soul."

I look upand blink, my hazed brain not yet registering the faint weight on my back as my wings. I sit up, then fall over with a yelp as I loose my balance. Seiji's golden head appears overhead, upside-down, smilinh, "Need a little help, tenshi-ko ₍₃₎." I stick my tongue out at him, carefully sitting up, "not.... funny..." He chuckles, slipping his ars around my waist, "They could prove to be... interesting, ne?" Gently he runs his fingers over my feathers, causeing a thin trickle of please to reach my brain. Wanting to feel more of him, I lean into him and press my lips softly to his. As he pulls me to him, more tightly, I close my eyes, savoring our nearness and wishing my wings would dissapear so I could feel him. All of him. I let out a startled gasp as they shrinkinto my back. My blonde swordsman raises an eyebrow apprasingly and chuckles, "I see you can hide them again." He pauses, running a hand over my ass, "And does that mean that you want to play now?" My enthusiastic kiss was the only answer I gave him...

"Let's head up towards the Sun in the sky
"It's long overdue to spread wings to fly.
"We are brave it out with our own pride
"Catch a season to prove in our style.

'Quatre? Quatre, daijoubu?'
~Pause, sniffle~"Du-o? Is that you? You're OK?'
'Yes I am. Did you really think that I could be dealt with so easily?'
~Smile~'I don't doubt you. Is Wufei and Trowa there too?'
~Pause~'Ano... Iie... I'm sorry but we're working on the now. They are OK though....'
'Oh' ~Pause~ 'Who's we?'
'The...uh... some aquatances of mine... he... uh... they were the ones that saved me.'
'Doyou mean the Troopers? Seiji-kun told me.'
'Oh, ok. I'll let you know when we get them, alright?'
'Alright Duo. Please call back soon.'
'I will, I promise. Ja!'
~click~
"Duo-kun, are you ready?"
The dark winged figure slides a hand to his belt, switching the saftey off of his gun, "Hai Shin. I'm comming down now!"

"Don't be afraid of failing in the game
"You don't want to care for the name
"Don't worry being alone in the dark.
"For anywhere, for anytime,
"You will find me by you."

I jump back into Touma and Seiji, both closely following, as a click of a tile reveals leathal spikes. Blinking I laugh tightly, "One good thing the war left." I could practically hear the blonde's frown as I hop over the trap. Upon feeling his presence, I shudder and continue on. For a few more minutes we go on in an eerie silence until I stop, "In there.... they're in there." The nod collectively as Seiji lightly lays a hand on my shoulder, "What is it Duo-koi?" I shake my head, "He's still alive... he's in there..." he smiles solomly and gives my shoulder a gently squeeze, "Don't worry, I... we are here for you." The others nod in agreement and together, we go on, into the darkened building.

"Remember technicolor dream once we had
"As we keep it deeply yet still alive,
"So we hold it tightly yet still in time.
"We can make it come true with our soul."

Back and forth, darting in and our of battle on black-feathered wings, I flit over to a downed armor, smiling at the scythe laying by it. Laughing quietly to myself, amused at the irony, 'a tenshi no shi₍₄₎ fighting against another. Hmph. This is SO screwed!' spotting my target, sho currently has Ryo rather beat, I take flight towards him. Even over the sounds of battle, Ican her the gasps of suprise, ignoring them I slice through the chains holding Ryo. As he drops to the ground I call to him, readying myself for my opponent's attack, "Get the others, I'll get him!" As Ryo backs off, the other tenshi no shi calls to me wryly, "You really have broken most rules now haven't you? Idiot." I snarl at him, "And you haven't? I wouldn't have had to reveal myself if not for YOU!" Striking at me with his chains, I causually bat them away with the scythe I took. The sounds of battle aroundus lessens, slowly coming to a halt as te Troopers cut down my opponent's troops. Realizing he can't beat my speed on foot, he dissolves his armor to spread his wings. I can hear their gasps of suprise as the catch a look at his wings and face. They watch, mesmerized as we fight, taking and recieving each other's blows...

"Duo?" I look up at him, nuzzling his shoulder, "Yea, koi?" "Will you," he pauses, stroking my back lightly, "Will you stay?" I blink at him, confused, "Hai. why wouldn't I? I mean, why would I leave? Ai shiteru, koi." He sighs, realived, "That's-I-ano..." He hugs me tightly to him, "I love you too, Duo. I always will." I can hear his heatbeat, feel his body heat, he's scared of something. Kissing him lightly, I ask curiously, "What's wrong?" I hear a slight click as the door opens slightly.
Seiji looks down at me, lavender eyes open, un-shielded, "Duo, I know this is sudden and out of place but," he looks down, reaching out to his dresser for something, "Will you marry me?"
I gasp, shocked that he'd ask, "I-I-" He cuts my off his a hand on my lips, "I do love you, I wouldn't care if you were Shinigami himself, as long as you are you."
I kiss the slim fingers on my lips, regardless of the tears off joy streaming down my face, 'he really doesn't care that I'm not like him.' Smiling, I tell him, "Of course I would koi. I would be honored to."
As he kisses me tenderly, I hear Shin gently shut the door, and I lean against him, suddenly feeling fully relaxed for the first time in years....

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The Ever Hentai Shin-Chan