Dead Roses

Another Chapter written by me, this time totally. Sigh. I lost a really good partner in crime.

Warnings: Read the previous chapters

Disclaimer: I do not own it.

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Water trickled down Yuan’s face and he tensed almost instantly. Squinting his eyes for a moment till they cleared and he could see again. “Who…?” He tried to ask, though his voice cracked from lack of use. He coughed and tried again. “Who’s there?”

“Relax.” Kratos’s smooth voice rang. “It’s only me Yuan.”

“…Oh.” Yuan sighed, and relaxed once again.

Kratos remained quiet as he continued to pat down Yuan’s fevered face with a cloth. In the time he had gone to Meltokio and trained Zelos; Yuan had managed to get sick, though it was probably from trying to heal the earlier injuries he received. Kratos sighed and leaned back, dipping the cloth in the water, ringing it, and then replacing it on Yuan’s head.

Yuan looked at Kratos through half lidded eyes trying to study his face. “Kratos…” He finally said.

“Yes Yuan?” the taller angel asked, giving his full attention to him once again.

Yuan was silent for a moment before he spoke up again, “Never mind.”

Kratos stared at Yuan, his face emotionless. “Yuan, are you prepared to tell about what happened to you?” He asked at length.

Yuan stiffened, afraid that this conversation would start. “I…” He tried, immediately hating how weak his voice sounded. Strengthening his voice he met Kratos’s eyes straight on and glared at them evenly. “I don’t think that is any of your business.”

Kratos face shifted into a glare of their own. “I think it is my business when one of our elite angels, a seraphim, is knocked cold for three days and then comes sick with fever, thus rendering him useless.” He said coldly. He didn’t want to be cruel but Yuan was being so stubborn…

Yuan looked away. “I’m not that bad.” He said lamely, and felt as though he were a child arguing with his mother whether or not he was to sick to go to a fair. This entire incident had made him feel weak. He loathed his inability to fight back, or not having the logic to avoid it in the first place. He growled to himself, and threw Kratos another glare.

Kratos crossed his arms, an indifferent face still showing. “Don’t be a fool Yuan, angels don’t get sick unless they have been seriously injured or are suffering under high emotional stress.”

“I know that!” Yuan snapped. “I’m the one who made those medical proclamations in the first place when studying exspheres and our Cruxis Crystals!”

“Then you should know why I am asking these questions.” Kratos replied evenly.

Yuan growled at him, sitting up and making to stand, so that he could face Kratos on even grounds. “I will not be spoken to like a child Kratos!”

Kratos moved to keep Yuan steady when he stood only to be swatted away. He glared at Yuan who, now at least, could look him in the eye. “Then stop acting like one.”

“What does he expect?” the blue haired angel’s mind hissed, “Me to just confess that I was ra…ped…” He couldn’t finish; even in his mind it sounded pathetic. He, Lord Yuan of the seraphim angels, couldn’t even fight off one such incident after four thousand years of honing his skills? It was weakness, one he was not about to confess.

Kratos, upon receiving no more reply then a level glare, growled in frustration and turned away. “You’re being so damned stubborn.”

“And you are butting in where you don’t belong human!” Yuan snapped, and almost instantly regretted it.

Kratos went silent, staring in slight shock. He looked away quickly glaring at the far wall. “Fine Yuan.” He replied calmly. He turned and strode out the door before Yuan could even react.

“Wait! Kratos!” Yuan shouted, stumbling slightly and cursing his weakness of mind and body even more. “Kratos!” He shouted down the hall, but got no response as the other angel walked away. “DAMN IT!!” His mind screamed.

He tried to follow after Kratos, but with his current illness and injuries, he could do no more then limp along. Finally tired of even that he got out his wings, that he hated greatly, and tried to follow him. He made it to the large room where the teleporter and the entrance to Yggdrasill’s throne room was. He nearly screamed in frustration when he realized that Kratos was already gone.

“That miserable bastard!” He shouted to no one in particular, though some of the angels that floated throughout the castle turned to look at him.

“Why so upset?” A silky voice asked from behind him.

Yuan whipped around to see Yggdrasill coming floating behind him. He visibly paled, but trying to save face, straightened himself out and gave a slight bow before the lord of the two worlds. “My lord…I was just…talking with Kratos.”

“Ah yes, that man can be quite frustrating to deal with.” The blond angel sighed. “How do you feel Yuan?” He asked suddenly. “Kratos says that you are unwell…I hope that it is not because of our game we played.” He said giving one of the most handsome, and also terrifying faces Yuan had ever seen.

Taken back by the gesture Yuan recovered as quickly as he could. “I am fine my lord…”

“That is good, then I ask you to return to your duties.” He said turning from Yuan and floating towards the doors to his throne. He looked back once to Yuan, smiling. “Please do be sure that you care for your self… big brother.”

As soon as Yggdrasill had disappeared behind those tall wooden doors Yuan all but ran out of Deris Krahlan.

-

Kratos, once out of Deris Krahlan, had flown off to where he could be alone to let off his frustration. By the time he was done ‘practicing’ the area he was in was nothing more than bare rock. He sat down on one of the boulders he had dislodged from the Earth, resting his arms on his flame sword. He surveyed the area he was in and mentally scolded himself for creating such useless devastation.

Once he resigned himself to a calmer state of mind he thought about the current situation with Yuan. He didn’t understand the why the man was being so stubborn in telling him what had happened, after all Kratos only had the best intentions for him. He realized though that Yuan must have been very upset for him to attack him on his race. He might have expected this from the other angels or perhaps Mithos, so it was unsettling to have Yuan, who often insisted that there was no difference between them, to have attacked him on that.

He shook himself out of his thoughts, deeming it would do him no good to brood. Getting up he headed towards Meltokio, figuring he’d at least get some work done since he was down here.

-

Yuan came up to the renegade base and after entering his codes entered and headed straight for his office. Several renegades stopped and saluted him when he passed by them, before returning to their duties.

Yuan entered his office, sitting down heavily in his chair and taking in deep breaths trying to calm his racing heart. He looked down at the reports on his desk and picking them up he began to read through them.

It wasn’t a second later when Botta came in through the doors, giving a quick salute to his commander then, upon telling Yuan telling him at ease, began speaking, “Lord Yuan it is good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too Botta.” Yuan said with a slight tired smile, which was not lost on Botta. “Tell me, besides these reports, has there been any action since I have left?”

Botta shook his head, “No my lord.” He answered.

“I see, well that’s good.” Yuan said, dropping his strict tone. “How have you been Botta?”

“I’m fine sir.” Botta answered at length. His lord was acting strange; he seemed tired, angry, and almost…depressed. Had something happened? “And how do you fare my lord?” he asked carefully.

“I’m fine.” Yuan answered quickly, picking up his strict tone again.

Botta studied his lord carefully before asking, “My lord…has something happened?”

“No.” Yuan answered snappishly. He turned cold eyes to Botta. “If there is nothing else for you to report I would like you to return to your duties.” He ordered before turning his eyes back to the reports on his desk.

“…Yes my lord.” Botta said, giving a quick salute before leaving.

Yuan leaned back in his chair, regretting how that conversation had gone. Botta had meant no harm in asking him what had happened, but he had snapped at him anyway. He really was acting like a child, lashing out at everyone. He growled angrily to himself picking up one of the reports before reading through it, though his concentration was not in it.

-

Once Kratos had reached Meltokio he had headed straight to Zelos’s mansion. He walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. Zelos’s butler, Sebastian answered. “Master Kratos?” He asked politely. “I’m sorry master Zelos is out currently.”

Kratos growled to himself, He had told the idiot chosen that he was going to be here in the morning to train with him!

“Would you like to wait in the guest room until he returns?” Sebastian asked politely.

Kratos sighed getting his ire back in check, “Yes, that’s fine.” Kratos answered, having no desire to return to Deris Krahlan at the moment. He was led to the guest room, sitting in one of the plush chairs. As always, when he was alone, he thought of his current situation. He must have been deep of thought because he was startled when Zelos shouted at him.

“Bout time you woke up old man.” Zelos said, trade mark smirk on his lips.

Kratos gave him a level glare before standing up, to speak with him eye to eye. “You’re late.” He growled.

“Sorry hunny, I had a pedicure.” He said, smile never wavering. “Waiting long?”

Kratos resisted the urge to beat the boy over the head. “Today we’re heading off to Sybak.”

“Great!” Zelos exclaimed. “Intelligential hunnies!”

Kratos carefully kept his face neutral, though this time he did give Zelos a cuff on the head.

-

“…and the infiltration team in the desian Lord Magnius ranch have been successful in gathering exspheres and releasing fifteen percent of the prisoners as planed.” A renegade reported to their leader.

Yuan nodded, “Good, and in the other ranches?”

“We have successfully avoided suspicion.” The man answered swiftly, and with full confidence.

“Good.” Yuan said. They both turned when there was a knock on the door. “Yes?” Yuan said into his intercom.

“My lord, it is Botta.” The voice on the other side replied.

“Alright, you may enter in a moment.” Yuan said back. “Are we done?” He asked the other renegade.

“Yes my lord.” The man said.

“Good then, you are dismissed.” Yuan said.

The renegade saluted and turned and left. Botta entered right after. He quickly saluted to Yuan.

“At ease.” Yuan said. “What brings you to me?” he leaned back in his chair.

“My lord, I’ve come first off to apologize about this morning.” Botta said, keeping his eyes on Yuan.

Yuan looked down, sighing to himself. “It’s alright Botta…I over reacted.”

“No sir, I shouldn’t have asked, it’s your business and as long as it doesn’t interfere with our mission then it is of no concern of mine.” Botta said swiftly.

Yuan smiled sadly, “Botta…” He looked at the renegade commander, “I know you were concerned and only had the best intentions, as any friend would.”

Botta nodded. “Thank you my lord.”

Smiling more sincerely, Yuan stood up, moving over to Botta, placing an arm on his shoulder. “No, thank you my friend.”

Slightly taken back by the unusual display of affection, Botta returned the smile and placed an arm on Yuan’s shoulder returning the gesture. They parted after, and though Botta could have been mistaken, he could have sworn that Yuan’s atmosphere was a little lighter.

Yuan moved away from Botta back to his desk. “I have to go back to Deris Krahlan.” He said softly, to the point where Botta had to strain to hear.

“My lord?” Botta asked.

“I…Botta you know what to do if I do not return…” Yuan said even quieter.

“My lord?!” Botta said, shocked that this conversation had come up. He was now very worried about his leader. “What are you talking about?!”

“…No, forget that I said that…it was foolish.” Yuan said.

Botta, unsure exactly what he should do, moved over to the blue haired angel, placing an arm on his shoulder. “My lord, do you believe your life is in danger?”

“My life is always in danger, but that is fine.” Yuan said, not moving or reacting to Botta’s contact.

“My lord, Yuan, if you do not believe you are safe returning to Deris Krahlan then do not return! We have discussed you leaving the angels for a while now.” Botta said, placing his other hand on Yuan’s shoulder and turning him in his chair so he could be face-to-face with him.

“I know.” Yuan answered. “But I can not simply leave, I still have to much to do there.” Eyes’ not meeting Botta’s, a sad and almost frightened demure surrounding him.

“My lord we can not afford to lose you! If you feel you are threatened then do not return!” Botta almost shouted at Yuan, but instead of the usual yell he would receive for ‘commanding’ his commander, all he got was a small smile, which alarmed him.

“It’s alright Botta.” Yuan said, gently shrugging Botta’s hands as he stood. “I’ll be fine, besides I have to much to live for right now.”

Botta could say nothing, scared for his leader and praying to any god who would listen to protect him. He solemnly nodded, not wanting for Yuan to go off to what could be his death, but not being able to make him stay.

Yuan started to walk away, but before he could reach the door he heard Botta call out to him.

“My lord!” Yuan turned slightly, “Fighting for justice and freedom, renegades fight forever!” Botta said, giving a salute to Yuan.

Yuan smiled softly. “Thank you…my friend.” And he left.

-

Okay, so that’s the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Please give me your opinion, especially on what should happen next. (I like opinions and I kind of need them.)

Also did you guys notice that the chapters are all pretty much the same size? I’ve tried to keep a seven-page thing.

I wrote Botta! Botta Botta Botta Botta!!

Sorry I’m weird.