I am running after plotbunnies with an elephant gun and blaster and a bunch of cages…
Lance: ^-^ Well, as long as they’re nice bunnies.
Ash: Nice?
Pika-chan: *eating a gigantic snow cone* I am now Phantomness’s ‘fluff/sweet fic’ muse
Kairo: ^-^
Shoyko: At least there wasn’t too much darkness in this fic, right?
Phantomness: Well, everything’s relative…
Disclaimer/Notes: See a previous chapter
Chapter 9
Jerome looked around the chapel for his friend’s son. He finally spotted Ash – yes, that was the boy’s name – by himself.
No, not quite…
The other boy with dark red hair stood next to him, embracing him from behind. Interesting.
If he remembered correctly, Cypress had only _had_ one son…
Maybe they were friends?
No, that look spoke of more than friendship. How cute…
The ceremony ended soon enough as the man was interred.
He would miss Cypress…
He watched as Ash quietly slipped out after having placed a bouquet of lilies on the tombstone.
Such a pity… he wasn’t even a man yet.
Cute child though…
< Can we go home now Lance-chan? >
< Hai. >
He was now Ash’s legal guardian. He wouldn’t let anyone hurt the boy, legally or otherwise. No, that would not happen.
Never.
What are guardians for?
< I will protect you, Chosen. >
“Hai.” Ash smiled shyly.
It had not been an easy past few days, but he had tried his best to make Master Red smile… and he actually wanted to see him smile.
Was that love?
Oh, it was so confusing, but he felt alive around his Chosen, and that was important.
He wouldn’t let _anyone_ hurt his Chosen.
I’ll kill them all first…
Because maybe he was starting to care…
The ice was melting, but it didn’t burn like they had said it might, so it wasn’t pain-built, right? It was nice…
In its own way…
I might love you…
“Hi.”
“Who are you?” Ash asked, staring at the strange man on the couch.
“I’m Jerome.”
“Oh, father’s boyfriend.”
“Yes.”
Jerome couldn’t help looking at Ash though, the boy was very… attractive in his own way, interesting.
Lance noticed and smirked to himself.
What a dirty-minded man, perfect for the darkness to kill.
Ash remained cheerfully oblivious.
“So why are you here?”
“Your dad gave me a key, I wanted to see if you were all right.”
“I’m fine.”
“Do you have someone who will take you in?”
“I will.” Lance said.
“Really…”
“I’m twenty-four.”
“Oh!”
< You are? >
< Close enough, I was in magic trance for many years… >
< Oh. >
< That’s just what guardians do. >
< I see… >
“So I don’t need your help.” Ash said sweetly.
Jerome sighed a bit to himself. * Pity, he’d probably be a good lay. *
Lance’s eyes widened slightly and he was on the verge of summoning the dragon’s blades to attack, but he let his anger go.
Why _was_ he so angry?
He wasn’t actually ‘in love’ as such, was he?
Surely he would just be calm and deal with this vermin instead of letting anger flood him, what was going on?
Emotions were melting, weren’t they.
Do I love him then?
What is love really?
It’s so complicated…
Jerome stayed the night. They ordered pizza.
The trouble probably started when he brought beer. Oh well, some people use drink to drown out sorrow.
In any case, before anything _else_ could take place, Lance barricaded himself and Ash in Ash’s bedroom and stood vigil by the door, the dragon’s blades in his hands, others hovering around him.
If he had to, he would use Dragon Dance. He would protect his Chosen at all costs… even if it were the death of his father’s friend.
I swore Cypress loyalty to his son.
I will not break my vow.
I do not care if this man was his lover, he is gone now and it is no matter. He will not hurt my Chosen!
He put Ash to sleep, let him sleep… yes, that was good, as he brushed pale fingers over the child’s face.
Pretty… kirei…
Yes, he was beautiful.
And in a strange way, Master Red was _his_ too, right? By the vow of Chosen and guardian…
It felt… different, to have ownership, but also kind of right…
Was that love then?
Maybe it was…
If so, he could learn to live with it, and live for it…
End Chapter
Completed 7/20/04