Torn Asunder (Xayden)

[Aito Satoshi]

Spring break was upon the school this week, which meant that he was back at Saint Mungo's again for yet another sleep study to see how long he would last before the terrors took over again. Granted, it was getting longer, and the staff was pleased with the progress he'd made since Christmas. It was as if he was fighting to actually sleep and not give in to those petrifying sensations. While he waited, he did what he normally did: Room to room with his wand, conjuring artistic flowers in bright colors to help lift the mood. Some of the older resident patients in the Magical Trauma Unit would turn their heads and address him by name with a pleasant smile.

Then it was time for the children's wing. Much to his dismay, the Princess Persephone was still there and he made sure to help her especially after the other children were all gifted with his time and a smile. Persephone was overjoyed that her playmate returned and he was given hugs around the middle. Just like last time, he charmed her dragon to fly around the room, softly singing her a lullaby until she drifted off to sleep again. Her parents tried to offer him galleons for doing such, but he shook his head. "I couldn't take that, please keep it. My payment's in the happiness in her face."

The mediwitches took him back for his sleep study and he sighed as he lay back upon the entirely too uncomfortable bed. He cast a wary glance up at the mediwitch that gently smoothed back his hair as the small leather straps were secured over his wrists to secure him. "Are those necessary still?" She smiled at him sadly, knowing how much this whole study simply was soul crushing anymore. "Just a precaution, you know. Last time, you ran off and it took your poor mother hours to find you again." He sighed darkly and looked up at the ceiling.

In the quiet, his mind regressed to flying with Xayden on the Quidditch Pitch, and the smile upon his lips as he'd manipulated the star dust to spell out his name within the sky, wrapped tenderly in a heart. Thinking of the Burman, who had gone home for the break, made him calm far better than any mediwitch's charm. He couldn't wait to kiss him when he got back to school.

Just as his eyes started to close and the mediwitches had gotten comfortable in the room to monitor him, a healer burst through the door, making all three inhabitants jump. "Come quickly, I need all medical personal to the Intensive Care Unit! Andrews was attacked again, and it's worse than before!" In the fog of his mind, he heard the name and his eyes snapped open with sheer panic written over his face. "Let me out! Let me up first!" They had already moved out, and he hissed darkly. Really? He looked out the door and saw more healers hurrying down the hall and found his arms flexing violently until the small leather bands snapped away from the table and he was out of the room like a bloody shot.

His heart was beating in his throat as he turned the corner at a dead run and he nearly toppled his poor mother over in the process. "Aito! Where are you going?!" He looked back at her with a panic stricken expression as if his heart was shattering into a thousand tiny pieces. "To him." The pause to say it was miniscule, but Sayuri Satoshi could see the change in her son...wasn't the boy he mentioned of the surname Andrews?

As he neared where the healers were going, he saw a large gathering of wizards in the hallway in front of the room. He heard the name Matthias being used frequently, once by the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Edward. Xayden's older brother. Now the panic was setting in and his heart was practically shattering on the spot. He tried to stand on tip toes and peer into the room before finally speaking up and catching Edward's attention. "Professor? What happened?" His mind was begging that this was an awful coincidence and it was not Xayden in the room beyond.

Matthias had attacked him again and upon hearing that, his heart seared with absolute agony. He couldn't get to him to stay near him. As he was only slightly told of what happened to inform him, Auror Andrews came and declared a manhunt for the Fin. Personally, Aito felt the desire to rip one of the Fin's limbs off for this, but kept that thought silent and his jaw clenched tight, despite the worry that kept worsening upon his features.

[Deleted]

It seemed like fate just loved to go and screw with the happiness of the Andrews family. They could never be happy for long, no matter what. It was almost as if the family was cursed, and as everything seemed to happen one thing after the other, this belief was strengthened in the three uninjured members of the family. This had all started out innocently, happily even. Both Edward and Xayden had chosen to return home to Hogwarts for their spring break. Maung had taken some time off of work to come and visit them, as had Christopher, and as such they had expected it to have been a simple and relaxing spring break filled with bonding, and relaxation. That was not had things had turned out for them.

The first few days had been quiet and peaceful, then Xayden had received an owl that had supposedly been sent to him from one of his friends, asking him to meet him somewhere so they could have a conversation about something that had been troubling them. Xayden had sent a return owl, agreeing to meet them before leaving the house telling his family that he would be out with a friend and that he would be back later. Hours had passed, and still Xayden had not returned home without so much as a single word. Getting worried Christopher, Maung, and Edward had decided to go out and search for him.

It was only when they returned back to their house did they find him. Xayden was lying directly on their doorstep, barely conscious. His body had been decorated with numerous lacerations, and deep cuts that had been bleeding out heavily. It had taken exactly one glance to know what had happened. The wounds had been eerily similar to the ones that had been inflicted on him the year before, the ones that had been inflicted by a certain fin.

Maung and Edward had grabbed onto their brother and lifted him up, ignoring the blood that got all over themselves as they did so, and after a quick discussion with their father, they had apperated to St.Mungos, while their father apperated to the Ministry to report the incident, and returned with a small team of aurors who had come with him to observe Xayden, and question him when he woke up.

The brothers had been discussing what to do about Matthias when Aito had shown up asking about what had happened.

"Xayden is in there. Matthias has gone and attacked him again." Those words had barely been spoken when suddenly there was a fit of pained screaming coming from inside of the room, immediately silencing any other words as both of the brothers looked at each other, and immediately lunged forward, reaching for the doorknob so that they could enter the room, only to be held back by their father and some of the other aurors, each of them muttering promises that once they had the proof, a man hunt would be started, and Matthias would be locked away in Azkaban in an attempt to calm the troubled brothers.

Shouts were heard from inside the hospital room.

"Someone hold him down!!! He will lose too much blood if he keeps thrashing about like that!"

"He's too strong, and besides he is in pain! We need to either sedate him, or give him some painkillers, something! The pain will put too much stress on his body!"

"Then go ahead and get what it is that we need to keep him still, he'll die if he keeps this up!" It was with that order that a small group of mediwitches and healers came running out, looking for whatever it was that they needed before running back inside. It was soon after that that the screaming stopped, and all fell eerily quiet. Time seemed to pass by slowly, and it seemed as though it had been hours before the room was emptied and one by one the medical staff trailed out of the room. The unnerving thing was that there were a few of them that walked out that had been covered in blood. Xayden's blood.

The main healer walked out of the room, eying all of the people gathered with a grim look for a moment before speaking. "It is very fortunate that you got him here when you did. He has lost a lot of blood, and was in a lot of pain as I'm sure you were able to hear. Had it been much longer, I am not sure that he would have made it through the night. He has been properly sedated and is currently sleeping right now, but you may all go in and see him if you wish. I advise you not to do anything that may disturb or wake him unless you wish to see him in pain." It was with that warning given that the healer walked away, going to work on another patient and leaving everyone in the hallway to do as they pleased.

It was quiet for a moment before all three members of the Andrews family stepped forward, quietly entering the room while bracing themselves in order to handle the sight that awaited them within.

[Aito Satoshi]

That sound.

Xayden's screaming made him sick instantly and the sight if his Aisuru's blood covering the pristine robes of the mediwitches made his own run cold as ice. It was as if his heart had exploded into shards of glass and punctured him deep inside his chest. He waited on edge speaking in rapid and panicked Japanese to his mother, his mother had caught up to him finally, while his father spoke with the Aurors.

Cian Thresh, the head of Wizarding Intelligence, had already sent out men to work with the Aurors and hunt down the Fin. But, the blonde man had more concern for the impact this was having, not only on the Andrews family, but on his own son.

When the family was given the okay to come in, Aito stayed behind. The image of all that blood was burned into his eyelids and that scream...burned into his senses. He ached all over...

Once he was given permission to enter at last, he found each step trembling more than the last and as he moved up slowly next to Edward, he felt his world plunge into darkness.

[Deleted]

Lying motionless in the hospital bed was none other than Xayden Andrews. He had been hooked up to a small tube that kept small doses of a of very strong painkiller flowing into his bloodstream, but it appeared that even that was not enough to completely remove all of the pain that he felt, if the troubled expression on his face was anything to go by. His chest rose and fell weakly with short, ragged breaths and his brow was furrowed in a way that he often did when something bothered him. It was obvious that he was not able to escape his troubles even when he was lost in the realm of unconsciousness. Even in his dreams, what Matthias Ojanpera had done seemed to have a dark hold on him.

The skin on his face had lost its normal healthy color due to the loss of a large amount of his blood, and if one were to try and touch him they would find that the warmth that Xayden usually held on his skin was now gone. He had been dressed in a very thin hospital gown that managed to hide the wounds that were left on his body from the view of the others. His arms lay still by his sides, and one of his arms had small various bandages placed all over it.

"They said that he had more injuries on his body then they could safely heal at one time so they just had to dress what was left of them until it's safe to perform more healing magic on his body" It was unclear who had spoken at the time, but the words had seemed to have the same effect on everyone that was in the room. All was silent for a moment before his eldest brother stepped forward, taking one of his hands in his own and muttering quietly;

"Hang in there little guy. We'll get that Fin and kick his arse for you, just you wait." The eldest boy smiled weakly at his younger brother before planting a kiss on his head, and walking out of the room. The pattern continued with his father doing something similar, before gently ruffling his youngest son's hair and leaving to speak with the other aurors that had gathered there. It was Edward that had stayed there the absolute longest out of all of his family. He was the closest to Xayden, and as such he had been the one that had been the most affected by seeing Xayden this way again.

It seemed like he had been there for hours after everyone else in the family had left the room. Eventually he uttered something that was so soft that it appeared as though he had meant for no one other than himself to hear it before a kiss was pressed to his brother's head. Aito was given a small nod, before he was left alone in the room with Xayden.

[Aito Satoshi]

It took him but seconds to go to his side and wrap both of his warm hands around his cold hand. He watched his chest rise and fall shallowly, and that look of pain on his face. Even in illness he was still the brightest star in the sky.

Aito's fingers softly stroked Xayden's hand before he knealt down with his lips near Xayden's ear and he spoke softly. "My Aisuru...I know you might be able to hear me...but you must not stir, you must sleep, love...gather your strength. I'll be here with you as long as I can...and the others will avenge you." He gently kissed his hand softly, then rose to kiss his lips with a touch lighter than a feather.

"Do you remember, back at school when I said Aishiteru, Aisuru? It looked like a spell, didn't it? Thing was...it wasn't a spell." Aito swallowed softly and breathed into his ear, "Aishiteru...means...I love you. I know its an awful time for me to say it, Aisuru...but I know you need to hear that. And you need to know it. I love you...and I swear to Merlin that I'll never hurt you. Not ever. If I have to spend my whole life proving it, I will."

Tears had been leaking down his face the whole while he spoke and the back of his hand gently stroked them away as he inhaled with a shaking breath. Carefully, he pulled out his wand and shut his eyes as a pattern was conducted without words. Dark blue, pale blue, silver, and white plumeria flowers began to decorate each and every non-essential surface in simple arrangements. In the center of each arrangement, was placed a crimson rose.

The spell complete, he found himself seated on the floor near his bedside, and buried his head on his knees and squeezed his eyes shut as a heart wrenching sob shook him.

[Deleted]

It would take an entire day before the healers at St.Mungos would be willing to try and heal Xayden's wounds again. The process was very slow and time consuming and even then there will still wounds that had been left open. It would take two days for most of the wounds to be closed, and for Xayden to be taken off of the painkillers that had been keeping him sedated, and it would take a final day after that before Xayden started reacting to anything that was happening around him. It would be four days before the most important thing happened.

Xayden could hear the beeping of machines, and could smell a very clean sterile sort of scent. His eyes felt heavy and as he tried to move his body he was immediately stricken with small jolts of pain, and a very painful type of soreness that had his eyes shooting open, and a pained gasp leaving his lips. "Merlin's bloody balls, that hurt like hell!" Those words along with a few other choice swears on his part left his lips as he waited for the pain to stop shooting down his body.

When he noticed that all he could see was the ceiling above him, and that he was lying flat on his back a position that he had always found to be very uncomfortable, he frowned and sighed before slowly easing himself up so that he could properly see his surroundings. Various small curses left his lips and he cringed from the pain that seemed to be constantly shooting down his spine, sighing in relief as he managed to prop himself up enough so that he could properly view his surroundings.

The room was a very sterile white room and gave off a certain sort of familiarity that immediately darkened Xayden's mood. Hoping that he was wrong, he glanced down at the thin gown that he had been dressed in and his eyes narrowed slightly. So he had ended up in St.Mungos again. Various questions seemed to race through his mind as he glanced down at his blanket. How long had he been unconcious? How badly had he been hurt? Who had found him this time? How had he gotten to St.Mungos? Did they know what happened to him? His fist tightly gripped at the blanket that lay before him.

Of course they knew what had happened. Matthias had a certain love for seeing his blood spilled, and he knew that it would be easy for anyone to recognize the similarities between the attacks. If Edward hadn't caught on immediately, then it would only be a matter of time before the healers would. Someone entered his room and Xayden immediately looked up to meet the surprised eyes of a mediwitch that had come inside to check up on him.

Upon seeing him awake the woman gave an excited smile and quickly ran out, probably to tell whoever it was that had been here to see him that he was awake. He hoped to Merlin that whoever it was that was there wasn't his father. He knew exactly what would happen if it was him.

His eyes glanced around the room before landing on an arrangement of flowers that had been placed there. There was an assortment of plumeria flowers that had many different colors in the arrangement. In the very center, sat a beautiful red rose. The flowers put a smile on his face, though he was slightly confused. Who had brought the flowers to him?

Again he was brought out of his thoughts when someone entered the room. Blue eyes met their match, and Xayden felt his spirit drop slightly. His fist gripped at the sheet on his bed, and he sighed before dropping his gaze down to the sheets again.

"Just get on with it already dad. I know what you're here for." It took a long while of answering questions, questions that Xayden would have given everything in the world not to answer. With each question asked, he could feel his heart shatter more and more until finally he just answered the questions in a quiet monotone.

He had begun to feel numb.

When the questions had finally been answered and his father stood to leave the hospital room in order to go return his report to the Ministry, he stopped him from leaving with a single question worded in a quiet whisper.

" What's going to happen to him when you find him dad?" There was no if. His father had never failed an assignment before and he certainly wouldn't fail now that one of his kids had been hurt. He had always been a papa bear, and had this situation not been so serious, he would have smiled at the idea. He watched as his father's tall frame stilled, before continuing on as if he hadn't even heard the question. It was with that last reaction that Xayden had felt what was left of his heart shatter.

So he had failed yet again.

It was a while later when someone else walked in, only this time Xayden couldn't bring himself to look up from the sheets on his bed.

[Aito Satoshi]

He'd been sitting in the waiting room for days, curled up into himself as thoughts careened through his mind. He was sitting in a very dark place in his thoughts when a nurse came in and told him that he was awake at last. Finally.

He drew up and moved stiffly to the room where Xayden was still. He was awake, but not looking upward until he sidled through the door. "Xayden...h-how are you feeling?" He asked cautiously as he approached him, taking a seat on the chair next to his bed. Merlin...he'd been sitting there for days waiting for him.

Black eyes were full of genuine concern as he leaned toward him, "Is there anything you need, Aisuru? I will get it for you..."

[Deleted]

Xayden had been so surprised at hearing the voice of the one person that he wanted to see the most that his eyes immediately shot up from the sheets of his bed to glance at Aito. Weary blue eyes met those beautiful black and he couldn't help but give Aito a small, tired smile his pain momentarily forgotten.

"You have an amazing talent for showing up when I want or need to see you. It never ceases to amaze me." His eyes followed Aito's movements, watching as he sat down in the chair that was directly next to his bed."As for how I'm feeling, It hurts a bit whenever I try to move, and I feel pretty sore and tired but I'm sure that it will wear off when I am able to get up and start walking around again. Even more so when I'm able to get back on a broom. "

Oh yes, the very second that he was able to, he would be back on that broom racing, and smacking bludgers to quell the frustration that he felt. The Ravenclaw team would be in for hell week when he got back, that was for sure.

When Aito asked if there was anything that he needed, Xayden just shook his head, reaching out with his free hand and gently taking Aito's hand in his own."All I need is you here with me to keep me company for as long as you're able to Aito. I do have a few questions though, how did you find out that I was here? and do you know how long I've been here?" He seriously hoped that he hadn't spent all of his spring break in the hospital. That would have been terrible.

[Aito Satoshi]

Eagerly, Aito held onto his hand as if that very thing were all he wanted to do all week. Seeing him awake was simply...wonderful, despite the pain he was feeling. With his comment on showing up whenever he wanted to see him, the smile was an unmistakable one. "I just seem to know, I suppose. I'd been waiting to finally see you awake." He couldn't help but smile when he talked of getting back on the broom and flying again. That was one thing he would like to see very much, actually. Seeing him back to normal would certainly help ease the ache of seeing him hurting like this. "No doubt it will, Aisuru. I'm sure you'll be amazing on the field as ever."

Fingers softly traced the skin on the back of Xayden's hand and he smiled softly at the questions. "I was here when you were brought in, for another sleep study. The instant I heard your name...I had to find you. The mediwitches were so on point getting to you that they left me strapped in. Admittedly, I felt such an urgency to be with you that those straps did not last." He flushed darkly. Imagine the healers' surprise when they saw him in the hall with thin bruising about his skin. Nothing could have kept him away.

"It's been...four days." He said grimly, looking up at those tired eyes. He still couldn't get the sound of that scream out of his mind...and all of that blood. "And I haven't left in all of those four days. I've either been right here...or right out there in the waiting room around the corner when they asked me to leave to get you cleaned up." His fingers softly wove between Xayden's fingers and he smiled warmly. "I'm so relieved to see you with your eyes open." For a brief moment, he realized that Xay must not have heard him when he'd spoken on that first day. Perhaps that was good. He'd been pouring his heart out and had no idea if Xay felt the same after all. He imagined it was his foolhardy heart that was overcome with the thought of losing him that made it all come bubbling out the way it had.

At least he was alive to make that proclamation again. "Do you like the flowers?" He asked softly, "I can change them up if you want to see something else. The beauty of these charms is that, despite being alive, the flowers live almost forever or can be made into entirely new charms." He was being a nerd again and sighed softly, leaning down to press his cheek into Xayden's palm of the hand he held. If he could without hurting him, he'd have crawled into that bed and held him.

[Deleted]

Xayden had been happy when he felt Aito hold onto his hand as if that simple gesture had been the very thing that he wanted to do more than anything. That simple contact with the one that he loved was enough to make him feel happier than he had felt since he had arrived home at Hogwarts. It was funny really, it appeared as though Xayden's happiest moments were only able to occur when Aito was there to share the happiness with him lately. It seemed as though Aito was the only one that could make Xayden happy, make him laugh and smile even in the darkest of times. Even now, his physical and mental pain lay almost entirely forgotten as he gave his attention to Aito, and only Aito for the moment.

Merlin he truly had fallen hard for him.

" I'm sorry that I kept you waiting for me. I promise that it won't happen again.."He listened to Aito's story, frowning when he had heard the story about the straps and about Aito's urgent actions, and his gaze fell to his wrists. There were no signs of bruising on his skin, but still Xayden gently brought Aito's wrist up to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the skin there. His eyes looked up at Aito with a concerned look. "You didn't hurt yourself in any way did you?" He knew that if he had, there was a good chance that the healers had taken care of any injury that he might have received, but there was still a part of him that felt guilty. He gently released Aito's wrist, only to have his hand gently cup Aito's flushed cheek. He smiled serenely, only to have that smile fade away a moment later when the conversation turned serious again.

"Four days? Either he's gotten better at what he does, or I've gotten worse at protecting myself." He mused quietly with a rather bitter smile on his face as the words left his mouth. The last time he had only been out for two days despite the injuries that he had faced. When he looked at Aito as he spoke, he froze when he saw the grim look on his face, and that somewhat haunted look in his eyes as his answer was given.He cringed slightly as a realization struck him, and he glanced at Aito. "You were there when they tried healing me, weren't you?"

There was no other explanation. Aito must have seen the blood that the nurses had gotten on themselves, he must have heard Xayden's screams as the healers had tried to use healing magic to close up his wounds and despite the pain, the fear, the worry and heartache that he must have felt after going through all of that, he had stayed by his side for the past four days.

"I am so sorry that I put you through all of that in such a short amount of time Aito. I promise that I will never put you through something like this again." Aito's hand was taken in his and a kiss was gently placed to the back of it. " I promise that I will find a way to make this up to you, forgive me?" He smiled softly as he heard Aito say that he was relieved to see his eyes open.

" And I'm relieved that you're here." He smiled again when the flowers were brought up, and his quiet laughter filled the room. "So it was you who did the flowers! When I woke up and saw them there, I had a feeling that it was you but I didn't want to get my hopes up. I love them Aito. Thank you." When Aito had leaned down to place his cheek into his hand that was gently held by Aito's hands, he took his chance and leaned over - wincing very slightly as he did so- and pressing a quick kiss to Aito's cheek before moving back to his normal position.

"If it weren't for the bloody healers, I would ask you to come in here and lay down with me. It feels like it's been too long since I've last hugged you Love. I think I missed you more then I realized. When I was asleep, I actually dreamt that I heard your voice talking to me. Isn't that funny? I can't remember exactly what it is that you said in my dream, but I know I heard your voice...."

[Aito Satoshi]

"Hurt? No, no. Just a minor bruise that faded away yesterday." The press of Xay's lips to his wrist made a blush raise to his cheeks and he looked down at him with a soft smile. "Waiting for you for a few days, Aisuru, is the least of my concerns. I just needed to see those beautiful eyes open for myself to know you were okay."

So, he liked the flowers? That made his spirit calm. He carefully leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips. "It is the least I could have done, love. The very least. I just wanted you to have something pleasant to see when you woke up, and have a little reminder that I'm here with you whenever you need me."

What Xay said last, however, made him nearly match the roses in the room. "Did you? Perhaps its a good thing you can't remember, lest I find myself more embarrassed. I was here talking to you, it was no dream." Spilling his heart out, praying Xay would wake up...yes...perhaps it was good that he didn't remember. "So...you remember nothing?" He chuckled almost nervously.

[Deleted]

"I am glad that you aren't hurt, love. I would have felt terrible if you had gotten hurt just because you wanted to make sure that I was okay."His eyes looked up at him with such a soft and loving look, and he returned the smile that Aito had given him with one of his very own before looking away with a small blush at Aito's next words, unused to being complimented in such a sincere, kind way."It will take a lot more than a crazy fin to keep my eyes closed Aito. I promise you that no matter how many times I end up either here or in the hospital wing in the future, my eyes will always open to show you that I am okay."

Xayden by nature was a very reckless type of person. He was a beater on a quidditch team, he was the Hogwarts champion, and danger for some reason always seemed to be drawn to him. It seemed as though he was always getting hurt in one way or another, and as a result he ended up in the hospital wing more so than any usual student, more than any normal person did be it for something minor or major. He did not want Aito to always be worried about him, so he would give the boy any reassurance that he could give him when he could.

Aito meant more to him than almost anything. The idea that Xayden was a part of anything that caused him to be unhappy was enough to make him feel bad.

When he felt a pair of lips press against his own, he was shaken out of his thoughts enough to glance at Aito, and listen to him as he spoke again. He couldn't help but smile at his words. "Love, I already have something pleasant here to see. Sitting in the chair right next to me. I know that you are always with me no matter where I am at, because you hold my heart in your hands just as I hold yours in mine. The flowers are much more than I could ever hope to honestly deserve, but I love them nonetheless because they came from you. That makes them more special than anything."

That last bit made Xayden nervous however. Very very nervous. He watched as Aito turned almost as red as the roses that were in the flowers, and he watched as Aito suddenly became somewhat nervous. What had he said to him?! Was it something bad? good? He listened as Aito admitted that he talked to him while he was asleep, and he fell quiet trying to remember what it was that he heard while he was sleeping, but could remember nothing other than hearing his voice mumuring things to him as he slept on in his own little world. "Yes, I know that I heard your voice while I was sleeping, but I thought that I was just dreaming. I'm glad to know that I wasn't. No, I can't remember anything other than hearing the sound of your voice. I'm sorry, I wish that I could remember."

Merlin he really wished that he could!

[Aito Satoshi]

Aito's voice softened as he found himself repeating verbatim what he'd said to Xay as he slept on that first day. "What I said to you was: My Aisuru...I know you might be able to hear me...but you must not stir, you must sleep, love...gather your strength. I'll be here with you as long as I can...and the others will avenge you. Do you remember, back at school when I said Aishiteru, Aisuru? It looked like a spell, didn't it? Thing was...it wasn't a spell. Aishiteru...means...I love you. I know its an awful time for me to say it, Aisuru...but I know you need to hear that. And you need to know it. I love you...and I swear to Merlin that I'll never hurt you. Not ever. If I have to spend my whole life proving it, I will." The boy swallowed roughly, feeling his throat tighten before he looked down quickly at the sheets upon his bed.

"I know...it's soon. I know...it's fast. Just seeing you like that compelled me to tell you how I felt, unless I never had another chance to tell you. Every little achievement you earn, you make me proud of you. An-and...I'm the luckiest man to have you beside me. I'd protect you to the ends of the earth if I could do so. I feel as if I've let you down with you being here, because I want nothing more than to keep you safe and happy." After that, he stopped speaking suddenly, loosening his grip upon his hand slightly. "I understand it's the wrong time to be telling you such things, and if you're upset with me...I apologize."

Black eyes lifted slightly from the sheets and focused on him a moment, trying to judge his reaction.

[Deleted]

Xayden had turned to face Aito when he began to speak in a much quieter voice than what he normally spoke in. He had to strain himself in order to hear him as he spoke, but the words that he said were enough to take him completely by surprise. He had begun to tell Xayden just what was said to him on the night that he had been unconcious. He told him the truth about what had been said the night that they had been stargazing. Aishiteru had not been the spell that had caused the heart to appear in the stars, it had been a confession of Aito's feelings. Aito had been in love with him, had confessed his feelings and he never even knew.

He felt so happy at hearing the small admission spoken to him. The boy that he had fallen so hard for felt the same way that he did, and yet there was a part of him that also felt a bit scared. This relationship of theirs was moving along fast, very fast. They had been together for such a short amount of time and already they had both fallen in love with each other. They were young, and Xayden was so scared that things would somehow go wrong, and that Aito would end up hating him for one reason or another. It was enough to make him freeze up, and hesitate even though he knew that he returned Aito's feelings wholeheartedly.

Then Aito began talking again, and he felt his fears slowly begin to melt away. Aito seemed to share his feelings, his insecurities about this whole thing. He knew that they were becoming serious fast. He was just as nervous as Xayden was, and yet there was still that love, that adoration that coated his words, that was held in the gaze that he gave Xayden. If Aito had been so willing to share his feelings with him, to wear his heart out on his sleeve in such a way, then why couldn't Xayden do the same for him?

"Aito. I am not upset with you, nor do I feel like you have let me down in any way, shape, or form. I think that it's time for you to know how I feel about you as well. A-Aito, I love you. You are everything that I could have ever hoped to find in a lover, and a friend. I was just afraid of telling you how I felt. The last person that I felt this strongly for was Matthias, and you know how that turned out for me. I was so scared that if I told you, that something would go wrong and I didn't think that I could handle it if you ended up hating me too. I don't care if Matthias hates me anymore, but I think it would destroy me if you ever did."

He paused for a moment before looking down at the sheets that he had on his bed. "You say that you feel lucky, but I feel like I was blessed. I felt so numb. It's like you brought the life back into me. I want nothing more than to make you feel as happy as you've made me. I want to keep you safe. I want to see you smile, and laugh. But most of all I want you to know that I love you as well, and I'm sorry that it took all of this for me to share how I feel with you."

[Aito Satoshi]

His heart hammered loudly in his chest when Xayden spoke and when those words left his lips, there was a mixture of shock and relief. The man he loved, loved him too. "I...I know how you feel. I didn't feel as strongly for Maiko as I do for you, but I loved her just the same. I never have felt so completely...enamored with someone before. Like all I want is to make you proud to be mine."

Something in his mind felt...free. He felt finally free so the stress that he'd been over. If only it was enough to make him sleep peacefully. The mediwitches had warned him that he may never get rid of those terrors.

A mediwitch entered and smiled at the two, "Excuse me, Mister Satoshi? Your appointment is going to begin soon." Aito looked over at her and smiled, "Already? Oh...okay. I'll be right there. Is my mother here?" "She's waiting down the hall."

His attention went back to Xayden and he smiled wistfully, "I'll be back when its over, love." He stood and stooped down, kissing his lips tenderly, then smiling warmly with a soft gaze at him before turning and following her from the room, looking back over his shoulder ruefully. Merlin...he wanted to stay there.