8PART SIX
"Are you sure you're okay?"
Dear, god. My back aches. My hips are sore. My ass hurts.
"Seito," Mamoru repeats the question to his lover. "I said are you okay?"
No, dip shit! My fucking ass hurts, thanks to you!
"I'm fine," Seito reassures with a forced smile.
"We could just stay in bed," Mamoru continues, not believing his companion.
The pair had spent the night together after an evening of passionate love-making. Mamoru was stirred by Seito's movements the next morning. When asked where he was off to, the wind-type said that he needed to meet someone in the east wing. Mamoru decided to tag along, curious of who could tear Seito out of his arms this early in the morning. Yes, it was just mere curiosity; nothing more.
Mamoru and Seito follow the path leading around the building's parameter. Because most of the warriors are sleeping in, the lovers are able to enjoy the early autumn morning with no disturbance. The earth-type warrior stares affectionately at Seito. The rising sun is giving the wind-type's golden-brown hair and silver eyes an angelic shimmer. With the entrance to the east wing just around the corner, Mamoru's curiosity gets the better of him.
"Seito," Mamoru addresses his lover.
"Yes?" the little warrior responds with an innocent smile.
"Who was your playmate last night?" The large warrior tries his best not to sound intimidating. But an odd feeling keeps coming over him at the idea of Seito being with someone else.
"Oh," Seito looks downward, scratching his head. "Ryuji," he eventually answers in a low voice.
Mamoru suddenly doubles over in controllable laughter. All this time, I was jealous of Ryuji!?
Seito stares at his lover, baffled, then annoyed by his reaction. "What the fuck's so funny?"
"That's okay," Mamoru says, finally composing himself. He waves a dismissive hand. "Ryuji doesn't count."
"Count!?" Seito yells. "So we're keeping count, now!? How about I count your play-"
Before a lovers' quarrel erupts, a loud commotion is heard from a bedroom window of the building.
"You idiot!" A familiar voice screams.
Mamoru and Seito stare at the window, trying to listen to the fight above. One party seems to be pissed off while the other party repeatedly apologizes.
"Isn't that Kana's room?" Mamoru asks, not looking away from the window.
"Yeah," Seito confirms. The one that's yelling angrily is Ryuji and the one that's apologizing is Kana. Did Kana reject him?
The pair watches as Ryuji emerges and perches himself on the window sill. Judging from the bruise forming on the fire-type's face, it's apparent that their fighting was more than just words.
"I spent the whole night taking care of your ungrateful ass, and this is the thanks I get!?" Ryuji shouts angrily.
"I said I'm sorry!" Kana's voice is heard from somewhere inside.
"Blow me!" The younger warrior shoots back, displaying his middle finger. He suddenly loses his balance and takes a two-story fall to the ground below, landing in front of Mamoru and Seito. Groaning, he gets back to his feet while holding his hand over his only functioning eye. Kana leans out of the window and finds Ryuji below.
"Stop acting like a brat and get back here!" Kana orders his packmate. "Let me talk to you!"
Stumbling in place, Ryuji shifts into his alternate form and sprouts a pair of black, leathery wings, canine ears and a black, bushy tail.
"You can't go flying now!" Kana yells down. "You're nearly blind."
"Thanks to you, asshole!" Ryuji shouts before clumsily taking off into the air.
Kana was about to yell back, but Seito felt the need to slay the tentacle monster of drama.
"Would you shut up before you wake the whole building!?" The wind-type warrior yells at Kana.
"Come down here!" Mamoru calls for his childhood friend.
Kana glares at the nosy pair for a moment, but eventually decides to obey. He jumps from the window and gracefully lands unharmed. Folding his arms, he narrows his emerald colored eyes at Mamoru and Seito. If it wasn't for Mamoru's calm nature, Seito would have been intimidated by the muscular, bare-chested, white-haired warrior.
"Are you bullying Ryuji?" Mamoru asks in an authoritative tone.
"No," Kana answers defensively.
"Then what happened to his face?" Mamoru raises a suspicious brow.
"I didn't mean to," Kana says with pouty lips. "I was poisoned, remember? I thought I was still in enemy's hands."
"And you couldn't tell friend from foe?" The redheaded warrior scrutinizes his childhood friend.
"Ryuji was right on top of me," Kana remains defensive. "He startled me, and I reacted."
"Wait a minute," Seito enters the conversation. "Ryuji didn't say anything to you?"
"You mean, before I punched him?" Kana asks.
"Yes," Seito answers matter-of-factly. God, you're dense.
"Uh," Kana scratches his head, slightly confused. It seems that the poison hasn't completely left him. "I told you, I thought he was the enemy. I didn't give him time to speak."
So Ryuji tried to confess his love, and you punched him in the face. Seito can't help but shake his head at the disaster. Knowing Ryuji's nature, the love confession has most likely been delayed for a least a couple of months. After all that work, poor Seito won't even be there to witness love blossom.
"You are such an idiot," Seito grumbles at the clueless Kana.
"What?" Kana questions in a menacing tone. Did this little runt just insult me? What the hell did I do?
"What's wrong Seito?" Mamoru asks his lover. Now that Kana explained himself, it seems that the incident between him and Ryuji was just a misunderstanding. There was no need to insult Kana.
Seito gives Mamoru a snarl. How can he not be upset either? The wind-type questions inwardly. You were the one to help Ryuji discover himself…
A sudden realization comes to Seito. Mamoru doesn't know Kana is Ryuji's love interest! How is that possible? It's so obvious! Even his sisters figured it out!
WHY AM I IN LOVE WITH SUCH AN IDIOT!?
Seito gasps at his own feelings. Love? Am I in love? So engrossed in his own thoughts, the wind-type doesn't notice the odds stares from Mamoru and Kana.
"Are you okay, Seito?" Mamoru asks with genuine concern.
"I…" the wind-type stammers as he slowly backs away. "I have to go." He quickly shifts into his alternate form and flies away, taking the opposite direction of Ryuji's route. The earth-type warriors simply stare at each other.
"Tell your little uke he's lucky I don't hit girls," Kana grumbles to Mamoru.
Mamoru simply shrugs his shoulders. Kana always says that when his sisters were caught bullying the white-haired warrior.
"He's been moody since last night," the redheaded warrior says half to himself.
"That's what happens when you date a flighty wind-type," Kana says to his childhood friend. "Get used to it. Lovers' quarrels are typical when the partners are opposite elements."
Mamoru lets out a growl, aggravated that Kana is actually giving him love advice. "Shouldn't you be apologizing to someone?"
"I did it five times, already!"
"Then wait until he cools down, and do it five more!"
"But-"
"Ryuji was worried when you went missing. You should have seen how he reacted to that teleporter who took you. She would have been headless if Toru didn't call him off."
"You should be apologizing, yourself."
"Why?"
"Did you split that pup in half last night? He could barely walk."
The earth-type warriors stare at each other, pondering the other's advice.
"Seito knows where to find me when he's ready to talk," Mamoru breaks the silence first.
"I think I know where to find Ryuji," Kana says. "Toru's healing abilities have gotten the runt spoiled."
And without saying another word, the childhood friends depart.
[END]
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the Guard Dog series. Sorry to disappoint you if you thought that Kana/Ryuji love confession was coming, but I like to tease my readers. I would likely just play around with the Mamoru/Seito pairing, next. Thanks for reading and please review!