Kissing Blackened Roses

Chapter X: La Haine et le Désir qui Lie / A Hate and Want which Binds

A/N: It's been a long time, hasn't it? I hope everyone's enjoying the new year. I must say thank you all so much for the lovely reviews received since the last update. I'm glade last chapter seemed be well taken. I can only hope that this chapter will be too.

Fayt wasn't sure how long it had been since he had first made eye contact with the swordsman in front of him, nor was he aware of how long that contact had been maintained, but it must have lasted for far more than a few minutes at the very least. The bluenette's gaze was unwavering and focused. The emerald green locked on to Albel's fiery crimson with determination, but beneath the steely stare there flowed an undercurrent of discomfort. This discomfort at the situation was one Fayt just could not fully hide.

He was aware of this and knew that Albel was as well, but Fayt would not allow himself to look away. He could not look away, for to look away would signify surrender, and Fayt would be damned before he surrendered to the likes of Albel Nox.

"Well, I'm waiting," the swordsman continued with that dangerous little half-smirk that frustrated the teen to no end. That little lilt of thin lips told Fayt that Albel was enjoying himself entirely too much. To what Fayt considered to be Albel-like reasoning, this was simply a game for the other man, a small pass-time until something more interesting came along.

Or until Fayt surrendered.

Not that would not be enough, knowing the swordsman. To Albel, there was no fun to be had if and when the prey gave itself willingly. It was the chase, the challenge of running the other man down until he faltered and victory was attained, that Albel loved. According to that logic...

This game would not be over until Fayt broke.

And Fayt refused to break.

"You know," Albel practically purred, shifting his weight forward to whisper in the younger man's ear. It was almost as though Albel saw this as an act of intimacy and not an invasion of the Earthling's personal space. When Fayt instinctively pressed back harder against the door frame, the Glyphian took that as his cue to continue, "...for a moment, I could almost swear you said no to me."

A small smirk made its across Fayt's lips. Challenge accepted; if Albel wanted a game, he would give it to him, but on his terms. Albel could chase him as long as he wanted and as far as he wanted, but it would be Fayt in the end who would be victorious.

"That's because," Fayt began, placing his hand against the slightly thicker than expected fabric covering the older swordsman's chest. It was simply a matter of waiting until Albel the Wicked tired himself out. Then Fayt could take what he wanted and leave, never to look back. "I did, Albel."

A light, which had been absent in Albel's eyes before, sparked at the challenge set before him. Grabbing Fayt's wrist with his still hand, Albel spoke again in a low voice laced with something Fayt didn't care to identify. But that didn't matter much to Fayt, since the swordsman had taken the bait.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. A slave should know better than to talk to its master like that," Albel drawled, watching Fayt carefully though slightly narrowed eyes. Again direct eye contact was made for the second time. Looking into deep crimson, Fayt could literally see the gears turning in the other man's mind as the thoughts were formed and words spoken, "But seeing as you are new to this..."

Before his mind could properly register the movements, Fayt's wrist was pinned to the door-frame above his head and the fingers of Albel's metal appendage found themselves wrapped around the nape of the boy's neck. The Wicked continued, "I guess I'll just have to teach you your place."

Sunset had long since turned into night when Nel finally returned to her room in the inn. Silently, and with a stealth only known to a select few, she slipped through the door into the darkness. She had expected the other two occupants to be already asleep, so when Sophia turned away from the window to look at her and Maria looked up from her book, she was a little startled.

"Welcome back," Maria greeted softly, her eyes lingering on Nel's form for a moment, as though the redhead's slightly rumpled clothing or trounced hair could tell her the answer she sought. Just as quickly, however, her eyes returned to their place within the leather-bound tome, and Maria went back to her reading.

Nel dismissed the gesture.

"Thank you," she returned instead, moving to put down gear. Slowly, Nel went through the familiar process of disengaging straps and removing the accompanying armor. It took her only a few moments to work off the leather and metal until she was wearing only her linen tunic, but in that short time, she couldn't help but feel the piercing gaze which lingered on her back.

Looking up, her eyes made their way to Maria, who was still reading her book. Nel then cast her eyes in the direction of the window and startled slightly when they locked with Sophia's. Even then, Sophia did not return her gaze to whatever it was she had been watching through the window.

"Is there something on your mind, Sophia?" the redhead gingerly asked when the brunette failed to look away. At the sound of her name, something shifted in the younger girl's eyes, and her stare when from a blank numbness to a more natural look.

"Fayt?" Sophia asked, almost timidly. Nel couldn't help but sigh, thinking how it would not be easy to explain herself to the brunette who seemed to have thought that Nel's disappearance after dinner had something to do with Fayt's disappearance a few days earlier.

"No, Sophia," Nel started, wondering how to phrase her next sentence. By this time, the conversation had attracted Maria's attention and the book lay forgotten to the bluenette's side. "But to be perfectly honest, I wasn't looking for him."

"Why not?" Wincing at the shrill tone, Nel debated how to continue. While it was true that she knew or at least suspected their leader's whereabouts, as she had told both Cliff and Sophia, it was not her top priority at that moment. Her main concern was the fate of her world. However, she had a feeling that stating that would not go overly well with the others, with the exception of the cool-headed Maria.

"Right now, we have slightly more important-"

"You mean, Fayt's not important? After all he's done-"

"Sophia!" Two sets of eyes turned to the until then silent Maria.

"Fayt's an adult now. He can take care of himself if need be," Maria continued, her voice booking no room for argument yet remaining soft enough not to be considered patronizing, as if trying to placate two rival parties during an important diplomatic meeting. After she was sure there would be no interruptions, she continued.

"That isn't to say we don't miss him or that anyone wishes to replace him, but Nel's right," Ignoring Sophia's look of disbelief and Nel's quick nod, Maria's voice grew stern, stressing the importance of what she was about to say, "At the moment the battle with the Creator takes precedence. I'm sure Fayt will be back as soon as he can, but until then we have to continue forward. Even if that means leaving Fayt behind."

The sound of the door slamming shut reverberated around the room, even before the words finished leaving Maria's mouth.

TO BE CONTINUED...