A/N: UWAH~! I'm so sorry, you guys! I went waaaaay too long without updating. I'll spare you guys the usual disclaimer argument with Soubi. I don't own Loveless (obviously). Please enjoy the chapter (even though it's kinda short).

ENJOY!

The meetings continued for a few more weeks. As soon as Seimei was well asleep and Misaki shut out the bedroom light, Soubi would be standing at the balcony door with a sincere smile on his face. Ritsuka would leap out of his bed, shove the balcony door open, and wrap his skinny arms around Soubi's waist. The fighter would smile indulgently, stroking Ritsuka's silky black cat ears. Tonight was no different.

Ritsuka pulled Soubi towards the bed, and they both sat on the edge. Soubi held the young sacrifice's tiny hands in his own large ones. His peaceful blue eyes turned serious, and Ritsuka looked at him curiously.

"I won't be able to come see you tomorrow, Ritsuka," the blond fighter murmured, his tone dancing between regret and frustration. "I can't tell you why, at least not yet. I'm sorry."

Though disappointed, the dark haired boy smiled as reassuringly as possible. "Its okay, Soubi. I understand. You'll come see me as soon as you can, though, right?"

A sigh, containing a soothing mixture of gratitude and relief, escaped the older man's lips. "Of course." A natural, charming smile graced his lips. "Wait for me, Ritsuka."

The words, simple as they word, set a fire to the sacrifice's cheeks. Ritsuka couldn't help but love the easy-going smoothness with which Soubi spoke to him. It was charming and genuine, so unlike the careful evasiveness he was used to hearing from the fighter. He found a pleasant strangeness in the many facets of Soubi's personality. He was such a complex person, but Ritsuka delighted in discovering these many little quirks to the blond. If only Soubi would show him more of this warm beautiful soul rather than the cold, unreachable grace he normally portrayed.

Pushing away his own internal musings, Ritsuka nodded. A small grin blossomed on his mouth. "I'll always wait for you, Soubi."

Night fell the following evening, and Seimei found himself seated on a rusted metal table. His fighter stood near the entrance of the abandoned warehouse, and he watched him with cold, delighted amethyst eyes. "You've been so distant lately, Soubi." Despite the firmness with which he spoke, his statement held the uncertainty of a question, prompting his stoic fighter to reply.

"Forgive me, Seimei," Soubi apologized simply. The fighter said nothing more, refusing to expound upon his recent emotional distance. Deep violet eyes narrowed at this, annoyed by the blond's simple response.

"That's all you have to say?" Silence. "Very well, then. Such disrespect shall be dealt with later. I have a task for you, Soubi. There is some very…delicate information I need you to retrieve from Ritsu."

Very subtly, the fighter tensed. His faintly upset reaction did not go unnoticed; rather it elicited a very self-satisfied grin from his sacrifice. Quietly, Soubi's hands fisted themselves into the sleeves of his coat. He found himself unable to meet Seimei's incredibly dark, amused gaze; instead his eyes focused on the decrepit rusting table that his sacrifice was seated on. "When shall I leave, master?" Soubi asked quietly, submissively. The Beloved sacrifice's delighted smirk grew.

"Tomorrow. And don't waste time. I'm sure Ritsu will be delighted to see you again, but you need to return to me as soon as you get the information I want."

To Seimei's great frustration, Soubi didn't react any further at the mention on his former teacher. Though he didn't want his fighter to outright lash out – despite his desire to punish Soubi, the raven-haired teenager enjoyed his obediently submissive attitude far more – he couldn't help but want to see some sort of emotion from the older male. The number of times he'd seen something other than acceptance and stoic obedience from the fighter could be counted on a single hand. Occasionally, there was a faint glimmer of satisfaction in those unwavering blue eyes when the blond did something that pleased his sacrifice. There had also been a look of calm fierce protectiveness on Soubi's face during that most recent spell battle, but that expression had been solely directed at Ritsuka. In fact, the older male has never worn such an expression whilst defending the Beloved sacrifice in battle.

The realization left Seimei livid. Was he angry that Soubi's affections were directed elsewhere? Not at all. He wanted nothing more than absolute obedience from his fighter, and had Soubi's intentions been directed at anyone else, Seimei wouldn't have cared less. This isn't to say that he would've allowed Soubi to pursue a relationship with that person – he most likely would've forbidden the taller man from such interactions, as it would only cause his attention and his loyalties to waver. Not to mention, denying his stoic fighter such pleasures would've placed a delightfully heartbreaking frown on his beautiful face.

No, Seimei was angry because that small piece of protective affection had been directed at Ritsuka. Soubi's filthy mouth had sought out Ritsuka's lips for strength. Soubi's tainted hands had touched Ritsuka. Soubi's pathetic caring reassurances had been directed at Ritsuka. Soubi had touched and cared for that which was Seimei's, and he'd done so without Seimei's permission.

The sacrifice smirked softly. It would seem he had a reason to punish his property after all.

"Soubi," the raven-haired boy murmured, confident hands reaching out to caress the fighter's beautiful blond hair. It slipped between Seimei's fingers like strands of silk. Nearly imperceptibly, Soubi's blue eyes widened, surprised by the sudden affection. Seimei had never touched him, not like this, and he couldn't help but relish in the kindness he was receiving from his master. When was the last time he'd been touched so sweetly, so innocently? When he was a child? When his parents were still alive? This was so unlike the affection he received from Ritsuka. With Ritsuka, he felt blessed, awed and enamored that someone so pure and so lovely could treat him so kindly. This, however, filled him with satisfaction and a bit of hopefulness. After all, wasn't this what he'd been working so hard for? He'd done everything, everything, all for Seimei. Everything was to please his master, to make him smile, to receive his praise. Wasn't this small drop of kindness the least of what he deserved? From the day he'd been left in Ritsu's care, everything he'd suffered and endured had all been for this – the warmth of the bond between fighter and sacrifice. Perhaps he'd finally done enough; perhaps he'd finally earned this; perhaps…

Seimei smiled gently as Soubi's head lightly and hesitantly tilted to rest further against the hand that lovingly stroked his hair. For a brief moment, his eyes were wide and youthful – much like a child sweetly staring up at a loved one – before they slipped closed, content to be treated to his master's affections. "Soubi," Seimei repeated, and a soft deep hum of acknowledgement let the sacrifice know that things were exactly as he wanted them to, "will you treat Ritsu kindly, when you see him? He has always been so fond of you; he's told me many times that you're his favorite student, that he loves you, inside and out. I'm sure he'll want to be affectionate with you. You'll let him touch you, right?"

At these words, those deep blue eyes flickered open once more, and the Beloved sacrifice took the opportunity to drink in as much of that betrayed, horrified expression as he could. His fighter's lips parted, prepared to argue, to beg for his master not to ask this of him. This was the first time Soubi had even come close to protesting something Seimei had asked of him.

"Please…please don't make me…"

"How ungrateful, Soubi," the teenage chastised softly, a look of mocking disappointment on his face. "After all Ritsu has done for you. He's made you such a wonderful fighter, allowed you to serve me, a master that you love and adore above all else. The least you could do is thank him for that, Soubi." His slender hand moved to touch a pale frozen cheek, his thumb stroking surprisingly soft skin. "You will give him as much pleasure as you can without a single complaint, right Soubi?" His expression was seemingly gently, but those intense violet eyes silently dared his fighter to disobey him.

Swallowing thickly, Soubi forced an expression of acceptance and obedience onto his face. For once, he wanted to disobey, and in a perfect world, he would've fought Seimei over the issue and ignored that instinct in the back of his head that demanded that he obey without question. However, this was not a perfect world, and in this imperfect world, he was nothing more than Seimei's possession.

"Yes, Aoyagi-sama."

A/N: OHMYGOD I HATE SEIMEI SO. FUDGING. MUCH. *gnashes teeth angrily and shoots fireballs from eyes* How could he do something so cruel to my darling Sou-chan?

Soubi: You're writing the story, you realize. You're the one doing these horrible things.

Me: *blank expression* I have no idea what you're talking about... On another note, this story is almost over! Only a few more chapters! *cries as Soubi throws confetti*

Anyway, my lovelies, again, I'm sorry for such a long hiatus. Life has been kicking my ass, not to mention I've been having horrible writer's block. Better late than never, though, right? *shot*

Anyway, what will happen next? Will Soubi really have to do dirty, traumatic things with Ritsu? Will I really horrify my readers and make them read not-really-consensual Ritsu x Soubi smut? Will I have to change the rating for this story? Will I actually make Soubi less OOC in the next chapter? Will I update in a timely fashion?

Soubi: I wouldn't hold my breath.

All of these questions and more will be answer in chapter 12 of TIMELESS.

SEE YA NEXT TIME!