Moonlight Shadow (I Care about You)

Inspired by a couple of music videos I ran across on YouTube.

*listening to song again, coughs and tries not to laugh* Oh, my god, I made Len the girl… XD *gets hit on the head* TT

His feet slapped hard against the wet ground; his dark hair and clothes were soaked from the night's rain, but he didn't care. There was only one thing he cared about now – getting there in time. It was already late into the night; Trey must have left at least an hour ago. But why had the fool gone alone? He should have known that he'd never stand a chance on his own. And no one had said anything. They didn't understand the situation, or they would have stopped him. But didn't that fool have enough sense to ask for help? Hadn't he known that he would gladly have helped?

Wait… He would have? And gladly…? When had Len start thinking that?

Never mind. That wasn't important. As previously stated, getting there quickly was the important thing. There wasn't any time to lose.

Len broke through the trees into a clearing, where a ring of people stood under the dim light of the full moon. Oversouls were blazing with furioku, the light given off by them still not enough to make out any distinguishing features. Trey stood alone in the center, his oversoul noticeably smaller than the rest. He was exhausted from fighting one against so many. There wasn't any time left.

Len observed all this in a just short second pause, before darting forward again reaching for his weapon. He stalled again as his hand fisted over nothing but air.

Shit! He'd been in such a hurry to leave, he must have left his Quan-Dao back at the house.

"Damnit!"

It was during this second stall, that the circle became chaos again, Trey the target of every attack. Weaponless, Len charged on, hoping his martial arts skills would at least be enough put a dent in their numbers and/or help the two escape with lives. But the fear that was driving his legs forward without consideration towards growing fatigue had zapped his muscles of their strength. He was spotted by one of the assailants and easily caught around the middle and held by an arm at least twice the size of his own.

"Let me go!" Len cried desperately, struggling to break free of the hold to no avail.

Trey was fighting valiantly with what little strength and furioku he had left. But he was fighting a losing battle. Had he just been fighting until backup arrived, it would have been another story. But he was not. He was weakening underneath their combined power, while his assailants suffered minimal damage from the ice shaman's scattered attacks. He was being overpowered.

"TREY!"

His attention diverted to the source of the scream, his eyes locking onto the Chinese shaman forced to watch the battle helplessly.

'Len…?' Trey wondered. 'He followed me…? But—'

A shot rang through the air. A searing pain ripped through Trey's shoulder.

"NO!"

Another shot fired. Then a third and final as the ice shaman fell to the ground.

The arm holding him captive dropped away, but Len didn't move, golden eyes staring onward in horror. He saw nothing of the assailants' movements as they disappeared into the shadows of the night.

"Trey!" he called again, rushing forward and dropping by his fallen friend's side.

Trey turned his head to look up at Len with some difficulty. "Hey, buddy," he grinned faintly, his voice strained with pain. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I…?" Len gawked incredulously and then snapped. "What were you doing here alone!"

"I didn't want to involve you guys…"

"Well, look what it's gotten you!"

Trey sighed then cringed against the pain throbbing through his body.

"Don't move," Len ordered, bending over the blue-haired shaman to inspect the wounds.

"Wasn't planning to."

The shots didn't seem to have hit and majorly critical areas but left unattended, they were just as fatal. One had hit Trey's right shoulder, another had grazed by his side, and the third had embedded itself in the boy's side just above were the other had grazed it. Gently, Len rolled the ice shaman over.

Trey could feel his strength leaving him as the blood flowed from his wounds. "I guess this is it for me," he sighed.

"Wha—? Don't say that, Trey!" Len rebuked him. "You're going to be fine, you hear?"

Trey smiled weakly. "Thanks, Len, but you don't have to lie. I'm done for, I know that."

"No…you're not…" Len argued meekly, his voice crackly slightly, his eyes hidden in the shadow of his bangs.

Trey's expression turned curious and confused as a single drop of liquid slid down the Chinese shaman's face. "Len…are you crying…?"

"Of course I'm not!" Len snapped. "Why would I be?" But another drop traveled defiantly down his face and landed on Trey's forehead.

"Len…?" Trey asked softly, surprised and confused.

Len's chin quivered a moment as more tears followed the first and he gave up on trying to hold them back. "Oh! You imbecile!" he shouted, a sob breaking through in his voice, as he abruptly pulled his fallen friend into his arms, causing said shaman to wince harshly. "Of course I am! I care about you!"

Well, Trey certainly hadn't been expecting that. But more pressing was the fact that Len was holding on a little too tightly. "Len…you're hurting me…" Trey whined.

"Oh. Sorry…" Len gently released Trey and set to wiping his eyes with the back of hand. Crying. And hugging, of all god forsaken things. How undignified. And utterly humiliating. What had come over him?

Sighing as he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, Len turned around, crouching in a position quite obviously meant for Trey to climb onto his back. "If you have enough energy to complain then get on," he ordered, his voice returning its normal cold tones.

Trey stared at him with a question written on his face.

"I'm not letting you die here!" Len snapped angrily.

Painfully, Trey pulled himself and wrapped his arms around Len's shoulders, as the Chinese shaman looped his arms around the ice shaman's legs and hoisted him up.

"Just hang on. It shouldn't take too long to get back," Len stated calmly. "And whatever you do, don't fall asleep," he ordered. "You fall asleep and you won't be waking back up."

"Got it," Trey mumbled, chin resting against Len's shoulder as they began moving.

The Chinese shaman cursed internally as another stray tear escaped from his eye and let a trail down his cheek, not going unnoticed by Trey.

"I never would've thought you were capable of crying."

Len chose not to respond. This wasn't the time to be starting an argument. He traveled on in silence for a long time before noticing that Trey's eyes had fallen shut and his breaths were becoming fewer and father between.

"Hey! Don't you go falling asleep on me!" Len exclaimed, anger hiding the fear.

"I'm awake," Trey replied weakly.

For how much longer was the question. Len picked up the pace. He hadn't wanted to run while carrying the injured shaman, but time was of the essence. Fear won, and Len broke into a run, Trey moaning softly in protest.

Thought he knew to whom he should call to first as he approached the stone building the two teams occupied, another name formed in Len's mouth, the Chinese shaman too tired and anxious to stop and correct it before it left his lips.

"Yoh!"

A few short seconds later, Yoh emerged, by the looks of it, having realized something was amiss by the tone in his friend's voice. And he had been right.

"Gack! Trey!"

The startled exclamation drew other curious faces to peer out the door. More startled exclamations followed. Len stood hunched over a little and breathing heavily from the sprint, a blood soaked and half unconscious Trey draped over his back.

Recovering quickly from the initial shock, Yoh turn inward while the rest continued to gawk, calling over his shoulder, "Faust!"

The medical shaman responded immediately, appearing in the doorway. "Oh my!" he exclaimed softly, pushing forward, taking Trey, and hurrying off inside.

"Len, what happened?" Yoh asked, walking towards him.

Len didn't respond, his eyes hidden by his bangs.

All they could do was wait while Faust worked. Len had managed to regain his composure and sat calmly with his hands clasped in his lap, his eyes staring blankly at the floor. Really, that was how they all were at the moment – silent and still – worried about their friend. It wasn't until Faust emerged from the room did any muscle around the group twitch. Many got to their feet hopefully, Len and Yoh included.

Faust smiled. "He's going to be just fine."

Len sighed softly with relief, allowing himself a small grin.

Yoh's smile lit up his whole face, turning to the other before heading into the room – the message evidently having been an energetic "Come on!" The rest were more than happy to oblige.

Trey lie on the bed, pale and bound tightly in bandages. His eyes opened partially as his friends entered the room, a week smile crossing his lips as his eyes fell on Len. "Hey, Len. Guess I owe you big time, buddy."

Len's mouth opened to respond, but just as suddenly snapped firmly shut; the Chinese shaman pushing back hard again the fresh tears that had suddenly and inexplicably rose to his eyes. Trey dimly recognized his expression.

Yoh frowned. "Len, you okay?" he asked worriedly. "You look like you're about to cry."

"I don't know what you're talking about—" Not sooner had his mouth opened to deny the statement, did the dam break and the tears spill down his cheeks.

Many stared in shock, not having believed Len was capable of crying. Said shaman's cheeks flared scarlet as he hid his face in hands. Crying in front of Trey had been humiliating enough. But crying in front of all of them… letting weakness be show in front of all of them… But, he was just…just so relieved. He'd been so scared. And that was probably the most humiliating thing out of this whole ordeal.

Yoh smiled faintly, walking over towards Len and slipping a comforting arm around his shoulder. "Ah, Len, it's okay…"

Len didn't respond, still trying to hide his shame. He looked up at the others through his fingers. They were smiling too, but not mockingly; it was sympathetic and understanding. The corner of Len's mouth twitched upward slightly.

Maybe, just maybe, sometimes it was okay to cry.

*dodges numerous flying icicles and Rapid Tempo attacks* I didn't actually say you guys were together! I left it open for readers' interpretation! Yoh! Help me!

Yoh: *has taken shelter behind an overturned table* You think I'm getting in the middle of that? Nuh-uh!

Me: Traitor! Where's Zeke when you need him?

Zeke: *pops up* Right here. ^^

Me: *kicks him in the face* Go away. I didn't want you. Anyway, no reason for Trey to be getting attacked other than to write this story. Can be the X-Laws, Zeke's minions, basically whoever you want. And yeah, Len crying does seem a little OOC but I think I managed to keep him in character despite that. Oh, and you can blame the crying after everything was okay on InuYash. That was one of my favorite scenes! ^^ AHHG! *dodges Tetsaiga* Damnit! Where'd you come from?

Inuyasha: Hmph. *Tesaiga hoisted over shoulder*

Me: Leave! Go bug Angeligue. Where was I…? Oh, yeah. This is a one shot and shall stay a one shot unless someone feels like begging for a continuation, and also supplying an idea and stating whether the two should be together or not. *dodges flying icicle* Knock it off! Or I'll pair you up with your sister next! You want that?

Trey: *has a disturbed and rather scared expression*

Me: I didn't think so. Although, a sisterly/brotherly one shot isn't a half bad idea. *dodges another icicle* I told you to quit it! Ugh… Lastly… What was lastly…? Oh! Yes, I used oversoul but still used furioku. Normally I would have used spirit form, but oversoul just sounded better for some reason. *shrugs* I play by the dubbed anime rules and then some of my own. The manga ain't got nuthin' to do with my world of Shaman King. =P But that's just me.

Review please! I'll love you forever! ^^

There will not be a sequel to this.