A quick flash of light later, Alfred and Arthur soon found themselves in the luxurious penthouse of the hotel. The walls were lined with paintings of the highest quality and the most infamous names; the floor was tiled and decorated with plush red rugs. A high table stood in a far corner with matching décor high chairs and seated properly on one the couture chair was Yao, quietly sipping a cup of tea.

Alfred let a long whistle; both to get the man's attention and to express his opinion about the room. Ignoring Alfred, Arthur stepped closer to the Chinese man," Yao?"

"I know why you are here. I suggest you leave the way you came," Yao stated quietly as the tea cup was set down on the granite tabletop.

" I'm afraid we can't do that. The Council 'requests' that you come back for your reassignment."

"Then, I politely decline."

The dialogue was broken by an exasperated sigh from Alfred," Yao you can't be serious."

"Dead…. Serious."

The pair of magicians froze. Their eyes shifted immediately to each other before it focused back onto Yao who rose from his chair to properly stand in front of them," Are you going to leave or not?"

Arthur frowned, his pose shifted to one of defiance," We're on strict orders to bring you back, Yao. So no, we can not."

Narrowing his eyes, Yao felt a hint of anger spark up as he stated with a humorless edge," Tell them that old Yao has finally lost his marbles and is a harmless senile old man."

"Funny, I always thought that's just how you acted in general," Arthur snapped back. There was a limit to his patience and Yao was sorely testing it.
As tension rose like heavy fumes in the air, Alfred, always the level-headed one (note: this is sarcasm) stepped in between the glaring Arthur and frowning Yao. As he shielded Arthur from Yao's peripheral, he asked with curiosity," Why don't you wanna go back? You know that you can't work without a partner. There's no reason for you to delay your reassignment no matter how painful it is."

Yao quickly averted his gaze at the question as he remained silent. Watching Yao's reaction with a frown, a sudden thought came upon Arthur," He's still alive isn't he.."

Brown eyes locked onto Arthur's green before they flickered over to the entry of the master bedroom. It was all the answer that Arthur needed. With furrowed brows, Arthur quickly strode past Yao to the bedroom. Desperately Yao cried out, trying to stop Arthur, but he was pulled back as Alfred reached out with a hand and grabbed his wrist,
" No!"

With a flick of his hand, Arthur flew open the oak door and his eyes peered into the dark room before coming to rest on the outline of a figure in the large bed. Before he could take a step further however, Yao appeared before him, snarling,"Don't touch him." Glancing back quickly, Arthur could only get a glimpse of the dazed Alfred who now appeared quite confused as his body was constricted with tight, red ribbons.

"Explain, Yao."

Moving warily like a caged animal, Yao made his way over to the man who was fast asleep. He softly spoke as he sat down gently upon the bed's silken sheets and reached out to stroke the man's curly hair,"…. I couldn't lose him."

Arthur bit his lip. He honestly didn't know how to proceed from here. As he heard Alfred free himself and walk over, Arthur tried to tread carefully," Dear god, what did you do?"

Yao, his eyes never leaving Romulus' sleeping face, spoke with a voice, heavy with age and stress,"….What do you think I did?"

Arthur's eyes narrowed as his temper flared at the remark.

Alfred with a hand on Arthur shoulder appeared rather confused as his gaze bounced between the verbal exchange and the man on the bed,"…. I thought Romulus died two months ago… Arthur, what's going on?"

Ignoring Alfred as his eyes glared at Yao fiercely, Arthur growled out," What did you do!"

"… I wasn't going to watch him die! ," Yao snarled back defensively as he leaned protectively over the sleeping man.

Alfred remained vastly confused as to the situation. Placing a hand on Arthur's arm to calm him, he spoke," Yao answer the question."

"I gave it to him… all of it. Now I can barely do a simple card trick or do a production of something as easy as ribbons. He's alive now, but he won't wake up," the words were uttered softly as if the man had yet to come to terms with his loss. Visibly shaking, Yao quietly continued to run his fingers through Romulus' thick curly hair as his eyes moved away from the duo to watch the man sleep. He feared it would be all over soon.

His eyes widening, Arthur realized the implications of Yao's statement," You… you just gave it up! That easily! All those years of hard work! For him-"

Yao's harsh voice cut through the air like a blade and startled Arthur from continuing," Wouldn't you have done the same? Or are you truly as selfish as people gossip about you to be?"

With flushed cheeks, Arthur was forced to admit," No… I.. I would have done the same for Alfred."

A lingering silent fell upon them.

-

"So Artie, what was the big deal? I didn't understand what you guys were talking about."

Arthur and Alfred were currently seated on ornate chairs as they waited for Yao to calm himself and come out of the master bedroom.

Arthur couldn't believe that Alfred could be this dense," Weren't you paying attention, idiot?" He resisted the urge to sigh," Yao… he gave up his magick. The Council is going to throw a fit."

"So what's the big deal, Can't the Council just grant him a pardon and give him his magick back?"

"It's not that simple, Alfred. Yao didn't lose his abilities by accident. He willingly gave it up. Even if the council wanted to, they can't regrant Yao his powers because his body will reject it. Magick can only be granted once..." His tone lowering, Arthur continued," … since he no longer can perform his duties. Yao will be expelled from the Circle. His memories will be erased and he will be set into a different identity."

Alfred came to a sudden revelation," So that's why he didn't want to come with us. If the Council erased his memories, he'd be separated from Romulus whether or not Romulus wakes up."

A new voice joined them," That's right."

Yao emerged from the room, shutting the door behind him with a click. His eyes were swollen with unshed tears but he carried a small smile," Alfred, you're smarter than I give you credit. Yes, I didn't want to be separated from him, but more importantly, I was worried about what would happen if he woke up and I wasn't there."

Arthur looked up sadly at the standing man.

Yao continued to speak; his eyes were tired and dull,

" Romulus was always the worrywart. He would purposely put himself in impossible situation to 'save' me. I told him I could take care of myself, but he wouldn't have any of it. He was so sure of himself, so sure of his strength that he kept pushing his limit. The idiot…I always told him something would happen if he wasn't careful."

Alfred moved to stand, his eyes gazing with pity at Yao. Before Arthur could ask what he was doing, Alfred spoke up," You have to go back. You can't avoid the Council forever."

With fists clenched and shaking, Yao tried his best to bargain," It's not forever. Just until Romulus wakes up and I can tell him what happened. So he won't worry. Just till then."

"How long will that take?"

"… I don't know."

"I'm sorry, Yao."

Arthur watched in silence as Alfred reached over to embrace the smaller man in a comforting hug. He could only hope that Alfred's hero complex didn't compel him to do something stupid for Yao.

"Yao," the deep voice thundered throughout the small courtlike room,".. for failing to uphold the oath of the Circle and for risking the life of your partner. We, the Council, expel you from the Circle of Magicians. You will be wiped of your memories and forbidden to have any contact with members of the Circle."

Yao smiled sadly as his eyes lingered on each member of the Council. He knew some of them since their boyhood, when the first took their hesitant steps in the initiation. Others, were fellow colleagues, brilliant men he had the pleasure to rise in the ranks with.
Now… it was all over. Yao did not know whether to scream from the pain in his heart, or remain dignified to his last moments.

As he was herded away to a back room where his verdict would be carried out, his head turned to gaze at Arthur and Alfred who were watching him. He stopped in his steps to say to them," Please, take care of him," before quietly allowing himself to be pushed onward.

Alfred with glistening eyes, saluted the departing Yao, before he reached down to gently grab onto Arthur's hand.

"Alfred?"

A shuddering breath answered Arthur," God, Arthur I hope that never happens to us."

"No, by god, I hope so too, love."

-

Blindfolded, Yao waited patiently for the executor to come and wipe his mind clean. Behind him, Yao heard the door creak open and heavy footsteps echo closer and closer. Swallowing a shudder, Yao spoke in a shaky voice, he cursed his lack of control," Hurry up, I don't have all day, you know."

The man didn't reply (Yao could only assume he was a man due to his heavy footsteps), instead, Yao felt a warm touch on his cheeks. His body stiffened at the gentle hand. So he was pitied by this man too.

"Stop it."

The man continued to rub his thumb gently on Yao's cheekbones.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Yao yelled as he turned his face and tried to resist the warm, calloused hand. He didn't want this man's pity! He wanted to end the agony of waiting.

A breathless whisper answered this time," Yao?.. Per favore, calm down."

Yao's heart froze. That voice. Oh dear 神靈 (god), Yao thought he was starting to hallucinate.

The man sighed before he reached down to tug the blindfold off," I didn't'a think you'd be this upset."

Yao started to yell frantically before the light returned to his eyes and his vision returned. Eyes glancing up, he nearly cried when he saw the man before him.

Romulus stood there. Smiling softly as he reached out with a large hand to cup Yao's cheek again. Yao felt his chest heave as a stifled sob escape him and he frantically started speaking in his native tongue.

"感謝上帝 ( Thank god) 鄙夫 (I)... 鄙夫 (I).."

Tears started to escape Yao's eyes as with a loud cry of joy, he lept out of the chair and into the Roman's waiting embrace.

"You're okay! Oh god, you're okay!"

"Si, si. And soon you will be too."

Yao looked up to meet amber eyes that he had missed so much," What?"

Hoisting the smaller man into his arms, Romulus gave him a confident grin," I'm not going to'a give you up even if you'a are banished from the Circle."

"Romulus wait are yo-" Yao never finished his sentence as he was whisked away by a simple teleportation spell.

After the duo disappeared in a flash of red light, a head poked in through the doorway of the empty back room and glanced about with a smile.

"I guess we're even then, Yao."

"Mr. Braginski, sir! We need you in the council meeting!"

"Da! I'm coming."

With that, he gently closed the door to the room with a click.

wooot!~ With that, this threeshot draws to a close.

In the end, I didn't want to break up my Romechu

*Reassignment: the process of being assigned a new partner by the council.

* the story behind Russia:
When Arthur was rejected from being a part of the Council. It was Ivan who received the position instead.

*Alfred and Arthur know nothing of what has happened.

Please Review!~~~~~~~~~~~~