Ping- Well, everyone was sooo wanting to know what exactly I'm up to...
Seiji- Like me, for one... -_-*
Ping- So here's another chapter, and it's one of my longest too!

Warnings: Serious AU, Lemon
Pairings: SeijixTouma (SagexRowen)

Disclaimers: The characters belong to somebody else. All changes in tense are mine.

This fic is dedicated to Kyoki! This is yours, hon, like it or not. I'll try and hand Seiji and Touma to you on a lubricated silver platter, but we'll have to wait and see. ^-^

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, it means a lot to me! ^_^ ::suddenly looks very evil:: You asked for more, and here it is... MWAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!

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Chapter 9

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In his weakened condition, it took Touma a great deal of time and effort to sneak his way down to the first floor. He considered just telling everyone to move, consequences be damned, but only briefly. Prince or no, he was supposed to stay in his room, not wandering around the halls trying to save a threat to the throne.

He narrowed his eyes and growled, ducking behind a tapestry just as two guards walked past. Why was his word suddenly worth so little? Any worries he'd had about staying with Seiji or being a prince were no longer a bother- if he meant so little, he'd throw away the crown and go with Seiji.

'If he still wants you, considering you lied to him.'

'A lie that will cost him his life if you don't get the lead out!'

Once the coast was clear, Touma ducked through a doorway. He'd almost never been to the dungeons, but he hoped he was going in the right direction. After a while, the musky scent of mold, reduced lighting, and a chill to the air gave him hope that he was indeed heading the right way. He jogged down a spiral staircase, stopping every now and then to listen for other's footsteps and to catch his breath. The cold dank air made him need to cough, but if he were discovered, he'd be escorted back to his room and locked in, by order of his father.

He knew the man well enough to know that's what he'd do.

Swallowing the tickling in his lungs and the back of his throat, Touma continued down into the cold darkness. He stumbled suddenly when the step he was leaving turned out to be a landing.

'Finally! I thought I'd never reach the bottom!'

Dodging into a shadowed crevice, Touma held his breath and listened. There were faint moans and cries coming from down the hall, but it was too dark for him to see. He didn't know if there were guards down there, but he had to take the chance.

Tiptoeing down the corridor, Touma peeked into each cell before moving on to the next. Men, decaying as they breathed, missing limbs, organs, flesh and cloth, were scattered in no particular pattern in the cells. They had all obviously been there for a while, for most only moaned their anguish, ignoring him completely. Reaching the last row of cells, Touma peeked around the corner, sighing on relief when he saw someone familiar.

"Pst! Hey, you!" Touma hissed, checking both ends of the hallway to make sure they were clear.

"Oh, it's so horrible..." The man drawled absently. Touma was sure this was Seiji's servant, but a check of his cell and the one opposite didn't hold Seiji.

"Just hold on, I'll get you out." Searching around, Touma checked the walls, finally finding a key ring. He resisted the urge to moan in despair, as he saw a sleeping guard snoring on a bench- directly beneath.

'My life will never be easy...'

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"How much longer until we reach the capital?"

"Only a few more minutes."

"Will we make it in time? The sun's about to rise..."

"We'll make it, don't worry."

"Better speed up anyway, just to make sure."

"I see the walls!"

"Quiet now. Scatter! Wait for my signal. Is everyone armed? Good. Let's go."

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"SNRK!"

Touma jumped, gasping and clutching his hands to his pounding heart. If the guard would just stop spazzing like that every time he made a grab for the key! Gathering his courage, Touma leaned forward again, making sure his tunic wouldn't brush against the burly, bare arms of the guard.

'Almost... got it!'

'Now you're only half done...'

Touma held the ring on his index finger, trying his hardest not to jingle the keys as he eased away from the guard and the wall.

"SNRKKKK!"

Startled again, the keys flew off Touma's finger, landing on the guard's helmeted head and sliding off onto his metal breastplate with more sound that Touma thought possible. After the sound bounced off the walls a few times and faded, Touma, figuring his stealth for lost, grabbed a large metal plate and was about to knock the guard out...

"SNRKK!"

Eyes wide, Touma put the plate down. 'Unbelievable... We need better security.' Picking up the keys and returning to the cell of Seiji's servant, he unlocked it and knelt beside the beaten man. "Come on, we have to get you guys out of here. Where's Seiji?"

"Oh, it's terrible." He slurred, drunkenly leaning on Touma's shoulder, and not helping him get to his feet at all. "You... you have to go..."

Giving up on getting the lead weight to his feet, he dropped the keys in the disoriented man's hands. "Alright, you take care of your friends. Now, where's Seiji?"

"It's too late... he's gone..."

Touma's eyes widened. Too late? No, he couldn't be.

"He's... in the square... courtyard... thingy." He rolled over, coughing up phlegm and blood. Touma rubbed his back until he was able to speak again. "Public... execution. Dawn."

Touma was gone and headed up the stairs before the servant had even noticed he'd gone. 'Stealth be damned, if anyone tries to stop me I'll kill them! Hold on, Seiji, I'm coming! Hold on!!'

'I love you...'

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The speaker seemed to drone on and on. Was there no end? Seiji sighed. 'I just want to die... Rowen... How could you? I- I loved you!' Holding back his sobs, lest he be mistaken for crying from fear, Seiji let his insides turn in on themselves. He was shamed and alone, and he didn't care if he died. And he knew he would soon, as soon as the fat man in the ridiculously outlandish blue robe shut up.

Was there even a point to all his blathering? He was from Korin- the people already hated him, it's not like he had to convince them!

Even as he thought it, the speech seemed to wind down a bit. The numbness of impending doom spread down his legs, his arms, all along his spine, settling at his neck, and he didn't even feel the rope anymore. His mind continued on, visions of Rowen passing before his eyes, full of love and need. Then he imagined that 'Prince Touma' was up in the balcony of the castle, smirking down at him as he stand on the brink of death, still ignorant of his betrayal, and still hopelessly in love with him, fearing for his safety.

Determined to die with a happy thought- the only stand of defiance he could offer against his executioners- Seiji replayed his and Rowen's first time, and held it close and dear to his heart. He felt the floorboards creak as the hangman walked across the floor and placed a gunny sack over his head.

His nostrils were clogged by the scent of something unclean that he didn't wish to define. Steadying his breathing as his pulse quickened, he jumped in surprise when the rope was tested, jerked against his neck.

The calming sense of nothingness was being replaced by terror. No, he didn't want to die at all. He wanted to be at home, practicing, making his father proud on a difficult hunt. The crowd grew silent outside the bag. He wanted to listen to his sisters argue over handsome courtiers, while his mother laughed and his father, uncomfortable with the topic, would try and change it to something utterly mundane.

He wanted to see Rowen- Touma, whatever the hell his name was!- He wanted to see his love again, even if only to kiss him good bye.

Tears stung his eyes. Now hidden by the bag over his head- the smell, the itchy feel, the muffled sounds beyond and of his shaky breathing- these were all that existed in his world, and he focused on them as he waited.

'Touma... I love you.'

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"Get ready."

"I'll give the signal."

"It's coming..."

"You made it just in time..."

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Out of breath and sweating, Touma broke into the sunlight, resting his palms on his knees and panting. Quickly looking up, his heart stopped, as he saw Seiji- he didn't need to see the face, he knew it was his Seiji- standing on a platform, rope around his neck.

"Seiji..." He gasped, stumbling forward and reaching his hand out. "Seiji!" He called more forcefully.

The hangman shifted, and fingered a lever. At a signal from the castle walls, he nodded and pulled hard.

The floor dropped beneath Seiji's feet, and he fell through the hole, bouncing on the rope once before dangling, limp and unmoving.

"SEIJI!!!!!"

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Ping- ::braces herself:: >.<
Seiji- ((X))____((X))