Hey all, my most sincerest apologies on the uber long wait. You might have to go back to the next chapter to remember what has happened o.o im truly sorry

special, gigantic thank you to these lovely reviewers:

And the few who messaged idea's to me, i know there was a few, but i cant remember your names

Your idea's helped me get through the writers block, a cookie for you all

Chapter 7: Mind Games

Tomo blinked several times before he was sure of where he was. Yes, he was still in the shared apartment, yes, it was dark, and he was laying on his bed. But, something was different. Automatically, he brought his arm up to his forehead to wipe the precipitation he felt streaming down. Tomo sighed, and riped the blankets off him, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, sitting up slowly. He groaned as he let his head fall into his hands, propped up by his elbows on his knees.

The room was still spinning. Tomo lifted his eyelashes slightly to see a lump in the quilt, of the bed across from him.

Was I dreaming? Tomo groaned again, when he couldn't find his balance standing up, and slumped like a rag doll, to the floor. Using the top mattress for support, he pulled himself up, to lay back awkwardly, on the bed.

When Tomo woke up again, the room was filled with sunshine, and his head didn't feel like it was going to float away. Only when he shifted to roll over, hoping for more sleep, did Tomo realize that he was not alone. Something, preferably someone, was pushed up against his back, fitting the curves to all his lower and upper body. Tomo was to afraid to move, still too sleepy to figure out why. That's when he understood who, and why, someone was sharing his bed; because this wasn't his. Tomo stared forward, looking at his unmade bed, then glanced down to see thick, tan arm sticking out, from under his neck. Finally coming to the conclusion that he was is Rikuo's bed, and that his body was less than a millimeter from his own, and the breath coming onto the back of his neck made little hairs stick up, though it wasn't from a cold chill.

How to handle this situation? All Tomo found himself doing was staying completely still, and shifting his eyes around the room. He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt Rikuo's arm move down, from the base of his neck, to meet the other one around his waist, and pull him closer.

“Kazahaya...”

Tomo's eyebrow twitched. Who is he talking about? But he couldn't bring himself to be irritated, instead, he felt a surge of pleasure.

Rikuo angled himself as he pulled Tomo again, his lips at the back of his neck. Tomo shivered again, wondering if Rikuo was asleep or just messing with him. He sighed, and decided to just go along with it, snuggling up, as if the space wasn't already filled enough, closer to Rikuo's warm body. He froze when he heard a low, sexy chuckle.

“What are you doing in my bed?” Rikuo let his lips move against Tomo's neck.

“Ah! I don't know! Please allow me to leave, and I will no longer be of any disturbance to you.” Tomo jerked forward, to get up, but was held securely in place.

“Who says your disturbing me?” Tomo could just hear the smile he was making.

“What about work?” It sounded like a statement.

“It's Sunday, stores' closed.” Rikuo mumbled, falling back to sleep.

In Tomo's fidgeting, Rikuo had another déjà vu moment, and snickered.

“Ah fine, I want to sleep by myself anyway.” Without letting Tomo react, Rikuo released his grip on him, and pushed him, sending Tomo rolling off the bed, and landing with a heavy “thunk” on the wooden floor.

“Whats with you?” Tomo demanded once his butt stopped aching. Rikuo opened one eye, to see an irritated Kazahaya, hands on hips, staring down on him, like a mother about to scold her child for not cleaning the room.

“Whats with you?” Rikuo mimicked the same tone of voice.

“Over sleeping is unhealthy.” Tomo stuck his index finger in the air, mater-of-factly.

“Says you.” Rikuo rolled over.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

“Does Rikuo usually sleep this heavy?” Tomo couldn't help but stomp down into Kakei's office and demand, in the most polite way possible, why Rikuo was being a jerk.

“Not usually.” Kakei replied, his mind elsewhere.

“I'm bored” Tomo whined, slumping down onto the couch in front of Kakei's desk.

Kakei smiled then, and brought his eye's to meet Tomo's. “Like it or not, your off today. Why don't you go outside, enjoy the sunshine, for however long it may last.” He pushed his glasses up delicately to fit more snugly on his nose.

Tomo sighed “All right.”

Tomo only needed a light jacket at noon time, as he walked down the side of the street. He unconsciously started thinking about the previous night. He kicked a pebble at his feet and continued walking. Somethings missing... Tomo thought to himself, while ignoring a couple of girls staring at him as he passed. I can't remember... How did I get here again? Tomo stopped where he stood, the sudden abruptness causing him to rock back on his heels. His hand curved around his chin in thought. It hurt to think so far back, but he couldn't remember anything past Rikou waking him up, in the store. Do I have amnesia? Am I a runaway? He scratched his head and continued, turning to walk along a polluted creek bend. Okay, my name is Tomo, I'm fourteen years old...Ah, something about... What? Tomo squinted his eye's against the muddy ground, not really seeing it. Wait, I'm seventeen. He nodded his head, then shook it. Ah, how can I be sure of anything anymore. He chuckled darkly to himself, finding a large rock to sit on, he picked up a pebble, and juggled it in one hand. I have a sister though, I'm sure of that... I think. He rolled his eye's and tossed the small rock in the contaminated water. He watched the thick ripples in the water until they disappeared, then looked up to the tree's opposite him. Higher his eye's wandered, up to the sky to stare at the white clouds that reminded him of marshmallows. A sigh slipped out, as Tomo rested his chin on his open palms, starring at the water again. I could just be losing my mind.

A cloud shifted in the sky, and suddenly the sun shown on the murky water ahead. Tomo raised his head in small interest, at the small shine a spot near the shore was making. Tomo didn't move, just starred, pondering what the shine could be. The sun was hidden again by a cloud, and the rays were gone. Tomo continued to stare, then shrugged, standing up and taking a step to reach the waters edge, peering down into the muck. About a foot out, Tomo saw the slightest bit of gold. Curiosity arousing, he pushed his jacket sleeve up, and stuck his bare arm into the filthy water to snatch the unknown object.

Tomo pulled it closer to his face. It looked like an old 70's hand mirror. He turned it over, and began whipping the green algae off the glass. Tomo stared at his reflection with a lack of interest. I certainly don't look fourteen. He pushed a stray hair he noticed, back behind his ear. ...Have I always had my hair so long? Tomo ran his fingers through the shoulder length hair. “I should get this cut.”

Don't touch my hair if you want a pencil shoved up your brain.

Tomo stood up automatically, spinning around and scanning the area. “Who said that?” He squeaked.

No answer.

He blinked. What kind of threat was that? He giggled lightly, but still confused. Glancing down at the mirror in his hand, then back into the empty woods. “Yes, I am losing my mind”.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

“Where... did you get this?” Kakei was studying the dirty mirror, from a distance, not looking at his reflection.

“In a creek, under the Teo bridge... well, a little further down stream actually.” Tomo took in Kakei's expression, which was a mixture of complete seriousness, and awe, and tried to figure out what it meant.

“Thank you Tomo, please leave now.” Kakei only glanced up at him for a second, then back at the clouded mirror.

Tomo bowed silently, and darted out of the room.

Rikuo heard the door open, and close in the next room, but continued working on his food creation, cooking in a heavy pot of something on the stove.

“Something smells interesting.” Tomo announced, coming into the kitchen.

Rikuo glanced sideways, that was something Kazahaya used to say every time Rikuo tried to cook something that his nose didn't appeal to.

“It's Mexican” Rikuo replied anyway.

“Shouldn't it be Japanese?” Tomo walked over, next to Rikuo to inspect the glob in the pot.

“Not tonight.” Rikuo couldn't help but glance over again. Either he's finally realized that I hate nice people... or...

“I'm sorry, I think I may be a bit tired. Mexican sounds fine.” He smiled up at Rikuo, who frowned inwardly.

Damn.

Rikuo hated it.

He spat the food back onto the plate, and whipped his mouth on a napkin. Tomo looked surprised, but spat his out, too... When he thought Rikuo wasn't looking.

“Taste like crap.” Rikuo muttered to himself as he dumped their plates in the garbage.

Tomo snagged a bag of cookies out of the cabinet, and sat in the middle of his bed, nibbling on the edge of one. Rikuo grabbed a handful from the bag as he passed Tomo to sit on his own bed. Tomo paused, mid munch, to scold Rikuo on his cookie grabbing manners, but then found it stupid, so he let it drop.

“I'm gunna take a shower, Kaza, don't fall asleep without taking one too.” Rikuo got up as he said this.

“Whatever.” Tomo swallowed, and snatched a second cookie.

Rikuo waited, but Tomo was silent. He let a smile crack out on his lips.

“Unless you want to join me now.”

Tomo starred at Rikuo disapprovingly.

“Fine, fine.” Rikuo threw his hands in the air mockingly, and walked into the bathroom. Tomo rolled his eyes, set the cookies on the end table, and got up to get a new sheet out of the closet.

As Tomo ripped the old sheet out, a small brown book fell to the ground from under the top mattress. He raised an eyebrow, bending down to take the book, and sitting on the bed, with half the sheet laid out.

Examining the leather cover first, then opening it up to start reading from the first page.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

When Rikuo walked out of the bathroom, wearing only a towel along his hips, Tomo was there, waiting for him at the door, a little brown book in his hand. He brought it up to his face.

“I remember the factory... but I don't remember being in it with you.” Tomo looked confused, and determined.

Rikuo felt... awkward, to say the least, a draft was beginning between his legs. “Okay...” He involuntarily shifted his weight to one leg, looking elsewhere besides the boy in front of him.

Tomo continued to stare, his chin pointing up from the strain of trying to look into Rikuo's eyes, the book now being held at his chest. His eyebrows suddenly pulled together, as if in worry, he pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eye's. “I have a migraine.”

Rikuo couldn't help but smile “Why don't you go to bed?”

“I can't sleep! My mind is racing” He paused “It's very detailed, this book.” Tomo stole a glance at it. Rikuo rolled his eye's, when can I put some boxers on?! “I am sure I know that place, could we go there?”

Rikuo sighed, in irritation, taking a swift glance at the clock “It's almost eleven, you want to go there now?”

Tomo nodded once, eye's still determined.

Rikuo sighed again, this time in a sharper tone “Can I get dressed first?” He gestured to the dresser with a long arm.

Tomo's expression changed, confused again. “Of course.”

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

“Why am I doing this?” Rikuo grumbled to himself. He led the way, both boys walking in the middle of the night, to the old abandoned factory. Every time he took a glance behind him, Tomo's nose was stuck in Kazahaya's journal.

Rikuo sniffed, bringing his coat collar up to cover his neck. I wanted to say “no”, to listen to Kakei's advise, but there's just something there, Kazahaya or Tomo, I can't be sure, but I don't think this is bad. He took another glance behind him, this time Tomo was staring back at him, the emotion on his face, unreadable. Rikuo turned back swiftly, something gave him a chill, and it wasn't from the cold air.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Tomo was trying to finish what was written in the journal, but was surprised when he turned the next page, to find a different entry, it wasn't the same handwriting from the beginning. Reading it carefully as he walked behind Rikuo, processing each word, committing it to memory, as he was doing with the previous entries.

12 September

A few days ago, Kazahaya disappeared. Well, I shouldn't say that. His body is here, and thats it. That ridiculous mirror that Kakei sent us to find has something to do with all this. All I am aware of is that Kazahaya was sent to deliver the cursed mirror to its client. Of course, Kaza can't do anything as simple as that.

Kakei sent me out to find him a few hours later, he actually sounded a bit worried. Although, I wasn't feeling worried when I donned my heavy coat and went out to retrieve him. I was actually thinking of ways I could tease him, make him feel awkward. Him getting lost was a perfect excuse to make fun of. Ah, if only I'd know better.

The rain was coming down hard, that was probably when I really started worrying. About seven miles from the store, I found Kazahaya on the side of the street, his body crumpled up against a storm drain. When I yelled his name, he didn't respond. I ran over to him, I heisted to touch him. What was I thinking? Kazayaha was so white in the face, I almost though he was dead, but I could see his body shivering in the cold. He was drenched in rain water. The way his eye's wouldn't blink creeped me out the most. I whispered his name constantly while I picked him up, parted his wet hair, so it was out of his face. As I walked back, I hunched my body over his best I could, so the rain wouldn't be hitting him. He was so cold, even though I had him pressed against my body, and my coat stretched out to cover him as well. I kept my hand on his back, stroking it, or was i trying to create friction for heat?

Once I reached the store, Kakei was there, in the front, holding the door open for me. I was sure to shoot him an angry glance as I passed.

I set Kazahaya on the floor, up against a shelf.

“What the hell happened to him?” I had asked Kakei. I felt spastic when he told me that he didn't know.

There was a lot of lines scribbled out after that, but following the unreadable paragraph, it finally said,

... Why do things like this happen? I want to blame someone, but the only person I find is perfect for this catastrophe is Tomo. The boy who has replaced Kazahaya, and shares none of his memories, or emotions, or personality. I miss the way Kaza would scream at me for no reason, or when he would blush in the face if I got to close to him. Thats what I miss most, his warmth. Just being in the same room with him made me feel different.

Another couple lines crossed out.

I suddenly regret kissing him. It wasn't right, I took my teasing to far. I don't want Kazahaya going away with that last memory of me.

It was strange how it was just left off like that, Tomo flipped the page, expecting more, but it was blank. He blinked in confusion, and stared at the back of Rikuo's head. When he finally turned his neck a fraction and saw him, Rikuo looked away quickly. Tomo cocked his head to one side, his migraine came back in a hit. He snapped the book shut, and, using his free hand, grabbed his forehead in pain. Rikuo didn't seem to notice. Tomo flinched back, as if a knife had stabbed him in the head. Eye's squeezed shut, walking with uncertainty, Tomo suddenly ran into Rikuo's back.

“Sorry,” He heard him mutter. “were here.”

Tomo permitted a peak around Rikuo's brawny back to stare at the huge factory before them. The migraine was suddenly gone, he didn't even notice, as he walked around Rikuo to follow the familiar path towards the buildings entrance.

Tomo was speechless when they entered the structure.

What happened here? He looked down to avoid tripping on a piece of scrap metal.

Rikuo was disturbed by the silence, although it wasn't awkward, it was very eerie. But he could tell Tomo was thinking, so he didn't dare say a word, it could distract him. Something falling from the ceiling, and crashing to the floor caused both boys to jump.

“My room is upstairs.” Tomo blurted out without thinking, but continued, “My dad runs this business...” Then he was running, jumping over things instead of stepping. Rikuo tried to follow quickly, but had a hunch on where he was heading anyway.

When Rikuo caught up to him, he was standing in the doorway of the room Rikuo and Kazahaya had found those dogs, he didn't know Tomo was crying until he spoke.

“Where is everybody?” His voice broke as he choked out a sob.

Rikuo wasn't sure of what to do. He placed a hand on Tomo's shoulder, and he sunk to the ground, his face in his hands.

“I don't... Understand-” His voice broke twice. Rikuo sighed, and sat down next to him.

When Rikuo opened his eye's, he was still in the doorway of that room. He groaned when he realized they had spent the night there. The rays of the sun coming in through the broken windows. It took him approximately ten seconds to figure out that Tomo wasn't with him.

Caring less, Rikou stood up, yawned and stretched his whole body until it quivered. “Tomo.” He called sleepily.

“In here.” Came a response from the room opposite him. Rikuo started forward, and leaned on the door frame when he saw Tomo.

He was sitting on the nearly destroyed mattress, staring at the wall.

“Did you get any sleep?” Rikuo asked, uninterested.

“No. How could I? My mind has been racing since I found that mirror yesterday.”

Rikou's hearts skipped a beat.

“What mirror?” He meant his voice to sound casual, but it came out like a demand.

Tomo slowly turned his head to face him, it bothered Rikuo, and he twitched inwardly.

“Are you familiar with it?” Tomo asked coyly, as if he already knew the answer. Suddenly Rikuo had a need to protect Kazahaya's involvement. “Maybe...”

“Hmm...” Tomo ran a finger in circles on the bed.

Rikuo sighed. “What do you know about a mirror?” He felt like Kakei for some reason.

“I found it yesterday.” He kept his eye's on his tracing finger “I did not see anything interesting about it.”

“What did you see?”

He shrugged “Only my reflection.” He starred up at Rikuo then, who was motionless.

“You stared into the mirror?”

“Yes.”

“Did anything happen?”

Tomo seemed to seriously ponder this. “I did hear a voice, but it could have been my imagination.”

“What did it say?”

Tomo looked up again, for he went back to playing with his finger, but stopped. He raised an eyebrow.

“I cant remember.” He answered dryly. Rikuo frowned, he was hiding something.

“Did you hear Kazahaya's voice?” Rikuo walked into the room, and leaned against a dusty wall.

Tomo's eyebrow twitched slightly; Rikuo noticed.

“No.” He glared up at him.

Rikuo glared back. Something bad was happening... Tomo was winning. He realized with a sinking heart, but he didn't give up.

“Let's get back to the store now, Kakei and Saiga are probably wondering where we are.”

“I don't want to leave, I know where I belong.”

“And thats here? In this dump?”

“...”

Rikuo sighed, and his voice lightened. “Kazahaya, you belong with me, remember?”

“No one will miss me...” Tomo mumbled, starring down at his folded hands. Rikuo wondered, for a moment, if that was Kazahaya, or Tomo saying that. Either way, he came to sit down next to the boy, the bed creaked loudly in protest. He ran his palm up and down his back, almost like a massage. Tomo's head snapped up, and he automatically brought his hands up to his forehead.

“Whats wrong?” Rikuo brought his brows together in confusion, Tomo was hissing in pain.

“My head is killing me.” Rikou could barely make out the words.

“Let me take you back to the apartment.” Rikuo started lifting him up as he said this, despite Tomo's weak protests.

The situation was worse once they arrived at the drug store, Rikuo didn't even notice that the Open sign was switched to Closed.

Kakei saw them coming through the glass door, and opened his office door for Rikuo to set Tomo on the couch.

“I had a feeling this would happen...” Rikuo thought he heard Kakei murmur, but it was to soft to catch.

Saiga was standing in a corner of the room, arms crossed around his chest.

Once Rikuo laid Tomo on the couch, he noticed Kakei grab something wrapped in cloth out of a desk drawer.

“Whats that?”

Kakei acted as if he hadn't heard him, and quickly made his way to Tomo's side. He stuck his hand in Tomo's coat pocket and pulled out the little journal, as if he already knew it was there. He moved like an expert, seeming to be unaware of Tomo's tiny moans of pain.

“Kakei, whats happening?”

He remained silent towards him “Kazahaya, what were you doing in the factory?”

Tomo calmed down a bit to answer, “I was playing in the basement, and fell into a hole, in a weak spot in the floor.”

“No you weren't” Kakei answered bluntly, Rikuo was utterly confused.

“Yes I was!” Tomo yelled “thats when I found that stupid mirror-” Tomo froze, his eye's opened, and stared blankly.

“What happened then?” Kakei asked while scanning the pages of the journal.

Tomo blinked, and looked down, no longer twitching around. “... I can't remember.”

Kakei nodded, Rikuo groaned. Kakei held a finger up to stop him before he started complaining.

Kakei turned a page, and paused, then smiled.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Tomo sat on the edge of his bed, watching Rikuo pace, his head was hurting again.

Kakei had saw the page where Rikuo wrote, he said now was the time to bring Kazahaya back. But how?! Rikuo felt so annoyed and frustrated, he glanced at Tomo as he paced, he never took his eye's off him. Rikuo had the wrapped up mirror in his hand, and was suddenly struck with an idea. Shock him back into reality? Rikuo shrugged. Sounds to easy.

“Kazahaya, stand up.” And so he did. Rikuo was thrilled that he was answering to him with that name. But he didn't let himself get too hopeful. “I wanted to try something...” He stuck the mirror in his back pocket, and made his way to the smaller boy. Once he was standing in front of him, still silent, Rikuo sighed, and cupped his hands around Tomo's face. The shock in Tomo's eye's was expected, but Rikuo kept his eye's open as he leaned in, pausing before he kissed him.

Rikuo shut his eye's on contact, tilting Tomo's head up for a better angle. He felt him shaking under his lips, but other than that, remained motionless. Rikuo deepened the kiss, bringing a hand up behind Tomo's head, and the other around his skinny waist.

When he pulled away, and opened his eye's, Tomo's were closed. “Wait.” Tomo mumbled, and stood on his tip toes and kissed Rikuo back. Rikuo pushed back harshly, opening his mouth to take a breath, when felt a tongue slide in. Rikuo grinned, and did the same to Kazahaya, who wrapped his arms around Rikuo's neck, pulling him down to his height.

As this was going on, Rikuo snuck a hand away, and pulled the mirror out from his pocket, twirling it, letting the cloth unravel itself and fall to the floor.

He unwillingly broke off, whispering “Kazahaya”. When he opened his eye's, they were dark, lost, like a mist. Rikuo felt a sense of ease, and stole a quick kiss, before he threw the mirror between them, reflector side facing Tomo.

Tomo was suddenly stiff, and what sounded like a “Shhwwsh” filled the empty air. It all, literally happened in a few seconds. Rikuo wasn't sure when to take the mirror away, so instead he calmly asked, “Kazahaya?”

When there wasn't an answer, he peeked behind the mirror, to see the boys face. It was the same misty grayish/blue eye's, Kazahaya's eyes.