Magical Roots

How did Toshiya know him so well after one afternoon? Sakito's lip quivered and then he just started crying. How could he lose Hizumi? He just couldn't let that happen.

"I can't lose him, Toshiya! I can't. I need him. I do. I just...I don't know what to do. Uruha was so sweet at first and we hit it off but it became all about him. I changed so much for him and I hid a lot of myself. He hurts me..." He whimpered a little and hid his face. "I tell him to stop, that it hurts, but he laughs at me and keeps going...and then...I just feel so used. Is that what love is? I don't think I should be wearing bruises and being in pain like this. Hizumi's back and I feel like I've only spent such a little time with him. I'm with Uruha and he's suddenly sweet again but it's...I would rather be with Hizumi. And I dream that it's Hizumi holding onto me and making me laugh. I want it to be Hizumi...I would do anything..."

His eyes were so red from crying he had to go take out his contacts and put on his glasses. He even changed into one of his tee shirts, this one with a superman logo. He came back to where Toshiya sat, the bruises on his upper arms now visible. He pushed his glasses higher up on his nose and sat next to him.

"So, what do I do?"

Toshiya felt bad for Sakito. When the teen came back out he couldn't help but smile and laugh a little. "You really are cute. Come here...let me see those bruises. God...he did this to you? Hizumi doesn't know. If he did that kid would be hanging from a tree or on a burning pyre. No...this is definitely not love. I wish you could go to school with us and hear what he says about you. Hizu thinks the world of you. The sad thing about all this is you already have Hizumi...you just didn't know it. The only problem is I don't know if you still do...with the way he's acting I think he might have given up." The taller teen looked out at the road and then back at Sakito.

"You really want Hizumi? Really really? Boyfriend title and all?" Toshiya was looking at Sakito seriously. He would help...but only if his friend's crush really wanted it.

Sakito nodded at what Toshiya said. He tried to cover the bruises with his hand, feeling self conscious about it. He liked knowing that Hizumi thought so much of him, though. Toshiya asked him if he wanted Hizumi for his boyfriend and he hesitated. He did, but...what would Uruha do? It didn't matter. He would do whatever it took.

"Yes. I do. Hizumi means the world to me." He nodded and looked over at him. "What about Uruha, though? How do I break it off with him without...without him hurting me?"

He shivered a little, just thinking of what Uruha would do.

Toshiya's expression darkened. "Leave him to me. If he wants to hurt you he'll have to go through me and Hizumi and trust me, that's something that will never happen. Now, call Uruha and dump his ass, then we can work on getting Hizumi to see that you are still the guy you were last summer." The lean witch stood up and took Sakito's hand, leading him inside to the phone.

"And don't worry about Uruha. I'll take care of him. He won't get to you."

Sakito was scared but he followed Toshiya inside. He sighed heavily and picked up the phone, dialing Uruha's number. His heart was beating so quickly as he heard Uruha's voice.

"Hey...look, I'm sorry about earlier...I need to talk to you...No, I...Uruha, please...Yeah...No...No...Uruha, look...No, not tonight...No, Hizumi's not here..." He sighed and there was some ranting on there other end. Sakito couldn't even get a word in edge-wise. "Uru...It's not working out...No, US...WE'RE not working out..."

He turned away from Toshiya, as if that would hide him. "No, please..." Sakito whimpered and started to cry. "It's not like that...Uruha, you hurt me...I can't...No...I don't want to be with you anymore."

He was shaking a little, tears rolling down his cheeks. "No. Uruha...I can't be with someone who hurts me. We're over. Please don't come over here..."

He hung up the phone and slumped to the floor, trying not to get hysterical. "He's so pissed...What if he hurts me?"

Toshiya watched Sakito and waited until he was done before he looked out the window. "Don't worry. If he shows up I'll deal with him. There's a reason Hizu and I go to the school we do. He doesn't stand a chance." Toshiya smiled softly and helped Sakito up.

"Now...we need to show Hizu that you're still you. So...how about we have a sleepover? Wear a nice outfit that you've picked up cause believe or not he loves that new addition. We spent an hour talking about your new wardrobe and how much he loved how it fit on you. My sister says we're such girls when we talk about stuff like that but I just hex her and she leaves us alone." Toshiya grinned at the memory of giving his sister boils. Shaking his head slightly the teen came back to earth.

"Maybe we could have an otaku night? Watch some anime and read some manga or something? Or have a bunch of games to play. Like trivia games? I'm not really that up to speed with what you guys did. Then...what do you wear to bed? Cause I was thinking of that superman shirt and boxers. What? Hizumi likes your legs. Long legs kill him. How do you think we became friends?" The dark haired witch grinned at Sakito's lost, confused look.

"Sorry...I get excited when I get to play match maker. Oh and lose the contacts...at least for tonight. Gotta show him you're still you in there, besides, you look adorable with the glasses."

Sakito nodded, taking in everything. He stopped for a moment, confused at something Toshiya said. Hex? Was that some slang for something? He shook his head, letting it pass.

"Okay, I'll go get ready." He got up off the floor and went up to his room to change. He tore through his closet, looking for something that would just be perfect. He tried on outfit after outfit and then decided on black skinny jeans and a button down shirt that he only had the middle buttons buttoned, flashing a little skin and his navel ring. He slipped on some boots and did his hair, slapping on a little more make up and then putting on his glasses. He didn't mind the glasses. Not one bit. He packed his toothbrush in a bag and then the D'espairsRay tee shirt Hizumi gave him. He'd wear that to sleep in. Then he just packed in another long sleeved shirt, one that rode up a little to show his stomach. He would make sure to impress Hizumi. He tossed in some manga and a few DVD's. He was excited.

He went back downstairs to where Toshiya was and bit his lip. "Do I look okay?" He asked, hoping he passed inspection. He couldn't wait to see Hizumi again.

The teen watched Sakito go upstairs to get ready. In the meantime he quickly set about placing lavender and laurel leaves from Hizumi's mother's garden around the house to set up a protection from Uruha. Toshiya was just about to make a salve in the kitchen when Sakito came down. The teen whistled his approval.

"Wow...see. It's a wonder he didn't pounce you two years ago when he realized he felt that way. Hey, do you have avocado? I need it for this salve. It's to help your bruises so Hizu-chan doesn't flip his lid completely and kill Uruha."

Sakito blushed and set his bag down. "Yeah." He went to the fridge and dug around until he found an avocado. His mom wouldn't notice. "Are the bruises really that bad?" He frowned, afraid of how Hizumi would react.

He watched Toshiya make the salve and he looked quite interested. "How do you know about that...that salve?" He asked, looking curious. He didn't know anything about what Hizumi went to school for. The only thing he knew about Toshiya was that he went to the same school and that he was a flirt.

He looked out the window, hoping Hizumi and his parents would get home soon. He wanted to see him really bad.

Toshiya started to add things to the bowl of creamed avocado. "My grandmother. She was great at homemade remedies. You're bruises aren't that bad but Hizumi is very protective of you and hates Uruha. He tries to hide it since you love the guy so much but he does....Hizumi doesn't really talk about school does he?" Toshiya seemed deep in thought. If it would ever work between them Hizumi would have to be honest and tell Sakito about his magical roots and being a witch. The teen started to set the salve on Sakito's arms.

"This will just reduce the bruises, not get rid of them.....Sakito? What do you think of magic?"

"Oh. Well, that's cool." No one in his family was into home remedies or anything like that. He took off his shirt, showing more of the bruises Uruha left. The salve actually took away a lot of the pain, too. He'd have to get this recipe.

"I didn't love him." he just had to say it. He didn't love Uruha. He liked him, a lot. But he wasn't in love with him. He never was.

"Magic? Like spells and magic wands and witches with the pointy hats?" He giggled a little. "I don't know. I mean, I know there are a lot of pegan or wiccan or whatever they're called and they're like normal people who just do spells...I don't know if it exists but I think...if it's...for good and not...Satanic...that they're okay." He shrugged a little. "Why?"

He had another passing glance at the window, hoping Hizumi would be home soon.

"Wands aren't really a part of it. Not like Harry Potter or magician wands. Mostly just pieces of wood whose attributes you want to add to a spell or charm...and sometimes hexes or curses but you have to be careful about those. Without just cause they backfire, often. Love spells just don't exist. Not that people haven't tried over the centuries...sorry. I, uh, know a lot. My gran is a wicca practitioner. She's great. She taught me quite a bit. There. Now let that sit for about 15 minutes before you go take it off." Toshiya smiled as he moved to take a bite of left over avocado that wasn't added to the salve.

"He should be home in about a half hour. Do you want to wait here or sneak into his room? I'm staying the night over there so it wouldn't be breaking in."

"Wow." he said, actually interested. "So do you...do you do magic?" He couldn't help but asking. He was curious. He found it interesting, though he didn't think he'd be capable of anything like that.

15 minutes later, he cleaned off the salve and he put his shirt back on. "Let's sneak into Hizumi's room." He smiled, mischief in his eyes. He liked being in Hizumi's room. All the times he had trouble and needed to get away, he would go stay in Hizumi's room. He smiled and wondered what Toshiya would think of that.

"Every time I got in a fight with my mom or with Uruha, I would go over to Hizumi's house and his mom would let me stay in his room. I never felt as safe as I did when sleeping in Hizumi's bed. Silly, huh?" He scratched his head and went to pick up his bag. He always felt more at ease and comfortable in Hizumi's house.

"Yeah...I do. We aren't supposed to let humans know of our world. It's one of our cardinal laws that if broken can result in getting stripped of all magical power. But there are exceptions, like witches choosing to be with a human...they are allowed to know. Come on. Oh! Wait. Do you think your mom would hate it if we took these strawberries with us?" Toshiya opened the fridge and held up a bowl of three pounds worth of large strawberries. With a nod of approval he led Sakito out of the house and into Hizumi's. It wasn't long till they were set up in his friend's room.

"Don't worry about your house by the way. I put lavender and laurel leaves around the house to stop Uruha from entering. If you want a stronger spell we're going to need four apples."

Sakito was actually shocked at what Toshiya said. Their world? He was confused and didn't know what to say. Witches choosing to...what?

"Um...yeah...I'll just buy her some more..." He followed Toshiya across the yards and into Hizumi's house. Yeah, he was nervous that Uruha would be lurking somewhere but nothing happened. They got up into Hizumi's room and Sakito gave into the urge, curling up on the brunette's bed and hugging onto his little stuffed cow he used to make fun of him so much for. Hizumi even named it. Karubi. Sakito always thought it was cute, but he never said so. He just liked hugging onto it because it smelled like Hizumi.

Toshiya said he put something around his house to ward off Uruha. "Thanks? I think it'll be okay."

"He has a stuffed cow?" The laughter in Toshiya's voice was almost bested by his happiness that Sakito was coming out of his shell. The witch had set up camp on the floor with several spare blankets and pillows. He had his own little bed on the floor.

"You aren't allowed to sleep on the floor Sakito. You will be up there with Hizu-chan...by the way, how are your legs? Smooth? Just asking. I want Hizumi to be unable to resist the temptation. You are after all the object of his desire. He's been keeping his distance cause of the boyfriend but now that you're free, well, I hope I'll have to sleep in the guest room tomorrow." Toshiya winked at Sakito as he heard the door downstairs open. Hizumi was home.

~

Sighing softly Hizumi got out of the car and looked at Sakito's...the place looked empty. Where were those two? The teen bid good night to his parents and headed upstairs. This was so unfair. Why couldn't Sakito have fallen for him? He opened the door to find his two best friends sitting in his room...one of which curled up with his stuffed cow.

"Sakito what are you doing with Karubi? I thought you hated my cow. You teased me long enough about it." The smile Hizumi had told Sakito he meant no harm and was quite happy to see them. His look changed when he noticed the clothes the red head had on. His jaw dropped and his eyes went wide.

"Wow...when did you get that outfit?"

Sakito sat up, his heart beating wildly when he saw Hizumi. This was his best friend, the one he told everything to except that he wanted to be with him. He laughed a little and tossed the cow back onto the bed.

"Don't worry. I wasn't going to hurt him." He said, joining in on the teasing tone Hizumi had. He gave one glance over to Toshiya and then got up and walked over to Hizumi.

"I, um..." He smoothed down his shirt and straightened his glasses, feeling self conscious. "I hope you don't mind if I crash your sleepover..."

Why was he scared to say it? Why couldn't he just tell him? Sakito wanted to just rush into his arms and stay there forever. He knew Hizumi would always protect him, even if they were mad at each other. He bit his lip, almost wishing he and Hizumi were alone. Maybe that would help. He must have looked so nervous. He went to scratch his head, his shirt sleeve falling back a little, exposing the bruise on his wrist.

Hizumi grinned when he saw the glasses. "Your glasses...I thought you threw them away. I don't mind you crashing at all-what is that? Saktio where did you get that bruise?" The shorter teen pulled at Sakito's arm to look at it when another bruise on his friend's arm caught his eye. All of a sudden he was noticing a lot of bruises on Sakito's body.

"What the fuck!? Is he doing this to you? Do you like it that rough that it leaves bruises on you!? Just because you love him doesn't give him the right leave marks all over you. I don't care if he does it while his fucking you senseless. He shouldn't be allowed to do that to you...he shouldn't be allowed to breath but I can't stop that. No. Not when his boyfriend says nothing about it. What the hell happened to you? You aren't even Sakito anymore. The Sakito I knew would've stomped his ass for this like he did when Jacob Marks gave me a black eye in third grade." All the anger Hizumi had was nothing to the complete defeat that he'd lost his Sakito...he wasn't the same anymore...and by next summer his next door neighbor would be unrecognizable to the kid he used to be.

"Ow." He couldn't help but whimper as Hizumi pulled his arm. Then the brunette was yelling at him. Sakito flinched and then the tears all came back to his eyes. He shook his head and reached out to Hizumi, trying to get his attention through the rant.

"Hizu, I didn't love him. I never did!" He was choking on his tears. "Please, Hizu, listen to me...I have to tell you..."

There was a look on his friend's face...anger...at him? Hizumi was mad at him. Sakito slunk back away from him.

"Maybe this...maybe I shouldn't have come. I'm sorry I made you angry..." The tears fell freely and he was choking on his sobs, near his breaking point. He walked out of the room and went down the stairs, his heart breaking. He didn't even remember his bag. He was too distraught. He slipped out the back and just crashed on the steps, crying his heart out. There was agony in his voice as he cried, wishing more than anything that Hizumi didn't hate him. If only Hizumi would hear him out.

Hizumi watched Sakito leave and kicked his nightstand. "Hizu why did you do that?"

"Because Uruha's an ass and Sakito can't see that! I want so bad to wring that guy's neck. To put a rope around his scrawny neck and drag him through the streets behind my car! He's not good for Sakito...and he can't see that I would be better." The teen was completely defeated. The anger he had at Uruha was gone and the sadness that he'd really lost the guy he loved sunk in.

"He'll never come back over here...I lost him. That damned boyfriend changed him. He used to be his own person...never changing for anyone or just to fit in. I loved that about him. It's one of the reasons I-..." He couldn't say it. It hurt just to know he did but to say it out loud to the rest of the world? No...he couldn't.

"Hizumi...he was going back to the way he was. Those bruises weren't near as bad as they were an hour ago. He was doing all this to show you that he was still that kid. Talk to him. I mean it Hizu. Talk to him. You'll never forgive yourself if you just let the love of your life walk away."

"He's not the love of my life..."

"We've taken enough of professor James's class to know that the magical bond of soulmates is true. Romeo and Juliet, Helen and Paris, Lance-a-lot and Gwen...you can't deny it. He's yours. Well at least I won't deny it. Hizumi just hear him out...listen to that. He's crying over you. Give him a chance." Hizumi looked up, hearing the crying in the backyard.

"You're going to kill me with this...fine. Let's go. But I swear if he tells me he wants me to get along with that bastard I'm going to lose it." The shorter witch stood up and let Toshiya lead him out into the backyard.

"Sakito? Hizumi's ready to listen to what you have to say. Be completely honest with him. Don't hold anything back, got it?"

Sakito was in such agony. He felt like he just lost his friend forever. Hizumi was more than a friend. So much more. He loved him. This was love. Knowing that he would do anything for him. Anything. The back door opened and he sat up, trying to clear the tears from his eyes. He pushed his glasses back onto his face and was shocked that Hizumi was there. Toshiya told him to spill the beans and Sakito got up, walking over to Hizumi. Now was the moment. He'd finally tell him what he felt.

"Hizumi...You're right. I changed for him and I let him walk all over me. I let him hurt me and do whatever he wanted and I thought it was love. It wasn't. I don't know what it was. I liked the attention and the moments when he would be so sweet but those moments were few and far between. I kept thinking about you. Long before you ever came home. I just thought...Hizumi would never treat his lover this way. You came back and you said something like...like you were into guys and I...my heart...I never belonged to anyone but you. Hizu-chan..." He took another step forward and took Hizumi's hand into his own. "I broke up with him. I don't want anyone but you. I love you."

Hizumi stood and listened to Sakito, never meeting his eyes. He stayed quiet for so long that it seemed like he would reject Sakito. Finally, in a small, broken voice Hizumi asked what had been killing him all summer. "Then why did you push me away? W-why did you ignore me?" He looked up and met Sakito's gaze. The pain shown in his eyes told the tall red head just what Uruha's influence on him had done.

Why wasn't Hizumi saying anything? Why was he looking like that, as if he would say no? Sakito was ready to be kicked off the porch and rejected. It made him shake with worry. He'd never wanted anything in his life as much as he wanted Hizumi.

"I was trying to make it work with Uruha. I was so confused..." He couldn't tear his eyes away from Hizumi's. "I'd sit up after he left or after he was asleep and I'd look at your window and just wish...wish that I was with you instead. I didn't want to be a bad boyfriend and it ended up making me become the worst friend to you. Hizumi...I'd do anything to make it up to you."

His eyes were honest. They were best friends, after all. He would do anything to keep his friendship, even if that was all Hizumi would let him have.

Hizumi looked down again and sighed. When he looked back up he could see the worry in Sakito. The teen shook his head and smiled softly. "I have one condition. You stop conforming to what others want of you. Go back to being you...it's the reason I fell in love with you three years ago...and it's the reason I thought I'd lost you forever. Be yourself again..." Then the witch did something he never thought he'd do. He pulled Sakito to him and kissed him.

"I do love you...I just never thought it was possible for you to love me back like that. Especially after seeing your taste in men."

A condition? "Anything..." He said. He would do whatever Hizumi wanted him to. He smiled, almost laughing at what he wanted. Sakito could be himself. There was no problem with that. Hizumi took his breath away when he pulled him close and kissed him. All the tension melted away and he wrapped his arms around the brunette's neck, melting into his kiss. Hizumi loved him back.

"We all make mistakes..." He said softly, not daring to pull out of his best friend's arms. He didn't want to. He'd stay there as long as Hizumi would let him. He didn't even remember that Toshiya was right there. He only had eyes for Hizumi.

"Can we go watch some anime now?" It was something he wanted to do all summer and so far he hadn't been able to. Uruha refused and he never got to be with Hizumi. Now it all was different. He had his best friend back and that was all that mattered.