Darkness lingered in the bedroom, the night slowly forced to give in to the arriving morning. For a moment longer, it would still be dark, and into the darkness Albert Silverberg opened his eyes, glancing to his side without turning his head. The other person in the bed smirked, his smile barely seen, and moved his hand to idly caress the redhead's shoulder.

"...Still here," the strategist noted calmly, moving away from the touch and sitting up. "You're usually gone by the time I wake up."

Yuber grinned, his mismatched eyes studying the other man's slender form as Albert stood and moved away from the bed. "It's not morning yet. You should know; I'll leave with the darkness... which would be, about now. The sun's rising... A pity. I like watching you."

The redhead shrugged, reaching for his clothes. "I am aware of that, Yuber," he answered quietly, ignoring the demon's stare even though he could feel his lover's eyes upon his body, caressing him. "You sometimes make me wonder what you are here for anyway, anymore... The war's over."

"But then you remember that I'm not done with you yet, Albert Silverberg," the demon answered, smirking as he got up from the bed. Yuber was fully clothed; Albert could feel the fabric of the demon's coat on his skin as the blond wrapped his arms around him. "I only desire to own you... You're an interesting challenge. A hard one. But I have time... A lot of time."

"You know your way out of here," Albert stated coldly as the demon leaned in to kiss his neck. "I have to get going; I have a strategy meeting at dawn, and it's almost dawn."

"Aw. Oh well... Later then, Silverberg."

There was a short flash of greenish light, and with that, the Black Knight was gone. Albert sighed silently, deciding he had enough time for a bath before he had to go to the meeting. He did have to admit that after the night's events, he sure needed one.

Central Crystal Valley looked quite magnificent in bright daylight. Albert, however, wasn't interested in the scenery as he exited the huge library known as the One Temple. He had stopped by to study a couple of old strategy books that he knew to be available in the library; after the morning's meeting, he had felt the need to check for a couple of details that might have felt meaningless to any of the Harmonian commanders. Not to Albert, however; he was very precise by nature, and he liked knowing everything about the facts he was looking into.

His green eyes scanned the square in front of the library shortly as he stepped away from the door, not really paying attention to the sight. He had been to the library hundreds of times and had seen the view so many times that he could have walked with his eyes closed and still found his way around. He nodded to the Temple Guard who had been assigned to take care of his safety as the man joined him, then started to walk away from the area.

He stopped a second later, raising his face and frowning slightly.

The Temple Guard stepped to his side, looking at him with a questioning look on his face. "Sir Albert?" He asked, surprised by the strategist's unusual behavior. "Did you forget something?"

"...No." Albert turned to look at the square again, his eyes searching for something. He didn't have to look for long; the something - or rather, someone - upsetting him walked closer, stopping nearby. He stared at the person, no emotion visible on his face. "It's okay," he continued, addressing the guard. "Would you leave me for a moment? I would like to be alone."

The guard nodded, moving to stand by the library wall. Albert waited until he left before saying anything else.

"It's been a while, little brother," he said calmly, his gaze still fixed on the person who had come to him. "What brings you to Crystal Valley? Are you just sight-seeing, or have you, perhaps, come to your senses and are planning on continuing your studies?"

Caesar shrugged, looking awfully serious for the always-smiling, cheerful young man Albert knew his brother to be. "Something like that. Or maybe not," the younger Silverberg answered, stepping a little closer. "Actually, I came to talk to you, Albert. And maybe chat with some friends I have around here, but right now, I might as well start with you."

"You..." Albert tilted his head slightly, feeling rather amused but still showing no emotion. "...wanting to talk to me? Hmm. Been even a longer while since that has happened. I would guess something like five or six years would be quite close. Sounds like the world's coming to an end. Or do you have something interesting to say?"

"If figuring you out counts as interesting."

"Well. I am intrigued. What is this about, Caesar?"

The younger redhead smiled a little now, his eyes, the same tone of bright light green as his brother's, studying the taller man. "Just came to congratulate you."

Albert raised an eyebrow, feeling curious. "Congratulate? It's been a couple of months already, and if I recall, you won the war. I should probably be congratulating you here. But I must admit, however, that I'm highly curious now. What makes you say such things? You're not exactly the type..."

"Because you're an evil bastard, Albert," Caesar said, frowning all of a sudden. "You knew that already though, and I always knew that. And I learned so much more during the war. You manipulated everything so perfectly and got everything you wanted. You used everyone, myself included. You won. I've always been in your shadow, and even though my side won the war, you won. I'm sure you're satisfied with the results - causing a war and taking so many innocent lives isn't, as far as I know, part of the strategic maxim you were supposed to be following, however..."

"Sacrifices are unfortunate but necessary. Yes, I got what I wanted, and here I can do what the Silverbergs are supposed to be doing and can follow that strategic maxim." Albert smiled just a little, still staring at his younger brother. "So, what do you want, in the end? To cause a scene in the middle of Crystal Valley?"

Caesar glared at him. "No, I'm here to finish this."

"Finish what?" the older Silverberg asked, his voice emotionless. "I thought I mentioned it a moment before that the war is over."

"This," Caesar repeated, a dark look on his face. "This damn sibling rivalry. I always wondered what happened to my big brother. You know, my older brother Albert, who used to read to me when I was younger and whom I missed very much when you first started the academy here. You were always so serious, but that didn't keep me from loving you. You were, after all, my brother, and you used to care about me..."

Albert closed his eyes for a short moment then looked at the younger man again. "And then? Do I need to remind you that I surely didn't start this 'sibling rivalry' as you call it? Rather, that was you, having the need to prove that the strategy theories that you believed in were better than the ones I followed. But if you're here to congratulate me, then why are we having this conversation? If you're admitting defeat, doesn't that mean it's over and we don't ever need to discuss it again?"

"Not before I say what I came to say," the younger redhead continued. "So yeah, I started it. I started it because everyone's always thought of you as the better. And that's what you are; so great, getting perfect scores at Soledt, the family's next strategist genius. Maybe you lost the war, but you got everything you wanted. You won. Since I started it, I might just as well end it."

The older strategist lowered his face a little, sighing silently. He considered commenting something, but he didn't really know what Caesar was after, so he let his brother continue.

Caesar closed his eyes, looking serious. "You changed a lot during the years at Soledt, you know. You became more distant. Like a good, emotionless strategist should I guess... But I lost you. You stopped being the Albert I knew... Then, later, I started the academy too, after you had already graduated. As the top of your class of course. Everyone was so proud of you... Yeah, I was, too. Everyone also knew I wasn't anywhere near your level... You didn't mention it, but I know you knew it, too."

He sighed, opening his eyes. Albert studied his brother, considering the point of this little rant Caesar was giving him. If his brother wasn't insane, then maybe sounding more mature was the right expression.

"I know you expected the same as everyone else," the younger man said after a moment. "That I would become a strategist... I tried to live up to that, but I couldn't. Always in your shadow... Then we had that fight about the theories we believed in and stopped talking to each other. That made me study seriously, because I need to show you that I can do it. It was the only damn thing I could do, anyway."

Albert shook his head. "Tell me something I don't know, little brother. What are you after here?"

Caesar smirked coldly. "I failed in the end. I'm aware that you're better. A damn lot better. But that's not an excuse for you to treat me the way you did... Because I sure tried..."

"What exactly did I do, then?" the older Silverberg asked. "I think I just wanted you to be a strategist like me. Did I ask for you to become my rival?"

"No," Caesar answered. "That just happened for several reasons. I'm not referring to the strategist part anyway... It's the brother part. I understand now... You are a brilliant strategist, the best there is around here... You had to become that. Because they would've been even more disappointed in you if you hadn't..."

"They?"

The younger redhead shrugged. "They. Dad. Grandfather. Everyone. But those two especially... So you managed to get through the academy much better than I ever will... You had to be the best because they wouldn't take you as you are otherwise... ...So, I forgive you, Albert. Because you were me."

Albert folded his arms calmly, staring at his younger brother. "Forgive me for being a bad brother? Well, thank you. But I don't think I like your tone of voice. What are you trying to say?"

"Took me this long to figure it out..." Caesar continued. "Why they were so damn angry at you. You said it to dad's face and showed no emotion, but it still crushed you from the inside. It hurt you, the fact how badly they took it. The fact that you're gay. And you're not really talking to either of them anymore, outside of coldly dealing with family business, in your typical, calculating, unemotional way. You got everything, but in the end, you lost something you would've cared about, if you still had any feelings left today."

"...Caesar..." Albert stared at the younger man, silently having to thank his lack of emotion for managing to keep himself from being the one causing a scene in the middle of the city. He didn't like talking about the subject just because what his brother was saying was the truth.

Caesar smiled a little, relaxing visibly. "So, I'm sorry, Albert. I'm sorry for causing you more pain. You deserved it though; of course, you wouldn't have any idea how much it hurt me to lose you. I'll be a good little Silverberg now though; I'll even finish the academy one of these days. Just like you wanted. Gonna go see some more of the world before that though, and stuff like that. See you around, big brother."

Albert frowned visibly, his mind feeling numb. He was more angry and hurt than he wished to acknowledge, but for once in his lifetime he couldn't think of a good reply. He took a step closer as his brother turned to leave, not wishing to just be left standing there without being able to say anything.

"...Wait, Caesar... Are you just going to walk away like that?"

"I guess," the younger man answered. "I don't have anything else to say, anyway. Yeah. I'm done. I'll be going, then..."

The older Silverberg sighed, unable to say anything. He settled for taking another step closer and wrapping his arms around his brother, drawing Caesar against himself and closing his eyes, not caring if anyone saw them. Feelings were something he couldn't afford which also meant that he needed to finish this now and never look back again, regretting that he hadn't done his part.

"I'm sorry, Caesar," he finally said quietly, relieved by the fact that the younger man answered to his hold and wrapped his arms around him as well. "I didn't want to lose you, either. There was nothing I could've done... But why... How did you...?"

Caesar leaned his head against his brother's shoulder. "...You still sleeping with the demon, huh? Anyway, I noticed a long time ago, just never thought about it that carefully... I... Well... I never cared what you are. I just... hated it? I hated fighting you, you know. I'm just glad it's over now... I just want my brother back, okay?"

Albert nodded his approval silently, knowing he didn't need to answer.

The darkness engulfed the bedroom after nightfall as it always did, its shade bringing safety to those who lived in it. Albert stared at the ceiling of his bedroom without seeing it, smiling to himself as he felt an unseen presence in his room, stepping closer without a sound and leaning down to kiss him softly.

"Still awake," the Black Knight commented, his amusement apparent. "Waiting for me, perhaps?"

"Maybe I was. Maybe I wasn't. Yuber," the strategist answered, raising his hand and stealing the demon's black hat. "Maybe I'm always waiting for you. Maybe I'm never. What's the difference as you'll come and go as you please anyway?"

Yuber grinned, moving away for a moment to remove his clothes. He slipped into the bed silently, drawing the redhead close to himself, quite pleased to find Albert naked. His fingers moved to fondle the younger man's neck. Then, he suddenly frowned.

"Hmm?" The demon wondered aloud. "You feel... rather peaceful. Just the way you are is somehow... in peace. Did something interesting happen today?"

Albert smiled, resting his head against the Black Knight's chest. "I had a talk with my brother today, if that's what you're referring to. Let's say we... finished some unfinished business. There was something that has always bothered me, and that being gone, maybe I do appear rather peaceful."

"I see," Yuber answered, smirking. "Ah well, whatever that is, it makes you even more of a challenge... You lack any emotion, and with this something bothering you gone, you'll be even more harder to own. Oh well... I don't mind at all... As I've said, I like challenges."

"That, you do," the redhead said, changing his position abruptly, moving to lie on top of the demon. "And I'll give you that challenge, for as long as you'll be interested in trying to win it. You see, I figured that since you're set on owning me, I might just as well try the same..."

The blond knight laughed, raising his hand to caress Albert's face. "Well well. That'll sure prove to be interesting... Or, perhaps, do you have some particular reasons for wanting to keep me around?"

"Maybe I do. But..." The strategist stopped to stare into the demon's eyes which he couldn't really see in the dark. "I am Albert Silverberg, and I win in anything I ever do. Even my own brother told me that. Whatever my reason might be, you'll be the one I'll have and own, Yuber."

The Black Knight smirked, quite amused, but allowed the redhead to kiss him fiercely. He didn't understand the strategist's reasons, but whatever they were, if there would be another challenge regarding Albert Silverberg, he was willing to take it.

Author's notes:

Eh... Just got the idea one day and wrote it. Besides, I can just blame Anastasia Demi for this anyway.

- Lady Harken (April, 2004)