Disclaimer:

I do not own Gravitation or any of its characters. I just love them to no end and have a very twisted imagination. Please be aware that I am extremely poor so suing me will do you no good. Thanks.

Warning: Lemon Yaoi / Explicit Language / Angst / Rape / Violence / AU

Pairings: Yuki x Shuichi / Ryuichi + Tatsuha / Hiro + Ayaka / K +Sakano / Tohma + Mika

FYI: Inner thoughts - - [ Flashback ]

Author=s Notes:

Well, guys, here's the next chapter of Beautiful Stranger. It's been forever since I updated this fic and I'm truly sorry about the wait. I hope that this lengthy chapter will make it up to you.

I'd like to thank all of those who have sent comments my way. Please keep them coming. Encouragement is definitely a key factor behind motivation. Special thanks go to Nekojita, Anney, and Nev, for their helpful comments and neverending support.

Okay, that's it for now. Read the fic and enjoy!

Forsaken

Beautiful Stranger

No longer able to run thanks to his protesting ankle and scraped bare feet, Shuichi walked as quickly as he could through the crowded streets, his eyes wide and full of trepidation. He sighed in relief when he spotted an alley across the street. If he could reach it, he could finally take a breather. Bone tired, Shuichi looked both ways before crossing the narrow the street, limping along the way.

Making sure no one saw him, Shuichi walked into the shadowed alleyway and sat down next to a garbage filled trashcan. He stretched out his legs, placing his cane alongside him on the concrete, and winced at how swollen his ankle looked. Man, that's nasty. He tried to loosen it up a bit by twisting it around gently, but stopped when a spasm of pain shot up his leg. Owwww! Shuichi ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. Dammit, what the hell am I supposed to do now? I can barely walk.

Leaning his head against the stone brick wall behind him, Shuichi stared at the busy streets, watching the cars and people passing by, and wondered somberly if any of them appreciated their normal lives, appreciated the bullshit problems he could only wish for. Probably not, he mused, remembering how unappreciative he'd been of his life before it had been taken away from him. Why were life's lessons always learned the hard way? Shuichi sighed. Was he going to learn yet another painful lesson? God, he was so confused, so afraid, and tired of …… tired of everything.

Shit, what am I going to do? He was all alone now and completely vulnerable. Shuichi knew from experience that he was in for a rough time out on the streets. He wasn't a physically strong person. If someone came along wanting to pummel him to the ground and use him, Shuichi knew that he wouldn't stand a chance. He would fight with all that he had in him, but ultimately he would lose …… Just like the last time.

But what else could he have done? Yuki had somehow found out about Nao. He couldn't have possibly stayed with him, not while endangering him. Dammit, I had no choice. I had to leave. Yuki would've wanted to get involved, to help him out of the mess he'd gotten himself into, no matter what he would've said to the man to discourage him.

Yuki. God, how he wanted to just go back to him, to run into Yuki's arms and have them embrace him, making him feel safe and cared for. Shuichi's breath hitched, his need to cry almost overwhelming him. But he couldn't go back. He couldn't turn to Yuki like he wanted to. He was on his own again and no matter how much Shuichi wished for it to be otherwise, he had to move on, had to forgot the love he'd found with one Yuki Eiri.

Wiping away at his face, Shuichi sniffled and forced himself to stand up. He winced as his ankle screamed at him in pain and he quickly placed more of his weight onto his other leg. His hand instinctively reached out and he managed to balance himself using the wall he'd been leaning against. He looked down at the ground and groaned when he realized that he'd forgotten his cane. "Dammit," he cursed under his breath, amazed at his forgetfulness.

Not wanting to cause his ankle further harm, he leaned over on one leg, keeping his other leg bent at the knee, as he tried to scoop up the cane. Unfortunately for him, his wrist decided to disapprove of the pressure being placed upon it, and Shuichi hissed when pain lanced through it. Shit, forgot……"Whoa!" he yelped, as he lost his hold and fell forward right onto the sidewalk, tumbling a bit before landing on his back.

The bright blue sky was all Shuichi saw for a brief second before something hit him in the ribs. "Oh my God!" he heard someone yell from above him, just as a shadow blocked his view and a huge weight landed on top of him, knocking the air out of his lungs.

"Sakano! Sakano, are you alright?!" another voice asked frantically.

Shuichi blinked, trying to clear his distorted vision, as he rolled onto his belly with a wince of pain. Owlishly, he stared into the livid eyes of a blacked haired boy who was trying to help the man who'd obviously fallen on top of him off of the floor. "I'm sorry. Is he okay?" he asked, worrying if the older man had hurt himself during the fall. He hadn't meant to trip anyone. Jeez, why does this stuff always happen to me? He's probably going to call the cops on me, Shuichi thought anxiously.

"You idiot!" snapped the dark haired boy, as he helped his friend into a sitting position. "What the hell were you trying to pull by jumping out at us that way?"

"It's okay, Suguru. I'm alright," the other man said, as he rubbed at one of his elbows, wincing as he did so.

"I don't care," Suguru said angrily. "You could've gotten seriously hurt." His anger was suddenly pushed away by concern. "Are you sure your okay, Sakano? You're not hurt much, are you?"

Sakano shook his head and Shuichi felt a tremendous wave of relief wash over him. "I'm really sorry. I was trying to pick something up and I …… I tripped." Suguru rolled his eyes at him and Shuichi couldn't stop the blush of embarrassment that was surely reddening his face.

"Where are my glasses?" asked Sakano, almost in a panic. "I can't see without them. Where are they?"

"Calm down, Sakano. I'm sure they're here somewhere," Suguru tried to assure the older man, looking around for them almost as frantically as his friend was.

Shuichi looked around as well, knowing that this whole mess was his fault. He moved, looking behind him, and smiled when he saw the black rimmed glasses near the garbage can he'd been sitting next to. He reached over and grabbed them. Turning back to the man now almost in tears, he offered the somewhat beat up glasses to him. "Here you go. Sorry."

"Oh, thank God!" Sakano exclaimed, quite literally sagging in relief, as he took hold of his glasses. Placing them back over his nose, he blinked and focused his dark eyes on Shuichi. "Thank you. I really am blind as a bat without them."

"Why the hell are you thanking him?" Suguru demanded, his slender body tense with indignation, as he stood up. "It's because of his clumsy ass that you almost lost them."

Shuichi was getting a bit pissed now. How many more times was he going to have to apologize? It was an accident for goodness sake. "I said I was sorry," he replied, as he made himself get onto his feet. Pain shot up his ankle in an instant, however, and Shuichi stumbled back a bit to lean against the wall, closing his eyes as he waited for the sparks of agony coursing through him to subside.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Opening a pain filled eye, Shuichi glared at the other boy. "What do you think?" He knew he shouldn't have said that - concern was better than anger any day - but the boy was grating at his nerves and Shuichi was no longer in the mood to 'play nice'.

Suguru opened his mouth to say something but Sakano interrupted his angry retort. "Look, it's obvious to me that you're hurt," he stated, stretching his back as he got to his feet. "Why don't you come back with us to our home? You can rest for a bit and I can take a look at your ankle. It's swelling up very badly. From the looks of it, I doubt you'll be able to stay on your feet for much longer."

Shuichi eyed the man warily, trying to see if he had any ulterior motives for offering his help. Sincerity was plain to see in Sakano's eyes, however, and Shuichi found himself wanting to trust him. He really didn't want to be alone on the streets, not in the shape he was in. Maybe a rest would be a good idea before he moved on again.

"Are you nuts, Sakano? He's a stranger!"

"So were you once upon a time, Suguru," Sakano stated quietly, his dark eyes serious but gentle.

Suguru shut his mouth at the statement and crossed his arms, looking away to stare down at the pavement. "Whatever."

"So, what do you say?"

Shuichi looked at Sakano, confusion plain to see on his face. Should he go with them? What if he placed them in danger? Shuichi chewed at his lip unable to decide on what he wanted to do.

"Oh, for the love of God …… Come on."

Shuichi's eyes widened as Suguru walked over to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. "What are you doing?"

"I'm helping you, moron. Now give me your arm."

Shuichi did as he was bade and swallowed nervously when his arm was placed over Suguru's thin shoulder. "I'm not sure if I---"

"Nonsense," Sakano replied, as they began to move away from the alleyway. "You're coming home with us and that's final. I'm sure we have a medical kit at home that we can use to clean up some of those scrapes you have."

Scrapes? It was then that he noticed the bloody bruises over his hands and knees. "Crap."

"Yeah, you look like hell alright," Suguru said with a smirk.

"Suguru, behave," Sakano chided, as he bent down and retrieved Shuichi's cane.

"Yeah, yeah."

Shuichi couldn't help but smile. He could tell that these two were close.

"Is this yours?" asked Sakano, lifting the cane into view.

Shuichi nodded slowly. You're going to put two and two together, aren't you?

"So you were already hurt?"

Dammit. Nervous as all hell, Shuichi nodded once again. Please don't pry. I don't want to lie to you. Please.

"Well …… Oh!" Sakano exclaimed abruptly. "I'm Sakano and this 'delightful' young man is Suguru."

"I'm …… Shuichi."

At the mention of his name, a funny look crossed Sakano's handsome face. "Shuichi, you say?"

Shuichi nodded his head, wary of the look the other man was giving him. Had he said something wrong? How could I? It was just my name.

Sakano smiled of a sudden. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Shuichi."

"Enough with the introductions already," Suguru interrupted with little exasperation. "Let's get going. This guy isn't exactly light you know."

"Hey!"

"It's true. And why the hell are you barefooted?"

Shit. "That's none of your business."

"Of course it's my business," Suguru argued with a frown. "Like I really want to take some weirdo into my house."

"Weirdo?!"

"Yeah, Mr. No Shoes. Weirdo!"

"Will you two stop fighting?!" Sakano shrieked, his hands flaying above his head. "You're getting me nervous!"

Shuichi ducked before he could get smacked in the head with the cane. Is this guy nuts?

"Just be quiet for a while," Suguru whispered into his ear, a gleam of amusement in his eyes. "He'll calm down eventually."

Wide-eyed, Shuichi nodded his head, keeping his gaze locked onto Sakano's back as the man walked ahead of them mumbling something about foolish children. In silent dismay, Shuichi allowed himself to be led away, all the while wondering what he'd gotten himself into.

Yuki rubbed a hand across his face, trying not to let the worry and hint of panic that were beginning to claw away at his insides get to him. It had been well over two hours since Shuichi had disappeared, and Yuki didn't know how much longer he would be able to sit around doing nothing, feeling useless and lost. He'd searched for well over an hour before his leg had begun to bother him, reminding him of the steel pin holding his knee together. K had forced him to return to his apartment then, assuring Yuki that he would continue on with the search. So here he was, in his office, sitting in his chair, still unable to comprehend the fact that Shuichi had run away …… from him. Idiot. What was he thinking?

Brimming with anger over Shuichi's stunt, Yuki dropped his glasses onto his desk and leaned back into his leather chair. He stared down at his laptop and his yellow-green eyes locked onto the screen saver image moving in different directions on the flat screen. Up and down, side to side, blue, yellow, red and green, the circular ball twirled around the screen, bouncing around in an unstoppable motion, changing yet remaining the same. In a way, the stupid ball reminded Yuki of his own life …… or at least the life he'd been leading before Shuichi had stormed into it.

He realized now how much Shuichi had managed to disrupt the once comfortable routine he'd fallen into, but Yuki couldn't honestly muster up his usual anger and resentment towards the boy for his interference. God, he really had changed, hadn't he? His life no longer mirrored the annoying little ball caught in his gaze.

Bitterness still held true inside his heart, a mark of the past that he knew would never completely leave him, but the feeling no longer consumed him, no longer held back the irrational and utterly exasperating emotions now rampaging inside of him. The carefully constructed mold he'd forced his life into years ago had been cracked beyond repair and Yuki knew that there was no turning back. In the short amount of time he had known Shuichi, his life had been altered to the point where he could no longer recognize himself or understand the person now immerging from inside him.

Yuki's eyes softened, remembering the passion he'd found with Shuichi. He had no regrets. How could he? Shuichi had reawakened his soul, had opened up his eyes, allowing him to once again see the world he'd closed himself off to. If anyone would've told him a few days ago that such a reaction to another person was possible, Yuki knew he would've coldly responded with an eloquent, 'No'. But now, after having acknowledged to himself the powerful and inexplicable hold Shuichi held over him, Yuki couldn't dispute such an occurrence. He had fallen in love within a matter of a few days and he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would never do so again. His battered heart belonged to Shuichi now and for life.

Worry once again needled him at the thought of Shuichi being alone and helpless outside of the safe haven the boy had found with him. Would K be able to find Shuichi in time, to find him before the bastard who'd taught Shuichi only fear and pain grabbed a hold of him once again? "Dammit!" Yuki exclaimed, rising angrily from his chair. I have to stop thinking this way. I'm going to drive myself nuts!

But no matter how hard he tried, Yuki couldn't control the mounting anxiety beginning to strangle him. Everything was spiraling around him, out of his once unwavering control, and he couldn't stand it. Lighting a cigarette with a shaky hand, Yuki walked over to the lone window in the room and stared through the thin blinds, watching the bright sky with restless eyes.

One thing was certain in his now unpredictable life. Shuichi was now a part of him and Yuki was more than determined to convince him of that fact. In doing so, he would protect Shuichi with all that he had in him, allowing no one to ever bring harm to the violet-eyed young man who had somehow stolen his heart.

But first, he had to find the little idiot.

Dammit, Shuichi, I'm going to skin you alive when I get my hands on you. Yuki sighed, his eyes locked on the horizon, his hands clenched over the windowsill. Come back to me, Shuichi. Please, just come back to me.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting a few things ready for Yuki," Hiro replied absently, as his fingers tapped at his keyboard.

Slender arms wrapped around his shoulders and Hiro smiled as Ayaka's chest pressed against his back; he loved it when she did that. "Don't you think it's time for a break? You've been at this for hours now."

Hiro stopped typing and placed a hand over Ayaka's. He knew she was right. He had been working almost nonstop since Yuki had given him the go ahead to investigate Murao. He guessed it was his need to protect Shuichi that was driving him so hard. "I know, but …… I need to finish this up. I don't want to hinder Yuki's investigation in any way."

Ayaka sighed, her breath gently running along his skin, almost making him shiver. "Are you sure you're going to be okay working on this case?"

Hiro tensed, knowing what Ayaka was referring to. "I'll be alright. This is about Shuichi, not about me."

"Are you sure about that, Hiro? I know how similar Shuichi's background is to yours. I just don't want you to suffer needlessly …… to be reminded of things from your past."

Hiro rested his head against his lover's shoulder, feeling a familiar rush of anxiety seep into him at the thought of his past. Ayaka was right. Shuichi's past mirrored his own, too much so, and it was only natural for the old pains and fears, never forgotten, to resurface. So far, he was handling the situation pretty well, but Hiro wasn't sure for how long. Nightmares that had ceased to haunt him long ago were once again knocking down his barriers, invading his dreams, and Hiro knew that Ayaka would notice sooner or later.

But what could he do? Yuki needed his expertise and he wasn't willing to lose the other man's respect and confidence by allowing his problems to interfere with his work. Hiro had known the instant Murao's picture had popped up on his screen what he would be dealing with, and he'd taken the plunge anyway, refusing to back down. It was too late to turn back. He was involved now and determined to stop Murao from getting his hands on Shuichi again. Hiro just couldn't ignore the fear lingering within the boy's violet eyes, couldn't put aside his need to protect Shuichi at all costs.

"Hiro?"

Hiro blinked, realizing he'd been staring into space, and cleared his throat. "Stop worrying so much, love. I'm fine."

The arms around him tightened slightly. "You're being an ass."

Smirking, Hiro pulled on the long, brown strands draped over his chest. "But you love me anyway, right?"

"Unfortunately …… And I still can't figure out why."

Hiro swiveled his chair, loosening Ayaka's hold enough for him to turn completely around until they were face to face. With lust whirling within his blue eyes, Hiro wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, in between his legs and against his growing arousal. "Oh, I don't know. I think I can come up with a few good reasons."

Ayaka grinned. "You're changing the subject," slender hands cupped his face, "but I'll let you get away with it this time." Ayaka's smile grew. "Besides, I'm interested in finding out what 'reasons' you're referring to."

Grateful that Ayaka understood his need to not talk about his past right now, Hiro pressed a soft kiss against one of the hands holding him before he lowered his hands to cup her buttocks, squeezing the round globes tempting him beyond reason. Ayaka kissed him, ravishing his mouth, as she pressed her warm body even closer to his own, sending Hiro's thoughts of his past, of his current obligations, into oblivion.

It would only be a temporary reprieve, Hiro knew - nothing could ever erase his past or the anguish his memories would cause - but for now, he would lose himself in the passion only the woman in his arms could invoke within him. Long ago, when he'd been lost, even to himself, Ayaka had been the guiding light, the beacon, that had led him back to the right path. She had saved him from a world of misery, a world he himself had created out of anger, bitterness, and fear. Once again, he would turn to her, would allow her love to center him, hopefully calming the raging storm brewing inside him.

On the streets, trying to deal with the glaring sun above him, Tachi moved slowly, his eyes darting from side to side, taking in his surroundings. Shit, how much longer do I have to keep doing this? The stupid kid's just disappeared. And that fact was beginning to grate on Tachi's nerves big time. He was an experienced cop, for heaven's sake, not some rookie, yet a mere boy was managing to elude him quite effectively.

Spotting a bench nearby, Tachi walked over to it and sat down, his mind whirling with questions. Why was Murao after Shindou? What was so special about the boy to prompt an all out search for him? Pondering over the possible reasons, Tachi reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out the photograph he'd printed out the other night. Reddish brown hair, big violet eyes, a heart-shaped face, flawless skin, and a wiry, lithe body, Shuichi Shindou was definitely quite a sight to behold. The boy was beautiful, holding an air of innocence that Tachi could see someone like Murao being attracted to. Yeah, I guess I can see why the asshole's obsessed with the kid.

His cell phone rang, snapping Tachi out of his thoughts, and he lowered the photograph as he unhooked the ringing annoyance from his belt. "Anything?" he asked, after looking at the displayed number on the screen.

"Nothing," Ma told him with little disgust. "I fucking can't believe this. How can this kid just up and disappear like this? It's pissing me off."

Tachi sighed, in complete agreement with his exasperated friend. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

"What about Ken? Did he have any luck?"

"He hasn't checked in yet," Tachi answered, in no way doubting that Ken would report the same results.

"The kid must've hooked up with someone, Tachi. There's no way that he's living on the streets."

Tachi had to agree. The three of them had just about covered the entire area and had barely picked up on anything concrete they could go by. "We'll just have to intensify the search."

"Intensify it? We're practically living out here ourselves, man."

"It's doesn't matter," Tachi said, forcibly. "Murao isn't going to give a rat's ass about how hard we're working. He wants results and he's going to get them. We can't afford to be on his shit list right now. Got me?"

"Yeah, I got you. Alright, I'm gonna go take a stroll through the park again."

"Check back with me in an hour." Tachi ended the call, flapping the small phone closed before placing it back onto the holder attached to his belt, and once again stared at the picture in his hand. Where are you, you little prick? Frustrated beyond belief, Tachi pocketed the picture and stood up, once again on the move.

Things were starting to look bleak. If Shindou wasn't found soon, Tachi would have to deal with Murao's wrath, something he was not looking forward to. "Dammit," he cursed, wishing once again that his life had turned out differently. Your fault, his mind chided as he stopped in front of a music store and peered through the window.

Instruments were lain out across the display panel, shiny and new, waiting to be held and used. Memories once again came back to haunt him, making Tachi remember a time, long ago, when he'd been just a regular boy full of life and surrounded by music. Innocent and naïïve, unaware of the dangers and utter cruelty of the world, he had been content with his life, happy to sit around for hours listening to his mother's melodious voice intermingling with his own, feeling safe and loved. Tachi's face twisted in anger at the recollection and he turned away from the reminder of his past, willing his legs to move as fast as they could, bitterness pushing aside the sadness trying to unsettle him.

Walking away quickly, still a bit unbalanced by the direction his thoughts had taken, Tachi crossed his arms over his chest, self-hatred and disgust pulsating unbearably within him. It was hard, living with the knowledge of his mistakes, to know that he'd brought all of the misery in his life upon himself. He was resigned to deal with it, however. He deserved it after all, deserved the fate he had encouraged with wrong decisions and a greedy heart. He had brought shame not only to himself but to his family as well and, for that reason alone, he would bear the consequences of his actions.

Finally slowing down, Tachi walked along the merchant filled streets, trying to dispel the dark mood that had come over him. Now wasn't the time for regrets. He had a job to do - one that would hopefully merit him a few more years of freedom. A sound suddenly intruded in Tachi's thoughts and he turned his head to look across the street. His eyes narrowed and then widened slightly when a mop of reddish brown hair came unexpectedly into view. Lips curving into a sly grin, he propelled himself forward as a single word echoed gleefully in his mind.

Gotcha.

God he was tired. His ankle was killing him and his head was pounding. All he wanted to do was to sit on something soft and comfortable to crash on. Sleep …… Just wanna sleep.

"Hey, Shindou! Wake up! You're getting to heavy, dammit."

Startled, Shuichi snapped out of the daze he'd fallen into and straightened up a bit, taking some of his weight off of the other boy. "Sorry."

Suguru rolled his eyes and Shuichi sighed. Jeez, what crawled up his ass? He looked up to see Sakano a few paces ahead of them, speaking quietly into his cell phone. The brunette suddenly turned around, looking at him with a nervous expression on his face, and Shuichi couldn't help but wonder who Sakano had been speaking to.

"How are you holding up, Shuichi?"

Shuichi gave the older man a small smile. "Okay, I guess. I'm just a bit tired."

"Well, we're almost to our building. You should be able to rest then."

"Yeah, so stop leaning on me so much. You drool."

"I do not!" Shuichi replied indignantly.

"Yeah, you do."

"Do not."

"Whatever."

"Don't whatever me. I do not drool so stop saying that I do."

"You're whining," Suguru told him, not bothering to hide his smirk.

"And you're being mean. What's your problem anyway?"

"You."

"We're here."

Mouth open, ready to spew forth a scathing remark, Shuichi blinked at Sakano's comment. Suguru stopped walking and Shuichi looked up at the building they were now standing in front of, his mouth slowly closing. Time stopped for Shuichi then, his thoughts coming to a standstill, as he took in the familiar surroundings …… and the tall blonde man standing in the building's front entrance.

Letting his arm drop slowly away from Suguru's shoulder, Shuichi watched the man named Winchester slowly approach him. All he could do was stand there, waiting for the inevitable, as he somberly whispered, "Shit."

"Yuki, he's back," K informed Yuki over the phone.

"Where is he?" his employer asked him, the deep voice not once belaying a hint of worry. K knew otherwise, of course. The look on Yuki's face when Shuichi had run off had been quite enlightening.

"He's in your apartment with Suguru. The boy ran into Suguru and Sakano while they were out shopping. Sakano called me when he realized who he was and, with Suguru's help, managed to bring him back here. Suguru will stay with him until you get there."

"Is he alright?"

"His ankle needs to be looked at. But other than a few scrapes and bruises, he's fine."

"Give Sakano and Suguru my thanks," said Yuki, surprising K. "I'd like to see you up at my apartment within the hour, Winchester. Is that understood?"

"Understood."

Yuki ended the call without another word and K lowered the phone onto its base, still a bit mystified by Yuki's rare show of gratitude. This boy must really mean a lot to you.

K was surprised by the sudden realization, but then again, maybe he shouldn't be. Despite, his resolve to keep himself aloof and hidden behind those cold yellow-green eyes of his, Yuki had proven himself to be a trustworthy ally, gaining the respect and loyalty of those around him. The man's actions alone were enough to show anyone under his employ how much of a heart he really had. But K honestly couldn't help but be amazed by Yuki's obvious feelings toward Shuichi Shindou. In the few years he'd known the other blonde, Yuki's mask of indifference had never once faltered …… until now.

"You called Yuki?"

Drawn away from his thoughts, K turned to his lover. "Yes. He wants me to go to his apartment in about an hour."

"Is Shuichi in a lot of danger?"

K nodded his head, as he came to stand in front of the brunette, noticing the worry in his lover's beautiful dark eyes. "Someone very powerful is after him and he needs to be protected."

Sakano placed a hand on K's cheek "I'm sure that little fact is getting you all excited about this job. Isn't it?"

"I won't deny that I'm more than a bit intrigued by the whole situation."

A sigh escaped Sakano's lips, drawing K's attention to them. "Are you sure you're up to this, Claude. If it's going to be dangerous……." Sakano's voice trailed away and he shook his head.

K's eyes softened as he gazed down at his lover, knowing that Sakano's fears were validated. Gently, he drew the brunette closer to him. "I'll be careful, Kano. Don't fret."

Sakano frowned. "I'm not fretting. But I am worried. Anything can go wrong. This person that's after Shuichi will probably resort to violence …… and what if you're caught in the middle of it? I …… I wouldn't know what to do if something happened to you, Claude."

Unable to tolerate the naked fear in Sakano's gaze, K gathered the smaller man into his arms, holding him close. He closed his eyes as he breathed his beloved's scent and pressed his lips against the soft skin of Sakano's neck. "Calm down," he whispered to his love, feeling the small tremors running along the slender form in his embrace. "Nothing's going to happen to me. I won't let anyone separate us. We'll be together until we're old and gray. I'll see to that. So please, love, just calm down."

Sakano's arms tightened around his waist. "I can't help it."

"I would back down from this assignment if I could. But I can't." K pulled back a bit and looked into Sakano's wide eyes, trying to convey his need to help Yuki, to keep Shindou safe and in the arms of someone who would truly care for him. It really wasn't a matter of wanting to go into battle, so to speak, or of wanting to feel needed or useful, as he'd first thought. No, his reasons stemmed from something much deeper than that. "He …… He reminds me of Michael, Kano, and I just wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to Shindou. I may have failed Michael," he shook his head, his piercing blue eyes willful and determined even as the ever lingering pain of the loss of his son cut away at him, "but I'm not going to fail this boy. So please …… please understand why I'm doing this -- why I have to do this."

Sakano rested his head on K's shoulder, once again holding him tightly. "I understand. I do. Just …… Just be careful. Don't take any unnecessary risks. That's all that I ask."

Relieved, K smiled into Sakano's dark hair. "Alright. Whatever you want. I just don't want this to get between us."

Lifting his head to look up at him, Sakano grinned. "It won't as long as you keep your cute ass safe."

"I don't have a cute ass," K growled, before he moved away and stalked over to the front door. "It's sexy. Not cute."

Sakano laughed and K couldn't stop himself from grinning in response. Looking over his shoulder, he gave the still smiling brunette a look holding a lustful promise and felt his lower body clench as it was returned full measure. Unsure if he could resist the temptation before him for much longer, K left the apartment and walked quickly down the corridor.

Once in the elevator, K's grin faded as his mind shifted onto Shindou and the problems that were surely to arise in the future in trying to protect him. Sooner or later, the allotted to them would run out. K could only hope that he and the others would be prepared for what fate had in store for them.

"I found him."

"Thank God. Did you inform Murao?"

Tachi's eyes narrowed. "No."

There was a moment of silence before Ma asked, "What are you up to, Tachi?"

Tachi grinned. Ma knew him too well. "I'm just checking out the place the kid's taken residence in. Nothing to worry yourself over." Not yet anyway.

"But what about Murao? He's going to want to know about our progress."

"Don't worry about Murao. I'll deal with him."

"You know that I'm with you, no matter what you're planning, but …… don't do anything stupid, Tachi."

"I won't. Stop worrying. You're sounding like a mother hen." Not that Tachi was really complaining. He knew his friend was worried about his safety and it felt good to know that someone in this world still cared for him.

"It's my job to worry about you."

Smiling, Tachi looked at the building Shindou had disappeared into. "I'll meet you at the house in half an hour. Tell Ken to meet us there, alright?"

"Alright."

Ending the call, Tachi held onto his cell phone and stared yet again at the huge building across the street, a building he knew all too well. Thanks to what he'd just discovered, he had a plan now, one that would hopefully place Murao under his control, and Tachi knew that much needed to be done in order for it to work.

Heading back in the direction he'd come from, Tachi began his long walk back to his car. His body was practically shaking with anticipation and Tachi knew it wasn't all because of the formulating plan against his master. He had made an interesting discovery today, a discovery that had altered his goals in an instant. Was it coincidence? Fate? It didn't matter to him. All he knew was that a new opportunity had presented itself to him and he was more than willing to take advantage of it.

Hands fisting within the pockets of his jacket, Tachi smiled as an eerie light flickered in his eyes. Ah, Yuki, it'll be so nice to see you again. So very nice.

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