Jaded Honor

by Roo

Please send C&C to: Dragoness_fei@yahoo.com

Fandom: Original

Pairing: Ura/Shuku Sai/Hato Jade/Honor

Warnings: My first original story, and probably not very good. But an honest attempt, at least. Be on guard for the usual- humor, sap, angst, male/male sex, but now there's something ever darker: non-con situations, incest. And major plot twists, so hang on to your hats, minna.

* Also, I must thank Razorqueen for her excellent advice and Gaby Maya for her support as a friend and artist. And Brenna for putting up with my constant html demands. This one's for you, the light half of my dark soul. *



Jaded Honor
by Roo

Jade perched atop Tokyo's Seventh Precinct flagpole, rain splashing down in unhurried rivers off his black leather trench coat. He waited, and watched, deathly still. His dangerous emerald eyes pierced the unsuspecting target with a steady, defiant gaze.

Before him stood his most worrisome adversary yet: Jizen Shuku. A young cop, fresh off the beat, his head full of fantasy and optimistic ideals. A pure soul. And the only thing that stood between him and paradise regained.

"Don't even think it, Jade."

Jade smiled slightly, his amusement buried in darkness and hidden by rain. "Honor."

"I don't like your thoughts."

"You never did, my young friend." His head tilted slightly to the left, politely acknowledging the other's presence.

"We were never friends."

Jade resisted the urge to look at the lithe figure shivering next to him. He already knew what stood there. Choppy light-brown hair layered to fine, sharp tips. Baby blue eyes. Slight yet firmly framed muscles. And sheer, luminescent wings, the envy of every creature, within heaven or out.

Honor. His second most worrisome adversary.

"Hope springs eternal, fledgling. You may come to love me yet."

Honor snickered; the sound too dainty and ill practiced to truly offend. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, I imagine."

"Then yours is near by?"

"What a stupid question, my fledgling."

"Don't call me that!"

"It's what you are."

The pretty figure let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "But I am not yours."

Jade let the smile come through fully at that, and with a slight nod, said, "Not yet."

"Arrogant, pompous--"

"There he goes." Jade thrust his chin in Jizen's direction, his eyes never once glancing over to the angel on his sword-arm. "Go chase after your ward, sweetheart. He'll need you tonight."

Without seeing him, Jade could sense the straightening of Honor's back. So, the boy took his warning. Let it never be said Jade didn't fight fair... for a demon.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jizen Shuku sighed heavily as he got into his sensible blue Nissan Sedan and crossed his fingers as he switched the ignition. Fate favored him tonight; the car actually started. He let out another tired sigh, and rolled out of the parking lot, wishing he could leave the pressure behind the steel fenced entrance.

"If only life were so simple," he muttered, punching the dash, which triggered the radio that had long ago lost its buttons and dials.

He hummed along with JRock, his secretly favorite group, and made his way home. The back alleys of downtown Tokyo were always easier to navigate at this late hour of the night. He could find his way, even in this God-awful rain. If he had never gotten lost here his first day on the job, he might never have recognized the dingy little side streets lined with dirty little shops. Accidents were God's way of saying he had a better idea. Or so his father had always said.

"Sure, dad. Right." Glancing in the mirror, he raked angry fingers through his chocolate-brown hair, desperately trying to free his chocolate-brown eyes.

Suddenly, something splattered all over his windshield. Shuku slammed on his rusty breaks and skidded to a halt. A body hung suspended on his hood, then slumped to the wet pavement. "Oh, my God."

Shuku sprang from his car, forgetting to close the door, and rushed over to the man's side. "Sir! Sir? Are you okay? Do you need an ambulance?"

The figure mumbled something and struggled to sit up.

"Don't move! You might be hurt. Here, let me help you. I'm so sorry! I didn't see you walking!"

"H wzn waknsj."

"What?" Shuku pulled a soaked Armani pea coat away from the hidden face, finding a man some where in his late twenties underneath.

"I said, I wasn't walking. I was flying."

"F...Flying?"

The man nodded. "Out the window. Bar brawl. 'Scuse me but I gotta get back in there and cut off that bastard's balls. Thank you for..." the man smiled, "breaking my fall."

"But, sir..."

"I'm too young to be called sir." The man chuckled.

"And too stupid as well." A deep baritone sliced through the chill night air, startling both men.

Shuku looked up to see a dark, imposing figure, with shoulders broad enough to fill a doorframe, hovering slightly between the world of the bar and the downpour outside. The stranger straightened, his dark eyes narrowing suddenly in recognition. Shuku's cheeks did a slow burn under the scrutiny, puzzlement etched all over his boyish face.

"Officer Jizen, isn't it?"

Shuku started. "Yes? Do we know each other?"

A chuckle rose from the shadows. "I should say we know each other, in a way. I should like to get to know you better, but that would put me in a slight predicament, wouldn't you say?" The figure stepped into the streetlight.

Shuku's nostrils flared in distaste. "Yaburu Uragiri!"

The tall figure bowed slightly. "Your service."

Shuku's backed arched like a cat. The most wanted criminal in Tokyo-one of the highest paid in the Toranomon Yakuza organization-Yaburu Uragiri stood before him. Clearly Yaburu threatened him and this poor stupid fool who got into a bar fight with him moments before. Shuku stepped over the man sprawled on the pavement and took a defensive position. It was the best he could do, considering he left his badge and gun in the car.

Uragiri paused for a moment, then tilted his head to the side. "Are you going to dance, Jizen?"

"Kisama! I won't let you hurt this man! You're under arrest!"

"Arrest?" the cool voice dripped with amusement. "For what?"

"For... ah... for fighting in public and threatening an officer... and battery! And...uh...breaking a window!"

Uragiri made a show of looking behind him and then to each side, as if trying to locate the aforementioned perpetrator. "I, Jizen? Surely you jest!"

"Like hell!" Shuku spun around and lifted the man off the ground gently by the forearm. "Sir. It isn't safe here. This man is a powerful criminal. You had best run while you can, and I'll try and hold him off."

The man just blinked back at him, dazed.

"Go!" Shuku whirled back around, assuming the crane position, and waited for Yaburu to make his move.

A move that never came.

Instead, the Yakuza section-chief simply clutched his sides and had a good laugh. The sound was pleasant enough, deep and rich and truly from the heart. But it lasted too long. And the dabbing knuckles at the edges of Yaburu's eyes became simply too much for Shuku to bear.

"What? Coward? Afraid to fight a real cop? Huh? One you haven't bought? I can take you!"

Yaburu straightened, all hints of amusement buried but for the light behind his eyes. "I can see you are serious, Jizen Shuku. Serious, but dreadfully mistaken. Mamoru Sai?"

The man behind Shuku stepped forward. "Kacho?"

"It's cold. I should like to go home now. Please bring the car around."

"Right away, sir. Excuse me, Officer Jizen."

Sai skidded around Shuku and dashed off in search of the car, leaving the young man standing in the pouring rain, humiliation and anxiety his only companions now. "He's... your chauffeur?"

Uragiri simply shrugged. "More of a right-hand-man, really. I just let him drive the company car cause he likes it so much."

"Right. The company car." Shuku resisted the urge to spit.

"Well, it is a nice Lincoln..." The Yakuza's tone remained light, and cordial. Ever the gracious businessman.

Shuku hated him, and all those like him. It was the reason he became a cop. He so wanted to arrest this man, haul him in, but he hadn't done anything wrong. He had been drinking in a bar, his friend got in a fight, and he came out into the street to fetch him home. Shuku on the other hand, had practically run his friend over with a car and then threatened him with arrest. The ball was not in his court at the moment. And the situation got worse as many Yakuza underlings piled out of the seedy establishment and loomed behind Yaburu. They looked at him warily.

"Hey! Isn't that the cop from--"

Yaburu interrupted. "--This, gentlemen, is a nice young man who helped Sai up from his fall. We owe him a debt of gratitude for his kindness. Do show your gratitude, boys."

Grudgingly, the men bowed at a forty-five degree angle and murmured, "Sumimasen."

"Now," Yaburu continued, "I see Sai with the car. I'm going home. And you boys have business to attend to."

The gang, a motley crew of young boys and seasoned fighters, scattered at the command, their appearance almost comical. Almost. These men were killers. Without a drop of remorse.

Yaburu walked over to Shuku, not stopping until his face lingered scant inches from the smaller young man's. "I do hope we'll meet again, Shu. May I call you Shu?"

"No," answered Shuku.

"Bitter? Perhaps when we meet next time, it won't have to be over a body on the ground."

"So stop killing people, Yaburu."

Yaburu gifted him with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Uragiri," he corrected happily. "Ura, if you like. And if only it were that simple."

"It--"

Yaburu stopped him with a flutter-quick kiss on his blushing cheek. "Oyasumi, Shu. Take care."

And with that, the handsome man with charcoal eyes whirled on his heel and disappeared into the town-car. Leaving Shuku standing stock still in the rain.

After almost a full minute he snapped-to, and pounded his fist on the car. "Baka!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"He's so cute when he gets upset."

Honor rolled his eyes, more than slightly perturbed. "Is that why you tease him so?"

"No. I tease him because you get so cute when he gets upset."

The angel huffed, his patience wearing thin. "Human beings are not your play things, Jade! This is what brought you to your station in the first place."

Jade whipped through the air faster than the eye could calculate, stopping only when his lips brushed against Honor's. Small fangs became visible. "Don't you ever presume to know what got me here. Just do your job, angel, if you can. And leave me to mine."

Honor swallowed, mustering his courage. "Your toy is leaving."

Just as quickly as he became aggressive, Jade dropped back into a nonchalant stance. "Your concern for my ward is touching."

"I just want you gone."

Jade's eyes suddenly became sad, unguarded. "Be careful what you wish for, fledgling." His pale face, long black hair, and sinewy form evaporated from Honor's view, but the voice remained. "You just might get it."

And with that, a servant of darkness and the demon that watched over him were gone. Shu and Honor were left alone with their bewilderment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shuku stumbled into his ramshackle little efficiency, exhaustion tugging at his limbs. He sighed as the sound of water plopped into the various bowls he placed around to catch the incoming rain. He toed his shoes off and ripped his coat from his shoulders. Automatically, he threw the coat over the shower curtain rim to drip dry and switched on the light. What a night!

From the kitchen he heard someone rummaging through the drawers. Quickly he slid up against the wall and inched towards the noise. Was he followed? Did that Yakuza scum know where he lived, or was he just being robbed?

He got to the kitchen fast enough, as it was such a small hole to call home, and took a deep breath. "Freeze!" He popped out from around the corner and lunged at the figure raiding his cupboards, tossing them both to the floor.

"O…oniichan!" a small voice squeaked.

"Hato?"

"Ugh! You’re all wet! Get off me!" the teenager demanded, pushing at him roughly. He stood up and stroked his long, long white hair back over his shoulders.

"What the hell are you doing in my apartment? Mom’s gonna be worried sick!" Great, just what Shu needed right now. "It’s three o’clock in the morning!"

"Yeah, well, me and the old girl had a fight--"

"Don’t call her that!"

Hato rolled his violet eyes heavenward. "Mom and I had a fight. So I’m gonna stay with you now."

"What!"

"Don’t roll out a red carpet or anything, niichan. Just for a few days. Till I can get some money and action together."

Shuku sighed. He loved his little brother. He loved his little brother. Say it ten times before answering. He loved his little brother. "How did you get in here?"

The boy shrugged. "Picked the lock."

"What!"

"I picked the--"

"Hato, you can’t stay--"

Slender shoulders arched instantly. "You want me out on the street? Fine! Look! I’m gone; you needn’t see me--"

Shuku softened, pulling his brother sharply against his chest. He gently stroked Hato’s dove-white hair, sighing deeply. "All right. All right. You can stay here for a while. But, Hato? On my terms."

"Yes, dad."

More than anger laced Shuku’s muddy brown eyes. "I’m serious. No gambling. No ditching school. No smoking!"

"Sheesh! Okay, okay!" Hato squirmed defensively, and Shuku realized it was the most he would get out of the boy tonight.

"Okay. I’m tired. I had a run in with the Yakuza tonight and--"

"Oh wow! Real live Yakuza! Did you meet the don? Was he cool? Did he kill somebody?"

"Hato!" Shuku shook his head desperately, his voice taking on a strained quality. "I met the don’s bodyguard. He didn’t kill anybody. He let me go, even though he knew I was a cop. I can’t figure him out, and right now I’m too tired to try. I gotta get to bed. I have to work tomorrow, unlike some people around here."

Hato stuck his tongue out playfully at his older brother, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh, I guess I can wait to hear all about it tomorrow. Look, before you go to bed, eat something. I made tuna maki! Have some!"

Shuku grinned. Hato had made a mess of his kitchen, but one thing was certain, the end result would be delicious. "Ja, itadakimasu!"

As Shuku reached for the sushi roll, Hato smacked his hand away. "Go sit down at the table, you animal. And wait to be served."

Hato made a big production of walking two feet over to the unbalanced folding table, draping a hand-towel over his arm like some grand maitre d’. "Your maki rolls, sir."

Bowing slightly, with a tiny laugh, Shuku took the plate from his little brother, saying, "Thank you ever so much."

Too tired and hungry to continue with their play, they gulped down the food in companionable silence. Shuku wished all his moments with his brother could be so relaxed and carefree, but the boy was so unpredictable. How such an angelic little boy could turn into such a demon was beyond him. Shuku made a mental note to keep closer watch over him, and then switched his mind over to the scrumptious vinegar-rice enveloped around fresh, sliced tuna. Ah, this was heaven.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Yaburu san?"

"Yes, Sai?"

There was a pause as his friend turned the car down a particularly dark street. "Are you very tired?"

"No. Not very tired. I’m actually wide awake, at the moment."

Sai grinned. "Yes, well, I can imagine why."

Ura turned his head slightly, taking a glimpse at his friend and coworker of the past two years. "Can you, Sai?"

Sai’s grin widened. "Well, it’s not every night I get saved from your evil clutches by a renegade cop."

Ura chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that rolled around the vinyl cabin. "Yes, but I would hardly call him a renegade."

Sai shrugged. "Wouldn’t you? Isn’t he one of the only cops we don’t own?"

Ura’s face darkened slightly with a frown. "Yes. But that makes it more interesting."

"He’s gonna be trouble for you, boss."

"Yes, well," Ura shifted in his seat, resting his chiseled chin in his palm, "everyone needs a little excitement now and then."

"Sento sama is not gonna like it."

The protective tone in Sai’s voice truly touched Ura, but he would never let that show. "Sento sama is my boss, Sai. You leave him to me."

Sai swallowed. "Yes, sir."

"Take us by the Kubomi."

"Work, boss?"

"I just want to make sure everything is all right before I go to bed."

Sai looked at him from the corners of his eyes, but thankfully remained silent.

Ura smiled genuinely. "It’s just a feeling, my friend. You get them when you get old like me."

"You’re no older than thirty, Yaburu san."

"Yes, I know. Already one foot in the grave…" he muttered.

"Here we are. Shall I park?"

"No. Leave it running."

"But--"

"I don’t need you with me, Sai. I’ll be right back."

A slightly pause. "Yes, boss."

Ura ignored the sharp rain falling around him. What need of shelter did a soulless man like him have, anyway? He didn’t feel the cold, didn’t acknowledge the wetness. All of it seemed meaningless to him. He climbed up the slick back stairs, the bodyguards recognizing him instantly and bowing with respect. That didn’t matter to him either.

He had seen more back doors and secret entrances than anyone else in the organization; he felt sure. He preferred it. The Kubomi earned the rank of the most prestigious establishment in all of Tokyo. The basement stretched forth its great belly nearly a block wide underground, housing a nightclub for the younger crowds. Sometimes the music could get so loud nearby shops and homes thought they were having a small earthquake. The ground floor had been decorated entirely with expensive marble and ornate gold trimmings, serving as a background for an opulent restaurant that always had a three-hour wait. The remaining floors were a kind of hotel, where friends of the business could take their hosts for the evening, if they fancied. And there were other rooms, with hosts already in them, for those with more… exotic… tastes. The Kubomi was a castle, the gates of which led straight to hell.

That was why Ura preferred the back entrance.

He wound his way through the dimly lit maze, taking the stairs to the second back office. Out of politeness, he tapped on the door to announce his presence.

"What is it?" a sensual voice within called.

"It is Uragiri, master."

The door’s electric locks were released, and Ura stepped across the threshold. "Good evening, Sento sama."

A cold silence greeted him. Ura walked deeper into the office, seeking out the dark auburn hair and delicate features of his employer, waiting for him in the shadows.

"Come in, old friend. You must be cold from all the rain."

Ura shivered slightly. Sento sama’s voice fell through the air like bolts of silk unraveling. Smooth, and soft, it held the power of suggestion within.

"I am well, Sento sama."

"Yes, you are always healthy, Ura." Sento stroked his chin in thought for a moment, then stood to receive his guest.

Ura bowed deeply, waiting for Sento to speak first.

"What brings you here, so late in the evening? Is there something you wished to tell me?"

Ura could not be sure why, but he had the distinct feeling his master plotted something. "I simply came to make sure everything was all right, before I retired for the evening. Is there nothing else you wish of me, master?"

Sento chuckled. "I wish for many things, old friend." The mirth in his tone died on the word ‘friend’.

Suddenly a hand was thrust underneath Ura’s bowed head, Sento’s palm pointing towards the floor. "Do you love me, old friend?"

Ura quickly took the hand and grazed it with a sincere kiss, eager to show his devotion, now so perilously in question. "Yes, master. I do."

"And… are you loyal to me and this family, Ura?"

Ura pressed his cheek into the reptilian-cold hand. "With all my heart, master."

Ura did not expect the stinging slap directly across his jaw, forcing him to the floor instantly. He brought a hand up to inspect what would make a fine bruise in the morning, then lifted his eyes to Sento.

The picture of serenity and gentility, Sento stood straight before him. "Tell me, Ura," the voice clamped fear around the younger man’s heart, "were you planning on mentioning your run-in with a cop this evening?"

"Sento sama?"

"Yes, I know. I know all things, Ura. It’s best you learned that now. I have eyes, everywhere. Especially on the people closest to me. And I demand total obedience from them." Sento walked over to him and ran an immaculate hand through Ura’s jet-black hair. "You must understand," he whispered, "I cannot allow them to live, otherwise."

Ura only nodded, too startled to speak.

"I understand this cop is not one of ours. Is that true?"

"Yes, master." Ura cringed, still kneeling on the floor.

"And why didn’t you kill him?"

"I didn’t think it wise to do so, in a public crowd, Sento sama." Ura swallowed, hoping his master couldn’t see into people’s minds as well.

"Ah. I understand. What is his name, this cop?"

"Jizen. Shuku."

Sento held stock-still, frozen for a moment. "Jizen, you say?"

Ura dared to look up into Sento’s gray, bottomless eyes. "Yes, master."

The hand petting his hair tightened, ripping Ura to his feet. Cold, steel orbs boar into him with an intensity Sento had never shown before. "I want to know everything, Uragiri. Do you understand? I want names, places, details. I want to know where he lives, where he goes, what he does. I want to know what he eats for breakfast." Sento released Ura’s scalp, dropping him down on two shaky feet. "You have one week. Follow him. Don’t report back until you have all the information. Is that clear?"

Ura knew better than to question him. "Yes, Sento sama."

Sento’s pale eyes narrowed. "You never bow down to me, do you, Ura? You obey. You even believe. But you never kowtow. I like that in you, Ura. It would be a shame, to lose an employee like you."

Ura took the hint. "I will not fail you."

"Yes," Sento smiled again, his cordial mask back in place, "so you have proven time and again. I know you are useful. Now, are you trustworthy?"

"Let me prove that to you as well, master." Ura kept his eyes on the floor.

"See that you do. I shall see you in a week’s time." The same offending hand raised in dismissal. "You may go."

Ura bowed and forced himself to walk--not run--for the door. He bowed again, a full ninety degrees and backed out of the room. Once the door closed, he longed to let out a tense breath, but found he could not. He was far from safe. Now was not the time to relax. He had been given orders.

Ura made his way back through the labyrinth, striding past the guards without even looking up. His mind elsewhere, he jumped into the humming Lincoln and slammed the door shut.

"Kacho? Everything all right?" Sai’s voice sounded young and uncouth in comparison to Sento’s speaking style.

"Take me home, Sai."

"Going to bed?" Sai shifted gears and sped the car away from Kubomi’s.

"No. To pack."

"Pack?"

"Mm. You and I are going on a little errand for Sento sama. We’ll stop at your place first. Do you still have those night vision goggles?"

"N…night vision--"

"And bugs. We’ll need to buy some phone bugs."

Sai frowned, concentrating on the road. "Ura? What’s this all about?"

"We’re going hunting, Sai."

~*~

Jade leaned further over the roof of the Lincoln, struggling to catch those last words. "Finally." He nodded his approval, and spread is feathered wings wide enough to catch the wind. The clouds parted a bit, letting the moon shine down upon Tokyo. Everything was basked in the pale light, and only Jade moved without a shadow beneath him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 3

Shu woke with a start, stifling a scream. He gripped his left eye, pressing his lips together in consternation. "Hato," he grumbled, wrenching the wayward elbow from his face.

His brother simply lay there, an immovable stone lump upon his tiny futon. How one so skinny could be so heavy Shu would never know. He glanced over at the alarm clock.

"Shit!"

Bounding out of bed, Shu threw the covers to the floor and frantically leapt towards his closet. "Hato! Hato? Wake up! It’s 10:30! Hato! We’re late!"

The white-haired youth grumbled and turned away from the sunlit window.

"Hato!"

"Wha-?"

"Late! Late, late!" Shu ripped off the jeans and shirt he had slept in the night before and dove back into the closet to find a clean outfit.

"So?"

"So? My boss is gonna kill me! You know how he is!"

Hato groaned, yanking the pillow over his head, burrowing in for more rest. Shu ripped that pillow skyward and sent it in a menacing arch downwards, connecting it with Hato’s delicate, sculpted cheekbone.

"Agh! I hate you, ani! What’s the big fuckin’ deal?"

Shu stopped, dropping the pillow to the floor to cup his brother’s face. "Don’t use that language."

"Oh for fuck’s sake!"

"Hato!"

"Fine, fine, fine! I’m up already! Gag me. Stupid…" The mumblings got worse as Hato drifted back off to sleep.

"You are impossible." Shu finished dressing, buttoning his shirt with one hand, and walked in to the kitchen. Taking one of the bowls that caught last night’s rain, he unceremoniously dumped the water onto his little brother’s face.

Hato squawked, wide-awake, jumping off the bed like a frightened animal. Clinging to Shu, the surly teenager spit the cold liquid down the fresh shirt. "Ni…niichan?"

"Aw, look at this! Come on. Get dressed. You’ve got school."

"Niichan. You’re cruel."

"Am I? Well, you’re luck then I guess." Shu removed his soiled garment and walked back towards the closet.

"How do you figure?" Hato rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"You wont be seeing too much of your cruel brother soon," Shu’s muffled reply came as he pulled his new shirt over his head.

"Why not?"

"Because after school you’re going looking for a part time job."

"Oh!" Hato let out a heart felt moan and tumbled back onto the futon, which collapsed and fell to the floor. "Fuck!"

"Hato!" Shu corrected, grabbing two bagels from the fridge. "Come on."

"Coming!"

~*~

As they exited the tiny hovel with flourish, Honor simply sighed and descended from his sleeping place above the refrigerator. He liked it up there. It was the cleanest place in the apartment, and it had a nice hum that put him to sleep. All too often Shu would wake him with his nightmares, and Honor would climb down and hold the man while his slept. It seemed to soothe his ward, and Honor wanted to do his best. He’d never had a human before. And he never knew they got into so much trouble!

The ride to Hato’s high school was fraught with danger, mostly because the brothers were arguing so loudly that Shu didn’t pay attention to the road. Honor kept himself busy, giving off warning vibes whenever Shu’s Sedan got too close to a curb, or a light turned suddenly red. Most people would have interpreted it as instinct, or intuition. That’s how his ward understood it. But to poor Honor, it was hard work, doing his best to keep his human safe and alive. How Kami sama managed running the universe remained a mystery, for Honor could barely keep two brothers from killing each other.

A keen pulling of threads within Honor’s heart forewarned him of another’s presence. Sharp. And cold. A demon.

Honor looked up to see a black Lincoln drive down the other side of the street, complete with a smirking fallen angel spread out comfortably across the roof.

"Miss me?" the demon called out.

"You!" Honor blushed.

"I’ll take that as a yes." Jade winked as the Sedan and Lincoln unknowingly passed each other. "See ya soon, sweetheart!"

"OH!" Honor sent a fist to the Nissan’s roof, his frustration near to strangling him.

"Did you hear something?" Hato asked.

"A bird or something. Look, here we are. Now, Hato--"

"You’re not gonna give me the ‘be a good boy’ lecture are you, niichan?"

"That would be a waste of breath I suppose. Hey, where are your books?"

"My locker."

"Bullshit."

"Niichan! Such language." Hato frowned, preening in the crooked passenger side mirror.

"All right, look. Get to class, and if you’re teachers want to know why you are late, tell them they can reach me at work. You have my number, right?"

"Yes."

"Then after school I want you to find a nice part time job, got it? Waitering or something. A bookstore. Just something so that you can save up for college."

Hato blinked. "College?"

"Yeah. You don’t think mom and I can afford all the tuition, do you?"

Hato smiled with hope. "College, niichan?"

"Of course. Mom always wanted you to go. You’re the smarter one, anyways. If you’d ever get your ass in class and study!"

Hato propelled himself into Shu’s arms, trying to fight back unmanly tears. "Ok, ani. I’ll try my best, promise!"

Shu smiled, running his fingers through those unruly strands of snow. "I know you will." He kissed the top of his brother’s head before turning him loose. Hato got out of the car slowly, as if in a dream. "Do you have enough money to get a cab back to the apartment?"

The boy shook his head negative.

"Here you go." Shu pulled 2000 yen from his wallet and handed it through the car window. "Be home by dinner."

"Course. You’d starve without me." Hato grinned and waved before spinning around and running through the school gates.

Shu watched him go. Resigned, he shook his head and started for the Seventh precinct, totally unaware of the black Lincoln following him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was summer, and the precinct smelled of Xerox paper, shoe leather, and heat. The holding tanks were situated right next to the check in booths. On the second floor, lining the perimeter, were small, efficient offices where the policeman did their reports. That way the cops could always keep an eye on the noisy people shuffling about below.

Shu wound through the throng of flushed bodies and made his way to the metallic spiral staircase. With dread, he climbed the steps one by one, trying not to look down on the bustling crowd below. He couldn’t delay meeting with Kanja kacho, so he straightened his shoulders and prepared for the lecture ahead of him.

He tapped on the glazed glass door.

"What!"

Shu opened the door. "Kanja kacho?"

"Eh?" The burgundy leather desk chair, once of some note, now swiveled with a pathetic whine towards the door. In that chair rested perhaps the smallest man in all of Tokyo. Kanja Sideto, Chief of Police. He was barely four foot nine, but his demeanor made up for what he lacked in stature. No one wanted Kanja kacho riding his ass.

"Sumimasen." Shu bowed quickly. "I was late, forgive me."

Kanja narrowed his golden eagle eyes for a moment, then waived Shuku in.

"Sit down, sit down." Kanja shifted in his chair with impatience. "Where have you been?"

"I… slept late, sir."

"That’s not like you, Jizen."

"I know, sir. I was working late last night and then…" He faltered.

"And then?"

"I met Yaburu Uragiri last night, sir. Quite by accident." Shu swallowed.

"And… you’re still alive?"

"It was an accident, sir. We met in public. Out on the street. I… I ran over his right-hand-man, I think."

"You what?"

"I hit his right-hand-man. Someone called M--"

"--Mamoru Sai." Kanja interrupted. "I’m surprised he didn’t kill you anyway, taking out his right-hand--"

"Oh no, sir! I didn’t kill Mamoru san! I just broke his fall. He was flying through a window."

"Are you on drugs, Jizen?"

Shu sighed. "I wish, sir."

"What was that?"

"No, sir."

"Well, whatever happened, I take it you didn’t get either Mamoru or Yaburu. Did you at least try to arrest them?"

"Yes, sir. But… my gun was…um, in the car." Shu trailed off, inspecting the ceiling lights for dust.

Kanja huffed out a little breath. "God, to think I spent your high school years teaching you Kung Fu and you forget to… Never mind. Just type up a report before you leave today. Now, Jizen, I want to talk to you about something else. I need you tonight, so listen up."

"Tonight, Kacho?"

"Yeah. That a problem? I’m not interrupting hot date, am I?" His boss had a good chuckle at the thought of him actually having a life.

"No, sir." Shu blushed. "It’s just that my brother’s in town and…"

"I need you to be a part of a sting operation down in the inner city docks around midnight or so, Jizen. You’re new, and kind of stupid sometimes, but I need more men and with cutbacks in the department, that means you, rookie."

"You’re confidence flatters me." Shu cleared his throat. "Who is my back up?"

The chief let out a roar of laughter. "Your back up? That’s rich. You are the back up. Just get down there and keep your eyes open. If anything fishy happens, you’re the decoy. Your job is to dodge the bullets, Jizen. That’s it."

"Great," Shu ground out.

"Ah, don’t feel bad, kid. Any cop worth his salt had to pull stunts like this in the beginning. Most likely it’ll go over real smooth and you won’t even have to get out of your car. Now, go on over to Youji’s office and get briefed. Report home if you need anything and then get your ass back here- on time!"

Shu stood tall, trying to keep his voice level. "Yes, sir!"

"Good. Now get out of here, son. Oh, but before you go, just one thing."

Shu raised his eyebrows. "Sir?"

"Help me out of this chair. I’m stuck."

Shu cleared his throat again and managed to help yank his mentor out of the chair with a straight face.

"Thanks, rookie. You tell anyone about this and you die."

All seriousness, Shu replied, "I wouldn’t dream of it, sir."

"Be careful, Shuku."

Shu bowed and closed the door behind him.

~*~

Honor moved to float through the door with his ward when a radiant beam of light stopped him. He turned.

"That goes for you too, Honor."

Honor nodded solemnly. "I will, Kanja sama. I will keep him safe."

"I wasn’t talking about him, Honor. I meant you."

Honor gave his Archangel a puzzled look, but kept silent.

"Don’t think I don’t see things, my dear boy. I know about Jade. His advances. That demon is bad news, son. He’ll try and seduce you, if you let him. Don’t. Understand?"

"My dear Kanja sama, I could sooner be seduced by a goat. That fallen star has as much power over me as the breeze on a lake. It might fluster the surface, but it won’t move the sea."

The higher seraphim simply nodded. "See that it won’t. You must keep yourself—and Shuku—pure. There are designs at work, my boy."

"Yes, Kanja sama."

"Take care tonight, Honor. I’m counting on your control."

Honor kept his gaze downcast as he bowed and turned to chase after his ward.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 4

"What a dirty little precinct, kacho." Sai squirmed in his chair, the extra coffee he’d had last night wearing off.

"Yes, it is rather inadequate, isn’t it?" Ura said distractedly. How was he supposed to get details about Jizen’s work? Walk inside and say: excuse me, I’m the man on all your most wanted posters and I’d like to inquire about your newest edition in cops? No. He would have to go through other channels, and ask the crooked ones for information later. For now, he felt grateful he even spotted that ugly little Sedan and had been able to track it here. All he had to do was wait for the cop to get off work and lead him straight home. He almost pitied the poor boy. Almost. This was business.

"Look. Look! He’s coming out now! But, it’s only 3:30!" Sai exclaimed.

"Who cares? We have to follow him anyway. Don’t make it obvious, either, Sai. Eventually he’ll wise up."

"Gotcha."

~*~

The engine came soundlessly to life, stirring Jade from his thoughts. A funny tugging pulled something in his chest. There, the cop. And Honor, right behind him. He clamped down on the urge to call out for the pretty angel’s attention. He needed stealth for his plan to work. He could be quiet. He could wait. There were no better hunters than demons, everyone knew that. Jade evaporated from sight before Honor could sense him, and settled himself inside the town car. Tonight was going to be fun.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Come here, kid. You the one asking for management?’

"Yeah." Hato replied, his voice sounding too young even to his own ears.

"What do you want?" The doorman to the restaurant seemed most unfriendly. But Hato remained determined. This was the best restaurant in town and he needed the money for school.

He lifted his chin. "I came to apply for a job."

The fat little man stopped short, pausing to look at him from head to toe. "Job as what?"

Hato sighed, a little exasperated. "As a waiter."

"You ever waitered before?"

"No."

"You ever worked in a restaurant before?"

"No."

"You ever worked before?"

Hato swallowed his pride and turned on the charm. "No," he said, his voice thick as honey, "I’d like you to be my first."

That had the man’s attention. "Would you now? You know what kind of a place this is?"

Hato frowned. "It’s the best place there is. I want only the best."

The doorman grinned. "All right. I’ll give you a try. Come on in, and I’ll get you situated, kid."

"Hato. I’m not a kid." The white-haired youth followed the short man into the establishment, going through the kitchen doors and into a back storage room

"Whatever. You can’t be more than sixteen, kid."

"Hato and I’m seventeen."

The man looked him over. "Yeah, well, if anyone asks, you say you’re sixteen. Younger gets more customers."

Hato frowned. "I don’t think I’ll have trouble getting customers, do you?"

The short man laughed. "Sure are full of spitfire aren’t you? You’ll do fine here. Here. Here’s you’re tag, kid."

Hato looked down at the gold plated pin. "Kubomi’s." His brows creased. "I have a name you know, it’s Hato."

"Look kid, you’re part of Kubomi’s now. Your name is whatever your guests want your name to be, got it? Now, let me show you Mayaku. He’ll take you around, show you your training. Stick to him like glue tonight and learn how it’s done. And keep your mouth shut!"

"To...Tonight?" Hato said meekly. "But, tonight I…"

"You want this job you take it tonight, Hato."

"Fine. I’ll take it." He took a deep breath, wondering if he was in over his head. "Just… let me use the phone first."

"Sure, kid, sure. Mayaku! Get over here and show the new boy the phone. Good luck, kid. You’re smart. You’ll learn the ropes."

"Thanks," Hato said hollowly, walking towards the red-head they called Mayaku.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shuku rushed home and started packing things he would need for the stakeout. Kanja kacho had given him most the of the spying equipment, but something told him he would want to bring his bullet proof vest and binoculars tonight, too.

Once everything had been packed, Shu tried to meditate, but his nerves were too jumpy. He began to systematically clean the apartment, putting Hato’s bag in the closet and folding his clothes into spare drawers. Where was Hato anyway? So close to dinnertime... He went into the kitchen to see about getting himself something to eat when he noticed the red light blinking on his answering machine. With one hand on his hip, Shu pressed play.

"Niichan? Gomen ne? I can’t come home to make dinner tonight cause I GOT A JOB! It’s at one of the best restaurants in town and I get to be a host, but I have to start tonight if I want the job. Don’t be angry, OK? I promise this is a classy place and I’ll make enough in tips to really help you and mom out. Oh, I gotta go… um, I’ve still got the cab money but I think I won’t be back till late. Don’t stay up ne? And eat something good for dinner! Stay out of that ramen shi…stuff…Ok. Later ani!" Beeeeeep.

Shu smiled. Well, it sounded like Hato got himself off to a good start. He picked up a magic marker and began to write his little brother a message on the refrigerator board, in case he didn’t get home until the wee hours of the morning. Now, what to eat? Shu raided the cupboards, disappointed to find only one choice: ramen noodles. He sighed and tore open the packet.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ura waited impatiently in the car below. Sitting inside one of the company’s luxury automobiles for the duration of an entire week to watch a rookie cop was not the highlight of his Yakuza career. However, he did prefer the cramped vinyl cabin to the endless chatter and clatter of Kubomi’s. Frankly, he preferred almost anything to Kubomi’s, for the establishment made him nervous. It became the center for all his clan’s affairs, and sure, it was a profitable institution. Even if it was a den of evil. "The hollow pit," as it was called.

But Ura remembered the days when being a Yakuza had some honor to it. It wasn’t always about money. Or at least, it wasn’t always only about money. The Yakuza were once considered the modern version of samurai, defending their overlord in a world of gangs, gambling, and political scandals. The Yakuza once had a reputation of fierce loyalty and deadly skill. And now? Now they had taken to following rookie cops around for information. It was ridiculous!

"Sai."

"Hm?" Sai mumbled as he struggled to come awake. "Sorry kacho. Is he moving?"



"No, but I think we better. We’re not getting anywhere. We should tap one of our own cops and just take the information Sento sama wants. This is a waste of time—oro?"

"What?" Sai snapped his head around to see Shuku load up his car with a suitcase. "Is he going on vacation? I don’t want to drive this frickin’ boat all over Japan."

"Follow him."

Sai gave a grunt, stretched, and turned the engine over.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 5

Hato did his best to keep up with the boy they called Mayaku. Mayaku did not move hurriedly, but you sure could lose sight of him fast, being as there was so many new things to see. Hato’s attention became thoroughly divided.

"What’s your name again, kid?"

Hato suppressed another sigh. "Hato. Jizen Hato."

"Hato? Isn’t that a kind of bird?" Mayaku’s eyes lit up.

"It’s a dove," Hato said, sliding his palm across a brass stair railing. "A white dove."

Mayaku confidently took a handful of Hato’s hair and ran his fingers through the unruly tresses. "Well, I can see why they’d call you that."

Hato’s eyes turned big as saucers then narrowed slightly.

"Ho?" Mayaku chuckled. "You certainly are full of fire aren’t you, Hato. I’m sure we’ll make good friends."

Hato sniffed. "I’ve seen the kitchen and the tables. Where are you taking me now?"

Mayaku returned a mock sniff. "You don’t think a gold pin is enough to get you through tonight do you? Just look at you! In jeans! Come on."

Hato tried to hide his shock as Mayaku took him by the hand and led him up the steps. It became impossible to act cool though, when Mayaku slid his arm around Hato’s waist. "Don’t worry, Hato. I’ll take good care of you tonight."

Hato swallowed, and nodded as best he could. It wouldn’t do to piss people off the first night of the job. Besides, he kind of liked the attention… even if it was unsolicited.

"In here. This is the changing room. We can choose whatever outfits we like, so long as they fit right. If you need something tailored, just let me know. But be careful. If anyone sees you like an outfit too much…" Mayaku shook his head.

"What? What happens?" Hato prodded.

"Well, the boys here can get jealous quick. Especially of a nice little piece like you. If they know you like something, and they don’t like you, they’ll take it from you."

"They’ll steal my clothes?"

"Rip them off of you, more like."

"Shit." Hato frowned. Well, jealousy and he weren’t strangers. Nearly all the boys in his class hated his good looks. At least… all the boys who weren’t trying to get in his pants because of them…

"Let’s pick something special for your first night. You take a look over there, and I’ll check out this rack." Mayaku gave him a melting smile.

Hato eagerly went over to the rack on the right wall, skimming over every sort of costume imaginable. Sheer gauzy garments, leather gear, velvet dresses… dresses? "Um, aren’t all the waiters here male?" Hato called over his shoulder.

"Yes," Mayaku murmured back.

"Then…why are there dresses?"

Mayaku chuckled. "You really are too cute, Hato-chan. Don’t worry. You don’t have to wear a dress if you don’t want to. Unless a guest specifically says to."

Hato frowned, turning to face the redhead. "I don’t understand. This is just waitering, right? Shouldn’t there be a uniform of some sort? I haven’t even learned a menu yet!"

"There is no menu. Hato, let’s get something straight. Kubomi’s is the best in Tokyo cause it has only one rule: whatever the guest wants. This is a place of decadence and extravagance and fantasy, see? That means plush red carpets, crystal chandeliers, pretty waiters, and no menu."

"No menu?"

"No. Your guest will tell you what they want to eat. Or they’ll ask you to suggest something. And then you tell the chefs in the back to prepare it. And they will. You bring it out when it’s ready, and then sit there and serve your guest. Sometimes your guest will just want conversation. That’s all right at first, for a beginner, I guess. Sometimes they know exactly what they want. I had one guest make me cut his food and serve it to him!"

Hato wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Oh no, don’t make that face. You gotta play it cool. No matter how ugly, how annoying, or how weird your guest is you just keep a sexy little smile on your face, nod and agree a lot, and flatter. The tipping is marvelous. I bought myself a car off a month’s pay. I bought it with cash. Not bad, huh?"

"I feel like a geisha girl." Hato said, picking up a red Arabian pajama set and twirling it around.

"You kind of are." Mayaku came up behind him. "Red, mm? It’s nice. But not for tonight. Too bold."

Hato’s shoulders straightened. "Oh?"

"Yeah, you should really play up your blushing virgin routine."

"I’m not a--"

Mayaku smiled as he draped a sheer lavender tunic across Hato’s chest. "Tonight, you should wear something that will match your eyes, beautiful."

Hato could barely breathe. "Oh."

"Try this on." Mayaku took away the red set and handed Hato the billowing pastel material.

At first it seemed like fine rayon, but it shimmered and felt so soft against his fingers. "What is this?"

"Battered silk. China." Mayaku mumbled as he put the other costume back. "Well, put it on, see if it fits."

"OK. Turn around," Hato instructed.

Mayaku let himself have a good laugh at that one. "So modest, my pretty virgin?"

Hato gave him a warning look.

"All right, all right. Here." He turned his back and closed his eyes.

Hato quickly shimmied out of his skin-tight jeans and green tee-shirt. Still in his boxers, he bent down to rip off his socks and caught Mayaku’s eyes in the reflection of mirrors. And froze.

Mayaku giggled. "A smiley face?"

Hato stiffened. "Anyone lucky enough to get in these pants has something to smile about, wouldn’t you say?"

Mayaku let a smile spread so slowly across his face the very act itself seemed wicked. He walked up to Hato and leaned his chin over one slender shoulder. "Is that so, pretty dove?"

Hato trembled.

"Oh, nervous, pet? Don’t be. I’ll keep you by me all night, you can count on it."

"That’s exactly what frightens me." Hato ground out, still shaking slightly.

"Wise boy," Mayaku acknowledged, as he lifted Hato’s tunic over his head. "Arms up."

Hato tensed as Mayaku took the opportunity to cop a feel when the tunic slid down his abdomen.

"You’re so nervous, baby. What’s wrong?" Mayaku asked as he ran his hands over Hato’s rib cage.

"I…I’ve never done this sort of thing before…"

"Really?" Mayaku’s voice became predatory for a second and Hato folded in upon himself.

"Here, baby. You’re not gonna last long tonight if you’re like this. I’ve got just the thing."

"Um…" Hato tried to ignore the feeling of Mayaku’s firm hands playing upon his torso, and instead did his best to get into his low riding lavender pants.

"Take this." Mayaku held up a small plastic pouch in front of Hato, clearing intending him to grab a-hold of it.

"What is it?"

"Just a little something to let you loosen up. Go on. You’re not scared are you, my dove?"

"No. Not scared. I know all about that kinda stuff, but I don’t need them. I’d be fine if you’d just leave me the hell--"

Mayaku spun him around and pressed a finger to his lips. A finger coated with white powder. "Trust me, baby. If you can’t trust me, who can you trust?" The finger found its way inside Hato’s inexperienced mouth, spreading the crystalline dust over his upper gums with expertise.

"What--"

Mayaku interrupted Hato with a scorching kiss, his tongue flicking hotly across the recesses of the sweet, parted mouth. Hato could feel a tingle build there, as Mayaku relentlessly drove the substance back, over the hollows of his cheeks, down his throat. It burned. But a good kind of burn. A dizzying, drunken, wild and reckless kind of burn. Hato felt his hands clench Mayaku’s shirt of their own volition as he opened himself for more of that kiss.

And suddenly, those seasoned lips were gone, leaving Hato reeling for a moment.

"Feel better, darling?" Mayaku whispered.

"Yes." Hato’s breath came in short little puff across Mayaku’s face.

"Good. Now, let’s get you some makeup on and start the show." The redhead flipped him around and smacked him forcefully on the ass.

Strangely, Hato couldn’t find it in him to be offended. He could hardly feel anything.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When it was clear that his ward had no idea where he was driving, Honor turned an exasperated glare towards heaven. What was it with the males of this species? Refusing to stop and ask for directions! Finally Honor could temper it no longer, and sent an image of the docks straight into Shuku’s brain. His human thought it simply a memory and set off in the right direction. Honor huffed and stretched out along the roof of the car. Of all the wards to get assigned to, he had to----

A quickening came to him, tugging sharply in his breast. Another was near by.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You’re too close!" Ura warned.

"Well, he’s driving so sporadically, boss! I’m not psychic you know!"

"Just back off a bit before he realizes he’s seen us somewhere before, Sai."

"Yes, sir." The heavy note in Sai’s voice could not be misunderstood.

"I know. I’m tired too."

Sai laughed. "You never sleep anyway, Ura."

"True, but even I know what fatigue is like. I sympathize. When this is all over, I’ll see about Sento sama giving you some vacation time."

"Thanks, chief. But only if you go on vacation too."

Ura smiled to himself. "You don’t always have to watch over me, you know, Sai. I’m a big boy and can take care of myself."

"Be that as it may, it is my job… and my pleasure."

Ura said nothing, because he didn’t have to. There existed a fragile understanding between them, developing slowly over the past two years. They were partners, whatever else you called them. "He’s slowing down, Sai."

"I’m on it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 6

Honor had this strange feeling buzzing down his spine, but couldn’t put his finger on it. A blessed or other walked close by, but would not reveal themselves. Most odd. It made him nervous, but since he didn’t know what was going on, he couldn’t relay the feeling to Shuku. Besides, Shuku already felt wound pretty tight for his first ‘sting operation’ or whatever Kanja sama had called it. He recalled Kanja sama’s warning, and resolved to keep careful vigil over Shuku… and himself, should Jade appear. Honor stole a quick glance down at Shu.

~*~

Shuku cursed. It took him long enough to get here. He wiped his sleeve over his front window to remove some of the moisture build up, and took out his binoculars. Peering through the fog and dusk, he spotted the abandoned warehouse on the edge of an abandoned stockyard. You would think organized crime would pick a less obvious place to traffic drugs. It looked something straight out of a manga, this setting. But what the hell, he wasn’t here to analyze the décor. Shu crouched low in his seat and kept his binoculars trained on the holes in the boarded up windows, looking for any signs of light or foul play.

Absently, he wondered where the other cops were, and why they didn’t check in on his scanner earlier that evening.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Only a hair’s breath away from losing his temper, Ura turned to Sai and said with clenched teeth, "Sai, do you realize where we are?"

Sai blinked and did a rabid sweep of the surrounding area. "A dock yard?"

Ura hissed. "Yes, our dock yard."

"Oh. We have so many…" Sai trailed off. "Why is this Jizen guy here?"

"That’s an excellent question. Why is he here? Sento sama was right in having me follow him. He’s on a sting."

"Alone? A rookie?"

Ura frowned. "No, he wouldn’t be good for anything... He’s probably just a decoy or something. And there’s a shipment coming in tonight." Ura whipped out his cell phone and hit the auto dial.

"What are you gonna do?" Sai asked in a small voice.

"Gonna stop this shit before it hits the fan, I hope."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"There we are, all done." The drag queen nicknamed Candy giggled for the hundredth time since Hato sat down in her chair. "He looks just like one of the boys in JRock!"

Hato would have been annoyed, but he felt so calm. Even friendly, almost. He just winked at Candy and slowly rose out of the cloth folding chair. "Do I pass?"

Mayaku paused in putting on his black eyeliner and nodded his approval. "Candy. Get him some amethyst liner."

Candy pouted prettily and dug inside one of her many makeup caboodles. "Whatever you say, sugar. Come back here, Hato-chan."

Instead of sitting back down, Hato simply leaned over Candy and closed his eyes. In four expert slashes, the dark purple eyeliner was smeared carefully in place, and the giggling start up again. "Wait! Just one more thing… A kiss, for good luck." Candy captured his face between her hands and kissed him full on the lips. Her tongue delved in just deep enough to place a tiny little pill under his tongue.

Hato reeled back in shock.

"Oops. Smeared your lipstick. Here. All done. Knock ‘em, dead gorgeous!"

Hato smiled a goofy smile and swallowed the pill. "What did you give me?"

"Just a little relaxer, baby." Mayaku’s voice drifted to his ears. "No big deal."

"It makes me feel…" Hato draped his arms around Mayaku’s neck, "kind of funny."

"Kind of funny good?"

"Yeah…" Hato said, smacking his lips.

"Good. That’s all I want. I want my little dove feeling good. Now," Mayaku took Hato’s chin in a vice like grip for a moment, eyes darkening, "you’re not gonna trip out on me are you? You’re a big boy and can take it right?"

"I can take anything you got!"

Mayaku smiled. "That’s my boy. All right. We’re gonna go down stairs now and sit at my table. You can sit with me. We’ll be a package deal tonight. If you’re good, you’ll get your own table once you learn the ropes. Ready?"

"Lead the way."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shuku frowned. Too much time had passed. No one checked in, no one sent any signals. Either the others’ radios were damaged or they had gotten themselves in serious trouble. They could all be tied up and held hostage right now! Or worse, wounded and bleeding to death! He couldn’t just sit here and do nothing.

Mustering his courage, Shu took his gun out of the glove compartment and placed it in his shoulder strap. Silently, he opened the car door and slid out behind it. This was his first mission and he was not gonna fuck it up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jade watched with amusement as the little cop, barely twenty-three, snuck out of his car and ran up to the warehouse. So cute, he thought, watching him dive in and out of cover, while Honor hovered above him, frantically trying to locate the whereabouts of the aura he undoubtedly had picked up by now. Innocence always acted so fucking naïve. He congratulated himself at least, for working on the strong side. Even if it was the wrong side.

Black wings unfurled, and Jade leapt up in the air, Ura and Sai moving directly below him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oh god oh god oh god. What the hell was he doing? Gonna go storm into a dark warehouse full of Yakuza and save all his teammates from certain death? Come on, Jizen! Put down the Fake manga already! He’d never even shot someone before—how could he wipe out a whole gang of drug smugglers?

Shu stopped just before the entrance to the warehouse. He took a deep breath, recalling his martial arts training under Kanja sama as a boy. He let every muscle in his body relax, and waited until his heart beat slowed. He could do this. His fellow cops and Kanja sama were counting on him. He would not fail.

As quiet as a tiger in the tall grass, Shuku entered the condemned building and took cover in the shadows. No noise. No talking. Nothing… not a sound, except for a constant dripping from a leaky pipe. He peeked up over an empty packing crate and peered down unto the factory floor. No one there. He did have the right warehouse, didn’t he?

Quickly, he ran along the upper loft, tracing the side paneling to find his way. It was dark, the only light coming from a window on the other side. Like a moth to flame, he approached the window. His body flush against the wall, Shuku snaked his head around and took a look outside.

A small yacht rocked gently beside the dock to which it was tied. Three limousines were parked next to the boat. Shuku struggled to see through the fog. A tall, thickly muscled man took a call on his cell phone.

Meanwhile, young men, one by one, stepped up from the yacht and were escorted by armed Yakuza into the limos. Were these men the drug cartels? Where was his back up! How could he stop so many men? He had no choice, he would have to radio in to base and call for reinforcements.

Shuku was unable to reach for his phone, however. A large hand covered his mouth while another twisted his arm half way up his back.

"Ahhh!"

"Shhhh. Quiet, Shu. You wouldn’t want my boys to find you. Trust me."

~*~

Chapter 7

Shuku’s glared out the window. Damn it. Yaburu. He struggled, more out of anger and fear than pain. He kicked at the wall, and Yaburu lifted him easily off the ground, averting the impact, and the sound.

His limb twisted even further back and Shu had no choice but to go limp in his attacker’s arms.

"I said to be quiet. Or are you so anxious to die, rookie?"

Yaburu sounded truly worried, which made absolutely no sense to Shu. He bit down on the hand covering his mouth hard enough to tear the leather glove. But the criminal, to his credit, did not make any sound. Shu could tell it hurt though; the hand shook when Yaburu took it away.

"Why do you care what happens to me… Yakuza scum!" Shu spit the words out and began torquing away from Yaburu’s hold. Suddenly the hand with the torn glove came up to Shu’s throat.

"I could kill you now, you know. I could crush your larynx, and your windpipe. I don’t want to. I have my reasons. You keep fighting me, Jizen, and you’ll give me no choice!" Yaburu hissed.

Shuku forced himself to relax. He stopped struggling, and simply froze in the Yakuza’s hold. His breath shuddered out of his body, his torso expanding and contracting as he took great gulps of air. He waited, but Yaburu didn’t seem in any hurry to move away.

"Yaburu--"

"Lower your voice."

"What are you going to do with me?" Shuku whispered.

The man paused, holding both of them stock-still. "I don’t know, Shu. I should, by right, shoot you in the back of the head and weigh your corpse down with rocks… before tossing you in the river. After I let my men have their way with you, of course."

Shuku repressed a shiver and a moan. "If you think you can frighten me into turning fink, you’re wrong."

"I know that, Shu," the dark man whispered in his ear. "I know, instinctually, what sort of man you are. Which puts both of us in a bit of a bind."

Shuku turned his head. "How come?"

"Well, I can’t turn you into one of our cops, and I don’t want to hurt an innocent--"

"What the fuck are you talking about, Yaburu? It’s what you do for a living!"

"It’s what assholes do for a living, Shu, not me. I know you’re a good man, a decent cop. And a pain in my ass. It would be so easy for me to shoot you! But I won’t, if I can help it. That’s the kind of man I am."

Yaburu released him then, tossing him a little roughly towards the window. "Go ahead and scream your guts out if you like. They won’t come for you, you know. They’ve been paid to look the other way tonight."

Stunned, Shuku stared at the floor, trying to register that information. Yakuza puppets! Right in his own department! He looked up. "You’re lying!"

Yaburu shrugged. "Go ahead and call for them. See for yourself." He crossed his arms.

Shu looked out the window, then back at Yaburu. Then back out the window. "What…what are they all doing down there? Doesn’t look like a drug ring to me."

Yaburu snickered. "Tell me, when was the last time you’ve seen one?"

Shu glared at him.

"It’s not a drug ring, Shu. Look more closely. What does it look like?"

"It’s just a bunch of people. Boys."

Yaburu lifted and eyebrow.

"You’re trafficking young boys? What for?"

"Uh-uh, rookie. One question per chance meeting, OK?"

"What the hell would you want with a bunch of kids, Yaburu!"

The man neared him in an instant, slamming him up against a wall. Shuku found himself lost in a harsh kiss, the very force of it ripping the air from his lungs. He had no will to wrench away. He couldn’t even move. The scent of Uragiri’s soap and musk filled his nostrils and a fuzzy, warm feeling tickled down into his stomach. He had never been kissed like this before. It sapped all his strength.

When Uragiri finally let up, he put two fingers across Shu’s lips and shook his head to be silent.

"You sure you didn’t hear something, Mamoru san?" a voice thick with cigarette smoke choked out.

"Naw," Sai managed. "The boss asked me to drive him down here to see about the shipment for Sento sama. He’s probably up there poking around. But he said he don’t want visitors. So just get the shipment in and get out of here quick, OK?"

"Are those Uragiri’s orders?" the voice asked suspiciously.

"You know I don’t give out my own," Sai returned, offended.

"Right. Will do. Send our best to the kacho."

And with that, footsteps and voices trailed away.

Uragiri took his fingers away from Shu’s mouth, but did not back off him.

"Who is Sento sama?" Shu hissed at Yaburu, fear rippling in tiny waves through his stomach.

"Shit, kid, you keep this up and I will shoot you."

"I don’t think you would. Haven’t got the gu---"

A look from Yaburu shut him up fast. "I’ve killed more men than you’ve met in your life time, Shu." His voice was thick and strained. With passion or anger, Shu couldn’t tell.

"None of them innocents?" Shu shot back.

"Not if I could help it." Uragiri looked at the ground.

"What’s your game, Yaburu? What do you want?"

Sharp onyx eyes fixated on him, and Shuku felt suddenly cold. Trapped.

"I want to make a bargain."

Shuku let out a breath. "What sort of bargain?"

Immediately Uragiri released him and took two steps backwards. "Fight me."

"What?"

"I’m a fair man. Fight me. A fair fight. If I win, or rather, when I win, you give your word of honor that you will turn down all assignments concerning the Toranomon Tokyo Yakuza. Whatever it takes. You get sick that day. You have impartial feelings towards us. You don’t have enough guts. I don’t care what excuse you use, but you find a way to stay away."

Shuku lifted his chin. "You know I can’t do that, Uragiri. I can’t." He shook his head.

"Are you always this stupid?" came the incredulous voice.

"Yes," Shu said, a half-smile on his lips. "I’m a cop, dammit. I can’t give you my word I won’t come after you when it’s my job to come after you."

Yaburu smiled. "You won’t even lie to get out of this jam?" He chuckled. "You’re too rich, kid. But, I’m afraid it’s what I require. I can’t have you hampering in my business affairs--"

"You mean Sento sama’s business affairs, don’t you?"

Uragiri’s eyes narrowed into imperceptible slits. In a tight, lethal voice, he murmured, "You have a younger brother, don’t you? The one with the long white hair?"

Shuku straightened up ever so slightly.

"He’s awfully young. Kind of headstrong. It would be a shame, Shuku, if anything were to happen to him."

"Are you threatening--"

"I’m not threatening you, I’m flat out telling you. You come after me and you’ll never see your brother alive again. Period."

Shuku lowered his head, biting back his scream until his lower lip bled. "I see I have no choice."

"Not really, no. But I did say I’d make it a fair fight…"

"A fight? Here?"

"Why not? You can keep up with an old man like me, can’t you?" Yaburu’s eyes danced merrily.

"What would be the point?"

"I want to test your skills. See exactly what I’m up against. All I know of you so far is that you have a tendency to run my people over with your….car…." He grinned. "Humor me, Shu."

"And if I win?"

"I’ll die of shock," Uragiri muttered, before turning to face the loft stairs leading to the workroom floor. "If you win, I’ll tell you what the Toranomon Yakuza do with young boys fresh off a boat."

Shuku’s eyes flashed for a brief second, and then he hurried to follow the dark man down the stairs. "You give me your word?"

"Will you take it?" Yaburu asked over his shoulder.

"Yes," he answered honestly.

"I give you my word, then. If you win, I’ll tell." Yaburu removed his wool pea coat and draped it over a packing crate. "But remember, if I win…"

"I leave you alone."

Yaburu nodded.

"Fair enough. What sort of fighting is it?"

"Surely every cop, even a rookie, has some fighting skills. You pick… I seem to remember you fancied this…" Yaburu did a horrible imitation of the crane position Shu had used at their first meeting.

"That looks awful!"

Yaburu chuckled. "It’s not my style," he apologized.

Shuku cleared his throat. "What is your style?"

"Kendo. And guns. I have a funny feeling you’re not very good at either."

Shuku sucked in his breath, and looked around for what could be used as a sword. He waked around a bit, very aware that Yaburu’s eyes followed him everywhere, until he came upon to large crowbars. "We could use these… but it would be too noisy."

Uragiri walked over and inspected the crowbars. "Mm. It will do. The boys have already gone, so it doesn’t matter."

"How… how do you know?"

Uragiri glanced over at him. "I know my men. They work fast enough, and faster when I tell them to. Besides, it’s not like we’re shipping hundreds of boys, just a very select handful." Dark coal eyes gleamed. "Curious?"

"Let’s get this over with." Shuku picked up a bar and threw it at Uragiri, who caught silently it with one hand. He picked up another one, and made ready.

Yaburu lifted an eyebrow. "You look like Luke Skywalker. Have you ever held a sword before?"

Shuku let out what he hoped was a chilling battle cry and lunged forward, the metal clanking of their make shift swords jarring him a bit more than he expected...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 8

"Good evening, honored guests. Please, won’t you join us at my table?" Mayaku gave the two German business executives a stellar smile that would make the comets jealous.

Hato did his best to look inviting and motioned the visitors into the large booth. He nervously looked at Mayaku, surprised to find his companion busy removing one of the customer’s necktie. "Here, you look uncomfortable, and we just can’t have that can we?" Mayaku simpered as he massaged the man’s neck, his fingers delving slightly below the collar in a well-practiced motion of sensuality.

"Would you like a drink, sir?" Hato offered the gentleman sitting next to him a flute of fine champagne.

"Yes, thank you. What do they call you?" The man accepted the glass.

"Why, you can call me whatever pleases you, my dear sir." Hato batted his eyelashes and received a winning look from Mayaku.

"What is your real name?" a deep, demonic voice slithered through the air.

Hato, Mayaku and their guests looked up to see an impeccably dressed man in his late forties. He stood tall despite his medium height, his auburn hair streaked with touches of gray that matched his endless eyes.

"My name is Hato, sir." Hato squelched the urge to duck under the table and run out of the restaurant.

"What an unusual name, Hato," the man replied with a lifeless smile. "You look… you remind me… of someone I used to know."

"This is Hisen Hato from Tokyo, Sento sama. This is his first night. Hato, this is the club owner, Sento sama," Mayaku said quickly with a bow.

Hato decided it best not to correct Mayaku on his name, and simply bowed as Mayaku did.

"Well, you are learning from the best, young Hisen. Welcome to Kubomi’s." Gray eyes raked him, stealing his body heat and strength as the gaze traveled south.

"It is an honor to be here, Sento sama," Hato said, his voice softly lilting over the violins in the background.

"Move," Sento’s order came so quietly, Hato wasn’t sure if he had imagined it.

Mayaku snapped to his feet. "Gentlemen, while we wait for our dinner, why don’t I show you around the art gallery down the hall?" Mayaku didn’t miss a beat, his smile never fading.

Hato frowned slightly, thoroughly confused, and made to stand. Sento sama held up a hand for him to stay seated however.

"You will remain with me. I should like to… get to know you better, Hato. May I?"

"Please." Hato tamped down on the urge to slide to the end of the booth, and simply sat frozen to the spot, like a deer in headlights.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"HMHPMPHHH!"

"Such language, Honor! And from an angel, too!" Jade sounded positively gleeful. Right up until Honor kneed him in the groin.

"Fuck!" The demon grabbed his crotch and wrenched his eyes shut in exquisite pain, but he kept his hold on the poor fledgling.

"Let me go, you spawn of hell! Let me---"

"Now, now. I can’t have that just yet. They’ve only started the duel."

"He’ll kill him!"

"Maybe…"

"Jade! Even you wouldn’t go that far! He’s a pure soul!"

Jade rolled his eyes. "I know. Listen--"

Honor struggled furiously, and Jade slammed up against a wooden beam in the loft above. "Oh for fuck’s sake, Honor, he said himself he won’t kill him. They’re just being human! Doing what humans do best!"

"Fighting with crowbars?"

"Yes. Fighting. Battle. Dancing. Sex. For them it’s all the same. Don’t you remember, Honor? Don’t you remember that feeling?" Jade’s eyes glittered in a wistful sort of way.

"You’re crazy. That’s my ward!"

"It’s my ward too! You can only do so much dammit! Leave it be!" Jade covered Honor with his body, pressing them both down onto the loft’s floor. "Leave it be, Honor. You can’t baby-sit them all their lives."

"Jade. Jade, get off me!"

"No."

"Jade. It hurts… my wings…" Honor let out a pained breath and twisted a bit.

Jade unfurled his own dark set of feathers and lifted them up to the vaulted ceiling, allowing Honor’s wings to span out. "There. That better?"

Honor clung to Jade for a moment, trying to catch his breath. He nodded and moved his wings up and down to ease the blood back into them. "You… you didn’t have to hurt me!" he whispered.

"I’m sorry." Jade’s voice came out equally quiet. "This has to be. Please believe me, Honor. This needs to be."

Jade watched as the bright little angel in his arms gazed down at their wards. "Why?"

Jade held him intimately, departing his secret directly into Honor’s mind. There are forces at work. You can’t stop it.

Their mind link broke apart as Shuku let out a panicked yelp. Honor tensed, but let Jade hold him close.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After a handful of minutes, Sento excused himself from the table, pausing to capture Hato’s delicate chin with his forefinger. "I am sure you will do fine here, my dear Hato kun. I look forward to watching your career with interest. DO let me know if you need something. Anything."

"I am very grateful for your kindness, Sento sama." Hato lowered his eyes and bowed. He stayed bowed until he could no longer see Sento sama’s Italian leather shoes walking away.

"Holy shit," Mayaku whispered.

"Where were you? You said you wouldn’t leave me!" Hato cried.

"Are you kidding? You just had a personal interview with the boss! You think he stops to look at every host? You really captured his eye! I think I hate you, precious."

Hato ignored the envy in Mayaku’s tone. "What’s so special about him anyway? So he’s the boss. Big deal. Where are our guests?"

"They got freaked out and ditched us. No sweat. They’ll be others in a heartbeat. And precious, Sento sama is much more than just a boss. He’s a force to be reckoned with."

Hato stared at Mayaku, trying to gage his seriousness. "You’re afraid of him?"

"Honey, I’m afraid of only him. But I’m not the one shaking like a leaf! Don’t worry, my dove. You did real well. Real, real well. Keep it up, and before you go home tonight, I’ll give you a nice reward."

"What?" Hato brightened. "A share of the tips?"

Mayaku did a double take. "Of course a share of the tips- what are friends for. But I meant, a special parting -gift."

"I’m not sure I like your gifts, Mayaku." Hato looked down at his glass, fending off the guilt he knew he would feel in the morning. God, if his brother ever found out he did drugs…

"Oh, I think you will soon enough, my dove. And please, we’re partners now. Call me Maya."

Mayaku raised his champagne glass and clinked it carelessly with Hato’s. "Here’s to success."

"Success," Hato echoed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This seemed actually quite fun, Uragiri realized. Shuku was no kendo champion obviously, but he held his own, plenty. He had speed where Ura was strong, and he was agile where Ura depended on practiced skill. Of course, Shu would be no match for him on this field. Yaburu Uragiri was born with a ken in his hand.

But it amused him to no end to see the expressions flit across Shu’s face every time he landed a blow, or blocked a lunge. The boy put his whole heart in it. That, more than anything else—more than those puppy dog brown eyes, or soft layers of hair, more than that clueless charm the boy wrapped around himself—Shuku’s honest intensity to do right endeared him to Uragiri’s heart. He would sooner pee on a Picasso than harm the boy. But since he couldn’t have Shu getting anymore mixed up in the business, he would have to teach the boy a lesson.

Ura raised his crowbar high over his head in the most aggressive attack position and hurled his iron bar down in a merciless arch. Shuku’s crowbar splattered to the floor with a loud and poignant clank, Shuku falling down beside it with a defeated cry.

Ura lifted the rookie’s chin with the end of his bar and kneeled down to stare deeply into betrayed brown eyes. "Owari. It’s finished."

He grabbed hold of the collar of a very stunned Shu, and pulled him to his feet. Unable to resist, he claimed the parted pink lips in conquest, tasting every delicious, forbidden crevice of Shuku’s delectable mouth with his own. When he had almost enough, he pulled away to look into glazed, heated eyes. Eyes that fluttered shut almost immediately after he sent a blow with his crowbar to the back of Shu’s head.

"Sorry, my dear boy. But I can’t just leave you here for the boys to find, now can I?"

Ura gently lifted Shuku into his arms, desperately trying not to thrill at the contact.

"Kacho?"

"What, Sai?"

"Whatcha gonna do with him, kacho?"

"Take him home," Ura said wearily.

"Home?" Sai sounded totally bewildered.

"Unless you’d think it wise to leave him here for the fellas to find?" Ura let a thread of impatience weave into his tone.

"But…Ura… Isn’t that… just a little…"

Ura turned and gave Sai a measuring look. "He gave me his word he won’t interfere again. I believe he’ll honor it. I would like to get out of this mess without more blood on my hands, Sai, but if you think we should kill him--"

Sai sighed and then smiled. "What are we gonna do about his car?"

"That piece of crap? I guess I’ll have to drive him home in it. You follow us, in case his brother’s home and we need to leave him there."

Sai chuckled. "You know, Ura, you sure have a big heart for a Yakuza."

"Shut up," Ura said good-naturedly.

The two friends quietly left the warehouse, one unconscious rookie cop in tow.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"See, fledgling, I told you." Jade gave Honor his best cocky grin.

"He could have been killed!" Honor let outrage pour into his voice, now that the danger fled.

"He knew that walking in the door. Honestly, fledgling, you gotta let humans make their own decisions. Even God allows them that much."

"He’s my ward, thank you very much. I’ll decide how to take proper care of him. And so what if I’m over protective? I don’t want to empathize his death! I don’t wanna return just yet!"

Jade let go of Honor immediately, turning his back in midair. "Don’t you? You don’t miss heaven, then?"

"I didn’t say that. I just meant--"

"I miss it." The grief… palpable.

Honor blinked. "Well, you rejected it."

Jade turned around slowly, his eyes glowing with green hatred. "Your compassion is staggering, fledgling. Truly. Why don’t you hurry up and mother after your ward, then?"

Honor had nothing with which to reply, so he turned to go. Just as he took flight, he stopped, and spun around. "I’m sorry you left, you know. I think you would have been a very good angel." And with that, he disappeared into the early morning mist.

Jade’s sad gaze trailed after him, and when he could no longer see the bright star, his own soiled black wings spread forth and carried him after his ward.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 9

Ura parked the hunk of metal Jizen used for transportation in front of the cop’s run-down danchi and leaned over the passenger seat. He looked out the fogged window for any lights, but Shuku’s apartment remained completely dark. The scent of vanilla mixed with August rain filled the space between Ura and his… hostage… He found he liked the scent, the proximity.

He looked down to that parted cherry mouth and could not stop his tongue from flicking over his own bottom lip. God, he wanted to kiss this boy again.

Quietly, he opened the car door and walked around the other side, the headlights of Sai’s Lincoln capturing him for a moment. He opened the passenger door and unbuckled Shu, careful not to make too much noise in case the cop awoke.

He slid his hands deftly under the small frame and lifted the boy easily out of the car. Shu did not stir. Not even a moan. "Hope I didn’t hit you too hard, rookie," Ura murmured to himself.

Sai’s footsteps registered in Ura’s ears and he turned slightly, mindful of Shuku’s dangling head and shoulders.

"Third floor?" Sai whispered.

"Hn."

Ura swiftly headed towards the steps, lest any neighbors become suspicious. He waited for Sai to open the entrance door.

"How are you gonna get inside?" Sai wondered.

"Are you kidding?"

"We can’t just break the lock, kacho."

"Sai? Have you ever done this before?"

"Done what?"

"Nothing." Ura grimaced as he began the three-story journey up to the kid’s apartment. Thankfully, he made it to the top with only a small ransom in breath. "Sai. Go through his back pocket and look for keys."

"Kacho, you are brilliant…er…wait. You sure you want me to go through his back pocket…?"

"I could strangle you, but I’d have to drop him first. Get the goddamn keys."

"Er, right."

Ura kept his eyes glued to Sai, who cautiously searched each of Shuku’s back pockets for keys. He noted the blush in the young man’s cheeks and grinned. "Sai?"

"Um… there’s nothing there but…"

"But?"

"Muscle…" Sai’s blush turned crimson.

"Ho?" Ura chuckled. "Here, take him from me. I’ll have to check his front pockets or you’ll die of a nose bleed, Sai kun."

Sai struggled, but managed to hold Shuku still while Ura ran his palms over the V of the boy’s hips. "There we are," Ura murmured. He sneaked a callused hand into Shu’s right front pocket and retrieved the keys. Then he lifted an eyebrow.

"What?" Sai stepped closer.

"He seems to be made of muscle there, too." Ura laughed outright then, taking Shu from his sputtering assistant. He nodded to the door. "Open it."

Sai’s skilled fingers didn’t fumble with the locks, but he did have to lean his shoulder into the door to get it open. Automatically, Sai reached for the light.

"Don’t," Ura commanded. "Leave this to me. The less prints the better. Go back to the car and park it half a block away. Stay there and wait for me."

"Two pairs of eyes can get more info, kacho."

"That’s true, Sai. But two pairs of hands can leave more evidence, and complicate my job. Do as I say."

"Yes sir. But… how will I know if you need me?"

Ura passed Sai coolly, heading towards the futon. With agonizing care he lowered Shu to the soft mattress and said, "I need you to wait for me in the car. If the brother comes back, you call me on my cell phone. Let it ring once, and then hang up- I’ll know it’s you."

Ura knew having some purpose would ease his friend’s mind. He turned, facing Sai, shocked to see a devastated expression there.

"I’ve never left your side- not once- unless you were sleeping at home. I don’t like the idea of leaving you alone in a cop’s apartment, Ura--"

He glided quickly across the room and rested sure hands on Sai’s arms. "I made it almost thirty years without you, Sai." He hated himself for how the words sounded. He tried again. "Do you trust me?"

"Implicitly." Sadness and resolution tinged the young man’s voice.

"Then trust me on this. I need you to be my look out. My extra pair of eyes where I can’t be."

Sai nodded. "Oh, I get you, kacho. You’ll… you’ll call me if you need me back here?"

"In a heart beat. There’s no one else I trust…" Ura let it show through his eyes.

Too choked up for words, Sai bowed and dashed out of the apartment. Ura turned back to the boy sleeping on the bed, shaking his head. He opened his eyes wide, getting them used to the darkness. Toranomon Yakuza guarded Tiger’s Gate with the eyes of a cat on the kill. Darkness became a second skin, and Ura always moved comfortably about in it.

He made it to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door, letting the dim light cast shaded contours over the sparse furniture. He put on his black gloves and set to work. First, the computer. He set about searching for a disk to copy everything on the hard drive. Then he rifled the desk drawers. He took an old bank statement with important identification information on it. After a few minutes of going through pointless documents, he found an old medical record and a phone bill. Folding them neatly, he placed the papers in his breast pocket. There wasn’t much to be copied on the hard drive, and in less than two minutes the disk was ready. He got up, about to go…

His eyes fell on a pewter picture frame housing a worn photo. A gorgeous woman hugging two boys. Judging by the snow-white hair, Ura guessed this was Shu’s and his brother’s mother. Even in her mid-forties she radiated exquisite grace. Temptation to take the picture overwhelmed Ura, but since it looked so well loved, it would surely be missed. He needed evidence of the past though, so he turned towards the bookshelf and went digging for photo albums or something of that nature.

Shuku mumbled and Ura froze, blending in with the shadows. Several tense moments passed where Ura forgot to breathe. But Shu remained unconscious, by the grace of whatever God was left in heaven these days, and Ura continued to rummage. He came across an old high school yearbook, and tucked it under his arm. He looked around. These things, coupled with reports from Shuku’s crooked coworkers might be enough, but Ura wanted to know more. He tiptoed over the carpet, taking in the calendar pictures of far away places tacked up on the wall. He noted that Shuku had no TV, but books were on every shelf and table. An old stereo rested in a corner, JRock CDs littering the surrounding floor. Ura rolled his eyes. "Youth."

He headed over to the kitchen again, noting the overwhelming amount of electrical appliances and ingredients left out all over the counter tops. Either Shuku or is brother harbored a secret as a closet gourmet cook. Judging by the looks of things, Ura guessed the brother.

He had been glad when Shuku confirmed his assumption that the handsome young man was indeed his brother, and not a young lover. But that thought had no place surfacing at this moment. He opened a cupboard, shocked to find it bare. Tons of spices, utensils and ingredients… but no food? What an odd pair these boys made. Just one more thing to find out…

Making a full sweep, Ura passed the futon again, happy to see Shu spread out in an adorably provocative way. "Shuku?" he whispered.

"Mm?" came the garbled reply.

"What do you eat for breakfast?"

"Bagels…" Ura waited till Shuku turned over and then prepared to make his exit, when his cell phone went off. Once.

"Shit," he mouthed, covering his pocket to muffle the noise. He made his way for the door when he heard unsteady footsteps clammer up the last staircase. "And shit again," he said in a whisper, ducking into the bathroom and closing the door.

He leaned on the door, listening intently. No talking, so he assumed the brother entered alone. It would be a shame if he had to knock two beautiful boys unconscious in one night. Why didn’t he go into accounting like his had uncle said?

A giggle. Sort of. And then someone smacked into the door he leaned on. Ura leapt back and did the only thing any self-respecting Yakuza would do in his situation…

He hid in the bathtub.

The boy walked in and flicked on the light, hurrying to close the door behind him. He let out a tiny breath, obviously relieved he didn’t wake Shuku. Ura couldn’t see what he did, as an ugly blue shower curtain with weird yellow and orange fish on it separated the two from sight. For which Ura felt very grateful, to be sure.

"Stupid…" the boy muttered, turning on the tap to a slow trickle. Ura heard him splash his face with water a couple of times and then use a towel. "How the…the fuck do you get… get eyeliner off?" the young voice asked the mirror.

Ura raised an eyebrow. Eyeliner? Maybe this family took JRock a little too close to heart…

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. Pull it together already," the boy whispered. Ura heard small whimpers and a sort of sobbing into the towel. "I’m sorry, Shu…." The boy let out a heartfelt shudder of breath and then began tugging off his shirt. He unzipped his jeans and paused to dig in a pocket, pulling out what Ura assumed to be money and throwing it on the counter. "But it’s good money, niichan…" Another stifled sob. "Shit, I can’t handle drugs…" The boy trailed off as he collapsed on the floor, leaving Ura dumbfounded in the shower.

Drugs, huh. Poor Shu had a tough case on his hands. But what’s that to him? He pulled back the curtain carefully and leaned over the passed-out youth.

Just then Sai burst in.

Ura lifted two fingers to his lips and instantly Sai froze. "Help me get him to the bed," Ura mouthed.

Ura went to lift the white-haired boy, but he froze as well when a soft moan escaped the kid. "Niichan…"

"He’s… beautiful," Sai murmured.

Ura bit down on a curse. "Perhaps you’d like to stand here and paint him? Come on, Sai!"

"Right." Sai scooped the boy up on his own, a little more possessively than the situation warranted, and carried the lithe figure to the futon, still illuminated in by the refrigerator light. Ura smirked, amused he had been so easily forgotten in the moment Sai spread the boy’s long limbs. "Piece of work the both of them," his assistant whispered.

"Close the refrigerator and let’s get going," Ura urged.

Darkness engulfed the tiny efficiency once again as the two Yakuza quietly made their way to the door. Ura took one last look, his vision slicing through the blackness, to see the rise and fall of the rookie’s chest. Strangely satisfied, he backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

~*~

"I guess I’ll be seeing much more of you now, fledgling." Jade’s eyes danced with felicitation.

Honor backhanded him sharply across the jaw, surprising even himself with his strength. "How dare you put my human in danger?" He shook with rage.

"Put your--"

"I may be new to the Guards but I am not stupid. Don’t think you can flatter and flirt my defenses down, and then take whatever you want, you cheap little--"

Fury replaced the merry gaze in Jade’s eyes. "You just watch what comes out of that pretty little mouth, turtledove."

Honor coursed with too much affronted anger to listen to his fear. "You are an insult, Jade. ‘Forces at work?’ Forces my ass! I don’t know what designs you and your pet have on Shuku, but as long as these wings fly you’ll never get your hands on him! He’ll live to meet his destiny, I swear it!"

"Are you through?"

Honor lifted his chin. "No. There’s just one more thing to say. Get out."

Jade sat on the refrigerator top and crossed his arms. "Make me."

"Your ward is leaving. You have to go--"

"Uh-huh. I’m a demon. Different rule book. I’m not around to keep Uragiri out of trouble… just alive and evil. Constantly tagging along isn’t in the job description, sweetheart."

Honor stamped his foot, his neck aching with having to look up at Jade. "Get out!"

"No." Jade said simply.

"You are the devil." Honor hissed.

"Not quite. You know, you’re never more lovely than when you’re angry, Honor chan?"

"Ah!" Honor flew up and lunged at the green-eyed demon. "You…monster!"

Jade caught his wrists and pulled him in close, leaving Honor straining to stay afloat between the ceiling and Jade’s body. "Why are you so angry at me, anyway? My human brought yours home safe and sound. Even tucked him in. Yours wouldn’t have done the same. He would have locked him up--"

"He deserves to be arrested."

"No man deserves a cage, Honor."

"Criminals do, last time I checked. Get off, let go of me!"

"Why? What’s got you so bothered? Worried you might feel something for me?"

Honor let out an exasperated sigh. "Do you ever cease admiring yourself?"

"Yes," Jade paused to inch his lips closer to Honor’s mouth, "when I’m admiring you."

"Save it."

"You know, you’re about the nastiest little angel I’ve ever met. You wanna try bein’ a demon?" Jade released him and Honor went careening back with a gasp.

"I’m just trying to do my job!" he spit out, landing on two shaky feet.

Jade jumped down off the fridge and stalked over to him. "Strike two. Nasty temper and lying. Wanna go for three and see if Kanja will suspend you?"

Honor opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. "Sus…suspend me?"

"Didn’t you know?" Jade smirked. "Angels are supposed to be full of grace. Mouthing off and hitting people is hardly graceful, Honor, darling."

"I’m sure heaven will make an exception when they see what I’m dealing with."

Jade’s grin deepened. "Exactly."

"Exactly? Exactly what?" Honor bristled.

"It’s not the fact that your ward was an idiot tonight, who almost got himself killed in more ways than I can count on both hands. He’s a cop, and you and he both know that life is dangerous. I think it’s something else that’s bothering you. And I think that something is me." Jade folded his arms smugly.

"Yes! Yes!" Honor flapped his arms up and down excitedly. "We are in total agreement. I am one-hundred percent upset with you!"

"No, no. Not like that. Like this." Jade slapped two hands on him and hurled Honor up against his chest, his surly lips descending like lightning to Honor’s astonished mouth. Raw electricity surged between them, awakening every nerve as Jade yanked Honor’s head back and kissed him hard.

The stars whizzed behind Honor’s vision as the demon plundered his mouth, that questing tongue mapping him in an intimate way that no one had dared to before. He felt claimed in that kiss and it frightened him. For once it was over, how could he not lust for another one?

He surrendered to it, letting Jade tilt him over backwards, bring his own trembling hands to the flaxen, midnight hair. Hair as dark as ink, as black as the demon’s soul. How he reveled in the sensual feeling of it between his fingers. He could never have enough. He wanted to feel it brush against his naked body, wanted to wrap it around him as he slept. A tidal wave of emotion overwhelmed him and Honor’s knees buckled.

Jade’s strong arms encircled him, hovering them somewhere over the tiled floor. His panting breaths matched Honors. "That’s what’s been bothering you, Honor," Jade whispered above his lips.

"Mmm," Honor moaned, dizzied, eager for that mouth again. Jade did not disappoint him, smashing his lips in another possessive display, his very act of dominance thrilling Honor to no end. He wanted to be swept up, taken away, not given the choice. He want to hang suspended in those arms as the beautiful fallen angel ravished him completely. His body sung, cried out for it. Jade.

The dark angel groaned aloud, their minds touching tentatively as their lips parted. Honor felt another tug on his hair, gentler this time, forcing his head all the way back. The sharp points of petite fangs grazed his neck, causing him to arch back and then up to that touch. He clutched at handfuls of ebony silk and drew Jade’s lips down again.

The demon sucked, and sucked and sucked. Marking him. Branding him. Ever careful not to break fragile, luminescent skin. Honor knew somewhere in the back of his mind that this began a mating ritual. He shivered.

I’ve waited so long for you.

Honor’s eyes snapped open as Jade’s voice rang desperately in his ears. "Jade, no…Jade."

Hungry nips down his neck, and then an angular, pale cheek tenderly rubbing across his chest. Jade reverently kissed over Honor’s drumming heart. "Don’t refuse me."

"Jade, we mustn’t…"

"Honor…Honor…" Those ravenous lips parted and that skilled tongue traced a wet trail up Honor’s neck, meeting with the shell of his ear before delving deliciously inside.

"Oh!" Honor hung onto Jade’s shoulders, dangling on the edge of sanity. So overpowering. So all-consuming. How he ached, ached to be consumed like this. "Jade…please, no…" Honor heard himself cry out.

"Don’t… don’t refuse me." Jade’s voice spilled forth, thick with need. "Give yourself to me…"

Honor’s back arched, his liquid muscles solidifying instantly to petrified rock. He felt Jade pull back, a confused expression on his handsome face.

"Is this how you sought victory? To get me excommunicated for this sin, and then have free reign over Shuku?" Honor’s voice fell through the air like melting ice-sickles.

Jade grit his teeth. "It’s not about your precious Shuku, dammit!"

"It’s not?" Honor slipped out of Jade’s arms. "Then what is it about, demon?"

Now Jade’s eyes took their turn to harden. "You know… I always wondered what stuff a true angel’s heart was made of. Now I know. Stone." He moved to walk away, his shoulders straight with pride.

Honor took a step to follow him. "Don’t act so self-righteous. We both no you did this just to have me in your power."

Smoldering green eyes glowed at him from the darkness. "You can’t have it both ways, fledgling. You can’t burn for me with every nerve in your body, and push me away, condemned. And you won’t get me to condemn myself. I did not pursue you to sway you…"

"That’s a lie!"

"All right, it is a lie. But not the way you think!" Frustrated, Jade shoved his hands in his pockets.

"What do you mean, not the way I think!"

"Honor, I can promise you, by everything I hold dear, I did not come to you to get to Shuku."

"Why should I believe you?" Honor glared at those sparkling green orbs.

"Because," the dark one replied in seriousness, "I am the only demon never to tell a lie."

Honor stood there, an incredulous expression on his face. "Impossible."

"Unlikely. Not impossible. I have never lied. And I am not after your precious Shuku. And to prove it, I shall take my leave." Jade bowed and disappeared like mist, his ethereal presence reforming on the outside of the apartment wall.

Honor ran to the window, watching long black wings cut through the pre-dawn sky. He felt… empty. Very empty. And weary, a feeling which he had never known before as an angel. That had been a human memory, like sadness or… lust. Jade brought all those things to him, as if he sensed how Honor starved...

But duty pressed him to ignore it, forbade him to think of the demon anymore. His place was by Jizen Shuku’s side, until the human met his destiny and died. Then he would earn his throne in heaven, and Jade would be a distant memory too. Never to be looked upon again.

The thought filled Honor with hollowness. Despair. He climbed atop the refrigerator and curled into a tight ball, wrapping himself in Jade’s summer scent, and conjuring the memory of soft, opaque hair.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ch 10

Pounding. Someone pounded on his head with a crowbar. Again and again, mushing his brains into split pea soup. No, no wait. Not pounding on his head… pounding on the door. Shuku slit open an eyelid and reeled as his pupils dilated with the sunlight.

The pounding kept up. He glanced over, almost unable to recognize his brother under the thick purple eyeliner. Shuku attempted to get up, failing miserably, flopping back on the futon like a day-old fish. "I’m coming!" he croaked out. Still the pounding didn’t cease.

Suddenly the door flew open, its brass knob banging loudly against the wall. Kanja sama stood in the doorway, the sight of his small body sending ice rivers into Shuku’s bloodstream.

"Kanja kacho…What are you doing here?"

The small man rushed over to the bed and cupped his chin with strong, albeit tiny, fingers. "Where have you been Jizen? Where?"

Shuku shook his head, still too dazed to wrap his mind around the words.

"I’ve called every five minutes since day break. No answer. You didn’t check in with base last night, you didn’t even check in with me at home, son. I get there this morning with no report, no explanation, no criminals in my cells, and most disturbingly, no Shuku in my office. You have three seconds to explain why that is before I kill you for worrying me so."

"Kanja…sama… gomen. Last night… I…oh my head." Shuku held his head in his hands, his fingers getting acquainted with the constant throbbing of blood.

"What happened?" Kanja put warm, familiar hands on the top of his head, checking for injury.

Shuku winced, but kept his tone soft and even. "I went to the warehouse and waited like you said. But no one else checked in… not even on the radio. Hours went by and nothing happened, so I got out of my car and checked… to make sure everyone was okay. I went in the warehouse and looked out the window. Kacho! The Yakuza weren’t shipping drugs last night. They were shipping people! Boys, I should say. About a dozen or so got off a boat—I didn’t catch the name—and got into limos. I have no idea what they’re up to, but I couldn’t arrest all of them simply for getting off a boat and into a car. So I went to call for back up and had a run in with… I bet you can guess."

"Yaburu Uragiri?"

"You got it. He kept his hands over my mouth till his men made their getaway, then he… challenged me to a duel."

Kanja sama kept silent for a moment, his scrutinizing eyes digging deep holes into Shuku’s forehead. "He what?"

"He made me fight him."

"Why? Why didn’t he just--"

"Kill me? Said he wasn’t that kind of man, kacho. Said he would give me a chance to get away. And then he fought me- with a crowbar." The last bit Shuku attempted to muffle under his breath.

"A crowbar?"

"It was a factory. There weren’t any swords!" Shuku sighed, looking over at his little brother, amazed the boy still slept through all this.

"Let me understand you, Shu. You went to the warehouse and no one else was there to back you up--"

"Yes."

"And you had a… a…a crowbar duel with one of the most wanted criminals in Tokyo--"

"Yes."

"And I assume he gave you this blow to the head?" Kanja walked his fingers gently over the base of Shuku’s skull.

"I don’t remember being hit."

"Well, from the looks of it, you couldn’t have seen it coming. My only question left is how you got here. Do you remember that?"

Shuku shook his head.

"He must have brought you here. Which means he knows where you live…" Kanja sama rubbed his chin in thought.

"But how?"

"It’s easy enough. Says so on your license. It would be easy for a man like him to track you, Shu. And even easier to follow you. But why? Why this sudden interest in my newest?"

Shuku watched as his boss paced around his ramshackle studio. The man stopped and stared up at the refrigerator. "It’s most peculiar. We must get to the bottom of it."

Kanja sama… talking to the refrigerator? "We will, kacho. Please don’t worry on my behalf."

"It’s my job to worry on your behalf, Shuku kun. Or have you forgotten?"

Shuku bowed his head, ignoring the painful sensation accompanying such an action. "I have not forgotten, sensei. All I’m saying is that I’m an adult now."

"And you can take care of yourself?" Kanja smiled while shaking his gray head. "You know, I don’t think it has anything to do with that, Shuku. You’re just damn plain lucky. Your guardian angel must be working overtime." He was talking to the refrigerator again.

Shuku laughed and made to sit up again.

"All right. It’s good to know you and your otouto are okay, though by the looks of things Hato chan had a rough night too."

Shuku looked down at his little brother. "He’s a bit wild, sir. I’m doing my best with him."

"Well, if he’s anything like you, he’ll come around with a bit of guidance. It’s a shame I’m too old to teach that boy the arts. But you know, you might want to think about it."

"I’ll consider it. His mind isn’t mature enough to handle the training just yet, I think…"

Kanja raised a carefully trimmed eyebrow. "Were you any different when you came to my instruction, Shuku kun? Head strong, loud mouthed, skinny little piss that you were. Always disrespecting me. Always running off on your own. But I saw you come around. You’ll become one of the finest on my force, I just know it. That is the power of the martial arts."

"No." Shuku shook his head. "It was your dedication to me, sensei. It was your… love… that turned me around."

Kanja bowed. "Than it must be love that will turn Hato chan around."

Shuku nodded, rising from the bed to escort his teacher to the door. "I hope I’m not being presumptuous, but might I have the day off?"

Kanja nodded vigorously. "Yes. Rest up and type up something about last night. I’d like to figure out why Youji’s team wasn’t there to meet you. Also, go through your wallet and things and make sure nothing was taken. And see about Hato chan. That boy is missing school, Shuku kun."

"Yes, sir. Thank you… sensei."

"Ah!" Kanja shrugged off the sentiment, closing the door quietly on his way out.

"Another visit from munchkin land?" Hato’s sleepy voice called out.

Shuku whirled around and marched up to the futon. "How long have you been awake? Where have you been? When did you get in last night? What--"

"Holy fuck, shut up! My head!" Hato buried his face in the cotton pillow and let out a howl. "God! Will you just lay off! I had a fucked up night too…"

Shuku folded his arms. "Hato, either you will apologize and explain yourself, or you will go out of this house immediately."

Hato lifted his head, peering at Shuku with stained red eyes.

"Oh sweet Lord! What happened, Hato?" Shuku crawled across the bed, prying Hato’s blurry eyes open with two gentle fingers.

"Ah…ah…easy, niichan. I told you on the phone. You can check the machine. I got a job in a host club."

"A host club!"

"Relax, it’s called Kubomi’s. It’s the best. All I have to do is sit and chat with customers and then they tip me. I have the money I made last night… somewhere around here… You don’t think that Yabu-whatever-his-name-was took it, do you? I have close to twenty thousand en in tips and that was just splitting!"

"Hato, I meant what happened to your eyes?"

"Oh." Hato straightened. "Well, I guess I’m not used to cigar smoke and stuff like that. Plus I was out really late, niichan."

"That’s no good. You can’t miss anymore school."

"But it’s good money!"

"Hato, you can’t use the money for college if you don’t pass the exams…" Shuku stroked white hair back from his brother’s sleepy face.

"Ah, look. You’re such a wet rag. I’m excited, can’t you be happy for me too? I got my first job at the best spot in town and for the first time in my life I’m making money- real money. You let me worry about school, okay? You’re always saying I should take on more responsibility…"

Shuku smiled. "That’s faulty logic, considering you can’t handle your current responsibilities. Look, Hato, I’m proud that you got a good job. I guess I don’t mind you being a host, so long as you’re careful never to leave the restaurant alone at night, or to take things too far with a customer. I’ve heard stories about host clubs…"

"Yeah, well, Kubomi’s is a real nice place, ani. The ceilings are trimmed with gold."

"Gold?"

"Yeah, real gold too. None of that fake stuff. It’s sooooo posh. And all I have to do is sit there and look pretty. And serve the meals, of course." Hato batted his swollen eyelids.

Shuku laughed. "All right. I guess we’ll give this job a try. For now. But you have to promise to make time for study. College is important…"

"Yeah, I promise. You know what else? Kubomi’s boss came over to my table and said that I would make a nice edition to the staff. He even said that I can be a dancer down in the nightclub if I wanted on weekends… Mayaku said that makes sweet money…"

"Who’s this Mayaku?" Shuku frowned, standing up.

"He’s the guy training me. He’s really nice. Got red, red hair." The rest of the sentence got garbled as Shuku helped his brother out of his shirt.

"Mayaku… that’s a really funny name."

"Why?"

"Well, the kanji means… like opium or narcotics or something…" Shu gave his brother a serious look.

Hato laughed. "You take things way too literally, niichan. It’s just a cool name, you know? Maya will be the first to tell you he’s addictive." Hato stood up shakily and unzipped his jeans. "Will you stop worrying so much? You’re too young to look that old."

Shuku shrugged. "I don’t want you to get too close to those kind of people… till you get to know them better, OK, Hato?"

"What do you mean ‘those kind of people’? Maya is nice, Shu. Look, I’m gonna grab a shower. And I’m starving. Order us a pizza?"

"It’s nine o’clock in the morning!"

"Yeah, well, it’ll be nine-thirty by the time it gets here, Shu!" Hato closed the bathroom door.

"Don’t use up all the hot water, Hato!" Shuku yelled.

"I won’t! OH!" Hato opened the door back up, his pants down around his ankles. "Look. Guess that guy didn’t take it after all. Here," Hato tossed a wad of yen at Shuku. "That’s what I made last night. You can put it in the college fund jar."

Shuku counted the money, trying to keep his excitement from showing. Hato showed a real interest in going to school, and with this new job and a scholarship, he might just make it! He smiled, thinking of his brother in a black satin gown on graduation day, bright violet eyes alive with the knowledge he would go on to be one of Tokyo’s finest. So what if he had to work as a host? Many college boys did. There was no shame in it. Shuku beamed up at his brother. "Okay. Get your shower. I’ll call the pizza shop, if it’s even open this early."

Hato grinned. "Ne, niichan?"

"Hm?" Shuku said, taking up the phone.

"Don’t you think it’s a little odd?"

"Pizza? Yes."

"No. I mean. Odd that he brought you home… this Yabura person."

"Yaburu. Yes. I think he’s playing games with me. Because he’s powerful and he can. Men like that always have too much pride. I’ll get him eventually." Shuku swallowed and looked at Hato speculatively. "You’re not scared are you? To be here now? I’d understand if you wanna go home to mom…"

Hato waved him off. "I’m not scared of him. Just my boss and mister midget sama--"

"Hato!"

"All right, I’m sorry. Kanja sensei. Your Yaburu Yakuza man doesn’t bother me. ‘Sides, I’m in no rush to get out of your hair, Shu."

Shu smiled and turned to make his call.

~*~

From atop the refrigerator, Honor unfolded his legs with a slow sigh. He had hoped with the disappearance of the moonlight, the hollow, lonely feeling would fade as well. But Jade had touched something deep inside him… in just those few handfuls of seconds when their mind’s connected… Honor had been plagued with a weighty anxiety ever since. They would meet again, he knew. He hated to admit it, but he felt afraid. Not because they would see each other again. But because of how desperately he wanted it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The days passed much too quickly for Ura, and before he knew it, the time to meet Sento sama came to hand. He approached the upper units where his master kept daytime office hours. His footsteps echoed solemnly on the long walk down the marble corridor. Marble was everywhere, Ura noted. Cold and clear and perfect, just like Sento sama. Ura remembered a time before Sento sama ran the Toranomon organization. Things were simpler, sure, less modern, less efficient. More margin for error. Sento sama did not believe in second chances, and therefore, second mistakes were never made.

Ura repressed a shiver and knocked on the mahogany door.

"Enter."

"Sento sama. I am here, as you requested. With information concerning Officer Jizen Shuku."

"Ah. Very good. Please do come in." Sento raised a hand, indicating the brown leather Chippendale for Ura. "I am most interested in what you’ve found. I trust there were no complications?"

"None that need concern us, master."

"Very good. Proceed."

"What specifically did you wish to know, Sento sama?"

Ura watched fastidiously manicured hands fold into a sharp steeple. "Everything. How old is he?"

"Twenty two. Born on June 25th, sir."

Sento’s eyes darkened. "Go on."

"He was raised near Ueno Park by his mother."

"Who is she? What does she look like?"

"I… I don’t know, Sento sama. I was unable to find a record… but I can go through more channels if you…"

"Never mind. I know what she looks like."

Ura kept his own feelings under wraps. He couldn’t mistake the predatory gleam in Sento’s eye, and his stomach tightened with fear for Shuku. But then, why should he care? He had acted honorably enough. Anything more would be out-and-out betrayal of the tiger clan.

"Go on."

"He attended Junenko high school, was on the martial arts team."

"So he knows the arts? What divisions?"

"Tae kwon do and Kung Fu, I believe, sir. Studied under someone named Kanja sensei--"

Ura stopped when Sento bolted out of his chair, angry recognition twisting his usually placid face. Sento seemed to swallow his own tongue for a moment, then composed himself and returned to his seat. "Forgive me. It is all most distressing."

"Would I be presuming too much to ask my master why? Is this rookie cop much of a threat to us?"

Sento glared at him. "No. Jizen is of no importance to me. Shoot him on sight, next time, that’s an order. It’s Kanja that worries me."

"The chief of police? He’s never interfered before…"

"He’s never had an advantage before…"

Ura frowned, not following. "How does--"

"I’m asking the questions, Uragiri." Sento’s voice fell flat and unrelenting.

"Yes, master."

"Anything else?"

Ura considered telling him about Hato. The boy looked so young, and obviously had gotten into some sort of trouble. Shuku had enough on his hands already, without Yakuza dogging him and his little brother. On the one hand, Ura owed it to his boss to report all his findings. On the other, Shu had fought him honorably, and hopefully would see the wisdom in Ura’s request and leave the Yakuza alone. Therefore he saw no reason to—

"Uragiri, are you going to make me repeat myself?"

"No, sir. I was just thinking. His bank records are in order. He’s horribly poor. He’s medical history is clean. He apartment is typical. There’s nothing special about him…" Nothing but those bright, warm eyes displaying his every emotion. His strong, melodious voice. His scent, his form, his—

"I am no longer interested in Jizen. The sooner he’s dead the less I will worry about Kanja. That is all you need to know. Now, unless you have something of import to add, we will not speak on this again. Only mention it if you see him again, understand?"

"Yes, master. Mamoru Sai and I are always happy to serve you."

"Your efforts will not go unrewarded." Sento already considered him gone, Ura realized.

"Then, may I voice a request, Sento sama?"

Cold gray eyes fixed on him. "What is it?"

"I would like for my assistant, Sai, to be allowed some vacation time. I fear he will be of no used to me fatigued."

Sento nodded. "If you can part with him I do not care how long he is away." A curious eyebrow lifted. "Will you be needing any time away?"

"No, sir."

Sento smiled. "You are very dedicated, Uragiri. Why is that? What are you after, I wonder? Where else can you advance, my friend, but to my chair? Are you hoping to inherit the business, Ura?"

Ura did not let the honeyed tone fool him for a moment. Even a rattlesnake could not hide its tail. "I have no other interest but to serve my clan and master. I would not like to run the business, Sento sama. I hope you were not considering me for your retirement. I prefer to serve rather than to be served."

"How very cowardly of you, Ura. Don’t want to have to make those tough calls, my friend?"

"No, sir." Ura’s back straightened as he fought to hide his anger.

"Well, fear not old servant, I do not intend on retiring within your lifetime."

Ura could not conceal his shock. That Sento, a man almost in his fifties, expected to outlive him seemed outrageous. Ura forced himself to appear casual. "I certainly hope so, master."

Sento chuckled knowingly and then turned his attention to the papers on his desk. Inaudible, but clearly a dismissal. Ura quickly exited the room with a sigh of relief.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 11

Jade perched atop the flagpole of the Seventh Tokyo Precinct once again, the staggering August humidity forcing him out of his comfortable trench coat and into a thin biker’s jacket. True, what could the heat really do to his form? But as the days turned into weeks, the soul remembered seasons.

The soul also remembered sadness and pain so fresh that it stifled his every attempt to breathe, to think, to do anything other than sit in wait for the very cause of that memory. Honor. Soon the gorgeous little angel would stride out of this run-down building, and hover over his ward until they were safely home. And Jade would be there, just to glimpse it. Pathetic, he knew… but what else could he do?

Those luminescent wings on that luscious little body, a body that encased the very soul Jade needed to claw his way back to heaven… Drawn against his will, that petite figure became his only thought, until his obsession morphed into something as silently familiar as the beating of his black heart.

And yet, Jade found he could not force the angel to do his will, could not seduce him to set his scheme in motion. It would have been so easy. Shamefully easy, actually. Honor had wanted to be taken, had practically begged him to mate. His memory toppled back to panted moans and fervent kisses, kisses that soaked deep into Jade’s mind, extracted the desperation there, and fed it, soothed it with the balm of sympathy, of understanding. Jade had never mind-spoke before, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself with Honor that night. They could have bonded right then, and Honor would be in his sway forever.

But no. When those childlike eyes turned accusatory rage on him, he found no mettle to match them with. He found he could not take advantage of Honor. Would not. On some tiny level, Jade knew the reason why. But he would not speak its name.

He spread his wings, about to take flight, when he spotted the breathtaking creature below. Quickly he shielded himself from sight, drinking in his fill. The same medium brown hair, the same chaotic layers. Lithe, fragile limbs cloaking surprising strength. Innocence and loveliness and everything that Jade should have been…

Honor stopped, looking up at the dusky Tokyo sky. Jade knew he could not be seen, but he had definitely been felt. Perhaps even heard, if the fledgling had sensitive skills. Like a true coward, he hid from the setting sun, from Honor’s view. And soon enough, the angel turned to follow his ward away. Jade sighed, and folded his dark wings about him.

~*~

Spices hung thick in the air. So many little shops near by, their homemade dishes wafting through the air without help of a breeze. Ura let out a long sigh. Here he found himself, again. Again, for the third time this week. Almost every other day he had to stop by the precinct and watch Shu make his way home. Something tugged at him, floating him to this place like a rip tide.

Stupid. Utterly stupid for a wanted man like him to wait outside a police office. Even more stupid that he should wait only to see Jizen Shuku get safely into his car. The man he had been ordered to shoot on sight. He kidded himself every time, saying he came there to scout out his target. But honestly, he knew he could never hurt the boy.

Granted, Shuku remained the only threat to his organization, his boss. Though why, Ura couldn’t fathom. And granted, his master wanted him dead. Shuku remained the only thing between him and sweet, slumber-filled nights. But he just couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t. How could he, when all he longed for was to take the boy in his arms, and run his hands through that choppy brown hair? He wanted to hear Shu gasp as he had done in the warehouse, to feel that supple, young body thrill and thrust against his own. He wanted those amber brown eyes on him every moment, as he filled that boy with his aching need, claimed him, kept him, rocked him through the night. Hunger did not even begin to describe what Uragiri felt. It didn’t even scratch the surface.

He sat there, a tiger sheltered in the tall grass, and watched the young man walk from the entrance to the parking lot. Shu seemed a little older, a little more composed. He filled out his frame more. Must be eating his brother’s cooking, Ura thought absently. But underneath the new composition, there still existed that gentle manner about him. The soft, soundless way of walking. The hopefulness on his face and kindness in his eyes. Jizen Shuku would always remain an innocent. An honorable, white knight. Everything that Uragiri should have been.

He sighed, and turned over the engine. Better to head to work, lest Sai’s maternal instinct over-run his sense of judgment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hato had been working at Kubomi’s for a full month now. His unusual looks and innocent charm endeared him to many clients, both young and old. He found himself a comfortable niche, making friends with the right people, earning scandalous amounts of money, and if he had extra time, he actually showed up for classes. He lived the good life.

Tonight would be no exception, he felt certain. He put on his own make up, as Candy had the night off. He didn’t need her help anyway, he could do this in his sleep by now. He finished putting on his lip liner and gave himself one last look in the mirror.

"You look marvelous, my little dove."

"Maya." Hato smiled.

"But then, you are the prettiest bird in this cage." Mayaku entered the dressing room and leaned over Hato to place a quick kiss on his cheek. "How are you tonight, Hato chan?"

"Hmm. I feel just fine, thank you." Hato simpered a little, as he had been taught to do, pleased to see Mayaku thoroughly entranced.

"You look just fine, too." Dark eyes stared at him through the mirror, their purpose clouded in lust.

Hato remained silent, trying his best not to blush. Only Mayaku could make him blush now. He knew the rest of his admirers were simply part of the show, an act. Maya’s attentions were real and had become more fervent of late.

"What’s brought this on, Maya chan?" Hato wondered aloud, not taking his eyes from the mirror.

"I have something special for you tonight, my dove. Something new."

"New?" Hato turned in his chair. "What is it?"

"It’s a surprise. You have to close your eyes."

Hato pouted. "You’re joking with me."

"I would never joke with you, precious. Be a good boy and close your eyes, and hold out your hands."

Hato smiled and did as requested, closing long black lashes over his lavender eyes. A sharp pinch jolted those lids back open, and Hato stared down at his forearm, now shaking, with a hypodermic needle imbedded in it. "N…no!"

Mayaku smiled and pushed the needle forward gently, easing the brown liquid deep into Hato’s veins. He shrieked, ripping the needle out of his arm and throwing it against the wall. Mayaku tackled him in an instant, covering his mouth with demanding lips, cutting off his scream and his senses.

A cold feeling coursed through his bloodstream, the invader mapping a chilled path to his heart. It’s frightened beat increased, and suddenly the room melted into darkness and heat.

"Hato, baby, it’s gonna make you feel so good."

"N…no…no…" Hato slumped against the counter, his head falling back on the vanity mirror.

"You taste so good, pretty baby." Mayaku kept kissing him, over and over, one kiss right after the other.

His skin crawled with the older boy’s touch, every nerve ending awakening and singing with hysterical joy. "Maya… what are you doing?"

"Making love to you, baby. Take this off."

Hato held his thin silk shirt to him. "No. Stop….wait…" Mayaku kissed him again, his slender hands tormenting his right nipple through the cool fabric. "Oh."

That same hand lowered to cup him there, roughly massaging him through his leather pants. Unable to stop himself, Hato thrust into Mayaku’s palm, whining with pleasure.

"Mmm, baby. You’re so hard. You’re hard, aren’t you, dove?"

"Yes," Hato hissed.

"Want me to fix it? You want Maya to make it all better?"

Hato nodded desperately. "Please."

The hand moved in harsher circles. "Say it. What do you want me to do to you, dove chan?"

"Ah…un…suck it."

Mayaku laughed as he unzipped Hato’s jeans, his cool breath washing over Hato’s heated face. He freed Hato’s slender, pulsing erection, sculpting it deftly. "You want me to suck it, baby? Suck it good?"

"Yes!" Hato screamed, near to completion just from the caress of Maya’s tone.

The redhead kneeled before him, licking his throbbing desire with cat-like ministrations, until Hato grunted with frustration. His hands came out to steal clumps of brandy-wine hair as he forced his cock past those smirking lips.

The wetness, the heat, and that thick, talented tongue exalted Hato. His rigid shaft forged into the pliant mouth around him, his breath coming in hitched sobs. "Maya!"

His friend began to suck, wrapping his lips around the base of his swollen staff, sending his tongue over every pulsing, thundering vein. The redhead bobbed up and down expertly, his rhythm without pause. Hato threw his head back, arching up into that moist cavern, apathetic to the alarming sound of his own tortured screams for more.

The drug intensified every feeling, tapping into every nerve with mind-blowing pleasure. He looked down, noticing Maya working his own hardness with one hand. The other hand came up to fondle his tight sack, and Hato let out a keening cry. He fucked his hips forward frantically, not stopping until he spilled himself down Mayaku’s eager throat.

He collapsed against the wall, watching Maya bring himself off where he remained on the floor. Jets of thick cream splattered into Maya’s waiting hand, the expression on his friend’s face sheer licentiousness. Hato panted, struggling to lift himself off the vanity, when Mayaku stood and pressed him against the mirror again.

"Lick it," Maya ordered, his voice a fierce command.

Hato sent his tongue tentatively out to taste the seed.

"Lap it up, Hato chan. Get used to it."

Hato felt so sexy, licking up hot jizz off Maya’s fingers. When he finished, he gave his friend a wolfish grin that earned him another heated kiss.

"How did it taste?"

Hato buried his nose in the crook of Maya’s neck. "Good."

Maya’s clean hand came up to stroke his hair. "That’s good baby. You like the taste? I can get you all the cock you want…"

Hato shook his head, suddenly so very tired. "No. Just you."

Maya chuckled. "We’ll see, sugar. We’ll see. Aw, you don’t look so good, kid."

"’M just sleepy."

Mayaku rested Hato on the plush Persian rug beside the vanity. "Why don’t you take a little nap for a while."

"But--"

"Don’t worry. I’ll man your tables for a bit and then come and get you…"

"All right…" Hato relinquished, too tired and dizzy to argue.

"Sleep well, Hato chan…Sleep like the dead."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shuku sat with his legs crossed, his mind focused in meditation. He had been trained to leave himself blank while fighting, but during meditation, Kanja sensei always encouraged him to let his mind conjure up its own thoughts. As a means of therapy, he supposed.

He blocked out his dingy little apartment. One by one, things began to disappear. Traffic and the noises outside. The sound of his one and only fan. The hum of the refrigerator. And finally Shuku found solitude within himself.

Jizen Shuku was five years old. It was a bright, sunny afternoon, the warm afternoon rays soaking up the puddles from the mid-day thunderstorm. He watched his mother bake his birthday cake, happy to be near her whenever she was smiling. Momma was happy right now, putting icing on his cake…

"And you know what, Shuku? I have another birthday present for you. It’s a surprise, though. And it’s going to take a long time to get here, so you’ll have to be a patient boy," his mother’s soft, sing-song voice filled his thoughts.

"What is it, momma?"

"Well, you’re going to have a baby sister or brother! Isn’t that nice? You’ll have someone to play with, besides daddy’s work friends."

Shuku clapped his chubby hands. "Yippie! Can I name him when he comes out?"

His mother smiled warmly. "And just how do you know it will be a little boy?"



"I just know. It’s gonna be a boy and he’ll be real pretty like you."

"Shu," his mother chuckled, "boy’s are handsome, like your father. Girls are pretty."

"Nut-uh." Shu shook his head. "He’s gonna be real pretty, just like you."

"Okay, dear. If you say so. Help momma put this icing on the cake?"

Just then the door slammed open, causing his mother to drop the batter stick.

"Bijin!"

"In the kitchen, husband. Shuku, go to your room."

"No!"

"Shu--" His mother paled.

"You stupid bitch. I had to hear it from the boys." His father’s voice remained oddly quiet, considering the murderous tone he spoke with.

"Hear what? Can’t it wait till Shuku goes to his--"

"You went out again, didn’t you. Didn’t you? I told you, no one sees you but me. You didn’t listen--"

"Your lackey didn’t get here this morning! Someone had to take him to school." His mother clutched Shu close to her, sheltering him with her slender, crossed arms.

"You interrupted me." His father sounded incredulous.

The ringing of a spread palm cracking against his mother’s face was a sound Jizen Shuku would never forget. He watched in horror as his mother’s frail frame went down, splaying across the cold kitchen floor. Her delicate lady’s hand came up to cradle her stomach, her lavender eyes laced with fear and pain.

"Shuku," she managed in a tiny voice. "Go up to your room!"

"I will not! I will not leave you, mommy! Daddy! You’re…you’re a bad man! How dare you hit mommy! ‘Specially now that she’s gonna have a baby!"

His father’s eyes, the color of which remained long forgotten, seemed to glow with fury. "Another brat?"

"Husband, please…"

His father sighed. "That’s it, old girl. It’s over. I told you I’m not cut out for this family crap. The business is under heavy surveillance, Detective Kanja is all over my ass. How I am supposed to face the boss if you and this rug rat lead him straight to me? You stupid little bitch!"

Shuku stepped in front of his father’s well-aimed kick, sparing his mother and her unborn child the heavy blow. His father kicked, and kept on kicking, until Shuku couldn’t breathe anymore. He lay on the floor, his little body limp with exhaustion and soaked with tears. Somewhere, over his mother’s screaming, he heard his father mutter, "Get used to it, Shuku. Disappointments are just God’s way of saying he has a better idea." And then his father turned and walked out the door. They never saw him again.

His mother hovered over him, crying pitifully while she inspected his bruises, then reached up for the phone. Shuku retreated into himself, all other noises now seemed far away.

"Detective Kanja? Could you… oh God… could you come over please? It’s Sento Bijin. I just, he just…" His mother started sobbing again. "I have to get Shuku safe, please, I don’t know what else to do…"

Shuku curled up into a little ball and then sat up, crawling over to his mother. "Don’t worry, mommy. I’ll protect you…

With Kanja sama’s help, they relocated to the quiet neighborhood of Ueno Park. Later that year his brother was born, and Shuku named him Hato, because he looked like a little lost dove. Hato became his shadow, and constant friend; Shuku was always eager to protect him. As the years passed, Shuku learned to be husband and father to his family. That responsibility, coupled with the pressure of poverty, almost buckled his adolescent will to survive.

Again, appearing out of nowhere, Kanja sama came to his high school, offering to train those with serious interest in the policy academy the ways of martial arts. Like a beacon in a storm, Shuku found himself a mentor. Channeling all his anger- at his father, his fate, and his unattainable dreams- Shuku became the fieriest warrior in his class. Kanja sama took special interest in him, conditioning him for a future in the police force. Had Kanja sama not been there to guide him, to direct his drive, he was sure he would have ended up like his father. A puppet of the Yakuza.

And now, here he stood, a man… finally no longer a victim, but a force to be reckoned with. Only one obstacle was placed before him. Only one thing blocking out his chance to blot out his past…

Yaburu Uragiri. A Yakuza. A servant of darkness, like his father. And yet, different. Uragiri’s voice was deep and soulful, hypnotizing him. Those strong, thickly-muscled arms made him feel so secure, so protected. It was a nice change, to be the one protected for once. Uragiri’s kisses were like liquid fire, awakening a passion… a taste for sensual, forbidden things Shuku never acknowledged before. He knew it was wrong. It would be the key to his undoing. But he was powerless to stop it. Yaburu Uragiri had gotten under his skin, and burned straight into his blood. He craved him like a desert thirsted for the sea. To float in his arms, to have those powerful hands crash down upon his body, to be rocked in the night by the tide of that man’s passion...to be consumed…

Shuku’s fantasy claimed him, as he lowered his body flush against the floor and pressed an open palm to his heated flesh. Slowly, oh so slowly, he stroked the evidence of his secret lust, shivering as the pleasure spun webs around his mind. Images of Uragiri, touching him, tasting him, thrusting deep inside him… they washed over him like a tsunami, causing him to cry out hoarsely, "Ura! Ura, give it to me!"

"Would you take it?" Ura’s voice softly inquired.

"Oh God, yes!" he screamed, as he humped his hips up off the floor a few more times before spraying his molten essence. He collapsed, vaguely aware of what had passed and then blackness took him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 12

Hato struggled up and away from the hollow blackness he’d fallen into. The first thing he noticed were red and brown threads escaping from the rug beneath him. Then he remembered the necessity of breathing, and took great, painful gulps of oxygen. He shook, a leaf in a storm, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

Whatever Maya had given him sure felt good at the time, but it left him a husk of a man afterwards. How had his friend persuaded him to begin taking so many drugs in the first place? It wasn’t as if he was an unhappy person, someone who wanted escape. He liked his life; he loved working at Kubomi’s. The attention, the nice clothes, the power. Magic…

He tried sitting up and almost vomited all over the Persian carpet, so he lay back down and waited for his body to stabilize.

Just then the door snicked open.

"I just can’t get him awake, Sento sama. I’ve been so worried. He won’t even—Hato?"

"Maya, what’s going on?"

"Ah, you’re alive, young…Hisen, wasn’t it?"

Hato squinted up at the towering figure. "Sento… sama?"

"How are you, dear boy? Young Mayaku tells me you were food poisoned."

"Food…? Yes! I feel awful, sir. Forgive me for not going to my tables. Bad sushi."

"That’s simply horrible," Sento’s voice patronized. "Just awful. Sushi from here?"

Hato looked back and forth between his friend and his boss, and decided it was best to keep the lie simple. He nodded his head.

Sento sama made a clicking noise with his tongue. "I shall fire Chef Matayoshi personally."

"Oh no! Don’t do that… Sento sama. It was an honest mistake."

"My staff does not make mistakes, Hato. Or at least, they don’t make a second one. Can you stand, my precious?"

Hato wondered at the saccharine tone, but followed his employer’s suggestion. He stood, wobbling slightly, and tried to make sense of the upright world. "I think I’ll be all right, sir. I just need to rest."

"Yes, I agree. We have many suites here, I’ll have Mayaku take you to one. And then… then I think young Hato… I don’t want you working in the restaurant anymore."

Hato’s heart stopped beating, his mouth instantly dry. "Oh… no… please, sir. Don’t take away my job. I’m fine, I promise…" He looked to Maya for help, but received only a worried stare.

"Of course not, son. I just don’t think the restaurant is really where you should be. Once you’re rested and feel well, I should like to discuss moving you down to the nightclub as a dancer. You’ll get more recognition there, and better money. And we can’t have you wasting those gorgeous good looks, now can we, eh, Mayaku?"

Mayaku softly agreed, his eyes burning holes into Hato’s head. "Um, I’m very grateful, Sento sama, but…"

"But?" Sento’s tone turned slightly chilly.

"But what about Mayaku kun? He deserves the position so much more than me--"

"Mayaku and I have already discussed his position. I need him managing all of Kubomi’s services in my absence. He will have no time for dancing. I have come to depend on him much too much for that."

"Oh," Hato replied meekly.

"Don’t worry, my boy, I’m sure you’ll still see much of each other. Mayaku here will be your supervisor, and you’ll be in good hands, I assure you. Now, go to your room and call your brother so he won’t worry."

"How did you know I had a brother, Sento sama?"

"You mentioned it before."

"I did?"

"Of course. How else would I have known? In fact, if you like, invite him here for the night too. I’m sure we have many diversions that might interest him." Sento and Mayaku exchanged glances and with that, his boss exited.

"I don’t remember mentioning Shu--"

"Hato!" Mayaku shook him roughly.

"Ow!"

"You’re alive! You passed out on me! You stopped breathing! I thought for sure you were dead! You sure you’ve done this stuff before?"

Hato shook his head. "No. Not really, since you. I… I don’t think I like it, actually…"

"Well, lucky you, it got you a promotion out of it!" Maya said with a smirk, running his hands through Hato’s hair.

"Yeah, but no more, okay?"

"If you say so, dove. You know I only care for your happiness…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two o’ clock in the morning and still no Hato. Shu, beside himself with worry, took to pacing. When that proved fruitless, he began cleaning. Taking out an army of cleaning supplies, he dusted, straightened, polished, washed and organized his entire apartment. Twice. He scrubbed the floors with vengeance. Finally, exhausted, he crawled to his futon and spread out over the cool covers.

Something had to be done. When Hato came home, Shuku would have to lay down the law. This just couldn’t go on any longer. This job interfered with the boy’s studies, and kept him out at all hours of the night. Shuku sighed heavily, turning his face into the pillow. His days playing dad were far from done.

The telephone rang, and Shu had it in his hands by the first ring. "Moshi moshi?"

"Niichan."

"Where are you? Are you all right?"

"No. I had food poisoning…I’m--"

"Where are you? I’ll come get you." Shuku’s voice sounded tight even to his own ears.

"No, that’s okay. My boss said I could stay here tonight."

"I want you home. Listen to me, tell me where you are?"

"Kubomi’s, ani. You know that."

"I don’t know where it is, exactly… do you think you give me directions?"

"Niichan, I’m tired. Please let me sleep here, OK? I know, I’m in trouble and you can yell at me all you like when I get back, but for now, I just wanna sleep." Hato’s voice sounded raw, the change dramatic.

"Hato, I’m not angry at you for getting sick. I just want to make sure you’re okay. I’ve been so worried."

"I know, I’m sorry." Hato sighed. "Listen, Kubomi’s is like a hotel with a restaurant and nightclub in it. I am gonna stay in one of the suites here till tomorrow, then I’ll come home. Can you cover for me with the teachers? Please?"

Shuku did not doubt his brother for a moment; the boy sounded dead-tired. "All right. Get some sleep. Want me to pick you up in the morning?"

"No, I’ll be fine, okay? Cut the cord, niichan."

Shuku frowned, but what else could he offer? "All right. Call me if you need anything. You have both my numbers, right?"

"Always. Thanks, ani."

"Take care, Hato. Please, don’t do anything stupid."

Hato remained silent for a moment, then said softly, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Shuku put the phone back on the hook and used his free hand to massage his aching temple.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ura finished putting out all the cigarette butts in the ashtray. He hated smoke, hated the hazy trail it left in the air. Seemed like all his affairs played out in smoky rooms or back alleys…

"They sure were intimidated easily, kacho." Sai smirked, finishing his fourth cup of sake without so much as batting an eye.

"Yes." He continued, smashing the very last butt out. "As they should be. Damned construction company Suits. Always trying to back out of their tithe."

"What’s wrong, kacho?"

"What makes you think there’s something wrong, Sai?"

"Kacho, I’ve known you since I was a kid--"

"You still are a kid."

Sai smiled genuinely. "Only to you, Ura. Come on, I’ve known you practically all my life. And I’ve been working with you everyday for two years. You don’t think your mysterious image can bullshit me, do you?"

Ura looked over at his companion, a little surprised to hear him talking like a man. But then, everyone had to grow up sometime. Sai had matured long ago, Ura just hadn’t taken the time to notice. "All right. Something is bothering me. Happy?"

"Quite the contrary. Tell me."

Ura took a long look at Sai, weighing his options. He never discussed himself, and he never trusted anyone. Except, he trusted Sai. He knew he could tell his assistant that his heart felt shredded, mangled, with loneliness. He could burden his friend with the knowledge that he had fallen for the rookie cop. And he knew Sai would keep it to himself. But if anything ever happened, knowing Sento sama… well, Ura wanted his friend to be able to answer truthfully that he had no idea his kacho harbored betraying thoughts. "I’m tired, my friend. I think I’m getting old."

"You should go on vacation. And stop saying you’re old!"

Ura’s brows creased. "That reminds me. Sento sama said for you to take your time off. I think I can live without you for a week--"

Sai opened his mouth.

"—So don’t even think of arguing with me. Honestly, Sai, where you get the idea that once you turn your back I’m going to die on you…"

"Everyone else has," the young man muttered under his breath.

Ura heard him, his frown deepening. He placed a hand on Sai’s shaking shoulder. "I’m not your family, Sai. I’m not gonna disappear on you."

Sai leaned into the touch. "Yes, you are family, Ura. You’ve become like a father to me. I…I don’t want to lose you… like I lost them…"

Ura’s eyes stung, his every feeling urging him to embrace the boy. "I…" He cleared his throat, and tried again. "I am very proud of you, Sai. You are an honor to the tiger clan."

Sai’s lower lip trembled, and Ura found himself pulling back, terrified they both might start crying in the middle of some run down Tokyo bar. "And you deserve a break. So tomorrow night I want you to take the car and go to one of the ski cabins. It’ll be deserted at the end of August. Go, fish, swim, enjoy the last of summer. Come back to me refreshed."

"Kacho…"

"That’s an order, Mamoru. You gonna follow it?"

Sai looked at him for a long time, and Ura wondered if the boy would refuse. It would be the first time…

"Yes, sir."

"Good." Ura took up the bottle. "Have another round, I’ll drive us home."

Sai lifted his beat-up cup, toasting in a tiny voice, "Kampai."

"Kampai." The glasses clinked together.

~*~

Jade sat on the roof of the bar, his biker’s jacket carelessly tossed over one shoulder. A bitter expression clouded over his handsome features.

Dammit. Things were going so well, and now, nothing. He would miss his chance. Everyday, Uragiri and Shuku drifted farther apart, learning to accept their distance. The mind link with Honor grew weaker as well. He had been a fool to think he could win his way back to heaven anyway. So be it. If he couldn’t have a second chance, then he would at least take the one thing he lost his blessing for: vengeance.

"Ah well," he whispered to the moon, "stirring up trouble is what I do best, anyhow."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 13

The next morning Hato hurried home, relieved to find his brother had already left for work. He threw his coat on the futon, and headed straight for the refrigerator. A pickle, some tomatoes and milk. He shrugged knowingly and drank the milk from the carton. When that ran out, he tossed it inside the trash can and then ate the pickle. Somewhat sated, he sat down at the unbalanced table and stared out the window.

Guilt kept threatening to surface. Last night he crossed a serious line. Heavy drugs. And sex with someone he didn’t love. A first on both accounts for him. Hato couldn’t seem to grasp how quickly it all took place. He saw himself slipping, away from school, from ani, from even himself. But how to stop it? Especially when the ride down felt so damned good?

Well, from now on he would fly right. Taking the day off from school would give him the opportunity to get in some groceries and cook a nice dinner for Shuku. In way of an apology. He stood up, going to the closet to change into some comfy ripped jeans and an old tee.

He took some money out of his coat, leaving it behind on the futon. August still had enough warmth in it to merit just a shirt. Locking the apartment, he set out for the little market two blocks away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sai wandered the isles, a little more than lost. He had never had to buy groceries before. As an orphaned child he had learned to pick pocket whatever could fit in his coat. And then after Ura took him off the street, most of his days were spent with tutors or practicing at the target range. The Yakuza had been his whole life since he was ten years old. Learning to shop was not in the works, exactly.

But he needed something to eat while he lived in exile for a week. He fancied he would teach himself to cook. Everyone needed a hobby, he thought absently, not looking at all where he went.

"Oh, I beg your pardon." A soft, almost feminine voice caressed his ears.

"No, it’s my--" Sai stopped short, his eyes feasting on the boy before him. That long white hair, pearl-like skin, and forget-me-not eyes… eyes that arrested a man’s soul.

The boy smiled warmly, chuckling. He bowed, and continued down the isle, leaving Sai dumb-struck with a can of Campbell’s.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

What a funny young man, Hato thought to himself. Handsome, though. Dark hair, tanned skin, huge blue eyes. Ah well. He had no time to stop and gorge himself on the sight of an attractive face! He had a mission: pickled sashimi, curry rice and steamed shrimp miso soup. Shuku was gonna be so surprised!

He walked up and down the isles, carefully selecting his ingredients, and then headed for the check out. His adolescent interest could not help but pause in front of the magazine rack, the latest pictures of JRock’s concert tour littering every cover. "I’ll just get this for niichan." Hato laughed aloud. "Too bad I’ll have to pretend it’s mine!"

He paid for everything with cash, and set out the door, trying to ignore the odd feeling that someone watched him. His walk home in the bright sunshine lifted his spirits, and he began to sing ‘Goodbye yesterday, hello tomorrow.’ The next thing he knew he doubled over in pain, dropping his bags to clutch his stomach.

"Oh, God," he moaned, trying hard to breathe.

His innards seemed to cave in, not with hunger, but withdrawal. It lasted only a few moments, not even long enough for passersby to take notice. But it scared him none the less. Arms still shaking, he picked up the bags and hurried home.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shuku arrived home that night to an empty apartment. Disturbed, he went into the kitchen to check the message board, and found a three-course meal awaiting him instead. He took a deep breath, relishing the smells of fresh seafood and Indian spices. Hato really was a wizard in the kitchen.

Looking down, he saw a note in sloppy, sprawled handwriting. Funny, Hato always had glorious penmanship. His kanji were barely readable.

Going to work. Be back late. Enjoy dinner- save me some! Love, Hato

Shuku nodded, and dipped his finger into the pasty soup. "Hmm, delicious." Smiling, he flipped through the magazine Hato had bought.

He went to hang up his coat, noting that Hato had left his clothes strewn all over the bed and floor. He picked them up and put them in the hamper, then set about putting his brother’s coat away.

From whence a little packet of white powder dropped upon the ground.

Shuku froze, recognizing it instantly. But he didn’t want to move, because if he bent down and picked it up, then it would be real. He wouldn’t wake up from this, it wouldn’t go away. So he just stood there, the coat draped on his forearm, and stared at the offending ziplock bag. Tears welled up in his eyes, a prelude to his rage.

"Hato."

~*~

Honor watched, miserable, as his human destroyed their simple home. Shuku kicked the walls, screaming a string of obscenities. He over turned the trash can, going through the garbage. He rifled through every single outfit Hato owned, turning up another little packet, this time of pills.

"Oh, God." Shuku wiped the tears from his cheeks. "Tell me this is a joke! This has got to be a joke! No! This… it was planted on him. Something. Tell me something, dammit!"

The angel sat on the refrigerator, helpless, sharing Shuku’s misery.

"Why aren’t you ever there! Uh? How come you’re never there!" The agony in Shuku’s tone pierced Honor’s heart, and he leapt from his perch.

Silently, he floated down to where Shuku knelt, sobbing on the floor. Honor wrapped his arms around his human, knowing it did no good, for he did not have a human form like Kanja sama and therefore, couldn’t be seen.

"This is all my fault! I’m a cop for God’s sakes, and my own otouto is doing drugs right in this very house! Christ!"

Honor shrank back, wincing. What would Kanja sama do if he were in this situation? Shuku had never gone off the deep end like this before. It frightened him. It jeopardized his pure soul.

Shuku took several gulping breaths and stood, his body moving straight through Honor’s. The contact sent a shiver down Honor’s spine, but his human appeared unaffected.

"Well, if God isn’t going to help, then I guess I have to do this on my own. Like everything else!" Shuku grabbed his coat violently, clutching the plastic baggies in his hand, and stormed out of the apartment.

"You are never alone, Shuku," Honor whispered, trailing after him. "You just don’t know it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sai followed the boy from Jizen’s apartment all the way through the crowded Tokyo subway. Twice, the fey creature reeled over and cried out in pain, and Sai had to check himself each time. He wanted desperately to go over and help the beauty, figure out what made him so ill, and why he was leaving his home in such a state. Curiosity, he told himself, remained the only reason he tagged along. It was his vacation, after all.

When the youth got off the at Toranomon station, Sai raised a curious eyebrow. Following close behind, he trailed after the younger Jizen until they were on the street. Then Sai stopped short. He went straight into Kubomi’s! Right in, without even being checked by the guards! The boy looked far to young to be allowed in as a customer… and surely he didn’t work there… Kubomi’s only hired the best prostitutes from all over the world…

Sai nodded to the guards and dashed in, eager to catch up with Jizen kun. He looked left to right, mentally kicking himself for losing sight of the boy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hato willed himself to make it up the stairs. His sweaty palms streaked moisture over the brass railing, but he didn’t care. He managed to reach the top without losing his balance. Hurriedly, he stumbled over to the dressing room door and pushed it open.

Mayaku stood there, helping Candy make last minute calls on makeup schemes. "You’re late," the redhead said coolly, not even bothering to look up at him.

Hato limped over to him, crying, "Maya! You’ve got to help me!"

Mayaku looked up, raising both eyebrows. "What is it; you’re not even dressed…"

"Maya… I don’t feel so good."

"Yeah, you look it."

Hato frowned, grasping his friend’s embroidered shirt. "Maya!"

Mayaku straightened up, snapping his fingers. "Everybody out."

Candy gave Hato a sympathetic look and shoed the last few hosts out the door.

"Don’t ever do that in public again, Hato, do you understand?"

"Maya?"

"It’s disrespectful. I’m your manager now. You want to stay here and keep making money, college boy, you better learn that."

"Maya, I don’t understand…" Hato’s stomach started clenching again, his face turning pale. "What’s happening to me?"

Mayaku sighed, seemingly bored. "It’s called withdraw, darling. Take a look at your arms."

Hato looked down, holding out his arms. Two tiny holes on either side of his elbow were slowly turning a nice shade of purple. "What the fuck!"

Mayaku smirked. "Dove chan. You are so naïve sometimes, it pains me. Those are called tracks. Pretty soon you’ll have railroads, I imagine."

"How--"

"I gave you heroin last night, bird-brain. I gave you some more while you were unconscious, and even more while you slept. You practically came in your pants, you little slut!"

Hato stared, speechless.

"Count ‘em up, precious. That’s four hits, and still you have the gull to stand there, alive. Was your mom on crack when you were a baby?"

Hato smacked the back of his palm across Mayaku’s face, the sound echoing off the walls. In an instant, Maya through him up against the mirror, its cracking noise making Hato wince.

"Don’t fuck with me, Hato. You don’t have a goddamn clue, do you? You’re hooked now, school boy. Where do you think you’re gonna get your next hit, huh? Me! Who’s going to keep your job for you, huh? Me! You got no fuckin’ choice, you little whore."

"Fuck you. I don’t need you." Hato spit at Maya.

Maya grinned. "No? How did you feel today, my dove? Any tremors? Got the shakes? Maybe your tummy hurt? It only gets worse as time goes by. The cravings, the black outs. It isn’t pretty, Hato. But you are, and that’s to your advantage."

"What do you--"

"As long as you stay pretty, you can work for me. And I’ll accept personal favors on the side." Mayaku’s smiled evilly. "In return, you get all your tips, and everything I have to offer, for free."

Hato panted, his head starting to ring. "I don’t want any of your favors. Fuck you, Maya. Unlike you, I have a future--"

"Right." Mayaku rolled his eyes. "College? For a bombshell like you? You won’t even make it through the first exam."

Hato kicked out. "You’re wrong, you piece of shit. I quit." He threw Mayaku’s hands away, sliding down off the vanity.

Mayaku grabbed him by the scruff of his collar, bringing a switch-blade knife up under his throat. "No one gets out of Kubomi’s, unless it’s in a body bag, kid."

Hato froze, not even daring to breathe. The ringing in his head turned into a pounding, his veins crying out in protest. His blood hungered for the substance, his every feeling revolted. "Maya…" he whispered. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Mayaku smiled against his ear, but didn’t answer. Instead, the wet tip of his tongue sneaked out to dab at Hato’s earlobe. "My pretty little dove…"

"Why?"

"I can give you everything your heart desires… It’s such a small price, Hato. It’s a fair deal."

Hato shivered as Mayaku made work of his ear, then descended to suck at his neck, the silver blade not moving so much as a centimeter away.

"Let me go." Hato kept his voice low, calming.

"Never." Mayaku spun him around, crushing him into an unwelcomed kiss. His hand snaked down into Hato’s pants, tugging on the limp flesh there. Before Hato had a chance to register what happened, he responded.

A desperate groan filled the air, Hato recognizing it for his own.

"Pretty baby. So pretty, just like a girl…" Mayaku breathed the words over his face, his hand shaping Hato’s semi-hardness. "I tell you what, Hato. We’ll make a bargain."

"A bargain?"

"Yes. See, precious, fun as you are, and you are fun, you’re in the way."

"What--"

"Don’t interrupt me, precious. You seem to have caught Sento sama’s eye, and I can’t afford that. I don’t like playing second fiddle. Since you came along he hasn’t even touched me!"

Hato cried out as Mayaku’s hand tightened painfully.

The stroking continued, and so did Mayaku’s words. "So I’ll make you a deal. You suck me off, then get your tight little virgin ass into leather gear and get out there and dance. Fuck it up, somehow, sugar. Fall down. Piss off a guest. I don’t care what you do, but make sure to make some noise. I’ll report you to Sento sama, and he’ll let you go."

"Let…let me go? You mean, you’ll let me leave?"

"Sure, pretty."

"I thought you said no one leaves?"

"Firing and quitting are not the same thing. Sento sama will let you go quietly, I’m sure of it. You just have to fuck up big enough. I know you’ll find a way…"

"Fine. I’ll start a fight or something…" Hato squirmed to get free. "Let me get my costume…"

"Uh, uh, uh. You’re forgetting part of the bargain, Hato chan." Mayaku squeezed his stiff penis again, sending pain shooting through Hato’s nerves.

"Ah! I think I’m gonna be sick…"

"Poor baby. You need another hit, bad."

"No."

Mayaku released him, leaving him to cup his dick in agony. He returned shortly thereafter, needle in hand. "Give me your arm."

"No!"

"Come on, baby. You’ll never make it tonight without it. Just one more time."

"N--"

The unmistakable sting of the needle piercing his flesh made Hato jump a little. Soon, brown liquid coursed through his right arm, sending tingles right through his heart and mind. "Ah…" He titled his head back, closing his eyes to feel it more.

"See, pet? I told you so." Mayaku kissed him, Hato barely aware of it.

He held onto the redhead as the sensations washed over him, the dizziness going straight to his head. He had to admit, this felt better than five minutes ago. He couldn’t think clearly, and he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to think about the situation he was in.

"Now, baby. You’ve had yours. And I want mine. Suck me. Suck me and take all of it in." Mayaku licked his neck before biting down. "Get on your knees, school boy."

Hato found himself sliding down, leaning on Mayaku for support. He waited as the redhead unzipped his pants, producing a swollen purple cock flowered by soft red pubic hair. Hato stared at it for a moment, unsure what to do.

"Lick it. Lick the slit," Mayaku whispered harshly.

Hato sent his tongue into the small indent of flesh at the head of Mayaku’s penis, swirling random patterns around the head.

"Oh… good…"

Hato just kept doing that, as it seemed to please Mayaku.

"I want you to lick it all over, baby."

Hato closed his eyes, trying to remove himself from this whole ugly matter. The drug sang through his body, its magic about to take over, and he didn’t want to care about what he was doing. His tongue massaged the length of Makaku’s angry malehood, coating it with heat and wetness.

"Uh…yeah…mm…"

Unforgiving hands tugged at his hair, forcing his head back. "Now, put it in your mouth, nice and slow…"

Hato opened his mouth, waiting for Mayaku to shove it in, but nothing happened. He looked up, seeing Mayaku’s dark eyes dance at him. Hato understood; Maya wanted him to be an active participant… One more time, then he could go home, home to ani, and all things familiar.

Hato closed his lips around the pulsing head, and flicked his tongue over it again. He took in all of Mayaku’s shaft, trying not to choke on the stiff invader.

"Ah, you fucking slut." Mayaku slowly pumped in and out of his mouth, the rhythm never ceasing for a moment. Hato’s jaws were getting sore, and his eyes flooded with tears.

"Suck!"

Hato began a sucking motion, tears now falling down his cheeks.

"You know you want this, school boy. ‘Prolly dreamed about me every night…"

Hato increased his speed, eager to bring the boy off and be done with it. Mayaku thrust wildly into his mouth, ignoring his sputtering protests and occasional gagging, until Hato could feel him begin to throb. Then Mayaku pulled out, his fingers coming around to grip his dick.

Hato watched, hypnotized, as Mayaku mastrobated himself, humping those hips within an inch of his face. With a little shout, Mayaku came, shooting his wad all over Hato’s face.

Stunned, Hato didn’t move. Paralyzed with disbelief, he kept his eyes closed and tried to block out the image of himself covered in someone else’s sperm.

Mayaku sighed and zipped up his pants. He began to trace a line down Hato’s soiled cheek. "Such a shame, such a pretty face."

Hato whimpered, but refused to move.

"Clean up, sweetheart. You have fans waiting on you. Don’t forget what I said. Tomorrow this will all be but a happy memory." Mayaku cruelly licked some cum off his chin, and left Hato there on the floor.

Hato didn’t make a sound until the door shut. Then the trembling started. The realization set it. He had just whored himself. Or was it rape? No, not rape, he decided. He did all the work. He scrambled up to the vanity and turned on the sink, keeping his eyes shut. Fumbling, he reached the hot water and splashed it all over his face, until he was clean. Then he looked in the mirror. He would never feel clean again.

The little sobbing noises that bubbled up from his throat ceased, and Hato pressed his face into a towel, hiding from his own reflection. "Dammit," he said, raising his head. "I’m not a little boy. I’m not gonna cry. Just get this over with. Just one more night. Get out there, do a dance, start a fight and go home! Home, home, home! You have to get home, Hato."

Hato shielded himself with anger, quickly rummaging through one of Candy’s caboodles for stage makeup.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ura walked down the office steps of Kubomi’s, a list of the newest shipment in hand. Sento sama had been asking for more and more boys lately, and Ura couldn’t figure out how he could go through them all so quickly… He looked up, spotting Sai.

"Shouldn’t you be packing?"

"I’m looking for someone." Sai didn’t even spare him a glance. "Jizen."

Shock at the name snapped Ura’s head around the room. "He’s here?"

"The younger brother. I saw him come in. I wanted to figure out why."

"Why, indeed. He couldn’t have got past our guards unless…"

"Exactly."

Ura’s lips tightened into a thin line. "Fine. You search upstairs. Go through every suite if you have to. I’ll take the restaurant--"

"Ura, I already checked there."

"Then he must be downstairs in the club."

Sai nodded eagerly. They set out for the bottom floor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jade watched Hato struggle to keep himself glued. He felt bad for the kid, but he might still be able to turn this to his advantage. Every once in a while, though, Hato would let out a little whimper, and Jade would feel like a stone had fallen on his stomach. A strange kind of sympathy weighed Jade down.

"It’s all right, kid. I know how it is. But don’t worry. Honor’s on his way. And your brother. That’s more than I had." His emerald eyes grew flat and hard at the thought, and he moved away from Hato.

"Shu…Shu…"

Jade winced, turning his head away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sai led the way, his anxiety mounting. While Ura could remain calm and confident, Sai was filled with a sense of dread. Something told him he had to get to the boy before anyone else did.

The lights went down, and the mic came on. "Dearest Patrons of Kubomi. Tonight we have a very special guest. Making his debut appearance on the Kubomi stage, please give a warm welcome for Hisen Hato!"

The crowd let out a deafening cheer as the black curtains were drawn back. Out walked Hato, his pale skin glowing in contrast to the leather halter and short-shorts he wore. His long white hair hung loose, billowing over his shapely figure. He stood there, and idol in a temple of sex, making Sai think sinful, sinful thoughts.

I’m just a baby in this business called love played over the speaker system, and Hato began walking around the stage, every eye glued to him.

Sai swallowed, not blinking for even a moment.

"Holy shit," Ura muttered next to him.

"That is not holy," Sai whispered back.

He watched, as Hato posed, then ground his hips back and forth in an image of pure lust, his thin body making the obscenity gorgeous. He hung suspended on every sway of those luscious little hips, on every flex of a well-defined thigh. His eyes raked over Hato’s tiny waist, perfect chest, graceful arms. By the time the boy got to swinging on a steel pole, Sai had an erection so painful he could barely stand.

The crowd ate it up, moving to shove money down Hato’s shorts. But the boy didn’t seem interested. He didn’t even seem to acknowledge them. Hato dipped and turned to thrust and hump at the pole, always sure to move his lips to the line I’m just a baby in this business of love.

Without realizing it, Sai had walked to the front of the stage to get a closer look. The boy’s eyes were clouded over, and Sai knew then that the movements were mechanical. Before he could stop himself he reached up a hand to touch the pale dancer.

The boy threw himself into Sai’s arms, landing heavily with a shout. "Get the fuck off me! Pervert! Hentai!" The kid slapped Sai sharply and pretended to struggle.

Sai had absolutely no clue what the boy meant by it all. He made a scene, people coming over to see the fan that was molesting their beloved dancer.

"What’s wrong with you? Are you hurt?" Sai attempted over Hato’s reckless squirming.

"You sick fuck!" Hato screamed at him, pushing him back.

"Hato!"

Both Sai and the boy in his arms turned to see one very enraged Jizen Shuku.

"O…oniichan…" Hato hid his face in the crook of Sai’s shoulder, then ran to the backstage exit, leaving Sai staring after him.

"Hato!" Jizen called out again, stalking over to Sai’s area. Sai watched in awe as Yaburu Uragiri swiftly came up behind the cop and swooped him up, a hand snagging over his mouth and an iron arm going around his waist. He dragged Jizen over to where Sai stood, exclaiming, "Well, I’ve got mine. You go find yours. Meet me back at my suite when you do, and Sai… keep a low profile."

Sai nodded, watching Ura haul the cop up over his back in a fireman’s carry.

"Get the fuck off me you Yakuza scum! Put me down you bastard! What have you done to my baby brother? I’m gonna kill you with my bare--"

The heavy door clanged shut and Sai set off in search of Hato.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hato raced along the narrow maze behind the stage. He had never been down this way before and the passageways were so confusing. He picked the nearest door, opening it, and rushing inside. A dark, deserted office would be a good enough place to hide out till oniichan left. Oh God, he thought. Why of all nights did Shuku had to come down to Kubomi’s tonight! It was like the nightmare would never end.

"How very good of you to stop by, Hato." Smooth and cold like marble, the words tumbled into Hato’s consciousness. He spun around.

"Se…Sento sama…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 14

Honor flew frantically back and forth over Uragiri and his struggling human as they made their way up three flights of stairs. But what could he do? Jade was right; he was just a fledgling. He lacked Kanja sama’s powers to enter the physical realm, and he couldn’t influence Shuku’s subconscious when he was this distracted… Honor wrung his hands, helpless as his ward fought free of Ura’s hold…

~*~

Shuku wrenched free, toppling Uragiri and himself to the plush red carpet of the fourth floor. Rolling with cat-like grace, he lunged back and crossed his arms in front of him, the snake defense perfectly executed.

Ura gazed up at him from the floor, puffing a strand of black hair out of his eyes. "Are you going to dance again, Shu?"

Shuku narrowed his eyes, letting the anger zap through him. "I have come for my brother."

Ura stood. "I gathered as much. Have you thought beyond catching up with him?"

Shuku remained silent, taken slightly aback from Uragiri’s calm questioning.

"Shu… do you realize where you are?"

Shuku changed his arm positions and prepared for attack, when Ura held up a hand.

"Oh please. I could shoot you before you even took your second step. You’re not thinking clearly. You’re in Kubomi’s, rookie. Toranomon Yakuza central. And you, a well-known police officer, just stormed in here and attempted to kidnap one of our employees. Now tell me, Shu, after you scolded your little brother for his strip tease, just what were you planning to do? Smack him on the butt like a bad little boy and calmly walk out of here?"

"I came for my brother, and I’m not leaving without him."

"No," Ura said, moving closer. "You’re not gonna make it out of here alive."

Shuku lashed out, his feet moving faster than sight. He landed two swift blows to either side of Uragiri’s head, then brought his other leg up to a roundhouse. Which, surprisingly, Uragiri caught.

Almost every move after that was blocked, deferred or used against him. Shuku took a deep breath, finding his center, and charged after Uragiri with Tiger’s claws. For a moment, Ura stood dumbfounded, and then went over backwards with a hearty groan.

A muttered expletive, and then he rose to his feet. "You’re only fighting yourself, Jizen. Every second you waste here, you draw attention to yourself. We have cameras, you know. They’re closing in, cutting you off. Don’t you have the good sense to run?"

"I’m not leaving without Hato."

Ura sighed, wiping the blood from the corner of his bottom lip. "You made me bleed."

"I didn’t think you had it in you."

Ura paused then smiled. "My blood is as red as any human’s. It’s not as simple as you think, Shuku."

Just then two men dressed in black suits appeared at the end of the hallway, one hand on their ear pieces and the other on their guns.

"No, no. That’s not necessary. That’s not necessary." Ura’s strong voice tumbled down the corridor.

"But he…"

Ura moved behind him, sliding his arm sensual around his waist. "He’s my guest."

"Your… guest?" One of the Suits said skeptically.

"That’s right. Perhaps my guest had a little too much to drink tonight, gentleman, and I’m sorry I lost track of him. But he and I were… just going to our room." The seductive tone, coupled with the slow way Uragiri slid his hand up and down Shuku’s abdomen could leave no doubt in anyone’s mind what sort of guest to which he referred.

"Oh… oh, we see. I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were together, Yaburu kacho." The other bodyguard, obviously the one with more than two brain cells to rub together, recognized Uragiri and took the situation at face value.

"That’s all right," Ura purred. "As long as my guest doesn’t mind. You don’t mind, do you?" Ura nuzzled his ear, his lips gently grazing that sensitive spot on the back of his neck as if by intuition.

"No," Shu choked out, shivering. "It’s all forgotten."

"We’ll be on our way then, boys." Ura tightened his hold, leading Shuku three doors down to suite 421.

Calm as the sea before a storm, Uragiri opened the door and motioned Shu inside. Shuku quickly stalked inside, eager to get away from the goons outside.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"S…Sento sama? Is this…your office? I didn’t mean to intrude…" Hato peered over at the ice-man, his mind too clouded to register anything other than fear.

"I can forgive the intrusion, Hisen kun. The little scene downstairs, however…"

Hato’s breath caught for a moment. "Mayaku told you?"

Sento shook his head. "He didn’t have to. I have cameras in every hallway and showroom here. I saw everything, including the way you slapped one of my guests…"

Hato shook, from fear, or the beginnings of another withdraw, he couldn’t tell. "I… I’m sorry, Sento sama. I guess I don’t have it in me to do this line of work. I understand, you’ll want to let me go now…"

Sento chuckled, putting his hands casually in each pants pocket and striding over. "That’s very true; I can’t have you fighting with my honored customers now can I? No, your stage days are done. That’s doesn’t mean your Kubomi days are over, however."

"It…it doesn’t?" Hato let the tremors wash over him now.

Sento shook his head, stepping even closer. "Hato…Hato, Hato. You’ve been a very naughty, naughty boy. It looks to me like I’m going to have to teach you a lesson, son."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The dark man closed his suite door and bowed slightly. "Irassai."

Shuku threw him a look, backing up to the other end of the room. The suite was expansive, ornate black lacquer furniture from China filling the space. On the opposite side of the door a huge balcony window displayed the Tokyo skyline, the skyscrapers’ lights twinkling like stars in the rain.

Ura started walking towards him, and Shuku took several steps back until his legs met with an old writing desk.

"This is my home away from home. I’m afraid I have nothing much in the way of an offering, but I think I still have some tea." The large man walked silently into his kitchenette, his composure seemingly rock-solid.

Shuku just stared. "T…tea?"

"Mm," Ura said over his shoulder.

Shuku looked around for a quick escape. Ura was too close to the door to try and make a break for it. The balcony….had no stairs to it. Just an odd looking little hatch on the side. It looked like the only way to get out was through Uragiri. Shuku searched for a weapon, his eyes landing on one of the many swords upon the wall. He picked up the nearest sword, a black slender katana with orange stripes threaded through the hilt.

"Put that one down." Uragiri stood in the kitchen doorway, a teacup in each hand. "You can cut me to bits with any other sword but my father’s, Shuku."

"Your father’s?"

"I should say my family’s, as that sword has been handed down to every male heir since the Meiji Restoration."

Shuku gulped with awareness of the precious treasure he held in his hands. A sword of a samurai.

"One of the last samurai," Uragiri admonished. Had he voiced his thoughts aloud? Shuku looked down at the sword, resting the flat side of the blade against his left forearm.

"It’s beautiful."

Uragiri shrugged. "It was made by a pure soul."

Shu nodded, a sense of the surreal overtaking him.

The cups were set on the glass top table and Uragiri stood, waiting for him to take his seat.

"Ura, I don’t have time for a tea ceremony. I have to find my--"

"I sent Sai," he began, "to look for him. He will bring your brother to this suite, and then we will figure out a way to smuggle you out of here."

"Why would you help me?" Shuku gaped.

A slow, pensive smile crossed Uragiri’s lips, instantly drawing Shu’s attention. The dark man took his seat, his eyes trained on his green tea. "I like beautiful things, Shuku. I like graceful things. Things that have a merit, a spirit all their own." Dark ink eyes trapped him beneath their gaze. "I like your spirit, Shu… Come, and sit beside me. Share my tea, until your brother arrives."

Shuku tentatively eased closer, ready to bolt at Ura’s slightest move. But the man stood perfectly still, his hands placed on either side of his cup.

Shuku placed the sword carefully on the ground and took his chair. He lifted his cup and mumbled, "Itadakimasu," before sipping. "Ouch!"

"Be careful, it’s hot."

"Thanks for the warning."

"I thought everyone knew green tea was hot."

"I don’t usually drink green tea." Shuku shifted uncomfortably, unnerved that Ura could keep so collected in all this.

"I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long, having nothing to eat in that shack of yours."

Shuku tensed, remembering how he awoke on his futon, his head still ringing from a well-placed crowbar…

"Now. Why don’t you tell me, mm?" Uragiri smiled, then blew cooling breaths on his tea.

"What?"

"How you’ve come to be here. And how Hato is here as well. Don’t leave that part out."

Shuku frowned. "I was going to ask you that very question."

"Me?"

"Oh come on. Don’t play stupid. You said yourself, I have a young brother, and you’d kill him if I got to close to your…operations. You must have lured him here, and I bet you or one of your lackeys got him hooked on drugs, and just look at what you had him doing!"

Ura raised a sardonic eyebrow. "Heavy sins indeed. A shame I had no idea he was working here until tonight."

"Please! Hato said the boss practically hand-picked him! What do you have to say to that, kacho?"

Ura paled a shade or two, making Shuku even more nervous than when he appeared calm.

"The boss, you say?"

"Yes. That’s you." Shuku crossed his arms.

Ura shook his head. "No, that’s Sento sama."

"S…Sento sama?" The name that Mamoru Sai had used at the docks. A name as familiar to Shuku as the back of his hand. A name buried deep within the closed fortress of his mind. It… it simply couldn’t be…

"Yes. He knows… about you. All about you."

"Oh sweet God."

"Indeed. What I can’t figure out is why he has it in for you so much."

"Me?" It was Shuku’s turn to pale.

Ura nodded again. "He hates you. I have orders to shoot you on sight, Shu. Can you tell me why?"

Shuku lowered his eyes, his voice quivering. "He’s my father." The whisper dropped with the boom of an atomic bomb.

"Your father?" Ura’s incredulous voice rang in Shuku’s ears.

"I… I think so. Perhaps… if I could see him. He was in the Yakuza when I was very young. My parents split apart and I never saw him again. Can you describe him to me?"

Doubt etched over Uragiri’s face. "He has a strange voice. Gray eyes and--"

"And sort of a reddish brown kind of hair? Medium height?"

Ura dipped his chin up and down. "It’s streaked with age now, but yes. That’s Sento sama."

"My father." No matter how many times he repeated it, Shuku could not come to accept it.

"And Hato’s father as well?"

"Yes. He left because he didn’t want my mother to have Hato."

Ura rose slowly out of his chair and leaned over the table, coming nose to nose with Shuku. His head reeled with the giddy proximity.

"And," Ura whispered, "does your father know that Hato is his Hato? Could he use your brother to get to you and Kanja?"

Shuku blanched, the world suddenly becoming too much to handle. "He…I…I…" Ura reached out for him, stopping him from falling completely to the floor. "Oh, God, Ura… no! Please no…"

"Shuku? Shu, hold it together. Hold it… ah shit…Shuku, can you hear me?"

He reached a shaky hand up to grasp Uragiri’s collar. "Ura. Please. Please, please. He wants to kill Hato, I know it! Please," Shuku began whining, the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. "Please… don’t let him take my little brother!"

"Shuku…"

"Ura…Ura, please… please…I promise! I promise to leave your organization alone! I swear I’ll never go after another Yakuza again! I’ll quit the force; I’ll take Hato and move away. Please, Ura, please! Give him back! Please, I promise, I promise…"

Ura made quiet shushing noises, cradling him close to that broad, muscular chest.

"Please, Ura. Give me your word. I’ll take it, I’ll take it… please--"

Skilled lips tenderly silenced his ramblings, working his mouth open. Ura’s tongue caressed his own, comforting and exciting him at the same time. Ura stole his breath away, coaxing moans from the back of his throat. He nipped at the creases of Shuku’s mouth between soulful, claiming kisses, until Shuku had no choice but to stop thinking and start feeling. Warm and safe. Everything was going to be all right.

"I give you my word, Shuku. I will protect you both with my life." Ura buried his face in the crook of Shuku’s neck and shoulder, nuzzling him urgently.

Shuku leaned back, resting on the floor, his arms coming up to wind around Ura’s shoulders. "I want you," he murmured, not really sure when he gave himself the liberty to say so.

Ura lifted his head, his dark bangs dangling between them. Mesmerizing eyes traveled over Shuku’s face, finally coming to rest on his parted lips. "There is nothing in the world I want more," Ura whispered.

Shuku surged up, stealing a kiss from his forbidden love, desperate to lose himself in that protective embrace. He continued to press upwards, rubbing his torso against Ura’s firm frame, delighting in the contact. "Ura…"

"Mmm…" Uragiri began to plant rows of kisses along his neck, teasing forth tiny gasps from him.

"Oh, Ura…"

Suddenly a knock on the door.

"Dammit," Ura cursed, pulling slightly away. "That’s Sai with your brother."

"Hato…" Shuku remembered, scrambling to his feet with Ura’s helpful hand.

"Wait here." Ura walked over to the door, running a shaky hand through his hair. He opened it, and froze. "Yes?"

"Would you stand aside, Yaburu kacho?"

"Give me just one moment, gentleman. I have a guest--"

"That is why we are here, kacho. Sento’s orders."

Yaburu swung the door shut, locking it quickly. He spun on his heel and strode towards the table, picking up the tiger striped sword on his way. Without a moment’s hesitation, he walked over to Shu, grabbed him by the elbow and escorted him to the balcony.

"What are you going to do?"

"Something you’re not going to like," Ura grit out. "But you’ll thank me for it someday."

The pounding started on the suite door.

"What do you mean--"

"Shuku?" Ura pulled him close, his lips resting a mere inches from Shuku’s mouth. "I love you. And I give you my word I will bring your brother to you, alive. But right now, I want you to go home as fast as you can, grab whatever is essential and take a room at the Plaza Hotel under the name Chiharu. I will come for you, I promise!" Ura bent his head down, taking precious moments to kiss him.

"Ura, what about you?"

"I give you my word, I will come for you!"

With that, Shuku found himself lifted into the air, and dropped unceremoniously down the balcony hatch. He slid down the metal tunnel, too frightened to even scream, and landed softly on one of the many putrid trash bags at the bottom of the garbage chute. For a moment, he thanked God he was still alive. Then the smell set in. "URAGIRI!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 15

Hato swallowed, attempting to back away.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Sento grinned. "Trying to escape will only make me angrier. You don’t want me any angrier do you, Hato kun?"

Hato froze, shaking his head slightly. "No, sir," he whispered.

"No, I didn’t think so…" Sento reached him, his hands still in his pockets. The man leaned over and whispered in his ear, "My Mayaku tells me you have quite the talented mouth, Hato kun."

"Mm!" Hato whimpered. "No…"

A slender finger came out to trace his bottom lip, a sharp nail scrapping just enough to slit the skin. "Perhaps if you give me a sampling of your efforts, I might be persuaded to let you out of here alive…"

Hato broke out in little sobs, squeezing his eyes shut. Oh, would it ever end? He almost wished for death. But he wanted home more. He wanted to see his mother, and Shuku again. He wanted those familiar classrooms and hallways and soccer games. He wanted, right now, to be in his kitchen, making his family a delicious dinner. He wanted it so bad he would do anything at this point to get it.

Broken, he kneeled on the ground, a shaky hand reaching up, two fingers taking Sento’s zipper and pulling it down. Sento palmed the back of his head, rubbing his face into the man’s crotch. Hato bit his lower lip, refusing to cry out as his cheek pressed obscenely against Sento’s hardness.

"Hato…You know I’m only doing this for your own good. You’ve been very, very bad, and I have to punish you. I’m just looking out for you, as a father would his own son. Now, take out my cock. Take daddy’s cock out and kiss it."

Hato pulled the Italian slacks and silken underwear down, releasing Sento’s engorged manhood. His nostrils filled with the scent of the other man’s arousal, and for a moment, Hato feared he would be sick.

"Kiss daddy’s cock, Hato."

Pursing slightly, Hato kissed the head of Sento’s cock, determinedly keeping his mouth closed when Sento rolled the erection over his lips. He pulled away. "I can’t…"

Sento ripped him up by the hair, throwing him on top of his desk. "You’re such a pussy!" Sento slapped him, again and again, until Hato was no longer sure if he was sitting upright or splayed across the table. "Pretty little pussy, pretty as a girl. You make me do this, Hato! You make me punish you!" The beating continued until Hato begged for it to stop.

"Stop, daddy, please! I’ve learned my lesson!" he cried out, curling into a ball.

Apparently it was what Sento wanted to hear, for he ceased raining blows upon him. "Now, are you going to be a good boy for daddy?"

"Yes!" Hato sobbed.

"Say it."

"I’m going to be a good…a good boy, daddy."

"I know you will. Now turn around, and take your punishment like a man." Smooth ice poured form Sento’s lips, chilling Hato’s heart.

Defeated, he faced the desk, letting Sento grip his sides and pull his hips back. The unmistakable heat of Sento’s prick brushed against his cloth-covered ass, and Hato let out a tiny gasp. Sento began to hump Hato over the desk, grinding his dick harshly against the boy’s bottom, using his hands to snap his hips back.

"Uh… it’s gonna feel so good for daddy… when he fucks up your boy-pussy. Uh…."

The humping increased, making Hato break out into a sweat. How could he get out of this situation? There was no escape. He was in no condition to fight, and clearly Sento had the upper hand at Kubomi’s. All he could do was endure, and pray to get out of it alive.

"Call me daddy. Beg daddy to fuck you."

"Please…" Hato stumbled over the words. "Please fuck me, daddy."

Sento unbuckled his leather short-shorts, tugging harshly on his limp dick. "Louder."

"Please fuck me daddy!"

"You sexy little bitch." Sento yanked down his shorts and rubbed the tip of his cock along Hato’s ass.

Just then, a pounding started at the door. Sento hissed, then a fierce growl erupted from him. "Go away!"

His hands parted Hato’s tender globes, spreading his entrance wide, sending Hato’s heart shattering into little pieces. When Hato felt the tip of Sento’s wet erection touch his buttock, he passed out, the pounding the last sound he heard before unconsciousness.

~*~

Jade floated back and forth between the office wall and the hallway outside. He saw Sento begin to rape the young boy, then dashed over to the other side of the door where Sai stood.

"Come on! Come on! Hurry! Hurry! Save him!" Jade bellowed, knowing the human couldn’t hear the words. But he could pick up on the frequency of emotion. "Get in there, Sai!"

~*~

Sai lunged for the door, throwing his full body weight into it. On the third try, the door gave, and Sai tumbled into the room.

He looked up, finding his ivory beauty unconscious on the desk, Sento sama towering over him. The leader’s face twisted in disgust as he zipped up his pants and pivoted to face Sai.

"I’m going to kill you," Sento said quietly.

"Shacho! Forgive me for interrupting you! But Uragiri sent me to fetch you no matter what! He…"

"What could be so important, you had to interrupt my fuck?"

"He…he said that Officer Jizen was in the building! He had breached through security and claimed he was coming to kill you! I thought he might be in here, thought you might be in jeopardy, so I broke down the door. Had I known, I never would have--"

"Jizen is here? To kill me?" Sento’s voice betrayed his shock.

Sai nodded. "Yes sir! Uragiri was chasing after him, last time I checked. He told me to protect you, sir."

Sento nodded absently. "I see. So Shuku has finally come to face me. More of a man than I thought." He smirked. "Well, I wouldn’t want to disappoint him." The man reached into his blazer, pulling forth a gleaming pistol. "Take this slut up to my suite and tie him to the bed. Keep him company until I get back. I should like to have him…as part of my victory celebration." With that, Sento walked towards the door, forcing Sai to step around him.

Once they were alone, Sai rushed over to Hato and checked his injuries. Nothing appeared fatal, so he scooped the kid up in his arms, mindful of the cuts on this face, and snaked a hand around to grab his cell phone.

When Ura finally picked up, a God-awful racket could be heard in the background. "What is it?" Uragiri panted.

"Kacho? I have Hato here. Sento was gonna rape him--"

A sharp metal clang could be heard, then a few gun shots rang out.

"Kacho!"

"I’m a little tied up at the moment, Sai!" Another clash of metal, and someone let out an unholy scream. "Take the kid and get out of town. Call me when you get somewhere safe."

"Where are you? What’s happening?"

"Ahhh! AGH!"

More gunshots, and fear poured over Sai’s heart like ice water. "Ura!"

"Go! Dammit that’s an order! I don’t need your misguided sense of loyalty… ah… getting three of us killed. Go! Take the kid to the pla…ah!"

"Kacho! Where are you!"

"Sai," Ura said tiredly. "Grant me this one request. Obey me."

The phone disconnected. Sai hung his head, a sob tearing from deep in his soul. He pulled Hato close to him, winding his arms around the fragile little figure and hugging him like a teddy bear. Silently he made his way through the underground labyrinth, not stopping until he reached the Lincoln. He put Hato in the back seat, and gave Kubomi’s one last, long look. "I’ll call you kacho. When we reach the cabins…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ura looked down at the piles of bodies around him. Seven dead by his sword. Some of the men he knew, trained even. And now, had killed. But he couldn’t keep the entire Toranomon Yakuza at bay forever. He hoped Shuku had enough time to make his escape, and Sai had enough sense to follow his command. As for himself… well… it didn’t really matter anymore.

"Yaburu Uragiri." The striking figure filled his doorway, surrounded by almost the whole of the Tiger clan.

"Sento sama."

"I understand from these men, that you’ve been talking with Jizen Shuku." The voice was cool, but the eyes glowed red in the darkness.

"Yes, Sento sama."

Sento tsked, shaking his head. "What am I going to do with you, Ura. Uragiri… Even your name means betrayal. Betrayest thou the son of man with a kiss?"

"I have betrayed my clan," Ura said, laying down his sword. "But not my heart."

"Then it’s your heart," the man sneered, "that I shall have to remove." Sento paced the room twice before stopping in front of him, showing Ura his palm. "Will you beg for forgiveness? I might be kind…"

Ura ignored the hand, staring straight into Sento’s eyes. "You are no longer the master of me."

Ura expected a stinging slap, surprised to see the man simply smile. "True. You are already dead. You know what happens to traitors, Uragiri."

~*~

Jade stood beside his ward, trying to forge a connection. Uragiri was amazingly calm, resigned. He did not cry out when they forced him to kneel and Sento whipped him with his own belt. Not even when the leather cracked open his back, marring the crouching tiger tattoo with oozing blood. Jade shifted through his human’s thoughts, discovering a kind of peace there. As if a heavy burden had lifted from Ura’s heart. Jade went deep into Ura’s mind, sharing the brunt of his pain, giving him courage.

The fallen angel admired his human’s composure, his manly acceptance. He wished he had been this brave, when Sento sama had whipped and broken him. But he was only one small human boy at the time. Not a fully-grown adult, like Ura.

"Do you know, Uragiri? How much I’m going to enjoy this?" Sento brandished a small metallic gadget, the top about an inch in circumfrence. He held it up to the light, letting it gleam a little, and then held it under Ura’s nose.

Ura straightened, looking up at Sento with an inkling of fear in his eyes.

"Tell me, Ura… Did you fuck him?"

"You’re the one who puts his dick in his sons."

Sento scratched his nails down the left side of Ura’s face, satisfied with the painful grunt it earned him. Jade burned with anger, wishing he was human once more, and could reach out his hands and---

"Maybe I should cut yours off? Huh?"

The metal shears were placed at the crotch of Ura’s pants, their clicking noise making Ura shiver.

"Ha! Saved by a generous gene pool! You’re too big to fit into them, Ura!" Sento let out a mad laugh, then became abruptly silent. "Ura… there’s something I want you to know. I have the little boy tied up upstairs. And when I’m finished with you, I’m going to go up there and fuck him silly. And I’ll let him know it was Shuku who got him there in the first place. That brat should have let me kill the boy before he was even born. But on the bright side… at least, I have a new toy…"

"You’re sick. You’re so disgusting it’s pathetic."

Sento slowly raked his nails down the other side of Ura’s face. "True. I’m not being fair… I can’t hog the new toys… Besides… I think I’ll enjoy playing with the old ones just as much. Can you just imagine what I’m going to do to Shuku, when I get my hands on him Ura? When I slid my cock in--"

Ura bit Sento’s cheek, gnashing his teeth together until Sento’s blood spilled forth.

"RAHHHH!" Sento’s howl took on an inhuman quality, raising the hairs off Jade’s neck. He went to cover his ward, to help shield him from the inevitable wrath, but Sento moved too quickly.

The metal shears clamped around Ura’s left pinky, and with a cold and efficient click, neatly sliced off the tip of Ura’s finger. His ward bellowed in agony, then bit down on his tongue to quiet himself. Jade empathized acutely. Mind and heart in turmoil, he threw his body over Ura and yoked himself with his human’s pain.

"If I have to break you," Sento ground out, clutching his bleeding cheek, "bit by bit, so be it."

Ura shook violently with rage. "You’re not big enough… to handle any piece of me. You coward."

Sento paused, breathing harshly. "Are you actually challenging me, Ura? You don’t really believe you can best me?"

"What…does it matter…You’re not man enough to test me." Ura glared up at the other man, his eyes bright with defiance.

"Not fool enough, you mean. Pick him up, boys. Take him to the balcony and hang his head over the railing."

Jade watched helplessly as the Yakuza carried his ward to do their master’s bidding. Ura’s neck pressed against the cold railing, the heartbeat visibly thumping beneath the skin. Jade rushed forward as Sento raised the Tiger sword high in the air, directly over Ura’s head.

"I will not die at this man’s hands twice! Jump, Ura! Die with honor!" Jade threw his mind at Ura’s consciousness, flooding his thoughts.

Suddenly Ura ripped free of the men holding him down and jumped onto the railing’s thick edge. He looked down at the four-story drop, and then back at Sento. "I’ll save a hot coal for you to sit on in Hell!"

Ura leaned over, letting his weight pull him down off the ledge, looking up at the diamond drops of rain as he fell to the cold earth below.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shuku made it out of the trash heap and threw himself on the first taxi that came along. His stench and appearance made it impossible to get a ride, so he took the subway. Many people mistook him for a homeless person, muttering curses at him as he walked by. Shuku never imagined he would see this side of street life. It was more humiliating than he had ever conceived.

He was so happy to get home. He wanted to crawl under the futon and never come out. But they would find him here, and soon. He looked around the apartment for ‘essentials’ realizing that the only thing he needed to take with him wasn’t here. Hato.

He ripped off his soiled clothes and dashed into the shower, turning on the water full force. When he had cleansed himself of the refuse, he put on some fresh clothes, grabbing a few more outfits and tossing them in a plastic grocery bag. He looked around one more time for anything important to him, his eyes resting on the pewter photo frame of his family. Lovingly he stroked the picture, holding it to him as he picked up the phone and dialed.

"Mom? It’s Shu. No, no everything’s not all right. I need you to listen very carefully, OK? I’m in trouble; I’m running from the Yakuza…Yes. Mom, listen. I found dad."

Silence.

"He’s after us again, mom. I’m sorry. But he’s got Hato, and he’s coming after me. Now, don’t start crying. You have got to hold it together. I’ll get him back. I swear it. But right now I have to go under cover, and you do too. So I want you to call Kanja sensei right after we hang up and tell him to pick you up. Stay over at his house till I tell you what’s going on. I…Mom, I can’t talk right now. I’m gonna go into hiding. I’ll call you at Kanja’s when I’m safe… No, I can’t tell you. I don’t want him using you to get to me. I’ll call….I’ll call. I’m sorry….goodbye. No, just… call Kanja sensei. I’ll check in as soon as I can. I love you. I love you. Bye."

He hung the phone up and switched off the light. His bundle of clothes and the picture nestled in the plastic bag, Shuku left his apartment, not even bothering to lock the door. He knew when he returned, everything would already have been destroyed.

After half an hour of riding in the taxi, he made it to the Plaza Hotel. Looking over his shoulder, he gave the last of his cash to the driver and went inside. He checked in as Chiharu Shige, putting the fare on his credit card. He grimaced, watching one whole month’s rent get swiped away. He specifically requested room 421, and hurried up the elevator and down the hall. Once inside, he laid the bag down on the queen sized bed, and stared at the phone. Waiting for Ura’s call. Or for Hato’s death sentence.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 16

Sai reached the deserted ski cabins in under an hour. His mind was blank, numb. Only occasional glances at the pale form asleep in the back seat got him this far. He got out of the car, dry-eyed, and went up to the little wooden lodge the farthest in the back or little lodge rows. Not caring about much of anything anymore, he took out his gun and whacked the barrel against the old doorknob, feeling some satisfaction as it whined open.

He went inside and turned on the light, glad that Japan’s version of ‘roughing it’ included indoor plumbing, central air, electricity and a television. He turned on the lights in the bedroom and bathroom and then headed back to the car.

Hato hung limp in his arms. Sai worried for him; was it normal to pass out from shock for so long? Or did Sento sama just beat him senseless? Sighing, he carried the boy into their shelter and gently laid him upon the bed. He went back, locking up everything, leaving only the bedroom light on. Next he went into the bathroom and rummaged around the medicine cabinet. On a ski lodge, little accidents were bound to happen. A convenient first aid kit hid under the sink, and Sai grabbed it up, then raided the medicine cabinet. He was eager to keep his mind occupied, on anything other than the fact that Ura was most likely dead by now. Sai slammed the cabinet closed and stalked into the bedroom.

Sleeping beauty looked more like a sleeping beast. Bruises were forming around cracked and bleeding lips. Eyeliner ran in tear tracks down dirty cheeks. His leather halter-top and short-shorts were ripped, hanging off him in tatters. And still the kid looked eatable.

Long black lashes rested on those swollen cheekbones, the purplish bruises serving to accentuate his silvery white skin. A sleek, well-defined abdomen rose and fell with every breath, delicate hands folded over top his bowed breastbone.

Sai swallowed, and began cutting a straight line down Hato’s shorts with a pair of surgical scissors. When he cut the boy free of his lower garments, he then cut away his top. The material was difficult, unyielding, and Sai had been so preoccupied he didn’t notice the tiny scabs on Hato’s arms until just then.

Any Yakuza member, after their first week, knew what railroads looked like. Straight lines of needle marks, one on each side of the elbow, down to the wrist, betraying a user’s hit with every new puncture. From the looks of it, Hato was a veteran. Sai ran his forefinger over the trail, counting. Six. Enough to be hooked. Well, shit. Like his life didn’t have enough complications.

Sai opened the first aid kit and took out the rubbing alcohol and Bacitracin. He tended to each of Hato’s scrapes and bruises, then put the kit away and threw the ragged apparel in the trash can. He remembered the groceries he bought earlier at the store, and brought them in out of the car. He put the food in the cabinets and got some ice out of the refrigerator. Finally, he switched off the lights for the last time and went into the bedroom.

With his gun in his shoulder holster, his cell phone on the night stand, and a bag of ice sandwiched between his numbing hand and Hato’s swollen face, Mamoru Sai stretched out on the little twin bed and let exhaustion drag him to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ura felt like a feather, floating to the ground. He was a raindrop, falling from the sky. As if someone gently carried his body back down to earth, Ura landed without any real sense of pain into the outside garbage containers.

Probably the adrenaline, he reasoned. It’s not like he had delusions of grandeur that he was Superman or something. Such magnificent adrenaline was not to be wasted, however. Ura forced himself to stand on the mounds of black trash bags from the kitchen, trying not to think about the half-eaten dinners and other filth contained within those plastic sacks. Knowing Sento, trash wasn’t the only thing in these bags. Using every bit of strength he had, Ura rolled over the top of the trash bin and fell out onto the granite street. Not allowing himself to stop and feel pain, he crawled to one of Kubomi’s outside walls and pushed off it to stand.

Rain swept over him, soaking his raw, naked back and suit pants. He held his bleeding hand close to him, keeping the severed digit upright so as to minimize the blood loss. He congratulated himself for his uncommon clarity of thinking at a time like this, and stumbled forward. He no longer had a car; Sai took it. He wouldn’t last long on his own feet, and the subway was out of the question. He limped two blocks down the road, then hailed a taxi. He had just enough yen to make it to the Plaza…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

No matter how hard Shuku stared at that phone, it wouldn’t ring. He made himself sick with worry over Hato and Ura, finally getting up and deciding to go back to Kubomi’s and face his father and demand---

The phone rang, startling him.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Chiharu san? This is the consierge. You have a… half dressed… Yaburu san who claims you were waiting for his arrival?"

Shuku was too relieved to care about the snotty undertone the hotel employee used. "Yes, yes! Please let him come up."

"Very good, sir."

Shuku felt waves of relief crash over him. Ura, and Hato, safe! He paced back and forth, stopping once to look in the dresser mirror. He ran his fingers through his hair, then shook his head for his fickleness in a time like this, and went to stand in front of the door. A handful of seconds later, there was a weak knock.

He opened the door, shocked when Uragiri slumped to the floor.

"Ura! What happened!" Shuku stared at the marred tattoo and bleeding lashes across the man’s back. When Ura let out a moan, he took the man’s arm around his neck and lifted him over to the bed. "Where’s Hato?"

Ura opened his mouth but nothing came out. Then, Shuku noticed.

"U…Ura! You’re…Your hand…"

Ura quickly hid his left hand down by his side and took a deep breath. "Hato is with…my assistant Sai. He took him somewhere safe. Please. Hand me my phone… I have to let him…have to tell him…"

"Ura, you’re not well. Let me call a doctor."

"No! Nothing that can be traced, Shu. We have to lie like the dead. Please, my cell phone…"

Shuku handed the dark man his telephone and watched him press speed dial. "Sai? Where are you? Good. Good. Lay low for a while. I’ll call you when it’s safe to come out. Tell the boy his brother is safe, with me. We’re in a hotel…… He’s what? Yes, Shuku told me. I’m afraid you’re going to have to detox him, old friend. I don’t envy you for a moment…I’m fine. I’ll call you… when I can… Take care." Ura dropped the phone to the floor and closed his eyes. "Your brother is alive, but when he wakes up, he’s gonna have to go through withdrawal. Don’t worry too…too much, though. If anyone can mother somebody, it’s Mamoru Sai…." Ura panted for a few moments, and Shuku just sat next to him on the bed, afraid speaking would somehow tax the man before him. "Call anyone you need to. The woman in the picture? White hair?"

"My mother."

"Figured. Let her know you’re both alive. And if you have any friends in the department who…" Ura coughed, his torso racked with tortured breaths. "If you have anyone who might be on our side, call them, too."

Shuku nodded, picking up the cell phone off the floor and dialing carefully. "Kanja sensei? Tell mother Hato and I are both alive and safe. I’m at the Plaza Hotel. I’ll call you when I can. I have to go now. I’ll call when I can."

Shuku clicked off the phone and headed straight for the bathroom. He brought back an entire roll of toilet paper and a damp cloth, and set to work on what was left of Ura’s bloody finger.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Honor winced as he watched Jade lie in the corner of the hotel room, panting, curled in a tight little ball. Obviously, Jade had taken it upon himself to commune with his human, and share his pain. Honor supposed even demons were protective of their wards. Carefully, he inched over to the small patch of carpet the fallen star collapsed on and cleared his throat.

"Your human saved my human’s life."

Jade looked at him through the corner of his eyes, otherwise not moving. "Twice," he whispered.

"Twice." Honor repeated. "I suppose I should thank you."

Jade sighed. "You have only yourself to thank this time. I did nothing to influence him. It’s love, Honor. His heart has been turned, as I always hoped Shuku would inspire it to."

Honor frowned. "You’re not making any sense, Jade."

Jade closed his eyes, squeezing them shut, and curled into a tighter ball. Unable to see it any longer, Honor flew over to him and covered him with his wings. He positioned Jade’s limp body in his arms like a baby, touching their foreheads together. "Here, let me heal you."

"Honor…"

"Give me your pain."

The dream fasting began. Ripples of emotion under an ocean of time peeled away one by one, as Honor entered the realm of Jade’s eternal mind. From the very beginning there was pain. Fighting in a broken home. A small boy, only twelve, running away to the Tokyo streets. Years of struggle, of hunger. Winters. Fear. Stealing food to stay alive, living in pipes, under bridges, in abandoned homes.

And then he was discovered and taken to a fancy hotel, the bottomless pit. Treated to nice clothes and warm food and a bed. His savior was a soft-spoken man with auburn hair and a perfect smile. And all he had to do was keep this man pleased.

Memories, unbidden, flooded into Honor as he blended into Jade. Sento coming into his suite at night, harness and whip in hand. Sento, forcing this gorgeous child with the long black hair to do unspeakable things. Night after night, client after client, Jade serviced Kubomi’s. Until, by the tender ago of sixteen, the nice clothes no longer made him feel handsome. The warm food lost all its fine taste. And the bed… the bed was a daily reminder of sweat and sperm and sin.

Unable to sleep in such filth for one loveless night longer, Jade took his life, opening his slender wrists under the warmth of his bath.

And he floated away, to that place where all the unloved children go. High above the gates of heaven, where the Light embraced him and gave him wings…

But the misery still tugged at him, bringing him back down, back to the world his soul could not forget forever. Back, to watch the deeds of Sento and the men just like him. Until bitterness festered, rotted away in his breast, mangling his sense of justice, awaking his desire for revenge. Jade’s heart turned callused and black, staining his white wings the color of his hate. Until at last, Sento exacted his most devastating blow, ripping the man-child from heaven. A shooting star fell that day, one less light in the cosmos. A demon took its place.

And yet that would not be the end of Jade’s torment. As punishment, he found himself trapped inside his own tailored Hell. Forced to protect the very man that guarded Sento, Jade in fact helped to keep his most loathed enemy alive. His only hope lay in the turning of Uragiri’s heart, in Shuku’s ability to bring Sento to justice.

His goal consumed him, becoming his every waking thought. He would use his communal influence, he would twist fate to throw the two together, he would even seduce Honor’s pure soul… if only in the name of blessed release. He had never expected to fall in love with the angel…

Honor feasted on these thoughts, taking them from Jade and returning them without the pain. He wrung from them every flavor of sadness, anger or hurt, slowly letting Jade heal. When Honor pulled out of the trance, he and Jade lay wrapped around each other on the floor, too overcome to speak.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 17

"Where am I?"

Sai awoke with a start. "Oh, you’re awake. How do you feel?"

Hato looked up at him through slanted eyes. "Who are you? Where am I? What are you--"

"Slow down there, tiger! One question at a time." Sai smiled, his usual optimistic self having been restored by Ura’s late-night phone call. "My name is Mamoru Sai. You can call me Sai, if you want to. I work for Yaburu Uragiri. Do you know him?"

Hato shook his head, wincing at the movement. "He was after Shuku…"

"Yes, well, not exactly. It’s complicated. Um, you’re up in the mountains at one of the ski lodges I like to visit. Your brother is safe in Tokyo, with Ura for the time being. Ura told us to lie low until something can be done about Sento sama…"

Hato’s face went slack with recognition. A long silence followed, the boy simply staring into space. "He… He’s after Shuku?"

"Yes. I don’t know what he has against the two of you, but… I saw… what he tried to do…"

Hato turned away from him, pulling the sheets up around his shoulders. "Why am I naked?" The boy’s voice was strained.

"I had to cut your outfit off you to make sure I got to all your… injuries."

"I’m not a baby, Sai. How bad is it?"

"Oh, no. He didn’t… he didn’t…do anything…else. I came in as he was about to, but he didn’t…"

Hato turned back around, hate lacing his eyes. "Don’t fucking lie to me. How bad is it? Am I gonna need stitches? Pretty much everything hurts. Do I need a goddamn AIDS test?"

Sai put a finger on Hato’s lips, his eyes soft and understanding. "He didn’t rape you, Hato. I interrupted just as he was about to, though. Unless there’s something else I don’t know about, you’re clean."

"I’ll never be clean again. Where’s Shuku? I want Shuku."

"I’m sorry, Hato. You’ll have to stay here with me for days, maybe even weeks, until it’s safe to move about again. Don’t worry, though. I don’t make such a bad roommate. I don’t even snore."

Hato snickered, then sighed. "I’m tired."

"You can sleep all you like. Would you like some soup? I can’t cook, but I’ve got Campbells."

Sai watched Hato shudder. "No, thank you. Not hungry. Even starving, I wouldn’t eat that shit."

Pressing his lips into a thin line, Sai resisted the urge to argue. So what if his guest was being difficult? People coming down off of drugs often were. He could live with it, he felt sure.

Two days later… Sai wasn’t so sure.

"Fuck you, Yakuza pig-fucker! God! Give me a fucking hit already!"

Sai dodged as another trinket from the night stand whizzed past his head. Hato had hurled just about every novel, knick-knack and moveable piece of furniture at him already.

"Hato…" Sai jumped out of the way as the alarm clock smashed against the wall near his head. "Oh will you look at this?"

Hato changed his approach suddenly, becoming quiet and demure. "Please, please Sai. It hurts. Get me just a little bit more, huh? Come on… I know you have some…Please…"

Sai rubbed his temples. Two straight days of this and somehow, sanity stuck by him. He had been up late last night tending to Hato’s fever, then the night terrors started in and Sai had to keep him from screaming out for help. And now this again. "I don’t have any drugs, Hato. I don’t have anything on me. And you’re not going to get out to get anything. I know it hurts, but you’ve got to get over this--"

"You ass! I hate you! I hate you!" Hato went to hurl the only bedroom lamp at him and Sai snapped. He covered the teen with his body, pinning those thin wrists above Hato’s head. Leaning on him with all his weight, he forced Hato to remain still.

"Hato? So help me God, if I have to chain you to this bed for the next month, I will!"

Trembling, Hato looked up at him fear. "Please… please get off me?"

Sai scooted off the boy, but the wrists stayed pinned. "Hato. I give you my word, no funny business. But I can’t trust you right now. So I’m going to keep your hands in mine all the time, until you get straightened out. OK?"

Hato bit his lip and nodded his head slowly. When Sai got up to fetch something to tie their hands together, Hato bolted for the door. Sai slung an arm around his waist and yanked him sharply back to the bed. Hato bounced up and down for a split-second, then made to jump through the window. Frustrated, Sai simply picked him up in a fireman’s carry as Ura had done and began walking towards the bathroom.

"Ouch!"

Hato cackled.

"You just bit me in the ass!"

Another sharp set of teeth made an imprint in his hindquarters. "You little prick!" Sai hefted Hato over his shoulder and held him in a headlock, dragging him over to the bathroom to reach his bathrobe belt. Then he dragged the cursing youth back to the bedroom and threw him on the bed.

Hato appeared slightly winded, and Sai used the time to wrap cords of his robe’s belt around those pale, slack wrists. He started to tie his wrists, and then saw the look in Hato’s eyes and thought better of it. He moved his hands up, attaching Hato to the pegs in the headboard.

When that was done, he watched Hato test the bonds until he was sure there would be no escape. Then he brought up the cotton covers and tucked Hato in snugly.

"Let’s get some ground rules straight. You bite me again and I will bite you back. You use another dirty word and I will wash your mouth out with soap. You pull that headboard loose and I’ll let you hold it up over you for the rest of your stay. You need to go to the bathroom, tell me, and I will escort you. You go in the bed and I’ll make you sleep in it. Understood?"

Hato smiled. "You’re cute when you’re angry, Sai." Then he blinked his eyes a few times and settled in to sleep.

Sai huffed, looking around the room. He began straightening up for the fifth time in two days. When he finished, he made some tea and pulled up a chair to watch Hato sleep. A frown always marred the boy’s forehead, but at least he appeared to lie more restfully. He hoped that belt wouldn’t cut off the kid’s circulation.

Hato shivered, nuzzling the pillow. Against his better judgment, Sai put down his cup and crawled into bed, curling around Hato to share his body warmth. Even asleep and in bonds, Hato recognized the heat, and snuggled closer to him. Sai wrapped an arm loosely around him and settled in for sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ura woke slowly, the fog lifting from his mind like dripping molasses. He opened his eyes, focusing on a pair of lovely chocolate-brown irises hovering not too far above him.

"Shu…"

"You’re awake. I’ve been so worried," Shuku whispered. The young man bent his head to kiss him sweetly on the lips.

He fought to find his voice. "I told you I would come for you."

"And so you did. You kept your word, Ura." Shuku brushed the tip of his nose across Ura’s chin, spreading warmth in Ura’s heart. "I believed you would."

"Shuku…" Ura leaned up, about to take those blushing lips in a kiss, his hand coming up to stroke that soft, choppy hair… when he noticed the bandage on his finger. Frowning, he forgot Shu for a moment, focusing solely on the little mutilated digit.

Only when Shuku’s fingers interlaced with his did Ura come out of his trance.

"You were tortured, because of me." Not a question, but a solemn statement from Shuku.

"I knew the choice I was making. So I lost my little finger. I had everything worthy in the world to gain."

"My admiration?"

Ura nodded. "My honor."

Shuku peered at him for a moment. "What a strange man you are, Yaburu Uragiri."

"Yes. A strange man. A masterless samurai, hunted by his own Yakuza clan… ‘Ura, the pinkyless’…"

Shuku chuckled slightly.

"I am a relic of a time that should have been," Ura said softy.

Two sure hands came up to cup either side of his face. "Yes, but you are my relic."

Shuku kissed him again. And again. Those hands threaded through his hair, and Ura sighed with pleasure. "Oh, if this is a dream, may I never awaken…"

"Ura…"

The sound of Shu calling his name, so shy, so full of wanting… Ura pulled the young man to him, slanting his mouth to deepen their kisses. He traced small patterns on Shuku’s back, pausing when he noticed the absence of a shirt. "You’re naked."

Shuku blushed prettily. "I am not. I took off my shirt."

"Why? Are you bent on seducing me?"

Shuku gave him a wry look. "You’ve been asleep for two whole days, Ura. You lost a lot of blood. I bandaged you up, you’ve clotted. But I guess with all the rain… you’ve had a fever…"

"Oh. And you set out to nurse me back to health…without your shirt on. Not that I’m complaining…

"Ura, I took my shirt off to take some of the heat away…"

Ura kissed the boy quiet, rolling them over until he spread flush across Shu’s body. "But, Shuku… you’re the one that’s making me hot…" He breathed heavily in Shu’s ear, smiling wickedly when the boy shivered.

Delighting in the hands splayed gently over his tender back, he dipped his head to kiss behind Shu’s ear.

"Oh!"

"A weak spot, rookie?"

"Ura…" Shuku lifted up slightly, pressing them together passionately.

Ura took his time, expediting his lips to map all of Shuku’s ear, jaw-line and chin. The boy moaned quietly beneath him, thrilling his blood. Ura sought to draw more enthusiastic gasps with every new touch, reveling in Shuku’s honest passion.

"Ura…mmm." The boy’s kisses were sweet, gentle, hungry. Ura moved down slightly, sending his lips to explore Shuku's hard pectorals. "Ura, darling…"

Ura peeled the covers back, sitting up on his haunches, taking the sight of Shuku’s exposed abdomen. He traced his forefinger through the mountains and valleys of that chiseled stomach, giving Shu a heated look as he did so. He bent his head, licking and sucking the six-pack around Shuku’s navel, drawing from him the sexiest moans. Ura played upon every revealed weakness, determined to drown his lover in pleasure.

~*~

Honor and Jade sat in the corner, both of them staring at their humans.

"They’re…mating." Honor remarked, not taking his saucer-sized eyes from the couple.

Jade wore a lopsided grin. "So they are."

"We…shouldn’t be watching this."

Jade looked over at the angel, noting the darkening pupils. "Don’t you always have to watch over your ward?"

As Shuku’s pleasured moans filled the air, Honor’s breathing increased. "I…oh…"

Jade smirked inwardly. Did the fledgling not realize he empathized with all of Shuku’s feelings? He swung a leg behind Honor, so that one limb rested on each side of the pretty angel. With his wings pulled so close to his frame, Jade could easily draw Honor to him. His hands came around Honor’s waist in a tight hold, his chin resting on Honor’s shoulder.

"I think it’s beautiful, what they’re doing… when it’s done like that, it feels so good. You remember?"

Honor trembled slightly. "No… I never…I…"

"Ah." Jade smiled as he bent to kiss Honor’s shoulder. A true innocent. A blank page. Jade had never had such a precious gift in his grasp before.

"Jade? What’s this… funny, warm feeling?"

Jade took a handful of Honor’s hair, bring it away from his neck to suck to tender skin there. He bit down gently, initiating the ritual, then lapped at the tiny mark soothingly. "You mean this feeling, Honor? This perfect, perfect feeling?"

"Yes…" Honor tilted his head back, his hands going up over his head to reach Jade’s hair.

Jade turned Honor’s face slowly towards him, whispering, "It’s love." His palms flattened across the plains of the fledgling’s stomach, massaging the shivering flesh there. "Are you scared, Honor?"

Cornflower eyes glanced up at him. "I’m with you. Why should I be?" Honor turned around to face him, and shyly bit down on the cords of his neck.

Joy exploded like fireworks in Jade, and he cupped Honor’s chin, lifting that beautiful face up for another kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Sai next awoke, lavender eyes peered meekly at him. He lifted his eyes, returning Hato’s unsure stare. "How are you feeling?"

"W…water?"

Sai sat up and leaned over the boy to reach the night stand. He brought the cold tea to Hato’s lips, helping him lift his head to drink. Hato gulped it down, obviously his appetite had returned.

"Easy, there. Easy." Sai waited patiently while Hato finished the cup, slurping the last drop before falling back to the bed.

"Thank you."

Sai raised an eyebrow. Civility?

"You’re welcome. How do you feel?"

Hato closed his eyes for a moment. "Weak."

"Yes. You will be, for a while. Shall I untie these bonds?"

"Yes, please."

Sai began to work out the several sailor’s knots on the headboard, freeing Hato in less than a minute. The boy’s hands flopped down on his chest with a thud.

"Uh!"

Sai took Hato’s right hand between his palms, massaging the blood back in. When the pink color was restored, he moved on to the left hand. Hato watched with drooping eyes. "You’re still sleepy."

"I’m dirty. Can I have a bath, please?"

"Sure. How do you like your water: warm, hot or scalding?"

"Hot."

Sai grinned. "Coming right up."

He went to draw the bath, dropping in an oil bead. When the water reached halfway, he shut off the faucet and came back into the bedroom. "All set."

The white-haired boy tried to sit up, his elbows shaking wildly under his slight weight. He collapsed back on the bed, whimpering.

"Here… I guess you need some help." Sai started to lift Hato into his arms.

"Don’t! I’m naked!"

"Hato," Sai began, "that’s usually how people take baths. Come on now, sport. I’ve already seen the equipment anyway."

Hato shook his head.

"Don’t you want a bath? I promise I won’t look if it will make you feel better."

Hato looked at him, his eyes shinning with tears. "I’m very dirty."

Sai got the feeling he wasn’t talking about his appearance. "You’re not so very dirty. A quick bath, and you’ll feel good as new again. Now, can you put your arms around my neck?"

Hato gallantly wrapped his seizing arms around Sai’s neck, and Sai lifted him easily out of the bed, the blue cotton sheets falling away. Sai, a man of his word, didn’t look down, and didn’t even pause when Hato buried his head in the crook of his shoulder.

"Here we are. That nice hot water will feel good." Sai lowered Hato into the tub, kneeling on the floor until he rested the boy’s head against the back rim.

Hato let out a contented sigh. "S good…"

Sai chuckled. "Yeah… Do you need any help?"

Hato frowned, his tongue coming out between his lips as he reached for the wash cloth and bar of soap. Sai figured he’d save the boy his frustration and soaped up the cloth himself. "Listen. You don’t have much energy to spare. You haven’t eaten in three days. So I’ll do this for you. And I promise I won’t look."

Hato nodded sleepily. Sai bathed the boy in silence, concentrating on the cleaning aspect of his actions, rather than on Hato’s sculpted body and purring noises… For all of about two seconds. The boy had no idea what this was doing to him. But he kept himself in check, remembering how he found Hato, and what he must have gone through.

He took handfuls of water and rinsed off Hato’s shoulders and neck.

Hato smiled. "My hair needs washing."

"Slave driver, aren’t you?" Sai cracked a grin. "All right. Let me see what I’ve got in here that passes for shampoo." He hunted around the medicine cabinet, producing a small trail size bottle of crème rinse. "This will have to do."

Setting the bottle down, Sai removed his socks and pants. Looking at the water that had splashed up over the sides, he thought better of it and striped down. He lifted Hato up into a sitting position and sat on the tub behind him. Again, he rinsed with his handfuls of water, and then started working in the hair conditioner.

"Hm… that feels so good!"

"Yeah? You have really nice hair." Sai worked the crème down to the tips.

"How come you’re being so nice to me?" Hato asked, his eyes still closed.

"I’m a generally nice guy." Sai dunked his hands back in the water, rinsing all the soap out of Hato’s hair.

When he finished, Hato sighed and said, "No, really, how come?"

"I can’t think of any reason not to be nice to you, Hato…" Sai frowned.

"But… I’m so… I’m so…"

"What?"

"Dirty," he whispered.

Sai paused, then titled his head to the side. Following his instinct, he lowered himself into the tub and wrapped Hato in a bear hug. "Hato, you are not dirty. You are everything I think of, when I think of beauty. I don’t ever want to hear you knock yourself again. OK, so you made some mistakes. That’s called being human. No reason to hate yourself. You’re gonna be fine. I promise."

The smile came through in Hato’s voice. "You promise, huh?"

"You have my word."

Hato sighed, his chin falling to Sai’s shoulder.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 18

"Ura!"

Ura groaned as Shuku thrust his hips up again, rubbing his erection against the breadth of Ura’s hips. He began to roll his pelvis in slow circles, grinding into the smaller man beneath him. He breathed in Shuku’s panted exhalations, his lips devouring every inch of Shuku they met.

"More…" Shuku said, his hands cupping Ura’s rear and pushing him forward for greater friction.

Ura cursed, leaning on one elbow so that he could lift Shuku’s delicate leg over up over his rump. With his free hand, he felt Shuku’s hardness through his jeans, roughly shaping the heat there.

Shuku’s trembling hand rested atop his, guiding his rhythm and pressure. He looked down at the flushed face of his young lover, overcome with the urge to start screaming his name and never stop. "I love you," Ura murmured.

"Love you, too," Shuku returned, as he lifted Ura’s hand away. Carefully, Shuku unzipped his jeans and wiggled out of them. Ura helped him tug them completely off and then dropped them to the floor. He dipped two steady fingers under the rim of Shu’s boxers, watching intently as he began to strip them away. Shuku lifted his hips off the bed, helping him. And suddenly all barriers between his love and him were gone.

~*~

Jade ravished his angel’s lips, unable to hold back the flood tides any longer. His hands stroked and massaged every inch of the little fledgling’s body, except the place he seemed to need it the most. Jade milked responses from Honor, fondling him possessively.

How I’ve longed for you, Honor…

Jade… make me yours…

Jade lowered them to the floor, his mouth descending to suck at Honor’s slender neck. "I’ll make you mine, Honor. Only mine."

"Yes…"

He ripped the white tunic top in half, revealing Honor’s upper body to his sight. His tongue plundered every crevice there, savoring the succulent taste of Honor’s salty flesh. Famished hands dipped underneath the tunic pants, sliding them down over Honor’s smooth, silky legs.

"You’re so beautiful," Jade whispered.

"So are you."

Jade sat up a little, drawing his wings in tight. He pulled his black scoop neck tee off, tossing it behind him. Then he sat back on his haunches, his hands going to his leather pants.

Honor’s fingers sneaked beneath his own, undoing the clasp eagerly.

"You want me so much?" Jade asked, unable to conceive of it.

I want you… I need you. Wrap me up inside you, Jade… Take me…

"Yes…"

~*~

Shuku bit his lip as Ura’s wet tongue flicked up and down over his puckered entrance. Near to hyperventilating, he gripped the sheets and lifted his hips, asking. That demanding tongue pushed further in him, the invasion so new, so thrilling. His penis throbbed in response; he desperately wanted to touch himself.

As if Ura could read his thoughts, a large hand snaked around his staff, pumping him in agonizing slowness.

"U…Ura…"

A thick finger teased at his gate, sliding gently in and out of him, Ura’s tongue still laving him without mercy. Shuku spread his legs wider, baring everything to his lover in silent submission.

That blessed digit went deeper in, the pad of Ura’s forefinger tripping over his pleasure center each time. Ura added his middle finger, stretching him, and Shuku felt he would die from the wait.

"Ura, please….please…" Ura’s thick shaft pulsed upon Shuku’s thigh, telling him that Ura was just as ready as he felt. "Put it in me now."

"Not yet." Ura’s mouth hovered over Shuku’s aching cock, his moist breath making Shu’s flesh twitch in anticipation. Another finger found its way inside him, and Ura took him deep into his throat. Shuku bit his finger, managing to school his scream into a strangled cry.

Ura bobbed his head up and down, coating Shuku’s dick in warm salvia. He would faint from pleasure, for certain. "Ura… now!"

Ura backed off, flattening his palm over Shuku’s crotch and rubbing in tardy, teasing circles. "Not yet."

"Now, Ura! Now! Fuck me! Fuck me! Please!" Shuku reached up and yanked Ura down by his hair, snapping his hips up in supplication.

Ura smiled lovingly at him. "Well, if you insist….Shu?"

"Mm?"

"I… I don’t have anything. To ease your way. You know this will hurt, right?"

Shuku nodded seriously, twining his fingers in Ura’s dark hair. "I know you won’t hurt any more than you have to. Please, Ura. Do it now." God, his cock was killing him…

Ura nodded, and positioned himself. "If at any time you feel pain, I want you to tell me to stop. Understand?"

Shuku smiled, dipping his chin up and down. "Now."

Ura eased the head of his penis slowly into Shuku’s spread ass, the strange feeling of being stretched heightening Shuku’s awareness. Inch by inch, Ura pressed on, stopping whenever Shuku’s breath caught, or his lips tightened. Finally, after several minutes, Ura was completely buried in his warmth, his intense expression worth all the pain Shu endured.

"Rock me, Ura," he whispered. "Show me."

"Everything. I promise."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sai lifted Hato out of the tub and placed him gently on the twin bed. "You’re going to turn into a prune."

Hato laughed a little, his lips too chapped to really smile.

"I’m going to make you some soup now. I know you don’t like the store kind, but you have to eat something, all right?"

Hato nodded, blinking tiredly…

Sai returned soon with a hot bowl of chicken noodle, sitting in the chair. "Ok, you’re going to eat all this up. Come on." Spoonful by spoonful, Sai fed the boy a bowl of soup, smiling when they finished. "Now, you get some sleep."

"You’ll stay here with me?"

"Sure. I could use more sleep myself."

Hato slowly rolled over on his back, making room for him. He slid into the covers, spooning up against the boy.

"Sai?"

"Mmhm?"

"Was I very awful to you these past few days? I seem to remember yelling a lot."

Sai smiled. "Not at all. You were an absolute angel."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Angel, angel…" Jade chanted, sliding his naked body over Honor’s smooth flesh.

"Jade…oh…" Honor gave into Jade’s every whim, reveling in the animalistic way the demon loomed over him. He systematically mapped every nerve in Honor, making his body sing, forcing him to abandon his fears.

Honor turned slowly over within Jade’s hold, coming up on all fours. Please.

Yes.

Jade traced his bottom lip with his forefinger, sneaking it inside his mouth. Instinctually, Honor sucked on the digit, wetting it. Jade withdrew and parted Honor’s firm globes of flesh, inserting the wet finger. Using his powers, the demon altered the shape of his flesh, spread warm mist through Honor’s cavity, causing him to moan wantonly. "You…have to… teach me that…someday…" Honor panted, thrusting back on the lubricating finger.

"At least one thing to be grateful to the powers of darkness for…" Jade murmured, withdrawing his finger. "But Honor… are you sure you want to mate with me? You know what that means? I don’t want to…spoil you."

"I am already your bonded, Jade. Make it so that…nothing can break us apart."

"I love you."

"And I—ah!"

"Forgive me," Jade whispered against his neck, thrusting his steely shaft deep within Honor’s bowels.

From then on, Honor’s world was a hazy mix of pleasure-filled sensation, every motion and feeling shared intimately with Jade. Time seemed to stand perfectly still, the stars of heaven whizzing by them. They were floating, whirling, blending into one another. Their souls becoming one. A perfect marriage. A bond for life. Honor did not care if this was not sanctioned, or if his bonded was a fallen child. It was Jade, and he loved him. And now he was a part of him.

The physical melted away, leaving Jade and Honor to circle and swirl and couple their spirits. When Honor regained his senses, Jade rocked steadily over him, his eyes trained on Honor’s every expression. I…

I know. Jade smiled, bending to kiss him. A few more thrusts and they tumbled over the edge together, taking more delight in the other’s pleasure than in their own. How did Honor know this? He just knew. A quiet consciousness, always in the back of his mind, told him that Jade was there. Inside him. Forever.

They collapsed on the floor, Honor curling into to his black demon’s warmth.

~*~

"Ura, Ura, Ura!"

Shuku’s soft baiting admonitions drove him on, making him thrust deep, claiming every inch of his lover’s body. "Shuku, can you feel it?"

"Yes!"

Ura took his lover’s lovely stiffness in hand, pumping him in time with his increasing thrusts. He could feel himself slipping over the edge of self-control, and somehow, he knew Shu was right there with him.

"Yes! Ura!"

"Shu…" Ura’s hips thrust forth in a frenzied cadence of need, pausing only when Shuku’s tight opening squeezed him powerfully. He felt the thick, hot cream of his lover’s essence spill over his stomach, and his own arousal responded. Ura threw his head back as torrents of his warm white gush filled Shuku. They hung suspended in that moment, and then fell back to earth. Ura collapsed on top of Shuku, and somehow, he knew the boy delighted in his weight. He stayed there, still encased in Shu’s tight heat, until the last pangs of orgasm tingled out of him.

Then he slid to his side of the bed, cupping Shuku to his breast and holding him tightly. "Thank you… for wanting me." Ura whispered, thinking Shu had fallen asleep.

"I will always want you. I love you." Shuku nuzzled him, then sighed happily and pulled the covers up around them.

"Oyasumi."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ohayoo gozaimasu."

Sai grimaced, that voice strangely familiar to him. He opened sleep-filled eyes and gazed upon none other than Sento sama.

"Nice of you to join the land of the living, if only temporarily," Sento murmured.

Hato stiffened up against him, his small hand tightly gripping his fingers.

"What do you want with us? Why--"

"Oh Sai, shut up before I decide keeping you alive isn’t as much fun and just shooting you. It’s almost sweet, the way you thought you could escape me." Sento tapped a finger to his head. "I have my ways, you know."

Sai leaned protectively over Shuku, watching as Sento lifted his gun off the night stand.

"Now, now, what have we here? How careless of you, Sai…"

The hilt gun met with the back of Sai’s head, his world contracting into the minute realm of pain before everything went black.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 19

When Honor awoke, he found himself burrowed with Jade under a pile of their clothing. Jade still slept, his handsome face looking young and innocent to Honor. Slowly those green eyes came awake, the love sparkling from their translucent depths unmistakable.

Jade rose up on all fours, leaning over him to sneak a quick kiss.

"Hmmm. Good morning, my lover." Honor laughed.

"Good morning, my love." Jade petted his hair back away from his face. "I want to wake next to you every morning…"

"Then we’ll just have to devise a way to keep those two together…"

"Those two?" Jade looked over at them. "Not a problem."

~*~

Shuku stretched languidly, his arms coming up to wrap around Ura’s neck.

"Shuku."

"Yes, darling."

"This is an unholy hour of the night."

Shuku laughed. "It’s morning Ura."

"Like I said. Make it go away." Ura grimaced, still not having opened his eyes.

"I take it you’re not a morning person."

"Morning does not exist for this person." Ura’s palms spread over Shuku’s lower back, dipping down to cup his bottom.

"Well, Ura, if you’re going to be living with me, you better get used to lots of sunlight."

That had Ura’s eyes open. "Living with you?"

Shuku felt his face go warm. "I meant… if you want to…"

Ura bent to kiss him, stopping only to say, "I want to…"

The cell phone rang, interrupting their first morning kiss. But it was either Sai or Hato, so they both stopped immediately and leaned down to feel around the floor for the phone.

"I got it," Shuku said. He pressed the button.

"Oniichan?"

"Hato! How are you?"

"Oniichan, don’t listen to him! Don’t do it—it’s a tra--"

"Hato?"

"It’s your wake up call, Shuku."

Shuku stayed silent, listen carefully to the voice he almost recognized.

"I don’t suppose you remember me, Shu? That’s depressing. But disappointment’s are just God’s way of saying he has a better idea."

Shuku took a sharp breath. "I remember."

"Well, I’m impressed. As you might have guessed, I have your little brother and his watchdog here. I would like to invite you up here to my mountain resort, for a little family reunion. I’d tell you to bring your mother…but I think one pretty little pussy is about all I can handle. Get up here. Come alone. We’ll finish it between you and me."

"Oniichan! Don’t--"

The line went dead. Shuku clicked the phone off, trying to figure out the best way to keep all this from Uragiri.

"Ura?"

"Yes?"

"My brother is not taking his withdrawal well. I know you said we should lie low, but I have to go to him. Will you tell me how to get there?"

"Where?"

"The cabins in the mountains?" Shu bit his lip, hoping he sounded like he had an inkling of what he spoke of.

"The ski lodges?"

"Yes!"

"Well, sure. I can steal us a car, I think, without drawing too much attention."

Shuku blanched.

"Oh. Well, you know what they say: you can take the man out of the Yakuza…"

"I’ll… I’ll call Kanja kacho for an undercover vehicle. Really, you don’t need to come. I’ll be fine on my own."

Ura frowned. "Now why would I do a thing like that. Unless… you want to be rid of me?"

Shuku lowered his eyes, torn.

Ura lifted his chin. "Shu? What’s this all about?"

"It’s just…Hato…" He huffed. "Things are really complicated right now, Ura. I need to keep things simple… for right now. Please, believe me?"

Ura paused, then shifted uncomfortably. "What are you saying, Shu?"

"I’m saying I think you and I should be apart right now. Just… for right now…"

"I see."

A cold pit formed in Shuku’s stomach. "I…"

Ura raised a hand. "You don’t owe me any explanations. I’ll just go down to one of the boutiques and buy myself a shirt, and be on my way. I’ll give you… I’ll give you number, if you want to reach me."

Shuku kept his eyes on the bedspread, fighting back tears. "Thank you."

Ura rose silently, slipping on his clothing quickly, his shoulders tense. He took up a hotel pen and wrote on some stationary by the bed, not looking up once. He finished after about a minute, handing Shu the paper. "It’s called the Yukida Ski Resort, up on Mt. Ouka. If you ever need me, I’m only a phone call away."

Shuku leaned up for a kiss, but Ura pressed his lips to his cheek, as he had done on the first night they met, and turned to go.

"Ura!"

The dark man turned.

"I’ll call."

He smiled and closed the door behind him.

Shuku didn’t have time to have a nervous breakdown. His father held Hato hostage, and he was the only ransom. He quickly read over the directions, then picked up the hotel phone and called Kanja sensei.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hato cringed, crumpling in on himself beside Sai on the bed. He wished the other man were awake. Sento was insane, and Hato hated to be left all alone with him, especially weak, defenseless and naked. He knew Shu was walking right into the man’s trap, but if knew if he did anything, Sento would kill him.

The gray-eyed man just sat in his chair, a malificent expression on his face. Hato clutched Sai to him, shivering, hoping ani brought the whole police squad with him.

"Has Shu told you who I am?" Sento asked pleasantly.

Hato looked at him quizzically. "No. How do you know my brother?"

Sento smiled. "A man ought to know his own son."

Hato’s jaw dropped. "Impossible."

Sento rolled his eyes, his finger flicking the safety on and off Sai’s gun. "Let me see. Shu was born on the 25th of June. I was working at the time. Bijin had to quit dancing at Kubomi’s because she was pregnant with him. I told her to get an abortion but," he shook his head, "no. She wouldn’t. The old Toranomon Syacho made me marry her. Not that I minded. She was pretty obedient, thinking she loved me. Your mother was a real piece of work, son."

"You’re lying."

"I’m not, you slut. You and your brother were what finally made me divorce her. She never told you? Well, isn’t that just sweet, cotton-blossom? Maybe you boys wouldn’t have ended up half so stupid if she’d have told you a thing or two." Sento’s liquid voice remained cultured despite the venom dripping from it.

"Well, if you didn’t want us, what do you want with us now?"

"I want you dead," the man replied. "After Shuku leads Kanja right up to this door step... He and I have had this a long time coming."

"Let Sai go. He only was following orders."

Sento twitched. "He followed Ura’s orders, not mine. Bad call." He flicked the safety off again, pointing the gun at Sai’s head.

Hato moved to shelter the handsome man with his body, straining against his own fatigue.

"Very valiant, slut. But you’re right. Wouldn’t want to start the fun without your brother."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Honor and Jade watched as Shuku sped along the deserted morning highway, climbing altitude as he followed the directions to Ouka. He never once looked back to see Ura following him in a stolen cab.

He pulled up to the only cabin with cars parked beside it, and took a deep breath. Please, let Kanja sama get here soon, he thought. So as not to send Sento in a panic, he slammed his undercover car door shut and noisily walked up to the door.

It opened, Hato standing there wrapped in a blue sheet.

"Hato!" Shuku rushed forward embracing his brother.

"You baka! I told you not to come!" Hato clung to him as his knees gave out, falling against Shuku as weak as a newborn kitten.

A gun cocked against the side of his temple. "Welcome, Shuku. Won’t you come in?"

Shuku picked up his brother and walked in the lodge, leaving the door open behind him.

"Well, here you are. And where is Kanja dear boy? Don’t tell me you didn’t let your Chief of Police know I was at large?"

"You said to come alone," Shuku replied coldly.

"You can’t be that stupid." He pointed the gun at Hato’s head. "I will know if you are lying. Is Kanja coming or not?"

"He is. Most likely."

Sento gently brought the gun down. "Then you live a little while longer."

"I’m afraid I don’t understand what all this about, father."

"Its between me and Kanja. You and your little slut of a brother here are pawns. And pawns are only good for one thing."

Shuku deposited Hato on the bed beside Sai, pretending not to see Sai wink at him. He turned to face Sento, determined to keep him talking till back up arrived. Constructing what he hoped was a serene mask, Shuku stared in his father’s eyes.

"What has Kanja ever done to you?"

"You wouldn’t believe me, if I told you."

Shuku stalled. "I would if you gave me your word."

"Ah, but Shu, we all know you’d take anybody’s word. Wouldn’t you agree, Uragiri?" Sento whirled around, pointing his pistol straight at Ura’s head.

The two stood there, each with a gun trained on the other, tension thick in the air between them.

"Kanja is on his way," Ura said without inflection. "I saw him not five miles behind me on the hills. You’ve got what you wanted, you don’t need them as bait. Give them to me, and I’ll walk away and let you hash this out with Kanja."

"You’ll let me walk away? Touching. Really. But I think not."

"I warn you, Sento, nothing gets between me and the ones I love. Nothing."

Sento leaned over slightly, smirking. "How’s your trigger finger, Ura? At least you still have that one left!"

A muscle in Ura’s cheek twitched.

"Father--"

Without removing his gaze from Ura, Sento growled, "Shut up, Shuku. Ura. Look over on the table. I brought along a little present for you. Figured you might miss it. That is," Sento chuckled, "if you can still hold it properly."

Shuku watched Ura’s eyes flick to the dining room table and back, seeing the Tiger katana unsheathed, waiting for him.

"Now. I know you, Ura. You’ve worked for me for almost twenty years. Not a single day went by that your every move wasn’t totally predictable to me. Go on. Pick it up. You know you want to use it."

Ura cocked his gun. "Shu? I’ve got you covered. Go over to the table and bring me my father’s sword."

Sento smiled.

Shuku let go of his brother’s hand and walked woodenly beside the table. He picked up the sword, his hand gripping the handle assuredly, and walked over to Ura. With his back to Sento, he missed the exchange, but he could see the expression flit across Ura’s face. Something was seriously wrong, but Ura wouldn’t lift his gun with Shuku so close by…

He began to turn, to face his father’s treachery, when Ura stepped in front of him with arms wide open. The sound of a bullet firing off rang around the tiny cabin, Shuku watching in slow motion as Ura gripped his collar bone.

"Ura!"

He looked up to see his father grappling with Sai, before tossing the man to the floor with inhuman strength. Sento pointed his gun right between Hato’s eyes, his finger deploying the trigger.

But Shuku was already up, in midair, the Tiger clan katana aimed straight and true. Sento turned in time to see the blade pierce his black, demonic heart. Incredulous, his steel gray eyes squinted at Shuku, his hand dropping the gun to the floor. Shuku drove the sword in deep, pushing his father to the floor with the commandment, "Die!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jade and Honor shrank back as Sento’s life force left his body, the evil soul set free with the human husk of death. The air became thick with raw stench, and Honor stepped closer to Jade for shelter. Unseen to human eyes, a demonic form rose up from the corpse, its dragon wings complete with claws at the tips. Fangs protruded from the gruesome face, the colorless eyes revealing an abyss of torture.

Sento, the Arch Demon of War, spread its wings out and let out a sonic roar. He began to laugh, the sound a twisted profanity. In a voice older than time, it spoke, "You must thank your humans for setting me free. Too bad they won’t live long enough to know what they’ve done!"

Honor’s heart skipped a beat. Never in all his training did Kanja sama mention evil of this magnitude on the human plane. He followed Jade’s example, preparing to attack. But how could they hope to defeat such a monster?

"Come! Come for me!" the creature ordered.

Summoning his courage, Honor gathered his strength and lunged for the monster, his nails scratching at the figure’s soulless eyes. Without ceremony, the demon threw him across the room. As Honor collected himself, he could see Jade charging the beast out of the corner of his eye.

The demon held Jade up by the throat. "You? That little human boy I took all those years ago? You seek to challenge me now, fallen star? I shall feast on your soul."

Jade squirmed as the demon brought him down for a kiss, his feet lashing uselessly out against the creature’s torso.

"No! Jade!" Honor flew at Sento, ripping at his lower right wing until the appendage broke off. The demon screamed in agony, dropping Jade to clutch the bloody appendage. "Jade? Are you all right?"

Jade said nothing, pushing him out of the way as the beast’s clawed hands swooped wildly back and forth, tangling in Jade’s flaxen midnight hair, lifting him off the ground by it. "An eye for an eye, fledgling," Sento whispered cruelly, tearing Jade’s wings off with one swift stroke.

"AH!" Jade’s high-pitched squeal cracked through the air, wounding Honor like a knife through his breast. He sank to his knees, horrified to see deep red blood gush from his beloved’s broken back, staining the floor with the evidence that only he could see.

The beast littered the floor with Jade’s mangled body, his hate directed solely at Honor now. "And now for you, pretty."

Honor stood stock still, rooted to the ground with his grief. He watched as the demon of war reached down to tear apart his downy wings…

When suddenly a hand pierced through the demon’s chest, ripping out a black, rotting heart beating within its fist.

Jade…

Things were happening too fast. Honor couldn’t wrap his mind around it. Somehow, Jade had managed to wrench the life-force out the black demon. Sento’s ethereal body liquified like acid, burning around Jade’s arm and seeping into the cracks of the wooden planks of the cabin. Honor stared at his lover, whose triumphant face was laced in pain, as he slipped to the ground in a pool of his own life essence.

"Jade!" Honor rushed over to the fallen angel, hugging him to his breast. "Jade! Jade!"

"Honor," his hoarse voice whispered. "It wasn’t for me… I didn’t do it for me…" Jade sounded in awe, as if he just discovered some great secret.

"Jade?"

"I did it… for you." He smiled weakly. "For love."

Jade, don’t leave me.

The presence in Honor’s mind began to rapidly fall away, leaving him alone to clutch at Jade’s empty, marred body. "Don’t leave me!" he cried.

~*~

Shu held Ura still on the cabin floor, his left hand uselessly trying to hold the blood in. "Ura," his small voice choked out. "You’ve got to hang on. Sai called an ambulance, and my backup is on the way."

The words sounded childish even to his own ears…

Ura smiled up at him, though, unable to speak for the pain. Shuku watched as the life drained away in Ura’s eyes, felt it leave Ura’s body as surely as if a limb had been ripped away. He buried his face in Ura’s blood-covered chest and cried. "You promised…you promised…"

At that moment, Kanja sama walked through the cabin door, an army of detectives and medical staff behind him. "Shuku? What the hell happened here?"

"You’re too late," Shuku said, his voice muffled by Ura’s still chest.

"I’m never late, rookie."

"He’s dead!" Shuku screamed, bitterness engulfing him.

Kanja sama marched over to him, "You so sure? What makes you the expert?" Two chubby fingers pressed against Ura’s neck, and for a moment, Shuku felt a tingle down his spine. And then the voice was back, deep inside his head… The presence of someone warm and familiar.

Ura began to breathe slowly in and out, and Kanja sama smiled. "He looks alive to me, idiot."

"H… how?" Shuku stared at his sensei, too overcome for words. The emergency medical technicians burst in then, and scattered to get Ura on a stretcher; Shuku, Hato and Sai rushed to follow them to the ambulance. Kanja kacho walked over to Sento’s impaled body, disgust etched on his face. "I always knew that boy would be the end of you."

But whether he spoke of Shuku or Jade, Honor couldn’t be sure. Sad blue eyes fell on the Archangel. "Can you bring him back, too?" Honor sobbed. "You have great powers, Kanja sama. Can you make him like he was, please?"

"No," Kanja sighed. "I can’t. You see, Honor, he died for love. So I’m afraid he can’t some back… as a demon…"

Honor cried into his hands. "Then I don’t want it! I don’t want… any of this… without him!"

"You’re always quick to assume the worst, fledgling," Jade rebuked.

Honor spun around to see his lover, the long black hair and ink blot eyes, now surrounded by radiant white wings. "You’re… you’re an angel?"

Jade smiled softly. "Your very own."

Honor raced passed a very pleased Kanja sama, bounding up to Jade, hurling himself inside the circle of those loving, protective arms.

"I owe everything to you, Honor. Thank you."

Honor offered up his lips, and his heart, to Jade. Both were accepted.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 20

Shuku watched his otouto walk down off the platform, high school diploma in hand. His mother wept, openly, letting Kanja sensei occasionally wipe away her tears with his breast-pocket cloth. Shuku smiled, wondering if there was something there he should know about. Sensei’s stern look told him… most definitely. He turned to Ura, quietly putting his head on the man’s shoulder, happy to feel a strong arm wrap around his waist.

Hato bounded up to his family, his excitement palpable.

"Congratulations, young Hato kun," Kanja said. "You’ve made it this far. And what’s in the works now, eh? Are you going to join my police force, too? It’s easy work now that we’ve shut down Kubomi’s. The jails are full of the worst criminals in Tokyo, thanks to cops like your brother!"

Hato wrinkled his nose slightly. "I think I’ve had all the excitement I can handle for this lifetime, Kanja sensei."

Kanja laughed. "Well, then, I guess it’s off to college for you, young man."

"Actually…"

Shuku smiled as his brother took Sai by the arm, presenting him to their mother.

"Mom, Sai and I were thinking of opening a restaurant of our own."

"Oh?" The gorgeous lady let out the tinkle of a tiny laugh. "Are you letting my son manage your money for you, Sai kun, or are you simply interested in the restaurant business?"

"Well, ma’am, I have to do something to make an honest man of myself. And Hato’s a fantastic cook. So I found a nice little shop near the station, with an apartment on the second floor. It’s not much, but… It’s a start."

"How much is this start?" Ura said sardonically.

"Less money than it takes to run your kendo dojo!" Sai blushed. "I have a little money saved away, kacho—I mean Ura."

Hato beamed. "Yeah. We can manage. That’s why I was thinking…"

Shuku glanced over at Ura knowingly. "Here it comes…"

"You haven’t even heard it yet, niichan."

"Well, then, out with it." Shuku laughed.

"I was thinking you could use the money to go back to college yourself."

Shuku stopped laughing, staring at his brother. "Hato, that’s your money."

"My money that you earned…"

"But…" Shuku looked at Ura.

"You know," Kanja sensei said, "I always thought you’d make an excellent criminal psychologist."

"Yes," Ura murmured. "You have a excellent grasp of the criminal… mind." He kissed behind Shuku’s ear.

"Just so long as I have this criminal’s heart," he whispered back.

"All right, everyone," his mother sang. "Get together for a picture!" Ura and Sai stood on either side of Shuku and Hato, Kanja sama standing on the bleachers behind them.

Years later, when Shuku looked back on that picture, he always wondered who those two young men were on either side of Kanja kacho. It must have been a trick of the camera light, or a mistake in the processing… for he could just barely make out the long black hair and light brown hair that surrounded the stranger’s faces. The rest of their bodies seemed to glow in casts of precious jade; a light from deep within.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~
owari.