(Dodges flying muffins thrown by angry people) PLEASE DON’T KILL ME! I INTEND TO FINISH THIS BEFORE I DIE! Im SO sorry it’s taken me a month to finish this. : ( I intended to have this up a lot sooner.

Thanks to all who reviewed and put this on story alert/favorite story and all that other fun stuff. ^^ I love you all to pieces!

Thanks to:

AnimeFreak4261

Aika08

Princess of Oblivion

Invert Double

(no name) :( I feel bad I can’t write thanks to these peoples :(

Flowing Breeze

PhreshxxxBear

Melissa Brite

UnexpectedInspiration

Tomi Lang

Japanesenut

Tomoyo

Max Ride Fan 13

Winterblossoms

Lilly Love

Elany

Army of Smith

Ninor-san

AND

Sora-Oathkeeper-Oblivion

Thanks to everyone!!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles and all quotes belong to Clamp.

Chapter Seven: The Million Dollar Question

“Someone tell me what I’m doing here again?”

“Because Kuro-rin,” Fai chirped in his ear before grasping the handle bar of the cart and turning down another aisle in the supermarket, “Someone needed to stay home and watch Syaoran-kun.”

“Why not let me stay? I am his guardian after all.”

“Because,” Fai said as he selected a box of cereal to see if it passes his health inspection. “No, too much sugar.” He put the box back and picked up another one. Ah, much better. “I know you’re a nice guy, it’s so sweet of you to help me, but did you think I was going to leave you alone in my apartment with my daughter? You’re still an amazing guy, don’t worry but I did just meet you after all.” He reached a hand up to ruffle his black hair but Kurogane moved out of his way just in time.

It had been a week since Syaoran had gotten sick and he finally seemed to be getting out of it for the last and final time. Fai knew Kurogane was worried because although he left for work the moment he came back he would be attached to his bedside. Now though, Syaoran had been well for about two whole days, eating, moving, and talking normally. Kurogane knew it was a only a matter of time before Fai’s kindness would run out, and he would ask when they were planning on moving back out.

But the thing is Fai knew that Kurogane knew that they had no place to move back in to. He had pretended he didn’t notice the day. The day when Kurogane came back from his apartment carrying two full backpacks stuffed with clothes and a garbage bag filled with belongings. Fai knew that the clothes were necessary since they were staying a while, but the fact that he was carrying objects and the devastated look of the fighters face was enough to get the blonde thinking. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Syaoran said about no one answering the phone when they called:

I’m just…not sure if you’ll still be able too…

That was the reason he was still letting them live with him, he was bound to insist to any who would question his motives. They were going through a tough time and they needed him.

But was it something deeper than that?

Only time would tell.

Kurogane continued walking in silence, more like stomping actually. He obviously agreed with Fai’s reasoning now that he thought about it, and the blonde guessed by his sudden crankiness that he was unable to come up with a come back quick enough.

Fai motioned down another aisle and told Kurogane to stop the cart. Bending down he picked up a pack of 24 water bottles and snorted to himself when he found he could not lift them. He knew he should have continued to work out.

“Puppy?” he said throwing his head over his shoulder, “could you help me?”

Grunting Kurogane took the package from the struggling man without comment and placed it on top of the overfilling cart. Fai was glad of that change, it had been a long time since they’d been able to afford enough food. Then again, now they had four mouths to feed instead of two so the second contribution of income from Kurogane was welcomed.

“Thanks! Who’s a good doggy?”

“Do you have a death wish?”

“Don’t answer my question with a question, silly dog. Now,” Fai winked as he put his hand dangerously close to Kurogane’s which was resting on the front of the cart. “Can I drive?”

The fighter snorted as he let go of the bar, letting the hyper man take control for only half a second before realizing his mistake. “Hey get back here!!” His arm struck out to grab it back but it was too late. Soon Fai was speeding past the high stacked shelves like a hot rod down the freeway. Kurogane raced after him, knees bent up high as he sprinted like a maniac, dodging under the arms of passing women holding bags and some boxer boys who were stacking shelves full of food.

Finally he caught up with him when Fai went to a speeding stop, almost careening into an elderly man and his granddaughter, in front of the chocolate isle. Almost as if in a trance Fai slowly took two hands off the cart and eyes wide took long quick strides down the isle.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Kurogane protested as he lunged forward and grabbed the man by his arm. “Remember what you said? You’re only allowed to buy the things on the list?”

“But,” Fai began to protest as the fighter dragged him where he couldn’t get his hands on the mouthwatering brown delicacy. “Come on Kuro-chan just one? Please? !!!”

“Why are you begging me?” He snorted. “It’s your money don’t forget, im just following your orders remember? ‘“Don’t let me buy anything that isn’t on the list!”’” he mimicked, trying to make his voice go as high as it could without cracking.

Hmm not a bad impression Kurgs.

Sighing Fai shook Kurogane’s thick arm off and slumped forward, arms heaving in front of him like a gorilla as he looked down at the floor dejectedly.

“Watch out!” he heard someone yell before he felt clothing push against his neck line, feeling a whoosh in front of him as something nearly land on him. Blinking he looked down and noticed six boxes spilling out their contents of canned beans close to the floor of his shoes.

Dang. That REALLY would have hurt if that fell on his head like it was about to.

“Im so sorry!” He heard someone blubber out, probably the store clerk who wasn’t watching where he was going when he was driving the box carrier. Fai just shook his head, half in shock as he looked at the tanned arm that was still holding on firmly too the back of his shirt.

“Idiot!” he muttered, Fai heard him give an oath under his breath.

Swearing? For him?

“You want to die so bad then I’ll kill you myself.” Kurogane said angrily as he moved Fai out of the way of the store employees cleaning up the spilled and now spoiled food.

He was sure surprised when Fai swung around and send him a wide cheerful, even somewhat grateful smile.

“Aww Kurgie-wanki you know you wouldn’t kill me.”

“What makes you so sure of that?”

“Because you could never catch me.”

And he was off.

The only way for Kurogane to catch him was to chase him, and that’s exactly what Fai wanted. Kurogane knew that Fai knew that he wanted to chase him, and possibly kill him. Yet deep down, the dark haired man was starting to realize that he didn’t want to kill that blue eyed idiot as much as he insisted he did.

Kurogane growled when he finally caught up, ignoring the stares he was getting from his fellow shoppers. He caught Fai by the elbow and pulled the cart to a screeching halt with one jerk of his strong arm. Panting slightly from the chase he rolled his eyes as he put one arm on either side Fai, hands resting on the handle bars. Fai was still facing the front, but he could feel Kuro’s breath on the back of his neck.

Whoa. This is a little close, Fai thought to himself and had to stop himself from blushing as he turned around to face him, his mischievous mind coming up with an idea. Thinking about how best to accomplish this task he stared up into those red eyes and smiled. Kurogane looked just so adorable when he was angry!

The thought made him smile and the fighter glared him down.

“You’re a real pain in the ass you know that?” He said angrily.

The blonde shook his head, sending his gold hair brushing against Kuro’s nose ever so lightly. Fai was amazed; he never knew a face could go that shade of red.

“I’m not a ‘pain in the ass’ as you put it.” He was smiling and he pushed his body up on his tip toes so their faces were inches apart. “I am just merely difficult for you to understand.” He was close now. Real close. At the time it was hard for the blonde to understand why he enjoyed being so close to the dark haired fighter. “I’m just,” now their noses were touching. Kurogane looked real scared now. “Complicated.” Fai breathed warm air against the fighter’s tanned jaw line.

“HA!” he yelled as he swiped up his hand and pretended to grab at Kurogane’s face, nearly scaring the fighter half to death and out of his daze. “I GOT YOUR NOSE! I GOT YOUR NOSE!” Fai was smart enough to retreat to a safe distance.

The crimson eyed man blinked for half a second, his face matching his eyes before crossing his arms and looking away. “You’re so immature.”

“Aww come on aren’t you going to chase me?”

“Uh. Hell no.”

“But it’s no fun if you don’t fight back!”

No response. Fai sighed exasperatingly before walking back and pretending to put his nose back on. “Kurgs you’re such a sore loser. Kurogane opened his mouth and tried to bite at his fingers.

“Hyuu~! Why did I have to buy a doggy that bites?” Halfway through his sentence and he was already running.

Kurogane did the most unpredictable thing yet. Turning the cart around, eyes narrowed in anticipation he put all his weight on the front of the cart, pulled a wheelie and pushed off the ground with one of his strong legs. Fai could only blink in shock as Kurogane came racing after him, riding the shopping cart like he’d done it since his teen years, gaining momentum with each passing second.

Any passing people couldn’t help but stare, as Fai continued to run, squealing and laughing uncontrollably followed closely after by the tall Kurogane, bent over the bar of the cart, eyes narrowed in concentration with the most serious of expressions guiding his actions.

Anyone watching would know instantly that they were insane.

And madly falling for each other.

Their game continued for only a few minutes as the manager told them to buy their items and get out or they’d call security. Fai giggled and even Kurogane smirked and chuckled at that. However they did as they were told and began to get the last of their groceries and make their way towards the front of the store.

They were just heading to the check out line when Fai remembered something.

“Hyuu?” he said poking one of Kurogane’s buff shoulders.

“What?” Kurogane grunted over his shoulder, barely turning around as he put a packaged of bottled water on the conveyer belt.

“You check out, I’ll be right back.”

The tall man just shrugged his shoulders and Fai took that as his cue to leave. Spinning around on his heels he walked quickly towards the liquor wall he had passed earlier when they first entered the store. His left hand hidden in his jean pocket he let his thumb stick out, tapping it against his thigh, lips pursed in a small smile he gazed upon his selection. Finally he saw the name he had been instructed to get and carefully took out a delicate colorful bottle and inspected the price. He winced inwardly. This was the one Yukko-san wanted?

Man that mattress was going to cost him a lot.

Fai had not told Kurogane about his plan yet, but since it was quite obvious that the pair were going to be staying for a while he thought it was only sensible that they get a second mattress. That’s what the liquor was for. When had discussed this earlier with Yukko she said the only way he would have enough to pay for the spare she had downstairs would be to pay her $100 cash, some of his chocolate fondant, and a few bottles of liquor. He was planning on using his discount at the bar until he remembered that he didn’t have another shift there for a week. And he REALLY didn’t want to continue to sleep on the floor.

He grabbed that and another bottle, a Fat Bastard that smelled amazing. Taking them back to the checkout he found Kurogane patting his foot anxiously.

“There you are!” he growled. “What took you so long? We still have to pay.”

“Geez Kurgs, you’re such a worry wart.” Fai said, winking as he handed the bottles over to the cashier. Kurogane chose not to reply when he noticed the bottles. The blonde watch with curiosity as his dark eyebrows shot up for a second then furrowed together in thought.

What was Kurogane thinking? Does he think im an alcoholic?

He decided now was the best time to tell him, Fai didn’t want Kurogane to have bad opinions about him.

“For Yukko.” He said simply and those piercing red eyes shot his way making Fai’s heartbeat race. What was it about those eyes that made him jump; the intensity, the color? Maybe it was the fact that it was possible the owner of those spheres was able to see through him, see right through his lies, to see the very core of Fai’s existence that he forgot he had.

“The witch makes you do her shopping too?”

Fai did not like the name Kurogane had adopted for his friend and landowner, but he couldn’t blame him. The first time the blonde had ever introduced the two she was drunk and quite flirtatious, even though she had her two young nieces Maru and Moro right next to her. When Kurogane found out he was playing her he rejected and she got quite rude, even though she was just playing around to begin with to get him to buy something. The crimson eyed man wanted desperately to call her the ‘b’ word but when he tried Fai nudged him, reminding him of the children in the room, and changed his word to witch.

“No, this is part of a payment.” Fai said as he handed over the required amount. Shit $200? Man he was screwed.

“For what?”

“A mattress for Syaoran.”

Kurogane froze where he was, almost dropping the bags he had just picked up. He took one look at the blonde and Fai just smiled a small smile back. At first he looked shocked, than angry, than embarrassed, then something else. Without another word he picked up the bags and the bottles of water and waited for Fai to pick up his share.

Fai let out the breath he was holding and his smile grew. Kurogane’s silence meant he had accepted his proposal that they would be staying for a while longer.

Why did that make him feel so happy?

So together they walked in silence with their packages, but it was impossible for Fai to notice the little grin, and the look of hope Kurogane had shining across his face as they made their way home.

It was almost two when Fai even risked leaving the apartment. Syaoran had stayed up late to finish some math homework and required the blonde’s help. They worked from midnight onward and didn’t finish till a quarter to two. However, Fai didn’t mind spending a little more time with the teen. Since it was obvious they would be living together for the next little while it only made sense that they get to know each other better. He just wished they didn’t have to bond over math homework. Fai did learn a few things himself though: one, that he really didn’t know what he was doing and wasn’t too much of a help to Syaoran, and two, that Syaoran really didn’t mind he didn’t know. The brown haired youth actually seemed to be learning more by telling Fai how certain things didn’t work one way or another in arithmetic. But now that they were done Fai did what a good guardian should and told him to go to bed.

The excuse was that the kid had school and Fai had work to do in the morning, the real reason was the kid had school and Fai had work to do right now.

It was not the kind of work the blue eyed man looked forward to.

It took Fai forever to sneak out of his apartment. He was finding this a lot harder to accomplish since Kurogane had moved in. Now that they had the new mattress they had given it to Syaoran and Kurogane to share, however they had expected it to be bigger then it was. Unlike what Yukko had promised, it was a single built for a child and they were very lucky that Syaoran liked to sleep curled up in a ball or else it wouldn’t have fit even him.

This meant they still needed a bed for Kurogane. When they found this out Fai instantly insisted on sleeping on the floor but the fighter’s direct and immediate response was that he was not going to let him sleep on the floor and if he really cared that much he’d do it.

It was the first time Fai saw some sort of sympathetic emotion emerge from Kurogane. He seemed to notice, like he always did, the things that Fai fought so hard to keep hidden. Even though it was not said out loud, the crimson eyed man could tell something had happened to him and chose not to question him and instead gave him another option.

Lets just say the first time they did it was awkward. (A/N YOU PERVERTS! XD) Sleeping together on one bed was definitely a first for both of them, at least with each other. There had been times when Sakura and Fai had to share blankets and body heat in the winter and Fai guessed the same sort of situation happened with Kurogane, but it was different. Now they were two grown adult men sleeping together.

And neither of them knew that the other secretly had a growing attraction for them.

But now that they were sharing a bed, it was becoming increasingly difficult to get out of the bed in the middle of the night without being questioned. Thankfully for Fai though, Kurogane had had a pretty rough day at the construction site; he came home swearing that he was going to kill his boss and probably all of his co-workers and complaining to Fai with stories about how shitty his day was. Fai didn’t blame him though, apparently someone at the site tried to steal his wallet from his locker and Kurogane caught him, threatened to beat the shit out of him and his boss heard him and almost fired him. However, the attempt thievery went unnoticed and Kurogane had stomped out of work fuming. After this dramatic conclusion to a day, the tired martial artist retired to his bed before the kids even got home from school. It also helped that Fai never got in bed to begin with, cause as tired as Kurogane was, he was the lightest sleeper the blonde had ever heard of.

Yet somehow, he managed to make it out with only a few sleepy mutters and a roll over which Fai was grateful for. But now that he had escaped he wanted nothing more then to go back and return home to a nice warm bed and an understanding family.

He did not want to do this. No. Not one bit.

Was it fair to say that he had no choice?

Because to be honest he did.

But does that mean that making that choice is any easier? No, not when your choice decides whether you can support the ones you care about or not.

That’s what Fai tried to keep in mind as he wandered through the streets, far past what he would call an appropriate bed time. As his eyes wandered around him, searching for his prey (or was it his predator?) he kept his posture easy, his muscles relaxed, trying not to think about what he was about to instigate. He had to stop himself from shaking, although it was quite hard when he was wearing such little clothing. For underneath his leather jacket he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Although he was wearing pants his top was almost completely bare besides his shoulders. Fai would not be surprised if he would catch cold before the week was out, but it was much easier to attract that sort of attention when you had skin showing.

Currently he was in west Loshin, just a few blocks down from his apartment.

It was amazing how just a short distance away, his daughter and two housemates were sleeping soundly when he was out preparing himself for a round of heavy, undesired sex.

The chain of events that made him go up at this ridiculous hour seemed too confusing for Fai to sort out at the time. Had it been what had happened earlier today at the school? It probably was, Fai thought to himself. The truth was he almost felt like crying when it happened…an emotion that had been foreign to him for some time.

By the time he stopped he had almost forgotten where he was and where he wanted to go. He felt exhausted, tired of everything. He didn’t want to continue going so he did what he set out to and found a suitable spot to start his parade. Now his walking changed and his shaking ceased.

There was a swing to his hips now as he moved farther into the darkest corners of a dark city. One foot in front of the other and his manner became less uneasy, and more seductress like.

He passed many places on his walk, and as he got closer and closer to The Cat’s Scratch he realized just how busy it was tonight.

The Cat’s Scratch was one of those places that used to be just a simple bar someone had formed in the front area of a run down business warehouse. Until the economy went bad, its main industry was probably, well selling beer. Now though, in the back end of the warehouse and the entire basement was a dirtier place.

He had made a promise. Fai had told himself that he would never get mixed up in this business ever again. It was a lot easier to get customers when you actually go into the club, he new that, but he didn’t want to go back.

He didn’t think he could stand the shame.

Besides, he was well known on this end of town for his exotic looks, he might get lucky. So when he got to the front of the bar he decided to continue his parade up and down the sidewalk. He was only a block away when his first customer of the night approached him.

“Hey,” he heard a slightly slurred voice speak from the darkness. “Haven’t seen you here for a while honey. You didn’t get tired of me did you?”

Fai didn’t need to turn around to know who it was, but knew it was impolite to ignore your customers. Turning to face him he looked the man up and down, trying to remember his name; when you knew your customers on a more physical than social basis it was easier to remember physical attributes then names. This one he liked to call yellow tooth, the easiest thing to describe him by since his gums and teeth were yellow, and his lower lip saggy.

“Tired of you? Never,” he let out one of his magical laughs, inwardly screaming. Being the liar he was it was easy to hide how he was feeling on the outside, but down underneath his skin he was puking and shouting and crying all at the same time. He put his hands on his hips, making his jacket fall slightly off of his small frame, exposing completely naked flesh. “If you really wanted me, you would have found me by now.”

“Oh believe me,” the man reached an arm out to grab him by his waist. They were real close now, it was easy to smell the revolting scent of aged beer and slime that covered this person. “I’ve been wanting.” Fai knew how he was supposed to act. He was supposed to respond, but he didn’t. He hadn’t done this in a while with good reason, and once again he was too afraid to remember how he was supposed to attract customers. Oh dear, this guys hands were going a little too low there.

To say the least Fai was so not ready to do this.

“So come on sweet cheeks. How much you selling for?”

Fai bit his lip, wondering how much he could get out of this guy. This was going to be a long night he was sure, but he wanted it to be as quick and painless as possible. “How much you looking for?” was his return question.

A slap on the ass was what he got in response. Like usual Fai felt offended by that and wanted to slap back but knew if he wanted the money he’d have to suck it up and deal with it.

All of it? He wanted all of it? Fai should have been expecting that, but now he was getting cold feet.

Oh god, he prayed silently to whatever higher being there was out there. I don’t want to do this!

But he had no choice, so he gave a little seductive smile and spoke; blinking back tears while he did it.

“One hundred.” He said and heard the man whine.

“You trying to rob me? You only charged me fifty last time!”

“You weren’t asking for much last time.” Fai reminded him, although he desperately wanted to forget himself. “And if it’s too much than I can just take my business elsewhere.” He made a move to get out of the man’s sweaty arms and was met by a firm grab of his arm and someone’s hips pushing against his own.

“One hundred it is.” He whispered into his ear and Fai felt bile rise at the back of his throat. Trying to choke it back he gave another smile.

“Where shall we go then? The warehouse?” He was met with another slap, a firm grasp on his arm and another press of groins. Okay, outside it was. Man this guy was impatient!

So Fai led the way. Looking around he noticed that there was an alley separating a warehouse and some smaller, separate storage sheds. That seemed to be where the man wanted to go because he grabbed his arm and nodded at the shed. Fai walked down the alley, his heart thumping as he heard the sounds of passing cars and noisy pedestrians fade away due to the concrete structures in between them. The farther he got away from human company, the worse the stench of the back roads got. That odor of putrefying wood and decomposing animal corpses infiltrated his senses, and momentarily made him forget his fear as his feet dragged through the garbage that raccoons had taken from torn open garbage bags.

He heard the dripping sounds of water escaping from the ease drops, and the hum of a heater as it warmed a building.

The man opened the door and waited for Fai to go in. But the second the door was open the blonde had saw it.

There in the centre of the room was a torn, moth infested mattress, surrounded by three fully grown men.

Turning on his heels he tried to run away but the one who had led him here tried to push him back.

“NO!” Fai yelled pushing his arms aside, tears in his eyes as he forced his way past him, hearing the shouts of the guys behind him. But he was not fast enough and yellow tooth grabbed him by the waist and he fell back into his arms with a strangled gasp. He was pushed up against the wall as yellow tooth’s friends crowded around.

“Daaaang,” one said, smiling a wide grin, his scraggly red beard scratching against Fai’s face as he moved close enough to inspect him. “You weren’t joking when you said you only pick the best.”

Fai was too scared to even think of responding, now the four had him surrounded and his head spun this way and that, searching for any means of escape. He was regretting ever leaving the apartment now, leaving Kurogane and his small, comfy futon. He tried to keep the image of something happy in his head as they closed in on him. But those hands, those filthy hands were everywhere. Exploring places Fai didn’t want to be touched, at least not by them. Up his jacket a hairy one traveled and it didn’t take long before his jacket was discarded beside him. His heart beating crazily in his temples and his mind screaming for him to shout for help he was pushed up against the wall and felt someone unzip his jeans. He closed his eyes; he refused to see these people spoil him. His entire being shaked as Fai tried to focus his thoughts on the ones he cared about, not these things who were desecrating his body. Sakura and Syaoran, he was doing this for them. They needed this. They needed him. He couldn’t let them down.

Even as he thought this Fai heard himself cry out as he felt someone reach down behind his belt and another curse at how they couldn’t get the zipper unzipped.

He felt one of the hands slip a few twenties in his back pocket and another grunt in his ear. “Just shut up and take the money.”

Those words silenced Fai for the most part, until the only sound emerging from his throat was the sound of his sobs.

No. No, this had to stop. He had to stop them!

“Let go of me,” he croaked, eyes wide as he tried to scream. “LET GO OF ME!”

“Shut the hell up!” Yellow tooth snarled and finally they succeeded in unclothing him.

This couldn’t be happening. Why did he do this? Why did he come back when he promised himself he never would? Why wasn’t he just refusing them?

Because he needed the money. He knew that.

Sakura needed the money. She needed him, and Syaoran needed this too. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to focus on them as much as possible.

He would not let them down!

Suddenly Fai felt something smack his head and he was pushed suddenly and brutally to the ground, feeling the weight of someone else’s form on top of his. What surprised him was not the pain, but the sounds that accompanied the pain.

“Hey what’s your-?”

“WHAT THE HELL!”

The body was thrown off of him and the sound of the violent pounding of flesh reached Fai’s ears. His eyes were filled with water and he blinked them away as he tried to pick himself us, still hearing the sound of what seemed to be a brutal attack on his ‘customers’. When he put his arms underneath him to push his body up though he felt his whole body shake as a scream, a beastly, inhuman roar was heard vibrating along the walls of the buildings beside him and he found himself trying to pull himself away from the vicious fight being fought behind him.

There was an angry shout, loud enough that Fai was wondering if the earth underneath his overturned body was shaking. The sounds of flesh meeting flesh shook him up and he tried to close his ears from the horrid sound effects accompanying the pain the men were sure to be feeling.

There was some sort of fight happening, that the blonde knew for sure, between the four men and this new comer. Why? Had he come to save him?

Fai groaned as he tuned out the beating of fists behind him and the vile attack happening out of his view. The hammering of his bruised forehead from contact with the concrete was all he could focus on for the longest time and by the time he had closed his eyes long enough for the pain to subside the battle was half over. He heard the sound of footsteps as people ran away and one voice bravely speak up as he was retreating.

“We want our money back!”

Instantly there was another snarl heard and the sound of the guy who spoke screaming in terror as he was attacked.

He closed his eyes in terror, refusing to look back. What was this? He’d heard of murderers stalking back alley’s looking for prey, but there were four of them here, not including himself. Usually they never attacked groups! Fai realized that despite his fear he had to get out of here, for either whoever had saved him from those men had killed them by the sounds of it, and was probably coming for him next. He tried to convince himself that he heard the sound of people running away, and for a second thought that the person really was here to rescue him and not to kill him.

But as he heard the sound of quick, heavy footsteps approaching him he could not deny the fear he felt.

It was only when he opened his eyes and saw that familiar outline of spiky hair that he guessed who his rescuer was.

…No way.

“What the hell do you think you are doing? Do you want to get yourself fucking killed?”

Fai didn’t know what to say. He was still in utter shock.

What the hell was Kurogane doing here?

“Come on get up. You’re not hurt are you?”

“K…Kuro-sama?” Now that he blinked back the tears that laid at the corners of his eyes Fai saw him more clearly. Yes, it was him. His face was converted into one of absolute fury and concern, his face red from the physical exertion he put in the brutality of his fight and his knuckles bleeding.

He was panting as well, most likely from anger than anything. They stood staring at each other for a while, one in total disbelief, the other trying desperately to calm his rage so he wouldn’t go after those men and kill them.

It wasn’t until Fai heard the wind whistle on the roofs above him that he remembered he was naked. A shaking hand over his mouth he looked down at the ground, feeling around for his pants and jacket. Now Kurogane noticed it as well and looked around to where he had pushed the man off of Fai, and of course his pants and his jacket lay discarded next to that spot.

Quickly he retrieved the clothes and turned away as the blonde covered himself up. His heart pounding in his chest from what just happened he couldn’t stop himself for letting a tear escape but desperately shook his head to get rid of it, Kuro could not see him like that.

When he had finished dressing he suddenly felt weak, exhausted. He leaned back against the wall he was sitting next to and took a few deep breaths to settle his mind and unclench his sweaty hands from his jeans.

“Blondie?” Kurogane said, his voice dry from the shouting he did but full of emotion as he stood overtop of him. Those red eyes looked down at him as he offered his hand out to him, much to Fai’s surprise. But the shock of what just happened slowly melted away and something itched him at the back of his throat. He closed his eyes almost as if he was falling asleep and urged himself to calm down. His bottom jaw was shaking as his breaths came out labored.

“Hey you okay? Come on idiot speak to me!” Now he sounded more than worried and Kurogane bent down so he they were at eye level. That’s when Fai’s eyes burst open and he slowly pushed himself up on one knee. He openly rejected the man’s outstretched hand and picked himself up. When his eyes met Kurogane’s, the color of smoldering flames, he saw him tense noticeably.

“What are you doing here?” Fai said slowly, almost coldly. All the sadness and tears had been forced back in the two seconds Kurogane had spoke and now he was just an empty shell.

“I should be asking you that.” Kurogane replied after a moment of hesitation as he got up off his knees. Fai never tore his eyes away.

“Are you following me? Cause honestly if you are I swear-”

“Of course I followed you! Do you think I go wandering around in dark alleys at obscure hours of the night for fun?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.” He rolled his eyes, no trace of humor in his body language. “You seem pretty unpredictable Kurgs.”

“Unpredictable? That’s the only thing you can say to a guy who just saved your ass? Talk about ungrateful.” Kurogane snorted and crossed his arms in front of him.

“Oh calm down Kurogane it was no big deal.” That was definitely a lie.

“No big deal? You almost got fucking raped! Do you think this is funny, like its some sort of joke?!”

“Don’t you dare joke about that!” Fai said angrily, lips pulling back over his teeth in a snarl. His opponent seemed surprised at this sudden lash of fury but Fai’s mind was moving too fast to care. It was taking all he could not to scream to the heavens just how much he knew being raped wasn’t fun. But no, once again he had to keep silent, keep it inside. Kurogane could never know. Never. “Why were you following me?” he said, trying to change the subject so he wouldn’t say something regretful.

“What kind of idiot leaves the house in the middle of the night, I remember thinking to myself. Than I remembered,” he looked him with those piercing red eyes of his, “This was you we were talking about.”

Hardy Har Har, Kuro-puppy. Very funny.

“What were you doing?” Kurogane questioned him intently.

“What do you think I was doing?” Fai did not like the tone Kuro-puppy was using with him, that accusing manner didn’t deserve to be used on him.

Okay maybe it does. Fai thought sourly. He kept that thought to himself.

Kurogane paused hesitantly and Fai kept his eyes glued to his tanned forehead, refusing to remain eye to eye for long.

“You left in complete darkness.” He began, “You didn’t mention anything about having a shift at the bar. You seemed troubled when you were at home, and when the kids came in you seemed to tense up a bit. I thought, well fuck I thought you were abandoning them.”

ABANDONING THEM?!

Fai NEVER wanted it to seem like he was going to do that! He couldn’t even fathom himself doing that!

“Of course I was not abandoning them!”

“Then what the hell were you doing?”

“Since when has it been any of your business?”

“Why do you always fucking answer my questions with questions?”

“Since you started becoming an obsessive asshole!” Whoa, did he just swear?

Kurogane stopped, eyes illuminated in darkness. Without another word he started walking in the opposite direction. No! Fai didn’t want to let him leave! He didn’t mean it! Wait, why was Kurogane so upset? Wow did he ever feel like a shithole.

“Wait, Kuro-sama wait!”

Kurogane didn’t stop.

“Im sorry im acting like an ass but I’m just a little shaken. I know you just followed because you were worried what I did would affect the kids, and I’m thankful!” Fai didn’t know where that came from, but as he saw the dark haired man pause he realized that he was speaking the truth. Who was he to think Kurogane had bad intentions after he just saved him? Although the fighter didn’t turn around, Fai saw his muscles relax and knew he was calming down.

“You’re not acting like an ass.” He corrected the blonde. “You are an ass.”

Fai gave a small, pitiful smile as he zipped up his jacket. “Ya…I’m sorry Kuro-riki, I should be thanking you.”

“Thanks isn’t needed, I did that without you asking me and I would have done it without you’re thanks as well.” Fai’s eyes widened when he heard that, something pulling at his heart.

Does Kuro-puppy really care that much…?

“…Fai?” Now he turned around and looked at him, a serious expression creasing his features. “What were you doing? You don’t have to tell me but…” He desperately wanted to. He really did. Fai hated keeping this secret locked inside, it was eating away at him.

But Kurogane would hate him. He’d take Syaoran away and would refuse to ever see Fai again. Kurogane was the only person Fai had left as a friend…and possibly something more…

He could not risk it. He could not lose him.

“Let’s just go back.” He said quietly walking towards his friend, eyes down cast. Kurogane nodded, excepting his silence even though it killed him to be left in the dark, and waited for the blue eyed man to catch up.

As Fai brushed past him lightly he heard the flutter and crumple of paper and eyes wide he spun around to retrieve it, realizing its significance. Kurogane turned around, wondering what he was doing and froze where he stood when he heard the crunch as his foot hit the green pieces of paper. Fai’s heart thumped uncontrollably as Kurogane looked down at the $100 worth of twenties lying on the ground. A look of realization shone across his face as his mouth slid deeper into a frown. Those red eyes stared blinking, and then slowly moved up to look at the shaking blonde. Fai had never seen him so sad.

“…Fai?”

…Why? That’s the only thing Fai kept thinking as he lay there, cold and naked on his bed. His body throbbed; his heart ached, pulsing at a rate that could hardly be perceived as normal. Every breath he breathed in drained him of all of his strength and lying there weakly, desperately fighting to stay awake was only because Fai was scared Ashura would come back and rape him again.

He was still face down, but Ashura had removed the blade that was keeping him from moving. He heard footsteps from across the room and knew his ex best friend was back from putting the bloodied sheets in the washer. Tears were cascading down at an alarming rate and he felt his blood soaking his mattress. Why he was still alive was a mystery to him; his shoulder wound was deep and understandably he didn’t really feel like living right now. He didn’t know how long he had lain there, bleeding and waiting for Ashura to come back. There was no reason for him to count. This was all going to end soon. It had to. He couldn’t stand it if Ashura didn’t.

Had he done something wrong? Was being gay a crime? If so than why did Ashura do this? They had been friends since freshmen year…what happened?

Why this? Why rape me? Fai said to himself, trying to stop himself from crying.

It had hurt, a lot. Fai was still feeling the pain, that agonizing thumping that seemed to never disappear, like an echo going on and on…and on…

Ashura was going to kill him now. He had to. Fai didn’t want to go on now. Not when he…not when that thing had been inside of him. Even though he had not left his room he felt terribly lost. His blue eyes were shaking as he felt a cut on his forehead sting and eventually numb his senses.

Is it over? Am I going…am I dying? Please….please God I want to die. Fai had never found himself religious before and he scorned people who always spoke about ‘God’ only in their hour of need…but now he understood why.

I want to die. I want to die. I want to die! Please just let me die!

As he felt himself gasping for breathe because of the sobs that were now racking his body he felt a warm hand slide across his back. He gave in a sharp intake of breath and his eyes shot open. Feeling that hand slowly trace his shoulder blades made him want to scream. He shivered, squinting his eyes shut as fingertips brushed against his neck momentarily before disappearing completely. Fai wanted to puke.

……Is he gone?

As Fai thought this his shaking body moved and his eyes stared intently around the room. He stared at the form that was bent down next to his bed, wet sponge in hand, as he tried to get rid of the blood that has splattered onto the carpet.

“Wow Fai,” Ashura said laughing slightly, never taking his dark eyes off of his task. “Didn’t mean to go that hard. Never knew you could be so tender.”

It was so hard to feel anger when all you could focus on was the hurt. But he wanted to hate him, he wanted to push himself up and kill his friend with the knife he had just used to restrain him. How could he talk like that? How could he joke around like they did a week ago when they were still friends when he had just RAPED him? Fai wanted to scream. He wanted to shout. But he couldn’t, his yells and pleas from before had drained all of his will to fight back, and his voice was raw from the reoccurring motion of that task. All his scratchy throat would let him issue was a small, pitiful whimper.

Hearing his whimper the tall man stopped and turned to face him, pausing wiping his sweaty hands on his white t-shirt.

“What’s with the face Fai?” he said pulling the white cloth back down before standing up and moving to sit down next to him on the bed, running a long hand softly through Fai’s blond , blood soaked locks. “You seemed to be enjoying it at one point.”

No. That’s not true. It can’t be true, he didn’t enjoy that. He just got fucking forced to have sex by his…best friend…

The look the blond man sent his way would have broken any heart for sure. But not Ashura. As he untangled his hand from his hair he cupped Fai’s bruised, tears streaked face in the palm of his hand and used his thumb to wipe away the blood he had spilt.

“I think its time you got in the shower. Don’t you? We wouldn’t want you’re brother thinking someone stabbed you on purpose, do we?”

Fai couldn’t even respond. His mouth opened ever so slightly and a low, strangled cry escaped as he bit down on his lip. Turning his face away from those piercing eyes, shutting his eyes away from that horrid smile, he felt Ashura move his hair out of his eyes. He was letting him live.

HE WASN’T GOING TO KILL HIM!

…But why…?

…Why?

Fai rushed to shove the money back in his pocket, throwing his body in front of it so it was out of Kurogane’s view.

Kurogane couldn’t believe this. His heart was racing, his blood was pumping, his eyes were opened so wide he felt his face was about to tear in two.

“They paid you?” He said, or tried to say at least. Anyone who was listening would realize he was too shocked to really say anything without stumbling. His words came out in a low, scratchy rumble, unlike his usual clear bass tone.

Fai did not respond but got up and started walking. Kurogane shot out a hand just in time to grab the back of his shirt before the man got past him.

He felt the fabric clenched in his fingers freeze as Fai’s body tensed but by then the fighter didn’t give a fuck whether he was making him uncomfortable or not.

“You…accepted?” his voice came out calmer now although it was just as quite as before. It couldn’t be true. Not Fai. He had only known him for a week and a half, but already he could tell the idiot wouldn’t be so stupid as to sell himself off like that. But then why…?

The blonde turned around and Kurogane felt his heart thump wildly. There were tears in his eyes.

“Kuro…Kuro-sama. Please don’t tell Sakura…” Fai said his shoulders shaking and his blue eyes watering.

Instantly he felt terrible. Had he made him cry? He took one look at those pleading eyes and knew he was at least partially correct.

Why…?

“Why?” that’s all he could manage to muster out.

“I can’t…she can’t know Kuro-sama. She can’t!” Fai was begging now, his hand clung desperately to his shirt and as he shook his head furiously, his blond hair wisped against Kurogane’s chest. Kuro-sama? Where did that one come from? It didn’t actually deform his name like his other nicknames did.

“No. Why did you accept?” This was way too hard for him to contemplate. Fai? Doing this? THIS of all things? What if Sakura knew? What would she think of her guardian being a prostitute?

“It’s just…it’s just I…”

There were tears in his eyes by now and Kurogane suddenly felt uneasy. Had he really just caused blondie to cry? He didn’t mean to, for despite all of his threats about murdering him he never actually wanted to hurt this man that he dared to call comrade. What was that? Were those sparkles on his cheeks? Made by that one simple word, that “should be easy to answer” thought spoken aloud? The million dollar question, why, had irked him so much he was crying? Kurogane never thought that emotion possible of Fai. He always was the person smiling, the first to crack a joke, the guy most likely to be voted “Most happy” in their high school yearbook. Or at least, that’s what he appeared to be. Now Kurogane was seeing the sadness he knew the blonde was always hiding.

For once, Fai was showing something he had been trying so desperately to hide: that he wasn’t as strong as he tried to seem.

Kurogane was right.

If he was right…then why wasn’t he happy about it?

His arms were twitching and he put a steady hand on the frail man’s trembling shoulder. At this sudden movement Fai looked up at him strangely and detangled his hand from Kurogane’s shirt, moving so he was now an arms length away. He didn’t however, push Kurogane’s hand away.

Where was this coming from? The tender side Kurogane always locked away in a titanium, encased safe sealed with a ten ton bolt? Usually he only let a little bit of that part of him leak out when the kid needed him. But for him to be touching a man whom he’d only known for a week and a half, practically a stranger, without it being a mistake or without the intention of beating the crap out of him was unnatural. Unheard of. Maybe it was because he was so curious he displayed this rare show of affection. But to everyone who wasn’t Kurogane it was obvious that he was concerned, worried, even sad for his friend.

Maybe it was because something the frail man needed right now, was for someone to show that they cared. Because that small motion was all Fai needed to continue what he was trying so desperately to say.

“Sakura…she, she forgot to take her medicine today.” He began blinking back those chilling extracts he refused to continue to let fall. “So I went to her school, the people in the office sent me straight up to her class to give it to her.” Fai laughed a surprisingly warm laugh considering he was in such a sad, sorry state. “They thought I was her mother. Im not surprised it has happened before. I do look rather feminine.”

No shit Sherlock. But Kurogane knew he was trying to change the subject so he quirked up a thick eyebrow, showing just how amused he was, and any trace of laughter disappeared from Fai’s face.

Good. Cause this was DEFINETLY not something to be joking about.

Kurogane wanted the truth, and he wanted it now.

Fai’s gaze tore away from the intensity of the glowering man’s stare and Kurogane contemplated forcing him to look back. But he didn’t, he knew he didn’t have the right to force him into anything. The blonde’s blue eyes shifted constantly around him as he muttered, his lips barely moving as his face filled with shame. Once again he was reminded of a kid stealing a cookie from a cookie jar; him and Syaoran seemed very fond of that face.

He only wished his problem was as simple as that.

“Syaoran and her both had English that period I guess cause they were both sitting with a group of kids, opening ‘Romeo and Juliet’ when I came in…Do you know what I saw Kurogane?” Whoa. Kurogane? He had NEVER heard him call him that! His voice was laced with bitterness, with shame; with sadness…it was almost too much for the dark haired man. He wasn’t used to this from Fai.

Oh well. At least for once it was the truth.

“I saw a boy with rips in his jeans as big as his fist in a class filled with boys wearing expensive slacks. I saw a girl wearing a short sleeved shirt with holes, not because it was in style, but because that was one of the only shirts she had, one her guardian had bought for her in the seventh grade! The seventh!”

That was the closest thing Kurogane had ever come to hearing Fai shout. His blue eyes shot up bravely to meet Kurogane’s not caring that once again tears were leaking past his barrier. He struck an outstretched hand against his heaving chest as he spoke his next words.

“Those were children who were living under my roof,” He struck himself again to emphasize his point. His whole body was shaking and he looked like he was about to puke. “Children who were supposed to be under my care! I couldn’t help but thinking I wasn’t trying hard enough, that I should be finding some other way to get them the necessities they deserved. I couldn’t stop myself from believing that I was…letting them down…”Now his voice had lost all power, lowering back down to a mutter. Fai’s shoulders slumped and his hair brushed against his nose as he looked down to the dusty pavement. “So…I did this. It wasn’t going to hurt too much, I’ve had to do this before just not…” he paused, “not in a while…I got scared. When I saw them I just…snapped. I was terrified, so I started shouting. And that’s where you showed up.” He looked up shyly at that moment, a small smile on his face.

Kurogane wanted to kill him.

So no one could blame him for doing what happened next. A flash of anger, as intense as the reality of their situation, cracked down upon him, a bolt of lightning striking a tree, as he struck his friend on his petite little head.

The force of the blow didn’t send him flying back, but it wasn’t one of Kurogane’s lighter punches. He couldn’t afford to let it be: he had to make sure this got through that imbecile’s thick skull.

To say the least Fai looked very shocked. Despite all of his threats Kurogane had never actually hit him before. Well. There’s a first for everything.

“That’s what I punch people out for!” Kurogane said angrily, feeling his crimson orbs burning holes into his friend’s ice blue ones. “They may be living in your home, but as long as I’m living there in it too, they are partially MY RESPONSIBILITY as well! Why didn’t you ask me? I could have worked something out. I could have fucking HELPED YOU get some money!! Instead I find you going around trying to get yourself fucking raped!”

“Rape implies that sex was forced on you.” Fai muttered bitterly. “I was paid. I instigate it.”

“Rape means that you had sex when you didn’t want to.” Kurogane retorted. “As far as im concerned, your cries for someone to save you meant that you sure as hell didn’t want it.” Once again his arm struck out and he grasped Fai’s arm firmly. “Why didn’t you ask me?”

The blonde blinked once, as If somewhat confused. What wasn’t his question clear enough?

“I-I,”

Damn, he’s stuttering again. Am I scaring him?

“I was going to but… when you got home from the site today you were upset. You’d had a bad day; I didn’t want to worry you!”

Fuck. Why the hell do I have to always fucking scare people away? Suddenly Kurogane was wishing he had just hid his displeasure that afternoon. If he had Fai, his Fai, would never have thought of doing this. His voice was laced with bitterness and anger when Kurogane spoke.

“And you think sneaking out in the middle of the night to go sell off yourself to some jackass looking to take advantage of a desperate idiot isn’t going to fucking worry me?!” The fighter suddenly felt like slapping him again, but didn’t want to hurt him. Why did he have to be so damn stubborn?

“Why the hell should you care,” Fai snapped back, his anger rising quickly. “You don’t know my past. You don’t know me!”

“Maybe I know you a little better than you think I do.”

“Like hell you do!” By now Fai had torn his arm out of the fighter’s grasp. Stalking out of the alley he cast a long, dark shadow as his front faced the glaring lights and sounds of the city. In quick strides he walked, the echoes of his footfalls louder than a shrill scream piercing the sky of a quiet country night.

“Fai. Fai listen to me!” Kurogane said rushing to stop him. He couldn’t let him leave, not like this. The blonde was still mad at him, and Kurogane was worried to find that he did not want that. Half a heartbeat after the fighter spoke and Fai seemed to come to a sudden realization. He stopped moving and waited. Kurogane did not stop following until they were once again a meter apart. God knows he wanted to get closer; he didn’t want Fai to leave when there was so much left for him to say. But he was worried that if he did approach him anymore, he would be freaked and bolt.

Only when the dark haired man had stopped did Fai make a sound.

“What was that?” Kurogane damned his hearing for failing him at that precise moment.

“Say it again.” He muttered, tilting his head ever-so-slightly over his shoulder so his words could be heard better. Those blue eyes refused to remake eye contact. “My name.”

“Fai,” Kurogane said awkwardly. When had he let that one slip? Now he moved, one step at a time, starting out slow than increasing in speed as the distance shortened. “Don’t be an idiot. Don’t be afraid to have to depend on someone else for once in your life. Syaoran and Sakura…” he was only a hands width away now, so close he could smell the vanilla shampoo Fai had washed with. “Whether you like it or not are BOTH of our responsibilities. If we have let them down, we’ve done it together. Don’t make it worse by doing this again. Think about it this way. What if Sakura was doing this? How would you feel if you knew you were the cause of a 15 year old being a prostitute?” He seemed to hit a nerve there. Fai winced noticeably and spun around to face him.

“There’s a difference between her and me!”

“How?”

“She’s just a child! I’m not! I can take care of myself and I WILL take care of her!”

Kurogane didn’t want to say it, but at that moment Fai looked so vulnerable, so terrified, that he would easily have mistaken him for a child as well.

“Don’t keep insisting you have to pay the price alone you stupid teme. Like I said, whether you like it or you don’t we are stuck in this shit together. If you get hurt so do the kids.” Kurogane almost slipped up (AGAIN!) and said ‘we’. Saying ‘we’ would imply that he too, as well as their housemates, cared for Fai. More importantly that HE cared for Fai. He was soooo not ready to admit that.

Kurogane hoped Fai wouldn’t catch on.

Fai lifted a hand to stifle his giggles, leave it to Blondie to somehow manage to laugh in such a serious predicament. “See Kuro-puppy? I always knew you were a softie.”

“Blondie,” He warned, “Don’t go ruining a tender moment with your stupid puppy shit.”

He went silent again and Kurogane instantly regretted what he said. Slowly Fai’s hands crept up from where they were clenched beside him and he shoved them deep in his pockets. Blue eyes paused momentarily on his shoes before Kurogane forced Fai to look at him.

“Don’t start crying again.” He mumbled as he put a hand on his shoulder. That action finally seemed to give Fai the strength to look through his eyes, into the emotion staring behind them.

“You must think even less of me now, huh Kuro-chu?”

By then Kurogane had let go, it was getting a little more awkward now that the focus was put on him. When he heard Fai’s words though he rolled his eyes and moved so he was shoulder to shoulder with his comrade. He placed a clenched fist on top of his blond, bouncy hair and tried to say his words with the most careless tone he possibly could.

“I won’t hold back if you make me hit you again.”

He saw Fai smile and let out the breath he was holding. The fighter would never tell a soul, but he really enjoyed those rare smiles the blond gave him, the ones he always sent his way when he though Kurogane wasn’t looking. They seemed different then those full blown, over exaggerated smiles that lacked any source of raw feeling. The one Fai was gifting him with now was small, but seemed to awaken emotions that had so far been unacknowledged within the fighter. He felt his stomach do back flips, his body ached, his mind wandered.

Damn, he wasn’t supposed to be looking at the 20 year old and thinking of how his eyes reminded him of a clear blue sky on a summer’s day. Kurogane was NOT supposed to be imagining what it would be like if Fai sent one of those loving smiles that he gave to Sakura his way. He wasn’t supposed to be feeling these things. He didn’t want to.

But he was, and he liked it.

“Thanks puppy. I guess I’ll take your thought into account.”

“There you go again! Stop deforming my name!”

“Whatever you say Kurgy-wurgy, but I think it’s getting a little cold out here to debate over a name that quite obviously suits you so well.” Fai said prancing towards the entrance of the alley and back onto the busy street.

Kurogane snuffled as he followed. “Does not.”

“Does to.”

“Does not!”

“Does to!”

“Fuck my life. I cant believe I’m doing this with you!” he groaned shutting his ears off of the sound of Fai’s sing song voice by putting his large hands over his head.

Fai was very smart and had retreated to a safe distance (approximately 200 m and even that was risky) on the sidewalk before stopping. “Come on puppy!” He said patting his knees and making mock kissy noises. “Come on boy! Let’s go home and get you a nice big bone to- CHEW ON!!!” Now he was running, Kurogane galloping behind shouting at the top of his lungs:

“I’LL BITE YOU IN HALF YOU FUCKING JACKASS!”

“Come on wan-wan! That’s a boy!”

“I’M NOT A DOG!”

“Yes you are!”

“NO I’M NOT!”

“Yes you are!”

“NO IM NOT!”

One thing was known for sure, they were madly falling in love with each other.

Oh yes Kurogane. Yes you are. *smiles wickedly* Mooharhar!

Eh em. Yeah XD

I ALMOST wrote a kiss scene back there, just a little teaser for what is sure to come ahead ;)

So thanks for all who R&R or just R. ^ ^ you guys are amazing!

Signed,

Destiny’s Daughter.

P.S. Hyuu if you love Fai!!

Hyuu Hyuu~!