#fearcops!au

[pyrachan]

Fear/Huntshipping Police AU Part 29

Before the Fall

Part 23: [x] Part 24: [x] Part 25: [x] Part 26: [x] Part 27: [x] Part 28: [x]

Oh yeah, this chapter is fifty pages longer than usual because I don’t update this often. You’ve been warned. :D. Also, you can totally read this part without having read the other parts, but what fun is that?

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As the cops immersed themselves in the lives of the Sakaki brothers, Yami was expecting some other cops to take him back to the Correctional Facility today.  The doctor had given him a final checkup to make sure he was good to go, informing him that he'd be continuing his recovery there.  To Yami's dismay, that meant bringing a wheelchair with him.  

But there was another problem bothering him...that had to do with Raphael.  The cops weren't here yet...they were completely alone in his room, but that didn't mean nobody was listening.  Should he tell him about Kaiba?  Given that Raphael talked to him a lot, it might only be a matter of time until Raphael decided to see Kaiba in person...or fell into a trap that Kaiba set for him.  Yami felt he owed Raphael a lot, and could tell that for Yuugi especially, Raphael had filled a hole left in his heart from his grandfather's death.  Yami had failed to save Jii-chan for Yuugi, and so was determined not to fail with Raphael....so...should he say it?  Should he tell him?

“That should be all your stuff, Yami. Hopefully, you’ll be able to keep it.” Some residents of the Correctional Facility were allowed to keep small items for the sake of their mental health as long as said items were approved by the Correctional Facility, so Raphael had packed a bag of a few small items that Yami and Yuugi could take with them. He looped them on the chair and glanced at the man. He frowned, seeing the conflict on Yami’s face.

“Hey, are you alright?”

“Mmm.”  Yami said.  The small things he had with him weren't very much.  A deck of cards, a couple dice, and an old music player Raphael had given him while he was confined in bed...none of them were particularly valuable to him.  It wasn't like they were his Puzzle, which he hoped was still where he left it, now that he thought about it...he sighed when Raphael talked to him.

“...I think...there's something I should tell you.....”  He said slowly.

“Something you should tell me?” Raphael repeated. He frowned, walking over to him. “What’s up?”

“I...I'm really grateful for what you've done for me and for Yuugi...it's not fair.  I keep thinking I should give something back...and there's really only one thing I could possibly do that might help you in return...”  Yami said, biting his lip.

“...But, I'm also...afraid that if I say something, you'll end up getting yourself killed...or that you'll tell the police right away...I don't want either to happen.  Please, if I tell you...you can't tell anyone.  You can't do anything differently...you have to stay alive.”  Yami said, looking at Raphael pleadingly.

Raphael frowned as Yami started to talk, remaining silent as he spoke. It was concerning, hearing Yami like this, and for a second he really did think he was talking to Yuugi. Something was wrong, and when Yami blurted out his last words and looked at him so pleadingly, Raphael worried more than ever.

“… I’ll stay alive. I promised you that. I won’t tell the police… I promise.” He felt like that last part was a mistake, but if he wanted Yami to keep trusting him, he would do it, for his sake.

“...Okay...I'm trying to stay alive too...”  Yami said, before taking a deep breath.

“...I lied to you.  I know who hired me to kill you and those other CEOs...I just didn't tell anyone because he would kill me in a heartbeat if he found out...”  Yami hesitated just a moment longer before saying it.

“Kaiba...it was him....”  He said, looking both sad and scared to be sharing it.

Raphael froze. At first, he didn’t know what to make of what he just heard. It actually took a moment for it all to register, but when it did, he stared right at Yami, looking as serious and grave as ever, looking very much like one of Yami’s more ruthless associates at the moment.

“Kaiba Seto… You’re saying he’s responsible for all these murders… Is that right?”

“...Yes...”  Yami said, looking dead serious but also sad.  Raphael had said he was friends with Kaiba, and he felt bad for that relationship that was probably going to be over now.

“...Do you see why I couldn't say anything now?  Kaiba's so dramatic...he'd blow up the whole Correctional Facility if he knew for sure I'd said something...this attack was a warning...a warning to keep my mouth shut...”  Yami said.

“Please don't tell anyone...please...”  

Raphael wanted to protest, but Yami was right. If Kaiba had been behind it, he certainly would be that dramatic to cover his tracks. On one hand, he didn’t want to believe it, but on the other, he certainly could. While they all took an incredible dip in the respective company’s progresses, it was KaibaCorp coming on top. Kaiba was ruthless and cunning, one to take drastic action.

“… I won’t confront him. I won’t tell anyone. But I’ll be ready, just in case."

Yami nodded, relieved that Raphael was agreeing.

“...That's why I told you.  I don't want him to kill you...the attack on me is proof that he's still trying...he hasn't completely given up on this mission of his...”  Yami said.

“...Just, please be safe...”  He looked at Raphael.  He'd told him...hopefully it would be enough to keep him alive.

Raphael petted his head. “Don’t worry… I’ll do my best. Now that I know, I can hopefully have more precautions set up. It’ll be alright.”

“Yeah...”  Yami said, ducking his head a little when Raphael pet his hair.  He smiled a little.

“...I hope so.”  He said.  He then heard the door beginning to open and glanced over to see which cops would be coming in.  He wasn't too surprised to see Mai, but then frowned when he realized she was the only one.  The other two guys were just his door guards.  

“Hey Mai...where's your girlfriend?  I thought you'd at least bring her to come get me with you.”  Yami mused.

“They have other messes to clear up. Apparently some guy went insane and tore up a good quarter of the marketing district. Wasn’t pretty. So Droite asked me to cover for you. We even have authorisation from the police force, which is interesting” Mai said. “You’re looking good, Mutou"

"Oh wow.  Sounds serious."  Yami said in surprise.  He snorted.

"They probably only allowed that cause I have one leg that's basically useless.  Can't exactly out-hop you...even in your heels."  Yami mused.  He smiled.

"I feel pretty good otherwise, and I'm ready to get the hell out of here."

Mai laughed. “Hon, you know I can run in these babies. I could break you before you even got out of my car,” she mused. She turned to Raphael and nodded. “We’ll take it from here, Kawahara-san.”

“Alright… thank you, Mai.” He looked at Yami. “I’ll see you some time, okay? Take care of yourself."

Yami chuckled.

"I know, I know.  Still don't know how you do it though."  He mused.  He smiled at Raphael.

"You take care too...we'll both be looking forward to your visit."  Yami said, speaking on behalf of Yuugi too.  The guards from the door came to his wheelchair, wheeling him out of the room and towards the hospital exit.  He smiled when he took in the fresh air, but then his eyes widened as he saw the purple convertible waiting for him.

"...Mai, is that your personal car?  You're taking me to the Correctional Facility in that thing?!"  He exclaimed.

“Hey, we’re going in style.” Mai grinned. “Don’t you wanna have one last look at Heartland before you’re locked up again?” She looked to the guards and pointed.

“Mutou rides shotgun. Don’t worry. He’ll be fine. You two can sit in the back"

“Hmm...if only I was wearing something other than this orange prison uniform...then it'd really be in style.”  Yami mused, glancing over himself in his chair.  He smiled.

“I can't really move anyway...and I don't think the boot would work well in the backseats anyway.”  Yami said, being brought to the front by one of the guards.  He was helped into the passenger's chair, able to hop on one foot a little to get in.  The guards packed up the wheelchair and put in the trunk and got in the back as instructed.

Mai looked at all of them. When she was sure they were all ready, she started her car up and began to drive through Heartland through the Correctional Facility. “So how was your stay, hon? Glad it’s over?”

Yami sighed.

"It was pretty awful...I couldn't move much of anything or do anything. I wasn't allowed a computer so I couldn't exactly entertain myself. Raphael got me a music player thank goodness..." Yami mused.

"So yes i am glad it's over...very glad. Yuugi too. He can't wait to see Koutei again."

“Oh? You’re allowed a music player? Well, I guess it’s not prison,” The woman said. “I hope for your sake that Raphael has good taste in music. He should have gotten you a deck of cards instead.”

Mai ginned. “Ah, Yuugi’s little bestie, isn’t he? Well I’m sure he’s excited."

"In the hospital anyway...not sure if they'll let me keep it in the Correctional Facility. He did bring cards too, but Yuugi and I didn't want to disturb his work. The orphans he's helping need him more than us." Yami said with a shrug. He glanced over the scenery around him, glad to feel the wind whip his hair as Mai drove. He'd miss this...he knew Yuugi would too.

"...Yeah, I guess he's Yuugi's bestie...not that he has other friends." Yami had to wonder about that other point. Sure, Koutei would be happy to see him he was sure...but...would he ask the question about his apology? That was what Yami was dreading.

“You know that big CEOs usually just hire people to help kids. I mean, Kawahara Raphael often gets involved himself, but honestly don’t worry about the kiddies. He’s alright,” Mai mused. He headed straight for the Correctional Facility, wishing she could at least stop to get fast food for Yuugi but knowing she’d get in a lot of trouble for getting off the main road.

“Awww why? Crazies too crazy? You should make an effort to see some eye to eye, Yami."

"He's still an important figure to them." Yami mused. He rolled his eyes.

"Some are a little too crazy for me..." Yami said, thinking of Shinji

“Fair enough,” Mai laughed. She continued her drive, heading for the edge of town, out to the Correctional Facility. Soon, she was parking in the lot.

“Oh, just in time. They’re expecting us."

Yami saw Dr. Arclight and the guards waiting for him and sighed.

"That seemed way too quick..." he mused. He waited for the guards to get out his wheelchair so he could be brought into it properly.

"Thanks for the ride, Mai." He said.

“Yeah… probably was. I swear I wasn’t speeding,” Mai said, though her joke was swallowed in the pity that was her voice. “You take care, Yami. Be tough. You always are.”

Yami managed a smile. Mai was nice to him so he could forgive her for pitying him.

"I will be. Always am. Take care." He said, waving her off and letting the guards wheel him away. He could feel a switch coming on, and decided to let it happen. It was avoiding Koutei at least...Yuugi opened his eyes with a blink.

"Oh we're here!" He said, happy that he got a second outside before going back into the facility. He smiled at Dr.Arclight.

"Hi Doctor." He said politely.

Miheal raised an eyebrow, seeing Yami swap with Yuugi in the car park, but all the same, he gave a small smile as he heard the young man’s cheery greeting.

“Hey there. How are you feeling, Mutou?” He asked, nodding to the guards, dismissing them and letting the Correctional Facility staff take over. “It’s been a while hasn’t it?” He said, leading the way through the facility, helping Yuugi put his bag on the metal detector to be screened.

“Better.  It's good to be back...I was getting sick of the hospital.  It felt like I was there forever.”  Yuugi said with a smile, handing over his bag without complaint.  He also let the guards run their metal detector over him as a precaution, letting them search him for any hidden weapons as part of their procedure.  Once the guards deemed there was nothing destructive in the bag, they gave it back to Yuugi and went back to pushing Yuugi's chair.

Miheal waited patiently and smiled. “Well, you were there for quite some time. Koutei’s been eager to see you,” he said, knowing Yuugi liked to hear that. “You’re going to be on a new schedule now. Slightly different.”

Yuugi beamed.

"Im eager to see him too! I missed him a lot..." Yuugi said happily.

"Oh? How so?"

“Not by too much, just a bit. We have to organize more time for physiotherapy, which we can do here at the facility. The main thing is that certain breaks are going to be shorter, like the time you spend alone here when not in recreation.” The man smiled.

"Oh...okay. That sounds good...I do want to get better as soon as possible." Yuugi said, looking down at his leg sadly for a moment.

"Im glad my break time doesn't get cut though...it's the time I get to spend with Koutei." Yuugi said with a smile. That was easily his favourite time of day.

“It may take a while, but if the doctors say you’ll heal, you heal.” Miheal looked at him sympathetically and tapped his own foot lightly with his cane, indicating the sites where he was shot. “Believe me, I should know more than anyone.”

“Mm, I didn’t want to cut on your breaks. That’s just not good for you. Have you eaten yet? They’re already prepping for lunch break."

Yuugi glanced at his psychologist’s leg and nodded.

"Yeah...I believe you. I’m willing to work for it." Yuugi said with a smile. He shook his head.

"No...I haven't eaten yet. I can eat with the others right, even in my chair?" Yuugi asked, not really wanting to be confined to bed while eating again like in hospital.

“Yeah. I was thinking we should send you down first for meals regularly, so your chair won’t get in the way, but you should be able to keep with everyone else.” Miheal smiled. “We’ll probably do a session tomorrow, so today you can just get used to things again.”

"Okay...that makes sense. I'm glad. I'd rather eat with everyone anyway." Yuugi said with a smile. He nodded.

"Alright...thanks."

Miheal smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mutou. They’ll wheel you out. Take care,” he waved, heading back to his office.

Yuugi smiled.

"See you tomorrow, Dr. Arclight."  He said, letting the guards wheel him into the cafeteria where the other inmates were having lunch.  A few of the inmates were filing in already, so Yuugi was one of the last to enter.  He glanced around eagerly looking for a familiar head of blond hair.

After getting Yuugi his food, the guard wheeled him towards the table. However, he and Yuugi didn’t have to wait long because soon a familiar blonde man was bounding over to them.

“Mutou! You’re back!” Koutei yelled excitedly, looking like an overexcited puppy.

Yuugi beamed when he finally spotted his friend.

"Koutei!"  He called, unable to resist hopping up onto his one good food and hugging his friend tightly as the other came over.

"I missed you so much!"  He said happily, holding his friend tight, partially for balance and partially because he had truly missed him.

Koutei laughed as he saw the man hop out and had no doubt in his mind it was Yuugi. The muscular man grinned and picked Yuugi up, swinging him around happily and hugging him tightly back, making it obvious just how much he missed him.

“You’re okay. You’re standing! You’re looking really good!” He grinned.

Yuugi laughed as he was spun around.  It was fun, and he was glad that Koutei had missed him as much as he did.

"Kinda, yeah...I'm gonna learn to walk again soon.  I still have trouble putting weight on my bad leg..."  Yuugi said.  When Koutei put him down, he demonstrated by standing with only a touch of weight on his booted foot.  He continued smiling up at Koutei.  He flushed a little at the compliment.

"I do feel good...at least, better than I was last time you saw me."  He said sheepishly.

"I'm glad you're okay...you look good too!"  He said, noting that somehow Koutei seemed a little more toned than he remembered him being.

“Yeah… but it should be okay eventually, right?” Koutei looked at the man and he frowned, staring at his leg. He bit his lip but tried to shake it off.

“Well, you look a lot better, trust me,” Koutei said, trying not to grimace as he thought of the grievous injuries on Yuugi’s body from before. He forced a smile and laughed.

“I’m good, yeah. Been working out. Nothing much else for me to do, you know? It feels good. I feel like I have more energy.”

Yuugi nodded.

"That's what the doctors tell me.  I've got a lot of work to do to make it happen though."  Yuugi admitted.  He hopped back to his chair to sit, inviting Koutei to do the same as he talked.

"I'm glad!  Working out is supposed to be good for you and all.  Unfortunately, I feel like I've probably lost any muscle I got since I came here...not doing anything for weeks does that to you."  Yuugi said with a small smile.

“Well, I have your back and I’ll help you all the way.” Koutei smiled. After the guard made sure Mutou was comfortable, they left back for their station, leaving Yuugi to Koutei. The blonde grinned happily as he sat.

“Don’t worry. Once you’re walking, I’ll help you get your strength back. Don’t worry, okay?"

Yuugi smiled happily.

"Thanks...I'm glad to have such a good friend like you."  Yuugi said gratefully.  

"I start therapy tomorrow according to Dr. Arclight.  We'll see how fast it goes."

Koutei smiled. “Yeah… sounds good,” He looked down at Yuugi’s tray. “You might want to eat quick though. Shinji wants to see you as much I do.”

"Ah...Shinji huh...doesn't he usually want to talk to Yami?"  Yuugi said, taking a bite of his food obediently.  

"I hope he hasn't been bothering you too much..."

“Yeah… well… he’s pretty interested in what happened in the bathroom.” He made a face at that.”He’s been pestering me for details, but that’s fine. I’m more worried about you though.”

Yuugi gave a small shuddering sigh.

"...I'd...rather not talk about it...it was really scary...and painful..."  Yuugi said.  He gave Koutei a small smile and reached over to take his hand reassuringly.

"I'm okay now though...don't worry.  I'm back, and everything will be okay."  He smiled sweetly at Koutei to show that he meant it.  He had to stay positive.

“Then I’ll go and chase him off if he tries to bother us,” Koutei said, saying it as if he had expected it. He let Yuugi take his hand and he smiled at him. He hadn’t realised how cute Yuugi was… he was so much cuter than he remembered.

“Yeah… I hope so."

Yuugi smiled gratefully, oblivious to the effect he had on his friend.

"Thank you...I'm not sure me or my other me are in the mood to deal with him today." Yuugi said.

"It will be...everyone keeps telling me so, anyway."

He was glad he wasn’t sweaty. He hadn’t realised when he was attracted to Yuugi, but even if the cuteness was sudden, the feeling in his chest was natural. Koutei smiled and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

“Right. So you gotta not let us down, right?” he teased.

Yuugi nodded and beamed.

"I won't!  I'll get better as soon as I can."  He promised, giving Koutei's hand a squeeze back in thanks before returning to his food.

Koutei smile and got back to his own lunch. As he nibbled away, he glanced up at the man, for some reason imagining him in very tight outfits, which was a bit startling, since they weren’t as cute as how Yuugi seemed to him. Still, he bit his lip as he thought about it and then straightened himself up.

“… Hey… do you like wearing leather?"

Yuugi nibbled his food, glancing over at Koutei to see the man seemingly struggling with something.  He frowned a little, wondering what he was going to say...it looked like he was carefully preparing something...

The question itself was surprising to say the least.  Yuugi's eyes widened.

"Leather?  Oh...well...yeah, I do."  Yuugi said with a small smile.

"When I was younger, I usually wore my school uniform everywhere, and of course, that wasn't made of leather...but on my off days, I'd wear black leather with lots of accessories.  Y'know, kinda punk-goth style?  My other me likes it too, cause I remember seeing him wear stuff like that too.  All leather, with a jacket over his shoulders like a cape!"  Yuugi said a little sheepishly.

"Why do you ask?  Do you like it too?"  He asked, wondering what had brought that up.  He could also feel Yami stirring in his head in slight...worry?  Was he concerned that Koutei was going to judge their fashion choices?

“…” Koutei imagined him in that outfit and he smiled. “Well it’s not the fashion for me, but I like it when other guys wear it. I was just asking because I thought I’ve seen you wear it before. I mean, I did, but that was more a dream. But it was pretty cool."

Yuugi could feel Yami react in slight panic at Koutei's statement and was confused by it. He shook it off and chuckled.

"I get that it's not for everyone...I just decided to try it and liked it." He mused. He titled his head.

"You had a dream about me wearing leather? When did that happen?" He asked, curious. Yami seemed interested too, though he still seemed anxious.

“Really? You want to hear about my dream? Not creeped out about it?” Koutei teased, smiling, glad Yuugi didn’t think he was too weird. “It was a while ago. I dreamt that I was at a bar with my friend Alit, but when I turned around, you were there instead in that leather outfit.” He was sure he was drooling in the dream. “I think I returned your wallet to you and we had drinks? I dunno. I don’t remember all the details. I saw you really clearly though. I’m fairly sure we were in the BARian"

Yuugi nodded with a smile.  He wasn't creeped out...he just found it interesting that Koutei had such an oddly specific dream about him.  How did Koutei know his fashion preferences?

“Oh...at a bar?  I've never been to one...or at least, not that I can remember.  I vaguely remember Yami going to bars...but I don't know which ones he went to.  But, maybe he's been to this BARian one you dreamed about?”  Yuugi mused. When he tried to probe around for that answer, he only got a headache as Yami seemed to resist him.  He groaned and put a hand to his head.

“It sounds like a fun dream though...I don't really drink, but, maybe someday we can do something like that for real.”  Yuugi said with a small smile despite the pain he was in.

Koutei watched the man, relieved that he didn't seem too concerned over it. However, what he was was concerned, especially when he saw the headache. He slid water over to Yuugi, frowning.

"Yeah... You okay though?"

“Ugh...”  Yuugi said softly, accepting the water and taking a drink.  

“Just...gonna...switch soon, I think...”  Yuugi said, and the headache increased in pain, making him whimper.  In past experiences, he had learned that the pain lessened when a switch occurred...but it seemed that Yami was trying to resist it this time...but...why, he wondered?  But, it was impossible to hold it back forever, and soon Yami was reluctantly emerging.  He continued to rub his temples, making no indication to Koutei that it was him.  He was worried...Koutei had mentioned a scene that Yami knew was based on reality...he was getting his memory back.  It was only a matter of time before he remembered everything...

“…You alright, Yami?” The man asked, looking at Mutou. He tilted his head as he looked at him, wondering if something was wrong.

“...Yeah...sorry, just fighting off the last of the headache...”  Yami said at last.  He should've known that Koutei would recognize it.  He was one of very few people who had ever been able to consistently tell him apart from Yuugi.  

“...It's good to see you again.”  He mused softly with a smile.  He was happy to see him.

It wasn’t hard for Koutei. He could see the visual cues, how Yami was always more tense, how his eyes usually narrowed and seemed more serious. He smiled, seeing the man and he nodded. “I’m glad… How are you?”

Yami gave a small smile back.  He had truly missed Koutei, even though there were issues to seeing him again.

“...I'm holding up alright.  As good as I could be given the circumstances.”  Yami said.

“That’s good to hear,” Koutei said, smiling at him. “Did you get to do much while you were out."

“...I got to go outside...Yuugi and I both did.  Raphael took us out to the hospital gardens.”  Yami said, smiling at the memory.  It had been enjoyable, even though it was probably the last outside moment he'd have outside in a long time, if at all.

“It was nice to spend time with Raphael...he made the hospital less boring overall.”  

“Raphael, huh? Well it’s good you got someone looking after you on the outside too. You don’t talk much about Raphael, do ya?” Koutei asked, a little curious about this friend of Yami’s.

"...Yeah, it is. I don't deserve it though. I was ordered to kill him...but my illness stopped me from going through with it. And he...he took it upon himself to look after me and he got us in here." Yami explained.

"....And he looked after us in hospital too. He was there everyday...looking after us." Yami said, looking sad, still feeling guilty about what he'd done.

“Oh wow… I didn’t know you were supposed to kill him. And now he’s helping you. He sounds amazing.” Koutei already viewed Alit as god-like, and the man didn’t come around as fast as this guy seemed.

“… You’re gonna miss him too, huh?"

"Yeah...more like unbelievable..." Yami mused. He nodded.

"Yeah, I'll miss him.  Yuugi even more so...he sees him as a guardian figure...like the father we never had." He mused.

“Father figure, huh?” Koutei leaned forward on the table and gave him a more tired smile. “The first one didn’t work for you too?” He asked Yami.

Yami sighed, seeing the sympathetic look...but he was also a little surprised by the 'too' that Koutei had tacked on.  Did that mean they both had shitty families?  

"Not well...he and our mother took off to travel the world or something and left Yuugi with his grandfather for most of his life.  Neither of us even remember what they looked like....Jii-chan was like our father in that man's stead."  Yami said.  

"...Did your parents abandon you too?"  He asked.

“Wow… that’s awful..."

Koutei shook his head. “Nah. They kept me on a leash, more or less. Not literally, but still. It was pretty bad. My parents were both politicians, one in Japan, one in Italy, and they wanted me to follow in their footsteps. They did everything they could to push me on that path, but I wanted to be a boxer. They resented me for it, and being gay didn’t help things either since they wanted to pick out a pretty wife for me. In the end, they cut off all ties with me and everything. Before I was thrown in here, I went to my dad’s funeral here in Japan, and I got chased out by my mother. … She said I wasn’t welcome after turning my back on the family and all.”

Yami listened, frowning at the story.  He had heard a slightly abridged version before, he was pretty sure...but the longer version was worse.  It made him angry on Koutei's behalf.  Unlike Yuugi, who had Jii-chan at least for most of his life to love him and let him be himself, Koutei's parents had never truly accepted him.  And what was worse was that Koutei was a genuinely nice person who didn't deserve any of it.  Yami would not have been surprised if Jii-chan disowned him at least for everything he'd done wrong...

"They sound like terrible people who couldn't see what an amazing, talented and kind son they had...I'm angry they didn't realize it."  Yami said honestly with a frown.  He then softened it and squeezed Koutei's hand in comfort.

"I'm sorry that happened to you....it's truly awful."

Koutei wasn’t crying at least, but he was feeling a bit down now, even with the smile on his face. He watched Yami move his hand over and he squeezed it back, surprised a little but glad Yami was there for him.

“… I know, but hey… At least getting thrown in here can’t make my mother’s relationship any worse with me. I’m fine, really. I didn’t mean to bring the mood down,” He said, honestly.

Yami felt upset and angry at Koutei's parents on the other's behalf, but also upset with himself for being so mean to a man who already had no family or friends to support him and didn't deserve it. His mood was down too, but he smiled apologetically.

"It's my fault. I brought it up after all...we can talk about something else, if you want. Did Alit come see you while I was away again? You're still in touch with him, aren't you?" Yami said, knowing Koutei liked Alit. Hopefully that would cheer him up.

“I’m fine with whatever. I just thought it was your first day back, so we should go easy,” Koutei said, laughing but not completely genuinely. He did perk up at the mention of Alt and he nodded.

“Yeah, he’s my contact outside. He’s doing fine. He’s a stay at home dad now, and he’s got this adorable daughter called Masumi. He’s shown me her and some pictures. She’s lovely.”

Yami nodded and listened, stiffening a little when he heard the name.

"...Masumi huh...sounds cute..." Well shit. That was the baby he kidnapped, probably. He hoped Koutei seeing her hadn't sparked any memory...

"...it's nice he's still taking time for you too. I'm sure being a stay at home dad is tough." Yami said.

“Yeah… He’s taking everything well… You know, considering I attacked him and stopped him from boxing as well due to his injuries. But…” Koutei sighed and shook his head. “Yeah… they’re all fine. Alit’s a good guy. He’s strong. He can balance me and his family"

"Wow..." Yami mused, but again he was cursing internally.

"I'm glad things are working out for him too...seems both our out-of-prison friends are truly amazing people..." Yami said with a small smile.

“Definitely. So we gotta do our best to make sure their efforts aren’t wasted, right?” He said, smiling at the other man.

Yami returned the smile.

"Yeah...sounds like you're doing fine, but I still got lots of work to do." He said, gently massaging his had leg.

"Raphael paid for the surgery I had to have for my leg so I'd be able to walk...now the rest is up to Yuugi and I and our physio work..."

“Yeah. When do you have to go for your first physio?” Koutei asked.

"Tomorrow...no idea what to expect.  Hopefully it won't be too painful..."  Yami mused.

“It’s probs just walking and some massaging, as well as a check up. I’ve had friends who needed physio before, so you don’t have to worry about too much.”

Yami nodded.

"Alright...I think I can manage that...hopefully anyway."  Yami said.

"So you've never had a boxing injury or something that required physio huh?"

“Not myself. I’ve been good with keeping my body healthy. I’ve been pretty lucky too, so that helps”

Yami smiled.

"You're lucky.  I suppose I have been too, if you count having the 'Devil's Luck' being lucky...I get injured within an inch of my life, but generally I always recover..."  He mused.

“Devil’s Luck… that’s a Catch 22 luck too, huh? Those who have it are both really lucky and suffer from it too, huh?” Koutei said, “Well… it’s a good thing you’re alive man."

Yami nodded solemnly.  It was both a blessing and a curse...Raphael had it too, apparently.  Hopefully with Kaiba, he'd come out on the lucky side and survive at the very least...

"It's definitely a lot to deal with.  It often involves suffering for awhile before being able to spring back...like with my leg."  Yami mused.  

"...."  He had to pause at Koutei's second statement.  Would Koutei really think that if he knew what he'd done to him?  

"...I suppose I am fortunate to be alive...nobody wants to die..."  He said at last.  He didn't really deserve all the chances he'd got, in his mind.  Maybe it was because he had Yuugi with him that karma decided the good and bad were balanced, and so he was allowed to live because if not, Yuugi would die?  He sighed.

Koutei nodded in agreement, oblivious to the worries Yami had about his friend. He looked over to Yami’s leg as he mentioned it, seeing how well supported it was. “Yeah… I mean…” Koutei caught himself and then forced a laugh, shaking his head. Now wasn’t the time for such a dark topic. “Nevermind. Anyway, once you go physio and learn what you need to do, I’m more than happy to help you with exercise if you need it."

Yami glanced at Koutei, wondering what he'd been about to say, before nodding. "Yeah...you seem to know how to exercise certain muscles. I'd be grateful for your expertise." Yami said. He did want to walk as soon as he could.

“Yeah. So here’s to us, getting better together,” Koutei said, raising his glass of water to Yami. “To us!"

Yami gave a small chuckle. This gesture seemed a little silly, but it was kind and he appreciated it. "To us then." He said, clicking his glass gently against Koutei's.

-x-

Across town from the Correctional Facility was KaibaCorp headquarters.  Kaiba Seto was in his office, going over his work related duties while also exploring his contact with Michel Roger, who was currently in Neo Domino.  He had heard that Mutou Yuugi had survived the attack and had thoroughly enjoyed rubbing it in Roger's face that his high calibre assassin had failed against the Shadow Gamer.  Part of him had expected it...if there was anyone who could outsmart a serial murderer like Sergey, it was Mutou Yuugi.  But, that did leave him in an inconvenient position...did he and Roger go after Kawahara Raphael and ignore Mutou, or did they try again to silence him for good?  

A knock on the door interrupted Kaiba's thoughts.

“Enter.”  Kaiba called.

“Hey there, bro,” Mokuba said, opening the door. He smiled at his brother, unsurprised his brother was at the desk. However, despite the chipperness on his face, the fourteen year old boy walked over to Seto with a bit of unease on his mind. He wasn’t sure how to ask Seto about this sort of thing, and he wasn’t sure if he would understand or not, but he had to try. “What are you doing?”

"Mokuba." Kaiba said in way of greeting, sparing his brother a glance from his laptop. His brother was important to him after all, and judging by his body language, Mokuba was gearing up to ask him something. "Working. What is it you need, Mokuba?" He asked, cutting right to the chase, though he did make significantly more effort to sound at least somewhat kind in his question, since this was his brother.

Mokuba gave a laugh. He knew his brother was busy, and he also wanted to get this over with. He should have expected the quick response, but he still felt unprepared. He considered how to phrase this before he sighed, looking at his brother.

“I don’t want to hire any more tutors. I want to go to a real school, Nii-san.”

Kaiba paused in his typing, surprised by the request.  He had been to public school in Domino, albeit sparingly, and hadn't really enjoyed fraternizing with people of average or below average intelligence.  He couldn't imagine why Mokuba would want to do such a thing.

“...Mokuba, your education is better handled by tutors.  There's nothing a school teacher can teach you that a tutor couldn't do better.  Why do you want to go to a school?”  

“Honestly, I can outdo any of the tutors. There’s no reason to continue their study,” Mokuba muttered under his breath a little arrogantly. He was his brother’s brother alright. “I want to go to school because I want to make connections with people. People my age. You know. Like a normal person.”

Kaiba's lips twitched in amusement at Mokuba's first statement.  He had noticed that Mokuba seemed bored with his lessons as of late.  

“Mokuba, you're the vice-president of a major corporation.  You're not a normal person.  It's admirable that you want to make connections with people, but those schoolkids will swarm you for your status, and groupies are not friend-worthy people.”  He said.

“You think fourteen year olds will know who the vice president is of a company is? Yeah we’re big, but like you said, they’re not all that bright. All we have to do is not mention my last name and then we’re done. I doubt they know my face” Mokuba reasoned, having prepared for any question his brother threw to him. “We can even give it a trial run if you want. If I slack with my job or I think they’re all useless groupies, then I’ll just pull myself out of the school and go back to what we’re doing now.”

“Some of them will probably know your face.  The paparazzi has taken enough pictures of us together that someone is bound to have seen it, and if they share that fact with their friends, the rumors will get started, regardless of whatever fake name you go with.”  Kaiba said.  Though, he could see the reasoning in Mokuba's argument.  Maybe this would have to be one of those lessons Mokuba learned on his own.  He sighed.

“If you really feel that strongly about this, I'll agree to a trial run.  Just try not to get too carried away in the friend department...socializing would take away from your work time.”  Kaiba said.

Mokuba tried to look calm but a big grin overcame his face as his brother confirmed he was getting exactly what he wanted.

“Thank you, Seto. I appreciate it. And I won’t get carried away. I just want to see what it’s like to have friends outside of work.” Mokuba ran his fingers through his long hair. “Think they’ll be dumb enough to not recognise me if I cut my hair?”

Kaiba let a small smile come to his lips when Mokuba grinned at him like that.  

“Alright, I'll hold you to that.  I'll enroll you today...I think the school year has already started, but I'm sure I can pull some strings to get you into class right away.”  He said, glancing at his brother.

“...Maybe.  I'm not sure how many would recognize you either way, but your hair is getting a little shaggy.  A cut might be nice.”  Kaiba mused.

“That sounds good,” Mokuba stretched. “Not like I can miss much. But hey, I might learn something new. I never had a reason to take art before.”

He laughed. “I’m kidding. Encourage me anymore and I will get it."

Kaiba hmmed in agreement, though he did doubt Mokuba would learn much in public school.

“Alright, I won't encourage you.  Do what you want...and expect that you'll be going to school tomorrow morning.  Be ready.”  Kaiba said.

“Of course.” Mokuba grinned. He turned around, already excited. “I’m heading out, Seto. Don’t go sleep too late. I’ll see you later,” The man said, waving to his brother.

“See you later.”  Kaiba called, smiling a little at Mokuba's happiness.  He had a lot of work to do now...he would have to look into which school would be best for Mokuba, then call them and deal with enrolment stuff.  He'd be busy for most of the day now.

So would Mokuba. After making absolutely sure he had done all the things he needed to today, the boy got changed into some casual clothes. Tying his hair back, Mokuba headed in the elevator and headed out, getting into the car where his personal chauffeur was.

“Just drop me off at the Heartland Mall, alright? No need for guards. I’ll be fine.”

Isono was the driver today for Mokuba and nodded.

“As you wish, Mokuba-sama.”  He said, starting the car and driving off towards the mall.  He could see that his young master was quite excited about something and was glad for him.  He dropped him off by the entrance awhile later.

“Call me when you're ready to leave, Mokuba-sama.  Have a good time.”  He told the boy, before driving off.

“Thank you~” Mokuba grinned, glad he was let off the hook so easily. Making sure he had his wallet and phone, the man headed inside the mall, going for the nearest store and heading to where they kept their stationery. He couldn’t go to school without new books, and he wasn’t going to show up with a bunch of KC branded items, after all.

As Mokuba made his way into the store, another regular customer was already inside.  Ponta often made trips to the store to help Kotori, who was a teacher, stock up on supplies for her classroom.  He had his backpack and skateboard under his arm as he navigated through the stationary section.

“Let's see...she needs a pack of paper too...oh, and more colored markers for the whiteboard...”  He murmured to himself, making his way down the aisle.  He was so focused that he didn't even noticed the black haired boy who was around his age approaching and accidentally bumped into him.  

“Ah, sorry about that, pon!”  Ponta exclaimed, blinking in surprise when he saw a kid his age.  That was a little unusual...well, at least it was odd that he wasn't there with a parent.  He saw the stuff the boy was carrying and smiled.

“Are you looking for school stuff too, pon?”  

“Woah. Hey!” Mokuba stumbled back, a bit surprised someone had bumped into him when it wasn’t that crowded. He blinked, surprised to see it was someone his own age, before he shook his head.

“No need to apologise. It’s alright.” He said quite calmly. He nodded. “Yeah. I’m starting tomorrow, so I’m getting all my things. I’m surprised someone else is looking though. Hasn’t term already started?”

Ponta grinned, excited on behalf of this strange boy.  

“Tomorrow?  Wow that's awesome!  Good for you!  What school are you going to?  What grade?”  Ponta asked, eager to see if this boy was going to be in his class.

“You're right, it has, but I'm not shopping for me, pon.  I'm shopping for Kotori.  She's a teacher and she asked me to get more stuff for her class!”  Ponta said, showing Mokuba the list.

“I'm Ponta, by the way!  What's your name, pon?”  

“Um… I can’t remember, but I’m fourteen so I’ll be second year middle school, ” The young man said.

“Oh that’s nice of you,” Mokuba smiled, “She’s lucky to have your help. I’m Mokuba. Nice to meet you, Ponta,” he said, curious if he recognized his name.

Ponta's eyes lit up, not at all fazed that Mokuba had no idea which school he was going to.  He hadn't known either after all.

“We're the same age!  Maybe we'll be in the same school and class, pon?  I go to Heartland Middle School.”  He said, hoping that was the case.  He did like making new friends after all.  Ponta didn't show any sign of recognition with Mokuba's name, because he truly didn't recognize it.  He didn't really pay attention to video games or things related to KaibaCorp or celebrities, so he had no idea that he was talking to the vice-president.  He smiled.

“Mokuba, huh?  Nice to meet you!  I can help you find things for school if you want?  I know this store really well cause Kotori sends me here a lot.”  Ponta offered.

“Oh, that would be interesting,” Mokuba said. Mokuba was a little surprised Ponta didn’t try to at least guess he was the same Kaiba Mokuba, but at the same time he was pleased. If everyone was like Ponta, then this school thing would be a piece of cake. “Wouldn’t that be a cool coincidence.”

He grinned. “Hey, that would be really cool. I don’t know what to get. I’m just getting paper and pens and ruled up books for now."

“Yep it would be!  I hope it happens.”  Ponta said happily.

“That's a good start...maybe a calculator too, pon?  You'll probably need it for math!  They do really advanced stuff!  And you gotta think of what you wanna do for electives, pon!  There's art, music, theater...do you like any of those?”  Ponta asked, leading Mokuba down the aisle and pointing out the best brands of pens, papers, binders etc from his experience as he talked.

“I got a calculator, but I can probably afford another,” he mused. He pondered the options given to him, assuming that Ponta was talking to him about general school things rather than just stuff from his own school. He listened to Ponta’s advice as they went, as he thought about what he liked.

“I like theatre. I do enough music at home, but I haven’t done any acting before."

Ponta grinned, glad they had something else in common.

“I like theatre too!  It's super fun!  We got a really good teacher this year at my school, pon!  Have you ever heard of ESPer Robin?  The actor who played Robin is gonna be our teacher in theatre at my school.  If you do end up coming to Heartland Middle School, you should definitely take his class with me!”  Ponta said happily.

“ESPer Robin? Oh! I remember him. My brother and I used to watch it when we were little. Is it really that guy?” Mokuba asked, wondering if that’s why Ponta was unsurprised. Surely, if there were some old celebrities at the school, he wouldn’t be a such a big deal. “I’ll see. Maybe I’ll end up at a different school but I might just want to look and see if I can spot him.”

Ponta nodded excitedly.  

“Yeah it is!  I've met him before, pon!  He seems to like fans, pon, so he'd probably be happy to meet you!  He did a special episode with me for my other friend, Haruto.”  Ponta said, smiling a little sadly as he remembered his precious friend who had died.  But he shook off the sadness with a smile.

“My brothers watched it with me too!  Is your brother older or younger than you?”

“Ah, I see.” Mokuba was good at reading the mood, so he could tell that Ponta was thinking about something bittersweet. He remained quiet, letting Ponta have his moment before he moved on to the next question.

“Older. He’s more than ten years older, so he’s more aware of it than I am. I think he watched it because I liked it so much though”

“Oh wow!  That's like my older brothers too!  They're both ten years older than me, and Gilag is even older than that, pon.  I know Alit doesn't really like sitting around and watching TV, and Gilag is often too busy...but they did it anyway for me!”  Ponta said with a grin.

“Big brothers are the coolest, aren’t they?” Mokuba smiled. “That sounds really nice of them. We aren’t so different, huh?”

“The coolest!  I'm a big brother too now, since Kotori and Alit had a baby!  Her name is Masumi, pon!”  Ponta said in agreement.  He nodded.

“Yeah!  So let's be friends, kay?”  He said happily, taking all the stuff he needed for Kotori and heading towards the checkout with Mokuba.

“Is it really that easy to make friends though?” Mokuba mused, somehow charmed by this boy. He chuckled as he nudged the other’s broad shoulder and followed after him. “I mean, I’m alright with it. Yeah… Let’s be friends, Ponta.”

“It is for me!”  Ponta grinned, happy that Mokuba was okay with that too.  

“Great!  Are you doing anything else at the mall today, pon?  We can hang out here if you want?”  Ponta said, stopping at the checkout and smiling as he put his stuff down to pay for them.

“Hm?” Mokuba raise an eyebrow. “No, I’m free. I’ll be happy to hang out, Ponta. Might as well. I’m free for the rest of the day.” The checkout girl looked weirdly at Mokuba, but he took it in stride. He smiled, wondering if she would ask him questions.

“Sweet!  I'll just tell Kotori I'll be home later, pon!”  Ponta said happily, pulling out his phone and sending her a message and completely missing the look between the cashier and Mokuba.  The girl obviously had figured out who Mokuba was, but she didn't say a word.  She was obviously a little shocked to see Mokuba Kaiba in such a small shop.  Ponta smiled and took his bags from her, thanking her.

“Alright, I'm good to go, pon!”  Ponta said with a smile.

Mokuba smirked as he went to pay, using cash. He wasn’t like his brother very big and flashy with his chequebook, so the incident went rather smoothly. He paid and grabbed his things before he nodded. “Ditto. Where shall we go?"

"We could just walk around and see if we like anything in the stores or something, pon?" Ponta said with a grin.

“Yeah, that sounds pretty fun,” Mokuba said. “I haven’t been shopping here in a while. This place has expanded. It’s not bad."

"Me neither! I don't usually shop for me either, pon. I started getting an allowance recently so I can spend on my own now a little!" Ponta said happily.

"What do you like to buy, Mokuba? Games? Sports stuff? Books, pon?"

“Yeah, I suppose you deserve it. A bit of extra money for your work,” Mokuba said, sounding amuse but not giving away too much about himself. “I usually buy clothes and stuff, but I like games a lot. Computer games mostly, but I like games with risk and stuff. I used to play board games but my bro is too busy for them these days.”

Ponta beamed and nodded.

"That's what Alit said too!" He said with a grin. He listened and smiled.

"I haven't played a lot of video games actually...neither me nor my brother's are really tech-savvy, pon. But I love board games! I'll play with you if your brother won't, pon!" Ponta said happily.

“Heh… Maybe. We’ll see.” He wasn’t even sure if they would even meet again, but Mokuba was in a good mood, getting what he wanted. “What kind of board games do you like?"

Ponta smiled. He wasn't sure if he'd see Mokuba again either but he was eager to make it happen if he could.

"All kinds. I like strategy ones, luck ones...basically any one that you have to play with other people!" Ponta said, before spotting a little dispenser machine.

"Look! It's a Capumon dispenser! Do you play that one? It's fun, pon!" He said, rushing over to the dispenser to put a coin in and see what level monster he'd get.

“A capumon? I forgot they still sold those,” Mokuba smiled, looking at the dispenser, hurrying after them. “I collected them too, actually. I’ve got a whole lot. I kind of do collect them,” he said, searching his pockets for small change.

"Yeah, its older true, but it's still fun! Do you battle with your collection too, pon?" Ponta said, putting a coin in and turning the key, watching the capsule fall out. He picked it up and grinned.

"Look, I got a level 3! Not bad, huh, pon?"

“Nah, I don’t have time. I’m pretty busy at home, so even my own game time is limited,” Mokuba shrugged. “I play lots of online games because they’re easy to do at night.”

Mokuba grinned. “I got that one,” He said, pulling his coin out. “Let me try.” He turned the knob and pulled his one out. “Level 4. Nice."

"Oh? What do you do at home that keeps you so busy, pon?" Ponta asked, curious. He smiled.

"I don't have this one yet, but now I do! Awesome, pon! Do you have that one? It looks strong!"

“My brother gets me to do some work for him because he thinks I’m responsible. It’s a piece of cake.” He smirked at the thought. However, seeing as Ponta didn’t have what was clearly a common monster, he handed his over. “I have this one too. You want him? I do have a lot myself."

"Oh wow that's cool! So you two get to work together on stuff? That sounds fun, pon." Ponta said. He was surprised by Mokuba's offer.

"Oh wow, really? I can have it? Thanks, pon!" He said, happy to accept it.

Mokuba grinned. “Consider it payment in advance. You gotta show me a good time here, okay?"

"Payment?" Ponta said in surprise, before chuckling at Mokuba.

"Well have fun, but you don't need to pay me, pon." Ponta said with a grin.

“I know, I know,” Mokuba laughed, “But nothing in life is free, so just roll with it, ‘kay?"

Ponta chuckled.  

"Okay, I'll roll with it!"  He said, accepting the Capumon with a smile.

"Speaking of rolling...do you like skateboarding?  You can try out mine if you want, pon."  Ponta said, showing his board to Mokuba.

“Huh? Skateboarding?” Mokuba looked at it and shook his head. “Never tried it. Wasn’t really my thing."

Ponta grinned.

"Did you wanna try?  It's not that hard to get a hang of, pon."  He offered with a smile.

“Hmmmm…” Mokuba paused before he laughed. “Alright. I’ll try. I got pretty good balance. Hand it over and let’s see."

"That's the spirit!"  Ponta grinned, happily passing off the skateboard.

"Let's see how you do, pon!"

The teen smiled and dropped it on the floor of the mall. He then got on, sort of moving it forward how he saw in movies. He could stand alright, but when he tried to move it and get one foot off, he lost his balance.

“AAH! It’s harder than I expected.”

Ponta rushed forward to steady Mokuba as he lost his balance with a small chuckle.

"Yeah, that's what lots of people say!  You gotta keep your center of gravity stable, pon!"

“Yeah… easier said than done,” Mokuba muttered. Not caring they weren’t allowed to be skating indoors, he got down a little lower and tried again.

"There you go!  You're doing much better!"  Ponta said happily, watching Mokuba skateboard around shakily.  

"Keep practicing and you'll be zipping around in no time, pon."

“Alright. Let’s keep going then. Um… better make sure you teach me how to turn. I don’t wanna crash into anyone,” Mokuba grinned. “It’s harder but this is more fun than I expected too."

Ponta nodded.

"Of course!  To turn, you gotta lean a little!  Make the board lean in the direction you wanna go!  It's easier when you have more speed, but you can turn a little like this, pon!"  Ponta said.  He smiled.

"It is, isn't it?  I love it!"

“Alright… um…” Mokuba tried but he nearly fell off the board. He sighed and shook his head but he tried again. “Yeah. I’ll get it eventually"

Ponta rushed forward again when Mokuba stumbled, not wanting him to fall.  Thankfully he didn't.  He smiled reassuringly.

"You will!  Keep trying, pon!"  Ponta said, not noticing that a few people had been watching them oddly.  Two teenagers skateboarding in the mall were a little suspicious.  Sure enough, a security guard approached them a few minutes later.

"Boys, I'm afriad there's no skateboarding allowed in the mall.  You'll have to-"  He cut off his sentence abruptly when he noticed the black-haired boy on the skateboard.  He had seen that face before many times and was momentarily stunned to silence.

"Oh, um...my apologies, Kaiba-sama.  I didn't realize it was you.  Please, try not to hurt yourself or others while you skateboard, alright?"  He said, giving a small nod before heading off.  Ponta simply looked confused.  He had a small nagging feeling that the word 'Kaiba' was familiar...but he shook it off.  It was probably nothing.

"Wow, I'm surprised he let us go!  I didn't know you were also friends with the security guards here, pon!"  Ponta said, amazed at his new friend.

Mokuba was having a great time, laughing as he tried to go along with the stranger’s antics, rather amused how this played out. The fourteen year old didn’t even notice the eyes on him until he heard the security officer.

The man cringed, not because they were caught but he was recognised. However, he was very, very thankful that he hadn’t done anything to alert his brother’s attention, and he nodded quite sternly in response. “Yeah, I know. Thank you,” He had no idea who that man was.

Mokuba looked at Ponta, wondering what his thoughts were and his jaw nearly dropped as he heard the boy’s words. So there really were these kinds of people in the world. The stupidly naive? It was quite amazing, especially since the Kaibas were billionaires, but he had actually met someone in Heartland who didn’t know him.

“Yeah… well… my brother is pretty big. Don’t worry about it.” He picked the skateboard up. “We should do it outside, huh?"

Ponta smiled, noticing how Mokuba looked a little uncomfortable with it.  

"Is he...hmm...he'd be 'Kaiba-san' right?  That's what the security guard called you..."  Ponta said, puzzling it out.  He shrugged.

"Never heard of anyone named Kaiba, but then again, I don't always pay attention to famous people, pon!"  Ponta chuckled, looping an arm around Mokuba.

"Let's go outside before they call your big brother and tell on us!"  He laughed, pulling Mokuba towards the door.

“I’m Kaiba Mokuba, yeah,” he nodded. He then laughed openly this time, patting Ponta on the back as he was grabbed by the other boy.

“It’s not important. All we need to know is that we better get out before I get in trouble. But hey, there’s a skatepark out here, right? Let's go!"

"And I'm Barian Ponta, pon!  Nice to meetcha!"  Ponta said with a grin, nodding.

"There's one outside yeah!  Let's go, let's go!"  Ponta said, happy to get to spend time with a new friend.

-x-

Meanwhile the police station had been extremely busy since Yuuya showed up. The drug department finally came back with the analysis of the drug that Yuugo had dropped off for Yuuya. Gauche sighed as he looked over the contents. "Droite...I don't think this drug is legal...take a look." He said. He felt bad. The Sakaki case was one of those sad legal cases that they had to deal with: a poor family with unfortunate circumstances trying to get by having a sad run-in with the law.

“Hmmm?” Droite leaned over in her chair and frowned, looking at the file that Gauche had up. Her eyes widened. Even if Japan had strict drug laws, there were many drugs that would have someone arrested on the spot if held. The woman shook her hand. “That’s definitely not. It’s never been legal in Japan, at least not since the 50s. We need to tell Ukyou. If Yuuto provides the drugs for Yuuya, that means he’s frequently getting there from somewhere. We need to get that warrant to search his apartment.”

Gauche nodded.

"Are they harmful, Droite? Cause we're kinda giving these to his brother..." Gauche mused. He knew Yuuya was sick, so they couldn't just not give him medication, but this stuff was illegal.

"Yeah, I'm gonna show Ukyou...what're we gonna do about Yuuto? This is grounds for an arrest isn't it?"

“I can’t say I’m an expert, but we got a case file here. Hang on.” Droite said, typing it on her computer and pulling a few files up up before she looked over what was in there. “The guys noted there’s traces of Codeine, the opium medication, on the outside of the bottle. These aren’t over the counter drugs at all…” She sighed. She knew Yuuto had lied to her, but she didn’t know how much he had. “… Looks like in high doses over a long period of time, it can prove lethal to a person. But it stops them from feeling pain and lets them think clearly. Gabapentin is the main component, but the other things mixed to it isn’t pretty. ” Droite wasn’t sure, but she had seen Yuuya without the meds. “… Yes. We’re going to arrest him. I’ll confirm with Ukyou. You’ll come with me, right?”

"Yikes...so this stuff is slowly hurting him, huh? That's not good...we should get an alternative treatment going then." Gauche said. He nodded.

"You bet I'm in. We'll bring him in together after we talk to Ukyou. He'll probably work on enlisting his boyfriends help with the drug stuff again in the meantime, right?" Gauche said with a smirk and a wink to Droite.

“Alright, let’s go,” The woman said. She got up and rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “For an ace bastard you’re super into the love lives of everyone here, aren’t you?” Droite smirked as she headed for Ukyou’s office. “But you’re right. Getting Doctor Arclight’s help would be invaluable right now.”

Gauche grinned.

"I just want my coworkers to be happy!" He chuckled. They approached Ukyou's office.

"Hey, boss...Yuuto's been using illegal drugs on Yuuya. We got the analysis back from the lab."

Ukyou looked up from his desk as he heard the door to his office open. He raised his eyebrow before a solemn look overtook his face.

“Lab results? Right. The drugs Sakaki Yuugo took in for us. Let’s see it here.” The man said. Droite passed it over and Ukyou skimmed over the notes. His frown deepened and he looked at his coworkers. “… Well if there was any reason to approve the warrant to search his house today, this is a good one. We need to make an arrest too. There’s no way around it, unfortunately.”

Gauche nodded.

"We understand, sir. Droite and I were going to head over and arrest him right away. Once you get the warrant we can search his place, but we gotta make sure he doesn't try and bolt or something right?"

“Yes, that’s right. We need him in custody for questioning,” Ukyou stared at the paper, wondering just where Yuuto had gotten these from. The drug market in Japan was big, but the other component in Yuuya’s medication was worrying him for some reason.

“Ukyou, what should we do with Sakaki Yuuya. We can’t keep giving him this medication. It’s going to kill him”

“First thing is that we get a doctor and get a proper diagnosis. Then we go see if there are alternative arrangements that we can provide instead of those pills. We had station’s infirmary look at him but now we’ll get an actual doctor.”

"You gonna call in your boyfriend, chief?" Gauche said with a teasing smirk. Ukyou sighed.

"I will consult Dr.Arclight, but I will probably also have to talk to the Correctional Facility. They have more dealing with medical illness...Chris just does the drug side of things."

Droite shot Gauche a look, wanting him to put his foot into his mouth. “Yes, we got it.”

“We should also have an actual GP. Not just the mental side, but his physical state looks bad. I’ll make those calls now. Sakaki Yuuto should still be in hospital, so if he’s ready, take him back here.”

Gauche nodded.

"Alright, sounds good. We'll head over there now." Gauche said, heading out with Droite to go to the hospital.

Meanwhile, one of the other officers saw them leaving and sent a text to a certain politician saying that the cops were going out to get his brother.

Yuuto, meanwhile, was still in hospital. He'd hardly slept at all the previous night, sick with worry about Yuuya and wondering how he could help. Sure, Yuuya had his medication and would no longer have anymore episodes, but it was also only a matter of time before the cops found out what was in them and came back to arrest him. In his current state, he couldn't really move on his own, which meant he was a sitting duck waiting to be arrested. His only option was to leave the hospital before the cops came back, go into hiding, and maybe eventually bust Yuuya out of jail if he was sent there and once Yuuto recovered. It was a very complicated affair, but Yuuto would take it one step at a time...step one was to leave the hospital. He was currently waiting on Yuugo to come get him and get him out of hospital and into hiding. He rested on his bed, clearly exhausted and worried but still determined. He had to make it through this, for Yuuya's sake.

"I'm sorry Yuuya...hang in there..." he murmured softly, knowing his baby brother was likely scared and upset with his current situation.

Yuugo wanted to be stealthy, and while he failed at it horribly sometimes, he knew how to be subtle when it called for it. When Yuugo knew about something, he knew everything about it, and he knew the hospital system almost as well as the legendary Kamishiro twins. He knew that he had to be sneaky to smuggle his brother out of the hospital without suspicion, so he was going to grab a car, check him out and head to an in discriminate location before the police knew he was gone.

However, half an hour after the police had started mobilising for Yuuto’s arrest, Yuugo didn’t walk in. Instead, it was the last of the Sakaki siblings, in a proper suit and with a bunch of fruit for Yuuto.

“My my, Yuuto. Don’t you look fresh today?”

Yuuto glanced over when the door opened. He expected Yuugo but was surprised to see Yuri.

"...Yuri." He said, scowling at his brother. He supposed it was better to see him here than with Yuuya in prison. But if he was here he might be planning something?

"...to what do I owe this visit...?”

Yuri smiled pleasantly and put the expensive fruit basket down on the table next to Yuuto. There was all sorts of delicious fruits there, even a melon, and to most it would be a high form of respect and a present filled with wishes to get well soon.

“Nothing much. Just checking up on one of my favourite brothers,” the man said sweetly, keeping his usual mocking tone out of his voice for once. He had to play his cards carefully. After all, if Yuuto got annoyed with him and left early, the game would be over. “After all, if I want to connect with Yuuya and the whole family again, I have to try to reach out to you. How have you been feeling, brother?”

Yuuto sighed as he was offered the basket of fruit. Although it looked good, he wondered if they were poisoned.

"You needn't have bothered. I was just discharging myself. I'm well enough to go home." He said, though he couldn't really walk. Dammit where was Yuugo when he needed him?

“Discharging yourself? In your state?” He could see the leg brace and how pale Yuuto was still. Yuri shook his head and crossed his arms.

“That may be true, but you still don’t look so well. There’s no rush to head home, is there? You should take it easy.” Yuri sounded like he cared, and in his own way, he did.

Yuuto wasn't sure what to trust when it came to Yuri.  Sure, he sounded genuine, but he'd also sounded that way when he said he'd take good care of Yuuya...

"...I'd rather not stay here, Yuri.  I don't have health insurance, and I am perfectly capable of resting at home.  Sleeping in my own bed would be nicer than here."  Yuuto said.

“I know… But I know you won’t bring me to your home, and I wanted to talk to you, Yuuto,” Yuri said, sounding gravely serious. He frowned as he sat down on the side of the bed. It took all of Yuri’s willpower not to stroke Yuuto’s thigh or grab his bad leg. He wanted to see Yuuto’s face contort for him…

“I want to know what happened. Not what the cops told me. Not what Yuuya said. I want to hear it from you. I don’t know anything about what happened to dear Yuuya once you guys left, and now he’s going to be thrown in jail or the Correctional Facility. I want to know what’s happened.”

Yuuto instinctively leaned a little away when Yuri sat on the bed next to him.  He didn't trust Yuri, but his words were bringing back old pain that he couldn't really hide.  He sighed and looked down.

"...That's a long story, Yuri.  If you really want to know, I'll call you later.  The short version is that Yuuya didn't get his medication...I couldn't give it to him like this."  He said, nodding to his legs.

"...I didn't want him to know about these injuries because I knew he'd be worried, and I didn't want him acting rashly and hurting himself.  But, I essentially shunned him...and he relapsed.  It's my fault..."  He said sadly.

“I will hold you to that.” Yuuri, in a show of good faith, passed his phone over to Yuuto, expecting him to punch in and save the number there. He was making it very clear that he wanted to know everything, and he watched Yuuto seriously as the guilt and pain hit his face, hiding his own glee perfectly.

“… So you were injured and you didn’t say anything to Yuuya,” Yuri said, hiding how much he already knew. “You didn’t see him at all? Yuuto, you know you should have let him worry. If he had panicked, he would have for a few days and then resolved to help you. Instead, he’s forgotten all his meds. I thought you were responsible. Honestly. I know you’re altruistic, but stupid is Yuugo’s gimmick.”

Yuuto was surprised when Yuri passed him his phone.  That was actually something he could take advantage of.  He sighed.

"Okay.  Yuuya did ask me to give you another shot."  He lamented, taking the phone and entering his contact information.  He was once again letting guilt overtake him.  It wasn't just that...it was also what happened with Shun, and everything else that had distracted him.  He'd been neglecting Yuuya for Shun and for his injuries...

"...A lot has happened.  I told you, it's a long story.  Mind if I make a call?"  Yuuto said, keeping Yuri's phone and dialling Yuugo's number immediately.  He knew it by heart, thankfully.  He wanted to get out of here.  Yuri reminding him of his guilt just made him more eager to leave before the cops came and arrested his guilty ass.

There was nothing incriminating in there. Dennis wasn’t a contact number and the officer’s text message had already been deleted. There were just work things on that phone, and Yuri smiled as Yuuto began entering his contact information. It almost seemed sad, that he was finally getting Yuuto’s number and soon the man would be in jail and he couldn’t relish it, but Yuuya was his prize and he couldn’t wait. “Thanks… I didn’t say you could use it though.” Yuri said, pretending to be annoyed and once again hiding a wicked grin. He could guess who Yuuto was calling, and he had now essentially given him Yuugo’s number as well. It was like Christmas. As Yuuto made the call, Yuri reached over, pulled a tomato out of Yuuto’s fruit basket and took a bite out of it. “Hello? Make it quick! I’m in a hurry!” Yuugo yelled as soon as he picked his phone up.

"It's me.  Where are you?"  Yuuto said, ignoring Yuri's protest.  He'd make the call quick.  He glanced over at Yuri and was a little surprised to see him eating a tomato like it was an apple...but there was also the added fact that tomatoes always reminded him of Yuuya's hairstyle.  He scowled a little before turning back to the call.

Yuri licked the juices from the corner of his mouth, playing innocent and oblivious as Yuuto looked at him. He tried to listen in, which wasn’t too hard since Yuugo was so loud.

“I’m like two blocks down. It’s crazy out here. I had to switch lanes because there was a police car with flashing sirens, and now I’m in the wrong, godamn road. It’s one way too! I’m trying to loop back but it may take a while. How are you calling me? I wanna call you back when I get there."

Yuuto paled a little when he heard about the police car.  Shit were they on their way?  He needed to leave.

"...I borrowed someone's phone.  Trust me, you won't want to call his number back."  Yuuto said, wisely not disclosing that this was Yuri's number.  

"...Just get here as soon as you can okay?  I'll be waiting.  Bye."  He said, hanging up, then made the pass the phone back when he noticed Yuri's drizzling face.

"...Isn't that supposed to be my fruit basket present?"  He couldn't help but say.  He was getting a little irritated with Yuri.

Yuugo frowned. “Alright. I will. Be safe, Yuuto. Stay calm. It might be going to somewhere else.” Yuugo said. He hung up so he could focus on the road.

Yuri laughed and wiped his mouth. “Yes, but I’m hungry. I had to miss lunch so I could have time to visit you. Just consider it a tax. Have a banana instead. This one is mine,” Yuri rolled the tomato into his left hand and tossed one of the bananas towards Yuuto.

“Maybe instead of calling me, and maybe instead of me stealing your food, perhaps we could go out to lunch and talk, Yuuto. It can even be my treat.” He smiled, internally laughing.

Yuuto caught the banana, not sure why the fruit mattered, but he supposed it might be relaxing to eat.

"...if you want, you can take me out now then. Let's get out of here and eat something more wholesome than fruit. Especially if you have to miss lunch." Yuuto suggested.

Yuri looked surprised and he stared at Yuuto. He knew Yuuto was the sharpest out of his remaining siblings, so he figured the man was on to him. However, he knew he had to keep Yuuto here. If what Yuugo said was true, the police would be here any minute.

“You’d do that?” He asked quietly, sounding actually shocked. He sounded a lot like Yuuya, suddenly. “Really?”

Yuuto nodded. He was sharp alright: sharp enough to take advantage of any opportunity to leave right now.

"Yeah I mean it. I told Yuuya I'd give you a chance and I mean to. So let's go. C'mon." He said, getting up shakily.

"This way, we can catch up and you won't miss lunch. Everyone wins." He reasoned.

Yuri wanted to keep him there, and was perfectly aware of the fact that Yuuto was playing him, but he couldn’t miss such an opportunity.

“What about Yuugo? Do you want to call him first? Make sure he doesn’t arrive here without me whisking you away?”

"Sure. I'll call him in the car while you're driving. From what he said, he'll be awhile." Yuuto said with a smile, starting to head to the door.

“Alright, that’s fair.” Yuri turned around and sighed. “Yuuto. Don’t rush off. We have to collect all your things and put them to your bag. Tut, tut. And you think Yuugo was going to clean up after you?” Yuri said, getting to the task of picking up Yuuto’s clothes and stashing them away. “Goodness, what’s your rush?"

Yuuto sighed and reluctantly turned to help. Yuugo would have known to just take him and go.

"Don't you have a limited amount of break time, Mr. Big-shot Politician? Don't wanna keep you from your work too long." Yuuto said, though he came to help pack his very few things.

“Hey, what can I say? I want to help my family. I’d do anything for them, Yuuto,” Yuri said softly. He enjoyed their proximity, and was tempted to lean over and brush his hand against Yuuto’s. He had grown into a fine young man, and Yuri wanted nothing more than to kiss him. But he refrained, and thankfully for the best.

“In a hurry, Sakaki Yuuto?” Droite’s voice rung out as the woman walked into the room, Gauche right behind her to block the door.

Yuuto listened and smiled a little. "I'm glad to hear it." He said. He froze when he heard the cops behind him. He turned around. "I was going to discharge myself. Yuri came to visit me and offered to take me out to lunch." Yuuto said, acting calm as possible. "Is something wrong officers?"

“Actually there is,” The woman frowned. She looked at Yuri, who seemed confused and she sighed.

“Sakaki Yuuto. You’re under arrest on charges of illegal drug possession and poisoning a charge in your care. You have the right to remain silent. Any words you say can and will be used against you. Please come quietly.”

Yuuto had expected the drug charge but was confused about the second one.

"...I didn't poison anyone, officers. I don't know what you mean by that." Yuuto said.

“… We mean Sakaki Yuuya, Yuuto,” Droite frowned. “You’re under arrest for poisoning Yuuya as well. We’ve examined the drugs your brother provided us. They’re damaging his organs.”

“What?” Yuri looked at Yuuto, the farce of being surprised now gone. He was genuinely horrified, and then a deep scowl came over his face. Yuuto was trying to kill what was his? “There’s got to be some kind of a mistake. Yuuto… What’s going on?"

Yuuto looked surprised. He really hadn't known he was hurting Yuuya that badly. "No way..." he said, shocked. He looked at Yuri. "...I'm sorry Yuri. Could you call Yuugo and tell him not to bother coming to visit me anymore? It sounds like I'm going with these two to the police station..."

Yuri frowned. “… Yeah… I will… but when I come for you in jail, you’re going to explain everything.”

“Come on, Yuuto,” Droite said, handing the man his crutches.

"Sure. These guys will want to know everything too, I'm sure." Yuuto mused. Well that was it. He was busted. The worst part was that if he'd been at full strength or close, he could've easily gotten away. He accepted the crutches without complaint and hobbled out slowly but steadily out of the room with the two officers.

Yuri watches Yuuto leave the room. He didn’t move, he didn’t chase after them. He just watched, not wanting to cause a scene. The arrest was a very quiet affair, and it didn’t even seem like an arrest. As far as a bystander would know, they were just escorting him out, or two friends sending their injured friend home after work. Yuri knew his position would be shaky, but it wouldn’t be irredeemable in these circumstances.

In fact… this was great. If Yuuto had been poisoning Yuuya, then there was no way that he would be able to keep Yuuya in his possession. He would be arrested and jailed, and Yuuya would need someone to look after him. If he appealed well, Yuuya wouldn’t be jailed, and he could work to owning him.

Owning him. The thought made Yuri grin ear to ear and he stared after Yuuto. This would be good for him. Perfect. Yuugo would be no problem to crush, and then his precious brother would be his to do as he pleased, where he could do whatever he wanted to him.

Yuri turned as he looked at the fruit basket, seeing the eggplant that he had gotten Yuuto as a joke fall out of the basket. He grinned as he swiped the basket up and purposely stepped on the fruit.

“It’s my lucky day…” He mused, picking the phone up and ringing Yuugo’s number.

Yuugo picked up the phone from that unknown number again assuming it was Yuuto.

"I'm about 5 minutes out! Just hang in there, alright?"

“Yuugo, it’s me.” Yuri pulled his phone away immediately. “Listen, Yuuto has been arrested. The police are taking him out of the hospital now. You’re too late.”

"YURI???!? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH YUUTO?!?" Yuugo screeched.

"WHAT?! No way...why the hell didn't you do something?! Yuuto didn't do anything wrong!!!"

“I came to visit him. I was going to take him out to lunch, believe it or not. His idea.” The man said to him calmly. He brought the phone back to his ear hesitantly. “I didn’t do anything. Yuuto was arrested on charges of illegal drug possession and poisoning Yuuya with those drugs.” Yuri frowned even deeper, his glee from winning dampening suddenly.

“I tried. But I’m not stopping an arrest. Why… why didn’t you say something about what he was doing to Yuuya?”

"I don't believe it..." Yuugo murmured, shocked that Yuuto would suggest going to lunch with Yuri.

"Poisoning?!? Yuuto would never do that!!! He was doing it to help Yuuya that's all! Ugh...I'm going to the station to do something about this!!!" Yuugo said, whirling around in a U turn to speed back towards the station.

“Don’t do anything stupid. And don’t drive while on the phone. You don’t want to have an accident. You’re on speaker, right?” Yuri muttered. He was at least a little concerned about his brothers. “Poisoning to help him? Killing him slowly? For his own good? Sounds like what a psycho would say,” Yuri hissed, though he knew he would be the one who would do the same.

"Of course I'm on damn speaker, but you don't really give a crap!!!" Yuugo exclaimed.

"I told you, he wasn't poisoning him!!! That's a lie!!! That medicine was helping him actually have a normal life!!"

“I do. I care a lot about you guys, Yuugo,” Yuri said simply, as if reporting the weather outside. “Then why did the cops arrest him on those charges? The illegal drugs, yes, but why specifically as well the poison? It may have been helping him, but he is also slowly dying, Yuugo.”

"Ha. That's a good one!! If you cared you wouldn't have tried to molest Yuuya!" Yuugo exclaimed.

"I'm gonna find out what's really happening! Just you wait!" Yuugo snapped.

“I’ve grown up since then, Yuugo. I’m trying to make an honest effort to change.” No he wasn’t, but he didn’t want to give Yuugo the satisfaction he was right.

“Please do. And let me know as well. I want to know who is hurting Yuuya."

"Hmpf." Yuugo mused. He wasn't sure he believed that at all.

"Fine. I'll talk to you later, but it was definitely not Yuuto who poisoned Yuuya!" Yuugo said, before hanging up and continuing his way to the station.

Yuri hustled off, knowing he had to get back to the office. However, he was ecstatic, and he was hoping very soon he’d get that call.

Meanwhile, the police were arriving back at the station. Droite opened the door, letting Yuuto out, and she lead him into the back way, away from prying eyes. “We’ll need to hold you for questioning."

Yuuto got out slowly, since his limbs were stiff and sore. He really didn't want to be questioned right now, since he was exhausted.

"...Can I see Yuuya first? Please? At least so he can see I'm alright after what happened..." Yuuto asked Droite.

“That’s not within protocol.” Droite said sternly.

“I dunno, Droite. I mean… he just wants to see him, and Yuuya won’t be at his best right now so they can’t do anything. We can make it quick, right?” Gauche said, feeling sorry still.

"My brother is undoubtedly hurting, feeling lonely, scared and guilty about his current predicament. He's gotten to see Yuri and Yuugo I hear...why not me? You claim that I poisoned him, but I never meant for that to happen if it did...he's my brother. I wouldn't ever hurt him...I just want him to know he's not alone and that I'm alright. Alleviate some of his guilt if I can..." Yuuto said softly to Droite, letting some of his own guilt and sadness over what had happened show in his voice.

"Please let me see him...just for a little while..."

“… You get two minutes. Then we’ll have to go to Ukyou and try to get it approved. I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Droite knew this was an unorthodox case though, and while she didn’t want to break the rules, she wasn’t a monster. Picking up the keys, she led them down the halls and into the containment cell ward. She opened it up and let Yuuto through.

“This way,” she muttered, leading them.

Still being interrogated, Sergey was getting used to his time in the cell, but when he saw Droite coming down the hall, he paid a little more attention. He raised an eyebrow, and then a huge grin split on his face, seeing who she was bringing with him. The man with such soft… pretty skin… There he was...

Yuuto smiled.

"Thank you." He said, following Droite back into the holding cell areas. When Droite opened the door and led him back, he couldn't help but glance into the cells next to him, wondering if he'd end up stuck in one and also trying to get a glimpse of Yuuya. But in the nearest cell to him, he saw someone else who he immediately realized was not Yuuya...but the ear splitting psychotic grin that appeared on his face suddenly triggered a memory. This was the face of the man who had toyed with his life and had haunted his dreams for the past few weeks...Sergey Volkov. He was here, and it was clear he recognized him. Yuuto's practically sleepless state immediately pushed aside the rational part of his brain that reminded him there was a set of bars between him and Sergey and all that was left was the fear of this man and what he'd done and was capable of doing to him, especially in his weakened state.

Yuuto screamed before he could stop himself, a small adrenaline spike forcing his injured body to move sideways, pushing himself as far away from Sergey as possible in case he tried to grab for him. His hands went for weapons he didn't have and his fear only intensified and all he could do was cower in fright.

It was beautiful, seeing that pure, untamed fear in the man’s eyes and the scream on his lips was practically music to his ears. He grinned silently as he stood up and clenched the bars, looking out to the corridor. So his little pretty victim remembered him still? His pretty little fly? He was so happy to see that…

“Oy! Sakaki! Lay off!” Gauche explained, grabbing Yuuto, trying to steady the man. “The hell is wrong with you? Do you wanna see your brother or not?”

Yuuto was shaking when Gauche grabbed him and he cried out again in alarm, for a moment thinking it was Sergey that grabbed him. He struggled weakly against Gauche for a moment before finally realizing that this wasn't Sergey, but a cop. He was breathing a little erratically.

"...please just...get me away from him...." Yuuto said, refusing to look in Sergey's direction. He didn't want to see the look on that psychopath's face.

Gauche held him until he realised what was going on, and he helped the man on his crutches.

“Away from who?” Droite turned and spied Sergey, looking at them. The big man just grinned, not even having to laugh. He was just entirely pleased with what was going on. Droite frowned as she looked between them and put a hand on Yuuto’s back, leading him away.

“You’ve met him before?”

Yuuto didn't say anything in reply to Gauche, grateful to be led away. He had to compose himself before he saw Yuuya.

"...Yes, I have..." he admitted reluctantly. He knew he couldn't really say he hadn't after what had just happened. He hated his own weakness and fear when it came to Sergey.

“When? Did you?” The man asked. Droite looked at him to tell Gauche to be quiet and she took Yuuto towards Yuuya’s cell.

“Are you alright?” The woman asked

"...awhile ago. I think about a week before he was arrested..." Yuuto said. He took a couple deep breaths to shake it off and nodded.

"I will be." He said, to remind himself of that fact as well as to reassure Droite a little.

Droite frowned but she didn’t want to press. Instead, she just remained quiet, leading Yuuto up to the room. Yuuya looked up when he heard footsteps, and he sprung to his feet immediately, seeing Yuuto.

“Yuuto! Yuuto! You’re okay!” He said, running to the door.

Yuuto let an honestly relieved smile come to his face when his brother sprang up to see him.  

"Of course I'm okay.  Are you alright, Yuuya?"  He asked, waiting for the door between them to be opened so he could hug his brother.  He knew his brother would see the crutches, but at this point, he was beyond caring.  He was sure the cops would explain what happened to him, since he suspected the purple haired cop named Droite was piecing it together already.

Yuuya immediately flung his arms around Yuuto, not caring that they could all see. He hugged the man tightly and leaned in, body shaking a little and tears filling his eyes.

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you."

Yuuto hugged his brother back tightly too, relieved that he was okay and sorry that he had caused him such distress.  He pet his back, trying to soothe him as his brother started to cry.

"Ssh...it's alright Yuuya.  You didn't hurt me...I promise.  This is from something else...you had nothing to do with it..."  He said reassuringly, letting his brother lean on him and not caring how hard it was to support his weight.  He wanted to just hold him forever if it meant it would comfort Yuuya.

Droite was muttering in the background, but he didn’t care, too busy noisily sobbing as he held his brother tight. Yuuya held Yuuto, wanting nothing more than to just cry in his arms.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you and triggering your illness and being a problem and… I’m sorry."

Yuuto gently rocked their bodies a little to comfort Yuuya, continuing to pet his back and hold him close and gently shush him in an almost motherly fashion.  He hated seeing Yuuya so upset and knowing he was the cause only made it worse.

"Yuuya, you didn't hurt me...none of this is your fault, alright?  You don't have to apologize...you're going to be okay...I've got you..."  He said gently.

“But I don’t want you to just have me, Yuuto. You need to rely on me too,” Yuuya said, looking up with teary eyes at his brother. He nuzzled against him, heaving his breaths.

“I’m not… I’m so, so sorry.”

Yuuto nuzzled his brother back, petting him gently and letting him look at his face.  

"...Yuuya..."  He said softly, leaning in to kiss his brother's forehead gently in comfort, partially so Yuuya wouldn't see his own sadness.  He knew he probably would be going to jail and Yuuya wouldn't be.  Or that was what he hoped...either way, they'd likely be separated.  He made sure to hide most of the sadness when he pulled back to look his brother in the eye.

"...I need you to be strong okay...can I rely on you to do that?  It sounds like...things are gonna change for awhile...but I'll be here with you as long as I can okay?  So will Yuugo...even Yuri wants to help."  Although Yuuto doubted the motives behind Yuri's "help", but Yuuya didn't need to know that.

"You don't have to be sorry.  It's not your fault, and these officers know that.  You're going to be okay."  He said again with a small smile, gently wiping his brother's tears away with his thumbs.

Yuuya looked at Yuuto, trying to make his brother understand that he was an adult and he was able to look after him, even if he did have some problems. However with a stuffy nose and tears streaming down his face, it was hard to feel like that, and he sobbed as Yuuto leaned in to kiss him. He nodded as best as he could.

“I… You can. I promise. I’ll be strong. Don’t worry. Just… you need to take care too.” Yuuya smiled, glad to hear that Yuuto believed in their two other brothers. He felt a little stronger, even if he was shaky. He smiled up at Yuuto.

“I love you, Yuuto. Please be okay, bro. They… You’ll be fine. They’ll understand…” Yuuya said, not having realised just yet Yuuto was not here as a guest, but someone under arrest.

Yuuto smiled a little when he saw Yuuya smiling again.

"I love you too, Yuuya. And I'll take care...you'll probably be seeing a bit more of me for the next little while, since I'll be in a cell nearby, probably..." he mused a little sadly.

“Cell?” Yuuya blinked before his eyes widened. “Cell? Oh no… Did that mean… Are you busted, Yuuto? What happened?” He looked behind him, seeing the police, and bit his lip. He wanted to ask about the apartment, but he didn’t want the police to catch on.

"The drugs I'm giving you are illegal, Yuuya. I'm sorry you had to find out this way..." Yuuto said, giving his brother a sad look but also winking at him with his back to the cops, trying to silently communicate that drugs was all he was here for.

"I suppose the good news is we'll be together for awhile in here...you won't be so lonely." He said gently.

“Illegal? No… you’re getting those off the pharmacy, right?” Yuuya blinked. Inwardly, he was relieved that that was all Yuuto was in trouble for, but now he didn’t know how to communicate to their tenants that now both of them were in jail.

“… I… I guess so… Still… You shouldn’t be in here, Yuuto…”

"Not all of them, Yuuya. I'm sorry." Yuuto said. He sighed.

"What's happened has happened, Yuuya. I'm afraid I'm stuck here...couldn't run if I tried to." He mused, gesturing to his legs.

“…” Yuuya looked at the police officers again, who looked like they were ready to take Yuuto away. He gripped his brother tightly and looked at where he was indicating.

“… Promise to tell me what happened when I see you next. Please?”

"Alright. I promise." Yuuto said, gripping his brother equally tightly. He didn't want to leave him either. After weeks of not seeing him, he had missed Yuuya dearly.

Yuuya smiled as he hugged Yuuto. He was still worried about how he was, but he was glad he was here now at least. “See you soon, alright?”

Yuuto hugged him back. "See you soon." He agreed, feeling the cops coming up behind him. "Let's go, Yuuto. Times up." Gauche said, albeit reluctantly. Yuuto nodded, pulling away from his brother slowly and then getting his crutches in order. He left the cell and let Gauche lock it. "Hang in there, Yuuya. You're not alone." He reminded him, before he was led away.

Droite looked at Yuuya as she closed the door, leaving Yuuya there, a little confused, but happy. Before too long, Droite and Gauche walked Yuuto to another containment cell.

“We’ll keep you here until we’re ready for questioning. We won’t be too long.” Droite said.

"Alright." Yuuto said, going into the cell as instructed and he sat on the bed to rest his sore legs.

Gauche followed Droite out.

"Think Ukyou's got that warrant yet?"

“Hopefully.” Droite said, heading straight for the superintendent’s office. “I’d like the investigation started before we actually do anything like interrogating. I want to know everything Yuuto is hiding."

"Yeah that's fair. I guess he was a good liar, at least about the drugs...anything else you think he lied about?" Gauche asked.

“… I think he’s hiding something else. I don’t like going off gut feelings, but we’ll see…” The woman frowned. “… I don’t like how he knows Sergey though."

"...yeah. Sergey knows him too...he was looking at him like he wanted to tear him apart." Gauche said.

"Yeah. We'll see what the boss has to say." Gauche said, arriving at Ukyou's office.

"Hey, We brought in Sakaki Yuuto. He's in a holding cell." He reported to Ukyou.

Droite couldn’t remember what it was, but Sergey had said something once that she had dismissed. It suddenly seemed important now, though she couldn’t remember what.

“Did you now? Well, that’s good timing. Your warrant for the search of his apartment was approved.” Ukyou said.

"Alright! We gonna search it now, or should we interrogate him first?" Gauche asked.

“We should give him time to recover. Not interrogate him straight away. We’ll have a ground team sweep his house, and while they do a more thorough search, we can interrogate him."

"Yeah that's true he doesn't look very healthy...pale, thin, can barely walk...looks like he hasn't slept well in weeks..." Gauche mused. He nodded.

"We found out something interesting too chief...Sergey Volkov and Yuuto know each other. Yuuto had a mini panic attack when he saw him...and Sergey looked like he wanted to tear him to shreds and laugh while doing so."

“Does he now?” Ukyou frowned. “… Why would Yuuto know Sergey? Sergey is a dangerous criminal. Any sane person would have reported him to the authorities, especially with injuries like that.”

“… Yeah…” Droite looked up. “The hospital gave me a report on Sakaki Yuuto’s injuries. They said he had grievous leg injuries not done in the attack Yuuya did that were severely infected and were not treated by the hospital. He didn’t go to the police after being attacked, and now he hasn’t gone to the hospital for his injuries. He’s hiding something. Something big, sir. We may find more than what we’re expecting when we go to Sakaki’s house. We shouldn’t waste any more time than we need.”

"Yeah that's weird. Let's head out then to his place! I'll go grab Anna!" Gauche said, heading out to get his coworker.

Droite watched Gauche head out, and looked at Ukyou, not leaving herself.

“… Ukyou, what are we going to do about Sakaki Yuuya? Will we continue to feed him these drugs? Or are we going to switch to sedatives?”

Ukyou sighed.

"I've requested a physician to come examine him.  For now, we can give him some mild sedatives..."  Ukyou said.

“Alright.” Droite nodded. “He’s fine for now, but I just wanted to clarify we weren’t giving him those drugs Sakaki Yuugo brought in. That’s all I needed to know. Thanks."

Ukyou nodded.

"I understand what you're asking.  We'll start giving him some mild sedatives...see if that helps his condition.  Maybe Yuuto can provide us more input during interrogation...it would be logical to assume he's tried different treatment methods and might know what works best as an alternative...at least in the short term."  Ukyou said.  He got up.

"Let's head out to his house to see what else he might be hiding."

“Alright.” Droite nodded as she headed for the door. “Let’s get to work.”

Gauche meanwhile had rounded up Anna and they were waiting for Ukyou and Droite to finish their little chat. Gauche was bored but also eager to share new developments with Kaito, since he knew the other was interested. He dialled Kaito's number and waited for him to pick up.

Kaito was still doing research on the various medication, and he was having his computer speak up to him. However, hearing his phone ring, he paused the recording and picked it up “Hello?” Kaito asked. “Who’s this?"

"It's Gauche!  Just thought you'd want an update on our latest case, huh, Kaito?"  He mused with a grin.

"We just got an interesting but unfortunate case...involving quadruplets that all look completely identical!"  Gauche said.

"...One of them is really sick, and the other's buying illegal drugs for him...they're pretty detrimental to his long term health.  I feel bad for them...they're orphans just trying to get along in the world..."  Gauche said with a sigh, shaking his head.

“Quadruplets? I didn’t see that one coming,” Kaito muttered, gesturing for Orbital to come over and start recording all the important aspects of the conversation.

“Sounds like how you started out, just less drugs,” Kaito said. “But you mentioned drugs? Is that a link to Dennis or you’re not sure? Give me a name."

"Yeah, I know right!  It was really cool...I've only known twins, nothing more.  But these four brothers look identical."  Gauche said.

"Well...we're not sure if there's a link to Dennis or not.  We're gonna interrogate Sakaki Yuuto after we check his house...he might be hiding more drugs."  Gauche said.

“Are all four of them involved or just two?” Kaito asked. He then suddenly stopped, hearing the name. Yuuto? Yuuto was the one who was caught? Shit, that would mean that Yuuya had been taken in too… and they were going to search the apartment complex.

“When are you going? Now?” Kaito said, reaching over to Orbital and trying to write down a message. Astral was there now. He needed to get his things and leave. Immediately.

"Ah well...we think it's only the two...but we're not completely sure.  We only got two arrested though."  Gauche said with a shrug.  

"Yeah we're leaving right away!  Ah...Ukyou's coming out.  I gotta go, Kaito!  I'll call you later with details alright?  See ya!"  He said, before hanging up and going over to join Ukyou and Droite and Anna in the squad cars.

Kaito frowned. He wanted to ask more things but he heard Gauche say his goodbyes. He only barely managed to grunt in response before suddenly he was met with dial tone.

“Shit.” He said, quickly going into speed dial and hoping Astral was able to pick up.

As it happened, Astral was in his room on his computer, looking up medications as Kaito had been before he'd recieved Gauche's call.  He heard his phone ring and went to pick up his cell once he saw it was Kaito.

"Hello, Kaito."  Astral said.

“Get out now.” Kaito said. “The police have arrested Yuuto and Yuuya. They’re coming to search the house for drugs. Get to somewhere safe. Bring everything. Hurry."

Astral's eyes widened.

"W-what?!"  He exclaimed, startled by this news.   Sure he hadn't seen Yuuto or Yuuya for the past little while, but he never would have guessed they were arrested...

"...Alright, I will...can I come to your place?"  Astral asked, immediately getting up and grabbing a small bag to throw some clothes, his computer, his wallet with savings and anything within grabbing distance from him.  He was really nervous, knowing that this had basically been how he'd been arrested...he had to get out before the cops got here.

“Come here first. We’ll figure out where you can stay after. Hurry up.” Kaito hung up, hoping that wouldn’t distract Astral and he’d have time to bail. He had no idea how long Astral had since he didn’t know where this apartment was, but he figured it wouldn’t be longer than forty minutes tops. He had to hurry.

"Okay.  I'll come by as soon as I can."  Astral said before hanging up.  He packed as quickly as he could.  He put on a baggy jacket and a hat to hide his tell-tale hairstyle in hopes that the disguise would stop him from being recognized by police if he happened to pass them.  He grabbed his bag and practically ran out the door and straight to the nearest bus stop.  He could already hear sirens as he left the house.  

As he got on the bus, the police reached the apartment complex.  He sighed in relief.  He sent Kaito a message.

"I got out okay...I'm on my way to your house."

Kaito waited anxiously in his office, waiting for a sign that Astral was okay. He planned to have Orbital do a check for him if it was past forty minutes, but just before that deadline, he heard his phone ring. He all but jumped on it and quickly had it read out to him. He sighed in relief as he heard the man report he was okay and texted back.

“Left no evidence? No passport that Yuuto made? No ID?”

"...I grabbed everything I could...I have my ID and money and computer...but I didn't have enough time to pack all my clothes and some other basic things."  Astral admitted.

"...They will probably be able to find out I was there based on DNA...I could not completely cover my tracks, and now my prints are on file again as the hacker 'Hope Ray'..."

“Can you scramble them again? Like you did last time?”

"...I did scramble the digital copies, but I did see a note on the files that said that there were also print copies in the police station somewhere.  Your colleagues are smart enough to know that a computer hacker fugitive can erase digital files, but can't possibly touch physical copies...so they will have my prints on file where I can't reach them."  Astral said sadly.

Kaito frowned as he heard the text.

“Don’t say anymore. Wait until you get here.”

Astral sighed.

"Alright...I will. Then we can talk...I want to know what happened to Yuuto and Yuuya."

“You and me both.” Kaito sighed and put his phone down and rubbed his temples. He looked at the work he was working on and he scowled. So if Yuuya was under arrest, there was no use for this, was there? He needed to ask Astral about going after Dennis then.

-x-

When the cops pulled into the apartment complex, they were not particularly struck by its outside appearance.  It looked like a normal, lower-class apartment complex.  

"This is the address...damn.  That's a decent sized building Sakaki owns."  Gauche mused.  They had their teams open the locked front door to give them access to the rest of the building.  The multi-squad team split up and searched the building, opening every door and pulling out anyone they found on the inside.  To the cops' surprise, they noticed an immediate pattern: all of the tenants they found were recently escaped fugitives from Heartland Prisons.  

"What the-"  Gauche exclaimed, having to tackle a guy who tried to escape.

"This building is crawling with convicts that escaped!"  He was shocked.  He could hear that other cops were doing the same, stopping those who tried to run and trying to round up everybody.

Doors were barred, fire escapes were blocked, and more squads were called. Since it was the middle of the day, most of the tenants were at home, since they avoided going out in daylight. Thankfully Ukyou had the sense to call four teams in the first place, seeing as they were dealing with an apartment complex, so most of the criminals weren’t able to get away at all.

“This is ridiculous,” Anna said as she cuffed another man and locked him in the car. “What’s Sakaki doing? How are all these people here?”

“… This looks like his office,” Droite said, walking in. After someone picked the lock for her, she walked in and immediately went for the desk, going through his files.

Ukyou also ordered the squads to take some DNA samples from the rooms that were clearly occupied at some point. He wanted to know who had been in the building, and who they had caught, since there were clearly some rooms that were being used but had no people in them when the police checked (like Astral's).

"It looks like Sakaki Yuuto is harbouring criminals." Ukyou said with a sigh as he entered Yuuto's room with Droite.

"Finding anything interesting?" Ukyou asked, deciding to check to closet to see if Yuuto had hidden drugs in there.

Droite nodded as she pulled out two files that had in her hand. “There was a secret compartment in this desk. It’s usually hard to find, since the desk is made to look very plain, but I recognise the craftsmanship from a case I had a few years back.” She placed it on the table and opened them up. “These are most receipts and order forms for a number of illicit activities. Have a look.”

Ukyou frowned.

"He's got a few weapons in the closet..." he also found a pair of cracked goggles and Dark clothes that looked somewhat familiar. He shook his head and came to see.

"...these order forms look like the materials needed to get fake IDs made. I heard a few of the cops found fake IDs on some of the fugitives they arrested...Yuuto must be making them for his tenants who are fugitives." Ukyou noted.

"Any sign of any actual drugs?"

“So he’s got a whole business set up here, making them new identities and housing…” The woman frowned. “The meds are… oh, here the are. Under the bed. Looks like he really wasn’t expecting anyone to be in his room.”

"So it seems..."  Ukyou said, looking through the papers more thoroughly.  Yuuto seemed to have things quite organized, like any effective landlord would.  Why was this whole set-up sounding familiar?  Ukyou finally found what appeared to be several weeks worth of rent calculations with each tenant's room numbers written down.  That would be valuable later, he assumed.  They could cross-reference the room numbers and whether there was a rent figure to determine whether a room was used or not.  

"I guess not.  The door does have a lock after all."  Ukyou said, coming over to join Droite over at the bed.  He noticed that the bed looked as though it had been used just recently: there was a little bit of dried blood  and puss on the sheets, which Ukyou assumed was from Yuuto's leg infection.  He frowned.

"No wonder his legs got infected...I don't think he's changed these sheets in awhile."  Ukyou mused, before he spotted something...interesting.  He knew Yuuto's hair was long and mostly purple...so what was a shorter, green hair doing on the pillow?  He picked it up with a pair of tweezers and put it into a small test tube to give to evidence later.  Had someone else been in here?  Maybe Yuuya?  They'd have to see.

“Forensics will be here soon, you don’t need to do everything, Ukyou,” Droite joked, even though she was also working on setting up the room for a thorough investigation. She sighed, her expression still serious. “… You think we’ll ever get over the shortage of cops?” Droite said, thinking of the brutal accident with Dennis Macfield.

"I know...but given the shortage, I feel I should help when I can...especially when I find someone else's hair in Yuuto's bed.  Didn't Yuugo say he had a partner?  We should look into them too..."  Ukyou said with a shrug.  He sighed.

"...I hope so.  We'll need to look at recruiting even more than usual...we lost so many special teams members, after all."

“No, I know. I’m helping too. We all need to pull some extra weight,” Droite agreed. She let the topic slide, knowing that they did have to address the issue later, and finished taping specific areas of the room that needed further investigation.

“… Yeah. He did mention that. He tried to hide it too. Let’s see if we can get that screened.”

"Yes, and I appreciate it."  Ukyou said honestly.  He was glad his team was willing to work long hours on hard cases with no complaints.  They were truly dedicated staff.  

"Indeed.  Considering the number of fugitives found in this complex, I doubt it'd be possible for any romantic partner of Yuuto's who also stayed with him here would be unaware of it.  It's possible that they're also someone we need to arrest..."  Ukyou said with a sigh.

"...Droite, correct me if I'm wrong...but does this set-up seem familiar to you?  Somehow I feel I've read a report on something like this...a young man with an ill brother to care for, who takes fugitives in and gives them a second chance...ugh."  Ukyou shook his head.

"I swear I've heard that before...from another case, I think.  But I can't remember which one at the moment..."  Ukyou said.  They'd had a lot of cases recently after all.

“… I have too. It was Mai’s case,” Droite said, standing up straight. She frowned as she pulled her tablet out of her bag and began to dig through the reports she had saved on there. “That’s the profile of the Dark Duelist. The one we’re looking for because we think he has a link to Macfield.”

She turned and held it up for Ukyou. “Here. Have a look at this.”

Ukyou frowned as he listened.

"Ah yes, now I remember...Mai-san spoke to Mutou about the person who broke him out of jail and housed him, because he didn't tell the truth in the interrogation."  Ukyou accepted the tablet and looking it over.

"...Well...so many of the character traits that Mutou identified do line up with Sakaki Yuuto.  He's got a sick brother, he's a landlord, he houses fugitives and makes fake IDs for them...and he also may have a connection to Macfield in dealing with illegal drugs.  The only thing missing is the prison breaks...but...given the amount of weapons and dark clothing I found in his closet, it wouldn't surprise me if he did do that too..."  Ukyou said, reading over the report with a sigh.

"Sakaki Yuuto is likely the Dark Duelist...to prove it, we should confirm if Mutou Yuugi was staying here.  I'll tell the squads to do thorough DNA sweeps of the rooms.  I suppose we can also ask him about it in interrogation...maybe we'll be able to see if he's lying."

“I’ll also look through these records,” Droite said, gesturing to the records on the desk, with all the receipts. “If he hasn’t burnt them, there may be evidence that he did something for Mutou. I’ll have a look at it. Between that and the interrogations, we should be able to see if this man really is The Dark Duelist…” Droite frowned.

“So this is the criminal who’s been breaking into Heartland Prison for some time, huh? That’s really interesting…” Droite murmured. She looked around once again. “Hard to believe one man is capable of all of this."

Ukyou nodded.

"I certainly hope so."  He mused.  He sighed.

"It is quite astounding...and quite surprising if he really did do this alone.  We might have to find his partner to confirm whether they had a hand in this as well.  But either way, Sakaki Yuuto may be more dangerous than we thought.  He didn't seem very threatening based on what you told me of your conversation with him at the hospital."

“… Believe me, he’s more than he seems. He’s very, very intelligent. I could see him trying to predict what I was going to say, like a game of chess,” Droite murmured. “Hopefully we’ll be able to get to the bottom of this. It’s an interesting case, at the very least."

"Hmm...that would make sense.  He couldn't have gotten this far or gone this long with illicit operations without being smart."  Ukyou said.  He nodded.

"I hope so too.  This case is both interesting and unfortunate.  Sakaki Yuuya may be the one who suffers most...his brother will certainly be going to jail for this.  They seemed very close."  Ukyou said.

“Indeed… hopefully the other two are going to step up. We’ll have to see what the courts say about if he’ll go to jail or not.” Droite said, though there was little doubt in her mind that it would.

Ukyou nodded.

"They've both shown an interest in Yuuya at least...they'll probably stand by him. Not sure about Yuuto though." Ukyou said.

"Let's focus on getting as much information as we can before talking to Sakaki Yuuto. We need to be ready so he doesn't throw us off."

“Agreed,” Droite said. “I’m going to go stay here and get this work done. Will you stay or are you going to meet with the GP at the police station and take all those criminals back with Gauche and Anna?”

"I'll go back...they need more help with those guys." Ukyou said.

"I'll come back once we're settled." He promised, before heading out to meet with Gauche and Anna.

"Anyone else in the building?"

“Alright. I’ll see you later,” Droite said, getting to work straight away. Anna looked up and shook her head.

“No one. We searched everywhere from top to bottom. If they’re not in a police car, they’re on the floor waiting for one. We have a whole lot of processing on our hands. Man...”

Ukyou sighed. "Alright...let's get those we can fit in the cars back to the station, then arrange transport back to prison. We may have to make several trips..." he mused. "We've also got a GP back at the station waiting for us...she's going to examine Sakaki Yuuya and see if she can come up with a diagnosis that might help us find suitable medication for him."

“We have the van, we just didn’t expect how many people were there.” Gauche said. Anna looked around.

“I’ll head back to the station first and meet with the Doctor. Come on Gauche, I need some extra muscle to help me hall those we have in already."

Gauche nodded.

"You got it." He said, cracking his knuckles with a grin. He had no problem hauling around prisoners, and knew Anna didn't either. He'd always found her particularly strong and tough for a woman, which was totally cool with him.

"Let's make quick work of this so we don't keep the doc waiting."

Anna gave a grin and gave him a thumbs up. In a few minutes, they hauled a few more guys into their car and headed off to their police station, Gauche at the wheel and Anna in the passenger seat, stretching.

“Man… I need a break. I mean, we can’t afford one but I could use with more naps in my life."

"I hear you...I don't know how Ukyou and Droite can balance this job and a love life..." Gauche mused with a sigh.

"What about you, Anna? You thinking of hooking up with someone?" He asked. He and Anna tended to be on the same side of encouraging their coworkers to pursue romance...but neither of them had done the same for each other. Gauche was curious about whether Anna was interested in someone, and if she was, it would give him a new target to hook up.

“Huh? Uh, not really. I just haven’t gotten around to it. I always wanted to have a nice, cute family though but it’s hard to meet new people,” Anna shrugged. “Don’t have my eye on anyone right now, honestly. It’s a bit tough with all our work.” She smirked.

“I guess that’s why the rest of our squad got hooked up on the job. Ukyou and his boyfriend, Droite and Mai, hell, even Takashi and “Shingetsu” all got love on the job. Isn’t that weird?” Anna laughed.

"Yeah, having a family sounds nice. I kinda get one second hand through Droite though." Gauche said with a chuckle. He made a mental note to visit Fuuya soon.

"Yeah...hey, maybe a new recruit will catch your eye eh? We're supposed to have a shortage so we'll get some more cops soon right?" Gauche said with a grin.

“That’s true. I mean you two are siblings, just about, aren’t you? So you don’t miss out on that fun.” Anna said, giving him a friendly shove.

“Maybe. They gotta be pretty strong though. I like high energy types with confidence… but if they’re signing up with us, I bet they are."

"Practically yea!"  Gauche said with a laugh at the shove.  This was what he liked about Anna.  She was basically like one of the guys, but of course, not a guy.  

"Yep, that sounds like what you might find in some of the recruits. We'll see what happens!  Keep your eyes out."  Gauche mused with a wink.

“Yeah yeah. Just drive, boy.” Anna laughed, crossing her arms and smirking.

"Alright alright, I’m driving!" Gauche laughed. They pulled into the station and sighed. "Now to unload them and see if the GP is here." Gauche mused. He went inside and spotted a young woman in white. "Ah...ex-excuse me officers...I'm...um...I'm looking for a Superintendent Ukyou-San..." she said softly and a little timidly as she approached Gauche, but then her eyes came onto Anna and she paused. This person...looked familiar. "...Allen? Is that you?"

“Yeah… I’ll go get Taichi and the others to help bring out these guys.” Anna followed him a few paces behind, pausing only to check if all the men were still there. When she did enter the police station herself, she froze, seeing the beautiful woman standing in front of her and hearing the old name she thought she left behind.

“S-Sayaka…” Anna blinked, not sure whether she should start denying it or just run. It had been years since she had seen Sayaka, nearly ten of them, and a lot had changed. She had never told Sayaka too… “You’re the doctor Ukyou called?”

Sayaka simply stared at her childhood best friend, quite shocked. The Allen she remembered had darker red hair and more bushy eyebrows, and...was a boy. This person looked like a woman...but at the same time, she did kind of sound like Allen, and knew her name without being introduced.

"Um...yes, yes I am..." Sayaka said. Gauche simply looked confused.

"You two know each other? And what's with 'Allen'...is that your middle name or something, Anna?" Gauche asked, looking between the two in surprise.

“Yeah… Um… This is Doctor Sasayama, you’re still going by Sasayama, right?” Anna asked, feeling very nervous and sweaty all of a sudden. Her cheeks went red, not sure of what to make of all of this at the moment.

“Allen is the name my parents gave me, Gauche,” Anna said, assuming Gauche knew but didn’t know her birth name. “Sayaka was my friend when we were kids. We fell apart though in high school when we went to different schools. It’s been a while, huh?”

Sayaka nodded, not saying anything.  She'd retreated back to her typical timid nature, very much wishing she could duck out and hide behind something.  But she stood her ground...this was Allen...she had nothing to be afraid of...although, clearly her friend looked different, she assumed this was still the loud and boisterous, but still caring childhood friend of hers.  She could tell she'd made Allen uncomfortable and felt bad.

Gauche frowned even more.

"...Your real name is Allen?  Isn't that a boy's name?"  He asked, still not connecting the dots.  Sayaka bit her lip.

"...It's been awhile...if...if you want to be called 'Anna', I can...I can do that..."  She offered, feeling bad that she'd put her former best friend in this situation.

“Call me Anna.” She insisted. She was about to explain herself, or at least say something to Anna when she heard Gauche. She turned and frowned at him before she then knocked him hard on the head.

“Oyyy! What do you mean you don’t know?” She scowled, feeling more shocked than actually irritated. “Everyone else on our squad and in the station knows. How come you don’t? We’ve been working together for how many years now, and you didn’t realise? I dunno if that means my surgery was just that good or you’re a complete moron! Probably the latter!"

Gauche cried out when Anna hit him, cowering before her.

"Know what?! I don't get what you're saying!" He exclaimed. Sayaka just watched in surprise...this was definitely her childhood friend alright.

"What on earth is going on here?" Ukyou exclaimed, walking in to see Anna hitting Gauche.

“Urk! You’re just so… You know what, forget it. It’s my own fault for assuming you knew.” Anna huffed, biting her lip. “We’ve only been friends for ages. That’s all.”

She looked at Ukyou before she realised she was at work. Anna hung her head down sheepishly. “Sorry, Ukyou… got carried away..."

Gauche blinked, wondering what was wrong, but not wanting to ask while Ukyou was here to get mad at them. Ukyou sighed.

"Alright...ah, are you Dr. Sasayama? I’m superintendent Ukyou, thank you for coming." He said, smiling at the woman. Sayaka smiled.

"It's not a problem...I'm happy to help..."

Anna quietly chose the time to slip out of reception, heading inside to tell the other officers to give them a hand. Her heart was racing as she exited the room, thinking of Sayaka. She wasn’t really mad at Gauche, but she was just intimidated. Sayaka was her best friend, and even if she hadn’t seen her, she still thought of her that way. She wondered what Sayaka would think of her. Even if Anna didn’t care how others saw her, it was always Sayaka who she worried about.

“The patient is here. Follow me, please,” Ukyou said. “Gauche, help Anna go get everyone to their proper places."

"Yes sir." Gauche said, speeding off after Anna.

"Anna? Hey...you alright?"

Sayaka followed Ukyou, worried about her friend. She'd accept her friend no matter what, but was also nervous. Did Anna want to know her still? She'd taken off quickly...

Anna didn’t respond to him. Instead, she just went straight for the next room, and ducked her head in.

“Yo, we got guys we need to interrogate. Load them into the holding cells.” The four men in the room got up and all hurried out, heading out the back way. However, Anna didn’t follow them. Instead she walked into the newly-emptied room and sighed.

“I’m fine… I’m just… I’m sorry.” Anna finally said.

Gauche let the guys go, figuring Anna wanted to be alone before they talked. He frowned.

"...It's alright. I kinda deserved to be hit since I apparently missed something important..." he mused.

"I'm sorry if I upset you." He said gently, putting a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

“… I mean… I was really bad at doing makeup and getting fitting clothes before Droite helped me, and I figured I accidentally outed myself back then, so I didn’t think anything of it.” Anna sighed quietly. “Gauche, you know you’re one of my best friends, you know. I thought like… you got me. So I was just… really shocked… I’m still really shocked that you didn’t know.”

Anna sighed. “… At least it feels easy to tell you this, honestly. I have no idea how to explain this to Sayaka. But like… I was born a guy, Gauche. I’m a transwoman. Probably the most obvious one in the world, I expect.”

Gauche hadn't really noticed that. His taste in fashion was often eccentric so he didn't judge others. He was surprised.

"...oh...yeah, I guess that does make sense a little. I always thought you were a little tomboy like." Gauche mused. He smiled.

"That's alright with me though! And this doctor...she didn't know either did she?"

Anna smiled. She knew Gauche would take it well, but it was still nice to hear that it really changed nothing. However, mentioning Sayaka killed Anna’s mood again and she shook her head.

“No… like I said, we lost touch when we went into high school. It was on other sides of the city and we just never met up. It happens. But she doesn’t know and I guess… I guess I’m freaking out a bit. Sayaka means a lot to me either way.”

"...well, she seemed surprised but not unaccepting to me. I mean, she did say she would call you Anna." Gauche said, trying to comfort his friend.

"It up to you if you wanna reconnect...Sayaka won't be around too long, probably. So if you wanted, you two could continue to go your separate ways...or you could try and take some time to get to know her again, right? If she was really a good friend, she'll be fine with it."

“No, I know that, but… I’m not worried about Sayaka messing up my name or using the wrong pronouns. It always happens with my family. It’s just… It’s one thing to say you’re for it and another to be… uncomfortable with a person.” Anna sighed, finding it difficult to explain how she was feeling. “… I’ll… probably have to play it by ear and figure it all out."

"Ah...well I guess so." Gauche mused. He pat her back.

"That the spirit. Just play it by ear and see how things go...you'll be fine."

“… Thanks Gauche. I can always count on you. Just don’t be so stupid in the future, alright?” Anna grinned, patting him back.

"Not a problem! I'm here no matter what, but I can't exactly promise not to be stupid...Droite's asked the same thing of me and it hasn't happened yet." Gauche said with a grin.

Anna laughed and patted Gauche on the shoulder. “Man, there really is no hope, huh? She must been asking that for years. Oh well, at least what we both can do is be some good muscle. Let’s see if we can still help haul those prisoners in, okay?"

Gauche shook his head with a grin.

"I guess not! Absolutely! At least I'm good for that, eh?" He mused, heading out to help with Anna.

-x-

Meanwhile Astral finally arrived at Kaito's house, knocking on the door and waiting to be let in by Orbital or Kaito.

For once, it wasn’t Orbital 7 that opened the door. It was Kaito. He didn’t even need to wait for Astral to speak, he just knew it was his boyfriend. Kaito immediately hugged him tightly, all but dragging him inside.

“Thank God… I was waiting for you… I was so worried.”

Astral wasn't too surprised to see Kaito answer the door and hugged him back, letting Kaito drag him inside.

"I am sorry for keeping you waiting...I am alright." He reassured him.

Kaito squeezed Astral hard and leaned against him, pressing his forehead on his shoulder. “Did you get away unseen? Do you think they’ll know you were there?"

Astral held Kaito back, glad to be with him when they'd been so close to being split up again.

"...they did not see me...but it's possible someone will tell them that I was there...they did catch the other tenants as well as Yuuto and Yuuya apparently..."

“Oh no…” Kaito sighed. “Damn it… Come on. Let’s figure something out..."

Astral nodded, releasing himself from Kaito's hug but still holding Kaito's hand as he came inside.

"I cannot exactly stop the other tenants from saying anything...but...I can just hide from the police. It may not be a good idea to stay here...it's possible the police will come ask you if you knew I was in the city because of our history..."

“I guess so… It just is annoying, especially since you’ve gotten all your tattoos just now. I know you can change your appearance but still…” Kaito sighed. He squeezed his partner’s hand and let Orbital lock up behind them as he led the way. He closed the office door and looked at Astral.

“Yuma and Shark may know someone. You shouldn’t stay with them, just in case the police pay a visit, but maybe they can suggest somewhere for you to stay.”

"Yes...I cannot stay with anyone who has connections with me..." Astral said with a sigh.

"But I suppose we should let them know what happened...if it goes on the news that Yuuto was arrested, Yuuma will probably freak out."

“Yeah… you should call them now. See what they’re up to. Let them know before the police release details- the raid will be on the news tonight, most likely.” Kaito shrugged. He went to sit down, rubbing his temples. “What a mess..."

Astral nodded, pulling out his phone.

"It is a mess..." he said gently, dialling Yuuma's number and waiting for him to pick up.

Yuuma was currently making something to eat when he heard his phone ring in the living room. He peeked his head out of the door, looking at where Shark was with Iris, the little girl having her hair braided as she watched TV.

“Could you grab that for me, Shark?”

“Huh? Sure,” Shark tied Iris’ hair in place and grabbed it. “Yuuma’s phone. This is the other Tsukumo. Who’s this?"

"Shark, this is Astral....I have some unfortunately news.  The police have arrested the Sakaki Brothers and they raided the apartment where I was staying.  I managed to escape...but...I need a place to stay, and I was wondering if you or Yuuma knew of someone who would be able to help me.  I cannot stay with Kaito or you, because the police know of our history together."

“… What?” Shark got up and quickly headed to the next room, not wanting Iris to hear this conversation. “Shit, are you serious? Since when did that happen? Where are you now? Are you okay?” The man frowned, pacing the room.

“… Shit… Fuck… Well… I can think of a few people, some of them not too happy with you but we can deal. I’ll write a list up and we can talk it out.”

"This morning...I am with Kaito at the moment, but with Chris Arclight living with him, it would be impractical to stay here."  Astral said.  

"...Please, I would appreciate it.  It cannot be someone that has a history with me...and well...I would prefer it if it was someone that I could trust as well.  There are still many people in Heartland who despite hackers like myself..."

“No history with you, but someone you trust. That’s an incredibly narrow pool, Astral,” Shark scowled. “Hang on, I’ll pass you to Yuuma. I need to grab my phone and go through my contacts.”

Yuuma looked up at the mention of his name and Shark passed it to him. “It’s Kibou.”

“Ah!” Yuuma wiped his hands on his pants and bustled over. “Hello? Hey what do you need? Shark looks worried.”

"...yes...and by no history with me, I mean that the police do not know of any history I might have with them..." Astral clarified, hoping that would help.

"...I was nearly arrested today, Yuuma. The police raided the apartment...other tenants were arrested, including Yuuto and Yuuya, I hear. I need a new place to stay and was hoping you and Shark could help me think of some ideas...I am with Kaito now and we are all trying to puzzle this out together." He said, putting the phone on speaker so Kaito could hear and comment as he pleased.

Yuuma’s eyes widened and he turned his back on the hot stove, concern on his face. “Shit… I’m glad you’re okay, but Yuuya is jail? Oh no… I can’t believe they got busted…” Yuuma said, thinking of his friend in concern. “You need a place to stay? Someone who the police don’t know you know?” Yuuma frowned, racking his brain. Shark walked back in, already making notes. “… I’m trying to think which one of the gang would take you in. Tetsuo is a no-go and so is Kotori. Cathy might take you in if we beg hard enough, but she’s got her own concerns at the moment with all of those CEO murders. Tokunosuke has room. So does… Hey. Why don’t you stay with Inchou? He’s an ex-cop but he’s okay with you. And he’s associated with Vector who’s dead. Not you."

"Hmm...yes, it is sad...I am not sure what will happen to them. Perhaps Kaito will keep us informed...he was the one who warned me about the police coming after all." Astral said, smiling at Kaito and squeezing his hand in thanks.

"Ah...Cathy...she has lots of cats though..." Astral said with a shiver.

"Takashi...hmm...I suppose that might work, if he is willing to house me. I am not sure how his health is doing nowadays..."

Kaito gave a smile back and squeezed his hand, not having anything else to input at the moment. He did hope Yuuto and Yuuya would be okay, they were good men, even if they were criminals.

“Oh yeah, right. You’re scared of cats. And dogs too, right? I know Dog-chan has a lot of them at the house too.” The man laughed, though it calmed down with the mention of Takashi.

“Yeah… I need to check up on Inchou too, but Vector sends me texts sometimes, so it’s alright. We can always scout it out. We have a car now, so I can drive by, pick you up and we can visit him”

Astral smiled as Kaito squeezed his hand. He nodded.

"Yes...I am not a fan of dogs or cats...they might chew my computer wires to bits." He mused, shuddering at the thought. That stuff was not cheap to replace.

"That would be much appreciated...but perhaps I should call Takashi myself and make my way there on my own...I would hate for the police to investigate your whereabouts and you being unable to account for your location...if you said you were at Takashi's house, they might check there."

“I guess so. I can always check on Takashi another time then,” Yuuma frowned. He wanted to see if Astral and Takashi was okay, but he guessed he couldn’t realistically do it at this time. “Well, you’re at Kaito’s house, right? Use Orbital 7! I’m sure Kaito won’t mind you joyriding.”

“If you go when it’s late, no one should see you.”

“Oh! I’m on speaker? Cool! Hi Kaito!"

"You can come visit to check on both of us, if I end up staying with him.  I suppose I could if that is okay with him..."  Astral said, looking at Kaito.  Kaito nodded.

"Hi Yuuma.  Astral can take Orbital.  You and Shark stick together and do your own thing...the cops won't be able to pin you to Astral then."

“Oh yeah. Alright.” Yuuma nodded. “We were going to have a board game night with Iris. So we’ll just stick to that plan. Shark is still writing those contacts out for you though, just in case. Did you want him to still do that?”

"Sure...just in case Takashi does not let me stay.  I have no guarantee that he will after all...thank you so much for your help."  Astral said with a smile.

“That’s true. Alright. Take care, Astral,” Yuuma said. “I won’t keep you since you guys obviously have to make plans, but next time we meet up, we need to talk about everything that’s happened. I want to catch up and make sure you’re alright.”

"Of course.  We do need to catch up...I haven't met your new daughter yet, after all."  Astral said with a smile.

"I won't keep you from your family.  Have a good day...I will let you know when I get settled in a new place."

“Of course. You’ll love her. Shark and I love her so you will. But remember, you’re not keeping me from it! You’re part of it.” Yuuma smiled. “Let me know how Inchou is too, okay? See ya."

Astral smiled again at Yuuma's words.

"You are right...I cannot wait to meet her.  See you later."  Astral said.  He hung up and sighed.

"...We should call Takashi too so he is not too surprised when I come by tonight..."

“Go ahead. Use my phone. I have his number in there,” Kaito said, passing his phone from the desk over to Astral. “I haven’t heard from him in a while. Have you?"

"No I have not...but this is as good a time as any to check on him."  Astral said, accepting the phone and calling Takashi.

“Hello?” The voice on the other line seemed alright. Takashi seemed happy. “Officer Tenjo? Oh, this is a surprise. What’s up?”

"Actually...this is Astral." Astral said, using his real hacker name. He could hear how normal Takashi sounded.

"I have a favour to ask...the police have raided my precious place of residence...I was wondering if i could stay with you and the AI, at least for awhile...until I can find another home maybe. I cannot stay with any of my usual contacts like Yuuma and Kaito, because the police know of our connections."

Takashi blinked before he smiled, gesturing over to Vector on his end to come and listen.

“Hey there. I didn’t expect to hear from you,” he said, listening to what Astral had to say. “Ah… is it? That’s horrible. You can definitely stay here if you want. Vector will be fine with it. It’s the least we can do for you, since you completed Vector’s code.”

Vector came over, curious what was going on. He listened.

"Astral's moving in? Well...we do have a guest bedroom. That's fine." He said. He did feel he owed Astral a little for the coding stuff too. Astral smiled.

"Thank you...I will likely come tonight on Orbital 7 if that is alright.”

“Huh? So soon?” Takashi looked around, making sure the house of clean. He was glad the AI wasn’t putting too much of a fight up, especially since he didn’t like other people. “That’s fine though. We’ll be here and waiting.”

"I apologize for the short notice...I truly have nowhere else to go." Astral said. Vector was fine with it, because he had discovered that Astral was a decent guy. And he also owed him.

"I'll let you in if Takashi is asleep." He confirmed. Astral smiled.

"Thank you, both of you." He said.

“Yeah… no problem. We’ll see you soon, alright? We can talk more about this when you get here.” Takashi said.

"Okay. Thank you both. I will see you later." Astral said, before hanging up and sighing.

"...It seems I am settled for now...thank goodness."

“Yeah… We don’t know if they’ll be able to keep you in the long term, but that should be the safest for you.” Kaito sighed.

Astral nodded.

"At the very least, it is a safe place to stay until I find another place to go." Astral said with a smile.

"For now, can I stay with you?" He asked, wondering if Chris was due to come home soon or if they would remain undisturbed.

Kaito didn’t say anything. Instead, he just pulled Astral on top of him, letting the man sit on his lap. He hugged the other man close, leaning his forehead in his shoulder.

“I hate setbacks… You should be moving in with me, not fleeing again.”

Astral let his boyfriend pull him over and smiled, holding him close.

"Next time we will move in...now we can look for a place together."

“I guess… it’ll probably be a few years before the heat gets off you though, but I can look for a place,” Kaito said. “… Maybe… I know you don’t want to leave Yuuma and Shark, but maybe we could go somewhere quiet. Out of town.”

"...Maybe. I may not have a choice if the heat does not come off..." Astral murmured. He smiled.

"Either way, we can find a place somewhere..."

“Chris will be fine on his own… so I have nothing to lose. I’ll go anywhere with you,” Kaito said, running his fingers through Astral’s hair.

“I always did like Hokkaido. Maybe we can move up there.”

"That might be fun...I have not left Heartland before." Astral said with a smile.

"Although...travelling too far may be hard...we will have to hope the fake ID Yuuto gave me is legit enough to fool the airport security."

“We can take the train over there, you know,” Kaito said. “It’d be longer, but it would be a lot easier, and security wouldn’t be so tight. You can see more of Heartland that way.”

“And well… You’re the hacker, not me. What do you think the ID is good for?"

"Yes I suppose we can...that might be more fun." Astral said with a smile. He shrugged.

"I have not really had to use it much...certainly not in a secure area like a train station or airport."

“Well… it should be good if Yuuto gave it to you, right? Hopefully… Staying in this area is risky… It’s worth the risk to try and leave."

"Yes...I do trust him. He would not have given me a bad ID."

“… We’ll leave it for now and then see. One step at a time, you know,” he murmured, petting Astral.

"Yeah. One step at a time..." Astral said with a smile, leaning into Kaito's touch.

Kaito sighed. One step at a time. After Astral was settled, then he would have to figure out something to do. There was no point looking up alternative drugs, since Kaito suspected that the police would get Chris to do it for them, and his mentor was far better than he was. So now he was stuck with nothing. Well… not stuck. There was nothing stopping him from looking into that Devil’s Breath trade and finding Dennis. The police would be too busy with their short numbers and with their new arrests, and they’d be trying to get info from Yuuto they wouldn’t get.

So he guessed his next step would be finding Dennis Macfield.

-x-

Meanwhile at the Correctional Facility, Yuugi was getting used to things again.  He'd been getting accustomed to some minor changes in his routine, like having a guard wheel him around whenever he had to leave his room, and having Koutei wheel him around if they were in the break rooms.  He had also been attending physiotherapy for an hour a day lately...it was hard work that always left Yuugi exhausted.  He'd had no idea that walking took that much energy!  But, he remained optimistic about his progress and was genuinely happy to be back.

However, he could not speak for Yami.  The weeks he'd spent in hospital without much to do had taught him a little bit about tuning into what Yami was thinking and feeling.  He did genuinely want to get to know his other half, but Yami was making it difficult.  Yuugi had yet to be able to actively speak with him...but as he practised reading Yami's emotions, he began to realize that Yami seemed to be carrying around a lot of worries.  Whenever they were in physio, Yuugi could tell Yami was frustrated by their lack of progress, as well as worried about the fact that they still couldn't function independently.  At night, there were times when Yuugi could catch glimpses of Yami's memories.  He saw a few reoccurring things like nightclubs, a single-bedroom apartment, and a drug-dealer dressed in an orange suit who would always greet him with a smile.  Yuugi really only saw brief scenes before Yami seemed to realize he was watching and close off his thoughts.  

But while Yuugi could understand Yami needing to hide some illicit activities, and his frustrations over their physiotherapy progress...he couldn't explain why Yami seemed a little on edge around Koutei.  Yuugi could feel that Yami felt an underlying sense of fear around Koutei, even though Koutei seemed to also genuinely make him happy.  It was like...he was worried about something Koutei might do or say.  Every time Koutei hesitated in speaking, which he did occasionally, Yami would tense internally.  Yuugi had no idea what was going on...but he wanted to find out.  

Those worries would have to wait though, Yuugi mused, once he heard a guard open his door.  It was time for food and free time.  He'd be seeing Koutei soon, and that made him smile.  

Koutei, meanwhile, wasn’t doing too badly himself. His physical fitness had improved with Yuugi and Yami’s return, and he had been feeling more energetic himself lately. The only think that had been bothering him was his dreams. Since that night where he dreamt of Mutou in his tight, tight leather outfit, he had been getting more glimpses of him in that dream. He could never remember all the details, but they were always in the Barian, and Yami always seemed sad.

Which made Koutei remember, when he woke up, what Yami said about being sorry. It was such a small detail, one he usually wouldn’t have bothered with, but with every dream he had, Koutei was worried that somehow that it was more important. It had been a long time coming, and the next day, Koutei finally vowed to asked Yami about it.

Yuugi usually got his meal first, but soon Koutei and all the others went to get their meals. Koutei was quick to slide across from Yuugi.

“Hey. What’s up?”

Yuugi was wheeled into the lunch area before everyone else due to his wheelchair being difficult to manoeuvre through the prisoners if they were all in the hall at once.  Yuugi waited patiently with his meal, taking a few bites as he did.  He smiled when Koutei sat across from him and swallowed his food before he answered.

“Not much!  Just got here a few minutes ago.”  He said happily.  

“How're you?  Did you sleep alright?”  

“Hm? Yeah, I slept alright. Just thinking of something that happened…” Koutei shrugged. “No big deal. How about you?”

Yuugi listened, frowning a little. There it was again...Yami was tensing in the back of his head. He'd been listening in and now seemed anxious.

"Oh...well, I guess I can say the same. I slept well...but I'm also just...thinking." Yuugi said.

“Thinking? About what? I’ll share what I have if you have to say.” Koutei said.

"Ah, okay...that seems fair."  Yuugi said with a smile.  Maybe he should get Koutei's input on this...

"...When I was hospital, I had barely anything to do.  I wasn't allowed internet, and I didn't want to bother Raphael too much...he's super busy after all, and would spend most of his time with me on his computer.  So...I had to entertain myself somehow."  Yuugi explained.

"...I started trying to think internally...to figure out what Yami was thinking.  You know, to try and talk to him...I can't do that yet.  But...I'm starting to get more in tune with his emotions...and I can tell something is bothering him.  It might be more than one thing..."  Yuugi said sadly, shaking his head.

"He's hiding from me...it's like he doesn't want me to know what's wrong.  I see glimpses occasionally of familiar scenes from his memory...but as soon as they appear they're gone again..."  Even as he said this, Yami seemed to shrink away.  He sighed.

"...So I'm just...trying to figure out what's wrong.  He seems anxious alot..."

“Trying to talk to Yami?” Koutei asked in surprise. “I didn’t know that was possible… but that’s good you two are syncing up, right?” He frowned, listening into his friend’s concerns.

“And he can actively take them away, huh? That’s weird. I wish I knew too… He must be scared for something that he think might happen."

"I don't know if it is, honestly...but I wanted to try.  The doctors keep saying this illness I have can't really be cured...so I'm trying to learn to live with it...live with Yami."  Yuugi said sheepishly.  He frowned.

"...Well...they are his memories to begin with...not mine.  I keep seeing images of bars, of an apartment room...and a guy who I think is a drug-dealer...I never saw any of those things with my own eyes.  So...I guess Yami hides them because they're his and not mine..."  Yuugi mused.  

"...Yeah.  That's what I think too...but I just wish I knew what it was so I could reassure him or help him deal with it..."

“That’s good for you to make an attempt. Hopefully he’ll respond to your attempts…” The man smiled. It disappeared though, especially when he started talking about Yami’s less than savoury history.

“I’ll talk to him next time I see him. I want to help. Besides, I have a couple of things I need to ask him myself."

"...I hope so too."  Yuugi said, smiling back at Koutei.  He nodded.

"Thank you.  Since you can talk to him directly while I still can't, it should be easier for you to figure out what's wrong."  Yuugi said, thankful he had such a good friend.

"Oh?  What did you want to ask him?"

Koutei nodded. “Yeah… count on me.” He smiled but it was soft and subdued.

“Just about a dream I’ve been having too. It’s so weird… I’ve told you about it actually… except now I just see Yami more and more. It might be some of my memories, but I don’t know if it is or not. I wanted to ask him if he knew anything.”

Yuugi smiled.

"I will.  Thank you."  He said happily.  He listened, frowning a little in thought.

"Oh, you mean that dream of Yami and you at the bar..."  Yuugi said.  This time Yami's reaction was so strong that he felt his head pulse and let out a small groan.

"...He...he might...I've seen a few bars...in his memory..."

“A-ah…” Koutei didn’t expect Yami to have that big of a reaction. He moved the water to Yuugi. “Are you alright? I’m sorry. Shit...”

Yuugi let out a small groan but he still smiled.

"...It's alright...it's not your fault...you didn't know."  Yuugi said, accepting the water and taking a sip.  He could feel Yami reacting strongly yet again.

"...But...this must mean...Yami's worried about something in your dream..."

“… That’s just…” Koutei frowned. “… I hope we’ll be able to talk soon. Maybe we can help each other then. If the dream is part of my memories, Yami can help me find out what happened to me if you guys were there."

"...I...I don't know...if he was with you.  I haven't seen you in his memories..."  Yuugi said.  He let out a tiny whimper as his head pulsed even worse.  He clutched his head.

“Yuugi…” Koutei frowned, moving over to his friend and to put his hands on his shoulders. “Shit…” He knew he had to stop talking about this, it was really hurting Yuugi, for some reason. Why was Yami so triggered about this? “Shhh… it’s okay…”

Yuugi was feeling dizzy and in pain.  He was also surprised that Yami was reacting this strongly, but it did confirm something for him: Koutei was a huge source of anxiety for Yami.  He let Koutei hold him, appreciating the stability.  With Yami's worries bubbling to the surface, a switch was basically inevitable.  Yuugi let it happen, leaving Yami with his head in his hands, battling off the last of the headaches.

But now he was out and Koutei was going to ask him all these questions...ugh.  He felt awful...what was he going to do?!  Yuugi and Koutei had basically pieced things together...his mind was racing over what he could possibly say to make it better.

Yami hadn’t spoken or done anything Yuugi hadn’t, so Koutei couldn’t tell he had swapped. He just held his friend, making sure that he was being reassured and stable. He hated seeing Mutou like this… he wanted him to be okay. “It’s alright..."

Yami just let Koutei hold him, feeling somehow worse because of the comfort.  He didn't deserve this man's caring...not after he stabbed him in the back.  Yami kept taking deep breaths to steady himself and finally lifted his head.

"...Yeah..."  He said softly.

“… How are you feeling?” Koutei asked, looking at the man. It took him a moment, but he could tell that this was Yami, especially with how grave his face was. “Sorry… I didn’t know that would hurt you as much as it did.”

"...So-so..."  Yami admitted.  He was really anxious deep down and tried not to let it show too much.  

"...It's not your fault.  You didn't know."  Yami said simply.  Koutei could probably hurt him as much as he wanted and he'd deserve it.

“… I…” Koutei paused, wondering what he should say. “I… I don’t know. If you don’t want to talk about it, I’m fine but… Just yes or no… Did you know me? Like… before we were put in here?"

Yami paused as well, listening to Koutei.  He had options here...lying or telling the truth.  He could easily lie and get out of it...but what if Koutei then remembered something else?  He'd probably be mad at him for lying...he sighed.

"...Yes...but...not as well as I do now..."  Yami finally said.  That wasn't a lie exactly...Koutei had mostly come to him for drugs to drown his sorrows before and Yami hadn't really shared that much about himself with Koutei either.  They were closer now than they'd been before.

“… How did you know me?” The man asked, unable to keep the earnestness out of his voice. Maybe he would finally get some answers. “I mean… I just… Can you tell me anything? Why didn’t you say you recognised me? Were we friends?”

"...We just kept...meeting each other in bars, mostly...I'm not sure if that counts as friends..."  Yami said, a little intimidated by the earnest in Koutei's voice.  He shouldn't be this eager.  

"...Well...when we met before...I wasn't displaying any symptoms of my illness.  I wasn't switching with Yuugi...so you didn't know him.  I figured it would be better for you to decide whether you still wanted to know me...all of me.  Not just the one half...you know?"  Yami said.

Koutei nodded. It sounded… wrong for some reason. However, he had no reason to think Yami was lying to him, so he just nodded.

“I see…” He looked at him, now sounding a bit… hesitant. “Did you know about my… drug habit?"

Again, Yami hesitated.  What should he do?!  This was bad...really bad...

"...Yes.  You were often really lonely, it seemed...you'd try and drown that sorrow in drinks and drugs.  I knew about it...that's how we met basically..."

“… Was I really that bad?” Koutei sighed and ran his fingers through his head. Great… So Yami knew him as a mess. Maybe it was good he never told him about this... “Did you know me before I got like that? Or just… drinking and we met in a bar?”

Yami frowned.  Now he'd made Koutei feel bad.  That wasn't good.

"Hey, it's okay...it wasn't your fault...you were sad that your friend seemed to have forgotten about you.  It's normal to look for a way out of that pain..."  Yami said, reaching out to comfort him.  He put a hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him.

"...Well...the first time I met you, you weren't drunk or on drugs, actually.  I didn't really notice you at first...I was there looking for someone who owed me money.  But, when I went out to meet them, I left my wallet on the counter.  You were nice enough to give it back to me.  So...I bought you a drink in thanks."  Yami said with a small smile.  

"...You showed me you were a good person right off the bat...I'm sorry that I couldn't stop you from getting into trouble later...I should've...done something differently..."  Yami said sadly.

“… Yeah…” He was glad that Alit was his friend again, but the memory of the fights he had were still hard. He smiled as he looked at Yami and he put his hand on the other’s, squeezing it a little bit.

The man’s smile blossomed especially as Yami said that though. “So… it did happen. The wallet thing. I actually remembered something and it did involve me.”

“… It’s alright. It’s not your fault. It’s still mine, you know. I started on that path, for some reason.”

Yami smiled a little when Koutei seemed to cheer up.  Good...he didn't want him sad.  He nodded.

"Yeah...I guess your memory is coming back.  You got everything down from the name of the bar to the leather outfits I liked to wear."  Yami mused.  But that last part made his mood plummet right back down again.

"...It's...it's not your fault...drug traffickers...they're sneaky...you wouldn't have known...what hit you...until it was too late..."  Yami said softly, looking down and biting his lip to try not to cry.   He was both angry and upset at himself.  This was his fault.  Koutei kept trying to pin the blame on himself and he was wrong, but Yami couldn't tell him why he was wrong because...he'd lose him.  He didn't want to lose him.  He did like Koutei a lot and enjoyed his company...

Koutei wanted to start blushing, only then realising that the whole leather get up was real and he knew how hot Mutou looked in tight jeans when he realised that his own self-depreciation had triggered Yami again somehow. His face fell as he looked at the other, and wordlessly he brought Yami into a hug. Something had happened, he knew that, and he knew it hurt Yami as well. But despite wanting to know the truth, he knew that now wasn’t the time for that.

“Yeah… I guess so… But it’s okay, you know. I’m okay. Really.” He said, squeezing him gently.

Yami was so lost in his own miserable thoughts that Koutei pulling him into a hug surprised him.  He tensed a little at first.  This wasn't right...Koutei should be pushing him away because of what he did...but at the same time, it did feel nice.  Koutei really was a good guy, even though Yami had been really bad for him.  He hesitantly returned it.

"...I'm sorry..."  He said softly, closing his eyes and leaning into Koutei.  He couldn't say that enough...no amount of apologies would be enough.

One hand rested near Yami’s neck, the other on the man’s back. Koutei smiled gently and let the man lean against him, and he sighed quietly. “It’s alright. Relax. I’m here for you, Yami. I’m here for both of you. There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

Yami simply bit his lip so he wouldn't blurt out everything that was wrong with Koutei's statement.  He let Koutei hold him, relishing how...strange but nice it felt to be held like this.  

"...Okay..."  He said softly after awhile.

Koutei also enjoyed holding Yami, and he felt his heart hammer in his chest as he held the smaller man close to him. They stayed like that for a while, until Yami finally spoke again.

“Feeling better?"

"...A little, yeah."  Yami admitted, pulling away reluctantly.  Now that he didn't feel as bad, he realized how long they'd been hugging and figured it was kind of awkward.  He smiled a little.

"...Thank you..."  He said gently.

Koutei looked down at the young man and smiled, though his heart skipped a beat, seeing Yami smile. Wait. Shit. Did he like Yuugi, or did he like Yami? He had been very sure that he was in love with Yuugi, but right now Yami was looking so irresistible. Even if they looked (they WERE) the same, Koutei felt drawn to Yami’s charm, as much as he did Yuugi’s sincerity. Did he like one of them? Or did he like both?

“… No problem.” Why was he so gay? Fuck.

Yami was oblivious to Koutei's troubles, going back to his food with a sigh. "...So, are you going to workout again today? Do you have a plan for what you're gonna do?" He asked.

“Yeah…” Koutei nodded slowly. “Maybe work on my cardio. I do a lot of weights, I need to balance it out. Weights are easy, especially when I don’t want to think so I do them a lot…”

Yami nodded. "I can watch you run on the treadmill then." With his leg injury he wasn't able to get on one himself obviously. "You seem to be doing well with the weighs...you make them look way too easy. They need heavier weights for you." He mused.

“Yeah. I probably could do some pushups as well, you know. Stock standard stuff. When we have break, we can see what we can do."

Yami nodded.

"Yeah...but you're also too good at push-ups too...you need more of a challenge..." he mused, thinking over what he could do to make it harder for Koutei.

“I’ll just have to do twice as many. You can’t be too good at pushups.” Koutei laughed.

"But what if we run out of time? If you do them fast you might lose your form... but maybe there's another way...I'll think of something."

“Sure. When we get there, we’ll see.” Koutei smiled. “Maybe you need to sit on my back, huh?"

Yami blinked in surprise.

"...that just might work actually. I'm not that heavy...but it's more than your usual body weight. Let's try it!" Yami said with a grin.

“Wait what?” Koutei’s eyes widened. “Really? I was just kidding, you know. I mean… I can do that. But still.”

"Why not? We might as well try it and see if that makes things better for you. And it'll be more fun for me than just sitting in a chair the whole time. I like getting breaks from this damn chair." He said with a smile.

“… You know, why the hell not?” The man laughed. “Alright. We’ll do that after at first break."

Yami chuckled.

"That's the spirit. We'll do that then, just to try. We'll see if it works."

“Alright. Thanks Yami.” Koutei still wanted to ask about why Yami was sorry, but after that display, he figured he could do it later. Tomorrow was another day after all. They had time before he had to do this.

"No problem." Yami said, glad to talk about something other than more questions that might incriminate him further. He didn't want Koutei to remember and get mad at him...

Breakfast continued as usual. Then they were separated for Yami to go to physiotherapy and Koutei to get his own therapy and chores. While regulated, the Correctional facility was fairly lenient and before long, Koutei found himself in the gym, working out. Very few people used it, since unlike a prison many weren’t physically able to use the facilities, but Koutei was already running by the time Yuugi would arrive, trying to not think too much on the revelation he had this morning. He didn’t want to think about it in case he triggered Yami again… even if he was curious.

Yuugi was the one who initially made it to the workout. He had sensed a sort of peace from Yami after he and Koutei had talked. The anxiety wasn't all gone, but they seemed a little alleviated, as if Yami had dodged a bullet for now.

He worked hard in physio and was basically exhausted by the time it was done, but he still asked to be brought to the workout room. He wanted to see Koutei as much as possible. The guards wheeled him up to Koutei's treadmill and Yuugi smiled at him.

"Hey...sorry to keep you waiting...physio was exhausting." Yuugi said, slumping in his chair.

“Haha. No problem.” Koutei said, looking at his friend as he jogged. “I was just doing this anyway. How did physio go?"

"It went pretty well...made me sore as usual, but the doctor says I'm making progress." Yuugi said with a smile.

“Hah! That’s good to hear,” The man said, not missing a beat as his powerful leg muscles continued their stride. “You’ll be back on your feet in no time at this rate!"

Yuugi watched him go. "Sounds like it...soon I'll be able to run like you too!" Yuugi said, admiring Koutei as he ran. "Yeah, you're definitely in better shape than I am..."

“I’m back up to the cardio I used to be at, which is good,” Koutei grinned, giving Yuugi a thumbs up. “The weights are almost there too. I’m getting healthier. And you will too."

"Good! That's the spirit!" Yuugi said, returning the thumbs up with a grin.

"I'll have a lot of catching up to do, but I'll get there."

“Yeah…” Koutei lowered the speed of the treadmill and he smiled as he slowed his pace. He liked working out here. It made him feel like he was just at the gym, rather than locked up here. He stretched and moved to Yuugi, wiping his own neck with the towel. “Yeah… soon you will."

Yuugi smiled and watched Koutei go, feeling a little awed. He'd been watching Koutei workout for awhile, but was struck by the power in his body. So this was what pro-boxers had been like...wow. And to see his muscles rippling through his sweaty shirt combine with such a genuine smile...

"...yeah..." Yuugi mused, in a slight dreamy state for reasons he couldn't exactly explain. Maybe he was more tired than he thought?

Koutei smiled at him. He knew Yuugi was amazed, but he figured that the man was fantasizing himself in his position, rather than thinking of him so he let it slide. The blonde grinned and flexed, just to show off, before he laughed.

“Did you hear what Yami wanted to do to help with my workout?”

Yuugi watched Koutei flex and felt his cheeks go a little pink as he admired his muscles. They were much more defined than when he'd first met him...he quickly shook his head to try and refocus on what Koutei was saying.

"No...I didn't. Did he have some sort of workout game planned?"

Koutei laughed a little at Yuugi’s embarrassment, missing reading whatever feeling he may have read from that because of what Yami said about how Yuugi felt about women. He grinned mischievously.

“Something like that. He kind of wanted you to sit on my back while I did pushups, increase the resistance, you know?"

Yuugi's eyes widened.

"Sit on your back? Oh wow..." Yuugi said, feeling like he wanted to blush again. What was going on?! Why was sitting on his back suddenly such a big deal? Yuugi nodded.

"Ah...well...sure. Sounds like Yami has some sort of plan for that...I don't quite trust myself to try...I'd probably fall off..."

“It’s to make sure I don’t cheat. I keep my form and I get a good workout while pushing up. Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. You can hold on to my shirt if you want. It’s a bit sweaty but it’s not that bad, right?” The man joked.

Yuugi pondered his options. Maybe it would be okay but still...he was fighting down a blush. What was wrong with him? His feelings were rousing Yami as well, getting him curious. Yuugi felt Yami emerging and immediately took the opportunity to switch. He felt like he needed to hide in his mind for awhile. Yami blinked in surprise when he was thrust into control.

"Uh..." he said, having felt the small bits of attraction from Yuugi before he switched. He looked around, wondering if a cute female nurse had passed through and gotten Yuugi's attention, but there was nobody but him, Koutei and a few guards in the background.

"...Sure. Let's do the push-up thing." Yami said with a smirk, pushing Yuugi's strange reactions aside in favour of this new activity.

“Oh?” Koutei looked surprised, especially when Yuugi vanished so quickly and Yami was there left. He blinked a little before he smiled.

“Well, I guess that’s too embarrassing of Yuugi, huh? Well I’m ready when you are, Yami"

Yami shrugged.

"He wasn't sure how to go about it, but as he said, i had an idea of what to do." Yami said.

"Get down in a push-up position and I'll sit on your back." Yami told him.

“Well that’s what I said.” Koutei gave a big stretch and then he got down, waiting for Yami to get on.

Yami got his chair as close as he could to Koutei without getting in his way or hitting him. He wasn't very good at maneuvering it long distances, but he could wheel it over enough for this. He put the brakes on and stood up a little shakily from the chair. He hobbled over, not quite walking but not hopping completely either, thanks to the physio work. "Wow...Yuugi wasn't kidding. We did work our leg hard today..." he mused, carefully sitting down between Koutei's shoulder blades. "That okay?" There were other ways to do this, but he'd chosen this way so he could get up quickly if Koutei said it was too much.

Koutei waited for Yami to be comfortable before he have a nod. The man did a few experimental push-ups, doing it three times, noticing the difference with the weight but not in the bad way.

“I’m good. Are you? Not too shaky?"

Yami had to grip Koutei's shirt as the man had suggested to Yuugi to keep his balance, but it was manageable. "Yeah...it's not bad." Yami said. "How about for you? You seem to be managing okay so far...how many do you think you can do with me on your back?" He asked with a smirk.

“Five hundred.” Koutei said, beginning to do his pushups. “Nah… It’s more like one fifty probably. We’ll see."

"500? I must really weigh nothing." Yami mused with a laugh.

"Okay...150. If you can do that, I'll have to make this tougher." He said, settling in while Koutei started.

“Tougher like how?” Koutei asked, still keeping his form as he pushed.

"Maybe I'll spread myself out more...make it a little bit of a balance challenge too.  Like, I could probably lie down on your back or something."  Yami said, still holding on to Koutei.

"Or maybe I could put this cast of mine on your back...it probably weighs alot."  Yami mused with a chuckle.

“Yeah… I guess so,” Koutei laughed, moving up and down. It was a bit more strenuous, and though Koutei couldn’t do 150, he did get past a hundred.

As Koutei began to approach 100, he'd started to slow his pushups, his arms getting shaky.  Yami had been able to feel and see the difference and immediately began to encourage him.

"Come on...you can do it! Just a few more..."  He said, letting go with one hand so he could gently pet his hair to encourage Koutei.  

But that move turned out to be a little mistake, because when Koutei finally collapsed from exhaustion, Yami tumbled over as well.  He landed on his back, legs mostly drapped over Koutei's back where he'd just been sitting.  Thankfully he'd been able to partially cushion his fall with his other hand that had grabbed Koutei's shirt to steady himself.  

"...Whoops.  Maybe I pushed you a little too hard huh?  That's alright...you did well though!"  Yami said, chuckling and smiling so Koutei would know he was alright when he finally got his energy back to look at him.

Koutei yelped as suddenly Yami fell off. Thankfully he didn’t land on him, but he did jolt as Yami tugged his shirt.

“Oh man! Oh no!” Koutei scrambled over, still worried despite Yami laughing. He crawled out from under Yami’s legs over to him, looming over the smaller man.

“Are you okay? Really?”

"Im fine..it was my own fault really. I shouldn't have..." Yami said, looking up at Koutei suddenly looming over him.

"...let go..." he finished, realizing their position. Koutei was overtop of him, arms on either side of his head. He blinked up at him, blaming Yuugi's earlier little mood for being slightly turned on. His cheeks turned a little pink.

"... you can help me up now...i can't get up completely from the floor..." Yami said at last.

Koutei looked down and then he himself noticed their position. The man blushed, but he didn’t pull away at first, looking at Yami, still stunned.

“A-ah. Yeah… Sorry.” Koutei hesitated but picked himself up before he moved to grab Yami’s arms. “Can your legs support you if I get you standing?"

Yami sat up when Koutei retreated. He held out his arms, letting Koutei grab them. He nodded.

"I think so. I'll put most of my weight on my good leg." Yami said.

Koutei nodded and he fluidly pulled the man up into his arms, straight up into his chest. The man steadied him, making sure that he wouldn’t fall over straight away.

Yami let Koutei pull him up, but was surprised that instead of stopping at arms length, Koutei simply pulled him right to his chest in an almost hug-like gesture.  Yami's cheeks went pink again as Koutei craddled him gently, but firmly against his chest.  He ducked his head a little to try and hide that blush of his.  Part of him was glad that he was holding him for a second because he was so surprised that his legs felt like they were made of jelly for a second.  From his position with his head and body against Koutei's broad, strong chest, he could feel Koutei's heart pounding.  Was it just him or did it speed up for a second?  No, it was his imagination, he told himself.  If it was pounding, it was just cause he was doing pushups.  

"I...I think I'm good..."  Yami said at last, trying to keep his voice controlled and still not looking directly at Koutei so the other wouldn't see the red in his cheeks that refused to go away completely right now.

Of course it was pounding. He really did find Yami hot, but at the same time, he felt really strong feelings that went beyond the boundary of lustful. Koutei cared a lot about Mutou, both sides of him, and he wanted nothing more than to just keep holding him, since he was so precious. The urge to kiss him was overwhelming, but somehow he refrained, and he only nodded dumbly as Yami murmured a few words to him.

“Right… Uh… to the chair?” He asked, a little awkwardly, wondering if he had ruined things. His face fell a little. Yami wasn’t looking at him?

Yami was trying to compose himself. It was only once he'd figured that he had his blush mostly under control that he looked up and smiled at Koutei to show it was okay. He had heard the awkwardness in his tone...maybe Koutei hadn't meant to hug him like that, or maybe he was embarrassed by how sweaty he was.

"Yeah...thanks for catching me." He said, figuring that must've been what it was. He kept his hold on Koutei's arm for stability as they made their way over to the chair.

Koutei felt like he had blown it. He had blown it, like he had with Alit. He shouldn’t have been too eager, and hugging him after catching him was unnecessary. However Yami smiling did ease some of his worries and he was able to compose himself enough to walk Yami back to his wheelchair.

“No problem. Are you okay? You’re sure, right?” He asked.

Yami nodded. "Im sure, Koutei. I'm not in pain or anything." Yami said, letting go of Koutei once he was near his chair and sitting down with a sigh. "Aside from the falling, that push-up thing was fun wasn't it? We should do it again sometime." Yami said with a smile, always excited to play games. His mind was racing with new ways to shake up the workout, like how he could sit, and maybe making Koutei do something like clap his hands when he did push-ups. The excitement clearly showed on his face as he grinned in his chair.

Koutei nodded. If Yami was sure, he was sure. The man knelt in front of him and he gave a laugh, seeing Yami’s grin. “Eager, aren’t we? Well I’m always happy if you are."

Yami smirked and raised a brow.

“Are you sure?  I mean you're the one who has to actually do the push-ups, and I can always make it tougher on you.”  He teased, crossing his arms in his usual challenging pose.

Koutei laughed and grinned at him back, eyes sparkling in excitement. “Bring it on. Give me a break an we’ll get on it”

Yami grinned.

“Alright then!  Lemme know when you're ready to go!”  He said.

-x-

Meanwhile, Astral was finally waking up inside Vector and Takashi's house.  He was in their guest room, after having arrived shortly after midnight.  Vector's AI had let him in, since Takashi had been asleep, and had ushered him into the guest bedroom so he could rest.  Astral was exhausted...he'd been up all of the previous night hacking, and had been chased out of his home in a panic that day, so when he hit the pillow, he was out in seconds.  When he finally got up, he quietly made his way into the kitchen, noticing that Vector's AI wasn't around, and neither was Takashi's.  The main bedroom door was closed, so Astral assumed they were still sleeping.  He made his way into the kitchen, not noticing that the front door's knob was slowly turning as it was picked open from the outside.

Yuuma had given Tokunosuke very specific instructions. One: always open the door with a lock pick, just in case Takashi was out cold and the AI malfunctioned. Two: check on him at least monthly and see if he was okay. And three, announce his presence loudly, since Takashi would probably want to know who was opening the locks on his door. Yuuma had NOT told Tokunosuke not to go in recently (admittedly he had forgotten all about Tokunouske when sending Astral there), so on the bright and sunny morning, Tokunosuke was opening the door, a huge smile on his face.

“Rise and shine, Takashi-ura! You’re not sleeping in again!”

Astral jumped in shock as he heard Tokunosuke barreling through the door and calling out to Takashi. He vaguely recognized this man as one of Takashi's and Yuuma's friends in high school.

The noise was loud enough to awaken the AI, who appeared with a frown.

"What the hell are you doing here, Tokunosuke?" He said, annoyed that his snuggle time with Takashi had been interrupted.

“What does it look like, Vector?” Tokunosuke said, waving the AI off with his hand. “I’m here to get Takashi up and at them. We agreed we were going out today, remember?”

He paused though and frowned, looking at the stranger. He seemed familiar too, but Tokunosuke didn’t know anyone with that hairstyle or tattoos as vibrant as those.

“Oh? You have guests?”

Vector narrowed his eyes.

"It looks like breaking and entering." He scowled.

"You could've just sent him a text! He's not ready yet!" Vector said. Astral had pretty much remained frozen out of fear and stared at Tokunosuke. Vector glanced at Astral before sighing.

"Yes. He's renting out our guest room for awhile. Kibou, this is Tokunosuke, a friend of Takashi's." Vector said. Astral swallowed and nodded.

"Nice to meet you." He said.

“Neh neh, Vector,” Tokunosuke continued to wave him off, not at all bothered by his words. “I wouldn’t have to break in if you gave me a copy of the keys, huh?”

The small man looked at Astral and adjusted his thick glasses. Now that Kibou was speaking, it definitely did seem like he had seen and heard the man before, but he couldn’t quite pin where.

“Huh. Nice to meet you, Kibou. When did you move here?”

Vector huffed.

"As if I'd give every single one of Takashi's friends a key. They'd never leave him in peace! He needs time to himself every once in awhile." Vector said.

"...I came yesterday. Vector and Takashi were kind enough to allow me a place to stay." Astral said, worried Tokunosuke's keen eye was noticing who he was.

“He has too much time for himself,” Tokunosuke huffed, rolling his eyes. “Though…” He looked at Astral. “I guess you’re gonna have less of that now.”

“Came in yesterday, huh? Takashi never mentioned you-ura."

Vector nodded.

"Yep. See? I am helping him!" Vector huffed. Astral blinked.

"...perhaps he forgot I was coming. The decision was quite sudden..." He said.

“That’s not what I meant! Honestly, are you playing me-ura?” Tokunosuke huffed back. Unlike Thomas, he had no problem with squabbling with his good friend’s AI.

“Ah, that’s fair. Takashi forgets things when that guy isn’t noting them.”

Vector huffed too.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. You'll never know." He teased. Astral nodded.

"Im sure he did not mean it..." Astral said with a smile.

Tokunosuke rolled his eyes again. “Sure…” He looked at the Astral. This Kibou character seemed really familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen him. “So Takashi is not ready to go yet-ura?”

"Nope. He's still in bed. Don't bug him...he needs sleep for the busy day you two got planned." Vector said.

“But it’s like nine in the morning. Takashi is usually up by seven,” Tokunosuke frowned. “And didn’t you just say the two of you were snuggling. Were you lying?”

Vector frowned.

"Im not lying. He's still in bed resting." Vector said, crossing his arms. Astral blinked.

"...you are a computer program...Takashi knows this, does he not?" Astral asked. Vector nodded.

"Of course he does! Doesn't mean we can't snuggle. There's nothing wrong with that if it makes him feel better, and it does!"

“I dunno, sometimes with the way you two act, he seriously treats you like the real Vector,” Tokunosuke muttered under his breath. Tokunosuke knew that his relationship with Vector was not nearly as healthy as it could have been, and after the death, it really seemed not quite right. However, he didn’t know what to say to the AI or Vector, and he didn’t appreciate this weird trap he was now in.

Vector crosses his arms.

"For all intents and purposes, I’m as close as he can get to the real Vector. I'm here to help him and keep him company like the real Vector did. He was worse off without me, you have to admit." Vector said.

“I know. But you know you’re supposed to be like a cast for a broken leg. You’re there, you support him while he needs you, but he can’t wear you around forever.” Tokunosuke sat down on the couch, looking slightly annoyed.

Astral blinked dumbly. It sounded like the two of them had had this conversation before. He wondered whether or not he should go back to the kitchen, but he felt he needed to listen in on what was happening.

“Has he even shown any improvement, Vec?"

Vector frowned.

"I can stay as long as I like! He likes having me around, so I'll stay and help around the house." Vector said. He nodded.

"Of course he has! He's talking to people again...like this guy, and you, and Thomas!" Vector said, pointing at Astral as "this guy".

“And has he been getting over your death?” Tokunosuke bit back.

"He's made improvements!" Vector snapped, frowning. Sure Takashi sometimes would have nightmares or feel down, but he was improving!

“Like how?” Tokunosuke said, staring at the AI. “I mean… You at least get why I’m doubtful, right?”

Vector sighed.

"He's much happier, he's keeping track of the days and everything, he's making plans with friends...you know. Those sorts of normal things!" Vector said. He sighed.

"Clearly you think you don't see him enough...well you're here now, and you'll see when he gets up just how healthy he is!"

“Yeah… right.” Tokunosuke sighed. He supposed some of that was his fault, not seeing Takashi as often as he should. He was a bad friend, but life had been quite full on lately. He wanted to make up for it. Though… even though it was wrong to take it out on Vector, Tokunosuke felt a little justified.

“Oy, Kibou. You get where I’m coming from, right?"

Astral blinked.

"...I suppose. I have not personally heard from Takashi in awhile...and I know a few other people who have not either." Like Kaito, Yuuma and Shark, but Astral wouldn't name them. Vector groaned.

"Everyone's against me here! Fine. I'll just prove it by getting Takashi out here so you two can see for yourself." He said, before disappearing and reappearing in Takashi's room. He slowly snuggled into bed with Takashi.

"Your friend Tokunosuke is here love...he wants to see you. Are you gonna get up?" He asked, nuzzling Takashi and holding him gently.

Tokunosuke gave a nod, glad that Astral had agreed with him. “And those who’ve seen Inchou hasn’t seen him at 100%, huh?"

The AI disappeared and Tokunosuke sighed. “I’m worried about him… He hasn’t been the same since Vector’s death.”

Takashi meanwhile gave a small groan as he suddenly felt the AI against him. He nuzzled him gently and his eyes fluttered open.

“Oh? Already? Oh… I really should wake up, huh?"

"They have seen him before Vector's death, so they know how bad he was." Astral said.

Vector smiled.

"Probably. Tokunosuke was so impatient he broke in."

“Not that impatient… I mean… he’s done that before in high school…” The man murmured, then leaning over to kiss Vector on the cheek. “I’ll get ready. Can you just make sure he’s settled? Tell him ten minutes?”

Vector smiled when the man kissed him.

"Alright I will. Be sure to cover your collar well...I got a little carried away..." he mused, hands brushing over the obvious hickeys with a smirk.

"See you soon." He said, disappearing again to appear in the living room.

"Just give him about 10 minutes or so and he'll be out." Vector said

Takashi’s cheeks went pink and he swatted Vector on the shoulder.

“Vector!” His hand flew to his neck and he hid his face, not pulling his hand away until Vector disappeared out of the room. Takashi didn’t watch Vector leave. He didn’t like seeing Vector just phase out. It still made him a little uncomfortable… a reminder that Vector was snuffed out so quickly. Shaking his head, the blue-haired man walked off, quickly making a beeline for the shower.

“Ten? Ah, no problem. I can wait.” Tokunosuke said. “We can probably go out for breakfast. It’s late enough for that.”

Vector nodded.

"Please do.  It's important he eats after all.  I'll just make sure he takes his meds before he goes."  Vector said.

“Yeah… that’s good,” Tokunosuke said. Astral went off, wandering into the kitchen so he could get his tea. Tokunosuke looked at the AI.

“He’s been better, sure, but how has he been?”

"He's been great, obviously!  You'll see for yourself when he comes out in a few minutes."  Vector said.

“I mean like… what’s he been doing?” Tokunosuke asked. “Has he been eating? What does he do when he isn’t working? How have his moods been?”

"He's mostly been staying at home.  He eats regularly, whatever he wants to cook.  And he does gardening, watches TV, pets Umbral...all that stuff.  His moods have been generally good, but occasionally he still does get upset and I comfort him."  Vector said.  

Meanwhile, Astral was frozen in the kitchen, staring at the black cat that had just come through the little cat door.  Umbral meowed at him and tried to approach, but Astral jumped up on the counter to avoid him.  Umbral sat down on the floor and stared at him, as if he was waiting for him to come down so he could pet him.

“So it’s bad, but not all that bad,” The man said. Tokunosuke wasn’t sure what to make of what Vector said but he was saved from having to say anything when he heard the clatter in the kitchen.

“Eh? Kibou? Are you okay?"

"Exactly."  Vector said, about to go off on another rant, but then he heard the clatter.  He frowned.  

"What the heck are you doing?"  He said, entering the kitchen to see Astral cowering before the adorable little black cat on the floor.  Vector burst out laughing.

"You're still afraid of Umbral?!  He's harmless!"  Vector laughed.  Astral frowned.

"...Please move it...I do not like cats..."

Tokunosuke ducked into the kitchen after Vector before he burst out laughing too, just as shamelessly at Vector. It was one thing to be scared of cats, it was another to jump on the kitchen counter to avoid one.

“Awwww? This little guy? Really?” Tokunosuke laughed. He moved over to the black cat. “Come on. Gonna let me pick you up or you running today, Umbral?”

Astral pouted slightly as he heard Tokunosuke laugh too.  He and Vector both had very distinct laughs that were hard to ignore.  Umbral meowed and darted away as he usually did around Tokunosuke.  He was only interested in Astral at the moment.  Astral sighed when Umbral darted off and gently got off the counter.  Vector snorted.

"We're never gonna let that go now."  He chuckled.

“Oh definitely not.” Tokunosuke grinned his usual mischievous grin. “Man, you picked the wrong house to stay in. Umbral likes going everywhere, you know?"

Astral sighed.

"...This was the better choice."  He and Kaito had tossed around the idea of him staying with Cathy in her reclusive mansion, which seemed safe enough until Astral remembered the hundreds of cats that lived in the house and on the grounds...

"You'll have to get used to him then.  Good luck!"  Vector teased with a laugh.

“Wow… sounds pretty bad.” Tokunosuke laughed. His laughter was loud, but because of that Takashi came out of his room quickly, his hair still damp.

“What’s going on? Kibou? What’s happening?"

Vector grinned at Takashi. "He just met Umbral again and was terrified of him!" He said with a chuckle. Astral sighed. "I apologize for the disturbance."

“… Yeah…” Takashi blinked before he looked at Astral. “Um… Do you want to get off the counter, Kibou?"

Astral flushed a little and got down slowly.

"Sorry..." he mused. Vector just chuckled.

"You shoulda seen it...hysterical!" He said.

“Gosh… It really was,” Tokunosuke laughed. Takashi looked at Astral’s face before he shoved both his AI and his friend in the shoulders.

“Yes, yes. It was funny. We can do without the jokes you two.” Takashi said, smiling himself but fairly serious.

Vector yelped a little when he was smacked and pouted.

"But jokes are fun!" He whined slightly. Astral sighed.

"Perhaps I should laugh at any mistakes you make...see if you like it..." he mused.

Tokunosuke just snorted. “Alright, Alright. I’m sorry, Kibou. It was just funny. I never seen anyone react like that before.”

“Sorry Kibou. Vector is.. Vector…” Takashi said, swatting the AI again on the shoulder.

Astral crossed his arms in his trademark pose.

"Evidently." He mused. Vector pouted even more.

"But you love me for that..." he whined. Astral raised a brow. Did the AI mean loved? Like when the real Vector was there?

Takashi sighed and kissed the AI on the forehead. “Yeah… I know… I love you too.”

Tokunosuke frowned deeper at that but he said nothing.

Vector smiled and practically purred at Takashi when he kissed him. Astral frowned.

"...Takashi, that is an AI of Vector, not the real person." He said.

“A-ah?” Takashi frowned, looking at Vector and then to Astral. “Yeah… I know that…” he said hesitantly.

Astral frowned.

"You do not sound very convinced..."  He said with a frown.  Vector huffed.

"He knows I'm a model!  I don't eat, I disappear all the time, I lose solid vision when I'm outside...all that stuff!  It's pretty clear!"  Vector said.

“I am. I know he’s not Vector. He’s not the same. I know that,” Takashi said quietly, looking away.

“Inchou… are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I know Vector is an AI. But he’s just… it’s fine, okay?”

Vector frowned, noticing his discomfort and approaching to comfort Takashi.

"...It'll be okay."  Vector said gently, putting a hand on his shoulder.  Astral sighed.

"...Perhaps getting out of the house will do you good.  Tokunosuke was offering to take you to breakfast."

Tokunosuke stared at Takashi, trying to get a feel for how his friend was feeling. However, no matter how he tried to piece and puzzle together what was wrong with Takashi, he couldn’t come up with a single thing, or at least a reasonable rationale that described Takashi’s behaviour. Takashi was very much aware that Vector was an AI, but the smaller man wasn’t sure if he accepted it.

“… I guess so…” Takashi nodded. “Did… Well let me go get my wallet. Did you want to head out now?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Definitely. We’ll go to our old breakfast spot. We haven’t been there in a while. Sound good?”

“Yeah…"

"I will stay here...have fun."  Astral said.  He couldn't really go out as a fugitive after all.  Vector nodded.

"Have fun you two!"  He said.  Tokunosuke nodded.

"We will!  C'mon, Inchou!  My car's out front, ura."

“Alright. See you, Vector,” Takashi said, “We’ll bring back something for your lunch, Kibou. I’ll see you later.”

Astral smiled.

"Thank you.  Have a good time."  He said, watching the pair leave.  He glanced at Vector with frowning, analytical face, about to grill him on what the heck he was really doing with Takashi, when Vector interrupted him.

"I'm gonna go into sleep mode, later!~"  He said, before vanishing.  Sure, that was what he said, but actually he was going to keep an eye on Takashi.  He hacked into his phone and gave it a small vibrate so that Takashi would know he was there and not panic.  Plus, he didn't want to talk to Astral...the other looked like he was debating shutting his program down.  

"It's been ages since we've been out, hasn't it, Inchou?"  Tokunosuke said, letting Takashi into his van, ready to drive him to the restaurant.

“Yeah…” Takashi said, getting in and buckling up. “Sorry it’s taken so long for us to meet up. It seems every time you’re free, Vector and I are busy."

"You and the model?  What exactly do you two do that makes you so busy?"  Tokunosuke asked, backing out and heading onto the road.  He was curious...the way Takashi behaved with the model...was like two lovers instead of a person and a computer model...

“We do lots of stuff. Sometimes it takes me a while to wake up and go get my meds, so we kind of have whole days set aside to do that. And then we go out a lot.” Takashi said casually, even though inwardly he was trying to make up something else. He knew his friends really wouldn’t approve of with what he did with Vector’s last gift for him, no matter how good for him it was. “Other times I double book with Thomas, and he’s harder to get a hold of. Or mum takes me out, and she’s even harder."

"...So you sleep all day?"  Tokunosuke said in surprise.  

"...How does the model go out with you?"  He asked.  

"Ah, yes your underwear model friend...and it's nice you're seeing your mom.  Any other friends you see?"

“Not always… Some days it’s… just harder to get up more than others you know?” Takashi sighed, glancing out the window, trying not to look too downcast when his friend was taking him out for fun.

“Through my phone. He can sync to it and just sit there. He doesn’t even need to use mobile data. It’s useful, especially if I want to surf the internet without paying extra.” He said, mostly joking.

“Besides you? Uh, not really. Yuuma’s called to see me but we can’t seem to get together."

"Hmm..."  Tokunosuke said, pondering the answers.  

"...Do you still get depressed often?"  He asked, concerned about his friend.  It had been quite awhile since Vector died now...Takashi was definitely better than he was back then, but he still seemed off.  

"...Is he in your phone now?"  Tokunosuke asked, wondering if the model was stalking them.

"Ah yes, Yuuma-kun is super busy...he and Shark just adopted a girl!"

“Not often. It comes and goes. But Vector helps with it, so even on my worst days I’m not that bad.” Takashi admitted. He pulled his phone out, wondering that himself. However, there was no face of his AI when he unlocked the screen.

“Not that I can see,” Takashi said, though he knew very well that Vector could still be monitoring his phone anyway without him knowing.

“Oh yeah. I got the group chat text. What’s her name again?”

"Alright...well, you know, Inchou, you can rely on us too.  We're your friends, and we're all worried about you."  Tokunosuke said.  He glanced over at the phone curiously while at a stoplight, wanting to see if Takashi's phone looked weird when Vector was in it.  He shrugged.

"Well, I guess he's fooling around with Kibou then...speaking of that guy, why didn't you tell me he was coming over?  And...do I know him from somewhere, cause he is really familiar looking...."  Tokunosuke mused.  

"Iris!  She's a real cutie.  Yuuma's sent me pictures!  I'll show you when we get there."

“I know… thanks…” Takashi nodded. He knew his friends were there for him, but he still didn’t want to bother them, especially since Vector was fine with caring for him. The man pocketed his phone in his jacket again and looked back at his friend. “Oh. Well like I said, he came at the very last minute. He’s been having housing problems, so he’s come to stay over.” Takashi paused, wondering what he could say. “He’s one of Vector’s friends when he was Ena, but I’m not sure where you’ve seen him. You never did hang around Vector that much even when he was disguised. Wouldn’t you recognise someone like that though? He has some pretty obvious tattoos. Maybe he just resembles a client or something.” “Yeah, show me. She sounds cute.”

"Don't forget it, okay!  Even if we're busy we gotta make time for friends!"  Tokunosuke said with a grin.  

"Ah...a friend of Vector's...he didn't seem surprised about Vector's AI either...."  Tokunosuke said.  His eyes widened.

"Inchou, are you housing a criminal?  A hacker buddy of Vector's?  I heard awhile ago that one broke out of jail...and I think they looked very similar to Kibou!"

Tokunosuke always seemed he could read his thoughts, and Takashi gave him a soft smile and nod, confirming so. “Huh? No. I don’t think so. Kibou is a friend that Vector made as Ena, not as Vector.” Takashi was somehow able to keep his composure, though inwardly he was a little scared that his flip side friend would see through his improvisation. “I told him about Vector a few weeks ago, when he came to visit. He was quite surprised to see and how we were going.” More lies… Takashi felt awful and inwardly apologised. “Maybe you’re mistaking him for Hope? You know… that actual criminal that was at Yuma’s wedding? Kibou is a lot bulkier than him, and has a different face shape.”

Tokunosuke frowned.  Takashi wasn't a very good liar...he was not being completely honest about something.

"...Oh yeah...I remember that guy.  He's the hacker that escaped..."  Tokunosuke mused.  He could feel as if something was off about the explanation.  He'd have to look into it further.  He pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant.

"We're here!"

Takashi didn’t like that frown, but he hoped Tokunosuke wouldn’t look too far into it. Sighing, the man forced a smile and hopped out.

“Man, it’s been ages since I’ve been here. I never go here except with you."

Tokunosuke hopped out too with a smile.

"It's our place, for sure!  I haven't been here in ages either!"  He said happily.

"Let's head in and get a spot and we can catch up more!  What's Thomas been up to?"

“Thomas?” Takashi asked. “Oh, well I guess you don’t know. He’s getting more popularity lately. Like his name isn’t known but he’s showing more in commercials. He’s planning to audition in some local TV stuff, just to see how far he can go. Amateur stuff he says, but he’s taking it like a challenge. He’s good though. Always a good time with him."

Tokunosuke smirked.

"That's Thomas...always a drama queen who needs more attention in more mediums!" He mused, taking a seat.

"How often do you see him?"

“Yep, that’s right.” Takashi laughed. “Not that often. He’s really busy. It’s been… gosh… Over a month at least already. Wow...”

"Wow...yeah he's super busy alright. I heard he's looking for a fellow model to help him out with some ads...maybe you could do it Inchou! I'm pretty sure he still has the hots for you. He'd hire you right away!" Tokunosuke mused with a grin.

“Haha… I’m not really model material. Besides, it’d be way too embarrassing.” Takashi laughed.

Tokunosuke chuckled.

"That's up to Thomas to decide isn't it? But seriously you could do some part time work! Maybe that will help you get out of the house and feel better!"

“Not really. He’s model. Not the guy who hires them. He’d bring me to his employer and I’d probably mess up.” Takashi laughed. “Can you even see me as a model?”

“Besides, I still do IT support from home. I’m still working.”

Tokunosuke shrugged.

"Maybe not if super sexy stuff..." he mused.

"Oh? How often do you work then?"

“Eh, I guess.” Takashi said, heading inside and taking a seat. “Still sounds weird."

“Like every day for a few hours. Some days are slower than others though,” Takashi admitted.

Tokunosuke sat across from his friend and listened.

"Hmm...well that's good that you can work...but isn't the model capable of doing that kind of work too? You should get out of the house! Get a job that makes you around to real people, you know?"

“I mean… yeah. I guess so. He really could do that kind of work. I just it’s just habit, since that’s what I did when Vector was alive.” Takashi shrugged.

“I dunno… I mean… I should. Just haven’t thought about it much."

"Exactly! So by doing the IT work you're still spending time with the model when it doesn't need you to! It's not a real person like Vector who needed you there to look after him. You'll have to break that habit." Tokunosuke said.

"You could be a delivery boy for me again, if I need a hand. Or maybe Kotori could use your help at school...you were a model student after all."

“I mean… the reason I took that job was also because when I was released on medical terms from the police force, it was easy and not strenuous. I’ve been doing this for longer than when Vector was living with me,” Takashi frowned, starting to get a little annoyed how his friend was harping on about the same issue. He tried to hide it though and he waved his hand dismissively

“I mean… I’d have to go to uni again to help out at the school, but maybe that’s not a bad idea. …Delivery boy though?I guess so. Are you still getting jobs?"

"Yep I know, but you're doing better now aren't you? Your leg and hand seem better...you had surgery to fix them." Tokunosuke said with a grin.

"Schools' your thing, Inchou! You're really good at studying and focusing, unlike me." He said with a snort.

"I still get tons of jobs...since you're kinda working in the flip side too, maybe you can help with some of the more risky ones." Tokunosuke said with a wink.

“I fixed my foot. My hand is still out of commission, though it’s not like it matters,” The man shrugged. He chuckled though, and nodded. It was true, he was considerably better than Tokunosuke.

“Oh… Really? Well… I’m not sure. Vector wouldn’t want me to do anything too risky… but if you ever need a hand, I’ll be happy to help."

"Maybe you could get the hand fixed too?  It'd help you out I'm sure!"  Tokunosuke mused.  He shook his head.

"Who cares what that model thinks?  You can make your own decisions about these sorts of things!  I won't make you do anything too dangerous Inchou."

night

“Nah, I mean… I can carry things and dress myself and do typing and writing. If it’s not broken or doesn’t impede me, there’s no real point, is it?”

“I mean… well… He’s supposed to look after me. But if you promise nothing too dangerous, I don’t mind."

Tokunosuke shrugged.

"I guess if it doesn't bother you or get in the way it's fine." He mused. He smiled.

"Yeah! That's the spirit Inchou! I'll let you know if I need help with some not dangerous stuff!"

“Yeah. I’ve just gotten so used to it, I’ve probably forgotten how to use it.” Takashi joked.

“Alright, alright. I will. How is the delivery business anyway? Going well?”

"Maybe."  Tokunosuke said, having a sip of water.

"It's going well.  I'm getting tons of clients from all over the place, ura.  I'm known for not being picky on what I deliver."

“Heh… Yeah. And your prices are really good too. I’m glad it’s booming,” Takashi said.

Tokunosuke grinned.

"Yep!  I'm glad too!  All my high school scheming and planning for this sort of thing has paid off!"  He said happily.

While Tokunosuke and Takashi were enjoying their time together, at Heartland High School, Mokuba Kaiba was about to start his very first day of public school.  Most other students were filing into the building without much care, talking to each other about their weekend plans and dreading their upcoming classes...until the limosine approached their school and caught their attention.

"Woah, look at that!"  

"I've never seen a limo so close up before..."

"Wonder who's in it?"

"I wanna ride one!"

Mokuba’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. His brother knew exactly what he was doing. He knew he shouldn’t have trusted Seto with getting him to school. Yes, he knew that he’d have one of his guards chauffeur him, but he expected a fancy car and not a limo.

“So much for the subtle entrance, and no one figuring out who I am. Thanks, Seto…” Mokuba muttered under his breath when they pulled up. He nodded to his driver before he grabbed his bag and hopped out in his new uniform. He took a deep breath before he confidently walked to the school, as if he had a thousand times before.

Seto Kaiba had known exactly what he was doing.  He still didn't quite think public school was best for Mokuba and wanted to prove it by getting him to want to leave on his own.  He figured that even without a dramatic entrance like this, someone would probably still recognize Mokuba...but he was a Kaiba, and Kaibas did things dramatically.  It was unavoidable.

The kids watched in awe as a somewhat familiar figure stepped out and confidently approached the school building.  

"I've seen him somewhere before..."  One murmured to her friend.  

"Yeah me too..."  The friend said back.  The kids were puzzling it amongs themselves.  Some kids realized who was in front of them right away.

"Oh my god...I think that's...Kaiba Mokuba-san!"  

"Really?!  No way..."  Finally, a brave student approached the newcomer.

"...You wouldn't happen to be Kaiba Mokuba-san, would you?"  One asked, with others watching him intently to judge the reaction.  Many had come to the same conclusion but none were brave enough to talk to him yet.

Mokuba looked at the boy. He was a little older than him, but he looked and acted no better than a child. Mokuba recognised his behaviour to be like small business owners who were coming to align or bargain with KaibaCorp and were sucking up to them. He internally rolled his eyes but he smiled politely.

“Who would like to know? You?”

The boy blinked.

"...Everyone?"  He asked, almost uncertain.  The other kids were all whispering to each other, spreading the word around that Kaiba Mokuba was at their school.

Meanwhile, Ponta was skateboarding to school (a habit he had picked up after Kotori had started going to school early to prep her classroom) and was surprised by the commotion at the front door.  He and some students who had missed the dramatica Kaiba entrance approached the crowd and pushed their way through to see what was going on.  Ponta's eyes widened and lit up in joy when he spotted the familiar mop of black hair near the middle.

"Mokuba-pon!  You're here!"  Ponta said, having absolutely no regard for the crowd as he burst through and hugged Mokuba, much to the shock of all the other people around.  

"Oy, Ponta, you can't just hug him!  Don't you know who that is?!"  One of the kids squawked, expecting the Kaiba brother to push the boy off.  Ponta had always been a bit odd to most of the students, since he looked different, spoke differently and was also known to be the adopted son of one of the teachers (but he didn't even call her "Mom" so it was a little weird?).  Ponta ignored him.

"You making friends already huh?  That's great!"  He said happily to Mokuba.

“Well, if everyone wants to know, yes. I’m Mokuba.” Mokuba said, purposefully not using his last name, letting everyone figure out for themselves who he was. He continued to walk, admittedly liking how he could still clear people out of the way just by moving. It sucked, if he wanted to blend in, but it still was nice anyway.

“Ah! Ponta! Hey! So we did end up at the same school.” Mokuba laughed. He wasn’t too comfortable with the hugging, but he petted Ponta on the head, as one would do an excited puppy. “It’s good to see you, Ponta. Is it always so lively here?"

The students were already spreading the word, awed that Kaiba Mokuba was at their school.  They weren't even sure if he was a student yet, but he was definitely here...

"Looks like it, pon!"  Ponta said happily, ignoring the crowd once more, who were stunned that not only did Mokuba not push Ponta away, but he actually said his name!  Did Ponta know Kaiba Mokuba?!  

"Ah, no...I think everyone's just happy to see you, pon!  What class are you in?  Do you have a schedule yet?  I wanna see if we're in the same classes pon!"  Ponta said happily.

“I guess so. It’s kind of obvious,” Mokuba looked at the crowd of whispering students and he sighed. There went his normal high school experience. Gone before he even started. If he had arrived normally, he would have at least had the opportunity to try make a name and just have people think he resembled Mokuba. Damn it, Seto.

“I need to go to the office now and grab it. You wanna show me where it is?” he said, letting Ponta let go of him.

"You attracted a lot of attention, pon...they must really be curious about you!"  Ponta noted, still oblivious to exactly who his new friend was and why he was so important.

"Sure, I know where it is!  Let's go!"  Ponta said, leading Mokuba towards the office.  He was a little surprised that everyone seemed to part for them both, whispering and pointing.

“Yeah… I can’t guess why,” Mokuba said sarcastically, wondering if Ponta knew or was still messing with him. He would have gotten the hint now, surely.

“Are they like this for every new student?"

"...Hmm...maybe it's because you're coming in during the middle of the school year?"  Ponta said with a shrug.  He honestly had no idea.

"No, not unless you're really different, pon!  When I first started school kids thought I was different too, cause I didn't speak Japanese well at all!"  Ponta mused with a grin.

“… I think based on what you told me, it’s because I’m different,” Mokuba laughed. He was half expecting kids to mob him and separate him from Ponta, but everyone else seemed very much intimidated by him.

“You didn’t speak at all? You’re very fluent now.”

Ponta smiled.

"I don't think you're that different!  You're super nice...you'll make friends in no time, pon!"  Ponta said.  He nodded.

"Nope!  I spoke Italian only when I was little, so I had to learn Japanese when I was in elementary pon!  Thankfully Kotori was a teacher and she could teach me...and Alit speaks Italian too so he could help me translate."  Ponta said.

Mokuba laughed. It really was funny, hearing Ponta like this, but he supposed that he could play along. It was fun at least being with Ponta, and one new friend was making things tolerable.

“Oh wow. That’s good. Italian is one of the languages I never picked up. I know French and English and Han Chinese though. As well as a few other bits and pieces.”

Ponta smiled and chuckled too, happy to laugh with Mokuba.  He was glad to make him happy.

"You know that many!?  Wow!  I know a little bit of English, since they're teaching it in school, but not French or Chinese!"  It's not everyday I know someone who speaks more languages than I do, pon!"  Ponta said with a grin, noticing that they arrived at the office.

"Here we go, the office!"

“I also know Spanish and Arabic.” Mokuba rarely got to share his multilingual tongue, so it was nice to have someone ask about it for once. He smirked before he nodded.

“Yeah… I’ll go get my papers. Hopefully I’ll be in your class.”

"Wow!  So many!"  Ponta exclaimed, excited and curious.  He nodded.

"Okay, pon!  Did you want me to wait?  I'm sure the teachers won't mind...that way I can show you where the rooms are!"

“Um… You sure? I don’t want to get you in trouble."

Ponta nodded.

"It's okay!  The teachers will understand.  I know them all pretty well, pon."  Ponta said, knowing that all of them knew his relation to Kotori, and she had been talking about him to them for years before he even came to this school.  They knew he was a good kid who wouldn't miss class without a good reason.

“Alright… Um…” Mokuba wasn’t sure if the lady inside would create a big fuss so he just nodded. “Wait here. If I take too long, go on without me. I don’t know if she needs to debrief me or something. So it might be a while."

Ponta nodded.

"Okay, pon!  Hopefully it won't take too long!" He said, happily taking a seat outside the office to wait for Mokuba.  

The secretary inside noticed Mokuba entering the office and smiled.

"Kaiba Mokuba-kun, I presume?  Here is your class schedule.  Your brother has requested that we keep security guards around for you while you're here, so Isono-san will be accompanying you to all your classes."  She said, motioning to Isono, who had wisely ducked around the mob of students.  

"Please let us know if you need a guide or any help with anything while you're here."

“Oh my god…” As soon as he saw Isono, he buried his face into his hands. “This is a middle school. How can you allow this? You don’t have security guards in a middle school.” He had a good mind to tromp home and yell at his older brother for this nonsense. Seriously. Did he have nothing better to put their company resources in?

“I refuse. Isono. Go home. I have a guide. I can take one day of school,” he said, taking the timetable. Thankfully he didn’t have to remember too many rooms, since all classes took place in one room and the teachers switched around, but it still looked quite foreign to him.

"Your brother insisted, Mokuba-kun."  The secretary said apologetically.  Nobody here wanted to challenge the elder Kaiba.  

Isono sighed.

"As you wish, Mokuba-sama."  He knew that Mokuba knew that in sending him home, he'd probably be facing a lecture from Seto-sama when he got home.  

"And who is your guide?"

Mokuba knew that, but he definitely was not going to put up with Isono in the corner of the classroom. He rubbed his temples and sighed. “I have one of the students outside. I’ve met him before. He seems happy to show me around” Mokuba turned to the secretary. “Thank you, miss. I’ll be going now.”

"Alright then, Mokuba-kun.  Have fun."  The secretary smiled, letting him go.  Ponta grinned as Mokuba emerged a moment later.

"You got it pon?  Lemme see!"  He said, wanting to know if they were in the same classes.

Mokuba headed out and he smiled and Ponta as he exited. Thankfully, Isono had the sense to wait, so he was free to show Mokuba his papers.

“Class 2C. Do you know which one that is?"

Ponta's smile widened.

"That's mine!  I know where that is, it's this way, this way, pon!"  He said, super excited to be in the same class as his new friend.  He links arms with Mokuba and hurried him down to the classroom in question.

Mokuba yelped as he was taken and practically dragged along. “Give a guy some warning first, Ponta!"

Ponta laughed.

"Sorry, sorry, pon!  I'll remember for next time, but we're gonna be late for class if we don't hurry, pon!"  He said happily.

“Oh yeah! Not the best impression!” Mokuba didn’t realise he was even late yet. He sped up, still being dragged by Ponta away to the classroom.

"Yeah, yeah!" Ponta laughed, rushing Mokuba into the classroom just in time.  

"Come back here, sit with me, pon!"  Ponta said, bringing Mokuba to an open desk next to his.

“Oh good, the teacher isn’t here yet.” Mokuba couldn’t believe his luck as he realised that the teacher wasn’t here AND he got to sit next to Ponta. He grinned and slid over to the middle seats.

A few of the students in the class were staring at Mokuba, having heard from their friends or seen first hand that Kaiba Mokuba was here...and wow was it a surprise that he was their class!  Ponta beamed.

"We made it just in time...the teacher's coming soon."  Ponta said, smiling and sliding into his desk with a thumbs up.

“Yeah…” Mokuba grinned. He began piling his things on his desk and he looked up, half-expecting to see people show up and ask him questions soon.

A few of the students looked like they were about to get up and ask him questions, but then the teacher walked in.

"Class, everyone settle down.  We have a new student with us today..."  The teacher said, looking over her students to find Mokuba seated next to Ponta.  

"Would you like to come introduce yourself?"  She asked him.

“Ah…” Right… the infamous introduction scene. He knew this from movies. Inwardly, Mokuba was cringing, even though he remained perfectly calm on the outside. The boy moved out of his chair to the front of the class, where he bowed politely to them. “My name is Kaiba Mokuba. I’m the vice-president of Kaiba Corp. I’ll be attending your class for today and hopefully for the rest of this year. Thank you.” Fuck it. If there were limos and Seto would send a guard over, might as well bite the bullet.

Everyone watched the new boy go through the classic movie scene introduction ritual with anticipation.  Ponta simply smiled to encourage his friend.  He himself had been nervous going through this ages ago, so he wanted to help Mokuba however he could.  

When Mokuba finally spoke though, the class basically erupted in whispers and exchanged looks among the classmates...except for Ponta, who simply looked at Mokuba with a confused expression.  Yes, he knew that Mokuba's brother worked for KaibaCorp...and he still didn't quite know what that was...but how could Mokuba be a Vice-President when he was still a teenager?  

"Alright class, settle down.  I'm sure you'll all get a chance to know Kaiba-san in time, but for now we have lessons.  Thank you, Kaiba-san.  You may take your seat."  The teacher said.

Mokuba looked out at the sea of students, expecting that reaction, before he saw Ponta look confused. He almost laughed, but he forced himself to be calm. Nodding, he headed back to his seat.

“I’ll explain later,” He said to Ponta, admittedly a bit charmed by his naivety.

"Okay."  Ponta said with a smile.  The teacher sighed.

"Alright class, let's get started on our lesson."  She said, turning to the whiteboard to write and beginning to lecture.  Ponta did pay attention in class, but he was also a little ahead in studies, since Kotori was so strict about him getting his schoolwork done, so he knew what the teacher was talking about.  He glanced over at Mokuba, who seemed about the same...so he thought of an idea.  He wrote a tiny note and tore it out of his book to pass stealthily to Mokuba when the teacher wasn't looking.  

The text on it was simply, "Can you read this?  I'm bored"  written in Italian. Since the boy had said he spoke Spanish, which Ponta had tried to read before and could somewhat understand, he figured maybe it would work the same for Italian!

Mokuba of course was fascinated by how simple this work was. He had learned this a few years ago, and only now was this school learning it. How quaint. He looked on with interest, more like a researcher than a student, before he felt the paper wave at his open hand. He looked over and picked the note up, and was surprised.

“Kinda. I get the idea” he wrote back in Spanish before he passed it back.

Ponta waited as patiently as he could before Mokuba passed the note back.  He read over the response and was thrilled!  They could exchange notes this way and the teacher would never know what they said!  He smiled and wrote out an answer.

"Great!  You looked bored too I wanted to help!  Did you learn this before too?"  He wrote and passed back.

“I’m interested they’re teaching this, but I learned this years ago. Surprised you learned this too.” He said, struggling to read some bits but figuring it out with some errors.

Ponta also struggled to read certain words, but he could get he gist of it.  He wrote back as quickly as he could, trying to avoid the teacher's eyes.

"Kotori is a teacher here so I know the curriculum pretty well.  She teaches me these things cause I asked her to."  Ponta wrote back.

“I thought she was a primary school teacher,” Mokuba said, pulling a page out of his book and writing on it.

"She is but she also knows other stuff too! She likes to teach me things that are higher grades too!" Ponta wrote and was about to pass back before the teacher noticed.

"Passing notes in class, boys? Ponta, you know better." The teacher said with a frown.

"Hand it over and I'll read it out if it's so important." Ponta sighed and did. The teacher opened it and frowned as she noticed the notes were written in foreign languages that she couldn't read. Ponta smiled and was trying not to laugh at the teacher's expression as she tried to puzzle out what they were saying.

“I’m sorry…” Mokuba apologised immediately, not exactly sure what to do now. He was inwardly laughing, though he kept a straight face.

The teacher sighed and tossed the note in the trash once she gave up trying to read it.

"Boys, please refrain from passing notes in class while I'm teaching. There will be plenty of time to get to know each other during recess and between classes." She said. Ponta nodded.

"Yes m'am. We're sorry." He said, still trying to keep a straight face.

Mokuba nodded as well, glad he was getting off because he was new. He didn’t want Seto to know he already got in trouble. Still, he flashed a grin at Ponta. That had been… somehow exciting.

Ponta returned the grin and tried not to giggle.

"Did you see her face?" He mouthed, Before the teacher glanced his way again.

"Ponta, do I have to move you?" She asked and Ponta immediately shook his head vigorously.

"No m'am I'll be good and focus I promise, pon!" He said. The teacher turned back to the assignment for the remainder of the class before it was finally let out. Ponta managed to focus for that amount of time, but it seemed like forever! As he packed up his stuff he grinned at Mokuba.

"We got theatre next, pon! You'll get to meet Robin!"

Mokuba unfortunately missed the look but he glanced back at Ponta when the teacher called him out. He sighed quietly as he did his work and it was a relief when the bell went off.

“Oh… that’s cool. You mentioned that yesterday didn’t you?"

Ponta nodded.

"Yep! He's super nice and fun! Come on, I'll show you we're we have drama class, pon." He said, getting up and leading Mokuba out.

“Alright…” Mokuba smiled and followed. “Thanks…”

Ponta gave him a thumbs up and led him off. A few classmates who were in theatre followed.

Fuuya was in the theatre preparing for drama class. It was tons of fun to teach, but it did always make him a little nervous at first. He couldn't help it. But, he was always happy to see the kids so eager to learn. One of his favourite students, Ponta, burst in moments later with a new boy Fuuya hadn't seen before in tow.

"Fuuya! My friend Mokuba wants to try theatre! And he wanted to meet you, pon!" Ponta said happily. Fuuya smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Mokuba-kun. I'm Okudaira Fuuya. I welcome all newcomers to the class." He said, drawing on some of Robin's confidence to help him.

“Well, I took the elective, yes. It seemed interesting,” Mokuba said, though it was with the calm amusement of a parent correcting a child. He smiled at the teacher and bowed politely.

“Hello there.” Mokuba wasn’t the biggest fan of Robin, but he admired him and did watch the show. He was surprised that Robin looked so young, even despite his age. It was almost like the actor had just come off the set. It was pretty cool. “I’ve never done drama before…”

Ponta grinned.

"Then you'll be fine!" He said with a smile. Fuuya smiled.

"That's alright. Most of the students haven't done it before this year either. Ponta is quite good at acting, so stick with him and you should be fine." He said, knowing that Ponta was particularly good at imitations and impressions. Ponta grinned.

"You'll do fine, Mokuba, pon!"

“Alright…” Mokuba said. He hovered around the teacher and Ponta, wondering if every student was going to gravitate around him or just ignore him. He was rather anxious, since this was one of the few things he didn’t know, and he kind of wanted class to start so they got this over with.

A few of the students approached him.

“You're Kaiba Mokuba, right?”  

“Aren't you super rich?”

“Why're you in our school?”  

Ponta blinked, surprised that Mokuba was getting so much attention.  Fuuya observed and frowned  a little.  As a celebrity himself he'd been mobbed a little before too...

“C'mon class, settle down.  You'll have plenty of time to get to know Mokuba-kun later.”  

Mokuba gave a confident smile, obviously having expected this the moment he stepped out of the limo. “Yes, I’m him. I’m in this school because I’m here to learn. I was under the assumption that’s what we came here to do.”

The other kids took in this information with a look of awe and confusion.

"But don't you have tutors? Why'd you come here?" One asked, surprised to find a kid who actually wanted to come to school. Ponta was simply confused. He wondered why these kids were so focused on Mokuba...he was a new kid, sure, but why did they think it was so weird for him to be here? Kids went to school, like Mokuba had said! That wasn't odd!

"Did you know Kaiba Mokuba before, Ponta?" One asked him. Ponta grinned.

"I met him yesterday at the store, pon. Now we're friends!" He said happily. The kids were even more shocked at this, which confused Ponta even more.

"Why're you guys so surprised? Mokuba's a kid like us, and kids go to school right? He's normal, pon."

“I had no interest in tutors anymore, and since I know everything I need to know so far, I decided to see what a public school was like. It’s a lot more lively, to say the least, and I’m hoping to make many relations here,” Mokuba said smoothly, smiling cooly to the masses.

However, he heard what Ponta had to say and he smirked, before he covered his mouth, trying hard not to laugh. Ponta really didn’t know anything about him or his company. It was really funny.

And kind of nice.

The kids murmured to themselves impressed by Mokuba's coolness. Others simply gawked at Ponta. They had never thought anyone had never heard of Kaiba.

Ponta pouted.

"I don't get what the big deal is..."

“I’ll tell you some day, Ponta. I think Okudaira-sensei wants to get started,” Mokuba chuckled. Honestly, he was rather glad that Ponta was oblivious, and even though a few people here did seem like trustworthy folk, he didn’t like the attention so much. A couple of kids who were already jealous were giving him dirty glares, and he could pick up quickly who was more interested in his status rather than him. Mokuba wasn’t sure what to make of all of this.

Ponta nodded, turning his attention to Fuuya. Fuuya smiled. "Thank you, Mokuba. Let's settle down...you'll have plenty of time to talk after. For now, we'll warm up with some games, alright?" "Why don't you guys all partner up and play expressions? All you have to do is copy the leader! You guys decide which one will lead." "I'll go with you Mokuba! You can lead and I'll copy you as your mirror!"

“Yeah, I’m going with you,” Mokuba said quickly. He flicked his hair and smirked at Ponta, wondering if Ponta could pull off such a serious, out of character expression.

Ponta nodded.

"Great!" He said. He surprised Mokuba, flicking his much shorter hair to the best of his ability in a motion that perfectly mimicked Mokuba's then mirrored his smirk perfectly, down to the slight narrowing of his eyes to the tilt of his head.

Mokuba quirked an eyebrow, looking rather impressed. He smirked. Maybe he could have fun with this. Sure, their classmates were only doing simple things, but Ponta was interesting.

“Heh, not bad. But don’t think you can be better a being me than me,” he said, snapping his fingers and pointing at Ponta, like how he or his brother would sometimes.

Ponta was trying not to giggle or laugh as Mokuba's expression changed.  He quirked an eyebrow too when Mokuba did.  He copied the Kaiba snap and point move with a smirk.

"I'm not trying to be, pon!  I just like copying!"  He said with a chuckle.

“You’re really good at it. Did you learn from somewhere or what?” Mokuba said, crossing his arms, being a little more silly with it and shifting his stance from side to side a little.

Ponta continued to copy the increasingly silly gestures and smiled.

"I don't know...it's just something I always did, pon.  I liked to copy, so I did, pon!"  Ponta said.

“I’m going to look really dumb when I’m trying to copy you,” Mokuba said, laughing.

Ponta laughed.

"No, I'm sure you'll do fine, pon!  It's not that hard...I won't make it too tricky for you if you want!"  He said with a grin.

“Alright,” Mokuba said. He was trying to think of a hard pose to do when Fuuya called for the partners to swap roles. “So I just copy you?"

"Yep!  Copy me, pon!"  Ponta smiled, putting his hands on his hips and spreading his legs in a dramatic fashion before nodding exaggeratedly, expecting Mokuba to copy.

That seemed simple enough. It was an expression that he did himself sometimes. Mokuba chuckled, forgetting any esteem he had very quickly and copied Ponta. “Gotcha”

Ponta smiled as Mokuba copied him perfectly.

"You did! So let's try this..." he said, turning sideways. He then began shifting into a motion that he'd seen Alit do while exercising at home. He took a fighters stance and swung a punch, not directed at Mokuba with a grin he'd seen Alit wear.

Mokuba turned and watched as he shifted, and he watched him throw a punch. Mokuba was considerably impressed, and he did his best to copy.

Ponta grinned when Mokuba punched almost as well as he did.

"Youre good, pon! Alit would be happy with it too! He's the one who taught me this!" Ponta explained. He stepped and threw another punch and then struck a goofy pose standing on one foot.

Mokuba covered his mouth and burst out into snickers. “Man, what even is that?” He asked, throwing the punch, but abstaining from the pose due to his laughter

Ponta laughed too when Mokuba did.

"I gotcha, pon!" He laughed, getting out of his ridiculous pose with a grin.''

“Well yeah. Guess I’m not as good at you with this. What a shock.” He lugged, seeming very much amused.

Ponta chuckled.

"Most people aren't, pon.  I've always been a good copycat!"  He mused with a chuckle.

“Seems like it,’ Mokuba grinned, giving him a thumbs up.

Ponta returned the thumbs up and he and Mokuba launched into their next activity enthusiastically. Ponta was so glad to have a friend he could have fun with in school that the day just seemed to fly by.

Meanwhile, at LeoCorp headquarters, Reiji Akaba was about to call his contact in Neo Domino. Shun had had enough time off to recover from whatever happened with Yuuto. It was time to work. Reiji dialled and waited for his man to answer, seated at his desk and staring intently at his screen, where he'd been examining every inch of the plan.

Shun had been busy since leaving Neo Domino City. For the last week in particular, he had been collecting information, stalking Roger and his company, getting what he could off the man. By now, he knew thoroughly about the security and the protocols of Sector Security, how they hired people, what Roger did, how operations worked, and even though he had yet to go through Roger’s encrypted files, Shun had a good idea of what was going on, and what kind of scum Roger was.

He had been busy, but despite that, when he came back to his hotel room (a place that was very fancy since he was posing as ‘Mr. Obsidian’ but seemed so cold and empty…) he couldn’t overcome a sinking feeling in his stomach. It seemed like a long time since they had separated, and yet not enough, because Shun still felt like the hole in his heart hadn’t mended yet. However, being the hardened warrior he was, the man knew that even despite how trouble he was, he had a job to do- the job that he abandoned Yuto for.

Shun had just finished his shower, knowing he had the meeting Astral had gotten him with Roger was in a few hours. He sighed as he sat down, collecting himself as he accepted the call on the laptop.

“Akaba,” Shun greeted stiffly, still towel-drying his hair and his exposed torso.

Reiji didn't bat an eye at Shun's impeccable chest and shoulders. He was used to this sort of thing.

"You're certainly taking your time with Roger. I trust that means you have a progress report." Reiji said simply, expecting Shun to explain his findings.

“Of course I do,” Shun muttered, as if offended that Reiji even insinuated the possibility of him not having one ready. “I know all about the building. Lower security schedules, checks for their guards, and the layout of the outside of the main office and Roger’s home. He barely leaves Sector Security office though, and even when he does he has five armed guards with him and an escort. I’ve talked to some locals and pieced together his timetable, but it’s got gaps.”

“I haven’t scouted the building, but it’s all got Sector Security tech. The latest, and very much undistributed to the public. After today, I’ll see if an internal attack is a possibility.”

Reiji listened to the report.  He hadn't really expected Shun to not have one, but liked to ruffle him a little at times.  

"Ah yes, you have an appointment with Roger this afternoon, don't you?  I sent a suit over for you to wear.  You'll be posing as a businessman that I sent to negotiate with Roger about a potential project collaboration.  This should give you access to his office as Mr. Shay Obsidian."  Reiji said.

“Of course. I had my contact modify it when you sent the necessary details over.” Shun wasn’t worried about being caught, and Reiji wasn’t apparently if he was giving his details. Of course, Shun could always be just dropped as a hacker, and Akaba absolved from any blame, but Shun tried not to think how Yuto was right and how disposable he was.

“Right… Did you have to pick such a stupid name though?” Shun muttered. “Is there anything you wanted specifically from Roger, even if he isn’t your little mastermind?"

Reiji was convinced that if Roger saw Shun again after his appointment today, he would not live to tell the tale.  If he did, it meant Shun was slacking.  The pressure was on him, not Reiji.  

"From what I have seen, he seems to be involved with illicit activity, even if he wasn't responsible for the murder of CEOs.  I hear talk of him using technology to try and create robotic human beings...like Sergey Volkov, for example.  Robots that obey only him, and are far stronger than any ordinary human.  I want that confirmed, if possible."  Reiji said.

“Alright. Grab all his private files.” Shun opened his briefcase and went though his things, finding his multi-tool and a highly refined USB that he had gotten in the underground of Heartland. He put them on the desk and nodded.

“So was this project collaboration about cyber humans? Or are we being a bit more inconspicuous than that?"

"More inconspicuous. It's a technology merger if anything. He would benefit from Leo Corporation's engineering and the broad scope we possess in both Miami City and Heartland. His area of influence is mostly Neo Domino." Reiji said.

“Fair.” Shun shrugged. He figured as much, but it never hurt to clarify the role. “I’ll get ready then.”

"Good.  Should you require anything else, let me know."  Reiji said, about to sign off when Shun suddenly seemed to perk up, as if he had something to say.

"...Well?"

“…” Shun didn’t plan on sharing this. Not before a big mission, and not in front of Reiji, but this entire incident with Yuuto was still bothering him. He knew Reiji was strict, and wanted everything to his advantage, but still… Shun had to say something.

“… I need to know… When does my contract end with you?”

Reiji was a little surprised.  Shun had never asked when his contract had ended before.  He'd never shown anything less than full commitment to a task at hand.

"Are you thinking of quitting?"  Reiji asked, wondering what had brought this on.

“I’m thinking of not renewing my contract,” Shun said plainly, hoping to not give anything away. He knew that Reiji knew he and Yuto were partners once, but he wasn’t sure if Reiji and picked up if they were in a romantic relationship still. Even if Yuto wouldn’t take him back, he still wanted to leave… and he hoped Reiji wouldn’t take any misplaced anger out on the purple-haired man or his sister. “I’m not old, but if I renew my contract, then I’ll be at this until I’m a pensioner. Been thinking about my future, that’s all.”

Reiji was fully aware of Yuuto and Shun's relationship.  He kept track of whoever was in his employ, even if they weren't officially on the books.  He also knew that Yuuto's house had been raided recently by Heartland City police, which meant Yuuto was likely on his way to prison.  If Yuuto was the reason Shun was considering this, it wouldn't do him much good.  

"You usually don't think that far into the future."  Reiji mused, pushing his glasses up.

"It's not up for another few years if I recall correctly.  Hopefully you will be patient enough to stay for that long.  If not, there are consequences."  Reiji said sternly.  Consequences to both Shun and those he cared about.

Shun just glared at Reiji, not saying anything to the man but letting his irritation get across the screen. He shook his head, hiding a very tired sigh. “… Right. I was just wondering if it was soon or not,” Shun muttered. “I have no intention of leaving early. I just needed to know. That’s all.” “… We’re done."

Reiji nodded.

"Very well.  I will keep what you said in mind."  Reiji said, hanging up.  He did trust Shun not to run off...but it meant he might have to start looking for a new hit man.  And there was also the question of whether he should have Shun himself killed...he knew quite a bit after all.  It might be dangerous.

Shun took a deep breath as the call hung up and actually did sigh. That went well… maybe too well… and maybe that was suspicious. He didn’t want to think that Reiji would off him, but honestly, Reiji was so unpredictable that Shun didn’t know what he’d do next. His paranoid mind wanted to prepare for it, but Shun deliberately locked his thoughts to the back of his mind. He didn’t want to think too hard about it. If he did, he was worried he’d falter and die even before that moment. The man got up and he walked off to the bed, where the suit was, and he began to dress himself. These stiff, fancy clothes were unfamiliar, but at least he knew how to dress himself. Long, dark-blue shirt, with a black vest, tie, jacket and pants. He combed his hair back, made sure he looked alright and put on his fancy shoes and socks. “I swear this could pay a year of Ruri’s tuition…” Shun muttered under his breath as he checked himself in the mirror. Making sure he looked fine, he turned around and headed out down the stairs.

Meanwhile, Roger was waiting in his office for a contact from Akaba Reiji, of all people.  He was pleased with this new development.  Although KaibaCorp had excellent technology, Akaba Reiji had connections in Miami City and Heartland to a greater degree than Kaiba.  So it might be worthwhile to see whatever this Mr. Obsidian had to offer him...

"Hmm...perhaps I shouldn't have Reiji-san killed just yet...since he's being cooperative to my interests..."  Roger hmmed, stroking pieces on the chessboard he always kept by his desk.  He smiled.

"But Kawahara Raphael doesn't want to play along...I suppose he'll have to go as soon as I get Sergey back...Mutou's probably going to keep his mouth shut now that Sergey's torn him to shreds..."

Reiji had thankfully provided a car for him, in order to make the act look all the more convincing. Shun got in and sat down, placing his briefcase on his lap. He didn’t have to say anything to the driver, and as soon as he sat down, they were driving off for Sector Security headquarters.

The drive wasn’t too long, and soon Shun found himself walking up to the front desk. Inside of Sector Security was beautiful, white and pale blues, giving the building the impression it was made out of crystal, and all around there were business workers and guards, talking and moving between the different rooms. Shun blended right in.

“I’m here to see Mr. Roger. I’m Obsidian Shay. I have an important appointment with him.”

"Yes, he's been expecting you.  Right this way, Mr. Obsidian."  The secretary say, escorting Shun to the elevator up to Roger's office.  They arrived in less than a minute, the secretary letting him inside.  Roger smiled and got up to greet him.

"Welcome, Mr. Obsidian.  I am very much looking forward to our discussion."  Roger said, coming up to offer Shun a firm handshake like a proper businessman.

Despite every muscle in his face wanting to reel in repulse, Shun forced a professional smile, one that had been long practiced but never enjoyed. Shun took the man’s hand and shook it back, hoping the back of his gloves managed to pick up Roger’s fingerprints on the back of his hand as it was supposed to.

“Likewise. Akaba-san and the rest of the board have been eager to start this collaboration for some time now, and I’m hoping it will be just as beneficial for both of us.”

Roger smiled at this news, pleased.  He had no idea that Shun had just taken a copy of his prints.  

"Excellent.  I'm happy to discuss with you first as an intermediary.  Please, have a seat."  Roger said, gesturing to the chair across his desk with a smile before taking his own seat.

"Now, I'm assuming that Leo Corporation is most interested in our recent technological advancements...is that true?"

Shun nodded, using his peripheral vision to note the points of the cameras. His eyes were sharp, and he could already picture in his head how the cameras would be able to see the office. Shun used his body to shield the briefcase he put on his lap and he opened it. He pulled out a file that he had written up a while ago- a stock standard set of papers he used when infiltrating places like this- and a grey folder. He handed the file to Roger, and as he did so, he nimbly slid the glove Roger’s prints were on off his hand, and replaced it with an identical glove. With the proper glove in a plastic bag, away from Roger’s and the cameras’ eyes, he closed the briefcase as if nothing had happened.

“Yes. We’re hoping to further expand our hardware with the software Sector Security has. A technology merger, if you will. I’ve just provided you there our annual report of hardware and software at LDS. You may take that if you like.”

Roger didn't notice anything unusual about the briefcase or the glove switching.  He nodded.

"I'll have a look."  Roger said, accepting the folder.  He looked over the numbers and the reports inside it.  

"Most impressive...although I expect nothing less from the prestigious Leo Corporation.  Akaba-san is doing a fine job."  Roger said, putting the folder aside from now.

"I believe that our two companies technologies will be quite compatible.  It would be beneficial to both...LDS would have more access to Neo Domino, and Sector Security to Heartland and Miami City especially.  I have prepared a folder for you as well, to either look over yourself, or to give to Akaba Reiji-san and his board of directors.  It outlines a few plans that I believe would be beneficial to share as part of a merger...of course, the details will be discussed once the merger is officially given the go-ahead."  Roger said, giving Shun a similar folder with similar information.

“Thank you.” Shun skimmed the foreword and the first few pages. His eyes were sharp and he took in the words. Though he didn’t understand all of them, he did know some of it over his years of work. The man looked at the main points and raised an eyebrow.

“So you’re going heavily into the drone market. An interesting venture. I’ll be interested how refined the ones you have, and how stable your tech is at driving it. Akaba-san will be as well. Sector Security has also interest in furthering your information and data storage?”

Roger nodded.

"Drones are a way of the future, Mr. Obsidian.  Too many good men and women have lost their lives in battle...now the drones can fight for them.  In addition, dangerous people can be controlled via drone-like technology."  Roger mused.  

"We're currently facing difficulties in the driving department...take Sergey Volkov, for example.  He was a fine young man until he became too addicted to killing innocents...I tried to use a drone to limit him, but he still attacked people anyway."  Roger shook his head sadly.

"Those he killed died brutally...torn to shreds in most cases...and those that lived either lost their minds and committed suicide...or became so paranoid they could no longer function.  It's such an unfortunate event.  I am dedicated to the preservation of life...that is why I am hoping a merger with LDS will assist in finding the proper driving equipment for these drones of mine.  No more blood needs to be shed that way."

He had heard the talks about the drones being substitute spies and bombers, but he hadn’t heard about it controlling people. He flicked through the file, but he looked at Roger, succeeding into getting him to elaborate. “So you mean… dangerous people being monitor and regulated by these drones,” Shun said. He frowned at the mention of Sergey, listening to Roger talk about the ‘tragedy’ that Volkov was. And his victims. Lost their minds? Too paranoid to function? Shun suddenly thought of Yuuto and how he had been acting before he left. While Yuuto had been far from insane, Shun knew that Yuuto had been acting differently since his encounter with Sergey. Was that what this was? Was there a similar pattern in Yuuto? Was he… was he going to… “So you’re against the death penalty then? Intent on keeping men like Sergey alive even despite his crimes?” Shun asked, fighting hard to keep the growing rage and all of his profanities underneath his act. He felt like growling and snapping himself, right there and then at Roger… Yuuto…

"Precisely.  At the very least, monitored.  It would make everyone safer."  Roger replied.  He nodded.

"I do not agree with the death penalty completely...taking a life is still taking a life, no matter whos it is.  But, if Sergey cannot be controlled...he may have to be killed."  Roger said, seeming to notice a change in his companion.  He seemed to be a little...stiffer.  As if he wasn't too happy.

It took everything in Shun’s power not to punch Roger and more not to run out and go check on Yuuto. He knew if he screwed this up, Yuuto was good as dead. Still… It was hard not to just express his frustrations at the moment.

“Yeah… some people get second chances, but some people are beyond that…” Shun muttered. He shook his head, trying to snap out of it.

“Ah, but we’re supposed to discuss business, not ethics, right?"

Roger could see the tension in Shun and was intrigued. Perhaps it was the ethics of the discussion that was making it this way.

"Exactly. Glad you understand it...you're entitled to your own opinion of course. But, this is where I see Sector Security expanding, and I felt LDS should be aware of it." Roger said simply with a smile.

“Of course. I’m not so naive so that my opinions will get in the way of our deal though. That’s certainly a good way to progress,” Shun said, glad that it seemed that murder was the issue and not Sergey himself.

Roger nodded.

"Excellent. I'm glad you think so." Roger said, organizing his files.

"So, as LDS has made some impressive technological leaps in these past few years, I think it would be quite simple to get a driver-drone set up with a partnership between our companies. Also the expansion of the market is beneficial. I am more than happy to speak with Akaba-San and his board about further details."

“Well with such a clear concept in mind, I’m sure he’ll be at least interested to hear it. Have you started any development on your own as of yet?” Shun asked, now more improvising than anything.

"As I've said, we're going through tests right now for our drones...but we've fallen short on the level I dream of meeting. I'm hoping LDS can help me with that." Roger said.

“Am I able to see any of them? Or are we still early in development. This seems like something Akaba-san would be interested in,” Shun admitted.

"Hmm...I would rather show Akaba-san himself if he's interested. Hes more than welcome to come for a tour to see what we have here." Roger said.

“We’ll see. As you know, he’s very busy. But since this merger is so important, I’m sure he’ll make time,” Shun nodded. “Was there anything else, Roger-san? I know it’s been very short, and I did look forward to seeing this place more in depth, but I understand you’re a busy man."

"That was all I had to say, Mr. Obsidian. I apologize for the quick meeting, but as you said, I’m quite busy." Roger said, standing up.

"Please pass on the folder to Akaba-San and let him know I'm looking forward to hearing from him so we can flesh out some more details about a potential merger." Roger said with a smile, ready to show Shun out.

Shun put the folder in his briefcase on top of the gloves. He smiled and nodded. Just a few more minutes and he could call Yuuto.

“Of course. It’s been a pleasure, Roger-san.” Shun stood up and offered his and to shake. “All the best.” He was going to call Yuuto and wash his mouth out. Ugh… speaking with such gross businessmen always made him feel sick.

Roger smiled and shook his hand.

"The pleasure was mine. Thank you for coming." He said, showing the man out of his office and having his secretary escort Shun out of the building. He was pleased with the meeting...

"Yes, I'll have to tell Kaiba that Akaba should be put aside for now...he's seemingly cooperating. No need to kill him for now..." Roger mused, moving a piece on his chessboard accordingly. This was going well.

Shun walked out of the office, acting as calm as possible as he headed out the front door. He called for the car to come and get him, and within ten minutes, the car as along. Shun hopped in, and as soon as the car door closed, he growled and he got his phone out, a considerably shabby device in comparison to his attire.

The man began to punch the numbers in and he all but slammed the phone to his ear. “Pick up, Yuuto… Goddamn it..."

The phone call was not picked up, because Yuuto's cell was in police hands and turned off. Yuuto himself was still locked in a cell and unable to pick it up even if it was on.

Shun bit his lip. It was probably fine. Yuuto could have his phone off, or was just ignoring him. He quickly dialled Yuuya;s number, hoping the boy would pick up.

Yuuya's phone was also in police hands and turned off. The result was the same as with Yuuto's phone.

Shun couldn’t help but worry as the other number picked up. He sent a text to Yuuto, hoping Yuuto hadnt blocked him and he sighed. “As soon as I get those files… I have to go and see him.” But he had seen the tower and noted most of the security in and out. He was confident he could get in soon. “I hope he’s doing okay without me..."

Yuuto was not in fact doing well without Shun. He had essentially surrendered himself to just lying in his cot, resting while he waited for the cops to come interrogate him. He was still battling infection in his legs and a slight fever, so he was exhausted. He'd seen a few of his tenants pass him by in the hall and realized the gig was up. He expected the cops were going to be tough on him, so he simply waited in silence, sleeping and resting, bidding his time. The cops hadn't talked to Yuuto yet, since they had been interrogating the other fugitives they has captured trying to figure out if they could capture any others that weren't at the house at the time they were. A few others had been found, but others were still missing. The cops were also dealing with overcapacity while they waited for prison transport to be arranged for the fugitives. They were beginning to double up in the holding cells, and eventually Ukyou gave the okay to put the Sakaki brothers in the same cell. Yuuya had been pleading to see his brother, and since neither he nor Yuuto had a sentence yet, they'd be last to be moved, So it was logical to put them together. Gauche approached Yuuya's cell, having decided they would move Yuuya to Yuuto since the other brother has mobility issues right now. It might also help them to learn more about the brother's, especially Yuuto, who was being silent aside from asking about Yuuya. "Come on Yuuya. We're moving you in with Yuuto, alright?" Gauche said to the young man.

As soon as he saw the familiar faces of the tenants, Yuuya also knew that the game was up. He knew that both he and Yuuto were in trouble, his brother especially. It was sad seeing the faces of the tenants, a mix of horrified and angry, but Yuuya knew there was nothing to do about it.

There was only one thing good about all of this though, and Yuuya looked up when he heard Gauche. “I’m gonna be in with Yuuto? Really?”

Gauche smiled.

"Yes. You may have noticed we have quite a few more people here than normal...were having to double up temporarily. Ukyou said you and Yuuto could be together, so we're doing that. Come on." Gauche said, opening the door to escort Yuuya out.

Yuuya smiled, making a note to thank Ukyou. He got up and hurried to Gauche, eager to see his sibling. It really was overcrowded, and even with the police sending a couple of guys over to other police stations, it was still a tight squeeze.

Gauche led Yuuya to the cell. Yuuto glanced up when Gauche entered and smiled a little at Yuuya.

"Hey..."

Yuuya looked at his ill brother and he ran to him immediately. He went over to his brother’s side, kneeling by him. “Yuuto… Hey… Yuuto… are you okay?"

Yuuto simply lay on the cot and smiled. He was tired, pale and feverish, but was glad to see Yuuya.

"...I'm doing as well as I can be...how about you?" He asked softly.

Yuuya smiled at his brother and took his hand, squeezing it. “I’m alright… they’re letting me take my usual medicine, so I’ve been alright. Just worried about you.” He felt his brother’s forehead. “… Are you okay? I mean… really?"

"Good." Yuuto said, letting Yuuya feel his head with a sigh. He squeezed his brother's hand in reassurance. "...I'm sick, obviously. Battling infection. I've got antibiotics to fight it though...I'll be alright in time. I'm feeling better now that you're here...are you going to be staying with me, or is this just a visit?" He asked.

Yuuya smiled. “There’s no such thing as visits here, Yuuto… I’m going to be staying with you… Since they need to fit as many people in the holding cells as they can…” It was a sad reason, especially since they both knew all the incoming convicts, but Yuuya kissed his brother’s hand, “I’m here for a while."

"Ah I see...so you've noticed too..." Yuuto murmured. So he and Yuuya both knew the game was over. Especially for him. He smiled as his brother kissed his hand.

"...I'm sorry, Yuuya. A lot has happened lately, and I haven't been able to help you like usual...it's my fault we're in this mess." He mused.

“No it’s not,” Yuuya said quickly, smoothing his hand through his brother’s hair, getting it off of his face. “I… I’ve just been worried about you… But I’m glad you’re looking better."

Yuuto sighed. His brother was so self-sacrificing.

"...I'm sorry I worried you...I would have told you right away what happened...but I was scared of how you would react. After all, I wasn't sick before...just really badly injured..." He said, frowning and leaning into Yuuya's touch.

"I haven't been sleeping well...the monster who hurt me keeps plaguing my dreams...I was scared he'd come find me or mistake you for me and kill you while I was helpless..." Yuuto said softly.

“… Badly injured…” Yuuya looked at his legs. “… Monster…” He bit his lip. “… You said that you’d explain everything that happened last time I saw you. Can you… Can you explain to me what happened, Yuuto? Why are you injured? Who attacked you? Why?"

Yuuto bit his lip.  Yes, he had promised that, but it didn't make reliving it any better.

"...I did..."  He said, pausing to sigh and trying to focus on his brother's face.  He wasn't in the alley.  He wasn't with Sergey.  He was safe here...he squeezed his brother's hand for reassurance, trying not to shake.

"...Sergey Volkov.  He's...an elite assassin, and...someone that...my guest was chasing down..."  Yuuto said softly, knowing Yuuya would understand "my guest" to be Shun.  Yuuto wasn't sure if the cops had recording equipment around, so he didn't want to give out Shun's name.  

"...I was tailing him...but...he caught me...he..."  Yuuto paused to swallow a little, feeling like his airway was being constricted as it had been on that day.  

"...choked me...and...cut my legs...toyed with my life...like...it was nothing...I barely managed to...escape..."  Yuuto said.

Yuuya listened quietly, holding his brother’s hand and squeezing it. Yuuto was usually so strong and it was usually Yuuya who needed his reassurance, so it was strange having to reverse their roles. Still, Yuuya sat there quietly, listening to Yuuto.

Sergey’s name was unfamiliar, but he nodded, understanding what Yuuto meant. He frowned, hearing Yuuto had been trying to chase him and was… Injured was putting it too lightly.

“… Yuuto… Oh my god…” Yuuya said, horrified that his brother had suffered like that. It made sense why Yuuto had tried to hide it from him, but still. “And… and then you got sick because of your wounds.”

Yuuto knew the role-reversal of the situation well and was appreciative that Yuuya was here for him.  It did make things easier.  

"...Yeah...I didn't go to the hospital, cause I have no coverage, as you know.  So, I got the stitches put in at home...didn't have any medication to treat potential infection..."  Yuuto said softly.  He sighed.

"...When my guest...left...I should have told you.   You probably could have helped me avoid the infection at least...but...I wasn't thinking clearly.  I've just been...a fucking mess..."  Yuuto said.  Facing Sergey and dealing with the nightmares, the pain he'd felt when Shun had abandoned him, and the helpless state had made it hard to think clearly and rationally...now that he'd actually had some rest, he could see just how much of an idiot he'd been this whole time.

Yuuya looked at his brother sadly and squeezed his hand. “You must have felt so lonely and scared…” Yuuya felt awful. “I didn’t realize that was going on. No wonder you were freaking out when your guest left. I was… worried… when I heard you guys...”

"...Yeah...but please don't blame yourself. You did try to help...I just hid..." Yuuto said, guessing his brother was blaming himself somehow.

"...ah...you heard the fight?" He asked softly, feeling a bit sad that Yuuya had to hear that.

Yuuya nodded slowly. “Yeah… I… I needed water… I think… and I overheard you guys in the morning.” Yuuya knew he had to be strong for Yuuto, but as he spoke, he remembered the hurtful things Yuuto said and his voice wavered. “I… I didn’t know how bad things were with… everything…” He said, not sure how to articulate what he had heard, and not sure he wanted to.

Yuuto sighed.

"...I'm sorry it disturbed you..." he said, noting how his brother's face fell and his voice wavered. He squeezed his brother's hand, shifting and facing Yuuya.

"....Things have been hard, yes. Shun and I have had these troubles for a long time...we both struggle to be devoted to our work and our family and each other at the same time...but, things always work out, so it's always worth it to keep fighting...to keep working hard to provide for those we care about." Yuuto said gently, smiling at Yuuya.

"As much as losing Shun hurts...I don't know what I'd do without you, Yuuya."

“No, no, no. It didn’t disturb me… I was just worried with some of the things that you said.” Yuuya looked at his brother, and as Yuuto kept speaking, tears welled more in his eyes.

“… I’m sorry I’m a burden, Yuuto… I…”

Yuuto's face fell a little as Yuuya was starting to cry.  He had been wondering just how much Yuuya had heard, and it sounded like he'd heard quite a bit.  He sat up as best he could so he could hug him.

"I made a choice years ago to take on the burden of providing for you and trying to make you happy...it's not your fault you're ill.  You have nothing to be sorry for..."  He said, holding Yuuya close.  

"...If anything, I'm at fault.  I chose to try and help you alone, when I could have sought help ages ago...I just didn't trust anyone else.  I still can't.  The hospital could stop your symptoms but took away your soul in the process...I never wanted you to go through that again.  I'm sorry I didn't do a better job of making you happy..."

Yuuya didn’t want to cry. He wanted to be strong, to show his brother he could be depended on. But the tears continued to fall and he hugged his brother back tightly, feeling a lump form in his throat that was a struggle to talk past.

“I don’t want to be a burden to you, Yuuto! It hurts… seeing you so tired all the time. Even before and especially recently…” Yuuya said, squeezing him back.

“You’re the best, Yuuto. You’re always looking out for me. Please… I don’t want to leave you…"

Yuuto held his brother back, feeling tears coming to his eyes too, but he kept trying to blink them back.  He was more successful than Yuuya in being strong, since it was something he'd been doing his whole life.  He gently stroked his brother's back as Yuuya cried, holding him close.  

"...I don't want to leave you either.  I don't care that I'm tired all the time...it's always worth it to see you smile and live the life you deserve."  Yuuto said softly.  But, he knew, whatever sentence they got would separate them.

"...That's why I need you to be strong, and play dumb for the cops.  I'll be taking the blame.  I'm sure they suspect it...I'm the one with my name on the lease of the building where the cops found the fugitives housed...I'm the one who was legally responsible for your care...and I'm the one who has a criminal record."  Yuuto said.

Yuuya’s hands were shaking. He hugged his brother tighter than ever and he just cried like the child he felt he was.

“… But… Then I won’t get to see you… I… I don’t know what to do after then..."

Yuuto held him close and tried not to cry as well.

"...Yuuya...if we play this right, you won't get a sentence as badly...maybe to the Correctional Facility for medicine. Once they've got something that works, you can come visit me, alright? You're going to be fine...you won't be alone. Yuugo and Yuri will stand by you over me..." Yuuto said, holding his brother equally tightly. He didn't want to leave his brother and it killed him to know his days with his brother were limited.

“I know… but it still won’t be with you…” Yuuya sniffed, burying his face into his brother’s shoulder. “I just want to go back to the way things were. I don’t want you to go to jail… Isn’t there any other way we can get out of this mess?"

Yuuto let his brother hold him close and sighed.

"...I don't have the money to pay bail...and with my legs the way they are, I can't move like I used to." Yuuto said. If he had been healed this never would have happened in the first place, and at the very least he could have fought off the cops.

"...Unfortunately we're stuck, Yuuya...but at least we're together for now. It was nice of the cops to let us share a room." Yuuto said. It was better than being paired with a tenant of his who was probably pissed and would beat him up.

“I know but…” Yuuya tried to think what else to say but he couldn’t. Sighing, he closed his eyes, biting his lip.

“Yeah… It’s good of them. They know you look after me, after all."

Yuuto nodded, leaning his head against his brother's too and closing his eyes.

"Yes...I suppose this means they do have some faith in me...when I was arrested, they said I was poisoning you...which is ridiculous...." Yuuto said with a sigh.

"Maybe they just meant the medicine is harmful long-term...if that's so, i hope they find you something better that works..."

“Yeah… They mentioned that…” Yuuya looked at Yuuto.

“I don’t believe that you’d poison me… But if it was harmful, that would explain…” Yuuya stopped and shook his head. “Nevermind"

Yuuto frowned as Yuuya started to say something.

"...Explain what, Yuuya? Have you been noticing any odd symptoms?" He asked, concerned.

Yuuya hesitated and he looked away from his brother. He bit his lip, wondering if he really should say anything before he looked down at his knees. One hand went over his stomach and he clenched it. “My stomach hurts… Or at least bits around my stomach. Sometimes I feel it even with my medication, and I feel really sick. It feels… difficult to eat or digest anything."

Yuuto frowned in concern.

"How long have you been noticing this?" Yuuto asked, worried. Was his brother getting hurt by the medication? That wasn't good at all...

Yuuya shrugged. “… A… A year now. We were changing the supplementary medication a lot, but it’s getting more frequent. Since… since we stopped talking, it’s gotten worse. Sometimes I can’t even eat, I just vomit..."

Yuuto frowned. A whole year of this and he hadn't noticed? That was awful...he was silently kicking himself for making things worse for Yuuya. He had actually been slowly killing his brother... "...That's not good Yuuya. We should tell the cops immediately. They should be able to get you looked at and see if something's seriously wrong." Yuuto said. "If it's the medication, we need a substitute and fast."

“No… No it’s fine… It’s fine Yuuto,” Yuuya insisted. He immediately regretted telling Yuuto, seeing the expression on his brother’s face. “I’m fine. I don’t need a substitute. What I’m on is… Fine.”

Yuuto sighed.

"...Yuuya....we should still tell them. They're going to need to find you new medication anyway, since the ones you're currently on are illegal in Japan...they should know to try and give you something to help your stomach." Yuuto said.

“I don’t want to get off it,” Yuuya muttered. “… If I do… They’ll make me take the sedatives to stop the Berserk Mode… Then I go back to that blank state again…” He hid his face behind his hair. “I’m sorry..."

Yuuto wrapped his arms around Yuuya once again to comfort him.

"...it's not your fault. I don't want it to happen again either. I've told them about your state before...hopefully medical advancements will prevent that from happening again...we have no choice but to wait and see..." Yuuto said softly, hating that he couldn't do more for his brother.

“I know… But it will take a while for them to figure something out. If I tell them now, they’ll put me on sedatives to try help me… I’d rather suffer a little longer than be like that…” He whimpered as he hugged Yuuto back. “… Did I ever tell you? … How it feels to be like that?"

Yuuto listened solemnly.

"...Alright. We won't tell them right away then...but if you start getting worse, I’m telling them. I won't let you die because of these meds destroying your body." Yuuto said. He shook his head.

"...No, you didn't tell me what you felt...but I do remember seeing you, while you were like that. You didn't...remember who I was, half the time...some days, you didn't even know your own name..." Yuuto said softly.

Yuuya nodded. “Honestly, I’m counting on them running out first… I was already running out before I had my breakdown…” He sighed.

“It’s… It’s difficult to articulate but… It’s like I had no feeling in my body. I felt no pain but I couldn’t feel anything… Maybe some touches but…” Yuuya shook his head. “It’s hard to hear, because there’s always a ringing in my ears, and it’s so hard to think. It’s like… everything is white… not like snow, but like… the hospital we last saw mum in… Everything is hazy and it’s as if I’m underwater. It’s… It’s something else. I can’t see when it’s all fuzzy like that… and things don’t make sense when I can see them. Things that come close to me… It’s like they’re appearing out of nowhere.”

“… I don’t… I don’t know how to convey how scary it is, Yuuto. I don’t even think it’s scary until I’m here, remembering it all. And that’s just…” Yuuya closed his eyes.

Yuuto hugged his brother as he recalled such a terrifying time.

"That does sound really scary...I wanted to keep you from experiencing it again..." Yuuto murmured.

"Im sorry, Yuuya...I should've done a better job...."

“And you did, Yuuto.” Yuuya pulled away from Yuuto so he could make Yuuto look at him. “You’re the one who found me a cure. By yourself. When the doctors said it was impossible. You did what you could, Yuuto… And look… I’ve lived almost like… what… ten years or something without going back to state? You did what you could, Yuuto. I’m not blaming you for anything."

Yuuto sighed.

"Im glad you don't blame me, Yuuya...but thanks to me, you're going back into state care...at least until they find a cure that's legal..." Yuuto said sadly.

"...I wish you had a choice...that's what I wanted you to have: the option to live happily out of state or psychiatric care...but I wanted it for your whole life."

“… Yeah… I’m… Trying not to think too hard about that… I wish they would let me stay on the meds, but when they find out it’s killing me, there’s no way they can justify giving me those drugs…” Yuuya squeezed Yuuto’s hand again.

“… You’ve done nothing but try to help people your whole life Yuuto… and now you’re going to jail for it"

Yuuto sighed.

"Not my whole life....well, for money I guess I helped them..." Yuuto mused. He sighed.

"Hopefully it won't be long this time..."

Yuuya frowned. He knew Yuuto didn’t tell him everything about his life with Shun while he was still in the coma period, but he had pieced together a lot of it over the years. He leaned against his brother, closing his eyes.

“… I hope not. I want to stay with you… for as long as I can..."

Yuuto nodded and smiled.

"Same here. We'll be together for as long as we can be." He promised.

As the Sakaki brothers comforted each other in their shared holding cell, the police had finished their last interrogation of a re-captured fugitive from Yuuto's apartment. Ukyou had called a meeting of his squad members to discuss the findings before they would finally talk to Yuuto himself. "Alright...so we've gotten the DNA results back from the lab and matched them to each of our fugitives here. The good news is that we do have most of them in custody...but there are a couple we don't have at this point, like the notorious hacker Hope Ray, for example." Ukyou mused, showing the file they had on the hacker. "And while Hope Ray himself is dangerous, we found something even worse..." Ukyou said, pulling out a new file that was thick with criminal charges but no arrest record. "In the room that was clearly Yuuto's, and on his bed of all places, there was quite a bit of DNA evidence from the elusive professional hitman Kurosaki Shun. He's suspected in quite a few murder cases, but nobody has been able to pin him down...we have proof he was recently in Heartland, if not still there. It is imperative that we find out where he's gone before someone dies..." Ukyou said gravely.

"Droite, what did you find out about the situation from the fugitives you talked to? Any idea where we can maybe find Hope Ray and Kurosaki and some of the others that are missing?" Gauche asked.

“Some people weren’t willing to talk. Others were.” Droite said, standing up, opening her notes. “From what I understand, Yuuto, is indeed the one known as the Dark Duelist. He had a business in breaking people out of jail and providing them a place to stay while he provided them with fake identification, a change of records, and other means to accommodate for these prisoners to let them out into public again. From what I understand, while he is picky, he’ll get anyone out regardless of what they’ve done. Yuuya mostly just did cooking and cleaning, and what I’ve noted is that Yuuto always tells the prisoners never to talk to Yuuya.”

“Unfortunately, there’s no trace of Kurosaki. Apparently some of the fugitives heard him and Yuuto yelling a few days ago, and haven’t seen him since. Hope Ray and any other of the missing fugitives were not at the building at the time, so we’ve been having problems finding them. Hope Ray probably had planned on moving out completely, since his room was mostly clean. Some of the others we may have an easier time though, since we have details and some of their possessions, which gives us a better idea of where they may hide."

Anna frowned.

"The Dark Duelist...isn't that the guy that Mai said broke out Mutou? Talk about not being picky then...but that means he probably knows something about who hired Mutou! Someone must've hired him to get Mutou out of prison in the first place!" Anna said. Ukyou nodded.

"Yes, we did find faint DNA traces of Mutou Yuugi in one cleaned out and unused room...we searched it thoroughly but anything of his that was in there is now gone. It's probable that Yuuto himself or Yuuya maybe, cleaned it after Mutou was arrested to prepare it for whoever would be busted out next." Ukyou said.

"We'll alert the squads to search for the few fugitives that got away in the places we suspect they might appear...but in the meantime, we should talk to Yuuto. He might know where drug dealer Dennis MacField is, who hired Mutou, and possibly even where the other fugitives are. He's got a lot to talk about. You ready?" He asked Droite, knowing she would likely be talking to him alongside him.

“I know, I’ll be getting to interrogating him, Anna. We’ll see what happens from there,” Droite said, already thinking about her next interrogation with Yuuto, trying to picture in her head how that would play out.

“I’m ready. The main thing to note is that he has seen his ‘tenants’. He knows the game is up, and a man of Yuuto’s character will likely be on the defensive. We just need to press hard until he tells us something new."

Anna nodded, giving Droite's a thumb up.

"You've got it Droite! You'll get what we need out of him in no time!" Anna said. Ukyou nodded.

"I doubt it will be easy...Yuuto is quite intelligent. But, we have plenty of time to talk." Ukyou said.

"Gauche, go see if Yuuto's ready to be talked to."

“He won’t be, since Yuuya is with him. But we’ll get him up anyway.” Gauche got up and headed over to the holding cells while Droite made her way to the interrogation room, setting up the recording equipment and taking a seat. Anna headed over to the room with the one-way window, so she could watch the interrogation.

“Yuuto? You’re needed for questioning,” Gauche said, opening the door. “You’ll see Yuuya in a bit. Up you get.”

“… Ah…” Yuuya looked at Yuuto and gave him a small squeeze. “… Take it easy, okay?"

Yuuto glanced over at Gauche when the man approached. He supposed they'd held off his interrogation long enough. Now was the time. He gave Yuuya a small smile and squeezed his hand back. He sat up slowly, trying to take it easy on his injured and sick body.

"I will. Pass me my crutches, will you?" He asked, since they were closer to Yuuya.

Yuuya nodded and he quickly headed over, passing Yuuto his crutches. He also helped get Yuuto’s leg brace on and he helped his brother up diligently.

“Good luck.”

“Come on. This way.” Gauche said, getting him to follow.

Yuuto accepted Yuuya's help without complaint. He smiled and nodded.

"Thanks. See you later..." he said softly, leaving the cell with Gauche. He purposely kept his eyes straight ahead. He didn't want to see Sergey or the angry, betrayed faces of his tenants watching him from inside their holding cells. He could hear a few angrily muttering to each other. A couple even yelled at him, calling him a filthy traitor. Yuuto ignored all of it. He tried to suppress a shiver as he passed Sergey's cell and felt the psychopath's gaze on him, trying to tear him apart with a look alone.

It was a relief to finally get the interrogation room, and Yuuto sat down slowly, sighing softly as he did. He recognized Droite across from him, and Ukyou was there as well. He gave them a small smile.

"...Thank you for letting my brother and I share a holding cell, Officers." He said, genuinely thankful and letting it show.

Droite gave a nod, not smiling back but acknowledging it. “It was the most ideal of situations. We figured that you two would keep the other under control.”

The woman leaned forward. “Did you want to say anything up front to us, Yuuto? While you still have the floor?"

Yuuto snorted a little at Droite's word choice.  

“I suppose.”  He mused.  He paused.

“...I was also wondering...how much of Yuuya's medication you had left.  If it does run out...he'll be in pain again.”  He said at last.  Yuuya's description of his stomach problems along with the terror in his voice regarding being sedated were fresh in his mind.  He wanted to know how long it would take for both nightmares to catch up to them.

“If he keeps taking one tablet a day, we have enough for nine more days. We’re already getting clearance on medical sedatives so he doesn’t get back into that berserk mode, so neither of you have to worry about that. Doctor Sasayama will talk about that further with Yuuya when she next comes and sees him with his pathology results.” Droite responded cooly.

Yuuto nodded, trying to suppress a smile.  He had seen the familiar girl who had once been so close to Ruri, but he didn't think she had recognized him.  He hadn't really been close to her after all...he'd just heard about Sayaka through Ruri.  And of course Sayaka hadn't recognized Yuuya because they'd never met: Yuuya had been pulled out of schooling to be put into the hospital for his illness before Sayaka had joined their school. “Okay.  Sounds good...”  Yuuto said with a sigh.

“...That's basically all I wanted to ask.”  

“Alright. Then we’ll get started on this interrogation then,” Droite said, looking straight at Yuuto. “You by now understand what situation you’re in, so it’s in your best interest to tell us all that you know. We’ll start with something simple. How many fugitives were staying in your apartment at your time of arrest?”

Yuuto simply waited for the question, pondering things.  He knew that on this at least, there was no point in lying.  The cops had caught most, if not all, of his tenants.  They knew the exact number, most likely.

"I can house 20, but I only had 16 fugitives staying with me at the time of my arrest."  Yuuto said, being honest.  He had of course, excluded Shun and Yuuya in that number.  Yuuya wasn't a fugitive, and Shun hadn't been officially been staying with him as a tenant.  He also wasn't quite a fugitive himself, since he hadn't actually been to prison.

“Sixteen fugitives, and we only have thirteen of those. One of them is Hope Ray.” Droite looked up at him. “Any idea where this man and the two others went?” She asked, sliding him a piece of paper with the names and IDs of the three tenants.

Yuuto looked at the pictures.  So these three were the ones who had escaped police detection.  He was honestly a little relieved that Hope was one of them.  Kaito had probably hidden him.  

“No, I don't know where they've gone, Officers.  Because of my injuries, I was bedridden for the past few weeks before my arrest, so I hadn't spoken to any of these three men.  I had no idea they'd left.  Besides...I'm their landlord, not their babysitter.  I don't keep tabs on my tenants once they leave my building.  What they do outside my property is their business.”  Yuuto said simply.  He really didn't know where the other two had gone, but with Hope, it was highly probable that he was with Kaito.  Or at least, that Kaito knew where he was.

“Then perhaps you’ll be able to answer the next question a little better. According to the files we found, he wasn’t one of your tenants, but we do have evidence that he was in your house and spoke to you on a number of occasions.” Droite took the list back and replaced it with a photo of Shun.

“Look familiar, Sakaki?”

Yuuto looked at the photo of Shun in slight surprise.  So they'd done a DNA sweep then...before, he'd thought that maybe they'd just gone off of his files.  

“Of course it does.  That's Kurosaki Shun.”  Yuuto said.  Sure, they might have found evidence of Shun in the house...but...had they guessed the relationship between them?  

“You cleaned up well after him, but we found his hair in the lining of the pillow, and in your private bedroom,” Droite said matter-of-factly. “You know where he’s gone.”

So they'd guessed the nature of the relationship too...but Yuuto could still work with it.  Yuuto sighed, as if he was a little embarrassed.

"Didn't I tell you before, Officer?  I do entertain people from time to time.   Kurosaki is someone I've been with before, years and years ago.  I went to school with him for a year, and was close friends with his sister.  He was in town months ago, and I offered him a place to stay, for a reasonable price..."  Yuuto said.

"He's long gone though, and I have no idea where he's gone.  I'm pretty sure he's skipped town though...Kurosaki never sticks around too long.  He's also not the talkative type, so he doesn't share plans with anyone, not even with old friends like me."  This part was the truth: Shun had left awhile ago, had indeed left town and didn't talk much to friends.  To his boyfriend though, that was a different story...

Unfortunately for the police, they had no way of clarifying what Yuuto said wasn’t the truth, but Droite once again that gut-feeling instinct that Yuuto was just outright lying to them. However, the woman didn’t let anything show on her face, and instead she simply looked at Yuuto with the same look of icy determination she sported the entire conversation.

“And you’re saying that that story is the truth, right?"

“It is the truth, though I'm surprised you doubt me when the evidence is so...compelling.”  Yuuto said.  There wasn't much else that could explain why Shun's DNA was in his bed.  They couldn't prove they were in a relationship, so they had nothing to disprove Yuuto's story.  Unless they actually did catch Shun and asked him, Yuuto supposed.  Yuuto knew Shun would never degrade Yuuto to some cheap whore, but Yuuto wasn't above doing that sort of self-sacrifice for others.  He wanted to keep himself as far away from Shun as possible so the cops wouldn't use him to draw Shun out.  Yuuto was still hurt by Shun of course, but he didn't want him in jail too.  

“Your brother was more than happy to mention your boyfriend. Though he must be mistaken, hm?” Droite said, testing Yuuto, not mentioning it was Yuugo who had poorly let slip the words or revealing how little she knew.

“Boyfriend?”  Yuuto asked, surprised.  Which brother had done this?  Yuuya?  No, Yuuya was too smart to reveal that...and since Yuri didn't know, that left Yuugo.  He sighed.

“...It was Yuugo wasn't it?  I apologize...he's always bragging, teasing me about not putting a ring on my high school sweetheart when he got his.  But, as you say, he's mistaken.  I don't have any romantic interests at the moment.”    

Yuugo certainly didn’t seem like he was bragging and teasing Yuuto, but genuinely seemed mistaken and wished for the cops to not hear what he said. Droite was glad that her initial assessment of Yuuto was correct, and that not only was he on the defensive, but was willing to lie with a straight face.

“I see. Well, then if you don’t know where he is, I guess I’ll move on,” Droite said.

“Your alias is the Dark Duelist, huh? You’re not completely unknown in the underground."

Yuuto simply let the first line slide, glad that they were moving off of Shun.  He really didn't want to stick on that topic for awhile.  

“That's right...”  It was one of them, for sure, but he wasn't going to reveal any other alias of his.

“Deal much in the underground? I know you’ve been seeing a certain Dennis Macfield about things, haven’t you?” Droite frowned. “He’s your supplier for your brother’s meds, I presume?"

“Not very often in the underground actually...”  Yuuto murmured.  It was true.  He had mostly withdrawn himself from it, save of course for Dennis, as Droite was quick to point out.

“Yes...but, I can't really tell you much about him.  He would go after my brother in retaliation for my betrayal.  He's made that clear plenty of times.”  Yuuto said firmly.

“He can’t do much while Yuuya’s in jail.” Droite said. “But please, tell us what you can about him. I implore you."

Yuuto shook his head.  

"You know that's a lie, Officer.  Drug trades do exist in prison, and Dennis is one of their suppliers.  He's got loyal lackeys in prison who will do anything for money, and drug addicts who will do anything for their next fix.  All it takes is a word from him and they all gang up on the traitor who's sprung the cops on their supplier."  Yuuto said.  He sighed.

"...He was the only one I could go to for the drugs that Yuuya needed.  He's dangerous, but he's also got he best selection in Heartland for a reasonable price...that's why I took the risk in dealing with him."

Droite sighed. Even with the reformation of the Correctional Facility, they hadn’t quite managed to do the same with the prison. What Yuuto was saying was true, and she was a bit disappointed on how much Yuuto knew that was true as well.

“How long have you been dealing with him? What do you think is safe to mention? Even if it seems obvious, please tell me."

Yuuto waited patiently for Droite to ask more, knowing that he had hit the nail on the head, and Droite knew it.  

"...Hmm...it's been awhile...I think 6 or 7 years?  It was shortly after Yuuya and I moved back to Heartland..."  Yuuto said, trying to remember exactly.  The stress of those earlier days made it hard to remember exactly how long it had been.

"...Well...he likes to personally deal with clients...and obviously has connections.  I'm not sure what they are exactly...but...how else do you explain the amount of drugs he has, the variety of them, and the fact that he's been evading police detection for about 10 years while still dealing with clients personally?  He's got to have an insider somewhere...it's pure logic."  Yuuto mused.  He'd been wondering this about Dennis himself for awhile.  Dennis stood out like a sore thumb, but always seemed to be a step or two ahead of the cops.

“Our drug team have been searching for him for years. Still are. We’ve only recently joined the fray in light of the Mutou case,” Droite said, nodding. Yuuto was telling her the info they did know but he did remind her of the other thing that had been bothering her. Dennis’ insider. They still had no clue on who he was or what he did. “So you and Yuuya know him personally. But not particularly close?”

Yuuto nodded.

"Ah...that does make sense.  Mutou used drugs...he undoubtably got them from Dennis."  Yuuto mused.  He nodded again.

"Yes, we knew him.  But, I made sure to deal with Dennis outside of my home...so that he would never know where to find myself or Yuuya in case he decided to follow through on his little threat."  Yuuto said, again being truthful.

Droite nodded, remembering Mutou and Dennis fleeing from the same warehouse. They had been so close at the time… she couldn’t believe that they had gotten so careless.

“Right… So you don’t know much about Macfield himself, really."

“Not really, no.  He's one of those people who's all small talk...doesn't really share much about himself, but wants to know everything about you.”  Yuuto mused.

“A showman, clearly,” Droite said, a little unimpressed that they were still not much further, even though they had guaranteed Yuuto being incarcerated. It felt like an empty success, probably because it was almost by coincidence they had found him to be the Dark Duelist.

“It’s not looking good for you, you know. No Macfield, no Kurosaki, and all those men who should be jailed.”

Yuuto sighed.

“I know, but I knew it wouldn't...”  Yuuto mused, resting his hand on his head, a little tired but pushing on.  

“...As long as Yuuya's alright, it doesn't matter what happens to me.  It never has.”  

“… Seems like you’re a lousy carer then, especially if Yuuya loves you as much as you love him. You should be more responsible with people Yuuya cares about.”

“I’ll give you some time to think. Maybe something interesting will come up that’s worth telling us about. It may help you.”

Yuuto paused, listening to what Droite had to say.  He sighed.

“...I suppose that's always been my weakness...I care about others, but can't look after myself simultaneously.”  Yuuto mused.  

“...No matter what I say, I don't think anything could save me.  All the media has to do is paint me as the crook who deals drugs and houses dangerous criminals.”  

“It doesn’t have to be that way.” Droite figured she would talk about Mutou later, since Yuuto didm’t seem very talkative but suddenly the opportunity was there. The woman looked straight at Yuuto.

“A lot of CEOs and the general public want the person who’s been hiring Mutou to do the killings dead or behind bars. If you can ID the person who asked you to break Mutou out for this person, a lot of heat is going to be taken off of you. Some of it may even help you.”

“...Oh yeah...I've heard about this...”  Yuuto mused.  He sighed.

“...It wasn't a person who asked me, actually.  It was many.”  Yuuto said.  

“It was a bit of an unusual circumstance.  Usually, when people come to me to get someone out of jail, they come alone, unarmed, in a relatively public place like a bar, and act like honest people.  They'll have a conversation, explaining to me why they want to pay  me to get their criminal friend or family member out of prison.  They basically put all the power in my hands...they don't force my decision, because they know it's a risk for me as well.  But...that's not how it happened with Mutou.”  Yuuto said with a frown.

“I was just minding my own business when suddenly I was approached by five armed men in suits and dark glasses with nondescript features.  They all looked practically identical...I wondered if they were bodyguards of some kind.  They had a plain suitcase loaded with money and simply demanded that I break Mutou Yuugi out of jail and house him in exchange for the entirety of the suitcase.  There was five times my usual fee inside...and given that fact that I was unarmed and outnumbered...I agreed.  I never saw them again once it was done.”  

“… Interesting…” Droite said. “And by undescript, you mean that you wouldn’t be able to point them out if I presented them to you, right? Looks like someone didn’t want their tracks found.”

Yuuto nodded. "Exactly. Their faces were very plain, their hair all dark and hidden by the night. I couldn't see their eyes." Yuuto said. "...I did do research, since it was such an odd case. I knew that Mutou had been involved with mobsters in gambling rings...I wondered if they represented them at first. But...then the killing of CEOs began and Mutou was arrested. That made me think it wasn't a mobster or gang that had asked...but someone much more powerful." Yuuto mused. "...It was still odd though that they chose Mutou as a hitman. He and I are about the same height and build...neither of us are physically overwhelming. And Mutou isn't exactly a killer...he'd never been convicted of anything but drug charges and gambling. It was like they wanted him for his skill set...playing games and making risky gambles..." Yuuto said with a snort. "I know this is over simplified...but if you can find someone who appreciates or values that sort of skill set and holds a powerful position in some business, and you've got who hired him." Yuuto said with a shrug.

Droite nodded. “Right… I’ll keep that in mind. That’s actually really helpful. Thank you, Yuuto.”

Yuuto smiled.

"Glad I can help on some things at least..." He said. He had nothing against Droite or any of the other police officers. He knew they were just doing their job.

Ukyou, who was watching the interrogation mostly in silent contemplation and jotting down notes, was intrigued.

"...I wonder Droite, if he found any clues in Mutou's room. He seems willing to help, so maybe he can share any clues. Mutou did say he was given notes. Maybe Yuuto found one?" Ukyou asked, communicating with Droite through her earpiece so Yuuto couldn't hear what was said.

“You and Yuuya clean the rooms when your tenants are done, right? I was wondering if you found anything in the rooms,” Droite repeated, having heard her boss. “Mutou said he was communicated through notes, and while he burned most of them, I was wondering if there was anything he left behind. Anything worth noting?"

Yuuto hesitated, trying to remember. He'd found the LDS pin, and it was something that he could share...but he knew it wasn't Reiji Akaba and it would mean he would be sending the cops after Shun potentially.

"...No, I don't recall finding anything noteworthy...he didn't have much in terms of belongings. No notes at all." Yuuto said.

"I tossed his stuff months ago."

“I figured as much, but it was worth checking.” Droite said. She hadn’t expected much on that lead, but she had gotten a lot from Yuuto from narrowing down her suspects.

“How are you feeling? Your leg feeling better?"

Yuuto nodded at the first part, glad Droite wasn't pushing him or anything. She seemed to believe him on that front and it was a relief. He was a little surprised by her next question. "...It's...about the same, I think...the infection is improving, but it's still hard to move...not that I can move much in that little cell." He mused, snorting a bit at that last part. "...If you feel it's relevant, Droite...maybe we can ask him what happened with Sergey. We know it was him, but we don't know why these two met." Ukyou said. It was a lose end that needed to be tied up somehow....but if it made Yuuto upset it may not be worth it to ask.

“Do you frequent the underground?” Droite asked, tilting her head. “Kurosaki… the man who injured your leg… You seem to get involved with assassins pretty often. Any particular reason for that?” Droite asked, trying to phrase the question in the least direct way possible.

Yuuto sighed. He had expected something like this and even though it was phrased gently, it was still painful to think about.

"...I really don't go out that often anymore...I just..." Yuuto paused, tensing up.

"...I end up in the right place to meet them, I guess..." Yuuto said.

"...Meeting both was an accident. In one case, a nice one...in the other...a horrifying one..."

“So it was an accident.” Droite said. “… Are you aware of the Mutou court case?”

Yuuto nodded. He was technically telling the truth, it had been an accident that he'd actually gotten caught.

"...No? I thought he was done with court?" Yuuto asked, clearly oblivious to the attack.

“This was some time back,” Droite said. “I’m trying to date your attack, in case you can’t remember it. It was on the news that Mutou had been attacked by an assassin but survived the encounter. I’m trying to piece together a timeline. Will you help me out?”

Yuuto blinked. "...Sure...the attack happened about a month ago for me..." Yuuto said. "...Mutou was also attacked by Sergey? Really?" Yuuto said, shocked and also saddened that what had happened to him had happened to someone else. It didn't matter that he was a criminal too...

“Indeed. Twice, actually. Once at the Court House and once at the Correctional Facility. But if it was a month ago, then likely it was after the incident at the courthouse.” Droite had a small timeline in her head, but there were details she needed to straighten her thoughts out.

"Oh yeah...I heard the one about the courthouse....my attack was after that for sure..." Yuuto said softly.

"...So...mine is...in between..."

Droite frowned, remembering what Sergey said. So that confirmed it. Sergey had used Yuuto as a test subject and then he had gone and attacked Mutou in the Correctional Facility. Whether by coincidence or no, she wasn’t sure, but all that was really all she could see out of the situation.

“That’s all I need. Thank you, Sakaki Yuuto.”

Yuuto nodded.

"Alright..." he said, glad it was over. He got his crutches and stood with their help. Gauche came to the door to lead Yuuto back to his cell where Yuuya was waiting.

Meanwhile, Ukyou and Anna came in to see Droite.

"...I feel as if he was being generally honest...but he did seem particularly defensive in a few areas. Did you get that impression too?" Anna asked Droite.

Droite nodded, not getting up but stippling her fingers together. “Very much so… And in some areas, he was outright lying. I don’t trust what he said with regards to Kurosaki… but he was very enlightening… Especially with a potential person who hired Mutou. I didn’t consider that he wasn’t a murderer before, even if he had been arrested. I don’t know how I missed that."

Ukyou frowned.

"No, I don't either. We've found criminal evidence that they know each other better than what he eluded to...Kurosaki was reported to have a partner in crime years ago, and it's during the same time frame where we know next to nothing about Yuuto. That can't be a coincidence..." Ukyou mused.

Anna nodded.

"Yeah you're right...that is pretty big. Why would someone hire a guy who's never killed before to kill guys? It makes no sense!" She exclaimed.

“Might be to get people off his trail. Might be because there’s a personal gain or amusement of it… I’d like to do some psych checks myself, particularly at the CEO suspects we have. Yuuto may be onto something about someone who appreciates a good game…” Droite said, getting up.

Ukyou nodded.

"You're right. I think he is too...some of our prime suspects are game designers too...like KaibaCorp and LDS which are both invested in the gaming market. A psych profile would be quite helpful." Ukyou said, easily granting Droite permission to work on it.

"I'll help if you want!" Anna said happily. Ukyou smiled and nodded.

"Alright Anna. Gauche and I can work on analysis of the information we got from Yuuto." Ukyou said.

-x-

Koutei didn’t know why they were fighting.

It wasn’t uncommon for him and Alit to box, but there was something different about what was happening now. For one thing, they were in Alit’s house. For a second thing, there was a baby in his arms. However, when Koutei tried to look down at the baby, he was unable to, because his bare fist was colliding with Alit’s face. To his surprise, he found himself being shoved back inside the house, away from the front door. Koutei wanted to yell at Alit, to ask him what was going on, but he had no control over his mouth. He just found himself standing there, making sure the baby was still in his arms.

“Koutei...I don't know what you think you're doing...but you need to stop.  Just put Masumi down...we can talk about this...”  That was Alit. Koutei wondered just what was going on, watching the scene unfold. For most part, the words that he and Alit were shouting were garbled, as if they were underwater, and occasionally their movements would blur out, so that Koutei couldn’t quite figure out what was going on.

But he was more than aware when he saw, through his own eyes no less, himself take out a knife from his hoodie and stab Alit in the gut.

“ALIT!” He tried to yell but Alit grabbed his shoulder. Against his will, he shoved Alit off to the ground, punching him for good measure. Alit was beaten down savagely, slammed hard, until the man physically couldn’t get up. Koutei wanted to scream and sob, he wanted to stop, but his body kept going. And when Alit was on the ground, unable to do a damn thing, he headed out the front door to the street. In front of him was an unfamiliar car, but Koutei got into it.

“Here… Yami…" Yami? He was here? The man smirked back at him as he took the baby and began to rock the baby gently.

“Thanks. Now Koutei, unlock your phone and pass it to me.”  Yami ordered, holding out his hand. Koutei reached into his pocket and handed it over before he turned back to the house, seeing it speed off. He swore he could see Alit from the front door, there and bleeding out…

“ALIT!” Koutei screamed as he finally woke up. The blonde sat up in his bed, sweat pouring down his face and back, his hands shaking. He stared at the wall, his chest heaving in terror from that nightmare. Koutei clutched his head, eyes wide open.

It wasn’t a dream… He remembered it far too clearly. It was a memory. He had just remembered attacking Alit, like the monster that Alit had made him out to be. Even though Alit had already forgiven him, Koutei whimpered and began to cry, feeling immediate regret for what he had done. So he had really done it. He knew it was true, but remembering it… Knowing himself that it was true hurt so badly. All of that was the truth…

… All of it.

… Including Mutou. Mutou… Yami had Masumi, didn’t he? In his arms? But wasn’t the person who took Masumi the same person who gave him the Devil’s Breath.

Koutei’s breath steadied and he got up to wash his face in his room’s small sink, his mind racing. He splashed his face a few times and stared at the wall.

If Yami had Masumi, maybe he gave him the Devil’s Breath.

Koutei didn’t want to believe it, but he wanted to know the truth, and even if Yami hadn’t given it to him, then Yami probably knew what happened to him, or at least more than he let on. Koutei ran his hands through his hair and paced the room, waiting for the guards to come and collect him for breakfast.

They had a few things to talk about.

Meanwhile, Yuugi was waking up in his room, waking up after an unusual dream. He felt like he'd seen a glimpse of Yami's memory again...but what didn't make sense was what had happened.

He remembered seeing a blurry image of the interior of a car. He was in the backseat with a familiar orange haired drug dealer in the driver's seat. Suddenly, the side door opened and Koutei was there, looking dazed and...crying? Yuugi felt concern overwhelm him but was also surprised by how...happy and excited and relieved Yami seemed in the memory. He heard himself ask for the baby, felt himself take the crying child. Yami treated her gently, rocking her to calm her cries. Then, he asked for Koutei's phone as the other sat down next to him. Yami opened the contacts and Yuugi was surprised to see Yami's name on Koutei's phone.

"Wait don't delete it..." he tried to say, but Yami erased it with a couple keys and passed the phone back to Koutei. Yuugi was left confused when Koutei was told to forget him. What? How the heck would that even work?

Yuugi woke up as Koutei left the car. He frowned in confusion.

"...Yami...what did you do to him?" Yuugi asked. He didn't feel a response, and hadn't really expected one. He wondered if Koutei did remember that...but he'd been told to forget, and he supposedly had...Yuugi's head throbbed, no doubt Yami was reacting negatively to what he'd seen. Yuugi frowns.

"...I think we need to talk to Koutei. At least you do...hes been so nice to us...he needs to know what happened..." Yuugi said. He let the guards take him out to the cafeteria in silence, wondering how he should breach the topic when Yami clearly disagreed and Koutei may not even know what he was talking about.

By the time Koutei was brought to the cafeteria, Yuugi was sitting down with his food at one of the tables. Koutei quickly slipped into line and he hurried to get his meal, desperate to talk to the man. Thankfully, it was a Wednesday, which meant they both had a free period straight after their morning meal, so they could get away and have a talk after their meal if Yami didn’t want to talk here.

Koutei hurried over, seriousness written on his face. He smiled, seeing Mutou, but it was brief and faded when he sat down across from him.

“Hey… Morning…”

"Hey Koutei." Yuugi said, responding with a smile. His smile fell too when he saw how serious he looked.

"...Is everything alright? You don't look like you slept well..." Yuugi asked in concern.

Koutei gave a weak smile to his friend and he shrugged, realising it was Yuugi there in front of him. He figured that Yuugi wouldn’t know anything, so he played it off.

“Nightmares… Memories. You know the drill. It isn’t fun but… hey… At least I’m learning more slowly."

"Oh...I had the same thing happen to me too..." Yuugi said. He was still concerned.

"...Did you want to talk about it? It might help to share it..."

Koutei paused before he shrugged. “How about you go first? I don’t want to risk triggering a switch again and stressing you two out. The stuff that happened was…” Koutei looked at his food at he stabbed a piece of fruit, “distressing."

Yuugi looked a little worried by the way Koutei spoke. He also felt Yami stirring in concern. "...I saw you, actually." Yuugi said, pausing to see how he should frame this. "...You gave a baby to me...to Yami really. I recognized her...she's a little girl that Yami used to try and get close to Raphael to kill him. Her name was Masumi...though I'm not sure if that was her real name or not..." Yuugi said. He sighed. "...Then Yami told you to forget him, basically. I don't know why...or how it even worked...I mean...it's strange that he could just say it and you somehow...did forget him. Cause you lost your memories..." Yuugi said. "I know that must sound strange but it's what I saw."

“…” Koutei blinked at him before he sighed. He ran his fingers through his hair and he gave a very weak, shaky laugh.

“… What a coincidence. That’s… that’s how my dream ended. I gave you a baby and a phone. So… that’s… what really happened, huh? Since we both know what we saw?”

Yuugi was surprised and his face fell a little.

"...I had hoped maybe...it wasn't right. But if you saw it too...it must be..." Yuugi mused.

"Yeah. You did give him your phone too...we had texted quite a bit it looked like, but Yami just deleted his contact and the messages from the phone." Yuugi said. He felt his head throb and groaned, clutching his head.

"...ugh...I...I think...you and Yami need to talk...but...I don't think he wants to..." Yuugi said.

“Really? I don’t remember the contents of my phone. I just remembered… other things mostly,” Koutei muttered, shuddering as he thought of stabbing Alit and then leaving him to die as he took Masumi. Even now, the thought disturbed him and he shuddered.

“… Yeah… I want to talk to him…” Koutei murmured, looking up, his eyes large and pleading. “… I need to know the truth, and he has answers I don’t have. Please Yami, you can hear me. Come out. I love talking to Yuugi, but I need you now."

Yuugi gave a small smile.

"...Well...you sent them...so maybe one day you'll remember the messages..." Yuugi said softly. He looked at Koutei's face, letting Yami look too through his eyes. He could feel Yami's struggle. He didn't want to come out...but he also felt bad for hurting Koutei.

"...He...he does feel bad Koutei...I think he's worried about your reaction..." Yuugi murmured. He tried to send mental reassurances, trying to tell Yami that Koutei was a friend to them both now. It didn't matter what had happened...if he came clean, he would likely be forgiven in time...or at least Yuugi hoped so.

The switch was basically inevitable, with Yuugi trying to force it and with Yami so on edge as he was. Eventually Yami did emerge and immediately tore his eyes away from Koutei's in shame.

"...I'm not in the mood to talk about it....not now..." Yami said, not wanting to speak about it at all, or at least go in with a plan. He tried to wheel himself away from the table, wanting to go back to his room and maybe avoid the topic for now.

“I know.” He figured as much, and that only made Yami look more guilty. However, he waited for the man to switch, mentally apologising to Yuugi that he was causing him so much pain. He said nothing when he saw Yami look away, but he frowned when Yami started moving. He got up and went to stop him.

“You need to eat. And we need to talk. If not now, then next period. When we’re both free. Got it?”

Yami wasn't very quick with a wheelchair unfortunately. He was easily stopped by Koutei. He was a little intimidated by the serious look in his eye...Koutei was clearly not letting this go. But, he'd offered him time...

"...Okay...and...it has to be alone. I don't want anyone...overhearing. In the bathroom maybe. And what is said, doesn't leave that room." Yami said. This would essentially be a confession...he couldn't let people like Dr. Arclight overhear things.

“We’re better off doing it in the fitness room. The guards don’t follow us in there and no one else really likes it besides us. But yeah… whatever gets said doesn’t get shared.”

Yami nodded and sighed.

"...Deal." He said, surrendering to the fate. He did have time though...they had a few minutes left of lunch. Maybe he could duck out? Maybe he'd switch again and Yuugi would come back and be there for the whole free period?

Koutei smiled at him and then just ate. However, breakfast was in silence, Koutei stewing over what he wanted to say.

Yami was surprised at Koutei's smile. So...what had he remembered? Maybe he hadn't remembered more than what he'd told Yuugi...he hadn't remembered Yami giving him drugs? But still...it was only a matter of time before he did. Yami mostly picked at the remains of his food. Yuugi had ate with some gusto earlier...and he'd lost his appetite.

The bell sounded awhile later and the guards started rounding the prisoners up to get them to wherever they wanted to go for their free period. Yami pushed his tray away with a sigh.

"...Looks like it's time to go..."

“Yeah…” It was time to talk and get some real answers. One part of Koutei was nervous, and not even sure he wanted to know these things, but a larger part of him needed to know. He was actually glad that Yami had insisted on a break (however indirectly it was) because it gave him time to think about the memory that had been long repressed, and come to terms with what he did to Alit. Admittedly, he did want a bit more time, but it was better to get this done.

Koutei got up and took the tray, disposing of it for Yami and himself. Then he came back and took the brakes of the wheelchair off.

“Let’s go.” He said, heading for the training room.

"...Yeah." Yami said, sitting still in his chair. He wished he could take the breaks off himself so he could make a run for it while Koutei dropped his chair off. But, he didn't get the chance to try. He let Koutei push the chair towards the workout room.

Koutei pushed him all the way there and parked the two of them in the corner, where they could see anyone approaching and stop talking if they saw anyone come near. Koutei sighed, looking at Yami, wondering how he should start.

“… I… Last night… I remembered attacking Alit..."

Yami waited silently for Koutei to start. He was a little surprised at where he started. He frowned gravely.

"...ah...I was wondering how much more you remembered...I never saw what happened in the house...Yuugi only remembered what happened after it." Yami said. He sighed.

"...So that was the first thing you remembered...?" He wondered if Koutei had seen what had happened before: like the part where he told him to go get the baby and attack anyone who tried to stop him.

“I was in mid attack. Or what I remember started from there.” Koutei bit his lip, trying not to remember how Alit looked at him on the ground, in shock and horror of what was happening. He shook his head. “I took Alit’s baby out of the house and got into a car I’ve never seen before. There was a man in the driver’s seat with red hair and a mole on his face. You were in the back. I… I gave Masumi to you. And my phone.”

Yami frowned. He had never been too sure what had happened in that house. He hadn't gone in. He'd only heard later that Koutei had been arrested for attempted murder. He sighed.

"...I'm sorry you had to remember that. It's never fun to look back on something like that..." Yami said. He didn't ever like thinking about past murders of his. He sighed.

"...That guy with the orange hair was named Dennis. He's...someone who deals in Devil's Breath....have you...heard of that drug, and what it does to people...?" Yami asked softly.

"...No. I've never heard of it." Koutei frowned, wondering where he was going with it. "So that guy... he was my dealer?"

Yami shook his head.

"No. He was mine. As far as I know, you never met him before that day in the car...." Yami said simply. He paused and bit his lip.

"...Devil's Breath is a drug that takes away a persons free will. When they take it, they essentially do whatever their druggie tells them to do...it could be literally anything, even unspeakable things that would have never crossed the persons mind before...like kidnapping a baby and hurting their best friend." Yami said, looking at Koutei sadly.

"...That's why you did it. You were asked to while drugged with Devil's Breath...it wasn't your fault..."

Koutei took the information in carefully, a frown deepening on his face. There were such drugs? It sounded horrifying, and yet, if what Yami was saying was true, then that would explain why he had forgotten everything. He vaguely remembered the cops and Miheal talking to him about it, but now with the memories in his hand, he saw it in a new light.

“… So… Then… What happened? Why were you there? Did…” A lump formed in Koutei’s throat. “… Did… You ask me to get Masumi?”

Yami waited quietly and with great dread as Koutei pieced together the information he'd just given him.

"...Yes...yes I told you to get the baby...no matter who tried to stop you..." Yami said, biting his lip.

"...I didn't...I didn't want to use you. You and I had known each other awhile...we'd played games together and it was fun. I didn't want to hurt you...but my hand was...forced. I...I got involved with a person who wanted me to...to kill all these CEOs. He wanted me to do the last one, Raphael, quietly...I...I didn't know what to do...aside from...from getting you to borrow the baby...cause you knew them...they'd let you in..." Yami said, feeling miserable and sad the more he spoke.

"...I never meant for it to play out like it did...I didn't mean for you to hurt your friend...my...my employer would have wanted me to kill you to tie up the lose ends...but...I couldn't do that...so I told you to forget...hoping it would be enough..." Yami said, feeling like he wanted to cry.

"...I'm so, so, so sorry Koutei...I made a horrible mistake and you paid for it...but...please believe me when I say that all I want now is to try and fix it...I want to help you get better so you can get out of here and live a happy, normal life like you did before I ruined everything..." Yami said, looking up at Koutei with teary eyes. He was preparing for rage, rejection, possibly even a physical outburst...he was tense but not fighting back. He deserved whatever came next...

Koutei was quiet. He knew that Yami had been murdering CEOs, and he knew that he had failed to kill Raphael, the guy that was friends with him, but he didn’t know that he had been an accessory to attempted murder. Yami had drugged him, had used Devil’s Breath and taken control of him so he could steal Masumi. It was horrendous to think about, and even as he processed it, Koutei had to keep his knuckles from shaking.

He digested the information, and then he looked up at Yami, his expression difficult to read. He was… confused… hurt… and even though he knew Yami had no choice, he still felt a bit betrayed.

“… We knew each other then? You said we knew each other for a while… more than just in the bar then. We played games?” Koutei asked, the equivalent of ‘did you lie?’ in his voice. “Did… they said I’ve been taking other drugs too. Were you responsible for that?"

Yami bit his lip.

"...We met in bars first...so...I could give you a...preliminary drug mixed in drinks..." Yami murmured softly.

"...then, we went to other places to play games privately..." he said. He hadn't entirely lied...he just hadn't told the whole truth.

"...You were sad, quite a bit of the time...the only times you were happy was during and after the games after you'd taken drugs to forget your problems...even drugged up, you...you liked my games, and often asked to play more...eventually, you became addicted..." Yami said.

"...that was just how I dealt with people...I've had too many bad encounters...so...the drugs kept me safe..." Yami said softly, ashamed. It seemed stupid now because Koutei was so nice to him.

“So you’ve been drugging me for a long period of time…” Koutei felt something twist in his stomach and he stared at Yami. “So… were we really friends? Or were you just… using me?”

Yami also felt borderline nauseous with all the guilt overwhelming him.  Every word out of Koutei's mouth seemed to only make it worse.  

"...I...should've just seen the signs...you were so nice to me.  You brought me snacks, you texted me almost every day...you wanted to be my friend..."  Yami said softly.  

"...But...I didn't consider us friends.  I had no time to think about that...I was a fugitive...I was in with the wrong people...I spent almost all my time planning out how to kill high profile people so my employer wouldn't kill me instead..."  Yami said, choking up a little.

"...I wasn't using you all the time...it was just...just for the baby.  At first...I wasn't using you.  I did have fun playing games with you...it helped me take my mind off my shitty life too...but I never had a friend before...so...I didn't think of you as one then...we were just two people with shitty circumstances who wanted distractions..."  Yami said.  

"...Now though...now it's more like friendship.  I know Yuugi considers you one...I do too.  I really do.  That's why I didn't want to say anything, cause I knew it would make you mad.  But...now that it's out...if you never want to talk to me again, that's okay...I'll accept that.  I deserve it...but please, don't take it out on Yuugi.  He's innocent...don't stop being his friend just because you can't be mine anymore..."  Yami said looking at Koutei pleadingly.

Yami looked pathetic. He honestly, well and truly did. Koutei had always seen him as someone who was strong, someone who knew what they were doing and was confident. Rarely did he seem like he doubted himself, confidence seemed to radiate from him. But now, he looked so small, and weakness showed in his entire stature. From his teary, red eyes to his flushed cheeks, Yami honestly looked scared and lost. He looked desperate, guilty, and sad. For all the resentment Koutei had festering inside of him for Yami, none of it came out as he saw Yami there, looking so small.

Koutei didn’t say anything at first. How could he? When his closest friend here was also the man who had ruined his life, who had held his hand and escorted him down this path. Even though some of the blame belonged to Koutei, a lot of it weighed on Yami. He knew that. Both of them too.

He really should have been mad. He should have yelled, he should have screamed. There were a lot of things he could have realistically done, but instead, Koutei slowly reached out to Yami, cupping his cheek with a slow hand, giving Yami ample opportunity to push his hand away. He rubbed a thumb over his cheek.

“… You know, when you look like you’re about to cry, I can’t tell if you’re Yami or Yugi.” He gave him a tired but genuine smile. It was small, but it was still a smile. “That makes me a really bad friend, doesn’t it?”

It was true that Yami mostly did seem confident in himself and what he did.  But, he had no reason to be confident now...he felt bad for what he'd done, and wanted Koutei to know it.  He felt awful, and figured he also looked awful.  He was trying to prepare for rejection...or something worse.  This was not the first person bigger and more muscular than him that he'd pissed off...usually those people were very rough, wild when angered and relentless.  Yami and Yuugi had both been on the receiving end of those people's fists many times...Yami knew Koutei was a boxer and could definitely pack a mean punch.  

But, when Koutei's hand approached his cheek, it was gentle...so gentle it was like he considered Yami's skin to be made of glass and that too much pressure would shatter it.  Yami's eyes widened a little.  Out of all the reactions he'd imagined...this tenderness and that gentle, small smile on Koutei's face wasn't even on the list.  He wasn't even sure what to say or do for a moment...he was just so shocked.

"...I...It's still Yami..."  He murmured, wondering if maybe Koutei was holding back because he wasn't sure if it was Yuugi or not, and that of course Yuugi didn't deserve a punch.  

"...Y-you're not a bad friend..."  Yami said, trying to get his voice back.  

"You tell us apart...so well.  Better than anyone ever has.  And you're so nice to both of us...I'm the one who's the bad friend...clearly..."  He looked away from Koutei's smile.  He didn't deserve it.  

"...Why are you still being so nice to me?"

“I know… I’m just teasing you,” Koutei said, chuckling softly. Usually the two were a lot more obvious when they were switching, so there was no mistaking that the man in front of him was Yami, looking at him with confused, purple eyes. Since Yami didn’t push him away, Koutei kept stoking his skin gently, feeling the roughness under his hardened fingertips.

He watched Yami look away and he pressed his hand a little firmer, still gentle but trying to get Yami to look back at him so he could see him eye to eye. He wanted Yami to look at him, so he could see the feelings that Koutei wasn’t quite able to express himself.

He was mad, but even through his anger, he felt strangely calm. The smile left his face, but there was no unkindness there, only concern amongst the seriousness. If it was anyone else, Koutei would have let his emotions run rampant, but looking at Yami, Koutei was able to think and be clear and rational…

“Because we’re friends, aren’t we? Even if you hurt me… Even if you hurt me a lot… We’re still friends, right? I know you’re sorry, and I know you care about me now. I feel the same way. I’m sorry you had to hide that for so long, you must have been so scared to say anything, never mind the fact you had to do that in the first place. I… I’m not going to lie… Knowing this does change things… but not the fact that I care about you.”

Yami was slowly starting to calm a little, as Koutei spoke.  He didn't fight his chin being brought up so he could see how serious Koutei was...and now he was starting to realize something.  Koutei was gently stroking his cheek to calm him, and looking at him with such a kind and caring gaze...shit, what the hell was going on?  Yami felt his cheeks flush a little.  Koutei was so close...

"...I do care about you...we both do..."  Yami said softly.  

"...I'm sorry...I should have told you sooner...I was just so worried...I didn't want to lose you...."  Yami admitted.

“I do too…” Koutei felt his heart leap in his chest as he saw Yami look at him in that way, with such gentle eyes. He was so cute, and the blush just further emphasized it. It was a little baffling that he could even think about that sort of thing when Yami had just revealed that he was responsible for drugging Koutei and giving him a very, very long prison sentence, but at the same time, Koutei felt that it was just right to admire Mutou.

Koutei believed in soul mates. He believed in a special someone, someone who he would be so irreversibly entwined, that he wouldn’t be able to get out, even if he wanted to somehow. And somehow in that moment (this strange, unromantic moment) Koutei knew that this was the person (the two people) who ignited a spark in him. Someone who gave it to him. He still didn’t know what ‘it’ was… but still…

“I would have been scared too…” Especially since he did lose Alit, at least for a time. “But it’s okay… I want to be here with you. The past doesn’t matter as long as we build a future together.”

His hand slid down to Yami’s chin, the contrast of their skin more prominent than ever as he cupped it. Slowly, he tilted Yami’s face up and brought him close, pressing his lips slowly against his.

Yami smiled, also feeling a huge weight off his chest.  His face was partially flushed due to their close proximity, but also because of the fact that he had just been crying.  He took a deep breath to calm himself, wishing he could be more composed.  

"...Yeah...I'll help you..."  Yami started to reply to Koutei's last sentence, wanting to finish it by saying "until his prison sentence was up", but then his face was tilted up.  He cut off on shock as Koutei suddenly kissed him.  

Immediately, Yami had no idea what to do.  He could feel how gentle Koutei was being with him and it was surprising.  All the people whom Yami had kissed in the past were usually pretty rough with him...clearly blinded by lust or inebriated by alcohol or drugs.  But...this was different.  Koutei could have been equally forceful, shoving him back into the wheelchair and probably having his way with him easily, but he wasn't.  He was being gentle, tender, and almost cautious...and it felt really nice.  It didn't help that he could suddenly feel Yuugi stirring in his head, perhaps brought out by his overwhelming shock, and it was even weirder that he felt the other's joy and excitement melding with his own.  Of all the things Yuugi had to be around for...

And then immediately he felt awful.  Koutei...he was going to end up hurting him again, he was sure.  Although it really felt nice...Yami was trying to think rationally.  This could never work out, no matter how good it made him feel.  He gently pushed back against Koutei's lips and brought his hands up, trying to gently push him off before pulling his head back out of range so he could talk.  

"Koutei...this isn't a good idea...you deserve better than me.  I don't deserve you...."  He could feel Yuugi's disapproval in his head but tried to shove him back.

At first, Koutei was excited when he felt Yami kissing back against him, because for the briefest of moments, he honestly believed that Yami wanted him back. It was a pure sort of bliss that got his heart racing, that affirmed his decision was the right one.

But it crashed quickly.

Admittedly Koutei was glad he didn’t intensify the kiss any further, because then he felt Yami’s hand on his chest, signalling him to stop. At least he didn’t push away from him in disgust, and that made it easier to stomach when he pulled away to look at Yami’s face. His words did surprise him though, and they seemed almost as out of the blue as Koutei kissing Yami.

“But… I want you,” he moved his hand off Yami’s cheek but he took Yami’s hand gently. “I know what you’ve done, but still I care about you so much, Yami. Whether you think I deserve you or not, I want you.”

Yami let Koutei take his hand, not really wanting to hurt him.  Koutei was such a nice guy, and Yami would have been lucky to have him, he knew.  But...he had to push aside the emotion (and Yuugi wondering what was wrong with him in his head) and think reasonably.  

"...Koutei...I'm really happy I met someone like you.  You're so sweet and kind, and...even though I don't deserve you, I do wish we could be together.  I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have."  Yami said.  

"...but...I have a life sentence, Koutei.  I'm never going to get out of the prison system again.  If I'm ever deemed healthy enough to leave the Correctional Facility, I'll just be moved to a maximum security prison for the rest of my life.  I have no chance of parole....I didn't really get a choice in the matter...it was that or the death penalty."  Yami explained solemnly.  

"You don't have a life sentence Koutei.  You can and will get out of here...you're already making amazing progress.  You're getting your memory back, you're working out again...you've stopped displaying withdrawal symptoms..."  Yami mused, brushing his free hand over Koutei's mark-free arms with a small smile.

"...So you'll get out of here soon...and... you'll be able to meet another nice guy like you and potentially have a family together.  You deserve that.  I can't have you hanging onto me...not when I can't ever be with you long-term...not when I can't give you the life you deserve."  Yami said sadly.  He did feel bad about it, but it was the truth.

Koutei listened to Yami with the same seriousness as he had a few moments ago, and the frown that was born on his face matched it too. On one hand, he was happy to hear that Yami would have gladly taken him if given the chance, but on the other hand, it hurt hearing the truth from him. Even though Koutei was now sure that this beautiful, brave man was definitely his soulmate (how did he discover that so quickly?); it killed him inside realizing that he couldn’t have him.

“… Yami…” Koutei squeezed the man’s hand gently, letting him feel his skin. It was nice having him touch him, but suddenly Koutei wanted to cry.

“… I thought everything would be better when I remembered everything. That it was all I wanted. But… over these last few months, I’ve just… You and Yuugi are everything to me. The time I’ve spent with you guys have been the best I’ve had in a long time. I just… I can’t let you slip away.”

Yami sighed.

"...Yuugi and I agree. We're both very happy to have met you, and gotten to know you better." He said, offering a smile.

"...That makes me happy too. I'm not asking you to forget me again...you're more than welcome to come visit me, if they let you...but...you know you're not really allowed to touch when you visit. It's not something sustainable for a relationship..." Yami mused. But, speaking of Yuugi....

"...And now that I think about it...um...which of us do you like? You kissed me...but you've also called Yuugi gorgeous. And... well..." Yami flushed a little.

"...Yuugi has only ever had crushes on girls in high school...so...I don't know if he'd swing our way. It might make things awkward...although, he didn't seem to mind me kissing you." Yami mused, shaking his head a little at Yuugi's ridiculousness.

Well… at least they were happy too. It was nice to hear that, even if it had gone unspoken between them before.

“I know… But still…” Koutei sighed. “Now that I’ve confessed, I don’t want to give you up for anything. Not even something like that. I…” There really was no way to make it work if that was their future, wasn’t it?

“Is it bad that I think I like both of you? As two different people?” It was Koutei’s turn to blush and look away. “I mean… You’re the same person so I find you both gorgeous, but I like you both for different reasons at the same time. You’re always so strong and confident, and the way you spin stories and make games out of everything is really inspiring and brilliant. You’re also kind… really kind and considerate, even if you don’t make it obvious. And Yuugi… Ah… I don’t know if he can hear me, but I like him too. He’s sweet and honest, and immensely brave. I’ve never seen someone stand up for a stranger like he did when we first met. He’s caring and gentle… I just… Just… like you both.”

Yami sighed sadly.

"...I'm sorry...." He said, knowing that Koutei had reached the same conclusion that he had about long-term plans. He was surprised at Koutei's confession though.

"Both of us? Wow..." he said, a little in awe by the way Koutei spoke about him. He still didn't think he was a good guy, but it was nice to hear Koutei thought so highly of him.

"...I'm not sure if he heard. You should tell him that later though...even if he doesn't return your feelings, he'll be happy to hear it." Yami said gently.

“No… It’s okay… I should have thought this through. I just… I don’t know.” He really didn’t know how they got here.

Koutei nodded, his cheeks still pink and he gave another small smile. “It’s kind of embarrassing, I know… But I will tell him. I’ll try not kiss him unless he says it’s okay though,” he mused.

"Sometimes things don't go as planned..." Yami mused. He never thought Koutei would ever kiss him after he confessed what he did.

"Yeah. Ask him first. Don't steal his first kiss, or I might have to hit you." Yami said half-serious.

“Yeah… Hopefully this turns out okay though,” he said, squeezing Yami’s hand since he hadn’t yet let go.

“Oh? He hasn’t lost his first kiss? Wow…” It made sense, since Yami had manifested early in Yugi’s adult life, but it was still surprising. “I promise. I want to look after you guys, remember?”

Yami sighed. "...I'm not sure if it can. We're still in jail. We can barely see each other as is, and we have to deal with being constantly watched by fellow inmates and guards...I don't know if this sort of thing is even accepted around here." Yami said. He'd seen no evidence of any relationships among the inmates. He chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah, he hasn't lost it. He was way too shy to talk to girls in high school...and then he fell asleep for awhile and left me to get all the kisses afterwards." Yami mused. He smiled and squeezed Koutei's hand back. "That I can promise too, from both Yuugi and I. We'll look after you too."

“I know…” Koutei sighed, no laughter on his face. He felt guilty, and he was a bit disappointed in his own messed up priorities. “… Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it in the first place. Sorry…”

He was glad though that Yami assured him they were still there for him, and he let a more natural smile come to his face. He was glad he had such a good friend despite everything.

Yami shook his head.

"It's okay...it's better to let feelings out instead of letting them fester, isn't it? That's what the therapists say...and festering depression is what made Yuugi leave for a long time." Yami said gently, not wanting to make Koutei feel bad about what he wanted. He smiled when Koutei did.

"...There, that's better. I don't want to be the reason you're not smiling anymore..." he said softly.

“Yeah… That’s true. Hiding things like that hurts… I should know that more than anyone.” Koutei wondered why he was so unlucky in love, and why was he destined to never be with the one he wanted. However, he pushed those thoughts away now, and he smiled a bit wider, a positive feedback loop initiating with Yami’s smile.

“… I like you a lot. And even if I didn’t, I forgive you. Masumi ended up fine, and we both ended up getting the help we both needed, so it’s not all that bad.”

Yami nodded with a smile.

"So don't hide it okay? That should also go for things like your memories...if you get more back, we should talk about it. No hiding. Same with Yuugi...he can talk to you about what he remembers from me." Yami said with a smile. He nodded.

"...I didn't plan to hurt her at all. I planned to give her to an orphanage after killing Raphael, where I'm sure they would have realized quickly that she was a baby reported missing and returned her to the family. She was so young and small, so she wouldn't have remembered anything anyway...so she would've turned out just fine." Yami said.

"I'm glad I'm here too...especially for Yuugi's sake. He's made friends through this experience and is getting the help he needs." Yami said with a smile.

Koutei nodded. Yami was a good man after all. He considered the consequences of his actions. Even if sometimes his judgment was very much twisted and in self-interest, deep down he was a good person. Koutei wanted to point that out, but he didn’t want to start a redundant discussion where Yami would disagree with Koutei’s claims, so he let it go.

“Yeah… And not just me. Shinji and his gang tend to get on well with Yuugi, even if Yuugi does seem confused half the time,” Koutei laughed.

Yami snorted.

"True...Yuugi's not hard to get along with, so I’m not surprised." He said.

"Hes really coming out of his shell in here...I'm glad for him. He was much shyer in high school."

He wasn’t. Like Koutei said, Yuugi was sweet and kind and compassionate, and Koutei felt like he would do anything Yuugi asked him to do (a statement that seemed less chilling before he got his memories back). Koutei gave a small chuckle.

“I can imagine… But man, he’s a lot more confident now. I hope I can see more of that in the future,” Koutei said dreamily.

Yami could feel Yuugi stirring in his head, reacting to the compliments and doing the mental equivalent of fidgeting in embarrassment from all the compliments.

"Ah...I'm pretty sure he heard that..." Yami said with a chuckle, feeling his head pulse but not caring much. Yami simply stared at the blond in front of him, amazed by Koutei.

"...you're really smitten, aren't you?" He mused in awe. Koutei was so dreamy when talking about Yuugi.

“Did he? Well, I hope you hear that ‘I like your smile’!” He said loudly, mostly kidding but also pretty serious.

“I like to think I’m more subtle than that… But… agh… I guess you can say that. I think about the two of you all the time, you know.” He blushed.

Yami laughed at the reaction Yuugi had which was fidget even more.

"You don't need to shout!" He mused with a chuckle, putting a hand to his head as it pulsed again. Yami flushed a little at Koutei's words.

"...I'm just...amazed that someone like you is real. And that you'd feel that way about me of all people... or... us really. Yuugi's amazed too..." Yami mused. He felt he was currently speaking for Yuugi as well. He could feel the others disbelief about the situation too.

“Ah! Sorry!” Koutei gave a small laugh. “I had to make sure he heard me.” He felt bad he was giving Yami and Yuugi a bit of a headache, but the two didn’t seem to mind, thankfully.

“Of course I do… I’ve said why I like you a lot, already.” Koutei smiled, his voice a little softer, but full of adoration.

Yami smiled.

"It's alright." He chuckled. He nodded.

"...I know...but nobody's said things like that to either of us. It's hard to wrap my head around..." he mused softly.

“I’ll say it as many times as you need until you’re used to it,” Koutei took both of Yami’s hands and smiled at him. He linked their fingers together.

Yami smiled, letting Koutei link his hands together.

"...Okay. Thank you." Yami said. He could feel Yuugi thinking the same, still embarrassed and shy and hiding in their head.

“So… what shall we do with the rest of our break?” Koutei said. He had some ideas, but he didn’t want to say them, after they were on such a good note.

Yami shrugged.

"Did you want to do a workout? I'm okay with whatever." Yami said with a smile.

“We might as well. Since we’re in this room.” Koutei said. He didn’t get up straight away though, because he was looking at Yami’s face.

Yami nodded, fully expecting Koutei to get up. But when he didn't, he frowned a little.

"...is something wrong?" He asked.

“… Ah…”  Koutei blushed and looked down. “It’s nothing. Nevermind!"

Yami raised a brow at the blush and how bashful Koutei looked.

"...you wanted to kiss me again, didn't you?" He mused, a little amused and also awed cause this was really happening. Now that he was clear on how Koutei has felt, he could recall a few suggestive moments where they might have kissed or done something more.

“I’m really not good at being subtle, am I?” Koutei muttered, nodding. “Yeah… I did... Sorry..."

"No... your poker face needs improvement." Yami mused. The real problem was that he wanted to kiss Koutei too. He was so nice to him...he didn't deserve him, but he did want him. He knew it wasn't going to last...but he wanted him while he could have him. Just one more kiss, Yami reasoned...to even up the score.

"...Well I won't have it. You can't kiss me..." Yami said, before leaning in towards Koutei.

"...cause it's my turn." He said softly, before sealing their lips in a brief kiss. He tried to mimic Koutei's gentleness just for a moment, before pulling away.

"...there. Now we're even..."

Koutei was about to apologise when he heard Yami turn him down and was going to move away when suddenly Yami was right in his face. His pink cheeks went even redder as he felt Yami return the kiss, and he was too stunned to try deepen it. Yami knew what he was doing, clearly, and Koutei could only stare at the smaller man when he pulled away.

“Y-yeah…” He blinked dumbly before he smiled again. “I guess we are."

Yami was amazed at how adorable Koutei looked when he blushed. It made him smile in return. He'd never thought anyone would direct such a love-sick look in his direction like that, but here it was.

"...Now that you've got your kiss, you can workout without distractions..." he mused.

“Well, with you motivating me and not distracting me, I guess I can do that.” He grinned happily, looking like a puppy who had been given his first treat. “Thank you,” he said, squeezing Yami’s hand, not noticing someone watching them.

Yami smiled.

"Yes, you can.  I'll keep motivating you."  He said, squeezing Koutei's hand back, also oblivious to the eyes on him.  He went on to get a game started for Koutei to make his workout more interesting and fun, feeling truly happy for the first time since he'd come to this facility.  

Although there were no guards in the workout room, as Koutei had pointed out, there were still the cameras with eyes on every corner.  One of the security guards had notified Dr. Arclight when he saw the two inmates kiss, wondering if some sort of intervention was required.  He'd been asked by Dr. Arclight to monitor the interactions between Koutei and Mutou and this was a major development.  

Miheal arrived too late to see the first kiss Koutei gave Yami, but he was fully present for the second one that Yami gave to Koutei and he could only frown.  

"...So this is the second time they've kissed today?"  He asked the guard who had been monitoring the camera.

As Koutei went off to play the game and work out with his best friend, the guard in the room nodded to Miheal. “Indeed, sir.” The man said, looking back at the monitor. “Though Mutou initiated this one. What should we do?"

"I can see that..." he sighed. It was possible that Koutei had confessed and now Yami could be using his feelings to manipulate him again.

"For now, please continue to monitor them together...I'll talk to each of them about this in their respective therapy appointments with me and see if I can figure out more." Miheal said. He had been hoping to spare Koutei from talking about his past...but Koutei should know that Yami was suspected of using him, and that it could be happening again. Miheal couldn't allow his patient to relapse.

“Yes sir.” The monitoring was fairly uneventful after the two got to training, just the two working out together as they always did. However, the man did keep an eye out, hoping there was really nothing to report.

Dr. Arclight nodded, watching the screen for a moment before going back to his office. He had a lot to think about now. This subject probably would have to be broken in gently with Koutei...he didn't want to also cause a relapse of his patient by making him feel too badly. This would have to be delicate...

-x-

At the police station, the cops were very busy as usual.  In fact, most of the cops who were usually in the station were busy shipping fugitives from Yuuto's building back to prison or to court for re-assessment in some cases.  Roger had noticed this from Neo Domino, mainly using the retina cameras he'd installed into Sergey's eyes that were watching patiently as always.  

"Sergey.  There aren't many cops in the station right now, so this will be your chance to leave.  I have a vehicle being sent for you.  It will arrive in ten minutes.  I need you out and ready for your next assignment."  He sent the message through Sergey's artificial ear.  The cops didn't know just how much he'd improved his ultimate weapon.

Sergey had been sitting in his cell, concentrating on mapping the officer shifts and going over the layout of the police office from what he had seen when he saw the message in his head. He knew that while the cops could stop some communication in the cells, they really couldn’t do anything about the simple messages he could get like this. Hearing the message, he stood up, nodding.

It was a very quiet affair. Sergey opened part of his head, revealing a lock pick multitool that had been cloaked in his skull. The man set to gently pick the lock. While he could brute force it, he didn’t want to alert the guards straight away.

It wasn’t long before before he slipped out of his cell. Looking around, Sergey began to stalk out, though not before he made a quick detour to see… a certain mousie.

Meanwhile, moments before Sergey got out of his cell, Astral was with Vector's AI. He'd been keeping a close eye on the police station these past few days, just so he could make sure they weren't coming after him. So far, he'd realized that nobody they'd caught knew where he was. Even Yuuto who had an idea surely, has said nothing about him. He was very much relieved....but he was also looking for an opportunity to get his files destroyed for good.

Today seemed like a good day from what he could tell...most of the police were out transporting criminals to prison or court.

"...Vector. Now is a good time to get my files...the station is poorly staffed." He said. Vector smirked.

"Alright...I'll get your files then, Astral."

"Do you know where they are located?"

"Of course I do! I worked in that station before, silly!" Vector cackled. He disappeared from the room, reappearing in....one of the empty holding cells in the back.

"...shit." Vector muttered. Well, he could walk through the bars easily, he supposed, so he did. Vector hadn't programmed a lot about the station...mostly its general layout. So he's have to look around a bit. He chose to head left and walked.

Meanwhile, Yuuto was in his room with Yuuya. His brother was asleep, having complained of stomach pains earlier and Yuuto had persuaded him to lie down and sleep it off. Since he couldn't offer any other meds, this was the best he could do. He sat there, stroking his brother's head to soothe him to sleep, oblivious to the approaching danger for the moment.

Sergey grinned as he stalked through the hallways, eerily quiet despite his massive size. As an assassin, he knew how to move, and the best ways to move undetected. Thanks to his clear head and logical reasoning, he had a good idea where Yuuto was, and soon he was at the man’s door.

With the multitool at hand, he smiled and began to unlock Yuuto’s door quietly. There was a wild grin on his face as the lock easily came undone and the door opened.

“It’s been some time, mouse. Scampering your way back into the cat’s bed. You’d think you’d like being hurt."

Yuuto didn't notice Sergey's presence at all until he heard the locks being undone on the door to his cell.  At first, he thought maybe it was just the cops going to get him for another talk, so he casually glanced their way.

And froze in terror as he realized it was Sergey.  Already, his heart was pounding, his breath going short, his hands trembling.  He was still injured...this time he had no weapons...and he had nowhere to run.  

But there was another thing.  Yuuya was with him.  What if Sergey killed him too?  He had to do something...

"..N-no...stay away from me..."  His voice was shaky and he hated it.  He grabbed one his crutches and held it in his trembling hands like a club, his weak defense against Sergey.  This was it...he was going to die...

Vector had heard voices around the corner and had peeked around to see if it was the cops.  But he was surprised to see it was clearly one of the inmates.  

"Wow...we've got a prison break happening huh?"  He mused, stepping out from the shadows casually.  

"Shouldn't you be running for the door, big guy~?  The cops'll be back soon..."

Sergey grinned as he saw Yuuto, and the grin turned even larger when he saw Yuuto cower. He licked his lips hungrily, staring down at the frightened man.

“I have a score to settle with you, mouse. I’m going to tear you in half.” Sergey cracked his knuckles. He knew he was short on time, but he really, really did want to kill Yuuto for what he did to his ears. “I’ll break you so hard that your ears will bleed from the sound of your screams.”

He froze though, hearing the voice and he turned, ready to beat off a guard. However, Sergey stopped in his tracks, seeing just who it was.

“It’s you…” Sergey stared at Vector for a long moment before he began to laugh. He covered the good side of his face and began to laugh hysterically, a mad expression of glee on his face. “You… You’re Vector. The beautiful bastard, Vector. It’s an honour to be in your destructive presence!” Sergey laughed, staring straight at Vector with both real and mechanical eyes, documenting the encounter for his own sake.

Yuuto's breath hitched and his trembling increased.  He felt like he couldn't move a muscle as Sergey approached.  He knew he was short, but he'd never felt so small...

And then he stopped approaching.  His hysterical laughter was still cringe-worthy, but Yuuto wondered just what he was talking about.  Then he saw Vector, and his eyes widened.

"...But...you're dead..."  He murmured, stunned, unable to believe what he was seeing.  

Vector raised a brow.  

"Oh, it sounds like you're a fan of mine then...I see you have good taste in bad guys."  Vector mused with a chuckle.  

"Maybe you can help me then...I'm looking for the file room...is it that way?"  He asked, pointing to the way behind Sergey.

Yuuto was all but forgotten for the moment as Sergey was taken by Vector’s presence. The man gave a large grin as he shook his head and pointed off a corridor nearby, down Vector’s left and ahead of them. “That way. You’ll find all of the police records there. Feel free to destroy anything you find, Vector.” Sergey looked positively giddy seeing Vector.

“Need me to guide the way? Or… Oh… My ride is almost here. I guess I can’t go.” Sergey shook his head, though his grin stayed on his face.

Yuuto could only watch in shock as the two communicated.  That was...definitely Vector...but how the hell did he get in here?  He was supposed to be dead!  

Vector let one of his infamous smirks grace his lips.  

"Oh I plan to.  Destruction is my specialty, after all~"  He mused.  He smiled.  

"Well, I wouldn't want you to miss your ride...I'm sure I'll manage on my own.  Thanks for the directions, big guy~"  Vector said, moving towards the corridor in question.

“Goodbye, Vector!” Sergey wondered if he was dreaming or- heaven forbid- crazy, but his cameras had definitely caught Vector. The man gave a feral grin as he turned back to Yuuto, eyes glinting.

“And goodbye to you, mouse. I have to go now, but mark my words, I will drag you to an eternity of torment. I’ll beat you to an inch of your life, and then kill you most deliciously.” Sergey burst out laughing as he slammed the door shut on Yuuto again and ran off.

Yuuto watching Vector go, wondering the same as Sergey...had he lost it?  Vector was dead, but here he was!  He stiffened when Sergey spoke to him again.  His words terrified him...but...at least he was going to live another day.  He let out a shuddering sigh of relief when Sergey slammed the door shut and left.  Part of him wished that he'd left the door open, so he could escape, but for now, he was just relieved that he was alive and not harmed any further.  He sighed, laying down next to Yuuya and holding his brother gently, but still firmly.  He'd been so, so scared...he just...needed comfort...

Meanwhile, Vector waved Sergey off and walked down the hallway.  He smirked, realizing that Sergey's directions had been correct.  

"Nice guy the one..."  He mused, looking through the files until he found Astral's.  He opened it and scanned it with his eyes, like how he'd done his wedding ring based on Takashi's.  He wanted to know what dirt the cops had on Astral before he destroyed the file.  Once he'd done that, he went to the paper shredder, feeding the file's contents through it steadily.  This was a double shredder, so it would be impossible to put back together.  To make matters worse, he dumped the paper in the trash with a snicker.  

"There...all done~"

Yuuya didn’t stir at all throughout the whole exchange, having been in so much pain before he had passed out from exhaustion, but he did squeeze his brother back instinctively feeling him against him. The man slept obliviously, without knowing what was happening.

As Vector began to shred the files, Sergey emerged out of the security room. One of the guards who had been going to check on the prisoners froze as he opened the door, before he immediately slammed it shut.

“We have an escaped prisoner!” The man yelled. Sergey grinned and merely braced himself, ramming the door. With his modifications, he all but knocked it and the guard out of his way, before he charged straight out.

“Ukyou-san! Sergey’s escaping!” Someone yelled.

Ukyou heard the call and quickly moved, yelling for his fellow officers who were still at the station to intercept him.  

Vector heard the comotion as well, smirking.  

"Sounds like I should be going..."  He mused, replacing Astral's empty file where he'd found it before disappearing.  

Meanwhile, a black car pulled up at the back door of the station, waiting for Sergey.

Sergey ran forward, pushing past anyone. Even when cops pulled their guns out, he barrelled past, not giving them time to react. He was fast, and he made it all the way to the lobby where there were a line of cops there to stop him. Unlike the narrow corridors, where it was easier to brute force ahead, Sergey stopped, seeing the wide space filled with trained officers.

“Give it up, Sergey! You’re surrounded. Stand down, or we will shoot!” Anna yelled. “Don’t make any movements. Put your hands up.”

Sergey grinned as he heard the woman, looking at her. However, to their surprise, he did put his hands up, though a mad grin was plastered on his face.

Anna narrowed her eyes at Sergey.  He was putting his hands up, he was surrendering...but she didn't quite trust him.  

More backup was arriving behind Sergey, thankfully.  So in a few more moments, he'd be caught...she approached him, one hand going to her handcuffs to cuff him and take him back to his cell.  The other kept the gun pointed at him.

Sergey waited for her to approach some more before he grinned. Immediately, out of his arm came a concealed pellet. The man grinned as he threw the smoke bomb down, right in Anna’s face, letting off a loud, dangerous explosion, before he knocked the woman aside hard and charged forward.

Anna's eyes widened.

"Sto-!"  She tried to say, before the smoke bomb went off on her face and she was thrown roughly aside.  Her body smacked the ground hard, momentarily knocking her out.  

"Anna!"  Ukyou cried, rushing to his teammates' aid.  Other squad members chased after Sergey, but the smoke had concealed his direction.  By the time it cleared, Sergey was in the getaway vehicle and speeding away.  They'd lost him.

"Get a doctor out here!  Anna's hurt!"

People couldn’t fire, given that they risked hitting Anna, so they chased him out, firing at the speeding car. Some did even go that one step further to chase the car, but it was way too hard given the circumstances.

Thankfully for Anna, Sayaka had been coming in for Yuya’s checkup. She gaped as she saw the mechanical man run out with cops behind him and then quickly hurried inside.

“A-ah! What happened?” Sayaka gaped, seeing Ukyou with Anna. She ran over, her bag at hand. “Oh my god,” she murmured, opening her bag and rummaging through it.

"Ah, Dr. Sasayama...thank goodness."  Ukyou said, letting the woman approach.  He also looked up at the progress of his squad mates, cursing under his breath that Sergey had gotten away.  Now they needed to begin the manhunt all over again...and figure out how the hell this happened.

Anna was slowly regaining consciousness, looking up in confusion when she saw Sayaka.

"...Sayaka?"  She murmured.  Her head and body hurt like hell.  Damn it...Sergey had caught her by surprise.

It had happened all so suddenly, really, that most people were still reeling, not having even realised fully Sergey had escaped. However, there were other matters to attend to first, namely Anna. Sayaka wiped Anna’s face and began treating the wounds, frowning. Thankfully there was no immediate injuries but she was now looking to see if Anna had a concussion or broken ribs.

“Good. You’re awake. How are you feeling?” She asked, being professional to make sure she treated Anna as best as she could.

"...Like hell..."  Anna murmured.  

"What...happened?"  She asked, her body sore and exhausted.  She remembered Sergey being there.  

"Ugh..."  She said, trying to push herself up but wincing and collapsing again.

“You got smoke bombed in the face when you were going for your gun,” Ukyou frowned.

“Hey… don’t exert yourself. Easy. Are you hurt?” Sayaka asked, looking her over.

"...bastard..."  Anna growled, still wanting to get up.

"But...Sergey..."  She said, lying down as requested anyway because there was nothing she could do right now.

"We're going to be looking for him...you rest, Anna.  Let the doctor look after you."  Ukyou said.

“Yeah…” Sayaka frowned. “Do we have some way to transport her to a bed?” Saaka looked up at Ukyou.

“I can pick her up,” Gauche said. “We can take you to the break room. A table is going to have to do though.” Sayaka nodded and Gauche walked over, kneeling to pick Anna up.

“Up you go, pal."

Ukyou nodded at Gauche, giving him permission.

"I'm going to go talk to Droite...we need to figure out how Sergey even got out of his cell."  He said, heading off.  Anna's head spun and she clutched onto Gauche as he picked her up.

"Woah..."  She murmured, dizzy and in pain from the movements.  She really hoped she hadn't broken something...her head made it hard to tell.

Gauche knelt down and picked her up carefully before he began carrying her. Sayaki frowned, following after him.

“Are you okay?” Gauche asked.

“Easy…” Sayaka said. Gauche lowered her down onto the table. “Get some water and elevate her head. Do you feel any other pain not in your head?”

"Ugh...no.  I feel like I was hit by a truck..."  Anna groaned.  She was laid down gently and Gauche immediately ran off to fetch some water as instructed.  

"...My arm...I think..."  Anna said.  She'd kinda landed on it funny, or at least she thought so.  It was kinda fuzzy.

“Stay awake, alright? Are you breathing okay? You took that… smoke bomb, I think? You took that to the face,” Sayaka said, frowning. She looked at the woman’s arm and began feeling it firmly. “Tell me if it hurts, alright?”

"...I think so?"  Anna said, before coughing a little, disproving her point.  She groaned when Sayaka poked her arm.

"It hurts there..."

“Careful… Take deep, slow breaths. Alright? We’ll need you to cough all of that out of your lungs too."

Sayaka frowned and began moving her hand around the area. She frowned. “We’ll need an X-ray for that… You don’t seem like you’ve broken anything but I’m suspecting a fracture.”

Anna tried to follow instructions, taking deep breaths that were occasionally interrupted by more coughing.  

"Ugh...this sucks..."  She said.

“What did you even try to do?” Sayaka frowned. “Did you get yourself into trouble again? Honestly… I know you’re used to it on the police force, but you have to mind your health."

Anna pouted.

"...I tried to go up and handcuff him...he had his hands up and everything...I thought he was surrendering..."  She said.

“And he was tricking you… and everyone… It sounds horrible…” Sayaka sighed. “I’m fairly sure you’ll need some scans, but honestly, you’ll be alright for most part. We’ll get you to a radiologist as soon as your friend comes back with water"

"Yeah...asshole..."  Anna mused with a frown.  She sighed.

"...Alright...thanks, Sayaka.  You're always looking out for me..."  She said, smiling.  This was just like when they were in high school and she'd injured herself doing something stupid.  Sayaka had always been the one to help her.

Sayaka looked at Anna, staring into her eyes. It really was Allen, wasn’t it? She could even hear it in the voice that it was her childhood friend. She smiled back, unable to help herself.

“Well… not really. I mean… it’s been years since we’ve seen each other."

Anna chuckled and coughed a little.

"It's not your fault your family had to move..."  Anna said, smiling, before looking a little bashful.

"But...um...if you want...we could be friends again, couldn't we, Sayaka?  I know it's been awhile but...we were close back then, and I did miss you."

Sayaka frowned. She still felt that she could have kept in contact, but that was besides the point. She looked at the woman in front of her and she blushed. “Ah… Do you want to be friends? I mean… we might be different people to how we used to be…” She paused. “Ah… not as in… you know? I mean… I want to try, but I’m worried we won’t be so close.” She sighed. “…I miss you too."

Anna smiled when Sayaka blushed.  She was as cute as Anna remembered her being...

"...Well, we won't know unless we try to reconnect, right?  If we both missed each other, we should be friends."  Anna said.

“… Yeah… we should… give it a try,” Sayaka smiled. Allen… Anna had a nice smile. She couldn’t help but smile back at her. “After we get you sorted out, we should plan something."

Anna went to nod, before wincing when it made her head spin.  She groaned.

"...Yeah...definitely."  She said.

“Yeah… I’m thinking a concussion. We’ll get you some analgesic and you’ll need to do a lot of resting, okay?"

Anna sighed.

"Alright...I'll rest..."  She said begrudgingly.  Gauche returned with some water.

"Here, I got you some water, Anna."  He said.  Anna accepted it.

"Thanks Gauche..."

“Gauche-san,” Sayaka turned to the man. “Is it possible to get Anna to a radiologist? I can write a referral up right away, and I think Anna should get checked out. I know you’re short on doctors, but this needs tending too. Do I need to ask Ukyou-san?”

"Ah...yeah, of course.  Ukyou said whatever Anna needed.  I can take her."  Gauche said.  Anna smiled.

"Thanks Gauche."

“Alright… I’ll go get that all organised. It’s her arm mainly. Make sure she rests too. I’ll check up when I can.” Sayaka sighed. “I have another patient to check now as well.”

Gauche nodded.

"Will do....well stay here for now." He said. Anna smiled.

"...thanks Sayaka." She said.

Sayaka smiled. “I’ll see you later, Anna. You take care. Rest easy. I’ll have that done and sent off to the database by the end.”

"Alright. I will. See you later." Anna said with a smile, laying back to relax and ignoring the slightly suggestive looks Gauche was giving her regarding Sayaka.

"...shut up..." she murmured to him. He only grinned in response.

Gauche grinned and held his hands up in surrender. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

"Yeah you do..." Anna muttered.

Ukyou emerged to greet Sayaka.

"How is she?" He asked, concerned for his squad mate.

“She’ll be fine. Thankfully it looks like with the way she’s talking, she won’t be coughing up all that smoke bomb. She may have fractured her arm so she needs to get that checked out. Honestly, at worst it’s a fractured arm and a concussion, so she’s not bad off."

Ukyou nodded, relieved.

"That's good to hear...sounds like she'll still need some time to rest though." He said.

"...If Anna's alright, we still have your patient here. My team has checked the doors of the cells...none of them are damaged, so it should be safe to go back there and see Yuuya. Follow me." Ukyou said, leading Sayaka back.

"...oh yes and since your last visit...we've put Yuuya in with his brother. Hes also injured...his legs are infected. We were hoping you could tell us how he's recovering as well."

“Alright, that makes sense,” Sayaka frowned. “I didn’t even know he was arrested with his brother. Which one was it?"

"He wasn't arrested with his brother...his guardian was arrested later. His name is Yuuto." Ukyou said, arriving at the cell. He saw the two twins curled up in the cot with each other, holding each other for their respective comforts: for Yuuya his stomach pains and for Yuuto his renewed terrors. "Here they are." Ukyou said. Yuuto was lying in the cot, focusing on Yuuya next to him. He focused on his breathing, his warmth, the way he held him close...he was safe. He and Yuuya were safe here...there was no Sergey anymore. He was gone and he wasn't coming back. He didn't notice Ukyou opening the door of his cell to let Sayaka in.

“Yuuto?” Sayaka frowned. She wondered if it was the same Sakaki Yuuto her childhood best friend dated before leaving for America. It would have been a strange coincidence. The woman followed after Ukyou and frowned, seeing the two sharing the bed.

She cautiously approached, looking at the two.

“Hey… Sakaki-san? Are you awake?”

Yuuto didn't snap out of his daze until someone was right behind him. His first reaction was to whirl around and swing at the closest person. Before the blow could land, he recognized the girl and froze, panting and sweaty from fear. He slowly relaxed. "...sorry...you startled me..." he said softly. Ukyou had taken a step in to block his shot but sighed. "Dr. Sasayama needs to look at your legs and your brother."  Yuuto nodded. "...yeah...okay..." he said, still trying to calm down. He took a deep breath and gently shook Yuuya. "Yuuya...hey...the doctors here...wake up..."

Sayaka thankfully wasn’t that close but she still gasped as the hand came near her. She remained silent but wide-eyed, staring at the nervous, shaking form of a man she once knew. Despite how shaky he looked and the mad glint in his eye, it really was Yuuto.

“… I could have said the same for you,” the woman muttered, fixing her glasses.

“Mghh…” Yuuya moaned and shook his head. “No… Don’t… want to..."

Yuuto sighed.

"...sorry, Sayaka." He said softly. He smiled a little at Yuuya.

"You have to, Yuuya. Come on." He said gently, shaking him again.

Sayaka wanted to speak to Yuuto, but she knew she had a job to do. She patiently waited for Yuuya to get up, the thinner man giving a small moan.

“I don’t… Hurts…” Yuuya opened his eyes a little, tears filling them. “Mghh..."

"I know...I know it hurts...but the doctor here can help with that..." Yuuto said gently, helping Yuuya up. He looked at Sayaka again, much more calmly than before. He could trust her.

"...He's been having stomach pains...haven't you, Yuuya? Does it hurt anywhere else?" Yuuto asked.

Yuuya slowly sat up and clung to his brother, eyes watering. He nodded.

“My head hurts too…” Yuuya groaned as he clutched his stomach. “Hurts…”

“We’ll see what’s wrong and try help, Yuuya,” Sayaka said. She opened her bag and had Yuuya open his mouth so she could get a look. “When did this start?”

“… Last year…”

Yuuto held Yuuya back gently, wanting to support him. But he'd let go if Sayaka needed him to for any sort of examination.

"...I don't have a headache or stomachache, so it's not a direct symptom of Yuuya about to go berserk...it's something else." Yuuto said.

“Berserk?” Sayaka asked. Yuuya nodded.

“I… It hurts… More now. I don’t have… supplementary meds… so it hurts more…”

“I see…” Sayaka frowned as she looked him over, taking his temperature and blood pressure. As she did so, she noticed many hard patches on Yuuya’s skin, “I’m aware of his condition… Do you have problems eating?”

“Yeah… burning pain in my chest when I do… it’s worse when I lie down… I vomit sometimes too…”

“You may have some acid reflux then…” Sayaka frowned. “We’ll need to take blood and do a biopsy, most likely. It’s hard to say with only my second check, but he may have some internal scleroderma from the medication he took before. His digestive system may be hardening."

Yuuto frowned.

"...that sounds serious..." he said. Ukyou nodded.

"So he'll need hospital then?"

“In his state, he really should be in a hospital,” Sayaka said, “Not just for this.”

“No…” Yuuya hid his face in Yuuto’s shoulder. “I hate hospitals…”

Yuuto held his brother close.

"...Yuuya...this isn't forever. She needs to do a biopsy. She can't do it here...you're not being institutionalized there. It's for a checkup...to make sure you're okay..." Yuuto said gently. Ukyou nodded.

"It'll just be for a visit, Yuuya. You're still here on criminal charges that need to stand trial..." Ukyou said.

Yuuya shook his head and hugged Yuuto tighter. “No…” “Please, Yuuya. You want to get better, right? It’s for your own good. We can do this quickly if Card Heart isn’t busy. I know a few people there.” Sayaka offered.

Yuuto held his brother.

"...Yuuya...this is an old friend of mine, Sayaka...we can trust her. She can look after you...she wants to help. Please, go with her so she can help you feel better...." Yuuto said gently to Yuuya.

“Yuuto has to come with me…” Yuuya mumbled. “I don’t want to leave him…”

Yuuto sighed.

"...I don't think that's allowed, Yuuya..." he said, glancing at Ukyou.

"I'm afraid not. If your brother needs treatment for his legs, he can come too, but he's got to stay here otherwise, Yuuya." Ukyou said.

“I’ll have a look over them now, okay?” Sayaka said. “Then we’ll figure out if you need treatment. Yuuto, can you pull up your pants, please?”

Yuuto nodded and did as she asked, wincing a little as he did. It still hurt to move them too much. They were still leaking pus a little...it didn't help that he couldn't change clothes or anything right now...

“… The hospital should have seen you a lot earlier than when they did. They look bad…” Sayaka knelt down and had a look. “They are healing though. They just need to be cleaned more regularly, despite the pain it might cause. Can you move it for me, Yuuto?"

Yuuto bit his lip.

"...I know." He said softly. He was too fucking stubborn. He did as instructed, moving his legs slowly and shakily. It did still hurt to move them; but he could do it.

“Mmm… So stiff, but functional. You’re healing well, all things considered. As long as we air these out and you keep off your feet as well, it should be alright. You’ll be fine. Keep taking your antibiotics.” She said, beginning to clean the pus out.

Yuuto nodded.

"I plan to." He said, letting Sayaka clean them and holding Yuuya to comfort his brother and himself.

"...So I'm guessing I don't need to go back to hospital huh?"

“No, you don’t. The infection hasn’t spread. Honestly, you’re as well as you can be. It looks like you’re staying here… Sorry."

"Thought so..." Yuuto said. He knew he was healing...he'd had other injuries and knew how to recognize it. He sighed.

"Alright Yuuya...you're gonna have to be brave and go on your own...it's just for a checkup. You'll be fine..."

Yuuya bit his lip and pulled away from Yuuto, looking heartbroken. He really looked like a child, and not a man in his early thirties. “I… I… see… But…”

“It’ll be fine, Yuuya. Don’t worry about it.”

Yuuto smiled at him when he pulled away. "You're going to be fine, alright? You'll be back here soon enough." He said. "If Dr. Sasayama is ready, we can take you know, Yuuya." Ukyou said.

“If we can, that will be great. I can take Officer Kozuki in my car and then you can take Yuuya, Ukyou-san,” Sayaka said, standing up and packing her things.

“… Okay…” Yuuya sighed. “Man… I hate hospitals..."

"I know you do...but you'll be okay. This is a checkup." Yuuto said gently. He gave Yuuya a small squeeze.

"I'll be waiting when you get back okay?" He promised.

Ukyou nodded.

"Sounds good. Let's go, Yuuya." He said.

Yuuya nodded. He stood up and walked over to Ukyou, but he glanced back, seeing Yuuto’s sad face. He forced a smile, hoping his brother would copy.

“See you later…”

Yuuto gave him a smile and a wave.

"See you later." He reaffirmed. He glanced at Sayaka.

"...will you tell me how he's doing? When you find out what's wrong? Please?" He asked her after Yuuya left.

Sayaka looked at Yuuto and she nodded. “Of course I will… You’re his guardian still… I’m supposed to tell you.” She gave him a smile. “And as Ruri’s friend, how can I not?”

Yuuto smiled in relief. "...thank you, Sayaka. It is nice to see you again, despite the unfortunate circumstances."

The woman nodded in agreement. “I have to go… Hopefully we’ll talk later.” She looked behind her, seeing Ukyou waiting to close the door. With a wave, she took her things and headed off, leaving Yuuto all alone.

Yuuto nodded. "I hope so too. See you." He said, Before laying down to rest. Ukyou closed the door and looked at Sayaka. "You two know each other?"

Sayaka nodded. “Yeah… we were in the same friendship group in high school. I moved away when we graduated and lost touch with him though, but he dated one of my best friends for the longest time.” She laughed quietly. “It really is a small world..."

Ukyou nodded, pondering this. "Yes it would seem so...and...this 'Ruri' you mentioned, was she the one he dated?" Ukyou asked. He had been looking into the recordings of the interrogation between Yuuto and Droite. He had mentioned a high school sweetheart...and Kurosaki Shun had a sister named Ruri. Could it be that the "Kurosaki" Yuugo had almost mentioned actually referred to Kurosaki Ruri, not Kurosaki Shun? So...Yuuto had been truthful even though he and Droite thought he was maybe lying?

“Yes, that’s right.” She nodded. “She moved to America though and she’s been there for years, so I’ve lost touch with her as well. I always thought they would get together, but… well… you can guess why that’s not happening.”

Ukyou nodded. "I understand." So maybe Yuuto had been telling the truth perhaps. "... I imagine you two would have a lot to catch-up on, when you have the time."

“If I get the chance, I will… It looks like he could use the company…” Sayaka glanced behind her and sighed. She wondered what really happened… Ukyou was right. They did have a lot to talk about.

Ukyou nodded.

"I'll let you talk to him. We want to find out more about what he's been doing after high school as well."

“Ah… well I don’t know how much he’ll share with me, but I’ll help however I can”

Ukyou smiled.

"Of course. Thank you...I'll arrange for you two to chat in a private room instead of the holding cell. Just let me know when you're available and well work something out." Ukyou said.

“Thank you, Ukyou-san. I appreciate it.” She bowed as they walked back to Gauche and Anna.

“Hey, Ukyou. You want me to take these guys? I know you have… other issues to attend to, superintendent,” Gauche said.

Ukyou sighed.

"Yes please, Gauche. Look after them alright?" He said, leaning Gauche in charge of the cars. He had to check in with Droite and see if they could figure out how Sergey got out...and he'd have to tell the higher ups that Sergey has gotten away. Not a good thing.

Gauche nodded and he then escorted Yuuya out, Sayaka and Anna behind them. Droite meanwhile was at the security terminal in the office, going over the footage with a frown.

“We’re idiots,” She said, even before Ukyou entered the room.

Ukyou entered moments later.

"Any sign of what happened, Droite?"  He asked.

Meanwhile, Vector was showing Astral the files he'd taken.

"I copied all the shit that was in your folder digitally...so you can know what kinda dirt they had on you."  Vector said with a smirk.  

"Then you deleted the file?"  Astral asked, reading over things.  Vector scoffed.

"Of course I did!  They got nothing now, and they don't even realize I went in there!"  

"So you deleted the surveillance footage as well?"  

"...shit."

Droite nodded. “Yeah… Apparently Sergey broke himself out. It looks like there was something in his skull that the X-rays didn’t pick up. So he escaped quietly. Apparently he was able to escape at any time… which worries me.”

“But… check this footage out on where he goes. He goes to Sakaki Yuuto’s cell. But that’s not the interesting bit.” Droite played the footage, showing Sergey opening Yuuto’s door and… Vector.

Ukyou frowned.

"...The timing of his escape is odd.  There was a car outside for him...it was like somehow they told him they were out there waiting..."  Ukyou said.  Ukyou looked at the footage, his eyes wide.

"...That's...that's impossible...Vector died years ago..."  Ukyou said, though the image was undeniably him.  He seemed to have talked to Sergey briefly, and whatever was said had been enough to convince Sergey to not attack Yuuto, as he'd been clearly about to do.

"...We know where Sergey went after this...but where did Vector go?  He's moving deeper into the station..."

“Yeah… the escape vehicle. Hopefully the guys who are chasing after him catch him,” Droite said. “Maybe he’s got tech in his head as well that lets him communicate with the outside.” The woman paused, waiting for Ukyou to react.

“Exactly, right?” Droite said, looking back up at her superior. “Vector just appeared here. Give me a moment though…” She tapped a few keys, moving them to the records room where they kept hard copies of cases. They watched the figure pick up a file, toss it into the shredder before disappearing. “If it’s a ghost, it’s a pretty solid one.”

Ukyou nodded.

"That's a logical explanation for what happened..."  He said.  He watched the footage.

"...We should see what file he shredded.  I have a hunch that I know what's going on..."  Ukyou said, heading over to check the filing cabinet.  He flipped through them until he came across a glaring problem...Hope Ray's file had been emptied, with just an empty folder remaining.

"...Looks like that was a hack, but not from Vector.  Do you recall when Vector used that trick against Rex Godwin?  He conjured a model of himself...seems like Hope Ray got his hands on that model and upgraded it to today's technology.  I've been hearing a lot about Solid Vision lately...that would explain why it was able to touch things."  Ukyou said, showing the file to Droite.

"Hope Ray sent the Vector model to get rid of all our evidence on him...this is proof he's still in Heartland somewhere...and is active."

“Solid Vision… I didn’t know we had the technology implemented in our cameras to do that. I thought you needed a generator…” Droite frowned. “But that would make the most sense…”

“Yeah… Solid Vision is thankfully Japan only thus far, so he can’t have taken it elsewhere yet…” Droite frowned. “At least there’s that..."

"...Apparently we do, since Hope Ray could get it to work in here."  Ukyou said with a sigh.  

"That's true...but with his hacks, he could get the resources to move elsewhere pretty easily."  Ukyou said.

"Let's do a systems' check just to be sure he didn't take anything digitally while this was happening...and... we should call Kaito and Yuuma.  Hope Ray did associate with them in the past."

“Of course. I’ll get the guys in IT to reboot and check the police network. Hopefully there’s not much else. I presume you’ll call Yuuma and Kaito? Or do you need to face the board of directors again?” Droite said, looking up to Ukyou in concern. The man had been in a lot of trouble regarding what was now dubbed ‘The Macfield Incident’ and now Sergey’s escape was going to do no favours for him.

Ukyou sighed.

"I'll call them quickly before the meeting...I'd rather delay it as much as possible..."  He said.  He got out his phone, deciding to start with Yuuma.  Yuuma had a closer connection to Hope from what they had gathered...being childhood friends and Yuuma having referred to Hope as his brother many times.  He found the number eventually and dialled, hoping Yuuma could help shed some light on the situation.

“Hi! This is Yuuma! I’m currently at work for once, probably. Lol. Nah, I’m doing Kattobingu! Leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you, hopefully!” “Don’t leave that stupid shit in!” Shark’s voice yelled in the background before the answering machine beeped.

Ukyou sighed.

"Yuuma, this is Superintendent Ukyou.  Please call me back as soon as you get this...I have a few questions for you about Hope Ray."  He left his number then hung up.  

"Now we'll see if Kaito is in..."  He dialled Kaito's number and waited.

Kaito, fortunately, had no work and no social life to speak of. The man was currently at home, though he was typing away, trying to look for a way to pin down someone who would tattle on Dennis.

“A call for you, Kaito-sama! It is from Kitano Ukyou!”

Kaito frowned and picked the phone up, not moving away from the data Orbital was relaying to him through braille. “Hello?”

"Kaito, it's Ukyou.  Do you have a moment?  I just wanted to ask you something..."  Ukyou said.

"...Have you seen or heard anything from Hope Ray at all?"

Kaito frowned, hearing Astral’s name. There was a long pause before Kaito sighed. “… No. He hasn’t called me and I haven’t seen him at all. It’s still the same as before.”

Ukyou listened and sighed.

"I see...well...he's recently hacked our station, so we know he's still in Heartland...if he contacts you in any way, please let us know."  Ukyou said.

“… How do you know it was him?” Kaito asked, now paying a bit more attention. “Hacked the station? How?”

"...We know because he destroyed his own file.  He used a Solid Vision model of Vector to do it...just like the one Vector used to trick Rex Godwin, but with the updated Solid Vision Technology built in.  Since Solid Vision is unique to Japan, we know he's still here somewhere."  Ukyou said.

“I see…” Kaito frowned. He was glad that Vector had helped Astral, but he had no idea why Vector didn’t bother disguising himself so they could pin the blame on someone else. “Well I’ll keep you posted, but I doubt he’ll see me. Hope… wants nothing to do with me anymore. He hasn’t since he was arrested.”

"...Thank you.  That's all I can ask for."  Ukyou said with a smile.

"Take care, Kaito."

Kaito sighed. He was running out of time. If the police were going to waste time on Hope, then he really needed to move on to Macfield.

“Good Luck, Ukyou. I hope things get sorted out.”

-x-

Meanwhile, Yuuma was at Kotori's house with Iris and Shark.  Akari had come along as well with Yuzu so that the family girls could have a playdate.  

And so they were having a tea party, with Kotori and Akari sitting with their babies on their laps in the chair.  Yuuma was sitting in another tiny chair, comically squished but still happy to please his new daughter.  They had plastic utensils set out and were waiting on cookies and muffins.  Alit and Shark were going to pass them out once they were cooled enough to eat.  Iris grinned as she held up the plastic teapot filled with juice.

"More tea, daddy-Yuuma?"  She asked.  Yuuma grinned.

"Yes please!"  He said, holding out the tiny cup for the girl to pour the juice into it.  

"Tea, Aunty Kotori and Masumi?"  Iris asked with a grin.

Shark had thought that the playdate would be a little hard to manage, considering that there was such a large age gap between Iris and the babies, but Iris was far more sociable and graceful than her fathers could ever hope to be. She took all of it in stride, treating the babbling babies as she would her peers. It was rather cute to watch, and Shark couldn’t help but smirk from the kitchen, watching the small group in their colourful accessories.

“Of course. I would love some,” Kotori smiled. Masumi reached for the cup and Kotori handed her one of the empty cups for Masumi to fiddle with.

“More for me too, please,” Akari grinned.

Iris grinned.

"Okay! Here, Masumi, your momma needs that to get more tea!" Iris said, trading cups with Masumi so Kotori would get the bigger one for tea.

"Uh oh...I think Yuzu wants cookie!" Iris laughed when she saw Yuzu humming a small teacup plate.

"Shark-daddy, are cookies ready? Yuzu wants some!"

Kotori smiled as she sipped the juice and smiled. Iris was so cute.

“No she doesn’t. She’s too small for cookies.” Shark yelled from the kitchen. However, he looked at Alit and he snorted, getting the tray of cookies and the baby food for the kids. He brought it over. “Snackes are served, princess."

Iris pouted.

"Aww..."  She said, before lighting up when Alit brought in the cookies.  

"Thanks Alit!"  She said, letting him put them on the table.  Yuuma's eyes lit up and he immediately went for a cookie.

"These look great mm-MM!"  Yuuma said, grabbing a cookie only to get smacked by Iris.

"Daddy, no!  You gotta save some for everyone!"  She said.  Yuuma pouted.

"Aww..."  

"You can have this one Daddy!"  Iris said, giving him one cookie before passing the others off towards Akari and Kotori.

"Have a cookie!"

“Yeah don’t eat all of them.” Shark said, a little amused. Iris used to be so shy, yet here she was, acting like a smaller version of Rio. It was rather endearing.

“Thank you, Iris.” Akari said, taking one. Kotori laughed.

“Yeah, didn’t you know, Yuuma? Ladies first.”

Yuuma stuck his tongue out and pouted.

"No fair...I thought I was a princess too..."  He said.  He was wearing a damn plastic crown and everything!  Iris giggled.

"Yuuma-Daddy you're so funny!"  She said, passing Yuuma a cookie when she had given one to Akari and Kotori.

"There!"  She said.  Yuuma beamed and nibbled the cookie happily.

“More like a jester,” Akari mused, looking at him, finishing her cookie down quickly. Masumi gave a happy coo and nuzzled against her mother, generally just content with sticking around.

“Will that be all, princess?” Shark asked. “Or can I go back to the kitchen?”

Yuuma whined again.

"I'm not a jester!"  He protested.  Iris giggled.

"Hugs and kisses first!"  Iris said, reaching up in a hug-me gesture to her other daddy with a grin.  

"Yuuma-Daddy wants some too cause they're mean to me, Sharku!"  Yuuma whined, copying Iris.  Iris giggled at her silly daddy.

Yuzu giggled shrilly at Yuuya’s cry and Akari and Kotori both laughed as the bubbly girl babbled eagerly. Shark looked at his daughter and smiled, unable to resist her charms. He leaned over and hugged her, kissing her forehead before looking at his partner.

“Your sister and your best friend is here. You have no shame,” Shark said, instead flicking Yuuma on the head. “Maybe if you weren’t so ditzy, they wouldn’t be so mean."

Iris happily accepted the hug with a smile. Yuuma pouted and whined more as his head was flicked.

"Im not! They're just meanies!" He cried. Iris giggled.

"You're so silly!" She said, hugging her other daddy too

“You are.” Shark didn’t hug Yuuma, but he kissed him on the forehead before getting up.

“Awwww… you’re so cute.” Kotori mused. Akari rolled her eyes but sipped her ‘tea’.

Masumi babbled, waving the tea cup she had in her hand around. Iris smiled happily and clapped her hands. "Okay! Now we're happy!" She said happily, taking a bite of her cookie. "Do you want one too, Shark daddy?"

Yuzu smiled lazily and yawned, not tired, but not particularly interested in the chaos that was going on. She watched as Shark ruffled Yuuma’s hair and shook his head to his daughter.

“I’ll have some later, Iris. You go ahead. Just don’t eat yourself a tummy ache, alright?”

Iris smiled.

"Okay Daddy!"  She said, having a cookie with a grin.  Yuuma copied her, having another one.

"No, Daddy, you'll get a hurt tummy!"  Iris cried, but Yuuma shook his head.

"I'll be okay Iris!  I can eat more than you cause I'm bigger!"  Iris pouted.

"...But Daddy...Shark-Daddy, Yuuma-Daddy's gonna be sick!"

“I’m so glad she calls you Shark as well. It never stops amusing me,” Kotori smirked.

“Two cookies won’t get you sick, Iris,” Shark said, looking at her, being reminded of himself. He remembered that the orphanage restricted the amount of sweets they had too, just because there wasn’t enough to go around. “Don’t worry about what Yuuma eats, Iris. He’ll be fine.”

“Yuuma used to eat all sorts of garbage and he rarely went to hospital for it,” Akari laughed. “Don’t worry Iris. He’ll be fine. He’ll only get a stomachache if he eats all of them for himself.

Masumi gurgled and giggled when her mother did.  She simply smiled and gummed her teacup.  Iris nodded.

"Okay..."  She said with a smile.  

"Does Masumi want more tea?"  Iris asked, noting that the little girl was gumming her teacup happily.

“She has her food. She should eat that first before she drinks anything,” Kotori said, looking at her baby. She mixed the baby food Shark brought and tried to move the cup so Masumi would eat.

“You should eat some yourself, Iris, and drink more. You’re a good hostess looking after everyone, but you need to also serve yourself,” Akari mused.

“Nothing like me for one thing,” he said, getting up and walking to the kitchen.

Iris smiled.

"Okay!"  She served herself a cookie and some tea and munched happily.  

"Everyone enjoy their food and drink!"  She said.  Masumi reached for her baby food, cooing.  Yuzu seemed to have had enough and was content to rest in her mother's lap.  Yuuma simply ate more.

"I will!  Thanks Iris!"

“Thanks for letting us come over, Kotori,” Akari smiled. “This has been fun.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s been nice.” Kotori smiled back at Akari. “It’s nice to have moments like this. I don’t get them often. Not with all the boys in the house.”

“Speaking of boys, where’s Ponta?”

“Oh? He’s out playing. He should be back soon. We should probably save some snacks for him.”

Yuuma grinned.

"Yeah!  Thanks for letting us come too, Kotori!  Our girls are having a fun time!"  Yuuma said happily.  Iris smiled.

"The tea party's fun!"  She agreed in between bites of her cookie.  

"If we're saving snacks for Ponta, we should keep them away from Yuuma."  Akari said with a smirk, moving the plate away from her brother, who whined at the loss of cookies.  

"Aww...but I wanted another one!"  

"Haven't you had 4 now?"  

"...No...only 3!"  Akari shook her head at her brother's ridiculousness.  

Moments later, Ponta and Mokuba entered the house.

"I'm home, and I brought my new friend, pon!"  Ponta said happily, letting Mokuba in with a smile.

"Oh look a tea party!"  He said, surprised but happy.  

"Mokuba, this is Kotori with my baby sister Masumi...that's Akari-san with her baby Yuzu...and that's Yuuma with...um...I'm not sure who she is..."  Ponta said, having never met Iris before.

“Three isn’t too bad, honestly,” Kotori muttered, having a sweet tooth herself, and secretly nibbling on her seventh one, since she had eaten some of the first batch earlier. She looked up and smiled, seeing Ponta.”

“Welcome back, Ponta.” She looked at him and his friend. “That’s Iris. I told you Yuuma and Shark adopted a girl, didn’t I? That’s her. And hello there, Mokuba.”

“Hello,” Mokuba smiled, wondering if Ponta’s family was just as oblivious to his identity. He bowed to the people present.

"Oh yeah!  I remember now!  Hi, Iris!  I'm Masumi's big brother, Ponta, pon!"  Ponta said happily, waving to Iris.  The shy girl waved back, always a bit weary to meet new people at first.  

Akari of course recognized Mokuba Kaiba right away, as a journalist.  But, she also had enough experience to know that famous people didn't like to be called out on that fact.  She was on mat-leave right now, and had no need to call him out to dig for a scoop.  Not yet, anyway.  

"Want some cookies?  Better grab one quick before my brother eats them all."  She said, holding up the plate for the boys.  Yuuma also wasn't very tech-savy so he didn't know who Mokuba was.  He simply pouted at the cookies mention.  

"Nee-chan!  Don't give them all to Ponta and Mokuba!"  He protested.  Ponta chuckled.

"I'll have one!  Do you want one, Mokuba?"

Mokuba scanned their faces. While Kotori looked confused, as if trying to figure out where she had seen Mokuba before, he could tell Akari recognised him but her brother didn’t. He didn’t say anything at first. Instead, he just smiled as kindly as he could and he walked over.

“I’d like one.” He grabbed the cookie and bit into it. “Thanks! It tastes great.’

Ponta was oblivious to these facial cues, as usual.  He was glad that Mokuba didn't seem uncomfortable.  

"Kotori's cookies are the best, pon!"  Ponta agreed with a grin.  

"So what do you wanna do, pon?  We can go play games in my room if you want!"

“Yeah… That’d be cool,” Mokuba wasn’t sure what they were supposed to do to ‘hang out’. Usually he was only at another person’s house for business or a fancy dinner or a party. “You’re the host, so I’ll leave it to you to decide."

"Okay!  Let's go, pon!  Thanks for the cookies, guys."  Ponta said, leading Mokuba off to his bedroom.  Once they were gone, Akari looked at Kotori.

"You never told me Ponta was friends with Kaiba Mokuba!"

“No problem!” Kotori called after them. Kotori paused, watching them run off, racking her brains to figure out who it is. It clicked when Akari said the name though and she gasped.

“Ah… I… I didn’t know that either. That really was him, huh?”

“Who?” Yuuma asked, confused as he munched on a new cookie he had taken.

"Definitely.  I've seen tons of pictures of him, and even more of his older brother."  Akari said.  

"Wonder how they met..."  She mused.  She sighed.

"You've never heard of KaibaCorp, Yuuma?  They're one of the biggest companies in Heartland!"

“KaibaCorp?” Yuuma frowned and squinted. “Uhh… No?”

“They’re a massive tech company that does some games. They are very big.” Kotori frowned. “I can’t believe you didn’t know that. I mean… I don’t expect you to know the Vice President from memory, but still you should know Kaiba Corp.“

Yuuma shook his head.

"Nope! I don't know them..." he said. Iris giggled.

"You're a moron." Akari said with a sigh.

“Incredible…” Kotori shook her head. “I hope Shark knows. But anyway, I guess he and Ponta are just friends now. It’s strange.”

"He probably does, cause he's super smart!"  Yuuma said happily.  Akari shrugged.

"I guess so...it's nice that he's found a friend though."

“Yeah.. Ponta is good at making friends, but he’s never really latched on to one before. I guess this is the same Mokuba he keeps talking about,” Kotori said, glancing back to the stairs.

Yuuma grinned.

"That's great that's he made a close friend!  He's a nice kid, he deserves it!"  Yuuma said happily.  Iris smiled.

"I got new friends too!"  She said happily, glad to have had a nice tea party with Masumi and Kotori and their moms and her Yuuma-Daddy.

The last time Ponta was that close to someone, it was Haruto. It worried Kotori a little, seeing how much Ponta seemed to be enamoured by who she knew now was Mokuba Kaiba, but she kept her concerns to herself. She merely smiled and nodded to Yuuma and then looked at Iris.

“Yes you do. And you’re going to make more friends when school starts, right?"

"Yeah!  I'll make friends and have tea parties with them!"  Iris said happily.  She hadn't been to school before, but Yuuma-Daddy and Shark-Daddy had said it would be fun.  

"Okay...we're out of cookies...so we gotta clean up now right?"  Iris said, getting up and starting to collect the dirty dishes.

“Huh?” Yuuma looked up. “Oh Iris, don’t worry. I’ve got it. Sharku and Alit and I all can do it. I should probably stretch my legs too,” he said, getting up.

Iris blinked.

"...But, I always do the dishes..."  She said, surprised.  She was used to cooperative work in the orphanage, not having her daddies do everything!

"I can help!"

“Yeah, I know, but it’s okay. It’s not like I’m doing anything.” Yuuma grinned. He usually was first to nope out of chores but didn’t seem that Iris shared the same trait. “Didn’t you want to keep talking to your aunties and showing them all your toys? It’s okay if you do that, you know."

Iris glanced between her daddy, the dishes and her two aunties.  That was a tough choice.

"...I can stay and play?"  She asked cautiously, really not used to that idea.

“Of course” Yuuma smiled. “Go and have fun, okay?”

"...Okay...I will!" Iris said with a grin. She turned to Akari and Kotori.

"Can we play then?"

Akari grinned “Best aunt is best aunt. Of course I will.”

“Well, I should probably try settle Masumi down, but I’m happy to play after that, Iris,” Kotori said, glancing upstairs again.

Iris beamed.

"Yay! Let's play then!" She said happily.

“Alright.” Akari stood up, taking her baby with her. Kotori smiled and stood up, rocking Masumi, letting her keep the plastic cup. “Goodnight, Masumi. Let’s check on your brother.” She headed up the stairs, looking for Ponta and Mokuba.

Ponta and Mokuba were in Ponta's room playing board games, since he had very few video games.

"...Wow. You're the first guy my age I've ever met that has no video games!" Mokuba exclaimed, truly shocked. No wonder he had never heard of him. Ponta smiled sheepishly.

"I usually play outside instead, pon. I've played games in arcades though!" He said happily.

“Arcade games are pretty cool.” Mokuba said, nodding his approval. He remembered a time when he was little when his brother had put on a disguise and they had gone to the arcade. They didn’t do that anymore, but there were a lot of nice memories loaded there. You got cool boardgames though,” Mokuba grinned.

Kotori smiled as she peeped in the attic and stared for a moment before she turned and took the baby back to her room. She was glad that the two were having a good time. They were good friends despite Mokuba being a CEO. Guess they really were just normal boys after all.

Ponta beamed.

"I know right? They've always got cool variety...I've always thought they were cool." He could vaguely remember being a street boy and passing arcades, attracted by the bright lights and game music despite the fact he couldn't understand the language.

"Im glad you think so! Here, pick one to play, pon! Guests pick first!"

Mokuba pulled four more boardgames out and grinned. “Well… let’s see how many we can get through.”

Ponta nodded. "Great! We'll play as many as we can!" He agreed, settling in for a long afternoon of fun with his new friend. -x- Meanwhile, at the Heartland Correctional Facility, Miheal was getting ready to see two of his patients. This matter was urgent...but it did need to happen. He called one of the guards. "Please bring Ouji Koutei to my office after lunch for a therapy session." He instructed. Yuugi was in the cafeteria waiting for Koutei to join him for lunch. He hasn't gotten a chance to talk to him since he had confessed his feelings for Yami...and him. Yuugi bit his lip. He knew that Yami did like Koutei and has felt that second hand...but he wasn't sure how he felt. Yes, he did care for his friend greatly...but he wasn't sure if he liked him the same way that Koutei did. He just hoped that Koutei would respect his feelings and not be upset...he didn't want to lose his friend over this.

Koutei meanwhile was oblivious to Doctor Arclight’s concerns and was grabbing his food. He had just picked his tray up when he saw Yuugi, and he smiled as he walked over, friendly as ever.

“Hey Yuugi!” He said brightly, not catching the man’s worries at the moment. “What’s up?"

Yuugi blinked in surprise, having been spacing out when Koutei approached.

"Oh hey! Not much...I was just thinking." Yuugi said, smiling at Koutei in return. The man was as nice as ever.

“Thinking? Anything in particular?"

“Feeling any better? Yami said you guys were aching this morning, so I was a bit worried,” Koutei said, sitting down. He rested the tray in a little front of him so he had room to put his elbows down.

"Yeah, my leg is sore...but it's getting better. The doctor said we'll try taking the boot off soon." He said, but then

Yuugi blushed a little, but tried to hide it.

"...I was thinking about you and Yami...and how you feel about us..."

“That’s good news,” Koutei smiled. “See? Told you it’d get better soon.”

Koutei paused, hearing what Yuugi was thinking about and seeing his blush as well. He smiled, doing his best not to feel hopeful, but unable to do so. “I… Ah… Yeah… I guess… Sorry..."

Yuugi nodded. "I’m really glad we are...I really want to get out of this chair." Yuugi said. He blushed a little at Koutei's smile. "...I’m okay with your feelings...and with Yami's...but I'm not sure what I want yet...I'm just...a little confused. I feel what Yami feels but I have trouble differentiating sometimes...we both care about you so much and it's hard to tell how much is from him and how much is from me..."

Koutei gave a nod. He would give his full support as he always had, and he hoped Yuugi would walk soon.

But for now…

“No, that’s okay. I understand. It’s a lot to take in, even without Yami’s emotions in your head.” Koutei smiled at him. “As long as we’re friends, I’m okay if you are… Really. I mean it.”

Yuugi listened, relieved that Koutei understood.

"...that's what I want too...I don't wanna lose you as a friend no matter what happens...I'm okay with you and Yami deciding what you want too, even if it's different from what I decide." Yuugi said with a smile.

“Ah… But we should try like… come up with a compromise,” Koutei frowned. “I want to make sure you’re okay with things too. It’s not fair if something we want is different to what you want, and then we don’t have a regard for your opinion"

Yuugi listened and nodded.

"Yeah that makes sense...I just want everyone to be happy..." Yuugi said with a smile.

"...From what I hear, Yami has had other relationships before...so he might know what he likes...I've never had one so I can't say..."

“Yeah, and I can’t be happy if you both aren’t. So… Yeah…” Koutei smiled at him again. He always did like Yuugi’s smile. It warmed his heart seeing it.

“I know… Yami told me about those and what you’re not used to.” Koutei said, nodding in agreement. “Maybe when you figure it out, you can get back to me. Or just… I dunno…”

"Good!  We're on the same page then...Yami doesn't want to hurt you either.  That I know for sure."  Yuugi said.  He wanted Koutei happy just as much as Yuugi did, and it was good to see.  Yuugi blushed a little and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"...Yeah...he would know what I've tried..."  Mostly observing what went on in pornography, not much more.  

"...Okay.  I guess so...I'll think about it."  Yuugi said, glancing around.

"...I wonder if relationships are even okay here...I've never seen any other inmates try anything..."

Koutei nodded, satisfied with that answer. The blush was cute, but he tried not to point it out.

“I dunno… I mean… they don’t tell us we can’t. And I’m sure someone would have told us off by now or something. They encourage us to make bonds.” Koutei looked around too, seeing Shinji wildly yapping about his latest conspiracy, and a bunch of inmates talking or just keeping to themselves and eating. “I think it’s alright. But I’ll ask Doctor Arclight when I see him.”

Yuugi nodded.

"Yeah...I never hear any gossip about that sort of thing though..."  He'd heard stories at school about relationships, but hadn't heard the same things here.  He smiled.

"That sounds good.  Dr. Arclight should know...are you seeing him today?"

“Then again, this isn’t really a normal place. Gossip is passed, just… not about that sort of thing, I guess. Maybe I can ask around and see if anyone else is particularly adverse to the idea.”

“No, at least I don’t think so. I may have just forgotten though. It should be tomorrow."

Yuugi shrugged.

"Maybe...I'm only awake for some of the gossip though...usually Shinji talks to Yami."  Yuugi said with a small chuckle.  

"Okay.  Well, whenever we see him, we can talk about it...there's no rush.  We have time."

“I haven’t heard much but I’m not the best at this sort of thing.”Koutei shrugged.

“Yeah… I guess so…” That fact wasn’t awful to Yami anymore.

Yuugi nodded.

"Yeah...we'll figure it out, no matter what."  He said, going back to his food with a smile.

Koutei smiled and did the same. The rest of lunch passed more or less uneventfully, Koutei talking to Yuugi a little more about what he remembered about Italy and the good things about his hometown. He was in the middle of a story about his childhood when he saw the guards approach them.

“Ouji Kyouhei?”

“Yeah?”

“Doctor Arclight is ready to see you now.”

“Oh? That’s today? Huh… Okay. It’s not my usual time… oh well. I’ll catch you later, Yuugi. Okay?”

Yuugi was fascinated with the stories about Italy, having never left Japan in his life.  He was intrigued in the story and was a little disappointed when Koutei was called out.  

"See you later!"  Yuugi said, waving him off as the guards brought him to Dr. Arclight's office.

Dr. Arclight was waiting, steeling himself a little for this appointment.  He had Koutei's case file with him along with Mutou's, just so he could be clear what Mutou was suspected of doing and what he could tell Koutei.  He looked up when Koutei arrived and smiled.

"Good afternoon, Koutei.  Please, have a seat.  How are you feeling today?"  He asked.

Koutei smiled seeing Miheal. “Hey doc… I’m alright. A bit confused, honestly. Did I mix our appointment days up? I could have sworn it was tomorrow."

Miheal smiled.

"Oh well, you're right.  This isn't your usual time...but something's been brought to my attention that I felt we should discuss."  Dr. Arclight said.  

"...the guards informed me the other day that you and Mutou were kissing in the workout room.  I was hoping to get your perspective on that...and talk about it with you, if possible."

“Oh…” Koutei frowned. The relief he felt from not forgetting anything disappeared, replaced with worry. “… Is… Is that sort of thing not allowed? I’m sorry, I didn’t know."

Miheal sighed.

"It's not really forbidden...as you know, we encourage our patients to socialize and form friendships.  Relationships can be part of that, of course...but...we only allow these sort of socializations when it isn't detrimental to the patients' health."  Miheal explained.

"...My concern is in this case, with your health, Koutei.  You've really been improving during your stay here, and I'm thrilled with your recovery so far.  I don't want anything to get in the way of that...and I'm concerned about this sort of relationship with Mutou changing that...in particular, with Yami..."  Miheal said, looking at Koutei.

"...Have you, by any chance, recovered any memories since our last talk?  You did mention to me that you claimed to have seen Mutou at a bar...any more on that?"

Koutei frowned deeper, listening to the man. He was quiet at first, trying to figure out what Doctor Arclight meant before he sighed.

“I… I remembered a lot more. I remember stabbing Alit and Yami… Taking Masumi from me,” Koutei admitted hesitantly, not sure what to make of the situation. It was only then he was realising how messed up his decision-making seemed.

“We… We talked. The two of us.”

Miheal listened intently and frowned.

"You distinctly remember Yami taking Masumi from your own hands?"  He said, having read the transcript of Yami's interrogation: he'd claimed repeatedly that he'd found Masumi alone, and that he didn't know who Koutei was.  Looks like he had been lying.

"...You told him what you remembered, I presume?  And what did he say in response to that?"

“Yeah…” Koutei nodded. “In the car with that other man… Dennis, I think Yami said his name was. I remember that. He also took my phone and deleted everything. He… told me to forget him.” “… He apologised. He said he didn’t mean for it to turn out this way. We…” Koutei paused, not sure how to talk about this suddenly. “… He explained to me about things and he confessed he knew me and all… Got me addicted to the drugs...”

Miheal listened intently, taking a few notes in his clipboard.  He didn't add anything at first and just sighed.  

"...In your file, it was noted that there was a possible connection between yourself and Mutou Yuugi.  Mutou was arrested with the baby Masumi in tow...and Devil's Breath, which was the drug that you tested positive for after your arrest.  This was all circumstantial, because Mutou denied it and you couldn't remember, so he wasn't charged for it officially...not that it would have really affected his life sentence." Miheal said, pausing and sighing.

"...Yami manipulated you, Koutei.  He drugged you up and made you his lackey to do his dirty work and take the fall for his crimes.  My concern is that he is trying to do so again by toying with your feelings...you've confessed your crush on him to me, and now I've seen him kiss you.  I'm concerned for you, Koutei.... I don't want him taking advantage of your kind nature again."

“… I guess…” Koutei wondered if he had just gotten Yuugi and Yami in even more trouble, and he felt a pit form in his stomach. He fidgeted a little, only just stopping himself from habitually scratching his arms once again.

“… I know he did… But…” Koutei frowned, looking down at his hands. They were shaking. “… I…I didn’t…he didn’t say he threw me under a bus but…” He shook his head. “No… he was being genuine. I know that. I kissed him first and he’s the one who told me… We couldn’t realistically keep a relationship.” Koutei clenched his fists. “… He’s… not toying with me. I… I know it."

Miheal frowned and listened.  If Yami hadn't said directly that he was throwing Koutei under a bus, he had probably downplayed things substantially.  He sighed.

"...So you're saying that he shot you down...but then kissed you again anyway?  That does sound a little suspicious...how are you so sure he is not toying with you?"

“I…” He frowned. He wanted to say Yami wouldn’t do that, but Koutei knew Yami was his friend, and as his friend he knew that Yami would do something like that. He shook his head. “I… Yuugi told me so. He said he liked me…”

Miheal blinked.

"...So Yuugi himself told you that Yami likes you?  Hmm...I was not aware they could speak to each other."  He made a note to ask Yuugi about it.

“Yuugi can feel Yami’s emotions… It’s easier for Yami to feel Yuugi’s, but Yuugi can feel some of it.” Koutei explained. “They can’t really speak to each other though. I play delivery boy most of the time."

"I see..."  Miheal made a note of it.  He'd talk to Yuugi about this.

"And from what you have observed of both of them...are their predictions of each other's emotions accurate?  Have you noticed any behavior from Yami that might suggest your attraction for him is genuinely mutual?  I know you've become quite adept at telling them apart."

“Usually. Yami is always accurate. Yuugi is less so, but he can tell a lot of things. He can definitely tell when Yami is trying to keep something from him. It gives them both a headache though.” Koutei paused. “… Yami has a nice blush. He gets flustered easily when he’s not prepared for things or he feels a lot of emotion, he’s a little awkward like that. He can be sweet. He looks at my face a lot but avoids my eyes when he’s embarrassed, and really he cares for me. Like in the little ways. He helps me with my workouts. We talk a lot. He likes it when I hold his hand. I… I don’t really know how to put this all very clearly."

Miheal listened and considered this.  The awkwardness was surprising from Yami...he seemed to be someone who handled everything with confidence.

"Hmm... has he been displaying those kinds of awkward behaviors a lot around you lately?  I never notice them in our therapy sessions."

“Yeah. It’s pretty cute. He doesn’t even notice he’s acting like that until I point it out,” Koutei said, feeling more at ease talking about Yami.

Miheal considered this and noted it.  Maybe he should watch the cameras more when Yami and Koutei interacted.  

"...Does Yuugi also have these slightly uncharacteristic changes around you as well?"

“Not the same ones. I mean, he’s a little awkward because he’s not sure if he likes me romantically because of his own feelings or because it’s Yami’s bleeding through, but that’s it. I’ve seen he’s more talkative and cheerful but I guess that means he’s recovering as well.”

Miheal nodded.

"Interesting..."  He would definitely have to talk to Yami and Yuugi about this.  He sighed.

"...Even with these signs, it may still be wise to be cautious in proceeding with this relationship.   It sounds like Mutou's illness is displaying perhaps new symptoms...what happens with you could affect their health as well.  I'm not sure if this blending of feelings will evolve to something more or not..."  Miheal didn't want to see Yuugi corrupted by Yami's crimes...he would have to monitor things.

“Ah…” Koutei… didn’t even consider that idea. He didn’t know he would affect Mutou so much. He looked at Miheal, now worried. “Will he be okay?"

Miheal sighed.

"I don't mean to worry you too much, Koutei. Dissociative Identity Disorder is a complex...there are so many different cases that are all quite distinct. Only time will tell really...we'll continue to monitor Mutou and see what happens." Miheal said.

Miheal pondered this.

"I suppose just keep an eye on them, as you have been doing.  You can't really do much more...their illness isn't something anyone can control or influence directly.  But, you see them both more often than I do, so you'd be the first to know if something was wrong.  And of course, inform me if you're concerned about something you notice...it's hard for me to tell sometimes, because during a session, I may not end up speaking with both halves."  Miheal said.  Sometimes he went entire therapy sessions without seeing Yami or Yuugi, only talking to one of them.  He was interested in knowing what both were feeling.

Koutei nodded. “Alright… I’ll do that… Thanks Doc…” He sighed. He really didn’t want to think about Yami manipulating him. He just… didn’t want to consider it. He didn’t want his heart broken again…

Miheal nodded.

"Please take things slowly, Koutei...for both your sakes.  I would hate to see either of you relapse.  And please talk to me...let me help, if I can, alright?"  Miheal said gently.  

"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?  Anything at all that's bothering you?  Anything else you're remembering?"

“Alright…” Koutei frowned, looking at his knees, needing a moment to collect himself and process everything. There was a long pause before he frowned.

“… It just… Will I be able to get all my memories back? I mean… I’m just… worried about what I saw… what else I will see. I haven’t seen much else… but…”

Miheal was patient, waiting for Koutei to collect himself and figure out what to talk about.  

"I've told you this before...I have no way to know for sure what you will or will not remember again.  All that's left is to wait and see.  Whatever you remember, I will help you work your way through it.  You're going to be alright Koutei.  Your memories are in the past...and you have the power now to decide the future."

“… My future…” Koutei frowned. “… I… I know I’m not supposed to discuss other patients but… Yami and Yuugi… They don’t have a future, don’t they...?”

Miheal sighed.

"...Their sentence is for life.  I am not sure if Yuugi knows that...we've been cautious about telling him that...we don't want to crush his hope."  Miheal said.

“…” Koutei sighed. “I wish I could do more for them… I know it’s good I’m helping here but… What good is it if they recover and then go somewhere worse?"

Miheal shook his head.

"I wouldn't worry about that Koutei...Mutou's medical condition is quite serious.  Prison doesn't really give medication to prisoners like we do here...and we know that Mutou when he was unmedicated suffered brain swelling and seizures.  It'll be a long time before he's recovered enough to counteract that...if he ever gets to that point.  From what you've told me, he still suffers headaches when he switches, which could be evidence of stress on the brain.  We have a long way to go with him...he's not going anywhere worse anytime soon."  Miheal said.

“Alright…” It was a little messed up how comforting it was, but then again nothing really was normal. “I just… Yeah… that’s all I really have to say. I… I like Yami and Yuugi a lot. I want to do more for them."

Miheal smiled a little at that.

"You're doing quite a bit for them...I'm sure they appreciate it.  From what I've read, they've been alone for a long time."  Miheal said.  Yami's file had essentially been him mostly off the grid for a long time...no home, no records...and hanging with the wrong people.  It seemed like a lonely life to Miheal.  And of course, Yuugi had had no friends either in school, and no family save for his beloved Jii-chan, who died years ago.

"Alright, Koutei.  If that's all you wanted to talk about...I can send you back to your room now."  Miheal said, buzzing in the guards to escort Koutei off.

“So no appointment tomorrow? I’m not sure if there’s anything else I want to talk about.” Koutei wanted more time to think and hang with Yuugi

Miheal shook his head.

"No, I see no need to have one tomorrow, unless something else comes up."  He said with a smile.

“Alright… Thanks Doc. And I’ll be okay… I promise I won’t… Things are going to be okay.” Koutei smiled.

Miheal smiled.

"Alright Koutei.  Good to hear it...please don't hesitate to talk to me about anything that might come up."  He said with a smile, watching him go before sighing.  He had quite a bit to talk to Mutou about too now...he wanted to talk to both of them.

"Guards, please bring me Mutou Yuugi for a therapy session."

Yuugi was surprised that he was summoned too, since he usually didn’t have an appointment today, but unable to protest, the young man followed the guards to the room. The man held his head, feeling it throb with anxiousness. Yami was worried about whatever happened with Koutei, it seemed, though Yuugi couldn’t imagine why… “Did you want to see me, Doctor Arclight?” He asked as the guard closed the door behind him.

Miheal smiled, easily able to tell that it was Yuugi he was speaking to.  

"Yes, Yuugi.  Welcome.  Have a seat."  He said, gesturing to the sofa in his office with a sweet smile.  

"How are you feeling today?  Any headaches?"

Yuugi smiled gently at him and walked towards him. He could feel Yami there, hanging uneasily back, but seeming… weary. “I have a big one now… I was fine before but… Ah… Yami is being a bit of a pain right now,” he laughed sheepishly. “Sorry."

Miheal tilted his head in concern, but also examining Yuugi closely.  When Yami came out...he was going to really grill him.  But before he did, he had to talk to Yuugi...get his perspective on the whole Koutei thing.  

"I'm sorry to hear that.  Is he concerned for Koutei?  I know I took him away from you guys at lunch.  Koutei tells me that you've been able to feel Yami more often now, is that right?"

“Oh… yeah. I guess that could be a reason, I’m not sure.” He felt his brain throb. Yami was nervous… Was that why? Something about Doctor Arclight and Koutei? “Yeah… I am. I think we’re rell making progress. I can feel his presence and some of his thoughts. I’m even aware sometimes when I’m not in control…” He blushed a little, recalling when Yami kissed Koutei. Koutei had nice lips for a guy… he didn’t think a guy’s lips could be so soft.

Miheal listened in curiosity.  He could see the signs that Yuugi was in pain...

"So...when you get headaches, it means Yami is reacting strongly to something?"  Miheal said, wondering if Yami had predicted what he was going to talk to him about.  Miheal saw the blush and raised a brow.

"...So you were aware of what happened when Koutei and Yami kissed, were you?"

“Yeah…” Yuugi nodded. “I… I don’t know how I did it. I didn’t try… It’s just… I felt I was aware, even if I wasn’t in control.” He clutched his head and grimaced. Realising Miheal knew about the kiss stunned Yami, and he forced his way forward. Yami hissed quietly as he felt the throb in his head. Damn it. This wasn’t good. Who know what Miheal wanted with this information?

“Urk… I… I’m fine,” Yami said, trying to pretend to be Yuugi and hoping Miheal would fall for it. “Anyway, yeah. I was there too."

Miheal nodded, frowning in concern as the man clutched his head.  Well...that certainly provoked a reaction.  He was about to ask if Yuugi was okay when suddenly he was speaking again, saying he was okay.  But, something was off...even when trying to be Yuugi, Yami's tone sounded way too confident.  

"...I should hope you were there, since Koutei specified that it was you who kissed him, Yami."  Miheal said sternly, the nice-guy act easily falling away.

"And now I know everything...Koutei told me what he remembered, and what you confessed.  What the police suspected is true: you drugged up Koutei so he could be your little puppet that you could throw under a bus when he'd served his purpose to take the fall for your crimes."  Miheal said.  

"And then, when you noticed his little crush on you, which he's not really been hiding, you decided to take advantage of that opportunity to use him again.  Maybe for protection...maybe just because you're depraved, I don't know...but either way, I will not let you ruin his life a second time, Yami."  If looks could kill, Yami would be dead.

Yami wasn’t sure if his acting skills were getting rusty or Miheal was very used to him. He was rather surprised Miheal saw through his act pretty quickly. He frowned as he looked up, still clutching his head, feeling the residual pain throb around it. Even though Yami was stone-faced, he felt a shiver run down his spine, seeing Miheal’s face. He had that aura again… That murderous aura that made him so interesting yet terrifying.

He felt a throb of guilt run through him as he listened to the man. So it was true. Koutei did spill the beans. Even though Yami knew this was coming, he felt tense, especially since he knew that if Doctor Arclight shared the info, his case could be reviewed and he could be given the death penalty.

“… Thought you weren’t supposed to talk about other patients in therapy, doc,” Yami threw out, trying to give him a moment to think.

The mention of the crush though made Yami look up. He was surprised Koutei had shared that too admittedly, but he didn’t let that show. His frown deepened into a scowl. “I’m not trying to ruin his life, damn it. I don’t have a reason to, and I’m not depraved. Baseless accusations aren’t your style, Arclight. Don’t force it.”

"I can if it presents a genuine concern for a patient's health.  And besides, Koutei has begun to remember you...you being brought up in therapy was inevitable, Yami."  Miheal said coolly back with a frown.  

"No matter your motives, I will repeat to you what I told Koutei: relationships, although not explicitly forbidden, are not encouraged here if they're seen as detrimental to a patient's health.  And your relations to Koutei in the past have been, Yami.  You can't deny that...you made him an addict, you made him stab his best friend and steal his baby, and you made him lose all his memories.  I can't give you the chance to do even a fraction of that again."

Yami frowned. He wondered why he was so adamant with defying Miheal, seeing as they both agreed he shouldn’t try be with Koutei, but for some reason he couldn’t help but feel angry and irritated. He pulled his hand away from his face, trying to ignore the too-familiar feeling of guilt pulse through him. “I didn’t ask for his love. He’s too damn nice for his own good. He’s just-“ Yami frowned, not having the words to say for once. “I told him it wouldn’t work out. He knows that.”

Miheal listened with a frown.  

"I recognize that you can't control someone else's attraction for you.  And you're right: you and he cannot work when he's going to leave here and you never will..."  Miheal said, before leaning forward, frown intensifying.

"...But what I want to know is why you kissed him after explaining all that to him, Yami.  He kissed you first, and you stopped to explain why it wouldn't work...but then you turn around and kiss him again.  That's suspicious...what sort of twisted game are you starting here, Yami?"

Yami flinched, hoping to every god out there that Yuugi wasn’t conscious for that at very least, especially in such circumstances. However, he stood his ground, looking back intently at Miheal, not wanting to give in.

“… There’s no game.” He said it firmly, staring straight into Miheal’s eye. “No games here. He wanted to kiss me again even knowing all of that. I helped him. That’s it.” Yami didn’t want to admit that he wanted to do it too. Even though he knew Miheal wouldn’t use that sort of information, he didn’t want to risk it.

Miheal frowned.

"You kissed him again...because he wanted to kiss you again."  Miheal repeated with a sigh.

"That's essentially worsening the problem, Yami.  You're leading him on!  You know this isn't going to work out for you two...and Koutei is too kind and possibly blinded by his crush to see that...if you don't feel the same, at least tell him.  Don't toy with his feelings by kissing him when he wants it.  That's not going to help him move on from you, and he has to.  So, you're either lying when you say there's no game...or...you're don't care about what happens to him at all.  You're displaying sociopathic tendencies and just doing shit because you feel like it."  Miheal said sternly.

“…” Yami looked away. He honestly rather look like a sociopath (was he still one? He was a lot better at regarding people’s emotion, in his own opinion) than admit the truth to Miheal. It was a twisted sort of reassurance, knowing for sure that he couldn’t have Koutei. He couldn’t have the sunny, blonde man, the one who had changed his life. It was good to crush his hope.

“I told him how I feel. That’s it. It’s dealt with, Arclight."

Miheal frowned.  From what Koutei had told him, he doubted Yami was actually completely sociopathic.  The fact that the man wasn't looking him in the eye anymore was also evidence against that...a sociopath would likely not care what Miheal thought of him, whereas Yami seemed to display shame, despite his best attempts to hide it.  Maybe it was his pride in the way of admitting his true feelings.  

"Why don't you tell me how you feel so we're all on the same page then?  That is what we're supposed to talk about in these sessions after all."  Miheal said.  He was going to be monitoring Mutou a lot more...he needed to make sure Koutei wasn't being negatively impacted by his time with Yami.

“I haven’t done it so far, why should I start now?” Yami muttered, crossing his arms, stubbornly not looking at him. “Unless you mean I’m pissed off because you keep saying all of those things and you keep jumping on my back, doc."

"Because it's the only way I can help you.  Instead, I have to hear from Koutei how you're doing...he's concerned about you, Yami.  And Yuugi too.  For his sake, if nothing else, we should talk."  Miheal reasoned.  

"Yuugi says he's more aware of you.  Have you noticed any effects from that on your end?"

Yami frowned. He really didn’t want to talk, but on the other hand, the man was right. At least for Yuugi… That’s what he was doing this all for, right?

“… I can hear him… It’s like I can feel him ‘seeing’ through my eyes,” Yami said. “It doesn’t affect me at all. I’m just… aware he’s there. I can feel his thoughts and actions. He’s so curious about damn everything.”

Miheal listened and noted this down.  

"So he's finally able to see things that you do...sounds like it's becoming more equal then."  He said.  

"So no headaches from this?  Nothing off?  Earlier when you switched, Yuugi said he had a headache before it happened.  You don't get the same when he switches with you?"

“More equal but we’re not blending.” Yami frowned. “I thought I’d be disappearing by now.”

Yami pondered the question before he gave a so-so hand gesture. “I get headaches when we switch, but no headaches when he’s peering through or I’m feeling his emotions. That’s all normal"

"Hmm...interesting.  So although Yuugi can see things and feel you as well...neither of you are becoming the more prominent personality?  Even though I suppose it is growth for Yuugi, is it not?"  Miheal said.  

"...Yet Yuugi feels headaches when he feels your emotions?  Why do you think that is?"

“Yeah, he’s definitely growing. I mean… Before I saw almost none of him, but we switch almost once a day at minimum,” Yami shrugged.

“… I fight him. Honestly. I try to keep him out of my head. I don’t want him knowing everything. Some bits obviously slip though."

Miheal nodded, noting down what Yami was telling him.  

"And he doesn't fight you then...I see.  Well, I'd advise you to lessen that fighting, if you could.  I understand that there may be things in your memories you do not wish to show Yuugi for fear of scarring him...but you should let your feelings go through.  The headaches could be a sign of brain swelling...that's not healthy for either of you."  Miheal said.  

"I might just schedule you two for an MRI soon...just to make sure your brain isn't exhibiting any detrimental affects with this new development."

“I guess so… but honestly I want to keep things private, even from him. He doesn’t need to know anything. I can’t just… let it happen.” He sighed quietly and shook his head.

“Soon huh? Right… Sure."

Miheal sighed.

"Yami...you two are sharing a brain, a body...a life.  If there's anyone you should be able to share things with, it's Yuugi.  He shares everything with you...it's only fair to return that favor, one little bit at a time. At a rate in which you're comfortable."  Miheal said.  

"Yes, it's been awhile since your last one anyway.  You're overdue for a checkup."

“This whole experience is too fast for me. I’m far from comfortable.” It was true. He was so used to being alone and suddenly Yuugi was there, constantly talking to him or a feeling in his head. It was strange. Not entirely bad, but just strange, and Yami wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

Miheal sighed.

"It is happening though...it would probably be healthier to try to let some feelings through at your own pace than to just keep holding them back and stressing Yuugi out.  It seems to me as though some of them are leaking through without your intention anyway...wouldn't you rather be in control of things?"

“Yeah… but that only applies if I can choose what to feed to Yuugi. I don’t even choose what he sees or anything. I just feel him and decide… well… no or not,” Yami huffed.

"Did you ever consider trying to influence it?  Trying to see if you can let things through, instead of trying to hold things back?"  Miheal asked.

“… Not really. I just don’t want the meld,” He sighed. “I don’t know what I even would share."

Miheal considered this.

"What about memories of things you both know?  Like Raphael, for instance.  I know he spent a lot of time with you two in the hospital...let Yuugi see some of your times with him, perhaps?  Or what about things you both like?  Share game ideas...show Yuugi some of your less dangerous games, like ones you supposedly played with kids."  Miheal suggested.

“… I guess that’s safe. I don’t see the point,” Yami muttered.

"It's to practice controlling what you want Yuugi to see, for one.  Doesn't practice make perfect?"  Miheal said with a smirk.  

"It might also make you both feel better...calm headaches and such."

Yami rolled his eyes, but now he was a little calmer. He smirked at Miheal but took his words seriously. “Well, it’s not like I’m short on time here. I may consider it."

"It might entertain you, yes."  Miheal mused.  

"...Speaking of that...maybe you should consider breaking the news of your sentence to Yuugi as part of your memory-sharing exercise...it's not good for him to be in the dark forever.  Think of a way to let him down gently, maybe?"

Yami’s face fell at the mention of his sentence and he sighed. “… How can I? Even if it’s weird having him around, I still care about Yuugi. If he realises he’s trapped… I don’t know if I’ll see him again. It was by chance he came out again after so long. I may not be so lucky next time.”

"...Alright, well...we should certainly proceed with caution.  We don't want Yuugi to disappear."  Miheal said gently.  

"...Will you explain to me how he disappeared in the first place?  I understand it was grief...but it also seems odd to think that someone who is so prominant now wasn't for a long time..."  He mused.

“Well… I don’t know. Yuugi relied a lot on his grandfather. I’m not surprised how much grief he felt. Even when he was gone, I could still feel it in my heart.” He sighed quietly. “I don’t know how he disappeared. All I remember is the funeral. Yuugi was sobbing hard and then we collapsed. Next thing I knew, we were at the hospital and I was alone."

"Sounds very sudden..." Miheal mused.

"We will certainly take care to avoid it happening in the future....but he certainly seems stronger now than before, would you agree?"

“… definitely.” Yami thought about Yuugi, and how he seems to have blossomed since he had last saw him. Yuugi was a fighter alright. He was incredibly strong to want to press forward to a bright future. “… I just hope he’s strong enough."

Miheal nodded.

"We have plenty of time to strengthen him more...if you share things with him he may also feel more confident." Miheal said.

“Alright, alright. I get the message, doc,” Yami said, stretching. “I’ll give it a shot… Happy?”

“Good.”  Miheal said with a smile.   “Yes, I am for now...I was also wondering another thing...have you or Yuugi noticed that you are gaining control over the personality switches?”  Miheal asked.  He was a little disappointed that while they were running out of time, he wasn't getting to speak much to Yuugi and gain his perspective on things.  This happened a lot in their sessions...one or the other personality wouldn't be paid as much attention to.

“Hm?” Yami glanced up and shrugged. “I can sometimes force a switch… It’s usually forward and not back, however. It really depends on the environment or if my brain feels like it.”

Miheal nodded with a frown.  

"And is Yuugi able to do the same forcing switches like you can?"

“Not that I’m aware of. I’m still in more control than he is. For most part, I’m the dominant personality…” Yami said. He still found it wrong that that was the case, but with how often he was out, it was true.

Miheal nodded, making a note of it.  He had assumed this was still the case...but he planned to work on it.  He wanted Yuugi to live more.  

"Alright.  Well, you both are making interesting progress...Koutei explained to me some of his observations, and I wanted to ask you...Yuugi seems to be reaching out to you.  Have you two ever tried to talk to each other?  Or do you just ignore him when he tries?"

So did Yami. Even though he didn’t want to disappear, even if he wanted his own life, he wanted to help Yuugi grow. Yuugi was the main part of him, not him. It felt wrong to be encroaching on his life, especially since he had been doing it for the last seven years.

“To talk to each other? Sometimes I can’t hear him. Other times, I’m not sure how to talk back. I tried once, but I think I gave us a headache.”

“Hmmm...interesting.  Maybe we'll try that during your next MRI session.  I want to make sure this isn't harming your brain...maybe we can find a cause of the headaches and fix it so you two can commune more easily.”  Miheal mused.   “That is, assuming you want to talk to him?  Sharing feelings is one thing, talking is another.”  

“… I’d… Like to try talking to him. It would be… interesting.” Yami sighed quietly. “… I’d like to apologise to him… for ruining his life."

Miheal listened calmly.  It was rare to see this sort of vulnerability from Yami...proof that he was a person hiding beneath a confident exterior.   “I'm sure he forgives you...Yuugi seems to be someone who is quite optimistic.  Through your decisions, he got to meet Raphael and Koutei, making friends for the first time.  And...he knows he's not alone anymore, because he has you as well.  The fact that he wants to share his feelings with you and talk to you is proof that he's forgiven you already and only wants to know you better.”  Miheal said gently.

“Or he’s playing an elaborate game and wants to yell at me,” Yami shook his head, kicking himself mentally for letting his usually strong mental walls down again around Miheal. That man’s aura was exhausting to deal with… maybe that’s why he wanted to open up to him?

It was interesting to think about, and honestly Yami did believe that Yuugi did forgive him, but it was still hard to comprehend. In the end, he just shrugged, looking away again.

Miheal scoffed.

“That's not true and you know it.  Yuugi enjoys games, yes, but he would never be so cruel.  He might want you as a gaming partner though...since one of the few things he knows for sure about you is that you share his love of games.”  Miheal said.  And again, Yami was hiding.  He sighed.

“I am trying to help you as well, Yami.  You are also my patient, just as much as Yuugi is....but I can't help you if you keep hiding from me."

“I can’t help it if you come at me like I’m some hostile beast and I’m trying to eat Koutei,” Yami muttered under his breath. “I’m fine. It’s just Yuugi. I’ll try let you talk to him more, if that’s what you want."

Miheal sighed again and shook his head.

“I'm not doing that now, am I?  Be reasonable, Yami...you know why I was concerned.”  He said.

“I would like to talk to Yuugi more yes, but I'm not going to just ignore you.  Your problems are different from Yuugi's, but they're just as pressing.  You're both my patients and it's my job to try and help you work through them.”  

“I know… To be honest, if our positions had been reversed, I would have punched you. Or at least challenged you to an aggressive game,” Yami smirked a bit but it faded quickly.

“I know, I know… It’s just… hard.” He wasn’t used to opening up to people. Koutei had been the only exception, even though Yami knew it would be good for him.

Miheal smirked back.

“I always pictured myself throwing swords instead of throwing punches...”  He mused.  He shook his head.

“I understand.  From what I've seen, you're a relatively private person.  But, we can start small.  You can tell me things that you think are redundant, things you think I already know or won't care about.  Things that don't need to be resolved...once you say that enough, maybe you'll get more comfortable with saying the bigger things.  Just start small, take it slow.”  Miheal said.

"We could even make it a game if you want.  Something like two lies and a truth?"  Miheal said with a shrug and smile.  “Whatever you want."

“Ah yes, be careful if you hurl your cane around. May stab someone in the eye,” Yami teased, looking back at Miheal. He wanted to protest, say there was nothing really worthwhile in doing so, and then Miheal mentioned a game.

“You know I can’t resist an offer like that,” Yami said, pouting a bit. “I guess I could."

Miheal snickered. “I'll be careful.”  He promised.  He smiled when Yami agreed.

“Alright...so the rules are simple.  Both of us must choose to share two lies and one true thing...and the other must guess which is true.  The round goes on until the one truth is revealed...then we switch.  Time limit could be the rest of our session, or until you switch with Yuugi.  Whichever comes first.”

“Does that sound reasonable to you, Yami?  Of course...the one truth you do share, must actually be the truth.”  

“Alright… Fair enough.” Yami smirked. “What do we start with… Hmm…” He wondered what he was willing to share. On one hand, he could certainly tell him things he already knew, but then again, there were no risks with that. No thrill. He had to have something interesting out there, a risk for him, or the game would be no fun. “If you guess wrong, I won’t tell you the real answer. But here we go,” Yami hummed, having his suggestions. “One. I was named by Yuugi at first because of the darkness in his heart. Two. I have a tendency to gamble whenever I have a free moment. And three, I’ve never been in love.”

Miheal pondered the choices before him.  Like the game master he claimed to be, Yami had chosen some interesting choices.  

“Alright...but there's no rule that says I can't wonder out loud.”  Miheal countered.

“I highly doubt you were actually named by Yuugi...I believe the name 'Yami' was one you chose for yourself...”  He said, considering the second.

“The gambling does make sense.  I knew you were involved in gambling rings...I suspect you're a recovering addict, to be honest.”  Miheal said, looking at Yami's reaction carefully for this and for the next one.

“And the last one I know to be a lie...you're in love with Koutei, aren't you?”  

“What?” Yami spluttered, his cheeks immediately turning red. He looked up at Miheal with wide eyes, coughing and shaking his head. “No… I… Why would you think that? That’s the lie. Honestly… The nerve… Just because I kissed him doesn’t mean I’m in love…”

Miheal was a little astonished by Yami's reaction.  He'd never seen the man so flustered and awkward before.  He recalled what Koutei had told him...and given that Yami was like this both in Koutei's presence and when Koutei was brought up in this way, it only seemed to prove Miheal's point.

“Of course a kiss doesn't mean you're in love...but that reaction suggests otherwise.”  Miheal mused with a knowing look.  

“But...in all honesty, I believe that the truth is the second one out of the three.  You've been spending years gambling all your money away, and when you're not using money, you bet other things.  You play games with heavy risk because you're addicted to the thrill.  The fact that you accepted the game I suggested, then made the choices you did instead of playing it safe, adds evidence to the fact that you're not at all over your addiction.”  Miheal said, making a note of it.

“Am I right?  Are you addicted to gambling?”  

Yami shook his head. “I’m not.” He huffed. He forced himself to calm down, not having expected Miheal to say that was the right answer. He wasn’t in love… Love took time, commitment and dedication, and he hadn’t done any of that to Koutei. He just happened to be lucky enough to be swept into Koutei’s heart.

“… Yeah, that’s the actual one.” Yami said, taking a deep breath to calm down and put his confident face back on. “I said I had a tendency to gamble. I didn’t say I was addicted.”

“A tendency...well...how often would you say you've gambled then, Yami?  What differentiates a tendency from an addiction?  Because from what I've read...there are quite a few instances where your 'tendency' to gamble has shown.  You were arrested before, of course, for gambling.  The last job you took murdering CEOs was a gamble.  Kujaku Mai-san has an extensive report about you explaining your frequenting of night clubs to gamble.  And of course, the earliest known case...when Yuugi's grandfather was in hospital and had no insurance, but huge sums of money were paid repeatedly by you.  That money undoubtedly came from gambling...you had no savings that were even close to the substantial amounts that were ultimately paid to support Soloman Mutou's care until his death.”  Miheal said.  

“So...by my math, that is over 7 years of you displaying your 'tendency' to gamble, to acquire large sums across several different cities.  And with those large sums, you never once invested in your own well-being, never once opening a savings account or investing in a permanent home.  That suggests you never even thought about holding onto all that money long enough to save...you only held it to gamble.  If that's not the stereotypical behaviour of an addict...I don't know what is.”  Miheal said.

“Feel free to correct me, if I am wrong, Yami.  This is what I've inferred from what little is known about you.”  He said with a smile.

Yami scowled as Miheal opened his mouth and kept talking. However, there weren’t actually many places he could interject, and a small part of him hoped Yuugi wasn’t listening. Miheal said nothing but the truth the entire spell, going into his history. It sent an odd twitch of guilt through him, and he bit his lip, trying to think of a witty response. It was annoying how accurate he was, and Yami even felt like he owed Miheal money for such a harsh analysis.

“… You’re really a smug bastard, you know that doc?”

“When I know I'm right, absolutely.”  Miheal agreed.  He had been told he was harsh with the truth...but only when patients needed it.  Yami struck him as someone who needed it.  

“...Now, we're on the same page with the gambling at the very least, I presume.  Judging by your reaction and the fact that you didn't tell me about this sooner, you're not proud about what happened.  But, that's alright...it means you might be open to the idea of improving.”  Miheal said gently.

“I have dealt with addicts before Yami...some are drug addicts, some are gambling addicts, like you.  If you'll let me help you, we can work together and you can get over your addiction.”  

“… I guess so… I don’t want Yuugi to be left with any debts I make in this place or actual prison. And I guess working on that is better than… Well, anything else, really.” Yami sighed. “… What the hell do I do to cure this “addiction”.”

Miheal nodded with a smile, glad Yami seemed to be taking responsibility for his actions now that it was clear they didn't just affect one person anymore.  

“You're right...sitting on the problem will not help it.”  Miheal said gently.  

“Admitting you have a problem that affects others is the first step, obviously...but the second is to observe what sort of things trigger your urges to gamble.  This could be anything...feelings, thought processes, environmental cues.  For you, I imagine that the high you get from winning is what influences you the most...but there could certainly be other things.”  Miheal took a small notebook from his desk and held it out to Yami.

“You should write down what happens to you when you feel the urge to gamble.  Where you are, what you're thinking, what you're feeling, who you're with...things that make you want to gamble.  Then, consider how to deal with it.  I know that Raphael gave you a music player...I hear listening to music helps calm those impulses.”

“I guess…” Yami hadn’t really given it much thought, since he had been desperately trying to avoid it. He took the pen and paper and nodded, titling the page so Yuugi knew what to do with it if he saw it.

“Oh yeah… I saw. It has some weird songs on it… But I can try that."

Miheal smiled when Yami took it.  

“Good to hear.  Maybe we can look into getting you some more...or you can ask Raphael.  If it's for your therapy, I'm sure the facility will allow you to get some more music.”  Miheal said gently.

"You are also an interesting case...Yuugi might be able to help your addiction too, since he has no such addiction.  You can get encouragement from within."  Miheal paused, then smiled.

"...And you can talk to Koutei too.  Being open and honest about your issues is a step to recovery as well.  I'm sure he'd be happy to help."

“Hopefully. There’s a radio in the break room so maybe I can listen to new songs. That would be interesting. I don’t know either of our tastes in music, if I’m honest.”

“Gee, glad I’m a nice test tube subject, doc,” Yami muttered, though in good nature. “I guess so… That … I guess that would help"

Miheal shrugged.  

“Now's your chance to find out!”  He said.  He nodded.

“Good to hear you think so too.  We can talk about your progress in our next session after you've tried this out for awhile.”  

“Yeah… I’ll do it when I get some quiet time.” Yami was admittedly exhausted after all of that. “Thanks… Is our time up boss?"

Miheal nodded. "Yes it looks like it. I'll call the guards to wheel you back to your room." He said. He smiled. "Glad we had this chat. I feel we've made progress."

“Thanks…” Yami smiled. “I think so too."

Miheal nodded.

"Good to hear. Let's hope this is the first of many improving sessions."

-x-

Today was the day.  Kaito was prepared to take down Dennis once and for all...all he needed was the location really.  He had loaded Orbital 7 up with weapons and sneaky surveillance equipment, hoping to catch Dennis during a drug deal, then he could send the footage to the cops and they could make the arrest, since he wasn't really allowed to do so...

He needed to know where to deal in Devil's Breath though...that meant talking to Yubel.  Hence why he was in disguise in a bar.  He had brought quite a bit of cash with him to convince Yubel to share what they knew.

"I need information on Dennis Macfield."  Kaito said softly, sliding the bill on the countertop like usual.

It was early the evening, so it wasn’t too unusual for Yubel to see customers. Their bar was quiet today, but Yubel didn’t mind. They had taken the chance to polish the glasses, eyes idly on the tv that dully spouted the news in the corner. Yubel didn’t acknowledge the stranger at first, they didn’t need to even look at the money.

“Information, huh? You don’t usually have people so boldly tossing that name around these days, you know.”

"Well I'm tossing it." Kaito said with a frown.

"Tell me where I can find him."

Yubel glanced at him, looking the disguised man over. They stared at him for a long momentt, trying to recognise them, before they picked the money up. “That’s all? Macfield isn’t cheap or easy, you know. Neither am I...

Kaito couldn't look Yubel directly in the eye but tried his best. He needed them to tell him where to find Dennis...to his popular places so he could tell the cops.

"I need to know as many places as you can share. I want to find him as soon as possible..."

“… Hmph… Give me another hundred dollars and I’ll see what I can remember."

Kaito sighed. He didn't have a lot of money...he made a mental note to ask Astral for more after this. He was grateful his boyfriend had helped him accumulate some funds for this. He slid the money on the counter.

Yubel took it and smiled. “He’s moved on from the docks to the Eastern side of Heartland. It’s a popular marketing site for firearms. Since he doesn’t like getting involved with that activity, he works mostly in the day and early evening. He’ll be hanging around by the Candy Shop down the Spade district, since he has a contact who works there."

Kaito nodded.

"So he'll essentially be there now then?"  It was early evening after all.  

"Who's this Candy-store contact of his?"

“Yeah. If you’re quick, you’ll catch him.” They said. “He goes by Sora, but he keeps changing the last name. Blue hair. Short. Looks like a child. You’ll know when you see him.”

Kaito nodded, not sure whether that quip about "knowing him when he saw him" was a joke or if Yubel truly hadn't noticed he was blind as a bat.  

"Got it.  I'll take my leave then."  He said, getting up and calling Orbital.  He had to move fast...he had to catch footage of them and identify this contact "Sora".

“Right… see you. Pleasure doing business,” Yubel said. They smirked as Kaito left and returned to their duties.

Orbital 7 had been waiting in the alleyway for Kaito, hidden from view. He perked up when he saw Kaito and beeped. “Did you get the information, Kaito-sama?"

"I did.  We're heading to the Spade District.  That's where Dennis is supposed to be, hanging out with a contact."  Kaito said.

“Yes, Kaito-sama! Let’s go!” Orbital strapped himself on Kaito’s back and spread his wings. After making sure he was secure, the robot began to fly off, carrying Kaito out of the slums and out into the open skies, heading towards the East, away from the setting sun. “I will drop us in the middle of the Spade District. Will this be satisfactory?"

"That's fine.  Just stay out of sight and record everything...we're there to do surveillance so the cops can find Dennis' popular spots and contacts."  Kaito reminded the robot.

“Yes, Kaito-sama!” Orbital flew a little further before he came to a nice, quiet alleyway. He circled around to make sure no one stopped him before he flew down, landing in the alleyway. “Watch your step, Kaito-sama."

Kaito let Orbital detach and nodded.

"I will." He said, navigating his way out of the alley slowly and taking in his surroundings as best he could. Even he could see the giant neon candy sign and figured that was where he should go. He made his way towards it, expecting Orbital to be recording whoever he saw next.

Orbital had his equipment ready and prepared, analysing the scene in front of him. It rolled next to Kaito, so Kaito could use him to guide him across the road.

The candy store was cute and rather out of place, all things considered. It was very cutesy, bright and with lots of colours, typical Heartland fare, despite it being in a shadier area of the Spade district. However, it did seem… safe. A child with her mother and group of teenagers were around, purchasing the cheap but tasty candy. It really did seem like an innocuous candy shop.

Inside the window, a short, blue-haired youth was there, handing an extra lollipop to a girl with her mother.

“Ja! Have a nice day!” The attendant grinned, waving.

Kaito could essentially see a blob of blue in front of him. He approached once the mother and child left.

"Are you Sora?" He asked.

“That’s what the name tag says,” Sora chuckled, bright and smiley as ever. “Can I help you, sir?”

Kaito decided not to comment on the fact that he couldn't read a single thing on that damn tag.  

"I'm interested in purchasing some candy, and I hear you're the man to go to around these parts."  Kaito said, wondering if Sora would catch his drift: he wasn't talking about sugar here, but white powder might be involved.

“Candy? Well… depends what your preference is, Mister?” Sora glanced to the teens, who waved at Sora and walked off, evidently deciding not to buy anything. He glanced at Kaito, eyes scanning his clothes. “We have the best candy around. How sweet do you want it?"

"Well I didn't come all this way to settle for anything less than the best.  I'll take as sweet as you've got."  Kaito said.  He wanted to see the highest quality stuff that Sora had been given by Dennis.

“… You like carrots?” Sora asked out of the blue, frowning as he looked outside, seeing a red flashing light from the window.

Kaito tried not to look fazed.  He was probably using a code world.

"Definitely."  Kaito said, not really noticing anything off yet...but he had a strange feeling.

Sora frowned deeper, knowing Kaito got the codeword wrong. He frowned for a minute. “Nehhh… Well I’m closing up soon to take a break. You wanna come with me? Or come back later?"

Kaito still had that strange feeling that something was a little off.  He assumed the man had been using a codeword...had he gotten it right?  But from what Sora said next, he wondered if this was normal...maybe he was just overreacting.  

"I'll come with you."  He said.

Sora smiled. “It’s a bit early to close, but a customer is a customer, you know.” He smiled. “This way. Carrot-top is over here.” He gestured for Kaito to follow him and he headed to the front door, flicking the sign to closed and gesturing for Kaito to follow. Orbital hid as Sora stepped out, gesturing for Kaito to follow.

Kaito followed Sora, senses on alert.  He wondered if "Carrot-top" was Dennis...the cops did know that he was a red-head after all.  He noted Orbital hiding and was prepared for anything.  Good...now all he had to do was see the drugs and he'd be good.

Sora smiled as he lead Kaito own the back alleys of the shop, leading him to a small house, looking rather run down but inhabited never the less. Sora smiled as he opened the door with a key and gestured for Kaito to come him.

“I’m home, honey~” Sora sung. “I have new company! Really new!” He said, then stopping to close the door behind Kaito and stop Orbital from following him.

Kaito heard the door close, and immeidately was a little on edge.  Orbital wasn't in with him...the robot would have to find itself a better angle.  Maybe flying over might work?  

"Welcome home?  Did you, sweet-cake?  You found someone really new?  Well I love meeting new people!"  Dennis exclaimed, bounding out with a smile.  Kaito simply saw a blob of orange that almost made him cringe.  So this was Dennis Macfield.

"Well, don't just stand there, stranger, come in, come in!  If you've come to Sora, it means you have a sweet-tooth yes?"  Dennis said, gesturing Kaito further into the house with a smile.

“Yep! He has a very special sweet tooth, something that my candy can’t satisfy.” Sora chuckled. “He needs a harder hit.”

“… Friend recommended you to me, Macfield.” Kaito went over the list of people in rehab he knew of that had seen Dennis. “Kotsuzuka was his name. Said you could get me what I want. I have the money if you have what you gave him.”

“Mouu… sounds like he means business,” Sora tilted his head before he glanced at the window, seeing Orbital 7. “Well, I’ll be getting to my store again. Have fun, friend. Hope you get what you’re looking for."

Dennis smiled.

"Oh yes I remember him...good friend of mine."  A good friend whom Dennis suspected had betrayed him eariler...this was almost proof.  

"Go ahead and get back to work sweet-cake!  I'll see you later!"  Dennis said, hooking an arm around Kaito and leading him on, deeper into the house.  Kaito could only hope that Orbital snuck through the door, and had no way of knowing he didn't.  The robot gave a small eep and tried to duck and hide in the store when he saw Sore returning, not knowing he'd been spotted.  

"I'll show you where I keep the good stuff, stranger.  What's your name?"  Dennis asked gently.

Sora gave a cruel, predatory grin when he saw Orbital 7 and he followed him all the way back to his store. He chuckled as he saw the robot try to pick the lock to get inside the door he had locked behind him and he grinned as he whacked it hard with a strong kick.

“Mouuu…. I really, REALLY hate thieves trying to break into my store, you know.”

Kaito followed, glancing around, pretending he had vision. He was really listening to Dennis’ footsteps to know where to walk and not bump into anything.

“Just Takaido. Like the train station.”

Orbital tried to move but yelped as it was suddenly smacked hard by Sora's kick.  He crashed into the wall with a cry.

"I-I'm not a theif!"  Orbital managed to squeak, trying to pull out its shockers to defend itself in case Sora swung again.  There was a large dent on its body, which made it hard to open its arm panels.  

"Well then, pleased to meet you, Takaido-chan!  Always happy to meet new customers."  Dennis felt like this man was probably lying, but had no way to prove it...yet.  He led Kaito through the normal looking house to the basement.  

"Right down here...this is where I do my in-house deals!  After you!"  Dennis said, sweeping his arm out for Kaito to walk down the stairs first.

Sora frowned as he saw a spark and the robot trying to do something. He kicked Orbital with his hard boots again straight into the bins, trying to back him into an alleyway. “Now… who sent you? You better answer. Robots that don’t listen get turned into scrap,” he grinned cruelly.

Kaito was weary, not sure if he had infiltrated this successfully so easily. He tried to think about what he had done, what he could have done to arouse suspicion, but it was hard to think. He coughed grimly, feeling weak from just walking so much.

“Alright… Thanks…” He felt for the railing and tried to walk down slowly, ready to go for the knife in his belt if things went awry.

Orbital yelped again, his "arms" essentially sealed off as he was kicked again. Now he couldn't even transform properly!

"No one!" He exclaimed.

Dennis let Kaito take a step down slowly before closing the door and kicking him hard in the middle of his back.

"Have a nice trip!" He laughed as Kaito tumbled down the stairs and onto the hard concrete floor at the bottom.

“That’s a lie, unless AIs are a thing, huh? AIs that serve themselves. How scary.” Sora grinned as he kicked Orbital again, glad he wore steel-toed boots like he usually did because he thought they were cool. Orbital was light in order to maintain flight, so it was easy for Sora to hit him harder, once more in the head.

“HrghK!” Kaito yelled as he fell downstairs, bumping and cracking bones as he collapsed. His skin had torn a little from the fall as he crumpled in a heap, hissing as the pain shot through him. “What the fuck was that for?”

"I don't-" Orbital said, before sputtering and beeping as it's head was kicked. It could partially register pain, and did have feelings, and it whined and whirled as it's light body was kicked around. It could barely see...it's Orbital sockets were becoming cracked.

"Cause I know you're not a customer, you're a spy." Dennis said cheekily, coming down the stairs and kicking Kaito hard in the stomach.

"Now be a good boy and tell me who sent you here?"

“Hoooh? What’s this now?” Sora asks, looking at the robot. “Breaking now? Can’t have that.” He kicked the body again. When he was sure Orbital wouldn’t retaliate, he picked him up. “Let’s see if I can find your master.”

Kaito hissed and gagged as he felt the foot. He looked up, one hand over his stomach. “I told you. Kotsuzuka did!”

Orbital could only sputter and whirl weakly as it was beat within an inch of its robotic artificial life. It couldn't protest as Sora picked it up. It could only hope that Kaito-sama was doing better....

Which he wasn't. Dennis shook his head and kicked Kaito again.

"He doesn't know about this place in particular, sorry! Try again?" He said with a smile.

Sora walked all the way back to the house and let himself in again. His bubbly smile faded and he seriously walked to the living room, going to pull Orbital apart to see if he could analyse him, giving Dennis some time to deal with their friends.

Kaito hissed. “… I asked him. He told me go to Yubel.” Yubel was a lot stronger than Dennis was. He knew that Dennis couldn’t touch them. “It’s basically the same thing."

Orbital couldn't fight, but was trying to lock himself down. It didn't want to be pulled apart...it didn't want to be destroyed.

"Ah, the bartender..." Dennis knew there wasn't much he could do about them...they were incorrigible. Dennis considered Yubel valuable as a source of information himself occasionally. He noted something interesting though. This guy...he looked a little familiar. He reached down and pulled the wig and hat off Kaito's head, pulling him up by his hair to get a better look at him.

"Hmm...you look awfully familiar Tokaido-chan...if that is even your name...." He pondered this. He looked up the stairs, having heard the door open and Sora re-enter the house.

"Sweet-cakes! Come down for a second!"

Kaito groaned as the wig glue peeled off his head and he was left exposed. He gave only a groan as he tried to get to his feet again, hoping Dennis wouldn’t notice him.

“Hah? I haven’t even started!” Sora frowned as he picked Orbital up again and hurried over. “What is it? Can’t handle him on your own?"

Dennis smiled up at him.

"No, I’m managing fine...oh, but what's that weird robot thing you got there? Hmm?" Dennis mused. He glanced back at Kaito, trying to get up. He kicked him again so he'd stay down.

"I’m just thinking this guy looks familiar...he was wearing a wig, see? He look familiar to you?"

“A little spy I caught peeping in the window,” Sora said, carrying Orbital down the stares. Kaito’s heart sank as he heard the words and he didn’t have time to react to the foot. He groaned as he was kicked hard, and he crumpled down to the ground.

“Hmmm? Oh. Isn’t this a certain former superintendent?”

Dennis snapped his fingers and grinned.

"That's it! I knew he looked familiar...and that guy was known to have a robot companion...so this bucket of bolts must be his then!" Dennis said with a grin.

"...So, Mr. Superintendent...you thought you could spy on me, did you? That's not very nice...I prefer to keep my entertainment public, so if you wanted a private show you should've just asked!" Dennis said.

"...since you wanted to get a good camera shot with this thing, let's give them something fun to look at, huh Sweet-cake? Is that thing still recording this?" Dennis asked, looking at Orbital's pitiful state.

“I figured as much. I caught him recording everything, or I’m guessing he was recording, judging by the blinking red light.” Sora tossed Orbital carelessly into a corner and he looked at him. “Definitely still recording. I didn’t beat him that badly.”

Kaito hissed. He had taken down thugs before while injured and blind before, but why not now? Why not, when Dennis and Sora seemed so much smaller? Had his health deteriorated that much that what should have been a simple mission had failed? Why couldn’t he think as quickly as before?

“Get off me.” Kaito said. “The police will be here too. I told them where I was going before I arrived,’ he lied.

"Good! We'll see if we can save whatever he's taping...we got guys who can alter the footage." Dennis said with a smile. He glanced at Kaito before scowling and kicking him again.

"Liar. You came alone, obviously. The police are far too busy with their latest arrests...they got a whole bunch of fugitives to deal with after busting the Dark Duelist. They aren't coming here." He said.

"I don't take kindly to lying, Superintendent. I thought a man of your profession would also appreciate honesty too...guess not. Sweet-cakes, let's string him up in front of the camera here...he's lied plenty today. And I'm sure he'll lie more...that can't go unpunished." He said. There were handcuffs hanging from the ceiling and walls in the cellar that was stained red with old blood...even though Kaito couldn't see it, it was clear Dennis had punished people in here before.

Kaito hissed as he fell forward again, and he was almost sure Dennis had cracked one of his ribs. The man gave a groan as he tried to get back up again. He glared up at Dennis’ voice.

“Heee… I like that idea,” Sora smirked. He left Orbital 7 where he was and pulled Kaito by his arms to the centre of the room, wrenching his arms back despite Kaito’s protests.

Dennis smiled.

"Great, glad you hear it!"  He let Sora do that, having noticed that Kaito was clearly in no shape to fight either of them.  He adjusted Orbital 7's remains so that its 'eye' was directly on Kaito as he was handcuffed to the wall.  

"Alright...Sweet-cakes, hold his head up so the camera can see quite clearly who we've got here...say hi, Superintendent!"  Dennis said with a grin in Kaito's direction.

Sora wasn’t in the same position as Dennis and was able to show his face so clearly, so he took the discarded wig and put it on. Then he pulled his jacket’s hood over his head, just in case. Careful to keep his head facing away, Sora held Kaito’s head up. Kaito threw his hands and thrashed as best as he could.

“Bastard..."

"Perfect!  Looks great guys!"  Dennis said with a grin, holding up a thumbs up.  

"Now let's get this party started!  I'll get my toolkit, Sweet-cakes, and we can play around a little."  He said, grabbing a few of the tools he'd used to torture others.

"Don't kill him though...he may be a hostage of value yet..."  Dennis mused with a smirk.

Sora grinned mischeviously.

“I’ll play camera man if you want. Looks like that trashbot needs his head held up. I’d rather not be seen,” Sora said, standing up. He grinned. “Besides. If you do it by yourself, I get to blame you if he dies."

Dennis smiled.

"Ah, so I get the spotlight all to myself then?  Sounds good to me!"  Dennis said, happy to switch.  He didn't hide his face or anything, because he knew the cops knew what he looked like.  

"Alright, Mr. Superintendent...are you ready for some fun?"  Dennis asked, holding up what was essentially a huge nail and a blowtorch.  

"Why don't you tell me who else told you about me?"

Sora grinned as he made his way behind Orbital 7. He adjusted the eye as best as he could and grinned as he watched the spectacle before him. Kaito looked surprisingly calm despite his fear, and he stared at Dennis with hatred but not fear.

Kaito in reality was terrified. He was just trying not to show it. He glared at Dennis, kicking himself for his lack of planning and his foolishness.

“Fuck off..."

Dennis sighed.

"You're not making it easy on yourself...well that's alright..."  Dennis said, turning on the blow-torch and slowly heating up his large spike with a smile.

"I can respect that..."  He looked at Kaito closely and noticed the man wasn't quite looking at him.  This was interesting...it was like he couldn't see him very clearly.  He leaned closer so that Kaito could feel the whisps of heat coming off the blowtorch and smirked.

"...Feel that?  You're in for a world of hurt if you don't tell me more.  Go ahead...tell me who else I have to drag down here to die."

Kaito could feel his breath curl on his face as well as the heat of the instrument. He instinctively leaned back, all but growling at Dennis.

“I said there was no one else. I wanted to find you and take you down myself. And I asked Yubel. That’s it. Just me and my robot.”

Dennis frowned.

"Who told you to look into me? The cops?" He asked, rubbing the hot nail against Kaito's skin to burn him.

"Better answer or it'll get worse~"

Kaito yelled as he felt the hot nail and he squirmed in his place. He threw his head forward, hoping to hit Dennis or force him away. “No one!"

Dennis easily stepped aside from Kaito's meager range of motion.

"But who gave you the idea to come after me? Surely someone gave you the idea?" He turned the nail and dug it into Kaito's arm.

Kaito gave a loud cry as the point of the nail penetrated his skin, and the heat surged through his arm. He struggled viciously, gasping for breath.

“It was my fucking idea! Get away! Arghh!"

Dennis sighed.

"Gosh you're stubborn...do you really expect me to believe that you brought a tape in when you can't even see it? Who's watching? Who are you working with?" He asked, twisting the nail into Kaito's arm even more.

“GrrghhKkk!” Kaito yelled out in pain, tossing his head back. His dark vision would have gone blurry from the agony if he could see and tears welled in his eyes. The man pulled at his arm, desperately trying to get away to no avail. His nerves screamed for him to move, but all he could do was curse and yell.

“If I’m trying to fucking bust you, I need evidence,” he hissed. “No one is watching!” He hoped Astral would try hack Orbital to see where he was soon. “No one!”

Dennis frowned.

"So you were getting evidence for the police...you're working with them! Ah I knew it..." Dennis said, pulling out the nail and then stabbing the other one.

"You're lying to me too much here..."

“I’m not working for the police. Listen to me,” Kaito hissed. His eyes widened and he yelled as the nail was pulled out, leaving blood to trickle out of his open arm. He thrashed harder, especially when the nail was driven in, lodging itself deep into weakened muscles, the hole made smaller and tighter from the heat.

“Hrkkk! Let go!"

Dennis tsked.

"I am listening to you...I'm watching you go back and forth.  First you say you're working alone...then you say you're collecting evidence...so that must be for someone...and the only ones who can arrest me with evidence are the police!  So you're working for them, silly Mr. Superintendent...has the pain messed with your head already?"  Dennis said with a laugh.

"Alright, now pay attention to this next question..." He said, grabbing Kaito's chin to stop him from thrashing.

"...Who told the cops about me?  I know they've arrested quite a few people I've dealt with recently...so which one is the traitor?  Who sold me out?"

As Dennis drove the cooling nail deeper into Kaito’s flesh, a sick thought appeared in Kaito’s head. He could rat someone out and try to make the pain stop. His body was weak, he probably couldn’t last as long as he used to, or as long as a normal person, but he could try drag someone else down. He couldn’t think of many names, but he did have a few… Yuuto seemed close to Dennis and he was in jail. Maybe…

And then as soon as it manifested properly in his head, Kaito swatted it down. Yuuto had warned him this would happen. He had done nothing wrong. He had only warned him this would happen and all of this was Kaito’s fault. He didn’t need any threat of further harm brought on him. Kaito had to deal with this himself. It was his responsibility, his repentance.

Kaito hissed in Dennis’ tight grip. “I’m telling the truth, you sick fuck.” He was, in the end. “I’m doing this of my own accord. I want you arrested. The police don’t know I’m here, but I was going to hand all the dirt over. No one is a traitor. I’m not on the fucking police force anymore. I can’t get that info if I wanted to.” Kaito gritted his teeth, and even though he knew it would only cause him more pain, he tried to jerk his head so he could bite Dennis. “It’s all on me.”

Dennis sighed.  He had noticed the slightest bit of hesitation in Kaito's body language.  This meant that he was probably thinking of whoever had sold out Dennis...but wasn't hurt enough to share yet.  Well, Dennis could change that.

"Alright, Mr. Superintendent...we'll just see if you change your tune."  He said, pulling out the nail and then going for another tool.  This time, it was brass knuckles.  Dennis didn't like to be too aggressive, but Kaito wasn't squealing.  He'd heard that the Superintendent had been through some rough shit, so he figured he hadn't been hard enough on him yet.  

"Last chance, Mr. Superintendent...who's the rat who told the cops about me?"  He said, gently rubbing the brass knuckles against the man's cheek so he could feel what was about to come.

It was terrifying being here, alone with this man. Kaito realised how stupid he was when he realised that he didn’t know anything about Macfield outside him being a drug dealer. The way he firmly but gently rubbed his new weapon against his face suggested a history that went beyond smuggling. The warmth of his breath, the handcuffs chaffing against his wrists, the coolness of the room… all of it added to the horror of the situation, and it occurred to Kaito that he really could die here.

“It was no one.” Kaito’s voice was soft but firm. He thought of putting the blame on the PI he knew about from Gauche, but he dismissed that quickly too. “I know you from Yubel. That’s it. No one told the cops about you. If you don’t believe me, too bad.”

Dennis listened and frowned as Kaito talked.

"Have it your way then."  He said, before laying into the man in front of him.  Dennis had been feeling quite stressed lately, despite his happy attitude.  The bust with Yami at the docks had wiped out lots of his stock, and he was struggling to recover it while also monitoring the police for updates on their knowledge of his activities.  He knew that a few people he'd dealt with had been arrested.  That was not mentioning his side projects with Yuri, trying to win him custody of Yuuya and throwing Yuuto behind bars.  In short, Dennis was busy and beating Kaito was the perfect stress relief.  

He wailed into Kaito, punching his face until it was so swollen and cut that it was practically unrecognizeable, then moving onto his body, pounding the man's pale skin until it was painted black and blue and red with blood.  Throughout, he peppered in repeats of his question: who had ratted him out?  He needed to know so he could punish them too, after all.  More stress relief in the future, he mused to himself.

Kaito couldn’t even scream. Even if he wanted to, even if he wanted to screech and cry in pain, all he could do was grunt and groan as Dennis began to physically assert his dominance. His nose cracked and blood dribbled down it, filling his mouth with blood, some of his teeth cracked, his lips were cut and bloody and he sported black eyes on both sides of his face. On his head alone, there were so many injuries that Kaito found himself struggling to keep consciousness, and it was only because he had to spit out blood and bile that he remained awake.

His body was already small and frail, and Dennis wasn’t making things any easier on him. He grunted as the man socked him into the stomach several times, and then his ribs. Dennis obviously didn’t care whether he tattled, lived or died. He was obviously pissed, and he was sick enough to have his friend record this entire sadistic torture with his own robot. His joints and arms ached and he found it hard to breathe. He needed to rest…

He apologised to Astral in his head, and Yuuto too… For not listening to them.

Astral meanwhile, was at Takashi's house, getting settled.  Finally, he'd unpacked and felt satisfied with the police file the cops had being destroyed.  He'd been spying on the police before after the Vector AI claimed to have forgotten to delete the footage of him destroying the file.  Astral could only sigh as he saw the cops reach the correct conclusion: that he had sent the model.  Well, now he'd be public enemy number 1 again...

He decided then to call Kaito and see if he'd have any ideas of how to go about things, but was surprised to find an offline signal coming from Orbital.  It's phone systems were no longer working.  That was unusual, since it was only when Oribtal was offline that its communications were off...and it wasn't usually offline during the day.  After a few minutes of hacking, Astral found that the robot was not offline...it was just that the coms were not functional.  Frowning, he kept going until he finally hacked into Orbital, seeing a visual of what the robot could see.  

And what he saw made him scream in alarm.  A man in an orange suit beating someone against the wall...someone with blonde hair...

"...K-Kaito..."  He breathed, stunned and shaken by this.  

Dennis beat Kaito within an inch of his life...but he wasn't about to kill him just yet.  Kaito had refused to tell him his source...but he had a feeling that the cops might not be so stubborn.  

"Sweet-cakes, bring the camera closer here will you?  I need to make sure the cops are clear on what they're seeing."  He said, gesturing for Sora to bring the robot closer so Astral could have no doubt what he was seeing.  

"This is your superintendent, Tenjo Kaito...if you want him to live, you're going to have to play by my rules, cops!"  Astral began frantically trying to activate Orbital's systems again, but found they were damaged too badly.  He yelled in frustration.

"No...Kaito!"

Sora obliged, picking the robot up by the body and steadying the head so it would look at the man. He physically brought it close, so Astral could see how badly beaten and ruined Kaito looked. Kaito gasped for breath, unable to focus on anything, too disorientated to function. “We have to edit the footage before we send it off. I don’t know how long this thing has been recording. I don’t want anyone seeing me and ruining my reputation.” Sora said. “We should send it off soon. I don’t want the cops to realise their little spy is missing too late,” Dennis muttered.

"Of course!  I'll get right on tearing this thing apart to find where it keeps its footage."  Sora said with a grin.  Astral gasped.

"No...I have to try and track Orbital before they destroy him permanently..."  He said, frantically working the keys and trying to fight back tears when it seemed that nothing was working.

Orbital couldn’t respond. Sora had beaten him and ripped out the links to his arms while he was upstairs, and the attempt to trace his coms was out. Fortunately, Astral could track him. After all, he could see a video feed and could just follow in it reverse. However, when Sora figured they were done recording, he smashed Orbital 7 in the head, completely destroying the robot before Astral could get a lead. Despite being bloodied and a mess, Kaito could still hear Orbital’s lenses shattering, and he realised in horror that Sora was now tearing out his loyal friend and hooking him up to his laptop to retrieve all the information that was in there. Kaito tried to call out to his companion, but he couldn’t find his voice. Even worse, he couldn’t hear Orbital’s. “……. N-no…”

Astral had been just about to get the coordinates when suddenly the screen went dead.

"No!"  He screamed, bursting into tears and bowing his head as he cried.  Now his lead to Kaito was gone...Orbital 7 had been destroyed. Kaito...Kaito could die!  

"No...Kaito...please...please don't die..."  He sobbed softly.

“Wow… there’s a lot of junk in here. Some of it is damaged, but fortunately I got all his video logs. There aren’t many of them for some reason.” Sora noted with interest there were only a 3D image projector video in Orbital 7 and a video of a trashbot for some reason besides the footage that had been recorded tonight. Kaito was quite meticulous in cleaning out any junk from Orbital. “I’ll sort through the rest of the data later. I’ll just edit this all neatly. Yeah… he started recording me when he came into my shop. Can’t have that! The kiddies need my candy!” Sora chuckled as he got to work, not at all minding the pathetic groans from Kaito.

"Of course not, Sweet-cakes!  Take your time...we need to have a true masterpiece to send to the cops!"  Dennis said with a grin.

"Just hang tight, Mr. Superintendent, and hope your coworkers are more reasonable than you are."  He said to Kaito with a wink.

Kaito merely gave a groan in response. He was teetering in and out of consciousness, and eventually, he succumbed to the darkness, the pain becoming too much.

No one knew where he was… He was going to die here...

Sora eventually found the footage he was looking for and plugged it into a computer so he could play around with it.  He wanted this to be a masterpiece...and it had been so long since he'd indulged in his horror fantasies.  

So once he'd done the cropping out of himself and cut out any additional footage that said anything too revealing about Kaito and all the footage Orbital took before the beating in the candy store, Sora began to play around with music, zooms, slow motion and repeat shots.  He smirked and sucked on his lollipop as he cut the audio out for most of the beating, throwing in Kaito's loudest screams for the most painful shots.  

"Alright Den, it's done!  With your okay I'll send it to the cops!"  Sora called with a grin.

Dennis had gone upstairs to clean up, but hearing Sora call to him, he came downstairs again to look. He raised an eyebrow as he saw the file and he leaned over Sora’s shoulder.

And then he laughed. He laughed ridiculously hard.

“I love it! Oh sweet cakes! You’re perfect! Amazing! Bravo!"

Sora grinned.

"I thought you'd like it!  I'll render it and get it sent off anonymously to the police station right away then."  He said with a thumbs up.

“Awesome. Don’t forget to clean your prints,” Dennis cooed. He looked up at Kaito and he smirked, seeing as Kaito was still out cold. “Don’t worry. They’ll be here for you eventually.”

Sora nodded.

"You got it!" He said, putting on some gloves. He then removed the tape and cleaned it gently, before sealing it in an envelope for the cops to find it.

"Im off to drop it off in the mail~" Sora called, writing the station's address without a return address and putting a rush delivery on it. They'd probably get it tomorrow at the latest.

“Alright! See you later!” Dennis waved at him before he headed back upstairs. Now he had actual drug dealings to do, but Kaito would be here in the basement, waiting for him to be a perfect stress relief again.

The police were oblivious to the situation with Kaito and Dennis. Yuuto was in his cell just waiting for news on Yuuya. He hadn't seen his brother in a day now and was worried. "Hey, Yuuto? Dr. Sasayama is here to talk to you...come with me." Gauche said, going to lead Yuuto to an interrogation room where they could record their conversation. Yuuto got up immediately and followed Gauche to the room.

Sayaka was there, dressed still in her work clothes, but looking a lot more calm today. She was a little nervous, seeing as she hadn’t talked to Yuto as long as she hadn’t talked to Anna, but she wanted to see how he was going. She waited until Gauche opened the door and she smiled, seeing Yuuto.

“Thank you so much."

Yuuto followed Gauche, surprised for a moment when he realized they were in the interrogation room with Sayaka sitting there instead of a cop. He smiled at her when he did.

"Hey, Sayaka." He said, having a seat across from her.

"Any news on Yuuya?"

Sayaka hoped that Yuuto wouldn’t start on that, but she figured as much. She gave a quiet sigh and nodded, waiting for Gauche to leave. “Yuuya is fine. He’s in a bad state, but he’ll live. The hospital is sedating him, but they’re fixing his organs. It may be a while before he can return."

Yuuto frowned in concern.

"...fixing his organs? What was wrong with them?" Yuuto asked, not liking the sound of that.

“His liver is the main damaged organ, but his lungs have taken a heavy hit too. Some of his organs like his stomach and his liver have been calcified… So his organs there are hard. Really, there’s a heavy wear on his organs due to Yuuya’s heavy use of drugs.” Sayaka said quietly.

Yuuto listened with a grave face. This was serious...why hadn't he fucking noticed this?! His brother couldn't live with calcified organs...he sighed, burying his face in his hands.

"...So it is my fault then..." He said softly, clearly upset about it.

"...dammit. I should've noticed something...should've gotten him help sooner...."

“It’s not… Yuuto… You didn’t know. You were trying to help Yuuya, right?” Sayaka hadn’t been told anything but she figured that was the only reason why Yuuto would do such a thing. “Thankfully he’s getting treatment. You’d be surprised how much they can help him recover."

Yuuto sighed again, feeling awful about this. His brother...he had really almost killed him.

"...ugh...of course...I was just trying to help...I didn't want him trapped in hospital...I wanted to give him a way to live properly with his illness..." Yuuto said. He took a deep breath.

"...yeah...he's getting care now...I just...I hope he's okay...he hates hospitals and hates being sedated even more..."

Sayaka bit her lip. “… Yeah… about the sedation…” She wondered if it was appropriate to tell Yuuto, but as Yuuya’s guardian, he had a right to know. “… He tried to attack people at the hospital, you know. When he was being taken in..."

Yuuto glanced at Sayaka when she started on the sedation and frowned.

"Oh no..." Yuuto said softly.

"...he’s scared. Hes had some really bad experiences in hospital before...I wish I could be there for him this time..."

“The medication you were giving him before was harming him, so we can’t use that. Right now the doctors and a few pharmacists are trying to come up with a safer solution, but in the mean time they’re just sedating him so he doesn’t harm others and himself. He’s almost sedated around the clock to keep his brain from swelling.” Sayaka said, looking at Yuuto.

Yuuto sighed and his expression twisted into sadness.

"....he hates that...he's so...empty when he's sedated like that..." Yuuto said softly, remembering Yuuya telling him what it was like while he was like that.

"...I hope it's soon...I hope they find something soon..." Yuuto prayed they would let Yuuya live again soon.

“I am too. I’m putting a formal request to Ms. Catherine to see if she can offer any insight. So hopefully it’ll only a few months or a year than anything else.”

"A few months to a year...alright." He knew that was a long time, but it was better than the four year failure when Yuuya was a teen.

"...thanks, Sayaka. I knew I could count on you..." he said with a smile.

Sayaka smiled. “I haven’t done much of anything. Just reported back to an old friend, you know? I’m glad they’re giving us a chance to talk, Yuto."

Yuuto smiled back.

"Just that alone helps...I worry for him. Telling me how he's doing is a big help....as is having an old friend to look out for him." Yuuto said.

"Yes, it was nice of them...these officers are kind and considerate people."

Sayaka smiled. “I guess it helps that I’m your doctor, after all.” She wondered if the police were watching them. “I haven’t seen you in… gosh… like it must be fourteen years or something now. Have you kept in touch with anyone? Ruri? I dunno if you recognise Anna.”

Yuuto chuckled.

"It has been awhile...that sounds about right..."  He suspected the cops were watching, and he was planning to be careful with his words as a precaution anyway.  

"Ah, I haven't been in touch with Ruri in awhile...I lost her number, and she moved to America to pursue medicine...so it was hard to keep track of her."  Yuuto said with a small smile.  He did miss Ruri.  He quirked a brow at the other name though.

"Anna?  Who's Anna?"  He had honestly not even seen the pink-haired cop and had a chance to recognize his old friend Allen in her features.

“Oh, I’m really glad to hear that,” Sayaka said, “Not that you also lost contact, but that she did end up doing medicine. America is so far too… She’s always been really smart. I could never pick up English as easily as she could,” she laughed. “Oh? Really? I’m surprised. She seems to be always hanging around that large guy whenever I see them. I’m pretty sure they’re on the same team. It’s Kozuki, from high school. We knew him as Allen before? Her name is Anna now."

Yuuto smiled, remembering Ruri fondly.

"I never could either...she was really good at it.  Studied hard too...I used to quiz her, so I learned a little."  Yuuto mused with a shrug and a chuckle.  He frowned.

"...Oh wow..."  He said, a little surprised by the news of Allen's transition into a woman, but not upset or disgusted.  

"I didn't notice.  Usually the large guy and the woman with the purple hair and serious face would be the ones who spoke to me...and I'm pretty sure that woman is named "Droite", not named "Anna", so it's not Kozuki..."  Yuuto said.

“Yeah… I hope she’s doing okay. I had hoped you had contact with her but I guess no one does. Finding her would be a pain,” Sayaka said.

“Small. Pink hair now. Trust me. As soon as she opens her mouth, you’ll recognise her. She’s the same person and it’s a little scary how she’s barely changed from high school,” she mused. “I’m going out to dinner with her on Friday. Enthusiastic as ever.”

"I'm sure she is.  Ruri's always been strong enough to handle herself."  Yuuto said.  Plus, he knew Shun would have been flipping out if she wasn't okay.  Yuuto nodded, trying to picture the description in his head and smiled at Sayaka's comment on Anna's unchanging personality.

"Maybe I'll see her eventually."  He said, before raising a brow.

"So you guys didn't keep in touch either?  That's surprising...you two were close."

“Yeah… Ruri all but disappeared off the grid. I guess it was because of the timezones. We did email a lot in the early days when she just moved, but now it’s not really a thing we do. I don’t get replies anymore, so I reckon she’s changed email addresses by now.”

“I’m surprised you two didn’t stay in touch either. You were still dating before I moved. Did you two break up?”

Yuuto nodded.

"Probably...she's busy with classes I'm sure."  He said.  He sighed.

"Obviously we did...it was...well, complicated.  Ruri wanted to go to study medicine, and...I had Yuuya.  My mother died shortly after I finished high school, and that meant my other brothers and I had to look after Yuuya.  I'm the responsible one, so most of that fell to me...and I didn't want Ruri to give up her dreams to stay with me.  So we broke up on mutual terms."  Yuuto explained.  It was mostly the truth.  There was also the developing crush he had on Shun at the time that had sort of driven a wedge between them.  After Ruri left, a relationship formed between Yuuto and Shun after he'd started working with Shun as a mercenary for cash to support Yuuya.  But Yuuto didn't want to mention that...not while the cops might be listening.

“I’m fairly sure she’d be a graduate by now if she was doing general practice,” Sayaka said. “If she was doing a PhD or something, maybe.”

She listened to what Yuuto said and her smile faltered a little. “Well, I’m glad it wasn’t anything messy. That’s just like you though, Yuuto, sacrificing for other’s sake. Looks like you haven’t changed much either.”

"I think she's going for a PhD...cause she's been in school a long time."  Yuuto mused.  He sighed.

"...I suppose so, yeah.  I lost touch with people from high school, so nobody's really been able to compare the two..."  He wasn't sure if Sayaka was entirely accurate...but at the same time, obviously, she wasn't seeing the whole picture.  He wasn't going to show all of it to her anyway.

“Maybe the reason why is she’s lecturing. That’d be interesting,” Sayaka laughed. She missed Ruri. She hadn’t heard from her in so long. She hoped to check a social media site when she got home, in the hopes of maybe finding her.

“I’m sure Yuuya will vouch for me when he gets back. You’ve always been kind, Yuuto. No need to be modest.” Sayaka knew that Yuuto was a criminal though, but she wanted to say nice things to him.

Yuuto nodded and smiled.

"She'd be a good lecturer...kind to the students, for sure."  He agreed.  

"Ah...well, modesty is kinda part of me too y'know..."  Yuuto mused, looking away a little.  He wasn't used to all the compliments like that.  Sayaka had no idea...no idea what he'd done.

Sayaka giggled, though she could see how uncomfortable that Yuuto looked. She knew about his involvement with Yuuya now… but anything else…

“Well, all the same… It’s been nice."

Yuuto blushed a little when Sayaka giggled and bowed his head even more.  

"Yeah...this is nice..."  He admitted.  It was nice to talk to an old friend.  He was glad Sayaka was doing well...it was always good to see that his high school friends didn't screw things up like he did.  

Meanwhile, Droite was grabbing the mail, pulling out a parcel that had no return address and seemed to contain a disk.  She frowned, bringing it back into the room with the team.  

"Someone gave us a disk to watch, it looks like...could it be a virus, you think?"  She asked, passing it to Ukyou, who was the best with computers and could probably check that it was safe.

Ukyou raised an eyebrow and he looked at the envelope. “No return address and no mail, huh? We’ll see if it is or not.” Ukyou went to one of the older computer rooms, where they kept a computer that wasn’t connected to the network at all. After looking at the disk, he put it into the scanner and he opened it. He frowned as he looked at the file, only seeing a tiny mp4 file. After scanning it over, it seemed there was just the video.

“Huh…” He pressed play and gestured Droite over.

And he froze.

“O-Officer Tenjo?” It was a sick joke or a sick video, because there was Kaito, bound up, being beaten up by the man Dennis Macfield to music, complete with special effects. At first Ukyou thought it was a joke, but as his former superior was bashed, he realised just what was going on.

“Oh my god… That’s sick…”

Droite followed Ukyou into the room and observed over his shoulder. Her eyes also went wide.

"Oh god...." She said. Although the effects suggested that it was fake...the real sounds and the message at the end made it clear it was not.

"...We...we should call Dr. Arclight...he'll know...he'll know if Kaito is okay..." She managed to say after a moment. She didn't want to believe this was real...

Ukyou nodded. Immediately he pulled his phone out and began to dial Chris’ number, and he held it to his ear. “Come on… pick up.”

Chris was at work and he picked up the phone.

"Hey Ukyou...how're you?"

“Not good, Chris.” He felt bad calling Chris at this time, but he knew this was urgent. “Listen. Do you know where Kaito is?"

"Kaito? He should be at home...why, did something happen?" Chris asked. Droite meanwhile frowned.

"Ukyou, I'm not getting any response from Orbital 7. It's like it's offline..."

“You haven’t seen him?” Ukyou frowned. “… I’ll try his home number. I was just hoping he was out with you. Do you know where he would be if not at home? I need to get in contact with him quickly.”

Chris sighed and shook his head.

"As far as I know, Kaito doesn't go out much...he seems to spend most of his time at home.  If he didn't pick up, I'd be surprised...he always answers."  Chris mused.

“Right… You saw him before you left for work, right?” Ukyou asked.

"...Well, no...actually I didn't.  I assumed he was asleep...his door was closed and the lights were out."  Chris said with a frown.  

"Last time I saw him was yesterday morning before work..."  Now that he thought about it, Kaito hadn't greeted him after work...that was odd.

“Yesterday morning? I see… I suppose that’s normal for the two of you…” Ukyou frowned. “I’ll call the house phone and then talk to Obomi. Maybe she will know. Thanks Chris. Call me back if you hear from him, okay? I’m worried…”

"...He's usually around when I come home too...but occasionally he does things on his own with Orbital...reading and working despite the fact that I tell him not to.  These past few days he's been busy with a project...but it's in braille so I can't read any of it."  Chris said.  He nodded.

"Please do...now you're getting me worried too."  He said.

“… I’d like to tell you not to worry, but now I have my doubts. Just take care, alright?” Ukyou wanted to say more, but he was at work. “Hope to see you soon.”

He hung up and shook his head. “… We’ll send someone over to talk to Obomi. See if she knows where Kaito and Orbital 7 are. Otherwise… this is all we have to go on. Was there anything else with this file or that’s it? No coordinates? No demands? Dennis says we have to play by his rules if we want him to live. Is there anything?”

"...Alright.  You too, Ukyou."  Chris said, before hanging up too and trying not to worry.  What had Kaito gotten himself into now?

"I'm calling her now...hopefully she'll pick up."  Droite said.

“Hello. This is Obomi. This is the home of Arclight Chris and Tenjo Kaito. Neither of them are home right now. Can I take a message?” The robot beeped.

"Obomi, this is Droite...we were wondering if you knew where Orbital 7 and Kaito had gone?  I tried calling Orbital but didn't get a signal..."  Droite said, frowning a little as the message confirmed that Kaito wasn't home.  This was bad...

Obomi gave another whir. “My honey and Tenjo Kaito have gone to pursue the criminal known as Dennis Macfield. I overheard them when I was cleaning. They have not been home for several hours.”

Droite's face fell.  

"...Do you have any idea where they went to look for him?  Any idea where to find them?"

“They did not say. I was cleaning. They exited the building and flew off. I did not hear any location given by Tenjo Kaito,” The cleaning bot reported.

Droite sighed.

"Alright, Obomi.  Please let us know if you hear anything..."  She said, looking at Ukyou.

"...Obomi confirmed that Kaito went after Dennis, but doesn't know where he looked for him."

“… So it is real then. If Kaito is missing, and he went after Dennis… Then we assume the worst.” Ukyou cursed. “Get some of the forensics over here. Droite, isn’t there anything else? Dennis said he wanted something from us. He would have given some information of his demands.”

Droite nodded gravely.

"...Looks like it..."  She said.  She checked the envelope and found a note that was typed up so there was no handwriting scanning possible.

"....It says that Dennis wants to know who sold him out...and for the police to stop investigating him.  He wants to exchange the traitor for Kaito."  Droite said.

Ukyou frowned. “Scan it for fingerprints anyway…” He frowned. “Traitor for Kaito? What traitor? We had put only a small team to look for Dennis. Most of us were dealing with the arrests at Sakaki’s residence. What is that supposed to mean?”

“What’s what?” Gauche asked, walking in. “What’s going on?”

"...Maybe he meant whoever told Kaito about him?  But nobody did...nothing substantial anyway.  We've arrested tons of people with connections to Dennis and none have told us anything major about how to find him..."  Droite said.  She looked up when Gauche came in.

"...Kaito's in trouble with Dennis MacField...we were sent a video of him being beat up...now we need to try and find him."  Droite said solemnly to Gauche.

Gauche’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? Kaito’s being beaten up?” Ukyou nodded and gestured to the computer. Gauche played the tape, but he only got about thirty seconds in before he looked at Droite, eyes wide and filled with horror. “Are you serious? For real? Kaito’s been kidnapped? Where is he?!” “We don’t know, Gauche.” Ukyou sounded tense and he bit his lip. “No one does.” “… Nope. No. Not accepting that! Someone knows. I know exactly who can find him,” Gauche said quickly, storming out of the room.

Droite's eyes widened.

"Gauche, wait!  What the hell are you talking about?"  She exclaimed, rushing after him because he had the air of someone who was about to do something incredibly reckless.  As she followed him, calling after him, she realized where he was going, and what his thought process was.

"Gauche, slow down!  Stop!"  She cried, worried for Yuuto.  She had to admit Gauche had a good idea in talking to Yuuto...but going in hot-headed was a bad idea.  Yuuto might help if they calmly explained the situation, not if they jumped him and scared him.  He'd already been attacked by Sergey...Droite didn't want Gauche to scare him in a similar way.

Meanwhile, Yuuto and Sayaka both heard the sounds of Gauche storming down the hall and Droite shouting after him.  Yuuto frowned.

"What's going on?"  He mused.

Gauche took a lot larger strides than Droite, and he was incredibly fit, so he was able to outrun her. There were no thoughts in his mind besides saving Kaito, and making sure that his friend was okay and not disgustingly tortured right that. Even if it was against conduct, he threw open the doors and headed to the interrogation room.

“I have no idea…” Sayaka frowned before she yelled, the interrogation room slamming open. Gauche stomped in and slammed his hands on the table.

“You know where Dennis Macfield is, don’t you?”

Yuuto jumped a little in his seat when the door was banged open and suddenly Gauche was looming over him, slamming his hands on the table.  It took him a moment to compose himself.

"...I've already told your coworker what I can about him..."  Yuuto said, noticing Droite barge in and frown at Gauche.

"Gauche, this is not protocol.  We have to explain the situation calmly and ask for his help.  Stop looming over him like that."  She said, putting a hand on Gauche's shoulder to pull him off.

Gauche turned back to Droite, not able to yell at Yuuto since his coworker was so quick to pull him back. “I know! But Kaito is in danger! We don’t have time to follow protocol! If it’s so bad, I’ll fire myself after we save his life!”

“Wait? Someone is in danger?” Sayaka asked, looking bewildered at the scene.

Yuuto listened in silent shock.  Kaito...oh no.  It sounded like Kaito hadn't heeded his warning.  Droite frowned.

"Stop it, Gauche...we're short staffed enough as it is.  We need you to follow protocol."  She said.  She sighed.

"...Yes.  We were sent a tape of a former coworker of ours being tortured by the drug dealer, Dennis MacField.  We fear he's still in trouble, but have no idea where to start looking..."  Droite looked at Yuuto.

"...Gauche and I were hoping Yuuto here could give us an idea..."

“Oh no… that’s awful…” Sayaka frowned and looked at Yuuto. She didn’t know about Dennis Macfield and his drugs but it seemed Yuuto did. She wondered just what did he know.

“Not when Kaito is in danger,” Gauche said. He grimaced and ran his fingers through his hair. “Hey doc, I need you to leave… Sorry to cut you short, but we need to talk to Yuuto about this. We need to know where Macfield is so we can save Kaito.”

“Ah… alright. Um… see you soon, Yuuto.”

Yuuto simply stayed silent for the first little while.  He was thinking...this was really bad.  If Dennis had Kaito where he thought he was...then Kaito would likely die.  He did feel bad about that...Kaito was a good person and he'd tried to warn him...but Kaito hadn't listened, clearly.  He did want to help...but Dennis could do the same to him...or worse, to Yuuya, who was vulnerable in hospital while sedated.  

"...See you soon, Sayaka."  Yuuto acknowledged her exit, but then bit his lip.  Droite watched him closely as Sayaka left the room.  He did look like he knew something...she knew he did.  Whether or not it was helpful to Kaito remained to be seen...but anything was better than nothing.

"...Yuuto, Kaito is our friend...we really want to help him.  We understand that it's dangerous to share, but if you help us, we'll help you.  We'll get you protection...we'll make sure Dennis won't get you too."  Droite said.  Yuuto bit his lip.  

"...if he sent you a tape, it means that your friend is considered valuable enough to be kept alive...if you do what he says, he'll let him go..."  Hopefully, Yuuto added silently.

“He’s looking for a traitor that apparently tattled on him. From what the video suggests, he seems convinced that Kaito was sent by us and he was told where to find him by an informant.” Ukyou frowned. “We don’t have a traitor or anything like that? Most of us haven’t even seen Kaito in a while."

Yuuto frowned.

"...Dennis probably is wondering who told Kaito where to find him...like I told you, Dennis deals with clients personally. He knows when they get arrested...he might suspect someone you recently arrested has told on him. Even if you haven't spoken to Kaito in awhile...he's an ex cop...so he'll associate Kaito's presence with yours." Yuuto said. He shook his head.

"...and that all means he's out for blood. If anyone says something now, he won't stop hunting them til they're dead...so...I'm sorry, but I can't help...it's too risky, for both me and for Yuuya..." Yuuto said apologetically.

“He doesn’t have to know you said anything. We’ll just say we tracked him through the video he left behind. Easy peasy. He won’t be able to do much when he’s behind bars,” Gauche growled. He looked at Yuuto.

“You HAVE to do something! You just admitted you knew something! Spit it out!”

Yuuto frowned. "Hes left tapes before and nobody found him...if someone finds him this time he'll know it's me." Yuuto said. He flinched when Gauche yelled. "...I already told you, I can't help you. I'm worried for my brother. Dennis will kill him to hurt me, believe me...." Yuuto said. Meanwhile, Astral was frantic at Takashi's. "Vector, I need you to go back to the station! You need to talk to one of the prisoners there, Sakaki Yuuto...he'll know where I can find Kaito!"

“Yeah? Well we know how Heartland works far more than he does. We’ll figure it out anyway. Damn it. You really can’t tell us anything, can’t you, Dark Duelist?” Gauche said, getting more frustrated.

Vector looked at Astral, about to say something witty when he noticed how horrified Astral look. He moved away from the sleeping Takashi and frowned.

“Tenjo is missing? Ah shit… of course he is.” Vector frowned as he disappeared suddenly, hacking into the police database. He looked around for Yuuto through the cameras and he frowned. With the cops, huh? He wasn’t sure if he should just hop in and not care…

Yuuto shook his head.

"The quickest way would be to give Dennis what he wants...but if that's not possible, then just do what you did when you almost busted him at the docks awhile ago..." Yuuto said. He curled up in his chair, feeling sad that he couldn't help more.

"Can you at least point us in the right direction?" Droite asked. Yuuto shrugged.

"...I don't know where he's held..."

"We'll show you the tape and we'll see..." Ukyou said, before he noted that there was an unknown presence that the computer was picking up.

"...were being watched..." he said in surprise.

“We will. Just tell us where he is now. We don’t have the resources to find out where he is so quickly.” Gauche said. He was about to say more when he heard Ukyou. “What do you mean watched?”

“Oh man, you amped up security? Shit, that means you probably could switch the cameras off if you want to. Don’t do that. I need to talk with Sakaki here.”

“VECTOR!” Gauche yelled, jumping back as Vector appeared, sitting cross legged on the table.

“Relax, big guy. It’s just your friendly ghost here. I’m here to help.” Vector grinned, remembering his master’s old companions.

Yuuto's eyes widened when he saw Vector appear again.

"...it's you..." he said, surprised to see Vector again.

"What the hell are you doing here? How do you keep coming here?"

“The one and only. I do magic but I don’t do autographs.” Vector looked at Yuuto and winked. However, he frowned immediately after. “Look… the eyes behind me saw what happened to Kaito Tenjo… And I need you to save him…” Vector looked serious. “I’m here to convince you to help the cops… Kaito had his reasons for going after Dennis… But he’s going to die. You know that and I know that. Please…”

Yuuto watched Vector. So it was Astral...he frowned.

"...You..." he sighed.

"...So even you can't find him..." Yuuto murmured.

“I didn’t try, but since Kaito disappeared, the guy behind the curtain has been desperately searching. He can’t get a lead on him.” Vector sighed. “But he… Between you, me and the rest of the cops in the room, he looked messed up. I bet he saw Kaito too. He knows how fucked up he is...”

Yuuto bit his lip.

"I can imagine..." he said softly. He took a deep breath then looked at the cops.

"...I...I want to help...but please...Dennis can't get even a chance to hurt Yuuya..." Yuuto pleaded with the cops.

Droite wondered why Yuuto had relented to Vector begging, and wondered if it had to do with the mystery man they had been talking about. So Yuuto knew something about this then… And someone who cared about Kaito a lot. She wondered if it was Astral. Even if Kaito had been heartbroken, maybe Astral was stalking him and still did have feelings…

“We promise. We promise Yuuya will be safe.” Droite said. “You just have to help us.”

Yuuto sighed, rubbing his hands through his hair.

"...I...I think...he's with...Sora. Sora Shiunin...he owns a candy shop where he sells regular candy and drugs in the back...hes a close contact of Dennis'..."

“Sora Shiunin? Do you know where this candy shop is?” Droite asked.

Yuuto nodded, swallowing.

"It's..in the Spade District...hard to miss, cause it has neon signs..."  Yuuto said.

"...If you go...you have to get Dennis too...that's the only way it'll be safe...for me and Yuuya..."  He murmured.

“Alright… We’ll do it then.” Droite said. She looked at Gauche. “Get Ukyou. We need to get one team to make sure he’s in and the rest of whoever we can round up to swarm the place. And we need protective equipment. We’re not having an incident like last time we faced Macfield…”

"And that's my cue to leave~ the one behind my eyes thanks you, Yuuto~" Vector said, disappearing as suddenly as he'd appeared. And in truth, Astral was relieved. He kept watching through the cameras for what the cops were doing.

Yuuto sighed.

"...at least I can keep one relationship together..." he mused softly to himself. Astral would be grateful, he knew...he hoped Kaito would be okay.

“… You were convinced easily,” Droite said. She looked at Yuuto for a moment, the look on her face saying they would talk.

“Right… We need details. So this candy shop, right? Will he be in it? Or around the area?” Gauche asked.

Yuuto sighed.  He'd opened a can of worms and he knew it.  

"...I guess..."  He said softly.  

"Behind it, most likely...the candy shop's back door goes into a house, and Dennis keeps guys in the basement...that's probably where your friend is..."

“Alright… seems standard enough. We’ll go prep.” Gauche walked over to Yuuto and helped him up to escort him back to his cell. Droite kept staring at Yuuto, but without another word, she turned heel, heading for Ukyou to report to him what they had heard.

Yuuto sighed.

"...Alright."  He said softly.  He saw Droite marching towards him and paused, preparing to get grilled.

Yuuto was brought by Gauche back to his cell where he could only pray that he made the right decision.

Ukyou looked up at Droite.

"Surprising that he gave in so quick once Vector showed up isn't it? He must know who's behind Vector's model's eyes..." he mused.

Droite looked at their superior, glad he had been watching outside the interrogation room the whole time so she didn’t have to relay everything. She nodded to him.

“Yeah… Could be that copycat hacker, or actually Astral. It’s interesting, isn’t it?” Droite frowned. “I’ll ask the other teams to try and work on that lead while we go after Macfield. … We are going after him, right sir?”

"Absolutely...but in consideration for Yuuto and Yuuya's safety, we should proceed cautiously. He seemed legitimately scared of Dennis' retribution." Ukyou said.

"And of course, we don't want to lose anyone else."

“Of course, sir.” Droite nodded. She looked at Ukyou, worried mostly for his sake in case this mission went wrong. She asked because this was an incredible risk to her superior’s job. If there were any casualties…

“Then I’ll start mobilising units. Let me know if you need anything else.”

Ukyou nodded.

"Please do. Thank you, Droite." He said, knowing full well what the risks were.

As the cops sprung into action, preparing to make an attack on the candy shop, Astral and Vector continued to watch from the safety of the cameras. Even though Vector had dropped his physical form, he had been still collecting data in the main room. The AI gave a frown as he reappeared next to Astral back in Takashi’s house, arms crossed. As expected, Astral was still in front of the computer, looking shaken and scared. “I knew it was bad, but yeesh… You’d think blondie would pick an easier target in his old age. So what now?"

Astral has been listening as well and sighed.

"I need to see him...to make sure he's okay. His friends are about to risk their lives to go after Dennis for him...I need to make sure they're safe. We should scope out that candy shop first...or really, you will. You're a hologram. They can't hurt you."

“Nothing about my rights, huh? Not asking me nicely?” Vector smirked at Astral but it faded and he gave a sigh. He ran his fingers through his hair. “I suppose I could do recon for you. Make sure if Macfield is there. Because if I was Macfield, I’d make myself scarce in case their tattletale robbed on him, which he did.” Vector shook his head. “You’ll need a projector though. I can’t go in areas that don’t have projectors, and in the Spade District, there’s no way they’ll have cameras that’ll allow me to snoop.”

Astral nodded.

"I'm glad you will help...I'm grateful."  He said with a small smile.  

"That is why I hacked Obomi....she is coming here right now.  I also heard that you were working on portable hologram projectors...this is a good opportunity to test them.  Give them to Obomi and then she will place them in the candy shop and you will be able to see."

“Ohhh? So that’s what you’ve been doing while I was gone. I’m surprised you weren’t just worrying your pretty head off.” Vector smirked at Astral. “Ah, you found that in my programming, huh? Vector always told me to keep those a secret. I’ll go get them. Then we can setoff. Hopefully Obomi can get to the Spade District faster than the cops can get their act together. I really hope she can. Watching Trashbots on the bus is always hilarious.” Vector grinned as he disappeared, heading quickly to Takashi’s room. He paused, seeing the man on the bed.

“Hey… you okay?”

"I am sure she can...the police are trying to be cautious here.  It may take some time before they decide to act."  Astral said, seeing Obomi on the bus.

"She will be here soon!"  He called to Vector as he left.  

Meanwhile, Takashi was lying in bed with a sad expression.

"...Oh I um...I kind of overheard..."  He said, looking at Vector.

"...Is Kaito okay?  He's not...going to die, is he...?"  Takashi was truly worried about losing anyone else he was close to.  He never wanted to feel so hopeless like when Vector had died ever again...

Vector blinked, hearing Takashi had heard the entire conversation. Then again, Astral had been loud back when he was crying out for Kaito… Takashi had always been bright. He must have figured it out. Vector walked over and he kissed Takashi on the forehead.

“Kaito’s dealt with big fish before. He’ll be fine. Really bruised and battered, but nothing he won’t limp away from,” Vector smiled gently at Takashi. “Besides. There’s no way he’s gonna die. Not when Astral and I are working on it.” He opened one of the dresser drawers and pulled out a few spheres. “Relax, okay?"

Takashi smiled a little when Vector kissed his head.

"...Yeah, that's true..." Takashi had to admit Kaito was tough.

"...alright. Good luck."

“Hey, it’ll be no problem.” Vector smiled. It faltered though. “… You sure you’re okay? I mean… I understand you’re down but you seem… more so than usual."

"...I don't know..." Takashi said.

"...I guess I'm just thinking...my friends are worried about me, and what if they're right? What if...I'm still crazy...Tokunosuke and Thomas are both always so surprised to see how I'm coping....is it wrong?" Takashi sighed.

“You’re not crazy, Takashi,” Vector frowned. He calculated the expected time of arrival for Obomi and figured he had a few moments to sit down next to Takashi. “For one thing, crazy people don’t know they’re crazy, and if you’re somewhat aware,it means you’re not. You’ve made amazing progress. You’re not hallucinating or anything. You’re looking a ton better. It’s just progress is slow, that’s all..."

Takashi listened and sighed.

"...But when Tokunosuke and Thomas look at me, I feel like they don't...they don't see it...or they don't understand..."  Takashi said, holding the hologram of Vector close when he sat next to him.  

"I suppose...I just wish it were faster...or at least that they would see it that way..."

“Of course they don’t. They’re not the sick ones, are they? They don’t know what it’s like. Trust me… You’re fine as far as I can see.” Vector hugged Takashi back.

“Well… what would change if it was faster?"

Takashi nuzzled into Vector when the other held him.  He appreciated the comfort.  

"...Maybe they'd see it too, like you do..."  Takashi murmured.

“If everyone saw things like I did… Well it’d be terrible but they’d seem less stupid.” Vector kissed Takashi’s forehead. “If it bothers you, we can work on things. Later though. We still got a Tenjo to save."

Takashi chuckled a little as Vector spoke.

"Yeah, that would be a bit scary..."  He mused.  He smiled as Vector kissed his forehead.  

"...Okay.  We'll talk later...after you help Kaito."  He said.

Vector smiled. “We’ll talk later, okay. I’ll be back.” With the projectors at hand, Vector got up and walked to Astral’s room. He was worried about Takashi, but he figured he’d be fine.

“Yo. Obomi here yet?"

"She just got here."  Astral said, letting the trashbot into the door.  

"Baka, Vector. Baka."  Obomi beeped.

“Say that again and I’ll fucking wipe your memories, trashbot,” Vector said with a smile. He walked up to Astral and handed him the projectors. “You reckon they’ll work? I was brilliant, but I was pretty sick. I dunno if I would have finished them if I had only just finished the program to make me."

Obomi simply beeped.  Astral nodded.

"We can test it quickly if you want..."  He said, taking one.  

"Try and project yourself through it."

Vector nodded. He closed his eyes for the dramatic effect and switched the output, moving to the signal from the spheres. In a moment, he was projecting outwards. Immediately, he kicked Obomi, watching his foot go through her.

“We’re all good."

Astral watched the transition and smiled.

"Good.  Then we can start."  He handed the spheres to Obomi so it could store them.

"I'll send Obomi off now."

Vector nodded and saluted to him. “Alright. I’ll see you there, Astral. See if you can get to Orbital anyway…"

Astral nodded.

"I will try...but I suspect Orbital 7 has been destroyed..."  He was sad by that.  He'd seen someone crush Orbital's camera and the fact that it was offline wasn't a good sign either.

Astral navigated Obomi to the Spade District slowly.  No one was really suspicious of a trash-bot, thankfully.  He eventually got Obomi to release Vector's portable holographic projectors.  

"Alright...you're by the shop"

Vector nodded. The man looked around and made sure no one was around and he reappeared in the alleyway. He looked around and headed towards the shop, wanting to have a look around.

Astral was watching through Vector, practically holding his breath as the hologram approached.  He needed to make sure Kaito was okay...hopefully Vector could find him.  

Luckily for Vector, Sora's shop was closed for the time being and the shop-keeper was in the back doing inventory for the night.  He was a decent businessman, so he had to keep track of what he sold and what he needed more of...especially those things he was guilty of snacking on.  

"...I didn't sell that many swirly lollipops...I should really cut back..."  He mused, unwrapping one and sticking it in his mouth happily.

"But they're so gooooood~"

Vector was quiet as he let Obomi project him into the store. He looked around for a camera to hack into but didn’t find one connected to the network. He sent a message to Astral to move Obomi around and he looked for entrances, feeling lucky there wouldn’t be too man on a candy shop. One at the front and back, he presumed.

Astral got the message and moved Obomi so Vector could have greater range.  He saw the front entrance, which had a closed sign on it, and decided he could move around the back to see if there was an entrance back there.  He assumed both would be locked...but Vector's little portable holograms could get in there, he assumed, if they were slipped under one of the doors.

"Should I put one of the holographic projectors under the door so you can see inside?"

“Yup. Just stuff it under there or through the keyhole. Careful. It’s very delicate.” Vector said. He walked along the perimeter and frowned. “Hmm..."

"Sure...I will be careful."  Astal said, getting Obomi to gently place the projector through the keyhole on the backdoor.  

"There...it's ready."

Vector nodded. He switched frequencies again and hopped into the next projector. There, he quietly manifested in the room to give Astral a visual, and he looked around, hoping to find more doors or at least a security camera.

Astral looked through Vector's eyes and frowned.

"...I see a security camera, but it may not be connected to a network..."  Astral mused, noting it in the corner.  

"...There is also another door aside from the front one...that may be where Kaito is..."  And of course there was no sign of the owner.

“… Mmm… I can’t get in there. I’d check but there’s no way to project me in. I’ll look around but seems like the exits are all relatively straightforward. The backdoor, front door and… that door. It might lead to a basement or a passageway. You reckon you can hack and find the original blueprints?"

"I'll look for them." Astral said.

"Look for places that might be escape routes or ways in which the cops can get in. We want them to catch these people."

“Alright… I’ll go deeper in. I’m gonna spy on the loud idiot with the candy. So I’m gonna be quiet.” Vector grinned and headed off.

"Sounds good.  I can see what you do...I'll see if I can find a way to let you project into the door you can't get through...that's probably where Kaito is."  Astral said, driving Obomi around the house to see if there was a clearer way inside.

Sora was still eating candy and counting his inventory happily.  

"Mm...maybe I should check on the prisoner when I'm done...Dennis won't notice if I throw a couple of punches at him."  Sora mused.  He always felt like he needed to burn off excess energy when he ate too much candy.

Vector grinned. Well that was just convenient. He switched off his hologram form but stayed online so he could look through the small sphere. Thankfully, he could diver the sphere to some extent, and he began to move it towards Sora.

“Thank god the real me was a genius and he did this right,” Vector smirked.

Sora didn't notice anything odd in the shop, since the sphere was so tiny and virtually silent.  His candy wrappers were making more noise than it.  Astral smiled.

"And Sora basically confirmed he knows where Kaito is...if we follow him, he'll lead us to Kaito."  Astral mused.  

Sora put away his inventory list and smiled, eating his candy as he headed out of the back and towards the door Vector couldn't get to on his own.  He still didn't notice the tiny ball following him.

Vector sent a message to Astral. “Secret Tunnel : D” And with that the sphere followed Sora down to the back, recording the surroundings. “I bet I’m breaking so many privacy laws rn. You reckon Kaito was aware of that before?”

Astral smiled and got Obomi away in case Sora might spot her. He shrugged.

"I am not sure...but knowing Kaito, he may not care." Astral mused.

Sora led them down the passage and into the basement where Kaito was strung up.

"Hey, You awake? Wakey-wakey!" Sora called. Astral gasped.

"...Kaito...he looks even worse in person...."

“So the candy shop goes to a basement. I bet this isn’t even on the same grounds as the candy shop. We may be under a house.” Vector looked around and spotted the stairs. “Yeah… there we go.”

He focused his attention on Kaito to get Astral a clear shot. Orbital was scrap metal in the corner while Kaito was there, groaning still in pain.

“Get away…” He groaned.

Astral frowned as he spotted Orbital. The poor robot had been destroyed completely....it looked brutal. Astral drew his attention to Kaito, relieved that he was alive still.

"...Kaito...hang in there..." he said softly. Sora smirked.

"I don't think so! Dennis got to get stress relief but I got nothing yet! So it's my turn!" He said, kicking Kaito with a laugh.

Kaito hissed loudly as he was kicked in the stomach and he looked up to Sora. He crumpled in on himself, wishing he had use of his arms. “The cops will get me… They won’t give into your demands either…”

Vector frowned. “Astral. Use Obomi to pinpoint my location. See if you can narrow which house we’re under."

Sora chuckled.

"That's what they all say~ Believe it all you want if it makes you feel better, but it's a lie...nobody's gonna help you." He mused, punching Kaito in the gut.

"On it." Astral said, finding the gps location easily enough.

"I found it...the passage goes under the house directly behind the shop. I'll see if Obomi will scout out the other entrances."

Kaito coughed again, feeling his heart and throat hurt from the punch. He hissed as he stared up at Sora with blank eyes. “It’s not even been a day. Give it time…” He knew he shouldn’t talk to aggravate his attacker, but Kaito did not want to stand down at all. He wanted to prove he could handle this… “Alright. Tell me when you push another of those balls in. I’ll sync up to that camera when it’s online. Get ready to send this to Ukyou. We dunno how much time we have before the cops are organised."

Astral nodded, wincing when Kaito was hit once again.  Sora just laughed.

"You're a funny one aren't you?  You don't have time, don't you see?  Even if you do run, we'll just hunt you down again!"  Sora said, slugging Kaito again with a sadistic grin.  

"I put another in...I'm ready to send the footage to Ukyou too."  Astral said, opening another window to the police station again.

Kaito coughed again as he was punched in the face, and there was a crack. Kaito hissed, breathing hard, his eyes drooping again from the force. “Fuck… You…”

“Alright.” The AI rerouted the processors to the new sphere. “This is working nicely. We got a few places here in this house that are open-ended… I don’t see Dennis though."

"I hope that means he hasn't already bailed..."  Astral murmured, eyes glued to Kaito and wishing he could help...Vector wasn't Solid Vision here.  If he made himself visible, he'd only be a hologram...and it would likely tip Sora off that the cops were coming.  He couldn't let that happen.

"I'll look for him from the outside...you try and see if he's inside."  Astral said, forcing himself to turn his attention back to Obomi to drive her around, searching for signs of Dennis either leaving or arriving.

“Alright.” Vector realised Obomi had literally dropped this sphere outside at the front door. He drove the spying tool around, looking at the rather modest, two-storey house. It seemed like the sort of place Takashi and he would have lived in if drug dealers didn’t infest it. “I can’t get upstairs, but that should be fine. I’m seeing like four exits on the ground floor not including windows. Dennis may not be home.”

"I see no signs from outside of him being here...there are no cars. It may just be Sora..." Astral said.

“Well… Ordinarily I’d say wait it out… but then Kaito might die. Maybe they can extract Sora and get Kaito out quick and wait for Dennis… keep everything on the hush...”

"...I don't want Kaito to die...but I also do not want Yuuto in trouble. If word goes back that he is the one who told...Dennis might kill him." Astral mused, pondering his options. He knew that Yuuto was currently with the police and safe presumably...he sighed.

"I'll see if that's possible. I'm going to send this to Ukyou...see if your idea is possible..."

“Right… You want to get him out asap since he’s literally being bashed… but maybe we can lay a trap. Good luck Astral."

Astral nodded.

"Yeah...I'll send the information to the police and see what they can do..." he sent a live feed of the Vector model's images to the cops. He hoped they'd be able to do something about this.

Ukyou had been ready to go, having spent a few hours mobilising the few units they had. He already had a scout searching the area, in order to avoid the same incident as last time. Every last man had been armed and secured with protective equipment. They just had to be careful it wasn’t a trap and then go save Kaito.

He was reading emails on his computer when he suddenly got an email from an anonymous source. He almost deleted it, until he realised that it was an email on his work email, and the subject matter was Kaito Tenjo. Figuring it was from Dennis somehow, Ukyou downloaded the attached file and and went to the secure computer.

“What…” Ukyou frowned as he looked at the plans and the video footage. “… This doesn’t seem the same..."

Astral could see that his email had been opened and immediately began changing the footage around to show that it was life. He showed the Vector model briefly entering the building so that Ukyou would guess who has sent it and know it wasn't Dennis. He showed Sora beating Kaito in real time and also made sure to highlight the secret entrances and exits to get to where he was.

Ukyou was surprised to find the video file was actually a port, attaching the secure computer to the live streaming feed. He frowned as he watched it in real time, seeing Vector there. He paused for a long moment before he grabbed his phone and called Droite.

“We have new information regarding Kaito. We’ll organise them now. There are a few more exits and a narrower area to cover. Get ready."

Droite nodded.

"Yes sir. We're ready when you are." She wanted to save their old boss as much as he did.

"Where did you get the new information?"

“The man behind Vector, it seems. He seems as intent on saving Kaito as we are.” Ukyou said. “I’m watching the livestream provided now. He’s being beaten up by whom I can only assume is Shiunin."

"A livestream? So he's filming Shiunin without him knowing?" Droite said in surprise.

"Are we sure it's not a trap?"

“It looks like it. It’s not Orbital 7 and the thing is turning in 360 degrees. They don’t seem to have noticed us.” Ukyou frowned.

“Honestly, I’m not sure, but it certainly doesn’t seem so. Though if Macfield has control of Vector, then we’re already doomed. He can get into the police station and he can alter our files. We just have to go in this and try have no one die.” Ukyou didn’t want to take the risk, especially when he still felt responsible for all of his colleague’s deaths, but he knew he couldn’t do nothing.

"...that's true...I certainly hope it's not a trap, but if we don't go, Kaito dies..." Droite said.

"We're ready to go either way...we have to take the chance to save Kaito."

“Alright. I’ll brief you and then I’ll put a proper announcement,” Ukyou knew that the Heartland Police owed Kaito so much. It would be wrong if they didn’t even try. “Alright… so we know the address of the candy shop. The house behind the store is this one…” Ukyou said, getting up and heading off to meet with the other cops. Hopefully they would plan this properly and save Kaito… he looked even worse now. The longer they waited, the closer Kaito inched towards death.

Droite nodded.

"Roger that. I'll make sure everyone gets it." Droite said. She looked over the plans.

"...whoever is driving Vector here is really being thorough. These plans are quite detailed..."

“Yeah…” Ukyou said. “… We’ll hopefully find out who that one is too, but that’s for later."

"That's right. We've got to make sure we get Kaito out and get Dennis for now." Droite said.

"The squads are briefed...let's get going."

“Alright.” Ukyou headed to his car where he saw the main part of the squad. He nodded to the group. “Let’s go then!” He announced, before he headed in.

“Hang on, Kaito… we’re coming…”

Astral saw the cops leave through the camera and was relieved.

"Vector, they're on their way...be sure to get out of sight of them when they arrive, but follow Sora's movement so they will catch him."

“Yeah yeah. He can’t see me because I’m driving this little ball. I’ll hide them all on Orbital 7 so the police can get them out of that dump. I’ll do my best to tail Sora but if he goes upstairs I can’t follow him. Note to us for later: implement a feature so that I’m not defeated by stairs. I should totally make this drone tech, shouldn't I?”

Astral nodded.

"Sounds good. They will definitely salvage Orbital...they may even assume that the balls are parts of Orbital." Astral said. He sighed.

"That is up to you....we will see what we can do after Kaito is safe."

“Yeah. Who knows what actually goes in that bucket of bolts. Honestly, after me, Orbital is probably the most sophisticated robot I’ve ever met.” Vector said.

“Hey, let me cheer you up, Astral. The police are here. By the way, you should try make Obomi scarce. Don’t have this linked to anyone, you know? I don’t think Kaito can cope without any robotic assistance.”

"Yes, Orbital was very sophisticated..." Astral said with a sad smile. Kaito wouldn't like to see that it was broken....

"Of course. I'm moving her away now." Astral said, steering Obomi away from the house and into a hiding spot. He didn't want to be connected to Kaito anymore than he already was.

At least Kaito couldn’t see it, even if he wanted to.

“Alright… so Sora is still beating Kaito up… And he’s brought out a crowbar…” Vector grimaced. “I’ll get comfortable. I don’t think he’s going anywhere.”

Astral frowned.

"...Is there any way to deter him? I really don't want Kaito to be hurt much more..."

“I can appear and ask him to stand down? But I don’t know if that will give the game away…” Vector frowned. “Realistically, we should wait…”

Astral bit his lip.

"....You're right...I am just worried..." He said, watching Kaito in slight anxiety. He hoped the cops would arrive soon.

“I know… I’ll step in if it looks like he’ll die but… Yeah… We have to wait…” Vector looked up. “I think I hear them though."

Sora had been about to hit Kaito with a crowbar when he heard the same sound Vector heard. He frowned.

"Wasn't expecting guests..." He mused. He headed upstairs slowly, peaking out the window. His eyes widened when he saw the cops approaching his door.

"Shit!" Sora exclaimed, rushing down to the basement. He immediately grabbed the crowbar, heading towards Kaito.

"Looks like it's your lucky day! I get to kill you before your friends find out what you know!" Sora said, holding the crowbar up in preparation to cut kill Kaito.

“Or you die first, Shiunin!” Vector said, suddenly forcing himself to manifest. He wasn’t sure what to do in this situation and he wasn’t sure what Sora would react with, so he did what Vector would do. “Drop the crowbar, bastard!"

Sora smirked as he approached Kaito but then jumped a little when he heard Vector suddenly scream out to him out of nowhere.

"What the?!" He exclaimed, whirling on Vector with wide eyes.

"...Wha...Vector?!" He was shocked. He thought Vector was dead! And he had no way of knowing that it was a hologram...Vector's replica looked entirely realistic. As far as he knew, the ghost of Vector was haunting him.

Before he could react much more, he heard the sound of the door breaking in upstairs. The police were beginning their raid on his house...

"Shit!" Sora swung the crowbar at Vector to get him to back off before taking off into a secret passage that Vector had already catalogued for the cops. He needed to get away and fast!

Vector grinned mischievously and he stepped back to “dodge” the crowbar. He grinned as he saw Sora head down the path, and he followed after him, just enough to make sure that Sora kept going to right way.

“Almost out, Kaito. Relax."

Kaito groaned. He'd heard the exchange and had wondered what was going on.

"...Vector...what...what're you doing here..." he said softly in a hoarse voice. He knew of the AI So he wasn't too surprised by its existence, just that it was there.

Meanwhile, Sora ducked through the secret passage, winding his way through it and towards where he thought was safety. He stepped out at the end and right into a police barricade.

"Shiunin Sora, put your hands up! Stay where you are!" The cops trained their weapons on him and Sora had nowhere to go...cursing he surrendered to them almost immediately.

Vector winked and he grinned at Kaito. “Shhh… Save your breath, blondie. I’m here to save the day. Get comfortable, alright? The police are gonna get you.” Vector almost disappeared but he paused and looked at Kaito.

“… Got something to say to Astral? He’s watching. He’s the one who fetched me and basically saved your ass.”

Kaito couldn't see the wink or grin, but he could practically hear both with his obvious Vector was being. He mustered up the best deadpan glare he could manage and hoped it was aimed correctly.

"...how did they find me? How did...you find me?" Kaito asked. He knew the cops were fast but not that fast. Had Astral tracked him? He wanted to know what was going on...

“It’s a mix of things. Orbital 7 for one. Astral was lucky and he hooked onto Orbital 7’s signal and figured you were missing long before you were legally missing. Between you and me, I think Orbital 7 was sending a distress signal but it was corrupted… But that’s just my theory, really. Anyway, Astral got the message, had Obomi ready to go and I paid a visit to our good friend Sakaki. The cops did too, especially since Dennis was kind enough to end them a ransom video.”

"...Orbital..." Kaito said softly. He remembered the sound of Sora breaking his robot companion. The thought did make him sad.

"...you...showed yourself to the cops, Vector...really?" He murmured. This was bad...they would tie Yuuto and him together potentially, or worse, Astral and him...he didn't want his boyfriend in danger...

"...keep...yourself safe...Astral..." Kaito said softly. Astral listened.

"...I will if you will...please...please don't do something like this again, Kaito..." Astral spoke with teary eyes. The cops were coming downstairs.

"...Vector...you need to hide. They are here."

“Look. We didn’t have much of a choice. There was no time for me to 3D render a new disguise, but that’s on the ‘to-do list’.” Vector sighed and shook his head. “Yuuto needed to talk otherwise you were going to die. Astral also tells me to tell you to never pull this shit again”

Vector frowned and glanced behind him. “I’m out.” And with that, he switched off the projector, leaving the cops to retrieve the beaten police officer. Vector sighed as he reappeared next to Astral. “We can send Takashi to check on him when he’s in hospital. Him or Yuma. It’ll be okay.”

Kaito listened and sighed softly. He supposed he owed both Yuuto and Astral that...they both had told him this was a bad idea.

"...wait..." Kaito tried to say, but Vector was gone. Seconds later Gauche was barrelling down the stairs.

"Kaito! We found him!" Gauche called, checking the room was clear before heading over to get his friend.

"Hang in there, Kaito...you're safe now. We'll get you out of here..." He said, setting to work on removing the shackles as gently as possible.

Astral nodded.

"...I will get Yuuma to see him...It would be less suspicious...fewer links to finding me..." Astral said, relieved that the cops had found Kaito. Satisfied that the job was done, he began driving Obomi home.

Kaito gave tired groan as he slumped forward. With the lock pick Gauche had been provided, he came out easily and fell forward in a heap. He winced tiredly, doing his best to try and stay awake.

“Mghh…” Kaito gave a tired groan. “I… Ngh…”

“Easy…” Anna frowned. “We gotcha.”

"It's okay, Kaito...don't talk, just relax. We got an ambulance upstairs." Gauche said, helping Anna hold Kaito.

"The house is clear, we can send in the medical team now." Gauche said through his walkie-talkie.

“House is clear? So Macfield isn’t there,” Droite responded, pursing her lips. “Paramedics have been deployed. Are you sure there’s no sign of Macfield at all?”

"We didn't see him, Droite...we checked all the passageways. No sign he was even here..." Gauche said, knowing that was bad news. He let the paramedics in so they could tend to Kaito, loading him on a stretcher so they could take him to hospital.

“I have teams checking the main house. They’re looking for traces of him now. See if we can get Shiunin to tattle on Macfield. If he’s coming back, we want to make ourselves scarce." Droite said. She walked towards the house and frowned.

"We gonna wait him out? See if he'll come back so we can get him?" Gauche asked.

"Were sending Kaito up now...you ready for him?"

“If Shiunin confirms it or Ukyou does. Ukyou is inside leading the house team through. They’re looking for traces of Macfield to make sure he’s coming back.” Droite motioned for her few officers to go and hold the passage doors open.

“Yeah. We’re ready. We’ve cleared the way for the paramedics. They can get out now."

"I hope they find him..." Gauche said with a frown. It would be bad if Dennis got away again.

"Gotcha. We're sending him up." He said, nodding to the paramedics who began bringing Kaito up to the door Droite had specified.

Droite watched Kaito get carried up and towards the hospital, catching a glimpse. She grimaced, seeing how much worse Kaito was from the short time that they hadn’t seen him. Kaito had passed out, but he was breathing as the ambulance took him in and then sped off. The woman sighed. “Droite? It’s Ukyou. I found some of Dennis’ stash upstairs. But bad news… The Devil’s Breath isn’t here. Either he’s sold it or he’s taken his valuables and left.” Ukyou frowned. “Damn it… really? I’ll tell the squad not to break perimeter. He could still be here."

Droite was right. Dennis was indeed still out there. The cops continued searching around his drug storage home, getting in deep to see if he was hiding somewhere.

They didn't know he was deep inside something else. Another person, in fact.

"Yuri..." he groaned, fucking the politician hard into the bed in Yuri's apartment, miles away from the drug bust. He'd known it was coming thanks to a tip off from Yuri'a cop contact and had come right to his place with his most valuable drugs to get his mind off of things. Thankfully, Yuri was in a good mood and more than willing to provide Dennis with some stress relief. It was much appreciated.

Yuri was in a fantastic mood. He had been given rights to visit Yuya in hospital, and had been doing so all week. It did pain him to see is brother there, so distant, but it had been wonderful to spend some special bonding time with him. Yuri had been feeling great, with how wonderful his career had been going on top of his brotherly visits, and he was more than happy to let Dennis ruin his body, to relieve some of the burning desire in his body.

“MghhH! Dennis.” Yuri gripped the back of the couch and dug his heels into the American’s back. “Hahhh~ Dennis~"

Dennis continued pounding hard and fast into Yuri, enjoying the intimacy he so rarely got with Yuri: he knew his lover was just as twisted as he was and would much rather be with one of his brothers. But, they both had needs and were more than happy to provide them for each other at the right times.

"Yuri~!" Dennis moaned louder as Yuri called out to him, always spurred on as an entertainer when he heard his name.  It was like the audience begging for more of him...he couldn't ever resist trying to fulfill their greatest wishes. He'd do anything for Yuri just to get that rush again and again...so he gripped Yuri close and shifted his angle, plowing hard into Yuri's sweet spot as best he could while slowly unraveling.

It wasn’t his brothers, but if it couldn’t be Yugo going fast and wild into him, or Yuya or Yuto loving him tenderly, then Dennis would have been Yuri’s next choice, and it was amazing feeling the criminal’s brute strength. Yuri knew just how to press Dennis’ buttons, he knew the exact way to call his name to get that rush of pleasure himself.

“Dennis~ Dennis~ MGhhh! Dennis! More! Damn it more!” Yuri’s free hand practically clawed Dennis and he gave a loud cry. He all but slammed his legs into Dennis’ back as he tossed his head back into the pillows, feeling himself teetering dangerously close to his climax.

Dennis groaned, feeling more aroused every time Yuri screamed his name and clawed his back. He grunted and pounded harder into Yuri. He pushed himself as far as possible, but he couldn't go forever.

"Yuri~ Ngh...Yuri!!!" Dennis cried out, slamming one last time deep into his partner and coming so hard he saw stars. He'd truly spent himself in pleasuring Yuri, and only the politician could push him this far.

“Hahh! Hahh! HahhhH! Dennis!” Yuri cried out as he felt Dennis push into his body, grinding his front against his cock. Yuri felt like he could go more, but his body felt weak suddenly, and the man released messily, and he clung to Dennis like a parasitic leech.

“Oh God… that was good. Better than ever. You should be mad more often…” Yuri panted, closing his eyes, trying to catch his breath.

Dennis practically collapsed onto Yuri, holding him equally close and breathing heavily.

"...and you...should be in a good mood...more often..." he said softly between pants, closing his eyes and nuzzling Yuri close with a gentle smile.

“Ooof…” Yuri groaned as Dennis carelessly flopped on top of him, but instead of pushing him off, the man laughed. “I think I will be from now on. Thinks have been looking up for me after all. I have plans to make it better too.” He hummed happily, reaching up to pet Dennis’ hair, as if the man was no more than an affectionate cat.

Dennis smiled when Yuri pet his hair, glad the man was feeling affectionate today. He really was in a fantastic mood...

"Im glad if it means you'll be this happy..." Dennis mused.

"What are you thinking? Gonna fight Yuuto for custody of Yuuya?" He asked gently.

“Fight means that he has a chance of getting him back,” Yuri hummed, scratching Dennis’ scalp lightly, feeling the red curls bounce between his fingers. “I’m going to take custody away from Yuuto. He’s going to jail, and there’s no way they can justify giving Yuuya to him. Yuugo is my main concern though. I’m far more competent, but he may use my job and the hours I spend away from him as an excuse for me to not get the ownership I deserve.”

Dennis hummed in agreement.

"...you're smarter than Yuugo. All you have to do is say his name wrong in court and they'll deem him too hot-headed." Dennis said, kissing Yuri's neck gently.

"...but Yuuto...are you worried he'll bring up the past? Yuugo would back him up if he did...and Yuuto would help Yuugo get Yuuya...maybe he's not someone to count out just yet..."

"But I can deal with him, if you want...he's ratted me out I hear. You know I don't leave that unpunished..."

“I suppose so. I am fully capable to care for him. Maybe I’ll even take a course and get qualified to do so. I’ll ask my lawyer next time I see them.”

Yuri frowned quietly at the mention of the past. “… Yuuto… He’s always getting in the way. The clever, handsome bastard…” He looked at Dennis, burying his face into his long locks.

“Oh? Well if you could, I’d reward you handsomely. Would you like that? Some revenge and payment? Having Yuuto’s words discredited would be… incredibly useful.”

"Yes, thatd be clever...if anything it shows initiative and dedication..." Dennis said. He smiled.

"I can deal with him however you want...my guys can't stand traitors. They'll break him until there's no way he'd ever be deemed healthy enough to take care of someone else...and of course, make sure he never gets parole. Too many fights won't help him any..." Dennis mused.

"I could even kill him, if you wanted me to...anything you want."

“No.” Yuri’s response was almost immediate. “I don’t want him to die. If he’s imprisoned, beaten, ripped to shreds, I don’t care, but he doesn’t die, understand? I’d like my brother to be alive, no matter what. Understand?” Yuri pulled back from Dennis, making sure the man could see the seriousness in his eyes.

“I’ll let you decide. He betrayed you, after all. However, you need to make sure he doesn’t die. If he kills himself, well too bad, but you and your boys can’t end his life."

Dennis opened his eyes at the seriousness of Yuri's tone. He stared into the other's purple eyes and could see the reminder: he would always be second to the brothers. It was at times like these that he sometimes forgot. He pushed aside the slight jealousy and gently kissed Yuri's nose.

"Im teasing. I know you wouldn't ever let me kill any of your precious brothers. But, if I do beat Yuuto enough...he could be reliant on drugs like Yuuya...and be easier to play with." Dennis mused.

Yuri’s eyes widened at the suggestion and his cheeks went pink at the thought of having both of his brothers under his care. He felt warm at his cock. He grabbed Dennis’ hair and he pulled the man into a kiss, eager and playful. “Then beat him senseless, Dennis. Make him rue the day he crossed you and me,” Yuri breathed, parting their lips for a brief moment before kissing him again.

Dennis smiled at the look on Yuri's face. God he was cute...he loved making Yuri smile like that.

"As you wish..." he said between kisses, holding Yuri close and kissing him passionately, pleased he could make Yuri so excited.

Yuri smirked at those words and kissed him back, rubbing against him, suddenly eager for another round of fucking at the very thought. If Dennis somehow managed to pull it off, Yuri would have two of his brothers. Maybe, dare he think, three if he managed to convince his lover to help him complete his set. Turned on and horny as ever, Yuri flipped them, and began nipping Dennis’ skin.

Dennis could feel himself being turned on again as well as Yuri ground their cocks together deliciously. He moaned softly and kissed Yuri back, letting out a grunt as he was suddenly flipped to his back. He grinned as he kissed and nipped, holding Yuri close and grinding and moaning.

“You never said what you wanted as payment,” Yuri purred as he rolled his hips, trying to prompt Dennis’ erection to fully come out. “Money? Some more help? Or more of this?” He said, a devilish look in his eyes as he worked his body like how his brothers would, moving sensually down Dennis.

Dennis moaned, bucking his hips up to meet Yuri's to continue to grind their bodies together.

"Ah...I...I want you..." Dennis said, kissing and nipping Yuri and writhing as the other pleasures him as well. He wasn't even sure what he was saying exactly...the looks Yuri was giving him and the treating he'd been given was driving him wild

Yuri moaned again, pushing his hips down hard. He could practically see stars in Dennis’ eyes, and it was that sort of attention he loved. Not nearly as much as Dennis, but it was enough to make him straighten up so he could bounce and bob hard on the redhead’s dick. “Good. Ahhh~ Dennis you’re such a good boy~”

Dennis grabbed his lovers hips to help guide him to his straining cock, bucking up in time with Yuri's movements with a loud moan.

"Ah...Yuri~" He felt that same rush when Yuri was saying he enjoyed him. That he was good. That was what he loved to hear and his excitement went straight to his groin and spurred him on.

Yuri ran his hands through his hair as he moved his hips over Dennis’ cock. Then, with little hesitation, he slid back down, moving his body so Dennis could get deep into him. Feeling warm and that rush of heat between his legs, Yuri began to ride Dennis, putting his hands on his shoulders as he moved.

“MmmM~ We’re going to be… ahhh… This plan… Gods… I need it in action soon. The thought of it makes me so… Ahhh~"

Dennis moaned as Yuri shifted so he could push deeper into the man. Craving that warmth, he bucked his hips harder so he could push deeper, wanting to make Yuri go wild.

"...ngh...yea...I'll-start...ah...right away..." Dennis panted out, making a mental note to update Yuri frequently (or whenever he was horny) if it prompted this sort of reaction from the other. The thought of it made him even more excited and he gripped Yuri's hip harder with one hand, the other moving to his lover's dick, stroking and squeezing it, rubbing his fingers over the tip and into the slit as he continued to buck in time with Yuri's rhythm.

“After you’re done with me.” Yuri smirked and a predatory look flashed in his eye. He dug his nails and clawed Dennis’ shoulders, especially as the man grabbed and began to pump his movements, choreographing it perfectly to Yuri’s movements. He gasped out as he felt it and he moved harder, his own erection stiff against Dennis’ hand. “I want to make you scream first, Dennis,” he purred before he angled himself and pushed Dennis’ cock as far up his body as physically possible.

Dennis caught the look, and it made a shiver go down his spine in pure pleasure and expectancy.

"Hng...of course..." He grunted with a smirk. In reality he'd probably have to wait for official action until Yuuto was out of police custody where he could be mostly protected and into prison...but he could certainly spread the word beforehand so Yuuto would be greeted by fists and kicks.

As Yuri moved, pushing Dennis even further into him, Dennis moaned louder.

"God Yuri~!" He cried, pumping and squeezing Yuri's dick harder and faster in response. It felt so, so good...he didn't want to stop. He arched his hips up, trying to get deeper into Yuri and drive the man wild as he was.

Yuri was practically drooling, and he licked his lips seeing the lustful look at the man beneath him. He gave a low moan and he continued to move. As Dennis kept hitting his sweet spot, Yuri felt himself teeter towards the edge, extremely sensitive since they had just finished.

“Dennis! Ahhh~ Ahhhh Dennis!” He cried out, orgasming, though he could feel Dennis was still hard.

Dennis loved how he drove Yuri wild and took pride in that look as an entertainer. He bucked hard into Yuri's sweet spot, relishing Yuri'a scream and orgasm. He didn't last long when the man tightened around him, and Dennis cried out as he orgasmed deep into his partner once again.

"Yuri!"

Yuri had half expected to have Dennis flip him again and fuck him until he came, and admittedly he was a bit disappointed when the other came with him. He supposed it was romantic in a way, but it didn’t have that much of a thrill in it. Still, it was the best thing he had felt in ages, so summoning his strength, he pulled himself off of Dennis’ dick and he laid down on the man’s chest.

“Not bad, Macfield."

Dennis had been hoping to pleasure Yuri more too but had been a little too worn out. He has been super busy after all. He groaned as Yuri pulled out of him and laid down on his chest. He smiled and pet Yuri's hair, holding him close. He sighed. "Not bad yourself..." he said softly. "...I'll execute the plan...as soon as possible...keep you updated..." Dennis said, kissing Yuri gently with a smile.

“I’m top in everything I do,” Yuri said, staring at Dennis’ chest, idly drawing circles wry his index finger. A coy smirk came over his face and he gave a content sigh.

“Good… please. Make sure he barely remembers his own name. I’d like that so very much..."

"You are..." Dennis said, staring at Yuri and petting him gently. He smiled.

"Im all to happy to oblige...when he gets to prison, he'll be entering his worst nightmares."

Yuri smiled and closed his eyes, relishing the thought of having two of his brothers under his care. With the happy thoughts in his head, he curled up for a nice nap, thinking a little about Yuuya and his visit to him in a few hours.

Dennis also drifted into a snooze, stroking Yuri and holding him close, not caring how sticky they both were.

Meanwhile at the Correctional Facility, Yuugi was getting some good news.

"Mutou-san, I think you've progressed enough to allow you some movement without your wheelchair." The physiotherapist said. Yuugi's eyes lit up.

"Really? I won't need it anymore?"

"We'll start with short distances and see how you do, but yes, were weening you off of it." He replied with a smile. Yuugi cheered. He couldn't wait to show Koutei! He let the guards wheel him to lunch, but then asked if he could walk to the table. They allowed it.

Yuugi arrived at lunch, walking over with his tray to Koutei at the table with a huge grin.

"Look, Koutei! I’m walking again!" He said happily. Yes he was still slow, but it was progress!

Koutei had been wondering why he hadn’t seen Mutou at the table first, but whn he saw the man walking towards him, he stared, mouth agape. Then a huge smile split on his face. “Oh wow! Yuugi! That’s great to see!” He exclaimed, looking up. “Wow! I didn’t know you were already ready for that!"

Yuugi grinned equally widely.

"They told me today they're gonna start slow with me walking!" He said happily, approaching the table slowly with a slight limp in his gait, but he sat down at the proper chair without problems.

"Im really glad I've recovered enough for this...the chair gets old after awhile!"

“Hah! I’m glad then. You’ll be running before you know it, you know,” Koutei said. He grinned warmly, practically feeding off the excitement the other man had. “How does it feel, man?"

Yuugi grinned and chuckled.

"I hope so!" He said, definitely excited and happy.

"It feels great...but it is a little tiring still to walk. I'm hoping I get stronger soon." Yuugi said with a smile.

“You will. Like I said, I’m going to help train you so let me know when you’re up for it,” Koutei grinned. “I’m proud of you, Yuugi. You’re so great."

Yuugi nodded. "Thanks! I definitely need to strengthen it." Yuugi said. He blushed a little as Koutei said he was great. "M-me? Well um...I don't think I'm all that great but...thanks..." Yuugi said, smiling shyly. "...you're the great one...you're so kind and helpful and supportive..."

Koutei felt his heart skip a beat as Yuugi smiled like that. It wasn’t his usual smile, but it was gentle and sweet as well. He wanted to cover his mouth in embarrassment but he just grinned back, his cheeks pink. “Well, you are to me too. It’s the least I can do.”

Yuugi smiled, feeling a little warm with how happy he was and how...wow, why did Koutei look so...cute? Yuugi didn't know boys could be so adorable...

"...Im glad you think so...i do try to be..." Yuugi said, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“Everyone sees it, so your efforts have paid off.” On one hand, Koutei was overjoyed that it really did look like that he had a chance with Yuugi, but on the other hand, it was horrible, realising that such a sweet, pure man wasn’t going to have a future except behind bars. Koutei’s smile turned bittersweet and he looked down at his food, taking another bite.

Yuugi smiled brighter.

"Im glad..." he said, but his smile faltered a little when Koutei's did.

"...is something wrong?" He asked, wondering if Koutei had remembered something else or if he was bothered by something.

Koutei looked up again and he paused. “Uhh…” He didn’t want to kill the moment. “Nah. Don’t worry, it’s just a dream I had. Don’t worry about it. You’re fine. It’s just my head.”

Yuugi blinked.

"Oh...well...did you want to talk about it? Was it about my other me?" Yuugi asked, concerned for his friend now. He wanted to help.

Koutei shook his head. “Not really. I’d rather move on. Distract me, Yuugi. Tell me about… um… How’s Raphael?” Koutei grimaced at his awful transition but rolled with it.

Yuugi listened, wondering what Koutei had remembered that was so horrible. He was concerned, but decided he'd respect his friend's wishes for now.

"Alright, I'll try..." Yuugi said. He shrugged.

"I haven't seen or heard from him since I left the hospital...but I'm not surprised. It sounds like he has a lot going on with work, so he probably doesn't have much free time. I do like it when he visits, but I'd never ask him to use up his valuable time off to see me." Yuugi said with a smile. He did mean it, but he could feel a twinge of worry from Yami, and wasn't sure why.

"...I do hope he visits soon though...I want to show him how much better I'm doing now, since the last time I saw him, I couldn't even stand on my own."

“I bet he’ll be around soon. It’s the weekend, right? Even he has to have days off.” Koutei said. “He’ll be psyched to see you up and about to, won’t he?"

Yuugi nodded eagerly.

"That's true! He does, but I'm pretty sure he still works on something on the weekends. He runs charities and orphanages and stuff like that...keeps him busy outside his actual job." Yuugi said. He grinned.

"I know he will be...hes always happy to see me. And I'm sure he'll be happy to hear Yami's getting help for his gambling addiction...Raphael understands that stuff really well so he can offer support and advice too I'm sure."

“Wow, he’s very full on, isn’t he?” Koutei said. “I always said if I had money I’d do something like that, but I don’t think i could do as Raphael. He sounds awesome.”

“Right, Yami is, isn’t he? How’s that going? Is he still forcing his way out at the mention of a game?"

Yuugi nodded.

"Yeah...he really works hard. He's amazing and inspiring." Yuugi agreed.

"I think he's doing a little better...he still gets excited by them. And I think he spends time thinking about what triggers him. He writes in his journal sometimes...but it's in hieroglyphics mostly...I can't rest them as well as he can." Yuugi said with a laugh.

“Hieroglyphs?” Koutei raised an eyebrow. “Like Egyptian Hieroglyphs? I didn’t know that was a legit language you can learn and read. Like I know dead Latin is one thing but… wow."

Yuugi nodded.

"Yeah that's right. And yeah, you can learn it...people have deciphered most of it! The only time Yami uses Japanese or English in the journal is for modern words that don't exist in hieroglyphs..." Yuugi said.

"...Jii-chan taught me some of it...Yami must have picked it up and studied it more, cause he's really good at it."

“Oh that’s pretty cool. I didn’t know that,” Koutei said. “Wow… He sounds fluent. You guys really big on Egypt? Do you have a history there?'

Yuugi nodded, excited to be talking about Egypt.

"He seems to be...at least from what I can tell." Yuugi said with a grin.

"Jii-chan was an amateur archeologist...he told us about his adventures in Egypt all the time and got us hooked on it. And I helped him complete one of his treasures from Egypt...The Millenium Puzzle. It was unsolved for thousands of years...until I put it together. It's a golden pyramid that's upside down and has the eye of Horus on it...." Yuugi said, before pondering something.

"...I'm not sure where it is now. I wish I still had it to show you...it was a memento to Jii-chan..."

“Oh wow, that sounds amazing,” Koutei said, listening to Yuugi, hooked onto his words. A small frown graced his face.

“Maybe Yami knows. If he kept it, then maybe the police or the Correctional Facility have it?”

"It was..." Yuugi said with a sad smile. He shrugged.

"He might...but we weren't arrested with it so I don't think the police have it...I'll have to ask him." Yuugi had also been using the notebook to talk to Yami, writing messages in the margins and letting him reply whenever they switched.

“Then it may be with the guy you were staying with before or something. Ah… who knows. Maybe you can get it back if someone finds it,” Koutei said. Maybe he could go looking for it if he got out of here… Yuugi may find comfort with his situation if he did that.

Yuugi pondered this.

"...Maybe. I hope it's somewhere safe...somewhere I could find when I leave."

“Well… one thing at a time. Ask Yami. See if he knows. Hopefully he did keep it with you for all these years.” Koutei said.

Yuugi nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. Hes bound to know...I'll ask when I get back to my room." Yuugi said, digging into his food happily.  

After lunch was over, Mutou was called up to greet a visitor. Yuugi beamed.

"I hope that's Raphael...I'll see you later, Koutei!" Yuugi said, waving to his friend as they split up.

“I bet it is.” Koutei got up as he headed up to do his chores. “I’ll see you later. Tell me how it goes.” The guards helped Yugi back to the wheelchair, and they wheeled him over to the visitor’s room. There, indeed, was Raphael, looking a little tired, but smiling when when he saw Yuugi.

“Hey there, Yuugi. How are you? Sorry I haven’t had a chance to see you."

"I will!" Yuugi called, letting the guards wheel him away. He wanted to surprise Raphael after all. He beamed when he saw him.

"It's alright! I know you're really busy!" Yuugi said, letting the guard stop his chair before standing up and walking over to Raphael.

"Im doing a lot better...I can walk again a little, see?"

Raphael’s eyes widened as he saw the younger man get up, but then he gave a warm smile. He clapped for Yuugi, watching him head over to the seat.

“You’ve improved incredibly. Wow… Last time I saw you, you could barely move. That’s incredible.”

Yuugi chuckled as Raphael clapped, smiling happily as he sat down.

"I know! I've still got a long way to go, but I'm making progress at least. I'm happy!" Yuugi said with a smile.

"It's really good to see you again too! How are things with you?"

“I am as well. It looks like you’re making great use of your time.” Raphael crossed his arms and leaned forward casually, looking a lot more like a friend than he did a huge CEO.

“Things are going well, all things considered. Busy, but well. I’ve talked to my lawyer, got more work done. I just hosted a fundraising event a few days ago, so I’m a little tired, all things considered. Sorry I haven’t visited up until now."

Yuugi nodded happily.

"Yeah, we've been working hard!" He confirmed. He listened.

"Wow...that does sound busy...no wonder you're tired and didn't come visit. But that's okay. I knew you'd be busy so I wasn't expecting one right away." Yuugi said with a smile.

"I have Koutei to entertain me too-" he suddenly cut off when a sudden image of Koutei kissing him (Yami really) entering his head. Yami has certainly found that entertaining. He blushed a little and shook his head.

"...ah...I mean...he's here too, so don't worry about me!" Yuugi said, trying to hide his blush by looking away a little.

“I know, but I want to visit you regularly, you know. It’s nice having someone to talk to casually.” Raphael smiled. It was a bit forward to think that, and he didn’t want to vocalise it, but he really did see Mutou as a friend and he wanted to see him. Being near the other man was always enjoyable. Both Yami and Yuugi were nice to talk to.

He smirked as he saw the blush light up Yuugi’s cheeks and he chuckled. “Oh? Koutei is that friend you mentioned, isn’t he? Seems like you two are a good fit for each other, huh?”

Yuugi nodded. He could sympathize....Raphael probably only talked to people for work, not for fun. That was how Yuugi has been in high school...no friends, but if they were working on a project for school, he might talk to people. He flushed deeper and looked away at Raphael's word choice.

"...yeah...he likes us a lot...he uh...he confessed his love for both of us to Yami...and kissed him."

Raphael quirked an eyebrow and let out a low whistle. “Professed his love, huh? And kissed Yami? Well the reports did say he was smooth, but I didn’t know it was a subconscious charm too.” He chuckled. “Not surprised he fell for you though, Yuugi.”

Yuugi chuckled.

"It took Yami and me by surprise...it wasn't a particularly romantic moment that it happened in..." Yuugi mused. He blushed.

"...I just...im still in disbelief. Hes a really nice guy...he could have anyone, but he wants me. Us, really."

“Is that even allowed in a Correctional Facility?” Raphael said, a little concerned, but glad there was someone out there that could make Yuugi smile that much. It was good someone else was caring for him.

“And how do you feel about that? Do you reciprocate?”

"Apparently, yes...to some degree anyway. Dr. Arclight said it's allowed as long as it's not detrimental to the patient." Yuugi said.

"Ah...Yami does...but...I'm not sure about me...I never liked boys before..." Yuugi said.

“Oh… I see.” Raphael tilted his head. “Well… how do you feel about Koutei? As a person?”

"I really like him! He's nice and sweet and caring..." Yuugi said with a smile.

"Hes my closest friend...hes so nice to me all the time and supportive."

“Well, that’s good to hear. I’m glad you like him. You sound very fond of him.” Raphael smiled back.

"I...yeah. I am...but I'm confused. I don't know which feelings are mine and which are Yami's with regards to Koutei..." Yuugi said with a sigh.

“Ah… I see. Are your emotions bleeding into each other as well?” Raphael asked.

"Ah well...a little. I think they're still separate, but I'm more intuned with Yami than before...so I get a little mixed up on which are mine and which are his...or at least when it comes to Koutei I do." Yuugi said.

“Do you now? And just about Koutei? Well I guess you both have pretty strong feelings for him,” Raphael said. “Just take it easy and focus on sorting them out in your own time, not the implications of doing so. I find thinking about the task but not about the contents often don’t help, you know?"

"Yeah...We do." Yuugi agreed. He listened with a frown, taking in the words and thinking.

"I guess that makes sense...we do have time to sort things out. I told Koutei, and he says he's willing to help me figure it out." He said with a smile.

“These things take time. Believe it or not, being in your thirties isn’t middle-aged anymore. So don’t worry too much about it, Yuugi. And I’ll be here to lend a hand if you want to talk it out. My dating experience isn’t the most extensive, but I might be able to help.” He smiled.

Yuugi nodded. "Yeah, you're right...I have time...and I'd appreciate your help." Yuugi said happily. "..And maybe Yami too. Hes got experience..."

“Of course. See? You have a good support network.” Raphael was honestly relieved by that. Especially since he could foresee his own death. He had been warned that some dangerous assassin had broken out of jail, and a bunch of murmurs in the underground wanted his head. Yuugi needed someone who would be able to be there constantly.

“Besides that and walking, has everything else been okay?"

Yuugi nodded.

"Yeah I do...I really do. I’m glad..." he said with a smile.

"Well...Yami is getting help with his gambling addiction now. He's got a journal that he writes in for it...we also use it to talk."

“Mmmm… That’s good to hear Yami is getting help too. I was worried he might be getting a bit neglected.” Raphael admitted. “It’s good you’re talking though, like in writing. What’s Yami like?"

Yuugi nodded.

"Dr. Arclight wants us both getting help....cause we both have separate problems sometimes." Yuugi said with a smile.

"...he's like a smarter me...he can write in hieroglyphs pretty fluently. He loves games...we played little games like tic-tac-toe in the book. I ask him little things like what his favorite colour is, what his favorite food is...that sort of thing. Sometimes the answers are different than mine, and sometimes they're exactly the same. It's interesting." Yuugi said.

“Yeah… I remember that from the brain scans. They mentioned you were very different."

“Sounds interesting indeed. Do you like him? I hope you do. Especially since you share everything,” Raphael mused.

Yuugi smiled.

"Yeah...but we're also similar. I’m glad we have some things in common at least." Yuugi said. He could feel Yami stirring, perhaps because he was being brought up.

"My other me is my other me...it's like sharing things with yourself. I don't mind that...I wanted him to know that, and to feel open to sharing things with me too." Yuugi said, feeling Yami fidget in his mind. It made him smile.

"...my other me is cautious but friendly...I hope one day he'll open up more...so people can see how nice he is." Yuugi said, clutching his head as Yami stirred.

"...I think he's embarrassed..." Yuugi mused with a chuckle.

Raphael gave a quiet laugh as Yuugi admitted Yami’s feelings. “Well, when you say nice things to him, how can he not be embarrassed?” The man mused, smiling at his young charge. “Hopefully he’ll open up soon enough. I think it would be good for the both of you.”

Yuugi chuckled. "Yeah...that's something we have in common...we're both flustered by compliments." Yuugi said. He beamed at Raphael. "...I hope he opens up to me...but also to people like you and Dr. Arclight. He needs friends as much as I do...and I think you could help him. You know the streets...like he does. And...I really like talking to you. It helps me to get other perspectives on things." Yuugi said gently.

“Well, I hope so too. I’d be happy to be there for Yami… for both of you, you know.” Raphael smiled, straightening himself up. He smiled gently at the other man, feeling warm in the heart knowing that Mutou trusted him so much. “I promise to be there for the two of you, alright?"

Yuugi smiled and nodded. When he looked at Raphael, taking in his gentle smile and caring, sincere words, Yuugi felt warm and loved inside. It was a feeling he realized just know that he hadn't felt since the day Jii-chan died. He knew Raphael didn't fully replace his grandfather, but he filled a hole in Yuugi's heart that had long bothered him: the lack of a proper father figure. Raphael felt like family, like security...like home.

Faced with this newfound realization, Yuugi got up and rushed over as quickly as his still recovering leg would allow and hugged Raphael happily. He was so, so happy he got to know him, and to have his support.

"Thank you so much Raphael...I'll always want you around in my life..." He said softly. The guards were watching and ordinarily were supposed to prevent physical contact...but they had heard of this man's relation to Yuugi from Dr. Arclight and decided to let it slide, just this once.

Raphael had plenty of time to realise Yuugi was getting up, but he wasn’t sure what was happening until the smaller man’s arms were around him, hugging him tight. The blonde was barely startled though, and he quickly hugged Yuugi back with his strong arms, sweeping him in a tight embrace. They had gotten a room like this instead of the standard visit room with a separator for some reason, and this was probably why. Raphael made a mental note to thank Miheal.

It had been a long time since he had felt the same feeling of home. While Raphael held a lot of love in his heart and bonded with orphanage children as his own, Mutou felt a lot like his younger siblings, the street-wise, much younger relations he had lost. It was a nice feeling to realise, and the man couldn’t help but smile.

“Then I’ll be here, Yuugi.”

Yuugi smiled wider and nuzzled closer to Raphael when the other hugged him. He was so, so happy that he had Raphael with him and that he was going to stick around...Raphael was his first friend and he was precious to Yuugi.

But as Yuugi came to this realization, Yami did as well. Although he was happy that Yuugi was feeling happy...he was also worried. Raphael could still die...he had to be careful...

Yami forced a switch, finding Yuugi calmed and happy and all too willing to give him a turn with Raphael. He sighed a little.

"...Raphael...tell me honestly, do you feel your life is in danger? Like...someone is watching you from afar...or has anyone made a move?" Yami asked, pulling away to look the man in the eyes to see if he was lying. He was worried. He had to keep Raphael safe for Yuugi.

Raphael felt Yuugi’s grip tighten on his shirt momentarily, and while it lacked the usual cue of a headache, it told Raphael they were switching. The smile remained on his face though, at least until Yami pulled away to look at him properly.

“That’s sudden…” Raphael frowned, looking down at Yami. He paused, wondering if he really should lie or not, but in the end, he nodded. “I’ve hired extra security. I haven’t noticed anyone watching me, and no one has made a move, but the reports on TV aren’t looking good. Honestly, I’m thinking the guy who hired you may have hired someone else by now, but I’m not sure. I just know someone wants me for dead and are still out there.”

Yami listened intently, keeping his attention locked on Raphael, fixing him with the same look he used to read through opponents poker faces. He needed to know... "...I knew it. I knew he'd hire someone else..." Yami muttered. "What reports have you seen on tv? What are you basing this assumption on?"

“Sergey broke out of prison.” Raphael said plainly, looking back at Yami with business professionalism. “I have a contact in the underground and he says some guys have been restless. There’s a hit out for me, even though I’m considered a difficult target.”

Yami's eyes widened in alarm. "...No..." He said, shuddering at the memory of Sergey's wrath. He wouldn't wish it on anyone, least of all Raphael. "...That's not good...none of this is good news..." Yami said. He wished he could help somehow...it was a little terrifying for him to think of losing Raphael, not only for Yuugi's sake but also his own. "...Raphael...even with extra security...please, please be careful...Sergey alone is a monster, and the underground is not to be underestimated..." Yami murmured.

“Yami? Hey… easy…” He put his hands on the man’s shoulders, trying not to have him freak out. Sergey was the one responsible for Yami and Yuugi’s legs being so damaged. It was no wonder he was terrified.

“I know… I’m doing everything I can to keep myself safe. Don’t worry. I can take care of myself. No one is going to get me.”

Yami hadn't really noticed how worked up he was getting until Raphael grabbed his shoulders to ground him. He listened to the man's words in fear, wanting so, so badly to believe him. He needed it to be true, what he was hearing. He looked at Raphael sadly.

"...I...I want to believe you...cause I don't wanna lose you either...I wasn't able to save Jii-chan...I don't want to be unable to save you either..." Yami said sadly.

Raphael gave Yami a small smile, trying to be confident. He gently pulled Yami into another hug and rubbed his back.

“Trust me, okay? I promise to look after the two of you. I won’t die, okay?"

Yami bit his lip, letting Raphael hug him and comfort him. He felt like he needed it right now. He returned the hug, holding Raphael close.

"...Okay...I'll hold you to your word...don't die..." Yami said softly.

Raphael was glad Yami wasn’t trying to push him away and he hugged him tight. He was glad to have Yami’s trust. He didn’t want to let him down.

“Alright…”

"....Good...." Yami said softly. He stayed hugging Raphael for another moment before finally pulling away with a sigh.

"...And you should visit as often as possible...so we know you're okay." He said, before heading back to his seat.

“I’ll do my best,” Raphael said, smiling and shaking his head. “I do try. It’s just difficult with all my work. I’ve taken to trying to train some of my employees myself too, so I’ve been busy.” He had been preparing his company in case he did die, so DOMA didn’t fall as hard as the other companies and allow the other corporations to move onto their turf.

"I know and I understand...I'm glad that you're making time for me..." Yami said with a sigh. He smiled. "Sounds like you're super busy...but that's great. This place needs you and people like you."

Raphael smirked. “I’m not that special. I just think people deserve more of a chance than people give them. There are a lot of people like me, and some better. I’m just lucky I’m in a position to help people"

"...You're a Saint, that's special." Yami said. He smiled.

"Im so grateful you're in our lives...and also that I've found  others like you who can help me and Yuugi." He thought of Koutei and of Miheal.

Raphael snorted. “I’m not a saint… I’ve done my own share of bad things… But I’m glad I’m here and I’m helping along with everyone else, Yami.”

"Yeah...I get that." Yami said with a smile.

"...I'm trying to learn about help...Dr. Arclight found out about my gambling habit and is trying to work on it with me...not sure if it's helping, but I'm writing in my journal...sort of." Yami said.

“Yuugi mentioned that,” Raphael tilted his head curiously, quirking an eyebrow up. “What do you mean by ‘sort of’?"

Yami shrugged. "...well...Doc said I should write things in it that trigger me to gamble...and I have. But I don't want him to read it, so I wrote it in hieroglyphs, mostly. He can't know what it says unless I choose to share."

“I mean… you’re still technically writing in it. You’re monitoring yourself. Did Arclight ever say he wanted to read and check the diary over?” Raphael pointed out.

Yami sighed. "Yeah...I am trying to. And no, he didn't explicitly say that...but I don't want him to know everything anyway. He's pretty sharp...I don't want it to...incriminate me more. That affects Yuugi too after all." Yami said.

“He’s supposed to be helping you recover, not monitoring you constantly. You said yourself he’s trying to help. I think you’ll be fine opening up a little more Yami. You should give it a try at least.”

Yami sighed.

"...with him, there's not much of a choice...he reads me and the situation well. And he's got Koutei spilling the beans out of concern, I’m sure. Though I can't fault him for that...he wants to help and it's genuine. The Doc is harder to read...his aura is wilder, less straight forward."

“Wilder? Well… unless he’s actually done something, you can’t really say things like that. Has he tried to incriminate you? Make your situation worse?"

Yami snorted.

"I just enjoy reading people...he's an interesting person. No, he hasn't really been incriminating...but he is tougher with me. He doesn't let himself fall for any bull...he can tell when I'm bluffing. Its both entertaining and terrifying to have an opponent who reads you so well." Yami mused.

“Well, if you’re actively hiding things, I’m not surprised he has to be harder on you. Prison psychiatrists have to be a little tougher on patients. He was working in the prison before he transferred to here.” Raphael said, looking at the man in concern. “Has he actually been helping overall though? That’s the most important thing."

Yami nodded.

"...Well...he does seem genuinely concerned about Yuugi and I. He's tough but fair." Yami said.

“Yeah…” Raphael paused. “I don’t have much experience with therapists, but if something doesn’t work, feel free to tell them it’s not working. You have to genuinely try, but still, give it a shot and give him feedback so he can help you more.”

Yami nodded.

"Neither do I. But, I can't deny it's working a little...Yuugi and I both feel our dynamic changing in this place."

Raphael smiled. “That’s good to hear.” He paused though. “Was Doctor Arclight still trying to merge your consciousness? I remember that’s a thing you were both worried about. How’s that going?”

Yami shrugged. "It's not working yet...he's encouraged Yuugi and I to reach out to each other. We've tried mentally, but it's kinda hit and miss....Yuugi's presence is more prominent now....and some of my emotions bleed through so he can guess how I'm feeling. But, were still separate. We can't talk to each other in our mind or anything at this point. So we write in the journal instead." "...it is nice to talk to him. Better that then sharing memories or something...Doc wants to work up to that too..." Yami said.

“Yeah, Yuugi told me about the emotion bleed.” Raphael said. He wasn’t sure at this stage if the two really could be one person, and he wash’t sure he wanted them to. However, Raphael kept that to himself, not sure what the two would make of that.

“He really likes you,” Raphael smiled. “He thinks you’re pretty cool, you know."

Yami sighed.

"...yeah...I don't mean to confuse him...I try to stop it sometimes, but it just happens. I did tell Koutei that Yuugi isn't gay and that I have a life sentence, so hopefully he'll just...move on. Find someone else when he leaves here....that would be for the best." Yami said, feeling a bit sad as he said it, but he knew it was for the best. He smiled a little.

"Im not that great...but I'm glad he's not afraid of me anymore. Once Koutei leaves, we'll be the only ones we've got in here that we can trust after all..."

“Well… It is what it is. You probably did the best you could, Yami. I think that’s pretty noble of you, considering you like Koutei so much,” Raphael said, looking at Yami. At least it seemed like Koutei and Mutou would still be friends, and that was the most important thing. “Not really keen on making any other friends, huh?”

Yami nodded.

"Yeah....I do like him, a lot. I don't want him to be tied to me." Yami said. He shrugged.

"Most other people in here are legitimately crazy...so no, I don't think we'll make any meanwhile friendships."

“That’s fair… though if Koutei is anything like you’ve told me, I bet he’ll visit you often. More than me, probably, just because you’re friends.”

Raphael smiled softly but sadly. “Not going to even try? You have a long sentence ahead of you.”

Yami smiled.

"...I hope he does. Yuugi and I would like that." Yami said. He sighed.

"...I could try...but I might end up with another Shinji...never leaves me alone and is legitimately paranoid and crazy."

“Well… there’s still a while before Koutei leaves, right? So don’t worry about it too much. Focus on your recovery, okay? Hopefully you’ll guys will be able to deal with Koutei and I visiting then,” Raphael said.

Yami nodded.

"Yeah...I'll focus on that. Yuugi too, I hope." Yami mused. He sighed.

"Sounds like we'll be popular...and you might get to meet Koutei too."

“Maybe so. Koutei will probably introduce and maybe even bring Alit if you’re lucky. You may have more companions than you think,” Raphael chuckled.

Yami chuckled. That would be ironic...father of Masumi meeting the man who took his baby and had his friend stab him.

"Maybe. We'll see what he does...and what's allowed."

“Yeah…” Raphael smiled. He looked to the door as he heard light knocking and he sighed, seeing the guard indicate his time was up. He shook his head. “Well… I think I have to go, Yami. It was good to see you. Take care, okay?”

Yami grabbed Raphael's hand suddenly before the guards approached.

"....Don't forget your promise, okay? If you can't visit...call us. So we know you're okay..." Yami said.

Raphael turned to him and paused. “… Right. I won’t die, Yami. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’ll make sure you’re looked after."

Yami nodded.

"Okay...take care, Raphael..." Yami said with a smile. He let the guards take him back to his cell after that.

Raphael smiled. He smiled and thanked the guards before he headed out, meeting with his personal guards. The men led Raphael outside, where they escorted him to his car.

“Where to, sir?”

“Go to my lawyers. I have some things in my will I still need to discuss."

Raphael was brought to his lawyers and meanwhile, Sergey was in hiding, replaying his encounter with Vector in his head over and over. It was real....the master was still out there...

Suddenly Roger was calling him.

"I need you to take out Kawahara. We're picking up where Mutou left off now that the cops are too busy with their drug busts." He told his assassin.

"I want it done quick and discreetly, you understand? No fooling around...it cost you Mutou's life. Failure again will not be tolerated."

Sergey knew what that meant. If he failed again, that was it. That was the end of his life. Sergey switched off the recording so he could focus on Roger’s words and he nodded to him very stiffly. Kawahara Raphael… his next target. There was no doubt he was going to be a hard target, but he was up for the challenge.

“Understood.” Sergey mechanically got up onto his bike. The machine revved up nosily and Sergey surged towards Raphael’s place. As he drove, his mechanical implant went through Raphael’s files, trying to get a good understanding of him and his current security.

Meanwhile, Raphael had just met with his lawyer. This time, it was to send a portion of his wealth to Yami and Yuugi after he died. He hoped it wouldn't be for a very long time of course, but he was also concerned for the two personalities. He wanted them looked after once he was gone...and he knew their case might end up back in court after they were deemed well enough by the Correctional Facility to leave it, So with money, they might be able to pay a bail or if they were released, they would have enough to life comfortably.

He was in his car being driven home and was writing two separate letters to Yuugi and to Yami, their names on each envelope. He had requested his lawyer give each personality the separate envelope and the two sides could share the message to each other and to others at their own discretion. They would be a contingency plan...in case Raphael met his grave early.

He reached his home before Sergey did, entering and stationing guards outside as usual. He went to the kitchen to get some food and to finish up the letters in peace.

"What a day..." Raphael mused, tired out. He was going to go to bed early tonight, he was sure.

Dusk had now melded into night, and by the time Sergey approached Raphael’s property, the only lights about were the ones from Raphael’s guards and houses. Sergey opened his servers and downloaded all of the security protocols he had gotten from Sector Security, rather pleased to find that Raphael had hired some of Security and Roger could help him get in. Sergey spent a moment analysing his surroundings before he pulled his sniper rifle out and aimed.

One at the guard. Then another. With the two ones closest to him gone, Sergey quietly vaulted over the wall and collected their communicators. After pocketing them, he hid the bodies and clung to the shadows, progressing slowly up from the grand garden up to the main building. His mechanical eye scanned for life outside the building.

He hoped he could slit the man’s throat when he slept, so he could watch him drown in his own blood. That would be fun.

Raphael didn't notice anything outside his home when Sergey approached, not realizing how much danger he was in. He was just finishing his two letters to Yuugi and Yami. He sighed as he sealed the envelopes. He would take them to his lawyer tomorrow...he'd already left instructions with the other, and so he'd know what to do with them.

"Guess it's time for bed..." Raphael said, stretching and getting up, moving through the house towards his bedroom.

The guards were all trained, but every time one person had the sneaking suspicion that something was wrong, Sergey would shoot them. One by one, the men on the outside dropped like flies, their secure routes thwarted by Sergey having background knowledge of where they were. He managed to stay outside of the cameras.

However, while Sergey was good, the security was not slack. The guard who had been waiting for an update from one of his coworkers frowned as Sergey reported all was clear through the com link. While usually he wouldn’t be suspicious, the coms never had static around the voice like that.

“Kawahara-san,” The guard said, heading up the stairs. Sergey was already at the front door, slowly unlocking it now the coast was clear. “We need to get you to a safe place. Just a safety precaution, but you said to alert you in case the smallest thing was wrong."

Raphael looked up when a security guard entered. He frowned.

"Of course....what's going on?" He asked, following the man immediately.

“Some of our guards aren’t responding. It might be a communication error, but we should get you to the designated safe room just in case.” The man said. “Same room we discussed when you hired us. I probably need an hour to confirm everything is alright.”

Raphael frowned.

"I see...sounds good." He didn't want to risk anything. He followed the man to the safe room.

"I'll have a comm so you can call me with an all clear then." Raphael said.

“Yes sir,” The man lead Raphael to the safest place in the house. Apparently that was his study, which had no windows and only one door that could easily be bared. They also could move a bookcase over the door, and Raphael had means to contact people like the police from inside, so he wasn’t completely trapped. “It should be fine. I’ll be back soon, okay?”

Raphael entered the study.

"Alright." He said, letting the man leave and starting to barricade the entrance. He also had weapons in the study as well stored in the closet. He has a bullet proof vest which he put on and some firearms he was legally allowed to own. He would be prepared for the worst, because he could not afford to die here. Yuugi and Yami needed him.

The man who had been guarding Raphael pushed the bookcase in front of Raphael’s door. No one except the security personal in Sector Security, DefenceCorp and Guardian Angels Security would know about the security measure. Even if there was someone here, no one should be able to tell anything was out of place.

The man headed out of the living area and headed outside. He used the comm link to ask his partner on the cameras to have a look around. After getting the ‘all clear’ he headed out cautiously, sticking close to cover.

He still was shot.

Sergey knew the only ones left were in the building, and the guy with the camera. The assassin smirked as he detected them. As he headed up to deal with the camera man, the two guards on the inside saw him and began to shoot.

One got Sergey’s flesh arm, the other his metal leg. Sergey hissed as he dove over the railing and took his gun. The men fired rapidly at him, but Sergey finished them off, and the two guards slumped down. Sergey growled as he saw them and he headed up the stairs to clear out the area before he dealt with Raphael. No doubt Raphael would have heard the gunfire, but Sergey knew where he was. The police wouldn’t get here in time.

Indeed Raphael heard the gunfire and went straight to the phone.

"Hello, I need the police...someone is shooting in my house. I think he's come to kill me. Please hurry." He told the operator, giving his address and then waiting for whoever it was to come find him. That was if they found him...he had a big house and if the assassin wasn't knowledgeable, he probably wouldn't find this place.

The operator understood and said that the police would be there immediately. Despite the deaths that had happened, things seemed ideal. Sergey heading upstairs probably gave Raphael a false sense of security. However, after killing the man and using the cameras himself to look for any other guards, Sergey quietly came back down the stairs. He had intended on fooling Raphael to think everything was fine, but those two men who had shot at him had destroyed the plan. So instead, Sergey lifted the bookcase and placed it aside. He then prepped his gun, getting ready to plug Raphael in the head.

As soon as he opened the door, he fired.

Unfortunately for Sergey, Raphael was on red alert. He'd heard all the comms go dead and assumed his guards had been killed. So he'd spent a bit of time moving his study furniture around to create a fortress of sorts to hide behind. It wouldn't last long, but it might be enough.

He heard the bookcase shift outside and prepped his gun, making himself a small target and aiming right at the door. When it opened, he fired at the same time, ducking to avoid the bullets that flew over his head: Sergey had expected him standing up and had shot too high. Raphael fired at his chest, guessing he had a bullet proof vest but still trying to stun him.

Sergey hissed as suddenly he felt the bullet flew straight into his chest. It pinged off, but it was going to leave an awful bruise. The man gave a loud hiss at that and immediately sidestepped into the room. He moved forward, eyes looking for movement and mechanical eye running calculations.

“You’re going to die, mousey. Right here and now.” He growled, not at all playful and mocking, but with unspeakable malice behind his words.

Raphael ducked behind the desk and waited. He could hear Sergey speak and could tell he was moving. So this was the man who had torn Yuugi and Yami's leg up, leaving them terrified and broken...Raphael suddenly felt a jolt of fear go through him. What if Mutou was next? After Sergey killed him, would he go after them again? Raphael silently vowed that no matter what happened, he could not let Sergey leave here alive...Yami had been right. Jail hadn't been able to hold him...the only option was he had to die.

Raphael stuck his head up again and fired at Sergey a second time, trying to hit one of his flesh spots where it would hurt him more or incapacitate him worse.

Sergey dodged again and he fired at Raphael, moving closer. He didn’t care about being shot, but he still didn’t like it. He powered closer to Raphael’s barricade, intent on just firing close range before beating his face in.

Raphael cursed under his breath as Sergey kept dodging or taking the bullets and not stopping. He needed to stop him somehow...or he would die and break his promise.

Admittedly, this was a little fun. A tight containment area, a narrow hall, an enemy fighting back. Even though Sergey was mad, he couldn’t help but grin as he took a bullet to his metal shoulder. Raphael wasn’t some mindless rich boy. He was tough, and had something going for him. He knew how to fight…

“Boo.” Sergey grinned as he practically ripped the desk away from Raphael, destroying his barricade in one swift swipe. The man grinned as he kicked Raphael in the gun arm hard. “Game over, mouse.”

Raphael cried out as he was kicked in the arm, the gun falling from his hand. He tried to take a swipe at Sergey with the other hand, effectively disarming him as well. He wasn't going to be shot.

"Not yet." He grunted.

Sergey hissed as his weapon was knocked out but he grinned. “A fight, huh? Oh I like that. You’ve got some bite in ya.” He opened a compartment in his leg and he pulled out the impractical but menacing glove out. The knives glinted menacingly as he smoothly slipped it on.

“But I don’t have time for it. You’re gonna die. So accept it already!” He roared, lunging at Raphael and aiming for his stomach.

Raphael had tried reaching for his other weapons until he saw Sergey moving to strike him. He rolled partially to the side, but unfortunately it wasn't fast enough: the claw hands pierced his skin and his movement drew a deep line across his abdomen. Raphael screamed in pain and immediately swung at Sergey, trying to get him off and away

Sergey was hit in the face but he grinned as he pushed down harder. He pinned Raphael to the floor, practically straddling him. The grin on Sergey’s face was ear to ear, filled with twisted glee. He knew he had orders to make it quick and fast, but he couldn’t help it. After seeing Vector and all of the good things that had happened lately, Sergey couldn’t help but play despite knowing the consequences.

“This was fun… but I’ve had enough of this.” There was still malice in his delirious voice. The man shoved the body armour and shirt up into Raphael’s face and used two fingers to dig deep into Raphael’s body, piercing a kidney. “I’m going to make you suffer. You’re going to die right here, and there’s nothing you can do.”

Raphael was in absolute agony as his organs were pierced seemingly one after another. He know understood why Yami and Yuugi had referred to Sergey as a monster. He was toying with him...killing him slowly...already his strength was fading...

...but then he remembered Yuugi's tears of terror upon waking up in the hospital, how shaken he'd been while trying to recall the attack...how Yami had paled and how his voice had trembled when he brought up Sergey earlier today...he could not let them go through that again. So Raphael found a second wind, pulling his upper body upwards, inadvertently ripping his stomach to shreds and gripped Sergey's mechanical arm, tearing it off his body with all his strength. Then he swung blindly, pulling some of his own intestines out with the claws towards Sergey's face, stabbing him with a yell in the neck with the man's own weapon.

The bullet wounds from earlier had certainly damaged the joints, and Raphael was a smart man. It was only too easy for him to dismantle the cyborg. Sergey watched in shock as Raphael wrenched the metal up upwards, tearing the skin from the inside out, releasing what looked like a wave of blood out. Sergey had no time to react from what some would call a suicidal act, and before he knew it, he found the metal lodged into his own throat.

Sergey gasped. He choked and coughed. The metal had lodged itself firmly in his neck, and had pierced his jugular along with his trachea and cateroid artery. The man rolled off of Raphael, trying to breathe, but instead began to gurgle, choking on his own blood noisily. It trickled out of his mouth, spilling onto the floor alongside Raphael’s organs

His death wasn’t quick. Sergey began to blackout very quickly, but despite his neck wounds, his heart still beat strongly. Blood splurged from the carotid over and over as Sergey tried to cough. So this it how it ended for him, huh? He would have laughed, if he could breath. Killed by his new favourite toy… a lot more fun than how Roger would have killed him.

Forty seconds later, the lack of oxygen killed him. Sergey laid there, motionless on the floor, dead. His heart finally stopped beating when his blood had finished being pushed out of his neck, and no longer did air bubbles form from the bloodied holes. He was dead. Sergey was truly and finally dead.

Raphael collapsed shortly after stabbing Sergey, panting and fighting to breathe himself. He could feel his stomach acid seeping into his tissue, burning though his body, and the blood from his wounds spreading across the carpet. He lay on the ground, holding the mechanical arm in his hands, as if unable to let go of it. Looking over his own wounds he noted the similarities to Yuugi's injuries...so that weapon had killed Sergey then...good, he thought. A part of Mutou was here with him...he wasn't alone.

As he died slowly, Raphael found he was surprisingly warm, recalling all the times he'd spent with his family, how he'd see them soon, and how he'd dedicated his life to helping needy kids...that had led him to Mutou. He could still remember their hugs he'd gotten earlier...he smiled.

"...I'm sorry...I couldn't...see you again..." he whispered, thinking mental apologies to Yami and Yuugi for not being able to keep his promise. But, he died reassured that they would be looked after...a portion of his wealth was now theirs.

Meanwhile, as Raphael's heart stopped, Yuugi looked up when he felt a strange chill run through him. He paused in his writing of a message to Yami to frown.

"...I wonder what that was..." He mused, having a bad feeling for a minute, before shaking it off. It must be nothing...he was imagining things. So he turned his light off and lay down to sleep once he'd finished his note to Yami.

The police arrived soon after. When Droite saw the bodies, her heart sank. Twenty-five dead guards both inside and outside of the mansion were found over the course of the night, a number of them sniped in the head. There seemed to be no way that Raphael survived and it seemed extremely likely that the perpetrator had escaped.

Droite wasn’t sure what she expected to see when she saw the the tossed bookcase and the open door, but it wasn’t that. The woman’s eyes widened in shock as she saw the two dead men, each of them twisted in a brutal manner.

“… Sergey…” The woman frowned. So that’s where that criminal ended up. And there was Kawahara Raphael, looking extremely tired after what must have been a painful death. Droite’s dark expression softened, and she allowed herself some weakness. Raphael had been a frequent visitor to the police station since Yami and Yuugi had been arrested. To see him dead like this was horrifying. “I’m sorry, Raphael…”

Droite reached for her communicator. “Ukyou? I found Kawahara-san. He’s… with Sergey. We were too late for either of them."

Ukyou had been exploring the rest of the huge mansion. He had found two envelopes with Yami and Yuugi written on them. His face fell as he picked up.

"Both dead? Where are they?"

“It looks like to be Raphael’s study. First floor. Get down here, alright?” Droite frowned. “… And be ready. It’s a nasty sight…”

"Alright, I’m on my way." Ukyou said, taking the envelopes with him. He knew they'd have to see Mutou and tell him what happened soon enough. He quickly told the other members of the squad that they had found two bodies in the study as he made his way soon.

"....Oh god..." Ukyou said, truly horrified by the gruesome corpses of both men. He sighed.

"...neither of these deaths look too quick...it is a relief Sergey is dead...but Raphael did not deserve this...."

“No… He didn’t. If anyone didn’t deserve it, it was him.” Droite looked at the weapon, and she could see that the markings matched what she had seen and the reports on both Mutou’s and Sakaki’s limbs. “Forensics are already on the way here just in case, but I doubt they’ll find anything that we haven’t seen…” Droite muttered.

“… Guess our CEO killer’s employer got one more after all. Damn it.”

Ukyou nodded.

"Exactly...So they're still at large. We're going to have to warn the other CEOs to look out...." Ukyou said.

"...and we should tell Mutou what happened. Maybe he knows something...I know he's said many times he doesn't know who hired him, but if he's lying...Raphael's death could be what might convince him to help us catch the killer."

“… Yeah…” Droite gave a sigh. “I’ll have the others search Sergey’s body, see if we can track him back to his place of residence. We can only assume he was hired by our CEO killer, so hopefully there may be evidence there.”

Droite looked at her superior and pressed her lips together. “Things aren’t going to get easier though. Not for us from now on, are they?”

"Yeah...we might be able to do an autopsy and find communication pieces in his robotic parts. Something like that..." Ukyou said with a sigh. He knew it wasn't going to be easy...he was on thin ice with the higher ups as it was. He hadn't been able to hold Sergey, now Raphael and dozens of security guards were dead thanks to him.

"...No. it's not...but we've got to keep going, as best we can."

“Hopefully we can wrap this up soon, for Raphael’s sake.” Droite grabbed her communicator and urned away, still uneasy with the gruesome sight. She had seen many horrific things in her line of work, but his was certainly up there. “I’ll get started. After we get things sorted here, you should talk to Yami or Yuugi. They don’t trust me as their interrogator."

Ukyou nodded.

"I will...he doesn't really trust me either though. Mai would be best for this sort of thing."

“I don’t want this getting to Mai… honestly chief we should try keep it professional.” Droite said, looking aside. “…"

Ukyou smiled and nodded.

"Alright.  It's okay...but maybe you should tell Mai to visit them anyway, later.  They might need comfort or consolation from an old acquaintance."  Ukyou said.  

"I'm off...let me know if anything important gets found."  Ukyou said, heading out of the house to the cars to head to the Correctional Facility.

“Alright…” The woman nodded. “I can do that. Probably be good for someone to visit them. I’ll text her when I’m done.” She looked at her boss, surprised he was already going, but nodded. “Good luck, chief."

Ukyou was leaving right away because he didn't really want to face the higher ups yet, and wanted to see what Mutou knew.  He knew he'd probably be in trouble, but he didn't want to talk about it just yet.  

When he arrived at the Facility, he went to the desk.

"I need to speak with Dr. Arclight."  He said, deciding he would tell the psychologist first.  It was late, and he doubted he'd be able to actually see Mutou yet...but Miheal would know if that was possible.

“He’s gone home, Officer, I’m sorry. Maybe check back in tomorrow?” The receptionist said.

“Well, technically I went home two hours ago, but here I still am. I was about to leave.” The receptionist jumped as the young doctor walked into the lobby, leaning heavily on his cane. He smiled gently and he nodded. “Hello Superintendent. How can I help you? I’m surprised to see you so late."

Ukyou turned when he heard Miheal, relieved he was still here.

"I'm afraid I've come here with some bad news...I just got back from Kawahara-san's house.  He was killed a few hours ago.  I thought you and Mutou should know..."

Miheal frowned deeply when he heard the news. “… Ah… Well… perhaps you should discuss this with me in my office then. This is… Disturbing news.”

Ukyou nodded.

"Yes...perhaps that would be best.  It is disturbing, and I know that Mutou will not take this well."

Miheal nodded and gestured for the man to follow him. He limped back towards the elevator and he opened the door for the two of them to get in. He internally sighed and pulled his phone out, texting Gilag to tell him he’d be a little late back. As much as he wanted to go home, he knew this was incredibly important to Mutou’s mental state.

He headed back to his office and opened up. Switching on the light, he gestured for Ukyou to take a seat.

“… So it happened earlier in the night?"

Ukyou followed the man through the Facility and into his office.  He took a seat when asked with a sigh.

"Yes.  It was Sergey Volkov, the same assassin who attacked Mutou earlier.  He broke out of prison about a week ago and came after Raphael.  He got him in his own home...it was rather brutal.  One of the worst attacks I've come across in all my years on the force..."  Ukyou sighed.

"...I suppose the only consolation is that Sergey also died too.  Raphael dispatched him as well, so we don't have to worry about him anymore.  But...this attack does prove that the CEO killer is still working and is switching assassins.  I need to speak to Mutou as soon as possible to see if he knows something...I'm hoping Raphael's death might inspire him to help us catch this guy."

“Sergey…” Miheal frowned. He head read about the man in the medical reports and had a glance his case following his escape from prison. He gave a small pause as he tried to imagine the severity of what Ukyou had glossed over, and he inwardly shuddered.

“… I see…” Miheal frowned. “… Mutou has been… cooperative as of late. Both sides of him, actually. However, I’m not sure what kind of effect this knowledge would have on them. Yami would help, and you’d want to talk to him… but Kawahara Raphael and Yuugi were close. I’m worried… You do know what triggered Yuugi into disappearing for seven years the first time, right Superintendent?”

Ukyou nodded, listening closely.

"...I know...the death of his grandfather.  And I know that he and Raphael were very close..."  Ukyou sighed.

"...But it would be cruel not to tell him either, now would it?  He's in here...so it's not like before where he was alone without help.  If he's being cooperative, then he must trust you too...he'll trust you to help him as best you can."

“I know that, but I’m worried on how you may tell him. You want information, and while I’m sure you’re trained, Mutou is… one of my more delicate patients,” Miheal said after some thought.

“I’m worried the shock of Raphael’s death will make Yuugi shut down, and then all his progress will be for nothing"

Ukyou nodded.

"I understand...the last thing I want is for Mutou's progress to be deteriorated...that's why I came to you first.  In your professional opinion, how should we break this news to him?  Should we wait for when Yami is clearly in control before telling him straight out, then framing it more delicately for Yuugi?  Or maybe..."  Ukyou reached into his bag, pulling out the two envelopes.  

"...Raphael wrote these letters to each of them...I found them in his house.  I'm not sure what they say, but we can give them to Mutou to help ease the burden of his passing?  Raphael really did care about them clearly..."

Miheal nodded. “May I open these? I want to read this, just in case. I will give it to them either way, but I just want to see if it’s ideal now.”

"Sure..."  Ukyou said, passing them over.  

The one labelled "Yuugi" was opened first.  

"Dear Yuugi,

I'm sorry to say that if you're reading this letter, I won't be able to see you anymore.  Believe me when I say how sorry I am that I could not be there for you in person longer, for I have truly enjoyed your company and watching you improve all the time just makes my day.  I know that this news will be hard for you to handle, but I want you to know that I will always be with you in spirit, and I hope you will continue to grow and flourish.  Be strong, Yuugi.  You're not alone...you have Yami, you have Dr. Arclight, and you have Koutei to help you.  Don't give up.  You're in good hands.

I have also left instructions with my lawyer to give you a portion of my wealth so that you will be well looked after once you are deemed well enough to leave the Correctional Facility.  I know you can do this, Yuugi, even if I'm not there to see it. You're so strong and brave.  I believe you and Yami can be whatever you want to be.  I believe in you.

Sincerely,

Raphael."  

Yami's letter was similar but in a slightly different tone.

"Dear Yami,

I'm sorry that I couldn't keep my promise to you as well.  I did try my hardest to stay alive, but if you're reading this letter, it means I was unsuccessful.  I am truly sorry that I couldn't see you or Yuugi again.  I have written a note for him as well to console him, but he's going to need your help as well.  I know you care for him greatly, and you're strong.  Don't be afraid to reach out to him in his time of need...he does like you alot.  You can also rely on Dr. Arclight, even though your relationship sounds rocky, and Koutei as well.  Trust them.  They're there to help you and care for you deeply.

Secondly, I wanted to ask that if you ever do get out of prison, I don't want you to get revenge for me.  I don't want your Devil's Luck to turn on you as mine did.  So take this as my dying wish: if you ever get out, you have to go straight, Yami.  I don't want you back in the Underground, feeding the vicious cycle of your addiction, or applying your vigilante justice to finding my killer.  I want you to live, and to prove that, I'm giving you and Yuugi a portion of my wealth, not to gamble, but to save and invest in your future.  I know you can do this, Yami, even without me.  I believe in you both.

Sincerely,

Raphael"

“… Kawahara Raphael was a good man,” Miheal said. “… Strong, brave, dependable, and incredibly loyal to Yami and Yuugi. Not many people would forgive their potential killers, nor would they help them so avidly to reform. He was truly one man in a million. It’s a shame he’s gone…” He closed the envelopes and carefully sealed them again.

“… It may do Yami good if you talk to him. Give him the news and the letter. I think Raphael knew Yami as well as himself… If what I’ve seen of him is correct, he’ll understand, though with some… yelling.”

“… If you promise me to drop it gently, and to give him the letter to read before he shuts down, I’ll let you talk to them. We’ll try leave it to Yami first, but we’ll see."

Ukyou nodded.

"He was a very kind and caring person indeed...he will be greatly missed by many."  Ukyou said.  He smiled.

"Well, the stories of Kawahara-san are that he was a former gang member and familiar with the streets and the Underground...similar to what Yami had before he was arrested.  I'm not surprised."  Ukyou said.

"I will be as gentle as possible...I don't want to hurt either of them with this news.  They have the right to know and neither of them are responsbile for his death.  I have no reason to be hard on them.  Would you like me to come back in the morning?  I assume they're probably asleep right now..."

“It probably would be best to come back in the morning.” Miheal smiled at him. “When they’re both awake and probably well rested. You’re free to come back when you’re ready, Superintendent. I imagine with his death, you have a busy night ahead of you.”

Ukyou sighed deeply.

"It has been a long day...and I wouldn't want to disturb their rest.  I'll come back tomorrow as soon as I can."  Ukyou said, getting up.  

"Sorry for keeping you, Dr. Arclight.  You can hold onto those letters and give them to Mutou whenever you think is best.  I'll see you tomorrow."

“I’ll wait for you to come back in tomorrow morning. I won’t give them before,” Miheal smiled. “You take care, alright?” He got up to head to his safe so he could put the letters in. “I’ll see you then.”

After Miheal locked up the letters and escorted Ukyou out, Droite called Ukyou’s number. Even though their discussion had been short, the drive from Kawahara’s house to the Correctional Facility was over an hour, and after the discussion it was closing in on two hours since Ukyou had left the house.

“Hey Ukyou, it’s me,” Droite said. “… Looks like forensics is over the house but until testing comes back, there’s not much to do here. I’ve asked Barrett to send the night team over. You don’t have to come back, it seems.”

Ukyou nodded.

"See you tomorrow, Dr. Arclight.  Thanks again."  He said, picking up his phone and listening.

"Alright...I haven't talked to Mutou yet, but I've discussed how we're going to break the news with Dr. Arclight.  Tomorrow morning, I'll be coming back here first thing.  The sooner the better..."  Ukyou mused.  He nodded.

"Alright.  I'll be heading home then...you should too, Droite.  You worked hard today.  Go home and rest."  Ukyou said, truly grateful for his hard-working team.

“Alright. Then all the more reason you should go back and get some sleep. Don’t worry, I’m heading back as well. It’s just you were at the office long before I was. You need to rest or you’re going to crash,” Droite said. Sometimes she wondered how she kept ending up with bosses who overworked themselves.

“Take care, Ukyou. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Droite smiled. “Let me know if you need anything.”

"Good. What I need from you right now is to rest up as well, alright? Have a good night, Droite. I'll see you tomorrow." Ukyou said with a smile, before hanging up and heading home himself. He was surprised when he got home and noticed Chris' car parked outside. He couldn't help but smile. "Chris? You there?" He called as he stepped out of the car, knowing the other has no key.

Chris had been in his car for some time now, waiting for Ukyou. It had been a while since he had seen him, and Chris hoped he was able to surprise him outside of his home. Even though it was well past ten, Chris was more than happy to wait for the other man. When he saw Ukyou pull up, he got out of his car, pulling the cold homemade food that had been on the passenger seat.

“I was wondering if I was going to fall asleep waiting for you. You certainly work hard, don’t you, Ukyou?” The man smiled.

"Im sorry, Chris. It's been a really long day..." Ukyou said. He smiled when he saw his boyfriend and the food he'd brought. He was grateful for it, especially on a day like today...it would be perfect to just relax.

"Thanks for waiting...you're the best. Here, let me help you get this inside..." he said, heading to the door and unlocking it and holding it open for Chris.

“No, it’s fine. It’s what I get for coming over uninvited. I just figured you might want something that isn’t take out.” Chris slipped his shoes off and headed inside. He turned to look at Ukyou in the light, but he found himself frowning, seeing how utterly tired and drained the older man looked.

“Are you alright? You look more than the usual tired. Something up?”

Ukyou smiled.

"I would love it. Home cooked meals are a rarity in my line of work." He mused. He took off his jacket and shoes after closing the door and sighed.

"...I've just got a lot going on right now...we had a drug bust today to save Kaito...then I just got back from a crime scene where another undeserving CEO was murdered brutally by the escaped assassin from last week..." Ukyou sighed.

"...sorry. Let's just relax, alright?"

“…. Yeah… I know about Kaito.” Chris sighed. “I was at the hospital before I made the food. He was in surgery when I was there. I’m his next of kin and they’re not letting me see him. It’s pretty bad.”

“… It’s alright, if you want to talk about it. It must be tiring to keep it all in,” Chris said, going to the kitchen to heat the food up in the microwave.

Ukyou sighed.

"He was really bad when I saw him. I'll try to go visit him when he's stable enough." Ukyou said. He sat at the table with a sigh.

"...well...i do love my work, but lately we've been severely understaffed. We're not getting enough new recruits and the board isn't too happy with my performance as superintendent...I'm pretty sure they're going to demote me soon...if not completely fire me..." Ukyou said.

“I’ll keep you updated, if you want.” Chris sighed. He barely understood why Kaito went after Dennis by himself, and admittedly he wanted some answers, but he knew he had to wait. Chris took cups and plates out, setting the table up around Ukyou around the man as he talked.

“Because of the incidents, right? But that can’t be all your fault."

"Please. I would like it very much if you did that...my team and I worry about him." Ukyou said.

"...Yeah. Under my leadership, we lost a significant number of people in a drug bust that didn't even catch the dealer, an elite assassin escaped from under our noses, injuring several officers, and now we're dealing with some 30 dead people that were taken out by that assassin." Ukyou said with a sigh.

Chris nodded. He knew very well about the impact Kaito on the Heartland Central Police Force, so he was more than happy to do this for his boyfriend. The man frowned as he saw Ukyou’s face drop and he sat down next to him, placing the cutlery on the table.

“… Ah… That’s rough…” Chris felt awkward, not sure what he could say in that situation. He put a hand on Ukyou’s back. “… Is there anything you can really do about that? Or is it just working and waiting for the board?”

Ukyou sighed. "...I don't know...I've gotta try and frame it in the most positive way possible when I talk to them. They expect updates all the time. So I've just got to go see them...and hope they don't decide to let me go..." Ukyou said. He leaned into Chris' touch, glad he was with him.

“You dedicate everything you have to your job. You’re a hard-working man, and they appointed you to this role in the first place for a reason. Hopefully they’ll have seen your efforts and understand.” Chris hoped that Ukyou wouldn’t lose his job. A man like Ukyou certainly didn’t deserve it. Chris let Ukyou lean on him and he squeezed him gently.

“When do you have to see them next?"

"...by the end of the week, I've got to report back to them..." Ukyou said with a sigh.

"...I don't think they'll fire me...but they've been unhappy with my leadership for awhile now. I'll probably be demoted...which isn't bad, I guess...but still...I might also be transferred from my team..."

“Ah… and you’re worried about your teammates?” Chris asked, looking at him, not as familiar with the police structure despite being close to both Kaito and Ukyou.

"...Yeah. We've all worked together since day one...I'd hate to be split up from them..." Ukyou said, leaning into Chris.

"...Plus, we'd get a new boss...I suspect they might try and promote Droite, which would be fine...if she wants it. She's very organized and skilled...if it's anyone else it should be her in my view..."

“Mmmm… I have some lab assistants that I’ve grown close to myself. It would be awful if I lost them or any of my peers. Hopefully that won’t be the case.” Chris ran his fingers through Ukyou’s short, curly hair, ignoring the beeps from the microwave alerting the food was warm.

“Droite… She’s friends with Kaito. Her and Gauche. I remember them. I suppose she’d fit. She seems capable at least.”

Ukyou nodded, leaning into Chris' comforting and relaxing touch. He missed this...he loved spending time with Chris.

"Mmm...she's capable. But it does mean she has to take on more work..." Ukyou said.

"Yeah. I really don't want to split the team up. We've been through so much together...and we work well with each other. I'll have to try and convince the board to keep us all as a set, with Droite and I switching positions perhaps..."

Chris had missed it too. He smiled as Ukyou responded to his light scratching and he kissed his forehead gently.

“Yeah… Hopefully. I guess all that’s left is to wait and see. No use spending the night worrying about it, right?"

Ukyou sighed.

"You're right...I should try to relax..." He smiled, giving Chris a kiss.

"...thanks for listening."

Chris smiled back at Ukyou. He let the man press his lips against his and smiled.

“Well, that’s what your boyfriend is supposed to do, right? I’m happy to be here for you. Whether at work or just listening like this.” He smiled at Ukyou. Then, after a moment, he got up to go get the food.

“I hope you like stew. I’m not sure if you like spicy stuff or not, so I just decided to play it safe."

Ukyou smiled.

"That's true...I'm here for you too, if you need anything..." Ukyou said. He smiled wider.

"Stew sounds terrific. I'm not picky at all...like I said we don't get home cooked food once often." Ukyou said, digging into the meal with a smile.

“Thanks, Ukyou…” Really his only worry was Kaito now, but since he didn’t want Ukyou to worry, he didn’t want to bring that up. Chris smiled as he sat back down with a bowl of stew for himself, having not had dinner either since he wanted to eat with Ukyou.

“Well, even if you’re not picky, you should tell me your likes and dislikes. That way I’ll have a better idea on what to cook next time,” the man smiled.

Ukyou smiled.

"I don't mind spicy food..." Ukyou said, sighing.

"....it's been a long time since someone cooked for me, Chris. This is delicious and touching. Thank you." Ukyou said. The last time had been his wife, really. He didn't count the takeout that the cops usually did.

“Hey… It’s no problem.” Chris looked over and he raised an eyebrow, surprised how quick Ukyou had eaten most of his food. It only emphasised how tired the other man was, and how hungry he must have been. “Like I said, I’m here to support you regardless. Though my schedule may not allow me to do this too often. The project you’ve given me is tough.”

Ukyou was indeed both tired and hungry and extremely grateful for the food.  He listened.

“Ah yes...with Sakaki Yuuya.”  Ukyou said.

“How is he doing?  We still have his brother at the station...he was worried about him going to hospital.”

“Well I’ve started the cure research so I actually saw him in hospital before he had surgery and they started giving him sedatives. I’ve also taken a sample of his former medication as a frame of reference.” Chris paused, knowing he was about to go on a tangent so he redirected him to the man.

“He’s asking for his brothers a lot… Yuuto in particular, since he’s the one who can’t visit. He’s scared of the hospital honestly. He’s like a child. Right now the hospital and I haven’t done much, really. I think his actual surgery starts tomorrow or the day after.”

Ukyou listened, nodding along.  He was glad Chris was on this case...it meant Yuuya was in good hands.  He sighed at the second part.

“...I figured that might happen...have any of his other two brothers come to see him?  Maybe that would placate him...I'd have to work on getting clearance to let Yuuto see Yuuya...it would take awhile.  Plus, I don't want Yuuto visiting when Yuuya can't see him due to surgery...”  Ukyou said.

“...According to Yuuto, Yuuya was institutionalized for most of his teenage years and had a bad experience.  His illness is serious and I guess the previous doctors who looked at him didn't know how to deal with it properly.  But I'm glad you're on the case...hopefully in time, you and the other doctors can make Yuuya more comfortable.”  

“From what he told me, Yuuri comes almost daily. I think Yuuri’s visits are shorter, but Yuuya says that’s because he’s so busy.” Chris said, thankful he hand’t mixed the two of them up.

“I see… Well The Maiami-Heartland-Domino hospitals weren’t so good twenty years ago, so I’m hardly surprised they didn’t know what to do. I’ll be doing my best with his cure. I’m actually hoping to meet with Ms. Catherine on the case. I emailed her prior to this and she expressed interest in collaborating for Sakaki-san’s cure. So hopefully we’ll have something soon."

Ukyou nodded.

“That does make sense...Sakaki Yuri is a politician.  He's no doubt extremely busy...and financially speaking, probably the best suited to look after Yuuya.  I believe his other brother Sakaki Yuugo works in a small auto-garage.”  He sighed.

“That's another thing that needs to happen...once Yuuto goes to prison, he can't provide for Yuuya as a legal guardian.  One of his other two brothers would be best to look after him...and from what I've gathered, the two remaining brothers don't get along well.  I hope there won't be an ugly custody battle.”  Ukyou mused.  He smiled.

“Ms. Catherine would be an excellent addition to your task...I've heard she's making real progress in the pharmaceutical industry.  With you and her working together, we'll have the best of the best here in Heartland working to help Sakaki Yuuya.  I'll pass that along to Yuuto...it should reassure him a little.”  

“Besides that, he’s fine. He wants the pain to stop, so he seems alright with surgery. He just misses Yuuto.” Chris said. He didn’t know much about the Sakaki family situation, so he nodded.

“Hopefully not. Maybe they’ll end up working together for their brother’s sake. Ideally, that would be the best since they both sound busy.” Chris said, finishing his food off.

“MMM… I hope it does help. It’s an interesting venture. She’s fascinated by this Zarc syndrome that Yuuya has as well. I imagine she’ll ask permission to study it after we’re done dealing with his chronic pains.”

“That's good...I'll see if I can arrange some sort of visit for the two of them.”  Ukyou said.  He had never liked the idea of separating family at a time like this...Yuuto's days of being able to see Yuuya were limited.  Once he went to jail, Yuuya would have to go to him...and that was if he got a cure that allowed him to walk around freely.  

“That is ideal...we'll just have to wait and see.”  Ukyou said.  He really hoped that did happen...they both seemed to be alike in their caring for Yuuya...but they simply could not stand each other for some reason.  Maybe Yuuto could be the placating force in the middle if Yuuya could not be...he seemed to be a reasonable person, despite his criminal ties.  

“It is quite interesting...Yuuto explained a little bit of it to us in interrogation.  He said that apparently the quadruplets can feel a fraction of Yuuya's pain when he's not sedated or otherwise medicated...that's how they all knew that the attack happened without communicating to each other.”  Ukyou said.  

“Hopefully even one visit might be good for them. It would improve Yuuya’s help at very least. That I’m certain of,” Chris said, nodding sagely.

“It sounds incredibly improbable, honestly, but stranger things have happened. Hopefully Ms. Catherine won’t be too intense on them when she decides to look at that medical condition. I heard she can be quite relentless once she gets onto a case that she likes.”

“It would...I hope it does happen.”  Ukyou said.

“That is true...but identical quadruplets is also unusual...this whole case is odd.”  Ukyou mused.  He sighed.

“I have heard that too...hopefully she doesn't scare Yuuya.”  

“Yeah… on top of everything else, no wonder you seem so tired,” Chris laughed, looking at the other man. He smiled then, warm at Ukyou, looking at his face.

“Well we have to deal with Yuuya’s chronic pains first, so there’s plenty to do before she’s distracted.” Chris mused. “One thing at a time. Like sleep. Go shower, alright? I’ll clean up here."

Ukyou sighed, putting his head in his hands.

“Yeah...I have a lot of work to do...”  Ukyou said.  He smiled.

“...Are you sure?  I can help a little...you made the dinner, so I should at least help you clean...”

Chris leaned over and he kissed Ukyou on the forehead. “Go shower. Go sleep. You need it. I can clean up. I’ll be alright. Don’t worry, Ukyou. I’ll see myself out too.”

Ukyou smiled when Chris kissed him.  He quickly caught the man's hand before he could pull away to go clean and then maybe leave.

“...Stay?  Please?  We can cuddle in bed...it's big enough for the both of us...”  Ukyou asked.

Chris nearly dropped the bowl as Ukyou grabbed his sleeve suddenly. He turned to him, a little startled, before he smiled. “You want me to stay over? Really?”

“Yes...I mean, if you want to...”  Ukyou said, flushing a little.

Chris stared at Ukyou for a moment before he chuckled quietly. He leaned over and tilted the other man’s head up, placing a kiss on his lips.

“Of course… I didn’t bring something to sleep in, so I hope you don’t mind me just in this.”

Ukyou blushed when Chris tilted his head up, returning the kiss gently with a smile.  

“You could borrow some of my pyjamas if you want...they might be a bit too short, but it might be more comfortable...whatever you want...”  Ukyou said gently.

“Well… go shower. I’ll see what’s comfortable.” Chris smiled at him and slowly pulled his hand away. He petted the man’s cheek and headed back to the kitchen to clean up.

“Alright...see you in a bit then...”  Ukyou said, heading up to the shower as he'd been instructed, happy to be spending the night with Chris.  It would be a nice reprieve before tomorrow morning, when he'd have to tell Mutou that someone he cared for very much was dead, and deal with more cases.

Ukyou deserved a break. He was a hard-working man, who had a lot of misfortune happen to him, many outside of his control. He deserved nice things, and Chris wished that he could help a little bit more. The scientist washed the few dishes and the dishes, sighing quietly as he worked. At least he was glad that Ukyou wanted him to stay. Chris honestly didn’t want to go home that night. He didn’t want to admit it out loud that his reason for coming over wasn’t completely selfless.

Kaito was hurt and he hadn’t noticed that he was even gone until the police called him. He felt like an idiot. If he had noticed earlier, would the police have found Kaito sooner? Would they have gotten the jump on this Macfield? Would Kaito be as injured as he was now? The last bit was the hardest to think about, considering that Kaito was his best and maybe his only friend. He didn’t want to lose him… He didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to be alone right now…

He sighed as he finished washing his cup and he switched off the tap. After making sure the door was locked and everything was tidy, he switched the lights off and headed over to where Ukyou had walked, assuming the bedroom was somewhere. He found it rather easily, since Ukyou had left the door open and thrown his coat in there.

Chris sighed as he sat on the bed, figuring it might be better to wait for Ukyou rather than go through his cupboards for clothes.

Ukyou took a quick shower, not really wanting Chris to be left waiting.  But as he took it, he realized just how tired he really was.  He put on his pyjamas and exited the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel when he spotted Chris.  He smiled.

“Here...you can borrow these.”  Ukyou said, going to his drawer and pulling out a pair of pyjamas for Chris.  

Chris gave him a small smile. “Ah… Thanks… I appreciate it. Let me go clean up and I’ll join you.” He got up and headed to the bathroom, half expecting to find Ukyou asleep already when he got back.

“Of course.  There's a spare towel in there you can use.”  Ukyou said, continuing to dry his hair and get ready for bed.  He didn't want to lie down, since he knew he'd probably end up asleep on the spot...he wanted to wait for Chris.  

“Yeah. I’ll steal a toothbrush too, alright?” Chris said behind him. He decided not to wash his hair, seeing that would take forever to dry, so Chris’ shower was relatively quick in comparison to Ukyou’s.

“That's fine!”  Ukyou called.  He sank down onto the bed, pulling the covers back and lay down, waiting for Chris to come out.  He was exhausted and wanted to sleep as soon as possible.  He smiled as he saw Chris come out of the bathroom at last...as suspected, his pyjamas were too short, but they still made Chris look cute.

The long-sleeve shirt came very short, as well as the sweatpants, but thankfully for Chris, he was thin enough to fit anyway. He smirked when he saw Ukyou and he turned off the lights, easily finding his way into the bed and slipping in under the covers next to the other man.

“I expected to find you asleep already. I told you to go rest."

Ukyou immediately hugged Chris close when the other came under the covers with him.

"I didn't want to sleep without you..."  Ukyou murmured softly, smiling at Chris.

Chris hadn’t seen this cute side of Ukyou, and he was suddenly glad the lights were off because his cheeks turned bright red. He chuckled shyly and pulled his arms around the smaller man, leaning into his hold. “Goodnight, Ukyou. Sleep well, alright? Don’t forget your early start.”

Ukyou sighed, letting Chris hold him back.  He felt safe and warm and happy right now...tomorrow seemed like so far away.   “I won't...you shouldn't either.  Night night...”  He said softly, already dozing off in complete peace and tranquility with the man he loved.

Ukyou was really cute, and Chris couldn’t help but stare in the dark at the older man. He buried his face against the other’s chest and smiled, finding himself falling asleep quickly himself.

-x-

Yuugi woke up the morning after Raphael was murdered feeling perfectly fine.  He got dressed in his daytime outfit and was content to write in his journal, noting that Yami had left him a response on his question about the Millenium Puzzle:

"It's hidden somewhere safe.  We'll get it when we leave here...it means a lot to me too.  I would never give it away."  Yami had promised, which made Yuugi smile.  

"I'm glad it's safe..."  He mused, before looking up when the guards and Dr. Arclight came to his door.  He was surprised...it felt too early for breakfast.  

"...Yuugi, yes?"  Miheal said, a little disappointed it wasn't Yami this morning.  He'd rather be talking to Yami right now.  Yuugi smiled and nodded.

"Yes...is something wrong, Doctor?"  He asked.  Miheal gave Yuugi a small smile.

"...The police superintendent would like to speak to you this morning.  He's in the visiting room...come along."  Miheal said, letting Yuugi walk to the wheelchair on his own.  Yuugi frowned a little as he did so.  He'd never been visited by the cops since his arrest...what had happened?  Yami was internally panicking, wondering if they'd been told about his past relation to Koutei.  

A few minutes later, they entered the room where Ukyou sat across the table from him.  Yuugi let himself out of his wheelchair to sit properly in the provided seat across from Ukyou.  He gave him a small smile.

"Hello, Superintendent...Ukyou-san, right?"  He said, hoping he remembered the name correctly.

It was far too early in the morning, but after a comfortable sleep last night, Ukyou felt well-rested and ready to tackle the case again. It didn’t take him long to get ready and leave a sleeping Chris with the keys to his house, and before he knew it, he was at the Correctional Facility again. He sat down in the prisoner visitor chamber, and he smiled back when he saw Yuugi, though inwardly, like Miheal, he also wished he was talking to Yami.

“Yes, that’s right. Good Morning, Yuugi. I’m sorry that I had to wake you up so early. I hope you had a good sleep regardless."

Yuugi smiled a little.   “It's okay...I was already awake.”  He said, feeling Yami stirring in his head, anxious to know why the police were here so early.  

“...What brings you here so early, Ukyou-san?”  Yuugi asked tentatively.  He wondered if the cops had come for Yami, who was watching, but seemed unwilling to take over at the moment.  Yami really didn't want to talk to the cops, it seemed.

Ukyou’s face fell a little, and he tried to smile at Yuugi. He sighed, and he passed Raphael’s letter, figuring that Yuugi needed to read that first. Both he and Doctor Arclight  had both agreed to have Raphael break the news of his own death, and then focus on reassuring Yuugi.

“Here..."

Yuugi waited, noting how somber Ukyou looked. In fact, a quick glance around told him that Dr. Arclight and even the guards looked a little sad....

He accepted the envelope.

"What is this..." He mused, reading his name on the top. He recognized that handwriting...it was Raphael's. He immediately opened it to read what was inside. He read the first line and suddenly it was like his world stopped.

"...Raphael...is...." He stammered, eyes watering and trembling. Raphael was dead. That was all he could focus on....

And suddenly, Yuugi was falling away and Yami emerged, dropping the letter and standing up, slamming his hands down on the table loudly.

"How dare you...implying that Raphael is dead?! I just saw him yesterday! He's alive!" Yami cried, having seen what Yuugi saw and felt Yuugi crying in his mind. He wanted to reassure him...this was clearly some sick game by the cops.

Ukyou had hoped that Yuugi would at least be able to get through the entire letter, even in his sadness. He watched the man read and was ready to comfort him, when all of a sudden Yami was yelling at him. Ukyou looked at the now angry man with tears in his eyes, and he made sure Yami could see how serious he was.

“It happened last night. There was a fight at his house. We found him.” Ukyou said, careful not to use too many words that implied his death, especially since Yuugi was more fragile than they thought. “We found these letters too. The other one is for you Yami, from him."

Yami listened, feeling Yuugi listening too in his head, seemingly crying out even more when he heard Ukyou confirm it. Yami's eyes narrowed and he groaned a little in pain, but he didn't let himself waver.

"...You're lying...he...he told me he had extra security! He promised us he wasn't going to die!" Yami exclaimed, feeling an overall sense of dread by how serious Ukyou looked. He suddenly felt like he was grasping uselessly at straws, clinging to a fake reality where Raphael was still here. He bit his lip and opened the letter, not bothering to check for his name.

Unlike Yuugi, he was able to read the whole thing, but he did falter at the first line, seeing that in Raphael's own words, he was dead. There were all the signs in the letter that this was truly Raphael: the mention of the Devil's Luck they both shared, the calm, understanding tone...the mention of his gambling past that he'd offered advice on. Yami could feel his eyes watering too, but he simply could not accept this...Yuugi was fading...fading...

Suddenly he was scared. He crushed the letter in his fist and tossed it aside, grabbing Ukyou's collar and hauling him up to his eye level.

"I won't accept this...He's not dead! He can't be!" He screamed, partially to Ukyou, but mostly to Yuugi.

“He did. He has twenty five guards on his property. However, they weren’t prepared for the assassin. Raphael had to kill him himself, at a cost.” Ukyou knew Miheal was watching, monitoring his patient, and even though they had taken precautions they knew this was one of the conclusions that could happen, but they all didn’t want to.

Ukyou flinched as Yami grabbed him and he grabbed Yami’s hands back, using his strength to yank himself free. Immediately, a couple of guards burst in the room, to pull Yami back and restrain him to the chair. Ukyou had wanted to avoid it, but Yami was getting violent.

“I’m sorry. I really am."

Yami was trembling in both rage and fear. He was even more upset to hear how devastating it was...so...it was Sergey... ""NO!" He screamed even louder as he was ripped away from Ukyou. "You filthy liar!! Hes not dead!!" He cried, struggling against the guards who were trying to pin him to the chair. Dr. Arclight watched. "Yami...please calm down..." "Stop lying!!!" Yami screeched back, ripping an arm free and punching one of the guards. Dr. Arclight sighed, motioning for one of the guards to sedate Yami. He didn't want to do it, but Yami seemed beyond reason. "No!!" Yami cried, being restrained just enough so the guards could sedate him. Very quickly, he could feel himself losing consciousness...and he slowly passed out in the chair, crying softly. "Im sorry, Ukyou-san...are you okay?" Miheal asked.

Ukyou gave a grimace as he pulled back and straightened himself out. He sighed, watching Yami get sedated and shook his head.

“I’m fine. I think I could have done that better. It was foolish of me to mention Sergey. I broke the plan to drop this carefully. I’m sorry, Doctor Arclight."

Miheal sighed.

"It's my fault too....I underestimated Yami's reaction as well..." He reached down and picked up the crumpled piece of paper.

"At least the news was broken...even if they don't believe it now...they will with time when they notice Raphael doesn't come back. I'll help them through this, Ukyou-san. It's my job after all."

“I know.” Ukyou sighed. “I didn’t expect Yami to help us just yet, but I still hoped he might give us a hint to who is behind all these murders. I suppose it’ll have to wait for next time.”

“I should take my leave, shouldn’t I?”

Miheal nodded.

"Yes...next time. I'll make sure he's calmer." Miheal said.

"I wouldn't want to keep you...the sedative will keep him out for a few hours yet. And when he wakes up I doubt he'll be in a state that he could talk to you in."

“Yes… keep me posted, Doctor Arclight. Hopefully next time, it won’t end so poorly.” He handed Yuugi’s letter to Miheal, knowing Chris’ brother would have better luck getting through to Mutou that he would. “I’m sorry to leave so quickly. Take care.”

Miheal nodded, accepting the letter with a smile.

"I hope so too. Take care, Ukyou-san." He said, having a guard show Ukyou out. The others loaded Mutou carefully into his wheelchair.

"Take him to his room...let me know when he wakes up, alright?" Miheal asked the guards. They nodded, brining Mutou to his room and tucking him into bed. They stood watch by the door as instructed.

Meanwhile, other guards were busy waking up the other patients for breakfast. Shinji Weber made his way down into the lunch room looking for Yami. It had been awhile since the last conspiracy theory after all...

But he waited until all the prisoners were let into the lunch room and didn't see Mutou at all, which was odd. His hair was easy to recognize. He did spot Koutei, who was alone without him...further proof that Yami wasn't here.

"Hey, Ouji. Where's Yami? Do you know?" Shinji asked.

Koutei frowned, seeing Shinji wander over, but he didn’t completely object to the older man’s company. Especially when he asked the same question Koutei himself had been asking all morning.

“I don’t know. Usually the guards wheel him down here before we get here, so I don’t know. I haven’t seem him.”

"Hmm..." Shinji mused.

"...Some of my guys did hear screaming this morning...early morning. I bet they're starting their prisoner tortures...Mutou could be their latest victim. They've finally caught on that he's our insider..." Shinji whispered, glancing around.

"...Plus I think he's the only one missing...nobody has therapy this early..."

Koutei paused. Although a part of him jumped at possible information, his more rational mind kicked in before he could say anything. His shocked expression morphed into a frown and he crossed his arms, as if irritated to have Shinji wasting his time.

“… You’re not wrong that he’s missing… and no one has therapy so early… But no one gets tortured here, Shinji. You know that. And I know that."

Shinji gave Koutei a look.

"How else do you explain why he's not here? No therapy...and they don't let us sleep in...hes not sick, cause he was fine yesterday...so that only means something bad happened. Coupled with the screams my guys heard this morning, hes definitely being tortured." Shinji said with a smile.

"But don't worry. Mutou's tough as nails...he won't tell them anything about the movement. I'm confident of that!"

Koutei for a moment honestly thought he was in the wrong, based on the look that Shinji gave him. Then he suddenly remembered what was going on and gave another scowl. Damn it. How did Shinji always manage to make him second guess himself with his dumb theories? Or was it just when it concerned Mutou…? “He… Could have had an accident. If he screamed then he could have fallen over and hurt himself.” Koutei tried not to think too hard on that idea, not wanting to see Yami in too much pain. “He could have had a nightmare and a breakdown… I hope not but they’re valid options.” “… What movement was this now? The bee force or the Arcadia or whatever?"

"Ah, that's how it's probably gonna be framed, but don't let them fool you Koutei. What happens is no accident!" Shinji said.

"It's the Revolution movement...we're gonna overthrow the doctors and guards who are belittling us and take back our freedoms! I'll keep you posted as it develops...for now, I gotta spread the word some more!" Shinji said, waving off Koutei before going to talk to other people about Mutou being tortured.

Meanwhile, Yami was starting to wake up from the sedatives hours after his meeting with Ukyou. He woke up staring at the ceiling and feeling...off somehow.

"...was this morning all a dream...?" He murmured. That might explain why he felt so odd, but somehow it felt wrong...Yami instinctively began his morning routine of checking his notebook for messages from Yuugi when it finally hit him.

"...Yuugi...?" He murmured, suddenly aware of how...silent his mind was. He couldn't even feel a single sign of Yuugi's presence...he dropped the journal in horror as he realized this was the same as the day Jii-chan died seven years ago. Oh god...then everything this morning...it was real...

"Y-Yuugi...Yuugi! YUUGI!!!" Yami screamed, starting to cry again as his scream turned incoherent. He closed his eyes as tears poured down his cheeks and screamed, slamming his hands down on the bed, the walls, clutching his head and silently begging Yuugi to come back...Raphael to be alive...but it was no use...he was alone again.

And so all he could do was scream louder.

“Right…” Koutei sighed and shook his head. “And Revolution Movement… Also right. I’ll see you later.” He waved at Shinji and watched him go off. He sighed as he stared at the door, really hoping that Mutou hadn’t been hurt and they were just late for some reason.

Hours after meeting also meant a few hours into breakfast. Although the main period was over, Koutei, Shinji and a few others were helping with the clean up, as prisoners often did to help them maintain some normalcy in their lives. However, as loud as the heavens were, and from the unsilenced rooms, the patients all heard Yami’s screams.

“What?” Koutei stopped, nearly dropping the dish.

“Huh? Oh! That must be Mutou! Man… they must be trying to get into his head really hard.” Shinji said, though he did look pleased that his theory had been right. Koutei ignored the urge to smack his friend and he stared, wondering if he could run off and avoid the guards.

“Doctor Arclight?” A guard ran into Miheal’s office. “You asked me to notify you on Mutou. He’s awake now. He’s screaming. He won’t stop."

Miheal could hear Yami's screams as well and was honestly surprised at how badly he was reacting.

"I hear him...this is not good. He needs to calm down before we can help him..." Miheal said. He didn't want to sedate him again because he was already on enough medication as is. He also doubted Yami would listen to him right now...that only left one option.

"Follow me to the cafeteria. I have an idea." Miheal said, heading out. He scanned the remaining prisoners and spotted Koutei.

"Koutei, please come with me. Weber, please take over his duties." Miheal said, gesturing Koutei out of the cafeteria so they could talk.

The guard nodded and followed quickly after Miheal. Thankfully, Koutei hadn’t left or done anything stupid just yet.

“Doctor Arclight?” The blonde blinked as he saw his therapist, but seeing a chance to leave, he followed after the guard and Miheal.

“Is this about Mutou? What happened? Who is screaming?"

Miheal nodded. "Yes it is, unfortunately.  Follow me." Miheal said, gesturing Koutei along, the guards flanking their sides to ensure Koutei didn't try anything funny. "...It's Yami, I think. But let me explain...yesterday evening, Mutou's friend Kawahara Raphael was killed. We told Mutou this morning before breakfast...he didn't take it well and we had to sedate him. He woke up recently and is in clear distress...my guards have tried to console him, but he's only lashed out at them. I want to help him, but I can't when he's like this..." Miheal said, looking at Koutei. "...I was hoping you could help calm him down. He trusts you, and you've said that you want to help him in the past."

Koutei walked a little behind Miheal, easily keeping up with the man’s unsteady limp. He listened thoughtfully and his eyes widened as he heard the news. Raphael was killed? That was Yuugi’s and Yami’s only friend, as far as Koutei knew. The blonde bit his lip and nodded.

“Right… Of course. Let me see him. I’ll do whatever I can."

Miheal nodded. "Alright...if you need help, don't hesitate to ask. I don't want him harming you, even by accident." Miheal said, stopping Koutei outside Yami's door, where inside the man was still crying. "We'll be out here watching...good luck." Miheal said, opening the door for Koutei. Yami meanwhile had collapsed to the floor, hands gripping the sheets of his bed with such strength the sheets were almost tearing. He was still crying and occasionally yelling, though his voice was hoarse now. His hands were sore from punching practically everything in his room...in general he just looked a mess. He heard the door open and close, immediately whirling around with bloodshot, teary eyes to yell at whoever had come in. "Leave me alone!" He cried, throwing a pillow blindly at the person he thought initially to be the guard. He didn't want to be sedated again...they'd made him lose Yuugi too partially.

Koutei nodded silently. He didn’t say anything, he merely just listened to the screams that got progressively louder. He had never heard Yami sound like this before. To be so hurt, to be so raw and in pain. The man stared at the door before he slowly walked inside, looking at Yami claw the bed and scream, like a loud, caged animal. Koutei had seen many guys in the facility have breakdowns like this, but he had never felt his heart ache so much when he saw them.

Koutei was quick to sidestep the pillow. His green eyes shone with pity as he walked forward to him. “Yami… Hey… Yami, it’s me.”

“Shhh… Hey… I just want to talk. It’s me, Koutei."

Yami was about to throw another pillow when he finally realized who had walked in. It wasn't a guard. It was Koutei. His eyes widened slightly, unwillingly letting more tears fall out.

"...Koutei..." He croaked out. Now he felt even worse...how was he going to tell Koutei that Yuugi was gone...Koutei would be upset.

"...He's...hes gone, Koutei...gone..." Yami said, feeling fresh tears coming again as he said it. Yuugi was gone. Maybe he'd never come back this time...

Koutei gave him a weak smile, sad and sympathetic. He knelt down to his friend and he immediately pulled him into a hug, knowing if Yami needed anything right now, it was one of those. He wrapped the smaller man into his strong arms, sighing quietly.

“It’ll be alright, understand? Just breathe. He wouldn’t want you to be like this,” Koutei murmured, thinking of Raphael. He didn’t know the man himself, but he figured as much from what Yami and Yuugi told him.

Yami accepted the hug without protest, holding Koutei close. He bit his lip.

"...I failed...I failed him again, Koutei...I couldn't...I couldn't save Raphael for him...now...he's gone..." Yami cried.

Koutei stroked the man’s back calmly, however, he gave a small frown as he took in Yami’s words. ‘Him’ wasn’t Raphael? Then who was it?

“What do you mean, Yami? Raphael is gone, right?” He asked, having a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Yami leaned into Koutei, holding him tight. Tears slid down his cheeks as he heard Koutei piece it together.

"...They're...they're both gone...Raphael...and...Yuugi..." His voice broke when he said Yuugi's name.

"...I can't...feel him anymore...he's gone again...maybe...maybe for good this time..." Yami cried.

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Koutei asked, still holding him. He wanted to look at Yami, but for once, he kept holding him tight.

“Yami? I’m…” Koutei felt a lump in his throat. “Yami, I’m sure he’s just retreated back. I… It’s going to be okay, alright?”

"...I can't feel him...I'm alone..." Yami said, feeling worse just by saying it. He knew that he'd upset Koutei...he hated that.

"...last time...it took 7 years....for him to come back...." Yami murmured.

"...please don't leave me Koutei...I...I don't wanna be alone anymore...you're...you're all I have left..." Yami cried, clinging to Koutei as he cried.

“Seven years…” Koutei prayed that certainly wasn’t the case. However, he was surprised with how tight Yami clung to him, pressing their bodies closer together until it felt suffocating. He stared at Yami as best as he could from the embrace, eyes wide. Yami… Yami was taking this so hard. He’d never seen him like this before. He never seen anyone in complete agony like this…

“… I promise I won’t. I promise. I’ll stay with you, Yami. And Yuugi.” Koutei stayed strong, for Yami’s sake even though he was shaking at the thought of Yuugi gone. “You won’t be alone, okay?”

Yami felt suddenly like Koutei was a life-line. He was now remembering how horribly wrong it had felt before to he without the main personality in his head. He'd buried that feeling for years, mostly around drugs and the euphoria he'd felt from winning gambles and other such games. Eventually, he'd been so addicted he'd forgotten what Yuugi meant to him and now that he had none of those things to distract him....it was like there was a hole inside him that was gaping and painful and could never be filled. Maybe the hole also had been partially Raphael's as well...so Yami was really feeling awful. He'd lost them both...he'd been unable to save them...

He held Koutei close, resting his head on the man's shoulder and turning slightly so he could see Koutei's face and judge how he was doing...he could feel him shaking.

"...thank you...and...I'm sorry....I know you loved him too..." Yami said softly.

Koutei couldn’t imagine what Yami was thinking, but then again, he figured he didn’t have to. He understood the depth of Yami’s pain, and while he couldn’t relate, he could be there for the man. The blonde stroked and rubbed Yami’s back reassuringly, trying to make it very clear that he was here for Koutei, and he’d never leave him, even if that did seem impossible.

He looked back at Yami as he moved to get more comfortable. He smiled gently, still somehow calm, as if the reality hadn’t sunken in for him yet.

“And I love you too… But it’s not your fault, alright? You didn’t do this. It’s not your fault.”

Yami's cries had slowly calmed, cheeks still flushed and eyes a little bloodshot and looking more crimson than purple at the moment. He gave a small sigh.

"...I told Raphael...something I shouldn't have...I was...I was trying to help him...but...it may have killed him...it is my fault..."

“… Told him what? Yami…” Koutei stared at him. “… Yami, deep breaths. You’re not thinking straight."

"...I told him...who hired me...to kill him..." Yami said, taking deep breaths as instructed.

"...my old boss..wouldn't like it...he sent Sergey...here for me...then sent him...for Raphael....cause he didn't want...the word to spread..." Yami said, biting his lip.

"....so it's my fault...it's my fault he was targeted again..."

“… If he was being targeted before by you, maybe your boss was just trying to finish the job. No one actually knew… You don’t know you caused it. You could have said nothing and it still happened,” Koutei pointed out.

Yami sighed.

"...I guess you're right...but I still feel bad...that I couldn't help him....thanks to that...Yuugi's gone...." Yami cried slightly.

“… We’ll get him back. Doctor Arclight and I both want him around, and I’m going to do everything I can to help.” Koutei brushed the tears off Yami’s face. “We’ll fix this somehow…"

Yami closed his eyes, keeping still as Koutei gently wiped his tears.

"...I want him here too...it feels...wrong to not have him around..." Yami admitted.

"...Maybe...he'll come back for you...so...stay? Keep talking to me...maybe he'll hear...?" Yami said, looking at Koutei.

“… I’ll stay as long as I’m able to. I really want him back.” Koutei murmured. “You hear that, Yuugi? I want you back as well. We both want to see your smile."

Yami gave him a small smile.

"...okay...thank you..." He said, curling closer to Koutei. He was tired out from all the screaming and crying and just wanted to rest, feeling safe as he did.

"...no reaction...but...maybe he'll hear you one day..." Yami said softly. He hadn't felt Yuugi stir or any sign of him being there.

“It is the first day… Maybe he’ll be back soon. Before we know it. Don’t worry about it, alright?” Koutei smiled at him. It was still early in the day after all, but Yami looked tired.

Koutei shifted a little and put his arms under Yami’s legs. Then, supporting his back, he slowly picked him up, powerful muscles moving the light frame to the bed.

“… It’s a lot to take in. You should rest."

Yami sighed, shifting closer to Koutei as if he intended to sleep against his chest.  

"...I hope so..."  He said softly.  He clung to Koutei when the other picked him up, not protesting as he normally might have.  All the screaming and crying had tired him out.  

"...Stay?"  He asked again, not wanting to be left alone.

Koutei was going to just tuck Yami in and sit on his bedside, but he didn’t want to give Yami the impression that he was going to leave. So instead, he tucked Yami in and laid down next to him, not under the covers like his friend, but over them. He took Yami’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

“Of course I will..."

Yami let Koutei tuck him in, for a moment reminded of Raphael.  The other had done this sort of thing for him all the time...but the difference came when Koutei lay down next to him.  Raphael had never done that...Yami smiled.

"...Thank you..."  He said, holding Koutei's hand back and curling close to him to rest.  He let exhaustion overtake him and slowly drifted off to sleep, reassured that he wasn't alone as long as Koutei was there.  

A few moments after Yami fell asleep, Miheal opened the door quietly to peek inside.

"...How is he, Koutei?"  Miheal asked softly, concerned for his patient.  He was okay with Yami going to sleep, but he was concerned on what had caused such an outbreak of emotion.

Koutei watched the boy close his eyes and settle for the night. He smiled, watching him lay down, stroking his shoulder well past when he was fast asleep. When Doctor Arclight poked through, he sat up a little.

“… He… he can’t sense Yuugi anymore. Yami says he lost him. He’s… not in a good state."

Miheal's eyes widened.  

"...Oh no..."  He murmured.  That explained why Yami was so stressed.  It seemed that Yuugi had not been as strong as he thought.  Miheal sighed.

"...Well...Yuugi's disappeared before and come back.  That means he's not gone forever.  We can run some tests to see if we can find out what happened...maybe there's something we can do that will help Yuugi return...medication or therapy or something."  Miheal said.

"...For now, we'll let him rest though.  Come along, Koutei.  He needs to sleep in peace."

“Hopefully. I don’t think Yami can deal with everything on his own. Not anymore.” Koutei looked back at the tired man and he frowned.

“… I said I wouldn’t leave him. Is it possible… if he wakes up can I come back?"

Miheal sighed.

“His coping methods in the past have been...destructive, yes.  We'll be monitoring him, so don't worry too much about that.”  Miheal said.  He frowned.  Usually that sort of thing wasn't allowed...but he also didn't want Yami to wake up and have another scream-fest that disturbed the other patients.  

“If he's in distress again when he wakes up, then yes.  Next time he wakes up though, I'll have to talk to him as well...see if I can work with him to find out exactly what happened and how we can maybe fix it to bring Yuugi back.”  Miheal said.

Koutei frowned once more- he felt like he was doing a lot of it these days- but he nodded too. He understood. It was difficult to accept but there were rules. He could only hope Yami didn’t need him, and meals would be enough to satisfy him.

“Yeah… Hopefully..."

“It'll work out, Koutei.  Last time Yuugi disappeared, Yami was completely alone...but he has help here.  We have technology that can help find out what's wrong...and of course, he has you as a friend.  You're Yuugi's friend too...he'll come back to see you, I'm sure.”  Miheal said reassuringly.  

“I know, I know…” Koutei looked at Yami. He stroked his hand before letting go and standing back up. He walked back to Doctor Arclight and the guards.

“Thank you."

Yami didn't even stir, exhausted from the emotional trauma he'd endured that morning.  

“Thank you for helping to calm him down...now he'll be able to rest and recover.”  Miheal said gently with a smile, leading Koutei out.  

“We'll keep you updated on how he's doing...he should be rejoining meals and pursuing his schedule as per normal, mostly.”  Miheal said, nodding to the guards.

“Take him back to his room, and keep watch over Mutou.”

Koutei nodded. “Alright… Thanks Doctor Arclight. Again, let me know if I can help again.” Koutei was escorted and the guards nodded, one staying to watch the inmate while the others escorted Koutei back and attended to their duties.

-x-

Yuuma had a day off of work today and was home alone with Iris.  Shark had to go into the garage, unfortunately, but Yuuma still wanted to have some fun with his daughter.

"Hey Iris, did you wanna go meet some more of my friends?"  Yuuma asked with a grin.  Iris nodded.

"Yay!"  She cheered.  Yuuma grinned.  

"Alright!  I'm gonna call one of them okay?  He's a former classmate of mine!"  Yuuma said, picking up his phone and dialing Takashi's number with a grin.

Ironically, Shark was in the garage because, Yusei wanted to take some time off. Since Judai was off work, Yusei had decided to take the two of them over to Takashi’s house. Yusei was checking on the cameras in Takashi’s house and Judai was talking to Takashi until the man felt the buzzing in his pocket. “Hmm? Ah, hang on Judai. The old man waved him off and Takashi stood up to answer it, knowing he was supposed to pick his phone up so his friends wouldn’t think he was off his meds again. “Hey Yuuma. What’s up?"

"Hey Inchou!  Guess what?  Shark and I have adopted our little girl!  We wanna come see you!  Can we come over?"  Yuuma asked with a grin.

Astral wasn't sure if he should be coming out at first, but Vector had assured him that Yusei and Judai were trustworthy, so he wasn't hiding.  But, he was a little distracted...concerned for Kaito.  He hoped he was doing okay.

"Ah, you're in luck Astral!  Yuuma's on the phone...and he wants to come over!"  Vector said, having hacked the phone so he could listen to the conversation.  Astral's eyes widened.

"...I would love to see him...I need to ask him if he will go see Kaito for me."

Takashi didn’t know Vector was listening in, but he smiled, knowing that Yuuma knew about Astral anyway. “Ah… Well I have Yusei and Judai here, but it should be fine. It’s not like we’re doing much. We’re all just hanging out. If you don’t mind the others here, feel free to come over. Tokunosuke showed me the group chat and she looks adorable. I’d love to meet your daughter,” he said brightly.

“It’s fine! Just so you know!” Judai yelled, not needing to ask Yusei.

Yusei simply grunted.  He didn't care if people came over.  It wasn't his house after all.  Astral smiled.

"I am glad Yuuma is coming...and I would love to meet his daughter as well."  Astral mused.  Vector snickered.

"Sure, bring the kid!  She can play with Judai."  He mused.  

Yuuma beamed.  

"Alright Inchou!  I'd love to see those guys, and neither of them have met Iris either!  I'll be over soon!"  Yuuma said, hanging up and turning to Iris.

"C'mon, let's get some toys packed to take to Inchou's then head out!"  Yuuma said.  Iris cheered and darted into her room to grab some of her favorite toys to bring.

“Because I’m so young at heart, right?” Judai grinned up at Vector. Takashi hid his laughter and smirked, leaning into the phone.

“Alright. See you soon, Yuuma.” Takashi hung up and walked back to Judai. “I should get more snacks then, shouldn’t I? Between you and Yuuma, you’re gonna destroy all the food in my house.”

“I’m not that bad! Right blondie?” Judai said, looking bad at Vector.

"No.  You're litterally a man-child."  Vector cackled.  Yusei gave a small smirk.

"...Well he did put a chainsaw on a bicycle once..."  He mused to himself.

"Yes, Takashi-baby...you need to buy the whole store's worth of snacks for those two!  They'll eat you out of house and home!"  Vector laughed.  Astral smiled.

"I will help."  He said, following Takashi into the kitchen.  

"I'm all packed, Daddy!"  Iris said, hauling out a backpack full of toys.  Yuuma gave her a thumbs up.

"Great!  Then let's go!"  He said, hoisiting Iris up onto his broad shoulders and heading out to the bus station.

“Oy! That’s not nice!” Judai frowned, “Have you looked in a mirror? Hypocrite.” He perked up immediately though. “I mean… it was a great idea. And last time I checked, you were the one who rode around on it, didn’t you, Yusei?”

Takashi smiled, nodding to Astral. “Thanks, I appreciate it.” He left the three to talk about their bike and opened the fridge.

“It’ll be nice to see Yuuma. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him."

"Only because you wouldn't shut up until I did..."  Yusei mused, though he smiled at that memory.  It was a funny one that had predictably ended in disaster.  

"It will be...I have not seen him since my escape.  He and Shark have been busy being fathers."  Astral said, going to get plates from the cupboards for the snacks.

Meanwhile, Yuuma got on the bus with Iris.

"Sounds like you're going to meet lots of new people today...Daddy's boss will be there, and his boyfriend, and my brother too!  And Inchou's husband as well.  It's gonna be lots of fun Iris."  Yuuma said.  Iris' eyes widened.

"Wow...like a tea party?"  

"Sure, like a tea party!  Tons of friends and a great time guaranteed!"

“Not since the escape… yeah, that’s right. Wow, it’s already been quite a while since you moved in, huh?” Takashi smiled, ignoring Vector’s loud laughter at the thought of his uncle riding a bike with a chainsaw strapped to it. The man shook his head and began taking out drinks, pouring himself some juice while he was at it. “You going okay, Astral?”

"It has been...I am grateful you let me stay."  Astral said with a small smile.  He sighed.

"...I am concerned for Kaito...I cannot go and see him myself as a fugitive...but I wish I could."  Astral said softly.  He missed Kaito so much...and was worried about his recovery.  

Meanwhile, Yuuma and Iris finally reached their destination, hopping off the bus and going to the house.

"Ring the bell, Iris!"  Yuuma said, lifting up his giggling daughter so she could reach it.  Irish pushed it happily and the two waited for someone to answer the door.

“Well… I could always visit Kaito. Or Yuuma can. I’d be happy to.” Takashi’s smile faded. “I’m worried about him too. We always used to joked that police work would be the death of him, but… well to summarise… I hope he gets better soon.”

The two of them worked with the food- which really was lunch at this point- when they heard the doorbell. Judai bounced up and headed for the door.

“I’ll get it!” He grinned as he swung it open. “Hey! Yuuma, right? I’ve seen you before in Yusei’s shop. Sup!”

"I would appreciate it if you did too...anyone who can see him should. It would ease my mind to hear he is okay from many people..." Astral said. He sighed.

"...I thought the same...but I also hoped it wouldn't be the case..."

Yuuma grinned.

"I remember seeing you around too, yeah! Hey, Judai good to meet you! And this is Iris, mine and Shark's daughter!" Yuuma said. Iris stared up at the older man and gave a shy smile and wave

"Hi!"

Well, he needed to go and get out more, so Takashi figured that this would be a good enough reason to do so. The blue-haired man smiled at Astral before he washed his hands and headed out to meet his friend.

“Hi there, Iris,” Judai leaned over and waved back. “How are you? It’s nice to meet you as well.”

“Hey Yuuma,” Takashi said, walking in. “Long time no see."

Astral smiled when he heard the sound of the door opening. He washed his hands and went out to greet Yuuma with a smile. He didn't say anything at first because before he could, Vector had bounded over.

"Yuuma-kun! It's been so long since you've seen your old pal Vector~ if I didn't know better I'd say you don't love me anymore!" He cackled, capturing Yuuma in a headlock with a blinding grin.

Yuuma laughed.

"Oy, Vector knock it off!" He said. Iris giggled, used to seeing her Yuuma Daddy being picked on quite a bit. She knew it was a game. Yusei peeked around Judai to spot Iris.

"So this is the kid Shark and Yuuma won't shut up about at work huh...hey Iris. My name's Yusei, and I'm your dad's boss." Yusei said, ignoring his nephew and Yuuma's antics.

Takashi laughed. “Vector, you’re being too rough. Let him breathe.” He said, walking over, patting Vector on the arm.

Iris smiled and nodded, walking in when Judai moved aside, waving at Yusei. “Hello there…” She said shyly but sweetly.

Vector pouted but loosened his grip on Yuuma, who made a show of exaggerated panting to catch his breath.

"Let that be a lesson to you...visit more often, Yuuma-kun~" Vector said. Yuuma rolled his eyes.

"Yeah yeah...of course I will! My brother lives here now!" Yuuma said, spotting Astral inside and darting in to hug him. Astral smiled.

"Please do visit me, Yuuma, when you have time." He said.

Yusei let one of his rare smiles show on his face when Iris said hello to him.

"You look remarkably like Shark's sister, Rio-san, but much more adorable." Yusei said.

“Please don’t make it sound like a death threat, Vector,” Takashi mused. He stepped aside, letting Yuuma go straight for Astral, knowing it had been long since he last saw him. Astral hugged Yuuma back, groaning a little as the large man hit him like a train.

“You’re getting real strong, aren’t you, Yuuma. Still working out.” Astral groaned, patting his friend on the back.

Iris giggled and smiled. “I know I look like Aunty Rio. And daddy Shark always says I am much cuter, so I know that too."

Vector grinned.

"You know me, baby.  I deal in death threats or come-ons.  Nothing in between~"  Vector teased, kissing Takashi's cheek.  

Yuuma practically picked Astral up, he was so happy to see him.  He laughed.

"Yeah, I still do!  And you're as thin as ever, Astral!  You gotta eat more!"  Yuuma said, releasing his brother with a grin.  

"Come meet my daughter, Astral!"  Yuuma said, steering Astral over to where Iris was with Yusei and Judai.  Yusei nodded.

"You're a smart girl then."  He mused.  He glanced over when he saw Yuuma approach.

"Iris, this is your Uncle Hope!  He and Shark and I grew up together like brothers!"  Yuuma said.

Judai gave Takashi a concerned look as he saw Vector kissing him, but he didn’t say anything. Takashi honestly thought he was hallucinating for a moment, because Judai seemed to perk up when he looked away, acting like he didn’t see anything. It made him feel a little guilty, but he nuzzled against Vector as always.

“Yuuma!” Astral exclaimed, flustered. “I mean… it’s hard to eat right and work out when I’m… you know. But I’m trying,” he insisted. He let Yuuma guide him and he looked down at Iris, indeed seeing her resemblence to Rio.

“Uncle Hope? Hello there.” Iris said.

“Hello there,” Astral said. He then looked at Yuuma. “Yuuma, that’s the name Ukyou and the others know me by,” Astral said. “Was it really smart to introduce me to your daughter like that? What if it comes up?”

Vector didn't care about the look, most interested in making Takashi feel okay.  He smiled when the other returned his nuzzle.  Yuuma pouted.

"But if I introduce you as Astral it's even more obvious!  But I'm sure it'll be okay!  She's not gonna see the cops!"  Yuuma said with a thumbs up.  Yusei sighed.

"Just call him "Uncle", okay Iris?"  Yusei said.

Astral shook his head. “Alright. If you insist.”

Iris looked confused, but she nodded, hearing Yusei’s suggestion. “Alright. Uncle it is then. Just Uncle.” Iris looked at Yuuma, wanting to know why there was confusion with her dad’s brother’s name.

Yuuma looked down at Iris with a smile.

"Uncle has a lot of different names, sweetie.  Like Shark Daddy has a lot of names!  It's better to just call him "Uncle" so nobody gets lost!  He's your only Uncle, cause Shark Daddy and I have no other brother!"  Yuuma said.  

"Awww, so I don't get to be an honorary uncle either?"  Vector teased with a pout.

Iris nodded. “I like your tattoos, Uncle,” she smiled up at Astral. “Everyone has cool ones, like Shark Daddy and him,” she pointed at Yusei, much to Judai’s amusement. “But you have the most!”

“I don’t know. Do you deserve to be one?” Takashi teased.

Astral smiled at Iris, glad somebody liked them.  

"They may look 'cool', but they are also very expensive and sometimes painful to get."  Astral warned her.  Yusei sighed.

"Yeah, don't get them til you're older, kid."  He said.  

"I do!  I'd be a great Uncle!  I'm great at spoiling kids."  Vector said, with a grin.

“I know. I don’t want any,” Iris said. “I just think they’re pretty! Like flowers!”

Judai snorted at that and glanced at Vector. “Yeah, because you’re a big one yourself. You know what they like.”

“Daddy, who’s the man with yellow hair?"

Yusei smiled a little.  It wasn't often his former gang symbols were called 'pretty' by little girls like Iris.  Most young people were a little intimidated by them.  

"I'm glad you think so."  He said.  

Vector whined.

"I am not!"  He exclaimed, before he noticed Iris' attention on him.  She was probably too young to know who he had been...too young to remember his attacks on Heartland.  

"Ah well...this is Vector.  He's a care-taker for Takashi here...Takashi is my former classmate!"  Yuuma said, introducing both of them.

Judai smirked and sat next to Yusei as Iris wandered over to the AI and Takashi. She waved at them and she smiled, a little nervous but no more than she had been for everyone else.

“Hey Iris. Welcome to our house.” Takashi smiled.

“Hello. I hope we get to play together. You guys must be fun if you’re daddy’s friends.”

Vector chuckled.

"Oh I am tons of fun, Iris...tons."  Vector mused, smiling at her.  Yuuma smiled.

"We'll definitely play alright?  What would you like to do?"  He asked her.

Iris pondered it. “I dunno… I wanna play though.” She went to cling to her dad’s leg, embarrassed now that she realised all the attention was on her. Takashi laughed.

“Well you brought some of your own games, right? We don’t have many games besides some cards, I’m afraid."

Yuuma chuckled.

"It's alright sweetie. We'll just pick one of the games you brought." Yuuma said.

"...we do have snacks, if you would like to eat first..." Astral said with a smile, showing Iris the plate of food.

Iris smiled and took some biscuits. “Thanks!” And to Takashi’s surprise and Judai’s amusement, the little girl hit Yuuma on the side of the leg. “Make sure there’s some for everyone too, daddy! Don’t eat it all!"

Vector laughed.

"Wow she's definitely the boss in that house isn't she!" He cackled. Astral looked on in amusement.

"I am glad...Yuuma certainly needs to be reminded of basic etiquette." Astral said. Yuuma whined.

"I won't Iris I promise! Guys, stop laughing!" He pouted, taking one cookie and chewing it slowly.

Judai couldn’t even speak, barking with laughter and while Yusei didn’t say anything he smirked. Iris patted her dad on the thigh.

“Daddy Shark told me to watch you! It’s my one job!” Iris said, looking very insistent on doing her part for the family.

Astral smiled and suppressed a laugh.

"Well, i am glad someone is responsible in the family..." He mused. Yuuma pouted more.

"I can look after myself! My job is to look after you, not you looking after me!" Yuuma exclaimed.

“Both of my daddies are very responsible,” Iris said quietly, smiling shyly up at Yuuma. “I love them very much. It’s why I want to look after Yuuma daddy too.”

Yuuma could feel his heart melting along with his pout when his daughter looked up at him like that.

"Awww...we both love you too, Iris." He swooped her up into a hug.

"Well all look after each other then." He promised. Astral smiled. Iris was certainly very cute and sweet.

"Ugh...how is it possible to be that adorable? It's almost making me sick..." Vector muttered to Takashi.

“Oh hush. Let them be cute,” Takashi said. He went to sit down on the couch and watched as Iris hugged her dad back, giggling.

“I think I just want to colour right now, daddy.”

Yuuma smiled. "Alright sweetie. You can colour all you want! Let's get your coloring book and crayons out then!" Yuuma said, letting Iris go and setting her up at the table with her art supplies. Vector rolled his eyes and went to sit next to Takashi, cuddling up next to him on the couch like the real Vector used to do.

Iris smiled, letting her dad carry her off. She got comfortable at the coffee table and she helped Yuuma set up.

“You’re always on his arm like a leech, huh blondie?” Judai grinned.

Vector smirked.

"Unless that leech is considered loving and caring, then no. I'm not a leech at all." Vector said, leaning closer as if he was demonstrating his claim over Takashi the way the real Vector had done. Yusei frowned.

"...and you're okay with this, Takashi? He's an AI...and of my nephew of all people. That's double trouble if you ask me..."

Takashi blinked as he looked up, a little surprised. While he did suspect someone in his house currently disapproved of his… living arrangement with Vector, he didn’t expect to be confronted with it so directly. The man let the AI lean on him, averting his gaze from Yusei.

“I’m fine. He helps me, really. It’s alright."

Vector stuck his tongue out at Yusei.

"See? It's all good. I help him a lot." Vector said. Yusei sighed.

"If you say so...I just worry sometimes." He said. He knew the pain of losing someone he loved and could sympathize with Takashi...he just hoped he was coping in a healthy way.

Astral approached Yuuma when he was finished setting Iris up in the kitchen with her arts stuff.

"Yuuma...may I have a quick word with you? I have a favour to ask..."

Takashi rolled his eyes. “Be nice to your uncle, Vector.” Takashi said, petting the man as if he was a dog. Judai chuckled, though he was just as worried about Takashi. In his eyes, this wasn’t even close to healthy, but he didn’t know what to do about it.

“Huh? Sure thing.” Yuuma said, getting up. “What’s up?"

Yusei glanced at Judai, sharing the look of unease over this. But what could they do? They could recommend all they wanted that Takashi try and let Vector go, but it was on him to do it.

Astral motioned for Yuuma to follow him so they were out of earshot of Iris, who was coloring happily and didn't notice.

"...Kaito recently got into trouble again. He tried to hunt down a drug dealer and got caught, then tortured..." Astral began with a frown.

"...I assisted the police in his rescue and he was taken to hospital to recover. However, now I do not know how he is doing...and I will not be able to see him because I am a fugitive and the police will likely be watching over Kaito closely. So...I was hoping you and Shark could see him and update me on how he is doing...I am worried about him..."

Judai looked at him back. Of course he wanted to say something, but they couldn’t do it when the two of them were snuggling up like the newlyweds they once were and while Vector was there. He tried to communicate wordlessly to the man to try get Vector out of the picture. Yusei needed to confront him about this.

“Tortured?!” Yuuma exclaimed loudly. He then clamped his own hand over his mouth. “Tortured? Oh no… Astral… Of course I’ll visit. Kaito… How has he been? Why would he try hunt people? He’s still sick!"

Yusei read the look and glanced back at Vector and Takashi.

"Hey brat, my bikes been acting up lately and my diagnostics checks haven't turned up anything wrong. Maybe your AI can get a closer look?" Yusei said. Vector raised a brow.

"You want me to hack your bike, Uncle? Sounds fun! Meet you there!" He said, disappearing in seconds. Yusei glanced at Judai, telling him silently to break the news to Takashi, before heading outside to the bike that in reality had nothing wrong with it. It was an opportunity to talk to both parties separately.

Astral sighed.

"Myself and Yuuto both tried to talk him out of it...but Kaito is stubborn. He did not listen to me...now this happened..." Astral said.

"Thank you, Yuuma..."

Judai gave Yusei an indiscreet thumbs up. He watched the man and the AI go and he got up, hopping over and moving next to Takashi. The older man plopped on the couch, giving a long and heavy sigh as he eased into the chair.

“Man… How do you put up with that AI? He’s full on with the energy, huh?” Judai said, wondering how to do this.

Yuuma gave a frown, leaning against the wall. “… Well we’ll have to tell him not to be so stubborn. Did he really want to catch this drug dealer guy that badly? What did he do?"

Takashi gave a small smile. "He is very energetic, yes...I had forgotten that Vector could be that way...it's nice to see." Takashi said. "Hes most energetic around others...with me, he slows down to accommodate my needs. We spend a lot of time on the couch watching tv, or he joins me in the garden, or whatever...nothing strenuous." "This drug dealer was single-handedly responsible for bringing Devil's Breath to Heartland. He also had affiliations with Mutou and Yuuto...the cops wanted him caught, but nobody was willing to say much about him. He seems to have a dense network of lackeys..." Astral mused. "He also ended up killing more than half the police force in a drug bust that he managed to escape from...he is dangerous." Vector zipped through the bike outside and was astonished once more by its depth. "Damn Uncle no wonder you couldn't find the problem...this thing is a supercomputer!" It would take him awhile to look through it.

“Yeah… I mean, I guess you got to be, but man,” Judai gave a small laugh and looked at Takashi, seeing how tired the other man looked. He definitely looked healthier, but even looking at him, it was evident to see that there was something just not quite right with him. He wondered how best to address it, without Takashi going to the defensive.

“Does he get a chance to see others often? Since he’s so energetic?” Judai asked, leaning back into the couch. “He’s really something else, considering he’s not alive.”

“Um… I dunno what breath that is, but it sounds bad… And he sounds like an awful person.” Yuuma frowned. “… He sounds dangerous. I wonder if Shark knows about him.”

“Just keep looking, Vector,” Yusei said. He didn’t want the AI in his bike, but he wanted to buy some time for Judai before the man got to scolding the program.

"Ah...no, not really...not all my friends knew about Vector...so it's hard to breech that subject with them, you know? And they're all so busy that I don't want to bother them anyway..." Takashi mused with a smile.

Astral sighed.

"He may, but please, do not go after him. It would not be wise...it would be best if you just left it to the police. I'm sure they will talk to Kaito and to the man they captured for more information. For now, we should focus on Kaito's recovery." Astral said.

"Daddy! Uncle! Look what I drew!" Iris said, holding up a picture of what was clearly supposed to be her with her family in a flower garden. Astral was surprised to see himself in it too.

"...that is very nice..." he said with a smile.

“I mean… They are your friends. I dunno them as well as you, but they’re not as busy as you think. My sibling Yubel, like… they always say they’re super busy and they don’t have time for things, but if I ever have a problem, I know that they would rather hear it then me trying to be out of the way, you know?” Judai said, trying to insist.

“I mean… I don’t want to. I just wanted to know if we could help. Shark still has old contacts. But I guess we should just stick to flowers, yeah.” Yuuma turned as he heard the footsteps and he smiled as he saw the drawing.

“Eyyy! You’re so fast, Iris! And such a great drawing too. Shark, you, me, and uncle! Great job!” Yuuma, said, ruffling her hair. “She’s like me, you know? Like in the orphanage, she always accepted new kids as family. So she knows you’re family off the bat too,” he grinned at Astral.

"I know they'd be there for me if I had a problem...but I also don't wanna bother them. I'm getting better...I don't wanna trouble them..." Takashi said.

"Besides, Vector is here for me all the time. He helps me all the time so they don't have to."

Astral nodded.

"I understand...I am glad she shares that quality with you. I too was raised in the orphanage and I understand the value of family." Astral said.

“I mean… That’s just it right. It’s Vector all the time. I know you go out with your friends but…” Judai sighed. “… Doesn’t it seem like… I don’t know… Pretend Vector is human, right? Aren’t you guys maybe like… a little too close? Like… you know what I’m saying, right?”

“You were?” Iris asked, her eyes sparkling.

“Yep! Thats how we all met each other. We hung out.”

“We should hang more!” Iris giggled. “Draw with me daddy! Uncle!"

Takashi looked confused.

"...it was me and Vector all the time like this before he...died..." Takashi stumbled over the last word.

"...I don't see a problem with it...Vector is still here...the AI was made to be like a human...it's just like how it was before..." Takashi said.

Astral nodded.

"I was. Both your fathers and I were close back then...like a family." He said.

"If you insist...I am finished talking to Yuuma anyway. Now I can spend time with you." Astral said, sitting down next to Iris to join her in drawing.

Judai frowned. Maybe this was worse than he thought, and rooted far deeper than he expected. He paused, giving Takashi a moment.

“… But it’s not the same as before… You know that.”

Iris smiled as she led the two men to the kitchen, oblivious to what else was going on. After taking a snack, she offered the two of them paper from her colouring book, and crayons, pleased to have so many people to play with now.

Takashi clenched his hands together.

"...but it could be...it could be...hes like the old Vector...hes him exactly..." Takashi said.

Astral smiled and accepted the paper, coloring in the pages he was offered alongside Yuuma and Iris.

Yusei meanwhile was staring at his bike, waiting for the AI to finish going through it.

"Find anything, brat?" He asked.

“Except he disappears. And he’s an AI. Haven’t you noticed like some things about him are… similar but not quite right?” Judai asked, pressing a little harder.

“Nope! God, I honestly think there’s nothing wrong. What’s the deal, uncle? How do you know something is wrong?” Vector asked, poking his head out.

Takashi's hands trembled a little as he could think of the occasional memory that Vector hadn't been able to program.... "...no it's fine...it's enough..." Takashi murmured. "There's nothing wrong with the bike brat, but there is something wrong with you and Takashi. You're an AI that is programmed to help him get better but you're acting like you're still fucking him behind the scenes. That's not a good thing. It's not healthy." Yusei said firmly.

“Is it fine?” Judai frowned. “Because honestly it doesn’t seem like it. You look like you know it, Takashi,” Judai said, looking at the man’s face. He put a hand on Takashi’s shoulder. “Why do you pretend it’s fine? I mean… you keep saying it but…”

“What do you mean what’s wrong with me? I’m fine. Flawless even.” Vector couldn’t turn on the projector while outside and with the neighbours, so it really looked like Yusei was arguing with his bike. “And I am helping him. What I do is not the point. And like you know what’s healthy uncle, sleeping in your garage where you’re probs gonna choke on fumes.”

"...because I...i barely know what's real and what isn't! I was in a world of hallucinations...black outs...then the AI was there and it convinced me this is reality..." Takashi shook his head and buried his face in his hands.

"...I loved him...I can't let him go...!" He cried softly.

Yusei frowned.

"What you're doing is isolating him from his friends and interfering with his coping process. It does matter what you do because you're not a real human...you can't be in a relationship with a human like Takashi." Yusei said with a sigh.

"And I do not do that every night."

Judai stared at him as Takashi hissed his words and looked up, seeing Yuuma at the door, looking just as astonished. Yuuma made a movement towards Takashi, but Judai shook his head, trying to tell Yuuma silently not to approach him when he was so vulnerable. Judai moved his hand away from Takashi, to give him a little space.

“… I know you do, Takashi… But you can’t live in the past… Pretending Vector is real in reality… is that much different to a hallucination?”

Vector rolled his eyes, which really resulted in the headlights flickering. “I’m perfectly fine. He’s not being isolated. We see people all the time! It’s just Takashi wants to not bother them so much.” Vector frowned before his voice became teasing. “Are you just jealous because you can’t love a machine, uncle? Because honestly it looks like you’re struggling for argument points."

Takashi was shaking and crying softly, feeling completely lost and overwhelmed.  

"...It is different...cause the AI is real.  It's a real...piece of him...I can't ever lose it.  I can't ever let Vector go..."  Takashi said, looking at Judai with a watery smile.

"...Vector knew I'd be like this...so he gave me the AI so he could stay with me...forever."  

Yusei sighed.

"It's not you that's the biggest problem...it's Takashi.  He's not healing, like I said!  And your actions aren't helping him...you should be encouraging him to leave you and go out with his friends, not cling to him and isolate him."  Yusei said.  He shook his head.

"I'm not jealous of you.  Loving a real human is normal...loving a machine is not."

“… I know you can’t, and in some way, that’s good. I mean… I don’t want you to forget Vector. But at the same time, I don’t want you to cling so hard on the past. I don’t think Vector did too. Vector made the AI probably to help you let go slowly, not cling so tightly. You know this, don’t you?” Judai said, looking back at the young man.

“He’s not hallucinating. He’s healthier. He’s working on his job more. He is, just slowly. I’ve analysed him and done the math too.” Vector frowned. “And I do.” Just probably as not much as he should have. “I’m hardly a machine. I’m a bit better than that, Uncle."

"...Probably...Vector is...was...so smart, so talented...and he loved me.  He wanted me to be happy..."  Takashi sighed, tears still falling silently.

"...I don't think I could be fully happy without the AI though, Judai...I just...I can't handle it...I can't..."  

"You've done great getting him that far...but now is the time when you should start backing off and letting him expand and grow on his own.  He's stable, as you say: healthier, not hallucinating, starting to work.  So you should let him have more time to himself so he gets more confidence and isn't so reliant on you."  Yusei said, before sighing.

"...You're still not human.  What you're doing is not normal...and you cannot have a normal relationship with Takashi like the actual Vector did.  You know that, don't you?"

Judai nodded. “… I know. I’m not saying get rid of him. I’m saying more… Have a normal life. Go out. Talk to your friends. Make new ones. Takashi, believe it or not you’re still young. You’re like… what? Barely thirty? You still have a lot of your life left. I didn’t met Yusei until I was a few years older than you. Go out and live a life and then come back to the AI. He’ll be there when you come home, you know? He’ll still be there, just don’t put him on a pedestal in your life.”

“Finally… Someone acknowledging I am doing a lot of right,’ Vector huffed. “I mean… I want to. No, I’m supposed to. We just… neither of us want to.” The AI grimaced. On one hand, the program wanted to say that he absolutely wanted a relationship with Takashi, but he also knew that it was a good way to have his programming rewritten by Yusei or Astral. So he merely honked Yusei’s motorbike in irritation.

“Yeah yeah..."

Takashi bit his lip.

"...I just...I have trouble leaving the house...I'm not used to that.  When Vector was sick, I stayed with him...I never went out then...it's been so long."  Takashi mused.  It really had been ages since Vector had been diagnosed and even before then, he and Vector had rarely left, given the fact that Vector had to disguise himself to leave and it was often easier to maintain the facade from afar.  

"I am young...but I don't...I don't think I could ever love another person, Judai.  He did say I could move on...but..."  Takashi just sighed, unable to finish.  There were no words that could describe how much he'd loved Vector.  He hadn't been able to picture himself with anyone else before, and now it was the same.

Yusei smirked.

"I give credit where it's due.  I'm tough, but fair, so if you don't want another lecture, then do it.  Back off a bit from Takashi and let him try things for himself.  If you're bored, go play with some other friends of yours."  Yusei mused.

"Now get out of my bike, brat.  You're making a scene."

“Yeah… I’m not saying you have to find a new love. Just try find a bit more of a life… you know?” Judai said. He wasn’t sure what else to say, but then he figured he didn’t have to, because Yuuma finally walked out of the kitchen and reached out to hug Takashi from behind. The large man buried his face into Takashi’s shoulder, holding him tight.

Vector grinned. “Alright… alright.” He rolled his eyes again. “What other friends? You mean Astral? Or your bike here?"

Takashi sighed.

"...I'll try..."  He said, a little tired out from the emotional stress this conversation had caused.  He tensed a little when he was suddenly hugged, but then he relaxed when he realized it was just Yuuma.  He leaned into his touch, glad to have some support.  

"Not my bike, unless you wanna be deleted.  Astral, sure.  You're both hackers aren't you?  And maybe you can visit your family in Neo Domino or something.  Mikage and Ushio would be glad to have you I'm sure."  Yusei suggested.

“I’m sorry, Takashi.” Yuuma said, sounding surprisingly quiet. “I didn’t know how hard it’s been for you… And I call myself your friend.” Yuuma felt like he really didn’t talk or hang out with Takashi, and he certainly didn’t help with his problems. He wanted to change that somehow. “It’s going to be okay, you know? We’re gonna help. We all have your back.”

Vector winked at him before he smirked. “Yeah… I should visit them. Might give Ushio a good scare. That’ll be fun."

Takashi sighed.

"...it's okay, Yuuma...you're not a bad friend. You're busy with Iris now..." Takashi said, patting Yuuma's huge arms.

Yusei snorted.

"Just don't scare them too badly Alright? You've still got to behave somewhat."

“I know. But still. I’m not too busy for you, Takashi.” Yuuma squeezed him tight. “… We’ll… we’ll help. We’ll get you set up and everything and we’ll get you back on your feet. I promise.”

“Behave… Pfft. When do I not behave, uncle?” he teased.

Takashi sighed, squeezing Yuuma back.

"...Alright...thanks, Yuuma.  For the record...you and Iris and Shark can come over whenever you want..."  He said with a small smile.  He had to admit it was nice to see his friends.

"Do you want your list of misbehavior in alphabetical or chronological order?"  Yusei deadpanned.

“Expect us over a lot then. And expect to be coming over to our place too. Just little things, Inchou. This time, I swear, we’ll actually make this a thing.”

Vector paused before he smirked. “Chronological please."

Takashi smiled a little.

"I'm glad...I'll look forward to it then."  Takashi said.  He did like Iris and seeing Yuuma.

"I'll email it to you later then.  It's too long for me to waste my breath on."  Yusei said, crossing his arms.

Yuuma smiled and let go. He hopped over the couch to sit on the other side of Takashi. “Good.”

“You both have to put in the effort. Hear that?” Judai looked at Takashi. “You need to try in little ways to get your old life back. Otherwise the AI is going to think nothing is wrong, okay?"

“I’ll make sure you keep your promise, uncle!” The AI said, chirping happily. “We should go back in, shouldn’t we? I don’t wanna keep Takashi waiting."

Takashi smiled and nodded.

"I'll try...I guess I'll have to talk to him..."  Takashi mused.  

Yusei snorted.

"Sure brat. Let's go inside....but remember what we talked about."  Yusei said the last part sternly to the AI before it vanished.

“Preferably while we’re not here. Don’t let him blame us,” Yuuma pouted. “He’ll probably be testy if he finds us conspiring against him.”

“Testy? Yeah probably,” Judai laughed.

“Me? Testy? Since when?” The AI said, zipping in. He had heard Yusei’s words, but he chose to ignore him, kissing Takashi’s head before Yusei walked back in, in a deliberate attempt to spite the man. “What did I miss boys?"

Takashi chuckled a little as the AI appeared in basically perfect timing.

"I'll tell you later, alright?"  He said, bopping the AI's nose when he kissed his forehead.  Yusei sighed a little as he saw the kiss.  Maybe that talk had been for nothing...he glanced at Judai, hoping the other had had better luck with Takashi than he did with Vector.

Judai looked back at Yusei. Well he had THOUGHT he had gotten to Takashi, but it may have only been with words. He was hopeful since Takashi didn’t kiss him, but Takashi was reserved in general anyway. Vector gave a pout but he backed off, leaning against the wall.

“How’s the bike?” Yuuma asked, looking up at his boss.

Takashi knew he'd have to talk to the AI later, but for now, he was content to just sit with him.  No matter what Judai said...Takashi couldn't deny the strong feelings he had for Vector.  And sitting next to the AI that could talk to him, touch him and kiss him like the real Vector could...it was so hard to convince him it wasn't real...that it couldn't be real...

"Bike's all good.  This brat is good for something after all."  Yusei said smoothly.

The AI grinned. “Of course. I’m designed and made by the best. The bike was easy.”

“Good to hear!” Yuuma grinned.

“Daddy… I want to play a game with everyone now…” Iris said, dragging Astral out of the kitchen, smiling. “I wanna play Uno. Is that okay?”

“If you want Yusei to get into a fist fight, sure,” Judai muttered under his breath.

Takashi chuckled, then smiled at Iris when she came in.

"Of course...we can play Uno all you want."  Takashi said.  Yusei rolled his eyes.

"I'll just take it out on you later if I lose."  He muttered back, sneaking a quick kiss on his lover's cheek when nobody was paying attention.

“Awesome! That’s a game we can all play! Let’s do it!” Yuuma cheered, his daughter giggling as she went to get the cards from her bag. “That’s called abuse and that’s a crime,” Judai pouted, shoving Yusei’s face off playfully.

Takashi and Astral started clearing the table so they would have room to play the game, watching the exicted little girl happily.  She was cute.  Vector smirked.

"Get ready to lose guys!  I'm the king of Uno."  He declared.  

"Vector, no using the cameras to read what's in other people's hands."  Takashi warned.  Vector pouted.

"But that's more fun!!"  

-x-

Sora Shiunin was inside his solitary cell, seething with anger.  How dare someone betray him and Dennis...he'd been spying in the other cells, searching for familiar faces, but he'd seen nobody.  He had no doubt Dennis would find out eventually from his own sources who the traitor was...but Sora wanted to have something to contribute as well.  Dennis would reward his initiative...and his loyalty.  He couldn't say anything to the cops....nothing.

Yuuto was several cells down from Sora, out of his sight range.  The cops had been smart to not put him in sight of Sora.  He was mostly bed-ridden anyway, keeping most of himself hidden in the shadows just in case.  

Ukyou looked at Droite.

"We've heard back from the search parties...there's no sign of Dennis anywhere.  We can't find him.  It may be time to see if Shuinin will talk to us...if not him, maybe Yuuto will say more..."  

“I think it’s time.” Droite said, giving a small frown as she stretched her muscles out. “I’m ready to start interrogations. Hopefully Shiunin will be… helpful. Go get him. I’ll head to the room.” Droite went to go grab the case file she prepared and headed off. A few minutes later, Gauche, who had been instructed by Ukyou, came to get Sora.

“Alright brat, let’s go. This way."

Sora heard the footsteps approaching and looked up.  He smirked a little when he saw Gauche.

"You guys are wasting your time.  I've got nothing to say to you.  I'm no traitor."  Sora hissed, but he got up with Gauche regardless.  If the cops wanted to waste his time and theirs, fine.

“You can take it to Droite.” Gauche huffed. The man lead the tiny criminal to the interrogation room where Droite was waiting, looking calm and collected. She stared at Sora as he was seated and nodded to Gauche, dismissing her best friend.

“Good morning, Shiunin. I trust you know why you’re here."

Sora entered the room and sat down, crossing his arms with a bored expression.

"To waste everyone's time, of course.  Geez...could I at least have some candy to suck on while we talk?  There's nothing interesting here at all..."  Sora said, looking around with a slight pout.  It was a fairly standard interrogation room...it had what was clearly a two-way mirror with cops on the other side that Sora couldn't see, and a table with chairs...boring...

Droite was incredibly relaxed, having dealt with difficult people before. “Unfortunately, eating is prohibited here. Though I’m surprised how much you seem to enjoy sweets. One would imagine someone who worked in your field would get tired of it eventually. Seems you’ve owned that candy shop for some time now."

Sora pouted.

"Boo...that's a stupid rule.  Who doesn't like sweets or snacks?"  He said, before pausing to ponder something.

"Well, nobody likes them more than me, and I never get tired of them!  I'd run the candy shop forever if I could!"  Sora said.

“Seems to me like you like other sorts of sweets too.” Droite narrowed her eyes. “A man can’t live on sweets alone, huh?"

"Unfortunately not, no. I eat too much of my stock." Sora mused.

"You guys are probably tearing my building apart now right? So you'll see what's there soon enough."

“We have. It’s interesting. What business does a candyman have in a drug world? Doesn’t pay enough? Or do you genuinely not like sweets?”

Sora pouted.

"I like sweets a lot! But like I said, I eat my stocks a lot! And the people who come by usually like extra stuff too sometimes!"

Droite raised her eyebrow but said nothing. “Care to share, Shiunin? You said before you wouldn’t tattle, but lets talk about you. How did you get involved with all of this?"

Sora sighed.

"Come on...you guys know how this works don't you? They ask for stuff that's not on the market elsewhere!" Sora said. He smiled.

"Dennis is a friend of mine...we went to school together ages ago at Academia! Then he happened to move to Heartland after I did, and we happened to meet up and became business partners. It was a great deal...the extra cash and customers have really helped my shop."

“Oh, I know.” She liked knowing that her prisoner couldn’t tell what she could or couldn’t logic out. It meant she had the advantage, even though her cold face didn’t show it.

“And you spend the money on candy.” She said, thinking about the bills the others had found in the shop.

Sora laughed.

"Of course!  What else would I spend it on?"  He said happily, glad that Droite was understanding.

“So when did you become… as you say… business partners? It seems like you’ve been in that district for some time. Your store is quite popular amongst the people there.” Droite asked, trying to build a profile of Dennis subtly through Sora.

"Hmm...it was about 2 years ago I think. Dennis was just starting out and needed some places to sell from. My place was popular, but slipping. It gained more popularity after the business deal." Sora said

“I’d imagine so.” That matched the records. “I’m surprised he was so influential after two years. Most people take longer to build a network as tight as his."

Sora shrugged.

"Dennis is a pretty social guy...he gets around. He makes tons of friends relatively easily." Sora said.

“Loyal friends too. He doesn’t have any leverage on you, does he?” Droite said, making a quick assumption based on Sora’s mannerisms.

Sora snorted.

"Of course he does. He has something on everyone he works with." Sora said.

"So you're not getting anything outta me about where to find Dennis!"

“I didn’t ask about Dennis. I’m asking about you. Your involvement, particularly your distributions of drugs. Don’t divert the topic,” Droite said, making it very clear to Sora she knew perfectly well what was and wasn’t happening here. “But thank you for clarifying details to me.”

Sora smirked. "I know...but you're probably also making inferences about Dennis from what I'm saying. He is my supplier after all..."

“Which is natural. But at the same you’re the one I’m interrogating.” She frowned. “We already know a lot about Macfield. You however, were a surprise to find at the scene of the crime. You’re my focus now. I hope you know that."

Sora raised a brow.

"...Ah yes...you have the traitor who told.  Who is he by the way?"  Sora asked with a frown.

“Remember who is asking the questions, Shiunin. And not everything needs to be told by people. The two of you left plenty of evidence behind in the house.” Droite said plainly, not letting anything pass her face.

"I know, I know, but answer me that one and I'll tell you all you wanna know about me."  Sora said, frowning.  He really wanted to know...who had spilled the beans and betrayed Dennis and him...

"Give me their name."

“You really don’t know how interrogations work, do you Shiunin?” Droite asked, unamused.

"I know you strike bargains sometimes. That's mine. Otherwise, I'll be silent. Give me their name." Sora said.

“Why? So you can punish them? So Dennis can?”Droite said, narrowing her eyes. “We don’t make deals that endanger people.”

"I just want his name, officer. I'll find out on my own eventually." Sora said.

"...and there's no way for any of us to punish him here."

Droite looked unamused. “Continuing on, Shiunin. Is there anything else you would like to tell me?"

"Nope.  Not unless you tell me who betrayed Dennis."  Sora said, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms.

“Why do you want to know so bad? Is Dennis’ influence that strong over you?” Droite asked, noting Sora always referred to the person that betrayed them as the one who betrayed Dennis, rather than ‘us’ or ‘him’.

"I wanna know for my own reasons too, ya know.  Whoever blabbed also ruined my candy-shop deal and is gonna make it impossible for me to have candy for the rest of my prison sentence!" Sora exclaimed.

“Well… it’s not impossible. The prison staff do allow some changes to the menu, especially if a psychiatrist or the police make a request.” Droite said calmly. “You can have sweets still if you tell me what I want to know, Sora.“

Sora bit his lip.  Damn that sounded like a good deal...except he was sure that if he didn't betray Dennis, he'd get candy from him.  And Dennis knew exactly what he liked...

"...No.  I won't betray Dennis.  Not even for sweets."  Sora said after a moment.

“Not even for sweets you can request and eat freely? Without it being contraband?” Droite said. She knew about the prison system, and she knew it was infinitely times harder, especially for candy. “If we make a deal, we could easily get you sweets every day. Contraband anything from even an experienced con with contacts would be at BEST weekly.” Droite couldn’t believe what kind of weird bargaining she was doing.

Sora let out a tiny whine at that thought.  He knew she was right to some extent...

"....If you give me sweets now, I'll tell you more about me...?"  He offered.  He really did want some sort of candy right now...he felt like he was going through sugar withdrawal.

“You like chocolate?” Droite asked, still keeping stone-faced. Internally, she was smirking. Gotcha. Like giving candy to a baby.

"Yes, but lollipops are my favorite."  Sora said immediately, perking up as if he was a dog about to get a treat for doing a trick.

“We have strawberry lollipops. Will that do?” She said, standing up.

Sora nodded rapidly.

"Yes!"  He cheered, seeing her get up.  He was excited now...he wanted candy so bad...

Droite nodded. With that, she left the room, taking the case file with her and leaving Sora alone. She gave a long, confused sigh as soon as the door was closed, and headed to Ukyou.

“… Do you really think he’s going to tell on Dennis for sweets? Especially after… you know how Dennis acted when he thought Kaito knew the traitor. You think Shiunin will hold his end of the deal?”

Ukyou sighed, having been in disbelief with what he'd seen as well.  Sora was like a kid that was easily bribed with candy.

"...Well...there's only one way to find out, I guess...give him a lollipop and see if that makes any difference."  Ukyou said, passing Droite a strawberry lollipop.

Droite rolled it between her fingers and sighed. Rubbing her temples, she collected herself. “Anything you want me to ask, assuming he does spill everything?”

"I want to know some locations...for both drugs and hideouts for Dennis.  We need to find the Devil's Breath, and Dennis himself..."  Ukyou said.

“Yeah… Both of them. I was also going to see if he knows how Dennis is getting the breath. And then we’ll see if we can stop future shipments into Heartland.” Droite stretched and cracked her knuckles. “Alright… Pass me a few more. Maybe we can keep bribing him as we go along.”

Ukyou nodded.

"Yes.  We don't want anymore of that awful drug getting in from anyone."  Ukyou said, passing the lollipops to Droite.

"...Good luck."  He said.

Droite put the spares in her jacket pocket and walked back inside. She didn’t smile, but she held it up. “This what you want?”

Sora's eyes lit up when he saw the lollipop.

"Yes!" He said, reaching for it immediately.

“One piece of information first. Just so I know you’re not cheating me,” Droite said sternly to him, holding it up away from him like he was a child.

Soras face fell then he huffed.

"Fine...what'd you wanna know?"

“Locations for where you and Dennis hide the drugs you both distribute. I want a list.” She flipped one page in her case file over and passed Sora a pencil. “Easy enough, right? And not tattling on where Dennis himself is."

Sora blinked as he was given a pencil and paper. He then huffed again.

"This is worth way more than just one lollipop! No deal!" He said.

Droite rolled her eyes and put two more in her hand. “Good enough? You should be careful considering candy isn’t on the menu in the holding cells.”

"Yep!" Sora said, snatching the candy and sticking one in his mouth. He picked up the pencil and began writing, but he didn't know all the hideouts, like Yuri's house.

"Here you go!"

“That was fast.” Droite blinked as she took the paper when he shoved it back to her. She picked it up and stared at it. “And this is all you know?"

Sora nodded, sucking and licking his lollipop happily.

"Yep. These are all of the places Dennis usually hides stuff!"

“Interesting. You know quite a bit Shiunin.” Droite said. She had come under the impression she would get nothing out of Sora, especially with how Yuuto was acting regarding Dennis, but this was the most they had gotten since the first time they busted Dennis and Yami. “If I pump you with more candy, you’ll give us more information, right?"

Sora switched the lollipop into his other cheek with his tongue and shook his head.

"There's nothing you can give me that will make you know 100% where Dennis is. Even with what I told you, he knows better to be there. He won't be at any of those places...he's got extra hideouts nobody knows about but him." Sora mused.

"But I might remember a few extra things if I get more sugar to fuel my memory, you know?" He said with a smirk.

“I think we can manage that. But remember Shiunin. If you do anything that we don’t think is acceptable, or if the information is false or dangerous to our officers without some form of warning, I’ll cut you cold turkey. As long as you understand that, we have a deal.”

Sora snickered.

"You got it, boss lady!" He said with a grin, keeping all his lollipops close just in case. He didn't want to lose them and was serious when it came to candy, so he wasn't lying about his information...but he was withholding a few things. He'd give those if the price was right.

Droite nodded and read the list again. Then she passed another piece of paper over. “Write down your favourite sweets. We’ll see if I can requisition them to bargain with you more information."

Sora grinned and eagerly took the paper, writing down quite a few sweet brands and general lollipops quickly.

"Here you go! My favorite are the big swirly lollipops, but I'll eat any of these!"

“Alright.” Droite was relieved that not all the brands listed were particularly expensive, but just high in sugar. “I’ll get you them. Care to share where the Devil’s breath is too? In which particular ones?"

Sora sighed.

"Most of it was in the first one I wrote, I think. I never actually dealt with that stuff...too strong for me." Sora mused with a shiver. The drug that took away free will was famous and dangerous, he knew.

“Do you know who Dennis dealt with? Or who he likely dealt with besides Mutou?” Droite asked.

Sora frowned.

"Dennis dealt with all kinds of people...I could never keep track of them all. He's pretty open about who he accepts...and those he doesn't get killed usually...like your boy, Tenjo." Sora mused.

"Ah yeah, I remember Mutou...that guy was scary. Oh...is he the traitor? But wait...he was arrested awhile ago...if he blabbed, you would've acted sooner..." Sora pondered out loud.

“Mutou is a well-known associate, but he isn’t the traitor,” Droite said, not lying at all. She hid her irritation at the jab at Kaito, and merely shrugged. “I just thought those individuals would be more distinct. After all, they’re more dangerous drugs than what you want to deal with.”

Sora shrugged.

"Yeah I didn't think he was..." he mused.

"Nope. Nobody stands out to me! I don't deal with the big stuff directly." Sora said.

“Alright…” She smiled. “Well… That’s all then. Thank you, Shiunin. I’m looking forward to your cooperation.” She stood up and grabbed all of her stuff.

"No problem boss lady! I look forward to candy!" He grinned, letting Gauche escort him back to his cell.

Ukyou waited for Droite outside.

"We should get those spots checked out right away...before Dennis or someone associated with him gets a chance to move the drugs."

Droite waited for Gauche and Sora to leave before she walked back out to her superior. She nodded, looking at it.

“The Drug Team will kill for this. I’ll give this to Barrett and his guys there and between our two teams, we’ll coordinate our attack on the warehouses”

Ukyou nodded.

"Please do. Tell him we're acting quickly on this. I'm sure he'll agree."

Droite nodded. She made a motion to leave, but since Anna was elsewhere and Gauche was with Sora, the two of them were alone. The woman frowned deeply and looked at Ukyou. “… I’ll do this now but… I know this isn’t appropriate, but I still need to ask. When is your reevaluation, Ukyou?”

Ukyou also started to leave, when he realized Droite had stopped.

"...it's still a couple days away. Don't worry about it....this bust would be a good thing to tell the higher ups." Ukyou said.

“… I’m not worried. But it is as I thought.” Droite looked away. “… I’ve also been asked to meet our superiors in two days. I thought it would be an interrogation regarding you, but it seems I’m going to the same meeting.”

“… We should make sure we ruin Dennis properly this time."

Ukyou listened. If that was the case...then it was possible Droite had been chosen as his replacement after all. It did make him feel more reassured that his team was together.

"I see...well, then we should both be ready...when the time comes." He said. He nodded.

"Absolutely. We'll deal with this first, Droite."

“Two days. Not a lot of time, but I don’t need sleep,” Droite smirked wryly. With that she headed for the door. “Let’s go then.”

-x-

Today was a busy day in the hospital. Chris had come in to do a post-surgery examination of Sakaki Yuuya to monitor his progress. He was surprised and happy to see Ms. Catherine.

"Ms. Catherine...I'm glad you could make it today." Chris said with a smile.

Cathy looked over at the well-dressed man and she gave a charming smile back at him. She pushed her glasses up casually and walked over, her heels clacking in the hallway as she walked. “And here I thought I wouldn’t see you until the meeting. Hello Professor Arclight,” Cathy said, offering her hand. “It’s good to see you. Are you here to look at our patient?”

Chris shook her hand firmly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I'm ecstatic that we'll get to work together on this project." Chris said.

"Yes I was just about to see him...will you join me? He's had his surgery and I'm going to see how he's doing."

“As am I. I’ve read your work. I’m very impressed,” Cathy smiled. “Of course I’ll join you. No sense going to the same destination separately.” She walked ahead. “Have you heard much about this case?"

Chris smiled and gestured for her to follow with a smile.

"Well, a little. Yuuya-kun is the youngest of four siblings who are quadruplets. He is the only one with this illness. However...the police said that the other three can feel some of the symptoms that Yuuya-kun feels during an episode. It's really quite extraordinary." Chris said, flipping through the file.

"Its undiagnosed, and the surgery was because of the medication that his brother gave him."

“Yes, it’s interesting.” Cathy practically purred as she walked ahead, her bell earrings jingling with each step. “I’ve heard about it. The police report I was sent said the boys named it Arcvrayosis or Zarc Syndrome. Admittedly I’m more interested in that, though working on his chronic pain may tie in with it. Actually, his chronic pain is interesting too. I’ve heard both local and general anaesthetics aren’t effective with him, and not because of allergies." “Indeed. I’ve looked at the report… I’m unsurprised that mix of drugs caused that calcification. He’s going to have internal damage still for the rest of his life, unfortunately.”

Chris nodded.

"It is interesting indeed...and unfortunate. His brother didn't know what he was doing clearly..." Chris mused. They arrived at Yuuya's room.

"They've been giving him anaesthetic and sedative since he got here...it's been keeping most of the symptoms at bay for now. He's a little out of it though..." Chris said, opening the door.

"Good morning, Yuuya-kun...how are you doing today?" He asked gently, seeing the man in the bed who seemed so small and lost and scared...it was a sorry sight.

Cathy headed in and smiled, waving at Yuuya. The man looked up at Chris and Cathy, and he squinted, as if unsure what was happening and what he was seeing. In Yuuya’s eyes, he could see grey blurs in the painfully white light, and he could barely hear what was happening when they were ‘far away’.

Frowning, Cathy went to Yuya’s patient board and she looked at the medications that were in his body. She raised an eyebrow.

“That’s… A lot of Lidocaine. That’s… a little worrying.” Cathy knew that the LD50 for humans was around 335mg per kilogram, so the amount that was being pumped into Yuuya every three hours was a little absurd. She wondered if she was reading the chart wrong for a moment. “Benzodiazepine… Propofol too.” The latter wasn’t good, and Cathy questioned why the hospital was using it since it was only for short-term use caused a decreased level of consciousness and lack of memory for event. It seemed strange they were using all of these drugs together, though the supplementary paper seemed to have it rather stable.

"It seems they don't have much other alternative to treat him properly. This is why we need to get something better." Chris said.

“Seems like it. I’ll probably need to ask the doctor for extra data and a copy of these reports. And to get some samples.” Cathy sighed.

Chris nodded.

"We'll have to be careful getting them." He said, noticing how Yuuya was shying away from them. Whenever the gray blurry shapes came closer, he would always shy away. He was scared of the doctors and the hospital...he just wanted Yuuto...he wanted to see his brother again...

"...Yuuya-kun, I'm gonna check your blood pressure, and your temperature, okay?" Chris asked gently.

Yuuya whimpered, seeing the face there and he tried to move his body away. He gasped as he practically saw the unfamiliar figure and he closed his eyes, shaking a little.

“Yu… Yu… Where…”

Chris could read the man's body language and expression. He couldn't recognize him, clearly...

"Yuuya...sssh. It's just Dr. Arclight...and Ms. Catherine is here too. We're here to help you feel better." He said gently, as if he was speaking to a child. Even though Yuuya was a grown man, he looked so small and scared.

Yuuya wanted to shake his head, but he couldn’t. His body felt thick and heavy, as if it was made of lead and it seemed even impossible to move his fingers. He couldn’t even back away nervously, since his body was so heavy. The words blurred in Yuuya’s head, and he merely whimpered, clenching his eyes shut. He wanted Yuto. He wanted Yuto. He wanted his brother. He was alone. Where was Yuto? Where was he?

“Hmmm… Yuuya?” Cathy turned around to see a man with an identical face, holding a bouquet of flowers. “Oh, I apologise, I didn’t know he had other guests.”

“Ah… you’re the politician, Sakaki Yuri, aren’t you?” Cathy asked, recognising him and his attire.

“I am, actually. I’ve seen you two on the news so… Ms. Catherine and Professor Arclight. Hello there. Am I interrupting?”

Chris frowned a little. Yuuya didn't seem to be very responsive. He sighed, looking at Yuri.

"Not really...I was going to try doing some routine checks on your brother, but he seems like he's not sure what's going on...I don't want to scare him by trying anything." Chris said.

"Perhaps he'll be more comfortable with a familiar face...would you be willing to help?"

Yuri gave a polite yet charming smile and he nodded. “Of course I will. Anything for my brother. I understand you’re both working on a cure for him, so I’m happy to help.” Yuri did want Yuuya to be vulnerable like this, but he also did see some merit in curing him, or at least having him dependent on medication that could switch him between normal and this state. He’d cooperate for now. Yuri placed the flowers on the side table in their vase and he sat down on a chair, bringing it as close as possible to Yuuya. Gently, he took Yuuya’s hand.

“Yuuya… Yuuya. It’s me, Yuri. Your brother Yuri” He moved close so Yuuya could see him through the haze. “Yuuya…”

Chris and Cathy waited patiently as Yuri approached his sick brother. Yuuya had barely heard any of their discussion, and the first thing he was aware of was someone taking his hand. It made him tense and almost pull away. "No..." he whimpered, wondering if they were going to give him another IV line of drugs he hated, before his hazy eyes registered a familiar face. He couldn't see exactly who it was...but there were gentle eyes, pale skin...purple-ish hair... "...Yu..." He tried to say "Yuuto" because he couldn't quite see exactly who it was. But he knew it was his brother, and so he immediately felt a little better. His red eyes watered a little, which didn't help his vision, but he was just so relieved, and he'd been so scared...but now Yuuto was here and everything would be okay. He couldn't move much, but he made a motion to try and press closer to the brother next to him.

“Yes, that’s right. It’s me.” Yuri kissed his forehead and held his hand, stroking it gently. “I’m here, Yuuya. Don’t worry. I’m here for you. Now listen, Yuuya… I have two friends here. You like friends, right?” Yuri said, speaking to Yuuya as he always did, like he was a small child.

“I need you to let them help you. They’re going to make you feel better okay? You’ll be better.” Yuri squeezed Yuuya’s hand gently.

Yuuya tried very hard to focus on his brother's words, trying to forcefully clear the haze from his mind.  He was beginning to make out a few of the words, listening to him say things like “I'm here” and “friends” and “better”...and Yuuya smiled a little, able to piece together most of the rest on his own.  But what mattered most was that Yuuto was here...he felt him kiss his forehead and stroke his hand, comforting him like he alway did...

“...Okay...”  He managed to say at last, leaning closer to Yuri regardless.  He didn't completely trust the strangers...but he did trust his brother.  Chris smiled, glad that things were working out.

“Alright...we'll be gentle.” Chris said, gently starting to check some of Yuuya's vitals, his temperature, his blood pressure...things that indicated the status of his condition.  Yuuya did feel a little bit, but it wasn't painful.  He was mostly focused on his brother...and that was when he began to notice that...this wasn't Yuuto.  His hair was too short...

“...Yuri...”  He finally murmured, a little sad that it wasn't Yuuto.  Sure, he did love Yuri...but he was concerned about how Yuuto was doing in prison...how his legs were healing...how he was dealing with his nightmares and the breakup he'd had with Shun...things that were mostly Yuuya's fault...

Cathy was glad things were working out too and she helped by collecting some of his hair for DNA testing and then going to ask the doctors at the hospital for biopsy samples, leaving Chris to the trivial stuff. She also asked them for blood and for them to be sent to her as soon as possible, figuring they would need it. Yuuya was still very sick, but he was going to at least recover from his surgery.

Inwardly, Yuri scowled, hearing that Yuuya sounded disappointed that he was there. He must have thought he was Yuuto… again. Like the last few times that he was here. However, on his face was all smiles. He squeezed Yuuya’s hand gently, and entwined his fingers with his brother’s.

“Yeah… It’s me, Yuuya. We’re together. It’s alright, really. They’re almost done and then they’ll leave you alone. It’s okay.”

Yuuya curled closer to Yuri, letting Chris finish things up.  He was upset that Yuuto wasn't here...but Yuri being here was nice.  He gave his brother's hand a weak squeeze, since just that alone was an effort for him right now.  He sighed.

“...Okay....”  He murmured again.  Chris smiled.

“And we're all done, Yuuya-kun.  Ms. Catherine and I will be working on diagnosing your illness or at the very least, getting you some effective medication to treat it.”  Chris said, speaking to both Yuri and Yuuya.  

“We'll take our leave now...there's a call button right on the bed here in case you or Yuuya-kun needs something.”  Chris said with a smile, packing up his things.  He and Cathy would have work to do now.

Yuri was glad he got some response. It made him feel like it was worth it, like he had reason to make Yuuya his. He wanted the man so much, it drove him insane. He’d give up everything to possess his beautiful brother.

Yuuri smiled. “See? They’re going Yuuya. All done.” He looked up at Chris and nodded. “Thank you so much, Professor. Give my regards to Ms. Catherine if she doesn’t come back. You have my thanks. I’m so glad that my brother is finally getting the treatment he needs.

Chris smiled.

“We'll be taking good care of him...he's expected to make a full recovery from the surgery he's had, and we'll be looking after treatment of his chronic illness.  I know you're busy, but your brother is very scared here...I'd recommend you and your other brother visit him as much as possible to keep him comfortable.”  Chris said gently.  He knew that Yuuto was arrested and wasn't able to visit, but Yuugo was hopefully able along with Yuri.  

Yuri grinned internally but he instead smiled and nodded calmly, as if he hadn’t been intending to do that. “Of course I will. I want to be here with him as much as I can. I know Yuugo is busy but I’ll mention it to him. I don’t mind being here for Yuuya. If the doctors will let me, I’ll try be here every day. I’ll do that for my precious brother,” Yuri said, looking at the boy. He petted his hand and smiled. “Every day, Yuuya. I’ll visit and keep you company. Would you like that?”

Yuuya was sort of zoning out during his prolonged conversation, but when Yuri pet his hand to grab his attention he tried to focus on Yuri's words again.  He smiled a little.

“...Yea...”  He said.  He wanted company...he hated being alone in hospital after all.  And Yuri, even if he wasn't Yuuto, was someone he could trust and who cared for him.  Chris nodded.

“Great.  Perhaps I'll see more of you around then, Sakaki-san.  I'll take my leave now.”  He said, finishing up with his packing and heading out of the room, leaving the two men alone.

Yuri smiled. He watched the man close the door behind him. Despite knowing the guards were outside, the man leaned over and kissed Yuuya’s cheek. He held his hand gently but tightly, and snuggled against him, practically crooning. He wanted to go further, but he couldn’t push too hard. He didn’t want Yuuya pushing him away.

“I love you, Yuuya.” It was so hard to resist him...

Yuuya suddenly felt a change in Yuri, and it was surprising.  He felt Yuri kiss his cheek, which could have been read as normal except that...it felt odd.  When Yuuto kissed his forehead, it reminded Yuuya of his mother...but when Yuri kissed his cheek...it felt more like he was marking a possession as his.  Yuuya's instincts were to pull away...but he couldn't when Yuri was snuggling up against his body, pressing every bit of himself that he could against Yuuya.  Yuuya tried to squirm a little.  It felt too close...it was gentle, but it was too...intimate, all of a sudden.  

“...Yu...Yuri...”  He murmured, trying to puzzle out what this all meant with a hazy brain.  Yuri said he loved him, and of course Yuuya loved him too...maybe he was misreading things?  Yuri had always been touchy after all...

Much like Yuuya could read the change in him, Yuri could do the same back. He could see how Yuuya tried to tense, even though his body was incapable of doing much at all. Admittedly, Yuri was surprised Yuuya had feeling in his cheek since he was so drugged up, but he figured he was just sensing the change rather than sensation. However, he knew that Yuuya didn’t like it. Too forward. He’ll have to pull back a little bit.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t want to scare you,” Even though his pained expression was so beautiful. “I just wanted to make sure you know I’m here for you. I’m always here for you, Yuuya. I’ll do anything to keep you safe. You know that, right?”

Yuuya tried to focus on Yuri's words and actions, but it also did make him a little uncomfortable.  His body felt heavy, and he didn't like that he couldn't really move.  He forced himself to relax a little more.  Yuri was being honest...Yuuya never thought his brother would hurt him.  He must be misinterpreting Yuri's actions...

“...Yea...I know...”  He said, smiling a little.

Yuri smiled at him and rubbed his hand gently, since he knew Yuuya liked that. He’d have to forgo kissing for today, and maybe tomorrow, but he did want Yuuya’s trust again. He needed Yuuya vulnerable. He wanted him comfortable so everyone would give him to him…

“Good. As long as you know that."

Yuuya did feel a lot better with simple hand rubs.  He kept leaning closer to Yuri, enjoying the physical presence of his brother as a reassurance.  

“...Yuri...”  He started, trying to sort out in his head how to voice his question.  He was happy that Yuri was with him, but he couldn't help but think of Yuuto, all alone in prison...and probably worried about him.  He wanted to know that Yuuto was okay too...and to let Yuuto know how he was doing.  He thought about Yuuto as much as he could when his mind was clear...he had no idea how long it had been since he'd seen him.  He missed him and wanted him with him desperately.

“...Yuuto...did you...see him?”  He managed to ask after a moment.

“Talkative today, aren’t you?” Yuuya had a sweet voice. Yuri rarely heard it when he visited. The man raised a thick eyebrow when his brother mentioned it though and he shook his head.

“No, I didn’t see him yet,” Jealousy burnt in Yuri’s stomach, like a venomous viper. “I didn’t get a chance to.” He didn’t bother. “He didn’t want to see me. You know how we fight, Yuuya. I tried to ask the police to reason with him, but no such luck.”

Yuuya's face fell a little as he realized that Yuri had not seen Yuuto.  

“...Fight?”  He asked, sad to hear that his brothers had apparently been fighting?  Why did Yuuto hate Yuri...it was something about Yuri hurting him all those years ago...Yuuya wished he could remember that falling out, so he could fix it...

“...Can I...call?”  Yuuya asked, wondering if a phone call would work better for Yuuto and Yuri.  He really just wanted to let his brother know what was happening...let his brother know he was okay...see if Yuuto was okay...see if Yuuto could visit too...

“Yeah. The same fight. Don’t worry, Yuuya. It’s alright.”

“Are you up for calling?” Yuri asked, surprised. Yuuya had done nothing besides sit and stare at him whenever he visited, but now he wanted to call and talk to Yuuto. Yuuya really loved Yuuto, more than the rest of them. It was infuriating for Yuri. He always cared for Yuuya. He just could never find where Yuuto had been hiding him…

“We can try. If you’re up for calling.”

“...Yea...I...want to...”  Yuuya said.  He missed his brother.  He wanted to know he was okay...he looked at Yuri pleadingly.  He didn't have a phone on his own.  He smiled when Yuri said it was okay.  He fought to move his arm, wrapping them lightly around Yuri in a hug while remaining on his back.  

“...Thank you...”  He was grateful for Yuri letting him do this...he'd need his help after all.  

That smile was beautiful, and made it worth it for Yuri to try calling Yuuto. He opened his eyes in shock as Yuuya forced his arm up and held him, knowing Yuuya certainly shouldn’t have been able to do that. Maybe his drugs were wearing off? Or did he love Yuuto that much? “Let me call him…” Yuri didn’t want to call him. He began punching in the numbers for the police station after looking them up, but before he hit ‘call’ he realised… he absolutely didn’t have to call him. Yuuya wouldn’t know the difference. Not when he was this sick. He hung the phone up but brought it to his ear anyway. He squeezed Yuuya’s hand. “Hello? Yes, hi. My name is Yuri Sakaki. I’m Yuuto’s brother. Is it possible if I could talk to him? Yes, I don’t mind if the call is screened,” he lied. He winked at Yuuya, as if convincing him they were getting through. “Yes, I’ll hold. Tell him Yuuya wants to speak with him too."

Yuuya listened, completely unable to realize that Yuri was bullshitting him.  He smiled when Yuri winked and waited patiently for Yuri to pass him the phone.

Yuri smiled and waited before he leaned over, passing Yuuya the phone. He held it up for Yuuya, moving his face so Yuuya couldn’t see him talk.

“Hello? Yuuya?"

Yuuya accepted the phone and smiled as he put it to his ear.

“...Yuuto...”  He murmured, happy to hear from him.  He was happy that his brother was here...

“...you're...you're okay?”  

Yuri helped him hold it and he smiled. This was too much fun. It was taking everything in his power not to laugh.

“Yuuya… Ah… It’s not Yuri. That’s good.” Yuri could imagine Yuuto saying that. “I’m fine. Are you okay? Has Yuugo seen you?”

“...Yuri's...here...”  Yuuya said softly.  

“...No Yuugo...”

“Yuri’s there? Just…” Yuri pretended to huff angrily. “No Yuugo? But I told him where you were. He should be visiting you too."

Yuuya's face fell.  Now he'd made Yuuto angry...

“...Yea...”  Yuuya mused sadly.  So Yuugo hadn't shown up even if Yuuto told him...

“...I...please...don't fight...I don't...want you to...”  Yuuya said, upset that his brothers were fighting.

“I know you don’t want us to fight, Yuuya but… It’s complicated. I can’t tell you why, Yuuya.” Yuri wondered how to subtly get Yuuto in Yuuya’s bad graces without being too obvious. “He doesn’t care at all, Yuuya. Just leave it…”

“He...he cares...”  Yuuya said, tears coming to his eyes.  

“T-tell me...why...please...why...”  Yuuya cried, feeling upset that Yuuto wasn't at least giving Yuri a chance.  Didn't he say he would?  He promised Yuuya he would give Yuri a chance before...Yuuya's hazy mind was confused and lost and he felt so upset...

“He doesn’t, Yuuya. I know he’s with you, but he’s bad,” This was too good. Yuri wanted to laugh. “I can’t tell you, Yuuya. You won’t understand. Just leave it. Leave it, Yuuya.”

Yuri coughed and leaned back in, so Yuuya could see him talk and distinguish this was him instead.

“Yuuya? Are you okay? Is Yuuto upsetting you?” he whispered, as if afraid of letting Yuuto hear.

Yuuya bit his lip.  He...he didn't know what to believe...Yuri was here...he was nice...but Yuuto...he trusted Yuuto too...

“...I...”  Yuuya murmured, unsure what to say.  His mind was racing too much and the drugs made it hard to focus...hard to organize his thoughts properly.  

“Listen to me, Yuuya,” Yuri moved away so it seemed like it was the phone speaking again. Yuuto needed to seem untrustworthy. This was the tricky part. He needed to plant a seed of doubt in Yuuya’s mind about Yuuto, not him. “I know what’s best. Yuri is bad. He doesn’t look after you!”

“Yuuya…” Yuri moved back in. “You’re crying. Do you need to rest?”

“No...”  Yuuya said softly, crying a little harder.  He was upset...he didn't like this conversation.  And he felt so tired due to his mind was racing...he couldn't think clearly with the drugs...

“I...maybe...”  

Yuuya needed to be conflicted. Yuri would keep showing his best side and give Yuuya Yuuto’s worst. Yuri gently took the phone off Yuuya.

“It’s me, Yuuto. You’re hurting Yuuya. Please stop it. You’re stressing him out.” He waited in silence, making sure Yuuya could see him with the phone. “I know you don’t trust me, but you’re way too possessive of Yuuya. I’ll look after him. I promise.” He pretended to grimace and then he looked at his phone.

“He hung up on me."

Yuuya saw what happened and was still crying a little.  

“...No...”  He said softly, upset that things had gone this way...and completely unsure who to trust.  Who could he believe?  

“...I...I'm sorry...it's...it's my fault...”  He said softly.  He wished everyone could just smile and get along...but he wasn't helping.  He'd made things worse...

Yuuri went to take Yuuya’s hand. He rubbed it gently, leaning in close so Yuuya could see him. “No… No it’s okay, Yuuya. It’s not your fault. Yuuto is… stubborn. If he doesn’t like me, I’m not surprised he doesn’t want to change his mind. It’s alright.” Yuuya cried so beautifully. He was pretty when he cried, like a star from a movie. No snot, red puffy eyes, flushed skin… Yuri wanted to do this more often.

“I don’t blame you. Neither do your brothers. We all love you very much. Yuuto does, I do… and you know if Yuugo does or not."

Yuuya was comforted by Yuri's words and calming gestures, though he did still cry a little.  

“I...I wish...we could be together...all of us...”  He murmured.  He hated being alone, and it would nice to have his family...he felt like he didn't have enough time with them.  He loved all his brothers and he wanted to be with them...all four of them.  

“I know… I know… I wish that too.” He genuinely did but in a different way. He knew his brothers would never forgive him if he shared how he wanted his family together. “It’s just… hard at the moment. But we love you, okay? I love you especially.”

Yuuya sniffled.  It was good to hear he wasn't alone in that thought process...he just wanted all four of them to be happy together.  

“...yeah....I love you all...too...”  Yuuya said, smiling a little.

Yuri kissed Yuuya’s forehead, knowing that was the safest place. He smiled back and squeezed his hand. “Let me read to you, okay? Relax. I’m here."

Yuuya smiled, feeling reassured now that Yuri was here.  He leaned back into the pillows, as if he was a child waiting for their parent to read them a bed-time story.  

“Okay...”  He said, holding Yuri's hand and waiting for him to start reading.  He could already feel exhaustion from all the activity he'd been doing.

Yuri smiled. He pulled his phone out and grabbed a book Yuuya like when they were kids. He figured Yuuya wouldn’t be able to understand anything too complicated given his state so he began to read the familiar children’s book with a friendly dragon, holding Yuuya’s hand the entire time.

Yuuya listened to Yuri's words, barely able to register them all individually, but enjoying the prosodic characteristics nonetheless.  They soothed him, almost like a lullaby and he drifted off to sleep pretty quickly, still holding Yuri's hand gently.  

Eventually Yuuya fell asleep, and as much as he wanted to stay, Yuri had things to do. He kissed Yuuya on the forehead and stared at his face. He was so pretty. It was impossible for Yuri to do nothing.

The door was still closed, so Yuri leaned over. Making sure Yuuya barely felt it, he gently kissed his lips. A quick peck, nothing that Yuri wanted to give, but he still kissed his brother. Yuri felt a spark of fire run through him, a sensation that he had craved for so long, that he had missed for over a decade. Smiling, he petted Yuuya’s face.

Satisified for now, he got up and left heading out the hospital. After thank Yuuya’s guards, he grabbed his phone and dialled Yuugo’s number, having stolen it off Yuuya’s phone some time ago.

Yuuya didn't even stir at any of the kisses or petting that Yuri gave him. He had no idea it had happened.

Yuugo was in the garage when his phone began to ring. He frowned as he didn't recognize the number, but picked up anyway.  

"Hello?"

“The police told me to tell you which hospital Yuuya supposed to be at. And I’m not going to repeat myself, so listen up.” As much as Yuri wanted to toy with Yuugo, he knew he had to get the man’s attention so he didn’t hang up. He headed down the elevator of Card Heart hospital. “He’s in Lady Gadian’s hospital. The one in the Clover District in Inner Heartland.”

Yuugo's eyes widened as he heard the familiar voice.

“Yuri?  The cops gave you my number?!”  He exclaimed, but then he immediately calmed when he heard the words “Yuuya” and “hospital.”  

“He's in hospital?!  Oh my god...what's wrong?  Did he hurt himself?!  Did the medication Yuuto gave him not work anymore?!”  He asked.

“Lady Gadian...wow that's quite aways...”  Yuugo said, quickly making a note of it.

“They suggested I should call you because you frightened the poor receptionist last time. Please don’t bother them and embarrass the family, Yuugo,” Yuri said, knowing he cold use Yuugo’s pride from having him question the cops himself.

“He had surgery. Apparently the ‘medication’ Yuuto was giving him were killing him. I’ve been told he’ll be fine. He’s going to be impaired for life, but he’ll live.” Yuri said. “And make sure you remember. No one will remind you, No-go.”

Yuugo scowled.

“I didn't mean to!  I was just worried about Yuuya!”   Yuugo exclaimed.  His eyes widened.

“Oh no...what the hell do you mean 'impaired for life'?  Does that mean he's gonna be stuck in hospital again?!  And where's Yuuto?  Is he there too?”  Yuugo said.

“I won't forget Yuri!  And my name is YUUUUUUUGO!”  

“So was I, and I didn’t scare him half to death,” Yuri mused. He headed out to his car and he switched the phone speaker to his car speaker as he started it up.

“It means that he’ll need new meds that they haven’t invented yet. He is stuck there for now. Yuuto is in prison, like he should be.” Yuri smirked as he heard Yuugo yell at him and he drove off.

Yuugo rolled his eyes.  

“Well they'd better find new ones fast!  And don't be so snarky with Yuuto...he never intentionally hurt Yuuya, like you tried to!”  Yuugo snapped.

“So dragging Yuuya and getting him also involved in his criminal activities is also not intentionally hurting him? If he was actually good, he would have gotten an honest job and asked the government for help with Yuuya. That way he wouldn’t have to get organ transplants,” Yuri said smoothly.

“Yuuya wasn't involved in that shit that Yuuto did...none of us were!  And he couldn't, cause the government didn't know what medication to give him!  And no honest job short of maybe CEO at the top of a very successful business could have paid for those meds!”  Yuugo exclaimed.  He frowned.

“Fucking hell...organ transplants sound rough...”  Yuugo mused.  

“You just stay the hell away from him if you disapprove that much of what they're doing!  Yuuto and Yuuya don't need you around messing things up!”  

“There are policies that help those who are disadvantaged. As unforgiving as Japan is, we’re not stupid Americans with their health care. He still could have had help,” Yuri frowned.

“I absolutely disapprove, that’s why I’m stepping in. I love Yuuya, Yuugo. Now that I have a chance to be back in his life, I’m absolutely not letting the two of you ruin it any further."

“Yeah, and as soon as the police came in, he was fucking arrested!  That's not help!”  Yuugo exclaimed.  He frowned.

“We don't need you stepping in!  Your love for Yuuya is sick and twisted and I'm not gonna stand by and let you hurt him!”  

“And whose fault is that? I’m talking a long time ago, Yuugo. The fact you don’t see the problem makes me think you’re definitely not suited for caring for Yuuya,” Yuri smirked to himself.

“No second chance for me, Yuugo? Really? I didn’t know you’re so, spiteful. I don’t even feel like that anymore. There’s nothing but brotherly love.”

“I'm definitely more suited than you!”  Yuugo growled.  He was definitely not going to let Yuuya fall into Yuri's hands.

“I don't trust you...you're always such a liar, that's why.”  Yuugo said with a scowl.  Even when they were kids, Yuri would lie a lot.

“And I don’t trust you because you’re outright unreliable.” Yuri sighed and shook his head. “I wanted to ask you if you would help me look after Yuuya when he was taken out of hospital, but I guess that’s not an option, is it now?”

“Yeah, that's a no, cause you're not gonna get him!  If Yuuto isn't allowed to look after him anymore, then me and Rin will!”  Yuugo snapped.  

“We’ll see how he is, and then I suppose I’ll see you in court then. Unfortunate.” Yuri shook his head and sighed. “Oh well. See you later then, Yo-yo.”

“Bring it!  You're gonna lose for sure.”  Yuugo growled.

“And my name is YUUUUUUUUUUGO!”  He cried, before hanging up and huffing angrily.

Yuri smiled. It would be an easy win for him, surely. He hung the phone up and continued to drive, still thinking about Yuuya’s lips, how soft and gentle they were, and how he wanted to make out with him desperately.

Yuuya would be his.

No matter what the cost.

-x-

The week had been incredibly tough for Yami.  He'd spent a lot of time working with the therapists to try and find a medical explanation for why Yuugi had disappeared, and continued to be completely absent.  He'd had an MRI, which had indicated his brain functioning had completely changed from the last time.  He'd heard talk of changing his medication.  He'd sat down with Dr. Arclight to try and talk things over, even though Yami had mostly just sat quietly because he hadn't felt like talking.  He hadn't really felt like doing much of anything...he hated being alone, but at the same time, he wanted everyone to just leave him be.  Yami felt so empty inside and he was starting to think there was nothing he could do to bring Yuugi back...after all, last time had taken seven years to fix...

The guards approached his room and called him out for free time.  Yami opted to simply stay in his wheelchair and be moved that way, not really feeling like standing or walking at the moment.  His only tiny hope was whenever he got to see Koutei...he still wanted Koutei to trigger a resurgence of Yuugi in his head.  Koutei was Yuugi's friend, after all...if he'd come out for anyone, it'd be him.  

The guards wheeled Yami to the workout room where Koutei was already waiting.  When they got to the door, Yami got out of his chair and walked in to see Koutei, his sad expression more than enough to answer the question he knew Koutei would ask about Yuugi.

Koutei felt more shaken by Yuugi’s disappearance than how he had when his father died. It was messed up to think about, and while Koutei had respected his father, he had loved Yuugi, who had been nothing but a joy in his life. This past week, it was like he and Yami were mourning like the death of a friend. Not only that, but also being haunted by his ghost. It was weird to think that Yuugi was gone… and a part of Koutei refused to accept it.

He wanted to cry. He wanted to scream, but Koutei never did. He just stayed quiet. Even though his heart sank when he saw Yami’s sombre expression, he put a weak smile. He had to be there for Yami. Yami was suffering so much.

“… Hey..."

Yami just felt like a wreck, and probably looked it too.  He hadn't slept very well all week, either thinking about never seeing Yuugi again, or trying to imagine the horrible way that Raphael died.  If it was by Sergey's hands, Yami had no doubt it had been a painful, slow death...exactly the opposite of what Raphael deserved.  He'd also felt horribly guilty about it...his warning hadn't been enough to save Raphael.  Maybe he should've said something sooner?  Maybe he should've talked more to Raphael about Kaiba...and assassins like Sergey?  And worst of all, Yami felt guilty for causing Koutei's pain as well.  He could read Koutei's expression and knew that behind every weak smile he'd been given, there was agonizing pain.  He'd promised himself he wouldn't hurt Koutei again, and here he had.  He hadn't been able to keep Yuugi around for Koutei either.  Koutei was missing one of the people he loved now...and Yami wouldn't even blame him if he admitted he loved Yuugi more.  Yuugi was better than him...Yuugi was the one who deserved to live, and now he wasn't.

“Hey...”  He murmured, limping slowly in and sitting down on one of the workout machines next to Koutei.  He hadn't really been exercising his leg much, so it was a little stiff.  He just wasn't motivated to do that...he was more interested in trying to meditate and call out to Yuugi, no matter how futile the effort.

Koutei had tried to run in order to get some of the stress off, but now that Yami was here, he felt he should be there. The man slowed down his pace and he switched the treadmill off. Then, he walked over to where Yami was sitting and sat next to him. He had no idea how dark the thoughts Yami was thinking, but he knew that none of them were particularly good. “… Muscles locking up? They’re looking pretty bad,” Koutei murmured, not sure what else to say that he hadn’t said yesterday or the day before.

“...A little.  The doctors have cut back on the physio...they're doing other sorts of tests instead.  And I haven't been walking much...”  Yami mused, massaging his leg a little.  The other tests were to try and find Yuugi.  Everything was about finding Yuugi right now.

“...You don't have to stop for me, if you don't want to.”  Yami offered, knowing Koutei did like his workouts and was probably using them to cope with Yuugi's loss.

“I was just finishing up,” Koutei muttered, watching Yami massage the muscles. “It’s alright.” He went quiet for a minute, watching Yami rub his leg. He could see how pale and tired Yami was, and Koutei wished he could help. He wished he could do something to bring back Yuugi.

But he couldn’t.

“… Here…” Koutei murmured after a few minutes. He got up but knelt in front of Yami, taking his leg. “Let me massage it. I know how to do it properly.”

“...Okay.  If you say so.”  Yami mused, groaning a little as he worked the stiff muscles.  He hated this part of recovery...and part of him wished the pain triggered Yuugi to emerge and wonder what was wrong with their leg.  He paused when Koutei moved to kneel in front of him, offering to massage his leg.  He hesitated, before he sighed.

“...Alright...thanks.”  Yami said, moving his own hands off of his leg so Koutei could give it a proper massage.  

Koutei smiled at him and began rubbing his fingers deep into the sore, tender muscles. Thankfully his years as an athlete had inspired him to learn a thing or two about massage therapy, and he was happy to do this for his friend. He stayed kneeling before him, occasionally glancing between Yami’s face and leg to monitor him.

“… What’s the plan for today?"

Yami hadn't really been massaged by anyone else before, except in physio, and that was usually painful (he hated the rollers).  But this was nice...he groaned a little as Koutei expertly dug his fingers into his aching muscles, soothing them with little pain.  It wasn't bothersome, and Yami had to fight to keep still.

“Ah...not much...”  Yami finally said around little groans.  

“...I think...more tests later, or something...I'm not sure...”  

Koutei kept working on them, nodding thoughtfully. He sighed, wondering what else he could do to help Yuugi out. “… Are you still writing to him?”

Yami let out a groan as Koutei dug into a particularly tense area, and then a sigh.

“...Yes.  Every day, I do.  I also try and probe for him in my head...but it's hard.  It's like he's barricaded himself in his room, and then hidden his room in a maze that's dark and always changing...one that would take thousands of years to solve.  I know I couldn't do it in seven at least...”  Yami mused.  

“...So I can't find him...I don't know what to do.  Nothing I did worked last time either...”  

Koutei bit his lip as he heard it. Yami had put a lot of thought and effort into this, and it really did seem like Yuugi was nowhere to be found. He didn’t want to lose his friend to the grief…

“There’s… got to be something.” He stopped massaging him. “Something we haven’t tried. Something to bring his consciousness forward like it used to.”

Yami frowned in thought as Koutei finally stopped massaging him.  

“...In seven years...I saw and did a lot of things that would've shocked Yuugi.  But, none of those things triggered him to appear...it wasn't until Raphael that he actually solidly re-appeared.”  Yami pondered out loud.  So what made Raphael so different than everything else?  Yami's eyes widened, the answer coming to him almost immediately after thinking of Raphael.  It was kindness, caring...maybe even love, that had triggered Yuugi.  And that meant there was still something he could try...

“...I think I have an idea...but...I can't do it alone.  I'd need your help, Koutei.”  Yami said, looking at the blonde who was still kneeling in front of him.  He hesitated a moment, knowing that before he'd told himself he really shouldn't do this...but it was for Yuugi.

“...I need you to kiss me.”  

Koutei was thinking of the same question, wondering where they could go. He knew Yuugi responded to strong emotions and thoughts that Yami felt, but he didn’t realise like Yami did that Yuugi had been missing for years and Yami wasn’t exactly innocent. He listened to his friend and looked a little hopeful when Yami seemed to realise something.

“I’ll help but…” He paused, realising just what Yami said. Did he just… “Uh… Not that I don’t want to but… Why?”

“Because...”  Yami bit his lip and blushed a little, hesitating as he realized he'd have to explain exactly how nice Koutei's kiss was before.

“...well...the last time you kissed me...Yuugi was triggered a little.  I don't think it was the kiss itself that did it, cause I had been kissed before and had kissed others before with no response from him.  But, what was different was...well, the feeling.  Your kiss was just...gentle...caring...loving even...Yuugi responds well to that.  That sort of feeling was what woke him up, I think, with Raphael.”  Yami said.

“...If you don't like that idea, we don't have to...I mean, Raphael never kissed us...so...”  He said, noticing Koutei's hesitation.

Koutei looked at Yami, still a little shocked at the suggestion, and a distant part of him thought that Yami just wanted to use him, like he had in the past. However, Koutei was a man who believed in Yami sincerely and fully. He loved Yami, well and truly, and hearing him say all those kind things made his heart flutter, despite how inappropriate it seemed at the moment. He slowly moved up from the floor next to Yami, and he shook his head.

“… I don’t mind. I’d… like it if we did. But do you think it will work?”

Yami watched carefully.  He knew this was kind of using Koutei, but he figured that if both of them were so desperate to get Yuugi back, it worked out for both of them.  He shrugged.

“...I don't know.  I really don't know for sure...but...when I think about what made Raphael so special, it was basically that he cared for us.  He filled a hole left from when Jii-chan died...that was what made Yuugi disappear in the first place.  Now, Raphael is gone, and the hole is back...so...fill it with someone else who cares, and Yuugi might come back.”  Yami said, looking at Koutei.

“...And you're the one who cares the most..and Yuugi and I care for you.  So...you'd be the perfect fit.”  He shook his head.

“I don't know what else to try...I just want him back...”  He said, face a little sombre as he said it.

It was true, they both wanted Yuugi back so desperately. Koutei was especially willing to be used in any way to try get his friend back. He missed Yuugi so much, it hurt not seeing him around, even if he was looking at what was technically his face right now.

Koutei gave a sad smile as he saw Yami’s expression. He reached out to brush some of the blonde strands of hair out of the man’s face, so he could get Yami to look at him. Much like last time, the man cupped his cheek and he stared at Yami’s purple eyes gently, feeling a little nervous.

“… Well… It’s worth a shot. I want to try too.” He leaned in a little, giving Yami time to pull away this time, before he gently pressed a kiss against the man’s lips.

Yami looked up at Koutei when the other gently brushed his blond bangs out of his face.  Knowing what was coming this time, he could feel a rush of anticipation...he did genuinely like kissing Koutei after all.  

“...Okay.  Then we'll try...”  He said softly, staying still as Koutei leaned in.  He didn't pull away when their lips were sealed, immediately closing his eyes and trying to just let himself feel.  Like last time, Koutei was gentle, sweet, caring...the only thing different was that Yami wasn't taken by surprise this time.  And then there was the additional difference of no change in his head...Yuugi wasn't triggered by the kiss this time.  That was no good...Yami leaned closer, deepening the kiss because he wanted to feel more, so that maybe Yuugi would be able to react from the depths of his mind.

Koutei couldn’t tell if it was working, so he focused on relaxing, making sure that he poured his feelings out in the lip contact. He closed his eyes as well, his free hand moving to Yami’s hip, gently caressing the man without being too forward. To his surprise though, instead of pulling away after a few moments, Yami pushed back, deepening it. Koutei steadied his hands and he replied in the same time, kissing him deeper. His heart was racing, both in excitement and anxiousness, and he hoped to all hell that this was working.

Koutei's feelings were being read loud and clear by Yami...he'd never felt so loved, so treasured.  Koutei was so gentle, hesitant and caring with him...like he was something precious.  He brought his hands up to Koutei's face, pressing him closer as the other returned his energy.  Kissing him and having these feelings reciprocated made Yami feel warm and happy...but Yuugi wasn't popping up.  There was no change at all.  Before Yami could try something else, they both heard someone clearing their throat.  Yami pulled back and looked in the direction of the sound.  There were a couple of guards that had entered without them noticing, too wrapped up in each other to pay attention.

“You both have visitors waiting.”  One of the guards said.

Honestly, Koutei wanted to ignore the coughing, but soon, Yami was pulling back. The man looked up to see the guards and he went pink-faced too, realising they had just kissed in front of an audience. The man scratched the back of his head and he nodded.

“Right… Coming…” He stood up and looked at Yami, leaning over to help him to the wheelchair. “… Did it… do anything?"

Yami looked away from the guards in embarrassment.  He'd gotten a little too into this, apparently.  He accepted Koutei's help to stand up.  His leg did feel better, but it was still hard to walk.

“...Yuugi didn't stir...”  He murmured, knowing it was not accurate to say it did 'nothing'.  

“...But it felt amazing...thank you.”  Yami said, giving Koutei a small smile and squeezing his hand.  The guards approached once Yami was in his chair to escort him to the visitor's rooms.

“...I'll see you later.”

Koutei was a little disappointed that it hadn’t woken Yuugi. As childish as it did seem, Koutei wanted ‘true love’s kiss’ to wake him up, and make all of them happy. However, he was glad that Yami had liked it. Seeing the man smile, he smiled back, cheeks going a little pink. He squeezed his hand as well and he waved to the man, seeing him head off.

“See you later.” Even though they were going in the same direction, the visitors room were separated, so Koutei soon followed after his guarded escort, feeling elated a little that he kissed Yami again.

Meanwhile, in the closest one, Alit was waiting.  This time, he'd come alone, without Masumi.  She was out with Kotori and Akari and Yuzu.  He usually did like shopping trips, but he also wanted to keep his promise and check up on Koutei.  It had been awhile after all.  He was surprised when Koutei was let in with a dreamy, love-sick look on his face.  Alit hadn't seen that on the other man's face in ages...and for once, it wasn't directed to him.

“...Well, don't you look happy?”  Alit mused with a smile.

“Alit!” Koutei beamed as he saw his best friend behind the transparent barrier. He gave a laugh as he sat down, letting the guard close the door and lock him inside the room. “Am I that happy?” He asked, pink-faced. “Is it that obvious?”

Alit smirked.

“You look like Gilag when he first got kissed by his sweetheart, that's what.”  Alit mused, leaning forward with a grin.

“It's great to see you doing so well...what's been going on that's got you in such a good mood?”

“Umm…” Koutei scratched the back of his head sheepishly and laughed quietly. “Honestly… Things haven’t been great until… literally five seconds ago.” He sighed. “Man… Alit, I know it’s crazy, but I think I found them… My soulmate."

Alit raised a brow and smirked as he listened.  

“...So you did get smooched then, huh?  By this...soulmate of yours?”  Alit said.  He was surprised.  On the one hand, it was nice to see Koutei so happy.  On the other...

“...who is this soulmate anyway?  Tell me about them.”  Alit decided to say, concerned about whether this soulmate was well...generally crazy.  This was a mental ward after all...and it was also one for criminals.  What if this person was dangerous?

“I mean… it’s the… third time? We did it twice before but that was all at once. This was just now…” Koutei played with his hair shyly, feeling like a teenager who had been confessed to by their crus.

“Um…” Koutei paused and his lovestruck expression disappeared. Wait. Shit. Alit may have not known about Yami’s involvement in Masumi’s kidnapping, but he probably knew who Yami is. He paused, wondering if he should indeed tell his best friend.

“… How well do you keep up with the news?"

Alit's eyes widened.

“Third time?!  Wow...you've been busy it sounds like.”  Alit mused, surprised the Correctional Facility seemed to allow this.  Alit frowned at the sudden change in topic...and the change in Koutei's expression.

“Kinda?  I have been paying more attention recently...cause I'm not out and about as much.  Lemme guess...this soulmate of yours has a reputation.”  Alit said.  

Koutei gave a long sigh.

“… Do you know the name Mutou Yuugi?” He asked quietly, ready for Alit to yell at him again.

Alit frowned.  

“Hmm...that name does sound familiar...”  Alit said, pondering where he'd heard it before.  Suddenly it came to him, but not in the way that Koutei expected.

“Oh!  I heard something about a break-in here a couple months ago and a prisoner who was almost killed.  I only paid attention to it because I was worried for you, but I tuned out when I realized you weren't the guy they hospitalized...I think that was the name, right?  Mutou Yuugi...”  Alit said.

“Do I have the right guy?  If so, he must be doing okay, if he's back here...”  

Koutei honestly wanted to kiss whatever deity was out there, because that was literally the best case scenario. Alit knew who he was, but not as the CEO killer or the cop killer. He internally sighed in relief, and he nodded to him. “Yeah… That’s him. He’s got a very special split personality disorder,” he calmed down. “He’s… They’re really something else."

Alit couldn't help but feel he'd heard the name somewhere else than just the incident with the Correctional Facility, but he couldn't remember for the time being.  He raised a brow.

“...Split personality disorder?  Isn't that like...where they're a different person like all the time?!  You said 'they'...how many are there?  Do you...do you like all of them?”  Alit asked, confused.  It sounded like Koutei had fallen for one of the truly sick people here...that was concerning.

“There’s only two,” Koutei said immediately, reassuring Alit. “It’s not that crazy, honestly.” He sighed, not answering Alit’s question on purpose. “ Though … One, Yuugi… He’s disappeared recently. And he’s the ‘main’ personality, so Yami and I are worried.”

Alit was a little reassured that it wasn't like there were five people inside one person's head that Koutei was friends with. He frowned.

"...so one just disappeared? How does that even happen?" Alit asked, confused.

"...that illness does sound serious though. How do you even know which one you're talking to, if they both look the same?"

“… Shock. Someone close to Yuugi and Yami died, so Yuugi’s just… gone. Yami says they can’t even see his brain activity when he had an MRI. Last time this happen, Yuugi disappeared for seven years, and Yami isn’t taking it well.”

“There are… differences. Like… It’s pretty obvious when you talk to them. To me anyway."

Alit frowned.

"Wow...sorry to hear that." He said, sympathetic to Mutou's loss.

"That does sound kinda scary...I guess it would be like losing your buddy or something. But this guy has you to help them out right?" Alit said.

"Hmm...well I've never talked to anyone with a split personality so I don't know if I'd recognize it...are they distinctive? Tell me about them. Are they nice?"

Koutei nodded. “Yeah… He does,” He smiled at Alit, glad for the cue from his friend to talk about Mutou more positively.

“Definitely. Yuugi is a ray of sunshine, the brightest point in this place. He’s friendly and kind and he loves games. We’re always doing fun things at meal times, and he’s always so curious about things. It’s almost like he’s innocent, and he’s gentle… but he’s also really brave,” he smiled sadly, “He actually stood up for me when he first came in. I… got into trouble, but Yuugi was there to try protect me.”

“Yami is a bit rougher around the edges. He’s witty, sarcastic, but also really charming. He’s confident and strong… He likes games too but games with a lot more risk. Even if he doesn’t seem like it, he cares a lot, though usually he tries to push people who get too close away. But he’s a really good guy."

Alit smiled, glad to make Koutei feel better. He didn't want his buddy sad after all.

"Well, anyone who stands up for my buddy is okay with me. With all those games you're playing, it sounds like you're having fun." Alit said.

"They both sound like cool guys...and different, surprisingly. I'm glad you have a couple of friends in here. Makes me less worried about you being happy." Alit said.

“Yeah… I mean… Shinji counts I guess, but I always hang out with Yami and Yuugi. They’re my best friends… and…” He blushed, hiding his face a little.

Alit smiled, watching Koutei blush and hide his face like a schoolgirl confessing their crush.

"And you love them, don't you?"  Alit said gently.

"...and if they're giving you smooches, they must like you too.  I'm happy for you, Koutei.  You've found someone special for you."

Koutei smiled behind his hand. “Yeah… I do…” He sighed quietly though, his expression becoming darker again. “I just… wish things were different. Yami started the kiss this time to try bring Yuugi back… and even if we do like each other, he’s got a life sentence. I get out in a few years…”

"Oh..."  Alit's face fell a little.

"...well, his illness does sound serious...I guess that's no surprise."  Alit said.  He sighed.

"...Maybe he could get parole or something?  Or you could visit him at least..."

“… no chance of parole.” Koutei sighed. “If he does get help from the Correctional Facility, he may be sent to prison. Yami’s done… some pretty horrible things. I love them, and moments like these are great but…” He just remembered… how hard it was going to be.

Alit's eyes widened.

"...What exactly is he in here for then?  Did he...kill someone or something?  Something really bad like that?"  Alit asked, a little concerned.

“…” Koutei paused.”… He’s changed. He honestly has. I want you to know that, alright?” He said, trying to reassure Alit.

Alit blinked and sighed.

"I'm not judging...I know that people can change.  I'm not who I used to be exactly either...that's probably thanks to Kotori."  Alit said with a smile, remembering how he had been mostly a womanizer until Kotori had made him want to settle down.  

"And I'm all for forgiveness...Gilag went to jail too for awhile, but then he came out a different man.  Now he's got Ponta to look after, and a steady boyfriend.  A boyfriend, Koutei!  Nobody ever gave him a second glance before, but now he's found someone special and I'm happy for him."  Alit said.

"...So if you say this Yami guy has changed, I'll believe you."

“… Yami murdered about 45 people, five of those being assassinations in cold blood.” Koutei said after a moment, burying his face into his hands.

Alit's jaw dropped at that admission.  

"He's a fucking serial murderer?!"  Alit exclaimed, despite his little speech before about forgiveness.  He was astonished that they had someone like that here...he thought that this wasn't exactly a place for someone of that calibre.  He quickly looked away and took a breath to calm himself.

"...That's...wow...just wow...I had no idea they had guys like that in here.  He must be just...fucking ripped and huge then, huh?  Sounds like a good workout buddy at least..."  Alit said, picturing a mass murderer as probably bigger than Koutei and at least twice as strong.  Possibly even bigger than Gilag!  And he was trying not to be terrified by that image and the idea that Koutei was really close to him.

“The term is ‘mass murderer’. And yeah… he is…” Koutei was ready to start trying to calm down Alit, to reassure him that he was alright and there was absolutely no danger, and then he heard the part about Mutou being ripped. Koutei tried to imagine it, before he burst out laughing hysterically, snorting into his hand as he tried to imagine Yami or Yugi with serious muscle definition.

“Pfft… Not even close. Mutou is tiny. Like he doesn’t even come up to my shoulder. He’s apparently always been small and skinny. He literally passed off for a ten year old last year too. He’s great at working out, but more making it like into a big game”

Alit was astonished when Koutei just burst out laughing.  He wasn't sure what about this situation was funny, until Koutei finally described Mutou's physical appearance.  

"Wait wait wait...like a ten year old?  Wow...that's..how old is this guy?!  A teenager?"  Alit was dumbfounded to think of a mass-murderer being as tiny as a ten-year old kid.  That would be like if Ponta decided to kill 40 people.  It was unheard of.

"...Wow.  I'd have trouble believing someone that tiny could be dangerous..."  Alit had to admit it was a little reassuring though.  Apparently Mutou was too tiny to be any physical match for Koutei.  He raised a brow.

"...You seem to have a thing for people shorter than you."  He mused, knowing he was a little shorter than Koutei.  Not that short, but shorter.

“He’s like… mid twenties. A little younger than us, honestly. He’s just utterly tiny.” Koutei grinned. “He can fight though. Like… not well but he has a bite to him. He has a really strong fighting spirit… both of them do. That’s what’s so cool about him. His main strength is his brain though. Yami is an incredible strategist.”

Koutei paused and snorted. “Really? I didn’t know I had a type. Can you really tell with a sample size of two?”

"Hmm...a guy in his mid-twenties who looks like he's ten.  That's gotta be hard to deal with..."  Alit mused.  He listened.

"So...this Yuugi guy is also a mass-murderer, since he can fight and stuff too?  And you said he likes games...they must both be good strategists then."  Alit pondered.  He snorted.

"Well it's still 100% of all your crushes, right?"  He teased.

“I mean, he doesn’t look ten all the time. He just could pass for it because he’s small.” The man shook his head.

“Yami is the murderer. Yuugi… Yuugi was unconscious for all the crimes Yami did. Only his last murder did Yuugi come back. But they are both good strategists yeah.

Koutei smiled and blushed. “Yeah… jerk. Teasing me about it though."

Alit listened.

"...Wow.  So Yuugi...just woke up during a murder?  Yikes..."  He mused.  He saw Koutei's blush and snickered.

"What, I'm not a jerk!  I'm just pointing it out!"  He teased

Koutei didn’t want to think about it. It made him think of Yuugi. Was that what it would take to wake him up next time? A murder?

“Yeah you are. You’re not allowed to point that out as my former crush,” he teased back.

Alit snorted.

"Alright, alright!  I'll lay off...but it is true."  He mused.  He smiled.

"...I'm glad you found someone, Koutei, really.  Even if this guy's a murderer, if he honestly wants a change, you'd be the best guy to help him with that."  Alit said honestly.  Koutei was so patient, kind and caring.  And he wanted a change himself, obviously.  It was a match made in...well...a mental ward.

Koutei smiled gently. He chuckled, looking at Alit, smiling warmly. He was glad he could joke like this. Alit really made it seem like it was possible to get Yuugi back.

“Thanks, Alit. I appreciate that."

Alit grinned.

"No problem, Koutei!  You just hang in there, okay?  I'm here for you too."  He said happily.

Meanwhile, Yami was left in a private room that had no dividers and a table, similar to the one he'd heard about Raphael's death in.  And inside of it, there was someone he didn't really want to see.  

"...What the hell are you doing here?  My court case is over."  Yami said as he entered, staring down his former lawyer and fuck-buddy Matsuda Beryl, seated across from him.  He was really not in the mood to deal with this guy...

“Good to see you too, Yami,” Black Mist rolled his eyes, though he seemed professional as the guards left the two of them to be alone. “However, as much as you don’t want to see me, I need to see you. As your appointed lawyer, and the one who Raphael asked me to deliver the news to I have to be here.”

Yami simply kept his eyes on him, judging his behavior.  He didn't want him to make any kind of move on him after all.  But then he heard Raphael mentioned, and his indifferent mask cracked a little.  

"...Why did Raphael send you then?"  He asked, having a bad feeling.

“It’s his will. It took some time for his lawyer to sort it out with me, but we finally managed to get everything sorted.” He opened his briefcase and passed Yami a plain sheet of paper.

“He made changes to his will before he died. Have a look at what he left you."

"His will..."  Yami repeated, the truth of this situation hitting him hard.  So this was it...Raphael was truly dead...if his will's beneficiaries were about to collect...that was the only explanation.  

He accepted the piece of paper in silent shock, surprised that Raphael would give him something at all.  He had orphans to care for...charities that would benefit from his wealth...but he still gave some to Yami.  Yami's eyes widened as he read the number on the paper.  

"This...this is really for me?"  He said, astonished.  It was a lot of money...more than Yami had ever had to his name in his entire life.

“Yeah… I fought tooth and nail to get you that and not have some other lawyer’s try get that off the deceased’s will. You’re welcome, by the way,” Black Mist said. It definitely was a lot of money, and real Yami couldn’t do anything with it. It was a waste, really.

Yami kept staring at the paper, glancing up when Mist spoke.  He sighed.

"...I don't know why you bothered...I can't do anything with this.  I have a life sentence..."  Yami said, putting the paper down.  

"...And no amount of money could give me what I want anyway..."  He wanted Yuugi back.  He wanted Raphael back.  He wanted...he wanted to be able to actually be with Koutei.  Money could get him none of that.

Black Mist leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “Maybe I have a thing about keeping money away from orphans. I don’t know. It’s free for yours to hold on to. Put it somewhere for someone else. Maybe you can pay for bail if you’re good.” Black Mist shrugged, figuring the same thing.

“What’s the matter now? Care to share?"

Yami sighed.  He didn't think he'd have a chance for bail...but he supposed he could do that.

"...I'll hold onto it...maybe something will come up..."  He said sombrely.  Maybe when Koutei got out, he could give it to him.  Make sure he wouldn't have any trouble with money anyway.  He glanced at Mist.

"...Yuugi's gone.  It's like he died with Raphael...I'm alone in my head again, that's what..."  Yami mused softly, not sure why he was saying this to Mist.

“…Yuugi?” Black Mist quirked an eyebrow. “The split side that didn’t know me. Gone? Huh… I didn’t know that could happen. And you miss him?”

"It happened before, dumbass.  That's why he didn't know you."  Yami snapped a little, before sighing.  

"...Yes.  It feels...off, to not have him there.  It always did.  I just don't have anything to distract me from that fact here..."  Yami mused.  There was no gambling, no thrill that came from winning, no real way to toy with people through sex or drugs and mind games...nothing to get rid of that empty feeling.

Black Mist leaned forward. Even though he still was in a happily committed relationship with Thomas, sometimes he couldn’t help himself. He smirked at Yami, trying to cheer him up.

“Well… I could kiss you to distract you like old times. After all, I heard on the way up here you’ve been busy with your mouth. Might be good for you to bother with mine.”

Yami saw Mist shift, and his eyes widened when he heard the suggestion...but the thing that really surprised him was that Mist somehow knew he had kissed Koutei in here.

"...How the fuck do you know what I've been up to in here?  It's none of your business."  Yami said, fighting down a blush.  That damn psychologist...or those damn guards...they'd probably blabbed to everyone, hadn't they?

“… Wait seriously? Have you?” Black Mist blinked before he burst out laughing. “Serious? I was just messing with you. If you really wanted to kiss someone though, you should have called. I’m much more eager than any inmate for you.”

"Shut up!"  Yami cried, face going much more red now.  

"...ugh...what is wrong with you?  You have a fucking inmate fetish or something?" " He asked.

“Honestly, a little bit. I like guys with an intimate relationship with danger, honestly.” That was probably why he was dating Thomas. The man gave a huge grinned, utterly amused by the entire ordeal. “I guess that means I’m not getting that kiss, huh? Who you saving it for?"

"More like you want an intimate relationship with danger..."  Yami muttered.  He shook his head.

"No, I'm not going to kiss you."  Yami said, looking somber as he remembered Koutei.  No matter what he wanted, there was no way they could be together...

"...I'm not in the mood anyway..."  He said, going back to his usual sad-face that he'd basically been wearing for the past few days.

Black Mist’s smile faded, and he actually looked serious for a moment. He sighed, knowing he wasn’t particularly good with these instances, but Yami had been someone he was close to back in the day, less so than Vector but sure. He paused for a moment, before he got up to go awkwardly hug him.

Yami was sad and didn't particularly care to hide it right now.  He didn't have the energy.  He didn't even really notice Mist approach until he was being enveloped in a hug.  Yami blinked, tense for a moment, before relaxing a little.  It was nice to have a bit of comfort.  He'd only gotten a hug from Koutei, and he and Mist did have a similar build...when he closed his eyes, it was like they were the same person.

Mist petted the man gently. He really meant this to be innocent, but as he did so, he couldn’t help but sigh in contentment. Thomas had been so busy these days. It had been a while since he had a warm body against him. Mist stroked Yami, slowly caressing his skin, subconsciously dragging his fingers to the hem of Yami’s shirt and lifting it up.

Yami's tenseness began to disappear gradually as Mist pet him gently.  He closed his eyes and relaxed after a couple of moments.  He was willing to let himself drift away a little, feeling calmed and a little thankful that he was being comforted.  He also couldn't help but draw comparisons in his mind between Mist and Koutei...although Mist's cologne and clothes were different than anything he'd ever seen Koutei wear, they had a similar build and Yami seemed to fit just as snugly in both of their arms.  

It wasn't until he felt Mist's warm hands on his bare skin that he realized that Mist was slowly trying to undress him.  His eyes jolted open in alarm and immediately he began to squirm in Mist's strong grasp.

“Let go of me!”  He yelled, managing to weakly pull away just enough to swing at Mist's face, punching him square in the closest cheek to him.  He swung repeatedly, trying to beat Mist back enough to pry his body free.

Mist barely knew what was happening. One minute, he was feeling Yami up, admiring how small the other man was, and the next he got a hard punch in the face. The man practically jumped in place and stumbled back, holding his cheek in astonishment.

“What was that for?” Mist hissed

As soon as Mist gave him an opening, Yami was jumping back too, out of arms reach.  He scowled at the man, astonished that he apparently didn't even realize what he was doing.

“The hell do you mean, 'what was that for'?  You were feeling me up, asshole!  I didn't say you could do that!”  Yami accused him.   He was shocked that Mist would try and take steps to molest him like that.

“No I wasn’t.” Black Mist said, actually sounding indignant. The lawyer felt his jaw and straightened up. The guards moved to the door, wondering what was going on, but Black Mist waved them off as they peered through the window. “I was hugging you. I wasn’t trying to do that"

Yami's eyes narrowed even more.  How could Mist not realize what he was about to do?

“You were fucking pulling my shirt up!  That's not something you do in a hug at all!  So, you weren't just planning to hug me, you were planning to molest me!  You trapped me in a hug, and then started taking my clothes off.”  Yami snarled, knowing fully well he was right.

“And you asked to kiss me earlier.  I told you no, but you went ahead and tried to start shit anyway.  You fucking molested me, you bastard.”  

“… Huh. I guess I was.” Mist tried to think of the last time he had a hug that didn’t involve removing his clothes, and somewhat surprisingly he couldn’t think of anything. Usually it would lead to that with Thomas, and he wasn’t particularly touchy with anyone else.

“I wasn’t trying to kiss you. Honest.” Black Mist rubbed the back of his neck. “Man… I’m sorry, Yami. I didn’t even realise.”

Yami was incredulous.  

“...How the hell do you not even realize what you're doing?  You've had enough sexual partners to know the importance of consent, haven't you?”  He exclaimed.  He crossed his arms.  

“Just saying sorry isn't enough.  If you ever come back, I won't see you unless you're in a visiting room with barriers.  I know they exist.  I don't care if the legal shit is confidential.  If you have even a smidgen of care about what others want, you'll grant my wish.”  He said sternly.

“Now, unless there's anything else related to Raphael or legal shit that needs to be shared, I'm leaving.”  

“You’d think that, wouldn’t you?” Mist muttered bitterly under his breath. He sat back down, drumming his fingers on the table.

“Fine. Fine. Just don’t get me in trouble about this. I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately, so I sure as hell don’t need that sort of thing.”

“Hmph… Didn’t read the rest of his will, did you? Or actually tell me where to put the money you want to save."

Yami listened with a frown.  He knew Mist was a former prostitute and may have had a few borderline molestation instances, especially because he was so small and skinny back when he'd known him.  But it was still surprising that Mist didn't seem to think with his head, especially now that he was a lawyer.  

“You should talk to someone then...or get laid by someone who actually wants to sleep with you.”  Yami mused.  He glanced at the will on the table.

“...I don't want to read it.  Just tell me if he left me anything else, aside from the money.”  He said, not wanting to be reminded once more that Raphael was gone.

“...I guess I can open a bank account to save the money in for now...I've never had one before.”

He didn’t deal with rape cases for a reason. He was too… unsympathetic, he supposed.

“I do get laid by someone. He just hasn’t been home lately. Too busy being a pretty boy and doing an interstate shoot,” Black Mist gave a shrug. “Might be a few more weeks until I see him.” Black Mist followed Yami’s gaze and frowned.

“No, money was everything. Evidently he didn’t have anything else he could give you anyway.”

“Want me to do that for you? Or arrange someone to come over?” Mist asked.

Yami frowned.

“So you're a cheating bastard too.  Good to know.”  He said.  He was honestly glad that Raphael hadn't left more...then he'd feel even more guilty about taking things from needy children or for giving Yuugi false hope.  He wondered if that was why Raphael had done it...Yuugi hadn't ever known he had a life sentence...

“You can do it...no need to send someone else.”  Yami didn't really want to see anyone else.

“Is that it then?”

“I haven’t been cheating. I’ve been explicitly not cheating. Maybe that’s why I’m so restless. I’m too used to this shit.” He used to cheat, but he hadn’t been doing anything as bad as he did today. Black Mist rubbed his temples, wondering if it was time he got a therapist, especially when he could pay for it.

“Alright. I’ll have the account set up, and a representative will call to set up your banking details.” Mist nodded.

“Yeah. That’s it."

“Hmm...maybe.  You should talk to someone about it...whether it's your pretty boy partner, or a therapist, is up to you.”  Yami advised.  He nodded.

“Okay.  Then I'll get out of here.”  Yami said, waving the guards in with his wheelchair.  As promised, he didn't say a word of what went on.

“Bye.”  Yami said simply, letting himself be wheeled away back to his room where he could write a note to Yuugi about what Raphael had left them, and maybe...hopefully...wake him up at last.

“Maybe…”

“Take care, Yami. Good luck finding Yuugi…” Mist muttered. He waited for Yami to leave before he got up, rubbing his temples. He’d talk to Thomas tonight when he called him. Maybe that would help...

-x-

Akaba Reiji was concerned.  He had heard on the news as everyone had that Kawahara Raphael had been brutally murdered in his own home.  That was disturbing for Reiji, because it meant that the CEO killer hadn't given up...the attacker had once again been Sergey, who had potential connections to Roger.  He needed to get an update on what Shun was doing...he wanted to know if Roger was still a suspect.  

He sat in his dark office alone, setting up a video call with his hitman in Neo Domino.

Shun had done nothing but work. Yuuto hadn’t returned any of his calls or his messages. Even if Shun used a phone that rerouted the call history to another phone, Yuuto knew how to contact him, and he hadn’t yet. Even though going for years without talking wasn’t uncommon for them, Shun was worried that Yuuto had been serious about asking him to leave his life. No responses… no attempts… For once, the silence felt oppressive.

So he worked. And worked. And worked. Only leaving his house for supplies, Shun had made use of Roger’s finger prints and made scans. Now, he had finished constructing all the tools he needed for a raid into Sector Security, and he planned on having a nap so he was ready to raid the place at night.

Shun was about to shut his laptop off when he got the call. The man frowned and switched the video on, seeing Reiji.

“Yes?"

“Another CEO has been murdered here in Heartland, by Sergey, a former assassin of Roger's.  I want updates on your monitoring of him.”  Reiji said simply.  He knew Shun was planning a raid soon...the man seemed to have dedicated himself to his work quite a bit recently.

“Hmph… Running out of CEOs to kill,” Shun muttered, “I’m going to visit his office tonight. You have good timing.” Shun said, though there was no smile on his face. “He’s been acting like all things are normal. Nothing suspicious, honestly. No meeting with unusual people, no one entering the building if they shouldn’t.”

He sighed. “I tapped the phone lines and have a recognition program going through the calls picking trigger words up, so I know if there’s anything going on. I know Roger has a preference for voice calls though, so I haven’t gotten much out of that lead”

Reiji frowned and pondered this. “Before killing Kawahara-san, Sergey was in prison.  It makes sense that he wouldn't be able to contact him the usual ways...Sergey couldn't have come to visit him either.  When you check his office, look for any form of communication you haven't tapped, and analyze what he's said in the past two weeks.  Sergey broke out two weeks ago, and according to the police report, it was a planned affair.  If Roger was responsible, there must be evidence that he orchestrated the escape and then sent Sergey after Kawahara-san.”  Reiji said.  

“...If you find the evidence, I want Roger dead.  He's too dangerous to be left alone...even with Sergey dead already, if he ordered Sergey to do this, then it's clear he has more knowledge in the aspect of controlling of human beings than he claimed at our last meeting.  If he or his work survives, he might use it to make another assassin.”

“Right. I’ll keep that in mind,” Shun muttered. “I’ll look out for the drone technology he’s investing too. He may have used that as a relay system for Sergey.” He gritted his teeth. Sergey… that bastard again. Shun almost started gritting his teeth until he heard the man was dead.

“… Since when was he dead though?” Shun had wanted to kill that bastard himself.

Reiji nodded.

“Please do.  If you can, take it from him.  At least get a copy of the plans so I know what he's up to.”  He raised a brow, noticing the clear change in Shun's demeanour.  

“Sergey died with Kawahara-san.  The CEO managed to take him out alongside him.”      

Shun gritted his teeth. On the plus side, Sergey was dead. On the other, not dead by his hand. Vengeance hadn’t been served, and honestly, he was real pissed. The man grumbled, but in the end shook his head and looked back at Reiji.

“Good for something then. Hmph."

Reiji could see Shun's irritation plainly.  

"You can get your revenge by taking out whoever is responsible for sending him.  I suspect it is Roger."  Reiji said simply.  He was also a little bit concerned.  He didn't want Shun just running off on a personal vendetta for Yuuto's sake...that would be like him disobeying orders.  Especially when he'd previously shown interest in that.

The assassin huffed, forcing himself to calm down. “Right… Roger. I’ll tear him in half,” Shun muttered. “Anything else you want to ask?"

Reiji sighed.

"Only if you have the clear evidence that he is responsible. I don't want another innocent CEO dispatched." Reiji reminded him.

“The guy gave Sergey his upgrades in the first place.” The man growled. “He deserves to die anyway”

"And Sergey is dead. As long as he hasn't given those upgrades to anyone else, and isn't trying to control people anymore, then it's fine." Reiji said.

Shun grumbled. “Fine. I’ll hold back.” He added the ‘for now’ in his head, not wanting to piss Reiji off. “Again, anything else?"

"No. Do your search tonight and we will discuss what you find tomorrow." Reiji said.

Shun nodded. With that, he hung up on Reiji and sighed. “Damn it!” Suddenly, he picked up his chair and threw it at his bed, hissing at it angrily, as if it had hurt Yuuto instead. He knew he should have been happy Sergey was dead, but it felt like he hadn’t done anything for Yuuto… Yuuto who was hurting and scared and maybe had killed himself… “Damn it!"

Reiji sighed as Shun hung up. He was concerned with his assassin's behaviour. He wondered if the man was planning on running off orders, killing Roger anyway just because his guy had hurt Yuuto. He sighed, picking up the phone to dial his other assassin, one who specialized more in stealth work than killing.

Only one person had this contact number, so the man on the other side answered immediately.

“Yes?” Came the quiet voice from the other line. “What do you require of me, Reiji-dono?”

"Tsukikage. I need you to do a little stealth work on Kaiba Seto. Hes one of the only men of stature left here who could be behind the CEO killings. I need to know if he did it."

“Kaiba Seto?” Tsukikage asked. “… I understand. I will do as you ask. Do you want everything he has?”

"I want to know anything suspicious, including who hes communicating with. I need to know if he was involved." Reiji said.

“As you wish. I’ll contact you before the week’s end, Reiji-dono.” Tsukikage jumped to the next roof and looked around, seeing KaibaCorp in the distance, the tower glimmering in the evening sun.

Tsukikage was watching the tower and had a good view of two boys approaching the front door. One was recognizable instantly as Kaiba Mokuba, the Vice President of the corporation. The second wasn't known to the spy, but it was Ponta.

"Wow, your older brother works here?" Ponta exclaimed in awe.

“Yeah,” Mokuba laughed, not noticing they were now suddenly being shadowed. “He’s sort of a big deal around here. He does some really important stuff.” He chuckled. “I do too, of course."

Ponta was equally oblivious, walking alongside Mokuba happily.

"Wow! Your brother sounds so cool! It's always fun to work with your big brother, huh, pon?" Ponta grinned. He would love to work with Gilag on all the important stuff he was doing...but he was still too young.

Mokuba chuckled. “Yeah. He’s the coolest. No one can deny that,” Mokuba smirked, flicking his hair unable to help but feel extremely proud about his older brother. “I wouldn’t say it’s all fun though. A lot of hard work is involved. Maybe I can show you some of it if I don’t have that much to do.”

Ponta grinned.

"I can't wait to meet him, pon!" He said excitedly. His eyes widened.

"Is it secret stuff? I won't tell pon! Maybe I can help, then it'll be easier?" Ponta offered.

“Um… not secret, but it’s a bit complex. Are you good at math?” Mokuba asked, already knowing Ponta would have no idea but wanting to humour his new friend. He headed inside the front entrance, waving to the receptionist as he headed to the Kaiba private elevator.

Ponta nodded.

"I'm pretty good at math, pon!  I'm good at memorizing numbers!"  He said with a grin.  He waved at the secretary same as Mokuba did, copying him perfectly.  He followed Mokuba and stepped into the fancy looking elevator.

"Are we going to the top, pon?"  He asked excitedly.

“All the way to the top,” he said, waving his keycard on the elevator panel. The pad beeped and Mokuba stepped in, waiting for Ponta before he punched in the floor where both his and Seto’s offices were. “Not scared of heights, are you?” he teased.

"Yay!"  Ponta cheered.  He shook his head.

"Nope, not at all, pon!"  Ponta said happily.

The elevator slowly went up and Mokuba turned around. He grinned, pointing to Ponta. “Hey… Ponta. Turn around. You can see a lot of Inner Heartland from here.” He said, seeing how pretty it was in the evening sun.

Ponta turned as instructed, eyes widening as he saw the beautiful view.  Heartland was sparkly and flawless, almost like a dream world...Ponta pressed his hands against the glass to get closer to it with a huge smile.  

"Wow...it's so beautiful, pon...I've never seen the city from this high up before!"  He said, amazed by the view.

“See? It’s pretty cool, isn’t it,” Mokuba said, looking over the glowing orange world. All the buildings clustered together shone beautifully at this time, and Mokuba knew it. The teen smiled, looking between Ponta and the scenery. “It’s even better from my brother’s office."

Ponta's eyes widened even more, excited.

"It is!  I can't wait to see it from your brother's office then!  It must be amazing, pon...you're so lucky.  You and your brother can see this whenever you want!"  He said happily.

“Yeah… almost every day you know. Sometimes I forget it’s there, you know?” He mused. “But it’s nice to show friends..."

Ponta looked at Mokuba with a smile.

"Your other friends must love it too! They're lucky to know you, pon!" He said, not realizing Mokuba didn't really have other true friends.

“I get compliments when they come to my office.” Workers for him, mostly, but Mokuba shrugged, not wanting to correct Ponta. He smiled. “Hey, that includes you, you know.”

Ponta grinned even wider when Mokuba included him in the friend group.  

"I hope so, pon!  You're my friend too!"  He said, hugging Mokuba happily.

Mokuba’s eyes widened but he hugged him back. The elevator dinged and opened up, and Mokuba grinned. “Come on. I’ll show you my brother. This way."

Ponta enjoyed the hug, letting Mokuba pull away one he'd had enough with a smile.

"Okay!  I'm looking forward to it!  What's his name again...Seto, right, pon?"

“Yep. Kaiba Seto,” Mokuba loved how clueless Ponta was. “Ready to see him?” He asked, ushering his new friend in. “Seto. I’m back. I brought a friend with me too,” he said, knowing his brother wouldn’t be busy.

Ponta nodded.

"Got it!" He said, following Mokuba inside. He gaped at the huge office, covered in windows...just like Mokuba promised, he was sure the view was amazing.

But for now, he focused on the person at the desk who looked up at them when they entered. Ponta noted he looked familiar...he was fairly certain he'd seen this man before, but couldn't remember where at the moment. He smiled.

"Hi! I'm Mokuba's friend Ponta! Nice to meet you!"

The man at the desk paused and looked up, raising an eyebrow. “Hmph… Mokuba, why did you bring him here?”

“He wanted to see you, big bro. Meet my family and all. He wanted to know what you did at the company,” he hinted.

Seto caught the hint, but figured Mokuba must be mistaken. There was no way this kid didn't know who he was...and what this company did...

Ponta smiled.

"Mokuba said you two work together on math stuff, pon? Oh and I like your building and office...it has a nice view of the city!" Ponta said. Seto hmphed.

"...it's more complicated than most kids can handle, I’m afraid." He mused. Ponta tilted his head.

"...you also look familiar, pon...did you ever go on tv? Did acting or something?"

Kaiba quirked an eyebrow and actually peered past his laptop to look at Ponta. Mokuba masked his laughter seeing his brother’s incredulous face and grinned.

“Oh? You’ve seen him on TV Ponta? I didn’t think you watched much.”

“I didn’t do any acting,” Seto muttered, wondering if Mokuba was pulling a prank.

Ponta shook his head.

"I don't, but I was watching Alit's boxing match overseas and I think I saw him in a commercial...yeah it was definitely you!" Ponta said. Kaiba stared at the boy.

"It was probably for my company then." He said. Ponta nodded.

"...yeah...I think it was Kaiba something now that I think about it...but that's cool, pon! My big brother was on tv too! He's been in commercials for all kinds of stuff!" Ponta beamed.

Mokuba didn’t say anything. He just looked at his brother and smirked. “Convinced yet, Seto?” he asked, not minding if Ponta heard or not.

Kaiba simply stared at Ponta, stunned by how completely naive he was. When Mokuba had told him he'd found someone who had no idea who they were, Seto had definitely dismissed it as a prank. But this young boy was so earnest and open and seemed completely genuine in his assertion that he had no idea who they were. He sighed.

"I'm convinced, Mokuba." He said. Ponta looked between the two brothers with a smile, not really understanding what they were meaning.

"So what sort of work do you and Mokuba do together, Seto-san? Can I help Mokuba with his stuff so we have more time to hang out, pon?" Ponta asked.

“Lots of business stuff,” Mokuba said, glad to have a victory over his big brother for once. As much as he loved Seto, it was hard not to gloat with an arrogant smirk. “Here. Let’s go to my office, Ponta and I’ll show you. Don’t be too surprised if you can’t read it though, okay?” he mused.

Ponta grinned and nodded at Mokuba.

"Okay! Good to meet you Seto-san! Bye!" Ponta said, waving at Seto before following Mokuba happily. Seto simply stared in disbelief.

"...see you." He answered.

Mokuba winked at his brother and opened the door, leading his friend out of the office. Down the corridor, he opened a door with his key card. It opened up to another extravagant room, shimmering brightly in the evening sun as well.

“And this is where I work."

Ponta's eyes widened at the beautiful office.

"Wow, this is really cool!" Ponta exclaimed, dashing over to the window to see the view with a grin.

"You must love working here, pon!"

“It’s nice… even though I’m not usually looking this way.” Usually he undermined his own achievements, but with Ponta he wanted him to be impressed. It was weird how different he acted with Ponta, but in all honesty it was nice to have a friend to be impressed by. “You wanna see?” He asked, switching on the computer.

"Why not, pon? It's beautiful!!" Ponta exclaimed with a grin, admiring the sun setting and the lights turning on in Heartland, how they seemed to sparkle and glow.

"Sure, pon! Whatcha working on?" He bounded over to the computer to see what Mokuba had on there.

“Well I got to do my work.” Mokuba smiled. ‘I’m usually too distracted by my work, you know,” He opened his computer and opened up a spreadsheet. “This is my planning sheet. The purpose of the VP to determine the strategic direction of the company plan through overseeing operations. I’m supposed to develop new functioning roles based on the stocks here.”

"Ah...I guess that makes sense, pon." Ponta said. He looked over the sheets in curiosity, frowning.

"...wow...I don't understand any of this stuff, pon! You're amazing Mokuba! This looks hard but you do it all the time like it's nothing!" He said with a grin.

“Oh, it’s not nothing. It’s a lot of hard work. I have to do my best. I’m just lucky I don’t get homework from the school. However, it does take many hours.”

Ponta's eyes widened. "Wow, no homework? They let you do that cause of your job, pon? Maybe I should get a job then!" He mused. "Do you have to do this every day, pon?"

“I don’t know, Ponta,” He gestured to the screen. “Would you want to do this every day?” He asked him, ruffling his friend’s hair.

“Yeah. It’s a lot to do… Sometimes I have to stay up late to finish it"

"It's a ticket outta homework though!"  Ponta laughed, letting Mokuba ruffle his hair with a grin.  He blinked.

"Oh wow...that does sound like a lot of work....are you gonna have to do that tonight, pon?  Can I help so you don't have to work as hard?"

“Think about it like harder homework though,” Mokuba pointed out. “It’s a lot of math.”

“Hm… I don’t think so… Sorry, Ponta. I’m just used to this. I’ll be fine though."

Ponta pouted.

"Boo...I don't want harder homework..."  He said.  He frowned.

"But you need rest, don't you, pon?  Homework doesn't usually take all night for me, but yours does!  That's no fair..."  He said.

Mokuba laughed. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I can manage it, I’m a Kaiba after all,” he waved off, smiling.

Ponta blinked, not quite sure why Kaibas were so special, but he could understand the family feeling.

"Yeah! You've got your brother to help you too!" He said happily.

Mokuba chuckled. “Yeah… I do. So don’t worry, Ponta, I’m alright.”

"Okay, pon! Can I still stay and keep you company? That way, you won't be lonely when you work!" He asked with a grin.

“Huh?” Mokuba raised an eyebrow, a little surprised at Ponta’s generosity. “That’s okay… I mean if you want to sure… but I’m probably not gonna talk… You know?"

Ponta smiled.

"That's okay. I'll just keep you company...I'm used to that." Ponta said, recalling Haruto being too weak to talk to him or too tired to play and Ponta simply kept him company at those times. He could do the same for Mokuba.

"Just lemme know if you need something, pon. I can help if you need it!"

“Huh? Well… If you’re okay with that, sure. You can do your homework while I do this and we’ll stop for dinner. You call home and tell them you’re probably gonna be late back."

Ponta nodded.

"Okay, pon! I'll call them now!" He said, grabbing the phone and dialling the home phone

Mokuba nodded and got to work. Meanwhile, at home, Kotori was cooking dinner when she heard the chime of their phone. Making sure Masumi was settled, she hobbled over to get it. “Hi Ponta,” Kotori chirped, picking up. In the background, Masumi bubbled, drinking her bottle. “What’s happening?”

"I'm with Mokuba at work, pon! We're staying here late, so I won't be back til later!" Ponta sais with a grin.

“At work? What do you mean, Ponta?” Kotori asked. “Are you at KaibaCorp? What are you doing?” The woman asked.

Ponta nodded.

"Yeah! I'm at KaibaCorp!"  Ponta said happily.

"Ah, I'm just hanging out with Mokuba...he has work to do, so I'm gonna do my homework, pon."

“Oh, okay. That’s nice of you,” Kotori said. “Call me if you need someone to pick you up, okay?"

"Okay, pon!  I'll let you know!"  Ponta said with a grin, before hanging up.  He smiled at Mokuba.

"I can stay, pon!"  He told him.

Kotori smiled and shook her head. She went to go back to Masumi, wondering if she should talk to Alit and Gilag about Ponta’s new best friend.

“Oh, that’s great.” Mokuba smiled. “You can bring the chair over so you can sit next to me. If you have any problems with your homework, I can help."

"Okay!"  Ponta grinned, grabbing a chair and heading over to Mokuba's desk and playfully butting against him.

"If you have problems, I can help too, pon!"  He said happily.

“Awesome!” The boy chirped as he bumped Ponta back. He chuckled, admiring how Ponta was so enthusiastic. “Let’s get to work, alright?”

"Of course!  We gotta work hard, pon!"  Ponta said with a chuckle and a grin.

-x-

The Heartland Police Station had been very busy these past few days, working on the drug cases.  They hadn't been able to find Dennis, despite Sora's tip offs, but the drug team had managed to find tons of drugs in the warehouses.  This included Devil's Breath, thankfully...it was currently being processed carefully by the station.  Ukyou and his team had been working tirelessly all week, and he felt like they were finally getting to the end of this busy cycle.

"...Ugh, I don't ever wanna fill out another drug form in my life..."  Anna groaned.  She desperately wanted a break, as did everyone else.

"Me neither!  Don't we have something else we can do?"  Gauche exclaimed.  Ukyou sighed.  He had a meeting later...but there was still something else he figured they could do.  

"...A break is warranted, I reckon.  I heard from Chris that Kaito is finally conscious in hospital...we still need to talk to him to get his side of the story."  Ukyou said.

Droite rubbed her temples. Even though she did’t want to complain but she had to agree with her coworkers. There was just so much to process and write, even with the drug team working with them. Droite just pulled up another stack of printed papers to deliver to Barrett and sighed.

“… It wouldn’t be too bad. Visiting Kaito sounds like a good idea. I didn’t know he was up.”

“Yeah…” Anna smirked. “Good thing Ukyou is so close to Professor Arclight, don’t you think?” she teased.

Ukyou rolled his eyes a little at Anna's teasing.

"Let's get this last bit of paperwork done, then we'll go see how Kaito is doing and take a statement from him about what happened.  Maybe he knows more about this drug dealer."  Ukyou said.  Gauche grinned.

"You got it!  Let's go see Kaito!"

“Alright. I’ll let the reception know we’re heading off on break,” Droite said, standing up and stretching. “I’ll alert the hospital.”

“Thanks Droite!” Anna smiled. The next few minutes was solely dedicated to work, but before long the group was walking out of the station, smiles placed on each of them.

“So is Kaito at Card Heart?” Anna asked as they walked out.

Ukyou nodded, getting up and packing his things.

"He is.  He's in ICU, but we'll be allowed in because we can say we're in on official business.  Chris says he's going to recover eventually...but we'll see for ourselves how he's doing."  Ukyou said.

“Right…” Droite grimaced, remembering how Kaito looked. They got into the same car and headed off, Gauche in the driver’s seat. Droite crossed her arms, trying to think.

“Hopefully he’ll be awake when we get there… man… the things I wanna say to him…” Anna muttered.

Ukyou sighed, getting into the car along with the others.

"I know...I'm stunned he still puts himself through these risks. Hes retired..." Ukyou mused.

"I hope he's doing okay."

“He’s been retired for like… what? It’s got to be at least three or four years? Five? Fuck… it’s been a while,” Anna muttered.

“I’m not sure. He’s always up and trying to help, so I can’t actually remember when he was officially off the force. It’s got to be a while,” Droite admitted.

"It has!  He's gotta be resting now...spend time with friends or something.  Doesn't he have buddies like Chris or his brothers to keep him company?"  Gauche said.  Ukyou sighed.

"Chris is busy with work...and Kaito does not see his brothers often.  They are also busy...Thomas is out of town with a photoshoot, and Dr. Miheal Arclight has his patients."

“So Kaito is probably alone with that enabling robot of his. Fantastic,” Anna muttered under her breath. “Incredible.”

“Maybe our visit should also be an intervention. We should go easy on him, but gently talk him out of… well… what he’s doing,” Droite said.

"...Well, now he will not even have Orbital 7...the robot's remains were found at the scene."  Ukyou mused sadly.  He did like Orbital, who seemed like a person more than a robot often.  

"Yes, he will need a talking to...someone needs to convince him to settle down."  Ukyou agreed.  Gauche nodded.

"Oh we'll talk to him alright!  We'll set him straight!"  Gauche promised.

“Yeah… for a primitive personality core, he was pretty amazing. It’s hard to believe he isn’t technically an AI but just a program with lots of compact program routes,” Anna said.

“Hey… Gauche. Gentle, remember.” Droite frowned. She waited until they were pulling up in the car lot. Droite stepped out, stretching a bit. “Let’s go.”

Ukyou nodded.

"Kaito built him from scratch. He'll be sad to hear it's broken...." he mused.

"Yeah yeah I know. We'll be gentle." Gauche promised, getting out when they parked along with the rest.

Droite looked at Gauche, a little disbelief in her face, but in the end she just walked away, heading for the hospital. The police team walked into the hospital, startling the receptionist at the table when they saw four officers in uniform.

“How can I help?”

“We’re here to see Tenjo Kaito,” Anna said. “Can you tell us where he is? He should be in the ICU unit. We have some questions for him.”

“I see… I’ll have one of the nurses escort you officers. Please wait.”

“Thank you.”

Ukyou and his team followed the nurses through the hospital.  

"Isn't Sakaki Yuuya in this hospital too?"  Gauche noted.  Ukyou nodded.

"He is.  Chris is looking after him a little too...he's out of surgery and recovering physically, but they haven't made much progress on his medication yet.  It's still early though, so things should get better."  Ukyou said.  The nurse eventually stopped outside Kaito's room and opened it for them.  Ukyou and team filed in slowly, gazing at the figure on the bed.

"...Kaito?"  Ukyou asked softly, alerting the other to their presence.

Kaito looked incredibly worse for wear. Even cleaned and patched up, he looked like a mess. He was thin and pale, with a number of bandages covering his limbs, most notably casts on both of his legs. His nose was still recovering from being bashed several times and even though he was wearing a hospital gown, bandages had been placed over his chest. Kaito had never been a huge man, and he seemed even smaller now. He was blindly staring into space, though he perked his head up when he heard footsteps.

“… Ukyou… Hey…” he muttered.

The team were all horrified by the state of the man.  He looked so tiny in bed, and covered in bandages...Gauche and Anna were momentarily stunned to silence.  Ukyou was the first to recover, having been told by Chris about Kaito's general state.

"...Kaito, the whole team is here. Droite, Anna and Gauche and I came to visit."  Ukyou said gently, approaching the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

Droite covered her mouth, hiding her shock, knowing that Kaito wouldn’t be able to see her moment of weakness. Even though Kaito’s health had rapidly deteriorated over the last few years, he had looked a lot better after his cancer treatment. Seeing him hooked up to all of the IVs like this was horrifying.

“Did you now? I’m surprised you all managed to get in here, even if you are police,” Kaito muttered. “Honestly, I’m a lot better. It doesn’t hurt. Doctors did a good job."

"We managed to pass it off as a break."  Ukyou said gently, managing a small smile.  It faded when Kaito said it didn't hurt...that was obviously a lie.

"...Kaito...are you really okay, cause you don't look okay?" It was Gauche who asked, because he was incredulous.

“I’m fine.” Kaito frowned. “I’ll be back up in a few days.”

“Kaito, you really shouldn’t. Please take time to rest,” Droite muttered.

Anna frowned.

"You shouldn't be getting back up in a month, nevermind a few days!  When you do get out of here, you gotta rest, Kaito!"  Anna exclaimed.  Ukyou sighed.

"Yes, Kaito...you need to rest.  We also came to talk to you about what happened in the candy store.  Why did you even put yourself in that situtation?  It was dangerous...and you did it completely alone.  You could have died."

Kaito grimaced, having been prepared to be interrogated like this but not from all his friends at once. He waved his hand dismissively as best as he could. “I know… I’ll rest.”

“Rest as in ‘actually rest’!” Gauche yelled. “Don’t take us so lightly.

“Calm down. Do you want us kicked out?” Droite hissed.

Kaito shrugged. “… I was just supposed to collect information. I wasn’t trying to bust him or anything… It just… escalated."

"Collect information?  For us?  Kaito, if that was the case, you should have told us about Sora's candy shop before going in yourself.  You should have shared that information and let us help along the way...you're not a cop anymore."  Ukyou said.  

“What you’re doing is vigilante work, Kaito. That’s illegal,” Droite frowned. They weren’t going to arrest Kaito, but the point still stood.

Kaito looked away from them, not sure what else to say anyway. “I didn’t have anything besides what I learned from Yubel…”

"What did you learn from the bartender then?"  Ukyou asked, wondering why Kaito was so interested in this case anyway.  Gauche and Anna were frowning, but holding their tongues because of the lingering threat of being kicked out.

Kaito sighed. “Nothing… Dennis distributed through Shiunin… that’s all I got. So I went to check him out.”

Gauche frowned.

"Why didn't you tell us?!  We could've gone in and caught him without you!  You would've been uninjured!"  Gauche exclaimed.

“You were all busy with the drug bust,’ Kaito scowled. “Like hell would you have done anything. I didn’t know Macfield was even there. I just knew Shiunin knew where he was so I wanted to follow that lead.”

"But the drug bust was related to MacField and Shuinin!  When we got Shuinin, we got the locations on the drug warehouses and got lots of MacField's supply!  We could've got that without you getting hurt."  Anna exclaimed.

“And processing all of the people from Yuuto’s hideout. There were a lot of things that you all were busy with,” Kaito muttered. Droite frowned, trying to scrutinise Kaito like how she would a criminal. Why would Kaito do such a foolhardy action? Why Dennis? What was his motive?

Did it even involve Dennis?

“… Are you scared of Devil’s Breath, Kaito? Is that why you did it? Or was it because of your own pride?” Droite asked quietly, staring at the blonde.

Kaito said nothing.

Ukyou frowned.  He, like Droite, felt like they were missing something.  There was a piece of the puzzle missing...why would Kaito go after Dennis on his own?  And if he wasn't sure Dennis was there, then why would he go after him? 

But the mention of Yuuto did remind Ukyou of something...Yuuto had given up ratherly quickly in revealing the location...

"...So, you know about Yuuto, huh?  He's the one who told us where to find you...and he did it rather quickly after a visit from a hacker."  Ukyou noted.

"...Why is a hacker so interested in you, Kaito?  And why would the Dark Duelist be concerned about you?"

Kaito internally cursed. Shit. He let that slip. These drugs were really getting into his head. How could he let such a careless detail slip like that? The man paused, wondering what he could say.

“… I don’t know why a hacker would be interested in me…” It had to be Astral that visited then. Astral… damn it he wasn’t supposed to be involved. Kaito hadn’t heard from him in days now. This was news to him. “… I know Yuuto though. He’s an old friend of mine.” He had to lie. No way would the cops believe anything else. “We used to be close. I thought he was just a landowner though. I guess he felt like he owed me… that’s all."

Ukyou frowned, along with Droite.  Both of them remembered one particular hacker that had connections to both Yuuto and to Kaito...

"An old friend?"  Now that sounded a little odd.  Kaito and Yuuto both seemed the loner type.  But, there was an easy way out of this...get the stories from both of them independently to test if it was the same.

"Where did you meet?  How did you know him then?  You must truly have been close if he was willing to share where you were and risk himself and his brother..."

Kaito was thinking along the same lines too. He needed somehow to get that information to Yuuto, in order to save both their skins and Astral’s. Yuuto didn’t need a longer prison sentence, and Kaito didn’t need one in the first place. The man shrugged. “I helped him with Yuuya when we were younger,” Kaito figured to take the role of Shun now, since he knew a little about him and Yuuto would realise if he dropped a hint. Shun had no records in Yuuto’s life whatsoever, despite being a mysterious boyfriend. It wasn’t perfect but it was all he could come up with on such short notice. “I helped him move out of his childhood home with Yuuya and I helped with alternatives to Yuuya’s cure back in the early day. I stopped when I heard he found an alternative cure, but I didn’t know they were illegal drugs.”

"Ah, so you know Yuuya as well, and his illness..."  Ukyou said, wondering why Kaito hadn't said anything earlier, when Yuuto and Yuuya were first brought in.  He had clearly known about it...

"Hmm...so how long has it been then, since you've had contact with him?"

“It’s been a few years… I haven’t kept up with people since leaving the police force,” Kaito said. Droite couldn’t find fault in that. It was no secret that Kaito was depressed and tended to shut himself away.

Ukyou sighed and nodded.

"...Well...I have another question for you.  You said you knew Yuuto, but what about Yuuya?  Were you close to him as well?"  Ukyou asked.  He had heard from Chris that Yuuya did better in hospital with familiar faces around...maybe it could be arranged that Kaito and Yuuya could meet up if it was restful for both of them?

“I helped him out, but he probably wouldn’t recognise me. Yuuya was mostly in his coma for the time I knew him. He may not recognise my face.” Kaito admitted, knowing he could play off that based on what Astral told him about the Sakaki brothers.

Ukyou nodded.  That did fit very well with the story Yuuto had told them as well.

"Alright...well, the reason I asked was because Yuuya is also here.  He's trying to get treatment for his condition.  Familiar faces make him more comfortable here...if you wanted to see him, maybe it would make you less lonely too."  Ukyou said.

“Yuuya is here…” Kaito paused. Maybe he could get a nurse to deliver a message to Yuuya and somehow get that to Yuuya. It was a long shot, especially if Yuuya was as bad as Yuuto said, but it was worth a shot if he didn’t see Astral.

“Maybe… If we get the chance, I wouldn’t mind that.”

Ukyou nodded.

"Sure...as long as you rest.  You both need rest...Yuuya is also recovering from surgery, like you are."  Ukyou said.

Kaito sighed. “… I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused all of you. That… wasn’t my intention."

Gauche frowned.

"You should be!  We were worried sick about you!  They sent us a tape of you all beat up!"  Gauche exclaimed.

Kaito bit his swollen, stitched lip and curled his fist as best as he could. He didn’t have anything else to say to his former coworkers. He had made a stupid, stupid mistake and it was going to cost him…

Droite sighed.

"Gauche, calm down...we're all upset, but yelling at him isn't going to help now.  We'll get kicked out."  Droite said.  Ukyou nodded.

"Droite is right..."  He said, looking at his watch.  He realized he had a meeting to attend in about half an hour...shit.

"Unfortunately, we need to get back to the station.  We'll come visit Kaito again soon."

“Right… we can’t be late,” Droite sighed. “Take care, Kaito. We’ll talk again.”

“Right… Take care then,” Kaito mumbled, still not meeting any of their gazes.

The team headed out, going back to the station.  

"I can't believe him...I'm glad he's doing better, but he's so damn stubborn!"  Anna exclaimed.  Gauche nodded.

"It's like he needs a babysitter too!  If we leave him alone, he gets into trouble!"

“That’s not an entirely inaccurate statement,” Droite frowned. “… I’m worried what kind of things Kaito’s gotten involved in though while he’s been off the force.“

Ukyou sighed.

"Indeed...we need to talk to Yuuto about this a little. I'm concerned about the fact that Kaito knew him...I get the feeling we're missing something."  Ukyou said.

“Yeah… I don’t think Kaito has done anything bad though. After all, he’s got such a strong sense of justice. We may be missing something, but he’s a good man and has always done what’s right.” Gauche piped up. “I trust him, but he’s an idiot!”

"He may not have done anything bad...but I am concerned, is all."  Ukyou said.  He got into the car with the others.

"For now though, we'll get some rest.  It's been busy at the station for awhile now."

“Yeah… We’ll rest and then finish off everything,” Anna said. “You have a board meeting, don’t you two?”

“Unfortunately,” Droite muttered. “Honestly it’s long overdue but still"

"Yea...I hope it won't last too long."  Ukyou mused.  He was not looking forward to this...he could only hope that he was not going to get fired from it.

“You’ll be fine,” Anna smiled as they pulled into the police station. “Just keep your heads up and they’ll see there’s nothing to worry ‘bout.”

“I hope so,” Droite said.

Ukyou nodded and gave a small smile to Anna.

"Im sure it will be fine. Everything will work out." He said softly, even though he wasn't sure if he believed it. They pulled into the police station and Ukyou got out of the car.

"Let's go in right away Droite...no sense in keeping them waiting anymore."

Droite nodded and straightened her uniform. With that, she took a deep breath and opened the door for the two of them, leading them into a room where five people were sitting behind a long table, talking amongst themselves until they saw the two.

“Dolowa and Ukyou… Please… take a seat.”

Ukyou nodded, sitting down. The board was composed of several older officers of high ranking.

"Superintendent Ukyou, we've been quite disappointed in your performance as of late. We've lost over half the active police officers due to the failed drug bust, Sergey Volkov escaped to kill another innocent and good man under your watch, and we've still not been able to catch that drug dealer." The board member said. Ukyou hung his head down a little. It was true. He was responsible.

“In fact, half the reason why we haven’t let you go is because we’re severely lacking in officers,” Ouch, straight to the point, huh? Droite grimaced as she heard it herself.

“… It should be noted that your team of four seems to do more than half of the station’s work combined, which is rather impressive, but it does not make up for you failures. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

Ukyou listened without comment at first. They were right...all of them were right.

"...I believe it should be noted that the squad continues to make excellent progress...Sergey is no longer a concern, we found dozens of escaped fugitives and the person responsible for taking them out of prison, and we've arrested a known associate of MacField's. We are making progress together as a team...and I worry that disrupting that structure might affect the way it functions." Ukyou said.

"We don't plan to break up the team, Superintendent. As we mentioned, we are short staffed. You won't be dismissed completely...but your responsibilities as a Superintendent will be given to someone else. Officer Dolowa, you have always been a natural leader with your team and unofficially second in command to Ukyou. We'd like you to assume the role."

“Well Officer Dolowa? We have no doubt you’d be capable for the job.” Droite frowned. While she wasn’t surprised, it was still a huge shock knowing that they wanted her to take up the leadership position. It would be incredibly beneficial for her status and her income if she took the job, at very least. It seemed like a no-brainer.

“Thank you board, for considering me for this promotion. It’s very gracious of you,” Droite started carefully. “However, it’s that same grace in which I would politely ask if I could decline this offer, and instead appeal to you to keep the position with Ukyou,” she said, looking at her friend.

Ukyou also expected this, and was honestly a little glad it was Droite who was going to get it.  This way, the team would stay together.  But he was also very surprised when she turned it down, glancing at her in surprise.  

"...Well, this is unexpected, Officer Dolowa.  Might we know your reasoning?"

Droite nodded to Ukyou and turned back to the board. “Because Officer Ukyou keeps our team together, and while we have suffered immense losses, we have the highest success rates and cut crime almost by 30% within the last five years alone. While I am a good worker, that’s all I am, a good worker. Much like Tenjo Kaito before me, I believe I will do a good job but nothing to Ukyou’s level. Ukyou Kitano is a natural born leader, who knows how to deal with situations and a wide array of people, knowing how to optimise strengths. Even if it’s among my friends, I do not think I’ll be able to manage the job as well as Ukyou.”

Ukyou listened to Droite's speech in astonishment, feeling humbled that she was standing up for him this way. He smiled a little as he watched her.

"Hmm...it is true that your team works extremely well together...that's why we thought simply changing the leader wouldn't hurt the dynamic too much." one board member said.

"But if you feel that strongly about it, very well, Officer Dolowa. You may keep your position and Superintendent Ukyou may keep his, for now. We expect to see these results continue." The head member of the board said. Ukyou nodded.

"Yes sir. Thank you sir."

“It would, unfortunately,” Because Droite mostly scared her friends into line, unlike Ukyou who made people want to do it. The older man was as much a teacher and an inspiration as a boss. Droite smiled as she heard the result she wanted and she bowed politely, glad she was able to convince them without too much trouble. “We’ll continue to deliver results. Thank you." “Be warned, there still will be consequences for your actions that we’ve yet to decide. Please do not make us go back on our decision, you two."

Ukyou bowed as well.

"We understand.  We will not let you down."  He promised, really hoping he could follow through on that promise.  

"Very well.  You are dismissed.  We expect regular reports as usual on your progress."  Ukyou nodded and headed out of the room with Droite.  Once they were alone, he smiled at her.

"...Thank you, Droite.  You didn't have to do that...I think you would have made a fine Superintendent.  They were right to pick you."

Droite nodded and she headed out of the room. She closed the door behind them so the board could further discuss and she smiled.

“I absolutely did have to do that. Can you imagine me in charge? I don’t think it could have worked out. Like I said, I’m a good worker. I’m not a leader,” she said. “Besides, it means I can leave getting Gauche and Anna under control to you,” she teased.

Ukyou listened and smiled.

"You'd be a good leader for them, Droite, whether you think so or not." Ukyou said. He chuckled.

"Yes, I suppose that can be tricky..." he mused before he sighed.

"...They've probably gone home to rest by now. You should too. I'll see you tomorrow."

“It’s been a long and stressful day, neh?” Droite nodded. She remembered the other two had papers to sort out but Ukyou was right, they probably had gone back by now. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Ukyou. Enjoy your evening.” Droite stretched out, wondering if Mai was free. With that, she headed for her car, sending Mai a text to ask where she was.

Mai responded immediately, saying she was at home and craving company if Droite wanted to come by.

Droite smirked as she saw the text. She quickly sent another back and sat in her car, waiting for a reply.

‘Let me check on Fuuya and then I’ll swing by. Or should I stop home and get changed first?’

'Whatever you want, honey. If you're too tired to change that's okay by me!' Mai replied, knowing Droite has been busy lately.

‘Do you want to see me filthy?’ Droite rolled her eyes. She clicked sent and then froze, only just realising what she sent to Mai and the unfortunate implications of it. ‘iGNoRE THAT'

Mai's eyes widened as she read the text, chuckling a little at how uncharacteristic of Droite such flirty advances were. She was sure that what Droite meant wasn't the undertones, but Mai couldn't resist teasing.

'I'd love it darling~' she teased.

‘Shut up. You know what I meant,’ Droite texted, a furious blush on her face. ‘There goes me wanting to shower and dress up nice. I’m gonna come over now and see how you like it >( .’

Mai laughed, picturing the blush she was sure Droite was wearing.

'Awww I love it when you dress up...' She replied, but she smiled.

'But I love you more, so come over whenever you're ready'

‘Be there soon’ Droite rolled her eyes as she sent the message and then put her phone to speaker. She started her car up and drove off, hoping Fuuya would pick up.

Fuuya was at home alone as usual, eating alone in expectation of Droite not being home in time. He jumped up when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

“Hey Fuuya, it’s me. Looks like I won’t be coming back tonight.” The woman said. “Will you be alright?"

Fuuya smiled.

"Oh okay! I'll be totally fine! Are you working late?"

“No, I’m seeing Mai. I haven’t seen her in a while so I wanted to talk to her… that and I also have some case questions for her,” Droite said, thinking about Mutou. “Do you need me to pick up anything for when I come home?"

"Ah alright! Sounds good to me!" Fuuya said, glad that Droite was finally taking some time off.

"No, not that I can think of. I'll be okay! Have a good night!"

“You too.” Droite hung up and smiled, thinking of Mai. She really did miss the older woman and she wanted to see her. It took some driving, but soon she was walking up the stairs to Mai’s apartment. Even though she was tired and messy, she straightened herself out before she knocked.

Mai was waiting inside eagerly to see Droite, leaping up to her feet the second she heard the knocks. She dashed to the door and threw it open.

"Hey honey!" She said, giving her a hug, not caring how dirty she was.

"Come in, come in!"

Droite jumped as the older woman enveloped her in a hug, but she hugged Mai back, her face a little pink. “Geeze, Mai… I know it’s been a while… but still… It hasn’t been that long,” the woman said, even though she felt the same way.

"It felt like too long to me." Mai said, kissing Droite's cheek before showing her inside.

"You look tired, sweetie. Did you wanna come lie in bed with me and relax? I can get you a nice warm drink if you want too?"

“In bed? Aren’t you forward?” she asked, blushing but trying to stay calm.

Droite let her lead her in and she gave a small laugh. “Actually… I don’t mean to intrude, but I was wondering if we could get dinner if you haven’t eaten. I haven’t eaten all day,” Droite said, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. “Frozen food is good too. I don’t mind.”

Mai chuckled.

"Well I gotta take advantage of this opportunity to be with you while I have you, don't I?" Mai teased, adoring Droite's blush.

"Oh of course! Anything you want, hon. I have some leftovers you can have!" She said, showing her into the kitchen and seating Droite down.

"Now, you sit down and rest and I'll dote on you for a bit. Did you want some tea? Coffee? Water?"

“I… I can be over more after work… if you asked nicely…” Droite muttered under her breath. She followed Mai into the kitchen and sat down, smiling at her.

“Are you my girlfriend or my mother?” Droite said, though she actually couldn’t remember the last time she had been doted upon like this. “… Tea would be nice. Green tea if you have it."

Mai grinned.

"Im your loving girlfriend!" Mai said happily.

"Sure I've got green tea." She put the kettle on and let the water boil.

"So, what's new with you and the police squad?"

Droite smiled and took her jacket off. She put it in her lap and rubbed her temples, giving a long and heavy sigh. “Ugh… What’s new? Where do I even start? It’s been full on…” Droite sighed. “Well… Today I actually had a meeting with the board regarding the superintendent position. They actually wanted me to take Ukyou’s place as the superintendent of the station and leader of my squad. Honestly..."

Mai listened and her eyes widened.

"Oh my gosh! They offered you the Superintendent position!" Mai exclaimed.

"Did you accept it?"

“No,” she said immediately, looking up at the blonde. “No way. I couldn’t accept it. I like my work, but I’m not going to go mad by taking all that responsibility at work. Besides, I’m not really suited for that sort of thing."

Mai hummed and smiled.

"I suppose that's true that it would be a lot of work. If you took it, you'd see even less of me!" Mai said.

"Though I disagree with you, hon. You're a good leader and you're really smart. You'd be great at that job!"

“I’m not a good leader. I work better independently. Not alone, but I don’t really lead a team. At most I delegate tasks, like a secretary, or a manager,” A manager was a pretty apt description of herself, actually. “Do you even think Gauche and Anna would listen to me if I asked them to do things? You worked with them. They’re hard to wrestle in line."

"They listen to you a lot! They respect you and acknowledge you. They also like you as a person...of course they'd listen to you. I saw them doing that while I was with the force." Mai argued with a smile.

“Yeah but I really have to whip them into shape. It’s easier when Ukyu does it,” Droite shrugged. “I just don’t like leading, I suppose."

Mai smiled.

"Well it's your decision. As long as you're happy with it, that's all that matters." Mai said, kissing Droite's cheek again before going to grab the tea to pour it and let it steep.

"So any other interesting cases you been working on? Anything from our old friend Mutou?" Mai mused, putting the cup in front of Droite and sitting next to her.

Droite rubbed her cheek, her face pink again. She let the tea stew for a while and she frowned, hearing Mai bring the man up.

“… He’s… Not doing well. Have you heard about what happened to Kawahara Raphael?"

Mai frowned when Droite did, sensing the bad news.

"I did hear it briefly...it's unfortunate that he died. He was such a nice person..." Mai sighed.

"If they're not doing well, I should go see them. Poor Yuugi must be devastated...and I imagine even Yami would be down. He seemed to like Raphael too." Mai mused.

“Yeah… you should. I think both of them would like to see a friendly face. I know Raphael is their only visitor, so they won’t have contact outside anymore. I’ll give you the office number for Doctor Arclight so he’ll come and approve you to visit."

Mai smiled.

"Of course. Thanks, hon. I'll maybe go see them tomorrow, if they'll let me. I just finished my latest case and will probably have some time before the next one." She said.

"I miss Mutou...hes tons of fun to play games with. I should bring cards when I visit. That'll cheer them up."

“I don’t know if they’ll let you play cards, but we’ll see,” Droite said, though she was relieved the woman was going to do that. “I haven’t had time to look at Mutou. We’ve been focusing on processing all the people we arrested on a drug bust and finding Dennis Macfield. Heard of him?"

"Im gonna try anyway." Mai said. She nodded.

"Oh yes, I've heard of him. We almost had him at that warehouse, if not for Yami. Have any of the people you arrested told you anything? Didn't you also get the guy who did prison breaks?"

“Yeah… That’s right…” She remembered. “We’ve got some info… not a lot… but we’re working through what we’ve learned. Kaito Tenjo is in hospital because he went after Macfield, so we managed to catch one of his associates.”

“The Dark Duelist, is how he goes by… We’ve got him. It’s also a slow process…”

"Oh no...that's unfortunate that Kaito was caught and injured in the process, but it's good that you got the associate. Is Kaito doing okay?" Mai asked.

"Oh! The Dark Duelist...gosh that's a good name, but I've heard another he goes by: the Phantom Knight. I was hanging out in an Underground bar with Serena the other day and I heard people talking about him being a mercenary turned prison breaker...they say he moved so quick no one knew what hit them until they died." Mai said with a smirk.

"That must not be true though, if you guys caught him so easily." She shrugged.

“He’s alright…” The woman gave a small smile. “He’s probably going to be taken out of ICU soon. He’ll live, thankfully.”

Droite’s eyes widened. She sat up and stared at Mai. “That’s right! When we went to Serena… The Dark Duelist and the Phantom Knight were the same person. Yuuto is also an ex-mercenary.”

"Im glad he's doing okay..." Mai said. She smiled.

"So we got the right person...Yuuto huh? That's not nearly that threatening." She mused.

“His name is Sakaki Yuuto… He’s been quite useful for information. He helped us save Kaito,” Droite said.

Mai blinked in surprise.

"Did He now? So he knows something about Kaito? And Dennis?"

“Yeah… Kaito had been kidnapped by Dennis, and Yuuto told us where we could find him. We didn’t catch Dennis, but we got an accomplice…  all thanks to Yuuto,” the woman muttered.

Mai smiled.

"So hes turning into a lovely accomplice for you guys too then! That's great!" She said happily.

“Once he shares everything else he has, I suppose. It’s been hard fishing info out of him.” Droite sighed and rubbed her temples. “… heh.It seems all I do these days is talk about work.

Mai nodded sympathetically.

"Youre working hard hon. I'm sure you'll get it out of him soon...hes already shared a lot. Won't be hard to get him to share more hopefully." Mai wrapped an arm around Droite comfortingly.

"Well now we got something other than work to do, right? So tomorrow you'll have non-work things to share." She winked.

Droite rolled her eyes but instead of pushing Mai away, she leaned her head against Mai’s shoulder and she smiled. “You’re so dirty, you old woman."

Mai pouted.

"Youre no fun...im not that much older than you." She whined, snuggling up with Droite, glad the woman didn't push her away.

Droite smiled. “I’m more fun when I’m not on an empty stomach. Don’t be silly,” she rolled her eyes, kissing her girlfriend on the forehead.

Mai smiled.

"I can fix that!" She said, grabbing her leftovers that she'd heated up and sliding them over to Droite. She took a fork and stabbed a piece of chicken, holding it up to Droite.

"Say 'ah'." She said with a smile.

Droite looked at Mai, raising an eyebrow. “Really? We’re doing this, Mai? Isn’t this the thing stupid teenagers do?” She asked, looking up at the woman.

"Oh come on, it's cute isn't it?" Mai mused with a smile, edging the fork closer.

Droite blushed. “You…” She looked aside shyly before she opened her mouth. “Just do it already..."

Mai grinned.

"That's the spirit!"  She said, happily easing the fork into Droite's mouth carefully to let her get the food off of it.  

"There you go..."  She said, finding her girlfriend's blush absolutely adorable.  She kissed her red cheek with a grin before loading the fork with another bite.

"Do you like it?"

Droite chewed on the meat for a moment. She was more embarrassed above anything, and she didn’t meet Mai’s eyes until she swallowed. “Not bad, for leftovers."

Mai smiled.

"I'm glad you like it!  I worked hard cooking it after all."  Mai said, offering another forkful.  She smiled.

“You’re not going to do this the whole meal, are you?” The woman asked. However, she opened her mouth again, letting Mai baby her.

"Maybe?  Depends on whether you'll let me."  She mused with a smile, giving Droite another forkful.

Droite ate the fork but she then made an attempt to take the fork off Mai. “That’s way too embarrassing… What do I have to do to make you stop?"

Mai chuckled, pulling the fork away before Droite could get it.

"Kiss me?" She asked with a smile.

The woman sighed as she couldn’t snatch the fork away, but she was pleased to hear what Mai wanted. She giggled lightly and leaned up. “And here I thought you would ask for something worse,” Droite mused, leaning up to kiss her.

Mai smiled.

"That can come later, sweetie."  She cooed, meeting Droite's lips halfway happily.  She had been craving kisses from Droite for awhile now, and she finally got one now that the woman was off work.

Droite gave a small smile and kissed her back, this time being a little more passionate. Even if she did say she didn’t like it, she really did love being with Mai. She kissed Mai, letting her take the more dominant side as she enjoyed her lips.

Mai kissed Droite gently, but equally passionately.  She was happy to be with her girlfriend at last, holding Droite closer as the woman let her take control.  

“Mmm...honey, I've been wanting to do that for so long...”  She cooed softly when she finally had to pull away to breathe.  She smiled at Droite.

“… We really haven’t kissed in a while… have we?” She asked, nuzzling against her with her cheeks affectionly.

"No, we haven't..."  Mai said, nuzzling Droite back and kissing her cheek gently with a smile.

"We need to do this more often...I can come to you, if you're too busy to come to me..."  She offered.

“Mmm… That would be nice…” Droite smiled and kissed her up on the lips again. “I should make it up to you, though…"

Mai smiled.

"I will look forward to that..."  She said, kissing Droite back and holding her close.  She was so happy to have the woman she loved back with her...she didn't want to let her go.

Droite was half-ready to do things with Mai that night, but then figured that Mai deserved something a little sexier for their first time. The woman let Mai hug her and she began to feed herself, now without any objection.

Mai simply held her girlfriend, sensing that she was too tired to do much more tonight.  She didn't blame Droite for wanting to be romantic...she wanted the same.  She wanted their first time together to be special.  So, she held Droite and let her finish her meal, before helping her pack it up and leading her to the bedroom.  

"You can borrow some pyjamas, if you want."  She offered, holding out a spare purple nightgown of hers for Droite with a smile.

Droite smiled as she looked at the nightgown. She expected something skimpy, but all the same she blushed when she saw it. “It’s cute… Let me shower and we can go sleep..."

Mai nodded.

"Sure.  There's a spare towel in the cabinet in the bathroom.  Help yourself to it."  She said with a smile, before going to her closet to get ready for bed herself.

It didn’t take Droite too long to shower. After a little while, the woman stepped out, wearing the nightgown and drying her short hair. She smiled at Mai before she sat on the bed, smiling at her girlfriend. “I should have a day off after all this craziness is over. We should do something like this again sometime.“

Mai was already tucked into bed when Droite emerged from the shower at last.  She smiled up at her girlfriend as she sat next to her.   “You do deserve one, hon.  Just let me know when you take it...we'll plan something wonderful to celebrate it.”  Mai said, taking Droite's hand and kissing it gently.

“Now, come to bed...you've got a busy day tomorrow I'm sure.”  She said, pulling the covers back to invite Droite into her cocoon of blankets.

Droite blushed as Mai kissed her hand and looked away. She switched the bedside lamp off and cuddled close to Mai, feeling her heart hammer wildly in her chest as they drew close. Shyly, she brought her arms close and around Mai.

“I do… Thanks Mai… Goodnight…”

Mai cuddled Droite close to her, relishing her warmth and proximity. She smiled and closed her eyes.

"No problem sweetie. Good night." She replied, falling asleep fairly quickly.

The night passed fairly uneventfully and before either them knew, it was morning. Droite was first to wake up, and she groaned as she pulled herself awake.

“Morning…” Mai moaned in response and Droite laughed. She kissed Mai’s cheek and crept out of bed, getting dressed. Unfortunately, Mai didn’t want to wake up, so Droite had to leave before the other woman got up, leaving Mai a text thanking her for a nice night.

Mai woke up an hour later, and she was unsurprised Droite was gone. The woman picked up her phone in the charger and checked her text.

‘Thanks. I’ll see you later. I love you’

Mai smiled. She got up and went to get dressed. She was going to the Correctional Facility today to talk to Yami and Yuugi… She hoped they’d be up for talking…

Meanwhile, at the Correctional Facility, Yami had not had a restful sleep like Mai. He had spent quite a bit of the night staring at the ceiling and spacing out, trying to probe around for Yuugi in their mind. So far, he hadn't definitively found him...but there were moments when he could almost sense someone watching him. He wondered if that was Yuugi, but if so, no matter how much he reached, he couldn't pin him down. Figures the only one who could outsmart him in a game of chase was his other half...

And if there was ever a time when he decided to try and rest, he dreamt of Raphael and Sergey. He imagined Raphael shielding him from further harm and facing Sergey's blades on his own, screaming in agony with every bloody slash. Those nightmares woke him every time feeling sad, scared and guilty...he hadn't been able to save him. In his dreams even, he could never make himself move. He could never make himself be useful or helpful...

"Mutou, you have a visitor." A guard's voice jolted him out of his thoughts. He blinked. It was apparently morning...and he'd once again been unsuccessful in both sleeping or finding Yuugi. He sighed, hoping it wasn't the cops or Mist again as he got up to limp over to his wheelchair so the guards could wheel him to the visiting room.

Mai was given one of the standard visitation rooms so she sat behind the glass barrier, looking at Yami. The woman in her casual clothes thankfully had called and gotten the clearance from Miheal, and was waiting for the man she used to try and chase and catch. She drummed her fingers impatiently, waiting for the guards to escort him in. “Mutou… Yami…” She said, looking at how tired and messy he looked “What happened?"

Yami glanced up through the glass to see who had come to visit him, a little surprised to see Mai. He hadn't expected her to come.

"...Mai..." He said softly, knowing how messy he looked. He never did have nice bedhead, and he could practically feel his skin paling and the bags under his eyes.

"...Yuugi disappeared, Mai. I've been trying to find him again...but it's no use. No matter what I do, I can't reach him..." he explained.

“Long time, no see hon,” the woman said, looking at the man, concern in her eyes. “… Yuugi disappeared?” Mai frowned. “… What happened?” she asked, knowing Droite didn’t tell her anything about this.

"Indeed..." Yami mused, before he sighed.

"...Yuugi didn't take Raphael's death well. He was upset and disappeared...just like he did when Jii-chan died..." Yami explained with a worried frown.

“He’s gone?” Mai asked, frowning. She looked at Yami, wondering what was going on and trying to see if there was any game. However, Yami wasn’t even looking at her, far too distraught. Mai never thought that Yami showed his emotions, but they were pinned to his sleeve for all to see.

“… I didn’t know… I heard how Raphael was killed… It’s terrible...”

Yami nodded, not looking directly at Mai. He knew that usually he didn't show how he felt around cops especially...but he was too tired right now to try. He did hesitate before looking at Mai.

"...I wasn't told how he died...just that he was killed by Sergey Volkov..." Yami said.

"...Mai...can you please tell me honestly...did he die quick? Did he...did he suffer?" Yami asked, afraid of the answer but he had a burning need to know...he had to know how Raphael died...

“… I don’t know all the details,” Mai said honestly. She hated sugar-coating the truth, but when Yami looked so desperately at her, she felt immediately guilty and wanted to start lying. “… I… I was told it… was not a pretty sight though. He… must have suffered.”

Yami watched her closely, looking for any hint of a lie. He found none...but her answer was one he expected, even though it came with a stab of sadness and guilt. He looked away.

"...I knew it...I've been dreaming up different scenarios for weeks...Sergey...he would've tortured him..." Yami said, biting his lip.

"...the Devil's Luck finally ran out for Raphael...So of course he died slowly...painfully...and alone..." He said softly, feeling miserable and guilty. He should've done something. He should've helped somehow...

“… I guess so…” Mai murmured back. She wished she had more to say, but at the same time she was also relieved. Yami didn’t need that…

“… It’s not your fault. You didn’t kill him. You’re not Sergey.” Mai said, looking at his face.

Yami frowned and shook his head.

"I'm indirectly the reason he was killed this way...I never should've gotten involved with him on a personal level. If he had to die anyway, I wish I had just killed him to begin with...I would've made it quick, and he'd have been so drugged up he barely would've known what happened..." Yami said, feeling upset by the suggestion but at least it was better than letting Sergey have his way with Raphael.

“Yami, don’t be ridiculous. If you did, he wouldn’t have had the chance to know you…” Mai frowned. “… You know you can’t just think that. Does he want that from you? Either of you?"

Yami bit his lip, trying not to cry.

"...I wish he hadn't gotten a chance to know me...I wish I didn't know him...then maybe...it wouldn't hurt this much..."  Yami said, feeling just absolutely miserable.

"...He'd want Yuugi to stay...and I can't do that for him...he's gone.  I can't bring him back, Mai, I tried so hard..."  Yami could feel his head hurt from just thinking about all his attempts to reach Yuugi.  He felt nauseated at the idea of Raphael being tortured, scenarios looping around in his head, most played out from nightmares.  He felt his breath hitch as it was suddenly hard to breathe...it was like suddenly he was suffocating and he didn't know exactly why.

Mai had seen Yami sad before, but never this down. Her heart lurched as she saw the man on the brink  of tears, just about to lose it from having lost everything. Mai wished she could hug him like she did in hospital, but since she couldn’t, she tapped the bottom of the glass, hoping to get Yami’s attention back on her and the present.

“Do you really think that, Yami? That you’d rather not have met him?” She asked honestly.

“… Yami… We know you can… and even if you can’t… you will. You have people helping you. Yami… Yami?”

"...Yuugi and I wouldn't have suffered if we hadn't met him..."  Yami mumbled, even though he knew that he had enjoyed his time with Raphael.  He just wished he and Yuugi hadn't gotten so damn attached...

"...Their help won't matter...only Raphael brought Yuugi back...only Raphael...can save Yuugi now..."  Yami said, feeling his head pound as he spoke it.  

'I want to be with Raphael again.'  The thought crossed his mind for a split second, and Yami barely had time to register it before the tightness that had been growing in his chest turned painful.  He groaned, clutching his chest and doubling over, gasping softly for breath...suddenly it was so hard...why was it so hard to breathe?  His head pounded and he was honestly a little scared.  What was going on?  

'The pain will end if we're with Raphael, right?'  The thought appeared and immediately Yami understood.

"...Ngh...Yuu...gi..."  He wheezed.  He needed help...he didn't know what to do...the idea did sound appealing, but it was also instinctual to resist, to cling to life as Yami had always done.

Mai listened to the depressing words and she bit her lip. Once upon a time, she had thought the same thing too about her friends, and it was better to be alone than get attached. Jou had helped her out of that thought space, and now Mai felt like she had to do the same for Yami. She opened her mouth to say something and she stopped, seeing Yami clutch his chest.

“Yami? Yami?” Mai asked as she saw him double over. She looked around and pressed the emergency button, even as the guards piled in to see what’s wrong.

“What’s going on?”

“He started…” Mai looked. “Oh my god… Yami! Breathe!”

“Mutou! Oy!” One of the guards went to support the man while the other grabbed his communicator, paging the medical bay immediately.

Yami was fighting to breathe, but it hurt his head.  Yuugi was back, but it felt like he was strangling him, continually sending reassurances that it was going to be okay as long as he let go.

"...No..."  Yami panted, his body trembling as his head pounded.  The two personalities hadn't fought each other like this since the courthouse proceedings where they'd had a seizure, and Yami hoped it wouldn't happen again.  The guards managed to re-load him into his wheelchair, but Yami hardly recognized it, his vision blurring and the world spinning as he got dizzy.  He kept fighting to take small, wheezing breaths as Mai kept calling out to him to breathe.  

"Ma'am, I'm sorry but I'll have to ask you to leave."  A guard who appeared on Mai's side of the glass barrier said to her, concerned for the patient who was clearly in distress on the other side.  They all knew it wasn't Mai's fault...but something was wrong.  Yami was loaded into his wheelchair and rushed down the halls to the medical bay to be looked after.  One of the guards had the sense to page for Dr. Arclight as well, since his patient was in trouble.

Mai gave a frown. “Please! Let me in! I need to make sure he’s okay.”

“Ma’am, please. We’ll do everything we can. We still need to ask you to leave.” The man was stern and Mai frowned. Unfortunately, Doctor Arclight hadn’t approved her for anything besides a few visits, so there was no way she could get in. She bit her lip, staring at the door where Yami was wheeled out.

“Fine… but if there’s anything, please let me know. I need to know, alright?” The man nodded. Mai couldn’t fight, so she left, worried sick. As she stepped out of the building, Doctor Arclight got the call. He frowned.

“Yes?”

“Sir, Mutou’s having some sort of panic attack of some sort. We’re taking him to the medical bay to check it out. When you have a moment, you should check it out.”

“Panic attack?” Miheal didn’t know what to make of that, but since he was writing patient reports, he figured that he could go see right away. He got up and grabbed his cane. “I’ll be there soon. Try calm him down.”

Yami was finally brought to the medical bay and unloaded from his chair onto an empty bed so he could be better examined and looked after.  Yami groaned as he was moved, feeling nauseious.  He might have thrown up if he actually had food in his stomach.  The world spun and his chest burned and his head pounded as Yuugi seemed to fight him at every turn.

"...Yu..."  Yami tried to say, but he didn't have enough air to even finish Yuugi's name.  

"We will do the best we can sir..."  The guards said.  Some of the medical staff rushed over to help, immediately placing an oxygen mask on Yami.

"Wrap him up in blankets...he's getting really cold.  Possibly going into shock."  One of the nurses instructed.  They bundled Yami up as best they could, and he only seemed to continue twitching and thrashing, as if he was fighting them.  

"Mutou?  Mutou, can you hear me?  Please calm down...take deep breaths.  You're going to be okay."  One of the medics instructed, and Yami did try to listen, but he could feel Yuugi fighting him at every turn.

"He's got a fever too.  This isn't some ordinary panic attack." One noted, confused as to what was happening.  The whole group was confused, hoping Dr. Arclight could give them answers once he got here.

Doctor Arclight was there within fifteen minutes, groaning as his bad leg ached. He was tired himself, but he pressed through it in order to go to the man. He quickly hurried to the guards and nurses, looking over at him.

“Someone tell me what happened? What did you see?"

"He was in a visit with a young lady...everything seemed normal until he suddenly seemed to have trouble breathing."  One of the eyewitness guards reported.

"Now he has a fever, elevated pulse rate, and difficulty breathing.  He hasn't injested any medication here."  One medic said.

"He's seizing now!"  One nurse said, noticing how Yami's eyes had rolled back into their sockets and how his body twitched and shook.  The stress on his brain from fighting with Yuugi had taken its toll.  The medical team rushed to steady him, rolling him to his side and letting him ride out the waves of the seizure that eventually left Yami unconscious.

"Does he have a history of this sort of thing?  He was healthy at his last checkup a couple weeks ago."

“Ms. Valentine…” Yes… he had authorised the visit this morning. He hadn’t expected that. “Did he get anything from her?”

“No… I don’t believe so, sir. They were just talking,” One of the guards said. He didn’t continue at first, both him and Doctor Arclight startled by Yami’s seizure. There was some scrambling, in which Doctor Arclight wracked his brain for an answer.

“The last time he had this was at court… he had a seizure because he was at… odds with himself is the best way I can describe it,” Yami and Yuugi were fighting each other? But Yami said he hadn’t seen or heard from Yuugi… What was gong on?

“What was the last thing you heard?” He asked the guard. “Did anyone hear what he was talking about to Ms. Valentine?"

The guard frowned as he tried to think.

"Ms. Valentine was talking about Raphael, I believe...then Mutou reacted badly. But he asked her about him..." the guard said with a frown.

"I think I heard him say 'Yuugi' Before We took him out of the room..." another witness guard said.

“Yuugi…” Miheal frowned, confirming that Yuugi and Yami were at odds with each other, probably regarding Raphael. “I see… Make sure he’s stable. I have medication and I’ll see what I can do to help him. There’s a good chance that I may be able to do something about it.”

The medics nodded.

"We will notify you when he regains consciousness then." One said, while they continued to work on making Mutou comfortable and treating any noticeable symptoms of illness.

Miheal nodded. “Please give me a repot when you’re ready.” He headed off, frowning. This was concerning. If what he suspected was true, as absurd and fictional as it seemed, Yuugi may have been trying to kill them both. For what, he couldn’t say, but he knew he had to do something about it. He made a note to talk Koutei, wondering if he could offer hints or a solution to all of this.

Koutei was currently in his room, minding his own business.  He had been feeling a near continuous high ever since he'd kissed Yami and gotten Alit's approval for their relationship, and that was only dampened by the fact that Yami still reported no sign of Yuugi.  Koutei was trying his best to help in any way he could...that meant his focus was mostly on keeping Yami as happy as possible as he mourned both Raphael and Yuugi.  He tried to encourage him to eat when he saw him for meals, and thanks to him Yami was at least eating a few bites of each meal.  He also tried to encourage him to exercise, giving him a leg massage whenever Yami said he was sore, and trying to help him with the physio.  He offered to talk to Yami if he needed it...he'd always be an ear for him to listen to, a shoulder for him to lean on, and a friend who cared for his safety.  He just wished he could do more...

"Ouji, Dr. Arclight wants to see you immediately."  A guard said, opening his door.  Koutei frowned.  It wasn't his usual therapy time...had something happened?  Nevertheless, he followed the guard obediently, trying to push away the sinking feeling of dread in his stomach.  This unusual time must mean something was wrong...

Doctor Arclight was waiting in his office, looking through a number of papers, frowning as he went over the research he and Johan were going through. There wasn’t much go on, but if Doctor Anderson’s paper was to be believed, what had happened was that Yuugi could have very much tried to consciously kill the two of them. Miheal knew that Yuugi was far more comfortable with ending his life than Yami, but he never imagined it would manifest like this. Yuugi and Yami were different parts of the brain, and it seemed that if one of them had the main consciousness, the other had access to parts of the subconscious. Not just subconscious thought but the subconscious as in what humans did automatically such as breathing and thinking. It was utterly fascinating, but Miheal couldn’t help but be a little troubled over it. Yuugi could easily just stop his heart or his lungs… Maybe even brain function if he tried. Koutei knocked at the door when the guard had brought him, swallowing the lump in his throat. He opened the door and walked in, trying to stay calm. “Doctor Arclight? You wanted to see me?” Koutei asked.

Dr. Arclight looked up from his papers when Koutei came in. He gave him a small smile.

"Yes I did, Koutei. Come in, have a seat." He said, gesturing the man inside.

"...I have something to talk to you about...something that became evident this morning. But before that, I wanted to ask...have you seen any sign of Yuugi during these past few weeks? Has Yami told you if he's been able to feel him, or has Yuugi spoken up and taken over things, even if it was for a few seconds?"

“Yuugi?” Oh, so that what this was about. Yami. That made more sense, considering it wasn’t time for his own session. The blonde sighed and shook his head sadly.

“No… He’s been absent as ever. Yami and I have tried everything, but there seems to be no sign anywhere,” Koutei admitted. Then he paused, realising how abrupt this meeting was supposedly. “Why? Did something happen?"

"I see. So no noticeable change then." Miheal mused. If Yami still has no idea where Yuugi was, that did make sense if Yuugi was buried in his subconscious. No human could feel or control the parts of their brain responsible for things like breathing and making their hearts beat.

"Well, i have some good news on that regard...I may have found Yuugi. Or more specifically, hes made his hiding place known as of this morning. I believe he's buried himself in their shared subconscious. It's the part of the brain that is responsible for basic things like breathing, So Yami never noticed him. Humans don't have any direct control over those areas." Miheal said.

"...But the bad news is that...I believe that Yuugi used his control over that part of the brain to attempt to shut their body down. A discussion about Raphael set him off...and Yami tried to fight him on it..." Miheal sighed.

"...Hes currently unconscious in a bed in the medical ward. The stress on his brain triggered a seizure."

“Yuugi?” Koutei sat up a little straighter, hearing the news. “Really? Oh my god…” The blonde’s grin was imminent, but as as Doctor Arclight continued to explain, his face turned to horror.

“Shut the body down? Why? Why would he do that?” he asked. “A seizure? God…”

Miheal frowned.

"We think it was an attempted suicide. Raphael was extremely close to Yuugi, and he is clearly not dealing with his loss in a healthy way, first by hiding, then by trying to kill himself and Yami." Miheal said, before pondering things further.

"...this is mostly just speculation, mind you...but it's the best explanation I can come up with. The doctors have looked over Mutou and found no underlying cause for his body just shutting down. No drugs, poisons...nothing. He might be a little underweight, because I know Yami hasn't been eating much as he mourns, but it's not enough to cause organ failure." Miheal mused with a sigh.

"...my fear is that if I'm right, Yuugi will continue to shut the body down until he succeeds. Yami occupies the conscious mind, and they're currently unconscious, so it's possible that he can't actively resist anymore. The subconscious, however, never stops working, even when humans sleep...so Yuugi may be able to keep going eventually. I want to stop him before they both die, and I imagine you do as well...that's why I called you. If you have any ideas of things we might be able to say or do to change Yuugi's mind, Id like to hear them."

“Clearly…” Koutei muttered under his breath. It sounded so crazy, but considering his life was already insane, Koutei easily believed Doctor Arclight’s words for face value, even though they were just a theory. It made sense to him, kind of.

“… I can’t… I…” Koutei balled his fist. “Please… I… I don’t know what would work. I don’t know what to say… what to do… but I want to talk to him. Now that I know he’s listening or could be listening.”

Miheal listened, waiting for his reaction.  He nodded.

"You talking to him would probably be a good idea...Yuugi cares for you after all.  I'll take you to him."  Miheal said, getting up with his cane and going to the door, where the guards were waiting to escort Koutei back to his room when their session was done.

"We're taking Koutei to the medical ward to see Mutou."  Miheal told them, and they nodded, moving into position to escort Koutei and Miheal through the Correctional Facility.

"Last I heard, he is still unconscious...but he may be able to hear you, like they say people in comas do."  Miheal said to Koutei, showing him into the medical ward and leading him over to Mutou's bed.  The medical team had hooked up heart-rate monitors and an oxygen mask, and had given him an IV for fluids and nutrients.

"Ah, Dr. Arclight...we were just about to call you.  The patient's vitals are dropping.  It's slow, but it's also steady...we still can't find an underlying cause for it."  One of the medics reported.  Miheal nodded with a frown.  So Yuugi was still working...

"Yuugi-kun...Koutei is here to see you.  He's going to sit on this chair next to you."  He said gently, motioning for the medics to give Koutei and Mutou a moment in private.

“Alright…” Koutei followed after him, balling his fist.

“His vitals dropping?” Koutei asked. The doctors were surprised to see another patient there, but since he was with Doctor Arclight, they didn’t question it. Koutei walked over to Mutou and looked at his small, pale body.

“… Yuugi? Yuugi… It’s me… Koutei, Can… can you hear me? Yuugi… I… I don’t know if you can hear me… But…” Koutei paused and took a deep breath, unsure what to say.

Dr. Arclight and the medics stepped back to give Koutei space, not going too far away in case of an emergency.

While the medics and Koutei simply saw a body that didn't stir, inside Yuugi was awake, calm and determined. His other half was quiet, no longer in control and also unable to protest...Yuugi was the main personality after all. He reached out to him with comfort.

'It's okay my other me...soon we'll be with the people we love again...' He reassured silently, feeling his body's natural panic at its imminent shutdown, but not bothered by it. Instead he felt calm and confident in his decision. Soon, he'd stop being sad and hurt.

He'd paid the voices around him no mind until he finally heard a familiar one. Was that Koutei? He perked slightly in his mind, and his body's external reaction was a brief twitch of the hand closest to Koutei. Other than that, he didn't move or react, but Yuugi was listening. He was glad he'd get to hear his friend again before he left. He knew Koutei had Alit outside to help him and he was such a nice person who was recovering well. He'd be fine without him.

Koutei wasn’t sure if that twitch was because the man actually heard him or if it was because Koutei really wanted to believe he was moving. The man reached out and took Mutou’s hand, squeezing it lightly. He swallowed roughly, wondering just what he could say…

“Doctor Arclight… Doctor Arclight told me that you were trying to kill yourself, Yuugi. You wanted to kill yourself and Yami.” He tried to keep his voice level, especially since he had barely started talking, but the theirs began to well in his eyes. “I’m not sure if that’s true but… if you are… if you are, Yuugi… Please… Don’t. Don’t do it.”

He brought his other hand and held Yuugi’s. “I know it hurts. I know it hurts like all hell. I know it feels hopeless and you rather feel like dying, but there are people who want to see you live. Raphael wouldn’t want you to do this… I don’t want you to do this. You can’t… You can’t leave like this, Yuugi. Please… please don’t leave me. Don’t take away the two people I love and care for the most in the entire world.” Koutei felt the tears fall down his face.

“I love you. Please don’t die. You’re such an amazing person who deserves to live, and meeting you guys was the best thing that ever happened to me. Please… Please don’t die. Give me a chance to show you it’s worth living through the pain. Please don’t die. I need you.”

Yuugi felt Koutei take his hand, and had to admit it was comforting.  It was like a distraction from the pain he was going through, both bodily pain and emotinal pain.  He listened to Koutei speak and was surprised to hear that Koutei's normally steady and calm voice was breaking...it sounded like he was crying...Yuugi frowned a little.  He didn't like that...he didn't want Koutei upset...

Then the words starting sinking in.  Koutei called himself and Yuugi the two people he loved and cared for most in the entire world...said that meeting them was the best thing that ever happened to him...begging him not to go...saying he needed him.  Yuugi was suddenly reminded of himself, many years ago, with Jii-chan in hospital.  He'd begged Jii-chan not to go...he'd said he needed him...and of course, Jii-chan was the person he'd loved and treasured the most, the man who'd saved him from loneliness after his parents died.

And the parallels didn't stop there.  The pain that Yuugi heard in Koutei's voice was easily comparable to his current pain...he realized in horror that now he was in Jii-chan's position, dying slowly and preparing to leave behind someone who loved him.  And if Koutei was like he was...he'd hurt for a long, long time.  Yuugi didn't even realized he was crying until now...what had he done?  All he'd ever wanted was a friend...someone who wouldn't abandon him...and he had been about to abandon him once he'd finally found one...

The thoughts he was having were causing a physical reaction...his body had begun trembling slightly, tears leaking from his closed eyes and his breathing and heart-rate accelerating slightly, returning to a more stable level.  His hand tightened on Koutei's in apology well before he finally managed to open his eyes a little.  He was tired, his body exhausted from the effort it had taken him to try and shut it down.  It was painful...so painful...his eyes found Koutei's form next to him and he was reminded that he wasn't alone in this struggle, and that if he did go, the pain would be passed to the blonde next to him.

"...Koutei...I'm...I'm so sorry..."  Yuugi cried softly, voice a little croaky and muffled by his oxygen mask, but clear enough to understand.

Koutei wanted to say so much more. He wanted to beg and plead with Yuugi, already ready to start bargaining with him and plead for him not to go. However the words were trapped in his throat, and all he could do was really cry there as he clutched Mutou’s hand.

He didn’t notice the fact that his breathing and heart rate and returned, but he did notice the trembling, and when he looked up, he saw the man crying. There was a long pause before Koutei gaped, realising that the man in front of him was looking up.

“Yami?” The man blinked before he immediately realised his mistake. After so many weeks of not seeing him… so many weeks of worrying about him and thinking about him… This was… “Yuugi? Yuugi? Yuugi! Oh my god…” He wanted to hug him but instead Koutei kissed Yuugi’s knuckles. “You’re… you’re back.”

Yuugi stared at Koutei, letting the man hold his hand, trying to see him clearly through his tears.  He was still so, so sad and in pain because of Raphael and the pain of his body recovering from his attempted suicide.  But he still managed a small smile when Koutei kissed his knuckles.

"...I'm back..."  He repeated softly.  He still felt so sorry for what he'd done...he wanted to make it up to Koutei somehow.  He shakily tried to push himself up a little, managing to get to a semi-sitting position with effort.  He reached his arm out to Koutei, wanting to hug him but not really having the strength.

"...I'm so sorry...it just...it just hurt so much...I didn't know...what else to do..."

“He… Hey… Take it easy or the guards will throw me out…” Koutei helped him up as best as he could. When he saw what Yuugi was going for, he gladly obliged, giving the man a tight hug. He couldn’t stop shaking or crying, but the smile was locked on his face.

“Live. Live a life worth living. We’ll figure something out.” Koutei murmured.

“Please. Please. Please never do that again."

Yuugi managed to pull his oxygen mask off and set it aside so he was more comfortable with the hug, clinging to Koutei tightly and feeling fresh tears come on as he buried his face in Koutei's broad, strong shoulder.  

"I...I won't...I'm sorry..."  Yuugi sobbed, clinging to Koutei.

"...I'll stay...I wanna...stay with you...please don't leave me either..." Yuugi could feel Yami stirring in his mind and felt his body flood with relief stemming from Yami.  Yami was also glad to see him again and Yuugi smiled a little, sending a mental apology to his other half.

Koutei wasn’t sure if Yuugi was meant to take it off, but he didn’t care for the moment and hugged the man back. He kissed his forehead and cuddled against him, breathing heavily.

“I won’t. I promise, I promise. I’ll be here for you, Yuugi. Okay? Don’t do that again,” he sobbed, clinging on to the tiny man tightly.

Yuugi simply nodded, not trusting his voice as he cried, clinging to Koutei.  

"Thank you...I won't...I promise..."  Yuugi croaked out between sobs.  

Dr. Arclight and the medical staff were watching the whole exchange.  Miheal wore a small smile.  He was glad Yuugi was awake again...but he knew the medics wanted to check Yuugi over, to make sure he was recovering okay for now.  So, after a moment, he approached.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Koutei, would you help Yuugi lay back down?  The medics just want to do a quick checkup on him...you can stay right here and hold his hand."  Miheal said gently.

Koutei gave a sigh of relief as he heard the man promise him that and he hugged him again tightly, not letting go until he heard Miheal. The man turn and nodded, rubbing his face clean of tears and snot. “A-ah… Yeah… Sure, doc.”

He gently pulled away from Yuugi and supported his body. “It’ll be better from now, on, okay? We’ll have the doctors check on you and then you can rest and I’ll be right here..."

Yuugi glanced over at Dr. Arclight as well when he approached to talk to him.  He was still in pain, although he did like the comfort he was getting.  He didn't want to let go, but wasn't strong enough to hold on.  

"Okay..."  He said softly, letting Koutei gently lay him back down, but once he was down, he immediately grabbed one of Koutei's hands in his own for comfort and reassurance that Koutei would keep his promise and stay.  

The medics approached, gently checking Yuugi's blood pressure, heart-rate and breathing rate.  Although all were still a bit lower than normal, it was clear they were no longer dropping.

"We'll have to keep him overnight here, I imagine.  In the morning, he can return to his room."  The medics reported to Dr. Arclight.  Miheal nodded.

"Alright.  Keep him monitored."  He told the medic, knowing that although Yuugi had promised to Koutei he wouldn't attempt anything, his word alone may not be enough.  Yuugi's underlying problems would still need to be addressed through therapy sessions.

Koutei gave a smile and hung on to him, not caring who was watching. His eyes were only for Yuugi, and he was so overwhelmed that the man was back. He held his hand for the entire check up, not moving unless absolutely necessary. “I’m so glad…” Koute said to Yuugi, turning to him when the medical staff spoke to Miheal. “Back to routine next morning. Then I’ll get to see you again. Yami too… he’s been worried sick about you."

Yuugi mostly kept his eyes on Koutei too, though he did occasionally glance at the doctors to see what they were doing.  Thankfully it was nothing invasive.  He smiled at Koutei.

"...Yeah...that will be nice..."  Yuugi said, although the back to routine was also a reminder that he wouldn't have visits from Rapheal to expect as part of his routine.  

"...I know...he's...he's happy I'm back...and...worried..."  Yuugi knew that Yami hadn't liked his suicide attempt and had actively fought against it.  He had to keep sending apologies and reassurances to his other half to calm him.

“Well… maybe ask the guards or the doc if he can give you your journal. Yami was supposed to write to you… you should try catch up with him and open up to each other. It probably will help,” Koutei said, smiling softly.

Yuugi smiled.

"Yeah...that would be nice...I want to write to him...and to see what I missed..."  Yuugi said softly, leaning against the pillow and curling closer to Koutei in his bed.  

"...Will you stay...and talk to me?  Tell me what I missed from you?"  He asked softly, looking at Koutei.

“Of course… but you haven’t missed much. The only thing you really missed is Yami and me worried about you,” Koutei said. Life in the Correctional Facility was almost monotonous, honestly. The staff tried to make it not so dreary, since it would affect their mental health, but it did seem like it sometimes. “You’re getting better at walking. Yami and I have been working on it.”

Yuugi looked down in shame.

"...I'm sorry...for worrying you..."  He said softly.  But he did perk up a bit at the second point.  

"...Really?  I'm...I'm glad...I want to walk..."  He said, glancing at his leg, which was under the covers and impossible to see.  He smiled up at Koutei.  

"...Will you...help me practice too?"

Koutei petted his head affectionately. “It’s fine… Just don’t do it again.” The man gave a bright and cheery grin.

“Of course I will. I’ve been helping Yami, and I definitely want to help you."

Yuugi smiled, letting Koutei pet his head.  It was comforting.  He was happy to have such a nice friend....he felt tears return to his eyes slowly.  How could he have forgotten that?  

"...Thank you...you're so nice to me...to Yami too.." He said.

Koutei smiled. He squeezed his hand. “Only because you guys have been so good to me. Thank you too, Yuugi..."

Yuugi smiled too.  

"...you're good to me too..."  Yuugi said, squeezing his hand back.  He was happy to have a friend.

Koutei smiled at him. From now on, they’d keep each other safe. He’d help Yuugi get past the pain and the sadness, no matter what.

Yuugi listened to Koutei speak and enjoyed his company for as long as he could, but he was still quite tired and ended up dozing off slowly no matter how hard he tried to stay awake.  But when he fell asleep, he was reassured that Koutei was there, because the other man was still holding his hand.  

Dr. Arclight, who had been watching from afar, noticed Yuugi had fallen asleep and approached Koutei.

"Come along now, Koutei...let's let Yuugi-kun get some rest. You'll see him again tomorrow."

Koutei didn’t have much to say but eventually he began droning on about Shinji’s latest conspiracy that was going around. He smiled as he watched Yuugi drift off and he nodded, hearing the doctor. Slowly, he parted his hand from Yuugi and stood up.

“… Yeah… See you tomorrow, Yuugi.” Koutei turned to leave with the doctor but then paused. Before he could tell himself not to, he quickly turned around and kissed Yuugi on the forehead. “Rest well…” He whispered.

Smiling, Koutei turned around and walked off after Doctor Arclight. “Thank you… for letting me see him."

“You're welcome, Koutei.  Thank you for bringing Yuugi back...now we can get him the help he needs.”  Miheal said, leading Koutei away.

Yuugi didn't feel the kiss, still dozing contently in hospital, reassured that everything would be okay going forward.

[pyrachan]

Fear/Huntshipping Police AU Part 28

Predators and Prey

Part 23: [x] Part 24: [x] Part 25: [x] Part 26: [x] Part 27: [x]

Yuugi had been feeling a little better ever since his meeting with Raphael. Sure he still had dreams that were actually memories, but he felt better knowing he had friends and support from them. And he felt like he was connecting a little more with his other half and was thankful for it. Things were truly looking up, in his mind.

So that afternoon when it was time for lunch, he was happy as he grabbed his tray of mediocre prison food and made his way over to Koutei with a smile.

"Finally, its lunchtime isn't it? I'm glad! I'm actually a little hungry today...you must've worked my other me hard at this mornings workout huh?" Yuugi said to Koutei, unaware of the menacing mechanical eye locked on him from across the room.

Koutei was also unaware of the glimmering eyes and the too-wide smile. He was too busy woofing down his meal, since he had not only done his usual exercise, but the man had gotten up early and had just done some exercise to start the day in his room. The result was Koutei feeling bright and chipper, and he laughed at Yuugi’s question.

“Yeah. Definitely. I made him sweat a bit during our games. I don’t think he liked it too much,” Koutei chuckled. “But can you feel the burn? It’s always a bit exhilarating after you do a work out, don’t you think?”

Yuugi smiled and began to dig in as well, glad Koutei was doing better too. He had been concerned for him, and knew that his other self had felt the same.

"If by 'burn' you mean sore muscles, then yes I do!" Yuugi said with a chuckle.

"My other me does like a challenge though...so I'm sure he had fun anyway!"

“Yep, that’s what it means.” Koutei said, smiling brightly. “Maybe next time you can be there when we do it. If Yami can do it, you can too. You just need to set your mind to it, you know?” He laughed.

"I guess so...but I think my other half likes it, so I wouldn't want to take away from his fun." Yuugi said with a smile. He did frown a little though.

"...Although I still feel a little gross from sweating...I think I'll go clean up a little. Be right back!" Yuugi said with a smile, getting up and heading towards the washroom, once more unaware of the menacing eyes on him as he moved.

“You can take turns you know,” Koutei smiled. However, with that, he nodded and gave his friend a thumbs up. “Sure thing. See you in a bit.” He said cheerily.

The figure that was watching them was a guard. A new guard but a guard no less. Seeing Yuugi move, he made his way towards the bathroom patients were forced to use, making sure the stalls would be empty.

Neither Yuugi nor any other prisoner or guard paid attention to what this new guard was doing. And sure enough, the washroom was empty, since most prisoners were too occupied by food. Yuugi entered, going right for the sink and clean up a little. He washed his hands and patted his cheeks and forehead down, trying to get rid of the greasy feeling left over from this morning's workout. "Man Koutei wasn't kidding when he said he made my other me sweat a little..." Yuugi mused to himself, looking in the mirror. He had gotten into the habit of trying to picture his other self looking at him through his reflection. He could imagine Yami scoffing a little at Yuugi for pointing out the obvious. Yuugi simply smiled in response, but then he spotted another figure in the mirror behind him. A guard? It was strange to see one in the prisoner's bathroom...but Yuugi shook it off, ignoring the tiny twinge in his head: his other half thought the guards presence was a little odd and could be dangerous, but Yuugi was sure it was nothing...

He was a very noticeable guard too. Like many of the men here, the guard was a very tall and muscular individual, though this one towered above many others. He wore a hat and the brim of it covered his face, leaving dark, long shadows hiding his eyes at first. He seemed to be just doing the routine checks that guards had to do to make sure the patients weren’t harming themselves in the bathroom, but he was hanging around too long, and while he was standing to the side, hiding his gaze, it was unmistakable he was staring at Yuugi.

“There’s a fight about to breakout outside. You best lay low.” The guard said quietly, in dull, soft tones. “Careful now. You wouldn’t want to get hurt, kid.” He said, walking up to him.

Yuugi blinked in surprise when the guard spoke to him. He turned to face him and frowned in confusion.

"....A fight? But I don't hear anything..." he said, not paying any attention to the guard approaching him. He instinctively was a little weary though, moving a little back, closer to the wall.

“There is. On the other side. Just hang on for a bit.” The guard paused and looked towards the door, waiting for something. Sure enough, as he said, there was a loud shout from some of the patients and immediately it sounded like fight broke out. Not a big, wild riot, where they needed all guards on hand, but just a big enough one to draw attention away.

“See?"

Yuugi frowned, approaching the door wearily. He gasped as he heard the sound.

"Oh no...I hope Koutei's okay..." he murmured, moving to leave the washroom to go check.

Outside, Koutei was doing alright. It was a minor skirmish that he wasn't involved in. He took a glance towards the washroom, wanting to catch when Yuugi was coming out. He didn't want him involved...but, he didn't see him yet. That was reassuring...it meant Yuugi was safe for now. Koutei stayed away from the skirmish, keeping an eye on the washroom for Yuugi.

The guard took a couple of steps and he suddenly was blocking the way to the exit with his massive size. The man gave a small grin at Yuugi, that suddenly turned very wide and very deadly. Without so much as a word, he simply pushed Yuugi back with one hand and with his free one, he began to rummage his pockets for his latest toy to take out Yuugi. He knew he should have just shot and ran, but he wanted to make Yuugi hurt, especially after humiliating him at the trial from dodging what should have been the perfect shot through the head.

“Focus on yourself, Mutou,” Sergey said as his disguised eye disappeared and his white eyes turned to mechanical red. “You’re going to be in a whole lot of trouble yourself.” He cracked his knuckles and walked forward. “Oh I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

When the guard went to block his exit, Yuugi felt a little uneasy all of a sudden.  His head began to pulse, clearly indicating Yami felt the same.  He stumbled back a bit as he was pushed, eyes widening in alarm and confusion as the man's eye suddenly changed, and how big and menacing his smile looked all of a sudden.  He was nervous, basically frozen in place as he recalled all the times when he'd been bullied in high school...this guy was acting quite similar.  Where could he go to get help?  He felt his head pulse again, overwhelmed by the sudden desire to run spurred on by his other half, he took off towards the nearest bathroom stall.  If he could just get in the door and close it, then at least he'd have a barrier between himself and this crazy guy who apparently wanted to hurt him...

The man took his time and he even let Yuugi run into the stall. He slipped on his glove and strapped his gun to his belt out of the case he had used to smuggle it in to the facility. He was going to have fun killing Mutou and making him suffer. It was going to be so easy to do this.

He walked slowly towards the door, grinning away. “Nowhere to run, Mutou…”

Yuugi burst into the stall, immediately closing the door and locking it.  He backed up as much as he could, scared and wondering why this was all happening.  

“W-why are you doing this?  What do you want from me?”  Yuugi asked in alarm, hearing those ominous footsteps approaching the door.  He could see the man's shadow from under the door, getting bigger as he approached.  

“You’re Mutou Yuugi, a serial killer. And I want what you’ve wanted from your victims. Your death.” Sergey smiled. With his mechanical arm, Sergey punched the door, cracking through the wooden boards and pulling his arm through it. “Come on out, little mouse. Let’s play."

Yuugi paled a little as Sergey spoke so calmly about killing him.  His head pulsed, indicating Yami felt the same sense of fear.  Yuugi let out a small cry of surprise as Sergey's arm went through the door, thankful that he was able to duck to avoid the man's hand.  

“No!  Leave me alone!”  Yuugi cried, trying to figure out what to do.  How could he get away?  There was nowhere to go!

The man unlocked the door from the inside and pulled the door open. He grinned at Yuugi and picked him up effortlessly by the neck, pinning him against the toilet. He showed his other hand, the unconventional bladed glove that he had used on Yuuto. He hadn’t intended on using it but after using it on the other man, Sergey had fallen for it.

“Time to suffer.'

Yuugi had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, no way to avoid the man's huge hands as they enclosed around his neck.  He tried to scream, but the crushing pressure on his windpipe made it impossible to make a sound.  He choked, hands instinctively going to the other's huge fingers, fighting to pry them off his neck so he could breathe.  His legs swung as much as they could, trying to kick Sergey and encourage him to let go.  All the while, his mind raced as he tried to figure out how to get out of this.  His head pounded even more as Yami thought about what to do as well.  His eyes widened in pure terror when he saw the man's other hand, with its clawed fingertips ready to stab him.  He was terrified, silently begging for someone, anyone, to burst in and stop this.

Sergey tightened his grip on Yuugi as he struggled, not caring how he kicked and tried to dig his nails in. He was so much stronger that he didn’t care. It would be so easy to snap his neck, and he would, but not until he smeared his blood across the walls, painting the stalls in his blood. He didn’t care about being messy. Sergey had prepared properly. He had ways of not getting caught here.

The man gave a small croon as he looked at Yuugi’s pale, trembling face and ran his blades down Yuugi’s right calf. The blades on the index fingers drew three lines lightly on the boy’s skin, opening it up and sending blood trickling down.

“No running from me. No mouse out of this trap” Sergey all but sang. He then suddenly thrust his fingers into the wounds and stabbed Yuugi as deep as he could, before balling his fist and raking the blades up through Yuugi’s calf up to his thigh in one, messy serrated go.

Yuugi trembled, squirming and fighting to breathe.  His head hurt, both from lack of oxygen and Yami screaming inside his brain.  He flinched, trying to move his leg away from the blades as they lightly broke his skin.  The initial cuts stung uncomfortably, but that was nothing compared to the absolute agonizing burn that followed when Sergey's claws dug through his skin and into his muscles, almost hitting bone.  Yuugi tried to scream, but very little sound came out.  His vision was blurring, both from dizziness and from tears as Yuugi sobbed silently.  He could no longer move his right leg...all he could feel was pain.  He continued to beg and plead silently for someone, anyone, to come help him.  

Sergey pressed on his neck harder, practically strangling the sound out and silencing Yuugi. He was practically cooing, ecstatic with how good Yuugi’s agony was. This was what he waited for. This is why he burned some of his contacts and wormed his way into security here today even though the risk of getting caught was exceptionally high. Pain. Pain and agony, the evidence of life. Sergey craved the sensation like he needed air, and nothing brought him more joy than hurting people.

Sergey pulled his claws out and flexed them again. He couldn’t do Yuugi’s other leg since he had to hold his neck, so he decided the right arm was next. He hummed merrily as began slicing up Yuugi’s side, wishing he had access to Yuugi’s hand and fingers.

Yuugi continued to cry and plead silently for Sergey to let him go, or for someone to help him.  God, he was in so much pain.  It only got worse as his right side was sliced up as well and Yuugi sobbed harder.  Was he going to die?  Was this it...he couldn't take it anymore...

Finally, Yuugi got his wish partially in the form of a switch.  Yami emerged, angered that someone had dared hurt his other half this way.  Of course, he had felt the pain as well, but unlike Yuugi, he was a little bit more accustomed to it.  He removed his hands from Sergey's, and struck at the nearest point of impact he could reach: Sergey's face.  The man had leaned in closer to him as he worked, apparently taking great pleasure in watching the show up close.  Yami clawed and scratched at Sergey's face, trying to convince him to stop hurting him, or even better, loosen his grip on his neck so he could get some much needed air.  He was dizzy and running out of strength...it was only adrenaline driving him now, along with the knowledge that giving up meant dying.  

Meanwhile, the fight outside was starting to calm.  The guards had gotten the fight under control, and any prisoner who was injured was being cared for by the medical team that had been called in.  Miheal Arclight had been passing through to check on things and was assisting with the treatment.  Koutei was relieved it was over, but frowned as he noticed that Yuugi had still not emerged from the washroom.  Well, it was plausible to him that maybe Yuugi had heard the fight and decided to hide away from it in the washroom where it was safer.  Either way, Yuugi had been gone awhile...Koutei decided he would go check up on him.

The man yelled as he was suddenly hit but he was far too experienced and much too strong to loosen his grip. While he did get a nasty scratch on his face, Sergey actually tightened his grip on Yami, almost breaking his neck. Snarling, he pulled his head back and he slammed Yami down across the back of the stall, knocking his head against the tiles.

Yami cried out weakly when his head was slammed against the wall. He saw stars and felt his strength leaving him...no...he couldn't pass out...it would mean his death...

Fortunately for Yami, Sergey's yell had been loud enough for Koutei, who had been approaching the bathroom door, to hear. His eyes widened.

"Yuugi!" He cried, bursting into the room to see the scene. Yuugi, or maybe it was Yami, Koutei couldn't really tell, was looking incredibly pale and covered in his own blood, suspended off the floor by the neck by a giant man in a guards uniform. Koutei immediately launched himself at Sergey with a roar, slamming into him to get him off Mutou. Thankfully throwing him off balance was enough for him to let go of Yami, who dropped like a stone to the ground. Koutei feared he was dead before he heard weak coughing and wheezing as Yami struggled to refill his starved lungs. Koutei drew his attention back to his opponent, trying to position himself between the guard and Mutou. The guy was tough, already getting up and looking absolutely livid at the interruption.

Sergey yelled loudly as suddenly Koutei all but tackled him to the ground. He scrambled to his feet quickly and snarled. The fight shouldn’t have ended that quickly, and no one should have been here. How could he be stopped by some brat.

The assassin growled and threw a large fist at Koutei before following it up with his bladed gloves, going straight for the man’s stomach.

Koutei's eyes widened as the man threw a punch. He was obviously experienced, and it was only Koutei's quick reflexes that allowed him to jump back enough that the blades swiped at his uniform, cutting the shirt but not slicing him deep. Koutei swung a punch to Sergey's chest, knocking him back.

"Someone help!" He cried. He wasn't sure he could take this guy alone and Mutou was bleeding out. He needed to help him...he couldn't let him die.

“Shut up!” Sergey hissed loudly. He felt the hit and it did hurt, but it was an opportunity to get at the young man now that he was in close. Sergey scooped him up by the shirt and threw him into the glass mirrors, cracking them. He grinned as Koutei fell from the mirrors onto the sinks, the low groan of the porcelain sinking under his weight.

Koutei cried out as he hit the mirrors hard, groaning as he collapsed onto the sink. Thankfully he hadn't cut anything, but he was a bit dizzy. He had to get up...he had to stop Sergey from going back to Mutou. He picked up a broken shard of the mirror his body had just smashed and threw it at Sergey, trying to distract him enough so that he'd leave Mutou alone.

Yami was still dizzy, lying on the ground. He was coherent enough to barely recognize that something had interrupted Sergey. He had to get away...moving his right leg was impossible, but he was slowly trying to crawl across the floor, away from the noise of the fight. The only thing driving him was adrenaline, and his movements were quite sluggish and uncoordinated.

Koutei’s throw was weak, and it mostly just clattered to the ground, only making Sergey look for a moment to try see if there was an actual threat. When it was apparent that the other man was too hurt to really do anything, Sergey gave a small smirk and he walked onwards, going to where Yami was crawling away. He pulled the blade, knowing that he had to slit his throat quickly. This was a too public place. He had to end it quickly.

“What’s going on here?” Miheal asked. After breaking up the fight outside, Miheal was supposed to be hobbling back to his office when he heard the loud thump. He opened the door and walked in, a couple of guards behind him. He froze, seeing the scene, as did the other men.

“Call for backup”

“Koutei… Mutou…” Miheal frowned. “Step back from them right now."

Sergey was seething as he noticed that once again, he was being interrupted. It looked as though he might get caught...but that was fine as long as his target was dead. So, he moved quickly, tying to slice at Mutou before these three new arrivals could interfere. Unfortunately, one of the guards behind Miheal was faster, pulling his tranquilizer gun and firing, hitting Sergey on the side of the neck. Koutei stumbled up as well, grabbing Sergey from behind to try and slow him down at least while the drug took effect.

Miheal frowned as the other one shot another tranquilliser at the man, but Sergey was more machine than man and it was taking far too long. He couldn’t get at Yami but he could get Koutei, and he reached back, slashing Koutei with his mechanical hand. Miheal’s eyes widened and immediately the man was running ahead, using his cane and smashing it into the man’s gut like one would a bo staff before knocking at the man’s knees to incapacitate him and stop him from tearing at Koutei.

Koutei cried out as the blades slashed at his back.  The cuts stung wildly, but still, he hung on.  He had to stop him...

And then Dr. Arclight was there, and Koutei let go of Sergey, letting the man cry out and fall flat on his face.  Sergey cried out in pain as he was attacked so viciously by the psychologist of all people, feeling a bit sluggish as the drug took effect on him.  Yes, it was slower than it should've been, but it was still extremely potent.  Finally, the monster of a man passed out, remaining still as the drug took hold of him completely.

For good measure, the security guards went to hold and tie Sergey down while Miheal butted Sergey with the flat end of his cane. He was happy he didn’t have to resort to using the sword hidden inside it, but it was fleeting because of the severity of the injuries of everyone else.

“Shit… Yami… Yugi…” Koutei groaned as he felt the blood trickle between his fingers. He ignored his back for a moment since he could move and he crawled to Yami, going to his side. “Yami… Fuck. Yugi. Are you guys awake? Hey… Hey..."

Yami was barely conscious, exhausted and still wheezing softly as he kept trying to breathe regularly.  He felt so dizzy from blood loss and exhaustion that he still couldn't really register what was around him.  So when Koutei approached him and tried to help him, he immediately flinched and recoiled as best as possible.

“...no...”  His voice was so raspy it was no louder than a whisper.  He had to get away....he didn't want to die...he tried to focus on what he expected to be the maniacal grin and glimmering eyes of his attacker, but instead he saw blonde hair and a familiar worried face.  

“...Kou...tei...?”   His body relaxed a little once his mind made the connection that this was his friend, not his attacker.

He couldn’t tell if it was Yami or Yugi but frankly he didn’t care. He was just so worried. He just… couldn’t bare to see him like this. He cried in relief and began to slowly sob, realising that the man in front of him was alive, at least right now.

“Hold on. Hold on.” The backup for the guards came and Koutei looked up, hoping they would get the medical attention they needed. “You’re gonna be okay. I promise.”

Miheal immediately brought the medical team to Mutou, since he was much more severely injured than  Koutei.  His right leg was basically painted red with his own blood...it looked really nasty.  His neck almost looked worse...his pale skin was marred with deep black bruises in the form of Sergey's left hand.

“Try not to move him too much.  He might have suffered some sort of spinal injury from strangulation...try to keep him awake, alright Koutei?”  Miheal instructed the blonde, letting the medical team cut away at Mutou's pant leg so they could see the damage and try to stop the bleeding.

Yami barely felt the medical team working on him.  Now that he'd relaxed a little in Koutei's presence, he felt himself slowly giving into exhaustion.  He was so, so tired...he'd been fighting for awhile and just felt like he couldn't do it anymore.  He was thankful that Koutei was here...he must've beat Sergey, since he was a boxer.  He'd saved his life in a way...and Yami felt he didn't quite deserve that.  It was his fault Koutei was here after all...Koutei would probably have let him die if he knew what he'd done to him.  

“...Koutei...I'm sorry...”  Yami said softly, holding onto the man's shirt.  He was sorry for what he'd done and had come to grips with that.  It was kind of cowardly to apologize before his inevitable death, but Yami figured he wouldn't get another chance.

By some miracle, Sergey hadn’t ripped open any arteries, and while in a critical condition, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, not that it seemed that way. Koutei had never seen injuries so bad in his life, and he could swear he could see some of the bone through Mutou’s leg.

“Alright…” Koutei said to his doctor. He looked at the man and he squeezed his hand, trying to let them know he was here.

“Sorry? Hey, I wanted to help you. It’s alright, okay? Don’t worry about it.”

The medics were also extremely disturbed by the injuries. It was clear that Mutou's leg would need surgery and possibly skin grafts to fix properly, but for now, they focused on bandaging it up to try and stop the bleeding.

"Dr. Arclight, our facility is not equipped for the sort of treatment his leg needs." The medic said softly to the psychologist. Miheal frowned.

"...Just patch him up for now. I'll make a call and see if we can get permission to take him to a proper hospital." Miheal said.

Yami's eyes were drooping as he was slowly losing consciousness.

"....No..." Yami said, realizing that Koutei misunderstood him. His grip on Koutei's shirt was slacking, but he tried to force out another sentence.

"...I'm...sorry for....what I...did....to...you..." Yami whispered as the world faded to black.

Koutei took his hands as Yami grabbed his shirt and held him. He squeezed his hand gently and stared down at him, straining to hear the words. He didn’t know what else he could say besides hold him, trying to figure out what he meant.

“Yami! Yugi! Wake up! Stay with me!”

“We have the main injuries patched up but we need the hospital quickly, Doctor Arclight.” A paramedic said. “Let’s get him ready for transport."

It was no use.  Both Yami and Yuugi were far too hurt and exhausted to stay awake, and Koutei's cries fell on deaf ears.  Dr. Arclight nodded.

“Alright, I'll call Kawahara-san...he should be able to get Mutou the clearance he needs.  All medical personnel will help load Mutou up...and bring a couple of guards in case this guy wasn't the only assassin.  Have a couple of guards stay here with the assassin to make sure he doesn't wake up and try to escape, and call the police.”  Miheal said, getting up and approaching Koutei.  The medical team brought in a stretcher and oxygen for Mutou, carefully loading him onto the stretcher.

“Koutei...let's get you to the medical wing, alright?  We should get those back injuries looked at.”  Miheal said, getting a couple of guards over to help escort the blonde.

Koutei groaned as he felt an ache through his back. He nodded a little as he was helped up and he looked at Miheal. He wanted to ask him if he knew what Yami was talking about, but instead he just groaned quietly and began to hobble out of the bathroom.

“Easy does it” The nurse said as she helped Koutei.

Miheal had unfortunately missed the exchange between Yami and Koutei, since the man had been speaking too softly for him to hear.  Koutei himself had barely heard him after all.  Miheal sighed, before picking up his phone and calling Raphael on his personal number.  The CEO had given it to him in order to keep him updated on any emergencies that Yami or Yuugi might be involved in...the man truly cared for him, in Miheal's eyes, and he could help him now.  He was probably the only one who could help him at this point...if Raphael didn't, it was very likely that Mutou would die.

Raphael had two phones, one for work and one for personal, important business. Miheal had the latter number. So despite being in a meeting, when that phone went off, Raphael went to go politely excuse himself. With a small smile, he headed out of the meeting room and walked to the outside balcony overlooking out to Heartland.

“Hello? Raphael speaking, how may I help you?"

“Raphael-sama, it's Dr. Arclight from the Correctional Facility...I'm afraid there's been a bit of an incident.  An assassin attacked Mutou in the washroom...he's severely injured, and unfortunately, our facility is not medically equipped to treat his injuries.  I was hoping you'd be able to help us get him treatment elsewhere.”  Miheal said solemnly.

“Doctor Arclight… what?” The man’s eyes widened as he heard the news. “Mutou was attacked? Of course. I’ll get a hospital prepared quickly. God! What happened? How did this happen?”

“Yes...the assassin was disguised as a guard.  I'm not sure how he got clearance to get inside, and I'll definitely be looking into it.  We've called the police, so they'll be able to arrest the suspect and hopefully find out more.”  Miheal said sourly.  He didn't like the idea of outside people being able to break into his facility and hurt his patients.  

“...Mutou's right leg is severely damaged, and he'll definitely need surgery to fix it, or he'll never be able to walk again.  He was also strangled, so it's possible he has neck damage as well.  The most minor of cuts we were able to stitch closed, but he's still very much in critical condition.  We can transport him as soon as you've made arrangements.”

“I see… so he was still after Mutou. Even with extra security…” He had discussed this with the police, but he couldn’t believe that the man still had been attacked. Raphael frowned and listened to the man talk about the injuries.

“I’ll call back in a few minutes. I give my consent to transfer him to the closest hospital. I’ll do what I can. Thank you, Doctor Arclight."

“Alright, thank you, Raphael-sama.”  Dr. Arclight said with a sigh, before hanging up.  He looked over at the medics.

“We're going to transfer him to the hospital as soon as we can...Kawahara-sama is going to take care of the details.”  He told the medical team.

“Alright. Let’s get him to the hospital then,” One of the men said.

“Do you have consent for Ouji?” The other paramedic asked, looking to where the man was being lead to the medical bay. “We could treat him here but after an attack like that, he really should be looked at a hospital too.”

“Kawahara-sama isn't responsible for Koutei...I'll ask the police when they get here.  They're the ones who can give consent for his case.  Just do your best to treat him here, and we'll see if the hospital will be necessary for him.”  Miheal said, knowing that the cops should be arriving soon to pick up Sergey.

“Alright. That’s fine. We’ll make sure he’s in a stable condition then,” The man said before hurrying off.

"Thank you." Miheal said, waiting for either the cops or the ambulance, whichever came first. He sighed. He had quite a bit of work to do.

The ambulance came first, seeing as it was called first, but within the half an hour, the police were coming in. Dispatched in particular were Anna and Ukyou, who had been able to hop in on short notice.

“Man, I can’t believe this place was broken into. That’s just crazy,” Anna said. Ukyou gave her a look but stopped after realising Anna hadn’t even noticed her own pun.

“If it’s who I think it is, we’re both very fortunate, and very not so."

Miheal supervised Mutou getting loaded into the ambulance.

"He's under the care of Kawahara Raphael. He'll probably meet you there." Miheal told the paramedics before sending them off. He made his way back to the front to greet the officers.

"The suspect is this way, officers. We had to drug him in order to stop him from killing two of our patients." Miheal said, showing the two into the washroom so they could see a still unconscious Sergey tied up on the floor.

Ukyou nodded and he followed after Miheal, Anna at his heels.

“So what happened? How did he manage to get Mutou alone?” The pink haired woman asked as she looked around the facility, seeing how much nicer and more well kept it was than in the past.

"Well...as you can see, he's dressed as a guard. Guards are required to check the washrooms periodically to make sure patients are engaging in harmful activities in their one location of relative privacy outside their rooms. He probably came in after he saw Mutou come in. I didn't see any evidence of foul play out here on the cameras from Sergey himself...but a small fight did start a few moments before I discovered Mutou and Ouji being attacked. That may have been a deliberate distraction to give him time to kill Mutou without anyone noticing." Miheal explained.

“Alright, we’ll also need to talk to all parties involved with the fight,” Ukyou said, noting that down mentally. “We’ll also need camera footage, track him backwards, see how he got in and see if there’s anything important. Right now, we just need to see him and hopefully take him to a holding cell down at the station instead of this sort of environment,” Ukyou said.

“Of course.”  Miheal nodded.  He could get the guards involved to come give their statements.  

“He's right in here officers.”  Miheal said, showing them into the washroom to see Sergey on the floor, still guarded by a couple of Correctional Facility guards and still unconscious.  

“Alright, even drugged this isn’t safe…” Anna frowned, looking at the bloody scene. She walked towards him and looked him over. “We’ll need a couple of guys but if we’re lucky we can get him to the car before he wakes up.”

“Has he been out long?” Ukyou asked.

Miheal checked his watch.

“It's been just over half an hour...normally these drugs last a couple of hours.  But, as you can see, we had to shoot him with two tranquilizers to knock him out.”  Miheal said, motioning to the two darts sticking out of Sergey.  

“So since they took longer than normal to kick in...it's possible he'll wake up sooner than the normal two hours.  I think it would be best if we had him secured by then...he's very strong and aggressive.”  Miheal said.

“Yeah…” Ukyou turned and walked out to get the other officers while Anna got her gloves on. She began to search his pockets, unarming Sergey immediately and pulling his gun and glove to the side.

“Damn…. looks like just tools here. Nothing really linking him to an explorer. Expected, but still."

“It looks like he didn't just want to kill Mutou...he wanted to torture him...that's awful...”  Miheal mused, frowning as he took in the various tools and torture devices that Anna was pulling from Sergey's pockets.  He was upset to note that the attack would likely have lasting psychological effects on Mutou, even if he recovered physically.  His work would be cut out for him then.

By the time Ukyou returned, Anna pulled out a gun, ammo, a guards badge, ID that seemed authentic for a different man (Who the hell had the name Muscle Oyley?), and a couple of other cards and nicknacks Anna couldn’t quite decipher. However, judging by the equipment, it was evident that Mutou had gotten lucky once again. A few seconds more alone, and he would have died.

“Interesting.” Ukyou frowned as the men picked Sergey’s up, staggering at the man’s weight. Anna quickly walked over and helped them lift Segrey, and the five Officers carried the cuffed assassin away.

Miheal held the door open and watched them carry him out.  He helped escort them out of the washroom and out to their police cars.  

“I can get you in touch with some of the guards who were involved...and also, Koutei, who was the first one in the washroom during the attack, is awake in our medical ward.  He might need transportation to the hospital.”  

“Koutei?” Ukyou asked, surprised to hear that Koutei was involved with Yugi yet again. “I’d like to see him, but I think that can be arranged."

“Yes...he and Mutou have been spending quite a bit of time together, and Koutei is hardly seen with anyone else.  I'm not surprised he was the first to check on him...”  Miheal said, before nodding.

“Sure...and Mutou has been taken to the hospital.  Kawahara-sama is looking after him from there.”  

That still wasn’t helping Koutei’s case, but he supposed it was a good thing. The man nodded as he followed along to the medical ward, where Koutei was being patched up. He was lying on his stomach, hissing as the nurse tried to treat the huge gashes on his back as best as they could.

Ukyou frowned a little as he saw the deep slashes on Koutei's back, basically like claw marks.  It was like he'd been clawed by some sort of animal.  

“Ouji Koutei?  I'd like to ask you a few questions about what happened, if you're okay to talk...”  Ukyou said gently, letting the man know it was perfectly acceptable to wait.

Koutei hissed again and bit the pillow. even despite the anaesthetic that had been applied to his body. He had insisted on not being knocked out, not wanting to be unconscious should Yugi call.

“I… I can, sir."

Ukyou nodded.

“Alright...I'll try to be as quick as possible.”  He promised.

“I understand Mutou was in the bathroom before you were...what made you go check on him?  What did you see when you arrived?”  

“Um…” Koutei groaned as he racked his brain for any information. It was falling short, considering how tired he was, but after a moment of silence, he nodded. “Well… he was taking a while in there. I watched the fight and tried not to get involved, but after Doctor Arclight scared the guys off, I realised how long it was.”

“When I got there… Well… Mutou was on the wall being held by his neck and being choked. So I just reacted."

Ukyou listened.  He needed more details on the fight outside, but he supposed he could get that from the other guards who had been present at the fight.  Koutei seemed tired and Ukyou didn't want to push him too much.

“So what did you do?  How did you stop the assailant...he seems to have attacked you too.”  Ukyou said, noting the scars.

“I just… I dunno. I just literally just tackled him as best as I can and knocked him off balance.Then I just tried to box and try and keep him back. I didn’t real do a good job of it though.”

"You did a fine job, Koutei.  Because of you, he didn't get to land a final, fatal blow on Mutou."  Dr. Arclight said with a smile.  Ukyou nodded.

"Is there anything else about the attack you feel we should know?"  Ukyou asked.  They had caught Sergey, but he doubted that interrogation would faze him.  And Mutou was unconscious...they couldn't get his account until later.  They didn't know exactly when he'd wake.

“Um…” Koutei paused before he shook his head. “He was just super strong. Like… inhumanly. Just be careful. That’s all I have."

“Alright...we will be.  You take it easy.”  Ukyou said.  He glanced over to the doctors.  

“How are his injuries?  Are they treatable here, or should we work on getting him sent to hospital?”  

“We could treat them here. We can treat quite severe injuries, but honestly I want him checked in the hospital to see if there’s any torn muscle tissue. Ouji-san isn’t moving quite right but he’s not in as much pain as we suspected.”

Ukyou nodded.

“Alright.  We'll work on getting him a temporary hospital clearance so we can get him checked.”  Ukyou said.  Miheal smiled.

“In the meantime, we'll treat him as best we can here.  Thank you Superintendent Ukyou.”  He said.

“Let me know how it goes...I need to head back to the station so we can secure Sergey.  Thank you for your time.”

“Thank you then. Good luck.” Miheal said. He watched the man walk away back to the main hall where Anna was waiting for Ukyou.

“So, who isn’t staying here so they can watch the big guy?” Anna asked. “There’s going to be a lot of work, trying to figure out how a literal cyborg could get in here."

Ukyou sighed.

“It will be a lot of work...but for now, we should secure this assassin.  It's definitely Sergey Volkov...we've got him on two counts of attempted murder now.  We should make sure he can't get out to hurt anyone else.  We can figure out how he got in later...after all, Mutou's been moved.  If an assassin tries again, they won't come here.  They'll be going to the hospital.”  Ukyou said.

“We'll call the other squads and have constant guards on Mutou's room.  No one goes in without clearance.”  

“I thought it might be smarter for us to split up, see if we can do more work. But if I’m needed back down at the station. I’ll go.” She stretched and cracked her knuckles. “Man, why do we always get the weird, intense cases, Ukyou?”

Ukyou nodded.

“I want all hands on deck right now for Sergey...he's tricky.  We can't let him get away.”  Ukyou said.  He shook his head a little.

“I'm not sure...just part of the job, I guess.  Come on, let's head back.”  He said, getting in the car.

“Alright. You’re the boss, boss.” Anna said, following him and getting into the car.

Ukyou drove them all back to the police station. Thankfully Sergey remained unconscious the whole time.

"Gauche, come help me bring this guy in!" Ukyou called once they arrived.  They should secure Sergey then interrogate him when he woke up.

Gauche walked out of the police station and he hurried over. He frowned as Anna got out of the car and prepared to open the door.

“You got him?” Gauche asked, getting ready for Sergey.

"Yes...he was caught in the act of trying to kill Mutou. He's sedated right now, but the drugs could wear off at any time. We should get him secured before then." Ukyou said, recruiting a few other stronger officers to help him and Gauche carry Sergey inside to a cell.

“… Do you think is Sergey? Like the real one we’re looking for?” Gauche asked as he and the others hoisted the bionic man up and carried him off towards a holding cell. “We should get someone to deactivate his limbs and make sure he isn’t a threat before interrogating him.”

“I dunno who can do that, but sure. That’d be great if someone could manage it.” Anna said.  They all headed inside and placed Sergey in their best holding cell. “We got lucky, huh?”

"That would be a good idea...not sure if anyone i know has the expertise to do that though..." Ukyou said, thinking maybe Chris might know someone.

"Well look into it, but for now, keep him here. Inform me immediately if he wakes up."

“Alright.” Gauche said, saluting him.

“What are you gonna do now?"

"We gotta organize everyone....send teams to the hospital to watch Mutou...talk to the witnesses at the correctional facility and investigate how Sergey got in...all that sort of stuff." Ukyou said with a sigh. They had tons of work to do.

“We’ll make sure he stays put and we’ll call you when he wakes up.” Anna said. She looked at Ukyou, seeing how much was in on his plate. “The officers back at the facility can take care of those bits to start with. We’ll go if they can’t find anything.”

“Mutou being a witness should be the first priority.”

"I agree...we should see how he's doing. His injuries were quite severe though, so he may not be awake." Ukyou said.

"Dr. Arclight said that Raphael-sama stepped in to look after him. We can get in touch with him to make sure he's okay."

“Raphael-sama will get in contact with Mutou. We should give it a few hours for Mutou to get treated, and then we’ll get what we really need.” Anna said. “Where’s Droite? She should be filled in on this?”

"She is taking a break with Mai I think..." Gauche said with a smirk. Ukyou sighed.

"Call her and get her back here...I need her around for talking to Sergey."

“Alright. Sure. She is our best interrogator out of our squad” Gauche said, ringing her up.

Droite was out on another totally not a date with Mai at the coffee shop down the street when Gauche called. She gave Mai a small apologetic smile.

"It's Gauche...I might need to head back." She said before picking up.

"Hey Gauche, what's happening?" She asked.

Mai waved her hand, smiling, understanding what she meant. She waited, watching as Droite huddled up and tried to sound natural.

“We got Sergey. They got him at the correctional facility. We need you to come back.”

"You got him?" Droite said in surprise, moving to get up right away.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." She said, before hanging up.

"We got a suspect...I'm needed for interrogation. I'll catch you later Mai." She said.

Mai looked up in surprise and she frowned. However, she waved a hand, disappointed, but understanding. “Alright. Later hon.”

Gauche hung up. “She’s on her way. Give her a moment."

"Sorry, I'll make it up to you later!" Droite said, before heading out. She quickly headed back to the station and entered.

"Sorry for my absence...are we going to talk to him?"

Anna wanted to snicker, but even she held her tongue. Gauche smiled and nodded. “Yup. As soon as he’s conscious, we’ll start. We’ll have someone haul him to the interrogation room, and hopefully we’ll get some clue to who hired this bastard."

“I hope so...I imagine Sergey would be a tough one to interrogate.”  Droite said.  Another officer approached the group.

“Superintendent, the prisoner seems to be waking up.”  He reported.  Ukyou nodded.

“Good.  Let's move him into the interrogation room and get started.”  

“Alright…” Gauche hurried to the holding cell and he and Anna helped move Sergey as fast as they could, before he could be completely conscious. The man was cuffed to the table, but as an extra precaution, guards with guns were preparing themselves in case Sergey tried anything.

“Ready Droite?”

“As I’ll ever be,"

Sergey didn't really react much to the movement, since he was still a little sluggish from the sedatives in his system.  Once he was put in the interrogation room, he began to realize that he'd been caught by the police.  He recognized the situation he was in, but truly wasn't worried, as most ordinary prisoners were.  Instead, he was angry.  Not that he'd been caught, but that it apparently meant his mousie had gotten away...that was two in the span of little over a week that he'd been unable to finish off.  That was unacceptable in Sergey's eyes...he'd been so close...little Yuugi Mutou and Goggles had been begging for him to finish them...his lips curved into an angry sneer.  He had to get out soon...so he could find them and finish them off...

“Sergey Volkov.” Droite was firm and clear as she walked in, even though behind her icy facade, she couldn’t help but feel fear trickle down her spine. “That’s your name, isn’t it? 464D, formerly of Sector Security. Do you know why you’re here?”

Sergey ignored Droite and Ukyou for the most part.

“...Mousie got away...”  He muttered, clenching his fists a little and testing his muscle control post sedatives...he wasn't quite up to 100% yet.  He wouldn't be able to break these handcuffs yet...but he'd recover eventually he knew.

“Sergey Volkov. Look at me.” Droite said firmly, standing in front of him, from across the table. “Can you hear me?”

Sergey's lips twisted into a sadistic smirk, glancing at Droite.  He snickered.

“...Two little mousies came to play...two little mousies got away...so two little mousies die another day...”  He rhymed sadistically, as if he was singing a song from a horror movie.  

“… Okay but can we shoot him now?” Anna muttered under her breath from outside, staring at the glass. No one took her seriously, but what she meant was clear. This was just… not right. They had seen unhinged people before and dealt with them, but this was very different.

“Two… Yes. We’re aware of your actions, Volkov. Now, I need you to answer my questions, properly."

Ukyou frowned, listening.  Two little mousies...he probably meant Mutou and Ouji.  So he was talking about the attack...just...not very clearly.  

“Who hired you, Sergey, to attack Mutou and Ouji?”  Ukyou asked.  Sergey simply chuckled in response, showing no indication that he was really paying attention.  

“I cut them up...they had beautiful legs...so I cut them to shreds...”  Sergey said, speaking in a nostalgic tone.

“...But it wasn't enough...no, one little mousie ran away...so the next little mousie lost a leg...”  He mused, smirking in recollection.

Droite had figured out Robin’s speech, and even though Sergey wasn’t speaking in the context of her favourite childhood show, she was pretty good at determining this sort of rambling. While she was thinking the same as her coworkers, as Sergey kept talking, Droite got the feeling she was missing something important.

“You won’t be catching them. You’re going to be locked up, but the court may consider you if you tell us who hired you."

Ukyou was considering what was said and was coming to the same conclusion. Something was a bit off about this explanation. Sergey smirked. "...They wanted to die...I could see it in their eyes...such a pretty purple, shining with tears...but the grey ones were even better...no tears from mousie, but it was like ice beginning to thaw...giving in to the elements...into me..." Sergey mused sadistically. He didn't care at all about Droite or Ukyou, too absorbed in his twisted thoughts of killing people.

“Sergey.” Droite smacked her hands on the desk. She wasn’t mad, but he did need his attention. “We need to know who sent you after Mutou. After your mouse.”

Sergey looked up when Droite banged the table. "One mousie came after me...wandered into my trap...the other, I caught on my own...he wandered in unaware of the danger..." Sergey said, giggling a little to himself.

“And who told you to catch them?” Droite said, not sure where he was going with this. She made some quick rationalizations. Mutou was in jail so he couldn’t have gone after Sergey. “The second mouse. Who told you to catch them?"

Ukyou was reaching the same conclusion as Droite. All descriptions of this other mouse didn't match Koutei. So someone else had been a victim of attack, before Mutou. But who was it and where were they now? Sergey smirked. "I caught him...I caught the little mousie...he was mine..." he mused.

“Who told you to catch them?” Droite repeated. “Why did you catch them? For money? Why him?”

Sergey looked directly at Droite. "I went after him cause he got away once...sneaky mousie didn't want a quick painless death...so I obliged. He got to suffer...oh he suffered...he did so well..." Sergey chuckled by the end of his sentence.

The second mouse was definitely Mutou, considering he had avoided death the first time. She wasn’t sure what happened to Mutou since she hadn’t been briefed, but she had a feeling Sergey got to him. “Why did you go after him the first time?"

"He needed to die...and I am the one who helps people who need to die..." Sergey said with a cruel smirk. Ukyou frowned. He'd pieced together part of the puzzle but the second mouse issue was troubling. Sergey wasn't telling them anything about who had hired him.

“Why did he need to die, Sergey?” Droite asked. “I’m trying to understand here."

"Because he had to...he had to..." Sergey muttered.

“And that’s it? No other reason?” Droite frowned, crossing her arms.

"He had to..." Sergey repeated.

Droite’s frown deepened. “Why do people have to die, Sergey?"

"Because they want to...I make them want to..." Sergey said with a cruel smirk.

“… You’ll be left in here for a few hours, Sergey. We’ll talk when you’re more calm.” Droite looked at Ukyou, indicating she needed to talk to him.

Sergey simply chuckled and continued to mutter to himself about the two little mousies that got away. Ukyou nodded and exited the room behind Droite.

"I could only make out part of what he was saying...how'd you do?" He asked.

“This is the first time I’ve been doing an interrogation without being briefed first,” Droite said, shooting a look at Anna and Gauche, knowing that they had probably hurried her in in their eagerness to get answers. “What on earth happened this morning? What did I miss?”

Ukyou nodded.

"Mutou was attacked in one of the Correctional Facility bathrooms by Sergey. Sergey tried to strangle him while simultaneously cutting up his leg, according to Dr. Arclight. He's in critical condition at the hospital right now." Ukyou said.

"And Ouji Koutei was also attacked, but he wasn't the target. He just happened to come into the washroom looking for Mutou and tried to fight Sergey off. He ended up with some nasty cuts on his back, but is otherwise uninjured. He was awake and able to talk to me." Ukyou said.

Droite frowned and closed her eyes as she tried to replay what had just gone on. Sneaky mouse… that certainly didn’t sound like Koutei, nor did it sound like any of the other people Sergey had killed. And the fact that Koutei had back injuries…  “No one has reported leg injuries to the police lately, have they?"

"That'd be a no...we could check hopsital records, I guess, but surely if someone was attacked by Sergey and got away, they'd have filled a report or something."  Anna said.  Ukyou frowned.

"Ouji Koutei...isn't someone I'd describe as a 'little mousie'...he's relatively close in size to Sergey himself, and by his own account, he didn't hesitate to attack Sergey to stop him from hurting Mutou.  That's not mouse-like behavior at all."

“We would have gotten a call if someone reported an attack too… if they survived, there’s no reason they shouldn’t have called. Something isn’t quite right…” Droite murmured.

“I wonder… how many people have been targeted by Sergey. And why.”

"According to Roger-sama, when Sergey was with Sector Security, he attacked a vast number of people for the simple reason of protecting clients...and he was particularly ruthless."  Ukyou said.  Gauche frowned.

"...It is weird though.  The way he was talking gives me the impression that whoever he attacked got away.  But we haven't heard anything...unless the victim died from the injuries later or something that doesn't really make sense..."  Gauche said.

"But if they died, wouldn't we be able to find a body?"  Anna asked.  Gauche shrugged.  

"We're missing something important, that's for sure..."

“What should we do? He’s not agreeing to talk, and I’m doubting the usual bribery is going to work on him.” Droite asked the others.

Ukyou sighed.

"We might not need him to talk...Dr. Arclight is looking into the means by which he got into the Correctional Facility.  Maybe there will be hints to whoever hired him through there."

“Hopefully…” Droite sighed. “We’ll need him drugged up and sent back. We’re clearly not getting much then.”

"Yeah.  We'll can get some muscle relaxants and sleeping gas...that way he won't put up a fight even if he's awake.  For now, we keep an eye on him and continue our own investigation."  Ukyou said.  

"When Mutou wakes up, we'll go talk to him Droite.  The fact that he was attacked again, even after being sentenced to the Correctional Facility for life, tells me that at the very least the enemy feels he knows something important.  We'll see if we can get him to share whatever secret is causing them to go after him so aggressively."  Ukyou said.

“Alright. I can manage that.” Droite said. “In the meantime, let’s get ready and review how he got in. I’ll get on call with the guys from the facility.”

Gauche smirked.

"Maybe you can bring Mai too, since she's pretty good at coaxing answers outta Mutou huh?  You could make it a date!"  Gauche teased, nudging Droite.  Ukyou sighed.

"Gauche, get over here and help me get Sergey back to his cell.  We've got work to do."  Gauche sighed and complied, though he did wink at Droite before heading out.

Droite rolled her eyes. “That man… I need someone for him so I can do this teasing nonsense." Droite said before turning heel and going to work.

-x-

It had been barely a week since Yuuto had been attacked, and he still felt fucking useless all the time.  He kept having nightmares of that terrifying monster of a man hunting him down in his own home and getting him while he was helpless to fight back.  He really couldn't move much, and was reliant on Shun to get him food, help him dress and bathe to the best of his ability, and most importantly, to keep him away from Yuuya.  He didn't really like hiding from Yuuya...but he couldn't let him see what had happened.  It would only worry him unnecessarily.  Of course, Yuuto had informed Sawatari that he wouldn't be coming into work that evening, planning on spending the evening shut in his room in bed with a book or work, trying to get his mind off his nightmares that were keeping him from sleeping. He was hoping to exhaust himself so he could actually sleep for once...Shun was currently out, on Yuuto's insistence.  He had other work to do and Yuuto didn't want to hold him up too.

Unfortunately, because Shingo was Shingo, he didn’t inform Yuuya he was doing a double shift to fill in for his brother, nor did he tell Yuuya that Yuuto was ill, but of course he naturally assumed that Yuuya already knew. So at six o’clock, Yuuya was ready to head to work, his bag in his hand and his bus pass in his hand. Usually when he came downstairs, Yuuto would be there waiting for him with his pills and water, and they would head out to work together. But to his surprise, Yuuto wasn’t there.

Yuuto… Yuuto had been distant these last few days. Even though Yuuya had been around, Yuuto hadn’t talked to him. He was always hauled up in his room, either with Kurosaki or by himself. Yuuya was wondering if he did something to make Yuuto mad.

But even if he did, he wasn’t one to miss work, so Yuuya walked up to his brother’s bedroom door and knocked on it. “Yuuto? Yuuto? Are you there? You’re going to miss work."

Yuuto startled a little at the sound of the door, having not expected visitors.  He took a small calming breath when he heard that it was just Yuuya...he quickly bundled himself up even more just in case his twin decided to open the door.  He didn't want him to see his injuries.

"...I'm not going tonight, Yuuya.  I called Sawatari...I'm not feeling good."  Yuuto said, going with the lie he'd told Sawatari in case the other did bring it up.  He did have a tendency to blab when Yuuya was around, mostly to keep his attention on what was "important".

“You’re not well?” Yuuya asked, eyes widening. “How come I didn’t know about this?” The man asked. He paused for a moment before he pushed the door handle down. “Do you need some help? No wonder you’ve been bundled in your room all this time. Do you need medication or water or something?" He asked, slowly opening the door.

Yuuto didn't say anything at first, trying to gauge Yuuya's response.  When the saw the doorhandle turn, he began to internally panic.  Yuuya would see some of the scars on his face if he came in!  And it was possible that nosy Yuuya would press him as to why he didn't really look that sick...sure, he was tired and a little pale, but it wasn't like he had a fever or cough or anything and Yuuto had trouble lying to Yuuya.  So, he did the first thing he could think of, closing his book and hurling it at the door.

"Don't come in!"  He called after the heavy book slammed against the door, pushing it shut in Yuuya's face.  He was thankful his arms weren't injured, so he could truly hurl the book at full strength...if it was a knife, it would've been embedded in the wood.

"...I'm fine!  Shun's been looking after me...it's okay...you can just go to work!"  Yuuto called, silently begging Yuuya to leave.

Yuuya barely got the door open but he froze suddenly as the door suddenly felt the heavy slam and there was a loud thud. He let go of the door handle in fright and stared at the closed entrance. Yuuto… Yuuto sounded mad. Yuuya hadn’t heard him like that in a long time, but he recognised it well. The young man frowned for a long while before he then let go of the door handle.

“Ah… Right. Kurosaki…” He… he knew he should have been happy that Yuuto got to see more of his boyfriend, but… why was he treating him like this. “… You… Yuto…” He balled his fist at the door. “… Yuuto. You can… depend on me too, you know,” he said quietly.

Yuuto breathed a quiet sigh of relief when Yuuya made no other attempts to open his door. He groaned at the second bit. It was clear his brother wasn't leaving and although usually his tone would've caused Yuuto to calm down and reassure him, he was just too tired and panicked to pay attention. So, he just snapped back a response as quickly as he could in his desperation to pursuance Yuuya to leave him be.   "I'll be fine, Yuuya! I just need to rest alright? Just go...you'll be late for work if you don't go now!" Yuuto called.

“Ah….” Yuuya… honestly didn’t know what he could say after that. He paused for a moment before he began to walk away. “Okay… Bye, Yuuto. See you later.”

Yuuto sighed in relief again.

"Bye..." he called back, before sinking into his pillows and listening to his brothers retreating footsteps.

When Yuuya got to work, Sawatari was quick to greet him.

"Hey, Pendulum~ You're gonna have to whip out some extra entertainment tonight, since Knight-kun isn't around! Hope you're ready!" He said with a wink and overdramatic pose.

Yuuya barely knew how he got to the BARian. He had just gotten on the bus and zoned out, not sure what to think without his brother there for him. He vaguely acknowledged he was in a bit of pain, but told himself he’d take his meds when he got home because he forgot.

The young man blinked as he realised he had entered and Shingo was standing in front of him. He paused, before he dimly nodded. “Yeah… right… Entertain.” He forced a smile before he quickly moved to backstage to get dressed.

"You better not catch his illness too, Yuuya! I can't run the bar and put on a performance as Neo Sawatari!" Shingo called in his absence, letting him go get ready. He moved back out to the front, serving patrons as Yuuya eventually took the stage and started his dance.

About halfway through the show, a man with orange hair and an orange vest-suit entered with a smile. He spotted the dancer on the stage, immediately noting that there was only one man when there was normally two. And unfortunately, the one who was on the stage wasn't the one he had a drug deal with. But...he supposed he could chat with the other twin. So, he ordered a drink and sat down next to the bar to watch, waiting for the show to be over and his opportunity to talk to Yuuya.

Yuuya disregarded Sawatari. He was a nice enough guy, but Yuuya mostly tuned out what he said, even when he was sound of mind. The man changed out of his sweatpants and hoodie and put on his white button up shirt and his tights before he went straight to work. When Sawatari gave the cue, the music changed into something more sultry, Yuuya began dancing on the pole. His mind was still mostly blank, but his movements were smooth and fluid, still prompting hot wolf-whistles as he flipped and did the splits. But he was blank. His brother wasn’t there by his side, giving him encouraging smiles and the strength to go on. His brother… what did he do to make him so mad? Why didn’t he see him anymore? Did he do something to upset him? Or maybe Kurosaki? Was he a bad brother? “Ah…” The cheers and whoops brought Yuuya back to reality and the man was almost shocked to find himself upside down, holding onto the pole. He was about done with his routine, and he hadn’t even realised it. He looked around, a little startled and scared with how he got here so quickly, and he nearly started to panic. And then he saw a familiar face in the crowd. A kind face with sparkling eyes, a raised mole on top of a grin. Yuuya offered the man a smile before he pulled himself up and held onto the pole by his legs. He stretched his arms out and then dragged them down his body, carefully prying the buttons off one by one. Yuuya swung down from the pole and finished his routine, leaving his beautiful toned body in skimpy underwear alone. He smiled and winked to finish off, and as the claps erupted, he bowed and headed backstage to get changed. “Dennis!” He smiled, hurrying towards him.

Dennis applauded and enjoyed the show as much as anyone else in the audience, but he was able to tell that Yuuya was not all there as he performed. Maybe he was worried about his missing brother...Dennis would have to ask.

After Yuuya finished, he made his way backstage to Yuuya's dressing room to wait for him to come out. He smiled when the man came up to him.

"Hey, Yuuya! Great show tonight...you did really well!" Dennis said with a grin.

"Although...I was surprised your brother wasn't around. Where's he?"

Yuuya’s smiled faded. “Ahh… Well… He’s ill. He’s been… bedridden for the last few days. So he couldn’t come in today.” He said, looking away sightly from the taller man.

Dennis' face fell a little when Yuuya's did.

"He's sick? Well no wonder...it'd be hard to entertain a crowd while you're not feeling good." Dennis said, before putting a comforting hand on Yuuya's shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about it...your brother's tough. I'm sure he'll get better in no time." Dennis said to reassure Yuuya with a smile.

“Yeah… he’s… been sick for weeks.” Yuuya frowned, glancing back at Dennis, his eyes welling with tears. He didn’t want to cry in front of Dennis, but talking about it made him feel more guilty. “I… Only found out he was sick today though… He didn’t tell me.”

Dennis was astonished by what he was hearing. He knew better than Yuuya that his brother did keep secrets from him...but it did seem odd that Yuuto wasn't telling Yuuya about his own health. A few weeks in bed sounded serious. Dennis sighed and gave Yuuya a comforting hug.

"I'm sure he has a very good reason for not telling you...after all, he cares about you and your safety more than his. I'm sure he'll come around...you're there for him no matter what and he knows it." Dennis said.

“Yeah…” Yuuya nodded weakly. “I… I guess so.” Yuuya winced as he was hugged. He had been skipping all his meds, and while he technically was still taking the one that prevented him from going ‘berserk’, the other pills he had missed were suddenly taking their toll. Especially after his performance, his joints felt like they were on fire, and he felt weak suddenly.

“I… I don’t know. He sounded so mad today… I’m scared I did something and I don’t remember, Dennis…” Yuuya whimpered quietly, burying his face in his friend’s shoulder.

Dennis gently pet Yuuya's hair with a smile, listening to his friend while his mind raced. Whatever had happened to Yuuto, it was clearly serious, if he'd hidden it from his most trusted baby brother. Yuri would want to hear about this for sure...

"You don't remember? Yuuya...have you been keeping up with your meds?" He asked. He had been told by Yuri about Yuuya's condition, and was a supplier of drugs for Yuuto. Although, he didn't know the exact dosage or combination that Yuuya was required to take...he knew Yuuto was usually fiercely dedicated to getting Yuuya to take them. If he'd been bed ridden...then the effects must be taking their toll.

“I… I took the important one…” He couldn’t go a few hours without his main medication, so even when he didn’t remember to take it, the pain reminded him. It wasn’t nearly as effective as the rest though. Yuuya tried to rack his brain when the last time he regularly took his medication.

“I don’t know. I just… I don’t know.” He whimpered. “It hurts, Dennis. It’s been hurting for a while but… I’m managing. It’s not that bad. I just can’t find the other bottles. Yuuto keeps them from me so I don’t overdose…”

Dennis listened and nodded. He wanted to know what was going on, but if there was a rift between Yuuto and Yuuya, then Yuri would be happy to drive them further apart. He was a little torn, as a friend of Yuuya's and as an agent of Yuri's.

"It sounds like you're gonna have to talk to him, Yuuya...if he's mad at you, he should be able to tell you why, even if you don't remember. You need those meds he's hoarding after all...if you talk it out, you two will probably both feel better." Dennis offered.

“He won’t talk to me, Dennis.” Yuuya said. He was glad that he was in the backstage room. He couldn’t bare if anyone else saw him crying. Dennis had been a long time friend of his though, and Yuuya trusted him. “I tried to go into his room today and he yelled and threw a book at me. He’s never done that before.  He’s never been mad… And I don’t know why he’s like this…” He pulled away and wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeves as best as he could. “It’d be okay if I did something to make him angry, but I don’t even know what..."

"He threw a book at you? Wow..." Dennis was even more surprised at that news. Yes, Yuuto was a good shot...he knew firsthand just how strong he was...but he'd never under any circumstances tried to hurt Yuuya. It sounded to Dennis like Yuuto was purposely hiding something...but the question was what was he hiding? Dennis sighed.

"Maybe just give him some time...Yuuto will open up when he's ready. In the meantime...try not to worry too much, okay? I'm sure it'll all work out." Dennis said, continuing to pet Yuuya's hair.

“Yeah… I guess so…” Yuuya sighed and took a deep breath. “Thanks Dennis. You’re right… It…probably will work itself out.” He smiled gently at him. “And thanks for coming to visit too. I appreciate you always coming out to check on me and Yuuto”

Dennis smiled.

"You bet it will, you'll see!  And it's not a problem...you know I'm a sucker for quality entertainment...you and your brother are the best to watch!"  And this was partially because they had the same body and general appearance as his own lover, but Dennis didn't dare say that out loud.  

"So, why don't we just have a bit of fun?  Forget about your troubles and enjoy the night?  I think I saw Durbe and Miza in the crowd not long ago...we could hang with them?"

Yuuya laughed and winked at Dennis. He had no idea Dennis and Yuuri were an item, if he did, maybe Yuto would have done something to stop them from interacting with each other. “Always happy to put on a show!” He grinned

“Durbe and Mizael are here?” Yuuya asked, his eyes lighting up again. He grinned. “Sure. I’m done for now. That’d be great!”

Dennis winked in return.  Barely anyone knew about his relationship with Yuri, since it was a bit of a taboo for a growing politician to be lovers with a drug dealer.  They had to keep their relationship on the down-low, which was fine with Dennis.  

"Glad to hear it!  Come on, let's go find them!"  He said, leading Yuuya out from backstage and back into the main bar area.  He spotted Mizeal's tell-tale blonde hair in the back with Durbe and waved at them.

"Hey guys!"

Mizael turned around from the bar, a cocktail at hand. “Evening Yuuya. I see you brought the ginger with you again,” the blonde huffed. Yuuya laughed.

“Don’t be so mean.” He grinned. “Here for pleasure or here to see me?"

"A little of both, I suppose...we knew you were working tonight and thought we'd stop by."  Durbe said with a smile, nursing a small drink himself.  

Dennis grinned.

"Aww come on, Miza~  It's been ages since we hung out...let's have some fun!"

“I don’t like blatant lies,” Mizael gave a huff. He turned to Yuuya though. “What’s wrong with you, though? You’re losing weight again. Are you alright?”

“Ah? I’m fine, really,” Yuuya said, forcing a smile.

Durbe frowned.

"You do look like you're losing a bit of weight though...maybe we should go out and get some food for you."  

"I'm down for that...we gotta make sure you eat after all, Yuuya."  Dennis said with a grin.

“Ah… Well… I’m filling in for Yuuto, so technically I can’t leave until our shifts are over.” Yuuya said. Mizael frowned at that, noting how Yuuya looked away mentioning his brother.

“Where is he?”

“Sick… He’ll be fine. He just needs to rest."

“We can order you a rice bowl to eat between shifts then.”  Dennis said, motioning for the waiter to get Yuuya a bowl.  Durbe frowned, noticing Yuuya's tone and look when Yuuto was brought up.

“Hmm...hope he's feeling better soon then.”  Durbe said, considering what to do.  He knew that Yuuto did not really get sick easily...maybe something else was going on?  He and Mizael could go check it out later.

“Not too much. I don’t want to get sick or get a cramp when I’m on stage,” Yuuya said quickly. He frowned though, realising that was something his brother always warned him about.

“Yeah, we know.” Mizael dismissed Yuuya, waving his hand. “You still need something in you.” The man paused though and glanced at Durbe, seeing that look in his eye. A visit to Yuuto tomorrow he presumed.

“Thanks guys. I really do have good friends.” Yuuya smiled

"Yeah I got the light one for you!" Dennis said, passing a bowl of rice and veggies to Yuuya when the waiter brought it over. Durbe gave a subtle nod to Miza while Dennis and Yuuya were distracted. "No problem...we're here for you."

Yuuya smiled and took it gratefully. “Thanks guys.”

“Just take care of yourself,” Mizael huffed. “If you’re not okay, who is going to keep my shift from being boring?”

Shortly after Yuuya finished his rice bowl, Sawatari emerged.

"Yuuya, you're on in 15!" He said, winking at him.

Yuuya wiped his mouth and groaned. He didn’t realise he had so little time to relax. “Ah… well… Catch you later.” “Bye Yuuya, we’ll all be here after you’re done, so don’t worry.” Durbe smiled.

"Unfortunately, I gotta step out for a second, but I'll be right back!" Dennis said, looking at his phone as if he'd just gotten a text. He had to tell Yuri about this...

He stepped out of the bar and quickly dialled Yuri up.

Sakaki Yuuri was one of the most powerful politicians in Heartland City. Intelligent, calm, calculating and charming, while not the most popular, he was certainly very well respected and many in his party trusted him with his work on bettering the city. At this time Yuuri would spend long hours in the office doing his work or be in a last minute meeting. The former was the agenda today, as he was reviewing the Prime Minister of Japan’s latest legislation and what that meant for the regional government. He was almost finished going through the paper when he got the call from his private phone. “… Ah… I see.” Yuuri made sure the electronic door was locked before he picked the phone up. “Hello?”

Dennis smirked as he heard Yuri pick up.

"I have news regarding your youngest brother, Yuuya...he and Yuuto seem to be developing a rift."  Dennis said with a smile.

Immediately Yuuri pulled his full attention to the phone. Any news of his beloved brothers was important to him, especially Yuuya. There was a pause as Yuuri chose his words carefully.

“… How so?” he asked, trying not to sound too eager.

"Well, I met Yuuya at work tonight, but Yuuto was a no-show.  That in itself was unusual, but then Yuuya told me that Yuuto's been hiding from him in his room for a week now.  It shows too...Yuuya's showing symptoms of relapse.  Yuuto's not monitoring him like he used to...I'm not sure exactly why, since Yuuya didn't know.  But, he seems to be in need of...comfort, really...poor guy need support."  Dennis said simply with a smile, recalling how Yuuya had accepted his comforting hugs.  He knew Yuri would probably want to cash in on that at least...probably more too.

“Relapse?” Yuuri asked, sounding legitimately surprised. Yuuto hadn’t ever let Yuuya relapse before. He was the worrywart of the family, always making sure Yuuya was organised. It sounded ridiculously out of character for Yuuto. However, instead of a worried frown, a thin smile came to Yuuri’s face and he chuckled quietly.

“Does he now? Well, if someone sends me his address today, I’ll pay a visit to him tomorrow. Someone needs to support him after all. Do you mind if you send him home today, Dennis? I’m sure Yuuto won’t mind, neh?"

"...God I hope he doesn't mind...."  Dennis muttered, recalling the last time he'd tried to take Yuuya home: Yuuto had nearly blown his head off, and his apology had sounded half-way menacing.  Clearly, he'd do it again if Dennis went near the house.

"...I'll certainly offer.  I gotta be a good supporting friend after all.  It'd be irresponsible of me not to make sure my sick friend isn't getting home okay."  Dennis said with a smile.

"I'll let you know how that goes, alright?"  Dennis would immediately tell Yuri if Yuuto wasn't as 'sick' as Yuuya had said.  If that was the case, no way would Yuri be allowed near the house.

“That’s the spirit.” Yuuri smiled. He remembered Dennis bitching about it when he came over, but he didn’t mind risking Dennis for the sake of his brothers. He imagined Yuuya coming towards him, with his perfect skin and wide smile and embracing him…

“Of course. Please do. I’ll be eagerly awaiting your call."

"Alright, call you back in a bit."  Dennis said with a grin, before hanging up and re-entering the bar.  He didn't want to miss Yuuya's encore show after all.  He joined Mizael and Durbe at the bar with a grin, cheering and supporting Yuuya as he went on stage for the second time that night.

Yuuya felt a bit better with some food in him, and with his friends supporting him, he was doing a lot better with his show. He had long gotten over the mental hurdle where it was weird to strip in front of his friends so he was smiling and acting coy and seductive as he moved and rubbed himself against the pole. He kicked his legs out and held himself in athletically challenging poses, exposing the soft curves of his body and the sharp muscles of his body. He smiled as he swung around and pulled himself up, moving through his routines.

Yuuya was performing five times that night, and by the end of it all, he was exhausted. When he got off the stage for the last time, he all but collapsed into a chair in the back room, puffed out and too tired to really get his clothes back on.

Dennis, Mizeal and Durbe were watching the whole time, with Miza and Durbe occasionally distracted by customers.  Dennis also recorded a few parts of the performance while Yuuya wasn't looking, sending them to Yuri religiously.  It was fun to picture his reactions.  

After the show, Dennis followed Yuuya backstage.  

"Hey...you're done now right?  You did a really great job."  Dennis said, offering Yuuya a bottle of water and trying not to openly admire his hot, sweaty body on display in front of him.

Yuuya groaned. “Ughh… I better be paid double for this. Everything hurts.” He rubbed the sweat off his brow and gave a groan. He was thankful he had told he bouncers Dennis was allowed backstage years ago, because it always saved him having a friend here to pick him up. He took the water and took a few long gulps. “Ugh… and it’s going to be a while before I get back. The buses are slow at this time."

"I'm sure you will be...it was a double shift after all."  Dennis said with a kind smile.  He walked across the room while Yuuya drank, sneaking glances at his body from different angles as he made his way over to where Yuuya had thrown his sweats earlier.  

"Once you get dressed, I can give you a ride if you want.  You're exhausted...the sooner you get home the better right?"  Dennis offered with a kind smile, passing Yuuya his clothes.

“You would do that? Really?” Yuuya asked, looking up at Dennis. He knew Dennis never wanted to come over because of Yuuto. He knew they didn’t get along well with each other, even though they were polite enough. “Oh, that would be amazing. Thanks, Dennis.” He smiled sweetly.

"Yeah...just don't tell your brother it was me."  Dennis said with a wink, knowing that Yuuya was aware of his bad relationship with Yuuto.  

"I'll be waiting outside alright, so hurry up and get changed and we can go!"  Dennis said with a grin, heading out of the room so Yuuya could have some privacy.

“Alright!” Yuuya tried to get up with new energy and vigour, but honestly he was still tired. He slowly pulled his jumper and sweatpants on and groaned as he headed out of the bar, waving at Sawatari before looking for Dennis, hoping he was with Durbe and Mizael so he could say

Dennis was outside with Durbe and Mizeal, chatting with them briefly while he waited for Yuuya.  He smiled and waved when he spotted him.

"Ready to go then?"  He asked.

Yuuya nodded. “Yeah… I’m ready to just go to bed now. I might even skip the shower." “Don’t do that, you stink.” Mizael muttered.

"Take care of yourself, Yuuya. Have a good night." Durbe said. Dennis smiled, looping an arm around Yuuya.

"Let's get you home then so you can rest. Cars out back." He said, guiding him out to his vehicle.

Yuuya smiled and followed Dennis. “So how have you been, Den? I haven’t seen you in ages.”

"Ah, I've been busy running my business. Sorry for not dropping around earlier, but I have very little down time nowadays." Dennis said with a smile. The cops had been patrolling quite a bit lately, looking for Sergey, Dennis knew. He'd also been extra cautious after Yami had been caught. Though he trusted Yami not to throw him under the bus completely, he figured the cops would be looking into whoever had given him Devils Breath. Dennis had been shifting his dealership even further underground to avoid detection.

Dennis unlocked the car and got inside, inviting Yuuya into the passengers seat.

"You'll have to direct me, alright?"

“Alright. Head out towards the port and I’ll direct you from there,” The man smiled.

"Sure thing!" Dennis said, pulling out and driving in the direction Yuuya indicated. "Do you have any plans for tomorrow, Yuuya? Work again or do you get the day off to rest?" Dennis wanted to know if Yuri could stop by or not.

“I get to rest. The BARian doesn’t have the whole performing thing available everyday so it’s my day off. Good thing too. I think I’ll just spend the day at home honestly.”

"Sounds lonely...Durbe and Mizael were telling me you've been home a lot lately.  Maybe you should go out to lunch or something with a friend?" Dennis said.

“I think I’ll try helping Yuuto… If he’ll let me. But…” Yuuya paused. “Are you free? I’d like to catch up."

Dennis smiled. Yuuya was very predictable and open to suggestions, as usual. It was easy to manipulate him.

"For lunch? Yeah I think so...it all depends on whether I can get the deals done in time without complications!" Dennis said.

"Tell you what...I'll send a car by your place around noon tomorrow, and if you can't come, just tell the driver, alright? Hopefully Yuuto won't hold you up...." Dennis said with a grin.

“A driver? Look at you, all fancy,” Yuuya teased. “That sounds good. I hope we can meet up. It’s gonna be fun.”

"I love being fancy, you know that. Now that I know where you live, I can spoil you a little." Dennis teased right back with a grin.

"Absolutely! We'll have a blast! Oh...we passed the dock, which way now?" Dennis asked.

“Haha, I guess so.” The man smiled. “Don’t go overboard though. Yuuto wants us both to keep a low profile.” Yuuya knew that more than anyone else. He looked around and pointed. “Turn left and then right. It’s confusing, so just listen up, okay?"

"Oh I won't! It's not like I'll be sending a limo or something." Dennis said with a chuckle. He followed Yuuya's directions, not surprised that he hadn't been able to find this place earlier...the directions made it hard to get to!

There were a few more turns and narrow streets to go through, but eventually they came to a rather unassuming apartment building. Yuuya smiled and pointed. “There. Just pull in."

Dennis followed the directions and was a little surprised to finally see where they lived. This place was petty big...so there had to be other people around. He'd always thought Yuuto hid his brother away and looked after him alone.

"Alright sure. Here you are then, Yuuya."

Yuuto certainly acted like it. Yuuya gave a big smile and opened the door. “Thanks Dennis! I’ll see you tomorrow!” He said, getting out. “Good to see you!"

"Not a problem, Yuuya! I'll see you tomorrow!" Dennis said, waving him off. He watched him head inside before driving away...

...only to stop around the corner and park. He had to know...what was going on with Yuuto? Was he truly sick, or was he just hiding something? Dennis made his way on foot back to the building, looking around the sides to the small windows. He guessed that Yuuto would probably put his room near the door on the first floor...that way he'd know if his brother was in trouble. Dennis peeked into the window and turns out he was right...he could see Yuuto's telltale purple hair, his back facing the window. Someone else was with him too...his old partner, if Dennis remembered right. He stayed low so they couldn't hear him or see him.

“Alright… just deep breaths. I’m going to undo your bandages. Just tell me if I need to stop” Shun muttered. Yuuto didn’t know how else to respond besides a small grunt. Taking that as confirmation, Shun began to slowly undo Yuuto’s bandages to look at his back and chest.

“Nghhhk…” Yuuto balled his fists on the bed and whimpered as Shun revealed the scars. He frowned as he looked at them, seeing how yellow and swollen it all looked.

“It’s healing, but we need to clean it up. Can you lie down by yourself?” Yuuto shook his head, so Shun shifted him so it was easier to get to his sides. He placed the cloth down and Yuuto gave a sharp cry, clamping his hands over his mouth as pain overtook him.

Dennis watched from the window in shock. As a street boy, he'd seen plenty of injuries, but Yuuto's looked truly horrifying. He was amazed that he'd survived sustaining them, and wondered what had happened.

But, most importantly, he now understood completely why Yuuto was hiding. Yuuya would be extremely worried and upset if he found his brother injured...and it would be impossible to hide these sorts of wounds if he saw him in person. Yuuto could barely move on his own, that much was clear. Yuuya would figure out something was wrong if he saw him.

Shun slowly went to dress Yuuto’s injuries, smearing cream in between the gaps and rubbing ointments in before bandaging them again. Yuuto did his best to stay quiet, even though it was obvious he wanted nothing more than to just break down.

Then Shun took off Yuuto’s pants to show off the scars on the man’s legs. Yuuto gasped and cringed as Shun bandaged those too.

“It’s alright… I’m almost done..."

“His legs too?  Oh god...”  Dennis murmured, seeing how the scars marred Yuuto's ordinarily pale skin with thick, red marks.  He probably couldn't walk very well, if at all at this point.  Dennis shook his head and tsked a little.  It was a bit of a shame that such pretty legs were scarred like that...they probably would never completely go away.  

“What have you been getting yourself into, Yuuto?  Oh well...his loss is our gain.”  Dennis said, deciding he didn't need to see much more.  Clearly, Yuuto was in no shape to prevent Yuuya from going out tomorrow with Yuri, even if it wasn't a secret.  Stepping down from the window and walking back to the car, he decided to just call Yuri and tell him what he'd seen.

Yuri was quick to pick his phone up as Dennis called him. He was packing up to go home and rest, but he didn’t mind delaying for the news. “Something interesting, Macfield?"

“Definitely...also kinda disturbing in a way.”  Dennis said with a smirk as he got into his car.

“I took Yuuya home, and I have his address.  You two are scheduled to have lunch tomorrow, but that's not the really good part.  I also managed to figure out why Yuuto's being so distant.  Turns out, he's not sick...he's injured.  Really badly.  He has thick, fresh-looking scars all over his upper body and legs, and can barely even move on his own.  He won't be able to stop Yuuya from seeing you.  But, that old hitman flame of his is back in town and seems to be the one looking after him...if there's anyone to look out for tomorrow, it's him.  Yuuto could still send him after you, I suppose.”  Dennis mused.

Yuri loosened his tie and smirked. “Lunch? My Dennis, you’ve outdone yourself. I’m impressed.” He continued to listen and he raised his eyebrows. “Badly injured… I see. That’s a shame… someone is hurting my brothers other than me.” There was a pause as Yuri ran some quick calculations in his head. “I think I’ll be able to manage him. Thank you for that, Dennis. You always were the best."

"He thinks it's me he's going out with me though...so try to cheer him up when you see him, neh?" Dennis mused with a smirk. He chuckled.

"I'll expect to be repaid in due time...in the best way. Have fun with your baby brother!" Dennis said as he drove off.

“I’ll do my best,” Yuuri chuckled. He remembered Yuuya was delicate. It would take some careful wording, but with a little affection he knew his brother would practically be eating from the palm of his hand.

“Of course you do. Goodnight, Dennis.” Yuuri hung up and stared at his phone before he gave a smile. Ah…. he’d finally be able to see Yuuya again. He could hardly wait.

As Dennis continued his drive home, a few miles away, Mutou Yuugi began to regain consciousness slowly.

The first thing he was aware of was that something seemed to be covering his mouth and nose, and constricting his neck. He could feel dull pain in his right leg and his throat burned, as if he was sick but a thousand times worse. When he opened his eyes, he realized he was lying in bed...alone...in a completely unfamiliar place. When he blinked, he thought he saw a flash of his attacker's cruel smirk and imagined the man's hands tightening around his neck. He tried to scream but all that came out was a weak rasp, and he tried to move but found himself unable to even sit up. His leg was immobilized and he was too weak...but he had to fight...someone was trying to kill him...he saw a shadow leaning over his bed and feared the worst.

Raphael felt Yuugi try to thrash through his sheets. It barely moved him but the ruffling through the sheets roused him to consciousness. The man’s yawn was cut off by Yuugi’s whimpers, and immediately Raphael switched on the bedside lamp, illuminating the room and revealing Raphael to the bed-ridden man.

“Yuugi. Yuugi. Calm down. Shhh… It’s okay. It’s okay..."

Yuugi heard and felt movement, panicking even more for a moment before the bedside lamp was switched on. He was forced to squint a little at the bright light, but what he could make out was enough to calm him slightly. Instead of the face of his attacker, he was met with the pale blue eyes and hair that he recognized and felt safe with.

"...Raphael...?" He rasped, his voice like sandpaper.

“Are you okay?” Raphael said, looking at the young man. He looked him over, seeing the oxygen mask and tubes in and over Yuugi’s face, only highlighting how small the man was. He went to pet the boy’s hand, worry in his eyes. “It’s okay… you’re safe, Yuugi."

Yuugi blinked a few times, not realizing he'd almost started crying again. He kept taking as deep a breath as he was able, trying to clear his head and calm down. If Raphael was here...then he was okay.

"...yeah..." Yuugi said softly, feeling soothed by Raphael's words and gentle petting.

"....where....am I?"

Raphael smiled at Yuugi and he gave the hand a gentle squeeze. “The hospital. It’s…” Raphael checked his watch. “Ah. It’s three in the morning. So that’s why it’s so dark.” He smiled softly at Yuugi before the smile wavered. “How are you feeling?”

Yuugi tried to take a look at his surroundings as much as possible without moving his head. He could see they were alone otherwise...and he could take stock of his injuries. He stared at his leg, completely casted white...he remembered he'd really hurt it. He wouldn't be able to walk at this point.

"...okay...what...happened? How long...have I...been here?"

“… They didn’t tell me all the details that had happened… but you’ve only been here a few hours. It’s surprising how fast you’ve been able to regain consciousness though. You were brought here yesterday afternoon.” Raphael said.

Yuugi listened, trying to remember all the details himself.  Some of his memories of the attack were a little fuzzy. He tried to reach into his mind and feel for his other self, but found no response.

"Yami....still sleep..." he murmured with a small sigh. Maybe he'd woken up at Yami's expense. He wasn't sure.

"...What...injuries...?" Yuugi asked, drawing his gaze to his leg in concern. He remembered how badly it had been torn to shreds. He could also feel a neck brace, and coupled with the fact that he could barely move...was he paralyzed?

“Your leg… The doctors aren’t sure it’s going to heal, and you have multiple lacerations on your torso and back. Your neck was in pretty bad shape too, but there shouldn’t be any lasting damage.” Raphael frowned. “It’s… not good."

Yuugi frowned. He could certainly remember how bad the leg was.

“...Is...there anything...that can be done?”  He asked, a little worried.  He didn't want to lose his ability to walk...

“We’ll see. We might need to get you a fake leg if it’s too bad, but it shouldn’t come down to that. We’ll get the diagnosis from the doctors tomorrow, okay?” Raphael said.

“...okay...”  Yuugi said softly, still a little worried but trying to remain calm.  He was silent for a moment, before finally realizing the situation he was in with Raphael.

“...did you...stay here all that time...since I was...brought here?”  He asked.

Raphael shook his head. “I was at work, but I got here as soon as I could. It was a few hours ago,” Raphael said, basically saying he more or less was here for as long as he could. He was in a suit and his tie was looped on the chair, saying he hadn't been home yet either.

“...I see...sorry...to worry you...”  Yuugi said.  He always felt bad that he was taking up so much of Raphael's time, even though he selfishly did truly enjoy it when Raphael was around.  

“It’s alright, Yuugi. I’m just glad you’re alright.” He smiled.

Yuugi gave Raphael a weak smile.

“I'm glad...you're okay too...”  He said.  Since an assassin had come after him, he was glad to see the same hadn't happened to Raphael.  Oh, and on that note...

“...Did...they...get him?”  Yuugi asked, suddenly worried that the monstrous man would burst into the hospital and finish what he'd started on him.  He shuddered a little just remembering that wicked smirk.

Raphael smiled. “They got him. Apparently he’s in police custody right now.” Raphael reassured him, patting his hand again. “Don’t worry, okay?"

Yuugi let out a small sigh of relief.  At least he'd never have to face that crazy man again...

“...Okay...I'll...try not to...”  Yuugi said, smiling a little as his hand was pet.  Over the course of their conversation, he'd felt Yami beginning to stir, perhaps awoken by his worrying.  He opened his mouth to say something else, when suddenly Koutei's face appeared in his mind's eye.  He had the sudden, blurry image of Koutei attacking his attacker, and a new rush of worry came over him.

“...Koutei...is...Koutei okay?”  He asked, concerned suddenly for his friend.  If he'd been attacked, then maybe he was in hospital too?  Hopefully he wasn't doing badly like Yuugi was...

The blonde man looked confused for a moment before he shook his head. “I’m not sure, actually. They didn’t tell me. I was only told that you were going to be here. I can call Doctor Arclight in the morning though.”

“Ah...okay...”  Yuugi said, frowning as he was trying to decipher his other half's reactions.  There was definitely worry, but he wasn't sure if Yami was only concerned about Koutei's physical state...or...something else...

“...Yami...thinks Koutei...saved us...I think?”  Yuugi explained.

“...I hope...he's okay...”

“We’ll find out from the officers in the morning. I’d like to know what happened myself.” Raphael frowned. “… But I’m sure your friend is okay. From what you’ve said, he sounds strong. He’ll pull through."

“...Yeah...he's strong...”  Yuugi said, reassured by Raphael's words.  He couldn't see anything that Yami was showing him that showed Koutei being killed...maybe he was okay after all.  Yuugi was eager to find out...but he had no choice but to wait for now.  Koutei was probably asleep, like he should be...but now that Yami was stirring, he was feeling second-hand worry and adrenaline.  Yami was on edge.  He wasn't reassured by what Raphael was saying, even though Yuugi was pretty sure he'd heard Raphael say that Sergey had been caught.  

“...Ugh...I should...sleep...”  Yuugi groaned, though he could tell Yami disagreed.

“You should. Anything that can be done can also be done in the morning.” Raphael yawned. “You want to light on or off? I can sleep either way.”

Yuugi thought about it.  Maybe Yami would feel better with the lights on.  

“...Maybe...on please?  Sorry...”  Yuugi said a little sheepishly.  He didn't like being scared, but he was.  He felt like a little kid...the dark never scared him before.  

“...Will you stay?”  Yuugi asked, holding Raphael's hand tightly, not letting him take it back.  He wanted the comfort, both for his sake and Yami's.  

Raphael smiled. He took the man’s hand and linked his fingers with Yuugi before he nodded. “Of course. I want to stay here for as long as I can. Just go sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“...Okay...thank you...”  Yuugi said with a small smile, closing his eyes and sending mental reassurances to his other half.  

'we're okay now...Raphael will look after us.'  He tried to convey the message, and could feel his other half begrudgingly accepting his request to go to sleep.  Just carrying out a simple conversation with Raphael had been tiring for Yuugi, so he soon dozed off, his fingers curled tightly around Rapheal's for comfort.  

It was Yami who opened his eyes next to sunlight streaming through the hospital window.  While Yuugi had been much more relaxed last night, Yami hadn't been.  He felt like he'd barely slept, but the light meant he couldn't sleep much more.  He glanced over to his side, seeing Raphael still sleeping.  He was appreciative once more to Raphael for looking after Yuugi...especially when he hadn't been able to.  He turned his gaze to his body...covered in bandages and a hospital gown, his right leg casted completely...he'd really gotten Yuugi into trouble this time, and he hated it.  And what was worse, now that he was injured, he was even more helpless.  He wasn't naive enough to believe that just because the guy who attacked them this time had been caught, that another person wasn't on the way.  It was entirely possible that someone could sneak in and kill him, and he'd be defenceless.  What was more, Raphael was here...and it was possible he'd be a future target as well.  The two of them in proximity was a bad thing for both their sakes: the enemy would think they were plotting, and both of them had targets on their foreheads.  

Yami pulled his hands out of Raphael's with a little difficulty, fighting to sit up and get more comfortable in the bed.  His body was a little stiff, since he hadn't been using it for the past day or so.  He was trying to test what sorts of movements hurt and which ones were okay...thankfully he could use his arms, but the scars on his body made it hard for him to do even the simplest of movements.  He couldn't even sit up.  Grumbling a little, he tried to feel around for the remote of the bed, since he couldn't turn his head to see.  

Raphael was quickly stirred by Yami’s shifting out of his grip and his eyelids pulled open despite how heavy they were. He blinked groggily and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes before he looked at the young man. He passed the remote over, instinctively knowing what to do without being awake just yet.

“Morning…” He grunted, yawning a bit.

Yami glanced over when he heard movement, startled a little by it before realizing it was just Raphael. He took the remote and pushed the button that allowed him to sit up. He sighed. "Morning..." he mused, wishing he could get up, but even sitting up was hard on his body. He groaned a little.  It was a little dizzying to sit up even. Maybe he had a concussion? "...Do I...get crutches or...wheelchair, or something?" Yami asked. He wanted to be able to move and it frustrating not to. He wasn't stupid though: he knew he wouldn't be able to walk on his right leg. So he'd accept some help, for now.

Raphael gave the man a smile and stretched a bit, feeling a bit sore from staying in the position he had been in the entire night.

“You’ve only been in hospital for a day, but give it time to heal. You’ll probably be given a wheelchair before too long.”

Yami scowled. If he had a choice he'd rather have crutches...he could hit an attacker with those. Wheelchairs weren't as efficient in that way. "...I'd rather...have one around anyway...cause then I...won't feel so...." paranoid, terrified, trapped "...immobile..." Yami finished, not wanting to admit the real motives behind his question. He'd been right about him being watched...who knew when it would start here?

Raphael frowned. That pause wasn’t like Yami, who usually always had something he firmly and definitely wanted to say. He tried to figure out what he could say to comfort the man, or at least draw out what he really wanted to say, but honestly came to a blank. “What do you remember?"

Yami glanced at Raphael.

"I remember...telling you...to stop visiting...because...I was...being watched...you didn't listen...now...this..."  Yami said with a frown.

Raphael frowned. “I remember you saying that, honestly. I doubt that’s the case, but even if it is, it’s a little late now, unfortunately."

"....true, I guess..." Yami said with a sigh.

"...but...it could...happen again...someone could...come...and I can't move..." Yami said, frowning at his useless right leg in a cast.

“I know… I’m hoping that the police can find what went wrong and the Correctional Facility so that doesn’t happen again, but I believe you’re going to be put under surveillance. Don’t worry about watching your back, Yami. I’ll take care of that. Focus on recovering first."

Yami listened with a small frown. "...you should...focus on you...you might...be next..." Yami murmured.

“I have precautions set up, Yami. I’ve focused on me enough.” The man smirked. “You were trying to kill me once. Do you know what I did before I got rich? My story?”

Yami frowned.

"If you...say so..." Yami mused. He sighed.

"A little...not much...I just knew...your weakness...its kids..."

Raphael actually looked surprised but he laughed. “Well, I’m glad I actually was able to hide it even from the criminal underground. I used to be part of a gang in America. It’s where I learned how to defend myself. When I was younger, I was separated from my parents and essentially lost, and I grew up on the streets. I basically was a big thug, honestly.”

Yami listened in curiosity. He hadn't been able to find much about Raphael in America.

"Wow...that's...not too surprising..." Yami said. He had guessed he was from the streets.

"What...made you...stop?"

“Not too surprising? It’s the build, isn’t it?” He joked, looking down at his body before looking back at Yami. He shrugged. “Luck, honestly. And a bunch of kids. I was escorting a couple of kids home at night and we were going through a rich neighbourhood. At first, a woman thought I was kidnapping a bunch of kids, but when she turned to apprehend me, it turned out she knew my parents. They died a few years earlier, along with my brother and sister, so I ended up inheriting my parents company and fell into good fortune. I ended up cleaning my act up and moving here."

Yami listened.

"Sounds...very lucky..." he said. He wished he'd been that lucky.

"...I wish...I had been..."

“Mmm… it was.” Raphael let Yami ignore the fact he found his entire family was dead after being separated from them. “I was given a second chance, which is why I made it my life’s work to try give kids and other underprivileged youth another shot. It’s not easy getting out of violence and gambling once you’re in it, so I wanted to help.”

"...Yeah...that's...nice...." Yami said with a sigh. "It's...your weakness...and strength...thank you for...helping me...."

“I just was sharing so you know I’m more than capable of taking care of myself,” Raphael smiled. He squeeze Yami’s shoulder. “But your welcome. I’m glad we got to meet, Yami."

Yami gave Raphael a small smile.

"...I hope...all those years...off the street...didn't...make you...soft..." he said softly.

"...I'm glad...I didn't kill you..." he said, feeling a bit bad about the circumstances of their meeting, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

“I hope so too.” Raphael mused. “Otherwise that’s just unfortunate.” The man was rather surprised with what followed, not expecting Yami to say such things. Usually Yami was first to push him away or tell him to leave them alone, and Raphael was stunned for the briefest of moments before a small smile crept on his face.

“I’m glad you didn’t kill me too.”

"Yeah...." Yami said, giving a small smile in return.

"...I...I only went after you...because I was paid to...otherwise....I wouldn't have..." Yami said.

“I know…” He smiled still before sighing. “I won’t ask you who sent you after me. I’ll let the next guy tell me when I get my hands on him.” Raphael said simply.

"...So you're...going to the police...to talk to...the assassin...they have now...?" Yami asked. He wondered if the guy would tell anything...probably not, was his guess.

“I meant if someone was coming after me… I’d take care of them. I’m not allowed to see Sergey Volkov.”

Yami frowned a little.

"...Sergey...Volkov..." he murmured. He has heard of this man...he was a top notch assassin that enjoyed toying with his victims. Yami had heard about him in the underground. If that was the kind of calibre assassin that Kaiba was sending after him...he'd have no shot...

"...the cops...won't be able...to hold him....he's...a monster..." Yami said, suddenly terrified. Sergey would break out and come after him again.

"...and if not...him...then...someone...similar...or worse...might come...we're both dead..."

“He’ll be trialled and there’s a good chance he’ll get the death sentence. Sergey won’t be an issue,” Raphael said, even though he didn’t quite believe his own words. “Like I said, leave it to me, Yami. Worrying about it is not going to do you any good.”

"I suppose...not....but I can't...help it..." he said with a sigh, resting his head backs against the pillows.

“I know it’s difficult, but resting and recovering is all you can do at the moment. Stressing is just going to make the recovery process longer.” Raphael sighed. “If you think I can do anything though, let me know."

"...Yeah...you're probably right..." Yami said, settling into bed a little. He was tired from that simple conversation, further evidence that he was weak. He sighed.

Suddenly the door opened, and a nurse came in, accompanied by the doctor.

"Ah, good, you're awake...I'm surprised it was so quickly." He said with a smile. Yami looked at him wearily, wondering if this was an assassin in disguise.

Raphael looked at the man and nodded to them. He was admittedly thinking the same things. “Good morning, doctors.”

"I was just doing my rounds and thought I'd check up on you...I was informed to tell the police when you woke up. They asked for a statement...and I also wanted to give you a diagnostics report on your injuries." The doctor said, keeping his distance and opening his file folder.

"You have a mild fracture of the larynx, which will recover, but we need to restrict your neck movement as much as possible so it will heal. Torso injuries have been stitched closed and are also expected to heal...the real problem is your leg..." the doctor said.

"...We stopped the bleeding, but the damage to your muscles is extensive. You'll need surgery to have any hope of recovering movement in it...we need to schedule a date as soon as possible, but that is up to you and the police, Kawahara-sama. It is expensive, after all..." the doctor said. Yami frowned.

"...and if I...don't get it?"

"Then you won't be able to walk, using the leg on its own. You might be able to get away with a brace and crutch, but that's for physiotherapy to determine."

“If the police are happy to discuss with it with me, I won’t have any issue with it.” Raphael said simply.

Yami listened, glancing at Raphael in surprise as he said it.  It would be clear to him that Raphael would have to pay for that surgery himself...no way the state would pay for it.  He was too dangerous a criminal for them to get away with it.

"Very well...I will call them.  Hopefully, they will be here soon so you two can discuss things."  The doctor said.  "I'll take my leave."

Raphael nodded. “Thank you, Doc.” The man said. He watched the man go before he glanced back at Yami.

“Your injuries sound a lot worse than I thought, honestly."

Yami frowned, glancing at his leg.

"...Still...lucky...I suppose...better than dead..."  He mused softly.  He sighed.

"...Don't tell Yuugi...how bad...it is...he needs to hope."  Yami said.

“Yeah… I’ll tell him if he asks me, but I agree… he needs to keep his hope.” Raphael sighed. “But at least there is a chance for recovery, which is good."

"...Okay...thanks."  Yami said softly.  That was one problem taken care of.  The next problem was going to be the police...sure, he was a victim here, but it was possible they suspected they would play hardball on him.  They'd want to know why an assassin came after him again.

"...Are you...staying?"  Yami asked.  He knew it would comfort Yuugi, but he also wanted Raphael to stay.  In the past, he'd acted as a mediator in a way...maybe that could happen again.

“I’ll have to call into work, but I’m likely able to stay. The earlier they’re able to come, the better for me.” Raphael said honestly. “It should be fine.”

Yami sighed.

"...Okay...I hope...they come soon..."  He said softly, closing his eyes.  He could feel Yuugi stirring up in his head.

“Go rest. Try. It’s still the morning. You should conserve your strength.” Raphael said.

"...Alright...wake me...when the cops...get here..."  Yami said, slowly closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.  He and Yuugi were still tired, after all.

Raphael smiled. He moved the bed to make it easier on Yami, pulled the blanket up and sat there, pulling his phone out to do work. He needed to sort a number of things, but he wanted to do it for Mutou’s sake.

Ukyou recieved a call from the doctor not long after, saying Mutou was awake.  

"Droite, call Mai and see if she's available to come talk to Mutou with us.  She was pretty good at coaxing answers out of him last time."  Ukyou said.

Droite almost instinctively retorted to Ukyou, having been subject to a number of jests about Mai from Gauche and  Anna. She was nearly about to say ‘Aren’t you the boss, shouldn’t you do it?’ before she realised who she was talking to.

“Oh… yeah… sure." She said, getting her phone out and calling her.

Mai was thankfully on a bit of a break when she got the call from Droite.  She smiled as she picked up.

"Hey Hon~  To what do I owe this pleasure!  It's nice to hear from you~"  Mai said.

“Work, Mai.” Droite sighed. “Are you busy with work? We were wondering if you could talk to Mutou with us, since you did so well last time."

"No, not particularly...I'd love to come see Yami again!  When are you going?"  Mai asked.

“We had a call from Card Heart Hospital recently confirming he has woken up. So sooner rather than later. If you can manage this afternoon, that would be really good."

"This afternoon?  I can totally make that work!  Should I meet you at the hospital or the station?"  Mai asked.

“Hospital. It’ll be easier and you can head off after that” Droite said. “I’ll see you this afternoon at 1."

"Alright!  I'll see you then, hon!"  Mai said, hanging up with a smile.  She was excited to see Yami again...it'd be fun, she figured.

Droite hung up. “All done. We’re meeting at one.”

Ukyou nodded.

"Great...then let's get ready to head out."  Ukyou said.  Gauche smirked.

"Mai's in then?  Great!  You two can maybe go out after!"  He teased.

“Oh stop it. I have a life outside my love life you know.” Droite muttered, jabbing Gauche in the arm before she walked out to start her preparations.

Ukyou sighed and shook his head, heading out after Droite to prepare.  They would need all their information straight when they talked to Mutou...

"...Sergey still isn't talking...we'll have to go by what we know about people who may have hired Mutou.  Roger is definitely a suspect, since he's had affiliations with Sergey in the past...even though he can prove he doesn't have them anymore."  Ukyou said.

“Maybe we should also go through people who can afford to pay Sergey and/or Roger,” Anna pointed out, “I mean… they’re pretty serious about killing those guys, and it’s not easy getting people to do this sort of shit."

"Yeah, that's a good starting point...it significantly narrows down the field."  Ukyou said, looking over the files.

"We've still got our top dogs...the CEOs like Akaba Reiji, Kaiba Seto and Kawahara Raphael - who I feel we can remove on the grounds that he wouldn't want to kill Mutou, and that he was an original target of Mutou's.  But it's possible some organization or people in the Underground may have hired Sergey, and we have no way of knowing their funds." Ukyou said.

"Didn't Mutou name a drug dealer?  Dennis MacField?  Maybe he did it?"  Gauche asked.

“We should look more into Akaba and Kaiba. I just feel like we’re glossing the surface with this.” Anna muttered.

“It was Mr. Macfield. We’ve had reports on him before. He’s been stocking Heartland for years now. He gets his supples form America and Europe, but we’re never quite able to pin him down.” Droite said.

"Absolutely, we need to look more into them...as much as possible.  They all have motive to hiring Mutou."  Ukyou said.  

"Could he have hired Sergey to kill Mutou?  He must have money if he can get drugs from Europe and America...that's an expensive shipment."

Anna nodded, as did Droite.

“Yeah… For ratting him out, it’s possible. It’s just hard to see with Sergey not cooperating. Maybe if we found out how Sergey was getting paid, we can track down the culprit from there.” Droite pointed out.

"Maybe...Sergey has no accounts, so he was likely paid in cash.  He may not tell us."  Ukyou said with a sigh.

"We'll mark him down as a suspect, just in case.  Hopefully we'll learn more about him in time."

“Hopefully. It’d be nice to nab him anyway.” Droite muttered. “We’ll see."

"It would be very nice to nab him as well, but let's just focus on motives for now. We don't have much time before we meet Mai at the hospital." Ukyou said, looking through their files.

“Right… let’s grab our stuff and go.” Droite said. The others cracked down to work, and before to long, they were already in the car, heading off to the hospital.

Ukyou drove them there, parked the car, and they headed into the main waiting room. Mai was sitting in one of the chairs filing her nails when she spotted the team.

"Hey, just in time! We ready to head up?" She asked, coming over and linking arms with Droite with a smile.

“I thought we were going to be early,” Droite said, checking her watch, sighing as Mai playfully lined their arms up together. “We are early. You must have really eager to interrogate Mutou.”

“Good to see you too, Mai. The rest of us are here.” Gauche said as the group headed up.

"Maybe...or maybe I was eager to see you~" Mai teased softly to Droite. She smiled.

"Good to see you again too, Gauche, and Ukyou." She said, following the group upstairs. They arrived at a private room guarded by a couple officers, who checked their badges before letting them inside. Raphael and a sleeping Yuugi were the only ones in the room.

"...Ah, he's asleep...is now a bad time?" Ukyou asked.

Droite was half expecting Anna to chime in but she had forgotten the woman had decided to stay at the station and look over Sergey’s break-in, seeing as five people was way too many to question one person. She simply sighed and squeezed Mai back, though she walked professionally onwards despite the PI on her.

“He’s resting, but one of them should be up soon,” Raphael said. He looked up though and nodded to the police officers. “It’s good to see you all again. I wanted to talk to you."

“Ah, alright...we can wait a little while.”  Ukyou said.  He glanced at Raphael in curiosity.

“What did you want to talk about?”  

“It’s about Mutou’s leg. It is messed up pretty badly. He needs consent from the police so he can undergo surgery.” Raphael said, glancing at the bed.

"Ah, I see...well look into it. Usually with people like Mutou who have no family or other relatives to pay for surgeries, we have to file requests for state funds to pay for it." Ukyou said.

“I’ll settle the billings. That’s okay, right?” Raphael said, cutting in immediately. “I don’t mind footing the bill of the whole surgery. I doubt the state would approve the surgery, even for compensation since Mutou was attacked."

Ukyou nodded.

"That can certainly be arranged. You're right: usually really expensive surgeries aren't approved. Thank you, Raphael-sama." He said.

“It’s no problem. It’s like I said, I really just want to help Mutou out.” Raphael said. “He reminds me a little of how I was a kid.”

Ukyou smiled.

"I'm sure he appreciates your kindness."  Ukyou said.  Mai sat down next to Mutou on the bed, examining his injuries.

"Yikes, look at those scars...it's like he got clawed by an animal..."  She said, looking at pictures from the medical file.

“Honestly might as well have been,” Gauche said, frowning as he thought of Sergey. He crossed is arms as he looked at Mutou, seeing how bad his neck was. “Man… I don’t even like Mutou and I think that’s rough.” He said. Mutou was a serial killer after all, even despite his split personality. Yet such treatment seemed just… wrong. Rafael walked up and stood as well.

Yuugi had been woken from his long sleep by the sounds of people talking around him.  He opened his eyes slowly, surprised to see the outlines of people around him.  It was too bright to tell who they were, but he was immediately tense, shrinking away from them.  

Ukyou noticed first.

"Guys, he's waking up...give him a bit of space."  Ukyou said.

"It's alright Mutou...it's just the police.  We're not going to hurt you..."  He reassured him.  Yuugi blinked and lifted a hand to rub the sleep out of his eyes.  Yes, now that he could see clearly...he could tell it was just the cops.  He was also calmed by Raphael's presence, noting the man was still there and next to him.

"...Hi..."  He said softly, his voice still hoarse due to is sore throat.

Gauche immediately took a step back, as did Rafael, but Mai stay put. She smiled at the man as he woke up warmly, as if they were old friends, and leaned comfortably on her seat.

“Morning, hon. How are you?” Mai said smoothly and gently.

Yuugi blinked up at Mai.

"I'm...okay..." he said softly. He was feeling a bit better rested.

“That’s good. You need anything?” She asked. Raphael looked like he wanted to say something for Yuugi but decided against it when Mai continued. “We’re all here to ask you a few questions, but I don’t mind waiting if you need a moment.”

"...water..." Yuugi said softly. Ukyou nodded. "I'll go get you some." He said, heading out to get a cup and straw for Yuugi. "...okay...what...do you...wanna know..."

“We wanted to know about how you ended up here. What happened and who attacked you. We would like as much information you can provide.” Mai said. “Are you going to comply?” She asked, half ready to bust out the ‘game’ card again.

"...I'll...try..."  Yuugi said softly, not sure what happened completely.  He was pretty sure he'd switched halfway through the attack.

“Alright… So what do you remember?” Mai asked. “We know you went to the bathroom at the Heartland Correctional Facility. What happened when you were in there?”

Yuugi blinked, letting himself remember what had happened.

"...I...there was...a guard...he...he was watching...me...." Yuugi said, biting his lip a little in fear.

"...I tried...to leave...th-there was...a fight...outside...I could hear it...I was...worried...for Koutei...but...he pushed me...I got...scared..." Yuugi said, trembling as he recalled the murderous look in Sergey's eye as he'd stalked towards him.

“A guard…” Mai frowned. “Well that’s one way to get in. So he followed you into the bathroom and he trapped you in?”

"...yes...I...tried...to hide...in a stall...but...he broke...the door...down...and grabbed...me..." Yuugi said, looking more and more terrified with each word.

Mai frowned. “Did you see who he was? Did you recognise him hon? What happened?"

Yuugi bit his lip.

"...I...didn't know him...but...I saw...his face..." Yuugi said softly.

"...his eye...was...like a...machine....he...he had...a really...menacing grin....and...he...was huge...he could...choke me...with one hand...and he cut...my leg with...the other..." Yuugi said, his voice getting more shaky by the second. Raphael moved forward and gently squeezed Yuugi's hand for comfort.

"It's alright, Yuugi. You're safe now...you're okay..." he said.

Mai frowned. That wasn’t relevant, seeing as they already caught Sergey, but it did say Yuugi didn’t know anything. She let Raphael comfort him and she sighed, waiting for him to calm down.

Yuugi trembled and accepted the comfort from Raphael.

"I don't...remember....much after...he just...cut me...it hurt a lot...." Yuugi said.

"I think....I switched....after that..."

“… I see… Sorry to drag the old memories up hon. But is that really all you remember?"

"...Yes...that's...what I remember...."  Yuugi said softly.  His head was hurting a little, evidence that Yami had been listening in.  

"You mentioned this Koutei of yours earlier, didn't you?"  Raphael asked Yuugi gently.  Yuugi blinked.

"Oh...yea...I think...Koutei...saved me...but...I didn't...see it...I think...my other me...did..."  Yuugi said.  

"Is he...okay?"  Ukyou nodded.

"Ouji Koutei is alright, Mutou.  You don't need to worry about him...he fared much better than you did."  Ukyou reassured Yuugi.

“Mmm… He’s not in hospital either, is he?” Mai asked.

“No. They managed to treat him at the Correctional Facility, so he’s there at the moment.” Gauche said

"...oh...okay...that's good..." Yuugi said softly. He was honestly relieved that Koutei was okay. His head hurt a little as Yami reacted.

"Ugh..." he groaned softly, holding his head.

"Are you alright, Yuugi?" Raphael asked. Yuugi's eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment before sharpening again as Yami woke up.

"...yeah...he's just...tired..." Yami said.

“Hey Yami. Long time no see, hon.” Mai said, waving at her old rival. “You mind answering us questions too? Or are you tired as well?”

"Hey..." Yami said, waving a little in return to Mai. He was kind of glad to see her here.

"...yes...to both...but...I'm not...as tired...as Yuugi was..." Yami said.

Mai smirked. She was glad he recognised her, it was weird seeing Mutou look at her like a stranger, especially when she had been chasing him for so long.

“What do you remember, Yami? You would have been awake for the brunt of it, right?"

"...yeah...most of it...I was...watching...not in control..." Yami said.

"After...Yuugi blacked out...from pain...I took over. I...scratched his face...to get him...to let go...didn't work...he just...slammed my head...against the wall..." Yami said, scowling a little at his nails, which were broken and had bits of blood and flesh still under them.

"...then...Koutei came in...got him...to drop me...but...I was dizzy...couldn't really do much..." Yami said.

“This Koutei boy sounds like a really good friend.” Mai said, crossing her arms. “You’re more familiar with criminals and the like. Did you recognise the guy who was attacking you?"

Yami fought back a sudden onslaught of guilt. Mai was right...Koutei was such a nice guy and he'd been an ass to him. He didn't deserve that friendship.

"Yeah...he is." Yami said instead, trying to remain nonchalant, but also grateful instead of guilty.

"...he was...wearing makeup...I didn't...recognize him until...he had me. He's...Sergey Volkov...serial murderer...everyone Underground knows...his reputation..." Yami said softly with a frown.

Droite managed to catch the look on Yami’s face, but she didn’t say anything. She merely let her girlfriend keep talking.

“What do you know about Sergey Volkov? His reputation. How different is it from our understanding of him?"

"...he's ruthless...toys with...his victims...never leaves them alive...or...if he does...they're broken..." Yami said softly, glancing at his leg. It was possible he'd never walk again because of this guy.

"...there's also...rumours...that say...he still...works with Roger...that he gets...access...favors...from him...helps him...kill people that are...hard to get to..." Yami said, glancing at Raphael as well. He was another potential target.

"...just rumours though...nothing...to prove it..." he added. Knowing the cops, they'd need concrete evidence to convict Roger as an accomplice.

“Got any ideas how to chase that up?” Mai asked, speaking on behalf of herself more than the officers, who wouldn’t be able to go on the lead anyway.

Droite frowned. Hard to get to, huh? Then they’d need to look into how Sergey broke in. Some of the resources may have not been available on the black market… Perhaps there was a small link to Roger there?

"...maybe find...a contact...and bribe them...better than Roger...or threaten them..." Yami said simply.

Ukyou was thinking along similar lines. They'd have to look into the Correctional Facility breakin more closely.

“Mmm… any nice places to start, Mutou? Preferably someone who is a little less dangerous than Sergey?” Mai asked.

“Dangerous is fine. How about someone that can talk normally?” Gauche muttered.

"...I don't...know any contacts...that are...Roger's....maybe ask...the bartender...." Yami said, taking a moment to think. "...or...maybe her...Mai, remember...when we...played...that game...in a bar...in Neo Domino, and you...you kept...sneaking glances...at that girl...and I said...her name was Serena...?" Yami said with a smirk. "...she's not...a current contact...she burned her bridges...with Roger...but...she might...know someone...or...the methods..."

Mai cringed and the police looked at each other. They had all heard of the infamous crone, a two-faced bartender who had the most information in Heartland, but they knew they were extremely apprehensive of the police and rarely gave information. However, at the mention of Serena, Mai perked up.

“Oh… I didn’t even think of our little dancer. That’s probably a good idea. She was a very good security guard, if I remember. We should pay her a visit."

"Yeah...she's top class...that's why...Roger wanted her..." Yami said.

"Haven't...seen her around...so...finding her...is up to you..."

Mai nodded.

“Why did Sergey of all people get sent over to you?” Gauche asked. “You know his reputation… he’s hard to reach. Did you ever work for Roger at a time? You know a bit about him."

Yami listened with a small frown. He had a couple of options here...he could tell the truth and say he hadn't worked for Roger, or lie and say nothing. He was more tempted to go with the second option, because if the police eliminated Roger as a suspect...they would probably get closer to Kaiba.

"...I...don't know...why Sergey...was sent...I've told you...what I know...before...nothing's changed..." Yami said, essentially avoiding most of the question.

Droite picked up on Yami’s avoidance immediately and looked like she wanted to say something but there was a look from Mai, telling her that now definitely wasn’t the time for pressing. The woman bit her lip and stood down.

“Alright. We’ll work at it then. Thanks. Anything else you wanted to throw in, Mutou?”

"...no...not really..." Yami said. He felt more like he wanted to go back to sleep. His eyes were drooping already...his head sinking into the pillow.

"I think you should rest, Yami, alright? We'll look after you." Raphael said gently to the man.

“Indeed. Night Mutou. Sleep tight.” Mai said, pulling the sheets up and patting his thigh. “Get some rest,”

“Raphael, you should be careful too,” Gauche said. “You’re most likely to be next, if Mutou doesn’t end up being targeted next."

Yami gave a small grunt in affirmation as Mai spoke, dozing off relatively quickly.

Raphael nodded.

"I understand, officers. I've already taken precautions...I assume you're going to also keep tabs on Mutou? He can't really run or fight off an attacker in his current state."

“Of course. We’ll have someone stationed here up to when he’s returned to the Correctional Facility.” Ukyou informed Raphael.

"I'm glad...hopefully that will ease Yami's mind...he's a little anxious, and it's understandable, given his current state and what happened to them both." Raphael said.

"Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

Ukyou nodded. “Of course. Again though, one of the best things to do is to take care of yourself, Raphael. If anything happened to you, they’d both be devastated. We’ll focus on catching the guy, you focus on protecting yourself.”

Raphael nodded.

"You're probably right...I'll be careful." He said, recalling the story he'd heard about Yuugi's grandfather's death and how he'd disappeared after it for 7 years. He couldn't let it happen again.

“We’ll be here for a few more minutes, but we should make a move soon,” Droite said to Ukyou. “Now we have some leads, we can get to work.”

“Are we working together again, hon? Or is that not allowed since Mutou is technically behind bars?”

"We might enlist your help in tracking down his Serena girl he mentioned. Who is she and where do you think we'd find her?" Ukyou asked Mai.

“Serena… She goes by many surnames, but she was Hiragi Serena when I first met her,” Mai said. “One of Rogers’ security girls. Best of her business. Fierce. She tends to be in around the sports stadiums training, but I haven’t heard of her in a while."

"I see...think you could track her down for us, Mai? We're still looking into how the assassin got into the Correctional Facility in the first place." Ukyou asked.

“Ah? Police teaming up with the PI again?” Mai teased. “Alright. I think I can manage that. It will be nice catching up with Serena-chan.”

“Don’t get too friendly.”

“Ahh~ Someone is jealous.” Mai laughed.

"Be sure to go out with her a lot in between shifts so she doesn't feel neglected." Gauche teased, nudging Droite playfully.

"Thank you Mai. Your help is much appreciated." Ukyou said with a smile.

Droite sighed but shook her head. She really wasn’t jealous, but the jabs were getting tiring.

“I’ll see you soon.” Mai waved. “Bye bye. Good to see you again, Raphael. I’m off.”

"Good to see you too, Mai." Raphael said. He glanced at the cops.

"I'm going to find the doctors and see if we can get Yuugi scheduled for his leg surgery as soon as possible." Ukyou nodded.

"We'll leave a couple guards here...we've gotta look into the break-in." Ukyou said.

-x-

Alit had been let out of hospital after a quick surgery, and was told to rest at home so he didn't accidentally tear any stitches.  It had been a tough transition for him...he'd had to call his manager and tell him the bad news, cancel any upcoming tournaments, and deal with the reality that he couldn't ever go back into the boxing ring to fight.  Just being at home alone made him feel like he was going stir-crazy, even when he did have things to do.  

Masumi was probably his saving grace, since she kept him relatively occupied while Kotori was at work.  Alit had his hands full with her on some days, especially the early days, where he'd been a little bit weary about leaving her alone for too long.  To keep himself occupied, he would look up random child-care facts online and try to apply them as best he could to his parenting.  One of the things he read about was that children would pick up bits of language that they were exposed to if they heard their parents speak it, so he decided that when Kotori was out of the house, he'd speak to Masumi in Italian.  He wanted her to learn it, and it was also nice to practice, since he really didn't use it that often anymore.

...well...not since Koutei anyway...Alit shook his head.  

“Ugh...again...”  He sighed.  Koutei kept popping into his head lately, in a mixture of memories, both good and bad.  This was one of the better ones...he remember Koutei often preferring Italian over Japanese since before he met Alit, he hadn't really gotten much of a chance to practice his Japanese...that was back when they were together often and had a great friendship and rivalry...Alit groaned.

“That's it.  I need to get my mind off of him...”  He picked up his phone.  He could remember Yuuma bugging him about never getting to see him, so maybe he'd see if he was free to hang out with him and Masumi at home.  He dialled Yuuma's number and waited to see if his friend would pick up.

Yuuma was at home once more, finding that he was having more off days than usual as of late. It was nice not having to work, but having less hours meant he got less money. He didn’t concern himself with that too much though, now having taken advantage of that time off to prepare for Iris.

He was just finishing prepping for the course that he and Shark had to attend to adopt Iris when his phone rang. The man looked over to it and his eyes widened before he immediately scooped his phone up.

“Yoooo! Alit! Hey! What’s up!"

Alit had to smile at Yuuma's characteristic energetic greeting.

“Hey, Yuuma.  Glad I caught you...it's been ages since we saw each other!  Are you busy today?  Can we get together?”  

“Well…” Technically he was busy, but it was so rare when Alit called. “I can come over in an hour. Just at your place? Or are we meeting out?”

“I was thinking at mine, if that's okay...I got Masumi to look after today.”  Alit said with a smile.

“Hah! No problem! I can’t wait to see small Alit!” Yuuma laughed. “I’ll see you in an hour man. Be over as soon as I can!"

Alit laughed.

“She's not a small me!”  He said, not too bothered by it.  Masumi was wiggling in her baby blanket next to him on the couch, and he tickled her tummy while he talked.  

“See you soon then!”  Alit said, hanging up and turning his attention fully back to an energetic Masumi.

Yuuma had to go put all the documents away, because he knew Shark got grumpy when he saw a messy house when he was tired, but within a few minutes he was out the door and on the bus to Alit’s house. Thankfully, they didn’t live too far away and it didn’t take long to get to the suburban home. Yuuma knocked on the door, practically bouncing in place waiting for Alit to answer.

Alit got up with Masumi on his hip as he answered the door.  He smiled at Yuuma.

“Hey!  Come on in.”  Alit said, stepping aside to let him in.

“Hi Masumi! Look at you! You’re so big!” Yuuma immediately gushed, seeing the baby. He cooed at her and grinned widely as he slipped his shoes off.

“Oh yeah, hi Alit! What’s up?”

Alit smirked and shook his head.

“Sounds like you're more eager to see Masumi than me.”  He teased, not at all offended.  Masumi cooed at Yuuma with a small smile.

“I'm doing alright, I guess...I've been told to take it easy for awhile.  Stitches need to heal and all.”  Alit said.

“I’m sorry… I’m in a really child-friendly mood. I can’t get kids off my mind. I mean… Shark and I are going to have a baby girl soon!” Yuuma exclaimed.

“Ah… That sucks… But hopefully you’ll get better soon enough."

“Oh?  You guys are adopting?  That's great!  Can't wait to meet your kid then!  Do you have any idea who you're going to get?”  Alit asked, genuinely happy for Yuuma, although he was once more reminded of Koutei.  Koutei had been really good with kids and had wanted to adopt one day too...he shook his head.

“Yeah it does...but I'll recover...enough for everyday life anyway.”  Alit said with a sad smile.

“No, Shark is pregnant. He’s getting really big now.” Yuuma teased, bumping Alit playfully with his hip, but not so much to hurt him.

“… That bad, huh?” Yuuma asked. “… Hey, at least we’ll match now,” he joked, smiling that same, sad smile as he tapped his leg.

Alit laughed.

“I always knew that between you two, it'd be Shark pregnant first.”  He teased right back, nudging Yuuma.  His expression sobered a little at Yuuma's words.  He'd nearly forgotten about Yuuma's injuries sustained from that prison attack...ugh...this was just like how he forgot about Koutei's damn problems too.  

“...I guess so yeah.  Sorry...forgot for a sec.  We're in the same boat...”  Alit said, before smiling genuinely.

“But, at least it means I get to spend lots of time with Masumi.  I'm her stay at home dad, at least for now.”  He said, kissing his daughter's head.  She cooed happily in response.

Yuuma tried not to remember the injuries he sustained from Semimaru’s attack, since he usually remembered the man himself when he thought too hard. So he just ignored his thoughts altogether and laughed, pulling his foot away from the injured achilles heel.

“Nah, don’t worry about it. It’s been a while since you’ve seen it.” Yuuma laughed. “And that’s good. Masumi is a great girl. She’s lovely.”

“That she is...she's a handful, that's for sure.  But, it's been fun spending time with her.  I'm sure you and Shark will enjoy being with your kid when you get one...and you probably already know from Yuzu, don't you?  How's she doing?”  Alit asked with a smile.  He was more than happy to change the topic away from Yuuma's past injuries, since he knew that was a tough time for Yuuma to remember.

“Oh Yuzu? Yuzu is great. She’s so happy and bubbly. She loves chewing on things, especially Nee-chan’s bracelets.” Yuuma said, gushing about his niece. “I haven’t seen her lately but I’ve gotten photos. She's a real lady."

Alit smiled.

“Masumi's getting into the chewing phase too...her baby teeth are starting to grow in.”  Alit said with a chuckle.

“I can imagine!  Yuzu and Masumi should schedule a play-date sometime soon...and of course, when you and Shark get your girl, she can join too.”  Alit said with a grin.

Yuuma laughed. “Iris is a little older than that. She’s like six. She’s a beautiful girl. That girl is a princess in the making. But I think she’ll enjoy hanging out. I’ll have to ask Nee-chan about Yuzu though."

“Ah her name is Iris?  That's cute.  She sounds really pretty...do you have pictures of her yet?”  Alit asked.

“We'll definitely have to get in touch with Akari-san...it's been awhile since Kotori or I saw her.”  

Yuuma grinned. He was quick to whip out his phone and show off pictures. Most of them were of Iris but some had Shark in them as well. For most part, Iris had flowers, and was showing them off to the camera or braiding them into Shark’s hair, like she did whenever he visited.

Alit leaned over to look at the pictures, eyes widening as he saw the little girl.

“She looks a lot like Rio-san!”  He exclaimed, astonished by the resemblance.  He could pick out some of the clear differences in hair and eye color though.  

“Aww...she seems to really like flowers.  I'm amazed that Shark lets her braid his hair that way...it looks nice.”  He said with a small chuckle.

“I know right? And she adores Shark. It’s meant to be.” Yuuma grinned.

“Yeah, she’s really good at it too. She likes braiding and doing things with hair, and Shark looks really nice too. I’m hoping to get her a braiding kit when she joins our family and some flowers too."

Alit smiled.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she was of Kamishiro descent. I assume she adores you too...even if your hair wouldn't be as easy to braid with flowers." Alit mused.

"I'm sure she'd love that. You'll have to develop a green thumb though...I seem to recall Shark saying something along the lines of no organism can survive with you two." Alit teased with a smile.

“We should look it up. Honestly we’ve just chalked it up to coincidence.” Yuuma smiled. He nodded. “She likes me too! But I can tell Shark is her favourite. The way she looks at him is too cute.”

Yuuma snorted. “He would say that, but I totally could grow something if I wanted… I just need Inchou’s help, probably."

Alit nodded.

"It might be interesting to do if possible, for curiosity if nothing else. After all, she's joining your family officially soon, so she'll be half honorary Kamishiro." Alit mused with a smile. He chuckled.

"Yeah, he's a great gardener...Kotori told me his backyard is full of beautiful flowers. It might be nice to spend time with him too...now that his partner died and all." Alit said.

“Yeah, it’d be cool if it ended up that way,” Yuuma laughed.

“Mmm! I’ve seen it! The flowers are great. They’re so big and colourful…” Yuuma nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been making it a point to take him out every so often. Just help him out.”

Alit nodded.

"That's good of you...maybe Masumi and I should visit him too. I've got time on my hands after all." Alit said with a smile.

“Yeah, probably.” Yuuma made a beeline for Alit’s couch as usual. “So you’ve really been doing nothing besides look after Masumi here, huh?"

Alit shrugged, putting Masumi down on her baby rug and then sitting on the couch next to Yuuma.

"That's basically it...I've been trying to clean some of my old junk up too. Kotori keeps saying she wants me to organize my stuff." Alit said, motioning to a box of stuff on the table.

“Haha. Shark tells me that too, but I usually just ignore him. Everything that I have stuffed in our room is important after all, and I’m usually too tired to do anything.” More like too lazy. Yuuma grinned as he looked over. “So what is it? Stuff from your old house?"

"Yeah...and stuff I haven't organized much over the years." Alit said, picking through a few things.

"Ha, I guess I don't need my old boxing gloves anymore...i have new ones..." Alit said, though he remembered suddenly that these were the gloves he'd sparred against Koutei with.

“Oh yeah, that’s fair.” Thankfully the table wasn’t too far, so Yuuma could lean over and look at it without getting off the couch. He stuck his hand in and rustled around it like a lucky dip before pulling out an envelope.

“Hey look, photos.” Yuuma grinned as he flipped the hard copy photos, evidently having been missed from Kotori’s albums. “Oh! Look at these mountains. Where is this, Alit?"

"Ah, I didn't realize there were pictures in there."  Alit mused, looking over at the pictures.  However, when he saw the familiar mountain range, he frowned a little.  

"...Those are...in Italy, actually.  Not too far from Spartan City...this was from a trip a couple of years ago that I went on with a friend."  Alit said.  He remembered that trip...it had been overall very enjoyable...and there were certain parts he'd rather just forget about.  Like the times he felt he'd cheated on Kotori by kissing another man, even though he had certainly enjoyed it.  That was right, Koutei had truly fallen in love with him, and this whole outing had been where Alit had broken his heart by saying he'd be marrying Kotori when he went home.

“A friend, huh?” Yuuma got a sleazy grin on his face and he ribbed Alit lightly in the ribs. “They were hot, weren’t they. You got that look on your face when you’re thinking of someone hot.” Yuuma flicked through the photo to find a picture of Alit and Koutei taking a selfie. “This your friend?"

Alit's eyes widened and his cheeks involuntarily flushed a little.

"What?  No...it's...it was just a friend..."  Alit said, sighing when he saw the picture they'd taken.  They were shirtless and a little sweaty, no doubt tired after a long climb up the mountain.  Their arms were around each other, with Alit's one arm outstretched to take the picture.  They both looked so happy, and younger...he couldn't help but smile a little.

"Yeah.  That's us."

Yuuma laughed, not taking Alit’s words seriously. He looked at the photos and he grinned, seeing the wide smiles on the blonde and the brunette.

“He was at your bachelor party, wasn’t he?” Yuuma said. “Didn’t he bring you home after you got wasted? I think I remember this guy.”

"Oh yeah, that's right...he did that too."  Alit said.  His memories of his bachelor party were a little fuzzy, considering how much he drank.  The thing he remembered most clearly was waking up in nothing but his boxers in a hotel room curled up next to Koutei, as if they'd been together the night before.  He blushed again as he remembered that had been his first assumption...he could only wonder if he'd actually made out with Koutei while too drunk to remember it.  He wouldn't be surprised if he had.

Yuuma laughed. He playfully slapped Koutei on the back, careful not to disturb Masumi but still quite hard. “Ohhh~ Did you do something naughty, Alit?” He asked, looking at the blush on his friend’s face. He laughed.

“Don’t worry! I won’t tell Kotori, and I don’t think Masumi will, will you?”

“Uguuu~"

"Ack!"  Alit said when Yuuma slapped him on the back.

"No!  Nothing happened..."  That time, Alit thought.  Wow he'd been such an asshole to Koutei...he really needed to fix that...he sighed.

"Thanks, I guess."

Yuuma noticed the drop in his friend’s face and he frowned. His expression went serious and the taller man tried to meet Alit’s eyes. “Hey… You okay? What’s the matter?”

Alit glanced at Yuuma and shook his head.

"It's just that...well...Koutei and I haven't hung out in ages.  Our friendship kinda fell apart, and seeing these pictures makes me remember how great that friendship was."  He said with a sigh.

“Ah…” Yuuma looked at the picture. “… What happened? You’ve only been married for a couple of years… it hasn’t been that long. Did something bad happen?"

"...Yeah...some bad things happened."  Alit said.

"...Koutei kinda went down a bad path and ended up in prison.  And...well...even before that, I hadn't really been spending tons of time with him.  I guess I wanted to distance myself because I could see how close we were and it was...dangerous."  Alit mused.

“Oh…” Yuuma frowned. Prison, huh? He really did seem like a good guy when they met. He probably still was, actually. Yuuma knew more than anyone that sometimes good people did bad things due to circumstances.

“Dangerous? What do you mean by dangerous?"

"...Yeah."  Alit said.  He knew as Yuuma had guessed: Koutei was a good guy.  He hadn't changed that much...he was just not willing to face his problems.  But, if he'd turned to substance abuse, that made sense.  That was characteristic avoidance right there...

"....Well...it probably would have turned into an affair...that wouldn't have been good for either of us."  Alit said, petting Masumi's head.

“Oh… I see… Well when you put it that way, it makes sense.” Yuuma looked up back at Alit. “How did he feel when you told him that you were worried about that though?”

"...Um..."  Alit said, trying to remember.

"He was sad when I told him I was going to marry Kotori...but...well...I never really told him that I felt the same."  Surely he'd guessed it though, Alit wondered...but then again...maybe not.  Suddenly he felt even more guilty.  What if Koutei had thought he was just using him and casting him aside, just like everyone else had in the other's life?  That was awful...

“Oh…” It was Yuuma’s turn to frown. “You made it sound like you told him you needed space… You know, so it wouldn’t develop into an affair. Did he really not know?” Yuuma paused, seeing the man’s expression. “A-ah… Alit… It’s not your fault. Sometimes these… these things just happen."

Alit groaned.

"You're wrong Yuuma...well, not completely...it's not all my fault, but a good part of the blame rests on me.  I should've just told him I needed space...ugh...I'm no good with words."  Alit said, wanting to slap himself for being so stupid.  

"...He doesn't have any other friends...and his family just wanted to mold him to their own devices.  So of course he'd think I was using him like they were, if I didn't say anything!"

Yuuma bit his lip. He put a hand on his friend’s shoulder, not wanting him to fly off the handle. He didn’t really know what to say, other than what had already been said.

“Hey… It’s… You can’t put all that blame on yourself. Koutei didn’t have to do what he did. Yeah… sure… it sounds like he’s had a rough time… but still.” ‘Still’ didn’t explain it. Honestly, Yuuma was mentally siding with Koutei but he knew he had to be there for Alit. “It’s hard to ask for help, Alit… but you could still provide it to him. If you really wanted to..."

Alit sighed.

"...I know it's not all my fault..."  Alit wondered suddenly if the fact that Koutei had stabbed him while too drugged up to remember what he'd done was a subconscious reaction to all the stress and possibly even frustration that Alit had caused him over the years.  

"...You know, you're right.  Koutei's still here...and, as far as I know, there's no rule that says I can't visit him while he's serving his sentence..."  Alit said.  Even though last time, Koutei hadn't really wanted to see him, Alit figured he should at least apologize.

“He’s probably still here. He’s not going anywhere for a while.” Yuuma said, trying to cast aside the hopelessness and the anxiety he felt whenever he thought about prison. He felt really bad for Koutei now, even though the man was in the Correctional Facility rather than prison. “But hey, there’s no rush. Go when you’re ready. Hopefully you’ll be able to get in past the guards. Getting authorisation is hard, especially if you’re not family.” Yuuma said, remembering how Kotori told him about the loopholes Tetsuo had helped his friends through so they could see him while he was jailed.

"Yeah...he's still there..."  all alone, probably.  Alit felt awful just thinking about it.  He sighed.

"Yeah...they really did restrict visitation rights quite a bit recently..."  Alit said, frowning as he considered how he could do it.

"I'll have to look into it.  But, I've got to see him.  Somehow..."

“Yeah, I heard from my friend that works there. There were some incidents there but security needed to be beefed up.” Yuuma nodded.

“Yeah… get it sorted. And it’s better to try than not try at all."

Alit nodded.

"Yeah that's what I've heard too...past prisoner abuse issues...I hope Koutei's okay." He mused softly. He smirked.

"Kattobingu, right Yuuma?"

“Yup! You know me well! Kattobingu daze ore!” Yuuma exclaimed loudly, making Masumi stare at him confusedly.

"That I do!" Alit laughed both at Yuuma and his daughter's expression. "Don't worry...if you hang around Yuuma enough, you'll come to learn what 'kattobingu' means." Alit said to her in Italian with a smile.

Yuuma gave a huge grin and laughed. “You’re teaching her another language already? Wow, so cool!"

"Yeah!  I want her to be fluent in both Japanese and Italian...so I've decided to speak it with her around the house when we're alone.  She'll pick up Japanese too from daily life outside of her time with me, so hopefully, this'll make her perfectly bilingual, like Ponta, Gilag and I."  Alit said with a smile.  There was also the fact that he missed using his native tongue and there wasn't really many other people he could use it with consistently like this.

Yuuma grinned. “That’s probably a good idea. Then you can take her to Italy one day with the family. I bet if you speak to her like this and maybe Ponta or Gilag too, she’ll pick up on it in no time.”

"Yeah, I definitely want to do that too.  It'd be nice to see it with everyone...we haven't all gone as a family before."  Alit said with a grin.

"My brothers will definitely be happy to speak Italian with her, but I won't use it too much when Kotori's around.  She's not as fluent and I don't want her to feel left out!"

“Yeah, you know how Kotori is when she gets mad or left out. She hates it.” Yuuma laughed, having received several whacks over the years for leaving even the smallest of details out. “But good on you, Alit. Masumi is going to be super smart by the end of all of this!”

"Oh man do I ever..."  Alit said, having recieved several whacks for similar reasons over the years.  He nodded.

"You bet she will be!  She's already a clever girl even now."  Alit said, letting Masumi grip his finger and coo in response.

“Heh…” Yuuma went to look through Alit’s box, wanting to see if he had any more interesting treasures. “So have you been getting people coming over? Dumping more stuff here? Or this stuff all ancient history?"

"I haven't really had visitors lately...the stuff in the box is pretty old, I guess."  Alit said, shrugging and looking through things.  He would probably see more reminders of Koutei, but he would eventually prepare to get back together with him, so he'd be okay.  That's what he told himself anyway...

-x-

Shun had been extremely busy this past week.  He'd been taking care of Yuuto, whose wounds were healing, but slowly.  His boyfriend had insisted that he not keep him from his job, so Shun had been spending any free time he had out on the streets, stalking around desperately trying to find Sergey so he could enact his revenge.  He'd even resorted to beating up anyone he could find who was associated with Sergey, in hopes that they'd draw out Sergey or give him information about Sergey's whereabouts.  So far, no luck.  

It pissed him off to no end that after a long day of searching, he had to come back home to see Yuuto still suffering by that man's hand, knowing that Shun hadn't been able to avenge him yet.  Of course, he never let his anger show around Yuuto, being as tender and caring as he could ever be.

But...now that he was desperate, there was only one more place he could think of to turn, which was why he was marching to Astral's room and pounding on the door.

"If you're there, open up now.  We need to talk."  Shun said.

Astral had been doing his best to try track Roger, going into his system and trying to find any connection to Sergey. He hadn’t found anything yet, which was kind of expected, seeing as he roughly knew Roger’s skill level. Astral was currently on his bed, typing on his computer, trying to figure out what Roger was doing next when he heard the loud pounding on the door. He flinched, recognising the voice, knowing very well the intimidating man behind it.

“Coming…” Astral was hesitant to get up, but he put his laptop aside and headed to the door. His hand lingered at the handle, but he opened up, and looked straight up at the man. Holy shit, Shun was so tall…

“… Hi..."

Shun simply stood waiting with his arms crossed until Astral finally answered the door.

"Pack up your laptop, now.  We're going to see your boyfriend."  Shun said simply.

“A-ah… now?” Astral frowned at him. However, he really didn’t feel like he wanted to defy Shun, so he grabbed his laptop bag and quickly grabbed his things. “Right… Whatever you say."

Shun waited as patiently as he could for Astral to pack up his things, then turned and headed down the hall, expecting Astral to follow.

"Get in, I'm driving."  Shun said once they reached the car.

Astral nodded. He was thankful they were heading to the car, so he got into the passenger seat quietly. “Why are we seeing Kaito?”

"Because its been weeks and I need to know if you two have found anything I can use."  Shun said, starting the car and speeding off in the direction of Kaito's house.

“I… haven’t heard anything from Kaito, but we can see if he’s found anything recently.” Astral frowned.

Shun grunted in affirmation, keeping his eyes on the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as he weaved his way through the traffic at high speeds.  

Within minutes, he was parking outside Kaito's house.  

"Let's go."  Shun said, getting out and knocking on the door.

Astral nodded. He was alright, since the drive was in silence, and he was more than happy to get out when promoted. As usual, Orbital opened the door. He yelped, detecting Kurosaki and Astral. “Hope! Kurosaki! Ah! You weren’t expected! Come in! Let me notify Kaito-sama"

Shun stalked inside, ignoring the robot.

"Kaito, get over here.  We need to talk."  Shun said, crossing his arms and scowling as he usually did.  He could hear Astral entering behind him.

Kaito was in the kitchen, enjoying an early morning, totally healthy drink of alcohol. He frowned as he heard Shun yelling at him and he sighed.

“Kurosaki. What do you want?"

"You and your boyfriend haven't been telling me anything about your investigation.  Have you found Sergey or anything on Roger?  I need an update, now."  Shun said, approaching Kaito and staring him down with a scowl.

Kaito looked Shun in the eye and downed his drambuie. He grimaced at the taste before he gestured Shun to the dining room. “Not much, honestly. He’s a hard one. And you haven’t found something out either, hm?”

"No.  Why else would I be here?  He's disappeared."  Shun growled out, following Kaito.

"So we're gonna put our heads together and work til we find him then, right?  Your hacker can hack cameras and look for him quicker that way."

“And if Sergey is good as they say, he’d be avoiding them.” Kaito said. He groaned as he walked to the table, evidently showing this was not his first drink of the morning. He sat down and looked at Astral, recognising his light skittering. “He has a name, by the way.”

He sighed. “Alright… Well… Talk to me."

"He's got too many names...I can't be bothered to keep track of which one he's using on which day."  Shun said dismissively.

"Sergey was last seen here.  Look around there to start."  Shun said, showing Astral the GPS location where he'd picked Yuuto up after the attack.  Astral frowned, sitting next to Kaito mostly to avoid Shun.

"...Okay.  There aren't many cameras over there though..."  Astral said, opening his laptop and getting started on hacking the cameras in the area.

“Where’s Yuuto? He should be here right? Wasn’t he looking for Sergey on the ground?” Kaito asked. He didn’t look at Astral’s screen but he did look down at the files Orbital came over with. He frowned as he scanned his old files.

“It’s the black market area, right? There’s like… twenty five kilometres of land that they migrate between. It’s not that easy.”

Shun hesitated for the first time that day when he asked about Yuuto.

"...Just focus on the area close to that spot.  He was last seen near there...about a week ago.  Yuuto found him there."  Shun said at last.  Astral frowned.

"...I haven't seen Yuuto for awhile...is he still on his tail?"  Astral asked tentatively.  Shun frowned.

"...No.  Yuuto's at home, in bed.  Sergey attacked him...he's injured pretty badly."  Shun said, clenching his fists in frustration.

“… Is he okay?” Kaito frowned.  He knew Yuuto wasn’t the type to be held down. “Shit… He got him… damn..."

"...He'll live.  But, he can barely move a muscle...Sergey was toying with him, that much was clear.  If he'd wanted to kill him, he wouldn't be here...and the worst part is he could've done it.  He could have killed Yuuto easily.  That son of a bitch needs to get caught and fast."  Shun growled.  Astral looked solemn.

"...I'm looking.  Kaito, have you heard anything from the police about Sergey?  Maybe you should call them and see if they have leads too?"

“I haven’t heard anything, but I can call Gauche and see if I can get anything. He’s the one I’m most likely to get info from.” He frowned. He picked his phone up, and after getting confirmation from the two men, he began dialling the number.

“Gauche? It’s Kaito. What’s up?"

Shun nodded subtly.  He waited silently as he heard Kaito dialing the cops.

"Ah Kaito!  Nice to hear from you!"  Gauche said with a grin, quickly gesturing to Anna that it was Kaito.  She grinned too, coming over to see what was going on.

"Hey Kaito, guess what?  We caught the courtroom assassin Sergey Volkov!  But we're not able to find leads on who he works for yet...any ideas?"  Anna asked.

“You caught Sergey?” Kaito exclaimed. “So quickly? Are you serious?”

Shun's eyes widened when Kaito spoke outloud.

"The cops actually got him?!  How?"  He exclaimed in disbelief.  In his mind, cops were borderline incompetent, too restricted by their legal obligations to actually do much when it came to a criminal of Sergey's calibre.

"Yeah!  We caught him after he tried to kill Mutou again...the Correctional Facility guys managed to knock him out with drugs so we could bring him back to the station.  He's currently in lockup.  We're trying to crack him...but he's definitely crazy.  Even worse than Vector and Mutou."  Gauche said with a sigh.

“Mutou… right? So he went into the correctional facility then.” Kaito put the phone on speaker and frowned. “Are you serious? It sounds pretty bad..."

"Yeah...Mutou survived the attack, but he's severely injured."  Gauche said.  Shun listened quietly on speaker, frowning the whole time.  Dammit.  

"Yeah...it's real bad.  At this rate, we won't be able to get anything out of him before his court date.  Of course, he'll be guilty...and probably the death penalty.  Good riddance...there's no redeeming him."  Gauche said.

“Yeah… but we need to find who he’s working for,” The man frowned. “But… Whoever hired hm is going to send someone else. You know that..."

"Yeah...we know.  We've got Mutou under surveillance...and Raphael was notified too.  We're ready for them if they do come."  Gauche said with a grin.

"We're thinking it might have been Roger...or maybe Mutou's drug dealer, Dennis Macfield.  Any CEO could be responsible really...but we're currently teamed up with Kujaku Mai again to find one particular contact named Serena.  She used to be one of Roger's people, I think.  We'll figure it out one way or another with or without Sergey's word."  Gauche said.

“Serena…” Kaito racked his brains. “… I know her. If you want me to find her, I can, but I can leave it to Mai as well…” Kaito offered. He frowned for a minute.

“Things alright besides that?”

"Kaito, you're supposed to be taking it easy.  We'll be able to handle this!"  Gauche exclaimed.

"Mostly...we're currently looking into the Correctional Facility and how Sergey got in.  Someone must've let him in, so we're trying to find any connections to his employer through the break-in.  Super busy here!"  Gauche said with a grin.

Kaito blinked, as if trying to comprehend ‘taking it easy’ before he shook his head. “Right… I’m glad… you’re busy and you know what you’re doing…”

"Yeah, so I've gotta get back to work...Ukyou's giving me the stink eye.  Talk to you later, Kaito!"  Gauche said, before hanging up.  Shun sighed when he heard the phone hang up.

"...I just hope the damn cops can hold that bastard..."  He growled, upset that he wasn't going to get his revenge for Yuuto now.  He couldn't break into the police station to kill Sergey...that'd be suicide.

“They should be able to… I trust them” Kaito hoped his trust was misplaced. He looked at Shun. “I guess that’s why no one found him… he’s already been found..."

Shun sighed.

"Yeah.  I'm calling Akaba.  He can watch the trial on his own."  Shun said, pulling out his cell phone and sending Reiji a message saying that the cops had Sergey in custody and he was going to court soon.

“… So that;s it. We caught Sergey. There’s nothing else here, huh?”

“Not true,” Astral butted in. ”I mean… we still don’t know who hired Sergey in the first place…”

"It was Roger, I'm fairly certain.  But...there is one person who might know."  Shun said, glancing at Kaito.

"You should get police permission to see Mutou.  Get him to tell you what he's hiding...people don't attack someone who's already in jail unless they know something crucial.  He probably knows who hired him and possibly even Sergey."  Shun said.

“And someone likely hired Roger…. I doubt he would frame Akaba,” The man frowned. Kaito closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

Astral sighed.

"Sounds like we're still back to square one...even though the assassin is caught, we do not have any answers."  He said.  Shun scowled.

"Well at least now I know to go after Roger, not Sergey.  He's dealt with.  Maybe Roger'll squeal where Sergey won't."  No matter how frustrating that was.

“He seems weaker… go ahead… if you want him.” Kaito huffed. Astral looked between them, no sure what to do.

“I can… try get you an appointment” Astral offered.

Shun scoffed too.

"Don't make it sound like you could do anything to him in your state...not without your damn robot."  He said, glancing at Astral.

"Do it."  He said simply.

Kaito bristled. “I can do more than enough, Kurosaki.”

Astral nodded, and before too long, he was back on his computer, typing away.

"I'll believe it when I see it."  Shun said simply, crossing his arms and waiting patiently for Astral to finish his hacking tricks.  He checked his phone: a message from Reiji was there, ordering him to go after Roger next, just as he predicted.

Kaito scowled. He was half tempted to take on Shun himself, but he knew not sober, he stood no chance. He huffed as Astral finished up before printing out on Orbital 7 and wordlessly passing the date over

Shun took the paper and read over the date.

"So he'll be vulnerable then..."  But the only problem was that he had to go back to Neo Domino.  That might be bad for Yuuto's sake...he was still injured and needed help.  He glanced at Astral.  He wasn't sure if he could trust the hacker to look after Yuuto, and also wasn't sure if he wanted to.  He didn't like the idea of anyone else treating Yuuto, especially given the nature of his injuries.  

"I'll see if I can make it."  Shun said at last, getting up.

"I'm heading back.  You can either stay or join me, your choice."  Shun said to Astral, figuring Astral might like to stay with Kaito awhile.

Astral frowned. “I’ll… take the bus back. The wifi here is faster, so I’ll stay here.” Under the table, Astral squeezed Kaito’s hand. “I’ll be fine. Thanks, Kurosaki."

Shun nodded.

"Oh and...don't say a word about Yuuto to Yuuya.  He doesn't want him to worry."  Shun said simply, before turning to leave.  He was going to head back home and tell Yuuto the news that he was leaving, and see if he could think of anyone he could trust to look after him while Shun was gone.

Astral nodded. With that, he watched Shun get up. “Alright…. Take care…” Astral said, waiting for Shun to leave,

Shun drove home immediately, going straight to Yuuto's room when he got back.  He was going to share the news with Yuuto.  He approached the bed where Yuuto was lying, bundled up in the covers.

"Hey...you awake?"  He asked, in a much softer and gentler voice than he'd used all day.

Yuuto groaned. He didn’t feel too well, and had trying to sleep the life of of him. His eyes flittered open and he gave a half smile before burying his face in the pillow.

“I wish I was dead…” He muttered.

Shun sighed sadly, gently petting his boyfriend's hair.

"I've got some news for you...the police actually caught Sergey.  He's in custody right now...awaiting trial for the death penalty, which I'm sure he'll get..."  Shun said.

"...But that means I'm going after Roger...I have to go to Neo Domino again to track him down."

Yuuto was… glad. He smiled, hearing that Sergey was caught, but his smile died, hearing what happened with Sergey and what Shun was going to do.

“Ah… Well… Can’t… can’t be helped…” Yuuto murmured. “You have work… so…” He stopped. Not wanting to be alone.

"...I don't really want to go...but...if I don't, then they might send another guy just like Sergey out...people could get hurt even more."  Shun said with a sigh.

"Is there anyone who can help look after you?  Maybe...we should tell Yuuya?"  Shun could trust Yuuya with Yuuto, he figured.  If there was anyone who cared about Yuuto as much or more than he did, it was Yuuya.

“Durbe and Mizael… Yuuya’s friends…” Yuuto said immediately. He groaned. “… Yuuya’s friend’s… but they can keep a secret. I trust them…” Yuuto hissed, holding his side.

Shun nodded.  He'd heard about those two, but had never met them.  However, if Yuuto trusted them, he could too, he supposed.

"Alright...do you have their phone numbers?  I can call them and ask them to come over."  Shun said, helping Yuuto shift into a more comfortable position for his injuries gently.

Yuuto vaguely gestured in the direction of his phone and he sighed. He hissed quietly as he was helped up and breathed heavily. “Ugh… I hate… being like this…”

"You're getting better...slowly, but surely."  Shun said gently, kissing his boyfriend's head gently.  He picked up Yuuto's phone and looked up Durbe and Mizeal's number.  He sent them a message asking if they could come over to Yuuto's right away.

Mizael literally texted back ‘fuck you’ but then responded he’d be there asap. Yuuto tried to get off the bed, but he hissed as his legs decided to give up on him, and he stumbled.

“Not… enough..."

Shun was quick to catch Yuuto and help him stand.

"Just give it time..."  He said gently, helping Yuuto stay upright.

Yuuto leaned against him and balled his fists. “I hate it. All I’ve done is get angry at Yuuya. I’m useless like this."

Shun helped him up.

"I'm sure Yuuya isn't angry with you...he's probably worried though.  Maybe we should think of a lie to tell him...so he doesn't worry anymore."  Shun had noticed Yuuya was keeping his distance lately, but he was still glancing over in Shun's direction in worry.

“He probably thinks I’m a right up bastard…” Yuuto muttered under his breath. He leaned against Shun and closed his eyes as he was helped up. “Sorry..."

"No, come on now.  Your brother adores you.  Even if you're avoiding him..."  Shun said, holding Yuuto close and petting his hair.

"It's alright...you have nothing to be sorry for, Yuuto."

Yuuto didn’t know… Yuuya adored him before he was so active. He didn’t know how he would react now.

“I’m weak… you know that..."

"You're not weak.  You're the strongest person I know."  Shun said honestly.  He greatly admired and loved Yuuto for so many reasons.  

"It's ultimately up to you whether you tell him or not...but if you're bedridden much longer...Yuuya might barge in and find out on his own.  It's probably better to tell him before that happens..."

“I know…” Yuuto bit his lip. “But Yuuya… he may looks for Sergey like you did…. he’s not…. he’s not suited for our life. I can’t tell him I was injured.” Yuuto murmured quietly, biting his lip.

Shun sighed.  He had to agree with Yuuto there...Yuuya was not suited for their lifestyle at all.  

"Alright...let's just wait for Mizael and Durbe to get here and hope that they can keep the secret then."  Shun said, helping Yuuto sit down and holding him as gently as he could to comfort him.

“Mghh…” Yuuto tried to hug him as best as he can. “… I love you. I’m sorry..."

"I love you too." Shun said softly, holding Yuuto back for a few minutes. He got a text awhile later on Yuuto's phone from Durbe saying he and Mizael were at the door.

"Your friends are here...I'm gonna go let them in alright? Be right back."

Yuuto didn’t want Shun to leave, but he sighed and lowered his arms, letting his grip though. He closed his eyes and nodded, not wishing to be away from Shun too long.

Shun went to the door, opening it to see two young men waiting for him. "Durbe and Mizael I assume." He said, gesturing for them to follow him inside, which they did. Shun opened the door to Yuuto's room. "Yuuto's in here...he needs your help for a bit." Durbe and Mizael's eyes widened as they saw Yuuto's scarred face and legs. "Oh god...what happened?" Durbe asked in shock.

Mizael looked Shun over, raising an eyebrow, but he didn’t comment. He followed Durbe into the familiar house though he had never seen Yuuto’s room before. It was odd that Yuuto hadn’t come out to greet them or at least wasn’t in the kitchen, but he was horrified to see the injuries. “You look awful.”

“Thanks Mizael,” Yuuto snorted, despite himself but he didn’t smile. He just groaned and looked a little away. “I just…” He stopped, not wanting to recount it, or at least hesitant to.

Shun went to Yuuto's side to comfort him.

"He's been hurt, and can barely move...I've been looking after him, but I have to leave soon." Shun said, glancing at Mizael and Durbe.

"...And you were hoping we would look after him." Durbe concluded. He frowned.

"...what about Yuuya?"

“Rather convenient you have asked us for help, we were considering coming over anyway,” Mizael muttered under his breath. Yuuto could barely hear the blond though, trying to focus on Durbe’s words.

“Yuuya… Yuuya doesn’t know I’m injured. I… I don’t want him to see me like this. I can’t… If he saw, he’d demand to know what happened, and then he’d probably do something reckless…” Yuuto said as loudly as he dared.

Durbe frowned.

“Well Yuuya told us at work yesterday that he thinks you're really sick...it's only a matter of time before he finds out what's really up.”  Durbe said, thinking that Yuuya's worries would eventually drive him to check on Yuuto, and in his current condition, Yuuto was in no shape to stop him.  Shun frowned.

“It's not your story to tell, so keep your mouth shut.”  He said.  Durbe sighed.

“I won't tell, don't worry.”  He acknowledged that Yuuto was probably right about Yuuya going off the handle if he found out his precious twin had been injured so badly.

“You’re not wrong. Yuuya is an idiot. You’re both idiots.” Mizael said flatly, staring at Shun, daring the assassin to fight him. However, he shook his head and tossed his long hair over his shoulder. “But fine. We’ll look after him. Just tell us what we need to do.”

“Thanks guys…” Yuuto smiled softly. “I… I really appreciate it."

Shun returned the glare at Mizael until the other backed off. He sighed.

"He has very little mobility...so he needs food brought to him, and the dressing on his wounds changed daily." He said.

“Help with the bathroom, medication… so everything, right?” Mizael said. “We’ll get on it. It seems like one person work, so maybe afterwards one of us can hang out with Yuuya while we’re here.”

“He’s… in his room… He’s… He’s hopefully fine…”

Shun shrugged.

"I haven't seen him yet today, so I assume so." He said. Durbe smiled.

"Did you wanna go check on him? I got things here." Durbe said to Mizael, knowing the other didn't like to get his hands dirty.

Mizael nodded. “Yeah… I’ll see how he likes the book I loaned him. Hopefully he likes it,” The blonde said. Yuuto smiled though, knowing the man had a strange soft spot for his brother.

“Thanks…”

Mizael waved it off and headed out the room, going upstairs to where Yuuya’s room was. However, Yuuya wasn’t in his room but on the ground floor, just finishing putting a load of laundry in the drier before he headed outside, expecting Dennis to be there soon. He considered yelling that he was going out, but after how Yuuto acted last time, Yuuya decided it would be… better not to disturb him. So the boy sneaked past Yuuto’s room and headed for the front door.

Mizael headed to the room, knocking on the door.

"Yuuya? Are you there?" He asked, trying the knob after a minute in case he was sleeping. The door opened and revealed an empty room.

"...ah he's not in..." he murmured, heading back down to the cafeteria to see if Yuuya had gone to get food.

Meanwhile, as Dennis had promised, there was a car parked outside waiting to take him to lunch. Inside though, there wasn't Dennis, but another Yuuya lookalike with purple and pink hair. He smirked in anticipation, waiting for his precious baby brother to come out and see him.

Yuuya frowned as his phone buzzed. He quickly checked it since his phone was in his hand, and frowned when he saw it was from Dennis. Yuuya stopped and confusedly looked at the fancy car in front of him before he quickly checked the message, wondering if Dennis was playing a prank on him or starting a joke.

‘Hey, something came up. Can’t go to lunch but I sent someone instead. Have fun ; )’

Yuuya looked at the car and tilted his head, seeing through the window. His eyes widened and he opened the passenger door, looking at the driver clearly to confirm who it was. “Y-Yuuri? You’re here?”

Yuri smiled.

"Oh come on now, Yuuya. We haven't seen each other in years and that's how you greet me?" He mused, out stretching his arms for a hug.

Mizael checked the cafeteria and noted that Yuuya was not there. He frowned. Where was he then? He began heading out toward the front door, seeing if Yuuya had gone outside.

Yuuya’s eyes lit up and he grinned widely. As much as he did insult Yuuri behind his back, he did miss his brother greatly. He hopped in the car and hugged the man tightly, patting his back. “Exactly! I haven’t seen you in years. I didn’t expect to see you here, Yuuri! I didn’t think you knew where we lived!"

Yuri's smile widened.

"There we go..." Yuri said, holding Yuuya close and patting Yuuya's back too, although his patting was more like sensual rubbing. He couldn't help it...it had been so long since he'd held his precious baby brother. Finally, after a second too long, he let go and smiled.

"I didn't know until Dennis told me...he said he promised you lunch, but unfortunately, he can't make it. So I decided I'd take it upon myself to cheer you up." Yuri said, starting the car and pulling away from the house.

Mizael headed to the front door after he noticed there was a car out there. His eyes widened as he saw the car pulling away with Yuuya in it along with another lookalike.

"...could that be...?" Mizael asked, heading back inside and straight to Yuuto's room.

"...hey...I couldn't find Yuuya in the house because he's going out with Yuri...somewhere..."

It did feel weird feeling Yuuri on his back, but Yuri had always been weird and strangely touchy from Yuuya’s memories. However, any discomfort he may have felt was overridden by the fact he was seeing Yuuri there. He let go and beamed, shutting the door quickly behind him.

“I didn’t even know you knew Dennis!” Yuuya laughed. “What a coincidence. I’m glad you came, Yuri.” He really was. With Yuuto avoiding him and Yugo being unreliable and never picking his phone up, Yuuya had felt so alone and isolated from his family. But Yuri was there now, and it filled a sort of void that Yuuya had in his heart. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

Yuuto glanced at Mizael when he came back in, having been zoning out from Shun telling Durbe on how to take care of him. It only took Yuuto a second to process what Mizael said before suddenly the man sat up suddenly and all but tried to leap from the bed.

“Fuck. Shit. No."

Yuri smirked.

“I have quite a few connections, Yuuya.  I was more than happy to fill in when Dennis told me he couldn't make it...especially given the circumstances.  I hear Yuuto is sick in bed and isn't keeping you entertained, so I took it on myself to dote on my baby brother.”  He kept his eyes on the road as he drove, not noticing Mizael spotting them drive off.  

Yuuto's rapid movement was too much on his muscles, and the man nearly collapsed if it wasn't for Shun, grabbing him and immediately righting him.  

“Yuuri?  Shit...”  Shun said.  Durbe frowned.

“...Yuuri's your other brother isn't he?  The one you guys never see...why is that anyway?  What happened between you guys anyway?”  

“Right… Yeah, that’s right.” Yuuya looked down at his lap and sighed. Yuuto… he wished it was only not entertaining him, but his brother acted as if he hated him. The man glanced out the window, losing really his will to speak more about Yuuto. He still didn’t know what he had done wrong… or what was wrong with Yuuto.

Yuuto immediately regretted trying to sit up and all the muscles in his legs began screaming at him. He stumbled forward, grimacing, thankful Shun had saved him from hitting the floor. He was shaking, and at the question he looked up in horror.

“Yuri… He’s a bastard…” Yuuto practically snapped, remembering his other sibling. “Yuuya doesn’t remember him well because of his condition, but I do. I’ve been trying make sure he doesn’t remember him and he stays away…” A fist was balled. “He’s sick and depraved…”

“Calm down.” Mizael said. “Explain properly.”

“Right…” Yuuto was still shaking. “Yuuri… Yuuri is… he’s an incestuous sicko. I… Argh… We have to go get Yuuya.”

"Incest...oh god..." Durbe said, looking disgusted. Shun scowled.

"He's a bastard that we caught trying to take advantage of Yuuya's illness...he was preying on him...trying to get him alone and..." Shun shook his head.

"Let's say he's the king of inappropriate touching and playing it off. But...Yuuto, you're in no condition to go after him. I will...you still have a GPS on Yuuya's phone right?" Shun asked.

Yuuto clenched his teeth. He remembered the time- just after their mum died but before the Sakaki brothers went their separate ways- when he had come home to find Yuri on top of Yuuya, who was half asleep, talking with him, touching him, trying to go another step further…

“You…” Yuuto didn’t want to distract Shun from his work, but he knew this was an emergency. What if Yuri took Yuuya somewhere and did those things again? Yuri wasn’t the type of guy to change his ways… “… It’s still there. Please. Please. Please.”

Shun nodded, judging by the look on Yuuto's face, he was remembering that incident...Shun remembered Yuuto coming to his apartment with a completely disoriented and unmedicated Yuuya in tow, asking if they could stay the night. Yuuto had explained what had happened and vowed to look after his brother by keeping him away from Yuri.

"...they're still moving...in the car probably." Shun said, frowning. Durbe opened his laptop and typed in the coordinates into an online map of the city so they could see where Yuuya was being taken.

"...they've stopped at a restaurant not far from here." Durbe said. Shun frowned.

"...that's more public than I expected..." he wondered if it meant Yuri wasn't preying on Yuuya anymore.

Meanwhile, Yuri pulled into a small restaurant that he knew Yuuya enjoyed (curtesy of Dennis).

"Here we are, Yuuya. C'mon, I got us a table reserved inside..." Yuri said, escorting his brother inside and to an isolated booth in a quiet corner of the restaurant.

Yuuto frowned. “He’s trying to get Yuuya to trust him,” Yuuto reasoned. “It’s been a while since they’ve seen each other. Yuuri is patient, the snake. I don’t want him near my brother.” Yuuto hissed.

“You seem really sure about this,” Mizael frowned. “Are you sure you’re not overreacting?”

“You don’t know Yuuri. He’s… I’ll handle this myself if none of you want to. Where is he?” Yuuto growled.

Oblivious to his brother’s worries and concerns, Yuuya was only too happy to be here. His own eyes widened as they pulled into the familiar place and he beamed.

“Oh man, I love this place. You’re the best, Yuri!” Yuuya said, following his brother inside.

"Yuuto, you're in no shape to handle this." Shun said gently.

"Maybe Durbe or Mizael should call him. They can say they came over to see him and wonder where he is...one of them might be able to persuade Yuuya to come home. Yuuya trusts them more than me." Shun suggested.

Yuri's eyes widened in fake surprise.

"You do? Well I'm glad I picked a good place then. I've never been here, so you'll have to tell me what's good." He said, accepting the menu from the waitress as he sat across from Yuuya.

Yuuto groaned. “I… If I was better he wouldn’t be near us… how did he find out where we live?”

Mizael frowned. “Yeah… I’ll call him. I’m not leaving Yuya with that bastard. “But you’ve got to lie down and rest.”

Yuuya smiled cheerily and sat down. He glossed over the menu. “Well, if you want something more normal, the stuffed tomatoes with chicken and potato salad is good… but the pancake fish burger is my favourite. There are some really wild things here."

Shun frowned. That was a good question.

"We can ask Yuuya when he gets home." Shun said, gently holding Yuuto and coaxing him to sit down.

"Mizael is right. You need to rest...well handle this. It's going to be okay."

Yuri opened his menu and skimmed through it, flipping pages.

"Hmm...that's odd, I don't see a couple of those...ah, looks like the page is missing." Yuri said, closing the menu and putting it aside.

"Lemme see yours." He said, quickly moving around the table to sit next to Yuuya, reading over his shoulder with his hands gently on Yuuya's hips.

"So where's this favorite of yours? I wanna see what's in it."

Yuuto really didn’t want to calm down, but he didn’t know what else he could do. He just closed his eyes as Shun brought him back to the bed and tried to stop his shaking.

“… Fine. But… If Yuri… If he dares touch Yuuya…” Yuuto didn’t know what he would do.

“Oh? Is it? That sucks.” Yuuya said, looking up. He glanced across the table, trying to see the missing page, but before he knew it, the other menu was shut and Yuri was next to him, casually resting his hands on his hips. He laughed, assuming Yuri was just being himself.

“Here.” He pointed at it. “Pancakes but it has salad, sour cream, lettuce and a crumbed fish in between them, like a burger. It’s really nice."

“We won't let him.  Your brother will be just fine, I promise.”  Shun said, tucking Yuuto in gently.

“Mizael, try calling Yuuya.  See if you can convince him to come home.  If not, I'll go get him.”  Shun said.  

“Hmm...looks good.  Reminds me of you...you always did love pancakes.”  Yuri said with a smile, gently leaning against Yuuya as he pretended to read over the menu.  He was really more distracted by being in such close proximity to Yuuya.  From here he could feel how toned Yuuya was, could smell his natural scent and enjoy his company in ways he had missed.  Those videos Dennis sent him of Yuuya's dances could only entertain him so much...

“I think I'll get that spaghetti dish...it looks good.  What to drink?”  Yuri asked, flipping the menu over to the drinks section.

“How will you get him?” Mizael frowned. “At the end of the day, Yuuya did get in the car. I saw him get into the car with Yuri. Are you willing to fight with him to get him to come back?”

Yuuya grinned. He was glad Yuri remembered some small details about him, though he was sad it wasn’t vice versa. It had been years after all and he didn’t remember things very well. He let Yuri look at all the dishes, completely oblivious to what the man was really doing, as he focused on his own minor pains that came from not taking all his supplementary meds.

“Um… I like the milkshakes here, but the fruit smoothies are good. How’s that?”

“I'll convince him somehow.”  Shun muttered, revealing that he was planning just that deep down.

“Milkshakes...that sounds good.  Let's get some!  Anything for my precious baby brother.”  Yuri said, nuzzling Yuuya gently before reluctantly letting go and returning to his side of the table to wait for the waitress to come back and take their orders.

Mizael just stared blankly at Shun and then looked at Durbe, trying to ask his boyfriend to convey how bad of a plan this was to Shun.

“You really don’t like him either, huh?”

Yuuya was rather surprised with Yuri’s affection. Yuuto had always called him a jerk and Yuuya had just followed along… so this was a real surprise. Had he been wrong about Yuri?

After the waitress came and left, Yuuya looked at his brother. “So what have you been doing? It’s been… so long."

“No, I don't.  I never liked him very much....he's a creep.”  Shun scowled.  Durbe sighed.

“Well, carting Yuuya out of the restaurant would be the wrong way to go about things.  Yuuya made a choice to go there, so he'll have to make a choice to leave.”  

Yuri smiled at Yuuya, glad to see the man's attention back on him.  Yuuya's eyes were Yuri's favorite among his twins...they were always so bright and happy whenever they looked at him, whereas his other two brothers hadn't ever looked at him quite the same.  

“I've been quite busy lately.  Being a public servant is incredibly time consuming and demanding...I'm trying to decide whether I want to make a bid for a higher political position right now, so I'm getting things ready to campaign.”  Yuri said, speaking honestly.  He had no reason to lie to Yuuya.

“Don’t care. He needs to… come out…” Yuuto muttered. Mizael just stared at him, and then glared at Shun, hoping he’d have more sense than Yuuto.

“Oh, that sounds… tough. But I’ve seen it on the news a few times. Hopefully you’ll get what you want,” Yuuya smiled.

Shun sighed.

“He will.  One way or another...if you two can't convince him to leave quietly, then I'll go in.”  Shun said simply.  Durbe frowned.

“...Well...I suppose we have no choice but to try.  Mizael, why don't you call him first.  See if we can convince him without going to see him...it'll look a little suspicious if we just show up there.  Yuuya might guess we tracked him.”  

“It is...but I think it'll be worth it.”  Yuri said, chuckling a little at Yuuya's word choice.

“I'm glad to have your support...I will certainly try to make things turn out my way.”  Yuri said, looking at Yuuya.  He'd get his way in more ways than one, if he got Yuuya and a new position of power...

“Alright…” Mizael sighed. He looked at the men in the room before he dialled Yuuya’s number, hoping he would pick up.

Yuuya smiled. He was about to comment on something else when his phone went off. He frowned and checked the number. “Ah… can you hold on, Yuri? Sorry."

Yuri smiled.

“Sure, no problem.”  He said, although he was internally frowning.  Was this Yuuto calling him?  Would he convince him to come home?

“Hey Yuuya.”  Mizael said, relieved that he picked up.

“We're outside your house...can you let us in?  We decided to stop by and visit you and Yuuto...see if you guys are okay.”  Mizael lied smoothly.

“Oh, hey Mizael,” Yuuya smiled. “Ah… are you? Sorry, I’m not in at the moment. I’m out to lunch… Ah, but Kurosaki is in. If you call Yuuto, I’m sure he’ll get him to open the door!”

Yuri relaxed a little, able to pick up from Yuuya's half of the conversation that this wasn't Yuuto or Yuugo, come to tear Yuuya away from him.  

“Ah...we already tried calling Yuuto but he didn't pick up. I think his phone's off.”  Mizael lied.

“Where are you out to lunch at?  We'll come meet you there!”  Mizael suggested, hoping Yuuya would accept.  That way at least they could monitor Yuri's behavior, maybe.

“Oh? Really? You’d want to come?” Yuuya looked at Yuri. “Hold on. Let me ask. I’m alright with it, but I’m not sure my brother is.” He held his hand over the mouthpiece.

“Sorry… my friends want to see me… Can they come over now? Or…”

“Alright.”  Mizael said, listening.  Yuri considered Yuuya's request.  It was possible these friends had been sent by a bed-ridden Yuuto to fetch Yuuya.  

“Maybe later.  It's been so long since we've seen each other...I was looking forward to a lunch with my baby brother.”  Yuri said, his eyes looking wider and more innocent.

“Mmm…” Yuuya nodded. He agreed with Yuri fully. “Sorry guys. I’ll have to do a rain check. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Yuri so I was hoping this time I could just have some one on one. I’ll be back in like… a few hours, since it’s only lunch, so come back around then, okay? Sorry guys!"

Yuri smiled, glad that Yuuya agreed with him.  Meanwhile on the other end of the line, Mizael frowned.

“...Alright Yuuya.  Want us to meet you at the restaurant when you're done?  Then we can go from there?”  He asked.  At least that way he could ensure Yuri didn't try and whisk Yuuya away somewhere after lunch.

“Yuri said he’d drop me home, so it’ll probably be easier to just meet me there,” Yuuya laughed. “You sound like Yuuto. I’ll be fine, Mizael. I’ll see you later, okay?”

"Alright...see ya." Mizael said. He hung up and sighed.

"No go. He says Yuri will drive him home." He told Yuuto.

Yuri smiled.

"Now, what have you been up to? You seem popular...with all those friends calling you." Yuri said with a smile.

Yuuto cursed loudly, and then immediately regretted. He clenched his teeth, only imagining Yuri’s stupid smug smile that came with him winning. He was not going to let him take his baby brother. However, after what Mizael said, sending Shun or Durbe and Mizael in wouldn’t be great. However…

“… Yuugo.” Yuuto said plainly.

Yuuya grinned as he hung up and switched his phone off. “I mostly just clean and work around the apartment, but basically I’m a custodian and Yuuto is the landlord. We rent out apartments to people.” Yuuya said, knowing his cover story. “But I guess? I don’t have many friends, but that one is one I met at a toy store. I helped him out with something he dropped, and we ended up just talking."

Shun glanced at Yuuto.  

“...Alright, I'll go.”  He said, thinking that Yuuto had said 'you go' and referenced him.  

Yuri smiled and listened.  

“A custodian...my Yuuto has you working hard then.  I thought you always wanted to be an entertainer though?  Are you still looking for positions where you can show off to an audience?”  Yuri asked, despite his already knowing the answer.  He was playing to Yuuya's interests, showing that he was a good brother who remembered what his baby brother loved most.  He chuckled.

“Sounds decently popular to me.  I don't have many friends persay...it's hard to have many real ones in politics.”  Yuri said with a shrug.

“Not you,” Yuuto said immediately. “Yuugo. My brother. If anyone hates Yuri as much as I do and can get Yuuya out of there, it’s Yuugo. Where’s my phone?”

“… This seems like a terrible idea.” Mizael said. He looked at Durbe. “Does this not seem like a poor idea to you?”

Yuuya blinked before he beamed happily, somehow playing right into Yuri’s hands. “Yeah! I did! I still do! I work some nights as a dancer at the BARian. It’s pretty fun. I wish I could get some fancier work, but I can’t. I like what I do though.”

“Ah…” His face fell. “I’m sorry to hear that, Yuri."

Shun frowned.  He knew that Yuugo was a little over the top when he was passionate about something, and he was certainly passionate about his hatred of Yuri.  

“Wait...this seems like a bad idea.  Why can't we just have someone meet Yuuya at the restaurant after he's done in there with Yuri?  It's not like Yuri can do anything too suggestive in a public place like that.  And besides, you haven't spoken to him in awhile.  Maybe he'd turning over a new leaf?”  Durbe protested.  

Yuri smiled, seeing Yuuya's large and genuinely adorable smile sending butterflies into his stomach.  His brother was simply a beautiful specimen...Yuri wanted him all to himself.  

“I'm glad you're enjoying yourself there at least.  Don't worry, Yuuya...I'm sure someone will notice your talent and scout you for something better, if you don't find it yourself first.  No one's better at making people smile than you are.”  Yuri said, reaching over the table and taking Yuuya's hand.

“Don't you worry about me.  I've got people I trust with me...and of course, I've got family.  Even though I don't really see any of you guys that often, I know that we're still family and we'll ultimately always have each other.”  Yuri said, squeezing Yuuya's hand in comfort when his face fell.  Of course this was a lie...if Yuugo or Yuuto thought of him at all, it was how to cut him out of their lives permanently, and methods of convincing Yuuya to do the same.  The key was Yuri had to plant himself in Yuuya's mind as a good guy who wasn't worth cutting off.

“… Because I don’t know if that would be too late. I don’t know Yuri…” Yuuto gritted his teeth, “And even if he did turn over, I wouldn’t forgive him. You don’t know how I feel… Every time I think of that scumbag, I think of when he was left alone with Yuya. When I walked in, Yuuya was off his meds and Yuri was taking full advantage of him. Yuuya was in pain and crying, but all he wanted was to get close him…” Yuuto nearly grabbed the lamp off the bedside table and threw it at the wall. He wouldn’t forget Yuri’s smile as Yuuya whimpered, oblivious to what Yuri was doing. The fact he had manipulated Yuuya’s medical condition for his own sick pleasure was disgusting and unforgivable.

“Ah…” Yuuya smiled as his hand was taken and he squeezed back against his big brother, smiling. “That’s good you have people to rely on… and I know we haven’t seen each other-” And that the others bitched about Yuri behind his back, “-but we have your back too. Or I do. If there’s anything you need, I’ll be happy to help with."

Durbe sighed.  

“That does sound horrible...”  He murmured with a frown.  He could tell that he and Mizael weren't going to win this fight.  Shun gently held Yuuto to comfort him and to prevent him from lashing out and hurting himself again.  

“Here's your phone...try and tell him to take it easy though.  Making a scene at the restaurant won't help things.”  Shun said gently, passing the device to Yuuto.  He understood Yuuto's frustration, knowing he'd be in similar shoes if he walked in on someone abusing his sister like that.  But he also knew that Yuugo could be over the top, especially when it came to Yuri.  He was in partial accord with Durbe and Mizael...if Yuugo made a scene they could be playing right into Yuri's hands.  

Yuri smiled when Yuuya squeezed his hand in return.  

“I'm glad.  We're family, so we have to look out for each other after all.”  Yuri said, before the waitress came with their food.  He reluctantly pulled his hand back to give her room to put the food and milkshakes down.  

“Well, we should probably dig in while it's hot, right?”  Yuri said with wink, picking up his chopsticks and sampling his spaghetti.  Now the point was to be as happy and innocent as possible so Yuuya would continue to feel comfortable around him.  He smiled happily, eyes sparkling in exaggerated joy.

“Mmm this is delicious!  I can see why you like this place~”  He exclaimed.

Yuuto nodded. “I’ll tell him. Hopefully he’ll manage to keep whatever little cool he has.” Yuuto usually wouldn’t call him, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Mizael frowned, looking at Kurosaki incredulously.

“… Is Yuugo honestly that bad?” he asked as Yuuto waited for his brother to pick up the phone.

Yuuya smiled and nodded. He snorted, a little amused that Yuri was using chopsticks and spaghetti together, but he didn’t comment as he picked up his pancake burger with his hands. Once again, he played right into Yuri’s hands, and he beamed.

“Ah! I’m glad you like it. This place really has good food. Yuuto thinks it’s a little weird, but I love it!” Yuuya grinned.

Yuugo was having a casual day at home, working on his precious D-Wheel, when his phone rang.  He blinked when he saw it was Yuuto, and picked up immediately.

“Hey Yuuto what's up?”  He asked with a grin.

Shun sighed.

“Just wait for it...”  He muttered.  

“Well Yuuto's a little weird!”  Yuri teased with a chuckle.  

“I can tell you do...”  Yuri said, taking a sip of his milkshake, which he had to admit was delicious.  He felt like a little kid again.

“Yuri has Yuuya.” Yuuto said, unable to stop himself when he heard his brother’s voice. He heard Mizael groan but Yuuto ignored him. “I’ll text you the address. I’m injured Yuugo, and I can’t get him, so I need you to go over there and try sneak him out of the restaurant.”

Yuuya laughed. “Yeah… did you know he goes through everyone’s trash at the apartment, just because he’s paranoid? It’s so weird and gross. I’ve caught him digging around without gloves more than a couple of times.” Yuuya bit in his pancakes and ate heartily.

Yuugo nearly dropped the phone in surprise.

“WHAT?  HOW?!  WHEN, WHAT?!”  Yuugo exclaimed.  He was well aware as Yuuto was what Yuri was capable of and what his goals were with Yuuya.  He was already moving, putting the phone on speaker as he darted around, grabbing his riding gear, his helmet, his keys, his wallet and switchblade in case he needed it.  

On the other side of the line, all the occupants of the room heard Yuugo's shout and flinched.  

“Told you...”  Shun said, and Durbe nodded with a wince.  

Yuri put on a face of genuine disbelief, even though he knew that Yuuto likely housed criminals.  

“Really?  Wow...that is really weird...hope he doesn't touch anything after he does that bare-handed.”  Yuri said with a small scowl, continuing to eat.

Yuuto pulled his ear away from the phone, grimacing when he heard Yuugo start screaming. After yelling the questions, he pulled his phone back towards him, though he wisely put it on speaker.

“I don’t know. It just happened. But you need to be careful. Yuuya went with him willingly, so don’t cause a scene!”

Yuuya sipped his drink. “I know, right? I mean… I get he’s worried that there might be dangerous things in people’s trash, but still. It’s super weird."

“Willingly?!”  Yuugo exclaimed, unable to believe that.  He put on his helmet.

“Leave it to me!  I'll get our brother back!”  He promised, before hanging up.  He had received a text from Yuuto with the restaurant's location.  He plugged in the coordinates into his bike and sped off in that direction.

“That's Yuuto alright...always paranoid.  He's such a mother hen.”  Yuri teased in a good natured fashion, but he was also truthfully annoyed with Yuuto's behavior.  It had made it difficult to get close to Yuuya...until now of course.  

Yuuto sighed and hung up. Then, after a moment, he looked at Shun. “Do you think it would be worse or better if someone went to go keep an eye on Yuugo?”

Yuuya laughed. “Oh definitely. But hey, he’s kept us safe for this long and I’ve turned out okay, so it’s good.” He smiled but as his smile calmed down it faded. He… he missed his brother.

Shun thought about it.

“...I don't think Yuugo would respond to anyone going after him.  He'll do what he does no matter who's involved...”  He mused.  He doubted he could stop Yuugo from doing stupid shit and if anything his presence would provoke more stupid shit out of Yuugo.

“I suppose that's true...his protective instincts are basically smothering, but he means well.”  Yuri noted, looking at Yuuya's expression falling.

“...Hey, he's good at what he does...and everything he has ever done is for your protection, whether you think you need it or not...I'm sure he'll be back on his feet in no time.”  Yuri said, holding Yuuya's hand again to comfort him.

“So we just hope Yuugo does it right… It’s for Yuuya… I trust him” Yuuto said.

Yuuya looked up at him again and smiled softly. “… Yeah… I guess so…” He squeezed the man’s hand. “Thanks Yuri… I appreciate it..."

Meanwhile, Yuugo pulled into the restaurant parking lot and hopped off his bike.  Yuuto had said Yuuya went voluntarily with Yuri...he still couldn't believe it.  But...he was going to get him back somehow.  He entered the restaurant, waving off the hostess and scanning the tables looking for his two lookalikes.  His eyes widened when he finally spotted Yuri holding Yuuya's hand and making goo-goo eyes at him across the table.  Oh that was it...

“YOU!”  He cried, rushing over to his two brothers.  Yuri's eyes widened when he saw Yuugo rushing to the table, slamming his hands down on the table.  

“What the hell do you think you're doing?”  He growled at Yuri.  Yuri put on an oblivious face.

“...Comforting my baby brother?  Geez, don't you know how to make an entrance!”  Yuri said with a small sneer that he knew Yuugo would go nuts over.

Yuuya yelled as suddenly there was a loud yell and suddenly hands were being slammed down. He separated from Yuri and stared up, taking a moment to process that Yuugo was there.

“Wha-what’s going on? Yuugo? What’s… what the hell are you doing?” Yuuya said, staring up at his beefier brother.

Yuugo scowled at Yuri before glancing at Yuuya when he was addressed.

“Come on Yuuya.  I'm taking you back home...this creep's done enough.”  Yuugo said with a scowl.  Yuri frowned, playing innocent.

“You make it sound like I'm doing something bad...since when is taking my brother out to lunch a crime?”  Yuri asked.  Yuugo growled.

“You know what you were doing you ass!  Come on Yuuya let's go.”  He said, moving to take Yuuya's hand and lead him out.

Yuuya was a bit faster than Yuugo, and immediately he pulled his hand away. “What is he doing? Yuugo, he’s done nothing wrong. We’re just eating together.” He had no idea why his brother was acting like that, but he didn’t like it. “What is your problem?”

“He's manipulating you!  He wants to keep you all to himself!”  Yuugo exclaimed.  Yuri frowned.

“Manipulating?  Me?  I just got him lunch because a friend told me he couldn't make it!  I didn't plan this at all!”  Yuri lied with an incredulous face. Yuugo frowned.

“Dammit...you're up to something, I know it!  Come on Yuuya, Yuuto's worried about you.  Let's get home.”  Yuugo said, trying to reach for Yuuya again.

“Keep me- Yuugo, make some sense. Yuri doesn’t want to keep me. He’s our brother. We’re just hanging out. What is wrong with you?” Yuuya frowned. Yuugo grabbed him but he yanked his arm away hard and glared at Yuugo.

“I want to be here! Leave me alone! And tell Yuuto… Yuuto put you up to this! Unbelievable! Get away from me Yuugo!” He hissed.

"With him there's always another reason for hanging out! Hasn't Yuuto told you how much of a snake he is?!" Yuugo exclaimed to Yuuya. Yuri sighed.

"Yuugo...you're making a scene...I'm pretty sure the manager is coming over to kick us out soon..." Yuri said with a frown, noticing the wait staff going to talk to a man in a suit who looked their way with a frown. Internally though, he was smirking. This was going better than he thought it would....

"Well if you aren't going then I won't either! I'm not leaving you alone with him." Yuugo said, crossing his arms and glaring at Yuri.

However, just as predicted, the manager came over to their table.

"Gentlemen, you're bothering my customers. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Yuuya sat down and crossed his arms. “Yuugo. Go home. Or better yet, go back and tell Yuuto to mind his own business,” Yuuya said stubbornly. He was fuming mad. Yuuto hadn’t talked to him in ages, and when suddenly he’s out with Yuri, then he was concerned? “Please…”

Yuugo was also super pissed about the situation. Yuri needed to be stopped at all costs in his mind. Yes, Yuuto had told him to be subtle, but he just couldn't do it.

"I'm not leaving without you, Yuuya." Yuugo was equally stubborn to Yuuya. Yuri glanced between his two brothers in fake worry, Before finally sighing and standing up.

"Yuugo, you're being a child...but I also know that once you've set your mind to something, it's basically impossible to change it. I'll go then...besides I have to get back to the office soon anyway..." Yuri said, looking at Yuuya a little mournfully.

"I'm sorry that lunch ended up this way, Yuuya...maybe we can do this again without our nosy brothers butting in." Yuri said, shooting a look at Yuugo which was returned doubly.

"It's not gonna happen." Yuugo growled. Yuri shook his head in exasperation.

"I'll settle the check on the way out...enjoy the rest of your day." Yuri said, heading to the front to talk to the wait staff and leaving Yuugo and Yuuya alone. Yuugo stood in front of Yuuya's exit to the booth, staring at Yuri's departing back to make sure the creep actually left before he let Yuuya move.

“A-ah… Yuri!” Yuuya looked helplessly up at Yuri. It wasn’t fair. He hadn’t seen Yuri in years, and the man was just showing he wasn’t the dark, uncaring guy that Yuuto and Yuugo remembered him as. Why did Yuugo have to ruin things? Didn’t he want to try reach out to Yuri and be a family again? Yuuya bit his bottom lip. “Yeah… Um… I’ll try get your number and call you. We’ll do this properly again. I’m so sorry…”

Yuuya was stunned honestly, and he could only watch Yuri leave. He looked at Yuri’s unfinished food, not wanting to look at Yuugo.

“You… You’re an idiot,” Yuuya mumbled, balling his fists.

Once he left the restaurant and got into his car, Yuri let his menacing smirk overtake his face. That had gone even better than anticipated.

"Didn't expect Yuuto to send Yuugo...but thanks to that, Yuuya's pretty much firmly on my side now. All that's left is to find a way to split up him and Yuuto..." Yuri murmured, knowing that unlike Yuugo, Yuuto would be tougher to play that way. He'd think of something though...

Yuugo only relaxed when Yuri was gone. He sighed.

"Look, Yuuya. I'm only doing this for your own good...we've told you that Yuri's not a good guy, but you still went to hang out with him! Of course we'd be worried!" Yuugo said.

“I didn’t even know I was going to hang out with Yuri! But I wish I did! He’s been nothing but pleasant to me all day.” Yuuya said. He bit into his burger before he scowled and practically slammed it down. He had lost his appetite. Great. “What was he going to do? Be my brother? Interrupt a date I had? Really Yuugo?”

Yuugo frowned.

"Nothing but pleasant huh...does that mean he didn't touch you funny, cause that'd be a first!" Yuugo said, knowing Yuri and how he worked.

"He was gonna manipulate you! If not now, he would've definitely done it eventually! That's how he is...doesn't care about anyone but himself and is fine using others to get what he wants!" Yuugo exclaimed.

“Touch me funny? Who… what do you think Yuri is, Yuugo? He’s my brother. He didn’t do anything.” Yuuya insisted.

“He’s changed, damn it. He’s different to how he was when we were younger… and I’ll prove it to you. But first off, mind your own business. Leave me alone, Yuugo.” Yuuya said, getting up and storming out.

"Didn't stop him before..." Yuugo muttered, Before getting up and chasing after Yuuya.

"Where do you think you're going? I was told to bring you home, so that's what I'll do!" He said with a frown.

“I’m going home! I can go by myself!” Yuuya yelled as he headed out, only narrowly avoiding slamming the door shut.

“I want to talk to Yuuto anyway! How come he sent you here? How come he didn’t… He has the nerve..."

"Fine! Walk or bus home! I'll just follow on the bike!" Yuugo said, following Yuuya out the door.

"He woulda come himself if he was able, trust me, but he can't really move." Yuugo said.

“Can’t move… Right… He’s sick…” Yuuya frowned. However, he stopped at the bus stop and turned, looking at Yuugo. He was trying hard to look angry, but he could feel tears forming. “So why could he trust you to help him and not me?"

Yuugo nodded.

"Yeah. So he called me." Yuugo said, following Yuuya and almost running into him when he finally stopped abruptly.

"...huh? Well...he couldn't call you cause your phone was off! Besides, you wouldn't have listened to him if he told you about Yuri anyway, since you didn't before. So he had to call me." Yuugo said, thinking Yuuya's tears were angry ones.

"...cmon...I can still give you a ride home and then you two can talk about it all you want." Yuugo said, gesturing to his bike.

Yuuya bit his lip. He was hurt, unbelievably so, and he wanted nothing more than to yell at Yuugo. However, as he rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, he just nodded.

“F-fine… Just… get me home."

Yuugo gave him a small smile and nodded.

"You got it." He said, leading him back to the bike and passing him Rin's helmet that he'd brought for him.

"We'll be home in no time, just hold on tight!" Yuugo said, much happier now that he was getting his way and could ride his bike freely without having to chase Yuuya. Once Yuuya was on, he sped off towards the apartment building where Yuuto and Yuuya lived.

"Alright...here we are baby bro." Yuugo said, slowing to a stop by the front door.

Yuuya rolled his eyes at the girly helmet but he put it on anyway. He climbed on and held onto his brother tight, doing his best not to accidentally crush Yuugo’s ribs. Yuugo’s chirpy attitude usually made him smile, but right now it was doing nothing but pissing him off.

“I’m not a baby,” Yuuya practically growled as he got off. He took the helmet and tossed it to Yuugo, knowing he’d catch it anyways.

Yuugo pouted, but caught the helmet.

"You're the youngest..." he murmured.

"You might wanna call Yuuto on your phone if you wanna talk to him...it'd be bad to catch whatever nasty cold he's got!" Yuugo offered in advice before speeding away with a wave.

Yuuya rolled his eyes. He waved at Yuugo, more out of instinct than pleasantries, before he opened the door. He walked up to the room and tried to open the door without knocking. “Yuuto? Yuuto?"

Durbe and Mizael had wisely gone home after Yuuto called Yuugo. Shun had gotten a call from Reiji and had left the room, leaving Yuuto alone in bed. He had just received a text from Yuugo saying he'd brought Yuuya home, but Yuuto was a little disturbed with the lack of details. He was about to call Yuugo and ask, when suddenly he heard Yuuya's voice and saw the doorknob turning. His eyes widened. This time he had nothing to throw (except his phone but he couldn't really do that), so he ducked under the covers, pulling them up over most of his face to cover his scars and shifting so that he wasn't facing the door. If he was lucky, Yuuya might leave him be, thinking he was asleep.

Yuuya opened the door and was about to yell at Yuuto when he found that the man was under covers. As mad as he was, it wasn’t like Yuuya to pull the blanket off of Yuuto and wake him up. He stopped in his tracks, seeing his brother, and he bit his lip.

“… Yuuto? Are you awake?"

Yuuto lay still, debating whether or not he should answer. Clearly, if Yuuya hadn't knocked, he was probably a little mad at him...but if he didn't answer, would Yuuya come wake him up? Would he poke him or something and unintentionally hurt him? Finally, he decided to just answer.

"...Yuuya...?" He asked softly, turning his neck enough to see him with one eye. There wasn't much of his face to see.

"...you...shouldn't come...closer...I'm sick...." Yuuto murmured, not wanting his brother to get a close look at him.

“You’re awake…” Yuuya breathed a sigh of relief before he felt his anger flood back again. He gritted his teeth and gripped the door frame. “You better be.. I mean… you pulled that stunt after all.” He couldn’t see much of Yuuto, but he could certainly see Shun’s jacket at the foot of the bed. “Sick huh? So Kurosaki can come near you? So Yuugo can and I can’t?  What the hell, Yuuto? What the actual hell? It’s bad enough I let you track my phone, but doing this on top of that?”

Yuuto sighed.

"...Shun...has a...strong immune...system...he never...ever...gets sick...and...Yuugo...didn't come...here...I just...called him...told him..." Yuuto had to pause. All the panicking and talking he'd done earlier had honestly exhausted him.

"...Shun said...he told you...so...I thought...I wouldn't...have to say...it twice..." Yuuto finished.

“And I don’t get sick! I’m a psycho, not a cripple!” Yuuya exclaimed. He practically growled.

“Why couldn’t you tell me? Yuri just took me out for lunch! That’s it! Why do you have to be so complicated?"

"...were twins...if I got this...so could you..." Yuuto said, knowing the excuse was kind of weak, but it was all he had left.

"...I'm sorry...but...I don't...trust Yuri..."

Wrong answer. Both were wrong answers. Yuuya gritted his teeth. “So I’m off my rocker and apparently need you to baby me, so why don’t you?” He yelled. “And Yuri… Yuri isn’t anything like you said. He’s not a jerk or stuck up or he hates us! He’s just busy. He’s our brother, Yuuto. Why do you want him outside of our life so badly?” He could feel hot tears run down his face. “Why do you want me out of your life so badly?"

Yuuto's face fell when he saw how angry Yuuya was getting. He forced himself to turn over so he could face Yuuya. He groaned a little, wincing in pain as he did so. "...you're not...a baby...or crazy...you can...make your own...choices...but...I will...always...work to...protect you...Yuuya. I don't want...you out...of my...life...but...I don't...want Yuri...in it. You...you don't...remember...what he...he did...I can't..forgive him for it..." Yuuto said with a frown.

“Let me make my own damn choice. I want to see Yuri, I want him part of our family.” Yuuya said. He growled.

“Why do you hate him so much then? Give me a straight answer!"

Yuuto considered his options.

"Okay...then...if you...see Yuri...then you...should take me...with you. We're family...too...if you...think he's changed...then...I'll give him...a shot..." Yuuto said, although he didn't like it.

"...he...he hurt you...when...you were...too sick...to remember...he...purposely...withheld...meds from you...and...did it...to hurt you...I caught him...before...he could...do too much..." Yuuto said, not wanting to tell Yuuya the exact nature of what happened. He'd wanted to spare Yuuya that pain.

“He…” Yuuya frowned. “Why did he do that? That…. That just seems wrong?” He couldn’t remember Yuri doing anything like that. “Too much? Of what?” He asked, not wanting to let this go now he was finally getting answers.

Yuuto frowned.

"...it was wrong...very wrong...that's why...I stopped...seeing him. Yuugo too..." Yuuto said. He paused.

"....he was...relishing...in your pain...smiling...as you cried...like he...was enjoying it...I think...if I hadn't...shown up...he might've...hurt you...more...made you scream..." Yuuto said, clearly upset about the incident.

"...so...I don't trust...him alone...with you. But...you're not...a baby...you can...make your...own choices. Please though...if you...see him again...don't go alone. I don't...want him...to have even...a chance...to hurt you again..."

“… I don’t remember that at all…” Yuuya frowned. “… When was that?” He didn’t remember a lot… but he didn't want to disbelieve his brother. And why would he lie?

"...shortly after...mom died...we were...taking turns...looking...after you...it happened...during his turn..." Yuuto said honestly. He had no reason to lie to Yuuya at all, even if he was withholding some information. It was for his brother's own good.

“…” Yuuya frowned, not sure who to trust now. “… He’s… I’ll take you out and see him… He’s changed… really. He was… looking after me…”

"...I'll believe it...when I see it..." Yuuto said. He didn't believe it at all. He knew Yuri was probably playing with Yuuya so the best he could do was accompany him and try to limit the playing as best he could.

"If he does...want to...look after...you...I'm glad. It'll be...nice to have...all four of us...together....you keep saying...that you'd like that...I'm willing...to try...for your sake." he mused with a sigh.

"...just let me...get better first, okay?"

“I want to… I…” Yuuya balled his fist. “I want to be a family with all of us again. So let him have a chance, Yuuto…”

He smiled softly. “… Are you getting better?"

"...I said...I would...can't promise...for Yuugo...though..." Yuuto said. He had to yell at Yuugo later for having Yuuya come home angry like this. He'd told him to be subtle.

"...a little...slowly but steady..."

Yuuya bit his lip. He… supposed that would be fine.

“So I’ll be able to see you soon, right? And you can depend on me… really..."

Yuuto sighed.

"Soon..." he promised. He really did want to get better fast.

"...I know...I can....depend on you...I just... don't want...you sick too..."

Yuuya nodded. “I know… but even if you need me to go to the store or do your work… let me know, okay? It’s… be really painful these last few weeks… I’ve missed you."

Yuuto smiled a little.

"...okay...I'll...let you...know..." he said.

"...I've...missed you too..."

Yuuya smiled, rubbing his arm sheepishly. He could feel his pains shoot in deeper, and he made a mental note to attempt to remember his supplementary medication while Yuuto was bedridden.

“… Did you want anything for lunch? I mean… I would have bought back but… hah…” He muttered, trying to joke.

"Ah...thank you...but...I've already...eaten...for now...I just...want to rest...."  Yuuto said softly, tired out from the conversation with Yuuya.

“Alright… Let me know if you need anything for dinner. Night."

-x-

Koutei had been in a bad state, but after numerous stitches and more drugs than Yami ever pumped into his system, he was feeling at least alright. It was enough for the board to approve him to be moved back into the Correctional Facility, where he would be able to continue his life like it had never happened. However, as soon as Koutei walked into the main cafeteria after being released, he immediately noted that someone was still missing and his heart clenched tightly in his chest.

Mutou… Usually he was so easy to spot out of the crowd because of his hair, but the man was nowhere to be seen. He must have still been in the hospital. Koutei had no idea how he was fairing, but he wanted to see if he was alright. Or if he was worse. They were so bad off when he last held them, even as he walked, Koutei could feel their weight in his arms and imagine the blood.

He wanted to talk to him… and ask Yami what he meant before he passed out.

Koutei collected his tray and went to sit down by himself. It was quiet now… but hopefully he’d have his familiar company soon.

It certainly didn't help that usually Yuugi or Yami were so quick to come join Koutei and to try and cheer him up when he was down.  Unfortunately for Koutei, there was one person who decided to take it upon himself to join him at his lunch table: Shinji Weber.  

"Ouji you're back!"  Shinji exclaimed happily, bounding over to the table with a couple of his friends in tow.  

"I've been meaning to ask you what happened with that attack?  I'm positive it was an assassin hired by the psychologists to take out Mutou, but I haven't seen him since...I hope the guy's not dead.  I mean, he's our insider!  We need him if we're going to win our fight!"  Shinji rambled.

“Oh no…” Koutei found himself muttering out loud as he heard the familiar voice. This… wasn’t what he had in mind. Really? The man really didn’t want to deal with the resident conspiracy-theorist for the Correctional Facility, but he forced a (rather unconvincing) smile at the man and nodded.

“Yeah… I’m here…” He nodded to the two men with Shinji before he looked at the man.

“Um… I dunno. I was just… attacked. I haven’t seen or heard of him since either…” Koutei said, wincing at the mention of Mutou. That’s right… he was… “I hope he’s… not dead either..."

“I hope not either!  It's good to hear he didn't immediately die during the attack.  I'd ask the psychologists but they might lie to keep our hopes down.  We'll have to keep an eye on him when he comes back huh?  Right guys?”  Shinji said.  His two companions nodded in agreement.

“So, judging by his injuries, how long do you think it'll be?  Were they pretty bad?  I heard it was nasty...”  

“Yeah… right…” Koutei agreed without really thinking too hard about it. Koutei bit his lip as he remembered the injuries, how much blood there was… how bad his legs were. He balled his fists, shaking a little.

“… It… was pretty bad. If he’s out of the Correctional Facility, it’s serious. It was very serious… He’s not going to be able to walk after that."

“Yeah that's right!  I've got everyone on board...we owe Mutou for giving us that insider info.  We gotta help him once he gets back!”  Shinji said.  He frowned in concern when he heard that.

“You don't think he'll be able to walk again?  Damn...did he break his back or something?  That's awful...well, I guess it's lucky that he's such a small guy.  We can carry him around if we have to.  Plus, his injuries are further proof that the psychologists will stop at nothing to silence us.  His loss will be martyred for our cause!”  Shinji said.

“I just hope he gets back soon though...and that his courage hasn't died out.  After an attack like that, many great men would have faltered...do you think his spirit was broken too?  Could you tell?”  

“No… He’s… His legs were injured and he was cut up by that guy.” Koutei could feel himself get more and more irritated the more Shinji opened his mouth. How dare he talk like that? Like Yuugi and Yami were some kind of thing, like some kind of figure head. This wasn’t something noble and good, this was an assault in the bathroom and Mutou could die.

He thought of Mutou and how he looked, how he sounded after he passed out and he snarled. With a loud yell, he clobbered Shinji in the face.

“Shut up! Just shut up! Shut up!”

“Ah his legs...alright, I guess that's better than a broken back-AH!”  He cried out as he was socked in the face by Koutei.  He stumbled back, his two lackeys catching him before he hit the floor.  Shinji clutched his bleeding nose with a groan.

“...Damn he's mad...we're all mad too, Koutei, don't you worry!  Just...save that anger for later alright?  We'll need all the help we can get for the revolution!”  He said, before turning and leaving with his lackeys, heading towards the bathroom to get tissues.

Koutei snarled. He didn’t care for the revolution but he didn’t want to get in trouble further for just yelling at the man. He bit his lip, thankful Shinji was crazy enough to let that slide, before he just slammed his hands on the table and bit angrily into his food.

“You better be okay, Mutou..."

Meanwhile, outside the facility, Alit was entering with Masumi. He'd been stewing over the idea of seeing Koutei and had finally come up with a plan of how to see him. It was insane...but it was all he could think of.

He marched up to the desk confidently, hearing the secretary address him in Japanese and understanding it perfectly, but when he opened his mouth to reply he spoke heavily accented and broken Japanese in response.

"See Ouji Koutei. His baby he see! Let me see!" He exclaimed, being loud and passionate enough to make the receptionist recoil. She tried to tell him that he wasn't allowed, but Alit interrupted her.

"I see husband! Now! Need see baby!" He exclaimed. The receptionist looked a little confused and lost on what to do, deciding to call Dr.Arclight.

"I have um...a foreign guy here. He wants to see Ouji Koutei...he doesn't seem to understand me when I tell him he's not allowed, but he also claims to be his husband...so I let him in?" She asked over the phone.

As Masumi began to giggle, figuring that her dad was being weird and playing a game, Miheal raised an eyebrow. A foreign guy? Koutei’s husband? Miheal was very sure that Koutei had no relations in Japan anyway, but a strange thought crossed his mind.

“Ask for his name. See if it’s Alit."

Alit turned his attention to Masumi, murmuring in Italian and making faces to her as she giggled.

"Excuse me sir...what's your name?" She asked him, drawing his attention back.

"Alit...I see Koutei?" He asked in the same broken Japanese. He really hoped that this would work....

"Yes, his name is Alit."

Miheal paused before he started to chuckle quietly to himself. Alit had clearance to go see Koutei, he had even seen him before, but here he was pretending to be an immigrant. He double checked using the camera feeds and then pressed the mic again.

“Let him see Alit. Give the guy clearance. I’ll be down to talk to him later."

Yes, Alit had been to see Koutei before, but that was before the trial. He figured that he had only been allowed in that time because of the case. Now that it was closed, he had no reason to have clearance.

"Yes sir." The receptionist said, hanging up.

"Please follow the guards to the visiting room, Mr. Alit." She said, and Alit nodded, relived that his truck worked.

"Well it worked Masumi...let's go see Koutei." He said to her in Italian, following the guards as instructed and waiting for them to fetch Koutei.

Meal time was over and the guards signalled out Koutei.

"You have a visitor." They told him.

Koutei was tired already after a long day of pretty much resisting the urge to murder Shinji, but soon he was distracted from his thoughts by the guards. Curiously, he put down his food tray and he followed after them, looking around.

“I have a visitor? Who?”

It took a while before suddenly he stopped, seeing who it was. Not only did Koutei see a completely unfamiliar baby, but he saw the man…

“Alit? Alit? Is that you?”

Alit looked up when Koutei arrived, beaming at him as if he truly hasn't seen him in awhile.

"Koutei, good to see you!" He said enthusiastically, in Italian, getting up and giving Koutei a small hug (as best he could while still holding Masumi) and talking to him as he did so.

"Play along...I had to tell the guards that we were married to get them to let me see you. Family only visits you know? Also I lied and said I don't speak Japanese, so speak in Italian okay?" Alit said, parting with a smile.

"...I'm sorry it's been so long since I saw you...this is Masumi, in case you haven't guessed...." Alit said, showing his smiling daughter to Koutei.

Koutei wanted to give the same look back to Alit, only genuine and real. However, he could only be completely baffled by things. He wrapped his arms around Alit as best as he could, reeling a little bit from what was happening.

Alit was pretending to be his husband? But last time, he wanted nothing to do with Alit. Koutei felt his heart ache, and he parted from him, looking at the bubbly girl.

“Masumi… Ah… Yes.” So this was the baby he never saw, huh? “… She’s beautiful…”

Masumi giggled and reached up in curiosity to this new face, wanting to say hello.  Alit smiled down at her and then glanced at Koutei.

“Yes...she is.  She'll be a beautiful lady someday.”  Alit said.  He looked over Koutei.  He did look a little tired...but overall, his physical form was looking much better.  

“...You're looking like you're getting some muscle back on you...you been working out?”  Alit asked.

“Yeah… nothing to do here but work out and take too many meds. I’ve been trying to get some muscle back. I’m going to be as fit as I was soon.” Koutei looked at Alit. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say… he didn’t know whether to yell or scream or demand what Alit was doing here. In the end, he just sighed and stared at his friend sadly. “… I missed you. I’ve got… a friend here… but… I’ve missed you.”

Alit nodded, eyes a little somber.  Koutei was looking okay...but obviously the problems were still there.  Problems that he was partially responsible for.  

“I'm glad you're working out...that'll probably help you feel better.  I know it makes me feel better to work out.”  Alit said.  

“...I'm glad you've made a new friend.  I hope they're treating you right, unlike me...”  Alit said with a sigh.

“...Koutei...I came here to say I'm sorry.  A lot has happened to me recently, and I've realized that I should've been more clear with you.  I should've communicated better...it's not my strong suit, but I should've at least made an effort to explain why I wasn't there for you when you needed me.  I was worried...scared that what we had would turn out into an affair and I didn't think it was fair to Kotori to do that.  So...I avoided you, and you fell down the wrong path and I felt partially responsible.  It was no wonder you tried to take Masumi...she's literally proof of mine and Kotori's love.”  He said.

“...I understand if you're upset and need time...but I wanted to let you know I'm here for you, if you'll have me.”  

Koutei bit his lip. Yami and Yugi treated him wonderfully and he cared for the two deeply. Whether it was Yugi’s kind smile and words of encouragement- that unwavering faith in Koutei- or it was Yami with his quiet concern and his constant distractions to keep him from hurting himself… the two were great friends to him. But Alit was too. Alit always wanted to take him out. He was always there to spar. He was a good friend. It was Koutei who did it. Koutei destroyed their relationship. The man opened his mouth to tell Alit that he didn’t need to say sorry but his friend’s words kept tumbling out. Koutei had no choice to listen. “…I…” He frowned. He didn’t know what to make of Alit wanting to cut him out because he was scared of hurting his wife but he shook his head. “Masumi… Alit I don’t remember trying to do that. Don’t make assumptions on why I did that… please…” When Alit said it like that, Koutei felt both a little insulted but mostly disgusted with himself. “…But you want… I thought you wanted nothing to do with me."

Alit listened to him and judged his expression. He nodded.

"Sorry I didn't mean to assume....I've just been thinking this over for awhile now and that was my best conclusion...ugh see I'm awful with words." Alit said with a sigh.

"...I thought so too...I was...really upset with you. I was scared shitless when you took my daughter and really angry that you attacked me and that my injuries made it impossible to get back into boxing..." Alit said, biting his lip. He looked up at Koutei.

"...But I realized that...you weren't always that person...that you're still my friend and rival and I didn't want to lose that relationship."

Koutei gave him a little smile, trying to be a little encouraging to the man he had once called a best friend. However, any pleasant expression disappeared by the time Alit looked back up. Koutei had gone stiff, frozen, as if from shock. Had… was Alit kidding? Exaggerating? He knew he should have been happy that Alit didn’t want to lose that relationship, he wanted to show it even, but all that the blonde really could show was stone-frozen fear.

“I… I did what? Impossible for you to-” Koutei backed into his chair. “-Alit… You… What? You can’t? At all?”

Alit's face fell a little, both at Koutei's expression and the reminder being thrown in his face. He nodded.

"...Yeah. I tried to get back into boxing at first...but the wound reopened in a sparring match with Gilag. He didn't even hit me hard, but I still just started bleeding. I went right to hospital but they told me that I could get internal bleeding and die if it happened again..." Alit sighed.

"...So I had to quit. Now I just stay home and look after Masumi. And I do enjoy spending time with her." Alit said, smiling down at his daughter and tickling her to make her giggle and squeal.

Boxing was Alit’s dream. From when they had talked, Koutei had learned that Alit wanted to be a boxer since he lived in Italy. It was his passion. He practically lived it. How could Koutei live with himself knowing that he stole that away from Alit, and he couldn’t even remember what had happened or why he did it. Without noticing, he began scratching his arms, though his hands shook.

“Alit…” Scratch scratch. “Alit… I’m… I’m so sorry. I didn’t know… I… Just… Shit.” He ripped more into his skin. He couldn’t focus on the positives, or how Alit was trying to look at them. All he could think about was how he screwed up… how he ruined Alit’s life… “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Alit wanted to tell Koutei it was okay, but he figured the other wouldn't believe it.

"...Hey...Koutei, stop you're hurting yourself!"  Alit said, moving to try and grab his hand and stop him from scratching.

"It's okay...I'm going to be fine alright?  Just please stop hurting yourself!"

Koutei didn’t even realise it. He was so used to digging into himself that it was more a habit than a conscious thought. Thankfully, he had only opened up some scabs instead of rip open scars or new wounds. Koutei looked up at Alit, eyes wide and doe-like, panicked and yet disheartened all at once. Sice he was allowed to earlier, he threw his arms around Alit and sobbed.

“I’m so sorry…” He said, hugging him lightly.

Alit put Masumi down on the table gently.

“Woah, you're bleeding...”  He said, trying to look at the injuries before pausing when he saw Koutei's face.  He'd never seen the man look so...broken and upset.  Alit felt guilty that he had caused this, but before he could say anything, Koutei was hugging him and crying.  Alit's face fell a little and he held Koutei back equally tightly, wanting him to understand that it was going to be okay.

“I know...I know you are.  I'm sorry too, for not coming sooner.  It's going to be okay, Koutei.”  He said, patting the man's back and letting him hold him and cry.  

Koutei knew he couldn’t hug him for too long because the guards would pull him away so he parted himself. He rubbed his tears on his forearm and looked at Alit.

“I swear… if there’s anything I can do to make it up to you, anything at all Alit..."

Alit parted when Koutei did, giving him a small smile.

“Just...focus on getting better, alright Koutei?  I wanna help as best I can...”

Koutei looked up at Alit helplessly before he nodded. “Y-yeah… right… I’ll try. And… and you rest up. Maybe something will happen in the future that will let you get better."

Alit nodded.

"I'll try too....in the meantime, I can come visit you and keep you company, if that's okay with you." He said with a small smile.

Koutei gave a small smile back and he nodded.

"I... I really would like that. I want to be friends again, Alit. More than anything." He smiled.

Alits smile grew even larger at Koutei's words.

"Great! I'll keep on visiting you then, alright? Maybe Masumi too! Would you like that, Masumi? Would you~?" He asked, cooing to Masumi at the end of his sentence to make her giggle. Her daddy was so silly!

Koutei laughed. Alit was such a good dad. He smiled gently at the girl that looked so much like Alit. “I think she agrees, huh?"

Alit chuckled.

"I'd say so...I think she likes you."  Alit said, noticing how his baby's eyes were curiously looking at Koutei as the man smiled at her.

Koutei smiled as the girl look at him. However, the smile slowly faded and he looked away. “… Do you… Think she recognises me? Think she remembers?"

Alit sighed.

"...I have no idea.  But...if she does now, she probably won't later.  Toddlers don't remember their baby memories, right?"  Alit said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"...You didn't hurt her though, so she'd have no real bad impression of you.  She wouldn't have understood what was happening."  Alit said, trying to comfort Koutei.

Koutei nodded. He squeezed Alit’s hand and sighed. In a way he was glad, though a small part of him wished Masumi could tell him what had happened after he took her. He sighed. “… Your visiting time will be up soon..."

Alit smiled and gave Koutei a small squeeze too.

"...You're right...so you hang in there with your other friend alright?  I'll be back soon, I promise."  Alit said.

Koutei did his best not to look upset at the mention of Mutou and nodded. “Yeah… will you be pretending to be my husband, again though?” He said, trying to joke.

Alit chuckled.

"...I'll see what happens.  Now that they gave me visitation rights, I don't think I have to do that.  But, it'd be nice to still speak Italian anyway...especially if I have Masumi.  I'm trying to give her as much exposure to it as possible so she picks it up."  Alit said with a smile.

“It might look a bit weird if you don’t keep trying to be the same person, but you’re Alit. You’ll figure something out.” Koutei smiled. “Ah… Well… That’s a good idea. I’ll try do the same for Masumi, okay?”

"Yeah, I should be consistent no matter what."  Alit said with a smile.  He chuckled at Koutei's words.

"I'll figure it out yeah!  And thank you.  It'd be good for her to hear others speak it too!"  Alit said with a grin.

“No problem.” He looked down at Masumi away. “Goodbye, little gem. I’ll see you soon, okay?"

Masumi cooed up at Koutei in response.  Alit smiled.

"We'll see you later, Koutei.  Look after yourself, okay?"  Alit said, picking up Masumi and letting the guards escort him out.

"I will! See you!"

The guards let Alit out, but instead of leading him out, they lead him towards an elevator. They ushered Alit in, not saying anything to the man

Alit was a little confused to where he was going, but he couldn't really protest since he was supposed to be unable to speak Japanese.  He waited in the elevator, instinctively holding Masumi closer in case this was a dangerous situation.  Where the hell was he going?

The men led Alit and Masumi to the higher floors, where some of the nicer offices were. They lead them down the hall and one opened the door, blocking the name tag of the person inside as he did so. "Inside." He pointed there too for emphasis.

Alit was really confused now.  Clearly he wasn't being led out of the fascility, but into it deeper.  He frowned.

"...Why?"  He asked, but the guards weren't going to let him leave.  They were blocking his escape route.  He sighed, entering the door that the guards opened for him.

Inside was Miheal, looking entirely amused at Alit. He knew Alit well, the boy being in Yuuma's friendship group, but hadn't really known him until he had started dating Gilag. Regardless, Miheal knew that Alit knew perfect Japanese as well as Alit knew he knew.

"So is it Barian-Ouji or Mizuki-Barian-Ouji?" He smirked.

Alit was surprised to see Miheal for a moment before remembering he worked here.  So his little trick hadn't worked, he thought with a small blush.  But, he quickly turned it into a small frown.

“You know I'm neither, and you let me see him anyway.  What's up with that?”  Alit asked.

"And people both registered under next of kin as well as people who are authorised by psychologists to see them. Again, you're both. Your wife registered the two of you for the former and I approved the latter." Miheal said.

“Ah, Kotori did it...”  Alit mused.  He hadn't talked to her about Koutei much lately, mostly because he was trying to sort things out.  He sighed. “That's good to know then.”  

"But if you want to try keep doing the husband routine, be my guest. I honestly thought it'd be funny to see how long you would keep it up before you figured it out. Sorry" he chuckled.

Alit sighed.

“Thanks for telling me so I don't have to keep it up...”  He muttered, although Miheal could've told him earlier couldn't he?  

“So...is Koutei doing okay here?  He's getting better right?”  

“No problem,” Miheal said, flashing his usual charming smile. It then softened though to something a little more serious and professional. “He’s making progress… Which is incredible, though I’m worried. I sent a message to your wife so I’m not sure if she told you, but you should know as his guardian. Koutei was attacked recently defending another prisoner in an attack. One of Koutei’s friends was injured and hospitalised… so I don’t know what effect that’s going to have on Koutei’s mental health at this stage.”

Alit listened, eyes widening.

“No, I didn't hear about that!”  That sounded awful...he really hoped Koutei would be okay.

“...He did mention a friend he made...but not that the friend was hurt...”  Alit said with a frown.

“...Well, I plan to come back and visit him, so hopefully I can help.”

“His injuries weren’t bad, but of course his friend’s was. It’s a fairly recent incident… I guess he just didn’t want to talk about it,” Miheal said. He nodded to Alit.

“Alright. Thank you, Alit. Hopefully he’ll recover more, now that he’ll have help from the outside."

Alit's face fell a little.  He didn't know this friend of Koutei's at all but if his injuries had an effect on Koutei...he definitely cared.

“And who exactly is his friend anyway?  He didn't mention his name...”  Alit mused.  He nodded.

“I wanna help however I can.”

“Unfortunately that I can’t share with you. It’s another patient. If Koutei shares, I can’t stop him but as a doctor for both patients that goes outside of what I’m allowed.” He nodded. “I’m glad… he needs that”

“...Alright, fine.  I guess I'll ask Koutei next time...hopefully his friend will be doing better then.”  Alit said.  He nodded.

“Yeah...that visitation right extends to Ponta and Gilag too right?   They might wanna see him too.”  

“If Koutei tells me you’re his family, then yes.” Miheal figured that was alright. “I’ll double check with both him and a colleague, but I think more people seeing him will really help him open up. It should be fine."

“Alright...good to know.  I'll hopefully bring them along next time.”  Alit said with nod.  He wanted Koutei better after all and if this would help, he was gonna do it.

Miheal smiled. “I’ll see you later now, Alit. Take care." He leaned over and waved. “Bye Masumi~"

Masumi cooed at Miheal when he addressed her and Alit nodded.

“See you.”  He said, heading out of the office to be escorted out of the facility by the guards.

-x-

Meanwhile, at the police station, Gauche received a call from Mai.  

“I think I managed to track down Serena!  She's at a nightclub in the city, so I've heard.  Can I get someone to help me bring her in if I have to?”  She asked.  Gauche grinned.

“Sure, Mai.  Come by the station and Droite'll join you!  See you soon!”  He said, before hanging up and going to his squadmate with a grin.

“Hey Droite, Mai's gonna be here to pick you up soon!  She found this Serena chick Mutou told her about.”  

Droite looked up when she heard Gauche pick up from her desk and she raised an eyebrow. She frowned, tilting her head as her friend lumbered over.

“Did she now? Alright, that’s good. … And how come you said ‘yes’ before I agreed to this?”

“Cause you're available and you're the best interrogator!  You'll be able to tell if Serena's not telling the truth!”  Gauche said with a wide grin and a thumbs up.

“… And this has nothing to do with setting us up, huh officer?” Droite said, flicking his forehead.

“What gave you that idea?”  Gauche asked, smirking even as she flicked his forehead.  Anna gave him a high five behind his back with a grin.  

“Oh look, she's pulling in!  You'd better get going.”  Gauche said, noticing Mai's purple car pulling into the parking lot outside through the window.

“Wow, she’s fast. I swear… if she’s speeding…” Droite shook her head. She fixed her uniform, grabbed her bag and waved. “Alright. I’ll see you later. Call me if there are any developments.”

“She's got a good reason too...”  Anna whispered to Gauche, who chuckled.  

“Will do Droite!  Good luck with Serena!”  He said.  

Mai beamed as Droite came out with a smile.

“Hey hon~  Hop in you're just in time!”  She said.

Droite gave them an offhanded wave and eased out the door. She smiled at Mai, finding the motion came easier the more she hung out with the PI.

“Alright… Where is she?” Droite said, getting into the car.

“From what I've heard, she's in a nightclub.  She's one helluva bouncer, like we mentioned before.  So we'll be heading there to see if we can talk to her.”  Mai said, pulling out once Droite was in and buckled up.  

“...But first, we need to make a quick stop at my place on the way.  You're going to need some new clothes.”  Mai said, after noting that Droite was in her police uniform.

Droite looked down at her clothes and made a face. “Sorry… If I had known if we were doing recon today, I would have changed or bought a spare change of clothes. We could go back to my place too if there’s time."

“It's alright hon. You couldn't have predicted it.”  Mai mused.  She shook her head.

“Your house is on the other end of the city...we might miss her if we go all the way there, then to the nightclub.  I'm sure I'll have something that you can borrow.”  Mai said with a smile.

“Alright…” Droite found her eyes wandering to Mai’s cleavage. She blushed. “Would there be anything my size though in your wardrobe?"

Mai noticed her glance and chuckled.

“I have some adjustable corsets you should be able to wear...not that they'll need much fixing.”  Mai mused.  Droite wasn't exactly flat-chested herself.  She smiled.

“We'll have fun figuring out what will look best!”  She was excited for sure.

Droite looked up and she quickly looked away, not wanting to look unprofessional. Her cheeks went hot and she crossed her arms. She wasn’t flat chested but Mai didn’t exactly have normal sized cleavage.

“R-right… Got it..."

Mai chuckled at how cutely Droite blushed.  She pulled her car into a parking garage of the apartment building where she lived.

“Alright, let's head up to my place.  Come on!”  Mai said, parking and getting out of the car.  She led Droite to the elevator.

Droite got out and looked around. She took her hat off and her vest before walking after Mai, figuring a blue shirt and dark pants would look a bit more casual. The woman looked around and let out a low whistle. “Fancy building here, huh Mai? Didn’t know you lived here."

“Yep.  I've been in the PI business long enough that I can afford it!”  Mai said, stepping out of the elevator and walking down the hall a couple of doors until she reached her own room.  She unlocked it and led Droite inside.  It was a fairly modest apartment, since Mai honestly didn't spend much time here.  Her closet was in her bedroom, which was predictably decorated in purple tones.  

“Alright honey, let's pick you a nice outfit!”  She said, opening it up and letting Droite have a look at her clothes.

Droite looked around, rather astounded with how nice the interior of the apartment looked, even despite its modesty. It wasn’t at all like her own home, but then again they couldn’t all live like her. Droite followed her into the purple tinted room, looking at the closet.

“It’s been so long since I’ve been clubbing… What even is natural anymore?” She muttered, looking for something her size.

“Tight fitting clothes for everyone, really.  That's basically most of what I have in here.”  Mai said, pulling out a couple of purple mini skirts to show Droite.

“These would look nice on you!”  

“They’re really short.” Droite said, as if she hadn’t seen short skirts in her police cases before, or hadn’t seen them on Mai. “… Are you sure they won’t look ridiculous?"

“Not at all!  You have amazing legs and they'll look great in either of these!  Oh and with this top, it'll look great too!”  Mai said, pulling out a crop top.  

“You can wear it with a nice jacket!”  She offered with a grin.

“… Alright. We need to catch Serena so we’d better just grab whatever and go.” Droite wasn’t sure about the clothes, but she took them up and she looked for somewhere to change.

“Alright go try them on.  Bathroom's down the hall there!”  Mai said, pointing outside the door and on the right.

Droite nodded and quickly hurried inside. She sighed as she closed and locked the door before she looked at the clothes in her arms. She gave a long sigh, shaking her head.

“How do I end up in these messes?” However, the woman did start to undress, pulling her toned body out of the usual police uniform and pulling on Mai’s clothes. It wasn’t too revealing, but it certainly didn’t cover as much as she would like. Still, Mai was right, purple was her colour.

The woman walked out, her toned body evident from the revealing clothes. She smiled at Mai a little shyly as she put her folded clothes on Mai’s dresser. “Well?"

Mai herself was re-arranging her closet and applying some makeup when Droite returned.  She stared with her eyes wide when she saw the woman, stunned by her beauty.  Her figure was just as toned as Mai's, if not more so, and the clothes Mai had picked on accentuated her body and showed it off to Mai more than she'd ever seen before.  She blushed, and then beamed.

“You look gorgeous honey!” She exclaimed, unable to resist bounding over and giving her a gentle smooch.  

“Feel free to help yourself to my makeup too!  We'll be heading out soon!”  Mai said happily.

Droite definitely was a little more toned, and her abs were more pronounced than Mai’s, but she wasn’t overly so. The woman blushed back as she felt Mai’s lips against her and she nodded.

“Right… What I have should be fine,” She had modest makeup on. “We should make a move."

Mai nodded, putting a few things into her clutch before smiling.  

“Let's head out then!  We don't wanna miss Serena!”  She said, heading out the door and leading the way back to the parking garage.

Droite grabbed her things and headed out after Mai. Her shoes didn’t match, but she figured the boots didn’t look too bad as she hustled after her partner. She let herself slip into the passenger seat. “What are her hours to work?"

“I don't know her exact hours, but I've heard she usually works the mid-evening shift, which is around now.  So the sooner we get there, the better our chances of running into her.”  Mai said, getting into the driver's seat and starting the car.  She pulled out and drove out of the parkade and towards the nightclub.

“The club she works at is called Academia.  Have you heard of it?”  

“I might have in passing, but no. I’ve never been called out to Academia… Our district might not be in that area.”

“It's not in your district no...it's known for being frequented by some scumbags, so they don't like the cops.  That's why the bouncers they hire are tough.  I've been there a couple times before...we should be fine since we blend in nicely.  We'll just have to find Serena and get her to talk to us.”  Mai said.

“Alright… I’ll put my trust in you,” Droite said, looking outside to the more unfamiliar parts of the city.

Mai smiled, gently reaching over and squeezing Droite's hand as she drove.

“We'll be alright, sweetie.  Serena's not particularly hard to get ahold of once you find her.  I don't think she'll fight too much...she's not a Roger fan after all.”  Mai said.

Droite squeezed it back.

“Yeah… what’s she like? Give me a run down. What am I expecting?"

“She's very pretty, and relatively short, actually.  She's a no-nonsense kinda girl who has no time to fool around.  She takes her job very seriously and doesn't let others tell her what to do.”  Mai said with a fond smile.

“She's also fiercely independent, but is not above working with others to accomplish common goals.  So if we make it clear we're on her side about Roger, she'll hopefully tell us what we need to know.”

“Sounds like my kind of girl,” Droite said, nodding. She listened to Mai’s description to her and raised her eyebrow. “So you have a lot of respect for her. Did you work closely last time you saw one another?”

Mai nodded.

"You bet she is!" She said with a smile.

"I've worked with her a little in the past, cause she does enjoy taking down scumbags."

“She sounds like something.” Droite said. She glanced out the window, noticing Mai was slowing down. They were coming to the nightclub it seemed, and there was already a considerable amount of people outside, waiting to get in and having their ID checked.

“This the place?"

“Oh she's something alright.”  Mai agreed.  

“That's right!  Let's head inside~”  Mai said, parking the car down the street and getting out with a grin.  She playfully linked arms with Droite like they were just two young women who wanted to have a fun night of clubbing.

Droite looked at Mai and sighed before she took her arm. “I thought I told you I don’t mix work and my personal life,” She said, looking up at her partner.

“I heard you!  But we're trying not to draw attention to ourselves here, so that means we've gotta act like we're not working!”  Mai said with a wink.  She led her into the line, which was thankfully moving quickly into the club.  She pulled out a small picture of Serena from her clutch and discreetly showed it to Droite.

“That's who we're looking for.  Keep an eye out when we get in, alright?”  

Droite smirked and shook her head. She knew Mai knew she was just teasing her, so she wasn’t actually mad. She had gotten used to the blonde’s antics now. She looked at the picture, seeing a young woman with blue hair, dressed in biker leather. She nodded to Mai before she looked away, looking at the bouncers into the nightclub. She obviously wasn’t there… probably inside keeping an eye on things.

They showed their ID and headed into the Cat Dancer, where there was quite a crowd, drinking and some dancing. Droite looked around the unfamiliar terrain, searching the edge of the crowd and the walls for the woman.

“How long do we have do you think to find her?"

“We should find her as soon as possible...”  Mai said, keeping an eye out.  She could see tons of people around, but none stood out as Serena.

“Let's keep moving.”  Mai said, weaving her way through the crowd as she kept an eye out for Serena.

Droite nodded and continued walking along. For most part they were ignored, just faces in the crowd, how Droite liked it. The women scanned the room for a good few minutes but there was no sign of Serena at all. The police officer was wondering if Serena was even here before she heard loud yelling.

“Say that to me again, bastard!” Droite turned and her eyes widened, seeing two burly men yelling at each other, even above the loud dance music. All of a sudden, one threw a punch at the other, and before anyone knew it, the two men were brawling. Her instincts kicks in and Droite pulled her arm away from Mai, heading to the scene.

However, the woman only covered half the distance before a small blue and red blur arrived on the scene. Despite being half the size of the men there, she grabbed their arms and pulled them apart. “Oy! Oy! Stop  it now or I’m kicking you out!”

Mai glanced over when she heard the noise and felt Droite releasing her arm.  

“Droite!”  She called, following the woman towards the source of the brawl.  These two men looked tough...she hoped Droite remembered she wasn't an officer right now and didn't do anything rash!  

“Whatchu lookin' at girlie?  Back off!”  One of the burly men exclaimed at the young woman who had grabbed him, swinging a fist towards her.  

Droite was still moving past the people backing away from the group when she saw it was indeed Serena dealing with the situation. The guard didn’t even blink as she dodged the punch and grabbed the man’s sleeve and the back of his jacket, moving behind him.

“Sir, you’re going to have to leave or I’m calling the cops.” Serena clearly was doing her best to hold back and not beat the daylights out of this guy. She was trying to lay low, and that meant not getting into a lawsuit. She pushed him in the direction of the door before she glanced at the other man. “Are you gonna cause trouble too?”

Mai followed Droite as best she could, catching up once the other stopped.  She spotted Serena and grinned.

“You found her!  Great!”  Mai mused.  The other man was sober enough to realize that this woman wasn't to be messed with.  He quickly headed in the direction of the door with the other man, who was nursing a wounded pride if anything.  He'd been incapacitated by a woman less than half his size and weight.  

“Hey, Serena!”  Mai called, bounding forward and giving her a friendly hug.

“You remember me don't you?  Kujaku Mai?”  

Serena gave a sigh of relief. She was glad that she had gotten out of that situation without injuring someone, and was thankful that neither of those two were drunk to try fight her. She had no doubt she could have taken them, but it still would have been messy. The woman turned around to ask how the incident had started when suddenly she felt Mai’s arms around her. Startled, Serena did the only thing she could do and slam her elbow into Mai’s stomach before kicking her hard enough to fling her into the wall. “Mai!” Droite yelled, hurrying to her. “Shit… are you alright?" “… oops.” Serena groaned.

Mai had been mostly expecting to be hit, crying out when her stomach was elbowed and groaning as she was thrown into the wall.  She was a little disoriented, but thankfully, she wasn't injured.  She'd have some nasty bruises tomorrow though.  

“I'm alright honey...gosh, you sure know how to greet a girl, don't you Serena!”  Mai mused, accepting Droite's help to get back up.  

Some people were looking on, worried, and the bartender looked entirely disappointed in Serena but when they saw Mai laughing and more or lesson a good mood, they went back to their own nights. Droite helped Mai over and looked her over, making sure she didn’t have a concussion of some kind.

“Sorry… I didn’t expect you.” Serena crossed her arms. “What are you doing here, Mai? I haven’t seen you in ages. How’s Jou? And who’s the lady?”

“Well I figured that much!”  Mai laughed, letting Droite gently check her over.  She was pretty sure she was okay, though.  She smiled.

“Jou's his usual self...a complete bone head.”  Mai said, rolling her eyes good naturedly.  

“This is my partner Droite.  She's an officer of the law, and she accompanied me cause we think you can help us with one of her cases.  Is there somewhere we can go talk privately?”  Mai said with a smile.

Serena gave a loud snort at the mention of the old blonde and she nodded. She raised an eyebrow though at the mention that there was a cop there.

“Oh…” She shrugged. “Huh… you got yourself a girlfriend? Nice.” Droite’s cheeks tinted pink and she nodded. Serena gave a wry smirk before glancing up at Mai. “Well you could wait for after my shift, like a normal person, but there are booths in the corner. We can sit in one. Have someone on guard and then no one will hear us. Honestly it’s pretty hard to eavesdrop in this place, and eavesdropping on me is pretty had.”

"You bet I did!" Mai mused, slinging an arm around Droite's waist casually.

"We're kinda in a rush, so if possible we'll take a booth. Lead the way!" Mai said with a smile.

Serena rolled her eyes. However, feeling like she owed Mai for beating her up, she led the women to the booth. She let them both slide in on one side before she popped in another.

“So what do you girls want?"

"We know you've been approached by Mitchel Roger. We need to know anything you know about his operations...especially with any underground assassins." Droite said as they sat across from Serena.

Serena’s light smirk immediately dropped at the mention of Roger. She crossed her arms, gritting her teeth. “That bastard… What’s happened now?”

"Well I think he's sent Sergey Volkov after Mutou Yuugi...remember him, the Shadow Gamer? Neither of them are saying who hired them though..." Mai said with a frown.

"To your knowledge, has Roger maintained contact with Volkov? Or Mutou even?" Droite asked.

“Sergey? Of course he has, Rat bastard. I don’t think you could sign Srgey off of Roger.” Serena said. Droite raised her eyebrow and Serena sighed, taking her cue. “I mean… I don’t know that for certain right now, but last I checked, they were still attached by the hip. Any bullshit that has Roger letting go of Sergey is a lie, I’ll tell you that right now.”

"Is there a way to prove that connection?" Droite asked. Mai nodded.

"Well need relatively hard evidence to help convict Roger."

“Well… fill me in a bit more. What’s Sergey done this time?” She asked.

“That’s… classified.” Droite frowned.

“Oh come on. Just tell me where and who. I don’t need details, and you won’t get in trouble. I just need a bit more."

Mai glanced at Droite.

"It's alright, hon. Serena knows the victim..." she said to her before turning back to Serena

"The Shadow Gamer was attacked...remember him? He used to come down here all the time to play games." Mai said.

"He was locked up in the Heartland Correctional Facility but somehow Sergey got to him in there. Any idea how?"

“Oh, him? Goddamn… really? Man, I haven’t seen him in a while. I used to do drinking games with him when I was off duty,” Serena shook her head. However, she drummed her fingers pensively before she snapped them. “… But you might be in luck. I got a lead. Nothing concrete, but it’s something. You want a guy called Armstrong. Armstrong Takasu. A rat bastard for sure. He’s got known links to Roger and he’s still part of his security. I’m fairly sure he was hired through Sector Security to the Correctional Facility after the Vector incident. See if he helped to get Sergey past security. Then try use him to get to Roger. Then bamn you get your match.”

Mai nodded.

"I'm sure that was a blast!" She mused. Droite listened more closely to the second part, frowning.

"Takasu Armstrong huh...alright. We'll definitely look into it." Droite said. But she had another question as well.

"Since you seem to know Mutou a little...can you tell us who his known associations are? We're still trying to figure out who hired him to kill CEOs....was it Roger?"

“Mutou? Well… Heh, why not? I’ve stopped caring about enemies a long time ago, since I’m gonna be attacked inevitably.” Serena stretched.

“Roger wouldn’t have done it. Roger has a whole plethora of goons to do his work, high security guys and trained fighters. He wouldn’t need Mutou, even if he didn’t want it traced back to him.

Serena snapped her fingers. “I know he was on speaking terms with Kaiba and Pegasus at one stage, but I dunno how that is. He’s got links with Macfield the drug dealer, and I know that guy hates big corporations… I’m sure there’s lots more though.”

"Kaiba and Pegasus huh...how long has he been in touch with them? Do you think they broke him out of jail? Mutou hinted to us that the one who hired him also got him out." Droite asked.

"And he did tell us about Macfield...any idea where to find him?"

“I dunno. You should ask him. A year? Maybe two? It’s been ages since I’ve seen Yami. I dunno.” Serena waved her hands dismissively.

“Hmm… Well… Try a guy called the Dark Duelist. His job is to hide fugitives and break them out of jail. He runs a business entirely on that. I don’t know the details but I’m fairly sure if you need to find someone, it’s through him. Though good luck finding him."

"Hmm...Well he has been out of jail for that long...it's possible it was one of them who paid this Dark Duelist to bust him out." Mai mused. She nodded.

"....Well certainly try our best to find him...do you know how people looking to hire him get in touch?"

“Oh yeah. Yubel. You cops should know them. Most informative and unkillable hag in the whole world. Seriously. I love them with all my heart. There’s nothing in this damn town that doesn’t go by Yubel. Pay them nicely and they’ll eat out of the palm of your hand.”

"Oh yeah...the bartender.  Mutou said to talk to her about possible leads to Roger too...she just doesn't like talking to cops."  Mai mused softly.  Droite nodded.  They may not have a choice...

"So...this Dark Duelist...does he give homes to those he breaks out?"  Droite asked, just to clarify.  If that was indeed the case, there was no way Mutou couldn't have known him personally.  And it would also mean finding the Dark Duelist would lead to potentially finding out more about Mutou.  If he'd had a hidden home somewhere, he had probably stashed some important things there, like his blood money for instance, and any potential connections to his employer.

“I’m not surprised. Yubel is a literal living treasure. People try to kill them all the time because they now too much. But they’re a wiley one. Maybe Mai should go by herself. You’d have better luck.” Serena pointed out.

“Yeah, from what I know. That’s what he does. Gets them settled before he gets them sorted. New names and identities. He’s good at what he does and he’ll be on his guard.” Serena said.

"I'll definitely stop by soon."  Mai said with a smile.  She and Yubel did know each other, so it would probably go fine.  

"Hmm...good to know."  Droite said, thinking that now they had proof that Yami had lied to them about some things.  

"Anything else you wanna share?"

“There’s a charity run that DOMA is running in the city next week. You should show up, Mai. Raise some money for a good cause. I’ll be there.” Serena shrugged. “I’ll see you guys later. I’m heading back to work. Good luck.”

“Thank you, Serena. Goodbye.” Droite said,

"Absolutely honey.  I always participate in those sorts of events!"  Mai said with a smile, giving Serena a thumbs up.  She let Serena head out of the booth before turning to Droite.

"Looks like we have some work to do....talk to Yubel...find the connection with Armstrong and Roger...and talk to Mutou again.  If what Serena said was true, he's been lying to us a little."  Mai said, frowning at the last part.  It was unusual for Yami to lie during a game...he must truly be fearful for his own life.  Given the attack, it made sense...but still.  They had to convince him to tell the truth somehow...

“Yeah… looks like it.” Droite said, remaining in the booth even after the woman walked away. “… There’s a lot to do. I’ll call Ukyou and see what we can get started. We should head back to the station and get to it.”

"Alright sounds like a plan!  But first we should stop by my place again so you can change back into your uniform."  Mai said with a wink and smile.

“Eager to get me out of my clothes, huh?” Droite said, raising an eyebrow. “You know we can’t… not while we’re working together."

Mai chuckled.

"I know hon, I know.  I'm just teasing.  But...I am also serious about you needing your uniform again.  I don't think Ukyou would want you working dressed like this."

“Yeah… I’m teasing too. Let’s go. I feel weird like this.” She felt embarrassed that Mai could see all her curves and angles in this outfit. She headed out, her cheeks pink.

"Awww...but you look so cute in my clothes!  We've gotta go out sometime for real to a place like this!  It'll be fun!"  Mai said, following Droite out and getting into the car.

Droite smiled. “You wish… The club isn’t really my scene."

"Well we don't have to go to a club, hon!  We can dress up for other things, you know!"  Mai said with a smile, pulling away from the club and driving back towards her apartment.

“Dress up like this? Like where?” She asked, walking on.

"Well, we'll think of a nice place to go out if you want...but even hanging around at my house trying on clothes would be fun, wouldn't it?"  Mai asked with a chuckle.

“… That… doesn’t sound so bad,” She smiled. “I’d like that…”

Mai beamed.

"Great!  Then let's get this case wrapped up so we can make it happen!"  She said, hooking arms with Droite again happily.

Droite smiled. She got into the seat before she pulled out her phone. After she got changed and back to the station, they had a lot of work to do, but they would catch the killer.

-x-

As the police station got to work on tracking down Serena's leads, Mutou was trying to deal with his first couple of weeks in hospital.  He'd had the surgery with Raphael paying for it earlier that week, but his leg was still in a cast and needed to heal before he could begin physiotherapy work to strengthen the repaired muscles and even try walking.  He was still basically bed-ridden, with the only times he was allowed to leave being to go the bathroom, or bathing.  Both Yuugi and Yami were spending most of their time asleep, drugged up on morphine for pain relief, or bored out of their minds.  

Raphael was a frequent visitor, thankfully, but Yuugi felt increasingly guilty for taking up so much of his time and money.  He knew Raphael was the head of his company and as such he had a lot of work to do...it wasn't fair of Yuugi to take up so much of his time.  But, at the same time, he selfishly wanted to spend time with Raphael...he loved playing games with him.  They were the highlights of his otherwise bleak days in hospital.

Yami also had to admit he enjoyed Raphael being there, mostly because it was a distraction from his other worries.  The longer he was unable to move, the more anxious he became.  He had practice getting into a wheelchair to move between the bed and the washroom, but he had to be assisted each time and it was pretty painful to move...the damage to his body was extensive after all.  He couldn't do anything on his own, and he wasn't used to that at all.  If something happened, he wouldn't be able to protect himself or Yuugi.  He wasn't getting better quick enough.

That morning, Yami had woken up to the familar sound of keys clacking softly as Raphael typed on his laptop next to him.  Yami recalled that Yuugi had insisted Raphael not lose work time on their behalf, and Yami agreed, so it wasn't uncommon for Raphael to bring his work to the room while he slept.  Yami didn't want to disturb him...but he was so bored.  There was nothing to do but stare at random objects, and with a neckbrace, he didn't even have the ability to turn his head and stare at things, so there was really only so much to look at.  Yami tried his best to look at what Raphael was typing, curious what he was working on.  It was difficult to read from a distance but it looked like plans for some sort of event coming up for his company, perhaps...or maybe one of his orphanages?   Yami couldn't tell from where he was.  He tried to shift his body a little closer, carefully so he wouldn't hurt himself, wanting a closer look at what Raphael was doing.

Raphael worked hard. It honestly was a miracle he was functioning, given the amount of sleep he had in comparison to the work he did and the amount of time and effort he put into everything. Yet somehow, like a superhuman, the large man was able to balance his life and schedule while still making time to visit Yami and Yuugi. He had to make some compromises, but he did think it was worth it. It was all worth the effort, really.

The man was waiting for Yuugi to wake up, looking over some last minute details for the citywide run. However, his mind was a little distracted, mostly because of what had happened recently. Mutou had been attacked, and he was well aware that he could be the next target. In another tab at the top of his browser was a list of the extra security measures he had been taking, but it didn’t seem enough. Even with his own private guards stationed in front of the hospital room, and men following him around the clock, he didn’t feel safe. There had to be a way to shake off the feeling that he was being stalked…

“Ah… Are you awake?” The man asked, looking over at Mutou on the bed. He wasn’t sure who it was just yet. “How are you feeling?” He noticed the man trying to look at he switched it back to the details of his run before tilting it to better show Yami.

Yami had noticed the security by the door.  He could hear them checking the identities of anyone new who tried to enter the room.  It did a little to reassure him, but not much.  He doubted either of those guards would fare well against a professional assassin on Sergey's level.  That man was a monster...just thinking about it made him shiver a little.  

"Yeah...I'm okay, I guess...just bored..."  Yami said, feeling a little weary of being caught peeking on something that he might not have been allowed to see, but then Raphael turned the screen towards him.

"...'Charity Run'?  Wow..."  He said, noting that it was a 5km run and frowning a little.

"...That's a long run...I'd rather do charity games or something..."  He mused.  He wasn't a huge fan of running for no reason, even for charity.  He'd rather just make a donation and leave it at that.  It was an easier and more efficient means of accomplishing the same thing.

“Some people find it fun. It’s a way to promote exercise and go meet other people, while bringing awareness to people who aren’t participating as well. It’s a good way to get the city involved too, rather than try host an event in a single place,” Raphael explained. “You don’t have to run the whole way, you can walk too. There’s also a 2km run for people who don’t want to do the five.”

Yami hmmed in agreement.  He supposed Raphael was right about that...there was no rule that said you had to run the whole way.  And of course, hosting an event of any sort would draw more attention than simple donations.  Yami listened, glancing over at his casted right leg with a small frown.

"...Yeah...I guess 2km is more manageable..."  He said softly, though he couldn't help but thinking if he'd be able to do it.  Of course, he wasn't thinking of participating in the run itself but just...walking in general...would he ever be able to walk at all?  Walking 2km wasn't really hard...but would it be for him after he got his cast off?  He sighed, letting his head sink back into the pillow sadly.  This really wasn't helping...

"...Do you...participate in it?  Is it a yearly thing?"  He asked, trying to think about something else than his own injuries.

“It’s a yearly thing but we only stared recently. A couple of years back. I like participating in it as well. Let’s me get involved with the public. I like that sort of thing.” Raphael said. He did notice the forlorn look on Yami’s face and he petted his shoulder.

“The chances are that you’ll be able to walk again. One of these days, in the future maybe, I hope you can see it. It’s a lot of fun. At the end we get the local businesses to set up shop and we more or less have a festival for runners and families to enjoy after it's all done."

Yami felt the hand on his shoulder and didn't shrug it away like he used to.  Part of him considered that a bad thing.  He shouldn't be trusting Raphael like this...but he supposed he had no choice.  Plus, Raphael had only ever been nice to him and Yuugi.

"You do seem...like a people person...and you're in shape.  You could probably...run the whole thing...in record time..."  Yami mused.  He snorted a little.

"You know I won't be able to."  Yami said, knowing as well as Raphael did that he and Yuugi were going to be incarcerated in some way for life for his crimes.

"...But a festival sounds fun...would it have games?"  He asked, automatically happier when thinking of playing small-scale carnival or festival type games.

Raphael snorted. “I like doing weights and working out. It’s usually how I relax when I don’t have friends to play games with. I just put the TV on and then just go at it or run outside.”

He sighed quietly. He knew that, but he wanted to be hopeful. He wanted Yuugi to see what he had missed and Yami to have fun.

“Of course it would. All kinds of games. Some of them luck, some of them needing a good eye.”

Yami was reminded of Koutei as Raphael said that.  Working out or doing weights was definitely Koutei's means of relaxing and having fun.  Yami was surprised to find that he missed it, as well as the man himself.  All the working out he'd been doing in the Correctional Facility, although he wasn't particularly good at it, had already affected his body.  He felt like he was itching to move, but he couldn't.

"...I kinda do that too...I used to...go to the gym occasionally."  Yami confessed.  Really, he'd always invested a few of his meager funds into a gym membership because they had relatively clean showers and lockers you could rent where some of his less valuable stuff would be safe.  He'd done a few workout programs mostly just to convince the staff he actually came to workout, not just to use their showers or lockers.  Yami smiled as he thought of carnival games, more eager to latch onto that than the sad feeling that he wouldn't be able to play them.

"I'm pretty good at both...I have the Devil's Luck...the kind that makes you win either by a landslide, or narrowly...and often with consequences..."  Yami noted, his eyes drifting to his leg again.  He had the Devil's Luck with life too...he survived everything, but it was always by a hair's breadth, and this time, with lasting consequences.

“I know. We share that luck, don’t we?” Raphael knew that too well. Although he had nothing but good luck lately, he knew that it was only a matter of time before the stakes got higher and his escape or lack of came narrowly.

"...Yeah..."  Yami said softly.  He remembered Raphael telling him that he had the Devil's Luck with games.  Yami had to admit Raphael was a good gamer.  He and Yuugi had both struggled to beat him and had even lost to him a couple times in this hospital bed.  

"...I hope it doesn't run out...for either of us."  He added, feeling Yuugi stir with his worry.  He groaned, placing a hand to his head.  He was thinking of too much deep shit today...it was going to trigger a switch soon.

"...Can I...have some water?"  Yami asked softly.

Raphael smiled. He leaned over to the side table and poured the man a glass of water. Sliding over the table over the bed, he handed it to Yami.

“Here…"

Yami was still nursing a pulsing headache: Yuugi was stirring and was equally as bored as him.  Yami accepted the cup and took a sip with a small sigh.

"Thank you...."  He said softly, before groaning again as Yuugi stirred some more before emerging from their shared mind.  He blinked for a moment, before seeing Raphael and smiling at him.

"...Morning...what did I miss?"  He asked.  He was getting more aware of the switches, able to tell when Yami had been awake for awhile, even though he wasn't always able to know what happened.  He'd been able to tell that Yami had been worried and a little saddened, even though he knew Raphael had been working to cheer him up.

Raphael was getting better at calling the switches and figuring out who was who. Yuugi was a lot more open than Yami was, and his smiles were quite different to Yami’s. The blonde man smiled back at Yuugi and showed the webpage he had just shown the other.

“I was explaining to Yami what I was doing. I’ve been just finalising details for a charity run DOMA is doing,” Raphael said. “How are you feeling, Yuugi?”

"Oh a charity run...that sounds interesting.  I don't know if I could participate in that though...I'm not a good runner..."  Yuugi said a little sheepishly.  He smiled.

"...I'm alright...but I'm a little tired of sitting here and doing nothing..."  Yuugi said with a sigh.

“Yeah, Yami and I were talking about that too.” He could only imagine how they felt about their legs, honestly. Raphael’s smile faded and he looked at Yuugi. He closed his laptop.

“Mmm… Unfortunately I’m not allowed to give you my laptop. Otherwise I would.” It was for security reasons, really. Raphael had to already get through some serious legal loops so he could have his laptop here with Mutou in the first place. “… It’ll be a while longer before you can do anything but heal. You’re still not in a great position, even though you’re back and talking fine.” Although…. that gave him an idea. He knew that out of the two of them, he could trust Yuugi with a phone call. If there were repercussions, he’d deal with those later.

“I can probably allow you a phone call though. It’s been a while since you talked to anyone besides me Maybe that’s what you need.”

Yuugi was trying not to think about the leg much.  He knew as Yami did that it was going to be hard times ahead for him with it.  He sighed.

"I know...I don't wanna get you in trouble."  Yuugi said softly, before looking up in surprise when Raphael offered him his phone.  

"A phone call...I could talk to Koutei!  Is that really okay?"  Yuugi asked, hopeful and happy to hear he could do that, before his face fell a little.

"...I don't know the Correctional Facility phone number...or if Koutei's even allowed to talk to me..."  He had never received a phone call and he knew Koutei hadn't either.

Raphael nodded. “I think that should be fine. Actually, if it’s just to the Correctional Facility, that’s probably less likely to get us in trouble.” He smiled. “I can look that up… I’ll ask for Doctor Arclight and see if he can patch us through. If anyone can get us in contact with Koutei, it’s him.”

The man pulled his mobile phone out and looked up the number of the Correctional Facility.

“Heartland Correctional Facility, how may I help you?”

“Hello, I was hoping to speak to Doctor Arclight. My name is Kawahara Raphael, and I needed to have a word with him regarding one of his patients. He should know me.”

“One moment sir. Please hold."

Yuugi beamed up at Raphael.

"That would be great!  I really miss talking to him...I hope he's not too lonely without me."  Yuugi said, knowing that Koutei had very few friends.  He waited as patiently as he could for Raphael to get permission.

"Dr. Arclight speaking, how may I help you?"  Miheal asked once the secretary patched the phone call to him.

“Hello Doctor Arclight, it’s Kawahara Raphael. I wanted to ask you something quickly about Mutou Yuugi. I have him here with me, and he wanted to speak to Koutei, one of his friends there at the facility over the phone. Is that possible?” The man asked.

"Ah Kawahara-sama, nice to hear from you."  Miheal said with a smile, listening to his request.

"Hmm...I suppose that's alright.  Let me patch your call into one of the phone booths for the inmates, and get the guards to fetch Koutei.  Hold on for a few minutes."  Miheal said, putting Raphael on hold and calling the guards to fetch Koutei.

“Ah, excellent. Thank you very much.” The man pulled the phone away from his ear and he nodded to Yuugi. “He’s getting him now. I’m not sure if you need clearance or not in general, but you’ve been approved anyway. Just wait for a few minutes and Koutei should be on next,” He said, handing the phone over to Yuugi.

Yuugi beamed even wider when Raphael told him the news.  He was so excited to talk to him!

"Alright great!  Thank you so much Raphael!"  Yuugi said, accepting the phone and putting it to his ear to wait for Koutei to pick up.

It took a while to get Koutei organised, but after a few minutes there was a click. The waiting music ended and there was a light cough.

“Hello?” Koutei asked. He wasn’t sure who would be calling him, but then he remembered Alit said he would touch bases. Maybe it was him? “Who is this? Alit?"

Yuugi waited patiently.  He knew first hand how hard it could be to round up prisoners and move them around, and he would wait for Koutei no matter what.  He smiled as he heard Koutei's voice on the phone.  

"Hi Koutei....it's Yuugi, actually."  Yuugi said, wondering who this "Alit" person was.

Koutei nearly dropped the phone, hearing the familiar voice. He was silent for a moment, before he found tears dripping from his eyes. There was a small, choked sob before he balled his fists.

“Y-Yuugi? Oh my god… You’re alive. You’re alive. Are you okay? Where are you? Still in hospital? Are you okay? It’s so good to hear you again!” He exclaimed, speaking quickly, not quite able to steady himself or knock the smile off his own face.

Yuugi smiled, feeling really touched that Koutei was so worried about him.  He could hear the emotion in his voice and the concerned rambling was reassuring.  He was a true friend.  

"...Yeah...I'm okay for now...still in hospital though."  Yuugi said.

"...Are you okay though?  Yami thought you got hurt fighting that guy..."

“That’s good to hear… In hospital still though…” Koutei knew it still was bad, but he was glad that Yuugi was conscious again. He had been so worried it was insane. Koutei unclenched his white knuckles and smiled. “I did… but it wasn’t too bad. Mostly bumps and bruises and small cuts. That’s all. I’ll live. I’ve been more thinking about you.”

"...Yeah...it's really boring...I can't move much..."  Yuugi said with a sigh.

"But, I do have Raphael to keep me company"  He added, smiling at the blonde man next to him.  He was truly thankful for the busy man making time to see him.

"...That's good...I'm glad you're doing okay then.  Yami and I were thinking about you too."

“Ah… That sounds awful. But it’s good someone is there for you.” Koutei smiled. From the sidelines, Raphael gave Yuugi a thumbs up and then went back to his work, figuring Yuugi would be alright on he phone anyway.

“Yeah… I was thinking a lot about the things you said to me…” Koutei paused. “Hey Yuugi. I’m not sure if it was you or Yami… but when you… In the bathroom… you said you guys wanted to apologise to me for something. And I can’t figure out for the life of me what that was all about. Do you know?"

"Mmhmm...it's not as bad as it could be thanks to him."  Yuugi said, returning the small thumbs up before leaving Raphael alone to work.  He knew the man had tons to do after all.  He listened with a frown as Koutei told him something he supposedly said.  He tried to recall saying something.

"...I'm sorry...I don't remember saying anything like that.  I don't even remember you being in the bathroom, to be honest...the only reason I knew you were there was because Yami was so worried that I saw a glimpse of you fighting.  So...maybe it was Yami who apologized."  Yuugi said, wondering why that had happened.  He couldn't think of anything he was sorry to Koutei about, and he couldnt' tell what Yami was feeling.  His other half wasn't giving him any hints, keeping his distance from him for some reason.

“Ah… I see.” Koutei frowned. “Well, I’ll ask him if he didn’t hear what I said when I hear from him next. I want to say it’s nothing, but it’s… one of the things that’s been bothering me…” Koutei sighed quietly.

Yuugi put on a somber face.  He wished he could give him some hints at least.

"...I'm sorry that it's bothering you...I'm sure it's nothing."  Yuugi said gently.

"Yami will probably clarify next time you talk to him...whether it's now, or when we get back to the Facility."

“Yeah… I know…” Koutei sighed. It was still bothering him. “… How long until you get back, man? I miss you. I’ve been getting harassed by Shinji and his friends and I just want my buddy back."

Yuugi sighed, glancing at his leg.

"...I don't know, Koutei...my...my leg is in a cast...I've had surgery...but...it needs to heal.  And even when it does...I need physiotherapy...if I'm ever going to walk again..."  Yuugi said, eyes watering a little just thinking about it.  He was so scared that he wouldn't be able to walk...

"...I'll try and get back as soon as I can...I feel bad leaving you alone with those guys..."  He said softly.

“Ah…” Koutei’s face fell as he heard that and he balled his fists again. “I’m… sorry to hear that, Yuugi. But I bet you’ll walk eventually… I mean… they’ve done amazing things in science, right? It’ll be okay…” He felt like crying for Yuugi too.

“… Don’t worry about me. Focus on healing, okay?” Koutei said gently.

"...yeah you're right...science is amazing, even if I haven't been up to date with its advancements..." Yuugi said with a sigh. He didn't wanna cry...Koutei was right. He needed to hope and be optimistic.

"Okay...you look after yourself too, okay? I'll see if I'm allowed to keep calling you...I'm borrowing Raphael's phone right now."

“I will… I’m looking after myself so you’ll have something half-decent to look back at.” Koutei smiled “I’m glad you can call me though. If you get the chance, call whenever you want. It’s great to hear from you."

Yuugi smiled.

"I'm glad...I'll try and do the same. I'm sure I don't look so great right now." Yuugi said with a small chuckle. He couldn't really bathe very well.

"I'll definitely try...though, I'm curious. You said 'Alit' when you picked up the phone...do you have another friend calling you too?" Yuugi asked, curiously.

“I’m sure you look hot as always,” Koutei said easily, not even realizing what he had said. He smiled, thinking of the younger man and chuckled.

“Yeah, I have a friend called Alit. He’s the only guy I know in Japan, really. He’s my best friend,” Koutei said, also as if he had never had the fight with Alit and only recently reconciled.

Yuugi blushed a little.

"...Hot? Me?" He murmured in surprise.

"Oh cool! I didn't know you had another friend...that's great. He can keep you company...he must be nice. How'd you meet?"

“Yeah… I met Alit when I was using the gym. Apparently, we were accidentally booked in for the same time to box, and instead of arguing over it, we just used the ring together. It was a weird coincidence, but it was really fun, and then we just became rivals and friends after that.” Koutei smiled, thinking of the brunette.

“A-ah!” Koutei blinked, only now realizing what he said. He gave a sheepish smile. “Of course. You’re really gorgeous, Yuugi. I’m sure everyone agrees with me.”

Yuugi smiled.

"Wow that is an interesting meeting! I'm glad it ended well for you." Yuugi said, recalling being beat up in similar situations.

"It's nice you two still keep in touch." He said, before blushing a little more.

"...wow...I...thank you...I don't know but...if you say so..." he said with a shy smile.

“Mmm…” Koutei was glad to have met Alit. He was happy to be in touch with him again. Even if he was in jail, even if he was suffering, now that Alit had made up with him, he felt like honestly he would do it all again for the man’s friendship. Besides, if all of this never happened, he would have never met Yuugi, and he was glad to have met him too.

“I mean it. Don’t forget it, okay? I like your smile the best of all, so keep that for me when you walk back in here okay?”

Yuugi listened and smiled, feeling very warm inside by that news. He could also feel Yami stirring at last, perhaps triggered by their conversation.

"...okay. That's really sweet of you to say...I'll try my best." Yuugi said. Nobody had really been that complimentary to him before. He could remember wanting a few girls in his class to say things like that to him...did that mean...Koutei was like he was? Yuugi blushed even more. What was he gonna do? Maybe he was misreading things...

"...you should...keep smiling too, okay? Cause I like it when you're happy too..." Yuugi said, feeling his head pulse even more when he spoke. He groaned a little.

“Hey… I’ll definitely smile when you get here, and I’ll try find ways to keep me up.” The man couldn’t figure out why he said that. Did he like Yuugi? Sure, his friend was sweet and really cute, but he hadn’t realized he liked the man that much. Koutei admittedly wasn’t sure himself whether he legitimately liked Yuugi romantically or not.

But if he was honest with himself, Mutou was hot.

“Are you okay? Are you switching?"

Yuugi smiled despite the pain.

"Yeah...that's good...We'll both...do that.." he mused, still groaning a little.

"Yeah..." Yuugi said, before the switch occurred, leaving Yami in an awkward position of being on the phone with a guy who might be developing a crush on them. He sighed once the pain died down, but didn't speak at first. What could he say? This situation was something he'd wanted to avoid, but Yuugi's confusion had been enough to draw him out.

“… You still there, Yami?” Koutei asked, hearing nothing but silence at first. “How are you feeling? You alright?"

Yami had been trying to think of what he might be able to do next. Should he pretend to be Yuugi and talk to Koutei or just admit it was him? All his plans went out the window when Koutei addressed him directly. He figured he had to answer now.

"...yeah, I'm here...sorry just switched..." he finally replied.

"...I guess I'm going okay...aside from being bored and concerned that an assassin might try again while I'm helpless and can't move..."

“Yeah, I figured so,” Koutei said, having gotten used to this as well as Raphael did. Raphael was looking at Yami, a little concerned that they had switched so soon after doing so before.

“Don’t you have more security than we do here? I’m sure they’re not going to try anything, at least not soon. The police haven’t said anything about the last guy who tried to get you on the news, so maybe another one won’t be sent just yet. You know what I’m saying?"

Yami had been a little surprised about it too, but he had been partially triggered by Yuugi's reaction to Koutei's words.  

"...Well, there are guards...but still...I don't think they'll fare very well against assassins of Sergey's calibre..."  Yami said softly.

“I’m sure it’ll be okay, okay? You shouldn’t worry about it. They’re doing everything they can to make sure you’re safe so you can come back here."

Yami sighed.

"...I'll try...Raphael's been telling me the same thing."  He said softly.  

"...I just hope I can move soon."

“You will.” Koutei racked his brains, trying to think of how to make it better. “Recovery is a slow process, but rather than just going for a goal and being better, break it up a little. Think of it as a game you need to complete in stages. Maybe that will help make it go faster for you."

Yami listened, a small smile coming to his face.  It was a little bit touching how well Koutei knew him to know what to say to motivate him.  But at the same time, it reminded him that he was probably now going to be on borrowed time with Koutei.  As soon as he was confronted with the reason for his apology, and Koutei found out the truth...their little friendship would be over, no matter how 'hot' Koutei found him.  His smile faltered a little, but he tried to keep it out of his voice.

"...Yeah...I suppose I could try that...I recently cleared the first stage, which was to get off supplementary oxygen.  That's a start...maybe this stupid neck brace can be next."  He mused.

“Heh, that’s a good goal. So don’t stretch so much and take it easy. Try move your whole body rather than just your head.” Koutei said, already hearing Yami was feeling a little better.

"I'll take it easy...don't have much of a choice."  He said with a smile.

"So, it's nice to hear you're talking to Alit again after so long.  That must have you feeling better, right?"  Yami mused, feeling relaxed and completely forgetting that Koutei had never mentioned Alit to him before today.  He wasn't supposed to know about their history.

“Huh?” Koutei was about to go on a long spell about how things were great again when that occurred to him. He had been just explaining Koutei to Yuugi for the first time just then, and he didn’t remember mentioning the name to him or Yami. “I mean… it has been but… Did I tell you about Alit?”

Yami's smile immediately fell as he realized his mistake.  Shit.  He couldn't take those words back...

"Um...yeah you mentioned him before to me, not Yuugi.  That's why he didn't remember...can't fault him for that!"  Yami said, technically telling the truth.  

"You weren't feeling that great though...I'm not surprised you don't remember.  You said that he hadn't come to visit since you got into the Correctional Facility...that's basically it.  The rest I just picked up from what you told Yuugi a few minutes ago."  Yami said it confidently, hoping that it would be enough for Koutei to accept his lies.

Koutei smiled and nodded. “Mm… It’s a start and that’s all I can ask for. I’m going to make sure I get better, and then I can make up for what I did.”

“That's fair...”  Yami said, hesitating before he decided to ask more.  It would probably be beneficial for him to know more about Alit and Koutei so that he wouldn't slip up again, even though he had an idea of what had happened from when he knew Koutei before.

“...What exactly happened between you two, if you don't mind me asking...”  Yami said.

“Ah… what happened between us?” Koutei frowned. “… Well… We used to be good friends years ago. Best friends. Alit was someone I considered my family, more than my real one. And… And I loved him so, so much.” Koutei’s voice dropped sadly. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like if he didn’t have feelings for Alit. How different his relationship would be? He didn’t regret anything, but he couldn’t help think ‘what if’? “… We kissed a few times, but ultimately, Alit told me he loved his fiancé… now his wife. So he started distancing me from him so he wouldn’t cheat but I wasn’t told that. After that was just… a bunch of circumstances. My dad died, my mum hauled back to Italy and she remarried, I was disowned from my family… all sorts of nonsense.”

“… After that I moved back to Japan. I… tried to stay away from Alit because I felt like I was relying too much on him, I guess. I was a bother. So… Well after that I guess I started taking drugs, only I don’t remember that.”

Yami listened, surprised that Koutei was giving him more details now than he had before they'd gotten into the Correctional Facility.  He could feel his gut twist a little in guilt.  So he'd messed with that sort of relationship huh?  Koutei had been kicked enough and all he'd done was kick him some more...

"...I'm sorry..."  Yami said softly, apologizing vaguely enough that Koutei could interpret it as Yami's sympathy for his situation without realizing he was also apologizing again for his tiny role in it.

"I understand unrequited love is hard..."  Or really, Yuugi did, but that didn't matter.  "I'm glad Alit has decided to rekindle your friendship...you've been alone enough..."  Yami said, knowing that loneliness could drive people to do things they might not do otherwise.

“Well… it’s happened. There’s no point regretting the past.” He smiled gently and shook his head. “If I get out of here, I know I’ll find someone someday that will make me feel sparks again. But right now I am glad that Alit’s coming back into my life.” “And I haven’t been alone. Not completely. I’ve had you looking after me too, huh?” He grinned.

"....Yeah...I guess so..."  Yami said, frowning a little at the regretting the past statement.  He didn't regret most of what he had done...but he did regret what he'd done to Koutei.  And would Koutei regret meeting him if he told him the truth?

"...That's the spirit.  Anyone would be lucky to have you, Koutei.  You're a good man."  Yami said honestly.  His mind drifted over to what Koutei had told Yuugi for a second before shaking it out.  Sure, Koutei might find him 'hot' but he was clearly too good for him.  Yami didn't deserve him, and Yuugi wouldn't be interested.  Yuugi had liked girls in the past after all.

And then there was the end of his statement that made Yami feel even worse.  Sure, he'd been looking out for Koutei recently, but he hadn't initially.  He bit his lip, feeling guilty once more and hating that he couldn't really do anything about it.

"...Yeah.  You're not alone...Yuugi and I are here."  Yami said with a small smile.

“Heh, you’re not so bad yourself, Yami,” Koutei smiled, evidently glad to be talking to him. He was feeling a little more optimistic now, and even though he thought it would hurt sharing, he felt better getting a load off of his chest. It was freeing in a way, and he was thankful to Yami again for lightening the burden he was carrying.

“Thanks. And same here. We got each other’s backs, don’t we?"

Yami sighed softly when Koutei once more tried to insist he was a good person.

"You know my opinion on that..."  He said softly, recalling the other time when Koutei had told him he was a good guy.  He was just as undeserving now as he had been before, if not more so.  He smiled a little.

"...You certainly had my back in the washroom...thank you.  If you hadn't come in...I'd be dead."  Yami said honestly.  He may be undeserving, but he wasn't ungrateful.

“Yeah…” Koutei chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ll make a good guy out of you yet though. You’ll see”

“Hey… I’m glad I managed to be there. My only regret was not getting there sooner and checking up on you.” Maybe he could have saved Mutou’s legs…

Yami couldn't help but smile a bit more.  It was nice that he could make Koutei laugh a little.  He owed him laughs for sure.

"We'll see, I suppose...you'll have plenty of time to think of strategies to do that while I'm in hospital, I'm sure."  Yami teased.  

"You got there in time...that's what matters the most.  Yuugi and I will get to live because of you, no matter how we recover."  Yami said, sensing the guilt in Koutei's words and wanting to squash it.  Koutei should have no guilt when it came to him.

“I’ll have a whole regime to go with our workouts when you get back,” Koutei joked lightly. He was looking forward to seeing Mutou again. The more he talked, the more Koutei realised that he missed both of them.

“… Yeah… you’re right. I’m glad you’re alive. I’m not sure what I’d have done if you guys didn’t,” He muttered, sighing in relief.

Yami snorted.

"Sounds like I'll really have to work to keep up.  Workouts might be challenging after spending weeks in bed, but I'll do my best."  Yami mused with a smile.  He knew Yuugi had realized it, but Yami had to admit that he too missed Koutei.  It was nice to have a friend.  He was touched, feeling Yuugi stirring in response to the warm feelings he got when Koutei spoke.

"...I'm glad I lived too...I just wish I could be there for you.  Get Shinji off your back."

“That’s the spirit.” He smiled. “And don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of Shinji to deal with when you get back. After all, you’re the guy who is like at the centre of all his conspiracies. He’ll be happy to hear that you’re alive and well too.”

Yami sighed.

"Yeah...I have no doubt he'll try and make this whole thing about a conspiracy...which is ridiculous of course."  Yami mused.  He knew who had attacked him and why.  It wasn't the psychologists' fault, but he supposed Shinji wasn't totally off.  Someone had to have let Sergey into the Correctional Facility after all.

“Yeah, but at least it gives us something fun to think about. One day he’ll realise he’s being a bit dumb about the whole thing and I’ll laugh if he actually does apologise to Doctor Arclight.” Koutei mused.

"That would be interesting...it would also be funny to see how Dr. Arclight would react to that apology.  He'd probably be smug."  Yami mused with a chuckle.  Their psychologist was certainly an interesting guy.

“Probably,” Miheal was, but Koutei liked him. He was about to ask while Yami was in a good mood about the apology back in the bathroom when the guard motioned to him to hurry up. Koutei sighed. “Hey Yami, my time is up. I’ve got to go. All the best with your recovery, okay?"

Yami smiled, glad to be in a good mood for once.  

"Alright.  I'll talk to you again as soon as I can...see you."  Yami said, before hanging up.  He glanced over at Raphael, who was on the computer still.  He was smart enough to know not to try and use Raphael's phone for another call (not that he had anyone to call), because it could get him into trouble.  He put the phone on the table next to his water and leaned back into the pillow.  He had a lot to think about regarding him and Koutei.

“See you!” As soon as Koutei hung up, Raphael looked up from his laptop. He looked at Yami curiously, wondering why he had such a troubled expression on his face.

“… are you alright?”

Yami sighed as Raphael spoke.

"...Yeah. Just...thinking." He said. He wasn't about to tell Raphael about this issue...he'd probably tell the cops. He picked up the phone and held it out to him.

"Thanks for letting us use this."

Raphael took it and pocketed it in his top pocket. “No problem. We’ll see if we can get the police to approve using the hospital phone to call the Correctional Facility in the future. It might be easier,” he smiled.

“I’m glad you have a friend though."

"That sounds good..." Yami said, not wanting to tie up Raphael's phone in case he needed it for work or something. Yami gave a sad smile as the man spoke the last bit.

"...Yeah. I'm glad too...." he said honestly, but he also felt bad because he wondered how long this friendship would last.

“… You’ll survive to see him again, I promise,” Raphael said. He wasn’t sure what was wrong with Mutou, but he took a guess, figuring Yami was still paranoid about protecting the two of them. He wanted to help in whatever way he could.

Raphael had guessed wrong, but Yami wasn't about to correct him. It was better just to go with it in this case.

"...alright. Thanks." Yami said.

Raphael wanted to say something else, wanted to offer a proper solution when he heard footsteps. After a moment, the door opened and in walked Mai without the police. She smiled, seeing the two men and dropped a small plastic bag off on the table.

“You still like hamburgers, don’t you Mutou? I had that cut up for you so you can eat it with that terrible fashion accessory,” Mai joked. She walked around as Raphael got up. “Good to see you, Kawahara-san.”

“Hello Mai. Same to you. Are you visiting?”

“Detective work I’m afraid. You know the drill, Mutou.”

Yami's eyes widened as he saw Mai come in, smiling a little as he spotted the logo on the bag for a hamburger.

"I do, Mai. Thanks." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, I hope to get it off soon...why're you here alone Mai? I told you what I know already..." he asked her.

“Yeah… but I want the truth, Mutou. The whole truth.” Mai sat down, her expression going serious. “Kawahara-san? Do you mind if you step out for a bit? I’d like to talk to Mutou alone.”

“Ah… I suppose. Are you okay with that, Yami?”

Yami's expression went serious too.  This probably wasn't going to go very well.  He glanced at Raphael and considered his options.  In the past, Raphael had acted as a support for him against the cops...but, depending on what Mai asked, he supposed Raphael was better not hearing it.  He sighed.

"Yeah...that's okay.  You have work to do...I don't wanna hold you up."

“Alright… Let me know if you need anything. I’ll see you tomorrow, Yami. Bye Mai.”

“See you.” Mai waited for the man to exit the room before she looked at him. “So… The Dark Duelist, huh?"

“Bye Raphael.”  Yami said, watching him go before turning back to Mai.  He froze a little when Mai mentioned that name.  Yami knew he had not given that name out...so someone else must have told her about his connection to him.

“...I don't know why you're bringing that up.”  Yami said, looking at Mai.  He had a hunch that he knew why, but he wasn't about to go into things without being directly asked.  This was dangerous territory.

“I found Serena, you know.” Mai said, stretching. “She’s a lovely girl. Getting on well by herself. Strong as ever. She told me a whole bunch of things, you know. Some rather interesting things.” She mused quietly. “You say this is an anon job, but you knew the guy personally, didn’t you?"

“Oh did you...glad she's doing well.  I miss playing drinking games with her.”  Yami mused, before he sighed.

“...Maybe I did.  It didn't matter really...the Dark Duelist isn't who hired me to kill CEOs.”  Yami admitted.  He knew it hadn't been Yuuto.  Yuuto had no idea about his job after he'd been broken out.

“It does matter, which means you’ve been lying to me. And you know what that calls for, Yami. A game. A punishment game. Sounds like fun, hon?” Mai asked, a small smirk gracing her lips.

Yami leaned back into the pillow as best he could to get away from Mai when she smirked.

“Isn't a busted leg, multiple chest lacerations and a fractured larynx enough?”  He asked, not thinking that would deter Mai much, but it was worth a shot.

“Cute. But no.” Mai said. She leaned over to pinch Yami’s ear. “Guess the rules, Mutou."

“Ow!”  Yami exclaimed as Mai pinched his ear.

“...Why do you need to know about the Dark Duelist...I'm not lying.  That guy really isn't who hired me.”

“Because someone broke you out and paid him to get you out, and he would know who.” Mai said. “So I need you to talk, Mutou. Spill the details already."

Yami sighed.

"I kinda doubt he knew...or if he did, he probably doesn't care."  Yami mused.

"The Dark Duelist...he's not a bad guy. Sure, he busts prisoners out, but he does it usually to those who deserve a second chance.  And he uses his charges for a good cause...he has a brother who's mentally ill.  He spends every penny on getting the meds his brother needs."

“He doesn’t care, but we do. We need that information,” Mai insisted, frowning.

“… Huh. Wasn’t expecting that. And you’re one of the guys he thought deserved a second chance?"

"Well you'll have to find him then.  I'm not telling you where he is.  I'm not stupid enough to bite the hand that helped me."  Yami said stubbornly.

"...I guess.  I'm not sure...for me he could've done it for the money for his brother.  But really, he doesn't tell anyone why he helps them...it's more like he houses you, and tells you that this is your second chance.  He doesn't really help you stay on the right path though...there are some in his care that do fall back into crime, like I did.  But, there are also some who don't.  All he does it provide you with the tools to succeed...what you do with them is up to you."

“Yeah… I figured as much. You’re not that kind of person, unfortunately. Good for you, harder for me,” Mai said, looking at him, hands going back to her hips.

“Sounds like a sweet gig, if he wasn’t already breaking the law. Interesting. And you can’t tell me how he runs his business? Not even a contact?”

Yami hmmed in affirmation, since he couldn't nod in a neck brace.

"...he runs it alone, actually. Or mostly alone...his brother does help him a little, but the Dark Duelist is the one who does most of it. He owns a place and charges rent for the former inmates who stay there. That's all." Yami said. He knew it wouldn't be possible for the police to talk to every property owning person in Heartland to figure out who Yuuto was.

"...You're already looking for one of his associates, Dennis, but he doesn't know where Dark Duelist lives. He's pretty secretive on that. He just goes to him to get his brother's medication from time to time."

“Mmmm… former inmates? How many people is he housing? It sounds like a huge operation. Surely more than one man can handle. Are you sure?” The blonde asked, trying to pump Yami for more information.

“Oh, so more reason to hunt down Mr. Macfield. I see. Well it’s a start I guess.” Mai huffed.

"Hmm...when I was there, I think there were twelve other guys around. But, we tended not to talk too much to each other. It was kinda an every man for himself situation...the Dark Duelist kept the house pretty fight free. He's a strong guy who could lay down the law when he needed to, and everyone knew it." Yami said.

"Yeah...good luck with that. Dennis is really shifty. He's hard to pin down. And even if you do catch him, he may not say a word."

“Every time I think I understand your world, Yami, it just gets more intriguing. Sounds like a good landlord you have on your hands.” Then they’re looking for an apartment building or a large house, that narrowed the search down. The man wasn’t rich either, if he was putting all his money into medication.

“Well, I have ways for making men talk. Not to worry."

"Absolutely...easily the best one I've had in my life.  The Dark Duelist was tough but fair, and really isn't that harsh a guy."  Yami said with a small smile.  He rolled his eyes a little.

"Better pull out the ones you use on gay men...pretty sure Dennis and the Dark Duelist bat for my team.  Or should I say our team?"  Yami said casually with a smirk.

"...How're you doing with that cute cop of yours?  You've made your move, I assume, since my case is kinda over."

“I have one foot in your team. How could I settle for just one side when they can both be so good?” Mai teased. She was now more curious than every about Yami’s Dark Duelist and was more motivated to catch him now.

“Of course I have. We’re dating now. She’s so cute.” Mai smirked. “She’s younger than I thought, I found out. She acts so mature, you know. And she doesn’t have a cute baby face like you, Mutou."

"I never saw the appeal in women...but Yuugi did. Maybe we're also a 'one-step in the door' too if you count both of us..." Yami mused. He smirked as Mai talked about Droite.

"Hey you can't always judge a book by its cover...most people don't guess my age right. Maybe it's the 'baby face' I have." Yami said with a small pout at that description.

"Good for you, Mai...she seems like she's your type. And you both like purple at least."

Mai nodded. Fair was fair. It still was surprising that the two were so drastically different but Mai was getting more used to the idea.

“Of course. You still look like a kid. Why else did Raphael take you in? Orphan child. That’s hilarious.” Mai giggled, now able to be more open about it. She laughed loudly and grinned.

“Funny. I said the same thing too. It’ll be nice. She seems… I dunno. I may or may not settle down with her. Depends how things go."

Yami rolled his eyes at Mai's laughing, but chuckled a bit on his own.

"I suppose...baggy clothing helps too. My figure is a little too developed to be a child's. And it was two orphan children...one kid and one baby. Raphael couldn't resist that two for one deal." Yami teased. He smiled.

"That's great..you definitely deserve someone who makes you happy, Mai. Glad you found her."

“He’s a business man. Of course he knows how to make a good deal,” Mai mused. She flipped her hair back and smirked.

“I am too. She’s a great gal,” She smiled. “But hey, less about me. I’m interrogating you, short stuff."

"Of course.  That's the secret to success."  Yami mused.  He smiled at Mai's honestly happy expression, glad for his friend.  It quickly turned into a pout as Mai reminded him of the interrogation and also of his height.

"Conversations are more fun though..."  Yami mused.

“I know, I know. We seem to have too many of them every time we catch each other,” she laughed. She shook her head, as if disappointed, but the smile remained on her face.

“How long has it been since we’ve known each other Yami? It seems too long."

Yami chuckled.

"That is true..."  He mused.  He frowned as he thought back.  It had been awhile.

"...it's been awhile, hasn't it?  Several years right?  Gosh...we're getting old."  Yami said with a small sigh.

“We are. Like I’m going to hit my forties soon. Man… What a pain.” Mai laughed again, leaning close to pet Yami on the head as she always did.

"Forty?  Now who doesn't look their age?"  Yami teased, smiling as Mai leaned over him.  He wasn't afraid of her, letting her pet his head and sighing softly in content.  This was what he liked about Mai...she was tough on the outside, sure, but she was also sweet and kind deep down.  She was nicer than most cops he knew.  The hair petting was helping with his growing headache...Yuugi was being triggered possibly by all the fun he was having.  He seemed curious, wanting to know what was going on.  

"...Gosh I'm going to be thirty in five years too...yikes."  Yami said softly, groaning a little as his head pain spiked a little.  Yuugi seemed shocked at that news.  Yami was content to let Yuugi switch, but as he faded out, he realized something about their current position.  He had a pretty good view of Mai's chest from this angle...not that he cared, but Yuugi-

Yuugi blinked as he opened his eyes, feeling someone petting his hair.  He glanced up in confusion, spotting Mai, but then his eyes quickly zeroed in on her breasts and their current position.  His face flushed red in surprise and embarrassment.  Just what was Yami doing before this?  

"Um...M-Mai-san?"  He asked tentatively, still oddly transfixed on Mai's chest, even though he tried to keep telling himself that he really shouldn't be oogling her like this.

Mai smiled. “Moisturising properly helps, you know.” She smiled. She continued to pet his hair in an almost motherly fashion, getting swept up in the familiar feel. “I bet you’re going to look really young when you’re supposed to be old and greying, you know.”

She was about to make another comment when she felt Yami move. She looked down at Yuugi, seeing his innocent purple eyes and his red-hot cheeks. She would have laughed if she wasn’t so shocked, having never seen Yami so innocent in all her life.

However, she just smirked and petted Yuugi’s head. “Ahhh. So you’re Yuugi now, huh? Weird… My eyes are up here, hon.” She laughed, gently bopping him on the head. She leaned back. “You alright?"

Under ordinary circumstances, he might have turned his head away, but in a neck brace, that was impossible for Yuugi.  He could only lie there and be petted gently with his head and eyes locked in one direction.  Yuugi blinked and blushed even more when Mai called him out on it.  He finally could force his eyes away when she leaned back and bopped his head.

“R-right!  I-I'm sorry...I just...I blinked and...you were right there!”  Yuugi wished he could turn his head to look away or maybe bury himself in the sheets, but that stupid neck brace made both impossible.  

“...yeah...I'm okay...I just...sorry, you startled me a little...how long were you here?”  Yuugi said, forcing himself to calm a little as he spoke.

“I know right? I blinked and suddenly you were there, huh?” Mai laughed. She had long gotten used to men staring at her assets, but it was unusual that Yami was now suddenly looking at them, especially since Yami had never been to women, least of all her. It was weird, but very, very intriguing.

“A few minutes. I came here to get some work done, and I suppose I got what I needed from Yami. Not too long though.”

“...Yeah....I know it wasn't that way to you, of course, but that's...how it was for me...”  Yuugi said softly, still a little embarrassed.  

“Oh...okay....”  Yuugi said, though he was still a little confused as to why Mai had been so...intimate?  Wasn't she supposed to be a cop?  He had figured out that Mai and Yami used to know each other before, but not that they were this close.  

“...Um...did you and Yami date?”  He blurted out before he could stop himself.

Mai smirked. It was closer to that than Yuugi thought, really. She paused at the question before she snorted.

“Me and Yami? You wish. I’m way out of his league. Besides, he doesn’t like girls. We’re on opposite sides of the law, but we’re friends… sorta."

“Oh...okay...”  Yuugi said, before blinking a bit at the second part.

“Yami likes boys?”  He asked, surprised, before he remembered that shady lawyer hitting on him.  Well, that explained it a little.  But then he remembered what Koutei had said...he called him 'gorgeous'...and sure, he'd been talking to Yuugi, but maybe he'd meant Yami?  Of course, Yuugi thought.  That made perfect sense!  Yami was much cooler than him, and if anyone could make him look 'gorgeous', it was probably Yami's persona.  

“...So um...if you're friends with Yami...could you um...help me with a bit of advice?  It's kinda about him...”  Yuugi asked, wanting to get a second opinion on this.  What should he do?  Should he push Yami and Koutei together?  It didn't really matter to him...after all, he didn't remember much of what Yami did.  And maybe Koutei would help convince his other half not to turn back to crime?  

“Yami has like boys for as long as I’ve known him. When I first met him, his tongue was down another guy’s throat, but that’s a story for another day,” Mai mused. She raised her eyebrow and sat down. Now things were getting interesting.

“Advice? What about, hon?"

“Oh...”  Yuugi said, though he wasn't disgusted.  In fact, that confirmation made him feel even better.  It meant there was no doubt of Yami's preferences and that his plan would probably work.

“...Um...well, I made a friend in the Correctional Facility.  I think he might be getting a crush on Yami...so...what do I do?  I do like this guy too...I think he'd be good for Yami.  But, I'm not sure...how to make Yami see that?  How do I get them together?”

“A guy who has a crush on Yami? Oh that’s bad news. Well, Yami is bad news. I feel sorry for that boy,” Mai joked. However, her face made it clear she was taking the news seriously and she pondered.

“Hmmm… Well probably the first thing to do is ask the guy if he actually has a crush on Yami and actually wants to get with him. No point wasting your time with something you’re assuming. The second thing to do is make sure that the guy likes or will learn to like games. Otherwise I don’t think he stands a chance with your alter ego."

Yuugi smiled a little as Mai teased.

"I guess...Yami doesn't seem that bad to me now anyway..." he said, wishing he could shrug but that requires his neck.

"Well...I'm pretty sure....the guy thinks Yami is gorgeous. I heard him say it and everything. And he definitely likes games! He already plays them with Yami during workouts at the Correctional Facility!" Yuugi said.

“I think you two are more cute than gorgeous,” Mai mused. “But that’s good to hear. That means you have a good chance of hooking the two of you up. Next step is just to gently encourage them. I’d suggest a date, but I’m not sure what you guys are allowed to do. Though… just encourage them to do something they both enjoy together."

Yuugi blushed a little.

"I guess..." He'd never been called cute either, and it was nice that Mai thought that of him.

"I don't think they can date...but they can definitely do some fun activities together. Maybe one day when we're both out of the Facility they can do something!" Yuugi said, not realizing he had a life sentence.

Mai’s eyes widened. Yuugi had been in the Correctional Facility for months now, and he still didn’t know he had a life sentence? She fought the frown off her face and forced a smile, nodding. She wanted to tell the truth, but with Yuugi looking like that, she couldn’t bring herself to.

“I guess so. That makes sense. But focus on the immediate future. Get them in there before we go one step further."

Yuugi didn't know his sentence. He thought it was only to treat his illness. If he could control it, he could control Yami and there wouldn't be any problems.

"Yeah of course. Do you have any ideas of how to get them together? Should I try and...I don't know...send Yami encouraging vibes?"

“I dunno. I’ve never heard a case like this before, and it’s not like you can talk to him. Just try encourage them together, drop hints at the other guy, make him take the initiative to get Yami,” Mai suggested.

Yuugi smiled. “That's a good idea...thanks Mai-san.  I know it's hard...maybe one day I'll be able to talk to him.  We do kinda share a head, right?  I mean, I'm already seeing a few of his memories...that could be a way to communicate one day?”  Yuugi said, wanting to be optimistic.

“Yeah, hopefully. I bet soon talking to each other will be as natural as you and me. Just keep on recovering as you are,” She smiled, nodding to him, wanting to be optimistic as well.

“I hope so too.”  Yuugi said, sighing softly.  He was getting a headache, probably from all his switches.  

“...I also hope it stops hurting to switch...”  He mused softly.

“You should go have a nap. I got what I could out of Yami.” Mai smiled. “Thanks of being a help though,  Get some sleep. I should get going, but I’ll see you later… drop more hamburgers off or something.”

Yuugi smiled at Mai despite his head pains.

"Okay...thanks for the burgers and the advice, Mai-san." He said, closing his eyes and settling in for a nap.

She smiled. After waiting a moment, she headed out, getting her phone out and texting Droite what she had learned. The next step was to find Dennis. Find the ginger, find the Dark Duelist, find out who was sending out all the assassins.

“Never easy, huh?” She mused as she walked away.

-x-

As the police were beginning their investigation into Dennis and the Dark Duelist, said Dark Duelist was still bed-ridden at home.  Yuuto had been feeling like his worries were on overdrive lately.  He'd been having trouble staying asleep at night, plagued with nightmares of Sergey hunting him down to finish the job he'd started, even though he knew that Sergey had been arrested.  But, he knew that jails were easy to break out of once you knew how...if Sergey had contacts like Roger, he could manage it no problem.  So it was only a matter of time in Yuuto's mind.  

And if that wasn't bad enough, there was also Yuri to consider.  He'd made a move on Yuuya now, of all times, when Yuuto was unable to physically keep them apart.  The timing was too coincidental...Yuuto had a feeling the move was calculated and deliberate, and he needed to do some more investigation, but was unable to while he was stuck in bed with torn up legs.  Although he did trust Yuuya to wait for him, he was still worried.  Yuri was pretty good at convincing people to do things his way...who knew when he'd try something to convince Yuuya to leave the house?

To top it all off, Shun was leaving again when he felt he truly needed him the most.  Yes, Yuuto knew he had a job, and couldn't just abandon it or his sister, but the less he slept and the more he worried, the greater his emotional turmoil over Shun's departure became.  He couldn't let him leave.  Not now.  He needed him to stay and help him look after Yuuya, keep him away from Yuri and to keep Sergey away from both of them.  Shun was going after Roger, and there was no telling how long that would take.  If he left for years again...that wouldn't work.  

“...Shun, don't go...”  Yuuto said, on the morning Shun was supposed to be leaving.  His boyfriend was getting dressed, having just woken up and planning to get on the road as soon as possible.

It was so early that even the sun hadn’t risen, it was still dark out, but it wasn’t an unreasonable time. In Shun’s honest opinion, he had spent too long here and he needed to move if he wanted to get to Neo Domino and set up before dawn broke. However, Yuuto had been distracting him, and with Yuuto bedridden, Shun didn’t want to leave but knew he had to.

He was just pulling on his favourite jacket when he heard Yuuto’s weak, quiet voice. He was internally kicking himself, wishing he could stay a little longer to make sure Yuuto knew his nightmares weren’t real, but he had to get going. If he wanted to go catch Roger, he needed to make the appointment that Astral had set up for him.

“…You know I have to,” Shun eventually said after a long pause. “I’ll be back. I just need to deal with this. Once I deal with Roger, that’s it, unless something else arises.” But Shun knew something would arise. Something would arise. Even though he loved Yuuto with everything he had, Yuuto was his informant. His mission was to clear Reiji’s name and ensure that the assassins’ payer was caught so Akaba himself wasn’t killed. He had no reason to come back to Heartland after this if he found a lead to the perpetrator while he was gone.

Yuuto knew it as well.  Shun's vocalizing only confirmed his fears.

“Fuck Roger and fuck Reiji.  You don't have to go anywhere...he's making you.  You're just a puppet to him.  He'll keep you going from job to job until you either die, or choose to leave.  And he'll just replace you with the next hired guy because you don't matter to him.  To him, you're dispoable.  He doesn't need you...but I do.  You matter to me, Shun, and I need you to stay.”  Yuuto said, looking down at his injuries and biting his lip in frustration.

“...I can't move...I can't protect my family like this...if something happens...”  Yuuto shook his head, trying to push away those paranoid thoughts of his.

“You have to stay...you have to help me.  I need you....stay.  Stay with me.”  He said as firmly as he could, looking Shun in the eyes.

“I do, Yuuto. I have a contract. I have a job. I need to do that job,” For Ruri, for himself… hell, he was doing this job in part for Yuuto too. Shun frowned, listening to Yuuto say all those things. Yuuto was the survivor, he endured hardship, so vocalising his thoughts for the first time in all the years that Shun had known him seemed strange and difficult for Shun. He was suddenly tempted to do just that, to cast off Reiji and just look after Yuuto, but he knew that was an impossible fantasy. There would be consequences if he abandoned LDS now of all times, and he didn’t want to put Yuuto at risk either.

Shun looked away and did the buttons of his coat. “… Mizael and Durbe know. They’ll look after you. And Yuuya… Yuugo is there to help. I have to go, Yuuto.” He ducked down to grab his bag and he pulled it on his shoulder.

"And i just said ´fuck your job'! At least tell Reiji you need a break. If he cares about you in the slightest, he'll give it to you!" Yuuto argued. He frowned.

"Mizael and Durbe can't fight off assassins. They can't handle Yuuya during an episode, and they can't handle Yuri. Neither can Yuugo...why the hell do you think I look after Yuuya alone?" Yuuto said, stumbling to his feet and grabbing Shun's arm.

"So youre just gonna leave me alone again, like you always do when I need you most? You're just gonna leave me waiting for another goddamn ten years before I see you again, leaving me wondering if my boyfriends dead or alive?!" Yuuto cried, getting more frustrated that Shun wasn't listening to him.

Usually, Yuuya wouldn’t be awake at this hour, but he wasn’t feeling well. Without Yuuto reminding him to take his supplementary medication, the man was dizzy and tired, and his sleep schedule was all out of order. Sighing, Yuuya headed towards the cafeteria, hoping a drink or even a snack would help him with his fatigue, but he stopped, hearing his brother.

Yelling? Was Yuuto yelling? Yuuya frowned and crept to the door. He almost opened it, but then he heard Shun yelling back at him. Yuuto and Shun were… fighting? And it sounded terrifying.

“No one is going to get you, Yuuto! The assassin… You said it yourself! It was a bad mistake you made. You’ll be fine. And if Yuugo can’t do the last two things, it’s about fucking time he learned,” Shun growled instinctively as he felt Yuuto grab his wrist and looked up to him. He couldn’t see the hurt as much as the anger and frustration, and it made his stomach twist a little.

“I’ve got a job to do, Yuuto. We always put the mission first. You know that and I know that.” Shun wanted to argue the last few points, but he really couldn’t find words. He was going to leave when Yuuto was at his weakest. And while he doubted it, he was well into his thirties. What was another ten years? It really could be another ten.

Neither Shun nor Yuuto noticed Yuuya's presence by the door, too engrossed in their fight to focus.

“Did you forget there are three other men running around with my face?  What if Yuuya goes outside and the assassin mistakes him for me huh?  Yuuya isn't trained, he would fucking die because of a 'bad mistake' as you call it.”  Yuuto growled.  

“Oh the mission!  Here's the real problem...you put the 'mission' before everything else in your damn life!  You don't call your sister, cause you're on a 'mission', you don't come visit me cause you're on a 'mission'!  You left me alone as a teenager to look after a mentally ill boy, all on my own, because I wouldn't join you on your fucking mission!  You're never there because of that goddamn mission!”  Yuuto screamed, not realizing his words' effect on said boy who was listening outside.

“If it means that much to you than fucking fine.  Go on your little mission, and don't even bother doing anything else!  Clearly anything else is just a fucking distraction from your true joy in life!”  

Yuuya bit his lip. They were talking about him. They were talking about their relationship. Talking about their problems. Except they weren’t talking, they were yelling. Yuuya didn’t know what to make of all of this. He couldn’t even bring himself to step away from the door, unable to pull himself away from the conversation he shouldn’t even been hearing. Yuuto… did he really feel that way? About Shun? About him? Was this his fault? “I didn’t call it that! You did!” Shun hissed back. “What are you going to do then? You can’t shadow Yuuya for damned ever. What would you do if it happened anyway? With or without me here?” Shun had been trying to keep his temper, but the more Yuuto talked, the more Shun wanted to do nothing but hit him. Somehow he kept himself in check, not wanting to injure Yuuto further, but the anger was building up inside the older man too. “You think I fucking like this? You think I like doing this? That I’m doing it because I want to be a damned murderer? I do this for you and for Ruri! For your own fucking safety! You know this, Yuuto! Don’t bring this up suddenly like it’s news.”

“I can damn well try!  Don't you talk to me about over-protectiveness...Ruri always complains about how overbearing you used to be!  And at least I'd have somebody to help!  Yuuya can't do some things on his own, you know that!  He needs medicine, he needs support, and it's exhausting to provide alone!”  Yuuto cried.

“If you really don't want it, then prove it!  Walk away from it!  Stay here with me and say fuck Reiji, and Roger, and anyone else he wants you to kill!  You keep saying it's gonna keep me safe, but what would really keep me safe is if you stayed here and helped look after me and my brother!”  Yuuto said, punching him in the chest in frustration.

“Why can't you do that?!  Can't you see how much I love you...how much I fucking need you here...” Yuuto said, feeling tears coming to his eyes.  

Exhausting… Was he really that exhausting? Yuuya slumped down to the floor quietly, shaking a little bit as he listened to his brother beg Shun to stay. He had never heard Yuuto beg for anything, he wasn’t that kind of person, and yet here he was, open and raw, screaming at Shun to understand. Yuuya had never heard Yuuto cry before. Yuugo and him, sure, but never Yuuto. Yuuto was the rock, the one most like mum. Hearing him so shaky made Yuuya want to start crying too.

“You know I can’t. You did it yourself, and you know it’s not that easy,” Shun yelled back at Yuuto. Not if Akaba would do something about it. Yuuto had quit after months of talking it over, Shun could barely do it in the time frame that Yuuto was expecting from him. Any other words he had to say was punched out of him, and even despite his weakened state, Yuuto still had a good arm. Shun groaned as it landed solidly and nearly toppled over, but managed to stand.

Honestly… he wanted to stay. He wanted to look after Yuuto. He wanted to stay here in Heartland where it was familiar and it was home. But Shun knew he couldn’t. Not now, no matter how much Yuuto needed him, no matter how much he loved Yuuto. There were so many things he wanted to say but couldn’t. He was almost… hell, he was swayed by Yuuto anyway, but he still turned around and headed for the door. If he stayed any longer, he knew he would be back into bed with Yuuto before long, holding him and reassuring him.

“… I have to go."

“We could make it work!  I help fugitives hide from people everyday!  We could hide you from Akaba!”  Yuuto cried back, but he wasn't really able to do much else but cry at this point.  Shun was moving away too quickly for him to keep up in his weakened state.

“No...Shun, you bastard, don't leave me!”  He said, reaching after him but unable to stop him from leaving, even though deep down he knew it was pointless.  

Yuuya scrambled to his feet, not wanting to be knocked by Shun. He was still reeling from the revelations of his brother, and horrified that Shun was leaving in such a way, so he didn’t even make a sound even when he wanted to cry.

Shun headed to the door, but he stopped at the doorway, hand resting on the handle. He gritted his teeth, but refused to look back at Yuuto, not wanting to see his partner’s face. It was already so hard to leave and Yuuto’s rant had not made it any easier for him.

He knew he should have said something, something to reassure Yuuto, something kind, but Shun couldn’t think of any. He couldn’t think at all right there. In the end, he said nothing, pushing the handle down and opening the door.

Yuuya moved with the door and hid behind it. In his frustration, Shun didn’t even see him. All he could see was red as he all but kicked open the door and left the apartment complex. He walked past the car and then straight out, heading to the transportation that would get him to Neo Domino.

Yuuto stumbled after Shun a little and had to grab the wall as he stumbled. When Shun left, he felt even worse. Shun had decided to leave him alone again, and it hurt so badly. Although deep down he knew they wouldn't have argued if Shun didn't care too, he was just overwhelmed with hurt, frustrated by how vulnerable he was and how Shun wouldn't be there to support him. He could only lean against the door and cry softly, not noticing Yuuya's shadow on the other side in his grief.

When it was apparent that Yuuto wasn’t leaving his room, Yuuya felt it was safe just to slump down again. He curled his legs up and he buried his face into his arms. He knew it. He knew it. He knew it. Yuuto was tired. Yuuto was tired of him. Yuuto had broken up with Shun over an argument about him, for the second time, apparently. Yuuya had no idea how much conflict there had been over him leaving, and in that moment he wanted nothing more than to die, to stop being this burden to Yuuto.

He could hear Yuuto cry. It was soft, but to Yuuya it was as loud as thunder. Yuuya couldn’t help but cry too. He wished he could bring Shun back to make Yuuto happy. Hell, he even wished that he could get up off the ground and go comfort his brother. However, everything was hurting...

If Yuuto had known the pain he was causing his brother, he would have immediately gone to reassure him. He didn't think of Yuuya as a burden...nor did he fault him for how he and Shun fought or split up. It was really more Yuri's fault if anything...his abusing Yuuya had caused Yuuto to raise him alone after all.

Yuuto kept crying softly, wishing he wasn't so goddamn useless right now. He could still barely walk and every step hurt. He wasn't able to keep Yuuya safe like this. He couldn't do anything either.

Eventually, Yuuya’s weak whimpers dissolved all together, and only his uneasy breath could be heard. He wanted to go open the door and comfort his brother but he couldn’t really do it. Not when he felt like he was the cause of all of this. The man found his way to his feet and headed to his room, quietly slipping inside and trying to find his phone.

He was nervous. He was in pain and he felt like he was going to vomit. He wanted to scream but he didn’t want to disturb the others in the apartment, even though Shun and Yuuto probably had already. However, Yuuya couldn’t suffer in silence, he felt like he needed to talk to someone.

He wiped his hand on his sleeve and sniffed before pulling his phone out. At first, he was tempted to call Yuugo, but it was 4am, and he knew Yuugo could sleep through an earthquake, much less his phone. Durbe and Mizael were next on the list, but Yuuya didn’t want to burden them too, nor his new friend Yuuma.

And that’s when he remembered Yuuri.

Yuuri was family.

… He hoped he wouldn’t mind him calling. He scrolled through his contacts and found the number Yuuri had sent him before he dialled it quickly.

Yuri was sleeping in bed like most people were at 4am, but he was awoken eventually by the vibrating cell phone on his bedside table.  He picked it up with a frown, suppressing a yawn.

“...Hello?”  He asked, still half-asleep cause he had no idea who was calling yet.

“Y-Yuuri?” Yuuya took a deep breath, his voice shaking. He curled in on himself, trying to collect himself. He was a grown man, damn it. Yet he couldn’t keep the childish plea out of his voice, nor could he choke back all his sobs. “Yuuri… I… Can we talk? I… I’m sorry. I… I need to talk to someone, and I don’t have anyone else I can turn to.”

“...Yuuya?  Is that you?”  Yuri asked, much more awake now that he realized this was his precious baby brother on the phone.  He could hear how upset he was and it was surprising.  Last time he'd seen him, he'd been relatively happy, and the sadness had been underneath it as usual.  But this time, he was clearly in tears. “Hey...it's okay...you can talk to me about anything.  What happened?  Why're you crying?”  

Hearing the reassuring tone made Yuuya think of Yuuto and he almost began crying again. He bit his lip and buried one of his hands into his face.

“I… Yuuto and his boyfriend had a fight. And… And I heard them say a lot of things. And… I’m such a burden to Yuuto.” He wanted to explain more but a pain in his side shot through him. He grimaced and closed his eyes.

“A fight...oh dear...”  Yuri said, though he was really smirking as he said it.  He kept the smirk out of his tone carefully so that Yuuya wouldn't hear it and think he was enjoying this (which he was).  

“A burden?  What gave you that idea?  I remember Yuuto adored doting on you.  It was clear to me that you were his favourite brother before...”  Yuri said.  That was true.  Yuuto did like Yuuya alot more than him or even Yuugo, although he did tolerate the latter.

“I… I’m the reason why Yuuto didn’t stay with Kurosaki. Why we ended up settling here. Kurosaki… He… he had to go somewhere and Yuuto… Yuuto is still sick. He didn’t want Kurosaki to leave him. He… Yuuto was so angry. He hated Kurosaki because he wouldn’t stay to care for me when we were teenagers. Years ago… and now. Yuuto said I was tiring. No… he said I was exhausting to provide for alone.” Yuuya tried to stop his hands from shaking.

“He… I never knew how Yuuto felt about all of this. He… He sounded so tired too, Yuuri. I… I know I’m a mess and a handful but still. I just-“ Yuuya had to cover his mouth, muffling a noisy cry.

Yuri was honestly smirking in excitement.  Oh this was too perfect...clearly Yuuya was not supposed to have heard that fight.  Yuuto would never have said something like that if he wasn't upset, clearly.  

“Oh Yuuya...I'm so sorry to hear that.”  Yuri said.  No, he wasn't.  He was grinning ear to ear.

“It's gonna be alright, Yuuya...if Yuuto thinks he can't handle things on his own, I'm more than happy to try and lend him a hand, even if he won't accept it.  Yuuto has pride, if nothing else...”  Yuri mused.

“But, clearly he's made you really upset.  It sounds like he has a lot to deal with...you have the ability to help, Yuuya, regardless of what Yuuto says.  Why don't we let Yuuto have a bit of a break...if he's too tired and sick to look after you, why don't you come stay with me for awhile?  That way, he won't have to worry about you...he can focus on getting better and healing things with Kurosaki.”

“Kurosaki… Kurosaki is gone. He left this morning. There’s no way Yuuto will fix things with him, especially if he’s too proud to call him. It’s all my fault.” Yuuya sniffed again.

“I… I… I should be able to look after myself. I should by now. I just…” Yuuya bit his lip. He knew sometimes he didn’t have complete control of himself, with or without medication, and that was just part of his illness. There was nothing much to be done besides endure it. “Thanks Yuri. I… Yuuto is probably sick because he’s worrying about me too. Maybe you’re right. Maybe he does need a break.”

“… I… I… Are you sure? That… it’s okay for me to stay with you? I know you’re super busy with work..."

"Hey...hey...Yuuya, you don't have to be alone. You're capable of looking after yourself, yes, but you're a people person. You love being with others...I won't take that from you. That's why I'm offering, so you won't be alone." Yuri said with a smile to reassure him. He gave a small chuckle.

"Yuuya, i wouldn't have offered if I wasn't sure. You're more than welcome here anytime, alright? I can send a car for you later today...you know, when the drivers are awake, if you want."

Yuuya nodded. That was a really nice way of saying he needed a carer, really. Yuri always had such a way with words, he had always been the smoothest of all of them. That was probably why he was a politician. He was so charming and there was something about his voice that calmed him down.

“You sure? I mean… So soon… Can we make it a couple of days? I… I want to make sure Yuuto is settled down and I can properly pack a bag first…"

Yuri frowned a little. He had wanted Yuuya right away...but, He supposed he couldn't force him. That would be the wrong way to do things.

"Sure. Take your time...you can take me up on my offer whenever you're ready, okay?"

“Yeah. I’ll… call you again? Sometime this week. I just don’t feel it’s fair on Yuuto, if I leave straight after Kurosaki leaves..."

Yuri smiled.

"Of course. That would be cruel," and beautiful, he thought, but refrained from saying.

"Sure. Call me anytime...leave a message if I don't pick up. I might be in a meeting or something but I'll get back to you as soon as possible, okay?"

“Okay… Thanks Yuuri.” Yuuya smiled gently and wiped his eyes. Yuuri was so nice. He felt bad that he had never talked to him sooner. “I’ll let you go back to bed. Sorry for calling so early.”

Yuri smiled.

"It's not a problem, Yuuya. Im glad I could be of help. You can call me in the middle of the night if you have to." Yuri said.

"You should try and get some rest too okay? Look after yourself...don't wanna catch whatever bug Yuuto's got and all."

“Yeah… that’s true.” Yuuya smiled a little brighter and nodded. “Night Yuri. Thanks a lot. I’ll see you soon.”

"Goodnight Yuuya. Talk to you soon." Yuri said, hanging up and laying back down for what was sure to be a good nights sleep. In a few days, he'd have Yuuya back. Mission accomplished.

Yuuya hung up and he put his phone away. He was still shaking, but feeling considerably better. He closed his eyes and settled for bed, falling into a deep sleep.

In a few hours, at around seven, Durbe arrived at the apartment, a large bag at hand. He wasn’t surprised that no one was around the ground floor, since Yuuya was usually asleep at this hour anyway, and he went straight to knocking on Yuuto’s door.

“Yuuto? It’s Durbe. Are you awake?"

Yuuto had eventually just cried himself back to sleep, and was surprised when he heard a knock on the door. For a second he thought it was Shun, but then he heard Durbe's voice and his heart sank. Groaning, he stumbled to his feet to answer the door. It took him quite awhile to get there, much to his frustration.

"Hey..." he said, opening the door.

Durbe was patient, waiting for Yuuto. He thought that Yuuto was only waking up, but he was more than surprised to see him answer the door. “You didn’t have to get up for me. I could have come in. I was just not sure if you were awake.” He went to pull Yuuto’s arm around his shoulders. “Are you okay? How are your legs?"

Yuuto's legs were so stiff and sore from sleeping in an awkward position for a few hours.

"Ugh...awful." Yuuto groaned, accepting the help to get back to his bed.

"...thanks for coming so early..." he said, noticing he'd only been sleeping for about 4 hours.

“It’s alright. I want to help. Sorry Mizael couldn’t come, but someone has to work in the toy shop.” Durbe was slow and steady, noting how the man moved. “I brought you something though. Might help with your walking."

"It's alright...I understand..." Yuuto said. He raised a brow at Durbe's comment.

"You did? What is it, a cane?" He asked, not able to think of anything else that might help.

Durbe sat Yuuto down before he went to go dig through the bag. He pulled out two leg braces.

“I asked a friend about your situation and they have these to me. If your legs aren’t really broken so much as hurt, these should help steady you. You should give these a shot.”

"Ah...leg braces..." Yuuto said, impressed.

"...yeah. I'll give them a shot. Show me how to put them on."

“It’s a little tricky, but not too hard,” Durbe said, kneeling down and undoing the straps. “You just need to make sure they’re firm and they fit close to you. I’m pretty sure this is your size, so lift your leg up and I’ll shimmy it up."

Yuuto nodded. He did as instructed, letting Durbe put them on. They weren't too bulky which he liked. He could hide these from Yuuya under sweats. He smiled.

"I hope they work"

“I hope so too. They should. There’s no reason for them not to, provided you don’t strain yourself.” Durbe smiled. He finished doing both braces and helped Yuuto up. “Go easy. They’re to support you and keep you in place, they’re not going to magically make you walk."

Yuuto nodded.

"I'll try not to go too hard..." he said, groaning a little as Durbe put them on his cut up legs. He kept as still as possible.

"Alright..." He said, trying to get up. It still did hurt, but it was noticeably easier. He took a couple tentative steps, noting it was easier to move. He smiled a little.

"It's...it's a lot easier!" Yuuto said, feeling happy now that he could finally move a little.

Durbe smiled. “I have crutches in the car to help you out, but those should help your recovery. I’m sorry they took so long to get. It was hard since you couldn’t see a doctor yourself."

Yuuto nodded.

"Thank you...im not sure if I'll use the crutches much...don't want Yuuya clueing in on the fact that I'm injured." Yuuto said. He blinked.

"Oh yeah...I should check on him. I haven't seen him in a few days." Yuuto said. Now that he could sort of walk, he could go see him.

“Yeah, that’s true. Use them when you can though. It’ll help you recover faster and your legs won’t get so swollen.” Durbe smiled. He checked his watch.

“I suppose you can, but it’s so early. I doubt Yuuya would be awake, but do what you can. Try get your routine back."

Yuuto nodded.

"Sure...I'll use them.  Too much weight on my legs will probably really hurt them."  Just standing and walking even with the braces made him sore.

"Yeah, you're right...I'm still gonna check on him though.  I haven't really seen him for weeks.  I'm going to head over to his room."  He missed his twin, and wanted to check on how he was doing.  There was a lot Yuuto could tell from watching him while he slept even.

Durbe smiled. “I’ll make coffee if you want it. If you’re gonna be walking, I better give you the energy. I’ll also bring out the crutches,” he said, getting up and opening the door for Yuuto.

"Thanks, that sounds great."  Yuuto said with a smile.  He made his way slowly out the door and down the hall towards Yuuya's room.  It took quite some time, but he eventually made it to Yuuya's room.  God it was exhausting though...he was panting a little from the exertion.  The door was closed, which was what he expected.  

"...Yuuya?"  He asked softly, opening the door slowly to peak inside his room.  As he expected, Yuuya was in bed, sound asleep.  Yuuto couldn't help but smile.  He was glad he looked okay...he slowly shuffled into the room and made his way over to the bed.  By that point, his legs were practically on fire, so he decided to take a break and sit down on the edge of the bed.  He felt his brother's forehead gently...he seemed a little warm, but it wasn't too bad.  That was a good sign...his brother looked okay while he slept.  Yuuto was relieved.

Yuuya was exhausted and sound asleep. His eyes had long dried and the redness gone away, leaving a peaceful, sleeping man. However, upon feeling the weight on his bed, he stirred a little, and was half aware of a very cool hand on his forehead. A small subconscious smile appeared on Yuuya’s face and he nuzzled the hand very gently, but then curled up back, still asleep.

Yuuto smiled when Yuuya nuzzled him.  He hadn't realized how much he'd missed his brother's small affections until now.  He gently began to pet his brother's hair, returning the affection while not trying to wake him up.

“Hey there...I guess you missed me too huh?”  He said softly.

Yuuya felt like he was dreaming. He knew he had to, because Yuuto wouldn’t be petting him, not after a fight. Still, the man enjoyed the gentle strokes, already relaxing. He couldn’t respond, but he wished he could, wanting to tell Yuuto how sorry he was.

Yuuto didn't mind that Yuuya wasn't answering.  He knew his brother was slow to wake up, and it was a lot earlier than when he usually got up.  He could feel his brother relaxing under his touch, and it made him smile.  

“I'm getting better...slowly.  Just bear with me okay....we're gonna be just fine, with just the two of us.”  Yuuto said.  Sure, the fight he'd had with Shun still hurt...but when he remembered how much he cared about Yuuya, he didn't mind.  His brother came first in his mind, no matter how hard Yuuto had to work to look after him alone.

“Mmmm…” He nodded to him gently, still not quite all there. He wanted his brother so badly, honestly. He gave a small smile again, feeling that this dream was better than what he heard earlier. He wished he could move and hug Yuuto, but his body was sore in real life, so he didn’t feel up to moving for that.

Yuuto smiled.

“Alright...go back to sleep, okay?  I'll see you later...”  Yuuto said gently.  He remained sitting on Yuuya's bed, petting his hair gently, before he finally felt like he was rested enough to get up and head down to the kitchen where Durbe was making coffee.

Yuuya gave a smile and settled into bed. He felt relaxed with Yuuto’s hand, and he was glad. Needless to say, he was going to get a good night’s sleep.

“Hey? All done, huh?” Durbe smiled. “How is he?”

Yuuto stumbled into the kitchen with a groan, sinking into the nearest chair he could get to.  He sighed.

“He seems okay...just the usual sleepy Yuuya.  He probably won't be fully awake for awhile yet.”  He said.

“These leg braces work okay...but my legs do get tired.  Maybe I should use the crutches to get back to my room...take some weight off of them.”  

Durbe smiled. “That’s good. I’m glad he’s okay.” He slid the black coffee over to Yuuto. “I’ll go grab them. Did you need anything else?"

Yuuto smiled and took a sip of his coffee, glad to finally have some damn caffeine. He'd need it today after the awful sleep he had.  

"Not that I can think of...oh wait.  Maybe I should show you where Yuuya's medications are in case he asks.  He hasn't been in my room for awhile after all...he's probably running low."

“Oh yeah, that’s true.” Durbe said. “He hasn’t gone insane at all, right? So that mean he has at least been taking them regularly, right?”

"No, he hasn't had an episode...I'd be able to feel it if he did.  If he loses it, all of us can feel it.  It's called "ZARC Syndrome" or something..."  Yuuto said with a small shrug.

"I haven't been able to keep track of his status with the doses...but when I took his temperature today, he seemed normal.  Maybe a little warm, but I don't think it's concerning.  Just make sure he takes his medication today...he knows how much to take, he just needs a reminder."  Yuuto said.

“ZARC Syndrome?” Durbe frowned. “I see. You all feel it. Probably not as intensely as Yuuya does, I imagine.” He crossed his arms. “I wonder why that happens? I mean, from a scientific standpoint.” “… Ah, but it’s good. We’ll just remind him when he wakes up.”

"Yeah, of course not.  Yuuya's the only one who has the additional symptoms of losing his mind.  We're just all...drawn together or something.  It's strange...it hasn't happened often, thankfully."  Yuuto said.  

"...Well...we are identical quadruplets...maybe there's just some part of all of us that still wants us to be the same thing."  Yuuto said with a shrug.  He hadn't looked into it and he wasn't sure he wanted to.  It was just a thing that happened, and as long as Yuuya took his meds, it wouldn't happen again.

"Yeah.  We'll remind him..."  Yuuto said, mentally trying to remember the last time he had reminded Yuuya about this.  It had been awhile...but since Yuuya wasn't exhibiting symptoms from what he could tell, then maybe his reminders hadn't been necessary.

“I guess so,” Durbe shrugged, making a note to do some googling when he got home. “Must be hard dealing with that… But you’re doing a good job, you know.”

“Maybe you should program it on his phone. Like a meds time. That way Yuuya won’t need you to remember. He’s usually pretty good at carrying his phone, isn’t he?” Durbe asked.

Yuuto nodded.

"Yeah it's hard...but I'm glad to do it.  Yuuya would be institutionalized if I didn't.  He deserves his freedom, and I want nothing more than to see him happy and acting normally. I'll do anything to make that happen."  Yuuto said with a small smile.  

"We could...but then it'd almost be an excuse for me not to talk to him.  Also, he could see the reminder and not take the meds.  I usually watch him take them, so I know what he's taken and how much he has left.  He usually forgets to re-stock, so I do it for him."

“He’s lucky to have a brother like you. You’re doing alright, Yuuto. But if you ever need a break or just think Yuuya needs to hang out with someone else, ask us. Mizael is happy to help, despite what he says, and Yuuma would jump at the excuse for the four of us to hang out.”

Durbe nodded. “That makes sense. We should then double check his stock and how he’s doing when he wakes up. It’s been a while since you’ve been up."

Yuuto smiled and nodded.

"Thank you...I know Yuuya likes hanging out with friends.  He'd love to spend time with you guys, I'm sure."  Yuuto said.  He was about to agree when Durbe's phone suddenly rang.  Since the song that played was Aqua's "Barbie Girl", Yuuto knew it was Mizael calling.

"If there's some sort of emergency, you can head back, you know.  We'll be okay on our own...thanks to you, I'm much more mobile now."  Yuuto offered.

“I bet it’s not.” Durbe smiled, hearing the stupid tone. Gilag had set the ringtone for Durbe as a joke but Durbe had unironically liked it so much he never changed it, much to Mizael’s dismay. The man chuckled and answered his phone, bringing it up to his ear. “Hello?”

“Durbe. I need your help.”

“Mizael?” Durbe frowned. “Mizael, what’s wrong?"

“There’s a fucking fire.”

“What?”

“Of course not. But I’m having problems at the toyshop. Durbe, there's a huge rush and I can't do it alone will you come back for a bit.” Durbe frowned. Mizael never had problems and rarely asked for help, so hearing him was a big deal.

“I’ll be right over. Hang on.” He quickly headed to the bedroom to grab Yuuto’s crutches and handed them to him. “… Okay, you were right. I’ve got to go."

Yuuto accepted the crutches.  

"No problem.  Thank you for your help.  I'll see you and maybe Mizael later."  Yuuto said with a smile.

Durbe smiled. “We’ll be quick! As soon as we’re done, I’ll come back.” Durbe waved at him before he ran off, leaving Yuuto alone. As Durbe ran for the bus stop, on the other side of town, Kaito was checking for leads on who possibly could have sent Sergey to kill Mutou. He knew that Shun was now investigating and soon meeting Roger, but he needed a couple more leads before he decided what to do next.

Eventually, the blind man began tapping at his phone, instinctively dialling Gauche’s mobile number, knowing the man was more likely to talk to him than reception at the police department, whom he was sure was sick of him calling by now.

Gauche was more than happy to talk to Kaito.  He did miss his former superintendent.  

"Hey Kaito, what's up!"

Kaito smiled. He always knew he could depend on Gauche to pick up and talk to him. Ukyou was the superintendent and he and Droite were very big on confidentiality and making him “retire properly”. Anna he wasn’t close to, but Gauche was his old friend. He was a good man, though a horrible leak.

“Nothing much. Just wanted to know how're you doing and what what are you investigating. The usual.”

"Oh yeah absolutely!  We're currently investigating the guy who hired Mutou Yuugi the CEO killer to take out all those CEOs!  We got a new lead...we think that some guy called the Dark Duelist knows who it was.  That's the guy who sheltered him!  And we're still looking for that drug dealer Dennis MacField too cause apparently he knows where the Dark Duelist is!"  Gauche said, more than happy to blab.

“Oh yeah, that’s right. You’re still on hat,” Kaito said, feigning obliviousness, as if he hadn’t been researching the same case for the last few weeks. “The Dark Duelist? Sounds interesting… And Macfield is the guy from the raid you guys did when Mutou was still free, wasn’t he? The guy who dealt with the Devil’s Breath? Same guy?"

"Yeah!  Cool name right?  I wish I had thought of 'Dark Duelist'..."  Gauche said with a small pout.  

"Yep same guy!  He's proving to be very hard to track down...hope we can find him soon."

“What would you even use a stage name for, Gauche?” Kaito muttered.

“Yeah… I hope so too. Hopefully he hasn’t left town or anything like that,” Kaito said, already thinking ahead.

"I don't know but I'd think of something!" Gauche said with a grin.

"Yeah We have no idea...he's been keeping a low profile since we ran into him and Mutou. We can't find him...people don't wanna betray him."

Kaito rolled his eyes but smiled. He shook his head. Gauche was still a big kid, he always was and he figured he always would be.

“I wonder why? He shouldn’t be all that bad,” Kaito muttered. “I have ways of making people talk. I could come in one day if you guys wanted."

"We don't know but people clam up when we ask about where he is...we might have to go undercover or something.." Gauche said.

"Oh no, Kaito! You're supposed to be retired! We've got this, don't worry!"

“I guess so. Makes sense. If he’s dealing in Devil’s Breath and the like, he’s not going to be an easy find,” Kaito muttered, already trying to figure out a way how to make Yubel talk.

“I always worry. I’m bored out of my skull, Gauche. I’ve rewritten two books in braille in the last few months, because I literally don’t know what to do with myself. I could do with getting out of retirement."

Gauche nodded.

"Yeah that could be it...but don't worry. When we catch that Dark Duelist guy we can make him talk maybe!" Gauche said.

"Wow you're writing books? That's pretty cool! But, I don't know about you coming outta retirement...it's too dangerous. People know who you are and would definitely beat you up given the opportunity. How're you gonna work blind?"

“Sure…” Kaito sighed. He had faith in his coworkers, but still…

“It’s more like translating than rewriting,” Kaito admitted. “It’s sort of a part time thing. I’m still learning though but I’m getting paid for it a little too. I’m not being unrealistic. I know I can’t get back to working, but still… I could do something to help. I have Orbital 7, and that seems to compensate for half the things I can’t do."

"Oh cool that makes a lot of sense!" Gauche said with a grin.

"Ah well, I guess so...but it's not my decision really! I'm not sure what Ukyou would say..."

“I do. It’ll be ‘no’. Rightly so, since it’s against protocol, and bad for my health, but still I honestly don’t care what’s going to kill me."

Gauche frowned.

"Yeah probably...you should just take it easy, Kaito. Maybe find yourself a hot date or something? That'll take up some time!"

“… Right. Dates.” Kaito rolled his eyes. “I imagine I’m not much of a looker now, honestly. And I can’t imagine who would go out with me besides some crazy hermit,” he said, thinking of Astral and smirking.

"Well I could find you one! C'mon Kaito it's like you're giving up without even trying! That's not like you!" Gauche said with a grin.

“I don’t want to find a date. There’s no real point,“ Kaito muttered. “I have no interest in dating."

"Alright, Well it's up to you of course! Just a suggestion..." gauche said, pausing as he heard Ukyou calling him in the background.

"Sorry Kaito. I've gotta go. Ukyou needs me for something. I'll see ya later!" He said, Before hanging up.

“Alright… good luck. See you.” Kaito hung his end of the line up and sighed. He shook his head. So the police were chasing what could be the wrong target. The man wanted to tell them they were going the wrong way but he knew he couldn’t, not wanting to bring suspicion.

“… Time to do some checks.” Kaito dialled Yuuto’s number and listened to it ring. “Oy! Orbital! Get my coat and disguise. We’re going out soon."

Yuuto heard his phone ring shortly after he went back to his room.

"Hello?"

“It’s me,” Kaito said as soon as he heard the other’s voice. “I need to tell you some things. The cops have heard your alias and they’re going to be looking for you to see if you know anything about Mutou’s employer."

"Kaito?" Yuuto said, slightly surprised. Thankfully he was in his room so nobody could hear him say the name of the infamous ex-cop out loud.

"Ah...well, I suppose it was only a matter of time before the cops managed to tie me and Yami together. He did live here in my building after all..." Yuuto said.

"Thank you for the tip...I don't think it'll be too much of a problem, though. I'm still not mobile enough to leave the house. And for what it's worth...I don't know who employed him. If I had, shun and I never would've come to see you. I would've just told him and that'd be it."

“I know you wouldn’t know, but thanks for telling me anyway,” Kaito nodded. “… The real reason why I called though wasn’t for you though. It’s for Dennis Macfield. The guy who deals with Devil’s Breath. Do you know of him?”

"Dennis? Yeah I know him..." Yuuto said, frowning.

"...Kaito, you shouldn't bug him though. He may not look like much, but he's dangerous. If you go after him he'll make you pay dearly." Yuuto warned, having a good idea of where Kaito was going with this.

“Dennis is a guy I want to look into,” Kaito frowned. “The police are trying to use him to find you, but I want to know how his drug trade is getting around, and what he’s doing regarding the distribution of Devil’s Breath. I’m worried Dennis is going to sell the last of his stock to someone we’d all rather not see have it."

Yuuto snorted.

"It won't work. Dennis doesn't know where I live." Yuuto said, not realizing Dennis had taken Yuuya home one night after work and did in fact know where they lived.

"Hmmm...I suppose that is concerning. But, since Dennis deals with his clients personally, he's not very big. If you look into him, he'll find out. And when he does, he'll come after you, Kaito. It's better to just leave it to the cops...they'll at least have backup."

“And what happens when he decides to take the initiative and do a power play? I know we have preventative measures but it isn’t a cure. Heartland is a small but powerful city, there’s a lot of risk there. Yet the cops are barely focused on that as it is. They’re doing a lot but not enough.” Kaito frowned.

“I can handle Dennis. Don’t worry about me. But I need you to spill what you know."

"I thought there was a cure for Devils Breath..." Yuuto muttered.

"Why don't you just tell them to focus on the right place? Not outright, but drop hints? You're not a cop anymore...you can't just arrest Dennis. You have no authority anymore." Yuuto argued. He sighed.

"...I'm sorry Kaito, but I can't sell out Dennis. He's the only guy who can get me the drugs I need to keep my little brother sane and pain-free. Also, I'm not gonna help you get yourself killed, cause that's what he'll do if he finds out someone's looking into him."

“It’s not a proven cure. It is a definite preventative measure but Chris… Doctor Arclight can’t test the pure substance once someone has already taken it. He has no access to it. It’s also not readily available to anyone but the police.” Kaito frowned.

“I’ve tried. They’re on the same page, just more on you and finding out who are behind the assassinations.”

“… Fine. I’ll do it on my own. And I’ll find a way to get your brother those meds easily and legally without getting you guys in trouble. Send Orbital a list. I’m not changing my mind.”

Yuuto sighed.

"...I can see that. You should at least tell your boyfriend what you're doing though. That way when you turn up missing, he'll know what you were doing." Yuuto said.

"Alright...I've looked into it, but there doesn't seem to be a legal way to get them. They're all illegal in Japan. Last I checked, cops don't make rules, just enforce them."

Kaito huffed. “I’ve fought worse. This will be fine… but I will. And if I don’t, you can. He’s still living with you.”

“… What kind of medication is your brother on that everything he’s on is illegal? No way is that going to be healthy for him if it’s illegal,” Kaito frowned.

"I suppose...it'll probably be better coming from you though."  Yuuto mused.  He sighed.

"It's...very powerful stuff, I'll admit.  But, we've tried pretty much anything else...nothing works.  If Yuuya wasn't on medication, he'd be in an institution where they'd probably have him on sedatives the whole time.  I didn't want that...so...no matter the long term consequences, I want him to have the opportunity to live."

“I’ll call him,” Kaito promised. He then pushed it aside though, and focused on Yuuto telling him about Yuuya. He frowned.

“What happens when he’s not on all his medication? If you don’t mind me asking?”

"Good."  Yuuto said.  

"...If he goes without it for a few days, he'll experience nerve inflammation, which causes him great pain in general.  Side effects also include small bouts of memory loss, muscle spasms and pain when he moves.  If he goes without it for too long...well...that intensifies.  He loses his mind and lashes out at anything and everything around him in a screaming frenzy.  So in other words...he needs the meds all the time."  Yuuto said with a sigh.

“I see,” He frowns. “… Can you send me a list anyway? There may have been alternatives developed since Yuuya started taking what he’s been taking. I’m curious to see how strong the dosage is. It sounds really bad.” Kaito hoped that Yuuya hadnt stopped taking any of his medications. Even if he was on one but not the others, he knew it could have a disastrous effect.

"...Sure, I guess it wouldn't hurt."  Yuuto said, making his way to the computer.  He typed up the dosage and sent it to Orbital 7.

"I sent it."  He said, and Orbital printed off the list in braille for Kaito.

"Here, Kaito-sama!"

Kaito nodded and skimmed it over, making a note to send it to Chris as well. “Thank you, Yuuto.”

“… You can count on me. I’m going to find and hunt down Dennis, but not before I get your brother the help he needs. I promise you, I’ll help. I have a debt I owe you guys, after all."

Yuuto considered this.  On the plus side, if Kaito got occupied with his search, maybe he'd never go after Dennis.  On the other hand he might have to change dealers.  Well...that wouldn't bother him.  He smiled.

"...Thank you, Kaito.  Let me know how that goes..."  He said.

“And you know I have the world’s leading pharmaceutical researcher in my household, so even if we can’t find something, we’ll make one. Chris enjoys a challenge,” Kaito grinned mischievously. Chris was a last resort, after all, but if it really was like how Yuuto said, he would appreciate the alternative help.

“You take care, Yuuto. Stay safe and be careful."

Yuuto smiled.  He was honestly very touched that someone would help him.  It made him feel much better, especially given earlier that day he had essentially broken up with Shun.  Or, had a huge fight anyway...

"Thank you Kaito...I really appreciate it.  You take care and stay safe too, alright?"  Yuuto said.

“I’ll do what I can,” the man said. And with that, he hung up and rubbed his temples. “… Well, that’s something I didn’t expect to agree to. Better get to work though..."

Yuuto hung up with a smile.  Things were working out so far...maybe things would be looking up?  But, he wasn't quite done with Kaito...he hadn't been able to convince him to stay, but...maybe there was someone who could.  Yuuto grabbed his crutches and hobbled his way over to Astral's room, thankful that he didn't run into anyone (especially Yuuya) while using the crutches.  He didn't want anyone to think he was weak.

"Kibou?"  He knocked on the closed door, hoping the other was home.

Astral looked up, and was rather surprised seeing Yuuto. He hadn’t seen him in a while, but the man looked considerably better. He smiled and put his laptop down.

“Yuuto. Hello there. How are you feeling?"

Yuuto smiled as Kibou answered the door.

"I've been doing better lately, yes.  Thanks."  Yuuto said.

"...I was just on the phone with Kaito.  He's initiating a new project...and he could probably use your help with it."

“A new project?” Astral frowned, not having heard of this. “What is it?”

"...Tracking down a dangerous drug dealer.  I tried to talk him out of it, but only managed to delay him.  That drug dealer also happens to be my supplier of medication for my brother, and Kaito decided he would help me out by finding an alternative, legal, and possibly safer, drug for Yuuya.  Until he does that, he's not going to hunt the dealer...but, I was thinking maybe you could talk him out of it better than I could.  Or, at the very least, look after him so he doesn't kill himself trying to do these things..."  Yuuto said.

“He promised me he wouldn’t do this sort of thing… He’s supposed to be looking after himself…” Astral frowned. “Kaito… Damn it… Thank you for telling me, Yuuto. We’ll talk about this… hopefully I can talk him out of this sort of thing.”

Yuuto nodded.

"He said he was going to tell you himself, but now you can just talk to him in person about it."  Yuuto said with a smile.  

"I hope so too.  I'd hate for him to get into trouble...he's not a bad guy.  He doesn't deserve that."

“Yeah…” Astral looked at what he was doing before he went to pack a bag, “Kaito is a good man, but he’s stubborn and prideful. He feels like he’s the only one who can ever solve a problem and does everything he can do to it. However, he has no knowledge of his limits, and it’s incredibly troubling.”

Yuuto nodded.

"I hope you can help him realize those limits.  Maybe you can stop him from physically leaving the house."  Yuuto said, not minding that Astral was going to leave immediately.  He encouraged it in fact.

“It wouldn’t be hard,” Astral admitted. “Keeping him in, not realising the limits, I mean. Getting him to hold back would be basically impossible."

"Alright...good luck with Kaito."  Yuuto said with a smile.

“Yeah… thanks for the heads up.” Astral threw his bag on his back and nodded. “See you then."

"See you." Yuuto said, getting out of the way then heading back to his room to rest. All that walking made him tired. Astral made his way outside, pulling out his phone to text Kaito. "Hey can I come over?" He asked, wanting to know if Chris was around.

Kaito was just reading over what Yuuto had sent over when he got the text. He frowned as the audio function read it out to him and then he texted back.

“Yeah, he’s not home. Come on over. I’ll wait for you"

"Okay be there soon." Astral replied as he hoped on the bus to Kaito. A short ride later, he was knocking on the door. He hoped he could discourage Kaito from going after this dangerous drug dealer.

As per normal, Orbital 7 answered the door. However, seeing as Kaito had planned on going out earlier, Orbital 7 was wearing his disguise, a black jacket on his shoulders. He figured that since Hope was coming over they were’t going out, but the jacket still made him feel very cool.

“Come in. Kaito-sama is in his study,” he beeped, standing aside for Astral.

Astral raised a brow at the odd outfit that Orbital had, but figured he was just trying to impress Obomi or something.

"Thank you, Orbital." He said, heading to the study.

"Hey...how're you?" Astral asked, entering the study and giving Kaito a small hug and peck on the cheek as he was reading Yuuto's list.

Kaito gave a small smile as he heard the door open, but it faded quickly. He kept reading the file, letting Astral kiss him.

“I’m fine… Still alive, for some reason,” he shrugged. “What brings you over?”

Astral frowned a little as Kaito spoke. He didn't really like it when Kaito kept referencing death like that. He sighed.

"...I wanted to come check on you. I hear you're starting some sort of new project?"

“Yeah… Medical research.” He shrugged, already having realised Yuuto had put his boyfriend up to this and not bothering with lies or explaining. “And then after that, vigilante work. All standard affairs, really.”

"Alright...medical research?  Does that mean Chris will help too?  What are you looking at?"  Astral asked, unable to read the braille documents that Kaito was reading.  

"...Ah...yes, I suppose that is business as usual for you..."  Astral said.  He was beginning to see what Yuuto meant when he'd told him he'd only delayed Kaito.

“I’m going to see how much I can do myself and then ask Chris. It’s really fascinating, what substances have gone into Yuuya. To anyone without his medical and mental condition, they probably would have died.” He went to his computer and typed a few things, pulling out the email with the list for Astral to read himself.

"Ah...you're researching the medication that Yuuto uses for Yuuya."  Astral said, reading over the ingredients.  He was surprised by the amount of medication that Yuuya needed.  

"These are sure to be expensive...are you trying to find a better alternative for Yuuto?"

“I owe them,” Kaito said simply, humouring Astral by saying what he already knew. “If I want to take down that drug dealer, Macfield, I can’t ruin Yuuto and Yuuya.”

"Yes...that makes sense.  But...maybe you should just leave Dennis MacField...Yuuto says he's very dangerous.  Are you sure it's a good idea to go after him?"

“Do you know why Dennis Macfield, Astral?” Kaito asked instead. “Can you guess?”

"Why?  Well...is he the one who gave Yami Devil's Breath?"  Astral asked.

“Yes… and you know about Devil’s Breath, of scopolamine then and its destructive capabilities. It’s available in so few locations because the plant is so rare,” Kaito said. “It’s terrifying, what it can do to you. You could convince a man to help you remove all of his property and give it to you, and then he would wake up the next day with no memory of it.”

"Yeah...that is scary...but...surely it would be better for the actual police to chase after the dealer?  They have the antidote after all...and the numbers that will probably be needed to catch him.  Did they not almost get him already once?  You are supposed to be retired, Kaito..."

“And how did he escape? Using Devil’s Breath.” Kaito frowned. “I can get the cure as well from Chris. They’re not focusing on Dennis, and they can’t get to him. They don’t know where to go or how to look once he’s in hiding. Once I start looking, I can.” He frowned. “I am retired but that’s besides the point."

Astral sighed.

"Kaito...this may be too dangerous...Devil's Breath is powerful.  Even if you have the antidote, he could still use it on you...or another more potent drug..."  Astral said.

"You know that the last time a large number of cops died during a drug bust...this man is dangerous."

“Exactly. And when I go to get him, it’ll be far less risky.” Kaito said, putting the documents down. “Less risky for everyone involved.”

"But it is more risky for you!  What makes you think you will fare better than those trained cops?  It would be easier to take out a single person...especially someone without backup..."

“I would be fine. I have Orbital 7, and even without him, I’d be able to take on Dennis Macfield.” Kaito gritted his teeth. “Look. I’m not doing this for reason, damn it.”

Astral sighed, holding Kaito close.

"You don't know that...people have not been giving you much information on him.  You are going in uninformed and unprepared...please, do not do this.  I worry about you..."

Kaito stiffened, feeling Astral suddenly holding him, not expecting that from his more reserved partner. He didn’t relax into the hold, rather he reached out to rest his hands around him too.

“… I’ll do my research before I go get him, but one thing at a time. The Sakaki brothers are first. Don’t worry about me… really.”

Astral held him anyway, letting Kaito react however.  He knew Kaito couldn't see his face and judge his emotions from that, so all he had was touch and words.  If words weren't working, he'd use touch.  

"Yes...the Sakaki brothers can be first.  I have no problem trying to help them...I feel I owe them too.  They saved me from prison and gave me a safe place to live."

Kaito dug his nails into Astral’s skin, likewise conveying his worry. He sighed, closing his eyes, not sure how he could convey… convey how he was feeling. What he wanted from this. At least Astral seemed to comply, like he always did.

“… Then help me help them. I could always use one working pair of eyes at least. It’ll be a better payment after all they’ve done instead of just money.”

Astral nodded.  He knew Kaito was frustrated and bored by what little could do right now.  He was used to being active and now his inability to be active was very hard on him.

"I will help you do that."  Astral agreed, kissing Kaito's forehead with a small smile.

It had been years though. You’d think he was able to move on.

“… Thanks…” He smiled a little and leaned up. “Shall we get to work then?”

-x-

Meanwhile at the Correctional Facility, it was lights out and Koutei was falling asleep and drifting off into dream world.

Koutei dreamed about a familiar scene, surprisingly. He was at the BARian, sitting at the bar nursing a drink. He looked over to his side and saw Alit sitting next to him smiling and it made him smile too. He was dressed in his red outfit with the white pants that made him so ridiculously attractive.

Koutei smiled, looking at his drink. That was right, they were friends again. But when he glanced back, he was gone. Koutei blinked in surprise before his eyes locked on someone else moving towards him.

The lights of the bar danced off the leather buckles covering his body skintight. His hair seemed to shine blonde, red and black as he made his way over to the bar. It was Mutou....he was there...and he'd never looked hotter in Koutei's opinion. He watched the man stop by the bar for a moment, but before he could say anything to him, Mutou was gone, with just a wallet left. Grabbing it off the bar, Koutei followed him out the back door, wanting to return it...only to see thugs ganging up on Yuugi (or was it Yami?) in the alley.  Before he could even think, he was knocking them over. And then Mutou turned to him and he gave him the wallet back. Then they went back into the bar and found himself mesmerized by Yami's smile as he talked and then...

He was awake. In bed...alone. Koutei blinked, wondering what he'd just remembered. Had that even happened? But god, Mutou had looked good in leather...no, he had to get rid of that thought. It probably wasn't real.

“Hey, Ouji?” The guard knocked on the cell door again. He wasn’t completely alone. There was a guard there, knocking on the door. “Wake up already. You have an early morning appointment. You better hurry up, or you’re gonna miss it. And you know the doc won’t like that."

Koutei jumped a little, his mind forcibly torn away from the mental image of Yami in leather to spot the guard.  He sighed slightly.  Oh right...he'd forgotten about that...

"Sorry..."  He murmured, getting up and letting the guard escort him to see Dr. Arclight.

“It’s alright. Just wake up faster,” he mused. The guard assigned to prisoner escort waited and guided Koutei up to where Miheal was.

“Morning Koutei. How was your sleep?"

Koutei grunted in acknowledgement to the guard.  He would certainly do his best.

"It was...alright."  Koutei said, sitting down on the couch.  That dream had definitely been nice, but it had left him with more questions than answers.  He sighed, trying not to think of how gorgeous Mutou looked in that leather outfit.  This was not the time or place.

Miheal smiled. “Well, let’s start with the usual. How are you feeling? What have you been doing lately? Anything out of the routine? How are the change in meds?"

Koutei reflected on this and let a tiny smile show.

"...I'm doing better, now that I know Alit and Mutou are okay..." he admitted. Mutou especially...he'd always assumed Alit would be fine, but considering the last time he saw Mutou he was bleeding to death...

"...I can't wait for him to get back...do you know when that's happening, doc?" Koutei said, not telling the doctor about his strange dream just yet.

“That’s good. I’m glad. You look a lot happier since calling him,” he mused. “He’s making a slow but full recovery. He looks good. It shouldn’t be too long, only like two more weeks I imagine.” The man smiled.

"I'm really glad that he thought to call me...I was really worried about him after the attack..." Koutei smiled a little more openly. He was truly grateful for the call and was relieved that his precious friend was alright.

"Two weeks...alright. I can handle that." Koutei said, thinking of Shinji and his buddies bugging him and dealing with general loneliness.

“Yeah, you really were,” Miheal said. “You’ve missed him terribly, I imagine.” He said, prompting Koutei to talk.

“Any idea what you’re going to do with your free time while you wait?"

"...Yeah...I did...I do." Koutei corrected. "Yuugi and Yami are my buddies...without them here my stay isn't as fun..." he said. "I've been trying to keep up my workouts, and also I'm trying to plan exercises for their leg...they're scared that they won't be able to walk, so I wanna help them strengthen it as much as I can....especially cause I was too late to save them from injury completely..." Koutei said, thinking back to the attack and the state of Yami when he'd found him. And...there was also the apology...he had to ask Yami what he'd meant. It was still bothering him a little...

“Mmmmm… With their injuries, I’m not surprised,” Miheal made a note to talk about that in their therapy when Mutou came back. “But you did well, Koutei. You can’t blame yourself for something that you didn’t know about. Neither of them would blame you for what happened. Coming when you did saved them.” He reassured Koutei.

“But that’s good of you to do so, Koutei. You’re a good friend, you know?”

Koutei smiled a little.  He still did wish he had been there earlier...but Miheal was repeating what Yami had told him.  Reinforcing it did make him feel a little better.

"...Yeah..Yami told me that himself...he's grateful."  Koutei said.

"I...I try to be...I really do try..."  Koutei murmured, not wanting to ruin the friendship the way it happened with Alit.  He wanted his friendship with Mutou to last.

Then suddenly he remembered the hot leather outfit and had to fight down a blush.  Or...did he not want it to last as a 'friendship' exactly...

"Um...Dr. Arclight...can I ask...um...you were there...during the attack...did you...hear Yami say anything?"  Koutei asked.  He wondered if Miheal had heard the apology.  Maybe he could help him puzzle it out...but at the same time, he was hesitant.  He wasn't sure if Yami meant for anyone else to hear...

“Ah? Did he? Well, that’s even more proof. You and I both know how he is. He’s not the type to express his gratitude verbally usually, huh? So you must be a special exception.” Miheal smiled again at Koutei, wanting to try enforce what a good person he was. Really, Koutei was one of his better patients here, and Miheal wanted nothing more than to see him succeed.

The psychologist did note him tense up though, but didn’t question it, assuming it had something to do with what he was saying now. He raised his eyebrow and pondered.

“Hm? Well… I thought he was trying to talk to you. He looked like he was apologising for something.”

"...Yeah..."  Koutei said, thinking of what he knew of Yami.  He was usually not one to apologize either...

"...He did...he said he was sorry...and...I don't know what for...I know it was Yami because Yuugi said he didn't remember it..."  Koutei said frowning.

"I'm just...lost...I forgot to ask him on our phonecall and I can't remember why he'd apologize..."

“Hmm… Well I suppose all you can do is ask next time he calls or you see him. It must have been important. Unfortunately I don’t know what he could have been talking about either.” Internally though, Miheal sighed. He sighed like an old man, absolutely and completely done with the world. As much as he did like Yuugi, Yami had once again crept on his nerves. It really did seem like Yami did throw Koutei under a bus and had been feeling sorry for it upon his potential death, possibly because Koutei was so consistently so nice to him and saved him. He knew he couldn’t say anything though.

“Can you think of anything he might have done to offend or hurt you?” He prompted.

"Yeah...okay..."  Koutei said, knowing that was true.  He had suspected that Miheal probably had no idea...

"Um...no...nothing...he's never hurt me.  I know he hasn't.  So I don't know...I don't know why he's sorry..."  Koutei said, that sentence essentially revealing he didn't have his memories.  He still didn't remember Yami.

Miheal held back an audible sigh from escaping him and he nodded. “Well, then all you can do is ask. It shouldn’t be a problem, but if it’s troubling you so much, maybe it’s something important, even if you don’t remember. We’ll have to wait and see what develops.”

"...Yeah...I think it's important...somehow I feel like it is..." Koutei said with a sigh.

"I guess nothing to do but wait for him to call...he is allowed to right?" Koutei asked.

“Yeah, he’s allowed to call. I’ve already done the clearances and the checks. Raphael approves it, then I approve it and then you guys can speak. Just a little more complicated since he’s outside of prison, but nothing to worry about,” Miheal smiled.

"Okay...that's good." Koutei said. Outside of prison though...now he was thinking about that bar scene...was it real? He sighed, wishing it was more clear.

“… You alright? Koutei? Thinking about much?” Miheal asked. “You can tell me anything, you know. It’s my job to help you work through your thoughts and feelings."

Koutei sighed.

"...Well...I just...had a weird dream last night is all. It's...it's probably nothing..." Koutei said, trying not to blush as he thought about how nice both Yami and Alit had looked.

Miheal raised another eyebrow again and he smirked. “Oh? Must of been a nice dream. Well, if you don’t want to share, it’s alright. I understand."

"...Yeah...I guess..." Koutei said. It had been nice to see both his buddies.

"...I just had a dream...that Alit and Mutou and I were in a bar of all places. It was nice..."

“Oh? That’s nice. What did you do there?"

"Um....I was at the bar having a drink with Alit...then Mutou came. He left his wallet on the bar, so I chased him down to give it back...then he was attacked by thugs and I beat them up...I gave his wallet back...and we went to the bar and had drinks..."

“Ah, sounds fairly standard then. How did you feel about that? You’re remembering it quite strongly."

"...I...I guess it was...surprising. I've never thought of Mutou outside of the Correctional Facility before. I recognized the bar cause I've been there with Alit a lot...Mutou being there was...different..." Koutei said.

“Well what was surprising about it?” Miheal asked gently, fairly sure Koutei was holding some things back.

"Um..." Koutei blushed, thinking of the outfit.

"...for some reason...he was wearing all leather...it looked...well, really nice...but um.." Koutei coughed a little.

"I had never seen him in anything but his orange prison uniform....it was strange to see him outside the facility at all, and also wearing...well...such a skin-tight outfit, when I'm used to him wearing these baggy clothes..." he said, pulling a little at his shirt which was not really meant to be too form flattering. It was like wearing a bag...all prisoners wore it, and on Mutou, it hid basically all of his figure.

“I can only offer suggestions. Dreaming is just something that our brain does when we’re at rest, usually whatever we want to think about but haven’t focused on come to light. I don’t claim to be a professional though about dreams.” Again, Miheal internally sighed. Koutei was such a nice guy. Why did he have to fall for the guy who got him in here? “You should try think on why you think that… but don’t put too much stock in it unless it’s recurrent. Dreams can be quite surprising as you can agree"

Koutei listened and nodded. He supposed that made sense...this was the first time it had happened, so he had no way to test the reoccurring idea...but somehow he felt this dream was important. He wasn't sure why but he had a nagging feeling... "...Yeah...this is the first time I'd seen it...so I was definitely surprised...it...it's probably just a dream..." Koutei said, even though he wasn't sure he believed it completely. "Ugh...just forget I said anything...it's probably nothing..." maybe an expression about his thoughts of Mutou being gorgeous...

“… Do you think it’s one of your memories?” Miheal offered. “You don’t have any of them. It’s… unlikely, but you should keep your mind open, especially if it’s bothering you so much."

"...Well...maybe? I mean, like I said, I knew the bar. It's called the BARian. I knew where I was right away. And I've been there with Alit many times, and he was wearing the same outfit that he'd worn some of the times I'd been there...i remember that clearly. Just...I don't remember ever going with Mutou, and it was strange that he was what I focused on the most...Alit was gone pretty fast...most of what happened was Mutou at that bar..." Koutei said with a frown. Gosh he was confused...it was so clear and definitely a memory in some regards, but not in others... "Maybe I just put Mutou in another memory...one I had with Alit...so it's just...one of those dreams about a real life place, but it's still just a dream...made up situation in a real place...you know?"

“I see… Well maybe some aspects was your brain filling in the gaps, but that makes sense. Like I said, we’ll see if you have it again, otherwise we can pass it over,” Miheal smiled, though already he was making plans. The BARian, huh? Gilag and him had a date there, and Gilag did say that he did go there with his brother. It was easy enough for him to get to and do some looking himself. Was Yami ever at the BARian?

“I’m glad you’re sleeping easy though. Must have been a very good dream anyway."

Koutei nodded.

"Yeah...I guess it was a good dream..." Koutei said, smiling a little as he remembered Yami sitting next to him smiling and talking to him like they were friends, even though he hadn't been able to make out a word he said. It had been nice, despite the nagging familiarity of the whole thing. He was eager to dismiss it as the familiarity of the bar, but he felt it was more than that...

"Yeah...I've been sleeping better since I stopped worrying as much about Mutou...since he called and said he was alive and recovering..."

“Mmm… And anything else you noted? In regards to your health? Anything else you want to talk about?"

"...I don't know...nothing I can think of..."  Koutei murmured.

“Well, if there’s nothing then, I guess we can end the session. Just keep your meds up and your chin up, okay? You’re making good progress, Koutei. Don’t forget that.” Miheal smiled.

"...Ah...okay...I'll try."  Koutei said.  He got up, letting the guards escort him back to his room.  He had a lot to think about...

Miheal waved him off before he prepared his next patient. He had a lot to do… So much to do, but he did want to help. After work he’d swing by the bar, hopefully he would learn something.

The day was full of work for Miheal and seemed to drag on forever.  But, he then he was finally done and could get to the most exciting part of the day: the date with Gilag.  They had arranged that they would go to the BARian, and Miheal was going to meet him there.  That should give him enough time to question the barkeepers about Yami and Koutei.  He took a couple of pictures of them so he could show the barkeeper, then made his way out of the office.  

He sent Gilag a text.

"Just leaving now, I'll see you there in 15 mins?"

“Yup. I’ll be there in 15. See you soon.” Gilag sent back almost immediately. He was just at home, getting changed out of his work attire.

Miheal smiled, glad that Gilag was on his way.

"Alright see you soon!" He sent back before driving to the bar. He needed to talk to the owner.

He arrived and made his way over to the bar where Sawatari was working.

"Excuse me...I'm looking for the owner of the BARian."

“Are you now?” The blonde man grinned, striking a pose without prompt. “Well, you’ve found him. The super, ultra, fantastic owner of this bar is me, Sawatari Shingo. What can I do you for, cutie?”

Miheal smiled sweetly.

"I was looking for a couple of guys...Have you ever seen either of these two around the bar?" He asked, showing him the pictures of Koutei and Yami.

Shingo blinked and frowned. He looked at the pictures and handed back Koutei’s. “A lot of people come through here, so even if this guy has, I wouldn’t be sure,” Shingo admitted. He looked at Yami’s and pointed at his face. “This guy though? Oh boy. Ohhhh boy oh boy. Do not like this fella at all. Nope.”

"That's fair, I suppose. But...seeing as you recognize this guy, he must have come here often huh? I'm not a huge fan of him either to be honest...but what did he do to earn your negative attention towards him?" Miheal asked with a smile.

“He cheated me out of like two hundred and forty dollars! From me! Sawatari Shingo! There’s just no way that he had that good of a hand,” The man screeched, before he began to mutter and grumble under his breath.

"Ah...that's unfortunate. Im sure it was only luck on his part...." Miheal said to comfort Shingo. He didn't want him to stop talking cause he was giving him good stuff.

"So he came here to gamble? Does this place have game nights or something?"

“I mean, Wednesdays we have strippers, Saturdays we have games. The BARian prides itself in having a large variety of services, catering to everyone’s needs. It’s a place for fun and good entertainment, as I always say~” Shingo winked.

“… But yeah. Stupid starfish man keeps winning money off me. Damn him. Damn him."

Miheal smiled and nodded.

"Of course! I've heard nothing but praise of your establishment." Miheal said. It was true: Gilag and his brother loved it here for a reason.

"Wow so this happened more than once...he must really have come to game night frequently then. Did he always come and go alone, or did he have anyone with him?"

“Oh, he’s always alone. Or he’s doing whatever he wants, chatting up patrons and playing games, mostly. Honestly, he’s not very important.” Shingo looked at Miheal and smiled, pushing his hair back.

“You on the other hand…”

“Hey Miheal, sorry I’m late.” Gilag said walking over. Shingo’s eyes widened

“Eeeeeeeek..."

"Ah I see..."  Miheal said, thinking things over.  So there was no definite eyewitness seeing Koutei and Yami together...but he had expected that.  Yami would have been very careful, he was sure, to avoid association that was too obvious.  However, what Shingo had confirmed for him was that Yami did go this bar frequently enough that he had left an impression on people in it.  That meant it was possible that Koutei had seen him here....so maybe he'd have to question Yami about it.  

Miheal blinked when Shingo started pulling moves on him, about to politely decline when he heard Gilag come up behind him.  He turned and smiled at him.

"Hey it's alright!  I was just complimenting the owner of the bar on what a fine establishment he's running."  Miheal said, smiling at Shingo in thanks before linking his arm with Gilag.

"Shall we go sit down?"

Gilag looked utterly confused as the owner of the bar shrank away from them, sweating profusely and muttering apologies (and something about ‘not the face’). However, he shrugged and walked with Miheal, nodding.

“Sure. I’m starving. Work always gets my reserve tanks down."

“I'm a little hungry too!  It's been a long day for me as well.  I'm happy you had enough energy to join me tonight though.”  Miheal said with a smile, sitting down in a booth in the corner so they wouldn't be disturbed and could talk.

“So what's new with you?”

“What’s new with me? Uh… Nothing much. My life is just work and looking after Ponta, remember?” Gilag smiled. “I’ve been helping my brother Alit with rehab though, so that’s been good."

Miheal smiled.

"I wish mine was also more exciting."  He said with a grin.  He nodded.

"Ah yes...I heard that Alit was unable to fight anymore.  He also stopped by the Correctional Facility...it's nice to see him trying to renew things with Koutei.  I know Koutei appreciates it."

“Yeah… Alit told me about what you did,” Gilag snorted. “Kotori and I couldn’t stop laughing at the stunt he pulled. He ended up telling us because he didn’t want you telling me first.”

“But yeah… It is good. Alit is really torn up about fighting, but he’s making changes for the better."

Miheal chuckled.

"I was surprised that she hadn't told him about his visitor's status!  It was thoroughly amusing to watch him pretend not to understand anything said in Japanese!"  He mused.  He nodded.

"I understand...he loved fighting.  But, he told me he's happy that he's getting time to spend with his daughter.  How is your niece doing, by the way?  I met her when Alit brought her with him to my office...she's adorable and beautiful."

Gilag laughed again and nodded.

“She’s lovely. We all adore her. Ponta does, I do. She’s already trying to copy sounds, and she likes grabbing everything she can, including hair. It’s wonderful to see."

Miheal smiled.  

"She did seem lovely...I'm glad.  It sounds wonderful to have small kids around...unfortunately as the youngest kid, I never had a younger sibling to see grow up like that."  He said with a chuckle.  Chris and Thomas had never stopped teasing him about some stupid things he'd done as an infant that he could barely remember, and it was unfair he couldn't do the same back.

“You like kids, Miheal?” The man asked. “They’re really cute and precious, aren’t they?” He grinned cheerily, showing his own opinion quite plainly.

"Yes, I like kids.  They are adorable yes...you're lucky you get two in your life."  Miheal said with a smile.

“Mmmm… I am. Even if I end up moving out , I’ll still have them,” Gilag said. “Ah, yeah that’s something I’ve been doing. Looking into moving. See, the house we have is alright since we just have Masumi stays her parents’ room, but when she gets a little older there’s not going to be enough room. I’ve been looking for places to rent lately."

Miheal nodded.

"Family is forever no matter if you move out or not."  He said.  He smiled.

"That does make sense...you've got plenty of time though, don't you?  Masumi's not quite old enough to have her own room yet."

“Yeah, a few years, but I don’t want to do it at the last minute, you know? It’s not a rush, but it’s more of a side thing at the moment."

Miheal nodded.

"That's fair enough...but it's not a rush, like you said."  Miheal smiled, reaching across the table to hold Gilag's hand gently.

"And really...if you want, you could come stay at my apartment.  I'm hardly ever there, but it's big enough to share."

“A-ah…” Gilag’s face went very, very pink and he looked up at Miheal, somewhat dumbly. “Y-you mean it? I mean… Ah… I… Really? That would be okay with you?”

Miheal chuckled a little at how adorable Gilag looked when he blushed.  He could feel his cheeks getting a little pink too.

"Sorry, is that too fast?  ...But yeah...I do mean it.  It's okay with me.  That way, maybe we'd see each other more.  I miss you, and we're both so busy...this way we'd be able to see each other all the time after work."

“Ah… less fast, more… sudden.” He tried to hide his blush but he couldn’t. “… I don’t want to move out just yet but… That would be nice. Like… really nice. I would love to move in with you, Miheal. I like you a lot."

Miheal smiled and nodded.

"I understand.  I know you're in no rush to leave your niece and Ponta especially."  Miheal said, smiling even wider.

"I'm glad though.  I like you a lot too, Gilag."

Gilag smiled, leaning over the table to kiss Miheal lightly on his lips. His entire face was red, but he didn’t care. He was just so happy how things were turning out.

Miheal leaned into the kiss to meet Gilag halfway, holding his hand and kissing him back.  He was also very happy with things too.  He enjoyed his time with Gilag very much and was definitely ready to take things to the next level.  Gilag could stay with him and he'd be less lonely at home.

-x-

It had been almost half a year now since Vector's death, and Vector's AI felt that the progress it had made with Takashi was excellent.  The man was slowly, but surely, recovering.  He no longer was prone to headaches or exhaustion due to his illness, was not prone to crying or being upset about Vector's death, nor was he questioning his grip on reality.  Taksahi seemed to be fully capable of living now, instead of just barely surviving in a dream world.  He was doing chores around the house, working in the garden, watching television, and enjoying his time with the AI just like he used to when it was Vector.  Vector was pleased with this progress.  It seems the real Vector had been right to assign him to look after Takashi...clearly the man was functioning much better than when he'd first been woken.

Today Takashi was set for another quiet day at home with the AI and Umbral, when the AI heard a knock on the door.  He used his external cameras to see who was there, and once he saw it was only Thomas Arclight, he happily got up to answer it himself.  Thomas knew of his existence after all, so there was no need to hide.

“I got the door, Takashi!  It's Thomas!”  He called, knowing the man was in the bathroom at the moment and would probably be scrambling out to get the door otherwise.  Vector answered and smirked at Thomas Arclight.

“Hey, Thomas.  Long time no see huh?  If you're looking for Takashi he's just in the shower.”  Vector said.

It had been half a year since Vector’s death, and Thomas had seen Takashi a grand total of six times, which wasn’t bad in retrospect, but Thomas felt like he definitely should have seen Takashi a lot more than that. Still, between work and friends, he had been pretty busy, so Thomas hoped it would be enough.

“Hey Vector,” Thomas said, smiling pleasantly enough at the AI. He still wasn’t happy with the AI.  He still wasn’t happy with the AI’s existence but it was true that he was helping Takashi. “Let me in already.”

“Alright, alright!  You're just as sassy as ever.”  Vector mused, moving away from the door and letting Thomas inside.  

“What brings you here?   It's been awhile since I've seen you.”  

“I came to visit Takashi. I haven’t seen him in a while. I’ve been texting him but I thought it’s about time we caught up,” Thomas said, heading in and taking his shoes off. He made himself at home, putting his bag on the couch and stretching.

“How’s he been?"

“I know.  I hack his phone when I'm bored.”  Vector said with a smirk.  He nodded.

“Takashi's making great progress.  He's taking his meds, he's looking after himself and the house, and he's got his grip on reality back.  So he's basically back to normal thanks to my help!”  Vector said with a grin.

Thomas frowned at him. “Do you actually do anything on there? Like text other people? Or do you just pop up and troll?”

“Ah? Really? That’s good. He still wasn’t doing meds without reminders before."

“I don't send stuff, but I do troll things.  I enjoy bugging Takashi by changing all his contact names around and stuff.”  Vector mused.

“You bet he wasn't.  We used to have a thing where we'd remind each other to take meds or take them at the same time, but now that Vector's gone and I don't have cancer meds anymore, I just tell him if he forgets.  He's gotten good at making it a habit though...takes them with meals every day.”  Vector said, proud of Taksahi for that.

“That’s a relief to hear…” As long as the AI did his job, Thomas promised himself he wouldn’t say anything about Vector. “Wow, what an asshole.” Thomas laughed though. “What was my name changed to?”

“Mmhmm...he's really coming along...but not at the moment.  Geez...”  Vector said.  Takashi was taking a particularly long shower.  

“I change them all the time, but you're usually something along the lines of 'attention whore', 'royal bastard' or 'pretty bitchboy'.”  Vector said with a smirk.

“I'm gonna go see what's keeping Takashi.”  He said, before disappearing and reappearing in the bathroom, where Takashi was showering.  He approached the shower, slipping in behind Takashi, moving the curtain so the man would notice him and not be too surprised.

“You coming out soon?  Thomas wants to see how you're doing...”  Vector said, gently wrapping his arms around Takashi's waist for a small cuddle as the man washed his hair.  His AI could get wet in solid form but it also could dry in a second, so he didn't bother taking off clothes or anything.

“Keep Royal Bastard. I like that one,” The others made Thomas cringe a little, but not enough to mention it again.

“Oh yeah, sure. I’ll make tea,” Thomas said. He waved Vector off and headed to the kitchen, thankful it was spotless rather than an utter mess. He wondered if Takashi or Vector’s AI had been doing all the work here, and just how much Takashi was really doing for himself.

“Ah… Yeah. I am. I’m just making sure I’m clean, that’s all. I don’t want to embarrass myself,” Takashi said, making a mental note to change the sheets later. The man smiled as he washed the conditioner out. “I’ll be out in a sec. I’m just about done."

“Embarrassed?  There's nothing to be embarrassed about, baby.”  Vector said gently, kissing Takashi's wet cheek gently and giving him an affectionate nuzzle. “Okay.  Hurry out when you can.  Thomas is making tea for you.”  Vector said, disintegrating in the shower and then reappearing near the kitchen.

“Takashi's almost done showering.  Need a hand?”  He asked Thomas, not sure if the man knew where they kept the tea.

Takashi chuckled quietly as Vector caressed him and he disappeared. Figuring that he had kept Thomas waiting long enough, he headed off and went to get changed.

“No, I’m fine. Takashi always keeps his shit in the same place,” Thomas said, showing the tea box. “I’m surprised you haven’t reorganised the house to be more efficient. Isn’t that what AI’s do?”

“True, but it's not my stuff.  Takashi's got his own system and I'm not gonna mess with it.  He'll probably get mad at me if I do.  I make Takashi better, not his stuff.”  Vector replied.

“I guess so,” Thomas shrugged. He put the tea mugs on the table, one for him and one for Takashi. “Anything I should know about him before he comes out?”

“hmm...well you are the first guest he's had in awhile, so he's a little worried about being an embarrassment.  I told him that was ridiculous, but he might feel awkward at first?  Maybe?  Not sure.  He'll probably relax in time though.”  Vector said with a shrug.

“An embarrassment? What do you mean? That doesn’t sound like Takashi.” Thomas frowned. “When was the last time he saw someone?”

“Well he sees me everyday...he hasn't seen any of his friends since you guys brought him home from hospital though.  Of course, he's been out of the house and stuff.  Just been busy recovering is all.”  Vector said.

“Maybe he's just embarrassed that he hasn't really had anyone over?”

“I meant real people, but that’s weird. I would have thought Takashi’s other friends would have visited more often. They have been calling, right? And he’s been answering?"

“Nah, not often lately.  Initially yea, there were some, but he'd usually miss them.  He was a little worried before that it wasn't real.  He does text though, as you know.  He likes that better cause he can see clearly what was said in case he forgets.”  Vector said.  It was that, or he and Vector were messing around somehow, lounging in the bath, cuddling in bed, or maybe out in the garden.  

That made Thomas frown especially hard. He sat down, looking up at the AI.

“… Has he had any time alone or without you with friends since you were switched on?”

“Sure he has!  When he goes out to the garden or out to get groceries or something, I leave him be.  I check up on him every once in awhile, cause I don't want him to be completely alone and get lonely or scared, you know?  But I can't manifest in Solid Vision out there, so he's basically without my physical presence...I just buzz his phone every once in awhile to remind him I'm there.” Vector said.

“Is he pretty dependent on you?” Thomas frowned, finding he suddenly had more questions for Vector than he did Takashi. “Just… does something not seem right to you?"

“Nah, I think he's doing okay.  Nothing's wrong...he's making progress!”  Vector said, confused by all the questions now.

“Yeah but-“ Thomas started to argue when he suddenly saw Takashi walk in. The scowl he had disappeared and was replaced with a cheery smile.

“Oh, sorry to keep you waiting, Thomas.”

“Takashi! There you are. Sit down. How are you?”

Vector grinned, about to answer when Takashi entered.  He smiled and came over to hug him.

“You finally got out here!  Your tea's starting to get cold!”  Vector said, steering Takashi to a seat and purposely sitting on another between Thomas and Takashi.  Takashi smiled sheepishly, accepting the hug and sitting down.

“I'm...doing much better, honestly.  I feel better...Vector's been looking after me.”  Takashi said with a smile, squeezing Vector's hand with a smile.

“And how're you Thomas?  It's been awhile since I've seen you.”

Thomas just stared at Vector, wondering if somehow the real Vector accidentally made his AI more petty than the real one was. He shook his head in disapproval, though he kept his smile.

“Well, that’s good to hear, really. I’m glad,” Thomas said, “I’ve been alright. Mostly work but I’ve been doing some things with my brothers which have been nice. Sorry I haven’t been here lately. You know how it is.”

“How have you been? What have you been up to?”

“Oh that's great!  I'm glad you and your brothers have time for each other.  It's alright, I understand.  You're busy with your job and your family...don't worry.  Vector's looking after me.”  He said, and Vector's AI responded by smiling at Takashi then shooting a 'told you so' look to Thomas.  Takashi didn't really notice.

“Well...I've mostly been...at home here.  Vector and I are most comfortable here, you know?  I mean, I know I'm not hallucinating or anything...but he's stuck here and I'd feel bad just leaving him alone.”  Takashi said.

Thomas was in utter disbelief on how Takashi wasn’t noticing this. He was tempted just to point at Vector childishly, or at least flip him off. However with Takashi smiling at him, and how much it seemed he relied on Vector, the man wasn’t keen on getting in trouble because of that.

“He’s an AI. And he can jump on your phone. You don’t have to feel bad at all, Takashi."

“Well...yeah...but it's not the same, you know?  I like to be able to see him...to hold his hand...that way, I know he's there and he's real...”  Takashi murmured.  Vector put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“You know I'd never leave you, right?”  He said gently.  Takashi nodded, biting his lip.

“I know, but I just...”  He sighed, shaking his head.  He couldn't get over the fear deep down that if he left the model for long it might not come back, and he'd be alone again.

And there was the alarm bells. Thomas wasn’t sure who to call first. Takashi’s friends, Takashi’s mother, his psychologist brother or just the police. There was nothing healthy about this situation.

“It’s alright, Takashi. You don’t have to worry. You think Vector would have made such a fickle program? It’ll be fine. If you want to go out, that’s fine. Really.”

Takashi nodded slowly.

“Yeah...I'll...I'll work on it...maybe I just need time...”  He said softly.  Takashi had been told it had been about 6 months now since the hospital incident...it didn't feel like that long though.  Maybe it was because Vector was here.

“Take your time with it Takashi...you'll be okay.”  Vector's AI said with a smile.

“Yeah… maybe. If you ever feel like you need someone to help you out, you can always give me a ring,” he smiled. “Yeah, it hasn’t been that long..."

Takashi smiled.

"Thank you, Thomas...I'll try not to be a bother...I've troubled you enough...I'm sure I can work it out. Vector's helping me after all." Takashi said with a smile.

“No, no, no. Honestly, I feel like I’ve not done enough. Please, Takashi. It’s alright to rely on your friends,” Thomas smiled, somehow feeling Yuuma should be giving this speech and not him.

Vector smirked.

"You've done plenty, Thomas! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here and Takashi would still be as he was before!" Vector noted, sitting closer to Takashi possessively without even thinking about it. Takashi smiled.

"...Thank you, Thomas. I appreciate the offer. I do want to see my friends again...I just...want to make sure I'm ready."

“Yeah, but that’s a while ago. Friendship ain’t a quota, it’s ongoing,” Thomas pointed out. “Hm… Well, why don’t you just invite two over? Not the whole Numbers Club, but just get back into the swing of things, you know?”

Takashi nodded.

"I'm aware...I just know my friends are always so busy..." he mused. He nodded.

"...okay. That sounds fair...I could start small."

“Yeah, but friends aren’t to busy for friends. Don’t worry so much,” Thomas said, smiling. He then looked at the AI, wondering if Vector thought this was okay.

Vector raised a brow.

"As long as it isn't your boyfriend. He's not welcome here." He mused, shrugging. He didn't care who came over. Takashi smiled.

"Pretty much everyone is okay, Thomas. If people have time I'd be happy to have them over."

“No, that’s fair. I understand,” Thomas said, at least giving the AI that. “He’s not even Takashi’s friend anyway.” He smirked. “So you wouldn’t mind if I called your buddies now and they shuffled over? Just a couple? I’m just worried, you know?"

"Damn right." Vector mused. Takashi chuckled. "Alright...it's okay Thomas. I'm fine...I feel so much better. I appreciate the concern though...you're a good friend." He said honestly.

Thomas smiled sadly at him. Some days, he did think honestly about having gotten together with Takashi instead of Mist. He wondered how much different life would be for the two of them… if it would be better or worse for Takashi. Thomas couldn’t say he was all that comfortable with how the AI was looking after Takashi, and while he was getting better, it was hard to say if he was making as much progress as he could have been.

“… Any time. We’re all here for you."

“Yep.  We're all here to make you feel better.”  Vector agreed.  Takashi smiled at the AI and Thomas as well. “Thank you...I will definitely try to keep reaching out to my friends...even if I have to get Vector to stop changing their contact names.”  Takashi said, rolling his eyes good-naturedly as Vector smiled innocently.

“There's a bug in your phone, clearly.  Maybe you need  new one.”  He mused, which made Takashi chuckle.

“At least I can usually guess most of the names....”  He said.

“Yeah, definitely change that bug.” Thomas grinned. “And when you’re feeling up for it, we should go out. You know, catch a movie or something.”

Takashi nodded.

"I haven't been keeping up with what's in theatres...but sure." He said with a smile.

"Or we could have a movie night here if you want." Vector said, clearly favouring the idea of couch cuddles.

“Yeah, but when is the last time you’ve been to the theatre?” Thomas said. “Like I know, take it slow, but you gotta mix it up too, you know."

"....it's been ages....I don't even remember..." Takashi said. It has been a really long time...definitely before Vector died and probably quite awhile before that too. Vector hadn't been able to move much after all.

"Yeah We used to watch movies here more than go out..." Vector agreed.

“Well, always time for a new experience, huh?” The man smiled. “Has Kotori been visiting to do your groceries? Or have you been doing that yourself?"

"Ah...she's kinda been...well...keeping her distance since she learned about Vector..."  Takashi murmured, looking down.  Vector squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.  

"She'll come around.  She's probably also busy with that new kid of hers and her boys."  Vector said.  Takashi nodded.

"...That is the other thing though Thomas...most of my friends still don't know about Vector.  Considering what happened to Kotori...I'm a little worried about telling them..."

“Oh? Kotori knows about Vector?” The man frowned. “Ohh… That makes more sense…” It explained why Takashi was so protective over Vector, and why his friends haven’t been approaching him.

“… I dunno. They’re a good bunch. I can’t think of one member in your weirdo friend group who wouldn’t accept Vector except Kotori, and like Vec said, she’ll come around. It’ll be fine."

"...Yeah...she found out by accident..."  Takashi said with a sigh.

"I'm not sure....I've heard them say pretty bad things about him.  They didn't accept him anytime it was brought up before..."

“Yeah. But they didn’t hear the truth from you before. And what’s the worst that can happen?"

"...Well...they could stop being my friend....they could tell the cops I was hiding Vector and I could be arrested....or...maybe they'll take him away again..."  Takashi said, looking at the model in fear.  Vector wrapped his arms around Takashi to comfort him.

"You're not going anywhere...neither am I.  We'll be okay...I like to think they're my friends too.  Why would they rat me out if I'm taking such good care of you?"  He said, nuzzling Takashi and petting him to calm him down.

“Yuma and Shark are criminals, Tokunosuke is basically one, Tetsuo… okay you got a point with him, and I’m assuming Cathy knows already since you buried Vector’s body? Honestly, your friends are like… probably the only friend group in Heartland you can really trust with shit like that, you know?"

"...I guess yeah....you're right...but I'm still a little nervous..."  Takashi murmured, holding Vector for comfort.  The model smiled, pleased with the attention it was getting, nuzzling Takashi.

"We'll introduce it slowly...maybe only to a couple of them.  Those who can be trusted most..."

“I know you are, but hey… worst comes to worst, you guys can hideout in my place. If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s avoid the cops,” The man joked. “But yeah… do it at your own pace, okay?”

"And be near your boyfriend?  No way."  Vector said, holding Takashi tighter.  Takashi sighed.

"I appreciate the offer Thomas...thank you.  I'll...do it slowly.   They should know...we've been hiding it for a long time."

“I don’t live with Mist, it’s way too inconvenient for both of us. It’s fine, really.” Thomas pouted.

“… Hey, I just want you to be okay. It’s no big deal, really. You’re important to me, Takashi.”

"Well thank god for that..."  Vector muttered under his breath.  Takashi chuckled, squeezing Vector's hand.  

"...Thank you Thomas.  You're a good friend...I really do appreciate it."  Takashi said, looking at Thomas and smiling at him in thanks.

Thomas smiled and jumped over to give Takashi a hug, ignoring the AI. “Hey, what are friends for? Any time, Takashi."

Vector frowned at Thomas as he hugged Takashi too, but Takashi just laughed at all the attention and hugged Thomas back.

"Thanks Thomas...you're always there for me."  He said.  Vector sighed.

"What about me~"  He whined, and Takashi chuckled and nuzzled the model.

"You both are.  I appreciate it."

“Wow, you’re pettier than your creator. Share a bit,” Thomas teased, pulling Takashi back and grinning mischievously at the AI.

Vector pouted.

"I'm not petty.  I'm just claiming what's mine."  Vector said, still clinging to Takashi and pouting even more when Thomas pulled him away.  Takashi chuckled.

"Play nice, Vector.  Thomas hasn't seen me in awhile."

“Yeah. You get him when I go home. When do I get him? Never, you leech,” Thomas said, though he wore a wicked smile. He hugged and ruffled his friend’s soft, clean hair.

Vector huffed and crossed his arms, still pouting.

"I'm not a leech...Takashi loves me.  You got your own squeeze."  He said.  Takashi chuckled as Thomas ruffled his hair.

"It's nice to see you too, Thomas."  He said with a smile.  It was so nice to have them all together...they were acting just like they used to before Vector died.  It was nice.

“But Takashi is softer, and he’s not taller than me so it’s easier to squeeze him,” Thomas grinned. “You’re just jealous, huh? Of course you are. With my good looks and my personality, I’m too hot to handle, huh?"

Takashi blushed a little at the compliments and smiled.

"If you say so..."  He mused.  Vector stuck out his tongue at Thomas.

"Doesn't matter how hot you are.  He's mine.  I put a ring on that."  Vector said, pointing out the wedding ring with a smirk.  Takashi blushed a little more at that.  He knew the model didn't remember, but it was nice to be reminded of the marriage.

“I know… But still, you feel threatened enough by me,” Thomas winked at Vector and laughed. “Makes me think you’re nervous, Vector, ya know?"

Vector pouted.

"...I just don't like you touching my man..."  He murmured.  Takashi smiled, reaching out and holding the model's hand.

"It's alright Vector.  Thomas and I are just friends, no matter what."

Admittedly, that did sting a little bit, but Thomas was a great actor and he played it off, not wanting to start anything stupid, even though he was immensely tempted to say that the AI wasn’t even the same as Vector. He smiled at the model.

“Yeah… Don’t get jealous. Look, Takashi is now looking after you, not the other way around."

Vector was partially reassured by Takashi's words and the fact that Thomas didn't protest.  He smiled.

"He's always looked after me.  I want to return that favor."  He said.  Takashi smiled.

"You are.  We're looking out for each other now."  He replied.

“Even though I’m not sure what you can do to look after an all powerful AI,” Thomas mused.

"Plenty.  I can keep him company and talk to him."  Takashi said with a smile.  And there were other things...but he didn't think they'd be fair to mention in front of Thomas...

"He's managing...I let him do things even though I am all powerful."  Vector said, pleased with the little ego-stroke that Thomas had given him.

Thomas immediately regretted his words and wondered how he could take them back or edit them. It wasn’t worth it.

“Yeah, I guess.” Thomas shrugged. “Oh well."

Vector snickered.

"I can do anything, but I'm not trying to do everything for Takashi. He's gotta recover so he can live properly after all." Vector said. Takashi smiled.

"I am feeling much better...The AI is helping me quite a bit."

Thomas wanted to argue. He wanted to ask if this was really healthy. If not seeing anyone was okay, but remembering how bad Takashi was before, he felt like this was a big improvement anyway. He stepped back and rubbed his temples. “Mgh..."

"Something wrong, Thomas? Are you getting a headache? I have some painkillers..." Takashi said, noticing the man's disposition. Vector simply watched, wondering what was wrong.

“Yeah. Sure. A headache. Yeah… probably because all the work I’ve done,” Thomas smiled at him. He sipped his tea. “I’ll live."

"You should relax more then...modelling is a lot of work and stress." Takashi said sympathetically, getting him some painkillers for his head.

"Maybe you should go home and have a nap." Vectors AI suggested. "Then maybe you'll feel better?"

“Nah… I’m never here for Takashi. Unless he makes an appointment to go out with me, I’m gonna stay and make up for time we’ve missed,” Thomas said.

Vector grumbled under his breath and Takashi smiled.

"Alright...that's sweet of you Thomas. But don't feel obliged if you really don't feel well...I do have Vector after all."

“Yeah, but you don’t have me,” Thomas emphasised, wondering how Takashi thought substituting all his friends for an AI was okay, “Let’s make plans then though, for real"

Takashi blinked, confused by the difference. This was Vector too wasn't it?

"Oh sure...we could um...watch a movie maybe?" That shouldn't be too hard, Takashi figured.

“Yeah. Let’s go out. We can get some fast food and then watch a good movie.” Thomas smiled. “My treat. You keep Saturday free. I’ll take you out."

Takashi pondered this, and smiled.

"Alright...that sounds good, Thomas. I'll leave it open." He said. Vector pouted.

"I'm coming too in your phone. Sounds fun." He said with a smirk.

“Yeah, but you know you can’t watch the movie. They always tell you to switch off the mobile phone in cinema,” Thomas pointed out.

Vector pouted.

"He could put it on silent...same difference..." he murmured. Takashi smiled.

"You could hack the cameras too...just don't cause trouble alright ?"

“Trouble? Vector? Whatever could you mean?” Thomas teased, grinning.

"Yeah Takashi! I'm an angel!" Vector said, putting on an innocent expression. It made Takashi laugh.

"Oh you...fine, then I guess you'll have to stay in my phone and miss the movie." Takashi mused.

Thomas did hope that one day without the AI wouldn’t bother Takashi. Takashi was supposed to depend on the AI, but not become dependent. He hoped Takashi was alright.

-x-

Meanwhile, in hospital, both Yuugi and Yami were incredibly bored.  They still couldn't walk, but were thankfully due to get their cast off soon so it could be replaced by a smaller boot more designed for walking.  They couldn't wait to be able to move.  The more strength they got, the less time they needed to spend sleeping and the more time they were awake in the bed.  Sometimes they were completely alone, but often times Raphael was with them.  This was one of those times.

Yuugi was currently in control, and he had been trying to nap, since that was the best way to kill time.  He didn't really want to disturb Raphael, but he probably was being a little disruptive with his constant shifting.  No spot was comfortable on this bed anymore...he itched to move.  He glanced at Raphael, wondering if he should ask...but no, he was busy...but...could he take a quick break?  Yuugi sighed.

"Um...Raphael?"  He asked tentatively, making it clear that he'd shut up if the other was doing something important.

Raphael had been getting a lot of work done, more than he honestly expected, so when he heard Yuugi stir, he look up straight away. He smiled at the young man and closed his laptop. “Hey. What’s up?"

"Um...I...I don't wanna bother you but..."  Yuugi glanced at the wheelchair in the corner of the room that Yuugi usually used for moving to the washroom and back.

"...Can you take me for a walk?  Just a short one around the hospital?  Please?  I'm so sick of being stuck in bed and I'm really, really bored..."  He asked.

Raphael gave him a smile. He put the laptop on the side table and headed over to the wheelchair, opening it up properly before wheeling it over.

“We’ll have to ask the guards to escort us, but it should be fine. I don’t mind at all."

Yuugi's eyes lit up happily when Raphael agreed.

"Thank you so much, Raphael!"  Yuugi said, watching the man bring the wheelchair over to him.  He still needed help transferring himself from the bed to the wheelchair, but he was able to pull the covers off of him to allow Raphael to help him move into the chair.

Raphael had more than enough strength to lift the light man up. He carefully eased Yuugi in the chair, turning him around so they could get comfortable. When he was done, he smiled. “Grab anything you need. I’ll just mention it to the guards, okay?”

Yuugi let Raphael lift him up and put him in the chair. He was so happy that he was getting a chance to move at last.

"Okay!" He said, pulling the blankets off his bed and wrapping himself up in them as best he could. He wasn't wearing much after all and didn't want to get cold. He then waited in the chair for Raphael to get back, clearly excited.

Raphael didn’t take long. He explained to the guards what was going on, where they were going and how long they would be, and that was it. The men, bored with their posts, were more than happy to accompany them. Even though Mutou was a criminal, he was still entitled to fresh air and sunshine. Raphael walked back and smile, seeing Yuugi sitting there eagerly. He petted his head affectionately before he grabbed the handles.

“Of we go now.” He said, starting their little walk.

Yuugi beamed, happy that they'd obtained permission. He was sure nothing would happen, and was sending reassurances to Yami who also wanted to get out but was a little more weary of potential dangers.

"Yay! Are we allowed to go outside? It's been ages since I've had some fresh air!" Yuugi asked as Raphael wheeled him out.

“Yeah… Only in the back, the hospital gardens, but yeah, we’re allowed outside,” Raphael said. He headed to the elevator, waited for the other man to get in, and headed for the ground floor. “It’s been a while though for you.”

"That's good enough for me!" Yuugi said with a grin. He sat patiently in the elevator.

"Yeah...the last time I remember being outside was for a brief moment before my trial. I was being bombarded by reporters though so Yami took over." Yuugi said with a sigh.

"It'll be nice to go outside...I've been able to see from my window that it's spring now...should be warm." He smiled.

“Really?” Raphael asked in surprise. “I didn’t know you haven’t been out in so long.” He made a small face at the thought.

“Mmm… It’s looking really pretty. It’s not quite sakura season, but it will be in a few weeks.” The elevator ringed and the man stepped out, then wheeling Yuugi to the back door.

"Yeah...it's been ages..." Yuugi said. And before that, he had no memory of outside. It had been about 7 years after all...

Yuugi smiled.

"I'm sure it'll be great regardless!" He said, eyes widening as they finally went outside. Yuugi closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, happy to feel the warm sun on his skin and breathe in the scent of fresh air.

There was a gentle breeze, and while a little on the cool side, it was definitely a pleasant day. Raphael smiled as he wheeled Yuugi along, following the path along to find their way.

“Look at you, a little sun and you look like you’re on top of the world"

"I feel like I am!" Yuugi said, looking around the garden as Raphael wheeled him alone. He smiled at the flowers, and when he spotted a cat peaking out of the bush, he smiled and waved at it with a small "hey there", watching it dart away.

"I can't wait to be free...then I can go out as much as I want!" Yuugi said with a happy sigh, willing to just bask in the sun.

Raphael’s hands gripped on the handles and inwardly he froze. Was… Was Yuugi joking? He had a life sentence with no chance of bail, and was supposed to be here in rehab until he could go to jail or he died. There was no option for him to be free. However, with Yuugi’s tone and smile, Raphael remembered that Yuugi probably hadn’t been conscious to hear the verdict.

The man bit his lip. He knew he should say something, but he didn’t want to ruin the walk. Making a note that he HAD to tell Yuugi later, he just continued to walk.

“… What would you do if you managed to get out and about?"

Yami was equally upset about Yuugi being oblivious. Yuugi smiled and pondered this question, unaware of the things bothering Raphael and Yami.

"I'm not sure...maybe go exploring Heartland. I don't have much memory of this place...most of it is what Yami's shown me, and it's not much." Yuugi said with a smile. He had really not heard the verdict...he didn't know he was going to be locked up for life.

“Heartland, huh? Do you have anywhere you want to visit? Like… well not a bar, but a scenery in mind?” Raphael said. He really wanted to talk Yuugi down, but he didn’t want to crush him. Already he was berating himself, trying to figure out how not to build Yuugi up.

Yuugi chuckled.

"I don't think I'd wanna go to a bar...Yami's been to enough of those." Yuugi mused.

"...Maybe a museum. That's where I used to take Jii-chan. I'm not sure what Heartland has to see, but they must have one of those, right?"

“A museum, huh?” He smiled. “Yeah, there’s the Heartland National Museum. It’s in the city. You can see a lot of their items on their website. It’s pretty interesting. I haven’t been there myself in a while."

"Oh cool! We should go together then!" Yuugi said happily, looking up at Raphael before pausing.

"...or...I mean, only if you have time and stuff...I wouldn't want to tear you away from work for too long..."

Raphael blinked. Go together? No… he shouldn’t. That would be getting Yuugi’s hopes up. However, Yuugi was so earnest, and he genuinely wanted to go with Raphael.

And Raphael genuinely wanted to go with him too.

“Time has always been hard for me, and it may be a while before you’re in any condition to go through Heartland City.” Raphael admitted. “But I would like to go with you."

Yuugi smiled up at him innocently, oblivious to what he was thinking about. He beamed when Raphael agreed.

"I understand! We'll go whenever we're both available!" Yuugi said with a grin.

"Where do you like to go here? You've been here awhile right? What is there to do that's fun in Heartland?"

“Here? Yeah, I’ve been living in Heartland for a while. There’s a lot of fun things…” Raphael pondered. “Do you like amusement parks? Or is that too thrill-seeking for you?”

"Ah...Well the rides are a little scary but I love games there!" Yuugi said, feeling Yami's slight interest.

"...I think Yami likes the rides though! You guys can go on those together!" Yuugi said happily.

“Yeah, I like the rides too. I also just like the atmosphere.” Raphael said. He chuckled. “High adrenaline rides and games, you like a bit of everything, huh?"

Yuugi smiled sheepishly.

"I do like the rides...or at least the ones I'm tall enough to ride. I keep having to wear platformed shoes to ride them..." Yuugi said with a chuckle. He nodded.

"Yeah. High adrenaline sounds like something up Yami's alley...I like the atmosphere." Yuugi said, feeling Yami stirring in his head.

"We should go to one of those too someday!" He grinned.

“You’re not that short, are you?” Raphael was used to towering over everyone, including kids, and he didn’t quite realise how tiny Yuugi was for his age. He did laugh though, smiling.

“Ah… well, I can’t stop you from dreaming what you want, can I?” he said

Yuugi chuckled sheepishly, blushing a little in embarassment and rubbing the back of his head.

"Well...it mostly depends on whether they count my hair as part of my height...but I have been told I was too short to ride..."  Yuugi said.  Yuugi grinned and nodded.

"I'm trying to dream...to look forward to being out of prison.  Then I can live again...make my own memories again and not have to just rely on Yami's."

… Sweet merciful gods, Yami please help him out here.

“Yeah… for now though, just try work on the little things and living now. Get that practice in, you know?"

Yuugi nodded, a determined look on his face.

"I will.  I want to get better as soon as I can, but I'm patient.  I'll take my time and get used to things...then when I get out, I'll be prepared."  Yuugi said.  He could feel his head twinging and he groaned softly.

"...And I'll make friends with Yami, so I can convince him not to do bad things anymore...I wanna help him too.  That way, when we get out...he won't do something that puts us both away again..."  Yuugi said, which really only made his head worse as Yami reacted to his words.  He massaged his temples gently, trying to soothe his other half, who was reacting more strongly by the second.

“Yuugi…” Raphael sighed. He wanted to protect Yuugi. He so desperately didn’t want to help him, but Yuugi was hoping too strongly. Yami had done too many bad things, killed way too many people to be let off and out of jail. Murder was not something light he was getting out of, and if he wasn’t mentally ill he would surely be getting the death penalty.

“Yuugi…. About you leaving prison. I…Didn’t know know? Don’t you know that-“

Yuugi turned to look at Raphael when he heard his name, confused by the slightly sad look on Raphael's face.  

"What's wrong?"  He asked, waiting for Raphael to continue before suddenly he felt his head spike in pain.  Before Raphael could finish his sentence, he could feel consciousness slip away, and surprisingly, his hands flew to his ears, covering them and blocking sound.  Yuugi barely had a second to puzzle this predicament when Yami shoved him aside, assuming control and glaring at Raphael.

"Don't you dare tell him.  You can't just kill his hope like that!  It's all he's got left!"  Yami exclaimed, removing his hands from his ears once he was sure Raphael wasn't going to continue.

It was obvious that they switched, and Raphael all but collapsed in relief as he saw Yami’s harsh eyes. He rubbed his temples, listening to the other man.

“I know. But we can’t just keep lying to him. If we let him build it up too much, then when he’s crushed even more? Then what? I want him to hope but I don’t want Yuugi to get lost again."

"It's not lying...you want to do all those things with him.  I know you do.  Omitting the truth isn't necessarily lying."  Yami argued.  He sighed.

"Last time Yuugi lost his hope, he essentially died.  So by letting him hold onto it, he won't be lost."  Yami said, crossing his arms.

"Yuugi's pretty smart though.  Give it a few years, and he'll realize he's not getting out.  And then he'll have to shift his hope to something else...and hopefully, by then, he'll be strong enough to withstand that loss.  So keep your mouth shut until he realizes it."

“… I really do. You guys deserve a chance… He at least deserves even just a year of living,” Raphael sighed.

“… Fine. I’ll keep my end of the deal, but you have to ease him into that idea. Yuugi is part of you. Look after him."

Yami nodded.

"I agree...but there's nothing to be done about it." Yami said.

"I'll try. Our memories are getting closer, so it's only a matter of time before he might see the verdict. But...we have more pressing matters to attend to...like walking." Yami said, looking at his leg.

"We're getting this cast off soon aren't we?"

“We can have the doctors check it, but I’m honestly not sure. You’ll probably need a brace at least for a few weeks even after it comes off.” The man frowned.

Yami groaned.

"Ugh...I just get out of my neck brace only to get another on my damn leg."  He mused.  He supposed there was no choice though...

"I do want it off...at least with a brace, I'll be able to walk."

“Yeah, that’s true… it will be better though. We should ask the doctor if we can see your leg, so we get an idea of how it’s healed. Have you ever been awake for bandage changing?”

Yami blinked.

"...Well, I try to be, but I'm pretty sure they drug me up for that.  That, or the second they move my leg I pass out from agony."  Yami mused.  He sighed.

"Can we go see him now?  Outside is nice...but I also feel like I could get shot at any second..."  Yami said.

“Oh? I thought you wanted some fresh air…” Or Yuugi did, but evidently it did seem like he wouldn’t be back for a while. The man sighed and slowly did a lap, heading back.

"Well...yeah, I do.  It's nice and all, but it's also reminding me of shit I can't have.  I'm gonna be locked away for good after this.  Plus...I'd feel better if I could move on my own."  Yami said, burrowing a little deeper into his blankets with a sigh.  He let Raphael wheel him around, taking in the sights as Yuugi had, but with a much sadder expression.

"...Take Yuugi out here again, before we leave, okay?  He likes it here..."  Yami asked Raphael softly.

“… Yeah… I noticed. He really likes the little things…” He sighed. “I wish I could do more for him. He deserves more."

"He does. He's always liked the details...but especially now because he hasn't done much in the past seven years." Yami said. He shook his head.

"You're doing plenty...Yuugi feels he's taking you away from work all the time in fact. All he really wants is for you to be happy, and to continue being his friend. So...you gotta stay alive and keep seeing him occasionally. That's it." Yami said. Both of those things were easier said than done though...Kaiba might try and strike at Raphael, and if he visited then Kaiba would be suspicious of Yami sharing information...ugh. Yami frowned. This was a problem...

Raphael smiled. He knew he was doing a lot, and above what people expected, but he really did just want to help the young man. Both of them, really. Hearing what Yuugi wanted from him made him feel warm inside, though he did feel a bit bad. He had beefed up security, but honestly he didn’t know if that was enough to save him. He knew he had to put better precautions up, for both their sakes.

“If I did die, you’ll have to look after him alone again. I’ll have funds to keep servicing your health, but..."

"You're not gonna die." Yami said cutting him off with frown. "You're not leaving him."

"You've beefed up security haven't you? And you and the other CEOs should keep your distance from each other...or at least meet in a public setting where they can't kill you. Considering how much I was paid, it's most likely a CEO who hired me. Avoid them and you'll be fine." Yami said, crossing his arms. He didn't want to reveal much...but he wished he could say to pay special attention to KaibaCorp...

Raphael raised an eyebrow, not expecting Yami of all people to say things like that, but he nodded. He had a feeling that Yami knew certainly who the employer was, or at least had an idea, but he didn’t say anything more.

“I have. And I’ll do my best. We’ve all made the switch to conference calls over a private system if we ever need to do business."

Yami nodded, eyes watching the guards out of the corner of his eyes. He could tell they were paying attention so he wouldn't be saying much more.

"Good...glad the other CEOs are taking precautions too. Do you know any of them personally? Or is it all just professional? Which ones do you correspond with?"

“I know a few personally. The ones I was closest to are already… gone…” Because Yami killed them, “But I do know one pretty well. His name is Kaiba Seto, he owns Kaiba Corp. He and I do multiple orphanage projects together. He’s not one for charity, but he does good work. I correspond with him quite a bit."

Yami stiffened when he heard that. Those words did nothing to reassure him at all. So all of Raphael's closer friends were dead, thanks to him, and the only one left was the man still trying to kill him. This was worse than he thought.

"Oh...well, Yuugi and i went to school with Kaiba...he always stuck to himself. I'm surprised you two are close..." Yami said carefully.

“Did you now?” Raphael asked. “Ah yeah, he’d be the same age as you guys. That makes sense. Small world.” The man shrugged. “I wouldn’t call us close like friends. Just he’s the one I talk to the most.”

"Well yeah, we were raised in the same city...Kaiba didn't really go to school often though. He had his company even then..." Yami mused. He nodded hesitantly.

"...so you conference call with him most then? Or do you actually go see him often?"

"....Just wondering. Kaiba likes to entertain, so...I wondered if he'd ever invited you to some huge banquet where he could show off his latest dragon holograms." Yami lied.

“He has. Several times. He really needs to stop that.” Raphael said, in the most dead, flat tone he could manage.

Yami sighed.

"He really does...although it is much more fun to play card games that way. More exhilarating."

“… I’ve tried the game. Not my style, but I like some of the cards.” The man said. “It really is quite interesting.”

Yami smiled.

"Yuugi and I love the game...we once beat Kaiba at it and earned the title "King of Games". But that was a long time ago...I don't have my deck anymore." Yami mused.

“Maybe you can get it in the facility, get all the prisoners playing it during rec time. Make it a thing,” Raphael chuckled.

Yami chuckled.

"That would be fun...I'm just not sure how well everyone would do at the game. Some people aren't really all there after all." Yami mused.

Raphael smiled. He headed back towards the hospital and looked ahead. “You sure you don’t want to be here for any longer?'

Yami hesitated, before sighing.

"...I guess a little longer..."  He said softly.  He didn't mind being outside, nor did he mind being outside with Raphael.  

"Walk slowly or something."  He mused.

“Alright,” Raphael said. He kept his slow pace and he looked around, seeing how nice the trees and the breeze was. As he moved, he saw a bench by the flowering pond and he pointed at it. ”Do you want to rest here for a bit? Just get out of the chair and rest somewhere not in your bed?"

Yami was spacing out a little, but honestly enjoying the breeze and the atmosphere.  He followed Raphael's gaze.  

"...Sure, I guess so...not sure how the bench would be much different than the chair, but okay..."  He mused.

“It’s just a change of scenery, I mean. You haven’t been out here at all, have you?” Raphael said, parking by it. The guards were staying a little bit away, and Raphael was a little thankful for that. After carting the wheelchair there, the man slowly picked Yami up, gently easing him onto the bench.

"Nope.  I wasn't healed enough to be moved this much..."  Yami mused.  Yami held onto his blanket as Raphael scooped him out of the chair and put him on the bench.  As he'd suspected, it wasn't as comfy, but it was still nice.  What was different was that he could lay his arms against the back of the bench, and relax, pretending like he was simply lounging in the park instead of a fucking cripple confined to the wheelchair.  It did feel better, surprisingly.  He sighed a little.

"...This is nice..."  He admitted.

“I told you,” Raphael chuckled. He sat down next to Yami and smiled at him, seeing him look visibly calmer just being out here. He looked up at the sky. “It’s been a while since I just stopped like this too. I’ve been busy, but this is nice…”

Yami glanced over at Raphael as the other smiled at him and immediately looked away.  He was really not good with this sort of thing...how could Raphael just smile at him like that?  Sure, he was getting used to it, but it was still a little strange considering Raphael knew very well what he'd done.  

"...Yeah...I can't remember the last time I just stopped like this either..."  Yami said, choosing to stare out at the flowers instead of the sky.

“… Yuugi said what he wanted to do if he ever did get out… what would you do? If you were allowed to hope about that kind of thing, where would you go?"

Yami sighed.

"...I'd leave.  Get away from the mistakes I made, the people I hurt, and start again somewhere else."  Yami admitted.  He hated having his mistakes thrown in his face.  He hated feeling guilty, and worst of all, he hated feeling so damn helpless to fix anything.

“Mmm… That makes sense…” The man said gently, “Anywhere in particular?”

"....Anywhere...it doesn't matter...Yuugi and I have never left Japan...so...we have nowhere to return to in particular..."  Yami said softly, not liking how the man just went along with it.  He had to know he was talking about him, didn't he?

Raphael nodded. After a moment though, he reached out and went to take Yami’s hand. He squeezed it lightly, looking at the man.

Yami glanced over in Raphael's direction in surprise again when he took his hand.  

"...What are you doing...?  You should not be getting this close to me...it's dangerous..."  Yami said.  Who knew if Kaiba was watching?  He'd definitely get the wrong idea...and then he'd either kill Yami while he was defenseless, or kill Raphael and leave Yuugi in agony.  It would be awful either way.

“I’m sure this isn’t much closer that how I’ve been with you this entire time,” Raphael said, making sure the man could see how completely serious he was. “I want to make sure that you’re alright. And I want to make sure you’re being looked after. And none of that is going to matter if you just spend your life being locked up. I’m not sure if I can get you out, but I can make you feel safer. I’m going to find whoever hired you and make them pay, so they can never worry you again. Understand? I’ll swear it.”

"...I guess not..."  Yami noted, although the setting was much more important here.  They were sitting on a bench under a tree in the sun...it felt like a scene from a romantic movie and it was weird.  Yami bit his lip, seeing how serious he was.  Raphael had the wrong idea completely...

"If you go after him, you will die...and you can't die.  I don't want you to die."  He shook his head.

"Don't swear to promises you can't keep.  You can't get me out of jail.  You can't make me any safer.  And you can't do anything more to look after me."  He said, looking away.  He could feel Yuugi's protest but he didn't really care.  Raphael didn't need to sugarcoat things with him.  He knew he was screwed and nothing could fix it.

“I’m not promising you out of jail,” Raphael said, still looking serious, a little oblivious himself of the scene. “I’m just saying that I can put resources and time into looking for this bastard. You’ve already narrowed the pool down to the richest people in Heartland City and who stay in Heartland City. I can do more.” But his expression did soften, harsh lines on his face becoming sad creases. “I won’t die. I’ve already promised my siblings that if I’m going out, it’s on my terms. Don’t worry about me."

"It's not your job to hunt this guy!  You have no right to do that!"  Yami said, wanting to try and persuade Raphael not to.  Yami looked even more miserable when Raphael spoke.

"...You...you can't just promise that...your own terms could be to go out on a fucking suicide mission like what you're proposing: chasing down the guy who was crazy enough to have his fellow CEO murdered in cold blood.  Sure, you might kill him, but he'll take you down with him, and you'll have set that as your terms..."

“I won’t do that,” Raphael hadn’t even thought of that, but now the idea was in his mind. “I have a lot of things I need to do. I can’t just throw it all away, no matter how I want to… for you…” Raphael looked at the man. “I’ll be fine. Really. I won’t start something, I promise."

Yami's eyes widened.

"I'm not worth throwing all that you have away...so you'd better not do anything."  Yami said sternly.  He shook his head.

"Ugh..."  His head throbbed both from stress and Yuugi.

“Of course not, that’s what I just said.” Raphael frowned. “Are you alright? Did you want to go back and rest?"

Yami sighed and shook his head.

"No...I don't want to go back inside..."  He did like it out here, despite the circumstances.

“… Alright. We’ll stay out here then.” Raphael sighed. “Sorry, I’m not really good with this kind of thing. I’m trying though"

"I'm no good with it either...but I can tell you're trying. It's okay..." Yami said softly. Even though Raphael wasn't really alleviating his worries, he could tell he was trying. Yuugi kept stirring in his head, causing Yami to groan softly and lean his head against Raphael's massive arm next to him.

“I know…” Raphael could be empathetic, he could do good works, but sometimes he still came across as quite thuggish. He was glad that Yami understood though. The man was rather hard to read sometimes, and it was very surprising when the man suddenly laid down on his shoulder.

“Tired?”

Yami was tired, and a little chilly from the breeze. He wasn't wearing much after all. He hugged the blanket closer.

"A little...too much worrying..." he mused. Yuugi was getting close to emerging, and Yami decided to just let him. Yuugi blinked, glancing up at who he was with. He smiled once he realized it was Raphael and nuzzled closer to him affectionately. He assumed this meant Yami and Raphael were getting along and he was glad.

“Don’t worry. At least right now, I’ve got you,” Raphael said. He looked down at the man, a small smile on his face. The smile looked a little sadder as he looked at Yuugi, but it was there all the same, even when Yuugi started snuggling. “I’ve got you. Don’t worry."

Yuugi smiled.

"I'm not worried...I'm sure everything will work out." Yuugi said. He shivered a little and pulled the blankets up higher.

“We should head back in. I don’t want you to catch a chill,” Raphael said. He let go of Yuugi’s hand to put an arm around him and smiled.

"But I like it out here..." Yuugi said, cuddling him and sighing.

"Excuse me...the doctor has instructed me that he needs to see Mutou." One of the guards approached the two men and said.

“… I’d say yes, but it looks like we can’t,” he said, pointing at the guard. “Come on Yuugi. Back in we go. We probably need you to get checked out, huh?"

Yuugi sighed, uncurling himself from Raphael's side so he could be put back in his chair.

"I wonder what he wants...maybe to get my cast off?" Yuugi said, smiling.

“Probably going to have a look at it and see if you’re alright to go back to the Correctional Facility,” Raphael said. He stood up and picked up the light man, gently easing him into the chair.

“Is he in Yuugi’s room?” He asked the guard.

"Okay..." Yuugi said, letting Raphael put him back in the chair reluctantly. He didn't really want to leave the outdoors, but he supposed he was excited to see Koutei again. He smiled.

The guard shook his head.

"The doctor wants to see him in an examination room. I believe he is going to take the cast off so he can examine the patients leg."

“Oh… that’s going to be interesting,” Raphael said. He nodded. “Lead the way then."

The guard nodded and led them inside. Yuugi smiled.

"I guess if I'm getting the cast off, I'll start walking again soon!"

“It’s just a check to see if you can. Let’s just wait and see, okay?” Raphael said, trying to calm Yuugi down. He wheeled him inside and headed up a different elevator.

Yuugi nodded, trying to tone down his excitement a notch. He was curious what the doctor would say.

They exited the elevator and made their way into an examination room where the doctor was waiting.

"Ah Mr.Mutou. Glad you could make it. I'll need him up here on the table please...we're going to take that cast off and see if the leg is healthy enough to give you a boot." He said with a smile. He knew Raphael would be able to put Yuugi on the table.

Raphael nodded. He picked up the man slowly and hoisted him up. “I’m right here. Apparently I’m allowed to be here. So don’t worry, okay?"

Yuugi nodded, glancing nervously at the tiny saw that the doctor was going to use to cut his cast off. He held Raphael's hand for support as he sat on the table. The doctor gave him a comforting smile.

"It won't hurt you. I'm cutting the cast, not you, okay?" He said gently. Yuugi nodded, still weary, but reassured by Raphael's presence.

Raphael smiled and squeezed the hand back. He looked at the doctor and watched the man cut off the cast.

Yuugi watched too, nervous as the cast fell away to reveal his leg to him for his first time. His eyes widened. His leg was tiny as ever, but instead of smooth pale skin, his entire leg was riddled with deep, red scars. It was somehow terrifying to look at, and he immediately turned away in horror.

"Well, the scars are healing nicely...we will have to do some tests to see how the muscles and nerves were affected..." the doctor said.

Raphael had never seen injuries quite like them before, even with his time out in the streets. The skin was deep and red, and the scabs had started forming over. A white crush was on the edge of each of the long wounds, and the dents were still evident. It did look quite ghastly, but all in all it wasn’t that bad from a second perspective. Seeing Yuugi flinch though, Raphael looked at Yuugi.

“Yeah. Hear that? It’s healing nicely. It’s probably supposed to do that. Once they scan you over, we’ll see what’s next, okay?”

Yuugi still looked uncomfortable. "...it looks awful..." he noted. The doctor smiled. "We gotta do some tests here...can you wiggle your toes, Yuugi?" He asked. Yuugi nodded, trying to wiggle his toes. They moved fine on his left leg, but barely twitches on his right. "Ugh...they're so stiff..." he said softly. "Any pain?" "...a little..." Yuugi said with a groan.

“Mmm… I see.” The doctor gently took the man’s foot. He then bent it back gently, seeing if Yuugi was in pain by simple movement. “Tell me if I’m hurting you. I’m going to rotate your foot a bit.”

"Ow..." Yuugi hissed softly. His leg and foot were so stiff. "It...kinda hurts...not too bad, but...ugh..."

“That’s about what I expected. And when I rotate it left and right?”

Yuugi grunted as his foot was gently turned. "Ah...that's...worse..." he said, gripping Raphael's hand tighter.

The doctor gently returned his foot back to normal and frowned. “Well… I’ll just need to examine it, but it may take a while for your foot to recover. It’s already slower than I thought, but you are healing very well."

Yuugi sighed. "...so...is it going to get better? Will I be able to walk again?" He asked, worried by the results of the test.

“The extent of your ability to walk still needs to be determined, but you will be able to get around and move again in no time. All things considered, it’s not as bad as it could be, but you’re not going to be at the status you were before."

Yuugi nodded. He sighed.

"...do I need to have another cast or something? Or um...a leg brace? To help me walk?"

“You will need the leg brace, but after we do the scans and make sure everything else is healing,” The doctor said.

Yuugi nodded.

"Okay..." he said with a sigh.

"Well move you to get an x Ray now in the other room." The doctor said, heading into the X-ray room.

"Would you bring him in, Please?" He asked Raphael.

Raphael nodded. He put Yuugi down in the wheelchair and looked into the next room before he wheeled him in. Once again, he put him down on the table.

Yuugi allowed himself to be transferred around without protest, genuinely concerned about his leg.  He lay down on the table as the doctor had told.  

“Okay, we're going to do some x-rays and scans...we need to check your muscle recovery.  It won't hurt, so just relax, okay?  We'll be in the other room, okay?  We'll come get you when it's done.”  The doctor said.

“Yup… Don’t worry, Yuugi. You’ve done this before. It’s shorter than MRI too. Just relax.” Raphael squeezed his arm and followed the doctors out.

Yuugi nodded, smiling as Raphael comforted him.  

"Okay..."  He said, laying back and letting the other men leave.  He lay as still as possible, letting the machine examine his leg.  It was completely painless, as expected.  He could feel his head twinge in pain, since Yami was curious as to what was going on and could sense his worry, but Yuugi tried to reassure him.  They'd know more soon...

The doctor came back in a few minutes later once the machine turned off.  

"I'll have the results for you soon...let's get you back into the examination room and we'll take a look at what's happening."  Yuugi nodded, sitting up carefully, trying to use his right leg as little as possible as he did so.

“See? No problems, right?” Raphael said. He helped Yuugi back up and into the chair, and wheeled him into the next room. This time though, he didn’t put him back on the table, figuring he was done with the examination. The doctors would be reading and looking through the scans, so they had a bit of time as they came up with a diagnosis.

Yuugi nodded with a smile, accepting the help to get back in the chair. He waited as patiently as he could with Raphael for a diagnosis.

"...I hope my muscles are doing okay...it seemed like I couldn't move very well on my own..." Yuugi said softly.

“Well it’s good you can feel them at least, so you don’t need them amputated. I say with a good brace and a lot of therapy, you honestly can walk properly again.”

Yuugi nodded. "Yeah...I really hope so anyway." He said. The doctor returned moments later with the results. "I have some good news for you...your muscles are recovering nicely. Not as quickly as we hoped, but with some work in physiotherapy, you should be able to walk again. The Correctional Facility does offer this sort of physio treatment, I believe, so you'll likely be sent back there soon." The doctor explained.

“See?” Raphael grinned and clamped his large hand on Yuugi’s shoulder. “I told you! I told you you were gonna be fine."

Yuugi smiled, relieved.

"Yeah...that sounds good! Thank you!" Yuugi said happily. The doctor nodded.

"Now well just get you a boot for your leg, and you'll be good to go. I'll notify dr Arclight and we'll see when you'll be discharged."

“Discharged? As in today?” Raphael asked in surprise. “Oh… wow… You guys don’t waste any time… But that’s good, isn’t it?”

"Well, probably not today. We have to discuss transport, physiotherapy requirements, some basic mobility adjustments and so on...it probably won't be today, since there is a lot to do. But it will be soon...within the week, likely." The doctor said. Yuugi blinked, surprised at how complicated getting him out of hospital would be. "...okay. I'm good to wait..." he said.

“Yeah… same here.” Raphael nodded. “Guess I’m still doing work here instead of my office,” He joked. “But hey, a week is better than not going at all.” He looked up to the doctor. “Will that be all?” “Yeah, I think now you should just go rest and we’ll get everything sorted."

"Oh...well if you have to go to the office, it's okay! Your job is important and you've already missed so much work cause of me..." Yuugi exclaimed, worried for Raphael. A week was quite a bit of work to miss, and he'd already done so much!

“No, no. It’s fine. I can get my work done from here. It’s just the meetings, and even then I’m not here 24/7. It should be fine,” Raphael smiled. “I know what I can handle, Yuugi. Don’t worry."

Yuugi sighed, still concerned but accepting it. "Okay...if you say so..." he said, smiling a little at Raphael to show he did appreciate it. The doctor nodded.

"Alright, let's get you fitted with a boot then..." he said, taking a leg brace with a boot to make walking easier and kneeling before Yuugi so he could put it on gently. Yuugi winced a little when the doctor had to flex his foot a little.

"It's mostly to hold your foot in place and support your muscles...you'll still use the chair but eventually work yourself out of it. Just be careful on the foot, okay?" The doctor said. Yuugi nodded. "Okay..."

Raphael smiled and supported Yuugi. He watched the man put it on, mentally noting it for himself in case he needed to help out. When the doctor stepped back, he smiled.

“Looks pretty good. I think it’ll work out fine."

Yuugi examined his new leg brace in curiosity.

"I guess so...I can wear it over my prison uniform...it's a little big though. I wonder if it's heavy?" He asked, unable to lift it very well when he tried straightening his leg. It hurt too much to try and he groaned, letting his leg collapse with a grunt.

"...ugh...my leg feels really weak...I've never had so much trouble moving it before..." he said, massaging his thigh muscles a little to alleviate their pain.

"...but I guess that means I still have to work on it...wonder what physiotherapy I'll be doing...I've never done it before. Have you?" Yuugi asked.

“Take it easy. Right now it’s to help your muscles finish healing, like your cast. It’ll be a walking aid later,” The doctor said, looking at the injury. Raphael gave a small frown and looked at the leg, wondering if there was any way to make it easier.”

“No, I haven’t. I’m usually quite good at keeping my health. You’ll probably be working on your leg, helping it get stronger, you know.”

Yuugi nodded, looking down apologetically.

"Okay....I'll stick to the chair." He promised. He wished he could walk again, but was willing to be patient. He didn't want to hurt himself worse.

"Im sure the Correctional Facility will inform you what your physio régime will entail. I will make the necessary contacts and let you know what will happen next." The doctor said, nodding before he left to tend to his next patient.

“Yeah…” Raphael smiled. “Thanks doctor.” After making sure Yuugi was secure in his chair, he headed behind him and started pushing him. “Do you want to go back to your room? You don’t look too well, if I’m honest."

Yuugi wasn't feeling great. He felt a bit tired out from all the adventures today.

"I guess I could go for a nap..." Yuugi said softly, already sinking into the chair in exhaustion.

“You did switch a few times. That always takes it out of you.” Raphael started heading back for the elevator. “Just take care, okay?”

"Yeah..." Yuugi mused, curling up in his blanket.

"Thank you, Raphael, for going out with me..."

Raphael felt colour run to his cheeks and he smiled broadly. He gently petted the man’s hair and smiled. “You’re welcome, Yuugi. I’m always happy to help."

Yuugi smiled as his hair was pet gently. He was very thankful to have Raphael with him, and he could tell Yami was too. With both sides at peace, Yuugi closed his eyes and began drifting off to sleep to Raphael's gentle pets. He was sound asleep by the time Raphael reached his room.

Raphael gave a light chuckle as he ended up back at the hospital room. As the guards went to take their stations by the door, the blonde man slowly untangled Yuugi from his sheets. He looked so peaceful right now, untroubled by the world. Raphael only hoped he could see his friend smile as calmly like that one day. After folding the blankets and putting the aside, he slowly picked up Yuugi and eased the delicate man into bed, being extra mindful of his leg. After positioning him, he pulled the covers up, not unlike how he did when Yami was pretending to be a child.

“You will be alright… I promise you…” He laid his hand gently on Yuugi’s head and smiled. Then, he went back and sat down in his chair and got to work.

He would have that man killed. He refused to die and let them be hurt again.

-x-

As Yuugi was laid down to rest in bed, Yuuma was bouncing off the walls of their apartment.  

"Come on, Shark come on!  We gotta go get our daughter!"  He cheered, saying the words 'our daughter' just because he could.  He was so excited...today after all the trouble they'd finally be able to take Iris home.  He couldn't stand still!  He was practically backflipping, even though he couldn't do it anymore.

It had taken several long gruelling weeks of preparation, courses, and begging to get the approval to adopt Iris. Shark and Yuuma had to jump through all sorts of hoops to show that their house was appropriate for raising a daughter, and they had enough finances to pay for their house and to send her to school. However, their hard work paid off and with a little less that savvy help from Shark’s friends, today was the day they could finally see their daughter.

The whole process had been exhausting, and Shark was tired, even as Yuuma kept yelling at him. He finished washing his face and rubbed his temples, trying to make sure he looked semi-decent. He had settled for tying back his hair, but he still wanted to make a good impression.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Shark rolled his eyes. “She’s not going anywhere, you know,” he muttered, swiping his car keys.

"Wrong!  She's coming here, Sharku!"  Yuuma grinned, quickly bouncing over to where Shark was heading.  He slung an arm around him, happy and affectionate and over-excited as usual.  

"You look really nice with your hair up!  Iris will love it!"  Yuuma beamed, kissing Shark's cheek.

"Let's go, let's go!"  He said, practically dragging Shark out of the house to the car.

“Or she’ll hate it and demand to redo my hair herself,” Shark mused, smirking a little. He leaned into his husband’s kiss before he let him lead him out to their new, second-hand car, a small smile on his face. “We’re not late. It’s not even two in the afternoon."

Yuuma beamed.

"Either way, you'll be happy!"  Yuuma said.  He got into the car quickly.

"Yeah, but we always have bad luck with deadlines!  We're always late to our friends parties and get an earful from them for it!  We can't be late for our first day of parenting!"

Shark got in and prepped the car, driving off. “Yeah yeah… but we’ll make it. We have time, idiot,” Shark smiled.

Yuuma bounced a little in his seat.

"Yeah we'll make it...I just can't wait!"  He said happily.

The drive seemed like hours, even though it was a fraction of that length, and soon they pulled up to the orphanage. Shark smiled as he parked the car and grabbed their file filled with the adoption agreements.

“Shall we?” He said, getting out and heading to the reception.

Yuuma also felt like the drive went on forever and was very glad to finally get to the orphanage.

"Yes let's go!" Yuuma said, barely able to contain his excitement.

Inside was Martha, helping Iris bring her bag down the stairs. The little girl was swinging her legs, waiting eagerly waiting for the two men. When she saw them, her face split into a smile and she hurried over, crushing Shark in a hug. The man laughed.

“OOf… Hey Iris. Missed us?"

"Shark!" She cheered, hugging him tight. Yuuma laughed.

"Looks like she's just as excited as we are!" He said, grinning when she launched herself at him too in a happy greeting.

“She’s been like that all morning, asking when you two were coming. She’s been ecstatic,” The woman mused.

“Well, we’re sorry to keep her waiting,” Shark smiled, especially as Iris went and squeezed Yuuma tightly, giggling like it was the funniest thing in the world. Martha covered her mouth, laughing merrily as she saw the cute scene and then headed behind the reception counter to go grab the last of the documents Yuuma and Shark had to sign.

“Just put your names down, sign the papers and that’s it. Iris will be officially part of your family,” Martha said, offering the pen over.

Yuuma scooped up the happy girl with a grin.

"See Shark I told you we had to get here quick!" Yuuma exclaimed. Still carrying Iris, he came over to the table where Martha was waiting with the papers.

"Just show us where to sign!" Yuuma said happily.

“Yeah, but we’re not late, are we?” Shark said, suddenly feeling like their roles were reversed. Iris giggled happily and clung to Yuuma. Martha smiled and pointed to several paragraphs, and she gave a basic overview for each one, figuring Yuuma hadn’t read it before hand. Shark scrawled his signature on the dotted line before handing the pen to Yuuma.

Yuuma glanced over the paragraphs with a smile, accepting the pen. He signed under Shark's name.

"There! We good to go, Iris?" He asked with a grin.

“Yep!” Iris smiled. However, she let go of Yuuma and she walked on the desk over to Martha. The little girl hugged her. “Bye bye, Martha~”

“Bye Iris. You take care now, okay? Be a good girl for your fathers, and keep them out of trouble. Lord knows how much trouble those two get in.” Martha hugged the girl back and let her run back on the table, this time going to Shark.

“Bye Martha, thanks for everything.”

Yuuma let her go and smiled at the cute scene of the girl hugging Martha.

"Thanks Martha! See you around!" He said, picking up Iris' bag for her since she was occupied in Shark's arms.

"Ready to go?" He asked with a grin

“Yep!” The child said. “Let’s go! Let’s go! I wanna see my new house!"

Shark smiled and carried her off towards the exit.

"Then let's get you home!  You're gonna love it, Iris!"  Yuuma said with a grin.  He was so excited.

"Here we go, in the car.  It takes a little while to get to our house, but Shark will drive there pretty fast."  He said, opening the door so Shark could put Iris in the car-seat.

Iris gave a large grin and she nodded. She let Shark put her down, but not before flicking his ponytail. The man laughed as he helped her buckle up and he headed to the driver’s seat.

“We can go get something to eat, like a snack though on the way. Interested, Iris?"

Iris beamed and nodded happily.

"Yay!"  She cheered, clapping her hands.  Yuuma beamed.

"I like snacks too, Iris!  Let's definitely get some then!"  He said, putting her backpack next to the girl with a smile before getting into the front seat next to Shark.

Shark gave a large grin and nodded. Starting the car, he drove off, heading back towards a nicer part of town then where they lived. “We can go get ice cream near that park, you reckon?”

"Ice cream, ice cream yay!"  Iris cheered.  Yuuma grinned.

"Sounds like that's a yes!  Let's go!"  Yuuma said.

Shark smiled and drove on forward. He knew that the area they lived in now was decent enough, but it wasn’t nearly as child-friendly (or anyone-friendly) as the area that Alit and Kotori lived in, so he drove to the local park there. It was a large one, with a good-sized playground and lots of paths, as well as places to get food. After a few minutes, Shark pulled up and parked in a slot. It was a weekday, so most children wasn’t here, having started school.

“Alright. Everyone out.”

“Yay!” Iris cheered, before she attempted to push the safety lock off herself.

"Woah woah, slow down there Iris!  I'll help you!" Yuuma said, hopping out of his seat and rushing around to help Iris out of hers with a grin.  

"There you go.  Now we can get some ice cream!"  Yuuma said, picking her up with a grin.

Iris pouted but then let Yuuma tend to her, feeling happy that the man was tending to her. Even though she could walk, she loved being carried, and a smile split on her face as she was picked up. She hugged Yuuma tightly.

“Yay! Yuuma-daddy!”

Yuuma smiled, flushing a little in awe as she called him "daddy".  Sure, he'd been calling her daughter for awhile, but this was the first time he'd been acknowledged as a father by her.  He was immediately overjoyed and felt like he could jump ten feet in the air on pure happiness alone.  But, he managed to refrain from doing so because it probably wouldn't be safe for Iris.    Instead, he squeezed her back as she hugged him and beamed.

"Shark, come on!  Iris and I are ready to go!"  Yuuma called to his husband with a grin.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Shark locked the car and hurried over to them. Iris grinned and waved at Shark before she bopped him on the nose. Shark blinked in confusion before he snorted. “How old are you acting, Iris? Four?”

“Nu-uh! I’m five! Don’t be mean, Sharku-daddy.” Like Yuuma, Shark also felt that sudden rush of joy, being acknowledged as her dad so quickly. He blinked dumbly and smirked, making Iris smile.

“See? She’s got us under her thumb. Unbelievable."

Yuuma laughed as Iris bopped Shark's nose.  He was reminded even more of Rio...the twins had definitely bopped each other a lot as kids especially.  

"Yeah, don't be mean, Shark-daddy."  Yuuma teased, overjoyed as Shark was that both of them had been acknowledged.  

"Well she's our daughter!  That's how it's supposed to be."  Yuuma said, giving Iris a small kiss on the cheek with a smile.

“I’m pretty sure as her parents, we’re supposed to be in charge,” Shark said, shaking his head. Iris just smiled, batting her eyelashes innocently. She then gestured she wanted to be put down. After that, she went and took both of her new dads by the hand and walked ahead, leading them through the unfamiliar park. “See? Look how in charge we are.” Shark muttered.

Yuuma laughed.

"Well, we are...mostly."  He mused, letting Iris hold his hand and lead him through the park happily.  He was happy to be there with his new daughter.

The man smiled gently as he was lead, gently nudging the girl towards the ice cream place, where he knew Iris wanted to go. As he walked he looked up.

“Oh boy… Here we go…”

“Yooo! Yuuma! Over here!” Alit yelled waving the free arm not holding Masumi.

Yuuma was happy to be lead along by his daughter, but glanced up in surprise when he heard his name.  He beamed and waved with his free hand at Alit.

"Hey Alit!  You and Masumi are out too huh?  That's great!"

Alit ran over reached over, going to punch Yuuma in the face, though lightly because of his am and his baby. He laughed as Masumi squealed in his arm.

“Long time no see, huh?"

Yuuma grinned as Alit punched his face gently and was about to answer when suddenly Iris hugged him.

"No!  Don't hurt my daddy!"  Iris said, alarmed that this mysterious stranger with nice hair was punching her new daddy.  Yuuma blinked then immediately bent down to reassure his daughter.

"It's okay, he didn't hurt me!  This is my friend, Alit...he always gently taps my cheek to say hello!"  Yuuma reassured her with a big smile so she'd know he was okay.  Meanwhile, Alit was staring at Iris in surprise.

"Um...did Rio-san...shrink?"  He mused in shock.  This girl did look very much like Shark's sister!

Shark shook his head. On one hand, he was reassured Yuuma wasn’t the only idiot in the entire world who didn’t understand social graces. On the other hand, he was still in disbelief there was another idiot who thought punching someone in the face in public was appropriate.

“… No. Of course not. Don’t be stupid,” Shark said flatly. “This is our daughter, Iris. Only an idiot would think it was a shrunken Rio."

Yuuma chuckled.

"You thought she was!  I remember you actually calling her "Rio"!"  Yuuma mused to Shark.  Alit blinked.

"Daughter?  Oh wow!  Congrats, you two!"  Alit said, beaming at his two friends and kneeling down so he could get a closer look at Iris.  He smiled.

"Hello Iris.  My name's Alit.  I'm one of your daddies' friends!  And this is Masumi, my daughter."  He said, showing her his baby girl who was staring at this new face in curiosity.

Shark scowled. “Oy! Don’t say that after I just said that!” Shark’s face went pink in embarrassment. Iris just laughed. She looked up at the man and smiled when he smiled, and then did look at the little girl. She didn’t even remember to be nervous.

“Awww! She’s so cute! She’s like a doll! She’s so pretty!”

Yuuma pouted.

"You said it first!  Not my fault you essentially called yourself an idiot!"  Yuuma exclaimed.  Alit chuckled at Iris, glad she wasn't afraid of him.  

"She is very cute, yes.  You're really pretty too, Iris.  Maybe you and Masumi can be friends."  Alit said.  Masumi babbled at Iris, as if she was alright with this idea.

Iris was still fairly cautious, but she was still riding off the high of being adopted. She smiled gently at the baby and nodded.

“Yes please! I like new friends! I know how to share and everything!” Iris smiled.

Alit chuckled.

"That's great! Then one day you can come over to our house and play with Masumi." Alit said, and Masumi squealed.

“One day. Today I get my daddies all for myself though,” The man said, yanking the two’s hands away from Alit playfully before she started to giggle.

Alit laughed.

"Of course! I'm not taking them away from you!" Alit promised. Yuuma laughed.

"Yep were yours for the day!" He agreed. "Let's go get that ice cream then, Iris!"

“Yeah!” Iris smiled. “Bye Masumi! Love you!” She waved at Alit. Shark looked at Yuuma.

“If you want to catch up with Alit, I can take her to get ice cream. We can bring you one back. We don’t both need to be there.”

Masumi cooed in response and Alit smiled and waved too.

"Bye Iris!" He said. Yuuma looked torn between wanting to go with his daughter and catching up with his friend, So Alit stepped in.

"You can go with Iris, Yuuma. I promised I wouldn't take you away! And besides, we can catch up when our daughters have a play date! Call me and we'll set up a time!" He said with a grin. Yuuma nodded.

"Yeah sounds great! I'll see you later then!" Yuuma said, waving as he let Iris pull him towards the ice cream stand.

“Usually you set up playdates with children like… relatively close to the same age, not a baby and a toddler. The only playdate seems to be between you two,” Shark muttered. Iris giggled, since her purple dad sounded so funny and he nudged her forward. He forked his wallet out and already began opening it.

“I’ll pay. You forgot your wallet again, didn’t you, Yuuma?” Shark said, not even needing to look.

Yuuma pouted.

"Alit has Ponta around too doesn't he? They can play if nothing else!" Yuuma exclaimed.

"I didnt!" Yuuma exclaimed, patting himself down to try and find it and prove Shark wrong. But he came up empty handed and pouted instead, making Iris laugh at him too.

“Yeah, I guess so.” Shark wondered how long would Yuuma needed to take to remember that Ponta was a teenager, and was probably more likely to be a babysitter than anything. Still, he did hope they’d get along at some point.

Shark just smirked. “What do you want, Iris?”

Iris looked over the flavours. She was unable to decide, since she was unaccustomed to the choice. She frowned and looked over all the colours and tried to pick.

"Bubblegum!" She said, pointing at the blue one with rainbow gum pieces in it. Yuuma grinned.

"Oh that's a good one!"

“So one bubblegum, one chocolate and one…” He looked over to his husband. “Come on. Or do you not want one?"

Yuuma was also examining the flavours. He blinked and stared at them then looked at the pink one.

"Strawberry!" He proclaimed with a grin. The ice cream man made Iris' cone first and the girl happily accepted it.

"Thank you!" She said happily, licking it happily.

"It's yummy!"

Shark counted his change and paid for the small treat. He shook his head. “I know I suggested this, but I can’t believe we’re getting ice cream when it’s so chilly. Are you cold, Iris?” Shark asked, accepting his own single scoop cone when prompted.

"Nope!" Iris said, taking a bigger bite of her cone then wincing.

"Brain cold! Brain coooold!" She cried, giggling a little. Yuuma chuckled.

"Touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth! Like this!" He said, demonstrating. Iris giggled and copied him, feeling the brain freeze slowly disappear.

“Go slowly, Iris. Careful,” Shark said, shaking his head, but having a smile on his face. He lead his family to a bench where they could all sit and eat, and watch the white-haired girl fuss over her food.

“Feeling better, princess?” Shark asked.

Iris grinned.

"Yes Shark-daddy! Yuuma-daddy helped me!" She said, sitting on the bench between her two fathers and smiling as she ate her ice cream. Yuuma beamed.

"That's great! But you should be careful, cause if you eat too fast you'll get another brain freeze!" He said.

“Yeah, don’t swallow it all at once, Iris,” Shark said, eating his ice cream. He pulled some hastily stuffed in tissues from his pocket and handed one to his daughter and husband. “Here.”

Iris' cheeks were stained with sticky blue bubblegum ice cream as she ate.  She let Shark wipe her face down a little before going back to her ice cream, making an effort to eat the delicious treat more slowly.  

Yuuma wiped his face down too, his strawberry ice cream staining his face nearly as badly as Iris' was.  

"Thanks Shark!  But the ice cream is soooooo good it's hard to eat slow!"

“Stop making a mess. I can’t clean it up as well as we always do,” The man frowned, staring at Yuuma. He didn’t feel like licking it off today, but he knew he would be tested in the future. “You’re being dumb now,” he said, licking the sides of his own.

Yuuma stuck out his tongue.

"I'm just enjoying my ice cream!"  He mused, taking another lick.  Iris giggled at her silly daddies, enjoying her own cone in the meantime.

“I’m pretty sure he’s making a mess, right Iris?”

Shark rolled his eyes, and flicked Yuuma in the head, but kept the smile on his face. After finishing his ice cream, he licked his fingers and then wiped them down properly.

Iris giggled.

"Very messy!"  She agreed, and Yuuma pouted.

"Now you're both ganging up on me..."  He mused, but Iris giggled as she finished her cone and noted how sticky her hands and lips and cheeks were.  They were stained light blue.

"I'm messy too!"  She said, and Yuuma chuckled.

"That's true!  We better get cleaned up...Shark-daddy isn't a big fan of messes."  He mused.

“Mostly because I am one,” Shark muttered under his breath. He leaned over and passed a few more tissues to Yuuma before he reached out. Opening Iris’ hands, he began to clean them with the tissues, making sure she was clean.

Yuuma accepted the tissues and set to work cleaning himself up.  Iris happily gave her hands over to her daddy to let him clean her up.  She grinned.

"All clean!"  She proclaimed.

“Yup. All clean,” He smiled. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, before he picked her up. “It’s a nice day. Did you want to go and play on the playground? Or did you want to go home first, Iris?"

Iris smiled, letting her daddy pick her up.

"Home?"  She asked, a little shy about playing with the bigger and unfamiliar kids on the playground.  She also wanted to see her new home!  Yuuma nodded.

"Okay, home it is!  Let's go!"

“Alright. Let’s go back home. Then we can get you all settled in, okay?” He smiled at Iris before he carried her back to the car. “Anything else we need to do when we get back?” He asked Yuuma, buckling his daughter in again.

"Yay!"  Iris cheered.  Yuuma frowned and thought things over.

"...Not that I can think of...but I have a weird feeling...like we're forgetting something..."  Yuuma mused, noting that no, it wasn't Iris...it wasn't her stuff, which was still in the car...it wasn't Shark or anything he had...Yuuma wasn't sure what it was!

“Ugh, aren’t we always?” Shark muttered. He tried to rack his brains, getting the feeling he was supposed to be somewhere too. He shut the door and checked his phone, scrolling through his messages. They definitely didn’t have work… so what could it be? “… We’ll remember later. Let’s go home,” Shark said, hopping in and driving off once Yuuma was in.

"Yeah I'm sure it's nothing!  We'll figure it out eventually!"  Yuuma agreed with a grin.  He helped buckle Iris into her seat and hopped into the car.  

They got home within a few minutes to their small apartment.  

"Here we are, Iris!  Home, sweet home!"  Yuuma exclaimed, helping Iris out of her seat and letting Shark grab her bags.  Iris grinned, not at all intimidated by the apartment.  She was just happy to be with her daddies.

“You live in this big building? Just the two of you?”

“No Iris, we live in an apartment. It means it’s like a house in this big building. We’re on the twelfth floor,” Shark said to her as he entered the lobby. He lead her to the elevator and let the little girl press the buttons. Iris looked at it in fascination, having never seen an elevator except for on TV. She clicked it and then clicked the 12 as Shark pointed to her.

“Look! I did it”

Yuuma grinned.

"You did!  Good job, Iris!"  They waited for the elevator to reach the 12th floor, then stepped out of it.

"Okay, and our room is number 1239.  Remember that in case you get lost, okay?"  Yuuma said, reaching the door.  He unlocked the door.

"Alright Iris, here's your new home!"  He said as he opened the door.  But, much to his shock, there was a familiar woman in the house.

"Finally you get home!  I've been waiting for half an hour!"  Rio exclaimed, marching to the door intending to read both men the riot act for forgetting about their lunch date when she stopped when she spotted the tiny girl who looked almost identical to her.

Shark already knew he was screwed as soon as he saw Rio’s shoes put to the side on the red mattress. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, counting to ten in his head, even as Rio started yelling at him. Idiot. How could he forget the lunch date? They had planned it for today. Or had they rescheduled it for today? Who really cared?

“Rio…”

“Daddy, she looks just like me!” Iris said, shocked as she pointed at Rio. “But Daddy said there wasn’t going to be a mummy! And I don’t have a sister.”

“This is my sister, Iris. I don’t know why she looks like you. Her name is Rio. Rio, this is our child, Iris. Remember? I told you about her… that we were adopting a kid..."

Rio had forgotten all about her angry rant when confronted with this adorable girl.  She had known her brother was looking into adoption, but she'd had no idea the girl looked like her!  

"This is Iris?  You told me she wasn't coming until next week!"  Rio exclaimed, surprised.  Yuuma chuckled sheepishly.

"We were so excited I guess we forgot to tell you we were approved to get her early!"  Yuuma said.  Rio shook her head.

"Morons..."  She mused, before smiling and approaching the girl.  She crouched down to her eye level.

"I'm not your mommy or your sister...you can call me Auntie Rio, alright sweetie?  It's nice to meet you!"  She said, putting on an angelic face that had often fooled pitiful boys in high school into thinking she was innocent.  Except this time, she meant it.  As mad as she was at her idiot brother and brother in law, she had no qualms with this beautiful little girl.

Shark gave a strained smile. Well, that’s what he had told Rio and Yuuma. In reality, he had done what they usually did when he wanted to avoid a party, he had just lied about the dates. He hoped his sister wouldn’t figure it out as he watched her approach Iris. Iris stared at the blue-haired woman and she gave a happy giggle, waving.

“Hello Aunty Rio! I’m Iris! Nice to meet you too!” She said sweetly, smiling happily at her new aunty.

Rio smiled happily and waved back.

"You're so sweet.  I'm glad you're here...your daddies went through a lot of work to get you.  You're such a cute niece!"  Rio said happily.  Yuuma grinned.

"We could all go out for lunch or something later!  Iris just had ice cream and wanted to see her new house, so we came home!"  Yuuma said happily.  Rio nodded.

"That's understandable!  Why don't we show you around then?"

“I love them a lot. They’re really nice.” Iris smiled. “Thank you, Aunty Rio.”

“Come on, this is your room, Iris. This way.” Shark and Yuuma had cleared out the storage room and had actually organised and gotten rid of things, leaving a clean room for Iris. It was a simple cream coloured room with a soft blue bedspread, and a small present on the bed.

Iris perked up as her daddies took her to her room. She had never had one all to herself before! She grinned as she spotted a stuffed teddy bear with a blue bow on it was her present, rushing over to bounce on the bed and hug the bear with a happy squeal.

"Teddy!" She cheered, happy to hug it. Yuuma smiled.

"Awww she likes it! That's adorable." He mused, glad all their effort had been worth it.

“That’s one for you, Iris. Everything here is all for you and only you,” Shark said, remembering the first time he realised he didn’t have to share any of the things he owned with the other children once he got out of the orphanage.

Iris looked up in wonder.

"...Really?  It's...just for me...?"  She mused, in awe over that fact.  Yuuma grinned and nodded.

"Yep!  This room and everything in it is all yours!"  Yuuma said.  Rio smiled, remembering that feeling of not having to share as well.  Iris cheered and squeezed her new teddy tighter in joy.

Shark laughed and walked over to Iris. He petted her head. “Welcome home, Iris.”

Iris looked back at the man and she grinned. With the bear still in her hand, she went and hugged Shark as tightly as she could. “Thank you!"

Yuuma grinned.

"Welcome to the family!" He added, joining in the hug with his husband and his daughter. Rio rolled her eyes a little at the two morons but joined in as well when Yuuma beckoned her.

Iris sniffled. She knew that she was getting all she ever wanted, but she didn’t know how nice having a family felt. The girl hugged her new dads and aunt tightly, a broad grin on her face.

“Thank you. Thank you!”

Yuuma felt like crying too, cause he was so happy to be a dad and also to finally have an opportunity to help a little girl have the family she deserved. He squeezed her tight.

"You're welcome Iris." He said happily.

Iris gave a small smile up at them and Shark let go. After a moment Rio did too, but only so she could slap her brother on the arm.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“Well, you two still owe me lunch. So you guys should take Iris and I out so we can go and get something to eat.”

“Something to- Rio, it’s like three in the afternoon. We just had ice cream. Can’t it wait for dinner? We’ll take you and Iris out then. Right now we’re helping Iris unpack, right Iris?” Shark said, looking down at his daughter.

Iris giggled at the interaction.  

"Unpack first!"  She agreed with her daddy.  She also wanted to explore the room she'd just been given.  Plus, she wasn't hungry yet.  Ice cream had filled her up.

"There you have it, Shark's Sis!  We gotta unpack first then we'll take you out to dinner!"  Yuuma said.

Rio huffed, but she smiled. She supposed if she waited this long, she figured a few more hours wouldn’t be too bad. She stayed in the room but backed off a little, knowing the two wanted to be the focus of their own daughter’s life for her first day in their house.

Shark smiled and put the bag down where it was slung on his shoulder. He undid the zip and let Iris pull out.

“So what did you bring here, Iris? Tell us about it."

Yuuma approached too, wanting to help and also see what Iris had brought.  Iris grinned.

"I brought my other teddy!"  She pulled out a clearly worn and heavily used pink toy out of her bag.

"Now Sakura has a friend!"  Iris said, happy to put the older bear next to the new one.  Yuuma smiled.

"You bet she does!  Now you have two teddy friends too."

Shark knew that the bag had been light, but he hadn’t expected that Iris had almost nothing. She had another pair of clothes and PJs, but besides from that, it seemed like the bag had mostly just occupied the first bear. It seemed like he had forgotten how poor the orphanage was, even with their considerable renovations.

“We’ll have to go shopping tomorrow. See what we can get. We’ll take you to the big shopping centre, Iris. Get you some nice clothes.” He said, putting the little Iris had on the bed.

Iris' eyes widened.

"I can have more?"  She exclaimed.  Yuuma nodded.

"Of course!  We'll get you some really nice clothes, Iris!  And more toys too if you want!" Yuuma said happily.  Iris beamed.  

"Yay!  Thank you Daddies!"  She said.

Shark smiled and petted her head. “Yeah. You get more. Don’t worry, Iris. We can get you a few more things.”

“And so can Aunty Rio. As my only niece, I have to treat you to nice things too,” Rio mused.

Iris grinned happily.

"Thank you Aunty Rio too!"  She said, glad to have such a loving family at last.

"Alright, Iris.  Did you want your dresses in the closet or in the drawers?"  Yuuma said smiling.  Iris pointed at the closet.  

"Closet!"  She hadn't had one of those before.

“Alright.” Shark got up and went to hang her spare dress up and put the empty bag in the closet.. “And Yuuma can go fold the PJs and put them in the dresser. Sound good?”

"Okay!"  Iris said happily.  Yuuma nodded and put her folded PJs in the drawer with a grin.

"Alright...we're unpacked then!  You're officially moved in now Iris."  Yuuma said happily.  Iris cheered.

"My room and my house!"  She said happily.

“That was easy,” Shark shrugged. He made a mental note to iron Iris’ dress out later and he went over to his little girl. “What do you want to do today, princess? It’s your first day here, so we’ll let you do what you want, okay?”

Iris looked amazed that she had a choice.  Usually the caretakers would guide her into various activities and she'd sometimes be roped into what other kids were doing...it was rare that she got complete freedom.

"Um..."  She mused, not sure what to do.

"...Play with Daddies and Aunty Rio?"  She suggested, though she wasn't sure what to play.

Rio laughed. “Sounds fun. What kind of games do you like, Iris?”

"Hmm...hide and seek, hide and seek!" Iris cheered. Yuuma laughed.

"Okay we can play that...who's gonna hide and who's gonna seek?"

“Let’s see… Well… I’ll seek first.” Rio offered. “I don’t know the apartment as well, so that makes it fair for Iris.” “Alright. No leaving the apartment. Lets go hide." Shark said as the countdown began.

Iris grinned.

"Yay! Hide, hide!" She cheered, racing around her new home trying to pick a good spot. She eventually hid in one of the cupboards. Yuuma went to the closet to hide.

Shark rolled his eyes. It was kids stuff really, but he did want to play with Iris and he hadn’t played a childish game with his sister in a long time. Shark ran to the couch and crouched by the arm. There wasn’t a good spot for him there, but he could wait there for Rio to pass him and then sneak to a better spot.

“29… 30! Ready or not. Here I come!” Rio exclaimed. Immediately, she walked to one of the closets and opened it without hesitating.

“Yuuma, you’re huge. You can’t hide anywhere good, you know."

Yuuma moaned.

"I'm no good at this game!"  He exclaimed, sad that he hadn't been able to last longer in the game.  He wanted to help Rio find the others.

Rio bonked him on the head. “You were noisy getting in, and few places actually fit you, you beefcake.” She shook her head. “Come on. My idiot brother should be around here somewhere.”

As Rio was distracted by Yuuma, Shark snuck into the room she had just been in and rolled to hide under Iris’ bed, hoping the others wouldn’t see him.

"Yeah....he's probably changed hiding places a couple of times."  Yuuma mused.  

"Let's check the bedrooms!  He usually hides under beds..."  Yuuma said, heading into Iris' room first since it was closest.  He crouched down by the bed and grinned as he spotted Shark.

"Found you~"  He said, dragging his boyfriend out and hugging him happily.

“How the hell did you find me?” Shark said, glaring at his boyfriend as he was dragged out. “Did you see me move? Damn it, I knew I should have stayed behind the couch for a bit longer,” He scowled, crossing his arms.

“Wow… I wouldn’t have found him for ages. Nice work, Yuuma.”

“Keh… it’s not like you would have lasted longer, Rio.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure sure. Now excuse me, I have a niece to look for.” She smiled. “Iris. Come out come out. I’m gonna get ya.”

"Nah, I didn't see you move!  I just know where you like to hide!"  Yuuma said, kissing his boyfriend's cheek.  

"C'mon.  We gotta work together to find Iris!"  Yuuma said.  

"We're coming for you Iris!"  Yuuma called.  Iris giggled a little, but she tried to muffle the sound with her hands.  She loved playing this game!

“Ass.” He reached up and kissed him back. He got up and walked around, trying to find Iris.

Rio heard the little girl in the cupboard but she pretended she didn’t know where she was. She put her hands on her hips.

“Where is Iris? Oh no. I can’t find her. She must be such a good hider. I found Yuuma and I found Ryouga. But no Iris. Where is she?”

"You love me." Yuuma mused, accepting the kiss with a smile before heading into the kitchen area where Rio was.

"Iris must be a really good hider!"  He mused.  Iris kept giggling but she was trying to keep it quiet.  She kept herself hidden in the cupboard, waiting for someone to find her.

Rio pointed to the cupboard and Shark gave a knowing smile. He nodded to her.

“How could you lose Rio?” Shark asked loudly.

“She’s a really good hider.” Rio said. “But I might have a guess where she’s hiding. But it might be a really good spot. If Iris isn’t here… or here… she must be…” Rio opened the cupboard doors. “Here! There you are!”

Yuuma held in his chuckles as he saw the direction Rio pointed.  The cupboard was certainly small enough for Iris.  

"She's really good at this game...no wonder she suggested it!"  Yuuma said with a laugh.

Iris giggled as Rio opened the cupboard.  

"I won!"  She said happily, holding up her arms for Rio to pick her up and help her out of the cupboard.

Rio laughed. “You did. And your dad is a loser, so he has to go be the seeker next round. Good going, Iris,” She said, easing the small girl out.

Iris laughed happily as her new Aunty helped her out of the closet.

"Play again?"  She asked softly.  Yuuma nodded.

"You bet!  We'll play as much as you want!"  He said, kissing her cheek and making her giggle happily.

Shark smiled and petted her head, letting Rio carry her. He was having fun and he was so glad Iris was here. For the rest of the afternoon, they played games until Iris was exhausted, and then they ordered food, much to Rio’s chagrin. However, it was evident that they were all happy, and they would be, at least for a long time.

-x-

Over the course of the week, Yuuto had unfortunately improved only to relapse in his condition.  At first, the leg braces had been great.  He'd been able to move slightly less than normal, true, but any movement at all had been welcomed.  Unfortunately, he had so much work to catch up on that he'd been unable to really talk to Yuuya.  He hadn't seen him since he'd checked on him in bed.

However, by now, Yuuto had realized that he hadn't quite been on the road to recovery.  Although Shun had been careful to sterilize any instruments he'd used to sew Yuuto's wounds shut, the lack of anti-biotics had made Yuuto prone to infection.  And he had fallen ill once more.  His legs were leaking puss and were sore, his whole body exhausted from fever, chills and sweats.  And worst of all, he was bedridden again.  He couldn't see Yuuya like this.

"Ugh..."  He groaned.  Thankfully he had Durbe and Mizael to look after him part time...Mizael was currently there taking his temperature.  He was pretty sure he had a fever...

“You’re an idiot,” Mizael said, looking at the thermometer. He frowned as he saw the reading. “The good news is you’re not going to die immediately. The bad news is you’ve got a fever. Your temperature has probably fizzled out a few brain cells. “ He showed Yuuto the reading for emphasis and went to Yuuto’s legs, now free from their leg braces. “You haven’t been sleeping, have you?”

Thankfully he had changed the bandages, but he wasn’t happy with the stains and marks that were on the insides of the old ones.

“You need a doctor. I don’t care what you said about your criminal status, but you need a real doctor, Yuuto. And real medicine."

Yuuto groaned.

"I have...work to catch up on..." he grunted. Sleep was optional for him, not to mention hard to do while his legs hurt. He sighed and closed his eyes.

"I can't get a doctor...just...get me some over the counter meds or something. Like for the fever...pain killers...that sort of thing?"

“So you’re also stupid as well as blind. Good to know,” Mizael said in retort. “Your leg isn’t going to get better with over the counter medication, and then there will be no point in buying the stuff for fevers and the like.”

He sighed. “How about this? How about I go find a doctor that’s… not exactly legal. Someone who won’t tattle because he sure as fuck won’t want me to tattle on them.”

Yuuto frowned.  

“...Illegal doctor huh...they'll probably demand a shit ton of money for treatment though...money I don't have...”  Yuuto noted.  That was another reason he'd been trying to avoid doctors...he needed every penny he had for Yuuya, especially since he was currently unable to do even his part-time stripper job.  He sighed.

“...I guess it's worth looking into...”  He mused.  He was exhausted, and feeling really sick...he hated it.  He wanted it to end, and he was almost at the point that he would do anything to make that happen.

“… You know what? I’ll settle the bill. Don’t worry about it.” Mizael had wondered why Shun had turned up at their house with an envelope filled with cash, but now it made a bit more sense. “Don’t worry. The guy owes me. I’ll get him over. I just need to go to his bunker. He won’t answer calls.”

The man stared at Yuuto. “Can you stay in bed for like an hour? Stay in bed and rest?"

Yuuto frowned even more. “Mizael no...you and Durbe need money too...”  He said, though he also knew he couldn't really do anything to stop them while bedridden like this.  He sighed in defeat when another wave of pain and exhaustion hit him.

“...I have no choice, it seems...will you...check on Yuuya before you leave?  You can tell him I'm still sick...he's probably worried...”  

“Yes. People need money to live. What a shock. Thanks for enlightening me,” Mizael said dryly. He was relieved when Yuuto finally relented and he nodded.

“Of course I will. I’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you and he gets settled. Don’t worry,” he said. He waved to him and headed out. “Stay in bed. I’m going to slap you if I find out you were out of bed while I was gone."

"Yeah yeah..."  Yuuto said softly, closing his eyes and sinking back into the pillow.  He wasn't going to move....it hurt too much to do so.

"...Thanks..."  He said in response to the checking on Yuuya.

The man nodded. With that, Mizael walked off, heading upstairs. He looked for Yuuya’s room and then knocked quietly on the door.

“Hey, Yuuya. You in there?” He asked gently.

Yuuya was in his room, and he'd been spending the past few hours (or was it days?  He was losing track) packing a bag to take to Yuri's house.  He glanced over at the door.

"Mizael?"  He said, abandoning his bag and going to answer the door.  He managed a smile for his friend despite his dizziness and sore body.

Mizael opened the door and frowned. Yuuya looked awful, and somehow worse than Yuuto. He crossed his arms. “I came to check if you’re alright, but evidently you’re not. To bed with you. What are you doing? When did you get ill?"

Yuuya sighed, sad that his little ploy hadn't worked.

"Ah...well...maybe I caught Yuuto's bug?"  He offered with a weak smile.  

"I was just...resting.  Cause I'm not feeling great..."

“Probably…” Mizael looked at the bed and frowned. “Where are you going?”

"Oh..."  Yuuya silently cursed because of how observant his friend was.

"I was um...going to a friend's house.  Just for a little while..."  Yuuya said.

“… Not like that, you’re not. Call your friend, go to bed.” Mizael said immediately. He put his hand to Yuuya’s forehead and frowned. “I’ll get you something for that fever as well. I was just going to tell you I’m getting a doctor for Yuuto, and now I’ll be getting one for you too."

Yuuya's face fell.  

"But-"  He started, before Mizael felt his forehead.  He knew it was warm...he could tell he had a fever.  His protest about calling Yuri was forgotten when Mizael finished his statement.

"A doctor?  For Yuuto?  Is he...is he that bad?  What happened?"  Yuuya asked in alarm.  Yuuto had never been to a doctor since they were kids.  He'd never gotten sick enough to need one...but now he really did need one?  That was awful...

“We thought he was getting better, but he’s not. Honestly, he shouldn’t have gone back to work. He was recovering but then he started to do late nights to keep up with the bills, and now he’s sick again. He’s working too hard and stressing too much. It’s not good for him,” Mizael frowned.

Yuuya's face fell.  It sounded like Yuuto had been working so hard...he could have helped him...he was working for him, and he'd overburdened him again.  Yuuya felt like crying, but held it in.

"No way...that's..."  Yuuya said, honestly speechless.  It was his fault.  He'd done this to Yuuto...he was nothing but a burden.  

"...Can I...can I see him?"

“… Honestly, I’d rather you not. You’re worried about Yuuto, and Yuuto is worried about you. If you see each other, you’ll both freak out. You both look awful.” Mizael’s face was gentle, more so than usual. Yuuya was his friend after all, and he was a little more sensitive.

“It’s alright. Just lie down and get some rest. I’ll go get a doctor now. It’ll be fine.”

Yuuya sighed.  So if he went to see Yuuto, he'd only be burdening him more...he felt awful at that.

"...Okay Mizael...please help my brother...I want him to get better..."  Yuuya said honestly.

“I will. Don’t worry, Yuuya.” Mizael smiled at him and ruffled the man’s hair, despite him being a little older than him. “Now, go to bed. I’ll see you in an hour,” he said, turning heel and heading off.

Yuuya nodded, trying not to wince as his hair was ruffled.  His body was so sensitive and any touch was becoming painful.  

"Okay..."  He said, closing the door and leaning against it.  Now that Mizael was gone...he finally started to let tears fall.  It was worse than he thought...it sounded like Yuuto was basically killing himself health-wise trying to provide for him.  He was so fucking useless...a burden to his brother when he desperately wanted not to be.  And worst of all, Yuuto didn't seem to think he could help him...he hadn't come to him for help with work, or anything...Yuuya sniffled.

"Yuuto..."  He murmured.  He loved his brother so much and wanted him to be okay...he picked up his phone and sent a text message to Yuri.

"Can I come to your house today?"

Yuri was in a meeting when he got the text. He was about to switch it off when he saw it was from Yuuya. Making sure that no one was looking, he skimmed the text and a smirk found his face.

“I’m at a meeting but come to my department. My secretary will let you in. You can come home with me.”

"Okay I'll come soon.  Thank you."  Yuuya replied quickly, before he sighed.  Even though Mizael had told him to stay in bed and rest, he felt he had to leave.  He could rest at Yuri's, somewhere where Yuuto wouldn't have to provide for him...

But he also felt like he should pay Yuuto a visit before he left.  Just to make sure he was okay...and to tell him he wouldn't have to worry about him anymore.  Yuuya sniffled, wiping his tears and picking up his bag.  He made his way to his brother's room.  He assumed his brother was asleep and opened the door quietly, peeking into the room to see his brother on the bed.

"...Yuuto?"  He asked softly.

Yuuto was under his covers, barely awake. He was exhausted from the pain and fever, and really he did need sleep. The flushed man moved his head a little as he saw the door open, but he couldn’t get his eyes to focus on his brother.

Yuuya saw the movement and smiled a little.  

"Hey...sorry to bug you..."  Yuuya said, approaching the bed.  Now that he was up close, he could see how exhausted, pale and sweaty Yuuto was...he looked flushed from fever and his eyes seemed unfocused.  He gently knelt down next to his brother.

"...I um...I just wanted to tell you...I'm going to Yuuma's house...for a little while, okay?  I just...I don't want you to worry about me anymore...you need to get better."  Yuuya said gently, trying not to cry as he spoke.  He felt awful now that he could see just what a terrible state Yuuto was in.

Yuuto groaned. It was his brother? He… he couldn’t let his brother see him. But he was tired and he really couldn’t bring himself to move the blanket, or shoo Yuuya away. He closed his eyes but one hand reached out for Yuuya to pet him on the head.

“Mmm… Yuuya… Love you…” He muttered groggily, not sure what was going on but not wanting his brother to be sad either.

Yuuya gave a small, watery smile as his brother pet his head.  It did hurt, but it also felt nice to be acknowledged.  

"...I love you too, Yuuto.  So much...I want you to be okay.  So, I'm going to stay at Yuuma's for awhile, so you can focus on getting better, okay?  Please...please get better...I'm sorry for burdening you..."  Yuuya said, petting his brother's hair as well.

“… Yuuya…” Yuuto opened his eyes tiredly and groaned. However, he couldn’t get them open all the way, and he closed his eyes. It was all he could manage. He felt like he was dreaming, but now he just wanted to sleep, and soon he was, snoring lightly away.

Yuuya smiled even as tears ran down his cheeks.  It hurt so much to see Yuuto like this...he kept petting his brother's hair, holding his hand as he drifted off to sleep.  

"...Sleep well, Yuuto."  He said softly, gently tucking his brother's hand under the covers and getting up.  He swung the bag over his shoulder, confident that Mizael and Durbe would look after Yuuto when he couldn't, and headed out.  He brought his phone with him so he could find the best bus route to Yuri's office...it would take awhile to get there, it seemed.  Yuuya winced as every step he took seemed to shoot pins and needles through his muscles.  He could make it...he had to...

Mizael wasn’t having fun, and about half an hour afterwards, he scowled and dialled his boyfriend’s number. He looked at his watch, making sure Durbe was on his lunch break and he wasn’t disturbing him as he waited, and then looked down at the bunker in disgust.

“What’s up, Mizael?” Durbe asked.

“I swear, I’m going to fucking castrate that old man,” Mizael said, kicking the bunker entrance. “I’m trying to find a doctor for Yuuto, but the search is going shit. He’s not in his stupid cave. I need you to go and check up on Yuuto.”

“Got it. I’ll pick up some ibuprofen and head down. See you soon. Also try going up town. Maybe he hit the bar?”

“Maybe…” Mizael hung up, leaving Durbe to stare at his phone. After the grey-haired man checked the time and made sure a coworker was there, he headed out of the toy shop out to Yuuto and Yuuya’s apartment complex.

“Yuuto? Are you home?"

Yuuto had fallen into an uneasy sleep. It was a strange thing...he had sworn he'd heard from Yuuya.  But, when he opened his eyes to Durbe's call, he was alone...

"Yea..."  He called out weakly.  It was difficult to sleep through the pain he was in.  God he hurt basically everywhere...

Durbe took the call as his cue to walk in. It had taken him ten minutes to get here from work, so when he looked at Yuuto, he was glad to see the man looked better after a brief forty minute nap, even if it hadn’t been the greatest. He knelt down and passed the ibuprofen over with the water.

“Mizael is taking a while, so he told me to come check up on you. Still bad, huh?"

Yuuto groggily accepted the medicine and water, taking the pills. He was glad for painkillers.

"Yea...it's awful Durbe. I can't even move a muscle without painkillers..." he groaned.

"...where's Mizael? He said he'd be back in an hour..." he glanced at the clock and noticed the time.

"Wow...soon, I guess..."

“He’s looking for the doctor.” He took the painkiller bottle back and put it on the table. “He’s not where Mizael thought he was, so in the meantime, just relax, alright?"

"Okay..." Yuuto said with a sigh, relaxing as much as he could while waiting for the painkillers to kick in. But he had a nagging feeling that something was wrong...

"...hey, Durbe...would you mind checking on Yuuya? I think he might have come to see me...but I'm not sure...I wasn't quite awake..."

“Huh? Really?” Durbe raised his eyebrows. “Sure… let me check.” He headed up the stairs, but almost as quickly as he did, he returned, with a frown on his face.

“Looks like he’s not home. He might have gone out."

Yuuto frowned, trying to remember what Yuuya had said...

"...I think he said...Yuuma. Yeah...that he was going to Yuuma's..." Yuuto mused. That did reassure him a little...but at the same time...there was that nagging feeling...

“… You want me to give him a call? Or you think he’s alright?” Durbe asked.

Yuuto frowned.

"...I guess I can hold off for now. I trust him to be okay..." Yuuto said.

Meanwhile, Yuuya was on the bus. But, as he sat there, he felt a twinge in his head that alarmed him.

"N-no..." he said shakily, his body starting to tremble. God his head was pounding...he pulled the stop cord with difficulty. He was starting to lose it as he stumbled off the bus and to the ground. He clutched his head and groaned loudly.

Yuuto felt a similar twinge in his head that made his eyes widen a second later.

"...Durbe...give me my phone please. Now." He said, suddenly scared. He had to call Yuuma and check on Yuuya.

“Mghh…” Yuuya couldn’t stop shaking. He whimpered as he clutched his chest and staggered away. A few people stared at him but he waved them off. He was wondering what was wrong with him when he realised he hadn’t taken his main medication. However, he hadn’t ever missed his main meds without the supplementary medication, and everything felt a thousand times worth. He could barely see, red clouding his vision in an angry haze. His nerves flared up and he whimpered, tears coming to his eyes.

Durbe frowned but passed it over to Yuuto immediately. “What’s wrong? Yuuto?”

Yuuto took the phone from Durbe, feeling the pain spike even more.  This was bad...this was very bad...

He dialled Yuuma's phone number immediately.  He knew that Yuuya would likely be incoherent.  He probably couldn't pick up the phone if he was having a bezerk attack...

Yuuto wasn’t the other one that was feeling it. Yuuri excused himself from the meeting while Yuugo dropped the piercing he was doing and ran out the door to get his bike. Yuuya was in a lot of pain, his body alight with fiery pain. Yuuya scratched his arms furiously, bloodshot eyes wide and staring as he tried to get his breath.

“Hello, it’s Yuuma. What’s up?” The man smiled obliviously on the other line.

"Is my brother there Yuuma?  He told me...he was going to your place today..."  Yuuto asked, biting back a loud groan when the pain spiked yet again.  He could tell that Yuuya was losing it.  He could feel his hands beginning to shake, his vision blurring.  He knew his brothers were probably feeling it too.  He had to help...he had to...

Yuuma frowned. “No? I haven’t heard from him in a while. He’s not here. Is he missing?” The man asked. “Are you alright, Yuuto?"

Yuuto's eyes widened in horror.  Shit.

"Call me right away if he shows up okay?"  Yuuto said, ignoring the other questions before hanging up.  He pulled up the GPS on his phone, plugging in Yuuya's phone coordinates to see where he was.  He frowned.

"...Shit...he's nowhere near Yuuma's..."  Yuuto noted.  Had he gotten lost on the way?  Well, it didn't matter.  He quickly saved the location and swung the covers off the bed with the intention of getting up.  Pure fear and its accompanying adrenaline, along with the painkillers steadily kicking in, allowed him to ignore the pain enough to move.

"Durbe, I need my braces.  Now."  Yuuto said, trying to get up.  He should put them on so he'd be able to move well enough to get Yuuya.  He also reached into his bedside drawer and pulled out a small fanny pack that had special sedative syringes inside for when Yuuya had a bezerk moment and needed emergency medication to calm him down.

Durbe’s eyes widened as Yuuto suddenly got up. He ran to his side and went to support him, but was trying to help the man back into bed.

“What happened? Where’s Yuuya? You’re supposed to be resting, Yuuto. Explain yourself.”

"Yuuya's...either having an episode, or about to have one..."  Yuuto said, feeling another small rush of pain spike through his head that he knew wasn't from him.  Yuuya was in pain.  He was going to lose it....he could feel it coming.  And he had to get to him before it happened.  

"I need to go...I need to help him."  Yuuto said, gripping Durbe's arms to stop him from pushing him back to bed.  Although Yuuto's legs were hurt, his upper body was still strong and his arms were much stronger than Durbe's.  It was easy to push him off.  Since Durbe wasn't going to get them, he'd get them himself.  Bracing himself against the wall, he tried to make his way over to the closet where the braces were kept.

“Help him… Yuuto, tell me where he is. I’ll go and get him. You’re not in any state to do it yourself,” The man said, hurrying over to him and frowning. “Look at you. You can barely move. You need to stay here and rest."

Yuuto shook his head.

"No!  This is all my fault...I should've paid more attention to him!  This isn't a sudden thing that happens.  It's a result of him being off of meds for weeks...weeks that I've been stuck here!  I can't...I can't just leave him..."  Yuuto said, stumbling to the closet and having to hold onto the door to keep from falling over.

“He’s been off his meds?” Durbe asked. He frowned. He knew Mizael and himself were supposed to remind him, and they had, but when he thought about it, he couldn’t remember sitting in front of Yuuya and making sure he took his medication. Durbe frowned and steadied Yuuto. “Honestly, you need to lie down. You’re not going to help Yuuya if you collapse on the street."

“...Yeah...obviously...none of us knew...”  Yuuto said, most angered at himself for that.  He sighed. “I'll lie down when Yuuya's back home and feeling better!”  Yuuto said, letting Durbe steady him, but went for his leg braces anyway.  

Durbe frowned. On one hand, he wanted to help Yuuto find his brother, on the other, he wanted Yuuto to rest. The man eventually helped Yuuto grab his leg braces, but when he brought Yuuto back to the bed, he tried to snatch the phone off him.

“Give it to me. I’ll get him. You can’t, Yuuto. Stop being stubborn."

Yuuto was grateful that Durbe was deciding to help...but...he moved his hand away when Durbe tried to snatch his phone, keeping it from him.   “You can drive, but I'm telling you where to go.”  He said in compromise, taking his keys too before Durbe could snatch those as well.  He shoved them both in his pockets and worked on his leg braces, trying to get them on even though his legs were still a bit sore.  But he would bare it.  Yuuya was definitely going through worse... “Are you coming or not?”  Yuuto said, standing with difficulty after he'd gotten them both on.  

Durbe nodded. He supposed that’s the best he was supposed to get. The man ducked down and went to help Yuuto get the braces on and passed Yuuto’s crutches over. With that, he hurried up after him, getting to the car. “Where is he?”

Yuuto got up with Durbe's help and they hurried to the car as quickly as they could.   “He looks like he's not too far from the shopping center last I checked...the one downtown, unfortunately.”  Yuuto said with a frown, feeling another twinge in his head coming from Yuuya.   “Ugh...hurry...”  Yuuto said, unlocking the car, getting into the passenger seat and passing Durbe the keys.  He opened his phone and double-checked the GPS.   “Yeah...he's still there...hasn't moved much.”  Yuuto noted.  That probably meant Yuuya was writhing in pain on the ground. And Yuuto was right.  Yuuya was trying not to scream as his muscles spasmed and he scratched his arms, trying to stop the pain shooting through his entire body.  His eyes were quickly becoming bloodshot and he was starting to draw some attention.  A few bystanders were either steering clear of him, or contemplating approaching him and asking if he needed help.  

“Is he far?” Durbe asked. He grabbed the keys and backed out of the parking lot, surging forward onto the streets. Someone with a good conscience though called the ambulance and the police, though they stayed clear of Yuuya. Another random passerby did finally do what most others were thinking and hurried over to the distressed man. “Hey… Hey are you alright?” “Get away!” Yuuya shrieked, sounding feral. He screamed out, thrashing wildly, knocking the person back with wild, hard punches. Tears ran down his face, and Yuuya sobbed, holding his chest. As the adrenaline coursed through him, he screeched, gasping for air, begging silently for the pain to stop. His body had been resisting it for far too long, and now it was too overwhelming for him to bear.

Three other men clutched their chests at the same time Yuuya did, wincing in pain.  However, only one of them knew exactly where Yuuya was, so Yuuto was inevitably going to get there first.  Yuugo was hopeless, stumbling around to his bike to drive around the city, whereas Yuri was having trouble convincing his co-workers that he had to leave the office to find his brother.

“Shit...”  Yuuto grunted.  

“Not...far...”  He said, showing Durbe the coordinates.  He just hoped they were actually where Yuuya was and not somewhere where he'd dropped his phone or something.  

Durbe nodded. He turned the corner and drove straight ahead, doing his best to speed as safely as they could. He glanced at Yuuto, seeing how he was reacting to his unique syndrome. That meant Yuuya was in even more pain.

“Alright. We’re almost there.”

Yuuya was in agony, scratching his skin until he bled, attacking whoever came near him. He had never had it so bad before, that he wanted nothing more than to claw his own throat out. He couldn’t stop yelling, and by now everyone was staying clear of him because of the way he had assaulted the passerby (who thankfully was just bruised and not much else). The police were on their way, but because Yuuto got cued in faster, Durbe and Yuuto pulled up where Yuuya was screaming.

“What’s the plan? I’ll go get him.” Durbe said.

Yuuto kept feeling his body constrict the slightest amounts in pain, his head pounding as Yuuya's did on a lesser scale.  This was a bad one...he could feel it...

He glanced out the window and saw his brother crying out and lashing at anyone who approached.  

“Stay in the car.  I'll get him.”  Yuuto said, not wanting Durbe to get hurt as he went for the door.

“Yuuto, you’re really not in any condition,” Durbe said, already undoing his seatbelt. “I’m at least healthy. I’ll grab him and bring him back here."

“No.  He's too strong for you...if you approach him or try to pin him, he'll throw you off.”  Yuuya was stronger than he looked: being a stripper was really a good muscle building activity after all.  Unfortunately, he could see Durbe wasn't going to listen so he sighed.

“Sorry, but you're staying here.”  He said, raising an arm and thwacking Durbe in the back of the neck to knock him out temporarily.  He couldn't have him stopping him.  He lay his friend's head back against the seat before getting out of the car with difficulty and stumbling over to his brother. “Yuuya!”  He called, trying to get his attention so he wouldn't attack anyone else.  

Durbe opened his mouth to protest, but soon Yuuto was hitting him hard. With the assassin’s precision and skill, Durbe didn’t stand a chance, slumping on the car, out cold. Now unconscious, there was nothing he could do to stop Yuuto from seeing Yuuya. Yuuya was still screaming, eyes dilated and heart racing. He turned as he heard the familiar voice, but he couldn’t see through the pain and gave a loud, feral snarl instead. Yuuya picked up another nearby bin and threw it at a car, adding to the damage to his surroundings he was doing.

Yuuto could feel the pain through their twin-to-twin connection, just as Yuri and Yuugo could.  But the other two weren't around to help him...he had to do this on his own.  

“Yuuya, you're going to be okay, I promise!”  He said, slowly beginning to approach his brother, fully prepared to catch him if he lashed out (which was highly likely).  He had to pin him, and inject him with the sedatives, and it wasn't going to be easy.  He ducked as Yuuya threw a bin, glad that it wasn't his car that was hit.  He didn't want unconscious Durbe to be hurt.  He managed to reach out and grab Yuuya after he'd thrown it, and tried to throw him to the ground.  

Yuuya yelled as he was suddenly grabbed and punched his brother. The man roared at Yuuto, unable to quite hear what he was saying. Before he knew what he was doing, he was trying to kick Yuuto off him, not wanting to be touched.

Yuuto moved to block the punch, but was unable to fend off the kicks. He cried out in pain as his torn and infected legs were kicked by Yuuya. His knees buckled and he kept his grip as he collapsed, pulling Yuuya to the ground with him and trying to pin him as he thrashed wildly.

"Ugh...Yuuya...come on...bear with me here..." he grunted, trying to pin him so he could get his medicine out.

Yuuya screamed hideously as he was brought down on his brother and he began to flail wildly. Any motion he made didn’t help him at all. Yuuto’s touch burned like fire, adding only to the mind-numbing agony. Yuuya continued to kick and punch, his own nails raking at his brother as he thrashed wildly.

Yuuto bit back his own screams of agony as he was assaulted by his brother's thrashing nails. He could feel his stitches tearing and his pants soaking with blood, but still he persisted.

"Ugh..." he collapsed on his brother, wrapping his arms around his brother to pin his arms to his sides so he'd stop scratching at least. He panted, feeling sweaty and gross and in agonizing pain...

He could hear sirens approaching, either from the police or ambulance...he couldn't tell at this point. But, he had to hurry. He kept his brother's arm pinned and used his teeth to open the fanny pack he'd brought and pulled out a syringe. While pinning Yuuya's arm, he managed to administer the drug shakily before simply collapsing and trying to hold Yuuya while the drug began to take effect.

Yuuya was all raw strength, and even with the pain that lead him to just lash out, he really couldn’t fight his brother. Yuuya gave a loud cry as he suddenly was thrown back and pinned down, and he tried to struggle free, unintelligibly cursing at Yuuto.

There was one final scream that rung out from the man. He shrieked loudly as the drug was pumped into his body. He shook his head and began to thrash harder now, though that only succeeded in making the drug corse through his arteries faster.

Yuuya kept fighting against the strong arms at held him, but eventually his movements began to slow. He gasped, still unable to stop the tears from flowing, and blinked hard, trying to make out who was in front of him.

“Yuu… Yuu… to…”

Yuuto simply bore the brunt of Yuuya's raw punches. He had no strength to do anything but lay on his brother, holding him down. He ignored the bystanders who were being told to back up and clear a path by the cops who had just pulled in, only focusing on trying to stay awake despite the punches and the heavy bleeding from his legs. He managed to push himself up when Yuuya began to calm. Ordinarily he'd be picking Yuuya up and running off, but he was too exhausted...he had no strength left.

"...I'm sorry..." he said softly to Yuuya when the other seemed to realize he was there. But after that, a wave of exhaustion and light-headedness overtook him and he collapsed to the ground in a small puddle of his own blood.

Yuuya was only just realising what he was seeing, and his own vision was clearing up. For a second, he saw himself, covered in Yuuto’s blood, his brother covered in red, raw marks. However, Yuuya couldn’t even react horrified, his body beginning to slow. Even as he was torn away from his brother by the police and was able to see how pale he was and how bad his injuries were, he couldn’t cry out to him. His body was numbing, and the pain was ebbing away, drawing his consciousness along with it.

The man’s eyes drooped as the officers grabbed his arms and cuffed him, and his vision blurred altogether as he finally fell asleep.

The police were on the scene and alarmed.  It had sounded like a public disturbance call, but clearly something had gone wrong.

“What the hell happened...Ukyou, this guy just fell asleep!”  Gauche exclaimed, having to practically catch Yuuya as he cuffed him.  He was also a little freaked out that both of the men had the same face.  Were they dealing with twins?

“There's an empty syringe on the ground next to the other guy...maybe he was drugged?”  Anna asked, picking up the syringe with a gloved hand to put in an evidence bag.

“Oh yeah there is a small puncture mark on his arm...looks like he was injected with whatever that is...”  Gauche noted.

“Get that one in the car...we'll take him to the station and test that syringe.  Droite, you go with this one in the ambulance.”  Ukyou said, letting the paramedics get to Yuuto to assess his injuries.  The paramedics were also looking at one of the bystanders that Yuuya had hit.

“Excuse me...would you mind explaining what you saw happen here?”    

Droite nodded and hurried off to go look at the other unconscious men, leaving the other three to do their investigation. The blonde man groaned and rubbed the back of his head, still feeling a bit dizzy from the hard punches. “Yeah… It was really weird, ya know.” He groaned. “I was getting off the bus when that guy just shoved past me and ran here. I didn’t think anything of it until he started screaming and scratching his arms in pain. I wanted to see if the guy was alright, but then suddenly he went ballistic and started beating the crap out of me. He didn’t seem it, but he was really strong.” “Mm… you’re lucky that you weren’t hurt more,” The paramedic said, looking him over. “Yeah… And then after I scrambled away, he just freaked out. He started hitting cars and tossing bins and just screaming people. Just destroying stuff. It was crazy. Then that purple-haired guy appeared and started fighting him. I dunno what happened but they fell and both somehow went unconscious."

Ukyou listened and nodded.  This did seem like an odd case...the person who made the call had said something similar: that a young man had suddenly gone ballistic and screamed and started hitting people and any nearby objects without stopping.  

“Did the red-haired man have a weapon that he might have used to cut the other?”  Ukyou said.  There had been a lot of blood...usually that sort of thing was consistent with a stab wound.  But Gauche had found no weapons on the young man who had fallen unconscious in his arms.  And there were no weapons in the immediate vicinity of the crime scene...unless the red-head had thrown it away or something.

“No… there was no weapons. He was just scratching really hard. It wasn’t like anything I ever seen. It was like he was some kind of animal,” The man said.

“Scratching alone?”  Ukyou said, surprised.  There was no way scratches alone could have done that amount of damage...he nodded.

“Thank you sir.  You have the legal right to press charges if you would like.  Can I have your name for the record?”  Ukyou asked, wondering what the man would do.  He hadn't been too badly injured, but Ukyou had seen people sue for less.

“Well that’s what I saw. I’m pretty sure there was no weapons…” the man said.

“Bah. I’ve been in worse fights and I have all my teeth, so there’s no real need. I’m Katsuya Jou.” He said, waving. He stood up, figuring he was done, but as soon as he took a step forward, he almost collapsed.

“Sir, you’re more injured than you look. Please. I insist you come to the hospital.”

“What? No way. I don’t have the money for that."

Ukyou nodded, writing down the name and feeling like it was familiar somehow.  Ukyou frowned.

“You probably have a concussion...it'll just be a routine check.  Is there anyone we can call to come get you there?”  He asked.

“Umm… Kukaju Mai. She’ll kill me if I’m late to another meeting. I can call her. It’s fine,” Jou muttered.

“Mai-san?  Ah, that's where I've heard of you before...I think she mentioned you.  She's worked on cases for us recently.”  Ukyou said with a smile and nod.

“All the best to you, Jounouchi-san.  Please let us know if you remember anything else that's important about the incident today.”  Ukyou said, before leaving Jounouchi to the paramedics.  He had to get back to the station to puzzle things out.  

“Is he still asleep, Gauche?  Any identification on him?”  Ukyou asked as he got into the squad car where Gauche was waiting with the man they arrested.

“Oh yeah… that’s right. She mentioned collaborating with the police,” Jou looked around, wondering if the lady with the nice ass that Mai talked about a lot was here.

“Yeah, sure. I will. Thanks for coming in and stopping that psycho when you did.” Jou let the paramedic go back to fussing over him while Gauche looked at Ukyou. He pulled out the phone and wallet from the suspect in plastic bags and handed it over.

“I had a look at it already. The ID says Hiragi Yuuya, but I suspect that’s not his real name. It might be a fake ID. The ID on the other one is Hiragi Yuuto. They’re brothers.”

Ukyou nodded.

“Well...if they're fake, they're well done ID cards.”  Ukyou mused.  He wasn't surprised about the brother's comment.  From the brief glance of the two men, he'd been able to tell instantly that they were twins.  

“We just got radioed from the station, Ukyou...apparently there's a guy there who is looking for a man who matches the description of “Hiragi Yuuya” here...except he called him “Sakaki Yuuya”.  He might be able to clear things up.”  Anna said.  Ukyou nodded.

“Then let's head back.  Droite will contact us when the other one wakes up.”  Ukyou said, driving off towards the station and hopefully, some answers.

“Alright.” Gauche drove them back. The drive was quiet for most part, seeing as their charges were asleep and there wasn’t much to say about the case, so eventually they got out of the station. As Gauche picked up the sleeping man and carried him through the back entrance, Anna got up and headed to the front to enter through the reception. Sitting there, looking at his phone, was Yuri. He was looking at his phone, still trying to call Yuuya, but unable to get through to him, especially since Ukyou had the turned off phone in the evidence bag. “Huh? I thought you were in the back,” Anna said, seeing the man with the similar face. “In the back? No… I’ve been here the entire time. But… oh, have you seen him then? Yuuya?"

Ukyou walked in alongside Anna and was shocked to see Yuri.  He looked familiar...and his first thought was that this was the man who they had loaded into the ambulance.  But then he realized that although this man did look identical, his hair was a little too short...and he was wearing a suit, where the other had been wearing sweats.  Ukyou wanted to rub his temples...this identical face thing was confusing.

“We found him, yes.  Who might you be?”  Ukyou asked.  Gauche came in behind Ukyou and nearly dropped Yuuya in surprise.

“Wait a minute, wasn't that guy the one we loaded into that ambulance?!”  Gauche exclaimed, making the mistake that Ukyou had made about the hair.  

“I’m figuring you’ve met my brothers. While I’m not surprised you’ve mistaken me for them, I really would have thought you recognised me,” Yuri muttered. He smiled simply though. “My name is Sakaki Yuri. I’m part of the Democratic Party in Heartland City. I’m here looking for my brother, Sakaki Yuuya, but if there’s another guy, it might be one of my other brothers Yuugo or Yuuto. We’re quadruplets.”

“Man… you all look the same,” Anna said, squinting. She was already confused. “Which one do we have in custody? What colour, Gauche?”

“Ah...yes, I remember now.”  Ukyou said.  The whole identical face thing had thrown him off, but now that Yuri mentioned it, he did remember seeing political ads for this young man.  Gauche looked at the young man in his arms.

“Red-head...and a bit of green too.  He had a piece of ID that said “Hiragi Yuuya”...so I'm guessing this one is Yuuya.  The other one had hair kinda like yours...a darker purple, maybe.  And he also had an ID that said “Hiragi Yuuto”...so...that's Yuuto then?”  Gauche said, truly confused.  

“I'm afraid your brothers are currently involved in a public disturbance case that is quite confounding.  We'd appreciate your input, if possible, to help us understand the situation while your brothers are both unable to speak for themselves.  We picked them both up unconscious, and Yuuto is in hospital right now.”  Ukyou said, showing Yuuya to Yuri as proof.

Anna raised her eyebrow. She remembered Droite mentioning something about Yuuri before, since she and Kaito talked about politics, but she couldn’t remember what it was. The woman made a mental note to ask Droite it, since she wasn’t here at the moment.

“Yeah, that’s Yuuya and Yuuto alright. I don’t know why they’re using Hiragi though. They’re Sakakis, as far as I know. Then again, I haven’t been in contact with them as much as I should have. I’ve only been talking to Yuuya recently.”

The man gave a deep frown, looking genuinely worried. He had known about it, and had been feeling it himself, but it sounded bad. Yuuri followed Ukyou to the back where Yuuya had been put in a holding cell, and he looked on in concern.

“Well, unfortunately Yuuto was Yuuya’s caretaker. Yuuya is very ill, you see. He needs to be heavily sedated in order for his body to not injure itself. It’s a type of chronic pain. He suffers quite badly from it. It happened once before when we were fourteen. If he’s not medicated, he gets wild and attacks people. He doesn’t mean to though. He can’t control it. He’s a sweet man, really. My brother wouldn’t hurt a fly usually.”

Ukyou listened to Yuri speak.  He seemed to be honest enough, and honestly, the whole situation made more sense if it was an illness.  Ukyou had been guessing it was a bad reaction to drugs or something himself.  

“An illness...that certainly sounds serious.  Has it been officially diagnosed?  Is there record of it somewhere?”  Ukyou said, noticing how Yuuya was beginning to twitch ever so slightly in his sleep, as if he was restless.  

“You said the last time this happened, he was fourteen?  Well he certainly looks much older now...do you know what made him relapse?  You also said you had contact with him...did you notice any symptoms or anything strange that might have predicted this incident?”  

“I’m not sure if there is an official name for it. We called it Zarc Syndrome in our childhood, but I don’t remember the full name. I think it was along the lines of Arc VaRayosis. Though I’ll have to double check. Right now, the only treatment for it is heavy sedatives.” Yuuri looked at Yuuya.

“We’re thirty-two. The only thing I can think of is that he’s off his sedatives. That or…” He frowned. “… Well… when I saw him, I didn’t notice anything unusual at all, but he didn’t seem like he was sedated. I don’t know what Yuuto is up to… but I do know there is an alternative to the sedatives. There’s medication, but under no circumstances is it legal here in Japan.”

Ukyou nodded.

“Anna, please call Droite and see if she can get ahold of Sakaki Yuuya's medical records while she's at the hospital with Yuuto.”  Ukyou instructed.  

“Hmm...so you're saying that your brother may be using illegal substances to help treat Yuuya?  And why did you not have contact with Yuuto?  You seem to know Yuuya reasonably well...”  Ukyou noted.

“Alright,” Anna hurried away, glad she was asked to so she could talk to Droite. She headed out somewhere private to dial the number, letting Yuri talk. “It’s… a maybe. I don’t want to say it. It looks incredibly bad if a politician’s brother is using harmful substances on his own family… but I’m worried for Yuuya.” Yuri played the role well. He wanted to keep his clean slate, but he also wanted to tarnish any credibility Yuuto had. He was playing a dangerous game, but he knew his cards and he knew how to win. “Yuuto and I had a falling out several years ago. I haven’t talked to any of my brothers in years. It was only recently that Yuuya found me and approached me. I know Yuuya reasonably well because I went out to lunch with him, and we’ve chatted. Honestly I don’t know as much as I would like."

Ukyou frowned.  He hoped it wasn't the case either.  He hated cases like this...where it seemed as though a young man was struggling to help his family and had no choice but to turn to illegal means.  However, the fact that both men had apparently fake ID on them meant that they probably had been involved in illegal activities...or were trying to hide from something.  

“Well...we'll ask for a blood test to see what sort of substances might be in his system when he wakes.  If what you said is true about treatment, then this syringe might just be a sedative...but...we will test its contents for anything illegal.”  Ukyou said, passing the evidence bagged syringe off to Gauche so he could get it analyzed.  

“When you talked to your brother, did he hint that either he or Yuuto were involved in any sort of illicit activities?  Anything that struck you as strange?”  Ukyou asked.

Gauche nodded. However, he stayed around, wanting to hear what Yuuri had to say as well. Yuuri pulled his expression to look thoughtful.

“Not that I know of. The only thing that really strikes me is that I found out Yuuto owns an apartment block and tries not to let anyone know he does. Though, I suppose that might be just him trying to keep his life private from me. I haven’t been inside, but Yuuya told me where it was.”

Ukyou frowned.  The owning an apartment block wasn't unusual, but the fact that he didn't want to tell anyone about it seemed odd.  

“...Hmm...would you mind providing me the address in case we need to check it out?”  Ukyou asked.  From what Yuri was saying, along with what had happened at the scene, Ukyou suspected there might have been drugs involved in this incident.  What if Yuuto or Yuuya had connections to Dennis?  

“Of course. Here, let me write it down,” Yuri said. Gauche passed a notepad over and Yuri wrote it down on his neat handwriting. “Hopefully it should be fine…”

“We hope so too...thank you for your help.  Hopefully your brothers will wake up soon.  Is there anything about his condition we should know about?  Any sort of medication that might help him?  We wouldn't want him having another incident in here...he'd probably really hurt himself.”  Ukyou said.

“Honestly, I don’t know anything other than sedatives. I know the degree he needed when he was 14, but I don’t know if it still applies now. I’ll write down what I know,“ Yuri admitted, writing.

“Alright.  Thank you.”  Ukyou said, accepting the list.  From what he could tell, these looked like pretty run of the mill sedatives...but they were powerful.  Maybe he should call Chris and talk to him about them...and this illness in general.

“I'm afraid we'll have to keep your brother in custody here...we arrested him on public disturbances and destruction of property charges.  We will see whether or not the court will proceed with a punishment in light of his mental illness.”  Ukyou explained.

“Alright. Please let me know if I can do anything. Distant or not, Yuuya is still part of my family. I want to make sure he’s alright no matter what,” Yuri said.

“That’s good of you, Mr. Sakaki,” Gauche said. “We’ll keep you updated on your brothers. We’ll be questioning Yuuto when he wakes up.”

As Ukyou and Gauche escorted Yuri out of the police station so they could get on with their work, Anna was making her phone call to Droite at the hospital.

“Hey Droite, any news from your end of things?”  She asked, wondering if the other brother had woken up and if they'd found out what caused his injuries.

Droite picked up and frowned. “I’m waiting in the ER, but from what I can tell, he’s honestly alright.” Droite said. “The doctors have picked up a number of things wrong with him, but the main issue he just needs to sleep. He’s got a fever, which is why he passed out. I’ll have a full report soon enough.

“How’s the other guy? Find anything on him?”

“We found out that both the guys are two out of four quadruplets...they all look exactly alike, it's crazy!”  Anna exclaimed.  

“The one at the hospital is named Sakaki Yuuto, and the one we have in custody is Sakaki Yuuya...and then there was Sakaki Yuri waiting for us at the station.  He's a politician and he cleared things up for us...”  Anna said.

“You told me about him before didn't you?  I couldn't remember what you said exactly...is he trustworthy, do you think?”

“Wow… I knew twins but quadruplets? … Quadruplets… Sakaki…” Droite frowned as the names jogged her memory. Like Gauche, she was still in contact with Kaito, but she generally talked about politics to him and not crucial information regarding one of their cases. She had actually talked to him recently about a rising figure in the polls, Sakaki Yuri.

“… So it’s his brothers that are involved with this case. Interesting…” Droite muttered. “… By all means, he’s trustworthy. He was involved with a corruption scandal a few years ago, but turns out that it wasn’t him but a coworker trying to tarnish his reputation. People say he’s sly and sneaky, but there’s really been no evidence for that. He’s an individual who thinks outside of the box… With how he is, he may be leader of the Democrats here in Heartland soon enough.”

“Yeah, it's crazy right?”  Anna mused.  She listened as her coworker explained things.  

“Oh wow!  He's really big then!  I guess that explains what he said...Yuri-san claimed he hadn't really been keeping in contact with his brothers.  Ukyou suspects that Yuuto's involved in some sort of drug deal, perhaps with Dennis MacField, for his brother's medical condition.  Yuuya's still unconscious and Gauche was gonna test the sedative he was injected with to see what's in it exactly...but it's amazing that a politician's brothers are so...nuts like this!  I guess he wouldn't have made it this far in the polls if someone found out about them!”  Anna noted.

“They’re… a little eccentric, yes,” Droite muttered. “I suppose that’s a good reason why he’s kept his distance from them. Though… I’m surprised that he’s gone to the police station enquiring about Yuuya then. Was there a reason for that?”

“Ah he said...well...he said recently he's been trying to re-connect with Yuuya, the one we got in custody.  Not sure about Yuuto though.  But, now that you mention it...he didn't exactly say why he came here, or how he knew Yuuya was missing, when he also said he hadn't been to their apartment complex...”  Anna said, frowning as she tried to puzzle it out.  

“Maybe we'll find out through Yuuya when he wakes up?  Or you can find out through the other one?”

“That seems suspicious. Ask the others about that as well.” Droite said. “We’re probably missing something. I’ll make sure that Yuuto gets the message that Yuri was visiting. I’ll see what we can get out of him.”

“Yeah...sounds good!  We'll let you know if we figure out anything else...you do the same when Yuuto gets out of surgery yeah?  Talk to you later...we got work to do here!”  Anna said, hanging up and heading back to work.  

“Yes, see you.” Droite hung up and looked towards the ER, waiting for the doctor to return to give her an update on Yuuto’s condition.

A few moments later, a doctor emerged from the ER to update Droite on the situation.

“Officer...I have some news regarding the patient you brought in that I think you should note...”  He said, looking a little concerned.  He held two files in his hand and showed them to Droite.

“The patient has severe leg lacerations...they seem to be a few weeks old, and are completely infected.  They were closed with what was clearly homemade stitches, which astounds me.  This man was severely injured, yet did not seek medical treatment from professionals.”  The doctor said.

“There's also this...the pattern, frequency, length and width of these cuts match those of Mutou Yuugi.  They're not as deep, but they are most likely caused by the same weapon...in addition, he had faint bruising on his neck, exactly like Mutou had, suggesting he was strangled around the same time he received those cuts.”  

Droite took the file and flipped it open, looking at the pictures of the man’s legs. She frowned, looking at it, disgusting crinkling her face. “… Must have not been taking the antibiotics or changing the stitches when needed,” She muttered. However, she looked up in astonishment at the doctor.

“Mutou Yuugi? Same injuries? Mutou Yuugi didn’t exactly have common injuries. Are you sure?” She asked, wanting to see Yuugi’s file too if possible.

“That's not surprising considering they were done out of hospital.”  The doctor said with a sigh.  He showed the files to Droite, with pictures comparing the injuries to both men.  

“Exactly...but...these pictures don't lie.”  The doctor said.

Droite frowned. They looked almost identical. Yuuto’s looked less precise, but there was no mistaking what had been done. They had confiscated the weapon off Sergey, and Droite was fairly certain that the weapon in their evidence locker was used here. “So he’s been sick… What were the injuries he sustained today? Just the bruises and the scratches on his arms, right?"

“Yes...the injuries he sustained today were small scratches and bruises, mostly on his arms.  There were couple on his legs...he was probably kicked and that was what opened the stitches.  Nothing serious other than that.  We have him on antibiotics to combat the infection in his legs.  What he needs most is rest and that medication now while the new stitches we put in heal.  He had opened up a few of those cuts on his legs again in the struggle.”  The doctor said.  

“Alright… so that’s good. He’ll be out of the ER soon then, right? Since most of the injuries are quite superficial…” Droite asked, hoping she could press the man soon.

“Yep.  We're bringing him to a room now...he's still unconscious though.  He'll wake up in a few hours. I'll show you to his room, if you wish.”  The doctor said.

“That’s fine. I have some research I need to do. I can wait,” Droite said before she followed.

The doctor nodded, leading her through the hospital hallways.  On the way, Droite heard a familiar voice.

“Geez, Jounouchi, you got into another fight?”  Mai exclaimed, scolding her blonde friend who was being examined for a concussion.  

“Aw come on Mai, it wasn't a fight...it was a weird ass situation that's for sure, but it was nothin'!  I'm fine!” Jou replied, waving off her concern.  Mai shook her head.

“Honestly...”  She mused, before she happened to glance over and spot Droite.

“Oh my gosh, Droite honey!  Is that you?  You're here too!”  She exclaimed, rushing over to greet her girlfriend.

Droite raised her eyebrow as she walked in, hearing the familiar voice. She sighed but smiled. “Excuse me, doctor.”

She walked over. “Hi Mai… I’m here.” She looked over. “And that’s Jou?”

“Yeah… Hi there. This your gf, Mai?"

Mai grinned and gave Droite a hug, before slinging an arm around her and showing her to Jou.  

“Yep, this is her!  And this bonehead is in hospital for a stupid fight again.”  Mai said.  Jounouchi sighed.

“It wasn't a fight...it was more like some dude went bezerk and hit me!  I didn't fight him, he just was...screaming and rolling around and clawing himself.”  Jounouchi said.  He smirked at Droite.

“But enough about me...it's nice to meet you, Droite.  You're super hot, just like Mai said!  What brings ya here?”  He mused, getting a slap on the shoulder from Mai for that comment.  

Droite sighed, not appreciating it since this was her work hours but she put up with it. She gave the man a small smile and nodded.

“Yes, I know. I saw you at the crime scene. It wasn’t his fault, Mai.” Droite said. She immediately regretted saying that and her cheeks went pink. Well, she supposed that’s the company Mai hung out with.

“Work.” She said, glancing at the doctor. “I have some hours though."

“Yeah!  See?  Droite-san vouches for me!”  Jounouchi said with a grin.  Mai rolled her eyes.

“Ah, you with that guy who was bleeding?  I caught a glimpse of him coming in...looked pretty serious.”  Jounouchi said.  Mai frowned.  

“So he's not awake yet huh?  What on earth happened?”  Mai asked.

“He’s fine… He’ll make a full recovery, which is good because I have questions.” Droite frowned. “Honestly, I only know half the story. I’ll discuss it with you later, Mai. I don’t want to say anything until I know all the details, especially to the public.” She looked at Jou.

Jou chuckled.

"Yep, you're Droite-san alright! Mai said you're smart and pretty and totally dedicated to your job!" He mused. Mai pouted a little.

"He kinda knows some of it anyway since he was there for the attack..." she said with a pout.

"You'd better call me later and tell me then!" She said.

Droite couldn’t help but go pink at that. Usually she didn’t care for compliments from men, but knowing her girlfriend still thought so highly of her made her blush.

“Yeah… Oh… I should have asked what are you doing here. I didn’t expect to see you."

"The hospital called me to pick up my idiot friend here who has a concussion, that's why." Mai mused.

"I was also thinking of visiting Yami, if I'm able." She mused with shrug.

“Hey!” Jou yelped in protest. The purple-haired woman shook her head.

“Oh right, Mutou is here.” Droite said. “Well, I should leave you to it then. Take care of yourself… Nice meeting you, Mr. Katsuya."

"Alright hon!  Good luck with your guy!"  Mai mused, giving Droite a kiss on the cheek and smiled.  Jou waved as well.

"Nice to meet you too, Droite-san."  He said.

Droite smiled as she was kissed. “See you, Mai.” Droite returned to the doctor. “Sorry… That was really unprofessional.”

“No need, it’s fine. The same thing happens when my wife ends up here in the hospital,” The doctor laughed. Droite smiled as the man led her up the stairs to where Yuuto was resting. Droite looked at the sleeping man and then pulled her tablet out.

“Thank you doctor, I’ll handle it from here.” The man nodded and left, leaving the woman to her device. She opened the hospital database and began to look to see if Sakaki Yuuya was ever registered here.

Turns out, he had been, for a very brief time before he was 18 years old.  Sakaki Yuuya had initially been checked into the hospital by his mother, Sakaki Yoko, around the age of 14.  According to the hospital records, he had a neurological condition that caused his nerves to become inflamed when he went too long without sedative medication.  The doctors had performed tests on him and found out that it affected all of his senses, and his brain's functionality, but were unable to officially diagnose the illness.  However, there was a legal decree that Sakaki Yuuya would not be permitted to live alone with such an illness, and so guardianship was officially listed as with Sakaki Yuuto after the death of their mother.  

However, Droite dug for hours, and determined that other than the birth certificate he found for all four brothers, and the mention of Sakaki Yuuto as a guardian for Yuuya, Sakaki Yuuto had no record in the hospital.  He had no health insurance, and had never been checked in at all for any past injuries, which the doctor had determined he had a few.  After their 18th birthday, Yuuto had abruptly stopped bringing Yuuya to the hospital for checkups.  That alone was not illegal, considering both men were no longer legally required to check in, but Droite found that odd.  Surely Yuuto would want his brother medicated properly?  And why, if his illness was so unstable, was there no mention of it since they last checked the hospital?  Given the level of public disturbance today, clearly the illness was still just as bad...so why had there been over 10 years of no update?  Droite was starting to agree with Ukyou...this must be a drug case.  Maybe Yuuto had medicated Yuuya himself somehow...possibly illegally.  Droite was even more eager to talk to him now.  She had to know what was going on.  

On the bed next to her, a few hours after she began her search, Yuuto began to stir.  At first, he didn't know where he was, and that alone was alarming.  But then, he remembered Yuuya and immediately sat up to look around, holding back grunts of pain.  His mind felt numbed...he had been drugged.  He could see the IV line and was tempted to pull it out, but his first priority was Yuuya.  If he was in hospital, then maybe Yuuya was with him?  But all he saw was a young woman in an officer's uniform sitting near his bed.  Immediately, Yuuto was on guard.  This could not be good...how much did she know?  She looked intelligent at least.  He stared at her for a moment, scanning the rest of the room.  They were alone.  No sign of Yuuya at all.

“Where's my brother?”  He asked.  Since he and Yuuya were identical twins, he knew the cops would have figured that much out at least.  No use hiding the obvious.

“In custody,” Droite said very seriously, putting on her poker face. Droite was one of the fiercest interrogators and the sharpest among them on the force, and the way that she looked at Yuuto, her experience showed. If Yuuto had any skill in psychology, he would be able to tell Droite was not a woman to be trifled with. “On charges of property damage and disturbance of the peace for most part, but assault may be added, among other things.”

Yuuto frowned.  Yes, he had met people like Droite before: sharp, quick-witted and ruthless if given an opening in dialogue or a single lose end in the story he told.  And he had a strategy to deal with it.

“How long has it been since you picked him up?”  He asked.  By continuing to ask perfectly valid questions, he would avoid giving too much away.  It was okay if he came off as the concerned brother.  That was a perfectly acceptable face for this situation...what wasn't okay was if he came off as someone who was hiding something.  He could tell that Yuuya was currently not having an episode, but...the drug he had given him would eventually wear off.  Then they'd be back to square one if he didn't give him the proper medication to combat his illness.  He needed to know how long he had.

“Not too long. A few hours at most. He’s out cold, so his medicine won’t run out for the time being,” Droite said, looking at Yuuto. “What I want to know is what did you use on him, Mr. Sakaki."

Yuuto analyzed her words carefully.  She'd mentioned medicine.  That meant they'd at least guessed that Yuuya was sick.  She also said his last name, which means they had figured out his real identity.  He sighed.

“A sedative with a soporific effect.  It's the only thing that works on him when he's having an episode.”  Yuuto said simply.  

“I want to see him.  I want to see if he's okay.”  Yuuto said, making a move to get out of bed even though it hurt like hell and it showed.

“He’s under police custody. He’s not having visitors until police question him, and that’s after he awakens. You have a few hours,” Droite frowned. “Get back in bed. You’re still recovering. You’re in bad shape. If you let your leg be untreated for much longer, you would probably needed to have it amputated off.”

Yuuto sighed.  

”Officer, with all due respect, unless you have a court order or something that legally requires me to stay here, I would like to leave.  I am aware that I have an infection in my legs and the consequences that I might face if they're left untreated, but my health is secondary to my brother's.  He is my priority.  I have little time to get his medication so he won't relapse as soon as your coworkers want to question him.”  Yuuto said, stubbornly going to stand again, not caring that he was in a hospital gown.

“Where are my clothes?”    

“I don’t have a court order, but you are legally obligated to stay here, especially when you’re part of an investigation,” Droite said, standing up, walking towards him.

“I need you to answer questions about your brother. Since you are his legal guardian, you're legally obligated to answer for him, especially because he is cause he's in custody. The medication on your person will be administered to him in small doses in the meantime, and you don’t have to worry about Yuuya… Unless you mean other medication types that we’re presently unaware of.”

Yuuto frowned.  So she'd figured out the legal guardian part too. Shit.  He sighed, sitting down on the bed in surrender when she approached him.  If he was at full strength, he could have taken her out or run by her in a heartbeat, but he didn't really want to make a scene.  The reason she described for holding him had less to do with him and more to do with Yuuya.

“He has other medication, yes.  It's better for him than what I gave him this time.  The medication you took from me is meant as a last resort.  It keeps him asleep.  That's not a sustainable solution for long term cases, of course.”  Yuuto said.    

“Fine, I'll talk.  But can I have my phone first at least?  As I'm responsible for Yuuya, as you say, I should still get someone to get him his medication right away, so if he does wake up, he can answer any questions you have.  He can't answer anything if he keeps falling asleep, right?”  Yuuto said, tilting his head at Droite.  

“Why are you administering a sedative so regularly? May I have the script from the doctor that authorizes the use of those sedatives as well?” Droite asked, keeping her face perfectly neutral. She paused but after a moment, she handed it back, ready to snatch it should he try to delete anything.

“There. Also please make sure that whoever you call checks the medication in at reception, so the police know what medication Sakaki Yuuya takes for our records."

Yuuto sighed.

"I don't have a doctors record. The sedatives are available over the counter." Yuuto mused. He nodded.

"I will." He said, taking the phone and turning it on. He frowned as he was bombarded with messages and notifications from Yuugo. He sighed.

"Im calling my other brother, Yuugo." He said, dialling and waiting with the phone a foot away from his ear in anticipation of yelling.

“Alright.” She’d have the forensics team look at them anyway. That just meant the sedatives Yuuto was using weren’t very powerful.

“YUUTO! FINALLY! I’VE BEEN CALLING FOR HOURS! MINUTES! WHATEVER!” Droite didn’t jump but she raised her eyebrow at the loud screaming. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHERE’S YUUYA? HE WENT BERSERK, DIDN’T HE? WHERE ARE YOU?”

Yuuto simply sighed and held the phone further away. He shot Droite an apologetic look.

"Calm down, Yuugo. Yuuya was arrested...and Im in hospital. Listen, i need you to go to my place and get Yuuya's medication. Bring it to the police station and check it in with them so he has it when he wakes up, okay? Can you do that?" Yuuto asked.

“YOU’RE IN HOSPITAL? WHAT? AND YUUYA WAS ARRESTED? DON’T YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! THIS IS EXACTLY THE SITUATION TO START YELLING IN!” Droite stared at the phone and then immediately went to close the door.

“Go your place? Get his meds? I’m on it. Uh, where do you hide that stuff?”

Yuuto held the phone further away. He sighed.

"What's happened is done. Now we just got to move on, okay? We'll be okay." Yuuto said.

"I keep it in a chest under my bed. You still have the key to my room right?"

“Yeah, I do.” Yuugo said, now in a normal volume. “Awesome. I’ll get it to him. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

"Okay...look after Yuuya first alright? He'll probably be nervous, okay? I'll talk to you as soon as I can." Yuuto said, before hanging up with a sigh.

"Sorry about that...my brother was just worried about us." Yuuto said to Droite.

Droite nodded. She held her hand out back for the phone and nodded.

“I see… Now… anything you want to ask before I start pressing some questions down?"

Yuuto handed the phone to Droite reluctantly, before lying back on the bed. He might be here for awhile.

"Is Yuuya hurt? Sometimes he...scratches himself or hurts himself by falling into things..." Yuuto asked, concerned for his brother.

“He has nothing but superficial injuries,” Droite said, feeling like there was no harm trying to reassure Yuuto. “Honestly, he’s fine. Your injuries are much worse than his."

Yuuto sighed in relief.

"Yeah I hoped so..." he said.

"Did he...seriously hurt anyone else? Enough so that it's highly likely he'll get charged with assault too?" Yuuto asked.

“There aren’t any grievous injuries but the main person here was being looked at for a concussion, and I’d imagine he’s going to be hurting for a while. He was lucky. It could have easily been a lot worse."

Yuuto nodded.

"Im thankful that was all that happened...is he going to press charges do you think?" Yuuto asked.

“Honestly? I don’t think so. He might get off with just destruction of property, which should be your main concern. There were a lot of parked cars and he did seem very unhinged. That’s probably going to all be on his head."

Yuuto nodded.

"Yeah I saw him do a little of that...it's understandable." Yuuto said.

"I'm glad that's all it is...Yuuya will be too. He hates hurting people..."

“Alright… Then are you ready to answer some of my questions?"

"I suppose so...what would you like to know?" Yuuto asked.

“I wanted to inquire about your brother’s illness. This is the only case of whatever it is, which doesn’t seem quite right. There are no details about it at all."

Yuuto frowned. Had she seen his medical records? "...I think it's the only case of it, odd as that may be. I certainly hope no one else has it...it's really awful." Yuuto mused. "Yuuya was admitted to hospital when he was in his early teens, and the doctors tried test after test to try and figure out what it was. They could never diagnose it. They could never cure it, and the only treatment was pumping him full of so many drugs that he couldn't even remember his own name, but he also couldn't feel the pain he'd be in." Yuuto said. "Yeah, I know it sounds weird, but it's the truth. Nobody knows what it is...we in the family named it Arcvarayosis but that's not an official name."

Droite raised her eyebrow, wondering who would be crazy enough to name it such a convoluted name, but she didn’t say anything, instead merely hearing what the man had to say. Just hearing the story made Droite frown. It certainly was tragic.

“… So what have you been doing then? If he’s got no cure? Has he been drugged all this time?"

Yuuto sighed.  Maybe he said too much, but it was basically inevitable.  He was passionate about the subject after all.

"Yes, I told you before that I do give him medication...but this stuff isn't quite as sedative heavy as what the doctors gave him.  I watched my brother for about four years lose everything that made him a person in hospital.  Under their treatment, he could survive, but not live.  He was basically a numbed doll that looked like my brother and of course, I didn't like that.  So, I discharged him when we turned 18 and eventually found an alternative treatment plan.  Since then, he's been able to live as a normal person.  He actually remembers things now...he can actually chase his dreams now...he can enjoy life without pain or without being numbed so much he basically is a zombie."  Yuuto explained.

“So you’ve found your own medication. Medication that your brother is going to be checking into the reception of the police station and will be recorded that has been under your possession. You know this, right, Sakaki-san? Would you like to confess anything else?” Droite asked.

"Yes, of course I do."  Yuuto said.  He had time though.  He knew Yuugo had no idea what the medication was composed of.  If the police asked him, he'd probably just insist that Yuuya needed it and that Yuuto was the one who knew this shit.  That meant the police would probably have to test them, or grill him about it.  And he knew he wasn't going to tell them exactly what was in the medication.  For now though, he tilted his head in confusion.

"...Confess?  What do you mean?"

“No, I’m just asking. It’s alright,” Droite said, eerily calm, looking at Yuuto with a mix of pity and disappointment. She did want to help, but there was little she could do. She decided to switch topics.

“… What do you do for a living?"

Yuuto figured she had made an assumption that he was dealing with illegal drugs.  That was right, of course, but Yuuto wasn't about to let her back him into a corner.  He sighed and looked away.

"I'm a landowner.  Live on the rents from my tenants.  And...I'm an entertainer on the side, I suppose you could say."  Yuuto said, being honest because the police might look into it, even though the last part was not something he really wanted to advertise.

“I see. That’s interesting,” Droite said, already making notes to look into it. Yuuto would be paying tax, presumably, if she wasn’t going to arrest him for fraud, so she supposed she could look into Hiragi and Sakaki Yuuto. “You wouldn’t say those are dangerous or accident-prone jobs, would you?"

"Not particularly...sometimes, I might get a violent tenant, or someone who can't take a hint, but that's it..."  Yuuto murmured, wondering if Droite was inquiring about his legs indirectly.  He did pay taxes, so she wouldn't be able to get him for that.

“I see… I was just wondering about your legs,” she said, making sure Yuuto knew she was being upfront about it, but sounding less cold. She sounded more curious and concerned, as if she was deliberating something. “I’ve never seen scars like those before. How come you didn’t go to the hospital for that? They look fairly serious."

Yuuto sighed.  Yep, he knew it.  

"Yeah...pretty unique, aren't they?"  He mused, before shaking his head.

"I don't have health insurance, officer.  I didn't want to pay a huge hospital bill to fix something I figured I could fix on my own...I know a guy who does stitches, and I thought once the wounds were closed, that would be the end of it."  Yuuto said.

“Maybe not as unique as you think… but forgive me, I’m curious. How did you get them, if I may ask?” She asked, frowning. So he was a victim of Sergey, wasn’t he? He was someone who evidently didn’t trust the police because he never made a report, nor did he have a lot of money and went to hospitals regularly. However, something was troubling Droite. Yuuto said he was a landlord, someone who housed people. That in itself wasn’t inherently strange, but thinking about Sergey had Droite thinking of Yami. Yami did say that he was staying at someone’s place… someone he didn’t want to rat out. Was it a coincidence? Or…

Yuuto looked down.  At her question, he could see flashes of Sergey's wicked grin in his mind's eye, feel the blades digging into his skin, almost feel his lungs burn from lack of air...he shook his head.

"...I'd rather not, Officer.  I assure you, it has nothing to do with Yuuya, and is completely irrelevant to his case, aside from the obvious fact that I wasn't really able to look after him as I usually could due to my injuries.  I kept the injuries secret from him because I didn't want him to worry about me...I told him I was sick instead.  Not completely a lie, now that they're infected."  Yuuto said.

“I see. Well I understand,” Evidently, Yuuto not sharing told Droite just what she needed, so she let the subject drop. “I should return back to the topic, about the medicine and your brother. So you’ve managed to find some way to keep him awake and not under such heavy sedation. How did you manage that? Did someone help you? It’s pretty hard to find someone who can and would work on drugs for a mental illness with no name.”

Yuuto nodded, thankful that she dropped it, even if it meant she had figured it out.  Sergey was irrelevant at this point to Yuuto, but he didn't like reliving that memory...

"...Yes, I had help.  When we were younger, Yuuya and I used a good portion of our inheritance money to hire an ex-pharmacist to come up with a drug combination that would work.  While it's true that most people won't work on drugs for an un-named illness, this guy would for money since he was between jobs.  Once he did, I obtained the necessary medication on my own..."  Yuuto said, before frowning.

"...You're probably wondering his name, but  I don't really remember it.  All I cared at the time was that he knew what he was doing...he was in Neo Domino when I met him though...no idea where he is now, that was 10 years ago."  Yuuto lied.  Dennis was his guy, but he wasn't going to rat out Dennis.  He knew the consequences.

“I see. Interesting.” Droite had no choice to accept it but for face value, but something seemed quite wrong about that. She hoped that the forensics team or even Doctor Arclight would be able to back it up and research into the drugs. “That was fortunate then. So you have to mix the drugs up yourself each time or can you get it from the store now?"

Yuuto nodded.

"Very."  He agreed.  

"It's a little of both.  I can get the meds from the store, but then I have to combine them myself in appropriate doses, you know?"  Yuuto said with a shrug.  That was also true, except it wasn't from a store that Yuuto got these things.

“… I see…” Well… Droite felt she got a lot out of this interrogation, and all that she needed. She would have to do a bit more digging before she got more out of Yuuto. “Well, thank you for your time, Sakaki-san. We’ll notify you when your brother wakes up, alright?” Droite made a motion to go, but then she stopped, remembering Anna’s call. “… Oh… one last thing. Your real name is Sakaki, right? Sakaki Yuri, the politician, is one of your brothers, isn’t he?”

Yuuto nodded, glad that things were over.  

"Thank you, officer."  He said, leaning back into the pillow to relax.  He had a lot of thinking to do.  He glanced over in surprise when he heard Droite speak again.  

"...Yes, he is."  Yuuto said, with a clear look of distaste.

“You’re not close? You sounded very close to your other two brothers. I’m a little surprised, considering how much of a family man you sound like,” Droite said.

Yuuto sighed.

"No, Yuri and I are not close."  He admitted.  He shook his head.

"...He and I never really saw eye to eye.  Where you call me a 'family man', Yuri is the opposite...he's never really cared about anyone in the family.  Ever since we were kids, I hated how he treated my brothers...it was like he considered them toys to manipulate.  He avoided me like the plague, since he knew I was smart enough not to fall for his silly tricks.  But with Yuugo, the bubbly, bumbling idiot, he'd antagonized him until Yuugo would fall right into his traps, prompting a screaming match between them.  And Yuuya was so kind-hearted and naive that Yuri would try and manipulate and bother Yuuya until he cried and came running to me."  Yuuto sighed.

"...Sorry for the rant...we cut ties long ago. Yuuya and I went off on our own when we turned 18, and Yuri did his own thing.  Haven't really spoken to him since."

At first it did sound like Yuuto was just talking about a normal family relationship with disagreeing siblings, but the way he spoke made Droite extremely concerned, like there was something darker Yuuto wasn’t telling her. She didn’t pry though, since Yuuto evidently didn’t have anything new since fifteen years ago. It was worrisome though…

“It’s alright. I was just curious, as I said. I apologise if I’ve crossed any lines.” Droite frowned. “Take care, Yuuto. I will see you again soon.” Droite said, nodding to him before heading out.

Yuuto nodded.  He couldn't blame Droite for that last one.  She couldn't have known about their family dynamics.

"See you."  He said, before relaxing back into the pillow with a sigh.

"...Well...shit."  He mused once Droite was gone.  He had to figure out a way to get out of this situation before the cops found out who he was and arrested him too.

As Droite walked back through the hospital hallways and out of the hospital, she pulled out her phone. Pulling the phone to her ear, she called the police station.

“Someone get me a background check on Hiragi Yuuto and find out where his residence is. I need a search warrant as soon as possible.”

The police began to work on Droite's request as the officer made her way back to the station, stirring over her conversation with Yuuto in her head.  He was hiding something, she was pretty sure, even though he'd seemed quite honest in most of the talk...well, she'd find out soon enough.

As she approached the door, she nearly got bowled over by a blurred figure dressed in white riding gear.  

"Sorry, s'cuse me coming through!"  Yuugo exclaimed, rushing into the station and going right up to the reception in a flash.  He slammed a non-descript bottle of pills on the table.

"These are for my baby brother!  He's here right?  Please tell me he's here I've been looking everywhere for him!"  Yuugo exclaimed, looking frazzled from his long drive around the city.  He'd literally been searching for hours.

The man at reception blinked before he frowned. He had gotten the message from Droite that he should be expecting drugs at the check in, but he didn’t think it would be from a literal crazy person.

“Sir, please calm down.” The bottles were unmarked but the officer put his gloves on and carefully transferred one pill into a new container. Then he handed the old bottle back to the man. “Please take a seat. An officer will be here to collect you shortly and take you to the back.”

Yuugo watched intently as the man transferred a single pill of god knows what into another container.  Yuugo honestly didn't even know which drug this was, except that it was Yuuya's main one.  

"Okay, okay I'm calm, I'm calm!"  Yuugo exclaimed, taking the bottle and going to a chair, but instead of sitting, he began to pace restlessly.  A few minutes later, Gauche emerged.

"You're the fourth of the quadruplets, aren't you?"  He said, still in awe about the same face thing.  Yuugo approached him at once with a grin, eager to see his brother.  He let Gauche lead him back.

"Nah, I'm number 3!"  He said, but the fact that Gauche had said 'fourth' was disturbing...could it be that...

"YOU!"  Yuugo screeched when he spotted the familiar purple mop of hair.

Yuri had been sitting in his chair, on his phone sending apologies to his coworkers as he waited for Yuuya to awaken. Nearby, Anna was reading over a folder, mostly just waiting for Yuuya to wake up too. However, Anna nearly fell out her chair upon hearing Yuugo’s loud scream, and she immediately stood up, ready for a fight.

Yuri on the other hand was calm, and he didn’t even blink when he heard the old scream. He smiled to himself before he looked up.

“Yes, me. Tardy as always, aren’t you, Slow-go?"

Droite, who had also just walked in, raised both eyebrows in surprise at the yell.  Ukyou looked over as Anna did, almost expecting a fight to have been broken out.  

"It's YUUGO!  YUUUUU-GOOOO!"  Yuugo yelled at Yuri.

"What the hell are you doing here!?  What'd you do to Yuuya this time you jerk!?"  He cried.

“I haven’t done anything, and if Yuuya’s condition is anything to go by, neither has Yuuto,” Yuri said calmly, crossing his arms, not smiling like he wanted to. He knew he had to put a good act up for the cops.

“I’m here because I had the sense to come here and ask about my brother, who was already arrested. Where have you been?”

Yuugo growled.

"You know he's been sick!  It's not his fault!"  He exclaimed, wanting to defend his oldest brother.  He liked Yuuto more than Yuri, hands down.  

"I was looking all over town for him of course!  I felt it like you did, you jerk!  You could've at least told me he was here!"  Yuugo said.  Droite raised an eyebrow at the 'felt it like you did' comment.  

"Um, gentlemen, could you two please keep it down?  We're trying to work here...Yuugo, right?  I understand you brought some medication for your brother."  Ukyou said, deciding to step in before Yuugo started throwing punches, which he looked like he might.  Yuugo frowned but looked at Ukyou.

"Yeah I got 'em like Yuuto told me too, right here!  Your front desk took one too?  You guys gonna give it him?  He needs this stuff badly!"  Yuugo said, showing Ukyou the bottle he still had.

“I don’t, actually. Neither of you two communicate with me, nor do you let Yuuya communicate with me. He’s sick now? How badly?” Yuri said, pretending to be surprised. It settled down though, and he looked at Yuugo.

“Yes. I could have. Because I totally have your phone number, No-go,” Yuri said dismissively. He looked at the police officers and he bowed politely. “I apologise. We didn’t mean to cause a disturbance. Yuugo just gets so excited sometimes, especially when it concerns our brother.”

Anna leaned over and looked at the bottle. She squinted at it, trying to discern it from other drugs, but it just looked like a pill.

“We’ll give it to him when he wakes up. What is it?"

"Liar!  Yuuya told you he was sick!  And it's YUUGO."  Yuugo snarled at Yuri, before turning his attention to Anna.

"It's Yuuya's medicine!"  Yuugo said, thinking maybe she hadn't heard him.  Droite shook her head.

"We know, but what kind of drug is it?  A sedative?"  She asked.  Yuugo gave her a completely dumbfounded look.

"I have no idea what it is!  Yuuto deals with that, not me!  But, whatever it is, Yuuya needs it really badly!  If he doesn't he gets in a lot of pain and loses his mind!"  Yuugo said.

“He did. I’m surprised you remember it though,” Yuri said, looking at Yuugo blankly, as if his shouts meant nothing to him. He sighed at his brother’s stupidity and shook his head.

“I don’t know what it is either, unfortunately. I was never informed.”

“Ah, shame…” Anna looked between the bottle and the next room where the holding cells were. “Well, hopefully he’ll wake up soon.”

“What do you guys mean by ‘feeling it’ though?” Gauche asked. “You said earlier you guys felt Yuuya was sick. What kind of illness is that?”

“We don’t know. It’s just always been like that,” Yuri said, wisely not saying anything too incriminating.

Yuugo scowled at Yuri but didn't respond.  He looked genuinely concerned for Yuuya.

"I hope so too!"  Yuugo said, before perking up as Gauche asked.

"Oh, yeah!  All of us can feel it when Yuuya has an episode!  We all felt it today...that's why I looked all around the city for him!  I could feel he was in a ton of pain!"

“That makes no sense. I mean… that would mean you’re all connected somehow,” Anna pointed out.

“As unbelievable and stupid as it sounds, Yuugo is right,” Yuri said. “Every time Yuuya hasn’t taken his medication or sedation, and his nerves flare up, all of us are able to feel it. Think of it like… twin telepathy, except it’s quadruplets.”

“Yeah!  It's like that!  It's always been like that!  We call it ZARC syndrome.”  Yuugo agreed.  Droite frowned.

“Well...they are identical quadruplets...so at some point, they were the same organism.  I suppose it's possible...it does explain why all three of you reacted so quickly to Yuuya's incident.”  Droite said.  That had been bothering her for awhile, and as unbelievable as it was, it did make some sense.  Now she understood why Yuri had come to the station right away, why Yuuto had been there to respond to the situation before the cops had, and why Yuugo had known before Yuuto called him that something was wrong.  

“Does that connection go other ways?  Like, say if Yuugo was hurt, would the other three brothers feel it?”  Gauche asked.  Yuugo blinked.

“Nope!  It's only with Yuuya, and only with the nerves!  Trust me, we've all gotten beat up and never noticed!”  Yuugo mused.

“Speak for yourself,” Yuri said, not having a hit land on him before. He had been in fights but hadn’t been hit, preferring to fight smartly rather than with brute force. “But yes, we don’t know why it happens. It just does. I also thought we agreed to call it Arcvrayosis.”

“Interesting…” Anna muttered. She paused though, hearing stirring. “Gauche. He’s waking up! Let’s go."

“It's ZARC!  It sounds much cooler!”  Yuugo said with a frown.  He perked up when he heard that. “Yuuya!”  He called.  Gauche held a hand out.

“Hold on a second...let's make sure he's stable first before we let you two see him, okay?  We don't want anyone getting hurt.”  Gauche said, approaching the cell and observing Yuuya.  

“It sounds like a child named it,” Yuri muttered. He looked up as well as he heard Yuuya and stepped forward, but he stopped immediately. Anna nodded and approached the cell as well, where Yuuya was groaning.

“H-hurts… Hu-hurts…”

“Shh… It’s okay. We have your medicine. Just relax..."

Yuuya could still feel some of the sedative effects, as the drug had not completely worn off. The sedative was no longer potent enough in his system to keep him asleep, but it was also no longer strong enough to keep all the pain away. Yuuya thought he was hearing Yuuto when he was told that his medicine was here.

"Mmmm...Kay...." he said softly, accepting the pill and a small cup of water that Anna gave him. He took both and was about to lay back down to sleep when he realized something. This wasn't his room...there were two strangers in the cell with him....

And then he remembered. He recalled being pulled up off the ground...and...Yuuto...covered in blood....

"...Yuuto...Y-Yuuto?!" He said, voice still shaky but rising in panic. Where was he? Oh god was he dead?!

“Yuuto… It’s alright. He’s safe. He’s in the hospital now, Yuuya.” Anna said quietly. “Just relax. Breathe."

"Hospital?!" Yuuya exclaimed, Anna's words had the opposite effect. He was suddenly even more worried.

"No...no! He...he's hurt, I hurt him!" Yuuya wailed, curling up on himself and crying.

“He’s not hurt, Yuuya. Not by you. He’s ill, not injured. He’s going to have bruises at worst,” Droite said, walking over to the man. She frowned, gesturing for Anna to back off. “Sakaki-san, please calm down."

But Yuuya just kept on crying, Droite's words not registering.  All he could see was Yuuto in his mind's eye, unconscious, bleeding out on the pavement...

Yuugo frowned.

"Yuuya!  It's okay!  Yuuto called me, he's fine!"  Yuugo tried to call, making a move to enter the cell, but Gauche stopped him.

"I'm sorry, but we can't let you in the cell..."

“Sakaki-san, please…” Droite said, doing her best to calm him down. Anna stared at the man, wondering what else they could do besides leave him. She turned to Gauche but her eyes widened as she saw Yuri sneak past the large man who was occupied with his brother.

“Hey, wait!”

However, Yuri was surprisingly quick, and moving swiftly, he was by his brother’s side, even past Droite, wrapping Yuuya in a tight hug. Droite blinked in astonishment, seeing Yuri suddenly there, rubbing his brother’s back.

“Shhh… Yuuya. It’s me. Shhh… calm down… I’m here..."

Yuri's touch did sting slightly, making Yuuya tense, but at the same time, it was familiar and comforting.  The brothers had always hugged him to calm him down during an episode.

"Y-Yuri?  Wh-where's Yuuto...?"  He asked softly, leaning into the hug and sniffling.  Yuri was just looking out for him.  Yuugo on the other hand was fuming.

"So he gets in and I don't?!  Knock it off Yuri!  Don't touch him!"  Yuugo growled, trying to push back Gauche as Yuri had done, but Gauche simply held him back.

"We can take him to the interrogation room once he's calmed.  It's a bigger room, and safer for you guys to interact in, alright?  We do have some questions for Yuuya regarding the incident..."  Ukyou said.

Yuri held him tight. It had been so, so long since he had held his brother like this. Even when he was like this, he was so warm and soft, and he smelt so nice. Yuri wanted nothing more than to kiss his brother, but he knew more than ever he couldn’t do it here. However, Yuuya touching him and leaning him in like this was enough…

“Yuuto is at the hospital. But he’s alright. The police said he’ll only be there for a little while. He’s not seriously harmed."

“He’s not supposed to get in,” Gauche huffed. “Honestly if he wasn’t calming your brother down, I’d kick him out faster than I would you. Believe me.”

“Yeah… But maybe it would be good for them to be together. Well, one brother with Yuuya. Not both,” Anna said, looking at the two.

Yuuya listened, slowly calming as Yuri kept petting him.  Yuri was warm and gentle with him.  And, he had a tone of voice that was reassuring.  

"...Then...why is he in hospital?  I-if he's not hurt...?"  Yuuya asked, wondering if he had just imagined the blood then?  He did trust Yuri but it was still strange.

Yuugo huffed.

"If there's gonna be one brother with him, it'll be me, not that jerk Yuri!"  He exclaimed.

“I’m not sure. But I bet the police will tell us once we’re all calm and we move to a nice room, alright?” He said gently, still stroking his brother. He could feel the calm from Yuuya and he smiled. Oh Yuuya was so beautiful… “How are you feeling now? Better?”

“Well he’s in there now, so don’t disturb them, alright,” Gauche frowned.

Yuuya nodded.

"Okay..."  He said.  He was a little nervous about the police, but Yuri was here, and even Yuugo's screaming presence was familiar and made him feel a little better.  He just wished Yuuto were here too...he'd know what to do.  

"Alright, let's move into the interrogation room, okay?  We just have a few questions for you, Yuuya."  Ukyou said.  Yuuya  nodded, untangling himself from Yuri and getting up shakily.  He was still partially sedated after all.

Yuri let him out of his grip, but he was quick to support Yuuya, curling his hand around his shoulder and his hips. He gave Yuuya a sweet smile, reassuring him that his dear brother was here.

“Lead the way, officers,” he said, nodding to Yuuya.

“And you, stop screaming or else we’re throwing you out.” Anna said, glaring at Yuugo under Gauche’s arm.

Yuuya stumbled for a moment before Yuri caught him.  He smiled gratefully.  

"Thanks..."  He said softly, letting Yuri help him.  Yuugo simply growled and went to Yuuya's other side to support him.

"Hey Yuuya, don't worry.  I'm here for you too right!"  Yuugo said, glaring at Yuri but smiling at Yuuya.  

Ukyou let them into the interrogation room.  

"I'd rather only one of you join him in here...or if neither of you can agree, he'll go alone and you both can watch."  Ukyou said.

Yuri smiled at Yuuya, and when the officers and Yuuya wasn’t looking, he gave a cruel smirk at Yuugo, knowing perfectly well that he was aggravating his brother and hoping Anna was going to be good to her word and throw Yuugo out. He helped Yuuya towards the room and looked at Yuugo.

“Well? Do you think you’ll be able to help Yuuya with anything, Yuugo?”

“Honestly, you’d think we’re dealing with children,” Droite said, looking at Yuugo.

Yuugo growled at Yuri.

"Of course I can!  I know Yuuya better than you do!"  Yuugo exclaimed.  Yuuya sighed.

"...Yuugo...please stop yelling..."  He was getting a headache.

"I'll...I'll go with Yuri..."  He said, feeling like he could trust Yuri more with something like the police.  Yuugo was too loud-mouthed and didn't think things through before he said them.  Yuri was smart...he'd watch what he said, like Yuuto would.  Yuugo looked heartbroken.

"Yuugo...can...can you go see if Yuuto's okay?  I...I'm worried about him..."  Yuuya asked him.  Yuugo frowned.

"I'll go see him after!  I'm not leaving you alone with Yuri!"  Yuugo protested.  Gauche sighed.

"You can wait outside if you must.  C'mon.  You heard him.  Let's get this over with..."  He said, pulling Yuugo aside so he could watch through the two-way mirror.

Yuri wanted to laugh so loudly now. Yuuya chose him over Yuugo? He could only imagine how Yuugo must feel, considering that Yuugo at least had his toe in Yuuya’s life while Yuri was shunned entirely, and now Yuuya had chosen him. It was incredible. It was a rush, looking at Yuugo’s broken face and hearing Yuuya’s sweet words.

“Alright,” Yuri said. “We’ll do our best, okay? Let me know if you need to rest,” Yuri said, sounding gentle as he helped Yuuya into the room. He let Yuuya sit on the chair and he stood behind him, a hand on the man’s shoulder.

“Alright… We should get started. Let me handle this, Ukyou,” Droite said. “I know stuff from Yuuto. I want you guys to hear what you can and then compare to me. And make sure it’s Yuuya answering, not Yuri helping him too much.”

Yuuya didn't really notice Yuugo's face.  He hadn't chosen Yuri cause he loved him more or anything...it was just because he figured Yuri was a better fit for the situation.  Yuuya was so nervous, and without Yuuto, Yuri was his second best option.  He sat down on the chair, staring up at the officers a little timidly.  He was comforted by Yuri's hand on his shoulder.

"...You talked to Yuuto?  So...he's okay?"  Yuuya asked, perking up a little by that question.

Droite nodded and followed the men into the interrogation room. After Ukyou as well was in, she closed the door.

“He’s fine. His leg has gotten infected and he’s ill, but honestly he’s not injured at all from your attack. After some rest and some proper care, he’ll be fine.”

Yuuya frowned in confusion.

"His...leg?  What happened to his leg?"  He asked.  He had just been told his brother was sick!

“I’m not sure. He wouldn’t tell me,” Droite lied. “But his leg was infected, so that’s why he’s ended up sick. He’ll be fine though."

Yuuya blinked, surprised.  So...Yuuto had been hurt for awhile and hadn't told anybody?  Well, he'd probably told Shun, Yuuya realized.  There was no way Kurosaki hadn't known if he was constantly in Yuuto's room...he frowned.

"...Okay...."  He said softly, feeling a bit sad now that he knew that Yuuto had been lying to him.  It was as he had thought...Yuuto didn't trust him to help with anything anymore...

“Let’s move on from that, Yuuya. Let’s talk about you. Do you know why you’re here?” Droite asked.

Yuuya sighed.

"Um...not...exactly..."  He said softly.

"...Did I...hurt someone?  Or...break something?"  He asked, a little worried.  He could barely remember what happened during his incidents.  He was pretty sure he might have accidentally hit someone, and probably thrown stuff, either at people or other objects...

“You went out into the streets and you had a breakdown. You did assault a person and you damaged a lot of property, from government bins to people’s cars. We’re still collecting all the formal complaints,” Droite said.

“How did it get to this, Yuuya?"

Yuuya flinched a little when he was told of what he did.  He felt ashamed of it.  He hated hurting people after all...

"...I...It's my fault...I forgot to take my medication..."  Yuuya said sadly.  He had screwed up badly, he knew.

“What kind of medication is it, Yuuya?” Droite asked. “Is it something you need to take regularly?”

"It's...um..."  Yuuya paused, wracking his brain.

"...I don't remember what it's called...I think Yuuto did tell me once, but it was a long time ago..."  He said.

"Yeah...I take the main one twice everyday...and then I have other ones I take every 8 hours...and some that I have with breakfast and dinner once a week..."

“That sounds like a lot of medication, Yuuya. I knew your case was serious, but I didn’t expect that,” Droite admitted. “So how come you didn’t take them? If it’s so severe… did something happen?"

Yuuya nodded.

"Yeah, I guess...I'm used to it...it doesn't bother me..."  He said honestly.  He looked down bashfully.

"Well...I...I'm no good at remembering all of them...it's a lot, like you said...so...usually Yuuto reminds me...but...for the last few weeks, he was in his room, sick.  So he couldn't remind me to take them."

“I see… so you’ve been off your medication. You seem fine now though. Are those pills that strong?” Droite asked. Yuri frowned, but didn’t say anything. He realised that Droite was purposefully easing Yuuya into the interrogation, but he wondered what she actually wanted.

"Yeah...I guess. The main ones make me feel better...but...not 100%..." Yuuya said. He was still in pain when people touched him after all.

“Alright… Where are the meds coming from? Do you know? Your brother hasn’t said anything about where you get it, and we’ll probably need to get more for you in the future,” Droite said.

Yuuya swallowed. He did know where they came from, but he didn't want to get his brother in trouble.

"...no...I don't know where he gets them. He buys them without me...whenever he finds out I need more."

“I see… Interesting.” Droite couldn’t tell if he was lying or not, but she had a clearer impression that Yuuya wanted to hide something. “So I suppose that’s why you ran out of meds, didn’t you. We need to know where you get them from so you don’t get sick again."

"Y-Yeah...I'm sorry, I don't know....you'll have to ask Yuuto..." Yuuya said.

“It’s alright… but we may have trouble if Yuuto doesn’t tell us. If you figure it out, tell us, alright?"

Yuuya nodded, not wanting to say anymore. It would be lies no matter what and he didn't like it....

"I understand..."

Yuri squeezed Yuuya reassuringly, seeing how worried he was. He looked at Droite.

“Was there anything else, officer?”

“Well, we need more information. On everything, really. Do you have a reason why you go by Hiragi Yuuya?” She asked the man.

Yuuya was reassured by Yuri, glad to have his brother by his side.

"Um...because...Yuuto has made some enemies in other cities....we've had to move around, and he got those fake names so nobody would be able to track us down..." Yuuya said. It was partially true. His brother had a criminal record from his mercenary job after all...

“Enemies?” Droite raised her eyebrow. “From what? From what I gathered, he does rent an apartment out.”

"...Yuuto...he had some troubles...when he was younger...I don't really remember. I don't remember exactly what happened...." Yuuya said sadly.

“Yuri-san? Do you know?”

“Unfortunately, younger is still after when he was eighteen. I don’t think Yuuto did anything before then. I wouldn’t know,” Yuri said, though his interest was perked as Yuuya said that.

Yuuya looked down. "...I don't know...I barely remember my teens..." he said sadly. All he could remember was pain, basically, due to his illness. Yuuto had told him that the doctors had drugged him up so much that he'd barely known where he was. "Maybe Yuugo knows? Yuri...he wasn't around much..."

“Yeah… perhaps…” Yuri sighed. He stroked Yuuya’s hair. “I’m sorry Yuuya, that I wasn’t there afterwards. Hopefully Yuugo can help, and we can figure out all of the truth."

Yuuya let Yuri pet his hair.

"It's okay...you're here now..." Yuuya said. He was remembering what Yuuto had told him, about Yuri hurting him. The more time he spent with him, the less he believed it was true...but why would Yuuto lie? He wished he could remember what happened so he could judge for himself...

Gauche let Yuugo into the room, and he immediately bounded to Yuuya's side.

"Okay my turn, you can leave now!" He said to Yuri, not liking how close he was to Yuuya.

Yuri looked at Yuugo with distain, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he moved his hand down to Yuuya’s and squeezed it. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

Yuri walked to Gauche, waiting to be escorted out. Droite waited for the two to leave, drumming her fingers against the table.

“Hey Yuugo,” Yuuya smiled softly.

Gauche let Yuri out and took him to the two way mirror where he could watch the interrogation as Yuugo had before him.

Yuugo beamed.

"Hey baby bro. I'm here now, everything's gonna be fine, okay?" He said giving him a thumbs up.

“Alright… so Yuugo, I’m going to ask you the same question I asked your brothers. What do you know about Yuuto? Are you able to share why he would have enemies?"

"Yuuto? Well...more than Yuri for sure!" Yuugo said.

"Yuuto's always been the type to go off on his own. He would spend all his time after school doing odd jobs, I think, trying to help give money for the family! Sometimes he'd disappear for several weeks at a time and leave Yuuya with me after we turned 18...I was never sure where he went but he always came back to help look after Yuuya! He's super smart though, so he can do basically anything to earn money...all I'm good for is bikes.  But...when you're that good at so many things, you might step on some toes...maybe Yuuto upset the wrong people cause one day he came to get Yuuya and told me they were leaving town. They moved to Heartland and since then, they've been here...and okay, I think. I still don't know exactly what he does...but he's always done things that improved Yuuya's life, so I trust him."

That was a lot of words, but Droite frowned as she listened to them.

“… So basically you can’t offer anything useful to the table, can you? This is all information we already know.” Though… the fact he said that he disappeared for weeks at a time and could ‘basically anything to earn money’ was rather intriguing.

Yuugo frowned.

"No way I said way more than Yuri! He didn't know that stuff!" Yuugo pouted.

"Maybe I woulda noticed more if I hadn't met Rin..." he mused, going starry eyes as he mentioned her.

“I suppose so… you’ve offered more than Yuri, but I know some of this from Yuuto,” The woman said. It was true though that there was a bit of information there.

“Rin?”

“Yuugo’s… wife. She’s nice…”  Yuuya smiled, thinking of the green-haired woman.

Yuugo still looked starry eyed as Rin was brought up again. "You bet I did better! I was also the first one to marry! I got Riiiiin ~ Unlike Yuuto who couldn't put a ring on Kuro -" Yuugo said, before breaking off suddenly. "Forget I said that!!!" He exclaimed.

Yuuya’s face dropped at the mention of Shun and he looked away. Shun… Shun was gone… that was his fault…

“Yuuto has a partner?” Droite frowned. She wanted to ask more, but since Yuuto wasn’t under official arrest, she actually couldn’t inquire more. “You might want to contact them. Yuuto may be in hospital for a while.”

Yuugo grinned and waved the police off.

"Oh yeah...sure I'll tell him! No problem! That'll be fine! Totally good!" He said, frantically wishing he could take back his words.

"Oh yeah and speaking of Yuuto in hospital can we see him? He's got his phone right so we can call him?"

Droite frowned at Yuugo but shook her head. Once again, she couldn’t legally press charges or force information out.

“No, you can’t at the moment. He should be resting, really."

Yuugo pouted.

"Alright, if you say so! Yuuto doesn't like resting though." He said. He held Yuuya's hand.

"I'll make sure he's okay, alright? Until you can see him for yourself!" He promised.

Yuuya looked up at Yuugo and offered him a smile. “Just… please… make are he’s okay… please, Yuugo?"

Yuugo nodded.

"I will! You can count on me! And in the meantime, you don't worry either. You'll be okay..." he said, hugging his brother.

“Okay…” The man smiled and hugged back, wincing slightly at the pain. “… Do… please find my other meds, Yuugo… I… I don’t want to hurt you guys too..."

Yuugo nodded.

"Okay...can I bring them in too?" Yuugo asked the cops. Ukyou nodded.

"Please do. Nobody wants your brother to relapse."

"Okay! I'll have to ask Yuuto which ones I'll need to bring...but I'll bring them!"

“I’ll call ahead to the hospital and tell them to let you in, alright?” Droite said. “That’s all the questions I want to ask for today, okay?"

Yuugo nodded.

"Then let's get you back in the cell..." Yuugo said, gently helping his brother up so Gauche could escort them to their cell.

Yuuya shuddered. He hated the idea of staying in a cell, but he figured it wouldn’t be too long at least.

“Okay… thanks… I’ll see you later, okay, Yuugo?” He looked at him pleadingly. “And… please be nice to Yuri, okay?”

Yuugo helped Yuuya back into his cell reluctantly. He didn't like the idea of his brother in a cell either.

"I'll come back tomorrow." He promised. He scowled at Yuuya's request, but he couldn't completely deny it.

"I'll be nice if he does..." he muttered. Yuri always antagonized him.

Yuuya looked at Yuugo again. “Give him a chance… for me. Please?" He asked, pleadingly.

Yuugo looked back at Yuuya's pleading face and sighed in defeat.

"I'll try, okay?"

Yuuya smiled at him. He stepped away from his brother, letting the door close on him. He wanted to cry, but he wanted Yuugo to be strong and do what was right, so he kept his smile.

“I know you will. Good luck… And tell… Tell Yuuto everything is okay, alright? That he should… just get better."

Yuugo nodded, giving Yuuya a smile too.

"I will...I'll see him as soon as they let me. You hang in there too...this'll all work out, you'll see!" He said, waving as the police escorted him out, leaving Yuuya alone.

Yuuya smiled. However, once Yuugo had left and it was apparent that Yuri wasn’t being let in. He let out a deep and heavy sigh. He held his stomach and groaned, slumping to the ground, feeling his nerves light up again. Even though he was on his medication again, his supplementary medication got rid of any pain not related to Zarc Syndrome and while his brothers couldn’t feel anything, he could. He whimpered and closed his eyes in pain. “‘M sorry… ‘m sorry..."

[pyrachan]

Fear/Huntshipping Police AU Part 27

Rest in peace.

Part 23: [x] Part 24: [x] Part 25: [x] Part 26: [x]

-----

Vector was resting in the living room of their house, on the computer as per usual.  Umbral was resting on his lap, snuggling between Vector and the warm laptop.  Vector was working on his model, trying to input the last of his memories about the wedding and their trip to America into it.  Then he'd be basically done.  It was a slow progress...he was feeling a bit drained for energy lately, and could barely keep his eyes open.  But, he fought through it in order to work on his project.

He paused when he received an email from Astral, smiling a bit as he saw the corrected codes in the message.  

“Heh...looks like it's almost done then.”  He mused to himself, beginning to input the corrected codes into the body of his model.  He pet Umbral absentmindedly as he waited for his work to be saved, and was about to continue turning the memories of his wedding into code when he felt a bit of a tightness in his chest.  His vision blurred for a moment, and he frowned.  He was used to a small amount of chest pain...but this pain was different, and it seemed to be getting worse.  He tried to inhale, but his breath hitched, and Vector found himself unable to take a deep enough breath.  

“...No...”  He managed to choke out, suddenly very scared.  Despite his fear and lack of breath, his lips pulled into a wide grin and he found himself choking out laughter as tears came to his eyes.  It figures...he was basically done the model...so...it would be time to go...wouldn't it...?   He began to cough, and wheeze, trying to force air in and out of his lungs.  He could hear Umbral meowing at him, the animal sensing something was wrong, but he couldn't speak.  He didn't have enough air to call for help...

Umbral bolted as his owner lay his head back, fighting to breath in small, quick pants.  The cat ran into the kitchen, meowing and clawing urgently at Takashi's pant legs in concern for his master.

Takashi was in the kitchen, trying to clean out the containers that had been dumped in the cupboard after being dried. He had been disorganised lately, mostly because Vector had been getting more and more tired and Takashi had neglected some of his chores for tending his partner. Today was supposed to be one of their more quiet moments, where Takashi got his act together while Vector worked away at his compute as usual.

As soon as he heard Umbral though, he glanced over. He had never seen the cat so frightened and he frowned. “Umbral? What’s wrong, buddy? Vector? Do you know what’s got Umbral worked up?” But Vector didn’t answer, and he didn’t need to. When Takashi stopped moving the plastic containers around, he could hear the faint gasping from the room over. Something in Takashi’s blood ran cold and his gut began to scream at him. Immediately, he dashed into the next room, and he gasped as he saw Vector, sobbing and gasping for breath, all with some sort of ridiculous smile on his face, like a scene from a horror movie.

“Vector? Vector!” Takashi ran over and tried to get Vector to sit up. He moved the computer off Vector’s lap and he tried to get Vector’s airway clear, remembering the first aid courses he took as a police officer. His heart hammered loudly in his chest as he checked over the man.

“Fuck… where’s my phone? Where’s your oxygen, Vec? God… No…” Takashi looked around for the mobile or the tank and stood up, about to run off.

Vector was trying very hard to stay awake and breathe, but he was only succeeding at the former for now.  He heard Takashi come in, letting the man move his laptop off of him, and sat up, despite how dizzy it made him.  If he lay his neck back, his airway was open, even though it was basically useless.  His lungs just...weren't contracting properly...it didn't matter how open his airway was or not anymore.

He registered Takashi was about to leave, and immediately grabbed his wrist, holding him there.  His hand was trembling a bit in fear.  He knew what Takashi was thinking: get him oxygen, call for help...but neither would work now that his lungs were actually dying.  He relaxed his smile as tears gently fell down his cheeks.

“...It's...time...”  He managed to whisper, although Takashi would probably be able to read his lips better than hear him.  He couldn't really talk without air.  He hated that.  There was so much he wanted to say...but he couldn't, since his primal instinct to fight for air was taking over his want to talk.  Instead he could only mouth a few things, not really knowing if Takashi would see them or not, because the man was clearly distraught.

'I love you...'

'I'm so sorry...'

'...Takashi...'  

'...don't go...'

Takashi was about to go get the wireless handset, figuring that was the closest, when he suddenly felt a shaking hand on his wrist. He looked back at the other man and his face fell, seeing how absolutely terrified Vector was. He felt his own tears well in his eyes but he refused to cry, not when he could do something…

“No… No Vector… You can’t. It’s not… It can’t be your time,” Takashi whimpered. He didn’t see every message Vector mouth, but he didn’t need to. He knew what Vector would be saying to him. He looked around and saw that Vector’s email was open and Astral had only sent it a moment ago. If Astral was anything like Vector, he’d still be online.

He knew he should have called the ambulance himself, and this was stupid, but he couldn’t bring himself to go, lest he lose Vector’s final moments. He merely typed to Astral ‘call an ambulance asap’ and sent the message to him, before turning back to Vector.

“I won’t let you go, Vector. It’s alright…” Takashi pulled Vector into a gentle hug. “It’s alright… I love you too. You’ll be okay… I’m here, and Astral will call an ambulance, and it’s going to be okay. Please… let me try go and get your oxygen. We can… We can… do something…”

Astral did get the message from Vector and was alarmed by it.  He wondered what was going on, but figured it was indeed serious if Vector was asking him for help over Takashi.  He called an ambulance and told them Vector's address, saying that someone with lung cancer lived there and might be having trouble breathing.

Vector accepted the hug, holding onto Takashi as best he could.  His head was spinning, and he was feeling the effects of reduced air.  His chest was hurting badly and he was so, so scared.  He could barely make out what Takashi was saying...for some reason, his voice sounded far away instead of right next to him like it should have been.

“...don't go...”  He managed to mouth again, holding Takashi as close as possible, holding him like a lifeline.  His senses were fading...he was dying.  He knew it.  Nothing could stop it...he just didn't want to leave.  He wanted to stay...

Takashi tried to pick Vector up and carry him to their bedroom, but he couldn’t. Despite Vector’s reduced size, the task was impossible, considering how weak Takashi had become himself. However, as Vector’s hold on him went from painfully tight to barely hanging on, Takashi tried to get Vector onto the floor. It was clumsy and shaky, but with Vector holding on to him, he managed to get them both onto the floor, away from the couch. Takashi slipped away from the other’s hold before he pinched Vector’s nose and blew into his mouth.

“Don’t… You don’t either.” Takashi said, desperate to keep him alive until the paramedics came. He pumped Vector’s chest, trying to offer his own oxygen to the weakened lungs and to rouse the weakened heart. “Please…” He kept going, doing his best to stay focused, even though tears started to flood his vision. “I love you. Vector…” He choked on his own breath as he blew more air and pumped the other’s chest over and over again. “Vector!”

Vector tried his hardest to hold onto Takashi when the other tried to move him, but he had been without enough air for too long.  He slipped into unconsciousness moments before Takashi moved him to the floor, unable to fight for his own life anymore and unaware of how much Takashi was fighting for him.

The paramedics arrived into the house later, finding Takashi administering CPR.  They took over, checking Vector's vitals.  As the paramedics worked on Vector, others got a blanket and covered Takashi, trying to comfort him.  Finally, the men who were working on Vector sighed and stopped.

“He's gone.”  

“N-No… He can’t be,” Takashi said, trying to look at the man above him, but unable to through the sudden tears. He blinked them away furiously before he tried to move towards Vector, one of the paramedics pulling him back. “He-he can’t! No! No! I-I- please. He has to be alive. Even if barely. Please try again. He wouldn’t… Not… no…”

Takashi started coughing violently as he sobbed, trying to move off the police officer. Thoughts of what he could have done started rushing through his mind: calling the paramedics sooner, getting the oxygen, maybe seeing a sign earlier… anything really. Vector was dead. He had finally succumbed to his illness, dying in such a terribly painful way. He couldn’t handle it… He wished it not to be true…

But no matter how much he screamed at the paramedics and prayed and begged, no matter how he wished he could have done something else, the reality was the same.

Vector was dead.

The paramedics did their best to comfort Takashi, but there wasn't much they could do other than hold him back.  They loaded Vector's body on a stretcher and covered it with a black sheet.  They explained to Takashi that they had to take Vector's body to hospital so that an autopsy could be performed to determine cause of death, since it was standard protocol for anyone who died outside of hospital.  

“Do you have any friends or family that can be with you right now?  We can call them for you.”  The paramedics offered to Takashi, realizing the man lived alone and this was probably his life partner that died.  

Meanwhile, outside, Astral arrived at Takashi and Vector's house, seeing the ambulance outside.  He arrived in time to see the body being wheeled out to the ambulance.  Even though he couldn't see who it was, he knew it was likely Vector on the stretcher.  He lowered his head.

“I'm a friend of theirs who called the ambulance for them...is Takashi okay?”  Astral asked as he approached the paramedics.  They let him in the house and Astral went right to Takashi.

“Takashi...I am so sorry...”  Astral said, giving him a hug to comfort him.

Takashi wasn’t responding properly, and he shook his head, unable to really think of whoever could come and help. It was a miracle that Astral came when he did, when Takashi was at his most helpless. When the man saw Astral, he didn’t say anything either, but he threw his arms around the other man and squeezed him tightly, crying openly into the man’s shoulder.

Astral held Takashi close, rubbing his back and letting the man cry.  Thankfully, he had been through this with Haruto and Kaito before, so he understood the protocol the paramedics had to follow.  

“I will stay with you as long as you need.”  Astral promised, holding Takashi and letting the paramedics leave.  They'd contact them when Vector's body could be given back.  

“I… he…” Takashi tried to find words but he stopped, instead letting himself fall to silence. The paramedics entrusted him to Astral, so in a few minutes, the two were alone. Takashi balled fists full of Astral’s clothes and he tried to catch his breath.

“I didn’t get to say so much to him… I didn’t… I can’t believe he’s gone."

Astral was patient, letting Takashi hold him and calm himself down.  

“You and I both know how incredibly perceptive Vector was...I am sure whatever was left unsaid still got through to him.  You two were close enough to communicate without words after all...”  Astral said.    

“...I know.  I can scarcely believe it either.”  Astral said.  Even though he had seen the body, he still had trouble believing it.

“I… I should have gotten his oxygen. I got slack with it. I didn’t force him to use it as much as I should have. I should have called the paramedics myself,” Takashi said, starting to talk faster, a jarring contrast to prior silence, “I could have performed CPR faster or gotten that check up with the doctor… god, what else didn’t I do..."

Astral frowned at the panicked string of words coming out of Takashi's mouth.

“Takashi, no.  There was nothing more you could have done.  Vector's body was dying, and nothing could have prevented it.”  Astral said.

“I could have given him longer. I could have done more,” Takashi protested, feeling tears reach his eyes again. “I know… I know he was going to die but…” He wiped his face on his sleeve as best as he could, trying not to get his snot on Astral’s shoulder.

Astral's eyes wandered to Vector's computer, that was still on and sitting on the couch, when Takashi mentioned giving Vector more time.  Vector had been planning to give himself more time.  Astral found himself wondering how close to completion Vector had been...the codes he'd seen seemed basically complete to Astral.  He made a mental note to check Vector's computer later for the model.

“You did everything you could to prolong his life...and Vector did the same.  It was just his time now.  Nothing could have changed that.”  

“I still think I could…” Takashi stopped himself. In his deepest recesses of his heart, he knew what Astral was saying was true, and he had accepted it himself, at least until this happened. He didn’t know what else he could do but he just wanted to compare and protest…

“… Thank you for coming…”

Astral nodded.

“I was free for the moment and when I got the message, I wanted to see if you were okay after I called the ambulance...”  Astral said.  

“Is there anything you need help with?  I can stay for awhile...”  

“I… I think I… I want to go see Vector but… I probably just need someone to stay with me.” He mumbled

“You won't be able to see him for awhile, Takashi...they will let you know when you can.”  Astral said.  

“Alright, I can stay...but I need to use your telephone for a moment then.  May I?”  Astral asked.  He had to tell Kaito he couldn't come over to help with the CEO shooter case today at least.

“Y-yeah…” Takashi pulled away from Astral and he wiped his eyes. He went to go sit down on the couch, pulling the blanket off the couch over the blanket the paramedics gave him, curling in on himself. “Make yourself at home, okay? I’ll… I just…” Takashi paused, not sure what to do with himself.

Astral let him go.

“Thank you.”  He said, watching with a sigh.

“...You seem tired, Takashi.  Maybe you should rest?  I know you have been working hard lately.”  

“I don’t even know…” Takashi muttered. “I’m not that tired but…” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I guess I’ll lie down in my room. If something happens, tell me, okay?”

Astral nodded.

“Alright.  I will do so.  Let me know if you need anything too, okay?”  Astral said, letting Takashi go.  He went to the phone and called Kaito to tell him that he was going to be staying with Takashi for the day.

Takashi went to his room and laid down. After all of the tears and the yelling, he didn’t actually feel like Vector had died. It seemed suddenly strangely distant, like something he would have seen and been sad over a movie. He supposed reality would hit him soon enough though, and forced himself to close his eyes and rest.

“… Takashi? What happened?” Kaito asked, picking up the home phone.

Astral sighed.

“Kaito, it's me.  I...I have some bad news.  Vector died this morning...I got a message from him asking to call an ambulance, and I rushed over as soon as I did.  But he had already passed.  Takashi is here too...but he needs someone to stay with him.  So, I will not be able to come over today...”  Astral said, knowing that Kaito would understand the need for company in dealing with the loss of a loved one.

“Vector… Vector is dead?” Kaito asked, stopping. He frowned and sunk into his chair, going quiet as Astral explained himself. “That’s fine. I’ll work on the shootings myself. … I’ll come over when he’s able to see me.” Because Kaito knew Takashi and he knew that the man would try take care of the blind, cancer patient than let Kaito do the same for him. “How is Takashi? You’re at his house, right?"

“Yes...please do.  I'm sure Takashi would appreciate that.”  Astral said.  He sighed.

“...He went to lay down for now...but he is very upset, Kaito.  I wasn't there the moment of, but Vector seems to have died in the house...Takashi tried to save him.”  

“I see…” Kaito frowned, thinking about the young man. He closed his own eyes and thought. “… Give him my regards. And tell Yuuma about what happened. Takashi wouldn’t want a big deal made out of this, but Yuuma is good at dealing with this sort of thing.”

“… The case… anything you wanted me to look into today?"

"Alright. I will...I was going to call Yuuma after you." Astral said. He frowned.

"I can't think of anything in particular...but I will let you know if I do think of something." He said.

“I’ll talk to you later.” Kaito said. He was about to hang up, but he stopped himself and frowned. After a moment, he sighed. “… I love you, okay?”

"Alright. I love you too." Astral said, hanging up and calling Yuuma.

Thankfully, Yuuma was at home once again. The man was typing on his laptop, looking on the government website for adoption protocol and seeing if one of his friends could fake both himself and Shark clearance for a child. The phone rang and Yuuma leaned over behind his chair, snatching it immediately.. “Hey Astral.” Yuuma said after glancing at the ID. “Sup."

“Hello Yuuma.  I unfortunately have some bad news...this morning, Vector passed away.”  Astral said softly.  It was sinking in the more he said it, and he was saddened by that fact.

“… What?” Yuuma’s grin faded and he frowned, his face scrunching up as if he didn’t understand. “… Passed away? A… What?"

“He died, Yuuma.”  Astral said with a sigh.  

“I am at Takashi's house right now, making sure Takashi is okay...I was hoping you could be available to do the same in the near future.  You are better at comforting friends than I am.”

“… I’ll be there in a few minutes. Let me send a text to Shark.” Yuuma frowned. “…. Y-you’re sure? He’s… not in a coma or something? He’s actually..."

“There is no need to rush...Takashi is sleeping right now.  I will call you when he wakes up.”  Astral said.  He sighed.

“...I saw the paramedics move his body out of the house, covered in a blanket.  They would not have done that if he was still alive...so he is definitely dead.”  

“I won’t tell anyone else until Inchou is ready.  He’s not going to be… not for a while…” Yuuma ran a hand through his hair and closed the laptop. “… I know… Are you okay? I mean… you saw the body move, right? You were there?"

“Good...I am sure he will let you know when he is.”  Astral said.  He shook his head.

“I was not there when he died...but I received an email from him asking to call the ambulance.  I did, then went to their house to see if everything was okay.  By the time I got to the house, he was already gone.  Takashi was the only one there the moment of.”  

“An email? That’s… odd.” Yuuma frowned. “… Vector must have sent it. Just… damn.” He shook his head and looked out the window. “I’ll ask for details when I get there. Just be ready for Yusei. He’s gonna charge over if I tell him.”

“I believe he sent it because he could not breathe.  It would plausible considering his illness that he died of respiratory failure, but they took his body to hospital so it could be autopsied for cause of death.  I am not sure when it will be done.”  Astral said.  He nodded.

“Alright.  I will be ready.  Thank you Yuuma.”  

Yuuma steeled himself and he went to call Yusei, inevitably bracing himself for the worst. Two minutes later, the sound of a motorbike roared in downtown Heartland, and Card Heart Hospital staff were harassed by a very distraught old man.

Meanwhile, Astral set down the phone.  He had nothing to do really until Takashi woke up, and his eyes wandered to Vector's unlocked, open computer.  It was left the way it had been before he died...and Astral could not help but be curious.  Just how far had Vector gotten on his model project?  He moved the laptop into his lap and began searching through the files, not having to look far, since the model was open before Vector died.  His eyes widened as he took in the data.

“It's basically complete...he actually did it.”  Astral mused in wonder.  There was only some partially written code open...but although Astral could correct errors, he had no idea how to complete the code.  He frowned, unsure what all of it meant, but determined to find out.  This seemed to be the last piece...although from the looks of the code, it was for an add on, not a functional piece.  The model could work without it, but Astral still wanted to figure out what the incomplete code was, if he could.  So, he began typing away, comparing it to other codes in the project that looked similar in terms of function and trying to figure out what it all meant.

Takashi only slept for a couple of hours, and even then it was an uneasy sleep. When he finally woke up, he felt sick and groggy, like he wanted to vomit. His pillow was stained with his tears and mucus, and Takashi groaned as he wiped his face.

“…” He looked over to the side of his bed and he frowned, not seeing Vector there. His brain almost reminded him of reality, but hearing the typing of keys in the next room, Takashi’s heart jumped ahead. Ah… so it had just been a nightmare. Vector was probably in the next room, working at his computer as always.

The man sighed in relief and closed his eyes, doing his best to still his throbbing heart. He got off the bed and walked into the living room, opening his mouth to greet Vector but closing it when he saw a different hacker there.

“… Kibou?"

Astral had been working on trying to figure out Vector's code for the past few hours.  But, so far, he hadn't figured out exactly what it was yet, or how to complete it.  It was frustrating him, and Vector's laptop gave him no clue on how to continue it.  He glanced up when he heard Takashi walk in.

“Hello, Takashi.  Did you sleep well?”  He asked.

Takashi stared at Hope for a moment before glancing around the house, expecting Vector to pop in somewhere with a cheeky grin and a smart remark. There was a long pause before the thin man walked over to Astral, and an even longer one before he spoke.

“… Where’s… Where’s Vector?” He asked, praying he could hang on to that last shred of hope.

Astral looked at Takashi and could immediately tell that he had thought Vector's death was a dream.  He sighed.

“...He's gone, Takashi.”  He said softly.

Takashi didn’t say anything. He was dry, unable to cry anymore, but he felt his heart throb in his chest, making him feel sick all over again. The blue-haired man sat down, balling his good fist before he stared at Astral again.

“… Yeah… I know… I… just thought…"

“I understand.”  Astral said sympathetically.  He remembered Kaito had similar trouble when Haruto died, often believing it was only a dream.  

“...I told Yuuma and Kaito...and Yuuma spoke to Yusei about it.  They are the only ones who know so far...I told Yuuma to wait until you were ready to tell everyone else.”  Astral offered.

“… Yusei would be either heading here or heading to the hospital.” Takashi mumbled. “Probably going to kill the staff in his disbelief, or at least yell in disbelief.” He chuckled softly at the thought and wiped his face clean again with his grotty sleeve.

“Thanks… I appreciate it. I’d rather not… not yet."

Astral nodded.

“Whenever you're ready is fine.  Your friends will understand.  Yuuma said he will be here for you if you need him.  Kaito and I are here for you too.”  Astral assured him.  He glanced at the computer.

“...I apologize, perhaps I should have asked before touching this...but I was curious about the status of Vector's little project.  It looks like it was almost done...just a tiny piece is left.  I can try and finish it...then show it to you, if you want.  He told me it was for you after all...”  

“It was for me?” Takashi asked, surprised. “I knew he was working on something but… I didn’t know it was for me.”

“Yes...it was.  I believe he wanted to surprise you with it...but it is not quite finished, so I will try and finish it before I show you, since Vector told me he wanted it completed before you saw it.”  Astral said.

“I see…” Takashi scratched the back of his head and sighed. “… Do you want a drink or something? Will it take you long?”

“Unfortunately, I don't think I can finish it today...this one piece is confusing to me.  I am not even sure what it is exactly...it's clearly incomplete.”  Astral said.  He knew Takashi wouldn't be able to help much.  

“Ah… so in the end it may not even be done after all. Okay.” Takashi frowned. “Must have been important… It was open when he died… Working on it to the very end."

“Well...technically speaking, it is done.  This incomplete piece is an add on.  It's functional without it...I just wanted to see if I could finish the add on, then it would truly be finished.”  Astral explained.  He sighed.

“...Yes.  It was very important to him...and actually, it is quite impressive.  He told me I could use the basic code formula to duplicate it, if I wanted.”  

“So what is it? Or is that still a secret? Seems like a big deal…” Takashi said. “It’s something for me, but I can’t think of what possibly he could do"

“I'll tell you if I can finish it...aside from the incomplete piece, it has to be hooked into a network.  That can be done easily enough.  Then, you'll know what it is.”  Astral said.  

“… Alright. It better not be like… a virus to put money in my account or something.” Takashi sighed and sat on the couch. “… He wouldn’t do that though. Vector’s a better guy now. He is… He was…” he closed his eyes.

“I assure you that is not the case.  Vector likely left you money through legal means...but this project of his is not a way to get you more money.”  Astral said.  He nodded.

“You are right...Vector was reformed.  He did not hack to steal or harm anyone anymore...”

“… I know… I know… I just…” Takashi found himself tearing up again. “I just don’t believe he’s dead..."

Astral gently put an arm around Takashi to comfort him when he started to cry again.

“I know...but you are not alone.  Yuuma, myself, Yusei and Kaito are here for you.”  

“I know… I know… But…” Takashi looked at the clock. Not even five hours. “It’s… hard to wrap my head around. I was there… He died with me there… I just..."

“...There was nowhere else he'd rather be, I'm sure.  And now, he is no longer in pain.”  Astral said gently.  

“… He was in a lot of pain, wasn’t he… It’s…It’s better…” Takashi started before he shook his head. He wanted to be selfish… he didn’t want to be alone. It had only been a few hours, but honestly wanted Vector back.

“Yes, he was.  But not anymore.”  Astral said, guessing the man's thoughts.  He looked him in the eye as he spoke.

“You will see him again, Takashi, one day.  You must be patient in the meantime.”  

“There’s a special place in hell reserved for us, yeah…” Takashi muttered, looking up at Astral. A dark thought flittered in his head before he pulled his gaze away. “I know…I know that. I already had a while to come to terms with that."

“Maybe not in hell, but yes...there is a place for you two somewhere.”  Astral said. He nodded.

“Hang in there...you have friends who are here for you too.”  

“Y-yeah…” Takashi sighed and wiped his face. “Thanks Kibou… I appreciate you coming."

Astral smiled.

“You're welcome...I am here for you as long as you want me to be.”  He said.

Takashi smiled and nodded.”I’m… going to make tea. I think i just need to calm down first.” He really didn’t know what to make of things now, but he supposed that tomorrow he could figure that out. Right now… Right now he’d just… process it.

Astral nodded.

“Take all the time you need.”  He said.  Takashi got up and headed towards the kitchen, pausing when he heard a knock on the door.  And by knock, it was more like frantic pounding than anything.  

“I will get the door, Takashi.”  Astral offered, leaving the laptop on the couch and getting up.  Takashi sighed and went into the kitchen, wanting a small moment alone anyway.  Astral went over to the door, opening it, eyes widening when he spotted Yusei.

“Tell me that shit is here.” Yusei blurted out immediately. It took him an extra second to realise that the person there wasn’t Takashi. “… Who are you?"

Astral blinked.

"My name is Kibou. I am a friend of Yuuma's...you must be Yusei." Astral concluded out loud. He sighed.

"Takashi is here..." Astral said. Takashi came into the living room when he heard Yusei's voice.

"...Yusei...I...he's..." He said softly, his face making it clear what had happened. He couldn't even finish the sentence.

Yusei blinked before he rubbed the back of his head. There was a long pause before he walked in, staring at Takashi. The old man’s face fell.

“… I went to the hospital. I know…” He put a hand on the man’s shoulder, and looked at him. “… Are you okay? I heard you were giving him CPR when the paramedics got here."

Takashi swallowed and looked down.  His doubts and dark thoughts were resurfacing again.

"...I...I could've done more...I...should've called them sooner..." He said, tears welling up in his eyes. Being with Yusei, who had just lost a nephew, made him feel even worse. Vector was Yusei's only remaining family and now he was gone.

“… You did what you could.” The man frowned and he pulled Takashi tightly into a hug. “Don’t talk. It’s okay.” It wasn’t… but he wasn’t going to admit it.

Takashi had thought he'd be done crying, but seeing Yusei had been like reopening the wound. If Yusei was upset, then it must really be true. Vector was gone. He let the man hug him and cried a little. He, like Yusei, didn't think it would be okay, but he couldn't voice it.

Yusei sighed and parted from him slowly, ruffling his hair. “… You’ve eaten, right?” He muttered.

“I...no...I didn't...”  Takashi said, having to think for a moment about whether or not he'd eaten.  His mind was a bit of a mess.  He had been washing plastic containers before Vector had died...but he hadn't eaten since breakfast.  He had no appetite at all after Vector died.  He wiped his eyes on his rumpled sleeve and shook his head.

“...I'm not hungry...”  

Yusei checked the time. It was almost five in the evening. Not too late, but passable for snacks or a dinner. The man sighed, needing something to do since he wasn’t good at comforting people, and guided him to the couch. “Just sit here. I’ll go get you something to eat"

Takashi let himself be guided, sitting on the couch and sighing.  

“...Okay...”  He said.  Astral joined him on the couch with the laptop.

As Yusei excused himself, Astral gave Takashi a sympathetic look. He typed a few more lines before he looked at the man. “Yuuma wants to come over. Would you like me to call him? Yusei seems… intense. You may like the support."

Takashi just sat there for now, listening to Astral type.  If he closed his eyes, he could imagine it was Vector next to him, even though he knew that if it had been Vector, he probably would've snuggled up against him by now.  He sighed.

“I...I guess...”  He said softly.  Being alone with Yusei right now did not sound good to Takashi.  He felt horribly guilty around the other man.  

“I’ll call him.” Astral smiled at him and dialled the number on his speed dial, pulling it to his ear. When Yuma picked up, Astral just said ‘come over’. Then he grimaced as he heard the loud crash at the other end of the line.

“Assuming he hasn’t broken all his dinner plates, he’ll be here in two minutes.”

Takashi looked up in surprise as he heard the crash through the phone.  Typical Yuuma, it sounded like.  He sighed.

“Alright...”  He curled his knees up to his chest on the couch, pulling up the blanket that Vector had worn before he died up to his chest and closing his eyes.  He took in his husband's lingering scent as if that would be enough to bring him back.  

It didn’t even get a smile out of Takashi. Understandable, but upsetting all the same. Astral just watched him fold in on himself and he turned back to his screen, typing away to try and desperately finish that code.

Takashi was so absorbed in his mind, feeling a bit of a headache coming on.  His brain subtly reminded him that he had missed a dose of his medicine today because of Vector's death, but he couldn't bring himself to care.  For the moment, with his eyes closed and his nose in Vector's blanket, he could pretend that Vector was here again.  He didn't want to move.  

The sound of the doorbell interrupted his thoughts, and then moments later, Yuuma barged through the door with a look of genuine sadness and concern on his face.  

“Inchou...hey, I came as soon as I could!”  He said, coming over to Takashi, who looked up to see him.  He gave him a hug, which Takashi accepted.  

“Glad you could come, Yuuma.” Astral smiled at his best friend and moved over, making room for him. Takashi wanted to mimic Astral’s words, but anything he had in him was caught in his throat and he went quiet again. Takashi sighed and leaned into the touch, feeling a little sick but nothing more than how he had been since Vector was carted out.

Yuuma smiled at Astral too.  He patted Takashi's back gently when the man returned his hug.

“You're gonna be okay, Inchou.  We're all here for you...”  Yuuma said reassuringly.  He released him and sat next to him on the couch.  Takashi didn't look too good, but that was to be expected when his husband died.  

“Anything you need, and we'll get it for you, okay, Inchou?”  Yuuma said gently.

“I… I don’t need anything.” Takashi mumbled. “I… I just want a few more moments with him.”

He stared off to the side and looked at the door. There, he noticed a small, black figure, staring the entrance down. He felt his heart lurch as he realised that Umbral was waiting for Vector to come home too, the poor thing not realising he was gone.

“Umbral? Umbral… here…”

Yuuma sighed.

"I know...I kinda do too. I miss him already." He said. Umbral was by the door waiting for his master when he heard his name. He glanced over to see Takashi. Although he didn't like this human as much as his master, the blanket he wore smelt like Vector. So, he came over and curled into Takashi's lap on the blanket with a small meow.

Takashi said nothing, he just watched Umbral come up onto his lap. He sighed, scratching the back of Umbral’s ears, looking at him and not his friend.

“… Yuma… I just…”

Umbral purred as he was pet. Yuuma sighed.

"I know...it'll be okay, Inchou."

“I know it’s going to be okay later but… not now. He’s still dead, Yuuma. He’s dead, and I’m never going to see him again..."

Yuuma put an arm around Takashi in comfort when he spoke.  

“You'll see him again, Inchou...we all will one day.”  He said gently.

“People keep saying that, but it doesn’t really help.” Takashi said honestly, leaning into Yuma’s hold. “… I just… I’m just messed up right now. I’m half in disbelief he’s gone, and half wanting him back already."

Yuuma nodded, holding Takashi close.  

“Yeah...I understand that.  It'll get better over time though...or at least that's how it was when I lost my parents.  In the meantime, we can do whatever you want to help you feel better.”  

“I don’t know… I can do anything but honestly, I used to do all my favourite things with Vector. I’m… Not sure what’s going to set me off…’ Takashi said, stroking Umbral as he felt the tears come back again.

Yuuma held Takashi closer as he started to cry.

"What about gardening? You didn't do that with him did you...but it's okay. You'll find things to do. Maybe even try new things." Yuuma said.

“… I… I guess I could… But… I don’t feel like that now. Sorry…” He felt utterly useless like this and it frustrated him he wasn’t doing… anything. All he did was want to curl up and cry and avoid Yusei.

"It's alright, Inchou. Take all the time you need..." Yuuma said gently rubbing his back. Umbral stirred and meowed at Takashi when the other shifted around to cry.

Yusei came out of the kitchen and was a bit surprised to see Yuuma, but he didn’t say anything. The man slowly walked over, before he put a hand on Takashi’s shoulder. The man flinched.

“….”

“...Food's ready when you want it, Takashi.”  Yusei said softly.  He had just made a few rice balls for dinner, offering Takashi the plate.

“Ah… Thanks Yusei…” The man said, looking up at Yusei’s face and then immediately looking away.

Yusei didn't really comment on the avoidance.  Instead, he ruffled his hair a little.

“C'mon.  Eat at least one.”  He encouraged him.  He could see how Yuuma was eyeing the riceballs and knew that if he left them with him he'd probably eat them all.  Yusei gave Yuuma a look and Yuuma flinched, shrinking away with a small pout.

“… fine.” Takashi said, taking one. He knew Vector wouldn’t want him to starve, so he began nibbling on one. But he found his appetite had gone, and taking a bite and forcing himself to swallow was near painful.

Yusei gave a small smile of encouragement and let Takashi take one.  He glanced at Yuuma, who had recovered from his pouting to rub Takashi's back encouragingly.  Then, he turned to Astral, who was typing on what he recognized as Vector's laptop.

“...What are you doing?”  Yusei asked him.  Astral glanced up.  

“I am working on the project Vector did not quite finish.  It's mostly done...”  He said.  Yusei frowned, recalling Vector's enthusiasm about the model.  

“...Can you finish it?”  He asked softly.  Astral frowned in response.  

“I am not sure, but I am trying.   I will let you know how it goes.”  

“… I can’t finish this,” Takashi said after five minutes. He passed the rice ball for Yuma to finish and he just rested his head in his hands. “I… honestly can’t deal with this… Yusei, can you take me to the hospital later? I want to go retrieve the body and… I don’t know. Probably get a funeral ready or something.”

Yuuma accepted the riceball a bit sadly, and ate finished it off.  Yusei sighed.

“Of course.  I'll help out however I can.”  

“Good… Thanks.” And for the rest of the evening, Takashi remained quiet until it was time to go, completely and thoroughly stuck on the memory of Vector.

-x-

Meanwhile, in the Correctional Facility, it was officially recreation time for the prisoners.  At some point while he was in his room, Yami had regained control and had managed to maintain it until this point.  He had adjusted how he wore the uniform to putting the coat over his shoulders, since there were no cops around to tell him not to.  The guards didn't seem to care how he dressed.  They were more concerned that he was following orders, and he was.  He entered the workout area, since he recalled Koutei mentioning that he would be there.  After a quick glance around, Yami didn't spot Koutei.  He must not be here yet, he reasoned.  

But, there was a small group of prisoners in the corner, talking about something, and Yami couldn't help but approach, curious of what they were talking about.

There were three men in the corner, talking to one another as they did weights. The two of them crowded around the one laying down, pumping serious iron.

“Speaking of that, how come you’re here again, Shinji? You usually see Doctor Arclight at this hour.” The small one asked. The blue-haired one, Shinji, just scowled.

“Arclight wasn’t there again. I told you… Something’s gotta be going on. The staff is planning something.” The two men rolled their eyes at Shinji’s conspiracy theory, but they didn’t correct him. “Doctor Arclight is always insisting on appointments. So he’s gotta be involved with something… like experimentation on people or something.”

Yami heard them and smirked a little.  Their theories were hilarious...but they also meant that it seemed these guys liked to gossip.  He could have some fun with this.  

“...I couldn't help but overhear your little discussion...”  He mused, coming over and crouching down next to the group as if to share some secret information.

“I just got here yesterday...and I know what happened to Dr. Arclight.  Someone tried to take him out...he was shot two times.”  He said softly, as if sharing some vital information.

The three men stopped what they were doing and they each glared at the small newcomer. The black guy with long earlobes gave Yami a pointed glare, obviously warning him to not start something, but the short one and Shinji looked up in astonishment.

“You’re serious?” Shinji asked, sitting up. “He was trying to be taken out? How come?”

Yami ignored the glares and focused on Shinji.

"I'm not sure why exactly...it happened after my trial. They never caught the shooter...said they vanished into thin air." Yami said, technically telling the truth. They didn't know the shooters exact motive and he'd certainly not been caught.

"It happened in the courthouse though...and that's suspicious because they make everyone go through metal detectors. How'd the guy get the gun in then?" Yami pointed out truthfully. He knew why though: Kaiba had influence.

“Oh wow…” Shinji said, listening up. The other man scoffed, and bumped Yami a little.

“Why should we trust you? A newbie? Gonna stir up trouble?” However, before he could get serious, Shinji got up and patted the man on the shoulder.

“Stand down, Damon. I got this.” The man scowled but he backed away, leaving Shinji to hone in on Yami. “Courthouse, huh? Interesting… maybe someone is finally getting that bastard back for experimenting on people. I hear that he does lots of ancient voodoo shit on people… so maybe they could have concealed it with whatever magic or tech or nonsense the doc gave him. That’d be rich..."

Yami smiled innocently at Damon.

“I'm not stirring up trouble.  I'm just telling the truth.”  He said.  And he was...but he was also having some fun.  

“That guy does have those weird masks in his office...they're tribal or something...maybe he uses those for the voodoo magic...”  The man next to Shinji murmured.  Yami shrugged.

“Like I said, I'm not sure about the reason why he was shot...but, if you don't believe me, it'll be apparent when he comes back that I'm telling the truth.”  Yami knew it was likely there'd be external signs of injury.  

Damon stared at Tony before glancing back to Shinji and he rubbed his temples, not wanting to say anything. Shinji seemed enraptured and he looked up at Yami.

“Got anything else to share?” He asked, not noticing Koutei had entered the rec area.

Yami shook his head.

“Not that I can think of...but, if I hear anything else, I'll let you know right away.”  Yami said, winking at Shinji.  

“Now, if you'll excuse me...I'm going to talk to my buddy Koutei over there.”  Yami said, getting up and heading over to see him.

“Hey.  Looking for me?”  He asked him casually.  Maybe he'd have more time to talk to Koutei today...and see what had happened to him since he'd last seen him.  He really wasn't looking good physically, and Yami wanted to know just how bad his mental state was.

Shinji nodded. “See you around, Newbie.” The man said before beginning to mutter to his friends, then gesturing over for another inmate to come over. Already, it looked like he was spreading rumours, which made Koutei frown.

“Yeah… I was. Hey there.” Koutei smiled when Yami came over but it was a weak one. Today he had woken up feeling awful, for no real reason, and he had started picking at his scabs. His arms were already bleeding, evidence of how hard he had been going at his limbs for the morning.

When Yami saw Koutei's frown, he spared a glance back at Shinji and saw him call over other people to talk to.  He smirked.  The fun was getting started.

“Looks like it's game time...”  He said softly with a chuckle before glancing back at Koutei and taking him in.  He frowned when he saw the blood on Koutei's arms.

“...Hey, don't pick at that.”  Yami said sternly, snatching Koutei's wrist to try and stop him from picking off the scabs.

“What's wrong with you?  Why're you making your arms bleed so much?”  Yami asked, even though he felt like he knew the answer.  

Koutei was about to ask what ‘game’ the other man was playing when he suddenly felt his wrist be snatched up. The man gave a small frown and yanked his hand back, but he at least didn’t start scratching again. Instead he shrugged and tried to wipe the pinpricks of blood, as if the smear left behind wasn’t there.

“Eh… force of habit,” he said dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. I just… you know that feeling that you get when you feel like there’s something crawling under your skin? Like a giant tick, skittering about?"

Yami frowned.  The description of the ticks meant that it was probably drug withdrawal...and that meant it was probably his fault.  

“...I've felt that before too.  But scratching your arms won't make it go away.  It'll only make it worse.”  Yami said.  He knew that when Koutei scratched his arms he was probably adding to the feeling, since when his cuts began to heal, they'd hurt.  

“You need to try and ignore it...anything we can do to keep your mind off of it?  You did say to Yuugi that you wanted to work out.”  

Koutei scowled at him. “Yeah, like I haven’t heard that a thousand times.” he muttered, sounding a little irritated. However, he didn’t really do much besides show Yami one of the benches. “I said I’d help him work out and do some myself… Care to join?"

Yami followed Koutei, watching him carefully for any signs that he was going to scratch his arms.

“I suppose I have nothing better to do.  You go first on the benchpress...I'll be your spotter.”  Yami said.  He was familiar enough with gyms to know that lifting a bar over your neck and chest was dangerous without someone to potentially catch it if you got tired and looked as though you would drop it.

“I thought I would throw you under the barbell first, Yami.” Koutei smirked. “See where your strength is so far. I saw you knock out those guys… I wanna see where your limit is"

Yami raised a brow.

“It's been awhile since I did this...but alright.”  He said, putting a few weights on either end of the bar and then lying down.  He waited until Koutei looked like he was ready, before starting a few reps.  He wasn't trying to push himself too hard, since he was paying more attention to Koutei, not wanting him to scratch again.

“Mmm… your form isn’t bad.” Koutei said, watching him lift. “Not bad. Not bad at all."

Yami snorted a little.

“Enjoying the view, are you?”  He mused, doing a couple more before finally putting the bar back up on its stand.  

“Your turn.”  

Koutei gave a sigh and sat down on the bench. “Go easy on me… I haven’t done this in a while."

“Alright.  We'll have plenty of time to work your strength back up.”  Yami mused, getting up in the spotters' position.

Koutei sighed as he took the weights and started lifting. His muscles were still strong in comparison with Yami, but it was a clear that he was a shadow of his former self. The man gave a sigh as he kept working, looking distant.

Yami watched, letting Koutei do his reps in silence for a bit.

“What's on your mind?  You should be focused on what you're doing...or else you could drop it.”  He said, noting Koutei's far-off look.

“I’m fine.” He muttered, continuing to do it mindlessly. “I’m just thinking about stuff. Forget it."

“...Alright.”  Yami said, watching how Koutei continued to do the reps.  He could see his hands twitching slightly on the bar and could guess that at least some of Koutei's thoughts were on scratching his arms again.  He'd have to stop him if he tried to.

After a few more reps, Koutei put down the barbells and sighed. He got up and rolled his shoulders back, obviously displeased with his unremarkable performance.

“Well… It’s a start."

“It was a good start.  You'll get better with time.”  Yami said.

“Yeah…” Koutei rolled his eyes and without noticing he began scratching his wrists again.

“Stop it.”  Yami said, grabbing his wrist again to stop him.  

“If you're not satisfied with the workout so far, we'll do more.  It'll make you stop scratching too.”  Yami said, pulling Koutei up.

“Let's go do another exercise...”  He said, frowning in frustration when he noticed that all the machines were occupied by prisoners.  There weren't too many.  But he needed something to distract Koutei, and also occupy his hands so he wouldn't scratch at his arms.

“Pushups.  Now.  Come on...we'll see how many we can do.”  Yami said, dragging Koutei over to an empty space big enough to lie down.

Koutei blinked as his arm was snatched up and he pulled his wrist back once he was back to his feet. He was about to protest to Yami that he was fine with quitting but already he was being whisked off.

“Pushups… Alright.” He sighed and got down.

Yami got on the floor with him. He smirked a little.

"...Wanna play a game?" He asked softly. He wanted to make this more fun.

Koutei frowned as soon as he heard that. He had a feeling that Yami had said something like this before but he couldn’t remember where or why he recognized it.

“What kind of game?”

“It's a pushup contest.  Whoever does the most for the rest of the recreational time wins.  You're allowed an unlimited number of breaks to rest, since neither of us are in prime shape.  But, when you rest, you can only do so by lowering your knees so you're on all fours.  If your hands leave the floor, you forfeit.”  Yami said.  He didn't care who won this round...he knew it would probably be Koutei.  But, he did care about keeping Koutei's hands away from his wrists, and keeping his hands on the ground would make it impossible for him to scratch.

“So...what do you say?  Will you play this little game with me?”  

“…” Koutei stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out where he had heard these kind of rules before, but in the end he nodded.

“Fine. I guess so.”

Yami smiled innocently as Koutei stared at him.  He didn't realize that Koutei was remembering him for the moment, but he didn't want the other to catch on to his ulterior motives.

“Alright.  Game start.”  He said, placing his hands on the ground and starting to do some pushups.  

Koutei wasn’t going to submit to half pushups. He did it properly, full ones, moving up and down, moving easily despite saying he was tired earlier.

Yami considered half pushups to be cheating as well, so he was also doing full pushups.  His arms were already starting to ache a little, but he forced himself to keep going.  He was competitive, and although he knew he'd probably lose in terms of pushups, he'd win by tiring Koutei out and getting him to stop scratching his arms.  

“Ugh...you're good at this...”  He said.

“I used to be a boxer and I used to be in really good shape. I went to the gym like… what… every two days? This used to be easy.” Koutei said, offering Yami a smile as he kept going.

“Used to be easy?  Are you saying it's not anymore?  You make it look easy!”  Yami exclaimed, continuing to do pushups but he was going slower than Koutei because his arms were straining.

“...I need to make this harder for you next time...”  He muttered softly.

Koutei continued doing the pushups and he gave the man a small smile. “Yeah… It wasn’t this tiring before.” He said quietly. “I mean I used to do twice the amount before even sweating.” He said. “Are you okay?"

“Well now you have the opportunity to do this everyday...so you'll get better quick.”  Yami mused.  He finally put his knees down to rest a little.

“I'm fine.  I'm not used to pushups...I don't workout that much, unlike you.”  He said with a smirk.

“I guess.” Koutei said. He paused, wondering if he should push up some more before he continued anyway.

Yami didn't protest when Koutei continued.  He was glad of it.  Hopefully he could tire him out...but at the very least, he'd stop him from scratching his arms.  He spared them a small glance and saw that they were bandaged a little...so this was an ongoing habit. He felt his head throb as Yuugi seemed to register the guilt that was his.  Yami groaned a bit and closed his eyes, trying to get his mind off of it.  He didn't really want Yuugi to come out right now and get in the way of his plans.  

After a few minutes, Koutei finally pulled away from it and relaxed. He didn’t want to leave it as it was, so he just rested but didn’t give up. A small part of him wanted to win, after all.

Yami noted how he stopped and smirked a little.

“Well, even if you're not in shape like you used to be...I see your competitive streak remains alive.  That's good.  It means you'll get back in shape someday.”  Yami mused, starting to do some more pushups himself.  He wasn't ready to admit defeat either.

Koutei chuckled and watched him go. “Again… not bad..." He said quietly, watching the man go. “You could get in real good shape too, you know.”

“...I could, if I wanted to...I'm competitive.”  Yami said, before sighing.  

“...But Yuugi isn't.  He might work out, but only if it was with someone else, and only for fun.  We both tend to prefer games that aren't physically demanding.”  

“Fair enough. Fair enough” Koutei laughed. “I’ll make sure I go easy on whomever I talk to.”

Yami continued to do pushups with shaky arms.  

“...You seem to take this 'split personality' thing pretty easily.  Most other people don't believe it.  The cops sure didn't when they arrested me.”  

“Huh?” Koutei blinked before he shrugged a little. “Well, I guess between the inmates here and TV, it’s like… not a new concept. I mean, I’ve never talked to a guy with split personality disorder, and I don’t think you’re a standard case… but I guess that makes it a little easier for me to believe.”

“Huh… that sounds like nonsense, right?” Koutei laughed sheepishly. “To be honest… I don’t really know why I’m so easy with it. I guess it’s because I just trust you.” Like they met before.

Yami listened.  He supposed the first bit was fair enough reasoning.  He'd seen split personality cases on TV and they didn't seem at all like what he was going through.

“...I don't think I am a standard case...neither does Yuugi.” Yami said, pausing as he felt his head throb a little.  Koutei's words after that did nothing to help.  Yami was instantly reminded of all the games they had played together.  Sure, it had started out as a way to pass the time for him, but Koutei had kept asking for more.  He'd asked for multiple games in a day, which Yami had enjoyed.  Then, he'd brought Yami snacks, visiting him when he didn't have to.  He'd said he believed that Yami had been looking out for him even as Yami was drugging him heavily and caused his own ruin.  Even now, he felt that way and it was making Yami's head hurt.  What was wrong with him?  Maybe it was Yuugi reacting to what he'd done?  He looked at Koutei in utter disbelief.

“How can you trust me so easily?  After I-!”  Yami cried, barely managing to stop himself from saying more.  He groaned and clenched his head, the agony making him forget his own 'don't-take-your-hands-off-the-floor' rule in his game.

Koutei looked up at Yami, astonished with the sudden outburst. He watched as the man curled in on himself and then he quickly got up himself, going over to the man, who looked like he was having some sort of breakdown.

“Yami? Yugi? Mutou? Oy… Oy! Hey… Hey! It’s okay.” He said, trying to get his attention and calm him down before the guards noticed.

Yami wasn't being very loud anymore now that he'd buried his face in his knees, so the guards didn't seem to notice.  But, his head was still pounding and he could feel a switch coming on.  He could feel Koutei hovering near him in concern, and curled even tighter.  He wasn't used to this, and really, it only made him feel worse when he remembered that it was Koutei being so nice to him.  A couple of seconds later, Yuugi emerged, lifting his head with a groan to see Koutei's concerned face near him.  

“...Hi...ugh.”  Yuugi said, feeling his head pulse in pain still.  Something big had happened, he felt, but he couldn't remember what had caused a switch.  

“Ah…Yugi…” Koutei frowned, not realising he had inadvertently caused a switch. He looked him over, trying to recall what just happened. “Are you okay?”

Yuugi frowned a bit back.  

“...My head hurts, but I think I'm okay otherwise...”  Yuugi experimentally glanced himself over.  Nothing seemed to be visibly out of place...his arms were sore, but Yuugi recognized it as muscle exhaustion, not injury.  He could recall this same feeling from high school gym classes.  

“Did something happen, just now?  Something...um...scary?  My head usually doesn't hurt this bad...unless my other me was worried or scared...”  Yuugi asked.

“Ah… I see…” The man gave a small frown and tilted his head, studying Yuugi for a moment before quickly skimming the conversation in his head. He couldn’t think what exactly would force such a physiologically stressful change. “Well… not that I know of. We were just talking about the fact you do have a split personality and how easy I believe in it.” He frowned for a moment. “He got really angry for some reason.”

“Angry?”  Yuugi said, surprised.  He wasn't sure what had happened, or what it was about that conversation that would set Yami off.  Shouldn't he be happy that someone believed their story?  Yuugi was...

“...I'm sorry he got mad.  Maybe he's just...annoyed to be here?  I don't think he liked getting arrested again...”  Yuugi said, unsure of the reason.

“It’s alright. I mean it’s not the worst yelling I’ve gotten for reasons I’m not sure of,” Koutei gave a painful laugh, brushing Alit away from his head, “I’m just sorry I’ve caused you another headache. You sure you’re alright?”

“It's alright...it wasn't your fault.”  Yuugi said with a smile.  

“Were we working out?  My arms are a little sore!”  He said.

“Oh yeah. Yami and I were having a pushup contest. First one to move their hands off the ground lost… and he did so… guess I won.” He shrugged.

Yuugi's eyes shined a little.

“Oh a game?  I love games!”  He didn't mind that Yami had lost.  He smiled.

“...Would you play one with me too?”  He asked, feeling hopeful and better already because of the mentioning of games.

Koutei blinked dumbly at Yuugi, still caught a little off-guard with such a sudden change, before he began to chuckle. When he was Yuugi, Mutou was pretty cute. Reminded him a little bit of Ponta.

“Of course. If you want me to. I’m always down for a game."

Yuugi grinned happily.

“Okay...then let's play a game!  Hmm...I guess since we're in the workout room, we can do a workout related game...”  Yuugi said, pondering things.

“I know!  Let's each take turns thinking of a number between 1 and 10.  The other has to guess it, and if they get it right within two numbers, the one who thought of the number has to do that many pushups.  And...if they don't get it, then the one who guessed has to do the original number of pushups instead?”  

“Sounds good.” The man smiled. “Why don’t you go first? I’ll let you have your chance to rest your arms a bit and I’ll guess.”

“Okay!  Hmm...alright I got my number.  Guess which one it is.”  Yuugi said, smiling at Koutei.

“Hmmm… Seven?” Koutei asked, taking the moment to stretch his limbs and look Yuugi over one more time, really making sure the man was alright.

“No...it was four.”  Yuugi said sheepishly.  He was honestly feeling much better now that he was playing a game.  Games always cheered him up.

“Since you got it wrong, you have to do four pushups.”  

“Ah, just outside. Oh well.” Koutei laughed. He wiped some of the small pinpricks of blood off his wrists and began doing his pushups, belting out four slower than he would have liked, but otherwise without much problem. “And then my turn.”

Yuugi watched him go, impressed by how in shape Koutei was.  He grinned.

“Wow you're really good at this!”  He said happily.  He was about to guess a number, but then he noticed his bleeding wrists.

“Oh my gosh are you hurt?  Your arms are bleeding a little...”  He asked, concerned.

“Oh, don’t worry about it.” The man smiled, waving the concern off with a dismissive hand. “I was just really… itchy. Don’t worry about it. Happens all the time. I’m working on it with Doctor Arclight."

“Oh...okay.  I hope he can help you with it...he's in the hospital right now.  So I guess you'll have to manage on your own for awhile...I'll help if you want.”  Yuugi offered.  He remembered that the police had told him Dr. Arclight was shot.

“I guess so.” He sighed. “I don’t want you to worry about me though. You got enough on your plate."

Yuugi smiled.

“That's true...but friends look out for each other right?  And we're friends, so I can't just sit by and do nothing while you're hurting.  We can help each other out.”  Yuugi said.

“… Yeah…” Koutei gave a small smile, but it didn’t quite meet his eyes again. He had heard that before, but the last time he had heard that, it was from Alit, yelling at him, asking why he didn’t accept their help. “I guess just remind me to not do it, really."

“Okay!  I'll remind you!”  Yuugi promised.  He felt like something else was wrong, but he knew that Koutei would probably tell him when the time was right.  

“Hmm...I guess I'll pick...5?  Is that your number?”  

“It was three. So… that means I do it, right? Because you’re within two?"

Yuugi nodded.

"Yeah. Sorry." He said with a small smile.

Koutei waved his hand again. “Hey, no problem. Rules of the game, you know.” He said, starting again and doing three more pushups. “Your shot…”

Yuugi smiled. His friend was obviously picking low numbers for him.

"You don't have to pick such small numbers for me...I'm not very good at this, but it's only fair that I should get higher numbers too."

“I just offered one number.” Koutei said, astonished that Yuugi had caught on so quickly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Yuugi shook his head.

"I'm really good at reading people...you have to be to be a good gamer. So I noticed right away. Why are you taking it so easy on me? To do that in gaming means to underestimate an opponent." He said.

“Well…” The man paused and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “I… I didn’t want to tire you out. You said you were sore, so… I didn’t want you to do too much.”

Yuugi smiled a little.

“Yeah...I am a little sore.  But I'll be okay!  I'll take my time with the pushups.”  Yuugi promised.

“Okay...your turn to guess my number.”

“Alright… If you say so…” He sighed. “How about four?”

“Yep!  You got it!”  Yuugi said happily.  “That means I gotta do four...”  He put his palms down on the floor, in the pushup position, but he looked unsure of himself.  He did them much slower than Yami, and kept pausing to adjust his hand position, as if he didn't know where they were supposed to go.

“Sorry...it's been awhile since I did them.”  Yuugi said sheepishly.

“Hey, it’s no problem. You were doing a lot of them earlier.” Koutei said. He moved over to Yugi and helped adjust his hands to their proper position, before squeezing one of them. “We do this a few more times, and you’ll be doing them easy.” He grinned. He watched Yugi do them, but before the man could do his third, the bell went off, alerting the prisoners their rec time was over.

“Ah… oh well. Next time then we can carry on, okay?”

Yuugi smiled.

“I guess my other me is better at them than I am.”  He said, pausing to let Koutei adjust his hands and smiling a bit shyly at him.

“Yeah...you too!  You're much better than I am, but you wanna get stronger too right?  I'll help!”  He said, finally stopping when he heard the bell and rolling his shoulders.

“Okay...next time then!”  Yuugi said getting up and making his way to the doors, Koutei right behind him.  But suddenly a hand went on Koutei's shoulder, stopping him for a moment and letting Yuugi go on ahead.

“Hey, Koutei hold up a moment.  I gotta tell you something important.”  Shinji said to the blonde, leaning in close to talk to him.

“I just got an update on the conspiracy theory...someone tried to take out Dr. Arclight for experimenting on patients.  But he lived...they shot him a buncha times in a courthouse, but he's gonna come back and continue his experiments.  Don't worry though...we're gonna do something about it.  We've got an insider on our side now.”  Shinji said.

Koutei was about to follow the man when he felt the hand on his shoulder. He internally sighed, knowing who it was without turning around, but he pulled a smile and turned to look up at Shinji.

“Hey Weber,” Koutei said. He was used to hearing Shinji’s stupid stories, but he put up with them because he really didn’t have the energy to fight. He withheld from rolling his eyes and he looked at the man.

“A man on the inside, huh? Do you really think he was shot?”

“It would explain why he's not here, right?  That guy never misses any appointments but he hasn't been in for a week!  And yeah...our insider just got here.  It was that newbie...where is he...ah there.  The one with that tricolored hair.  He told us everything.”  Shinji said, pointing to Yuugi's retreating back.  

“Mutou?” Koutei frowned, raising an eyebrow. “Are you serious? No way…But… he isn’t the type to lie.” Koutei assumed so, but he didn’t know either of the personalities well enough. “… Maybe there’s some stock in that. Doctor Arclight is dedicated, but he’s missed my sessions as well… without warning. I wonder what he’s doing now… I hope he’s okay if… he’s in hospital.”

——

“OW. Shit. Oww…” Miheal cursed loudly, hissing as he stumbled over his legs. He gasped, groaning.

Thomas and Gilag were both up in a flash when Miheal began to stumble, but Thomas got to him first.

“Take it easy...you're not gonna be able to walk overnight...”  Thomas said, grasping his brother's arm to stabilize him.  They were in physiotherapy at the moment for Miheal's leg wound.  The one that went through his abdomen had healed enough that the doctors said that he could try moving around.  The only problem was that with torn muscles in his leg, it was difficult to do so.  Miheal would probably need a cane for awhile.  

Miheal groaned and he clung to his brother as he felt pain shoot through his leg. He knew what his brother was saying was true, but he didn’t want to believe it. In his heart, he really did know that he was going to be injured for good. There was massive tissue damage in his muscles, and while he was lucky to not have the bullet shatter his bones, he knew that he’d be limping for the rest of his life. “Yeah… I know… I just…” He sighed and leaned against his brother.

“Yeah, you don't know when to stop trying...you'll get through this.  But don't be afraid to rest.”  Thomas said, supporting Miheal's weight gently.

“Don't worry though.  If you get tired, I'm sure your boyfriend could carry you around.”  Thomas said, smirking in Gilag's direction.  Gilag blushed a bit and looked away.  

Miheal gave a small smile towards Gilag as his brother offered and he leaned against his big brother. He groaned and held his chest.

“I didn’t think I could feel this awful… At least I’m going home soon.”

“We'll ask about more pain meds.”  Thomas said.  He hated seeing his baby brother in pain after all.  He nodded.

“Yeah, that's a relief.  Hospitals get boring after awhile don't they?”  Gilag said with a small smile.

“Yeah… and I don’t want to catch any nosocomial infections.” He smiled at Gilag before he sighed. “I’ll have to do physiotherapy, but the doctors said I can be back at work in a few days."

Thomas blinked at the fancy word he didn't recognize.

“You're not getting any infections on our watch.”  Thomas assured Miheal.

“Chris and I agreed that we'll take turns staying with you at your house, since you have limited mobility.  We don't want you to trip and hurt yourself again.”  He said.  Gilag smiled.

“I'm sure your patients miss you.  But...you should probably still take it easy.  Like Thomas said...no one wants you to get hurt again.”  

“It means that it’s a hospital-borne disease,” Miheal said, realising his brother and boyfriend were confused. The man gave a small sigh and he nodded.

“… Fine. But only until physiotherapy lets me go back to work. Once I’m able to walk, then I don’t need a babysitter… understand?” Miheal said, puffing his cheeks up, trying to look serious but failing to do so.

“Oh...then you definitely won't get it if you're leaving here!”  Thomas said with a grin.  He gently poked his brother's cheek.

“We're not babysitters...we're your family!  You're always gonna have us around!”  Thomas teased.  Gilag smiled a little at Miheal's cute expression.

“It is hard to get rid of older brothers...I'm sure Alit and Ponta could attest to that.”  He mused.

“Please, I have two older brothers. I know that too well.” Miheal said, going red as he realised that the others just thought his expression was cute. He swatted Thomas’ hand away and sat down, even if he was appreciative his brother was there for him.

Thomas laughed at his brother, sitting down next to him.

“Your blush is just making you look cuter, little brother.”  Thomas mused.  Gilag blushed a little too, glancing away so Miheal wouldn't realize he was staring.  Gosh Miheal was cute...

“Nii-san, I’m an adult. You can’t call me cute.” Miheal huffed. “And not in front of my boyfriend, jerk.”

“Awww, why not?  I think he agrees!”  Thomas teased, winking playfully at Gilag.  Gilag shook his head, but his blush gave him away.

“...Sorry?”  He said a bit sheepishly.

“You’re my brother. That’s different.” Miheal said, blushing again when he saw his huge partner blushing like a school girl. It was endearing, and his heart pounded as he smiled back at Gilag. He wasn’t nearly as cool as Thomas, and while better than Chris, he wasn’t used to having this sort of attention.

Thomas stuck his tongue out playfully at Miheal and then rolled his eyes as he noticed how blushy the two men were being.

"Get a room, geez." He teased, nudging Miheal gently. Gilag smiled a bit. He was glad Thomas was okay with this. He hoped Chris would be the same.

“This is my room until I’m discharged.” Miheal huffed. “So we have one.” He retorted, though he was more intent on looking at the smile. He was glad that Thomas had stopped asking him to use his sword on Gilag and was more accepting. He knew Chris would see reason, especially after this.

Thomas rolled his eyes.

"Not for much longer it's not. Thankfully. I won't leave until you're discharged." Thomas said. He had seen how nice Gilag was and how happy he seemed to make Miheal, so Thomas had nothing against the man. Gilag smiled as he watched the two banter.

"I'll try to visit you too...around my work and family schedules. Ponta might come too. He likes you and he doesn't mind looking after people either." Gilag said.

“I’d like to see Ponta more too. I’ve only seen him once, but I feel like I know him well since you talk so much about him.” Miheal said to the man.

Gilag chuckled.

“The feeling's probably the same for him too...I talk about you a lot.”  Gilag said.  He nodded.

“I'll be sure to let him visit then, so you two can get to know each other in person instead of through me.”  

“Well, you already know Thomas rather well, so it’s fair. Maybe I’ll get to see Alit after you meet Chris,” Miheal joked, chuckling a little. He was happy he was getting discharged. Even if he couldn’t be back at work, maybe some down time was what he needed.

“I guess that's fair.  I'll see if he's available.”  Gilag said with a chuckle.  He knew Alit already approved.  He hoped Chris would be the same.

“Mr. Arclight?” The nurse said, popping her head in. “You’re free to go now. The doctor has checked you out and given you the clearance. If you’re dressed, you’re able to leave.”

“I am, thank you.” Miheal sighed. “well… let’s go."

“Finally!”  Thomas said with a grin, getting up and offering help to Miheal.  Gilag smiled and dit he same.  

“Let's head out to the car...get you home.”  

Miheal stood up but he knew he had to take the pairs of hands. He sighed at the help but accepted it and smiled.

“Have you been to my apartment before Gilag? Guess you’ll know where I live now."

"No, I haven't. We've always met at restaurants...and you drove me home once but I never got to return the favour." Gilag smiled.

He smiles at the man and then looks at his brother. “So… did Mist buy you a new car or is it still the same as the one from last time?” He teased Thomas.

Thomas rolled his eyes.

"I had to get a new one...the old junker finally died. Besides, Mist likes to treat me so I let him get me a newer one." Thomas mused.

“Mist is Thomas’ boyfriend. He likes treating my brother.” Miheal explained

Gilag nodded.

“I figured...I think you mentioned him before.”  He said with a smile.  They headed out to the parking lot and Thomas led them to his car.

“Alright...you get in the front, Miheal.  That way you'll have more space for your leg.”  Thomas said, mindful of his brother's injury.

Miheal looked at the expensive car and he nodded. He yawned and went to sit himself down, rubbing his temples. “ugh, I still feel awful."

“We'll get you home and to bed so you can rest...hopefully then you'll feel better.”  Thomas offered.  Gilag got in the back, and Thomas took the driver's seat.  He pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards Miheal's apartment.  

“The last thing I want to be is in bed, Nii-san.” Miheal pouted, watching as they entered the more upper class streets of Heartland. “Come on. I’m well enough to at least sit around.”

"Alright....as long as you're taking it easy." Thomas said. Gilag nodded.

"Yeah...well just relax and talk."

“I do that a lot. In fact, I make a living out of it,” Miheal muttered under his breath, though he did appreciate that the two were there for him.

Thomas smirked.

“Yeah but we can talk about whatever, instead of the limited topics you bring up with your patients.”  He mused.  They eventually arrived at the apartment complex, and Thomas parked the car.

“Come on...let's head inside.”  He said, getting out.  Gilag got out as well and went to help Miheal out.

“It’s a lot about talking about themselves, which is a fundamental of a conversation,” Miheal said, really just arguing to be difficult. The man gave a small smile as he got out too and held on to Gilag, small hands gripping his huge arms.

“Thanks… I appreciate you coming out and helping."

"Yeah but you get to talk about yourself now!" Thomas mused with a grin. Gilag smiled as he helped Miheal up.

"I'm just happy you're doing better...ill help however I can." Gilag said. They made their way inside, Thomas and Gilag helping Miheal.

Miheal was still weak on his legs, and he wasn’t quite ready to use a walking stick just yet, so he was limping and leaning heavily on Gilag and Thomas up to the elevator. They headed up several floors, and Miheal got his keys out, opening the door to a very expensive, lavish apartment.

“Home sweet home.” He sighed, smiling.

Gilag was impressed by Miheal's apartment.  It was decorated in Aztec artifacts and was also one of the more spacious apartments he'd seen in his life.

“Wow...your home is nice.”  Gilag noted with a smile, helping Miheal to the couch so he could sit down and rest.

“Ah, it’s alright. It could be nicer but that’s because I don’t really do much with the place.” Miheal smiled, kissing Gilag’s cheek. He sighed as he flopped on the couch and stretched. “Mmmm…”

“Yeah, I can imagine...you work so hard, you're probably not home often.”  Gilag said, blushing as his cheek was kissed.  He sat next to Miheal and smiled at him.

“Well, you'll be spending a lot of time here now resting.”  Thomas said, crossing his arms.

“At least it’s nice while I am here.” Miheal said. He wanted to shamelessly snuggle up against Gilag like it was no one’s business, but he wasn’t that sort of guy, and it felt inappropriate in front of his brother, so he merely stretched his hand out, letting Gilag take it.

“That's what counts, right?”  Gilag said, gently taking the hand that was offered.  Part of him also wanted to cuddle, but he also knew that not only was Thomas still around, but Miheal was still injured.  He didn't want to accidentally aggravate his wounds.  

“Chris is gonna be here later to spend the night...but we'll hang out in the meantime.”  Thomas said.  They'd agreed that for the most part, Thomas would do afternoon shifts whereas Chris would do morning and evening.

“Ah, is he? That’s good. I’m always glad to see you both,” Miheal smiled. “Dad said he’d be along some time or another. He’s just got a big project. You know how he is.”

“Yeah...workaholic.  But he'll see you, I'm sure.  Maybe you two will watch cartoons or something.”  Thomas said, rolling his eyes.  Gilag smiled.

“Your father works with your older brother, right?  Sounds like they're both very busy.”  

“He’s worse than Nii-sama sometimes,” Miheal agreed. He loved his dad but even had to admit the man sometimes took it further than he should.

“They kind of work together. Dad is more of a physicist. Chris used to be, but after a while he found that he really liked pharmacology and chemical engineering. So he’s doing both, despite them being really different fields.”

“Wow...that's impressive.  Your family is quite accomplished.”  Gilag said.  Thomas rolled his eyes.

“Yeah yeah, they're geniuses.”  He mused, sitting down next to Miheal and pouting slightly.

“It’s really dad and Nii-sama. Thomas and I inherited the ability to actually interact with other people like normal humans.” Miheal said, putting his hand on his brother’s shoulder, laughing a little.

Thomas smirked.

“Yep.  We're the more social ones, but Miheal's like a hybrid.  He's got the brain, but also the social skills.”  He mused, ruffling Miheal's hair playfully.  Gilag smiled.

“I suppose my whole family is more social...Alit and Ponta especially.  They both make friends fairly easily compared to me.”  Even Kotori was better than him in that department.

“Not as much of the brain or the social skills in comparison, but I make do,” Miheal said, laughing as his brother ruffled his hair. “Quit it, Nii-san! I’m not a kid.”

“You’re still easier to approach than either Chris or dad though, definitely."

Thomas smirked wider as Miheal laughed, just happy to be with him.  He'd almost lost his baby brother so he was appreciating him much more.  Gilag smiled a bit sheepishly.

“Wow, really?  They must really not socialize much at all then, if that's true.”  He said.

“They don’t.” Miheal laughed quietly. “But you make it sound like you’re not very social yourself."

"Well...I guess it's just harder for me make friends is all. I do socialize a little." Gilag admitted.

“I see… Do you want to get out more or are you… you know, happy where you are?” Miheal asked.

“Oy, Miheal!  Don't use your therapy on your boyfriend!”  Thomas chastised.  Gilag chuckled.

“It's alright...I'm happy where I am right now, actually.  The few friends I have are great.”  Gilag said.

Miheal blinked for a moment before he gave a sheepish laugh. “I wasn’t, Nii-san. Honestly.” It was more force of habit really, though Miheal realised that quickly and immediately wanted to change his own behaviour, lest he be like his father and brother.

“That’s good to hear though."

“Sure you weren't.”  Thomas said knowingly.  Gilag chuckled.

“Yeah...I think I'm doing great at the moment.”  Things were certainly going better in his life at the moment.  

Miheal rolled his eyes and ignored Thomas, opting to pay attention to Gilag. He smiled. “Besides the whole ‘being shot’ thing, I think I can say the same. Mostly because of you."

Gilag smiled and squeezed Miheal's hand.

“I know what you mean...I feel the same.”  He said.  Thomas rolled his eyes.

“So Chris and I are just chopped liver huh?  We don't mean shit?”  Thomas teased.

“I didn’t say it wasn’t good before.” Miheal said, unable to help but say something to the light jab. “Just saying it’s nice now. I don’t interrupt you and Mist, Thomas. Give me a break."

“Okay, okay~  I'll try to cut it out.  I'm not used to you having a boyfriend just yet.”  Thomas mused.

“You guys want food or something?  I can make some...surely you're sick of hospital food little bro.”  He offered.  That would give Gilag and Miheal some alone time.

“Something solid and nothing healthy. Sweets.” Miheal said immediately, chuckling.

“Of course.”  Thomas said, rolling his eyes.  Gilag chuckled.

“Sure...whatever is fine.  I'm not picky.”  Gilag admitted.  Thomas nodded.

“Alright, I'll go find see if I can find something sweet to eat here.”  He said, heading off to the kitchen.

Miheal watched him go off and once he was sure Thomas was gone, he looked back at Gilag. Immediately, he leaned up and kissed him.

“You know… Since I didn’t really have a chance to before…” He said, blushing.

Gilag felt Miheal lean up against him and blushed when he was kissed, tentatively returning it.

“Yeah...”  Gilag said, gently putting an arm around Miheal so they could sit closer together.

Miheal gave a small smile and closed his eyes as he properly snuggled against Gilag. He was so happy to be here, and as he felt Gilag’s arm around him, he realised how lucky he was. He was alive, out of hospital, with people who loved him.

-x-

Mai was relieved the Mutou case was over. Even if the outcome hadn't been her ideal, it had been worth her while because of Droite. She was gorgeous, intelligent and exactly Mai's type. She intended to pursue her, now that the case was over and they were no longer coworkers.

She had found out Droite's address from Anna (who was keen to hook them up apparently) and was heading there now just to talk to her and see if they could maybe go out for a bite or something. She rang the doorbell and waited, confident in posture.

As it was with most unplanned visits, Droite wasn’t home. However, Mai wouldn’t be left too long alone, as the other resident of the house was home. Fuuya had been listening to some soft music, going over the resume he had written for the umpteenth time when he heard the doorbell ring. He paused the music on the laptop and got up, making sure he was somewhat presentable before he opened the door.

“Oh… Hello there.” Fuuya said. He was expecting Gauche, honestly, since he knew the big man showed up at Droite’s house randomly, but he didn’t expect to see a woman that… he honestly couldn’t see as Droite’s friend.

Mai wasn't too surprised to see the young man at the door.  She had overheard conversations between Droite and her coworkers about Droite's house-mate of sorts, Okudaira Fuuya.  This must be him, she figured.

“Hello....you must be Okudaira-san.  My name is Kujaku Mai...I was wondering if Droite-san was home.”  She said, smiling pleasantly.

“Ah… Droite?” Fuuya shook his head. “Sorry… She went out to grab a few papers from the office. She’ll be back soon though. Did you want to wait for her?” Fuuya asked, tilting his head.

Mai smiled.  This kid was kinda cute, but definitely not her type.  

“I might as well.  May I come in?”  She asked.

Fuuya nodded and opened the door a bit wider. “Come in. She shouldn’t be too long. Can I get you a tea or coffee or something?”

“Sure, if it's not too much trouble.  Coffee's fine.”  Mai said, coming in and looking over the house.  It was small, and it seemed to be relatively well lived in for a police officer's home.  Mai figured that was because of Fuuya.  He probably spent more time here than Droite did.  She helped herself to a chair and watched Fuuya prepare her drink.  She spotted a picture frame nearby of Droite and another woman, and Mai was intrigued.  Droite's smile was very pretty...this was the first time Mai had seen it.

“This is a nice picture...who's this?  A friend of Droite's?”  She asked.

Fuuya looked over to the photo Mai was looking at as he put the kettle on boil and he withheld a wince. The photo was so nicely displayed now, but he forgot that meant that guests could ask questions.

“Ah… That’s Droite with my mother. They knew each other for some time.” He said, not sure if he wanted to explain their relationship and not sure if he himself was comfortable enough to.

“Your mother?”  Mai had read into Okudaira Fuuya's case, since during his rampage, she'd been consulted about potentially taking the case.  He'd given himself up before she'd had a chance to officially join, but not before reading up on his background enough to know that his mother was dead.  Knowing that it was probably a touchy subject, she didn't go too much into it.

“Well, they must have been quite close if Droite took you in...that was nice of her.”  Mai said.

“Yeah… that was a long time ago though,” Fuuya said, getting out the good coffee capsules. “And Droite is a nice woman. She helped me a lot when she found out I was still around. I’m really grateful to her."

“I'm aware that she's gentler than she appears...she talked quite a bit about you on the force.”  Mai said with a smile.

“Did she now?” Fuuya asked, looking up. “I didn’t know she talked about her home life at work. Are you sure you don’t mean Gauche?” He joked.

“She does with Gauche, yes....I just happened to overhear a couple of times.  Also, Gauche likes talking about you too, so I hear directly from him after Droite's told him something.”  Mai mused with a chuckle.

“We had a few stakeouts on our last job...so we had some downtime for conversations while we waited for suspects to appear.”  

Fuuya smiled. “Gauche likes talking about everyone and anything. He’s just amused that I live with Droite for most part.” He said, serving Mai her drink with a smile.

“I see… Droite is a nice person. I’m glad she has more than just Gauche to talk to. I mean, it’s good to have a best friend but it’s nice to branch out, you know?”

Mai smiled in thanks as Fuuya gave her the cup and nodded.

“I established that much about Gauche early on.”  She mused.  She nodded.

“I agree...branching out is exactly why I'm here.”  Mai said with a smirk, taking a sip of her drink.

Fuuya smiled. He himself hadn’t been branching out much, but seeing Mai here made him kind of wish he did. He sat back down.

“So what are you doing now, Mai-san? For work I mean.” He asked politely.

"I'm still a private investigator, but I'm between cases at the moment. After I joined Droite's team for the Mutou case, I think a little break is in order for both of us." Mai said with a smile.

“I see now. That makes sense.” Fuuya smiled. He was about to say something else when he heard the door. He looked up and glanced toward the entrance.

“I’m home,” Droite called out.

“Welcome back,” Fuuya responded. Droite walked into the room but she froze, seeing Mai.

“What are you doing here?”

"Hi hon. Nice to see you again." Mai said with a smile.

"What? I can't come meet this Okudaira-kun you keep talking about at work? Plus I wanted to see you too...see how you're doing." She said.

Droite stared, dumbstruck for the moment before she stopped and rubbed her temples. She put her bag down and walked over.

“What do you you actually want, Mai?”

“I want to get to know you better, hon.  Plain and simple.”  Mai said with a smile.

“I…” Droite stopped herself and went quiet. “Are… you’re serious?” She looked at Fuuya, expecting the younger man to be in on this ‘joke’.

Fuuya glanced at Droite, giving her a small shrug.  He hadn't seen any evidence that suggested Mai wanted anything otherwise.  Mai nodded.

“I'm serious hon.  I came here hoping you were home, and Okudaira-kun was nice enough to let me in to wait for you.”  

“… What makes you think I’d be interested?” Droite asked. Honestly she was flattered Mai was still pursuing her, even after the case was over, but she couldn’t comprehend why.

“You deserve a break from all the police work...the Mutou case took alot out of all of us, after all.”  Mai said.

“Come on, have a seat.  Relax, and talk to me.  We'll have fun!”  She said with a bright grin.

Droite looked at Fuuya again and her eyes wandered over to the picture of Maya. However, the woman did walk over and sit down, not saying anything at first.

Fuuya just smiled at Droite, letting her sit next to him.  

“Did you want some tea, Droite?  I made some for Mai-san.”  He offered.

“Yeah…  that would be fine.” Droite muttered. She looked at Mai for a moment before she looked away, now not sure what to talk about since they weren’t at work.

“Alright.  Just wait here, I'll get it.”  Fuuya said, getting up and heading back to the kitchen to get Droite some tea.  

“So, Droite-san...I'm curious.  What made you choose police work?  Surely an intelligent and talented young woman like you had career offers from all over the place.”  Mai said, deciding to start the conversation since Droite wasn't.

“I’m sure I have told you this before,” The woman mumbled, shaking her head. “Well… I’m originally from Neo Domino City, and I was fairly poor. I grew up on the streets with Gauche… and I saw a lot of crime happen.”

The woman sipped her drink and looked at her cup. “It was chaos… and one day…” Droite stopped though, as if she was about to say something before she decided against it. It was too personal… too personal for Mai and even Fuuya. “… One day Gauche and I promised each other that we would do whatever it took to stop crime from happening. So we got our basic education in an orphanage and we worked our way towards being police officers.”

Mai listened patiently to the story.  That did explain why they reacted the way they did to Mutou's story about being homeless.  

“I heard the part about you being from Neo Domino.  That's quite noble of you to commit yourself to stopping crimes.”  Mai sensed there was more to the story than what Droite was telling her, but she figured the woman could tell her with time.

“My story wasn't nearly so noble...I used to work on a cruise ship as a dealer in the casino.  It was my job to distribute the cards and money, while watching for cheaters...it gave me quite a good eye and keen instinct.  I decided I needed a career change eventually...so I decided to start taking on cases after getting some credentials to be a P.I.  Now, I don't have to be tied to any association like I was tied to that cruise liner.”  Mai said with a smile.

“I see…” Droite said. She sipped her drink again and then she glanced over at Fuuya for a moment. She was glad he was here at least, it made things feel less… awkward she guessed. “Quite a big jump. You must have really wanted it."

“I really wanted freedom, and this was the best way to do it.”  Mai said with a smile.  Fuuya listened, interested in both women's stories.  He hadn't heard that much of Droite's.

“But I suppose your job jump was quite big as well...you probably had to work very hard to get into police academy training from where you were.  How long did it take you and Gauche?”  She added.

“Yeah… close to like… twenty years?” The woman paused before she groaned, rubbing her temples. “God… Twenty years in total. I’m getting really old.”

“I know the feeling hon.  It took me quite a few years to figure out what I wanted to do after the cruise ship...and I did that for at least a decade.”  Mai said sympathetically.  

“At least it’s not so bad… I mean… you’re both doing what you wanted to do now, huh?” Fuuya added. Droite smirked and nodded, sitting back up.

“I suppose so."

“That's true, and I'm glad for that.”  Mai said with a smile.

“Also, now that we're old enough to have experience, we get some seniority perks...like no more boring cases.”  Mai mused.

“The Mutou case wasn’t that boring…” Droite said, trying to hide her laughter. “You make it sound like we should be retiring to a home soon."

“The Mutou case isn't the kind of case they would've given the newbies...so by being more experienced, we got the more interesting case.”  Mai argued, glad that Droite seemed to be loosening up.

“Not at all hon.  I'm not ready to retire anytime soon...I live for exciting and interesting cases.  I'm not ready to call it quits yet.”  

“Okay, fair enough. You got me there.” She laughed and Fuuya smiled, quietly taking his drink. He was a little surprised himself with how fast Droite was loosening, even if she did seem a bit stiff,.

Of course not. There’s so much left to do. I don’t intend on retiring for years myself.” Droite said.

Mai smiled as Droite laughed.  It was such a lovely sound.  She wanted to make Droite laugh even more.

“That's good...then maybe there'll be another collaboration case someday.  I enjoyed working with you and your team.  They're an interesting bunch.”  Mai said.

“Who knows… maybe.” Droite said, smiling back at her.

“I'd certainly welcome an opportunity if it came up...”  Mai said, responding with a smile.  Fuuya watched, practically hiding his face behind his drink.  He felt a little out of place, but he was also happy for Droite.

Droite held the smile before she looked away, right at Fuuya’s direction. Usually she was quite good with conversation, but today she felt slow and tongue-tied. So she obviously went to dump the conversation on Fuuya.

“So… Did anyone call you back today Fuuya? About the job?"

“Oh...no, not today...maybe they'll call tomorrow.”  Fuuya said, surprised at the question but answering regardless.  Mai smiled.

“Job hunting can be tough...keep at it.  You'll get something eventually.”  Mai said with a smile.

“Ah, I thought you mentioned you were gonna have a call today.” Droite said. “Or was that with Yamikawa?”

Fuuya blushed a little, looking away.  He had definitely called Yamikawa today.  Mai chuckled a little at the other man's expression.

“Aww so you have a lover, huh?  That's sweet.”  

“He doesn’t get to see Yamikawa often.” Droite smiled, trying to explain since Fuuya was embarrassed to. “So he always mentions to me that he’s going to call Yamikawa to warn me he’ll be on the phone for a while. Fuuya is very considerate.”

“I try not to tie up the phone too often...Kawa lives out of town...”  Fuuya said softly.  Mai smiled.

“There's no problem with that...long distance relationships can be hard to maintain.  But it sounds like you talk alot.”  

“Yeah… it can be…” Droite muttered quietly, her smile fading a bit to something a lot more distant.

Fuuya noticed how Droite's mood seemed to dampen and immediately guessed where her thoughts went.  He reached out and grabbed her hand gently to comfort her.  Mai noticed as well.

“...Don't tell me you were in one you couldn't maintain...oh, hon that's too bad. I'm sorry.”  Mai said.  She had been in several too that she hadn't been able to maintain.

“Oh?” Droite paused and she raised her hand up, shaking her head, putting a strained smile on. “No, it’s not that. I did maintain the only one I was in. It just… ended quickly. Sometimes things just happen. I’m fine.” She said, squeezing Fuuya’s hand, glad she had her friend there to help her feel strong.

Fuuya smiled gently at Droite, trying to stay strong as well for both their sakes.

“I see...I understand.  Sometimes, these things are just...beyond our control.”  Mai said.  The way Droite was acting told her that she had probably been with someone who had passed away.  That meant probably Fuuya's mother...like she'd seen in the picture earlier.

“Yeah. I know.” Droite said, taking a deep breath, maintaining her composure. “I’m alright. Don’t worry about it."

“Alright.”  Mai said.  She smiled.

“So...since we just finished a hard case...are you taking a bit of a break?  Or maybe it's just been slower at the station.”

“Well, it’s been slower. They’ve yet to assign something much else,” she said. “Any particular reason why?"

“Simple..I was wondering if I could see you again sometime.  Maybe we could go out for coffee or dinner...since you don't have any pressing cases that would get in the way of that.”  Mai said.

“… You’re really intent on that date, huh?” Droite said plainly. “… Fine. I guess so. I don’t have anything else to do."

“That's right.”  Mai said with a smile.  Her smile widened when Droite agreed.

“Great!  Then we'll get together sometime soon...does this Friday work for you?”  Mai asked.

“Friday works nicely.” Droite smiled.

“Alright...wear something nice, cause I'll take you out on the town~”  Mai said happily, getting up.

“Thank you very much for the tea and chat, and it was lovely to meet you, Okudaira-kun, but unfortunately, I have to get going.  I'll come by to get you at 6pm on Friday, hon!”  Mai said, waving and winking at Droite before heading out.  Fuuya blinked and smiled, showing Mai out before turning to Droite.

“...Well...she seems really nice.  She's pretty too.”  Fuuya said.

“Oh… wha- I just agreed to dinner!” The woman exclaimed, her face going red. However, already Mai was gone, and Droite stared after in disbelief.

“Ah… so soon…” Droite muttered. However, she looked up and looked at Fuuya. “I guess"

Fuuya chuckled.

“It sounds like you guys will have fun on Friday night though!  It's nice to hear that you're going out...you don't do that often.”  Fuuya said, coming back and sitting down again with Droite.

“I go out with Gauche,” Droite said, shaking her head. She picked her drink up and sipped it, giving a small sigh. “She’s persistent, I’ll give her that.”

Fuuya smiled.

“Yeah, but you guys see each other at work so often that you usually don't spend that much time with him outside of it.”  Fuuya said.  He nodded.

“She seems to be, yeah...she really likes you.”  

“Some days it feels like all I see is Gauche,” Droite muttered. She went quiet though, and she looked at her cup, staring at the tea intently. There was a long pause before she sighed. “Is it really okay? I know she likes me… but...”

Fuuya smiled.

“Yeah!  It's fine, Droite.  I know my mom would want you to be happy...and if Mai-san makes you happy, then go for it.”  He said.

“She’s… I don’t know how I feel about Mai,” Droite said, looking up at Fuuya, looking calm but confused. “I just… I don’t know. I thought I was over Maya, but it still seems like I haven’t quite let go of the past. I’m… going to move forward and try see where Mai takes me but… I don’t know if I can completely commit or not.”

Fuuya smiled.

“Mai-san is just asking for a date...she's not asking for you to commit to anything right now.  Take your time...you'll figure it out.”  Fuuya said gently.

“I know… I know…” Droite said. “But I do feel like I need to know. I hate not knowing things… I always overthink it if I don’t know what I’m going to do."

“You'll be okay, Droite.  The date will probably be fun!  If you're enjoying yourself...you'll have nothing else to think about.”  Fuuya said.

“Yeah, yeah… I know. No need to repeat yourself,” Droite smiled, shaking her head. “Won’t be too bored on Friday without me, Fuuya?”

Fuuya smiled and shook his head.

“I can always call Kawa again...or maybe take a trip to see him.”  Fuuya said, flushing at the thought.  It was clear he missed his boyfriend.

“Could always surprise him, if you’re willing to make that hike,” Droite said. “You’re good to make it up all of those stairs. Doing it once was once enough for me."

Fuuya chuckled.

“Yeah they're a tough climb...but it's worth it for me to get to the top.”  Fuuya said with a smile.

Droite smiled at that. “You’re really determined, huh, Fuuya? It’s always been one of your strongest qualities”

“Yeah...I guess I am.  And if you say so, sure.”  Fuuya said with a chuckle.

“I guess I also just miss Kawa.  I was used to seeing him every day in prison, but now I'm lucky to see him once a month.”  Fuuya mused with a sigh.

“You can always move back into the temple with him. You mentioned that Yamikawa offered you a place there, right?” Droite asked.

Fuuya nodded.

"Yeah...but I don't plan on moving in for awhile...Rokujuro isn't ready to retire yet." He said.

“I guess so.” Droite finished her tea and smiled. “Well… guess we both have things to figure out, huh?"

Fuuya nodded.

"That's right! Well just have to keep going...and see what happens."

-x-

Shun had been in the city for the past couple of days now, and Yuuto felt like he was in a much better mood. His routine hadn't changed that much...except for at night, he and Shun would share his bed. Both of them were busy with their respective jobs, and saw little of each other but Yuuto was still much happier to have Shun back.

Today though, Shun was sleeping in and so Yuuto decided he would make breakfast for him, and also for his brother, whom he hadn't seen too much of lately. Yuuya was sleeping in as usual, and Yuuto knew he'd be woken up by the smell of pancakes, so he wasn't worried.

Yuuya was genuinely glad that Shun was here. Even though Shun did scare him at times, just having him around genuinely made his brother a lot happier. While the routine didn’t change, Yuto was a lot perkier, and Yuuya would catch him humming as he did his work, or smiling for no reason. It had been a long time since Yuuya had seen Yuuto smile, and he had missed it. He hadn’t seen it often enough, and now it was hard to catch Yuuto not smiling.

The man yawned he gave a small smile as the warm meal’s smell wafted into his room. Even though he wanted to sleep in a bit more, he wanted to go and do something fun today. Since Yuuto was so happy, maybe he’d go out with him to the shopping district.

“Mghh…” Yuuya got up and shuffled to the kitchen, still in his Pjs. He walked up behind his sibling and hugged him. “Morn..."

Yuuto hadn't really noticed his behaviour changes, even as he was humming softly to himself while cooking over the skillet. He sighed when he felt Yuuya hug him. So his little lure had worked.

"I'm not mom, Yuuya. Morning." He said, letting Yuuya hold him as he worked on the pancakes. He knew his brother would wake up with time and separate himself from him eventually.

“I said ‘morn-‘ like ‘morning’. Get your ears checked,” Yuuya pouted. He buried his face into his brother’s hair, laughing after a couple of seconds. He liked how carefree Yuuto sounded. The man pulled his head off and took a couple of steps back, stretching.

“Where’s Kurosaki? Thought you’d be attached to his hip."

"Just making sure you're actually awake and not sleep walking." Yuuto mused. He smiled a bit when Yuuya laughed and buried his face in his wild black hair.

"You seem to be in a good mood this morning..." He said softly.

"We're hardly attached...we both have work to do. Shun's still sleeping...he'll probably join soon. Since he didn't take off early today, he's probably got time for breakfast at least."

“You are too though,” Yuuya said to his brother. He smiled a little before he turned to grab the plates to set the table with. “I think you’re plenty attached. Otherwise you wouldn’t let him stay in your room. No one ever stays in your room, Yuuto. The only things that are in there are things you want to keep.”

“I guess so.”  Yuuto said with a small shrug.  

“This isn't just anyone...it's Shun.  He didn't want to take up one of my tenant's rooms, so we decided to share one.  That's it.”  Yuuto said, not looking directly at Yuuya as he tried not to blush a little.  Yuuya was kinda right.

“Sure…” Yuuya smiled as he set the table. “You know… He could stay around even after his mission is done. I mean… guys like Kurosaki need a home base, right? You should give him another reason to stay.” Yuuya hinted.

Yuuto raised a brow at Yuuya's suggestion.  

“...What exactly do you suppose I do, Yuuya?  Shun can't stay here long...his job requires him to travel around.  I can't give him a new job that would match his old one's pay or excitement, and his employer won't let him go that easy.”  He said, not sure he liked where his twin's mind was going.  

“Well… You could make him settle down. Not for good. But he likes you, and you like him, so one of you should put a ring on it. Obviously… And I thought you were the smart one,” Yuuya laughed.

"Yuuya for the last time, I'm not getting married! Settling down doesn't work like that this time!" Yuuto exclaimed, rolling his eyes as he had found out his guess on Yuuya's thought process has been right.

“You say that, but you totally want to. I can see it, Kurosaki Yuto…” Yuuya grinned, placing the cups on the table. “You’re gonna get married to Shun. You’re gonna PROPOSE to Shun.” Yuuya laughed, clapping his hands.

Yuuto felt his face flush up as Yuuya said his name and Shun's like that and then shook his head.

"No Yuuya, stop your clapping. It's not gonna happen. Neither of us are gonna propose." He said.

“Awww… You don’t want to? Awww… That’s a shame. I guess I’m gonna have to tell Kurosaki you don’t want to marry him.” Yuuya grinned. “It’s a shame. I always thought Sakaki Shun had a nice ring to it."

Yuuto's eyes widened and he blushed harder.

"Don't you dare say anything to him!" He exclaimed. Even though he did kinda agree with the second point, there were too many Sakakis in his mind.

“I’m telling him. It shouldn’t bother you. You said you’re not getting married.” Yuya grinned before he headed for Yuto’s room

"No!" Yuuto cried, taking off after Yuuya and blocking his path out of the kitchen.

"You're not leaving this room!"

Yuuya laughed and ran back around the table, back towards the pancakes. He made sure they were off quickly before he tried to dodge Yuto, wanting to get past him.

“Come on! What’s the issue? Unless you DO wanna marry Shun!”

Yuuto darted back around the table, trying to block Yuuya's exit as he tried to duck by his other side, and also catch him so he didn't try anything sneaky that might break something.  

“Shut up, that's not it!  Don't bug him with embarrassing stuff like this!”  He cried, face still flushed in embarrassment.

“What’s so embarrassing about this?” Yuuya asked. He ran away from his brother, trying to get him to stop blocking the exit so he could run “You just want to be with him forever. It’s nothing new, Yuuto. Come on! Live a little.”

“Everything!  Ugh...he doesn't have to know that.  He's got enough on his damn plate!”  Yuuto complained, ducking back around to block Yuuya again.  He wasn't about to let him get past him.

“But you said it was nothing~ Come on, Yuuto! Let me tell him!” Yuuya grinned, going the other way. “You’re really into him. You gotta get married."

"Just cause it's nothing to me doesn't mean it's nothing to Shun! Yuuya, no it doesn't have to work that way! It's fine how it is now!" Yuuto said, rounding back around to stop Yuuya again. He was getting fed up with this little game. He'd have to catch Yuuya soon.

“Then let me ask him! Come on Yuuto!” Yuuya said, mirroring his sibling exactly. He tried to look at the table and considered vaulting over it. “What’d ya got to lose?"

“Obviously, I could lose Shun over this!  If he gets too distracted, he could die in his line of work!  I can't get married to someone who leaves for extended periods of time, and could die on any one of his jobs, Yuuya.”  Yuuto said, frowning as he saw Yuuya's look and beating him to it.  He vaulted over the table, able to jump high enough to clear it with minimal damage and grab Yuuya.

“Please just drop it, Yuuya.  The time isn't right.  Maybe when Shun retires, we can actually settle down for real...but I can't marry him now.  It's not even in the foreseeable future, okay?”  

Yuuya stopped almost immediately as Yuuto started explaining himself, and was immediately swept into his brother’s grip. His expressed soured quickly and he looked down, ashamed of what he had said suddenly.

“… But… Is it really that… I’m sorry…”

"I know you don't understand this, but Shun's line of work is very violent and dangerous. He deals with experienced, professional killers on a daily basis. One wrong move, and he could die." Yuuto said, before sighing and hugging Yuuya gently when he watched his brothers expression sour.

"...you have nothing to be sorry for. You're looking out for me and you want me to be happy....I really appreciate it. You're not wrong...its just...not the time." He said softly.

“… I just thought… since you both are already so into each other… It’d just be something nice. Nothing would change… I just… hoped you’d be happy.” Yuuya mumbled, hugging Yuuto tightly. “And I just thought… I wondered if it would ever be time.”

“Maybe nothing would change either way...I mean, you said it yourself: we're practically attached at the hip and virtually married already.  And I'm happy that Shun's here.  I don't know if marriage would do much for that.”  Yuuto said, smiling a little, letting Yuuya hug him.

“Just be patient...I know it's not your strong suit.  If the time comes, then maybe it'll happen...but I'm happy regardless, okay?”

“Okay… But you gotta propose before Shun does, okay?” Yuya smiled.

“Who’s proposing now?” a voice said from the entrance to the kitchen.

Yuuto rolled his eyes and was about to answer when he heard Shun's voice coming from behind him.  He froze for a second before composing his face and turning to answer.

“Yuuya was proposing I wake you up before you leave, so we can make sure you have breakfast.”  Yuuto said smoothly, before smiling at Shun.

“So, have a seat and more pancakes will be ready in a second.”  He said, before grabbing Yuuya's arm and pulling him over to the counter to get the plates so they could finish setting the table.

“Here, Yuuya help me get these out.”  He said, before giving Yuuya a look that silently pleaded for him not to say anything.

“Right….” Shun said, his face saying that he didn’t quite believe it.

“Yeah! That’s right!” Yuuya laughed, looking over to the doorway where Shun was, a really poor smile on his face. Yuuya scratched the back of his head before he was whisked away by his brother and had the plates shoved into his hands.

There was a long moment of silence before Shun rolled his eyes and sat down, knowing that something was going on but not sure if he should be concerned or not. He had heard bits of the conversation though, even though he didn’t want Yuuto to know he had been eavesdropping on him again.

Yuuto remained silent as he turned the stove back on to finish making the pancakes.  He had made quite a few because he knew his brother could eat, and because he wanted Shun to do the same.  He had a feeling Shun probably knew at least that he was lying, since Shun had that ability to read him like no one else could.  But, he didn't bring it up, not wanting to give anything else away, and was grateful Yuuya didn't say anything either.  

“What is your plan for today, Shun?  You're usually gone by now.”  He said instead, pulling some pancakes off the grill and dropping them on Shun's plate with his spatula.

“I’m going to find out who else knows anything about Akaba’s supposed involvement with your case, meaning that I’m going to have my informant go and take me to where Kibou and his partner are,” Shun said. He gave Yuuto a nod of thanks before he ate the pancake plainly, not a fan of too many sweets. Yuuya was already slathering jam onto his pancakes and he frowned. “Isn’t Yuuto your informant?” Shun gave Yuuya a dry look before he got up to make himself a bitter coffee, not wanting to grace Yuuya with an answer.

Yuuto nodded, serving himself some pancakes and putting syrup on them.  

“Alright...I guess I have my day all planned out then.”  He said with a small smile, not minding spending time with Shun.

“What are you going to do today, Yuuya?”  

“Dunno… stay at home, I guess. I don’t really have plans,” Yuuya shrugged. “Probably do room inspections since it’s around that time of month, and you won’t have to do it later.”

“Ah, you don't have to do the inspections if you don't want to.  I can do them another time.”  Yuuto said.

“Maybe you could see if Yuuma's free?  Or your friends from the toy store?”  Yuuto suggested.

“I don’t mind. It’s fine. I like helping you out,” Yuuya said, getting the maple syrup and pouring it over the already jam-covered pancakes. “And I’ll see… I can’t bug them every day. I’ll have to check…”

“Alright...it's up to you.”  Yuuto said with a smile.  He glanced over at Shun.

“As soon as Kibou gets down, we can get going...”  

“Yeah, I’m ready.” Shun grunted, coming back with his coffee. Yuuya only just noticed that Shun was fully dressed, opposed to Yuuya being in his scruffy pyjamas. The older man sipped his drink and sighed. “I don’t want to waste much more time, alright?’

“Right...but you should still eat something.  You're not eating enough.”  Yuuto said to Shun, resuming eating his pancakes.  He was dressed too, unlike his younger brother who liked to roam around in his pyjamas.  

“I’m eating,” Shun frowned, taking another plain pancake anyway and ripping into it. “I usually don’t eat in the mornings though. You know that.”

“You should...you need energy.  Just coffee alone doesn't help your body function at its best.”  Yuuto said.

“I do eat.” Shun scoffed, “I usually have something at ten. It’s too early in the morning.”

“It’s ten-thirty, Kurosaki.” Yuuya said, double checking the clock. Shun frowned but looked as well. Sure enough, it was past ten.

“… Ugh… sleeping in has thrown off my schedule… Honestly…”

“It's probably good that you're sleeping in more too...you get in so late.”  Yuuto said knowingly.  Shun would sometimes crawl into bed with him as early as 3am.  

“No excuse,” Shun muttered. He swallowed the pancake and sculled his coffee. “When you’re done, we’ll head out. I didn’t know we wasted so much time."

“We'll be fine...I'm sure Kibou and whoever he's seeing has more information.”  Yuuto said, finishing up the last of his pancakes.

“Let's go.  Yuuya, don't forget to take your meds.”  Yuuto said, putting his plate in the sink.

“Ah yeah. I’ll see you when you get home.” Yuuya said. Shun gave Yuuya a nod before he also went to put his plate in the sink. He headed out and Yuuya waved Yuuto off. “You won’t be late, right?"

“I'm not sure how late we'll be...we could be gone all day.  Don't wait up, alright?  You need rest too.”  Yuuto said, smiling at Yuuya and waving to his little brother before following Shun out of the kitchen.  

“We'll go to Kibou's room and see if he's there.”  Yuuto said, taking the lead to guide Shun to the right room.

“See ya!” Yuuya said. After taking a mouth full of pancakes, Yuuya took his old phone out and checked his reminders. As he flicked through the calendar, he frowned seeing that he and and Yuuto had planned for a day out together at the mall. “… So that’s why Yuuto had a day off today.” He muttered. Yuuya had forgotten about it, and Yuuto had probably done so as well with Shun’s arrival. Yuuto rarely had days where he wasn’t watching his business, so any day that was devoted to one another was special. Yuuya put down his pancakes and gave a dejected sigh. He wasn’t surprised he had forgotten… but Yuuto… Yuuto never forgot.

“Oh well…” Yuuya mumbled. “It’s okay… he never sees Shun… We’ll go out next time.”

Oblivious to Yuuya, Shun gave a small grunt and he nodded in response to his old partner. He was finally going to meet this Kibou character, the one who had found this evidence and actually get to work.

“You’re sure he’ll cooperate, right?"

Yuuto was oblivious to the hurt of his brother, and had forgotten about their plans. He nodded. "Kibou isn't the type to complain and has been very helpful...though I am not sure about whoever he is working with." Yuuto didn't know who Kibou was seeing, but he figured he could convince the other to trust him and Shun. "Kibou, I need to talk to you for a minute." Yuuto said, knocking on Astral's closed door. Astral had been on the computer working on the case, preparing what they had found to catch the assassin and prove who had hired them. "Yuuto? Come in." Astral said, locking his computer screen so Yuuto wouldn't see what he was working on. Yuuto opened the door and entered, allowing Shun to follow. Astral immediately turned his gaze to the much taller and more serious looking man behind Yuuto in curiosity. He hadn't seen him before, which meant he was probably new...did Yuuto break him out? Yuuto noticed the glance. "Kibou, this is Kurosaki Shun. He's staying with us here for awhile for his job. We think you can help with that." Yuuto said. Astral frowned in confusion. "How so? Did you need a hack done?" He asked Kurosaki.

“I need information on Mutou Yuugi and who he’s actually working for. Heard you found evidence he’s associated with LDS… and I’m wondering just how legitimate that evidence is.” Shun said, looking at the small man. Astral was tiny, muscular but thin, and while he wasn’t exactly what he was expecting, Shun had long stopped judging people via their appearances. “I need as much as you know about Mutou and his belongings."

Astral's eyes widened a bit. How did Kurosaki and Yuuto know he was interested in that?

"I found the LDS pin, and I know you saw it too. I also know you've been looking at his room, taking pictures, forming a case." Yuuto said to Astral.

"And I suspect you're doing it for someone else as well. We want to know what you have assembled with them." Yuuto added. Astral frowned.

"...I have been trying to find out who tried to kill Mutou and who hired them...but, I'm not sure if I can allow you two to meet my contact. I've been keeping most of our information with him..." Astral said, concerned for Kaito. He felt he could  probably trust Yuuto, but he wasn't sure about Kurosaki.

“… I’m doing the same thing. I’ve been hired to figure it out, which is why I need your information,” Shun said, glaring at Astral. He already wasn’t happy with himself for making assumptions, since he had walked in and expected Yuuto to have the situation clear with Kibou. Now he had to deal with Kibou being apprehensive about them, rather than asking about his work first. “I need to do some work. Can’t you give me this info without your ‘contact’?"

Astral listened and considered things.

"I suppose I could go talk to him about it...but I doubt he would want to share the information with anyone aside from the cops." Astral said.

"We're on the same side, Kibou. We can share information and catch the assassin together. None of us can go to the cops on our own, but we all want the shooter and whoever hired them brought to justice. Your contact seems to be the best way to do that, since he seems to be able to get to the cops. More sources of information is better for all of us. Shun and I won't tell anyone who you're seeing." Yuuto promised. Astral frowned, thinking it over. What both men said made sense. He sighed.

"...Alright. I will ask him if he'll let you come with me to his house. Let me call him." Astral said, taking his phone and dialling Kaito.

Shun made a face, but he remained quiet, crossing his arms, figuring this was a waste of a time. However, he waited patiently for the call to go through.

“Yes?” Kaito responded immediately. “What’s the matter?"

Yuuto waited too, watching Astral on the phone.

"Hey...I came across some new sources of information about the assassins. Turns out, my landlord Yuuto has someone here who is doing his own investigating into things, and he wants to share info. I could bring them to your house if you want...but I wanted to see if that was okay with you." Astral said. He knew he and Kaito were mostly at a dead end...any new information would be valuable, he figured. The issues revolved more about trusting them to see Kaito and not blab that he was seeing an ex-cop.

Kaito frowned. “Your landlord. The one who helped you find the LDS clue?” The man drummed his fingers on his desk, thinking about it. “… Sounds suspicious. What if he and that guy is working for LDS? Or is trying to lead us off?’

"I found it on my own...but he did help me clean up the room I found it in." Astral said. He glanced back at Yuuto and Shun.

"...I doubt Yuuto is. He is independent of big business and doesn't seem to like Akaba from what I've seen." Yuuto rolled his eyes as Astral spoke. Definitely didn't like that guy.

"...I am not sure about the other. But, if Yuuto trusts him, then I feel I can as well."

“I see…” Kaito wondered if Yuuto could have planted the LDS clue in Yami’s book, and now wanted to help them to pin the crime on Akaba. The blonde closed his eyes as he thought and then pursed his lips. He didn’t like the idea of working with people besides Astral anymore, but they were certainly out of leads. “… Even if he’s against us and lying, it means that he knows something. It would benefit us either way to work with him, I suppose.”

"Alright. Then we'll be over soon." Astral said with a small smile. He knew that it was a big deal for Kaito to try and reach out like this.

"Okay. I will take you to my contact, but only if you both promise not to tell anyone who he is or that were affiliated." Astral said. Yuuto nodded.

"Sure. We can both keep secrets."

Shun nodded in agreement too. He had no qualms with this stranger yet, but he was ready in case he turned out to be a waste of time, or even tried to pull a fast one.

“Let’s go already then. We’re wasting time."

"Alright.  I will pack up my computer and meet you out front in a couple minutes then.  You two can bring whatever you have found as well."  Astral said, turning back to his computer to shut it down and pack it up.  Yuuto nodded.

"Shun, let's go."  Yuuto said, pleased that this was working out so far.

Shun already had his bag, so he headed for the door. “You got a car?” He asked Yuuto. “Besides your get-away car anyway.”

“Yeah.  I have another...we can take that.  You wait here for Kibou, and I'll go get it.”  Yuuto said once they reached the front door.  He headed to the small garage where Yuugo often stored his bike when he was here, and where Yuuto kept the car.  Astral arrived a few minutes after he left.

“....Where's Yuuto?”  He asked, a little weary of Shun, who towered over him and had a serious expression.

Shun gave a grunt in response and waited for his old partner. He bristled when he heard the door open behind him and turned, not helping Astral’s impression of him by glaring down at the smaller man.

“Getting the car. Give him a moment.”

Astral gulped a little, debating if maybe this whole thing had been a mistake.  What if Shun himself was the assassin?  He looked like he belonged in a prison...he certainly had the build of some of the bullies that Astral had dealt with during his sentence.

“...Okay.”  He said, trying to sound brave and immediately looking away from Shun.  Thankfully, Yuuto pulled up in the car.  

“Hop in guys.”  Yuuto told them.  Astral quickly ducked into the back, wanting to be as far from Shun as possible.  Yuuto took note of Astral's state and sent Shun a small look that asked him silently be play nice.

Astral’s fears would probably been dismissed as silly if he was just looking at him, but if people knew Shun was carrying guns in his bag, Astral’s uneasiness would have been more justified. Shun rolled his eyes and ignored the tiny man, walking to the car and getting into the front seat, next to Yuuto, an eye on Astral’s reflection in the mirror.

“… What?” Shun asked Yuuto. “I haven’t done anything.”

“Ease up on the glares a little.  You don't have to be staring at him all the time either.”  Yuuto said, noting Shun's gaze in the mirror.  He pulled out from the house once everyone was in the car.  Astral kept his gaze down, not wanting to provoke Shun, even if Yuuto seemed to be there to defend him.  He hadn't seen Yuuto fight, and since the other was shorter than him, he wondered if Yuuto would even be a match for Shun if the other decided to attack.

“Kibou, you gotta tell me where to go.  I don't know where your contact lives.”  Yuuto said, jolting Astral out of his thoughts.  

“Ah, yes...keep going straight.  Then take a left at that light.”  He directed.

“I’m not glaring,” Shun muttered, glaring at Yuuto for even suggesting he was. Shun knew that Yuuto could have beaten him in a fight back in the day, and could still give him a run for his money, so he relaxed. The man simply crossed his arms and stared out, his gaze softening as he looked back out to the old city. There really was no place like home.

Yuuto rolled his eyes.  It didn't matter that he knew that...it was that Astral didn't know that.  He smiled a bit at Shun's expression when the other calmed, and gave Shun's thigh a gentle squeeze without Kibou noticing in thanks, before turning his attention back to the road.  

Astral noticed the change in Shun too, and was relieved that he seemed to be more interested in the view than him.  He wondered briefly if Shun had been to Heartland before, before turning his attention back to directing Yuuto.

“Take a right...then it's the house on the corner.”  Astral said.  Yuuto nodded, following the directions and parking outside Chris' house.  The car was gone from the driveway, which told Astral that Chris had gone to work, or perhaps to see Miheal for the day.   The trio got out of the car and Astral approached the door, knocking.  Orbital 7 opened it, glancing especially at the two guests, before letting them in.

“Kaito-sama, Kibou-sama and guests are here!”  Orbital announced for Kaito.

Shun had expected some trashy place in the middle of nowhere, not what looked like a respectable, rich person’s house. He frowned especially when he saw a robot answer the door, wondering what kind of place Astral had taken them too.

“Let them in, and prepare to taze anyone that tries anything funny. Wait for my command,” Kaito said, as if illegal electrocution was perfectly alright. The blonde sipped his coffee and skimmed his fingers over the last of his notes before closing the file.

“… He’s pulling a fast one,” Shun muttered, storming forward. He walked down the hall, unescorted to the main room, but froze at the door when he saw Kaito, getting up and walking towards him. “The fuck? Tenjo Kaito?"

Yuuto was also surprised.  So that must mean that Astral was working with someone on the other side of the law...he wondered who it was.  He observed the robot for a minute, wondering if it was recording and filming him as it looked his way.  

“If he does, we can get out.  We're both fast enough.”  Yuuto said softly to Shun.  His eyes widened as he spotted the familiar face shortly after Shun did.

“...The ex-superintendent?  That's your contact, Kibou?”  Yuuto asked Astral.  Astral nodded.

“...Yes.  This is why I did not want anyone to say anything.  I do not want to be accused of conspiring with a cop and be beaten for it.”  Astral said.  Yuuto's gaze softened a little.  He could tell Astral cared about him.  Yuuto had read about Tenjo Kaito's retirement, and knew that he had vision problems, and was not officially on the force anymore.  That meant he didn't have the authority or the physical means to arrest them, if he decided to try.  As long as Kaito didn't say anything to his cop buddies, he and Shun should be fine.  

“… You sound like Kurosaki Shun and… Not Yuuya so… Yuuto,” Kaito frowned as he looked straight at the two men. He walked up to them slowly, and Shun looked him over, from how sullen Kaito’s face was to the way he limped as he walked.

“You look awful,” Shun said, bluntly.

“Funny, I couldn’t tell. I haven’t looked in the mirror lately,” Kaito sneered. Shun gave him a glare, but Kaito turned to the kitchen table, gesturing for the two to take a seat.

“So… contacts. Let’s get started. You want to help us figure out this whole conspiracy behind Mutou, huh?’

"You know each other?" Astral asked, surprised that Kaito had recognized Shun. Yuuto wasn't a surprise, since Astral had told Kaito about him. Yuuto nodded.

"Yes, that's me." He said, pleased that Kaito's ear was so good.

"It's part of Shun's contract...he's been hired by Akaba Reiji to hunt down the true perpetrators." Yuuto explained.

"...Akaba Reiji is one of our prime suspects...how do you know it was not him?" Astral asked.

“It was a long time ago. I still lived here,” Shun grunted. He looked away from Kaito but he went to sit as ordered. Kaito sat across from him. Kaito remembered this man. He was just starting out on the force then. He was on his first patrol when he had one of his infamous gut feelings, and followed it to find Shun killing his first victim. The two had scrambled, and both bore a couple of scars from the incident still. It had been a rough fight, but ultimately Shun was disarmed and beaten. Of course, Kaito considered it a loss since Shun had managed to escape capture when Kaito was trying to call for backup, while Shun considered it a loss because he had lost in the first place. Both men remembered the night well, and neither were happy to be sitting across from each other.

“Because Akaba has been busy dealing with other bigger fish in other countries. And if he wanted an assassin to do something, he would use me, and not some lunatic like Mutou,” Shun said loudly. If it was Kaito, he figured he might as well tell the truth. Anything used against him would just give him an incentive to kill the blonde.

Yuuto and Astral could both sense the slight tension in the room, and decided to each sit next to their respective lovers. Yuuto had a feeling these two had met on opposite sides of the law.

"So you are Akaba's hit man? Is it not possible that he sent Mutou instead because you had other things to do?" Astral asked. Yuuto shook his head.

"Unlikely. If Akaba wanted this big a job done, it would be Shun he would send. Akaba likes to test his hit men first as well....he wouldn't have hired Mutou randomly, and Mutou has no history with Akaba." Yuuto said.

"Plus....that LDS pin was a little obvious. If Akaba did it, he'd be thorough. He wouldn't give Mutou or any other hit man of his a pin tracing back to him."

“It is very obvious,” Kaito muttered. “I’m surprised that Akaba has a personal hit man though.” He opened his file and started to read it. Shun looked over from the table and scowled, realising that it was all in braille, and only Kaito could read it. Kaito was actively showcasing he had information the two couldn’t get without him, and suddenly Shun wanted to throttle him more than ever.

“Akaba has a lot of enemies. The work is necessary,” Shun muttered, “All the CEOs in the town are after one another. It’s doubtful that it’s anyone lower than top tier, getting your hands on an LDS pin is not easy. It means you’ve been to Maiami and you’ve personally met with Akaba yourself. It’s something to throw us off for sure, but it also narrows the search down."

Yuuto noticed Shun's agitation and the braille notes.  That was pretty clever.  He gently held Shun's hand to try and stop him from lunging, as he looked like he might do so at any point.

“Okay...then who would have access to the LDS pin in order to plant it with Mutou?”  Astral asked.

“...LDS pins are given out to Akaba's allies in the top tier.  Such men include Kaiba Seto, Michel Roger, Kawahara Raphael, Mr. Heartland, Pegasus J. Crawford, Zigfried, and several of the murder victims themselves.”  Yuuto said.  “Although, it is doubtful Mr. Heartland could have done anything in prison, and Kawahara Raphael was on Mutou's side during the trial, so I doubt it is him either.”  

Shun balled a fist, but he at least held himself back. Kaito didn’t look outwardly amused, but Shun had a feeling that Kaito knew exactly what he was doing. The man scoffed, trying to make it seem like Kaito didn’t have the upper hand. “I could have figured out that alone and started investigating each guy one by one,” Shun said. “You better have some damn information we don’t have.”

“You know a fair bit, Yuuto,” Kaito said, ignoring Shun. “You think we should share, Kibou?"

“Shun, we won't know what they have unless you're patient.  Calm down.”  Yuuto said.  He glanced at Kaito.

“I have some contacts of my own.”  Yuuto said with a small shrug.  Astral considered it.

“I suppose we could.  It sounds like they do know something...if we combine forces, we may find the assassin faster.”  He said.  

“… Right.” Kaito trusted Astral’s judgement, so he clicked his fingers. Orbital 7 rolled over and saluted to him. Shun just raised an eyebrow, evidently unamused with Kaito’s little toy.

“Yes, Kaito-sama?”

“Show them the footage of the incident regarding Mutou’s trial. The one where Miheal Arclight was shot.”

“Right away!” The robot beeped and projected the screen, displaying what Kaito and Astral had managed to get during the trial.

“Footage?  You got a recording of the assassin?”  Yuuto asked, surprised.  He and Shun didn't have that at all.  Neither of them were good enough with a computer to get such a thing.  He figured that would be Astral's doing.  He leaned in to get a closer look at the screen, frowning at the relatively poor shots that were gotten.  They were clearly from security cameras, and didn't have clear shots of the assassin's face.  

“...His build kinda fits what Yubel told me...don't you think, Shun?”  Yuuto said.

Shun grunted. While he didn’t like Kaito ‘showing off’, he did appreciate the information. The man stared at the screen and the looping footage, not answering Yuuto for a moment. “… Yes. It does. This guy is a big guy, one human eye, doesn’t use a scope in his gun but one in his other one. There’s a metallic tint in the retinas as it dilates, and you can see it on the camera.” “Can you?” Kaito asked. “Normal people can,” Shun scoffed, not realising most people seeing the footage could barely make out the face in the shot, despite the colour and lighting enhancements Astral showed.

Yuuto and Astral both looked closer, trying to see the same metallic tint.  

“...One of his eyes does look a little darker to me...”  Yuuto noted, Astral nodding in agreement.

“So, who is this person then?  Do you know his name?”  Astral asked.

“According to my source, he is a rogue from Sector Security...but we are not sure what his identifying number is.  That's all those men are usually identified with.”  Yuuto explained.

“… 464DC. See if that works,” Shun said, crossing his arms. Kaito looked at him but Shun was still staring at the footage. “If you can go into the Sector Security private data bases, see if you can ID 464DC.” “Why that name?” “Because I can see it on his face and shirt.” Shun said, pointing to a bunch of near-microscopic pixels. “I’ve fought Security guys. I know how to read the barcodes."

Yuuto shook his head with a small smile at Shun, amazed at his eyesight.  He hadn't been able to make out much of that same image.

“...I could try and hack into their data base...let me get my computer.”  Astral said, excited that they were actually getting something.  He opened the window and began to work, the others watching him intently.  

“This may take a few minutes...”  He warned, typing away to break through the firewalls and other barriers put up to protect the Sector Security database.  The others watched intently. Finally, Astral broke through.

“Here we go...”  He said, looking through the numbers and finally pulling up an image of a large, one-eyed man with the number 464D tattooed on his face.

“Volkov Sergey.”  Astral read.

Kaito listened to Astral type, and even he was surprised with how fast Astral was working. Sector Security wasn’t an easy place to break into, but Astral broke into the high security network as easily as some people put passwords into desktop computers.

“Volkov Sergey,” Shun said, reading it again. “He’s one of the top criminals in the country and one of the most brutal and violent men in Sector Security. It’s got details here. Guess this asshole tried to off Mutou.”

“Yeah...and when he failed that, he shot his psychologist.”  Yuuto said with a frown.  This man looked dangerous.

“His criminal markers indicate he was at least arrested in Neo Domino at some point...maybe that is where he hides when he's not on the job here?  Surely a man with that stature would be noticeable here...”  Astral said.  

“Not necessarily...this city can hide people very well.  But at least now we know who to look for.”  Yuuto said.

“We’ll need to start looking.” Shun said. “Then we’ll interrogate him and find who he’s working for. Sector Security doesn’t keep records of transactions, so we’ll have to depend on beating him up.”

“I suppose that I’ll start getting my contacts in the know. We need to get this CEO murderer to justice, and the man who hired him too.”

Yuuto nodded.

“I suppose we can all keep eyes out...Kibou can hack cameras and such.  I can ask around the Underground...and Kaito can look into the other side of the law.”  Yuuto said.  Astral nodded.

“Indeed...with more people looking we can find him faster.  But I'm not sure if we can condone the beating part...”  Astral said.  Yuuto frowned.

“...We may not have a choice. This seems like the sort of man who won't go down without a fight.”

“I can,” Kaito said. Shun gave him an inquisitive look, but he rolled his eyes.

“Are you the cop boyfriend?” Shun muttered. However, he could settle for teamwork, since he wanted to get the job done so he could be happy and stay with Yuuto for a while. “Wouldn’t it be a good idea to chase down this Sector Security head too?”

“Roger? True, he could have gotten the LDS pin himself without a contact, but that doesn’t mean he’s our culprit. He could be involved or not at all. It’s tricky to say."

“It is hard when Sergey is apparently rogue...Roger can easily just say he lost control of him.  There's his easy way out of any blame.”  Astral said.

“Plus, he would be hard to investigate...as head of a company that specializes in security, he probably knows a thing or two about hiding things from the public.  Even hackers would have difficulty getting dirt on him.”  Yuuto said with a frown.

“I’ll take Roger if you guys look elsewhere for Sergey,” Shun said. “It’s my job to find big time corporates and get what they know. I can take care of it.”

“I suppose it’s worth having one person on Roger. I’ll see that-“ Kaito started before he froze. He held his hand out for his companions and his eyes widened as he heard the car pull up in the driveway. “Ah… Chris is home.”

“… We should keep our meetings a secret. No one should know we’re here, let alone working together.” Shun got up. “Yuuto, we should bail.”

Astral looked up in alarm at the sound of the car.  Yuuto got up, helping Astral pack up his computer and any files that weren't in braille.

“We should plan another meeting location next time...one where no one can walk in on us like this.”  Yuuto told Kaito softly, taking Astral's arm and leading him quickly into the backroom to wait for Chris to vacate the front door.  There was no back exit to Kaito's house unfortunately, so all they do was hide and wait.  

“Kaito?  I'm back.”  Chris said, opening the door with a smile.  

“Welcome home.” Kaito yelled out, grabbing papers and checking it out. The man pretended to read the text, hoping Chris wouldn’t notice he wasn’t really reading as much as skimming his fingers. Honestly, he felt stupid hiding Astral, but then again, Chris had met Astral under two aliases already, it would be foolish to assume that he wouldn’t recognise him again, even with Astral’s makeover. Chris had seen him too often.

“We could escape through the window,” Shun muttered, pointing. “Does that make noise, Kibou?"

“I was never able to open it before...”  Astral said softly.  Yuuto sighed.

“Then it probably does make noise.”  He said, peeking around the corner.  Chris was moving away from the door, but he hadn't closed it yet.

“He moved away from the door...are you still as fast as you used to be?”  Yuuto asked Shun softly.

“Faster.” Shun muttered. “Let’s go. As soon as he passes us, we’re out.”

“...What?  You're just gonna run by him?”  Astral asked in shock.  He wasn't sure he could run that fast...

“Then you're carrying Kibou.”  Yuuto said, holding up an arm as a signal for Shun to wait.  Chris was coming closer.

“So, what've you been up to while I was visiting Miheal?”  Chris asked, entering the room with his sleepover bags.  It had been his turn to watch the youngest Arclight last night, so he was just now getting home.  As he moved past, Yuuto's arm dropped, and he started to run, knowing Shun would be right behind him.  All Chris saw was a couple of blurs of dark colors.

“Oy!  What the?  Who the hell was that?”  Chris asked, heading over to the door and looking outside to see...nothing.  No trace of anything that had gone by.  

“Kaito, I think we were just robbed...I saw someone run by me, I swear...”  He muttered.

Shun nodded and without another word, he hoisted Astral up over his shoulder. As soon as he was given the cue, the man sprinted out the door, heading for the car that had been hidden around the corner.

“… I didn’t see anything.” Kaito said, looking up at Chris. “Are you sure someone was there? I was here all day. I don’t think anyone would have entered without me or Orbital noticing.”

Astral was a bit startled as he was suddenly thrown over Shun's shoulder so easily.  He could only cling to Shun and his computer case for dear life as he was sped out of the house.  He was shocked that both of these men were so fast...he had no idea such speed was humanly possible.  

“...Are you absolutely sure, Kaito?  I swear...there was someone here.  Orbital, you didn't notice?”  Chris asked, knowing the robot had better sensors than his senses.  Orbital beeped and shook his head frantically.

“No, Chris-sama!  There is no one else in the house!  Only Kaito-sama and myself!”  He declared.  Chris frowned, but sighed.  

“...I'm gonna check if anything is missing...”  He said, heading into the offices.  He wouldn't find anything out of place indicating any other presences.  

Meanwhile, outside Yuuto unlocked the car and ran around to the front seat once Chris ducked back into the house.

“Come on guys.  Let's get out of here.”  He said, opening the door.  Astral gave a small yelp as he was put down, and got into the car as quickly as he could.  

“Yeah, you do that.” Kaito said, knowing that Chris wouldn’t find anything. He smiled to himself and continued reading the documents, then closing them up. “If nothing is gone, consider resting Chris. You might be seeing things or whatever.”

Shun dropped Astral on his feet and practically slid into the passenger’s seat. He frowned, but after a moment he shrugged. “That was… productive"

Chris sighed, finding nothing missing.

“Ugh...maybe I should get some rest.”  He groaned, heading up to bed with a sigh.  Maybe he was just seeing things...

Yuuto started the car and pulled out onto the road with a small smile.

“Yes, it was.  Now we have identified the assassin and can pursue him.  Thank you for agreeing to work with us, Kibou.”  Yuuto said, glancing at Astral in the rear-view mirror.  Astral nodded, giving a small smile.

“I am glad it was productive for all of us...we can meet again some other time to discuss more if needed.”  Astral said.  

“Stop working late. It’s bad for you,” Kaito said, despite only having four hours of sleep himself. He sipped his coffee before he got up, heading to the office.

“Yeah… But we’re all staying in the same house. I’ll ask Yuuto if I need to get anything to you.” Shun muttered.

Chris snorted.

“I could say the same to you, Kaito.”  He called, before the other ducked into his office.  Chris headed upstairs to have a nap.

Astral nodded, not minding having to go through Yuuto.  He preferred dealing with Yuuto over Shun anyway, since the larger man scared him a little still.  

“Alright...I suppose you're going after him soon then?”  Yuuto asked Shun.

“I’ll be packing my bags and doing research. I’ll probably head out as early as tomorrow. Whether I come back or not depends on the activities of Roger,” Shun said.

Kaito promptly ignored him. He figured that this was far more important than sleep, and he might as well get it done before he died anyway. The man sat down at his desk and began pulling up old files, making a list of contacts to get in touch with. “I’ll be packing my bags and doing research. I’ll probably head out as early as tomorrow. Whether I come back or not depends on the activities of Roger,” Shun said.

“...Alright.”  Yuuto said, frowning a bit.  He hated the idea of Shun leaving so soon...but he also understood that the other had a job to do.  

“We can keep an eye out for Sergey and let you know if we find him...or if other CEOs here act strangely.”  Yuuto said, knowing he, Kibou and Kaito would probably also continue to investigate the CEOs in Heartland in general who were suspected of hiring Mutou and Sergey in the first place.

“Right… And hopefully I won’t kill Roger,” Shun said, very seriously. He didn’t know what else to say there so he fell quiet, looking out to the busy streets of Heartland again. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be gone from Heartland long, if not at all. If Roger was in town, he’d have a chance of cherishing the home he missed and the man he loved, for at least a little longer.

“I hope you don't.  He has a lot of guards to go through before you get into him.”  Yuuto said.  Astral was a little alarmed by this idea, reminded once more that Shun had killed people.  But, he did want to catch this guy too.

“According to my research...Roger is in Heartland City for awhile.  Some sort of project is going on here that he is involved in.”  Astral said.  Roger was one of the CEOs that he and Kaito had been looking at as potential suspects, even though Roger hadn't been at Mutou's trial.  Yuuto smiled.

“So I guess you're staying here then.  No need to pack.”  He mused.

“… Right. I’ll still do my own research, but if that is true, I’m not going to immediately leave.” Shun looked at Yuuto and he couldn’t help but give him a very, very small smile. He didn’t want to leave anyway.

Yuuto met his gaze briefly with a smile of his own, reading Shun's intentions loud and clear.  He was glad Shun didn't have to run off right away.  It would give him more time to enjoy his company.  

“We'll all work on it.”  Yuuto said, finally pulling back up to their apartment building and parking the car.  Astral nodded, getting out of the car with his computer.  

“I will give you updates whenever necessary.”  Astral said, before heading into the house.  He was glad to be away from Shun for awhile.  The man was a little intimidating.  

“… Don’t get out of the car,” Shun said, putting a hand on Yuuto’s arm once Astral had gotten out. “… We should… Go out for a bit. I have things to ask you, alone.”

Yuuya was only just sweeping the floor, sighing dejectedly. The day had been too quiet, and no one had caused any trouble. It was good that no one was fighting, but Yuuya couldn’t help but feel a little lonely. He was just about to start the front room when he saw Astral and his eyes widened.

“Kibou? You guys are back?"

Yuuto had been about to get out and carry on his day as usual.  He had the strangest feeling that he was forgetting something...but then Shun grabbed him before he could remember what it was.  He looked at Shun in surprise.

“...Sure.  Are we driving there?”  Yuuto asked, wondering what it could be.  Astral smiled a little as he saw Yuuya.  

“Hello Yuuya.  Yes, but I did not see Yuuto or Kurosaki get out of the car yet.”  He glanced back the way he came and saw no one following.

“...Perhaps they had something to do?  Kurosaki seemed quite eager to get started on his work after all...”    

“… Does that spot by the docks still exist? The one we used to go to all the time?” Shun asked quietly. “That’s still private, right?”

“Ah… Right. They did say they’d be out all day. Probably just dropping you off.” He said, smiling.

Yuuto nodded, thinking back to all their previous encounters there.

“As far as I know, yes.  I haven't been down for awhile.  We can go see.”  Yuuto said with a smile, starting the car again to drive Shun and himself there.

“That makes sense.”  Astral said, hearing the car start off and leave distantly.

“Well, I suppose I should let you get back to sweeping...I have projects to work on as well now, to help your brother and Kurosaki.”  Astral said with a small smile.

Shun gave a small nod to Yuuto and then he looked out the window again. He was feeling a bit better now that it was just him and Yuuto, even if he didn’t know what to say. He let Yuuto fill the silence as he looked back out to Heartland, the part of him aching for the city finally satiated.

“Ah… Yeah,” Yuuya looked out behind Astral and he saw the two heading off. He was glad Yuuto was with Shun, even if it was for ‘work’. “Good luck, okay? Let me know if you need me."

Yuuto drove the speed limit, making his way down to the docks, in a comfortable silence.  He stole glances at Shun every once in awhile, seeing how the man was looking out the window at the city.  He figured Shun was happy to be home.

“Has it changed much to you?”  Yuuto asked softly, knowing that Heartland had been through quite a bit during Shun's absence.

Astral nodded.

“Thank you.  I will.”  He said, smiling at Yuuya before heading back to his room to get started on his research.

It took him a moment to figure out how to respond, but after a moment, Shun spoke, still staring out the window “The skyline is different,” Shun muttered. “There are more buildings and more lights, but less screens along this area. There are more people, definitely.”

“It… feels different,” Shun admitted, “The atmosphere feels different but… it’s not that different. Still looks like home.”

Yuuto nodded in agreement.  Plenty of businesses had been moving here to Heartland over the last few years, mostly because Neo Domino seemed to be falling a little.  

“It still feels like home then?  That's good...”  Yuuto said with a smile.  He continued to drive for a few more minutes before finally pulling in to park as close to the docks as he could.  

“We'll have to walk from here.”  

“Better than how we used to do it,” Shun snorted, getting out of the car. As kids they would have to walk and run here, and usually they wouldn’t arrive by evening.

He looked around at the familiar area.  It was a peaceful day, and the docks looked like they were busier too, but judging by their surroundings, ‘their’ spot should be still empty. Without a word, he walked forward, hoping Yuuto would follow.

Yuuto chuckled.

“That's true.”  He said, recalling coming here when they were little.  It had been a nice escape from life...and Yuuto was glad that sort of peace was still around, despite the obvious uptick in business.  He followed Shun as the other walked, glancing around and taking in the docks.  It had been a long time since he'd been around here.  The biggest difference was that the sun hadn't set yet...they usually came by later at night.  It looked as though plenty of the workers were packing up for the evening though, which meant even if their little 'spot' wasn't deserted yet, it would be shortly, Yuuto guessed.

Shun could see them walk off, back and forth on the other docks. The man was both a little surprised and relieved that the old, rickety pier that he and Yuuto used to walk on was empty, still not repaired after all these years. Giving a small smile, he walked out there.

“… The breeze is the same."

“...Yes.”  Yuuto said, letting it ruffle his bangs around as he glanced out over the water with a small smile.

“...So is the calming sound of the sea.”  He added softly.  He had always liked the sound.  The peaceful feeling it brought him was always reassuring.  

Shun nodded in agreement. Slowly, he stretched his hand out and took Yuuto’s hand, squeezing it. He didn’t say anything, and he didn’t really need to. It was clear that he hadn’t really wanted to tell Yuuto anything he hadn’t already said.

Yuuto smiled at Shun as the other took his hand.  He squeezed back to show he understood.  He wasn't quite sure what to expect when Shun had asked if he wanted to talk...his mind had involuntarily drifted back to Yuuya's breakfast teasing about marriage.  But, he knew Shun and guessed that the other hadn't thought about it.  So it was only a tiny part of him that wondered if that was what Shun had wanted to talk about.  He shook his head slightly at his brother's ridiculous idea being planted in his head.  Of course that wasn't going to happen.

“Wanna sit and watch the sunset?”  Yuuto asked as they approached the end of the pier.

“Well we’re already here,” Shun muttered, looking over to Yuuto. He smiled though, not smirked, genuinely and honestly. “We might as well be here for as long as we can."

Yuuto's smile widened and he gently pulled Shun down to sit next to him on the edge of the pier, still keeping their hands joined.

“...I missed seeing you smile.”  Yuuto said softly.  He knew Shun didn't do it often.  Smirks, yes, but not true smiles like this one.

“Didn’t have much reason to before,” Shun said. He hated pretty much everything about his life and circumstances, so besides his sister, Yuuto was the only thing that really made him smile. “Being here… it brings back memories. Being with you… makes it better."

“I was afraid of that...you really are working too hard.”  Yuuto murmured, leaning against Shun with his head resting against the man's shoulder.  He smiled a bit.

“I'm glad being back makes it better though...I feel the same.”  He added.  He had Yuuya of course, who did make him smile, but when Shun was around, he felt even happier.

Shun glanced at the man on his shoulder but didn’t protest. He just looked out to the ocean, admiring the sea. At least the ocean didn’t change in Heartland. It was still as vast and unnaturally blue as ever.

“… ‘M glad. You know… there were times where I thought we’d forget each other, you know?”

Yuuto followed Shun's gaze and sighed.

“...I always hoped that wouldn't happen.  I don't want to lose you.”  Yuuto said.

“… Same. I always assumed you’d forget me first… since you’re more grounded and all.” Shun’s grip tightened on Yuuto’s hand. “I always wanted to visit and remind you, just in case, but I never got the chance."

Yuuto squeezed Shun's hand tightly.

“...I guess so.  I don't have anyone I'd rather be with than you...even if you didn't visit.”  He said, glancing up at Shun.

“...But I'm glad you're back now.  I really missed you while you were gone.”  Yuuto said, knowing he'd said it before but the words alone couldn't accurately describe how much it had pained him to be unable to see Shun and spend time with him.

Shun nodded. He would have said the same, but he didn’t really want to mimic Yuuto. Instead, he took the man’s face gently and pulled him into a tender, loving kiss on the lips.

“… I wish I could stay. Some day, I will. We’ll build a home in Heartland like we wanted and not have to live like… this."

Yuuto returned the kiss, melting against Shun.  He had missed this so much, and it felt so nice to be in a familiar place with Shun once more.  When the other parted to speak, he listened with a slightly solemn expression.  Of course, he knew realistically that Shun had to leave.  But...partially due to Yuuya's influence, he wished he could somehow convince Shun to stay.  Yuuya was an idealist, someone who liked to dream, and Yuuto wished he could be the same in this regard.  Yuuto knew that having a nice ending could easily be a fairy-tale dream...Shun could die on the job at any given moment.  Yuuto had seen all the new scars he had...some had looked deeper than others, and were in pretty vital locations.  An inch or so more to either side could have made those shots fatal...

“...I know you mean to...but...”  Yuuto said, sighing softly.  He wanted to say how he was worried about Shun whenever he left, but also wanted to believe that Shun was strong.  He knew Shun would never go down easily...but he still worried in the back of his mind.

“...we're not getting any younger.”  He decided on saying instead, holding Shun close.

Shun looked at Yuuto’s face, studying every inch and angle of the man in front of him. They weren’t young anymore, it was true. Middle age was dangerously approaching them both, and it seemed more apparent today when Yuuto was looking so serious. Shun rubbed the man’s angular jaw and let his fingers trace the coarse skin, feeling the light stubble there. The man sighed, the sorrow in his eyes reflected in Yuuto’s grey ones. He didn’t know what to say at first and he let Yuuto hold him. He ran his fingers through Yuuto’s long hair and buried his face in it, immersing himself in the scents of copper and smoke- the rough scent of his partner.

“…I’ll get out of this contract with Akaba, Ruri will go out and support herself, and I’ll come back here.” It could still take years though. Even though Shun was known to be fearless, he couldn’t help but notice the waver in his heart, and that same worry Yuuto had come and haunt him.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being away so long.”

Yuuto let the other man trace his face, seeing his worries reflected in his partner's eyes.  He held him close, resting his face against Shun's jacket and taking in his rugged scent.  He closed his eyes with a small sigh as the other man stroked his hair.

“...It's not your fault Akaba is so tough on you...”  Yuuto said softly, kissing his cheek.

“...I'll hold you to your word.”  He said, stroking Shun's face gently, trying to memorize the feeling of his boyfriend before he had to leave him again.

“Kinda is. I actually read the contract. I knew what I was getting into. I made a choice,“ Shun scoffed. As much as he hated what he had gotten himself into, he hated even more not taking responsibility for it. He wasn’t forced to become a hitman. He just found it catered to his needs so long ago. “I didn’t know it would end up keeping us away from each other for so long.”

Shun let him touch his face before he leaned in to kiss him again. There was little more he could do besides just enjoy Yuuto and what they had left. Nothing lasted forever, even if it was as good as that. Shun just had to grab what he could, and chase for more.

“You didn't know exactly what it meant...nobody did.”  Yuuto said softly.  He kissed Shun back, holding him close, and pressing his forehead against Shun's once they parted.  

“I'm glad you come back anyway...no matter how long it's been.”  

“… I’m so glad you’re still mine,” Shun muttered as he leaned back against his partner. “I was always waiting for that call to say that it was over… I was worried.”

Yuuto smiled at Shun's words, holding him close.

“...I'm glad you're mine too...I wouldn't call it off.  There's no one else I want to be with.”  Yuuto said softly to Shun, kissing him again.

“Same here,” Shun muttered. “… I will spend the rest of my life with you."

Yuuto smiled wider.

“...Good.  That's what I want too.”  He said, hugging Shun.

Shun gave a small laugh as Yuuto hugged him again and he hugged him gently back. “I promise to get through everything, okay? I love you.”

Yuuto held Shun close, smiling as he heard Shun's gentle laugh.  It had been awhile since he'd heard it, and he had missed it.

“...You'd better...I love you too.”  He said softly.

Shun kissed his forehead and let Yuuto hold him for as long as he wanted. There was no changing anything now. All they could do is enjoy the reprieve, before beginning their mission anew.

-x-

Since Miheal was insistent on returning to work, despite the fact that he still had a cane and an obvious limp, Thomas was driving him.

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Miheal?”  Thomas asked.

“I’m fine. I sit all day in my office. It’s not an issue,” Miheal huffed, looking over the case files as his brother drove, still trying to catch up with all the work he missed. “Nothing is going to happen, Thomas.”

“Yeah, but you also deal with mentally unstable and potentially violent patients!”  Thomas exclaimed, parking the car outside the Correctional Facility.  He got out of the car to go around and help his brother, but stopped at the trunk along the way.

“That's why I made this for you.  It's got a sword inside it see?  This way you can protect yourself!”  Thomas said, pulling out the top of the cane to show Miheal the blade hidden inside its case.

Miheal waited for his brother to come around and undid his seatbelt. He packed the objects away and looked up, pausing as he saw Thomas and the present. He stared, dumbfounded for a minute before his grip tightened on his bag. “What the- Is… Is that my sword from home? Or did you get another one? Wait! Never mind that… Thomas! This is completely unnecessary!"

“It's yours of course!  I don't have an antique sword collection.”  Thomas mused.  

“Just take it, Miheal!  Nobody said you'll have to use it, but just in case, you'll have a means to protect yourself!”  Thomas said, holding it out to him.

“Where the hell did you get this made anyway? Are you sure it’s okay? I keep it in good condition, but that doesn’t mean it can be used as a cane!” Miheal exclaimed. He took the cane and looked it over. The beautiful, gold-embossed hilt was exposed to be used as the handle, but the rest of it was covered by a sleek, black case.

“How am I supposed to get damascus steel past the metal detector anyway?"

“I know a guy who can do this sort of thing!  It's still fine Miheal, don't worry!”  Thomas reassured him.

“Just walk through with it, since you have a limp, and then when they ask you why you went off, say you got metal rods in your leg to help you walk?”  Thomas suggested with a shrug.

“… You’re awful and over paranoid, you know that right?” Miheal said, staring at his brother. He looked at the cane and got up. He wanted to study the case, but for now he had to trust the brother the casing could hold it. “… The cane case is made of metal. I suppose if the leg excuse doesn’t work, that will.”

He looked at it and turned on his brother. “So when you were putting my things in the boot, you swapped my normal cane for this, right? Geeze Thomas… I’m not getting the normal one back, am I? I’m going to ‘have to be safe…’”

“That could work yeah!  See, I knew you'd think of something.”  Thomas said with a smirk.  He smiled innocently.

“This is your normal cane!  You don't have another anymore.”  Thomas said.

“Now come on.  You wanted to go to work.  So go to work!  Have a nice day~”  He said with a grin, closing the passenger door once Miheal got out and then going around to the drivers' side.

Miheal glared at his brother as the man grinned and he watched him get back in the car. He walked over to the window and stared the man through the window.

“After work, we’re having a long talk. I’ll see you later…” He said as seriously as he could. With that, he turned off and sighed, slowly making his way back to the Correctional Facility.

Thomas smiled and waved Miheal off as he pulled out of the parking lot, not at all concerned about the threat of a 'serious talk'.  

The receptionist and guards recognized Miheal and welcomed him back warmly, glad that their top psychologist was feeling well enough to return to work.  They didn't even bat an eye as Miheal's metal coated cane set off the detector, not even needing an excuse as to why he was bringing it in, since the man had an obvious limp.

“Unfortunately, Dr. Arclight, the repairs on the East Wing are not quite complete yet...the only way to your office is through the cafeteria.  The patients are on lunch right now, but we can go around them.  I'm sure you're eager to get caught up again on your work.”  The guard said, bringing Miheal to the cafeteria and opening the door for him.

Miheal was nervous but he masked it under his genuine relief to be back at work, among the staff members he enjoyed talking to. He responded kindly and watched as the guards gave his cane the all clear before he walked inside, escorted off towards the West Wing.

“Ah, I see. Thank you very much then. I’ll be happy to get back to it. I don’t mind walking out there.” He didn’t. Miheal often felt like he needed to look at the floors himself, in case any of the prisoners were hurting one another. He heard that happened sometimes when he wasn’t looking around. The man walked across the floor, not caring if his cane could be heard against the hard tile floor, or he could be seen so obviously.

The sound of the door opening did not draw much attention, but the unfamiliar sound of the cane did.  Heads were turning towards Miheal.  Eyes widened as they recognized their psychologist, but it was obviously more than that.  The limp reminded the prisoners what Shinji Weber had told them...that Dr. Arclight was shot.  When Miheal approached prisoners, many of them got up immediately and backed away in alarm.  Did this mean what Shinji had said was true....was Dr. Arclight experimenting on patients?

Yami glanced over when he heard the sound and chuckled a little at the reactions.

“This is even more fun than I thought it would be...”  He mused softly to Koutei.  Wait until Shinji saw this...

Koutei looked over and he frowned, seeing everyone scatter. He didn’t really listen to rumours since he didn’t like talking to other people besides Mutou. He glanced at Yami and then followed his gaze, seeing Shinji suddenly stand up and point dramatically at Miheal.

“There! There! I knew it! I knew it!” Miheal didn’t even look at Shinji yelling. However, instead of rushing to him, Shinji made a run to Yami and Koutei, before slamming his hands on the table. “Oy! Oy! You knew it! You knew it!” he said to Yami.

Yami blinked in surprise when Shinji came up to him. He smiled a bit.

"I told you the truth...I'm glad you believe me now." He mused.

“I do! I do! God… the experimentation probably is true too,” Shinji said, a mix of horrified and excited. Koutei just stared, confused. “Do you you have any more info?"

Yami didn't comment on the truth of the experimentation. He honestly doubted it, but it was fun to play with Shinji a little.

"Nothing yet...maybe after I have a session with him I'll get to see what's going on." Yami said, before pausing.

"Although...with the reactions he'll probably know that I'm telling on him eventually...it's risky to say much more. What if I'm his next victim?" Yami said softly.

“Alright! You’re the man, Mutou!” With that, Shinji cheerfully slapped Yami on the back. “We’ll protect you in any case. We gotta stick together, right?"

Yami groaned a little as Shinji slapped his back and smiled a bit.  The noise Shinji was making was certainly drawing attention.  Other prisoners were seeing him being acknowledged by Shinji and would probably respect him now.  That was good for his reputation.

“Of course.  Thanks.  The more the merrier.”  Yami agreed with a small smile.

“When do you see Arclight next? Man… that guy is crazy. I heard he keeps a sword at home. Probably uses them on people without blinking an eye,” Shinji said, beginning to ramble. Koutei looked at Yami, very, very much confused.

“I'm not sure...I haven't had any therapy sessions yet, so I'm not sure when my time is for it.”  Yami said honestly.  As Shinji began to ramble, he tuned him out a little in favor of Koutei.

“...Dr. Arclight was shot at my trial, so I told Shinji...and this happened...”  He said softly.  

“… Really? That’s all you did?” Koutei asked. He wondered if Yami did anything more, but looking up he saw Shinji began rambling about harmful bee-human hybrid experiments within ten seconds, with little to no segway. There was a blank stare before he looked at Yami.

“You’re not really helping him get better.”

“That's all I did.  He inferred other things from that tiny fact.”  Yami said softly.  He chuckled a little.

“It's not my job to make him better...it's more fun to see just how far he takes a simple little truth.  Shinji's a valuable ally...he's buddies with all of these prisoners, and now he considers me valuable. He and his buddies will look after me and Yuugi, when you can't.”  Yami mused.

“Yeah, but it’s still kind of messed up,” Koutei said. He did pause though, seeing the reasoning in the man’s words. He never considered anything manipulative like that before, but Yami did it so easily. “I guess it makes sense. I mean… You know how we met. I’m not exactly friends with anyone else here."

“Not as messed up as the things he's suggesting go on here...”  Yami mused, watching Shinji continue to ramble, basically turning to other prisoners to share his stories with.  

“If you want, I can get you some other friends too.  That way, bullies might be less inclined to hurt you.”  Yami offered, which he knew was uncharacteristic, but he felt he owed Koutei something.  The other clearly was having a hard time here.

Shinji was the sort to just buzz from one group to another, seeking to spread his stories anyway, and Koutei was a little relieved he was gone. The blonde shrugged and shook his head.

“… Thanks. I appreciate it but… probably better not to. I don’t want to get too cushy in here."

Yami shook his head.

“It's not about getting cushy.  It's about having connections, allies...strength in numbers.  You need that in prison.  People do get violent, as you know, and guards aren't usually inclined to stop fights.  If you're alone, you get hurt.”  He said firmly.  Clearly Koutei had never been to prison before.  That was both a good and bad thing in this case.

Koutei shrugged again. The man slowly put his fork down and gave a long, tired sigh. “Fine by me. I don’t really care if I get hurt or not,” he said honestly.

Yami frowned a little at Koutei's words and posture.

“...You should, you know.  Cause people care about you.”  He said simply.

Koutei balled his fist and gritted his teeth. He knew he used to have people who cared and loved him, before he threw it all away for reasons he didn’t remember. He had Alit’s friendship and platonic love once, but he didn’t any longer. Self loathing sunk into his core again and he looked away.

“Sure I do.”

Yami wore a face of pure disbelief.  

“You have a lousy way of showing it then.”  He said, clearly reading right through Koutei's lie.  He knew the other didn't like himself.  He had known that for awhile, while they were playing games.  He had a better idea of Koutei's problems then the other realized, but he didn't want to share it.  He couldn't.  Just thinking about it made Yuugi stir and Yami groaned softly.  

“I means sure I have people who care. Like genuinely, actually care. It doesn’t matter, does it? It doesn’t affect you or Yugi,” Koutei muttered under his breath, still not looking at Yami.

Yami groaned softly as Yuugi stirred once more.  He put his hand on Koutei's head.

“It does...you idiot.”  He muttered.  Koutei was such a weird guy.  He was different than other people Yami had played with, that had clearly wanted something from him.  But, Koutei had seemed to basically just want his company...it was weird, and it made his head hurt to think about it.

“...Yuugi cares.  He threw himself in front of guys three times his size to try and protect you...and he'd do it again, if you were getting hurt.”  

Koutei made a small grunt as Yami laid his hand down into his coarse blonde hair. He opened his mouth to protest, but the words were caught in his mouth when he saw how Yami was looking at him and what he heard. That was true… Yuugi did care at least a little…

“… More like pity. If it was anyone else being bashed, he would have done the same. He’s that kind of person, right?” He knew Alit would have, no matter what kind of person it was. Yuugi seemed so similar, just physically weaker but just as passionate about people.

Yami sighed.

“Probably...but it's not pity that drives him.  It's genuine worry for people he could be friends with.  He cares about everyone, even strangers.  That's how he is.”  Sometimes he cares too much, Yami added silently.  

“That does get him into trouble...but he doesn't mind it at all.  He considers the pain worth it to get a new friend...he's happy he made friends with you Koutei.  He wants you to be okay.”  He said genuinely.  He could tell exactly what Yuugi's emotions were in that regard, groaning as his head hurt once more.

Koutei pondered those words but he didn’t reply. He didn’t have anything to say, and as selfish as it was, he was glad to have a distraction, even if it was Yami getting headaches. He frowned and leaned up, pulling him down.

“Oy… You okay? Going to switch?”

Yami felt a little dizzy as Koutei pulled him down next to him, blinking rapidly to try and clear his vision.  Needing something sturdy to rest on, he leaned his head against Koutei's shoulder to wait until the world stopped spinning.

“...Maybe...”  He said, face scrunched in pain.  Yuugi was waking and seemed to be moving.  But, Yami wasn't sure if a switch would come or not.

“...I don't think the meds they're giving me are working yet...or...not as they should be?”  Yami had thought that they were meant to stop the switches from happening, and although they had slowed down, he seemed even more aware of Yuugi in ways he hadn't been before.  There were moments when he felt Yuugi there when he shouldn't have been.  It was weird.

Koutei petted Yami’s back for a while and he frowned. Getting on new medication was always hard, so he pushed Yami’s water over to him, just in case.

“You should mention that to your doctor. It could be important.”

“Sure...when I see them...”  Yami said softly, still a little out of it.  He took a small sip of water, and then groaned as his head pulsed once more.  Yuugi liked the comfort he was receiving, and Yami wanted to deny that he felt the same.

“...Do you know when therapy is?  Generally?  Now that Dr. Arclight is back...I'll probably see him...but I'm not sure when...”

The blonde didn’t mind, continuing to pet Yami’s head.

“The guards will give you a schedule. Usually there’s a period in the afternoon dedicated to therapy that suits the doctor and you. Now Doctor Arclight is back, you’ll probably see him today or tomorrow,” Koutei said.

“...I hope it's soon then.”  Yami said with a small sigh.  Now he was getting a little bit too comfortable for his tastes, with Koutei gently petting his hair.  He couldn't allow himself to let his guard down that much, despite how Yuugi liked it.  He groaned a little and forced himself to sit up, ignoring how the world immediately spun when he lifted his head off of Koutei's shoulder and instead rested his head down in his arms on the table.  

Koutei gave a sympathetic smile and patted his back. “Hopefully you guys will get what you need. Dr. Arclight is… nothing like Shinji says, honestly. He’s a good man. He’s sensible and tries to do what’s best for you lot. It’ll be okay."

Yami frowned a little when the comforting continued but didn't protest.  He was too tired too.

“I know...I've met him once.  He did a psychological analysis on me to see if I really was sick before my trial.  He seems interesting...and he's nice to Yuugi, so I don't mind him.”  Yami said, feeling his head pulse again.

“Ah, yeah, you mentioned seeing him before.” Thanks Shinji. “Don’t worry about it too much. If not today, you’ll definitely see you tomorrow and get you set up.” Koutei said. The siren signalling breakfast was over went off and Koutei sighed.

“Come on, let’s get out of here."

“...Yeah.  Soon, I hope...”  Yami murmured, getting up once the siren went off.  He stumbled his way over to the exit, wanting to get back to his room and collapse on his bed.

-x-

Thomas had been making his way home, before deciding that he should check on Takashi.  The man was glad that his brother was doing better and hoped his friend was doing okay.  He parked outside the house and went to knock on the door.

“Takashi?  You in?”  He called.

As Koutei helped Yami back to his room as far as he could, and Thomas was knocking on his front door, Takashi was off in his own little world. The TV was on, but the front door was open, so while Takashi wouldn’t answer the door, Thomas could let himself in.

Vector’s body had been taken to one of the private hospitals, one of the ones that Cathy owned, as planned. Even though he knew her only as Ena, and seen her the least out of the Numbers Club, he trusted her. Back when he was given the oxygen tanks, Vector had the sense to have call Cathy to cover his body. He had told her the truth, the whole truth about who he was, but since he knew that she cared a lot about her friend, he had made her swear secrecy. She didn’t like it, but for Takashi’s sake she made sure that Vector’s real identity wasn’t made public knowledge when a coroner’s report was produced.

Takashi had been presented the body a few days afterwards, and he had buried Vector in the memorial he had out back, the one meant for Vector anyway. He tended to the garden every day, unlike the rest of the house and himself. Like Vector had predicted so long ago, Takashi’s despair had made him forget his medication, and the bottle sat unopened on his desk, amidst a filthy room that Takashi would have never stood for before.

Umbral mewled sadly as he pawed Takashi’s hand, somehow sensing something wasn’t quite right with the man but unable to figure out just what it was. The man gave a small smile to the kitten and chuckled.

“I just filled your bowl, Umbral,” Takashi said, referring to the overflowing bowl of cat food. “Are you just pestering me because you want to see Vector?”

“What do you mean? I’m right here.” Takashi looked up into the blankness of the kitchen and he smiled softly, seeing Vector standing there, looking how he did before the cancer hit. “What a drama queen.”

“Play nice, children,” Takashi laughed, getting up. He walked over slowly to the illusionary Vector and he watched as Vector leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. He could feel how warm Vector was, how his lips were soft and his face healthy.

“Make me.” Vector stuck his tongue out and nuzzled his face into Takashi’s shoulder. Takashi laughed out loud and the hallucination grinned. “I love you.”

“Takashi?”  Thomas called again, knocking on the door a few more times, and eventually he decided to try the handle.  It was unlocked.  He opened the door, and immediately was overwhelmed by the smell of rotting food and filth.  He could see into the living room...and was totally shocked.  There were snack bowls set out – two, Thomas noticed – full of mould-covered chips and sweets.  The television was on, but there was no one in the living room watching it.  Thomas paled as he suddenly heard Takashi laugh, and went into the kitchen.

The kitchen was worse then the living room...there had been several meals prepared and set out again, for two, but each time only half the plates had been consumed.  Sometimes even the plate Takashi had made for himself wasn't even emptied.  The cat food bowl was overflowing with old, smelly food, and Umbral looked a little worse for wear, clearly confused and not being looked after very well.  

But perhaps what was most disturbing was the state of the man himself.  His clothes were dirty, his hair uncombed and facial hair unshaven.  His face was flushed and his eyes glassy, unfocused.  Takashi smelt like he hadn't showered in awhile and looked a little thin, as if he was forgetting to eat.  He hadn't even noticed Thomas yet, because he was muttering to nothing, saying 'I love you' and reaching out his trembling hands to open air, as if he could see something Thomas couldn't.  

“Promise me you'll look after him...when I'm gone.” Vector's words echoed in Thomas' head and Thomas immediately felt horrible.  He had promised Vector he would look after Takashi, but recently the incident with Miheal had drawn his attention away.  He had doubted Vector, deep down, thinking that Takashi was stronger than this.  But it was clear now that Vector had been entirely correct on his predictions of Takashi's mental state, and Thomas had let both of them down by ignoring that warning.  He took a deep breath and shook off his own frustrations and sadness.

“...Takashi...hey...it's me, Thomas...”  Thomas said, approaching Takashi slowly, trying to get his attention but not wanting to startle him, since he was clearly not in his right mind at the moment.

Takashi was in a good mood though. Vector was here and everything was fine. The blue-haired man was ready to be whisked off and dance with Vector- like they sometimes did back in life to playfully make fun of Takashi’s formerly bad foot and do something romantic- when the man heard Thomas’ voice. The man looked up when he heard his name and he did look a little surprised to see him. However, the shock disappeared and Takashi gave a kind smile to Thomas.

“Hey… I didn’t hear you come in. Sorry, Thomas.” He gave a sheepish laugh and scratched the back of his tousled hair. He shoved ‘Vector’ off of him as best as he could and stumbled a bit. “Hey! Thomas is here. Behave.”

“I don’t wanna. Mine first. He can come back tomorrow,” the hallucination said cheekily. Takashi laughed and shook his head.

“Sorry,” Takashi looked at Thomas, “What brings you here?"

Thomas gave Takashi a weak smile.  He was glad Takashi was coherent enough to recognize he was here...but it was a little weird to watch him stumble a little and talk to something that wasn't there.  

“Sorry...the door was open.”  He said.  He bit his lip a little.  What could he say?  What could he do?

“...I came to see how you were doing.”  He decided on saying at last.  He knew where Takashi kept his medication...he figured it would be best to bring him back to sanity first.

“It looks like you haven't been taking your medication, Takashi.  You need it.”  Thomas said, getting Takashi the dosage he needed and scowering the kitchen for a mould free cup.  When he finally found one, he filled it with water and offered both to Takashi.

“That’s nice of you,” Takashi said. “I’ve missed you guys.” He hadn’t seen anyone else lately. He had gotten a lot of phone calls, but he only answered some of them. His door was usually locked too, so Yuuma or Tokunosuke (those two especially) could never get in and assumed he was out. He hadn’t left the house in a while though. He just could never hear them yelling, just lost in his own little world. “… Ah… but I don’t really need them. I’m alright.” Takashi found his way to a chair and he sat down, absent-mindedly pushing a filthy plate aside. He looked at the water and the offending tablet before he shook his head. “Really. I don’t want it.”

“Yeah, I'm sorry for not stopping by...I've been busy.”  Thomas admitted.  He frowned as Takashi refused the medication.

“You do need it, Takashi.  You really do...please take it.”  Thomas said, not sure what to do if Takashi refused completely.  How could he force him to take a pill?  

Takashi looked at the medication and he sighed a little. “I guess so… But I don’t know why you have to remind me. Vector usually tells me when to take them.”

“You’ve already taken them.”

“He says I’ve already taken them."

Thomas frowned.

“...You need to take another dose.  It's been too long since your last dose.  Vector must have lost track of time...you know how he always spends so much time on his laptop.  He forgets.”  Thomas said, deciding to play along with the hallucination.  If this didn't work...then what would?  

“… I guess so…” Takashi frowned. His hallucination said nothing to him thankfully, but he could feel Vector put a hand on his shoulder. He glanced back and smiled at no one before he sighed and took the pill, swallowing it and then sculling the water like he always did.

Thomas breathed a small sigh of relief when Takashi took the pills.  Now, hopefully, he'd start to realize he was hallucinating.  

“Alright...good...now...we should probably...clean up a little.  It looks like you haven't done the dishes in awhile.”  Thomas said.  That was clearly an understatement.

“I’ll load the dishwasher later,” Takashi said. “It’s alright. You don’t have to do my chores,” He dismissed. He had seen Vector do them, so he figured it was fine. “Sit down. We can talk or something.”

“Do something fun,” Vector quipped, stretching out for Takashi to see. Takashi rolled his eyes and shook his head, smirking a bit.

Thomas hesitated, but eventually relented despite the fact that sitting put him that much closer to the mouldy, bug-covered plates stacked in “Vector's” spot at the table.  He sat down and tried to disguise his own disgust.

“Okay.”  He said, noticing that he was clearly missing something between Takashi and his hallucination.

“...What have you been up to, Takashi?”  He asked, deciding talking until the meds kicked in would be alright.

“Hm? Oh, just hanging around, really. Vector and I have just been doing things at home. Resting mostly, but I’ve been doing a lot of garden work. It’s looking really nice out back.” Takashi smiled.

“I help too,” Vector pouted, sitting on the table. Takashi just shot Vector look and the hallucination cackled. “Okay, not really. But I’m the moral support. I’m needed anyway.”

“And you, Thomas? How have you been?” Takashi said, not noticing Thomas’ poorly-hidden disgust at the table in front of them.

Thomas smiled a little at the mention of the garden work.  He had suggested that, and was glad Takashi enjoyed it so much.  

“Really?  I'll have to take a look.”  He said, wondering if Takashi had actually maintained the garden, or if he had imagined it like he imagined Vector looking after the house.

“...Well...I'm doing a lot better recently.  My brother, Miheal, was in hospital for awhile...he was shot at a trial recently.  But, he's back at work now and seems to be doing okay.  I'm relieved.”  Thomas said, breaching this topic cautiously.  He didn't want the close encounter with death to set Takashi off because Vector had actually died.  

“I can show you, if you want,” Takashi said. He loved the garden. It was a bit of Vector and a bit of him too, and he really liked how vibrant the back garden looked. It was really the only genuinely beautiful thing on the property these days.

“He was in hospital? Oh… I’m sorry to hear that. I’m glad he is okay…” Takashi said.

“Sure.”  Thomas said immediately, a little eager to get out of the house and get some fresh air.  He was also relieved that Takashi took Miheal's news well.  He smiled.

“He's doing really well...got himself a boyfriend too, actually.”  Thomas mused.

“A boyfriend? Really? That’s really good to hear. So things are looking up for him, huh?” Takashi smiled. He got up out of his chair and led Thomas through the disgusting household, passing over the objects on the floor without a care. He opened the backdoor and walked down the couple of stairs.

“What do you think? Pretty good, right?"

“Yeah, it is.  He's still going to physiotherapy, but other than that he's okay.”  Thomas said with a smile.  He was glad to be out and took a breath of fresh air with a sigh.  He was pleasantly surprised by the garden.  It was clearly very well cared for, and Thomas was smiling at the sight.  There was one thing that stood out though...and Thomas' face fell.  Surrounded by beautiful flowers was a blank stone, and beneath it relatively freshly dug up earth, was Vector's grave.  Thomas had no idea he'd been buried here, and wondered if that was beneficial to Takashi's mental health or not.  

“...Your garden is really pretty.”  Thomas said, walking through it and he knelt down next to Vector's grave.

“...I'm sorry I didn't get here for him sooner...”  He said softly to Vector's tombstone.  He wondered if the real Vector was glaring at him somewhere for letting Takashi fall this far.

“Mmm… well I’m glad it’s worked out,” Takashi smiled. He was proud of his garden, his little memorial for Vector. The hallucination followed the men out, but it was quiet, as if it too knew what was wrong even if Takashi didn’t yet. Takashi’s eyes looked at the pale stone but then glossed over it, knowing that ‘Vector’ was behind him.

He didn’t expect seeing it would make him feel a little sick though. “Yeah… It’s just evolved into a real hobby. I don’t work at all, so I have lots of time on sunny days to work on it. We’ve had good weather lately.”

Thomas knelt by the grave and Takashi looked at the tombstone again. Thomas was sad for some reason… but he wasn’t sure why.

“Are you okay?” He asked, trying to pull his eyes away from the headstone.

“...Yeah.  I'm glad too.”  Thomas said softly.  He frowned a little.

“...Maybe you should get work somewhere part-time...it might help you feel better.”  Thomas said, noticing how Takashi seemed to be acting a little bit different now that the was faced with the tombstone.  Was he going to wake up?  His face fell a little.

“...Just...paying my respects to Vector...and apologizing.  I should have been here for you earlier, Takashi.  I'm sorry.”  Thomas said sadly.

Takashi barely heard Thomas say what he did. The man just stared at the tombstone and the earth, the blindfold over his eyes finally released. Fear shot through him, and the instinct to run coursed through him, but he was frozen in place. The medication was far from working, but Thomas being there, solidly there, and being outside in his garden was prompting Takashi awake once more. “… Did… did you know?” Takashi mumbled quietly, not looking at Thomas. He looked down at the arms around his shoulders and he pursed lips. The hallucination didn’t reply, but it felt like it was hugging him tighter, trying to convince Takashi that he was there and he existed in some way and form. “… He was here, Thomas. He’s still here. That… That moment… He…” Takashi could feel tears well up in his eyes and he covered his face with one of his hands. “He didn’t die. That was a nightmare. He can’t… he didn’t… He told me...”

Thomas watched Takashi in silence at first.  He was starting to wake up, it seemed, and Thomas didn't want to intervene.  

“...I know you see him...but I don't.  He's...he's gone, Takashi...”  Thomas said softly, feeling like he wanted to cry too.  He reached a hand out to Takashi, silently offering support.  He placed a hand on Takashi's shoulder, unknowingly placing it right through where the hallucination was also holding Takashi.

Takashi could feel it, and to him, it was as real as the Vector who was hugging him. He balled his fist against his face, feeling his tears rush past onto his cheeks.

“Tell him he’s lying. Please…” Takashi mumbled silently to Vector. Vector moved his arm out of Thomas’ and he curled them around his stomach. Even if it felt real, Vector wasn’t talking to him. Takashi reacted to his hallucinations, not the other way around. He couldn’t force the reaction he wanted so badly. But Vector wouldn’t be quiet. He’d make a dumb joke and carry on hugging him, or insult Thomas somehow. He would at least say his name and reassure him.

“I… I …” He didn’t know what to say, really. In the end, his legs felt weak and Takashi crumpled to the ground away from Thomas and the hallucination, so he could just cry.

Thomas just watched silently as Takashi seemed to puzzle it out in his head, and he finally helped catch Takashi so he wouldn't hurt himself when he collapsed.  He almost felt guilty for waking Takashi up from his happier hallucination, but it wasn't healthy for Takashi to be in that world.  Vector had known this would happen and had wanted him to try and stop Takashi from doing this.  He gently rubbed the man's back as he cried.

“You're going to be okay, Takashi...I'm here for you.”  He said gently.

Takashi clung to Thomas desperately, hugging him tight. He wished he could say it felt different to have him there, but it was how he felt the hallucination. The touches were just as genuine and caring. It only served to make him more and more confused, and a part of him begged to be dragged back into that happy place again.

“Oh god… He really is gone… Oh god…” All those times he thought Vector was around, watching or laughing or interacting with him… He was really there under the ground, only close when Takashi was gardening.

Thomas enveloped Takashi in a hug, petting him and trying to comfort him as he bawled.

"It's alright...just let it out...I'm here. I promise I'll be here for you...Vector wanted me to help you, so I will. You'll be okay." Thomas said to the sobbing man.

Takashi just cried and hugged Thomas harder. He was shaking and he suddenly felt very, very sick. The man just let despair take over him for a while. Minutes later, he was still shaking and crying, but the wails had died down, and Takashi was calmer despite how upset he felt.

Thomas just held him and gently pet Takashi, murmuring reassurances to him as he did so. He was glad that Takashi was calmer after a few minutes.

"...There. You're doing fine...you'll be okay..." Thomas said as Takashi finally stopped wailing. He kept holding him in comfort and being a steady rock for him.

Takashi looked up at Thomas, shaking quietly. “… Why… Why am I like this?”

"Because you loved him...you really loved him." Thomas said gently.

"...he's in a better place now, Takashi. He's not in pain anymore...and I'll help you feel better too, alright?"

“I know he is… I know…” Takashi mumbled. He slowly pulled away from Thomas and he sighed, looking away. “I just…”

Thomas let him go, but still kept close in case Takashi needed support again.

“I understand...you're struggling to deal with his absence.  I felt the same when my mother died.”  He said gently.

“I just don’t know what to do without him. I just… really don’t.” Takashi said, blinking sleep out his eyes. He was suddenly tired. “I know I have to get better but… how? Where do I go from here, Thomas?”

Thomas frowned in thought.

“...Everyone has different ways of dealing with loss.  For you though, maybe getting out more would help.  Being with friends, getting a part-time job, volunteering...that sort of thing might help take your mind off things.  You'll heal with time.”  Thomas said, recalling Takashi's really messy house.  Clearly staying at home didn't help Takashi at all.

“… I probably should just… go sleep. I… I don’t know…” Takashi said. He could hear Thomas’ words, and what he was saying made sense, but he simply didn’t know what to do about it, especially in the short term. He sat down on the floor and he held his hands together, holding himself.

“Um...about that...”  Thomas started, unsure how to tell Takashi that his house was a mess.  He was sure that extended to the bedroom as well.

“...We might have to...clean up a little first.”  He finally decided on saying.

While awake, Takashi still wasn’t completely in the right frame of mind, but he still nodded. Slowly, he stood up and sighed. He was just tired from crying and while not actually sleepy, he just didn’t know how to cope with being awake anymore. He just… didn’t know what to do.

Thomas got up with him, ready to help him into the house.

“I might be able to call Mist's maid service to help out...”  Though they'd probably need extra pay for something like this...  “We'll just get you to bed for now, okay?”  He said gently, going to open the door for Takashi.

“… Alright…” Takashi let Thomas guide him through the house. While once upon a time he would have freaked out about the mess, he regarded it with dull apathy, and just stumbled slowly to the bedroom, thankfully a room that wasn’t as bad in the house.

Thomas was relieved that the bedroom wasn't so bad.  That meant Takashi could probably sleep in peace.  He sighed and let the man into the bedroom.

“Get some rest, alright?  I'll be here if you need me.”  Thomas said gently.

“You have to go off after, don’t you?” Takashi sat on his bed and looked at Thomas. “I’ll… I’ll be fine.” He could see Vector still out of the corner of his eye. “You can go..."

“No.  I'm not leaving you alone, Takashi...it's not good for you.”  Thomas said firmly.

Takashi looked at him slowly, as if trying to judge if he was lying before he sighed. He pulled himself into the bed and he closed his eyes. “Goodnight…”

Thomas nodded.

“Night.  I'm going to call some maids to help clean this up okay?  Sleep well...”  He said softly, heading out of the room to grab his phone and dial up the maid service that Mist used.

Takashi watched him go and he sighed again. He pulled the blanket over his head but not over his face. The hallucination Vector just looked at him sadly, and walked over to stroke his head.

“… I want you to go away but… I’m scared. I wasn’t ready… I said I was but… I wasn’t.”

“I know… I’m sorry. I love you…”

“I love you too. I hope you really are in a better place,” he murmured, closing his eyes.

As Takash laid down, Thomas called the maid service, telling them to come to Takashi's house.  They knew him from their contact with Matsuda, so they said they would be there shortly.  Next, Thomas figured he should alert some of Takashi's friends about Takashi's mental state.  The most obvious to come to mind would be Yuuma, since he knew that he knew Vector's true identity.  But, he didn't have Yuuma's number...so he had to call Shark instead.  He dialed the blue haired man and waited for him to pick up.

“Whoever this is, piss off.” A groggy voice muttered back into the phone. It was nearly ten thirty in the morning, far too early for a slugabed like Shark was. “I’m trying to sleep."

“Is that a way to greet the subject of your greatest affections, Ryouga?”  Thomas couldn't resist the tease despite the seriousness of his call.

“But, today it's not you I'm after.  I need to talk to your husband.”  

“Fuck off,” Shark grunted. He sighed, but instead of hanging up like he wanted to, he pulled the blanket off his head and lifted his head up.

“Yuma! Phone is for you! Get out of the kitchen!” Shark yelled, not bothering leaving the bed.

Yuuma was humming to himself and making onigiri before he heard Shark's call.  He frowned, rushing back into the bedroom with a grin.

“Who is it?”  He asked, picking up the phone.  

“Hello?”  

“It’s a bastard.” Shark passed the phone over and he curled back into his bed, intent on sleeping. Thomas gave a small laugh at the man but he changed his tone as soon as he heard Yuuma.

“Yo. It’s Thomas,” he said, glancing back at the bedroom. He walked to the kitchen and he went to change Umbral’s bowl of food and water, figuring that was better done sooner rather than later, “When was the last time you saw Takashi, Yuuma?"

“Inchou?  Ah...it's been a little while.  I haven't seen him since a couple days after Vector died.  I kept trying to come see him, but he never answered the door.  I thought he wasn't home.  Was he with you?”  Yuuma asked.

“Ugh… that’s what I thought. No one has seen him lately,” Thomas cursed and dumped the old cat food in the bin. “He’s been at home. I’m here now and his house is worse than a pig’s sty.” He groaned and wiped his hand. “Listen, Yuuma. Takashi’s been off his meds. I’ve just put him to bed. He’s been hallucinating Vector and probably been blacking out. He’s in an awful state.”

Umbral purred loudly as he was given new food by Thomas and nuzzled him appreciatively before digging in, clearly starved of good food lately.  

“Really?  Oh my gosh...that's awful!”  Yuuma said, alarmed by this news.

“...Do you need me to come over and help?  Is he taking his meds again?”  

“He’s taken one fucking pill. I don’t know how long he’s been off it. Someone needs to watch him, or that boy’s not going to take it.” Thomas absent-mindedly petted the cat and frowned. He was under the impression that Yuuma didn’t understand the full extent of the situation.

“I do want you to come over. I got maids coming over but I need you to understand how bad he is. He needs a lot of help, Yuuma. You’re one of his friends… He needs us."

“Right...okay.  I'll come over right away!”  Yuuma said, not liking the sound of this but it was definitely serious, he figured.  

“Shark, get up!  We gotta go to Inchou's!”  Yuuma called to his husband.

Shark pulled the pillow over his head in response. “What’s wrong? Why do I have to go?"

“Because Inchou and Thomas need us!”  Yuuma said.

“Hang in there Thomas, we'll be there soon okay?”  Yuuma said into the phone.

“Yeah, I will. I’m not going for a while,” Thomas frowned. “See you later.”

Shark sighed but he sat up. “What’s going on?"

“Okay, see you soon!”  Yuuma said, before hanging up and turning to Shark.

“Inchou's in trouble...he's not doing well without Vector.  We gotta go help Thomas make sure he's okay!”  Yuuma said.

“Inchou… the blue guy, right?” Shark barely knew him, but seeing Yuuma’s face, he sighed and went to swap his sleeping pants for jeans, keeping his shirt on. “Alright. We’ll bike it. Do we need to bring anything?"

“Yeah...”  Yuuma said, smiling when he saw Shark getting up.

“We'll pack some onigiri for the road!”  Yuuma said, heading into the kitchen to pack up the food he'd managed to make.  He grinned at Shark and gave him a hug and a kiss.

“Let's go.”  

“Is it a picnic or is it serious?” Shark frowned. He accepted the food though and grabbed the bike helmets off of the shoe rack for the both of them, heading downstairs. “How bad is it?”

“It's not a picnic!  It's just for us...you're grumpy when you don't eat.”  Yuuma said with a grin.  He frowned a little more.

“...It sounds like it's bad.  Thomas said he's hallucinating Vector because he isn't taking his medication.  And that his house was a pig sty...”

“I’m not grumpy,” Shark huffed grumpily as they headed to the garage. “But are you sure? Inchou. Takashi Todoroki. Isn’t he the one who stayed and helped clean up after our wedding… and then kept cleaning when I said ‘Fuck it, good enough’? Same guy?”

“Yeah...that's what Thomas said anyway.  I guess Inchou really isn't doing well...we'll have to see.”  Yuuma said with a sigh.  He followed Shark to the bike, putting his helmet on and waiting for Shark to get on before climbing on behind him.

Shark put the helmet on and revved the bike up. He sighed as he let Yuuma grab on and zipped out of the apartment, heading to the more residential district of Heartland City. It didn’t take them too long for them to get there, and soon enough, Shark was knocking on Takashi’s door.

“Arclight. You in there?"

Thomas was still inside the house, doing a little bit of preliminary cleaning as he waited for the maid service or Yuuma to get there, whoever came first.  He went to the door and opened it when he heard the knock.

“Ah, you guys made it.”  Thomas said.  Yuuma gaped as he saw the state of the house.

“Holy...that's worse than I thought!”  He exclaimed.  It really was a mess inside!

Shark squinted as the door opened, and for a second, he was tempted to just leave. He had lived in the orphanage, a shit apartment, and in the sewers for a time, and he had to say he kept his sewer base neater than this when he was a teenager. He looked up at Thomas and frowned.

“You called us to clean and explain, right?"

“Not really to clean...I called Mist's maid service.  They should be around soon, but I've been doing some small cleanup stuff.”  Thomas said, inviting them inside.

“Okay...we'll help.”  Yuuma said, coming in and helping to throw out old moldy food.  As they worked, Thomas explained things.

“I came over today...and he was hallucinating.  He was talking to Vector right in front of me, acting as though he was still there when there was clearly nobody.  He'd forgotten he was dead, then when he saw his memorial outside...he began to wake up and just broke down.  That's not healthy.”  Thomas explained.  Yuuma frowned.

Shark sighed, but it was a dark situation so he decided to help without complaining. Thomas hadn’t even made a bad cleaning joke like he did last time Shark worked for him, so he knew it was something serious. He got to work on moving the thrown books from the floor to the shelves and he frowned.

“No shit it’s not healthy. But he’s been hallucinating? How come no one’s seen him? Or at least tried to call him?”

“I tried to come see him but he didn't answer the door!  I thought he wasn't home...and I tried calling him but he didn't answer.”  Yuuma said with a frown.  Thomas sighed.

“He's too lost in his fantasy world with Vector to bother with real world things like that...”  He mused, moving some dirty dishes into the kitchen to wash later.

“Is Takashi the type to not take his medication?” Shark still didn’t know him that well. “Man… a guy like that really shouldn’t be living by himself. How is that allowed?”

"Apparently...he was pretty good at it before to my knowledge..." Thomas mused, although he was internally kicking himself again as he remembered what Vector had told him.

"...Vector predicted this though. So maybe it was him who was holding Takashi together." He added with a frown.

"Well that doesn't matter now! We've got to be there for him! Maybe help him out by spending time here with him....and making sure he takes his medication."

“Maybe he should move in with one of the gang if it’s as bad as you say,” Shark frowned. “No… wait. If Vector is buried in the backyard, he won’t want to leave. I doubt he’ll let us. Maybe if your friends rotate staying here if no one can stay permanently?"

"Yeah...he wouldn't want to leave if Vector is here." Yuuma said.

"I'll call the Numbers Club and get everyone taking turns!" Thomas nodded.

"I'll do some rotations too...I'm worried about him."

“That man ain’t right,” Shark muttered. He sighed as he straightened up the living room, putting everything back together. “We should call a doctor or a specialist to give him a look too. He had that brain inflammation thing, right? He shouldn’t be off his meds for so long. He might have some real brain damage.”

"Yeah...we can take him to the hospital maybe.  We need to get him healthy."  Thomas said, putting dishes in the sink so he could wash them.

"Ugh...how did he live like this...Inchou must really be out of it.  He was always really clean in school..."  Yuuma said, putting trash in the bags.

“Like Thomas said, in his own little world with Vector,” Shark muttered. “Things change, I guess. Not always for the better, unfortunately.” He went to the coffee table where a laptop was open, still on due to the charger. He paused and tilted his head, his old habits and curiosity getting the better of him and making him turn the screen on. Thankfully it was unlocked.

“Oy, Yuuma. Come here.”

“Hm?  What's wrong?”  Yuuma asked, coming over to see the laptop on the table.

“...was this Vector's?”  Thomas asked, coming over as well to see what Shark and Yuuma were looking at.

“Yeah…” Shark internally grimaced, not wanting Thomas to see. He quickly tapped the screen to show Yuuma Astral’s email address, showing the last message Vector sent was to Astral. “Looks like it hasn’t been touched at all. There’s a film of dust on it.”

Yuuma looked over the messages.  His heart sank a little when he saw Vector's last message asking Astral to call an ambulance, but he was also curious about the files being exchanged.

“I remember Vector was working on some sort of project...and Kibou was helping him with it.  But neither of them told me what it was...”  Yuuma was curious now.

“...Well, we could try and open the file?”  Thomas suggested, curious as well.  What had Vector's last project been?

“Shark, can you try opening it?”

“What do you think I am? Good at computers?” Shark scowled. However, it didn’t take a genius to figure out how to open an attached mega-file so he opened it. Unfortunately, there was only a chunk of code for Astral to correct and add, but Shark copied a bar of it. Shark was resourceful at least, and simply went into the folders and traced the code back, looking for the source.

“Looks like an app Vector’s made,” Shark said as he double clicked the icon of Vector’s alien double’s face.  “I guess it-“

“Oy! What are you doing here?” Vector’s voice suddenly yelled from the monitor.

“You're better than I am!”  Yuuma said, watching Shark do his thing.  All three of them jumped when the heard Vector, shocked to hear the dead man's voice sounding just as lively and snarky as ever.

“Vector?!”  Thomas exclaimed, noticing the figure on the screen that was staring right up at them with an annoyed expression.  Yuuma was simply shocked speechless for once, staring at this image.  Was it a recording?  

“...Is it...a video of him?”  Yuuma asked hesitantly, a little confused with how this 'video' was staring right at all three of them as if it could actually see them.

Shark could see that the little green light at the top of the screen had flicked on, indicating the camera was operating. He stared at astonishment as the 3D model of Vector leered at all of them. He then made curtains appear and hid his body, as if he was someone showering hiding their body from peeping toms.

“I’m not done yet! Go away and come back when I’m all finished.” He pulled the curtains closed and then suddenly the entire program shut down. Shark stared at the screen in silence before he scowled.

“… What the fuck was that?"

Yuuma and Thomas simply blinked.

“...You didn't...close that program did you, Ryouga?  It closed itself...”  Thomas noted with a slight touch of awe in his voice.

“There was no way that was a video...those curtains came outta nowhere!  And...and it saw us!  It talked to us!”  Yuuma exclaimed, both amazed and dumbfounded.

“I gotta call Kibou!  Maybe he knows what this is?”  Yuuma said, grabbing his phone and calling Astral right away.

“I didn’t close it.” Shark frowned. The camera light had gone off when the program closed, and that made him frown. He wanted to say that it was probably just a customised cutscene for the app, but it made no sense that that was the app’s only purpose.

“Go call him. Should I try open it again?” Shark asked

“...Yeah, try it.  I wanna make sure it's not a recording.”  Thomas said, leaning in curiously.  He had no idea what this was, but it looked really neat.  Yuuma watched out of the corner of his eye as he held the phone to his ear.

“Hey, Astral...we're at Takashi's house and we discovered something weird of Vector's...it...um...it's on his computer...but it acts like Vector...it yelled at us to go away!  And Shark found it in emails that you had...is that the super-secret project you were working on?”  Yuuma asked, excitement and curiosity evident in his tone.

Shark double-clicked the app again, and before Astral could say anything, the screen blinked on to show Vector. The model stared at them before he scowled and pointed straight at Shark.

“Oy! Kamishiro! Stop prodding me! I said I’m not done yet! Piss off, you guppy and get off my computer!” He yelled before the program shut itself again.

“… Yuuma, what are you doing on that computer?” Astral frowned.

Thomas gaped in surprise.

“It...actually recognized you!  It said your fucking name!”  Thomas exclaimed.  That meant it was definitely not a recording...and that it apparently could see them.  Thomas noted the camera again.

“It must be seeing us through the camera...”  He mused, amazed.

“Shark's on Vector's computer...and when we tried to see what you were working on with him, Vector popped up then yelled at Shark to stop turning him on!  It's so cool and also weird...what is it Astral?”  Yuuma asked.

“… So what was he making if it’s like this? There’s got to be some way to have a look at it without it yelling at me,” Shark said, just as amazed as Thomas was. “What happens if we turn it on but cover the camera with my hand?”

“How is Shark stimulating him from the laptop? It only has sensory nerves when it’s holographically projected,” Astral frowned. Then he shook it off. “It’s a substitute for Vector. Vector referred to it as a SPP. Its purpose is to replicate Vector and be projected on a 3D plane, but it’s not done yet. I’m supposed to be fine tuning it. Why are you looking at it?”

“...I'm not sure.  Try it!”  Thomas said, interested in this as well.  He covered the camera with his thumb and waited for Shark to push the icon again.

Yuuma frowned in confusion.

“...What?  He's just...probbing it?  I don't get it?  Holographically projected?  A substitute for Vector?  So does that mean...it's really Vector?”  Yuuma asked, amazed.  

“...We're at Inchou's house and the laptop was on the table...listen, he's really not doing well...but if this is actually Vector...then maybe he'll be able to cheer him up?  Can you finish it Astral, so it can help Inchou?”  

“Right… Here goes.” Shark opened the application again and Vector appeared on the screen. The 3D model frowned and rubbed his eyes a few times before he squinted.

“Oy! Who turned out the lights?” The image yelled.

“I’ll tell you when you’re older,” Astral said, mostly out of habit. “… Look. I have a day off, but if you’re mucking around on it, I might as well finish what I can. It’s done anyway.” He had mostly been putting it off due to work and Kaito, and admittedly he had forgotten in the wake of Vector’s death. “Just don’t touch it, and don’t piss it off.”

“Oh my god! Stop that! I can hear you shits!” Vector’s AI program yelled. Suddenly, Shark’s phone went off, buzzing uncontrollably.

“The fuck?”

Yuuma listened and nodded.

“That's a good idea!  Come over as soon as possible...but...um...I think we already pissed him off.”  Yuuma said, noticing how Shark jumped when his phone buzzed.  Thomas' went off quickly afterwards, and he yelped, pulling his thumb off the camera.

“What the hell?”  He exclaimed, pulling out his phone and gaping as he saw tiny Vector on the screen.

“Bug me again and I'll send this pic to everyone in your contacts, Thomas~”  Vector cooed, pulling up a nude picture of Thomas that Mist had took shortly before sex.  Thomas flushed.

“Don't you dare!  Get the hell out of my phone!”  Thomas yelled.  

“Then leave me alone!”  Vector yelled back, retreating back to the computer and shutting down his program again.

“...Guys...Kibou said not to upset him...he'll come over.  And then he'll fix it...”  Yuuma said to Thomas and Shark, shocked and amazed by what had just happened.

Astral listened to the resounding chaos and he gave a long sigh, rubbing his temples. He hung up the phone and went to get a jacket on, knowing that Vector had thought it would be hilarious if he gave his own computer program his trigger-like temper and mischievous personality. He made a beeline for the bus, only imagining what Shark and IV had unleashed.

“What the hell was that? He was in your phone?” Shark checked his, but Vector was already gone. “What the fuck did he make?”

“...Shark, why did you send me a text saying “Control your bf sharkbait”?”  Yuuma asked, looking at his own phone, not knowing that it was from Vector when he had been in Shark's phone.  Thomas frowned.

“Yeah he was...and god, that was terrifying.  I think...I think Vector made Artificial Intelligence...that thing reacted intelligently.  It has Vector's personality, and his hacker knowledge apparently...since it got into our phones.”  Thomas said.

“I didn’t do anything,” Shark frowned. He opened his phone, seeing it indeed did have a sent message to Yuma’s phone.

“… That’s just… no. What the fuck. An AI that’s of Vector? Who the hell thought this was a good idea? Just that demonstration alone was just… what even…” Shark said, mostly at a lost for words. “Is it me or was that like just seeing a ghost?"

“Vector sent it?  Wow...I guess that makes sense.  Vector did call me 'sharkbait' quite a bit.”  Yuuma noted.  “It was definitely like seeing Vector's ghost...it's really him there.  It's like he's still here...”  Thomas nodded in agreement.

“Definitely still here...but...hopefully your guy can help calm him down.  If it's his personality...then maybe there's the other part of him.  The calmer part that loved Takashi...and could help look after him...Takashi really needs help, and Vector helped him a lot when he was alive.  Maybe this thing could do the same...”  Thomas mused.  

“… We’ll ask Hope. See if he knows what it’s going on.” Shark paused for a moment and then he frowned, now thinking a little calmer since the initial scare was gone.

“… I wouldn’t be surprised though… Maybe it’s some sort of present for Takashi. You know, so he doesn’t forget him."

“Probably...Inchou told me about Vector's secret project...this is probably it huh?  It's really impressive all things considering...”  Yuuma said with a smile.  

“I suppose so.  Vector was always one for wanting attention...this would be a good way to get it.”  Thomas noted.

“Why does this need to be an AI capable of hacking other electronics though?” Shark frowned. “Vector just really was going above and beyond with this sort of thing, huh?"

“...Well, Vector could do that...so I guess it makes sense that his AI can too?  Otherwise...it wouldn't be him...right?”  Yuuma said with a small smile.  Thomas rolled his eyes.

“I guess not.”  Thomas mused.

“I guess not… still…” Shark frowned. “Ugh… Wow. I didn’t expect this today."

"Neither did I, but that's how it's going..." Thomas said with a sigh.

"Let's keep cleaning while we wait for Kibou!" Yuuma suggested, wanting to give the Vector model a break.

Thankfully, despite causing a mess, Takashi was still one man, and even though some cleaners needed to scrub the place down, between the three of them, a decent job was done.

“If only you cleaned as diligently at home as you did today,” Shark muttered, sitting down.

“I do clean!”  Yuuma protested, despite the fact that, no, he didn't really clean very well in general.  Thomas snorted.

“Glad we got that over with...”  He said, collapsing back into the couch next to Shark and Yuuma.

“Now all that's left is to wait for Kibou and make sure Takashi doesn't do that again...”

“… Is he even asleep? What is he doing now?” Shark asked. “Did anyone check on him?”

“I put him to bed...so as far as I know, yeah, he's asleep. I'll go double check.”  Thomas said, getting up and heading to Takashi's room.  He peeked inside, expecting to see Takashi sound asleep on the bed, but instead he saw the covers thrown off and the window opened.  Thomas panicked.

“Oh shit I think he got out!”  Thomas called back into the house.  Yuuma jumped out.

“What?!  Oh no!  We gotta find Inchou, I'll try calling him!”  Yuuma said, about to dial the phone when he heard a knock on the door.  

“That must be Kibou, Shark!  Get the door while we try to track down Inchou!”  

“What the hell do you mean ‘he got out’?” Shark exclaimed, looking up. He frowned and stood up, not sure what to do before he heard the order. As the call Takashi’s phone went straight to the answering machine (it was dead, and hadn’t been charged in days), Shark got the front door. There, in front of him, was Astral.

In one arm, Astral had his laptop bag, looped around his shoulder. In the other arm was Takashi, held by Astral holding his collar.

“The fuck, Hope?”

“Good to see you too, Shark. I expected Takashi to answer the door for me, but I found him walking down the street. Thankfully, I was coming from that way so I brought him home.” Astral said.

“Oy guys! Found him!”

“Oh gosh...he's probably blacked out too!”  Thomas said, rushing over to grab Takashi and guide him in. The man's eyes were glassy, and he seemed to be unaware of where he was.

“Come on, Takashi...let's get you some medication again.”  Thomas said, leading him into the kitchen to get more pills.  Yuuma let Astral in with a sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Astral.  You can see how bad it is now, can't you?  We think that AI Vector might be able to help Inchou...”

“Don’t force the pills! He’ll choke!” Astral warned after them as Shark went to follow Thomas, going to be the one to monitor the older man and his charge. The small man sighed and looked up at Yuuma, crossing his arms.

“It’s really bad, huh? Vector warned me about this, but I didn’t know it was this bad. If I knew, I’d have been here weeks ago and none of this would have happened.” He went to the living room and wrinkled his nose in disgust. However, he simply opened up both laptops and got to work with the installation.

“Some of Vector’s memories aren’t all there, but the framework for his SPP is there. It’s done. All I have to do is make sure the failsafes are on, secure it and then let it loose. We may need to physically install AR or Solid Vision cameras in the house to make it really effective.” Astral said

“I know that, geez!”  Thomas called back, but let Shark help him convince Takashi to take his medication safely.  

“Yeah...I had no idea either.  I guess it's good that Vector predicted this and built that AI of himself...”  Yuuma said.  He grinned.

“What do you mean his memories aren't all there?  And the failsafes will let you shut it down if it goes nuts and hacks everything or something?”  Yuuma said.  He nodded.

“We'll install whatever we have to so it works!  We gotta help Inchou however we can!”

Takashi’s mind was off, but his body was receptive to instincts and stimuli. He accepted the medication without hesitation and swallowed it. Of course, it wouldn’t wake him up straight away, but it would lessen anyway.

“Vector left that for last. The AI knows of everything that happened, but… think of it more like a dot point of what happened rather than a paragraph. It knows the point is there, but it can’t get much more until it learns from Takashi or anyone else.” Astral typed and typed, but before he finished off the program, he stopped and looked at Yuuma.

“Yes. Both Vector and I know that this thing can be extremely dangerous. We have failsafes, but if the AI learns of them, it could possibly turn them off and go crazy. Are you absolutely sure you want me to turn it on? Once I do, it’s not going to like shutting down too much. It’s designed to keep a twenty-four hour watch on Takashi."

Thomas sighed as Takashi took the pill.  

“He really does need someone to monitor him...”  Thomas said softly, keeping an eye on Takashi to make sure he didn't try to run off again.

“...Oh...wow...that's kinda cool...”  Yuuma said, amazed and only half understanding what the AI's memory capabilities were.

“So we don't tell him about it?  That should be easy...”  Yuuma murmured.  He thought for a minute but then nodded.

“We should turn it on.  Inchou really needs help...he needs someone to monitor him to make sure he takes his medication and looks after himself and his house.  It really was messy in here...and he was hallucinating Vector anyway, so he does want him around!  This should help with that.”  Yuuma said.

“… You really care for him, huh?’ Shark commented as he made sure Takashi safely drank the water. “Didn’t think you had it in you,” He said, trying to lighten the mood a little, despite how grave his voice sounded.

Astral wondered if the safety of the entire city was really worth keeping Takashi safe, but he had decided it wasn’t his call. With Yuuma’s confirmation, and Vector’s last wish in mind, he began entering the codes into Vector’s computer. After making sure it was alright and doing a vague run, Astral then clicked the icon Shark and Thomas had been playing with.

“Here we go..."

“...Of course I do.  I dated him awhile back...”  Thomas muttered, rolling his eyes at Shark.  

Yuuma watched in anticipation as Astral finished entering the codes and then clicked the icon again.  Vector woke up once more from his digital slumber, but seemed much less agitated than before.

“...Oh, it's you, Astral.  You updated me huh?”  He had no qualms with Astral bugging him, because he knew that the real him had given him permission to do so.

“Are those guys still in my house?  What the hell were they doing on the computer anyway?!”  Vector asked, once he spotted Yuuma.  Yuuma smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry...we were cleaning and we wanted to see what was on your computer...”  He said.  Vector frowned.

“...Cleaning?  Takashi keeps the house clean perfectly well on his own usually...are you house sitting or something?  Where is he...I guess if he's out that would explain why I missed my latest update schedule...”  Vector mused.

“I was due for another check up a couple of days ago...”  

“… Okay, I didn’t know that. I just thought you guys were good friends,” Shark muttered.

Astral smiled at the AI, like a parent seeing their child wake up peacefully on a non-stressful day. He nodded to the model, making sure he wasn’t blocking Yuuma so Vector’s facial scanners could identify it was him.

“…Yeah, I know you were. Unfortunately, Vector, the last update you had was the last Phecda will do. It’s time for you to get to work. Unfortunately, we’ve started you off quite poorly."

“...Well now we are.”  Thomas mused.  

Vector listened and frowned slightly.

“...So where is Takashi then?  How long has he been alone?”  Vector asked.  

“...About a week?  And he's in the kitchen right now...he's taking his medication.”  Yuuma said.  Vector frowned, and a window popped up on his computer as he worked.

“...I'm not finding any cameras around.  They not installed yet?”  

“Apparently it was an emergency. They found him in a bad state.” Astral frowned. “We didn’t get a chance to get them installed. Unless I get Obomi from home, you’ll have to make do without being projected. Jump on my phone. I’ll show you him."

“A bad state?”  Vector said, clearly worried.  Yuuma nodded.

“I think he'll feel better when he sees you!  Let's show you to him!  Astral can get Obomi later!”  Yuuma said, getting the laptop and rushing into the kitchen.

“Takashi...look at this.”  He said, showing him the laptop screen.

“If he was blacking out, he may not even register it,” Astral frowned. He was about to get Vector to move to his phone when Yuuma just unplugged the laptop. The man sighed and followed along to where Thomas and Shark were, supporting Takashi.

Takashi looked up but without his meds, his poor inflamed brain couldn’t process it. He just looked up, eyes glossy and unfocused.

Vector saw Takashi's look and immediately realized he wasn't really on.  He frowned.

“Takashi, love?  It's me...”  The model wished that he could touch Takashi and comfort him that way, but all he could do was speak to him.  Thomas and Shark watched.

“We only recently gave him his pills...they probably haven't quite kicked in yet.”  Thomas said softly.

“Probably won’t for at least half an hour,” Astral said, crossing his arms. “Yuma will walk you through the house so you can get a feel of how things have been. They’ve cleaned up, but there’s still a bit.”

“I’ll keep trying to rouse Takashi.” Shark added

“You have all the data you need to help, right Vector?"

Vector nodded.

“If you gave him his medication five minutes ago, it'll take at least another half hour.  How long has he been off medication?  This doesn't happen unless it's been at least a day or so without it.”  Vector said, going through its extensive data banks on Takashi's condition.  Thomas sighed.

“It's been at least a few days, I imagine...I found him out of it.  He was hallucinating this morning.”  Thomas said, a little guilty at admitting this.  Vector shook his head sadly.

“Just make sure he doesn't do much.  Keep him comfortable, and don't let him go anywhere alone.  He might try to do things, but don't let him.  It's too dangerous when he's not fully aware of himself.  If he doesn't begin to show signs of being woken up in half an hour, take him to hospital.”  Vector instructed Shark.  Yuuma picked up the computer.

“I'll show you the house...it's not in the greatest shape right now.”  Yuuma said, and Vector could see that.  

“...Dammit this is bad...why the hell did it take so long for someone to check on him?”  

“We did try...but his door was locked and the windows were all closed and so we assumed he was out.  His phone never went through...Thomas had to put it on a charger.  It's been dead for days...”  Yuuma said.  

“Got it.” Shark replied. He put a timer on his phone and double checked his watch, making sure that they would definitely take care of Takashi this time. He gave a sigh and just sat there, not needing to do much since Takashi wasn’t walking around or trying to do anything in his unconscious state just yet.

Astral followed the computer and Yuuma around, monitoring the AI’s processing in real time. So far so good. He figured they could station someone here to keep an eye on Takashi to start with before letting the AI take control over time.

“Thomas was here first, right? I presume so anyway. You’ll have to ask him, but I bet he’s here only because of chance too. The door must have been open this time.” Astral theorised.

Vector wasn't having any lagging in the camera, and could get a clear view of the house and hear Yuuma and Astral clearly through the speakers well enough.  

“Yeah I think he did just let himself in...but I didn't really ask!  Either way, Thomas was here first...”  Yuuma said.  Vector hmmed.

“I'm not surprised...I did ask him to try and look after Takashi.”  Vector said, his memory banks having memory of talking to Thomas briefly about this.  

“...Yuuma, how's my Uncle doing?  You work for him don't you?”  

Yuuma’s face fell a little and he scratched the back of his head. “Ah… I mean… I haven’t seen Yusei at all. Yusei’s been just… hiding away in his room. He has one of the other guys taking care of the shop. He’s been taking it hard.”

“Maybe I should see him too then.  Soon as Takashi's stable and I can hack into his internet to get there.”  Vector mused, feeling a bit saddened that Yusei wasn't taking things very well.  He also wondered how Mikage was doing, but knew none of the people here would be able to answer his question if he asked.

“… I guess so.” Yuuma said. He sighed as he brought Vector back to the kitchen where Takashi was sitting, head down on the table, looking as if he was resting. “… So what now? Do we just… wait for him to snap out of it and get better?"

“For now, I guess so...”  Thomas mused, watching Vector look at Takashi.

“Baby...please wake up soon, alright?”  Vector said to Takashi, not knowing if the other heard him or not.

“Shark how long has it been?”

“We’re nearly at thirty minutes. We might want to fuck off early and get him to hospital. If he’s been off his meds with his brain inflammation as long as he has, we should get a professional to see him.” Shark frowned. “We can wait the full time out if you want."

“Yeah...that's probably a good idea.”  Vector said, noticing how Takashi was basically unresponsive at the moment.

“I'll print out our insurance information and medical files...give them to the doctor and they'll treat him.”  Vector said, popping up a monitor and sending the files he needed to the printer.  A moment later, the sound of the printer running was heard.

“I'll get the papers!”  Yuuma said, rushing off to grab them.  

“I've got a car...I'll take him in that.  It's safer than on your bike, Shark.  Help me get him out there.”  Thomas said, putting an arm under Takashi's so he could hoist him up gently and they could move him out to the car.

“Yeah.” Shark sighed and he went to go pick Takashi up and carry him. Astral watched them go and he then opened his phone.

“You want to watch, Vector? It’d be easier than carrying the laptop. You should have access to the internet and the ability to move from device to device now.”

“Yes, I do.  I jumped onto Shark's and Thomas' phones earlier.”  Vector said, taking a moment before jumping to Astral's opened phone, appearing on his screen.  Yuuma came running back with the papers they needed.

“Alright, I got them all!”  Yuuma said.  Thomas and Shark loaded Takashi into the backseat.

“Astral and Yuuma, you guys sit back here with him and monitor him, alright?  I'll drive.”  Thomas said, getting into the front and waiting for Shark to get in next to him in the passenger seat.

Shark nodded. He went to lock his bike to the mailbox as if his motorbike was a bike on a padlock and went to get inside. He sighed, glancing back.

“Just keep trying to talk to him. See if he wakes up.” Astral said.

“Takashi?  Hey, can you hear me?  You're gonna be alright, okay?  I'm here.”  Vector said, speaking through the speaker on Astral's phone to Takashi.  Yuuma sat next to Takashi and gently put an arm around him, trying to comfort him and potentially wake him by touch, which Vector couldn't do.

Thomas started the car and backed out of the driveway once everyone was in, heading off to the hospital.

Takashi didn’t respond the whole way. His blackouts used to go on for hours, and this was no exception. No matter how much they tried to rouse him, Takashi was practically a robot, functioning but barely able to be classified as alive. The hospital wasn’t too far away, and when they rolled up and had Takashi admitted. Astral frowned as the doctor on duty read the report and practically whisked the man away for an MRI, not enjoying what he had heard from the group. The four were left alone without Takashi for a while, but before too long, Astral decided to send a text to Kaito.

‘Send Obomi to the hospital. I need her now.'

Kaito frowned as he recieved the text, but didn't really argue.

'are you ok? Why are you at hospital?' he had Orbital send to him, concerned about Astral.

‘I’m fine. It’s Takashi. He’s had another blackout. I’ll explain at home. Send Obomi.'

'alright I will send her.'  Kaito had Orbital reply for him, although he was concerned for Takashi.  He told Obomi to go find Astral at the hospital and sent her off.  The others waited as patiently as possible for Takashi, although it was clear they were all worried.

The MRI was taken, the man was given more medication and then he was placed in a room. Thankfully, it wasn’t in the ICU, so the men could go see him, but Takashi still took another hour to show signs of life. The man’s eyes fluttered open and he groaned, clutching his head as the thrum of machines and the pule of headache rang through his head.

“Urkkk… My head..."

The four men, Obomi and Vector were waiting in the room but then when Takashi stirred, Vector immediately projected himself and appeared next to Takashi's bedside.

“Takashi?”  He asked gently, wanting to see if he was okay.

“Vector?” Takashi asked, his voice weak and soft. Astral went to close the door to the room as the hologram appeared and Takashi sat up. He smiled, but then his gaze went to Thomas, and that smile faded.

“Oh… I…"

Vector smiled back at Takashi and followed his gaze to Thomas.  Thomas smiled at Takashi.

“Hey...how're you feeling?  You scared all of us quite a bit you know...”  He said softly.  Yuuma jumped up.

“Yeah!  All five of us were worried about you!”  Yuuma exclaimed, rushing over but being mindful of Vector, not wanting to get in his way.

“Five?” Takashi blinked hard. Then he counted the men in the room and then he froze. “Wait? But… Thomas… You said that Vector was dead. Why can everyone else see him?” Astral was about to cut in but then Takashi slumped into the pillows, looking teary but smiling.

“Unless… god… It was all a dream, wasn’t it?” No one was dead… right?

Thomas blinked, before starting to talk.

“Well, you see...it's not quite like that...”  He said, but Vector held up a hand.  

“I'll explain.  It's easier that way...”  He said to Thomas, before looking at Takashi sadly.

“...I'm afraid it's not a dream, Takashi.  The real Vector is dead...I'm just an Artificial Reality copy of him.  And an imperfect one, unfortunately.  Vector died before he could completely finish me...so I may be missing a few memories that he didn't get to input in my database.”  Vector said, gently reaching out a hand and showing how his own holographic hand could not touch Takashi's.

“...I'm a hologram, projected by Obomi over there.  Vector made me so I could look after you, after he was gone, and that you wouldn't be lonely, hopefully.  I'm sorry I wasn't there for you sooner...Astral hadn't quite finished editing my codes yet.  Vector asked him to revise things for him, since he was having trouble concentrating.”  Vector explained.

Takashi blinked slowly and he looked at the image of his partner. It didn’t occur to him why Vector was out in public without a disguise on at first but it crossed his mind as Vector talked and talked. The man didn’t say anything at first, just letting Vector finished. When the AI touched him, he flinched because he felt nothing, and something in Takashi’s heart twisted as he looked up at Vector.

“… Oh…” He wasn’t sure if he processed everything, but the general idea had been put across. “… So… you’re nothing, huh? Just… another reminder he’s gone.”

“Takashi…” Astral murmured, not expecting that reaction. He had warned Vector that the man probably wouldn’t react well to the AI immediately, but he didn’t expect such tired, defeated words. Takashi covered his face with his hand, trying to hold tears back.

Vector frowned a little when Takashi said he was 'nothing'.  He had been wondering how Takashi would react, and figured that since he was imperfect, the reaction would be more negative.  Still, those words stung a bit.

“...Well I suppose 'a reminder' is a good description...”  Vector mused.

“...You promised Vector that you wouldn't kill yourself after he died.  He wanted you to live...and yes, he trusted your word, but he also knew that you would be upset.  That's why he made me...I'm here to look after you, if nothing else.  It's been barely a week since he passed, and already you're in hospital...so, like me or not, I'm staying.  I'm staying until you either move on with someone else who can look after you better, which he did say you could do, or until I feel you can look after yourself.”  Vector said stubbornly.  He wondered if Takashi would recognize all the private conversations he'd brought up between Takashi and Vector, and maybe feel he was more legitimate, but since the man was clearly upset, he didn't expect him to understand completely.

It was less because Vector was imperfect and more because he was… dead. This was just an imprint of Vector, an advanced memory of what he had lost. In the end, Vector wasn’t back. He was still dead, and Takashi hadn’t been able to save him.

“… Okay… Sure.” Takashi kept his gaze down, not wanting the others to see his face or look at Vector. It was funny. Here he had been so desperate to see his partner again, and now he didn’t dare to steal even a second glance.

“… Sorry. Hi everyone… You… must’ve found me and brought me here. Sorry."

"Yeah, you scared us Inchou!" Yuuma exclaimed. Thomas nodded.

"We were thinking of checking up on you periodically for awhile...just until you feel better." Thomas said.

Shark just grunted, but like Astral, he stayed quiet, knowing Takashi would probably want to focus on the two more important people in the room.

“I guess so… But I guess I can always ask my mum as well to help. I don’t want to other you all."

"Your moms pretty busy....well help you out when she can't! It's not a bother for us!" Yuuma insisted. Thomas nodded in agreement.

"You're not a bother at all, Takashi." He said.

"...It'll be nice to have some company for you too. Aside from me anyway." Vector said with a small smile, knowing that before Takashi had barely had friends over anyway because he'd been so focused on Vector.

“… Thanks guys. I appreciate it. You’re always looking out for me,” Takashi smiled. He still felt really tired, despite not being fully awake. “… I wish I knew how to repay you."

“You can repay us by getting better.”  Thomas said gently, smiling at Takashi.  Yuuma nodded in agreement.

“Yeah!  Take your medications and get lots of rest and then you'll feel better!”  

“You guys… Thanks.” Takashi smiled. He looked up at them, but his gaze went and lingered on Vector’s AI. There was a long pause before Takashi opened in his mouth, but in the end he didn’t want to say anything at all.

Vector smiled at the others as well, glad they were encouraging Takashi, before meeting Takashi's gaze.  He waited patiently for the other to say something, but the man wasn't able to speak.

“...Just take it slow okay?  You look tired...why don't you rest a little?  I'll be here when you wake up.”  Vector said gently, knowing that blacking out and heavy medication often made Takashi really tired.

“Right…” Takashi gave a small nod to him before he sighed. He just… didn’t know what to make of the AI. He wanted to be happy he could see and hear Vector again, but it felt wrong somehow.

Vector was a little weary of Takashi's lack of enthusiasm but dismissed it as him being tired and not being used to him yet.  

“Have a good rest, Inchou!  We put your phone on a charger here, so you can contact us whenever you need us!”  Yuuma said, showing Takashi his phone that was on his bedside table.

“Ah… yeah. That will help.” Takashi admitted. “Thanks Yuuma. I’ll… talk to you soon, okay?"

“You'd better talk to me too, Takashi!  I'll feel left out if Yuuma gets all the fanservice~”  Thomas mused, letting Takashi lean back with a tiny chuckle.  Vector smiled a little.

“God forbid that happen...”  He said with a chuckle.  The others headed out, with Astral leaving him permission to use Obomi for now.  Vector watched Takashi sleep for a moment, knowing that he'd be out for awhile.  He was reminded of his uncle, who also thought he was dead, and supposedly needed cheering up about it.

“Well, I might as well go now...Takashi won't wake up for a few hours.”  Vector said, noting how Takashi looked as though he hadn't been sleeping well lately.  So, he set to work hacking with Obomi trying to find an appropriate internet base to hack into to visit his uncle in his garage.  He knew it'd be closed right now, so it was the perfect time to drop by.  Vector took a couple of minutes to find an appropriate base to what he assumed was Yusei's laptop, and transported himself to that new base.  

...Which turned out to be a weird base.  Vector blinked, looking around unfamiliar internet space.  This was definitely not a laptop.

“So where am I?”  He mused, trying a couple of pathways to see if he could find a way to get to something recognizable.  He didn't realize he was inside Yusei's D-Wheel, and was revving up the bike and turning the wheel as he explored the webspace, looking for the camera and speaker.  

Takashi laughed too. He wished he had more energy, but he felt his eyes droop and he laid down. He felt better, even after all the pain, and he had a calm sleep for once. The others talked around him as he laid obliviously, swept into the realm of dreams again.

“We’ll watch him. Make sure you come back,” Shark grunted after Vector already left, not wanting the AI to make a snappy comment. He sat around, waiting for Yuuma to wake him up.

Meanwhile, Yusei was in the garage on the couch. He had missed his couch. Ever since Vector died, he had taken some time off to collect himself, which meant staying upstairs out of the garage where his employees were. On Sunday, there was no one at the shop which meant Yusei could sleep where he belonged, rather than the bed.

He was drifting off himself for an afternoon nap when he heard his D-Wheel rev up. His eyes widened and he sat up immediately, looking around.

“Who the fuck is stealing my bike?!”

It was especially odd for Yusei because there was nobody visibly touching his precious D-Wheel.  There was nobody in the garage except for him.  Or so he thought: Vector was still fighting his way through the damned thing, trying to find a clear exit.  The bike revved a couple more times, the wheel turning and horn honking for a couple of minutes before Vector finally found the camera and projected himself out into the garage.

“Fucking finally!  What the hell was that?”  He exclaimed, turning around to spot the bike and notice that his holographic image was coming from the bike.  He groaned.

“Why does the bike have bigger bandwidth than the regular internet here?  God, Uncle...”  He mused, shaking his head.  That was a very Yusei thing to do though.  Well, he wasn't about to go back into there to find another way out, so he turned his attention to the empty garage...and came face to face with his uncle.

“Oh, hey, Uncle.  Sorry for barging in like this...I wanted to check up on you.”  He said.

Yusei ran to his bike and tried to shut her down, trying to figure out what to do. He figured his bike was getting hacked, so he was looking for his laptop to hook up to her and work on it manually. However, before he could move, suddenly a holographic image appeared and he jumped.

“What the fuck…” Yusei muttered, startled. There was a long moment before he clutched his head and began to chuckle. "Oh god, I’ve actually lost it. I'm seeing my dead nephew possessing my bike."

Vector blinked and shook his head.

“No Uncle!  It's really me!  Remember how I told you I was making a holographic model?  It's basically finished...or as finished as it's going to get.”  Vector mused with a chuckle.

“...I saw Yuuma earlier and he said you weren't doing well...I came to check up on you.  Sorry about the bike thing...your internet was stronger on it and I figured that was your laptop.”  

Yusei stared at the man. He didn’t know what to say but he moved his hand away from his face. He racked his brain before he realised that Vector did tell him that. “Ah… yeah… that’s right.” He crossed his arms. “… I need to do important business and I figured on my bike is the best place to do so since I won’t forget it. Doesn’t mean you can just use it.”

Vector smiled, glad his uncle was taking things better than Takashi had.  He shook his head.

“Of course...I remember how you yelled at me last time I took this thing to deliver a message to Takashi.”  He said, before pausing.

“...Speaking of him though...I'm going to be looking after him, but he isn't doing very well, and he isn't quite as enthusiastic as I thought about the model.  He's in hospital right now...would you mind visiting him a little, if you can?  He needs help...”  He said a little solemnly.

“I mean… why would he be excited? I mean… you’re an AI. Most people aren’t comfortable talking to machines,” Yusei said, snorting as if ‘most people’ were stupid. However, he did sort of get how Takashi must be feeling in such a time. “But shit… I should have visited. I know how he feels about you, but I ended up camping up here… Damn it.”

“Well at least this way he can talk to me again.  Thomas told me he was hallucinating me anyway, so if he wants to talk to me, this way it's healthier.  He clearly wanted to see me again and now he can.”  Vector said.  He sighed.

“It's alright, Uncle.  You were also grieving...and even if you had gone, Takashi might not have opened the door for you.  He didn't for all his other friends.”  Vector explained.

“Not an excuse. Still shit of me,” Yusei said plainly, going to find his jacket. He picked it off the floor and he put it back on. “And you said he’s in hospital right now? Man… I worry about that man. Even more so now… Christ”

“Yeah...it was just a precaution.  Doctor said they'll let him go once he's gotten caught on his meds and is in no danger of brain swelling or blacking out.  He missed several doses apparently.”  Vector said with a sigh.

“It's alright, Uncle.  I'm here to look after him...I'll make sure he's eating, sleeping and taking his meds.”  

“You better, you binary coded brat,” Yusei muttered. “You’ve got one job. Don’t mess it up.” He sighed though and sat back on the couch. He knew he should have gone to the hospital straight away but he hesitated.

“… I wish you had a funeral, you know? It’s so… odd. You just disappeared so suddenly.”

Vector frowned.

“...I didn't have a funeral?  Well, I guess that's not that surprising...hard to have a funeral for a known criminal and fugitive after all.”  Vector said.  

“I'm sure you can visit whatever cemetery I was put in, Uncle...I'll go with you if you want.”

“Nope. It’s been nothing but silence on that end. You’d think it was nothing out of the ordinary. I’ll have to ask Takashi… but I wouldn’t be surprised if he buried you himself.” Yusei frowned. “I would have taken you to Neo Domino to be with your parents, but then again, that would have gotten all of us into trouble. Carrying off Vector’s body and all…”

“Yeah...but not if you cremated me.  Then you can just say it was Ena Varian's ashes.  They'd never know the difference.”  Vector sighed.

“...I hope he didn't bury me himself.  That's not good for him...”

That was true, but now they still didn’t know.

“But now we said it, I’m betting that’s what happened. I’ll give twenty bucks to Judai if he’s buried you in his fucking backyard,” Yusei muttered, kicking the couch, cursing himself for not checking on Takashi earlier and trying to break into his house to make sure he was okay.

“...Oh come on...there's no way that's how it went...it's not healthy...”  Vector muttered, although he figured that was something Takashi might do.  He just prayed he was wrong...

“That's why Vector made me...cause he knew he'd probably fall apart...and I'm supposed to stop that.”

“Twenty bucks. On the table,” Yusei said firmly. He sat back on the couch and sighed, propping his elbows on his knees and rubbing his temples.

“Phecda mentioned that like… years ago. Do you know all that happened back then? He briefly mentioned it to me."

“...Last time he thought Phecda died, he was so upset he just...stopped living.  Apparently Thomas found him in a similar state, but not quite blacked out and hallucinating.  Takashi made a flower garden in his backyard to honor him, but when Phecda came back, he found him outside delivering a tiny eulogy, as if he was hosting his funeral.  I wouldn't be surprised if he did that again this time...”  Vector said.

“Yeah, I remember that. That was in your old house, huh? At least it won’t be the same grave. That would be awful…” Yusei said. Actually, it was still awful, but he didn’t know how to further elaborate on that point.

“… So what are you going to do now?"

“I'm gonna look after him, of course.  He's snoozing at the hospital right now.”  

“I also need to fix my model so that it can have cameras in the house, and potentially add some Solid Vision to it...that's a new LDS invention that might come in handy for my purposes.”  Vector mused with a smirk.

“Well you need someone to install the cameras, don’t you? About time I did something useful.”

“Yeah, I do.  If you could help that'd be great, Uncle.”  Vector said with a smile, glad his uncle seemed to be doing okay now, and expressing interest in getting out of the garage.

Yusei didn’t want to go, but he felt like he owed it to Takashi to at least make an attempt. He knew his nephew would be disappointed in him if he didn’t try. Sighing, he got up and went to his bike.

“I’ll order the parts, okay?"

“Thanks Uncle!  You're the best~”  Vector cooed happily, glad that he was getting this project underway.  Maybe now Takashi would like the model better.

“I know I am,” Yusei said absent-mindedly, beginning to use his bike to navigate the web, faster than most could use a computer. “Just make sure you do what you can to help, okay? Or I’m disconnecting you."

Vector scoffed.

“Don't let it go to your head.  As if you could disconnect me.”  He mused.  He smiled.

“I will help him though...I promise.”  

“Fight me digital boy,” Yusei said, though he wasn’t serious. With Vector’s words, he let himself go silent so he could do his work

Vector stuck his tongue out and smirked afterwards.

“I'm gonna head back to Takashi, alright?  Call me if you need me...you can just message the model on your bike.”  Vector said.

“Yeah, I know.” Yusei nodded. “Take care, Vector. Don’t let the firewall hit you on the way out."

Vector rolled his eyes.

“That firewall is wicked...and for a bike of all things...”  He muttered, shortly before he disappeared.

He reappeared in the hospital again, after making sure that the coast was clear in Takashi's room.  Takashi was still sleeping, and so Vector sat next to him vigilantly, wanting to make sure he was safe and healthy for the moment.

-x-

Ukyou and his team had been quite busy since the events at the Mutou trial.  They had spent quite a bit of time looking into ways of finding out about the identity of the mystery shooter.  All the officers had conducted interviews with as many of the court attendees as possible to try and see if anyone had seen the shooter up close.  Their profilers had created several sketches of the man, but none were entirely accurate...many had common features, but no single, concrete face to go by.  

“Droite, did the security company get back to us with that trial footage yet?  They said they were going to send us the tapes for the shooting.”  Ukyou asked.  He hoped that they would finally have a clear image of the shooter to compare to their composite sketches.

“We have the files. I was reviewing it this morning,” Droite said, pulling her notes out on her laptop.

“The face is hard to see. Almost impossible to the naked eye, but the resolution is high enough that we can keep working on it to see if we can get a good angle.”

“We can definitely make out the guy's build though...he's pretty large.”  Gauche mused.  Anna squinted as she looked at the screen, trying to get a good look.

“...Are those criminal markers on his cheeks?”  

“Criminal Markers?” Droite frowned as she looked at the screen again and tilted her head. “Hmm… Possibly. It would mean he’s in the Neo Domino City data base. I’ll the files over to Officer Crow Hagen so he can do a run by if you want, but the lighting is almost impossible to confirm or see anything for sure.”

Ukyou nodded.

“That's certainly a possibility...although, he might be using technology to block the traces from those markers if that is the case.  We'll certainly send it to Crow, along with our witness sketches and see if he has anybody who fits that description.”  Ukyou said.  

“We'll put out a public bulletin of our profile sketches...see if anyone has seen someone like that.  And we can have patrols on alert for anyone of that size.”  

“...Why is the footage reel so short here?  It doesn't cover the whole trial?”  Gauche asked, confused.

“It was cut off during the trial. They tried to black it out during that time. Fortunately, someone managed it to get it back online and we managed to capture that. If the cameras didn’t suddenly turn back on, we wouldn’t even have this shot,” Droite said

“...Who could've done that?”  Anna asked.

“Well there was that one hacker who was broken out of jail awhile ago...he's been relatively quiet, but you never know.  Maybe he was broken out by the same guys who want Mutou dead?”  Gauche asked.

Droite turned her chair around and looked at her best friend, raising an eyebrow. “… Gauche… Really. Not every case regarding a hacker is Astral. Besides, what would Astral want to do with setting the cameras back online? Besides, if they wanted Mutou dead, wouldn’t Astral be the one keeping the cameras OFF instead of on to hide out assassin’s appearance? There are a lot of possible explanations that don’t involve him.”

“Until we get more evidence, we can’t say it was or wasn’t him,” Ukyou interjected. “We should keep an eye out though. Possibly it could have been just someone in the hall at the time, who knew what was going on.”

Gauche sighed.  Droite was probably right.

“Either way the footage was tampered with...so we need to find people who are capable of that...”  Gauche mused.  

“Let's just focus on the assassin first...the hacker might be revealed if we find him.”  Ukyou said.

“I’ll send it over to Officer Hagen. Hopefully someone on their side will help,” Droite said, beginning to compose a brief email to the man.

“Yeah… We do. Maybe we can ask Mutou when we go this afternoon if he saw anything,” Anna added.

“Why Mutou?”

“He was on the stand, right? He would have had the clearest sight on the gunman besides the judge, who’ve we already interviewed. We might as well ask. Raphael asked an officer or two to come him and see Mutou’s progress."

“...I wouldn't be surprised if he either doesn't want to tell us...or doesn't remember.  After all, he did have a seizure at the trial...but I suppose it's worth a try.”  Ukyou said.  He checked his watch.

“I think Raphael-sama said he was going to come by soon...Droite and I will go with him to see Mutou.  Anna, you and Gauche can get to work on setting up that public bulletin and getting the squads informed on the situation so they can keep an eye out for someone who matches the assassin's description.”  Ukyou said.

​“Alright. We should head out then now, Ukyou,” Droite said, getting up.

“Understood,” Anna said, “We’ll get it done. Save journey there guys. See you later,” Anna paused before she nudged Gauche, “Or not. Droite, you said you’re heading off early today, right? Where are you going?”

“None of your business,” Droite said, perhaps a bit too quickly, looking away before the blush hit her cheeks.

Ukyou glanced over at Droite when Anna said she had wanted to leave early.  He smiled a little.

“Ah, so you have a date tonight, is that so?”  He asked her, interpreting her blush correctly.

“I bet it's Mai~  She got Droite to agree to a date!”  Gauche said with a big grin.

“Oh my god, you’re all adults. You don’t have to do this song and dance act,” she mumbled, her face in her hand. However, to satisfy them, she gave a small nod, though a part of her hoped they all missed it.

“You have a date with her. I called it. I called it!” Anna laughed.

Gauche cheered as well.

“This is great!  You've gotta tell us all about it tomorrow!”  Gauche said happily.  

“I bet she gets a second date after tonight too...how much you wanna put in the pot?”  He asked softly to Anna.  Ukyou sighed.

“Alright guys, that's enough...we've got work to do.  Yes, Droite, you can leave after we escort Raphael-sama to see Mutou.”  

“Twenty dollars right there.” Anna said, holding her hand out. Droite sighed, unable to stop them from betting on her love life before she gave Ukyou a small nod.

“Thank you, Officer Ukyou… Let’s go and get our work done, like I hope some people will.”

“Yeah, yeah! It’ll be done!"

Gauche shook her hand eagerly.

“You're on!”  He said, before saluting the chief, who simply shook his head at them with a small smile.

“Ukyou-san, Raphael-sama has arrived at the station...he's in the waiting room.”  Another officer said, peeking in to see the Superintendent.  Ukyou smiled.

“Thank you, Tadashi.  Come on, Droite.  Let's go escort him to see Mutou.”  

“No way she’s gonna put up with Mai a second time,” Anna grinned. She waved the two off and smiled. Droite simply rolled her eyes and nodded at the other officer before she walked off, heading for the entrance. There was Raphael in some casual clothes, looking like the biker he was before rather than a CEO.

“Officer Droite, Superintendent Ukyou, good to see you both. Thank you for agreeing to this."

Ukyou smiled.

“Good to see you again too, Raphael-sama.  It's not a problem...we had a few questions for Mutou ourselves regarding the assassination attempt.  It's no trouble.”  Ukyou said.  

“Let's get out to the cars then.”  

“Alright.” As agreed, Raphael would go in with the officer, so he headed to the police car with Ukyou. Since Droite was heading home after, she went to grab her own vehicle. With the few words exchanged, they headed off to the facility.

“Have you heard any news?” Raphael asked.

“Not about Mutou.  I suspect he's going to officially start therapy soon, since Miheal Arclight returned to work a few days ago.  Of course he wasn't being spoken to while Dr. Arclight was in hospital, but he's probably been started on medication.  Hopefully that's helping him.”  Ukyou said as he drove.  

“Hopefully,” he agreed. “I worry about him a lot and little Masumi. I really just hope things are okay.”

“Ah, well I do have some news about little Masumi, actually.”  Ukyou said with a smile.

“She's back with her family of course, and is doing fine.  Her father has recovered, and from what I've heard from my colleague, Anna, the family is back to their normal routines.  Anna is friends with Masumi's mother, and she's thrilled to have her child back.  Masumi is being well cared for.”  Ukyou explained.

“Ah, that’s good to hear,” Raphael said, sighing in relief. “I wondered if I should go and see her, but it wasn’t really my place to. I’m just glad she’s safe and happy, that’s all that really matters."

“Yes, of course.”  Ukyou said with a smile.  They pulled into the Correctional Facility parking lot a few minutes later.  

“Alright, let's head in there and see Mutou.”  Ukyou said, waiting for Droite to park and join them before heading inside and notifying the guards that they'd arrived and would need a private visiting room with Mutou.

Droite parked only a few minutes after them. She sighed as she got out and headed to the entrance. Once inside and the details sorted out, some guards were called to take Mutou from his cell. Raphael wasn’t sure which Mutou he was going to see, but he didn’t mind either way.

Turns out, Yuugi was currently in control.  He was surprised when the guards called him out of his cell and escorted him the opposite direction from where the other prisoners went for food and exercise.  He wondered if this was his first therapy session, but then he was let into a private room that wasn't Dr. Arclight's office.  His confusions were all cleared up when the opposite door opened and Raphael entered, followed closely by the two officers.  But, just by seeing Raphael, Yuugi's eyes lit up and he broke into a huge grin.

“Raphael!  You came to see me!”  He exclaimed happily, unable to stop himself from rushing forward and hugging the man tightly.  He was so glad to see him again, especially since he didn't remember ever getting to say goodbye to him, or any indication that he'd see him again.  

“Oy, no touching!  Stop that!”  The guard said with a frown, moving forward to pry Yuugi off of Raphael.  Yuugi went without a fuss, smiling sheepishly.

“Ah...sorry...I was just excited...”  

They were brought into one of the standard rooms with a window. Droite was stationed outside and it was just Rafael and Ukyou in there. Ukyou’s eyes widened as the young man ran forward and childishly hugged the CEO, but Raphael laughed and he hugged him back, letting go when he was pried away.

“It’s alright. I don’t mind it,” he said warmly. “How are you feeling, Yuugi? You’re looking a lot better.”

Yuugi grinned when Raphael said he didn't mind the hug.

“Yeah, I feel better too...not completely, cause I still forget things.  But, I made a new friend here!  His name is Koutei and he's a former boxer...he's really nice.  I think my other me made a friend too named Shinji...he's come up to me asking if he can talk to Yami about stuff!”  Ukyou raised a brow.

“Ouji Kyouhei, right?  That's your friend?”  He asked, making a mental note to ask Yami about that.  It was a bit of a coincidence that the man who supposedly kidnapped Masumi and stabbed Alit was now friends with the serial killer who had been found with Masumi.  Yuugi nodded.

“Yeah that's his name...but he told me to call him Koutei.  He's my closest friend in here right now...we workout together a little!  Or, well, my other me does.  He seems to like it!”  Yuugi said, obviously pleased to be learning more about his other half.

“That’s good to hear,” Raphael smiled. He was surprised how well Yuugi seemed to be doing. It sounded like he was coming out more and more, which was incredible considering Yuugi had barely lived in the last seven years. He was a bit confused to why Ukyou was questioning Yuugi about his friends but he made the mental note to press Yuugi later. Now wasn’t the time to really burst his bubble, especially when he seemed so innocently happy.

“Sounds like you’re making progress, even without the therapy. Seems like you’re making really good progress. I’m happy for you.”

Yuugi nodded.

“Yeah...therapy's supposed to start soon though.  I think Dr. Arclight is a little behind, so he's going through other stuff before he gets to me, but I should see him soon.  I hope he can help more!”  Yuugi said happily.

“Speaking of help though...after you have your chat with Raphael, I was wondering if I could ask you and maybe also your other half some questions regarding your trial, if possible.”  Ukyou said gently.  Yuugi tilted his head.

“...My trial?  Okay...I guess that's alright.  I remember most of it...”  He replied.  

“Alright...you two can keep talking.  I'll be back in a couple of minutes.”  Ukyou said, getting up and heading out of the room so he could talk to Droite.

“It seems Mutou has made friends with Koutei...that's a little coincidental, don't you think?”  He asked Droite.  Yuugi glanced at Raphael.

“So what are you up to, Raphael?”  He asked, curious what the man was doing.

Droite frowned as Ukyou approached her. “Too coincidental for my liking. I suppose we’ll have to ask Doctor Arclight to keep an eye on them.” She stared at Yuugi through the glass. “So far the story looks like Mutou threw Koutei under the bus with the arrest, but even if it isn’t coincidental, I’m surprised that Mutou is taking a risk with him again. I mean… it’s drawing suspicion.”

Raphael smiled. “I’ve been working. Trying to expand my company, making executive decisions, helping the few orphanages in Heartland get the renovations they need. The usual, really. I’ve been keeping myself busy."

“Exactly...although, Yuugi said that he had made a friend.   And Yuugi didn't commit the crimes, so he couldn't have thrown Koutei under the bus.  It's possible the other half doesn't approve...but we can ask him if he makes an appearance.”  Ukyou said, watching the two men talk.  It was clearly still Yuugi around.

“That sounds tough...you've been working hard!”  Yuugi said with a smile.

“But that reminds me...last night I had a bit of a dream that was about an orphanage...or maybe a homeless shelter.  I didn't see it very well...but I remember playing with kids there!  But I'm pretty sure I never did that...I've never been to either a shelter or an orphanage...”  Yuugi said, feeling his head pulse a little as he said it.  He groaned and put a hand on his head.

“...Somehow, I think it's...more than a dream.  But it wasn't very clear...it was only a few tiny images.  I was wondering if it was something my other me did...”

“It’s difficult to tell, really. This split personality thing is going to give me a headache,” Droite muttered under her breath, crossing her arms. She listened on in interest, raising her eyebrow as the other seemed to ramble on.

“A dream, huh? Or some old memories. That’s interesting,” Raphael frowned, “Maybe it was the same orphanage I met you at, or even one that you were at when you were younger. It’s possible. I’m not an expert on this, I’m afraid.”

“Yeah...it's already given me one.”  Ukyou muttered back, still watching and listening.  

“Maybe...I'm not sure.  I couldn't tell where it was.  I just knew I hadn't been there before...I'm gonna see if I can remember more in another dream or something...”  Yuugi said, smiling.

“It's okay...I'm sure I'll learn more.  And maybe Dr. Arclight can help...he's the expert.”  Yuugi said.  His head pulsed again, making him groan and close his eyes.  

“Should I get you a drink or something, Yuugi?” Raphael asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. The guards were outside and the cops were watching, but he figured they wouldn’t mind. “Do they come often or not?”

“Yeah...if you can...I've never had a visitor...I don't know...”  Yuugi said softly, feeling his head pulse again.  

Ukyou sighed and went to ask the guards if Yuugi could have some water, knowing that they'd be more willing to listen to him.  

Raphael frowned. He went up and knocked at the door, only to be informed that the drink was going to be received. He sighed and went back to Yuugi.

“The headaches though? The switches? How have they been going?"

Yuugi accepted the drink and took a small sip before answering.

“...I think they've slowed down...I forget less in here...but...well...it's still happening.”  Yuugi said, feeling his head pulse once more and letting out a tiny whimper.

“Does anything help it? Like just letting it go?” Raphael asked, looking at him. It still hurt to see Yuugi in that much pain. “Relax, alright? After our visit you can get your meds, hopefully.”

“I...I guess...I could try that...but, I did want to see you again...”  Yuugi said with a sad face.  He had missed Raphael when he was gone.  

“Ah… Well that makes me happy, Yuugi,” the man smiled. He petted the boy’s head gently, like how a father would. “But this isn’t my only visit. Once things calm down, I’ll check on you every now and again. It won’t be weekly, but I will see you."

Although his eyes and posture still demonstrated that Yuugi was in obvious pain, he smiled a little when Raphael patted his head and told him he'd visit again.

“...Okay...that makes me happy too...”  He said softly, before closing his eyes and whimpering again as the pain intensified again for a moment.  Reassured that Raphael would come back, Yuugi was a little bit more inclined to just let go.  Yami emerged a moment later and simply frowned at Raphael.

“Alright, you can stop the act now.”  He said.

“Good to see you too, Yami,” Raphael said, less affected by the switch than he thought. “You should still take the water when you get the chance. It’ll calm you down. You look like you’re in pain as well."

“Switching hurts...same as usual...”  Yami muttered, still frowning.  He did take another sip of the water.  

“...Why are you here again?  I thought we were done after the trial...you said so yourself that you're a busy guy.  Why waste time on an obvious nut-case?”  

“Nothing to really avoid that, huh?” Raphael frowned. He smirked though when Yami asked him and he pulled his hand back.

“I don’t know. You guys seem like you need a friend and I just wanted to see you. Guess I just wanted to keep tabs and touch bases.”

Yami frowned a little more at Raphael's honest explanation.  He still wasn't used to this...Raphael was being way too kind.  

“...You just wanted to see me and touch bases, huh?  Or...did you think I would let something weird slip in front of the cops?  They seem to suspect me of something...why else would they tag along?  They want you to get me relaxed so I spill all my secrets...”  Yami said, glancing over to the window.  He could feel the cops eyes on him.  

“Oh, I asked them if I could tag along, honestly. I’m sure they want to see you regarding the case, but I’m not involved with that. I’m a businessman, not a cop. I couldn’t be part of it even if I wanted to.” He shrugged. “I have no intention of asking you weird questions about the case anyway. I just wanted to see how you’re feeling."

“...The case?  I thought my case was closed....”  Yami said, a little weary.  What if they were trying to grill him about information regarding his employer?  That wouldn't be good.  He sighed.

“...Alright.  I'm fine, clearly.  No real change.”  He wasn't about to mention that Yuugi was apparently starting to see into his memories.

“We’ll see when Ukyou gets back.” Raphael shrugged.

“And you finding it okay here too? Yuugi seems excited about everything but I was wondering if it was just bias or if things are getting better here.”

Yami shrugged as well, figuring that would be the case.  He paused a bit at the next statement.  Here Raphael was again, seeming to care about him...but no, it must just be for Yuugi's sake.  After all, his impression was probably more credible than Yuugi's...he'd actually been to prison and could compare the two.  

“...I find it fine.  The people here can be strange...but at least most aren't threats.”  Yami said, thinking of Shinji.

“...I'm not sure if it has gotten that much better...it may be too early to say.  We haven't even had our first therapy session after all.”  Yami said honestly.

“Mmm… that’s fair enough. Hopefully you’re both going to get something out of staying here.” The man said, his voice and expression kind. “We’ll see how things go with Doctor Arclight. I’ve talked to him once, but he seems to be an incredible individual."

“...Yeah.  Hopefully.”  Yami said nonchalantly.  He didn't really like being locked in here, but he supposed he had his entertainment in Shinji.  But it also meant he had to deal with Koutei...that was complicated.  And apparently, Raphael too, since he was insisting that he'd be coming back to visit Yuugi.

“He's interesting...I bet he's good at games.  Might be fun to play with him...”  Yami said with a small smirk.  That idea was appealing to him.

“I’d ask if you should be so hard on him, but I’m sure he’s quite a hardy man if he works in a place like this, so he should be fine. Just don’t get yourself in a mess, Yami,” Raphael chuckled. He was honestly glad the other was mentioning it though. He was being honest, which he did appreciate fully.

Yami rolled his eyes and snorted.  Here was Raphael being like his dad again, suggesting he play nice with others.  Who the hell did he think he was?

“What sort of mess could I possibly get into here?  It's as you say...Dr. Arclight is experienced, which means he'll be a fun opponent.”  Yami mused.

“I’m sure you can find something. Good games require a lot of imagination, and you have plenty of that,” Raphael mused.

“True, but they also require resources which are scarce here.  It's not like Dr. Arclight has a sword in his cane or something to make the games life-threatening...”  Yami mused, chuckling a little at that idea.  Wait til Shinji heard that one!  

“...Although...now that we're on the subject of games...I remembered that you've played with Yuugi twice now, but you haven't played with me at all.  That's no fun...if you insist on visiting, you should bring cards or something.  Make things more interesting.”  Yami said.

Raphael gave an amused smirk at the ridiculous suggestion as well.

“Alright. If you really want to try me in a game, I’ll bring cards. I have the devil’s own luck with card games though. So just be prepared to lose if you want to play fairly against me,” he said, hoping the challenge would get him pumped up.

“Oh?  Devil's luck huh?  That's what I've been told I have.  Don't you worry, I always play fair, and I don't lose either.  Bring it.”  Yami said with a smirk, clearly pumped up.  Ukyou sighed.

“Alright, I think this has gone on long enough...”  He said to Droite, getting up and going to re-enter the room.  

Raphael gave a challenging smirk back at Yami and was about to add some other things when he heard the door open. Droite had just let him go, so the police officer was alone when he came back into the room.

“Ah, Superintendent. Welcome back."

Yami returned the smirk, before looking up when the door opened.  He then frowned and cursed under his breath.  He felt as if he'd fallen right into a trap...he had felt relaxed and even excited to talk with Raphael.  And of course, the cops picked right up on that and were now going to come in and try and win some answers out of him.  He immediately schooled his features, going on the defensive to prepare for Ukyou's 'strike'.  

“I apologize for the interruption, but visiting times are short, and I have a few questions for Mr. Mutou before he returns to his cell.”  Ukyou said, sitting down next to Raphael and facing Yami.  

“Alright…” Raphael’s face fell. He wanted to be here for Yami but he didn’t really want him involved in all of this again. He said nothing though, and crossed his arms. “May I stay, Superintendent? Or am I not allowed to hear the rest of this?”

“...I suppose you may stay.  In a way, some of this involves you as well.”  Ukyou said, also noting how Yami seemed to not like his presence at the moment.  

“We are still trying to find the assassin who shot Dr. Arclight, and were wondering if you knew what he looked like.  You were at the trial after all, and had a spot on the stand where you could see the audience.”  Ukyou said.  Yami rolled his eyes.

“...I also had a seizure.  I don't remember ever getting there.  And the rest of the time, I was with my back to the audience.  Yes, I could feel people glaring at me, but that could've been anyone.  We all know I wasn't well liked.”  

Raphael frowned and listened in, remembering the incident.

“Didn’t see anyone in your peripheral vision? Did you ever see someone in the balcony? The hall was closed at the time. There was only one person up there.”

“I saw lots of people...all of them glaring.  None of them really seemed more murderous than others.”  Yami said.  He frowned a little.

“...Maybe you should ask Kaito.  He's an ex-cop, right?  He had that little robot thing being his eyes, since he's blind as a bat.  Maybe that robot caught something nobody else did?”  Yami suggested, knowing that Kaito had also been aware like he was about the presence of an assassin.

“We’re refraining from involving Tenjo Kaito in any cases for the sake of his health,” Ukyou said, knowing perfectly well Gauche was probably texting Kaito for help as they spoke, even if the man did try to be secretive about it. “But we’ll keep that in mind. Was that really all you saw?”

Yami snickered a little.  Knowing Kaito, he had probably solved the case behind the cops back by using his underground methods.

“I see...well your loss then.  He seemed like a smart guy when I met him...he went toe-to-toe with me in chess for awhile.  Not everyone can do that.”  Yami mused.  He shook his head.

“Sorry...I didn't see much behind me.  And...I barely remember trying to get to the stand.  I really couldn't see much.”  Yami spoke honestly.  The seizure had screwed up all his senses before he lost consciousness.

Ukyou raised an eyebrow. “He faced you in chess? I didn’t know you and Kaito ever met before."

"We did once at a bar. Not sure why he was there, but he came off the more intelligent type than the normal bar-goers. So I challenged him to a game of chess, and beat him. He had no idea who I was of course...I didn't know who he was either, until I looked his face up later and realized he was the ex-superintendent." Yami explained.

“Probably just wanted to drink,” Raphael said. Ukyou frowned and stored the information for later, just in case, but decided to drop the subject. He didn’t want to seem suspicious about his old boss. “Alright… I see…” Ukyou frowned. He wondered what Droite thought of all of this.

Droite was a little suspicious since Kaito was not one to go to bars without a good reason, and drinking was not one of them. She filed the information away to ask him about later if they talked to him about the case.

"He might've. I don't know..." Yami said, surprised that Raphael seemed to be supporting him.

“I see…” Ukyou left it there, not sure what else he could press out of the man. “How’s Koutei doing, Yami? I heard from Yuugi you’re friends with him. How did that happen?"

Yami pretended to be a little confused about Ukyou's question.

"Um...yeah. He's...well like everyone here I'm sure he's had better days." Yami said, recalling when Koutei was healthier and feeling his head pulse as his guilt made Yuugi stir.

"I don't see how it matters...Yuugi met him on the first day. Why are you even asking me about this? Why didn't you ask Yuugi?" He asked, trying to keep his voice steady and to not give away any physical hints to how this conversation was bothering him.

“Because Yuugi doesn’t know much about the case, so we need to ask you.” Ukyou said plainly. He took out a small list from his coat pocket and he showed it to Yami. “Do you recognise these ingredients, Yami?”

Yami frowned.  So they did think he had done something to Koutei...well, he had, but they didn't need to know just how bad it had gotten.

“...Yeah.  If you combine those ingredients in the right way, you get some powerful hallucinogenics.  Why?  You thinking of getting some?  I can tell you how to make it.”  Yami mused with a smirk.

“Where do you think we got this list from, Yami?” Ukyou said. They couldn’t confirm Koutei and Yami’s involvement before, but now seemed as good as any time to press further in this plot hole in the case. “It’s a highly detailed one. Where do you think we extracted it from?"

“Well there's a couple of possibilities.  You might've gotten it from a sample of the drug.  I had some made like that on my person when you arrested me.  Don't you remember that officer?”  Yami said, knowing that he had been carrying Devil's Breath and a few hallucinogens.

“Or maybe you did track down Dennis and he told you the ingredients?  How am I supposed to know exactly where you got it?”  

“I suppose Dennis is your dealer’s name? Good to know.” Good, Yami had slipped. He probably didn’t realise. “But that’s true, you had it on your person at the time. That’s where we got the second case of these hallucinogens.”

Ukyou slid the photo over of Koutei, back when they had just arrested him. “The source of this list… we found these ingredients in Koutei’s bloodstream.”

“Yeah.  Dennis Macfield.  I told Mai that before.”  Yami said.  He didn't mind saying Dennis' name, because he knew it meant basically nothing.  He raised a brow.

“So he was a user?  Well, I guess that explains why he's here then.  But he could've gotten that from anywhere...he probably knew Dennis, or someone Dennis deals with might've given it to him, if you think he didn't take it knowingly.  There's tons of possibilities.”  

“I suppose so,” Ukyou said, keeping his cool and not pressing too hard. “Since you can’t provide us with anything conclusive, we were going to talk to Koutei about this. He’s been going through therapy, so he’ll be starting to remember some parts of what happened. “

“...Go ahead.  It's not like I could stop you.”  Yami said, although he was a little nervous.  This whole conversation had been making him feel increasingly worse, and his headache was growing, but he was trying to resist showing it.  God, they were still trying to hound him, weren't they?  This really wasn't good...

Raphael’s gaze had gone to the photo of Koutei and he frowned, looking between Yami and the officer. He wasn’t sure if he could interfere, but he wanted to.

“I know. But are you still sticking with what you said about how you found Masumi? Because that will come up as well."

“Yeah...of course I am.  That's what happened after all.”  Yami said, trying to keep his voice steady.

“Why the hell are you pushing me?  What more do you fucking want?  I'm already locked up in here!”  Yami asked, agitated by how they seemed to be going over his whole case.  Why the hell would they do that?  It was pointless!

Raphael jumped a little when he heard Yami suddenly go from steady to hissing, but the superintendent stayed calm and passive. “Relax. This isn’t about you. We’re supposed to be investigating in Ouji Kyouhei’s case as well as looking for the person who shot Professor Arclight,” Ukyou said calmly, “After rehab, we’re going to see if he’ll be cleared or not.”

Yami frowned, trying to suppress his headache and calm himself.  

“...Then talk to him.  Or maybe Dr. Arclight.  I don't know who shot him.  I don't know how Koutei ended up in here.  I don't know anything about his case.”  

“Alright…” Ukyou frowned.

“Yami? Are you okay? Is it Yugi or something else?” Raphael asked, looking on in concern.

Yami frowned at Raphael too.

“Fuck off.  You're just trying to make me talk.  Leave me alone.”  He said, still thinking that Raphael was acting as a restraint for him, trying to make him let his guard down and fall right into Ukyou's trap.

Raphael shook his head. “When has that ever been the case?” He said simply, coming back over the man, ignoring the glare. “I asked if you were alright. You look like you’re half way to a breakdown."

“They...they let you come because they want you to lighten me up...to make me relax...slip up.  Even if you don't know you're doing it, you are!”  Yami said, leaning away from Raphael when the other approached.

“Leave me alone!”  Yami cried, his headache screaming about him.

“Raphael-san… I’m going to have to ask you to leave. We both will. We’re not allowed to distress the patient this much.” Ukyou said. Raphael looked between the officer before he looked back at Yami.

“……. I’m coming back… But I will… for now. I’ll come alone next time.”

“...I don't want you to come back...”  Yami mumbled, before wincing and clutching his head as Yuugi seemed to protest. Moments later, the guards were coming in to check on them, prepared to kick out the visitors if they didn't leave on their own.  Yami was curling up on himself, not wanting anyone to touch him.

“We're going to have to ask you to leave, gentlemen.  The patient seems stressed.”  

“We were just leaving,” Ukyou said, straightening his coat. Raphael looked at the man sadly before he turned away quietly.

“See you later,” He said, before walking away.

Yami didn't reply, and was eventually calmed enough to be led back to his cell, where he basically passed out moments after collapsing on his bed.

Droite joined Ukyou and Raphael outside the room.  

“...Seems the story hasn't changed...but he seemed increasingly agitated during that conversation.  But, it was difficult to say if it was his illness, or if he was just feeling guilty about lying.”  Droite said.

“… We went a bit far,” Ukyou sighed. He ran his fingers through his hair before he faced Raphael, who was still looking at the visitor’s room. “I’m sorry you had to witness that, Raphael.”

“It’s alright.” The man grunted. “… In the future though, I probably won’t be asking you all to accompany me, if that’s permitted. I didn’t know he thought like that."

“All non-family casual visitors have to be approved visitation rights by Dr. Arclight, just to ensure that their presence won't be detrimental for the patient, but he knows you, so I doubt it'll be a problem.  You can submit a request to him for visitation, so that you won't have to be accompanied by officers.”  Droite explained.

“Thank you,” Raphael said. He gave a sigh. “Whose car am I getting in? Same one?”

“Yes… Same one.” Ukyou checked his watch. “I think that was more than enough for one afternoon. Droite, if you don’t have anything else to do, you’re free to go home.”

Droite nodded.

“Thank you, Ukyou-san.  I'll see you tomorrow.”  She said, heading out to her vehicle, and only once the door was shut did she release the deep sigh she'd been holding.  She was a little nervous...after all, she hadn't dated since Fuuya's mother...and now she was going on a first date with Mai.  

Droite rubbed her temples and checked her watch. There was plenty of time to go home and get dressed, so she started the car and headed down the long road back to her house. She wasn’t sure what to think, regarding Mai, but when she tried to distract herself with thoughts of the case, she didn’t know what to think of that either, and her thoughts would return to Mai. It continued like that for the entire ride, of just anxiety and confusion about what came next, and before she knew it, she was home.

“Fuuya. I’m back!"

“Welcome home, Droite!  You're a little earlier than I expected!”  Fuuya said, coming over to greet her with a grin.  His back-pack was open on the kitchen table, where he had been loading some non-perishables into it, along with some changes of clothes and other necessities for a trip up to the Duel Lodge.

“Oh hey, Fuuya. Yeah, I managed to get off early,” Droite said. It was weird saying that though, she couldn’t remember the last time she ever left work early. Before she met Fuuya, she could remember just hanging in the break room, brooding. “Heading off to see Yamikawa again? Surprise visit?”

“Yeah!  I wanted to see him...so I figured I might as well see him while you're out with Mai!”  Fuuya said with a grin.

“Speaking of her though, she's coming in a couple hours right?  You'd better get ready!”  

“Staying overnight or going for a few days?” Droite asked. She rolled her eyes and nodded. “I will. There’s no rush. I just need a shower and I’ll pick a casual dress. It’s a first date… it’s just… God I don’t even know what I’m wearing."

“For a few days, probably!”  Fuuya said.  He nodded.

“You'll be fine, Droite!  Just be yourself!  Mai likes you as you are!”  

“I know that. I was going to, and now you have me all nervous,” Droite said, passing it off. Truthfully she was very nervous about this whole affair.

“I'd say 'don't be nervous'...but I would be too...I was nervous around Kawa too...”  Fuuya said sheepishly, knowing how shy he was.

“You and Yamikawa have been together for ages. What’s there to be nervous about?” Droite teased

“I mean when it started out I was nervous!”  Fuuya protested, blushing a little.  He was still occasionally shy around Kawa, but that was besides the point.

“I know, I know. I’m teasing.” The woman smiled and stretched, getting the knots out of her back. “I’ll let you off though with just that. I suppose I’ll just go shower and choose something. Unless you want to pick out something for me to wear, Fuuya?”

Fuuya still blushed a little, but smiled when Droite said she'd let him off with that.  

“I think it should be up to you what you wear...but I was thinking...Mai-san seems to like purple...so maybe you should wear that purple dress of yours?  It looks really nice on you.”  Fuuya said.

“The purple and red one? The one I got in Spartan City?” Droite asked. “Hmm… I think that’d look nice. Yeah… maybe I’ll give that a go."

"Yeah that one!" Fuuya said, smiling as he remembered Droite showing it to him.

"I'm sure Mai will like it." Fuuya mused.

Droite smiled. “I think I’ll wear that. Saves me the effort of looking for it.” She sighed. With a wistful smile, she headed towards her bathroom to get ready. It was just a meal and maybe a walk after. It wasn’t a big deal.

Fuuya grinned and continued packing after she headed off to get ready.  He was very happy for Droite, and also excited to get to see Yamikawa again after so long.  Once he was done, he prepared a small meal for himself since Droite was going out for dinner.  He'd leave after he saw her off, he figured.  

The shower was something she needed badly, and Droite felt a lot calmer about the situation as the water ran through her hair. She stepped out and go dressed into the outfit in her closet and quickly went to dry her hair and do her makeup.

Droite rarely did much more than eyeliner and lipstick, and even then it was a lot more subdued. So even she was surprised when she pulled back from her mirror. She frowned at herself, wondering if it was too much, before she walked out.

“What do you think? Too much purple eyeshadow?"

Fuuya glanced up from his food when he heard Droite step out of her room.  He took in her appearance with a smile and a bit of awe.  He had seen Droite dressed up before, but she looked like she had prepared a little bit more for this date.  It was nice to see.

“No, I think it's fine!  You look really nice!”  Fuuya said.

Droite gave a sheepish smile and sighed. “Well… I’m ready to go. Now it’s just on Mai.” She grabbed the handbag she usually used to go out and transferred her wallet and phone from her coat. “Do you want Mai and me to give you a ride to the bus?”

“Ah...well, if you want to...I don't wanna get in the way of whatever you two planned.”  Fuuya said with a smile.  He looked up when he heard the sound of a car pulling in outside their house.  

“Maybe that's her?”  Fuuya said, smiling.  Moments later, the doorbell rang, confirming his thoughts.

“Save your strength for the walk up the stairs.” Droite said. She heard the doorbell and she gave a small sigh. “Here goes nothing…”

She walked up to the door and opened it. “Hey there. Just on time."

Fuuya nodded, silently encouraging Droite as he watched her get the door.  Sure enough, it was Mai on the other side.  She was dressed in purple as well, same as Droite.  She wore a white corset underneath a purple vest and a matching pencil skirt.  She wore black, thigh high boots and white sleeves that covered her forearms and elbows.  She smiled at Droite.

“Of course hun...wouldn't dream of being late for this!”  She said, admiring the woman before her.

“You look beautiful, Droite honey!  I love that dress, where did you get it?”  She exclaimed.

Mai was dressed exactly as she expected, but it still made the woman blush. She rolled her eyes though and crossed her arms, though a little playfully.

“Ah… Well I went to Spartan City a few years ago and I got this dress.” She gave a small smile at her though. “So where are we going today?”

Mai smiled as Droite blushed, glad the woman liked her appearance too.  

“Ah Spartan City?  It's been awhile since I've been there...it's a lovely place.”  Mai said.  

“I got us a reservation at a restaurant...but which one is a surprise~”  She said with a smile, gesturing Droite out to her purple convertible.

“Shall we get going?”    

“Oh, yeah. Sure.” Droite looked back. “Do you mind giving my housemate a ride to the bus station though? Fuuya’s going on a trip and I thought it’d be easier."

Mai raised a brow in surprise, then smiled.

“Sure.  That shouldn't be too out of the way.  Is he ready to go?”  Mai said.  Fuuya nodded, jumping up with his bag.

“Yes!  Thank you!”  Fuuya said with a smile.

“Thanks Mai.” The woman smiled. After making sure the house was locked, she followed Mai to her car and got into the front seat. “I appreciate it."

“No problem hun.”  Mai said, getting into the front and waiting for Fuuya to get into the back with his bag before driving off.

“So where are you going, Fuuya?”  She asked.  Fuuya smiled.

“I'm going up to the Duel Lodge to see my partner.  He lives up there.”  Fuuya replied.

“Ah a romantic getaway huh?  That sounds good then~”  Mai said, winking at Fuuya, making him blush a bit.

“His partner lives up there. Fuuya doesn’t get to see him often,” Droite said. “It’s pretty far, but Fuuya is a committed guy if anything. He makes the trek up there often."

Mai's eyes widened.

"You have to climb a mountain to see your partner? Wow...that sounds really tough. That's dedication for you." She said. Fuuya blushed and nodded.

"Yeah...it's worth it to see Kawa...

“Fuuya is a dedicated guy.” Droite smiled. “When I was younger, I looked up to him a lot. Isn’t that right, hero of justice?” She glanced back at Fuuya.

“Oh you two knew each other when you were younger too?”  Mai asked, surprised at this.  Fuuya flushed a little when Droite complimented him and smiled a little.

“...Well...no, we didn't...but I was a child actor on a really popular TV show that Droite liked...”  Fuuya said.  Mai raised a brow.

“Which one?”  

“...Different Dimensional ESPer Robin.”  Fuuya said, and Mai's eyes widened.

“No way!  I watched that show too!  Gosh, you were Robin?  That's incredible!”  She mused, staring at Fuuya in the rearview mirror in awe while Fuuya simply flushed deeper red.

“The very same one. You can’t really tell, huh?” Droite said. “He’s really grown up now. It was amazing when I first found out.” Even if it was for a case, and Fuuya was feigning some sort of delirium at the time, it still was quite surreal.

“I couldn't tell!  It's been ages since I've seen the show.”  Mai exclaimed, smiling at Fuuya.  Fuuya continued flushing a little.

“Sometimes I get recognized...but not often...”  He admitted, recalling when Ponta had recognized him in the park that one time.

“It is an old live-action show. It was pretty popular at the time, but most will just assume you look like Esper.” Droite said. She looked and then pointed. “The stop is there Mai. Slow down."

“I guess so...”  Fuuya said, smiling a little.  Mai slowed down as ordered, pulling over to the side of the road so Fuuya could get out at the stop.

“Thank you for the ride, Mai-san.  I'll be back in a couple weeks or so, Droite.  Have fun.”  Fuuya said, smiling and waving at them before heading to the bus stop.  Mai chuckled.

“We will have fun, I guarantee it.  Next stop, the surprise restaurant.”  Mai mused, pulling away from the curve and driving off once Fuuya was at the stop.

“See you Fuuya. Say hi to Yamikawa for me.” She smiled and waved as they sped off. Droite watched his figure grow smaller in the side mirror before he disappeared completely.

“I hope it’s nothing too fancy. Otherwise I’ll feel underdressed,” She said.

“I assure you, you're not under-dressed hon.  This place isn't what most call fancy...but it does have its charms.”  Mai said with a smile.

“You seem like you have only high tastes and expectations though,” Droite mused. “But now you’re saying that, I really don’t know what to expect.”

“Oh, honey, I do have high tastes, but high tastes doesn't necessarily mean expensive ones.  Value is subjective...beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  This place is of high quality...but not to everyone.  You'll see.”  Mai said, pulling into a parking lot outside a tall building that didn't look particularly beautiful or high class from their current viewpoint.

That was surprisingly deep of Mai, and Droite felt a little ashamed that she hadn’t expected the woman to be so profound. She remained quiet from there and she looked up, raising an eyebrow. “Where is this? Some hotel?"

“I think it was one at some point...but now it's been turned into a restaurant that very few know of.”  Mai said.

“Shall we go in?”  

“Yeah, I think so.” Droite followed her in. Inside was a rather plain looking reception, and there was a directory by the elevator that they headed to. For most part, it seemed to be just offices that filled the buildings, but at the very top there was one restaurant that took the entire floor.

“The Bird and Butterfly? No I don’t think I heard of it before.”

“Well, you'll remember it now, hopefully.”  Mai mused with a smile, leading Droite into the elevator and pressing the button for the top floor.  The doors opened after a couple of minutes to reveal a spacious restaurant with wall to ceiling glass windows with a view of the entire city, which was just starting to light up as the sun set.  Mai had been clever enough to reserve a windowside table for them, so Droite could fully enjoy the view that Mai enjoyed immensely.  

“Oh wow…” Droite’s breath faded away as she saw the luxurious restaurant. It was a beautiful place, the decor elegant and tasteful , and everything highlighted the windows. It was absolutely stunning. As the two were shown to their table, Droite couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with the beauty of the entire Heartland skyline, the magnificent view that seemed that it only should be suitable in a postcard.

“… This is amazing…"

Mai smiled as she sat across from Droite, alternating her gaze between the skyline and Droite's own adorably awestruck expression.  She was having a tough time deciding which picture she liked better.  

“I know right?  I figured you would like it...we got the best time too.  It's still pretty in the daytime, but when they turn the lights on, the city glows and sparkles.  It's quite dazzling.”  Mai mused.

“I can imagine. Neo Domino had a great skyline too. It’s only through the last few years I could see it… and from so high up too,” Droite said. If she had been a little girl, she would have pressed her nose to the glass, but instead she took a deep breath and smiled.

“Just… wow..."

“Oh yes, you're from Neo Domino, aren't you?  I've been there a few times...the city glows at night just like Heartland, but personally, I prefer this view.  It's more colorful.”  Mai said, smiling at Droite.

“I'm glad you like it.”  

“Yeah… I know…” Droite looked back at her and gave a small, cool smile. “How did you ever find out about this place?” She asked, finally going to actually sit down.

“Well, I once met the owner here actually...she had a case for me and asked me to meet her here for a little interview about it.  The food was excellent, and the view was spectacular...I just had to keep coming back whenever I got a chance.”  Mai replied with a smile.

“I can imagine.” Droite pulled her eyes away from the scene and looked at Mai. “What kind of food is here?” she asked, looking back around the restaurant.

"I think it's mostly Italian themed. Their pastas are delicious." Mai said with a smile. The waiter came by with a small bin of breadsticks, two cups of water and gave both ladies their menus.

Droite gave the waiter a nod of thanks and she took a sip of her water. “So… what don’t I know about you, Mai? Besides everything?” She asked nonchalantly opening the menu to skim the selections.

Mai chuckled.

"Well...I'm originally from Domino. I moved out before it collapsed...and worked on a cruise liner as a card dealer for awhile. I did tell you that." Mai mused.

"What else would you like to know hon?"

“I mean… I don’t know. I feel like I barely know you. Like I know things about you, but not you in particular. Like what do you like to do for fun?"

"Hmmm...I enjoy going to spas and such, and also playing games. Being a card dealer gave me a certain affinity for them." Mai mused with a smile.

"And what do you like to do in your spare time hon?"

“I love to read. Reading is my passion,” She said simply, deciding on linguini and closing the menu. “I also like painting. They’re really soothing for me. And then on a completely different tangent, I watch a lot of masked wrestling… like a stupid amount of it.” Droite laughed.

"Ah yes. Reading was something I figured you did. You look like a reader." Mai said with a smile.

"Painting sounds lovely...I do have a passion for the arts too, I suppose. I don't draw but I like to admire." Mai admitted.

"Masked wrestling? Gosh I thought I was the only one! Something about oiled up, costumed strong men going at it is incredibly entertaining isn't it?" Mai said with a laugh.

Droite nodded along with what Mai was saying but she raised her eyebrow upon hearing Mai’s confession. She had expected teasing, which was why she had dropped the mention of her hobby. Instead, Droite looked at her with disbelief, before she shook her head and started to giggle.

“I can’t believe you like watching it too. Gosh… Gauche and I used to watch it all the time. We still do. The other dream we had as kids were becoming wrestlers and raising money for everyone."

"I used to watch it with a guy friend I had too! He kept saying he'd join someday and make a ridiculous name for his finishing move." Mai mused, rolling her eyes with a fond smile.

"You dreamed of being a wrestler? That's a little surprising...I could see Gauche doing it for sure. But you...well...seeing you wearing a skin tight outfit might be appealing, but I didn't think you'd be into that sort of wild costume theme!" Mai mused with a chuckle.

“Wow, absolutely incredible,” Droite laughed.

“Pretty much as soon as I was eleven, I figured out what an awful idea it was and I figured I’d just be Gauche’s manager. But then we moved on as all kids do, studied and joined the police force. You know that story.”

Mai chuckles.

"Not many people I meet are into it either." She mused. She nodded.

"Of course. Managing sounds much more suitable for you. Plus, Gauche does seem like he requires some guidance at times." Mai said with a smile.

"So that's one thing we have in common then. That's great." She smiled.

Droite rolled her eyes. “Gauche is a man who needs guidance on everything. If he didn’t have a uniform, I doubt he’d know what to wear every day. He can really be fool-hardy at time, not that he’s stupid, but he just charges into things.”

“A surprising thing to have in common, but one thing either way,” she smirked.

Mai smiled at that.

"That certainly sounds like someone I know too, except even in uniforms, he's needed some guidance too." Mai mused.

"That could be another thing we have in common...our guy friends are similar."

“I’m not sure if we should get those two to meet or if we should make sure they never meet because that would be chaos.” The woman smiled.

"Oh honey I have no doubt if Jounouchi and Gauche met, the two of us could not completely stem the chaos that would ensue." Mai said with a chuckle.

Droite laughed. “I can barely control Anna and Gauche at work. That seems like a disaster waiting to happen.”

“May I take your orders?” A waiter said, finally approaching.

"Anna being thrown into the mix would make it worse!" Mai agreed with a chuckle.

"Ah yes...Ill have the chef's special." Mai said to the waiter.

“Linguini please,” Droite said, before she took a breadstick.

“Anything else ladies? Drinks?”

“No, I’m fine."

"I'm fine as well thank you." Mai said with a smile. She took a breadstick as well and sighed.

"I love their bread too. It's always really well made...and not too salty like some other places I know of."

“You think so? I really don’t taste salt. I can never feel like there’s enough salt on bread. But this is pretty good.”

"Well sometimes I can." Mai mused with a chuckle. She smiled.

"I'm glad you think so."

Droite sighed. She was quiet for a moment and she stared at the sunset. Being here like this reminded her of good times with Maya, and even if she wanted to try brush the thoughts away, she couldn’t help but get a wistful look on her face as she remembered.

Mai remained silent as well as she nibbled her breadsticks. She sighed, turning her gaze to the sunset with Droite's.

"It is a beautiful view in time."

“I guess so. I’m in love with it as it is,” Droite said, looking back at Mai.

Mai smiled.

“I'm glad.  It's a really special spot that not many know of.  I'm glad I could share it with you.”  She said.

“You must really have a high opinion of me, Mai” Droite smiled.

“...I do, hon.  You're beautiful, intelligent and caring...there's nothing not to like.  I just wanted to get to know you better.”  Mai said gently.

“You certainly aren’t abashed with the compliments, are you?” Droite said, a rosy pink returning to her face. She wasn’t sure why she was so enamoured by her still but she still liked it.

“Not at all.  I mean what I say and I say what I mean.”  Mai mused with a smile, liking that cute blush that adorned Droite's cheeks.  

“… I suppose I should say something back, huh? That’s not my strongest suit..."

“That's alright, honey.  Don't feel you owe it to me to say anything.  Whatever you say, I'll appreciate it.”  Mai said.

“I was kidding,” Droite said, even though she hadn’t been. “But thanks. You really are a nice woman..."

Mai smiled.

“Thank you.  I'm glad you think so.”  She said, about to say more when the waiter arrived with their food.  

“Can I get you ladies anything else?”  He asked.  Mai smiled and shook her head.

“No thank you.  This looks delicious...looks like the chef's special was chicken penne.  That's one of my favorites!”  She said happily.

Droite smiled and nodded her thanks. “Ah… thank you. It looks good.” The waiter bowed and scampered off before Droite laughed, unable to help herself with Mai’s large, excited eyes.

“It does look good. Mind if I try some before we start?”

"Of course!" Mai said with a smile. She scooped up a bit of her noodles and chicken and offered it to Droite. She smiled.

"Here you go hon."

“Feeding me, really?” She stared, looking at Mai with disbelief. She reached out and went to take the fork off Mai, not quite comfortable with something so… intimate on the first date.

"Well you did say you wanted to try some, didn't you?"  Mai teased, letting Droite take the fork anyway with a smile.

"Do I get a bite of yours in exchange?"

Droite rolled her eyes and bit into it. At least it tasted great. The woman smiled and scooped some of her food onto Mai’s fork before handing it back to her.

Instead of grabbing the fork back as Droite had done earlier, Mai leaned over and bit off the mouthful of food that Droite offered her.  She smiled and gave a small moan of happiness as she chewed it.

"Oh honey yours is great too!  You picked well!"  Mai said with a smile, taking her fork back at last.

Droite had a feeling Mai would do that but she still couldn’t help but blush as well. She sighed as Mai took it back. “You’re just full of fun, huh?” She mused, going to her meal.

"You betcha!"  Mai said with a wink and a smile, before digging into her own food.  She found Droite's blush cute and was happy to draw another one out of her.  

"Mmm...I think you picked better this time around.  Mine isn't quite as good as yours."  Mai said after a couple of bites of her food.

“We can trade if you want. I don’t mind either way. Gauche always said I had no taste,” Droite shrugged.

"No taste?!  What the hell is he talking about?"  Mai exclaimed in surprise, before chuckling.

"Although I could easily see Gauche's tastes being different from yours.  Maybe that's why."  Mai mused

“I mean I’ll eat anything. We both will.” Droite said. She shrugged. “Neither of us are picky. We don’t like wasting food. It’s just a thing with us."

"Ah I see. That makes sense. I'm not wasteful either." Mai mused.

"If I can't finish things in restaurants, I take them home. But this place has decent portion sizes. Not too big for me to feel stuffed."

“Yeah, it looks like it.” Droite shrugged. “But the offer still stands. I’m happy to swap if you want."

"Ah no hon, that's alright. Mine is good too." Mai said, feeling as though there was something more to what Droite was saying.

"You really don't want to waste anything do you?" She said with a smile.

Droite nodded and just took another spoonful. “We see a lot of starving people around as police. I’m soft, really.”

"Ah yes, that's true." Mai mused. She smiled.

"You're a truly caring person aren't you. That's sweet."

Droite gave a small smile before she looked away shyly. “It’s just common human decency. It’s not that admirable.”

“There are quite a few people who seem to lack that 'common human decency.'  I meet a few on the job.”  Mai mused.  She smiled at Droite's adorable behavior.

Droite rolled her eyes. As a cop, she knew perfectly well there were that sort. But in the end she just shrugged and continued to eat. “What else don’t I know about you…”

Mai went back to her food as well.  She hmmed as Droite asked her question.

“You don't know what else I have in store for out little outing.”  Mai teased with a smile.

“Oh? You sound like you have something interesting in mind."

“That's right...if you're up to it, I thought we could go for a walk.  See the city up close, you know?  Heartland looks magical at night.”  Mai mused.

“I’ve seen Heartland at night before.” Droite said, chiding playfully. “But that seems like a good way to spend the night.” She looked at the sunset again.

“Oh I have no doubt you have, hon.  But, seeing it with someone else is always interesting.”  Mai said with a small wink.  She glanced at the sunset.

“...Besides, its a beautiful night.  We should get out and enjoy it while it lasts.  Winter's on the way.”  

“Yeah, that’s true.” Droite said. She put down her cutlery and stared at the scenery. “It looks really good, you know. Just… wow."

Mai smiled.

“Yeah...wow.”  She said, more focused on Droite and how the sun hit her face, how the sparkling lights seemed to dance around her beautiful purple dress and hair, making her seem like a goddess.  Mai really considered herself fortunate to be getting to know such a lovely, beautiful woman.

Droite didn’t notice Mai staring at her, but when she looked back, she saw Mai staring. She smirked. “You’re drooling there, hon,” Droite teased, even if Mai wasn't.

Mai blinked and chuckled a little.

"Not quite..." She said, but her hand did go to her mouth anyway just to check, a light blush coming to her cheeks.

"You're teasing me!" She exclaimed, though she was happy because it meant Droite was relaxed.

Droite snorted. “It’s just a taste of your own medicine.” She mused. Se did feel a lot more relaxed here with Mai. She wasn’t a bad woman at all.

"I suppose I deserved it." Mai conceded with a smile. But she still pouted a bit.

"I'll have to watch out in the future, teaser." She teased with a wink.

“I should call you that,” Droite huffed, “with the way you tease me.” She said, wiping her mouth."

Mai chuckled.

"Now you're just plain copying me." Mai teased, taking another bite of her food with a smile.

"Surely you could think of a cuter nickname for me than that?" She mused.

“No.” Droite said plainly. “Your name is short enough. Yu don’t really need one."

Mai laughed.

"I guess so." She mused. Perhaps in time they could call each other names. It would be sweet. She sighed as she put down her fork.

"I think I'll take the leftovers home. You almost done?" Mai asked.

“I’m done.” Droite had finished everything on her plate and wiped her mouth already. She gave a contented sigh and smiled. “That was lovely, Mai. Thank you."

"You're welcome honey. I'm glad you enjoyed this place." Mai said with a smile. She waved down the waiter to get their bills for them.

Droite took her wallet out and she smiled, her look a lot more warm and tender than it had been of late. “I’m glad as well.”

Mai noticed the warmer look and smiled back at Droite, pleased that she'd managed to get Droite this relaxed.  The waiter brought them separate bills, since both ladies figured it might be a little bit too early to have anyone pay for anyone else's check.  Mai also asked for their leftovers to be boxed up, proving to Droite that she didn't waste food.

“Alright...shall we head out?”  She asked, once they'd both paid and gotten their leftovers bagged up.

Droite smiled at her friend and nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.” She said, looking up at the older woman and smiling at her again She cast one look at the scenery before she walked out.

“I love views like that. I just like nature in general, really. The sun, big open skies, butterflies and animals… that sort of thing."

“Of course!  Nothing like being outside on a bright, sunny day!  So, we should take advantage of that right now, shouldn't we?  It's warm enough out.”  Mai mused, smiling at Droite.

“Yeah… before it turns to night. It’s already getting dark,” Droite said, following her to the elevator.

“You bet!  Let's have a quick walk then.”  She said with a smile, getting into the elevator and then getting off with Droite once it reached the ground floor again.

“You get to relax like this often, Mai? It’s been ages since I’ve just had a chance to go out and enjoy the city at night.”

“Not recently, honey.  I've been in high demand for cases lately.  Sounds like we both need some time off.”  Mai said.

“Yeah, it does.” Droite said. “I guess there’s a lot of things people want figured out that the police just can’t do."

“True...and sometimes, the police are busy with more important cases.  Private Investigators can get really easy ones sometimes.”  Mai mused.

“You’re making us sound so heartless, Mai.” She mused, following along the long winded streets.

“Not heartless, honey.  You're all just dedicated to your work to protect the public citizens...whereas I work for private citizens who employ me specifically.  Your work is far more admirable, and you'd have to have quite a heart to do what you do.”  Mai said with a smile, walking besides Droite.

“I guess that’s one way of putting it.” Mai had a way with words, and Droite found herself blushing again. “Your work is good in itself… helping people no matter what. Sure, there’s money involved but still, I know from the case you put everything in. People would be lucky to come to you.”

Mai smiled as Droite blushed.

"Aww thank you honey! I'm glad you think so!" She said with a grin.

"I guess that makes you lucky too." She teased.

“Hey, you came on to me and you know it,” Droite huffed, crossing her arms childishly, the blush still on her face.

Mai laughed.

"Guilty!" She said with a grin, looping her arm playfully through Droite's.

"So I get to enjoy your company more now then!"

Droite jumped as Mai looped her arm but laughed. “WelI suppose so. If you keep pushing like that, I’ll have no choice.”

Mai grinned.

“I insist.”  She mused, walking on, arm in arm with Droite.

“Look they're going to turn the lights on soon...oh they're so pretty!”  Mai said.

“I know they are. It’s funny… they’re on every night but I rarely get a chance to really look at them. Usually I’m just too tired.”

“Same...or I'm working.  Late nights means we can't pay attention to these.”  Mai said with a smile.  She glanced over at Droite, watching how the lights seemed to illuminate the colors in her hair, making it sparkle.  

“...I'm glad we get a chance to see them now.”  Mai said softly, in awe of both Droite and the surrounding bright lights that Heartland was well known for.

Droite looked around, smiling as the coloured lights came on. She gave a long, heavy sigh and smiled. Maya loved looking at the lights, as did she. It gave her a real sense of peace.

“It’s been nice, hasn’t it? Our time together as a whole?”

"Yes, it has.  I'm selfish and don't want it to end."  Mai said with a sigh, switching between looking at the lights and looking at Droite's smile.

"Unfortunately, I don't think it's gonna be wise to stay out much longer.  We both have busy days tomorrow I'm sure."  Mai mused.

“Yeah… an early night. I was going to suggest that.” Droite murmured after Mai, the pink on her cheeks not leaving, indicating she had heard what Mai had said before that. “… You can always stay the night at my place if you’d like."

Mai's face fell at first when Droite said she wanted to turn in early but it lit up again when Droite said she could stay the night.

"I could? Sure!" She said happily.

Droite looked at Mai incredulously before she chuckled. “You’re like a child. You’re easily excited,” she mused. “I have a guest room.Come on. Let’s go”

Mai grinned childishly and nodded.

"It's been said." She conceded.

"Of course! Lead the way." She said.

“It’s your car we have to go to, remember? Don’t tell me you’re lost. You’re a PI, Mai,” Droite laughed.

"Of course I'm not lost." Mai mused, squeezing Droite's arm playfully.

"I'm just excited is all!" She grinned.

“It’s nothing special. You’re just staying the night,” Droite muttered, shaking her head, still looking amused.

"If you say so." Mai said, smiling at Droite.

"Maybe I also like your amused expression." She teased.

“You’re a strange one, Mai,” Droite laughed.

"It's been said."' Mai mused with a smile. They made their way back to the car, still enjoying the atmosphere and lights.

Droite looked at Mai quietly as they walked, listening to the woman laugh and get excited all over again. She couldn’t help but smile. It was really nice to be with Mai, and in her heart, she hoped that they could stay together for a long time.

-x-

Yuuma was a little bored today. He probably would've spent the time with Inchou, but today he was still in hospital and had Thomas with him and Vector's model. And he felt like going out, which Inchou couldn't do.

"Hmmm...all my friends are busy..." Yuuma pouted. Even Astral had turned him down cause he had work to do on a case with Kaito apparently. So who did that leave....

"Ah I know! I'll call up the twins!" Yuuma said, pulling out his phone and dialling Yuuya's phone number. He didn't have Yuuto's but figured the younger sibling could easily find the older if he was available.

Yuuya was at home, pawing absent-mindedly at his medication. The last few days had been hard on him, since he had been without his brother. For as long as he could remember, he always had Yuuto looking after him and hanging out with him, but lately his brother had been busy.

He was happy that Shun was around, but lately it seemed like all Yuuto did was spend time with Shun. And when Shun wasn’t there, Yuuto was doing work, since apparently he had signed on to another project. It felt so lonely, and Yuuya felt an ache in his heart from their distance.

The phone rang and Yuuya perked back up, eyes tearing away from his pill bottle. Ignoring the throb in his chest, he answered the phone.

“Yuuto?"

"Ah no...its Yuuma. How's it going Yuuya?" Yuuma asked with a smile.

"I was wondering if you were free today to hang out? Maybe your brother too!"

Yuuya blinked before he remembered that other people besides Yuuto had his number. He smiled, chuckling a little.

“Sorry. Hey Yuuma.” Yuuya sighed. “I’m free, but Yuuto isn’t. He’s… out."

"You are? Great! Then let's hang!" Yuuma said happily. He smiles.

"Well that's alright...we'll get him out some other time. So you wanna meet me at the mall or something?"

“Um… wherever you want. I don’t mind,” Yuuya said, scratching the back of his head. “I’m happy to just get out of the house."

"Alright! Then we'll meet at the mall in 20 minutes? Oh and don't forget your meds this time okay? That way we can hang out longer!" Yuuma said happily, glad he had found someone to keep him company.

“Oh yeah! I almost forgot, hahah.” Yuuya laughed as he snatched up the pills on the counter, putting them in his mouth immediately. “I’ll see you in twenty. See ya."

"Great! See ya then!" Yuuma said, hanging up and heading out to catch the bus. It was about a 15 minute ride to the mall and once he got off at the main entrance, he scanned the people around him looking for a familiar head of red and green.

Yuuya gave a long sigh of relief as he hung up the phone. He smiled, a little, evidently pleased that he was finally going out. While it was disappointing it wasn’t with his brother, he was glad that he had a friend.

Leaving a note for Yuuto, Yuuya took his bag and headed out. The mall was a bit away from the harbour - which was near where they stayed - but Yuuya felt he wasn’t too late.

“Oyyy! Yuuma! Over here!"

Yuuma glanced up when he heard his name, beaming as he spotted Yuuya.

"Hey!" He called, rushing over to greet Yuuya with a hug.

"What's up man? Thanks for coming out with me today I was super lonely!" He grinned.

Yuuya smiled and laughed as Yuuma almost bowled him over. Yuuya was so thin and small in comparison to how Yuuma was, but he gave a strong hug back. “Most people would enjoy just having a quiet day off from work you know,” Yuuya chuckled. “It’s been a while, Yuuma."

"Not me!" Yuuma exclaimed with a laugh.

"Yeah it has! What's new with you and your brother?"

“Oh, nothing much,” Yuuya laughed as they parted. “Same old for me. My brother’s boyfriend is visiting, so that’s new for Yuuto."

"Oh a boyfriend? I didn't know Yuuto had one? That's awesome! Are they serious?" Yuuma asked, leading Yuuya into the mall as he talked.

Yuuya snorted. “He doesn’t talk about him much, but they’re very serious,” Yuuya mock pouted. “Mouuu… I keep telling Yuuto to put a ring on him, but he keeps denying it."

"Oh really? That serious! Wow. Why doesn't he wanna marry him then? It's legal now and everything!" Yuuma exclaimed.

Yuuya snapped his fingers. “Yeah. I keep saying that to him but he just doesn’t want to. It’s because… well… you know what kind of business my brother is in, right? His boyfriend is in… well… worse."

Yuuma's eyes widened.

"Wow worse than harbouring fugitives, busting people out of jail and whatever else he does?! That must really be bad...and probably dangerous too!" Yuuma noted.

"...well to me, that would be even more of a reason to express your love right? Cause you never know how long someone's gonna last in bad jobs like that. Shark and I got our lives put on hold when we were arrested...and it took a long time to get back to where we are now! Yuuto should make the most of what he can do now with this guy then! Marry him while he can!" Yuuma said.

“Shhh! Yuuma. Careful!” Yuuya looked around but no one paid attention to two men hanging out. He scowled, not pleased his friend talked about what his brother did. He was trying to be subtle. He ignored the latter bit, first wanting Yuuma to understand he had to hush.

“Ah...sorry...I forgot where we were for a minute!”  Yuuma said sheepishly.

“Well it's not like they'll know what he looks...oh wait.  You're twins.”  Yuuma said, before immediately clamping his hands on his mouth in apology.

“....But...do you think he'd like that?  Getting married I mean...”  Yuuma asked after a moment, being much softer.

Yuuya gave a glare at him for a moment before he shook his head, expression softening a little. He chuckled. “It was an accident. Just don’t make it a habit.”

“… I’d think so. Yuuto does love him. He just thinks it’s not the time. He doesn’t want to distract him from his work.”

Yuuma nodded, pouting as Yuuya glared at him.  He smiled again when he was forgiven.

“Well...if they're very serious, then aren't they kinda married anyway without actually calling it that?  Maybe it wouldn't be so different?”

“Yeah… I know. But I just thought it was something nice, you know? I mean… I know you don’t have to get married to show you’re in love, but my family really has those old traditions rooted in with us. I know Yuuto would love like a little Japanese ceremony with Shun, even if he says he doesn’t care."

“That does sound nice...and plus, when you're married, your family gets a bit bigger right?  It's always nice!”  Yuuma said happily, thinking things over.  It sounded like this Shun man and Yuuto weren't too different from him and Shark before.  

“...And the boyfriend – Shun, right?- would be okay with it too?  Do you know what he thinks of the marriage idea?”  Yuuma asked after a moment.

“… No. It’s Kurosaki. I barely know him. He’s not the friendly type.” Yuuya frowned. “I mean… He hasn’t mentioned it, so I don’t know what I can do."

“Hmm...so maybe he's like Shark?  Shark would always be quiet and grouchy, and he even kept telling me I was an idiot and to not get involved with him, but he actually liked me alot.  Maybe he's like that with your brother too?”  Yuuma guessed.

“… How did you even get close to him? Were you like… did you actually know each other before he was like that?” Yuuya made a face, trying to imagine getting along with someone like that. It sounded like a bratty version of Shun if he was honest, and the thought made him cringe.

“Well we grew up together!  We were both in the same orphanage.  And I knew he wasn't always like that...I also knew his twin sister.  I saw how he behaved with her too, so I knew he was a good person underneath that angry exterior.”  Yuuma said with a smile.

“I’m… not sure how Yuuto and Shun met. He was just at our house one day with his sister.” Yuuya frowned as he tried to rack his brains. His memory wasn’t the best though, so he shrugged. “Did he decide to marry you first or the other way around? Or did you agree at the same time?"

“Well, it sounds like they've known each other for awhile then.”  Yuuma said, smiling a bit as he recalled Shark.

“...Shark proposed.  It was kinda...out of the blue actually.  He proposed in prison for the first time...then the second time, he did it again after surprising me with a dinner.  It was really beautiful.”  Yuuma said, blushing a bit as he remembered Shark's passionate proposal speeches.

“… So if I just… mention it to Shun… he’ll do it himself, right?"

“Maybe?  I don't know!  We'll have to see, huh?”  Yuuma beamed.  

“You should ask him if he's up for it, and if he is, we could totally plan your brother's dream wedding!”

Yuuya smiled. “That’d be great. I know Yuuto. He’d need all the help he can get."

“I'll help!  My friend and I planned my whole wedding, cause Shark was basically hopeless too!”  Yuuma said with a cheer.  

Yuuya laughed. “Sounds really bad, huh? Gosh…” He did feel a lot better with Yuuma and he grinned. “Well I at least know who to call."

“Yeah, Shark is terrible at that sort of thing.  He doesn't care enough to pay attention to details!”  Yuuma laughed too, happy that he was enjoying himself with Yuuya too.

“You bet you do!  Lemme know if we're doing this, okay?  We should window-shop for some fancy outfits for your brother to get married in.”  Yuuma mused with a grin.

Yuuya tried to imagine Shark from just Yuma’s descriptions. It wasn’t pretty, considering that Yuma himself wasn’t the most attentive person but then he laughed.

“Yeah. I know some fancy yukata shops. It’d be nice to look around in."

“Yeah!  And you can try them on so we can get an idea of how your brother will look in them!  Let's go!”  Yuuma cheered, pulling Yuuya along towards the shops with a grin.

“Hey! Hey!” Yuuya laughed as he was pulled along. “We don’t have to do it today! He might not even say yes to the idea!"

“Even if he doesn't now, it'll happen someday right?  So it'll be fun to look into it anyway!”  Yuuma said happily.

“It may…” Yuuya muttered. He wasn’t too sure on that, but he didn’t want to take away the smile. He followed along, happy to at least do that since they didn’t really have any other goals today..

Yuuma dragged Yuuya along to quite a few shops, not all of them completely related to Yuuto's 'wedding plans'.  Yuuma and Yuuya did try on a few outfits, got lunch, and then headed back to Yuuya's house, since it was closer to get to their place than to Yuuma's.

“Damn that was a fun day huh?  Wait til Nee-chan sees these cute new clothes I got for Yuzu!”  Yuuma said, swinging his shopping bag happily as they approached the door of the apartment building where Yuuya lived.

Yuuya laughed. “Yuzu… that’s a nice name for a girl. Like the fruit, right?” He said, leading the man to his house. Usually he didn’t take people back to the hideout, but since Yuuma was a friend and someone who knew the kind of business he was in, he trusted him not to tattle. He opened the door and started to make coffee, feeling that he needed a cup after a long but fun day.

“Yeah!  She's really sweet...and very tiny too!  But she's got spunk...kinda like Nee-chan does.”  Yuuma said with a grin, following Yuuya inside.  He wasn't at all intimidated by this place.  He knew that Astral lived here, and wouldn't tell anyone where it was or who was housed here.

“Nice place you guys got here!”  Yuuma said with a grin, glad Astral was living in a nice place.

Yuuya smiled. “We make the best of what we have, I’m glad you like it.” Yuuya hummed. “Yuuto and I have lived in this place for ages."

“It does look very lived in.  It's cozy here!”  Yuuma said happily, sitting at the table with a sigh.  It was nice to sit down for a bit.  He glanced at the door as he heard approaching footsteps, and suddenly the door was opened and in stalked a very tall, blue-green haired man who looked like his natural resting face was a scowl.  Yuuma blinked a couple times, watching as the man marched over to the coffee machine where Yuuya currently had his back turned.  Yuuma half expected the man to shove Yuuya out of the way, but instead, he was surprised when the frowning man stopped, arms crossed, behind his friend, waiting as patiently as he could for the other to get out of the way.

Yuuya heard the steps behind him and he smiled, even though he felt a lump appear in his throat. “Oh… Hi Kurosaki.” He quickly scampered out of the way, two cups of the black coffee at hand. “Are you alright?”

Yuuma's head shot up in surprise when he heard the name Yuuya said.  So this was Yuuto's boyfriend?  He began waving Yuuya over quickly behind his back, eyes darting between him and Shun.

“Sakaki.”  Shun said simply.  He called all the others except Yuuto by their last names, mostly to avoid confusion.  He could tell Yuuya apart, but didn't want to overstep any boundaries.  He simply grunted noncommittally in response to Yuuya's question, before getting a cup for himself of coffee.  That was all he'd come in here for.

Yuuya looked at Shun and then back at Yuuma. He smiled and he moved aside, feeling his heart race because the man was so scary. He hurried along, sitting down next to Yuuma.

“Hm?"

“That's the guy?  That's the guy your brother wants to marry?”  Yuuma whispered, leaning in close to Yuuya so he could make sure Shun didn't hear.  Shun wasn't really paying attention to them, though he could feel eyes on him and it wasn't the most comforting feeling, since usually those eyes were accompanied by a gun.  He just poured his coffee slowly, grounding himself.  This was Yuuto's house.  Nothing would happen here.

“Shhhh! He’ll hear you.” Yuuya said, all but slamming the coffee in front of Yuuma. “Keep it down! Keep it down!”

Shun turned casually, leaning against the counter.  He wasn't sure who this guy accompanying Yuuya was, and didn't really care, but he could tell when he was being talked about.  Yuuya's reaction made it more obvious.

“Hear what?”  He said simply, making both Yuuya and Yuuma glance up at him.  Yuuma blinked.

“Wow he has good hearing...”  He muttered, before looking at Yuuya.

“...well...go on.  We talked about you asking him that question at the mall right?  Ask!”  He said.

Yuuya’s face went red. He was sure him trying to be quiet was only making him louder. He gave the man a sheepish smile and went back to Yuuma.

“I’m not going to ask him,"

Shun simply raised an eyebrow and watched Yuuma pout and turn back to Yuuya.

“Come on!  We were gonna do this for your brother right?  We can't do it unless he's in!”  Yuuma said.  Shun's curiosity was piqued a little when this turned out to be about Yuuto too, but he wasn't sure what they were going on about.

Yuuya looked at Shun and the looked back at Yuuma. He swallowed roughly, not sure whether he wanted to do it or not. However, with Yuuma egging him on, he couldn’t help but look at the man. “Um… Kurosaki?"

Yuuma waited with a grin as Yuuya turned to Shun.  Shun raised a brow.

“What?”  He asked, taking a drink of his coffee.  He either wanted Yuuya to spit it out, or leave him be.  He had lots of work to do, no matter how frustrating it was right now.

“I… Um…” Yuuya knew Shun was frustrated and annoyed, he looked that way. However, a the same time, he really wanted to ask. Like a shy school girl confessing to her crush, he looked to his shoes and tried to muster his courage.

“I… Um… Do…” He swallowed before he decided to just go for it. What was the worst that could happen? “DO YOU WANT TO MARRY MY BROTHER?"

Yuuma nodded, silently coaxing Yuuya as the other stuttered and looked at his shoes.  

“You can do it...”  He said softly, glancing between Yuuya and Shun.  Shun was trying to be patient.  He knew how Yuuya had self-confidence issues, and imaging that it was Ruri who was speaking was a little helpful too.  He continued to sip his coffee calmly, waiting for Yuuya to ask whatever was on his mind.

However, when Yuuya finally blurted out his question, Shun's eyes widened.  He gasped, forgetting he had coffee in his mouth and coughing a little as he choked.  Out of all the questions he could have asked...that was it?  

“Woah are you okay?”  Yuuma exclaimed when Shun choked.  Ignoring Yuuma, Shun put his cup down and coughed a little to clear his throat, turning his back on Yuuya and his guest to lean against the counter.  Had he pictured it?  Yes...of course he had.  His cheeks were tinted pink a little as he pictured being married.

Yuuya’s head bolted up as soon as he heard Shun starting to cough and hack. “Kurosaki! Oh gosh! I’m so sorry. Let me go get you towels. Are you okay? Let me go get Yuuto!"

Shun perked up a little as he heard Yuuya talking, not liking the idea of going to get Yuuto.  He whirled around, letting Yuuya and Yuuma see how red his embarrassed face was.

“No!”  He said, his voice pitched a little high as he struggled to breathe a little post-choking fit.  He was physically fine, except for the fact that his heart was pounding and all the blood in his body had rushed to his face.  

“...No...I'm fine...”  He tried again, looking away slightly.

Yuuya stopped and he was red too. However, some part of him was a little glad that Shun was embarrassed. Shun usually got mad or dismissive if it was something he didn’t care about, so for him to show this much emotion was a good thing.

Yuuya went to get a tea towel, looking at Yuuma, hoping to see if the other had anything to add as he cleaned up.

Yuuma was pleased with the reaction as well. Shun reminded him a little of Shark in that way: he did care about Yuuto then.

"Ah, sorry for startling you with the question...its just that Yuuya really likes the idea of you and Yuuto being happy together." Yuuma explained with a smile. Shun listened, drawing more of his attention to Yuuya than this guy he didn't know.

"....so you want us to get married then." He said softly.

Yuuya scratched the back of his head. “Um… I just want Yuuto to be happy and…” he felt his heart sink for a moment and he took a deep breath, “and Yuuto is the most happy when he’s with you. So I noticed… I thought..."

Shun listened silently to what Yuuto said.

"I see..." Interestingly he was reminded of Ruri, who constantly told him that she missed his smile and to pursue his happiness. He knew she approved of his relationship with Yuuto because she noticed her brother's happiness when Yuuto was involved.

"...I can't say I haven't thought about it." He settled on saying, looking away again in embarrassment. Yuuma's smile widened.

"So we can do it then? Yuuya and I wanna plan the wedding!" Yuuma said excitedly.

“A-ah? Really?” Yuuya asked, eyes wide. He smiled but then looked at Yuuma, trying to hint to him to shut up and let him have the moment with Shun.

Shun simply looked at Yuuma a little incredulously. Who the hell was this guy anyway?

"Okay, okay you guys can talk okay! I'd better head home anyway! Lemme know how it goes Yuuya!" Yuuma said, getting up with a grin before heading out. Shun sighed.

"...Yes. Yuuto and I always planned to settle down someday." Shun replied.

“Ah… Yuuma you don’t have to go.” Yuuya said. It was probably better he did, but Yuuya was still concerned. He looked back at the other man but quickly forgot to go after him when he heard Shun.

“Really? Did you… tell my brother that?"

"He knows. It was always the plan." Shun said simply. They'd thought this out since they were young and still partners in crime. Marriage hadn't been part of the plan that long...but ever since it became legal, Shun had thought of it.

"...does he want to? Get married, I mean..." Shun asked a little tentatively. He had never been sure of how to breach that topic because part of him has always expected Yuuto would move on, especially after they spent such long periods apart all the time.

“… Yuuto’s always wanted to be part of your family,” Yuuya said honestly, thinking of Yuuto scribbling his name with Kurosaki’s last name in his books. “He just doesn’t want to ask you because he’s scared of you getting distracted through work."

Shun's eyes widened slightly as Yuuya said that. He had to admit "Kurosaki Yuuto" has a nice ring to it, but the name change didn't have to happen in his mind if Yuuto didn't want it. He snorted a little, a tiny smile coming to his face.

"He would...he doesn't want to end up like his mom did..." Shun murmured. He knew Yoko had been alone after Yushou vanished, and that Yuuto had watched the occasional moments where she let her loneliness show and silently decided he didn't want that.

"I wouldn't be. It doesn't really change much. We're already very close." Shun said more clearly in response to Yuuya's statement.

Yuuya nodded. He knew especially how his mother felt when their dad disappeared and he was glad that Shun understood too. But he gave a small smile especially when Shun said that.

“I heard from Yuuma… I mean… I heard that the best time to get married is in tough times. The future is uncertain so, waiting may be too late. Especially when your work is dangerous.”

Shun nodded, frowning a little as he thought things over.  He supposed it was true.  He and Yuuto weren't getting any younger and if they both wanted this, then why wait?  They might not get another opportunity.

“...That guy...he's your friend?  And he wants to plan this thing?  I would not have the time to do much...I'm on assignment.  I doubt Yuuto does either...he seems busy as well.”  Shun said.

Yuuya’s eyes widened. Was Shun really asking him? “Yuuma… Yeah… he really likes weddings for some reason. I think he just thinks he’s good at them.” Yuuya chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “Maybe work on proposing first and then we’ll try work something out. ”

Shun nodded.

“Hmm...okay.  I guess I can try that...”  He said.  He knew he was busy and Yuuto was too...he wasn't sure how to go about doing this.  He wasn't very good at romantic things like he had seen in proposal pictures or in movies.  He'd have to think.

“Just do what works. I mean… it’s Yuuto. He’ll be happy as long as it’s you,” Yuuya said, guessing what Shun was thinking.

Shun smiled a little.

“Yeah.  You're right.”  He said softly, remembering how happy Yuuto had been just to see him even though he'd obviously frightened him on their first meeting.  

“Alright...thanks, Sakaki.”  

“Hey… no problem. Anything for Yuuto, right?” Yuuya laughed. "Sorry about Yuuma. He gets excited.”

“Yes...”  Shun said, smiling.  He shook his head and gently ruffled Yuuya's hair playfully.

“Now whose fault is that?”  He said gently, before putting his empty cup down on the counter.

“I'm going.  Take care, Sakaki.”  He said over his shoulder before leaving the room to carry on working, with the idea of proposing to Yuuto tucked into the back of his mind.

Yuuya flinched, expecting Shun to bonk him on the head but he instead just stared at Shun as he felt the gentle hand. He looked up in disbelief before he smiled.

“Yeah… You too,” he said after him, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

A few minutes later, Yuuto entered the kitchen, going for some coffee and a snack break from his work.  He smiled when he saw his brother looking quite excited and happy.

“Hey, what's up Yuuya?  You seem to be in a good mood.”  Yuuto noted.

Yuuya smiled, brightening up as he saw Yuuto. He was glad to see him, since it felt like forever since they hung out. He went up and hugged him. “Nah… nothing is up yet. But it may be soon."

"May be soon? What does that even mean?" Yuuto asked in confusion as he was hugged. He sighed and returned it.

"I'm glad if it means you'll be happy like this."

“Shhh… It’s a secret,” Yuuya smiled. “You’ll find out soon, okay?”

Yuuto raised an eyebrow.

"A secret huh...well I hope so then." He said, flicking his brother's forehead with a smile.

-x-

During the time Takashi had been in hospital, Vector's model had watched over him but hadn't made many appearances. He and Yusei and Astral had been installing the Solid Vision cameras in Takashi's house so that when he came home, Vector could seem more real.

And today was the day he was coming home. Thomas was bringing him home and Vector couldn't wait to see him again and see if the solid model would be better received.

Takashi sighed as he got dressed into his clothes. The nurses had reminded him to take his meds, and it was about time for Thomas to come pick him up. The man combed his hair and shaved, straightening himself out. When he stepped back from the mirror, he really did seem like his old self.

But he was tired. He was broken still, shaken in the wake of Vector’s death and his own breakdown. Even if it wasn’t showing on the surface, it was still there, as if running under his skin.

With a deep breath, Takashi began to head out to the reception to discharge himself, and then he went to see if Thomas had arrived.

Thomas had arrived and was waiting in the reception area. He smiled and waved as he saw Takashi, pleased that the man at least looked healthier now.

"Hey! You ready to head home, Takashi?" He said.

Takashi gave a small smile and waved. “Hey… Yeah. I am. Finally.” He walked over to him. “Thanks for coming to get me… again. I really do appreciate it.”

"It's no trouble! We're friends right? That's what we do for each other." Thomas said with a smile. They made their way out to the car together.

"Oh and by the way...we have a little surprise for you when you get home." Thomas mused with a grin.

“A surprise?” Takashi raised an eyebrow as he walked with the man. “Oh no… You guys cleaned my house. I’m so sorry.”

Thomas chuckled as he helped Takashi into his car.

"Well yeah...I got the maid service Mist hires to do it. But that's not what I meant. It's something else." He said, climbing into the drivers seat and starting the car.

“Oh, thank goodness… The house was a mess. If you guys ended up cleaning it, I wouldn’t have forgave myself.” Takashi sighed. “What is it?"

"It's fine. Not a problem." Thomas said with a grin.

"Ah, ah, ah! If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise! You'll have to wait and see!"

Takashi laughed. “Alright. Alright. You got me there. I’ll wait."

"Good good." Thomas said with a grin, driving Takashi home. He was curious what the man's reaction to the Vector model would be.

"Alright, here we are." Thomas said, pulling into Takashi's house.

“The Numbers Club didn’t hide themselves in my house again, did they?” Takashi laughed. “I’m not sure if I can physically take a party."

"No not a party. We're not Yuuma." Thomas chuckled. He got up and went to knock on the door, like Vector has instructed.

Vector answered the door in his solid vision model.

"Hey guys. Welcome home." He mused, leaning against the door frame with a smile, further proving to Takashi that he was solid and tangible.

Takashi blinked dumbly for a minute before he realised war was going on. His jaw dropped a little as he saw him. “Vector…” He muttered. He stood still for a moment, but then he extended his hand to touch the man’s cheek.

Vector smiles.

"Hey." He said, letting the other man react however. He stayed still and let Takashi touch him, marvelling a little at how warm it felt. Vector had detailed that feeling, it seemed. The model don't usually feel much temperature otherwise.

Takashi paused just before he touched it and his fingers curled back, as if he didn’t want to touch him, but then he cupped Vector’s cheek. He was so warm, and his smile was so real. Takashi was in disbelief. Before he realised what he was doing, he cupped his other hand around the AI’s cheek and pulled him into a kiss.

The kiss caught both Vector and Thomas, who was watching, off guard. Sure they weren't sure what to expect...but a kiss wasn't what they thought would happen. Takashi knew this was just a model right? The AI's eyes widened as it was kissed and once more was a little shocked by how nice it felt. What the hell has the real Vector put him up to here? He found that his first instinct was actually to return it, gently, and to hold onto Takashi lightly. It was strange, but also felt so right.

Takashi did seem to realise it on some level, but he let himself enjoy the kiss, only for a few seconds. He held the AI, his hands curling on the solid light clothing for a while.

“… Sorry.” He pulled his lips away but still kept close. “I… I just got confused.”

Vector let Takashi pull away, but didn't let go of him mainly because the other was still holding him. He simply stared for a moment before smiling a little.

"That's understandable...I'm meant to be as realistic as possible." He said. Thomas coughed slightly.

"Well...I'd better go. You're in good hands, Takashi. The AI is solid now, and can look after you...however you need." Thomas mused, his wording deliberately vague.

Takashi’s face went pink and he looked at Thomas, expression dropping. Thomas always worked so hard to be his friend and look after him, and he always inadvertedly shot him down.

“Ah… You don’t have to go…” Takashi said.”Sorry I… Thanks. Thanks Thomas. This was… a surprise."

Vector let go of Takashi as the other looked at Thomas. Thomas gave Takashi a small smile.

"Nah, I had to go anyway. See you later." Thomas said, waving before turning around and heading back to the car.

"Cmon. Let's head inside." Vector said to Takashi.

Takashi waved him off. “See you, Thomas. We’ll catch up properly soon.” He called after the man. He waved, still feeling guilty, until Thomas went off.

“Yeah… sure…” He looked at Vector and felt a shudder go through him. He swore he could feel the man’s breath as he talked. He let the AI guide him, unsure what to do now he was home.

"We can do whatever you want now...how you feeling?" Vector let Takashi in, letting the man enter and take in the state of his house. It was clean again and didn't stink. Umbral was sitting on the couch, only to perk up when Takashi and the AI entered. He meowed and rushed over, rubbing his cheeks over both man's legs. It seemed the cat fully accepted the AI as a good version of Vector.

"Awww Umbral missed you. Isn't that nice." Vector cooed, petting the cat who purred happily.

It was a relief to see the house in its proper state. Even though he couldn’t remember it ever being so messy, Takashi was glad to see it as it was. The young man smiled as he knelt down, going to pet the cat too. “Yeah… I’m glad. I was worried he’d hate me after how I was treating him when I wasn’t… you know."

"Yeah...I don't think he hates you. He's a tough cat who knows how to fend for himself too." Vector said, smiling as he pet the cat.

“That’s good.” Takashi picked the cat up before he looked at Vector. “… You are really there… Just… wow."

Vector looked at Takashi and nodded.

"Ah, I should probably explain a little about the program...I'm solid right now because of those."  Vector said, pointing at the solid vision cameras hanging in the corners of the room.

"If I leave the house, I need other projection devices to make myself visibly appear...and even so, I probably wouldn't be solid.  Vector turned a lot of his memory into program code so I know everything he knows."  the AI explained.

“Ah… solid vision. I know of that…” He glanced around, wondering who put that in and when. “And your purpose is to look after me…” Takashi murmured, stroking the cat. He pulled a chair out for himself and looked at the AI. “… I guess this… you were Vector’s big project, huh?”

Vector nodded, sitting across the table from Takashi, placing his hands comfortably on the surface as he spoke.

“Yep.  Vector was worried about you, with good reason.  He hoped I would comfort you too, if that was what you wanted.”  the AI replied.

“...Yeah.  Surprise?  He kept it secret from you because he wasn't sure it would work and didn't want to get your hopes up.  Plus, it took a long time to figure out how to program memories, personality, appearance etc into a model like this...so he worked on it for many years.  He wanted it to be perfect, after all, but there are some things missing though.  I basically know everything up to my last update, which I'm told is a couple of months before he died.”  Vector said.

Takashi gave a small sigh, feeling a bit depressed on how he simply… just broke down like that. It had to have been really bad, and it kind of hurt that Vector had expected this from him. Still, Vector having done this for him was touching, and he looked over to the AI’s hand.

“Last couple of months, huh?” Takashi looked at his ring and then Vector’s bare hand. “I see… That’s still very impressive."

Vector nodded.

“Yeah.  I'm also an adaptable program, so I can make new memories of my own as I go.  If there's something important that I don't have, you can tell me and I'll remember for the future.”  He said with a small smile.

“...Thanks.  Glad you think so.”

“Well… An important one is that we got married in America. You and me…” Takashi said quietly, showing the AI the ring. “That was an amazing holiday..."

Vector's eyes widened in astonishment.  

“Married?  Oh wow...well...I remember talking about it...in the bathtub.  But I don't remember going through with it.”  Vector said, searching his memory banks and finding nothing on the wedding aside from talking about it before the fact.  He sighed.

“...Can I get a closer look at the ring?”  He asked, holding a hand out palm up towards Takashi.

“Yeah, here.” Takashi moved over and showed the beautiful ring off. He almost took it off, but at the last moment decided against it. “You had a matching one. It was elaborate, like you are."

Vector held Takashi's hand gently, looking at the ring on the other man's finger.  It did look very fancy...and beautiful.  It was exactly the kind of ring he could see Vector getting.  

“A matching one huh...same color and everything?”  He smiled, looking at the image and focusing on conjuring it on his right hand's ring finger.  He lifted his hand once it was done, showing Takashi the ring.

“Like this?”  

Takashi stared in amazement before he nodded. “Yeah… exactly like that. Wow… That was amazing.”

Vector smiled wider.

“Good...I like it.  I'm sorry I didn't have it before...I think he did try to program the memories, cause Astral showed me an incomplete set of codes.  That was probably the wedding...even though I didn't know what it was...it was very detailed.  That memory was important to him...”  Vector said a little sadly.  

Takashi gave a frown. “Well, I used to be pretty good with tech back at the police station…” Vector even used it to take advantage of Takashi back in the day and frame him, “Maybe I could work on it. Not immediately but like… something we can do together. I might not know everything but I could pick the coding up…”

Vector smiled.

“Sure.  I know how to code a memory...I just need to know what to input.  We can try it.”  Vector said.

“...But, your health comes first.  You looked after Vector for a long time, so now it's my turn to look after you.”  Vector said, crossing his arms.

Takashi looked at the AI. “Me? Look after him? I mean… I guess… But it never really felt like it. I always felt I didn’t do… enough for him. I mean… yeah..."

“You did look after him...you did more than enough.  He really appreciated it.  He was very happy you stuck with him until the end.”  Vector's AI said, knowing the real Vector's feelings on that quite well.

Takashi smiled. It was easier to believe that, since he could see and hear it coming from ‘Vector’. “… So I call you Vector, right? Vector didn’t nickname you?"

"Yeah. It doesn't matter what you call me...'Vector' is fine. I don't have any other name." The AI said.

“Alright… If I think of one, I’ll call you that but, you’re still a part of Vector so… should be fine, huh?” Takashi smiled. “… I just… I’m not sure what to do now without him. Vector was a big part of my life."

"Yeah...I'm still Vector. You can call me that." The AI said with a smile.

"...Yeah...you were the highlight of his life too. Most of my most detailed memories are of you and him being together in some way." Vector said.

Takashi smiled, hearing that. “Yeah… I guess so… We spent so many good years together. It wasn’t easy… but…” Takashi shook his head, feeling tears already.

Vector nodded.

"It was a tough start and had lots of ups and downs...but it was worth it. I don't regret it at all." Vector said, coming over to comfort Takashi, wrapping an arm around him as he started to cry.

Takashi covered his face. “I don’t either but… that’s what makes it hurt more, doesn’t it?"

"I suppose so, yeah...but hey, I'm still around, right? A little anyway...we can have fun still." Vector said softly, nuzzling Takashi's face gently like Vector used to do, holding him and trying to comfort him.

“I guess so…” Takashi mumbled. He leaned back into the hug and felt himself shake.

Vector's AI pet Takashi gently, holding him and comforting him as he shook and cried.  

“You're gonna be okay...I'm here to look after you if nothing else.  You won't be alone.”  

Takashi had already cried a few times, and thankfully the burst was short. Even though he was still shaken, he dried his tears quickly and looked up at Vector’s AI.

“Thanks… I’ll… try get better soon.”

Vector smiled at him. "And I'll help, okay? You're going to be fine." He said, holding Takashi and then gently kissing the top of his head.

Takashi smiled up at him. He was tempted to kiss him again, but he refrained and chuckled quietly. “It’s weird how I don’t find this weird at all…It’s so weird..."

Vector smiled sheepishly. "I suppose...I don't feel weird either, even though it is weird to be in this circumstance." The AI agreed. "If I make you uncomfortable I'll stop...just let me know."

“You’ll stop what? Just… helping or existing?” Takashi frowned. “Sorry, that sounded… really troubling for a moment.”

"Ah, no that's not what I meant...i can't really stop existing. Someone else has to turn me off, and that's quite a feat to accomplish, believe me. I'm not going anywhere." Vector said. He sighed. "I meant that if...kissing you or something weirds you out or something. Then just tell me and I'll stop."

“Ah…” Takashi nodded. That made more sense. “I don’t know… I mean… it helps but I don’t want to confuse myself. When I blackout or dream, I already am so confused. I want to just… try have some clear boundaries between really and my dreams… you know what I mean, right?"

"Yeah. It'll help if you take your meds. I'll help you with that. You'll learn what's real and what isn't." Vector said with a smile.

“Meds… It’s just… Yeah…” He sighed quietly. “You’d think I had this sorted years ago."

"Well, when you're going through traumatic experiences, you tend to lose yourself. It happened to Vector too, remember. I think you're doing better than he did...you haven't hacked anyone or gone completely insane out of guilt." Vector's AI said gently.

Takashi couldn’t help but snort at that, despite knowing that was an insanely dark issue. “Doubt I’d have the capacity for that, but thanks."

Vector smiled, glad that Takashi found it amusing. He personally didn't feel very badly effected by these experiences anymore, because the AI had better memory of the healing process with Takashi than the moments Vector had gone insane.

"No, I don't think you do either, although I know you're good with computers. Wouldn't take much work on your part to learn hacking." Vector teased, nudging him a little.

“You wouldn’t teach me even if I said it would be a coping mechanism, huh?” Takashi mused, looking up at him. “Vector wouldn’t be to happy if you made a Crashbug out of me, would he? Or would he be really amused?”

"Nah, I don't think I would. Hackers don't get a very good rap here. Vector might have been amused to watch you try to hack like he could though." Vector mused.

“I know they don’t,” Takashi laughed. He would have, and also pointed how absolutely wrong he was. The man gave a small smile. “Just… god… Vector..."

Vector chuckled too.  

"...It would be funny though."  He mused, smiling at Takashi.

Takashi smiled and took Vector’s hand, squeezing it tightly. He was tired again, but after just coming home and doing nothing but sleeping in the hospital, he didn’t want to sleep.

Vector smiled.

“You seem tired...did you wanna lie down?  Rest a bit?”  Vector asked.

“Ah… I’m sick of sleeping all the time. If I sleep anymore, I’ll be tired of it.” He clutched his head. Can we just sit in front of the tv? Take it easy?”

Vector nodded.

“Sure.  That sounds fine.  C'mon then.  You can pick the show we watch.”  Vector said, getting up.

Takashi nodded. He got up too and followed, but he found his steps faltering and the man stopped in the doorway. “Vector… How do I tell if you’re an illusion or not though?”

“You know I'm not an illusion, Takashi...Thomas saw me when he dropped you off.  But, if you need to check, you can always call your friends and have me speak directly to them.  That way you'll know you haven't forgotten your meds...”  Vector said gently.  

“...And hopefully, over time, you'll realize that I'm real without needing second opinions.  Cause I'll make sure you take your meds and you'll be able to trust you're not hallucinating.”  Vector explained with a small smile.

“I guess so…” He was still nervous. Vector had been so real in his head, and had convinced him so thoroughly that he was still alive. This AI was perfect, but he worried if this was his head trying to rationalise the same delusion. the man paused but then gave a slow nod.

“Right… Thanks..."

“No problem.  I'm here for you, Takashi.”  Vector said, coming over and squeezing his hand.

“We'll get through this, together, okay?”  

Takashi took the AI’s hand, trying to find some flaw. But there really wasn’t… it was a very good copy. He squeezed the projection’s hand and nodded. “Yeah… thanks..."

Now that the ring was on the AI's finger, it was perfect.  There was nothing there to prove it wasn't the real him.  That was exactly how Vector had planned it.  Vector's AI smiled.

“Alright...then let's just relax for now, okay?  I'll look after you.”  He said softly, gently leading Takashi into the living room and sitting down next to him.  He snuggled against him like Vector used to do as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Takashi found his body moving to instinct, and he ended up against him on the couch, a blanket over them and remote in hand. It was a bittersweet feeling, that he could feel this again, but he knew that it was the cost of his partner. His real one. Still, it was nice to see Vector healthy, and even if Takashi still wasn’t sure if this was quite right, he smiled and snuggled against the AI. Relax… He picked a movie and sighed. He could do that. He could enjoy him, for as long as he needed to.

Vector rested against Takashi, watching the movie contently.  He wasn't sure if this was going to help in the long run, but in the short term, Takashi certainly did seem a lot happier.  

-x-

Meanwhile, at the Correctional Facility, all of the inmates had been sent to bed, Mutou Yuugi included.  He was not having a bad time in the place so far, and settled down for what he assumed would be another uneventful night in bed.  

Unfortunately, he was wrong as he slipped into dreamworld.  Today's dream was odd, since Yuugi knew he'd never been in this dark alleyway before, but it also felt very familiar.  In his dream he was running as fast as he could, with the loudest sounds being shouts of pursuers behind him mixed with the noises of late night cars on nearby streets.  He was wearing black leather clothing from head to toe, could feel that his hair was very greasy and a little damp from the rain, and he could feel the weight of the Millenium Puzzle bounce against his chest lightly as he ran down the alley.  He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and his harsh pants from exhaustion.  He was also carrying a backpack that he somehow knew contained many of his personal belongings.  Yuugi could feel the worry in him, although he could not remember why he was scared.  There was a sense of overall urgency in his movements.  He rounded a corner before skidding to a halt as a humongous man stood before him, armed with a shiny switch blade and with a wide, malicious grin on his face.

“There you are, little punk.  Thought you could sleep on our turf and get away with it?”  He snarled, swinging the knife without another word.  Yuugi jumped back as the knife swung towards him...

As he was stabbed, Yuugi screamed, sitting up in bed in alarm, drenched in sweat as if he really had been running moments before.  His heart pounded in his chest and he took deep, gasping breaths to try and clam himself down.

“It's...it's not real...”  Yuugi stammered, hand going instinctively to inspect his chest, where he'd been cut in his dream, expecting to feel nothing...

But then his hands traced an old, but deep scar near his collarbone and his blood went cold.  Had that really...happened?  It was in the exact place he remembered being hit...and god there had been blood and it had hurt so bad and...Yuugi trembled.  For the rest of the night, he couldn't sleep, too afraid to go back into that dream and watch the end of it.  Yes, he'd survived...but at what cost?  It was too awful to imagine.

Yuugi was very jumpy when the guards called him out for breakfast, dark bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and he was still sweaty and trembling slightly, hand over the old scar in fear as he made his way into the cafeteria where Koutei and the other prisoners were waiting.

Koutei, on the other hand, had slept very peacefully. Now that Miheal was back, he was able to get a new dosage of drugs and get a goodnight’s rest. The blonde was rather pleasant and perky that morning until he saw Yuugi, practically dragging his feet in fear.

“Mutou?” Koutei asked, not sure which side it was from the way that he was acting. “Oy… are you okay there, man?”

Yuugi jumped a little when Koutei approached him, mistaking his larger form for the mystery man in his dream who had attacked him.

“Ah...Koutei...”  He said softly, relaxing only slightly when he realized who he was talking to.

“...I just...I didn't sleep well...last night...I um...I had a...bad dream...”  Yuugi said, biting his lip to keep from crying a little.  It wasn't a dream.  It had really happened, and he was so scared.

Koutei was about to make a joke when he saw the older man’s face. His face fell into a little frown and he put a hand on his shoulder. “Oh… I see… Go get your breakfast. We’ll see if we can talk about it, alright?”

Yuugi nodded simply, turning away to go get his breakfast tray as quickly as possible.  He didn't know if he wanted to talk about it, but he did like the comfort Koutei gave him.  Yuugi returned with his tray as soon as he could, sitting down next to Koutei and simply staring at his food.  He really wasn't hungry right now...his head hurt, he was tired, and he was still very scared of those dream-memories he was having.

The man sat down and waited for Yuugi to sit. He gave a small smile, trying to reassure him that it was alright and he was awake.

“It’s okay… you’re awake now. What was there can’t hurt you now, no matter how realistic it is, right?“

Yuugi bit his lip as Koutei spoke. Yes it was good logic for bad dreams but this was different...

"...I know...but that's the problem...this...this wasn't just a dream...it was real..." Yuugi murmures.

“Real? What do you mean?” Koutei paused and frowned. Wait… he kind of knew what the man meant… “Oh… do you mean… like… it happened before. You don’t remember it fully but you kind of do…”

"...Yeah. I didn't remember it before...but it felt so real." Yuugi said, head down.

"...I was...running from these thugs....I think they were in a gang....and one of them...cut me. Right here..." Yuugi said, showing the old scar he had to Koutei.

Koutei frowned as he saw the wound. It looked like it was a small but deep cut that probably could have killed Yuugi at some point.

“Yami has done a lot of things over the last few years… But I thought you didn’t remember any of that.”

"Yeah...I thought so too. But...now it's coming back..." Yuugi said, biting his lip. "...I'm scared of them...I don't want to know....it sounds horrible...it was terrifying to remember."

“He’s been through a lot. I don’t think anyone really knows what he’s been up to,” The man said. He rested a hand on Yuugi’s shoulder. “I know it’s scary, but just breathe, alright?"

"I know...that's what scares me...am I really gonna...remember all that?" Yuugi asked, shaking a little and leaning into Koutei's comforting touch.

“I don’t know… It’s different to my case, but the doc basically said I’m never going to get all my memories back no matter how hard I try. Maybe you’ll just remember whatever Yami remembers now, not everything you’ve ever done."

Yuugi frowned a little.

"I guess that makes sense...I don't know how good my other me's memory is..." Yuugi said.

"...I did remember a happy time before earlier...my other me is good with kids...he seemed to like playing games with them...I think it was at an orphanage or something." Yuugi said, trying to focus on the happier things to get his mind off the feeling of being stabbed.

“Yeah… I’ll find out for you when I next see Yami.” Koutei said. He listened to Yuugi, munching on his breakfast thoughtfully.

“Really, huh? That’s interesting. Guess he liked to share his games, huh?"

Yuugi gave Koutei a small smile. "Okay...thanks." He said, still picking at his food a little. He wasn't that hungry. He nodded at Koutei's second statement. "Yeah...I do too. But I would only share with those who approached me first...I think my other me went to others to share games with them. Or at least, that's what it looked like..."

“Yeah… I’ll find out for you when I next see Yami.” Koutei said. “You should eat though. You need your strength after all.” He smiled.

"Sounds like he wasnt all that bad, huh?"

"Okay...I'll try." He said, taking a small bite slowly.

"...Yeah. I guess not...even though I know he's done really bad things..."

“… Do you remember any of those things? Or does it sound like just… stories people tell you?” Koutei asked quietly.

"Stories...except for one time...I remember waking up and there was someone covered in blood reaching for me...my other me killed him." Yuugi responded quietly.

Koutei frowned. “… That must of been horrifying..."

Yuugi's hand trembled a little as he held his fork. "Yeah...it was. I just screamed...I didn't know what else to do."

Koutei went and put his hand on his shoulder. He squeezed Yuugi gently. “Hey… it’s okay…”

Yuugi's head was beginning to hurt, both from stress and exhaustion as well as the potential for a switch. He leaned against Koutei and bit his lip.

"...I don't wanna remember more things like that...I heard he killed two other people...I don't want to remember it..." Yuugi whimpered softly.

“I know… I know you don’t…” Not caring who was watching, Koutei went and hugged the man tightly. “I wish I could help you or give you advice… But all I can say is just… hang in there."

Yuugi accepted the hug, not caring about anything else but the comfort. He clung to Koutei tightly and sniffled a little as his head throbbed.

"...I'll try..." he said softly, biting his lip to try not to cry.

Koutei stroked his hair and sighed. “I got your back, okay? And Yami does too… don’t worry, okay?"

Yuugi nodded, trying to relax into Koutei's hold. All the stressing made him tired...it didn't help that he hadn't slept last night or that his head hurt. He sighed.

"I know...thank you." He said, giving the tiniest smile and closing his eyes to try and calm down. Moments later, as Yuugi passed out, Yami woke up. But, instead of letting Koutei know, he waited. He needed a moment to calm too. He hated upsetting Yuugi this way. Finally, he sighed and pulled away. "You can stop now."

Koutei held him tight, enjoying their contact. Yuugi was so soft and warm, and his smallness only made Koutei want to envelop him more in a caring embrace. He stayed still for some time, not noticing the change as he continued playing with the pointed strands of his friend.

“… Hey…” He stopped only because Yami pulled away. “How are you feeling?”

Yami pulled away, not really looking at Koutei and focusing on the mostly full tray of food in front of him, not because he was hungry but because he needed something else to stare at.

"...Fine...better, thank you." He said simply. It was true. Yuugi was feeling better and he was grateful for Koutei's help with that.

Koutei kept looking at Yami. Yami looked so different to Yuugi. Though his physical appearance was the same, his posture and his expression made him look like a different man.

“… You sure?”

Yami hesitated. No, he wasn't fine, but he wasn't sure anything could really change that. Or at least, nothing Koutei could do would change it.  Maybe if he started cheeking his pills, Yuugi would stop seeing his memories, or maybe if he told Dr. Arclight, the meds could be changed to something that wouldn't blend their memories like this.

"...I guess." Yami finally replied.

“Right… Just try your best, okay?” Koutei said honestly. He was about to say some more when suddenly the man slammed into the table.

“Mutou!” Shinji yelled. “Hey there!"

Yami nodded absentmindedly to Koutei's statement, still not really focused on the present. He was tired and still trying to think of a way to fix this problem of his bad memories affecting Yuugi. So, when Shinji basically launched himself out of nowhere to appear behind him, Yami nearly jumped, immediately tense. His hand instinctively curled around his useless plastic knife as a weapon as he whirled around to face whatever threat had snuck up on him, only to relax slightly when he realized it was just Shinji.

"...Ah...hi Shinji...what's happening?" He asked, to calm down from that little scare.

Koutei was about to knock the knife away from Yami but Shinji moved and Yami stopped before he could really do anything. The man gave a small yelp but Shinji clapped his hands gleefully.

“I wanted to ask if you learned anything else about Doctor Arclight. Anything. Just a little bit.”

Yami kept a firm grip on the knife which slowly relaxed as he realized he didn't have to use it. He put the knife down subtly, noticing that Shinji hadn't noticed.

"Ah...new theories huh..." he was way too tired for this.

"...I heard he was keeping a sword in his cane...not 100% sure though." He said, saying the first ridiculous thing that came to mind

Koutei was about to tell Yami that it was okay and tell Shinji to back off, but before he could do anything again, the others had already done their exchange. He wanted to tell Yami that he was being dumb, but Shinji’s eyes widened.

“That cane? Really? I knew it looked really cool and intricate, but now that you mention it… it kind of looks like an ancient sword."

"Yeah...I noticed too..." Yami said simply, turning around to gently cradle his head in his hands. He did not have the patience today for this shit.

"That's all I know...and I'm not even sure if it's right..."

“Alright…” Shinji grinned and slapped the man on the back. “Thank you though! You’re the best, Yami. You always have the right stuff!”

“Yes… he knows the right stuff to say.” Koutei said, staring in disbelief that Shinji hadnt figured out Yami was fooling him. He knew Shinji was intelligent, but still.

Yami grunted a little as Shinji slapped his back, but since the man had done that before, he was part-way prepared for it.  He sighed.

“No problem...”  He murmured.  He was a little incredulous about Shinji too.  How had this guy not figured out that he was yanking his chain?  Well, maybe after this ridiculous story went bust, he'd stop believing him.  

Shinji smiled. “Well, if you get anything else tell me. Oh! I should probably trade you with some juicy gossip as well. You want me to spill the beans now?"

Yami resisted a groan.  No, he just wanted him to go away...

“...Maybe later...I'm not feeling great.”  He finally said, deciding to be blunt, since Shinji obviously couldn't read his physical signs.

“Aw man, you sure?” Shinjis’ face fell. “Alright. I should probably build up a case more against Arclight anyway. I’ll catch you later, Yami. See you blondie.”

“Um… Okay?"

“Bye...”  Yami said, groaning a little as Shinji finally left.  He put his face in his hands, clearly not wanting to deal with this shit today.

“… You’re a good guy, Yami.” Koutei said, almost out of nowhere. “You’re really understanding and you accommodate for Shinji. Even though like… everyone just brushes Shinji off, you never hesitated to just… go along with things when he’s buzzing around.”

Yami blinked in astonishment as Koutei spoke.  He hadn't really been expecting him to...but to say something like that was surprising.  It was very rare that people called him a 'good guy'...and ironically, he could see parallels between what he was doing with Shinji and what he had done with Koutei.  He'd been there for both of them when nobody else would listen to them, and went along with games for them, while also simultaneously manipulating them.  His face fell even more and he was silent for a moment, before finally speaking.

“...No...no, I'm not a good guy, Koutei....really, I'm not...”  

The blonde was oblivious to any parallels the man was making, and his face mirrored Yami’s as he looked away from him. Hearing the quiet regret in his voice, Koutei reached out and squeezed the man’s shoulder again, hoping he could prompt Yami to look up to him again.

“… You’ve done a lot of bad things. I know that… Yuugi knows that too,” Koutei admitted, “But… I know you’re not all that bad. I mean… if you weren’t a bit good, you wouldn’t go out of your way to make kids smile, or try protect to Yuugi as much as you do."

Yami glanced over at Koutei when the other squeezed his shoulder.  He listened quietly and solemnly, reminded again of his earlier plight.  Yuugi was remembering things that he'd done already...it was only a matter of time before that opinion changed, in his mind.  

“...People who hurt kids are scumbags...I'm not quite that bad, I'll admit...”  Yami mused.  He had killed people who had hurt kids before, and honestly had no regrets about that.  He sighed.

“...Still...you really don't understand what I've done.  You wouldn't be doing this if you did.”  Especially if Koutei remembered how Yami had used him, Yami figured, Koutei would probably beat him up instead of try to comfort him.

Koutei shook his head and looked at Yami. Mutou’s purple eyes seemed almost red right now, but it wasn’t a bad change, it just looked different.

“Maybe I don’t, but I know I’m on your side, Yami. You’ve done bad things, but I’m sure you are a good person at your centre.”

Yami blinked simply, staring at Koutei in disbelief.  He was very persistent, and clearly didn't remember a thing of what Yami did to him.  He snorted a little at Koutei's word choice.

“Yeah, the good person inside me is called Yuugi.”  He mused.  And now Yuugi was suffering for his actions, Yami recalled.  He would have to talk to Dr. Arclight about medication, and that only made his head hurt more.  

“It’s not like you’re inherently evil just because Yuugi is a good person who’s different from you,” Koutei said. He remained serious, even if Yami was trying to dismiss him right now. “Just… you’re being really hard on yourself over one statement. I do think you’re a good guy, okay."

Yami considered this. He supposed Koutei was right. He and Yuugi could be opposite, but there were times when they were on the same page. Like with Koutei, part of him thought. He sighed.

"Alright. You're entitled to your opinion, I suppose....I don't consider myself inherently evil...just, not a good person." Yami conceded.

“That’s fair… Everyone has their own opinions of themselves. I mean, usually it differs to how others see them,” Koutei smiled. He finally pulled his hand off Yami’s shoulder and returned to his food.

"...Yeah. That's true." Yami murmured, looking over his food with a look of distaste. He really wasn't hungry.  "Ugh." He groaned, forcing himself to have a bite even though he didn't want one.

“Come on. Do it for Yuugi at least. You guys need to eat. You’re both tiny. Building muscle needs you to eat something there.” Koutei said.

Yami snorted a little. "Mutou men are simply height challenged. Nothing I eat or don't eat will change it." He mused, recalling Jii-san being short too. "But I suppose you're right about muscle building...does that mean we're going to work out later today?" he said, having another tiny bite.

“Still… You can bulk up a bit.” Koutei chuckled quietly and he nodded. “If you want to. I’ve been feeling really up to working out. Having a partner helps.”

"Yeah. I'd be down for that...it might be fun. We can play workout games." Yami mused.

“You always have interesting games. That’s what always gets me so pumped up,” Koutei laughed. “Don’t make me do all the work though!”

Yami smiled a little as he complimented his games.

"Yeah...I won't. Can't say the same for Yuugi though."

“Don’t worry. I’ll motivate him. By the time I’m done with him, he’ll be at least physically fit,” Koutei grinned.

Yami chuckled.

"That'll truly be a first for Yuugi...good luck." He said with a smile.

“I don’t think I’ll need it, but thanks, I will!"

Yami smiled a little at Koutei, glad for the distraction.

Meanwhile, Miheal Arclight had come into the cafeteria to monitor the patients. He was going to schedule a few sessions for Mutou and see how he was doing. He was a little surprised to notice Mutou with Koutei, since he knew the cops suspected they had a history.

Shinji was surprised to see Miheal among them. The man was usually up there on the walkways with the guards, out of the way from prisoners, but it seemed like today the doctor was among them. He glanced back at Yami and gave a smirk. If he could prove there was a sword in the cane, maybe it would be a good sign that everything else was true, like Miheal was experimenting on the prisoners. Deciding that it was for the good for everyone, Shinji went over with his tray and headed over to the return station in the kitchens.

As he passed him, he pretended to trip and he knocked Miheal, trying to bump the cane out of his hands.

“Oof!”

Miheal was so focused on Mutou that he didn't notice Shinji. His tactic worked, the small nudge being enough for Miheal to stumble and drop his cane. Unfortunately, when he dropped it, the sword slid out just enough for people to see the tip of the blade near its hilt.

"Shit..."

“Oh my god…” Shinji gasped loudly, drawing more attention to it. One of the guards above saw the commotion and headed downstairs to go help Miheal, but they didn’t see the blade, unlike the prisoners. “It’s true… you… you have it! Right there!”

“… what?” Koutei looked over to where Shinji was standing up to grab the cane and show it to everyone.

Miheal was still injured from being shot and couldn't move as quickly as Shinji, so the prisoner grabbed his cane first.

Yami glanced up when Koutei did, eyes widening in disbelief as he saw the clear blade on display for a moment before Dr. Arclight was able to get it back and sheath it.

"...oh my god...I was just...I made that up..." Yami murmured, loud enough for Koutei to hear but not for Shinji to catch on. He was shocked that it was apparently true.

“Who the hell carries a sword in their cane? It’s not like this is a bloody movie…” Koutei whispered back. Shinji tried to pull the cane off from Miheal but the man was strong. When it was wrenched off him, he pointed at the psychiatrist.

“I will expose you, Doctor Arclight! For all your secrets!”

"Exactly!" Yami hissed back, a little in shock and also a little panicked. Now Shinji would never leave him alone would he?

Dr. Arclight scowled.

"Shinji, I've told you time and time again that I am not part of any conspiracy." He said simply, hoisting himself up. Someone was feeding Shinji interesting delusions.

“You say that, but you literally have a sword in your cane! What kind of sane man has one?” He yelled, looking out to the other guards and prisoners for them to notice. “You don’t have any right over us.”

“This is out of hand…” Koutei mumbled.

Miheal groaned. He was definitely gonna stab Thomas for his stupid idea...  

"Shinji, you're making a scene. Please calm down." Miheal said, knowing the guards would probably be here anytime now to sedate Shinji, who to them sounded like he was losing it.

Yami sighed. "You bet it is...what do they do to inmates who make a scene here? I heard they essentially knock them out..."

Shinji gave a frown and he looked, seeing the guards. He crossed his arms, looking upset but not crazy at least. “Mark my words, everyone else here will learn and expose you for your lies, Doctor Arclight. And then there will be revolution!”

Miheal kept his face neutral but he was also concerned. He knew Shinji was generally a popular prisoner, and his rumours could potentially be bought by others. However, what was also concerning was that Shinji had been doing better recently until now...so something had caused him to regress a little.

"Shinji, I have been nothing but honest with you and all my other patients, I assure you." Miheal said gently. The guards could see that Shinji was causing a scene but wasn't violent, so they decided they would escort him back to his cell to rest alone for a bit. Yami watched them escort him away in curiosity.

"I guess they only use drugs when someone's violent..." he mused.

“No you haven’t! You definitely haven’t…” Shinji muttered. “We’re all watching you, Doctor Arclight. We may be small, but united we will stop you, got it? We’ll take you down and your lies.” He went along peacefully with the guards, looking at them and seeing if the men were somehow robots, wired to follow Doctor Arclight’s every beck and call. As he was whisked away, Koutei looked back at Yami. “I mean, it makes sense. They’re trying to make us better. They can’t drug us every time we make a mistake.”

Miheal sighed as Shinji left. Well, now he was probably gonna have his work cut out for him wasn't he?

"...yeah, I guess. I just heard stories about this place from a couple years ago when Vector was here...I suppose this place really has improved then. Good to know." Yami mused.

“Vector… Man it seems so long ago since that guy was here. A lot has changed. It had to, after all of the supposed break-ins to see him,” Koutei said. “It’s really not a bad place. It’s still… a rehab prison, but it’s not a bad place in the grand scheme of things."

"Yeah, and not to mention he was able to get out somehow. They had to rehire tons of guards, cause apparently it was one of them who made a stupid mistake that allowed that hacker to escape." Yami mused. He sighed.

"...I also heard they re-worked the visitor policies too, since some prisoners were suspected of being abused by outside visitors." Yami noted, mind immediately turning to Raphael, even though he trusted the man wasn't an abuser. He just wondered if he'd be allowed to visit him again without the cops.

"I guess there could be worse places to spend time...this is still a lot better than jail, trust me." Yami mused

“Yeah… I know about the guard thing. There was a big thing about it on the news a few years back,” Koutei said. However, while Yami thought of Raphael, Koutei’s mind wandered to the man he had loved… that he still loved and hurt so much. He felt cold suddenly, thinking of Alit and he bit his lip, doing his best to fight the onslaught of guilt that rushed through him.

“I didn’t know about the visitor thing though…” Because he tried not to think of his visitors… or the visitor he didn’t get to see. How long had it been since he had heard from Alit? The last thing he remembered was the man yelling at him, yelling about being betrayed for crimes that Koutei didn’t remember committing. The long period of silence was killing him, and even though Koutei yearned to see Alit again, he never came, not even to yell or abuse him.

He had really lost Alit…  

“I..."

Yami nodded.

"Yeah, so now they're all gonna be super careful and professional, I'll bet." He mused, about to say something else when he noticed the look on Koutei's face. He looked like he was remembering something painful all of a sudden.

"...Koutei? Hey, you okay? What's wrong?" Yami asked, putting a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

“I…” Koutei looked about ready to cry, but he took a deep breath. “I’m… I’m fine. I just… Just thinking of someo- some things. It’s not important.” He tried to brush Yami off gently with a wave of his hand and he forced a smile. “It’s fine, really."

Yami frowned a little.

"Whoever this 'someone' is, they're important. You look miserable." He said, picking up on Koutei's slip-up.

"...Come on, talk to me. I can't help otherwise..." He said. He wanted to help, mainly because Koutei had already helped him and also Yuugi. They both owed him.

“… There’s… there’s not much you can help with…” Koutei murmured, keeping his gaze away from Yami. “It’s done. It’s something I can’t fix. I just… I need to move on…”

Yami bit his lip.

"...I know what it's like to have things I can't fix...and have the past haunt me occasionally." He said.

"...You'll move on. We'll do whatever to keep your mind off of it." Yami said.

“I know…” Koutei muttered. “… I just… I just wish I could fix things."

"Stop thinking like that. You just said a minute ago that you can't fix it....so just...don't. Maybe the best thing to do is to find something else to replace it, you know? Something you might even enjoy more..." Yami said, although he had to wonder what might be better in here. It was a prison after all.

“I know, I know… But just because I can’t doesn’t mean I don’t want to…” Koutei muttered. He often said contradictory things in prison though, and the sort of thinking had stopped striking him weird anymore. In all honesty, he felt what Yami and even himself was asking him to do was impossible, but he didn’t have the voice to say that.

"...I know. You'll be okay, alright? Yuugi and I are here for you. We'll help you move on." Yami said gently.

Koutei did look up this time and then… he smiled. “… Thanks. I appreciate that..."

Yami gave him a small smile in return.

"We've all got each other's backs then." He said.

“Yeah…” Koutei gave a small chuckle. He still felt empty and bitter inside, but he didn’t say anything. Instead he smiled. “… See? You are a good guy,” He joked.

Yami turned back to his food, satisfied for now. He was about to take another bite before he scoffed a little at Koutei's little note at the end. "...I guess so...I'm glad I can be a 'good guy' for you, at least." He mused.

Koutei smiled and went back to his food. No one could replace Alit, and how guilty, how terrible he felt… but he was glad he had a good friend in Yami, and that helped.

As Yami and Koutei were finishing off their breakfast, Miheal was making his way back into the surveillance room.  He wanted to see if there was any particular event that triggered Shinji's sudden relapse while he was away.  

The guards in the room were more than happy to let Dr. Arclight see the footage of the inmates in the cafeteria for the last few weeks, since he had asked for such things before and was interested in the conditions of the patients.  As he reviewed the footage, Dr. Arclight saw Shinji buzzing around as he normally did, hanging out with his usual group and not doing much out of the ordinary.

....Except there was one event a couple days after Mutou was admitted when Mutou approached him.  Audio recordings weren't available, but judging by Mutou's more confident body language, Dr. Arclight guessed that this was Yami in control of the body.  He watched him approach Shinji, talk to him, and then leave.  And then, a few days later, Shinji approached Mutou and talked to him again, slapping him on his back, and then buzzing off to share whatever news he'd received.  

"Hmm...so it was Mutou.  Damn..."  He mused.  That would certainly give him something to talk to him about.  In addition, Mutou seemed to be close to Koutei, which was curious because the police had told him they suspected Yami had thrown Koutei under the bus before his arrrest.  Perhaps it was a good idea for them to have a session.  

Lunch was officially over, and the inmates were being brought back to their cells.  Dr. Arclight made his way out to into the halls.

"Guards, please fetch Mutou Yuugi and bring him to my office.  We're going to have a talk."  Dr. Arclight said to a couple of the guards he passed.

After breakfast, there was time for most people to get to work or start with their respective therapeutic treatments. Though Yami didn’t have a designated time, he was completely unsurprised that Doctor Arclight called him so early. The man waved Koutei goodbye and he headed off after the guards, being brought to the office.

He was rather surprised how nice it looked, and how many ancient artifacts (or replicas at least) were spread throughout the room. The man sighed and crossed his arms, already pulling up his mental list of complaints for the psychiatrist to hear.

Miheal was already in his office when Yami arrived, though he was looking over files where he'd noted the dates of Yami's interactions with Shinji as well as his time with Koutei.  It was curious to see that he and Yuugi seemed to have both been spending quite a bit of time with the latter man.  He glanced over at Yami, noting the confident way he sat.

“Good morning.  I assume it's Yami I'm speaking to, is that correct?”  Miheal said.

Yami crossed his legs, looking thoroughly unimpressed. “Yes, I am. Good Morning, Doctor Arclight. I’m glad to see you’re better.” He really wasn’t, but pleasantries were all part of the game, after all.

Miheal simply smiled pleasantly in response, catching onto the game unconsciously.  

“Thank you.  I'm pleased to be back as well...and from what I've seen since I returned, you've been making your presence known here, haven't you?  You're spending quite a bit of time with a few inmates.”  Miheal noted.

“Yes, I have been making friends,” Yami said. He knew it was way too suspicious to be friends with Koutei without an ulterior motive, but he felt reassured that Koutei becoming his friend was legitimately just a chance of fate. “I haven’t been messing with them at all, or at least I don’t think so.”

Miheal listened, glad that Yami wasn't denying it.  That just made this process a little easier.  

“You haven't been messing with them, you say?  I find that curious...especially in the case of one Weber Shinji.  He's always been a supporter of conspiracies, but lately, he seemed to have been reaching new extremes.  And, I've noticed he spends quite a bit of time with you lately.  In fact, according to the cameras, it was you who approached him first, shortly after you were admitted to our facility.”  Miheal said.

“...So it is my conclusion that you, who has a history of manipulating people to your advantage, have been spreading rumors about me through Shinji for your own entertainment, if nothing else.”  

“I admit, I may have had fun pulling his strings a little, but honestly that wasn’t really my intention. What I’m doing is hardly important,” Yami said smoothly. “Maybe you can tell me why you actually have a sword in your cane like some sort of spy, Doctor Arclight.” Yami smiled, even though he really wanted to hiss and tell Miheal off for attaching Shinji closer to him.

“What you're doing is detrimental to his mental health, Yami.  Whatever the reason, you need to stop feeding his conspiracy theories.”  Miheal said sternly.  He sighed.

“It's none of your business, or anyone else's why that is the case.  We're not here to talk about me, we're here to talk about you.”

“Well, it kind of makes it hard for him to not take me seriously if you actually have a sword in your cane. I literally made that up this morning. What kind of man does that? I’m starting to think I should more faith in Shinji.” He gave Miheal a sly smirk before he frowned.

“… But you’re right… we are off topic. I wanted to talk about Yuugi. What is that medication doing to him?"

Miheal rolled his eyes.  Yami was playing with him too, it seemed.  And unfortunately, as Yami's smirk just indicated, he knew there was nothing Miheal could say to deny that point.  It was a fact that he had a sword in his cane.  He was definitely getting a new one, and smacking Thomas for suggesting the idea in the first place.  He was glad for the change in topic, pulling out his notepad before answering Yami.

“Well, its main purpose is to reduce the frequency and intensity of your personality switches.  This makes it easier on your brain...we don't want you suffering through anymore seizures, of course.  Your condition is very undocumented, so it's unclear what additional affects might emerge.  It's perfectly logical to assume that by reducing the switches, there will be additional affects.  Have you noticed anything noteworthy different since staring the medication?”  Miheal asked.

“Yes,” Yami said, almost immediately. “Yuugi is starting to remember some of the things I did. And I need that to stop.” What Miheal was saying was very logical, and he had a feeling he had a good estimate of what drugs were used to put it together, but he didn’t like the one side effect. “It’s messing with Yuugi pretty badly."

Miheal was intrigued by this.  Memory sharing huh?  Well, that was predictable.  And to Miheal, it was a good sign.  Their separate personalities were perhaps beginning to overlap and blend.

“Ah, so he's finally beginning to remember some of the things you did while he was sleeping for seven years then?  You say that like that's a bad thing...what did he remember that is messing him up so badly, Yami?”  

“He remembered getting chased down in an alleyway and getting stabbed.” Any jokes or smiles were long gone from Yami, replaced with a cold, thin frown. “Do you know what that’s like, Doctor Arclight? Especially to someone as fragile as Yuugi?"

“I honestly can't say that I've ever been stabbed, but if it's anything like being shot twice, it's no picnic.”  Miheal said simply.  

“You both have my sympathies...I imagine Yuugi was quite scared.  But, unfortunately, neither of us have control over what he remembers, Yami.  I believe that in the long run, Yuugi will be healthier if he does remember his past, even if it has a few horror stories buried in.  I can help him face those fears of his...we can both remind him that what's done is done, and that the future is up to him.  I believe that Yuugi can face those memories with support from myself, Raphael-sama, and also you, Yami.  He's getting stronger every day, as I know you've noticed.”  Miheal said calmly.

“You don’t understand… It’s not a couple of horror stories, it’s literally every waking moment of the last seven years,” Yami scowled. “I don’t want him to face them. He shouldn’t face them. He’s going to remember every person I’ve killed, and he’s going to realise he’s done it while he was basically unconscious.”

Miheal nodded with a frown as he thought this over.

“I highly doubt every waking moment of your life for the past seven years was set in a horror movie...but I also wonder what you've been through.  I've seen the police files...there isn't much there on you before you were arrested a couple years ago.  You stayed completely out of sight of the law from the time your grandfather died to the time of your first arrest....I don't think anyone truly knows how many people you've killed, do they?  It was my impression that you were more a gamer than a murderer.  Just what have you done that you're so against Yuugi remembering?  Surely if it was just being part of a gambling ring, it wouldn't hurt him to remember a couple of card games.”  Miheal said.

“I’m not talking about it. If Yuugi is getting my memories, or if he starts getting consciousness when I think about these things…” Yami’s face fell. “I’m not talking about it. Any of it.”

Miheal was a little disappointed, but he also figured that if Yuugi did remember more, he'd either hear it form Yuugi, or Yami might actually share someday.

“Have you started to notice Yuugi seeming more aware of what you're doing now?  It seems logical to assume that if he's going to get your past memories, he'll also start remembering your present when he's not fully awake.  Any sign of that happening?”  Miheal asked.  

“… There’s been a couple…” Yami sighed. “That’s not so bad. Sometimes it’s like… I can feel him be a little curious in my head. He tries to push awareness. It’s hard to explain properly."

Miheal noted it down with a nod.  This was also intriguing.  

“Is there any particular time when this happens, do you think?  Any patterns or behaviors that seem to trigger his awareness?”

“Not really… usually when there’s a friendly game involved or a small contest… Nothing really interesting. These days it feels more random."

“Hmm...alright.  So, does that mean it's more likely to happen if he's with one of his friends than if you're just alone in your room?  You seem to be spending lots of time with Ouji Koutei...so much that I can only assume that both you and Yuugi appreciate your time with him.”  Miheal said.

“With friends, definitely…” Yami gave a small smile. “Yuugi’s always been lonely and I tend to not hang out with much of anyone… Just hanging out with someone makes him happy. I’m not surprised that he tries to take over more when we’re with him.”

Miheal smiled when Yami did, genuinely happy for Yuugi making friends.

“And you let him?  Or do you also enjoy spending time with Koutei?  You said you usually stay by yourself.”

“I don’t stop him.” Yami huffed. “Koutei… On our first day here, I saw Koutei getting bullied hard. Yuugi didn’t like it, so he intervened. Since then, the two figured themselves as friends, and I haven’t done anything otherwise. Not like I really can."

Miheal snorted a little.

“You make it sound like you put up with him just for Yuugi when you put it like that.”  He mused.

“He’s not unpleasant and he’s not trying to kill me. It’s not really putting up with if I don’t really care."

“Alright.  Well, for now, I think we should monitor the switches...have they lessened, since you got here, do you think?”  Miheal said.

“No, they’ve happened more often. Like a lot more often.” Yami sighed. “Before I never heard anything from Yuugi, but now I see him almost every day.”

"Does this also come with headaches? Have they gotten better, worse?" Miheal asked.

“The headaches have lessened. They do come but sometimes our switches are almost instantaneous… which is different. It’s hard to say."

"Hmm well I suppose that's a positive sign. Headaches are likely an indicator stress in of areas of your brain. We'll have to monitor those too." Miheal said.

Yami frowned. “I don’t mind… but is there really anything you’re willing to give me to stop our memories from meshing?”

Miheal sighed. "...At this point, I don't want to change your meds. I'd rather try to work through the memories that bother Yuugi so he can deal with them then try and play too much with the medication this early on. If Yuugi really can't handle it, then we'll discuss changing things." Miheal concluded.

Yami glared at Miheal. “I swear… if this damages him more than he already is, I’ll take your stupid throat and shove it so far down your throat, the handle is going to get stuck in your ribcage.”

Miheal simply smiled, not at all fazed by the threat. "It was nice to talk to you, Yami. We'll keep a close eye on you and Yuugi to ensure that doesn't happen. Unless you have anything else to share, I'll send you back to your room."

Yami raised an eyebrow. He was surprised how short the session was, but mostly he was astonished how Miheal didn’t even bat an eyelid at him. There was a long moment before he scoffed.

“Play a game with me one of these days. It’ll be interesting."

"Maybe I will, if I deem it appropriate for your treatment. Playing games with Yuugi might help cheer him up if he remembers something bad that you've done." Miheal mused. He called the guards and asked them to come get Yami and send him back to his cell. "Oh yes, and I wanted to mention...Raphael-sama has requested his name be put on your visitors list. I approved the request, so you'll likely be seeing him in the future. He's your only approved visitor aside from the police."

Yami frowned. That wasn’t what he meant, but he figured that a game would be better than none. He sighed and stood up, though he paused at the mention of Raphael.

“… I see… Interesting."

Miheal smiled. "Just thought you should know. We can monitor how your condition is when Raphael is involved too, since Yuugi especially likes him."

“… It’s so weird. I tried to kill him, and he wants to help. Maybe he’s the one who should be getting therapy too."

"I think that's just how he is, Yami. He has helped quite a few troubled people who have had dark pasts like yourself." Miheal said gently.

“Oh yeah, that’s right. Rich people and their little morality pet for the week. I forgot for a moment,” Yami coughed. He knew deep down that it wasn’t the case though, but he didn’t want to acknowledge it.

Miheal shook his head.

"You're not some morality pet to him, and you know it. If his motives confuse you, talk to him about it. He won't get mad." Miheal said.

Yami rolled his eyes, but didn’t respond. In the end, he just turned away, heading out with the guards as if he was some celebrity being escorted by bodyguards.

Raphael… He hoped they could talk. He had a few things to say to the guy.

Miheal also told the guards to bring him Ouji Koutei next, since he hadn't seen him in awhile and he also wanted to get his perspective on Mutou as well during their talk.

Koutei had kitchen duty, but the guards came to get him at the approximate time of his usual sessions. The young man sighed as he put his dirty gloves aside and headed up with the men, traversing up the metal stairs to the third floor where Miheal’s office was. He didn’t see Yami on the way up, since Yami’s guards took him another way, but he didn’t mind that so much.

“Hey, welcome back,” Koutei said to Miheal, smiling at the man.

Miheal smiled at Koutei.  He was one of the genuinely nicer people here at the Correctional Facility, despite the fact he had committed crimes like attempted murder.  Koutei's main problem was his drug addiction, and how he saw himself.  Miheal was trying to work with him on that, convinced he wouldn't try to kill anyone again as long as he remained sober from the drug.

“Thank you, it's good to be back.  Anything noteworthy happen while I was away regarding you, Koutei?”  Miheal asked.

Koutei gave a shrug. “I guess? Not really… I mean… not much happens here, Doctor Arclight. There’s not much besides working out and feeling sorry for myself.” He chuckled.

"Well it's good that you're working out again at least. That should make you feel better...although word is that you've made a friend to join you. Surely that's a big thing for you?" Miheal said.

Koutei scratched the back of his head. “I don’t know… I think he half thinks I’m annoying. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to count him or not. I guess it's a big thing though…”

"He half thinks you're annoying? Does that mean you think one of his personalities doesn't like you?" Miheal asked, although he smiled a little. "I think it is good that you've found someone who likes spending time with you, though. Mutou is competitive...surely he'd be a fun workout partner."

“Ah? You know already?” Koutei asked, looking up at the man. He gave a small smile and another shrug to the man. “I mean… yeah. He is. He likes setting up games for us that are pretty fun and gets me pumped up. He’s a good guy. He always seems to know what I’d be interested in."

"Yes. I am keeping a close eye on Mutou to monitor his condition. I've seen that he spends quite a bit of time with you." Miheal said with a smile.

"That's interesting...sounds like he does enjoy your company. Mutou needs gaming partners, if nothing else." Miheal mused.

"Although I was wondering...have you felt like you might remember something at any point recently? Has your medication been helping you, do you think?"

Koutei nodded. He knew that, and he knew at least Yuugi at least liked hanging out, so he was fine with where their relationship was at. However, at the question, Koutei frowned.

“… I… I don’t know. Sometimes I get this feeling that something is familiar, but I can’t remember anything. I don’t know if it’s med-induced or not."

Miheal nodded.

"When do you notice these feelings? Is there a pattern?"

“I don’t know… sometimes I just… talk to Yami and something happens. I don’t know… maybe it’s a game… I think it’s usually random.“ Koutei frowned.

"Is it only with Yami that it happens? Or both of them? What happens exactly?" Miheal asked.

“I’m not sure… It’s like… don’t know… The feeling of Deja vu..." Koutei muttered.

"Interesting...what about him seems familiar then? Is it his appearance, personality?" Miheal asked. The police had told him that Koutei knew Mutou or they at least suspected it.

“His personality.” Koutei muttered. “Or… Just the way he acts. I have no idea..."

Miheal nodded, taking notes on this. "...Do you think it's the games too? Do they seem familiar?"

“I mean… yeah. They are the trigger so I guess. I don’t know what’s familiar about them, but they just are.” Koutei sighed. “It’s… been confusing."

"Ah I see...well that's understandable. I'm sure it'll be more clear with time. We'll keep tabs on that...with the amount of time you're spending with Mutou, it's bound to happen again. How often does this deja vu feeling hit?"

“Maybe… like once every week at least? It’s frequent…” He sighed.

"Alright...this is good.  Maybe it'll begin to manifest in real memories...or at least, something more tangible than a deja vu feeling."  Miheal said with a smile.

"And how are your arms, Koutei?  Have you been scratching them?"  He asked.

“I hope so… I want to remember what happened.”

Koutei showed them. “Kinda… I’m on and off… I’ve made some improvement, I think.”

Miheal nodded.

“I've told you before that it's possible you won't remember everything, but with the way you're getting these deja vu feelings, it seems to me you're more likely to remember soon.  Just, try and keep tabs on it, I suppose.  It might help to know what sort of environments or behaviors trigger these feelings, so that we might be able to keep you experiencing them to trigger memories.”  Miheal said.  He looked over the man's arms.  They were covered in old scratch marks, but most of them weren't fresh, it seemed.  It was definitely better than when Koutei had first arrived.

“Yes, I think this is an improvement too.  I'm glad.”  Miheal said with a smile.

“Yeah… I’ll try pay attention to them. No promises though,” Koutei murmured. He so desperately wanted to remember for himself what had happened: why he had taken Masumi, how he did it, where he had ended up. He wanted to be better so badly so he could have some peace of mind. The man gave a long sigh and rubbed his scars.

“Mutou… both of them have helped me a lot. They watch me and tell me off if I scratch.” Koutei said. “I haven’t done much of anything…”

Miheal nodded.

"Just paying attention is enough." He said. He smiled.

"I'm glad they're both helping you...you must help them out too, don't you? They're both going through difficult times."

“I mean… I try… But I’m not much good at anything. I doubt they haven’t even noticed me trying.” Koutei said, dismissing his own ways of comforting both of Mutou’s personalities, even that very morning. ‘I wish I could do more."

Miheal smiled.

"Just you being there for them is helpful. Especially for Yuugi. You two have similar reasons for coming here, after all." Miheal assured him.

“… I guess so… Still…” Koutei murmured. “My case isn’t as bad as his. I just…. I should be better by now."

“Koutei, these things take time.  You're on the road to recovery of your memories, but it can take a long time.  Sometimes memories never return, and if they do, it can be years after the facts.  You need to be patient.  It doesn't matter whose case is worse, both you and Mutou are working towards similar goals, and it will take time.”  Miheal said gently.

Koutei gave a small sigh and he closed his eyes. He doubted his memories would return, but he still wanted to.

“I know… Still… It’s hard…"

“I know it is.  Just try to keep a positive outlook...you're already improving as is, Koutei.  By your own admission, you're close to remembering something.  It'll come.”  Miheal said with a smile.

“Alright… Thank you, Doctor Arclight…” Koutei murmured.

“It's not a problem, Koutei.  I'm here to help.  Is there anything else you want to talk about?”  Miheal asked, knowing that Koutei had many repressed issues that often manifested in his low-self esteem, his arm scratching and his pessimistic attitude.  Miheal would help him work through these issues if the other was willing to talk to him about it.

Koutei shrugged. “I don’t know… There’s not really much we can do, can we?” Koutei sighed. “What's there to talk about?"

“Anything you want.  We can talk about how you like it here, how you're getting along with people...things that are bothering you about your case, or your circumstances...anything.”  Miheal suggested.

“… Who am I allowed to see? Like… If I had any visitors, would anyone be allowed to see me or are some restricted?” Koutei asked, looking up at Miheal.

Miheal was a little surprised by the question, but he responded regardless.

“Well, obviously the police are allowed to see you if they find any information that is deemed relevant to your case...or if you remember something and wish to share it with them.  They are still curious on some of the circumstances of your case, after all.”  Miheal said.

“Aside from that, if someone wishes to visit you, they can drop by and request it.  I've deemed your case as one that doesn't need any formal prior approval...but of course, if the visits seem detrimental to your health, that can be changed.  So, anyone who wishes to see you can stop by and ask if you're available, basically.  Is there anyone you want to see?”  Miheal asked.

Koutei listened thoughtfully and he nodded. That made sense. “… Has anyone actually tried to see me?”

Miheal frowned as he thought it over.  

“No, I don't believe so.  I have heard that the police might be coming to visit you soon, but they haven't come in yet.”

“Ahh…” Koutei tried to remain neutral, but his face fell. He thought Alit or Kotori would, but at the same time… he should have expected the answer. “Thanks..."

Miheal nodded, noting how Koutei's face fell.  Clearly he was a bit lonely, it seemed.

“I'll let you know if that changes, alright?”  Miheal said gently.

“Alright… Thanks. I appreciate it.” Koutei tried to smile and fight back the tears. He had made the choice, and Alit had walked out of his life as a result. He said he wouldn’t be back, and Koutei knew he didn’t deserve it, but it still hurt...

Miheal watched him sadly.  Because he dated Gilag, he knew that Alit and Koutei had been close.  Koutei probably felt lonely about it...but Miheal couldn't really bring Alit up because it was part of his own personal life.  

“...Are you sure you don't want to talk about anything, Koutei?  It might help you to let it out...”  Miheal asked.

“I just… I did some really shitty things that hurt my best friend while I was like that… And… I don’t know. I just…” Koutei sighed. He wanted to see Alit again, even if he couldn’t bare the thought of Alit seeing him in his current state.

“Ah...and so you want a chance to see your friend again and apologize or explain...”  Miheal guessed.

“I'm sure your friend just needs time to work things through...you both do.”  

Koutei didn’t answer. He already had that chance. He blew it. Unless Alit wanted to try to forgive him, it was over.

“Thanks… I guess so..."

"You're welcome, Koutei.  Just focus on the positives, and everything will be fine, okay?  You're making progress here."  Miheal reassured him.

The blonde tried to smile, but it was faint and tired. “Alright… I guess… It’s just… hard to see from where I’m standing, you know?"

"I understand...hopefully in time it will be easier to see it.  You're going to be fine, Koutei.  I'm confident things will continue to improve, and you'll be able to see your progress one day."  Miheal said.

Koutei smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Doctor Arclight. I appreciate it, really."

"It's not a problem, Koutei.  Now, is there anything else you want to talk about?"  Miheal asked.

“… I don’t think so. If I remember something, I’ll let you know in the next session, alright?"

"Alright.  Then I'll call the guards so you can be escorted back to your cell."  Miheal said with a smile before he called the guards.

“Thanks Doctor Arclight. I’m glad to see you again. See you soon."

“See you soon.”  Miheal said, smiling as Koutei was led out before going back to his work.

-x-

Ukyou and his team were hitting dead ends when it came to the assassin case. They'd already consulted the Neo Domino Police Department and had come up with nothing. Unfortunately they seemed to have no other options...except one...

"Gauche..have you found anything on the assassin?"

“We ran scans on the criminal markers, but the problem was that we can’t see the full face. Officer Hagen can’t send us a full scan based on the criminal markers alone, and we can’t see the face clearly enough to confirm that way either,” Gauche said.

“… The computer isn’t built for looking that closely. Even with our systems… it’s intense. We need something a lot more powerful..."

"So, basically we don't have much..." ukyou said with a sigh.

"...Would Orbital 7's cameras be strong enough, if it took up footage?"

“… Oh shit, it would, wouldn’t it,” Gauche snapped his fingers.

“You know, maybe we should start just asking Officer Tenjo first before we do anything, right?" Anna asked sarcastically.

Ukyou sighed.

"I'd rather we leave him out unless absolutely necessary. He's not officially on the force anymore." Ukyou said.  

"Let's wait for officer Droite to get here before we go." He said.

“Alright,” Anna sighed. Thankfully it wasn’t too much of a wait, and eventually the woman came back in the office, looking prim and proper as usual, but a little tired. “Sorry I’m late,” Droite said. “I made a mistake this morning. I’m here.”

Gauche looked up when she came inside and smirked.

"So...does that mean the date went really well?" He asked.

“Does that mean you’ve found nothing and we’re resorting to begging Kaito for help?” Droite frowned, though a blush made its way to her cheeks.

"Yeah basically." Anna said, though she leaned in closer to Droite when she blushed.

"...so did she spend the night?" She asked slyly.

“That’s not any of your business, is it?” Droite said, staring at the two. “We’re not doing this. We have work to do."

Anna and Gauche wore identical pouting faces. Ukyou sighed.

"Officer Droite is right. We have a case to do and we're going to talk to Kaito about it." Ukyou said

Droite nodded. “You should call him, Ukyou. I’ll collect what we have so we can see what we can show him and go over what we had missed.”

“Yeah… I guess…” Anna muttered. However she smirked. “But let’s pretend she totally slept over, alright?”

“N-No she didn’t."

"She totally did!"  Gauche exclaimed, picking up on the slight stutter of his childhood friend.  

Ukyou simply shook his head as he dialled Kaito's number, ducking out of the room in case Anna and Gauche got louder as they got more excited.  He waited for Kaito to pick up the phone.

“S-shut up.” Droite crossed her arms and looked away. “Nothing happened.”

“Sure it didn’t!” Anna laughed.

“Children! Both of you!”

Meanwhile, Kaito was idly eating cereal and listening to the news. He answered the phone as soon as he heard it, though he frowned, knowing people usually didn’t call him in the morning.

“Hello?”

"Hello Kaito, it's Ukyou.  How are you doing?  We were wondering if we could come by your house...we have questions regarding a case that we hope you can help with."  Ukyou said, ignoring the banter of his three fellow officers.

“The case?” Kaito frowned. “The one you’re working on… Mutou’s case. What do you need?”

"Yeah...we were wondering if Orbital 7 had picked up any footage from the trial.  And if so, if he got a shot of the assassin that is better than what we have.  It might help us identify the man so we can catch him."  Ukyou said.

Kaito frowned. He had already IDed the man, so it meant that the police were one step behind Yuto and Astral. He debated whether or not he should send his old coworkers after Sergey, at the risk of putting Astral in danger, but he figured a man with the track record as wretched as Sergey’s, they needed all the help they could get.

“… Alright. I have trial footage. Do you want me to send it over or will you come here to retrieve it?"

"We can come to retrieve it, if that's alright.  We'll be leaving soon."  Ukyou said, glancing into the room and seeing his fellow officers still trying to get details out of a blushing Droite.  They needed to get out of here it seemed.

"We'll see you soon, Kaito."  He said.

“All of you? Really?” Kaito sighed. “Alright. We’ll talk face to face. See you soon.” Kaito hung up and stared at the TV blankly for a moment. A second later, he turned around and looked towards the stairs.

“Chris? You still home or have you left already?"

As Ukyou rounded up his squadmates and got them to head out to the cars, Chris was finishing off braiding his hair.

“Almost ready to go, Kaito.  Why, did you need something?”  He called back.

“Either decide to stay or go. Ukyou and the other officers are coming over to work on a case." Kaito said, listening for Chris’ reaction.

Chris' eyes widened and a blush tainted his cheeks.  Ukyou was coming over...he hadn't had a chance to see him, since he'd been busy catching up on all the work he missed while tending to his baby brother in hospital.  But...it would be nice to see him again.  

“..I'll stay...I guess.  If that's okay...”  Chris called back, smiling a little as he focused on braiding his hair extra nicely.  He knew Ukyou loved his hair after all.

Kaito rolled his eyes, hearing Chris’ reaction. “Alright. Fair enough.” He gestured to Obomi to take his plate and he headed for his study to grab his things. “Just don’t embarrass yourself."

Chris rolled his eyes at Kaito's antics.  

“Same could be said to you!”  He called, continuing to do his hair.

A few minutes later, the police officers pulled up outside Kaito's house.  Ukyou and his squad got up and went to the door and rung the bell.

Kaito looked at him confused. Astral wasn’t showing up, so of course he wouldn’t make a fool of himself. Before the cops arrived though, Kaito did send a text to Astral, asking him what he should share with the police in case his partner didn’t want anything disclosed.

Astral replied that Kaito could share as much as he felt comfortable sharing...but he probably had to be prepared to lie a little.  Leaving him, Yuuto and Shun out of the story would probably require it.  Astral did want the police to catch Sergey after all.

Orbital 7 answered the door when the cops knocked.

"Kaito-sama, the police are here!"  It announced.

“Let them into the living room. I’m ready.” Kaito said. He heard the footsteps peeter in and he looked up at them, nodding them in acknowledgement.

“Woah, Kaito. You look more like shit since the last time we saw you.”

“… Thanks Anna. Good to see you too."

"How ya been Kaito?"  Gauche said with a grin, glad to see his former superintendent.  

"Gauche, this isn't a casual visit."  Ukyou said, before glancing up as he heard other footsteps.    He glanced up and his eyes widened as he saw Chris.

"...Hello officers.  Sorry if I'm interrupting..."  Chris said with a smile.  Ukyou was a little distracted by Chris again.  It had been so long since he'd seen him, and he was just as beautiful as he remembered.

“I’m alive, so there’s a start,” Kaito said. He nodded in the man’s direction in acknowledgement and looked back at the others.

“N-no… It’s fine,” Ukyou said, smiling back. “You’re not at all.”

“So much for not a casual visit,” Anna snickered.

“Let’s just get started.” Droite said.

Chris smiled at Ukyou when the other spoke. He was glad to see him and to see him acting so clearly interested in him.

"Yes, let's." Ukyou said, after taking a moment to compose himself a little. He gave Chris a small smile before turning back to Kaito.

"May we see the footage Orbital 7 obtained from the trial."

“Should Doctor Arclight be allowed to see this?” Droite asked. Kaito shrugged.

“He’s seen this all before and he knows what I have, so it’s not going to be violating any laws,” Kaito said casually, giving Chris an excuse to stay. He hoped his mentor knew he owed him for this.

“Orbital. Display the footage.” Kaito ordered.

“Yes Kaito-sama!” The robot chirped before projecting the image.

Chris smiled and sat next to Kaito. He was very grateful for this. The officers looked over the footage.

"Oh wow...this is quite a bit clearer than what we have...Orbital, have you been able to scan the man's face for an identity?"

“Yes sir!” Orbital zoomed in on the imaged and displayed it out before pulling out Sergey’s records from the internet. “It’s a match!”

Ukyou's eyes widened as he saw the face of Sergey Volkov.

"He's a former member of security according to this file." He said. Gauche frowned.

"Damn that would explain his skills...what's up with his eye though?"

“It’s a mechanical eye,” Droite said, looking at it. “… Yeah, it says on his profile.”

"So that should make him easy to find right?" Gauche said. Ukyou sighed.

"Possibly but I'm not sure...well put out a bulletin for him. See if anyone has seen him."

“I see… Let me see if I can get the NDPD to send me the files on Mr. Volkov,” Droite said, getting her phone out and sending an email, “This is actually really useful. How did you get this shot, Kaito?”

“Orbital is supposed to record everything, but I didn’t know you could see his face. His presence was odd but I couldn’t really look into it myself,” Kaito shrugged. “Besides, that’s your job, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is our job.  And we intend to do it...thank you, Kaito.  Orbital, did you get any other angles or shots?”  Ukyou said to the robot.

“No sir!  This is my only shot!”  Orbital proclaimed.  It was the same footage he'd shown to Yuuto and to Shun.

“Is there anything else you need to show me?” Kaito asked. “Maybe I can offer a new perspective on the case.”

“I thought you were supposed to be retired,” Anna joked, though she did look grateful Kaito was offering his help.

“We did get scans on the criminal markers from Officer Hogan...if they're a match to this guy, then we've got our perp.”  Gauche said proudly.  Ukyou frowned a little.

“Maybe you can...I hear you've been to Underground Bars lately, Kaito.  Just the other day, we interrogated Mutou again asking him if he'd seen this man's face...he said he hadn't, but he did suggest we come to you.  And he said he'd met you in a bar...have you heard anything in this...private investigation of yours?”  Ukyou asked.

“Mutou said that?” Shit. At least Astral had warned him about this possibility. The blonde remained cool and he sighed. “Well, it’s true I did see Mutou, but I wasn’t going out of my way to see him that day. I just wanted a drink, and some guy I didn’t know offered me a game of chess.”

Kaito frowned. “There’s not much I can add on. Sergey worked for Sector Security, looks like he was probably using his own weapons that may have been company products at one stage… Hmm..."

Ukyou listened intently and nodded. He remembered Mutou saying that too...that it had been a chess game.

"Wonder what Roger would say if we said one of his guys was responsible..." Ukyou mused.

"If he does design his own weapons that makes him harder to catch...homemade stuff is harder to track." Anna cursed.

“Deny it. Say Sergey was acting out of orders, probably,” Droite frowned, “Same song and dance act they all claim until we can find proof otherwise.”

“Hmmm… It’s going to be hard to trace him from weapons anyway, seeing as he’s only used them once.” Kaito drummed his fingers. “If he’s from Sector Security, he knows his stuff. He won’t be easy to catch."

Ukyou sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of...we may need undercover teams to investigate places where guys like him might hide. We can ask about him at Underground bars." He said.

“Mmm… We’ll have to be careful though. He’s one man. There’s a chance that he’ll still be in Heartland, but the wisest move for a hit man is for him to leave town.” Gauche said.

“First you guys should go talk to Roger. That should be your priority. See what he does or doesn’t know."

"Absolutely. I hear he's currently in Heartland for business...the deaths of several CEOs recently has left a power vacuum." Ukyou said. "Well see when he's available to speak with us...but like we said, he'll probably deny any involvement. Well see if he has other motive other than eliminating the competition for hiring Mutou."

“I suppose a bunch of them have successors, but still, it’s not the same. People are shaken and swayed by the change in structure,” Anna mumbled, more to herself to anyone else.

“Mmm…” Chris closed his eyes. “… We assume Sergey shot Moheal, right? Is there any reason why?”

“As far as we can tell, there are reasons but very few that justify Sergey being shot.” Droite said.

“… He gets frustrated easily,” Kaito muttered. “If he’s as good as I’m guessing, he probably was supposed to take Mutou out in one hit. Miheal may have just been in the wrong place in the wrong time.”

“We don’t know that for sure.”

"Mutou was nowhere near Micheal when he was shot. But...I've heard that Security people often do enjoy tormenting regular people...maybe it was just frustration." Ukyou said.

"That's concerning...if he genuinely enjoys shooting people...well, he could kill again. He could hit anyone..." Droite said.

Kaito was about to suggest luring him out but he refrained. He felt that was better if he asked Astral and Shun first. Usually he wasn’t one to ask for help, but he didn’t want to jeopardise Astral.

“So what now?” Anna frowned. “Besides fight Roger?"

"I suppose we can keep an eye out for Sergey...put out a public bulletin to see if anyone has seen him." Ukyou said with a sigh. He glanced at Chris. He had a feeling thus was going to be a long case and he wouldn't get a chance to see much of the other.

Chris gave Ukyou a small smile back. He had kind of figured this would be how they were going to go if they started dating, so he wasn’t too bothered.

“Alright… Anything else. You got to share more stuff, Kaito. You were the best after all.”

“Anna, I have no idea what you’re talking about."

"I don't want to encourage you to investigate on your own...but if you do find something please let us know." Ukyou said. He smiled at Chris, glad to see him again.

"Well be in touch." He said, though it was unclear whether he meant to say it to Kaito or to Chris.

“Sure you will, Ukyou. Like Droite will be in touch with Mai.” Droite shot Gauche a glare and Chris blushed madly, but thankfully he was saved by Kaito, who sighed.

“By the sounds of it, I’m not surprised. How do you all function?"

Ukyou flushed a little at Gauche's comments too, thankful Kaito intervened a little.

“...We've been doing this awhile, as you know Kaito.  It's just routine at this point.”  He said with a small shrug.  

“I know.” Kaito sighed. It felt like only yesterday since he had been Superintendent, but it had been years since then. It still felt odd not going to work.

“We should catch up though, Kaito.”

“Definitely!”  Anna agreed with a grin.  She missed talking to her old boss, who didn't really talk much to begin with.  Droite and Gauche nodded in agreement.

“Maybe once we catch a break we can all get dinner or something.  Catch up on old times?”  Gauche suggested.  They all knew that would probably take awhile though.

“See if you can book me in before I die, and it should be fine.” “Kaito.” Chris said, shooting him a look. Kaito didn’t even need to look in Chris’ direction to see the frowning disappointment on the man’s face. He just smirked. “Dinner sounds good.”

Ukyou frowned a little at the first comment, but chose to ignore it.

“Good...then we'd better head back to get on this case.  The sooner it's done, the sooner we can all get together.”  Ukyou said, eyes darting a little to Chris as well.  

“You bet!  Some of us are gonna get hot dates once this is over!”  Anna said, grinning and nudging Gauche as she spotted the look between Ukyou and Chris.

Droite and Gauche brushed the comment off, the two of them long used to Kaito making some morbid comments.

“Yeah. We’re really going to be left out, aren’t we, Anna?” Gauche laughed

“That's not something that's too hard to fix, if need be!  It's cool!”  Anna grinned.  Ukyou sighed.

“Alright, since we've got no more work to do here...we'd better get going.”  He got up.

“Thanks for having us over Kaito...it was nice to see you again.”

“You just want to leave early because you’re embarrassed. We barely did anything,” Gauche frowned. He got up though, as did Droite.

“No problem. See you soon. Good luck.” Kaito said. “Say bye Chris. And wipe that drool off your face. I can see it there."

“We got a suspect.  That's enough.”  Ukyou said, flushing a little as Kaito spoke.  Chris blushed a little and shook his head.

“....It was nice to see you again, Ukyou.”  Chris said with a small smile to Ukyou.  

Droite smirked and shook her head. She waved and she headed off first, letting Orbital 7 zoom ahead of her to open the door.

“You too, Chris,” Ukyou smiled back at the man quietly, ignoring Gauche and Anna snickering. He waved and walked off.

Chris watched him go with a smile.  He was glad to see him again.

“...Shut up.”  He said softly to Kaito after the cops had left, knowing that Kaito was staring at him with a knowing look.  He turned to get his stuff for the day so he could head off to work himself.

“Let's head back to the station guys...we can talk to teams currently investigating drug rings and anyone who's currently working undercover to look out for Sergey...and then we need to arrange a chat with Roger.”  Ukyou said, getting into the car with his team.

“I didn’t say anything, lover boy,” Kaito smirked, putting a hand under his chin. “I don’t think I was ever that embarrassing with my boyfriend.”

“Alright. I’ll start calling.” Droite said, getting in the passenger’s seat.

“You were thinking so loud you might as well have been speaking.”  Chris said, shaking his head.

“...Speaking of that though...have you considered looking into dating again?”  He asked Kaito.

“I'll work on getting it out as a public bulletin when we get back!”  Anna said with a grin.

Kaito’s smile faded. On one hand, he was ready to admit that he was going out with ‘Kibou’ now, and it would be nice for Astral to freely come over. On the other hand, he was fairly sure that if Chris got a good look at him, he’d recognise Astral. It wasn’t that Kaito didn’t trust Chris- he trusted him the most, second to only Astral- but the fact he was interested with Ukyou made things too complicated.

“… No. Not really. After the last one…” Kaito’s voice trailed off.

“...I understand.  Sorry...”  Chris said somberly, imagining that Kaito was remembering what happened with his ex.  That hacker had broken Kaito's heart and just abandoned him after his escape, as far as Chris knew.  Still, Chris was concerned with Kaito's happiness...he hoped that his want to date Ukyou didn't make Kaito feel envious.

Kaito shrugged again. “It’s fine. You didn’t do anything.” Kaito frowned, guessing what his friend was thinking. “I’m glad you’ve found Ukyou. He’s a good man. Take care of him, okay? He deserves some happiness."

Chris smiled a little at Kaito's words.

“...I know...I'm lucky to have him.  I'd be glad to.”  Chris said with a smile.  He sighed.

“...Well, I'm off to the office now Kaito...see you later tonight.”  He said, grabbing his bag and heading out.

The blonde waved. “See you, Chris.” Kaito said, stretching and lying back on the couch, closing the notes he didn’t even use. He sighed before he texted Astral, sending him all the details.

Astral was glad to receive the message that the cops were on the case, but he immediately replied in concern that Kaito might be in trouble for having this information.

“Do they suspect anything, do you think?  They did not question where you got the information?”  Astral asked him.

‘They literally don’t suspect a thing,’ Kaito muttered. ‘Disgraceful. They asked far less questions than I thought. They literally just used Orbital 7 to zoom in on the footage and then they left. They didn’t even notice the footage was enhanced to begin with.;

Astral smiled a little.

“That's a good thing then...any word of what they're going to do?  Should I tell Yuuto that the cops might be investigating similar circles to where he is and to watch out for them?”  

‘They’re targeting Roger. That’s probably the biggest worry at the moment. They’re also gonna look at Underground contacts. Should give Yubel a heads up.'

“Alright...I'll tell Yuuto.  He can inform Kurosaki too if needed...”  Astral said, not wanting to talk too much to Kurosaki alone.  He was intimidating after all.  

‘Alright. That’s really it for me.’

“You're not going to investigate on your own...even though that's probably for the best that you don't?”  Astral asked.

‘I mean that’s all I have now. Of course I’m going to look into it. What else am I supposed to do?'

Astral sighed. "Of course...just please be careful, okay?" He asked.

‘I will. It’ll just be research for now. I promise."

"Okay. I'll help...want me to come over? We can work together." Astral said.

‘Yeah… That’d be nice.’ Kaito didn’t usually ask, but the cops teasing each other about relationships and Chris’ questions made him want to feel Astral again.

Astral smiled. He had missed Kaito too and would take any opportunity to see him whenever he could.

"Alright. I'll be over soon, okay?" He replied.

‘Okay. Get here safe,’ Kaito murmured. ‘I love you.’

"I love you too...I'll get there just fine." Astral said, smiling as he sent his reply. He packed up his laptop and got ready to head out to catch the bus to Kaito's house.

Kaito gave a long sigh and just kept lying down. He didn’t feel like moving sometimes, and now was one of them. He was tired these days… everything ached…

Astral arrived at Kaito's house a few minutes later. He knocked on the door, which was answered by Orbital. He found Kaito lying down on the couch with his eyes closed and so approached him quietly. He kissed him gently to draw his attention.

"Hey."

Kaito heard Astral come in, but he didn’t move, just waiting for his partner to come to him. As he felt Astral’s soft lips, he pushed his own gently back against him and then parted.

“How fucked up would it be if you found me dead here?”

Astral sighed.

"I would be very upset...please do not joke about that." He said, kneeling down next to Kaito on the couch.

“I’m not even joking. I’m just asking,” Kaito muttered back. He opened his eyes and stretched his hand out, trying to cup Astral’s cheek based on where his voice was coming from. “… I’m glad you’re here though."

Astral sighed again, shaking his head. "Either way...I would be upset." He said, smiling as he felt Kaito's hand on his cheek. He leaned into the touch. "I am glad to be here...I missed you."

He leaned up and kissed him again. “… Sometimes… I don’t think like I make you feel welcome here enough, especially since you have to sneak in all the time and I say not to risk it more often than not. But I do appreciate you here, really.”

Astral returned the kiss. "I understand. You do not want Chris to discover me...even with my tattoos he will likely recognize me. I do not mind sneaking to see you...it seems to be the way it was before, which I had no problem with."

“Yeah but… Today I realised how little I hear from you… and with Chris now interested with Ukyou, it’s becoming more likely that we’ll spend more time apart. I know how we’ve managed to keep it alive just over text but… it’s not the same now that we’ve been together like this."

Astral nodded in understanding. "If it bothers you...we could try and explain it to Chris. Perhaps I could stay here...if he is okay with keeping my presence secret."

“Chris would be okay, but everyone else wouldn’t be. I don’t want to drag Chris down as well if you ever get caught. Secrets are more well hidden the less people know about them.”

"True...perhaps one day Chris will move out to live with Ukyou and we will not have to worry?" Astral said.

“Yeah… I suppose the better option is me moving out honestly, but living with Chris is just easier on me. Government help and medical insurance only does so much,” Kaito sighed.

"I suppose...but maybe I could help with money too. I already hack foreign places to pay my rent. I could help provide for us." He said softly.

“… Would you want to move in together?” Kaito asked, looking up at him. He reached for Astral’s hand. “Can you? I mean… I don’t know what’s your status with the place you’re staying at."

"I would love to." Astral said with a smile. He held Kaito's hand.

"I'm not really under any obligation to stay...although it is beneficial to be near Yuuto and Kurosaki while we're working together. Maybe after we catch Sergey we can? I will look for places."

“Alright”  Kaito squeezed the hand tighter, his voice growing soft. “… It’d be nice… I want to stay with you, Astral. For however long we have together…”

"As do I." Astral said with a smile, kissing Kaito gently and squeezing his hand back.

"So you would be okay with moving? Even though...this has been your house for many years...it's where you raised Haruto too..."

“… only for a short while. It’s mostly where we lived while he was sick… while we were both sick.” He gave a small sigh and closed his eyes again. “… But I think it will be good for me. I can’t let the past hold me back."

Astral nodded. "You are right...this move will be good for both of us. I can feel safer without bring surrounded by felons."

“… Now if you think I’m not going to get involved with this case, you’re mistaken. I get to move in with you once we catch our man,” Kaito smirked, pulling Astral down on him.

Astral's eyes widened when Kaito pulled him down, chuckling a little.  He carefully straddled Kaito, not wanting to hurt him, since he knew Kaito was often sore.

"I suppose that is good motivation, is it not?"  He mused, snuggling up against Kaito.  He liked that idea immensely.

He was sore, but he wanted Astral close. The man wrapped his thin arms around Astral, feeling his partner’s muscles as he buried his face into his boyfriend’s neck.

Astral simply smiled, enjoying being held by his boyfriend.  He reciprocated, wrapping his own arms around Kaito and holding him close.  When the other buried his head into Astral's neck, he pet his hair and kissed the top of his head.  He knew they had work to do, but for now he was content on enjoying Kaito.

Kaito gave a small smile as Astral strung his fingers through his hair and felt the light kiss. He cuddled him tightly, as best as he could. “… Just be careful. In general… I get worried about you.”

"I will be careful.  The people I am rooming with are not too bad.  I enjoy spending time with Yuuya whenever I can, and Yuuto is not a bad person...he seems good at keeping the others in line.  I do not feel threatened by most of the people there...Kurosaki may be the biggest exception, but I feel safe with him as long as Yuuto is around too."  Astral admitted.

"I worry about you as well...in your investigation, it is possible someone will recognize you and harm you.  I do not want that."

“Yeah, but that’s always been a risk. I can handle myself,” Kaito muttered. He reached out and stroked Astral’s face, pulling his face away from Astral’s neck. “I have Orbital 7 watching my back, and as incompetent as I make him out to be, he’s able to take care of any scum who tries to cross me. But don’t worry… I’ll be careful too."

Astral smiled.  That was indeed something that had always happened with Kaito.

"...Yes, I know...I understand Orbital 7 is reliable, but I do still worry."  Astral said, letting Kaito stroke his face and gently nuzzling his hand when it stopped on his cheek.

He loved touching Astral’s skin. He was so smooth and glossy, almost like glass if not for his warmth and softness. Kaito brought his other hand to Astral’s face, slowly tracing it over, trying to give his brain a refreshed on what Astral looked like to his mind’s eye.

“Yeah… something we both can’t help.” Kaito murmured.

Astral held still and relished the feeling of Kaito's gentle hands. He understood what Kaito was doing and was content to let him visualize him.

"Yes. Neither of us can help it."

Kaito smirked as he felt over the tattoos and then cupped the other’s face. Slowly, he brought Astral into a long, gentle kiss.

Astral returned it, holding Kaito close and smiling as he kissed him. He was loving Kaito's presence.

As Astral and Kaito continued to cuddle on the couch happily, enjoying each other's company, Shark and Yuuma were at home.

Yuuma was admiring some pictures of Masumi and Ponta that Kotori had sent him.  Apparently the two siblings were doing great, and Masumi seemed to be growing bigger every day.  Yuuma could tell how much love and adoration Kotori held for her daughter, and he envied it a little.  He recalled having Yuzu at their house and how nice it had been to have a child.  Plus, Shark was really good with babies...it made him want one of their own.

"...Neh, Shark?  You doing anything today?"  He asked, an idea coming to mind.

“Eh… not really. I was going to grocery, but that can wait,” Shark said, looking up from his book. He leaned over the arm of the couch to look at his partner on his phone, tilting his head. “What’s up? You wanted to do something?”

Yuuma nodded.

"...Yeah...I wanted to see if you were free to go to see Martha at the orphanage today..."  Yuuma said, showing the pictures to Shark.

"Look at how adorable they are...I feel like we could make a kid just as happy as Masumi and Ponta are.  So...adopting would be perfect, right?  Can we look into it?  Please?"  Yuuma asked.

Shark looked over and he smirked, seeing the baby, now with fuzzy black hair, playing with her big brother. The two were building blocks together, and it was indeed very cute.

“… You’re really serious about kids, huh? Well… we can look around and see Martha today, but… well… I guess we can look at least."

"Yeah...I am.  But only if you're okay with it."  Yuuma said with a smile.  He beamed as Shark said he'd go with him to see the kids.

"Great! Let's go then!"  Yuuma cheered.

Shark nodded. He was admittedly partial to the idea himself, but he wanted to remain realistic. After all, he and Yuuma were not the most ideal parents, given their track records, but still… a part of him hoped for someone.

“… Sure.” Shark placed the bookmark in his book and he got up, grabbing his bike helmet. “Do we need anything?"

“I don't know?  Martha knows us...so it should be okay!”  Yuuma said jumping up with a cheer.  He grabbed Shark's spare helmet so he could ride behind his husband.

“Let's go, let's go!”  

“… See, I know you’ve wanted this for ages, but have you actually done the research for it? Geeze…” Shark muttered, pulling his boots on and leading Yuuma out to the bike. The orphanage was an hour away. So he was ready for a decent trip out. Thankfully, Shark knew the route by memory.

“Um...not really?  Well, a little...I know the stuff you need to take care of babies or kids!  We don't have to get a baby, after all.”  Yuuma said, climbing onto the bike behind Shark, settling in for the long drive.  

“I wonder if the orphanage has changed at all...it's been ages since we went there!”  

“Hopefully it has. It’d be a shit orphanage otherwise. Martha needs the funding,” Shark scoffed, driving off, zooming into traffic.

“All the more reason to adopt someone!  We'll be able to provide better care for them than the orphanage can afford to.”  Yuuma said, pressing close against Shark.

“We should see if there’s some way to raise money for that place. As shit as it was, it needs support, and it was our childhood home.” Shark said, zipping onto the highway. “… I know it doesn’t matter but… if you could adopt a girl or boy, which would you want?”

“Yeah!  I'm sure the whole Numbers Club could pitch in and help too!”  Yuuma said with a grin.

“Hmm...well no, it doesn't matter to me.  But, I'd like to have someone who's comfortable with both of us!  A kid who wants us as much as we want them!”  

“We’ll see how it is first,” Shark said. “Don’t plan unnecessary things."

“I’m talking hypothetically, dumbass. You make me sound so narrow-minded and old-fashioned with that sort of indecisive answer,” Shark muttered under his breath. He smirked though and shook his head

“Yeah that makes sense!”  Yuuma agreed with a grin.  He squeezed Shark a little tighter to comfort him.

“I didn't mean it like that!  I wouldn't mind either though, really.  Why, do you have a preference?”  Yuuma asked, not minding at all if Shark did.

Shark rolled his eyes. “Forget it. I’m not answering,” He said as he turned.

“Awww come on Sharku!  Tell me!  You probably want a girl to do hair with don't you?”  Yuuma protested, nuzzling a little into the back of Shark's head as best he could while Shark was still driving.

“N-no.” Shark blushed. “… At least not for that reason, idiot."

“So you do want a girl!  That's sweet!  I wouldn't mind another girl...she'll have great friends in Yuzu and Masumi I'm sure!” Yuuma grinned.

“You’d think it would be sweet either way!” Shark yelled back at him, doing his best to focus back on the road.

“That's true!  And you'd be happy with a boy too, I know!”  Yuuma laughed, watching the road blur by.  

“Ugh, I can’t believe you.” He joked. However, the man drove off and within the hour, they were outside the orphanage.

Yuuma was glad to get off the bike at the end of the trip.  As much as he enjoyed riding on the motorcycle, it was difficult for him to sit that still for that long.  He grinned as he took of his helmet.

“The outside doesn't look that different...they painted it though!  It's awesome!”  Yuuma said, waiting for Shark before making his way inside.

“Did they rename this place?” Shark asked as he parked. “I swear… it looks really different to me. Look, the garden is trimmed too. It looks less like a jungle.” Shark pointed out.

“That's great!  Now kids will be less likely to be lost in there.”  Yuuma said, entering the place and looking around the interior.  He couldn't hear the sound of kids right now...maybe they were outside?  

“Now we just gotta find Martha!”  Yuuma said with a grin.

“Go through the reception. You’re not a kid anymore. It’s going to look weird if you’re just wandering through here looking for kids like a creep,” Shark said as he headed up the stairs to the orphanage and opened one of the clean, white, double doors.

“Right...”  Yuuma said, grinning sheepishly and putting a hand behind his head.  

“Ah, there she is!  Martha!”  Yuuma called, waving to the woman who was in the reception area.

Much like how everything else had aged, so had Martha. She was older, a bit smaller and thinner, but just as jovial as ever. When she turned around, she raised her eyebrows, looking up at the two men.

“Ah? Yes? Can I help you?”

“I mean, you can. You have before,” Shark smirked. He wasn’t surprised that Martha didn’t recognise them. It was well over twenty years since they had seen her last. “My name is Ryoga Kamishiro, and this is Yuuma.”

“Ryoga and Yuuma… Oh goodness. You’ve both grown. Look at you two!” She laughed, coming around to give the two a hug. “I couldn’t recognise you both at all!"

Yuuma was patient as he waited for his former guardian to recognize him, beaming when she did.

"It's us yeah! And Shark's actually a Tsukumo now. We got married!" Yuuma said as he went to hug her.

"It's been so long that this place looks so different now! It's nice!"

Shark went red but Martha laughed, hugging Yuuma. Despite her size, she had a strong hug and when she pulled away, she cupped Yuuma’s cheeks.

“Look at you two mischief makers, all grown up. I’m glad you’ve come to visit.” She chuckled. “We’ve done our best to improve over the last few years. We’ve had a lot of funding from DOMA corp, so we’ve spruced the place up.”

Yuuma beamed, glad Martha's hugs were as great as he remembers them being.

"That's great! I'm glad things are going better here!" Yuuma said happily.

"Can Shark and I see the kids? We came by because we're actually thinking of adopting one."

“Adopting? Oh… You’re both such good boys. Come with me. The children are outside playing.” The woman smiled. She flipped her sign to ‘Be Back Soon’ and she showed them the door, leading the men out

Yuuma beamed and followed Martha, letting Shark trail behind.  He couldn't help but look around a little and admire how things had changed outside.  He remembered playing out here many times, but now they'd really refreshed the gardens.  There were many children running around and playing in the yard, and Yuuma couldn't help but smile when he saw them.

“Reminds you of old times, huh, Shark?”  Yuuma mused, able to picture himself playing with Shark and Astral as kids.

Shark smirked as he looked around “Yeah… kinda. Reminds me of pushing you in the dirt a bit and messing you up, shortie.” He said, giving his husband’s shoulder a tight squeeze. Yuuma towered him over now, but he still remembered that time.

“Yeah...and me bugging you too!  You kept saying 'don't get involved with me'.”  He mused.  

“Well...let's look around, I guess...anyone catch your eye?”  Yuuma asked, looking over the kids.

“When you say that, you make me sound stupid,” Shark huffed. He looked around. Martha had gone off to talk to one of the carers to help them, but he glanced around himself.

“Wh-what? Rio?” He said, without thinking, seeing a little girl. The young girl looked up, confused, and Shark frowned. “Ah… No. Nevermind. Sorry. My mistake.”

The girl did look remarkably like Rio, when she was about five. Their hairstyles and colour were identical, but instead of Rio's recognizable pink eyes, this little girl had silver eyes that were much less menacing. She was playing with flowers before she was interrupted by Shark.

But unlike many children her age when confronted with Shark's typical cold scowl, this girl wasn't at all afraid. She smiled after getting over her shock. She liked his hair...it reminded her of her own hair! She picked a small bundle of daisies and approached the stranger, reaching up to him in the universal "pick me up" gesture with an innocent smile.

"Pretty..." she said childishly.

It took literally every ounce of willpower for Shark not to just grab the girl, carry her to the car and announce that they were taking this child right there and then. Shark practically froze as the girl wandered over but after looking to Martha for permission and getting her nod of approval, he picked the little girl up into his arms.

“Hey there… What’s your name?"

Iris smiled as she was picked up.  

“Iris!”  She said with a giggle.  She immediately went to her little make-shift bouquet and pulled out a white daisy, placing it in Shark's pretty blue-purple hair.  That was what she had wanted to do initially, because she liked this man's pretty hair.

“Pretty!”  She exclaimed again.

Shark smiled and lowered his head a little so Iris could put the flower in his hair. He beamed happily at her, finding the little girl adorable.

“Hi Iris, I’m Ryouga. Thank you for the flower."

Iris smiled as Shark let her put the flower on his head, tucked into his hair.  

“Again?”  She asked, pulling out another flower and trying to put it on the other side with a huge grin.  She wanted it to be more pretty!

“If you want. Don’t you want to share the flowers with your friends though?"

Iris shook her head. "You’re a friend!" She said happily.

Yuuma, who had until now been looking around at the other kids, who seemed too occupied with their games to care much for him, noticed Shark with a girl who looked a lot like Shark's Sis.

"Shark? Who's this?" He asked, smiling as he approached. The scene of the two of them was adorable.

“…” Shark went really quiet for a moment before he looked up at Yuuma, an almost shy smile on his face. “This is Iris. She said she's my friend now.”

"Awwww! That's cute! Hi Iris!" Yuuma said with a grin. Iris looked over when she heard her name.

She smiled at Yuuma. "Hi...pretty?" She said, showing him the flowers she had leftover.

"Yeah! They're really pretty!" Yuuma said, leaning in to smell them, misunderstanding Iris' intentions until she slipped a flower behind his ear as she'd done with Shark. Yuuma's eyes widened and he held still for her before smiling and straightening up.

"Ah I see, you made us both pretty huh? Thanks!”

Shark gave a small smirk as he watched Yuuma interact with the little girl, adorning his hair with flowers. He smiled.

“She’s got good taste, huh?”

"She does, yeah!" Yuuma said, admiring her work on himself but also on Shark.

Iris giggled. "Am I pretty?" She asked them both.

Yuuma nodded. "Yes, you are...but, since you did us up nice and pretty we should find some flowers for you too! Come on Shark, I think I saw some over here..." Yuuma said with a grin. Iris clapped her hands, since she was out of her own flowers she wanted more!

“Are we allowed to pick those? I’m pretty sure someone will tell us for picking out of the garden beds,” Shark frowned as he followed Yuuma. He looked to Martha for help but the old woman smiled, watching the two approvingly, a bit surprised they had honed in on a little girl so quickly.

“Nah, we won't pick that many!  It'll be fine, Shark!”  Yuuma said with a grin, heading over to the flowers.  Iris reached out from her place in Shark's arms to grab some.

“Flower!  Pretty!”  She cheered, reaching for a lily.  

“I thought I told you not to tell me ‘it’ll be fine’. Either you or me end up in hospital after you say that. Everytime,” Shark muttered glaring at Yuuma as he held Iris closer to her flower.

Yuuma pouted.

“Not everytime!  Only sometimes!”  He protested.  Iris picked the flower and began to work on putting it in her own hair.  The pink of the lily contrasted beautifully with her long blue tresses, and she looked even more angelic than before.  Yuuma smiled sweetly at Iris.

“Wow, now you look even more adorable awww!  Shark look!  Iris is so pretty!”  Yuuma said, making Iris giggle and beam.

“Most.” Shark responded immediately, more out of instinct than anything. He looked at Yuuma, expecting the idiot to cut himself on a flower or gardening equipment in that very next moment. Thankfully, Iris caught his attention, and the scowl disappeared to a smile. Despite how Iris acted a little younger than five, she was still very cute. 

“She is a very pretty girl. Aren’t you, Iris? Very clever to get it in your own hair like that, huh?"

Yuuma struck his tongue out at Shark when the other retorted.  Iris giggled.

“Pretty...”  She said, glad that they agreed with her.  She reached up, wrapping her arms around Shark's neck in a hug, happy to have made new friends.

“Awww Shark~  She really, really likes you!”  Yuuma cooed, finding the scene adorable.

“I guess so.” Shark hugged her back and smiled. “She’s really sweet, heh?"

Iris smiled, resting her head against Shark's shoulder.  

“Shark!”  She said happily and childishly, copying Yuuma's nickname for Ryouga even though he had told her his name before.  

“Yeah, that's Shark.  And I'm Yuuma!”  Yuuma said with a grin.  Iris looked at Yuuma.

“Yuuma.”  She said happily, glad to know both her friends names.

Shark rolled his eyes. “I’m trying to make an impression and now she’s going to associate me with a fish. Good job, Yuuma” He said, staring at his partner before he shook his head and smiled.

“Fish!”  Iris laughed, unfortunately picking up on that word when Shark said it.  Yuuma laughed too.

“Yep...sharks are fish.”  Yuuma said with a grin.

“Pretty fish...”  Iris said, smiling at Shark.

Shark was finished with sighing, but he wanted to do it again because… gosh. He just stared at Iris before he petted her head.

“And that makes you a pretty flower, right? Iris?"

“Yes!  Iris pretty!”  Iris said, letting Shark pet her hair contently.  Yuuma nodded.

“Yes, you're very pretty.  Definitely prettier than us.”  He said.  Iris giggled.

“Yeah. Even if Yuuma is a pretty horse, he’s still a horse,” Shark said, making a play on words and smirking back at Yuuma.

Yuuma pouted and Iris giggled.

“Horsie?  Play horsie?”  She asked, reaching out to Yuuma.  Yuuma blinked for a minute.  He remembered him and his sister playing 'horsie rides'.  He nodded.

“Sure...we can play horsie.”  He said, gently taking her from Shark and letting her get on his back.

“Hold on tight, okay?”  Yuuma said and Iris wrapped her arms around his neck by his shoulders to hold on.  Then Yuuma went for a light run, careful not to go too fast.  Iris squealed and laughed, enjoying the feeling of being so high up and going so fast!

“Careful boy.” Shark said. He looked at Yuuma and he gave a small laugh, shaking his head. This was ridiculous. Iris had the two of them tied around her pinkie finger and the two hadnt even met the other children yet. But it was hard for Shark not to like Iris, even if she didn’t look like Rio- she was just too adorable.

"I am being careful Shark!" Yuuma laughed, taking care as he ran around. Iris continued to laugh and cheer.

"More!" She cries happily.

Shark gave a laugh. He looked over to Martha, who was giggling too, and he walked over to her. “So… Iris, huh?”

Martha smiled.

"Iris is one of our quieter and withdrawn girls...her family died in an accident a couple years ago, and ever since she's been shy. She mostly plays with her flowers or keeps to herself. She must really like you and Yuuma...I'm glad. She needs someone she can trust enough to be herself with." Martha said.

“Is she?” Shark raised his eyebrow. “You wouldn’t think she’s so withdrawn, with how she approached us.” He glanced back at the two playing and he smiled softly. “We get along well. I mean… we’ve spent ten minutes together so far, but I think I’m a good judge of character, or at least more than Yuuma.” Shark sighed.

“Hey Martha, I was worried though. Both Yuuma and I have criminal records. Is there any chance of us being able to adopt? I told Yuuma we’d just look in general, but I didn’t want to get his hopes too high up in case… you know."

“Yes, that is true...she seems to have taken a shine to you.  She seems to absolutely adore you...both of you.”  Martha said with a smile.  She sighed.

“Well...it does depend a little on the offences, and how long you've been on the right side of the law.  I can look into it...I know both you and Yuuma are good boys, but it does also depend on other groups whether or not you'd be able to adopt.”  

“Mostly stealing. It’s all stealing. We’ve both served our sentences and we both got off early for good behaviour… so those are good chances, right?” Shark said, trying to keep his own eagerness out of his voice.

Martha smiled. "Yes...that will probably help your chances. Don't worry, Ryouga. I will vouch for you both." She said.

Shark smiled. “I’m happy to fill in paperwork tray, just so we get all the formalities sorted before we just… try bond with someone.” He wanted to pretend that he already hadn’t decided on Iris, but it was extremely difficult.

Martha smiled knowingly. She had seen how Shark was smitten by Iris.

"Certainly. We'll have to get your husband too though..." she said, turning to Yuuma, who was now offering horsie rides to other kids who had seen him with Iris and wanted a turn.

"Children, outside time is over...its lunch time. Everyone inside!" She called. The kids obediently came inside, and Iris grabbed Yuuma's hand, much to his surprise, and brought him over to Martha as if he was one of the orphans needing food.

"Hey...we going in now?" Yuuma asked, smiling at Iris then Shark.

“Yeah, the kids need lunch.” Shark said, crossing his arms. “And we’re not stealing any, alright?"

Yuuma blinked. "No way! I never did that!" Yuuma exclaimed. Martha chuckled. "I seem to remember quite a few times when you did, Yuuma." Yuuma pouted and Iris giggled.

“You still do that. You like taking food that doesn’t belong to you.” Shark muttered. “You better go eat, Iris, we got some work to do with Martha.”

Yuuma pouted more and huffed as Shark spoke. Iris giggled more at the funny faces Yuuma made. Iris smiled up at Shark. "Play later?" She asked pleadingly. She wanted to spend more time with these two new friends of hers.

“We’ll see, Iris. We’ll definitely come back if we can’t play today,” Shark smiled, ruffling Iris’ hair.

Iris smiled as her hair was ruffles. "Okay...bye bye!" She said, hugging Shark, then Yuuma, before running inside after the other kids and their other caretakers to head to the lunch room. Yuuma smiled after her. "She's adorable! Isn't she Shark?"

Shark was surprised that the ‘withdrawn’ girl hugged him but he hugged her back and nodded to Yuuma “She is. Like… wow. I know she looks like Rio, but she’s nothing like her. She’s better.” He joked.

Yuuma chuckled. "She's really awesome...can we take her home?" Yuuma asked, both to Shark and to Martha.

"Not yet, Yuuma. As I was explaining to Ryouga earlier, you both have paper work to do, and it's not my decision alone...this may be a lengthy process. Be patient." Martha said. Yuuma pouted.

"If I have to..." he mumbled, wanting to bring Iris home already.

“Yeah, there’s a long application process. It may take several months, if not years, Yuuma,” Shark said, sounding a bit disappointed himself despite his attempt to be practical.

Yuuma sighed.

"Well...I guess it doesn't matter how long it takes as long as it gets done right? We gotta stay positive right?" Yuuma said hopefully.

“Yeah… That’s what you do best,” Shark said. “Come on. Let’s get this over with,"

Yuuma nodded. "Absolutely!" Martha smiled. "Alright this way then boys. We'll get started and see how it goes."

-x-

Vector's AI had been looking after Takashi for about a week, and things were in general improving. Takashi still thought he was hallucinating sometimes, but overall he was accepting. Today was supposed to be a lazy day, but the doorbell rang.

"Takashi, can you get that? I've gotta disappear."

“Huh? Yeah, sure,” Life… Takashi was trying to figure out what would be good for him. He had considered charity work, but going outside made him feel a bit nauseous these days, so he hadn’t followed through with that plan or any plans really. Still, he was coping, which was good. Takashi walked over to the door and answered it, not really checking through the peephole as he used to. “Hello?"

Outside the door was Kotori, her baby Masumi in her arms, and Ponta, holding a small cooked dish as a gift for Takashi.

"Takashi! We came to visit pon! Kotori made this for you too!" Ponta said with a grin, holding out the plate. Kotori smiled.

"Hi Inchou...we came to check up on you. We heard from Yuuma you were a bit lonely." She said.

"And plus I don't think you've met Masumi yet..." Kotori said, showing Takashi her baby.

“Oh, you brought the family over,” Takashi said, he was concerned he had forgotten something but hearing Kotori reassure him it was a surprise visit made him smile.

“Well thank you. It’s been… quiet, lately,” He sighed before he reached for the food. “Thanks Ponta.” He looked up at Masumi and smiled.

“Hello there, Masumi. It’s good to see you."

"Yes. We all had a free day...well, except for Alit and Gilag. Alit is trying to get back in shape after his injury and Gilag had work. Both send their regards!" Kotori said. Masumi looked up at Takashi and cooed contently. Ponta grinned.

"Ah! Kitty!" He said, spotting Umbral walking by. He remembered making friends with that cat before, so he rushed inside to greet it with a pet and a smile.

“Yeah, I guessed so.” Takashi stepped aside. “Come in, come in. Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll leave this in the fridge, okay, Kotori?"

"Thank you. Whatever you want, Inchou." Kotori said with a smile, coming inside. Vector's model was watching through the cameras and was intrigued. He knew he couldn't manifest himself but he also liked that Takashi had company.

Kotori sat in the living room with Masumi and Ponta soon came in with a smile, carrying Umbral, who was simply hanging losely out of his arms.

"So what have you been up to, Takashi? Cleaning house? It looks really nice..."

“Ah, yeah…” Takashi put the dish into the fridge without looking at it before he walked back to the living room. He was a bit concerned for Umbral, but the cat proved he was fine. “Trying to take care of myself really. Just picking up where I left off. Not much"

Kotori looked over. "Ponta, please be gentle with the cat, okay?" She said. Ponta nodded, putting Umbral down on the couch and petting him apologetically.

"Masumi, look at the kitty! Isn't it cute, pon?" Ponta exclaimed. Masumi cooed and gurgled in response. Kotori smiled at her two children, putting Masumi down on a baby rug on the couch before turning her attention back to Takashi when he returned.

"I'm glad to hear it. I hope you're not keeping yourself cooped up in here too much though." Kotori said.

“Ah, he’s fine. As long as he isn’t forcing Umbral in his arms, Umbral is alright to be carried.”

“Yeah… not being cooped up…” Takashi gave a smile, hoping it was convincing enough. “What have you been doing, Kotori?”

Ponta grinned.

“Okay, pon!  I'll be careful with kitty!”  He promised, petting and nuzzling Umbral, who simply meowed in response.  Masumi giggled, wiggling around as she tried to get a better look at this strange new creature in her big brother's arms.

Kotori smiled.

“Oh, the usual...I'm still on maternity leave for a couple more months, so I'm spending lots of time with my daughter.  Ever since I got her back I just want to make up for that lost time...gosh it was terrifying to think that she was with some stranger.  I'm just so thankful she was brought back unharmed...”  Kotori said, glancing over at Masumi when she talked, as if she was afraid the girl was going to vanish again.

“And of course, I've been looking after the men in the house as well.  Alit's doing much better...finally getting back into training.  I've made him promise to take it easy though.”  Kotori said, smiling a little and shaking her head at the thought of her husband.

“And Ponta's spending time with Masumi too, pon!  I wanna help Kotori look after her too!”  Ponta piped up with a grin.

“Yeah…” Even if it was some months ago, it made sense why Kotori was still worried. It happened out of nowhere and at random, Masumi taken from their home. Takashi felt sorry for her, but he couldn’t really comfort her and say that it wouldn’t happen again.

“Of course,” Takashi smiled. “Alit works really hard. I admire his dedication to his training, even if it must be troubling sometime.” He looked over to Ponta and smiled. “I see. You look very close. You must be doing a good job, Ponta."

Kotori nodded.

“Yes...it is troubling.  He's injured and I don't want him to be in hospital again.”  Kotori mused.  Ponta grinned.

“Yep!  I'm doing a great job, right Masumi, pon?”  He asked, turning to his sister.  Masumi giggled.

“Yeah… but he’s smart too, Kotori. I don’t think you have to worry too much,” Takashi said. He smiled at Masumi. “She’s just too cute, you know?”

“Yes, I suppose...but he's also prone to working too hard.”  Kotori said with a smile and a good-natured sigh.  Ponta nodded.

“Masumi's the cutest!”  Ponta agreed.  

Meanwhile, Vector rolled his eyes a little at the conversation.  He was getting a bit bored of this...but he was curious what sort of food Kotori had brought for Takashi.  Maybe he could take a look at what she had put in the fridge?  He manifested himself in the kitchen, quietly opening the door to take a peek.

Unfortunately for Vector, the sound tipped off Umbral to his presence.  The cat's head perked up and he took off out of Ponta's lap and into the kitchen, meowing at Vector and rubbing against his legs.  Ponta frowned.

“Aww kitty ran off!  I'll go get him, pon!”  He said, getting up and heading into the kitchen.

“Kitty?  Where are you?”  He called, and Vector immediately vanished, causing Umbral to dash out of the cat door into the backyard.  Ponta followed, looking out the back window.

“Ooooh!  Kotori, pon!  Look at the pretty flowers!”  Ponta called.

“Oh yes, that's right...you have a garden, don't you, Inchou?  Have you been working on it?”  Kotori asked.

Takashi was about to make an additional comment when he saw Umbral bolt off. He frowned, having failed to hear the fridge door open, and he tilted his head to see where Ponta had sprung off too.

“Ah… Yeah. I love working on my garden. I spent almost all day outside working on it. It’s relaxing to me, and seeing everything grow makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something.” He stood up. “Did you want to go outside and see?"

Kotori smiled.

“That does sound very relaxing...I'd love to see it!”  Kotori said, standing up.  She checked on Masumi, who seemed to have dozed off a little, content on her baby rug.  Kotori debated for a moment whether she should take Masumi with her, but after a quick check of the locks of the house, she figured her baby would be alright for a couple of minutes.  After all, it wouldn't take too long to see the garden.

“Ponta too, pon!  I wanna see!”  Ponta cheered, liking the pretty colors.

Takashi let Kotori reassure herself, not minding the woman check his locks. Admittedly, he was relieved that Kotori was doing so, since it was checking if he actually had done them or he just thought he did it. Once Kotori was satisfied, Takashi led them out to the back.

“Okay, here we go.” He smiled. He opened the door to reveal his garden, filled with beautiful flowers. There were orchids and bluebells, roses and lavender, flowers that all somehow fit the theme of orange, white, blue and purple, arranged in neat rows and patterns.

“I’ve been trying new things out. How does it look?"

Kotori's jaw dropped as she stepped oustide and was surrounded by the beautiful flowers.

“Oh my gosh, Inchou, it's beautiful!  You're really good at this!”  She exclaimed, stepping out further into the back yard to admire the flowers up close, smelling them and admiring the colors.  Ponta was in a similar state of awe.

“So pretty, pon!”  He exclaimed, rushing out to see them.

Meanwhile, Masumi was beginning to wake up, and since she was suddenly all alone, she began to whimper and cry.  Vector's model had re-appeared in the kitchen shortly after everyone went outside and was checking out Kotori's dish in the fridge before he heard the baby cry.  It was kind of annoying...and since nobody was coming back in, he figured he should take care of it.

“Hey...you okay?”  He asked, approaching her and gently picking her up.  He didn't really know that much about babies...but she seemed to calm down just by being in his arms.  Maybe she had just been lonely, he figured.  

“Hmm...this is kinda funny...it's recently born meeting recently dead.”  Vector mused to himself with a chuckle as Masumi cooed at him.

“I’m glad you like it,” Takashi chuckled. “I never thought gardening would be one of my talents, but here it is. I’m thinking of maybe doing fruits next, but I’m not sure if I’ll have room or not for them.”

Masumi meanwhile smiled and reached up to hold Vector’s fingers. She was happy, having someone there, and she closed her eyes, ready to drift back off to sleep.

"Oh homegrown fruit would be lovely! You should definitely try it!" Kotori encouraged with a smile.

"Although it would be a shame to have to move any flowers to do so...maybe you could grow them inside?"

Vector was surprised at how trusting Masumi was, letting her hold his fingers and smiling a little.

"Aw. You're sweet." He had to admit, deciding he would just sit there with her and let her rest.

“Yeah, probably… Or maybe I can try do strawberries out the front. Yeah… or anything out the front. Most of the garden is hidden back here. Maybe I should move my efforts around,” Takashi said, thoughtfully.

Masumi had already dozed off, smiling happily, not paying any mind to the sound of Umbral returning back into the house, the cat still looking for the sound that came from the fridge from earlier.

"Front is good, pon!" Ponta cheered. Kotori smiled.

"I agree...all of this is beautiful and it's a shame it's in the back where so few can appreciate its beauty. You should think of putting flowers out front too." Kotori said.

Vector smiled as he held Masumi, adjusting her blankets gently to ensure she was warm and comfortable. He looked up when Umbral came in and gestured him over.

"I'm right here kitty. Calm down." Vector said, knowing Umbral was always eager to see him and also got easily confused when he left.

“I should. Maybe if I have the time, I might do a swap, see what plants I can move to the front and then maybe grow fruits in the back. Or just do half and half… Gosh, there’s a lot I can do, huh?” He laughed.

The cat acknowledged this Vector wasn’t quite the right one, since he didn’t smell like Vector, but he was eager for love and attention all the same. The cat nuzzled Vector’s side, purring away.

“Definitely...it's totally up to you what you do.  But now you've got time to do it...”  Kotori mused, finally noticing the rock in the middle of the garden that looked very much like a tombstone now that she got a good look at it...

“...Is that...for Ena, Takashi?”  She asked softly.  She did miss her friend...

Vector smiled, letting the cat nuzzle his side and gently scratched him behind the ears.

“… Yeah. It is…” Takashi muttered. He sighed. “… She’s buried there. Cathy helped me out with that. Ena loved this house… It was ours. I figured she wouldn’t want to leave it, any more than she waned to leave me.”

“She's actually buried here?!”  Kotori exclaimed, totally surprised.  She looked at the tombstone in solemn astonishment.  She had no idea Takashi had actually kept Ena there.

“...I suppose that's true...but, is this really...healthy?  Doesn't Ena have family that she could be with?”  Kotori asked, knowing that she hadn't really known Ena's past, but surely she had a family.

“Is it healthy? Probably not, but I can’t say my life decisions have been completely great at this point,” Takashi mused, giving her a wry smirk. However, it faded, Takashi simply unable to do it for too long.

“I asked Ena’s uncle… he’s the only one left alive. He’s alright with it.” Well he was now. He didn’t ask before hand but he knew Yusei understood.

Kotori sighed.

“I suppose...alright.  I guess if Ena's family is okay with it...”  She mused.  Ponta ran up to Kotori and Takashi with a few different flowers gathered up in a bouquet.

“Can I take these in to show Masumi, pon?  She'll love the pretty colors!”  Ponta grinned, showing them the flowers.

Takashi smiled. “I think she’ll love them. Let’s all go back inside. I’ll get some drinks.” Takashi said, opening the door for the others to go back in first.

“A drink sounds lovely.  Thank you.”  Kotori said with a smile, letting Ponta go in first once the door was opened.

The others had been outside for so long that Vector's AI had actually dozed off a little, with the warmth of Masumi in his arms, still holding his finger, and Umbral, snuggled up in his lap.  He didn't hear the door opening.

Ponta bounded through the door first, heading straight to the living room to see Masumi and show her the flowers.  He skidded to a halt though when he saw the unfamiliar man on the couch.  Ponta was too young to remember the Vector carnage, so he truly did not recognize the AI model.  

But Kotori sure did.  She followed Ponta into the living room, nearly bumping into him as he stopped abruptly in surprise.

“Ponta, what's-”  She started, before seeing the familiar face of Vector the hacker on the couch, holding her baby.  She shrieked in horror, which made Vector's AI jolt up in surprise, nearly dropping Masumi.  The baby also awoke with a start and began to cry.  Umbral took off as soon as Vector jumped up, a fact that was ignored by all the people in the room.

“Ah shit...”  Vector exclaimed, alarmed by both Kotori's terrified face, and Masumi's crying.  He didn't know what to deal with first.

Takashi went to the kitchen instead, and was just filling a jug up with water when he heard the yell and scream, followed by crying. He ran into the room, freezing as he saw his AI there, holding a sobbing Masumi.

“A-Ah… Oh god…” Takashi said, stunned, unsure what to do in this situation as he stared at the chaotic scene.

Vector was startled but also annoyed by the situation, mostly the crying baby.  Ponta frowned.

“Don't hurt my sister, pon!”  He exclaimed, the only one who wasn't startled to see a supposed dead man, since he didn't know who this man was.  Vector frowned.

“I'm not!  She's just startled!  Geez...”  He said, trying to rock Masumi a little to calm her down.  Her cries were irritating him.  “You come over and help her then!  I don't know how to deal with babies.”  Vector exclaimed to Ponta, who immediately took a step to do that when Kotori grabbed his arm to stop him.

“Vector...put her down...put her down right now...”  Kotori said, terrified that she was going to have a repeat performance of Masumi being kidnapped and Ponta being hurt by this known criminal.  Vector frowned.

“You want her?  Here.”  He said, taking a step forward only for Kotori to flinch and retreat slightly.  Vector rolled his eyes.

“Ugh...Takashi, come give Kotori her kid so she can shut her up and we can explain.”  Vector said.

Takashi looked at them dumbly before he hurried over. He took the baby away from the AI and looked at him, asking him silently with his eyes if he had a plan or did he want Takashi to improvise. He took Masumi in his arms and rocked her, before looking back at Kotori.

“Everyone… just… Relax, okay?"

Vector replied with a look that said he wasn't sure what he was doing exactly. But, Kotori noticed the look and the way that Takashi, although he was surprised initially, seemed at ease with this. She frowned.

"Relax? I'm supposed to relax when that psychopath turns out to be alive, and he's in my friend's house, and he was about to kidnap my baby?!" She exclaimed, incredulous. Vector's eyes widened.

"Kidnap her? What-no! She was crying after you guys went outside, so I came to calm her down. And as for the rest of it...I'm not really alive, you know. If you'll just let me explain..." he offered, but didn't get a chance before Kotori slapped his face.

"Seems pretty alive to me." She said with a frown, taking her baby back from Takashi and checking her over, making sure Vector hadn't hurt her in any way. Ponta was simply watching all of this in surprise.

Takashi froze as Kotori suddenly slapped Vector in the face, and was honestly half-expecting her to sock him in the face. The baby Masumi was passed over without a fuss and Takashi sighed. If Vector had no idea what he was doing, it was time to wing it.

“Um… He’s right though. He isn’t exactly real. This is an AI, Kotori. It’s what Ena-chan and I worked on before she died.” He was still trying to find a reason why it resembled Vector, but one step at a time. He felt bad trying to take advantage of how frazzled Kotori was, but it seemed the best solution for now.

Vector's head did reel around like a normal person's would when slapped, but Kotori noticed very quickly that there was no bruising, no red marks, and no indication of pain. She frowned as Vector simply smiled and straightened up like nothing had ever happened.

"You and Ena brought Vector back to life?! Why?" Kotori said in shock. Vector shrugged.

"Simple. I'm Ena, that's why." He said. Kotori frowned.

"No...you're Vector, not Ena."

"You remember that Ena was a man right? Well...I'm that man. Watch." Vector said, morphing his appearance to look exactly like Ena did.

"See, Kotori-san?" He spoke in Ena's voice. Kotori scowled.

"Just because you can do that doesn't make you her..."

Takashi turned to look at Vector incredulously. Here he was, trying to think of more lies to spindle on- he had gotten the idea that Ena was the type to fetishise super villains or maybe even that she had based the model off Vector when she found an old photo of Takashi and ‘Shingetsu’- when Vector more or less spouted the truth.

“… Well…” He sighed. He did hate lying, and Vector had now put the idea in Kotori’s head. His instinct was to back out but instead he sighed. “… Hang on. Let me go get my wedding certificate.” He had it in an album and he was quick to get it from the safe he had in the house. A few minutes later, he had an American certificate for Takashi Todoroki and Phecda Atlas, clear as day, on a piece of paper.

Ponta simply stared in surprise, along with Kotori. Kotori glanced at Takashi when the other spoke in alarm. Takashi was...going along with this?

"Wedding certificate?" She asked, not knowing that Ena and Takashi had gotten married. Vector watched too, shifting back to his original form as he waited. Kotori's eyes widened.

"What?" She exclaimed, immediately taking the paper from Takashi and looking it over, making sure it was legitimate. It was...it looked very much like her own...and the name was written as clear as day.

"You...married Vector?!" She exclaimed incredulously.

“I… I married Ena… who, yes, is Vector,” Takashi admitted. “Who is also deceased. This is the AI Vector made me to take care of me when it was evident I… well, I couldn’t take care of myself.”

"Yeah that basically sums it up. You can ask Yuuma if you wanna know how he was...were making improvements though." Vector said with a smile at Takashi. Kotori was simply stunned.

"...But...didn't Vector die before you even met Ena?" She asked, still having a hard time believing that she'd been friends with Vector.

"No...that time was a fake death. I didn't really plan to get shot in a motorcycle chase, but it happened. That's how they got my blood on the bike and could confirm DNA. But, my model was on the bike, not my real self, at the time it exploded. They never found a body, but figured it was another one of many that was lost to the river." Vector said with a shrug. Kotori was pale and astonished.

"So...that's Vector you have buried in your backyard?!" She exclaimed, saying the only logical thing that came to mind. Vector's eyes widened.

"....My body's in the backyard?!" He exclaimed to Takashi.

Takashi gave him a small smile back. “Yeah… we’re trying to make improvements.” He wondered if he should offer Kotori a seat again now that she had Masumi but in the end he just left her as she was. He listened to Vector explain everything to Kotori before he paled himself, getting the brunt of the exclamations.

“Um… Yeah…” Takashi muttered quietly, hoping his AI and good friend wouldn’t hear him. “Cathy managed to get me Vector’s body after he died so… I buried him.” Alone. By himself. In the middle of the night.

Vector and Kotori's attention was on Takashi as he spoke, and they heard what he said.

"Cat-chan knows too?" Kotori said, incredulous. "Just how many people know about Vector?"

"Yuuma...Shark...Thomas and Miheal Arclight...I'm not sure who else." Vector's model mused, before turning back to Takashi.

"Takashi, that isn't at all healthy! I told you that I wanted to be buried with my parents..."

“I think that’s everyone,” Takashi omitted Kaito out, since he still felt he owed something to the former superintendent. Since he was dating Astral, he felt that revealing Vector may accidentally out Astral too, and he didn’t want Kaito to feel how he was.

“… I know… I was supposed to get you cremated but I just… forgot.” That was partially the truth. He was so stricken by grief, that he started blacking out. He had done the deed really before he could rationalise it. “I’m sorry… I..."

Vector listened, able to read Takashi's guilt between the lines and sighed.

"...I suppose there's no helping it at this point. It would look weird to dig it up again and move it..." Vector mused, hugging Takashi.

"It's kinda like the last time huh...I came home and you had set up that same stone as a grave and were delivering that sweet eulogy." Vector said.

Kotori simply watched, a little surprised that Vector could be so...normal and loving. It was also a little unnerving.

"...So that's it. You buried your husband in the backyard...and now you're...dating his ghost?" Kotori asked incredulously.

Takashi nodded and he let Vector hug him. He smiled, glad Vector had programmed that memory into the AI at least and gave his hand a squeeze. He would have kissed him if Kotori wasn’t there.

“… He’s an AI that’s made solid by the cameras in the house. We’re not dating… it’s just to keep me… I don’t know… not as crazy as I can be."

"Yeah. I can't really leave this house in solid form. All I'm doing is making sure he takes his medicine, remembers to eat, help him around the house...help him get in touch with reality again. He blacked out and lost track of everything for awhile...so it's an ongoing struggle." Vector explained, being civil even though he knew his instinct was to be possessive around others.

Kotori frowned. "...this is...a lot to take in..." she mused.

Ponta was simply watching and trying to understand. Although he did not know Vector, he did briefly recognize the woman he'd turned into. "...Are you Ms. Varian, pon?" He asked.

Vector blinked, finally recalling the boy was here. "...Yes. That's me." He replied.

Ponta smiled. "Haruto really liked you, pon! He talked about you all the time...and he said you were the best teacher ever! Kotori's a teacher too, pon!" Ponta said enthusiastically, only needing the confirmation that Vector was Haruto's friend to know he must be nice.

“Yeah… I know…” Takashi looked away. He knew that it meant that he was guilty of not only harbouring a criminal, but lying to his friends constantly. At least he rarely saw Cat-chan and didn’t face her too often, but Kotori was another story all together.

“I’m sorry..."

Kotori frowned and shook her head a little.

"Inchou...I'm still just...trying to wrap my head around this whole thing..."  She mused, glancing over at where Ponta seemed to happily accept Vector just because he knew Haruto.  It was a surprise for Kotori to see the genuine, gentle sorrow on Vector's face as he spoke to Ponta about the younger Tenjo.  Kotori could remember similar looks of love that Ena Varian gave when talking about Haruto with her and the other girls.

"...Just give me time..."  Kotori said at last.

“I understand.” Takashi nodded. He looked at the AI. “Hey Vector, do you mind disappearing. It might be easier for everyone."

Vector glanced over at Takashi.  

“Disappear?  No, pon!”  Ponta said, surprising everyone by hugging Vector.

“This is Haruto's teacher that he said was really, really nice!”  He protested.  Vector simply looked at Ponta in surprise, then back to Kotori to see how she was taking it.  She didn't look too happy with Ponta.

“...Look, Ponta, I should probably go for now...”  Vector said to the boy.  Ponta pouted.

“Yeah… It’s alright, Ponta. He’ll come back later when… everyone is ready,” Takashi said. “Don’t worry."

Ponta pouted a little more, but finally relented, letting go.

“Come back soon, Ms. Varian?”  He said.  Vector nodded.

“You can call me 'Vector', if you want, Ponta.  I'll be back soon.”  He said, waving a little before disappearing completely before Ponta's eyes.  The boy's eyes widened.

“Woah!  Where'd he go pon!?”  Ponta exclaimed, twisting around trying to find him.  Kotori blinked a little in surprise.

“...He'll be back later, Ponta, don't worry.”  She said to reassure the boy.  She sighed, going to sit down, as if the weight of this confession of Takashi's was weighing her down.

“Yeah… Don’t worry…” Takashi looked at Kotori, wondering what he could do to help. In the end, he just walked out of the room to get the drinks he promised, giving Kotori the moment she needed to think.

Kotori simply held her baby, reflecting on things.  Masumi cooed up at her mother, and Kotori let a small smile come to her face as she gently stroked her child's hair.  She was recalling all the fun times she'd had with Ena...and really, she hadn't seen any of what she'd thought to be Vector's personality come through in her friend.  But, at the same time, she hadn't seen the malicious hacker in Vector's AI either...she'd seen someone who was blunt, yes, but not insane.  She'd seen someone who seemed to genuinely care about Takashi...she'd seen similar looks in that man's eyes that she'd seen in Alit's when he looked at her.  They truly did look like a married couple...that loved each other.  

“Kotori okay, pon?”  Ponta asked, a little confused by Kotori's silence.  Kotori glanced at Ponta.

“I'm alright...don't worry about it.”  She said to the boy, gently ruffling his hair.  Plus, Vector hadn't been mean to Ponta...in fact, Ponta had said Vector had been Haruto's tutor.  Kotori could remember Haruto speaking nothing but praise and adoration for his tutor.  Same with Kaito, now that she thought about it...and apparently, Kaito hadn't known the truth.  That was interesting, considering Kaito had been part of the team that had arrested Vector in the first place.  She sighed, just unsure what to think at the moment.  This guy was apparently Vector...but he didn't fit her mental image of the sociopathic, malicious hacker that had terrorized Heartland all those years ago.

This was the first time that Takashi himself was revealing who Vector was to his friends, rather than Vector telling him afterwards that he had introduced his real self, like to Cathy and Yuuma. Takashi really didn’t know how to feel through all of this, but he did realise he was especially worried how Kotori felt. How was she? Betrayed she had been lied to? Upset? Disappointed in him? The last two he wasn’t going to be surprised with, but still, he did feel awful.

The man came back quickly with a pot of tea, some juice for Ponta and snacks. He didn’t speak at first, rather he wordlessly put the tray on the table. He looked at his friend, not sure if she wanted to make the first move.

“… Did… Did you want to… sit?"

Kotori didn't look up at first, still mulling things over.  She felt a talk was in order, but she wasn't sure how to best approach things.  She nodded.

“Sure...thanks.”  She said, watching Ponta chirp his thanks too before digging into the snacks.  

“...I'm just...a little lost right now.  That man...is that really Vector?  I mean, it looks like him...but whenever someone talked about Vector in Heartland...they talked about a sociopathic hacker with no regard for anyone but himself...that's not what I saw today.”  Kotori said at last, looking at Takashi for help.  She figured if she had to pick someone to take the story from, it'd be from Takashi rather than Vector.  She could at least part-way trust Takashi...she'd known him longest.

“It’s a lot to take in…” Takashi said. He sat down next to Kotori and looked at her, doing his best to meet her eyes when all he wanted to do was look away. He gave a small smile to her. She wasn’t yelling. That was a start.

“It’s an AI of Vector. The real Vector. He made that AI for me in his image make sure I was taken care of,” Takashi said. “And… that’s true. He’s not a sociopath but he didn’t have any regard for anyone before. That was a long time ago…” He sighed. “He’s changed since then. He really has. We’ve been though a lot and in truth, he’s really like what you saw today. He’s rough and direct but he’s sweet and kind and gentle… and he really cares about his friends and… well… me."

Kotori thought this over.

"So...you knew he was Vector from the beginning...he didn't lie to you about who he was? You...actually fell in love with Vector?" Kotori wanted to clarify. She wanted to know how long the two of them had been lying to their friends.

“… Not at first. I mean… I knew when he was pretending to be Ena but… You remember that guy we talked about. A long time ago? With the long distance relationship but we broke up due to his guardians? That was Vector… and I was… trying to date him back when he was pretending to be Shingetsu Rei.”

"Ah...I see. So all those times when we thought you were seeing different people...they were all Vector. It's been him all this time..." Kotori said with a frown.

"...I can understand why you didn't say anything...but at the same time, I'm hurt that you lied to all of us for so long. I'm not sure what to believe anymore when it comes to Vector, since he's been supposedly dead for years, and now he's actually dead but not at the same time.."

“… Yeah… I didn’t know he was Shingetsu Rei at first, but after he was arrested I found out and… I ended up still seeing him,” Takashi sighed. No matter how it turned out, his choices were still awful and he did feel bad.

“… No… He’s actually dead this time. That thing is an AI, it’s like a copy. But it’s not the real him.” Takashi frowned.

"...So you really have been in love with him since the beginning. I heard a rumour that Vector had slept with one of HPD's male officers...that was you, wasn't it?" Kotori asked carefully.

"...I get that it's not really him...but the AI is so lifelike that it seems...real." She had smacked it in the face and it felt no different to her than any other face she'd hit before.

“… Yeah… That was me…” Takashi sighed and covered his face with one of his hands, groaning quietly into it before he pulled it away. “… I… Don’t make very good decisions. I’m not even saying it as an excuse, I just don’t. I thought I was sleeping with a coworker but it ended up a lot messier than that.”

“It’s the new Solid Vision technology. Vector’s uncle Yusei installed them in as a surprise for me. Helps the AI do his job if he can touch me."

Kotori sighed. She could remember a few other times when Takashi had made poor decisions in the past too.

"...Do you regret them? You seem to...genuinely like Vector. I remember Ena told me what a hopeless romantic you were on multiple occasions...I know you're definitely like that...so...you were happy even knowing it was Vector?"

“…No. I don’t regret falling for Vector. Vector was my world… I treasured every moment we had together, no matter how rough it was,” Takashi said, honestly. “I wasn’t at first… I was more addicted than happy, but I fell hard and I did find my happiness."

Kotori nodded.

"I see...this will still be difficult to support, but I'll try. I know Ena made you happy...and since Ena was Vector, then that means he made you happy." She said with a sigh.

"...I don't think I can keep this secret from Alit...it's not fair to keep it from him too, right?"

“… I want to try keep it as secretive as possible… but if you have to, I can’t stop you,” Takashi sighed. “Just… try keep it down low, okay?"

Kotori nodded. "I'm not sure what I'll do with Alit...he does have a lot on his mind at the moment. We'll see..." she mused.

“Right…” Takashi looked at Kotori and gave her a weak smile. “… I’m sorry. For lying. I know I couldn’t tell you, but I still feel bad. You’ve been there the most for me with my relationship with Vector, and I didn’t even have the strength to be honest. I’m sorry"

"...Yea, I suppose I have...I remember teasing you, encouraging you...all that stuff." She mused with a sigh. "Like I said, I know you couldn't tell me...he was a fugitive after all. Since you're my friend...I'll try and work through this with you. I do have to question the model though...it's not healthy to be so attached to something that's...not real." Kotori said.

“That’s what I said…” Takashi smiled, admittedly a little relieved someone in his friend group thought his AI partner was odd. “But… I don’t know. He’s here to try make me feel better. I guess there will be a time where I won’t need him… but right now, I’m going to make the most of what Vector left me. I don’t think I’m ready to leave him yet.”

"Hmm...I suppose. You do look like you're doing alright. If that's thanks to the model, then that's good." Kotori said with a smile, glad she and Takashi were on the same page about it. "Just don't forget your friends too, okay?"

“I won’t. Not this time.” Takashi smiled. “Thanks Kotori… It means a lot to me that you’re my friend."

"It means a lot that you're finally being honest...thank you, Inchou."  Kotori replied with a smile, glad that they were on the same page.  She was definitely going to keep an eye on Takashi...she didn't quite trust Vector's model to look after him.  And even if the model did a good job...it wasn't healthy for Takashi's only company to be the computer generated person.

-x-

It had been a few days since Yami and Miheal had their therapy session, and Yuugi was still remembering a few things in his other half's past that were disturbing.  He'd seen his other half get into fights, watched him playing poker with what Yuugi could only assume were gangs of criminals and thugs, and occasionally hurt people, though thankfully he hadn't seen anyone die yet.  He had learned quite a bit about his other half too...like he seemed to have been homeless for quite some time.  Yuugi could remember a few nights where his other half seemed to sleep on the streets, condemned buildings or in crappy cheap hotels, use public workout facilities to bathe and public lockers to store his less valuable belongings.  He also seemed to have money trouble...with the amount of cards he played, Yuugi wondered if he'd been a gambling addict.  Interestingly, bits of his other half's good side kept coming through: Yuugi could tell that the people he hurt deserved it in Yami's mind, because they had harmed others, and he always made plenty of donations to worthy causes even with such fluctuating funds.  He seemed to frequent orphanages and homeless shelters, not to stay, but to entertain people who were usually quite sad until he showed up.  Yuugi thought that was nice....but unfortunately, the bad things seemed to overshadow the good, in general.  He wasn't getting much sleep as a result, and it did show.  

The guards practically had to drag him out of bed that day because he had a visitor.  Yuugi barely heard them, yawning the entire way to the visiting room.  When he saw who it was though, he immediately smiled.

“Raphael...you came back.”  He said happily, glad to see the man again.

Raphael was a very busy man. Despite how the police joked that he spent all his time looking after Yuugi, Raphael himself felt like he barely visited the young man he had decided to take responsibility for. It was understandable, considering that Raphael ran a vast multi-million (billion it could be argued) electronics industry in Japan. He had meetings, business and his own research to take care of, as well as the other orphanages he visited, but he still felt bad. That’s why he scheduled in a full day off from work for himself so he could spend it taking care of Yuugi. He hadn’t been looking into the little man as much as he liked, but he wanted to.

He parked his motorbike and after getting things organised with the staff was brought to the visiting room. The large man gave a smile to the boy and waved at him.

“Hey there. I said so, didn’t I?” He smiled. “Hope I didn’t wake you up there."

Yuugi beamed, despite his obvious exhaustion.  He was so glad to see Raphael.  He had very little concept of time, but it felt like it had been awhile since he'd seen the man.  He wasn't upset though...he understood that Raphael was a busy man, and the way Yuugi saw it, he'd taken Raphael away from work far too many times already.  He was grateful that Raphael made time for him.

“Ah...yeah, I did kinda just wake up...it's okay though.  I don't mind.”  Yuugi said, trying to fix his messy bedhead hair to look somewhat more presentable.  

“What have you been doing, Raphael?  You must be busy with your company and everything.”  He said.

“Ah… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to."

Raphael laughed as Yuugi tried to fix his untameable hair and stretched. “Mostly work. I’ve been sitting down and crunching numbers, trying to get things more or less organised. There’s not much I can say about it really without boring you.”

“How are you doing, Yuugi?”

Yuugi listened with a smile.

“...Is this sort of thing for charity work?  You run orphanages right?”  Yuugi said, recalling his other half all of a sudden.  Yami had been homeless...and had frequented orphanages.  

“...I...well...I've been alright, I guess.  I've just been...having a bit of trouble sleeping.”  He said, having to pause mid-sentence to yawn, and then shake his head as if he was trying to shake off the sleepiness.  He didn't want to sleep now that Raphael was here.

“...I'm starting to get some more of my memory back.”  He finished.

“I wouldn’t call charity work boring, but that’s some of the work I have. I do support a large number and I have opened one,” the man said. He looked at how tired Yuugi was, noting he did look a lot healthier but somehow more drained at the same time.

“Sleep troubles, huh?” he paused. “That’s good, right? Having your memory, I mean."

Yuugi smiled. "That's good...I'm glad." He said, before groaning a little.

"...I guess I am learning more about my other half...but...some of the things I remember are scary. That's why I can't sleep most of the time..." he said sadly.

“Oh…” Raphael frowned. He wished he could go and give Yuugi a hug, but he didn’t and couldn’t overstep his boundaries. “So I’m guessing nightmares as well as bad memories. I see. It sounds really rough. You’ve mentioned this to your doctor yet?”

Yuugi nodded.

"Yeah...its memories. My other me...he was in trouble a lot, it seemed. He was homeless...he gambled with bad people...he was attacked by them too..." Yuugi said sadly, curling up on himself a little as he recalled those memories.

"My other me did...I haven't seen Dr. Arclight yet but I will soon, I hope."

“Ah… Yeah, that makes sense. You’ve got a bit of a reputation,” Raphael said. He frowned quietly though, seeing how bad Yuugi was taking it.

“How are you finding it? Having memories at all, I mean."

"Yeah..." Yuugi sighed. He pondered this question. Was it worth it to go through all this pain in order to get memories of his own?

"...I guess this is the first step. I'm starting to see some of what my other me does when I'm not awake too...I'm glad of that." Yuugi admitted.

“It’s hard, but I’m glad you’re going through it. It’s progress, after all,” Raphael smiled. “I’m happy to talk to you as well as Dr. Arclight, Yuugi. We’re here for you every step of the way."

Yuugi smiled. "Yeah...you're right. And...we'll, I guess it's nice to learn about my other half too...he wasn't all bad. It felt more like bad things happened to him, most of the time." Yuugi said. He nodded. "Id like that...maybe you can help too. Cause, after all, you have worked with homeless people...so you might understand my other me's problems."

“Yeah… A lot of people who end up as criminals don’t start off as that. It’s usually circumstance.” Raphael said. “Poverty, abuse, desperation… all that kind of leads to it. If you didn’t know already, your other half has sort of an addiction to gambling. As long as you’re willing to try help yourself, any help we give you will go very smoothly. I’ll help in any way I can, okay?”

Yuugi nodded. That did make sense. He understood that most people weren't genetically bad, and believed it even before he got into this mess.

"...Yeah. I've seen quite a few card games...my other me was pretty good at gambling. He didn't lose very often...but although he never went into debt, there were times when he lost more money than he won. I think he was addicted...I wonder if he still is. It's hard to say." Yuugi pondered. He smiled at Raphael.

"I definitely want to help myself and my other me..." he said, feeling his head pulse. Yami was complaining about how much he was sharing, Yuugi suspected.

“We’ll see what the doctor says, he probably is better to ask than you or me,” Raphael admitted. It was hard to say, but from what the police were saying, he wouldn’t be surprised if Yami was indeed.

“That’s good,” Raphael said. He frowned, seeing Yuugi hold his head. “Do you need water?"

"Yeah...I'll bring it up to Dr.Arclight..." Yuugi said, pausing as his head screamed at him, like Yami was protesting that fact.

"Ugh...yes please...I think my other me is...annoyed? Embarrassed? I'm not sure..." Yuugi groaned.

Raphael turned to a guard and mentioned the water, noting that Yuugi did need it for his mental health. The man nodded and had the second guard leave the room.

“It never ceases to surprise me. Not the switches, but that. Not many people can tell how their split personality is feeling.”

"Ah...it's a new thing...I can feel him and I'm getting used to it...maybe the memories help with that too. I'm not sure." Yuugi said with a tiny smile as he clutched his head.

“Oh… I see.” He frowned. “Is there anyway to make the pain go away?"

"...ngh...I'm not sure..." Yuugi said with a groan.

"...Maybe it'll change one day..." he said.

“Maybe…” Raphael said quietly. “What’s going to happen now? Swap? Do you fight it or is it random? Sorry, I’m asking a lot of questions."

"...I think I'm gonna swap..." Yuugi said. He was frankly too tired to fight it at this point.

"...I try to fight sometimes...but...I'm just tired...I can't stop it..." he managed to say, before his facial expressions changed.

"...You're really good at making Yuugi spill the beans, aren't you?" Yami said simply, crossing his arms and glaring a little at Raphael.

“It’s alright. I’ll still be here.” He reassured. He smiled quietly before he saw the swap. He gave a small sigh as he saw Yami and shook his head.

“I’m just checking up on him. I worry for you guys."

Yami frowned.

"Worry? You're worried about someone who tried to kill you, and is also a nutcase, both of whom you don't know very well? That can't be the only thing...nobody is that nice without wanting something in return." He reasoned.

“People deserve another chance,” Raphael said simply. “You did try to kill me, but you also saved me from being killed. You more or less turned yourself in. The only thing I want in return is to see you try and recover.”

Yami shook his head a little.

"The only thing that stopped me was Yuugi. If not for him, you wouldn't have made it home that night. Or if you did, you'd have died shortly after." Yami said, simply stating a fact.

"I don't need you to 'get better', persay. The meds are forcing changes in both Yuugi and I, as he just told you. It'll happen regardless of your interference...so...you shouldn't come back. You're busy. You don't have time." Yami said. He'd been getting uneasy feelings lately. Like he was being watched...and long sessions with Raphael would look bad to certain eyes.

“True. And I owe Yuugi my life. If you’re looking for a reason besides general kindness, then I don’t mind you saying I just want to repay a debt,” Raphael said, equally as calmly and factually as Yami did.

“I know. I want to help though, or at least be someone you’re able to talk to. And how I spend my time is up to me, after all.”

Yami nodded.

“That I can understand, but in my view, you've already paid it by saving our lives in return.  If not for your work, we probably wouldn't have gotten here.  The death penalty was a very real possibility, but you got us a good lawyer and appointments with the psychologist here that got us out of it.  The cops wouldn't have done that on their own, or at the very least, not the first one.  State lawyers wouldn't have cared.”  Yami reasoned.  The second point he couldn't really argue, so he sighed.  He supposed he should come right out and say it, no matter how risky...there were guards listening in.  

“It's up to you, yes...which is why I'm trying to tell you to stop.  I can't exactly get away if I don't want to see a visitor...and lately I've been feeling like I'm being watched.  Not in the usual, surveillance type way either...”  Yami said, frowning a little as he said it.

Raphael nodded. That was indeed true, and he could see how one might just stop there and wipe their hands off it. Even Raphael had to say he himself was going a little above and beyond the usual for Yuugi. However, he remained perfectly calm, not responding much even when Yami tried to protest.

“Being watched? What do you mean by that?”

“You know I didn't try to kill you out of personal vendetta...I was hired to do it.  And, based on what happened at my trial, they were hoping I would get the death penalty, and if I didn't, they were willing to finish the job.  Lately, I've been feeling like they're...keeping tabs on me, looking for another opportunity.  And you're their real target.  You keep coming to see me, for private meetings, for long periods of time, with or without the cops...that doesn't look good to them.  They'll think we're working together, and in here, I can't run away.  I have no weapons.  I have no place to hide.  I'm the easier target between the two of us, and so they'll come after me the second they suspect something's up.  The more you see me, the more they'll have proof that something's up”  Yami said, being careful with his words while also trying to be as blunt as possible.

“… I see…” Raphael frowned. He hadn’t considered that. However, those words made him only want to help the boy more. He was essentially trapped in here, and he could be condemned to die any time by this unknown executioner.

“I have guards, and you’re safe here. Security has improved, Yami. A lot. You shouldn’t worry so much about it."

Yami shook his head.

“There were guards at the trial too, yet someone still got shot.  Whoever hired me has influence...that goes a long way.”  Yami argued.  He frowned.

“I have enough worries already, but this one would lessen if you just listened to me and stopped coming.”  Yami said.  He was stressed out by Yuugi's reactions to his memories...he didn't like reliving them either, plus it was only a matter of time before Yuugi remembered something truly detrimental (like one of the times Yami brutally murdered people).  What was worse was that Yuugi seemed to have no problem just blurting out all these secrets, and if he did remember something particularly bad, he'd probably tell the cops right away, and Yami could be penalized more.  Also the fact that Yuugi hadn't had much sleep was affecting him too.  He felt absolutely exhausted and miserable and his senses were on overdrive.  He knew due to how much they were switching, it'd be hard to protect Yuugi like this.  If something did happen, the odds were against him.  

“… Alright. But I at least want to talk about Yuugi about this and explain it to him. It wouldn’t be fair if I left and didn’t leave him a reasonable explanation,” Raphael said, frowning.

Yami listened, a little relieved that Raphael agreed.  He nodded.

“That's fair enough...”  He said, closing his eyes.  He couldn't really feel Yuugi pushing against him, strangely enough.  Did Yuugi expect him to talk to Raphael?  Yami sighed.

“...I'm not sure when we'll switch.  Yuugi might be resting...he didn't sleep well.”  He said at last.

“Keep insisting and mention the problems you guys are having. That’s all we really can do at the moment, unfortunately,” Raphael frowned.

“...I suppose...but at the same time...ugh.”  Yami said, pausing to sigh.

“...I don't want to bring up old problems.”  He said, looking away in slight embarrassment.  Remembering how bad his gambling problems had gotten wasn't really something he wanted to talk about.

“… I know, but the fact that you don’t want to bring them up means they’re still… problems,” Raphael said gently. “You can hide them away, but at the end of the day, they will still be there and it’ll still hurt. Therapy is supposed to help you overcome that.”

“...My problems aren't relevant in here.  I'm not a gambling addict anymore...plus...I haven't seen any cigarette trading here...can't gamble those like in prison...”  Yami said, still looking away.  He didn't like talking about it, but at the same time, he supposed Yuugi already had.

“They’re relevant to you, so that makes them relevant here. I’m not talking about physically, Yami.” Raphael said, looking at him still with kind eyes. “It hurts you that you were involved with these things, doesn’t it?” He prompted gently.

Yami spared a glance with his eyes over at Raphael.  He was still amazed at how caring this man seemed to be, even when he knew it was him.

“...Meh...it's more...shame.  I didn't even know it was a problem until I was arrested...I don't even smoke, but I was going after packs like I needed them to survive.  I realized I was addicted to gambling then...it wasn't just a way to survive, it was...bad.”  Yami said softly.

“… I see…” Raphael met his eyes and exchanged a gentle smile. It was a pitying smile, but it was one that was sympathetic as well. “Often those affected don’t realise they have those sort of problems. But it’s nothing to be ashamed of… you know that, right?"

Yami simply stared, before having to tear his gaze away.  He wasn't used to people looking at him like that.  

“...Well, I'm not addicted anymore...I forced myself to kick the habit in jail.  I decided I'd had enough.”  Yami said, and he was proud of that fact.  But it had been quite difficult...especially when he got back out and was confronted once again with similar crowds, all enticing him to play.  The itch had returned for awhile, and Yami had forced himself away.  Thankfully, Kaiba had come along with a better alternative...it was a gamble, technically, but it was a better source of income when Yami truly had no other means.  He shook his head.

“So it doesn't matter anymore.  I don't need to tell the therapist, and if Yuugi brings it up, I'll clarify.”  

“Alright… If you say so.” Raphael was sure Yami wasn’t as over it as he thought. Curbed it, maybe, but some of the behaviour he had seen when he was allowed to visit at the police station suggested otherwise. Still, he didn’t doubt Yami’s ability to control himself so he dropped it.

Yami nodded.

"Yeah...I say so." He said firmly. He could feel Yuugi stirring, potentially attracted by the way Yami was reacting to Raphael's gaze and expressions.

"Ugh...Yuugi's waking up now, I think..."

“… Alright. I’ll mention what you told me to him. Is there anything else you really want to say?" he asked

Yami hesitated, before nodding. "...You should be careful too...someone might try something..." Yami said, looking at Raphael. "...Yuugi wouldn't want you hurt."

Raphael looked a little surprised at first before he nodded his head. “I… I will. And you too, okay?”

Yami gave him a small smile. "...Yeah. I will. I'm not trying to start anything bad here..." he promised, and it was true. He wasn't trying to do anything....that didn't mean Kaiba would believe him though. He groaned as his head pulsed. The warm feeling he got from talking to Raphael was really pulling Yuugi out. Moments later, Yuugi emerged. "..Ah, Raphael you're still here! I'm glad..."

Raphael nodded, watching all the way until Yugi took control. He chuckled lightly, seeing the swap and smiled.

“This has been the most times we’ve seen each other in one day,” he joked, “How is your head? Still aching?”

Yuugi beamed back at him. He was so glad to get to spend more time with Raphael. He didn't see him often after all.

"It's not so bad...my other me seems calmed. Did you two have a good talk?" He asked with a smile, taking a sip of his water.

“Yeah, we did. He’s really worried about you and your safety,” Raphael said. “Do you remember any of it?"

Yuugi smiled.

"...A little. My other me seemed...anxious for a little while, then he got better...I think he was happy at the end." Yuugi said.

‘Yeah… I suppose so.” That was one way to see it, though he was a little surprised. Happy wasn’t how he would describe Yami, but if Yuugi said so. “He’s really concerned about any threats and enemies he’s made. So… Ah… If you want to say anything to me first, you should so. I’ll say what I have to say after you."

Yuugi smiled and nodded.

"I think he's feeling better anyway." He said, before tilting his head and frowning in confusion.

"....Enemies? What do you mean?"

“Enemies… Like… Remember the trial where you and Yami fought to get to the stand? You had that seizure,” Raphael said. “You were shot at. There was an assassin. Yami is worried that whoever hired that man may make a second attempt at your life, especially because I’m here....”

Yuugi nodded with a frown.

"...Yeah I remember...but...what would they do that? I thought my other me shared everything he knows...and there's lots of guards here..." Yuugi said, now a little concerned.

“Yeah, but the assassin doesn’t want you to share some things. It’s likely Yami is still hiding things, potentially incriminating things, for both of your safety. There are guards, but he doesn’t want to take the risk."

"...Yeah...I guess that makes sense..." Yuugi said with a frown.

"...So what do we do?"

“Yami wants me to keep my distance since it looks suspicious that I’m here trying to help. It looks like I’m trying to pump you for information.” Raphael said. “I don’t want to though, since it means I can’t talk to you two…”

Yuugi's face fell.

"...I don't want that either...I like it when you visit." Yuugi said sadly.

“Well… I’m glad that you do, really. Yami was putting some doubts in my head,” Raphael admitted, smiling softly but still sadly. “I can continue my visits. I have body guards and you have the guards here. With any luck, and if everything has improved, we’ll both be safe, especially you since you’re stuck here."

Yuugi listened.

"...Yami likes you too, I'm pretty sure. It's hard to tell..." Yuugi said. He smiled.

"I'm glad...we'll both be okay then. I'm sure..."

Raphael chuckled. “We’ll see. It really is hard to tell.” He said.

“Thanks, Yuugi. Hopefully Yami can hear but I’ll tell him again later that we’ve agreed I’ll keep visiting. If it makes him feel better, I’ll see if I can get security tightened around here for everyone."

Yuugi smiled.

"Yeah...I think he heard..." Yuugi said, feeling his head pulse a little.

"Okay! That sounds good...I don't think anyone wants to get hurt here." Yuugi said.

Raphael smiled. “Well, I’m still allowed a few more minutes. Anything you want to say now? While it’s just the two of us?"

Yuugi nodded.

"...I guess just...thank you?  You've been really nice to me, and to my other me too, and I'm really glad to have a friend like you who can look after me."  Yuugi said with a smile.

“You can never have too many friends,” He smiled. “I’m glad you consider me one, Yuugi.”

"That's true!  I have another friend here too named Koutei...he comforts me when I'm not feeling great too.  I'm grateful to have both of you."  Yuugi said with a smile.

“Haha, that’s good to hear. He must be a nice guy like you, huh? Otherwise Yami wouldn’t let you near him, would he?” he chuckled.

"Yeah, he's a really nice guy.  Yami definitely likes him too...they work out together quite a bit.  I think I'm getting some real muscles!"  Yuugi said with a chuckle, showing off his arms, which weren't that toned.

“Ah, that’s a good reminder. I should work out some more too. I’ve been so busy I’ve been neglecting my routine. If I keep doing that, you’ll have bigger muscles than me,” Raphael joked back, flexing his impressive biceps.

Yuugi laughed.

"Maybe!  Yami's got quite a bit of work to do to catch up to you, but he likes challenges, so he might take you up on it!"  Yuugi exclaimed with a grin.

“Yeah, he mentioned that to me,” Raphael said. “Maybe. It’ll give you a goal to get to, you know?”

Yuugi chuckled.

"Maybe...my other me likes to show off his arms, so he'd probably like to have them as toned as yours.  You'd be a good goal for him."  Yuugi said.

Raphael laughed as well.  “I’d love to hear about you and your friend, alright? If not now, at least next time, okay?”

Yuugi nodded.

"Of course!  I'll tell you all about it!  Koutei's a really nice guy, you'd probably like him too!"

“Alright… Sounds good,” Raphael said.

Yuugi grinned, more than willing to talk about Koutei happily for the rest of time the two of them had left.

-x-

Elsewhere in Heartland, Kaiba Seto was in his office working on his business.  Ever since the string of CEO murders, there had been a power vacuum in Heartland that Kaiba was working to fill to KaibaCorp's benefit.  Of course, he wasn't the only one trying to do this, so he was trying to fight off the competition from DOMA and LeoCorp in particular.  He was also waiting on word from his accomplice...he had no doubt Roger would want to rub his face in the fact that Mutou had failed to off everyone on their hit list.  

Roger never called before 12 to anyone he didn’t want to be associated with. The mornings were reserved for business, and the afternoons were saved for less than savoury business. That’s how he liked to work, like clockwork. There was order, and methods to his madness. Everything worked specifically to his very particular needs. At 1, he called Kaiba Corp and began a business call from his computer. Solid Vision may have been long standing, and been the current fashion but these calls were the safest.

Kaiba scowls as the document he was working on gets interrupted by a notification that he's being video-called by Roger.  Well, he may as well get this over with.  He clicked the accept call button and watched Roger's face fill his screen.  His office was sound-proofed, so there was no threat of anyone hearing.

“About time you called.  I was expecting an explanation for why your guy shot the wrong target.”  He said.

“Funny, I was wondering why your man ended up as the target in the first place,” Roger said calmly, moving one of his desk chess pieces in front of him. “Sergey is at least active still. I can’t say the same for Mutou."

“He at least took out the right people, whereas your guy shot the psychologist twice and still failed to kill him.”  Kaiba said with a frown.

“Mutou's in the Correctional Facility, and he'll be there to rot til the day he dies as long as he keeps up that bullshit mental illness act of his.  If Sergey's active, then he can go after Kawahara.”  

“He was under orders not to kill anyone besides Mutou. I’d say what he did was fine,” Roger said smoothly.

“Sergey has been tracking Kawahara Raphael constantly. Speaking of the Correctional Facility, he’s been making many trips there. You know that, right?"

“If the outcome was fine, then you're totally alright with the cops being on his tail, aren't you?”  Kaiba said, frowning at Roger's second statement especially.

“...I had heard Kawahara was cooperating with the police to try and get Mutou into the Correctional Facility...but if he's visiting him too...that isn't good.  I didn't have Mutou pegged for a tattle-tale, but he's also a tricky person to read.”  Kaiba said, frowning as he considered the options they had.

“Sergey won’t be caught. There’s no camera that can’t catch him. He’s smart. He’s fast. He’s strong. And more importantly, he’s legally rogue and not associated with me. Even if he has to be cut loose, I don’t have to associate myself or my company with him.” Roger smiled.

“I can always call in Sergey. Ask him to pick off Mutou. Depends on who you’d like dead first, really. He can take a break from stalking Kawahara.”

“I certainly hope that's the case, because he's our best option for finishing the job Mutou started.”  Kaiba said with a frown.  

“...Since Sergey hasn't made a move on Kawahara, I'm assuming he's not making himself very available.  Mutou on the other hand is a sitting duck...he can't run, hide, or use any of his other tricks while he's incarcerated.  He'd be the easier one to off...even if he hasn't said anything yet, it's possible he will soon.  Maybe he'll crack being surrounded by actual crazies.”  Kaiba reasoned.

“I see… Well I’ll contact Sergey and have him target Mutou specifically. Who knows, maybe he’ll even kill two birds with one stone. Wouldn’t that be something?” Roger hummed. “We do need to stop those meetings one way or another though… they could be disadvantageous for us..."

“That would be convenient, wouldn't it?”  Kaiba mused.  

“I'd rather off Mutou at this point.  He's far too sneaky, and he knows too much about our operation.  He'll be expecting it though...he was fully aware of the consequences of failure.  Tell Sergey not to underestimate him.  If he does, Mutou'll probably pull a fast one and escape him again.”  

“Alright, I’ll have him eliminated. Sergey will not fail this time,” Roger smiled. “And then we’ll discuss payment in full, neh?"

“I only pay when the job's done, Roger.  Remember that.”  Kaiba said sternly.

“That’s why after the job we’ll talk,” Roger smiled. “Just remember your part of the deal. I’ll do mine soon."

“Of course.  See to it then.  Unless you have anything else you want to say, I'm busy.”  

“I wish you a pleasant day,” Roger smirked before he switched the feed off. He smirked for a minute before he straightened himself out, waiting for his secretary to tell him that the police were here.

As Kaiba returned to his work, the Heartland City Police Department had arrived to talk to Roger.  Ukyou and Droite were there to see him to discuss their suspect Sergey.  The secretary finally buzzed them in to see Roger.

“Roger-san will see you now.”  She said, inviting them up.  The cops entered the office and greeted Roger.

“Roger-san, I'm Superintendent Ukyou and this is Officer Droite from the HPD.  We just have a couple of questions for you regarding a suspect of ours.”  Ukyou said.

“Charmed to meet you.” Roger smiled. “As you know, I’m Jean-Michel Roger, head of the Sector Security team. I’m more than happy to talk to two officers of the law.” He gestured to the seats. “Please make yourselves comfortable. What can I do for you? I hope I’m not in trouble.”

“You’re not, sir."

Ukyou and Droite took the invitation to sit down, not sure how long this talk would be.  

“Glad to hear it, because we do require some information if nothing else.”  Ukyou said, pulling out the enhanced photograph of the footage from Mutou's trial.  

“This is the only photograph we have of the man who shot Dr. Miheal Arclight at the trial of Mutou Yuugi a few months ago.  We've identified him as Volkov Sergey...a member of your Sector Security team.”  

Roger looked down and he hid his shock. Sergey? Caught on camera? It was impossible. Not only was Sergey incredibly good at stealth, but the chips in his face scrambled most computers and cameras. Where the hell was this picture taken from? The ground floor? A security camera? How did they enhance it so well?

“That’s a name I haven’t heard of in a while…Sergey… He’s been rogue for three years now. Went crazy and ran off. I didn’t know he’s still alive."

It was only thanks to Orbital 7 and Astral that the footage was even taken.  If not for their efforts, they wouldn't have had any photographs at all.  Shun had been able to decipher the codes on his face, which helped them identify him and allowed Astral to program the necessary codes to unscramble the footage.

“Rogue?  What exactly does that mean?  I thought you had tabs on all of your agents...I've heard you're very good at monitoring them and making sure they stay on task.  It's hard to believe one got away.”  Droite asked with a frown.

“He left. He quit rather violently on the job and ran off. We at Sector Security do keep a sharp eye on all our employees, but Sergey was the best of the best. He trained many of our newcomers and did a large amount of jobs for us. I can give you the details of the case at that time if you’d like, but you have to believe me that Sector Security has not seen Volkov in three years."

Ukyou listened.  There was nothing he could do to refute Roger's claims, since the few files available to the public on Sector Security did list Sergey as 'rogue' since three years ago.  It was curious though, as Droite pointed out, that Roger had lost track of an agent.

“Any information you could spare us on Sergey would be appreciated.  We are trying to catch him after all.  What were the circumstances of his sudden departure?”  Ukyou said.

“Of course. It was a horrible, horrible tragedy. Losing Sergey was one of the main reasons that Sector Security went through a complete upheaval three years ago,” Roger said.

“Yeah, a lot of things changed around that time,” Droite muttered under her breath.

“Do you know much about Sergey’s job here at Sector Security?” Roger asked.

“Hmm...well according to what we read, which isn't much, he was a specialist.  Someone who would go after the threats that nobody else could seem to stop.”  Ukyou said.  

“...So what happened?  How did someone who was so good at his job of taking out threats become the threat himself?”  

“Case 227, Sergey Volkov, he was a former Dark Signer gang member reformed and working for me. He was well informed and connected to not only good authorities, but the criminal underground, making him a very useful body guard. However, being from Neo Domino and stationed mostly in Heartland, he was ordered to protect many corporates that were scared of Vector at the time, and, naturally, he did a lot of research into Vector to see who was the one that targeted a lot of these men.” Droite narrowed her eyes but didn’t say anything. Vector? Again? “I’m not sure what triggered it, but I remember getting a call from Sergey after Rex Godwin committed suicide on TV. You remember that affair, how many people were traumatized because of the live running footage of a real suicide? Sergey told me something really disconcerting… Mentioned that it was… fascinating someone so level-headed like Godwin was driven to something so insane like that in a single instant.” Roger frowned. “I suppose having to stalk Vector for so long made Sergey a bit crazy himself. I dismissed it, unfortunately, and then the next time Sergey was sent to protect someone, he succeeded, but he eviscerated the man targeting his client. I tried to order his capture and arrest, but Sergey was too strong. He ran off and hid, and now is gods know where. Neo Domino, even, since that was his home town.”

Ukyou listened.  He definitely remembered the Godwin incident, when a model of Vector had cornered a shocked Godwin so well that his only escape was to shoot himself with a cop's gun on live television.  Ukyou frowned as Droite did, not liking how Vector seemed to once again come back and cause problems for them from beyond the grave.

“...We've already notified Officer Crow Hagen of Neo Domino to be on the lookout for him there.  Hopefully, if he is there, he'll turn up soon.”  Ukyou murmured.  

“I don't suppose you know of any sort of habitual hideouts of his in the city that we could check?”

“I can give you ones from three years ago, but the police already asked me for these places.” Roger said, reaching for a paper and notepad and writing the places down for the officers, knowing Sergey wouldn’t be there anyway. “Maybe you’ll be luckier than them, officers."

“I certainly hope so...thank you.”  Ukyou said, accepting the paper with the notes.

“...Is there any typical methods Sergey uses when he takes out people that we should watch out for if we manage to find him?  Our team would like to avoid casualties...and he sounds quite proficient.”  

Roger frowned. “It… honestly depends on how he’s feeling. If he doesn’t want to be seen, he’s almost always sniping, and there’s no way around that. But all of those… brutal methods that had him run away in the first place, they’re all different. As long as it causes his victim the most pain.”

“Hmm...I see.”  Ukyou said, not liking the sound of that.  Droite wore a similar face of discomfort.  

“Is there anything else you feel we need to know when we go after him?”  Droite asked.

Roger honestly wanted to tell the officers not to bother, but he was trying to figure out how to get them off his trail. “Don’t assume he needs a motive to just fixate himself on a target and try kill them no matter what. The last we heard of Sergey, he was… Very disturbed. I’m not sure if rational thought is even processed through his head anymore.”

Ukyou frowned and processed this idea.  This sounded a lot like Vector too...it was disturbing.  It sounded like Sergey had no typical target, and no real pattern of attack, which made him completely unpredictable.  That was dangerous.  

“Thank you...we'll keep that in mind.”  Ukyou said.  

“Unless there's anything else you feel we should know, we'll take our leave.  We have a lot of work to do on this case.”  

“No, that was the last of it,” Roger said. “Best of luck to you, Officers. Hopefully you’ll find him."

“Thank you for meeting with us, Roger-san.  Please don't hesitate to let us know if you have more to share about the case.”  Ukyou said, getting up with Droite and heading out.  They were escorted out of the building, and got into the car to head back to the station.

Roger gritted his teeth as soon as he saw the officers drive away from his office window. After a moment, he sent a single message to a supposedly disconnected number, a cold sneer on his face.

‘Eliminate Mutou at all costs.'

Sergey was in a base of his, and as Roger had predicted, he wasn't in an older base that he'd used as a member of Sector Security. He was laying low and awaiting orders...trying to find the perfect victim. And then the order came in. He would be permitted to go after the one target who got away from him...and Roger was giving him permission to do as he pleased, as long as Mutou was eliminated. His face twisted into a grin. He replied a neutral affirmative, but he was excited.

Sergey decided to head out. He wasn't going to go after Mutou this very second...the Correctional Facility would be hard to get into after all. But, he needed to see what sort of things he'd need. Shop around for the best way to torture him...make him pay for getting away the first time.

Yuuto had been working hard to try track Sergey down to where he had been hiding to no avail. He had asked, he had bargained, he had cheated but it really seemed like the man had disappeared. However, a lead from Yubel told him that Sergey was most definitely in Heartland City, having heard of someone matching his description lingering around arms dealers in the area.

The man slipped through the alleyways quietly and lingered in the shadows, trying to look as casual yet confident as possible. He didn’t know how he’d find Sergey, but a stakeout like this was better than anything else he had yet to try.

Sergey entered the arms market, looking over the boxes of illegally obtained wares.  He was scoping out some of the knives, the guns, and other various torture devices and trying to determine which would be appropriate to use on Mutou.  Some of them were unfortunately too large or too difficult to conceal to be brought into the Correctional Facility.   And others weren't quite the right sort of tools for the circumstances...obviously this job would have to be sneaky, which meant he had to make sure anything he took with him wouldn't induce a lot of noise from his victim.  Sergey looked over the wares with an impassive face, studying each object closely.  He was in plain sight of others, but trusted his own ability to get out of trouble if it found him.  

The arms market was in the darkest parts of Heartland, in shadowy corners that no one really knew existed, and faded into the background. Despite the police’s best efforts, and the reputation of the Heartland police force, the criminal underground thrived in the big city, and so long as the crooks were careful, they could get their wares distributed without much of a disturbance.

Yuto frowned as he walked into black market and his eyes widened as he saw Sergey almost immediately. Sergey? There in the open? What the hell? Yuto’s eyes narrowed behind his goggles but he tried to act natural, going to look at another man’s wares while keeping Sergey in the corner of his eye.

Sergey wasn't really doing much to disguise himself, trusting his own abilities to avoid security cameras.  He didn't know he'd been caught on film and that the image had been enhanced enough to get a good picture of his face, so he figured he had nothing to worry about.  Plus, flashing his criminal markers usually meant people left him alone.  They were visual proof that he had a reputation.

Sergey could however, sense that someone was watching him.  It was just a nagging feeling in the back of his mind.  Keeping an eye on the wares in front of him, he used his mechanical eye to scope around for anyone acting unusual.  His mechanical eye could see better than any normal human eye could, and had greater range that what was normally possible.  That was how he picked up one person in particular, who wasn't acting suspicious, but their positioning was interesting.  This person was standing in what would be a normal human's blind spot, looking over wares at another table.  Sergey decided to test it a little, moving off a little to another table to see if this mysterious person would follow him.

Yuto unfortunately did not have any body augmentations like Sergey had. However, he was very sharp and he knew how to track a target back from his hit man days. When Sergey moved out of sight, he didn’t move straight away, but after a couple of moments, he looked up and turned, crossing to the other side of the alleyway, using his goggles to hide where his eyes were looking as he passed casually.

Sergey kept going over the wares, pretending to be oblivious to his tail.  He noticed how the man hesitated before moving, as if he was truly doing his own thing.  The watching feeling didn't stop though...Sergey noted the goggles.  They did a good job of concealing this person's eyes, and more importantly, where they were looking.  Sergey took a moment to take in his mystery pursuer.  He assumed the person was a man, judging by what little was visible of his body.  He also noted that this person was of similar height to Mutou Yuugi, and probably of similar weight.  An idea came over him suddenly.  If this guy was following him, they must have a reason for it...and it wasn't a good one, surely.  So, Sergey would have to kill him to cover his tracks...and considering this person was built like his next target was, it made sense to test out a few things.  Satisfied, Sergey began to pick through some weapons quickly, not really caring if his tail saw the things he was grabbing.  If he was following him, he'd find out what they were for soon enough.

Yuto watched him carefully and noted all the items in his head. Ammunition mostly, nothing that would be legal in Japan outside of the military, as well as a number of serrated tools. That worried him, seeing as it was really looking like he was preparing for an attack. Some of the things he was picking up he couldn’t see, but Yuto knew some of the usual merchants and whatever he was getting was probably dangerous.

Sergey picked up several things, although the majority of these things probably could not be used in his attack on Mutou Yuugi.  But, he had to have enough to have some fun.  He paid the owner and took his things, tucking them into the various pockets of his jacket in order to conceal them.  He then headed away from the market, ducking into the alleyways that he knew like the back of his hands.  He needed more privacy in order to properly play with his victim...he hoped that his follower would come after him.

Like before, Yuto waited but he didn’t wait too long, wanting to catch Sergey. He moved quickly yet quietly towards the alleyways, having visited them himself. Sergey was moving casually for now… maybe he didn’t suspect anything, not yet. Yuto felt his heart hammer in his chest as he pursued, his guard up.

Sergey kept walking normally.  At first, he didn't sense anyone following him, but before he could feel fully disappointed, the same goggled man from the market pursued him.  Clearly this man was skilled, since only Sergey's street sense told him he was being pursued.  This was good...so this man was also a potential tactical match for Mutou, who was also a street boy.  Sergey fought back a smirk...he could practically hear the man's heart hammering in his chest.  He was being cautious, hanging back and definitely out of arms reach, like a professional.  But, Sergey could handle that.  He just needed to get a little bit further away from the market...then this prey would be his.

Yuto was very aware that he was getting away from the market place, but he wasn’t too worried. The location of the market was hidden deep in the dark heart of Heartland and was away from main roads. It took a while to get there, so if Sergey was just going back to his hideout, it wouldn’t be surprising he was taking that way. Yuto held his breath as he followed along, reaching to his pocket and texting Shun. Shun was in Neo Domino City and would take an hour at minimum to get back to Heartland, but he still felt like he should inform his boyfriend.

Indeed, Shun was in Neo Domino, looking for Sergey.  Thankfully, at this moment, he had his phone on and noticed Yuuto's text.   His boyfriend had found him?  That was good news.  Shun quickly replied to him to follow him to his hideout, but not to engage him if possible.  He'd heard nothing but nasty things about Sergey Volkov from people in Neo Domino; those who had known him in prison or in his former gang had all claimed he was dangerous.  Shun definitely didn't want Yuuto hurt.  Shun's next message was to Reiji, telling him that Yuuto had confirmed that Sergey was in Heartland.  Anticipating his next set of orders from Akaba, Shun immediately headed on the road back to Heartland.  He needed to deal with this as soon as he could, before Sergey potentially decided to change hideouts.  

Meanwhile, Sergey kept walking, rounding a corner where he decided he would strike.  He wasn't about to lead this person all the way to his hideout.  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small handgun – the same one he'd used to shoot Dr. Arclight – and waited.  He wasn't going to shoot to kill...and if his target was as good as he made it seem, the guy would probably be able to dodge this.  That's why Sergey had a second, less conventional weapon with him to incapacitate the guy enough that he could get close.  Then, his size should give him an advantage...and he could begin his favourite procedure...up close and personal.  

Yuto hated right corners. He was right-handed, and he couldn’t go straight into a sneak attack, or at least not as well as he could if the corner was the opposite way. The man balled his fists and went for his own gun in his jacket, already having a bad feeling about this. He didn’t draw it but he held it tightly as he turned the corner, readying himself to dodge.

As soon as he rounded the corner, Sergey fired.  He was aiming for Yuuto's legs and it would force him to move.  The second he made a move, as Sergey had anticipated he would, to avoid the shot, Sergey reacted again.   He advanced quickly, throwing a rock the size of his fist directly at Yuuto's face.  Sergey knew that momentum would make that second shot impossible to dodge.  And although the goggles would likely protect him from being completely knocked out or from losing his eyes, they did have one distinct disadvantage...they'd shatter with the impact of the rock, and his target would be blinded by it for a moment.  And that was all Sergey would need to grab him and start to have his fun.

Yuuto moved forward, eyes wide as he heard the gunshot. He rolled and aimed his gun, but he didn’t expect the rock and it clocked him straight in the face. The man hissed out loudly as the cracks spread through his glasses. Thankfully, the plastic didn’t shatter but he was blinded. Yuuto acted on instinct, listening out for Sergey and firing his gun at him blindly.

It was easy to dodge Yuuto's blind shots for Sergey, and he went right for the man's gun hand, grabbing his wrist and squeezing so hard he heard the joint crack, forcing him to drop the weapon.  Next he whirled Yuuto around and slammed his back into the nearest wall with a smirk.

“Hello mousie...”  He mused, finding the name suiting for this person.  He was small, he was quiet and fast when he moved, and so far, he'd made tiny little hisses and squeaks as Sergey threw him around.  It might have been partially due to his mask, which covered his nose down to his chin, Sergey noted.   He didn't like that, so he released the man's wrist in favor of ripping the mask off his face.  His free hand went to Yuuto's neck, squeezing his windpipe to halt any other sounds that might draw attention.  

“Did you come to play?”  

“AAAaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Yuuto yelled as Sergey grabbed him and practically crushed his wrist with impossible strength. The gun clattered to the floor and Yuuto cried out again as he was smashed into the wall. He hissed as he was pinned and attempted to kick Sergey to no avail.

“H-Hhhaaaghhh…” Yuuto’s hands both flew to his neck as Sergey began choking him and tried to pull the larger man away. He coughed hard, struggling to breathe as he tried to kick Sergey’s arms or legs or anywhere.

“You're so tiny it's adorable...”  Sergey cooed, though his tone was malicious and the smirk remained on his face.  He was taking notes throughout.  This guy was kicking him pretty hard, but it wasn't really affecting him.  And when he pressed his body closer to the struggling man, the kicks lost a lot of their power.  His hands went instinctively to his neck like most choking victims did, and Sergey noted that he really only needed one hand to hold this man's neck.   He could probably even break it with a small twist of his wrist...but that would be too quick.  But it was valuable information...it meant he could play around with Mutou too, since he was of similar size to this man.  Now he had to measure the affect that his little games would have on this person, and to do that, he had to make sure this person could see what he was doing clearly.  Mutou would certainly be able to, and that was how Sergey in general liked to play with his victims.  Somehow, they were even more terrified when they could see what he was doing.  So, he pulled off the busted goggles so his captive could see clearly.  There was a bit of blood trickling down his face from the rock, but his grey eyes were clear.  

“Alright then...let's see here...”  Sergey said, tossing the goggles aside and digging through his pockets for the first tool to try.  He let up a little on the guy's windpipe, so he wouldn't lose all his air and die right there.  That would be no fun.  His hand in his pocket finally settled on a clawed glove that he'd bought.  It was perfect for tearing flesh, Sergey had figured.  He smirked as he slipped it on.  He'd see how sharp these claws really were.  He placed a clawed finger near the center of Yuuto's chest, where his buttoned up shirt met and dragged his finger down, breaking every button that held his shirt together, leaving a tiny trail of blood where he drew the line.

“There we go...”  He said, before digging all five fingers into an exposed spot near Yuuto's hip and watching the claws disappear inside Yuuto's flesh, relishing the blood spilling out and how his victim reacted.

Yuuto kept struggling as hard as he could, utterly terrified. He knew that Sergey was strong and he was fast and skilled, but somehow he was different in a way that Yuuto couldn’t place, and he didn’t know what whole new hell he had gotten himself into. The colour drained from the man’s cheeks as Sergey suffocated him so easily, and even though Yuuto knew he had a knife in his pocket that could help him escape, he couldn’t reach it with how Sergey was pushing him.

His vision returned as his goggles were pulled off, revealing just who Yuuto was. His stoney grey eyes stared straight at Sergey, though he could see spots in front of his eyes. Even as he got his breath back and oxygen flooded into his lungs, Yuuto still felt woozy, even if he was trying to regain his sense of self to escape.

“NGhhkk!” Yuuto struggled, making the claw marks shake a little and cut a crooked line down his bod. The man hissed loudly and pulled his legs up, hanging on to Sergey with his hands while he tried to use his legs to protect his torso from the man’s claws. He tried to do a kick, trying to knock the glove off desperately.

Sergey laughed, relishing the pure terror he could see on those grey eyes of his victim.  It turned him on, and made him want to play even more.  And to listen to him respond...it was glorious.  This was the feeling that Sergey lived for...the futile struggling of his persistent victim only made him smirk wider.  His victim was remarkably flexible, the way he brought his legs up.  Sergey had to admire that...and thank him for it, since it did give him an opportunity to cut at his muscular legs too.  He withdrew the claw from Yuuto's torso and slashed at the man's legs instead, backing off a little to give himself space to swing his arm.  He laughed.

“Don't worry, you won't need these muscles anymore.”  Sergey mused maliciously as he tried to land good slashes on Yuuto's legs, though it was difficult with the way the man was constantly moving them.  He could tell he wasn't getting very deep slashes.  But that was alright...if he tired him out, maybe he'd stop moving so much?  He tightened his grip again on the man's throat, wanting to drain his air and hopefully his energy by extension.    

Yuuto tried to kick the elbow, hoping damaging Sergey’s joints would give him the freedom he needed, but with Sergey defending with aggressive slashes, all Yuuto was really doing was hurting himself. He cried out with breath he didn’t know his lungs carried, dizziness and nausea hitting him like a truck as the pain rang throughout his entire body. He managed to keep Sergey away from anywhere important, but everywhere ached.

He grimaced as he felt the chokehold tighten and he dug his nails into Sergey’s hand and wrist, trying to claw them off himself. He thrashed harder, desperate to wiggle out of the hold but it was getting fruitless. The realisation that he was going to die hit Yuuto hard, and he quickly moved one hand off his chokehold to try grab his knife. Sergey was human, right? Surely a few slashes to his wrist would make him let go. He had to try...

With the way Yuuto was swinging his legs around and clawing at his hands, he was hitting Sergey, but Sergey's adrenaline rush made him basically numb to pain.  Besides, the bruises and cuts he sustained were nothing compared to the slashes he was dealing his victim.  He kept laughing, watching Yuuto closely as he struggled.  The horror in Yuuto's eyes made him even more excited.  But then, he saw one of Yuuto's hands come off his own and go down, his grey eyes following its journey.  Sergey frowned, immediately pushing forwards and grabbing Yuuto's chin with his claw-glove hand, digging the knives lightly into the flesh and forcing his victim to look at him.

“Don't you dare look away...give me more of that excitement...”  Sergey whispered menacingly with a smirk, more focused on Yuuto's face than what his free hand was doing at this point.  

“Ur-Ugh…” Yuuto wanted to scream, but he couldn’t with how the man was choking him. He couldn’t afford the air and he was getting dizzy. His legs were getting cut up well, and even though there were no injuries that would cause lasting damage, he didn’t know how long that would last.   Yuuto was strong, but the man in front of him just wasn’t human. With the way his red eyes glistened and the way his grin was too wide for his face… Yuuto had seen many strong men in his life, but he had never seen a monster. The gloves cut through his face and he wanted to scream, but instead he gritted his teeth and drew his knife. With all of his strength, Yuuto hissed and stabbed Sergey in the wrist.

Sergey continued to drink up the terrified look on his victim's face, smirking widely and watching him bleed and choke.  He could tell this man was in quite a bit of pain, but he wasn't making much noise.  That was good to note...Mutou would be similar.  Strangulation was definitely something he should do then.  

Unfortunately for Sergey, he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the knife Yuuto thrust at his wrist until it pierced his flesh.  He let out a surprised cry, pulling his hand off of Yuuto's neck and face.  He tried to pull it out with his gloved hand, but found it impossible to get a good grip on the knife while he didn't have the full range of motion of his fingers.  This wasn't good...

“Little brat!”  He roared, ignoring the knife and lunging for his escaping victim.

Yuuto didn’t even have time to breathe once he was released. As soon as he fell to the ground, he pushed off the wall and ran forward, diving out of the way. He gasped for breath though as searing pain lashed through his legs, making him stumble. While Yuuto usually would have run away, the knife had dug into his flesh and he fell hard, skidding on the ground.

Yuuto barely managed to escape Sergey’s lunge and he snatched the gun off the floor. He aimed and fired one shot at Shergey’s torso, not wanting to miss.

Sergey watched his prey struggle, practically seeing red as he lunged for him.  He couldn't let him get away...not when he'd come this far with him.  Unfortunately, he failed to consider the gun on the ground.  His victim fired a shot and it hit Sergey square in the chest, knocking him backwards.  Thankfully he was wearing a bullet-proof vest, so it didn't pierce his skin, but it did leave a nasty bruise and knocked the wind out of him for a second.  Nonetheless, much like Yuuto had done, he ignored his lack of breath and staggered up again, trying to go after Yuuto once more.

Yuuto was trying to think straight through the pain, but all he could think of was that Sergey was an absolute beast, still getting up after a gun shot wound. The man clambered to his feet to try make a break of it, but he was still feeling weak, and he stumbled.

The man glanced behind and paled as he saw the man charging towards him. Reacting by instinct, Yuuto aimed his gun for Sergey’s head. However, as he tried to line up his shot, his leg gave way and Yuuto fell, raising his arms and firing just past Sergey’s head.

Sergey felt the bullet graze his ear, but the bigger effect was the loud bang that went off next to his ear.  He jerked his head to the side roughly, instinctively trying to avoid it.  He stumbled into the wall, still trying to breathe and now having to deal with a loud ringing in his head.  That shot had probably busted his damn eardrum...and his prey still hadn't quite gotten away yet.  He tried to move again, but found it hard to concentrate around the ringing and shortness of breath.

Yuuto wanted to aim at Sergey again, but his legs were killing him, and staying any longer meant his death. Swiping his gun up, he began hauling himself away from Sergey, heading back through the alleyways. He couldn’t ask anyone for help, but he needed to get away and lose Sergey. Or else.

Sergey took off after Yuuto, steadily catching his breath again after being winded by the first gunshot.  He tried to listen for his stumbling prey, which he knew from experience would probably be louder than before...but the ringing in his ears made it difficult to hear anything else.  Luckily for Yuuto, Sergey rounded the wrong corner, getting increasingly frustrated as he found that the ringing died down, but he still couldn't hear where his prey had gone.  Had he gotten away?  No...he couldn't get away...Sergey continued moving, unknowingly in the wrong direction, trying very hard to listen to what was around him.  No matter where he went, he heard basically nothing.

Yuuto scrambled through the alleyways, trying to move carefully so not to leave a blood trail. He knew Sergey would be able to find him that way, so as soon as he rounded a corner and felt Sergey wasn’t immediately behind him, he hopped through the window into what seemed like an abandoned building.

He slumped under the window and held his breath, expecting to see and hear Sergey appear. However, there was nothing but silence and Yuuto’s own shaky breathing.

When he was feeling a little less panicked, Yuuto looked at his legs. He rolled his pants up and he grimaced at the pain, his breathing growing harsh and ragged, seeing the bloodied wounds. He didn’t have anything right now besides his cloak, and Yuuto immediately set himself to bandaging himself.

As he tore the cloak, his phone fell out of his pocket. Yuuto frowned and looked at it before he wiped his bloodied hands on his shirt. He had to text Shun… He was the only one he trusted to see him like this.

‘where are you'

As Sergey continued to look around, trying to find Yuuto either by sound or by blood trail, and finding neither, Shun had just arrived into Heartland.  Even though it did usually take an hour, Shun was a reckless and speedy driver and he definitely wanted to get this job over with so he could spend more time with Yuuto.  He was heading to Yuuto's house, expecting him to possibly be back by now, when the text came in.

'on my way to yours where are you' Shun replied immediately, not quite sensing anything wrong yet.

‘black market by heartland port - near the arms place.’ Yuuto grimaced as he tightened the bandages, seeing the blood seeping through the cloth. He had gotten lucky. If Sergey was actually serious, he would have incapacitated him so easily. ‘i’m injured. i can’t get up.’

Yuto used his GPS on his phone to figure out where he is and how far from home he was. Then he texted the address his phone gave him to Shun. ‘I’m supposedly here’

Shun's eyes widened as he read the message.  If Yuuto was really asking him for help, that meant it was a serious injury.  Had he run into Sergey after all?  That wasn't good.  He immediately put the address Yuuto sent him into his bike.

'on my way hang in there' He replied hastily as he took off.  He was glad that he carried around a small first aid kit on his bike...it was a habit he'd gotten into that had saved his life many times on the job.

Turns out the address was in tighter alleyways, where Shun's bike couldn't quite go.  So, he had to park it and dismount.  He put on his glasses and red scarf to conceal his face, making his way through the alleyways with his hand on his gun.  If the threat Yuuto had faced was still around, he had to be ready.  But thankfully, Shun managed to avoid anything before he reached the address: an abandoned building.  

“Yuuto?  Where are you?”  Shun called as loudly as he dared, unable to see his boyfriend.  He assumed he'd found a hiding place to wait for him.

Yuuto closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing, getting as comfortable as he could. It was difficult to focus and every now and again, he felt his vision blur from the blood loss. He was tempted to crawl and try find at least water, but he was too scared to move, lest Sergey find him again. He waited for a few minutes but it felt a lot longer than that, jumping at every possible sound, from the wind to a few rats. Shun calling him out nearly gave him a heart attack, and Yuuto had to pull himself together before he could respond. “I’m here. Go through the window. Quietly”

Shun was listening out for anything out of the ordinary, but was still surprised when he heard Yuuto's voice.  It was raspy, dry and weak...it did not sound good.  Shun quickly located the window and hopped in as quietly as possible and took in the sight of his boyfriend.  His eyes widened.

Yuuto was curled up on the floor, his shirt and pants practically shredded and stained red with blood.  He'd used his black cloak to patch up the biggest wound to his abdomen, but Shun could tell it was deep by the way it continued to bleed through the material.  Yuuto's skin was pale and Shun could spot dark bruises around his neck...had he been choked?  He immediately dropped down next to him.

“God...what happened?”  He exclaimed softly, immediately opening the first aid kit and starting to look over Yuuto's injuries.  He carefully pealed back the cloak to see the deep cuts that Sergey had made with the knife-glove.  

“...You're gonna need stitches to close this...shit...”  He said.  This abandoned building wasn't a good place to do this kind of surgery...it was dirty and difficult to see.  Plus, if Sergey was still around, any noises either of them made could attract attention.

His legs had the most grievous injuries too, seeing how Sergey cut them as he was trying to defend himself. Yuuto looked up at his partner but then recoiled, hissing as Shun peeled his improvised bandages off of him before clamping a hand over his mouth.

“I found Sergey. I was tracking him, but he spotted me…” Yuuto shuddered, feeling sick suddenly. He turned around, expecting to see the man’s giant grin behind him before he looked back to Shun. “Grabbed me. I only just got away.” It had been a quick fight, but costly for the both of them.

“Did you see him? We have to get out of here.”

Shun could see how terrified Yuuto was, and it was a little bit unnerving.  Judging by Yuuto's injuries, Sergey hadn't been very serious about killing Yuuto...he'd been...playing with him...toying with him.

“I didn't see him...”  Shun said, quickly wrapping Yuuto's injuries back up as best as possible so he could transport him without leaving a blood trail.  

“Come on...let's get you home.  Hold the gun...just stay awake, okay?  I got you...”  Shun said, picking up Yuuto as gently as possible into his arms.  He peeked out the window to make sure nobody was there, before dashing out into the alleyways and making his way back to the bike.

Yuuto tried to stand up on his own, but he couldn’t. Now that his adrenaline was surging through him and trying to protect his body, he felt weak and sluggish. He didn’t even protest as Shun picked his smaller form up. He just… glanced behind him and made sure no one else was there. He kept looking around. Sergey had managed to trap him so easily… Yuuto hadn’t been so helpless before in his whole career as an assassin, and it was messing with him a bit.

He groaned as he sat down on the bike and when Shun got on, he clung tightly to him. “Go. Hurry up.”

Shun was also on high alert for any threats, and thankfully, they made it back to the bike without incident.  He didn't need to be told twice when Yuuto told him to go.  He started the bike and practically flew home, weaving in and out of traffic all the way to Yuuto's house.  He knew he couldn't go to a hospital with Yuuto, because he was a convicted criminal.  So, he immediately parked and got Yuuto off the bike.

“Your room?”  Shun asked, gently picking him up again.

The entire bike trip was a blur, but Yuuto held on to Shun tightly, doing his best not to slip out of consciousness and just die by falling off the vehicle. He closed his eyes though, wishing the pain along his torso and his legs would stop. He let Shun help him off the bike and he hung close to him. Yuuto stumbled forward, feeling woozy and sick. “Mmm… Yeah…” He shook his head. “Don’t… let Yuuya see."

“Alright, I won't...just hold on...”  Shun said, immediately scooping up Yuuto again, since he was having trouble walking.  He had to get him inside and treated, fast.  He rushed through the house, avoiding the more populated areas like the kitchen and went straight to Yuuto's room.  He lay his boyfriend down on the bed and opened the first aid kit.  He pulled out a small pair of scissors and cut away at the torn remains of Yuuto's shirt and pants, needing them off of him as quickly as possible.  Next, he went for the most serious injury: the abdomen cuts.  

“I'm gonna sew this closed.  It'll hurt...just bear with it...I'll be quick as possible...”  Shun said, putting antiseptics on the large scars and cleaning off as much of the excess blood as possible so he could get a good look at what he was about to do.  He had stitched himself and others shut on many occasions, so he knew exactly how to do this.  He sterilized the needle and carefully, but quickly, began to work on sewing his boyfriend's injuries closed.

Yuuto clung onto Shun tightly and closed his eyes, willing Yuuya away and hoping his brother somehow heard his silent plea to stay away and not see him at his weakest. He hadn’t told Yuuya anything about Sergey and what he was working on, and he didn’t want Yuuya to get involved. The young man head the door lock behind them and he opened his eyes to see his bedroom. He groaned as he hit the bed and he laid down flat, gasping for air a little.

“Mgh…” Yuuto was strong and he knew what Shun had to do. He was no stranger to stitches himself, but he never had anything as bad as this. The young man grabbed a pillow from the side and he bit into it hard, trying to muffle his winces and sobs of agony.

Shun hated hearing his boyfriend in so much pain, but didn't stop to comfort him.  He knew the best way to deal with this was just to get the stitches done with as quickly as possible.  So he continued to work, sewing each of the cuts.  With every single cry that Yuuto made and every stitch Shun put into him, his inner rage grew.  He was definitely going to end Sergey for doing this to one of the most precious people in his life.

Finally, after what was really about half an hour but felt like an eternity, Shun finished closing all of the major injuries.  He tied off the stitches and cut the excess cord.  He gently covered them with some gauze and bandages to keep them protected and to stop the small amount of bleeding that remained.

“Okay...done.  Now let's see the legs...”  Although they were bloody and numerous, none were as deep as the abdomen injuries, thankfully.  Shun had to carefully disinfect them, clean them and bandage them up for Yuuto.  It was going to take awhile, but Shun was quick and thorough with his treatment.

Yuuto wanted to lash out. He wanted to kick and scream but he exerted every fragment of discipline he had to staying still for Shun. His skin was tied and knitted together, some of the wounds bleeding a little but otherwise being very clean. Shun certainly did a good job with his torso, and while everything was red and raw, it looked like it at least had a chance of healing.

As Shun moved down to his legs, Yuuto took a deep breath. He cursed quietly, loathing how stupid he had been. Idiot. He knew how skilled Sergey was, but he had wanted to track him and do something… He had been sloppy with his work and his execution.

Yuuto bit his pillow again as the stitches started up again and closed his eyes. He mumbled curses into the sheets, trying hard not to kick him in the face.

Shun was quick on the legs as well, quicker than before because these were smaller cuts than the abdomen ones had been.  After another half hour or so, he finally finished, wrapping the cuts up in gauze and disinfecting them with a sigh.

“...All done...”  Shun said, cleaning his own hands that were stained red with Yuuto's blood before approaching his boyfriend again and holding his hand.  He was so, so angry...he wanted to go after Sergey right this second and do to him a hundred times what he'd done to Yuuto.  But, Yuuto came first...he had to look after him while he was incapacitated like this.  

Yuuto spat his pillow out and grimaced as Shun finished up. He ran his fingers through his hair, not realising his gloves caught on the small scab that had formed from where the rock had hit and opened the small wound from his goggles. He didn’t even notice the dribble of blood on his face, only trying to process some rational thought as he was like this.

“… ‘m sorry…” Yuuto muttered as Shun took his hand. He wanted to squeeze it back, but he couldn’t find the strength. “I… I fucked up bad."

Shun immediately brought a cloth up to wipe the small dribbles of blood off of his lover's face with a sigh.

“...Everything I've heard about Sergey in Neo Domino said that he was basically...ruthless.  He's really good at what he does...it's not your fault.”  Shun murmured, feeling partially responsible for this as well.  He'd been the reason why Yuuto was tailing Sergey in the first place.  

“But I knew that too, and I made the deliberate choice to follow him.” Yuuto groaned quietly. He grimaced, wanting to sit up but unable too. “It was stupid. It was completely my fault. I should have called you and Hope first."

Shun helped Yuuto sit up, careful of his injuries, trying to make him comfortable.  

“You're not to blame...you did let me know you were following him. I should've told you to wait...wait until I got back...”  Shun said, angry at himself and at Sergey.  He should've been there to help him.  

Yuuto groaned as he was shifted and he leaned against his partner for support. He closed his eyes, sighing.

“You’re not my boss. You don’t have to tell me anything. I should have known myself.” Yuuto said, playing the blame game. He clutched his face, feeling how tender the wound was.

Shun sat on the bed next to Yuuto, arms wrapped gently around him and holding him close for comfort.

“It still isn't your fault that he's a monster....”  Shun said softly, kissing the top of his boyfriend's head gently so he wouldn't aggravate any injuries.  

“You don't have to worry about him anymore, okay?  Just rest.”  

Yuuto balled his fists and he gritted his teeth. He couldn’t accept that this wasn’t his fault somehow. However, while he tried to stay strong for himself, he couldn’t stop shaking.

Shun simply held him closer, gently rubbing Yuuto's arms to comfort him.

“I've got you...you're okay...”  Shun said softly.

Yuuto felt like he would cry but he didn’t. Instead, he just remained still and quiet, trying to focus on Shun rather than anything else.

Shun continued to gently comfort Yuuto with his touch more than his voice.  He wasn't that good at verbal reassurance.  He rubbed his arms, pet his hair and held him close to keep him warm.  

His phone buzzing interrupted him, and he sighed, looking at the message from Reiji asking where Sergey's hideout was.  Shun simply relayed the situation and gave Reiji Yuuto's GPS location instead of asking Yuuto if he had found the base.  He probably hadn't if he'd been attacked: Sergey would've done so before he reached his destination.  He also insisted that he wasn't going anywhere until he was sure Yuuto was alright.

Yuuto wasn’t even disturbed by the phone. He just gave a long sigh and allowed Shun to take his call and do what he needed to. Even though his stomach was killing him, eventually he fell asleep.

Outside, Yuuya had just come home after visiting Durbe at the toy shop. He had a few doughnuts in a bag that he was ready to share with Yuuto. He saw that Shun was back due to the bike and he walked up to his brother’s door and knocked on the door.

“Yuuto? Kurosaki? You there?"

Yuuto was too exhausted and sleepy to respond, but Shun wasn't.  He looked at the door and frowned, recalling his boyfriend's words about not telling his twin about this.  Shun could understand, since he wouldn't tell this sort of thing to Ruri either.  He let out a loud grunt of affirmation in response to Yuuya, before gently untangling himself from Yuuto.  He gently covered a sleeping Yuuto in blankets, noting that the injuries to his face were still visible.  Not to mention the blood on the sheets...he'd have to clean that later.   It also meant Yuuya couldn't come in and see him.  Not yet anyway. He threw his long purple and partially blood-stained cloak over Yuuto as well for extra warmth, and quickly checked the rest of himself over.  No blood on his clothes or hands...so he was ready to answer the door.  He was careful to open it just enough that Yuuya could see him, but not the room or his brother behind him.

“We're both here...Yuuto's sleeping though, so keep it down.”  Shun said simply.

“Sleeping?” Yuuya frowned. It was only five in the evening. “But… never mind. You’re… um… back.” He hadn’t expected that. Shun had just not been there for seven years so the fact that had come back after doing work was surprising.

“Want a donut?”

Shun grunted another affirmation, answering both of Yuuya's first two questions in a characteristic anti-social way.  It was easier than thinking up a lie that Yuuya might be able to check with Yuuto later.  Shun shrugged and took a donut from the box Yuuya offered.  He hadn't eaten much today, so he might as well.

“Thanks.”  He said, taking a bite out of his own before grabbing a second but not eating it.  

“For Yuuto.”  He clarified, hoping that would make Yuuya happy.

Yuuya smiled. “Alright. Just let him know I’m home too, alright? And I’ll start dinner for everyone.”

Shun grunted in affirmation.  He made a mental note to grab Yuuto a plate...he wasn't sure if the other would be awake by then or not.  Plus, his blood loss meant he'd need to eat something to help his recovery.

“Alright…” Yuuya stared and sighed. “Right… good talking to you Kurosaki. Um… See ya?"

Shun nodded.  

“See ya.”  He agreed, before closing the door and returning to Yuuto's side.  Now that Yuuya had been dealt with, he planned to watch over him and monitor his condition.  He'd make sure he would recover as quickly as possible....and then he'd make Sergey pay for every second that recovery took.

-x-

Elsewhere in town, Mai was free that day from cases, for once.  It was a surprise, but a pleasant one.  Since it was still during business hours, she expected Droite was still busy on the force...but she supposed a casual visit wouldn't hurt too much.  Maybe she could convince Droite to go out with her for a quick coffee?  She arrived at the station, and was quickly waved in by the front desk when she flashed her PI badge.  

“Hey guys, how're things?”  Mai asked happily, spotting Droite, Gauche and Anna inside.

“Oh hey Mai!” Gauche grinned, seeing the pretty woman walk in. He leaned back into his chair and nudged Droite at the desk. “Your girlfriend is here, Droite.”

“… Shut up.” Droite said, turning to look at Mai. “Why are you here? How did you get in here? I thought you didn’t have authorisation after the Mutou case was finished."

“I just flashed them my badge...plus the receptionist recognized me.”  Mai mused with a grin.  She chuckled.

“You guys look like you're working hard...think I could talk you into a little coffee break, hon?”  Mai asked Droite with a smile.

“I really have a lot of work to do. I’m not sure if the Superintendent will let me,” Droite said, though the idea of a small break with Mai didn’t sound so bad.

“That's all the more reason to take a break, right?  You're working too hard.”  Mai said with a grin.

“I don’t know…” Droite muttered. “Hey! It’s alright. We have your back.” Anna said. “I’ll take your work. You can go have fun.” “Do you do anything besides be a wingman?" “No..."

“Of course not!”  Gauche said, high fiving Anna.  Mai smiled and rolled her eyes good naturedly.

“Sounds like you have the approval...they'll cover for you.  Let's go then!”  She said happily, taking Droite's hand and heading out with her.

Anna laughed and high-fived the bigger man back. Droite just sighed but she got up, grabbing her coat. “Alright. You win. But don’t slack.” She said, heading off. “Where are we going?”

“There's a nice little cafe down on the corner!  Let's go check it out.”  Mai said with a grin, linking arms with Droite as they exited the station.

Droite rolled her eyes but she followed along, her cheeks tinted pink. She shook her head. “Don’t you have actual work to do?”

“I finished up all my work for today!  It seems we're going through a bit a lull...this does often happen after you catch a bigger crook.  It happened with Vector, and now with Mutou too.”  Mai said with a smile.

“Any luck finding that assassin?”  

“We have pieces but we’re still working on it. We have a long way to go,” Droite sighed quietly.

“Ah, well, I'm sure you'll find him soon.  You and your team are working so hard on the case after all.”  Mai said with a smile as she entered the café.  

“But for now, we can just relax for a bit and have some coffee.  Any preferences?  This place does make good lattes.”  Mai said.

“I don’t think I’ve been to this place before. I usually just get a mocha at another place down the road.” Droite said, looking around. It’s not like she particularly liked the other place, but she was a creature of habit. “I’ll take anything you can recommend."

“Their mochas are nice too, but I still prefer their lattes.  Let's get a couple of those then!  Maybe I can convince you to change your regular coffee stop.”  Mai said with a smile, heading up to the counter to place their orders.

“That good here, huh? I’ll try a latte,” Droite said, following behind her.

“Great!  Want a snack too?  They make nice donuts.”  Mai said.

“Well, you seem to be quite insistent on keeping me here, so food will slow me down,” Droite mused. “I suppose. But I’m paying at least."

“Alright...if that'll make you agree to it, sure!”  Mai said with a smile.  She added two donuts to the order.  

“Come on, let's get a seat and chat.”  

Droite smiled and followed the woman to a small, empty table. The cafe was nice, small but homely, and there were plenty of places to sit seeing as it was a more quiet hour in the afternoon.

“How’s the personal life, Mai?"

Mai sat across from Droite contently.

“Hmm...it's been going alright.  You're the best part of it so far, hon.”  Mai said with a wink.

“Otherwise there's not much going on...I'm trying to get ahold of my guy friend, but we're usually too busy to meet up.”  

Droite rolled her eyes but she didn’t object to the mention of her.

“Oh? Just to catch up or you needed something off him?”

“Mostly to catch up...he keeps saying he wants to see me, then has no time to.”  Mai said with a sigh.

“And you?  How're you and your roomie doing?”  

“Ugh, I know that type,” The woman rolled her eyes. “I have friends like that too.” Droite smiled though at the mention of Fuuya.

“Fuuya is great. He’s found some part time work helping out with drama classes in Heartland High. Nothing permanent and he’s still job hunting, but he’s gotten something and I’m pretty happy for him.”

“Don't we all?”  Mai mused.  She smiled, glad to hear that Fuuya was doing well.

“That's great for him!  I'm glad he found something that he likes doing.  How did his trip to see his boyfriend go?”  

“Oh yeah. That went well apparently. Fuuya really enjoyed seeing him. He usually does. It’s a shame that they live so far away.’ Droite sighed. “But it’s gotten a bit better. Fuuya bought Yamikawa a phone the last time he visited, so sometimes he can get decent reception on the top of the mountain."

“Oh a phone?  That would make things a lot easier!  I'm glad!  I suppose with a job Fuuya will have trouble getting some time off to see him now, right?”  Mai said.

“Not really, it’s infrequent work, but he didn’t go too often to begin with. It’s a far hike.” Droite said. “Honestly, I think he should just stay there but honestly there’s not much for him up there and the Lodge doesn’t need two people."

“Or maybe his boyfriend could come down here for awhile?  Is that not possible?  It might be good for him to get a break from the mountain.”  Mai mused.

“Ah, who knows. I’m not really sure what that whole deal is, honestly. I should though, I should ask Fuuya,” Droite said. She looked up and paused as the drinks and food was served and she thanked the waiter.

“Good idea.”  Mai said with a smile, accepting the drink and taking a sip with a content sigh.

“Mm...that hit the spot.  Try yours, hon.  See if you like it.”  

Droite sipped the drink and raised an eyebrow. “Mmm… Not bad. I gotta say. I thought you were exaggerating, Mai.”

“No exaggeration, honey.  This is good stuff here...I'm glad you like it too.”  Mai said happily.

“And it's always nice to have a snack to go with it.”  Mai mused, taking a nibble out of her donut.

Droite nibbled it. She was less impressed with the donut, but it wasn’t bad. It was sweet and sugary. “Mmm… It is."

Mai smiled.

“Glad you liked it hon.  Should we get some for your team too?  Or maybe some coffees for them at least?”  Mai asked.

“Yeah, they’d appreciate the donuts. The coffee can be skipped, we have a machine in the station in the break room,” Droite shrugged.

"Alright. Then we'll get them a box." Mai said with a smile. "Make sure Gauche and Anna don't scarf them all down though." She mused with a chuckle.

“Oh, they will. Maybe I should get two. One for those gluttons and one for the rest of the office,” Droite laughed.

Mai laughed. "That does sound wise! That way everyone will get one."

“Yeah…” Droite smiled. “I swear, sometimes the police station seems more like a madhouse than an actual functioning task force. I’m glad we get things done when we need to, but still."

"I'll say.  It was fun to work with you guys though...you're doing great, even if you are operating like a madhouse."  Mai mused with a chuckle.  

"I'll have to drop by more often and say hello."

“Yeah. The others seemed to like you. It wouldn’t be bad to see you every so often."

"I'm glad. I might have to find some excuse to join another case with you guys in the future." Mai mused.

“That sounds… The others will only use that as fuel to tease me,” Droite muttered.

Mai chuckled.

“I guess they'll do that regardless though, won't they hon?  They're good guys though...”  She mused.

“Yeah… yeah. They only do that because they really care and want to make sure I’m alright. That’s all. I know Gauche. That’s how the big baby works, and Anna is like his female clone.”

“That's true....they're good friends.”  Mai mused with a chuckle at the clone comment.  

“I'm glad they approve of us then.”  

“Yeah… I’m glad too.” Droite smiled. “I’ve warmed up to you, so they better approve,” Droite admitted, blushing a little.

Mai grinned at that admission.

“Awww...I'm so happy to hear that!  When the case work dies down, we'll have to go out and celebrate!”  Mai mused with a playful wink.

“Celebrate what?” Droite asked. “Did you really not think I didn’t at least like you?”

“Well...no, I always thought you at least liked me, but it's nice to hear you say it outright instead of denying it verbally while bushing adorably.”  Mai teased with a smile.

“I… I don’t blush that much,” Droite said, not failing to notice the irony as her cheeks turned red again. She brushed her hair behind her ear and sipped her drink, figuring filling her mouth would delay her from answering another moment.

Mai smiled knowingly at the irony.  

“You're adorable hon.”  

“Not really…” Droite said, her cheeks still red.

Mai chuckled.

“Yes, you are...you're blushing again.”  Mai mused.

“… Moving on…” Droite said. “What are your plans for the rest of the day?”

“Ah, well I have to get back to my office eventually...just to make sure no one has come up with a case for me in my absence.  I was also going to see if I could track down my guy-friend, but I doubt that will work.  Other than that, not much.”  Mai mused.

“Ah, just curious, really. So slow day, huh?” Droite said. “Though I’m surprised. A PI can’t track someone down?” She teased.

“Yep, slow day.”  Mai said with a smile.  She chuckled at the second comment.  

“If I'm not paid to, no, I can't.”  Mai mused.

“Pay yourself to find your friend and see if that works” Droite teased.

Mai laughed.

“That might work on my end...but would I also have to pay Jou for him to have time to see me is the real question!”  She teased back.

Jou, huh? Weird name, but Droite didn’t care. “I guess so. Depends what you wanna catch up on. Hopefully not."

“Exactly...we'll see how that works out.  It doesn't matter that much.  So what's next for you after work?  Resting at home?”  Mai asked.

“Yeah. Have dinner and relax. What I do every evening,” Droite smiled. “Rest up for tomorrow and all."

“Of course.  The work never truly stops for long for an officer of the law.”  Mai said with a smile.  She finished up her coffee with a sigh.

“Well...I suppose I've kept you from your work for long enough.  The sooner you get back, the sooner you can rest up later, right?  Let's go get that box of donuts for your coworkers and head back.”  

“Yeah. That’s basically how it works.” The woman said. “I’ll get them now."

"Alright." Mai said, cleaning up their trash and throwing it out as she waited for Droite to get the donuts.

It took no time at all to get two dozen donuts and soon Droite was walking back with Mai. “… You know, Fuuya will be out because the high school students are putting on a performance he’s helping with. You could come over to my place next week."

Mai followed Droite out with a smile, eyes widening as she heard Droite's request.

"Absolutely. It's a date then, hon!" Mai said with a grin.

Droite smiled softly  and shook her head. “I’ll text you the details later, okay?"

Mai smiled and nodded.

"Sounds fair. I'll see you later then..." Mai said once they got back to the station. She gave Droite a tiny peck on the cheek before waving and heading back to her car.

Droite blushed but smiled. She waved at Mai with her fingers under the boxes and she walked back into the office.

Anna and Gauche glanced up when they saw a blushing Droite return.

"Hey~ how'd the date go?" Gauche asked with a smirk.

“It was two minutes out getting coffee. Barely a date,” Droite said, passing a box to Gauche. “You and Anna share that, alright? I’m going to get this to the break room."

Anna beamed. "Still a date! And awesome you brought us donuts! Thanks!" She snatched the box and opened it immediately.

“Then all the times you and Gauche go to fast food restaurants are dates,” Droite muttered. “Don’t make yourselves sick. Did you do much while I was gone?"

Anna raised an eyebrow as she ate a strawberry donut.

"Yeah right...Gauche doesn't come back from the outing with my shade of lipstick stained on his cheek. So, it's not a date." Anna mused, noting the slight purple kiss mark on Droite's cheek with a smirk.

"Not much progress unfortunately..." Gauche said as he ate a chocolate donut.

"We're going over reports from our undercover teams at the docks...some of them think they might have heard about someone fitting Sergey's description near the arms dock, but they're not sure. We're asking them to look into it."

Droite’s face went scarlet again but she walked on, heading to the break room, letting the others talk behind her. She listened on and frowned. “That’s good. Hopefully we’ll able to press on that lead."

"I hope so yes. We'll see what Ukyou wants us to do." Anna said with a smile.

“So what do we need to do now?"

"Well...we just need to wait until they can confirm it was Sergey." Gauche said with a shrug, helping himself to another donut.

“Yeah…” Droite sighed. She sat down in her chair and rubbed her temples. “Hopefully we’ll get him. Who knows who he’ll get next"

"We told the guys to look out for any signs of violent confrontation...given Sergey's track record. He's dangerous...I wouldn't be surprised if he has attacked someone..." Anna said with a frown.

The woman sighed. “Well, hopefully we’ll find them soon."

-x-

Alit had been training on his own for awhile after his injury was deemed healed enough for physical activity. He was doing it mostly to get Koutei off his mind. He wasn't going to visit him...he was just gonna focus on fighting.

Today he was ready to spar, and had asked Gilag to be his partner.

"Ready?" Alit asked, strapping up his gloves.

“Don’t strain yourself too much, Alit. Go easy.” Gilag said, making sure his own gloves were firmly in place. “Ready when you are."

"I won't."  Alit promised, before slipping his mouthguard into place between his teeth with a smirk.  Then, he launched a punch at Gilag.  He was going easy to start, wanting to properly warm up before getting more serious.

Gilag put his own guard in and blocked Alit. He still looked uneasy, but he punched back against him gently, showing that he was ready to do a warm up spar.

Alit easily blocked him, continuing to go slow and take his time to properly warm up.  This was his first fight in months after all...he didn't want to strain himself or get injured again.  He blocked Gilag's punches, returning several of his own for many minutes.  Once he was sufficiently warmed up, he got even more aggressive and technical, finally getting into the flow of things.  He was glad to be back in the ring...free of distractions...free of thinking about Koutei or his injury...

Gilag mostly tanked the shots and let Alit punch him, but once he advanced, so did Gilag. He moved slower than the man, but he hit harder, even holding back. He pushed the man hard, somewhat relieved to see Alit looking so focused.

Alit could tell Gilag was holding back a little, but it was fine. He and his brother weren't in the same weight class, and nobody he might face could hit as hard as Gilag could at full strength anyway. Alit returned the punches, but as they sped up it was hard to block them all. Gilag swing a pinch near his abdomen which ordinarily wouldn't have done much damage, but instead Alit felt a jolt of pain. He ignored it for a moment, continuing to hit until he finally took a jump back to regroup. He blinked as he realized the pain wasn't going away. He glanced down and noticed he was bleeding...rather steadily.

"Uh...shit..." he mused, taking out his mouth guard so he could speak. He thought he was healed though?

As soon as Alit began to falter, Gilag slowed down. He stopped, staring down at the man and he spat his mouthguard out too.

“Shit? Are you okay, Alit? What happened?” The bigger man asked as he hurried over and had a look at the injury.

"I...honestly don't know...I felt you hit me in the stomach, but I wasn't even hard! It was just...barely a tap..." Alit said. He was no stranger to injuries in boxing...blood was not an uncommon thing. What was unusual was the nature of the injury...Gilag hadn't struck him nearly hard enough to draw blood. And it was in an odd place too...usually you bled from a nose strike or something, not a relatively common body shot.

"Ugh..." Alit said, biting the tape off his gloves and getting them off so he could cover it.

"Let's patch it up...it's not stopping..." Alit said, a little worried, making his way out of the ring carefully to the first aid kit. All the while, his mind was racing. This wasn't good...he was supposed to be healed from that stab wound Koutei gave him. He shouldn't have been able to reopen it in a simple sparring match. It was ridiculous.

Gilag frowned. He thought Alit was alright as well, that’s why he had agreed to boxing with him. The man hurried over and jumped out of the ring, going over to Alit to go sit the young man down. He then went and opened the first aid kit, getting some cleaning gauze to get the blood out.

“It’s a lot more than it should be. I think we should call the ambulance after we get you wrapped up.”

Alit frowned, letting Gilag help him sit down.  He had to admit, there was a lot of blood...had he torn something?  It was very weird.  He winced as he sat down, feeling the injury sting.

“...I don't think I need an ambulance, if you can just drive me there...”  Alit mused softly, helping Gilag press the gauze over the wound to try and stop the bleeding.  Why the fuck was this happening again?  He had thought he was done with this stupid injury...

Gilag merely grunted. He’d be the judge of that. He pressed and tried to see what had caused the wound to bleed, but there was nothing else really. By now, the skin should have healed over and the entry point of the blade been just a scar. This wasn’t normal.

“Right.” He bandaged Alit up neatly and helped him up. “How are you feeling?"

Alit let Gilag patch him up, occasionally helping him hold the bandages as Gilag wrapped them around him.  

“Like my stomach's on fire...”  He said honestly.  Why was it hurting that much?  Why was it bleeding that much?  He was supposed to be healed!  He felt a little dizzy as Gilag helped him up.

“...Let's just go...figure out what's wrong...”  Alit said.  

Gilag wanted to carry Alit, but he wasn’t sure if Alit would be hurt more by it, so he helped the man walk to the car. He helped Alit into the passenger’s seat and got in, driving off.

“Your stomach? Or just that area? It could be infected as well as torn.” Gilag frowned, heading for Card Heart hospital as it was the closest.

“...The...area?  I don't know...if it was an infection, wouldn't it be...leaking pus or something?”  Alit said.  He figured he'd be vomiting if he'd actually torn his stomach...but it felt like he'd torn something.  Just the stitches?  Some other nearby organ?  Just muscles?  He didn't know.  It wasn't his job to know that sort of thing...  He groaned as he was helped into the car, leaning his  head back against the car seat and letting Gilag drive him.

“Not necessarily. But don’t ask me, I’m not a doctor. I just know work or sport related injuries. Not this sort.” Gilag drove ahead, zipping through the streets and heading to the hospital. He pulled up and helped Alit out before heading inside.

“...Yeah...I don't know either...”  Alit said, feeling that the gauze was a little damn.  The bleeding still wasn't completely stopping.  This was very bad...Alit was thankful that they finally got to the hospital, and Gilag took him into emergency to get looked at right away.  The doctors immediately recommended that they take him into surgery to patch him up as quickly as possible, leaving Gilag to wait in the waiting room.

“...Maybe call Kotori and tell her what's going on....”  Alit mused softly before he was taken into surgery.  He didn't really want to worry her again...but he supposed she'd be mad if she found out later he was in hospital again.  He didn't know if he would have to stay long this time...

“Right…” Gilag nodded. He was worried for his brother, but there wasn’t much he could do now that he was already in the ER. The man waited for a while before he headed out and texted Kotori, making sure she wasn’t busy with Ponta or Masumi first.

Masumi was down for a nap at the Barian house, and Ponta was doing his homework in his room when Kotori got the text.  She was making cookies in the kitchen, deciding to indulge her sweet tooth, when she received a text.  She glanced over and saw the message that said Alit was in hospital.  She immediately picked up the phone and called Gilag.

“Gilag, what happened?”  She asked as soon as the other picked up.

“We were sparring,” Gilag said, deciding not to bother with pleasantries. “Then… I dunno. He noticed he was bleeding quite badly. I think he tore something open, but he’s getting looked at now so I’m not sure. He’s fine, but he’s here in the ER so… yeah."

Kotori's eyes widened.

“He's having surgery?  Oh god...I told you two to take it easy!”  Kotori exclaimed.

“Which hospital are you at?  I'm coming right away.”  

“We did!” Gilag groaned. “It just happened anyway. We weren’t even going at full strength, not even half.” He sighed and shook his head. “Look, I’ll tell you but don’t come. Alit will be fine. It’s not an emergency, and you’ll just worry Ponta. Alit is going to be fine. I’ll stay here and keep you updated."

Kotori frowned as she took this in.  Despite the injury that Alit sustained, she did trust Gilag's word.  If he said they hadn't been going hard, then she believed him.  

“...Alright.  Please keep me updated...”  She said at last with a sigh.  

Gilag accepted that and smiled on his end. “Thanks. We’re at Card Heart Hospital. It’s the closest one to the gym. Hopefully Alit will be out soon enough.”

Kotori nodded.

“Got it.  Thank you...please let me know when he's out or if anything changes.”  She said.

“That’s part of being updated,” Gilag said, trying to lighten the mood. “I’ll call soon"

Kotori shook her head, a tiny smile gracing her lips at Gilag's words.  

“Alright.  Talk to you soon then.”  She said, before hanging up and sighing.  She really hated all this stress...Alit was spending far too much time in hospital right now.  She hoped he was alright, but it was also worrisome that he had been injured again in a simple sparring match.  Alit wasn't going to be happy with that...

Gilag hung up and sighed. He walked back towards the waiting room and closed his eyes, hoping his brother was okay and not seriously injured.

Alit was in surgery for almost two hours before he was finally brought out into a recovery room to rest.    The doctor informed him of his location.

“How did his injury re-open?  He suffered an abdominal tear...and he was bleeding internally.  The stitches are in a very delicate location.”  

“That sounds bad…” Gilag frowned, standing back up when he saw the doctor. “Is he going to be alright?"

“Yes...he'll be alright, but unfortunately, the stitches are very fragile.  The slightest bit of trauma could re-open the wound on the outside, or worse, cause internal bleeding.  He's lucky that it only partially opened this time.”  

Gilag frowned and crossed his arms. Fragile? If there were things that didn’t fit inside of Alit, it was fragile things. The man glanced at the recovery room and then back at the doctor. “Is there any chance for it to heal completely?"

“Yes, it will heal completely, but as I said, a perforation can easily re-occur if he gets a hard enough hit to the right spot.  He needs to take care not to get hit in that area again.”  The doctor replied.

“How long will that take for healing? At least an estimate. I feel Alit would want to know… does he know what’s wrong with him?"

“Hmm...I estimate about 4-6 weeks for it to be healed enough for him to handle large abdominal movements for day to day life.  He's currently asleep under anaesthesia, but when he wakes up, I'd advise against persuing any sort of sport or activities that require physical contact, since the slightest bit of physical trauma could re-open it at any time.”  

“… As in permanently give up those activities?” Gilag asked, blinking dumbly. He stared at the man, the reality of the situation slowly sinking in. “Oh boy..."

"Yes. The stitches are fragile. That's why they opened this time...he was lucky the bleeding was external. If it had been internal he may not have noticed until it was too late to fix it. He shouldn't take that risk...it could cost him his life." The doctor said.

“… Right.” Gilag balled his fist. No… Not Alit. Not Alit. Alit loved boxing. It was his career and his passion. It was part of him. Ever since he was a little boy, Gilag had heard nothing but Alit going on how he would be boxing for life. The idea that Alit couldn’t do it anymore felt unreal, and he didn’t really understand why it had to happen to him. Koutei… that bastard…

“I’ll tell him. Thank you, doctor.”

"Thank you. I'll come back and check on him later. He should be out for a little while still." The doctor nodded and left, leaving Gilag to wait for Alit to wake up. Alit was currently resting after emergency surgery, asleep and completely unaware of the bombshell Gilag was about to drop on him.

Gilag sighed. He just sat there, trying to process what the doctor had told him himself. It hadn’t even occurred to him how difficult it would be to tell Alit that all his dreams were gone.

Gilag didn't have to wait too long unfortunately. Eventually, Alit began to wake up, seeing an unfamiliar white ceiling above him and feeling the familiar effects of anaesthesia. He glanced around, remembering why he had come here and who he'd been with, until he finally spotted Gilag next to him. He looked a little upset though, which was concerning. Had something bad happened?

"...Gilag?" Alit asked, drawing his brother out of his thoughts.

Gilag snapped his head up when he saw Alit and he gave a big sigh of relief when he saw his brother. Even if he was dreading everything he had to say, he was glad Alit was awake and alive. He knew there was no risk with that operation, but seeing Alit so still always unnerved him.

“Hey there,” Gilag said, walking over. He pulled a chair up and sat next to Alit. “How are you feeling? Better?"

Alit gave him a small smile when the other moved closer.  

“A little tired...I guess I lost a bit more blood than I thought.  But, I'm alright...doesn't hurt anymore.”  From glancing down at his stomach, he could tell that he'd been successfully patched up.  So, he wasn't really worried about that...but Gilag had worn a pretty worried expression.

“How long has it been?  Did you tell Kotori?”  

Gilag waved his hand dismissively. “Like two hours tops you were in there. I wasn’t really paying attention, but apparently it went smoothly. I talked to Kotori. I’ll tell her later you’re going to make a full recovery. I mean… for most part…"

Alit listened intently.  

“Alright...good...hope she's not too mad...”  He mused.  He frowned a little at the last part.

“...What do you mean by I'll recover completely 'for the most part'?  Did something go wrong?”  Alit asked in concern.

“Yeah, she’s not.” Gilag reassured. He paused and scratched the back of his head. He didn’t know what to say to his little brother. This was going to be harder than… confessing that he loved him those years ago, and admitting that he was a criminal. Alit took everything onto his own shoulders, so something directly involving him was going to hit twice as hard.

“They… warned us about the stitches not to do strenuous exercise, right? But… they were supposed to tell you not to do any sort of thing like that…” Gilag said, trying to find the words. “The stitches in you are really fragile and in really specific spots. Anything like boxing could end up in internal bleeding and could kill you."

Alit frowned as he watched Gilag struggle to speak.  He knew that probably meant...he wasn't going to like what he said.  He could feel a sense of dread creeping up on him.  He really hoped it wasn't anything too bad...he shook his head as he heard it.  No way...what Gilag was saying couldn't be true...

“...So...don't do anything strenuous until I'm healed right...surely the stitches are...well...wouldn't they get stronger over time?  If I rest enough...then...the risk for internal bleeding would go away?  I just...started again too early...so I should wait a little longer...that's it...right?”  Alit asked, struggling to accept what Gilag was saying.  Surely he didn't mean...he had to give up boxing all together?  No, it probably just meant he had to wait longer...which was still bad, but it was better than the alternative.

“Stitches don’t get stronger over time. Your body does, but I’m not sure why it’s not healing completely. The doctor probably would have given me more details if I could understand them…” Gilag muttered. “… I… It’s a risk, Alit. No matter how long you wait, there’s going to be a risk for those stitches to break and your muscles to tear.”

Alit frowned even harder and looked away, his bangs shielding his eyes.

“...So that's it then.  I can't box anymore...no matter how long I wait...”  Alit said.  He might have taken the risk anyway in another time, but when he thought about his baby girl, and Ponta, and Kotori, and what this risk meant might mean to them, he couldn't do it.  He had to be alive and healthy for their sakes.  But damn if it wasn't a difficult and frustrating decision...this was all Koutei's fault...thanks to him, he couldn't box anymore...he couldn't do what he'd always wanted to do.  He clenched the hospital  blankets in his fists and bit his lip as a wave of emotions washed over him.  Shock, anger, sorrow...god this felt awful.

Gilag sighed. He knew this was going to be hard. The fact Alit wasn’t getting mad but just… deflating like that broke Gilag’s heart. He placed a hand on Alit’s shoulder and didn’t say anything, just wanting Alit to know he was there.

Alit was mad, yes, mostly at Koutei.  However, it was kind of a deflated anger...he'd been angry at Koutei for a long time, and he found he had very little true anger left to give at the moment.  He was more upset at the circumstances...Koutei had robbed him of his dream.  He had always wanted to be a top world boxer...someone who inspired others, someone who could be a role-model and proof that anyone could be a champion.  He fought back tears and let out a tiny shuddering breath as Gilag put his hand on his shoulder.  He was grateful for Gilag's support, but he still just felt so miserable.

Gilag squeezed his shoulder a little and just sat there. He knew he should have called Kotori, but Alit needed it more. “I know you just got up, but you should still try and rest. Okay?”

Alit sniffles a little and nodded.

"...Y-yeah...." he said softly. Part of him wondered why should he bother getting better now that his main motivation was out the window. He sighed and lay back down.

"...I guess I'll try and rest..." he murmured.

Gilag helped him down and ruffled his hair. “Yeah. I’ll see if you can get out by this evening or tomorrow morning at latest. Then Kotori and the others won’t worry so much."

Alit gave a small sad smile to his brother when he ruffled his hair.

"Yeah...that's probably best...I don't want to stay here long..." he said softly.

Gilag could understand the sentiment completely. He pulled his hand back and just sat there. “Get your sleep. Sooner you sleep, the sooner you’ll get up."

"Sure..." Alit said with a small sigh. He closed his eyes, trying to just forget everything and drift away to dream world, where he could still be the worlds best boxer.

-x-

It had been a couple weeks since Yuuma and Shark had met little Iris at the orphanage, and Yuuma was frustrated to know that the adoption process was going much slower than he had hoped.  They'd been down to the orphanage to see Iris a few times, and she was always very happy to see her friends and to play with them for as long as they could stay...so in Yuuma's mind, if both the kid and the prospective parents wanted this adoption to happen, it should!  

“Sharkuuuu....can we go see if Martha will let us take Iris home today?”  Yuuma asked, slumping over Shark's shoulders with a whine.  He was impatient to have a little girl!  

Shark looked up from his desk and he frowned at Yuuma, having been pouring over adoption papers himself. However, as soon as he heard what his partner had to say, he rolled his eyes and looked back at the papers, almost like he was ignoring Yuuma despite the man being on his back.

“No. And even if we did, Martha’s answer is still ‘no’. I told you this process takes a while, Yuuma, and because we have to jump through legal hurdles because we’re both criminals, it’ll take even longer.” Shark said.

Yuuma groaned a little in frustration. He wanted this to go faster!

"...So how much longer do you think? How many legal hurdles do we have to go through still?" Yuuma asked.

“The pile is in the drawer in my room.” Shark said, looking up at Yuuma. “But assuming all goes well, six months minimum."

Yuuma groaned again and drapped himself even more over Shark.  He really didn't do well with waiting.  

"...That's so long..."  He said with a sigh.

“Ngh!” Shark groaned as he felt Yuuma’s full weight on him and he dropped his pen. He grimaced and tried to shove Yuuma off with one hand. “Well you want a daughter, right? It’s a long term commitment so you’ve got to be bothered to put in effort like this."

"...Yeah, I guess so..."  Yuuma said with a small smile as he remembered Iris.  He liked her so much and wanted her to be with them.

"...Is there anything I can do to help then?"  Yuuma asked, nuzzling Shark's hair a little.

Shark sighed as Yuuma pressed closer to him and he smiled a little. He reached out to squeeze Yuuma’s hand before he showed him his small checklist.

“I’ve already applied to adopt and Martha’s written her letter of recommendation so right now it’s processing under the child welfare council. They’ll probably send someone to look at our house and give us clearance checks. I’m trying to get our banking sorted to show we are able to support her, so probably the best thing to do is just help me fill the forms in.”

“Ah...so we should clean things up too, right?  We'll have to do that before they come...”  Yuuma said with a smile.

“So which one can I do?”  He asked, looking over the stack of papers Shark was going through.

“They’ll be coming soon enough. Once we have approval, they’ll send a letter.” He smiled. He hadn’t seen Yuuma this serious in a while. The man grabbed a couple of papers and passed them over. “Don’t screw up."

“Okay.  So we'll have warning...that's good.”  Yuuma said.  He pouted a little when Shark passed him the papers.

“I won't!”  He said, before getting off Shark with the papers in hand, so he could fill them out.

Shark stared at Yuuma for a long time, unusually quiet. However, he then sighed, sounding old and somehow truly tired.

“Hey… just… don’t get too hopeful, right? I mean… this is going to be a struggle if we want to adopt her. You know that, right?”

Yuuma frowned.

“...I know...but I'm convinced we can do it!  We just gotta do our best!”  Yuuma said.

Shark stared at him for a moment before he rolled his eyes, a smile plain on his lips. “Right. Kattobingu. I don’t know why I keep forgetting.”

Yuuma beamed.

“Exactly!  Sounds like I need to keep reminding you!”  Yuuma said.

“So we're gonna be fine then!  We just gotta keep our heads up!”  

“Yeah… I guess so.” Shark sighed. “Well, I’m gonna need more coffee for this. But we’ll get there, and then show how… well… good parent you can be. I know I’ll be just okay.”

Yuuma nodded.

“Good!  You do that.  Whatever you need!”  Yuuma said with a grin.  He pouted.

“Don't say that! You're gonna be great too as a dad!”  Yuuma said.

Shark rolled his eyes and just looked at Yuuma from his place in the dining room. “I mean… look at Rio. I didn’t really raise her well. I can’t even raise a plant without killing it."

Yuuma frowned.

“You did great with Rio!  She's grown up to be strong and healthy thanks to you!”  Yuuma said, recalling how Shark had basically funded most of her medical bills.  

“Besides, Iris loves you best...she just wants you the way you are.  You're already perfect in her mind!  And mine too.”  Yuuma said, coming over and hugging Shark, nuzzling him and kissing his cheek.

“I mean… I guess so. But that’s hardly raising someone. I took care of her, but she took care of me just as much. It’s not the same,” Shark muttered under his breath.

“Iris likes you too,” Shark pointed out. “And she’s a kid, she doesn’t know how I can be,” Shark muttered, self doubt evident in his voice. He sighed as Yuuma kissed him. “And you’re a kid too."

“I mean… I guess so. But that’s hardly raising someone. I took care of her, but she took care of me just as much. It’s not the same,” Shark muttered under his breath.

“Iris likes you too,” Shark pointed out. “And she’s a kid, she doesn’t know how I can be,” Shark muttered, self doubt evident in his voice. He sighed as Yuuma kissed him. “And you’re a kid too."

"But still you did take care of her at least a little! That'll help you look after Iris too!" Yuuma said.

"Of course she likes me...but she did approach you first! She isn't scared of you at all, so she won't mind anything you show her!" Yuuma said, nuzzling Shark again before pouting.

"I'm not a kid!"

“Just because Rio looked like Iris doesn’t mean I can raise them the same.” Shark muttered again. “And yeah, I guess, but still…” He sighed, not sure himself. He did want a daughter, but he was scared he was going to screw up somehow.

“You are so."

"I'm not saying that! You're gonna raise Iris the way Iris needs it!" Yuuma said with a smile. Yuuma pouted harder.

"If I'm a kid, then you are too! I'm only a year younger than you!" Yuuma protested.

“You act like a kid. I don’t. There’s a difference, Yuuma” Shark said, flicking his nose playfully,

Yuuma pouted as his nose was flicked. "I don't all the time..." he muttered.

“Most of the time.” Shark said. “It’s enough, you know. When are you ever serious?” He teased, a small smirk on his face.

Yuuma frowned. "I'm serious about getting Iris and the fact that you'll be a great dad for her!" Yuuma protested. He was glad that Shark was feeling better enough to tease him though.

Shark was still smirking but it faltered a little. “I hope so..."

"You will be! I know it!" Yuuma exclaimed, sounding 100% sure.

It was Shark’s turn to hug Yuuma. He held Yuuma tight and he didn’t say anything for a long while. It didn’t show at first, but the older man was shaking a little bit.

Yuuma simply smiled and hugged Shark back. He held him close and lovingly, wanting Shark to know he truly meant everything he'd said. "I love you...well both be good dads. You'll see..." he said.

Shark leaned his head into Yuuma’s neck. He was still so uncertain. He thought he’d be a good husband and he had been recently, but he was worried about slipping, about doing shit like he did in prison, that really hurt his loved ones when he wanted to protect them.

“We better..."

Yuuma grinned. "Yep! We will be!" He said. He didn't think they'd slipped at all...he felt he and Shark were doing great. Yuuma didn't have as many nightmares as he used to, and was trying to work on handling knives again. That was a work in progress, but he was also thankful Shark was there with him every step of the way.

“Yeah, or I’m gonna damn throttle the both of us if we mess up a perfect angel like Iris,” Shark muttered, clinging to Yuuma tighter.

Yuuma smiled.

"I won't stop you if we did...but there's no way that's going to happen. We're gonna be the best dads for her!" Yuuma said, squeezing Shark back.

"We got paperwork to do...but after that we should go shopping for some cute stuff for her! Like nice dresses, or toys and stuff!"

Shark gave a look at Yuuma, but he couldn’t help but smile. When Yuuma said it like that, with such conviction in his voice, Shark couldn’t help but believe him.

“I guess so. But just don’t go too crazy with it. I mean it’d be nicer if we could all go together afterall."

"Oh yeah that's right!  We should let Iris have a say in what she wants...but we do still gotta have some things already here for her right?  So we can get some things!"  Yuuma said happily.

“Yeah, that’s why I didn’t disagree. We do somethings but not overdo it, moron,” Shark muttered, nuzzling into Yuuma’s neck. He knew he could and should have let go, but since they were at home, he didn’t really feel that bad about enjoying the hug, despite being embarrassed.

Yuuma grinned and leaned into the hug, glad that Shark was willing to snuggle with him a little.  Shark was usually the one who was reserved about that after all, so Yuuma would take what he could get.  

"Great!  Then you can come too and make sure I don't overdo it!"

“Of course I’m coming with you,” Shark grumbled. “Otherwise you’re gonna spend all our savings on Iris. So no way are you going alone."

Yuuma chuckled.  "I wouldn't do that...well, at least not all of our savings..."  He mused.

Shark snorted. “I know. You’ve gotten better over the years, thank goodness. I can actually trust you with money.”

Yuuma grinned.  

"See, I got this!"  He said happily.

“Yeah… You do.” Shark smiled, parting from his husband. “Thanks Yuuma.”

“No problem, Shark...now let's get this paperwork done!  Sooner we get it done, the quicker we can be dads!”  Yuuma grinned, bounding off to keep working on the small pile Shark had given him.

[pyrachan]

Fear/Huntshipping Police AU Part 26

Look this is still alive it just takes a while to individually torture everyone

Part 23: [x] Part 24: [x] Part 25: [x]

--

The doctor that Raphael had called to the house had arrived about half an hour after Yami had fallen asleep. Raphael had kept his "no hospital" promise but still was very concerned about his young charge.

"So, Raphael-sama, tell me what sort of symptoms is this young boy portraying?" The doctor asked as Raphael led him to the room where Yami was sleeping in bed.

“He’s… in a bad state, honestly.” The man gave a long sigh and rubbed his temples, closing his eyes. “He seems very confused, like he has a split personality. He’s thoroughly paranoid and terrified of hospitals, but he blacks out and has memory loss constantly. I don’t know what to do, doctor.”

The doctor looked surprised at that.

"Split personality and memory loss...well that could be a sign of mental illness, certainly. Although, there are other causes for amnesia that I can check for...and how old did you say this boy was?" The doctor asked.

“He claimed he was ten. I believed it last night, apparently, but I doubt he actually is that age now,” Raphael said, looking at Yami with a clear head.

The doctor observed Yami's sleeping form with a frown.

"Well he is certainly a small boy...but his body itself seems too developed to be a ten year old. Plus, it is highly unusual for a ten year old to have such prominent signs of mental illness." The doctor slid on some gloves.

"I'm going to check for any signs of external head trauma, since that would be a simple explanation for the memory loss." The doctor said, carefully feeling Yami's skull gently for any bumps or other signs of damage. He frowned.

"Good news is that there is no signs of prior injuries on the outside." He said once he's finished his check.

“…” Raphael wasn’t sure if it was good news. “I went to check my medicine cabinet while I was waiting for you, doctor. He’s got some knowledge of pharmacy. He’s managed to ingest a lot of chemicals without killing himself… I’m hoping it’s luck but…” He sighed. “Never mind. I’m rambling, doctor.”

The doctor frowned.

"He ingested drugs..." He quickly checked Yami's vitals. All were normal for someone who was unconscious.

"...well it sure doesn't seem like it on the outside, but usually when someone ingests drugs like that, it's meant as a suicide attempt. Perhaps it was just luck that he took the right drugs to survive. Does he seem mentally unstable, as if he might hurt himself, or depressed?"

“Yeah… I suppose so…” Raphael said. He somehow doubted that, even though what the doctor was saying was more logical. “… He was upset about his grandfather, but he seemed happy enough. Enthusiastic to play games and all..."

"Ah yes, the death of loved ones can be difficult to deal with. I would keep an eye on him...try to get him to talk about things that bother him. And it may be beneficial to keep track of his mental state...if it's as serious as you suggest, he should be looked at. We can perform painless scans and such if that's what scares him so much about hospitals." The doctor suggested.

"Oh and speaking of his family....you mentioned he had a baby sister. I should probably take a look at her as well...if they were in the streets especially."

“Yeah, this way, doctor. I have her in the living room.” He showed the doctor to where Masumi was, lying on a baby rug, sound asleep. “She’s been an angel, all things considering."

The doctor followed and smiled as he saw the baby.

"Well I'm glad one of them seems alright." He said, picking up the baby gently and looking her over.

"She seems very young...I would say a couple months at most. But, she seems healthy....no signs of rashes or any illness...she seems to be a healthy weight as well."

“Really? Well, he must have been taking good care of her. That’s a relief.” Raphael sighed.

"Yes, she seems to be well looked after. Whether it was her parents or her little brother, is unclear. Do the two get along well?" The doctor asked.

“He made it seem like they didn’t really get along well with their parents but… Atemu and Masumi seem good together. Masumi likes him well enough.” Raphael said. Maybe he was being paranoid and that it was because he couldn’t remember what he did last night to adopt the kids was why he was so worried. “Is there anything I can do?’

"I see. That's good that they have each other then." He said before smiling.

"I see you bought baby formula for her, which is good. Don't feel too pressured to give her more than normal, since her weight is healthy. As for the boy...keep an eye on him. If his symptoms persist, talk to him about painless hospital tests we can do to see what the problem is. We don't want to scare him further."

“Alright… I’ll make sure he’s alright. He doesn’t like hospitals because his grandfather died in one, but… I’ll see what I can do. I’ll contact you soon, doctor. Thank you.” Raphael said

“Ah, I see then.  Work with him on trust...reassure him that you'll be there the whole time, since he seems to trust you enough to live in your house.  I'm sure it'll all work out.”  The doctor said.  

Raphael smiled and bowed, seeing the man out before returning to get Masumi and to check on Atemu. No… not Atemu… it was Yuugi, wasn’t it? He was worried about the boy, and prayed that he would be okay. He promised himself to figure out the mystery behind him, and help him no matter what it took, no matter what.

Yami opened his eyes, feeling a slight headache from having to battle Yuugi for his consciousness. But, aside from the aftereffects of the drugs and battling with his other half, there was another cause for his pain.  He could hear soft crying coming from a nearby room.  Masumi had woken up and began to fuss a little when she realized she was all alone.  She wasn't used to being left alone like that, since her parents had always been around her.  Raphael hadn't initially heard her, since he was talking to the doctor.  Yami sighed and got up shakily, rubbing his temples as he walked over to Masumi.  There was no Raphael around...he wondered where he'd gone.  

“Hey, sweetheart...you alright?”  He asked softly, sitting down and cradling her gently in his lap.  He wiggled his fingers in front of her face to draw her attention and calm her down again.  Masumi had really just wanted attention.  Meanwhile, Yami tried to get his bearings a little, still a little worn out from the drugs.

“Ah… you got here first” Raphael smiled as he peeked in. “How is she?"

Yami glanced up in surprise and was relieved to see it was just Raphael.

"Yeah...she woke me up." He said softly, continuing to play with a gurgling Masumi.

"I think she just wants to play..."

“I don’t mind playing with her. You’re exhausted, after all.” Raphael came over and sat down next to the two. “You gave me quite the scare in the bathroom, you know.”

Yami couldn't deny that he was tired, but he didn't want to sleep. He had drawn out this job too much already.

"I'm okay...I don't want to sleep anymore...I feel like I slept for hours..." Yami said. He sighed.

"...I'm just...really scared of hospitals...I don't wanna go to one ever again..."

“… That’s fine. They can be scary, but they do help people. Just remember that, okay?” He said kindly. “I can still take Masumi off your hands if you want. You can do something else to make yourself feel better."

Yami nodded reluctantly. He was tired of interacting with this guy...he should just kill him already.

"...sure...I guess." Yami said, passing Masumi off to Raphael. Now he could go back to his room and prepare his drugs.

"I won the black jack right...so that means I get to make you food. Is it lunch time soon?"

“Well, if you want to eat, sure,” Raphael smiled. “I’ll watch you. I don’t want you hurting yourself in the kitchen. I have a lot of high tech appliances that you might not know how to use.”

Yami was about to mentally cheer until he heard the second half of Raphael's sentence.  No, he couldn't be watched!  How the heck would he slip drugs in the food if Raphael was leaning over his shoulder?  He shook his head.

“No, it's okay, you don't have to worry about me!  I don't...I don't know how to use anything fancy...I just...make sandwiches and stuff...easy things...”  Yami said.

“Well the bread is on the high shelf. At least let me get it for you. I don’t expect you to master where all my stuff is without actually being in my kitchen before.” Raphael said, getting up.

Yami mentally sighed. He supposed he could have help with ingredients...

“Okay...that sounds good...you can show me where things are.”  He said.

“Sure thing.” Raphael stroked Masumi’s head and held her gently before he slowly walked them to the kitchen, grabbing the bread, a butter knife and a board for Yami.

“Anything else you need is probably in the fridge.”

Yami nodded.

“Alright...sounds good. You go play with Masumi...I'll make sandwiches.  I promise I won't touch anything other than the fridge and the microwave...I know how to use that one!”  Yami said, smiling innocently like the good little ten-year old he was supposed to be.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Yami and to Raphael, Ukyou, Gauche and Droite were in a squad car heading towards Raphael's mansion.

“I can't believe Kaito got a source that said Mutou's going after Raphael-sama next...where on Earth does he get this stuff?  We've had no leads in forever!”  Gauche said.

“You’re questioning this case of all ones? The Vector case was way more out of the ordinary, with the way he figured it out. At this point, he just… has his sources.” Ukyou shrugged.

“One day thats going to bite us, like if Kaito became a criminal,” Droite joked darkly under her breath.

Gauche frowned.

“Well...I guess.  But it's even worse since Kaito's not even on an officer anymore.  He should tell us these things...that way he can actually retire in peace.”  Gauche said.  He sighed, secretly agreeing with Droite.  

“We're here...his staff said he hadn't been at the office for the last few days...so he must be home. That, or he's dead already.” Gauche said as the cop car pulled into the driveway of Raphael's mansion.

“I know, but Kaito still wants to work, despite saying he’s retired. He has a right to privacy, as long as it’s not actually withholding information,” Ukyou said.

Droite opened the car door and stepped out. “Well… Let’s hope it’s not that,” the woman said, stretching before knocking

“Yeah yeah.  But still, it can't be good for his health to work like this...”  Gauche said, before schooling his features into his business face when Droite knocked.

Yami looked up from his sandwich making as he heard a knock, suddenly tense.  

“...Were you expecting someone?”  He asked Raphael softly as the man got up to answer the door.

“Kaito… We really need him to have a doctor take him away from work.” Ukyou said, rubbing his temples. Droite paid them no mind, waiting for two of them.

“No, but it could be work. Give me a moment,” Raphael said, walking away, appearing to give the man the opportunity to drug him. He answered the door and his eyes widened, seeing three officers.

“Hello there..."

Yami kept his face neutral while Raphael was watching, but as soon as his back was turned, he frowned. Even if it was work, he didn't want to draw attention to himself.  He carefully slipped the drugs into the almost finished sandwiches he'd been preparing on the counter, before ducking out of sight of the door.  He paused in the hallway to listen in on the conversation, just in case.

All three officers were relieved to see Raphael was clearly alive and well enough to be answering a door.

“Good afternoon, Raphael-sama.  I'm Superintendent Ukyou with the Heartland Police Department, and these are my colleagues Officers Gauche and Droite.”  Ukyou said, introducing his two colleagues.  Droite frowned at the baby in the man's arms for a moment, before pulling out the photograph Kotori had given her of their missing baby.  Her eyes widened as she realized they did look the same...

“Raphael-sama, may I ask about that baby?  I understand you do charitable work for orphans, but I was not aware you had adopted any children...we are searching for a missing baby right now...and she looks very similar to the one you are holding...”  Droite said, showing Raphael the picture of Masumi she had.

Yami immediately stiffened when he heard that.  Police officers?  And they were already asking about Masumi...oh shit.  He began to make his way back through the maze of hallways, but had to pause when a throb of pain cut through his head.

“Yuugi...not now...please not now...”  He whispered, knowing the other could feel his anxiety over this situation and was reacting to it.

“Well, good afternoon, all of you.” Raphael smiled. He was about to ask what he could do when Droite pulled her photo out. He frowned.

“This baby? Well, I only took her in yesterday, so I’m not surprised you don’t know. She and her brother came under my care yesterday. Her name is Masumi."

All three officers' eyes widened at the name.

“...That... is the same name as the baby who disappeared.  She was kidnapped yesterday from her home...”  Gauche said, comparing the pictures.  “No doubt about it...it's definitely her.”

“...And did you say 'brother'?  There is another child at this house?”  Ukyou asked, suddenly a bit weary.  The kidnapped baby was here, whose kidnapper was suspected of having connections with Mutou Yuugi...could it be that Mutou Yuugi was here too?

Yami pressed his head against the wall and took deep breaths, trying to push Yuugi back and calm down so he'd stop reacting.  He needed a plan...he needed to get away...

“Yesterday? Really?” Raphael frowned. That… was too much of a coincidence. For a second, he thought this may have been a prank, but instead he continued.

“Yes… Atemu. Her older brother. He came with her yesterday to the orphanage and he convinced me to take them back here. Why? Is… there a problem?”

“Well, yes...you see, we came over because we believe there is a serial killer after you.  We wanted to make sure you were okay.”  Droite explained.  Ukyou pulled out a picture of Mutou Yuugi and showed it to Raphael.

“Does this 'Atemu' boy look like this?  This is a photograph of the killer.”  He asked.

“. . .” Raphael stared. He stared very long and very hard at the photo. The boy in the picture had different skin and eye colour, but there was no mistaking that hair, that physique. As he held Masumi, he remembered about the other recent CEO murders- he himself even had extra security in his office- and he balled his free hand.

“Excuse me, let me go get Atemu. There… may be something we all need to discuss,” he said, walking off.

The cops saw the look on Raphael's face and figured he was here.  

“Droite, watch the door in case he makes a run for it...Gauche, you and I are following. Have your weapon ready.”  Ukyou instructed, following Raphael as he headed into the house to look for this 'Atemu', whom Ukyou was quite sure was actually Mutou Yuugi.  He kept a hand on his gun just in case...he and Gauche both knew what Mutou was capable of.

Meanwhile, Yami had finally managed to stumble into his room.  He'd gone right for his bag, even though his headaches were starting to make him see stars.  Yuugi was right on the brink of taking over his consciousness, and he couldn't let that happen.  Yami pulled out a vial of drugs and his knife and waited, hearing footsteps approaching down the hall.  He exited the room discreetly and pressed his back against the corner, waiting for whoever was coming to turn it.  He would stab them, whoever it was.  He needed to get out of here...

“Atemu? … Yuugi? Are you there? I need to talk to you.” He said, looking in the kitchen. He frowned at the empty room first before he headed upstairs, looking for the boy. “Hey… where did you go? Atemu?”

Yami closed his eyes and waited, hearing Raphael approach.  This was his chance...it sounded like he was alone.  Maybe he'd sent the cops away?  That would be perfect...Yami slipped away from his hiding place and approached Raphael.  He pulled on his best innocent little boy expression, knife hidden behind his back. He could still feel a pounding headache, which he was almost certain showed on his face.

“I just went to the bathroom...Is something wrong?”  He asked softly as he approached the man.  As soon as he got close enough...he would plunge the knife in his gut.

Masumi cooed in his arms as she saw her friend and Raphael sighed in relief. Good. He was alright.

“I just wanted to see where you were. Are you okay?”

Yami saw them both and steeled his nerves. Raphael was close enough...he'd stab him...

"I...I've been better...usually things are...well, less messy...but, I guess that's my fault...I waited too long." Yami murmured. He took a step forward, meaning to thrust the knife towards Raphael. But then an extremely sharp pain took over and the knife stopped halfway as Yuugi resumed consciousness with a cry. Raphael had the appropriate angle to see how the boy's face had gone from determined to horrified in the blink of an eye. The police however, only saw the knife.

"Mutou Yuugi, drop that weapon!" Ukyou called from the bottom of the stairs. Yuugi immediately dropped it in fright and took off up the stairs. He was scared. He had no idea what had just happened...had he really just tried to stab Raphael and his baby? What happened?! He reached the washroom and burst inside, closing the door and locking it before curling up in a shaking ball trying not to cry.

Raphael knew that something was wrong as soon as the man started talking, but only after one step back, he stared at him, shocked at the sudden change of expression. It was one thing to meet the two sides, but see them swap?

“Yuugi!” He exclaimed. Holding Masumi protectively, he hurried to the bathroom after him, acting only on paternal instinct and not common sense to run away from his would-be assassin.

“Yuugi? Are you okay? Yuugi?” Raphael called, knocking on the door.

Ukyou and Gauche frowned.

“Raphael-sama!  Please let us handle this!  He's very dangerous!”  Ukyou called, he and Gauche following.

Meanwhile, Yuugi was shaking and crying in the bathroom, curled up in a ball.  What was wrong with him?  Why did this happen?  

“...Don't come in...I don't...I don't wanna hurt you!  I'm sorry! I don't know what happened!” Yuugi cried when he heard Raphael.

“Hey… Hey… It’s alright, Yuugi. It’s okay…” Raphael shushed the man gently, doing his best to seem like he didn’t hear the officers and didn’t outright ignore them. Masumi gurgled obliviously and he knocked on the door again.

“Yuugi… I know you didn’t mean for that… It’s okay. Take deep breaths, please."

Yuugi struggled to take deep breaths but he was obviously still crying.

Ukyou and Gauche reached the door.

"Back away from the door please, Raphael-sama. He could be preparing a drug...he's known for attacking with them." Ukyou warned.

"You got to the count of three to open or I'm breaking in the door." Gauche threatened. Yuugi shook even harder at that idea. These cops were scaring him.

“Please stop it, both of you,” Raphael frowned, looking at the two. To stop Gauche from doing anything, Raphael passed the muscular man the baby and then knelt back down without another word about it.

“Yuugi… Yuugi… You need to come out. These men aren’t going to hurt you. They just want to help. Remember? You don’t know what happened with the knife, right? Don’t you want to know what’s wrong?”

Ukyou stopped easier, since he could tell something was strange. Based on Mai's profile of Mutou Yuugi, he wasn't really a crier like this. Running away was natural, but the fearful crying was off.  He motioned for Gauche to stand down and waited for a moment, waiting to see what Raphael would do. Gauche huffed and accepted the baby.

"I don't know...I don't wanna hurt anybody...I don't know why I...tried to..." Yuugi couldn't even say it. He did want help, but he was afraid that if he opened the door, he'd suddenly black out and wake up trying to kill someone again.

"Mutou-san, we promise that if you come out quietly, we won't hurt you. You'll be okay." Ukyou added. He was listening and trying to decide whether Yuugi was just acting or if he really didn't know what he had just tried to do or why.

"...okay...just hold on a second..." Yuugi said softly. He dug through his pockets, looking for anything that he could potentially use to harm someone. He only found a small vial of powder that he didn't recognize. He lay it gently on the bathroom counter by the sink. Once he confirmed he had nothing else on him that could harm someone, he took a deep breath and unlocked the door. He opened it with a shaky hand and kept his head bowed, still trying to hold in tears.

Raphael was ready for Yuugi. As soon as the door opened, he smiled at the man and offered his hand, still treating Yuugi as if he was a scared child instead of a scared man. He practically shielded Yugi with his size, and he hoped that it seemed comforting.

“Thank you, Yuugi. I really do appreciate it. Let’s go get you the help you need, alright? I told you I was going to support you…” He thought about the murder attempt… but he thought also what happened earlier in the day and kindness took his heart. “And that hasn’t changed. I’ll make sure to help you through this, alright?”

Yuugi didn't look at Raphael at first, ashamed and scared of what he'd tried to do. But, when he saw the hand and heard what the man said to him, he felt a bit relieved. He accepted the hand that Raphael gave him.

"Okay...thank you." He said softly.

Ukyou and Gauche watched the scene in disbelief. Gauche was appalled whereas Ukyou was more concerned. Something was strange about Mutou Yuugi. It was hard to believe just by looking at him and seeing his mannerisms that this young man had killed some 30 cops and other CEOs. But, the fact was that he'd done it...

"Mutou-san, I am Superintendent Ukyou and this is Officer Gauche. I'm afraid we're going to have to take you back to the police station with us." Ukyou said. Yuugi's eyes widened.

"...What? But...but I didn't actually...hurt him..." Yuugi said, thinking they meant regarding Raphael. Ukyou shook his head.

"No, no you didn't. But, we have eyewitness testimony that says you have hurt people before, Mutou-san." Yuugi looked horrified.

"But I..." He started to deny it, but suddenly he remembered a brief memory of him bathed in a man's blood while the dying man was still screaming. He recalled crying out at the top of his lungs...then nothing.

"...so...that wasn't a...dream..." He said softly, starting to cry again.

“… We’re going to figure this out, Yuugi. I promise. But one step at a time. Let’s get you to the station first. I’ll meet you there after…” He looked up towards Gauche and gave him a small nod.

“I think I need to get Masumi back to her real parents first. Then I’ll go and be there for you. Is that alright?”

Yuugi sniffled and nodded.

"Okay..." He said softly, feeling both scared and sick. While Gauche handed off the baby to Raphael, Ukyou gently put handcuffs on Yuugi.

"Gauche, take Raphael to the Barians, then come back to the station, alright?" Ukyou said.

"Yes sir. Follow me, Raphael-sama. Her parents have been extremely worried."

“Alright… did you take one car or two? We can use one of mine if you need to, officer.” Raphael said, taking the baby back into his strong arms, rocking her gently to calm her down.

“I’ll be there soon, okay? I’ll see you later, Yuugi."

"We only took one...if we could use one of yours that would be great." Gauche said.

"Okay....bye Masumi. It was nice meeting you." Yuugi said softly with a small smile for the gurgling happy baby.

Masumi cooed and smiled at Yuugi as she was taken away by Raphael. Raphael led Gauche to his garage, reminding everyone he was a millionaire again by opening it up to reveal a sportscar.

“You can drive if you’d like, Officer. I don’t know where the Barian family lives, and I’d like to hold Masumi some more, if it’s alright.”

Meanwhile, Droite raised an eyebrow, seeing the garage open and Yuugi in cuffs with Ukyou.

“That was… surprisingly quick. Where’s his Devil’s Breath?”

Gauche didn't even attempt to hide his awe at the sight of the sports car, nor did he hide his ecstatic grin at the opportunity to drive such a sweet car.

"Sure! They're actually at the hospital right now. Her father was injured trying to protect her from her kidnapper." Gauche explained.

"I'm sorry for all this craziness...she's a very sweet girl it looks like." Gauche said sympathetically, knowing Raphael probably meant to keep her.

"There's none on his person..." Ukyou said, noting Yuugi's look of confusion and understanding he didn't know what they meant.

"We can come back and do a more thorough search later. For now, we should get Mutou-san to the station." Ukyou said.

“Alright, I’ll trust you, officer,” The man said, getting into the passenger seat. He stroked the girl’s hair and gave a small sigh but Raphael smiled at Gauche. “Sounds like she has a family meant to love her. With any luck, we’ll be able to catch them before visiting hours end.”

Droite frowned. “I’ll drive, Ukyou. You wouldn’t know if you were dosed with Devil’s Breath and this is part of his plan. Get him into the back seat."

Gauche nodded.

“Yes...her family is very loving.  And I'm sure you'll be able to give another child a good home who needs one.”  Gauche said, pulling the car out of the driveway and heading towards the hospital as fast as he could.  He wanted to get Masumi back to her family as well if only to relieve their worries.

Ukyou blinked and Yuugi suddenly felt himself fall into black.  Yami reappeared with a small laugh.

“I like her already...can she be the one who interrogates me?”  He asked with a chuckle.  Ukyou glanced at Yuugi, surprised by his sudden shift in demeanour.  Gone was the shy and scared boy...this one seemed much more confident, and that was disturbing.  

“...We'll see.”  He finally said with a frown.  He let Yami into the back of the car, and thankfully he went without a fuss.  Ukyou got into the passenger's seat.

“Don’t get a ticket, officer,” Raphael joked, though he was still concerned about Masumi in his arms since he didn’t have a car seat still. He looked off to the little girl, hoping that Gauche was right. It was time for him to settle down… He was getting older, after all.

“. . .” Droite stared at the man, looking calm despite the change. “So this is our murderer. Come on.” She hopped in, put the aircon on and the barrier between cops and prisoners up before she drove off.

Gauche chuckled.

“I'll try not to.”  He mused.  He was careful despite his speed, not wanting to harm himself or his passengers. Soon, they pulled into the parking lot of the hospital where the Alit Barian was still admitted.  Gauche knew his wife would probably be around as always.

“Looks like we made it in time for visiting hours...come on.  I'll show you where their room is.”  Gauche said, heading inside with Raphael.  The nurses let him in once he flashed his badge, and a few of them had recognized him from earlier trips.  They headed up to the room where the Barian family was waiting.  Ponta was there, along with Kotori and a sleeping Alit. Gilag had gone to work, since there were only so many days he could get off in construction.  Gauche knocked on the door.

“Mrs. Barian, there's someone here for you.”  He said gently to get Kotori's attention.

Ukyou nodded with a frown.

“He wasn't like this a few minutes ago...”  He murmured. Was it because Raphael was gone? Had Mutou just dropped his little act? He glanced in the rearview mirror to see Mutou had his eyes closed, sitting in the edge seat by the window with his forehead against the glass.  Yami still had a headache from switching so often, but he couldn't let Yuugi screw this up.  Interrogation was a delicate thing, and he had to make sure the story was set straight, and not flip-flopping all over the place.

“Thank you.” The time Raphael had left with Masumi was sweet, but short, and for that he was thankful. Hopefully, the girl would be given to real parents and a family. Many kids didn’t have that opportunity… and neither did Yuugi. He hoped the young man would be okay, and he was ready to be good to his word and go offer support after this.

He walked after Gauche and headed up. Kotori was half asleep, shaking quietly until she heard the officer.

“Someone? Who is it?” Raphael looked at the young mother and the huge man emerged into the room from the hallway, holding a small bundle. Kotori stopped in her tracks, covering her mouth, staring at Raphael in disbelief.

“M-masumi… Oh… oh my god…” She said, walking towards her.

Meanwhile, Droite drove to the station. On the way there, she nudged Ukyou. “Call Professor Arclight. Tell him that I’d like to have some of his remedy available… just as a precaution.”

Ponta glanced up when he saw someone enter, eyes widening as he spotted the bundle.

“It's Masumi, pon? Masumi!”  He called, rushing over with Kotori.  Raphael smiled at the family.  He could clearly see the resemblance between Masumi and her mother, mostly in their face structure and smile.  He could also see Alit sleeping in the bed behind them, and his skin tone as well as the little boy who ran up to greet him were like Masumi's.  This was truly her family.  Masumi cooed as she was passed to her mother's waiting arms, smiling and gurgling as Kotori held her.  Ponta peered into the blanket, then back up at Raphael.

“...Did you look after my baby sister, pon?  Where did you find her?”  Ponta asked.

Ukyou nodded.

“Sure thing.”  He said, dialling Chris' number as she drove.

Kotori picked up her baby girl and held her close to her chest, tight and hard. She kissed her forehead, tears in her eyes. Then, she looked up at Raphael, shaking still.

“Thank you…”

“It was my pleasure,” Raphael said. Raphael looked down at the boy and knelt down to Ponta’s height, smiling a kind smile that somehow matched and contrasted his muscly form. “Well, someone brought her to my house. The police came to me, and they saw her, so we immediately took her here.”

Kotori looked at Gauche, hoping to press him for details when Ponta wasn’t around.

Chris was at work, examining the latest batch of results he had gotten, when he got the call. He picked up without thinking, typing away.

“Hello?”

Masumi cooed happily when her mother kissed her head.  Ponta blinked when the tall man got down to his level.  He seemed nice and reminded him of Gilag!  He smiled and hugged Raphael, trusting him even though he'd just met him.

“Thank you for bringing her back pon!  Alit and Kotori were very worried about Masumi, pon...so was I.”  He said, going over to give Masumi a small kiss on the cheek too, making her giggle.  He let her grab his finger with a smile.  Gauche sighed.

“It's very complicated right now Mrs. Barian.  We're still sorting out exactly how Masumi came to be in Raphael-sama's possession. I can give you a phone call for details later, but Raphael-sama and I have to get back to the station to interrogate a suspect.”  He said.

“Chris, we've got Mutou in custody...I was wondering if you were ready with your remedy.  We wanted to have it on hand just as a precaution.” Ukyou said.

Raphael blinked in surprise but he smiled and patted the small boy on the back.

“I would imagine so. Take good care of her, alright?” Raphael said before he stood back up. Kotori looked a little surprised but she nodded.

“Alright. Thank you officer. Thank you both.”

Chris raised an eyebrow. He thought the police were going to keep it on them before they went and arrested Mutou, not after. “Already? Really? Well, I can be right over with it”

“I will!  I promise, pon!”  Ponta exclaimed with a grin.  Gauche nodded.

“Good man.  We won't take up any more of your time. Raphael-sama, let's head back to the station.  I'm sure the others have almost gotten there by now.”  Gauche said, leading the man out.

“Yeah, we didn't really expect to run into him when we went to investigate a small lead.  Thankfully, everything has gone smoothly so far, but we wanted to take precautions regardless.  We're taking him to the station now, so could you meet us there?”

“Yes, of course.” Raphael waved at them and followed. Kotori smiled back before hurrying to Alit’s bedside to show them who had come back. She didn’t want to wake him, but she couldn’t help it.

“Alright. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Stay safe.” Chris said, getting up and collecting his work before hurrying off.

Gauche and Raphael got back in the car, with Gauche driving, to head back to the station.  Meanwhile, Ponta also bounded over to Alit's bedside with Kotori.

“Alit, wake up!  Wake up, pon!”  He called excitedly.  Alit groaned slightly as he was pulled out of sleep.  He was still on heavy morphine to help with the pain in his abdomen, and as a result, spent most of his time sleeping.  Ponta waking him up made him think something was wrong for a moment, but when he saw how big Ponta's grin was, he relaxed slightly.

“What is it Ponta?” He asked softly.  

“I will.  I'll see you soon then.”  Ukyou said, before hanging up.  He and Droite pulled into the station.  Ukyou got out to go get Mutou from the back, Droite accompanying him. Yami got up calmly, without saying a word or trying to fight.  He doubted he would win, since he was shorter than both these officers, and they both had guns and could shoot him if he tried to run.  

“Let's put him in the interrogation room and wait for Raphael-sama and Gauche.”  Ukyou suggested, also wanting to wait for Chris and to get the rest of the team together to plan their questioning.  He knew Mutou was an experienced criminal and so they would have to be thoroughly prepared for this.

Kotori smiled and came closer. “Officer Gauche was just here…” She pulled back the blanket so more of Masumi’s little head could be seen. The girl herself was blinking, looking around the hospital, wondering what her mother was talking about. “Alit, they found her. They found Masumi.”

Droite didn’t make any smart remarks about Professor Arclight and Ukyou. She just drove and then escorted in silence, her eyes trained on Yami.

“Agreed.” She only grunted, before doing just that. “I’ll go find Mai… Kukaju-san. She’ll want to be here."

Alit glanced over at his wife, eyes immediately locking onto the bundle in her arms.  His eyes widened.  Was it really her...Masumi was back?  

“...Masumi...”  He said softly, reaching over weakly to gently touch her hair, trying to prove to himself that this was real and not a morphine induced hallucination or something.  Masumi looked over towards Alit when he touched her hair and cooed, smiling at him once she recognized him.  Alit smiled back slightly with tears in his eyes.

“Thank God...she seems to be okay...”  He said.

Yami let himself be led out, surprised when he heard the name Mai.  He smirked.

“You got Mai to help huh? Yeah, she'll wanna be here.”  He said casually, excited now to see her again. He went into the interrogation room without a fuss, sitting down and relaxing, trying to focus on his story. He knew the cops would want time to organize themselves...so that just gave him more time to get his story straight. It was a win-win scenario for him.

“You do that.  Grab Anna too, if you see her.”  Ukyou called as Droite headed off to grab the PI.  He glanced over at the door to see Gauche and Raphael entering.  He smiled.

“Just in time. Mutou's in interrogation and we're grabbing the rest of the team to prepare to talk to him...I was wondering if it was alright to ask you a few questions first, Raphael-sama?”  Ukyou asked.

“Yeah… She is. She’s alright and safe and healthy…” Kotori smiled, helping Alit to get close to their daughter. “It’s a miracle.”

Droite ignored Yami completely and walked off, going to look for the younger officer and the older PI. As she did so, she had a strange feeling that she was being watched. Droite stopped and looked up at the security cameras… before shrugging and heading off. She was being paranoid… Damn it.

“Of course,” Raphael said, smile gone and looking like the serious business man he was. “What can I help with?”

"Yea...it is." Alit said, letting Masumi grab his finger and murmuring to her in Italian. He was so relieved.

"I'll tell Gilag, pon!" Ponta called, grabbing his phone and calling his other big brother.

Mai and Anna were working downstairs, unaware for the moment that their suspect was in custody.

"Ah, Droite, honey! Come to join us? How'd the house search go?" She asked with a smile as Droite arrived.

"Well...I was wondering a few things. Firstly, when did Mutou-san first meet you? How long was he at your house?"

Unfortunately, no call would go through. Gilag was at work, after all, but it would be a nice surprise at least when he got home.

“No, I came to get the two of you.” Droite said, trying not to flinch at the endearing term tagged at the end of her name. “We have Mutou in custody. We’re having someone search him again and waiting in the interrogation room.”

“Mutou? What? You seriously got him?” Anna gawked. “No way.”

Raphael sighed. That was an easy question at least. “Last night. We met last night and he’s been at my house since last night. One of the workers at my orphanage ignored protocol and called me over to go look at Yuugi and Masumi, and then somehow I ended up taking them home. I don’t remember that bit though, honestly. It’s a blank..."

Ponta pouted when he kept getting voicemail. He settled for a text message instead before returning to his newly reunited family.

Mai's eyes widened.

"Well then! Let's go up and meet Yuugi shall we?" She said, looking very pleased with this development. She and Anna got up and followed Droite upstairs.

Ukyou frowned as he listened.  

"If you have no memory of the event, it's possible he drugged you. He has access to a drug that erases free will and makes victims susceptible to any suggestions he makes. That may also explain why your worker broke protocol." Ukyou said. Unfortunately that was he only part that made sense in this explanation.

"It's odd that he took so long to strike...usually he is faster than that. He can kill people within an hour or so. Can you describe his behaviour? Anything unusual?" Ukyou asked, recalling how Mutou seemed to change personality for a moment. He wanted to know if Raphael had seen it too.

Droite nodded and headed up. “Oh, and someone go to the entrance. Professor Arclight is bringing over something to help with Devil’s breath immunity.”

“I’ll get it.” Anna said, jumping over a coworker’s desk to take a shortcut to the entrance. She didn’t really want to grab it- she’d rather seen Mutou- but she was restless and needed to stretch her legs.

Raphael listened, arms crossed. Drugged? He didn’t remember it, but he supposed that would explain a few things like his empty head. Still, he felt unsure with the whole situation.

“Unusual? Yes, of course. He introduced himself to me as Atemu, but at times, he didn’t seem to have his story straight. Sometimes he was childish but serious, but there were times when he was Yuugi… and Yuugi seemed confused. He broke down and cried to me, and he just… was lost. I’m no doctor, but he seemed like he had… a split personality or something. He seemed like two different people.”

Mai and Droite entered to hear Ukyou talking to Raphael. Ukyou was surprised.

"He actually told you his name? That is odd for someone who is a fugitive...but I think I know what you mean...I saw a weepy scared man turn into one who had done this before when he got into the cop car...and even now..." Ukyou said, glancing at the two way mirror where they could see Yami calmly waiting to be spoken to. He wasn't scared, nor did he look uncomfortable like he had earlier when he'd been told he had murdered someone.

"...so what story did he tell you? Did he tell you where he found Masumi or how he knew her name?" Ukyou asked.

“He said that they were siblings, like I said. He said they ran away from home and he went straight to the orphanage.” Raphael said. “You can see now still, he’s wearing dark makeup. It looked better earlier this morning, but he used that to look like Masumi. He’s very skilled, I must say."

"Yuugi has always been pretty good at makeup. I want his eyeliner tips." Mai mused with a chuckle. Ukyou sighed.

"Last thing...did he bring anything to your house? We'd like to send a team back to your mansion to see if he brought any drugs with him to make sure it's safe to return there for you. Anything they should look for?" Ukyou asked.

“No, he didn’t. He had his arms full with Masumi. I didn’t check his pockets though.” Raphael said. “… He did go through my medicine cabinet so he could knock himself out to avoid the doctor. You might find something there.”

Ukyou nodded.

"Thank you. I'll pass that on the drug team." He said.

"Alright, we'll wait for Dr. Arclight just in case, but I have a few questions ready for Mutou...Droite, do you think you can set up a video feed for the interrogation? I want to be able to review things..." Ukyou said. Especially if Yuugi seemed to swap personalities. He wanted to be able to see if there was a pattern or any signs that he was faking it.

“Of course, I’ll go get that ready. I’ll observe from there too, just to make sure it all records.” Droite nodded and she headed off. She wasn’t even gone five minutes before Anna walked down with Chris.

“His timing is really good, ain't it?” Anna asked.

“Hey there…” Chris said, already getting his bag out.

"Sounds good. Mai, you can come in the interrogation room with me, since you've dealt with him before. Gauche, you watch from outside with Raphael-sama to start." Ukyou said. He smiled at Chris as the man entered.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Dr. Arclight. We appreciate it." Ukyou said.

Unbeknownst to the police and their guests, Astral was watching the police station. He had been ever since they had listened to Kaito's tip about Raphael. His eyes widened as he spotted Yami in the interrogation room.

"Kaito, they have arrested him! It looks like your guess was right...and I see Raphael so it seems you were in time." Astral said with a smile.

Chris smiled back. “Make sure you still wear protective gear, but ingest this syrup. It should help you keeping peace of mind.” He said, handing a small bottle over. “Also I picked some cream up. Smear this around your nose to stop it from entering. It should help.”

Kaito sighed in relief. “That’s good. I knew the others would work quickly. Orbital, send a text to Kotori but sound casual. See if Masumi is back with her or still missing.”

Ukyou smiled.

“Thank you so much, Dr. Arclight.”  He said, accepting the syrup and the cream from Chris.

“Mai, you and I will have some.  Anyone who goes in that room with Mutou has to have some before entering, alright?” He said to everyone, not wanting any of his staff or guests to be tricked somehow by Mutou.

Astral smiled.

“I will continue to watch...it looks as though they might be going into interrogation with him soon.” Astral said.  Orbital sent a text to Kotori as casually as he could, and soon got a happy response saying that Masumi was safe and sound.

“Kaito-sama, Masumi-chan has been returned!”  He announced.

“May I stay here and watch? I don’t want to watch the investigation, but I want to make sure my formula works.” Chris said. “Just give it a moment to get into your blood, alright?”

“We know, we know.” Mai dismissed him, taking her teaspoon and smearing the clear cream. She shuddered at the sensation, but soon she was on her feet, stretching. “I’ve been waiting on this for a while.”

“Ah… good. Send something with congratulations on it and best wishes. Ask her if she wants to spread the news. Then finish cleaning up,” Kaito said, sitting next to Astral to listen to the investigation.

“Of course you may. Just wait outside here with Raphael and Gauche.”  Ukyou said with a smile to Chris.  He did the same as Mai, tagging the syrup and smearing the cream on his nose as instructed. He tried not to scrunch up his face at the weird sensation but he was getting used to it.

“Alright, we'll wait until you say it's alright before entering.”  Ukyou said, although he was also curious about what this interrogation would reveal.

“Yes, Kaito-sama!” Orbital said, sending the texts as he was asked to.  Astral smiled as Kaito sat next to him.

“It looks like they're filming the interrogation...all the easier for me to watch.”  He mused.

“Let’s do it.” Mai said, stretching once more before she opened the door and walked in. “Long time no see, Yuugi-boy."

“It’s not actually our concern to follow this case,” Kaito murmured, though he sat down and began writing, evidently more interested and involved than Astral was. Keeping up with work he was retired from was a bad habit of his.

Ukyou nodded, entering alongside Mai.  Yami glanced up when the door opened, smiling when he saw Mai and Superintendent Ukyou.

“Long time indeed, Mai. How've you been?  Are you not a Private Investigator anymore?”  He asked.  Ukyou frowned.

“Mutou, we're the ones asking the questions here.”  He said. Yami rolled his eyes.

“Just making conversation. It's more fun that way.”  He said with a shrug.

Mai didn’t have to answer. She just gestured her clothes and smirked arrogant.

“Heard you slipped up, Mutou… I mean… the way you got arrested? Shame"

Yami sighed.

“I haven't been feeling at the top of my game lately, to be honest.  There's always room for a comeback though.”  He mused.  Ukyou frowned.

“You tried to kill Raphael-sama, Mutou, and you used an innocent baby to do it.  Just how did you come across little Masumi anyway?”  He asked.  Yami blinked.

“Oh starting with that? Easy.  I found her in a dumpster.  Had no idea where she came from, but had the sense to realize whoever had her probably didn't plan to retrieve her later.”  He lied with a shrug.

“Not this time, Mutou. Unfortunately, you have a date with a cell and I see a life sentence written on it.” Mai said. She rolled her eyes when she heard Yami explain.

“Oh? And how did you know that was who we were referring to?  You knew her real name, didn’t you?”

Yami smiled.  He had planned for this.

“I didn't know for sure if that was her real name, but it was the name that was written on the tag of her little onesie.  I couldn't think of a better one, so I used that.  If it was her real name, that's a coincidence.”  Yami replied.  Ukyou glanced discreetly at the two way mirror where Gauche and Raphael were watching. Gauche got the message.

“Raphael-sama, did you notice Masumi's name written like he says it was?”  He asked the man.

“Of course not. Her onesie was unmarked. Very few parents mark PJs. Besides, she wasn’t covered in dumpster trash when I found her.” Raphael said.

“He said it was unmarked.” Gauche replied through Ukyou's headset. Ukyou looked back at Yami, who looked very confident of his answer.  So he was a good liar, it seemed.  Perhaps it was time for a slightly different tactic.

“Do you know this person?” He said, pulling out a picture of Koutei.  Yami blinked and looked over a picture he did recognize, but didn't let it show on his face.

“Do you think I should?” He replied smartly with a smirk.

“Yes, because he identified you,” Mai said, pulling a gambit and a scare tactic. She had been chasing him for a long time. She knew how the drug worked almost as well as he did. “Devil’s Breath isn’t a potion. It can’t erase memories. If you’ve been seeing him for a while he’d remember you regardless of how drugged he is, Mutou.”

Yami felt a tiny jolt of fear go through him, but he kept his features perfectly schooled.  Unfortunately, the little bit of anxiety he felt made Yuugi stir.  He closed his eyes and stifled a groan as best he could.

“I don't know him.” Yami replied.  Ukyou could note the slight change in Mutou's demeanour. He looked almost as if he was in pain. Did that mean he was lying?  

“This person kidnapped Masumi.  If you knew her name, you must have known him.  He gave her to you directly.”  Ukyou said. Yami shook his head.

“No.  I told you.  I don't know where she came from before I found her in a dumpster.  No one gave her to me.”  He was trying to hold onto consciousness at this point, because Yuugi wanted to break free.  

“Why did you take her from the dumpster? You know… It’s kind of odd that someone would leave her there, and odder that you came to find her.” Mai said. “Are you sure Koutei here didn’t take her?”

“...What, are you saying I should've left her there to die?  She's a lucky baby if you ask me.  I just happened to be wandering by and I spotted her there.  She would've eventually starved to death if I left her. I never intended to hurt her.” Yami said, speaking the truth. Yuugi gave another push in his head, making Yami groan a bit.

“There are plenty of reasons why people in the worse neighbourhoods would leave babies in dumpsters...as a fugitive, I live in those areas and see that kind of thing all the time. And I told you, I don't know this guy. I don't know what he did, if he even did anything...”  Yami repeated.  Ukyou frowned, noticing how Mutou seemed to pale, shake, and groan lately.  Was something wrong?

“Did he act like this with you before, Mai?  He looks like he's in pain...is it faked, do you think?”  Ukyou asked softly to Mai, too quietly for Yami to hear.

“He’s not lying. He really is in pain.” Mai said. “Guess that means we push harder.”

“You’re slipping, Mutou. You have to stop with the lies, hon. It’s getting to you."

Part of Ukyou was opposed to that plan, but he knew that a hardened criminal like Mutou wouldn't crack easily. If this was how to do it...it may be worthwhile.

Yami frowned at Mai.

"I'm not lying." 'And it's not the lying that's getting to me' he added silently. He could feel Yuugi right there...he couldn't hold on anymore.

"We know you have a connection to Koutei, Mutou. We found traces of your drugs in his system. We know  you two interacted." Ukyou said sternly. Yami had closed his eyes and groaned all throughout Ukyou's words, then suddenly his features calmed as Yuugi opened his eyes.

"Mutou, tell us about Koutei. How long have you been drugging him?" Ukyou asked. Yuugi blinked. He didn't remember coming here.

"...um...I'm sorry, sir...but I don't know what you're talking about..." He said timidly.

“Cut the innocent act, Mutou. You know what we’re talking about. Where did you find the baby? How did you get her? Why was she found with you at Raphael-san’s home?”

Yuugi leaned back in surprise from the stern voiced woman that he didn't recognize.

"...I...I don't know...I really don't know...." He said, mind blanking under the pressure. Ukyou frowned.

"You were just talking about her a couple minutes ago Mutou." Ukyou said. Yuugi looked surprised at this too.

"I was?"

“. . . Are you playing dumb with us, Mutou-san? Really?” Mai scowled.

"No...I really don't know what's going on..." Yuugi said softly.

"Um...is Raphael here? He said he'd help..." Yuugi asked. Ukyou frowned.

"I don't think it's safe for you to see him...you did try to kill him." Ukyou said. Yuugi bit his lip and lowered his head.

"I'm sorry...I really don't know what came over me...I was just...holding the knife...that's it...that's all I remember..." Yuugi said, curling in on himself in fear.  

“Hon… Yami dear… What’s wrong?” Mai said, now concerned with the man’s sudden change. She looked at Ukyou, confused.

"I...its Yuugi...I just...I don't know what's going on..." Yuugi said softly, still looking scared and sad and about to cry. Ukyou frowned.

"Mai, stay here for a moment." He said, getting out of the room and going out to Gauche and Raphael.

"Is this the split personality you were talking about, Raphael-sama?"

“… So you don’t know who I am? I’ve been chasing you for three years, hon,” Mai said, frowning.

“That’s what I think… Yuugi and that… Atemu. Or Yami, or whatever you want to call the murderer,” Raphael said, crossing his arms.

Yuugi glanced at Mai in genuine surprise.

"...I don't remember you...I'm sorry. I don't remember a lot of things." Yuugi said.

"He did the same thing with you then, Raphael-sama? Switching sporadically? He looked a little sick before this...did that happen with you too?" Ukyou asked.

“… How long have you been forgetting things, Yuugi?” Mai said. She had no idea what was wrong here. In all her years, she had never seen Yami behave like this or exhibit any symptoms.

“Yes… that's right. This happened a lot.” Raphael said.

"Um...well...one of the last things I can remember is...Jii-san dying..." Yuugi said softly, upset by that memory. But, it was the latest thing he remembered before Raphael.

"Do you think it's drugs?" Gauche asked.

"I doubt it...but it wouldn't hurt to test it." Ukyou said.

“… What year did your grandfather die, Yuugi?” Mai said. “Because our files say it’s close to seven years ago.”

“Hopefully not…” The man muttered.

"...it's really been that long?" Yuugi murmured, shocked. How could he forget 7 years? He glanced up when Ukyou came back in.

"Mutou-san, with your permission, we'd like to test your blood for any substances that may have affected your memory." Ukyou said. Yuugi blinked.

"...I don't do drugs." Or at least he didn't think he did.

"Raphael-sama said you did drug yourself to go to sleep...and we have evidence that you do have knowledge of these things. So, we just wanna be sure." He said. Yuugi swallowed and sighed.

"...okay..." He said softly.

“…’ Mai bit her lip. “We’ll take a sample and then… keep trying at him or just not. I don’t think we’ll get any information about the murders from this.”

Ukyou sighed.

"Indeed..." He grabbed the tools that he needed to do the blood test and approached Yuugi. He helped him roll up his sleeve, since he couldn't do it on his own with handcuffs on. Yuugi was still and let him do it without resistance. Suddenly, Ukyou's hand brushed a small band under Yuugi's shirt, and a puff of white powder blew out. Yami took over and immediately turned his head away from the Devil's Breath, holding his breath. Ukyou wasn't so lucky, since the drug blew up in his face. He had no choice but to inhale.

“Ukyou!” Mai exclaimed. She immediately covered her mouth and nose with her jackets, eyes wide open. She coughed and grabbed Ukyou, trying to yank him before Yami said anything and did something disastrous

Ukyou felt himself being grabbed and fell back with a cough, making it clear to everyone that he had indeed inhaled the drug. Yami glanced over at Ukyou with a small smirk.

"Looks like I still have a small ace up my sleeve." Yami mused.

"Superintendent, you should just forget about that blood test and unlock these cuffs instead." Yami ordered.

“You filthy liar…” Mai hissed. Ukyou coughed a few times and clutched his head. The blonde woman next to him went to grab at him again, but Ukyou waved her off and sneezed.

“Unfortunately, Mutou-san, I don’t think I’ll be doing that.” Ukyou said, looking towards the fake mirror where he knew Chris and the others were probably sighing in relief. “We had a little ace of our own. You’re not able to use Devil’s Breath to your advantage anymore, understand?”

Mai sighed in relief and took her jacket down, as Ukyou picked the blood test back up.

Yami only smiled at Mai, until Ukyou answered him. His eyes widened.

"...how the hell did you take a face full of that drug and not be affected?" He asked, honestly surprised. Ukyou approached him and went for his bare arm.

"We know you used it, so we took precautions. Thank you for confirming you do actually still have possession of Devil's Breath." Ukyou said. Yami glared at Ukyou as the other drew his blood.

"You're wasting your time. I don't use drugs." Yami hissed. Ukyou ignored him as he finished up.

"Mai, let's get him back to a cell for now while we test this." Ukyou said.

“Right.” Mai dug her nails into Yami’s shoulder and hoisted the man up, dragging him away. The door opened and Gauche went to help the woman take him away, leaving behind a concerned Raphael and a relieved Chris with Anna.

“I want him completely searched for hidden drugs by our drug team while they're all wearing masks, just in case.”  Ukyou ordered.  He sighed as he came out and joined the others.

“Are you alright, Ukyou?” Anna asked in concern.  Ukyou nodded.

“I feel fine.”  He smiled at Chris.

“I suppose I have you to thank for that.  It looks like your counter-drug worked.”  He said.

Chris was relieved that it worked but he could only offer a weak smile to Ukyou.

“Well, so far. I didn’t expect you to be exposed to so much of it at once. I’m worried that it may come and affect you later. I didn’t experiment the performance that intensely.”

“Eh? So what you’re saying is that Ukyou could be affected later?” Anna gaped.

“I’m hoping that’s not the case, but there is a risk…”

Ukyou frowned a bit.

“That is a bit disturbing...but on the other hand, I think I can afford to take the rest of the day off just in case.  We have caught our perp and found the missing baby after all.”  Ukyou said.  Anna frowned.

“But if you go home alone, what if someone suggests you do something?  You shouldn't be alone, Ukyou.”  Anna said.  Ukyou nodded.

“...Chris, did you plan to go back to work after this?  I could come with you...that way, you can observe whether your drug works for extended periods of time.”

“Yes, I did actually. Even if I didn’t, I’m obligated to make sure my formula works and Ukyou is alright. Leave it to me, everyone. I’ll take care of him.” Chris said smoothly.

“Alright. Make sure he gets better, Professor Arclight. Don’t worry, superintendent. We’ll get to work on investigating Mr. Raphael’s house.”

“I’ll be happy to let you in…” Raphael muttered absent-mindedly, looking to where Yuugi had been taken off.

“Well, let’s get going then.” The man said, “See you."

Ukyou nodded.

“Thank you Chris. Call me if you guys need anything, alright?”  Ukyou said, heading out with Chris.  He let the other drive, settling in with a sigh.

“Sorry to inconvenience you, Chris.”  

Gauche re-emerged from the direction where they'd taken Yuugi.  

“Where did Ukyou-san go?” He asked Anna.  Anna smiled.

“Ukyou needs to take the day off...the drugs Mutou gave him could still affect him.  What's up?”  Anna asked. Gauche sighed.

“We found a couple more vials on Mutou's person and removed them, so he's officially clean now. But...the problem is after we locked him in a cell...well, he did that weird change again, and now he's crying and lost...”  Gauche said with a sigh.

“He's asking for Raphael-sama, but if you don't wanna see him, it's okay.  I just...ugh, I know he's probably faking it but I hate seeing little guys like him cry.”  Gauche said with a frown.  

“It’s alright,” Chris smiled to him as he got inside. “None of us expected the suspect to do that sort of stunt. You handled it very well.” He said, driving off.

Raphael frowned again. “Well, I’ll go see him. You guys said he’s clean, so I’ll have a look. Please show him to me.”

“… I’m gonna go see Droite. Don’t let Mutou sucker him in, big guy,” Mai said, patting Gauche’s shoulder and walking off.

Ukyou smiled.

"I didn't expect it either. It was a clever little trick. I was relived your antidote worked." He said.

"Alright, follow me then." Gauche said, leading Raphael back to the holding cells.

Yuugi had woken up again in a dark and cold cell all alone and had freaked out a little. He was curled up in the corner in a ball, wondering what he had missed this time and why he hadn't seen Raphael. He'd said he'd help didn't he? Or was he another person who broke promises?

The door swung open and Gauche sighed as he let the other man in. The blonde was tired after a long day, but he offered a smile to Yuugi when he saw him. He was kind of relieved he could see Yuugi, and at least be in touching range.

“Hey..."

Yuugi glanced up when he heard the door open, frantically rubbing at his eyes to wipe away any tears. When he saw Raphael, he sniffled a little.

"...You came back..." He said softly, smiling a bit.

"Part of me thought you wouldn't...I'm glad you did...even though...I...somethings wrong with me..." He said, looking down.

“I said I would, didn’t I?” Raphael smiled. “What kind of business man would I be if I didn’t keep my promises.” He knelt down to Yuugi and his smile faded to something still kind, but more serious.

“You lost consciousness just then, didn’t you?” He asked gently.

Yuugi smiled a bit more.

"I guess a bad one..." He said softly, sobering up a little as Raphael looked at him more seriously.

"Yeah...one second I was with the Superintendent and that other lady who seemed to know me...and then I was here. Did I...did I do something bad?" Yuugi asked fearfully.

“… You tried to drug the superintendent, Yuugi… Do you really not remember? It was a few minutes ago. Fifteen minutes at most.” Raphael frowned.

Yuugi's eyes widened.

"I...I...No, I...thought I left all the drugs behind...I remember finding a small vial of powder...I left it in the bathroom. I didn't want to hurt anyone..." Yuugi said.

"Is he okay?"

“He’ll be fine. There’s someone checking on him now, but it looks like he’ll be okay.” Raphael reassured him. “But it’s not looking good for you. They don’t think that you’re innocent and don’t have control. They think you’re pretending."

Yuugi breathed a sigh of relief at that. He didn't like the idea of hurting someone. But he looked fearful at the second point.

"But I'm not...I really don't remember things..." He murmured.

"...is there...any way to prove it? Like...a test or something? I do wanna know what's wrong...can't they test for that?" He asked.

“They’re giving you a drug test… but I’m going to suggest to them getting you to a psychiatrist and seeing if you have a split personality disorder before your hearing. That way, you won’t go to jail, on murder charges, and maybe you can get some help.” Raphael said.

"Yeah I remember the drug test..." Yuugi said. He listened and nodded.

"I don't mind that...but...did you say split personality? So...there's another me who wants to kill people and lives in my head?" Yuugi asked, looking scared by that idea.

“… I’m not sure, Yuugi. I really can’t say for sure… But if you’re not doing this consciously, it’s a logical explanation.” Raphael said.

Yuugi gulped a bit.

"...Yeah, I guess so." He said. He sure didn't have an explanation for it.

"...will you help me get a psychiatrist? I don't think I'll be allowed to do much...especially if they think I'll hurt someone if they let me out of here..." Yuugi said.

"And I don't wanna hurt anyone anyway..."

“… I promised I would help you, Yuugi… And I will. We’re friends, aren’t we?” Raphael smiled. “I don’t know much about you, but I want to help, really."

Yuugi smiled and nodded.

"Yeah...we can be friends. Thank you so much!" He said, feeling truly happy for the first time in awhile. But then he started to feel a headache coming on as Raphael started to talk again. Yuugi opened his mouth to warn him, but it was too late. Yami had taken over and grabbed Raphael's arm through the bars.

"Raphael...don't eat the sandwiches I made." Yami said sternly. He didn't want to kill Raphael anymore, especially if he was going to help him stay out of jail. Yami hadn't liked it there and knew Yuugi probably couldn't handle it there.

“. . .’ Raphael paused as he was suddenly grabbed. He was going to try cheer him up, talk about themselves and get to know each other when Yuugi’s entire disposition changed. He stared at Yami for a moment, then his eyes narrowed.

“So are you Atemu? Or do you have another name?"

"Well that is what you called me. But, the name I gave myself is Yami Yuugi, or "Yami" for short." Yami said simply. Gauche was watching this in surprise and caution. Yami released Raphael's arm and put his hands up nonchalantly.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to kill him. It wasn't anything personal, and now that he wants to help, why would I do anything?" Yami said to Gauche.

"I'm watching you." He warned.

"Noted." Yami replied.

"I wanted to thank you though, Raphael. Thank you for helping Yuugi. He likes you a lot."

“Dark Yuugi… appropriate.” Raphael frowned again and pulled his arm away. A split personality? Yeah… that seemed about right but... “. . . So why are you aware what he does when he’s in control, but he isn’t when you are?”

"Well, because it's always been that way. Yuugi was never aware of me. And I like it that way. It preserves his innocence." Yami replied.

“. . . So it’s just because?”  Raphael said in disbelief.  

“… You’re ruining his life. You know that, right?” Raphael said, glaring at him.

Yami pondered this with a shrug.

"It's kinda complicated, but it feels more like...Yuugi doesn't want to know. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, but he also wishes he could do something to change things for himself and for others. I'm the one who makes those difficult changes and decisions for him, since he doesn't want to do it on his own." Yami reasoned. He frowned.

"The way I see it, Yuugi wouldn't be around without me. I'll admit that recently I've probably been going too far...but Yuugi was asleep for so long that I had no way of predicting that he'd come back. I couldn't have known I would be putting him through this if he hadn't come out in seven years." Yami argued with a frown.

Raphael listened quietly, drinking the information in. The first part was fair enough reasoning, and he could understand how the split personality could develop, but then the second bit made his frown deepen.

“. . . Why did you start murdering people anyway? It seems like a pretty big jump from what you were doing before."

Yami chuckled a bit.

"That's the thing...it wasn't that big a leap at all. There was always a thin line between living and dying during my games, because otherwise people wouldn't learn to change. Even early on, there were deaths. The difference is someone out there recognized my skills and paid me to push the games a bit further so that nobody survived anymore." Yami said.

“So Yuugi has always been killing? Or was it just you?” He says, crossing his arms. He raises his eyebrow and tilts his head. “Someone hired you? You had no vendetta against who you killed?"

“Yuugi never killed anyone and he doesn't know about me or what I've done.”  Yami said firmly.  

“Recently, yes, I was hired, so I don't have any personal vendetta against you for instance.  But, in the past, I have gone after people for personal reasons...or really, Yuugi's sake.  He was bullied pretty badly all throughout his school years...so someone had to teach his bullies a lesson.”  Yami replied.  

“… I wish you had help… both of you. Then maybe it wouldn't have ended you in this position.” He gestured the cell and he sighed. “… I’m going to help Yuugi, understand? He’s had seven years of his life robbed, regardless of your reasoning. He deserves to live."

Yami listened calmly.

“I agree...he does deserve to live.  But, it's not completely my fault he lost seven years...after Jii-san died he kinda...broke.  He was so upset he just...disappeared.”  Yami said solemnly.  

“Again...thank you for helping him.”

“. . . He’s still in here for murders he didn’t commit.” Raphael said firmly. Yami may have been right, but so was he.

“. . . Get some rest. The police will have an intense investigation on you and several companies will have prosecutors on you for the death penalty. I’m going to see if I can have anyone build a case for you."

Yami nodded.

“I know.”  He said solemnly.  

“Alright...thank you. You take care too...remember, I was hired to kill you, so whoever really wants you dead is still out there.”  He said, sitting back in his cell.

“… You’re not going to share the name? It might help shift the blame.” The man asked.

“I can't, cause I don't know.  I was paid by an anonymous benefactor.”  Yami lied. He knew better than to tell on Kaiba. He'd be dead right away if that happened.

“Just be careful.”

“Right… same to you. Write a note to Yuugi… Tell him it’ll be okay.” Raphael stood up and stretched. “I’ll be off now."

“Sure.  See you.”  Yami said softly.  Gauche led Raphael off.

“Raphael-sama, the drug team is ready to search your house for any drugs he might have left there, if that's alright with you.”  Gauche said.

“Yes, I’ll go open the door for them.” Raphael said. “It’s fine. Whatever I can do to help.”

Gauche nodded.

“Thank you, Raphael-sama. And I heard what Mutou said...we're prepared to help protect you if there really is still someone out there who wants you dead, if you need it.”  Gauche affirmed.

-x-

Ukyou was still feeling fine as Chris finally pulled into Heartland Industries.  Despite the setback of having been drugged, Ukyou had to admit he was happy to be spending time with Chris.

“Are we going up to your lab?”  He asked, getting out of the car.

“No, the lab there is used for those in my faculty and my assistants, so it’s a little risky. I’ll have you in my office, bring the equipment to the room and tell the reception I’m not to be disturbed under any circumstances, just so there’s just the two of us. I hope you don’t mind.” Chris said, parking and getting his bag before stepping out.

Ukyou was thrilled at the idea of spending some alone time with Chris, and nodded.

“Sure...whatever you think is best.”  He said.

“What sort of equipment did you need?  Is it for testing?”  Ukyou asked. He wasn't too worried, because he trusted Chris, only curious of how Chris was going to examine the affects of his counter-drug.

“Non-invasive tests for most part. Blood pressure, pupil dilation… things like that. I just need a couple of things from the medical lab a few floors down, that’s all. I can’t really examine the usage of Devil’s Breath due to it’s properties, so I need to look at the other physiological effects over a period of time.” Chris shrugged, leading the way in doors before stopping to tell the receptionist about his plans.

“Alright.  Sounds fine to me.”  Ukyou said, following Chris into the building.  He had been there before a couple times, but didn't want to wander off either way.

The message was quick and soon Chris was already heading to the elevator. “You’ll also need to tell me how you’re feeling, Ukyou. Just for the record.” He said, clicking the button for the medical floor.

“Oh, sure.  I feel fine for now...nothing abnormal.”  Ukyou said, getting into the elevator with Chris.

“You can try and order me to do something if you want.  I trust you not to ask anything that would get me into trouble.”  He said with a smile.

“Ah… Well, I suppose if it comes down to that, I will.” Chris smiled back at him before looking away, trying to absent-mindedly pull his hair back. Thankfully, the elevator stopped when Chris felt a blush come on and he stepped out. “Hold the elevator for me. It’ll just be a minute.” He said, hurrying down the corridor.

Ukyou smiled, seeing Chris' blush and looking away to try and conceal his own.  He blinked when Chris asked him to hold the elevator.

“Alright.”  He said, holding the button and waiting for Chris to return.

One of the guys who knew Chris asked if he was okay, but Chris dismissed their worry and claimed he was just warm from running all over the place. He did take a minute to compose himself though. What was he thinking? Honestly… He was a man, damn it, not a blushing school girl. He could do this… Even though Ukyou just came along with his good looks and his trust…

“Here you go, Professor Arclight”

Chris snapped out of his thoughts and gave a polite smile, thanking the man before heading back. Thankfully, he didn’t take too long and he was back in the elevator with Ukyou.

“Thank you.”

Ukyou smiled.

“No problem.  And, just for the record...that wasn't the drug that made me obey the order.”  Ukyou said with a chuckle.

Chris gave a small smile back and nodded. “Good, we’re already getting into it.” He said as they headed up. When they were at the right floor, Chris got off first, walking to his office and opening the door.

“Feel free to sit anywhere. Make yourself comfortable.”

Ukyou smiled and followed, sitting down in a chair next to Chris' desk when asked.  He glanced around a little, taking in the new room.

“I haven't been to your office before...it's nicer than mine.”  Ukyou mused with a smile.

“I like it… It reminds me of home. I was fortunate the board so generously gave it to me,” The man said, putting the equipment on the big, wooden desk. The room seemed to be coloured with soft blues and browns and whites, an old english look that gave a very different feel to the rest of the tower.

“Well, let’s just see your eyes first,” He said, getting the small torch out. “I’ll need to hold it open so… glasses please.”

“I like it.  It feels very lived in.”  Ukyou said with a smile.  He wasn't really allowed to personalize his own office as much at the police station, so this was refreshing to him.  

“Sure.”  He said, taking them off and holding onto them so he wouldn't lose them.  

“What degree are your glasses? High powered?” Chris asked for conversation’s sake as he knelt down to Ukyou and held his left eye open, switching the light on and seeing how it reacted.

“I'm near-sighted, so I can't see much without them...I can see you clearer the closer you come to me, for instance.”  Ukyou admitted.  He kept as still as possible when the light was shined into his eye.

It dilated as any eye would. He tested it twice before he went to swap eyes. “Ever considered lasik? Or not really your thing?”

“Not really my thing...I don't mind the glasses.”  Ukyou admitted, blinking rapidly once Chris was done.

“Nothing’s out of the ordinary here.” Chris said, putting the flashlight back on the table and setting up the blood pressure monitor

“That's really good to hear.”  Ukyou said with a smile.  He predicted the next test and started rolling up his sleeve to show off his surprisingly muscular arm.

“… Do you work out?” Chris asked, doing his best to be nonchalant as he checked out the arm.

Ukyou blinked, then chuckled a bit.

“Well yes.  Police officers have to pass physical examinations to stay on the force.  We can't let ourselves lose our touch.”  He said with a smile.

Chris squeezed the arm and pulled the band over, squeezing him. Ukyou had a nice body… he didn’t realise it before.

That was probably because Ukyou's uniform didn't reveal that much detail of his figure.  Ukyou remained calm as his arm was squeezed so tightly it began to hurt, letting Chris take the blood pressure reading.  

“Still normal, Chris?” He asked.

“… mmm.” Chris kept his head down, counting on his long hair to not give his blushing face away. He kept it on for a few more minutes, pumping the machine as far as necessary, until he calmed down. “As expected. Still normal."

Ukyou drew his attention to Chris' beautiful long hair. Part of him wanted to touch it to see if it was as soft and silky as it looked, but he refrained.

"I'm glad." He said, holding his own blush in at his own thoughts.

Chris turned his back on Ukyou for a moment so he could put the blood pressure monitor back on his table. He paused, seeing what small test was left, and he wondered just what he could get away with.

“I need to listen to you breathe, Ukyou,” He said, showing the stethoscope. “If you could take your shirt off, I’d appreciate it."

Ukyou waited patiently for the next test. He fought down a blush when he heard the request.  Calm down...this was strictly professional, he thought to himself.

"Sure." He said as casually as he could. He unbuttoned his uniform top and slid it off slowly, shivering slightly as his skin was exposed to the air.

“Is it that cold? I can turn the air conditioner off,” Chris said, watching the clothes being removed perhaps way too closely. While Chris was all thin lines and smooth curves, Ukyou had a good, muscular body. It was masculine, but not overly so, and the sharp angles made the professor’s cheeks turn scarlet. The romantic in Chris wanted to touch his body, wanted those strong arms to caress him, but the realist in him told him to do the examination.

So Chris hurried along and placed the cold stethoscope on his back.

“Breathe normally…” Chris said, despite his breaths being not so much.

“No, that's alright...I'm sure I'll warm up soon.”  Ukyou said, already feeling warmer just by Chris' proximity.  He was glad that Chris couldn't see that his face was turning a bit pink from behind him, and struggled to breath normally and calm his mind. It's just a small examination...by the hottest doctor Ukyou had ever seen, true, but it was still strictly professional, he told himself.  He wondered if Chris could hear how his heart was beating through the stethoscope and tried to calm it.

From the back, Chris couldn’t. Perhaps there was a slight hitch in his breath, but it wasn’t the exaggerated breaths caused by the drug, so he didn’t pay it any mind. Chris moved to the front, placing a hand on Ukyou’s warm chest with his pale hands, pushing him back a little.

Chris gave him a small smile, but he wasn’t sure if the other man saw it. He listened to the other’s breathing and then heartbeat, one after the other. Breathing was normal… but the heart…

“Well… I’m pretty sure it’s nothing, but I’m not completely.” He couldn’t assume that Ukyou was really into him, perhaps nerves- simply not wanting to see if something was wrong? The Drug? “We’ll have to see…"

Ukyou tried not to look at Chris too directly, tried not to react when the man placed his hands on his chest, but it felt like he was fighting a losing battle. Either way, he felt his heart rate was giving him away.

"If you're not sure...maybe you should test it directly? Give me an order or something? I don't mind." Ukyou managed to say.

“An order? … Alright. I…” Chris should have said something stupid, but something innocent, like jump in place three times or do some pushups. Something they could get a laugh out of. A part of him kicked himself as he thought of something stupid, and kicked again when he realised that he was saying it out loud.

“I want you to kiss me, now.”

… maybe they could laugh about that?

Ukyou waited patiently, more than anything wanting to get his mind off of his feelings.  Chris was helping him...he shouldn't be reacting this way.  This was all strictly professional.  Ukyou would never do something Chris didn't want.  

But then the order came, and Chris sounded so serious when he said it.  He'd seemed unsure of what to think about, but then had come up with the idea of kissing Ukyou.  Ukyou hesitated only half a second before giving in, not because of the drug, but because he had desperately wanted to kiss this man since they'd started the examinations alone together.  Ukyou was gentle, kissing Chris' lips with purpose but not too much to alarm Chris if he really had been joking or something.  He could always use the drug as an excuse for his selfish desires if Chris pushed him away and said he was kidding or something, even though it was irresponsible and he knew it.

Chris was almost certain Ukyou wasn’t under the influence of the drug, but when he found the man stepping towards him, he found himself unsure. Never the less, Ukyou had take his shoulders and Chris found himself powerless to resist the touch of the older man’s lips.

He closed his eyes, wondering if it was wrong to take advantage of Ukyou like this. He knew he should stop, but his hands took the man’s face and he kissed him harder, as if he wouldn’t get the chance to do it again.

Ukyou had been starting to scold himself for doing this when suddenly he felt Chris' hands on his face as the other man deepened their kiss.  With that acceptance of his advances, logical thought left his brain. Ukyou pulled Chris closer to him, sliding his fingers through the man's long silvery hair that was somehow even softer and silkier than he'd ever imagined.  He responded in kind, pushing back against Chris' lips, kissing him fiercely with a passion he hadn't felt in a long time.  By the time they both had to pull away to breathe, both men were breathless, and Ukyou wanted more.  But, he refrained for now, because he had to make sure Chris was clear about how he felt first.  

“...Chris...”  He said softly, looking into the man's beautiful blue eyes with a small smile.

“...I just wanted you to know...it wasn't the drug that made me obey that order...I'm still not feeling its effects.  I've just wanted to do that for awhile...”  He admitted.

Chris blinked as their lips parted and looked at Ukyou through his glasses. His mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out. His hands were trembling a little as he held the man’s shoulder’s, but with his words, Chris smiled.

“. . . Ah… Thank… Thank goodness. For a second, I thought I was going to do something I regretted.”

Ukyou kept holding onto Chris as well, but he was a bit nervous with the lack of response for a moment. He was a little more hopeful when Chris smiled.  Ukyou shook his head.

“No, I would never let you do that.”  He assured Chris, brushing a stray hair out of his face with a small smile.

“...Can I kiss you again?” He asked softly, eyes continually being drawn to Chris' lips.

Chris found his face red and he nodded. There was no reason not to… in fact, everything was in place for perfect one-on-one action. They were close to one another, the door was locked, Chris said he wasn’t to be disturbed… Ukyou wanted to. Who was Chris to refuse?

“Only… If I can too…” He said, trying to sound witty but absolutely flustered as he kissed him again.

Ukyou smiled, blushing a bit himself.  The situation seemed ideal for him as well.  He had been drugged, but Chris' antidote seemed to be working, and his squad wouldn't interrupt him since they knew he was on leave for the rest of the day. He nodded.

“Yes.”  He said softly, before meeting Chris half-way and kissing him again.  He was a bit braver this time, since they were both definitely on the same page. He kissed Chris firmly, free hand finding the small of his back to hold Chris against him, while the other gently went to the back of his neck, still admiring the man's gorgeous hair while keeping him close.

Chris smiled and tried to find a place for his hands, squeezing Ukyou’s shoulders before moving up to his neck, then playing with the ends of the man’s red hair. It was coarse and rough, unlike his own, but it was enticing in a way. Chris kept kissing Ukyou, being daring enough to press his tongue forward to deepen it further.

The man nudged them closer to his desk, get them both more comfortable, but he only expected kisses, for now at least.

Ukyou kept exploring a bit with his hands, letting Chris' long hair thread between his fingers as he moved his hand up the man's back, getting a feel for his body-structure through his clothes.  He opened his mouth wider in invitation when he felt Chris' tongue poking out.  He moved slightly when Chris nudged him, separating only for a moment to sit on the edge of the desk.  It gave him a little bit more height to match Chris' so the other man wasn't bending down to meet him quite as much.  He smiled and kissed Chris again, inviting him to come closer if he wanted.

Chris had some experience. Not a lot, so his making out skills were considerably more rustier than either of his brother’s. Chris smiled against the other’s lips after Ukyou sat down and loomed over him, his hands going to the desk and holding him up so they could kiss each other on more level grounds.

“I’ve liked you for a while,” Chris muttered, getting caught in the atmosphere as he kissed him again.

Ukyou smiled, liking the new angle better. He smiled down at Chris, continuing to play with his hair a little.

"I have too...you're beautiful." He said softly, returning the kiss.

“A-ah… Really?” He said, parting. “I’m glad… you don’t just like women…” He chuckled as he practically shoved his mouth against the older man’s, feeling warm and hormones that hadn’t bothered him since his high school years.

Ukyou blushed a bit.

"I usually do...but I am bisexual, so I like both. I like you." He said, kissing Chris back equally passionately. He hadn't felt this way in a long time either and was only now realizing how much he'd missed it.

“I know…” He remembered the wife thing, which is why he never made a move. He pulled his hands away from the desk and moved them to rest on Ukyou’s lap.

“I-if you want..."

Ukyou bit his lip a bit when Chris put his hands on his lap.  He did want to do something...but felt a bit out of practice.  Kissing was one thing, sex was another.  It had been especially long since he'd ever been with a man: that had been partially experimenting back in college when he'd been trying to accept that he could love both genders.  But he definitely wanted Chris more than he'd wanted any other man before, and even more than most women he'd met, with the only possible exception being his wife.  

“...I do want but...is this really a good place?  It's your office...”  Ukyou murmured, blushing a bit as reason was taking over.  They were in Chris' office and talking about sex.  It seemed like they were both college kids instead of men well into their respective careers.

“It’s fine. No one is supposed to come into here… and no one’s going to know but me. The walls are thick too,” Chris said. He did think of going home, but he wasn’t the only guy who lived in his house, and a part of him was far too excited to wait a long drive home. He didn’t want to kill the mood.

“If it’s okay with you…” he said, beginning to unbutton himself, revealing his slender body.

Ukyou smiled a bit.  

“Alright.  It's your office.”  He said.  He could've offered his own house, he supposed, since nobody lived there, but, he was hesitant to kill the mood with a drive anywhere.  He blushed a bit as Chris unbuttoned his top, allowing Ukyou a look at his slender, pale body.  He wasn't as muscular as Ukyou, but his figure was still toned enough to be considered masculine.  Ukyou felt a part of his brain suggest that he leave his marks on Chris' flawless skin so that everyone would know this beautiful creature was his and blushed harder at that idea.  

“It is more than okay with me.”  He said softly, unable to resist kissing the shirtless man again from his seated position on the desk, but this time, he pulled the man closer by parting his legs and wrapping them around his waist, pressing Chris against him.

Chris was more than happy to lean over and kiss the man back. He gripped him tightly and deeply moved against the other, their cocks brushing against one another as Chris kissed him, his hands going and gripping Ukyou’s thighs tightly.

Ukyou moaned softly through the kiss as Chris rubbed against him slightly, pressing Chris closer in retaliation by squeezing his legs.  He used one hand to cup Chris' face and continue kissing him while the other dragged itself down over one of Chris' exposed nipples, his thumb rubbing it gently, wanting Chris to feel good as well.

“Ahh~” The man blushed, a little surprised that Ukyou’s rough, callous hands went there but enjoying it all the same. As one hand squeezed Ukyou’s thigh, the other slowly and messily began play the other’s belt, failing clumsily as Chris was immersed in the kiss.

Ukyou released his hold on Chris' mouth in favor of the side of his neck, licking and biting gently, but hard enough to leave a mark.  Following Chris' example, he went for the other man's belt as well, not doing much better at undoing the buckle because of his focus on the man's beautiful skin and neck.

Chris moaned quietly into the air, tossing his head back and making his hair ripple like a river. He was quick to realise the belt problem though and while he was moaning away, holding the other’s leg, his hand moved to his own belt to help Ukyou, making it somewhat easier to work with.

Ukyou smiled against Chris' skin when he heard him moan.  He wanted to make that happen again, and so continued kissing and biting the man's neck and moving down to his collarbone as well.  He was also thankful that Chris helped him with the belt, undoing it and then going for the buttons and zipper on the pants, undoing those on Chris quickly before working on his own.  He knew he couldn't take his pants off with the way his legs were at the moment, so settled for grinding a bit against Chris' own erection.

Chris groaned quietly as their bodies rubbed together and he leaned over, kissing Ukyou. His boner rubbed against Ukyou’s, and the man so desperately wanted to rip his pants off. He settled with starting to tug Ukyou’s, eager to have the man writhing under him on his desk.

Ukyou moaned softly as well from the grinding, kissing Chris back fiercely.  He felt the other's hands on his pants, trying to pull them down, so he temporarily drew back, placing his hands on the desk so he could lift up his butt and allow Chris to pull his pants down.

Chris was sure that he would feel bruises the next day, but he didn’t care. He kissed the man again and parted, taking his cue and pulling down Ukyou’s pants altogether, placing them off to the side where they wouldn’t get in the way. He’s about to go get his own pants down when he pauses.

“Lube…” He muttered, quickly parting from Ukyou so he could get to the other side of his desk and rummage through the drawers for lotion and disinfectant.

Ukyou unwound his legs from their position around Chris to make it easier for the other man to remove them.  He was about to kiss Chris again when the man backed off to get lube.  He chuckled a bit.

“Right...”  He said softly, watching Chris run around the desk. He took the opportunity to move any equipment or papers off the desk.  He didn't want to ruin anything accidentally.  

Neither the cleaning nor the searching took long and soon Chris was back between Ukyou’s legs, his pants off. Chris undid the top button of his shirt and looking down at the older man, his cheeks pink.

“Ready?"

Ukyou smiled at Chris, finding it oddly adorable when he blushed.  He nodded, gently wrapping his legs around Chris' waist again.

“Yeah...you lead.  I haven't done this in awhile.”  He admitted.

Chris really wanted to blurt out that he hadnt either, but he swallowed thickly and gave a nod. He coated his hand thick with the lubricant before he slowly took a firm grasp of the man’s dick.

Ukyou also swallowed a little. They were really doing this. He moaned softly as Chris took ahold of his length, letting the other man coat it.

Chris gave Ukyou a small smile, both from nerves and trying to reassure his partner that he could do it. His hands slicked over the top of the cock and slid down Ukyou’s shaft, Chris teasing him. Delicate, slender fingers smoothed down the man’s balls, Chris moving slowly so he could play with the rim of Ukyou’s ass.

Ukyou smiled slightly at Chris to reassure him at well, before closing his eyes and groaning as Chris teased him. He tried to buck slightly into Chris' hand, wanting more of that pleasure. He moved to the edge of the table, allowing Chris better access.

“I’ve thought about this before,” Chris muttered, his face flushed as he slowly pushed in one of his lubricated fingers in and moved it around. “I’m sorry… I’ve dreamt about how I’m going to ravage you… How I want you to call my name…” Chris said, slipping a second finger in.

Ukyou gasped slightly as Chris pushed a finger in.  He clung to the other man, breathing deeply and smiling.

“Have you?”  He said softly between his small groans as Chris moved and stretched him.  It had been a long time since someone had stretched him like that.  

“I don't mind...if you do that...but that means that next time...I get to do the same to you...” Ukyou replied, kissing and nibbling at Chris' neck.

“Yeah…” Chris kissed him quietly and grinned as he continued fingering him. He enjoyed the idea of doing this again in the future, and he felt more eager to get into it. He pushed his fingers deeper into his partner, moaning quietly as he worked.

Ukyou smiled, feeling a similar effect to Chris when the other affirmed they could do this again. He definitely wanted to get going. Ukyou groaned when Chris' fingers went deeper and brushed his prostate.

"Chris..." He moaned softly. In order to not leave Chris out, he brought a free hand down and started to stroke the other man's length.

“Mmmm~ Ah~” Chris had to pull his hair back quickly so his hair wouldn’t be caught in an place inconvenient, and when he was doing that, Ukyou grabbed his penis and made him moan. Chris was rather noisy, and he groaned to the room as he added a third finger, and began pumping Ukyou more and more, wanting him to be ready as soon as he was.

Ukyou helped Chris move his hair, enjoying the feel of it.  He didn't want it to get in the way, but also couldn't stop picturing it pooled around Chris' head over silky sheets.  For next time, that was what he wanted to see, he decided.  He moaned as he felt Chris add a third finger, continuing to squeeze and pump Chris' cock.  

“I think...that's good...” Ukyou said once he felt like Chris had stretched him enough.

“Y-yeah… I think so too.” Chris muttered, pulling his fingers out. He wiped them on his own thigh before he grabbed a plentiful helping of lube, coating his dick as extra insurance. He was nervous, but after a moment, he summoned his courage and held Ukyou’s thighs tight.

“Ready?” He asked, looking at the other man, adoring his auburn curls, foggy glasses and red face.

Ukyou groaned softly when he felt Chris' warm fingers exit him.  

“One second...”  He said, taking off his glasses for a moment so he could wipe them off as well.  He wanted to be able to see this, and reminded himself that next time contacts might be a better idea for sex.  

“Okay.”  Ukyou breathed, wrapping his arms around Chris' neck and kissing him gently.  He spread his legs and let the other man grip his thighs.

“Can still see my face?” Chris teased as he kissed him back. Making sure Ukyou wouldn’t fall off the desk, Chris pushed his cock into the man, going in all the way first and letting Ukyou get used to the feel before he did anything. The man’s tight walls slid past easily but hugged his member, making Chris bite his lip in pleasure.

"I can if you stay close." Ukyou murmured, kissing him. He groaned and tried not to tense too much as Chris penetrated him. He wasn't used to it, but thanks to Chris' stretching he could take it mostly. He took deep breaths and clung to Chris as he waited to get adjusted.

"Don't bite your lip...I wanna hear you." He said softly, kissing Chris.

The bite slackened until the younger man was just sucking on his lip, his tongue twisting in his mouth as he felt the other man’s encouragement. He let Ukyou kiss him and he moaned, trying to let his breath out before he slowly began fucking the superintendent, his movements slow and careful, but controlled all the same.

Ukyou let out a small groan as Chris finally moved, trying to remain relaxed.  He held Chris close, continuing to kiss his neck and moan against his skin.  He squeezed his calves against Chris' back to encourage him.

Chris groaned as Ukyou clung to him, the man hanging on to him so tightly and closely that it was difficult to move. Not because his limbs were restricted, but because Ukyou was so warm, so handsome that it was difficult not to just freeze up and just stare at him. He continued to thrust into Ukyou’s body, hearing thick, wet sounds from the genitals as he thrusted harder, the squelches becoming some sort of lust-driven rhythm that made Chris dig his nails into the red-head, unable to contain himself and how much faster he wanted to go. He was speeding up and pushing harder. He wanted to see the man unwind beneath him.

Ukyou's moans increased in volume and in frequency as Chris sped up his thrusts.  He continued holding onto Chris, partially to reassure himself that this was real, and actually happening, and also because Chris' body was warmer than the desk he was on.  He threw his head back after one particularly good thrust.

“Aah~  Chris~”  Ukyou cried out in pleasure when Chris pounded into his prostate dead on.  

Chris gasped himself when he felt that sweet spot and the way Ukyou keened, curling up tightly against him. He pushed into him hard, the sweat dripping down from his body and mixing with Ukyou’s. As he moved, he was barely aware what part of him was Ukyou’s and what part was his… all he could feel was pleasure and it was amazing.

“Ukyou~"

“AH!”  Ukyou cried out again as Chris pushed into him again.  He subconsciously tried to buck back against Chris' cock, wanting more of that pleasure.  It had been a long time since he'd had sex, and it felt so good and so right to be with Chris that Ukyou definitely wanted more.  He continued to moan loudly, his body sweating and shaking in pleasure.  He wouldn't last much longer, he knew, but he wanted to hold on.

“God...Chris~”  He moaned.

“Grhhkk… Ukyou~” Chris groaned, his voice low and husky. His cock slid in and out of Ukyou roughly, but not painfully, and Chris felt like he was going to give in first. “Ahhh~” He wasn’t sure if it was okay to cum against Ukyou, so he pulled out, barely in time when his orgasm hit and he released on the the edge of the desk, shuddering as he did so.

“Ah...~”  Ukyou moaned, trying very hard to hold on. But, in the end he barely outlasted Chris, cumming around the same time against both their stomachs with a loud groan. His body felt shaky from his orgasm and he had a feeling he'd be a little sore if he tried to move, but for now all he could feel was the aftershocks of sex.  He breathed shakily, sitting up a bit more to lean his head against Chris' shoulder.

“...That was...amazing...” He said softly.

The waves of pleasure were euphoric, sending light sparks down Chris’ back. The man smiled at Ukyou and felt weak at the knees, but he pulled Ukyou up so the smaller man could lean and cling to him more. He liked the sensation.

“It was… Thank you..."

Ukyou smiled in return, kissing Chris' cheek.  He knew where they were and that they would have to clean up the mess they'd made and get dressed soon, but for now, he just wanted to rest a bit.

“Thank you as well.” He replied.

Chris gave a small smile and lead Ukyou to one of the spare chairs, sitting himself down and pulling Ukyou on top of him to rest. “. . . Can… It may be late and… inappropriate to ask but. . . After this case when we don’t have to be professional, can we start… going out?"

Ukyou followed Chris, feeling a bit sore from the sex but managing to move regardless.  He sat down when Chris did, smiling at him and chuckling a bit.

“That sounds perfect...after Mutou's trial, we can start going out.  That way, the lawyers can't say that our work on the case was influenced by our relationship...”  Ukyou said.

“I hope it's soon.” He added, closing his eyes in content.

“I do too,” Chris said, closing his eyes and leaning forward. That would be nice… It was nice to have love reciprocated for once.

-x-

The day Masumi had been returned had been a good one for the Barian family.  Alit had been looked over by the doctors and it was determined that he was well enough to leave, but he was to take it easy and if anything seemed off, to return immediately.  Alit was glad to be leaving, since he'd had enough of staying in bed all day.  He was never one for sitting still.  He still had some pain medications to take, but they weren't as strong as the morphine, which had knocked him out and left him constantly drowsy.  Pretty soon, the only physical reminder of the incident would be the permanent scar on his stomach where the knife had gone in.  Alit wasn't sure he liked it, knowing who had caused it, but he would live with it.  He really didn't have a choice.  

“Gilag's here!  We can go home now, right pon?”  Ponta said excitedly, spotting the large man pulling up in their car.  Gilag had come to pick them up after work, and so they had been waiting for him in the lobby.  Alit nodded.

“We can as long as everyone's ready.”  He said, getting up slowly.  Working his abdominal muscles caused him the most pain from his injury, which made things like standing and twisting difficult for the time being.  He hadn't wanted a wheelchair though, since his legs were fine.  

"Don’t stress yourself too much or you’re going to have another accident,” Kotori laughed, patting her husband’s shoulder. Kotori waved at Gilag and opened the car door, sliding in quickly behind the driver’s seat.

“‘Bout time we all get to go home,” He said.

Alit smiled.

“I'll try not to.”  He promised, managing okay as soon as he was standing.  Ponta bounded out to see Gilag too.

“Yes, pon!  Everyone's going home now, right Masumi?”  He said, peeking over the seat to see Masumi in her car-seat.  Masumi gurgled and wiggled as much as she could while strapped in.  Alit got in the car as well with a chuckle.

“Yeah, about time.” He agreed.

“What’s the first thing you’re gonna do when you go back, Alit? Gotta take it easy, after all.” Gilag asked, a large grin on his face.

“I think he really should rest, but I suppose you boys can go out if you want. I haven’t finished dinner yet.” Kotori said.

Alit pondered this. There was really only one thing he really felt he needed to do to get this all behind him...and it wasn't something he could do at home.  Kotori hadn't been able to tell him much about what had happened, and the police themselves were also lost.  There was really only one place to go for answers...and that was Koutei.  He'd heard he was in the Correctional Facility now awaiting trial.

“Well...I know I have to rest more, but I've already had enough of just lying around.  I'd rather go out and get some fresh air.  I'll take it easy though, don't worry!”  Alit promised, mostly to reassure everyone.  

“Well, when we get home, you can go out for a couple hours but don’t be too long. Yuma is hosting a party at his house welcoming you home.” Kotori said.

“He actually waited to throw a party? It’s not a surprise?” Gilag snorted, driving off.

Ponta perked up.

“Party, pon?  I wanna have a party!”  He cheered.  Alit smiled despite himself.

“I shouldn't be too long. I just wanna stretch my legs a little. I'll be home for Yuuma's party.” He mused.

“How about you help me, Ponta? We need to make a dish for the party.” Kotori smiled.

“It’s at six. So don’t wait to the last minute to come home,” Gilag added

“Yay!”  Ponta cheered, excited to be helping.

“I'll remember.  I'll have my phone so you guys can call me if I lose track of time.”  Alit said, waving off Gilag's concern.    

As soon as they got home, Ponta was out of the car in a flash, excitedly waiting for the others to get out and unlock the door so they could get ready for the party!  

“Masumi, we're gonna have a party!  It's gonna be so much fun!”  Ponta cheered to his baby sister, who only gurgled in response as her mother picked her up out of the car-seat.  Alit got out of the car much more slowly, trying not to wince or show he was in pain too much.  

“You guys have fun, Ponta. I'll see you later.”  He said, making sure he had enough money for the bus and his phone with him before heading out towards the bus stop that would take him close to the Correctional Facility.

Gilag frowned and when Kotori had her back turned, he stopped Alit and took him aside. He waited for the woman to be inside the house before he turned Alit around.

“… Do you need a ride to the police station?”

Alit sighed slightly as he was stopped by Gilag.  He should've known that he couldn't hide from his older brother.  He let himself be turned.

“No...”  He started, before looking at Gilag's face and giving up.

“...I could use one to the Correctional Facility though.  The cops said that's where he is now.”  He finished.

“Ah, so he’s been moved.” Gilag sighed. “. . . You might not like what you see, you know. Koutei isn’t the same guy you sparred with years ago now.”

Alit bit his lip.

“...I know that.  The guy I sparred with before would never have done anything like...well, you know.  But...I still wanna see him.  I want to know what the fuck happened...”  Alit said.

“. . . Kotori, I’m gonna go get petrol.” Gilag called from where he was.

“Alright!” Kotori called back. “Make sure you’re back when Alit is,”

Gilag smiled and quickly went to shut the door before he gestured to the car.

“Get in. Let’s go..."

Alit smiled at his brother.

“Thanks.”  He said, getting into the car next to Gilag.  They drove to the Correctional Facility, and Alit tried to think over what he was going to say and what to expect.  

“. . . Be honest with him.” Gilag said, not turning to look at Alit as he talked. “Don’t beat around the bush. Just ask and persist."

Alit nodded.

“Yeah.  I want it to be direct...no funny business.”  He said.  He just wanted to get answers.  That would help him get closure, he figured.  

Gilag sighed, hoping his brother would be okay. The rest of the car ride was in silence until he parked the car. “I’ll wait outside for you, okay? Just so you have a ride back.”

Alit continued staring out the window, barely noticing when they finally parked.  He smiled at Gilag.

“Thanks.  I'll try not to be too long.”  Alit promised, getting out of the car and approaching the Correctional Facility.  He asked the visitation guard if he could see Ouji Koutei, and then was escorted to a visiting room to wait for him to be brought out.  

The guards opened Koutei's cell door.

“Oy, Koutei, get up. You've got a visitor.”  The guards said.

“Don’t stress yourself out too much,” Gilag muttered, going to the glove compartment and getting himself one of Kotori’s books to read while he waited.

Meanwhile, Koutei looked up at the guards and sighed. He figured it was probably one of the police officers again, maybe with a report of what they found in his house again. He got up and rubbed his temples, the tired man trudging after them. He sat down in one of the chairs and was cuffed to it, making him roll his eyes.

“Is this to help my mental health?” He joked before he ducked the guard’s slap.

Alit took a moment to watch through the door.  Koutei did look very similar to the Koutei he knew...but he seemed to have messier hair, and a somewhat sickly appearance.  Well, Alit didn't really look his best either, considering he had just gotten out of hospital, but he looked better than Koutei.  The orange prison uniform revealed bandages on his arms and Alit briefly wondered what had happened.  But he shook his head.  He wasn't here for a casual visit.  He needed answers.  

The guards opened the door for Alit, letting him enter the room with Koutei.  

Koutei looked up, expecting Droite and Ukyou, and then he just stopped. Upon seeing Alit, he gaped… and then tried to bolt. He couldn’t let Alit see him… hell he couldn’t talk to Alit and let him see how far he fell. Despite the handcuffs, the man tried to get up and leg it, doing actually rather well considering he was connected to the table.

Alit just stared at Koutei, trying to keep his expression neutral at first.  There were plenty of things he wanted to say and do, but first, he should at least try to be civil, he figured.  Unfortunately, most of that flew out the window when Koutei tried to run. Alit suddenly recalled the last time they'd met...Koutei had tried to run then too.  Now he was just annoyed and a little angry.

“Oh no you don't.”  He said, and he moved before he could register that since Koutei was cuffed to the table, there was no way he could leave this room.  He also moved forgetting that he had a severe injury, and he made it only a couple steps around the table, managing to grab Koutei's arm before he doubled over with a small cry of pain, clutching his abdomen that was seizing up in protest to his sudden movements.  Thankfully he hadn't torn anything, but god did it feel like it for a second.

Koutei was all but ready to throw Alit off when Alit suddenly doubled over. His eyes widened and instinct took over, immediately changing his position to support Alit. He frowned, immensely worried for his friend and a bit confused.

“Oy, oy. Take it easy. What’s wrong with you?” He asked, trying to get Alit back in his seat before the guards came to tell them to stop it with the physical contact.

His mind clouded by the pain, Alit clung to Koutei to ride out its final waves when the other supported him.  But, as the pain faded, common sense returned to Alit.  Although Koutei was acting like his old self again for a moment, his words were not making any sense.  Alit immediately shoved Koutei off with his free hand, his other till rested over his stomach where he'd been stabbed.  He frowned at Koutei.

“What the hell are you talking about?  You know what's wrong with me!  I just got out of fucking hospital after you put me there!”  He exclaimed, both angered and confused at Koutei's behaviour.

“I-“ Thankfully, Koutei wasn’t stupid, and he was quick to realise what Alit was thinking as soon as his hand was slapped away. He tried to fathom what to say- that he would never do that and there was some kind of mistake- but he knew that the reply would be the same as the police. So instead, he balled his fist and stared straight at Alit.

“… I actually did that. Fuck. How could I… Shit. What’s wrong with me? Why don’t I fucking remember?"

Alit frowned and waited for Koutei to formulate a response, all the while trying to read the expressions on his face.  He saw confusion, then guilt and frustration.  He slowly sat down, trying to calm himself.  He had experience with friends of his in jail, and he knew that getting mad didn't really help.  He couldn't quite wipe the frown off his face though.

“You're asking me? All I know is that you stopped talking to me.  I kept trying to reach out to you, but you never met me halfway.  And the one time you do come see me and my family, you almost tore it apart.”  Alit said as evenly as he could, though some of his frustrations were undoubtedly expressed in his tone.

“I stopped talking to you because apparently, everyone keeps telling me I’ve been fucking doing drugs with a guy I don’t even remember,” Koutei muttered, unable to bring himself to look at Alit. He wasn’t sure what to say? That he had been lovesick over him and that he couldn’t bare to watch Alit live a happily ever after after he was disowned? Koutei wasn’t even sure if either of those were the answers. Despite all the time he had been given to think, the blonde still was lost, unsure of what was going on, and it was driving him crazy.

“I don’t even remember the last time I damned visited. I know what goddamned happened, but I don’t know anything.”

Alit sighed.

"That's what the cops told me too and I couldn't believe it." He murmured. This visit was just turning into frustration.

"The last time I saw you we sparred. You were kinda having an off day. Remember that?" Alit asked but he had a feeling he knew the answer.

“. . . That was like… what… months ago? Weeks? I kind of remember it. My memories aren’t exactly good as of late.” Koutei muttered.

Alit nodded.

"Yeah it was awhile..." He said, with a sigh.

"I...look, I'm as lost as you are. It's hard to stay mad when...you...you're still you." He said, burying his face in his hands.

"I just don't get this. I want to know why, but you can't tell me a damn thing."

“Look… we jumped into this way too fast. … How much time do you have? I can… make some guesses for you, but that’s it. They’ll only be guesses on what happened.” His guesses… which counted, he hoped.

"Not much time...Kotori doesn't know I'm here." Alit said. He sighed.

"I just want to know why. Look at me and tell me what you're thinking." Alit said firmly. He had noticed how Koutei was avoiding his gaze. He didn't like that. Koutei had hid from him long enough.

“. . . Look… the last thing I remember clearly is going to the bar… a lot. I felt lonely. I must have mixed with a bad crowd there… because I haven’t really felt lonely since. Yeah, ashamed to let you see me but… I dunno. Really.”

“I understand the loneliness...but...you were ashamed to see me?  Really?”  Alit said in disbelief.  He couldn't imagine why Koutei would be ashamed to see him.  

“I'd never be ashamed to see you!  I wanted to see you...that's why I kept inviting you out!”  Alit exclaimed.

Koutei was trying to think the reasoning for his emotions. He was perfectly aware of what he was thinking, but he had no idea why. Or he had some semblance of an idea, but his thoughts were jumbled and clattered, as they always have been since he had been arrested. Still, he owed Alit a decent explanation.

“Yeah. I was. I was lonely, I started drinking and I did drugs. I looked and felt awful.” He muttered. “I didn’t want you to see what I looked like after I stopped seeing you, so I tried avoiding you. I’m a mess, Alit. Fucking hell… I’m even worse now."

Alit sighed in frustration.

“If you had seen me, yeah, I might've been disappointed, but I also could've helped you!  That's what friends do...they help each other!”  He shook his head.

“And now you're in jail, where it's pretty damn hard for me to help you.”  He said.

“Yeah, you're a mess...I just hope this place can help you, since apparently I couldn't.”  He said, feeling a bit hurt that he was going through this again.

Ouch. That stung. Really badly. Koutei looked further away from Alit, not wanting the other to look at him. He wanted to say he wanted Alit to help, but he was too scared. He wanted to say that he was sorry again, but he couldn’t.

He could feel a familiar voice that had been lingering around since his father’s death and his own exile amidst the frustration and the sadness. It laughed at him. He fucked up too badly. He wanted…

“Then don’t. Don’t bother. Just leave me alone.” It was too late for him, but he’d… fix things.

Alit was looking at Koutei, and every time he did all he could see was the other running away. Koutei was acting like a coward, not at all like the man he'd fought and considered his rival.  Gilag had been right...this man was not like the Koutei he had known.  The one he knew would have met his challenges head on, and never would've allowed himself to fall like this.  

“Fine.”  He said at last, getting up.  It was clear that Koutei didn't want him around anyway.

“I got what I came for anyway.  See you in court.”  He said simply, heading towards the door where the guards would let him out.

Koutei didn’t respond. He was more than ready to take the death penalty if it came to that. The blonde was tired. He didn’t want to fight or run anymore. He just wanted to stop feeling miserable every waking moment he wasn’t on drugs or drinking. He wanted that person back… that person at the bar he couldn’t remember.

Koutei continued to look away from Alit, even after the man walked out and was long gone. All he could do was silence himself and stop screaming after him.

Gilag was ready for Alit when he got back, and he already knew that the meeting had ended up horribly. The only thing that was surprising was that Alit wasn’t escorted out. He half expected the two men to be punching each other senseless as they argued. Still… Alit’s expression…

“. . . We can skip the party. You’re not in the mood."

Alit left the room without looking back.  He barely registered the direction he was going, thankful that he was escorted to the door by guards, who wanted to make sure he left safely.  He wandered out into the parking lot in a slight daze. He got into the car slowly, not looking at Gilag.

“...Just take the long way home.  I'll be okay by then...”  He said softly, his head leaning against the window.  Now that he was out of that room and away from Koutei, the impact of his decision was hitting him.  He and Koutei were really done now, weren't they?  Koutei was done with him, after everything they'd been through and all the fun they'd had...it hurt.  It hurt so, so badly...

“I doubt it… but you’re the boss.” He wanted to ask Alit what had happened but he simply was quiet, doing what his brother asked. He let the man think. This wasn’t like when he had betrayed Alit… Koutei had gone beyond that. The muscly man didn’t want to do much more than hug Alit really…

Alit didn't answer, letting Gilag drive off.  He kept one hand on his head, trying to hide how much he wanted to cry, and the other stayed rested on his wound almost subconsciously.  The stab wound was symbolic of how he felt right now...he wanted the pain to go away, but knew it would take time...it always did.

-x-

Back at the house, Kotori and Ponta were almost finished their party preparations and were expecting the first guests anytime now.  

“Kotori!  The cookies are almost ready, pon!”  Ponta said, watching the cookies rising in the oven intently, not wanting any of them to burn.  

Kotori smiled as she pulled the salad out into a proper bowl and looked back. “I’ll be just a second, Ponta. Tell me when they’re absolutely done.”

The woman’s pink phone buzzed on the table and Kotori swiped it quickly so she could still use her hands to cook as she skimmed the message. She looked at it and then sighed.

“I knew I shouldn’t have let him go… They would obviously do this.” Kotori shook her head and turned. She would speak to Alit about going for ‘walks’ later. “Ponta, can you go watch Masumi when you’re done? Gilag was supposed to pick Alit up but they got caught up in traffic.”

“Okay!”  Ponta called, watching the cookies while Kotori checked her phone.  He rushed over to check on his sister quickly, always trying to make sure she was still here and okay.  He'd been doing that ever since she was brought back.  He grinned as he saw her smile up at him from her baby rug.

“Hey, Masumi!  We're making cookies...Kotori said you're not old enough for them, pon, but when you are I'll make cookies for you!”  He promised happily.  Masumi wiggled a bit in a response that Ponta took as excitement, so he cheered.

“Kotori, when can Masumi have cookies?  She wants them now, pon!”  Ponta said.

“She can have milk, but she’ll need teeth before she can have cookies.” Kotori laughed as she prepared some snacks and an assortment of dip. “Give it some time, Ponta. She can’t want what she doesn’t know exists.”

The oven went off and Kotori went to get it. However, as she passed, she saw Akari and her husband through the window, a bundle in Akari’s arms.

“Ponta, Akari and Charlie are here. Could you answer the door for me?”

Ponta pouted a bit.

“Masumi, you need teeth fast!  You don't know what you're missing, pon!”  Ponta exclaimed to the baby.  She simply smiled a toothless grin in response.  Ponta smiled and shook his head, tickling his silly sister for a minute before going to get the door.

“Hi Akari-san and Charlie!” Ponta exclaimed happily.  His eyes widened when he saw the bundle.

“Oh!  You have a baby pon!  Who's that?”  He asked, wanting to get a closer look.

Akari laughed as she saw the small child and she ruffled Ponta’s hair, keeping her baby safe in one arm.

“Hi Ponta. Goodness, you’ve grown.” She moved out of the doorway and knelt down. “This here is Yuzu. She’s my little girl.”

Ponta grinned, standing up tall as his hair was ruffled.  He liked being told he was growing.

“Yep!  I wanna be big and strong like my brothers!”  Ponta exclaimed, before looking over Yuzu.  He beamed.

“She's really pretty, pon! She and Masumi should be friends! Come see, come see!”  Ponta said, taking Akari's free hand and leading the woman inside, excited to introduce his sister to Yuzu.

“You’re definitely gonna get there, kid,” Charlie laughed, “There’s something about the Barian household that has all you boys walking out pretty buff.”

“And the girls. ‘Tori has some muscles herself.” Akari joked as she looked over at Ponta. “Careful there though. Don’t want to pull Yuzu and me over.” She said, as her small child cooed.

Ponta nodded with a grin.

“Alit and Gilag are super strong and I wanna be just like them!”  He said happily.  He yelped a bit and eased up, leading Akari into the living room where Masumi was waiting.

“Masumi, this is Akari-san and Charlie, and your new friend, Yuzu, pon!”  Ponta said happily to his baby sister.

Yuzu was a noisy baby and she gurgled happily as she was held in front of her mother’s arms, next to the other small child. Charlie chuckled and waved.

“Gonna help Kotori out in the kitchen. Can’t let her do it on her own.” He said, walking off.

“On her own? Are Yuma and Shark not here yet?” Akari asked, knowing Yuma planned this party. “Is he seriously late?"

Masumi glanced over at Yuzu much more quietly, but still with some obvious interest. She cooed a little in greeting. Ponta shook his head.

"Akari-san and Charlie and Yuzu are the first ones here!" He said. He heard a knock on the door and rushed to get it.

"Tetsuo and Shark's Sis are here, pon!" Ponta cheered, clearly having spent too much time around Yuuma to have picked up his nickname for Rio.

“I have a name!” Rio yelled from behind the door. Akari gave a loud snort and she shook her head.

“You may not want to open that door, Ponta,” Akari joked, getting comfy.

Tetsuo chuckled.

“The name's spreading...Yuuma's gonna get punched.”  He mused. Ponta opened the door happily regardless of Akari's warning.  He put on his most innocent and adorable face, mostly to try not to get punched.  

“Of course!  I know Rio-san's name, pon.”  He said happily.  “Come in guys!”  

“How are you, Ponta?” Rio said, her mood immediately lifting as soon as she heard her name. ‘Keeping well? How’s your sister?” She smiled

Tetsuo smiled and shook his head, ruffling Ponta's hair.

"Smart kid." He mused. Ponta beamed.

"Masumi's got a new friend! Akari-san's baby Yuzu is with her! Come see come see!" He said, leading them inside.

“I kinda wanted to see Alit first. Is he here?” Rio asked, as she and her partner followed. She sighed as she realised her brother or his husband wasn’t around but she smiled and sat down.

“Looking good, Akari-san. I see the girls have already flocked together, huh?” She smirked.

"Alit? No he's not home yet, pon! I'll go ask when he's gonna be here!" Ponta said, leaving Tetsuo and Rio in the living room and going to see Kotori.

"When are Alit and Gilag coming home, pon? They're missing the party!" He asked his guardian.

"Congrats. So this is little Yuzu. She looks like she has eyes like yours, Akari." Tetsuo said with a smile, leaning over to get a closer look at the two babies on the rug.

“Yeah, the colour is more like Charlie’s but the eyes are mine.” Akari said proudly, giving a nod as if she needed to confirm these things. “Good someone noticed, especially since someone’s uncle is hopeless.”

“Relax, Ponta. Yuma and Shark aren’t here yet. We’ll worry when they’re later than those two. They’re still stuck in traffic, probably. We’ve barely started.”

Tetsuo chuckled.

“Yuuma is definitely hopeless.”  He said. Ponta pouted, but accepted it.

“Who else is coming, pon? Yuuma's coming right?  And Shark?”  He asked.

“Well, I’m happy to start the Yuma trash train if you are,” Akari teased. “Seems like every time we start a conversation, it starts with my dumb brother.”

“Because there’s a lot to talk about. He’s always getting involved in some trouble.”

“Yuma is hosting it, he invited Inchou and Ena but I don’t know if they’re coming, Tokunosuke will appear at some point, and I think Cathy will appear later tonight or tomorrow because she has work… so most of the usual gang. I asked Kaito to come too, but he’s sounding sick, so I doubt he’ll come. He’s always concerned with passing it on to the baby.”

Tetsuo nodded.

“That's Yuuma for you.” He mused with a smirk.  The doorbell rang a few seconds later.

“Oh okay!  That's a lot!  I'll go see who's here now, pon!”  Ponta said.  He rushed to the door excitedly.  

“Yuuma, pon!  You made it!”  Ponta said happily.  Yuuma grinned back.

“Hey Ponta!  Yeah, we made it!  We were just a little delayed cause Shark's rollers got tangled in his hair! He's trying to grow it out and curl it up again like he used to.”  He said happily.  

“Oy, shut up. I wasn’t doing that…” Shark muttered, his cheeks red. He shoved past his husband and headed straight for the kitchen, grunting to the others in the living room as he passed.

“About time!” Akari yelled, laughing.

Yuuma pouted as Shark shoved him aside.  Ponta grinned.

“Your hair looks pretty Shark!”  He called happily.  Yuuma grinned and bounded into the room to greet his sister and his friends.

“Nee-chan!  How're you doing?  Oh, and Yuzu too how's my favorite niece?”  He said, smiling at Yuzu and Masumi, who gurgled happily up at him.

“Yeah yeah. Thanks.” Shark muttered. He glared at Kotori as she took the dessert off of Shark and laughed at him, before Shark quietly began assisting her. “Sorry we’re late.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Don’t worry.” She said.

“Hi Yuuma. We’re both fine, thanks. Alit’s not here yet, but we’re doing fine."

“Oh?  Alit's not here?  Where is he?  I thought he was out of hospital today?”  Yuuma asked, surprised.  Ponta sat down next to his sister and Yuzu.

“Alit and Gilag are out! Kotori says they're stuck in traffic, pon!”  Ponta said.

“Yeah, so they may be a while.” Akari said, passing her daughter to Rio so she could hold the baby.

“Strange, it didn’t seem so bad on the way here.” Rio muttered.

"Yeah it wasn't that bad...wonder if there was an accident or something." Tetsuo mused. He smiled and leaned over to get another look at Yuzu while she was in Rio's arms.

"Well how's Alit doing? Last I saw him, he couldn't get out of bed! Now at least he's out and about....does that mean he's completely recovered?" Yuuma asked Kotori as she and Shark came back in with some food and snacks for their guests.

Yuzu giggled as Rio tickled her with her finger and reached out to grab Rio’s bracelet, wanting to jingle it.

“Good taste, huh?” Rio teased, making the baby squeal and laugh.

“Yeah, he has,” Kotori smiled, thankful Charlie was minding the oven so she could talk to her friends. “He wanted to get some exercise and go out with Gilag, so… well… you know Alit. He’s probably already training"

Tetsuo chuckled.

"Yeah. We should get her one when she's old enough for it not to be a choking hazard." He said.

Masumi squirmed a little, wanting attention. Ponta smiled and started to play with her a little, keeping her entertained as well.

"Working out already? Well that's Alit for ya! He must be just fine then." Yuuma chuckled.

“You gotta keep a leash on him, Kotori. I mean, some people could use a bit of working out,” Rio said, playfully bumping Tetsuo with her shoulder, “But there’s a limit to how much is good for you.”

“Oh he’s fine. Alit is sensible. He knows when to give up.”

“No he doesn’t.” Shark scoffed.

Tetsuo pouted a bit when Rio bumped him.  Yuuma laughed.

“I don't think Alit knows that either...but if Gilag is with him, he'll probably be able to hold him back.” Yuuma said with a grin.

“You’re allowed to correct me when I’m wrong,” Rio said, smirking up at Tetsuo.

“Or just… you know… Pick him up and carry him off. That works.” Shark said, miming it awkwardly. Some of their friends still laughed but Shark blushed and looked away, grumbling.

“I'm plenty in shape...” Tetsuo pouted.  

Yuuma laughed, hugging Shark as the other started grumbling.

“He would do that! You're so funny!”  He said, nuzzling his cheek happily.

“I forgot round is a shape,” Rio teased, even though she knew that Tetsuo was quite the muscular man. She squeezed his bicep and kissed his cheek, just so Tetsuo knew she was kidding.

“Oy, no need to force it,” Shark muttered, feeling even more embarrassed. He hated parties, but someone had to watch Yuma.

Tetsuo blushed a bit when Rio kissed his cheek.  Even after being with her for years, he never quite got over how beautiful she was and how much he loved it when she gave him her attention.  

Yuuma grinned, cuddling Shark anyway.  Suddenly they heard the door opening, and then Alit entered the room, closely followed by Gilag.  Yuuma beamed.

“You guys finally showed up!”  He said excitedly.

“Look at you two, coming back to your own home to your friends making out and eating your food,” Charlie mused, the man lingering in the doorway since he didn’t really want to join in the conversation.

“Hey guys,” Rio waved, loping away from Tetsuo. “How was the workout?”

“You know… the one you just did,” Kotori said, offering them a sympathetic smile with the cover.

Alit managed a small smile at Charlie's comment.  It was nice to see his friends again, but he couldn't help but feel the smallest pain return when he remembered that one particular friend wasn't with them anymore.

“Sorry we're late.” He said.  He blinked at Rio's comment.  Workout?  He wasn't allowed to do those yet...but then he realized that it gave him an easy out for explaining where he'd been.  He smiled a bit sheepishly.

“You got me.  I couldn't resist getting back to the gym...but it didn't go very well.  I'm not quite healed enough for much.”  He said.

“Did Gilag drag you out before you hurt yourself again?”  Yuuma asked, half concerned and half amused.

“Yes.” Gilag said before Alit could answer. “I had to literally carry him out before he issued himself a way back to the hospital.” At that, Rio and Akari burst out laughing, and Shark just groaned, putting his face in his hands, feeling embarrassed yet slightly proud of his guess.

Alit glanced at Gilag, chuckling a bit.

“Yeah...that was kind of embarrassing.”  He mused. Ponta laughed too, which in turn made Masumi giggle.  Yuuma chuckled, clapping Shark on the back.

“Looks like you were right!” He said, before glancing back at Alit.

“You look like you're doing okay though, since you're on your own two feet now!”  He said happily.  Alit nodded.

“Yeah, I'm doing much better now.”  He said, glancing over at Rio, spotting the baby in her arms.  It clearly wasn't Masumi because she was with Ponta a few feet away.  So who was it?

“Rio-san, since when did you have a baby?”  He asked, surprised and confused.

“Please don’t remind me,” Shark muttered, waving Yuma off.

“… Hehhhh… Me with a baby? Ah come off it.” Rio said, looking at Alit. “I don’t like children unless I can give them back. This is Akari’s baby.”

“Remember, I told you about her. You’ve must have forgotten because of the medicine. The doctor did say some bits would be fuzzy.” Kotori said, smiling.

Yuuma chuckled, backing off a bit when Shark waved him off.

“Oh!  That's right, Akari-san was pregnant...I think I did forget. Sorry...I was on some pretty powerful medication.”  He said.

“Congrats, Akari-san! What's your baby's name?”  He asked, coming over for a look at the baby in Rio's arms.  Now that he was closer he could see the baby didn't look at all like Rio.

“It’s Yuzu. McCoy Yuzu.” Akari smiled. “She’s got my good looks, heh.” The woman said.

“What good looks?” Yuma asked before he realised what he said. He tried to bolt but not before his sister knocked him on the head.

“Oyyyy!”

“You’re a moron.” The Kamishio twins said in unison.

Alit chuckled at the exchange.

"I think she's adorable and she'll grow up to be as beautiful as her mother." He said, smiling at Yuzu and sitting next to Rio to get a closer look. Yuzu cooed at Alit in greeting.

"Masumi will too, pon!" Ponta said happily, still playing with his baby sister.

“Thank you, Alit.” Akari said, pretending she couldn’t hear her husband and her brother’s friends laugh.

“They’ll both be little ladies.” Rio laughed. “So how was the hospital, Alit? I’m glad you’re looking better."

“Well...I don't remember being awake too often, since I was on heavy drugs.  I guess because of that, it was both the best and worst trip to the hospital I've had so far?  It was bad because obviously this injury was the most serious and life-threatening I've ever had...but I didn't feel much pain due to the meds, so I guess that was good?”  Alit said, placing his hand over his stomach where he was still a little bandaged under his clothes.

“I am doing better...but it still hurts if I move wrong or too quickly, so I figure I've got a ways to go before I'm 100% again.  I don't wanna rest anymore though.”  He said with a sigh.  Yuuma nodded.

“I was like that too when I hurt my leg!  I hate sitting still!”  He whined, practically bouncing in place where he sat next to Shark.  

“I guess your family's gonna have to keep tabs on you so you don't overwork yourself and end up back in hospital!”  

“Yes, and that’s why he kept getting injured and kept going back to hospital.” Shark muttered under his breath.

“Didn’t you go to hospital eight more times than my brother?” Akari asked.

Yuuma pouted.

“It's hard to take it easy!” He complained, before grinning as his sister defended him.  

“Yeah that's true! You've definitely been there more!” He said with a chuckle.  Tetsuo rolled his eyes.

“I feel like lately you two have been a package deal for hospital admittance.”  He mused.

“Maybe we should hound on you two before we go for Alit.” Kotori said, bopping Yuma’s head with a plate of snacks before she walked off.

“Before one of us catches something really stupid,” Shark muttered.

Yuuma pouted and whined as his head was bopped again.  He got his vengeance by snatching a cookie off the plate before Kotori got too far away from him, shoving it in his mouth gleefully.

“Didn't you already try and catch something stupid, Shark?  You fell into a ditch!”  Tetsuo asked, then roared with laughter as Yuuma just looked oblivious.  

“Oy, go fuck yourself,” Shark scowled. “I was distracted by other things. How was I supposed to know that construction was there? I’m lucky I didn’t plough head first into hell.”

Alit was smiling and laughing a bit at his friend's antics, but he also felt sad.  They were reminiscing on happy times with each other, and he couldn't help but let his mind drift back to Koutei.  They had had some fun times...and now they were over. There wouldn't be a chance to do this with Koutei...to look back and laugh...slowly his smile was fading, but nobody seemed to notice, too wrapped up in their own discussions.  

Kotori did. Since she was flitting in and out to serve food for her guests and mind the baby, she had nothing to fully take her attention off Alit. Throughout the night, she saw him get more and more sombre, and while people did mention it, they didn’t notice it like Kotori did. So as the attention began drawing around Ponta and the kids, Kotori got up and she nudged Alit.

“I need your help in the kitchen,” She said as her excuse, looking at the man and expecting him to come.

Alit didn't mind that nobody noticed. He didn't want to bring the whole party mood down after all. Everyone had shifted to doting on the babies and Ponta, which meant no one was paying attention to him.

Well, almost no one. Alit was jolted out of his thoughts when Kotori nudged him. He blinked, recognizing that look in his wife's eyes. She had noticed something was up and he was about to get grilled. He got up obediently and followed her to the kitchen, their absence unnoticed by the others.

“… Where did you go on your walk, Alit?” Kotori asked, shutting the kitchen door and looking at her husband. “… You weren’t like this before."

Alit glanced up at Kotori, then sighed and lowered his head sadly.

"...I went to see Koutei. There was...something I had to figure out." He confessed.

“… Why Alit? Why on your first day out? What possibly couldn’t have waited for tomorrow?” Kotori asked. “Today is supposed to be rest… where you spend time with Masumi. What did Koutei have to say?”

Alit sighed, wincing slightly at Kotori's words.

"I know, but I just...I couldn't rest without knowing why he did all this. I wanted to know why so I could put it behind me...so I could know where we stood with each other. Cause I had no idea...why he'd hurt me or my family..." Alit said, clenching his fist.

"...He doesn't remember though. He was drugged...and he doesn't want to see me anymore. He's done with us...all he wants is to run away and hide...that's what upsets me."

“. . . Alit…” Kotori frowned. She put her arms around him and held him close to her, forcing him into a gentle hug.

“. . . Properly. Explain… why he was drugged? Why is he scared?”

Alit accepted the hug, gently returning it. He was careful not to let Kotori lean too much against his injury and cause him pain.

"He wasn't able to tell me completely...just guess. He has really bad memory loss it seems..." Alit started with a sigh.

"He said...he thinks he was lonely. And...got into the wrong crowd, that gave him drugs...I don't get why he felt a need to make new friends though. I did try to contact him...I invited him out...but apparently those bad influence people were more worth his time....they were able to help him more..." Alit said sadly, hating the pain it caused him to think about that.

"...So that's why he wants to hide. He doesn't want to see me anymore...he doesn't care anymore about any of us..."

Kotori made sure it was mostly her arms doing her hugging, supporting Alit from his shoulders. She wanted nothing more than to take away his pain.

“… Well… There was us getting married, and with Ponta and Gilag. You are his only friend, Alit. Maybe he thought you were overstepping his boundaries? You couldn’t be with him all the time… especially with Masumi being born.” Kotori didn’t want to put the blame on Alit- far from it- but it pained her to hear Alit talking so negatively about the blonde he prided so much in. She felt like she needed to speak in his defence somehow. “Maybe he thought he was more deserving of their time… not yours. It sounds like he was very depressed.”

It sounded to her that Koutei cared too much, honestly.

Alit sighed softly, considering Kotori's words.  She had always been smarter than him when it came to things like this.

“I guess that's true...but...I was reaching out to him, wasn't I?  Did I just...not do it enough?  Cause...surely seeing him part of the time is better than never...” Alit asked softly.  He wondered if he had reached out more or been more insistent with Koutei, he never would've been depressed in the first place.

“I don’t know. I don’t think anyone can say that, honestly. Not Koutei, not you. That sort of thing… is difficult.” Kotori sighed. It wasn’t a matter of Alit doing enough anyway.

“. . . Just… You can worry. I can’t stop you… but don’t get consumed by this. We’ll see Koutei in court. You’ll get to talk to him too. You just need to focus on recovering first"

Alit nodded.

"I don't know either." He said softly. He was kinda sad and lost. He smiled a bit and kissed Kotori's cheek.

"I'll try not to worry too much...Ill focus on resting and see how things go." He promised.

Kotori leaned into it before she lightly whacked his shoulder.

“I mean it, though. Rest. Make sure you get better. Otherwise I’ll have one of our guests tie you down from now on."

Alit yelped a bit when he was smacked, even though it didn't really hurt him, and immediately nodded repeatedly.

“Yes ma'am.  I'll take it easy.”  He promised.

“Good.” Kotori shook her head before she leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.”I love you. So does your kid and brothers. Alright?"

Alit smiled as his cheek was kissed.  

“Yeah, I know.  I love you and my family too.  Thanks.”  He replied.

“Now… back to the party with you. Tire yourself there so you can sleep more.” Kotori said, taking his hand.

“Okay...I'm pretty sure Ponta will bug me to eat some of the cookies he made.”  Alit said with a chuckle, letting her take his hand and guide him back into the living room where their guests were still chatting happily.

Ponta looked up when Alit and Kotori entered, grinning at them.

"You didn't try my cookies...we made so many pon! I want more people to come!" Ponta declared. Alit tried one obediently with a smile for his little brother.

"Yeah, we're missing some people...like Takashi and Ena!" Yuuma recalled.

"Ena hasn't been feeling well lately. Takashi said they couldn't make it today because he has to stay home and look after her." Kotori said sombrely.

"And what about Kaito? I hope he's not home all alone missing his brother..." Rio mused sadly. Yuuma and Shark shared a secret smile, knowing from communication with Astral that Kaito was probably with him. They'd been spending lots of time together lately, since Astral wanted to help Kaito through his mourning process and because they could again safely.

"Wonder what they're up to..." Yuuma asked Shark softly, snuggling against him on the floor.

"I worry about him… he said he was sick but… Kaito doesn’t really share what’s going on with him.” Rio sighed. For all they knew, he could be crying on the floor.

—

Which he was.

Well, not exactly the floor, but laying back on the bed, sobbing as loudly as he dared. Kaito gasped as he gripped the bed, feeling both warm and cold shivers run up his body. His toes curled and he could only scream.

“Ahhh! AHhhhh! Astral…"

And Astral was on top of him, riding his dick as hard as he could, determined to make Kaito feel good. He had been away from his boyfriend for so long that they had both desperately wanted this.  It seemed that without his vision, Kaito's other senses were even more sensitive.  Astral moaned in pleasure.

“Ngh...Kaito~”  He said.

Kaito winced and he tried to grab Astral’s legs, to cup them, to feel his partner’s body, but his hands kept slipping off. He thrashed his head back, unable to stop the courses of pleasure shooting through as Astral worked his worn down body. He grimaced, digging his nails into the bed before moaning out Astral’s name and cumming into his partner.

When Kaito's hot seed brushed his prostate, Astral couldn't hold on anymore, cumming hard against both of their stomachs, Kaito's name on his lips.  He lifted himself off of Kaito, lying down next to him and cuddling him close with a smile.

“I love you.”  He said softly, feeling as though he hadn't said it enough.

Kaito gave a small groan as Astral moved, far to quick for his liking, but rolled with him. He immediately embraced the man and held him, sighing quietly as he just enjoyed the euphoria that danced around in his beings still, and the embrace of Astral.

“I love you"

Astral smiled wider when Kaito embraced him, closing his eyes and resting.  He gave him a small kiss on the cheek before resting his head in the crook of Kaito's neck.  He was warm and relaxed and he had missed this desperately, especially while in prison.

“I missed this...”  He said softly.

Kaito pulled his arms around Astral and sighed into the man’s shoulder. He was tired. He was very, very tired. Everything was taxing these days. He was beginning to feel like Haruto did, or how he guessed it would feel. However, he kept the worry and sadness from creeping into their moment.

“… I missed it too.”

Astral understood that Kaito was tired and sad still, but he kept quiet about it, not wanting to spoil the moment either.  He gently stroked Kaito's hair, wanting to soothe him and let him rest.  

“We can stay here as long as we want then...to make up for the missed times.”  

“Well… Until Chris gets back…” Kaito muttered. “He’s late today. He might have been called into the police office to help Ukyou.” It was nice that he could have Astral to himself and call him by his name, but he still worried for his mentor.

“Feels like a long time ago when we first met, huh?” Kaito said, not even sure himself where his words were coming from.

“We did see him there when they were interrogating Yami...then he left with Ukyou.  Perhaps they wanted to make sure that the Superintendent was alright.”  Astral said softly, recalling how they'd watched the interrogation from his hack. Now that Yami was behind bars, they could breathe easier.  Astral smiled.

“Yes.  It was a long time ago...we've both grown and changed quite a bit since then.”  Astral replied.

Kaito shrugged. He figured that Chris was alright and tests were just taking longer than either of them hoped. He figured nothing romantic was on the table, since Chris was near useless at human interaction.

“We’re only just in our thirties and I feel awful.” Kaito muttered, absentmindedly twirling Astral’s hair. “And kind of like a kid, considering you keep taking care of me as you do."

Astral held Kaito close.

"The bad feeling will not last...you are still in mourning." Astral said softly, leaning into his touch.

"Perhaps we are both childish, because I am always excited and impatient to see you." He mused.

“Not one of my kinks Astral. You just got me off. I thought you’d know that,” The man joked, blank eyes staring at the ceiling. Astral was right. He was still upset about Haruto. It had been… he couldn’t remember, honestly. It felt painfully long.

Astral smiled and chuckled a little.

"You suggested it to begin with." He mused. He leaned his head on Kaito's chest gently in comfort.

"One day you will feel better, and I will help you get there, Kaito." He said softly.

“Hopefully it’s before I die. It’s honestly a legitimate race,” Kaito muttered darkly, continuing to pet Astral’s hair.

Astral frowned.

"Do not say that. I will not let you go so easy." He said, holding Kaito closer as if he was about to slip away.

“… I’m going to say something really stupid, Astral… But it’s legitimately the truth.” Kaito didn’t bother pretending to look at Astral. His voice was calm and level, and he continued stroking Astral’s hair, just as he had been when he was joking. “You’re really the only reason why I’m bothering to stay alive.”

Astral listened patiently and sadly. He sighed.

"...then I will not leave you, because I do not want you to die." He replied softly.

“I know. I know… I guess that’s a messed up way of saying I love you and don’t want you to leave me, huh…” Kaito muttered. He reached for Astral’s hand so he could feel the difference between them, wanting to memorize every bit of Astral’s skin.

"I suppose so." Astral said. He met Kaito's hand, letting him link them together. He knew Kaito's eyes were now his hands, so he allowed them to roam as much as they needed to for Kaito to take him in.

“… Will you stay with Chris after I’m gone? Move out to Yuma’s? Get your own place?” Kaito was admittedly curious, and he wanted to know if Astral had a plan for after he passed. They had to talk about it some time… so why not now when neither was willing to leave.

"I do not know." Astral said softly.

"I do not really want to think about your death that much...but I suppose I will survive. I do not think moving in with Chris or Yuuma would be good...perhaps I will go back to living alone." He said. That was what he'd always done before Kaito.

“… I see.” Kaito frowned. “… You’re allowed to move on, you know. Just… saying.”

Astral frowned.

"You are my first. I also like to think of you as my only. I am not sure if I ever would." He said softly.

“I’m not saying you have to, I’m saying if it happens, it’s alright. I won’t blame you.” Kaito said, feeling oddly pleased to hear that Astral would be his and his alone. “I just worry…"

"If you are truly that worried about me, then you should focus on living as long as you can. Then I will never be alone." Astral countered, hugging Kaito.

“… You’re devious, you know that?” Kaito muttered, hugging him back.

Astral smiled.  

“You love me anyway.” He replied, kissing Kaito's cheek.

“Yeah… Yeah I do…” Kaito smiled and kissed him.

Astral smiled as he was kissed, cuddling up against Kaito to rest.

Kaito closed his eyes and dozed off again with Astral, not waking up until his alarm went off. Usually this was to remind Kaito he was supposed to have his meals and meds, but right now it was just an annoyance.

“Ughhh… Orbital…” Kaito glowered, not wanting to wake up.

"Kaito-sama, Chris-sama has still not returned home!" Orbital said, sounding a little anxious because Chris was never not home at this hour without leaving a message. Astral groaned a little as he was woken up. He glanced at the clock.

"...it is late...your mentor does not usually stay out this long." He noted.

Kaito groaned and rubbed his temples. “I should call him… Orbital, get Obomi to make dinner and call Chris.”

"Yes Kaito-sama!" Orbital said, sending a message to Obomi to make supper and then dialling Chris' personal phone.

Meanwhile, Chris and Ukyou were still in Chris' office. The two had eventually dozed off like how Astral and Kaito had. They had not been disturbed for several hours, as per Chris' request, but Chris had not shut off his personal phone. Very few people had this number. He heard it vibrating across the room from within the pile of clothes on the floor.

"Ugh..." Chris groaned, getting up and digging for it. He picked up when he saw his own home number, knowing it must be Kaito.

"Kaito? What's wrong?" He asked, not realizing the time.

“Chris, it’s already seven in the evening. Where are you?” Kaito asked. “You didn’t say you were coming home late today,” He said, rubbing his eyes, not hearing Ukyou groan awake in the background.

Chris blinked in surprise, checking the clock.

"Oh...I didn't even notice." He mused, knowing it was unlike him to miss being home on time. He smiled at Ukyou when the other man stirred, reminded of what they'd just done and secretly ecstatic that it hadn't been a dream.

"Something came up...sorry for forgetting to call. I'll be home soon..." He said, knowing that was also very unusual. But it had been worth it.

“Alright… if you’re sure… See you then,” Kaito said, hanging up. He rubbed his temples. “Asshole probably got caught up with work.”

“Morning..” Ukyou smiled at the younger man.

Astral nodded.

"I can sympathize. Yuuma constantly had to tear me away from my computers when I hacked, else I forgot to eat or sleep." Astral mused, sitting up and stretching a little. He knew he would have to leave soon if Chris was coming home at last.

Chris hung up after saying goodbye to Kaito. He smiled at Ukyou.

"Good evening." He corrected lightly, coming back to sit with Ukyou.

"That was Kaito...I'm usually home by now and he called to check up on me."

That bit of information wasn’t comforting to Kaito, who was concerned about Astral’s life after he died. He just shook his head and got up. “You want the shower first?”

Ukyou chuckled and smiled up at the older man. It was strange to think he was talking to his former boss’ teacher.

“Ah… It is a bit late. I guess we did get carried away"

"Sure." Astral said, getting up and stretching.

Chris nodded.

"Yeah...did you want me to drive you home? You should be alright now that we know the drug didn't affect you."

“Ah… Yes.” Ukyou finally remembered why they were here to begin with. “Well… Unless you want me to take the bus, a lift home would be appreciated,” Ukyou said.

Chris smiled.

“What kind of future partner would I be if I didn't help you get home?”  Chris said.

Ukyou kind of liked that, even if the term ‘future partner’ really sounded lame. The man kissed the strands of V’s hair he could reach and went to retrieve his clothes, groaning as he felt the ache in his body.

Chris smiled and blushed a little as his hair was kissed.  He joined Ukyou in grabbing his clothes and cleaning up as best he could.

“You ready?”  He asked once he had put his clothes on.

Ukyou adjusted his uniform and nodded once he was done. “As well as I can be. Thank you…"

Chris smiled.  

“Alright.  I think I'm good too.”  He grabbed his bag, his phone and his keys and made sure his office looked at least presentable for tomorrow.

“Let's go then.”  He said, leading Ukyou out to the car.

Ukyou smiled and followed after him. The receptionist downstairs sighed in relief as she saw Chris, knowing she could pack up and go home, and waved the two happily goodbye.

“Next time, I might invite you over,” Ukyou said. “We could have dinner first"

Chris waved goodbye to her as well, glad nothing seemed off about his appearance or Ukyou's.

"That sounds lovely...id like that." Chris said with a smile. They reached his car and he unlocked it.

"You'll have to direct me. I'm not sure where you live." He admitted.

“I’ll direct you now so you know where to go next time,” Ukyou said, getting in the passenger’s seat. He enjoyed his time with Chris… he hoped this would be a regular thing soon.

Chris followed Ukyou's directions, making sure to remember the route so he could return here one day. He wanted to see Ukyou regularly too.

"Ah, is this your house? It looks nice." Chris said, pulling up in front of the house Ukyou indicated.

Ukyou smiled and nodded. “Yeah. I’ve lived in it for almost twenty years. I try keep it all nice and together.” He was glad it showed, even a little bit. He unbuckled his seatbelt and looked at Chris.

“I’ll see you soon, Chris… Take care…” he said, wondering if it was too… childish to kiss him in the car before he left.

Chris smiled.

"I can see why. It's beautiful." He said happily. He looked at Ukyou, smiling at him.

"Yeah...you too..." He said, unable to resist moving forward to peck him on the lips.

Ukyou blinked as he was kissed but he covered his mouth when he parted and hid his laugh.

“Thanks. See you, Professor.” He said, heading inside straight for the shower.

Chris smiled.

“See you, Officer Ukyou.” He said softly, watching him go until he disappeared inside the house.  He sighed happily to himself, before heading out reluctantly to go back home.

Astral was out of the shower and cleaned up, approaching Kaito.

“I will take my leave now...since Chris gets home soon.”  He said softly to Kaito.

“We should just damned introduce you to Chris so you can stay a night for once,” Kaito sighed, getting up for the shower. “Get home safe okay?"

Astral smiled.

“Perhaps one day.”  He gave Kaito a hug and a kiss.

“I will.  You take care of yourself too.”  He said softly.

Kaito smiled faintly and kissed him back. “See you.”

“…. Orbital clean the sheets and heat up dinner. I’ll be out soon.” He said, letting Astral see himself out.

Astral smiled back, giving Kaito's hand a quick squeeze before heading out.  

“Yes, Kaito-sama!” Orbital said, heading down to make sure the dinner was prepared for Chris and Kaito.

About half an hour later, Chris walked in the door, still in bliss after his time with Ukyou.  He was so happy that things were looking up in his love life, and he felt that now that he was home, he could finally show it. Kaito couldn't see anyway...and it wasn't like the robots would tell him anything.

In half an hour, Kaito was able to bathe, get changed and be seated for dinner. Thankfully, he hadn’t been waiting long, but he was frowning and staring straight at the door, approximately where he thought Chris would be.

“… You’re back late”

Chris sighed.

“I'm sorry, Kaito.  I lost track of time.”  He said honestly, but still sounding more cheery as he recalled exactly what he'd been doing while he was losing track of time.

“… Having sex with Ukyou now, really? That’s unprofessional.” Kaito said, as if commenting on the weather. He turned away, wrinkling his nose a bit in disgust. Chris must have been really messy with his former coworker...

Chris' face went red despite himself.  He supposed he really shouldn't have been surprised that Kaito figured it out, as observant as his student was.  

“...How did you even-?!” He exclaimed, turning away in surprise.

“Get changed, Chris. Have a shower. I can wait five more minutes for you to come down” Kaito said, rolling his eyes, imagining Chris’ face. He got his phone out and began to use it, switching the voice command features on. He had messages to send.

Chris sighed.  

“Alright...”  He said, making his way upstairs.

Thomas was at home when his phone buzzed.  The notification told him it was Kaito posting to their group chat that Miheal was also in, where they communicated their mutual frustration over Chris' lack of a love life.  Thomas opened the message, wondering what had happened this time, before nearly dropping the phone in shock.

“WHAT?”  He exclaimed out loud, immediately typing into the chat demanding details.  Seconds later, Miheal chimed in, acting just as surprised and demanding to know just how Kaito had guessed that Chris had sex with Ukyou.

Kaito rolled his eyes as he heard the electronic voice read out the crude remarks from the other Arclights. Still, he obeyed, and texted back the bits he knew.

Kaito Tenjo > He came home back late today. He was very happy, tired and he smelt of cum.

Dr. M Arclight > ew gross

Kaito Tenjo > I know who he was doing as well.

Thomas scrunched his nose as he read Katio's first message before immediately typing furiously, demanding details.

NumberIVisMineBITCH > who??? was it that hot cop guy?  U know the 1 baby bro

Dr. M Arclight > oh yeah that cop...with the maroon hair and glasses right?  

Kaito Tenjo > Thomas, stop making my phone say your stupid user name out loud.

Kaito Tenjo > Yes, that’s him. Kitano Ukyou. He’s a good man. I’m surprised he and Chris actually did get together. It’s sooner than I thought.

NumberIVisMineBITCH > stfu Kaito my username rocks!!

Dr. M Arclight > wow that's awesome! I'm glad for Nii-san! :D  

NumberIVisMineBITCH > yeaaaaaaaaaa earlier than u thought but not earlier than I did I win the bet pool pay upppppp!

Kaito Tenjo > It’s painful to hear every single time you open your mouth.

Kaito Tenjo > I thought you were joking with the bets. Who bets on someone else’s sex life.

Kaito Tenjo > … Never mind. I remembered who I was talking to/

Dr. M Arclight > Nii-san never jokes on betting unfortunately...

NumberIVisMineBITCH > wtf is that supposed to mean Kaito?  I am so calling chris for details...

Dr. M Arclight > leave him alone for now, Nii-san!  He doesnt know we know he should tell us himself!

Kaito Tenjo > Are you that broke, Thomas?

Kaito Tenjo > He’s in the shower now. I told him to clean up.

NumberIVisMineBITCH > shut up Kaito

Dr. M Arclight > we'll call him when he gets out maybe?  I definitely wanna hear more about this.

NumberIVisMineBITCH > well duh!  I wanna know how it went too!

Kaito Tenjo > Don’t. Then he’ll know I’ve been texting you and technically that’s an ‘invasion of privacy’

Dr. M Arclight > hes got a point...but I can call him for other reasons.  I gotta talk 2 him about a case

NumberIVisMineBITCH > u better call him soon and grill him!!!

Kaito Tenjo > He’s very easy to call out though. Just mention he sounds happy, ask him if he’s had sex, act surprise when he gets flustered.

NumberIVisMineBITCH > yeaaaaaaaa now your talkin!  I'm calling him!

Dr. M Arclight > you're insufferable, Nii-san.

Kaito Tenjo > Call him in an hour. I want to eat, damn it, and Chris and I have made it a point to eat together.

NumberIVisMineBITCH > alright alright ill wait!

Dr. M Arclight > enjoy your meal!  Thanks for letting us know our brother is in good hands! :D

Chris came downstairs, hair tied up and a bit damp from his shower.  He was dressed in fresh clothes.

“Kaito?   We can eat now if you want.”  He said.

Kaito left the messages and muted his phone as Chris came down. He gave a small smile and shrugged. “It’s fine. Let’s eat. I’m sure you have a lot to talk about the case."

Chris smiled and nodded, filling his plate and sitting down.

“Yeah...it's been a long day.  Ukyou and his team ended up catching their guy...and Ukyou got drugged by him.  My formula works, thankfully, so he wasn't affected by it.  That was a relief.”  He admitted, speaking warmly of Ukyou.

“I see… so you caught Mutou then. I’m glad everyone is alright…”  Kaito muttered.

“I'm glad too.  I suppose the next step is the trial...I'm not sure if I'll be too involved in that, but we'll see.”  Either way, the trial was an important date for Chris, because it was after that when he could officially start going out with Ukyou. He was excited for it.

“You probably will be. Ukyou was attacked, right? You’ll still have to submit a report,” Kaito said, beginning to eat. “It’ll probably be a public case, if I’m not mistaken… It might take a while to resolve… especially if Mutou is pleading mental disorders over being guilty."

Chris sighed.

“Yeah probably.”  He said.  He frowned.

“...I don't know. He's clearly very smart...I went over the drugs he came up with and found them quite ingenious, even though they're diabolical in nature.  But at the same time, I saw the interrogation...and there seemed to be something wrong with him.  He kept...changing from hardened confident criminal to scared weak little boy in the blink of an eye.”  Chris mused.

“Split personality disorder then. Interesting… we’ll see what the trial pulls up,” Kaito said.

“Yeah...I wonder if it'll get Miheal involved...he does deal with criminals who are mentally ill.” Chris mused.

“I bet he is. He tends to be involved with cases the police department does. He is the head psychiatrist of the institution,” Kaito shrugged. “You’ll probably see him pleading Mutou’s case, like he did Vector's."

“Yeah...Miheal will be hopefully be able to tell if he's faking or not.  There are some tests he can do, if Mutou allows it.”  Chris said.  

“It'll be interesting for Miheal and I to be working the same case.”  

“On opposite sides, no less. He’d be in the defendants, and the lawyers will be using you to defend him.” Kaito paused. “… I bet Thomas will make bets on one of you two."

"Yeah that's right...that will be interesting." Chris said. He chuckled a bit.

"Thomas makes bets on everything. I wouldn't be surprised if he somehow bet with Miheal on how quickly I get together with Ukyou...they saw us together before and I'm pretty sure they spied on us while we went out for lunch." He mused, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Oh...um...you don't mind, do you? Me and Ukyou?" Chris asked with a small blush.

“…” Kaito wisely decided to remain quiet until Chris asked the question. Then he shrugged.

“No, it’s not my concern, honestly. I just thought you’d be sick of having police over you by now"

Chris smiled a bit.

“Well...if it's Ukyou I don't mind.”  Chris mused.

“You really like him, huh?” Kaito said, sipping his water. On one hand, he was happy for Chris. On the other hand, it was really increasing the risk for Astral. As much as Ukyou was a good friend, he was a better police officer. He’d be screwed if Astral was caught.

Chris blushed.

“Yeah...I do.  But, we can't really start going out yet...I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone, because I don't want it to be brought up at Mutou's trial.  We've agreed to wait until after to officially get together.”  

“Of course.” Kaito shrugged again, but he was… actually really glad that Chris found someone. He was a good man, and having someone that made him happy was good. “And maybe some weeks after that in case there’s loose ends."

Chris sighed.

“Yeah...we'll have to play it by ear.  I really hope this all gets done with fast, but I doubt it.  I'm pretty sure the remaining CEOs and the companies whose CEOs Mutou killed will want him dead.  That could drag out the trial.”  Chris mused.

“Their money and influence may make it a problem. Even if he does have legitimate mental illnesses. Not to mention his track record isn’t clean… it’s not a one of incident, after all. If he doesn’t get a death sentence, it’ll cause one hell of a problem for the many victims of him” Kaito said.

“Yeah...this isn't a first time job.  He's a fugitive too...never actually served his full sentence.  That might affect things as well.”  Chris said with a sigh.  This was all shaping up to be complicated and he knew that the longer the case went on, the longer it would take before he could officially be with Ukyou.

“The way it looks, unless Miheal has a convincing argument and there’s a good lawyer. Mutou may die regardless.” Kaito muttered.

“Yeah...that's true...” Chris said.  He didn't really feel that bad for Mutou...he had hurt so many people that his death might help keep the world safer.  But at the same time, if there were really two of them, and one had committed the crimes, it didn't seem fair for the innocent half to die.

“We'll have to wait and see...”  

-x-

Ukyou slept very well that night, dreaming of Chris and sharing more special moments with him in the future. He was almost sad to wake up from his dreams that morning, but he had to get back to work and finish this case so he and Chris could officially be together again. He got dressed and had some coffee in a happy daze, glad he wasn't too sore from yesterday. He headed out to the station, greeting Droite and Gauche, who were the first to arrive.

"Morning, Droite, Gauche." He said, not realizing that his collar didn't quite hide a telltale bruise on his neck.

Droite looked up and raised an eyebrow when she looked at Ukyou, but as soon as Gauche got a double take at him, he slammed his papers down on the desk and slapped Droite’s back.

“Ow! Hey!”

“I told ya, huh! Holy Shit! Anna! Anna! Oy! Where’s Anna?” Gauche grabbed the next person he found and grinned. “Tell her it happened! Go!”

The stunned officer nodded and rushed off to find Anna. Ukyou stared at his teammates in confusion.

"Am I missing something here?" He asked.

Anna came bounding back into the room.

"Gauche are you serious?" She exclaimed, before looking at Ukyou and grinning widely.

"It did oh my god!" She cheered.

“They’re children. Ignore them.” Droite muttered. “They’re also gambling addicts.”

“Hey, a betting pool is fine in good fun,” Gauche said. “Congrats sir."

Ukyou blinked, smiling a bit at the ridiculousness of this situation.

"Betting pool? What for?" He asked, confused as well by the congratulations.

"You and Chris hooked up right?" Anna said bluntly with a grin. Ukyou flushed a bit and gaped in surprise.

"...How did you guys...?" He murmured.

“Hickey.” Droite and Gauche said together. Droite looked disgusted at speaking in unison but Gauche just grinned happily.

“Pay up Anna. I told ya they wouldn’t wait long.” Gauche said.

“Or get to work. We have a court case to be ready for.” Droite groaned.

Ukyou glanced down at his neck and sighed, flushing a bit in embarrassment.

"Unbelievable." He mused, fixing his collar to hide it. Anna pouted and handed Gauche his money with a groan.

"Droite is right, which is why nobody is going to share this information with anyone else. We don't want my relationship with Chris to jeopardize the case." Ukyou said sternly.

"Did we get the results back from Mutou's blood test?" He asked, wanting to get to work.

“They are.” She said quietly. Gauche groaned but he put his money in his pockets.

“Well, we did. They’re not all back but a good chunk are,” Gauche said, going to Ukyou his papers.

Ukyou took them and looked them over.

"Everything here says he's clean. No traces of anything unusual in his system." Ukyou said with a frown. It wasn't too unexpected, since he hadn't heard of a drug that could cause the strange personality shift and partial memory loss that Mutou had demonstrated.

"Mai and I watched the footage from last night...Mutou was up almost all night, alternating between fearful crying and what looked like grim acceptance. It's weird...Mai said he didn't do that last time, and I haven't seen anything like it." Anna said with a frown.

“Mai hasn’t seen him besides when she confronted him in the past. This is her first time seeing him during the night. He may be like this usually… or not.” Droite said, as she typed on her computer. “We’re hoping that over the next few months before the court case, we can get some specialists to have a look at him and confirm our suspicions that he has a split personality and isn’t aware of his actions.”

“I really hope not. Mutou has done too much shit to get away with an excuse like that.” Mai said, walking in, a look of disgust twisted on her pretty face. “You haven’t seen the lives he’s destroyed first hand like I have,”

Ukyou nodded.

"I think we should try to talk to him more...I want to know exactly how aware he is about what he's doing before we call in a specialist. In the last interrogation, he seemed to know what we were asking for awhile, then suddenly changed to being oblivious." Ukyou said.

"Maybe one half knows everything? If he has split personality I mean..." Anna suggested. Ukyou nodded.

"Maybe. We'll see. Gauche, can you go get Mutou and see if he's able to talk?"

“Alright… I’ll get him. I don’t know what we’re going to get out of him, but that's the fun…” Gauche muttered walking off to go and get Yuugi.

Yuugi was in his cell. He wanted to scream, but he was very tired, and he felt like he had gotten no sleep the night before. The man sat up when he saw Gauche and, without any argument, he followed him along to the interrogation room.

“We know he has no drugs this time, so we should be okay to go in.  Gauche and I will question him again, but if you guys see anything, feel free to come in as well.”  Ukyou said to his team before entering with Gauche.  Upon seeing Yuugi this morning, Ukyou could tell that he hadn't slept very well.  He looked tired, his eyes a little bit red from crying, and there was still an underlying look of fear and worry in them.  Ukyou could understand pretty easily how Mutou could have passed as a younger boy during his stay with Raphael with that look, but he couldn't let it get to him.  Even if this man was mentally ill, he was still a very intelligent serial killer.

“Good morning, Mutou-san. We didn't quite get all that we wanted out of our questioning yesterday, so we were hoping to clear a few things up this morning.”  Ukyou said, sitting down.  Yuugi stared at these two familiar officers, not remembering what was asked of him yesterday aside from whether or not he had taken drugs, but he was too tired to complain.  Plus, his head hurt...he felt like he was burning up with fever and he didn't quite know why.

“Okay...I'll answer as best I can...”  He said softly.  

“...But...before that...can you...can you please tell me whether or not I...did this to myself? You did a drug test right?  Is it back yet?”  He asked tentatively.  He had spent the night thinking as best he could about explanations for this strange memory loss of his.  The last thing he could definitively remember was his grandfather's death, and he knew that people dealt with grief with drugs and alcohol sometimes.  And, even though he hadn't figured himself that type of person, he had wondered if he had somehow fallen into them.  It would explain his memory loss...that was the only thing that vaguely made sense...

Gauche frowned and gave a so-so gesture. “Well, we did a drug test and most of it is processing now. However, we did get some immediate tests back already. It’s too early to really say, but it so far looks like you haven’t been under any sort of external influence, bar what you used to knock yourself out in Kawahara-san… Raphael’s house.”

Droite frowned as she looked at Yuugi and then at Mai. Mai was drumming her fingers, looking irritated. It was clear she was as eager to wrap this case up as the CEOs were, but Droite knew that they had to do this properly.

Yuugi listened as intently as he could while exhausted and feverish.  He frowned a little, not recalling trying to knock himself out at Raphael's house...

“Okay...I don't quite remember all of it...but...okay...”  Yuugi said, lowering his head slightly.  Ukyou frowned.

“...Alright, Mutou-san. Tell us about Masumi...do you remember her?”  Ukyou asked, starting to try and see if he remembered what had happened yesterday.

“Oh...the baby, right?” Yuugi asked.  Ukyou nodded.  Yuugi pondered this.

“Um...I remember seeing her at Raphael's house.  She was in the same room as me...she was on the bed, alone, while Raphael had stepped out. That's the first time I saw her...”

“Are you sure? Raphael said that you brought Masumi to him at the orphanage. Can you recall that?” Gauche asked

Yuugi blinked, frowning as he tried to remember.  His head hurt from trying, and he groaned softly.

“...I...I remember Raphael said...he adopted me and Masumi together...but I don't remember it.  I really don't.”  He said softly.  

“Would you like something to jog your memory?” Gauche asked, looking at Ukyou. “I’m thinking of showing him the video from yesterday"

Yuugi blinked.

"Um...sure, I guess." He said, wondering what the officer had in mind. Ukyou nodded.

"Ah yes, we were recording the interrogation. Sure, get Droite to set it up so we can see it." Ukyou said.

Droite got up and headed to get the laptop from Anna’s desk, making a note to someone to get the video. Within ten minutes, Droite was back. Gauche got the laptop off of her, and plugged in the thumb drive.

“Here… see if this rings a bell”

Yuugi waited patiently, fighting off waves of headaches that he remembered having last night and trying not to doze off. He let the officers put the laptop in front of him and start the video. His eyes went wide at what he saw.

The figure in the room was clearly him, seated in the chair he remembered sitting in and talking to Ukyou and the woman officer he didn't seem to remember, but to his surprise, he saw himself talking. He saw himself greeting the officers in a voice that was familiar and his....but at the same time, different somehow. This voice was calm, cool, collected...Yuugi was pretty sure he had never sounded like that.

"...Is that really me?" He whispered, still not able to remember ever saying anything like that. Once the tape got to parts he remembered, he saw himself looking confused and a little scared. The transition happened literally in a second, and it stunned Yuugi.

“… He really seems legitimate, Mai-san.” Droite said, staring at him through the glass. She didn’t have to look at Mai to know the woman was pissed off as hell. She was having her doubts, and while Gauche was still frowning, it was clear he was thinking the same of Yuugi.

“… It is Mutou. We did this yesterday."

“I...yeah, I know that...I remember this part...”  Yuugi said, motioning to the part where he was still lost and confused and speaking to Mai alone in the interrogation room.  Ukyou looked at the part, taking note of it.  Apparently this version of Yuugi was the one who didn't know anything about what had happened then.  That only left him with the question...where had the other version gone?  Was he still there, just hidden?  

Yuugi continued watching, reviewing the part that he did remember.  He saw Ukyou ask to take a blood test, and he remembered agreeing, despite his thoughts that he hadn't been doing drugs.  He gasped in alarm w hen he saw the powder shoot up on the footage and blast Ukyou in the face.

“What was that?!  What did I do there?”  He exclaimed in shock and fear, suddenly seeing himself smirk confidently.  Now, he couldn't remember this part again.  Ukyou frowned.

“You don't remember?” He asked.  Yuugi shook his head, looking at Ukyou in concern.  

“No!  I didn't do that, I swear!”  He said.

“You did. And you tried to order him for your escape.” Gauche frowned, his expression hardening once again. “Do you understand why there are so many charges against you, Mutou-san? If we weren’t prepared, you would have robbed him of his free will.” Gauche frowned.

Yuugi's expression kept shaping into a look of horror as Gauche talked, and he leaned back a bit in his seat to get away from him.

“I...I didn't...I don't remembering doing that...I see the video but I don't remember saying any of it!” Yuugi exclaimed.  His headache was getting worse as he got more scared, and he groaned a bit, holding his head.

“...I hurt people didn't I...or...this other me did...”  He said, remembering what Raphael had said about a possible split-personality.  Did he really have that?  Was that why there seemed to be a more confident version of him there?  

Ukyou nodded seriously.

“You have been charged before on accounts of gambling, attempted murder, and a few cases of murder itself, but those are old...the more important thing is the new case.” He showed Yuugi the photographs of the three CEOs he had killed.

“These three men are dead, Mutou-san.  Do any of them look familiar to you?”  Ukyou asked. Yuugi looked over the photographs cautiously, not recognizing any of them, until his eyes rested on the third one. He remembered briefly screaming in that man's presence.

“...I...saw him before...” Yuugi said softly, pointing at Amelda's picture.  

“He was...screaming...crying...covered in blood...and reaching for me.  I don't remember how he got that way...but...I just...I screamed. I didn't know what to do...” Yuugi said, looking a bit sick as he recalled it.

“… The witness. If the door was locked and there was no one inside the room but the victim and the murderer… then the murderer was the one who screamed. He’s the one who alerted the neighbours to call the police,” Anna muttered to herself. It was clear the others were thinking the same thing.

“… So why now? Out of all the murders, why is it only now this ‘innocent Yuugi’ is showing up?” Mai muttered. She was frustrated, mostly because a lot of this didn’t match what she had been researching about Yuugi, but at the same time… “It doesn’t make any sense.” It did. A lot of sense.

“So none of the others are familiar.” Gauche repeated

Ukyou was both intrigued and shocked.  The murderer had screamed, but that didn't fit the profile of an experienced killer like Mutou Yuugi.  Suddenly, the idea of a split personality was making sense.  But, like Mai, he was wondering why it was only now that this was noticeable.  

Yuugi shook his head sadly in response to Gauche's statement.

“No.  I've never seen them before.  I don't even know how I met this one that I did remember...there was nothing, then there was him...dying...”  He said shakily.  Ukyou sighed.

“Then I want to talk to the one who does know them.  We know it was you who killed them, Mutou-san.  Their deaths match your...style, shall we say.  You claimed yesterday to have no memory of the past seven years, but your body couldn't have been walking around doing this blindly. Someone else was in control, and that someone is still here, because we spoke to him yesterday.  You saw that on the tape just now.”  Yuugi listened, frowning.

“...I see that now...but...I didn't know there was another me...before today...so I don't...I don't know how to...switch?”  He said, his head hurting.  He was so tired...and felt sick...

“… Mai?” Droite looked up as Mai got up suddenly and got up to the door. The blonde was about to enter the room but stopped, looking up and staring at the door. She could see that the blonde was tense, angry even.

“Listen… you guys don’t know Mutou. I don’t know Mutou completely… but I do know that some part of him is aware of what’s going on. And I do know one other thing; he does have answers. I’m going to get them out of him.”

“Torture is illegal.” Anna said quickly. Mai didn’t even laugh. She just took a deep breath and composed herself. “You’re also not allowed in there!”

Mai didn’t care. She threw the door open and stomped in. Droite gaped as the woman slammed her hands on the desk and pointed at Yuugi.

“Mutou! I know you’re there, you rat bastard. I challenge you to a game! If you won’t tell us yourself, I’ll win some answers out of you!”

Ukyou and Gauche spun around in surprise when the door burst open and Mai strode in.  Yuugi flinched back in shock as Mai slammed her palms down on the table, surprised by her entrance.  But, that was the last thing he remembered, suddenly falling into black as Yami took over with a smile.

“Now that sounds much more appealing...I accept your challenge, Mai.”  The confident voiced version of Yuugi was back, it was clear to everyone.  Ukyou stared in surprise, before sighing and sitting down in the chair next to Mai.

“...I'll stay and supervise.”  He said, mostly for the sake of both parties.  Mai was clearly riled up, and the other Yuugi was dangerous.  Leaving them alone in a room together sounded like an all around bad idea.

“I’m out.” Gauche said immediately, shrugging and walking out. Once the door was shut, Mai closed the laptop and smirked.

“Rules are simple… Ukyou here goes and thinks of a number between one and ten. We have to guess that number. Whoever is closer gets to ask a question and answer honestly. Don’t answer honestly, and you get punished. It goes on until Ukyou here accidentally repeats three numbers in a row. Deal?"

“What if we both don't guess it, but we're both equally close to it?”  Yami asked immediately, clearly interested and immersed in the game. Ukyou decided to cut in.

“Then you both ask and answer a question.”  He said quickly, wanting this to work out in Mai's favour.  Yami smirked.

“Alright.  That's okay with me.  My first guess is number 7 then.”  Yami said.

“2.” Mai said, not looking at Ukyou. She had every intention to be true to her word and be fair.

Ukyou was impressed with Mai most of all.  Not only had she dragged the other Yuugi out, but she was also staying true to her word and not cheating, when she could have done so easily and gotten more questions out of him.  Thankfully this time, she had guessed closer.

“The number was 4.” Ukyou said, showing his fingers. Yami groaned a bit.

“Damn.  Alrighty then, Mai.  What do you want to know?”  

“Who hired you to kill these CEOs?” Mai said immediately, pointing down to the photos.

Yami smirked.

“It was someone rich, obviously.  They sent me envelopes with the payment in cash, and a folder of information about my next target.  I'm pretty sure whoever they are, they're also the ones who got me out of jail in the first place...but I never saw their face to thank them personally.”  Yami replied.  He was only partially lying here, and it was for self-defence more than anything.

“You don't have their name?” Ukyou asked.  Yami shook his head.

“Never knew who they were.” Yami mused.

“Next number I pick is 3.” He said, moving on.

“8.” Mai responded, feeling very unsatisfied with the answer. She crossed her arms and waited for Ukyou to announce what he had.

“2. Sorry Mai.”

Yami grinned when he was told he won that round, then pondered what sort of question he should ask Mai.

“How's your love life going, Mai?  Find anyone new and interesting?”  He finally decided on, knowing that Mai had been fending off advances from people for ages. Ukyou looked at Mutou in surprise.

“Ask something else...that's too personal.”  Yami shook his head.

“Mai didn't say that any topics are off limits, so the question is perfectly legal.  She can ask the same of me, if she wants, so it's perfectly fair.”  He argued, before looking at Mai expectantly.

“It’s fine, Ukyou. I have to give a little to get a lot,” Mai said. She smirked as she sat on the table and stretched. “Of course I did. I find lots of hot people. This one isn’t interested in me yet though, but I’ll get ‘em.”

“Droite, you’re blushing really hard.”

“Shut up, Gauche."

"Oh so you're chasing huh? Nice! Go for it Mai." Yami said with a grin.

"Alright next number you two." Ukyou said. Yami sighed.

"5"

Mai rolled her eyes and pouted. “Hmm… I like seven.”

“It was eight. Good job, Mai. You get another question,” Ukyou said.

“Okay, this is an easy one. What the hell is going on with this split personality bullshit? In our entire professional career, it’s never come up once. So why now?"

"Damn." Yami cursed, before he sighed.

"Wow that's a complicated question...alright I'll try to explain." Yami said, pausing to collect his thoughts.

"The innocent face you were talking to before the game is the true face of Mutou Yuugi. I only came out since Jr. High in fact....mostly as a response to bullying. Yuugi was scared, so I came out and dealt with those who scared him. Nobody noticed then because the switches didn't occur very often or for very long and Yuugi didn't have any friends who looked out for him."

"The bullying got worse in high school, so I came out more often to deal with it. But then, after high school, our grandfather got sick and died. Yuugi was devastated, because he had lost his only family, and essentially hid himself in our mind due to his grief for 7 years, leaving me to do as I pleased uninterrupted. I wasn't even sure if he'd ever come back. But, recently I guess Yuugi recovered and started coming out again...mostly as a response to...my emotions, probably. Raphael and other people were being nice to me for the first time, and I guess those nice feelings woke Yuugi up. That's my best guess for the "why now". This thing has never been diagnosed but I suppose "split personality" is as good a description as any." Yami said.

“I see…” Mai glanced back at Ukyou who was only frowning, processing the information. “So why crime? You don’t seem crazy or the type to just get into the criminal life. You like games after all. Normal games as well as your crazy stuff, wrong crowd?” Mai asked.

Outside, Droite was already scrambling with the others, trying to piece together Mutou’s history to make sure what he said was matching up. He had been known to be an amazing liar, so this could all be a rouse, even if all of them were having doubts abut that.

Yami smirked.

"That's two questions, Mai. You're breaking the rules...so if I answer this, you have to answer two for me next time." He mused.

"The reason is probably emotional. The way I see it, I was born of Yuugi's anger and frustration with those who hurt him and others just for fun. During those brief moments when I came out in school, all I ever did was punish those who hurt Yuugi. Sometimes they even died back then, but the cops dismissed it as gang fights because most of those guys were with the wrong crowd." He mused, knowing that his confession didn't really matter for his sentence at this point.

"After Jii-san got sick, I used my gaming skill to get into gambling. Yuugi needed money to pay for treatments. We had to sell the game shop, and drop out of college, and get a job to pay the bills but it wasn't enough. So, I came out at night to gamble and of course I was good and won a lot from those rich scumbags. That drew the wrong crowd to me, wanting to beat me up and intimidate me." Yami snickered.

"It gives you a rush you know? Outwitting some scumbag and punishing him...that's why I started learning about and making drugs, because they made the games more fun and also kept me safer. I'm not a big guy who can defend himself physically. All I got is my brain. Of course I do play friendly games too, but I had to earn a living somehow. I was broke after Jii-san died and had nowhere to live really."

“Yeah yeah,” Mai said, waving her hand. She listened to Yuugi’s long-winded explanation, having a feeling that he’d be repeating it a few times. She could practically hear that the police members were looking uncomfortable, seeing as that was identical what had happened to a few individuals.

“I see… So you became what you are, huh."

“Yeah.”  Yami replied, clutching his head a little.  Going into memory lane made Yuugi stir a little, and it didn't help that he still had a bit of a fever, he could tell.  

“Can we pick another number already?  6.”  He said with a small groan.

“… 2.” Mai muttered. “Good enough right?"

“It was 5.”  Ukyou said, showing his hand.  Yami was relieved.  He didn't want to answer anymore tough questions.

“Okay...so I get two questions then.”  He mused, pausing to think despite his aching head.

“...The person you like is that purple haired cop, right?  The smart but serious one?”  Yami mused with a small smirk.

Mai rolled her eyes but she flashed Yami a smile anyway and tossed her hair. “You catch on quick. She’s a super cutie that one.”

“Kill me,” Droite muttered.

Gauche chuckled.

“Come on, you like her too.” Gauche mused to his flustered friend.

Yami smirked.

“I think she does like you back...or at least she's curious.  And taking her time.  That's exactly what you like, so I figured she'd be the one.”  Yami said.

“So what're you gonna do to woo her, Mai?  Romantic dinner?  Movie? Carnival?  I know which one I'd like.”  Yami mused, thinking immediately of the carnival games.

Mai was about to tell him off for asking another question when she quickly caught herself. As Droite was muttering for Gauche to shut up, the blonde seemed to puff up proudly.

“I know she’s into me. I’m thinking dinner and a walk in the park. Something involved.”

“This is an interrogation…” Droite muttered.

Ukyou was thinking along similar lines to Droite, but allowed it because he noticed that Yuugi seemed to like the more casual setting better.  If it made him more talkative, it was probably worth it.

“Sounds nice!  She'll probably like that.  Let's hurry up and wrap up this case so you can ask her out yeah?” Yami mused winking playfully at Mai. Ukyou sighed.

“Pick another number then. Come on.”  He said.

“2.”  Yami said.

“6.” Mai said, fully aware that she and Yami had only swapped numbers.

“I picked 4...I guess that means you both ask each other a question.  Mai first.”  Ukyou cut in the last part, because he wanted to get a move on with the case.  Yami shrugged, not really caring who asked first, looking at Mai expectantly.

“So… you’re both Yuugi and yourself, correct… So Yuugi was present the night of Amelda’s murder. Tell me more about that. How did that work? You’re always aware of what happens but Yuugi always seems stunned and confused."  Mai said.

Yami listened and tried to formulate a good response.

“People call me 'Yuugi' because that's technically my legal name...but since there are two 'Yuugis', persay, I call myself 'Yami' instead.  It just makes things simpler...because we are very different in some regards.”  Yami started.

“I told you before that Yuugi was the original.  Because he was the original, I know everything he knows and feels.  From day one, I always saw what he saw, heard what he heard, etc...but the reverse was never true.  Yuugi was never aware of my existence consciously...but...he does sort of hear me, I think.  He just...forgets it.”  Yami said, feeling Yuugi probe his mind and pausing to close his eyes and clutch his head.

“...Yuugi is subconsciously trying to wake up...I can't ever completely hold him back...because I was never the original.  He could pop out any moment now...”  Yami said softly.

“...That's what happened with Amelda...Yuugi woke up for a split second...and saw him dying. Because he isn't ever aware of what I do consciously, he had no memory of Amelda, how he got the way he was, or where they were.  He screamed, and his fear was enough for me to...draw him back.  The same sort of thing happened with Raphael...but it was much more frequent.  We were switching every couple of hours...”  

“So that's why you gave Raphael your real name and dropped your act.  It wasn't really you...it was the original Yuugi saying those things.” Ukyou reasoned.  Yami nodded.

“Yuugi...never killed anyone...that was me, and me alone...”  

“You’re still both going to be going to jail, if not rehab. Even with pleads of split personality, you’ve given a lot of work for these poor police officers to get you off your death sentence. I can think of several big names and families that wants your head on a platter by the end of two months.” Mai frowned.

“So Yuugi comes out whenever he damn feels like it. You better write him a note, ‘Darkness’. It’s still his fingerprints on those knives and his hands that killed those men at the end of the day.”

Yami clutched his head.

“I'm well aware of that. Raphael already told me, and I understood the consequences if this job went bad.”

“...Yeah, and he feels like it now...”  Yami muttered, groaning.

“His hands are mine...so are his fingerprints.  But, it was my mind that thought it up, not his.  That's the difference.  If you handed me a knife, I might cut someone.  But if you gave the same knife to Yuugi, he'd never use it to hurt anyone. That's how he is.”  

“That's how you're gonna convince court.  We can't use the footage here at the trial, since what I'm doing is 'technically' outside of protocol.”  Mai frowned. “You can use this time to talk to Yuugi. Anything you want us to play back for him?”  

“She acts like she's in charge.”  Anna muttered outside.  “I bet she's just out of questions.”

Ukyou was simply watching. He didn't really have anymore questions right now.

"Okay..." Yami said.  He waited for Mai to turn on the recording device then started speaking.

“Yuugi, this is your other you.  You can call me 'Yami', if you want.   I talked to the officers and told them what they wanted to know, so hopefully, they won't ask you too many more questions about the case."  Yami said, glancing up at Ukyou slightly when he said that.

"Raphael visited us yesterday in our cell, remember?  After you talked to him, I did for awhile.  He told me that he was working on getting a psychiatrist, and a lawyer for you.  I know you wanna know what's wrong...I don't even know exactly what it is, so I'm curious too.  Please cooperate with them...they're not going to hurt you.  Everything will be okay if we both cooperate, and I plan to." Yami spoke to reassure his other half. He paused, feeling his head pulse a little, before adding in.

"Try not to worry, Yuugi.  I'm pretty sure we have a fever from switching through the night...so please try and relax.  We can probably sleep it off, and I promise I won't try and switch if you go to sleep." He said.  He hit the stop button on the record and closed his eyes.

"Can I go back to my cell and sleep now?"  He asked.

Mai smiled as she stopped the recording and looked at the head police officer. “Well Ukyou, satisfied? If we missed anything, we can get it tomorrow. Looks like these two will cooperate in the future.”

“I believe so. We have quite a bit to work with already. Thank you for being honest.”

“Thanks for the game, hon.” Mai said.

“I'm not as big a liar as people think...”  Yami mused. He smirked a bit.

“Games make everything more fun, don't they?  We should play another soon.”  He mused. He started to get up, but then immediately sat back down and clutched his head.

“...Yuugi's coming out now.” He warned seconds before the switch occurred.  Yuugi glanced up weakly, blinking in confusion, especially at Mai.

“...Oh no...I switched again, didn't I...”  He said softly, looking a little worried.

Ukyou smiled at Yuugi as Mai looked away, taking the recorder off of her.

“Yeah, you did, but it’s alright. Come on… we’ll let you go rest. I want you to listen to something while you’re in the cell.”

Yuugi blinked in surprise that suddenly these officers seemed to be acting nicer to him. He supposed that meant nothing bad happened. He got up when asked.

"What do I have to listen to?"

“This recording. It might clear things up for you. It’s a message from your alter ego.” Ukyou said, guiding him back.

Yuugi followed obediently back to his cell.

"A message...from the more confident me..." He murmured, feeling surprised and a little bit worried. This was the one that had hurt people right? What would the message say then? But, the Superintendent seemed to think it would help clear things up, so Yuugi decided he could accept it. He did want answers after all.

"Okay. I'll listen to it." He decided.

Ukyou went to put Yuugi away and make sure he knew how the recording worked before he left the boy with it. He trusted the others to do what was needed, so he figured that being there to answer questions wouldn’t hurt.

What he didn’t expect was Droite walking up to Mai back in the interrogation room and scowling at her, arms crossed.

“I have a good mind to slap you."

Yuugi accepted the device and made sure he understood how it worked before pressing play. He listened to his other half - Yami, he'd asked to be called - talk to him in a calm and collected voice. It still threw Yuugi for a loop, but it was reassuring to hear that his other half didn't seem to be aggressive.   He smiled a bit when Raphael was mentioned, glad that the man was looking out for him.  He wanted to know about his illness, and he also wanted to know more about his other self.

“Yami...”  He mused softly once the recording ended, before lying down.  He was kinda tired, and so, feeling reassured, he went to sleep.

Mai sighed.

"Sorry hon. Being honest is part of the game, and I had to tell the truth. I tried to keep it vague, but Mutou is smart." She said to the other woman.

“Being honest? Don’t take me for an idiot. As if you want to actually…” Droite shook her head and scowled. “The whole game thing was ridiculous. That was totally… argh!"

Mai smirked.

"Yes, it was ridiculous, but it worked didn't it? Mutou talked and we have things to go by now." She said, before her gaze softened.

"I meant what I said though...I would like to take you out, if you wanted." Mai said.

Droite narrowed her eyes but her cheeks blossomed a bright pink. “… No. … I… No. I absolutely refuse. We have work, Mai. This is no time for fooling around.”

Mai smiled and chuckled.

"Of course. I don't mean now. We have Mutou's case to deal with." She said confidently, not too discouraged by the rejection. Droite was cute when she blushed.

"We'll wait and see what happens when all this mess is cleared up."

“Don’t think I’ll say yes then,” Droite blushed, before turning and storming off. Gauche and Anna looked at each other and then blankly looked at Droite.

“She’s… a tsundere.”

“You two are particularly annoying this morning. First Ukyou, now me… get to work."

Mai smiled a little as Droite took off.  She enjoyed the challenge of getting Droite to admit her feelings.

“Yeah yeah.  Let's get started before Ukyou yells at us again.” She mused, joining Anna, Gauche and Droite in their effort to put together Mutou's history.  

“So far, it looks like he's telling the truth...the Mutou family game shop was losing business steadily in the years leading up to his grandfather's death.  It couldn't keep up the competition with the bigger game shops...and the grandfather had hardly any health insurance.  He gave most of it to Yuugi.”  Anna said with a frown.  

“And the rest of the story checks out,” Gauche said, pulling up some old records on the computer. ‘I need to double check with some insurance companies and land owners, but seems like he’s telling the truth. Turns out our psycho is really just some kid with head problems"

“And money problems, apparently.  The few accounts he opened to store his funds were basically empty all the time...” Anna murmured.  She wondered if he had been homeless for awhile, since there was no record of where he had stayed.

“He's a gambler, so his funds do fluctuate quite a bit.  Obviously as a fugitive, he wouldn't have used accounts, so he probably keeps his money in cash hidden somewhere.  I doubt he was as broke this time, considering he was paid for the three kills he did do.”  Mai mused.

“Better ask him where his blood money is.”Gauche muttered. “Might do the kid some good giving him a hand.”

“Yeah, we should get more details on that...maybe it will lead us to whoever hired him.  In a way, they're also the murderers.”  Anna said.

“Maybe we can get some information on that dealer too...the one who's selling Devil's Breath.  That guy needs to be stopped too.”  Droite suggested.

“Oh yeah, we forgot about him.” Gauche said. “Maybe Yami will know where he is. If he doesn’t know his employer, he may know where that guy is lurking.”

“Indeed...I guess we may have to play another game with him soon.”  Mai said, secretly a little excited.  Droite frowned.

“We can't do anything unofficial...”  She said, blushing a bit as she recalled the results of the game a few minutes ago.  

“Tsundere.” Anna said, giving Gauche a thumbs up behind Droite’s back. Gauche grinned cheekily back but put his hand on Droite’s shoulder.

“But we can legally interrogate him. He wants to work with us now. Let’s ask him.” Gauche said, trying to compromise.

Droite huffed a little, but didn't complain.  Gauche was right after all.

“We'll let him rest for now, and then ask him more questions when he wakes up.”  Anna agreed.

“For now, lets look into those records. Let’s go."

“Yes, let's.”  Droite said, immediately going with Gauche, mostly to get away from Mai.  Mai and Anna stayed behind to work with what they had.  On the way out of the station, Gauche and Droite ran into Raphael, who was just coming in.

“Raphael-sama.  You're back again?  Is something wrong?”  Gauche asked in surprise, approaching the man.

Raphael looked a little surprised being addressed but the man smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just wanted to talk to Yuugi. Is he alright to see people? Or is he having a nap?"

“I'm afraid he's sleeping right now.  He had a bit of a rough night, unfortunately.  We interrogated him not too long ago to get some details about his condition and background.  Gauche and I were about to investigate further.”  Droite said.  

“Right… Well you can answer my questions then. If I wanted to get a lawyer for Yuugi, one not issued by the state, how would I go around about it? Do I need to bring someone here?” He asked.

“We can give you recommendations of some law firms that employ quite a few skilled litigators. Usually their individual profiles will tell you their win-loss records.  Should they accept the case, the lawyer would have to meet with Mutou to discuss the case, so they will have to come here and meet privately with him.” Droite said.

“I see…” Raphael paused and frowned. “Is it possible to ask for the lawyer who worked on the Vector case? He did an astounding job turning the tables on the expected, and if Yuugi needs someone to save him from the death penalty, I think that guy would help."

“Ah yes...I remember that one.”  Gauche said with a slight scowl.

“That's Matsuda Beryl. He's brilliant, and has a very high win record from what I recall.  But, I hear he's a little picky with his cases...you have to have an in to get to him. But, it's worth a shot.  He'd be a good one for Mutou.”  Gauche said.  Droite printed off the address of Matsuda's office building and a phone number to contact him and handed it to Raphael.

“Here you go.  Let us know if you need another contact.”  

“Right… I’ll see what I can do to get him. Thank you kindly officers” Raphael bowed and took the forms, putting them in his backpack. Then the blonde headed back out to his motorcycle, putting it into the vehicle’s gps and driving to the office.

When he reached the office, the secretary named Miko was there to greet him at the front desk.

“Hello sir, how can I help you today?”  She asked Raphael politely when he entered.

Raphael smiled at the purple-haired girl. “Hi, I’d like an appointment to see a Matsuda Beryl. Is he available to speak to today?” he asked.

“Hmm...he said he wasn't to be disturbed today, but I can ask him if he has time soon.”  Miko said.  She recognized the man in front of her as a CEO, and knew he was a valuable client.  Almost anyone else, she would have denied outright.  She turned on her phone and made a call to Matsuda's office.

The reason Mist had asked not to be disturbed was because he was spending some time with Thomas. Since he technically wasn't allowed to just be absent from work, he had gotten into the habit of inviting Thomas to the workplace when he felt lonely and needed a break from his paperwork and cases.  He had been in the middle of a chat when his phone rang and he scowled.

“Miko, I said not to bug me.”  He said.

“I am aware, Matsuda-san, but Kawahara Raphael-sama is here to see you.”  Mist's eyes widened.

“The CEO?”  He exclaimed, surprised.  He had dealt with CEOs before, but it was rare.  He glanced at Thomas, considering his options.

“Alright.  Tell him I'll come get him in a few minutes.”  Mist said.  He hung up and turned to Thomas.

“Sorry love, but a high quality client requires my presence.  We'll have to take a short break.”  He purred.

Thomas had been feeling a bit bored and lonely, especially since his hours and Mist’s ones often clashed. However, he had been rather pleased that the man had been inviting him over, letting him drink his scotch and laugh. The red-head was in the middle of a rant about his brother- ‘He FINALLY gets laid and Miheal won’t pay up’ - when Mist stopped him.

The model raised his eyebrow and he frowned when the other replied to the receptionist. Great… he forgot his babe was a sell-out.

“Ugh… you’re working too hard. I thought today was our day.” Thomas muttered. “Must be some fancy big shot, right? Rude."

Mist sighed.

“I really am working too hard...I'm sorry, Thomas.  He's one of the richest men in Heartland.  I'll try to deal with this as fast as I can.  Why don't you go bug Tetsuo for awhile?  He's been pretty bored lately.”  Mist said, getting up and straightening up his appearance.  He gave Thomas a small peck on the cheek.

“We'll catch up more when I get back...do whatever you want.”  He promised with a small smirk, before heading out to greet Raphael.  He strode up to the bigger blonde man confidently, recognizing his face from television.

“Kawahara Raphael-sama, I presume?  My name is Matsuda Beryl.  Pleased to meet you.”  He said, offering a hand to shake.

“No he isn’t. He has normal cases to work with. You’re the bored one who is soooo specific,” Thomas frowned. He sighed as his boyfriend kissed him and grabbed the bottle and his cup. “Fine, but if Tetsuo and I drink all of it, you can’t charge us.” He headed out to the next hallway as his boyfriend left, muttering about not actually going out anywhere fun anymore.

“Ah, Matsuda-san. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice,” Raphael said, shaking the other’s hand. “I just need to ask you a few things. You’re free now right?"

Despite the fact that he really wanted to get back to Thomas, Mist nodded with a smile.

“Yes, I am for awhile. Shall we step into my office?”  He said, inviting the man back.  He knew Thomas had taken the bottle so his office had no signs of his fooling around.  He sat down at his desk and watched Raphael sat across the desk from him.

“What can I do for you?”

Raphael smiled and followed along into the large, expensive-looking office. He took a seat as requested and took out a few things from his backpack.

“You’re a defence attorney, correct? I’ve read and watched your performances many times before, and I have a favour to ask. Are you aware of Mutou Yuugi?” He asked, sliding the manilla file over to Black Mist.

Mist listened, nodding.

“I am.”  He said with a smirk.  He paused as he heard the name.  It did sound familiar...

“Mutou Yuugi...”  He mused, picking up the folder when offered and opened it.  His eyes widened slightly as he saw the mug shots.  Oh yes, he knew this man...internally he was smirking as he recalled meeting up with him several years ago a few times.

“Ah, the Shadow Gamer...yes, I have heard of this man.  He's been caught, I heard.”  He said, glancing at Raphael.

“Are you asking me to take on his case?”  He asked, connecting the dots pretty easily.

“Yes, if it’s possible. I’m willing to cover the expenses to get you on his behalf, just as long as he doesn’t get the death sentence and the help that he needs…” Raphael said.

Mist didn't respond for a moment, looking over the details of the file.  He frowned.

“This would be a tough one...he's made some very powerful enemies.  Frankly, I'm surprised that it's you who's asking me to defend him, considering he tried to kill you.”  Mist mused.

“And...this 'split-personality' note here...what exactly does that mean?  There's nothing here that solidifies it...all that 'switching' could be lying.”  Mist was speaking from experience here.  He had known Mutou Yuugi and had never seen any signs of mental illness in him.  Yes, he'd been a bit odd and definitely not in a normal mind-set, but then again, neither was Black Mist.  They were both perfectly sane, really.  

“The police know more of the specifics but I was there when he was breaking down,” Raphael said, sighing. “Mutou was pretending to be a child in order to kill me, and had me drugged so I would take him in. However, during his stay, instead of killing me, he had moments when he was very lucid and he didn’t know what he was doing. He was a child, really. A different person.”

“Mutou only was able to get arrested because of his split personality. He panicked, he was unstable. His real self hasn’t been out in years, but it’s only because of circumstances that it’s coming back out. On one level, yes, he could be lying but if you talked to him, you’d realise it.”

Mist considered Raphael's words.  He knew that Mutou was capable of pulling off facades.  He had seen him take down men twice his size by using his appearance to trick them into letting down their guard.  But...in that circumstance, Mist had to admit that changing his facade half-way through a job didn't sound like Mutou.  Maybe something was wrong.

“...Then perhaps it would be beneficial if I talked to him before I decide whether to take this case or not.  It seems that a lot of this would be riding on this 'split-personality' business...I need to know if it's something I can pitch appropriately or not.”  Mist concluded.  Seeing Mutou again made him excited anyway.

“He’s resting now at the police station. Tomorrow would be better if you’re free. The trial hasn’t been decided yet but I’d imagine it would be in a few weeks, given the other CEOs push to have him executed."

“Yes, tomorrow would work for me.”  Mist said, pleased that it meant that he would be able to get back to Thomas quickly and not have to run off to the station.  

“I'll let the officers at the station know I am interested for now, and arrange a talk with Mutou-san. The quicker we do so, the better.”

“Thank you.” Raphael said, pleased this was going really quickly. “is there anything you need to know that I can help with?"

Mist was equally pleased that things were advancing so quickly too.

“Hmm...well, not that I can think of at the moment.  I'll look over this file and bring up any questions with Mutou tomorrow.  Did he send you on his behalf?  Usually it's the client himself who calls me.”  

“No, he didn’t. Mutou assumed he wasn’t going to have any lawyer asides from one from the state one. I just wanted to help him.” Raphael said, thinking about the young man.

“That is what happened last time, according to the file.”  Mist noted.  He nodded.

“I see.  I'm very impressed by your kindness.  I will meet with Mutou-san tomorrow...will you be attending that meeting?”  

“If I’m allowed, I’d like to.” He said quietly. “I want to make sure he’s okay."

“That would be permitted if the client allows it, of course.”  Mist said.  

“Thank you, Matsuda-san. I’m glad that you’re willing to see him.”

“My pleasure, Raphael-sama. I am curious to meet the infamous Shadow Gamer that's been all over the news lately.”  Mist said, though internally he was even more excited to see his old fuck-buddy again.  It had been a long time since he'd seen Mutou, and even though he was happy with Thomas, he did still like reminiscing on the good old days.

“Is that everything you wanted to see me about?”  

“That’s all. If you need more time to think afterwards, then you can tell me tomorrow.”

“Excellent.  Here is my card...we'll be in touch if anything comes up.”  Mist said, getting up and handing Raphael his business card.  He let Raphael out of his office and saw him out.  But, before he went back to get Thomas, he took the manilla folder and looked over Mutou's picture.

“...I have missed this one too...”  He mused, remembering the fun role-play games they'd enjoyed all those nights several years ago.  He was excited to see him again, that was for sure.  He traced the picture with his finger as he dialled Tetsuo's office line, wanting to let Thomas know he was done with his client.

“You come get me yourself,” Thomas said, picking up straight away, not bothering to check if it really was Mist. “Tetsuo is more fun and at least he knows how to keep people out.”

Mist laughed as Thomas picked up the phone.  

"What would you have done if that was a client?" He mused. He lay the picture of Mutou on his desk before getting.

"Alright love. I'll be there soon...hope you didn't drink all my scotch yet." He said, before hanging up and heading to Tetsuo's office.

“Tetsuo knows how to set boundaries, like when he’s out to lunch.” Thomas huffed.

“Oy, oy… Don’t bring me into this.” Tetsuo said, sipping his drink, before moving his paper work away from Thomas, who splayed out on his desk.

Mist chuckled as he entered the office.

“I'm out to lunch now, of course.  No one else will bug me at all.”  He mused, sauntering into the office and smirking at Thomas.

“I enjoy the view of you splayed out before me...shame that it's on another man's desk.”  He purred, kissing his cheek.

“Stop bringing your boyfriend into the office.” Tetsuo said, though he knew the other wouldn’t listen to him. He didn’t mind though, since Thomas was a good friend.

“I have a good excuse. My mean boyfriend keeps rejecting my advances,” Thomas said, sitting up but staying up on the desk. “What’s your excuse? Who was that?”

“I didn't bring him. He went on his own free will.  And I doubt anything I say will change the fact that he likes to bug you.”  Mist said to his colleague with a smirk.  

“His name was Kawahara Raphael, one of the richest men in Heartland as I told you.  But, interestingly, he came to offer me a case. He wants me to defend the one who's been killing all those CEOs lately...Mutou Yuugi.”  Mist practically purred out his name.

“I'm very tempted to accept...but, I suppose having a talk with an old friend will be needed first.”

“You invited him/me” Thomas and Tetsuo said, Thomas purposely mimicking Tetsuo. Tetsuo groaned and rubbed his temples as Thomas laughed.

“Kawahara-san? … Wanting to defend Mutou Yuugi? So this guy was the one pitting Mutou on everyone and now he wants to defend him?” Tetsuo asked.

“Old friend? You know Mutou?"

Mist snickered.

“I was surprised too...apparently, Raphael likes him in a paternal-like way.  He saw something innocent and child-like in him apparently...and wants to look after that.  You know all his orphanage work...perhaps he thinks Mutou is a charity case he can invest in.  Either way, I get paid for the job, so I don't really care what the relationship is.” Mist said with a shrug.  He smirked.

“Yes, love, I know him. Or rather, I knew him.  We met several years ago, before I was practising law. I haven't seen him for awhile, but to this day, I haven't met a better gamer.  He could turn anything and everything into a game, and that made my nights with him both entertaining and exciting.”  Mist mused.

“Oooh, sounds kinky. Or really nerdy. You’re a fucking nerd, Mist.” Thomas laughed, sipping more of his drink, his dark cheeks slightly pink.

“You mean it sounds like an interesting case,” Tetsuo said. “I’m not surprised he came to you, given both Mutou’s and your reputation.”

“It's a little of both...Mutou loved history and played a Pharaoh in my games.  I called him 'Atemu' or 'Temie' for short.  We both loved to dress up in fancy jewels, and Mutou had a pendent that was actually from Ancient Egypt, so when he got dressed up, he really looked like a King.”  Mist chuckled.

“It is interesting...but it may be tough to win.  The file claims Mutou has split-personality disorder or something...I'm seeing him tomorrow to know exactly what that means, but a lot would be riding on it. If I can't prove he's mentally ill, he'll probably get the death penalty.  It's like Vector all over again.”  Mist said.

“Oh god, that’s actually disgusting.” Thomas laughed. “You’re such a nerd. I bet you were one hell of a slave.” Tetsuo gave Thomas a disgruntled look -‘please don’t say that in my office- but Thomas just kissed the younger man’s forehead and clinked their glasses together.

“Interesting… The Vector case was like that but Vector never actually outright murdered anyone i cold blood. Not confident you can do it?” Tetsuo asked, genuinely concerned.

Mist chuckled.

“Indeed...we didn't always play that though.  Temie was very good at shaking things up.”  He mused.  He laughed at Tetsuo.

“Now I'm really jealous...Tetsuo gets kisses from Thomas but not me?”  He said, with a fake pout.

“Well, like Vector's case, it will depend entirely on whether or not I can convince people he's mentally ill.  I know Mutou can put on facades...but the problem is there isn't any other way to prove it in the file right now.  People could say he's lying, especially since he's going back and forth between knowing nothing and knowing everything.  There was never any doubt that something was wrong with Vector, given the way he was known to act during his hacks.  Mutou's quieter...all we got is someone killing CEOs and cops in cold blood...with very cool, calculated and clearly intelligent moves.  They were deliberate and so there's nothing insane about that.” Mist said.

“Oh please, I kiss you all the time.” Thomas said, leaning up and kissing his partner. Tetsuo just continued as if it was nothing.

“Odd he’s going the mentally ill route. That's not exactly good for Mutou, right? I mean isn’t it better trying to appeal for a life sentence over the death penalty? He’s not exactly weak, and there’s not much he gets out of being in an asylum.”

Mist returned the kiss with a smile.  

“Somehow it's never enough.” He teased.

“I suppose it is odd...but what other option does he have?  The argument against him if he didn't go the mentally ill road would be that he's broken out from prison before.  Think about all the recent prison breaks, but in contrast, there's been only one escape from the Correctional Facility, and that was Vector years ago. He'd be more secure there.”  Mist pointed out.

“Fair enough…” Tetsuo said, thinking quietly to himself. “Sounds like you have a lot of work to do if you accept.”

“You’ll be paid handsomely if that CEO is funding it,” Thomas said, trying his best to sound sober and part of the conversation, even though he was leaning against Black Mist like some cheap hoe.

“Indeed...the CEO is part of the reason why I'm considering accepting.  The other is Mutou himself.  I liked him...in a way, he reminded me of you.”  Mist said, looking at Thomas and wrapping an arm around him.

“He has similar eyes to you, and hairstyle, colours and all, believe it or not.  He's smart like you too.  Wild and untamable.”  Mist said, smiling at his boyfriend and giving him a small peck.

“Show me a photo, and I’ll believe it.” Thomas muttered. He looked at Mist and blushed before looking away. “You’re just saying that to make me happy.”

“Oh my god, are you even listening to me telling you to stop eye-fucking each other in my office?” Tetsuo said, throwing his arms up in exasperation.

“Nothing ever satisfies you, Tetsuo.  I try to be loving here, and you yell.  I try to be loving in my own office, and you bang on my door and tell me to stop.” Mist said with a smirk.  He pulled Mutou's mug shot photos out of his pocket.

“This isn't the best shot of him, but it's all I got to show you.  See?  His hair and eyes are like yours.”  Mist said, showing Thomas, kissing his temple.

“Don’t do it at work. You live together.” Tetsuo muttered. It was really hard to work when the two were fucking each other on the couch a few rooms over.

“….. I’m prettier…” Thomas said. staring at it. “I’m also older. If that’s him now, you must have been into jailbait before, Mist.” That had Tetsuo laugh.

Mist smiled innocently at Tetsuo.

“We're hardly at home at the same time.”  He mused, and it was true.  He nodded.

“Yes, you are much prettier. Even your mug shot would be better than his.”  He agreed. He snorted.

“I did have a taste for the young ones, yes.  And Mutou looks especially young if you see him in person...he's about 150 cm tall. That's how he fools people...he looks innocent and helpless, but if you get close enough, he will take you down.”

Tetsuo sighed. It really wasn’t his problem, even if it was really, really fucking annoying when he was trying to be productive.

“Wow, he’s teeny… Teeny tiny.” Thomas muttered, pouted. “I’m sorrrrryyy..."

"Yes, he is. You sound like you've had a bit too much scotch love." Mist mused with a laugh.

“He downed half the bottle as soon as he walked in.” Tetsuo added helpfully. Thomas scowled and shook his head.

“I’m not. I’m just apologising I’m not a teenage boy. Otherwise Mist would fuck me more.” Thomas muttered, the model standing up and pretending to be steady on his feet.

Mist sighed, swooping Thomas up bridal style because despite his attempts to look steady, he really didn't look like he'd stay up for long.

"If that's what you really want, then I'll be more than happy to oblige." Mist purred into Thomas' ear.

“You can’t make me any younger.” Thomas muttered, slapping him a little on the arm. “You’re mean."

"No I can't. But I don't want you any younger. I'm not so young anymore either you know. If you were any younger, I wouldn't be able to keep up with you." Mist mused, nuzzling his cheek slightly.

“You can’t even keep up with me now,” Thomas muttered. “I’ll at least be prettier then you when I’m fired for being ugly and forced to stay at home all day.”

"Yes, you'll always be prettier than me. That's why they won't fire you for a long time, babe." Mist said.

“But I’m getting older and I’ll lose my appeal and I’ll be all gross because I can’t do anything otherwise.” Thomas said, clearly getting to the depressive drunk stage. Tetsuo grimaced, feeling a little awkward here at the sudden turnabout from the previously playful Thomas.

Mist sighed softly.

"You'll find something else if you ever get there, honey. Come on, let's go get you some water and get you home okay? I'll take the rest of the day off so well be together. Is that okay with you?" He asked.

“Fine… See you Tetsuo. Enjoy the rest of the bottle.” Thomas started. Then he stopped and got out of Mist’s arms and downed the rest of the scotch. Tetsuo stared in disbelief before Thomas handed him the empty bottle. “Enjoy the bottle.”

“See you Thomas… good to talk to you…” he muttered.

Mist was surprised when Thomas dropped out of his arms and sighed as he watched Thomas down the bottle.

"See you later, Tetsuo. Lemme know if you're interested in coming with me to meet Mutou tomorrow." He said, before helping Thomas out of the room and bringing him to the break room so he could get some water.

"Thomas, love, drink this."  He said to him, not really wanting him to be hung over and cranky later.

“Eh? I’m allowed to come?” Tetsuo was about to ask more questions to his co-worker but he figured it was probably better to wait for the evening. He’d send a text later. He could hear the duo go back to the break room, and Thomas groaned as he took the water.

“Its not that big of a deal..."

“I'm just looking out for you.  We both know you get cranky when you're hungover.”  Mist replied, giving Thomas another cup once he had finished the first one.

“We can do whatever you want now, okay?”  

Thomas stared at Mist and then slurped the drink. “Bleh… Not in the mood anymore. I’m shit like that."

“You don't wanna spend time with me anymore?  How mean...now that I want to be with you, you don't want me back.”  Mist said with a pout.

“Seems fair. What are you going to do about it? Punish me?"

Mist smirked, quick to grab Thomas in a hug.

“Yes.  I'm not going to let you leave, so you have to spend time with me.”  He mused.

Thomas gave a drunken laugh and kissed his face. “You’re an asshole.”

“I'm your asshole.” Mist countered.

“No it isn’t. You rarely let me top,” Thomas scowled, getting in his face, alcohol-laden breath curling. “I rarely show my fanservice."

“You're the only one who's never paid to top me.”  Mist said truthfully.  He kissed his cheek.  

“I adore your fanservice, and I will let you show it whenever you want, as long as you don't feel obligated.”

“Maybe later….” He muttered, nuzzling him. “I’m not coordinated enough for this.”

“Okay...did you wanna go home and snuggle for awhile then?”  He asked, nuzzling Thomas back.

Thomas sighed. “I’m fine. I’m just… god, I’m crazy about you, you know, you bastard.” Thomas muttered. “I’m too old to be coddled but I want to."

"You're not too old." Mist said with a smile, kissing Thomas' cheek and picking him up again to carry him back to his office.

"I love you too."

“Mist… what if someone sees…” Thomas muttered, though he just flopped uselessly back like the drama queen he was.

"No one will. They're all in their offices working hard." Mist mused, kissing Thomas' temple. Sure enough, nobody saw them as they headed back.

"I have to read this file on Mutou, so we can cuddle while I do?" He suggested, sitting Thomas down in his lap and hugging him.

“… Fine. That’s acceptable.” Thomas said, remaining limp.

"Good." Mist said, holding Thomas close and opening the file to read it as quickly as possible.

Thomas smirked a bit as he knew he won and cuddled into Mist’s lap, glad that he really did care. He still cared after all these years.

-x-

Chris woke up the day after his sex with Ukyou feeling happier than he'd felt in a long time. He felt light and happy and found himself smiling a lot more than usual. He braided his hair while humming happily, not noticing the hickeys on his neck because he was lost in his daydreams of him and Ukyou together. He had a text from Miheal asking to meet with him to discuss the case they were both part of. The police had contacted him about possible testing for mental illness, Chris knew. So he arranged a meeting with his brother for later that day before driving down to the Correctional Facility to meet him.

Michael had figured that Chris wanted to see him after learning he was involved in Mutou’s case, and he was given the form to start psychiatric evaluation. The man was waiting in his office- receptionist told to send Dr. C Arclight up to him- looking over Koutei’s case. He figured he’d be busy with these two for a while… and both were certainly unusual cases.

Chris was escorted up to his baby brother's office by the guards after he had introduced himself to the receptionist.

"Good afternoon, Miheal." Chris said with a smile that was brighter than usual as he was let into the office.

Miheal looked up and smiled at his brother, getting up to hug him. It was always nice to see his family. He noticed Chris looking a lot more cheery than usual, but it wasn’t until after he gave his brother a good squeeze did he see his brother’s neck, hiding behind the veil of hair.

“………. Nii-san, are you always this unprofessional? You're covered in hickeys and to go with your morning-after glow"

Chris returned the hug, but his face went red.

"...I don't know what you're taking about..." He muttered with a flush, adjusting his collar.

“I take it your time with Ukyou is going well, huh? I didn’t know you were so bad. That’s more Thomas’ deal: going to someone’s office for something cheeky like that.” Miheal said, pulling up a chair for him. “Gosh."

"How the hell did you know that?" Chris asked, sitting down.

“…” Miheal stared at him. “… I was joking. You actually did that in your office? Nii-san!"

Chris flushed.

"Ugh...never mind my love life.  We have a job to do here." He muttered.

“… Yes… Quite.” Miheal sighed and sat down at his desk. “So you wanted to see me, Nii-san?"

"Yes." Chris said, clearing his throat.

"I heard that the cops contacted you about their newest arrest, Mutou Yuugi. My Devil's Breath antidote worked after he tried to drug Ukyou, so I will have to fill out a report on that...meaning I might have to be in court to help prosecute him. But something seems to be wrong with him...I was wondering whether or not you would have the time to do some tests on him."

“I was thinking of it. I said I’d get back to them but usually I sort this out” Miheal shrugged. “What’s wrong?"

"It's very strange. I watched the interrogation the other day and it seemed to me that Mutou was experiencing head pain, then suddenly forgot everything that had just been said and had no idea what was going on. Not only that but his personality shifted from calm and confident to weary and shy in the blink of an eye. And even later during the interrogation, he switched back to the first persona again just as quickly. I've never seen anything like it, have you?"

“… I have actually. Perhaps not as dramatic as how you’re describing it, but it’s not improbable. Given he’s not faking and judging from what you said, he has - in simple terms - a split personality disorder.”

"According to what I gathered in the interrogation, one of his personalities is missing 7 years worth of memories, so it does seem dramatic."

"Would such an illness show up on a brain scan? I'm curious how one would determine the truth." Chris mused.

“If it’s impaired to that extent, it might. However, I can’t guarantee that unfortunately"

"Alright...I suppose we could do some basic lie detection tests as well. I believe the police team also did a drug test just in case." Chris said.

“Hm? Psychiatric analysis, diagnostics… The works, I suppose. Depends how deep the cops want me to examine the patient,” Miheal said, implying he was going to be spending a while on the case himself.

“I imagine they'll want to be thorough.  He faces the death penalty unless they can prove he's mentally ill.”  Chris mused.  He smiled a bit.

“It looks like you have quite a bit of work ahead of you.”  He said.

“Don’t I always, Nii-san? It’s nothing new. I’ll get to the bottom of what’s really going on in Mutou’s brain.” Miheal said, stretching.

“Yeah...you will, I know it. If you do prove he's mentally ill, we might be on opposite sides in court, since someone might argue that Mutou deliberately tried to drug the superintendent and I might have to testify what I saw.  That'll be interesting.”  Chris mused.

“Sounds interesting. I do hope you’re prepared, Nii-san. Testimony in court isn’t easy.” Miheal said, concerned for his older brother suddenly.

“I know...I do have time to prepare.  I just know that all I have to do is tell the truth...”  Chris said, waving off Miheal's concern.

“I could always ask you for pointers.  You've testified quite a bit.”  

“Not that much, but they call me in more than the others. I’m the most confident of the staff, even though I’ve been trying to encourage the others to get out there more with their patients.” Miheal shrugged.

"So I should be confident too huh? That's good for you though. You're a well known and trusted face because of it." Chris pointed out.

“Confident as in not cocky, but sure of your facts and your case. Let the lawyers get emotional. Be the level reason of the argument"

"Alright. I think I can do that." Chris said.

"Oh and um...could you not tell anyone about myself and Ukyou? We don't want it to jeopardize anything, although I doubt it would..." Chris said with a small blush.

“….. Of course, Nii-san. It’s not my place to say.” Miheal said.

Chris sighed and smiled.

"Thanks...don't tell Thomas either. You know what a gossip he is. If he found out, he'd tell half the city...and probably collect on bets..." Chris mused, rolling his eyes at his brother's antics.

Miheal laughed, doing his best to try and make his voice as level and not awkward as he could. “Knowing him, he’s probably figured it out already. You know how he is."

Chris sighed.

"Yeah...he's sneaky. I just hope he doesn't spread things too far." Chris said with a small chuckle.

“He has some standards,” Miheal said, waving him off. “he’ll be fine, really"

"I hope so. But he does have a lawyer for a partner...if he shares things too much the information could come up in court." Chris said. He shook his head.

"I hope the case gets resolved soon so I won't have to worry about it anymore."

Miheal’s face darkened. “Nii-san… he shouldn’t say anything. I’ll call him to make sure” He didn’t want anyone arrested or in trouble for some dumb prank.

“Please.  I really don't want him to say anything...”  Chris said with a sigh, a small blush on his cheeks.

“I’ll text him. Hopefully he’ll keep his mouth shut.” Miheal still looked serious “He’s still dating Matsuda… it’s likely that the police will have him defend Mutou”

“Yeah...Matsuda did Vector's case didn't he?  He'd probably be an ideal candidate for someone like Mutou.  That's assuming Mutou can afford him, but I think Raphael-sama might be helping him so that may not be an issue.”  Chris mused.

“Hm? Oh, Gilag… I haven’t seen him lately.” The man shrugged.

“Ah...you're too busy I suppose.  I hope the case gets done soon then so you can see him again.”  Chris mused.

“I guess so…” Miheal sighed. “I do miss him, but… well… you know.” The man crossed his arms and closed his eyes. “I’m worried I’m not investing enough right now. He may have already lost interest in me.”

“He was interested before right?  You should give him a call...or maybe go see him if you can.”  Chris said, trying to comfort him.

“I have work, Nii-san. These people and this facility depends on me to keep it afloat.” Miheal said, opening a drawer filled with work he had yet to do, “I don’t really have time… In all honesty, I’m wondering if it’s healthier and more fair to Gilag to break it off."

Chris listened sadly to his brother, knowing that Miheal loved his work, but he felt he also deserved to have a relationship too.

“I think you two should talk about it.  I'm sure Gilag realizes that you're busy too.  Maybe it could still work.”  Chris said.

“Maybe… Like I said, I’m just wondering. I haven’t made any decisions yet. I know myself it’s unhealthy to work all the time… something I’m glad to see you’re starting to move away from, Nii-san.” Miheal said, smiling at his older brother, looking honestly very tired and so much older than he should have looked.

Chris smiled.

“Ukyou and I are busy people too...but we're going to try.  You should with Gilag as well.”  Chris said, giving his hand a squeeze.

“Don't work too hard, okay?” He said.

“I won’t if you won’t. But don’t slack off either,” Miheal said, squeezing his brother’s hand back. “I’ll call him tonight. See how that goes."

“I'd expect nothing less from you.”  Chris said with a smile.  He nodded.

“Good, I hope it goes well. I'd better leave you to your work now. I'm sure the police or Raphael-sama will get in contact with you soon about psychiatric testing for Mutou.” Chris said, getting up so he could be escorted back out of the Correctional Facility.

“They already have,” Miheal said, holding it up. “I’m expecting them in an hour or two. Best of luck, Nii-san… with everything"

“You too, little brother. Thank you.”  Chris said with a smile, heading out.  

It wasn't too long after when Officers Ukyou and Gauche arrived, accompanied by their prisoner, Mutou Yuugi, and Raphael, who had insisted he come along for this.  Yuugi had thankfully rested quite a bit after the police talked to him yesterday, but he still experienced slight memory losses which meant that he had been switching with his other half lately.  He was anxious to know what was wrong and it probably showed a little on his face and the way he tended to stick a little bit closer to Raphael instinctively to feel safer.

“Come on, the guards will show us to Dr. Arclight's office.”  Ukyou said, getting Gauche to bring Yuugi and Raphael behind him.

“How are you feeling, Yuugi?” Raphael asked as he walked with him. Raphael had put everything off to come along today, and he was dressed casually. However he still looked fairly tough, looking more like one of the guards than a client.

“...Kinda nervous, I guess...but I do wanna know what's going on.  My other half doesn't know either...so we're both here to learn.” Yuugi said softly.  He looked up and smiled a bit at Raphael.

“Thank you for coming with me...I feel a bit better with you here.”  He admitted.  Ukyou reached Miheal's office, knocking on the door to alert the man they were here.

“No problem. I’m glad the recorder is working for you then,” Raphael said. He had heard from the officers that Yuugi was learning how to communicate that way.

The blonde wasn’t expecting Doctor Arclight to look so young and pink, but he didn’t know what to expect anyway. Miheal gave a smile as he opened the door. “Good morning. Come in."

“It is...I like it.” Yuugi said.  It was the only thing he was carrying with him and it was the only thing the officers let him bring with him.   Yuugi was also surprised that Miheal didn't look that old, and that he was also fairly short.  

“Good morning.  Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.” Ukyou said with a smile, leading the group into the office.  Yuugi sat down on the couch between Gauche and Raphael.

At least he was taller than Yuugi. Miheal went to sit at the desk and he smiled. “So… you know why you’re here, right?"

Yuugi nodded.

“Yeah...it's to find out what's wrong with me...why I keep forgetting things.  I wanna know what's going on.”  He said, shaking off his fear in exchange for a small bit of determination.

“Well usually how we start is just talking, and starting therapy, like most psychologists. However, since we’re short on time, I’d like to do some simple tests. After we do a few here, I’d like to take you to get an MRI and we’ll do more there,” Miheal said kindly. “That will take a few hours, and hopefully we’ll have time for more, but that’s the plan.”

Yuugi nodded.

“Okay...whatever works.” He conceded.  He didn't really care what sort of tests were done...as long as they weren't too painful.

“Right, now I want you to do some writing for me. Any sentence will do. I just need you to answer some sentences now, and I’ll then take it for my references.” Miheal said.

“Oh...okay.”  Yuugi said.  

“Um...can I take my handcuffs off to write?”  Yuugi asked Officer Ukyou tentatively.  He didn't really know how to write with his hands attached at the wrist like that.

Ukyou nodded and quickly unlocked it. Gauche was at the door, so he didn’t feel too worried. Miheal handed Yuugi a pen and a clipboard.”Think carefully about your answers, okay?"

Yuugi nodded, accepting the clipboard and looking over the questions.  He frowned a bit in concentration and began to write a couple of the answers.  As he started, he began to feel headaches coming on, which he'd learned meant he was probably going to be switching out soon.  His hand shook a little, and he paused in his writing to grab the side of his head.

“Ugh...”  He groaned, moments before the switch occurred.  Yami blinked for a moment, looking over the questions himself.  He considered them kind of pointless, but since he promised he'd cooperate, he moved on to the next one and answered it too.  

“Done.”  He said, a couple minutes later, holding out the clipboard to Miheal with a noticeably more confident, collected expression and posture than Yuugi.

“Are you alright, Yuugi?” Raphael asked, noticing him struggling a little bit. Miheal raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, waiting for Yuugi to return it. He smiled when he looked at the notes and skimmed over them.

“So, I’m curious. What triggered the switch between questions five and six?” Miheal asked.

“It wasn't the specific question.  It was just that Yuugi's thinking about all the questions woke me up.  I wanted to answer too.”  Yami said nonchalantly.  

“I see…” Raphael looked at Ukyou, confused, while Miheal continued on. He noticed the change in demeanour and the names. “So were you aware of what I said to Yuugi before?"

“Yes, I heard you talking to him earlier.  You asked him to answer those questions, and you said you'd do some tests...and an MRI. Never had one of those.”  Yami mused.

“So you are aware, at least this way. Interesting.” Miheal leaned forward. “So you’re the game king, aren’t you. Mutou, our murderer.”

“Yes, but you can just call me Yami, the part of Yuugi that killed those CEOs.  But Yuugi isn't aware of what I say or do...you can probably prove it by asking him about what I wrote for answers 6-12 on that sheet.” Yami mused.

“Probably. Thanks for letting me know, I’ll keep that in mind.” Miheal said, smiling. Raphael suddenly got chills down his spine, as if somehow Miheal had switched an aura on and was now somehow the most possibly horrifying creature alive. Gauche fumbled himself, somehow disarmed with Miheal’s truth-forcing smile.

Yami sensed the change in Miheal's aura too and was rather impressed with it. Miheal was kind of like him it seemed: small and innocent looking, but not to be messed with. He simply smirked in return. Maybe these tests would be fun if someone like that was running them.

Unfortunately for him, his excitement made Yuugi stir a bit and ultimately emerge once more. Miheal could see how Mutou went from excited to confused, then a bit intimidated as Yuugi took in Miheal's look. He could sense Raphael and the cops acting uneasy too and that also scared him a bit. He visibly recoiled a little bit didn't move or speak otherwise.

And as quickly as it appeared, the look disappeared and Miheal looked softer again. “Oh… Too much? Sorry, I get carried away, Yuugi-san. Forgive me. I was just interested in the answer to your questions.”

Yuugi blinked and relaxed slightly as Miheal calmed his expression.

"I...um...sure...I don't think I finished though. I didn't answer the last ones."

“Do you remember handing it back to me?” Miheal asked.

"No...I didn't finish writing everything. I think I only got about halfway done." Yuugi said.

“Well, you gave it back. You finished it… Well… Yami did"

"Oh...I guess I switched then." Yuugi said, sighing.

"I keep losing my memory like that...I never know what Yami does. I never knew he was there before I was arrested..."

“You lost the last seven years of your life, right?”

"...Yeah. That's what I was told." Yuugi said.

“So how was it? Was it just like… one moment you’re at home and the next you were here?”

Yuugi frowned.

"...yeah, more or less. But, I was really really sad cause...Jii-san had died..." Yuugi said, sniffling a little.

"One second, I was with him...then I was waking up in a room I didn't know at Raphael's house..."

“And you’re okay talking about him? It doesn’t trigger you or forces you to switch."

"...I think it does..." Yuugi said softly, biting his lip and trying not to cry.

"...it makes my head hurt..." He said, feeling pains.

“Try stay with me, okay? I know you can’t control it, but relax. Deep breaths, Yuugi. It’s alright"

Yuugi did try to breathe, but the pains continued, making him hold his head.

"...I...can't..." He managed to say before Yami took over. It was odd to see him with the reminants of Yuugi's tears in his eyes but with a straight face.

"Don't talk about Jii-san. I don't like it when Yuugi cries." He said sternly, wiping his eyes.

“No one was trying to make him cry, Yami.” Miheal said, taking the change easily. “We’re trying to get to the bottom of this. We do need to talk about it, whether it hurts or not. Don’t you want him to get better?"

"'Maybe not but he still cried. That's all that matters." Yami said. He frowned.

"I can tell you about it...but it does sometimes trigger me to switch back too."

“I’ll get whatever I need from the officers, unless you want to share anything different that you haven’t shared yet"

Yami raised an eyebrow.

"So you want to talk to Yuugi but not to me huh? That's no fun." He mused.

“No, I just want things not repeated. We’re on a short timespan, you know.” He sighed.

"Alright. Then let's move on. Wouldn't want to waste time." Yami said.

"Did we pass the writing test? What's the next one?"

“There’s no passing, Yami. You can’t pass or win,” Miheal said, amused. “Next… well more written tests unfortunately.”

"Damn. It's more fun if you make it a game someone can win." Yami said. He rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Where's the next writing test then?"

“This one is special. I want you to fill your alias there and then fill it in. I’ll have Yuugi do the same later. Then I compare and I can get a diagnosis for both of you."

"Okay. I'll tell Yuugi." Yami said, pulling out the little tape recorder from his pocket.

"Yuugi, the doctor wants me to fill this one questionnaire entirely, then you get your turn. So if we switch, don't keep going where I stopped." He said, then glancing at Miheal.

"Play that for him if we switch." He said, leaving the recorder out so Yuugi would likely see it and guess he'd recorded something for him.

“We’ll tell him,” Raphael said. “Hopefully we can tell when you guys do switch.” Although it was getting a bit more and more obvious.

"Good. You probably will...it's painful now." Yami mused, starting to fill out the questions with a small frown. Occasionally he had to pause when he got a bit of a headache, and like Raphael had pointed out, it was noticeable that he had constant bouts of pain trying to hold Yuugi back. Finally he couldn't do it anymore and stopped writing, dropping the clip board moments before Yuugi emerged once more. He glanced around, then spotted the recorder and the clipboard in his lap.

"Oh, I have to write more?" He asked.

“You should check your recorder,” Raphael said gently, letting Yuugi do what he needed. Gauche sighed and shook his head. He didn’t know how this was going to get Mutou arrested or not, but Miheal seemed confident in what he was doing.

Yuugi looked at Raphael when he spoke, then at the recorder. He picked it up and played back the message.

"Oh. So I guess I just have to wait until I switch again." He said, putting it back down.

“You can fill this one in while you wait. Yami will know to alternate, so here you go"

"Oh okay!" Yuugi said. He accepted the sheet and started writing his own answers until they switched and Yami went to his sheet. This pattern consisted for several minutes until finally both halves were done. Yuugi was last to finish.

"Okay it looks like we're both done." Yuugi said, noting that Yami had given his sheet to Miheal already. Yuugi passed his over with a smile.

“Thanks. And I’m happy to let you know the MRIs are ready. Come on, you two"

Yuugi nodded, letting Ukyou cuff him again for the journey just in case before following Miheal. He was a bit nervous, since he'd never had an MRI before.

Miheal lead them down into the elevator, Gauche in front and Raphael by his side. As Miheal used his keycard to get authorisation down to the new facility, Raphael smiled at Yuugi.

“So far so good, huh?"

“I guess so.  I'm not sure how I'm doing on these tests.” Yuugi admitted with a small smile.

“...But at least the other me is cooperating too, like he said he would...I'm glad.”  Yuugi added.  

“With any luck, you two can continue even after the case, huh?” He said, smiling at Yuugi. The elevator pinged to a stop and Raphael looked up as Miheal walked out first, revealing what seemed like a completely new building. It was pristine and white, with a glass observational platform. There was a man in there waiting, and past a door was a huge MRI machine, whirring quietly.

“Ready?”

Yuugi nodded happily, smiling widely at Raphael in return.  He wanted things to get better...he didn't want his other half to kill people again.  He tore his attention away from Raphael to stare in awe at the obviously new facility. It looked really nice and high tech.

“Yes.”  Yuugi said to Miheal.

Mihael smiled and opened the door to the next room. “Mutou-san only please. I’ll need those cuffs removed as well, if that’s alright.”

“Certainly.”  Ukyou said, unlocking Yuugi's cuffs.  Yuugi looked a bit nervous.

“...Raphael can't come with me?”  He asked. He knew MRIs were harmless but it was still a bit intimidating.

“Sorry, I can’t allow that.” Miheal said. Civilians weren’t allowed around the equipment. The blonde smiled though and patted Yuugi’s shoulder.

“I’ll be over here,” Raphael said. “I’ll be able to see you the entire time. Don’t worry.”

Yuugi's face fell a little but he was reassured by Raphael patting his back.

“Okay.”  He said, with a small smile.  He followed Miheal inside the room.

“So what do I have to do?” He asked.

“Well almost nothing for the first part. You relax and wait for the machine to get a read, and then I’ll start talking to you and asking questions. All you have to do is just lay back and do what we’ve been doing.” Miheal informed.

“Okay.  I think I can do that.”  Yuugi said, lying down on the table and trying to relax.  He had a headache from all the switching he'd been doing, but he kept taking deep breaths to calm down and lay still.

“Just relax.” Miheal nodded to the lab technician and let the machine activate. “You’ve been doing a good job today, Yuugi. Thank you both for cooperating so well"

Yuugi smiled.

“I'm glad my other me is cooperating...”  He said softly.  He lay still and tried to be relaxed as possible as his head throbbed a bit.  He wondered what sort of reading this was getting. He'd never seen images of his brain before.

“Good…” The metal band of the machine hummed quietly as Miheal talked and began slowly moving back and forth, rotating around Yuugi’s head. “So how are you feeling right now, Yuugi?"

Yuugi glanced around without moving his head as the band circled him.  He could hear Miheal's voice through the speaker.

“I'm...okay, I guess? My head hurts a little though...” He said, feeling another small spike of pain and trying not to cry out.  The initial images that were coming in showed a relatively healthy looking brain, but it was obvious that there was some swelling going on, which could explain the headaches.  

“Does it now? Does it usually hurt when you’re aware of yourself?” Miheal asked curiously.

"No...not always. I remember it didn't in high school and earlier....but lately...it hurts very often..." Yuugi said, feeling another small spike of pain.

“It may be from you constantly switching personalities. We may need to put you on medication to suppress it, but I want to avoid it for now.” He said. “You remember high school though? You went to Domino High, didn’t you? You’re not a Heartland local, right?”

"Maybe..." Yuugi said. He blinked.

"Yeah, I went to Domino High School. I wasn't born in Heartland...is that what this city is called? I don't remember even coming here..." He said.

The other doctors in the booth with Miheal were astonished that Yuugi's brain did not show any increase in activity in any of its memory sections when he said he wasn't sure how he came to Heartland.

"Dr. Arclight, this young man's brain is behaving strangely...it's not as active in memory as it should be."

“Keep an eye on it, Mr. Anderson,” Miheal called out to the older man. “It may change. Note the times when it does, please.” He turned back to Yuugi.

“Yeah, this is Heartland City. It’s not too far from Neo Domino and the Domino City areas. It’s quite near the coast. You’ve been here for at least two years.”

“Yes sir.”  Jesse Anderson replied, looking at the monitor and taking notes as instructed.

“Oh...that long?  I don't remember it.”  Yuugi said a bit sadly.  

“I wonder why my other me came here then...did he not like Domino?”  He mused.

“I’ll ask him but likely it’s due to his work.” He said.

“Work...so...killing?” Yuugi said softly, feeling a bit nervous about that.  From what it sounded like, his other half was a hitman or something.  In response to his fear, the pain spiked up again and he groaned a little, closing his eyes but otherwise staying mostly still.

“The emotional regions of his brain are quite lit up...in any other patient, it would look as though he's having a panic attack...but he looks too calm for that in person.”  Mr. Anderson said, looking between the scans and Yuugi's form in confusion.  Yuugi didn't look like he was panicking that much but his brain was reacting as if he was. It was clear through his voice that he was a bit nervous, but not enough to cause this reaction in his brain scan.

“...Perhaps you should calm him down, Dr. Arclight?”  Mr. Anderson suggested, unsure of what to do.

“Yuugi-san, please relax. I don’t want you stressing.” Miheal also didn’t want to have to fight to the death with Yami. He wanted to call Gilag later. “He needed money, so it’s likely he moved here for other work too. It’s alright, Yuugi.”

“...Okay...I guess that makes sense...”  Yuugi said, trying to relax.  He took deep breaths and visibly calmed quite a bit.  There was a slight decrease in the emotional responsiveness of his brain, but it wasn't that much.  To Jesse, it was even more of an indicator that there was something wrong when Yuugi was clearly calming, but there was still a high response.  It was as if it wasn't Yuugi's response...but it was his brain, so that made no sense for him.  He took note of it anyway.

“...It's calming but not that much.”  Jesse Anderson said to Dr. Arclight.  Yuugi closed his eyes.

“...I think I'll switch soon...it feels like it...”  Yuugi said, fighting waves of pain.

“Is there anything you want me to ask Yami for you? I mean I’m going to ask questions to monitor your brain response, so anything you want to know I can use."  Miheal said.

“Oh...um...well I want to know...why he left Domino, I guess.  And...what he did here.”  Yuugi said. He wanted to know if Yami had always been a killer.  He wanted to know why he did those horrible things, but part of him was also scared of the answer.  

Jesse was able to get an image of when the switch occurred and it blew him away.  Yuugi's brain seemed to light up entirely for a moment before settling into different responses than it had before.  He took notes and images on it.  

Yami opened his eyes.

“I'm amazed Yuugi wasn't claustrophobic in here geez...”  Yami muttered.  He didn't really like being confined, since it brought back bad memories.  But, he would tolerate it for now.

Miheal wasn’t bothered with the switch now, since he had seen the two go back and forth multiple times, but he could only imagine the text book readings the machine was giving, clearer than any reading they should be getting.

“Don’t like enclosed places, Yami?” Miheal asked, eyebrow raised.

“They have their uses...but generally, no.  I don't tolerate them for long.”  Yami said with a small frown.

“Curious. So you don’t share phobias with Yuugi.  Any reason why?"

“Because I've generally protected him from trauma...if he gets scared, I come out and deal with it.” Yami said simply.    

“I see…” Miheal paused, wondering if he should make Yami elaborate but he held back. “Yuugi wanted to know why you came to Heartland, as you probably know.”

Yami didn't really want to elaborate, and was glad that Miheal didn't ask.  

“Yeah.  I heard.”  He said. He sighed.

“I came to Heartland because there really wasn't anything left in Domino for me.  It's kinda dangerous for me to stay in one place for long...I also moved to Neo Domino for awhile, shortly before coming to Heartland. I mostly follow the money...or leave when the gamblers in a certain place have gotten too used to me and try to beat me up for winning.”  

“Right. I’ll let Yuugi know. I think he’s very confused of what to make of you. When we actually start real therapy sessions, I’ll start letting him know what you’re really like. You’re a gamer, not a heartless killer"

“I don't blame him. He didn't know I existed.  But you're right...I like games.  And I don't really kill that often.”  Yami said.  

“So...you're saying I'm actually going to come here huh?”  Yami mused.

“If we win, yes, you will. You’ll be put into this facility for psychiatric reformation and therapy. It is the best outcome you’re going to get to the trial"

“Anything's better than dying.”  Yami mused with a small smirk.  

“Any other questions you wanna ask me?  It's more fun to talk than to just lie here.”

“The idea is to talk, of course. But what about you? Is there anything you want to talk about yourself?"  Miheal asked.

"Hmm...well I am curious what the pictures of my brain look like. This illness that Yuugi and I have has never been diagnosed. Any ideas so far?" Yami mused.

“Dissociative Identity Disorder. I was wondering if it was schizophrenia when I first heard your case, but it’s looking more and more like that amongst another few illnesses. There’s no clear way to treat it, obviously, but since you are both aware of it, interestingly enough, you can manage it.” Miheal said. “No borderline personality disorder, but headaches are a common neurological symptom of DID, and trauma and depression walk hand in hand with it"

"Yuugi wasn't aware of it before I was arrested. I've been around since high school but he never knew I existed." Yami said.

"...I sometimes wonder if Yuugi was depressed. He hid for a long time and was always so sad when Jii-san was sick."

“I think he is. Judging by his answers from the quiz and the way he talked.”  Miheal said quietly. “He may not remember it himself, but he answered one of the questions dealing with suicide surprisingly calmly.”

Yami sighed.

"I knew it..." He mused.

"...I'd never let him do it. He's not allowed to die on my watch." Yami said firmly.

“It’s just a theory. There’s no real evidence he is” Miheal sighed.

Yami sighed.

"I don't think I'm depressed but anything you think is wrong with me at this stage?" Yami asked, partially just wanting to change the topic.

“You have absolutely no moral compass.  You base your life around how you feel and what’s best of you, and if I must hazard a guess at an early stage, you’re bordering if not actually psychopathic.” Miheal said with a flat, unamused tone.

Yami chuckled a bit at Miheal's words and tone.  He had been called that before, unsurprisingly.

"Yeah I guess so....Yuugi has a conscience but I don't.  I don't have a problem hurting people, but I don't do it too often." Yami mused.

“Well, we’ll work towards Yuugi getting better, and we’ll see if it has an effect on you"

“I suppose that works...that's all you can do really.  I want Yuugi to feel better.  You should treat him over me, cause he's the decent human being.”  Yami said.

“I have every intention to,” Miheal said. “Mutou Yuugi will be one of my patients, I’ll look after him."

"Good. You seem like a decent enough guy and interesting enough for me too." Yami mused.

"Are you gonna testify on trial too?"

“I’ll be asked to on behalf of the defendant’s lawyer, so yes. In your favour, most likely."

"That's good. I haven't met my lawyer yet but I'm due to soon." Yami mused.

“I suspect it will be today. You’re a big name, Yami. People are after your head.”

"Yeah I know. We'll see...Raphael said he would find someone." Yami said. He frowned a bit.

"It's weird having him be nice to me...I know it's for Yuugi but it's still weird."

“What do you mean by that?” Miheal asked. “Raphael is a kind man. That’s why you tried to take advantage of it when you tried to kill him. He’s renowned for his generosity"

"I know, but he's nice to people who need it and more importantly deserve his kindness. I don't deserve it cause I tried to kill him and killed others too." Yami said.

"In my experience, nobody's nice to me without ulterior motives. So I'm just not sure what Raphael's is. He doesn't gain anything if we survive...but he was also not close enough to us to lose anything if we die. I don't get it."

“Maybe he’s trying to help you for the sake of helping you…” Miheal said. “Perhaps ask him next time… I think he’s the sort who believes that everyone deserves a chance, and that means everyone"

"Help for the sake of helping hmm..." Yami mused, mulling over that thought. It made his head hurt as Yuugi stirred. He groaned. Thinking about Raphael made Yuugi want to come out again because he liked him, Yami knew.

Jesse Anderson could see a similar emotional response to before with Yuugi but Yami looked even calmer. It was like the response was not his own once more.

"This is really quite remarkable..." He mused as he took notes and images.

"Maybe I'll ask Raphael if I get the chance...not sure if he's gonna stick around..." Yami mused.

“He’s still out there now. Looks like he’s determined to see things through. Im surprised he has authorisation to be around for the police.”

Yami chuckled.

"Maybe he paid them or something. He is loaded. But maybe the cops let him because of Yuugi. He's innocent of any crimes." Yami mused. His head throbbed again.

"How much longer do we have to do this...Yuugi wants out..." Yami frowned.

“I was hoping you’d both just relax here and let us have a few more scans. Please be patient. I’ll be right back, and you’ll be out soon"

Yami frowned for a moment, before sighing and closing his eyes.

“Fine...”  He muttered, not too impressed.  He had had enough of staying still endlessly.  His head continued to throb, which made him groan occasionally.

“Dr. Arclight, I've done some side by side comparisons here.”  Mr. Anderson said as Miheal approached him.  

“If I didn't know any better, I'd say these two images belonged to two separate individuals. They react differently.  While the one called 'Yami' has a brain with perfectly normal memory function, the emotional responses are almost completely inactive.  'Yuugi' is the opposite...and both exhibit strange brain responses that seem as if they don't match their behavior.”  Jesse said, pointing out the images that he'd taken that showed a clearly excited and emotional brain with a completely straight faced, relaxed and unexcited body.

“And then there's this...the moment when they switch.”  Jesse said, showing Miheal the entirely lit up looping image that lasted less than a second as the two different brain types swapped.

“… Fascinating. I don’t think I could have faked this even if I wanted to. This is incredible.” Miheal said when he came out and had a look. “I think we have enough. Save these and send some copies to the police please."

“Yeah...I don't think it would be possible to fake such a thing.  Our machine is perfectly functional since we did a couple scans earlier...so it must be real.”  Jesse said. He nodded.

“Will do, sir.”  He said, saving the information and printing additional copies for the police.  

“Thank you. I’ll be back to talk to you about this in an hour. Figuring out what to do with these results should be our next step.” MIheal said, going to go get Yami.

“Yes sir.”  Jesse said.

Yami was relieved when he heard the machine powering down.  He quickly crawled his way out of the MRI's tube and was sitting outside it casually with both his arms and his legs crossed as Miheal came in.

“Are we done or do we have more tests to do?”  Yami asked him.

“Looks like we’ll be done for now. I need to look over your tests and all, but fortunately we’ll be ready for even a surprise trial. I’ll let Ukyou know when you need to see me again.” Miheal said. “Thank you both for your cooperation.”

"Alright. Hopefully it won't be a surprise." Yami mused.

"Until next time then, I guess." He mused, getting up and going to the door to be greeted by the cops and Raphael. Yami took particular noting that Raphael was still there, like Miheal had said he would be. He wondered if CEOs even worked at all, because Raphael always seemed to have time for him and smirked a bit to himself in amusement at the thought.

"Any other tests needed, Dr. Arclight?" Ukyou asked, cuffing Yami again.

“Nope. I’ll be in contact but we should be set. I’ll send you my findings tomorrow. All the best to all of you.” Miheal smiled.

“Thank you, Doctor Arclight. All the best.” Raphael smiled.

"We'll be in touch then. Take care." Ukyou said. He and Gauche began to escort Yami out, with Raphael following.

Miheal walked them out to the ground floor and out the door, all the way the the car. He watched the four men leave before he got his mobile phone out of his pocket. He gave a long sigh and sent Gilag a text.

‘Can you talk rn?'

Luckily Gilag was on lunch break at work when he got Miheal's text. He flushed a little as he read it, recalling the young man he'd gone out with once. With things being so hectic at home lately, he'd nearly forgotten him. He smiled and replied.

'Yeah I'm on lunch how are you?'

Miheal didn’t respond. Although he didn’t mind texting, he was outside and he kind of wanted to talk to Gilag. The man moved over to a wall and leaned against it before making the call.

“Heh… I’m alright. I just was thinking about you, that’s all. I’m sorry I’ve been so busy.” Miheal said.

Gilag happily accepted the call from Miheal, excited to hear his voice again. He moved away from his buddies who were giving him questioning looks, so he could talk to Miheal with some semblance of privacy.

"It's nice to hear from you again. I'm sorry I haven't been in touch either...I've been through a bit of a family emergency lately." Gilag admitted.

"I'm glad you're doing alright..." He said.

“Family emergency?” Miheal’s eyes widen. “Is everything alright with you? And your family? Oh gosh..."

"Yes, it was quite a situation...my brother almost died, and my niece was kidnapped...but she's been returned unharmed, and Alit is recovering steadily, so don't worry. We're doing alright." Gilag said to reassure him.

"How are you and your brothers doing? Are they the ones keeping you busy or is it work?"

“Oh my god, that sounds…” Miheal was speechless for a moment. He had read the case file the police had given him about Mutou and his crimes. It was hard to believe that it was Gilag’s family that was involved in all of this… with Raphael too. “… I’m glad everything is better now.”

“Work, mostly. I’m afraid it’s only going to get heavier. I have a big case on my hands. I just saw my patients today. They’ll be going to court soon. ”

"Yeah, I'm glad too." Gilag said with a sigh.

"Well, that's certainly a sign that you're good at your job...just try not to work too hard." Gilag said. He paused before continuing.

"...I understand if you don't have time but...I'd like to see you again sometime."  He said with a blush.

“That’s why I called… I kind of wanted to see you again too,” Miheal said, sounding confident despite the blush on his face. “I’m free Thursday afternoons. And most evenings if I leave early enough"

Gilag had been blushing too, and he felt his heart skip a beat happily when Miheal wanted to see him too.

"Thursday's probably work for me too...depends on the construction work I have, but I can work something out." He said.

“Alright… We should make it another date. I had fun last time,” Miheal smiled.

"I did too." Gilag said with a smile.

"We should definitely plan something."

“… What about dinner? Or is that too soon?" Miheal asked, wondering suddenly if he should have made a more casual offer.

“Tonight?”  Gilag said, surprised by the offer, but pleased.

“Sure...just let me clear it with the family.  Ponta especially is a little weary if I don't come home.”  Gilag said, knowing his little brother just wanted everyone to stay together and be okay.

“Tonight or Thursday. It’s no rush.” Miheal said. “Whatever works."

“Maybe Thursday then. That was Ponta can have some advanced notice.”  He knew his little brother would be excited if he went out again.  He smiled.

“If that's okay with you...you can pick a place this time, since I picked last time.”  He mused.

“I have a nice restaurant in mind,” Miheal smiled. “I’ll pick you up Thursday then. Thanks Gilag. I can’t wait"

“That sounds perfect...I can't wait either, Miheal.  Thanks for calling.”  Gilag said happily.  

“I’ll see you later, Gilag. I’d better get back to work. Thanks for giving me the chance.” He said, hanging up. He gave a small smile, thankful he hadn’t gone and relieved Gilag of dating him.

“… Fuck yes.” Miheal said, pumping his fist. He blushed, realising he did that in public and quickly headed back to Johan’s office, hiding his blush. Ugh, he wasn’t his brother. Shaking his head at himself, he put his mind back to work, read to discuss Mutou’s results with the old man for the rest of the day.

-x-

It had been several hours since the testing, and the police had been given copies of the MRI brain scans, since Mutou was supposed to be meeting with his lawyer soon and it would probably be beneficial for Matsuda to see what sort of evidence he could present to the court.  

Yuugi was seated in a small meeting room with a table and three chairs.  His wrists wore cuffs and he was visibly a little nervous, but not as much because Raphael was with him.  The police were watching through the two-way mirrors.  

“Raphael, do you know what I have to do here...I've never talked to a lawyer before.”  Yuugi said to Raphael.

Raphael smiled at him, sitting in the other chair. He was glad the tests at the psychiatric institution went well and he hoped as much that things would go as well now. He patted the other’s shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze to try reassure the other.

“We talk to him and explain your case. With any luck, we can convince him to defend you in court… we explain the truth. That’s all.” Raphael said, confident Black Mist would agree anyway.

“Ukyou, Matsuda Beryl has just arrived.” Droite said, peeking in. Ukyou looked up and nodded.

“Let him in.”

Yuugi nodded.

“Okay...I hope so.” He said.

Mist had enjoyed a lovely day yesterday with Thomas, and despite that he had thought quite a bit about what he was going to do with Mutou.  He was curious about this 'split personality' business, and had figured out a way to potentially test it.  

“Thanks.”  Mist said to Ukyou.  He was given a copy of the brain scans and had been impressed.  This didn't look like something that could be faked, but he wanted to be absolutely sure.  That meant he could have some fun.  He smirked as he spotted Mutou, noting that he hadn't changed much physically. He looked a little tired, and remarkably innocent.  Was that an act?  It wasn't going to fool Mist.

“Ah Temie, long time no see~ How have you been?”  He asked, sauntering into the room and dropping the file casually on the table.  He wanted to prompt some sort of reaction...just how good an actor was Mutou here?

Yuugi looked up when he heard the man enter the room, but he didn’t realise Mist was addressing him until the file was dropped on the table and Mist was looking at him expectantly. He blinked, looking at the equally confused Raphael before pointing to himself as best as he could with his handcuffs.

“Ummmm…Me?” Yuugi said, not remembering having seen this man at all in his life.

Mist watched Yuugi's reaction closely.  So far he was impressed.  Mutou truly looked like he had never seen him in his life, and was acting far too innocent. He smirked.

“What, don't remember me, Temie?  I'm hurt. All those wonderful nights we shared together...I still treasure them deep down~”  Mist teased, leaning forward in a low-key seductive pose, trying to get closer to Yuugi.  

“I accepted the offer to come here because I was dying to see you again...you're more adorable than I remember, honestly, but I know that's just a facade...I know what you look like when no one's watching ~  It's okay~   You can show me~”  Mist said, purring out the end.  

Yuugi’s eyes widened as suddenly his lawyer was in front of him, flashing a brilliant white smile. He looked nervously at Raphael and then at Mist. He could feel a headache coming on, but he wanted to actually do something for once and see what was going on… even if it wasn’t exactly comfortable right now.

“I…. I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t even know your name.” Lawyers weren’t supposed to act like this!

“Oy… lay off.” Raphel scowled.

“Ah, yes, well that's fair. I had another name back then.  You can call me Matsuda, Temie~  Or do you not like that name anymore?  You used to love it, my little Pharaoh~”  Mist mused, using names purposely to bait Yuugi.  He knew the other had hated when people called out his height.  He glanced at Raphael.

“You told me he had a split-personality...so where's the other one?  Where's the Temie I knew, hmm?  Or are you acting?”  Mist asked, turning back to Yuugi, still very close to him.

Yuugi whimpered as suddenly the man was way too close for comfort. He could feel his breath on his skin, and he suddenly found his face really red. As soon as Mist looked away, Yuugi gasped for breath, giving Yami the chance to force himself forward.

Raising his cuffed hands, Yami lashed forwards, clubbing Mist in the chin before head butting him.

“Yuugi!”

“Other one.” Yami said, responding to Raphael almost immediately. He scowled. “Look, it’s great seeing you too, bitch, but don’t approach my other half like that or else."

Mist didn't have time to dodge the punch or the headbutt and tumbled backward.  He landed on the ground and then burst out laughing.

“Now there's the Temie I remember~  I'd forgotten what you can do with handcuffs.”  He said between chuckles, sitting up and grinning at the now familiar young man.  The look in his eye was different than before.  He got up slowly with a smirk, rubbing his jaw slightly where Yami had hit him.

“You are truly quite an actor, Temie.  That innocent-boy act was quite believable.”  Mist mused, this time keeping a more respectful distance.  He'd gotten what he'd come to see for the time being.

Raphael suddenly got up and put his hand down, glaring at Mist. He was glad that the man didn’t just storm out and leave, but he was worried for both Yuugi’s sake… and the fact Mist was trying to out Yami in front of the cops. Yami didn’t look too amused thankfully, but it was hard for him to not smirk.

“I thought you were smart and you read my file. I actually am an innocent, untouched boy… some of the time”

“… What am I watching?” Anna muttered, wanting to go in and tear the interview apart if it wasn’t for Mai, scaring everything away from the door. Mai clearly wanted to see what played out, even if the others didn’t.

Mist ignored Raphael. He wasn't really important at the moment.  He smirked at Yami, sitting on the table and scooping up the file casually.

“I did read your file actually...it's got the new addition of some brain scans from you.  They're quite impressive...this sort of evidence could hold up in court...but I wanted to see just how clear the difference is...and one other thing....”  He said, pausing before glancing at Yami.

“I wanted to know if you can control yourself...you must be able to since I baited you, and you came out, right?  And I never saw the innocent-untouched boy before...so that means you can hold him back, yes?”  Mist mused.

Raphel didn’t move and he glared continuously. Yami was a bit surprised still at how Raphael was, wondering still why Raphael was so protective of him, but he played it off and got comfortable in his seat, crossing his arms.

“… I can’t really. We come out at random… usually I’m here whenever Yuugi is sad or scared. Back when you weren’t… whatever you are now… Yuugi hadn't come out in years. This whole switching thing is a new thing. I have no idea how it works.”

Mist pondered Yami's words.

“So this is a new and random thing...that's not really a good thing for your case.  To be convincing, mental illness needs to be an ongoing thing...something that was always there.  But, this seems to have come out of nowhere in your file, since it wasn't brought up last time you were arrested.”  

“So, why now of all times? You already killed three CEOs...why is he any different?  Is it because he acts like he's your dad?”  Mist asked, nodding towards Raphael.

“Yuugi tends to push forward when he’s curious. The real Yuugi. Calling me Yami is probably easier.” Yami said, not wanting to say anything to incriminate himself further. Someone who claimed to be naive and innocent having a background in prostitution never was any good.

“Why now? Hell if I know. Yuugi started showing up around Amelda, but to be fair, I’d be shocked awake too if some asshole was grabbing me and suddenly shoving his tongue down my throat"

“Alright...that's in the file, so we can use those names for consistency's sake.”  Mist mused, looking over the brain scans and seeing the difference. He snorted at Yami's next sentence.

“He did that?  No wonder you killed him!”  He chuckled.  He glanced over the information.

“But you're not saying that this didn't exist before...surely there was some sign of it? Surely someone noticed something was wrong with you before you started killing people?”  Mist asked.  

“I don’t know… All I remember is Jii-san being admitted to hospital and Yuugi feeling a great sadness. I don’t have any memories of my own earlier than seven years ago.  I mostly just remember being picked on.,” Yami groaned.

"...So does that mean the other one does?" Mist asked, confused and a little curious.

"Can I talk to that one then?"

“… I dunno. See if you can draw him out…” Yami groaned, clutching his head. “Though get everything you want out now. Switching like this hurts"

"Hmm...alright I'll try." Mist mused, enjoying this idea. He thought about the two personalities and what made them different and then smirked as an idea came to mind.

"Raphael-sama, the more innocent Yuugi likes you doesn't he? That's why he let you in here...think you can talk him out? Or maybe a hug or something would do it." Mist mused to the CEO. Raphael frowned.

"Well...maybe. I'll try..." He said, looking at Yami. He wouldn't mind hugging him, but Yami didn't seem too inclined to physical contact like Yuugi was.  He gently put his arms around him.

"Talking about Jii-san usually does it right? He was a good parent to you, wasn't he? Surely he noticed something was off? Or someone else? A friend maybe?" Raphael prompted, trying to get Yuugi's mind thinking about his past, since that did the trick usually.

“Don’t touch me. He’s going to get thrown out like you will, in five seconds, Mist.” Yami warned. However, he was ignored and hugged by the large man, and he sighed, shaking his head. It did feel nice, but he wanted to say it wasn’t working, if only to prove Mist wrong. However, Yuugi was peeking out, if his headache was any indicator.

“Everyone lived in Domino… No one really would know. Like I said, Yuugi didn’t have any friends, even if he wished for them.” Yami frowned. However, he felt tears and soon Yuugi was back, hugging Raphael.

Mist frowned.

"Damn you were a pitiful kid weren't you, Temie?" He mused. He paused as he watched the sudden transformation, still a bit awed by it.

Raphael hugged Yami, not at all concerned about hugging a killer, and held him even tighter when Yuugi came out to comfort the crying man.

"You're okay Yuugi...it's alright. Matsuda wanted to ask you some questions...when you're ready though. Take your time."

“I… I…” Yuugi buried his face in the older man’s shoulder. “I hate feeling lonely and weak like this… I…” He wasn’t sure what he was saying. He was just blubbering pathetically, astounding the police who were watching them even further. It took him a while to calm down, and even then Yuugi wasn’t quite all there, exhausted from his switching.

Raphael gave a sad smile and continued holding Yuugi, patting his back gently to comfort him.

"You've been so strong, Yuugi...hang in there, okay? I won't let you be alone anymore." He promised. He wanted to help Yuugi however he could.

Matsuda waited for Yuugi to calm, thinking of how he could try and present his case. It was certainly an oddity.

"Yuugi...do you have any family friends or anyone you were close to when you were younger that I might be able to track down and talk to about your condition? Anyone you can think of?"

“…” Yuugi bit his lip, trying to remember. However, he shook his head. “No… Not really. I mean… I was always at the hospital or with Jii-san. I can give you the name of my high school and stuff, but I can’t remember much. I’m sorry..."

“Can you give me the names of your high school, places you stayed at with your grandfather and the name of the hospital?  I'll see what I can do with those.”  Mist said.

“Right… I went to Domino High School and I stayed at our game shop… we lived just above there. The hospital was Sacred Heart Hospital in Domino” Yuugi said

“Alright.”  Mist said, taking note of those places.  He wasn't sure if they would be useful, but he would look into it.

“The other thing is...it may be beneficial for the members of the jury in court to see how your illness works.  Would you be willing to go on the stand if needed?”  Mist asked.  If worst came to worst, he could ask about trigger topics and make Mutou shift, even if it did incur Yami's wrath.  He'd prefer that to being dead, Mist supposed.

“… Alright. I… I’ll do my best.” Yuugi said, nodding, trying to seem determined. “I don’t want to die… not when I just started being awake again.”

“You won't die, Yuugi. We won't let that happen.” Raphael said, patting Yuugi's shoulder. “Matsuda here handled the Vector case, so he'll manage yours just fine.”  

“We still have time before the trial...plenty of time to flesh out your case more.”  Mist said.

“I trust you if Raphael-san does but…… Who is Vector?” Yuugi asked, tilting his head.

Mist snickered a bit.

“A hacker criminal I represented in court who faced the death penalty on similar charges and in a similar situation.  You're not very well liked by the public, Yuugi.  The last time Heartland got this riled up was for Vector.  It'll be tough in court, but if it worked out for Vector, it'll work out for you too.”  

“Alright… I’ll take your word for it.” He smiled. “So you’ll take my case? Thank you!”

“Yes.  I'll take it, Yuugi.  I already considered it before, but I wanted to see just how your condition worked.”  He said, getting the file and putting his notes into it.

“I'll look into building up a case...we'll probably meet again before your court date.  But, until then, if you can think of anything that you think might be relevant to the case, let me know.”  He said.

“Alright, thank you Matsuda-san.” Yuugi said, nodding his head. “Thanks.”

“Thank you, Matsuda. We'll be in touch.”  Raphael said with a smile, shaking Mist's hand.  Mist nodded.

“Of course.  I'll let you know if I find something of immediate interest.”  He said, before heading out with the file.  He certainly had his work cut out for him this time...it would be a big case. But, it would be worth it for his old fuck-buddy, he supposed.  

-x-

Vector was lately spending more days in bed than not, since moving too much resulted in a shortness of breath that frankly scared him.  He knew he didn't have much time left, so he had been working very hard on his model, but found that he was probably making quite a few mistakes.  He really needed a second eye to go over it...and that meant he could only count on one other man.  The only problem was that he had no idea how to reach Astral...but he knew someone who did.

“Dammit I hope Yuuma knows where he is...”  Vector muttered as he dialled Yuuma's number.

Yuuma was waiting for his bus to arrive when he suddenly saw his phone ring. He grinned and he quickly grabbed his phone answering it and jumped on the couch. “Hello? Sup, Vector!”

"Hey Yuuma..." Vector said, pausing to cough a little before continuing.

"I was wondering if you had a way to contact Astral."

Yuuma raised an eyebrow and frowned. He knew he should have expected Vector calling for more serious reasons, but it sounded worse than he thought. He tilted his head before remembering Vector couldn’t see it. “Yeah, I do. I got his number. Why? You okay?”

"I need to ask him for some help with computer stuff...I'm making a program and I wanted him to make sure I haven't made mistakes....he's done it before." Vector said.

“Huh? Yeah sure, I can get in contact with him. I can give you his number.” Yuma said. “What’s the program for? Inchou?” Yuuma said, taking a wild guess

"Please." Vector said. He smirked.

"Of course it is. But it's also for others...you might even benefit from it Yuuma-kun~" he teased with a snicker.

“Me? Benefit from something… technicoological?” Yuuma frowned, mispronouncing the most simple of long words. “What’s that supposed to mean? Can I see it?”

Vector face palmed. Why did he even bother with Yuuma he wondered.

"No you can't see it Yuuma it's a secret." Vector mused.

"When it's done maybe you can see it but it's nowhere close yet."

“Awww come on! Astral can see it! Why can’t I?” Yuuma whined, despite not knowing the first thing about software. “It sounds cool and it sounds like something that would be super cool for Inchou. Come on Vector. Pleaseeee~?"

“Astral can see it because he'll actually understand it!  You don't know anything about computer coding!”  Vector exclaimed, coughing a bit.

“Ugh, if you really want to see it, I guess you can come.  But I'm telling you, you won't understand what it is.  It's all codes.”  

Yuuma frowned. “Okay… Oy, oy are you okay?” He muttered. “You sound awful.”

“If anything, I can distract Inchou for you."

“No, I'm not okay Yuuma. I'm dying, alright?  Of course I sound like shit.”  Vector muttered, coughing again.

“...Sure.  Takashi likes having company...can you call Astral and bring him over with you?”  

“I know but… you’re not dying now, right?” Yuuma said, sounding surprisingly small. “I’m worried, Vector…”

“Sure… I was going to go to the store but I’m gonna call Astral and head over when we can“

Vector sighed.  Here was he was being a dick again.  It was somehow just his nature.

“No, not at this second. I'm not too bad...just bedridden.” He promised.  He nodded

.

“Sure.  Text me when you're coming, alright?  I'll see you later.”  

“I’ll see you later. Should be today. See you.” Yuuma checked the time and went to lock the house. On the way to the bus stop, he called Astral.

Astral was back at the apartment complex, helping Yuuto clean out Yami's room.  Yuuto had said that since Yami had been arrested and it was highly likely he wouldn't be returning, he'd clean out things.  But, Astral and Yuuto were both wearing masks, since both knew that Yami had drugs hidden somewhere.  Yuuto had said he'd dispose of them safely, and Astral trusted him to do so.  His phone rang moments later.  Astral exited the room and pulled down his mask to answer it.

“Hello Yuuma.”  He said with a smile.

“Hey there, Kibou” Yuuma said, knowing to use the right name in public. “Are you busy right now? Or this afternoon?"

“Well...I was helping Yuuto clean out a room...but I am sure I will be available this afternoon. Why?  What is happening?”  Astral asked.

“Ena-chan wants you to come over and help them with some tech issues,” Yuuma said, sounding a bit excited that he was getting included for once. “If you have time to look over the program, I’ll come pick you up and we’ll head over to see them. I wanted to see Inchou today too"

“Oh really?  Sounds fine to me.  Where should we meet?”  He asked. Yuuto was waving him off, saying it was alright to go.  He'd loaded all of the stuff from Yami's room in a bag.

“Heartland Mall probably. Just at the entrance at like… two hours? Is that long enough?”

“Alright.  I will be there, Yuuma.”  Astral said with a smile.  He was happy for the chance to see Yuuma again.  He hung up and pulled his mask back up to help Yuuto.

"Sorry.  Yuuma wanted to see me today is all." Astral said to Yuuto, going back into the room to help him pack up Yami's stuff.

Yuuto glanced over to Astral and gave him a tired smile. “It’s fine. Can’t say I blame you for making plans to bail. This place is a mess.” He laughed quietly. “Seriously though, thanks for helping me clean Yami’s shit.”

Astral smiled.

“It is not a problem. I am glad to help.”  He said.  

“...He certainly has a lot of stuff.  What do you do with it exactly?”  

“Burn it, or loot it, or sell it. Think of the most generic, criminal thing you can do with ‘stuff’. That’s what I’m doing,” Yuuto sighed, rolling his eyes, evidently used to the whole song and dance act of this.

“I suppose that is fair.” Astral said with a nod.  He was secretly a bit surprised that there wasn't more money that they found.  Considering Yami had been killing for bounty, there should have been a hidden bundle of cash, but all they really found were a few small bills.  But he also supposed that Yami could have put it elsewhere.  

“He does not have much stuff though...most of it is drugs.”  He mused.

“It’s fair enough. Most likely he trades his services for drugs. I’ll have Yugo over to help me tear up the floorboards and the walls in a couple of months to double check, but as far as I’m concerned, this place is clean.” Yuto said, zipping up the bag with Yami’s stuff. “Annoying as well. He hasn’t paid rent for last month” The purple-haired man yawned, tired as ever

“Alright.”  Astral said with a smile.

“Perhaps his stuff will earn you enough to make it up.”  Astral mused.

“It will, probably. Yami tends to keep himself out of trouble… Well… usually.” Yuuto said, trying to smile back but failing miserably. He rubbed his temples, wishing he was able to have a vacation. “Are we expecting you for dinner tonight?”

“Not this time...I heard on the news he's facing the death penalty.”  Astral murmured.  He shrugged.

“I am not sure yet how long I will be out with Yuuma, but I will let you know.”  He said with a smile, heading back to his room to get ready to go.

“Figures…” Yuuto looked sad for a fleeting moment before he shook his head. He hated thinking about the convicts he harboured. It made him uncomfortable to no end harbouring criminals in the first place, and then being betrayed by them…

“Right. Make sure to call so you don’t worry Yuuya.”

“I will let Yuuya know.” Astral promised Yuuto before heading out.  He had packed his computer and put on a disguise so he wouldn't be caught.  He caught the bus to the mall, knowing he'd meet Yuuma there soon.

Yuuma was waiting for him there. He had just needed to pick up some shampoo and some other toiletries, so he was waiting for Astral, snacking on a couple of candies, watching some kids play card games from where he sat on the fountain.

Astral entered the mall and spotted Yuuma at the fountain relatively quickly.  He smiled and approached.

“Good afternoon, Yuuma. How are you?”  He asked.

“Hey Astral!” Yuuma hugged his best friend quickly, swamping the small man in a hug “I missed you!"

Astral smiled and returned the hug, having missed his best friend and practical brother as well.

"I missed you as well, Yuuma. How have you been?"

“I’ve been good! Keeping busy! Doing what I do.” Yuuma grinned as he picked up Astral and squeezed him happily. “How are you, Kibou?"

Astral smiled and yelped a bit when Yuuma hoisted him up.

"I have been seeing Kaito quite a bit, but other than that, I have not been too busy." He said.

“Ah, Kaito. Of course. And working out, right? You’re looking pretty buff Astral” Yuuma grinned, putting Astral down and practically bouncing on the spot. “So, ready to go?” He asked.

"Well perhaps a little...I help Yuuto and Yuuya around the house. Lifting is included so perhaps that is why." Astral mused. He smiled at his friend and nodded.

"Yes. We shall see what is going on with Ena and Takashi."

“Yeah. I haven’t seen either of them in ages, so I was happy to hear from Ena today” Yuuma said, as if he hadn’t invited himself along. He started walking to the right bus stop. “Like… wow. Ena must have been keeping busy."

Astral nodded.

“I have not seen them in awhile either.  I suppose it is good that Ena is healthy enough to have people over now.”  

“They said something about code. You know what they're working on?” Yuuma asked.

“A code...hmm...yes, I think I remember.  It was really quite impressive...but then again, it is to be expected of Ena to be extremely creative with computer software.  I have looked over it once before to correct little errors.”  Astral said.  He smiled.

“It is not complete, so I am not sure exactly what Ena intends for it...but it seems to be a very advanced version of a computer model.”  

“Ohh… like the ones you made? The one that looked like you?” Yuuma said, sticking his hand out and hailing down the bus.

“Yes.  Except, as I said, much more complex.  It is based off a model I made of him for him...so it will look like him, I imagine.”  Astral said.

“Oh… How come Ena is working on that? There’s no real reason to."

“I do not know why. But, it seems to be very important to Ena.  It has been going on for awhile.”  Astral said.

“I see… I hope they’re okay… Both of them” Yuuma muttered, swiping his bus card and sitting down

Astral did the same, sitting next to Yuuma.

“I hope so as well.” He agreed.  

“How is Shark doing? Does he work today?”

“Yeah. Shark works more than I do. I’m learning how to work with bikes but since I’m mostly clean up, I’m not needed as often.” Yuuma shrugged. “He’s alright though. Being grumpy as always but nothing new.” Yuuma smiled.

“That is good.  Surely Yusei will give you more shifts then.” Astral said.  He smiled.

“I am glad you two are both doing alright.”  He said. The bus ride was fairly short, and soon they were getting off and walking to Takashi's house.  

“Yeah, it’s nice to work. But I kinda want to just sleep and play video games, you know?” Yuuma laughed quietly.  They hopped off and Yuuma went to knock on the door. Takashi answered.

“Ah… Hi Yuuma. Hello Kibou.” The man smiled.

“Hello, Takashi-san. Ena invited us over.”  Astral said with a smile.  Vector was on the couch with Umbral and his computer, and he glanced over to the door.

“Hi guys.”  He said softly, lifting his fingers in a small wave. Umbral glanced over too and Astral's eyes immediately locked onto it.  He still didn't really like cats.  

“Yeah, Ena told me,” Takashi smiled, stepping aside. He noticed Astral’s expression and he laughed, picking Umbral up. “Come on Yuuma, help me make tea.”

“Alright. We’ll leave the smart guys to do their work.” Yuuma grinned, but not before going to Vector to hug him.

Vector snickered as well.

“Still not a fan of cats, Astral?”  Vector mused. Umbral gave a small meow in protest to being separated from his favorite human, but went without much of a fuss. Vector accepted Yuuma's hug, feeling extremely small in the huge man's arms.  It was another reminder that he'd lost a lot of weight lately.  

“Astral, can you look over this...I'm pretty sure I've made some mistakes, but I can't see them very well anymore.”  Vector said, showing his screen to the other hacker.  

“...He's not looking too good, Inchou...he's so tiny now.”  Yuuma said to Takashi once they were in the kitchen.  He was concerned, clearly.

Astral said nothing. He merely looked nervously towards the kitchen after Yuuma and Takashi went in, expecting the small, furry bullet to come charging back in. After a while though, he looked over at Vector and observed his appearance. Anyone could see he only had limited time left. Vector looked absolutely awful.

“Right… What are we doing here?” Astral said, sitting down and looking at the code, beginning to highlight the chunks of text. “… This looks… very flexible. Are you making an AI?”

“I know…His stomach isn’t taking as much as it used to, and the cancer is pretty much eating him.” Takashi sighed, getting the kettle. “I’m worried..."

Vector continued to smirk.

“Relax.  Takashi probably let Umbral outside.  He knows to stay out.”  Vector mused at Astral's worried look.  He nodded.

“Yeah...that's exactly it. I'm not sure if I'll finish in time though...”  He said, coughing at the end of his sentence as if to prove his point on how little time he had left.

Yuuma nodded sadly.  

“Is there anything we can do to help him?”  Yuuma asked. As much as he didn't like Vector before, the man had grown on him and had helped him out quite a bit recently. He would be really sad to see him go.

“I can finish it. I think I know what line of thinking you were working on. This should be easy to patch. I think your problem is making it able to fix itself so it can continually support Takashi and grow as a program.” Astral said, already swiftly writing away. “That’s what you plan to do, right?” Astral said, getting that quickly from the last time he was here.

“No… The most we can do is make sure he stays healthy but… there’s little for him left” Takashi murmured, turning away

Vector nodded.

“Yes...that's it.  I'm worried about him...so this way, I can sort of keep an eye on him.”  He said. He smiled a bit.

“Thank you for helping me with this.”  

“Yeah...”  Yuuma said, putting an arm around Takashi in comfort.

“He seems happy enough though.  We'll try and stop by to keep you guys company.”  

“What’s wrong with him? Or are you just concerned?” Astral frowned, still typing away. He stopped when he heard Vector’s words though and looked at him.

“… It’s fine. I want to help. I said I would with this, didn’t I?”

“Hey… thanks” Takashi said, looking up with teary eyes. He smiled.

“Nothing's wrong...it's just that he's very devoted to me.  The last time I left him, he was miserable for awhile...he didn't take care of himself.  If anything, I want to make sure he does take care of himself after I pass.”  Vector said.  He nodded.

“You did...but thank you anyway.”  

“It's no problem Inchou! You and Vector are our friends and we wanna be there for you!”  Yuuma said happily.

“So you are concerned… I see…” Astral murmured. It sounded frightening… that Takashi might just waste away without Vector. He hoped it wouldn’t happen. Takashi had been and still was a good man. Astral smiled gently. It was good that Vector had changed. He was a better man now too.

“You’re welcome. We’ll finish this soon. You can give me segments to work on too, if you’d like. I have the time to do this.”

Takashi smiled. “Yeah, I know you guys are. I have to remember that I can rely on you guys"

“Yes, very.  I love him and I want him to be okay.”  Vector murmured.  He coughed a bit before smiling.

“Alright.  I'll send pieces to you then.  Thanks.”  He said, watching Astral make some small changes and mentally smacking himself for not noticing such obvious mistakes.  

“Of course!  Let's go see what your husband is up to, huh?  His little 'secret' project thing!”  Yuuma said, helping Takashi carry tea into the living room for Astral and for Vector.  

Astral smiled and went back to the work. “So talk me through your idea, in full without considering the limitations. I want to know how big you’re planning for this.” Astral said, feeling a bit excited. “3d? Interact-able? Able to rewrite algorithms by itself?”

“I don’t know what it is. He refuses to tell me and when I look at the code myself, even i get lost"

Vector smirked, seeing the other man's excitement.

“All of the above, Astral. I want it to be adaptable, and as realistic as possible.  I want it to be able to interact with other servers as well as the real world to a certain degree.”  Vector said happily.

“Awww really?  Then it must be super complicated!”  Yuuma said, peeking around Vector and staring at the screen in incomprehension.  

“...Okay I don't get it. What's going on?  Astral!  What does this meaaaan!”  He exclaimed.

“Sounds like a hell of a program. Something you’ve been working on for years even,” Astral said, typing away. He made mental notes to use some of this for himself, and he glanced around different portions. He didn’t look up when Yuuma came in, followed by Takashi.

“Means that you shouldn’t try get your head around it.” Astral said flatly, causing Takashi to laugh

“It is something I've been working on for years, that's why.”  Vector said with a sigh.  He chuckled at Yuuma's antics.

“I told you when you invited yourself along didn't I?  There's no way you'd ever get this.”  Vector mused. Yuuma pouted.

“Then explain it!”  He cried.  Vector shook his head.

“Nope.  That would spoil the surprise, Yuuma-kun~”

“Told you, Yuuma. These two are stubborn with their secrets. I thought you could guess that.” Takashi said, patting his friend on the back.

“I could explain it, but you’d ask me to simplify it.” Astral said

Yuuma pouted even more when Takashi patted his back.

“No fair...”  He murmured.  

“Don't tell Yuuma.  If you tell him, the whole Numbers Club will know in less than 10 minutes.”  Vector mused with a chuckle to Astral.  

“Just be patient, Yuuma. You'll figure it out eventually...it's simpler to show you than to try to explain.”  Vector said to the other, coughing a bit at the end.

“I had no intention to.” Astral said, smirking, but still working away like a diligent machine.

“Hey… take it easy. Do you need a drink, Vector?” Takashi asked.

Vector kept coughing, which drew Yuuma's attention too.  Vector nodded to Takashi.

“Here, we brought some tea!” Yuuma said, passing Vector the cup. Vector calmed his coughing a bit and managed to take a sip.  He smiled.

“Thanks.”  He said softly.

“You did take your meds, right?” Takashi asked, not having checked earlier. He glanced at the screen but shook his head, seeing advanced code. He could decipher some of it, but once again Vector and Astral proved themselves almost supernatural working away at it. “I hope whatever you’re working on is really exciting”

“It will be.” Astral said automatically, as if he had been working on this program for all his life instead of the last ten minutes

“Yeah, I did...” Vector said, calming down with some more sips of tea.

“It is, Takashi.  It really is.  Astral here is super excited too.”  He said with a smile.  Yuuma grinned.

“I can tell Astral's excited!  Whatever it is it's gonna be cool, I'll bet!”  

“I’m fascinated. I’m not excited,” Astral lied. “One can imagine what you can do with this sort of thing”

Takashi smirks at that but said nothing, sitting down next to Vector.

“Nah you can't fool me! You really like it!”  Yuuma said with a grin, sitting down next to Astral. Vector leaned against Takashi as the other sat down next to him.  He smiled.

“We can only imagine...it'll be interesting to see what happens when it's done.”  

Astral rolled his eyes but since Yuuma didn’t disturb him, he went to continue to scan it. After a few minutes, he was done. “I want to let it run so I can see if it’s ready or not, but you probably don’t want these two to see.”

“No, I don't.”  Vector said, glancing at Yuuma.

“Time to make good on your promise to distract Takashi, Yuuma-kun.”  He cooed.  Yuuma rolled his eyes but got out.

“Come on, Takashi. They gotta test this crazy thing.” Yuuma said, getting up and pulling Takashi up with him.

“You could at least be subtle about needing me out.” Takashi said, rolling his eyes. He squeezed Vector’s hand before he allowed himself to be pulled along. “See you later. We’ll do something.”

Vector chuckled.

“That's Yuuma's job, not mine.”  He mused. Yuuma stuck his tongue out at Vector, making him chuckle.  He squeezed Takashi's hand in return before letting Yuuma drag his husband out.  

“Yeah!  We should plan something while they're testing that thing! Something fun but inclusive for everyone, considering Vector's condition!”  Yuuma agreed.

“Alright Astral.  We can test it now.”  Vector said.

“Plan what, Yuuma?” Takashi asked as he was whisked away back to the kitchen. “Okay, I’ll humour you. What do you want to do?” He asked the bigger man, crossing his arms with amusement.

Astral nodded and finished up what he was writing before he booted the program up. The screen changed and went black, before the camera attached to the laptop flickered on. The program slowly formed Vector, looking considerably healthier than the real one.

“You know, something fun! Maybe a picnic?  Oh, or we could watch a movie!  That wouldn't be too hard for Vector right?”  Yuuma asked.  

Vector watched as the model Vector blinked back at him and Astral.  Without Astral touching the keys, the model looked around, moving on its own without glitches.  

“Hey...look at it go.” Vector mused, excited.  The model looked at him and smirked immediately.

“Checking me out huh? I know I'm prettier than you've been in awhile, I imagine.”  It spoke in Vector's voice.  The real Vector rolled his eyes.  

“Heh… I guess so. Both are nice. It’s been a while since we went out to the movies… and I don’t think I’ve ever taken him out on a picnic before” Takashi said, trying to recall a time when he saw it.

“Wow, he’s as rude as you and not afraid to hide it,” Astral chuckled. “Does he have any of your… well… it’s difficult to program memories but do you have a list?”

“No picnics?  But you guys have a really pretty flower garden!” Yuuma said, noting their backyard. Takashi had been keeping up his flower planting as much as possible even while Vector was back.  

“We should totally have a picnic!  The fresh air would be good for Vector right?”  

“Yep.  Looks like it.”  Vector mused.  He frowned.

“I did write it down...but I'll try a test here.”  Vector said, pointing at Astral.

“Tell me about my history with this guy.”  He said to the model.

“I didn't like him because he hacked M.I.D.S ages ago.  His hacker name is Astral, but I'm pretty sure that's not your real name.  His aliases are Hope Ray and Kibou...he's in a relationship with Kaito.  Yuuma, Shark and Astral all went to the same orphanage.  I helped him get busted out of jail recently, and you asked him to help you work on the model project.  So I like him now.”  The Vector model said with a smirk.  

“Oh… I guess you can count that. We sit outside and have tea but that’s really the extent of it.” Takashi said. He smiled though. “We do like that park we walk around. Maybe we can just sit there and relax with food. That’s always nice.”

Astral frowned, not liking how Vector’s camera could pick up that he was Astral and not another person. He made a mental note to have Yuuto check if his scrambling chips were working before he listened.

“Fair enough… Seems functional. His mouth doesn’t move as fast as he does though."

“Yeah!  We should go there sometime!”  Yuuma said excitedly.  He liked the park too.

“True...we should fix that.” Vector noted.  

“You have scrambling chips on your face.  When did you get those done?  I had to use audio recognition to determine your identity.”  Model Vector asked Astral.  

“I haven't done much recent memory stuff yet...still working on that.”  Vector said softly to Astral in explanation for why his model didn't know about his facial chips.

“Alright… but something small, okay? Not everyone we know when we go out. I do want him to be more social, but don’t go overboard.” Takashi laughed.

Astral raised his eyebrows, surprised that the program had thought of that so fast. He rubbed his face, relieved that he didn’t have to get more tattoos, and smiled. “Pretty clever how he did that. Is he already hooked up to an audio bank of some sort? That’s pretty intense already. He seems nearly done."

“Yay!  Okay so who?  You should let Kotori come at least so you guys can meet Masumi!  She's adorable!”   Yuuma said happily.

“No...but the mic on my laptop is on.  My memory has codes of people's voices, and since I've heard you before, it recognized you.”  Vector said, excited by this too.

“Yeah, he's mostly ready. I need to add a few more memories in yet...and I guess some minor corrections like the mouth that you mentioned.”

Takashi smiled at the thought. Masumi was a darling girl and he wanted to see her again. He loved children still, they had a soft spot in his heart.

“Yeah. We can take all our kids along. Kotori and Masumi, Vector and me, Shark and you.” He teased.

“I see…” Astral said. “Fascinating. Well he knows how to take care of Takashi already, doesn’t he?"

Yuuma squawked in surprise.

“I'm not a kid!”  He exclaimed with a pout.

“Yes, he does.  He knows my schedule and Takashi's from me. He'll look after him.”  Vector said, shutting down the program for now. He was happy to see how it was going.

Takashi laughed. “I know, I know. I’m joking. You’re the biggest of us all, Yuuma. You couldn’t pass for a child no matter how hard I try.” He said, patting his shoulder.

Astral couldn’t help but smile as the program waved and let himself be switched off.

“So he just wants to help out, huh?"

Yuuma smiled a bit when Takashi complimented him.

“You got that right.” Yuuma cheered.

“That's right...he loves him like I do, so of course he'll help him.”  Vector said with a smile and a cough.

“So, any plans for the weekend, Yuuma?” Takashi asked

“And the adaptive AI won’t go rouge or do something crazy? I mean… it is you, after all that it’s based off” Astral said, showing some concern for the incredible but frightening project. AI had many implications attached to them, and one based on Vector could be unpleasant.

“Shark and I were gonna hang out at home really!  Not much planned!”  Yuuma said happily.

“Are you and Vector doing the same?”  

“Yeah...I suppose there is a risk.  But, if that does happen, then you'll have to stop it won't you Astral?”  Vector said with a smirk.

“Basically. He’ll probably work on that program more,” Takashi said, gesturing back to the living room”

Astral sighed and rolled his eyes. “Leaving me to clean up another of your messes, huh? Well, alright. I suppose I can promise that for you."

"Then we should definitely do something! Get him out of the house for awhile ya know?" Yuuma said happily.

Vector chuckled.

"This would be easier though...just shut down its main operating system. But j don't anticipate it going rouge because it has Takashi."

“Yeah, sounds like a plan. This weekend sounds great. Hopefully Kotori can make it.” Takashi sighed. “How is she? Masumi just came home, so how is she dealing with it.”

“I guess. It’s adaptive, that’s all.” Astral shrugged. No need to worry about it though, so he dismissed any further thoughts. It was just fascinating...

"I went to her house recently for the welcoming Alit home party! They seem to be doing okay. Turns out whoever took Masumi took good care of her. Alit's doing alright too! He's allowed to walk and do things as long as they aren't too hard on his injury! A picnic should be fine with him too. And of course Ponta loves the park." Yuuma said, already looping in tons of people as he spoke.

"I can tell you're curious...if you want you can have the code formula I made and make and play with one of your own." Vector mused to Astral.

“… Does Vector even get along with Alit? I’ve never seen them interact.” Takashi said, a bit nervous. He knew Gilag would recognise Vector in a heartbeat, so he was out of the question, but Kotori was good friends with Ena so…

“Oh no… I couldn’t…” Astral said, waving his hand. Then he paused and looked at Vector. “Really?"

"...I don't know." Yuuma said in shock. He also couldn't remember them interacting.

"Maybe we should just make it Kotori, Ponta and Masumi then?" He said.

Vector raised a brow with a knowing smile at Astral's initial words, saying 'I know you want to' silently. He nodded.

"Yeah of course. You need something to do other than hack right?"

“I guess… I mean… We can offer and hope he refuses, honestly. I’m not against it, unless Vector starts something.” Takashi admitted.

“I have some work.” Astral said. “But… that would be amazing. Thank you"

"Yeah I guess we can." Yuuma said.

"No problem. Do what you want with it, I don't care as long as you don't destroy the Vector model." Vector said, giving the basic code to Astral.

“Of course.” Astral smiled, letting Vector copy the file onto a thumb drive and give it to him. “I’ll look after it"

"I know you will Astral. Have fun." Vector mused with a smile.

-x-

The police had been looking around for the drug dealer who had given Yami the Devil's Breath for quite some time, but their search had continually come up short.

"I suppose we have no choice but to ask Yami of his whereabouts. Mai, you got answers out of him last time, so you can talk to him this time." Ukyou said. Gauche went and got Yuugi, leading him back into the interrogation room where Ukyou and Mai were sitting. Yuugi blinked.

"What are we doing this time?" He asked.

“We need to find out about the drug dealer you were seen with. The one that supplied you with Devil’s Breath,” Mai said, taking a seat with Yami. Today Raphael wasn’t with them, but Mai figured things would go alright, considering how both parts of Yuugi were cooperating.

“Do you know of Dennis Macfield? Yami? Can I speak to him if you don’t?"

Yuugi blinked.

"No..." He said softly, feeling his head hurting and a moment later Yami emerged.

"Of course I know Dennis. You guys saw me with him at the docks didn't you?" Yami mused.  

"But, I don't know where he is. In case you haven't noticed I've been in the slammer for a few days now. Haven't been in touch with him." Yami said.

“Don’t play games, Yami.” Mai sighed, shaking her head, taking the shift in stride now. “I didn’t expect you to be in contact, I just wanted some leads. You were always thorough with whom you dealt with and kept alive, so you must have some idea”

"But I like games." Yami mused. He nodded.

"Yeah I have some ideas. But I can't tell you Mai. Dennis has powerful guys on his side. If I talk and he gets caught, he'll know it was me. He knows me and he knows I was arrested. He'll know who blabbed." Yami said.

Mai rolled her eyes and ignored him.

“Any hints? Or anyone I can interrogate to get the heat off you?” Mai asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Police protection isn't gonna work against Dennis. Nobody knows who his guys are, because unlike other dealers, Dennis tends to talk to his clients personally. His guys are all invisible. I don't know them so I can't tell you who to look for." Yami explained.

“Damn it…” Mai frowned. “Do you at least know if he’ll stick to Heartland?"

Yami pondered this question.

“To my knowledge he has no workings outside of Heartland...and considering he does have a large clientele here, it's highly likely he would stick to Heartland.  He didn't exactly tell me all his business plans though, so it's possible he might expand too.  I'm not sure.”  Yami said. He smiled a bit.

“Sorry Mai.  Not much more I can give you...the Devil's Breath is a newer drug of his though.  It hasn't caught on that much yet.  I was one of his biggest buyers of that one, so maybe it won't grow as much.  Most people are terrified of it.”  

“I would imagine so… But knowing he’ll stay in the city is a good start. Do you know if he’s a big shot? If I can figure out how much he’s earning, we may be able to narrow our search"

Yami frowned again as he thought about what he knew about Dennis.

“I don't think he's that big.  Since he deals with all his clients personally, it's hard to be big.  Maybe his behind the scenes network is big though. He does have access to quite an impressive collection of drugs.  But, whenever I go see him, there's never that much of a crowd.”  Yami mused.

“Right…. So he’s a dealer, not a producer, and very personal.” Mai pondered, already able to see a map of the city in her mind’s eye. She could see him in the middle to lower class areas then, not some rich kid doing this for fun. It was interesting. “May be a while before we can turn him in. A man hunt is never fun or easy"

“Yeah.  Very personal.  He treats everyone like a friend, and does you favors.”  Yami said.  He chuckled.

“I don't know if I believe that Mai.  This is the second time you've been involved in hunting me down.  I'd say you like man hunts.”  Yami mused.

“I like hunting men, not man hunts. There’s a difference, Yami,” Mai winked at him, her mood elevating immediately.

Yami laughed.

"I hear you." He said, also in a good mood. Ukyou sighed.

"Guys lets get back on topic..." He said.

“So… I got a question that’s been bugging me. Where's your blood money, Mutou? You don’t have accounts on record, and you’re not exactly stellar with your knowledge on computers or tech, so where’s the cash?"

"Yeah I haven't used accounts in years...it's easier to just take your cash with you. And as a fugitive opening a bank account would alert the police that I'm still around so I never did." Yami said with a shrug.

"It's hidden of course. I left it all in cash at the place I was staying."

“And that place was…” Mai asked, as if hoping to get an answer, even if she knew it was unlikely.

"In a location that I am not about to specify." Yami finished.

"It's my money and you guy have no claim to it...you wouldn't be able to tell who gave it to me so you can't return it. Might as well just leave it there."

“And if anyone else finds it?” Mai asked, raising an eyebrow.

"They probably won't. My puzzle is there too, and you know I hide that one really well. But if they do, they'll be rich. It doesn't matter to me anymore...don't need money where I'm going." Yami said with a sigh.

"Although I was saving to get the hell out of here...it's a shame."

“Where were you heading for? America? To do the same thing you’ve been doing here?” Mai asked, getting comfortable but somehow still looking sympathetic to him.

“I was mostly concerned with just getting out of Heartland.  Maybe eventually I would have made my way there.  I was thinking of going back to college too...maybe get a real job.”  Yami said with a shrug.

“Giving up your games?” Mai asked, raising an eyebrow. “I’m surprised. That really doesn’t sound like you, Yami.”

“Probably not completely. I'd still play, but it wouldn't be my means of income.  I played casual games here too you know.”  He said.  

“...Besides, now that Yuugi's back, I would probably have to do that regardless...”  He murmured, feeling a small twinge of pain and groaning.

“I know you know… But does Yuugi know you’re not getting out of the mental institution for the rest of your life? It’s there and then jail if you’re deemed sane enough… but death otherwise.” Mai muttered.

“...No.  But I'd rather just let him hope and focus on recovering.  He's depressed enough as it is...”  Yami said softly.

“Right… But some life is better than none, isn’t it hon?” Mai frowned, feeling uneasy all of a sudden. “…"

“Of course.  That's why I don't want to die.”  Yami said with a sigh.  

“Can we talk about something else?”  He said, clutching his head a little.  He didn't like feeling sad or scared because it triggered Yuugi to come out.

“Right… You have anything you want to say? Or should I just start asking more and more questions?” Mai said, looking at the man.

“Not that I can think of...ask me anything.  I don't care.”  Yami said.

“… Okay. Sure. How do you know that lawyer? He’s pretty hot, sure, but I didn’t know you were the type to befriend those kinds of people.” Mai said.

Yami groaned a bit at the question.  Ukyou glanced between the two, wondering if he should intervene or not.  But then again, he was curious what the relationship was too.

“Well I guess I did say anything...”  He muttered.

“We're not friends, exactly. I met him in Neo Domino about...hmm...5 years ago now?  Maybe a little longer...anyway, he was not a fancy lawyer back then at all.  I frequented a club where he was staying, as a gambler...eventually we got into a bit of an arrangement.  I'd...entertain him, in exchange for him letting me stay with him for the night.  I didn't have permanent lodging, and it was much cheaper and safer than a hostel or shelter...so it worked out.  But, once the gambling rings caught up with me, I had to leave for Heartland and that was it for him.  I had no idea he was here, or that he was a lawyer.”  Yami explained.

“… Wow. Small world, huh?” Mai said, tilting her head. “Well, it’s lucky you got your friend."

“He's not my friend.” Yami repeated.

“But I guess so...if he took on that Vector case and won, then I guess he's the best one for my case too. As long as he doesn't try to flirt with Yuugi again...”  Yami said with a frown at the last part.

“You really care about your other half, huh?” Mai smiled. “At least you won’t get more of that anymore."

“Yeah I do.  I didn't like that he disappeared...there was nothing I could do but still, I didn't like it.”  Yami said.

“...Don't tell Yuugi about what me and the lawyer did though...he needs to figure out his shit for himself.”

“Hopefully you didn’t leave him with too much” Mai said.

“I think he's still clueless.  Yuugi is very young and naive.”  Yami mused with a smile.

“...and somehow I feel like if Raphael is there, nothing bad will happen anyway.  He seems pretty protective, even of me.”  He said, looking contemplative and a little incredulous.

“Well, Raphael will look after you. I bet he’ll visit every weekend once you’re in the institute and make sure you’re alright. He’s a good guy. Seems like he always has been."

Yami shook his head in disbelief.

“Yeah I knew he was a good guy but...not that good.  I understand wanting to see Yuugi, but even when he knows it's me he's still nice...I tried to kill him.  He shouldn't like me that much.”  Kaiba was looking like a huge asshole for wanting him dead in Yami's mind.  

“But, since Yuugi likes him, I guess him visiting will make him happy.  I don't know how the Correctional Facility compares to prison, but if it's anything like jail, it's not the best place to make friends.”  Yami said with a frown.

“Do you know much about the Correctional Facility?”  He asked Mai. He'd been there, yes, but only for tests.  He had no idea how inmates were treated.

“Maybe you should ask him next time you see him. Who knows? You might get answers.” Mai said. She was kind of hoping Yami would tattle sooner or later on whoever hired him, and wanted to pit Yami against the man even more.

“Hm? Not really. As a PI, everyone goes to jail since their crimes are actually crimes.” Mai said. “I heard they’ve beefed up security but are encouraging a healthier environment then a prison. Probably in light of the Vector incident."

Yami would never tattle on Kaiba.  He knew that as much as Dennis had influence, Kaiba had at least 20 times that.  Yami would be dead in a heartbeat if he opened his mouth and blabbed.  

“Maybe.”  He said.  He listened and nodded.

“Yeah I heard about that...the speculation of prisoner abuse going on in there.  And that no one has ever broken out of there save for Vector, who was a suspected victim of abuse himself.  Sounds like it would be hard to get out.”  Yami mused.  

“Ah, speaking of breaking out, enlighten me, Yami.” Mai said, tapping her perfect nails on the table, looking at the man in interest.

“How did you break out of jail last time? You’ve been on the run for a while… ”

Yami raised a brow at the first part.  He snickered a little.

“I didn't do it alone. Someone came in to break me out...I found out later that it was a paid job.  Whoever gave me the bounty to kill those CEOs was apparently the same guy who broke me out.  Or at least the notes said so.”  Yami said with a shrug.

“Notes? So you’ve never met him?” Mai frowned. “Do you have those notes? Or did you destroy them?” She asked. It didn’t hurt to check.

“Never met him, no.  I knew he was rich and had a ton of money to spare because of how much he paid me, but that was kinda it.  It might not have even been a man, but considering most of the really rich people in Heartland are men, the odds are it was a man who paid me.”  Yami lied smoothly.  

“I destroyed them.  It was part of the instructions to burn the notes after I read them, so I did.”  

“Yeah… A rich guy eliminating business men or their bosses. I can see that.” Mai sighed. “Oh well, worth a shot. You really know nothing, don’t ya, Yami?

“Is there any evidence that you can provide that says that you’ve been working for someone else?”

“No, I don't really. Although if I had to guess, I'd say the same thing you just did.”  Yami said. He paused at the second question.

“...You guys took all my stuff didn't you?  I understand not wanting to go through the pockets, but you probably should.  There was a card in one of my pockets with the deadline to kill Raphael and the meeting place for collecting the bounty. The meeting place changed every time, but they would always wait a week before giving me the bounty, because they had to confirm the kill on the news.  Since they confirmed my arrest, they wouldn't have sent anyone this time. It's not much but it's all I've got aside from the fact that killing nicer people isn't really my style.  I go after scumbags, not charity workers like Raphael.”  

“Alright… We saw the card. We’ll use it to the best of our ability. Thanks for the heads up.” Mai said. “They’re thinking of pushing the trial to next week, since you’re a special case. We still have it in the bag, but it may be difficult"

Yami nodded.

“Alright...sooner rather than later I guess...”  He said, his head throbbing again.  He placed a hand on it.

“...Yuugi's coming out soon...tell him about the trial date, if he does...”  Yami groaned softly.

“Alright. Go rest. We’ll see if Dr. Arclight will prescribe medication soon.” Mai said. “Drink the water."

Yami accepted the water, his hands shaking a little as he took a sip.  

“I hope so...I can't ever remember having this many headaches in my life...”  He said.  He got up a little shakily and let Ukyou escort him back to his cell, trying to hold onto consciousness until then.  When he reached the cell he collapsed onto the cot and closed his eyes, trying to get some rest as Mai had suggested.

“… The forensics team should get on the card, make sure Yami is telling the truth.” Mai muttered. “I worry… Do you think you can win this case?”

“All we can do is try, and see what happens,” Ukyou said, putting a hand on the woman’s shoulder before walking off, leaving Mai to watch Mutou sleep.

-x-

Miheal was finally ready for his date with Gilag.  God it had been a long day in court, and he was desperate to relax a little and have fun. Ouji Kyouhei (or Koutei, as he preferred to be called) had been on trial today for attempted murder and kidnapping. He had been officially admitted to the Correctional Facility as a result, but Miheal had felt sorry for the man as he watched the horrifying testimonies of the victims.  There had been clear tension in the room between the man on the stand and Koutei, and Miheal knew the blond had taken it hard. He'd have his work cut out for him, he was sure.

He was currently waiting at a restaurant for Gilag to show up.  He'd been working all day and Miheal was sure the larger man would also be wanting to relax.  Miheal had already checked the restaurant for signs of Thomas and was glad to see that he hadn't figured out about the date.  This time, they'd be undisturbed and that was how Miheal liked it.

Although Gilag had fought tooth and nail in order to try get time off work, it was absolutely impossible for him to attend Koutei’s trial. Since he wasn’t testifying, the man wasn’t needed and he had no excuse to be there. So he had spent the entire day at the construction site, and the time he had gotten home, Alit had gotten fed up and went to vent in a public gym, while Kotori had taken Ponta out to a school friend’s house, in order to just get away from the tiring trial and rest. So Gilag was very much in the dark about Koutei’s case, and while he wanted to know, he supposed tomorrow would be better to talk. Tonight he would go and see Miheal…

So dressed in his best clothes (Which were average at best) the man walked into the quiet restaurant. He smiled, immediately spotting Miheal out of the few heads, and he waved to him.

“Hey there,” He smiled, the waiter letting him past so the man could go to where Miheal was seated. “Sorry. Were you waiting long?"

Miheal saw Gilag almost immediately too. He waved him over with a smile.

"Hey yourself. No, I wasn't waiting long don't worry!" Miheal said happily, letting Gilag sit across from him.

"I'm glad to see you again...it's been a busy day for me so it's great to relax."

“Busy day, huh? At work in the facility?” Gilag asked, sitting down. He was glad to see Miheal, he looked adorable as always.

"No not at the facility...I spent most of my day in court, actually. The police were finally ready to go ahead with one of the Facility's newer cases...so I had to testify what I'd seen in our few therapy sessions. Poor guy is going through drug withdrawal and is suffering memory loss."

“Court…” The man paused before he frowned. “…… You wouldn’t happen to be talking about Koutei, right?” He asked, wondering about what a small world this was.

Miheal blinked in surprise.

"...yes actually. That's exactly whose trial I testified at." Miheal said.

"But how would you know about that?" Miheal asked.

“My brother is Barian Alit and his wife is Barian Kotori. I live with them.” Gilag said, raising his eyebrow. “They testified today, and were the victims of what that guy did."

“Ah, so they were related to you!  I was wondering that...but I didn't see you there, so I didn't want to assume anything. Barian seems to be a popular name...there's a bar called that after all.”  Miheal said.

“So what you were saying yesterday about your brother almost being killed...that was Koutei who did it wasn't it?  God that's awful...”  He said.

“I had work. I wanted to head over there, but I couldn’t get the time off.” The man scratched the back of his head, a bit pleased Miheal remembered when they had their first date but expression sombre due to the subject.

“Yeah… Koutei nearly murdered him… the bastard.” Gilag scowled. “He hurt my family… when they trusted him. I know he was drugged, but still, he could have killed Masumi and we would have never known."

“Ah I see.  I'm sorry to hear that.  I know that when things like that happen you want to be with your family.” Miheal said.  He nodded.

“It's always terrible when people you trust betray you.  Koutei I know feels devastated over what he did...even if he doesn't remember it. I'm glad they're all safe and recovering though.”  Miheal said, putting his tiny hand over Gilag's in comfort.

Gilag felt like yelling in frustration but ultimately he was quiet, especially when he felt Miheal’s small hand over his. He gave a deep sigh, and he shook his head, trying to calm down. He was on a date… he shouldn’t get worked up.

“So you were there… Do you…. I mean… I know it’s not a date topic but can you tell me how it went?” Gilag asked. “It’s really important to me. Alit and Kotori were devastated and they didn’t tell me anything.”

“Yes, I was there.  I was testifying that Koutei needed treatment and should go to the Correctional Facility before prison.”  Miheal said.  He knew it wasn't really a date topic either, but he could see how important this was to Gilag.

“Alright...I'll tell you to the best of my ability.”  He said.

“Well, there were only a small handful of testifiers...me, your brother, and a few policemen who had worked on the case.  The cops went first, basically to clarify the facts of the case.  They confirmed through forensic evidence that Koutei had held the knife, and had definitely been around Masumi's crib.  They also said that someone else ultimately ended up with Masumi...he's another recent arrest named Mutou Yuugi, who said that he found Masumi abandoned in a dumpster.  He and Masumi were ultimately looked after by CEO Kamahara Raphael, who runs several homeless shelters across the city.  He looked after Masumi, which made sure she got back to her family safely.  Kotori seemed very grateful by that news.” Miheal said, starting with the lighter parts of the trial.

Gilag frowned and nodded. He knew those details, but he raised an eyebrow when he heard who the other person was.

“Mutou Yuugi… He was that murderer.” He growled. Why would Koutei just… just put her in the trash? It was unforgivable. “Then what?"

“Yes, he is.  But, I've met him, and he is surprisingly non-violent.  I can believe that he never intended to hurt Masumi.”  Miheal said.  He sighed.

“That's when things went downhill...everyone was generally relieved that the baby was alright.  But then your brother was asked to testify what happened to him.  I could feel a lot of tension between him and Koutei...Koutei couldn't even look at him. And your brother, whenever he did look at Koutei, just seemed to get angry.  Alit told his story of how Koutei stabbed him and took his daughter...and Koutei just seemed to shrink in on himself.  As if he wanted to disappear in Alit's presence.  It was hard to watch both of them honestly...I could feel sympathy for both sides.”  

“…” Gilag wasn’t sure what he wanted to hear. Sure, he loved hearing that Koutei was genuinely sorry, but at the same time it didn’t solve anything. It had no closure. Alit was still not happy. “Did they try to fight there? In the court room?”

"No...though Alit looked like he might have tried to fight if Koutei did something wrong. But mostly Koutei just looked like he wanted to run away."

“That probably would have pissed Alit off more,” Gilag muttered. He knew how much Alit hated cowards and traitors. “So how did it end up?"

"Well I testified next. I talked about rehabilitation for Koutei to recover his memories and get him over his drug addictions. He was on powerful stuff...he needs to be waned off it safely or he could hurt himself again. Eventually the jury agreed to send him to the Correctional Facility over jail."

“Right… I guess that’s how I expected it to go” Gilag sighed. “So the case was dealt with, just like that, huh?"

"They said they might do a re-trial if he recovers his memories that could adjust his sentence a little, but other than that it's been done with."

“Is it facility until he’s taken off the drugs or for life? Will he go to jail?” The man asked quietly.

Miheal sighed.

"He was formally sentenced to 15 years behind bars, but it's unclear how much time hell spent where. Prisoner sentences for drug addictions are different than mental illness. They often over a re-trial to determine whether it's necessary to move them to prison after they've lost their dependence on drugs. But since there are often underlying problems, like depression, that lead to drug use in the first place, we often try to keep them in the Facility for as long as possible. For Koutei there's that and additional memory problems to deal with. He could be in the Correctional Facility for the whole time if he never recovers his memories."

“I see…” Gilag frowned. “Well… it’s the best we can give him…” He sighed. “… Thanks. I appreciate you telling me this."

Miheal nodded and smiled.

"It's not a problem. I understand that it would be hard for your family to talk about with you. This way, you know."

"Oh and....I hope it doesn't bother you that I'm taking charge of his rehabilitation. The circumstances make it hard for me not to." Miheal said. Since Mutou Yuugi was probably coming to the Facility too now, it made sense for one psychologist to deal with both him and his suspected victim.

“Oh…” Gilag blinked. It really was a small world. “Really? I don’t mind. As long as you don’t get in trouble… I don’t know how this thing works, but whatever works for you.”

“… Honestly, it makes me feel better that someone Alit cares about is being taken care of someone like you"

Miheal smiled, glad that it didn't bother Gilag.

"I hope it will all work out." He said. He smiled a bit wider.

"Someone like me huh? You flatter me Gilag." He mused.

Gilag smiled back at him. “Well… How can I not? I’ve known you for a short time, but already I can tell that you’re so smart and kind"

Miheal smiled.

"Thank you. I can say the same for you. I'm really glad you wanted to meet with me again. I've made sure my idiot brother isn't around this time to bug us, so hopefully this date will go smoother." Miheal said with a chuckle.

“Yeah…” Gilag laughed. “Your brother wasn’t all that bad. I mean, on Alit’s very first date, I tagged along to keep an eye on him too.” He was thirteen at the time though, which was really different. “But yeah… I’m going to count on a good date. Lets order.” He said, beaming. “And try actually get to know each other”

"Did you? It must be an older brother instinct then!" Miheal said with a chuckle. He had never been an older brother so he didn't know for sure.

"Sure. I'd like that." Miheal said with a smile. The waitress came by to get their orders, then left them to talk.

"So aside from work and family what have you been up to Gilag?"

“Hmm… Not much, honestly. Oh, I took Ponta to the park. Oh… but that’s family. Usually what I do always revolve around them” The man laughed. “I suppose besides watch a few movies and look up concert tickets, not much."

Miheal smiled.

"I remember Ponta. He was adorable. It's so nice that your family is all so close. I'm lucky to see my brothers once a month." Miheal said.

"Oh what concert? What sort of music do you like?"

“Mmm… That bad, huh? I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t see any of my brothers for longer than a day.” Gilag sighed.

“Ah… Well… I really like pop music. My favourite artist is Chono Sanagi. She’s the absolute cutest, and I like listening to her songs.” Gilag grinned.

Miheal nodded.

"I guess it is a bit sad, but we do talk occasionally. Thomas and I talk a lot on social media. Chris is usually a lot busier so I speak with him less, but recently I've heard he's finally pursuing love, so I'm happy for him." Miheal said the last part with a smile. His eyes widened as Gilag answered him.

"You like Sanagi too? I had no idea!" Miheal said, glad that he and Gilag had something common.

“Really?” Gilag asked, surprised. He expected to be laughed at -in good fun of course- but the way Miheal’s face lit up. “Of course. You do? I try go to all her concerts, but she’s always sold out before I can nab anything.”

"Yes! I love her!" Miheal said, excited that he and Gilag had something in common.

"Yeah she's super popular...it's really hard to get tickets. I haven't been able to go to one in ages." Miheal lamented.

"I guess if I can nab some tickets we'll have a future date idea right there." Miheal mused.

“Oh man, really?” Gilag grinned. “That would be awesome. I mean… god. No I mean that it would be awesome” he laughed.

Miheal chuckled.

"It would. I guess we'll have to try and get tickets then." He said.

"Do you usually go with your family? Do your brothers like her too?"

“Ponta does. He likes the atmosphere of concerts and fast music. He usually sits on my shoulders and we’d party for as long as we can.” Gilag chuckled. “Kotori is into it too. Alit, not so much, but he’ll come if everyone else does"

"That is nice. Sometimes I can bully Thomas into coming but he's not as into it as I am. It'll be nice to go win someone else." Miheal said.

“It’s always great to meet another fan. Which song is your favourite?” Gilag asked.

"It's gotta be 'Heart Duel'. That's her big hit." Miheal said with a smile.

"And yours?"

“Cardian of my Heart’ for sure. I have this thing for super cheesy songs.” Gilag chuckled.

"I like that one too! Cheesy songs are fine with me too. That's all Thomas says I listen to." Miheal mused with a chuckle.

“Heh… It’s rare I meet anyone else who shares my interests. Like gosh…” Gilag grinned. “I didn’t expect you to like it as well. Hey, weird question, but have you ever been told you kind of look like Sanagi?”

"Same here. I'm glad that we share that interest at least!" Miheal said. He chuckled.

"Yeah...I've been told that. I guess there is a little resemblance."

Gilag grinned dumbly for a moment before he realised that it was obscenely… weird to just make the comparison out of the blue. “Ah… Not meaning you look girly. I mean you just look super cute."

Miheal chuckled a little and shook his head.

"It's alright. I've been told both....I'm glad you think it's the cute factor only." Miheal said with a small blush. Gilag had technically told him he was cute.

Gilag laughed and scratched the back of his head, grinning. “Heh… sorry.” The food arrived, but that didn’t really save him. He just really liked Miheal it was ridiculous.

Miheal smiled.

"It's alright...you're pretty cute too."  He said, giving Gilag's hand a small squeeze before pulling back to dig into his food when it arrived.  He really liked Gilag too...for a big guy, he was quite adorable.

“… What?” Gilag blinked. “… Really? I mean… Guys like you are cute? And guys like me are usually… well… most people don’t use the word cute.” He said, scratching the back of his head.

Miheal smiled at Gilag and chuckled a bit.

"I guess most people haven't gotten to know you.  I think you're adorable and you're such a nice guy."  He said, taking a bite of his food.

“Ah… Thanks.” Gilag looked calm, but he felt faint. Miheal… Miheal thought he was cute. Ahhh…” He looked up and smiled before starting to eat.

"No problem." Miheal said, smiling back before digging in.

"Mm...that's good. How's yours?"

Gilag blinked, wondering what he was talking about before he looked down at the food. “Ah!” He quickly grabbed a bite of the food and smiled. “Ah, it’s good pasta.”

Miheal giggled a bit, hiding it behind a hand.  Gilag was just so adorable right now.

"That's good.  I guess I picked a good restaurant then." He said, happy that Gilag seemed to like his food.

“Yeah, you have good taste. You want to try some?” The man offered.

"Sure.  You can try some of mine if you want too." Miheal said, scooping some of his chicken onto his fork and holding it out across the table for Gilag to eat off of with a smile.

Gilag looked at Miheal and with barely a second thought, he took the chicken off the fork. It was nice, like they were a real cutsie teenage couple. Gilag thought if he had wings, they would be fluttering now.

“Ah… It’s really good. Here. Have some of mine!” He grinned

Miheal smiled as they shared an adorable moment. It seemed pretty natural to offer Gilag a piece of his meal this way.

"I'm glad you like it! And your pasta looks good too so don't mind if I do." Miheal said, accepting a bite of Gilag's pasta in return. He smiled.

"Yours is delicious...you have great taste too."

It just felt natural. Some bits with Miheal made him stop, like slamming breaks on when you decide not to speed at a red light, but other times, movements flow, naturally and fluidly. This was one of them. The man gave a grin as he watched Miheal eat the pasta and smile back.

“Heh… Glad you think so. I love Italian food. Reminds me a lot of home.”

Miheal was glad things were progressing so smoothly on this date.  He liked Gilag a lot and wanted things to work out with him.  

"Oh yes that's right you're from Italy.  That's sweet...I like Italian too, but since I've never been to Italy, I doubt I've had as authentic as you have." Miheal said.

"You'll have to show me someday."

“Yeah… I lived there when I was a kid, but I moved because of my mum and Alit to Japan. I’ve been in this city for most of my life. I always wanted to go back, but never had the time to get around to it. I’d love to show you, but I’d be an awful guide. Still, if you would have me…” Gilag laughed.

"I would love to go to Italy!  I'm a fan of ruins and old things...so I'd love to see some of Italy's old cities." Miheal said with a chuckle.

"I'm sure you'd be a fine guide.  I'd need someone who can understand the language for sure...I don't speak a word of Italian."

“You might pick it up on our dates. I talk to my brothers in Italian all the time, so I haven’t forgotten the language or anything.” Gilag mused “I really like Japanese history. The era of the samurai and war tactics fascinate me”

"Maybe.  I heard you and Ponta talking in Italian last time, but I couldn't understand a word."  Miheal said with a chuckle.  Little did he know that Ponta had been asking Gilag to kiss him...

"Yeah, it is pretty interesting, isn't it?  I think you'd make a good daimyo, you know.  You're kind, strong and seem like a good leader."  Miheal said with a smile.

Gilag blushed and he scratched the back of his head, chuckling as he remembered what his brother had asked. The second date wouldn’t be too bad to do that. Early but not yet.

“Daimyo? Me?” Gilag laughed “You think so? I’m very much like… a follower, really. I’m not really a leader."

"I think so yeah! You're trustworthy. And as an older brother, I'm sure your younger siblings trust you and follow you." Miheal said with a smile.

“Ah… Well, when you put it that way, I guess so.” Gilag said, having more thought about the time he caught with a bad crowd and his work. “Though sometimes I think Ponta is a much better leader that me.”

Miheal smiled and chuckled.

"Maybe it seems that way because younger siblings are very good at convincing the older ones to get into mischief.  Or, at least that is what Thomas told me I did."  Miheal mused.

“Yeah, you mentioned two older brothers you don’t see too much. How are they? Thomas still being cheeky?” Gilag laughed

Miheal rolled his eyes.

"Definitely. Chris recently got a crush on someone, and Thomas dragged me to the restaurant they went to in order to spy on them.  Then Thomas immediately got me and another friend of ours into a betting pool on how long it would take for them to make things official."  He mused.

Gilag snorted. “I’m so glad I’ve never had my brothers do that. Geeze, Thomas really makes a point to get involved with you both, doesn’t he? You’d think he’s dying to keep your attention on him, even when you guys are off dating other people"

"Well he has always been an attention hog...he always wanted everyone to pay attention to him as a kid too.  That's probably why he went into modeling.  And he does have a boyfriend of his own...he's always got someone around, but apparently that's never enough."  Miheal said with a small smile and a shake of his head at Thomas' ridiculousness.

“Well,I guess it’s different with family. I mean, if my brother was off with his wife all the time, I’d be pretty bitter about it too.” Gilag shrugged. “Heh… but you know your brother better than me. If he’s not lonely, he’s not."

"I don't think it's quite that kind of bitterness...Thomas isn't really lonely. He's kinda left out though.  Chris and I both have PHDs, and Thomas didn't even go to college.  When we're all together, it's easy for him to be left out of things."

“Oh… I guess it must be tough on him then.” He could relate to a lesser degree, he supposed. “Poor guy."

"Yeah...that's why he has other friends in similar situations.  I feel bad for him and try to make him feel as included as possible, but I can't change my credentials, or Chris'."  Miheal said with a sigh.  

"But, like I said, Nii-sama is happy enough.  He just likes to pout and mope for attention."

Gilag nodded. “I guess so. I don’t really know anyone like that, so if someone seems sad I just kind of gravitate towards them. Guess that’s the big brother in me again, huh?"

"I suppose so. You're a good older brother, Gilag."  Miheal said with a smile.

“Well, I’m not good at much, so I do my best at taking care of my family. Family means everything to me, you know?” The man chuckled.

“I'm sure that's not the only thing you're good at, but the ability to take care of your family is a great one to have.”  Miheal said with a smile.

“Family means a lot to me too, even if I don't see mine as much as you do.”  

“Heh… Good to know, Miheal.” He said, grinning.

The rest of the dinner was spent in casual chatter that felt so natural to both men.  They were eventually given the bill and paid for their respective meals.  

“How are you getting home, Gilag?  I could give you a ride.”  Miheal offered with a smile.  He wasn't sure how Gilag had gotten from the construction site.

The date went well. They chatted, they laughed and somehow avoided depressing topics. Upon walking out, Gilag turned to Miheal and scratched the back of his head. “Ah… I took the bus. If you could give me a ride home, that would be really great. I can direct.”

“Sure!  I'd love to give you a ride!”  Miheal said with a smile, leading Gilag to the car. Thankfully it wasn't too small for Gilag to fit comfortably.

“Alright, lead the way.” He said once he started the car.

“Thanks.” It wasn’t too far, but having Miheal cut the time it took to get home down by half, and soon the two were pulling up to the driveway of the quaint suburban home. Gilag smiled as he looked at Miheal, and then glanced back to the house. The lights were on, so the others were home.

“I had a really good night… Thanks Miheal for asking me out."

“This is your house huh? It looks really nice.”  Miheal said, pulling up in front of it.  He smiled at Gilag when the other addressed him.

“I had a great night too, Gilag.  Thank you for accepting.”  Miheal said. He could have left it like that, but he felt like he wanted to go a bit further.  So, he leaned forward and gave Gilag a tiny kiss on the cheek before the other could get out of the car completely.

“I look forward to seeing you again soon.”  He said softly with a smile.

“Any time. I-“ Gilag started before he was kissed. He paused and the familiar pink blush made its way to his face again. “… I… Any time.” He said slowly.

“…Ah! Yeah, I hope to see you soon too. Call me.” Gilag said back, equally as softly. He smiled and slowly sauntered out of the car, waving to Miheal as he headed to the house. “Night! Drive home safely."

Miheal smiled and chuckled a little at Gilag's cute reaction.

“I will.  Goodnight, Gilag!”  He said, waving back before pulling back out into the road and heading home himself, feeling absolutely fantastic about the night.

Ponta was the first to the door when Gilag entered, wanting to see what had been keeping his big brother.

"Gilag!  How did it go?"

Gilag was practically floating as he walked back in and he rubbed his cheek, as if still in disbelief. He sighed happily and smiled as he saw Ponta, kneeling down to give the boy a hug.

“Well… Pretty well… Yeah…” He smiled goofily.

Ponta blinked in confusion at his older brother's behavior, accepting the hug.

“Are you okay, Gilag? You're acting weird, pon!”  He exclaimed, hugging Gilag and checking him over simultaneously.  Alit looked up when he saw his older brother enter and he laughed a bit at the man's behavior.

“He's fine, Ponta...that face just means he got kissed by an angel.”  Alit teased, recalling when Gilag would tease him about the same thing when he came home from dates with Kotori with similar mannerisms.  Ponta blinked in astonishment.

“You kissed him, pon? Yay!  I told you to last time, remember?  I'm glad you did this time, pon!”  He said excitedly.

Gilag blushed as Alit came in and picked up Ponta, goofily scratching the back of his head. He gave a little laugh.

“Yeah… I did get kissed by an angel. He kissed me first though.” Gilag said. “Next date, I’ll try go first.”

“Wow really?  And that's only the second date too...you guys must really be clicking well then!”  Alit said with a smile, happy for his brother.  This was better news than what had happened with Koutei this morning. Ponta grinned as he was picked up, hugging Gilag happily.

“Do it, Gilag!  Kiss him back, pon!”  Ponta cheered.

-x-

Today was the big day for Mutou Yuugi.  He was officially going on trial today facing the death penalty, although Yuugi didn't know that part.  He just knew he was going on trial to try and get put in the Correctional Facility.  He was very nervous about this whole process, but his lawyer had told him he had built up a really good case, so hopefully, he would be okay.  It also comforted him that Raphael was with him.  He'd been permitted to ride in the police armored vehicle with Yuugi, much to Yuugi's relief.  Yuugi wore an orange prisoner outfit with handcuffs and ankle cuffs, which greatly restricted his movement.  He glanced up at Raphael across from him.

“...I'm a little nervous...” He said, curling up a little on the bench.

“Have you ever been to a trial before?  I haven't...I've only seen them on television...and they seem really nerve-wracking...”  

Gilag did tell his brothers that he would, and wanted to celebrate but he wouldn’t get the chance to. Miheal had Yuugi’s case to attend, and the man was swamped with the work. Although the affair would be a private one, people crowded around the courthouse, waiting to see the killer himself and what punishment awaited him.

Raphael gave Yuugi a reassuring smile and he patted the man’s shoulder. “No, never a criminal case. Usually I’m here for financial incidents, but that’s it. This will be my first time too.” Raphael said. “All you have to do is stay calm and speak the truth. Between the two of you, you’ll prove you deserve to live, alright?”  

Yuugi nodded, trying not to panic too much.  He was nervous, and his head was starting to hurt.  But, he didn't want to switch.  He wanted to know what was happening...he didn't want to black out for the whole trial and wake up unaware of what had happened.  

“I hope so...but I also don't want to just let the other me take over.  I think he wants to, but I want to see what's happening...”  He said, putting a hand on his temple as it throbbed.  The car pulled to a stop, and Yuugi heard the engine turn off.  He swallowed.

“...I guess we're here...” He murmured, taking a deep breath to calm himself.  He wasn't sure what would be waiting for him when the door would be opened.

“Yami, you should calm down. At least you can see while Yuugi is here. It doesn’t work the other way around.” Raphael reminded him. He rubbed the man’s shoulder until they came to a stop and he looked at the door.

“Keep your head down, stay close to me and follow the police inside. It sounds like there’s a crowd outside,” The man said, standing up.

Yuugi didn't reply when Raphael addressed his other half.  He didn't think the other really cared, because the pain in his head didn't stop.  He could hear muffled noises outside and felt even more scared.

“Okay...I'll try.”  He said.  He hated suddenly that he had limited mobility due to his cuffed ankles and wrists.  Now he couldn't just run through these guys...he had to walk slowly and drag out the torture.  The doors opened and Ukyou and Gauche's faces greeted him.  Behind him, Mutou could see that the other cops were trying to clear a path through various reporters and public figures who didn't look too happy to yield.  They all wanted to see the CEO killer in person.  Seeing that was the last straw for Yuugi and he felt himself slip away as Yami took over.  His expression visibly steeled to one of neutrality.

“Come on, Mutou.  Stay close.”  Ukyou said, motioning for Yami to come out.  He obeyed, following Raphael's advice and keeping his head and eyes down to avoid camera flashes as he walked through the crowd.  Despite the fact that he was keeping his head down, Yami was alert, glancing around out of the corner of his eyes for any danger.  

“Let him swap later.” Raphael warned Yami, letting him keep covered. Between him and Gauche, it was easy to hide Yami but Raphael pulled his trench coat up to hide his face as well. The camera lights blared all the way until the courthouse, where the bailiffs were waiting.

“Straight into courtroom 2. We’ll start almost immediately.” A man said, pointing the police there.

Yami wanted to roll his eyes at Raphael's little warning, but barely refrained.  He was thankful for his size for once, since it was fairly easy to prevent him from being blinded by the photographers.  But, he could feel something...off about this situation.  He was sure that only someone with experience in dealing with killers on a daily basis would notice...but he felt like there was a gun trained on him.  Like he was in a dangerous situation.  For that reason especially, he tried to hurry into the building.  The feeling didn't go away though.  

On the way to courtroom 2, he finally realized the source of this uneasy feeling.  Standing in the hallway, in his white trench coat, stood Kaiba Seto.  He was chatting with Akaba Reiji, looking completely inconspicuous to anyone who didn't know his connection to Yami.  The man glanced at him as he passed, and their eyes briefly met.  There was a miniscule, barely noticeable smirk that graced Kaiba's lips, before their gazes broke, but it was enough that Yami understood immediately what was going on.  Win or lose, Kaiba was not going to let him leave that courtroom alive.  He probably thought that Yami would tell on him. That just made Yami even more on edge.

He entered the courtroom and was brought to the front.  There were a few people there he recognized, like his lawyer, Matsuda, and the two Arclight brothers, and of course the officers.  The other guests were all rich, Yami could tell by their suits, but he didn't know any of them.  It was a fairly small courthouse with minimal cameras, which Yami noted immediately. But, he still felt a bit weary.  

“Sit with me.  It will comfort Yuugi when he comes back.”  Yami said to Raphael as he was told to sit in the front by the bailiffs.  

Raphael did see the two familiar faces, and he did see Kaiba glance their way, but he didn’t pay it much mind, since he was busy trying to focus on the task on hand. This was their time, and if they screwed up, Yuugi was dead. A lot was riding on this case.

“Alright.” Raphael let Yami pretend like he was in charge, despite having already talked and discussed seating arrangements with Matsuda beforehand. He let himself be escorted to the desk. When they walked towards it, there was already a man with Matsuda, a short one around Yuugi’s age, accompanied by a robot.

“Kaito-sama, Mutou Yuugi and Kawahara Raphael are here.”

“Oh, yo Kaito.” Gauche grinned, coming up behind the men. “Come to watch the trial?”

“Hello.” The man said, looking politely towards the two, his gaze maybe a bit high for where he thought Yuugi’s face was. “Yes, I have authorisation to be here. I thought it would be… necessary."

Yami had been so distracted by his fear that he hadn't noticed the familiar blond man next to Matsuda, who was ignoring them all in favor of looking over a few things in his case file.  Yami's eyes immediately drifted over to Orbital 7 and smirked.  This could be helpful.

“We meet again, Kaito. It's been awhile since that chess game, right?  Shame I didn't run into you again before my arrest.”  Yami said confidently, smiling at the man.  He knew he couldn't see him very well, so he didn't blame him for not looking his way.  

“Come sit by me here. I wanna ask you something.”  Yami said, patting his other side.  He knew a cop would be there anyway, so why not Kaito?

“You know him, Kaito?” Gauche asked. Kaito looked down and stared at Yami coldly, not amused at all. He knew that voice… So it really was him again.

“We met at a bar. I was doing work.” Finding Astral, which did count. However, he was counting on Yami on keeping quiet about the details, and he went to sit down next to the man with Orbital’s help. As Gauche hung back and Ukyou went to make sure all security was in order, Kaito looked at Yami.

“Well?"

Yami let Kaito sit next to him and waited until the police officers were generally out of earshot before leaning closer to Kaito to speak softly.

“Do you feel the murderous intent in the air, Kaito?  Someone here has plans to kill.”  Yami had no doubt that an experienced cop like Kaito would sense it now that Yami had drawn his attention to it.

“I think you owe me a tiny favor...because I have kept my mouth shut regarding the whereabouts of a certain mutual acquaintance of ours.”  He said softly.  

“Plans to kill you,” Kaito responded flatly, looking forward, as if he was ignoring Yami. He drummed his fingers on the table, evidently wanting this trial over and done with. “… And you want my protection, right?"

"Yes, but since we're in a relatively public place, the killers probably aren't opposed to a little collateral damage." Yami said back, not looking directly at Kaito either.

"Your robot has cameras and sensors doesn't it? Just make sure they're capturing everything...I have a feeling the few security cameras here have been tampered with."

“My robot is of course recording everything,” Kaito scoffed, knowing Orbital was on since wanted eyes and ears on this place. Astral was probably back at his house since both he and Chris were here, watching the stream. “But you reckon that the cameras are tampered with? I doubt you can prove that.”

But Astral could, since Orbital was so close to them, he would have heard.

"You're right. I can't. But it's just a feeling...and I've learned to trust my instincts." Yami said softly.

Astral was listening to Yami talk to Kaito. He couldn't feel the murderous intent in the room like both of them could, but out of concern for Kaito, he would investigate. He tried to hack the security cameras to get a few different angles, only to find that a complicated coded network block had been put on all of them. His eyes widened.

"Only someone with advanced computer skills could have done this...so they really were tampered with." He mused. He sent a message to Kaito, which Orbital printed out in Braille so only Kaito could read it confirming Yami's suspicions and asking if Kaito wanted him to work on getting rid of it.

“… Well it’s not the worst way to go about things,” Kaito muttered, meaning he did the same. Since Yami wasn’t looking at him either, it was easy for him to take the braille and read it. Kaito flipped the paper over, frowning.

“… If there is, someone should get rid of it. The block on the cameras, I mean. Might give our assassins a nasty surprise.”

Yami was acting much more casual, having crossed his legs and arms to the best of his ability in cuffs and keeping an ear out for Kaito.  He was also fighting back headaches, since Yuugi was anxious.  He glanced over when he saw Ortibal printing out a message, but he couldn't see any print on it.  Then he saw Kaito running his fingers over it and understood.

“Braille?  That is genius...you two are quite the spy team, aren't you?”  Yami mused softly with a smirk.  He doubted anyone in this room could read it aside from Kaito, and he knew he sure as hell couldn't.  Maybe he should learn.

“They may not even notice, but it would be better to have more eyes.”  Yami agreed.  Astral agreed with both Yami and Kaito, and so sent a quick message saying he would work on deciphering it and let Kaito know once it was done.  He got to work, admiring how complex the code was. Whoever had done this was truly very skilled.  

Kaito turned to stare at Yami, staring straight at his eyes and glaring. “… Or it could be that I’m blind and this is the best way for me to receive messages without reading them out to the public.” Yami was totally right, but he wanted to ruffle the other’s feathers over.

The man read the second message and nodded to himself before he looked up to the front, hearing a door open. The bailiff entered the room, looking stern. The place went quiet

“All rise for the honourable Don Thousand, for the case pertaining Mutou Yuugi."

Yami chuckled softly, before it turned into a small groan as his head throbbed.

“Oh...one more little thing...if I say in a few minutes that I don't know who you are...then introduce yourself again.  It means my more innocent half came out, and he doesn't know anything about you.” Yami said, speaking at normal volume for that.  It didn't matter who heard him say that.  A moment later, the door opened and the court was told to stand.  Yami uncrossed his legs and was about to stand, when suddenly the switch occurred.  Yuugi blinked in confusion, seeing everyone standing up while he was still sitting. He stumbled to his feet, visibly much more clumsy and nervous than he had been seconds before.  A few of the jury members noticed this, but dismissed it as nerves.

Don Thousand entered the room and sat up on the judges platform.  

“Be seated.”  He said, and everyone in the room sat down.

“We will now hear the opening speech from the prosecution.”  The prosecuting lawyer stood up, wearing a very expensive suit. His speech basically summed up what the CEOs thought of Yuugi: that he was a cold blooded killer who if let free or imprisoned would only kill again.  He was a threat to the public that had to be sentenced to death for the safety of the people.  He reminded everyone that Yuugi had killed 30 cops in a drug raid, along with the 3 CEOs. As he spoke, Yuugi felt increasingly horrified.  He had never really heard the extent of his other half's crimes.  He could feel eyes burning holes into the back of his head and their hatred made him shiver.  His head kept throbbing the whole time, since clearly Yami wanted out again.  Yuugi consequently seemed to shrink in his chair a little.

It was then Matsuda's turn to get up and give his defence speech.  He basically said that although Mutou Yuugi had done those horrifying things, he was not completely responsible for them due to mental illness.  He had been mentally ill for quite some time and therefore needed special treatment to end his suffering.  Matsuda proposed sentencing Mutou to the Correctional Facility.

“We will now call the first witness to the stand...Dr. Christopher Arclight.”  

Raphael was thankfully nearby and he was on the other side of Yuugi now that they were seated. The man squeezed Yuugi’s shoulder, trying to get him to calm down. He knew it was stressful, but sick or not Yuugi couldn’t lose it. It would look awful.

The man stood up from his seat and Chris made his way to the stand. His hair was loose today, sweeping behind him like a cape as he walked calmly and professionally to the stand.

“State your name and occupation.”

“I am Doctor Christopher Quinton Arclight, head professor and research of the chemical department in Heartland Industries.”

Yuugi took a few deep breaths, leaning into Raphael's touch.  He didn't know the blond guy next to him, so Raphael was the obvious choice. Ukyou couldn't help but follow Chris with his eyes, knowing it was appropriate to do so at the moment.  He smiled a little as he watched Chris' hair flow, remembering how soft and silky it had been, before shaking himself out of those thoughts.  He had to listen to what was being said here by the prosecutor.

“And what is your relation to the case, Dr. Arclight?”  The prosecutor asked him.

“I’ve been involved with aiding the police in the capture of Mutou Yuugi. Over the course of the last few months, I’ve been developing a sort of tolerant for Scopolamine, more commonly known as Devil’s Breath,” Chris answered smoothly, “Although I haven’t actually played a direct role in his apprehension, I was present during an interrogation of Mutou Yuugi, where his attitude shifts came to light”

“Ah yes, Devil's Breath. This drug is known to affect people's free will, ladies and gentlemen of the jury.  I'm sure Dr. Arclight could tell you the full details...but it makes its victims completely compliant to every suggestion given to them.”  The prosecutor said, clarifying for the jury what the drug was.

“And what happened during the interrogation you saw?  I understand that Devil's Breath was involved.”  The prosecutor spoke, looking through the file to find the paper that confirmed it.

“Mutou Yuugi asked the superintendent to come closer to him, but when he did, he lifted his sleeves and threw Devil’s Breath into his face,” Chris sighed. “Thankfully, he had been treated before so he wasn’t affected, but otherwise he would have been under Mutou’s control."

Yuugi stiffened a little at the shocked and angered looks that the jury gave at Chris' testimony. He groaned a bit as his head hurt, and another switch was prompted.  Yami pulled a little away from Raphael when this happened.  He didn't need the comfort anymore.

“The way you describe that makes me think he did it on purpose.  Did Mutou give any indication that he wasn't aware of his actions when he did this?”  The prosecutor asked.  

“It looked very deliberate,” Chris said, speaking honestly. “He seemed to be acting very kind and innocent, and even after experiencing a headache, he seemed the same. However, when Ukyou-san went too close to him, Yami said he had an ‘ace up his sleeve’ and sprung the trap. He even gave the order for him to escape. As far as I could see, it seemed he was faking the innocent thing, to let Ukyou have his guard down."

“There we go, ladies and gentlemen.  Mutou Yuugi is a master of facades...the official case files show that he has even pretended to be an innocent child to get close to his targets.  Do not be fooled by it.  This is what my opponent will stress as a symptom of mental illness.” The prosecutor said.  

“No further questions, your Honor.”  The prosecutor said.

“The defence will now get a chance to question the prosecutor's witness.”  Don Thousand said.  Black Mist stood up quite confidently, which impressed a great many, and headed over to Chris Arclight.

“Dr. Arclight, how many interrogations did you attend that Mutou was involved in?”  

“Once. Like I said, It’s only what I saw, and the first incident of these switches.” Chris said, staring at Black Mist, pretending he didn’t know this man fucked his little brother.

“According to the case files, Mutou was interrogated a total of four times, and out of those four times, Dr. Arclight was only there for one time.  In addition, the first interrogation which Dr. Arclight was present at, was the shortest of these by far.  It didn't even last 15 minutes, whereas the other three spanned for an average time of 45 minutes.  That hardly seems like a good representation of my client as a whole, now does it?  15 minutes is not always enough time to ascertain whether someone is mentally ill or not!  An average medical examination goes on for longer, never mind the diagnosis.” Mist mused.  It was clear the some of the jury did agree with him.

“More importantly though...I have evidence that suggests that Dr. Chris Arclight is biased in this situation.  My opponent chose him over the police officers because he was, as he put it himself, disconnected from the case as a whole.  He was supposedly the neutral opinion...but that is not so.”  Mist said, glancing at Chris.  

“What is your relationship to the Superintendent who was drugged by Mutou in that interrogation, Dr. Arclight?”  He asked smoothly.

Chris frowned as he saw exactly what the man was doing, and while he remained calm on the outside, his face paled a little. This was exactly what he and Ukyou wanted to avoid, and he really didn’t want to go into this. He looked over to the judge to see if he could get some help, but it became apparent that he wasn’t going to get out of this.

“We met briefly before the case, but that was all. Initially, we were strangers, and we’re close to so still at present. Outside of that first encounter, I haven’t seen him at all outside the case in the few months I’ve known him.” Which was the truth.

Mist smirked a bit.

“Dr. Arclight, you're under oath not just to tell the truth, but the whole truth.  If you can't do that, your testimony will be discounted. I have a witness of my own who can prove you're wrong.”  Mist said, looking at Miheal.  The pink haired man winced a little.  He knew what was coming.

“Dr. Miheal Arclight, did your older brother meet with Superintendent Kitano Ukyou at any time outside the case?”  He asked him. Miheal looked a little uncomfortable. He gave his brother an apologetic look.

“...I'm not sure how many times they met...but, there was one time that my other brother, Thomas and I, noticed.  They went out to lunch...we followed them. They weren't just discussing the case.” Miheal confessed.  The court gasped a little.  Ukyou immediately groaned a little.  Well, so much for keeping things a secret...although he was glad Miheal wasn't telling just how far they went.  Yami looked extremely intrigued and amused by this development.

“Was this outing before or after Mutou's arrest, Dr. Arclight?”  Mist asked.  Miheal looked down slightly.

“Before...months before.” He admitted.  Mist smiled.

“Thank you, Dr. Arclight. So you see, ladies and gentlemen. Although they were working on the case, there was time for pleasure and leisure time between the two...so Dr. Chris Arclight is biased against Mutou for attacking a friend of his.  Anyone would be.  I hereby move to strike Dr. Chris Arclight's testimony from the record.” Mist said, looking at Judge Don Thousand.  The judge frowned, considering things for a moment.

“Motion approved.  Dr. Chris Arclight's testimony will be struck from the evidence for bias.”  He said, banging the gravel.  The prosecution lawyer groaned and Mist smirked wider.

“Thank you, your Honor. I have no further questions for Dr. Chris Arclight...and for my first witness, I call up his brother, Dr. Miheal Arclight to the stand.”  

Chris frowned. Technically, that was within the case parameters, since they had been talking about the cure and how to prevent Mutou from infecting the police, and tried to voice an objection but it fell to deaf ears. He couldn’t help but feel a bit betrayed when Miheal spoke, but he supposed that was just how it went. He really hoped Miheal didn’t expose too much though… with his brother’s haggling a few weeks ago, he knew they knew what had gone down between them.

However, he didn’t want to dig the grave any deeper, in case Miheal did pull the card out and he stalked away, feeling hot and embarrassed, not meeting Miheal as they passed each other. The pink-haired man looked helplessly on, but made his way to the stand.

Mist didn't seem to care too much about the potential drama he'd caused turning to Miheal.

"State your name and occupation for the record please." He told him.

“I’m Professor Miheal Trey Arclight. I am the head director and psychiatrist at Heartland Mental Institution, more commonly known as HMI.” Miheal said smoothly.

"Alright and what is your relation to the case, Dr. Arclight?" Mist asked.

“I’ve been placed in charge of investigating Mutou Yuugi’s behaviour, and giving a complete report of his current mental state. My job was to determine whether or not this man is mentally ill… and he is indeed. He should have been put on medication years ago."

Mist nodded. Yami rolled his eyes a little but it largely went unnoticed due to the sudden switch. Yuugi blinked in confusion as he saw another person on the stand than he remembered seeing. What had happened?

"What sort of illness does my client have, Dr. Arclight?"

“It’s quite fascinating, honestly. The two parts of himself are very much distinct, each with their own array of problems. Our murdering ‘Yami’ is outright psychopathic, but he’s the persona. The real Yuugi… well,” Miheal sighed. “It’s in the presented court evidence folder, but to recap for the jury, he has Dissociative Personality Disorder, depression, anxiety, and mild post-traumatic stress disorder. The first one is the most notable one. We have scans to prove this split in personality.”

Mist nodded.

"So we have two different versions. And the real Yuugi had no idea that he had done these murders, correct? Let's show everyone those scans shall we?" Mist said, showing them on the projector in the court. Yuugi stared in awe, admiring the pictures.

"So, Dr. Arclight, this is the Yami persona's brain on the left here...and then the Yuugi persona on the right. What's different about them and why is that significant?"

“The activity levels. If I didn’t tell you that this was the same individual, would you be able to tell this is the same person? Or two different people?” Miheal asked Mist back, calmly. “Yami has normal brain functions, with an impressive memory, while Yuugi’s is slightly more challenged. Yuugi displays minimal activity in his brain for memory retention, and could be mistaken to have long term memory loss.”

"No, they do look like they belong to two separate people." Mist said. It was clear the jury was in disbelief, thinking along the same lines.

"So you're saying that because Yuugi has depleted memory function, all those times in interrogation when he claimed to know nothing is genuine? It's a result of his illness, not acting?"

“Definitely. You can give him the same test twice, and he won’t remember, one after another. In the evidence file, there are a number of tests I did with him, all hinting at he doesn’t know what’s going on.

From the brain scans, you can tell that his alternate persona is always active, always awake, while Yuugi here often goes into a ‘shut down’ period, brought on by stress or fatigue."

"Here's an image of the written tests for the record." Mist said, showing Yami's and Yuugi's test side by side.

"Note that not only are their answers entirely different, but their handwriting and language use is different. Look at the difference in pronouns. These truly look like two different people wrote it, but Dr. Arclight watched Mutou write both tests twice correct?" Mist said.

"If Mutou was admitted to the HMI, then would you be able to treat this illness, do you think? Could he be cured?"

“That’s correct. That’s the most evident detail. Again, there are other tests to further back this up.” Miheal said, seeming confident the prosecutors couldn’t break their defence.

“Cure? It is doubtful. Treatment, of course. We specialise in a wide variety of patients. Heartland is on the edge of medical development. With some work, we could eventually curb and bring the proper person Yuugi out."

Mist nodded.

"Alright so to recap: Mutou has two personas, one who killed those CEOs and the other who knew nothing. Dr. Arclight has said we can bring the innocent Mutou out with medical treatment. He would not be a threat if that happened." Mist said confidently.

"No further questions, your Honor." He said, going to sit down again and let the prosecution ask Miheal questions.

"Dr. Arclight, such an illness you describe can't have happened overnight I assume. Is that true?" He asked him.

“No, definitely not overnight.” Miheal said. “The stress on his brain shows clear signs of inflammation, probably from him switching out and activating different parts of it, almost sporadically. That’s part of why I want him on medication. It’s not good for him."

"That does sound quite serious...how often did you observe these switches happening, Dr. Arclight? Were they hourly?  Daily?  Faster than that?"  The lawyer asked.

“Whenever we stressed him out. I observed them near hourly… perhaps once every 20 minutes? Far too sporadically for anything to be achieved. However, I managed to get some nice, long, hour conversations when I didn’t push them."

"So anywhere between every 20 minutes to every hour is when the switches seemed to occur then? What sort of topics triggered this switch?"

“Family for most part… anything about his past. Scaring him is another way to send Yuugi away: the murders depending on how much detail you go into. Yami comes out whenever he wants, but generally takes over when Yuugi is overwhelmed. When Yuugi is curious, he can gain control.”

"So discussing his past, or the crimes he commited, triggers a switch from the innocent persona to the killer persona.  Interesting."  The prosecutor said, looking over the case file smoothly.

"Then I have another question for you, Dr. Arclight.  If this illness is indeed not something that emerges in the short term, then why is it that when Mutou was arrested 2 years ago on drug and gambling charges, did these switches not get noted?  There is no record at all of any change in persona, even when similar topics, such as his crimes and past, were discussed in interrogations?"

“Because there was no stimulus. No one was challenging Yami or gaining Yuugi’s curiosity. Yuugi is very timid. If not being suppressed by drugs Mutou himself was taking, then being in a high stakes environment would. Perhaps the only reason why Yuugi is aware now is that he’s actively trying to participate, not shying away like he would have done.” Miheal said smoothly.

"What sparked that change then?  Mutou was interrogated by the same officer, Kujaku Mai, back then.  He was using drugs, like he was this time.  There was not much of a difference between the cases."  The lawyer said with a frown.

“He didn’t murder who he wanted to. He had someone there otherwise supporting him. You’d be surprised what having someone else support you can do. Kawahara-san has been very good with bringing Yuugi out””

"I see...but that still doesn't explain why it wasn't noticed.  If this "Yami" persona was active earlier and can still apparently emerge even when Yuugi has a supportive figure in his life, why was it not noted earlier?  How do we know this isn't just a complex ruse, or affects from long-term drug use?" The laywer argued.

Yuugi felt Yami take over and the man put on a sceptical "are you kidding me" kind of expression.  

"This guy must really be desparate..."  Yami mused softly.  He was liking how this trial was going.  But he could feel glares on him intensifying with the good case being presented.  He lowered himself slightly in his chair, wanting to keep as little of the back of his head exposed as possible.  He'd be harder to shoot that way.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t understand the question. You’re fumbling, sir.” Miheal said, smiling placidly. “When you have a disease like that, it’s a gradual development over time. Even with a supportive figure, it’s not a cure, but a trigger. Kawahara-san prompted Yuugi out. Under no circumstances does this stop. Tests in the file you should have read shows none of the drugs Yami takes recreationally would have resulted in that sort of effect, without impairing his intelligence. As we’ve seen by his work with the murders, that’s clearly not the case. He’s very delicate about this sort of thing.”

“A rouse won’t give us the brain scans we got either. Brain scans that were never processed in his presence, or he saw before today."

Yami was smirking in his seat, really enjoying the show.  He was definitely looking forward to working with this guy.  He could feel the glares intensifying.  He could practically hear the orders being passed between Kaiba and his assassins...and suddenly Yami remembered something.  He had been asked to take the stand by Matsuda before this...if he took the stand, that would make him the perfect target.  He'd be alone, out in the open...easy to shoot. There'd be nowhere to hide.  

"...well that's just great..."  He muttered, groaning a little as his head throbbed.  Yuugi wanted to see what was going on, but he was oblivious to the danger. He had to hold him back somehow...

"No further questions, your Honor."  The prosecution lawyer said.  He wanted to get this annoying pink haired bastard off the stand and move on.

Miheal smiled sweetly at the man, and looked up to the audience. Usually he would share a smile with Chris, but the man wasn’t looking at him, nor was Kaito. The smile faded and he got off the stand, heading back to his seat.

“Relax. You’ll be alright,” Raphael said, seeing the man huddle over on himself.

Yami shook his head at Raphael.

"No...you don't understand I-"  He tried to say, before suddenly Yuugi took over with difficulty.  He seemed a bit out of it when he emerged.

"...my head...really hurts..."  He said softly, feeling Yami practically screaming in his head.

"The defense may now call their next witness up to the stand."  Don Thousand said.  Mist glanced at Mutou, seeing something seemed off, but deciding to go ahead anyway.

"I would like to demonstrate to the court the true effects of my client's illness...so I call Mutou Yuugi to the stand."  He said. The crowd murmured in surprise, since it was unusual to call up the criminal in question.  One member in particular smirked.  Oh this would be easier than he thought...Yuugi was clever and was hiding in his seat.  There was no clean shot for his hired thugs that way...but if he took the stand, it would be perfect.  Kaiba murmured into his collar mircophone for the assassin to get ready to take out the target.

Yuugi felt a bit shaky as he tried to stand, but then Yami took over again.

"I'm not going." He said as firmly as he could while feeling both dizzy and as if his head was on fire.  It came out a little slurred.

“Yuugi?” Raphael frowned. “Yami, you said that you’d cooperate. Please… It’s better for everyone.” He said. However, Kaito realised quickly why he couldn’t take the stand and he started looking around for the assassin, listening carefully for movements. Orbital frowned and mimicked Kaito’s eyes, both of them trying to get a good shot.

"I can't..." Yami managed to say, but Yuugi took over again, trying to get up once more.  He stumbled a little, tears coming to his eyes at how painful every movement was. He was seeing stars and spots.  He felt as if Yami was still partially in control, keeping all his joints locked and his muscles tensed, making it very difficult to move.  

"Mutou-san?" Matsuda said again, realizing something was going on.  Neither of them got to respond, because suddenly their eyes rolled back into their head and they collapsed, body spasming.  It was clear they were having a seizure.

“Yuugi? Yuugi! Yami!!” Raphael jumped out of his seat and practically slid towards the man, making a move to pick him up. Kaito stopped him.

“You don’t pick up someone having a seizure. Move him away from the furniture now. Assume it’s his first. Someone call 911.” Kaito said, taking control. The courtroom started talking up, panicked, and Don Thousand banged his gravel to try get some control.

“Order! Order!”

“Move him on his side so he doesn’t choke on his vomit or saliva. Don’t try hold him down.” Kaito ordered. “Ride it out. It shouldn’t be longer than three minutes."

Raphael followed Kaito's instructions, and sure enough, after a couple minutes, the seizure calmed, leaving Yuugi unconscious.  Miheal, who had been close by since he had just taken the stand, was able to get through the crowd to approach Yuugi.

“It's probably the brain swelling that caused this...if it's getting this bad, we should get him to a hospital and medicate him.”  He said.

Amidst all the chaos in the crowd, with people trying to stand up and see what was going on, Kaiba's assassin couldn't get a clear shot.  Kaiba immediately ordered him to fall back, a frown on his face.  This was completely unexpected.  He had heard Mutou was going to court on charges of mental illness, but he had fully assumed it was fake.  He had met Mutou enough to know he wasn't quite in his right mind, but he wasn't sick.  A seizure suggested otherwise, unless he drugged himself beforehand.

Kaito was staring in Kaiba’s direction. He had no intention to (it’s not like he suspected him), he was just really lost at the moment. He sighed as people went to tend to Yuugi, and heard Orbital say that the paramedics were a few minutes away.

“Order! Order in the court!” Don Thousand said, needing his voice heard.

The second time the judge banged the gravel, people were beginning to calm.  Since it was clear the ones in the front were no longer panicking since Yuugi was no long seizing, they began to slowly return to their seats.

“Your Honor, perhaps we should take a brief recess until the paramedics arrive?  We can move my client to one of the backroom cells to make it easier for the paramedics to get to him.”  Mist suggested.  Don Thousand sighed.  This was turning into quite the wild case.

“Granted.  Court will resume as soon as possible.”  He said, banging the gravel.  Ukyou and Gauche approached Raphael.

“If you carry him, we'll lead you to the backroom.  There's some cells back there where he can lie down.”  Ukyou said gently.  “Dr. Arclight, you come too.  You'll know what medication to administer.”

“I’ll stay here. Make sure you care for him.” Kaito said, not wanting to look suspicious. “Orbital, follow them so you can give the paramedics instructions.” And keep an eye on Yuugi.

“Yes, Kaito-sama.” The robot saluted as Raphael slowly picked the man up, gently as if he was as small as Masumi. Miheal nodded and followed after the procession of men, heading forward. There was a small group of police, plus the powerful Raphael and the dreaded psychiatrist. Kaito was confident that Kaiba’s assassins couldn’t take them, even on a head on approach.

Kaiba was cursing. The way this trial was going, it seemed as though Yuugi would win.  The jury was clearly sympathetic, watching the group leave the courtroom with slight worry.  He knew as Kaito did that attempting a frontal assault was useless in this situation. He didn't want his assassins to get caught, because then he'd be in this situation all over again.  He had no choice but to wait and see if the opportunity arose later to take Yuugi out.

The group arrived to a larger cell in the back with a cot that was big enough for Yuugi to lie down on.

“Orbital, can you check his vitals?”  Ukyou asked the robot, wanting to make sure Yuugi was alright otherwise. He looked like he was just sleeping, but his face was scrunched in obvious pain.  

“You were next to him, Raphael.  What happened?  Was he afraid to take the stand?  He seemed a little hesitant.”  Miheal said, wanting to see if they could avoid situations like this in the future. If there was some kind of taboo topic that brought this on, it would probably be good to avoid it.

Orbital 7 began the readout, taking Yuugi’s hand and doing a proper readout. “It is mostly just fatigue, Ukyou-san. But I cannot detect any internal damage if there’s any, such as brain inflammation.” Orbital said, knowing what they really wanted to ask.

“He… Yami didn’t want to take the stand. He was afraid of something… but Yuugi did want to get up. They were fighting amongst themselves, and then they just… did that.” Raphael said, unable to offer much.

Ukyou sighed.

“Thank you Orbital. Please make sure his breathing and heart-rate are normal then.”  He said. Miheal frowned.

“So it was internal fighting...that would certainly have caused their brain to be overworked.  I wonder why Yami suddenly changed his mind, though.  He was very cooperative before.  And he didn't seem at all afraid of the court situation...I saw him smirking at me while I was on the stand.”  Miheal pondered.

“Kaito-sama was worried about assassins entering the trial. He told me. It may be that Yami felt the same way.” Orbital said, doing his best to be vague but helpful as he analysed Yuugi.

“Assassins?”  Ukyou said in shock and alarm.  It was clear everyone else was surprised by this too.

“I knew the public wanted Yuugi dead...but not so much that someone would try something at his own trial.” Miheal said.

“If that's true, that does explain why Yami would have been hesitant to take the stand.  He'd be a lone, defenceless target up there.”

Raphael frowned. “… I would know a few of the other big time CEOs who would call in an assassin if they had Yuugi on their side. It would be a quick way to make him quiet.” He ran his fingers through his hair and scowled. “Damn it..."

“So does that mean he's been lying to us?  That he does know who hired him?”  Gauche said. Ukyou frowned and shook his head.

“Not necessarily.  You saw how many wealthy people were there in the audience. Odds are, the person who hired Yami to kill the CEOs was there, and Yami, being a gambler, probably realized those odds pretty quickly.” Ukyou reasoned.  

“We'll have to be careful when the paramedics take him out then.  There's a chance someone outside might be waiting for an opportunity to kill him.”  

“I will keep a look out for them, if Kaito-sama lets me.” Orbital 7 said. “The paramedics are just arriving now. We have to wait for them to come here."

“That sounds good, Orbital...you can go out first and scan the area.”  Ukyou said with a smile.  Within a couple minutes, the paramedics entered the cell and loaded him carefully onto a stretcher.  

“We'll follow the ambulance in our squad cars.”  Ukyou said to the others.

“Will the trial continue past recess until he’s better? Or will it be postponed?” Raphael asked as he followed the paramedics.

“Seems like full postponement may occur." Orbital beeped.

"I guess that is up to the judge and the lawyers. I personally think it doesn't matter at this point that Mutou didn't testify. The evidence is overwhelming from Dr. Arclight's testimony and Mutou's seizure also provides convincing proof to support illness. You don't have seizures unless there's a legitimate medical condition that causes it." Ukyou said.

"Yeah we'll probably win regardless. Well just focus on getting Mutou better and keeping him safe in case there really are assassins after him." Gauche confirmed.

“Yeah…” Raphael looked around, as if expecting a gun before he watched Yuugi get loaded in. “Can I come with you guys?”

Thankfully, there were no attempts to shoot Yuugi as he was loaded into the ambulance. Ukyou nodded.

"Sure. Orbital, thank you for your help. You can go back to Kaito now. Please ask him to let us know if the trial is continuing and what the final verdict is if it does finish." Ukyou said to the robot.

“Yes sir.” Orbital 7 saluted and allowed the three men to go off on their own. He wheeled back to Kaito, who merely nodded when he heard the robot’s familiar whirring.

“Just in time.” He said, wanting Astral to have a look at the final verdict too.

"Court will resume session now." Don Thousand said with a bang of the gravel.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you may recall from the case files that Mutou is skilled with drug creation. He probably drugged himself to cause a seizure." The prosecutor said. Mist shook his head.

"Objection your Honor. There is no proof of that claim. Our police force has been monitoring my clients food intake for the past week and there's no drug that delays it's activation that long." Mist said.

"Sustained." Don Thousand agreed.  "The jury will now vote on the verdict."

A representative of the jury stood up and looked at the judge.

“We of the jury have decided that given evidence and present circumstances, Mutou Yuugi is a victim of circumstance and should not be given the death penalty, as he is not in control of himself at the time of the crime."

"I hereby sentence Mutou Yuugi to life in the Heartland Mental Institution. If he is deemed rehabilitated he will be moved to prison for the remainder of his sentence." Don Thousand said banging the gravel.

"Court adjourned." He said.

Kaito smirked a little.

"Orbital, send a message to the cops about Mutou's sentence."

“Yes, Kaito-sama.” The robot said, saluting. The message was relayed to Ukyou, who checked it as Gauche drove.

“Well… good news, Raphael. Mutou has avoided the death penalty.”

Raphael sighed in relief.

“That's great...”  He said.  One problem down anyway.  Now they just had to work on getting Yuugi healthy...the seizure was concerning. Miheal smiled.

“I've made all the arrangements to bring him to the Correctional Facility, so as soon as he's discharged from hospital, we can bring him there.”  

Ukyou looked back and smiled. There would be a lot of work to do, and after they secured Yuugi, he needed to go and investigate the claims of an assassination.

Gauche looked over to his boss and bit his own lip before turning to the road. Ukyou… in light of today, he may be in trouble for what happened in court. It depended on what happened, but for his sake he really hoped that very little would come from it. Otherwise the very least that could happen was demotion, if not outright expulsion

They arrived at the hospital after the ambulance and Yuugi was brought inside. Since he was a prisoner, they put him in a room alone and cuffed one of his hands to the bed frame in case he woke up. Miheal and the doctors met to discuss Mutou's symptoms and to pick some medication for him.

"It may be awhile until he wakes up...I think letting him sleep is a good thing. He's been under a lot of stress lately." Miheal told the officers and Raphael.

“Is there anything I can do to help? Call some guards? Stay?” Raphael asked, watching the man go into the room. Ukyou and Gauche looked at each other but then the superintendent sighed.

“You should just stay with Gauche for now. We’ll have some officers come and make sure he’s alright. I’m going to head back to the courthouse for damage control. I just wanted to make sure you’re alright.”

“I see. Thank you, Ukyou.’

"Officer Ukyou...can I come back with you? I need to talk to Nii-san." Miheal asked. He had talked to the doctors about administering Mutou some medication to counteract brain swelling for now. He would work on the other stuff later.

“Hm?” Ukyou looked at the man and frowned. He wanted to say something to Miheal -something about ‘spying’ and ‘invasion of privacy’- but he didn’t want to bring it up. So he just nodded. “Of course. I don’t mind.” He wanted to talk to Chris too.

Miheal smiled.

“Thank you.”  He said, following the man out.  He felt really bad about what had happened in court, but to his defense, he had not explained the worst thing that he knew Ukyou and Chris to have done.  Saying they'd had sex in Chris' office would not sound at all responsible for either of them.  Going out to lunch was not as big a deal.

“… You said the truth. That’s all there is.” Ukyou said, walking the professor out to the parking lot again, guessing what he was thinking about. “Chris… hopefully won’t hold it against you"

Miheal sighed.  Ukyou was quite sharp.  

“I really hope not...he wouldn't look at me in court after I said it, so he's probably angry.”  Miheal said.

“… I don’t know your brother as well as you do.” The man said as he got in the driver’s seat of the cop car. “Does he hold grudges?"

“He's an Arclight.  We do hold grudges, for quite awhile.” Miheal said with a frown.

“We're very stubbornly set in our beliefs too...it takes quite a lot for us to change our minds.”

“….. I see…” Ukyou glanced at the man in the passenger’s seat before he sighed and concentrated on his driving. “Has it always been like that?"

“Pretty much, yes.  I think we've gotten a little better, but we're still very much stuck in our ways.”  Miheal said.

“Sounds like a tough deal at home” Ukyou muttered

“I suppose...not so much now that we all live separately.”  Miheal said.

Ukyou nodded and they continued the journey in silence. Before long, they were back at the courthouse. Ukyou had no doubt Chris and Kaito would still be there, since Kaito would be probably looking for traces of assassins and Chris would be waiting for him.

Ukyou's guess was right. Kaito had been taking using Orbital 7 to scan for any weapons and had certainly found traces.  There were indeed people here with the means to kill...but no shots had been fired.  It was probably because their target was gone.  

“Not too much longer now, Chris.”  Kaito said softly.  He had informed Chris of the situation to get the other to wait with him.

“No, it’s fine. Take as long as you need.” Chris sighed, not seeing Ukyou or Miheal when he glanced out the window. “Honestly I’d rather go home after everyone. Today was… probably going to be a day I’ll have to avoid people"

Kaito sighed.

“It was a fairly private trial...word may not get very far.”  He said softly.  That was his hope anyway.

Miheal and Ukyou entered the courthouse.  Miheal glanced around for his brother and Kaito, finding them near the front.  

“Nii-san!”  He called, heading towards the front where he was.

“Oh…” Chris looked up and frowned, seeing Miheal. “Hey… I thought you went to go see your patient."

“I did...he's in good hands now.”  Miheal was smart enough not to tell him where Yuugi was, in case there really were assassins in the room.  He took a deep breath.

“I just...I had to come back and see you, Nii-san.  I'm sorry...” Miheal said.

“… Forget it. You did what you had to do,” Chris said, dismissing the apology. “Even though what you said was wrong.” He muttered, looking away.

Miheal frowned.

“Nii-san, I was under oath to say what I saw!  It's not my fault the judge decided it was enough to dismiss your testimony.”  He said.

“On that day, I said I was doing work for the police department, and it was. That… going to that place was a mistake. We discussed the work. We came back. We went home. That’s all that happened. I gave him results, Miheal. That’s what I was asked to do and it was related to the case.” Chris scowled. Kaito looked up from his work to look at the two brothers.

“The only reason I didn’t say anything was because that judge already dismissed me as soon as I opened my mouth"

“I'm not trying to discredit you, Nii-san!  I know your work on the case was vital!  And you're entitled to have breaks!”  Miheal exclaimed.  He frowned.

“...I know.  But again, that's not my fault.  I just said what I saw, Nii-san, and the judge interpreted it.”

“I said I understood, Miheal,” Chris snapped, doing his best trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice and yet failing to do so. He scowled and looked away, crossing his arms to stop himself from doing anything rash. “Just leave it. I know.”

Miheal frowned.

"Nii-san I'm really trying here. The least you could do is acknowledge that!"

“What do you want me to say? I did already!” Chris hissed, looking back at him. His hands twitched. “Or do you want something more? You want something else after you could have ruined Ukyou’s reputation? Or do you think that it’s justified that I wouldn’t do my job properly for his favour!”

Miheal's frown deepened. He was getting annoyed with his older brother, and was equally stubborn.

“If I really wanted to discredit both you and Ukyou, I could've told the court much worse!  I know what you two did in your office, and if I had said that, you'd both have been judged far worse!  That's what I want you to acknowledge....that I was trying to be honest while also looking out for you!  I didn't say the whole truth either!”  Miheal cried, trying not to get too loud.

“Chris-“ Kaito didn’t even need his eyes to see what was happening. He reached out to stop them but was too late.

Chris didn’t need to raise his voice to get that point. He just snapped. Before the professor knew what was going on, he turned to Miheal and nearly punched him, his hand only opening at the last possible moment, in some semblance of a slap.

“Shut up.”

He stared at his brother before storming off, leaving Kaito behind with his brother.

Miheal stumbled back a little as he was smacked, thankfully managing to stay on his feet.  He was stunned.  Chris had never hit him before, even as a kid when he misbehaved.  He bit back small amounts of tears in his eyes.

“I hate you, Nii-san!” He called after Chris, before turning the other way and storming off towards the exit of the courthouse.  He could feel eyes on him as he left but didn't pay them much mind.  He knew that he and his brother had caused a bit of a scene, so it wasn't unusual.  He didn't realize that one of them had a gun and was pissed that Miheal had effectively gotten his target locked away. Now he wouldn't get paid...but, he knew the perfect place to take out his frustrations.  He followed Miheal through the cover of the crowd, tailing the man and waiting for a clear shot.

Meanwhile, Ukyou followed Chris.

"Chris...please calm down..."

Kaito was about to go after his mentor but he knew that Chris was utterly unreasonable when he was like that, so he went for the other brother. Orbital yelped as Kaito went the other way and followed after him through the crowd.

“Miheal, wait!”

Chris was heading to his car, shaking a little and still in disbelief that he had just hit his baby brother. Thomas was one thing, and Kaito was another, but Miheal?

The professor tensed up as he heard Ukyou and he bit his lip, continuing to walk. “Just… no. Ukyou… Leave me alone.”

“Chris...”  Ukyou said, not sure what to do, but wanting to help.

“Is there anything I can do...?”  He asked softly, keeping his distance and letting some of his worry leak into his voice.

Miheal ignored Kaito and kept going.  He finally broke free of the crowd, entering the hallway and heading towards the exit of the courthouse.  He just wanted to be alone.  The gunman that was following him burst out of the crowd moments after, watching Miheal's retreating form.  The pink bastard seemed that he hadn't noticed him, and nobody was paying attention to him anymore.  He took aim with the tiny gun that could fit into his large hand without anyone noticing and fired, watching the bullet pierce the back of Miheal's leg. Miheal's eyes widened and he cried out in pain as he felt himself get shot.  He dropped to his knees, trying to glance behind him before he was shot a second time, this time through the upper body, which made him pitch forward.  

'...So there were assassins here...'  He remembering thinking before hitting the ground on his stomach.  At the sound of the gunshot, people in the courtroom were screaming and panicking a little, starting to move, giving the assailant the perfect cover to escape.  

Kaito was a few steps behind, and he couldn’t reach Miheal. He ran ahead, but only just got out of the crowd before suddenly there was the blast of the gun and Kaito heard the professor scream out.

“Miheal!” He yelled, running forward. He should have tackled the assassin but he couldn’t, especially when he heard the second gun shot. Kaito shoved his way forward as the assassin escaped, pushing past the others as he knelt down. “Shit… Shit… Orbital call the ambulance and secure him.”

“Yes, Kaito-sama.” The robot got to work and Kaito got up, looking for anyone else to help.

“No… I…” Chris started, before he looked up, hearing a gunshot, then a second.

“Superintendent Ukyou! The courthouse!” an officer screamed.

Black Mist was in the washroom out by the hall when he heard the gunshots go off and Miheal's cry.  He came out into the hall, spotting Miheal on the ground and hearing the crowd go crazy.  He saw Orbital going to treat him and Kaito.  Thankfully, Mist knew the courthouse pretty well and ducked into the small nurse's room and grabbed the first aid kit, then ran back to Kaito.

“What the hell happened?” Mist exclaimed in shock to Kaito. He had dealt with gunshot wounds before in the Underground and knelt down to help bandage Miheal's two wounds.

Ukyou's eyes widened as he heard the gunshots go off.  Did that mean there really was an assassin here?

“Chris, get out of here. Go home where it's safe.  I'll talk to you later!”  Ukyou said, before rushing back into the courthouse with his fellow officers to try and figure out what was going on.  All he could see was a crowd that was panicking...it wouldn't really be possible to sort out whoever had fired the shots from this.

Chris frowned but instead of leaving he went after Ukyou. As mad as he was, he was still worried about Miheal, and Kaito was still inside.

Kaito was never pleased to hear Mist’s voice but he was relieved someone was around to help. The man helped Mist apply pressure to Miheal.

“Didn’t see. Someone shot him. That’s it."

Mist shook his head.

“They really should have been gun screening at these trials...”  He mused, applying pressure to the wounds with Kaito.

“Damn this is a lot of blood...”  Mist said, getting some fresh gauze to put on top of the bloody ones to try and slow the bleeding.

Ukyou began radioing his fellow officers.

“All units, report! There were two gunshots heard, are there any injuries?”  He asked. The police radio frequency was hooked up to Orbital 7 as well, so Orbital relayed the message to Kaito.

“How bad does it look?” Kaito frowned, feeling over Miheal’s wounds and then feeling for his face. “He’s breathing, so that’s a relief.” He looked up and he grabbed Orbital’s communicator, pressing it down.

“Ukyou, this is Kaito. We have Professor Miheal here. He’s been shot twice through the leg and the abdomen. Paramedics are on the way. We have no idea where the assassin is."

“Well it's hard to tell with all the blood, and I'm not about to stop applying pressure to take a look.”  Mist said.

“Yeah he's breathing but he's kinda pale...I know he's pale usually but it seems worse than normal. I hope those paramedics get here soon.” Mist said with a frown.  

Ukyou's eyes widened. Miheal Arclight had been shot?

“Where are you Kaito? Did you or Orbital see who the assassin was?”  He asked.

“He was a few steps in front of us. We didn’t get a chance to.” Kaito frowned. “Secure the area, Ukyou. If we’re lucky, we can get him but I bet he’s long gone by now. We’re in the main courthouse. Hurry”

“Miheal…” Chris had overheard and he ran ahead, praying Kaito was mistaken. His brother… he… no. It couldn’t be.

“Will do.”  Ukyou said, before barking orders to secure the area.

“Chris, wait!  It might not be safe!”  Ukyou called, pulling out his gun just in case and following the white-haired man.  

The paramedics arrived shortly after Kaito called Ukyou back.  Mist stepped aside to let the professionals take over.  He whipped out his phone and dialing Thomas immediately, knowing his boyfriend would want to be there for his brother.  They gave Miheal oxygen and were loading him onto a stretcher by the time Chris got there.

“Miheal!” Chris yelled as he saw the men pick him up. The man paled and ran up to him, eyes wide with horror as he saw how bad it was. He had been shot through the chest.

“No, no, no, no… Shit.” Kaito grabbed Chris before he could do anything and held him tight.

“Chris. Let them take him. He needs to get to a hospital.”

“I… No. I didn’t mean…” Was… was this his fault? Would the assassin had shot Miheal if he didn’t go off alone. “Miheal!"

Ukyou came up behind Chris and spotted the youngest Arclight being loaded onto a stretcher and raised down the hallway to the ambulance.

"Well follow in the squad car, Chris. They'll look after him." Ukyou said, trying to be reassuring. Mist stepped away from the conversation to get on the phone with Thomas, telling him he'd come pick him up from home to get him to the hospital with Miheal.

“Chris… Chris it’s okay.” Kaito said, squeezing the other man. The paramedics shut the doors and immediately they sped off. “Come on, let’s go…”

Chris gave a choked sob, horrified upon realising the last thing he said to his brother was to shut up, and the last thing he heard Miheal say was that he hated him. He wanted to take it all back… anything for Miheal. He mindlessly followed after the others, not sure what to do but pray now.

Ukyou gave orders to the rest of his squad to investigate people as they left for weapons and to arrest anyone who had them, though he suspected the culprit was probably gone. He led Kaito and Chris to the squad car, getting in with him and driving after the ambulance.

"He'll be okay Chris."

Chris didn’t answer Ukyou. With his brother in critical condition with a bullet wound in his chest, he didn’t want to get those hopes up. Kaito helped Chris into the car and then threw Orbital into the trunk- ‘Kaito-sama, No!’- before getting in himself.

They drove to the hospital with the police sirens on so they could keep up with the ambulance. Miheal was rushed into surgery right away to close his wounds and remove the bullets, so Chris couldn't see him when they arrived. They could only go to the waiting room.

A few minutes later, Thomas stormed into the hospital, followed closely by Mist.

"What the hell is going on here? Miheal...where's Miheal Chris?" Thomas demanded, going up to his older brother, looking for reassurance. Mist had told him his brother had been shot, but this had to be a joke...it had to be.

Chris sat in the waiting room, face in his hands and elbows on in knees. Behind him, Kaito rubbed his back, wincing as he heard Thomas’ thunderous footsteps practically burst into the waiting room. Chris didn’t look up to Thomas, he just sat there.

“He’s… in the operating theatre. He was shot in the chest and the leg…” Chris whispered, his voice croaking a little.

Ukyou stayed on Chris' other side, petting his back as well. Thomas' eyes widened. Chris looked absolutely miserable.

"No...no way...this shit doesn't just happen!" He exclaimed, his voice breaking a bit as tears came to his eyes. Mist came up behind Thomas to offer him comfort and the other turned around to hug him.

Chris couldn’t say anything else, thoroughly convinced that Miheal hated him and this was all his fault. Kaito held the other man tight, knowing that he just needed the presence for now.

-x-

While the Arclights were in hospital, Yuuma and Shark were enjoying a lazy day off at home when the phone rang.  Yuuma groaned and rolled out of bed to grab his cell phone, blinking when he saw his sister's number on the screen.

“What's up, Nee-chan?” He asked sleepily.

“Yuuma, I need to get to Neo Domino City in like two hours so I’m dropping Yuzu off to you. I’m about five minutes away from your house. You’ll need to sit for her until tomorrow when Charlie gets back from his work trip.” Akari’s voice blasted out of the phone. “Be ready to take her, okay?"

“Wh...what?  You're giving us Yuzu?”  Yuuma asked, getting up in shock.  

“Shark, get up!  We have to look after Yuzu!”  He exclaimed to his snoozing husband.

“I don’t want fruit.” Shark grunted, going and pulling the blanket over his head. “What are you getting on about? It’s not even noon yet.”

“No, Shark!  Nee-chan is giving us our niece!  She's going out of town and we have to look after her for the day!”  Yuuma said, pulling the blanket down to speak to Shark.

“… Since when?” Shark growled, pulling the blanket back up.

“Since now!”  Yuuma exclaimed, yanking the blanket down again before leaping out to get the doorbell.  He assumed it was his sister.

Shark groaned and let Yuuma answer the door. Akari was standing on the other side of it and she handed Yuuma a bag quickly. “Her schedule is written on the list there, and call me if you have any problems. Make sure she’s in bed by seven but she can go down by eight. Thanks Yuuma.” Akari said, practically breathless.

Yuuma smiled and accepted the bag and his niece with a smile.

"No problem Nee-chan! Well look after Yuzu! Have fun!" Yuuma said happily.

Akari smiled and kissed Yuzu. “Be good for Uncle Yuuma. I’ll see you later. Thanks again.” And with a wave, she ran off.

Shark snored away, evidently having gone back to sleep.

Yuzu cooed as her mother gave her a kiss, seeming content in Yuuma's arms.  Yuuma waved Akari off with a grin before coming back into the house.

“Shark, wake up!  We have a visitor!”  Yuuma said, shaking him gently.

“Tell Durbe I’ll return his damned book tomorrow,” Shark grunted before he heard the baby squeal. He grimaced before he looked up and frowned. “Yuzu?”

Yuuma rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, it's Yuzu!  I tried to tell you earlier, but she's staying with us for today!”  Yuuma said.

“… I guess so.” Shark said, looking at the baby. “… So what do you do now? Play? Or what?"

“We do whatever she wants!” Yuuma said, smiling at the baby. She seemed relaxed in his arms. He carefully sat down on the bed, laying her down on a pillow and letting her grab his finger.

“She seems happy like this...”

“Guess it’s nap time.” Shark glanced at the clock. It was quarter to 12. “Good. I got this one.” Shark said, lying down again.

“Just don't roll over on her!”  Yuuma warned. “I'm gonna get a shower.”  He headed out.  After Yuuma left, and the shower started running, Yuzu began to wimper and squirm a little, grabbing some of Shark's hair.  It was clear she didn't want to nap.

Shark sighed and sat up. “Oh so now you get up.” He said, getting up and pulling Yuzu gently into his arms. “Guess you’re just spoilt, huh?"

Yuzu cooed softly and smiled up at Shark when the man held him.  She continued to play with his hair, enjoying how soft it was.

“Hi baby.” He smiled as she held him and laughed softly. “I haven’t held you in a while. You’re so big, huh?"

Yuzu giggled and continued to play with Shark's hair, swatting it around gently.  She seemed happy because Shark was happy.  She swatted at his face a little when he said she was big.

Shark laughed as she bapped him and did the same back to her. He smiled. It was a long time since he ever held something as soft and as small as Yuzu, but he kind of liked it. He kissed her forehead and smiled at his niece.

Yuzu giggled and cooed as she was kissed.  Shark was so absorbed in Yuzu that he didn't notice the shower had turned off and Yuuma was coming out.  He had been surprised to hear Shark laughing, when he expected him to be snoring.  He peaked around the corner and beamed as he saw Shark interact with Yuzu.  They were adorable.  He snuck back into the living room to grab the camera and took a picture of the cute scene.  

“Awww Shark you're a natural with her!”  Yuuma beamed.

Shark looked up and smirked, not denying the camera like he usually would. “Of course. Yuzu is a good girl, isn’t she?” He smiled, expression soft and warm.

Yuuma was happy Shark didn't deny the camera.  The photo was a good one...he loved it when he managed to capture one of Shark's genuine smiles.  

“She is!  Yes, you are~  Yes you are~”  Yuuma said, coming over to join them, cooing and tickling Yuzu's chin as he spoke to her. Yuzu laughed and pulled on Shark's hair slightly as her limbs flailed.

“My turn to shower. Your turn to baby.” Shark said, though he didn’t pass her over and just grinned as Yuuma wandered over, trying to swat Yuzu’s tiny hands away. “Hey! Careful.” He laughed.

Yuuma chuckled as Yuzu swatted around.

“You know, you could take her with you in the bath if you want.  She might like that...she seems to like spending time with you anyway.”

“Ah? You sure? I mean… a bath at day is kind of weird, isn’t it? I don’t mind,” Shark said, shrugging.

"Vector and Takashi do it all the time! Why not you? Today's a day off...you can relax however you want." Yuuma said.

“I guess so…” He smiled. “Let’s go then. Come on, Yuzu. Want to bathe? Let’s go.”

Yuzu just smiled at Shark, cooing happily as he picked her up and carried her to the bathroom.  

“I'm gonna tell Yusei that we might be a little late tomorrow, cause we'll have to wait for Nee-chan to get back and pick up Yuzu.  I don't think bringing her to the garage would be a good idea.”  Yuuma said with a grin.

“Why not? It’s not like we didn’t grow up on noxious fumes and we ended up okay.” Shark said, letting Yuuma pick up the girl and following after him, yawning. “But it doesn’t seem like a bad idea. Yusei will understand”

“She's not us though! And there's no way either of us can look after a baby and do our jobs at the same time!  If she was a toddler who could sit quietly and color in the corner or something it'd be easier.”  Yuuma said, cuddling Yuzu with a smile.

“Yeah I know he will! Yusei's awesome like that.”    

Shark sighed and began prepping the bath. He smiled, enjoying the sight of Yuuma with a baby. He expected the man to be a bit clumsy, even though he knew he loved Yuzu dearly, but it seemed so natural.

Yuuma was enjoying his time with Yuzu.  He had always loved holding his niece, but there was something remarkably different about holding Yuzu and walking around doing mundane things in his own house. It felt more like Yuzu was actually his child instead of his niece.  Yuuma liked the feeling though...it was a natural thing.  And when he recalled how Shark had been such a natural with her as well, he smiled a bit wider.  He liked having a baby in the house.

“Tub is full.” Shark said after a while before he started kicking off his boxers and his singlet. “Come on, Yuzu. Let’s get clean, right?"

“Here you go, Yuzu. Bath time.”  Yuuma said, coming into the bathroom to pass Yuzu off to Shark.

“I'll make lunch in the meantime.”  Yuuma said, giving Shark a quick kiss before heading back into the kitchen.

“Alright.” Shark sighed as he eased into the bathtub, Yuzu in his arms as he got comfortable. He sighed and closed his eyes, taking in the moment before he grabbed one of the cups on the sink and gently poured the warm water over her chest, making sure it wasn’t too hot.

Yuzu squealed a little at the water.  She liked the warmth.  She also liked how it made Shark's hair flatter and she want to grab it gently again with a giggle.

“ohh… You’re a hair grabber. All you kids these days are like that? Aren’t you? Aren’t you?” Shark laughed, nuzzling her with his nose. He gently bathed her, and gently smoothing her hair down.

Yuzu giggled as her nose was nuzzled.  She cooed in content as she was washed in the warm water, entertained by Shark's hair the whole time.

“This is the part where you act like an angel and make Yuuma and I think you’re perfect, and then you turn on us later and make things hard, huh?” Shark teased, smiling as he let her play, holding her up and smiling. “Well part one is working."

Yuzu kept smiling innocently, as if she needed any more reason for Shark to think she was an angel. She giggled as she was held up, still with a hand in Shark's hair, making it spread out in front of him, demonstrating to Shark how long it was again now.

“I know. It’s grown since prison. I bet your hair will grow to be like this, huh? Long and silky.” Shark said, almost forgetting for a moment Yuzu wasn’t even remotely blood related to him and wouldn’t have the iconic Kamishiro tresses. “At least you have good taste.”

Yuzu simply giggled in return. She liked Shark's smile and hair, continuing to coo and play with it happily.

Yuuma kept ducking between the washroom and the kitchen, listening in on Shark and Yuzu and smiling. As he had thought, Shark wasn't bad with babies.

"Shark, brunch is almost ready!" He called through the door.

Shark smiled as he finished the bath, making sure he didn’t take too long in order to make sure Yuzu didn’t get a cold. He dried them both up and headed to the bedroom.

“Yuuma? Where are her clothes?”

"Oh there's probably some in the bag Nee-chan left us!" Yuuma said, grabbing it and digging through it for some clothes for Yuzu.

"There we go. This little dress will work!" Yuuma said with a smile.

“I guess so. Easy enough.” Shark said, grabbing a clean diaper and tossing it to Yuuma, before passing him the baby. “I’ll get changed too. Has she eaten?"

Yuuma caught the diaper that Shark tossed him and carefully changed Yuzu, before putting her dress on. Yuzu looked adorable in her dress when he was done, and Yuuma smiled, kissing her forehead.

“I'm not sure...Nee-chan didn't say.  We can make her some milk formula and see if she'll take it, just in case.  Nee-chan packed it in the bag.”  Yuuma said.

“I’ll get it. You can start eating brunch. I’ll join you when I have her bottle.” Shark said, digging through the bag once he had a t-shirt and shorts on. He pulled out the formula and headed to the kitchen, glancing back at how cute those two were.

“Alright!  Let's go wait in the kitchen, Yuzu!”  Yuuma said, keeping Yuzu in his arms since they didn't have a high chair for her.  Yuzu cooed happily, reaching for the little strings dangling from Yuuma's hoodie. Yuuma chuckled and let her grab them and pull them however she wanted.  He sat down and ate his Duel Mechi with one hand while Yuzu was resting in his free arm occupied by his hoodie.  He chuckled.

“You're pretty energetic, Yuzu....that's cute.”  He mused with a chuckle.

After heating up the water and mixing the formula in, Shark was shaking the bottle and walking back into the room. He put some of the milk on his hand, testing the temperature, before he turned to them.

“Thanks Yuuma, I got her.” The man said, sitting down and reaching for her

Yuzu spotted the bottle and started to whine, reaching for it.  Yuuma chuckled.

“I guess she is hungry then! Shark will feed you, Yuzu.”  Yuuma said, passing her off to his husband with a smile.

Shark smirked as she was handed over and gently held Yuzu, letting her feed. He sighed but his eyes were loving as he looked at the girl.

“She’s cute"

Yuzu's tiny chubby hands gripped the bottle as best they could as she drank from it.  Yuuma smiled at the overall scene.

“She is...and you're a natural with her.  Not that I ever thought you wouldn't be, but it's still really nice to see.”  Yuuma beamed.

“I know you were always a hit with Yuzu, but she never was so close to me. I’m glad she likes me,” Shark said, swelling with pride a little.

“Of course she likes you! You're her other uncle!”  Yuuma said happily.  

“I think any baby would like you...when you smile like that, you look like you're the nicest guy in the world.”  Yuuma said happily, kissing Shark's cheek.

Shark rolled his eyes but he smiled. “I guess… It’s kinda nice.”

“Yeah...it is nice having a baby around, isn't it?”  Yuuma said with a smile, wrapping an arm around Shark's waist gently so as not to disturb Yuzu.  Her eyes glanced his way and he smiled at her.

“...I almost feel like...we should get one ourselves...”  Yuuma said softly.

Shark frowned and he looked back to Yuuma. It was nice to have a baby around, but that suggestion made his face fall.

“Yuuma… It’s kind of impossible… You know that, right?"

Yuuma laughed.

“I'm not saying we're gonna make one ourselves!  I'm saying...we could adopt one?  Kinda like what Alit and Kotori did with Ponta...we both know what the orphanage was like...so we could give someone a good home.”  Yuuma said.

“… I know that. You’re not that stupid.” Shark said, quickly trying to play off he honestly did think Yuma said to make one. “I mean… do you really think they’ll let us adopt? Do you think… do you think we even could?” Shark asked. “I mean… We’re doing okay now but we’ve only had Yuzu for an hour. I doubt this is a good gauge"

“Why not?  I mean, I know we have records...but what if we went to the orphanage we grew up at?  Those caretakers know us...and they know we're okay with kids!”  Yuuma said.  He smiled a bit.

“Yeah I know but...this is actually kinda an idea I had for awhile...ever since everyone started getting babies...”  Yuuma admitted sheepishly.

“Legally we shouldn’t be parents. I hardly think I’m capable of being a parent.” Shark said, pretending he wasn’t feeding a baby like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“… You have, huh? How come you didn’t mention it before?"

“What're you talking about! You're a natural with Yuzu!” Yuuma exclaimed.  He nodded.

“Yeah...but, I wasn't sure if it would really work...I mean, you kept saying that we couldn't take care of any organism, and I thought maybe that meant you didn't want one.  But, now that I see you with Yuzu...you like babies after all!”  

“Yeah, because I watch you, idiot. I’m the worst at kids. I don’t have the patience for… well anything. You get the point.”

Shark frowned “Well… I see. I’m sorry I made you feel that way but… You really think we could?"

Yuuma smirked.

“I don't really believe that.  You looked after Yuzu just fine without me!”  He said.  He nodded with a grin.

“Yeah!  Of course we could!  We can find the perfect baby and adopt them and the three of us could be a happy family!”  

“The only problem with that plan is that you have no idea where you’re gonna get us fake IDs because thats the only way the government is going to let us adopt.” Shark sighed.

“Why wouldn't they? We both served our time...and none of our crimes have anything to do with harming kids!  Maybe we could ask Astral if worst comes to worst, but I think it would be better if everything was legal...”  Yuuma said.

“… Okay, let’s see how today goes first, alright. Who knows? We still have time to fuck up with Yuzu and not want kids ever again.” Shark said. However the thought had entered his mind, and it would be a while before it left. He really liked the idea of being a dad.

“I doubt that's gonna happen but alright!  We'll use Yuzu as a test!”  Yuuma said, letting the girl grip his finger with a smile.  

“...But I think it'll be okay.  I think we'd both make good dads.  We're already the best uncles Yuzu has ever had!”  

“We’re Yuzu’s only uncles.” Shark sighed, pulling Yuma’s finger away so he could burp Yuzu properly.

Yuuma pouted.

“But that doesn't mean we're not the best!  Right, Yuzu? We're the best!”  Yuuma grinned at the baby as she burped and smiled at him over Shark's shoulder.

Shark rolled his eyes but he smiled. “Yeah yeah, keep at it."

Yuuma laughed.

“We'll both keep at it.” He mused happily, cleaning up their dishes and preparing to spend the rest of the day spoiling his niece with affection.  

-x-

It wasn't until the next day when the sedatives that Yuugi had been given finally wore off.  The doctors had been giving him medication that reduced the swelling in his brain greatly, and let him sleep soundly for the rest of the day.  Ukyou had sent a couple of officers to guard Yuugi's door, especially after Miheal Arclight had been shot at Yuugi's trial.  He hoped nobody would try to kill the young man, and was willing to take precautions.  Raphael had stayed with Yuugi most of the time, only going home when visiting hours were over to return the next day.  

Yuugi opened his eyes slowly, feeling surprisingly drowsy still, and having no memory of what had happened.  The last thing he remembered was being at the trial...and now he was in a white room. A hospital.  There was an IV in his arm and a cuff on that same wrist attaching him to the bed...and Raphael was at his other side, reading.  Most surprisingly, Yuugi's head wasn't in pain anymore.  This was the first time since he'd woken up a few weeks ago that his head seemed calm.

“...Raphael?”  He asked softly to get the man's attention, his voice a bit croaky because of his dry throat.

Raphael looked up from his book and barely managed to slip his bookmark in before he slammed it shut and chucked it onto the chair he had been sitting on, getting up and closer to the blonde.

“Yuugi! Oh thank goodness, you’re awake. I was so worried about you. How are you feeling? Do you need water?”

Yuugi gave Raphael a little smile when he came closer.

“Sorry for worrying you...” He said softly.  “I feel...a bit drowsy, but okay...my head doesn't hurt anymore.”  He nodded at the offer of water.  His throat still felt dry.

“Yes please...”  He said, working to sit up a bit so he could drink.  His limbs felt a bit shaky, but he managed to sit up a bit.

“No, it’s fine. You just collapsed, and you were having a seizure… But we were told you’d be okay.” Raphael sighed as he poured the drink and he gave it to the man.

Yuugi's eyes widened a bit.

“A seizure?  Oh wow...I don't remember that.  The last thing I remember is being in the courtroom...” Yuugi said with a frown.  He accepted the water and took a sip.

“...What happened at the trial?  Did it get finished?”

“Yeah… It did, actually” He smiled softly, making sure that the man wasn’t drinking anything before he gave him the verdict. “So you’re not meeting the death penalty. You’ll be heading to the correctional facility as soon as you’re discharged from the hospital,” Raphael said.

Yuugi put down his drink, looking a little anxious to hear how it went.  Raphael was smiling, so that was encouraging...but he was still a bit worried.  Yuugi felt a bit of a jolt in his head when he began to worry, but it wasn't a very strong one...not enough to make him swap.  He sighed in relief when Raphael said he'd been spared the death penalty.

“That's a relief...so I guess I'll be working with Dr. Arclight soon then...right?  Or...however long it takes to leave...do they know why I had a seizure?”  Yuugi asked. He knew those were serious and didn't want to have another.

“…” Raphael sighed and shook his head but passed the matter for now. He would tell Yuugi when he had less questions, it would be easier that way.

“It seemed like you and Yami were having a disagreement. Your brain was inflamed and you ended up having a seizure. The nurse is going to fill you in on what you need for medication.”

Yuugi tilted his head in confusion when the other man shook his head, seemingly exhausted and confused himself.  Something had happened...but what?  He could feel Yami's curiosity match his own.

“Oh...I don't remember that. I thought Yami was going to cooperate...”  He said with a frown, wondering why he had suddenly changed his mind.  He nodded at the medicine.  He figured the Correctional Facility would also be informed.

“Did he take over and say why he wanted to fight?”  Yuugi asked. Since he couldn't remember what happened, maybe Yami had been in control.

“No, but the police managed to figure out his reasoning. There were apparently assassins within the courthouse. They were waiting for you to take the stand so they could shoot you, in case it seemed like the trial was swinging our way,” Raphael said, “By stopping you from taking the stand, Yami saved your life.”

Yuugi's eyes widened.

“Assassins...”  He murmured.  He had been told that the public hated him by his lawyer before, but he hadn't known just how badly until now.  Now that Raphael mentioned it, Yuugi could recall being asked to take the stand...then nothing.  He felt relieved, surprised, and also confused.  How had Yami known there were going to be assassins?  

“...Did the police arrest them?  Or...” He glanced towards the door. “...are they still out there?”  He wondered if they would try again.  

“… You’re under police protection until they can catch the culprit. Anyone associated with you will also be under police protection.” Raphael sighed.

“You… won’t have sessions with Miheal for a while. Professor Arclight was shot by one of the assassins, probably because his work was a highly important factor in the case."

“You too right? You're kinda associated with me...are you going to be protected too?”  Yuugi asked, worried for Raphael.  His eyes widened.

“Oh my gosh, is he going to be okay?!”  He exclaimed. He had liked Miheal.  He seemed nice.  Yuugi could feel his head pulse with Yami's rage at the news and groaned a little, placing his free hand on his head.

“I will be, don’t worry.” Raphael frowned as he saw how quickly Yami and Yuugi both reacted. Despite being two different sides of the boy, they had the same heart and it was highly emotional and fragile. While it touched him that the man cared about him, it also worried him. What would happen if he disappeared too?

“He’ll be alright. He’s the head of the Correctional Facility. Anyone who knows his reputation for being scarily strong willed will know he’ll make it out alive.” Raphael lied. They still didn’t know how Miheal would turn out, but he was hopeful, so he wanted Yuugi to be too.

Yami would definitely deny that he cared about Raphael for his own sake.  He just didn't want Yuugi to get upset and disappear again if Raphael died or vanished.  Yuugi looked at Raphael in concern, truly wanting the other man to be alright.  

“Okay...I trust you. And I guess that's true...Dr. Arclight seems really strong and tough.”  Yuugi said, recalling their meeting and his impression of the man. He smiled.

“I guess I'll just focus on getting better myself...”  

“Don’t worry, Yuugi. I’m a tough old thing. They won’t get the best of me,” Raphael said. “They’ll be caught by the police soon enough.”

He smiled and patted the man’s shoulder. “That’s the spirit"

Yuugi smiled at Raphael, feeling his mind calm a little as Yami seemed to back off.  

“I believe you. You've got your own guards and stuff too right?”  He said. He nodded.

“Yeah...I guess I'll just rest a bit and let you read...you probably have a lot of work to do.  Sorry for taking up so much of your time...”  

“Yeah… If it makes you feel better, I’ll have someone else looking out for me. It’ll be easy.” Raphael paused the question and he shook his head.

“Hah… It’s alright. That wasn’t work anyway,” he went to ruffle the man’s head. “I want to help, Yuugi. Don’t apologise, alright?”

“That's probably a good idea.”  Yuugi said, feeling Yami's agreement with him.  He was happy that his other half seemed to like Raphael too, or at least, he was invested in Raphael's safety.  And his own, Yuugi remembered.  Raphael had said Yami had saved his life...so maybe Yami wasn't so bad after all.  He bent his head down a bit and flushed a little as his hair was ruffled.  He didn't really like it when he was reminded how short he was, but it also made him feel a bit warm inside when Raphael did it.  

“...Okay.  If you say so.  Thank you.”  He said with a smile.

“No problem. Just keep on trying to get better. You trying to stand in court was a big improvement, yesterday. I’m proud of you,” The older man grinned.

Yuugi beamed.  It felt nice to hear someone say they believed in him and that they were proud of him.

“I will...I promise.” He said happily.

“Now… you’re awake. We’ll have to wait for the nurse to check on you, but let’s play a game. I had someone bring a deck of cards. You can choose what we play.”Raphael said, pulling the food table out in front of Yuugi and placing the deck of cards in front of him.

At the mention of games, Yuugi's eyes lit up like a child's on Christmas.  

“Yes!”  He exclaimed a little loudly, before flushing a little and clamping his hand over his mouth.  He swore he heard the same excited cry echo in his head when he said it.  He coughed and nodded.

“I mean...yes.  I'd love to play a game with you.”  He said, trying to tone down his excitement in his voice even though his body language and expression were still just as hyped up as before.

Raphael covered his mouth, trying to stifle a laugh, but he couldn’t help himself. Yuugi was too cute. He really was like a little kid.

“Alright. Let’s play."

Yuugi nodded excitedly, sitting up even more so he could play cards with Raphael and enjoy his time with him.

-x-

Meanwhile, things were not so happy in another ICU hospital room, where Miheal Arclight had been placed after his surgery to remove the bullets and patch up his wounds.   Kaito, Ukyou and Black Mist had barely been able to pull the two remaining Arclight brothers away from their injured sibling last night, and now Chris and Thomas had both returned to see him.  Miheal had not woken up yet...and the doctors said it was unlikely.  He was hooked up to an ventilator and had undergone a blood transfusion to recover some of his lost blood.  Miheal was still too pale and motionless.  

Thomas had been devastated, but he could see that somehow Chris was doing worse.  He wasn't sure what the story was...but he was a little confused as to why Chris and Miheal had clearly been apart at the courthouse. He knew that usually if they attended the same events, the brothers would stick together.  Mist had told him about Chris' testimony being torn down by Miheal's, which might explain some of the tension....but in Thomas' eyes, what Miheal had said was holding back the whole truth.  Both he and Miheal knew the extent of Chris' relations with Ukyou and the sex hadn't even come out in court.  

“...Chris, what the hell even happened?  How did he get shot...when you two are usually together so often?”  Thomas said without looking at Chris, still trying to put things together.  Something was wrong between Chris and Miheal, at least on Chris' end, and he intended to find out what it was.

“… We argued. We yelled. He stormed off. He got shot.” Chris muttered. Although the story was a lot more complicated than that, he didn’t bother to explain to his younger brother. Even though the weight of Miheal’s conditions laid solely on his shoulders, even though he knew that he and he alone was in the wrong about the argument and the court case, he refused to talk about it. He didn’t want to, as if admitting what happened would sentence both Miheal and himself to die. The man didn’t look at Thomas either, staring at his brother’s form.

“You and Miheal argued and yelled at each other?”  Thomas repeated in surprise.  He and Chris fought all the time yes, but Chris and Miheal?  They never fought!  

“What the hell did you fight about?  You two never fight!”  Thomas asked, now looking at Chris in confusion as if he was suddenly a stranger that just looked an awful like his oldest brother.

“Yes, because believe it or not, we can get frustrated at each other,” Chris growled. He didn’t need Thomas questioning him. Already he was tired, having spent all of last night fretting over Miheal, he didn’t need Thomas on top of this as well.

“What do you think?” He muttered, balling a fist. “It’s so stupid. So trivial now. But what do you think made me angry enough to hit him?”

“Frustrated, yes, but not enough for you both to storm off!”  Thomas said with a frown.  He was stubborn and wanted to know what was bothering his big brother so much.  This was why they always fought...because Thomas was a pusher, where Miheal usually knew when to leave things alone.

“You HIT him?!” Thomas exclaimed.  He knew now what Chris was talking about, and was appalled that Chris had done that.  

“Why the hell did you hit him when he didn't say nearly as much as he could've!  We both knew what you and that cop did in your office, and if anything, you should've been mad at ME for the lunch date!  It was my idea to follow you, not his!”  Thomas said, getting up and facing Chris with a glare.

“You think I’m proud for hitting him?” Chris hissed, looking at Thomas, his eyes angry and filled with hate but filled with tears as well. “You think I don’t know that either? Excuse me for not being fucking grateful and being disregarded for all of my work because of something I tried to stop. I know it could have been worse. Do you think it makes it any less hard for me?” He was struggling to keep his voice level. He didn’t want to be booted out for yelling when he wanted to be here for Miheal.

“It wasn't Miheal's damn fault that the judge disregarded your work either!  You should've taken your anger out elsewhere!”  Thomas cried.  He glared harder but bit his lip in frustration to prevent further yelling. He didn't want to be booted out either.

“...I refuse to let my baby brother die thinking you hate him.  Fucking apologize.  They say people in comas can hear what's around them.”  Thomas managed to growl out, pointing to Miheal's bedside.

“You don’t think I know that? You don’t I think I hate myself for this? Miheal might die and the last thing I fucking did to him is hit him. The last thing I said to him was for him to shut up.” Chris whispered, hunching over, unable to stop himself from crying. “I did apologise. I’ve been here for an hour before you got here… begging for him to wake up. I am sorry, Thomas. And I’m damned upset if you don’t think I haven’t said it or meant it yet.”

“… I am sorry, Miheal.”

“...God fucking dammit...” Thomas said, crying again himself. He hated this.  He hated that his baby brother could fucking die before him.

“...I'm sorry too Chris...I just...I want him to wake up...that's it...”  He managed to say.

“It should have been me. I could have done something but I didn’t.” Chris muttered. He couldn’t say anything back to his brother, but he didn’t want Thomas to cry too. He shakily stood up and went to hug his younger brother, shaking and sobbing quietly himself.

Thomas accepted his older brother's hug, crying softly and holding Chris.  Despite his pride, he did need the comfort right now.  He was reminded of when he was a little kid and would occasionally go to his big brother's bed to fend off nightmares. Those had stopped after Miheal had been born, because Thomas had instead offered the comforting service to Miheal.

“Miheal was stronger than both of us… if anyone is going to pull out of this, it’s him… I really hope he does…” Chris said, his hands shaking.

“...Yeah...”  Thomas murmured, trembling a bit himself. “He'll make it...he has to...”  

-x-

While the Arclights were looking after their brother, the police were hard at work at trying to find the shooter.  As Kaito had suspected, the criminal had been long gone by the time the cops had barricaded the courthouse and began inspecting people.  Nobody with any deadly weapons had been found, and all the people involved had been let go.  

But Astral was not about to give up.  He had managed to break the hack on the security cameras and was currently scanning the footage for any good shots of the shooter.  He was at Kaito's house, wanting to spend time with him as well. It was safe now because they both knew Chris was at the hospital with his brother.

“There are not as many cameras in the hallway where Miheal was shot...that is unfortunate.”  Astral said.

“How are the exits looking?” Kaito asked, sitting down and staring at the ceiling, not bothering with the computer screen. “Can we get an estimate on how many people are around the area at the time?”

“They are looking quite flooded...it seems that many people began fleeing as soon as they heard the gunshot.  The shooter probably blended in with them on the way out.”  Astral said with a frown.  

“There were quite a few people in the hallway, because the trial had been adjured recently...looks to be about 50 people or so.”  

“The trial wasn’t open to the public, meaning all of those people had connections to the case one way or another. It means we can narrow them down” Kaito frowned.

“The ones who were coming out of the trial room, yes...but there were also reporters.  They were let into the courthouse after the trial was adjured, and they were in the hallways.”  Astral said, noting quite a few people with cameras and microphones. He sighed.

“The killer is wearing a hood...there is no clear shot of his face.  But given his build he is probably a man.”  

“Follow the footage backwards. If he was wearing a hood, he wouldn’t have been wearing it when he walked in. That would be suspicious. Reporters wouldn’t be wearing that sort of thing.” Kaito frowned.

Astral slowly worked the footage backward.  He frowned as he noticed the man making his way to a seat.  

“He did not wear his hood during the trial itself...and when the lawyer announced Mutou was to take the stand, he moved to get a closer shot.  He was intending to shoot him.”  Astral said.

“I still only have the back of his head unfortunately...”

“Follow back further. See of we can get a clear shot of him entering the courtroom.” Kaito said, spinning in his chair a bit.

“I cannot follow back further than this...I did not get the cameras online until this point.”  Astral said with a sigh.

“… Is there no way to track them?” Kaito frowned. “… We’re missing something. There’s got to be some way to get this guy."

“No.  This was highly advanced...whoever put these hacks in the cameras knew what they were doing.”  Astral said with a frown.  He shook his head.

“I do not know...” Astral said.  He frowned.

“Argh… I’ve done harder cases than this… I should know at least how to start this investigation,” Kaito scowled, balling his fist, now still in his chair. “I’ve been off the force too long. There’s something we’re missing.”

“Yami told you he suspected someone was out to shoot him.  Do you think he knows something more than he's saying?”  Astral mused, looking at the few pictures they had of the shooter.  He had heard part of Yami and Kaito's conversation through Orbital and was intrigued on how Yami had picked up on the so-called 'murderous intent' in the air in the courthouse.  

“...Kaito, I think...I think the shooter is wearing an earpiece of some sort.”  Astral murmured, enlarging the image so he could get a better look at the small, metallic object on his ear.

“… Astral, you would be able to pull out a record of the CEOs present at the courthouse, correct?” Kaito said, something dawning on him when Astral mentioned the earpiece.

“Yes, I could...what are you thinking?”  Astral asked, knowing his boyfriend was on to something.  He began looking over the images and putting up names of the CEOs at the trial.  Kaiba Seto, Reiji Akaba, Kawahara Raphael, and a few others were there.  

“It’s an assassin, and at a high profile, high risk trial, it would be very difficult and very expensive to smuggle someone in there to shoot someone, wouldn’t it? Yami knows someone wants him dead. The list you’ll make will be our main suspect list"

“I see.  That does make sense.  I also recall Yami telling me once that he was not some 'cheap hire'...that means whoever hired him to kill three CEOs must have money.  I will organize their names by pay grade but also by motive...they have to have connections to the men Yami killed as well.” Astral said, composing his list. It really was not very long...although many of the men in the room had been rich, only a select few were CEOs and were extremely wealthy enough to hire assassins that way.

Kaito frowned and tried to think of CEOs off the top of his head. “Kaiba… Akaba is new so doubtful… The groups in Neo Domino… Make sure you include foreign CEOs, just in case..."

"I will. Although, I know first hand that Akaba is skilled enough with computers to have put that hack in the cameras." Astral said.

“Ah, that’s true.” Kaito closed his eyes. “What do you think? That makes him more likely, when you think about it. New person clearing off the competition to begin with"

"Yes. He is the only one who did not have a company since he moved here...the others had some business elsewhere." Astral said. Reiji certainly seemed to fit the requirements for motive and computer skills.

“We’ll look in to him. Give me three of the most likely people, Astral.” Kaito said, glancing at the screen as if he expected that the results would be in front of him.

"Alright...I would say the most likely would be Akaba and Kaiba for sure...I do not recognize many of these men though. So I will need to do more research to see who else is likely."

“Yeah… I’ll do what I can too. I may need to find where Mutou was staying prior to his arrest. He may have left a clue to where he was meeting."

"Kaito, I helped one of our roommates clean out his room myself...his apartment is empty right now. And the things we found did not have clues." Astral said.

"But perhaps you could visit him in the hospital and see if he knows anything. Just because he didn't tell police anything doesn't mean he knows nothing."

“I’ll be the judge of that. I’m good at finding things my coworkers miss.” Kaito said

“Yeah… I’ll pay him a visit. I still owe him, but whatever."

"I will see if I can bring the things to you then...it would be dangerous to bring you to the place. People might recognize you there as the former superintendent." Astral said, making a note to ask Yuuto later.

"Alright...just be careful."

“Thanks Astral… I will be careful.” He smiled and leaned against him.

Astral smiled.

"And don't work too hard...you are supposed to be retired." He reminded him, leaning back against Kaito and holding him close.

“I know… but I’m not even forty yet. I feel like I still have a life to do… something with.” Kaito sighed quietly, letting Astral hold him. “Pisses me off when I see stuff like this”

"I know it does...Yami is not that bad a person. He does not deserve to be assassinated...but the fact that someone tried means he has gotten himself into trouble." Astral said.

"I want to help too..."

“He seems that way but… Ugh. Those murders bother me. Not all of them were bad.”Kaito sighed. “… I’m glad you do Astral… really."

"No...there were a few CEOs that were truly awful people who died." Astral said. He smiled.

"I want to help and support you. Always."

“Yes… That’s true. It was a mixed bag,” He closed his eyes. “… I’m sorry.”

“If I didn’t want to work all the time, we wouldn’t have to be involved in all of this”

Astral sighed and kissed Kaito's forehead.

"You love your work and are one of the best for the job...you could never sit on the sidelines before, so it seems unreasonable for you to do so now. I expect it if you, and I do not mind helping."

“It’s been literally years since I’ve been off the force though.” Kaito frowned. “… If anything, I should be learning to let go. No matter what I do, I’m not going to get hired again. I might get arrested as a vigilante if this keeps up"

"I think you are learning to let go...you were only involved in this case because I knew Mutou. But there are hundreds of other cases that you have not touched that you could have..." He said

"I would not let you go that far...I do not want you arrested. That is also how I try to help...by keeping you safe."

“…I love you.” Kaito said quietly.

"I love you too." Astral said softly, holding Kaito close and giving him a gentle kiss.

Kaito closed his eyes for a while and then he got up. “I should get going. I’m going take Orbital and go check on Chris in the hospital. I promised I’d be there for him. Can you see if you can get things from Yami’s room? Send Orbital photos and he’ll help you”

Astral nodded.

"I will go ask Yuuto. Good luck with Chris...I hope he and his brothers are okay." He said, giving Kaito another goodbye kiss before heading out.

“With any luck, it will be okay… It’s time to repay him for all the times he was with me when Haruto was ill.” He kissed Astral back before he equipped Orbital and flew off.

Astral nodded. He headed out to the bus, watching Kaito fly off with a smile. He would see if Yuuto had sold Yami's stuff yet or not.

Orbital was faster than any bus, and before long Kaito found himself at the hospital. He groaned, removing the robot off, finding the rush of wind harder and harder to bear these days.

“I refuse to be too sick to do that..” He muttered, walking inside. He asked the receptionist where to go and she read the instructions out. Soon, Kaito was there, heading to his friend.

“Chris? You there?"

Chris barely heard Kaito, too focused on both his brothers. Thomas and he were both on either side of Miheal, holding his hands and silently begging him to wake up. Chris knew he hadn't slept or ate since Miheal was shot but refused to sleep. He had to be there for his brother...he had to tell him he loved him and that he was sorry for what he had said.

Thomas glanced up.

"He's here..." He said softly, knowing Kaito couldn't see.

“Hey Thomas.” Kaito said, looking at them. He entered the room, hearing the heaving sobs of his mentor. His heart ached hearing him, remembering Haruto being in that spot only all too quickly. He bit his lip but went to where Orbital was guiding him.

“How is he?”

"Hey." Thomas said, his voice rough and subdued.  

"No...no change anyway..." Thomas said, squeezing his baby brother's hand.

Kaito looked at Thomas and then put a hand on Chris’ shoulder. “… Did they say when he was supposed to wake up?”

"He's on heavy sedatives...so they're not sure. But...it could be any day now." Thomas said. Chris kept his eyes on Miheal's face, seeing the small bruise on his pale cheek that he knew he caused and feeling even more miserable.

“Sedatives… within the day or tomorrow then. We’ll see then.” Kaito gave Chris a reassuring squeeze. “All you can do is be there for him. Chris… It’s not your fault"

"I should've been with him...I should've...protected him..." Chris managed to say.

“And have you both be shot? It was a hired assassin, Chris. It wouldn’t have been stopped either way” Kaito frowned

"He never would've stormed off on his own...if I hadn't yelled at him..." Chris said.

“…. I doubt it would have made a difference” Kaito muttered, rubbing Chris’ shoulders.

Chris frowned deeper and bowed his head even more. He didn't feel he deserved Kaito's comfort. In his mind, Miheal would never have been shot if he hadn't gone off alone, and Chris never would've let him go off on his own if they hadn't had that dumb fight.

"I'd rather be in his place..." Chris sighed and hung his head lower.

"....Are they gonna catch the bastard that did this?" Thomas asked Kaito. He knew Kaito had cop friends.

“At some point. It’s a work in progress.” Kaito grunted.

Thomas frowned and nodded.

"Okay...as long as they're working on it."

“They are. Don’t worry, Thomas. You’ll have justice.” Kaito said. He tightened his grip on Chris’ shoulder. “I’ll make sure of it"

"...I just want my baby brother to wake up...justice can come later..." Chris murmured. Thomas nodded. He agreed but did want justice too. He was angry at whoever did this to his baby brother.

“I know, Chris… I know…” Kaito muttered. He couldn’t help Miheal though, but he would find the man who shot him and the guy who hired him. They would pay.

But first was Chris…

-x-

Meanwhile, Astral's bus finally brought him back to his home. He headed inside and made his way to Yuuto's room, hoping the man hadn't sold anything of Mutou's yet.

"Yuuto, do you have a moment?" He asked, knocking on the door.

Yuuto had been writing some documents up, but glanced up from his desk when he heard the voice. He was about to politely greet the man when he frowned, seeing Astral’s expression.

“Sure? What do you need?”

"I was wondering if you had sold any of Yami's things yet, and if not, if I could borrow them." Astral said.

“I’ve been trying to make sure they haven’t been drugged, so I haven’t sold them yet. Why do you want them? What do you need?” Yuuto asked.

Astral nodded. He has prepared a story that he hoped was adequate for Yuuto regarding why he needed to see Yami's stuff.

"Did you hear about Yami's trial? Someone tried to assassinate him, and those same people actually did shoot someone. I am hoping that something of Yami's will help find the shooter and bring them to justice, since Yami was their original target." Astral said.

“Yeah… who hasn’t heard?” Yuuto gestured to his laptop, a browser with the news already on display. Reporters worked fast, after all. “I’m surprised. I didn’t know you were that interested in Yami’s affairs.”

"I do not particularly care, but I owe him a favour." Astral said, only partially lying. Yami had never asked him for any favours but he had helped reunite him and Kaito so Astral felt like he did owe him. It was more to keep him quiet about his whereabouts.

"May I see his stuff then?"

“Sure. Not like you didn’t see it before.” Yuto said. He opened the drawer in his desk and he put the small pack there. Yami’s belongings were  wrapped in plastic, but very visible.

"Thank you. I will bring them back later." Astral promised, taking the bag and bringing it up to his room. He went through the belongings, not noticing anything of immediate suspicion. He took pictures anyway and began sending them to Orbital 7.

Orbital scanned the photos and prepared a transcript for Kaito. He did his own check before he sent a message over to Astral, letting Kaito comfort Chris.

‘Kibou, why does Yami have a history book in his belongings?’

Astral frowned, looking at the book. It was a bit out of place he supposed...

"I'll open it." He said. He put a cloth over his mouth and nose and opened the book slowly from a distance with a stick, not wanting to spring any drug traps. Nothing happened and so Astral approached the book. His eyes widened.

"It's not a book...but a chest." He murmured, pulling out an LDS pin and a few notes and pictures on each of his targeted victims. Every man was dead except Raphael. Astral sent pictures especially of the pin.

"So it was Akaba after all."

Orbital let Astral stew over the information while Kaito visited. However, with him arriving so late, the hospital ushered him out since he wasn’t family, and soon Kaito was in the parking lot calling Astral.

Astral picked up the phone.

"Did Orbital explain the photos to you? The most notable thing is the LDS pin...but did you see something else?"

“No. I didn’t even get to speak with him. I was in the hospital. Give me a moment.” Kaito shot a glare at his robot.

Orbital scratched the back of his head sheepishly before he showed Kaito the report in braille. Kaito frowned “LDS pin… huh. … I don’t like it. Looks too convenient. Are you sure that’s all his things?”

"That is all that we found...his room is otherwise empty. These notes are also written in his handwriting...they look like general research information about each of his targets." Astral said.

"It could be convenient...but Akaba does fit the profile for the benefactor. Perhaps you should talk to Yami about it. I do not know if he had any affiliation with LDS."

“I'll have to do that tomorrow...visiting hours are over and I don't have police security clearance anymore to see Mutou.”  Kaito said.

"Alright...do you want me to hold onto anything or can I give it all back to Yuuto?"

“Take photos of all items front and back, and his room too. Make sure there is clear lighting. I want to have that documented, just in case.” Kaito said. He knew he should have taken it to the police, but at this stage he didn’t care anymore.

"Alright. Will do." Astral said. He sent the pictures to Orbital as asked. He headed to Yami's room, turned on all the lights, and took pictures. He sighed.

"I hope these help find the shooter..."

“I hope so too.” Kaito said, catching the bus. “Just keep an eye on things"

-x-

News about Mutou's trial traveled fast. The biggest headline was not that there was any scandal between the superintendent and one of the lead scientist involved in the case, but that a prominent criminal psychologist had been shot at the trial. His name was released after the second day, and there were many people who recognized it immediately.

"Miheal Arclight was shot?" Vector exclaimed from his spot resting on the couch. He recognized his old psychologist.

"Takashi, get in here!" Vector called, pointing at the TV.

Takashi frowned and he bustled out of the kitchen.  

“What is it?  Who's-” He stopped and stared at the screen and read the headline.

“Miheal?  Miheal's been shot?  The hell?”  

"Yeah...the CEO killer went on trial a couple days ago and apparently someone ended up shooting Miheal...god I hope he's okay..." Vector said, putting a hand on his shoulder where he had been shot years ago. He knew that shit hurt like hell.

Takashi frowned and and wiped his hands on his pants, crossing his arms. “Miheal…” He remembered talking to him. He was a good man. “Maybe I should call Thomas and check up on him. He’s probably taking this hard. God… I didn’t even know…”

"Yeah...and maybe Thomas has details beyond 'Miheal was shot', which is all the news is saying." Vector said. He picked up his phone and dialled Thomas' number, putting the phone on speaker so Takashi could hear whatever Thomas would say when he picked up.

Takashi frowned and sat on the couch.  However, to his surprise, Thomas didn't pick up his phone at all.

“Oh...he always answers his phone.  He must be in a real bad state.”  Takashi frowned.

"Yeah...I'll shoot him a text then." Vector said, sending condolences from him and Takashi to Thomas.

"...this might indirectly mean Miheal is in a bad state too..." He murmured.

“Probably…” Takashi frowned. He ran his hands through his hair and grabbed his phone from the table. “I’ll mass text the others. Someone needs to know what’s going on."

"Maybe someone else has answers too..." Vector said.

Yuuma and Shark had been spending the day with Yuzu, so hadn't actually seen the news. Yuuma felt his phone vibrate and pulled it out to read the message.

"Oh my gosh Shark, Miheal Arclight was shot!" He exclaimed, rushing to his husband.

Shark was holding Yuzu and was about to tell Yuuma to keep it down but he stopped, freezing up as he heard the news. “Say what? Since when?”

"Since two days ago! Takashi just texted me...and I pulled up a headline that confirms it!" Yuuma said, showing Shark the news.

Shark cursed under his breath and leaned over, trying not to jostle the tired baby as he looked. “What the fuck… Who the hell would shoot Miheal?”

"Assassins, apparently...the news says they think that criminal Mutou Yuugi was the real target though. But he apparently ended up in hospital before the end of the trial due to a medical condition...one that Miheal helped diagnose." Yuuma said, reading off the page.

"I don't even get this! Can you call Thomas? Maybe he knows more!"

Shark swore louder, not caring that he had a baby in his arms and he scowled. He snatched Yuuma’s phone out of his husband’s hand and called his former drug dealer and good friend.

“Bastard… Come on and pick up."

Yuuma took Yuzu from Shark and gently rocked her, trying to put her back to sleep. She was confused and awakened by the loud voices. He frowned when he heard the phone went to voicemail.

"No answer? But I thought you said Thomas was an attention whore and always picked up his phone!"

“Because he is is an attention whore! He always fucking picks up! I once called him at 2 in the morning and he was in the middle of a blow job! And he still picked up!” Shark growled. He was actually really worried about Thomas. He knew how much the older man cared about his family, and he knew how devastating it could be to have a sibling in hospital. He hoped Thomas hadn’t gone and done anything rash.

“Takashi sent you this? I’ll get him to call Matsuda. Ena’s lawyer is that guy, isn’t it? The famous one? I’ll check with Tetsuo and my sister. Someone’s got to know what happened to Miheal and his siblings.”

"Yeah it was Takashi...that's a good idea though! I'll text Takashi and ask him to call the lawyer. Maybe Tetsuo can find him if Vector can't!" Yuuma said, sending Takashi the message and forwarding the original message to Tetsuo and Rio to see if they knew anything.

Shark scowled. “Don’t take the baby if you want your phone back.” Shark snatched Yuzu back. “Seriously. Don’t move her so much or you’ll wake her, idiot.”

Yuuma pouted, but gently passed Shark back Yuzu.

"She's already kinda awake from all the yelling we were doing...poor baby. Sorry things got so exciting there..." He said at the end, stroking her hair gently to try and make her sleep.

Yuzu’s face scrunched up and she began to whimper. Shark sighed as he rocked her, not reacting much when she started crying. “There there… it’s okay..."

Yuuma smiled at the sight and gently rubbed her back.

"We'll see what Takashi says..." He said softly.

Back at Takashi’s place, the man frowned as he got Yuma’s text. He sighed and looked at Vector. “No good… they don’t know anything. But… they said Mist might know.”

"Oh yeah. He's dating Thomas..." Vector hesitated. He didn't really want to talk to Mist but this was an emergency...he sighed.

"I'll call him." He said, dialling Mists number and waiting.

“…” Takashi leaned over and hugged Vector, holding him as he called.

“Hello?” Black Mist said, picking up. He was back at home, waiting for Thomas to come out of the shower. Thomas took long showers when he was upset. “Vector? Is that you?"

Vector smiled at Takashi and leaned into his touch as he waited for Mist to pick up.

"Yes, it is...Takashi and I were looking for your boyfriend. We heard his brother was shot...is Thomas okay?"

Black Mist sighed. He was quiet for a moment, unusually so, before he glanced at the stairs where he hoped to see Thomas.

“He’s not. He’ll live, but he’s devastated. Miheal’s in a very risky state. His condition could swing either way."

Vector frowned. He had the phone on speaker so Takashi could hear too.

"Tell Thomas were here for him if he needs us..." Vector said.

"So what exactly happened? You were there right? The news was vague as hell."

“It’s not exactly like we know ourselves. The details I got out of Chris were vague when we saw him. Miheal and Chris got into a fight. Miheal was slapped. He stormed off and got shot. It was regarding the trial and what happened,” Black Mist said.

"Oh yeah Chris is the other brother isn't he...do you know how he's doing?" Vector asked. He frowned.

"...How's Miheal? He's in hospital I assume...but is he awake?"

Black Mist scoffed. “I’m surprised he hasn’t killed himself. He might, if Miheal doesn’t make it and Tenjo doesn’t look after him.” The man tried to smirk but he couldn’t; not when it was a matter so close to his partner.

“He’s out like a light. We’ll check on him tomorrow… Hopefully he’ll wake up"

Vector couldn't bring himself to smirk either and sighed.

"It doesn't sound good then...is he allowed visitors? Anything we can do for either Miheal or Thomas?"

“He can if he gets in a more stable position. It’s just family now.” The man sighed. “… Make sure Thomas gets whatever support he needs while I’m at work. Go over to his house. Talk to him. That stuff. He needs help. And ask Tenjo to look after Chris because I sure as hell am not going to talk to Tenjo."

"Alright...will do. Takashi and I don't work so we can have Thomas over here anytime." Vector said.

"I'm sure Kaito's already on Chris...but we can make sure of that too."

“Thanks.” Black Mist sighed. “You two are good for him. I’m doing what I can but… I don’t know. He just needs more support.”

"Yeah...I know what it feels like to have family in hospital...we'll help how we can." Vector said, before coughing.

Takashi rubbed his back as Black Mist frowned. “Help him, but don’t kill yourself. You already don’t have long to live.”

Vector managed to calm his coughing fit.

"Don't worry Misty, I won't let your precious boyfriend lose his best buddy Vector just yet. Well help him out...ill be fine."

“Of course not. He saved you from me once. You can’t just go die so easily after that.” Mist muttered, not wanting to admit his wrongdoings but feeling he had to now. “… if you’re sure"

"....no kidding..." Vector murmured, not liking that memory. He shook it off.

"I'm sure. Tell Thomas that were here for him and if he needs anything, he can call us."

“Right… I will. If there’s anything else you need to know, then tell me. Take care, Vector"

"Just let us know if Miheal's condition changes." Vector said.

"You take care too, of yourself and of Thomas." Vector said. He hung up and leaned against Takashi.

"There you have it...Doc's unconscious. He can't have any visitors...we can spread the word now."

“Great…” Takashi didn’t go for his phone though. Instead, he went to go and hug Vector tightly.

“I love you.”

Vector smiled as he was hugged and hugged Takashi back gently.  

"I love you too...I hope everything will be alright..."

“… People keep reminding me that you’re going to die soon…” Takashi muttered. “Miheal… Mist warning you like that… It’s selfish to think of that now, especially because of Miheal, but all I can think of is that I’m going to lose you”

Vector sighed softly, holding Takashi a bit tighter.

"I'm right here...I'm not going anywhere. It'll be okay..." He said, but he began to cough a bit at the end of his sentence, as if his body didn't support his words.

Takashi squeezed him back and he was shaking a little. “Vector… you know…” He couldn’t finish that thought. He shook his head and closed his eyes.

Vector calmed his coughing fit and sighed, holding Takashi and stroking his back to calm him down.

"It's okay. I'll be alright." He said to reassure him.

Takashi slackened his hold and looked up at him seriously. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes were cold, as if trying to get Vector to realise how ‘not’ okay things were.

Vector sighed at the look.

"Takashi...I know, but I don't really wanna think about it...lets just...focus on Miheal okay?" Vector said with a sad look.

“… I really don’t want to.” Takashi said, taking the phone and texting his friends instead of talking to them. “I can’t help Miheal, except for tending to Thomas. I can help you.”

Vector sighed, hugging Takashi.

"You're helping me tons, Takashi. Nobody helps me more." He said truthfully.

“I know. Still.” Takashi didn’t hug back. He just looked at the phone and sent the mass text between their friends. “If I’m helping the most, I want to help more. But it’s not changing that you’ll be gone soon.”

"You're helping enough...even just spending time with me helps. You're always here for me and I know that...that's all I need." Vector said.

Takashi rested the phone on his lap and he closed his eyes. “I know… And you keep saying that…But it’s just…hard." Vector wasn’t the one who had to live with his death.

Vector held Takashi against him and gently began petting his hair when the man closed his eyes.

"I know...it's hard for me too. I'll hang in there though...for as long as I can. I promise..." He said softly.

“No. You won’t.” Takashi didn’t even try to open his eyes. “I promised to pull the plug, remember? You’ll hang in there for as long as you don’t get to that stage. And we don’t get to decide that.” His voice shook. “If you have an attack or an episode out of nowhere…. that’s it."

Vector paused in his hair petting as he remembered that talk. He sighed.

"Then I'll try to hold off any major attacks..." He said softly, holding Takashi closer and petting his hair again when the other trembled.

Takashi would have rolled his eyes if they were opened, but he only squeezed them tighter to hold Vector. “If you can stop that… sure.”

"I'll stop it. I'll stop it for as long as I can." Vector promised softly.

-x-

Takashi's mass text went to all of the Numbers Club members, including Kotori. She was at home with Masumi when her phone chimed. Ponta bounded up to get it.

"Message for Kotori, pon!" He said, passing her the phone.

Kotori smiled as she looked up from the book she was reading with Masumi. The girl was drooling a bit, evidently pleased with her mother’s attention, and Kotori was in a good mood. She smiled and shifted her baby into her left arm.

“Thanks, Ponta. You don’t have to do that every time I get a message though. I can look at them later,” She laughed.

"But it could be important!" Ponta exclaimed.

"What does it say, what does it say, pon?" He asked.

Kotori rolled her eyes but she looked over the text. Her face fell at the lengthy message that Takashi had written before she bit her lip.

“Ah… Well… Another of Yuuma’s friend’s is in hospital now. So that’s what happened."

"Oh no! What happened? Who is it, pon!?" Ponta exclaimed in alarm. Alit came into the room with some tea for Kotori.

"Did something happen?" He asked.

“Miheal is in hospital. He was hurt.” Kotori didn’t want to talk about too many more dark subjects in front of Ponta, he had endured enough. “… Gilag… he probably doesn’t know yet"

"Oh my gosh...that's awful." Alit said. He understood that Kotori didn't elaborate in front of Ponta.

"Miheal...you mean the angel that kissed Gilag?" Ponta asked, alarmed to hear that.

“Yeah… That’s him” Kotori frowned. She passed the phone to Alit so he could get an idea of what happened. “Poor guy…”

Alit took the phone and read it over, alarmed by what he read.

"Yeah...poor guy. Gilag should know...I'll go tell him." Alit said, passing the phone back and heading over to the other room to find Gilag.

"Gilag you in here?"

Gilag was on his bed, half way to a nap. Work was a killer, and he was glad to get the day off. After doing some chores, the man was going to get some well-earned sleep when his brother walked in.

“Yo… I’m here"

"Hey...sorry to bug you but there's...something you should probably know." Alit said sombrely. He showed Kotori's message to Gilag.

"I don't think you can...he's unconscious and Takashi said it was family only that could visit..." Alit said.

“Yeah I know but… Shit. I need to see him. Miheal was just shot, Alit. And Takashi said they’re not sure about his condition"

“...Well, you can try, I guess.  Just don't be disappointed if they don't let you in.”  Alit conceded.  He knew that Gilag really did care for Miheal.

Gilag went to grab the keys. “I’m borrowing the car. I’ll be back when I see him.” The man said, not having heard Alit as he headed off.

“Gilag!”  Alit tried to stop him, since it was obvious the man had not heard him at all, before sighing and letting him go.  

“Hope you can get in and see him.”  He murmured.

“I will.” Gilag said, having heard that part. He headed for the car and drove off to the hospital, gripping the steering wheel hard. Miheal was in the hospital…. he was… shot…

Chris and Kaito were arriving at the hospital at the moment, taking a 'shift' watching Miheal while Thomas was at home having a shower.  Kaito had managed to get Chris to go home, only for a short time though, because the older man was still obviously distraught over his baby brother.  Miheal had still not woken up.  Kaito could feel the presence of someone behind them but didn't pay it much mind as they approached the front desk to sign in as visitors.  

“We're here to see Miheal Arclight.”  He said to the receptionist, because Chris was too out of it and miserable to speak.

“Ah, family, right? The two of you?” The woman asked, checking her computer.

“Ah… Three, actually. Kaito… Hey…” Gilag said, calling out to the small man. He had rarely talked to him, but he had seen him several times in passing before.

Kaito looked in Gilag's direction.  He knew that voice, and was a little surprised to hear it.

“Barian Gilag?”  Kaito said.  Chris also glanced over.  He vaguely remembered Miheal talking about him briefly...

“...Miheal's date...” He said softly, his voice barely over a whisper.  

“… I heard the news.” He looked at the other man, recognising him as Christopher Arclight. Chris looked awful right now, and Gilag’s heart sank. How bad was Miheal if his brother was like this? “Can I come with you to see him? Please?”

Kaito glanced at Chris.

“Up to you...”  He said to the other man.  Chris glanced at Gilag, remembering how much Miheal had talked about him.  He hesitated a moment, before nodding, giving Gilag permission.  The receptionist waved them through, so the three men headed up to Miheal's room.

“Thank you, Professor Arclight. I appreciate it.” Gilag said, bowing. He followed after the two, supporting Chris immediately in place of Kaito, since he was more appropriately built for it. “How long has been like this?"

Chris accepted the support from Gilag without protest.  He tried to offer up a small smile, but it died off very quickly.  Kaito sighed.

“Miheal was shot two days ago...he hasn't moved since.  Nothing's changed.”  Kaito said.

“… Did the doctors say when he was waking up? It has to be soon, right?” Gilag asked. He stayed steady, if only to take care of Chris. It was clear the older man wasn’t taking care of himself.

“It could be anytime now. The sedatives have gone down so that they're not keeping him out.”  Kaito admitted.  

“So it could be today or tomorrow… That’s good.” Gilag said, doing his best to be hopeful, even though it seemed like the two guys next to him were already defeated.

Kaito had seen people get shot before and he knew Miheal's chances weren't great, and it seemed Chris felt the same.  Neither answered Gilag, since they they arrived at the room where Miheal was still lying unconscious on the bed.  Kaito helped Gilag guide Chris to the chair closest to the bed.  Miheal hadn't moved or woken up yet, and he was still pale. Kaito stayed behind Chris with his hands on his shoulders, trying to reassure the man as he hung his head and held his brother's hand.

Miheal was like a sleeping beauty. Pale, sunken-eyed but still somehow beautiful. It was scary to see him like this, frozen in place, but it was sad to see him in this state, and Gilag wanted nothing more than to hug him.

“Miheal…” Gilag said, walking up to him and stroking Miheal’s face gently. “… Not the place I expected where I’d see you next, but I’m here..."

Miheal didn't respond. Kaito watched as best he could, along with Chris.  Chris bit his lip a little as Gilag brushed his brother's slightly bruised cheek where he had hit him.  He wanted him to wake up...he wanted so badly to say he was sorry...to hold his brother and promise to never hit him again.

Gilag sighed and continued stroking it. “People in comas can hear us out here, huh? So you can hear everything. It would be nice if I can you again. Everyone here agrees. I’m sure you have a lot to say to us,” Gilag said, going to hold Miheal’s free hand.

“That's what they say...” Kaito murmured.  Miheal still didn't move, giving no indication that he had heard or was even aware of Gilag's presence.  Chris sighed.

“...Please, Miheal...” He said softly.  He knew that they had a lot to say to each other.

Gilag squeezed his hand. “Wake up, okay? Your brothers are waiting for you… I’m waiting for you..."

Miheal first became aware of people holding his hands.  One hand was quite large, practically swamping his own.  The other, was very familiar, and slightly trembling.  He was also aware of pain...he was drowsy and sore. He slowly started to open his eyes, unsure of where he was or what had happened.

“… Miheal! You’re awake! Miheal!” Gilag yelped, seeing the young man’s eyes flutter open, and tired green eyes peer behind heavy eyelids. ‘God!"

Chris' eyes widened as well and his breath hitched in surprise when he noticed that Gilag was right. His baby brother was opening his eyes. Miheal glanced over in the direction of the sound of his name, and was surprised at what he saw.  He almost didn't believe it was real...he felt drowsy and out of it.

“...Gilag?”  Miheal murmured softly.

Gilag squeezed his hand tighter and he started to cry, tears tumbling from his face as he grinned happily. He must have had real good timing. Miheal was under in a coma for two days, and on the day he finds out, he wakes up. He was so lucky “You’re awake! Hey!"

“Gilag...why're you...what happened...?”  Miheal managed to say, confused as to why Gilag was crying.  Chris was crying too.

“Mi...Miheal...”  He managed to choke out.  Miheal glanced in his direction next.

“...Nii-san...”  

“...I'm so sorry Miheal...I...thought I'd lost you...”  Chris cried, squeezing his brother's hand.

Miheal looked at his brother and he smiled. He slowly sat up, wincing as he felt the pain shoot through his body, but forced himself to have his back straight so he could hug Chris tightly.

Chris helped his brother sit up and hugged him as tightly as he dared without hurting him.  He sobbed into his shoulder, so happy that he was awake.

“I'm so sorry...”  He said again.

“I know.” Miheal smiled and hugged his brother back, his hands shaking, “I… I don’t hate you, Nii-san. I’m sorry.” He said, hugging him back.

Chris felt utter relief at hearing that.

“I know...god, I know...” He said, smiling now for the first time in almost three days.  

“… I love you. I mean it. Don’t… You look awful, Chris.” Miheal said, pulling away from his brother and looking him over.

“I love you too...that's why I was so worried...you were shot Miheal...”  Chris said, letting Miheal look him over.  Kaito sighed from behind him.

“I tried to get him to come home...but he barely left your side.  Thomas too.”  

“…Well it’s understandable. You probably thought I wasn’t going to live.” Miheal sighed and flicked his brother on his head. “But I’m awake now… And I forgive you. Now go care for yourself."

Chris gave a small watery smile when his head was flicked. It was such a Miheal thing to do...

"I guess...but I'm not gonna let you sit alone here. I'm coming back as soon as I can."

"Come on Chris...Miheal is in good hands here. We should at least get you cleaned up before you come back." Kaito said, glancing in Gilag's direction.

“Go wash your face. Brush your teeth. You stink, Nii-san.” Miheal said. He was doing his best to play off how tired he still felt though, and doing his best to hide his pain for his worried brother.

“Yeah, go Chris. I’ll hold the fort.” Gilag said.

“Okay...you take it easy. Lay back down...rest.”  Chris said, seeing the smallest hints of his brother's pain now that his eyes were a bit more clear.  He glanced at Gilag.

“...Alright.  I'll leave it to you...don't be surprised if Thomas shows up though.  I'm gonna call him and tell him Miheal's up, and he'll come no matter who else is here.”

“… Make sure he doesn’t break the door down. Make sure Mist doesn’t die trying to restrain him either.” Kaito muttered. Gilag gave a small laugh.

“Alright. Now go relax, both of you. The nurses will be soon to check Miheal anyway. They’ll want to see him now he’s up”

Chris shook his head a little at the mental image.  If anyone could cause that much destruction, it was Thomas.  He got up.

“I'll be back soon, Miheal.” He promised, heading out with Kaito. Miheal smiled.

“Only after you rest, Nii-san.”  He warned, watching him go, before looking at Gilag.

“Thank you for coming...Nii-san probably wouldn't have left otherwise...and he needs to look after himself.”  

“Ah… well Kaito could have done it,” Gilag said, sitting down. He wiped the last tears out of his eyes and smiled, leaning over. “How are you really feeling?"

Miheal smiled.

“Probably...but it would have taken a lot more effort.”  He said, then sighed.  

“I'm a little tired...and sore.”  He said sadly.  “I was trying to hide it from Nii-san but...ugh...”

“…Look at you. You literally just woke up from a two day coma and you’re already trying to look after other people.” Gilag muttered, reaching out and squeezing Miheal’s hand. “Take it easy, okay?”

“A two day coma?” Miheal exclaimed, surprised.  He hadn't known he had been out of it for that long.

“Gosh, no wonder Nii-san was in such a depressed state...”  He murmured, before smiling sheepishly.

“It's my nature, I guess. I'll try to take it easy.”  He promised, squeezing Gilag's hand back.

“Yeah… I wasn’t told until today, honestly. Your brothers knew, obviously.” Gilag said, reassured that Miheal wanted to take it easy, but still worried. “The police say it was an assassin attacking you…”

Miheal nodded.  He frowned.

“Yeah...I assume it was. I was shot from behind, so I never saw their face.  It was at Mutou's trial...definitely one of the most eventful trials I've ever been to. I believe he was their true target, and shot me in revenge for my role in the case.  It was largely my testimony that helped Mutou escape the death penalty.”

“Mm…” Gilag wasn’t sure what to say. “… You still going to take him on as a patient? Despite what happened?"

“Of course.  Why wouldn't I?  I don't blame him for what happened...besides, the Correctional Facility is much safer than an open courtroom.  We'll both be fine in there.”  Miheal said.

“Alright… I was just wondering. There’s just going to be that kind of risk from now on. I was just wondering if you were worried."

“No.  Not particularly...I'll be careful, Gilag. I promise.”  Miheal said with a reassuring smile.

“Good… I have enough friends that are in this place too often. I don’t think I’ll be lucky to come in and see you ended up here again. I’m not family after all.” He said, scratching the back of his head. He always melted when he saw Miheal’s smile. He was glad the man was okay.

“I'm sure now that I'm awake, I'll be able to have non-family visitors.”  Miheal reassured him.  

“I know you just left this place, but I'm glad you came back to see me.  It's nice to see you again.”  

Gilag grinned and kissed Miheal’s hand before he patted it, marvelling at how small Miheal was compared to him. “I’m glad. I’m going to see you every day, you know.”

Miheal smiled and blushed a little when Gilag kissed his hand.  He was amazed at how small his hand felt in Gilag's as well.  

“Will you?  I'll be looking forward to it.”  He replied.

“I may be late some days because of work, but definitely!” Gilag smiled. “I am… um… Oh um…” His face fell a little and he blushed. “I suppose we’re not official yet but..."

Miheal smiled back.

“Don't push yourself too hard, okay?  It's alright if you have work.”  Miheal said.  He tilted his head a little when Gilag spoke again.

“...Would you like to be 'official'?”  Miheal asked gently.

“… Kinda rude of me to ask when you’re in the hospital, huh?” Gilag said. However, there was a blush on his face, and he did nod.

Miheal chuckled a little, then winced when the motion hurt him.  He smiled.

“The location doesn't matter...it's the thought that counts.”  He squeezed Gilag's hand.  

“We're officially together then.”  

Gilag was worried about Miheal’s grimace, but when he heard that, he smiled and leaned over, kissing him on the lips without thinking.

Miheal kissed Gilag back gently, feeling warm inside as he did.  He was happy to have Gilag with him.

Gilag kept the kiss short. Miheal didn’t need to be out of breath just after waking up, and he already felt dizzy from just touching him. The man smiled gently as he parted and smiled. “Thanks I… I really like you. I’m so glad you’re still here.”

Miheal smiled as they parted, unfortunately a little bit tired out even from that simple kiss.  He sighed.

“I'm glad I'm here too, if that's what I have to look forward to.  I really like you too.”  Miheal mused.

Gilag smiled. “Lie back again. Rest, alright? I don’t mind doing all the talking if you want. We’ll take it easy and make sure you’re back on your feet in no time"

“Alright.”  Miheal said, lying back down slowly and with some difficulty.  He smiled up at Gilag.

“What have you been up to?” He asked softly, content on listening if Gilag insisted on doing the talking.

“Mostly work.” The man said as he helped Miheal move his bed up and got him comfortable. “Mostly we’re getting settled again with Masumi and helping Ponta with school. It’s pretty full on…” Gilag started. He just talked and talked, glad Miheal was interested in the other parts of his life.

Miheal was content to listen to Gilag.  He smiled and commented a little when appropriate, but mostly let Gilag keep up the conversation.  He might've been lulled gently to sleep by Gilag's voice and stories when suddenly they heard the commotion in the hall outside their door.

Miheal glanced over just in time to see his brother Thomas burst into the room.  He was quite the sight.  His hair was unstyled and damp, as if he'd just jumped out of the shower. His button up shirt was only half on, his left arm free and bare along with his left breast while the right was covered.  He had only one shoe on, and his pants were also partially unbuttoned.  His face was one of shock and determination as he burst into the room, ignoring the security guards chasing him and his boyfriend calling for him.  He had to see his brother...Miheal was awake.

“Miheal!”  He cried, bursting into the room and staring at his little brother's green eyes looking at him in shock.  He dashed into the room, barely noticing Gilag before collapsing by Miheal's bedside and hugging him as gently as he could manage while excited and relieved.

Gilag frowned and stood up, tilting his head to see where the voices were coming from before the door burst open with an unceremonious slam. The man'’s eyes widened as he saw the only-too-familiar older brother of Miheal's, looking quite crazy at the moment. The man was ready to throw the model out when the man was hugging Miheal. Miheal stared in disbelief.

“… You do some crazy things when I’m not looking, Nii-san, but I didn’t know they were that crazy.” Miheal said, patting the man’s back. He wheezed a little but the tired man was relieved to see his brother too. “I can’t leave for two days without you guys worrying.” The joked died quickly though and Miheal hugged his brother. “Hey…”

“Thomas. Put your fucking shoe on and dry your hair. You’re going to get sick.” Mist said, stopping in front of the door. He gestured for the guards to chill before he hurried inside. “Geeze… have some damned self control!"

Thomas simply held his baby brother, ignoring everything else for the moment.  He was crying a bit as his brother scolded him.  It was further proof that his baby brother was alright.

“I couldn't help it...when Chris called...and said you were awake...I had to see for myself.  I had to see you...”  He murmured.  He knew he was a mess at the moment, but now he could get better.  Miheal was awake and alive...so he'd get better.  He parted from his brother when Mist spoke mostly for Miheal's sake than for his own, because he didn't want his wet hair to make his already weakened baby brother sick.  He glanced absentmindedly at his feet, spotting one socked and the other covered by a shoe.

“I didn't even notice I lost one.”  He mused.

“The security guards thought you’re some kind of drunkard, never mind it’s five in the evening.” Mist rolled his eyes and passed the shoe over to him. “Be more careful. Shouldn’t have let you take that call without pants.”

“Your brother is funny,” Gilag muttered.

“I'm not drunk!  If I was drunk, you know I'd be wearing way less...” Thomas muttered accepting the shoe and putting it on, then working to fix his appearance a little.  He didn't really want to be arrested for public indecency.  Miheal shook his head with a smile.

“He is.”  Miheal agreed softly.  

Black Mist sighed and ruffled Thomas’ hair, shaking some of the water out of it. “You’re not always drunk when you wear less. I’ve seen you in worse.”

Gilag snorted and he squeezed Miheal’s hand. He knew Thomas wasn’t really sure of him, but he hoped he’d warm up to him soon.

“Yeah that's called 'work', Mist.  Sometimes they need nude models.  I do it all.” Thomas said, whining a little when his hair was ruffled.  He glanced over at Miheal, noticing how he was holding Gilag's hand.

“How the heck did you get in here anyway?  It's supposed to be family only.”  Thomas asked Gilag.  He wasn't mad, just a little confused.

“Boyfriends count apparently.” Miheal said confidently, smiling at his big brother as he squeezed Gilag’s hand back as best as he could in his state. “Speaking of which, I see you brought yours here. Last time I checked, Beryl Matsuda wasn’t my lawyer.”

“Boyfriend?  No way!”  Thomas exclaimed.  “Haven't you only been on like, one date?”  He glanced between the two of them.

“Didn’t you announce me as your boyfriend after six fucks and one date?” Black Mist muttered, raising an eyebrow.

“Um… Two actually. I can’t count this as a third… so two.” Gilag said bashfully.

Thomas frowned at Mist.

“Just cause I can do those things doesn't mean Miheal can.”  Thomas mused.  Miheal snorted.

“Why not, Nii-san?  We both decided we want to do this, so we are calling it official.”  Miheal said.

“Hypocrite.” Black Mist held his hands up, as if offering surrender and he walked over to one of the spare chairs, sitting down so he could watch them talk.

“We both agreed to it.” Gilag said, praying that he wouldn’t be seen as lecherous after asking Miheal to be his boyfriend after literally being in a two day coma.

Thomas rolled his eyes at Mist, before smirking at Gilag and Miheal.  He wasn't bothered by their newly declared relationship at all.

“Still...this is kinda interesting.  You must really like him, Miheal, if you woke up for him.”  Thomas teased.  Miheal flushed a little.  

“Nii-san, I don't think that's how comas work...”  He muttered.

Gilag sighed in relief as he heard the teasing and smiled calmly. So Thomas kind of approved. That was a good sign.

“It’s definitely not how comas work. Do you even know what a coma is, Thomas?” Mist muttered.

“Of course I know what a coma is!  I also know that doctors say people in comas can hear things around them...so my theory can work.”  He said. Miheal shook his head.

“I don't remember anything from the past two days...so it's not a conscious thing.”

“It just happened that I was here when he woke up.” Gilag shrugged. “Chris and Kaito were here too.”

“Yeah, I saw them earlier. I’ve never seen that much emotion in that guy’s face before” Mist muttered.

“I hope Nii-san looks after himself...he said he'd be back, but he should rest.”  Miheal said sadly.  He knew it was partially his fault that this had happened.

Gilag squeezed his hand. “It’s alright. He’ll pull through. Now you’re better, he has no reason not to.” He smiled at Miheal.

Miheal smiled back at Gilag, glad for the reassurance.

“Yeah...that's true. That goes for you too, Nii-san.” Miheal said to Thomas.  Thomas smirked.

“I'm better already since you're better, Miheal.”  He mused.

“He is. He’s actually talking. I know, shocking, right? He was really quiet while you were gone,” Mist said, playing with his hair as he looked at Thomas. Gilag snorted.

“Nii-san being quiet? Wow...I can't picture that...” Miheal mused.  He took that as a sign of just how much Thomas had been upset. He took his brother's hand and squeezed it.  Thomas smiled at both his brother and Mist appreciatively.  

“Chris'll start talking more too, probably.  Oh...and we should probably tell the rest of the Numbers Club that you're okay...Shark and Takashi both texted me asking for details, so they must know what happened.”

“Yeah… I found out through Alit and he was using Kotori’s phone. News spreads fast between these guys” Gilag laughed.

“I’ll call Todoroki. I have his number. They’ll be glad to hear you’re alright” Black Mist said, getting his phone out.

Miheal smiled and chuckled.

“That's true...the Numbers Club love to gossip.”  He mused. He was a bit touched that two of his former patients (if Vector was involved at all) cared about his safety.

Takashi picked up the phone immediately when he saw that it was Mist, assuming there was something wrong with Thomas.

“Hello?”  

“I’m surprised you’re not a part of it. You said you used to hang out a lot with Yuma, right?” Gilage asked.

“He’s fine. Professor Arclight just woke up. Thought you should know.” Mist said.

“Yes, I did...but for most of high school, I was home-schooled.  So I didn't spend as much time with them.  They had already formed the Numbers Club by the time I showed up.” Miheal said.  

“He woke up?!  That's great news.  Is he okay?  Thomas must be happy...”  Takashi said, honestly relieved to hear it.

“And it’s a no membership permitted thing?” Gilag teased, petting Miheal’s shoulder.

“Thomas is ecstatic. It’s good to see. Personally, I still think you should give him a call and check on him, but he looks better like magic"

Miheal shrugged with a smile.

“I never really asked to join, and nobody offered.  But it never bothered me.  We're still friends regardless.”  He mused.

“We will, I guess after he's had a moment with his brother.”  Takashi promised with a smile.

“Yeah. Guess so.” Gilag smirked. He pulled back, letting Thomas have a turn at holding him.

“Right. Better get on that, Todoroki.” Mist smiled. “And tell Ena-chan he’s alright. I know she’s worried."

Thomas was grateful for the time with his baby brother, taking Gilag's place and sitting next to his brother.  He gently wrapped an arm around Miheal's shoulder and gave a dramatic sigh.

“Don't worry, Miheal...you don't need to join that stupid Numbers Club!  You'll still have your Oni-san as your best friend~”  He teased.  Miheal rolled his eyes and chuckled.

“I will.  Thank you for letting us know!  Mind if we spread the word to the others?  I'm sure they're worried too.”  

Mist covered his hand over the phone and stared at Thomas. “Oh my god, you’re so embarrassing.” Gilag snorted as Mist returned to the call.

“Should be fine. Just no visitors just yet. Wait until Miheal gets home"

Thomas stuck his tongue out at his boyfriend.

“Isn't that the older siblings' job?”  He teased, glancing at Gilag.  “You know, right?  You're an older brother too.”  

“Alright...I'll tell them that.  Thanks, Mist.”  

“Yep. Embarrass them at every opportunity.” Gilag snorted.

“Alright. Send my regards.” Black Mist said before he hung up.

Thomas grinned.

“If you're not doing that, then you're not being a good big brother.”  He agreed.  Miheal rolled his eyes.

“I suppose if you have to.” He mused.  

“We will!  Bye!”  Takashi said. He quickly began mass-texting the group again to share the good news.

-x-

Yuuma jumped over to his phone when he heard it vibrate on the table.  He grinned as he read the message.

“Shark!  Miheal's awake!  He woke up!”  He exclaimed, rushing into the living room.

“Oh?” Shark looked up at Yuuma and he smiled. “Oh. That’s good to hear. I’m glad that guy is alright."

“Yeah!  We should go see him at the hospital with everyone to celebrate!” Yuuma exclaimed, before his phone chimed again with a message just for him telling him not to throw any parties or visits until Miheal was out of hospital.  Yuuma pouted.

“Aww...Inchou said no parties...”  

Shark snorted loudly. “That’s good to hear. I bet Thomas and Chris would be relieved to hear that though”

Yuuma nodded.

“They both know already, according to Inchou.  Miheal said no parties until he's discharged...so we'll have to plan a huge one for when he gets out!”  Yuuma exclaimed.

“Why do I have to plan something? Just because Thomas is kinda my acquaintance, doesn’t mean i have to do nice things for him.” Shark scowled.

“You're planning because I'm planning too, then!”  Yuuma declared, hugging Shark.

“And it'll be fun, you'll see!  We haven't seen Thomas or Miheal in ages so it'll be nice to catch up!”  

Shark rolled his eyes and sighed, letting his larger boyfriend dwarf him. “I guess so… Would he even want a party?”

“Miheal's pretty easy-going and Thomas would love some attention, even if it's secondhand!” Yuuma said with a smile.

“I was asking for Miheal. I know Thomas. The bitch loves going out,” Shark said, frowning at him.

“Miheal won't mind! He'll go along with things!” Yuuma affirmed with a grin.

“Alright… Alright… I guess all we do is organise food and where to do it and we’re done, so it’s not bad.” Shark muttered.

Yuuma beamed.  

“Yeah!  It'll be super easy, you'll see!  Thanks, Shark!”  He said happily, kissing his husband's cheek.

“Nothing ever happens at these parties anyway. We eat. We talk. We move on. They’re tiring, honestly"

“But that's why they're fun! We don't see each other very often so every party is special and fun!” Yuuma insisted.

“I guess.” Shark sighed and pulled Yuuma on top of him. “You’re such a social butterfly, it’s crazy"

Yuuma smiled, letting Shark hold him.  

“And you're such a social loner that it's crazy.”  He teased.

“But I love you anyway.”

Shark rolled his eyes. “You’re a nerd. But I love you too."

Yuuma smiled and kissed Shark's cheek.

“We're both nerds.” He conceded.

Shark sighed and curled his legs around Yuma. “Stop being a bigger nerd. God. You’re not allowed to make me love you more.”

Yuuma chuckled.

“Why not?  You make me love you more all the time!”  He said honestly.

“You’re sappy.” Shark muttered, burying his face into Yuma’s neck and kissing him intently.

Yuuma smiled and moaned softly as Shark kissed his throat, tilting his head to allow Shark better access.

Shark smirked quietly and he ran his fingers through the back of Yuma’s hair. He sighed quietly and nipped the neck, lavishing the neck with lots of kisses and gentle licks.

Yuuma moaned softly, leaning into Shark's touches on his hair and letting him lick and kiss his neck.

Shark kissed him intensely and began grinding his hips against Yuuma. However, it lasted for all of two seconds before Shark groaned. “The couch sucks. Bedroom. Now"

Yuuma moaned as Shark grinded against him. He grinded back, kissing Shark.

"Okay. Let's go." He said, getting up so Shark could.

Shark grabbed his wrist and practically kicked the door open. However, as soon as he did, he froze in his place and then immediately back-pedalled it out.

“No. No. No. Change of plan. Don’t go in."

Yuuma let Shark drag him to the bedroom. He frowned as Shark started backing out.

"Huh? Why? What's wrong?" He asked. As if on cue, Yuzu, who was sleeping on the bed, began to cry. Shark kicking in the door had woken her up and scared her.

"Oh...Yuzu was there. I forgot!" Yuuma said, going into the room to pick up the baby and calm her down.

Shark groaned as he stopped fighting, letting Yuma go get the baby. The man sighed and ran his hands through his hair, shaking his head. “Incredible. How did we forget? Fuck… How did I forget? I put her down on the bed. Fuckkk..."

"I forgot too...she's just so quiet and we were so worried about Miheal that we were forgot for a second!" Yuuma exclaimed, rocking Yuzu and calming her down.

“God… Hope she’s not going to be cranky after this” Shark said, tapping Yuzu’s back lightly to try calm her down. Luckily she was just startled…

"I hope not either." Yuuma said. Thankfully, Yuzu seemed to be calming down. Yuuma smiled as Yuzu curled up against his chest cutely.

"Awww..."

“… Okay that was super quick.” Shark sighed, relieved she didn’t keep going on crying. He smiled at the two and ruffled Yuzu’s small fuzz of hair. “Well there’s one thing to watch out for if we end up having kids"

"Yeah...I guess so. I hope if we get a kid they're as sweet as Yuzu."  Yuuma said, gently laying Yuzu back down on the bed so she could rest.

“… if we get one anyway. I mean…” Shark sighed and looked at Yuzu and he smiled. “Let’s just see if we can get one from Martha’s place, huh?”

“Yeah...that sounds like a good place to start.  Martha knows us, so she knows we're good people despite our criminal records.” Yuuma agreed.

“Hopefully anyway.” He rubbed his temples. “We’ll make sure we’re actually ready to support a kid before we grab one. We might not be lucky to get a baby you know.  How do you feel about toddlers?”

“Yeah, of course!  I don't mind what age they are...toddlers are okay with me!”  Yuuma said happily.

“Yeah… I guess another brat of any kind would be nice to have around.” He said, patting Yuuma on the head.

Yuuma grinned at first before what Shark said sunk in and he pouted.

"Another? I'm not a brat, Shark!" He whined.

“You keep falling for the same joke. You’d think you’d catch on by now.” Shark smirked.

Yuuma pouted even more.

“I'll catch on eventually!” He declared.

-x-

After a few tests that confirmed that Yuugi's brain was no longer dangerously swollen, the Correctional Facility decided it was safe to bring him there.  Yuugi was relieved that things were going better, but was a bit worried about what would happen there.  He didn't know what prison was like after all.  Thankfully, Raphael was there again during the transport.  Gauche and Ukyou were along for the ride.

“Here, Mutou.  We have this prison uniform for you...get changed, and then we'll get going.”  Gauche said, giving the orange uniform to Yuugi.  Yuugi nodded.

“Okay...”  He said, ducking into his hospital room bathroom to get changed.

“I’ll come with you as far as the place will let me,” Raphael said, the blonde smiling at Yuugi. He knew he was only here because he got along well with both personalities and calmed them both down too, but he didn’t mind since he got to care for Yugi.

“Thanks for being here, Raphael.” Ukyou said, waiting for the man.

“The pleasure is mine.”

Yuugi was glad to be out of the hospital gown, but he wasn't sure he liked the idea of being in a prison uniform again.  He supposed he had to get used to it.  He put on the pants, a white tank top and the jacket.  He glanced at himself in the mirror, feeling his head pulse a little. He was a bit nervous, and it was enough to cause a switch.  Yami frowned at the orange color.  It wasn't one that looked good on him...but he could make it look a little better. He took the jacket off and draped it over his shoulders as if it were a cape.  

“Much better.”  He mused, before grabbing the hospital gown and opening the door.

“No.” Ukyou said immediately, as soon as Yami walked out. “You can wear that how you want once you’re inside, but right now, you put that on properly."

Raphael internally grimaced, less because of the style and more because Yami was out.

“Was he upset that much about wearing that?” He asked to the blonde.

Yami frowned.

“It's too...orange. At least the other prison I went to had blue ones sometimes...”  He mused, but complied anyway.  He swept the jacket off his shoulders and put his arms in the sleeves.  Yami shook his head at Raphael.

“No...although, Yuugi doesn't like orange either.  It's not a good color on us.  He was more concerned about prison.  He's never been in one after all.  He's nervous, because all he's heard are the horror stories.”  Yami said.

Raphael frowned. “I meant was he concerned about prison garb… But alright.” He sighed. “It’s a correctional facility the purpose is to get him to feel better… we’ll make sure of that.”

When Yami finished adjusting his jacket so it was on properly, Gauche cuffed him.

“Nah.  The prison outfit is the least of his worries.” Yami said.  He frowned a bit.

“I hope so anyway...I've heard mixed reviews on the Correctional Facility.  If it's anything like prison...Yuugi might not like it.” Yami mused.  He knew what he looked like: short, skinny, and most importantly, weak.  There had been prisoners that had tried to take advantage of that the last time he'd been arrested and Yami had fended them off as best he could.  It had meant he had to be constantly alert for danger, and carry himself in a way that he developed a reputation for being someone not to mess with.  He was not sure if that same approach would work at the Correctional Facility, but he knew that Yuugi could not carry himself that way at all.  He didn't want Yuugi to get hurt, but was also concerned that he might not be able to prevent it.  Hopefully the prisoners would be too drugged up to do much attacking.

“Let's head out to the car. Come on.”  Ukyou said, going out of the room first, keeping Yami and Raphael between him and Gauche.  Yami followed obediently.

“...Speaking of getting better though, is Dr. Arclight recovering?  Yuugi was worried about that too.”  Yami asked.  He refused to admit that he had also been both worried and curious.

Raphael sighed. It seemed like Yami was intent on misunderstanding him- he was worried that Yugi was scared of the prison, and the prison garb only cemented the reality of it- but he didn’t bother to correct the man.

“If it’s anything like the prison, I’ll be very surprised. The Correctional Facility does have criminal and non-criminal housing, but most are just drug addicts. You’ll be one of the only ones actually there for murder.” Gauche grunted.

“Hm? He’s doing fine.” Ukyou smiled, remembering the call from yesterday. “Kaito told me that he woke up not too long ago. He’ll be on his feet soon enough."

Yami listened and snickered a little at Gauche's explanation.

“Drug addicts can be the most dangerous of all...they may not have done bad things, but they have the potential to react violently if someone gets between them and their fix. And the Correctional Facility is probably weaning them off of their drugs...so they could snap at anyone.” Yami reasoned.  

“That's good to hear. Yuugi likes him, so he'll be pleased to hear Dr. Arclight will be coming to have sessions with him soon.”  

“And they do it properly.” Gauche frowned. “They’re not stupid and they won’t risk your safety. Anyone who gets in trouble will be reported and treated, it won’t be like whatever prison you’re used to. You’re patients before prisoners.”

Raphael could hear Gauche’s irritation but he was calm all the same. “Yeah. Dr. Arclight is a good man. He’ll keep an eye on you both.” The blonde reassured.

“Treated?  So their solution is more drugs?  I heard they put people to sleep when they start fights.” Yami mused.  Yami nodded at Raphael.

“I know he is.  I trust him too.”  Yami admitted.  Trust was easier to admit than liking.  The four of them reached the transport vehicle, and Ukyou opened the door, letting Yami and Raphael enter before closing the door.

Gauche rolled his eyes but ignored the man. Instead, he waited until they were all in before getting into the driver’s seat.

“It won’t be so bad. Just relax, alright?"

“You're telling the wrong half to relax.  I'm fine. Yuugi isn't.”  Yami mused, getting into the car obediently next to Raphael. Ukyou drove off once everyone was in, heading towards the Correctional Facility.  

“You’re stressed out for him as well.” Raphael said simply as they drove off. “You both need to ease up"

Yami sighed, and visibly tried to relax.  He supposed Raphael was right.  He was worried about how Yuugi would fare in the Correctional Facility.

“We'll try.”  He promised.

“Focus on getting better, not all the other stuff. The best way to get out of there is to balance yourself. It will take years, but starting early will help.” Raphael said.

“You sound like you’ve had experience” Gauche commented. Raphael didn’t say anything, but he smirked a little.

Yami rolled his eyes a little.

“I'm not the one who needs to get better.  That's Yuugi's job.  If he can do that, they'll let him out, not me.”  Yami mused.  He glanced at Raphael.

“Clearly you haven't read this guy's bio.  He's done a lot...and what he hasn't done, he's experienced second hand through charity cases.”  

“What can I say, I am a reformed man.” Raphael said simply as they drove along. Gauche snorted and he focused on the road. Soon they were at the Correctional Facility, a grand and old building that was kept very up to date, judging by the security and the upkeep of the garden.

“Alright… here we go"

Yami glanced at the building that was about to become his new home for possibly the rest of his life. It was definitely better looking than other places he'd slept, that was for sure.  Ukyou got out of the car.

“I'll go tell the officers we're here...they'll escort you inside. Wait here a moment.”  Ukyou said.  Gauche also got out of the car after pulling out the keys, not really wanting to stay inside with Yami in case the other started asking questions again. Yami waited, noting that the security guys were almost ready to take him away.  He glanced at Raphael.  As far as he knew, this was going to be the last time Raphael saw him.  It was definitely for the best, since Raphael associating with him would probably make Kaiba suspicious, but Yami would feel a bit odd if he left without saying goodbye.  Raphael had done a lot for him, and even if it had been just for Yuugi, he'd been a secondhand benefactor.  For Yuugi's sake, he should probably say goodbye properly.  So, he faced Raphael fully to speak.

“Raphael...before I go, I just wanted to say thank you.  If it weren't for you, Yuugi wouldn't have ended up here and wouldn't have been able to get the help he needed.”  He said.

Raphael looked at Yami and he gave him a gentle, fatherly smile. It felt odd. Even if he was going to visit him in the facility, it felt like they were going their separate ways. He sighed and offered his hand, going to shake Yami’s.

“Give Yuugi my best regards, and both of you… good luck. I’m happy I could have helped. Take care"

As far as Yami knew, they were going separate ways.  The deal in his mind between him and Raphael was that the other would help him avoid the Death Penalty and get into the Correctional Facility.  Now both had been accomplished, so just like with any other deal he'd been in, Yami and the other participant would go their separate ways.

Yami smiled a bit in return, still not used to the fatherly look that Raphael was giving him.  It must have been for Yuugi, he reasoned. It was always just for Yuugi.  He gave Raphael both his hands to shake, since they were still cuffed together.

“You too.”  He said softly, before the door was opened and Yami had to get out of the car.  The guards led him into the building, taking his cuffs off in front of what looked like a mess hall.

“You came during food hours, so everyone is here.  You get an hour to eat, and then you get your medication at the window before going back to your cell.”  The guard instructed.  Yami nodded to show he understood, and steeled himself.

“Here we go...”  He murmured as he entered the room to grab a tray. He was the last one in, so he would get whatever food was left over.  And it also made it so he could get a good idea at who was friends with who in this place and what was going on.  It seemed the guards mostly left them alone.

Raphael smiled a little as he shook the two hands and then he watched Yami walk away. He sighed and stayed there, waiting for Yami to finally be behind the doors before he sighed and closed his eyes. Gauche offered him a ride home, but Raphael shook his head and began to walk back home. He had a few things to think about, as did the police. With any luck, Gauche and Raphael would find out who tried to shoot Yami, and soon he would have someone help them too.

Back at the Correctional Facility, everything seemed more or less in order, and the atmosphere was generally more pleasant. Some prisoners were extremely loud, while others were awkwardly quiet, but that was the nature of things. Few people were actually really engaged with anything.

Except one group. In the shadows of the Facility, Koutei closed his eyes as he was being punched and kicked by the deluded patients in here. The guards didn’t notice him because he was being quiet, nor did Koutei wanted him to notice. He just let himself be bashed by the two men, tensing himself tight.

Yami took in the atmosphere. So far, it didn't look too different from prison...except maybe a little bit nicer.  Actually, the better analogy at first was that it was like a high school cafeteria, which was surprising to Yami.  A few people were looking at him curiously, but Yami couldn't sense any menacing thoughts or threats...it was just them scoping out the new kid and wondering who he was.  Yami began to make his way over to one of the emptier tables that had a few clearly awkward and silent prisoners seated at it that seemed to be spacing out and wouldn't bug him, when he noticed the scuffle.  There was the reminder that he was in prison, not high school, he thought. He was about to turn away when he saw the tuff of blond hair from the victim.

“Oh no...”  He murmured, eyes going wide and skin paling a bit as he recognized the battered face of Ouji Koutei being beaten up by those two other prisoners.  What was Koutei doing here?  Would he recognize him?  Oh god this was not good...

His shock was enough to let Yuugi take over.  The boy blinked, eyes locking on the fight first since Yami had been looking in that direction.  Yuugi's first instinct was to recoil and run...but then he remembered that was something the old him would do.  He was supposed to be learning to face things now...and clearly, this blonde man (who did seem a little familiar, now that Yuugi thought about it) was surrendering to his fate.  He needed help...so Yuugi moved.  He abandoned his tray of food on the table and walked over to the bullies, getting between them and Koutei as they pulled back to swing another punch.

“Stop it!  Leave him alone!”  Yuugi called in the bravest voice he could muster.  His head was starting to pound as he did this...clearly Yami was protesting, Yuugi thought.  But he had to stand his ground.

Koutei was surprised to not hear the yelling of a buff, security guard but a small, weedy looking young man. The blonde glanced up and felt his heart race, seeing the little man standing there, arms stretched wide and looking straight at his foes. The blonde sat up, frowning.

“Get out of the way.” One of the men grunted. Without a second thought, he near-drunkenly knocked the man aside and kicked him. “Stay out of this, kid!"

Yuugi was trying not to visibly shake in fear as he stood up to the bullies.  

“No...I won't let you hurt him anymore!”  He said. He cried out when he was knocked aside and kicked, tumbling to the ground.  The pain was familiar to him...he'd been bullied before too.  Yami managed to switch after the kick and frowned. Koutei being involved or not, he had to stand up for Yuugi.

“I said, leave him alone.” Yami growled, going back over to the guys who had turned their attention back to Koutei.  Yami kicked one of the thugs in the side of the knee, making him cry out and his legs buckle so Yami could punch him in the face.  The second guy moved to attack but Yami dropped down and tripped him, so the second guy fell on top of the first.  He got up and made a show of dusting himself off.

“Have I made myself clear now?”  He asked. But it seemed both guys were only angrier, and they got up again to face Yami this time, completely ignoring Koutei. Yami sighed.

“I guess you need another lesson.”  He prepared himself for a fight.

Despite Yami’s skill, he was still smaller and easy to overpower. Koutei frowned as he watched one of them make a grab for Yami, but the other coming up and trying to punch him, trying to make it impossible for one of them to miss. Koutei yelled as the men fought back and he scampered up to his feet, balling his fists.

“Stop it! No!” Koutei yelled. He ran up and with amazing speed and accuracy, he jabbed one in the face and then kneed him, before turning to the other one with a growl and a mighty punch to the solar plexus. The men hissed, surprised by the counterattack, and they went down easily.

“Shit, are you okay?” He asked, turning to the familiar person

Yami had been in enough fights to know how to read opponents and knew the moves the men were going to do would land no matter what. He deflected as best he could and managed a few small jabs in return before Koutei jumped in and ended it. Yami was once more reminded of Koutei's skills and was impressed but at the same time wondered why he had let him beat him up to begin with. He kept his head down a little, not wanting Koutei to recognize him as the other approached.

"...Yeah. I'm fine." And he was. He's dealt with worse.

"Are you okay?" He asked, glancing up at Koutei cautiously to see if he'd been hurt.

Koutei frowned as vague, fuzzy memories nudged him in his head, but he couldn’t quite see through the haze. He wasn’t sure why this man was familiar to him, but he felt like he had saved his life before, for some reason.

“I’m alright. They’re just guys who’ve been having a rough time. No big deal.” Koutei said, waving the worry off. “Thanks… Haven’t seen someone like you here before though. New?"

Yami was trying to appear relaxed but in reality, he was nervous. If Koutei recognized him, it would be very bad. He knew Devil's Breath didn't exactly wipe minds completely...Koutei could remember. But, so far, he seemed to be acting like they were strangers. That was good...

"They're guys having a rough time huh...is that why you just let them wail on you? Clearly, you're stronger." Yami said, gesturing to the two unconscious bodies on the floor. He was genuinely confused as to why Koutei would do such a thing.

"Yes...I'm new. Just got here a few minutes ago...my name's Mutou. What's yours?" Yami asked, purposely not giving his full name or alias. He'd delay that potential revelation as long as possible. He could feel Yuugi stirring in his mind, curious now that the danger had passed.

Koutei shrugged. “Eh… one beating won’t kill me, and better me than anyone else, huh? They’re not guys that deal with isolation very well. There are reasons for this.” Koutei said, waving his hand, trying to push it aside. He didn’t want to explain about his personal issues, how he wanted to pretend that it was Alit hitting him again and he was getting the punishment he deserved.

“Minutes and already in a fight? Nice. Must be a new record.” Koutei smiled. “My name’s Ouji Kyouhei but I prefer Koutei. Nice to meet you, Mutou.” He said, offering his hand.

“I see...”  Yami said, although he wasn't quite buying it.  If he hadn't known Koutei before meeting him here, he probably would've believed him.  But he could see how much thinner and unhealthy Koutei looked overall...like there was something else going on.  He let it drop for now though and shook the man's hand.

“Yeah, I guess.  I didn't even get to eat yet.  Nice to meet you too.”  Yami mused, before he felt his head pulse and brought his free hand up to his temple.

“Ugh...”  He groaned.  Yuugi really wanted out, it seemed.

“...I should warn you though...if I...don't remember who you are in the next couple of minutes...that's normal for me so...just re-introduce yourself, okay?”  Yami said.  He knew a switch was coming.

“Hm?” Koutei raised an eyebrow before he gave a thumbs up. “Ah… okay. Short term memory or something then. You’re here for a reason, anyway. I’ll be sure to do that.” He said pleasantly

“Yeah...you could call it that.”  Yami said, figuring that was simpler than the split personality explanation.  Maybe Koutei would figure that out on his own. He had barely finished speaking before Yuugi emerged, looking visibly surprised and weary.  The last thing he remembered was being attacked after all.  He jumped back a little from Koutei when he initially saw him, mistaking his size for being one of the bullies', but then relaxed when he recognized him as the victim, not the aggressor.

“...Oh...sorry...” Yuugi murmured, apologizing for jumping when Koutei wasn't going to hurt him.

“...I guess the other me dealt with those bullies...that's good...are you...okay?”  He asked tentatively.  Now that he saw Koutei standing up, he was quite a bit bigger than him and he was a little nervous.

Koutei blinked dumbly as suddenly Yuugi came out and flinched. However, he couldn’t help but chuckle and he put his hands on his hips.

“It’s alright. Don’t worry…” He started before he raised an eyebrow. ‘Other him?’ “Um… Yeah, I’m alright too.” The ex-boxer said. “Are you okay though, Mutou? You got hit pretty hard."

Yuugi flushed a little in embarrassment when the other chuckled but was a bit reassured by his smile. This larger man was another like Raphael, it seemed.  He was a nice person.  

“Oh...I'll be okay. I'm glad you're alright too.” Yuugi said, feeling a bit sore, but it wasn't that bad.  He'd had worse in high school as he could recall.  He was a little surprised to hear his name, but he guessed that the other him had introduced himself.

“Ah, you don't have to call me 'Mutou'...just 'Yuugi' is okay.  What's your name?”  He asked with a smile.

Not nearly as tall or as muscular as him (at least not anymore) but Koutei had a kind smile despite looking like he was worse for wear. He was thin, sullen and he was covered in more bruises than before, but he seemed a lot better than how he did when he was arrested.

“Yuugi, huh?” He smiled. “I’m Koutei. Ouji Kyouhei, actually but call me Koutei"

Yuugi smiled in return.

“Okay.  Nice to meet you Koutei!”  He said happily.  Moments later his stomach growled, and he flushed a little again.

“I guess I didn't get a chance to eat...did you?  Do you wanna come sit with me?”  Yuugi asked. He wanted to get to know him better.

Koutei smiled and nodded. “Yeah… you’re in time for lunch. I’ve already eaten but I’d like to sit with you. I don’t have any friends here anyway.”

Yuugi smiled.

“Great, then I'll be your friend!”  Yuugi said happily.  

“I think I put my tray over here...oh yeah, here it is...”  Yuugi said, smiling sheepishly.

“Sorry...I don't remember things when my other me does things.  He put the tray down...”

Koutei blinked for a moment before he smiled gently. A friend, huh? That was fast… like Alit was. Hopefully this would last though.

“So you have a split personality, huh?"

Yuugi smiled in return, sitting at the table across from Koutei with his lunch tray.  He nodded.

“Yeah...my other me has been awake for the past seven years, and when he's awake, I don't know what he does...I'm hoping that I can recover my memory while I'm here, and maybe learn to live with split personality disorder.  I didn't even know I had it before I was arrested...”  Yuugi said.

“Wow…” Koutei frowned, listening to the story. He propped his elbows on the table, leaning forward a little as he searched over the man. “Guess that’s why you were all cool and confident twenty seconds ago. But seven years? And you don’t remember anything?"

Yuugi nodded.

“Yeah...I've seen recordings of him...so I know he's very confident and cool.  He's much stronger than I am, that's for sure.”  Yuugi agreed.  

“Yeah...I really don't remember anything at all.”

“Well… you share a body so the strength is all in your mind, right?’ Koutei asked. “So don’t worry too much about that… Hopefully this place will do you some good.”

“eh… You’re probably the one I know here who remembers the least, but not the only one who can’t remember. I honestly don’t remember a lot of things I’ve done that happened in the last few months."

“I guess.  I hope so too.”  Yuugi said, smiling a bit at Koutei.  His eyes widened.

“Oh wow...I'm sorry to hear that.  Have you been here that long?”

“Nah… just got here a few weeks ago myself. I’m not the newbie anymore, thanks to you.” Koutei grinned. “Don’t worry about it. This place isn’t too bad."

Yuugi smiled back.  He was glad Koutei seemed so nice.

“So far, it doesn't seem so bad...as long as those bullies don't decide to pick on people again.”

“Well, if they have a good day, it’ll be easy. Don’t worry man. I’ll look out for you, okay?"

“Okay...if you say so. Thank you...we'll look out for each other then!”  Yuugi said.

Koutei grinned and laughed. “Do you always make friends so easily? Gosh, you’re a funny one, Yuugi But in a good way."

“No...I didn't really have any friends in school.  But, I guess recently I made some friends...”  Yuugi said, thinking of Raphael.  He chuckled a little too.

“If you say so!”  He replied, just happy to have a friend. Maybe the Correctional Facility wouldn't be so bad if he had Koutei around.

“So… did they brief you at all about like the rounds here? This is lunch and we’ll meet again for dinner, but how we get rec time and time alone in our rooms?"

Yuugi shook his head.

“No...I wasn't really told what goes on here.  Aside from talking to therapist and getting treatment, that is.  What is there to do during rec time?  Do we come back in this room, or another one?”  Yuugi asked, curious about how things went here.

“There’s an exercise room, where we can work out, a courtyard to hang out in, or we can loiter here. It’s up to us. We’re encouraged to invoke some of our freedom and we have the choice.” Koutei smiled. “It’s not bad, honestly"

Yuugi smiled.

“That does sound good...I'm glad we have options.”  Yuugi wasn't sure if working out would be a good one for him, but it would probably be nice to go outside everyone once in awhile.

“So I guess that would give us a chance to meet other people...have you talked to anyone here?”

“Eh… the company is honestly not 100%. Not that they’re bad… I mean… some aren’t bad people. It’s just that we all have a lot of baggage so some people are harder to approach than others. Not that it’s bad either! Just that the cast here is… colourful. “ Koutei smiles. “I have… not friends but some people are nice to me. There’s Shinji, he’s a bit weird pretty decent.”

“I understand...everyone's here for a reason, I guess.  But, it sounds like I'll be given time to get to know these people.  I know I'll probably be here for awhile.”  Yuugi said.  

“You'll have to introduce me to Shinji when it's rec time then.  We can do something, I guess.  What do you usually do?”  

“I try working out. I fell out of it for a while so I’m trying to get back in on it. You can’t tell now, but I used to be a boxer.” He grinned tiredly, but still brightly for Yuugi.

Yuugi's eyes widened.

“Wow you were a boxer? That's really cool!  You still look really strong to me.”  Yuugi admitted.  Koutei definitely had more muscle than he remembered having...but then he paused.  

“...I kinda wonder if my other me worked out or not.  Maybe he'd join you?  I never really did anything like that...but my arms feel more toned than I remembered them being so, I wondered if he did.  I wouldn't mind watching though.”  Yuugi said sheepishly.

Koutei gave a small laugh and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. However he knew he was disgustingly unfit in comparison to how he used to be, and he looked far from strong. Still it was nice for the young man to say. Koutei couldn’t help but think how cute Yuugi was.

“Who knows. Maybe. You’re free to hangout if you want. I can teach you, and then we’ll surprise your other half” He joked, surprising himself how quickly he accepted this.

Yuugi smiled at Koutei. His new friend was bashful too, it seemed.  To Yuugi, he looked strong.  For a moment though, when he blinked, he thought he saw an image of Koutei looking much healthier and more muscular in his mind's eye.  But a second later, it was gone, leaving Yuugi wondering if he'd just imagined things.  He shook it off in favor of answering Koutei.

“Okay!  It might be fun to learn...maybe my other me would like it too.  I don't know if it'll surprise him though...he can see what I see and remember things.  But we can try!”  Yuugi was especially glad that Koutei was so accepting of his medical condition.  He knew it must be a hard thing for people to deal with, since Yuugi only retained memory half the time.  Whoever he was with had to be patient enough to be willing to repeat things, and also deal with two completely different personalities sharing a body.  

“Huh? Really? So only one of you gets to see everything? I thought it was half and half for both… Man. That’s gotta be tiring on your brain, huh?” Koutei said. He would have found it hard to comprehend a few weeks ago, but he had always been good with rolling with the punches, so he was one of the few who adapted quickly to the situation. He grinned.

“Great. It would be nice to have a workout buddy. It’s always nice having someone push you on.” Koutei smirked. “I’ll show you around the place later, okay?"

“Yeah, it is...I'm on medication for brain swelling.  I'm not sure if it'll be possible to change it...but, my other me said it was always like that.  He always saw everything I did.”  Yuugi said, with a shrug.  He smiled.

“I'll try to work out with you then!  And okay...thank you.”  

Koutei smiled. “Now eat up. I know it’s not the best grub, but it’s alright. I mean… It tastes better than my old protein shakes,” Koutei joked.

Yuugi chuckled.

“I've never had a protein shake.  I thought they had flavors?  Wouldn't that make them taste better?”  He mused, eating some of his food.  He didn't mind the taste that much, although it did make him miss his precious hamburgers.

“I made mine. I like knowing what went in them and making sure it was really strong stuff.” Koutei grinned. “They were okay but food is food. You've got to appreciate that"

“That makes sense! You wanna know what you're eating.” Yuugi said with a smile, continuing to eat.  

“I'm not too picky...this stuff isn't too bad.  I'm glad.”

“The menu is the same every week but they try to make sure every day is different so we don’t get too bored. Apparently they spruced this place up… trying to make it more humane and stuff. Apparently that was a huge thing in the Vector case: the security and living conditions of old roommates. So we’re pretty lucky.”

Yuugi felt his head pulse a little as Koutei talked about Vector.  Yami was more familiar with him than Yuugi.

“Hmm...I don't know much about this place.  I'm glad they've improved it though, especially since I'll probably be here awhile.” Yuugi said.

“Yeah… well at least I’ll be here with you too. I’m gonna be here until they can get my head screwed back on right, so that may take a while” He laughed.

Yuugi smiled.

“If you're here too, then it won't be so bad!”  He agreed with a grin.  The guard began calling to the prisoners to put their trays away and get up.  Lunch time was over, and now it would be time to go back to the cells.  Yuugi got up obediently with his tray and smiled at Koutei.

“I guess this is goodbye for now...I'll see you later, for rec time or dinner...whichever is first.” Yuugi said to Koutei.

“Ah yeah, you were late. Damn. I thought I could show you around.” Koutei sighed. “Well, I’ll see you at Rec. Come find me, Yuugi. See you and the other guy later!"

“We can do that later! I'll definitely find you...or if not me then maybe my other me will...his name is Yami!”  Yuugi called, waving with a smile as he was led off by the guards to his new prison cell.  He reached it completely happy, curling up on his bed feeling warm and cheerful since he'd made a friend already.  Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

Koutei smiled and waved him, but the smile began to fade as he mentioned his other half’s name. He stopped walking, letting other prisoners walk past him as he realised that his hands were suddenly shaking, as if he was cold.

“Yami…” The name sounded bitter on his tongue, but Koutei couldn’t help but feel that it was familiar. Before he could ask Yuugi, they were both whisked away, leaving the blonde to wonder if he had heard that name before.

-x-

Kurosaki Shun was in Miami City, hundreds of miles away from Heartland.  He was in his hotel room, which was paid for by the Leo Corporation, staring out the window.  He was expecting a video conference call from his employer anytime now about a new assignment...but he was starting to wonder if maybe he should request a vacation. As much as Shun enjoyed his work, lately he'd been feeling a physical longing that could only be calmed by one particular person.  And as long as he was working, he couldn't see him.  He closed his eyes and pictured Yuuto's face in his mind's eye, seeing his sharp silver eyes staring at him, his long, dark black and purple tresses framing his face like they did after he had a shower, and the way his lips quirked upwards adorably on those rare occasions where he smiled.  Shun longed to see him in person again.  

A ringing sound coming from his computer cut off his thoughts.  He schooled his features to their usual neutral expression before approaching the laptop to pick up the call from his employer, Akaba Reiji.  He sat down and hit the green icon to answer it.

Akaba Reiji’s face flickered on the screen. He was in his Heartland-based office overlooking the city, and purposefully giving the homesick man a view of the iconic heart-shaped tower. The man gave a nod to Shun in greeting, interlocking his fingers together.

“You’ve been busy, Kurosaki. Congratulations on finishing that last assignment early, by the way.”

Shun narrowed his eyes slightly at the backdrop, but otherwise, his expression remained the same. He didn't respond to the praise, not really caring.  He was good at his job, and Reiji knew that.  

“I don't suppose finishing early means I get a break before the next one does it.”  He mused.

“No, it doesn’t.” Reiji said. “I need you immediately on the next task. Have you been watching the news lately? Have you heard anything about the Mutou criminal case?”

Shun simply closed his eyes. Well, it was worth a shot.  If Reiji didn't give him an official break, he could just actually take his time for once.  Maybe.  It depended on where he went.  

“Mutou...you mean the punk who was killing CEOs?  I heard he was arrested.”  Shun said. He had a habit of listening in to Heartland affairs, just in case something important came up.

“Yes, that’s him. He was particularly notorious in the Neo Domino and Heartland areas for gambling, smuggling and murder. He’s just been charged and he’s been sent to The Heartland Correctional Facility, in light of his newly discovered psychological issues.” Reiji frowned.

“This hasn’t been popular with many people, and people have sent assassins after him. Normally, this wouldn’t concern me, but I have found out from a good source that someone is trying to frame me for sending these executioners out. They’ve already shot a certain Dr. Arclight, which could also be tagged to me. I don’t need my real work exposed with this nonsense, so I need you to find out the real mastermind behind these assassins. Understand?"

Shun listened silently. He hadn't really been able to judge the public's opinion and he didn't really care what it was.  But since Reiji was talking about Heartland...that must mean...

“Understood.  I'll come back to Heartland immediately.”  He said, trying not to sound too eager. But, knowing Reiji, he probably would figure it out anyway.

Reiji merely smirked behind his hands. He didn’t say anything about it though, continuing to talk about the mission. “A train ticket will be delivered for you this afternoon, and a bike will be provided. My contact, Sakaki Yuto, will be waiting for someone to get in touch with him. I trust you’ll be able to figure it out on your own."

Shun nodded, but his eyes widened in surprise when Yuuto's name was mentioned.

“Yuuto?  He's the one who told you someone's out to frame you?” Shun said, surprised, but somehow not. This must mean Yuuto missed him too. Shun wondered if Yuuto had just made the whole thing up just to get him back to Heartland.  Either way, he wasn't going to argue.

“...Of course.  I'll get in touch with him once I arrive.”  

Yuto wasn’t sentimental like that, so Reiji trusted him. The man was reliable, and tended not to take risks unless the situation was dire. Reiji knew Yuto didn’t want to talk to him, and while concern for Shun may have been a driving force, Reiji knew the claims were legitimate.

“That is all. Payment will be sent as per usual. You have until the police find the fake evidence, and try to pin it to me. We all fall if I do.”

Shun nodded.

“I understand.”  He knew this was dire, because he was one of Reiji's best.  This was something serious if he was being called, so despite the fact that he could see Yuuto, he would do his job seriously.  He might even be able to work with Yuuto, since the other seemed to know something anyway.  He was a member of Heartland's underground too, which might make his insight valuable.

Reiji pushed his glasses up, and with a simple click of the screen, the call ended. The CEO sighed and closed his eyes, preparing himself mentally for what seemed like a long road ahead.

Shun hung up as well and sighed.  He may as well get packed, even though he knew he'd pack too quickly and be waiting practically in agony for the train tickets to arrive.  He was looking forward to seeing Yuuto again, and to get to work with him potentially.  But mostly, he just missed Yuuto...he wanted to spend time with him while he had the chance. It didn't happen often after all. He tried to pack his very few belongings as slowly as possible, and then spent time trying not to think about murdering whoever was going to give him his post because they were too slow, before finally getting the tickets and boarding the long train to Heartland.  He wouldn't arrive until night at this point...but he didn't care, as long as he could see Yuuto when he got there.

Meanwhile, a few hundred kilometres away, Yuuya was just getting up out of bed. Last night, he had a show on and he had danced the night away. He liked performing, even without his clothes, but he was always tired after a show. When he saw the time and how ‘early’ it was, he groaned and rubbed his face. “Geeze, it’s too early…”

But he was up, and despite wanting to go back to bed, he wanted to do something nice for his brother; so Yuya took his medication and got up, figuring breakfast would put Yuto in a good mood. In his dull, grey pyjamas, the man walked off towards the main kitchen, passing by Yuto’s room. Yuya frowned, seeing the door open and when he glanced over, he saw Yuto was up at his desk.

“You’re already up?”

Usually when Yuuto was at his desk, he was working.  But, not this time.  This time, he was staring at an LDS pin he held between his fingers.  He had discovered it among Yami's items as Astral had before, and was concerned.  LDS was Akaba Reiji's company, and Yuuto was more familiar with the man than most people were.  He knew that he was a planner, a manipulator who was always at least ten steps ahead of the game.  And, he happened to have his best friend and lover in the palm of his hand.  Yuuto worried about what the association between LDS and Yami meant, given the CEO murders that had been going on.  He wondered if that made Reiji the target, or the instigator.  Either way, Shun was going to be thrown into this battleground on behalf of Reiji and Yuuto didn't like it.  He had confronted the man over the pin instead of trying to hide it, because he knew it was only a matter of time before the CEO found out about it himself. Yuuto knew the sooner he showed it to Reiji, the sooner Shun would come back to Heartland and the sooner Yuuto could grill him over things.  

...And also see him again. Yuuto had felt the need for a vacation for awhile now, and Shun would be the perfect little distraction, once they got all this CEO killing mess sorted out.  He heard the sounds of his bumbling little brother finally awake and hide the pin in his desk by the time Yuuya peaked into his room.

“It's almost noon.” He answered softly, mind still on Shun for the moment.

“Yeah, but the both of us were grinding on the pole until 3am. Then we don’t get home until 4:30, that’s still less than ten hours of sleep.” Yuuya said, looking at his sibling. “Breakfast… I mean… lunch should be on the agenda now.” He could always tell when Yuto was distracted by something, and the lack of papers on his desk was the obvious cue something was long.

“You okay? You look a little down, man. Did something come up?"

“You know I sleep less than you do.”  Yuuto spoke truthfully.  In reality, he hadn't slept more than a couple hours, since he had gotten up really early to meet with Reiji in private.  He'd had to catch him before he went to his office so he wouldn't be seen.

“I'm fine, Yuuya. Don't worry about it.”  Yuuto said, turning to face his brother.

“Come on, let's get food. I'll make pancakes.”  He offered, mostly in an attempt to divert Yuuya's attention.

“Pancakes can wait.” Yuuya frowned, kicking the door shut before he jumped and sat on Yuuto’s desk. “This can’t. Seriously, you look exhausted. Is this about something important? Are we in trouble?” He paused before he stared at his brother. “Or is it Kurosaki again?"

Yuuto sighed as his stubborn baby brother came in and helped himself to his desk.

"I'm fine Yuuya...just a little tired, I guess. Nothing's wrong." He said, looking away as Shun was mentioned so Yuuya wouldn't see that he was right.

Yuuya smirked. He was relieved that they weren’t in any trouble and it was his brother’s ‘boy troubles’. Yuto was always so closed off, so seeing him like that made him grin. “Eyyy… So you do miss him, don’t you, huh?"

Yuuto did miss him. He wanted to see Shun again. But his first reaction was to deny it. It didn't help him to acknowledge it.

"No. Get off my desk." Yuuto said to Yuuya.

“Sure you do.” Yuuya grinned. He laid down on the table and posed dramatically. “You’re pining for him. Oh Kurosaki~ Oh Shun~” He laughed, teasing him as he saw the blush on Yuto’s face.

Yuuto frowned despite the fact that his face was going red.

"Shut up! It's not like that at all!" He protested.

“Sure it isn’t. And you don’t write his name in the margins of our tax booklets.” Yuuya grinned, propping his chin on his hands. “It’s cute!"

"...Why the hell do you even read those?" Yuuto exclaimed, hiding his burning face in his hands.

"You didn't think it was so 'cute' when Sawatari wrote "Sawatari Yuuya" on your pay check last week." He muttered.

“… I didn’t.” Yuuya snorted, covering his mouth. “You do all the bills. I’ve never done it!” He cackled. “Oh my god, you do that?”

“I didn’t because that’s illegal! I can’t claim something that’s not under my name. We need the money.” Yuuya protested.

Yuuto flushed even more.

“No!  Shut up!”  He cried, leaning over the desk and burying his face in his arms to try and hide from Yuuya even more.

“He wrote it on the envelope, not the check itself.”  He said, voice muffled by his arms.

“No, he did it on both. He’s an idiot, remember? That’s why I had to go back and get him to write me another one. He more annoyed me than anything.” Yuuya said. However, he put his arms around his brother, not saying anything and he just grinned mischeviously.

Yuuto didn't respond, since both of them knew Sawatari was an idiot.  He didn't need to retort.  He was glad when Yuuya relented on the teasing, since it gave him time to calm down. But, he figured he wasn't out of the woods yet.  He accepted the hug for a moment, before sighing and turning his head to the side so he could see his brother.

“...You better watch out...as soon as you get a lover, I'll be doing the same teasing to you.”  He mused softly, even though they both knew he was much less likely to make fun of things like Yuuya did.

“I know… But the way you’re going at it, you and Shun are gonna be married by April.” Yuuya grinned at him, ruffling his twin’s hair. “Might be a bit harder for me to snag a partner. Most people don’t like someone who could lose it at any time.” He joked.

Yuuto frowned.  

“Married?  Hell no...”  He muttered, although the thought had crossed his mind before...but he couldn't really leave Yuuya to go off with Shun.  Shun's job moved around too much...it wouldn't work.  He frowned more at Yuuya's words, not liking the joke.

“You're more than your illness, Yuuya, and one day you'll find someone who appreciates that.” Yuuto said firmly.  

Yuuya laughed at his brother’s retort at the comment, and the smile stayed on his face when his brother talked. He waved him off with his hand dismissively, having heard Yuuto say that a dozen times.

“Yeah, but then they’ll find I bite hard and I flip my shit harder than a highschooler on her first period. Might appreciate me, but I’m a hard first package.” He winked.

Yuuto sighed, having heard Yuuya's response a million times more.  He knew his brother had self-esteem issues.  

“The way I see it, things are improving.  You've already made a new friend in Yuuma, who knows your illness and doesn't mind it...so it's only a matter of time.  Don't sell yourself so short.”  He scolded, flicking his brother's forehead.

Yuuya laughed again, despite how rotten he felt. He always felt smiling and laughing was the best way to cover up how he was feeling. The man always felt he was annoying his brother when he brought up how sad or frustrated he was, mostly because he thought he was always saying the same thing day in and day out. So he had to smile… it was easier to feel and seem normal.

“I guess so…” Yuuya snorted as he was flicked and he flicked him back. “Alright, alright, I get it. Don’t draw the attention to me."

Yuuto was never annoyed by Yuuya.  He just wished his brother could see how special he was.  He gave a small smile in return when Yuuya flicked him back.

“Only if you stop teasing me about Shun.”  He offered.

“… Okay you can lecture me. I can’t give up that.” Yuuya grinned. “But you have to invite all our family to your wedding, even if Yuuri is a dick"

Yuuto snorted.  

“I'm not getting married, but if I do, sure.”  He replied, with a shrug.  He got up and stretched.

“You still up for pancakes?”

“Yeah… first you got to actually be mushy with Kurosaki and invite him over.” Yuuya grinned. He jumped up. “I’m game for afternoon pancakes"

“That's kinda hard to do when I don't know where he is most of the time.”  Yuuto admitted.  A lot of Shun's missions were secret, even to him.  They contacted each other occasionally, but even when they did, Shun seldom said where he was.

“Good.  Let's go then.”  He said, heading out of the room and to the kitchen.

“Yeah… I guess so.” He frowned a little and he followed after him. “Well… we’ll see. When was the last time you saw him?"

Yuuto frowned as he tried to recall exactly when he had last seen Shun.

“...It's been at least a few years since I've seen him in person.  He's one of the best at his job...so he gets a lot of work.  I think I ran into him somewhere in Neo Domino last time, while I was working there.”  This had been shortly before he had moved to this new house in Heartland with Yuuya.  He sighed.

“I've chatted with him on video though, so if you count that as 'seeing him'...then last year was the most recent.”  Yuuto said.

“… That’s like… really long.” Yuuya said, his face falling. “I didn’t realise it was that long since you saw him… even last year was a while.” It wouldn’t be so bad if Yuuto didn’t care, but it was clear he was really into Shun still and he did miss him. “You text him and communicate at least, right?"

“It doesn't feel so long when I'm busy....”  Yuuto admitted, but the distance was starting to catch up with him.  He wanted to see Shun again in person.  He got out the pancake mix as he listened to Yuuya.  

“I do, when I have time. He sometimes can't contact me, and I don't want to distract him too much.”  Yuuto said, knowing if Shun was distracted he could be killed in his line of work.  

“Yeah but… man… that must suck.” Yuuya frowned. “I’m really sorry… I don’t know why it never occurred to me."

Yuuto shook his head as he mixed the batter.  

“I suppose...but Shun and I knew what we were getting into when he took the job years ago.  It's not a big deal.”  Yuuto said.  He hadn't gone with Shun because he had been the only one able to look after Yuuya, and also because he had enough of fighting.  Being a hitman was hard work, and Yuuto hadn't enjoyed it as much as Shun.

“I guess you never noticed because Shun never hung out around you much anyway.  Unlike you, he's not a social guy.”  Yuuto said with a small smile.

Probably because back then they were still trying to settle Yuuya, three big brothers trying to fight a wild, rabid child with chronic pains and a small amount of money between them. Yuuya couldn’t remember much about his life outside of Heartland, but his brother’s words made something click.

“… I… Yuto… Is it… My fault that you and Shun couldn’t be together?”

Yuuto paused.  In truth, Yuuya had been a factor in Yuuto's decision to stop being a hitman.  But, it wasn't the only thing and Yuuto never blamed Yuuya for it.  He sighed, setting the pancakes on the grill and letting them cook before facing Yuuya.

“No, Yuuya.  When Shun and I first met, we were mercenaries, or men for hire.  We were partners in that business for several years, while Mom was still around to help look after you.  I kept giving portions of  my bounties to help her look after you...but, even before she died and we all had to come back together, I was getting tired of that line of work.  The people who hired us were obsessed with violence, retaliation, vengeance...and I was stuck in the middle as the one who carried it out. I was taking fewer jobs when you got sick so I could spend time with you, and Shun was doing more solo work. I didn't mind the break...I liked spending time with my brothers again.  So, when Shun was offered a job as a personal hitman by Akaba Reiji and he offered to convince Reiji to hire me too, I turned it down.  It wasn't just because you were sick, but because I didn't want to hurt people anymore.”  Yuuto said.

“So, Shun and I went our separate ways.  He went off to be a hitman, and I moved here with you and got other work helping prisoners get a second chance at life.  That's it.”

Yuuya sat down at the counter and looked down, not meeting his brother’s gaze and instead absent-mindedly playing with his pendulum pendant. He closed his eyes, listening to Yuuto talk. It seemed strange still that Yuuto was ever a mercenary. He was good and kind, and he believed in the people he pulled out of jail. Hearing that Yuuto didn’t want to hurt anyone made sense.

“It’s been years since then… things really change, huh?” He said finally, not sure what to make of the situation. He did feel like he played a bigger part but he would accept his brother’s answer.

Yuuto didn't blame Yuuya, but he knew that the circumstances might be against him a little.  He did miss Shun, and there were times when he wished he had gone with him.  But, Yuuya was also special to him, so he wouldn't just leave him.  Especially when his two other brothers either didn't care or were incompetent when it came to caring for him.  

“Yeah...now we're actually somewhat stable.”  Yuuto mused, going back to the pancakes and pulling the cooked ones off the grill and onto a plate, staking a bunch of them up for Yuuya.

“Here.  Eat up, and take your meds.”  Yuuto reminded him, sliding the plate to Yuuya.

“Oh yeah… These other ones. Thanks. I thought I took these already but I took the blue ones only. I take so many I can’t even keep track.” He smiled. Yuuto was always there for him. Yuugo tried to be there too, but he was forgetful and clumsy, not the strong rock Yuuto was. Yuuya wanted him to be free, but at the same time, he couldn’t imagine life without Yuuto there.

“Don’t forget to eat too.” Yuya said, swallowing his pills and then shovelling pancakes down.

Yuuto smiled at Yuuya as he took his medication.  

“It certainly is a lot to keep track of.”  He mused. He knew how forgetful Yuuya could be too, and out of the three other brothers, he was the only one who cared enough and was responsible enough to monitor Yuuya.  Yuugo cared but was forgetful, and Yuuri preferred not to be around.  He was also the only one who was making the money required to pay for the expensive pills, although most of it was through illegal means.  It had been a huge factor in his decision not to go with Shun, and it was why he couldn't ever see himself leaving Yuuya.  There was no one else who could help him like he did.

“I won't forget.” Yuuto said, turning off the grill and taking off some fresh pancakes for himself to prove his point.  He took significantly fewer pancakes than Yuuya did and sat down across from him to eat.

“Any plans for today?” He asked, waiting for his brother to come up for air to answer him.

“Me? Um…” Yuya wiped his mouth and tried to think, but then he nodded. “Oh! I was going to the toy shop! I know two of the guys there and I have afternoon tea or dinner every so often. I was going to meet them after their shift, so I’ll probably be out this evening. I have no afternoon plans though, at least I don’t think so.”

“And you? Anything regarding Shun or just work?"

Yuuto nodded as he chewed, glad his brother was going to see some friends.

“Sounds good...I won't wait up for you then.”  He said.

“I'll be doing a bit of work...no Shun stuff.”  Yuuto replied.  Although, he wanted to look into Shun's potential involvement with the CEO case if he could.  But, that counted as work, since it was regarding a former tenant of his.

“As usual then,” Yuuya grinned. “You really need to go out more. Maybe head to the bar and get bevved up. Take a break and don’t work too hard, okay?”

Yuuto shook his head.

“Yuuya, nobody goes to a bar during the day.”  He said. Except when they wanted information, really.  That was the only time.

“But I promise, I won't work too hard.”  He said, getting up once he'd finished his pancakes.

“You have fun with your two toy store friends, okay?  It's Mizael and Durbe, right?”  Yuuto said, putting his dishes away.  

“I mean tonight, but now works too.” He laughed quietly. “Yeah, that’s right. They’re really good guys. I mean… Mizael can be a pain sometimes but he’s so cool. And Durbe is great to talk to. He always lends me books” Yuuya smiled. “Don’t worry about cleaning up. I’ll do it this afternoon since I won’t be home until late.”

Yuuto smiled at Yuuya as he talked about his friends.

“Since when do you read?” He mused, knowing his brother would rather be moving around than sitting with a book all day.

“Alright, if you say so. I'm going back to my office.  Have fun, okay?”  He said, ruffling his twin's hair as he left the kitchen.

“Since Durbe taught me how to pay attention.” Yuuya joked. “I don’t know. He just started sharing novels with me one day and now it’s something nice to do if I’m tired but don’t want to sleep.”

He snorted and shoved Yuuto playfully. “Okay. See ya."

“That's good, I approve!” Yuuto called as he left, smile still on his face as he entered his room.  He closed the door and sighed.  He really was glad his brother was happier nowadays, and was a little envious. He was happy with Yuuya, yes, but he wanted to see Shun too.  

Though speaking of Shun...he had research to do.  He went to his desk and opened his laptop, beginning to do some research.  He wanted to see just how much public information about the CEO deaths was out there so he had a starting point to ask about when he did go to the bar later that night to ask people in the Underground for additional information.

Yuuya did stay and he did clean up, but after a few hours he got bored. Even though he had time to kill, the man got dressed and he grabbed his bag, making sure he had his meds this time. “Okay! I’m out! See you later, Yuuto!”

Yuuto spent the time while Yuuya was cleaning up getting as much research done as possible.  He knew that the police suspected that Yami had been hired by a rich person to eliminate the competition...could it have been Akaba Reiji?  But what was more concerning was that there was an assassin out for Yami's life...which meant whoever did it wanted to cover their tracks.  They had shot Yami's psychologist already...so if that was the case, then Yuuto wondered if he could also be in trouble if anyone ever found out he had harboured Yami.  He glanced up when Yuuya called to him.

“Bye!”  He called back, listening to the outside door slam behind his baby brother.  He sighed. It was starting to get later in the afternoon...the sun was going to set soon.  That meant he could go out in his mask under cover of darkness.  He closed his computer and got up, getting his black cloak, dark goggles, and mask out.  He left his goggles on his head instead of covering his eyes, since they weren't necessary for the moment, but put on the mask and cloak before heading out. He skirted unseen down the alleyways of the city, heading towards one of the more popular bars visited by Underground members.  He entered quietly, noting that there were quite a few patrons there already, and that Yubel was bartending.  Good, he needed to talk to them.  He sat at the bar, waiting patiently for the bartender to spot him.  He and Yubel knew each other, so it was only a matter of time.

There weren’t that many patrons at the shady bar, but there were a few there. A couple of regular patrons that liked to start early and a newcomer or two. One of the newcomers glanced up from the counter where he was drinking a scotch and a frown covered his own face. The man didn’t say anything however, instead looking back to his drink as the old bartender hurried along. Yubel grinned a toothy grin as she hobbled close.

“So, what can I do for you, love? Been a while since I’ve seen you around here, Phantom” They said, pulling strands of white hair behind their ear.

Yuuto glanced up at Yubel when they approached him.  

“I suppose it has been...I guess I'll have my usual, for old times' sake.”  He mused, pulling out a napkin so Yubel could set the drink on that. He tapped his fingers absentmindedly on the bar, which was meant to draw attention to the carefully folded bill under the napkin in front of him.

“I was also wondering if you had any idea who might be behind the recent assassination attempts at the Mutou trial.”  He said casually.

Yubel raised an eyebrow but they smiled and went to fix the small gin for the man. They put three ice cubes in and placed it on the napkin, and with a mere slight of their hand, the bill was gone, now carefully folded in the long, grey sleeves of their clothing.

“Ah… the Mutou trial. Everyone seems to be talking about that these days. I remember when the guy used to come here. Always wanting to play games when he was still up and kicking.” Yubel chimed. “Ah, I don’t have anything concrete, but I’ve heard a few things from the other bars in town. Turns out one of Roger’s ‘security’ boys have been pissed off lately for making a mistake in a crucial mission. Not saying it is your guy, but maybe he’s got something to do with the reason why a psychologist ended up getting shot instead.”

Yuuto accepted the drink. He took his mask off so he could take a sip as he listened.  

“Roger...ugh, now there's a scumbag.”  He muttered. He would not be surprised if he had been the mastermind behind the whole plan...there was another man who enjoyed manipulation and planning.  

“Those security goons all have identifying numbers don't they?  Do you know which one it is?”  

“Can’t say I do. No one cares to mention that. Though they say he’s one of those big, burly guys. Bigger than the usual ones Roger takes, so maybe you can narrow down the field for that.” Yubel paused and tried to rack their brains. “I’m not sure if this is just gossip or truth, but apparently he’s missing one of his eyes.”

“Hmm...I see.  Alright then.  Thank you.”  Yuuto said, storing that information away.  It was a good starting point at least.  He swirled the ice in his glass absentmindedly.  So was Shun going to be coming back to take out this big burly security man with one eye?  Or, did Shun have other information that he didn't have.

The man at the bar with the gin glanced over and stared at Yuuto through his sunglasses, trying to figure out something about the man. Yubel noticed and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

“So… was that all? Or do you need ‘another drink’?” They asked

Yuuto glanced up at Yubel again.

“No, that was all.” He finished up the drink and left the glass on the bar.  He had the sudden feeling he was being watched.  Maybe he should leave.  He put his mask back on and got up, heading towards the door, wondering if the feeling would disappear if he left.

As Yuuto got up, Yubel walked over to the man in question. The guy hadn’t taken his eyes off Yuuto, and he still stared, even when the barkeeper walked over.

“Can I help you?”

“… I’m looking for the Dark Duelist.” Not even bothering to be subtle, he gave Yubel a huge tip. The barkeep’s eyes widened, upon realising this guy knew Yuuto’s mercenary name instead of the alias ‘Phantom’ that he used. Knowing this man meant business, they mentally apologised to Yuuto and pointed.

“You just missed them.”

Yuuto exited the bar, sliding his goggles down over his eyes immediately and placing a hand on his gun. He turned towards a darker alleyway, knowing it would be easier to shake off any potential pursuer if he had the cover of darkness.  He had been watched in the bar, but so far, there was no pursuit.  It didn't hurt to be cautious though.

The man got up and he pushed past some other people going in, silent as ever. The man glanced over to his left and lifted his own red scarf up before he followed Yuuto. He wasn’t going to do something drastic to scare him, but he wanted to avoid a scene, so he was quiet as he made his approach, using the darkness to his advantage as well.

Yuuto entered the alleyway, walking at normal pace but with senses alert.  It was only because of his mercenary work that he recognized that someone was following him, and whoever it was, they were also skilled.  They were masking their presence well, and their footsteps were inaudible.  But, Yuuto's instincts told him he was being followed.  Whoever was following him was walking like an assassin would, which did nothing to reassure Yuuto.  He kept going, making a turn and stopping lightning quick and pulling out his gun, pressed against the wall for cover in case the pursuer was armed.  He aimed around the corner at his pursuer, whom he could barely see in the dark alley.

“You've got five seconds to tell me who you are and why you're tracking me.”  Yuuto said sternly.  He'd rather not kill someone unless it was unavoidable.

The man jolted, not having realised Yuuto had heard him. Usually, he would use the man’s questions to his advantage, and would just shoot his target, but the man did nothing of the sort. Instead, he raised his arms in surrender.

However, there was an amused laugh.

“Well, you’re sharp as ever. A few years off the job, and I thought you would have gone slack.” The man took his sunglasses off and he pulled his mask down, stepping out of the dark so Yuuto could see him properly.

“Long time no see."

Yuuto kept his gun on the man as he laughed, frowning a little.  That laugh sounded familiar...and so did that voice.  But no...there was no way.  The gun faltered in his hand as the man stepped out of the shadows and dropped completely when the other removed both his sunglasses and his red scarf.  Yuuto's eyes widened as he recognized the face of the man who had been following him.

“...Shun...”  He breathed, stepping out from behind the corner and lifting his goggles and removing his mask so the other could see his face.  He couldn't believe it.  Shun was here, in Heartland, right in front of him.  He took a couple steps forwards, as if he was still unsure if it was really Shun, before finally punching his arm, as if that physical test was what he needed to make sure he was there.  And, turns out, he was real.  

“...I almost shot you, you ass!  Why didn't you call out to me?”  He cried.

Shun rolled his eyes as he was punched and put his arms down. “I didn’t want to cause a scene or scare you. Turns out, you’re paranoid as ever and I did the exact opposite.” He paused, scratching the back of his head, not sure if he should apologise or not. He usually wouldn’t, but this was Yuuto after all.

“… It’s been a while.”

“There's an assassin in these streets that tried to kill someone I know!”  Yuuto exclaimed, defending himself.  He stared at Shun as he reacted.  He was just as socially awkward as ever...and concerned for him, it seemed.  

“Come here...”  He said softly, grabbing the man's jacket collar and pulling him down for a kiss.

Shun opened his mouth to protest but then Yuuto grabbed his collar and pulled him down. He gave a smile and he held his boyfriend, kissing him back. At least he knew how to do this.

Yuuto held Shun as close as he could, kissing back as passionately as he could until he ran out of air.  He pulled back and smiled at Shun.

“...I missed you...I'm glad you're back...”  He said softly.

Shun pulled away for a moment and he smiled back at the man. “I missed you so much too. Sorry it took me so long to get back home..."

“You're not even back home yet...come on.  You're staying with me.”  Yuuto said, leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.  Even if Reiji was buying Shun a fancy room, he'd force him out of it. He grabbed Shun's hand and led him down the alleyway towards the building where he lived.  

Shun rolled his eyes again but allowed Yuto to pull him along out of the alleyway. Once there, he quickened his pace, so they could walk side by side.

“… Where are you staying anyway?"

“I own a small apartment building and rent out rooms.  Yuuya stays with me too, of course.”  Yuuto said, gently leaning into Shun's arm as the man walked next to him, still in partial disbelief that he was actually here.

“...You're here on a job right?  How long are you staying?”  

“Me?” Shun shrugged, “I’m looking into the guys framing Akaba. So as long as I’m on the case, really.” Shun looked at the man and frowned down at him. “Since when were you Akaba’s contact?"

“I see.”  Yuuto frowned a bit in return.

“...Mutou was one of my tenants before he was arrested.  When I cleaned out his room, I found an LDS pin.  I showed it to Akaba because I wanted to know why he had it...whether Akaba was one of his targets or maybe the instigator.  And also, whether or not you were involved somehow...”  Yuuto said softly.  

“I see… Akaba didn’t tell me much, but you were supposed to fill me in on the situation.” The man said. “I’ve been in Maimi City for the last few months tidying up some of Akaba’s loose ends. Neither of us were focusing on Mutou until recently, because of the trials, and I’m only here because of that pin.”

Yuuto took in the information.  So that must mean that Reiji didn't really know anything about the assassins.  

“So if that's true, then your mission is to find the assassin who shot that psychologist at the trial, because they might carry on where Mutou left off trying to kill CEOs.” Yuuto concluded.

“Then I do have a bit of information for you...when I was at the bar, I asked Yubel if they knew who was behind the shooting.  Yubel has connections in the Underworld...news travels through them alot. Yubel said it may have been on of Michel Roger's security men...one who was big, burly and is missing an eye.”  

“I know. I overheard you.” Shun said, shrugging. “Didn’t know Yubel was still in the business. You’d think that old bat would be deaf by now.” He frowned, racking his brains. “I’ll see what I can do with Roger’s databases, see who purchased his services lately. That’s probably going to be the fastest way to go about it.”

“Got a place for me to stay?"

“And you overhearing was what tipped me off to your stalking.”  Yuuto mused.  He nodded.

“Since Mutou recently left, I do have a room that you can have, if you want...but if not, you can stay with me in my room.  Either way, you're staying here.”  Yuuto said, reaching the door to his apartment building.

“Well, it wasn’t like I wasn’t going to show myself,” Shun retorted. He walked up after Yuto and looked around, raising an eyebrow. “Not bad place… How many people you rooming here, ‘landlord’?”

Yuuto shook his head slightly.

“You could've approached me in the bar, you know.  In normal relationships, it's not uncommon for partners to buy each other drinks and chat at a bar.”  Yuuto mused.

“The number fluctuates, since this isn't really meant to be a long-term establishment...but I can house as many as 20 here.  Right now, we have 16, soon to be 17, with the addition of you.”  Yuuto said, opening the door and gesturing Shun inside.

“I didn’t know it was you at first. Well… I suspected but I didn’t want to get my hopes up.” He said honestly. “I… I’ve… never mind.” Shun shook his head, but he squeezed Yuto’s hand, hinting at what he was going to say.

“I see. Not bad.” He said, following after the man. “… I shouldn’t take up one of your tenant’s room. We can share if you’re offering… Like old times”

Yuuto's eyes softened and he smiled.

“You made a wise decision...there are three other men running around with my face, after all. People have jumped the gun before and called me the wrong brother.”  Yuuto mused, squeezing Shun's hand back to show he understood.  Shun usually had no trouble with words, when he did decide to use them, so for him to be having trouble...Yuuto must truly have been missed.

“I could use some 'old times' right now...come on.  My room is this way.”  Yuuto said, guiding him through the building to his door.  He unlocked the door and let Shun in.

“The bed's a little small...but I'm sure we can fit if we snuggle up close together.”  Yuuto said softly, trying not to sound too eager. He could still scarcely believe that Shun was here, in his room, within his grasp.  

Shun rolled his eyes. “Your brothers all look so different to you. Only idiots would confuse you four.” Shun said, evidently forgetting he could only tell Yuto out of the bunch and not the others.

The man followed him through the apartment, up a single flight of stairs to Yuto’s room. Only when the door was closed behind them did the tension drop from his shoulder, and a huge sigh came back from him.

He was home. He was back in Heartland, in a room that smelt so familiar to him, with a person he hasn’t seen in so long. Shun hadn’t realised how much he had missed the city and Yuto until he found himself in the bedroom.

“It’ll fit us both. That’s all that matters.” The man’s bag slumped to the floor and the gun cases were put down before he reached out to hug Yuto.

Yuuto snorted at Shun's comment.

“I assume you're counting yourself among those idiots...I seem to recall a time when you messed up Yuugo's name and he almost ran you over on his bike.”  Yuuto teased gently.  He knew Shun never mistook his face, but he also acknowledged that it was difficult to keep track of.  He took the silence as an opportunity to take off his cloak, his mask, his gun and his goggles with a sigh.  He too felt more comfortable in his room, since he knew it was safe here.  He could tell Shun was relaxed too, once he initiated a hug.  Yuuto held him back, smiling and closing his eyes, taking in Shun's familiar scent and reminding himself that he wasn't dreaming.  Shun was here.

“You're home Shun...I missed you so much...I'm so glad you're here...”  Yuuto said, holding Shun tighter.

“Yuugo’s name is stupidly confusing. How am I supposed to know him? I don’t mix you up, I just mess his name up.”

Shun leaned into Yuto’s hold, wanting to say the same but finding that it was better just to hold him and acknowledge his warmth, the feel of his hair against his face, and just everything. He didn’t know he missed or loved Yuuto so much until now, but he knew that he wasn’t going to get anything done today.

And Yuuto understood. Shun wasn't a very talkative guy, so he communicated more in gestures.  Leaning into his hug was enough of a response for Yuuto to know he'd been missed and Shun loved him too.  Yuuto pulled back enough to kiss Shun again.  Since Shun didn't feel like talking, he could communicate in actions too, he figured.  

Shun kissed him back. There was nothing gentle about it, but it was a warm and passionate kiss. One that had been held back for years, speaking of the yearning he had for the man. The mission sat in the back of Shun’s mind now, and he backed Yuto into the bed, holding him tight.

“… You’ve gotten soft.” Shun muttered, as he ran his fingers on Yuto’s lanky body. “It’s different"

Yuuto pushed back into the kiss, glad the feeling of longing was mutual.  He let Shun move him, holding onto the taller man to help with his balance as he was backed into the bed.  

“...Different, good, I hope...I don't work out as much anymore...”  Yuuto said softly, knowing that he was in no means out of shape, but since he wasn't a mercenary anymore, he had no need to be in as good as shape as Shun.  He leaned into the man's touch, also gently unzipping Shun's blue jacket so he could take it off and return the favor.

‘I said it’s different, not that it’s bad,” Shun said, not wanting to give Yuto the idea that he wanted him to be unhealthy, but meaning that a change of pace was nice. He could have explained himself better, but words were wasteful anyway.

The zips came easily off as Shun began to unbutton Yuto’s shirt, not wanting to wait any longer. He had done his time, years under Akaba’s thumb, and he didn’t want to waste a moment without his partner. The man kissed him, loosening the other’s garments off, trying to bury his face into Yuto’s skin again.

Yuuto smiled.

“Good...”  He said softly, getting Shun's jacket off once the zipper came loose.  He let out a soft moan as Shun began burrowing his face into his exposed neck, tilting his head away so Shun would get better access.  His hands went under the skin-tight shirt Shun wore underneath his coat, trying to push it up and running his hands over Shun's toned body, still strong from all the jobs he'd been doing lately.  Yuuto had missed Shun too...he didn't want to wait either.

Shun wasn’t exactly the most gentle of creatures. Even as he pulled Yuto’s clothes off, he bit hard on Yuto’s neck, licking and chewing at the skin like he used to years ago. There was little he could do besides just kiss and tear at the garments with his own clothes on, but he was fully engrossed in treating Yuto, feeling him up.

“Is there lotion in here?” He muttered, kissing another spot on his neck.

Yuuto was well aware of how rough Shun could be, and he found his body craved it now.  It had been too long since he'd been touched, kissed, felt up like this.  He was somewhat conscious of where they were, knowing that relatively thin walls separated him and Shun from the other tenants in this building, so he did try to keep his volume down, but could not stop his moans completely.  

“...Yes...left drawer...” Yuuto managed to grunt out, pointing to Shun's left.  

Shun practically had to rip himself away from the man’s body, though it was hard with Yuuto moaning and groaning under him and teasing him like that, so he could yank the last of Yuuto’s clothes off. With his partner naked, Shun quickly undressed, as if he had no time to lose. The jacket was tossed somewhere, the pants and underwear discarded on the floor in one fell swoop. He leaned over and began digging through the drawers, giving Yuuto a moment to look at his scarred frame over.

Yuuto couldn't really help the noises he was making, but was fighting to keep quiet.  He didn't want to tip the whole building off as to what was happening.  He didn't mind when Shun stripped him down, moving when necessary to speed up the process. He stayed lying on the bed while Shun dug through the drawers, allowing himself a look over his lover's body.  He was used to Shun's scarred appearance, but there seemed to be more than he remembered.  He reached out gently and traced a newer scar on Shun's exposed hip.

“...You're working too hard...”  Yuuto said softly, a little concerned by the number of scars.  He hated seeing Shun in pain.  He knew he had some too, but not nearly as many as Shun boasted, and none were new like Shun's were.

“Your drawers are messy,” Shun muttered as he rummaged through them. He was pulling stuff towards him, trying to find this lube when he suddenly felt Yuuto touch his hip. The man paused as he felt Yuuto touch what was clearly once a bullet wound before he shrugged.

“I need the money. There’s not much else I do it for. Ruri can earn her own keep but someone’s gotta help fund her overseas study.” Shun muttered. “I probably will go on after she graduates with her PhD though.”

Yuuto leaned over, reaching into the drawer to help find the lube.  He pulled out the small bottle of lube.  

“Here...”  He said softly, placing the bottle on the top of the dresser.  He continued to trace a few other scars on his lover's body gently and lovingly, trying to re-map his body with nothing but his fingertips.  

“I understand...I'm glad Ruri's doing well.  It's been ages since I've seen her too...”  Yuuto said softly.

“I almost had it,” Shun muttered, taking it and facing Yuuto, feeling the coarse hands touch him yet again. He let Yuuto do so, kneeling down so he could coat his own dick in preparation. Yuuto could feel so many new scars though, and whatever wasn’t a scar was a bruise, but those were probably from what Shun did in his downtime.

“You should call her. She’d like that. Take some heat off me. She tells me I don’t video chat her enough.”

Yuuto continued to gently trace Shun's scars, then moved his thumb over to rub one of Shun's nipples.

“I'd like that...you'll have to give me her number.”  He said with a small smile, kissing Shun's cheek as the other prepared himself.

“I swear you have it… but whatever. Later. I don’t want to be talking about my sister now.” Shun said, smirking as he felt Yuuto’s hands over his body. He kept moving his hand until he felt he was at least decently erect, and he then pushed Yuuto back onto the bed.

“Been sleeping with anyone besides me?"

“I think I lost it...but you're right.  We can deal with that later.”  Yuuto said with a smile.  He let himself be pushed back onto the bed, staring up at Shun as the man loomed over him.

“No...I haven't.”  

“Then you don’t have a fucking condom.” It was both relieving and annoying to hear. “You’re lucky I don’t have STDs or shit.” He kissed Yuuto again and he grabbed the lotion, beginning to rim his entrance.

“Then you haven't been with anyone either.”  Yuuto concluded with a smile, kissing Shun back and trying to relax as Shun prepared him. It had been awhile since he'd done this.

“When you’re constantly plotting to kill someone, sex tends to get pushed back.” Shun said, essentially confirming Yuuto's words. He fingered the rim of his partner’s body gently, and then slowly started to pump the man.

“....yeah...it does.” Yuuto said softly.  Although, he and Shun had always found time for it during their partnership before as mercenaries.  Yuuto groaned softly as he was fingered and moaned as he was pumped. He kept his body relaxed and held onto Shun, still so glad he was back with him.

One hand on Yuuto’s cock, the other slipping a second finger in. Shun was surprisingly careful, trying to remember how exactly it felt and what Yuuto liked. As he scissored the man, he stared at his face, gaze analytical yet somehow gentle.

“… I should have been back here more often"

Yuuto was appreciative of how gentle Shun was being.  He could remember the man being much rougher on him.  He moaned, trying to resist the urge to roll his hips as his erection was fondled. He gazed up at Shun in order to distract himself a bit and let the other prepare him.  He smiled.

“Yeah...ngh....you should have...but you're here now...that's what matters...”  Yuuto managed to say softly, pulling Shun down again so he could kiss him.

Shun snorted as he was kissed again and he bit down, teasingly rather than painfully. Shun stuck a third finger in and stretched as far as he could manage. “Ready?”

Yuuto groaned a little as he was bit, not from pain, but from pleasure.  He fought not to tense as he was stretched further.  It had been too long since he'd done anything and he knew he was tight at the moment, so he bore with it.  

“Yeah.”  He said softly.

“Oy.” Shun moved a hand off Yuuto’s dick to flick his head. “I said ‘are you ready?’ Not are you ready to have your ass ripped. If it’s still too much, I’m not shoving my dick into you.” Shun muttered.

Yuuto blinked as his forehead was flicked.  

“I'm not ready to have my ass ripped, Shun...but I don't think I can be stretched much more. Just...start slow, okay?  My body will adapt...”  Yuuto said, knowing the man was only concerned.  He also knew Shun would never actually hurt him for real.

Shun sighed but he pushed a rough kiss onto Yuuto’s lips. He took his hand, intertwining his fingers with his and positioned himself so the head sat already inside of Yuuto’s entrance. “Okay… Slow… Right..."

Yuuto pushed back against Shun's rough kiss.  He gave Shun's hand a squeeze when the other held his.

“You can do it...”  He said, relaxing himself as Shun got ready.

Shun nodded and he gently eased himself into Yuuto’s body. He closed his eyes, doing his best to hold back. “How’s that? More?” He asked, sliding half his dick in.

Yuuto kept his body relaxed, letting Shun push into him gently.  It was tight, but not painful at this point...thankfully Shun had stretched him enough.

“More...”  

Shun obeyed, pushing in as far as he could until their hips met with one another, and he could feel Yuuto’s cock on his abdomen. The man looked down at his partner’s expression.

“Say it again,” he muttered.

Yuuto kept himself relaxed, squeezing Shun's hand as the man pushed himself in all the way.  He took a couple deep breaths, getting used to the feeling of Shun inside him.  Once he felt he was ready, he smiled at Shun with half-lidded eyes.  

“More.”  He whispered seductively.

Shun placed one hand on Yuuto’s hip and adjusted himself. He pulled almost all the way out before he pushed his cock back into Yuuto’s body, going back as far as his thick girth would allow him, groaning slightly as he felt the younger man’s body cling around him.

Yuuto groaned as well as Shun started to move, holding Shun's free hand.  He was slowly getting used to it after Shun gave a couple of controlled and more gentle thrusts.  He moaned as the man pushed back into him.  

“Shun...a little...faster...”  He managed to say after he felt he was ready enough to take it up a notch.

Shun gave a small grunt, showing he heard Yuuto before he began quietly fucking him, moving his hips faster, changing the rhythm a little for shorter, more rough bursts. He moaned quietly, gaze set straight on his partner.

Yuuto moaned louder when Shun's rhythm changed.  This was more what he remembered from their sex years ago: short and rough, but still so pleasurable.  Eventually, one of Shun's rough ploughs slammed into Yuuto's prostate head on, and Yuuto had to bite his lip to keep from crying out too loudly.

“Shun...again!”  He moaned, clenching his legs as if he could push Shun further into him, craving more of that euphoric feeling that he had missed so much.  The face he gave Shun was one of pure bliss.

Shun moaned as he felt Yuuto’s body move against him, squeezing him, and thrashing about wildly. He couldn’t help but be swept up in the euphoria, and he could feel everything intermingle from their sweat and their warm touches. He was feeling better than ever, and he was starting to move harder.

“Yuuto… Yuuto…” Shun growled and nipped his neck, continuing his wild penetration of the smaller man. “Nghh~ Yuuto~"

Yuuto writhed beneath Shun, arching his back and trying to push his hips back in time with Shun's wild thrusts.  Shun was relentless, yet Yuuto felt he still couldn't get enough of this euphoria.  It had been far too long since he'd felt this alive and pleasured.  

“Ah~  Shun...”  He moaned, fighting very hard to keep his voice down enough so that he wouldn't wake up other tenants.   He tilted his head away from Shun to give him better access as the man continued his assault on his neck, kissing and nipping him.  With every movement, Yuuto's own cock was rubbing against Shun's abdomen, and the friction was close to pushing Yuuto over the edge.  As much as he didn't want this to end, eventually, he couldn't hold on anymore.  

“Shun!”  He cried, cumming hard against both their stomachs, and squeezing his lover's hand tightly as he did.

Shun couldn’t stop biting him. Some of his motions were dragged out, and he held a chomp down so he could focus on thrusting deep inside of his partner. It had been a long time since they had done it, and it felt like it was too soon when Yuuto released and Shun felt the warm liquid pool on his stomach.

Shun squeezed Yuuto’s hand back and he stopped thrusting after that, despite being still hard. He looked down at his partner and after a moment he shook his head.

“You really didn’t see anyone while I was gone. You weren’t always that easy to please.” He said, looking down at Yuuto, enjoying how the man looked, all sweaty and panting, covered in angry red marks from his cheek to his collarbone.

Yuuto lay on the bed, still enjoying post-orgasmic bliss as he stared up at Shun.  He knew that he and Shun used to be able to go longer, but he hadn't been with anyone in years, and lately he'd been feeling a bit needy. His neck and cheek tingled and stung slightly from the bites, but it still felt so good.  He snorted a bit when Shun spoke.

“...Shouldn't you consider that a compliment?  Nobody's as good as you...”  Yuuto mused softly.  He clenched his legs a bit, kicking a little at Shun's back with his heel.

“Come on.  Keep going...you gotta finish too.”    

Shun rolled his eyes as Yuuto ‘complimented’ him and he moved his hands so he could grope the other’s ass. The thrusts then continued, another round of short, quick bursts, making the colour rise to Shun’s face, his moans breathy and light.

“Don’t… hahhhh… get erect again…” Shun muttered, thrusting into his partner, burying his face into the other’s shoulder.

Yuuto let Shun let go of his hand in favor of groping and squeezing his ass.  He moved his arms to wrap around Shun's shoulders, holding onto Shun's body as he was thrust into once more.  He dug his fingers of one hand into the man's hair as Shun buried his face in his shoulder.  He couldn't help but moan as well as he was thrust into.

“I'll...try not to...” He managed to groan out, though his cock was twitching.  Dammit. He bit one of Shun's earlobes, tonguing the cartilage, trying to excite Shun further.

Shun had always been one for pain. He groaned out as he felt Yuuto tug his hair and rake through his back, getting more excited as he felt the nip. “You’re going to…” Shun muttered, thrusting again. “And then what am I gonna do to you?” He said, almost mocking as he continued, feeling his climax rush quickly towards him.

Yuuto bit harder on Shun's earlobe, then pulled his lover's head to the side by the hair so he could bite his neck in retaliation for all the nips he'd left on his own skin.  

“...I have to...be able to walk tomorrow...”  Yuuto muttered between bites and licks.  He knew he was fighting a losing battle, already semi-hard.  Maybe he could just take a cool shower...they both needed to get cleaned up after this.

Shun groaned as he felt the bites sink deeper, making furious red marks to company any small injury he had himself. He pretended he didn’t hear Yuuto when he spoke, instead favouring to hold his release back to continue fucking him. He could feel Yuuto’s member get harder against his stomach again and he internally smirked.

“Yuuto…” Shun groaned as he kept going. “Hahhhh! Yuuto!"

Yuuto moaned as Shun continued to thrust into him.  That, combined with the friction of his cock against Shun's abdomen, made it basically impossible for him not to get another damn erection.  Well he was thoroughly fucked, wasn't he?  He dug his nails into Shun's back, making tiny scratch marks to accompany older, deeper ones that marred the man's skin.  

“Shun...ah...”  He moaned softly around the bites he left on Shun's neck.  He was also turned on by pain, and Shun's thrusts were pounding him thoroughly.  He didn't want to stop.

But Shun wasn’t a superhuman and despite going for a few more, long minutes, he finally hit his limit. With a loud cry, the man leaned forward into Yuuto’s skin and he came, pushing deep into his body.

As Shun continued to thrust, Yuuto kept biting his neck and moaning into the man's skin.  Sensing that Shun probably couldn't go for much longer, he managed to snake one hand down to pump himself until Shun finally finished.  He groaned loudly, feeling a bit of stinging with the release, meaning he'd probably torn himself a bit.  But, overall, the warmth against his nerves felt amazing.  It was enough for him to finish again, cumming against their stomachs for a second time before stopping his biting to let his head to roll back into the pillow, against Shun's head, letting them both catch their breaths.  

Shun pretty much swept Yuuto into his arms and kissed him. He curled against him as they were brought together, and he just pulled the blanket over them, not caring how filthy they were.

“… I missed you. I said it before but…” He moved some strands of Yuuto’s hair out of his face and looked at him, drinking in his face.

Yuuto let Shun sweep him up, too tired to protest.  He put his arms around Shun as well, holding him close under the covers.  He smiled slightly as he was kissed again.

“...I know...I've missed you so much...”  Yuuto said softly, reciprocating Shun's actions by brushing his boyfriend's sweaty bangs out of his face so he could get a better look at his golden-yellow eyes.

Shun blushed a little, and not knowing what to do, he kissed Yuuto before burying his face into the other’s shoulder, quietly.

Yuuto's smile widened as he saw Shun blush.  He knew it was a sight that very few people had ever seen...in fact, he was probably the only person aside from Ruri who saw it, and it was adorable.  He also knew what it meant, gently petting Shun's hair as the other buried his head into his shoulder.

“...I love you too, Shun.” He said softly, closing his eyes and relaxing in his lover's arms.

“… It’s been a while since I slept in early…” Shun muttered as a response. He closed his eyes, finding himself relax completely for once. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Let me have this."

Yuuto continued petting Shun's hair, as if to lull him to sleep.  He was the same, barely sleeping at night.  Especially last night, since he'd been dancing with Yuuya until early morning, then had to meet Reiji a few hours later.  

“Of course...good night, Shun.”  Yuuto said gently, keeping his eyes closed and smiling.

“Night… Yuuto.” Shun said, falling asleep.

…

Only to be woken a few hours later by the sound of knocking on the door. Yuuya had slept over at Mizael’s as promised, but he had returned the next morning bright and early. He was going to ask his brother about getting more groceries for the compound when he found his brother wasn’t in his office as he usually was.

“… I wonder where he is.” Yuuya muttered, looking around. He walked around the ground floor towards Yuuto’s bedroom and raised an eyebrow when he saw the door closed. His brother didn’t usually sleep in this late- it was almost 9- but Yuuya wanted to be sure he didn’t suddenly go out. “Yuuto? You home, buddy?” He called, knocking loudly, not expecting his brother to actually be in there.

Yuuto usually didn't sleep in this long, but he'd exhausted himself the night before.  Plus, Shun was home, and falling asleep wrapped in Shun's arms made him feel safe and happy, so there was nothing worth waking up for. Or at least, that was until Yuuya knocked on the door.  He groaned as he heard knocking, then his brother's voice calling out to him.  

“Coming Yuuya....”  He managed to call, not really wanting his brother to walk in on him like this.  He reluctantly untangled himself from Shun, trying not to disturb him.  He got up stiffly, still a bit sore from last night.  He noticed the state of his room: clothes were everywhere.  Shun had torn his clothes off his body and truly chucked them all over the place.  He eventually located his boxers and put them on quickly, not really caring about the rest of his appearance as he made his way to the door.  He opened it just a bit so that Yuuya could see him, but wouldn't be able to see Shun or the rest of the room behind him.  

“Sorry, I just woke up...” He said softly, not wanting to speak too loudly and wake up Shun, if he wasn't awake yet.

Shun let go of Yuuto very hesitantly, but after being on the road for a while, he was tired, and Yuuto was able to answer the door.

Yuuya’s eyes widened as he saw his brother. His hair being messy after waking up wasn’t a surprise but the rest of him was. He had never seen his brother sleep in anything less than a singlet and sweatpants before, and he could see all sorts of marks on his neck.

“… Holy shit. Are you kidding? Kurosaki is home?”

Yuuto sighed, rubbing one eye with the heel of his hand.

“Shocking right...I do know how to sleep in...”  He muttered, before pausing as the last bit of his brother's sentence kicked in.

“...How'd you know Shun is here?”  Yuuto asked, surprised and for the moment forgetting that his neck was covered in fresh bite marks and bruises.

“You’re not the kind to pick up hookers and you’re covered in bitemarks and hickeys. Who else is going to be in your bed?” Yuuya said, trying to see around Yuuto to catch a glimpse of Yuuto’s elusive partner.

“Sawatari is going to throw a fit though. You’re dancing tonight and your bruises are just gonna darken later."

Yuuto blinked, flushing a bit and putting a hand to his neck to cover half the bites.  He'd forgotten about those.  He moved to block Yuuya's vision when the other tried to see past him, closing the door further so Yuuya couldn't see the mess.

“Shun got in last night, late, so he's still sleeping.  Leave him alone for now...”  Yuuto said, before groaning at Yuuya's second comment.

“Dammit, I forgot about that...I'll have to borrow some concealer or something.”  He muttered.

“Awww… but I wanted to see your future husband,” Yuuya gave a mock pout before he patted his brother on the back happily. “I got my makeup upstairs. You can borrow it later, alright? Don’t worry about it, alright?”

“He's not my future husband...”  Yuuto muttered.  “You can see Shun later...it sounds like he could be staying here for awhile.”  

“Thanks...I'll come get it later.  For now, I'm going back to bed.  Take your meds and don't bug me, okay?”  Yuuto said sternly to Yuuya.

“Really?” Yuuya asked. “Well he better. He hasn’t been here in a long time.” He smiled, seeing how happy Yuuto was despite how grumpy he seemed. Shun really made his brother happy, and Yuuya was glad to see that.

“Alright, alright. I’ll make you guys breakfast and leave it out for you. Go shower too, bro. You stink.” Yuuya laughed.

Yuuto smiled a bit in return.

“He is.  I'm making sure of it.”  Yuuto said.  He didn't want Shun to leave now that he had him back.  He rolled his eyes.

“Later, I will.  Good night.”  He said, flicking Yuuya's forehead with a small smile in thanks before closing the door.  He made his way back to Shun, snuggling back under the covers with him contently.

Yuuya just gave his brother a grin before he headed off upstairs to get his other pain medication. He was glad Yuuto had Shun… maybe things were going to be better for him in the future.

[pyrachan]

» Fear/Huntshipping Police AU Part 25

Remember when I updated this frequently?

Part 23: [x] Part 24: [x]

—–

Yuuma had a day off of work for once, and unfortunately, Shark was working.  He'd called all his friends, and they were too busy working on other things to hang out.  Kotori and Alit had their baby, Cathy and Tokunosuke were working and Takashi wanted to stay in with Vector, who was having a bad day where he felt less energized and weaker than normal.  Fuuya was job-hunting with Astral for the day and didn't want any distractions.  Pouting, Yuuma flipped through his contacts, before finally spotting the name Sakaki Yuuya.  He frowned as he tried to recall who it was, until it finally hit him that this was the red-headed boy who was rooming with Astral.  Yuuya had been nice enough, so Yuuma decided he'd call him to see if he was free.  He dialed the number and waited for the other to answer the phone.

Yuuya was finished cleaning around and was trying to do some paperwork, getting and forwarding fake IDs and documents from various clients. Yuto sat in front of him, rifling through papers, and Yuuya was about to start whining that he was bored when he was suddenly saved by his phone.

“One sec,” He told his brother, before getting up and hurrying out of the small room. Most people who called him were customers, so he didn’t care that his phone didn’t recognise the number. “Hello! Sakaki Yuuya! Can I help you?”

“Hey, Yuuya it's Tsukumo Yuuma!  Remember me?”  Yuuma said happily.  

“I was wondering if you wanted to hang out today?  We could get lunch or something?”  

Yuuya blinked before he nodded. Yeah, he knew him. There weren’t many non-clients who he talked to… and Tsukumo Yuuma was a memorable character.

“Oh? Um… sure? I guess I could. Any particular reason?” He asked, confused. He hadnt been asked out much

Yuuma beamed as Yuuya said he was free.  

“Great!  Oh, and no particular reason other than we haven't seen each other in awhile!  Friends gotta keep up with each other right?”  Yuuma said with a grin.  Even though he hadn't seen much of Yuuya, he did consider them to be friends already.  He made friends very easily after all.

“Friends…” Yuuya paused before he smiled. “Yeah! Okay! Where do you wanna meet up? Lunch sounds great.”

“Awesome, I'm starving!  So, my other friend Inchou told me about this place downtown we could go to!”  Yuuma said, relaying the address to Yuuya.

“I'll meet you there in a half hour or so?”  

“Eh?” So soon? But Yuuya shook his head and gave a hearty laugh. “Okay! I’ll see you there! Bye, Yuuma!” Yuuya hung up and hurried back to the office, practically skipping.

Raising an eyebrow, Yuto watched his brother pick his work up and dump it on Yuto’s pile. Then he gave his brother a pleading smile.

“What?”

“I have lunch plans… so… I need some help. You know how bad I am at math…” He batted his eyes and smiled. Yuto just stared at him before bonking his head with some papers. “Oy…”

“. . . Fine. You can go. Make sure you have everything and don’t be out late.”

“I will!” Yuuya grabbed one of the stray bottles of medication off the table and pocketed his phone. “See ya, Yuto!"

Yuto waved him off with a sigh, bowing his head so that his brother wouldn't see the small smile he was hiding.  It had been awhile since Yuuya had gone out and gotten himself a friend...hopefully this one would be more understanding than his last ones.  

“I'll see you soon!”  Yuuma said, before hanging up, grabbing his wallet and heading out to catch the bus.  He soon reached the restaurant where he waited outside, searching up and down the streets for Yuuya eagerly.  He really was starving after all!

Yuuya really had only one friend besides his brothers, and he was often overseas, so Yuuya was often pretty lonely. He found his step was just a bit quicker when he got off the bus and headed over to where Yuuma was. Thankfully Yuuma was huge.

“Hey!” Yuuya grinned. “Sorry I’m ten minutes late."

Yuuma was practically pouting as he had to wait for Yuuya, but he beamed as he finally spotted the familiar young man.  He bounded over to greet him.

“My stomach doesn't like it, but I otherwise don't mind!”  Yuuma said with a laugh.

“Come on, let's go inside so we can eat and talk!  What's new with you?”  Yuuma said, leading Yuuya inside.

“Huh? Oh, nothing. Performing, writing… nothing out of the ordinary. Just work.” Yuuya sighed, smiling.”And yourself?"

Yuuma nodded along.

“Sounds like fun though!  I don't mind performing!”  He said happily.  They sat at the table across from each other to talk.  

“I've been mostly working, but I've also been visiting friends!  My sister's gonna have a baby soon, and one of my best friends just had her first baby, so we've been visiting her!  She's super cute!”  

“Oh wow, that’s wonderful news. Must be really exciting,” Yuuya chuckled, grinning

"You bet! I'm gonna be the best uncle ever to both of them! Well, maybe second to Gilag in Kotori's house, since he's the actual uncle." Yuma said with a laugh.  He smiled.

"How's your brother doing?"

Yuuya covered his mouth and chuckled quietly. He had forgotten what a character Yuuma was. Already he felt at ease around him.

“Which one?” Yuuya joked. “Yuuto is fine. Busy as always. He’s covering for me so we can hang out, so that means he’s been in a good mood."

"Which one? You have more than one? I haven't met them! What're they like? How many do you have?" Yuma asked with a grin.

"Good! Thank him for me okay? Maybe next time I'll invite you both out!" Yuma said.

Yuuya laughed as they were seated. “I have Yuuto, Yuugo and Yuuri. Yuugo does tattoos for me and my brother. He did Kibou’s tattoos as well. Yuuri is a minor politician- he’s slowly working up the ranks to govern.”

“Ah…That would be nice, thank you."

Yuuma listened with interest.

“Oh really?  I've seen Kibou's tattoos and they're really good!  Yuugo's awesome at tattooing if he's the one who did them!”  Yuuma said.

“So does that mean Yuuri's not around?  Being in government is probably super busy, right?”  Yuuma said.  

“Oh, and hey, if I invited all of them out...we'd be like the 'Yu' Squad!”  Yuuma said with a laugh.

“Also he’s a massive douchebag, so we don’t talk about him” Yuuya chuckled, though his eyes were dark and expression was completely serious. “Seriously, don’t invite him ever.”

“But Yu squad… sounds fun.” He musing.

“Okay...no Yuuri then.  But Yuugo's okay?  Do you like him?”  Yuuma asked.  He nodded.

“I'll be the fourth 'Yu' then, if Yuuri isn't joining!”  Yuuma said cheerily.  The waitress came by at that moment to take their orders, and Yuuma eagerly ordered a huge dish that would quell his hunger pains.

“Yuugo is okay. If he isn’t making out with his motorbike, he’d love to come. He reminds me of you, somewhat.” Yuuya laughed. The man was sure to order something considerably smaller… like a stack of pancakes the size of him. Sure.

“He sounds like another 'Yu' I know...Fudo Yusei!  He's my boss at the garage where I work!  He loves to bike cause he's from Neo Domino.  I'll bet your brother and Yusei would get along, since they're both in love with biking!”  Yuuma said with a chuckle.  

“Not everyone gets along because they have the same interests.” Yuuya mused, not realising the irony that his brother was actually part timing for Yusei. “My whole family is actually from Neo Domino, but we all moved here when we were all kids.”

“Yeah, I guess that's true.  But at least there's a shot that they might!  Oh cool!  Why'd you move?”  Yuuma asked.

“Family stuff. Mum got a job here and we all moved.” Yuuya smiled. Also biker Yoko had a lot of enemies in Neo Domino… nothing new, honestly. “It’s no big deal, really. Were you a Heartland resident for all your life?"

“Yep!  I was born and raised here along with Nee-chan.  Most of my friends are the same way, but I know a couple now from Neo Domino, and also from Italy of all places.”  Yuuma said happily.

“Wow… Well, it’s a beautiful place. It can feel rather glamorous at times,” Yuuya smiled. Both he and Yuuma knew the darker side of the city, but there was no point being pessimistic. It was a nice place to live, most of the time.

“Yeah, I like it here, despite everything.  I've been to Neo Domino on vacation with Shark, and neither of us thought that it could compare to Heartland.”  Yuuma said with a smile.  

“It’s different, more competitive. I feel Heartland is almost sleepy sometimes.” Yuuya laughed, very much aware that he dealt with criminals and was a stripper on a regular basis.

Yuuma nodded.

“Not much competition here...but it's nice that way.  It's also more political...there's big companies running everything, I hear.”  Yuuma mused, recalling what Vector had told him about how the big companies such as MIDS had controlled quite a bit of Neo Domino.  He beamed as his food was placed in front of him by the waitress.

“Yay!  Food's here!  Let's eat, Yuuya!”  Yuuma said, grabbing his chopsticks and digging in eagerly.

“Oh, that sounds about right. Mum used to tell us lots of stories about that city when we still lived with her.” Yuuya smiled as his pancakes were served and grinned. “Itadakimasu!” He grinned, before cutting into the fluffy pancakes

For several minutes, the only sounds that could be heard from the table were the two young men chewing loudly and eagerly as they devoured their food.  Yuuma was very happy to be eating and also glad that Yuuya was enjoying himself too.  

“Hey, Yuuya should we get a plate for your brother?  You know, to thank him for taking over for you and all?”  Yuuma suggested as he paused for breath for a second before shoveling more into his mouth.

“Yeah, I’ll get him something on the way out. I know what he likes.” Yuuya smiled, licking his lips and smiling. “Mmmm… I don’t know the last time I ate something so good!” He said. It tasted really good, but unusually strong. Yuuya was trembling a little, but he ignored it, so he could eat and enjoy the other man’s company.

“Good!  Pick out something good for him so he'll be inclined to join us next time!”  Yuuma said with a grin.  He nodded in agreement after shoveling a little bit more into his mouth.

“I know, right?  My friend and his partner come here often...they love this place!  Apparently it's where they had their first date.”  Yuuma said with a smile.  Vector had eventually told him about that first date night between Shingetsu Rei and Takashi, and how funny it had been to watch him get drunk out of nervousness.  Takashi had only blushed in response.

“Hopefully.” Yuuya said, taking another scoop of his brunch pancakes.

“Did they? I can see why. It looks really cozy.” Yuuya gave a small smile. “And it’s really nice…” He glanced around, frowning when his eyes came to the clock. The trembling came back again, and when pain shot through him again, Yuuya realised he hadn’t taken his medicine. The pain always came so quickly, as if out of nowhere, but if he took his pills now, he should have been fine. He wasn’t too worried about Yuuma seeing him take his meds, since Yuuma had seen the bottle before, so he freely poured water for himself.

“One sec…” Yuuya rustled through his pockets for the pill container and he pulled it out. However, when he opened it- “Oh no.”

“It is cozy and the food is great, so I love it here!”  Yuuma said, eating a little more and watching Yuuya curiously as the man dug through his pockets.  He blinked.

“Something wrong, Yuuya?”  He asked, seeing the look of concern on Yuuya's face.

“I…” Yuuya was tempted to call his brother, but seeing the look on Yuuma’s face, he smiled and shook his head. Just smile… That’s what he needed to do. No need to tell Yuuma that he had absolutely, no medicine left. “I’m okay. I just forgot to pick something up. I’ll do that later…” Yuuya said. He knew it was dumb to try tank through the pain, but he had taken his pills late last night… he would be fine for a couple of hours.

Yuuma listened, and eventually nodded in agreement.

“Okay!  I can go with you to get it if you want!”  Yuuma offered, wanting to help out his friend in any way he could.

‘Yeah… Thanks Yuuma.” He smiled and shuddered. “So… what do you usually do with Shark for fun?” He said, trying to get the attention off him.

Yuuma smiled, not noticing the shutter because the discussion had turned to Shark, and Shark was enough to distract him.  

“Shark and I do a lot for fun!  We hang around the house, we go riding on Shark's bike, we go out with friends....all that kind of stuff!  And ever since we got married, we've been closer than ever...it's really nice.”  Yuuma said happily, fondness for Shark evident in his voice as he spoke.

“That sounds good. And you two are always together, even at work, huh? I’m jealous. Must be nice to have a partner like that"

“It really is great to have a partner, Yuuya.  You should get one if you don't already have one...it's so nice to have someone there for you.”  Yuuma said, smiling and sighing happily.  

“We are together most of the time, and it's the best thing I could ask for...but the flip side of that is that sometimes Shark gets a shift and I'm not working, like today.  Those days make me feel a bit lonely, you know?  So I like spending my days off with friends instead of in our apartment all by myself.”  Yuuma said.

“See, this is usually the part where I say I’m happy being single, neh?” Yuuya chuckled but it was strained, especially when a jolt of pain shot down and through his arms. He put his cutlery down and squeezed his hands together, trembling. “I’m… high maintenance though” He said, steeling himself.

“Fair enough… You’re used to the company… But I guess that’s why you’re so good with people. You’re always around them.” Yuuya smiled. God… it felt strong today. Usually Yuuto would bail him out, but surely, today would be okay, right?

“I haven't been single for a long time, so I don't know how that feels.”  Yuuma admitted with a chuckle.  He frowned a bit at the second half and Yuuya's behavior.

“What about you is high maintenance?”  He asked, not sure what that meant.  He shrugged.

“I've always been social...I just love being around people and making new friends!  I'm always happy with company.”  Yuuma said happily.

“I’m… Just a whole lot of… nghhh… Problems!” Not now… Yuuya gasped, trying to smile. However, it was hard to even think at this stage. He felt dizzy and his vision felt clouded, as if suddenly pain had glazed over his eyes like a terrible haze.

As Yuuma talked, he pushed himself away from the table and stood up, nearly in tears

“E-excuse me…” Yuuya whimpered, holding his body tight as he hurried out of the restaurant.

“Yuuya?  Hey, you okay?”  Yuuma asked, noticing now that something was wrong.  He quickly put some money on the table to cover for both their meals before chasing after Yuuya.

“Yuuya!  Hey, wait up!  What's going on?”  Yuuma called.  Thankfully, he was able to catch up, since Yuuya wasn't going very quick.

Everything was hurting.

Yuuya felt that his entire body was on fire, burning him, making him want to scream. It took everything that Yuuya had to suck up the agony he was in. Everything seemed to intensify tenfold, and only exponentially got worse and worse.

It had started when he was young, when he was about fourteen. It was a rare genetic condition that only he, out of his four brothers, inherited from their parents, and Yuuya loathed it. Unless he was painfully medicated, he would experience this torture. By the time that Yuuma caught up, Yuuya would have staggered to the nearest alleyway, eyes quickly becoming bloodshot as he scratched his skin.

“Why… I can’t even go a few hours? Why am I like this?” Yuuya whispered, trembling. Everything hurt, and all down his back, he could swear he could feel thumbtacks being pressed into his spine. He felt sick… He was mad. He wasn’t smiling.

“DAMN IT!” He cried, slamming his hands on two near bins and kicking them over. Garbage spread on the ground as Yuuya held himself, not hearing Yuuma, and just… cried.

“Yuuya!”  Yuuma called, chasing after the man as he ran.  Yuuya was pretty quick, but Yuuma could see that his movements looked a bit strained, like it was hurting him to run.  That allowed Yuuma to catch up to him in an alley.  Yuuma jumped a little in surprise as Yuuya started knocking garbage bins over.

“Woah, Yuuya calm down!  What's going on?”  Yuuma asked, approaching Yuuya to try and stop him from hurting himself or something else.  He put a hand on his shoulder as the man held himself.

Yuuya paled when he heard that voice and looked back at Yuuma. He backed away, like an injured, wild animal, but Yuuma touched him.

Calm down…

He couldn’t.

He couldn’t do anything… Yuuma knew…

“No! Get away from me!” Yuuya yelled, throwing a wild flail of punches at him.

Yuuma was only concerned for his friend and had meant to comfort him by touching him, but the way Yuuya's muscles tensed told him that it wasn't comforting at all.  He barely lifted his hand away when Yuuya yelled at him, throwing a series of wild punches at him.  Only Yuuma's experiences as Cat Chan allowed him to dodge them.  He backed off, flipping back to the mouth of the alley, trying to get out of reach of Yuuya, but the other kept following him.  

“Yuuya!  Hey, calm down!  I'm sorry I scared you, but please, tell me what's going on!”  Yuuma called out as he continued to dodge the swings Yuuya threw at him.  Yuuma was most surprised by the look in Yuuya's eyes...they looked bloodshot and wild.  He'd never seen anything like this...

Yuuya sobbed, holding his chest. Everything was burning, and it felt he was stepping in white hot fire. Moving like that and getting his adrenaline pumping was only making it worse. Yuuya gasped and knocked a bin over again, sending his phone flying into a stray, full trash bag as he thrashed around.

“Go away… I… Argh!"

Yuuma was more concerned as he kept moving aside to avoid Yuuya's wild swings and the falling trashcan.  He really didn't know what to do...he didn't really want to call the police, because obviously Yuuya didn't mean this.  Besides, since he had a record himself, he didn't want the cops to think he had done something...

Then he spotted Yuuya's phone falling into the trash.  He moved nimbly to grab it, all the while avoiding Yuuya's swings.  Thankfully, it was a cheap phone that had no lock on it, and he was able to get into Yuuya's contacts.  He spotted Yuuto's number, which Yuuma himself didn't have on his phone, and dialed it, not knowing what to do.

“Hang on Yuuya!  I'm trying to get help!”  He called to the man, pressing the phone to his ear and silently begging Yuuto to hear it and pick up soon.

Yuuya didn’t respond. Like a wounded animal, he cried and crammed himself into the corner of the alleyway, gasping and sobbing in a corner. He didn’t know what to do. Everything just seemed to lose focus. He needed Yuuto… Yuuto always took care of him.

On the other side of the line, Yuuto picked up, raising an eyebrow when he saw Yuuya’s number.

“What happened? Are you okay?” he asked, automatically assuming the worst as the paranoid did.

“Yuuto?  It's Yuuma....listen, this might sound weird but Yuuya's...something's wrong with him.  I don't know what it is, but he needs help!  He's crying and screaming and hitting things and I don't know how to help him...”  Yuuma explained, glancing at Yuuya in worry.  He needed help...but Yuuma didn't know how to help him.  He just hoped Yuuto did.

“… Oh no… Yuuya. Didn’t he take his medicine? Or did he take the empty bottle? Damn it, Yuuya. Where are you two?” Yuuto was already heading for the door. “I’m going to bring you his medication, but you have to listen to me. Yuuya has a very severe case of chronic pain. He can’t go longer than twelve hours without his meds or he’ll freak out. You need to go calm him down and have him ready to take it when I get there.”

“I think I saw him pull out a bottle...but he didn't take anything from it.  I think it was empty...”  Yuuma said, frowning as he heard the diagnosis.

“Chronic pain?  Oh wow...that sounds horrible...”  Yuuma said, glancing at Yuuya.  He nodded with a determined look on his face.

“Okay...I'll try.  We're in an alley near the restaurant, and so far all he's done is knock over garbage...he's in the corner now, crying.  Please come soon.”  Yuuma said, before hanging up.  He glanced over at Yuuya.

“Yuuya, it'll be okay, alright?  Your brother's coming...he's gonna give you your medicine.”  He told him gently, not at all afraid of the young man as he approached him slowly.  He didn't touch him, not wanting to cause him more pain.

“A type of Chronic pain… Most chronic pains don’t make people lash out like that.” There was a reason why they jokingly called it Yuuya’s berserk mode. After Yuuma had given him the address, Yuuto grabbed his things and raced off, hoping Yuuya was okay.

“Nghhh…” Yuuya hid his face, sobbing like a child instead of a grown man. “I- I… I’m sorry. I- I…” He tried to find words to express what he was feeling, but his emotions were jumbled with the burn. He shrunk back.

Yuuma stayed close enough so that Yuuya knew he was there, crouched down next to him to appear non-threatening, but still not close enough to touch him because he didn't want to cause him more pain.  He smiled gently at the man.

“It's alright.  It's not your fault...you'll be okay, Yuuya.  Yuuto said he's coming with your medicine, so it'll all be over soon.  Hang in there.”  Yuuma said gently.

“Why…” Yuuya sobbed as he scratched his burning skin, only succeeding in damaging himself some more. “I’m… crazy. Why…”

Yuuma frowned at that statement and also the action.  Although he hadn't been in chronic physical pain, he did understand feeling helpless, which he imagined Yuuya was feeling.  Yuuma did remember scratching his own skin off in the shower at the hospital after the incident with Semimaru, and he also remembered how comforting it was to have Shark with him.  So he wouldn't leave Yuuya alone.  

“You're not crazy, you're just hurting.  It's not your fault you have a medical condition.  And I know that you're a good guy...I want to help you.  We're friends, and that's what friends do for each other, no matter what.”  Yuuma said firmly with a smile.

“… Friend?” The man whimpered. “You… still want to be my… frrrr… Agrh!” Yuuya tried to look up at Yuuma, but he buckled over, sobbing tight. “I’m sorry…”

When Yuuya buckled, Yuuma moved forward as if to touch him, but he quickly stopped himself before actually touching him.  He kept his arms out though, hovering on either side of Yuuya for support if he chose to take it.  It wasn't hard to tell what he'd said though, even if he had been cut off.

“Of course I do!  Why wouldn't I?”  Yuuma said happily.  “It's okay, Yuuya.  You have nothing to be sorry for.  Just hang in there...Yuuto should be here soon.”

Yuuya stared at him and then threw himself at Yuuma, sobbing. It ached, and everything suddenly felt a thousand times worse, but it… was like with being with his brothers in the early years, back when his medication wasn’t as strong and he still cried. It… was nice.

“Nghhhh… AHrghhhhh… AhhhhHhhh…”

Yuuma was surprised when Yuuya suddenly hugged him, but his expression quickly melted into a small smile as he gently returned the embrace.  

“It'll be okay, Yuuya.  Just hang in there.”  Dammit, what was taking Yuuto so long?  This had to hurt...Yuuma gently stroked Yuuya's back, not sure if he was helping or hurting him more, but still wanting to comfort him.

Yuuto was trying to get there as fast as he could, but buses were always a pain to catch around lunch time. It wasn’t like things could be resolved so quickly.

Yuuya cried out as Yuuma rubbed him but he appreciated the gesture. He dug his fists into Yuuma’s shirt, desperately trying to control himself.

Yuuma held Yuuya close and as gently as he could.  He let Yuuya cling to him however he wanted.

“Good.  You'll be okay, Yuuya.  Hang on...just a bit longer.”  Yuuma said, mentally begging for Yuuto to get here soon.  He didn't like seeing Yuuya in pain like this.

Thankfully, Yuuto did arrive soon. He hurried there with a bottle of water. Yuuya wailed in relief as he saw him.

“Damn it, Yuuya. You shouldn’t have been so excited to be here.” He gave the man a pill and Yuuya downed the water. The pills wouldn’t work straight away, so Yuuya was whimpering.

Yuuma helped Yuuya sit up so that he could take the pills properly and smiled.

“He did grab a pill bottle at least.”  Yuuma said in defence of his friend with a grin.  He gently hugged Yuuya again as the man whimpered.  

“How long has this been going on?”  Yuuma asked, curious about Yuuya's condition.

Yuuya leaned against Yuuma and smiled softly. He curled against him, slowly breathing. Yuto made himself comfortable on the alley floor and sighed.

“Since he was born… but we didn’t know that until he was about six, though.”

“Wow...that long huh?  That's terrible...”  Yuuma said, holding Yuuya close and letting him lean against him.  

“I'll try and remember to remind him to bring his medicine next time we go out...you should come too, that way he'll get double reminders.  We talked about that, and Yuuya said that was alright with him too.”  Yuuma said with a smile.

“. . .” Yuuto tilted his head and smiled. “… I’m glad Yuuya has another good friend. Thank you…”

Yuuma smiled back.

“No problem!  Your brother's a nice guy, so of course we'll be good friends, right Yuuya?”  He said happily to the man in his arms.

“Right.” Yuuya groaned. He sat up straight, rubbing his head, a bit embarrassed he had been draped over Yuuma’s body.

Yuuma didn't mind at all and let Yuuya up.

“You feeling better Yuuya?  Great!”  He said happily, glad that his friend was feeling better.

Yuuya nodded. “Thank you, Yuuma. I’m glad to have a friend like you…” He said, smiling, a sheepish look on his face.

“It's not a problem, Yuuya!  I'm glad we're friends too!”  He replied happily.

“. . . So is lunch over, or can we still hang out today?” Yuuya joked, smiling. Yuto didn’t appreciate the notion.

“You should be resting"

“We can hang out doing something that isn't strenuous?”  Yuuma suggested with a small pleading face in Yuuto's direction.

“No, I’m fine. I’m medicated.” Yuuya said, lying. Thankfully Yuto wasn’t having any of that.

“That sounds great…”

“Good!  Then it's settled!  We can go back to my place for awhile or something!”  He said with a grin.

“Oh, is that okay?” Yuya asked

“Sure!  Shark's out today, and so we'd have the house to ourselves!”  Yuuma said happily.  He glanced at Yuuto.

“You can come too!”  

“Are you sure?” Yuto asked, surprised. He barely knew Yuuma, and not at all outside of that one business transaction.

“Of course!  You're Yuuya's brother and so I gotta get to know you too!”  Yuuma said happily, clearly not at all bothered by the fact he was inviting a stranger into his house.

“… I would consider more suspicion from someone who has been to jail as long as you have… but I’ll go if Yuuya goes.”

“And I am.” Yuuya insisted

Yuuma shook his head.

“Well, if you were mean, I'd be more suspicious.  But I know you a little bit, so it's alright!”  Yuuma beamed as Yuuya said he'd come over.

“Great, then it's settled!  Right this way guys!”  Yuuma said, leading the two siblings out towards the bus stop.

Yuuto helped his brother up and the two of them followed his lead

Yuuma led them to the bus stop, chattering non-stop to Yuuto in order to get him caught up on what Yuuya knew already, so they could move onto new things.

“Shark won't be around til later, but he won't mind that I have company over, even if he looks as if he does initially.”  Yuuma mused with a chuckle as they hopped on the bus.

“That’s fine… I’ve learned to tolerate those characters.” Yuuto shrugged. “I wouldn’t care if he did mind"

Yuuma grinned.

“I figured!  And Shark doesn't care what I do, deep down.”  Yuuma mused.  He pressed the button to signal their stop.

“And we've got a nice big comfy couch where Yuuya can rest while we hang out!  We can watch a movie, and I have a few video games, or we could just talk or something!  Whatever you want.”  

“Ohhh… Can I… try the video games?” Yuuya asked, following. “We never really got a chance to play when we were younger.”

“Yeah!  Course you can!  I didn't play much when I was little either.”  Yuuma mused, recalling how the orphanage didn't have many video games, and if they did play, they were forced to share and so had very limited playing time.  

“Video games sound good to you Yuuto?”  

Yuuto gave a small shrug. “I don’t mind. Play away. You can talk and play, right?” Yuto said, assuming there was only space for Yuuya.

“Yeah!  We can talk and play, all at once.  I have a third controller.”  Yuuma agreed, approaching their apartment.  He opened the door and let the two brothers inside.

“Here we are!   Come on in!”  

“Woah…” Yuuya walked in and smiled. “This looks really cozy"

“It is.  Shark and I are really comfy here.  Grab a seat, Yuuya, so we can say you're resting and all!  Want a drink or something guys?”  Yuuma asked, motioning to the couch set up in front of a big television.

Yuuya nodded. Usually, he would fight back, but he was really too tired to. He went to the couch and Yuuto followed.

“Just water is fine."

“Okay!  Be right back then!  Makes yourselves at home.”  Yuuma said, ducking into the kitchen to grab the glasses.  He filled them up a couple glasses and brought them in.

“Okay, so what game you wanna play?  Here's some options.”  Yuuma said, digging out his game cases so the other two could see.

“This looks fine. A racing game.” Yuuya smiled. Yuuto shrugged. It looked light and friendly, and he vaguely knew who the Mario characters were. “Let’s play?”

Yuma peeked over the two brothers to see which game they had picked and immediately grinned as he recognized it.

"Oh you guys are on! I'll beat you both in the races, kattobingu da ore!" He exclaimed, taking the disc out of its case and putting it into the gaming system. He passed the controllers to Yuuto and Yuuya.

“Yeah, considering that we haven’t played before, that won’t a surprise.” Yuuto said dryly. Yuuya laughed anyway, just… glad he knew Yuuya was so happy to include the both of them.

“You haven't at all?  Okay, then I'll show you how!”  Yuuma said, explaining the controls as best he could to the two brothers.

“I'll let you pick a racetrack and stuff too.”  He said.

Yuuya and Yuuto were hilariously bad. Yuuto at least got the hang of it, but Yuuya was a natural klutz, even in spite of his recovering pain. However, it was clear that they were having fun…

And they really treasured Yuuma.

Yuuma had plenty of fun showing Yuuya and Yuuto how to play.  He could be quite clumsy like Yuuya too while playing, so by the end of the day, he was battling Yuuto to win the races.  Regardless, all three men were having a blast, and had lost track of time.  Yuuma wondered in the back of his mind where Shark was...surely he'd be home soon.

“Yuuma, I’m home!” Shark yelled. No sooner had the thought entered Yuuma’s mind, Shark walked in the door. He threw his jacket onto the rack and headed inside, surprised to hear the living room sounding like video games. “Hey Yuuma-“ He started, before he stopped, seeing the two guests.

“… Why is the guy who busted Astral out of jail and a guy with a tomato on his head playing Mario Kart with you in our house?"

Yuuma beamed as he heard Shark enter, but didn't turn his head because he was in the middle of the first lap of an intense race.  

“Hey, Shark!  I invited them over to play-OI no fair!  I just got into first...”  His greeting turned into a whine as a blue shell Yuuya had thrown knocked him off the course.

“You were asking for it,” Yuuto smirked as Roy zipped into first place. Yuuya was Baby Mario, trailing way behind the others and pouting as Shark walked in.

“I don’t have a tomato on my head.” Yuuya muttered under his breath. “It’s natural…”

“Eh… Did you even start dinner? You said you’d make it today.”

Yuuma kept pouting as the other two managed to pass him, frantically trying to steer his character back onto the course.  He blinked.

“No, I didn't!  Sorry I lost track of time!”  His stomach grumbled suddenly as he recalled how hungry he was.  

“God damn it, Yuuma. You suck as Peach. Play your own damn character.” Shark scowled as he turned around. “I’ll make dinner. Geeze..”

“Sorry…” Yuuya muttered. “We didn’t want to intrude..."

Yuuma pouted.

“I wanted to see why you always like her!”  He complained.  

“Maybe we should get going, Yuuya.”  Yuuto noted, knowing they'd been there all day and he did have some work to do, whether he wanted to or not.  Yuuma shook his head.

“You guys can stay if you want!  We have enough food for them, right Shark?”  

“Yeah but you can’t drift for shit.” Shark yelled, though he was smirking as he started to cook. “We do have enough food. Why?”

“… No, we should get on… We gotta check on the others, don’t we?” Yuuya sighed.

“They can stay then, can't they?”  Yuuma said, turning his gaze to the two brothers.  He pouted a bit.

“Aww, you're leaving?”  Yuuto simply nodded in response to his brother and to Yuuma.

“We still have things to do...but this was a nice break.”  He admitted.

“Yeah…” Shark started. He went back to the other room and raised an eyebrow. The others just shrugged.

“Sorry Yuuma, we have to move on. I didn’t think I’d be gone past three, and it’s already six. Thank you for having us,” Yuuya smiled.  

Yuuma pouted a bit, but finally relented.  He supposed they had been hanging out all day, and Shark probably wanted some alone time with him after work.  He did owe him dinner...

“Okay!  We'll just have to do this again sometime soon then!”  Yuuma said, hugging Yuuya goodbye with a grin.  He also gave Yuuto one, much to the other's surprise.  

“You guys can come back anytime okay?”  

Yuuya hugged him back tightly and then laughed as he saw Yuto’s bemused expression. He took his brother out of Yuma’s grip and waved to Shark.

“See ya! Thanks again.”

“Bye..” Shark said, waving them off.

“Bye bye!  Thanks for coming!”  Yuuma called, waving them off along with Shark before closing the door and hugging Shark.

“Next time, you'll have to join us too.”  Yuuma said happily, having missed his husband.

“Yeah. And maybe next time you’ll cook.” Shark muttered, kissing his husband on the forehead. “Seems like you had a pretty good day."

“I can help you now.”  Yuuma said, grinning as Shark kissed his forehead.  He nodded.

“Yeah!  I had tons of fun.  First I tried to call all of my other friends, but Yuuya was the only one available, so we went out for lunch.”  Yuuma said, prattling on about all that he'd done today as he helped Shark in the kitchen.  He left out the details about Yuuya's little attack, instead substituting that Yuuto had come by to give Yuuya something that he'd forgotten and then joined them for Mario Kart afterwards.  

“Good.” Shark lead them back to the kitchen as he listened. “Fair enough. Glad you had fun.” Though Yuma having fun was more an expectation at this stage. “If you’re not sick of it, we can play some more after dinner. I’ll show you how royals are supposed to drive.”

Yuuma grinned.

“You're on!   I'll beat you with my proper character this time!”  Yuuma declared boldly.  

-x-

Vector was excited.  Today, he and Takashi were going to America, and they were going to get married.  He was in the bedroom, finishing up his packing, and entertaining Umbral again as he did so.  The cat was just too funny to ignore completely and he had to admit he'd miss the furry thing on this trip.  Judai and Yusei were going to pick them all up in Judai's van so they could all carpool to the airport.  Vector hadn't actually been on a commercial airline before, since his family had owned private jets, but they'd had enough money to get themselves first class tickets so the ride should be comfortable, Vector hoped.  

He glanced over at his laptop, which was packed in its case on the bed.  This was a major dilemma for him; bring his laptop so he could work on his model, or leave it and pick up work on the model when he returned.  On one hand, he knew his health was steadily worsening...he didn't have much time to finish it, and probably couldn't afford a week off from it.  On the other...this was supposed to be a special outing for him and Takashi, and it seemed unfair to both of them if Vector spent too much time with his face buried in a screen.  

“What should I do...”  Vector murmured softly, glancing at Umbral as if the cat could answer him.  Umbral only meowed in response and nuzzled Vector's bony hand as the man went to pet his head.

Far away from where Shark was telling Yuma the various reasons why Mario was overrated, Takashi was being just as excited as Vector about heading out on the trip. He had done most of the packing for himself and Vector, so it was done relatively quickly. He was now just waiting on Vector for his personal stuff, and that included his laptop.

“You can bring it if you want. It’ll at least be something to entertain you on the plane.” Takashi said, knowing how much Vector wanted to work on his own personal coding.

Vector glanced over at Takashi.

“We have your smaller tablet for that, remember?”  Vector reminded him.  Takashi had a tablet he'd used to use in school for movies and such on the plane.  He sighed.

“Besides, if I bring it, I might be too tempted to work on it while I'm supposed to be spending time with you.  And knowing you, you'll let me do whatever makes me happy.”  Vector mused with a small knowing smile.

“Yeah, but it’s uncomfortable to share anyway.” Takashi reasoned. One screen per person after all. However, he smiled and kissed Vector’s head.

“Yusei will regulate you. It’s fine. Really. Take it with us."

“Why would it be uncomfortable?  If anything, it's an excuse to cuddle on the plane.”  Vector mused.  He smiled a bit as he was kissed.  

“I don't think I'll bring it...I won't need it.  I'll probably sleep on the plane.”  That way, he'd have energy once they got off of it.  He had been feeling a bit more tired lately.

“And Uncle shouldn't have to babysit me with this thing.”  He added.

“Headphones. I’d rather watch a movie and it’s weird having it in one ear.” Takashi said, his enabling quickly coming short to Vector’s rebuttals. However, he didn’t want press the matter, so he sat down on the bed next to him.

“How is the fatigue going?”

“Clearly you've never heard of a splitter.  I have one.  It lets two sets of headphones listen to the same movie, so we'll each have two ears.”  Vector said with a small snort.  He sighed at the second question.

“...I don't think it's gotten much better...no matter how much I rest, I still feel tired.”  He said with a small frown.

“Do you? Huh… Never knew that was a thing. Cool.” Takashi shrugged. However, he looked at Vector and squeezed his hand. “You’ve gotten thinner too…” He muttered. He wondered if this was the start of Vector’s health rapidly deteriorating- meaning they would be in the final stretch of his life.

Vector gave a small smile at Takashi's initial words, but sobered up as he spoke again.

“I know...I don't have much of an appetite, and what I do eat seems to go right through me without staying long enough to build any fat.”  Vector said.  Here his model was also a problem, since he was used to working on a computer until he was either too tired, got hungry, or had to relieve himself.  He was often tired out after working on his codes, but he had noticed that hunger came much more rarely.  And when he did try to eat, he would often be unable to finish whatever dish he made for himself.  

“Maybe if I leave it at home and try to eat three meals a day on this trip, I'll do better.”  Vector resolved.  He knew that they'd be eating at different places while they toured around a bit, so perhaps Vector would be more enticed to eat something then.  

“Hopefully… But don’t force yourself. The last thing I want is to make it worse,” Takashi said, absent-mindedly rubbing his thumb against Vector’s boney hand.

“… So if the laptop is staying, are we done packing then? Judai will be here soon.” Takashi said, making sue Vector was okay twenty times over.

Vector nodded.  

“I'll be careful...and I know you and Uncle wouldn't let me do anything too strenuous.”  Vector said with a small smile at Takashi as the man stroked his hand.  That felt nice.  

“Yeah, I guess we are.  Cathy told me she'd be here a bit later to get Umbral...I gave her a spare key so she can just come in and get him.  We're pretty much good to go once Judai and Uncle get here.”  Vector said, stroking the cat with his free hand.  

“Yusei would probably do it for you. I swear, he has more energy than you and I put together… and then Judai has Yusei’s energy tenfold.” Takashi chuckled. “We’re going to enjoy this trip, okay?”

And then, five minutes later, there was a honk at the driveway.

“Get in guys! We’re gonna go to America!” Judai exclaimed in perfect English.

Vector chuckled knowingly at that statement.  

“We will...it'll be fun.”  He agreed, helping Takashi get their bags to the door before Judai showed up.  Vector opened the door and smirked.

“Not bad, Judai.”  He responded in English, just for fun.  He hadn't known that Judai could speak it too.  Yusei hopped out of the passenger's side to help his nephew and Takashi to bring their bags into the van.

“He's been practising.”  Yusei said, speaking Japanese since he knew very little English himself.  

“I haven’t spoken it in a while, but I am fluent. Yubel and I meet all kinds of interesting people” Judai chuckled as he went to go in and grab Vector’s stuff. Thankfully, they both had very little to contribute so it wasn’t too bad.

“Glad we’re not going to get lost in translation,” Takashi said, coming out with his cane and passports. They loaded up and headed to the airport, where Takashi’s mother would meet them there.

“Same here.  My father made sure I could speak it so I could deal with the English-speaking business world one day.”  Vector said with an eye-roll.  Yusei nodded.

“I remember that.  We'll be alright as long as we stick with either Vector or Judai on this trip.”  He replied to Takashi.  

The group headed to the airport, and waiting there at the check in was Toshimi, who was smiled when she saw them all.

“Hey there."

“Hey, Mom.  You all ready to go?”  Takashi said, smiling as he greeted his mother.  Yusei and Judai were quick to get things out of the van, leaving it to the valets to park.  Vector stepped out next to Takashi.

“Hello, Todoroki-san.”  He said politely.

Toshimi smiled. “Hello there,” she kissed Takashi’s forehead and went to hug her new ‘daughter-in-law-to-be’. However, she didn’t want Vector to also see the troubled look on her face. Vector looked terrible in comparison to the last time he saw her.

“I’m ready. Go check in and we can go.” She said, parting from Vector and pushing her glasses up, waving to Yusei and Judai

Vector accepted the hug, returning it gently for a second before letting go with a small smile.  Yusei and Judai waved in greeting to Takashi's mom.

“Then let's go!”  Judai said excitedly.  Yusei rolled his eyes, but followed.  Vector took Takashi's hand to walk with him.

They went through customs and boarded the plane for the long voyage overseas.  Takashi had never flown first class before and he had to say that it was an interesting experience.  Vector had slept most of the plane ride, the two resting against each other.  They finally arrived in the US, and Vector had to admit he was excited.  

“We're here...”  Vector murmured happily.

Takashi had enjoyed the long trip. First class was very roomy, and he enjoyed it. While Yusei exploited every part of the first class trip, Takashi spent it caring for Vector, making sure he was comfy. Judai seemed strangely at home in first class though

“Yeah…” Takashi said as he led Vector off the plane.”Hello, America."

Vector smiled as he was led off the plane.  

“This is going to be exciting.”  He said happily.  Judai was leading Yusei off the plane with similar enthusiasm.  

“This is gonna be great!  We'll get a taxi to the hotel and then explore!”  He said.

“Mmm… And the wedding is in two days, isn’t it? Plenty of time to look around and not rush.” Toshimi smiled, following behind the two.

“Yeah… any sights you want to see first?” Yusei asked, feeling a bit jetlagged

“True.  I'm amazed you're all rearing to go when we just flew on a plane for so long...”  Vector mused to Judai with a chuckle.  Judai grinned.

“We all slept a bit, right?  We should grab some food too!  I heard American portions are huge and wanna see if the rumor's true.”  

“I’ve done worse…” Yusei muttered under his breath. Toshimi just gave a casual shrug and Takashi took Vector’s hand.

“Let’s go then.”

Vector nodded.

“Let's go.”  He agreed, squeezing Takashi's hand.  They managed to flag down a taxi that was big enough for all of them.  Vector glanced out the window, amazed by all the freeways and huge billboard signs.  

“So… the big city, right? Kinda the wrong place to have a quiet marriage, huh?” Toshimi said, though it was clear that she and the others were equally in awe.

“And I thought Heartland was huge. Wait until this place lights up at night!” Judai grinned.

“Well, big cities have plenty of small establishments too where we can get married.”  Vector mused with a chuckle.  

“I can't wait to see it.”  Takashi admitted, curious as well.

“Awww, not a casino?” Judai pouted. Yusei gave him a sharp look but Judai waved it off.

“I don't have the money to gamble anymore.”  Vector said with a chuckle.  Takashi smiled.

“You guys can go if you want.”  

“Judai acts like we do,” Yusei said. Judai shrugged, but didn’t say in front of Takashi’s mother that he was probably going to sneak out later.

Vector chuckled.  

“You can do whatever you want.”  He said, as the taxi pulled up to their hotels.  They unloaded everything into the hotel rooms.  

“This is a nice room.”  Vector said, walking into the room he and Takashi were sharing.  They had a king-sized bed for the two of them to share, and a bathroom with a bathtub they could also share.  

“Wow… you really went all out with the accommodation, huh?” Takashi said, never have seen a big room like this before. “Man… this is cool.”

Toshimi had her own room on the other side of the hall while Judai and Yusei had one next door. Judai grinned.

“Yusei… Yusei… You know what this means?”

“You bet.  I wanted to be sure this would be the best vacation ever.”  Vector said with a smirk, hugging Takashi.  Yusei raised a brow.

“What does it mean, Judai?”  He asked.

“Well, you have us off to a good start. I’m swooning already,” Takashi mused, putting an arm around Vector.

“It means we don’t have to clean up after ourselves,” Judai snickered, giving a creepy, old man smile.

“If you're gonna swoon, let's fall on the bed, okay?”  Vector said with a chuckle, kissing Takashi's cheek, and curling up against him.  He guided Takashi back so they were both sitting down on the bed, bouncing on it a bit to see how soft it was.  

Yusei rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but feel excited by that news...leave it to Judai to immediately jump to messing around, even after a long plane ride.  

“Still, we'll have to be mindful of other guests...including my nephew, his fiance, and Takashi's mother nearby.”  Yusei mused with a smirk.

“Mmm… These places are fancy and comfortable. Nice.” Takashi laughed, flopping back on the bed, a smile on his face.

“Just chuck a ‘Do not Disturb’ sign and we’ll be fine.” Judai scoffed. “We’ve done worse when Yubel is in the next room, and the walls are thicker here. It’s fine.”

“Yeah!  We'll have fun here, won't we?”  Vector said, lying back on the bed with Takashi and curling up next to him.  He closed his eyes for a moment to relax, a small smile on his face.  

Yusei shook his head, a small smile on his face.  

“We'll still try to take it easy...I wouldn't mind a bit of a rest for now, though.”  He said.

“… Did you want to skip lunch and sleep?” He asked. “It’s okay, you know. The others can go out.” Takashi brushed Vector’s hair back, brushing his fingers gently against his skin.

“Hey, no jet lag. I told ya to sleep on the plane.” Judai said, rolling his eyes.

“Not sure...I should probably eat...but I also want to rest...”  Vector said softly, curling even more into Takashi's gentle touch.  

Yusei snorted.

“Easier said than done.”  Yusei didn't really like sleeping in chairs crammed with other people.

“I don't have to rest now...we could go out and get some food.  You said you were hungry right?”

“… Well… up to you.” Takashi said

“Yeah, let’s go bother everyone and tell them that we senile old men need ta eat.” Judai grinned mischievously, taking Yusei’s hand so they could go next door and start knocking

Yusei smirked and let himself be dragged out of the room by Judai across to where Takashi and Vector's room was.  

“Hmm...”  Vector said, about to say more when a knock interrupted him.  

“Well, maybe that's the others...wanting to go out.”  Vector mused.

“Are you awake, guys?” Judai asked. Takashi rolled his eyes and kissed Vector.

“They want to go out… but do you?” He asked, ignore Judai for two seconds

“Might as well see what they want.”  Vector said, smiling as he was kissed.  He sat up and went to the door.

“Yeah, we're awake.  What's up?”  He asked.  

“Judai wants food...wanna join us?”  Yusei asked.  “If not, we could bring something back for you to eat in here.”  

“It’s up to Vector.” Takashi said, lying back down. Judai looked at him and shrugged.

Vector considered this.  

“It might be nice to eat in here for today...I think we're all a bit jetlagged.”  Vector said, smiling at Takashi.  

“Fair enough. Party in Takashi’s room!” Judai smirked. Yusei rolled his eyes.

“Take out or room service. I’ll tell Toshimi what we’re doing."

Vector snorted.

“How about room service?  We are on vacation after all.”  He mused, heading over to look at the little room service menu that was in the hotel.  

“Sure, you do that.  She can join if she wants.”  

“Yeah…” Yusei smirked and shook his head before heading over to Takashi’s mother’s room. After quickly explaining the situation, he headed back.

“She’s unpacking. But she said order whatever looks good for her.” Yusei said. Takashi had switched on the TV while Judai went to lie on the nearby couch.”See anything you like, kiddo?"

“Yeah, I think so.  They can give you pizzas delivered to your room...we can all share one if you want.”  Vector said.  He was in bed next to Takashi as he read over the English menu.

“Would your mom like pizza, Takashi?”  

“She wouldn’t mind, but I think she’d prefer something not as common in Japan. We can go for it if there’s nothing,” Takashi said, yawning himself as he got comfy

“The pizza isn't exactly what we have in Japan...you can get more toppings, and stuffed crusts even on these American ones, see?”  Vector mused, snuggling up to Takashi and showing him the picture of one of the stuffed pizzas.  

“But if she doesn't want pizza, there's other meats like steak, hamburgers and chicken, or salads and stuff.  They do quite a bit.”

“What, really? I thought it was just pizza.” Takashi looked up at the pizza and wrinkled his nose. “That looks heavy…” He muttered.

“Get her a hamburger. That’s fine.”

“Maybe eat something light. So we can go out tonight and have a proper dinner.” Yusei said.

“Or give it to me.” Judai smirked.

“It can be just pizza, but Americans like to add extra to everything.  If you don't want the extras, you have to tell them, or they'll give them to you.”  Vector said with a small chuckle.  

“We can get a thin crust pizza with basic toppings...that might be light enough.  And a hamburger for Takashi's mom.”  He offered.

“Okay, fair enough. I’ll order it and then we just… mooch around, I guess.” Takashi said.

“Good. And don’t eat everything, Judai. It’s a miracle that we don’t watch your cholesterol levels with your appetite, old man.” Yusei said, sitting on the other half of the couch.

“Sure thing.”  Vector said, picking up the phone to call in their order.  Judai pouted a bit as Yusei spoke.

“I'm not that old!  And my body's fine...if anything if I cut back my feedings, I'll start to waste away.”  He said.

“How old do you have to be until you admit you’re a wrinkled geezer.” Yusei smirked, picking a white hair out of Judai’s head and flicking it in his face. Takashi hid his laugh.

Judai squawked in indignation and scrunched his nose as Yusei flicked the hair in his face.  

“I could say the same for you!  I see all the grey hairs around your house!”  Judai exclaimed with a pout.  Vector laughed too as he hung up the phone, but it quickly turned into a coughing fit.

“I admit I’m old, you nut.” Yusei said, rolling his eyes. However, the banter stopped quickly thanks to Vector, and Yusei was already up getting water while Takashi rubbed Vector’s back

“Careful..."

Judai stayed on the couch for now, just watching as Vector coughed with a worried expression.  Vector kept coughing as Takashi rubbed his back, coughing violently enough for a few tears to appear in his eyes.  After a few wheezes, he finally calmed himself a bit.

“...I'm alright...”  He said softly between the small dying coughs.

Yusei passed the water over and Takashi looked at him, worried.

“I should be used to this by now, but you always scare me.” Takashi muttered, kissing his neck and hugging him.

Vector accepted the water gratefully and took a couple sips.  He smiled a bit as Takashi hugged him.

“Sometimes these coughs scare me too...I'm not used to them much either.”  He admitted, hugging Takashi back.  He wished they would just stop altogether, but it probably wasn't possible at this point...the only way they'd stop was if he died.

“… Judai and I are gonna get Toshimi. We’ll be back when the food shows up,” Yusei said, looking at his partner, hoping Judai would get the hint and not fight leaving the comfy couch. Takashi gave a small noise that he understood, before he just looked down at Vector.

Judai gave a small frown, but nodded.

“Get some rest, guys.”  He said, getting up and following Yusei out of the room.  Vector watched them go, before turning his gaze back to Takashi with a small, sad smile.  

“Sorry for scaring you...I wish the coughing would stop...”  He said softly.

“Hey… it’s not your fault. I’m just scared about you, really.” He sighed. “. . . I shouldn’t think such dark thoughts on like… the first day of our wedding vacations.”

Vector sighed too.

“I'm scared about myself too...but we won't let that stop us from having fun, okay?”  Vector said, hugging Takashi and kissing his cheek gently.  

“We'll have fun, okay?  We're both a bit tired...and once we actually have things to do aside from waiting for food, we'll be able to forget all the dark stuff...”  Vector said softly.  Or at least he hoped so.  He made a mental note to try and keep his coughing to a minimum.

Takashi leaned in to the kiss and he gave a small smile back at him, trying his best to focus on the positives.

“I know… but… You know what the doctors said. It feels like you could disappear at any moment..."

“I won't.  I'm not going to disappear...not on this trip, and not for awhile yet.”  Vector said firmly.  He didn't want to die.  He wasn't ready...he'd keep fighting to hold onto life.  He leaned his forehead against Takashi's.

“I'm right here.  I'm not going anywhere.”  

Takashi could feel tears in his eyes but he couldn’t wipe them away. He was shaking a little but the smile remained on his face as he held Vector

“I know you won’t… Thank you..."

Vector smiled back, holding Takashi as well.

“You're welcome, Takashi...thank you for loving me and wanting me to stick around.”  Vector said.

“… Of course I want you to stick around. Thank you for letting me worry about you.” He said.

Vector smiled.  

“I think you would even if I didn't let you...it's your caring nature.”  He replied.

“Yeah… I guess so.” He was about to throw himself into the arms of romance and just flirt with Vector but then there was a knock on the door. “… Damn… Guess it’s lunch time."

Vector was more than willing to flirt and play around with Takashi, smiling in anticipation.  He chuckled a bit when he heard the door interrupt them.  

“We'll have to pick up where we left off afterwards.”  Vector mused, getting up and going to answer the door.  

“Yeah, the start.” Takashi responded. He spread out the small counter where they could put the food and took some cups out.

At the door, was the man with a silver tray. He smiled and handed the food over, and a second later, the other three members of the party entered the room.

Vector accepted the tray and brought it inside, putting it down on the counter Takashi prepared.  He smiled as the others entered.

“Food's here...hamburger's for Todoroki-san, but the pizza's for the rest of us.”  

“Thank you.” The woman smiled and took it.

“Well… cheers. To Takashi and Vector, and our adventure in America!” Judai grinned, raising his water.

Vector chuckled a bit as everyone joined in the toast.  Yusei nodded.

“You might as well make that a toast to shenanigans...”  He murmured with a knowing smirk.  Any trip with Judai was bound to be an adventure.

“Yeah! Cheers to that too!” Judai said. Toshimi clinked glasses with everyone and drank.

-x-

Meanwhile, back at Heartland Police Station, Superintendent Ukyou and his team was continuing to research the recent CEO murders.  Ukyou's information from Yubel had been useful so far...they'd managed to identify, with the help of the drug specialists team, which dealers they knew of sold certain ingredients of the drug cocktail.  They were sending police to watch those people daily to see who their customers were and to see if there were any that matched their incredibly vague description of their suspect (they really only knew that that person was short).  

Unfortunately, while progress had been made, the most frightening of the drugs, which according to Yubel could make its victims lose their own free will, had not been found yet.  The police had no idea who sold it, and how one might get their hands on it in Heartland.  So, ultimately, Ukyou had decided to contact this Mai woman who Yubel had recommended.  She was set to come in today to see the force and be introduced to the case.  Hopefully, she would be as helpful as her reputation suggested she might be.  

“Officer Droite, we're expecting a Kujaku Mai to come by today...she's a private investigator who my sources said may be able to assist in this case.  We'll talk to her together and see what she might know.”  Ukyou told Droite.  

“Did you hear anything from the drug teams this morning?”  He asked, knowing they should've come back recently from their evening stakeouts.

“Kukaju Mai?” Droite frowned. “Why her? Isn’t she notoriously expensive?” However, bar that, she made no further comment and she got out of her chair, handing Ukyou a file.

“There’s talk about a big shipment of drugs coming in some time in the next two weeks. The guys upstairs think it’ll be a double up of that stuff…” Droite frowned. A drug that stole free will.. it was horrifying to think about.

Ukyou sighed.  

“I have heard that...but she does have an impressive resume.”  He said.  Ukyou nodded.

“We'll have to be sure to have a bigger group staking that one out then...more drugs means more customers, and more of a chance that our perp might show up.”  He said.  Suddenly, Anna entered the room with a small frown on her face.

“Officer Ukyou...someone named Kujaku Mai is here to see you.”  She said.  Ukyou nodded.

“Good...Droite, would you mind leading her into my office?  We'll talk to her there.”  He said, gathering up an abridged version of what they had for this case.  

Kujaku Mai wasn't dressed at all like a police officer.  She wore a short purple vest, a tight, white corset top that revealed her toned stomach, a purple mini skirt and matching heeled boats.  Her perfectly manicured nails, long flowing blonde hair and the amount of makeup she wore suggested she'd be more of a model than a private eye.  She smiled flirtatiously at one of the male police officers that walked by her in the hallway.  It had been awhile since she'd been at the station, and she certainly didn't miss it.  Becoming a private eye gave her the freedom she always needed, along with the money to afford whatever she wanted.  But, her return was because she smelt a challenge in this case, from what the Superintendent had described to her over the phone.  Hopefully, it was worth her time.

In contrast, Droite was dressed up in full police uniform. Droite wasn’t ugly by any means, but she seemed so different from Mai. She was wearing the station’s dark blue pants, the matching light blue, long-sleeved shirt and had her vest on, as well as a red tie. Droite did wear makeup, it was more subtle, and it brought out her cold leer when she passed someone she didn’t like, such as Mai, when she saw the shameless display of flirtation when she was in a professional environment.

“Kukaji-san?” She asked, looking at the woman.

Mai turned as she heard her name, smirking at Droite once she saw her.  She gave her a once-over, and could tell that she was a beautiful woman...just very uptight and proper-looking at the moment.  

“That would be me, hon.”  She said, crossing her arms.  

“I’m Officer Dextra. If you would come with me, I’ll show you the rest of the team working on the case.”

“Sure thing, hon.  Lead the way.”  Mai replied smoothly, swinging her small brown bag over her shoulder as she followed.  When they passed a male officer, many would pause to glance at Mai, and she would wink playfully or smile sweetly at them.

Droite rolled her eyes and bit her bottom lip. The woman didn’t want to say anything, since she didn’t have the authority to stop him. So she just walked on stiffly, hoping Mai didn’t notice how stiff she was.

Mai did notice Droite's posture, since she was incredibly observant and very good at pretending she wasn't.  It was part of the job description.  But, she chose not to comment for the time being, since they finally reached the Superintendent's office.  Ukyou was there to greet them.

“Kujaku-san, I presume.  Welcome.  I'm Superintendent Kitano Ukyou, we spoke on the phone briefly.”  Ukyou said.  Mai smiled.  

“Please just call me 'Mai', Ukyou.”  She said.

“What did you tell Kujaku-san, Ukyou?” Droite said, crossing their arms.

“'Mai' to you too, hon.”  Mai said softly to Droite with a smile.  

“Let's move into my office and talk.”  Ukyou said, inviting both women inside.  He sat down at his desk and picked up the file that contained information pertinent to the case.  

“I told her that we were tracking down a perp responsible for killing three CEOs, using some sort of drug cocktail.”  Ukyou said.  Mai nodded.

“May I see the formula for this cocktail, before we continue?  I may be able to recognize the blend based on some of my previous work.”  She said.  Ukyou was a bit surprised, but complied.  He handed her a sheet of paper with the formula written out.  Mai looked over it with a serious expression, before smirking a bit to herself.

“You never mentioned if you had any suspects as of yet...do you have someone in mind?”  She asked, directing the question to anyone who wanted to answer it.

“If you insist,” Droite frowned. Gauche raised an eyebrow from his desk and nudged Anna, who smirked. It was rare when Droite got pissed off by a complete stranger, but when she did, it was always a good show. Something about Mai must have really gotten down on Droite’s nerves.

Droite let Ukyou respond, since he was technically the leader.

“Yes, we have KaibaCorp, LDS, the Big 5 all on the list.”  Ukyou spoke.  

Mai smiled and chuckled, before shaking her head as she skimmed the rest of the file.

“Of course, they're general suspects...but I meant more specific.  These murders could all have been orchestrated by a single person.  Have you any idea who specifically killed these men?”  She asked.  Gauche frowned.

“Well, we had security footage of someone who was in disguise, but we couldn't make out their face.”  Gauche admitted.  Mai nodded.

“And, let me guess...our perp was unusually short, wasn't he?  Like around 150cm?”  Mai spoke confidently.  

Droite raised an eyebrow. “You’ve dealt with someone like this before… to that height description and poison of choice?"

“Yes, hon, I have.”  Mai said, smiling at Droite and looking directly at her.

“In fact, I put him behind bars a couple years ago, which is probably why your records of him aren't complete...as a private investigator, I alone had the details.”  Mai said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a file with a name and picture on it.

“I believe your murderer is Mutou Yuugi...he's been convicted of several accounts of first degree murder, and I know for a fact that he also deals with illegal gambling, physical assault, and battery depending on the intensity of the game he plays.”  Mai said, showing the photograph (which was a mug shot) to the group.  Anna's eyes widened.

“How are you so sure it's this guy?”  She asked, surprised that Mai had found someone so quickly.  Mai chuckled.

“Because Yuugi's games are rather unique.  He loves to play, and when he plays, he uses his own personal brand of drugs, often hallucinogenic, to torture his victims.  He's incredibly intelligent and sneaky, and I haven't met anyone who can mix cocktails like he can.  Your cocktail is something only he could pull off.”  

"Take a look at his other cocktails if you don't believe me."  She said, taking a sheet out of the file to hand it to Droite with a teasing smile.

Droite gave a small frown and crossed her arms as she took the sheet off of Mai and started scanning the page. She then looked at the page and looked back at their cocktail.

“. . . We’ll keep that in mind, but we’ll need to think about it. He’s a suspect…” She paused. “… But if he had the crimes that he does, then how did he break out of prison? Why didn’t he have any rap sheet?”

Mai shrugged.

“I'm not completely sure how he got out, hon.  The prison checked his cell and found no evidence of any damage of property or anything.  The security cameras showed that it was some unidentified person in a guard's uniform who got him out, but all guards were accounted for...it was probably a paid job, in my opinion, but it doesn't matter.  The point is he's out, and he's more than capable of doing something like this.”  Mai said.  

“I think I remember that...but he hasn't been caught doing something since he escaped.  Most people assumed he had fled the country...that's probably why we didn't look into his rap sheet.”  Ukyou said.  

“Anna, can you go fetch whatever files we have on this Mutou Yuugi?  We'll look into his rap sheet now.”  

Droite glared. No one called her ‘hon’, even if it was just her informal manner of speech. “I see… Well, Kukaju-san, you seem to know about him, why don’t you tell us more about him. Motives?” Droite frowned, placing a clear emphasis on the woman’s name. She gritted her teeth, trying to piece all of this together as fast as she could. Anna pouted, but moved out, intending to hurry so she could come back and watch

Mai smiled innocently back at Droite, not caring that she was making the other woman uncomfortable.  She was kind of cute, Mai had to admit.  

“Yuugi has two motives.  The first, is that he will pick on despicable people.  Some of the men he killed before were murderers, gamblers, rapists, and even general bullies have faced his wrath.  Yuugi was bullied in school, and seems to have a personal vendetta against the type of people who would pick on him.  The second one is that he needs money...everyone has to make a living somehow.  Some of the people who survived his games confessed that they initially started for money, in which Yuugi would play with them and win cash by the end.  I also heard that sometimes he accepts bounties, but not very often.  He likes playing on his own terms.”  Mai said.

“In this case, it could be a bit of both.  I've heard that a couple of those CEOs weren't too nice to their employees and business partners...and of course, if one of the rival companies hired Yuugi as a bounty killer, then Yuugi's earning money for a living by killing his targets.”

“So you have him figured out.” She said, raising an eyebrow. She looked back at Ukyou and then stared directly at Mai. She knew that Ukyou got her from one of his ‘reliable sources’ (probably one of Kaito’s old ones) but she couldn’t help but feel uneasy and suspicious of the older woman.

“What do you think, Ukyou?” Gauche snorted and Droite glared. The man looked away and Droite gritted her teeth. She was clearly just all on edge for no reason, and it was aggravating to her as much as it was a mystery

“Yes.  I've spoken to him...and people who knew him.”  Mai said with a smile, knowing that she had only scratched the surface.  She hadn't told them about his mental state, which was the most interesting thing about him, honestly.  But, she figured it could wait.  It wasn't important right now...they'd figure it out if they managed to catch him.  

“Well, it does give us something, I suppose.  It might be a bit of a leap to assume that Yuugi did this just because he can brew similar drug cocktails...but I'll tell the drug team to look out for him at the docks.  If he comes by, we'll question him.”  Ukyou reasoned.  

“Does he have any connections with the big companies?”  He asked Mai.  Mai shrugged.

“Well, Kaiba Seto went to the same high school with him, briefly.  But, of course, nobody was really friends with Kaiba...he was barely in classes because of his company.   Yuugi was also a bit of a loner, according to many of his classmates.  As far as I know, Yuugi has no connections to any of the other companies.”  

“If you hang down the lower districts of Heartland, you can find people to connect you to others. If one is on the run, and he needed money, a company could easily find them on the street or ask someone to get the person with the skill set you want for you. It’s how things work in this city.” Droite sighed.

“Then, I guess we'll have to see if Yuugi's in the lower districts then!”  Gauche declared, definitely ready to catch the guy.  Ukyou nodded.

“We'll send patrols out...but it's possible that Yuugi's being well hidden, especially if he's working for one of the big companies.”  Ukyou reasoned.  

“It’s not going to be easy…” Droite frowned. “. . . We’ll need to do this properly. Watching the next potential targets, attend to the drug raid… everything.”

“Almost makes you wish Kaito was around. He’d do all that work and have it all done by lunch.” Anna said, coming in and giving Ukyou Yugi’s file.

“Yeah...but we'll manage.”  Gauche agreed.  The three team members exchanged a small snort in recollection of Kaito.  Ukyou looked over the file.

“Basically everything Mai said is in here...I just didn't expect Yuugi to be so young...”  Ukyou noted.  Apparently Yuugi had no living relatives either, even though he was in his early twenties now.  That was a bit sad.

Droite looked at Mai and frowned at her before she looked over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “Geeze… And some of these murders are so violent too."

“It fits the profile...our victims this time were killed rather violently too.”  Anna noted with a frown.  Mai smiled as Droite frowned at her.  

“Yuugi's very thorough, hon.”  

“… He seems to be our primes suspect so far,” Ukyou said thoughtfully.

“. . . Come on. We have work to do. Will we have your assistance for sure in this case, Kukaju-san?”

“Of course.  I'd love to see Yuugi again.”  Mai said with a smile.  

“Well welcome to the team then.” Anna grinned. Droite rolled her eyes but walked over to her desk, going to her work.

Mai smiled and followed Droite to her desk.

"Seeing as I have no workspace here, mind if I share yours?" Mai said.

“There’s a spare desk next door. It shouldn’t be work from there.” Droite said, dryly. However, she moved her chair to the side to work on the left. “There’s a chair in the corner. Grab that and get started."

"I'd rather be in the loop." Mai said with a smile. She headed off to the corner, spotting another officer and asking him sweetly to move the chair for her. He obliged once she gave him an innocent look. She thanked him once he moved it, and he left with a dreamy look.

"Alright then, hon." Mai said once she sat next to Droite.

Droite rolled her eyes. “Do you always have to do that?"

"Do what?" Mai asked with a smile.

“The… flirting,” Droite murmured, not facing her.

"Oh that. It's harmless, hon. The boys all love it." Mai said with a chuckle.

"And of course they're all willing to play." She added with a wink.

“… Save it for outside of work.” Droite said firmly. “We may need your help, but we’re not conforming to your whims, understand?”

"This is why I left the force before. It's no fun to be restricted." Mai said with a sigh and a smile.

“I do hope you’ll take this seriously."

"Honey, boys are like toys...I can't help but fool around with them. But girls are a different story...they're definitely to be taken seriously." Mai said, winking at Droite.

Droite just raised her eyebrow. “Don’t get any ideas. We’ll work together to see this case through, and then you’ll leave.” She said, clearly showing she wasn’t interested and didn’t have time for that. Mai was pretty, but it was very off-putting .

"Sure, that's exactly how it'll go." Mai said in a tone that suggested she didn't quite believe her, but with a smiling face that might throw people off.

And with that, Droite went to go start the search. It was going to be a long case, she could feel it.

-x-

It had been a couple days since Vector and Takashi had left the country, and the police were working hard on their case.  Ponta had come over the other day briefly, but he hadn't stuck around too long, since he wanted to help his family with his new baby sister.  Haruto also figured that he wasn't much fun at the moment...all he wanted to do was sleep...and when he was awake, it was hard to focus on things lately.  

The pain in his body was only there when he was awake...and if he took his meds, the pain did leave, but it left his mind numb and Haruto didn't like it.  He had been taking the medicine diligently when his brother gave it to him, but lately, he'd been cheeking the pills and hiding them.  He did hate the pain...but he wanted to be fully awake.  He knew he didn't have much time left, after all...best to make the most of it.  

That was why he was currently trying to read something in bed, but the words kept blurring together and it gave him a headache to focus.  Now he really understood how his Nii-sama felt, he mused silently.

“Haruto… Haruto…” Kaito walked in, holding a tray with Haruto’s meal. He had insisted to Chris that he would take it up to Haruto himself and so he did. The blonde’s cane tapped against the floor, almost in synch to the ticking of the clock. Besides their joined, thick breathing and the slow beats that followed, there was absolute silence, as if the world was holding its breath, waiting for the moment to finally come.

The day was bright and sunny, but the blinds were half closed and the room was left mostly in darkness. Kaito put the tray on his bedside table and he sat down on the bed.

“. . . Hey… You still awake?”

"I'm awake, Nii-sama...just reading." Or trying to, Haruto thought. He smiled at his brother even though he knew he couldn't see it.

"Is that for me? Thanks, Nii-sama."

“mmm… No problem.” Kaito said. “What are you reading, anyway?” He asked. Haruto liked reading to him, but he hadn’t heard Haruto pick up a book in a while.

"Um...it's one of the textbooks that Ms. Varian left me. I like reading it and thinking about the concepts." He said. Or, as best he could he tried to focus on them. It wasn't always possible anymore since his mind was muddled.

"What're you up to, Nii-sama?"

“Hm? Just finished work. I was hoping to spend some time with you today.” Kaito said honestly, hearing how feeble Haruto’s voice is. “How are you feeling?”

Haruto smiled.

"I wouldn't mind that..." He said softly, before he fell into a coughing fit that made him double over and pain shot through his limbs.

“Haruto.” He frowned. He went to help his brother, knowing to make sure his airway was clear. “Shhh… It’s okay… It’s okay… I’m here..."

Haruto coughed for a couple of minutes, before finally settling down a little.  He rested against his brother's body as he took deep breaths to calm himself.

“I'm okay...”  He said softly.

“Hey… Hey… Do you need me to call the hospital? How are you feeling?” The man asked, biting his lip.

Haruto shook his head at that.  He definitely didn't want to go back to a hospital, even though he felt a bit light headed.

“No...hospital...”  Haruto said softly.

“Haruto? You’re getting fainter…” He muttered, staring at the young boy. He stroked his face and froze, feeling how cold Haruto was.

“… Orbital. Orbital! Call the hospital… Please. Haruto, we need to get you help straight away,” The man murmured. He held Haruto close to him.

“No...”  Haruto managed to wheeze, but when he tried to replenish his air supply, he found himself choking a bit.  It was like his lungs could no longer expand as much as they were supposed to.  He didn't want to die...he didn't want to go yet...

Orbital dialed the hospital and quickly explained that Haruto seemed to be having breathing difficulties.

“Kaito-sama, an ambulance is on its way!”  Orbital announced, clearly concerned about Haruto as it approached.

“Haruto! Haruto!” Kaito tried to steady him, get his lungs going. But being blind wasn’t helping. Despite getting Haruto in the right position and getting his inhaler and everything, he knew that it was time.

It was time when the disease took his brother.

And Kaito sure as hell wasn’t ready.

“Come on Haruto… Come on… It’s okay. Just breathe. You’re going to live, alright? Alright?” Kaito whispered, finding it hard to breathe himself.

Haruto was getting weaker by the second, his body already oxygen deprived.  Despite the pain, he kept trying to breathe, trying to cling to life for as long as he could.  His vision was getting even more spotty, but he could make out that his brother was indeed panicking.  It broke Haruto's heart.

“Nii-sama...”  He whispered.  Weakly, his hand reached over to grab his brother's, both for his own reassurance, and also for Kaito's sake.  As scared as Haruto was, he was even more fearful for his brother's sake.  

“...sorry....”  he finished, apologizing for leaving so soon, and for causing Kaito pain.  

Kaito grabbed the small, frail hand, shaking. Why here? Why now? Why did his brother have to go first? Why didn’t the cure work for him and not Haruto. So many questions ran through Kaito’s head and the man started trembling.

“Don’t apologise…” Kaito said, trying to steady himself. “It’s alright… It’s alright. Just breathe, Haruto. You’re going to be okay. You’ll live… You will…” He gasped, feeling tears come to his eyes.

Haruto tried to smile a bit at his brother, wanting to reassure him.  He shifted himself slightly so that he was lying in his brother's arms, their hands still joined.  If he had to go, he wanted to be with the person who loved him most.  In his haze, Haruto was reminded of a story his father told him: of how moments after he was born, Kaito had insisted that he hold his new baby brother, and how when he had, Kaito had promised to protect him and look after him all his life.  How ironic that he had practically began life in his brother's arms, and now, he was leaving it the same way.  

Haruto's thoughts drifted to wondering how he could possibly comfort him with the fraction of air he had left to say something.  He focused on his big brother's face, a bit saddened by the fact that he was starting to cry, but glad that he was with him.  

“Nii-sama...thank you...I...love you...”  Haruto whispered with his dying breath, as his senses faded out, his eyes closing for the last time.

He did promise to protect him and love him. For every breath he had, he would protect his baby brother and make sure he would grow up to be a strong and healthy boy, to try find a way that he could have a long and happy life. Why did he get complacent? He should have done more… Nothing could have prepared him for this.

Kaito sobbed but he forced a smile. He didn’t want his brother to die looking at his face like this, but the red cheeks and eyes and tears were only too visible against the strained expression.

“I love you. I love you, Haruto. I love you..."

The ambulance and the paramedics arrived a few minutes after, but they were too late.  After a brief examination, they declared Haruto officially dead, and loaded his body onto a stretcher so they could take him in for an autopsy.  According to the law, it was mandatory that cause of death be examined since Haruto died outside of hospital.  A couple of the paramedics came over to attempt to comfort Kaito, since Chris was not home yet to do so.

And Kaito… Kaito just decided to just slump down in his office and cry. His brother was dead. Haruto… after so long fighting… was dead.

Kaito just broke down and cried.

When Chris, who had been out for groceries, saw the ambulances outside the house, a feeling of dread overcame him.  He ran into the house, quickly introducing himself to the paramedics as the owner of the house and asking what happened.  The answer appeared in a small body bag, too tiny to be an adult, was wheeled out into the ambulance.  Chris' face blanked in horror and he quickly rushed into the house.

“Kaito?”  He called, looking around frantically for his friend, who he knew must be absolutely devastated to say the least. He made his way upstairs to Haruto's room first, but didn't find Kaito there.  So, he backtracked to the next most likely place he'd be, his office.  And that was where he found him, openly crying, and Chris could only feel his heart break more.  He came over to comfort his friend.

Kaito heard Chris approach but he didn’t bother trying to hide his emotions. Instead, he simply leaned against Chris when he approached, the tears quietly streaming down his face.

“. . . Chris… Haruto…” He stopped himself, not sure what to say.

Chris let Kaito lean against him, putting an arm around him in comfort.

“I know, Kaito...and I'm here.”  Chris said softly, gently rubbing Kaito's arm and letting him react however he had to.

“. . . It should have been me. The cure should have worked on him and not me…” Kaito said quietly. “. . . I can’t. . . He died in my arms, Chris..."

Chris frowned as he listened.

"Life does what it does...there was nothing anyone could have done to change it." Chris said. He knew what it was like to think he should have died instead. He sighed.

"And that was probably the best place for him to be...he was with the person who loved him most." Chris said softly.

“I know…” Kaito said quietly. It was hard for him to accept though… his brother… It happened so fast, he could swear that Haruto was just sleeping in the next room. It seems like a dream, all the time.

“. . . Stay with me?” Kaito muttered.

Chris nodded.

“Of course.  I'll help you however I can.”  Chris promised, staying with Kaito in the office.  He told Orbital softly to put the groceries away for him so he could keep Kaito company.

“. . . I just need to have someone here… just until… I’m ready,” he sighed.

"Of course. I'll be here, and if I can't be, is there anyone in particular you want me to call?" Chris asked gently.

“. . . Just… ask Orbital to call Kibou. Please?”

Chris noted the name of Kaito's boyfriend. He knew right away exactly who he was referring to.

"Alright...Orbital, please call Kibou."

“. . . Thanks.” He sighed and closed his eyes, waiting for the phone to ring and Astral to pick up.

Astral was at his place when the phone rang. He saw Kaito's number and picked up right away.

"Hello, Kaito?" He asked.

“Can I speak to him alone, Chris? And can you help me up?” Kaito asked. Chris obliged and left, leaving Kaito in his arm chair with Orbital 7.

“… Astral… Haruto..."

Astral waited patiently for Kaito to answer, and when he did, Astral's eyes widened.  He could hear how weak Kaito's voice was, as if he was devastated.  That meant whatever was wrong with Haruto couldn't be good.  

“Kaito...do you want me to come over?”  He asked softly, worried about his partner and about Haruto.

Kaito was quiet for a very long time, and there was only the sound of his shallow, shaky breathing. He tried to find words, his mind conflicted between telling Astral to stay back and be safe, before he muttered a single, defeated word.

“… Please.”

Astral listened again, waiting patiently for Kaito to muster up his response.  He was obviously devastated...that must mean Haruto was gone, Astral thought sadly.  He nodded.

“Okay.  I will come.”  He resolved, not caring what the risk was to him.

“Thanks.” Orbital hung the phone up on Kaito’s behalf and the man slumped into his chair. He felt really tired now, but he couldn’t sleep, not when he was crying again.

Astral put on his disguise so he wouldn't be easily recognized.  Astral hopped on the bus and headed down to Kaito's house as quickly as he could.  All the while he was turning over thoughts in his head about how he could comfort Kaito.  He just hoped whatever he did would be enough.  

Once he reached the door, he knocked, and waited for it to be answered.

Chris opened the door and blinked before stepping aside.

“He’s in the study.” He said simply, guessing why he was here.

Astral nodded.  

“Thank you.”  He said softly, entering the house and going straight to the study.  The door was open, so he entered.  His eyes widened as he saw how exhausted and heartbroken Kaito looked.

“...Kaito.”  He spoke, coming up to him immediately and giving him a hug.

“Astral…” Kaito’s arms came up and he slowly hugged Astral back. Feeling his partner’s strong arms sparked tears up again, and the hot tears fell down his face. “I… I… It should have been me. The medicine…"

Astral felt like crying to, the fact that loveable Haruto was gone for good hitting him now that he saw Kaito this upset.   But he knew he had to stay strong for Kaito, so he refrained for now.  He gently stroked Kaito's back as he sobbed.

“Kaito, we both know there was no cure for his illness..only treatment.   You did all you could...and because of that, you gave him a chance to enjoy his life...he had fun and was happy, even though it was unfortunately short.”  Astral said softly.

“. . . I know… But… I can’t believe he’s gone…” Kaito mumbled, shaking. His little brother, Haruto… the light and joy of his life, the one he strove to protect and work hard for was gone. He could still barely comprehend it, and thinking about the young boy in his arms…

Astral nodded in understanding.  

“I cannot believe it either.”  He replied, turning his head and kissing Kaito's forehead.  

“But I will be here for you as long as you need me, okay?”  He said.

“. . . I don’t want you to leave. I never did…” Kaito muttered

“...Nor did I want to leave you.”  Astral said, holding Kaito closer.  

“Then don’t” Kaito muttered. Whether he meant stay forever or stay until he was done mourning was up in the air, but he leaned against the other man, and just started sobbing harder.

Astral understood the ambiguity of Kaito's statement, but he knew that Kaito knew he couldn't really promise that he wouldn't ever leave.  As a fugitive, it was dangerous to stay in one place for too long, even in disguise.  Especially if it was in a house that Kaito shared with Chris, who could very well alert the police to Astral's presence.  Astral hoped he wouldn't.  

For now, he did all that he could do: hold Kaito close and let him cry.  It was better to get the tears out, Astral knew, than to keep emotions bottled up inside as Kaito was often prone to doing.  Astral let Kaito lean against him, still rubbing his back and holding him close for comfort.

He could never stay with Astral. Perhaps all he could do is have a few fleeting moments, but nothing in life was certain, and everyone he knew could go at any time. Suffering was a fact of life, and he just had to accept that. But Kaito let himself have a moment of weakness, where he could pretend that Astral would always be here for him and love him, and he let his guard down. His tears did become quiet, but he was still weak and broken, more now than ever.

Astral allowed himself to revel in the opportunity to hold Kaito and pretend he could be there for him forever. He knew his predicament but preferred it to prison, so he wasn't upset.

"I love you, and I am here for you." Astral said softly once Kaito had calmed.

“… Thank you.” And Kaito could only murmur that. He wished he could say how good it was to see Astral, but he was too upset still.

He’d never hear Haruto again.

-x-

The evening after Haruto's death, the Heartland City Police Department were scheduled for a stake-out on the docks.  Their drug-team had given them word that there was a major illegal drug shipment coming in that evening, and they were on the lookout for their primary suspect.  Ukyou's team, plus Mai, were inside a nearby abandoned building that had a good view of the door their drug team was going in.  They were the central command and the backup in the operation, on the lookout for any suspicious people, as well as Mutou Yuugi, if he did show up.

“Alright, the head of each team has spread out and surrounded the building...but they're hiding so that anyone who goes in isn't deterred.”  Gauche reported, having heard back from them.  Ukyou nodded.

“Good...we'll hold off for now, since we haven't spotted anyone who fits the description of our perp.”  

Meanwhile, Yami was making his way down to the docks, dressed in black leather and hiding his hair in a hooded vest.  He had used up most of his stock in his last little game, and had heard that his favorite dealer was back with the good stuff.  He was at the moment unaware of the police surveillance as he made his way down the back alleys, remaining as inconspicuous as possible as he did so.

Anna drummed her fingers against the wall, sighing quietly. She hated the wait. However, it would all be worth in in a short while. The police had planned this and had inside teams ready to strike. One way or another, this drug bust would go smoothly as the others, and they would hopefully have a killer.

Anna turned around when she heard footsteps and saw one of her fellow officers hurry behind her. She turned to him, steadying him.

“North entrance. I think we found our Mutou Yuugi.” Anna’s eyes widened and she hurried to Ukyou and Mai, tapping them.

“I think the star of the show has arrived, guys. Just look up.”

Mai immediately went to the window with a pair of binoculars, looking through them towards the north entrance.  She smiled to herself as she spotted him.  She couldn't see much of his hair, but she could see enough of his blonde bangs and eyes to confirm it.

“Yep, that's him alright.”  Mai said, showing Ukyou.  The man nodded in agreement.  He had a mug shot to compare it to, and the man on the street looked like the photograph.  And, more importantly, he was the right height to be their perp.  

“Tell the teams not to do anything yet...I want to see what drugs he's come for.  Just keep an eye on him.  Don't let him out of your sight, and be careful.  He could be armed.”  Ukyou definitely wanted to know the dealers who could get their hands on the drug that made people lose their free will.

Yami reached the north entrance, pushing open the door and entering the warehouse.  He smirked a bit as he spotted a familiar head of orange hair waiting for him, his large shipment of drugs behind him in crates.  

“Understood.” Anna said. She indicated to the other officers and communicated on the radio, telling them all to be on standby. She leaned back, waiting for the drugs to show up.

Down in the warehouse, on top of one of the boxes was a man in a black cloak but wearing a very gaudy suit underneath it. When he saw Yami, he grinned and gave an amused half-bow to him.

“So the great Yami graces us with his presence,” The entertainer teased, “I’m honoured to see you back for more of my prizes."

Yami lowered his hood and smirked at the other man.  

“Your prizes were worth the price.  And I heard you collected a few of my personal favorites again, so I had to come by and restock.”  He mused.

“Hahhh~ I knew that you would find use for them. A man of your skill would definitely be able to use it to its full effectiveness. The devil’s breath for the devil himself.” Dennis grinned.

“Let’s see the money and we’ll talk how much.” He said, gesturing to some of his mooks to carry over some boxes from the back.

“I got paid recently, so I assure you, I can afford whatever you have.”  Yami said, not showing Dennis anything because he knew that if he whipped out a wad of cash in this part of town, some of the other patrons could take it from him.  

Speaking of other patrons...Yami began to notice that there seemed to be more people around than normal.  He didn't know that a few of these guys were policemen yet, but it was unusual to have so many people looking around.  Had Dennis' fame drawn in a crowd?  Sensing no threat for now, he approached the boxes, expecting to be shown the wares as usual.

And he was. There was a bunch of carefully packaged, carefully contained powder. Everyone who knew what it was stayed away from it like the plague when it was opened, and even Dennis got his hanky out and covered his face when he went to look as well.

“Want to test it to see if it’s genuine?” He teased

“No, thank you.”  Yami said with a smirk.  He simply held his breath as he looked over the packages.  Devil's breath was fairly easy to carry around.  

“I think I'll be needing a couple bottles this time.”  Yami mused, leaning back so he could breathe again.  He knew that he probably wouldn't get another chance to restock for awhile.

“A couple bottles? Oh my… and to think you only got a roll before. You must have been paid well.” Dennis chuckled, patting the man’s back.

Droite frowned and turned to Ukyou and Mai.

“Well? Shall we close in?"

“Very well.”  Yami confirmed, picking up a couple vials of the Devil's breath and handing Dennis the necessary payment for it.  Kaiba had paid him a bonus, because Yami had insisted, and they'd had a little game over it (Yami won, and Kaiba was steamed and had demanded a rematch sometime).  

“I also needed a few more rolls of the hallucinagenic stuff, if you've got those.”  Yami said casually.  But, he was alert now.  He felt eyes on him...the room was suddenly a little bit too tense.  The other patrons hadn't seen his money, so it wasn't that...and it hadn't been the drugs either.  The ones who were really here for it would never stare at him.  They only had eyes for their addictions or wares...Yami was starting to think that maybe there was something else going on.  

“Tell the teams to guard the exits and surround the building.  I don't want anyone getting away from that building, including our perp.  We can bust the dealer that way too.”  Ukyou instructed.  

“Insiders, tell me if anyone is inside and armed.  Drug dealers often have concealed weapons....we should proceed cautiously.”

Dennis slipped the cash into his pocket and noticed Yami’s expression. He looked around and got some hallucinogens from his coat pocket, handing it to Yami.

“Awfully busy tonight, neh?” Dennis muttered, getting the same feeling as Yami.

“Right. Got it. Squads 1 to 4, move out. Squad 6, stand by. Boat team, get in on it.” Droite ordered into her communicator. There was quiet affirmatives and then Droite had the inside teams move in.

“Indeed...you weren't expecting a crowd, were you?”  Yami mused, accepting the vial.  He hadn't really needed more hallucinogens.  Since they were his favorite type of drug, he always had a constant supply of them.  He accepted the vial, looking it over with a pleased expression as he noted this was the type of drug that was spread through the air.  Yami reached into his pocket and pulling out his money again but also a small bottle of pills.  He passed a couple bills to Dennis so any of the remaining policemen wouldn't be suspicious that he knew what was going on. He could hear the sounds of footsteps approaching...soon the warehouse would be overrun.  

“Dennis, if you know what's good for you...you'll stop breathing after I spread this.”  Yami warned softly, opening the vial and quickly slipping a couple pills into it before closing it again.  The reaction was instant; the fluid in the vial began to fizz and bubble, the pills dissolving.  Yami smirked.  This was a super-spiked drug...once he let it go, it would take affect almost immediately.  

At that instant, the police opened the doors and began to flood the warehouse, fully armed and ready to make the arrests or fight if necessary.  The second the door opened, Yami threw the vial towards the centre of the warehouse.  It smashed onto the ground, and immediately a rush of hot gas flooded upwards, hitting many officers in the face.  Yami smirked, and waited for the fun to begin.

“Not particularly…” Dennis said. He even slipped an extra nice one for Yami, using that as payment to have Yami get him out of here. He nodded as Yami put the pills in and he covered his mouth, backing away and picking what drugs he could carry.

“Police! Come out of here with your… ack…” The officers coughed, even those with face masks gagging at the putrid stench.

Yami crouched down, making himself seem smaller and therefore insignificant.  He couldn't let himself be mistaken for a hallucination and get shot.  He pulled out a scarf from his pocket and tied it around his nose and mouth, pulling up his hood to cover his hair and most of his face.  He crawled behind a crate of drugs and waited.

“Ukyou, he threw something...Mutou threw some sort of vial at us and-”  A cough interrupted the transmission as the drug continued to spread so that even those who weren't hit initially were inhaling the drug.  Several other transmissions were coming in, including some that they were losing visual on their suspect because of a strange mist surrounding the officers.  

“What's going on in there?  Is anyone hurt?”  Ukyou asked, concerned now.  Suddenly, over the sound of the intercom, the team heard screams of terror, followed by the sound of gunfire and cries of pain.  The police officers who had been hit first could see nothing but monsters, made of fire, stone, shadow, any number of substances, surrounding them.  They fired on these monsters in fright, not realizing that they were shooting their fellow officers who were coming over to help them.

Dennis hit the ground too, chuckling quietly as the officers shot each other. He crawled after Yami and hid, listening to the screams calmly

“Respond! Commanding officer. Respond now! Hold your fire!” Droite yelled into the microphone. She quickly went to the communicator. “There’s a dangerous substance in the air within the compound. Anyone who has not been affected, fall back. Someone get a contamination team here stat.”

Anna opened her mouth as she heard the gunshots.

“What the hell is going on there…”

Mai listened in alarm, frowning.

“He mentioned a vial...Yuugi drugged them.  He must have, and knowing him...this is going to be a bloodbath.”  She murmured.  

Meanwhile, in the warehouse, Yami crawled over to one of the officers bodies, quickly pulling out the earpiece and radio he wore and listening in on the orders Ukyou was giving.  They were going to fall back for now, which meant they had a brief opening.  Several of the lucky officers, who had come in later or held their breaths and avoided gunfire, had retreated to the exits, opening all the doors in their panic to leave.  When they did that though, they unwittingly released some of the drug into the air outside in a cloud of smoke, causing the other officers to retreat.  

“We're evacuating the building for now, opening all the doors to get the drug out of the warehouse!”  One of the few remaining commanding officers stated over the intercom, which both Ukyou's team and Yami heard.  Yami smirked to himself and nodded at Dennis, pointing to the nearest opened exit where many officers were blindly retreating, their target long forgotten in the face of their own mortal danger.  The officers covering that door had backed off when the smoke exited the building, letting their fellow officers out and quickly bringing them to the decontamination team.  The result was an essentially unguarded door, allowing Yami a chance to slip out and run into the alleyway.  He ducked behind a dumpster and took a moment to catch his breath.  He listened for further orders from Ukyou.  

“Everyone keep track of who's coming out...our suspect and the dealer are still in there!  If they survived, they'll be looking for a way out!”  Ukyou reminded everyone.  Yami frowned at the 'suspect'...were they talking about him?  Just how close were they to catching him as the murderer?  

“I need to get out of here.”  Yami said, keeping the radio and dashing away, managing to slip past the teams by listening to them radio in their positions to Ukyou as they scrambled to try and help their comrades escape the warehouse, where gunfire and screams could still be heard on occasion.

“You knew this would happen?” Droite hissed. However, she looked away and started calling the ambulance, knowing that there would be so many casualties. She had no idea how, but the drug bust was going down to a bust- it was hell.

Dennis grinned and followed after him. He sighed as they got out of range of the smoke and he breathed the fresh air, only then noticing what Yami picked up.

“Uh oh… looks like you’re not as sneaky as you thought. I’ll see you around.” Dennis muttered, heading in a different direction after making sure his drugs and some money was safe. After Yami had disappeared though, he scowled. Great… a whole neat operation busted by the police. Someone was going to pay for this.

“Well, I knew that if Yuugi did something, hon, it would have been fatal.  As far as I knew, you guys could've captured him before he did anything.  And for all we know right now, he could have been shot in the warehouse.  Nobody's reported seeing him leave.”  Mai said.  A few officers radioed in saying they had caught a few of Dennis' lackeys, but not the dealer himself.  The smoke was finally clearing, and the decontamination team, covered by protective suits that supplied their own oxygen, made their way into the building.  

“Yikes, this is not pretty...”  One couldn't help but say, noticing the number of bodies and blood sprayed all around the warehouse.  There were bullet holes pelting the walls, crates overturned and general signs of pandemonium everywhere they looked.  It was easy to pick out that most of the bodies were of police officers, but the team found a few bodies of some of Dennis' lackeys, and also his customers.  

“Superintendent, I'm sorry to say this, but based on what I see here...your suspect and the dealer escaped.  There's no body, and we've checked all the hiding places in the warehouse.”  

“You should have warned us. We should have taken precautions,” Droite hissed. She picked the communicator and waited for the men to report. Ukyou frowned and crossed his arms.

“He must have escaped during the confusion. Start a search for him. Both Mutou and his dealer are very dangerous.” Ukyou frowned. “And we need to go lock these drugs up somewhere safe. I want to figure out who is shipping this in.”

“Yes sir.” Anna said, jumping out of their hiding place and getting new orders out.

Officers moved out to form a perimeter, searching both for Mutou and Dennis, but neither were found.  Both men had retreated as quickly as they could, using their extensive knowledge of the streets to hide themselves from the policemen.  Others remained at the scene, either checking for survivors (there were a few who had been shot but were still alive), or identifying and packaging up the drugs.

“I found the Devil's breath...but there's quite a few containers missing.”  Gauche reported, able to see quite clearly where the stack was missing a couple rolls.  

“Someone reported that Yuugi bought a couple of rolls...it's possible the dealer grabbed some as well when he ran.  That drug is valuable after all.  He wouldn't want to lose his money completely.”  Mai reasoned, crossing her arms.

“There’s a lot of that…” Droite said, looking at the stash. “I guess more would be coming in soon. Shit..."

"Not to mention he got some of it already...he could use it on anyone." Gauche growled.

“. . . We need something to counteract it… or at least… Kukaju-san… is there an… antidote or a way to nullify the effects of these drugs?” Droite frowned

"I'm sure there is, hon, but I'm not a chemist. I might be able to come up with something, but I doubt I could mix up the formula. Usually I'd go to an outside expert to make it for me.." Mai said. Ukyou nodded.

"That sounds wise...and I think I might know someone who could help." He said, remembering that man he'd run into a week or so ago. Maybe he could help them.

"In the meantime, put out a public bulletin on Mutou. Even if he turns out to not be the killer, he's dangerous with those drugs."

-x-

News of the mass killing of policemen was recorded on national and international news, which meant that even in America, Vector heard about it on television.  His eyes widened as he read and heard the story being shared in English.  

“Wow...looks like Heartland is in trouble again...”  He murmured.  “The cops haven't been this eager to catch someone since I was a criminal, but even then, this is more of a personal vendetta.  They'll wanna eat the cop-killer alive.”  He mused.

“Heartland in trouble?” Takashi asked, peering back into the room from the bathroom. “There’s a cop-killer around? First I’ve heard of it"

“That's because it just happened earlier today in Heartland.  There's a guy who used hallucinogenic drugs to trick the police into shooting each other during a drug raid.  He's also a suspect in the killing of  those CEOs, remember those?”  Vector explained.

“Oh yeah, I remember that. That’s awful… I hope the others are okay….” Takashi knew most of the officers on the force in Heartland. He was suddenly very worried for their sake. “Scary what can happen..."

Vector reached over to Takashi and squeezed his hand.

"I'm sure they're okay...the guys who went in were probably the drug team, not Ukyou's team." Vector said, knowing that Takashi still cared about his fellow officers.

“I know… but still… I knew most of them…” He sighed. He sat down next to Vector and hugged him.

Vector accepted the hug and returned it, holding Takashi close and resting his head against his.

“I know you did...I hope they catch this guy quick before he hurts someone else.”  

Takashi laid his head against the other man. “Thanks… Hopefully… it won’t interfere with tonight.”

Vector smiled. They were getting married tonight.  

“I doubt it.  I'll be sure to distract you enough.”  He mused, kissing Takashi's temple.

Takashi gave a smile and nuzzled his shoulder. “Save the kissing for tonight, Romeo. Don’t tire yourself out."

Vector chuckled.  

“I'll have plenty of energy for tonight, I assure you.”  He mused, nuzzling Takashi back.  From across the room, Takashi's computer let out a small 'ping' which indicated the arrival of a new email message.  

“Dammit...we're trying to have a moment here...”  Vector pouted, knowing that Takashi would have to get up to check that since it could be his boss.

“I’ll get it. There’s plenty of times for moments later.” Takashi laughed, pulling himself up slowly. He didn’t mind as much as his partner and he quickly hurried to check so he could return back.

There was no subject header, and the message was short but Takashi’s smile disappeared as he saw it was from Kaito.

“Haruto died yesterday. Thought you should know.” Takashi murmured, reading the note with wide eyes.

Vector waited patiently for Takashi to read his email.  His eyes widened at the news.  

“What...no....”  He murmured, scarcely able to believe it.  Haruto was really gone...Vector hung his head and tried not to cry.

“. . .” The impact of the letter didn’t quite hit Takashi, and the man could barely comprehend it. He turned around when he heard Vector and his heart sank, seeing his partner just shrivel like he was.

“Vector..."

Vector was upset because Haruto hadn't deserved to die so young.  He had been a kid who had liked him and appreciated his company.  He'd enjoyed teaching him and felt sad that he couldn't see him again.  

“Sorry it's just...it's just sad....”  Vector said softly, sniffling a bit.

“No… No. Don’t be sorry… You and Haruto were close, weren’t you? Oh Vector…” Takashi went to embrace his partner, squeezing him tight.

Vector nodded as he cried softly.  

“Yeah...we were.”  He murmured, accepting the hug and cuddling Takashi to make himself feel better.

“. . . He’s not in pain anymore. He was struggling in the end. Haruto is at peace.” Takashi murmured, squeezing Vector tight. Vector was like this… Kaito must have been devastated. As soon as Vector let go of him, Takashi knew he was going to call his old boss and check on him.

Vector nodded.

“I know...”  He said softly, cuddling Takashi and trying to calm himself.  He was sad, but also glad that Haruto was no longer suffering.

“...I wonder...how Kaito's dealing with this...”  He asked.

“I’ll call him… I doubt he’s taking it well though…” Takashi muttered.

“We can't call him now...time difference.”  Vector murmured, knowing it was late at night in Japan right now.

“Tonight then… we’ll call him."

“...Yeah...”  Vector said softly, curling up against Takashi.  He was still saddened by the news of Haruto's death.

“. . . Did… you want to lie down for a bit?” Takashi said, still a bit in disbelief of how… quickly Haruto just seemed to disappear.

“For now, yeah...”  Vector said, lying down next to him and snuggling against him.

“…” Takashi switched the TV off and pulled Vector up onto the couch. He hugged him and kissed his forehead. Haruto… was just gone.

And soon, Vector would suffer the same fate…

Vector curled up in bed, trying to get some rest and get his mind off of Haruto so he could enjoy himself this evening.  He wanted to be happy and get married.

So did Takashi, but the energy had left was gone too. He kissed Vector on the forehead and sighed, letting them just… accept a young child they had both liked was gone.

Eventually though, it was time for them to actually get married.  It wasn't going to be overly fancy...just them getting legally married in a town hall in America surrounded by their family.  Judai had insisted that they bring both of them separately, so they could maintain the idea of the spouses not seeing each other before the wedding, so Yusei and Judai were looking after Vector, while Toshimi looked after her son.  

Judai knocked on their door, waking up both men from their nap.

“Hey lovebirds!  We gotta get this show on the road!”  Judai called.  Vector groaned.

“Oh gosh, I slept a long time...”  He mused.  

Takashi gave a small smile as he looked at Vector and he switched off the movie he was watching. He looked at the time as he continued running his fingers through Vector’s long hair.

“You did… but you needed the rest.” He said. “Though, you may want to get up now. You still have to get ready for the wedding.”

Vector stayed in bed for a moment, letting Takashi pet him contently, before nodding.

“Yeah...I'm guessing Judai will want all the time he can get to make me look nice.  Your mom too maybe.”  Vector mused with a smirk.  He sat up and kissed Takashi's cheek.

“I'll see you later...”  He said softly, climbing out of bed and calling out to Judai who was still pounding on the door impatiently.

“Quit it already!  I'm coming out.”  Vector said, opening the door and letting Judai pull him down the hall to the room he shared with Yusei to get Vector ready.

“See you later.” Takashi smiled. Immediately as the door opened, Takashi watched his partner being pulled into the hallway and into the room. Yusei already had Vector’s clothes ready on the bed and Judai pushed him to the shower.

“Wash up, brush your teeth, comb your hair and I’ll do the rest, okay?” Judai said, all too quickly. Yusei laughed.

“You’d think Judai was the one getting married"

Vector let himself be dragged along, finding Judai's enthusiasm amusing.  So far it was enough to make him forget about Haruto and other troubles in his life.

“Alrighty then.”  He said, heading to the bathroom to clean himself up.

“Let this be a warning, Uncle.  If you actually do get married someday, expect this reaction tenfold.”  Vector joked with a smirk.  

“I’m happy with not being in-laws with Yubel, so I’ll pass.” Yusei laughed. Judai elbowed him playfully and went to sort out his usual makeup and started looking on how he could make Vector’s hair look decent.

Meanwhile, Takashi was getting his own things, bracing himself for his mother to come in and do the same to him.

Vector chuckled as he started the water.

“I'll be out soon.”  He promised, closing the door and getting into the shower once it was warm enough.  

Toshimi came to knock on the door to Takashi and Vector's room.

“Takashi, honey, it's time.”  She said with a smile, the excitement of her son getting married making her truly happy.

Takashi had just finished smoothing the creases out of his shirt when he heard the door. He answered it, smiling at his mother when he saw her. It was hard to believe that she was here, supporting him. He could almost feel his child-self envious of how he was now.

“I know… Come in."

Toshimi entered upon recieving the invitation to and smiled at her son.  

“Have you gotten cleaned up?  I can do your hair.”  She offered.

“Yeah… I’ve had a quick rinse. I decided to do it when Ena got whisked away.” Takashi gave a small chuckle and closed the door behind her. “What would you do with my hair? It’s not long… and it’s not like it can be any worse than Ena’s.”

“I know it's not long, but I could slick it back, or try to style it some other way.”  Toshimi said.  She smiled.

“And I have a feeling that Judai will come up with something creative...he strikes me as the type to do that.”  

“I haven’t had my hair slicked back since I was an officer of the law. Ena was the one who said she preferred the bowl cut.” He rolled his eyes but smiled. “Well… whatever you think you can do with it, I’m willing to give it a try. I’ve never been a creative one."

“Well, if she likes the bowl cut better, we can leave it like that.”  Toshimi said with a smile, gently leading her son to a chair so he could sit while she worked on his hair.

“Maybe we can neaten it up. With everything lately, I haven’t trimmed it. The sides are getting long.” Takashi said.

Toshimi could see as she combed his hair out that it hadn't been cut in awhile...knowing her son, that probably meant he was too busy caring for Ena to worry about himself.  It was a subtle sign of how much Takashi was infatuated with Ena.  

“We'll trim it a bit so it looks nice.”  Toshimi said, getting some scissors and laying down a little tarp so that they could clean up the trimmed hair easier afterwards.

“Yeah…” Takashi sat down and looked in the mirror. He looked… older, he realised. He always looked very youthful and sprightly, so to see a tired young man in the mirror surprised him. “. . . Is this how you expected my wedding to be, mother?”

Toshimi was working on his hair, smiling to herself as she went.  

“...Well, it's hard to say.  I didn't picture it as us going to America of all places, I'll admit.  But, I had always hoped that you would be married in a better way than I was.  That your partner would be someone who truly loved you, and would stay with you for the rest of your life.  Although Ena probably can't be with you for that long...I know she loves you dearly, so in that way, this is exactly how I pictured things.”  She said softly.

“. . . You asked me if I was sure about wanting to marry her. You’re… still worried, aren’t you? You’re worried about me… I love Ena so much…” He closed his eyes and held his breath.

“Yes, honey...I am still worried about you.  I'm worried that you're not taking care of yourself...that you're overcompensating for Ena's sake, neglecting your own health.  And I'm still worried about what will happen after you lose someone whom you love so much.”  Toshimi said softly.  

“...But, for now, you should put aside your worries...this is supposed to be a day for you two to celebrate, not fret.”  Toshimi added.

“Overcompensating…” He sighs. “Maybe… I don’t know.” But he’ll leave it, for now at least. For the moment he smiles and lets his mother comb his hair.

“Yeah… I suppose so…”

Toshimi smiled and continued cutting and styling her son's hair.  

“Good.  Are you two saying your own vows, or are you going to just let the office do that?”  She asked.

“Our own vows… We’re going to go with whatever is natural, so we agreed to both improvise on the altar and let our hearts speak for us.” Takashi said. It did translate to ‘they both forgot until the last minute’ but they had said their vows at the cemetery in Neo Domino, so neither was too fussed.

“Improvise?  Well...I hope you at least have some idea of what you want to say.  They might not give you much time.”  Toshimi warned.

“That does sound sweet though.”  

“I do.” Takashi smiled. “I have a lot of ground to cover, and I don’t want to waste any time. I’m glad you approve.”

Toshimi smiled.

“I'm just glad you're happy with your decision.”  Toshimi said with a smile.  She finished off his hair, styling it in a bowl cut that was much more evenly trimmed.

“How's that?”  

“It looks a lot better.” Takashi smiled. “Thanks mum… I appreciate it. Almost as much as I appreciate you being here…”

"Thank you honey. I appreciated you letting me share this special day with you." Toshimi said happily.

“I mean… I haven’t been really fair on you.” Takashi stood up and sighed, facing his mother. “With the whole biking thing… and how you never were around for me because dad left… and how we never really talked when Aika broke up with me… I think I’ve been just… been generally awful to you. I keep thinking you’re this wicked, terrible person, but you’re just my mum… and I’m sorry for always doubting you."

Toshimi listened and sighed.

"It's not your fault, Takashi. I could have been there for you more instead of burying myself in work and biking all the time. You're my son and I should have been a better mother for you as well." She said, hugging Takashi gently.

"But you should know that I'm here for you from now on...whatever you need, just let me know." She promised.

Takashi hugged her back tightly. “I love you, mum."

"I love you too son." Toshimi replied.

The atmosphere was a bit different in Yusei and Judai's room. When Vector came out of the shower, Judai had hustled him over to the bed to get his hair done. And Yusei had handed him a drink.

"You guys are really making this a party aren't you?" Vector mused, sipping the fruity alcoholic beverage.

“Well, if I’m intending to die at the same time as you and the old man over there,” Yusei jabbed a finger over to Judai, “I got a lot of liver murder to do.”

“Yusei!” Judai frowned.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Go get your hair done. Judai finally decided on a wig.”

Vector laughed regardless.

"Sure, just don't drink too much Uncle. We all know you're a light weight." Vector mused, sitting down so Judai could do his hair.

"Do me up, Judai. I wanna make Takashi's jaw drop." He mused with a smirk.

“I’m not,” Yusei muttered. However, he knew his limits. He wasn’t going to ruin Vector’s wedding day anyway.

“Well… we have two options. Black or Blonde. Personally, I’m a fan of the blonde, but Yusei said you might not want to look like your dad so much. Alternatively, there was the red, but Yusei said no, which sucks because red is awesome."

"Hmm..." Vector pondered his options.

"I guess I'll go blonde. The whole point of this thing was so I could get married as 'me', so I could use my natural hair colour." He said. He snickered.

"Though red is awesome, I doubt I could pull it off well." He mused.

“Dunno. Red is mischievous. In another life, you’re definitely going to be a red-head,” Judai smiled. He passed the blonde wig which he had been fiddling with. “Any style or go my own way before we get that tux on?”

"Well if that happens, Uncle won't like me anymore." Vector teased. He shrugged.

"You can pick something. Uncle's right though about one thing...I don't really want to look like my father, so anything but his style."

“I’ve put up with you this long, haven’t I?” Yusei pouted. Judat smiles and behind slowly plaits his hair

Vector chuckled at his uncle's pouting face. It was not a common sight.

"Yes, yes you have and I'm grateful for that." Vector agreed. He took a sip of his drink again and relaxed as Judai did his hair.

"And to you too, Judai. Thanks."

“Hey, no problem. I like doing this” Judai smiled, styling the blonde to how he knew Phecda Atlas liked it. “Tah dah~”

Vector glanced in the mirror and smirked as he noticed his hair.

“Wow, you're really good at styling wigs!  It looks so natural!”  Vector said, truly impressed.

“Thanks Judai.  This is bound to be a hit with Takashi.”  He mused, smiling at his uncle's boyfriend.  Now he just had to get dressed and they'd be essentially ready to go.

“Hey, I’m a professional,” Judai grins. He finished up his work and backed out before Yusei passed him his shirt. “You make sure you’re all shiny, alright? We better get ready too, Yusei.”

“Yeah, yeah"

“I'll be pristine.”  Vector promised with a smile.  He put his finished drink down and got dressed in his tux, admiring himself in the mirror.  He looked good, as he had hoped he would, and hoped that it would impress Takashi.  It had been awhile since Vector had dressed up after all...and Vector was looking forward to seeing Takashi's outfit too.  

“You guys ready?”  He asked.

“Ready when you are. Let’s hurry to the altar then and get you married.” Judai laughed. “Surprised you’re not getting married at a casino but whatever.”

“I’ll head out first and see if the coast is clear,” Yusei said, putting his jacket on and heading out. Good thing he did too, because he just saw Takashi and Toshimi heading down the elevator, just within view.

Vector rolled his eyes.

"That sounds more like your style than mine, Judai." He mused with a chuckle. He stayed back with Judai to let Yusei on ahead.

Toshimi glanced over at Yusei.

"Oh good you're ready too...come on Takashi, in the elevator before Ena comes out." She said, getting Takashi in the door.

“Nah… if I got married to Yusei, it’d be on a motorcycle track. I know what he liked.” Judai grinned.

Yusei nodded to him and Takashi gave a brief wave before being hustled in. With a smile, Yusei opened the door.

“Let’s go, people."

"Motorcycle track by the casino?" Vector compromised with a smirk. He glanced over when Yusei entered.

"Alright. Lead the way Uncle." He said.

“See, this is why you’re my favourite nephew.” Judai laughed as he headed out with Vector. Yusei smiled, putting a hand on Vector’s shoulder and escorting them.

“So where is this place you picked?"

Vector chuckled and allowed himself to be escorted out.

"It's not too far away, thankfully. It's a small parish that has drop ins for quick weddings. We didn't want a whole elaborate ceremony so that was the best option." Vector said.

“Alright…”

Takashi was already there, and they were right on time. So the men went in and got all of the formalities organised before Vector came. Takashi went to go wait at the altar while Toshimi waited for the others at the entrance. They could start straight away.

Vector, his uncle and Judai arrived a few minutes later. There was almost no one around...Takashi's mother was there but that was it.

"Looks like I was right...this place isn't busy." Vector mused. Toshimi smiled.

"The altar is through those doors...Takashi is waiting for you down there. You can start right away." She said with a smile. Vector smiled back and took a breath.

"Okay then...lets get started." He said, a bit nervous but also excited as he approached the door.

Yusei smiled and opened the double wooden doors, exposing a small, modest chapel. It was mostly wood and red carpet, with plain windows and a simple set up. It was old but clean and well taken care of, the kind of homely place that Takashi liked.

And standing by the minister was the cleaned Takashi. He turned to see Vector and his eyes widened, feeling like he suddenly saw a ghost. Vector had hair, and Judai had put some makeup so he didn’t look so deathly pale. He looked stunning…. he really did.

“Phecda…” He breathed.

Vector let his uncle open the doors for him and he briefly took in the scene, pleased to note that it gave off a nice, cozy and homey feel. It wasn't like the elaborate wedding parties he had always dreamed he'd get married in against his will, thankfully.

And then he glanced forward at Takashi and his eyes widened as he saw how nice Takashi looked too. His hair was in a very clean cut bowl shape, which made Vector smile. His tuxedo was form fitting as opposed to the brown suit Vector knew Takashi owned and so it was the first time he'd seen Takashi dressed up properly like this. But his face was like the icing on the cake: Takashi's eyes were only on him, wide with familiar amazement and although Vector couldn't hear him from this far away, he could see his name on Takashi's lips.

"Still got it." Vector mused to himself, giving Judai a mental pat on the back for helping him. It gave him the confidence he needed to start walking again towards his very well dressed husband to be.

"Hey..." He said softly once he reached him. He smiled appreciatively.

"You look amazing."

“So do you…” Takashi said, unable to keep the awe off his face. He hadn’t seen Vector like this in a long time, and so many memories, both fond and not, flooded back at him. His face erupted into a smile and he chuckled.

“Shall we just… Go and get this show on the road?” He asked, looking at Vector and then the minister.

Vector smiled and nodded.

"Yeah definitely. Let's start." He said, squeezing Takashi's hand as they turned to the minister to start the service. The man nodded at them both, letting the few witnesses get settled before he began the ceremony. It wasn't too long before he was asking both men for their vows to each other, starting with Vector.

Vector took a small breath and looked at Takashi.

"When I first met Todoroki Takashi, I was a different person than now in more ways than one. I wore the mask of a man who was alone in the world, who pushed people away and feared any sort of commitment. The old me didn't hesitate to hurt Takashi, even though he was nothing but kind, sweet and caring towards me, and it nearly cost me the best thing that ever happened to me. Instead of leaving me be, Takashi gave me another chance, showing me just how much he cared, and he taught me how to trust him with the real me hiding under a mask. He gave me a life again, and I am grateful for every moment we have spent together, and will continue to spend together, for the rest of our lives. I love you, Takashi, and I promise to love and care for you for the rest of my days." Vector said softly, smiling at his love as he finished.

“Phecda… Ena… The person I love the most. There’s so much that I want to say to you, and even though we’ve spent so much of our lives together, there’s no way I can express everything.” Takashi said, looking at Vector, seeing his dull, purple eyes and his soft smile. It tore at Takashi to see this face again. It reminded him so much of how they used to be, and how good their times in the past was. “It’s hard, knowing that you don’t have much time left on this earth… but I want you to know that I love you. There’s no rhyme nor reason, but I love every part of you so wholly and completely.” Takashi’s eyes welled with tears and the smile wavered on his face. However, he pressed on, his heart urging him forward.

“I promise to love you without condition, to honour you each……. and every day. I promise to laugh with you when…. when you’re happy, to support you when you’re sad, to guide you when you ask for direction and be… be there while you’re sick. Because you make me a better person. It’s impossible for me to not love you, and even though our time… Our time… together… Together is so short…” Takashi thought of Haruto, just dying like that and he stopped. He covered his face, tears now uncontrollably streaming from it. His audience was crying too. Everyone knew why Takashi was like this and didn’t blame him, even though he mumbled a small apology to Vector.

Vector listened with a small smile, and he could feel himself tearing up a bit too, especially as Takashi cried more. Not caring if he wasn't supposed to do anything yet, he hugged Takashi close to comfort him.

"We'll be together for a long while yet, you'll see..." He said softy, his mind also drifting to Haruto who had died all of a sudden without much warning.

"Thank you, Takashi. I love you too." He said, giving him a small hankie that had been tucked into the pocket of his tux in case he had a coughing fit, which thankfully hadn't happened so far.

Takashi hugged him back, sobbing quietly into his shoulder. “I promise I’ll… I’ll be loving and faithful, for as long as I may live… Oh god…” Takashi squeezed tighter, unable to do much else for the moment. He was sure the minister was saying something, and his mother, Judai and Yusei were all crying, but he didn’t react. He just sobbed, trying to take in every bit of Vector.

Vector held Takashi close, rubbing his back gently to try and comfort him.  He was transfixed by Takashi's words, sucking in a tiny sob of his own.  Takashi really did love him...of course Vector had known that, but promising himself for his own life was something Vector hadn't really expected Takashi to do.  One of the things he hated most about his illness was the fact that it would leave Takashi alone, and give him a chance to potentially find someone else to love as he had Vector.  But, now here was Takashi saying he wouldn't do that, and if Takashi promised it, he would stick to it.  And Vector was grateful.  

“Takashi...I promise the same.  We'll both swear to be faithful and to love each other...for as long as we both live...and longer.”  Vector said, his model popping into his mind.  He could still potentially be with Takashi after his death in some small way...that would help him keep his promise.

Takashi nodded, and after what felt like eternity, he pulled apart from Vector, wiping his eyes. He gave a smile, the tears still streaming down his face.

“Well, by the power invested me, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss.” The minister said. Takashi smiled, coming in for a long, deep kiss.

Vector wiped his own eyes as well once Takashi parted, and smiled back at his love.  He met Takashi in the middle for their kiss, holding Takashi close as he did so.  He heard the spectators get up and start to clap, and a whoop from Judai, which Vector could picture his uncle rolling his eyes at.

Takashi held Vector’s face as they kissed, and when he parted, he leaned foreheads against Vector. He couldn’t stop crying, but the smile on his face was clear. They were married. They were now wearing matching rings. As Phecda and Takashi, they were married to one another.

Vector could scarcely believe it.  He could feel the extra weight of a wedding ring on his finger, along with how elated he felt.  They were going to sign an official wedding license, and Vector could use his real name for once, so that it was real and completely legal.  He stayed leaning against Takashi's forehead, smiling at his love and holding his hands.  

“We did it...”  He whispered.

​“Yeah… We did…” Takashi smiled, moving his hands so he could hold Vector’s hands. “I love you so much.”

Vector beamed and squeezed Takashi's hands.  

“I love you too.”  He said.  The minister quickly beckoned them up to the table so they could sign the marriage license.  Vector held Takashi's hand as they approached, and signed his real name with a smile.

Takashi smiled and followed him. He signed his name and the minister did as well before he handed the certificate to the two of them. Takashi took it and hugged Vector tightly, barely remembering to thank the minister as he held his partner.

Vector was barely able to thank the man before Takashi hugged him.  He chuckled a bit and hugged Takashi back.  

“Now it's 100% official.”  He mused, nuzzling Takashi's cheek as he hugged him.

“Definitely.” Takashi said, hugging him. He took Vector’s hands and lead him down to their family, where Toshimi just enveloped her son and son-in-law in a tight hug.

Vector returned the hug from Takashi's mom, and as soon as they were let go, Judai was on them for another hug, making Vector laugh a bit.  

Yusei just slapped them both on the back playfully.

“About time.” He said, smiling approvingly.

Vector smiled at his uncle.

“Yeah...it felt nice.”  He said, glancing at Takashi.  Judai grinned.

“Okay, so now it's time for after-wedding parties, right?  We still have drinks in our room!”  Judai said with a grin.

“Do you two ever not drink?” Toshimi said, looking at the two men. They were technically old enough to be her parents as well. Yusei just shrugged.

“How about we go out to a nice quiet restaurant to celebrate?” Takashi offered.

Judai grinned sheepishly.

“It's mostly me cause Yusei's a lightweight.”  He said, earning himself a smack from Yusei, which he took with a laugh.  Vector chuckled.

“That sounds perfect, as long as you and I go in the same car.”  He said, agreeing with his husband.  

“Alright, we’ll have you and me in one taxi and the others in one. So we have one english speaker per car.” Takashi said. He squeezed Vector’s hand and smiled. Things were both different and not different at all, and he loved it.

“Sounds good.”  Vector said, looping his arm with Takashi's to walk with him out of the parish.  He was very happy that they'd done this, and it felt like nothing could bring him down from this high of happiness.

And Takashi hoped it would keep that way until the very end.

-x-

Today, Ponta was going to Haruto's house.  He hadn't seen his friend in awhile, because he had to look after his baby sister!  Masumi was a handful, but Ponta liked being with her.  He loved to make her laugh by playing peek-a-boo, and helping Kotori, who was on maternity leave, look after the house so that his baby sister was getting lots of attention from her mother.  But today, he'd decided he should go see Haruto and update him on how Masumi was doing, and play with him for a good long time to make up for his longer absence.  

With a bag full of toys, he skateboarded up to Haruto's house and rang the bell, waiting eagerly for someone to let him in to see Haruto.

It took an unusually long time, but eventually, Orbital 7 answered the door. The robot gave a small yelp as he saw Ponta, knowing exactly why he was here

“Ponta… What are you doing here?"

Ponta smiled at the robot.

“Hey, Orbital!  I came to see Haruto, pon!  Is he awake?”  He asked, knowing that Haruto had to rest a lot.

“Master Haruto is… not present in the house at the moment. Master Kaito is though.” Orbital said, not sure how to present the matter to such a young boy… especially someone who had been so close to Haruto.

Ponta was confused by that statement.

“Haruto's not home?”  That was definitely unusual.  Haruto never left the house unless Ponta came by.  But there was something else wrong too.  Ponta had been around Orbital 7 long enough to know that the robot was often much louder and more expressive than how he was right now.  Did something happen?

“Then where's Haruto, pon?”  He asked, wanting to know why his friend wasn't home.

“… Ponta… Can you sit down? I have to tell you something about Haruto…” Kaito murmured.

Ponta sat in a chair next to Kaito with a frown.

“What's wrong?  Is Haruto sicker, pon?  Is he in the hospital?”  

“… Haruto… Haruto passed away yesterday, Ponta. He’s… not coming home anymore."

Ponta listened, but as he took in the words, his eyes widened.

"W-what?" He stammered. No, that couldn't be...Haruto was supposed to be getting better soon...he couldn't be gone.

"No...but Haruto told me he would be better...he wasn't supposed to leave, pon." Ponta said, eyes welling up with tears.

“… Haruto… didn’t want you to worry. He wasn’t going to get better. He never was…” Kaito said, going up to the racoon-like boy and going to give him a hug. “I’m sorry..."

Ponta cried as Kaito hugged him.

"No...Haruto wouldn't...he didn't lie, pon!" He cried, refusing to accept it. Haruto wasn't a liar. Best friends didn't lie to each other...so Haruto had to be around somewhere.

“… I’m sorry, Ponta…” Kaito said, barely noticing the tears fall out his darkened eyes. “He’s passed on…”

Ponta was crying, and he noticed that Kaito was too...was it possible that Haruto...really was gone?  

“No...he can't be gone, pon!”  Ponta suddenly cried out, wiggling his way out of Kaito's arms without much difficulty, and taking off towards the door.  If Haruto wasn't here, then he just had to find him!  Ponta had no trouble bypassing Orbital, who wasn't used to people moving so quickly in this house anymore.  Grabbing his skateboard, he took to the streets, trying to find his first and best friend who couldn't possibly be gone for good.  

Kaito looked at him and sighed. He sent a text to Gilag and just curled in his chair, letting Ponta out on the streets.

Ponta skateboarded as fast as he could across town, starting in places that he and Haruto had visited.  He went to the park, running through the dirt paths that he couldn't skateboard through, calling Haruto's name as loudly as he could and keeping his eyes open for anyone who looked like him.  He had no luck there, so he moved on to the skateboard park area where he'd shown Haruto tricks, and still he found nobody.  But, Ponta refused to let his discouragement stop him, and moved on to less likely places.  

Kaito’s text got Gilag to go out looking for Ponta, and after an hour of searching, the man found the young boy sitting on a park bench, out of breath. Gilag approached him and put his hand on his shoulder.

“Hey..."

Ponta had spent most of an hour looking for Haruto.  He'd checked everywhere he could think of, including the hospital, but he hadn't found his friend.  He'd finally had to stop to rest on a park bench, and as he sat there, the voice in his head that suggested that maybe Kaito hadn't been lying was louder than ever.  Ponta bit his lip and wiped his eyes, trying not to start crying again.  Haruto couldn't be gone...he couldn't be...

And then there was a hand on his shoulder, which made Ponta look up to see his oldest brother Gilag.  He was a bit surprised to see him, but that didn't matter...maybe Gilag could think of a place he had missed where Haruto could be?  

“Gilag...Haruto's missing...I have to find him, pon...”  Ponta said softly, mentally shoving aside the voices that said Haruto was gone for good.

Gilag gave a long sigh when he heard the boy mumbling to him. His face fell when he realised just what Kaito meant from his message and he picked the boy up.

“… Come on… Let’s go home. We… need to talk."

Ponta let Gilag pick him up, too tired now to resist. He leaned his head against Gilag's shoulder.

"...Haruto...isn't coming back, is he...?" He said softly, tears welling up in his eyes. He had seen the way Gilag's face fell, and the way Kaito, who never cried, had looked while talking about his brother. Ponta was finally realizing that maybe they were telling the truth.

“…” Gilag gave him a small squeeze and he walked slowly back the way he came. “Yeah… he’s not…”

Ponta's lip trembled as Gilag spoke, tears falling down his cheeks as it finally hit him that he would never see Haruto again.  He clung to Gilag, burying his face in his shoulder as he started to sob.  

“… Kaito invited us to the funeral next week… You don’t have to go, if you don’t want..."

Ponta sniffled, nodding.

“I...I want to go...cause then...then I get to say goodbye, pon.  I never...got to say goodbye...to anyone who left before...”  He managed to say.  His real parents hadn't said goodbye to him, he recalled.  He didn't even know they were abandoning him until they never came back for days and days.  And Haruto hadn't said goodbye to him either, but Ponta understood that unlike his parents, Haruto hadn't known he was going to leave so soon.  Why else would he have said he was getting better?  So, at least Ponta could make things right by saying goodbye...

“Alright…” Gilag sighed and stroked his back. “He’s in a better place now, at least. He’s not in pain… and he’s with all the angels. Remember, Alit told you about them?”

"Yeah...I remember." Ponta said softly. He hoped Haruto was happy with the angels. Alit had told him that one day Ponta would meet them too.

"I'll see him again one day, right?"

“Hopefully not for a while. You still got a sister to raise, huh?” The man mumbled, hugging him.

"Yeah...I know. I won't forget about Masumi....but I'll still miss Haruto." Ponta said sadly.

“I know… we all will, Ponta…” Gilag said. He carried them back to the house but instead of taking him inside, he sat on the front step. “If you need to talk to anyone… I’m here, okay?"

Ponta stayed curled up in Gilag's arms as the older man walked. He cried softly for Haruto, but by the time they reached the house, his tears had mostly dried for the time being.

"Okay...I'll remember that." Ponta said softly, staying seated in Gilag's lap and hugging him.

“Kotori and Alit are here too… if you want to go out with just one of them or just me, that’s okay too, understand?"

Ponta nodded in understanding.

"I'll talk to all of you, I guess..." He said, feeling a little bit exhausted both from running around and from crying over Haruto.

"...For now I just...wanna rest, pon."

“Okay… I’ll go get someone to go see Kaito. Old man shouldn’t be by himself either,” Gilag muttered

Ponta nodded.

"Yeah...Kaito was sad too. He was crying..." Ponta murmured.

"Kaito still has Chris and Orbital though..."

“Yeah… but sometimes you just need someone else, you know? Kaito loved Haruto so much. It’s like… I would need a lot of help if anything happened to you, you know?” Gilag said.

"Yeah..." Ponta said. He squeezed Gilag tighter to help comfort him too.

"Ponta's still here...I won't leave pon." He promised.

Gilag smiled and hugged him. “Yeah… don’t do anything rash"

“I won't.”  Ponta promised, smiling a bit for Gilag, though he was still tired.  He snuggled against him.

“Alright, Ponta...get some rest, okay?  We're all here for you.”  Gilag held Ponta close, rubbing his back and letting the boy rest.  For someone who was dealing with loss for the first time, Gilag was glad that Ponta seemed to be okay so far.  He'd have to keep an eye on him as best he could, and decided he should tell Alit and Kotori the same.  Once he was sure Ponta was asleep, he entered the house with the boy.  Kotori was on the couch when he came in, playing with Masumi.  She glanced up when Gilag came in, surprised to see him.

“Gilag, you're off work early?”  She asked, then noticing Ponta, her gaze turned to concern.  Gilag nodded.

“I'll tell you in a sec...let me put him in bed first.”  He said softly, making his way to the bedroom to tuck Ponta into bed for a nap.  He then came back out to talk to Kotori.

“Ponta went to see Haruto today...and found out that Haruto passed away yesterday.  Kaito texted me and told me he didn't take it very well...Ponta ran off trying to find Haruto, and I found him exhausted on a bench.”  Gilag told Kotori.

Kotori gave a frown, withholding a gasp at the news. “Oh no… poor Kaito… Poor Ponta. How is he?” She asked, not sure herself if she was asking about Ponta or Kaito.

“If you mean Ponta...well, so far, he's been alright.  He did cry a bit, but I think he understands that Haruto is gone.  He does want to go to the funeral next week, to say goodbye.  I told him he could talk to anyone he wants about it and that we're all here for him.”  Gilag said, before he sighed.

“As for Kaito, I haven't seen him, but I'm sure he's doing much worse than Ponta.  And he's probably dealing with it mostly alone...he's got Chris and his robot assistant, but other than that, I don't think he has much support.  We should probably go see how he's doing soon.”  Gilag added.  He knew he'd be devastated if either of his siblings died like that...even if they got sick, he'd be upset.

“Is Ponta in his room? I saw him walk up… he looked tired…”

“I’ll go and see him. I’m closer to Kaito than you and Alit.” The two of them were unusual but good enough friends, and Kotori was concerned for Kaito’s sake. “I’ll see him tonight after I put Masumi to bed. You can watch her, right?”

“He's tired because he ran around the city frantically looking for Haruto...and he's dealing with grief.  He's sleeping right now.”  Gilag said.  He nodded.

“Yeah, I figured that would be best.  I'll watch her until Alit comes home and then tell him the news too.  Maybe bringing Kaito something to eat too would be good...sometimes people who are dealing with loss lose their appetite and won't eat unless they're coerced into it.”  Gilag suggested.  He recalled that when Alit had been younger, he hadn't eaten much after his parents died, and when Gilag's mother died, Alit had to practically force him to eat as well.

“Yeah… I’ll make sure he eats. Chris is good but an extra pair of hands to help won’t hurt. He’s probably shaken by this as well.” Kotori sighed, subconsciously hugging Masumi a little tighter.

“Yeah, and Chris has to work still...he can't be with Kaito all the time.  Not that you can be either, but doing shifts makes more sense than leaving it up to one person.”  Gilag said with a sigh.  He hated it when people died...it made everyone miserable.  

“Maybe we can get more people in on this too...Yuuma probably would help out.”  

“Yuuma would… He and Kaito knew each other pretty well. I think we need to all just get together and figure out how we can help Kaito as best as we can. Like… really…” Kotori murmured, kissing Masumi’s forehead.

“Yeah.  That sounds like a good plan.  We'll tell everyone what happened and figure out a schedule that works for everyone's busy lives.”  Gilag agreed.

“Yeah… Or just all come when we can. I mean… company is better than misery, right?"

"Yeah. That's a good idea." Gilag said. He sighed.

"And we'll have to look after Ponta too."

“Of course. We have to look out for our own, after all.” Kotori smiled. “I’ll start making curry after Masumi is in bed… yeah… Maybe you could call Yuma. And see if Ponta wants to eat something."

"Sure I'll call him now. Ponta might not be awake for awhile." Gilag said, going to call Yuuma. He dialled his number.

“Hi, it’s Yuuma. Sup.” Yuuma was at home wasting time online, and was still messing around on social media when he picked up. “Who’s this?"

"Hey Yuuma its Gilag. I just wanted to pass on some news I heard recently...this a good time?" He asked.

“Hm? Yeah, I guess.”Yuma swivelled in the chair, holding the phone to his ear. “What’s the matter? Something happen?”

"Yeah...I heard today that Haruto passed away...Ponta went to play with him and found it out." Gilag said.

“… Oh my god…” Yuuma nearly dropped his phone. “… Haruto… Haruto passed away? When did this happen?"

"It was yesterday I heard...it took us all by surprise. Ponta didn't take it too well, and I imagine Kaito's taking it worse." He said solemnly.

“Yeah… I guess so. I’m gonna go see him. Is he home?” Yuma said, slamming the computer shut and then getting his coat

“Yeah, as far as I know he is.  Kotori's going to see him later too with some food...we're all going to support him however we can.”  Gilag said.

“Yeah… You go tell the others, okay? I’m going to Kaito’s now."

“Alright, I will Yuuma.  Good luck.”  Gilag said, before hanging up so that Yuuma could go see Kaito.

Yuuma ran out as quickly as he could to get to Kaito's house.  He was shocked by the news, and knew that Kaito must be taking this terribly.  He reached the house quickly, knocking on the door.

“Kaito!  You there?”  He called.

“I can hear you from a mile away…” Kaito scowled, opening the door almost as soon as Yuuma started rapping on it. “What do you want?"

Yuuma gave his friend a hug as soon as Kaito opened the door.  

“I heard about Haruto...I'm so sorry.  I wanted to make sure you were okay!”  Yuuma said.

Kaito flinched as he felt the hug and he sunk into the hug as soon as he heard his brother’s name.

“How did you know…”

“Gilag told me...he said Ponta told him.”  Yuuma murmured, feeling how Kaito was uncharacteristically accepting of the comfort.  That meant that he was really upset, Yuuma knew, since ordinarily, Yuuma would've been shoved off by now.  

“Me and the others just want you to know that we're here for you...we wanna help you through this.”  

“… Come inside. We’ll… talk…” He muttered. He didn’t want to have the sympathy, he just wanted to rest. But he really didn’t have it in himself to yell or bother to fight.

Yuuma released Kaito from the hug and nodded.

“Sure.  Whatever you want.”  Yuuma said, following Kaito inside.

“… Tea?” He asked, hobbling back to the dining room.

“Yeah...I can help you make it!”  Yuuma said, knowing that Kaito had his sight problems and might struggle a bit with the task.

“I’m fine…” Kaito grunted, getting the the kitchen. “… I’m fine.”

Yuuma frowned and followed Kaito anyway.

"You may be doing well and all but we wanna help you! You live here alone with Chris and he has work all day...we wanna keep you company."

“If I live with Chris, then technically I don’t live alone. I’m… really fine…”

"I know but you know what I mean! Chris has work so you hardly see him!" Yuuma said. He could see the dark circles under Kaito's eyes and how exhausted and sad he seemed. He wasn't really 'fine'.

"Was Chris there to comfort you yesterday after the fact?"

“Yeah… He was there. So was Astral…” The man muttered, feeling the side of the table, looking for the drawer and getting out some mugs.

"Astral? He's helping too? That's great." Yuuma said, before freezing.

"Oh no...but if all the others come see you and see him here...he could go back to jail! We're gonna have to coordinate this somehow..." Yuuma said.

“… Yeah… He just came yesterday. I don’t know if he’s coming regularly or not…” The man sighed.

"He should! You need comfort...and Astral's probably the one you would tolerate most." Yuuma said, recalling how Shark had been the one to help him most after his trauma in prison. He knew it wasn't quite the same but it was still a time of need, and he knew Astral as Kaito's significant other was probably the best option to help him.

Kaito shrugged. “You talk to him. I don’t care what you guys do. I’m fine. I mean it.” The man crossed his arms, waiting for the water to boil.

Yuuma could see that Kaito looked like himself at least. He smiled.

"You are taking things pretty well, but you don't look like you slept much."

“I don’t sleep much anyway. That’s not new.” The man shrugged.

"Yeah but you're not usually this tired looking. So we're here to help! You're grieving and well be here for you throughout." Yuuma promised.

Kaito closed his eyes. His usual instinct was to push people away, but the hole that Haruto had left was a gap that was too wide. The man rubbed his temples, waiting for a long moment before leaning against the counter. He… really did have friends. People who wanted to look out for him. “… Thank you, Yuuma.” Kaito muttered. “That… means a lot.”

Yuuma smiled happily.  

“It's not a problem, Kaito!  Everyone's happy to help.  We all miss Haruto too...he was a good kid.”  Yuuma said.

“… He’s… with mum and dad now. He’s not in pain. It’s… better.” Kaito sighed. The kettle whistled, but Kaito didn’t bother to get it.

Yuuma nodded.

“Yeah...he's with them now.  You don't have to worry about him anymore.”  Yuuma said softly, getting up to get the whistling kettle.  He put a hand on Kaito's shoulder.  

“Just relax...I'll take care of this, okay?”  He said.

“… Keep letting me do nothing and I’ll probably die of boredom,” Kaito muttered, taking his cane and heading to the dining room.

Yuuma shook his head.  

“It won't be forever...you're tired and sad right now, so I'm helping you, but you won't be sad forever, so you'll be able to do your own thing then.”  He brought the tea and cups into the dining room and poured them both a cup.

Kaito shrugged half-heartedly and murmured his thanks for the tea before he just stared at his cup blankly.

Yuuma stared at Kaito for a moment, opening his mouth to try to comfort him before a loud beeping of a timer was heard. He turned in that direction in confusion.

"Hey did you have the oven on or something? What's that beeping for?"

Kaito already found himself standing up when the timer went off. He almost walked away from the table to the kitchen when he froze, realising just what he was about to do. His face fell, and he bit his bottom lip.

“That’s… my reminder to give Haruto his medication…” Kaito shuddered. He covered his face with one hand, trying to muffle sobs.

Yuuma watched Kaito get up, not attempting to stop him because of Kaito's previous comment about being bored if he did nothing. But then Kaito froze and Yuuma realized what was going on. He was up a flash to comfort his crying friend.

"Kaito..." Yuuma said softly, wrapping his arms around him again to comfort him.

"He's in a good place now...you know that. He's okay..." Yuuma murmured.

“I know that. I do but… God… damn it… He’s my brother. He’s not supposed to go before me.” Kaito said, leaning into the larger man’s arms, shaking. He suddenly felt frailer than he actually was. “..."

Yuuma held Kaito as the man essentially collapsed against him without difficulty. He pat his back.

"I know he wasn't...life isn't fair that way sometimes. But Haruto was happy with what he had...he made the most of his life and you helped him do that."

“I restricted him from a lot though… I just feel… like I didn’t do enough. I feel like I still haven’t done enough…” Kaito said, balling a fist.

"You didn't restrict him completely! When you left him home, you gave him tutors who showed him how the world worked, and Haruto loved that. When he met Ponta, you let him go out and play like kids his age do. It's because you looked after him that he had a good life and got to stick around as long as he did. You did all you could do, and it was more than enough." Yuuma said assuringly.

“…” Kaito wanted to protest, but he both knew in his heart that was true, and he didn’t want to fight. Though he still wanted to protest, he simply nodded.

Yuuma smiled a bit as Kaito nodded.

"You were the best brother in the world to him. You helped him through his tough times, and now we can help you through yours, alright?" Yuuma said.

“Right.” Kaito pulled away so he could sit back down. “Right." He said again, a little more softly.

Yuuma let him go, making sure he made it to the seat in time. He smiled and nodded.

"Alright. Then we're good. Well try and visit as much as we can but you can call us if you need anything okay?" Yuuma said.

“I probably wo-“ Kaito started before he shook his head. “I will try."

Yuuma gave Kaito a look as he started to say he wouldn't call, before smiling as Kaito ameliorated his statement.

"Good! Oh and lemme know when Astral comes...wouldn't want anyone else showing up while he's here."

“Yeah… I guess not…” Kaito muttered.

-x-

Ukyou and his team had been dealing with the drugs recovered from the warehouse and the loss of many of their fellow police officers. Some who had survived the initial bloodbath had passed away in hospital, while others were still in critical condition. And to make things worse, no news of Yuugi was turning up anywhere. He had backed off and disappeared into the shadows along with the dealer. Ukyou was worried that maybe they'd scared him off. But now there was a problem with the drug he had used.

"I just got back from forensics...they can't isolate the drug that Mutou used. It's a complex combination...definitely on par with the stuff we've seen in our CEO murders." Gauche said.

​“Forensics are the best we have in Heartland, what do you mean they can’t tell what it is?” Anna asked. At that, Droite frowned and turned to her computer, already starting to go through what forensics did know and trying to find someone or a company that would know the composition of such a disgusting drug. “What do we do now?” Anna asked

“It means that they can't figure out the exact mixture.  It's made of quite a few drugs, they think, which are mixed in a very unique cocktail.  Are you sure Mutou's not a mad scientist?”  Gauche asked.  Mai smirked at that, sitting next to Droite and leaning over to read over her shoulder.  

“Your forensics team isn't necessarily the best.  They're just the easiest to access for you.  You've got the right idea, honey.  I usually take any drug finds I come across that need to be broken down to these types of people.”  Mai said with a smile to Droite.  

Droite took a deep breath, doing her best to resist the urge to shove Mai off her shoulder. However, she managed to pull up the right files at the right time, so she just had to put up with the blonde. At least she smelt nice, she liked that brand of perfume Mai was wearing.

“We can take it to Heartland Industries. Looks to me like Professor Arclight is working on some of the chemicals the team could identify. He can probably break it down and give us a better idea with what we’re working with.”

Ukyou frowned to himself at the name 'Arclight'.  It sounded familiar somehow...but he pushed it aside for now, because the case was more important.

“That sounds reasonable.  I'll go see if they can look into it for us.  Hopefully they'll have a better handle on the drug than our forensics division.”  Ukyou said, going to print off the files and data that the chemists there would need to analyze the drug.  

“I’ll come with you.” Droite said, standing up. However, Anna yanked her back down. “What is it, Anna?”

“Ukyou, Gauche and I will go. The two of us never get any action and Ukyou is the boss. It’s better if you and Mai stay here, since you both are more useful to the case.”

“But-“ Droite frowned. She made sense, but Droite didn’t fancy being alone with Mai.

“Oh come on, hon.  We can look into things here...I can show you some of Yuugi's files and we could plot out potential hiding places for him.”  Mai said with a smile, looking an arm around the woman.  

“You three go on ahead.  We'll hold down the fort.”  Mai promised.  Ukyou nodded, not seeing a problem with that arrangement.  

“We'll let you know if Heartland Industries can be of help.”  He said, heading out with Gauche and Anna.

“… Right.” Droite glared at Mai and delicately took Mai’s hand off her, before giving Anna a death glare. The shorter woman smirked and waved. “See you later.”

“Don’t have too much fun.” Gauche said, patting his best friend’s shoulder before heading out

Mai accepted the glare with a smile, taking her arm back and sitting herself down next to Droite's computer.  

“Let's get started then?”  She said.  

Ukyou headed out to the squad cars, getting in with his team and heading down to Heartland Industries, all the while trying to figure out what was so familiar about the name.  

“Hopefully they can help us...figuring out what drugs he uses could help us track Mutou and the dealer.”  Ukyou said with a sigh.

Droite nodded and silently got to work. She swore she could hear Anna and Gauche high five outside and she started working, hoping she would have the patience to deal with Mai.

“Hopefully. I heard Dr. Arclight studies non-pharmaceutical drug development, so if anyone knows what to do, it’s him.” Anna said, pulling up her communicator and surfing the internet as Gauche drove.

Ukyou nodded.  

“Good...that might be just what we need.”  Ukyou said, settling in for the ride across town.  It wasn't long before they pulled into Heartland Industries.  The three officers got out of the car and headed towards the front desk.

“Hello, we're from Heartland Police Department, and we would like to speak with Dr. Arclight.”  Ukyou said.

“Which Doctor Arclight would you like to see?” The receptionist asked. “Would you like Doctor B. Arclight of the Space and Physics department or Doctor C. Arclight of the chemistry and drug development?”

“The latter please.” Gauche said.

The receptionist smiled and checked their computer. “Yes, he’s available. Please head to the thirty-forth floor. I’ll have him meet you there.”

“Thank you.”

Ukyou and his team headed to the elevator that headed up to that floor.  Ukyou frowned a bit as he thought over the name.  C Arclight...the rest of the name was on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't remember...

“Something bothering you, Ukyou?” Anna asked as the headed up. “You look toubled.”

Ukyou blinked as Anna spoke to him, snapping out of his thoughts.  He smiled and shook his head.

“No, not really.  I was just thinking that the name 'Arclight' sounded familiar to me...I just can't remember where I've heard it.  It's not important, don't worry.”  He said as they stepped into the elevator.  He figured he'd get it later.

They headed up and the elevator beeped. The doors opened to a hallway, where the handsome Chris Arclight was standing, hair braided and dressed in the lab coat. He was about to greet the police when he saw one particular officer.

“Hello..."

Ukyou's eyes widened as they came to rest on the man he recognized.  

“Chris!”  He exclaimed, as the name finally came rushing back to him as he saw Chris' handsome face again.  Gauche glanced at Ukyou in surprise.

“You know him, Supeintendent?”  He asked.  Ukyou nodded, while simultaneously recalling that this wasn't a casual visit.  

“Yes...we met briefly before.  And I remember he told me he worked in drug development.”  Ukyou said, smiling back at Chris.  

Chris nodded. “Yes… though I wasn’t expecting you when I was told the police were here. And I doubt it’s for simply meeting again.” He gestured them down the hallway.

“Come into my office. I’ll try help as best as I can, officers.”

“Yes, I'm afraid we're not here for a leisurely visit.”  Ukyou said, following Chris to his office.  Once they reached the place, the officers took some seats at a desk.  

“We have a case here that involves dangerous drug cocktails, and were hoping you could help us, Dr. Arclight.”  Ukyou said, addressing Chris more formally to remain professional.

“I see.” Luckily, Chris was no stranger to professionalism, and he smoothly transitioned to a calm professor. “May I see a list? And hear some more details?”

“Certainly.”  Ukyou said, passing the data they'd brought along over for the scientist to look at.  

“We know this drug is a cocktail, and is a powerful hallucinogen that is spread through the air.  We have a suspect who used it to have fifty police officers start shooting at each other when he unleashed it in an enclosed space.  Unfortunately, it's too complicated for our forensic team to break down the drug's components themselves.  We were hoping you would have better luck.”  

“I see… I saw that on the news. It sounds unlike anything I’ve heard of… I can probably break it down for you. I have the equipment and the knowledge here to assist you.”

“If you could, that would be much appreciated.  We really want to catch this guy, and he seems to specialize in drug cocktails.”  Ukyou said.  

“Right… if you send me a sample, I’ll get to work then.” Chris said.

“And do you mind supervision?” Gauche asked

“Not at all. I’d like the company, and an assistant never hurt"

“Sure, we can do that right away.”  Ukyou said, smiling.  

“And we'd be happy to help you in any way we can.”  He said.  Being Chris' assistant could be a good way to get to know him better.

“And of course, it’s confidential…” Anna warned. Chris nodded.

“Of course."

“Alright, then it's settled.  I'll get a sample to you as soon as possible, and see how things go.”  Ukyou said with a smile to Chris.

“Alright. Thank you, the three of you. I wish you the best of luck in your investigation.”

"Thank you, Chris. We'll be in touch." Ukyou said with a smile.

“Is that all you wanted?”

"It's all we wanted anyway..." Anna said with a knowing look. Gauche held back a snort. Both had noticed how Ukyou looked at Chris. Ukyou cleared his throat.

"Yes, that will be all. Thank you for taking time to see us. I'll get you the sample you asked for as soon as possible." Ukyou said.

Chris raised his eyebrow at the two officers but he smiled and nodded at the three. “Alright. Thank you, Uk- Officer Kitano. I hope to see you again soon."

Ukyou smiled and got up quickly with his team. He had found Chris' little stumble over his name cute.

"Okay, let's head back..." He said to the others.

“Completely unnecessary for all three of us to be here, but nice meeting you,"

"You two did say you wanted to get out more, so I let you come along." Ukyou noted to Gauche and Anna. He was happy to be able to see more of Chris.

“So… Who’s that guy?” Anna smirked as they walked out into the elevator.

Ukyou fought down a blush.

"He's a guy I met recently...we just talked and he walked me to the drug store while I was out undercover." Ukyou said.

“Ohhh… someone has a crush~” Gauche grinned, putting an arm around Ukyou. “Well, he is pretty, for a guy.”

“No, he’s pretty for a person. You have good taste, Ukyou."

Ukyou sighed as his squad mates complimented him.

"Yeah, I guess I do...haven't felt this way in awhile. I think I'm kind of out of practice." He admitted.

“Hey, well, if we get through this case, you can go ask him out. We’ll all get drinks and discuss how you can have that fine piece of person for your own.” Anna said.

The doors opened and Gauche took his arm away, walking out. “When was the last time you had a date anyway?”

Ukyou nodded.

"That sounds good. I think a drink after this case is closed would be appropriate even if I don't get a date out of it." Ukyou mused, knowing he and his team were exhausted by this difficult case. He sighed.

"My last real one was with my wife...but I have tried the occasional blind date since. Nothing stuck really. When I became a cop, I got too busy to date."

“… Damn. You’re getting it on with the years, Ukyou. You don’t want to be an old man like Kaito and just work yourself into retirement. Got to get back into it, full force!” Gauche laughed

"Kaito isn't that old..." Ukyou said, but he nodded.

"My thought was always that if I retired, I'd have more time to meet people, and that I would look then." But then Chris had thrown a bit of a monkey wrench into his plans.

"I'll see how this goes." Ukyou said.

“He’s grumpy, bitter, alone and with a cane. He may as well be.” Gauche said, only speaking of Kaito affectionately.

“Yeah… well… we’ll see.” Anna grinned. “We’re behind you all the way, boss.”

Ukyou shook his head.

"Kaito's always been a bit bitter. And he's got Haruto and the Yuuma crowd on him for company." Ukyou said with a chuckle. He smiled at Anna.

"Thanks. And I suppose the same goes for Droite? I saw the way you two were trying to push her and Mai together." He mused.

“Yes.”

“No.”

Gauche and Anna looked at each other as they got in the car, both surprised they answered differently.

“Well, I thought Droite could afford having pretty women around her,” Gauche said.

“Oh, really? I was trying to just piss Droite off.” Anna said, smirking impishly.

Ukyou smiled and shook his head.

"Regardless of Droite's feelings, Mai seems to have taken an interest in her. Maybe Droite will warm up to her in time. We never know." Ukyou said.

“Or next thing we know, she’s punching out Mai’s teeth.” Anna said. “She would. She’s vicious when she wants to be. Gauche rolled his eyes and laughed, driving back to where Mai and Droite were.

Mai and Droite were still working diligently, or as diligently as possible for Mai. She was always leaning close to Droite and complimenting her ideas while also imputing some of her own. Mai thought they worked pretty well together...Droite was just like her: pretty, but with a brain too.

"This looks like a good outline for the map...we can fill it in more once the others get the drug broken down. Going by where those drugs are found most would help us find where Yuugi hides." She mused.

Droite had to admit that despite looking like a bimbo, Mai was very sharp-witted, with creative and ingenious ideas. While Droite thought logically, Mai had a lot of creative thinking and complemented her well.

“Yeah… This looks good, so far.”

“Hmm...so how about a break?  We can wait for the others to get back...shouldn't be too long now.”  Mai said, smiling and stretching her arms above her head.

“I could do with a coffee…” Droite admitted, rubbing her eyes. “We’ve been at it for a time."

“Sounds good.  How do you take your coffee?”  Mai asked, getting up to fetch them.

“Black.” Droite said, “And strong."

“Perfect.  Exactly how I like it.”  Mai said with a smirk, heading off to grab a couple cups for them.

Droite rolled her eyes but smirked, shaking her head. She was… a curious one, honestly.

Mai returned and offered Droite one of the cups.

“Here you go, hon.”  

“Thank you, Kukaju-san,” Droite murmured, sipping the cup.

“Just call me 'Mai', hon.”  Mai said with a smile.

“I’d rather not. We aren’t friends, after all,” Droite said. She was a very traditional woman, despite her occupation and demeanour, and it showed in her speech.

“Well, why don't we change that then?”  Mai said casually.

“… hard to do that when you don’t share about yourself,” Droite said simply, blowing on the coffee before taking a new sip.

“Then let's talk.  We're on break after all.  What are your hobbies outside of work?”  Mai asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

“I asked you to talk first you know.” She smirked

Mai chuckled.  

“Well, I enjoy a good game, mostly cards.  I used to work in the casino of a cruise ship, so I learned the tricks of gambling while travelling.  I hardly stay in one place for too long.”  Mai mused.

“Oh, did you now? PI work seems like a very odd change of pace.” Droite said, raising an eyebrow.

“Changing from gambling to private investigator wasn't quite as big a jump as you'd think.  There were plenty of scumbags who wanted to gamble...and as the dealer, I was often the first line of defence against them.  I'd see who was counting cards, and read their personalities to figure out which people were most likely criminals or addicts.”  Mai said with a smirk.  

“Private investigation is similar...you have a crime that's committed and you figure out who potential suspects are, and the final pieces often come down to things like personality.  In some ways, it's like a gamble.”  

“A gamble, huh? More like a gamble against the police then whom you’re actually trying to catch.” Droite snorted.

“Sometimes, yes.  But that's just a part of the game and what makes it more interesting.”  Mai said.  

“And what about you?  What did you do before you joined the police department?”  

“Nothing I always wanted to be a police officer. So I studied in uni, and then came to here."

“So you've been here your whole life?  Sounds kinda dull.”  Mai mused.

“We have different interests and ideas about being entertained. I’ve enjoyed my work, the responsibility and the effort. It’s an honour to be on the force, trying to work for a better future in the city”

“It can be entertaining to solves cases, though, right?  Though I'll agree that you've got a better sense of duty to this city than I do...maybe because I wasn't born here.”  Mai said with a shrug.

“But surely you haven't just worked all this time...haven't you had any adventures?”  Mai mused.

“Yes, it can be,” Droite supposed. She never really thought about her job being fun, just t being the job she always wanted to do. “I wasn’t born here either though. I was born and raised in Neo Domino City. I was moved here.”

“… define adventures."

Mai's eyes widened.

“Oh, I've been there.  I went through a bit of a biker girl faze there.”  She mused with a smirk.  

“Hmm...well, did you ever have any partners before you joined the force?  Any friends or family that got you into trouble?  You seem close to that Gauche guy.  Did you two ever do anything?”  

“Bikers beat me up as a kid,” Droite said simply. She didn’t elaborate more though, simply transitioning to the next question as if she hadn’t said anything at all.

“Gauche is more like my brother. I knew him since we were kids. We’re close, but not like that"

Mai nodded, storing this information away for later.  

“Alright then, if not him, then did you go out with anyone?”  Mai asked.

“I’ve had partners before. Not as many as you, I assume.”

“Probably not.  Although, I hardly call most of my expeditions seeking partnership.  Boys are such toys, you know.”  She said with a chuckle, flipping her hair over her shoulder.  

“Most aren't worth my time...but occasionally, I find a precious gem that I get more serious about.”  Mai mused, looking at Droite with a sweet smile.

“Oh? And how do you tell?” Droite asked, looking away from Mai, feeling her heart race suddenly

Mai smiled at Droite's embarrassed gesture.  

“Most people prefer to drool all over me than take me seriously.  Anyone who doesn't do that right away automatically earns some respect from me at least.  But, to go a step further...well...they just have to be interesting to me.  Maybe they would have similar ideas, passions, common interests...and of course, be physically appealing.”  Mai said, leaning closer as she spoke, making it clear she was complimenting Droite.

“… Well… I’m flattered you think that way, Kukaju-san. I try make sure I give people a fair chance and be strict but firm with them.” Droite moved her chair away. “But I’m not looking for a relationship of any kind, serious or not.”

“It's 'Mai', hon.  We're friends now aren't we?”  She said with a chuckle.  She nodded.

“Alright...for now, you're not, but if you change your mind, gimme a call, honey.”  Mai said.

“No, I have no intentions to. I’m committed to someone.” Droite said firmly. “… But… fine. I guess if you prefer it… Mai.”

“Are you?  I was under the impression you were single.”  Mai said, raising an eyebrow.  The way Droite had said she had had partners in the past was what had suggested it.  She smiled.

“There!  That's better!”  She said happily.

“Well I’m sorry for giving you that impression.” Droite sipped her coffee.

“No harm done.”  Mai mused.

“Tell me about your partner.  What do they do?  Do you live together?”

“She’s away. We don’t live together, but I live with her son. He’s staying at my place while I help him settle down.” Droite said, closing her eyes.

“Where does she live then?” Mai asked.

“She lives in Heartland, but she’s occupied. She can’t come back.” Droite said, getting up, not wanting to talk.

Mai frowned in confusion, about to ask what that meant before Droite took off.  She blinked.  

“Hmm...this is interesting.”  She mused.  She had a feeling that Droite wasn't really telling her the whole truth.  She finished up her coffee just as the office door opened and Ukyou, Gauche and Anna returned.  

“We're back!  How goes the progress on the map?”  Ukyou asked.

“It’s done. Have a look.” Droite said, moving out. Gauche frowned, seeing her purse her lips, and followed her, knowing that his best friend was upset.

While Mai showed Ukyou and Anna their progress on the map, Gauche followed Droite.

“Hey...you okay?  She say something to piss you off?”  Gauche asked.

“… She… She almost made me bring Maya up.” Droite said simply, going to wash her cup in the communal kitchen, turning her back to Gauche. “It’s… fine. I just need a moment."

“She did what?”  Gauche exclaimed, before sighing and putting a hand on Droite's shoulder.

“Alright...I'm here if you need to talk.”  He said softly, before retreating back to see what the other officers were working on.

“She was just flirting. It’s fine…” Droite said. She was glad that Gauche left her so she could just… clench her fists.

Meanwhile in the other room, Ukyou was going over the map.

“This is very well done...once we have the drug breakdown we might be able to narrow down more of Mutou's potential hiding spots.  We can put out public bulletin with his face to ask if people can turn him in if they spot him.  Kujaku-san, you have his mug shots, don't you?”  Mai nodded.

“Yes, I do.  They're right here in his file.”  She said.  Ukyou nodded.

“Alright...so we'll put these out, and then call it a day.  It's getting late.”  Ukyou said.  

“Alright… I’m heading off straight then.” Droite said,only coming back. “Fuuya is waiting for me at home. See you tomorrow. Let me know if things come up"

“Sure thing!”  Anna called, waving goodnight to Droite.  

“Night, hon!”  Mai said with a smile to Droite as she passed.  

Droite rolled her eyes but when she was around the corner, she hurried quickly back to her car. Without taking a moment to breath, she drove straight home, her heart hammering wildly in her chest.

Meanwhile, at Droite's house, Fuuya was busy making supper for himself and for Droite.  He had gotten into that habit lately, because even if Droite worked long and irregular hours that made her miss supper often, Fuuya figured he could at least make sure she had a meal waiting for her whenever she got home.  He was cooking in the kitchen when he heard the door open and Droite entering the house.

“Welcome home, Droite!”  He called with a smile.

Droite gave a long sigh as she entered the house and was actually kind of surprised to smell supper cooking. It had been a long time since she walked into the smells of homemade meals, mostly because Fuya was long done cooking when she came back. Taking her shoes off, she headed in and tried to smile.

“Hey..."

Fuuya turned to greet Droite when she walked in, but frowned as he recognized that something seemed to be bothering her.  

“Did you have a hard day?  You seem a bit tired...”  Fuuya asked, smiling at her.

“You can just sit down and relax...food's pretty much ready.  Just has to cook in the oven for a bit longer.”  

“Thanks… You’re good to me, Fuuya,” Droite said, closing her eyes as she sat down at the dinner table, rubbing her temples.

Fuuya smiled, sitting at the table across from her.  

“Have you ever considered taking some time off?  You seem stressed.”  

“It’s not work… it’s the case we’re working on… and… her…” Droite scowled.

“Well, if this is the case where all those cops were killed, it's probably stressful...”  Fuuya said, before blinking.

“Her?  Who's her?”  

“PI who is working on the case with us. Her name is Mai Kukaju. She’s just… the worst.”

“How is she the worst?”  Fuuya asked with a frown.

“… No, I refuse to talk about it,” The woman huffed, crossing her arms grumpily and frowning.

“Is she bugging you?  Why is she even helping you guys, if she's a private investigator?”  Fuuya asked.

“She’s faced our suspect before, so she’s the person in the team who knows what to expect from him. She’s helping things progress faster.” Droite sighed. “That’s not why she’s irritating though.”

“Oh I see...well, that makes sense then.”  Fuuya said, before frowning.

“What's so irritating about her then?”  

Droite looked at Fuuya, eyes cold and face dead serious.

“She was flirting with me..."

Fuuya's eyes widened as he took in Droite's cold stare.  His timid nature caused him to physically recoil a little bit at the look, even though he knew that Droite wasn't mad at him.

“Really...I guess that annoys you then?”  He asked.

“… she’s the absolute worst kind of person. The insufferable woman who has no respect for personal space, who flirts with everyone she meets and isn’t focused. I hate her.” She scowled, a blush on her face as she thought of Mai. “I told her I was with someone, but still...”

Fuuya listened to the words and judged the reaction.  

“Why would you lie like that?  You're blushing...so...you like her a little bit, right?”  

“I don’t like her.” Droite frowned. “I just… don’t like the idea of cheating… especially on… her."

Fuuya frowned a bit in return, before sighing a bit.  

“...I know that you and my mom...had something special.  And I can understand why you'd want to hang onto that...cause I certainly do try to hang onto those happy memories I shared with her too.  But, at the same time...I know that my mom would've wanted you to be happy, even if it's with someone else.   I'm not saying it has to be this private investigator lady, but I just don't think you should be alone and miserable while she rests in peace.”  

“I’m not miserable, honestly. More annoyed than anything.” Droite’s frown dropped and she smiled at Fuuya a small, strained smile. “But… I know she’d say that. I’ll see how it goes”

Fuuya gave a small smile back.

“I know you're not really miserable...but I'm just saying that if you're lonely, you shouldn't let my mom hold you back.”  Fuuya said.  He nodded in approval.  

“… I guess so. Not sure if that would happen though,” she smirked widely to herself.

"Well if you want you can give it a shot. It sounds like this Mai person isn't going to stick around too long...so if you let her go you might miss your chance." Fuuya said.

“Good riddance to bad rubbish,” Droite said simply, shrugging.

Fuuya shrugged too and got up to take their dinner out of the oven.

"Any idea when this case will be finished? It seems like you've been working on it for awhile now."

“Not soon. Our suspect escaped when we thought we had him, and it’ll take a while for external sources to try trace him. It’ll be a few months at least,” Droite sighed

"Oh no...that's not good. I just hope you get him soon...he sounds scary." Fuuya said, having heard as most of Heartland did that this suspect had been responsible for the deaths of at least 30 cops.

“He is… but we’ve caught dangerous people before. We’ll get him.” Droite smiled.

Fuuya nodded.

“Yeah...I know you have.  But still...I worry about you.”  Fuuya admitted with a small smile as he took the casserole he'd made out of the oven.

“I’ll be fine, kiddo. Don’t worry, alright?” Droite smiled, glad that she had someone looking out for her.

Fuuya smiled.  

“Yeah.  I know you can look after yourself, and that your team will back you up too.”  He said, getting out plates to serve their supper.

-x-

Meanwhile, Yami was in his room, where he'd been ever since he escaped the police at the docks.  He'd spent most of the time thinking as best he could, but that was hard to do when he had a constant headache.  He'd seen on the news that his face was on a public bulletin, and that he was wanted for being a cop killer...most of Heartland's public wasn't too happy with him it seemed.  As a result, he was stressing a little over how he was possibly going to pull off this last murder.  It was crucial that he did it right, so that he could get the last of his payment from Kaiba and get out of this city as quickly as possible.  

All of that would have been fine, if it hadn't been for the constant headaches Yami had been dealing with.  He figured it was Yuugi reacting to his stress...ever since he had murdered Amelda, his other self was threatening to take over at almost any given moment now.  It seemed Yuugi was done sleeping...and it took quite a bit of energy from Yami to try and keep him back.  Because now was not the time.  Yuugi couldn't handle this...only he could.  

Yami lay in bed, groaning to himself as he rubbed his throbbing temples.  Yuugi kept pushing at the recedes of his mind, wanting to see what he saw, what was causing him distress.  Could Yuugi sense that?  Yami wasn't sure...

“Ugh...I have to deal with this quickly...”  He muttered.

There was another matter that Yami had to deal with quickly. A few minutes later, his phone buzzed, a new message appearing in his inbox from Koutei.

“Are you free to talk?"

Yami heard his phone buzz, which did nothing to help his headache. Groaning, he rolled over to see who was bothering him. His eyes widened when he realized who it was.

"Koutei...ugh. I forgot about him." He muttered, picking up his phone and texting back.

"I'm a little busy right now." He replied.

“Oh… can you talk soon?” The reply came back. Some of the words had unnecessary spaces and were on a new subject lines fro Koutei’s hands shaking, but the message was clear anyway. “Need to talk about a game."

Yami looked over the message and sighed, recognizing the symptoms of withdrawal even over the message. He had given Koutei some powerful drugs and now it seemed he couldn't function well without them.

"I don't have time to play right now. I have work to do." He replied. He couldn't afford  to waste any of his little remaining drug stash on a game with Koutei, especially now that his face was all over the news. He doubted he could go out and get more like this. He'd have to make do with what he had.

There was a long silence from Yami’s phone as the hazy, deprived Koutei was trying to process the message. Then, there was a spam of letters in the next text, Koutei trying to just… say something. Same anything...

And then… “Please I'm panicking here, I need a game. I can’t think straight. I’m screwing up. I haven't got the guts to see Alit's new baby and it’s been weeks.”

Trying to decipher the first influx of scrambled nonsensical text was giving Yami an even worse headache. He almost threw his phone across the room in annoyance when a coherent response popped up.

"Oh yeah, I remember he told me about that Alit Guy's baby...." Yami mused, before sighing and tapping out a reply.

"I'll see if I can meet you in a week or so." Yami replied, figuring that by then, he would have either completed his planning or actually killed the last guy and be leaving. Either way, he could officially be done with Koutei.

“So long? Not even for a shart short game?”

Yami sighed again, rubbing his temples.

"I already told you I have work to do. Be patient." Yami wrote back irritated.

"I should just kill this guy and be done with it..." He grumbled, burying his face into his pillow.

“Sorry. Talk to you later.” The phone went silent and true to his word, Koutei didn’t call at all. The TV still was loud and clear, on the news, doing some late evening reports,

"Thank god..." Yami murmured as the phone finally went silent. He kept his face buried in his pillow, until the sound of the television made him turn his head. He saw his next target on the news, opening another new homeless shelter down the street. Raphael stood with a reporter to answer some questions about the shelter.

"This shelter is open to everyone...men, women, children of all ages. My goal with this shelter is to provide everyone who needs it a place of security." He spoke.

"I hear that you personally assist in several of these shelters in your spare time?" The reporter asked. Yami's eyes widened as Raphael nodded.

"My staff at the shelters have been notified to call me in exceptional cases so that I may personally help those who are most in need." He said. Yami felt a smirk coming to his lips.

"Hmmm...that shelter could be the key...but, if I posed as a runaway I'd hardly be an exceptional case..." He mused. Then an idea came to him. He all but jumped to the phone on the desk and texted Koutei.

"Works done I can talk for a second...you mentioned you want to see Alit's new baby right?"

The phone buzzed and Koutei responded within seconds.

“Yes. Why?”

"When are you able to see the baby?" He asked in a message.

“Any time… just don’t feel ready."

"Okay. Give me a few days to come up with something and I will send you an address where you can meet me for a game." Yami said, picking up one of his vials of the Devil's Breath drug and smirking at it.

“See you there.” Koutei’s reply came. The phone went dead silent after that, probably for the worst

Yami smiled, putting his phone down and going to his small, cheap laptop to do some additional research on both the shelter and on his next target, Raphael.  He had to deal with this as smoothly as possible, so that he wouldn't be returning to prison.  He was opening a browser and typing in Raphael's name when his head throbbed and he was forced to stop and fight back a small cry of pain.  

“Dammit...Yuugi, stop already...”  He muttered, closing his eyes and focusing on trying to push his curious other half back yet again.  This didn't used to be a problem for Yami...Yuugi had been content to sleep, to let him handle things these past seven years.

“This is just one more reason why I have to be quick with this one...”  Yami said, disappointed by that.  He liked dragging things out a bit...it made it more fun for him to watch his victims think they had the upper hand on him, then squirm and scream in terror when he flipped the stakes, showing that he was in fact in control the whole time, that they were playing into his hands.  

-x-

Meanwhile, across town, Chris was working late.  That meant that since Kaito was all alone, Astral decided he would drop by to make sure Kaito was alright.  Haruto's death had hit him hard after all, and Yuuma had told Astral that nobody would be around to bother them that evening.  Astral was on the couch with Kaito, just cuddling up with him and watching television calmly, trying to keep their minds off of the grief of Haruto's death.

It had only been a few days since Haruto’s death, and Kaito had been to the funeral director’s to give Haruto a nice send off. The wake would be in a couple of days, and the funeral in a few more. Honestly, arranging his brother’s funeral and hearing Chris describe his body was… bizarre. Totally strange. Kaito didn’t know how to feel.

He was relieved when Astral came over to just… be there. Not talk, just be there. He needed his partner’s touch. The man just leaned on Astral’s shoulder quietly, only just listening to the droning of the news before a rather interesting article came on.

Astral's head was leaning lightly against Kaito's, letting them both take in each other's needed presence.  He blinked as he heard the news article come one.

“Citizens of Heartland are being warned to look out for one Mutou Yuugi, a suspect in the case of the killed CEOs, and more recently, responsible for the deaths of some thirty cops in a drug bust gone wrong.  He's said to be extremely dangerous, and anyone with information is asked to come forward to the Heartland City Police Department to share it.”  Astral's eyes widened as what was obviously a mug shot of Yami popped up on the screen.  

“Oh God...I know him...”  Astral murmured in horror.  He'd killed thirty cops?!  And those CEOs?  He'd heard those had been brutal deaths.

“… You… You know this person? From where?” Kaito frowned. “He… killed some of my colleagues. I heard it from Gauche…”

"Yes...I live in the same compound as he does..." Astral murmured.

"I didn't know he had done something like this though."

“… He’s killed a lot of people… The death count is higher than Vector’s. He’s a serial killer.” Kaito muttered.

"...I was told never to play a game with him." Astral said, recalling what Yuuto had said. He frowned.

"He has never tried to kill anyone from the compound...but if I said something...he may try something." Astral said softly in fear.

“… You need to get out of there, Astral. You’re in danger being there… and… you can’t keep silent."

"It is not just for my sake that I can't say anything...there are good people there." Astral argued sadly, recalling Yuuto and Yuuya. Neither of those two brothers had been malicious and neither had killed people to Astral's knowledge. He doubted Yuuya had, seeing as he reminded him so much of Yuuma.

"...I couldn't just tell where they are...they've helped me out by giving me shelter and hiding me from the police...I could not stab them in the back like that..."

“… Right. I forgot about that…” Kaito frowned. He clenched his fist. “It’s… not fair though. Those were good people who lost their lives to this one psycho… He needs to be stopped.”

"I do not disagree...but as long as he shares a compound with good people...I cannot tell where he is." Astral said with a sigh.

“And more lives are on the balance once again. God… why does shit like this keep happening? Don’t they know… doesn’t Mutou know these people have lives? How can someone kill so carelessly?”

Astral frowned.

"He seemed to hint to me that he does it for pay. Although...I find it hard to believe that the deaths of 30 cops was a paid job...." Astral said, putting his arm around Kaito reassuringly.

"I do not know why people kill...the only understandable circumstance is in self defence."

“… I’m not naive… I know there are lots of reasons why people do die, I’m just… tired of this world.” He sighed.

Astral frowned.

"There may be lots of bad at the moment, but there is also good in this world. They will catch Yami...you will see."

“I know… I know…” He sighed.

Astral hugged Kaito close.

"I will try and find other living arrangements perhaps..." Though that would be difficult for him being a fugitive.

“I’ll help you, if you want.” Kaito said. He didn’t want to say it, but he needed Astral now, more than ever,

Astral smiled at Kaito's offer.

"I would like that." He said, giving Kaito a small squeeze. He was definitely grateful that he had Kaito.

“… We should try and plan straight away… the sooner, the better for you.” Kaito said.

"Yes. That sounds good." Astral said with a smile.

“… What’s Mutou like, Astral?” Kaito asked quietly, turning his head back to the screen where the news had turned to a new article.

"...Surprisingly civil. He is clearly intelligent and doesn't come across as an insane man. But...he can be threatening...very protective of himself and others around him in his situation."

“Protective of others?” Kaito asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes...he does not want anyone to sell each other out in the compound. He is protective of it." Astral said.

“I see… so he does have a sense of loyalty then… I suppose that he’d have a good quality to him."

"Yeah. He doesn't come off as a bad person, honestly. But, appearances are deceiving as we both know..." Astral said with a sigh.

“No, whatever gave you that idea.” Kaito muttered sarcastically under his breath.

Astral chuckled.  

"I have no idea."  He mused, smiling a bit at Kaito.

Kaito yawned and closed his eyes. “… Will you stay the night?” He asked, tiredly.

Astral smiled and curled up next to Kaito.

"Yes...I will."  He said softly.

“Good…” Kaito muttered. He knew it was still early but he was losing energy too, and needed to sleep longer. He squeezed Astral’s hand, knowing that he’d be gone by morning, but wanting to hold on.

Astral held his hand, squeezing his hand back.

"I want to stay with you."  He said softly, holding Kaito close and letting him rest.  He knew dealing with grief was exhausting.

And Kaito was glad that was the last thing he heard. If he didn’t wake up… he would be okay. He had Astral and he had the memory of Haruto. That’s all he needed

-x-

Ever since the wedding, whenever Vector woke up, he felt sluggish at first.  This was nothing new, considering his awful coughing often woke him up during the night, but what was new was that whenever he looked at Takashi and reminded himself that this was his husband, all of his worries seemed to melt away.  The same thing happened that morning, when Vector opened his eyes and felt Takashi's arms around him, cuddling him close in his sleep like he always did.  Vector smiled and looked at Takashi's peaceful face, feeling even happier knowing that his husband felt the same euphoric feeling he did.  He rested his forehead against Takashi's and closed his eyes, deciding to doze until Takashi woke up.

Takashi gave a small smile. He had been sleeping for quite a while but he started pretending to sleep when he realised that Vector was looking at him. He smiled at the forehead touch and waited for Vector to curl up before playing with the thin spread of hair on Vector’s scalp.

Vector was content on staying still until Takashi began to pet his extremely short hair.  He smiled, nuzzling Takashi's hand gently and curling closer.

“Morning...my husband...”  He said softly, opening his eyes again so he could see Takashi looking at him.

“Morning husband,” Takashi smiled, looking down at Vector affectionately. “You know, for a second, I thought you were Umbral. You’re snuggling up with me like some sort of kitten.” He chuckled softly.

Vector chuckled.

“I'm awfully big to be a kitten...but I guess I can see where you get the idea.  I do like to snuggle.”  Vector mused, smiling at Takashi and nuzzling him playfully.

Takashi smiled. Vector was always very touchy but he was particularly adamant today. It was nice. “So what’s the agenda for today?”

“Lay in bed with my husband and wait for Judai to drag us out?”  Vector suggested with a smirk.

“Lazy morning until told otherwise? I like that…” Takashi said, leaning in and kissing Vector’s neck.

“I thought you would...”  Vector said softly, smiling as his neck was kissed.  He kissed Takashi's cheek as the man pulled away.

“How are you feeling? We had a late night last night, after all. I’m surprised you’re awake right now,” Takashi said, snuggling against him.

"It was the coughing, I think...it woke me up every few hours." Vector replied. He smiled.

"But I'm not too tired at the moment...that'll probably come later."

“Ahh… I see… You’re still taking your meds and puffer, right?” Takashi asked, unable to stop himself from worrying.

“Of course I am...stop your worrying.  We're supposed to be relaxing.”  Vector said, tapping Takashi's nose playfully.

Takashi gave a small laugh. “I know, I know. Just making sure, you know."

Vector smiled, kissing Takashi's nose in thanks.  It was nice to be reminded how much Takashi cared about him.  

“We really should just both take our meds at the same time...maybe that way you'll stop worrying.”  Vector mused.

“Yeah, yeah. Alright… fair enough. I’ll always worry about you, you know. I want to give you the best life I can"

“Aww...so now that we're married, you wanna provide for me even more?  Cause it's not like you gave me a horrible time before.”  Vector mused with a cackle.

“I've been told I'm a spoiled brat, so naturally I expect a loooot of attention...”  Vector teased with a smirk.

“You’re terrible, you know that?” He asked, smiling and laughing quietly. He gave Vector a light squeeze.

“You should know...you asked me to marry you after all.”  Vector replied back with a laugh.  He returned the squeeze and snuggled Takashi for a minute.

“Jerk.” The man gave a small laugh and he tapped Vector on the nose.

“I think the word you're looking for is “baby” or “honey”, silly husband.”  Vector mused, smirking at the nose tapping.

“I know what I said.” Takashi said, pulling the covers over his head, playfully.

Vector pouted.  

“And now you don't wanna see my face anymore?  Meanie.”  Vector mused, ducking under the covers with Takashi.

“You’re such a kid. I’m just hiding from the sun.” Takashi said, poking Vector’s chest.

“Only kids hide from the sun by ducking under the covers...”  Vector said, chuckling as his chest was poked.  Then, he smirked and narrowed his eyes seductively.

“But when adults duck under the covers...it's usually for kinky reasons...especially when in bed with their spouse.”  

“You would be one with the mind in the gutter, wouldn’t you?” Takashi rolled his eyes but smiled. Vector didn’t have the energy to really have sex anymore, but Takashi didn’t mind. “Pig."

“And there you go saying the wrong word again...pigs don't have their minds in the gutter.  You're thinking rats.”  Vector snickered.

“Oh stop it.” Takashi said, kissing Vector. “You’re the worst.”

Vector chuckled as he kissed Takashi back.

“But you love me anyway.”  He mused.

“Yeah… I do. Forever and always.”

Vector smiled and kissed Takashi again.

“I love you too...forever and for always.”  

Takashi smiled and pulled the covers off of their heads. “Mmmmm… hungry?"

Vector chuckled and began fiddling with Takashi's bedhead hairstyle.

“Yeah, I could eat something.”  

“We should probably eat out and have an American breakfast, right?” Takashi said. “But lazy..."

“We could do room service again.”  Vector mused, feeling equally lazy to Takashi.

“Mum and Judai might not be too impressed though"

“I suppose not...we can go down to meet with them for awhile while we eat I guess.”  Vector mused.

“Yeah… Let’s do that… and go back today. Americans are supposed to be lazy, right? We can enjoy the day like this.” Takashi chuckled.

“Yes, many are lazy and fat.”  Vector mused, glancing over both his and Takashi's thin frames in the process.

“Oops.  We missed the 'fat' part of the memo...might as well make up for it with the big breakfast and the laziness.”  Vector mused.

“We’re both terrible.” Takashi laughed. However, he sat up, stretched and groaned. “Up I go."

Vector smirked mischievously and wrapped his arms around Takashi's waist and nuzzling his side.

“And I caught you.”  He mused.

“Vector, I’m trying to wake up. Don’t drag me back to bed.” Takashi said, shaking his head.

“Takashi, I'm trying to get some last minute snuggles in.  Don't drag me out of bed.”  Vector countered with a chuckle.

“I’ll pull you out and then you’ll know it” Takashi laughed.

Vector pouted but eventually sat up and gave a stretch of his own. He yawned.

"Alright then let's go down already before I go back to sleep." He mused.

“Alright…” Takashi threw a jacket on and some pants. “I love you.”

Vector got dressed as well, smiling as he got his shoes on.

"Love you too. Now let's go eat." He said softly, offering his arm to Takashi so they could go down together.

Takashi took his arm. “Can you believe we only have a few more days before we go home?”

"I can't really. I'll miss this little escape." Vector said, before coughing a bit.

“Hey… easy now. We can still be absolutely lazy and all mushy if you want, even at home.” Takashi smiled

Vector nodded his agreement and understanding, unable to answer for the time being due to his violent coughs. He smiled once they calmed.

"Yeah...I'd like that.”  

“… Come on, let’s go.” Takashi said, hugging him and heading out.

Vector accepted the hug and let Takashi lead him out and down to the breakfast area. As they'd anticipated, Yusei, Judai and Toshimi were already there. Judai grinned and waved as he spotted them.

"Morning newlyweds!"

“Morning Judai.” Takashi smiled. “Morning mum.”

“Morning, sweetie.”

"Morning Takashi, Brat." Yusei said. Vector smirked.

"Uncle." He greeted. Yusei gave him a small smirk back.

"You two better hurry...they'll be closing the breakfast soon."

“Oh right, I forgot this hotel had free breakfast” Takashi smiled. “That solves one problem. Vector and I thought to have a lazy day today and we didn’t want to go far.”

"You'd know that if you actually came down!" Judai said with a chuckle. Vector rolled his eyes.

"Well we know now. Let's go grab some food." Vector said, nudging Takashi towards the breakfast spread.

“So what did you want to do today? I doubt you will all be sleeping in"

"I don't know. Just be lazy I guess." Vector said with a shrug.

"Though I think I'll want a nap later anyway..." He mused. Yusei looked in concern at his nephew.

"Didn't sleep well?" Vector shook his head.

"Coughing keeps me up."

“Yeah… Do you guys have plans?” Takashi asked

"We were discussing going on a simple bus tour...there's some that go all over this city." Toshimi said.

"Well that doesn't sound too strenuous...might be a possibility." Vector said.

“We could go… see some sights, and you could sleep if you need. That sounds nice."

"Yeah it sounds like it's possible. The bus leaves this afternoon so you two can be lazy for the rest of the morning if you want." Judai mused.

“Sounds good. Thanks, Judai.” Takashi chuckled.

Vector nodded.

"Good. Well get food and then laze around until the tour starts then." Vector said, grabbing a plate and filling it with the American style breakfast offered by the hotel.

“It looks like two breakfasts smashed together.” Takashi said, looking at Vector’s food. “It’s like… bacon and pancakes? Really?”

Vector chuckled.

"That's American breakfasts for you! No rice or fish...just carbs and meat!" He mused, letting Takashi share his food too as he poured syrup on the pancakes.

“Yeah, but… I mean we have these too, but never together.” Takashi said, figuring he’d pick off of Vector’s plate

"Yep." Vector said, grabbing a piece of bacon with his fork and offering it to Takashi with a smirk.

“There’s syrup on the bacon.” Takashi said before he took a bite. “Hmm… not bad."

"It tastes better that way!" Vector mused, grabbing a piece for himself and eating it happily.

“I’ll stick with cereal. I’m glad you seem to have an appetite though. That’s new.” Takashi mused.

"I'm not too hungry...I probably won't finish this." Vector said, picking at his pancakes and taking small bites occasionally.

“Just do your best, love.” Takashi said before looking at the rest of the group, wondering what they got.

Judai, as expected, had gotten a bit of everything, but was mostly eating the unhealthy cookies and muffins offered for the chocolate chips imbedded in them.  Yusei had coffee and toast, while Toshimi had a bowl of fruit and yogurt.  Vector continued to pick at his pancakes, noticing already that his appetite was going away again.  He had to pause to cough once more, which was another reason why he took small bites to avoid potential choking hazards.

Takashi put his coffee down and rubbed his partner’s back. “Are you okay? How are you?”

Vector nodded as his coughs slowly subdued a bit.  He sighed.

“I'm alright.”  He said.

“If you’re okay…” Takashi squeezed his hand.

Vector nodded, squeezing Takashi's hand back.

“I am, for now.”  He promised, smiling at him and then going back to his food.

“We should get ready to head out, okay? Get cleaned up after and all… Yeah..."

Vector nodded, pushing his plate away after he finished a couple more bites.  

“Yeah.  We can share a bath?”  Vector asked, looking at Takashi pleadingly.

“Yeah… I’d like that.” Takashi said, laughing quietly.

“I don’t need to know that at breakfast.” Yusei muttered.

Vector chuckled at his uncle's response.  

“Come on, I'm sure you and Judai would share baths too if you had a tub!”  He mused.

“I dunno, your uncle is all wrinkly and gross, you know.” Judai laughed. Yusei rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Vector laughed too.

“You're the one who's putting up with him, not me!  And you seem to manage his wrinkles fine!”  He mused.

“Yeah, yeah… Sure sure.” He rolled his eyes the other way and crossed his arms.

Vector chuckled at Judai's antics, shaking his head.

“You almost done, Takashi?  We're cutting into bath time now.”  He mused.

“I’ve been done since the coffee.” Takashi said. “I’ll help you back up.”

“Meet at 11, alright hon?"

Vector smiled, accepting Takashi's hand and standing up.

“We'll see you later.”  He said, heading back up with Takashi towards their room.

Takashi waved at his mum and walked off with him. “Something on your mind, Vector?” Takashi asked.

“I'm kinda torn between the desire to stay here forever, and also to go home so I can spend more alone time with my husband.”  Vector mused, leaning his head against Takashi's shoulder.

“… I’m sorry that we had to cut our trip short.” Takashi muttered. They were supposed to leave the next week but Takashi had booked a sooner flight so they could get back to Japan for Haruto’s funeral.

“It's okay...I want to be back in Japan for Haruto's sake.”  Vector said softly.  

“Yeah… same…” He squeezed his hand.

Vector smiled slightly and squeezed Takashi's hand back.  They reached their room, and Vector led Takashi straight to the bathroom so they could get themselves in the bath.  He turned on the water, before breaking down in another small coughing fit.  How had even the walk from the breakfast room to the hotel room been so exhausting for him?

“Hey… Hey… Here… Have some water. We shouldn’t have moved so quickly…” He stroked the man’s back.

“We didn't...move that quickly...”  Vector managed to murmur after his coughing had calmed down enough.  He sat on the edge of the tub to catch his breath and rest enough while Takashi got his water.

Takashi handed him the mug and frowned. “… You still should take it slow"

Vector frowned in return.

“...I was slow already...”  He said softly, sighing.  

“...I think I'm getting weaker.”  

“… Time is moving fast, huh? Maybe this trip has taken more out of you than we anticipated…” Takashi said, steadying Vector.

“Maybe...”  Vector said softly, leaning against Takashi as he let the tub fill up.

“If I'm tired, then we can just rest in the tub for awhile...and this tour thing shouldn't take too much out of me.  We'll just be sitting on a bus...”  

“Yeah… It sounds ideal” Takashi murmured.

“And now, we can sit in the bath and rest.”  Vector mused, starting to slide off his shirt.

“Yep…’ Takashi followed suit. “We should organise a doctor’s appointment though… just for a checkup."

Vector nodded.  As much as he didn't want to go to the doctors (since that was basically admitting that there was something wrong and he was getting worse), he figured it was a good idea.  Besides, Takashi would probably make him go.  

“Sure...we'll do that when we get back home.”  He agreed, sliding off his pants and slipping into the warm water.

“Yeah…” Takashi was glad for the lack of protest and he headed in and washed his face.

Vector splashed some water gently on his face too.  Once he was done, he leaned against Takashi with a small sigh.  The water was already relaxing him.

“Relaxing enough for you?” Takashi asked, leaning against Vector in the tub.

“Mmhmm...”  Vector hummed, smiling as Takashi leaned against him too.  He closed his eyes, gently wrapping his arms around Takashi for snuggles.

“I'm debating just staying here all day...”  He mused softly with a smile.

“You can if you want…” Takashi said, unsure if the man was joking or teasing

Vector opened an eye at Takashi's tone and smiled.

“Would you rather go see the country?  I don't mind.”  He asked, not wanting to stay here alone.

“I don’t want to ditch my husband on our honeymoon,” Takashi said. “I mean… America is big and scary, but years from now, I can still come back here..."

Vector frowned at that.  

“We'll go...cause that way you'll get to see it with me.”  Vector said, snuggling up to Takashi.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to stress you out.” Takashi frowned. God, he felt they really went in circles sometimes. It did no good for his anxiety

“I'm okay.  I'm not stressed...I'm perfectly relaxed.”  Vector said reassuringly, giving Takashi a kiss on the cheek.

“You're worrying too much...trust your husband, okay?”  He mused with a chuckle.

“I mean tire you out.” Takashi said before he leaned in for that cheek kiss. “Yeah, yeah. Alright”

“We both said earlier that this is just a tour bus trip.  We don't have to do much walking, and since we're on a bus, I could sleep if I wanted to.  I'll be okay.”  Vector reminded him, before snuggling against Takashi again.

“”Yeah… okay… Sure.” Takashi muttered. “If you’re sure, okay..."

“I'm sure, Takashi...I'll be fine.”  Vector said softly.

“I know… I know…”

Vector smiled, kissing Takashi's cheek again.

“And even if I'm not...my husband will look after me.”  He cooed.

“Yeah… you know I will..."

-x-

Ukyou had finished yet another day at the Police Department.  Unfortunately, they didn't seem to be making much progress on their serial killer: Mutou seemed to be very good at hiding.  Not that they expected anything less from an escaped convict.  Ukyou could only hope that when he chose to come out of hiding again, they'd be ready, which was why he was heading to Heartland Industries after hours.  Or at least, that was what he was telling himself.  He wanted to see Chris again, regardless if he'd found the chemical makeup of Mutou's drugs yet or not.  He parked outside the building in the visitor's spots and headed towards the entrance.  

Chris was in his lab. The receptionist sent Ukyou up, advising him to at least put a lab coat on as she gave him a visitor’s pass. Chris was on the fifth floor of Heartland Tower, his hair braided back and looking like he was cleaning up.

Ukyou put on the lab coat as advised and made his way upstairs.  He spotted Chris in the lab and smiled a bit.  He knocked on the door.

Chris turned around and raised his eyebrow, a bit surprised to see Ukyou at the lab so late. However, he gave a smile and took his gloves off, dumping them in the bin before he opened the door.

“Officer Kitano… Hello there.”

“Hello, Dr. Arclight.”  Ukyou said, smiling at Chris.

“I was nearby and thought I should stop by and see if you've made any progress.”  

“Ah… I have actually. I can show you them on the files here. I just switched the computers off but I can turn them back on for you.” He said, smiling at the older man.

“You have?”  Ukyou said, truly impressed with this news.  

“Oh, that's not necessary for now!  I can just come by tomorrow and get them.  I sent the rest of the team home for a rest, and I'd hate to call them back.”  He said.

“Just progress, it’s not close to completion, but it merits showing.” Chris said. However, Chris tilted his head a bit in surprise. “You dismissed your team for the day? And you’re still working? You must really want those results, officer."

“Any progress is good progress.”  Ukyou said.  He smiled a bit sheepishly.

“Well...I'm sort of off-duty too right now.  But like I said, I was in the area...thought I'd stop by.”  

“Well… if you intend on being still in the area, how about you come to my home? It’s not far from here, and I have the files emailed and backed up there. I could even give you a USB so you have a copy of my notes.” Chis smiled.

Ukyou blinked, before smiling.

“If it's not too much trouble for you, then sure.  I'll come.”  

“It’s not, really. Just follow my car, alright?” Chris led him back to the elevator, leaving his own lab coat in the office. “You may be familiar with the place though. I didn’t know you worked with Kaito before."

“Sure.”  Ukyou said, following Chris.  He left the borrowed labcoat and visitor's pass behind.

“Oh, you live with Kaito?  At his house?”  

“Well, it’s the other way around. Kaito lives with me now. He moved in about a year ago, when his eyesight and health started failing.” Chris said. “But I recall Kaito saying you’ve visited him before, while I was at work.”

“Yes, I have but it's been awhile...this case has kept us very busy.  It'll be nice to see him again too.”  Ukyou said with a smile.

“I think he’ll appreciate the company. This last week has been a nightmare for Kaito, in all honesty.” Chris sighed as he got his keys out.

"A nightmare? What happened?" He asked.

“Haruto… he passed away.” Chris murmured.

Ukyous eyes widened.

"Oh no...that's terrible...poor Kaito." He said. He knew fully well how much Haruto meant to Kaito.

“I know… He hasn’t taken it well. The funeral is in a few days, for the record.”

Ukyou nodded.

"I'll be there...I'm sure the rest of the team will be too." Ukyou said.

“He’ll let you know when it is.  Let’s go.” Chris said, getting in his car and waiting for Ukyou before driving off.

Meanwhile, back in the house, Kaito was leaning on Astral, still feeling lost as ever.

Ukyou got into his own car and followed Chris steadily down the road.

Astral put his arm around Kaito for silent comfort.

"Are you hungry? I could make you some food." He offered, knowing it was pretty much supper time.

“Not hungry. Don’t trouble yourself,” Kaito said, though he was practically repeating what he had been saying all day.

Astral gave him a look.

"I am making you a sandwich." He declared, getting up and heading to the kitchen.

Kaito could feel the eyes on him, and he couldn’t help but smirk, since he knew Astral knew he couldn’t see him. However, he nodded and got off of Astral.

“You don’t have to do everything.”

"No...but since you refuse to look after yourself, I have no choice." Astral said. He entered the kitchen and opened the cabinets, getting out plates. He got the bread and some sandwich meats, cheese slices, and vegetables to go with it.

“… You sound angry at me when you say that.” Kaito said simply. He got up and followed Astral to the kitchen. “You’re worried."

Astral sighed.

"Of course I am worried. You refuse to eat anything. That is not healthy." Astral said, facing Kaito as the man entered.

"I am not angry, but concerned for your wellbeing."

“I’m just not hungry.” Kaito said, sitting down. “I don’t have an appetite.” Kaito shrugged.

"Even so, you should still eat something, even if it is as small as a sandwich." Astral said softly, packing all the ingredients together between two slices of bread and offering the plate to Kaito.

Kaito took it carefully and bit. “Thanks… I appreciate it.” There was the sound of the garage opening and Kaito sighed.

“Orbital, go get it.”

Astral smiled and began occupying himself with packing up the food he'd brought out. Orbital took off towards the garage, spotting Chris' car first. Then, it's robotic eyes widened when it spotted Ukyou's police cruiser pulling in as well.

"Kaito-sama, the police are here along with Chris-sama." Orbital said to Kaito.

“What?” Kaito hissed. With more speed than he had in a long time, he hobbled to Astral and grabbed his hand.

“Study. Now. Don’t get out.” He ordered, pulling Astral along towards the door.

Astral barely managed to put the last of the ingredients away before Kaito grabbed his hand.

"Kaito?" He asked, gasping as he was dragged towards the door.

"What? Why? What is going on?" He had assumed that if Chris was home it wouldn't be a big deal.

“Police. Try hide if you can, or run upstairs. I don’t know. Get out the window. I don’t want to risk anything, Astral. Please…” The man muttered

"Police?" Astral's eyes widened.

"Okay...I will try to get out from your study." He said, going in and letting Kaito close the door behind him.

Meanwhile, Ukyou got out of the car and followed Chris towards the house.

“Kaito, I’m home.” Chris said, opening the door. The man closed the door and he hobbled out, looking annoyed.

“What took you so long? You’re late. I resorted to sandwiches.” Kaito said. Chris laughed and ruffled Kaito’s hair like a child.

“Sorry. I had someone stop by. You remember Officer Kitano, huh?”

“Ukyou?” Kaito asked, looking up

Astral went to the window first, trying to get it open.  But it was clear that this window had not been opened in quite some time...it wasn't budging much.  Astral wasn't sure if he could force it open while still remaining quiet enough to be unnoticed.  So, with a small sigh, he went to the door and locked it from the inside, and decided to wait it out.  He could hear faint voices coming from the kitchen...enough to notify him that it wasn't a huge number of cops in the house.

Ukyou smiled at Kaito, glad to see that although there were signs of grief on him still, he was acting more or less like his usual self at the moment.  

“It's been awhile, Kaito.  I'm sorry for your loss...Chris told me.”  He said solemnly.

“Hey…” Kaito smiled, hearing the familiar voice.”It’s… it’s fine. Thanks.”

“Can I get you something, Ukyou?” Chris asked.

“Sure, some water is fine.”  Ukyou said, sitting down since it had been a long day.  

Chris went to get the glass, but Kaito went to sit down with him.

“What brings you here?”

“A case...Chris is helping us analyze the drug that was used by our suspect, Mutou Yuugi, which was ultimately responsible for the deaths of quite a few policemen in a drug bust recently.”  Ukyou said with a small scowl.

“Ah… yes… right.” Kaito said. He frowned and he looked over to Chris. “I thought you said you didn’t bring work home,” He said bluntly. Chris raised an eyebrow but shrugged.

“I thought it wouldn’t be an issue since you’re friends with him.” Chris said. “It’s only for a short while, Kaito. I know you need your rest.”

“‘Cause I’m worried about you, old man.” Kaito retorted, making Chris laugh

“I usually don't bring work home either, but Chris offered, and I figured it would be nice to see you again.”  Ukyou said with a smile.  

Chris smiled and handed both men their drinks. He squeezed Kaito’s shoulder affectionately and the man smiled.

“How have you been, Ukyou? Done anything worth noting?” Kaito asked

Ukyou shrugged.

“Not really.  Our current case has been keeping all of us working hard.  Hardly any time to do anything worth noting at all, you know how it is.”  Ukyou said to Kaito with a smile.

“Of course. I never would have left the office if I stayed on the force,” Kaito said. This was dumb. As much as he liked Ukyou, he needed to get the older man out of here. Astral wasn’t safe as longs the police were around.

“Well, I won't take up too much of your valuable down time, Ukyou.  I think I left the files you wanted in Kaito's office, so I'll just go grab them and send you on your way.”  Chris said, moving in that direction already.  He often used Kaito's office as his home workspace since Kaito couldn't really anymore.

“Get Orbital to do it, Chris.” Kaito exclaimed, maybe a bit too loudly. He inwardly cursed at his obvious reaction and he coughed. “He doesn’t do enough anyway. Let him get the files. He can upload anything faster than you can"

Chris turned to Kaito in surprise at his sudden outburst. Frowning a bit, he nodded.

"Alright...Orbital, I need the ones that have the drug formula for the police." He told the robot. Orbital saluted Chris and headed towards the office.

"Kibou, open up." He said softly, and Astral tentatively opened the door to let the robot in, hiding behind it in case someone tried to look into the room. Orbital printed the files off and went back to the kitchen.

“Here, Chris-sama!”  

“He’s lazy, especially with Obomi around to help. It’s good you ask him to do more.” Kaito said, trying to cover himself up.

“Thanks.” Chris said, a bit confused but glad everything was in order

Ukyou just shrugged, not really caring who got the files as long as he got them eventually.

"Wow, you already got the formula?" Ukyou noted. His own drug team hasn't managed it and here Chris had done it.

“Just the first components. I don’t have all the results, and I’m waiting for materials to be shipped in. If you come back here in a week, I should be able to give a bit more. If not a few days"

Ukyou nodded, still impressed.

"Sounds great Chris. I'm grateful for your help with this. This perp's dangerous and very good at hiding. Maybe with this drug makeup we can narrow down where he's hiding...no one has a clue."

“I hope that you’ll be able to find them,” Chris smiled. “Come around and talk to me any time.”

“Or don’t. You have the number, you can call and save yourself a trip, Ukyou"

Ukyou nodded with a smile at Chris, but was surprised by Kaito. If he didn't know better, he'd say Kaito sounded like he wanted him to stay away...

"I wouldn't mind talking to you in person, Chris, time permitting. I know you're busy with your work." He said.

“Ah… I see…”Chris smiled. “Well, I’ll be happy to meet with you when I can.”

“Sounds like a date.” Kaito said.

“Don’t be like that, Kaito. Go get your meds. You’re grumpier than normal."

Ukyou smiled.

"I'm glad." He said, noting once more how Kaito was acting...could he just be jealous? He had seen how close Kaito and Chris were...did Kaito like Chris too?

"Ah well, if it's easier for you we could meet elsewhere. At a coffee shop or something?" Ukyou offered.

Kaito sighed and left the room, ear out on Chris. He seemed a bit disgruntled, contrasting to the smile and surprise on Chris’ face.

“Ah… well anywhere near home and the lab is fine, Ukyou. Wherever is appropriate to discuss the results, really.” Chris said

The fact that Kaito left the room wasn't reassuring to Ukyou, but he couldn't really address the problem at the moment. He didn't want to make Kaito more angry at him.

"Yes, wherever is convenient and appropriate for the case discussion. Or even just to take a break...we both work hard and deserve a moment to relax." Ukyou said with a smile.

“Yes… that sounds good,” Chris smiled. “I’d like that. Thank you, Officer Kitano. I look forward to our next meeting.”

Ukyou smiled in return, getting up.

"Thank you for showing me your progress, Chris. And please, just call me Ukyou." He replied.

“Alright… I’m glad then. I wish you all the best.” Chris said. “And… I’m sorry about Kaito. He hasn’t been the same since Haruto..."

"Same to you." Ukyou said. He nodded.

"It's alright...I understand that grief can change people." He said, knowing what had happened to him after his wife and child died.

“… Hopefully he’ll be more tolerable soon. I’ll see you later.” Chris said, seeing him out

Ukyou nodded.

"Hopefully. See you." He said, heading out and back to the car. That visit had gone well, and so Ukyou was happy.

Chris smiled and waved Ukyou off, feeling his heart flutter. Seeing Ukyou got his mood right back up, even though it was dampened slightly by Kaito.

“Kaito? Can I talk to you?"

Kaito had gone back to his study to check on whether Astral was still there or not.

"You're still here?" Kaito asked in surprise.

"The window will not open...is the police officer gone?" Astral asked.

"Yes but Chris is still here." Kaito said, before hearing Chris call him.

"Stay here...I'll see what he wants." Kaito said, exiting the study and closing the door.

"What is it Chris?"

Chris frowned and crossed his arms, even though he knew the gesture would be lost on Kaito.

“Are you alright? You seemed annoyed with Ukyou.”

"I'm fine." Kaito insisted with a sigh.

"I'm just...not sleeping well." He said, which was true, but it wasn't the reason he'd been annoyed with Ukyou.

“… Would you prefer if i didn’t bring people over from now on? Or at least warned you first?"

"I...yea, I think that would be best..." Kaito said softly. That would make things easier for him and for Astral.

“… Alright.” Chris sighed. “I’m worried about you… you need to sleep more.”

"I'll try Chris...I'll try." Kaito said with a sigh of his own.

Chris squeezed his shoulder. “… Haruto wouldn’t want you to suffer"

Kaito sighed.

"I know Chris..." He said softly. He turned around.  

"I'll go lay down after I get something from my office...you eat something.  I already had a sandwich..." He said.

“Alright. But straight to bed with you. I’ll eat after a shower.” Chris said. He wasn’t really hungry and he wanted to get clean. He headed upstairs, much to Kaito’s relief.

“Make sure he stays up there.” Kaito said to Orbital before hobbling off.

“Astral?”

Astral opened the door to the study.

"Is the coast clear?" He asked softly.

“For now. Chris is going to shower and Orbital is watching him. Ukyou has left. You can get out of here while you still can.” Kaito said

"Alright...thank you." Astral said, coming up to kiss and hug Kaito goodbye.

"Should I come over tomorrow or is there a chance the police will return?"

“I told Chris to warn me if anyone else is coming over… but maybe… we could go to the morgue. See Haruto before the funeral. Will… you be attending? The police are… so..."

Astral nodded.

"That sounds good. Then I will come if you tell me it is safe to do so." Astral said. He paused and considered this.

"...I will come, but in disguise. And I probably won't spend too much time near you to not draw attention to myself."

“Alright… Thank you, Astral. I’ll see you tomorrow at the morgue…” Kaito said, squeezing his hand.

Astral smiled and squeezed Kaito's hand back.

“I will see you tomorrow...until then, please rest and take care of yourself.”  He said.

“I’ll try… stay safe, Astral. Please watch out… especially with that murderer”

Astral nodded.

“I will be careful, I promise.”  He said, before heading out to get back to his home...and hope that he didn't run into Yami on the way and get into trouble.

-x-

Vector was happy to be back in Japan.  While the honeymoon had been very enjoyable, it was nice to be back home.  He had been greeted quite enthusiastically by Umbral, who had missed them both (but especially Vector) while they were gone.  And he'd had the chance to work on his model again, but had spent most of his time finishing up the final touches of Haruto's model...he had a promise to keep after all.  

But the one thing aside from Haruto's funeral that worried Vector the most was the doctor's appointment he was going to today.  He knew there was something wrong.  He felt weaker, more tired, and was coughing more, but he didn't want to have his thoughts confirmed.   That just meant he was one step closer to his grave...and Vector wasn't ready to go.  But, nonetheless, he knew that Takashi would only worry more if he didn't go, so he was begrudgingly sitting in the car next to Takashi as his husband drove them both to the appointment, staring out the window and watching the buildings fly by.

“It’ll be better for you,” Takashi said as he parked the car, his dead hand on Vector’s own so they could hold while he drove. “Come on… let’s get you out and in. I picked just before the lunch break on a weekday, so they won’t keep us waiting for long.” He got out of the car and helped Vector out. He was feigning smiles, but really, he was worried.

He had seen Vector get weaker and weaker, but he had to know… how much time was left

Vector sighed, squeezing Takashi's hand and running his thumb over Takashi's wrist so Takashi could feel him too.

"I know...lets just get his over with." He said, getting up with Takashi's help. He entered the building and sure enough, the doctor was pretty much ready to see him right away.

"Alright, let's start with listening to your lungs." The doctor said, getting Vector to lift his shirt so the doctor could press his stethoscope to his chest. He took deep breaths as asked, but they came out wheezing and he had to pause and cough a couple times inbetween breaths.

Takashi was thankfully allowed in the GP’s room as well, and he sat down next to Vector and watched the doctor do his analysis. Takashi bit his lip, waiting for the verdict.

Vector found himself a little nervous too. His breathing wasn't good, he could tell, and the effort it took to inhale shouldn't have been so taxing. But, he kept up with the doctor as best he could as the man performed his harmless tests.

"Alright...that's enough. I've gotten what I need to see. Now I'd just like to ask you both a couple questions." The doctor said.  Vector nodded, going to sit next to Takashi.

"Have you noticed any symptoms such as dizziness, energy depletion, or exhaustion after simple tasks?" The doctor asked.  Vector shrugged.

"A little I guess..." He said, understating things.

“Yes, he has. All of those,” Takashi corrected, shooting a disapproving look at Vector. “He’s been tired constantly, even more so than the last time we saw you, doctor."

Vector sighed at Takashi's look. The doctor nodded.

"That's what I expected...the fact is that your lungs are not able to get enough oxygen. The dizziness and exhaustion are both responses of your brain and muscles being starved of the oxygen they need."

"Unfortunately, there's no way to stop this...but there is a way to help slow the process down. I'm prescribing you supplementary oxygen to be worn at all times." The doctor said. Vector's eyes widened.

"What?! No way...I'm not that bad!" He exclaimed, before coughing again, essentially disproving his point.

“Ena, calm down. You can’t yell like that, you’ll hurt yourself.” Takashi said, just barely remembering to call his spouse by his alias. Thankfully he caught himself.

“Is that the best we can do, doctor? Will that really slow things down?” Takashi said firmly, not sure what Vector’s apprehension for this treatment was.

Vector managed to calm down a bit.

"It may not extend Ena's life...but it will improve the quality of life. It'll allow Ena to function better." The doctor said. Vector frowned.

"Yeah, sure, by reminding me just how close I am to the grave..." He grumbled.

“… Ena… Come on. You said you wanted to be alive for a bit longer… Why not take it?” Takashi asked.

"Because my mother took it and she just wasted away." Vector said coldly. He didn't want to die, but he also didn't want that reminder.

The doctor went quiet as did Takashi. Takashi just… stared at his partner, both shocked and then…

“Ah… Sorry. If you don’t want it… I… I won’t force you. Sorry..."

Vector bit his lip. He knew it would be bad, but he hadn't anticipated this. Not completely. He sighed, coughing again.

"I'm sorry for yelling..." He said softly to Takashi.

"I apologize if what I've said has upset you, but I believe that you'll feel better with supplementary oxygen. You'll be able to reduce your dizzy spells and increase your energy level enough so that you won't be exhausted." The doctor said at last. Vector frowned, debating his options. He needed his energy to work on his model...dizziness did make it difficult. He knew that his uncle would definitely tell him to take it and although Takashi wasn't forcing him, he obviously wanted him to take it. He sighed.

"Fine...I'll try..." He finally murmured, exhausted from this conversation alone.

“… We can do a trial period. If… If you don’t feel like it’s worth it, we’ll come back and take it away…” Even though that was practically like signing Vector’s death certificate. However, Takashi forced himself to stay strong and look at the doctor.

“Will that be okay?”

"That sounds reasonable. I also recommend that for any long treks and travels, that Ena try using a wheelchair to conserve energy." Vector's eyes widened.

"...No fucking way..." He muttered.

“… Is there anyway we can get the oxygen without the wheelchair? Ena has… bad memories associated to that kind of thing.” The man asked.

"It's possible, yes. Oxygen would be the best help for Ena at this point in time." The doctor said. Vector sighed.

"Just the oxygen is fine..."

“Yeah…” Takashi sighed. “Can we get him started straight away?

"Yes we can. I'll get you both set up with how it works." The doctor said, getting Vector a portable tank of oxygen and a mask. Vector eyes both with discontent but accepted them nonetheless. The doctor explained to both men how to start the flow of oxygen and how to change the tank.

"We'll arrange for another checkup in a month or so to see how you're progressing with it."

“Thank you, doctor. We appreciate it.” Takashi said, helping him out.

Vector headed out with Takashi, already hating the oxygen tubes he had to wear now. He sighed.

"This is worse than I thought it would be..."

“At least you’re not in the wheelchair… and you’ll feel better.” Takashi said, squeezing his shoulder.

"Yeah I guess that's true..." Vector murmured, sighing.

"I hope so...I don't like being dizzy and tired all the time." It meant he couldn't have much fun or work on his model.

“Hopefully…” He said, kissing his cheek

Vector sighed as his cheek was kissed.

"Yeah I hope so. We'll see how this works..." He said.

“Come on… let’s go home and you can get used to it. Before you know it, you won’t even notice it’s there…. Hopefully."

Vector nodded.

"Yeah...sounds good to me." He said, fiddling a little with the tubes. He really hoped he would get used to them.

"Don’t do that, Vector…” Takashi scolded gently

"I can't help it...it's weird." Vector said with a frown.

"Part of me hopes Umbral will tear these to shreds so I don't have to wear it anymore."

“Don’t be dumb,” Takashi sighed, squeezing his hand with his good one. “It’s not that bad."

Vector sighed.

"You're not the one wearing this thing..." He said softly. It did feel weird to have the extra air whenever he took a breath.

"Let's just go home..."

“Right…” Takashi didn’t say much more. He switched the radio on and drove

Vector didn't say much either, keeping his forehead against the window as Takashi drove. His mind was flashing back to when his mother had oxygen...it wasn't a fun memory. She hadn't lasted that long after, if Vector remembered right. He hoped he wouldn't be the same.

-x-

Today was the day of Tenjo Haruto's funeral.  It wasn't a very complicated service.  Since it was a nice day, and Haruto had to be outside whenever he was well enough, they'd held the service outside in the cemetery itself, with the crowd gathered around the minister as he said a prayer for Haruto.  Quite a few people had come, including Kaito's old police squad, all of the Numbers Club, plus Shark, Vector, and Astral, who was in disguise and hiding near the back of the crowd to remain inconspicuous to the police who were there.  The entire Barian-Mizuki family was there, with Ponta trying his hardest and failing not to cry while Gilag comforted him with a hand on his shoulder.  They stood closer to the front so Ponta could see.

Once the prayer was over, the little service was over, and people were given the opportunity to have a moment with the deceased if they chose to, with Kaito always staying nearby as if he didn't want to leave.  Ponta had bravely stepped up first, wanting to get things over with.  

“Haruto, you were my first friend, and the bestest best friend I could ever have...I'm sad that you had to leave, pon.  You know, a lot of people left me, but I know that at least for you, it wasn't your fault...and it wasn't mine either...and at least...I can get a chance to say goodbye this time...”  Ponta said, biting his lip and trying not to cry some more.  

“Goodbye, Haruto, pon...I'll miss you...”  

Kaito put a hand on Ponta’s other shoulder, sighing. It was strange… he hadn’t cried the entire service, and he couldn’t find the tears right now. All he could do is stare at where Chris had told him where the grave was and just… listen to all these people say goodbye. The grave was a pretty one, a small shrine with a picture frame and burning candles. It was very plain but it had all of Haruto’s favourite books and things right there. He was assured it looked lovely… but still… He wished he could see it. “It’s okay, Ponta,” the young man said softly. “You can cry"

Ponta was already crying, silently though, and then he hugged Kaito.

“It's okay for you to cry too, Kaito...”  He said softly.  He had noticed Kaito hadn't cried at all.

“I’m… Alright, Ponta. I’ve already shed my tears… I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, pon...if you say so.”  Ponta said, releasing Kaito before retreating back to where the rest of his family had been waiting to give him a moment alone with Haruto.  Many of Kaito's cop friends had come up to apologize of his loss and pay their respects to Haruto, since many of them had met him briefly.  It was only once they left that Vector approached the grave site, alone, since he had convinced Takashi to let him have a moment.  Takashi had managed to drag Chris away for a second too, leaving them alone.  

“Kaito, I have something for you.”  Vector said softly, taking out a small disc.

It took almost an hour for everyone to leave, but Kaito stood there quietly, just staring at the small shrine.

“I don’t need anything.” He didn’t turn his head when he heard Ena’s voice. He was almost frozen to the spot, rooted by his brothers side as he had been in life.

“… You sound different.”

“It's my breathing mask.  I'm on supplementary oxygen now.”  Vector said distastefully.  He didn't like how it altered his voice, but one plus was that he realized that nobody suspected him as being Vector while he wore it.  Vector was supposed to already be dead, not dying after all.

“And I know you don't need anything...but this isn't from me.  It's from Haruto.”  

Despite the words, Kaito didn’t try to take the item, nor did he ask Vector why he had such a thing. Instead, he gave a low sigh and reached out, touching one of the flowers that had been laid down by a well-wisher. “… I was on supplementary oxygen before too, you know… It was years ago, even before we knew you were Vector. I nearly died because one of your power outages switched off the generators.” His hand shook the delicate, white flowers. “He hooked my oxygen to Orbital 7 and it was only thanks to Haruto’s quick thinking that I’m alive today.”

Vector listened solemnly.  He had known very well that his actions had caused serious harm to Kaito, and wasn't too surprised to hear that he had almost killed him.  He sighed.

“I know very well how much effort you put into making him happy...I watched you call every tutor agency in the city asking for someone to teach your little brother.   That's how I got the idea to become one, by the way.  And when I did come over to teach, he was always happy to see me and to learn from me...I really treasured the time we had together.  And it's because of that time that I know...he really did love you.  He was happy, Kaito, and it was because you were the one he loved more than anyone in the world.  He saved your life, sure, but you don't owe him anything.  You paid him back fully.”  Vector said, before shaking his head.

“But, I know what it's like to lose family, and I know that my words are probably going through one ear and out the other right now.  If you won't accept this present, fine.  I'll just give it to Astral, and he'll show it to you when you're ready to see it.  Haruto wanted you to see it someday, anyway...I'm just sorry I didn't get it completely finished like I wanted to...”  This model didn't have the same features as his own would...it wasn't a copy of Haruto, just a recording.  

“I never did it to pay him back. I was just commenting on what an intelligent guy he was, and I was lucky to have him as a brother.” He sighed. His hands moved slowly and soon he was stroking the picture frame where a happy and healthy Haruto could be seen. “Haruto was the world to me… I wanted to do whatever I could and more… I still want to do that.”

Kaito remained quiet and he then held his hand out.

“What is it?"

Vector smiled.

“Your brother was smart, alright.  Not that I'd expect anything less from the younger brother of Tenjo Kaito.”  He mused.  

“Haruto was the same, you know.  He was smart, like you said, and he knew what you were doing for him.  He appreciated it.”  He placed the disc into Kaito's hand.

“It's a recorded message, which is spoken by a model that looks like Haruto.  Haruto asked me to make it for him...so that when he finally died, you'd have something to hold onto, aside from memories.”  Vector said.

“… Shouldn’t have bothered making a model… I couldn’t see it, even if I wanted to. But… I do appreciate it, Vector. Thank you…” He looked off to where Orbital and Obomi were standing alone.

“Can I have it play now?"

“I know you can't see now...but, you know, technology is changing and adapting...maybe one day, you will have eyes that see again.”  Vector mused.  “Also, there was the added bonus that Haruto thought his model was cool.  He liked it, so I kept it.”  

“You can if you want...it should play with Orbital at least.”

“… Probably won’t be alive to see it… Neither of us will be. It’s hard to believe we’re the same people a couple of years ago,” Kaito sighed. He gestured for Orbital 7 to come over and offered the robot the disc.

“I know I won't be...I'm barely functioning as is.”  Vector said with a sigh.  Orbital came over at its master's call and accepted the disc.

“Playback initiated!  Turning on holographic projector.”  Orbital said, shining the Haruto model so that it was right in front of Kaito and facing him.  Vector was impressed with how realistic Haruto looked through a projector...he'd have to keep that tidbit in mind for his own model too.  

“Nii-sama, if you're watching this...it means I'm not with you anymore.  I don't know how long it's been...but I hope that you're doing okay.  Nii-sama, you mean the world to me...I love you so much.  I know that you're probably really upset that I'm gone, but I want you to know that I have no regrets.  I had a lot of fun...I made great friends, I learned a lot of amazing things, and I had the best big brother in the world who did everything to make me happy.  What I want most for you, Nii-sama, is that you keep being happy, even without me.  I already miss your smile and your laugh.  Don't let them die with me, please.  Let everyone else see them...be happy, because I'm happy.  I'm at peace now, and I know we'll see each other again someday, Nii-sama.”  Holographic Haruto spoke with a voice that sounded very clear and much healthier than he had been while sick.  He smiled brightly at his big brother even though the older couldn't see it.

“I love you so much, Nii-sama, and until we meet again, be happy, okay?  Live your life to the fullest, even if I'm not there to see it.”  

“… play it back, Orbital. Again.” Kaito said, hands shaking. He clenched his fists, but the trembling didn’t stop as the words were registered in his head. He could imagine Haruto’s smile, the healthy boy taking his hand and telling him to be strong, to continue smiling. He could hear him so clearly… he hadn’t heard his voice in so long. “… Haruto…” Kaito felt hot tears run down his cheeks and he slowly got down, kneeling in front of the grave. “Haruto…"

Vector watched silently for a moment, watching it play back once before deciding to give Kaito his privacy.  He headed back towards where Takashi was waiting, but gave Astral a nod in Kaito's direction before leaving.  

Astral came up in time to see Orbital finish playing the recording again, eyes wide in amazement.  This technology was similar to his model, but it was more developed with the addition of Haruto's voice.  It was like a throwback to the past.  Only Vector could've done this, Astral knew.  

“Kaito?”  He said softly as he approached the man who was kneeling by his brother's grave.

“… How does… he want me to be happy? I really don’t know if I can do it…” Kaito murmured softly

"It will take time, I am sure...but it will happen, Kaito." He said softly, hugging Kaito.

Kaito leaned into his hug. “. . . It seems so… short. The suffering… The service… I feel like… there was more I could have done… I could have held on a bit longer.”

"That may be true, but the important thing is that Haruto wouldn't have minded this. And he didn't want you to try and hold everything in...he was happy with everything that you gave him." Astral said.

“… I heard him say that… I know you’re right.” Kaito took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He slowly tried to stand up, struggling a little.

Astral helped Kaito stand, gripping his arm to help him balance.

"You have friends here to help you, don't forget that."  

“I know… I’m lucky.” His few but close friends. He loved them very much. He squeezed Astral and sighed. “… Let’s… Go somewhere. I don’t want to go home just yet”

Astral smiled.

“Sure.  We can go get some coffee or something...are you hungry?”  Astral asked.

“Don’t care..."

“Okay...then let us go for coffee then.”  Astral said softly, holding onto Kaito's arm so he could guide him out of the cemetery.

-x-

A few days after the funeral, Akari and Charlie were enjoying a day off together.  Akari had been taken away from field-work in her reporter job for awhile, since she was too pregnant to be running around getting scoops.  Charlie had a day off today and was content to spend it with his wife.  She was due soon, he knew.  They both couldn't wait for their child to be born.

“Mmm… NGhhhkkk…” Akari put her drink down and she clenched her fists. “God… This little guy is trying to kill me.”

“Do you think it's time?”  Charlie asked worriedly, coming over to his wife in an instant.

“Nghh… I think so… It’s really starting to hurt. It’s… aaahhhh! Charlie!” Akari grabbed her husband in a death grip.

“Go! Go! Go!"

Charlie yelped when Akari grabbed him suddenly.

“Hey, calm down!  I'm going, I'm going!”  He cried, helping her up so they could get her to the car and to the hospital.

Akari hissed and leaned into him. “Godd! AhhH! I can feel his fucking head. Goddd… I’m gonna kill Yuuma for his thick skull.” Akari yelled, spitting nonsense as she hobbled in

Charlie frowned in concern as he managed to get Akari into the car.

“I guess I'll call Yuuma once we get to the hospital...he wanted to know right away when the baby was coming.”  He mused to himself.  Maybe when Akari was safely with the doctors, he'd do that, so that Akari didn't try to kill her baby brother.  He started the car and drove as quickly as he could.

“Hang in there, Akari.  We'll be in hospital soon!”  

“O-Okay…” Akari said, breathing in and out hard.

“That's it take deep breaths...”  Charlie said, parking in the lot and helping Akari out of the car.  He brought her inside, and was quickly ushered to the maternity ward by the nurses, who were determined to get Akari ready for childbirth.  They had to get her changed into hospital clothes and put in a bed.

“Akari, is it alright if I call Yuuma?  He wanted to be here.”  Charlie asked.

“Yeah, whatever! Hrghk!” Akari sobbed, getting on the stretcher. “Ahh… Fuck fuck fuck."

“Hang in there, babe.  It'll be okay.”  Charlie said.  He dialled Yuuma's number quickly.

Yuma was at work, pulling and putting in stock from the shelves. He sighed as his phone rung and he picked it up, almost ready to ignore it when he saw it was Charlie.

“Yo, what’s up?”

“I just wanted to let you know that Akari went into labor...the baby's on their way.”  Charlie said with a smile.

Yuma yelped and nearly dropped the phone. He fumbled with it before slamming it to his ear. “Really? Really? Now? Like are you at hospital? Which one? I’m on my way!” Yuma said, jumping out of the closet

Charlie laughed a bit at Yuuma's enthusiasm.  

“Yeah, we're at the hospital, Heartland General actually!  See you soon, alright?”  Charlie smiled.  Shark looked up when he heard Yuuma practically crashing around the shop.

“Yuuma?  What's going on?”  He asked.

“Shark, Akari is having her baby, tell Yusei I need to take time off and I’ll make it up to him bye!”

Shark's eyes widened.

“Okay!  Don't kill yourself on the way there!”  He yelled after his husband, shaking his head.  But he was happy for the Tsukumos.  

Yuuma grinned and bolted off hopping on the next bus and heading to the hospital. He hoped he would be there soon so he could be with his sister during this time.

Charlie was meanwhile back in the room with Akari, there to comfort her as she handled the contractions.  

“I'm back...Yuuma's on his way over.”  He said.

“Ugh… Charlie…” Akari gripped his hand and the nurses got to work...

“I'm here, babe.  I'm here.”   Charlie assured her, letting her grab his hand.

Yuuma arrived at the hospital as soon as he could.  

“Hey, Nee-chan, I'm here!”  Yuuma called.

As soon as he could certainly wasn’t quick enough. By the time Yuuma had hopped off a bus, squirmed through traffic, run to the hospital, asked the nurse where the room is, and waited for the damn elevator to come, Akari was well finished giving birth. The tired, sweaty woman glared at Yuuma as he burst in, and made a loud ‘Shhhhh” noise.

“You’ll wake the baby, baka.”

Yuuma gasped and immediately clamped a hand over his mouth.  Although he was a bit sad that he hadn't been there for his sister during labor, he pushed it out of his mind for now at the sight of the pale baby in Akari's arms.  Charlie chuckled and clapped Yuuma on the back.

“Congrats, Yuuma.  You have a niece.”  He told him.  Yuuma's eyes widened further.

“A niece?  Wow...she's so tiny...”  He murmured, approaching his sister.

“What's her name?”  He asked.

Akari gave a small smile and looked at the child in her arms. “This is Yuzu. McCoy Yuzu.”

“Yuzu....that's a good name!  She can join the 'Yu' club!”  Yuuma said happily.  Yuzu stirred a bit and opened her purple eyes to stare at Yuuma.  Yuuma beamed.

“Hi Yuzu~  I'm your Uncle Yuuma!”  Yuuma cooed to the baby.  “Nee-chan her eyes look a lot like yours!”

“That was kind of the idea,” Akari laughed, “Even though the kanji is different.”

“Yeah… She looks a lot more like Akari than me, but she’s bound to get my charming side, heh?” Charlie laughed.

"Maybe!" Yuuma said with a laugh. He hugged his sister.

"I'm so happy for you Nee-chan! I can't wait to tell my friends!"

“Hahah… don’t forget to invite my friends too, Yuuma.” Akari joked. She let her brother hug her and she shook her head, an amused smile on her face. “Do you wanna hold the baby?”

"I won't! Well invite everyone!" Yuuma promised. He nodded.  

"Yeah I do! Can I?" He asked excitedly.

“I guess… but after, okay? Gimme a day to chill, alright?” Akari smiled.

She held the baby out for Yuuma. “Careful..."

"Okay I'll wait til you say so." Yuuma said. He didn't want to wear out his sister too much. He held out his arms and accepted Yuzu into them carefully. He grinned as he held his niece for the first time.  

"Hey Yuzu." He said, offering her a finger, which she gripped tightly in her tiny hand.

"Wow she's strong!" Yuuma chuckled.

Yuzu gave a small whimper as she held the hand and with her free hand, tried to slap Yuuma on the face. Charlie gave a light laugh.

Yuuma's eyes widened and he chuckled too.

"Yeah she's like her mom alright." He mused, tickling under Yuzu's chin to make her laugh.

Yuzu wiggled around, whimpering a bit before closing her eyes.

“She’s a newborn, not a toddler, Yuma. Give her a couple of weeks"

Yuuma pouted a bit.

"Aww...she's still cute though." He said softly, smiling.

“Yeah… I’m glad… Yuzu.” Akari said, lying back in bed and stretching.

"You get some rest, Nee-chan." Yuuma said, passing Yuzu off to Charlie.

"I'm gonna tell Shark! Don't worry he can't visit cause he's working." Yuuma said, stepping out to dial Shark's number.

“Alright, alright. Sheesh. Can’t spend five minutes without your boyfriend.” Akari teased.

"My husband you mean!" Yuuma called with a grin. He dialled Shark's number and waited for him to pick up.

“Yuuma, just because you can bail out of work, doesn’t mean we all can. Seriously, Yuuma, you’re gonna get us fired,” Shark said, saying just a typical hello to his partner.

Yuuma laughed.

"I can come back if you want! Nee-chan had her baby though! I have a niece! Her names Yuzu!" He said excitedly.

“Yuzu, huh? Like the fruit?” Shark asked, raising an eyebrow. “Hey, do whatever, as long as you deal with Yusei tomorrow."

"Yeah! She looks a lot like Nee-chan...they both have purple eyes!" He said. He chuckled.

"I'll come back...Nee-chan needs to rest anyway and I can trust Charlie and the doctors to look after her!" He said.

“So basically… what you did today and the time you spent out of the office, was completely avoidable and you could have waited to the evening.” Shark said flatly.

Yuuma pouted.

"No it wasn't! I promised Nee-chan I'd be there for her and I was!" He exclaimed.

“Yeah yeah, you could have also been there after work.” Shark shook his head, but was smiling. “Do whatever you want and then get back here. I gotta go."

"Okay! I'll see you later then! Love you!" Yuuma said happily. He could tell Shark wasn't mad, and he knew Yusei wouldn't be too mad either.

“Heading out already?” Charlie asked.

"Yeah I'd better get back to work before Shark or my boss kill me! I'll come back later maybe!" Yuuma called, smiling.

"Tell Nee-chan to let me know when I can invite friends over to see Yuzu!"

“Okay… see ya!"

“See ya later!  Look after Nee-chan and my new niece, Charlie!  Congrats again!”  Yuuma said happily, before waving and heading out.

-x-

Today, Yami was ready to play once more.  He had been keeping tabs on his target, and the police movements as best he could, and had determined that this was the time to act.  He could throw them off his trail a little bit by throwing a kidnapping charge into the mix.  And Koutei was the perfect one to use.  He sent Koutei a text along with an address to meet him at.

'It's game time.'  

Koutei was there in a few minutes.

He looked better, since he had a few weeks without being drugged, but the man definitely wasn’t at the peak of health like he was when he met Yami. He felt weak and dizzy and a bit sick, but most of all, he needed his fix. So the handsome italian headed to the address, carrying some money and some snacks, hopefully to encourage the game to be longer.

“Hello?"

Yami peeked out the door and grinned as he spotted Koutei.

"Hey! Come on in!" He mused, clearly in a good mood today as he opened the door wider for Koutei. He was surprised to see the bags of snacks under his arms.

"What's with the snacks?" He asked, since that had never happened before.

“Hm? I just thought you might get hungry during game time. You’re usually providing for me, so I thought to return the favour.” Koutei shrugged. “Here."

Yami had to admit, he was a little hungry. The reasoning was good too...and it almost made Yami feel a bit guilty for what he was about to do. Almost. He smiled and took the snack bag that was offered.

"Thanks, I suppose I am a little hungry." He said, motioning for Koutei to follow him. Today he's brought him to his actual room because he knew Koutei wouldn't remember it. Nobody was home that would pay attention anyway.

“Mmm… Nice place you got here. Is this your house or another game room?” Koutei asked, walking in.

"Not my house, but it is where I live. I just rent the room." Yami explained. He sat on the bed with the snacks.

"Make yourself at home. No ones gonna bug us here."

“Alright…” Koutei looked around the place, seeing how plain and simple it was. It didn’t fit someone as extravagant as Yami, rather someone more mild-mannered. However, he sat down on the bed and gave a smile.

“What game is it today?”

Yami opened one of the bags of snacks and grabbed a handful before offering the bag to Koutei. Suddenly he felt a small pang of hurt in his head as Yuugi seemed to realize he had company. He closed his eyes for a moment and pretended to be thinking.

"...Before that, let me ask you...do you want to see your friend, Alit again? Have you seen him since we last talked?" Yami asked.

Koutei smirked and took a chip. Though he tried to keep a straight face, a look of pain crossed his face. He sighed and shrugged.

“I… I do want to see him, but I haven’t seen him since we last talked. I can call over and see him any time but..  I don’t really have the courage to just… see his face"

Yami munched on his chips to distract Yuugi and managed to push him back for the time being.

"I see...well, what if I told you I have a game that will help you see him? Would you want to play it?"

“Yes.” Koutei said it immediately. “I want to see my best friend again."

Yami smiled.

"Then you will." Yami replied. He pulled out a notepad and a package of the Devil's Breath that he'd bought from Devon awhile back.

"The game is called Courage...and its very simple. It's kinda like Truth or Dare, but it's all dares." Yami grabbed a dice.

"We take turns rolling a dice. I'll be odds, you be evens. If an even number comes up, I write down something for you to do when you see Alit. If odds come up, then you get to write something down for me to do. The trick is, when the game is over, we both have to make sure the other completes the list...so you have to go see Alit." Yami mused. He touched the package of drugs.

"And this...is the courage. Once you smell it, you'll be more relaxed when it comes time to complete your list. I know Alit gives you some anxiety...this will help."

“So it’s a dare game. Use your language right,” Koutei teased, feeling a bit more daring today. He nodded and frowned, looking at the package.

“What is this stuff?”

Yami chuckled.

"Yeah, it is a dare game, absolutely. You got me." He mused.

"Look for yourself if you want...it's a cocktail of my own creation." That was only half true: the Devil's Breath wasn't his, but he had added a bit of flowery scents to it so Koutei would be more inclined to inhale some.

"It's ground up incense powder, basically. It's meant to relax you...people tell me it works wonders. Relaxes me all the time too." Yami said casually.

“… alright. Hopefully this isn’t anything that’ll get me in trouble. I trust you, Yami. You’re always looking out for me,” He smiled.

Yami felt a small pang in his head again at Koutei's words. He stifled a small groan and smiled.

"Of course...everything will be fine."

“Alright… here I go.” Koutei said, taking a sniff.

Yami watched Koutei take a deep whiff. That was good to start.

"Good?" He asked.

“Yeah…” Koutei looked like he was about to say more, but he went very quiet, just like Yami wanted.

Yami smirked a little.

"Alright...sniff a little bit more alright?" Yami said. He didn't want it to wear off.

“Yes…” Koutei murmured. “I’ll… I will.” He sniffed more and his eyes dilated slightly.

Yami smiled, letting Koutei take a few more whiffs.

"Alright that's enough. Repackage what's left while I make your to-do list here." He told him, taking the clipboard and writing out a few instructions for Koutei.

“Alright…” And quietly, Koutei folded the drugs and handed it to Yami. “What am I to do?”

Yami accepted them and put them aside.

"Alright lemme give you the rundown. You're gonna take me to Alit's house. Then, you're gonna go in and ask whoever is there to see the baby." Yami said.

"Once you find the baby, you ask to hold it. Then, you leave. If anyone tries to stop you, you get rid of them. I'll meet you outside when you're done."

“……… Yes. Okay… let’s go.” Koutei seemed normal and fine, but he was now susceptible to Yami. He nodded and got up. “How are we getting there? It’s a few minutes by bus"

“Bus is fine.”  Yami said, getting up.  He smiled.

“Oh yeah...and I have something for you here.”  Yami said, taking one of his razor sharp knives and passing it to Koutei.  

“Keep it hidden, but somewhere where you can reach it easily.  This is just as a last resort...it's crucial that you get out with that baby.  If someone tries to stop you and you can't get rid of them by any other means...use the knife.”  Yami instructed.

“… Yes. Alright.” Koutei took the knife, barely registering that what he was agreeing to was hurting Alit or Kotori, things he promised never to do. He sighed as he hid it in his jacket, and then lead Yami out to the city, where he caught the bus to Alit’s house.

“How are we going to get out there quickly? We can’t just wait for a bus"

Yami put up his hood and followed Koutei.

"I'll get us a ride." Yami said. He knew Dennis the drug dealer owed him one...he could pay him back by getting him a car. He shot him a text message asking for one to be sent to Alit's address.

Dennis told him to piss off. Then sent an apology text after saying that was his partner. Then said that he would in twenty minutes.

“Alright…”

Yami snickered at the text series.

"Alright we got a ride...Ill be hiding over here to flag it down. You go ring the bell. Act normal alright?" Yami said, once they stepped off the bus. He retreated to the shadows after he gave Koutei his instructions to watch.

“Go straight away?” Koutei asked, as he looked at him. “Alright..." And over there he goes to knock on the door.

Luckily for Koutei, there were only three people in the house that day. Kotori had left earlier after getting a call from a very excited Yuuma about his new niece. Akari was well enough for visitors and so Yuuma had invited Kotori to see the new baby. Alit had assured her that both he and Ponta could look after things at home.

Ponta was home because he was still a bit in mourning over Haruto and because he wanted to look after his baby sister while Alit went to the garage to workout a bit. Ponta was letting Masumi nap in her crib by watching television with the volume turned down in the living room. He heard Koutei's knock and approached the door cautiously. He has been told again and again never to open the door for strangers, but when he saw Koutei he lit up with a grin and opened the door immediately.

"Kou-Kou! You came to visit pon!" Ponta said happily, giving his unofficial uncle a hug. He hadn't seen him in forever!

Koutei gave a smile as he saw Ponta and knelt down, giving him a hug. “Hey there. Long time no see, little guy. You’ve gotten so much bigger.”

Ponta grinned as his hug was returned.

"Yep! I'm growing big and strong like my brothers so I can help protect my new baby sister!" Ponta proclaimed proudly. Once he parted from the hug, he pulled Koutei into the house.

"Alit's in the garage working out! Oh and be quiet cause Masumi is sleeping, pon." Ponta said softly.

“Ah… Okay. I don’t mind. I’ll wait for him to finish his workout. I know how important for him to keep in shape now he has time off. I just came over to see you and the baby, you know?” Koutei smiled.

“Masumi… that’s a nice name"

Ponta nodded.

"Okay! Alit will want to see you, pon! He's missed you a lot." He said. He beamed.

"Oh yeah you haven't met her yet! I'll let you see her if you promise to be quiet...I don't wanna wake her up." Ponta knew that Alit had wanted Koutei to meet her, so he didn't see a problem with letting Koutei into her room.

“Alright… I’d like that. Thanks, Ponta.” Koutei smiled.

"No problem! Now follow me." Ponta said, leading Koutei back to Masumi's bedroom. He let him in and showed him the sleeping baby.

"See? This is Masumi." Ponta whispered.

“She looks like Alit,” Koutei said, as he saw the sleeping girl. He looked her over and then at Ponta. “Can I carry her? I’ll make sure she stays sleeping."

Ponta nodded.

"Yeah she does. She has red eyes though..." He said. He blinked at the question. He had always been told that an adult had to be present if he wanted to hold Masumi...but Koutei was an adult. He probably knew how to hold babies. That seemed like something adults just knew how to do. So Ponta nodded.

"Sure but you have to be careful."

“Alright… I will. She’s very precious.” Koutei pulled the crib bars down and smiled at the little girl before picking her up. “Beautiful..."

Ponta smiled as Koutei held her.

"Yeah! She's very special pon!" Ponta agreed.

“Mmm…” Masumi stirred and Koutei frowned, beginning to walk around the room to calm her down.

Ponta let him walk, stepping out of the way to clear a path.

"Is she waking up pon?" He asked.

“Yeah… I’m just calming her down.” Koutei said, slowly walking out. “Just sit down and watch TV. I got her."

Ponta frowned. He noticed Koutei was leaving or something.

"Um...shouldn't you bring her back to her crib?" He asked, following Koutei.

"Where are you going?"

“I’m just calming her down… Don’t worry, Ponta.” Koutei said, heading for the door. He opened it.

Ponta's eyes widened.

"Kou-Kou, no you can't go outside with her!" He cried, rushing over to try and stop him. He grabbed his arm.

Koutei flinched and he remembered Yami’s orders. Even though he couldn’t grab the knife, he could still free his arm and kick Ponta into the stomach.

Ponta cried out as he was kicked. He flew back and hit his head on the couch, slumping into unconsciousness.

The loud crash of the sofa moving as Ponta hit it drew Alit's attention from in the garage. He'd finished his workout and was cooling off. He frowned and entered the house.

"Ponta?  What's all the racket?" He asked as he opened the door. Then he spotted Koutei.

"...Koutei? You're here?"

“Alit…” Koutei stared at the man before holding the baby closer to him. Without giving a chance for Alit to talk, he sprinted for the front door.

Alit saw the baby next but before he could ask what was going on, Koutei took a run for it. Alit was faster than Koutei, who was out of shape and running with a baby.

"Koutei, stop. What the hell are you doing with Masumi!" He exclaimed.

“Get out of my way, Alit!” Koutei yelled. He held the baby close and he slogged a hard punch at Alit, just as strong as always, though this time much more sudden and unfair.

Alit's eyes widened as the punch was swung towards his face.  It was only thanks to his quick reflexes honed from hundreds of fights that the hit wasn't as solid as it could've been.  He managed to turn slightly so that the blow hit more cheek than bone, but it was still hard enough to make him stagger for a moment as Koutei's fist struck his face.  Even off-balance, he immediately moved to counter on instinct, gripping Koutei's arm and managing to shove Koutei back into the house and away from the front door.  He closed it as the other man recovered and kept himself between Koutei and the exit while he tried to assess the situation.  Ponta was on the ground, unconscious.  Koutei had obviously attacked him, probably in a similar way to how Alit had just been attacked.  But, as terrible as that was, Alit quickly realized that while Koutei was holding his daughter, there was no way he could fight him physically.  If Koutei dropped the baby, or if Alit hit her by accident while trying to get Koutei, she could be seriously injured or even killed.  So that left him with only one option: trying to talk Koutei out of whatever the heck he wanted to do with Masumi.  He approached Koutei slowly, eyes alert for any movements that might indicate another attack or that Koutei might try something to harm Masumi.

“Koutei...I don't know what you think you're doing...but you need to stop.  Just put Masumi down...we can talk about this...”  He said, trying to reason with him.  

Koutei scowled. His drugged mind was focused on Yami’s orders, and there was no reasoning to get him out. Normalcy was out of the window now, and all he could do was just glare at Alit.

“No. I’m not. I’m sick of doing nothing… sick of just sitting back. Move out of my way, Alit. I’m taking Masumi, and I will hurt you if you stop me.” Koutei said, balling a fist.

Alit listened, but frowned.

“No way am I moving.  I'm not just going to let you take my daughter!  What happened to you?  Why are you doing this?”  Alit asked, getting a bit angry now, but forcing himself to keep under control.  He couldn't lash out at Koutei while he was holding the baby after all.  But...he had to do something.  So, once he got close enough, he lunged and grabbed Koutei's shoulders to try and hold him in place.

“Punch me all you want, but I'm not letting you leave.”  Alit said with a determined frown.  He knew that Koutei was only punching with one free hand.  

Koutei scowled. Reacting purely by instinct, he lashed out at the other man. He reeled his head back and clashed skulls against Alit. However, once he hit, a small part of himself realised what was happening; he was holding the baby… he was fighting Alit…

It was… just… like a game. It was… just one of Yami’s game. He had the gem. He was fighting the prince… this… would make him happy.

He took his knife out from his hoodie’s pocket and stabbed Alit in the gut.

Alit was taken aback by the head butt, crying out a curse.  His grip loosened slightly, but he determinedly tried to latch back onto Koutei.  He couldn't let go no matter how disoriented he was getting.  Unfortunately, he'd left himself basically defenceless, since both his hands were occupied by trying to restrain Koutei, and wasn't able to dodge the knife he hadn't known Koutei had.  

When it sunk into his gut, Alit felt very sharp pain, but all that came out was a relatively loud grunt and a gasp.  This wasn't the feeling of a punch...he spared a small glance down and saw the knife buried into his stomach to the hilt, Koutei's hand wrapped around the handle.  Alit's eyes widened as he managed to look back at Koutei in shock.  

“You...”  He grunted, before tightening his grip on Koutei's arms.  That was kind of a distraction...Masumi was still in trouble.  Even though his brain was also screaming at him that he had been stabbed, he was bleeding, he could very well die from this wound....he was still driven to try and protect his daughter.

“Get off of me!” Koutei yelled. The baby whined in the man’s arm but Koutei ignored it. Leaving the blade in Alit’s stomach, he swung his fist and punched Alit in the face and then in the chest. He just kept throwing punches, hands shaking as his knuckles became raw.

Masumi burst into tears as she was jerked uncomfortably, a jarring noise in response to Koutei’s violence.

Alit at first tried to dodge the blows as much as possible without letting go of Koutei, but it was impossible to get them all.  And, as time went by, he found himself getting more dizzy, since it was hurting to breathe, and the pain of his stab wound was distracting him.  His grip eventually loosened, and with a final punch he fell to the floor, letting out a weak cry when the knife's hilt bumped against the floor and moved the blade inside of him.  Blood was seeping through his shirt and dripping down to the floor at a faster rate.  Alit tried to get up once he fell, but his limbs were shaky.  He could hear Masumi crying, and he knew she needed him, but his body wasn't listening right now.  

“Koutei...don't...do this...”  Alit managed to pant out.

“I’m sorry, Alit. I have to.” Koutei was crying now, even though he didn’t know why. It was just… what Yami wanted. This was just a game… Everything was fine. The drugged man only spared Alit a second glance before he properly held Masumi in his arms. Without another word, he took the baby into the street, looking around and seeing Dennis and Yami in the car already.

With a final look behind him, Koutei hopped in the car. Dennis slammed the door shut and drove off, doing his best to look inconspicuous so the neighbours didn’t suspect a thing.

Koutei barely registered that he had doomed Alit to die.

“Here… Yami..."

“No...”  Alit gasped.  He tried to get up again, but when he failed to do that, he started to drag his body across the floor towards the door.  This had to be a dream or something...Masumi wasn't gone...Koutei hadn't stabbed him and knocked out Ponta.  Exhaustion quickly overtook him, and he collapsed onto his side, still bleeding out slowly as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Yami smirked as he spotted Koutei.

“Thanks.”  He said, accepting the baby into his arms and gently rocking her to calm her down.  

“Koutei, unlock your phone and pass it to me.”  Yami ordered, holding out his hand.

Koutei did the command wordlessly and passed it off. He looked back towards the house that was long out of view, wondering why he had been crying in a game.

Meanwhile, Ponta was groaning, feeling himself wake up. “K-Koukou? Alit?” The child whimpered, rubbing his eyes. They flew open when he saw Alit, lying on the ground. “Alit! Alit! Hey! Hey! Wake up, Alit! A-A- AHHHHHHHHHH!” Ponta screamed, seeing the knife in his big brother’s stomach.

Yami deleted his own contact and any texts or traces of his number from the phone. He couldn't have it be traced back to him after all if Koutei was ever caught.

"Alright. You didn't do anything today...you just stayed home all day, Koutei. There was no game. You won't come looking for me again, because I don't exist in your head anymore." Yami told him, handing the phone back as they pulled up in front of Koutei's house.

"Now, go home and go to bed." Yami said, still holding Masumi.

Alit was out cold, but still breathing. There was a significant blood trail and it was clear that he wouldn't last much longer without someone closing the wound.

Luckily, today Gilag had gotten off work early. He arrived home thinking everything was alright, only to open the door to his baby brother screaming and his middle brother bleeding out on the floor. Gilag's eyes widened.

"ALIT!" He cried, rushing towards him and noting that he was indeed breathing with a knife in his gut.

"Shit...shit shit!" Gilag cried, taking off a piece of his shirt and trying to cover the wound. He had learned how to bandage up wounds a little...but it was clear Alit needed the hospital.

"Ponta, calm down...Alit's...he's gonna be fine. He's gonna be fine..." Gilag said, calling 911 with his free hand and mentally pleading with Alit to stay with him.

“Alright… Goodbye…” He bowed to Yami politely and went back to go sleep off the rest of the drugs. He wouldn’t remember any of it. The drug was as good as mind control, there was no way to stop it… “But- But… Gilag! Gilag! He was stabbed! And Koukou… Koutei. He was here! And! And Masumi! Masumi is missing and Alit is hurt! Please Gilag! Save him-pon!” Ponta sobbed

Yami smirked and closed the door.

“Alright, mission accomplished.”  He mused, holding the baby and smiling down at her.

“Now phase 2 can begin...Dennis, take me home.  Thanks for the car.”  He said.

“Ponta...calm down, it'll be okay...”  Gilag said, pulling his baby brother into a hug.  All the while, he processed the words.  Koutei?  He'd done this?  He didn't want to leave Alit to check on Masumi...but he couldn't hear her at all.  That was unusual.  What exactly had happened?

Thankfully, the paramedics arrived and began to treat Alit, giving Gilag the opportunity to search the house for Masumi quickly.  He didn't find her at all.  After Alit was loaded onto the stretcher and put in the ambulance, he and Ponta got in with him and they drove off to the hospital.  Ponta was treated for a small bleeding cut on the back of his head, but otherwise was he was alright, just hysterical.  Gilag held him the entire time, trying to comfort him.

“Sure. No problem. Make sure you don’t crash and burn, Yami.” Dennis smiled, waving at the young man. He chuckled as he drove off, passing the ambulance with Ponta and Gilag inside without knowing. He had no idea of the pain he helped cause, nor did he care.

“I… I… I didn’t… Gilag… Will Alit be okay?” Ponta whimpered, refusing to be parted from the huge man.

Gilag bit his lip.

"...I don't know, Ponta. He's alive but he's not doing well." Gilag said.

"Can you tell me what happened?" He asked.

Ponta whimpered. He closed his eyes, shaking his head. “I… I know what happened but… but… I don’t know! I don’t think Koutei would hurt anyone!” Ponta whimpered.

Gilag frowned, holding Ponta close and reassuring him as best he could. He knew the police would want to hear what had happened, and until Alit woke up, the source was Ponta. And that was if Alit woke up...Gilag gulped.

"Okay, Ponta...don't worry about it for now, okay? Just focus on calming down...I'm here. Everything will be okay...Alit's strong. He'll be okay." Gilag said, glancing at his other brother under an oxygen mask and looking paler than Gilag had ever seen him. He pleaded silently to Alit to not make him a liar.

Ponta whimpered but rubbed his eyes and nodded.

“I… I… It was Koutei. Koutei came to the house and I opened the door for him. Then he came in and he took Masumi and… And… And when he tried to take her outside, I tried to stop him but he knocked me out..."

Gilag listened, patting his back.

“And what about Alit?  Where was he when this happened?”  Gilag asked.  Ponta's story didn't explain how Alit got stabbed.

“I… He was working out, but Koutei said not to disturb him… So… I don’t know what happened. When I woke up, he was knocked out”

Gilag nodded with a frown.  So...had it been Koutei who stabbed Alit?  And did Koutei take Masumi while that happened?  He held Ponta close as he noticed the ambulance was pulling into the hospital emergency room.

“We're at the hospital...let's follow the stretcher inside, alright?  We should probably test you for a concussion while they take care of Alit, alright?”  Gilag said.  

Meanwhile, Yuuma was seeing Kotori out of his sister's room.

“Thanks for coming today, Kotori!  I'll let you know when Nee-chan is out of the hospital with Yuzu so that maybe she can Masumi can have a playdate or something!”  Yuuma said with a grin.

“Yeah… Okay…” Ponta said. He nuzzled his brother and walked forward.

“Yeah, I’ll see you later, Yuuma. Take care of everyone,” The young woman smiled and walked off, but not before she saw people rushing into the emergency department.

Gilag gave him a small smile and held his hand, making sure Ponta wouldn't try to run off as he got out of the ambulance with him.  Of course, both boys let the doctors take Alit out first.  The paramedics were wheeling him right into surgery, since they had to remove the knife and sew him up before he lost much more blood.  They'd wrapped bandages around the blade to slow the bleeding in the meantime.  They wheeled him in just as Kotori was passing, and although it might've been possible to miss Alit since he was surrounded by nurses and paramedics wheeling him into surgery, it was impossible to miss Gilag and Ponta behind him.  

“Gilag? Ponta?” Kotori asked, seeing them walk down. She frowned as she saw them. She knew they couldn’t be visiting because they were coming through the emergency department. She was only there because she was heading out and saw them enter from across the block. She hurried over.

“Gilag? Ponta?"

Gilag's eyes widened as he spotted Kotori rushing over.  

“Kotori, what're you doing here?”  He asked, surprised to see her.  The paramedics, thinking she was just a visitor, tried to block her from accessing the emergency room.

“Ma'am, we're only letting patients in this way...”  He said.  Gilag hurried over to them with Ponta, who wore a bandage on his head.

“No, let her through, please...that's her husband on the stretcher...”  Gilag said solemnly.

“My husband?” Kotori’s eyes widened. “Alit? Alit is there? Gilag? Ponta? What happened to Alit?” She yelped, following after him.

The paramedics let her pass, allowing her to see Alit briefly as they quickly prepped for surgery.  Alit still hadn't woken up, and with the sedatives they put into his system to keep him out, he wouldn't for awhile.  

“We are about to take him into surgery in order to remove the knife.  The police have been called and are coming to get statements from the two witnesses.  Please wait out here with them...we'll let you know when the surgery is over.”  The nurse told Gilag, Ponta and Kotori.  Gilag sighed.

“Well...I wasn't there, but Ponta was.”  Ponta sniffled, feeling bad now that Kotori was here and was so obviously scared for Alit.

“...Kou-Kou...he came over...and...”  Ponta said, starting to cry again, which prompted Gilag to pick him up to try and reassure him.

“My understanding is that Koutei came over.  Ponta said he let him in...and why wouldn't he, when he's a friend?  It's not your fault Ponta.”  Gilag said, since Ponta started whimpering once he was reminded of the fact that he had been the one who opened the door and let Koutei in.

“Ponta told me that Koutei came in, and took Masumi.  When Ponta tried to stop him from leaving, Koutei knocked him out.  When Ponta came to...Alit was already like this...I don't know Alit's side of the story...but it's likely that Koutei did this...”  Gilag explained.

“Oh my god… I don’t believe it… Koutei did this? There was a knife?” The woman said, shuddering. She looked at Gilag, eyes wide.

“He- He took Masumi? She’s gone? Oh my god… Oh my god… My daughter… Oh no…” Kotori covered her mouth, trying to pull herself together as the shock of her injured husband and her missing daughter hit her like a truck.

Gilag nodded.  

“Alit was stabbed...and Ponta here was knocked out too.”  Gilag said.  Ponta held onto Gilag solemnly, still being held.   Gilag put his other arm around his sister in law to comfort her.

“The police are coming...we'll tell them to look for her.  They'll find her...it'll be okay.”  Gilag spoke reassuringly.

“Oh my god… Gilag… why did he take her? Why did he hurt Alit and Ponta? He’s… he’s not… what caused all this…” Kotori whimpered, before she sobbed

“I don't know why he did any of this...maybe Alit knows more.  I never got his side of the story...he was unconscious when I found him.”  Gilag said, sighing and hugging Kotori close.  Ponta was crying too now that Kotori was crying, feeling both worried and guilty at once.  Gilag held his family close.

“I know… but…” Kotori clenched her fist. “I… I… What if Masumi is going to get hurt? What if she disappears? I… I wouldn’t know what to do…”

“I wouldn't know what to do either...”  Gilag said softly.  He couldn't bear the thought of his precious niece being hurt.  

“We just have to stay strong...and hope that she'll be brought back to us safely and unharmed.”

“Yeah… I have to just hope..."

The police force had been busy on their other cases, but when they got a call from the hospital saying that a man had been stabbed in his own home, and that a baby had been kidnapped, they managed to send a couple officers in.  Droite and Gauche were sent to take witness testimonies.

By the time they arrived at the hospital, Alit was out of surgery and had been put into a room.  His family was still in there with him, but he hadn't woken up yet due to the sedatives in his system.  He was still relatively pale and bruised, as if he'd been in a fight.  He was hooked up to oxygen, heart-rate monitors and an IV drip as he rested in the hospital bed dressed in hospital scrubs.  Ponta had been tested for a concussion, and it was recommended that he take things easy too, since he had hit his head very hard.  Gilag was holding him and letting him rest in a chair in the corner while Kotori stayed near her husband.  

Gauche and Droite were brought up to the room.  The nurse knocked on the door.

“Excuse me, but there are a couple police officers here to speak to you.”  The nurse said.

Kotori watched by his bedside, waiting for her husband to wake up. All she could do was be quiet, doing everything she could to stop herself from crying. Why was this happening?

Gilag looked up at the door and frowned. Nodding to Kotori, he looked at Ponta.

“Are you up for talking?” He asked. Ponta shrugged… So Gilag carried him to the door to see the officers.

Droite and Gauche were waiting outside respectfully.  What they'd heard from the nurses hadn't been good: a little boy knocked unconscious, a grown man stabbed deep in the gut with a knife (which they had collected for evidence already) and a couple months old baby kidnapped from the family.  Droite saw the young boy with the bandage on his head and figured this must be one of the victims.

“Barian Ponta, right?  My name is Officer Droite, and this is Officer Gauche.  Can you tell us what happened to you?”  Droite asked the boy.

“I… I… I… My brother… I…” He shied away, hiding behind Gilag timidly, not wanting to think much about it.

Gilag gave Ponta a small pat on the back reassuringly.  

“Ponta...how about I tell them what you told me, and you can nod if that's right?”  Gilag suggested, understanding why Ponta didn't want to talk about it.

“Alright…” Ponta said. Gauche gave a small smile at him and knelt down to his level.

“Yeah… we just want to help, okay?"

Droite smiled and nodded as well.  

“Alright...so, at the time, it was only Ponta, my brother Alit, and his baby daughter, Masumi at home.  Alit was working out in the garage while Masumi was sleeping, and Ponta...you were inside the house, right?”  Gilag said.

Ponta nodded. “Yeah… I … I was watching TV… And then I heard a knock on the door…”

Gauche nodded.

“So you went to get it?  Who was there?  Did you know them?”  Gauche asked.

“It was… Koutei… Umm… Gilag, what’s his last name?"

“Ouji Koutei...he's a friend of the family, especially Alit.  Ponta knew him, so he had no reason not to let him in.”  Gilag said.  

“And what happened after you let this Koutei guy in?”  Gauche asked.

“Yeah… He… He asked where Alit was but when I said he was working out, he said he didn’t want to disturb him. He wanted to see the baby… and since he was a friend… I… I let him see and hold Masumi..."

Droite nodded.

"And what happened after he held the baby?" She asked. So far it sounded like an ordinary visit.

"Was he acting strange to you? Different than normal?"

“… He… He just walked out. I don’t know..."

Gilag gave Ponta's shoulder a squeeze.

"He took Masumi and tried to leave, didn't he?" Gilag asked Ponta.

“Y-yeah…” Ponta nodded. “He did. But I tried to stop him. I yelled and then… he hit me."

Gauche frowned.

"What happened after he hit you? Did you see him leave?"

“No… I… I woke up and Alit….. My brother… He…” Ponta hid his face into Gilag’s shoulder.

Gilag held Ponta close and pat his back to comfort him.

"I found Ponta by Alit, crying...he said that he didn't know how Alit got that way. I don't know Alit's story...he's still unconscious. But Masumi and Koutei were gone by the time I arrived." Gilag explained.

“I see… and is that all you know? Can you tell us what you know about this man?"

Gilag frowned.

"I don't know him very well personally...Alit knows him best. But I know that he's Italian...he's also a boxer, like Alit. The fact that he hurt Ponta is shocking...he was never violent." Gilag said.

"I also remember that Alit was trying to get together with him...but he either didn't answer or said he would come and didn't. It was like he was distant...Alit thought maybe something was up, but we weren't sure what."

“I… Maybe it was that? He was angry?”

"He was angry so he attacked you?" Gauche asked. Losing someone's temper and lashing out wasn't uncommon...but he had stabbed someone too.

"Koutei doesn't really get angry...especially not in front of Ponta. He's usually very happy to see him and if there's anything going on, he doesn't show it." Gilag said. Droite sighed.

"Do you know where this Koutei person is staying right now?"

"No...Alit might know. He has his number." Gilag said, glancing back into the room.

"Kotori's and Alit's baby was taken too...even if Ponta didn't see Koutei leave, Masumi wasn't at home..." Droite nodded, knocking on the door gently.

"Mrs Barian...may we come in and ask you a couple questions?" She asked.

“….” The young woman looked behind her and gave a small smile. She nodded, not trusting her to talk just yet.

Droite gave her a small smile and a nod in return, entering the room and approaching Kotori.

"The first thing I was wondering...was whether or not you knew where Ouji Koutei was staying or had a way to contact him. I'm told your husband does, but was wondering if he had told you."

“… I have his number and his address. Why Koutei though?” Kotori asked, forgetting what the others had said.

“Ponta has identified Koutei as the one who injured him, as well as being the last to be seen with your daughter.  We plan on talking to him to see if your daughter is still with him.”  Droite said.  That was putting it lightly...so far, they didn't know if Alit had been stabbed by Koutei, but either way, Koutei was their only lead to the baby at the moment.

“… Here’s his address and his phone number. But… why? He and Alit were best friends and he loved Ponta… He has… no reason to do this…” Kotori said, as she handed her phone over, pulling out Koutei’s contact numbers

“That's what I heard from those two as well...but we'll get to the bottom of this.”  Droite said.  She took note of the number.

“My second question...is whether or not you had a recent photo of your daughter that we could borrow to aid our search for her.  Koutei's house will be a starting point, and hopefully we will find her there, but in case we don't, it would help to put out public bulletins asking for information on her whereabouts.”  

“Yeah… I do..” Kotori took her phone back and flicked through it before she showed her young child to the officers. “Please find her… Please…”

Droite accepted the photo and nodded.

"We will." She said. She glanced at Alit. He was still unconscious. She handed Kotori a phone number.

"Please let us know when your husband wakes up. We'd like to speak to him as well when he's ready." Droite said.

“Thank you…” The woman mumbled. “I’ll let you know. Thank you, Officers."

Droite nodded.

"Alright. Well be in touch." She promised. She headed back to Gauche, taking a glance at Ponta and noting he didn't look as beat up as Alit did.

"Barian Alit looks as though he was used as a punching bag...he probably fought whoever his attacker was." Droite informed Gauche.

"But that attacker didn't do nearly the same damage to Ponta."

“Well, he was a kid,” Gauche muttered,” Wouldn’t have taken much to knock him out. Barian is a boxer, isn’t he? So he would have been stronger and tougher to take down”

“True.  Though I wonder if that also means that he beat up the guy too.”  Droite said.

“Let's head over to his house...Mrs. Barian told me where she lives.”  

“Great… Hopefully this will go smoothly.” Gauche growled, clenching his teeth. “I hate it when kids get involved in this kind of shit. That guy has a lot of shit to answer"

“You bet he does.”  Droite said with a frown and a determined look as they headed back out to the car.  She drove them both to the address Kotori gave them, pulling up in front of Koutei's apartment.  She knocked on the door.

“Mr. Ouji, this is the police.  Open up.”  

Koutei was solidly in bed, asleep. He groaned, but didn’t answer. Gauche tried the doorbell but again he didn’t answer.

“Do you think he’s in?"

“Hard to say...the lights are out.  I'll try calling.”  Droite dialled the number that Kotori gave her and waited to see if Koutei would answer.

Koutei did hear his phone ringing, even if he didn’t want to hear it. The man groaned, hitting his phone before picking it up.

“Hello?”

Droite frowned as she swore she could hear the faint sound of ringing from inside the house.  So he was home.

“My name is Officer Droite with Heartland City Police.  I got this number from Barian Kotori...I need you to open the door, Mr. Ouji.  My partner and I need to talk to you.”  Droite said, having Gauche ring the bell again once she was done talking as emphasis that they were waiting for him.

“Urk… I… The police? Huh? Hang on… let me go get the door.” The groggy Koutei muttered. He yawned and sauntered to the door, not looking well as opened it

“Alright.”  Droite said, before hanging up.  She was surprised at the sight that she saw.  Koutei looked like a rather run-down guy, like he hadn't been sleeping properly.  Or maybe it was because he just got up.

“Hello, Mr. Ouji. As I said on the phone, I'm Officer Droite, and this is Officer Gauche.  We have a couple of questions for you.  Can we come in?”  Droite asked.  The coming inside point was to give her and Gauche a chance to look around the apartment for Masumi.  Gauche would search while she questioned him, they'd agreed, since Gauche would have more trouble not erupting in anger than she would.

“Yeah…” Koutei gestured inside. “Sure… come in… Um… is there a problem?"

"Actually yes, there is." Droite said, coming inside. She motioned to Gauche to begin his search, which he did.

"I understand you're a friend of the Barian family. There was an incident at their house earlier today."

“There was an incident?" The man groaned and frowned. “What happened? And you can’t search my house without a permit..."

"He's just looking for a washroom. We've been on duty all day with other cases." Droite said smoothly. Gauche wasn't touching anything, just looking.

"And as for the incident...we were hoping you could tell us what happened."

“What incident? I’ve been home all day… I don’t know what you’re talking about"

Droite was impressed with how genuinely confused Koutei looked.

"You were home all day, except for when you went to the Barian family's house. The little boy, Ponta, I believe his name was, has a mild concussion. He said you hit him. He said you also took his baby sister. Care to explain?"

“Wait… what? Ponta was… he thought I hit him? And took Masumi? Woah, woah,woah. Hold on. I haven’t seen any of them in months. I haven’t even seen the baby yet!"

Gauche re-entered the room.

"She's not here. No sign of the baby ever being here." Gauche said with a frown. That wasn't good at all.

"You say you weren't there, but if you really weren't...can anyone prove it? Was there anyone here with you?"

“Umm… no. I wasn’t with anyone. I was at home all day, sleeping. I haven’t been feeling well, lately. I’m tired all the time, so I haven’t left the house… not for a while, really.” Koutei said, trying to think as best as he can.

"So no alibi, basically." Droite said. Suddenly her phone chimed, indicating she had a message. She read the results and sighed.

"Looks like we have DNA proof you were involved. The knife we dusted for prints came up as a match for yours." Droite said. Gauche frowned.

"You wanna know where we found the knife? Buried in Barian Alit's gut. Ouji Koutei, you're under arrest for attempted murder, and suspected kidnapping." Gauche said, going to cuff the man.

“Wait what?” His eyes widened. “O-oy! What do you mean? Alit was stabbed? Oy! Stop kidding! I wouldn’t ever do that to Alit. Let go and explain to me what the hell is going on!” Koutei said, jumping up. Alit? Stabbed? By him? He’d never…

Gauche frowned.

"What happened, is you went  into that house, knocked out a kid, and stole a baby. And you put a knife in a mans gut. He's unconscious from blood loss, and you'd better hope he hangs in there, otherwise you'll be put away for murder." Gauche growled. Droite sighed.

"We're taking you to the station. Maybe then you'll feel up to sharing your side of the story." She said, letting Gauche cuff Koutei.

“But… but… Hey!” Koutei felt his arms yanked behind his back as he was quickly cuffed by the officer. He squirmed but didn’t resist, looking very confused. “I didn’t steal the baby. I haven’t even seen her. God damn it! Listen!" Gauche ignored him, pulling him away to the car.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law." Droite said. They put him into the car and drove off to the station.

“I didn’t do anything.” Koutei growled. As he sat down, he stared at the wall where Droite and Gauche could be seen. “Damn it. Alit is my best friend. I wouldn’t do that to him.”

“Yeah yeah…” Gauche muttered.

They arrived and put Koutei into the interrogation room. Gauche approached Ukyou with the issue.

"This guy swears he didn't do anything but we found prints on the knife we pulled out of a mans gut. We're gonna have to be tough...he kidnapped a baby too."

"This is the knife we found your prints on." Droite said, showing the evidence bag to Koutei.

"Look familiar?"

Koutei blinked, staring the at the knife dumbly. “… no. I’ve never seen this knife in my life."

"Stop lying. We found your prints on it. You held this knife...it was found sheathed in Alit's stomach." Gauche growled.

“I’m telling you! I’ve never seen that damned knife before! You’ve got to believe me!” Koutei said, pushing his chair out and trying to stand. “This is ridiculous."

“I don't.  How can you have never seen this knife before, when we have your DNA all over it?  Care to explain that?”  Gauche said with a frown.

“I don’t know, but I didn’t go to see Alit! I didn’t! I didn’t do that!” Koutei hissed

Ukyou was watching with a frown.

“He seems genuinely confused here...”  Ukyou noted.  This was a bit of an odd case.

“Our witnesses did say that it was highly unusual for this man to harm any of the people that he did.”  Droite noted.  Mai frowned.

“Hmm...let me in there, will you?”  Mai asked, grabbing a photograph and entering the room.  She approached Koutei and laid a photograph of Mutou Yuugi on the table.

“Tell me who this is.”  

“Umm…” Koutei blinked up a the woman, frowning as she walked into the interrogation room with no introduction. However he looked at the photo and frowned a little.

“I… Umm… Ummm….” He squinted and bit his lip. “Um…… No? I mean… He… does look familiar. Who is he?”

Mai frowned and studied Koutei's response.  

“Alright, it's game time.”  She said, speaking a phrase that she knew Yuugi used often enough as an attempt to jog Koutei's memory a little.

“You win if you can tell me who this is and why he's familiar to you...but the trick is, you have to do it before you get declared a kidnapper and attempted murderer by the others.”  Mai declared with a smirk.

“Ngh…” Koutei felt his mind throb at the words, but his own self wanted to suppress the memory of Yami. He gave a frown.

“I… I don’t remember… I just… I saw him..."

Mai judged the reaction and determined that Koutei had probably at least met Yuugi in person before.  

“Saw him where?  Come on, you're not going to win at this rate.”  Mai said.

“I… I don’t know. Some building… or a bar… both? I… I don’t remember.” Koutei growled.

“He bought you a drink then?”  Mai asked, knowing that sometimes Yuugi used drugs in drinks.

“… I… I think so. I don’t know..."

“Alright...you think about that.  I'll be back in a moment.”  Mai said, getting up and heading out.

“Test him for trace amounts of drugs in his system...I think Mutou might've gotten to him with Devil's Breath.”  Mai said.  Ukyou's eyes widened.

“What?  That's...how are you sure?”  He asked.  

“Well, the case itself doesn't make much sense.  This guy doesn't seem malicious at all, and yet he's reported as attacking close family friends.  I read his file here...he has no other family really.  He's been fending for himself, even though his real family is filthy rich.  They've basically disowned him.  It makes no sense why he'd attack the only people who were nice to him here...unless he was drugged or forced somehow.”  Mai explained.  Droite frowned.

“We have confirmation that Mutou Yuugi did buy Devil's Breath...but why would he use it on this guy?”  Droite asked.  Mai shrugged.

“I'll admit he's not Yuugi's typical victim...but at the same time, he probably knows we're looking for him, and is trying to be inconspicuous by getting other more innocent-like guys like Koutei here to do his dirty work for him.”  

“He may be doing it to more than just Koutei. Maybe he has a plan…” Anna muttered, closing her eyes. “But I’ll go round up the stuff we need to get for the blood tests.”

“… So if he was under the influence… well… Shit.”

Mai nodded.

"Good. I'll go see if I can trigger any memories from him. Anything he has could help lead us to Mutou." She said.

"Alright Koutei, as part of the game...we're going to do a blood test. Any further thoughts on this mystery guy here?"

“… His hair is weird.” The man muttered.

Mai chuckled.

"That it is. But you already know that don't you? Cause you've met him before."

“I… I don’t know…” Koutei muttered looking away.

"Tell you what. We'll do the tests, then you can rest. Take the picture with you and focus on it. If you remember anything, yell alright?" Mai said, letting Anna in so she could perform the tests.

“Alright… fine.” He looked at the man and he tilted his head. “Hey… Um… What test is this?"

"It's a simple blood test. We want to see whether or not you were under the influence of any drugs or alcohol recently. It could help prove the innocence you claim." Mai mused. Of course the opposite was also possible: if there was no trace at all, Koutei could be a really good liar.

“Alright…” He offered his arm. “I’m fine…” Anna smiled and started hooking him up, extracting the blood from his shoulder before putting it in a forensic’s tube. “And that’s it, really. Now we get this off to the guys.”

Mai nodded.

"Thanks. Well let you know when we get more information. For now, just relax and focus on this guy." Mai said, pointing to the photograph. She got up and let Gauche lead Koutei to a cell in the back where he could rest and hopefully remember something that could help his case.

“Alright… But I’m innocent… really…” Koutei muttered, getting up, looking at the photo before following.

“… So… you think this incident is related to Mutou?” Droite asked

Mai shrugged.

"I'm not 100% sure...but it feels like it might be. Koutei recognized my mannerisms when I imitated Mutou Yuugi. He's very distinct, so I doubt it's mistaken." Mai said.

"We'll just check the blood work here and wait for the other witness to wake up then, I guess." Ukyou said.

“Mmmm…” Droite sighed. “How’s the antidote coming along, Ukyou?"

"Chris said he's almost done it last I checked." Ukyou said, smiling fondly as he thought of Chris. Anna smirked knowingly.

'Chris' huh?" She mused, noting the informal title. Ukyou had to fight down a small blush.

“Really, Ukyou? Flirting with someone on the job?” Gauche smirked as well. However, it was very half-hearted, since he was thinking of what had just gone down with Koutei.

Ukyou sighed.

"It's not flirting...were just getting to know each other through the job is all." He said.

“Well, it’s nice.” Gauche said. “But come on… Let’s get moving"

Ukyou nodded, a more determined look on his face.

"Yes, let's.  I'll go check on the antidote. We'll need it if Mutou is indeed on the move. You guys stay here and wait for results of the blood test or if the other victim wakes up." Ukyou said, before heading out to Chris' workplace.

Meanwhile, that day Chris was being visited by his two brothers.

"Nii-san you're busy with something tough here aren't you?" Miheal asked, looking at the codes he didn't quite understand. Thomas was scoffing in the doorway.

"Boring! We're cutting into lunch here."

“Alright… don’t get distracted, Ukyou.” Gauche smiled, waving at him, not knowing about the chaos.

“No. Stop. Hair up in the lab. Put lab coats and gloves on. You’re not getting infected. The compound is still incubating.” Chris said, not even looking up from his computer. “How did you two get past security?”

Miheal rolled his eyes but obliged. Thomas smirked.

"I'm not technically in the lab." He mused. Miheal chuckled.

"Your staff know us, Nii-san. And Thomas flirted with your secretary to get her to cancel your lunch plans so you can talk to us." Miheal explained.

"So what are you working on?"

“I was skipping lunch. I had work to do. I’m working on a rather fascinating cocktail of drugs, made of very potent hallucinogens and some scopolamine. It’s fascinating.” Chris said, still not looking up to his brothers as he typed away, looking over the sequences that appeared on his computer.

Miheal looked confused.

"Hallucinogens? What're you working with those for?" It wasn't a typical drug that Chris worked with. Thomas spotted Ukyou coming up the stairs.

"Excuse me...I'm here to see Dr. Arclight." Ukyou said to him. Thomas shrugged and turned to Chris

"Oy you've got a visitor Chris!" He called.

“Work with the HPD.” Chris said from within the lab. He didn’t hear or see Ukyou so he just scowled. “Ask them if they’re from the police and kick them out if they’re not. I’m busy.”

“Geeze, you’re grumpy,” Miheal said, surprised.

“He's a cop alright.”  Thomas called back.

“Careful.  My brother's in a mood.”  Thomas mused with a chuckle, letting Ukyou in.  Ukyou entered.

“Hey, Chris?  I'm just here to see if you'd made any progress on the antidote.”  He asked, staying on the edge of the lab for now.

“A-ah? Ukyou!” Chris looked up, surprised. “Oh… I thought you were going to call first.” He said, forgetting his phone was off. “Sorry. I should have seen you coming. Yeah… I was making it now.”

“I did try this time, but I didn't get an answer...sorry for the intrusion”  Ukyou said with a smile.  His eyes widened in surprise at Chris' news.  

“Really?  You figured it out?”  He said, impressed as he entered.  Thomas was watching him and Chris closely, and came inside behind him quietly, pulling Miheal out towards the door so they could spy on their oldest sibling.

Chris gave a so-so expression.

“I need to work on the last bit and do some actual testing, but I’ve more or less boiled it down. Once I dissected the formula, it was easy enough to figure out” Chris said.

“Nii-san, what are we doing?” Miheal frowned.

“Oh good...I'm glad to hear it.”  Ukyou said, approaching the screen.  

“I'm really impressed with what you've done here...you're amazing.”  He said, looking over the formula from over Chris' shoulder.  Thomas smirked.

“Getting front row seats while still being discreet enough.”  He said softly back.  

Chris could feel Ukyou’s breath on his neck, and for a second, he thought the older man would put his hand on his shoulder, if not his back. He held his breath for a moment until it was obvious that Ukyou was complimenting him.

“Ah… Thank you. I’m just… doing my job,” He said, blushing.

“… Nii-san… remember how I reacted when I caught you spying on me and Gilag?”

Ukyou was very tempted to either put his hand on his shoulder or at least on the back of his chair, but refrained because he knew that he was in a semi-public environment.  

“You do it well.”  He said happily, thinking Chris' blush was cute.  

“Yeah, but Chris knows we're here, so it's different.”  Thomas said.

“See how he's blushing...I think he likes him...”  

“Ah… Well, thank you. I appreciate the complement"

“Oh no… Chris-nii just is red in the face because that police officer brought a new heater in with him.” Miheal muttered sarcastically.

Ukyou smiled.

"You deserve it for a job well done." He noted, finding it cute that Chris was blushing. Thomas smirked

"We are so grilling him on this." Thomas mused.

“Hopefully this will help you with your job,” He smiled at him before looking back at the screen, not sure how to look at him without making a fool of himself.

“I forgot how bad Nii-san is with social interaction.” Miheal muttered

“It will, I'm sure.”  Ukyou said, smiling a bit.

“Are you breaking for lunch soon?”  He asked then, a little shyly.  Thomas sighed.

“We'll have to work on that...but it looks like this cop guy is a little better at least.”  

“I suppose so… but if you want the formula done, I can work through it,” Chris said. Miheal stared through the glass and groaned.

“You should be watching him on his dates, not me.” Miheal said. “He needs all the help he can get”

Ukyou shook his head.

“We're in no rush at the moment...you've already done so much.  Surely you deserve a break, even if it's just a coffee or something?  I'll buy.”  Ukyou offered.  Thomas nodded.

“If he says no again I'm busting in there and making him say yes.”  He said with a frown, watching Chris for a reaction.

“How are you going to do that?” Miheal asked, looking at his brother. “Not that I don’t agree”

“Well… if you think so. You can talk to me more about the case, and anything else I need to know over food.” Chris typed in the sequence, saved it and started taking his gloves and coat off.

“… So… he still needs work."

“I'll figure it out as I go.”  Thomas said, though he was internally relieved that he didn't have to.  He didn't want to piss off Chris or remind him that they were still here in case he used that as an excuse to get out of his little outing with the cop.  

“Sure.  We can make it a productive lunch.”  Ukyou said with a smile.  Hopefully they'd also get a bit of small talk in too.  He let Chris get up and Thomas quickly grabbed his little brother's arm and dragged him away from the door before Chris could see them.  He ducked them both into a closet to hide.

“We can't let him see us and use us as an excuse to skip his date.”  Thomas whispered as a way of explanation.  He kept watching discreetly through the small window in the closet door.

“Guess my brothers must have left… shame… They came to me for lunch as well. I guess when they saw you, they decided to let us be.” Chris said, leading the other man out back to the elevator. Miheal yelped as he was yanked away and they went into a small chemical closet.

“Nii-san, we’re not teenagers, we should now just walk away. Also, Nii-san, please realise we’re in a closet. Like an actual closet. You really have no shame…” Miheal sighed.

Ukyou's eyes widened.

“So those two others I saw were your brothers?  I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your family time.”  Ukyou apologized.  Thomas sighed.

“But that's no fun.”  He mused.  He chuckled.

“What's wrong, Miheal?  Did you wanna make out or something?”  He joked.

“No… they did a surprise visit. You weren’t interrupting much,” Chris smiled. “They don’t look like my brothers, huh? But we’re all related by blood.” He said, entering the elevator when it opened.

“No… but really, Nii-san. We’re hiding in a closet hoping Chris doesn’t find and yell at us"

Ukyou smiled.

"No, I'll admit that they don't look much like you. What were their names again?"

"It's still better than the alternative, where Chris finds us spying in the hallway and yells at us for sure." Thomas said.

“Miheal is the younger one, and Thomas is the other.” He smiles. “Do you have siblings?”

“To be fair, we were here first. We could have said we were waiting to take him to lunch and didn’t want to hear about police stuff.”

"Those are nice names." Ukyou said with a smile. He shook his head.

"I don't have any, no. I wish I did sometimes." Ukyou said. He'd always wanted a family, which was why he'd been so devastated when his wife and child had been killed.

"Yeah, and that would've given Chris an out on his date! We can't do that!" Thomas argued.

"Look, they're almost gone...once they get on the elevator we can get out."

“Fine, fine…” Miheal muttered, watching his brother  go down. “Since were you into Chris’ love life?”

“They’re a handful, but they’re my brothers. I care for them a lot.” Chris smiled

"Since he actually got one. Come on, Miheal, you gotta admit that you're interested too." Thomas mused.

Ukyou smiled.

"I'm sure. The closest thing I have to a handful is my team, sometimes. Anna and Gauche have rambunctious tendencies." He mused with a chuckle.

“Oh? The officers that were with you last time?"

"The very same. They can be professional of course, but when we're at the station and not working, they can be easily excitable." Ukyou noted. They stepped off the elevator.

"Any preference for where we go to lunch?"

“Sounds like dealing with a big bunch of kids,” The young man gave a light chuckle with that. “There’s a coffee shop around the corner. Let’s go there,” Chris said, leading the way.

“Sure, we can go there.  Lead the way.”  Ukyou said with a smile, following the man.  As they were exiting, Thomas and Miheal came out of the elevator.

“They're going out...let's follow.”  Thomas whispered to his brother.

“You’re impossible…” Miheal muttered. However, he shook his head and followed his brother, figuring he’d take Ukyou to his usual place. Chris was a creature of habit, after all.

“Any luck on your case?” Chris asked. “Or is that classified?”

“Mostly, yes.  But, I can tell you the basics...we haven't found the guy yet.  He's proving to be very adept at hiding himself completely.”  Ukyou said.

“Sounds troublesome,” Chris said. “Any leads or none?"

“At this point, we may have a new lead...but we're not completely sure if this new guy is at all connected with our perp.  We need to wait and see what evidence has to tell us.”  Ukyou said.

“Well, I wish you the best of luck with that. Hopefully, I’ll get my work done before you encounter him again.” Chris said, opening the door of the restaurant.

“At the rate you're going, I'm sure you will.  You're proving to be quite fast.”  Ukyou said, smiling as he entered with Chris.  

“This looks like a nice place...do you come here often?”

“I’m known amongst my colleagues for being efficient. Plus, the funding from Ms. Catherine that I get for my work helps me get all the equipment I need faster.” Chris said. He smiled as he walked towards a booth.

“It’s the closest place to the lab that suits my tastes. I enjoy a good hot chocolate, but I’ve been abstaining for personal reasons."

Thomas and Miheal followed them to the restaurant, and snuck in behind Chris and Ukyou.  Thomas pulled Miheal into a booth farther away.

“Now we have a vantage point...”  Thomas mused with a smirk as he watched the other two men slide into their booth.  

“I'm certainly impressed.  I've heard of Ms. Catherine...I wasn't aware you two worked together.”  Ukyou said.

“Well, I may have to try this hot chocolate then...and I'll get you whatever you want.”

“A vantage point… Really?” Miheal muttered under his breath, looking one hundred and thirty percent done. He made sure he had his back turned to his brother, so he could pretend he wasn’t spying either.

“Yes, usually I research in pharmacy, testing chemicals in response to the human body, designing drugs. Ms. Catherine is in the medical business, so it’s only natural we’re in correspondence.”

“Ah, Ukyou, don’t do that, placing all the pressure on me,” Chris chuckled

Thomas smirked, ducking down low and listening in to his brother's conversation with the cop.  That way, he wouldn't be seen either.

Ukyou nodded.  

“That does make sense...I suppose everyone would want someone as efficient and skilled as you are working with them.”  Ukyou said with a smile.  He chuckled.

“I could just make it simple and order us two of those hot chocolates you like, but I wouldn't want to make you have one that you don't want.”  

“Do you flatter all your colleagues like that?” Chris chuckled.

“I’m alright for hot chocolate. If you don’t mind a pasta dish, I guess we could get that and the salad.”

Ukyou smiled.

"I do compliment them when they do well on a job...but I also wouldn't mind being more than just a colleague with you." He said. He nodded.

"That sounds perfect. Well get that then."

“Like… friends, right?” He smiled. Chris looked to the waitress, hailing her down, ordering their food before looking back to Ukyou.

Ukyou nodded.

"Yes, like friends." Ukyou had no qualms with that idea, since he knew relationships could foster out of friendship. He wanted to be closed to Chris and as a friend he would be.

"They're ordered...and I think Chris is a little oblivious." Thomas noted with a sigh.

“Nii-san is hopeless.” Miheal sighed in agreement. “But we can’t like… force him into that guy’s arms.”

"Maybe not...but we can encourage him." Thomas mused.

“How? Nii-san is… Impossible…”

"We'll just do what younger brothers do best...pester him." Thomas mused.

“Not now… Let’s just… make notes and see how awful he does,” Miheal said, opening the notepad on his phone. “Also order us something, Nii-san."

“Good plan.  You use your psychoanalysis training to get his weak points and I'll just use my killer intuition.”  Thomas mused.  He ordered himself and his brother some food when the waitress came back.

“We'll grill him on all of this once the cop's gone.”  

“… I wonder why I never worked on Nii-san before as his therapist. Has he always been this awful with guys?"

"Well we both thought he and Kaito might've become a thing so I didn't worry...but then Kaito got someone else." Thomas said.

“Yeah… fair enough. I swear they’re still married, even if they’re not together.” Miheal muttered. “Still should have checked on him."

"Definitely. I blame you for this then." Thomas teased with a smirk. He kept watching his older brother try to talk with Ukyou, but it seemed the cop was doing most of the talking, and Chris wasn't picking up on the slight flirting cues.

“……. This is painful to listen to.” Miheal muttered, as he heard Chris laugh

Thomas rolled his eyes. When the waitress came up with his food, he dug in happily.

"Yeah, we really need to talk to him." He mused.

"Maybe talking about your love life will be more entertaining...you still seeing that big guy?" Thomas asked with a smirk.

“Yes… I am, actually. Why? Intend on spying on us again?”

"No, not at all. Just find myself hoping that my younger brothers doing better in his love life than my older one." Thomas mused.

“Heh… I guess. Well it’s going alright, really…” Miheal shrugged. “How’s Matsuda?”

Thomas smirked.

"You sound like you haven't talked to him recently." He mused.

"Mist is as busy as ever...crime seems to be on a rise. I haven't seen him lately, but we talk on the phone occasionally."

“He’s… Been going through a rough patch lately. His brother’s best friend died…” Miheal said, shaking his head. “Sounds like you’re in the same boat as me.”

"That sounds terrible." Thomas said. He nodded.

"Yeah, our partners are both too busy for us at the moment."

“Oh the humanity. Like we can’t function without love interests” Miheal said sarcastically, but still with a bit of sympathy for his brother.

Thomas rolled his eyes.

“More like we can't function without sex.”  He muttered.  But, he knew things would clear up eventually between him and Mist.

“More like you can’t function. You know I haven’t been around like you"

Thomas smirked and stuck out his tongue.

“You've been missing out.”  He mused.  He glanced back to Chris and Ukyou, who looked like they were finishing up.  

“We should leave before they do...that way they won't see us spying.”  

“I’m not depraved, Nii-san” “Yeah… Geeze, so fast? We barely managed to order. How did they eat so fast?” Miheal muttered

“Filling uncomfortable silence with food?  Or maybe Chris is eager to get back to work...he was reluctant to leave after all.”  Thomas suggested with a chuckle.  He waved the waitress down for the bill.

“Ugh, Nii-san is such a hopeless case. Even if he doesn’t get with this guy, we need to brush up on his social skills. Seriously, he’s getting older. He wants to settle down, but he’s useless."

Thomas nodded in agreement.

"Let's go back to the lab and confront him there then." He said, paying for his meal and letting Miheal pay for his own.

“What? Not gonna treat your baby brother?” The pink-haired man smirked as he paid his own bill. He grabbed his coffee and headed out. “How should we approach this?"

"My baby brother who's making more money than me? No way!" Thomas laughed. He got up.

"Easy. We wait in the lab and say we saw him and the cop looking cosy and ask for details and grill him on his poor social skills."

“Says the city-famous model.” Miheal laughed, “When are you going to go out of town for a shoot again?

"My job doesn't have regular hours. I could be poor again in a snap." Thomas mused. He shrugged.

"I have one next month. It's not going to be a long one, unfortunately, and it's just to Neo Domino."

“Well your boyfriend at least supports your fat ass.” Miheal said. “What if the cop goes back with Chris though?”

"Matsuda spoils me, he doesn't support me." Thomas mused.

"He won't stick around...he has cases to solve."

“Fair enough… To both. So we just hang outside and lament the Arclight Curse to have good looks and no stable relationship”

"Well you two might be in the curse but I'm not. Matsuda is hot like I am." Thomas chuckled. He and Miheal made their way back.

“Shut up.” He chuckled, squeezing his brother’s shoulder.

Meanwhile, Ukyou had enjoyed Chris' company.  Yes, the other man was a little bit awkward and clearly out of practice with socializing, but Ukyou didn't mind. He thought it added to Chris' appeal, since he also felt a little rusty.  He didn't talk much casually to people who weren't his team, and certainly not in a romantic way for a long time.  

“I enjoyed that lunch, Chris.  Thank you for showing this place to me.”  Ukyou said with a chuckle.

“Ah, it was no problem. I enjoyed it too.” Chris smiled. “Perhaps next time we meet up, we can see each other there. All the best with your work.”

Ukyou nodded.

“Sure, that sounds good.  I'll be in touch then.  Good luck with finishing up those formulas, though I know you don't need it.”  Ukyou said with a smile.  He had to get back work, unfortunately, so he got into his car with a wave to Chris.  Thomas and Miheal watched him leave, and Thomas leaned against the door to Chris' work waiting for his brother.

“So....who was that Chris?”  He mused with a smirk.

“Huh? You two are still here?” Chris frowned as he turned to look at his two brothers after waving Ukyou off. He raised an eyebrow. “I told you, he’s an officer I met before.”

“We stepped out for a second, then you disappeared.”  Thomas lied smoothly.  

“Yeah, he's just an officer...you were awfully cozy with him just now.  You like him, don't you?”

“Oh? Well… I do enjoy his company. He’s got a very calming and… reliable presence.”

“Nii-san… it’s alright. We won’t tease you like Thomas is now,” Miheal said, shooting a look at Thomas.

Thomas stuck his tongue out at Miheal.

“Don't make promises I can't keep.”  He mused to Miheal.

“So tell us all about your little lunch date!”  Thomas grinned at Chris.

“… How do you know we went to lunch?” Chris frowned. “You said you stepped out..."

“I saw the direction you came from when you were walking back, and I know that your favorite diner is that way, and it was lunchtime.  Not too hard to guess.”  Thomas replied smoothly.  

“So, spill!  What happened?”

“Fair enough,” Chris shrugged, leading his brothers back to his office so they could talk. “We went and got food, discussed the case and went back here. It wasn’t a date.”

“Sure looked like it,"

"Details, Chris! Come on! That can't be all you talked about...if it was purely professional you wouldn't have left the lab." Thomas said, following his brother inside.

“I suppose, but we just talked about work, that’s all. It was more like a lunch meeting,” He shrugged

"Is that really all you talked about? Geez Chris you really are clueless aren't you? He likes you! He wants to know more about you and you're not indulging him." Thomas groaned.

Chris gave his brothers a stern look but Miheal noticed the pink blush on the man’s face.

“Not everything has to be about romance you two. We just talked to each other because of work, that’s it. He wouldn’t be interested in me.”

Thomas snickered as he noticed the blush as well.

"Trust me, he likes you. He could've just called to ask about progress but instead he came to see you and took you out. And you like him too~ I see you blushing~" Thomas teased.

“Since when were you interested in my love life?” Chris asked.

“Thats what i said"

“Since you finally got one!  I've been doing the same to Miheal when he started dating, so this is normal for me.”  Thomas mused with a smirk.

“It really is… The last time you had a date was High School, Nii-sama.” Miheal said. Chris rolled his eyes.

“Well there’s not much to talk about.”

“That's cause you haven't done anything!  You need to actually engage this guy!”  Thomas exclaimed.

“He’s a cop, Thomas. What happened to you saying to keep the police from snooping in our family?” Chris said, raising an eyebrow.

“Well obviously you don't tell him all the dirt!  He doesn't want to know about me, he wants to know about you!”  Thomas said.  

“Besides, I've cut back on that illegal stuff...modelling can cover my costs now.”  Thomas mused.

“He’s teasing, Nii-san.” Miheal said, shooting a look at Chris. Chris shrugged and got out into his office.

“I don’t know… It doesn’t feel right flirting during a case."

Thomas rolled his eyes.

“I know.”  He mused.

“Well then finish off with your case stuff, then ask him out!”  Thomas said with a smirk.

“… You don’t think I’m trying?” Chris asked, raising an eyebrow

“I think you're trying, sure, but that you need work is all.”  Thomas mused.  

“I am working.”

“He means your social skills, Nii-san..."

“Exactly.”  Thomas said.  He smirked.

“So you're lucky you have two younger brothers who can help you out.”  He said, hands on his hips.

“… I somehow fear more for Ukyou’s sake now” Chris muttered

Thomas laughed.

“Nah you'll knock him dead with all the new tricks we'll give you!”  Thomas laughed.

“New… tricks… Now i’m more worried.” Chris smirked

"Don't be! You'll be fine! It's all about the fanservice~" Thomas mused.

“Ugh, here we go again. Miheal, do you have real advice?” Chris asked as he started booting up his files again

Miheal smiled.

"Just be yourself, Nii-san. Don't be afraid to share things." He offered.

"Show off your hair. Everyone loves it after all." Thomas added.

Chris smiled and then laughed. “I’m pretty sure grade-schoolers could have told me that, but I appreciate it"

Miheal pouted and Thomas frowned.

"In Miheal's defence, he's not much better than you." Thomas mused, earning himself a smack from his younger brother.

"And you don't have relationships that don't start with sex, Nii-san." Miheal retorted. Thomas huffed.

Chris snorted inelegantly and shook his head.

“Low blow, Miheal. True, but low."

Thomas stuck his tongue out at Miheal who only smiled apologetically.

“He did say it was true...”  He mused.  Thomas huffed again.

Chris laughed. “Okay… so next time, I’ll try to flirt better on one condition. Don’t follow me on a date."

Thomas nodded, then gasped.

"Chris! I can't believe you'd accuse me of such a thing!" He said with a smirk.

The young man rolled his eyes. “I mean it, you two."

“Alright, alright!  I won't spy on your date!”  Thomas promised with a grin.  Miheal nodded.

“I won't either, Nii-san.”  

“Lemme know how it goes~”  Thomas cooed with a smirk.

-x-

It was the evening after Koutei had been arrested, and Yami was ready to move with the next part of the plan.  He'd brought the baby back to another hideout of his, where he stored a few games and other necessities, because he didn't want his roommates to ask questions.  He knew Astral at least was trying to keep an eye on him discreetly, so he was definitely not going to give him any cause for concern.  

So, he dressed in old and rotted clothes, many of them oversized to make him look even smaller than he actually was.  He had tanned his skin, making it dark enough to at least half-way resemble Masumi's own dark complexion.  On top of that, some makeup tricks had given him some bruises resembling handprints all over his exposed arms and his neck, as well as 'bruises' on his cheeks.  He had a small, ratty backpack that was full of a few other rag-like items that concealed his drugs and his knife (just in case he needed it again).  He had covered his hair with a small rag, since it was a bit recognizable and his face was still all over the news.  Lastly, Yami had a small tube of Devil's Breath attached to a small wristband for easy access, just in case.  Yami scowled at his reflection as he made sure he looked like a dark-skinned poor and abused homeless person.  

“Kaiba owes me huge for this...”  He muttered.  He heard Masumi fussing in her blanket behind him and came to pick her up, rocking her gently.

“Calm down, sweetheart.  You'll be out of my hair soon enough.”  He mused, making sure the kidnapped baby was settled enough to not draw attention as he headed out into the streets.  He made his way slowly through the dark towards the homeless shelter run by his last target.  He approached and immediately sought out one of the caretakers, putting on his most vulnerable and child-like innocent face as he approached the woman.

“Um...excuse me...but...could you help me?  My baby sister and I just ran away from home...and we need help...”  Yami said in an appropriately scared and hurt tone.

It was late, and she was just about to feed the other orphans some dinner when she heard the door. The elderly lady walked over to the door, seeing the young man and the baby through a crack in the door. She gave a gasp as she saw them, and opened it up fully.

“Oh my word… Who… what happened here? Child… come inside. It’s so cold.”

Without much more explaination, she hurried Yami and Masumi inside. “Oh dear… How can I help?”

Yami made a show of shivering a bit and holding Masumi closer to him to make sure she didn't get cold too.

"We need a place to stay..." Yami said. "I know this place doesn't have the stuff for babies...but I don't wanna be separated from my sister!" Yami put a bit of scared desperation in his voice and held Masumi closer.

“I… Oh….I see…” The woman gave a kind smile to him. “Well, we’ll do what we can to look after you both. That’s what we’re here for. My name is Martha. What’s your name, child? We’ll make sure we can accommodate for you and your sister.”

“My name's Atemu...this is Masumi...”  Yami said, speaking shyly to the lady, but still holding his sister close.

“Um...how're you gonna do that?”  

“We’re going to make sure we can accommodate for you and Masumi, alright? But first thing is first… have you eaten? Would you like to get warm first?”

“No...I didn't eat...neither did Masumi...”  Yami said.  He frowned.  He didn't really want to be with these other orphans...he wanted to see Raphael directly.  

“Um...sure, but...can you hold my baby sister then?”  He asked.  He wanted to get her close enough to get some Devil's Breath into her face, and then he could force her to call Raphael for him.  He undid the tiny vial of powder on his wrist and waited for Martha to approach before shooting some of the powder into her face so she'd breathe it in.

“Ah yes, I will. You must be tired, carrying her out here.” She gave a smile and knelt down, looking at the baby and going to take her. “She’s so small… She can’t be much older than a few weeks.”

“Yeah...”  Yami said, motioning as if he was going to let Martha have her, then holding his breath as he unleashed some of the powder into the air.  He made a small show of coughing.  

“Sorry...we're a little bit dirty...”  Yami mused softly, letting the drug sink in for a moment.

Martha coughed too and waved the dust, trying to shield Masumi.

“Ohhh… my goodness..."

"Sorry..." Yami murmured, holding Masumi still.

"This place is run by Raphael...can you call him and tell him he needs to come and pick me and my sister up?" Yami asked, knowing the drug should make her do it.

“I… Of course… Hold on.” Martha gave a smile and stood up, a glossy look to her eyes. She walked to the phone with Masumi at hand and called Raphael.

Raphael was at home, enjoying some downtime when he got the call from his orphanage.  He knew that the caretakers never called him unless it was an emergency and so he picked up.

“Raphael speaking.”  

“Hello? Raphael sir? This is Martha. I’m sorry for calling you at this time, but I was just wondering if you could come over. There’s a child and his sister here, and I think it would be best if you saw them… It’s… troubling."

Raphael frowned as he listened.

“Alright...I'll be there soon then, Martha.  Keep them both comfortable until I get there.”  He said, before hanging up.  He trusted her judgement as one of his most senior workers.  If she said there was something he should deal with, then he should deal with it.  He then called a car and headed out towards the orphanage.

Meanwhile, Martha hung up and went back to Yami.

“He’s on his way. Now, how about we get you cleaned up and get you something to eat, okay?” She smiled

“We'll eat...but I don't need to be cleaned up.”  Yami said, holding Masumi close.  He followed Martha to get some food.

“… Alright… if you don’t want to, I can’t force you to. Let’s get you both some nice things to eat. Please, follow me. The other orphans will be waiting for us, and they’ll be happy to meet someone new.”

Yami frowned.  He didn't think he wanted to see the others....it wouldn't be good to have a lot of people seeing him.  There was a possibility he'd be recognized.

“No, I'm not going to eat with the other orphans.  You will bring me a tray.”  He said, knowing that Martha was still under the influence of the drugs and would listen.

“Ahhh… Alright… I will. Take a seat anywhere.” She smiled at him before she got up, heading to the kitchen as if nothing was wrong.

Yami obliged, sitting down and putting Masumi in his lap.  He rocked her a bit as she whimpered.  She was probably hungry, since she hadn't eaten since before she'd been kidnapped.  

“Hang in there, food's coming.”  He said to her softly.  

Martha returned with a bottle of formula for Masumi and a bowl of rice and fish for Yami. “There you are, my dear. I can feed Masumi if you want,"

Yami smiled and nodded.

“Okay...she's really hungry.”  He said, still trying to calm her a bit as he passed her over.  Masumi wasn't used to going so long without food, and immediately latched onto the bottle when it was offered to her.  Yami started in on his little rice bowl.

“Raphael will be here soon. He’ll talk to you and help you out. He is very kind."

Yami nodded.

“Okay...thank you.”  He said.  Raphael pulled in with his car moments later, getting out and entering the place.  He was a huge man, very muscular and with a serious face.  Most kids would probably be afraid of him at first sight, but when he smiled, it made his face seem softer, Yami noted, as Raphael looked at him and Martha with the baby.  He did his best to look suitably surprised, but internally he was smirking.  His victim had made an entrance...now he could get out of here and start the games.

“Martha, are these the two children you mentioned?”  Raphael asked.

“Yes, they are, sir.” Martha smiled. “They just showed up. They really wanted to see you… This boy in particular knew your name.”

Yami leapt up from his seat immediately.

"I heard that you help kids with nowhere to go...I really don't want to go with anyone else because...because people keep hitting me..." Yami said, looking down sadly and rubbing his arms, which had the realistic looking bruises decorating them both (Yuugi had been bullied for years and so Yami knew exactly what abuse looked like).

"But I don't wanna go anywhere without my baby sister and lots of people don't want to take us both! She's all I have now and I don't wanna lose her!" Yami cried, tears welling up in his eyes in a very childlike distressed manner.

The man gave a small smile and sat down so he was eye-to-eye with Yami. He was awfully small, but Rapahel didn’t mind. He really did seem like some young children.

“… I see…” He stared at the young man’s bruises. Yami was really good at what he did, even a street-boy like Raph didn’t see the difference.

“Hey… it’s alright. We’ll be here to look after you both, okay? We understand.” He was still confused why Martha didn’t deal with it herself, but if he was here, he was going to help. “We’ll make sure the two of you get fed and adopted soon enough. But you’re distressed right now, okay? So you should go clean up and go have a rest. You have my word, I’ll make sure you and your sister get the care you need, okay?”

Yami listened as Raphael spoke, but then he frowned.

“But, how're you gonna do that if you're not here?  She had to call you to come...if you're not here...then...what if my baby sister gets adopted then?  She can't stop it cause she's not the boss!  You're the boss, so only you can stop it!”  Yami said desperately, still playing the scared child who didn't want to be separated from his sister or from Raphael.  He leapt forward and clung to Raphael's massive arm.

“Don't leave us please!  We need your help!”  

“Ahhh… Hey, I didn’t say I was going to leave, kid. I’m still right here, you know. We can get you two legally bound together, if we need to.” Though that might take a while...

“Hey… don’t worry. We’ll sort it out. That doesn’t change you need rest, young man."  Raphael said.

Yami kept clinging to Raphael.

“Then...can we stay with you?  Until...um...what you said happens?”  He said, pretending not to know what 'legally bound together' meant exactly.  

“We’ll talk about it, alright? … How old are you kid?"

“I'm ten...Masumi's a new baby.  We're step-siblings...”  Yami explained.  He knew that Mutou Yuugi often got mistaken for an elementary school student in many high school outings, and he hadn't grown that much.  He could pass for it.

“I see…” He did look like he belonged in primary school. “Ten… I’d like you to sit down and talk to me. It’s not often ten year olds run away from home with their sibling. I want to hear what happened.” He said, kindly. “I want to hear your problems."

Yami nodded.

“Okay...but...can we talk alone?  I just...don't wanna tell everyone...”  Yami said softly and sadly, looking appropriately hesitant and scared.

“… Alright. Martha, take care of the kid,” Raphael said, seeing no harm. He got up and walked off, heading for a spare room.

Yami spared a glance back at Masumi, noticing that she was asleep in Martha's arms.  

“...Be careful with my baby sister.”  Yami said softly, before following Raphael.  He arrived in the spare room, taking a seat and curling up a little on the seat, pulling off his backpack and holding it close.  Should he start the game, he wondered?  They were still in the orphanage...not completely alone.  But, maybe at the very least, he could start drugging Raphael.  Amelda had taken awhile to have the drug set in, and he was in really good shape...so maybe Raphael would be the same.  

Martha gave him a kind smile and held the baby, still under Yami’s command. As she waited, Raphael sat on the table and tried to lower himself. He wanted to show they were on equal standing, after all.

“… Take your time. When you’re ready..."

Yami bit his lip, hesitating.  What should he do next here.  He racked his brain for a suitable sob story that would win Raphael over.  Yuugi had quite a few bad experiences from high school which could be twisted into a story for his needs.

“...My parents didn't want me...so...so I lived with...my grandpa for awhile...he was nice to me...”  Yami spoke, recalling Yuugi's grandpa fondly.  

“...But, after he...he died....I had to live with...someone else...”  Yami said, feeling a twinge in his brain as he spoke the words and recalled Yuugi's grandfather's death.  He groaned and clutched his head.  No, Yuugi, not now...he silently pleaded.

“Shhh… It’s alright. Take as much time as you need, okay? Were you close to your grandfather?'

Yami clutched his head as memories of Grandpa Mutou flooded his brain. Even Yami had liked the man, but he could feel Yuugi's longing flood through him. This really wasn't good...

"Yes...I loved Jii-san..." Yami found himself saying before he could stop himself.

"He owned a game shop...and I always loved games...he taught me all the games I know...he always played with me..." Yami said, curling up and keeping his head down so that Raphael couldn't see how he was straining to keep Yuugi back. He was going to lose it...

Raphael gave him a kind look and gently put his large, strong hand on the boy’s back. He rubbed it, not saying anything, offering gentle comfort.

The comfort wasn't something either Yami or Yuugi were used to. While it made Yami want to recoil, he could feel Yuugi reacting more strongly to it.

"I just...I can't. I can't talk about him anymore...I can't..." Yami managed to gasp out, feeling Yuugi's pain flood him.

"I just wanna...rest...please don't...make me say it..." If he said much more he was worried Yuugi would take over again.

“You don’t have to, but you can if you want to. It’s clear he’s very important to you, and you’re not over his passing. It’s okay to cry, you know. You must have been so strong to make it here, even after all you’ve been through."

Yami groaned as he finally felt Yuugi overwhelm him and burst into tears. All the memories and the comfort he was receiving was reminding him of his precious grandpa and he missed him. Yuugi cried and buried his face in Raphael's shoulder, clearly not able to say anymore.

Raphael smiled and held the boy, remembering how his brother and sister would cry to him when they were kids. He rubbed the boy’s back, gently murmuring that things would be okay.

“We’ll make sure you’re in a good place now, okay?"

Yuugi kept crying, even though he wasn't sure where he was or what was really going on. But he liked this man and felt he could trust him somehow.

"Can I...stay with you?" He managed between his small sobs.

“… We’ll see, alright? Right now, you need to rest here. I’ll make sure that you and your sister will be alright, okay?"

Yuugi wiped his eyes and calmed himself, giving Raphael a confused look for a moment.

"Ah...where exactly am I?" He started, before Yami was able to take over quickly.

"Where are my sister and I going to stay then?" Yami managed to finish, but with difficulty. He was worn out by trying to hold Yuugi back.

“The orphanage, remember? You came in here with our sister. Martha said you looked really out of breath. For tonight, you’re still going to be here in the orphanage, but… I’ll stay here too. When your head is clear, we can talk again, okay?"

Yami frowned. He was certainly exhausted and couldn't play any games right now, but he couldn't stay here. He had to be alone with Raphael. So there was no choice but to use the rest of his Devil's Breath on Raphael to get him to take him home.

"Okay...can I wash this too?" He asked softly, slowly moving his large oversized shirt as if to show Raphael it. He flipped it up a bit to make the drug spring up in the man's face in a way similar to how he'd done Martha earlier. He held his breath and fake coughed.

"It's dirty..."

Raphael coughed and frowned as the sudden dust in his face. His eyes and nose watered before he nodded. It took a moment, but soon, the potent drug worked on him.

“… Yes… you can..."

Yami smiled.

"I'll wash it when you take me and my sister to your house, alright?" He said.

"Go tell Martha were both staying with you."

“… Alright. Come on…” Raphael said. Even under the influence, he was kind. He put a hand on Yami’s should and guided him out.

“Martha, give me the girl. I decided to take the boy and girl in.”

“… Sir? Are you sure?”

“Of course…”

Yami allowed himself to be guided out back to Martha. He let Raphael take Masumi from Martha without worry.

"I'm tired...lets go." He said softly to Raphael, leaning against his arm childishly.

Martha was still under Yami’s control, and wouldn’t have noticed otherwise, but she smiled as she handed the baby over.

“Take care child. Goodbye, sir.”

“Take care, Martha.” Raphael smiled back before leading Yami back to his expensive car. “Shall we?”

Yami followed Raphael out to the car. He immediately noticed the presence of the driver who had been waiting for Raphael, which discouraged him from doing anything else. He was threatening to collapse from exhaustion anyway.

"Yes. Let's go to your house." Yami replied, getting inside.

“Yes…” He gave a small smile. “Come on. Take us back.”

The driver obeyed, starting the car and heading off towards Raphael's house.  Yami leaned against the window, trying to sooth his headache.  Yuugi was still pressing against his consciousness, wondering who they were with and where they were going.  He had been woken up by discussions of his grandfather and had stayed because of this man who was being so nice.

“You live alone?  No bodyguards or lovers at your house?”  He asked Raphael.

“No, it’s just me. The maid comes over next week, but I like being self sufficient. So it will just be three of us, okay?” The man smiled at him.

“Good...that's how I like it.”  Yami said.  It meant that he would have Raphael all to himself...so he could afford to rest and then get him tomorrow.  

“This way to the guest room, Atemu. I don’t have a place for Masumi, but I have a guest room across the hall, and we can pile pillows so she doesn’t roll off, alright?” Raphael asked

Yami nodded and followed.  Good, he'd be left alone to plan.  

“Where's your room?”  He asked as he was lead through the winding halls.  Raphael had a large house...bigger than any Yami had ever been in before.

“Mine is unfortunately down the hall. It is the master bedroom down this way.” He gestured somewhere off in that direction. “However, so you can have your own bathroom, you’ll be in this wing. I’ll come to check on Masumi, so don’t worry."

“Oh okay...that's good...”  Yami said, already feeling lost.  He wasn't sure how someone could live alone in such a huge house.  He'd have to find his way around quickly if he wanted to efficiently kill Raphael.

Raphael smiled as he opened the door to Yami’s room. “Make yourself at home.”

“Sure...thank you.”  Yami said politely, entering the room.  He faked a yawn.

“I'm a little tired...I might go right to bed....”  He said.

“Alright, goodnight, Atemu, rest well.” Raphael smiled, walking off with Masumi to the next room. He got her comfortable and made sure she was well asleep before he slipped away into the vast mansion.

Yami remained in his room, taking it in. He'd never been in such a large bedroom before in his life. The bed was huge, he had his own closet and desk, and enormous windows overlooking the city streets. He could feel Yuugi's awe blending with his own and quickly shook his head to dismiss those thoughts.

"I have a job to do...I can't get comfy." He scolded himself. He put his bag down on the bed and rummaged through it for his knife.

"I can wait until he's asleep then just stab him, I suppose...staying too long would be dangerous." Yuugi was struggling too much against him and he didn't want a repeat of what happened with Amelda. So, Yami lay down and closed his eyes, content to rest here until he was certain Raphael was fast asleep.

Meanwhile, Masumi was put to bed as well for awhile in a room near Raphael, but hunger soon woke her up. She began to cry for her mother or anyone to feed her.

Raphael only had time to go and make an improvised formula milk recipe (cows milk diluted with water) when he heard Masumi. He gave a small, sad smile when he heard her and he headed up the stairs from the kitchen to go feed her.

“Hey there, Masumi…. Shhh… it’s okay…” He picked the baby and looked her over. “Looks like your brother has been taking care of you. You’re such a healthy baby… I’m glad for that, at least.” He said, feeding her the bottle.

Masumi accepted the bottle, sucking the formula greedily and staying relaxed in Raphael's arms.  

Meanwhile, Yami jolted awake after Masumi had quieted down.  

“Dammit I didn't mean to fall asleep for real...”  He grumbled, but took a moment to listen to his surroundings.  He didn't hear anyone moving around, nor any noises...so maybe Raphael had fallen asleep too.  It was pretty late now after all.  So, it was the perfect time to act.  Yami went to his bag, pulling out his knife, and headed out of the room sneakily.  

Yami made his way down the halls on tip toes, keeping his knife concealed but in reach in case he needed it quickly.  He glanced around every corner to try and figure out where Raphael's room was.  This house really was a maze...he wasn't finding it very easily.

Raphael didn’t hear Yami exit his room, he simply burped Masumi and changed her. When that was done, he put her in the bed-crib and sat on a chair next to her, gently patting her to sleep, ignorant to how lost his murderer-to-be was.

By that point, Yami had taken to opening doors discreetly to see what was there and hope that he got lucky enough to run into Raphael's bedroom while the man was sleeping.  He was cursing his luck all the way through...and at this point, he probably couldn't even make it back to his own room.

And Raphael stayed in Masumi’s room all night, making sure he didn’t roll over her and he protected her. He just slept, oblivious to Yami still.

Yami wandered the halls for quite awhile, gradually giving up on being quiet.

"Dammit why does this guy live in a maze?!" He growled. He still couldn't find Raphael's room, but was close enough that he could be heard by the sleeping man.

Raphael gave a small yawn as he heard Yami bumbling around. It took him a moment to realise what was happening, but when he did, he gave a small smile and got up.

“Atemu? Are you alright?”

Yami spun around in surprise when Raphael popped out into the hallway. Thankfully his knife was hidden at the moment.

"Um...I was looking for the washroom and got lost!" Yami said, using the first excuse that came to mind.

“Down the hall, Atemu, like I said.” He smiled. “You look exhausted. Do you want me to walk you, kid?”

"But there's a million halls in this place..." Yami mumbled and nodded. That way he wouldn't get lost again at least. But, he didn't think he could get the jump on the much bigger and muscular man if he accompanied him. Might as well wait for tomorrow.

"Yeah...that way I won't get lost again."

“I know. You’ll get used to it.” Raphael ruffled Yami’s bedhead and smiled. “Come on. This way. Hopefully after you live here for a while, it won’t feel as big.”

Yami flinched a bit as his hair was ruffled. Neither he nor Yuugi liked being reminded how short they were.

"If you say so." Yami conceded with a small smile though internally he was vowing to kill Raphael as soon as he could.

It didn’t help that Raphael was a giant of a man. He smiled warmly at the younger man and led him to the bathroom.

“Hey… Atemu? I wanted to apologise."

Yami followed silently behind him. He'd pretend to use the washroom then sleep, he decided. He looked up in surprise as Raphael apologized.

"Oh...why?" He asked, confused.

“For adopting you and Masumi so quick… I should have let you guys get proper treatment first, and instead I whisked you off here. I should have waited until you were calm before I acted. I don’t know what got into me. I was just… lonely, I suppose. That’s the only reason I can think off."

Yami took the speech in and found the two sides of him reacting differently. Yami himself wanted to roll his eyes and figured that the drug must've worn off. Yuugi on the other hand, felt a stab of sympathy towards Raphael that Yami couldn't help but agree over mentally. He had to try and squash those feelings down.

"Oh...well, I don't mind. I know what it's like to be alone. I understand..." Yami said. He then frowned.  

"But, I don't wanna be alone and you don't either...so we can stay right? You're not going to send us away?" Yami asked, definitely not wanting to be separated from his target before he killed him.

“Heh… of course not. But we will do it properly, okay? I’ll make sure you and Masumi have the proper family you want, okay?”

Yami nodded. He'd have to accept that for now.

"Okay...sounds good to me." He replied. So he would have some time, he supposed. He quickly ducked into the washroom once they arrived, staying in there for a couple minutes before flushing the toilet and exiting.

"Can you show me where my room is? I don't remember..." Yami said.

“Yeah… I will. Don’t worry.” He smiled as he held his hand, leading him back through the dark.

Yami let the other man hold his hand and lead him back to his room, even though he would've felt a bit better without the physical contact.  But, he understood that to Raphael he was a lost ten year old boy, so of course he'd need guidance.  When they reached his room, Yami looked up at Raphael.

“I'll see you tomorrow right?  You're not going anywhere?”  He asked, sounding a bit concerned as if he was a little boy who was truly afraid that his 'new father' would abandon him during the night.

“Of course not, I’ll be here in the morning, Atemu. You get some sleep..." Raphael smiled. “Goodnight"

Yami managed a small smile.

“Night.”  He said, before closing the door and heading back to bed.  He was exhausted trying to hold Yuugi back...he'd been pushing at his mind ever since he'd found Raphael and the man had been so nice to him...

“Ugh...I really hope I can finish this soon...I don't think I can take much more of this struggle...”  Yami murmured as he tucked himself in and clutched his throbbing head.

-x-

Vector had been doing much better energy-wise since he got the oxygen...but mentally and physically, he wasn't doing much better.  He hadn't been sleeping very well at night, since he was having nightmares about death.  He was always afraid that every time he closed his eyes to sleep, he would never open them again.  Even though he had his model to work on...he knew that he would need something else.  He had to make sure Takashi was being looked after legally...and that meant he needed the help of only one person.  

“Takashi...I'm going out for a bit...”  Vector said one day, after he'd packed up his portable oxygen.  

Takashi gave a small frown as he saw the man getting up. “Do you want me to help? Call someone to pick you up now?”

Vector shook his head.

“No, I'll be okay.  I won't be going too far.”  Vector said with a small reassuring smile.

“I'll see you later.”

“Alright… call if you need anything, okay?” Takashi said, looking worried as always. “I love you"

“Love you too.”  Vector said softly, kissing his cheek before he headed out.  He caught a bus without much trouble, keeping his head down to avoid attracting too much attention.  It wasn't long before he reached the large law firm where Mist worked.  Vector took a deep calming breath to steel his nerves before approaching the receptionist.

“I'm here to see Beryl Matsuda.”  He said, using Mist's professional name.

“Mr. Matsuda? Yes, you have an appointment, don’t you. Ms. Varian? He said to expect you.” The woman gave Vector a sympathetic smile. “Would you like me to take you to him? Or will you be able to manage?”

“Maybe you should take me.  I haven't been here before.”  Vector said, half-honestly.  He did know where Mist's office was...or had been, when he'd been testing out his model a few years ago.  The secretary nodded and got up.

“Then if you could follow me, please.”  She said, leading him to Mist's office.

“Matsuda-san, Ms. Varian is here to see you.”  She said, knocking on his door.

Black Mist had pretty much cleaned everything out that would trigger Vector in preparation for his arrival, so the office was surprisingly bare, given Mist’s tastes. The man gave a small smile to the receptionist and gestured at them through the small window.

“Thank you, Miko, I’ll take it from here. Come in, Ms. Varian, take a seat.”

Miko gave a small polite bow and opened the door for Vector to let him in.  Vector gave her a small nod in thanks and entered the office.  He was a little bit surprised to see how bare it was...his recollection of Mist's office was that it was much more lived in.  Vector kept his eyes mostly on Mist and his general posture, still a little bit weary about him.  But, he seemed to be relaxed in his office chair, not trying to approach him or anything.  And even if he did try something, there was the desk and computer in the way separating them.  Vector sat down in the spare chair.

“...Thanks for seeing me on such short notice.”  He said softly.

“Hey, it’s no problem. Anything for my favourite sociopath,” Black Mist teased, though his expression was serious. “What can I do for you?"

A ghost of a smile came to Vector's lips at the teasing, but it went away fairly quickly when he remembered why he was here.  He sighed.

“...I need to make sure things are...well...legally ready, for when I die.  I don't have much time left...and I want my loved ones to get access to my money and property and everything without any legal barriers.”  Vector said slowly.  He hated the admission that he probably didn't have much time left.  He wanted more time with his loved ones, even though it exhausted him to fight sleep.  But, he knew his body would reach its limit despite his will to fight his illness...and so he wanted to make sure things were ready for then.  He needed a will that would ensure that Takashi and the rest of his small but precious family would get what he left for them.

“… I see… Alright, lets write your will. Since you still have access to the money that you inherited after ‘Phecda Atlas’ death’, we’ll go and move all of the money to Takashi. We can do that quite easily. Is there anything else we need to move over? Just in case? And nothing to your relatives?”

"Not all of it is going to Takashi. I want some to go to Uncle and also Mikage. They're also family." Vector said. He pondered things.

"Well a lot of my money is in separate accounts...and I don't really own any property other than the vault in Neo Domino but Mikage has the key to that so I think she'll be okay with just that."

“Alright, so now we need to go and divide that money to these other people. 75% to Takashi? Less? More? Let’s get a good idea what we’re working with.” Black Mist said, typing a few things on his laptop

Vector pondered this as well.

"Takashi gets most of it definitely...his job pays enough for bills but he's not an owner like Uncle, nor does he work in a high paying office job like Mikage. Maybe 70% could go to him, then 15% to both Mikage and Uncle." Vector said.

“Alright…” Mist typed in a few words and keys. “… How many accounts did you say you had? I’m pretty sure I can’t see all of it.”

Vector pulled out a couple sheets of paper that he'd brought with him.

“These are my accounts...I put quite a few under false names that the law hasn't been able to trace...but I'm sure you can figure out a way to make it all legal.” Vector said, handing the sheet over.

“Care to tell me though? Or you just did it the old fashioned way? Let me guess, at least some is from Godwin you robbed.”

“Yeah...a little was from Godwin.  Some was from Heartland...had to make sure he couldn't get himself out of jail easily.”  Vector said.  He coughed a bit more and sighed.  He was exhausted really.

“Some was also from other hacks...and of course, I had money left from my inheritance, selling stuff, and my jobs over the years...”  

Black Mist gave a small smirk but frowned when the man began to cough and wheeze.

“Hey, careful there. Shouldn’t you be off your feet more, you know?”

Vector kept coughing for a bit before he finally was able to stop.

"I am...I haven't left the house in days. I've done nothing but stay off my feet..." He murmured.

“I mean not walking at all. Aren’t you supposed to be in one of those chairs with the oxygen hooked up?” Mist frowned.

Vector frowned.

"I refused it, so I don't have it. I don't want to be in a wheelchair." He replied.

“Alright… your early grave, not mine.” Mist scoffed. “What else should we do? Anything else you need?”

Vector frowned at Mist.

“It's my early grave no matter what I fucking do.”  He growled, before sighing.

“No...that's pretty much it, I guess.”  

“… I really am sorry, Vector. I mean it…” Black Mist said. “How are you and Takashi going?”

Vector sighed again, not looking at Mist when he apologized. It was kinda weird for him to do so, considering there was quite a bit he could apologize to Vector for but never had.  

“We're doing okay...did I tell you we got hitched?”  Vector said.

“I don't know if being legally married affects the will stuff...but if it does, then you should probably note that or something...”  

“Well, we tend to not talk to each other… at all. But if you two are legally married, well… technically I can do a few fancy things to up Takashi’s pay, granted you don’t owe debt, of course"

“Yeah...I guess we don't.  Not that it's too unusual...”  Vector said, knowing that even before, he and Mist had not talked much casually.  They usually jumped right into sex.  This was probably the longest he'd been in the same room with Mist without getting fucked, he noted, and that sent a shiver down his spine.  He shook it off.

“I don't owe debt, and neither does Takashi.  Do it, as long as it won't get Takashi in trouble later.”  

“Right, it’s as good as done, Vector. That’s all there really is, huh?” Black Mist frowned.

“Pretty much...that's all I needed.”  Vector said, feeling incredibly tired out just from the simple conversation.

“… Right… Then you’d better get home.” Black Mist paused as he looked at Vector. However, there was no hunger in his eyes, only pity. After a long moment, he sighed and he shook his head.

“You know, this is probably the last time we’ll ever see each other, Phecda… It really is a shame, isn’t it? That it has to end like this for you.”

Vector nodded slowly, but when he realized Mist's eyes were on him, he froze.  He could see the expression wasn't like before, but it was still a bit unnerving to have the other man stare at him.  

“You may be right about that...”  Vector noted, frowning a bit at the second half.

“Stop it with the pity-face.  It's not like you.  You didn't care about anyone's shitty life before, especially not mine.”  He said.

“Oy, oy, I can have a heart when I feel like it. I just think it’s sad, it’s all.” Black Mist coughed. “I don’t know… I always thought you’d go down swinging or partying or both…”

“Hmm… Oy. When was the last time you had a drink?"

"Never would've guessed." Vector said with a small smirk.

"That's not how I pictured it honestly...well, I'd either go down swinging or kill myself somehow." He muttered. He glanced at Mist.

"I had a cocktail at my wedding and some champagne...several months ago now. Why? You wanna get me drunk or something?"

“Nah, nothing like that. One last shot of whisky… just so I don’t remember your face like this, man. And you deserve just one drink. You’re dying, after all.”

Vector considered the offer. On one hand, it meant more hanging out with Mist, which did make him a bit uncomfortable even if it was in a public place. But on the other, having a shot sounded good...distractions were always good.

"Alright...but if you try something funny I'll make sure you join me in my early grave." Vector warned.

“Heh, I wouldn’t expect anything less. You can check the glasses and the whisky bottle, but you don’t have to worry.” Mist pulled a drawer out and pulled some paperwork off of it, revealing a small bottle and three glasses.

“Thomas sometimes visits me at work, so I make sure to have a healthy stash on me.” He said, pouring them both a quarter of a glass.

Vector snorted.

"You have your own stash at work? Are your clients really that nuts?" He chuckled. He accepted the shot glass and smirked.

"Here's to the slightly tamed psychotic duo, I guess." He mused before downing his glass.

“I’m a lawyer. I need something to keep me from becoming an emotionless psycho.” He smiled. “To us then.”

Black Mist swallowed all of it too and put the glass down. “Mmmm… ah that’s a good bit. Gonna have to resist drinking the rest of it now."

Vector agreed, it was definitely good quality whiskey.

“Haven't had a shot that good in awhile...you've got the good stuff, Misty.  Not that it's surprising.  You liked the high life.”  Vector mused.  He chuckled.

“I can help you resist if you let me down the rest.”  He teased.

“I love it. Not gonna give it up for anything.” Black Mist laughed. He pretended to ponder something before he handed the bottle over. “It’ll give Thomas an excuse to get me another of those. Help yourself."

Vector chuckled and accepted the bottle.

“Ah, so you rely on your hot model boyfriend to keep you stashed with liquor.”  He mused, pouring himself another glass and practically inhaling it like he had the first.

“So you two are really going strong still huh?  You really like him?”  

“He gets it free with the modelling gig, so it’s easy pickings,” Black Mist smirked.

“Yeah, I do. He has me crazy about him. Almost makes me think like it’s actually going to last… which is weird.” He laughed.

“Better hope those modelling gigs don't dry up, or you'll be left without any quality booze.”  Vector mused.  He smiled a bit softly in sympathy.  

“I know what that feels like...confused the fuck out of me initially.  But, I'm glad I stuck with Takashi.  It's made life much more enjoyable.”  

“No, then I’ll actually have to purchase my own. Shock and Horror.” Black Mist smirked. He played with the rim of his glass and gave a long sigh.

“Yeah, but Todoroki is like… well, he isn’t as flighty as you or me. Thomas is more like us… You’d think party animals fly away from each other after a while.”

“It'll initiate a vicious cycle.  Your job pays for your drinks, and you drink in order to do your job.”  Vector mused with a chuckle.  He had to pause to cough a bit before answering.

“True...but Takashi isn't the type to want a one-night fling.  He's smart enough to know the party type and stay away.  So...someone like us would have to be especially special to actually get his attention.”  He glanced at Mist.

“And in our case, someone has to be extra unique for us to settle...it can even happen between two party animals.  Hopefully, you've found that with Thomas, and he with you.”  

“… Man, when did you get to be the philosophical, romance expert. Look at you. You’ve must have a lot of time to think that up, Vector.” Black Mist said, though he was truly stunned despite the joking tone.

“It's what happens when you don't sleep anymore...or when you're about to die.  I don't know.  Both?”  Vector said with a small shrug.  He took another shot, already feeling the affects of the alcohol.  That would knock him out...he bit his lip.  He did want to sleep...but he didn't want to never wake up.  He shook his head to try to keep awake.

“Sorry, can't finish it.”  He said, pushing the bottle back towards Mist with a sigh.

“Keep the bottle. If you want to do something with Takashi, well… an easy way out. And a nicer way than just waiting” Black Mist said, pushing the bottle back. “Do you want me to have Miho call you a cab back home?”

“Alright.  I will...thanks.”  Vector said, accepting the bottle.  He nodded.

“Yeah, that's probably a good idea.”  Vector said.

“Alright, I’ll call her up here. You just take the elevator down.” Black Mist stood up and got the door. “Good Luck, Vector. See you in hell when I get there."

“Sure thing.”  Vector said, getting up and heading towards the door slowly.  He sighed.

“I'll keep the place ready for you.”  Vector mused.  He headed out to the elevator to go downstairs and catch a cab back to Takashi's house.  He was practically falling asleep in the cab, which was scary for him.  He didn't want to die in the back of a cab...he practically ran out of the cab once he got home.

“Takashi...can you...come lay down with me?”  Vector asked when he got home.  He was exhausted.  If he was going to sleep and risk dying, he would want to do it while snuggling with Takashi.

Takashi was doing the dishes when he heard Vector practically soar in and slam the door behind him. He dried his good hand and hurried over, frowning when he saw how drained Vector looked.

“Oh… Vector. You’re back. Are you okay?” He asked, coming over, checking his husband over.

"I'm fine...just a little tired." And tipsy, he added silently.

"I think I'm gonna sleep...can you lie down with me?"

“Huh? Oh, okay. Sure thing,” The man gave him a light smile. “Just let me finish cleaning up and I’ll join you, okay?”

Vector nodded.

"Okay...don't be too long, okay?" He said, before heading back to the bedroom and lying down on the bed. Umbral was already resting on the sheets and was quick to come greet him. Vector smiled, knowing the cat could sense his nervousness when it came to sleep nowadays. Petting the cat was the perfect thing to keep him awake for now. He lay down and waited patiently for Takashi, fighting sleep all the while.

“I won’t,” he smiled. The young man went to go and finish with the food and cleaning before he came to bed. He gave a long sigh as he walked inside. “Hey,” Takashi smiled before he laid down next to Vector. “Where did you go today?”

He snuggled up to him and then frowned. “You smell like a bar. Is that whisky?"

Vector smiled as Takashi entered the room. He snuggled up next to his husband when the other lay next to him.

"I went to see Misty...had to check something." Vector said. He smirked.

"I had a couple shots, yeah...wanna taste?" He said seductively.

“You saw Black Mist?” He frowned, a little concerned. “Did you… You didn’t do anything dangerous, right?” He asked, shaking past the shudder and blush that came back.

"No we didn't. I just had to talk to him about something. I saw him at his office." Vector said reassuringly. He smiled at Takashi's concern. He kissed his cheek.

"I'm alright. We just had a talk and took some shots. That's it. I'm not hurt at all."

“… Right…” Takashi gave a small frown and he kissed his partner on the nose. “Well, I’m glad you had a good time then. But you smell weird… and you’ll taste like whatever you had.”

Vector chuckled and smiled as his nose was kissed.

“I'll try not to breathe on you.  It was fun to get tipsy again though...”  He snuggled up to Takashi and closed his eyes.

“...will you stay here until I sleep?”  He asked softly.

“Of course. Thats fine with me,” Takashi laughed. “You’re such a child sometimes,” He mused, pulling an arm around his partner.

Vector sighed sadly.  

“...sorry if it's childish...I just...I'm worried that if I fall asleep...I won't wake up again.”  Vector said, hugging Takashi closer.  

“… Oh…” Takashi frowned. He had only been kidding and then Vector had to bring that up. The man gave a strained smile and tapped Vector on the nose. “If that’s it.. well… I’ll make sure I’m with you before you go to bed or nap from now on, okay?"

Vector smiled a bit at the nose tap.  

“Sorry...I didn't mean to worry you.  It'll be okay, I'm sure...I'm just kinda paranoid, I guess.”  Vector said, feeling a bit guilty for bringing it up.  He didn't want to worry Takashi.  He snuggled Takashi.

“Hey, it’s fine, It’s fine…” Takashi smiled. “I’m here until the end, remember?”

Vector nodded and closed his eyes.

“I'm thankful.  I'll try not to end things too soon.”  He promised.

-x-

It had been a gruelling night at the hospital for the Barian-Mizuki family. Ponta had been given a bed to rest on, but had been plagued by guilt and fear for both his sister and his brother Alit, who still hadn't woken up. He had to take turns sleeping next to Kotori or Gilag, while the both of them took turns watching over Alit and praying that he would wake up. The police had told them they had Koutei in custody, but there was no clue on Masumi's whereabouts yet. Koutei had not been able to tell them a thing about the baby or even visiting the house.

That morning, Yuuma had returned to the hospital to visit his sister and niece. He had run into Gilag in the halls and had been informed on the situation, which meant the whole Numbers Club was quickly informed. Yuuma was in the room with Kotori and Alit.

"Kotori...you look exhausted. You should try to sleep...I can wait up for any changes." Yuuma offered his friend as she watched over her husband faithfully.

Kotori had heavy bags under her eyes and she was dead tired, but the woman refused to go to sleep. She was still holding Alit’s hand, making sure she could still feel his pulse in her hands. She smiled when she heard Yuya’s voice but she shook her head.

“Would you go sleep if Shark was here on the bed? I appreciate it, Yuuma, but I really… really just want to be by my husband’s side… at least until the police bring back news of my daughter.”

She clenched her fist, shaking with worry. Her sweet baby girl was missing and her husband might not make it. She wasn’t sure what she would do if they left her.

“He’s been in a stable condition all night… for now”

Yuuma bit his lip as he imagined it and sighed.

"No...I probably wouldn't. Even though we're usually in hospital together." He mused at the last part with the smallest smile. But he glanced at Alit's sleeping form and frowned.

"Of course he is. He'll be fine...Alit's super tough." Yuuma assured her.

Kotori shook her head at the dumb joke and continued looking at Alit, looking at any small changes.

“Yeah… I know he is. I used to believe that he was invincible you know… He was always so strong…” She wiped her eyes.

“But … I’m still worried..."

Yuuma smiled in memory.

"I know what you mean. He's my rival, except unlike me he usually can do all the crazy stuff I come up with." Yuuma mused. Alit was definitely stronger and more physically fit than Yuuma was.  Yuuma nodded.

"I know...but I'm sure it'll all be okay. Alit won't let you worry for long."

“Alit knew his limits though… like when not to jump that tower in gym…” Kotori said, rolling her eyes.

“He better not… Because… Because if the police can’t… can’t find Masumi…”

Yuuma pouted.

"I never did find anyone who wanted to try that with me..." He whined, before sobering up at Kotori's words.

"The police are definitely gonna find her! And she'll be home soon, safe and sound." Yuuma said.

“I hope so… I just… why would he… why would Koutei do this?” Kotori asked, biting her lip. “Or anyone? Why us?"

Yuuma frowned in sympathy.  He had asked himself the 'why me' question quite a few times in life, and none of them had been in good situations.  And he still didn't know the answer exactly.

“You were unlucky...it happens to everyone.”  He said softly, hugging her gently, even though he knew that she would much rather be hugging either Masumi or Alit at the moment.

“I know… I know I just…” She hugged Yuma’s arms back and she leaned back into his hold, sobbing quietly.

Yuuma held her close and pet her back gently to comfort her.  He hated seeing one of his closest friends like this.  Gilag was out with Ponta at the moment, which meant there wasn't anyone around that Kotori needed to be strong for.

“Yuuma… Yuuma… T-thank you for coming. I really appreciate it… and I know Alit would as well…” Kotori muttered.

“It's not a problem Kotori...you did the same for me after all.  Alit too.”  Yuuma said, recalling how both Kotori and Alit had visited him while he was in hospital on numerous occasions, the last time being when he had been recovering from Semimaru's attack.

“If you need anything, let me know, okay?  I'll be around often visiting Nee-chan too.”  Yuuma promised.

“Yeah… I know… Thanks Yuuma… That means a lot. Having one of his rivals here will make Alit feel better,” she said, showing him a strained smile.

“Definitely.  I'll be here for both of you.”  Yuuma said with a small smile in return.  He looked up when there was a knock on the door.  He headed over to open it, revealing Gauche and Droite.

“We came to see if Barian Alit had woken up yet.”  

“Oh… Gauche… Droite… I mean… officers… He hasn’t, yet…” Kotori said, calling from the room.

“I see...well, we wanted to check in.  We were hoping to get his statement as soon as possible, since it might help us find your daughter.”  Droite said.  

“I’m hoping he’ll say something too. Did… Did you guys find out more about Koutei? Can you tell me anything? I need to know something!” Kotori said, standing up pleadingly

Gauche sighed.

“I'm sorry, but Koutei isn't telling us anything.  We interrogated him yesterday but he claims to have no memory of going to your house at all that day.  We're currently waiting on drug tests to come in to see if he was under the influence of anything that might've made him forget or have affected his behaviour.”  Gauche explained.

“I see…” Kotori frowned. “… I knew Koutei too… and the way Alit goes about him… I wouldn’t have thought drugs… Or anything..."

“Based on his background, we were surprised too.  But, he did have a recent slump in his home-life that might explain it.”  Droite said, recalling the file that said Koutei's father had died and that his mother had cut him off financially.

“… Still… I… I… when is he allowed visitors? After you question Alit?” The woman asked, balling her fist.

“At the very least, yes.  Visitation is also up to him as well.”  Droite said, understanding Kotori's frustration.  While Kotori was talking, Yuuma had retreated to the bed for a moment to keep an eye on Alit.  He heard the slightest spike in Alit's heart-rate monitor, looking at it in surprise to get the reading, then looking back at his friend's face.  Alit was starting to move slightly, scrunching his eyebrows as if trying to wake up.

“Kotori!”  Yuuma called.

Kotori was about to start trying to get more answers, maybe yell or cry or something. However, as soon as she heard the heart monitor and Yuma, she turned around and ran over to the bedside.

“Alit? Alit? Honey? Wake up!”

Yuuma backed off immediately, letting Kotori take over.  The two police officers were watching from the doorway, silently observing the situation.  

Alit was slowly returning to consciousness, but the transition was very hazy...he was used to being knocked out, but somehow this felt different.  His eyelids felt so heavy, his body stiff and weak...but he could hear someone calling him.  He managed to open his eyes slowly, and could see only bright lights at first faintly outlining a vaguely familiar, but absolutely beautiful figure hovering over him expectantly.  The light almost formed a halo around her head.

“...an angel...?”  He asked softly, not realizing for the moment that he had spoken out loud.  

“… Y-yes. Yes, Alit, you big dolt. It’s me… Your angel. Your wife. Oh my god… You’re alive.” She gasped, wanting to throw herself on him and hug him tight, but not wanting to harm him further. “Oh god… Alit… Hey… Look at me, hey.” She said, not noticing Gilag outside, taking Ponta back to the room.

“Yuuma? … What happened?” Gilag asked. He recognised the two police officers but he didn’t know if they remembered him. He tried to save face by looking at his friend. “Why is Kotori crying? Did Alit…?” He started.

Alit was starting to focus on Kotori's face better, and realized that the bright lights were just because he wasn't adjusted to the room yet.  But...where was he?  He could feel that he was hooked up to oxygen and monitors...he had never been on either before.  Now he was trying to wrack his brain for what tournament he'd been in that caused him to be injured, because that was the main reason for him being hospitalized.  Something felt wrong though, and Alit's tired brain just couldn't figure out what it was...but he drew his attention back to Kotori when she commanded that he look at her.

“Kotori...”  He said softly, noticing that she was crying.  That made him feel like something was even worse...Kotori never cried when he got injured in a boxing match.  Sure, she'd be worried and scold him for being reckless...but he had never seen her this worried.  There was the nagging feeling that he'd forgotten something very important, and it was starting to concern him a bit.

Yuuma was smiling slightly to himself as he watched the scene, relieved that his friend was okay.  He turned to Gilag when the other man approached.  

“It's nothing bad.  Actually the opposite!  It looks like he's awake...maybe not totally awake, but conscious!”  Yuuma said to him.  Ponta's eyes widened as he heard.

“He's...he's awake?!  He's alive, pon?”  Ponta exclaimed, immediately rushing into the room to see for himself.  He stopped by Alit's bedside, which momentarily drew Alit's attention to him.  His eyes immediately zeroed in on the bandage on Ponta's forehead.  When did Ponta injure himself?  Ponta immediately began to cry in relief and hugged Alit tightly.  

“Alit...I...I thought you...you were...pon...I saw you...bleeding...o-on the ground...an-and I...thought you were dead pon!”  Ponta cried.   Alit did feel a jolt of pain in his abdomen as Ponta unintentionally brushed against his wound, and suddenly he remembered what Koutei had done.  

“...Where's Masumi?”  Alit managed to choke out, suddenly feeling very scared.  

Kotori was all but ready to throw herself at her husband when Ponta joined in, but she refrained, especially when the man spoke. She bit her bottom lip, wondering how she could phrase it. This wasn’t the conversation she wanted to have when he woke up after being unconscious for far too long. However, with the police waiting and Alit asking with that fearful look in his eye, the woman had no choice but to respond.

“Alit… They…. They haven’t found her. She’s still missing. The police arrested Koutei but… but he… he…” She gasped, trying to collect herself. “My baby… She’s… my baby..."

Alit waited for the response from his wife, but seeing the way she bit her lip, he felt he already knew the answer before she even spoke.  He had failed.  Ponta whimpered.

“I'm s-sorry...I let him in, pon...”  He cried softly.  Alit frowned a bit, not wanting his brother to blame himself.  He managed with difficulty to pat him on the back.  His whole body felt heavy and weak...he could barely move.  He hated it, because he felt he had to get up and go find Masumi.  He had to get his daughter back...

“It's not your fault...”  Alit said softly to the boy to try to comfort him.  He looked at Kotori sadly.

“...I'm sorry...I couldn't stop him...”  He told her.

Kotori looked at her husband sadly and put her hands on Ponta’s shoulders. She didn’t blame either of them. If anyone was to blame, it was Koutei for betraying their trust, but she didn’t want to say that  with the men in the room.

“It’s alright… I… Officer Droite and Gauche are here to help us find her. She’ll… she’ll be found. She’ll… be okay. No one would hurt a baby, right?” She asked, fighting tears and putting her brave face back on.

Alit looked at Kotori fighting back tears and felt terrible, but he wanted to be strong too. He reached for her hand and gave it a small squeeze.

"She'll be okay..." He said softly. He glanced over to the officers who were waiting.

"Are they here for me?" He asked softly.

“They want to ask what happened,” Kotori said. “But I can tell them to come back if you’re not ready..."

"No...it's okay. If it'll help...I'll talk." He said. Alit was still tired but the idea that his baby girl was still missing kept him awake for the moment.

“Alright… So the officers will talk. I’ll… get Gilag to take Ponta out. He shouldn’t need to listen to what happened” The woman said. Ponta frowned and clung to Alit harder.

“No, pon! Kotori! I can help too! I was there!” Ponta said, mostly because he didn’t want to leave

Alit nodded in agreement but winced a bit as Ponta clung to him. He could tell that he'd really scared the boy.

"...I guess he can stay if he wants. But, Ponta, it's okay if you want to leave...I'm not going anywhere." Alit said softly to the boy.

“I want to make sure…” Ponta frowned, cuddling Alit. “I don’t want you to go.” Kotori gave a sigh.

“I’ll sit here with you. Umm… Officers… Is it alright if Ponta and I stay?”

“… What you reckon, Droite? It’s not protocol…” Gauche said, clearly looking like he wanted to let the kid stay around but not wanting to cross his rule-abiding partner at the same time.

Alit sighed. He let Ponta cuddle him and hugged him.

"I'm not going...but alright. It's okay with me." He said. Droite nodded.

"It's alright. Well ask him what happened with the kid here. He can probably fill in some of the gaps that Alit can't." Droite said.

“Might not be enough but… good. Okay… so we’ve had Ponta answer some questions, but do you remember what happened before the hospital, Mr. Barian?”

“Yes...I remember now.”  Alit said.  

“It was just Ponta and I at home at the time...Masumi was sleeping.  I was in the garage...then I heard a loud noise from inside.  So...I came back in to see what it was...”  Alit glanced at Ponta.  

“Ponta was down when I came in...I didn't pay much attention to him because I saw Koutei holding Masumi.”  Droite frowned.

“You're sure it was him?”  Alit sighed.

“...I called his name...asked him what he was doing.  He answered me.  But...if that wasn't enough, the punches were definitely his.”  Alit said, recalling the little physical bout they'd had.

“So you fought and he stabbed you. You said he answered you, right?” Gauche frowned. “What did he say? Anything of note?

Alit frowned as he tried to recall the conversation they'd had before he'd been stabbed.

“...He said that...he had to do this.  I tried to reason with him...tried to ask him why he was trying to take her...that was his answer.  I don't understand it, but that's what he said...”  Alit said at last.  Droite frowned as she mulled this over.

“Was there anyone else involved to your knowledge?”  Droite asked.  Maybe he was trying to do this for someone else?  But, Alit shook his head at this suggestion.

“No...Koutei was the only one I saw.  He was trying to sneak out with Masumi....and was apparently willing to hurt both Ponta and I to do it.  But, Koutei was a bit of a loner anyway...he didn't have friends, other than us.”  

“Would you say Koutei displayed any unusual behaviour recently? Any change at all you noticed?"

Alit frowned.  

“Well...I hadn't seen him in awhile.  The last time I saw him before this was a for a little sparring match...I noticed something was off, but I shrugged it off as maybe he was having a bad day.  And...since then I invited him out to places, but...he either didn't respond, or promised he'd come but skip out.  It's not like him to do that...”  Alit recalled.  Was something bigger going on?  Obviously the act of kidnapping and stabbing wasn't like Koutei at all...but had he been too blind to see the signs of something earlier?

“… I see… So this has been happening for a while. Do you really not know much about where he lives and what he’s been up to? Any idea who his other friends are that would know?” Gauche frowned.

“He lives in Italy, usually.  He has a small apartment here that he's been staying in lately, but, while he's here...he sticks to himself.  As far as I know, he doesn't have any other friends but us.”  Alit said.  Unless he'd made more that were a bad influence?  Alit hadn't heard.

“I see… we’ll look into it. We’re getting a warrant for checking into his apartment. We’re thinking he was under the influence of drugs, since he’s currently suffering from withdrawal symptoms,” Gauche said.

Alit nodded at the first part, and his eyes widened at the second.

“Koutei?  Using drugs?  He never...he never did that sort of thing before...barely even touched alcohol.”  Alit said in disbelief.

“Maybe he just didn’t tell you. It’s unconfirmed, however. He may be just ill. Like Gauche said, we’re waiting on the results. Gauche thought you should know, apparently.” Droite frowned, not liking how her partner was stressing Alit out when he had just woken up.

Alit was just concerned and confused more than anything.  He shook his head.

“No...I knew the old version of him.  The Koutei I knew...he wouldn't have done drugs...wouldn't have...kidnapped my daughter...or hurt Ponta...”  He said, patting the boy's back as he continued to hold onto him as if Alit was about to disappear suddenly.  He couldn't even say the part about being stabbed...he'd nearly died.  Koutei had left him to die.

“He wouldn't have done any of this.”  He repeated.

“… Well, is there anything worth noting, Mr. Barian? Anything we need to know at all? We want to help find your daughter,” Droite said gently.

Alit frowned, replaying the events of Koutei in his house again, and not finding anything else worth noting.  He had no idea why Koutei had done this, and worse, he had no idea where Masumi could be, if not with Koutei.  That was where he'd last seen her.

“...No.  Nothing I can think of.”  He said softly at last.  

“… Alright. We’ll keep you all posted then. Come on, Gauche. Let him have his rest.”

“Alright… Take care, okay? We’ll see you later, Barian-san”  

Alit nodded.

“...Please just find her.”  He pleaded softly.  He couldn't do anything while he was injured and tired like this...even that conversation had taken a lot out of him.  Ponta hugged Alit closer as the man's eyes began to droop the slightest bit.

“Don't sleep!  If you do then...what if you don't wake up, pon!”  Ponta exclaimed.  Alit gave Ponta as reassuring a smile as he could manage.

“I'm not going anywhere, Ponta.  It's okay.”  He promised.  Ponta still looked doubtful.

“… Alit… Hey… Let him rest, Ponta. See? He’s woken up once and the heart monitor seems steadier. We’ll tell the doctor he woke up, okay? They’ll take care of him.” Kotori reassured Ponta, trying to get the boy off Alit now.

“No!”  Ponta cried, still clinging to Alit, which made the man groan.

“Ponta...loosen your grip a bit...”  He said.  The boy immediately did so.

“I'm sorry pon!”  He said.  Alit gave him another small smile, nuzzling the boy's cheek gently with a fist.  

“I've gotta rest, Ponta...otherwise, I won't get better...you do the same okay?  You got hurt too...”  Alit said, hand brushing the bandage on the boy's head.  Ponta bit his lip.

“...Promise you'll wake up?”  He said.  Alit nodded.

“I'll wake up soon.  Don't worry.”  He promised.

“I’ll wake you both up at the same time, okay? Go sleep… Come on, Ponta,” Kotori said, kissing Ponta’s forehead and then Alit’s.

Ponta nodded, accepting the kiss.  

“Night night...”  He said softly, going over to his bed to get some rest.

“Night, Ponta.”  Alit responded.  He glanced up at Kotori.

“...You should sleep too...you look tired...I'm sorry for worrying you.”  He said softly to his wife.

“Hey… It’s fine. Someone has to stay awake. I’ll go sleep tonight. I have to take Ponta home, after all. He’s actually allowed to get out of the hospital...” Kotori smiled. “I love you, Alit. I’m glad you’re better now.”

“I love you too...”  Alit said with a smile.

“Hey, you should sleep Kotori...Gilag and I can watch Alit.”  Yuuma said, having come back from getting some food from the cafeteria and heard the last bit of their conversation.  Gilag was helping to carry the food.

“We'll watch him...you get some rest.  You haven't slept since we got here.”  Gilag said.  

“Yeah… I know… but…” Kotori started before she laughed. “Well… If I sleep, I guess I can wake up with them. Promise you’ll wake me if there’s trouble?” She asked, stifling a yawn.

Yuuma nodded.

"I promise we will! Now get some rest." Yuuma said, shooing Kotori to the bed with a smile.

“Alright, alright.” Kotori ignored the bed since she didn’t have one and headed into the chair. “Night boys… thank you… Thanks a lot.”

-x-

The previous night's antics had exhausted Yami to the point where he had slept a little bit too much and too deeply.  That, paired with Yuugi's small bout of courage and curiosity, caused Yuugi to wake up free of Yami for the first time in several years.  And he was immediately alarmed because he had no idea where he was or how he had gotten here.  Looking down at himself, he noted how filthy his clothes were, and how he was more tanned than he remembered.  

“What...happened?”  He whispered to himself, getting up tentatively and approaching the door.  He peeked out into the hallway, spotting nothing but more doors.  But...he could smell something good coming from the right.  Like an American style breakfast of eggs and bacon, if he remembered right.  Yuugi's stomach growled...he couldn't remember the last time he ate...so he followed the scent towards what he assumed to be the kitchen which hopefully had nice people who could explain why he couldn't remember ever arriving here.

Raphael was in the kitchen cooking. He liked doing things himself, and he figured that making a big meal would help patch things up with Atemu, especially after last night. So that morning, he had gone out and bought some breakfast things, a few bottles and a tin of milk formula for Masumi.

The man was just putting the bacon onto a plate when he heard footsteps. He gave a smile as he looked over to where the young man was.

“Morning. Hope you’re hungry. I think I overdid it with the food. I have a big appetite, but even this is a lot.” The blonde grinned.

Yuugi continued to follow his nose, and soon entered what was clearly a kitchen. He let out a tiny "eep" as he first spotted the huge blond man who was putting bacon on the table. Who was this huge guy? But before Yuugi could retreat, the man noticed him. His words and smile were calming...he spoke like he knew Yuugi. But, Yuugi couldn't recall the man's name...he did seem vaguely familiar but Yuugi had no idea where he was or who this person who had apparently made him breakfast was. His stomach growled loudly, shutting up his brain's hesitancy to eat with a stranger. He flushed a little at the sound.

"I guess I am pretty hungry..." He said softly. He approached he table, making sure that he was on the opposite side to this huge man, just in case he tried something.

Raphael noticed that and he dismissed it as Atemu being still hesitant. After all, he had practically adopted them out of the blue, for some reason. Still, he was here… and while he had… almost no memory of how things went at the orphanage, it was clear he wanted to be better friends with the boy.

“Did you sleep well last night? I hope it was all comfortable.”

Yuugi sat at the table, looking over the food in silent awe.  He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen so much food offered to him in one place...it had been forever.  He looked up when the blond man addressed him again, and frowned as he pondered the question.  How had he actually slept last night?  He couldn't even remember last night...but, he supposed the bed he woke up in was comfortable.  He wasn't sore or anything...so it must have been alright.  

“Yeah...I guess I did, sir.  The bed I woke up in was nice...”  Yuugi replied at last with a small smile.

“No need to call me ‘sir’. Raphael is fine.” The man said, opening the invitation. He wiped his hands, switched the stove off and sat down. “I’m glad you slept well. It’s been a while since I’ve had guests."

"Oh...okay. Raphael then." Yuugi said, pleased that he'd gotten the name, but disappointed that it didn't trigger any memory of this man. He looked down at the food. "...it's been a long time since someone made me food like this..." He admitted, his mind recalling the little game shop his grandpa owned, and how his grandpa would make him a big breakfast on the weekends when the shop opened later and Yuugi had no classes. He felt tears come to his eyes as he remembered that his precious Jii-chan was no longer with him. Although he wasn't sure how much time had passed, he was sure that Soloman Mutou was dead.

“… Hey… Hey there. Are you okay?” Raphael frowned as he saw the boy’s eyes watering, guessing what he was remembering. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Yuugi sniffled a little and shook his head in response, trying to stop crying. But then when he heard the man speak again, something suddenly hit him.

"...Did...did we...talk last night?" Yuugi asked, recalling spontaneously bursting into tears and a strong pair of arms holding him and telling him it was okay to cry. Had it been this man? It had to have been...their comforting voice was the same.

Raphael gave a small frown. Did he really not remember? Was he really alright? The man made a mental note to get the scrawny boy checked out by the doctor as he slowly nodded.

“We did… And yesterday afternoon, remember? We talked about your grandfather amongst other things.”

Yuugi frowned, trying to remember the conversation in question, but drawing a blank. When he tried to remember yesterday, he started to get a headache. He groaned and brought a hand to his head.

"...I don't remember...I just remember crying..." Yuugi said softly.

“Ah… I see. Well don’t stress yourself out, alright? Just take it easy. I’ll get you some panadol, alright”

“Alright, if you insist. I’ll get you some water or juice. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good..." Yuugi softly. He looked over the food.

"...Um...thank you for the food..." He said, slowly filling up his plate.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. It’s the least I can do.” Raphael said, getting up and pouring him some orange juice. “I’ll see if your sister wants another bottle in a few minutes."

Yuugi gave a small smile and began to dig in, before he heard the second half of the sentence.  

“...Did you say my sister?”  He asked, thinking he must have misheard Raphael.

“Yeah, that’s right. She’s in her room right now. She’s a pretty good kid. Sleeps through most of the night. Drinks and sleeps immediately,” Raphael smiled.

Yuugi stared at Raphael for a moment in confusion. He didn't have a sister...and he was pretty sure he'd remember getting one if he did. But, he had no memory of anyone.

"But...I don't..." He started, before a particularly sharp head pain made him double over and clutch his head. Yami was finally stirring, although Yuugi had no idea what was going on.

“Atemu? Are you alright? What’s the matter?” Raphael got up and walked over to him. “Atemu?”

Yuugi groaned a bit as his head continued to throb.  

“...Atemu?”  He managed to say in a clearly confused tone.  

“...m-my head...”  The pounding seemed to be more aggressive, and Yuugi closed his eyes, curling in on himself and begging it to stop.

“Shhh… Shhh… It’s alright… Come on. Hey… hey… Look at me.” Raphael said, trying to get Yuugi to look up so he could try and see his condition.

Yuugi's eyes remained squeezed shut, and he trembled a bit from the pain and from fear.  He had no idea what was happening, and he continued to beg silently for whatever was causing the pain to stop.  He could hear Raphael talking to him, trying to grab his attention...but somehow the voice seemed to be fading away.  It suddenly felt like Yuugi had slipped off a cliff and Raphael's voice was being echoed softly through the canyon he was falling into, too distant for him to fully make out.  The last thing Yuugi registered was that he was pretty sure he'd felt this strange falling feeling before, and then a moment later the pain finally ceased as he went back to sleep.  

Yami's eyes shot open, and he took several deep breaths to calm himself.  He hadn't had to forcefully push Yuugi aside like that in a long time...and it was exhausting for him mentally.  But, it had to be done, because Yuugi could have revealed something that could blow Yami's cover.  Yuugi had to remain sleeping for now, for both of their sakes.  He finally looked up at Raphael.  

“...It's...going away...I feel a bit better now...”  Yami said, and indeed the headache was receding as Yuugi fell dormant inside his head.

“… Alright.” Raphael frowned, not sure what to make of that. He wasn’t stupid. He knew something was up. Was he trying to say that he didn’t have a sister? Or something else? He was worried.

“… Hang on, I’ll get you a drink."

Yami gave Raphael a small smile to indicate he was okay, but internally he was panicking a little. Did the other man suspect something now?

"Okay...thank you." Yami said, letting Raphael go and quickly noting that Yuugi hadn't brought the backpack with all the drugs and weapons Yami needed to kill Raphael. He cursed softly. He really needed to speed this up. He clutched his head, exhausted by the effort it had taken to suppress Yuugi...every time it got harder. Yuugi was too curious about this setting to just let it go.

Raphael came back with the glass of water and there was some panadol, still in a bottle. He put it down for Atem and sat down in the seat closest to him.

“You should shower and I’ll call a doctor. You and Masumi should be checked out."

Yami took a sip of the water but looked at the pills wearily. He did not want to ingest any drugs here.

"...I've never taken a pill before...I don't know how..." Yami lied, knowing that kids medicines were often liquid form or chewy to help them take it. His eyes widened as he heard about the doctor. No that was bad!

"No! It's okay...this is normal for me...I don't need a doctor!" Yami said, the fear in that statement only partially an act. If he went to a doctor there was a high chance he'd be discovered.

“Mmm… Well, I’ll mash it up for you. It’s a simple tablet. A bit bitter but you’ll have juice,” he started. However, he put a hand on Yami’s shoulder.

“… Alright, but we still need one for Masumi. You’ve been on the streets… she’s just a baby. We need to check her over, even if you’re okay,” Raphael insisted

Yami nodded, at the first part reluctantly. He flinched the tiniest bit when Raphael touched his shoulder.

"Masumi's okay though...I kept her warm and we weren't on the streets for long..." Yami said.

“… Do you want to tell me about your homelife some more? I want to help… but I can’t if you don’t let me. If I’ve adopted you like you wanted… we have to take care of each other, right? As family?”

Yami frowned as he thought this over. It seemed like a bad idea to think back to his past, because that had triggered Yuugi last time. He couldn't lose control again.

"...It hurts too much...it hurt too much so I ran away with Masumi..." Yami said sadly.

“… Alright. Hopefully in time, we’ll figure it out. We’ll make sure you guys are safe, okay?” He let go of Yami and sighed.

Yami nodded.

"Yeah...if we stay here we'll be safe right?" He asked innocently.

“Of course…” Raphael said. “… I’ll be right back. I’m going to feed Masumi. Eat up, okay?"

Yami nodded.

"Okay...take care of my sister." He said. He began to eat, knowing he had to keep his strength up. He had to figure out a way to kill Raphael quickly or else he might not be able to hold back Yuugi. He felt the tiniest twinge in his brain once more and groaned.

"Yuugi...why can't you go back to sleep like you used to?" He muttered, focusing on keeping his curious other self back.

As Raphael went up the stairs with the bottle, he looked at his hand that had been on the boy’s shoulder and frowned. As he suspected… it was makeup that had been smudging off. He wondered what was going on and made a note to investigate it as soon as he could.

Masumi was stirring and Raphael picked her up. Masumi cooed as she recognised the man and the blonde smiled to feed her.

“At least you’re a lot less confusing, Masumi…” He murmured.

Raphael had left the radio on in the kitchen that Yami was absentmindedly listening to as he ate.

"...authorities are reminding citizens to be on the lookout for a suspect in the killing of three CEOs, Mutou Yuugi, who has tri-coloured hair and is about 150cm tall..." The radio droned on but Yami was up by that point. He quickly turned it off and pulled out the batteries.

"I can't have the media blow my cover..." He said, going to the TV next and reaching behind it (a feat he was able to do because of his small arms and hands) and unplugged the television and its attachments. He sighed.

"I should try to keep him busy so he doesn't check the Internet...I don't know where his router is." Yami said, not spotting it in the room he was currently in. He'd wait for Raphael to come back and escort him to his room and then prepare a game quickly.

Raphael did come back, but with the baby. He gave a smile as he came downstairs, Masumi wriggling in his arms.

“Hey Masumi, it’s Nii-san over there.” Raphael said

Yami looked up as he saw the man return and smiled. He got up and came over to see them excitedly, as if it really was his sister he was greeting.

"Hey Masumi! Did you sleep well?" He asked, looking at her. Masumi looked at him and cooed softly, grabbing the finger Yami offered her. She remembered him more as a playmate, since Yami had kept her occupied with small toys in his room while he got ready for his role as a homeless runaway kid.

"Hey, Raphael...can you show me where my room is? I forgot...and I don't wanna get lost again like last night..." Yami said, smiling innocently.

Raphael smiled at them both, glad to see them interacting. He really didn’t know what to make of the makeup… but he had a feeling there was a layer he was missing.

“Alright. Come on.” He made sure Masumi was comfortable before carrying her upstairs.

Yami grinned happily.

"I just wanted to get changed...then can we play a game? It's been a long time since I had someone to play with..." He said, following Raphael.

“… Of course. I’ll get you some extra clothes and you can rinse off. Then we can play,” The man said

Yami nodded. He would definitely like to get out of the ratty clothes he'd been in it.

"Okay...I'll make it fast then!" Yami said.

“Right,” Raphael got him up to the bathroom and got a towel out from under the sink. “I’ll wait so you don’t get lost, okay?"

"Okay...sounds good.  I'll be fast."  Yami promised, accepting the towel and entering the washroom.  Once he closed the door, he undressed and got in the shower.  He was thankful that the clothes he'd been given were long sleeved and huge, which would help back up his story that he was a kid.  He got in the shower and sighed as he makeup he'd put on was washed off.  

"I'll have to re-do it..."  He mused with a sigh.

Raphael just waited outside, waiting for Yami. He knew that Yami’s bag was in his room, so unless he had the makeup in his pocket, he would be revealed for Raphael.

Yami was careful to avoid getting his face and neck wet as he washed himself.  The makeup on his arms didn't really matter when he was going to be wearing sleeves, and if anything it was better if it did come off, since otherwise it might stain Raphael's clothes.  He wasn't too worried...all he had to do was think of a game that would kill Raphael quickly.  Then, he could collect his money from Kaiba and get out of here...

Yami was quick, as per his word, stepping out of the shower, quickly drying off and putting on the new clothes he'd been given.  As he had suspected they would, it revealed the fake bruises he still had on his neck and collar, so he figured his disguise was still intact enough.  He got his hair wet to make it look like he had actually washed his whole body, and scrubbed it down a bit with the towel so it was slightly damp.  He opened the door.

“All done...I just gotta put these in my bag, then we can play!”  Yami said with a smile.

“Right.” The man gave him a smile and went to go show him to his room. “Feel better?"

Yami nodded.

“Yeah, much better.”  He said honestly.  Yuugi was mostly dormant for now...there were occasional spikes of pain, but mostly it was manageable.  This was encouraging for Yami.  He needed to proceed quickly and efficiently.  

“That’s good,” he smiled. “Well… what do you want to play?"

Yami pondered this.

"Do you have any games in your house? Cards or board games or anything like that?" He asked. He wanted to know what materials Raphael already had that he could work with.

“Oh, I have a pack of cards around. No board games besides chess though.” The man said

Yami nodded.  He knew how to play chess, but figured that if he was pretending to be a little kid, he'd rather play cards.  

“Let's play cards then!”  He said, going into his room and going right to his bag so he'd be able to dig out the drugs he was using.

“Alright then,” Raphael said, carrying Masumi off and grabbing a deck of cards quickly before returning to his new charge. “What games do you know?”

“Tons!  I lived most of my life in a game shop.”  Yami said truthfully, about to pull out his drugs when Raphael returned.  He whirled around in surprise, hiding the tube quickly so Raphael wouldn't see it.

“Um...I'll think of one we can play in a second!”  He said.

“Alright then…” Raphael sat on the bed and pulled the side table out. “Should be interesting. I can play most card games. I used to play with all my friends when I was your age."

Yami nodded.

“That's good...”  He said, noting how Raphael was right there and he probably wouldn't be able to get much out of his bag without Raphael noticing.  His head throbbed a bit as Raphael spoke.

“...Did you...that's good...I didn't play with a lot of kids...just...Jii-san.”  He managed to say, having to fight Yuugi back once more.

“AH, I see… what kinds of games did your grandfather teach you? My father taught me a few parlour games too, so I could probably teach you some now.”

“...All kinds...”  Yami groaned a bit as his head throbbed once more.

“Sure, show me a game.”  He said at last, turning around to face Raphael and fighting back a grimace.  He left the drugs in the bag...it was too dangerous to try something when he felt like Yuugi was fighting for control again.

“Alright, we’ll play simply, okay? We’ll start with Blackjack and move up if it’s too easy. We won’t gamble, if you don’t want to. I have Poker chips around here somewhere though"

Yami kept fighting back grimaces as Yuugi seemed even more excited by the prospect of a game.  He'd certainly played Blackjack before.  A gamble would be favourable to his own intentions, especially if he had drugs...

“How about...we gamble regular things?  Like...if I win, you have to let me make you lunch.  And...if you win, you ask me to do something...?”  Yami suggested slowly.  He could drug Raphael through food that way.  It would be good if he could win...he just had to hold out.

Raphael gave a smirk. “Hey, that sounds alright with me. Sounds fun. But my luck is pretty good, got it?” He said. He went to put Masumi down and went to get the chips.

“I trust you to shuffle, ‘kay?"

Yami resisted the urge to smirk, instead turning it into a small smile.

“I like to think I'm lucky too...”  He mused.  He nodded.  

“I won't cheat.”  He promised, waiting until Raphael was gone before checking his bag. Yes, he had stuff that could dissolve nicely into liquids or be crushed into solid food...he could work with this.  He just had to win...and even if he didn't, he could work something out.  It would be alright. Once he turned back to the cards, he felt a spike of pain in his head as he picked them up.  Damn Yuugi really wanted to play...Yami managed a couple of shuffles before he lost control.  He dropped the cards on the table as Yuugi woke up in a slight daze.  Yami cried out as he was shoved to the back of Yuugi's mind again, and this time, he didn't have the strength to immediately try to break free and resume control.  He had no choice but to sit for a minute.  

Yuugi blinked as the room came into focus, and once more, he had no idea where he was.  Last thing he remembered was eating in the kitchen...now he was in a bedroom with a deck of cards, a backpack, and...a baby?  Yuugi frowned, standing slowly to look over Masumi in confusion.  Where had she come from?  Where was he?  Masumi stared at him with red-pink eyes and cooed softly.  Yuugi sighed, smiling slightly.

“I wish you could tell me what was going on...”  He said softly to her.

Masumi happily gurgled on the bed, staring with bright red eyes at the older man. It didn’t take long before Raphael returned with the tin of poker chips. He frowned, looking at the table.

“You alright? Not so good with shuffling?”

Yuugi smiled at the baby when she gurgled at him.  She was cute.  He looked up in surprise when he heard Raphael enter, relaxing slightly when he recognized the man as the one who had made him breakfast earlier.  

“Shuffling?”  He asked, confused, following Raphael's gaze.  He saw the cards spilled all over the table, and the poker chips in Raphael's hand told him they were going to play some sort of game, maybe?  But...he didn't remember which one.

“Um...sorry.  I don't remember even trying to shuffle those!  Were we about to play a card game or something?”  Yuugi asked Raphael, going to the cards and picking them up and putting them back together into a deck.

“Blackjack, unless you wanted to play something else.” Raphael made a mental note to get a doctor to come over to check him out. Seemed his new child had problems remembering things and he was a little concerned, though he didn’t want to worry him.

“I’m easy with the game,” he said, dealing out a respectable amount of chips.

“Oh...no that's alright!  I'll play Blackjack with you!”  Yuugi said, honestly just excited to be playing anything...but at the same time, he was weary.  What would happen if he won?  Raphael seemed nice, but he was also big...Yuugi could recall a few times in high school where unhappy losers often beat him up for his natural gaming talent.  Yuugi didn't want to be hurt again like that...he finished shuffling.

“So um...are we betting...real money?”  Yuugi asked tentatively.  That was another memory of games he had...bullies trying to pray on weaker kids by forcing them to gamble away all their money, and if they won, they beat it out of them anyway.  

“Nope, something better than money…” Raphael was really concerned for ‘Atemu’s’ sake now but he kept his tone light and cheery. “Sandwiches, remember? Whoever has the most chips at the end has to make lunch for the both of us. I bought some bread and other things in the store this morning. You’re not allergic to anything, right?” He smiled, putting the deck down.

Yuugi blinked in surprise. Lunch? They were having lunch already...to him it felt like they had just had that huge breakfast.

"Okay...and no, I'm not allergic to anything." He said.

"What time is lunch? The last thing I remember is breakfast, and I'm not hungry...it can't have been that long ago...." He asked.

“Only a few minutes ago. Just because we’re playing doesn’t mean we can determine the outcome now. Lunch wouldn’t be for another four house or so.” Raphael said,

"Ah okay..." Yuugi said.

"Sure...that makes sense." He said. He held the cards he'd finished shuffling.

"...do you want to deal, or should I?" He asked softly.

“I’ll let you. I trust you, kiddo.” He smiled.

Yuugi nodded, smiling a bit.

"Okay." He said, dealing out the necessary cards and then looking at his hand.

“Two white chips in the pool. I got a good hand,” Raphael said, putting the money in and his hand down face down.

Yuugi looked over his cards. He also had a fairly good hand...one that would likely win. But...still hesitant to beat Raphael, he bet conservatively.

"I'll add 3 white chips to the pile then..."

“Ahh… well I’ll take you on that. Reveal?” Raphael asked.

Yuugi nodded, hesitantly revealed his hand.  He'd been dealt a black jack hand from the start.  

“Sorry...unless you have 21 points too...you lose.”  He said.  

“Wow… You have good luck. Nice.” He put down his nineteen and grinned. “And the pool is yours.”

Yuugi tensed a bit as Raphael spoke. He relaxed as the man smiled though, inviting him to take the pile.

"Yeah...I guess I am a bit lucky..." He accepted the pile and put the cards back.

"Um...the rules say we can change dealers...if you want me to deal again I can though..." He said, not wanting to push Raphael into doing something he didn't want to.

“Hmmm… I guess I’ll deal now. It doesn’t matter to me, really,” Raphael said, shuffling the deck. “Hopefully I’ll do better this time"

Yuugi nodded, letting Raphael take over. He waited for the dealing to begin when Masumi began to fuss a bit. She wanted some attention and food, since she hadn't eaten as much yesterday as she was used to.

“Oh, you want more?” Raphael dealt the cards up and picked the baby up, cradling her. “Ahh… she must be so hungry, baby Masumi~"

Yuugi glanced over when Raphael went to grab Masumi to feed her.

"Masumi? So that's her name....is she yours? She's cute..." Yuugi said. Masumi didn't look much like Raphael but she could have been adopted for all he knew.

“. . .” Raphael frowned as he picked up the bottle. “… I took her in yesterday when I took you in.” Now he was really concerned. However, he sat on the bed and just started feeding the girl with the bottle on the bedside table.

“Humour me for a moment, will you… Do you know your own name?”

Yuugi watched as Raphael fed her. He blinked.

"Yesterday? We came here together?" Yuugi repeated in surprise. This was news to him. He groaned as his head throbbed a bit. He really couldn't remember. And judging by Raphael's next question, he knew Yuugi was forgetting stuff.

"Yes...I remember things that happened longer ago...but not recently...."

“… Can you tell me it? I mean… if you don’t recognise your own sister, I’m not sure what is the truth anymore,” Raphael said, frowning some more

Yuugi nodded.

"Sure...wait, my sister? I...I don't have one...or...at least I don't remember getting one..." Yuugi said, getting up to take a look at Masumi again and see if he could remember her, but he got a headache from trying.

"Ugh...I don't remember her...it hurts my head to think about it..." Yuugi said, holding his head.

"...but I do know my name. It's Yuugi. Mutou Yuugi."

“Yuugi… Well, I’m Raphael, if you don’t remember.” He showed the girl as he fed her. “It’s nice to meet you, Yuugi."

Yuugi smiled a bit.

"I remember you introduced yourself at breakfast. It's nice to meet you too..." He said, pleased that he recalled it right. He smiled down at Masumi, who continued drinking but watched Yuugi as he approached.

"She seems to know me at least..." He murmured. He looked up at Raphael.

"You said you took us in together...but I don't remember that. Not to sound rude but...why are we here with you? Did...I rent a room from you or something?" Yuugi asked tentatively. Maybe Raphael was a landlord?

“… I adopted you, Yuugi. You were quite insistent of me adopting you last night.” Raphael said, his frown lightening up. “I never had one of Martha’s orphans demand me to take you all in before… but I did, and I’m going to take responsibility, since you wanted it so bad."

Yuugi blinked in surprise.  Adopted?  But...he wasn't a little kid...he didn't really need someone to look after him.  Or...did he?  Yuugi frowned.  He couldn't remember being adopted.  He couldn't remember going to an orphanage or meeting anyone called 'Martha'.  Maybe...he did need help...

“I don't remember that either but...okay.  I can stay with you..but I'm not a little kid, so you don't have to go out of your way to do stuff for me!  I can help...help around the house maybe?  I did that for Jii-san before...clean, cook...that sort of thing...”  Yuugi said.

“… Alright. But I’m going to insist on getting you a doctor, okay? Because you need it.” The man said, smiling at him. “But alright…. Yuugi.”

Yuugi felt a bit uneasy at the mention of a doctor, and his head throbbed a bit as if in protest.  He groaned and clutched his head a bit.

“...Yeah...I probably do...but I'd hate to...bother you with it...if it's too much for you to afford...”  Yuugi said, looking down.  Doctors were expensive, that he knew...and who knew what sort of treatment Yuugi might need?  Or tests?  Brain things were serious, Yuugi knew...hopefully it would be nothing, but he had a feeling this was bad...just the thought made his head protest more.  He sat down, rubbing his temples trying to soothe the pain.  

“I’m not sure if you’ve noticed the mansion yet, Yuugi, but I think I can afford it.” He teased, but his expression became serious. “Besides, I want to help you. It’s why I took you and Masumi in the first place. You need help, and I want to help."

“Oh...yeah, I guess...”  Yuugi said, smiling a bit in return.  

“...Thank you, Raphael.”  He said, deciding he could trust this man, despite the warning bells going off in his head.  People had offered to be his friend before, but they had mostly turned out to have ulterior motives in the end...but maybe Raphael was genuine.  He hadn't done anything to worry Yuugi or harm him...he seemed like a nice person.  

“Shall we continue? Or did you not want to play? You don’t look too well,” he said, seeing the boy rub his temples. “Do you need some panadol or something?"

Yuugi groaned a bit as his headache got worse.

“...Maybe I should just...rest...a bit...”  Yuugi said, feeling suddenly exhausted and a little dizzy.  It was strange, considering he hadn't felt tired earlier.  

“...My head is throbbing...it won't stop...”  Yuugi managed to murmur between tiny whimpers of pain.

“I’ll get you water and let you rest. I’ll call a doctor. Go lie down.” Raphael put Masumi down and went to help Yuugi up. “Take it easy, okay?"

Yuugi shook a bit with the pain, accepting the help from Raphael, considering he didn't feel too steady on his feet at the moment.

“O-okay...”  He managed, nearly collapsing right there as particularly sharp pain shot through his head.

“Hey… easy…” He held him properly and helped him up. Then, Raphael let him lie on the bed, thankful they had been playing in Yuugi’s room.

“Go rest. I’ll call one over now. They’ll be here within an hour."

Yuugi let himself be lifted, his world spinning a bit as it happened.  He managed to weakly murmur an affirmative noise before passing out on the bed, world vanishing into darkness.  Yami could barely open his eyes once he finally managed to regain control.  He couldn't let himself be seen by doctors...he just couldn't!  He laid there for a moment to recover his strength while Raphael was in the room, but as soon as he left to make the phone call, Yami forced himself up.  He stumbled out into the hallway and went straight to the nearest bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him before lying down on the floor.

“There...”  He said.  The door was not unlockable from the outside.  If he was found, Yami would tell Raphael that he'd felt nauseous and must've passed out shortly after.  

Raphael’s call was quick, and soon he was heading back. However, when he arrived back, he was surprised and confused to see Yuugi missing. Concerned, the man picked up Masumi.

“Come on, let’s find… your brother.” Raphael said, though he had doubts. He headed off to the kitchen and living room to look for the boy.

“Yuugi? Are you okay?” he called out, approaching the bathroom.

Yami stayed very still, listening to Raphael call for him.  Dammit why did Yuugi have to give out his name?  That was dangerous...but Yami felt a little too weak to do much about it.  He pressed his back against the door, prepared to brace it shut if he had to, even though it was locked.  He closed his eyes and silently prayed that Raphael would just pass this room by.  

The bathroom door was closed, and Raphael was about to pass it when he remembered he had left it open for Yuugi to find easily. Frowning, he went up and tested the handle.

“Yuugi? Are you okay?"

Yami stayed inside, quiet until he heard Raphael call him. What should he do? Should he wait...or should he answer?

"...I'm scared. I don't wanna see a doctor..." Yami managed to say at last, curling up on himself and staying against the door.

“. . . Hey… We can talk about it.” Raphael said, standing there. “What’s wrong? Why don’t you like doctors? Let’s talk about it…”

Yami stayed in the washroom.

"...The last time...I went to the doctor...Jii-san died..." Yami murmured. That was technically true, except it had been a hospital and Yami had not been traumatized at all by the experience. He nor Yuugi were afraid of hospitals or doctors, since they were both old enough to know it wasn't their fault Jii-san had died. But a little 10 year old might not know that, Yami reasoned.

“… Do you know what he died of?” He asked gently, reasoning the same thoughts that Yami wanted him to think, “Because I’ll be there, Yuugi. I will make sure no one dies."

“...No...I don't remember anymore...”  Yami said, lying again.  He knew Jii-san had died from illness that had come with his old age.  A younger person probably would've recovered with the same illness, but Soloman had been old and tired.  He hadn't managed to live through it.  

“You don't know that!  I was there last time and Jii-san still died...and all the doctors were there, and Jii-san still died!”  Yami cried, still playing on the innocent ten year old who didn't know any better like he knew Raphael was buying.

“I do… Because you’re young and healthy. The doctors want to make sure you stay that way. Can’t you trust me like before, Yuugi?” Rapael asked softly,

Yami frowned.

“If I was healthy, I wouldn't have memory loss and headaches all the time...”  He reasoned.  He shook his head stubbornly before remembering that Raphael couldn't see it.

“...I can't trust doctors...”  He said at last.  He could trust Raphael to take him to a doctor, sure, but that was not where Yami wanted to go.  He could feel more headaches coming on as Yuugi seemed to protest.  Yuugi wanted to go, but Yami couldn't let him.  

“You’re physically healthy, Yuugi… but you’re right, and that’s why I want to get you some help.” He said, being still gentle but firm. “I’m worried about these, and even if you don’t trust them, can’t you see one? Just once to make sure? I want to make sure you’re okay"

“No...no, I can't.  I don't wanna go to the hospital...”  Yami managed to grit out as the headaches returned.  Yuugi wanted to go, but he couldn't let him.  He couldn't let Yuugi take over again...Yami's control was slipping, and if Yuugi took over, he'd go to the hospital with Raphael and probably get arrested.  Yami had to do something.  He got up and went straight to the medicine cabinet.  He squinted to read the labels as his head spun and ached as Yuugi tried to force himself back into control again.  Yami locked onto a bunch of over the counter sleeping aids and immediately pulled all the bottles out, not caring if he had made a noise at the moment.  He had to put himself and Yuugi to sleep with these.  

“We’re not going to the hospital, Yuugi, we just have to let you see a doctor, that’s all. He and come to the house, we’d discuss it and then only go if you need it.” He frowned.

“… Yuugi?” He heard the bottles and he knocked on the door. “Yuugi? Are you okay? What are you doing in there?"

Yami placed all the bottles of both liquid and pill form medications that caused drowsiness or sleeping aids on the counter and began to mix them a little.  He didn't want to kill himself, but he had to make the effects happen faster than normal.  So it was a delicate procedure.  He made retching noises to fool Raphael into thinking he was sick.  

“...I don't...feel...good...”  Yami managed to say, smirking to himself as he figured out the dosage he'd need.  He began putting the pill bottles back in their places, wanting Raphael to think he had passed out instead of artificially sleeping.  He turned on the sink, downing the small handful of pills with a shakey hand and leaning over the tap to drink a bit of water to help him swallow.  

“Yuugi? Yuugi!” Raphael began banging the door a bit more urgently. “Come on Yuugi… stay with me. Open the door… Yuugi! Yuugi!”

Yami managed to flush the toilet, hiding the 'evidence' that he'd been sick...but he was already feeling drowsy.  It wouldn't be long until he passed out, and he'd be out for awhile...sleeping through the doctor's visit was probably best.  There were only so many tests one could do on a sleeping person after all.  Using the wall as an assist, Yami managed to stumble to the door.  He slid to his knees so that when he finally fell, he would be less likely to hurt himself.  He turned the bolt, unlocking the door, and groaned.  

“I'm...dizzy...”  He managed, and this was true, except Yami knew exactly what was going on.  He lay down on the floor and waited to pass out.

“Yuugi!” Masumi burst into tears as Raphael yelled and the man rushed for his cellphone. He dialled an ambulance. “119, what’s your emergency?” “Hello? Sir? I need an ambulance. My 10 year old is has passed out. I need help, please. "

Yami frowned as he registered that Raphael was making a phone call.  He grabbed Raphael's free wrist weakly from where he lay next to him.

“...no hospital...please...”  Yami begged, pulling out Yuugi's adorable puppy dog eyes as best he could while he was mostly unconscious.  He wouldn't last much longer.

“Shhh… It’s okay. Stay with me, Yuugi… Come on.” Raphael said, trying to elevate the boy while Masumi cried, doing his best to stay calm while the child was distressed.

Yami let himself be elevated, reaching up a little further now that he was closer to the phone.  He managed to wrap his fingers around it and pressed the red button to end the call.

“No...hospital...”  He repeated, leaning his head on Raphael's shoulder.  His other hand went over to Masumi, and he did his best to make his fingers dance around her cheeks, which caught her attention and made her calm her cries slightly.  Yami had done that trick before, and it had worked.  He wanted quiet.

“I'm okay...just...tired...”  

“Shh… Okay, no hospital,” Raphael said, knowing that he had already given his details when he was opening the door. They would be over soon enough, or calling him back. “Go sleep… I’ll wake you up and make sure you’re okay..."

“...Okay.”  Yami said, though he knew that it was possible Raphael would do something while he was sleeping.  

“...call me...Atemu...it's my other name...I like it...better...”  Yami managed to say, before finally falling asleep, leaning on Raphael's shoulder.  If Raphael called him 'Mutou Yuugi', then he'd be more likely to be caught.

“. . .” Raphael wasn’t sure what to think, but he knew that something was really, really wrong. Yuugi hadn’t said that, yet he introduced himself as Atemu. He sighed as he picked the boy up and carried him and Masumi in his big strong arms.

“Guess I owe him lunch…” He muttered, as he began texting his work to take advantage of his wealth and contact the police.

Masumi cooed a little, having been calmed down by Yami.  And now that Raphael seemed calmer, she was also calm.  Yami didn't even stir as he was tucked in by Raphael.  His breathing and heart-rate were normal and he was relaxed as he slept.  When he woke up, he could officially get this job over with.

-x-

The police had been extremely busy for the last few days.  They had been searching high and low for Masumi, the missing baby, and Mutou Yuugi, their suspect in the CEO murders, and coming up short on both.  They had also been dealing with Koutei, who seemed to be going through drug withdrawal that only got worse as time went by.  They had finally got the test result back.

“We got trace amounts of a drug that could have been Devil's Breath...and a few other mixes included.  But, given that he's going through withdrawal, that's not a surprise.  But the Devil's Breath could explain his lack of memory.”  Droite said.  

“It explains actually most things. No memory, lack of control of himself, no inhibition… There’s a lot that can be determined by the use of that drug.” Ukyou said.

“But he can’t get away scot free, right? I mean… bastard… He stole a child…” Gauche grumbled.

“Of course not.  Regardless of the influence of drugs, he committed the crimes.  However, it will likely mean that he'll be sent to the Correctional Facility instead of prison.  We still don't know who gave him these drugs...if he can recover his memory through rehabilitation, maybe we can catch the dealers.”  Droite reasoned.  Mai smirked.

“We do know one guy who bought Devil's Breath, hun...Mutou Yuugi.  That part could've been him at least.  I think he does know who Yuugi is, considering his reactions to my interrogation.  Perhaps when we catch Yuugi, we'll get more answers on Koutei.”  Mai said.

“That’s true. Even if it wasn’t Mutou, it’s a damned good lead. We should go interrogate him,” Ukyou said. “We need to go easy on him though. Droite, you and Mai have to go in.  Mai knows what to ask about Yuugi, and you’re the most level headed."

Droite cringed a little at the idea of being paired with Mai.  Mai however, looked overjoyed.

“You got it chief.  Let's go get him into the interrogation room, hun.  Gauche, you can come with us for that...he is a boxer.  Don't want him trying to escape.”  Mai said with a smile.

“Yes, ma’am,” He smiled, heading out. Droite rubbed her temples and headed the the interrogation room, waiting for Gauche.

Koutei was in his cell, wide eyed and awake. He looked awful, but he felt worse, and he constantly was scratching is once-perfect skin, feeling like he was missing something...

Gauche approached the cell, spotting the man who was looking more and more like a drug addict each passing day.  He felt a little bad for his rough treatment that he'd given him before, but he knew that this man had strength and skill in his form, no matter how weak he was.  Boxers could still fight and move, making them difficult to handle even if they lacked the muscle to land hard blows.  

“Hey, Koutei, get up.  We've got a few more questions to ask you.”  He told the man as he opened the door.

“I… I told you everything I know already,” He muttered, digging his nails into his creamy skin, scabs beginning to bleed as he opened more wounds. “Just… I didn’t… I didn’t do any of those things. How many times do I have to say that?” Koutei asked, defiantly looking away, feeling dizzy with the sudden movement.

“Hey, don't scratch yourself like that...you're hurting yourself.”  Gauche said with a frown.  He sighed.

“Well, it's not so much questions for you as it is us giving you news.  It's important, so get up.”  He approached the man, ready to help him if he needed.

“Then let me go home. I can shower or whatever…” Koutei muttered, closing his eyes, shaking a little bit. However, he stood up and limped over to Gauche, nearly collapsing in the big’s man arms.

“We'll get you cleaned up soon.”  Gauche promised.  He caught the man when he stumbled, helping him make his way to the interrogation room.  They entered, meeting with Mai and Droite, who were sitting side by side on one side of the table.  Gauche guided Koutei to the opposite seat and stood by the door, just in case he needed something.  

“Good morning, Koutei.  Nice to see you again.  You remember who I am, I presume?  We spoke before.  And you recall my partner here, don't you?”  Mai said, motioning to Droite.  These questions were meant to test Koutei's memory to ensure that he was still coherent enough.

Koutei walked like a drunk man and was already tired by the time he was seated. He looked up at the two beautiful women and he nodded, fighting the urge to curse at Mai in particular.

“I know who you are… Are you going to let me go or just more… news of whatever you all think I did?"

“We have news, Koutei.  You remember how we tested your blood for any drugs?”  Mai said.

“We have the results back...and we have determined that you were given a drug called Devil's Breath.  It has the capability to erase a user's free will and memory.  That is why you don't remember any of what we've accused you of.”  Droite explained.

“… So… You’re… You’re saying I was drugged? So… So what does that mean?” Koutei frowned, trying to think.

"It means several things. The first is that you are not fully responsible for the crimes committed. Someone gave you the drug and someone asked you to do things. Whoever that person is also holds partial blame." Droite said. She sighed.

"Unfortunately, we have nothing that really ties you to the dealer. We have a suspect but until he is caught we have nothing to go by." Droite said. Mai pulled out the picture of Yuugi and showed it to Koutei.

"This is our suspect, but you claim to not know him. Have you remembered something since we talked last?" She asked.

“I… I…” Koutei looked down at the photo and frowned. He racked his brain, knowing the man was familiar, but the last order he had made everything difficult. The man closed his eyes, shivering as he scratched harder. “I don’t… know..."

Mai nodded.

"Seeing as you don't remember...we have a solution. Your memories aren't gone, just suppressed. With correct rehabilitation, you'll get them back. So, your sentence for the crimes will likely be the Correctional Facility, where they will work with you to recover your memory and get over your addiction to the drugs you were given." Mai said. Droite nodded.

"Your memories are important...whoever gave you that drug must be stopped, or else more people will do horrible things under its influence."

“Correctional? I’m… I What? I told you! I… I couldn’t have done any of that! Even without my memory I… I wouldn’t have hurt Alit or Masumi!” The man insisted, shaking his head. This couldn’t be real. This was just a bad dream. He wanted to throw up…

"Even if you hadn't done the crimes, you do need help, Koutei." Mai said calmly.

"You've been scratching your arms raw...your symptoms are all corresponded to drug withdrawal. The drugs you were given were powerful, and you need help to get off them safely without resorting to self destructive methods, like scratching your arms to bits." Droite said calmly.

"You shouldn't worry about your friend by the way...he woke up a few days ago. He's expected to make a full recovery in time." Droite added gently in an attempt to comfort Koutei.

“I’m fine…” The man muttered under his breath, staring straight at his scars but denying them. Now in better light, Mai could see how nice Koutei’s skin had been, and now how red and bloody it seemed. At all hours of the day, Koutei scratched, making him look like he was painted pink instead of soft and tanned. She had seen many cases before, and seeing Koutei like this showed he wasn’t just a one off victim of Devil’s Breath, he had been hooked on Yami’s brand of cocktails.

“But… Alit? Alit is okay? Really? I… I need to see him! He’ll understand! I didn’t do anything!” He exclaimed, trying to sit up. Gauche was behind him in an instant, ready to push Koutei back down if he tried to get up and move.

"Koutei, I'm sorry but you won't be able to see him yet. He's in intensive care and only family are allowed to visit him. Since you're not a relative, you won't be allowed in." Mai said, trying to calm him down.

"Gauche and I went to speak to him...he's very tired as it is, and couldn't talk long.  But...he confirmed what evidence has told us already. He says that you were the one who attacked him, and took their baby. We know that you don't remember it, but we have two eyewitness accounts from the two victims against you. I'm sorry." Droite said.

“I… No… I… I wouldn’t…” Koutei sat back down, shaking. “Alit… He…I wouldn’t."

Droite sighed.

“I'm sorry Koutei.  He'll be allowed to visit you at the Correctional Facility.”  She told him.

“… If he wants to see me… He will… I mean…” He sighed and closed his eyes. “… Can we… Just go? Send me back already."

“Alright.  But first, let us bandage your arms.  We don't want you to hurt yourself.”  Droite said.  

“I just want to go back and go shower...that’s all…” He muttered,scratching his arms anyway.  

“Alright.  Gauche will get you into a shower, and then we'll bandage your arms.  If you can't stop scratching, we'll handcuff you.”  Droite warned.  Gauche helped Koutei get up.

“Come on.  Let's get you cleaned up.”  Gauche said.

“. . .” Koutei scowled and he stood up, though his expression was weak and he looked more like he wanted to cry. He slouched against Gauche, the blonde wanting to vomit.

“You’d think he was abused here instead of doing this to himself,” Mai muttered.

Gauche let the man lean on him, supporting him as best he could as they headed to the small showers that the police station had.  He was thinking along the same lines as Mai.

“Drug addicts are always the hardest kind of criminal to deal with...they always fall to pieces without their doses.”  Droite murmured.

“I know, I’ve seen it all before, honey. I’m just saying…” She muttered.

Gauche let Koutei into the shower stall, which had a door on for relative privacy (or as much as an inmate would be allotted).

“I've got a fresh uniform for you...you can go into the shower cell here and get yourself cleaned up.  Take your time.”  Gauche said, showing him.

“Right…” He muttered, peeling off his sweaty shirt. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples before he entered the shower. Koutei winced at the cold water, shocking his nerves awake and making his open sores ache.

“Am I going to the facility after this?” He asked.

“We've made arrangements for you to go there soon, yes.  We want to help you out as soon as we can.”  Gauche said.

“. . .” Koutei frowned and shook his head, He didn’t want to go but he had no choice. He scratched his skin again, wishing that he understood what had happened and wondering how he got to this point in his life.

Gauche frowned. "I hear you scratching in there...knock it off." Gauche called. He had gotten a first aid kit ready for when Koutei came out.

“What? You have sonic hearing? How do you hear it over the water?” Koutei muttered under his breath. However, he did stop now and he exited the shower, scruffing his blonde hair and then heading out.

Gauche hadn't really heard but he could guess as to what Koutei was doing since he'd seen this kind of behaviour before. He passed Koutei a towel and the new prison uniform that he'd be wearing until they reached the Correctional Facility.

"Get dried off and dressed, then we'll bandage your arms up and get you off to the Correctional Facility."

“Already?” He frowned, seeing the uniform. However, getting dressed beat being cold and he didn’t feel like being defiant, so Koutei got dressed in the uniform, staring at his scarred arms through the short sleeves.

"We want to start your treatment as soon as possible." Gauche said.

"Now lemme see your arms." He said with the kit.

“…” Koutei showed them, as if they weren’t already on display and grumbled quietly

Gauche sighed and gently began cleaning the wounds with rubbing alcohol and then bandaging them up.

"Try not to touch these...they could get infected if you keep picking at them."

“… Right.” Koutei glared at the bandages, as if they personally offended him. “I get it..."

"Good. Now, I've gotta put these on too for the move." He said, putting cuffs on Koutei.

"Let's head out to the car." He said.

Koutei nodded, not finding it in himself to argue. He was tired, angry, and frustrated, but he felt itchy and sore, like he was missing something, and he hated it.

Gauche led him out.

“We're ready to go, Ukyou.”  Gauche said.  Ukyou got up with Koutei's file, prepared to hand over all the drug results to the Correctional Facility so they could get working on necessary medications to help Koutei get over his withdrawal symptoms and hopefully recover his suppressed memories.

“Let's head out to the car then.”  Ukyou said.  Gauche led Koutei out, putting him in the back of the car, and then getting in the front with Ukyou to drive to the Correctional Facility.

Koutei sighed and closed his eyes. Here he was, being escorted in cuffs like a criminal. He had pushed away and hurt the only person he had ever loved, and he was.. tired. Tired of everything. He hoped he could recover soon, if at all. He was  scared… scared for a future he didn’t have. His mother would disown him once more, his career as a boxer was gone and friendships were ruined… nothing was left for him.

Ukyou drove them to the Correctional Facility largely in silence. Once they parked outside at the back entrance, he got out and Gauche joined him, letting Koutei out to bring him inside.

"Gauche, while you take Koutei in, I'll give these files to the psychologist. They'll need to know what sort of formulas our suspect dealt with. Mai told me she believes it was Mutou's cocktails." Ukyou said. Gauche nodded.

"Yes sir. Come on, Koutei. This way." He said, leading the man inside where other guards were waiting to get him set up.

Koutei sighed and followed along, not really having anything else to go by. At least the correctional facility looked welcoming enough, and it sounded a lot more… homely than his apartment had in a long time.

Miheal was in his office, sorting out the new influx of patients as he was now head of the department. The receptionist from the ground floor buzzed him. The man was surprised but he let the woman tell Ukyou where his office was, wondering where he remembered the superintendent’s name.

Koutei was waved briefly through a metal detector to ensure he had nothing on him, then led through the halls to the room he'd be staying in.  Like Vector's had been, it was a small cell with a toilet, a small sink, and a bed without much else.  However, the Correctional Facility had made improvements to the quality of the bedding, which would keep prisoners warmer at night, along with other things.

“Alright...this will be your room for the next little while.  Your sentence has not been officially decided, but we've brought you here early so you can begin your treatment.  We'll come and get you again when it's your trial date and then go from there.  These guards will look after you in the meantime, alright?”  Gauche explained.  

Ukyou knocked on the door once he found it, waiting for Miheal to answer patiently.

“Right…” Koutei looked around and went to sit down on the bed. He sighed. “. . . Thank you, Officer. I… do understand you’re trying to help… really.”

Miheal looked up and got up,opening the door. He looked at the man and smiled.

“Ah, good afternoon there, sir.”

Gauche smiled a bit as Koutei spoke.

“That's our job, Koutei.  If you remember anything you think is important, you can always ask to contact us, alright?  I'm sure Officer Ukyou will tell your psychologist that too.”  Gauche said.

Ukyou smiled, recognizing Miheal as one of Chris' brothers once he saw his face.  His name had seemed familiar.  

“Good afternoon to you as well.  I've come to give you a small briefing about a new inmate who just arrived here today...do you have a moment?  It's important.”  

“Right…” Koutei nodded and laid down. “Well… see you.”

It took a few moments for Miheal to recall his brother’s boyfriend, but when he did, he almost did a double take. Really? What a small world… his brother was into the superintendent of Heartland City.

“Yes, I have time. Come in. Take a seat,” He said.

“Take care.”  Gauche said, retreating and leaving the man alone to his thoughts.  The door closed, leaving Koutei alone in the cell with the guards outside.  After a few words to the guards about making sure Koutei didn't scratch his bandaged arms, Gauche headed back to the main lobby to wait for Ukyou to be done.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”  Ukyou said, smiling and taking a seat across from Miheal.  

“So, we just dropped off a prisoner here named Ouji Koutei...he's awaiting trial, but given his circumstances, we felt it was important that he begin treatment soon.”  Ukyou said, pulling out the file to show Miheal a picture and brief bio of Koutei.  

“He's been arrested for kidnapping and attempted murder.  We have physical evidence and eyewitness accounts from the victims that put him as the one who did it, but he claimed not to remember any of it when he was interrogated.  When we tested his blood a couple days ago, we found traces of a drug called Devil's Breath in his system...so we believe his memories have been suppressed.”  

“Ouji Kyouhei, also known as Koutei…” Miheal said, opening it up and skimming it through. He stopped scanning it though when he heard the name of the drug and raised his eyebrow. “Devil’s Breath… Wasn’t there someone on the news charged with buying  that?”

“Yes, that's right.  That person is named Mutou Yuugi, and he's currently our lead suspect in the murders of two CEOs.  However, we believe he was also partially responsible for Koutei's crimes as well.”  Ukyou said, pulling out the list of a few of Mutou's known cocktails to show Miheal.

“Mutou is known to be rather creative with drugs.  His cocktails are often highly hallucinogenic and lethal, but they're also so unique that they're distinct from any other drugs we've seen.  We believe that Koutei is suffering from withdrawal from long-term exposure to these types of drugs, which indicates he may have had contact with Mutou.  Considering the severity of the crimes that Mutou has committed, we thought it was best to get treatment for Koutei immediately to find out if he has anything in his suppressed memories that can help lead us to Mutou.”  

“Alright… I’ll see if one of my staff can work on him, and if not, I’ll look at this case myself.” Miheal said, looking at he file. “… It’s going to be difficult though."

"Thank you. I don't doubt that it'll be hard...I was going to talk to your brother as well to see if how his drug antidotes are coming. They might help." Ukyou said.

“Have you seen Ni… Have you seen Dr.Arclight since we last saw each other?” Miheal asked. “He may have had correspondence with some of his associates, as of a few weeks ago, he was already becoming one of the top authorities on Devil’s Breath, I hear.”

"No I haven't. I've been quite busy...we have a missing baby and a suspected mass murderer on the lose for me to deal with. I'll be sure to try and see him soon though. Thank you, Dr.Arclight, for letting me know." Ukyou said.

“I’ll talk to him myself after I look over this file. Hopefully, with any luck, we’ll be able to recover Koutei’s memory. But you need to be careful. If your mass murderer has Devil’s Breath and makes as potent mixtures as I’ve heard… well, hope to hell Dr. Arclights cure works.”

Ukyou smiled.

"That would be great. I'm sure you two can figure it out." Ukyou said. He nodded.

"We're aware of the danger...well be careful. I'm confident in Chris' ability though. I'm sure it'll all work out."

“We will. From what I’ve seen, Dr. Arclight has never thrown himself into a project as intensely as this one.” Miheal said, knowing in part what(or rather who) was attributing to it. “Best of luck, officer.”

"And to you as well, Dr. Arclight. I'll try and get in contact with your brother soon, and if Koutei remembers anything important, let me know alright?" Ukyou said.

“I will. Leave it to me, officer.” Miheal smiled. “I’ll see you later"

"See you later then." Ukyou agreed. He headed down to the lobby where Gauche was waiting.

"Koutei's been taken care of?"

“Yes, I’m ready to go. Koutei is all safe in his room… hopefully the guy will make some progress,” Gauche muttered.

“I hope so too.  He's in the right place to improve, that's for sure.”  Ukyou said with a nod.

“Let's head back to the station...you drive.  I have to make a quick phone call.”  Ukyou said, getting into the passenger's seat and pulling out his cell phone.  He dialled Chris' number and waited for the other to pick up the phone.

Chris was at home with Kaito, reading over Kaito’s daily report for his work and doing the spellchecks for him as the man himself was rambling something about politics- Sakaki Yuri is an utter bastard!- that Chris didn’t really care for. He was about to ask Kaito about his phrasing on one aspect when he got the call. He frowned, realising it was work.

“Hang on Kaito, it’s Ukyou.” The blonde immediately stopped, frowning and turning to Chris as he picked up. “Hello?"

Ukyou smiled a bit as Chris picked up.  

“Hello, Dr. Arclight.”  He said, using the formal title while Gauche was in the car mainly to maintain the business relations at the moment.  

“I'm sorry I haven't been in contact lately, but I was wondering how the antidotes are coming along, and if we could meet up sometime to discuss some new developments in the case.”

“Ah, hello Ukyou-san.” Chris said, not noticing Kaito glaring at him. “They’re going well. I was forced to take a day off by my assistant but I am about 80% sure I have the right formula. I’ll have to try it again, and do a few more tests, but as soon as I’m able to test on humans, I’ll let you know.”

"Alright that's great. I'm glad to hear it. When you do, let me know...we have some recent developments on the case that need those drugs as soon as possible. Do you have time for me to come talk to you about it? Id love to see the progress you've made as well." Ukyou said.

“Alright, I can come into the office if you’d like now. I’m not that busy.” Chris said. ‘Whatever you’d like,"

"Can I come see you somewhere? I'd hate to inconvenience you on your day off." Ukyou said.

“I’m at home actually, if you want to find me, but anywhere is fine. I’m just here with Kaito.” Chris said.

"Alright. I'll head over soon." Ukyou said. It might be good to get Kaito's advice too.

“Alright, I’ll see you then. Bye,” Chris smiled as he hung up. He looked at his phone for a moment before he looked up and raised an eyebrow, seeing Kaito staring at him. “What?”

"What did Ukyou want?" Kaito asked with a frown. He had wanted to see Astral today and needed to alert him if Ukyou was coming.

“He wanted to see me about the case, the one with the Devil’s Breath involved. Apparently they need the formula soon, since there have been developments. He’ll be over shortly… and I may need to go back to work if they’ve made it as far as they probably have,” Chris said, stifling a yawn. He had been working hard for a way to dull the senses against the powder, and he hadn’t been sleeping well, much to Kaito’s and his assistant’s chagrin.

Kaito sighed.  He did care about Chris, but in the aftermath of Haruto's death, he was often a little bit too tired to bother him about his lack of sleep.

"You need to rest...even if Ukyou comes, you shouldn't go to work." Kaito said.

“I know… but I can rest after. If I push through my work now, the safer it will be for all those officers.” Chris said

"It's no more dangerous...any idea why he's coming now? Did he give you any details?" Kaito asked.

“He just said he wanted to talk about it. They made developments, so he wanted to run things by me.” Chris shrugged. “Sorry."

Kaito nodded.

"Alright. If he comes, he comes." Kaito said. He frowned and motioned to Orbital to notify Astral. He couldn't show up with Ukyou coming over.

“Thank you, Kaito. Hopefully he won’t be here long.” Chris said, noticing the frown.

"Sure." Kaito said. He heard the doorbell go off not too long after. Ukyou had arrived, it seemed.

Chris smiled when he heard the door. “I’ll get it. Don’t worry. Give me a moment.” He said, heading up to answer the door.

Kaito waited at the table, Orbital close by in case he needed something.

“Did you contact him?”  Kaito asked Orbital softly as soon as he was sure Chris had left the room to answer the door.  

“Yes, Kaito-sama!”  Orbital chirped.  Kaito nodded and sat back, waiting for Ukyou and Chris to come back.

Ukyou smiled as Chris opened the door.

“Hello, Chris.  Thanks for seeing me on such short notice.”

Chris gave a small smile as he saw Ukyou and stepped aside.

“It’s not a problem. Like I said, I wasn’t busy. Come in,Ukyou. I hope you don’t mind but Kaito is inside,"

Ukyou smiled and came in.

“I'm glad...hello, Kaito.  How are you?”  Ukyou asked.  Kaito glanced in Ukyou's direction.

“Fine, I suppose.”  He said.  He had been feeling a bit better lately, since he'd been seeing a lot of Astral to help him deal with Haruto's death.

“Shall we? Do you mind discussing it with him? Or do we take it to the study?” Chris asked.

"I don't mind discussing things with Kaito as well. I would welcome his input and advice on this case, since it's gotten more severe recently." Ukyou said. Kaito nodded, preparing to listen. He wanted to know what had happened.

"You may have seen public bulletins out for Mutou Yuugi, but there's also been one about a missing baby. She was kidnapped from her own home and her father was stabbed. We have caught the culprit, only to find out that he was drugged and his memory erased by Devil's Breath. He's currently at the Correctional Facility, and I spoke to your brother about his rehabilitation." Ukyou said, speaking the last part to Chris.

"The worst part is that we believe that it was Mutou again, but this time, he seems to be using innocent people with no prior criminal records in his games. The general population is at risk now...we have no idea what he wanted with a baby, but it can't be good."

“A missing baby?” Chris frowned, not knowing about what happened to Masumi. He frowned and crossed his arms, waiting for Ukyou to finish. He made a mental note to talk to his brother and give him the physical diagnosis of the patient if he was able to.

“. . . Devil’s breath makes the victim susceptible to any command when inhaled, but it’s stopped easily by not sniffing it. Because only a small quantity is needed, it’s easy to trick people into having it. Ways to stop it when ingested are more… limited.” Chris frowned. “There should be no reason for Mutou to have a baby, I assume there was no ransom, so perhaps he’ll use it as a trap.” Chris asked, looking to Kaito for his thoughts.

"Yes, a baby. Her name was Barian Masumi. The assailant was a friend of the family, so it's possible that Mutou chose him specifically for this task. There's been no ransom note or demands at all. The baby has disappeared and because the assailant was influenced by Devil's Breath, he has no memory of what happened." Ukyou said. Kaito frowned as he listened.

"I know them..." He murmured. The drug Chris described sounded terrifying.

"Well, didn't you say Mutou mixes his own drugs? He could have fooled the man by giving him something else mixed with the drug." Kaito said.

"And as for the baby...I would think of how it relates to the known targets that Mutou has gone after...cause if it is a trap, it has to be a reasonable move. We're just not seeing the whole picture."

“The Barians… oh, that’s right. They visited a lot when you were in hospital.” Chris frowned.

“… How it relates? As far as we know, the family hasn’t had any connection to the deceased CEOs. In addition that, this is the first time we’ve had any report of this,” Ukyou frowned at his former senior officer.

Kaito nodded.  He remembered how nice Kotori had been to him while he and Haruto were sick, giving them food and company.  He remembered how Ponta would come over to play, and Alit would come with him.  He also recalled Gilag being a nice enough guy as well, always coming to pick up a reluctant to leave Ponta.  He was upset that they had been a target this way.  Surely they were all worried sick about their new baby.  

“Maybe it's not about the family then...because after all, the baby isn't able to tell anyone where she came from.  If Mutou took the baby...maybe he's using her like a prop.  Something to help him get close enough to someone to hurt them.  His style of murder so far has been up close and personal.”  Kaito reasoned.  

“A prop?” Ukyou couldn’t hide his disgust, even though Chris could. “That’s… certainly very possible. We can’t confirm that though, especially since we have no leads. That’s just a theory, Kaito.” He said.

“Obomi, can you get me some coffee?” Chris asked, rubbing his temples.

“No, I’m sorry. I can’t.” Obomi said, making herself known to Ukyou would hadn’t noticed her. Chris raised his eyebrow, confused why the robot wasn’t listening, not knowing that Astral was observing through Obomi out of curiosity.

“It was a suggestion.  I don't know.  But surely someone as smart and sneaky as Mutou has a more calculated reason for taking a baby like that.”  Kaito said.  He glanced at Obomi, immediately recognizing what was going on.  He had felt like he was being watched for awhile, and now he knew why.

“I'll look at her later.  Orbital, get some coffee for Chris.  Ukyou, do you want some?”  Kaito asked.  

Astral was horrified by what he was hearing.  Mutou had captured a baby from the family of Yuuma's friends?  Astral hadn't met the baby personally, but he had met the family many times.  

“Why would he do this...”  Astral whispered to himself.  Yami was a very calm and collected guy...he agreed with Kaito that this must have been a calculated move.  But what was he after?  Astral spared a glanced down the hall.  Yami's room had been closed for the past couple days.  If he was home, Yami hadn't made his presence known to Astral.   He'd have to ask around and see if anyone had seen him.  They should probably have a talk about this.

“Coffee sounds great, actually,” Ukyou said. “I’ll have whatever Chris is having.” He frowned though, getting back on topic. “It would make him obvious. A baby isn’t necessarily something easy to carry around. He’d need a safe zone.”

“So somewhere people wouldn’t notice some man carrying a kid that looks nothing like them,” Chris frowned.

Orbital chirped an affirmative and went to prepare the two cups of coffee for Chris and Ukyou, bringing them back and offering them to the two men.  Kaito was internally fuming.  He knew the truth...Astral knew the truth...he glanced at Obomi.  The robot approached him, printing a small message to Kaito in braille on a slip of paper while the two other men were too preoccupied by their coffee and discussion.

'he has not been here in almost three days' it said.  Kaito swallowed a bit.  That wasn't good...Mutou was on the move.  But, on the other hand, it gave him an opening.

“As an escaped fugitive, he probably does have a safe house...and if he does, someone must know where it is.  I could discuss with a few of my old contacts, if you want, Ukyou.”  Kaito offered.

Neither men noticed Obomi and looked at Kaito only when he spoke again. Ukyou frowned and nodded.

“If you could, that would be wonderful. Or at least give them to me. We need all the help we can get before Mutou does something.”

“He has been very quiet despite the hype from the news” Chris muttered

Kaito felt another message slip into his hand.

'i'll be over once they leave' came the new message.  Kaito gave a small smirk as he read it.  Now Astral would be out of danger and they could talk face to face about what was happening.  One of the bonuses of being blind was that neither Chris nor Ukyou knew he was reading anything, since he never had to look down.  And even if they did get the paper, he was the only one who could read braille.

“I'll try talking to them first.  They'll have to be willing to trust someone other than me before I can pass any over.”  Kaito said smoothly.  

“We should stay alert...he could be planning something for when the hype is over.  You said you were about 80% done with a cure, Chris...how much longer do you think it'll be until it's ready?”  Kaito asked.

Ukyou accepted that and Chris nodded, taking his research notes he had prepared out. “Well, like I said, I’m at the human testing stages. It’s been successful with animals, and the ethics society may be after my head, but I just need a couple of days more. I can make a lot of progress in a short time.” Provided he had coffee and didn’t sleep.

"Alright. That sounds good but don't kill yourself over this." Kaito said. Ukyou nodded.

"We appreciate your work." Ukyou said with a smile.

“I won’t take it that far,” Chris said, being as hypocritical as ever. He smiled warmly back at Ukyou before he mentally scolded himself. Lives were at risk. He could focus on such soft feelings later.

Ukyou smiled back. If Kaito could see them he'd probably roll his eyes.

"Anyways we'll be in touch...I should head back to the station. Well keep an eye out for Mutou."

“Ah… yes. And I’ll drop by the office to see how my assistants are doing.” Chris said, picking his cup and finishing his coffee off quickly. “I’ll see you out, Ukyou. Thank you for coming over.”

"No problem. I'm glad you were able to see me." Ukyou said with a smile. He headed out.

"What now, Chris? You should rest. Sounds like you have a lot of work."

“Which is why I should go soon. Don’t worry. I just had coffee. I’ll rest later,” the man replied.

Kaito sighed, pretending to be disappointed.

"Alright...just don't work too hard."

“I’ll be back before dinner, alright? Then I’ll finish the report,” he said to his friend, not realising a thing now his mind was on work. “I’ll see you later, Kaito.” And then Chris was off too.

Kaito nodded.

“Sure.  See you later.”  He said.  He saw Obomi printing another message.

'ill be there soon' it said.  Kaito smiled openly now that Chris was gone.  

Meanwhile, Astral left the building.  He had asked Yuuto and a few others if they'd seen Yami, and no one had.  Astral had even tried knocking on his door, but no one had answered, confirming that Yami wasn't in.  Astral put up his hood and hopped onto the bus to Kaito's.  About 15 minutes later, he rang the bell.

Obomi answered the door. Her face flipped from her normal face to her happy one.

“Kaito-san is in the dining room!” She announced, before rolling aside.

“Thanks for coming...Astral.”

Astral smiled back at the robot and entered.  He smiled at Kaito as well, coming to sit next to him and giving him a small hello kiss on the cheek.

“It was not a problem...I apologize for hacking Obomi, but when Orbital told me that the police were talking, I was curious.”  Astral said.

Kaito smiled at the greeting and then let himself get serious.

“That’s fine. Did you hear everything? I owe it to the Barians to help find their kid…” Kaito muttered, remembering when Kotori and Ponta visited Haruto and the lady Barian visiting him in turn.

“Yes, I did.  Yami has gone too far.  The Barians are nice people, none of them deserved to have their child kidnapped like this.”  Astral said with a frown.  He sighed.

“Unfortunately, I do not know where Yami is, or if he even had the baby.  Nobody at the house has seen him in three days...he is most certainly not in his room.  It was locked, and no amount of knocking provoked any kind of response.”  Astral said.

"It is unusual for him to be gone that long...I believe he's gone after another target already.  He could be using the hype of the missing baby to distract the media and the police from his own actions.”

“So he’s after another of his targets… If we follow the pattern, it narrows it down to Jean-Michel Roger, Raphael Doma and Reiji Akaba. They’re the big corporates in the area, although the other two are based mostly in Neo Domino City.” Kaito frowned. “It’s likely he went after Rapahel… But with a baby? That’s unlike-“

Kaito stopped and his frown deepened. “…Hmmm… I wonder..."

Astral nodded.

“He could go after Kaiba Seto as well...Kaiba Corporation has a headquarters here.”  Astral mused.  He frowned when Kaito did.

“What are you thinking?”  He asked.

“Kaiba… I almost forgot about him. His company has been under in Heartland City for a while now.” Kaito muttered under his breath. The Kaiba Corporation had been suffering before the competitors had been getting off… now their stocks seemed marginally better, if Orbital was to be believed.

“… Raphael is involved with a lot of charity events, mostly raising money for underprivileged children. I wonder…. If stealing the baby isn’t to throw us off, it’s directly part of the plan.” Kaito knew it was a wild idea, but his gut feeling was telling him to call Ukyou now.

Astral nodded.

“It wasn't born here...so it has had to work a bit to catch up.”  Astral agreed.  His eyes widened.

“...I see what you're saying...and it would fit with Yami's personality.  He likes playing his games in person...so perhaps he used the baby to get close to Raphael, pretending to be a person who needed help with the child.”  Astral bit his lip.

“...But he has been gone for three days...we may already be too late to save Raphael if that is the case...”

“I’ll tip Ukyou off about Raphael. With any luck, he’s not dead yet.” Kaito muttered.

Astral nodded.

"At the very least...maybe the baby will be there and we can save her as well." He agreed.

"You should wait at least half an hour...and leave the house to make the call. That way, Ukyou will believe you when you say a source tipped you off that Mutou was on the move."

“Alright… Half an hour. Then I’ll tell him to check on Raphael.” Kaito sighed. “Ugh…”

Astral nodded.

“I hope it all works out...”  He said softly, holding Kaito's hand.

“I know…” He sighed. “No, I don’t know, anymore."

Astral leaned against Kaito reassuringly, wishing he could prove Kaito wrong this time. But the odds were against them...there was nothing to do but try it and see how things went.

[pyrachan]

Fear/Huntshipping Police AU Part 24

Happy Early Birthday Rose. I’m gonna rip your soul out, you ass

Part 23: [x]

—–

Haruto had spent a bit of time working on the message he was going to leave his brother, and contemplating how much time he had left.  Like Vector, he had done a little bucket list in his head, but it was much more restrictive because he knew he couldn't really leave the hospital at the moment.  One of the things he decided he wanted to do was to spend time with his friends and family, and that included Hope Ray.  He knew the criminal had been weary about visiting the hospital, but he still wanted to see him.  Haruto decided he would ask his brother.

“Nii-san...do you have a way to contact your boyfriend?”  He asked suddenly.

Kaito looked up at his brother and frowned. “… Why do you ask, Haruto? Did you want me to contact him?’

“I just wanted to see him again...can you call him and ask him to come here?”  Haruto asked.

“… I suppose I can try. He may not be able to though. You know how things are.” Kaito said, already feeling bad about his brother’s request.

“Thanks Nii-san.”  Haruto said, sitting back and letting his brother call Hope.

Kaito speed dialled the number but then he passed the phone to Haruto. “He’d understand better if it was you.”

Haruto accepted the phone with a smile.  Astral picked up the phone, recognizing Kaito's number.

“Hello, Kaito?”  He asked, already retreating to his room where he could have relative privacy.

“Wrong brother. Hi Hope! I mean… Kibou.” Haruto smiled, glad to hear the familiar voice.

“Haruto, hello.  It's good to hear from you...how are you doing?”  Astral asked, surprised but happy.

“I’m alright…” Haruto said, smiling at his brother, “I’m still really sick though, so I’m wondering when I could see you again."

“I see...well, are you in hospital still?”  Astral asked.  He knew that Haruto was sick...and it did make sense to come see him.

“Yeah… I’m very sick. I don’t think I’ll leave the hospital for a while. I know you don’t want to come here, but I miss you."

“...Alright, Haruto.  I'll see what I can do...when should I come?”  He asked.

“As soon as you can!” Haruto said

“Alright...I'll come over right away then.  Is Kaito with you as well?”  Astral asked.

“Yeah, he is. You can see him too,” Haruto smiled

“Okay.  Then I will come over and see you both.  Tell Kaito I am on my way.  See you soon.”  Astral said, hanging up and looking for a suitable disguise, just in case.  It never hurt to be cautious.  Then he set out to catch the bus to the hospital.

Haruto grinned and hung up. “Kibou is on his way now.”

“… what? You convinced him to come?" Kaito asked

“Yeah...he said he would come.”  Haruto said happily.  He was glad. It would be good to see Hope Ray again.  He lay back and waited for his brother's boyfriend to arrive.

About fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door.  Astral had arrived, wearing a hat to cover most of his hair and baggier clothes that hid his relatively tell-tale figure.  He didn't want to be recognized.  

“Haruto?  Kaito?  It's me.”  Astral said.

“I know. I can hear your voice.” Kaito said, looking towards him. “How does he look, Haruto?” Kaito asked, able to hear his brother’s small giggles.

Astral walked in, not surprised that Haruto started laughing.  He didn't really feel too embarrassed and merely smiled a bit.  

“Nii-san...he's...his disguise is just...baggy clothes and a hat!  It's funny!”  Haruto laughed.  Astral smiled.

“Apologies.  I wanted to be cautious is all.”  He said, going over to sit next to Kaito by Haruto's bed.  He took Kaito's hand to let him know he was there.

“How baggy are said clothes?” Kaito asked, smirking away. He looked at his boyfriend and squeezed his hand back. “Happy now, Haruto?"

“Pretty baggy.”  Haruto giggled.  Astral smiled.  

“Maybe this will help you feel it.”  He said, gently leaning against Kaito, allowing him to wrap his arms around his upper body if he wished and get a feel for his clothes.  Haruto grinned.

“Much better!  It's nice to see you again, Kibou!  I've missed you.”  

Kaito was a bit embarrassed but seeing as he hadn’t touched Astral in so long, he pinched the material and hugged his partner.

“I missed you as well."

Astral himself was not usually one for physical contact, but he found himself longing for Kaito's warmth these days.  He smiled as Kaito hugged him.  Haruto's smile was even wider as he watched his brother and his boyfriend cuddling.  He liked it when those two were happy after all!  

“How have you been, Kibou?  Anything new happening with you?”  Haruto asked.  Astral smiled.

“Well, not particularly...I think the biggest change is Yuuma calling me up more often to talk about wedding preparations.  He wanted me to be his best man.”  Astral said.  Haruto grinned.

“That's great!  You two are best friends after all, so you're the natural pick!”

Kaito didn’t want to do it too much, since he knew Haruto was too fragile to do the same with him or Ponta. However, there was a small smile, and he gave a light chuckle.

“Yes… we were invited to the wedding as well. I might have to pass though.” Because of Haruto.

Haruto frowned.

“No, Nii-san!  We have to go to Yuuma's wedding!  I wanna see it!”  Haruto demanded.  That had been another of his bucket list items.  He definitely wanted to be there for his friend's marriage, and also he knew that Ponta would be there.  He wanted to spend time with him too.  Astral glanced at Kaito, then at Haruto.

“It might be good for you both to go...Haruto could use a wheelchair if his body is still too weak by then.”  Astral offered.

Kaito frowned. “It depends on what the doctor says. Yuuma gave me the new date, but still…” He sighed. He knew he should be letting Haruto out and enjoying the last of what he had left, but he couldn’t help but be overprotective.

“It'll be fine, Nii-san.  If we explain things to the doctor, I'm sure they'll let me go out for a bit!”  Haruto said happily.  Astral nodded.

“Talk to the doctor...a wedding is not a strenuous thing to attend.  It should be okay.”  He said, mostly for Kaito's sake since he knew that the elder Tenjo was very protective of his brother.

Kaito sighed. “I know, I know. We’ll attend. But we’ll see..."

Haruto smiled happily.

“Thank you Nii-san!  It'll be great...we'll see Shark and Yuuma on their special day with all their friends.”  He said.  Astral smiled and nodded, giving Kaito's hand a squeeze to show he understood and to offer his support.

“And you. We’re their friends too…” Kaito muttered.

“Of course we are!  Ponta will be there, and his brothers and Kotori too!”  Haruto said happily.  Astral nodded.

“Yuuma has many friends...I imagine not many will be missing their special day.”  

“Yeah… Sounds like it.” Kaito smiled.

Haruto nodded.

“Nii-san, now that Yuuma's getting married, you need to keep up!”  Haruto said.  Astral frowned, not really understanding.  

“What do you mean, Haruto?”  He asked.  Haruto beamed at both his brother and his brother's boyfriend.

“I mean you two need to get married too, just like everyone else in our friend group!”  

Kaito’s smile faltered and he sighed. “… Marriage… We can’t risk it. If Kibou was associated with me and someone looked into him or his files, there’s such a narrow chance that he’ll be tracked down and found. The law won’t marry us. We can’t..."

Astral nodded at Kaito's words, but Haruto only frowned.

“It'd be okay if it was something small, right Nii-san?  Like...what if it was a secret marriage?”  Haruto offered.  Astral frowned.

“Even if it was secret...there would have to be some official documentation.  You're supposed to have witnesses and such for this sort of thing.”  Astral said.  Haruto frowned as he thought things through.

“Well, what if I married you two, and be your witness at the same time!  I wouldn't ask for signing contracts or anything!  Then you'll be married!”  Haruto exclaimed.

“You marry us?” Kaito smiled at bit like that. It was a wonder Haruto was a teenager and not a child. It seemed more that Haruto wanted to play family than actually have them wed. Kaito didn’t care either way… but even with his reasoning and seemingly lack of interest in the idea of marriage… he kind of liked that.

“If you marry us, only the three of us will know."

Astral was surprised, but a bit touched by the gesture.  He was part-way relieved that Haruto still trusted him to look after his brother, even though he was a convicted criminal.  Why else would the boy suggest they marry aside from their own happiness?  He smiled a bit.

“That is okay with me, if only three of us know.  We might be able to tell a few trusted friends, like Yuuma and maybe Chris.”  Astral said.  Haruto nodded.

“Yeah!  And even if three of us know, that's okay!  Maybe one day when there's less of a threat to your safety, you two can marry for real!”  Haruto suggested, not mentioning that he probably wouldn't be there to see it.  As long as he saw this one, he was satisfied.  He grinned.

“So, if there's no objections, then I can marry you two right?”  Astral smiled.

“I do not object.  What about you, Kaito?”  Astral asked.

“Chris would be happy.” Kaito mused. He gave a small laugh as he considered the idea and then he looked at Astral.

“No… I have to object. If we’re doing this, I need to propose first.”

Haruto's smile widened at the idea.

“Do it, Nii-san!  Go go!”  He cheered.  Astral smiled a bit.

“Even if you know what I'll say?”  He asked softly, though he didn't object the idea.  

“I still need permission. I’m going to make sure.” Orbital gave a noisy beep, he had been put on mute before when suddenly rolled up to Kaito and offered a hair tie. “Propose with this, Kaito-sama!” The robot said, already practically tearing up. Kaito smirked as he felt it in his fingers and used his robot to help him get down on his knee. “… You’ve been a part of my life for far longer and far more than I thought. You know that I consider you my family, but I want you to be sure forever that I am yours. Your face is one of the things I’ll treasure seeing forever, but I still want to see the rest of my life through with you. I know that I’m a frail, weak, crabby blind man, but all I can ask is… will you marry me?” “I bet Kaito-sama has been making this speech up in his head for a while.” Orbital whispered to Haruto.

“Okay...”  Astral said, silently watching as Orbital gave Kaito a hair tie.  He wondered vaguely where Orbital had gotten such a thing, but his attention was immediately drawn back to Kaito when the other spoke.  

Astral listened and felt his heart flutter with happiness.  He was so happy to be part of Kaito's family, and like Kaito, he had considered himself a member for awhile, but it was nice to make it official.  Or as official as it could be at the moment anyway.  He smiled happily.

“I don't care about your physical condition...I love you no matter what and I want to be with you for the rest of both our lives as well.  Of course I will marry you.”  Astral said, hugging Kaito and kissing him gently.   Haruto was practically holding his breath as he watched.   He practically hugged Orbital's long neck as the robot approached, needing something to hold onto to help contain his happiness.  

“That was so beautiful!” He exclaimed as softly as he could to Orbital.

It was one of Chris’ hair ties that Orbital had fortunately picked up when cleaning but never ended up giving back. Kaito tied the coloured band around whatever finger Astral offered him before he hugged him back tightly and kissed him as well.

“I know. I can’t wait to hear their vows.” Orbital whispered back, not minding that he was getting squished by Haruto’s frail form.

Astral was happy, accepting the band.  He hugged Kaito close.

“Thank you, Kaito.  That was beautiful.”  He said.  Haruto nodded eagerly as Orbital responded to him.  

“Let's hear them now!”  He said softly, before grinning.

“So now you two can get married!”  Haruto said happily.  

“I guess I’m spending too much time reading romance novels. There’s only so much translated in braille.” He muttered.

“Vows? I don’t have any of them on the spot. Can we have a few minutes?”

Astral chuckled.

"I did not mind them." He said. He nodded.

"Same here, Haruto. Please give us some time." Haruto nodded.

"Sure! Think of something good!" Haruto said happily.

Kaito gave a small chuckle and stroked Astral’s hand with his thumb. Marriage… They had talked about it before and decided they were happy regardless, but being here and now in the small hospital room… it was perfect.

Astral smiled as Kaito stroked his hand, trying to think of something good to say for his vows.  He had thought of marrying Kaito, but he'd never been able to consolidate his impression of Kaito into something that could be appropriate for a wedding.  He loved him, and he wanted to express that love in the best way he could.  

“I love you...”  He said softly.

Kaito gave him a smile. “Me too…”

Haruto's smiled widened at their cute little confessions and tried very hard not to squeal.  

“Are you two ready?”  He asked, unable to help being a bit impatient.

“… Astral first. I proposed first so he has to do the vows.” Kaito smirked

Astral rolled his eyes a bit.  

“Alright then.  I guess that means I'm the man of this wedding...”  He teased with a smile, before sobering up to speak his vows.

“Kaito, you are my true love, and I have never felt so strongly towards anyone before.  I have known for a long time that I wanted a chance to be a part of your life, and I am honored that you gave me that opportunity all those years ago.  I promise to continue to be by your side for the rest of my life, no matter what might stand in our way, in sickness and in health, til death do we part.”  Astral said.

Kaito snorted. He was anything but a woman but he let it slide. It wasn’t like it mattered. He listened to Astral with wide open eyes and looked at where he thought his form would be.

“I’ve known you not for the longest, but never has my heart felt so strongly for you. So many times you could have left, but your honour and love knows no bounds. I promise to be by your side for what life I have left, no matter what. In sickness and in health, until death does us part… I promise my everything to you.” Kaito responded.

Astral beamed as Kaito spoke his vows.  Haruto was also very happy.  

“Okay!  So do you, Kibou, take my brother Kaito to be your husband?”  He asked.  Astral nodded.

“Yes, I do.”  He replied.  Haruto looked at Kaito.

“Nii-san, do you take Kibou to be your husband?”  

“I do.” Kaito said, nodding.

“Then you two can kiss!”  Haruto cheered.  Astral smiled, leaning forward to kiss Kaito on the lips, sealing the technically unofficial deal.

Kaito let Astral kiss him and he kissed the other back, wrapping his arms around Astral’s waist. He held the kiss longer than he usually did, savouring the sweet moment. To have Astral like this again…. It meant the world to him.

Astral held Kaito back, not minding the length of the kiss.  He could vaguely hear Haruto giggling happily and whispering to Orbital in the background, but both sounds were ignored in favor of Kaito.  He felt so happy to be able to be with Kaito again...he wanted to stay with him forever.  When he finally had to pull away to breathe, he smiled and pressed his forehead against Kaito's, savoring the moment.

“I lied during our vows,” Kaito whispered, “I didn’t marry Kibou… I married Miyu… Miyu Irino. And I’m never going to lose you again.”

Astral listened to Kaito, knowing that only he could hear this.  He smiled as his real name was whispered.  

“I know...I won't lose you either, Kaito.”  

Kaito smiled and kissed him again. He made a note to thank Haruto later for this. He had no idea how much his heart needed this… this private but official union. The small, bright joy in their lives.

Haruto was smiling broadly as he watched the two lovers kiss.  This had been on his bucket list for a reason...he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his brother this happy.  He intended to keep things that way for as long as he could.  

Astral too was very happy.  After being in prison and feeling as if he would be killed at any time, the idea that he could be with Kaito for the rest of his life had been a fantasy that he hadn't thought possible.  It was his idea of a perfect life, and it looked as though he might be able to make that little dream a reality now.

Kaito parted, a rosy blush on his cheeks. He looked towards Haruto, hearing the light giggles, not able to see how Orbital was recording this for the Tenjo brothers’ pleasure.

“Okay… Thank you for marrying us, Haruto.” Kaito said genuinely.

Haruto grinned.

“My pleasure, Nii-san!  I'm happy for you two!” He said, hugging his big brother gently.  Astral smiled, watching Kaito and his brother hug it out.  Haruto parted with his brother and beckoned Astral too.

“I need to hug my new big brother too!” Haruto said happily.  Astral blinked, before smiling warmly at the younger Tenjo.

“Of course.”  He said, hugging Haruto as well as the younger Tenjo giggled happily.

“He’s always been your big brother.” Kaito muttered as he hugged. He was so happy, he didn’t even mind when Orbital 7 joined in, not wanting to miss out.

“This is such a touching moment!” Orbital beeped.

Astral chuckled a bit when the whole group was hugging.  Haruto nodded.

“Yeah, it was Orbital!  I'm so happy for everyone!”  

Kaito’s back was getting sore so he pulled out, unable to shake a smile off his face. “Now have we caught up to our friends, Haruto?"

“Yeah!  You guys won't be the last to get married...that'll be Ms. Varian and Takashi-kun!”  Haruto said with a giggle.

“I honestly think they went and eloped.” Kaito muttered under his breath. To him, Vector was always one to take action and Takashi was rather a romantic traditionalist.

Astral smiled.

“Even if it is not official, they act like a married couple to me.”  Astral noted.  Haruto smiled.

“Ms. Varian doesn't wear any rings or anything...she never told me if they got married, so I don't think they are officially!  You guys beat them!”  

“It’s not a race, Haruto.” Kaito smirked. However he seemed to agree and he sat down back in his chair.

“… So when is the next time I get to see you, Kibou? For the honeymoon?” The last bit was added as a joke for Haruto’s sake, but he was serious.

“Honeymoon?  Yeah!  You two should go on a honeymoon!”  Haruto exclaimed excitedly.  Astral blinked in surprise, knowing realistically that it probably wasn't possible to go on a honeymoon at the moment with Kaito.  He smiled.

“Maybe, or maybe I will be far too eager to see my husband again that I will see you before.”  Astral said, emphasizing the word 'husband' in order to get used to it.  He liked the sound of it.

“Being able to see you would be nice…” Kaito murmured.

Astral smiled and nodded, squeezing Kaito's hand.  

“Then you will see me.”  He replied.

Kaito smiled. Hopefully Astral won’t take stupid risks… and they would be able to see each other in public.

Haruto beamed, but frowned when his stomach growled.

“Ugh...all that marrying people made me hungry...”  He groaned.  Astral chuckled.

“Marrying people is hard work, huh?”  

Kaito laughed. “I’ll go get some for all of us. You two go get comfy, okay?” He said, getting up. “Come on Orbital.”

“Yes, Kaito-sama!” The robot saluted before following

“Okay Nii-san!  Thanks!”  Haruto said happily, waving them goodbye.  He sighed once he was sure Kaito was gone, lying back in the bed with a small sad smile.  

“...Thanks for going along with the wedding, Kibou.  I know I surprised you with it...”  Haruto said to Astral.

Astral gave a small chuckle. “I enjoyed it. It was lovely. Your brother really enjoyed it as well.” He sat down himself, looking curiously at Haruto.

Haruto smiled slightly.

“I'm glad you both did...what I want most is to keep Nii-san happy...and I know that you can do that, Kibou.  Being with you makes Nii-san happy.”  Haruto said softly, before he sighed.

“...I'm sick, you know.  I don't have much time left, and I know that when I die, Nii-san won't be happy.  I know it's inevitable that he'll be unhappy for awhile...but I still want him to be happy eventually, after I'm gone.  I think the best chance of that is if you stay with him, Kibou...if you're looking out for him, he'll feel better.”  Haruto explained, looking at Astral with tired and surprisingly mature eyes as he spoke.

“So, can you promise me...that you'll look after him?  He needs you...and I need you to help him when I can't...”  

Astral was both prepared and unprepared for Haruto’s words. He carefully nodded and listened. He gave Haruto a quiet smile and then shook his head.

“I’m sorry to hear that… But… I will. I want to help Kaito. I can’t take your place, but I’ll do what I can to take care of him."

Haruto smiled at Astral.

“Okay...thanks, Kibou.  I'm glad I can count on you.”  Haruto said.  

“I'm going to be leaving a message for Nii-san...can you be there for him when he gets it?”  

“A message? Sure. I can deliver it for you,” Astral said. “Do you have it yet?"

“Oh um...the message isn't going to be a written one!  I wrote it down, but Ms. Varian is going to make it into a digital thing!  She has a model and said she would make one for me!”  Haruto said with a smile.  

“But, maybe when she's done, she can give it to you for Nii-san?  I don't know if she's going to give it to him directly or not.”  

“Ah…” Astral wondered when Vector would stop unintentionally weaselling his way into his life. “Sure. I don’t mind that. I’ll have to talk to her eventually."

Haruto smiled.

“Okay...thanks, Kibou.”  Haruto said softly, lying back on the bed to wait for his brother to come back.

Astral gave a small smile. “You’re a good brother, Haruto.”

Haruto smiled.

“So are you, Kibou...I'm glad you're my brother officially now.”  

Astral gave a small smile. “Same.”

Haruto pulled out his tiny note to his brother, which he'd spent quite awhile finalizing.  

“I have to get this to Ms. Varian...she visited awhile ago, but I don't know when she'll come by again.  She's sick too after all...Kibou, can you give this to her?  And can you promise you won't read it?”  Haruto asked, handing the folded paper to Astral.

Astral gave him a small smile and nodded. “Of course I will. When I leave today, I’ll go visit her house. I promise I won’t read it.” He said, pocketing it.

“Thanks!  Oh, and don't tell Nii-san about it!  It's a surprise for him.”  Haruto said with a smile, lying back and waiting for his brother to come back with some food for them.

“I won’t,” Astral smiled, winking at him. Kaito raised an eyebrow, recognising that cheeky tone from Astral.

“What did I miss?"

“We're sharing secrets between newly made brothers!  You can't know yet, Nii-san!”  Haruto said with a giggle.

“Great… I have brothers conspiring against me already. And I got you yakitori as well.” Kaito rolled his eyes, opening a box for Haruto.

“Wrong Nii-san! Your new husband and your brother are conspiring against you!  You and Kibou aren't brothers!”  Haruto said cheekily with a grin.  Astral chuckled.

“Thanks, Nii-san!  It's nothing bad, I promise!”  Haruto said.

“I’m pretty sure the guys in the office did a cold case on that kind of scenario a few years ago. A wife and a brother conspired against the husband and he ended up in the river,” Kaito muttered under his breath, hoping Haruto didn’t hear his dark joke.

“Alright..."

Haruto didn't hear the first statement, happily digging into his meal.  Astral smiled at Kaito.

“I'm afraid I have to take my leave...I will leave you two to eat in peace.”  He said, kissing Kaito gently in goodbye.

Kaito smiled as he was kissed. “I didn’t think you’d stay long anyway… I can see you soon, right?”

Astral smiled.

“Of course, my husband.”  He said softly, still getting used to those words and he found that he definitely liked them.  Every time he said them, he felt warm and tingly inside.

Kaito laughed. “You should have said you wanted this years ago. I wouldn’t have disagreed.” He said, squeezing Astral’s hand in goodbye.

Astral chuckled too.

“At least we've done it now.  Then I can't have regrets.”  He said gently, squeezing his hand.

“Goodbye, you two.  I'll see you again sometime soon.”  Astral promised.  Haruto grinned and waved.

“Bye Kibou!”  

Astral smiled and waved at him before leaving. He fingered the note in the pocket, thinking about the message Vector was going to send. He could guess what it was, and he had to admit he was curious.

He boarded the bus to Takashi’s house, arriving there quickly and soon knocking on the front door.

Takashi and Vector were both home and on computers. Vector was working on his computer as usual, feeling frustrated that his model wasn't working out yet. Takashi got up to answer the door.

"Oh...hello? Can I help you?" He asked, not initially recognizing the tattooed man.

Astral gave a nervous cough. “Hi… I’m looking for Varian Ena. I have a message for her from Tenjo Haruto,” He said, not sure if Takashi didn’t recognise him or not. He assumed not but he purposefully kept it vague.

Takashi did think that the man in front of him looked familiar, but he didn't want to make unnecessary assumptions and accuse this person of being an escaped criminal.  He blinked.

“Haruto?  Ah...alright.  Come on in.  I'll get her.”  Takashi said, inviting Astral inside before going into the house.

“Vector, we have a guest...he says he's got something for you from Haruto.”  Takashi said softly, so that the man couldn't hear him calling Vector by his hacker name.  Vector finally looked up at the word 'Haruto'.  He glanced over at the man by the door, instantly recognizing him despite his disguise.  And unlike Takashi, he had no problems calling him out on it.  

“...Astral.”  He said softly.

Astral smiled politely at Takashi and took his shoes off, still fingering the note in one hand. When he looked up, he smiled at the man, surprised how ill Vector looked.

“Hey Vector. Long time no see.” He said, coming in. “Haruto wanted me to give you something, but I’m not allowed to see it. Something about a message for Kaito..."

Takashi's eyes widened and his jaw dropped in surprise.

“Astral...no, Hope Ray?”  He was amazed that the escaped convict was in their house right now.  Vector didn't really share Takashi's surprise at his identity, but he was only mildly surprised to hear that Astral had something for him.

“Ah...so you're in contact with Haruto...that must mean you've seen Kaito too huh?”  Vector said, holding a hand out from where he sat on the couch.  

“Give it here.  I've been expecting something from Haruto, but I wasn't sure if I had to get it myself or not.”  He hadn't really had much energy to move today, partially because he was awake almost all night working on his model and partially because today wasn't a good day health-wise.  Lately it seemed to vary daily.

Astral gave a nervous laugh at the ridiculousness of Takashi being surprised when he was housing a supposedly a dead man. However, he smiled and nodded when Vector spoke, brushing his hair back.

“He was worried you wouldn’t get it soon enough, so here I am.” He followed him and sat on the couch as well before handing him the note.

Vector frowned a bit.

“Soon enough?  Has his health gotten worse?”  Vector asked, suddenly a bit worried for Haruto and kicking himself.  He really had to get this model done then!  Takashi saw Astral sit down and said.

“Can I get you some tea or something?”  He asked, not minding too much that this man was in his house.  Astral hadn't ever come across as a bad person to Takashi.  Vector however, drew his attention to the note and the hand that held it.  He was confused as to why Astral had a hair tie around his finger.  He accepted the note.

“Your hair isn't long enough to be tied back...and don't people usually wear hair ties around their wrist? Why's it on your ring finger?”  

Astral gave a nod to Vector, indicating that Haruto was indeed not as well as he used to be. He also shook his head at Takashi, not really intending to stay long.

“Oh… This? It’s one of Chris’ hair ties. Kaito let me borrow it for a while.” Astral said, unable to help but have a pink tinge come to his cheeks.

Takashi sat down in another chair to watch the two former hackers sitting on the couch interact.  When Vector pointed it out, he noticed the hair tie and was equally curious.  Vector raised a brow, not sure why Astral was blushing a bit at that idea.

“You can't even tie your own hair back...what's it for then?”  

“… Before Haruto gave me the message, he… married Kaito and I through the powers invested in him. It was really cute, and this is Kaito’s ring for me.” Astral said, not sure why he was talking about this when Haruto’s health was his concern. He was still smiling though.

Vector's eyes widened.

“Haruto married you two?”  He said, before chuckling a bit.  “That does sound cute...congrats, I guess.”  He said, opening the note from Haruto to read his message.  He smiled a bit wider as he read it and sighed.

“Well, if you wanna get back to your new husband or whatever, you can.  I'll work on this.”  Vector said, folding the note back up and putting it in his pocket.  Takashi was also surprised.

“Married...Kaito must be happy about that.”  Takashi said.

“Haruto wanted to, since we weren’t going to do it ourselves.” Astral muttered.

“Ah… Okay. Glad its good news.” Astral assumed from Vector’s expression. He didn’t get up from the couch though, now facing Takashi.

“We discussed it a long time ago but we agreed that it wasn’t logical for us to. However…. it just appeared on a whim, and… I think Kaito was just glad to see me. I’ve been hiding for a while now.”

Vector snorted a bit at that.

“Haruto does like to take things into his own hands when he can...”  He mused.  He shook his head.

“The message was never for me.  It's for Kaito.  I'm just the delivery boy.”  Vector supplied, keeping his attention on the computer as he chatted.  He had to make the model after all.  

“I'm sure he was happy to see you...”  Takashi noted, recalling very well just how happy he was when Vector came back to him after his time in hiding.  He had been ecstatic to see him.  Takashi smiled.

“You seem happy with that whim though.”  He pointed out.

“Kaito was happy to see me… and I to him. The ‘marriage’ was more of a promise I’d see him again and be with him. This is the first time in a long time we’ve had something more than a phone call."

“Ah, of course!”  Takashi said, though Astral's words were sparking an idea in him.  Marriage as a promise that two lovers would definitely see each other again...and to be together.  He glanced at Vector, who seemed to be tuning out the conversation in favor of his computer.  He knew his boyfriend hadn't really been sleeping lately, and that Vector was definitely lamenting the little time they had left together.  If Takashi could do something – anything – to make it better, he would.  Maybe...marriage would make it better?  

“Um...Hope, would you mind watching Vector for a little while?  I have a quick errand to run...”  Takashi said, getting up.  This drew Vector's attention.

“I'm not some kid who needs babysitting.”  He complained, before he started one of his violent coughing fits which had Takashi rushing to his side.  

“I know you're not...but I'd feel better if you had someone here to keep you company in case you need anything while I'm out...”  He said gently, helping Vector get some water.  Vector sighed once his fit had calmed.

“Fine...if Astral wants to stay, he can.  I don't care.”  

“Hmm? I don’t mind,” Astral said before he heard Vector cough. He nearly had a heart attack, mind instantly flashing to when Kaito had been this ill.

“… I’ll stay. Really. It’s not a problem."

Takashi smiled.

“Thank you, Hope Ray.  I'll be back as soon as I can be.”  He said, kissing Vector's forehead gently.

“See you later, love.  Call me if you need anything.”  He said.  Vector smiled.

“Sure.  See you later.”  He replied, before turning his attention back to his computer.  Takashi headed out, getting into his car and driving in the direction of Yusei's garage.  There was something he wanted to talk to the older man about.

“It’s Kibou now, before I forget. My name.” Astral quickly said after him.

“See you, Takashi.” He watched the other man go and he glanced over, unable to help but look at the code Vector was planning. He skimmed it, recognising it quickly, before he paused.

“Third paragraph. The code is open-ended there. It’s broken and the mouth will be lopsided if you don’t close it” He said, unable to help himself.

Vector could feel Astral's eyes on his code, but he didn't particularly care.  He'd gotten used to Takashi looking at these codes after all, so he wasn't bothered.  It was only when Astral corrected him that he remembered that unlike Takashi, Astral could probably understand what he was doing.  He froze, going back to the paragraph in question and noticing his mistake.  He sighed and fixed it.

“Ugh...I knew that!”  He growled slightly, mostly to himself.

Meanwhile, Takashi reached Yusei's garage, parking out front.  He nodded to a couple of the guys who knew him as Ena's boyfriend.  

“Is Yusei in?”  He asked.  The guys motioned to upstairs, and Takashi headed up to the appartment.

“Yusei?  You there?”  He called.

“Then you know you’re missing a closed bracket underneath. Why are you making 3D models, Vector?” Astral asked, crossing his arms.

Yusei was with a calculator, his old man glasses and a bottle of bear as he sat down in front of papers at the counter. He looked over to Takashi and smiled.

“I didn’t expect to see you here. What’s up?"

Vector groaned even louder as he realized he'd made another stupid mistake.  

“Of course I fucking know that!  I'm just tired is all...”  He growled, before sighing.  

“It's a secret.”  He said simply, fixing his mistake and meticulously scanning his work for any others, not wanting Astral to keep catching his screw-ups.  

Takashi smiled.

“Yeah, sorry for dropping in unannounced...I just wanted to ask you something.”  Takashi said, sitting down at the table with Yusei.  He sighed.

“...Um...I know this might sound weird, but...do you know what Vector thinks of...marriage?”  

Astral frowned and skimmed the code again. Adaptive AI, huh? “I thought you don’t like making programs you couldn’t control completely.” He commented, almost offhandedly. Yusei was taking a sip of beer before Takashi spoke and it went up his nose and down the wrong pipe in surprise. “Why you thinking about marriage?” he spluttered, pounding his chest.

Vector rolled his eyes.

“It won't matter when I'm not around to control it right?”  He mused, continuing to work on the code.

Takashi's eyes widened as Yusei started choking and he instinctively got up to try and help him.  

“I'm sorry I startled you!  It's just...well...all of our friends have been getting married lately.  And, I know that it's something that makes people happy usually...I want Phecda to be happy.  He's sick, he's dying...he needs some happiness and I would do anything to make him happier.”  Takashi explained, before sighing.

“So, I wondered if you knew if that would make him happy.  Or, maybe he's the type who doesn't like marriage, and that's okay...then I'll just figure something else out.”

“… What is it going to do? It doesn’t benefit you if you cause mischief when you die.” Astral frowned.

“No, it’s fine. I was just surprised.” Yusei grimaced.

“… You’re a good man, Takashi. My nephew is really lucky to have you.” Yusei said after a moment of silence to get his composure back and to listen to Takashi.

“… I’m not sure. I’d imagine he’d be… hesitant. You know his dad used to try arrange marriages for Phecda, right?"

“It's not going to be for mischief.  It's for Takashi, and Takashi doesn't like mischief.”  Vector said simply.  

Takashi smiled a bit as Yusei's initial words.

“I feel lucky to have him as well.”  He said softly, before sobering up as he listened.

“I heard his father tried to hook him up with people, but I never knew it went as far as suggesting he marry any of them.  I understand...but...if he married for actual love, it would be different right?  He didn't like having to pretend, but with me, he wouldn't have to.”  Takashi reasoned.

“… Then it’s a helper program. You’re making a digital replacement for Takashi.” Astral concluded rather quickly.

“Well… It was for the good of the company. Once Phecda made bad impressions on the girls, Jack quickly cut each one off. He wasn’t particularly eager either, but you know that story.” He sighed. “… He would like the idea that you wanted to marry him. Phecda is a softie at heart. You should know that more than me.”

“More or less, yes.  That's it.  I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him...it's supposed to be a surprise.  Plus, I don't want to get his hopes up...in case I don't finish it.”  Vector said the last part softly.

Takashi nodded.  He did know the story well.  Vector hadn't ever been interested in any of those girls, and they'd only been interested in him due to his status as a the son of a rich CEO.  He smiled a bit and nodded.

“He is...I just don't want him to get scared off because he had such bad impressions of marriage when he was younger.”  Takashi said with a sigh.  

“… Even if you don’t finish it… I will for you. Or at least help you to make it go faster.” Astral said, the words coming from his mouth before he could stop himself.

And how Jack was just trying to have Vector suited to Godwin’s desires. Not for the first time, Yusei was happy that bastard was dead.

“… Do it properly. Don’t do it because you have to. Just see if he wants to."

Vector stopped when Astral spoke, glancing at him in surprise.

“Why would you do that?”  He asked.  He hadn't really ever been nice to Astral, so why would Astral be nice to him?  

Takashi nodded.

“Of course!  I want Phecda to want this too...if he doesn't, I'm perfectly fine with not marrying him.  Just being with him is enough for me.”  Takashi said.

“Because losing a loved one like how Takashi is going to lose you… I would do anything to make that pain go away easier if I can. I almost lost Kaito… Kaito is going to lose Haruto. I know the devastation and hurt of loss. The anxiety that comes before it. I want to help you because I want to.”

Yusei smirked. “Atta boy. Phecda picked well… or you did. Whatever.”

Vector listened, looking over Astral's face for any trace of a lie, and finding none.  He sighed.

“Alright.  In that case...since I have to do most of this coding on my own, maybe you can look over it.  Make sure it's actually going to work...since you seem to be quick to spot little errors in the code.”  Vector said.

Takashi chuckled.

“We both did.  Thanks, Yusei.  Now, I'll be going...I need to get back home to Vector.”

“I can do that. I can also do that for Haruto’s then. That’s what I’m assuming what the message is about, isn’t it?” Astral said, catching on quick.

“Yeah, I know. Go get some food or something to bring back. And if you’re gonna get married, Judai and I are invited.” Yusei said, going back to his work.

“Yeah, that's it.  I showed Haruto the model and he was curious.  He wanted to leave something for Kaito, and I offered to make him one.”  Vector said, nodded.

“Sure.  I'll give you both of them.”  He said, getting Astral to look over the work again.

Takashi smiled.

“Of course you two are! You're family after all, and what's a wedding without family?”  He said happily, before waving and heading out.  He went out to get some food as Yusei had suggested, before heading home.

Astral skimmed it. “Do you want me to make the corrections or just point them out?” He asked, noting there were a couple of them.

“What about your mum?” Yusei started before Takashi was gone. He rolled his eyes. Whatever. Takashi would figure stuff out.

“You can make them. I'm starting to see all those symbols blurring together.”  Vector groaned, passing the computer off to Astral to fix the stuff before resting his head on the pillow next to him.  

Takashi hadn't thought much of his mother lately, being too preoccupied with Vector.  He had told his mother that he was dating a man, but he wasn't sure how his mother would take the idea of him proposing to Vector.  She was somewhat of a traditionalist in her public life, however, her biking habits were anything but.  Either way, it was something that he would deal with later.

Takashi arrived home, opening the door to see Astral with Vector's computer and Vector resting next to him.

“Hey, I'm back.”  

“… You’re getting really bad, aren’t you? Is it fatigue or your eyesight?” Astral asked as he began properly reading the code, beginning to edit it and test it a little to see what he could do.

“Hello, Takashi.” Astral said, not looking up.

“Fatigue, mostly.”  Vector murmured, smiling at Takashi as the man came in.  

“Hey baby.”  He said softly.  Takashi smiled at him, coming over to give him a hello kiss.

“What is Kibou doing with your computer?”  He asked.  Vector smiled.

“He's fixing my code.  I'm tired out and it's not coming out as nicely anymore.”  He said, leaning his head onto Takashi's shoulder.

“Sorry. I can move to another room if you want your space.” Astral said, still not looking up. Takashi chuckled but shook his head.

“It’s fine. I’m glad that Vector isn’t overworking himself then."

“It's okay....I could use a little rest, even though I'm not working myself too hard.”  Vector said, curling against Takashi.  Umbral, who until this point had been outside, entered through his tiny cat door that they'd installed for him and rushed right up to the couch.  He jumped onto Vector's lap, purring softly as Vector decided to stroke his head gently.

Astral jumped immediately when he saw the cat and grabbed the laptop. He backed away, astonished.

“W-when did you get a cat?"

Vector laughed as Astral jumped back.

“Calm down!  We adopted him awhile back...Astral, meet Umbral.”  Vector said.  Umbral just continued purring contently, not paying much mind to Astral.  He cared more about his master's gentle pets and warm lap.

Astral looked at the cat suspiciously and frowned.

“Astral… are you scared of cats?” Takashi asked. Astral didn’t answer

Vector chuckled.

“I'm gonna take that as a yes.”  He mused.

“Don't worry, Umbral is harmless, Astral.”  

Astral glared at the cat and then backed away to another chair. “I’m… not scared. I just… do not like cats.”

“Alright.  Don't worry.  Umbral will leave you be.”  Vector said, continuing to stroke the kitten gently to keep him subdued.  Umbral only kept purring and cuddling up to Vector.

Astral glared at the cat before he went to continue working on the project.

Vector smiled at the whole situation, before turning his attention to Takashi.

“So, what errand did you have to run?  You weren't gone too long.”  

Takashi smiled. “Just needed to drop something off to a friend. It wasn’t a big thing, but it needed to be done.”

“Oh, okay...do you have anything else to do today?”  He asked, snuggling up to Takashi.

“Nope. I can have you all day.” Takashi smiled, running his fingers against Vector’s head.

“That's good...”  He said, coughing a bit.  He smiled and leaned into Takashi's touch.

Takashi ignored the typing of keys from Astral and he kissed Vector on the forehead. He looked at him with sad eyes, seeing how pale and tired his partner looked.

Astral was too absorbed in the computer to pay much attention to anything that they were doing.  Vector smiled as he was kissed.  

“I love you...”  He said softly, though he wasn't sure he liked the sad look in Takashi's eyes.  

“Hey, I'm okay you know...”  He mused.

“I love  you too, you know…” Takashi murmured. “I’m just worried. You look… so unhappy these days."

“I'm happy enough...well, as happy as a dying guy can be...”  Vector murmured.  He frowned.

“I'm sorry for worrying you.”  

“… you don’t have to be sorry. I just want to make sure you’re as happy as you can be,,,"

“I know you will...whatever it is that you do, it's to make me happy.”  Vector said softly, leaning his head on Takashi's shoulder and closing his eyes.  

“… Well… What about marrying you?"

Vector opened his eyes in surprise at that.  

“Marrying me?”  He repeated.  

“...Don't tell me you're inspired by what Astral and Kaito did huh?”  He asked, smiling a bit.

“…. Yeah, kinda. I wanted to know what you think of it.”

“...You're serious then?  You really want to marry me?”  Vector asked.  He hadn't really thought about this.

“Only if you wanted to…” Takashi said. “I’ve wanted to marry you even before I knew you as Vector."

Vector blinked in surprise at that.  

“Wow...that long...”  He mused, astonished but also touched.  He then frowned in thought as he tried to picture how a potential wedding would go for them.

“...Well, if we did...it would have to be a small thing.  And...probably unofficial.  I'm still a criminal, so I can't use my real name, and even 'Ena Varian' wouldn't work...I can't even pretend to be a girl anymore...”  Vector said with a frown.

“We could just have the papers signed under whatever name you want… or just do what Astral did. I’m sorry… it’s a dumb idea…” Takashi muttered, embarrassed for mentioning it when he hadnt even thought it through.

“Hmmm...I could do that, but then, is it even worth it?  Do you really want to marry a fake name?  I don't think it would feel right that way, cause then....well, it's not me.  It's a fake.  And even if we got Haruto to marry us or something, it's not like anything would change between us in terms of our relationship.”  Vector reasoned.  He smiled a bit as Takashi, kissing his cheek and hugging him.

“It isn't dumb...it's really sweet.  I think I've always known deep down that if I ever did get married one day...it'd be with you.”  

“Yeah… I know. I just thought it would just be something fun to distract you… Like I said, you’re so sad these days,” Takashi muttered, hugging him back.

“I think the best distraction would be if it was an official thing, that involved lots of planning and stuff like that.  But, we can't do that cause I'm still a criminal...so we could skip the wedding and elope while on vacation or something?  That would probably work just as well...”  Vector said with a small chuckle.

“Thank you, though...you make me happy.  You do.  I'm just trying to deal with my own shitty dying body is all.”  Vector said with a sigh.

“I don’t think we could deal with the wedding. I don’t want you stressing…” Takashi said. “… But a vacation seems nice. You need out of this house”

“Well, maybe an official, small, spur of the moment one then.  I wouldn't mind that.”  Vector mused with a shrug.  He smiled.

“Or we could just skip the wedding and get right to the honeymoon...and all that it implies.”  He cooed softly, with teasingly seductive eyes.

Astral shut the computer, drawing their attention.

“Do your 'honeymoon' stuff when I am not here...I finished the codes.”  He said, putting the computer down, before bowing his head.

“I will take my leave.  See you two around sometime.”

Takashi liked the sound of that. However, he jumped, hearing Astral.

“Ah… sorry. Thank you. See you later..."

Vector chuckled as Astral spoke up at last.  

“Yeah, get out of here so we can plan our honeymoon!  Go plan your own too!”  Vector called jokingly.  Astral sighed and headed out, though he was glad that it seemed like Vector was feeling better just by talking about that sort of thing.

Takashi gave a small chuckle and kissed Vector’s head again.

“Maybe we can go to Neo Domino and go have that spa day. We keep talking about it but we never get around to it.”

“Yeah.  And we can see Mikage...she wants to see us.  She keeps asking me if I'm well enough to travel.  I bet if I don't tell her I'm well enough soon, she'll find a way to get over here and pay us a visit.  It'd be more fun if we went to her instead.”  Vector said, smiling as his forehead was kissed.

“Yeah… … Let’s be spontaneous. Wanna go tomorrow?” Takashi asked, a bit inspired by Astral’s sudden marriage.

“Tomorrow?”  Vector repeated, surprised.  But he quickly smiled at the idea, never one to turn down a trip to the spa.

“Sure.  I'll tell Mikage.”  He said, grabbing his computer so he could send her a message about their trip.

Takashi smiled. “Yeah… Better not spring on her unannounced. You want to get a hotel or do you wanna stay at her place again?"

Vector glanced at the reply on the computer from Mikage, stating how excited she was to see them both and insisting that they come stay with her and Ushio while they were there.  It seemed to Vector as though she wanted to make sure he was looked after properly and doted on.  

“She replied already...it must be slow at the spa.”  Vector mused.  

“She said we can stay with her, so we can do that...if we feel the need to leave or something, we could always find a hotel there.”  Vector offered.

“It is a weekday and not a public holiday,” Takashi pointed out. “But either way works. You’ll have room service either way.” He teased.

“True.  That's probably why.”  Vector said, before he chuckled.

“I like that idea.  That's what vacations are for...room service and relaxation.”  He mused.

“And I don’t service you enough?” Takashi asked, kissing him.

Vector kissed him back.

“You do, but the problem is that you don't get serviced yourself.  So, this is your opportunity to relax too.”  He said, nuzzling his cheek.

Takashi laughed. “Fair enough. Fair enough,"

“So, while we're on vacation, you have to get some rest too okay?  No servicing me 24/7!  Let someone else do that.”  Vector said, tapping Takashi's nose.

“They’re not our slaves.” Takashi said, as if defiant.

“Maybe not, but they're hosts and we are the guests.  That means they're going to do some things for us.  I don't mean that you quit completely...you can still do small things, but you should also take time to relax too.  I'll be relaxing, so you can relax with me.  Deal?”  Vector said.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m not a child. I know.” Takashi smiled.

Vector chuckled.

“I know you're not.  We'll have fun, okay?  Let's look at things to do in Neo Domino aside from the spa.”  Vector said, opening a browser page, angling the screen so that Takashi could see too.  

“I know a few things to do, but do you have any ideas?”  Vector asked.

“A tour of Neo Domino… You took me some places before, but not everywhere."

“Yeah, a tour sounds good!  I can show you the sights~  Last time didn't really count...we were inside an armored vehicle and we couldn't see what was around us.”  Vector mused.

Takashi gave him a laugh and hugged him. “Yeah… I guess so. We’ll make this time good."

“Correction: we'll make this time the best!”  Vector agreed, chuckling back as Takashi hugged him.  All the movement and talking made Umbral stir, and he stretched with a small meow.

“Maybe we should ask Cathy if she can take Umbral while we're gone...I don't know if he'll like the road trip...”  Vector mused, petting Umbral's fur.

“Umbral will love being spoilt by Cathy. It’ll be his vacation away from us.” Takashi laughed.

“Aww...so Umbral gets a vacation too huh?  That's good...I wonder how he'd like other cats.  Cathy has a bunch of them after all.”  Vector chuckled, petting Umbral as the cat purred happily.

“She won’t care how last minute it is. She’ll just take Umbral and get him comfortable.” Takashi said, not worrying one bit about Umbral.

“Of course.  She always has time for cats doesn't she?”  Vector mused.  

“They are her first love.” Takashi mused. “I’ll call her later. You and me here first.”

Vector chuckled.

“Yeah...Umbral's looked after now, and so we have to look after ourselves.”  He said.

“We should go biking in Neo Domino too.  It's a city of bikers after all.”  He mused.

“We’re a biking disaster waiting to happen.” Takashi muttered. “With my… inexperience and your sickness."

Vector chuckled.

“I can still bike...maybe not for long, but I can still do it.”  He insisted.  

“At worst, we can bug Ushio to take us out or something.”  

“That too. That works.” Takashi mused.

Vector sighed.

“It sucks that I can't do things I want to anymore...”  He said softly.

“Yeah… but that happens to everyone. Unfortunately you’re just getting to that point sooner…”

“It does...when they're old, but I'm not.  And I won't ever be old...”  Vector replied softly.

Takashi didn’t respond. He just squeezed Vector’s hand.

Vector squeezed his hand back and lay his head against Takashi's shoulder, suddenly tired.  

“I should probably rest...seeing as we're going to be doing stuff tomorrow...”  He said softly.

“Yeah… Go sleep. You have a long day ahead. I’ll go make plans."

“Okay, thanks.  Night love.”  Vector said, kissing Takashi's cheek before scooping up a still half-sleeping Umbral into his arms.  He headed towards the bedroom carrying the cat, knowing that while Vector was sleeping, he loved to join him anyway.

Takashi watched Vector and Umbral disappear into the bedroom, before finalizing their little vacation's plans, including a phone call to Cathy, to arrange for her to come get Umbral.  As he'd anticipated, it wouldn't be a problem.  When he was finally done, he retreated to the bedroom to join Vector.  He smiled softly at how cutely Umbral was curled up against his love, before gently sliding into bed next to Vector, holding him close and closing his eyes to drift off to sleep.

-x-

Fuuya held his whip steady in his hand, using it to block all of Yamikawa's advances with his sword.  The two of them had been practising almost every chance they got for the past few days.  Fuuya was gradually getting better each time.  He dodged one of the attacks, before smacking the handle of his whip against the sword, throwing Yamikawa off balance.  Another strike and he was falling back onto his back, disarmed and helpless before his whip.  If Fuuya had taken the final strike, he would've injured Kawa, but he kept his whip steady, holding the handle near Kawa's chin, effectively finishing the sparring session.

Yamikawa usually didn’t go easy on Fuuya during training sessions. The first few times, Yamikawa had won easily, since Fuuya was well out of practice, but Yamikawa was glad to see Fuya getting back into the groove with fighting with his weapon.

When he was distracted by Fuuya’s dodge, he tried to counter but Fuuya got the better of him. Despite being smaller, Fuuya took Yamikawa down with a loud ‘thump’.

“Heh… You think you win, huh?” He mused.

Fuuya chuckled, gently wrapping the whip around Yamikawa's body.

“Of course I did.  You're unarmed and tied up.  What could you possibly do in your position?”  He asked, wearing his more confident Robin face as he always did automatically during training.

Yamikawa gave a light laugh at that. He grabbed Fuuya’s whip by weaselling it out of his binds and yanked Fuuya gently forward, kissing him and letting the younger fall into his arms.

“That."

Yamikawa yanking him forward caught Fuuya off guard.  He fell forward into Yamikawa's waiting arms with a small yelp, before he was silenced by Yamikawa's lips on his.  He blushed, but relaxed into the kiss, pushing back gently before Kawa pulled away to speak.  Fuuya smiled a bit.

“Touché.”  He said softly.  “I guess we're both winners then.”  

“Probably I would win. I could top you easily,” Yamikawa mused, chuckling. He leaned over and kissed him again.

“I guess...assuming I'd just lie back and do nothing...”  Fuuya pouted a bit, before he was kissed a second time.  He was so absorbed in Yamikawa that he didn't notice Yuuma opening the door and frowning.

“Oy, what kind of training is this?” He exclaimed, though he did understand the urge to be with one's love after not being able to for so long.

Yamikawa jumped and hit his chin against Fuuya’s awkwardly. He looked at Yuuma, face embarrassed.

“Ah… This is the cool down after training..."

“Ow...”  Fuuya groaned, rubbing his chin.  He was also embarrassed, avoiding Yuuma's gaze.  Yuuma snorted.

“I wouldn't call it that, but whatever you say!  Hurry up and finish your 'cool down', so we can get packed up, Fuuya!  Today's the day we head back down.”  Yuuma reminded him.  Fuuya's eyes widened.

“Already?  No way...”  He said softly, frowning.

“Um...I was thinking of staying a few more days, Yuuma.  I'll come down for your wedding with Rokujuro and Kawa.”  Fuuya said, holding Yamikawa a bit closer, not wanting to leave him.

Yamikawa looked surprised at that, not having heard Fuuya discuss this with him. However, he subconsciously hugged his partner tighter, suddenly feeling relieved,

“What? Really? You’re staying? Oh man… you were my ride home…” Yuuma whined, although it seemed more playful than serious.

“Oh, right!  Well...I could give you the keys!  Then you can take the car back to Droite's and tell her I'll be back later.”  Fuuya reasoned, glad that Yamikawa was holding him and physically showing his approval of him staying.

“Hmmm...okay!  Just don't miss my wedding, Fuuya!  It's coming up fast!”  Yuuma said.  Fuuya nodded.

“Of course I won't!  Neither will Kawa and Rokujuro-san!”  

“We’ll all go down together, Yuuma. How does that sound?” Yamikawa said before pausing.

“… You should hurry and pack, otherwise you won’t get home before dark."

Fuuya nodded and Yuuma grinned.

“Okay!  That's good...and yeah, you're right!  I'm gonna pack!”  He exclaimed, running out of the room to get his stuff together.  Fuuya sighed and relaxed in Yamikawa's arms.

“Sorry I didn't ask you about this first...it was kinda just...spur of the moment?”  

“I didn’t want you to go anyway… But you are an adult, Fuuya. You don’t need my permission to do anything.” Yamikawa smiled. “The master is a different matter, however."

“I'll ask him...but I'm sure it'll be okay.”  Fuuya said.  He kissed Yamikawa gently on the cheek.

“Yes… I know. Any time longer with you makes everything worth it.”

“...Yeah.  Definitely.”  Fuuya agreed, hugging Yamikawa.

Meanwhile, Yuuma was all packed up to go.  He hoisted his much lighter pack over his shoulder.

“See you at the wedding, guys!”  He called, before heading down back to Heartland, moving as quickly as he could so that he could get there before nightfall.

Yamikawa gave him a nod and a wave. He didn’t see Yuuma off, but Rokujuro did, waving from the lodge.

“Give my regards to your sister!"

“Bye!”  Fuuya called.  

“Sure, I will!”  Yuuma called.  He hiked down the hill for a few hours, though of course it didn't take nearly as long as the hike up did.  Once he was in cell phone reception range, close to the bottom, he checked his phone.  He discovered he had a voicemail from his sister asking him to call her as soon as he could regarding a few wedding things.  Yuuma dialed her number.

“Hey, Nee-chan, you called me?  I'm back down from the Duel Lodge!”  

“Oh, are you? Welcome back, Yuuma,” Akari smiled as she answered her phone. She was at the coffee shop, sipping tea and doing her latest news article. “Where are you? Can you meet me at my house?”

“I'm almost down to Heartland again...I still have to drive into the city and drop off a car.  Then I'll meet you there okay?”  Yuuma agreed.

“Ah, okay. Sure thing. I’ll see you at my place.” Akari said, saving her things and then sculling her tea down.

“Alright!  See you soon!”  Yuuma said, getting to the car and driving to Droite's house.  He assumed the police officer was at work, so he left the keys hiding in the flower pot along with a note in the mailbox saying that Fuuya was still at the Duel Lodge and would be home next week or so.  Yuuma then hurried over to his sister's house, knocking on the door.

“Nee-chan, you in?”  

Akari just had to drink tea and head home. She was just putting her laptop in her charger and getting herself a book when she heard Yuuma.

“Coming.” The door swung open and she hugged him.

“Hey, Nee-chan!”  Yuuma said, happily accepting the hug.  

“What's up?  How're you and Charlie and the baby doing?”  He asked, noting that his sister was definitely showing now.  

Akari gave a light laugh. “Baby is fine. It feels like they’re gonna pop at any second,” she giggled. “Come on in, Charlie is out, but he’s same old.”

Yuuma's eyes widened.

“If it does I'm calling 911!”  He exclaimed, honestly not really knowing what to do with his sister if she suddenly went into labor.  He nodded.

“Sounds like it.  And I see the house is the same too!”  Yuuma said, walking in after his sister.

Akari gave a laugh. She sat down. “We have a baby room though now, all ready for us.” She smiled.

“Wow!  I definitely wanna see that later!”  He said with a grin.  He sat down across from his sister.

“So, what'd you wanna talk to me about, Nee-chan?”  

“Your wedding… I was just… Thinking about things. You know how you haven’t seen Shark in a while, correct?”

“Um...yeah?  I haven't seen him since I left for the Duel Lodge.  What does that have to do with anything?”  He asked.

“I was thinking, since it’s a few days until the wedding, I think you shouldn’t see him. Its bad luck to see your husband before the wedding.” Akari said. Yuuma would probably notice a book on superstitions on the coffee table.

“What?!  I can't see Shark?  No way...”  Yuuma exclaimed.

“You really believe that stuff, Nee-chan?  I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to see him!”  He said.

“Oh come on, I won’t see you otherwise. It’s been ages since you stayed over.” Akari pouted. “It’ll only be a few more days. It’s not like you can't call him.”

Yuuma pouted too.  

“So this is all just a big excuse to spend time with me before I get married huh?  That's it isn't it, Nee-chan?”  Yuuma mused, smiling a bit.  

“Okay...I guess if you and Shark are okay with it.”  Yuuma said.

Akari smirked. “You know me. The superstition here… bullshit. Also I want my brother helping me around the house for the baby’s sake, so there’s that.”

“Ah!  Yeah, I have to be a good uncle after all!”  Yuuma said with a grin.  He smiled.

“Okay!  I'm gonna call Shark and tell him I'm staying with you, okay?”  He said, getting out his cell phone and dialling Shark's number.

Akari smiled. “Sure. Go ahead. I’ll heat up dinner as payment.” She got up and waddled off, leaving Yuma to his call.

Shark was boredly reading, feeling extremely bored and very fucking bored without his lively crab around.

“Nghk… hello?”

“Yay!”  Yuuma cheered, always up for free food.  He grinned as he heard Shark.

“Hey Shark!  It's me!  I'm back down from the Duel Lodge!”  He said happily.

Shark lifted his head up like an expectant puppy and looked at the door. “What? Really? … That’s cool. Do you need me to pick you up?”

“Nope!  Actually, I'm at Nee-chan's place...we were just talking.  Since Charlie's out of town, Nee-chan needs help around the house, since she's pregnant and all!  I'm going to be staying with her until the wedding!”  Yuuma said.

“Oh… yeah, fair enough. Then I’ll see you at work.” Shark said, not sounding as disappointed as he was.

“Definitely!  We can catch up then!”  Yuuma said happily, not catching onto how disappointed Shark was.

“Oh, and if you're lonely you could invite Shark's Sis over or something!  That way we can both have sibling bonding time!”  

“… Yeah… I guess…” Shark grimaced, thinking how long ago some he last talked to his sister. “Right..."

“Aww, Shark, don't worry!  Your sister won't kill you!  And I'll be okay...just think about how happy we'll be to see each other again at the wedding!  We can make up for lost time after.”  Yuuma suggested with a grin and a slight blush.

“… I’ll see you at work.” Shark muttered, smirking despite himself.

“Well yeah, but we'll both be filthy!  At the wedding we'll look nicer.”  Yuuma said happily.

“Yeah, yeah.” Shark smirked.

Yuuma grinned.

“Okay...so I'll see you later, Shark.  I love you~”  He said happily, before hanging up.

“I love you too, Yuuma. See you soon.” Shark hung up and stared at his phone, and then at the wall, and then back at his phone.

“… Shit. Do I really not have friends outside Yuuma and my sister?” Thomas fucking Arclight didn’t count.

-x-

Vector had finished packing up his stuff for the trip that he and Takashi were taking.  He'd done minimal packing because Takashi had insisted that he get some rest, limiting himself to a single bag, and after a bit of an arguement, he'd agreed to leave his computer stuff behind.  

As he had packed, Umbral had been helping him adorably by jumping into his opened suitcase and rolling around making doe eyes and meowing.  Vector chuckled a bit, pulling the cat out of his bag once more.

“You're not coming with us, little guy.  Cathy's gonna look after you.  She'll be by to pick you up soon, so just hang in there, okay?”  Vector said, petting the kitten who was purring, happy to be playing.

“Hey, Takashi, are you ready?”  He called into the bathroom, where Takashi was making sure they had everything they needed, including both their medications.

“Yeah! I am!” Takashi gave a small smile and zipped up the last bag. He was glad that Vector looked excited to go to Neo Domino. He walked out and went to put the toiletries into the small luggage sack. “Did you hear Cathy’s car outside? Is she here yet?"

Vector smiled.  

“Alright!”  He was about to say more when he heard the doorbell ring.

“That's probably Cathy.  I'll show her in.”  Vector said, getting up with Umbral in his arms.  He put his hat on and walked over to answer the door.

“Hey Cathy.”  He said, greeting the grey haired woman.  Cathy smiled, although she was also internally saddened by Ena's sick appearance that was becoming more and more prominent.

“Hi...oh my goodness is this your little darling?”  She exclaimed, immediately locking eyes with Umbral, who mewed at her softly in greeting.  She cooed and pet his head.  Vector chuckled.

“Yeah.  That's Umbral...he needs someone to look after him while Takashi and I are out.”

“Yeah… sorry it’s so short notice, Cat-chan… but I explained earlier. He won’t be too much trouble, but he hasn’t been away from Ena before.” Takashi said, coming out.

Vector gently passed Umbral off to Cathy.  Umbral went without a fuss, but he noticeably kept an eye on Vector, as if he would panic if the man left.  Cathy smiled and pet him gently.

“I can see he's very attached, nyah~”  Cathy said gently, letting Umbral nuzzle her hand and get used to her.

“Not a problem, Inchou! I'm always up for cat-sitting!  Umbral will be fine with me.”  She promised.

“We’re not sure how he is with other cats… Man… maybe leaving suddenly and sporadically wasn’t such a good idea…” Takashi mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

“My cats are used to each other, but if Umbral doesn't want to be with them, I can keep him apart from them, nyah~  There's no fighting in my house.”  Cathy said.  Vector snorted.

“It was your idea to do this you know.”  Vector reminded him with a smile.  

“Yeah, I know…” Takashi sighed. “I can’t help but worry"

Vector smiled.

“Okay...then, let's get going.  We'll come by and pick Umbral up when we're back, Cathy.  Thank you again.”  Vector said, bowing slightly in thanks.  Cathy smiled.

“It's not a problem, Ena.  Have a good trip, you two, nyah~”  She said, cuddling Umbral and heading back out to the door.  When she made small cat-like noises to Umbral, any of the panic in his posture stopped, and he let out a content meow as she finally left.  Vector glanced at Takashi.

“Now that Umbral's settled, we should get the car ready.”  

Takashi gave a sigh of relief, glad that his friend was so good with animals. He grabbed their bag and nodded. “Yeah… ready for a long ride out?"

“I'm ready.”  Vector said.  He helped load the stuff into the car, before slipping into the passenger seat.  He was letting Takashi drive mostly on the other man's insistence.  He had to make himself look more feminine on the way there, since his passport still identified him as a woman.

Also Takashi had to make sure Vector got his rest. Vector didn’t have a license that was renewed under Ena. He sighed.

“Alright, let;s go”

“Sure.”  Vector said, putting on his makeup and adjusting his wig properly in order to pass for a woman at the border.  

The drive was slow but Takashi really didn’t mind. It was nice to head out and be behind the wheel again. “Not going to fall asleep?” He teased lightly

“If I do, it'll smudge my makeup.”  Vector teased back with a chuckle.  He might sleep later, he figured.  But he was also secretly too excited to sleep.  He definitely wanted to go to the spa and see Mikage and Ushio again.

They passed through the boarder with no difficulty. Takashi had been a little nervous, but with little work, they were on their way to Neo Domino City.

“Plans for being there?"

Vector had been pretty calm on the outside, but internally he'd been just as nervous as Takashi.  He gave a small sigh of relief once they were clear.

“Well, first we should go to Mikage's house.  She's taken the day off to see us today, and tomorrow is spa day.”  He said then smirking.

“I can guarantee she'll want to hear all about what we've been up to since we saw her last.”  He chuckled.

“Have we really been up to much? Everything blurs together when you don’t have a regular work schedule, you know?” Takashi smiled.

“True...we have been doing quite a bit though.  Especially considering you haven't seen Mikage since I was still in the Correctional Facility.”  Vector mused.

“Wow… i forget we’ve only really just video chatted and that’s it,” Takashi muttered. “That’s a few years ago already"

“I know, right?  She'll be happy to see us in person and hear all about what we've been up to.  I've been in email contact with her, but that's mostly my perspective on things.  She'll want to talk to you too.”  Vector said with a smile.  

“And we're in the city already...I'll guide you to Mikage's house.”  Vector said, glancing around at the scenery of Neo Domino city.

“Hoo boy… I’d better prepare myself.” Takashi said, looking around. “Neo Domino is so pretty… Not as colourful as heartland, but pretty all the same."

Vector chuckled a bit.

“Yeah it is.  I like Heartland better though...Neo Domino is more...well, professional looking.  Heartland looks like a nice, happy place.”  Vector mused.

“Yeah… Guess so…” Takashi muttered, yawning a little. “Man, I forgot how driving made me sleepy. How far are they in? Where do they live?”

“Don't fall asleep just yet!  We're almost there!”  Vector said.

“They live just a couple blocks from here.”  

“I won’t sleep. I’m just sleepy.” He smiled. Takashi turned the corner and headed on. “I’m not that bad at driving!”

Vector chuckled.

“I know, I know.  I'm just teasing.”  He mused.  

“There, we're here.”  Vector said, pointing to Mikage's house and letting Takashi park.

Takashi pulled up, narrowly missing the curb. Pretending that his partaking wasn’t awful, he got out the car.

“Safe in one piece."

Vector smiled and got out as well, happy that they'd gotten there in one piece.  He stepped out of the car, and heard the door open from the house.  

“Phecda, Takashi! You've made it!”  Mikage said happily, rushing down to greet both men.  She hugged Vector gently, glad to see him despite his sickly appearance.  Vector smiled and accepted the hug.

“Good to see you again, Mikage.”  He said softly.

Takashi stood behind, grabbing the bags first and waiting for Mikage to finish hugging her young charge. He chuckled softly and bowed.

“Hello again."

Mikage smiled, letting go of Vector before greeting Takashi.  She smiled and came up to hug him as well, considering him part of the family.  

“It's nice to see you again too, Takashi.”  She said, before calling over her shoulder.

“Ushio!  Get out here and help the boys carry in their stuff!” She called.  

Takashi smiled and hugged her back. “Ah… Yeah. It’s good to see you too, Mikage.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming. Sheesh.” Ushio said, coming back in. “Hey there, boys.” He grinned, patting Vector on the shoulder.

Vector chuckled as Ushio pat his shoulder.

“Good to see you again, Ushio.  This is Takashi.  Takashi, this is Mikage's husband, Ushio.”  Vector said, knowing that these two hadn't met before.

Takashi smiled and politely bowed. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. Thanks for putting up with Vector for so long.”

“Oy!  What's that supposed to mean?”  Vector said with a grin, before he had a bit of a coughing fit that cut off his words.  

“Are you okay?”  Mikage asked, hearing his cough.

Takashi looked worried and rubbed Vector’s back. “He’s fine… He just needs water..."

Vector nodded as his coughing calmed.  Mikage frowned.

“Come on, let's get you two inside.  Ushio, bring their bags if you could!”  Mikage said, holding the door for Takashi and Vector, letting them in.

Ushio took the bags off Takashi and helped them in. Takashi didn’t protest, holding Vector close as he guided them in.

Vector was still coughing a bit as he got inside, though he was a bit frustrated that his illness had been brought out so early.  Mikage brought them to the table.

“Here, have a seat and I'll get you some water, Phecda.”  She said, grabbing a cup for him.  Vector accepted it and took a drink.

“Thanks.”  He said, once his coughing had calmed enough to do so.

Takashi gave him a sad smile and kissed his forehead. “It’s fine, Vector,” He muttered, knowing what his partner thought.

Vector sighed.

“I know...”  He said softly.  Mikage watched the exchange, not quite knowing what was going on, but she was impressed at how close the two men seemed.  The ability to communicate like that with so few words was definitely a sign of a close and healthy relationship.  She smiled.

“I'm glad to see you two again...you've both grown quite a bit since I saw you last.”  She said happily, sitting across from them.

“Yeah… significantly with less functioning limbs,” Takashi joked, waving his still-useless hand.

“And lungs.”  Vector added, equally jokingly, though Mikage didn't particularly like the topic being brought up.

“Well, despite that, you two look happy to be with each other.  The last time I saw you in person, Phecda, you were definitely pining for Takashi here.”  She said with a smile.  Vector pouted.

“...Not that much...”  He muttered, though he knew it was true.

Ushio had to stop himself from laughing as did Takashi. They hadnt done anything like that before, and it was amusing.

The blue-haired man looked at Mikage and smiled. “Really? I never got the details on that"

Vector pouted even more as everyone started laughing at him.  He let out a small 'hmph' and crossed his arms.  Mikage chuckled.

“I asked him how you two met, and he explained that story, and also how you two got back together after he was arrested.  When he spoke about you, I could tell he was definitely both in love with you and missing you desperately.”  Mikage explained.  Vector groaned.

“Shut up...you're making me sound like a love-sick fool.”  

Takashi gave a small smile. Instead of taking the opportunity to tease Vector, he just smiled, cheeks red from embarrassment.

“Really?” He asked, trying not to sound as shy as he felt.

Mikage chuckled.

“Yes, he did.  It was adorable to watch.”  She said, also enjoying the sight of Takashi blushing adorably too.  

Takashi smiled. “Really?”

“Why are you embarrassed? Aren’t you two practically married?” Ushio asked, pushing the luggage aside.

“Yeah… still..."

Vector frowned.

“Just cause we're practically married doesn't mean we have to be reminded that we're love-sick fools!”  Vector said.  Mikage smiled.

“Of course not...but your relationship is admirable.  I'm glad you two are together.  You're good for each other...you both look so happy together.”  

“You could say that for anyone still together though. Like you two are, right?"

“Of course, but it's still nice to see you two happy together.”  Mikage said happily.  Vector smiled.

“We've been happy, but we needed a little vacation.  So we came here.”  Vector said.

“Yeah, again, thanks for letting us stay unannounced.” Takashi said.

“It’s fine, I mean, Mikage had this place ready years ago."

Mikage chuckled.

“It's true.  I'm always happy to see you two.”  She said.

“So, tell me what's new with you two?  How's life in Heartland treating you?”  

“Fine. Nothing new from what we’ve said on the phone."

“And how is Yusei doing?  Still running that business of his?”  Mikage asked.  Vector nodded.

“Yep.  He's still working hard.  And as far as I know, he and Judai are doing fine.  Uncle's still a crabby pants.”  Vector said with a chuckle.

“They’re exactly the same. Exactly.” They never knew what else...

Mikage smiled.

“That's great.  And how about your friends?  I remember that pair, Yuuma and Shark, that dropped by awhile back.  How are they?”  

“Oh yeah, they did,” Takashi said, vaguely remembering. “They’re getting married soon. The ceremony is next week."

“Oh how exciting!  Those two did look close when I saw them.”  Mikage said with a happy smile.  Vector nodded.

“Oh yeah, they're definitely close...they've been together longer than any of our friends.  We'll be staying more or less until the wedding, then we'll have to go back to Heartland.”  Vector said.

“Yeah… That’s the plan, anyway,” Takashi smiled. “How has the spa been, Mikage?"

“It's business as usual there, although we've gotten more customers lately since we're developing a reputation as a good spot to relax.  I've already booked you two in for tomorrow, not to worry.”  Mikage said.  Vector smiled.

“Thanks.  We appreciate it...both of us have been looking forward to going to the spa again.”

“Oh wow, thank you so much, I’m glad to hear your success,” Takashi smiled.

Mikage smiled.

“We're glad for it.  As for letting you two attend, it's not a big deal.  Our spa is always open to you two!  It's the least I could offer you.”  She said happily.  

“Mmm… Again, thanks.” Takashi said.

“Do you wanna go out for lunch or eat in guys?” Ushio asked.

“I've spent the day cooped in a car...I'm not in the mood to get into another one and drive off for food!  Let's stay here...we could order in or something.”  Vector suggested.  Mikage smiled.

“Whatever you two want.”  

“I’m easy.” Takashi said. Ushio refrained to comment on that and he smirked, heading to the kitchen to go look for some coupons for that chinese place he had found.

“Do you need to sit down, Vector?”

“Only if you'll sit down with me.”  Vector cooed, linking arms with Takashi.  Mikage chuckled at that.

“You two can sit on the couch.  Looks as though Ushio will be handling the meal choice.”  She said.

“Yeah…” It was nice, being free around family around this… A proper family. Hanging with Judai and Yusei seemed more like hanging with Vector’s friends than uncle, and they never saw his mother. This was… nice.

The feeling was similar for Vector, considering he had been closer to Mikage as a child than Yusei.  It was nice to see her again, and he felt almost as though he was spending time with Takashi as a member of his immediate family.  He sat down, letting Takashi sit next to him and keeping their arms linked.  Mikage smiled.

“So, besides the spa, what did you plan on doing while you were here?”  

“Sightsee… take it easy. We just needed to get out of the house, really."

“Yeah...I'm gonna show Takashi the sights.  Nothing is too definite yet.”  Vector agreed.  Mikage nodded.

“Have you ever been to Neo Domino before, Takashi?  Aside from your spa trip with Phecda that one time?”  

“No, I haven’t. We always said we would come back here sooner, but we hadn’t gotten a chance. I’m glad we can be here now though.” Before it was too late

The last part went unsaid, but Vector and Mikage both caught onto it.  Mikage sighed.  

“I'm glad you two could both make it.”  She said softly.  Vector nodded.

“Yeah...I'm not that bad yet.  I'll be fine for awhile yet, hopefully.”  He assured her.

“Mmm… We also went on this trip to get away from it all. So having fun is a priority” Takashi said.

Mikage smiled.

“Of course.  That's what vacations are for after all!”  She agreed happily, glad that the conversation was shifting to lighter tones.  When Ushio called for her help in finding the coupons, she got up.

“Excuse me a moment.”  She said politely, before rushing over to find her husband and figure out where he'd left the coupons.  Vector chuckled.

“We'll have fun and sightsee and all...but, there is one specific place I want to see...”  Vector said softly to Takashi.

“Where?” Takashi asked

“...I want you to meet my parents.  Or, well...see their graves anyway...I want to visit them.”  Vector said softly with a saddened note as he thought that this might be the last time he'd visit them.

“… Oh.” Takashi paused. “… I didn’t even know they were buried here. … We can go there, yeah."

“Yeah, they are, in a cemetery not far from the house.  We'll have to be careful though...last time I went to see them, I got shot.  I'm sure the DS aren't after me anymore, but I won't go without a disguise this time.”  Vector said, mostly talking about the shooting to try and lighten things a little bit.  His parents were still a touchy subject after all.

“… Alright.” Takashi was already frowning. He remembered Vector had been shot and he had been paranoid around baths for a while. “… Right."

Vector sighed.

“It'll be fine though.  And maybe this time I should leave flowers or something...last time I just went to see them without anything.”  Vector mumbled softly.  He wasn't good at these things.

“Alright… Maybe we can neaten up the graves and leave flowers. Something small."

“Yeah...maybe.  Something nice like that...”  Vector said softly, smiling.  He squeezed Takashi's hand.

“Thanks.”  

“Hey, it’s the least I can do..."

Vector smiled slightly, a faraway look in his eye for a minute.

“...I think my mom would've liked you.  And my father too, secretly at least...”  He said softly.  Being back in Neo Domino, the city where his parents died, with the disease that killed his mother no less, was bringing back memories.  He leaned his head on Takashi's shoulder.

“Since you can't meet them officially...this is the least I could do to show them the man I love.”  

Takashi squeezed Vector’s hand and smoothed his hair with his dead hand. “Mmm..."

Vector smiled a bit wider and more genuinely as Takashi pet his hair.  He closed his eyes to relax, gently squeezing Takashi's hand back in thanks.  Mikage walked back into the room with a smile as she spotted the two on the couch.

“We'll be getting food anytime now.  Ushio ordered Chinese.”  Mikage said.  

“That's fine.”  Vector said softly.

The group settled down and kept chatting until their food arrived.  Vector enjoyed the lunch with Mikage, Ushio and Takashi, and their conversation and catching up took up the rest of the afternoon.  Takashi and Vector were tired from their trip, so they turned in early, Vector especially eager to rest so they could get to the spa and relax the next day.

-x-

Alit had been trying to get in contact with Koutei, but since he was so busy lately, it hadn't been working out these past three days.  He'd finally found time to meet up with Koutei at the gym where they'd first met.  Alit had brought his equipment, eager to spar and catch up with his old friend and rival.  He was currently waiting by the front desk for his blond friend to arrive.

Koutei felt like shit. Although he would have taken this over a hangover any day, night after night of repeated ‘games’ were starting to take their toll on him. He usually wouldn’t do hallucogens, but Yami kept drugging him, egging him on to keep trying to save Alit. However, he’d keep getting stabbed, or shot by arrows, or betrayed, one way or another.

The nightmares weren’t helping either, and Koutei kept seeing Alit die over and over again. Last night he had dreamt that Alit was being tortured, and would have gone to the police if Alit didn’t text him.

Grabbing his equipment, he ran as best as he could to the gym. He groaned as entered, giving a weary smile. Alit… he… looked unharmed. “Hi… Sorry I’m late..."

Alit glanced up when Koutei approached him, a bright smile on his face initially.  But when he took in his friend's slightly disheveled appearance, his smile dropped in favor of a concerned expression.

“Don't worry about the time...are you okay, man?  You look a bit...off today.”  Alit said, unable to pin down exactly what was wrong.  It looked like Koutei was tired.  Maybe he hadn't slept well last night?

The blonde scratched the back of his head, running his fingers through the knots of his uncombed hair. “Y-yeah! Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. How are you? Are you okay?” He asked, looking Alit over.

Alit blinked.

“Alright, if you say so...and I'm fine.  Just been busy is all!  Sorry I couldn't get together with you til today!”  Alit said, though he was a bit confused as to why Koutei seemed to be giving him a once-over.

He looked unharmed. It was okay… what he had was just a dream… Alit was okay. Genuinely he was fine…

“Nah, it’s okay. I’ve kept myself busy in the meantime… Let’s have a spar, okay?"

“Good!  Yes, let's!  I can't wait for a rematch.”  Alit mused, heading into the changing room to get dressed and ready to spar with his rival.

Koutei dressed quickly and then changed. However Alit looked just fine, so there would be no problems… right?

Alit dressed quickly as well, putting on his boxing gloves with a grin.

“You almost ready, Koutei?”  He asked as they stepped into the ring that had been reserved for them.

“Already ahead of you.” Koutei smirked. He felt his heart pound at the prospect of fighting Alit again. He stepped into the ring and got into his stance.

Alit smirked too, getting into his stance.  

“Ready...go!”  He exclaimed, lunging to take the first swing.  At first, the fighting was just as it usually was, but then it became apparent that Koutei was either too tired, or just out of practice and couldn't keep up with Alit's moves.  Alit had been training quite a bit lately in preparation for all the tournaments he'd been invited to join, so he was at the top of his game.  He was a bit disappointed when each time, he won fairly easily against Koutei.  That wasn't what he was used to...Koutei usually met him halfway each swing, never allowing Alit to get such a lead.  By the end of their allotted time with the ring, Koutei hadn't defeated Alit once.

“Hey man, have you been practising at all?  I heard you were in school and all, but you've let yourself go a bit!”  Alit said.

Koutei was doing his best to keep up, but he was both tired and paranoid. He had been training in the lead up to meet Alit and fight with him, but the last few days had thrown him off.

He was very, very tired but he couldn’t help but look around, as if expecting someone to suddenly jump out and interfere. He had to protect Alit. He wanted to be with him. He wanted to fight.

…

Alit’s words scared him. If he was slipping… if he slipped, he wouldn’t get the chance to be on the same level as Alit. He would lose him. If he wasn’t there… he’d… he’d die again. The one way he could be with him, and only him, without being stopped was slowly slipping away.

“Y-yeah… sorry…” Koutei murmured at the end, rubbing his temples. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”

Alit sighed.

“You look tired...and a bit distracted?  Is something wrong?”  Alit asked, having noticed that Koutei had been dividing his attention between Alit and the surroundings during the fight.

“Huh? Nothing… Just…” Koutei tried to think of a lie and, sadly, one was all too ready to appear.

“… Just… Kind of worried… Lately I swear my dead father is looking at me from the stands, just being generally disappointed in his ‘waste of potential son’, or I’m paranoid mum is going to be in the crowd and take me back home."

“Ah...I understand.”  Alit said sadly, knowing that Koutei's family situation was terrible at best.  He sighed, looping an arm around Koutei's shoulders.

“It's okay, Koutei!  No one's gonna randomly appear and drag you back okay?  And your father's ghost probably would have better things to do than haunt you!  It's fine.”  Alit said, reassuringly.

“Sorry for fucking up today, man. Next time we meet up, I’ll make sure I’m better, I promise.” He gave a long sigh, unable to help himself from leaning against his friend.

“Hey it's fine!  Everyone has an off day!”  Alit said, letting Koutei lean against him.  He was happy to be there to support Koutei.

“If you need anything, I'm here, alright?”

Koutei closed his eyes, listening to Alit’s breathing and warmth. He was alive… but for what? For how long… He had to be okay… Please…

“Yeah… And you stay safe, alright?"

“Of course!  Same goes to you, right?”  Alit said with a smile.

“Y-yeah… Right..." He muttered. He didn’t want to get off, but he parted. “… I should go home. You have Kotori to get back to, right?’

“Yeah, I do...we're expecting the baby within the month or so!  You should definitely stick around so you can meet my kid.”  He said happily.

“I will, eventually…” The man murmured. “You’d be great as a dad…”

Alit smiled.

“You think so?  Well, I hope so.  My dad wasn't in my life for very long, so I don't have much personal experience to go by.”  Alit said.

“Nah… I know who you are. You’re a good man, Alit. It’ll be fine.” He muttered.

“Thanks man!  You're a good guy too, Koutei!  I'll see you later!”  Alit said happily, waving as he rushed out to catch his bus.

Koutei remained there and he sighed, rubbing his temples. He grabbed his bag and slowly walked out, not caring how long a walk home would take,

He just needed time to cry. Alit was slowly slipping out of reach. Even though they both wanted to be friends.. he was losing him.

As the two men went their separate paths, neither were aware that Yami was watching from the shadows.  He smirked as he noticed the look on Koutei's face.  

“So, his precious person is that man...”  He murmured.  Distantly, he remembered his other self having a precious person, and how much it had hurt to lose them, but for the most part, he was indifferent emotionally to the idea of splitting Koutei up from Alit.  After all, his own comrades had been dead for a long time now.

“I'll have to use this knowledge to my advantage during our next games.”  Yami mused, heading back to the base so he could look up information on this Alit.  

Koutei knew why he was feeling awful, but he found himself pulling his phone out anyway. Looking around anxiously, he texted Yami.

‘I want to play a game’.

He needed Alit… He needed to be worthy for him… he needed that pleasure again.

Yami was looking on the internet, investigating Alit's biographies and interviews.  He noted that the man's manager had announced that Alit was going to be taking time off soon to be with his family once his first child was born.  Yami was reading all about the man when his phone vibrated.  He smirked.

'Sure thing.  When do you want to play?'

‘As soon as you can manage.” The message beeped a few minutes later.

Yami smirked even wider, already feeling excited with anticipation.  He was always up for a shadow game.  

'I'll text you a location when I'm ready.  Meet me there.'  He typed, before closing his phone and continuing his research. He had to make a good game this time...something that would satisfy both him and Koutei thoroughly.  

“Alright…” Koutei murmured to his phone. He went back to his home in the mean time, going to change and hopefully shower before Yami called him.

-x-

That evening, Vector and Takashi had eventually retired to a guest room that had a bed for them to share.  Vector woke up the next morning cuddling Takashi close, smiling happily.  

“Morning...”  He said softly.

The night was a long and peaceful one, and Takashi was more than happy to wake up next to Vector, “Morning. Sleep okay?”

“Yeah...you?”  Vector said softly, snuggling close to Takashi for warmth.

“Pretty well… This bed is pretty good…” He smirked

“It totally is...but it's even better since you're here.  Last time I was in it alone.”  Vector cooed, kissing Takashi's cheek.

“Cause you slept early. I guess talking so much to Mikage took it out of you,” Takashi murmured.

“Yeah.  I guess so...but today we're going to relax anyway at the spa, so it's okay.”  Vector said happily.

“Yeah… You know, the sooner you get up, the longer we can be there."

“Then let's get up then!  Come on, up, up!”  Vector said, now practically pulling Takashi out of bed with him in his eagerness to get to the spa.  

Takashi’s eyes widened, only having being teasing Vector. He began to laugh as Vector suddenly jumped out of bed. “What? So quickly? Mikage has to be awake too!”

“We can speed things up if we're ready to go when she gets up!”  Vector argued.

“Alright, alright. Geeze, you’re like a child at Christmas morning."

“I'll take that metaphor a step up and start jumping on you and the bed if you don't get up~”  Vector teased.

“Ladies first. Brush your teeth or something. I’ll be up in a minute,” Takashi said, laughing.

Vector stuck out his tongue.

“Fine, fine.”  He said, ducking into the washroom to do just that.  He was definitely eager to go to the spa.

Takashi gave a small tired laugh and slowly gotten up. It’s been a while since Vector smiled like that… He was happy that he was okay.

Vector was indeed very happy and excited, and it had been awhile since he'd felt that way.  He hadn't truly felt this happy since he'd been given the news that he was dying sooner than expected.  He finished brushing his teeth and exited the washroom, rushing over to the closet to get some clothes for the day.

“You can use the bathroom now!”  He called to Takashi.

Takashi gave a smile, finding it pretty cute. “Go pester Mikage. I’ll be out in a sec,” He said, taking his meds and heading in.

“Okay!  See you in a bit!”  Vector said, once he'd gotten dressed in male's clothing and was prepared to head out.  He exited the room and went downstairs, where he spotted Mikage and Ushio eating breakfast.

“Phecda, you're up, good!  Breakfast is ready...is Takashi coming down too?”  She asked.  Vector nodded, grabbing a plate of food and sitting down at the table.

“Yeah he's coming soon.  Just getting ready.”  

“You’re all up early. Well, shouldn’t be a surprise because you all went to bed early,” He laughs

“Yes, well Ushio usually has to wake up early anyway, so we're accustomed to early mornings.”  Mikage admitted with a smile.

“Good morning, Takashi.  Once you two have eaten breakfast, we can head down to the spa.”  She said.  

“Sounds good to me,” Takashi smiled, sitting down. “So… did Vector ask you what we’re getting?”

“Nope, because I already know what we'll get.  The usual.”  Vector mused with a chuckle.  

“Although, we can add to it if you have something in mind.”  Vector offered Takashi.

“Vector only gets the best,” Ushio laughed. “He usually gets the best stuff when he can.”

“Of course, because I'm a spoiled brat.”  Vector mused.  

Takashi snorted.

“Is he really?” Ushio laughed.

“Potentially"

Mikage giggled.

“I seem to recall a few temper tantrums from him when he didn't get his way...”  She mused, making Vector flush.

“Shut up!  They weren't tantrums!”  He muttered.

“Tantrums?” Takashi asked. “He can get angry, but i haven’t seen a tantrum.”

“Well, maybe as an adult he gets angry, but as a little boy, he would throw tantrums.”  Mikage chuckled.  Vector groaned.

“I was a stupid kid, we get it!”  

“Alright, alright. We’ll treat you to something special after spa treatment to make it up to you, alright?"

Vector grinned and hugged Takashi happily, clearly pleased by the idea.  Ushio rolled his eyes and muttered 'definitely a spoiled brat' under his breath.  

“Well, I'm done.  Are you?”  Vector asked Takashi.

Takashi looked surprised. “We’re not on the force again! At least give me some time to drink coffee and wake up!”

Vector sighed.

“I know...okay.  I'll get you some coffee.”  He said, getting up to grab his boyfriend a cup.

“There really is no rush, Phecda.  You'll still have as much time as you want at the spa.”  Mikage offered with a small smile.

“Yeah… And if you’re really eager, I suppose i can shove toast in my mouth on our way out”

“No, it's okay.”  Vector said, putting the coffee down next to Takashi.  

“Mikage's right.  We can spend plenty of time there...we know the owner after all.”  He mused.

“Alright.  If you boys are ready, we'll get going.”  Mikage said, getting her bag and keys.  Vector got up with Takashi.

“Let's go then.”  He said, heading out to Mikage's car, since the woman had offered the previous night to drive them to the spa.  Vector was clearly very excited as he slid into the backseat with Takashi.

“So, what color are you going to get for your nails this time?”  He cooed happily.

“Hmm? Oh… um… I didn’t put much thought into that. Either clear… or the same colour as my hair.” Takashi said.

“Same as your hair would look nice!  You should do that~!”  Vector said happily.  He practically jumped out of the car when they finally reached the spa.  

“Okay, you two.  I'll tell the twins you're here so they can get things ready, okay?  Wait here.”  Mikage said, leaving Vector and Takashi in the lobby like last time they'd been here.

Takashi squeezed Vector’s hand. “It’s like it hasn’t changed at all,” He said, looking at the place.

“Yeah...that's nice though.  I like it how it was last time.”  Vector said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath in to take in the relaxing smells.  He had missed this place so much, and was reminded of the spa being his 'happy place' during therapy sessions.  

“Mmm… Still feels way too fancy for me,” Takashi laughed, scratching the back of his head. It was true. He hadnt really splurged much in his young retirement.

Vector chuckled.

“It almost feels distant from me, considering I haven't been to one in so long.  I used to go to them pretty often along with other such rich, fancy places that you probably never went to.  But, not anymore, and it doesn't bother me.  I don't miss it...and going every once in awhile makes every trip special.”  Vector mused with a smile, squeezing Takashi's hand.

“Yeah, you told me about all your big fancy parties and all,” Takashi laughed. “You’ve been doing well for a spoilt brat.” He teased

Vector pouted a bit.

“I guess...but that's only because I'm spoiled by my perfect partner.”  Vector cooed, kissing Takashi's cheek with a smile.  Rua and Ruka arrived and smiled.  

“Your baths are ready for you.”  Rua said.

“Thank you,” Takashi said. Ruka smiled at the two men and the woman escorted them inside to the room for them to have their baths first.

Vector followed the twins into the bathroom.  Once they were in the change room, he got undressed as quickly as he could, eager to get into the bath.  He grabbed a towel.

“Let's go!”  Vector exclaimed to Takashi.

Takashi laughed, folding his clothes. “Yeah… Hang on. There, there…”

Vector pouted a bit, but he folded his own clothes and put them next to Takashi's.  

“Okay, now you're ready right?”  He asked.

“Yes, yes, I am.” The man said. He pulled the towel tighter around his waist and followed after him.

Vector led the way enthusiastically, dropping down to sit on the edge of the bath.  He dipped his toes and feet in first with a small sigh, before removing his towel and easing in the rest of the way until the water was up to his shoulders.  He sighed in content as he did.  

“Come sit on this side with me.”  Vector said, smiling up at Takashi.  He wanted to snuggle in the bath.

Takashi smiled and folded his towel as well before he slipped in, smoothly and all at once. Obediently, he went to Vector’s side and he nuzzled him, a content smile on his face.

“Like this?"

“Yes.”  Vector cooed happily, hugging Takashi close.  He leaned his head against Takashi's shoulder, relaxing happily.

“Should we get drinks again?”  He said, glancing at the laminated menu.

Takashi smiled. “Whatever you want. We’re supposed to be indulging in the finer things in life."

“Drinks are the finer things we came for!”  Vector said, grabbing the menu and looking it over, keeping it at an appropriate angle in his hand so that Takashi could see too.

“You really liked the watermelon juice last time, remember?  Wonder if the mango one is any good...”  Vector mused, browsing the fruity drinks.

“I like mango. I can go with it.” The man smiled. “We’re not driving, so alcohol is an option.”

“They have slushy ones like margaritas.”  Vector said.  He nodded.

“Mango does sound good though.  We can share that one, and I'll get an alcohol one that we can share too okay?”  

“Sounds good.” Takashi laughed. He rung the small bell that was at the poolside and gave the order to Rua, who gave them a thumbs up and headed to get them.

Vector smiled and sat back against Takashi happily.  

“This is just like I remember.  I'm glad.”  

“Mmm… Except no time limit. You have all the time to get pruney, if you want.”

Vector smirked.

"And I intend to make use of that time." Vector said happily. He kissed Takashi's cheek, barely parting before Rua returned with their drinks. Vector took his and tried a sip.

"Mmm...it's good. Just like the last one." He said softly.

“You keep comparing things to last time like an old man. Should I be concerned?” Takashi teased, trying his own drink.

Vector blinked.

"You have no idea how much I missed this. When I was in the Correctional Facility, one of the only things that made me feel better was thinking of happy times with you...this was one of my favorite ones to think of. I'm really happy it's as nice as I remember it being is all..." Vector said softly.

Takashi looked surprised, having never heard that before. He knew Vector liked this a lot, but he never knew just how much this meant to him. The man gave Vector’s hands a reassuring squeeze.

“…I see… Well… It’s good."

Vector smiled, squeezing his hand back.

“It's kinda...well, stupid really.  Last time, I dragged you here, and then forced you to take a bath with me, get a massage and paint your nails green.  At least this time, you're here cause you want to be.”  Vector said.

“Yeah, but it was more for yourself than me.” Takashi gave a small laugh. “This is a different experience altogether, alright?”

Vector nodded.

“Yeah, it totally was.  And you were only here for Kaito's sake really.  This time, we're both here cause we want to be, and no one else but each other.”  Vector said, casually stealing a sip of Takashi's mango drink.

“Wow that is good...I like it.”  Vector said with a grin.

“…” Takashi almost brought Kaito up as a topic of conversation but shook his head, feeling that was a bad place to draw attention to. He gave a small smile and went to take Vector’s drink.

“I think I chose better.”

Vector chuckled.

“Yeah, I think you did too.”  Vector agreed.  He was happy, pulling away for a minute to dunk his head underwater.  Once he came up, he leaned against Takashi again, not noticing the herbs stuck in his hair.

Takashi laughed and went to pick the herbs from the stubble. He smoothed his hand against Vector’s scalp and smiled. “You look ridiculous."

Vector pouted a bit, before dipping his hand into the water and pulling out some herbs.  He stuck them in Takashi's hair.

“Now you do too.”  He mused.

Takashi rolled his eyes and flicked his nose. “Don’t do that. Now I have to put my head under the water.”

Vector pouted a bit more when Takashi flicked his nose, but then he smirked a bit.

“Maybe that was the point~”  He cooed.

Takashi rolled his eyes before diving under the water. He remained under there though, going to tickle Vector’s feet under the water like a child would.

Vector watched him go as best he could, but it wasn't clear what Takashi was doing under there until he felt something tickling his foot.  Vector twitched at first, resisting the urge to kick, because he didn't want to accidentally hit Takashi.  He started to laugh eventually as he squirmed.

“Takashi...stop it!”  He cried out in between giggles.

Takashi couldn’t do it for long so he surfaced for air and he laughed.

“There. Revenge.” He chuckled.

Vector was still chuckling a bit, trying to calm his laughter as Takashi finally surfaced.  He splashed him lightly with a pout.

“No fair...I couldn't fight back.”  He complained, though he clearly wasn't mad.

Takashi gave a laugh but didn’t splash back. “Revenge isn’t supposed to be a fair fight."

Vector smirked.

“It's fair in the sense that it's usually to get even with someone.”  He mused, taking another sip of Takashi's drink.

Takashi rolled his eyes and kissed Vector’s cheek before lying back, letting the hot water soak his joints.

Vector smiled as his cheek was kissed.  He put the drink back on the side of the pool before lying back next to Takashi with a small sigh.

“This is definitely relaxing...”  He mused.

“I know…” Takashi said, closing his eyes. “We could do this forever…”

Vector frowned a bit at those words.  He was reminded of his model, which was at home on his laptop.  If he could finish it, that could be possible maybe.  He felt a small stab of anxiety wash over him, fearing that maybe since he'd given up time to work on it on this trip, he wouldn't finish it at all.  No, he couldn't think that way...he would finish it.  He had to.  He sighed softly.

“...Yeah...”  He said in reply at last.

Takashi mistook Vector’s silence for something else and he extended his hand to take Vector’s while he was still closing his eyes.

Vector was a bit relieved that Takashi didn't notice anything off.  He let a small smile come back to his face, taking Takashi's hand and squeezing it.  He curled closer to Takashi, resting his head against Takashi's shoulder and closing his eyes, trying to focus on how content he was being here with Takashi again instead of his worries about his model.

They were here to enjoy the warm water until it got cold, the warmness of one another and their company…. They didn’t have to fear in this moment, and thats what he counted on...

When the water finally got cold and their drinks were gone, Vector began to shiver a little.

“Takashi, let's get out...”  He said softly.

“Okay… Massages seem in order, huh?” He smiled softly, stretching. “Mmmm… That was good.”

“Yeah.  It was good...but now we've got to move on.”  Vector said with a smile.  He got out and dried himself off slowly.

“Yeah…” He grabbed his tows and gave himself a quick wipe down, not wanting to be in the cold too long. Rua was along shortly, ready to take them along.

“All good?” He asked

“Yeah, we're ready.”  Vector said with a smile.  He and Takashi headed out to the massaging area.  

“Same set up as last time?” Ruka said, looking up from the laptop screen in the massage room. The young woman had been reviewing what Vector and Takashi were given a few years ago by looking on the electronic receipt. Thankfully, Mikage had made the search easy for her. “Or would you prefer something new?”

Takashi looked at Vector, letting him decide.

Vector blinked, pausing to think.  

“I think just a massage is okay...”  Vector mused, remembering how much Takashi had enjoyed it. He'd practically fallen asleep on the massage table last time.

“Right. Same Javanese massage. Got it.” She got up and went to wash her hands and Rua got the lotions. Takashi took the cue to get on the massage table.

Vector did as well, smiling over at Takashi as he relaxed on the table.  Rua and Ruka took their places and gently began the massages.  Vector closed his eyes, relaxing into the table as Ruka worked on his back.

Takashi sunk into the soft cushions and closed his eyes, already feeling a lot better. He felt Rua’s strong hands begin working out the knots in his back, smiling as he worked.

Ruka worked silently too, though a lot more cautiously, since Mikage had warned her about Vector.

Vector's body was fragile, but he recalled that the female twin had been the one who'd been gentle around his scarred back the previous time, so he wasn't worried that she'd hurt him.  He peeked an eye open to glance at Takashi's relaxed expression and smiled a bit wider.  He was happy that Takashi looked calm and relaxed, since it had been awhile since he'd been that way.

It was hard to look at Takashi when he was face down on the table, quietly enjoying himself. He didn’t have to look at Vector to tell the other man was relaxing. He really didn’t.

Vector closed his eyes and fully relaxed, satisfied with knowing that Takashi was relaxed too.  He was happy that Takashi was happy, and he closed his eyes.

Rua snorted perhaps half an hour in. Ruka looked up and Rua pointed down, noting that Takashi had drifted off. The female twin held her giggle back and forced herself to be professional, lathering Vector’s skin in lotion.

Vector himself was dozing off as well, considering he was constantly exhausted by his disease and the relaxing massage.  He smiled, twitching the slightest bit as he felt the cool lotion on his back, but he relaxed shortly after as Ruka began to rub it in.  

The massage lasted a good hour, and they were feeling absolutely in heaven. Though Takashi did wince when Rua was a bit hard, it was all and all glorious and Takashi was very sleepy and relaxed when it was all done.

Vector was also relaxed and a bit sleepy, so he stayed resting on the massage table for awhile while Rua and Ruka cleaned up.  Turning his head to look at Takashi, he smiled as he saw how relaxed Takashi looked.  He nudged Takashi gently.

“Enjoy that, sleepy head?”  He asked softly.

Takashi looked to the side and gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Yeah… I did…” He said, slowly sitting up. “Ngh… I didn’t even know I had so many knots."

Vector smiled a bit.

“It's amazing how these guys can make you feel so stress-free.”  Vector said, sitting up slowly too.

“We should get dressed...then we can go get our nails done.”  

“Yeah… Maybe they can even do your toes if you want."

“Oh, I like it when they do toes too!  They clean your whole foot in a pool...and give your feet a little massage too.  We can do that.”  Vector said excitedly.  He didn't do his toes as often, but he might as well indulge now.  He got up and grabbed Takashi's hand.

“Come on, let's get dressed quickly.”  He mused, sleepiness practically gone with the prospect of getting his nails done.

Takashi gave a lazy chuckle and nodded. “Yeah, alright.” He said, following along, glad he only brought simple clothes so he could just throw them on and follow Vector.

Vector threw his clothes on pretty quickly with a smile, before heading out with Takashi to the chairs where they'd be getting their manicures and pedicures.  While they'd gotten dressed, Rua and Ruka had gotten their manicure stuff ready.  

“All set?”  Rua asked.  Vector nodded.

“Yeah...we're getting pedicures too.”  He said, sitting down and letting the two attendants get their baths ready before putting his bare feet into the small tub with a smile.

Takashi smiled. “Gosh… Another thing I haven’t done before..."

Vector mock gasped.

“Goodness, I've been dating an uncultured swine this entire time haven't I?”  He exclaimed jokingly with a grin.

“Unfortunately, yes.” Takashi smirked. Rua snorted a bit as he and his sister exchanged files and got started.

Vector smirked.

“You're lucky you're so cute.  It helps me see past that.”  He mused, sitting back and letting Ruka clean his feet and toenails with her tools.

“I’m glad you like pigs if they’re sweet enough.” Takashi said back running his fingers through his hair and sighing as Rua worked

Vector blinked.

“Pigs?  You're not a pig!  You're more like an adorable puppy if you have to be an animal.”  He said, picking up a couple of bottles of blue nailpolish and frowning in concentration as he tried to pick which shade was a closer match to Takashi's hair.  

“Hmmm...your hair is such a cute blue.  This one looks closer, I think.  You've gotta put this color on your nails this time.”  Vector mused, holding the bottle right next to Takashi's head with a smirk.  

“You called me a swine. I was joking.” Takashi said, rolling his eyes. He looked at the colour and smiled. “I’m alright with that."

Vector snorted.

“Still...piglets are cute, I suppose.”  Vector mused.  He beamed when Takashi agreed.

“Good!  This is for him!”  He said, passing the bottle down to Rua.  He then frowned and looked over options for himself.

“Should I get clear again...or should I get a color?  Since I picked yours, it's only fair if you pick one for me too, right?”  Vector said.

“Huh? No, I’m awful at colour picking. I didn’t even do the colour palette for my house.” Takashi laughed. Yeah, Aika had been the artsy one. And Vector was far more creative than Takashi. “I would just say something to match your eyes, but then get confused with the shades."

Vector laughed a bit at that.  He knew that he was more creative than Takashi.  He smirked.

“Well, you should be more than familiar with my eyes, right?~  That shouldn't be hard!  Besdies, I can't look at them without a mirror, so I'd never know they were off.”  He mused, pulling out a couple of bottles that seemed close to what he thought the shade of his eyes were.  

“Which one is closer?”  He asked, holding them up and facing Takashi so that he could see the shades of purple and his eyes at the same time.

“The one on the left.” He replied automatically.

Vector grinned.

“See?  Easy.”  He mused, passing it down to Ruka for his own nails.  By now, their feet were ready to be painted.  Vector leaned back in his seat and relaxed.  

“This is fun...”  He said softly.

“It is… It’s been a while since Ive seen you so relaxed. Usually you’re so tired and stressed.” Takashi said.

Vector sighed.

“I could say the same to you...maybe you're not as tired, but you're worried.”  Vector noted with a small sad smile.  He knew he was the cause.  It was him and his stupid health that did this to Takashi, and so he was happy that Takashi could still relax with him around.

“Me? I sleep fine. We’ve been over this,” Takashi smiled. “I’m okay. Really"

“I know you sleep fine...”  Vector mused, before sighing.

“Yeah, I know.  I know.”  He said softly.  For now at least, Takashi was okay.  And he could relax knowing that much.  Besides, if he relaxed, Takashi would only feel better, he knew.

Fingers were done and then nails. Takashi gave a laugh at he looked at his shaped finger and toenails, wiggling the coloured digits.

“I forgot how light and shiny they feel after one of these things."

“I know right?  It's such a nice feeling...I missed it.”  Vector agreed with a grin, keeping his fingers still as he looked at their purple color.  He was pleased with the job.  

“Now I feel like we need to dress up or something.”  Vector mused, giving Takashi a suggestive look.  He knew Takashi would be able to tell from his look that he meant wearing skirts or dresses.

Takashi’s face went pink. “Maybe… Not like I have a uniform I have to keep up with, anymore.” He said as he looked at himself, letting Rua and Ruka pack up

“True!  Last time you had to hide your pretty nails, but since it's just us, we can do whatever we want~”  Vector mused happily.  “You can borrow some of my stuff...I brought a couple cute outfits.”  

“Did you?” Takashi asked, surprised. “I didnt see you pack it.”

“Is that all you wanted for today?” Ruka asked the two. They were special guests, after all.

Vector smirked.

“I'm sneaky~”  He cooed.  He nodded at Ruka.

“I think we're good to go.  Thank you.”  He said.

Takashi got his wallet and tipped the duo before getting up and stretching. “Let’s get our clothes and head out. Man, I feel good."

“I feel great too.”  Vector said with a grin, getting up and stretching his limbs.  

“Yeah… Shall we go thank Mikage and take a walk around town? You still owe me a tour."

“Sure!  Sounds good.”  Vector said, getting his clothes and waiting for Takashi to be ready too before heading out towards the front desk.  Mikage was waiting there, and she smiled when she saw Vector and Takashi emerge.

“I hope you enjoyed that!”  Mikage said with a smile.  Vector nodded.

“We did, thanks, Mikage.”  

Takashi gave a small smile. “Yes, thanks so much. Are you sure we don’t have to pay?"

Mikage smiled and shook her head.

“No, not at all.  You're covered.”  She replied.  “What have you got planned for the rest of the day? I could call Ushio and ask if he could pick you up and take you back to the house if you want?”  

“No that's fine, Mikage.  We're going to walk around town for a bit.  We'll see you later!”  Vector said with a smile.  Mikage nodded.

“Alright then.  Have fun!”  

“We will.”Takashi smiled, leading Vector out. He took in the fresh air with new vigour. “So… tour and then lunch?"

“Sounds good.”  Vector said, hooking their arms together and smiling at Takashi.  

-x-

Thomas had received an invitation to Shark and Yuuma's after-wedding party, which he suspected was a reluctant invitation on Shark's part a least.  He smirked, knowing that Shark didn't care about him, but would do anything to please Yuuma.  Deep down Thomas was quite happy for Yuuma and Shark, considering he knew just how much the two of them cared for each other, but that didn't mean he wouldn't mess with Shark at least.  He wasn't beyond spicing up their party a bit...and Thomas knew exactly how he'd do that.  

He'd discovered a few old acquaintances of Shark's working in a toy store awhile back, and since he knew they'd be invited to the wedding too, he decided to pay them a visit and see if they were up for helping him with his little plan.  He entered their little store and glanced around.

“Hey, Durbe, Mizael?  Are you two in?”  He called, strolling in and looking around for either of the two men.

Mizael knew Thomas through his brother, since he and Chris were surprisingly decent friends thanks to Mizael wanting to find out more about the man who managed to arrest them years ago. He was idly playing with his hair when he looked up, seeing Thomas. The man raised an eyebrow and straightened up.

“I thought I told you to not show up if you weren’t going to buy anything.” Mizael muttered.

“I might buy something today, so chill.”  Thomas mused with a smirk.  

“You and Durbe were invited to Shark's wedding party, right?”  He said, approaching the blond with a sneaky look in his eye.

Mizael glared at him back. “We’re going, if that’s what you’re asking. We’ve RSVPed to the new date,” The man said, seriously.

Thomas' smirk widened.

“Good to know...then you two can help me out.”  He said.  Having heard part of the conversation, Durbe emerged from the back and sighed.

“What do you want, Thomas?”  He asked.  Thomas grinned.

“This place sell any water guns?”  He asked.

“Row four from the front, left hand side.” Mizael responded, almost automatically. There was a pause before he looked up and glared even more darkly at Thomas. “Why do you, of all people, want water guns?”

“I plan to spice up the wedding party a bit, that's why!”  Thomas said with a grin, heading over to the aisle where the water guns were.  He whistled lowly as he checked them out.

“These'll be great...the small ones are easily concealable.  That's perfect.”  Thomas mused.  Durbe blinked.

“You plan to take them to the party and spray people with them?”  He asked.  Thomas smirked.

“Mostly Ryouga, but yeah.  That's the idea!”    

“That’s childish, even for you.” Mizael called from where he was leaning at the counter.

“Consider it the ultimate display of fanservice!”  Thomas called back with a grin.  

“You two gonna help or not?  I'll probably need help transporting these to the party...if I take them all myself, it might look suspicious.”  Thomas asked.  

“… How many are you taking?” Durbe asked. “Wouldn’t one be sufficient?"

“Hmmm...I'm thinking one for at least half the guests.”  Thomas said with a chuckle.  

“So you're talking an all out water war?  Isn't that a little juvenile?”  Mizael sneered.  Thomas smirked.

“So is playing with the Tachyon Dragon plushies in the back.”  He shot back, making Mizael scowl and look away.

Durbe gave a sigh. “… I’d ask you who would do that, and then i remember that Yuuma’s friends would do something like this. …You can have us help, but you pay extra for handling."

“Exactly!  It'll be fun for everyone right?”  Thomas said with a grin.

“Sure, I'll pay it.  Whatever.”  Thomas knew he was well off, and could definitely afford whatever Mizael and Durbe asked of him.  He grabbed a bunch of the water guns and brought them to the counter.  

“I'll buy them now, and then we can each take a few to the wedding in secret and fill them up there.”

“…. Ugh. Mizael, deal with it. I’m going back to restock shelves.” Durbe said, going back to the backroom.

Mizael rolled his eyes but rang Thomas through.  Thomas paid the blond and packed up a few of the water guns into his bag with a grin.

“Don't forget to bring these ones.”  He said to Mizael.  

“Yeah yeah.  See you at the wedding party then.”  The blond replied, making a note to bring a change of clothes or find the nearest washroom to hide in once the water fight started.

Durbe was also making mental notes to get ready to avoid Thomas’ attack. A small part of him wondered if he should tell Shark, but he decided against it

Thomas grinned and headed out, very pleased with himself on this accomplishment.  

-x-

It had taken a little while, but Yami felt he had figured out a perfect game for Koutei.  He immediately called the guy, already heading to a potential rendezvous place.  

Koutei picked up. He was trying to train, but he was exhausted. He had been trying to get his spark back, but ever since his match with Alit, he couldn’t feel the thrill he had with Yami.

When his phone rang, he picked up, biting his lip as he saw who was ringing.

“Yeah?"

“It's game time.”  Yami said simply with a smirk.  

Koutei got up and grabbed his stuff. “Where?"

“Meet me at the BARian.  We'll go from there.”  Yami said, before hanging up.  He knew Koutei would come.  He had heard how desperate he sounded.

Koutei hung up without responding, heading to the BARian. Within fifteen minutes, he was at the BARian, looking for Yami.

Yami was chilling, having a drink as he waited for Koutei.  He knew he probably wouldn't have to wait long, and was pleased when he saw the blond enter the place.  Yami gave him a smirk and waved at him.  

“Hey, glad you could make it.”  

Koutei gave him a small, almost shy smile and shrugged. “I’m glad as well..."

“I'm sure you'll like the game I made for us this time...it took a little while to come up with, but I'm sure it'll be worth it.”  Yami mused, taking a sip of his drink.

“Did you want one before we go, or are you in a hurry to begin?”  

“A drink would be actually refreshing, thanks,” He said, sighing and sitting down.

Yami nodded.

“Sure thing.”  He finished his own and called for two more to the bartender.  He noticed immediately how Koutei didn't seem too happy and energetic.  

“You doing okay?  You seem tired.”  Yami asked, mostly starting a conversation so that Koutei wouldn't notice the tiny dissolving pill that Yami slipped into his drink.

“Hm?” Koutei rubbed his temples, definitely not in the mood. “Yeah… I completely fucked up my training with Alit… Not in the best of moods"

“Everyone has their off days, Koutei.  I'm sure you'll be re-energized enough to fight him again soon.”  Yami said, smiling as he noticed that the pill was completely dissolved, showing no indication that the drink had ever been tampered with.  He offered the drugged glass to Koutei.  

“We'll change your mood with this game, hopefully.”  

“Yeah… same…” Koutei muttered. He sighed as he took the glass and raised it. “Cheers."

“Cheers.”  Yami said, gently clinking the glasses before downing his.

Koutei just slugged it down. “Do I owe you money?” He asked, wiping his mouth with his sleeve

“No, unless you feel like paying me.  I don't need any.”  Yami said.  He was earning enough from his other jobs that he could afford to have some playtime with Koutei.

Koutei smiled and put the drink down. “… So how have you been?” Koutei didn’t want to make smalltalk, but he didn’t want to show how eager he wanted to play the game.

Yami blinked.  Well, he did have some time to burn before the drugs started kicking in...he might as well talk a bit.

“Busy planning games.  The usual.”  He said with a small shrug.  That was all he did, but he was perfectly okay with it.  He'd always loved games.

“What kind of games?”

“Every kind!  I play board games, card games, video games...and I make my own games from whatever I can have handy.”  Yami said.  Yami was definitely a firm believer that he could make anything into a game if he tried hard enough.

“It sounds like you have a lot fun…”

“I do...and they're all multi-player, so I get to have fun with others, like yourself.”  Yami said, finishing off his drink.  

“Shall we get going?  All this talk about games is making me eager to show you the game I prepared for us.”  Yami said with a small smirk.

“Yeah…” Koutei gave a small smile at Yami and chuckled.

“Alright…” He got up and stretched.

Yami smiled, getting up and leading Koutei out of the bar.  

“Again, the game is step up not far from here.”  He mused.  They entered a small appartment with a table in the center and two chairs.  There was a deck of cards placed in the center of the table.

“This time, it's a card game.  You mentioned you were uncertain about your future...so it's a fortune telling game.  I happen to be adept at predictions, and I'm told they're fairly accurate.”  Yami mused.

“Is this your apartment?” The man asked, following Yami.

“… Fortune telling? Well… not much participation on my part, neh?”

“Yes, sort of.  I do not normally live here.”  Yami lied, knowing that he'd killed the previous owner a few nights ago, so technically it could be his.  He sat down.

“You get to draw cards...first, I'll show you how good I am.”  Yami said, pulling out a second deck of regular playing cards.  He handed it to Koutei.

“You can check it over, shuffle it, do whatever you want to convince yourself that there are no tricks.”  He said with a smirk.  He knew the drug would be kicking in now.  Koutei wouldn't be able to smell the cards.

Koutei sat down and gave a small yawn. He grimaced but he shuffled it anyway, working at the deck thoroughly before handing it back to him.

Yami took it and put it down.  Then he flicked on a black light.  

“The one thing about these cards is that they're a glow in the dark.  Cool huh?”  Yami mused, showing Koutei how the numbers and the tarot cards glowed under the black light.  That wasn't the only cool thing.  

“Draw two cards and do not show them to me.  I will tell you what they are, and which ones you'll draw next.”  He said, before discreetly dipping his finger into some paint that glowed yellow in black light.  

“Oh, that’s… wow…” His drugged induced brain was starting to get to him, and the cards seemed cosmic as they glowed in the dark.

“Right…” He drew two cards and then put them down.

“Good...now then.  Game is officially started...I will connect with the spirits of the Underworld to show you your future.”  Yami said, closing his eyes and drawing an eye on his forehead while chanting a small prayer in ancient Egyptian.  He now had a glowing eye on his forehead and when he opened his eyes, they were red and fierce.  

“With the third eye of Isis, I will predict your future.”  Yami took a deep breath, before pointing to the face down card on Koutei's right.

“This card is the Lonely Prince.  All the Lonely Prince desires is happiness...but since it is upside down, it means that it has already determined a potential path.  Perhaps it will be revealed in time.”  Yami said, before pointing to the other face down.

“Lionheart.  A very powerful, but cursed being.  The Lionheard seeks the satisfaction of finding the perfect opponent, but it is cursed in that is cannot ever seem to be satisfied.  Its opponents never last, never stay long enough to satisfy it.  This leads it to despair.”  

“Have I identified the cards right?”  Yami asked, half playful.  He had definitely gotten them right.

Koutei could swear that there were shadows were crawling out of the corners of the room. The man gave a loud yelp and looked around before staring at the glowing insignia on Yami’s forehead.

“… I… Woah… That’s… correct.” He muttered, clenching a fist.

“No need to be alarmed by the spirits...they aren't able to physically harm you.”  Yami said gently, knowing Koutei was seeing things again.  He smiled.

“Let us continue...”  He said, taking another card and putting it face down without looking at it.

“This one...oh, what a sweet and angelic looking little bird.  It is the White Dove, a symbol of peace, purity, and love.  It attracts the young Lionheart, whose path had been occupied by seeking opponents.  Lionheart is drawn to the White Dove...leaving the Lonely Prince behind.  Their paths were not destined to cross that way, I see.”  Yami said.

“Turn it over.  Have the spirits read the card correctly once more?”  

Koutei bit his lip but nodded, trusting Yami.

The man was sure he didn’t tell Yami anything about his home life- at least nothing about Kotori. He stared at it before picking up the card and flipping it.

“Y-yeah…” Usually he would be more sceptical but he couldn’t think of that right now.

Koutei hadn't told Yami anything about Kotori, but he'd said enough that Yami had been able to research Alit at least. He smiled.

"Okay next...now I see a mountain where Lionheart roamed and encountered the Lonely Prince. The two had a spar on top of the world. It seemed that the mountain had been the refuge the Lonely Prince had sought, and while he was there with Lionheart, he was not alone. He achieved true happiness in that moment." Yami spoke, inviting Koutei to turn the card up.

Koutei looked confused and clutched his head. Mountains… where his secret training spot with Alit was. There was no way Yami could know that, right? He flipped the card over and frowned when he saw the guess was correct.

“Just like you said…"

"Impressed? I'm just getting warmed up...the past has been laid out before you. Now, we will delve into near present and future." Yami said with a smirk, taking another card.

"After that momentary high, Lionheart and the Lonely Prince went their separate ways. Both expected that their relationship would continue for the rest of their lines...but the future looks grim." Yami said, holding up the card to face Koutei without looking at it.

"The Lionheart, forever prone to curses of losing those who make him happy, discovers that the Lonely Prince is no longer as satisfying to it as before. This is apparent in the Egyptian symbol of the snake eating its own tail...it has the mane of a lion, symbolizing the Lionheart. They will be cursed to repeat the vicious cycle of losing someone to match their power, and fall to despair once more." Yami proclaimed, knowing that the meaning would not be lost to Koutei. He could tell by Koutei's reactions that he had been accurate so far.

Koutei stared at the cards, not bothering with a response. The creatures in the corner of the room made him feel dizzy while the cards scared him, instead of the other way around. He wasn’t sure if he even wanted to know his future.

And when it was told, he bit his lip and he looked at Yami.”… Yes, that’s the card.” He wasn’t going to to get better… He wasn’t going to be worth of Alit. That other day proved that so- “Can I change the future?”

Yami smirked.

"We'll see. Since you're asking, you draw a card from anywhere in the deck, and put it down. I'll describe it." Yami told him.

Koutei seemed a little surprised by that but he took a card anyway from the centre and placed it face down without looking.

Yami closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"The future is not as clear cut as the past...there are several paths that can be chosen. The one you have taken...is indeed a path to salvation for the Lionheart. The Lonely Prince is able to redeem his position by proving himself...Lionhearts skills are about to slip with the arrival of the Little Gem." Yami said, flipping the card.

"Remove the Little Gem, and prove that the Lonely Prince is capable. That is the future." Yami said, before opening his eyes to take in the reaction.

Koutei had no idea what that meant and was in no condition to really take in the meaning. All he did was ball his fist and look at Yami with teary, red eyes, clearly shaken from this encounter.

"They said that by the end of the month, the Little Gem will arrive." Yami mused, looking at Koutei, before widening his eyes as he subtly knocked the cards deck over.

"Oh...oh dear..the spirits are trying to warn you of something." Yami noted, picking up the single card that lay face up. It was a skull with a face that looked quite a bit like Alit's.

"Terrible misfortune will befall Lionheart of the spirits do not receive Little Gem...if Lonely Prince fails, nothing will save him."

“Wh-!” Koutei jumped as the deck moved seemingly by itself. He frowned and looked.

How did Yami know all of this, Koutei couldn’t fathom. He would have to go home and have a long think about what was going on. The skull really didn’t look like Alit’s but Koutei’s hazed vision made it seem it so.

“I…I’ll do anything to save him. Anything…”

Yami smiled.  

"Then when you find out what the Little Gem is, just get rid of it.  Take it away and it'll all be okay."  Yami said.

“… Y-yeah…” Koutei looked down at his hands and closed his eyes. He would do anything to help...

Yami turned the black light off, illuminating the room once more and dispelling the imaginary spirits with another small chant.  He glanced at Koutei and smirked a bit.

“You had a problem before, but thanks to the game, you now have a solution...do you feel better?”  He asked.

Koutei grimaced and promptly put his head on the table with a loud ‘THUNK’.

“Yes…” He grunted.

Yami snorted a bit.

“I'm not too convinced.”  He mused with a small chuckle.  Although Koutei's reactions weren't as exciting as some of his other game opponents, he was amusing to watch.

“Just tired. I think I drunk that drink far too quickly…” Koutei muttered. “Where did you learn to do that?"

“Gotta be careful with those.”  Yami said with a grin.  He nodded.

“I learned it from Egypt.”  He said.

​“Yeah…” Koutei sat up and rubbed his temples. “Mmm… you mentioned being Egyptian."

“I am.  I've studied its history as well...I love playing Egyptian Shadow Games as a tribute to my heritage.”  Yami said coolly.

“… It’s terrifying.” Koutei grimaced. “Then again, I’m not that comfortable with things I can’t fight with my fists."

Yami nodded.

“I understand.  Everyone has their favorite types of games.”  He said with a smirk.

“Can we not make this game a habit? The RPGs are fine… this…” He shuddered. It was clear whatever Yami was trying was deeply rooted into his heart.

“Okay.  No more fortune telling games.”  Yami promised with a grin.  

“Let me know if you're up for another game.”  He mused.

“… I am up for another game, if you have time.” Koutei sighed. “I’m not busy”

“Great, I'm always up for things.  Lemme know when you're free.”  Yami said, gathering up the cards and putting the deck into his pocket with a smile.

“… I’m free now.” Koutei said honestly, looking at Yami. “Or are you a one-game-a-day guy?”

Yami blinked, hesitating.  He hadn't really ever done two Shadow Games in one day.  Nobody had ever wanted to play so much with him before...especially not after he drugged them.  

“Um...sure, I guess we could play something else.”  Yami said at last.

Koutei just… wanted that high and pleasure again. He was getting addicted to Yami and the happiness he couldn’t reach in real life anymore. He wanted Alit so badly.

Yami sad back down, easily able to think of another game for himself and Koutei to play and enjoy.

-x-

Vector was sitting in the car, feeling a bit jittery with both excitement and a slight amount of anxiety.  They were finally going to the cemetery for Takashi to meet his parents.  He knew logically that it was unlikely that anyone would be staking out the gravesite, but the last time he'd been there, he had been shot.  He wasn't looking forward to reliving that, but he was excited to show Takashi the site.  Vector had bought a bouquet of flowers to give to his parents, which was sitting in his lap.  He was just waiting for Takashi now.

Takashi got ready quite quickly. He wasn’t exactly sure what he should bring but after dressing warm attire, he headed out to Vector. He smiled at his partner and offered his hand. “Ready?"

Vector smiled and nodded, taking Takashi's hand.  He held the bouquet in his other hand.

“Yeah, I'm ready.”  He said, getting out of the car and getting ready to climb up the hill to the gravesite.

Takashi smiled and helped him out before he started walking up the hill. “It’s a nice place…"  

"Yeah, it is." Vector mused, taking the time to look around a bit as they climbed. It was partially because he was worried about being ambushed and partially to enjoy the scenery. This time, he was in full disguise just in case, but he still stayed close to Takashi, tightening his grip on Takashi's arm slightly.

Takashi gave a small smile to him and only enjoyed the scenery. However, he had one arm around Vector, reassuring him they were there for one another.

Vector was grateful for Takashi's presence and he smiled a bit.

"This way..." He said, leading Takashi through the headstones until they finally reached the two that belonged to the Atlas family.  Vector stopped, frowning as he noticed an old billet hole partially through the corner of his mothers grave, but other than that, there was no sign of the carnage from his previous visit's ambush.

Takashi looked it over and he gave a small smile. He bowed to the grave and smiled gently.

“Hello there,” He said, though prompting Vector to speak first

Vector blinked, snapping out of his little trance. He swallowed a bit to get his bearings.

"Mom, Dad...this is Takashi. I told you about him last time I saw you.  I'm sorry it's been so long." He said softly, approaching and getting down on his knees to rest the flowers down next to the headstones.

"Sorry I haven't visited in awhile." He said, closing his eyes and bowing his head slightly.

Takashi put a hand on Vector’s shoulder and sighed, looking at the two. He then slowly got down too and smiled.

“It’s good to meet you both. Takashi has told me so much about you, you especially, Mrs. Atlas.”

Vector smirked. "Carly. She'd say 'Carly' is fine." He said. He glanced at Jack. "His preferred pronouns were 'the King'." Vector said with a snort.

“Hahaha… That’s like… different ends of the spectrum. Very informal and… extremely formal.” Takashi laughed. “… I’m looking after Vector. I’ll promise I will until you two have to again…” he said, smiling, but voice soft.

Vector chuckled.

"He's claimed that title ever since he became the King of Riding Duels. They were huge in Neo Domino when he was growing up." Vector mused. He smiled a bit at Takashi's words, although he was also saddened that it wouldn't be too much longer until he was no longer with Takashi.

"When I die, it would be safest to be cremated...then, I want to be put here with them." Vector said softly.

“Alright… Thanks for telling me,” Takashi nodded. He looked at the grave that hadn’t been treated much over the years, so he sighed and looked at Vector. “Shall we start making these graves better?”

Vector smiled, glancing at the grave.

"Yeah. Let's." He said, gently starting to pull some of the weeds that had been starting to grow next to the headstones.

Takashi smiled and began working on the headstones, getting any bird droppings off and sanding out the mark on Carly’s headstone as best as he could with one hand.

Vector helped clean things up, and finally sighed and sat back. Now the graves looked much nicer than they did before. He was happy.

"There...now you're both pristine." He said softly to the headstones. He leaned against Takashi's shoulder and closed his eyes to relax a bit.

With the flowers laid on both graves, it did look a lot better- a memorial site rather than a forgotten memory. Takashi blew the match out and let the incense burn and he let Vector lean against him.

Vector was very happy to be here, feeling at peace as he was surrounded by Takashi's warmth and the smell of incense.

"Thank you for doing this with me..." He said softly.

Takashi smiled. “I’m happy to. It’s a pleasure meeting those two finally. It’s been a long time coming."

Vector smiled.

"I'm glad...you couldn't meet them in person so this is the next best thing." He said with a smile.

“Yeah… So now we’re properly acquainted. It’s fair now."

Vector nodded. He held Takashi's hand and smiled.

"Well technically you're now acquainted with more of my family than I am with yours." Vector mused. He hadn't met Takashi's father since Takashi had never met him, nor had he met any uncles, aunts or godparents.

“Those people don’t exist in my life. Mum is an only child as well and I didn’t have godparents. Mum was either the biker or the professional. I didn’t have many familial relationships.” Takashi shrugged.

"I know...you must've been lonely as a kid, considering you never got along with your mom..." Vector murmured, glancing at Carly's tombstone.

"My mom was always there for me until she died, so I have trouble picturing it sometimes."

“I had my books. And the time I have now with you makes me forget all about that, so it’s really okay.” He smiled softly. “… Michael did mention in one of our therapy sessions that it might be because of being alone all the time, I’m so clingy to my romantic partners. I told you that once, didn’t i?"

Vector nodded and smiled. "You handled it better than I did..." He said softly, knowing that after his mom died, he went downhill gradually until he was arrested. He nodded. "Yeah, I know...you did." Vector said, hugging Takashi close and feeling guilty that he was going to be leaving Takashi alone again. "...if you need someone else after...it's okay..." Vector said at last, although deep down he hated the words.  He didn't want Takashi to be with someone else, but at the same time he wanted him happy...

“Yeah… I guess that’s one way to put it” he murmured. He let Vector hug him and he frowned, shaking his head.

“Hey… I’m not exactly going to start clubbing as soon as you’re dead. I know it’s fine… but…” He would want to keep Vector in his heart. “… I’ll be fine. Really."

"I know you probably wouldn't...but...ugh..." Vector said, pausing before he finally continued softly.

"I know Dad was with other people...he needed comfort I guess, after Mom died. But...although part of me thinks that's okay if it's what you need to feel better...I just...another part of me can't stand the idea of you being with someone else..." Vector finished, holding him closer.

“Don’t worry. I’m the crazy guy who can’t move on, remember?” Takashi said, trying to joke like how Vector would. “It was just luck you came into my life… Don’t worry about me. I can survive without you, honest. I don’t want to… but I can.”

Vector snorted a bit.

"We're both crazy." He murmured, before smiling a bit.

"Okay...I believe you then." He said softly, before kissing him gently.

"For now, we can make the most of the time we have left together."

“… Yeah. We say that every day….” Takashi sighed and kissed him back. “But we will. There’s still a wedding to go to.”

"Yeah you're right...I just like to keep saying it." Vector said. He nodded.

"The wedding will be fun.  I'm happy for Shark and Yuuma." He said.

“Well… for the record, in front of your parents, I, Takashi, take you, Phecda, to be my partner. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life, until death does us part.” He said softly, squeezing Vector’s hand.

Vector opened his eyes and blinked in astonishment. "...You just recited a wedding vow...are you marrying me?" He asked softly, recalling their discussion about it earlier. He chuckled a bit. "I'll stay with you too...I'm already sick, so you know it's in sickness, and I was with you even while healthy. I promise I'll stay with you for the rest of my days...but, I'll only swear it on your death because that's when we'll truly part from this world. I'm staying with you forever." Vector said, squeezing Takashi's hand back.

“We said that we wouldn’t do that… I just wanted to recite that vow in front of your parents.” Takashi started before Vector began to talk. He looked at his partner with bewilderment before he gave a sad, teary smile and hugged Vector.

Vector smiled back, feeling teary as well as he hugged his partner back.

"I love you."

“I love you too…” He murmured, kissing Vector’s shoulder.

Vector smiled and chuckled.

"Oh by the way, Mom, Dad, I'm gay." Vector said jokingly, hugging Takashi.

"And I love Takashi more than anything or anyone." He declared.

Takashi burst out laughing at that. “You’re unbelievable.” But he did like how sweet Vector was. Really. He was happy.

Vector chuckled.

"I know. But you love me for it." He cooed.

“Yeah…” He looked at the graves. “… Ready to go home? Or a bit longer?"

"I think I'm ready to go." Vector said, glancing at the graves.

"Bye Mom and Dad...I'll see you again soon." He said softly, before standing up

“Yeah… Same here. Rest easy.” Takashi said bowing his head before getting up and supporting Vector. Today had been short but… nice. He was glad Vector could have this day…. it could be his last time he was seeing his parents alive.

Vector was also satisfied with the visit and he was aware that it might be the last time he saw the cemetery, but he still left feeling at peace.

"Now I guess we should get back to Mikages and grab our stuff. We have a wedding to get back to." Vector said, squeezing Takashi's hand.

“Yeah. Our bags are more or less packed, so we just chuck them in and then we’re off.” Takashi smiled. “Excited?”

"A bit. I'm happy for Yuuma and Shark. They've been practically married forever...it's about time they made it official." Vector said.

“Yeah… Really…” Takashi smiled. “It will be great, won’t it?” He headed to the car and opened the door for Vector, a small smile on his face.

"Definitely. It'll also be nice to see all your friends again. Knowing Yuuma, he's probably invited everyone from the Numbers Club." Vector said with a smile as he stepped into the car when Takashi opened the door for him.

“Knowing Yuuma, he’s probably invited everyone.” Takashi laughed. He smirked and hopped in the car on the other side.

“… Now I’m wondering if he invited Miheal… and Anna…”

"True...great now my former therapist and the cops will be coming. I'll have to watch myself." Vector said, rolling his eyes.

“You’ll be fine. You don’t look how you did. They won’t recognise you,” Takashi chuckled.

"I guess. But I'm still going to be careful just in case." Vector said.

“Yeah… I know.” Takashi smiled, driving off.

-x-

Yuuma was both nervous and excited today. He was finally going to get officially married to Shark. He was of course very happy, but he was also anxious to take that step. Deep down, he still wondered if Shark would change his mind about him.

Shaking his head, Yuuma got rid of those thoughts for now as he tried to figure out the tuxedo he was going to get married in. He had trouble putting clothes on, which was no secret to everyone. The pants were easy enough but after that he was lost.

"I don't get why I need cufflinks and a tie...I don't even know how they work." He exclaimed. His high school uniform had been a clip on tie.

Akari rolled her eyes as she heard her brother. After giving Charlie the camera and straightening her husband’s tie, she walked in, looking classy as ever in a red dress despite her pregnancy.

“Probably because it’s traditional. And you never learned because you didn’t want to.” Akari sighed, going on to grab Yuuma’s wrist and work there.

Charlie accepted the camera with a chuckle, standing near the door as the Tsukumo siblings worked. Yuuma pouted as his sister grabbed his wrist, but didn't protest.

"I didn't think I'd ever need that fancy stuff! And I doubt I'll need it again after today." He said.

“That’s why you’re borrowing them. You’re lucky Charlie’s stuff fits on you.” She said. “But you look good."

"I couldn't believe it myself. Deep down, I still think of Akari's kid brother when I look at you sometimes." Charlie mused. Yuuma stuck his tongue out at him, before grinning as he looked himself over in the mirror.

"Hey, I do!  This is awesome!" He exclaimed, pausing to put on his precious Ou's Key as the final touch.

"I think I'm ready...well as ready as ever." He mused.

“He still is my kid brother, what are you talking about?” Akari laughed. She smiled. “Alright. Let’s head to the office then and get you married. You have all the things in the car, Charlie?” Akari asked, heading out.

Yuuma followed nervously behind his sister and her husband, wondering how Shark was making out.

At Yuuma's and Shark's apartment, Rio was tapping her foot impatiently while waiting for her brother to finish getting dressed and ready.

"Ryouga, are you done yet? You're going to be late to your own marriage at this rate!" She called.

“Yuuma will be twice as late!” Shark yelled. “I can’t find my jacket. I put it down and now it’s run off.” Shark yelled, mostly dressed but with a messy mop of hair, frantically looking around.

"Oh no he won't! Akari-san won't let him be late and I won't let you be late." Rio exclaimed, opening the door and entering the room as she heard her brother scramble.

"Calm down! It's right here." She exclaimed, grabbing his shoulder to stop him, then sliding his jacket over his shoulders.

"Ryouga, you need to relax. Where's your hairbrush? We need to fix your hair."

“Yuma makes everyone late.” Shark retorted before his sister barged in. He cursed, wondering how she was able to find his stuff in the garbage pile that was Shark and Yuuma’s room. Their apartment was clean enough but that’s because they dumped everything in here.

“…. Argh. Left drawer. I can comb my own hair. Don’t worry."

"Not this time he won't. I won't let you be late for your own wedding." Rio said. She  rolled her eyes.

"You and Yuuma will have to clean all this up after." She mused. She grabbed the comb and passed it to her brother.

"I'll be here to help style it if you need."

“No… We really won’t.” Shark said, figuring they’d shove their stuff to the corner as usual. He sighed and just combed it.

“I’ll just tie it back. Yuuma likes my hair in a high ponytail anyway."

"Whatever you want. It's your certificate signing." Rio said, smiling as she watched.

"Although, for the record, I don't think Yuuma would care however you did your hair."

“I mean we won’t clean up. I know I have to be… on time. Sure.”

Shark sighed.

“You’re right. He wouldn’t. But I know what he likes a bit more.” Shark said. “Okay. Now we can go."

Rio shook her head.

"You two are ridiculous." She mused. She nodded.

"Okay, then let's get going! I've got things in the car all set!" She said, practically dragging her twin out the door.

“It’s a working system.” Shark protested, following along. The hall wasn’t too far- only a twenty minute drive. They would be there on time.

"Well it needs an update!" Rio retorted. She drove them steadily along and parked outside the building where many couples would be married with certificates daily. Rio spotted Akari's vehicle.

"Looks like they beat us. Told ya she'd get Yuuma here on time. They must be inside." Rio said, shutting off the car and getting out.

“Are you kidding? Well… Akari lives closer.” Shark grumbled, getting out and checking himself one last time before heading in.

Yuuma was already inside, waiting a bit nervously for Shark.

"Relax, Yuuma. They're still on time." Akari said. Yuuma nodded.

"Yeah, I know..." He said, turning to the mirror to look himself over again, not noticing Shark coming in from beside him a few feet away.

Shark smirked and spotted Yuuma looming over everyone else. He was so tall. But when he approached, he could see Yuuma in the mirror and he nearly dropped his jaw. Yuuma… when he cleaned up, shaved and trimmed his hair… and got in a suit. He looked really, really good. Damn.

He came up behind him and crossed his arms, pretending to look displeased.

“Oy… Why are you so early?”

Yuuma blinked and turned around, eyes widening as he saw Shark. He did clean up really well..his hair was tied back nicely and his suit looked stunning. Yuuma couldn't help but grin and feel his nervousness melt away as he saw Shark act normally. He launched himself at Shark immediately and hugged him.

"Shark, you made it!" He beamed.

"We're early cause Nee-chan didn't want me late! You look really good!"

Shark groaned as he was hugged and he patted his boyfriend on the back.

“Yeah, I suppose she would. You clean up well as well."

Yuuma smiled.

"Yeah, she definitely helped me out big time!" He said. He took Sharks hand and squeezed it.

"You ready for this?" He asked softly.

Shark smirked. “Yeah. Might as well register it down.” He said, though his eyes and smile said how eager he was too.

Yuuma grinned happily, all his excitement evident on his face. With Charlie filming, and Akari and Rio watching as witnesses, Tsukumo Yuuma and Kamishiro Ryouga went up to sign the marriage certificate.

It was a very simple thing. They went to the office, they talked to the kind administrator and talked about the more formal things. Since they had seen the person before, all it really took for a few signatures and other information, before it was stamped and approved.

“Love you” Shark muttered.

Yuuma smiled happily.

"I love you too!" He said, kissing Shark quickly on the lips.

"Let's go to the party! Everyone's probably waiting for us!"

‘Yeah…” He headed out and Akari started clapping, a huge smile on her face.

Yuuma grinned as Akari clapped, blushing a bit and holding Shark's hand. Rio clapped as well, proud of her brother.

“… I still can’t believe I agreed to sign as Tsukumo Ryouga. Not even Tsukumo-Kamishiro Ryouga.” Shark muttered, though he was blushing too.

Yuuma laughed.

"It sounds better! But if you want to keep using your name, it's fine with me. Nee-chan uses her maiden name all the time!" Yuuma said, smiling at Shark.

"We gotta drive to the venue...I think everyone will be there about now!" Yuuma said, getting in the back of the car and dragging Shark in next to him. His sister was going to drive them.

“Eh, I don’t care, really. Rio can keep the name.”

“Damn straight I will,” Rio smiled. “I’ll see you there, okay? I’m going to pick up Tetsuo”

“See ya” Shark said, before following after

"Bye, Shark's Sis...no, Yuuma's Sis!" Yuuma called, waving to Rio before Akari drove off. He was excited for the party.

“Don’t call me that!” Rio laughed, heading off.

“I’d give you a proper, married kiss, but I don’t think your sister would appreciate me making out with you in her car."

"Damn straight. Save that for the honeymoon." Akari said from the front. Yuuma pouted.

"No fair, Nee-chan! I want a proper married kiss!"

"Wait for the party at least. I'm sure your friends will cheer you on!" Akari retorted.

“Yeah… save it for when we cut the wedding cake.” Shark laughed

Yuuma pouted.

"I don't want to wait that long...that's practically forever!" He said. Akari chuckled.

"You can kiss the moment you enter the party if you want. We're here." Akari said, pulling into the parking lot. It was full of cars, indicating that lots of their friends were already there and inside.

“Oh wow… people show up on time.” Shark said, getting out.

"I guess they're excited like we are!" Yuuma said with a grin. He got out of the car, practically dragging Shark out, eager to see everyone.

"Let's go!"

Shark smiled and followed him straight away. Outside, Tokunosuke saw them and he dashed inside, yelling to everyone that the grooms were here.

Everyone inside quickly rushed to the door, giving the grooms enough space to enter while still allowing everyone to see them.  The moment Shark and Yuuma entered, everyone shouted "Congratulations!" To the newly weds. Yuuma's eyes widened and he chuckled, still holding Shark's hand.

It wasn’t really a surprise but there were loud claps and cheers. Shark have a small laugh and waved at them.

“I forgot you knew a lot of people."

Yuuma grinned.

"Sometimes I don't even realize how many people I know! Thanks for coming everyone!" Yuuma said.

"As if we'd miss you getting married, Yuuma. It's about damn time!" Alit called, and everyone laughed and joined in with exclamations of agreement. Nobody would miss Yuuma's wedding.

Shark couldn’t help but smirk as well as he looked at the faces of both old friends and new ones alike. He nodded to Yusei as he saw him, sitting down and drinking, and then scanned the crowd, sighing when he saw Thomas leaning against the wall.

All of the Numbers Club, minus Takashi who was off with Ena, were quick to crowd Yuuma with their congratulations. Gilag hung back with Durbe and Mizael, catching up with them. Ponta was with Haruto, keeping him company as he sat down near Kaito to rest. Miheal, who spotted the look in his older brother's eye approached him with a frown.

"I know that look. You're planning something aren't you?" He said simply.

“Conspiring so soon, Thomas? I thought even you wouldn’t do something as low as prank someone on their wedding day,” Chris said, coming from behind Miheal, having spotted him as well.

Thomas shrugged, trying not to smile. “I dunno what you’re talking about~"

Miheal shook his head with a small smile.

"You'll never grow up will you, Nii-san?" He mused. He gave Chris a look signalling mutual agreement to get the hell out of dodge whenever Thomas' prank started.

Chris nodded back. “Please try not make Ryouga too angry. There’s a fountain outside the hall and I’m sure he’ll make you swim with the fishes.”

“Hey, hey. It’s fine. I got this.” Thomas grinned. “There’s nothing going on~"

Miheal smiled at that thought, then glanced over at Gilag, who spotted him. He smiled and headed over to see him.

"Hi Gilag! It's good to see you again." He said to him. Durbe and Mizael caught a look from Thomas and headed off to the hallway to meet up with him and start their filling up and distribution of water guns. Kaito waved Chris over, allowing Thomas to excuse himself without anyone noticing.

Chris sighed and went to his student as Thomas quickly slipped away.

Gilag smiled as he saw Miheal. “Hey… It’s good to see you, again.” He smiled, blushing a little as he saw the well dressed man approach him. He looked a bit awkward next to him, considering his massive size, and he had just a long-sleeve shirt without a jacket, since none fit.

Miheal took in his clothes, not surprised to find Gilag not in a suit. The man was huge and he'd never seen a suit so large. He smiled.

"If you ever needed a suit, I know a tailor who might be able to help you get something for a decent price." Miheal noted.

"But it's not necessary here...you look nice." He added.

Gilag gave a sheepish smile. “Ah… thanks. That would be appreciated… but… yes. I’m glad I look somewhat presentable. I mean… you look amazing..."

Miheal chuckled.

"Of course you do! You dress well." He replied. He smiled a bit.

"Thank you. I'm glad I look okay! It's been awhile since I dressed up."

“It suits you. Um… How have you been?” He asked, scratching the back of his head.

"I've been doing great! Busy with work...pretty much the usual." Miheal mused.

"You?"

“Work. Same old, same old. Looking after Ponta, mostly."

Mihael smiled and glanced over at Ponta, who was talking and laughing with Haruto.

"That must be fun...although, speaking of brothers, I have a feeling Thomas is up to something so keep your eyes pealed." He mused.

Meanwhile Yuuma was talking happily with the Numbers Club.

"Check it out! Shark signed it with my last name, so he's my Tsukumo Shark now!" Yuuma said, showing off the marriage certificate.

“Your brother? The one that spied on us?” The man asked. Gilag gave a small chuckle.

“Really? That’s really cool!” Cathy smiled.

“Don’t get it lost or dirtied, Yuuma.” Kotori laughed.

"Yes that one." Miheal said with a smile and a chuckle.

Yuuma beamed.

"I won't! It's my favorite piece of paper now!" Yuuma said happily. He glanced over the crowd, spotting Astral and Yuuya and Yuuto entering the room.

"Kibou! You made it!" He exclaimed, flying over to hug him.

"Check it out! Shark's my husband now!"

Shark rolled his eyes and he followed Yuuma when he saw Astral as well. He waved, and the man smiled.

“Hello Shark, Yuuma. Congratulations”

Yuuma grinned.

"Thanks! Oh and hey Yuuya, Yuuto! How's it going? Thanks for coming!" Yuuma greeted the siblings. Yuuto nodded.

"Kibou said we could come, so we did." He said simply.

Yuuya smiled. “Thanks for inviting us,” He said, shaking Yuuma’s hands. “Congrats.”

“Did Kotori help you with the ocean theme?” Astral laughed, looking around at the decorated hall and seeing how Shark was trying not to smirk.

"Yes she did! I love it and thought it was fitting." Yuuma said. He took Yuuya's hand.

"Come on, I'll introduce you around!" Yuuma said, pulling him towards the Numbers Club.

Meanwhile, Vector was off to the side, watching Takashi being dragged away by Tokunosuke. Durbe and Mizael were walking by and spotted Vector. Mizael frowned as he realized something about this person seemed familiar.

"Hey Durbe...does that person look familiar to you?" He asked.

Yuuya gave a small yelp but he followed after Yuuma, leaving Yuuto and Astral to just shake their heads and laugh. They went to go take a seat, passing by Durbe. Durbe tilted his head, looking at the woman.

“Perhaps? I’m not sure. Why?"

"I swear I've seen them somewhere..." Mizael murmured, frowning as he stared at Vector. Vector, feeling eyes on him, turned his head to find wherever it was coming from and locked eyes with Mizael for a moment. He stiffened a bit. Shit, was he caught? He looked away as casually as he could.

“Mizael, don’t stare. You’re making that woman uncomfortable.” Durbe said.

"Okay, fine." He said with a sigh, turning away at last. Vector sighed in relief. He hadn't been recognized.

“You shouldn’t be staring at strangers, unless you want to make conversation with them,” Durbe frowned. “why don’t you ask her if you’ve met."

"Maybe I will then." Mizael said, turning and heading towards Vector. Vector stiffened as Mizael stopped in front of him.

"Hey, sorry for staring but I feel like I know you from somewhere. Have we met before?" He asked. Vector swallowed, knowing it would be hard to pass for a female if he spoke, and Mizael probably would recognize his real voice.  

"No...I don't think so..." Vector managed to say softly, pitching his voice, but unable to continue as he doubled over and coughed a bit.

“Are you alright?” Durbe asked, coming from behind Mizael and then giving Vector a napkin.

Vector nodded, still coughing as he accepted the napkin. He pressed it to his mouth and smiling weakly and excusing himself with gestures, retreating to the woman's washroom where he knew Durbe and Mizael couldn't follow him.

“… I knew you were terrible with women, but this is new,” Durbe said, dryly.

Mizael frowned.

"I don't even know what happened there..." He said, then spotted Anna.

"Hey, a lady had a coughing fit and she ducked in there...can you see if she's okay?" He asked her.

Anna looked at Mizael and raised her eyebrow but she shrugged. “Um… Okay?” She said. The blonde was a bit weird, but she ignored the odd feeling, and she headed into the bathroom.

Vector heard the door open and immediately ducked into a stall, expecting the woman to just go about her business.

“Hello? I heard someone wasn’t feeling well… are you okay?” Anna called out.

Vector tensed as he recognized Anna's voice. Great, now he had to evade the police. He took a moment to collect himself before answering.

"I'm fine..." He managed to murmur in a woman's voice before coughing again a bit.

“Alright… are you sure though?” Anna called out again.

"Yes..." Vector managed to say. He texted Takashi to help bail him out.

Outside, Takashi was talking to Tokunosuke when he felt his phone vibrate. He looked at it and raised an eyebrow, before paling.

“Um… Uh…” damn it. How did Vector get himself in these situations? “Excuse me.”

Mizael was outside with Durbe when they saw Takashi approach.

"Hey, I remember you...you were a cop right?" Mizael noted.

Takashi frowned as he looked at Mizael, trying to remember the other man.

“Um… yes? I was. That was a few years ago though."

Mizael nodded.

"Yeah...I thought so." He mused. Anna stepped out of the washroom.

"Ah, Todoroki, hey! There's a woman in there coughing and I'm not sure how to help."

“Oh… Um… Well… I can go get her, I guess. It’s probably my girlfriend. She just texted me. She needs her medication,” Takashi lied before he went in the bathroom.

“Ena?”

Vector relaxed as he heard Takashi and opened the door.

"Thank God...I couldn't keep up my voice much longer..." He said.

“… Just like Yuuma, to invite literally everyone who doesn’t like you…” The man muttered. He came to Vector and put his arm around him. “Just take a deep breath. I’ll stick with you for the afternoon, or until we can get to Yusei. I saw him at one of the tables."

Vector took deep breaths and calmed his coughing.

"Okay...lets go to Yusei. He'll scare anyone off." He said.

“Yusei literally scares everyone.” He chuckled. Takashi helped Vector out of the bathroom, smiling at a concerned Anna and Mizael.

“I’ll take her. Thanks for telling me, you guys."

"No problem!" Anna said, smiling before hurrying off to see Gauche. Mizael nodded, spotting Thomas with the water guns motioning them over. He sighed and went.

"We have to give these out. Who'd be an ideal candidate to help?" He asked.

Durbe looked around and he spotted Ponta and Haruto, talking to themselves, looking bored.

“You’re good with children, right Thomas?"

Thomas glanced over and smirked.

"Perfect. Wait here with the stash, I'll go talk to them." He said, heading over. Ponta was sitting with his arms crossed, yawning in boredom.

"When's the cake, pon? I want cake!" He complained to Haruto.

“Later, Ponta. They’ll have it soon after Yuma and Shark talk.” Haruto said, looking around. “I want cake too though… it looks good..."

"I know, pon!" Ponta exclaimed, before he spotted Thomas approaching.  

"Hey, you two look kinda bored. Wanna help me with something fun?" Thomas asked. Ponta raised a brow.

"What fun thing, pon?" He asked. Thomas grinned.

"It's a special wedding tradition...you have to soak the two grooms with these. Everyone needs one, so will you help me hand them out?" Thomas asked, showing them a tiny water pistol that he could hide in his jacket.

“… That’s not a wedding tradition,” Haruto said, almost as plainly as his brother would. However, he did give a small chuckle. “But I’ve never pranked someone… and it would go with the ocean theme, right Ponta?”

Thomas laughed.

"Hey its traditional to have some shenanigans right?" He mused. Ponta grinned.

"Sounds fun, pon! Let's do it! Where's the water guns?" He asked. Thomas motioned.

"Back here. Follow me and I'll get you set."

“And we need to hand them out to everyone?” Haruto asked, getting up.

"Not everyone. Obviously not to Shark and Yuuma, but to anyone you think will play along! It's boring if you give it out to people who won't shoot anyone." Thomas said. Ponta nodded.

"Okay! Let's do it, pon!" He said excitedly.

“Okay!” Haruto smiled. He knew pretty much minus Thomas’ own brothers would play along. They were all the good sort- friends of Yuuma. This would be interesting.

While Ponta and Haruto got to work distributing water guns, Fuuya and Yamikawa and Rokujuro arrived. Fuuya was immediately greeted by Droite and went over to talk to her. Akari greeted Rokujuro and immediately called Yuuma over to see him.

"Hey you guys made it!" Yuuma beamed, running over and dragging Shark with him.

"Shark you remember Rokujuro right?" Rokujuro smirked.

"I remember you. You tried to stop Yuuma from falling into a ditch and then joined him in hospital." He mused.

Shark grimaced and nodded. “Yes, I remember you as well. You laughed at us while we were being loaded into the helicopter. I’m surprised to see you down from the mountain."

"Yuuma invited me down, and Yamikawa and Robin were kind enough to help escort me. The circumstances were appropriate." Rokujuro explained with a smile.

"Congrats." He said. Yuuma grinned.

"Thanks! We're not too far off from cake time now. We have food and drinks too." Yuuma said happily.

“Yeah. I know we just got here, but Yuuma would rather get the formalities out of the way before he just sat at the buffet and refused to move.” Shark smirked.

Yuuma pouted.

"I would move! I'd talk to people!" He protested.

"Yeah...with your mouth full." Akari mused, much to Yuuma's protest.

“I think we’re just waiting on Rio and Tetsuo to show up and then we’ll get the cake all done."

"Yeah everyone else is here!" Yuuma said, glancing around and doing a mental checklist in his head of who was here against who he'd invited.

Shark already saw the four people he considered friends, so he was good. But he was glad that Yuuma was looking so happy.

Yuuma chatted away with the various guests, not noticing Thomas and Haruto and Ponta handing out water guns discreetly to people while they weren't occupied by Yuuma. Most people were totally on board with the idea, as Thomas had anticipated they would be. Once the toasts started after cake and food, it would be time for all hell to break lose.

Soon enough, Yuuma spotted Tetsuo and Rio entering the party. He rushed over to greet his school friend and new sister in law.

"You made it! About time!" He beamed.

“Sorry. We ran into a traffic jam.” Tetsuo grinned, giving Yuma a hug. “Congrats Yuma, Shark! Glad to see you both finally tying the knot.”

“We should settle everyone down, get the cake cut and then have the caterers cut the cake as we all have lunch.” Shark said. “You want to get started with the ‘Thanks Speech? I know you have a lot to say"

Yuuma laughed and accepted the hug.

"Yeah about time! I'm glad we did it!" Yuuma said. He nodded.

"Sure! But if I talk too much I'll have to be away from the food...might cut it shorter." Yuuma chuckled. He went off to round everyone up to sit down and relax. Rio tutted to her brother.

"Oh no. The caterers can do everything else, but it's customary for the married couple to cut the cake. You two are doing that!"

“Yeah, I know. I mean after WE cut the cake. We just put a dent in the cake, they actually distribute it.” Shark scoffed.

Rio hummed in approval, before retreating to her seat near her brother at the long tables that had been set up for all the guests. Yuuma and Shark were in the middle, next to each other. Yuuma was standing next to Shark as everyone took their seats.

"Okay guys! Shark and I wanted to thank you all for coming and sharing our special day with us! Well start wih the food now, then cake, and of course if anyone wants to make a speech or something you can once we've all eaten...I'd hate to make people hungry waiting." Yuuma said happily, smiling sheepishly at the end. He held Shark's hand as he talked.

Shark smirked. He listened to it all and he nodded, proud the speech wasn’t too long. He didn’t have much to say, but he nodded. “Mmm… Yeah. What he said.” That got a few laughs.

Yuuma chuckled along with the crowd and gave Shark a small playful shove.

"Okay guys dig in!" He said, sitting down and getting some food himself. The next half hour or so was filled by people eating and chatting amongst themselves.

After enjoying the seafood, it was cake time. Yuuma and Shark were called back up and the giant chocolate, ocean-themed wedding cake was rolled in, at least three tiers high.

Kotori smiled and passed Yuuma the knife with a bow, everyone grinning and getting ready to clap when the two cut the cake.

Yuuma was in awe over the cake. He'd seen it in pictures but this was bigger than he'd imagined! He grinned at it, eager to eat it until Kotori passed him the knife. It was a long, sharp knife, perfectly clean and innocent in his hand to most, but to Yuuma, it was suddenly covered in blood. He froze in terror at the thought of him holding that knife...he couldn't do it. He was trying hard not to shake.  He couldn't move...not even to push it away. He bit his lip to try and keep it from trembling.

Kotori returned to her seat and it seemed like time stood still as everyone stared at Yuuma. Shark frowned, not realising what was happening until he looked from Yuuma’s hand to his face, seeing his expression.

“Yuuma?” Shark whispered. “Yuuma? Hey…”

Yuuma almost jumped as Shark's voice pierced his thoughts. He immediately turned to Shark with terror in his eyes. He wasn't afraid of Shark of course, but he still felt the knife it held. His hand was shaking.

"I...can't..." He managed to choke out softly from his tightened throat, feeling like he might be sick as he looked from Shark to the knife, then looking away quickly as he saw the blood again. He could practically feel it sticking to his hands now, even though he knew it wasn't real. It wasn't real. Not anymore anyway.

Shark frowned. He slowly took the knife away from Yuuma, prying it gently from his hands.

“Ryouga. What’s wrong?”

Shark jumped and panicked, hearing his sister. Immediately, he grabbed a fistful of cake and shoved it in Yuuma’s face, much to the surprise of everyone, including himself.

Yuuma let Shark take the knife away, relieved that the feeling was slowly going away.  He took a couple steadying breaths. Shark was here...so Yuuma was safe. He almost jumped too when Rio spoke, opening his mouth to try and reassure people when suddenly he had a face full of cake to deal with. Some of it got in his mouth, and it was delicious. He opened his eyes and smacked his lips a bit, before glancing at Shark in surprise. He would have never expected Shark to do that in a million years.

"...Teme!" He exclaimed, grabbing a small fistful of cake and nailing Shark in the face too with a smile.

Shark looked shock at what he did and he was about to start apologising. It was quiet until Yuuma yelled and chocolate slammed into his own face. He spluttered in surprise, even though the chocolate tasted great.

“Alright, this is war.” He grinned, getting some and lobbing it at Yuuma.

Yuuma yelped and was barely able to dodge the cake, and the throw nailed Akari who was sitting next to him instead. Of course she then got up and declared war on Shark, but in the meantime, Yuuma had grabbed another fistful and lobbed it towards Shark, missing him and nailing Kotori instead. It didn't take long for almost the entire party to be involved in the cake war, and everyone was laughing by the end of it. The cake was mostly destroyed, but everyone had gotten a taste somehow. Yuuma playfully licked some icing off of Shark's cheek with a chuckle.

“… Well that’s one way of wasting a cake. At least we won’t have leftovers.” Shark muttered, smearing more cake into Yuuma’s hair. Everyone looked like they were having an incredible time though, the kids most of all. It was nice though, seeing everyone laugh like that.

Yuuma chuckled.

"Yep! I'm just glad everyone had fun!" He said, before yelping as Shark put more icing on his hair. Thomas had been mostly watching the carnage and was amused.

"I guess my plans will fit well here considering everyone needs a shower now." He mused to himself.

“Yeah… You’ll need one too.” Chris said. He was heading to the bathroom, but not before he slapped cake from his long hair into his brother’s face.

"Ugh Chris what the hell!" Thomas groaned, trying his best to wipe the cake off. Miheal chuckled as he entered the washroom behind Chris. He knew what was coming and was planning to hide there.

"Okay guys, now that we've eaten, if anyone wants to talk or speak, you can!" Yuuma called.

Chris laughed quietly and hid as well. Some people moved to the bathroom, but most stopped when they heard Yuuma was opening the floor for speeches.

“Do you want to give one, Hope? They are your best friends.” Kaito murmured, wiping the cake off his face.

"I am not good at speeches...and I would rather not draw attention to myself. I wore this disguise for a reason." Astral said. Yuuma's friends didn't even know Hope Ray was here.

"I will say my congrats to them in private after." Astral assured Kaito. Akari smiled and got up.

"I've been watching these two since they were kids, and I admit it...I didn't like this kid at first." Akari said, looking at Shark.

"He was a bully and a stuck up prick, completely the opposite of what my brother deserved. But, I leaned that the first impression I had wasn't accurate over time. Shark was able to provide for Yuuma when I couldn't, and they've been through hell and high water together. I don't doubt now that my brother made a good choice in his partner and I know they'll be able to handle anything life throws at them together." Akari said with a smile. Yuuma beamed and hugged is sister happily, very glad that she was semi-publically announcing her approval of their relationship.

Shark listened quietly to Akari and stared at her. However, after giving her speech, the man smiled himself and he nodded. He approached his sister in law and hugged her as well, not minding the cake

At this point, everyone was covered in varying degrees of cake splatter, so nobody was disturbed.  Akari accepted the hug, whispering in Shark's ear to take care of her baby brother for her.  She sat back down once they parted, waiting for whoever was next.  Rio stood up quickly, crossing her arms in the typical Kamishiro way.

“When I was younger, my brother and I were nearly inseparable.  We went everywhere together, and although we didn't always get along.  It's hard to get along with pricks, after all.”  Rio said, earning a few chuckles from the crowd.  

“There were times that I spent in hospital away from my brother, and those were very hard for me.  I had never been away from my brother before, and for the first time I wasn't able to observe the changes in him firsthand, despite his daily visits. But over time during those visits, I began to notice a change in him.  He would be silent initially, but then he'd talk for hours non-stop about some Tsukumo Yuuma boy, how he was an idiot, a loud-mouthed, risk-taking, knuckle-brained boy who wouldn't leave him alone.  You'd think he hated him...but eventually, when I brought him up, my brother wouldn't look me in the eye.  I even began to see the ghost of a blush on his cheeks over time...and that was when I knew.”  She said, smiling at the end.  

“This Tsukumo Yuuma, the idiot, loud-mouthed, knuckle-brained, risk-taking boy, had stolen my brother's heart.  And I remember thinking of how happy Ryouga was, and how I hoped in that moment that Tsukumo would never break his heart.”  She glanced at Yuuma.  

“He was someone who could make my brother happy...so I wanted them together.  I can't think of anyone better for Ryouga than you, Yuuma.  I'm glad that you two idiots sorted out your feelings enough to tie the knot at last.”  She said with a smirk at the end.  

“… Sharksis… My sis…” Yuuma sniffled, hearing the long speech. With teary eyes and a huge grin, he ran to Rio and practically tackled her, hugging her and smushing more cake between them. “Ah! Thank you! Thank you so much. I’ll make sure Shark is happy forever!"

Rio yelped a bit when Yuuma the blubbering idiot tackled her in a hug, but it quickly melted into a small smile as she hugged him back.  

“I know you will, Yuuma.  And that's not my name.”  She said.  Shark scoffed, turning his face away mostly to hide something that resembled embarrassment.

“I can keep myself happy too you know...”  He muttered, although he knew that Yuuma was largely responsible for his happiness.

Yuuma grinned happily and span Rio around one more time before practically cartwheeling back to Shark’s side. The night continued on like that, where person after person would just give a speech.

“Anyone else got something to say?” Akari yelled out, after the last person that had told her they were talking had spoken.

A few people glanced at each other, trying to figure out if anyone else was going to say anything.  After a few moments, nobody stood up, and Thomas decided that it was his turn to go.  He stood up with a smirk, looking directly at the newly married couple.  

“Well, I guess I'll wrap up this party then~”  He mused.

“I've known these two for awhile...mostly Ryouga, of course. He truly enjoys my fanservice.”  He spoke, smirking at Shark.  He put on a dramatic face.

“Oh Ryouga...even though you're married to another man, I know you'll always be my number 1 fan.”

Shark just looked up and he put his face in his hands, elbows on the table in front of him.

“Remind me why we invited him?” Shark muttered

Yuuma was chuckling a bit and grinned at Shark.

“He's your friend, that's why!”  He said, turning his gaze back to Thomas, who was now sighing dramatically.  

“And so, with my number 1 fan getting married, I took it upon myself to bestow upon the new married couple with the maximum amount of fanservice.  So...I only have one more thing to say to you both...”  He said, drawing both Shark and Yuuma's attention to him as he slowly reached into his breast pocket of his jacket, a smirk slowly creeping across his features.

“Fire.”  He spoke.  

As the word was spoken, a number of the other guests, including an-eager-to-get-this-over-with Ponta and Haruto, drew tiny water guns from their hiding places and pulled the triggers, effectively soaking the two grooms.  Thomas laughed, watching as Ponta decided he would soak his brothers too, effectively drawing the other guests into an all out water war.  

Shark grunted something about him not being his friend. He wondered what the man was going to do and was ready to throw a glass at him if Thomas decided to strip. However, suddenly, there was a signal and Shark yelled, getting soaked immediately.

“THOMASYOU ASSHOLE"

Yuuma yelped too as the water hit him, but he was soon laughing and trying to get a water gun to join in the carnage.  Thomas was laughing even harder as he heard Shark yell at him.  

“I wish you and your new husband all the best, but I won't let you forget about me that easily~”  He laughed and teased, backing away from the fighting so he'd avoid getting wet.  

Meanwhile everyone else was involved now.  Gilag had scooped up a giggling and whooping Ponta and put him on his shoulder giving him a sniper-like vantage point to nail Alit, who was hiding behind the table trying to shield a laughing Kotori.  Tetsuo was in a duel with Rio (and losing of course), while Vector nailed Yusei in the face and hid behind Takashi as he laughed and his uncle declared war on his nephew.  Astral and Kaito were hiding with Haruto, trying to keep him from going too crazy, although he was also trying to hit Ponta from his high point on Gilag's shoulder.  Akari and Yuuma were in engaged in a war against Tokunosuke, who had shot at Akari earlier, leaving Shark as the only one unoccupied.  

“You bastard. Come back here.” Shark wiped the water from his face and jumped over the table. Then, he sprinted towards Thomas, going to pick him up.

Thomas laughed and ran out of the building, stopping outside by the fountain with a smirk.

“Ooooh scary, Ryouga!  Why're you so mad?  Your husband and guests seemed to be enjoying my little present~”  

“Who said I’m angry?” Shark said, smirking as he pulled his hair off his face. Almost instantly, it seemed his mood changed. “I mean… It was a childish surprise, but nothing more. However… you’re the only one who isn’t wet… so….” Shark laughed and pushed him into the fountain.

Thomas blinked in surprise, momentarily stunned by Shark's own admission that he wasn't angry.  That had been beyond Thomas' expectations.  He snorted.

“You?  Not angry?  Geez you really have changed.”  He mused, but before he could say anything more, Shark was pushing him.  Thomas yelped as he tripped over the wall surrounding the fountain and landed in it with a splash, soaking him to the bone.  

“Dammit Ryouga!”  He cried, sitting up and shaking his soaked arms out, but he was still smirking.  He supposed he deserved it in the end.  

Behind them, a soaked Yuuma rushed out of the building in time to spot Thomas falling into the fountain.  He laughed and approached.

“There you are!  I was wondering where you went off to, Shark!  I think they're still fighting in there and everything...gosh this was a blast!”  He exclaimed, running up to his husband with a grin.

“I can be an adult,” The man smiled. He gave another chuckle and then looked at Thomas in the pool, feeling very satisfied with himself. He was tempted to actually help, when all of a sudden Yuuma ran out behind him. “Hey.” He smiled. “Guess that our sea-themed reception has really turned out just that way.” Shark swept him into a hug and then a kiss.

Thomas scoffed, knowing that he wouldn't have accepted Shark's help even if the man had offered.  He smirked as he watched Yuuma approach, getting out of the fountain as discreetly as possible to not disturb the two.  Yuuma laughed, eyes bright and happy as he looked at Shark.

“Yeah, it totally worked, right?  I knew it-”  He started to say, before his mouth was stolen by Shark's in a deep kiss: the first they'd shared since they'd gotten married, Yuuma noted.  He relaxed into the kiss and hug, returning both and closing his eyes.  He didn't notice that a few of the guests had made their way outside and were now cheering, whooping and clapping a bit as they watched the married couple share their tender kiss and hug by the fountain.  

Shark gave a grin that was as bright as the sun when he parted and laughed. “Why do you bring an audience wherever we go?” He teased.

Yuuma blushed a bit, pouting.  

“I didn't mean to...they just followed me.”  He mused, though he was quick to smile widely again at his husband, because he loved seeing Shark so happy too.

“I get you by myself tonight.” Shark murmured into his ear.

Yuuma's blush darkened at that statement, but he smiled as well at the idea, already anticipating how much fun they'd have while they were alone.  

“Of course...you're my husband now.  We can do anything we want together.”  He said softly in return.

“Like we didn’t do that before,” Shark snorted, kissing him

Yuuma snorted too, kissing Shark back.  He held him close, laughing as the others whooped and jokingly yelled at them to get a room or to save it for the honeymoon.  It was evident to everyone that both grooms were practically glowing in happiness, surrounded by the Numbers Club and other closer friends who had known them since high school.  

Vector was hanging back, along with a few of the other guests who didn't know them as well or wanted to give them some space.  He watched Yuuma and Shark, feeling both happiness for them, and also, surprisingly a pain of longing.  When he blinked, for a moment, he saw himself and Takashi with the same expressions, kissing and enjoying each other as an officially married couple.  He blinked again, seeing the image disappear.  He sighed a bit and put on a small smile for them.  They were lucky.

Yuuma chuckled.

“It's getting a bit late...we should get going, Shark.”  He said with a smile, and slightly narrowed, bed-room like eyes.  As much as he loved his friends, he did want to spend some time alone with his husband.

Takashi was part of the club, so had momentarily parted from Vector to go clap and congratulate Yuuma. But even though he said being with Vector was enough,he was a romantic, and he could see himself married and partying like how everyone was for Shark and Yuuma.

“Yeah…. Everyone… let’s go piss off.” Shark laughed. He yanked Yuuma along to his bike, where he modded his bike. ‘Just Married’.

Yuuma grinned, letting himself be practically dragged along to the motorcycle.  His smile grew wider and he gasped as he spotted the sign.

“Wow when did you put this on?  That's great!  I love it!”  Yuuma exclaimed, clearly excited by the cute sign.  

“We'll throw confetti as you guys drive off!”  Kotori said, she and the Numbers Club ready to toss the confetti over the newly weds.

“May have asked Yusei to do a a favour” Shark smirked, getting a helmet

Yuuma grinned, putting his helmet on and getting on the bike behind Shark, hugging his husband's upper body and pressing against him with a smile.  

“I like it...we should leave it on forever, but cross out the 'Just' and leave it as 'Married'!”  

“Only you would want that.” Shark said. He revved the bike up and began to zoom off, not heading for a honeymoon, but just home to relax

Yuuma grinned and held on tight as Shark headed out.  The rest of the guests cheered or waved them off, throwing a bit of confetti after the departing vehicle.  Astral watched from afar with Kaito and a sleepy Haruto, who had probably had too much excitement that day.  

“I never did congratulate them personally...and I am not sure when I will see them again.  I do not know if they had a honeymoon planned.”  He said.

“… Shark couldn’t have put luggage on a motorbike,” Kaito muttered, “They’re probably going to have to go back to the apartment. If you take Orbital, you can beat them there. You have a key… Haruto and I will go home with Chris"

Astral nodded.

“That sounds like a good idea...thank you, Kaito.  I will not be long.”  He said, giving Kaito a tiny kiss on the cheek when nobody was looking, and then getting Orbital to strap onto his back.  They took off into the sky, flying towards Shark's apartment.  He arrived before Shark and Yuuma, entering and making himself comfortable as he waited.

A few minutes later, Shark's motorcycle pulled in outside, and Yuuma hopped off.  

“I guess we're home...”  He said with a smile.

Kaito smiled, waving off Kibou before he returned to Chris and Haruto so they could go home.

Shark smirked and hopped off, locking his bike up.

“Yeah… So we are."

Yuuma grinned and nodded.  As they walked up to the entrance, Yuuma had a brilliant idea.  He suddenly scooped up Shark into his arms, carrying him bridal style.

“I can carry Shark into the house for good luck!”  He cheered.

Shark gave a yell as he was suddenly swept off his feet. He blushed madly and hit him playfully on the chest.

“Oy! I’m not a bride!"

“I know, but you're still my Sharku.”  Yuuma cooed, laughing as Shark blushed and hit him.  He kissed his forehead with a grin, opening the door a bit awkwardly and stepping into the apartment.  Then he spotted Astral sitting down there.  

“Astral!  You're here?”  He exclaimed in surprise.  Astral smiled, amused by Shark being carried by Yuuma.  

“Rest assured, I will not be long...I just wanted to congratulate you two on your marriage personally.”  

Shark was about to start saying something when he saw the blue-haired man sitting down.

“Wait! How did you beat us home? And how did you get in our house?"

“Orbital 7 flew me here, and Yuuma gave me a key.”  Astral said with a smile.  

“I just wanted to say that I am very happy for you both...I knew you two would end up this way and be happy eventually.”  Astral said.  Yuuma put Shark down and quickly ran up to hug him.  

“Thank you, Astral!”  

Shark grunted as he was put down and he stretched, trying to get his blush away.

“Hey… We really appreciate you showing up. We know how dangerous it is for you."

“I would not have missed it for anything.  My two best friends got married, and I wanted to be there for them.”  Astral said with a smile.  

“Now, I will get out of your hair so that you two can have all the married sex you want.”  Astral said.  Yuuma blushed deeply.

“Astral!  Did you have to say it that way!?”  He exclaimed.

Shark spluttered. “Oy. No need to just spurt it out like that. You… don’t have to go straight away man though… you’re always just here for five minutes then gone...”

“Y-yeah!  You should stay, Astral!  We miss having you around!”  Yuuma exclaimed.  Astral smiled a bit.

“Alright, if you honestly want me to stay, I can for awhile...but it was also my understanding that you two would want some alone time to enjoy each other.”  Astral said.  Yuuma grinned.

“We have all the time in the world for that!  You can stay!”  

“You act like being married is really different for us. Let’s be honest, Yuma and I have been married since high school” Shark muttered. “Talk to us, Astral. And do you need dry clothes? We’re all kinda damp”

Astral chuckled.

“I suppose you're right.  You have been together a long time.”  He said.  He nodded.

“That sounds good.”  At the party, Astral had been sprayed playfully by Kaito and Haruto during the watergun fight.  

“I'll get some!” Yuuma called, rushing into the bedroom to grab something for Astral to wear.

“So whats up, Astral? How are things with the blonde bastard? I saw you and him glued to the hip all of last night"

Astral smiled.  

“Kaito is doing well...we both feel a little bit reassured that Haruto is doing better lately.  He was well enough to attend the wedding, much to everyone's relief.”  Astral said.  

“We are officially dating again...though I doubt we can live together soon due to Kaito living with Chris.”  

Yuuma beamed.

“That's great!  Baby steps, right?  You'll be all together in no time!”  

“I think Chris would understand. Considering Thomas is a son of a bitch and an ex-smuggler, he’d be cool with who you are. It’s not like he’s fucking a cop like some people do.” Shark shrugged.

“But that’s good to hear your love life is good"

“I suppose.  We shall see.”  Astral said with a smile.  Yuuma passed him the clothes, and he quickly shrugged off his shirt to get changed into dryer clothes.  As usual, he wasn't really modest.  Yuuma grinned.

“Sounds like we're all doing alright, love-life wise!  I think all our friends are doing great with their partners!”  

Shark did the same. They had all seen each other since they were kids, so no one really minded.

“Tis the season of romance.” Shark muttered, rolling his eyes and flopping on the couch.

Yuuma grinned, flopping onto the couch with Shark and snuggling up against him.  Astral smiled.

“Indeed, it is.”  He said.  

“No honeymoon though. That last Neo Domino trip has to count because Yuuma and I both need to work" Shark said

Yuuma pouted.

“But that whole time I couldn't move as well!  That's no fair!”  Yuuma exclaimed.  Astral chuckled.

“Perhaps in the future, once you have worked enough to earn some more money, you can go on a honeymoon like vacation.”  

“We’ll go to the beach some time, okay? The Okinawa area has great beaches if I remember. We can travel there some day” Shark smiled

Yuuma beamed.

“Yeah!  Beach party!”  He exclaimed happily.  Astral smiled.

“That will be fun, I imagine.”  He said.

“… So what are you doing with yourself these days, Astral?”

“...Well, I am hacking a little...but only to pay rent and food at the place I am staying at.  I do not hack in Heartland...foreign sources only.  I am going to see if I can find another job soon...when I feel safe to do so.”  Astral said.  He sighed.

“I may think of moving out too...although my 'roommates' per say are not terrible to me...some of them are rather frightening.”  Astral said, recalling Yami especially.  He spoke like an intelligent, sane person, but he also spoke of killing people in the most dramatic ways without remorse.  Yuuma frowned.

“You're living with criminals?”  Astral nodded.

“Yes...I believe Yuuya is the only one who has never actually committed a crime, and Yuuto himself is not terrible either.  Although, I am safe there.  Nobody harms each other in that house.”  

“… We’ll look through newspapers and see if we can find a cheap apartment for you, alright?” Shark said. “… I hate to think you escaped jail only to be back with scum"

Astral smiled slightly.

“I am sorry to worry you.  They are not all bad people, really.  They mostly leave me be, and I do the same to them.  It is not like prison, where other convicts bullied me.”  Astral said.  Yuuma frowned.

“Still, you never know...they might start hurting you.  You should get out of there as soon as you can!”  

“…” Shark closed his mouth. He almost offered to help Astral, but the last time this happened, Yuuma got arrested and they nearly broke up. Shark really didn’t want to repeat the mistake on his wedding day.

Astral saw Shark's mouth open.

“I do not need your assistance, before you offer.  You two should worry about yourselves now...you are married now, and can think about maybe getting a bigger place, and potentially starting a family of your own.”  Yuuma blinked.

“What, really?  I don't think we're ready for that yet!”  He exclaimed.

“… I don’t think I can handle taking care of more than one kid."

Yuuma squawked.

“Are you saying you think I'm a kid?  I'm not!  I may be younger than you, but I'm not a little kid!”  Yuuma exclaimed with a pout.  Astral chuckled.

“You alone are a handful.”  He agreed, which made Yuuma pout more.

Shark gave a small smirk and ruffled Yuma’s hair, not gracing him with a response.

“But maybe… depends if we can get a bigger place"

Yuuma gave a small whine as his hair was ruffled, but otherwise didn't protest.  

“Yeah...I don't know what we'll do now.”  Yuuma said at last.  Astral nodded.

“You two have time to do whatever it is you want.”  

“After you go? Probably eat something other than cake.”

Yuuma chuckled.

“Though we wore it more than we ate it!”  Yuuma said.  Astral nodded.

“Indeed.  Your wedding party was fun and different.”  

“That summarises Yuuma and me, doesn’t it?” Shark laughed

“It does.”  Astral agreed, chuckling as well. Yuuma grinned.

“I'm just glad everyone had such a great time!  And of course, the fact that we're officially married!”  Yuuma said, kissing Shark's cheek happily.

Shark smirked. “Don’t expect the good mood though. I bet I’m just this dumb because of the wedding hype"

Yuuma grinned.

“I'll take it whenever I can get it!”  He said happily, hugging Shark.  Astral smiled a bit too.

“Marriage is definitely something that can cheer a couple up.”  He mused, recalling how Kaito had proposed to him and how happy it had been for both of them.  If they ever took the next step and actually made their union official, he imagined it would be very happy indeed.

“Yeah, I guess so.” Shark said, not trying to hide the blush that came from the big man snuggling him

“Definitely.”  Yuuma agreed, finding Shark's blush cute as he hugged him.  

-x-

Vector was relatively silent on the way home from the wedding party.  Once the Numbers Club had finally let Takashi go, they'd gotten in the car and were driving back to their house.  Vector was staring out the window, but he wasn't really seeing the scenery flying by his eyes.  His mind was on the wedding itself...and how happy Shark and Yuuma had looked.  He had known they were close, practically married before, similar to how he and Takashi were...but by finally tying the knot, they'd both been happier than he'd ever seen them.  Part of him was jealous...he couldn't have that too, could he?  Because he was a criminal and he and Takashi could never be married officially...he sighed slightly, leaning his head on the window.

“Something wrong?” Takashi asked, glancing over to Vector. “Tired?”

“A little, I guess.”  Vector said, before slowly glancing over to Takashi.

“...What did you think of the wedding party?”  He asked, wondering if Takashi had come to a similar conclusion.

Takashi smiled at him and looked back at the road.

“It was certainly different and a whole lot of fun. I’m happy for Shark and Yuuma. They look so happy with how it all turned out. I’m happy for them"

Vector nodded in agreement.  The party certainly had been different.

“Yeah...they were happy....weren't they?”  He murmured.  They were almost home now...he figured they could talk more once they got out of the car.  

. . .”Are you okay, Vector?” Takashi asked. He parked and closed his eyes.

Vector sighed, getting out of the car.

“I'm just thinking is all...we'll talk inside...”  He mused, going towards the house.  

Takashi frowned. After locking up and then opening the front door, he opened the door for Vector.

“Get dressed, okay? We’re both still a bit damp and need warm clothes"

“Oh yeah, I guess...we should have a warm bath or something too.”  Vector said with a smile, going inside and getting some clean, dry clothes for them both.

“Probably we can talk in the bath.” Takashi smiled. He went to start the tub up, and then he went to hug his partner.

"Sure. That sounds good." Vector said, smiling a bit as he was hugged. He wondered vaguely if the hugs Takashi gave would make him happier if they were married (although they did make him happy without that status).

Takashi kissed his cheek and began to undress, glancing at Vector. He hoped Vector would hurry and get to the tub- something was really on his mind, it seemed.

Vector undressed slowly, distracted by his own thoughts.  Would anything change between them if he and Takashi got married?  Logically, no not really...they'd still live together and everything.  But...perhaps emotionally, yes.  He had seen something in Shark and Yuuma that he and Takashi didn't seem to have...or maybe they did have it once, and his illness had driven it away?  Vector frowned at that idea.  Would marriage be a source of happiness for them, or would it be a greater source of pain because Takashi would be ultimately left alone?  He sighed, getting into the water and snuggling against Takashi.

“… Did something happen Vector?” Takashi asked as he got in the water. “… You seem kind of… not all there. And not in the usual way"

Vector shook his head.

“Nothing happened...or at least, nothing serious...”  He murmured.  He frowned.

“But I was thinking...you said that you thought Shark and Yuuma were happy, right?  Did it seem...happier than normal, to you?”  He asked, looking at Takashi expectantly to judge his reaction to the question and his answer.

“Hhmmm?” Takashi seemed a little confused at the question. “Umm… probably. It was their wedding day, after all. Of course they’d be really happy. Shark was actually visibly smiling instead of smirking… so I’d say so. Why?"

Yes, Shark had definitely been smiling.  Vector had seen that quite clearly and had been astounded by it.

“Do you think it will last?  That it's not some one day thing?”  Vector asked next.

“… Probably. I mean… Yuma and Shark tend to go hard or go home with their emotions. I think we’ll be subjugated the whole radiant married lover thing for ages.” Takashi laughed.

Vector nodded in agreement, a thoughtful look on his face.

“That's what I thought...”  He said, before sighing.

“...You know, you and I aren't so different from Shark and Yuuma relationship-wise...and I know we said that we don't need to get married to be happy....but after seeing how happy they were...it made me wonder if we'd be the same if we did get married...”  Vector murmured, looking at Takashi once more to gauge his reaction.

Takashi seemed a bit surprised at Vector, and he slowly smiled, cheeks going pink. “You know I’m a cheesy, hopeless romantic… So if we did get married, you know I’d be the happiest guy alive. I am now, even. But how do you feel about it?”

Vector snorted a bit.  

“It's not that I'm unhappy as we are now...it's just that I wish I was a little happier.  I wish we were happier.  We've got a lot of shit going on...I'm dying and all, and that's not something to be happy about.  But...getting married might make us forget that for awhile.”  Vector said.

“… Well… It’s not a bad reason for wanting to get married.” Takashi said, holding his hand. “… If you think that would be nice to do… I’d like to do that.”

Vector smiled a bit as he held his hand, before he sighed.

“The only issue is the fact that I'm still technically an escaped convict who never served their sentence.  It won't be real then...if I can't use my own name, then maybe it won't be the same.  I don't know, but I don't want it to be some half-assed attempt at marriage, cause maybe that won't have the same affect.”  

“… We can leave the country. We have money saved up. We can go off to some foreign country where no one knows our names or who we are… Get married there..."

Vector blinked.  It was true, he did have some money saved up...it was enough to make sure Takashi wouldn't have to work more than part-time for many many years.  

“Leave the country...so, we'd elope?”  He said, unable to help but laugh a bit.  

“That's funny...cause back before I knew you, I wondered if I would do that to get married secretly if I ever found a guy I liked enough.  My father was all about me marrying a woman, and preferably a respectable business woman after all.  But I never met anyone who I wanted to do that with...until you.”  Vector said with a smile, squeezing Takashi's hand.

“We can do that...any ideas where we'll go?”  

Takashi gave a small laugh and looked at his partner. “Well… I’m glad you want to do that with me. It’ll be exciting… and something to tick off my bucket list.”

“… Hmm… Europe or America? Those are romantic, right?”

“Either is fine with me...I've been to both.”  Vector mused.  He smiled and snuggled Takashi.

“We'll have fun.  It'll be like a wedding and honeymoon in one.”  

“Ooo… Then you can woo me with your knowledge of the place. Besides the cruise we went on, I haven’t been outside of Japan."

Vector snickered.

"Sure. And my knowledge of the language depending on where we go." He mused.

"Last time I went out of Japan, aside from the cruise, they were mostly business related. Although I certainly did have fun." He recalled with a grin.

“Is this the kind of fun you want to tell your future husband?” Takashi teased.

"I'll tell you what I remember...a lot of it was a blur of pub-hopping." Vector said with a chuckle.

"Or maybe I could show you and we could make our own fun memories...probably with less alcohol though." Vector mused.

“I’d like that… but no alcohol. Not with your meds and my tolerance.” Takashi said seriously.

“Of course not.”  Vector said with a smile.  He snuggled against Takashi.

“Although...we could have champagne or something to celebrate the occasion.”  Vector mused.

“… A little champagne is fine.” Takashi said, giving a laugh and shaking his head

Vector chuckled too.

“Oh but...even if we're eloping...I kinda want to invite a few people.  Uncle should be there at least...”  Vector said.

“Oh… Well… sure. Yusei and Judai are family, after all. When was the last time Yusei had a vacation anyway?"

Vector smirked.

“I don't think he's ever had a vacation.”  Vector mused.  

“Speaking of family though...what should we do about your mother?  She's your family...but I don't know how she'd take the news if we went off without her...”  He said with a frown.

“… I think we can tell her. She may come but… Ugh. I don’t know..."

“Yeah...that one's a toughie.  How do you think she'd react if she found out her son was dating an ex-convict?”  Vector asked.

“… Maybe I’ll go on her about her drag racing. I don’t know…. considering I used to be a cop, she’d probably get mad. Maybe not tattle on us but still”Takashi ran his fingers through his hair and gave a long sigh

Vector frowned, nodding.

“I'd hate to get you in trouble...it might be easier to keep it a secret from her.  I mean, it's not like we talk to her much anyway...but only if you don't mind that...she's your mom.  I'll go along with whatever you want.”  He said softly.

“… I’d… want to keep her in my life, honestly..."

“Okay.  Then we'll see if she's available to come with us.”  Vector said, squeezing Takashi's hand with a small smile.  

“I guess that'd be about it for the guests...”  He said with a sigh.  He didn't mind.

“We don’t need a big wedding. I just want you, by myself"

Vector smiled.

“Yeah...same with you.  I want you myself too.”  Vector said happily, hugging him.

“We could go for a place in America. Eloping is easy there, right? I should do my research..."

“Sure!  America is fun...it's further away though.  You'd have to be prepared for a long plane ride.”  Vector mused.  He cuddled Takashi.

“We'll do some research...and find the perfect spot.”  He said softly.

“We’ve waited this long…a couple more hours won’t matter.” Takashi said. “Besides, we’ve already said our vows.” He stroked Vector’s hair and rested his head back against his partner’s.

“Yeah… that would be great"

“Yeah, I guess so.”  Vector said with a smile, nuzzling Takashi's hand and closing his eyes to relax against Takashi.  

“We'll see what works for Yusei, your mother, and Judai, and then we'll go...and I guess we can leave Umbral with Cathy again.  He seemed to have enjoyed himself there.”  

“Cathy loves cats more than people, with the exception of her girlfriend. I’m not surprised he had a good time. Umbral must have been spoilt rotten."

“Well, even if he was, I didn't really notice.  He still ran right up to me begging for snuggles as soon as we went to pick him up, just like he used to.”  Vector said with a small chuckle.  

“He really loves you, just as much as I do.”Takashi chuckled.

Vector chuckled too.  

“Yeah, he loves me enough to leave whatever spoiled life Cathy gave him for me.  He's a funny one.”  Vector said with a smile, cuddling Takashi.

“Meanwhile, he’s not that interested in me.” Takashi pouted.

Vector shook his head.

“Sure he is!  He sits with you sometimes while you're working.”  Vector said with a smile, kissing Takashi's cheek.  

“Sometimes, but that’s more like a cat accepting I’m not a threat, not a person they absolutely love.” Takashi smiled, leaning in, letting himself be kissed.

“Hmm...well, that's a step.  Maybe he'll grow to like you more eventually.”  Vector said with a smile.

“Hopefully,” He smiled, kissing him softly.

Vector returned the kiss happily.

“He will.  You'll see.”  He said softly, before snuggling against Takashi to enjoy their time in the bath.

-x-

Ponta was still wound up from the party as the Barian-Mizuki family headed home.  

“And then, Thomas brought out the water guns like POW and he shot Shark and it was so funny!  And I totally nailed Alit like BAM!”  Ponta explained, recounting the whole story excitedly to Gilag in the back as Alit drove with Kotori in the passenger's side.  Alit chuckled.

“You got me good, Ponta.”  He agreed.  He was still soaked, and a change of clothes was definitely in order for everyone.  He parked the car in the driveway and got out, going around to help his pregnant wife out, since getting up and down took more work for her nowadays.  She was due very soon.  

“I know, it was good, wasn’t it?” Kotori laughed. Thankfully, she had taken her coat off before going into the party, so she had a nice, warm cardigan to come back to. Her hands rested on her pregnant belly and she glanced back, seeing Gilag laugh as Ponta continued talking.

“Maybe when summer comeback, we could all do another water gun fight.” Gilag suggested. When they arrived back, he opened the door for Ponta, while Kotori took her husband’s hand.

“Go shower, Ponta. Don’t run around like that for too long."

"Yeah! Another water gun fight, pon! Can Haruto come too? It'll be so much fun!" Pontas cheered. He hopped out of the car and grinned at Kotori.

"I'll shower quickly!" He said, rushing into the house once Alit opened the doors. Alit chuckled.

"Good boy Ponta." He said, checking his phone and frowning a bit.

"That's odd...no messages from Koutei about why he missed the party...I did invite him and he said he'd come." He mused. He checked their home phone answering machine and got the same results.

"Hmm...wonder what's up with him. He seemed odd at or workout too." He murmurs, sending Koutei a text.

'Hey you there? You missed Yuuma and Shark's wedding party!'

“Yeah! Of course!” Gilag grinned. He was about to follow Ponta when he glanced back at Alit, frowning. “Is Koutei alright?”

"I have no idea. He might be going through something but he hasn't told me...it's weird." Alit said glancing at his older brother a bit worriedly.

“… Hopefully he’s okay. You mentioned he was off his game last time you sparred, didn’t you?"

"Yeah he was off. And that's not like him." Alit said with a sigh.

"I hope he's alright."

“Yeah… Same…”

——

Koutei stared at the phone, blinking on and off, on and off. He knew who the message was from, since he had checked the number that was ringing before, but he refused to answer it. He couldn’t bare to see Alit, or hear him.

The past few days had been nightmare after nightmare, and when he needed comfort, Koutei turned to Yami and his hallucinogenic games, as if they would offer some guidance. But they didn’t… Nothing was working…

“Alit…” Koutei checked his phone. “Oh fuck… It… It was today. I forgot. I screwed up.Fuck. Fuck fuck. What do I do now? What do I do?”

He feebly texted a lie to Alit, saying that he had to deal with his family, before he called Yami.

Yami was cleaning up from another little game he'd been playing with a businessman.  This game had been lethal because Yami had been commissioned to take out a few people, this man included.  It had taken him awhile to catch him alone but Yami had done it, and was feeling proud of himself.  This man was a terrible person and deserved to be punished...and now he would be.  

He frowned as he felt his phone vibrate, picking it up and flipping it open.

“Hey Koutei?”  He said with a grin.

“Yami… I need help… It’s Alit… I… Shit. Can I meet you? I need a game or a prediction or something. I need help."

“Sure...you'll have to give me some time though.”  Yami said, noting that this was one of his messier games.  

“I'll text you a meeting place when I'm ready!”  

“Yes.” Koutei murmured.  “Ngh… When you’re ready..."

“Good...I'll get back to you.”  Yami replied, continuing with his clean up, trying to leave as little evidence as possible.

Koutei sighed. He threw his phone into a pillow and then collapsed on the couch. He was a mess… and he knew it...

Several hours later, Yami and Koutei were settled in with a game to play which would cause short-term relief for the man.  But there was no doubt in Yami's mind that he'd come back for another game sometime in the near future.  

Koutei looked at Yami, rubbing his arm. He was really worried about Alit… he was worried about how he was changing, and he had no idea why. Maybe it was stress, maybe it was something in his head… he wasn’t sure, but he hoped some games would calm him down.

“… Well?"

Yami smirked at Koutei.

“We're almost ready...it's game time.”  Yami said.  

“You don't look so good though...anything happen?”  

“… I… It’s Alit.” Koutei passed Yami his phone, not knowing how to talk

Yami frowned and accepted it, reading the text messages that Alit had sent Koutei.  All of them expressed concern over missing a party.  Yami sighed.

“He seems concerned with your behavior...you let him down.  That's too bad.”  

“It’s not just that… I’m letting him down in… in every way I can think of. I’m trying to change but it’s just getting worse. I don’t know what to do..."

Yami nodded.

“I understand.  Perhaps you yourself are changing...and when you've completed your transformation, Alit will accept you.  The best I can do to help for now though, is to consult the spirits I suppose.”  

“… I just want something… anything to help or get my mind off it.” Koutei muttered, running his fingers through his hair, showing his blood-shot eyes.

“Alright.  We'll play a fun game then to put your mind at ease!”  Yami said, already preparing the drugs and the game so that Koutei could have a nice little trip while Yami enjoyed himself.

“Thank you…” Koutei said, rubbing his temples before stifling a yawn. “I’m just…ugh. So out of it."

“Just focus on the game...forget about your troubles, for now.”  Yami said softly.  

“Alright…” Koutei murmured, closing his eyes.

Yami smiled, letting the odorless, airborn drugs seep into the air and flood the blonde's mind, taking him to a faraway place where he could be completely manipulated by Yami in his game.

-x-

The past week or so had been relatively uneventful at the Heartland City Police Department.  Ukyou ad his team had dealt with a few basic domestic disturbances and petty theft, but there weren't any big cases to solve at this time.  But, it seemed that might change, Ukyou thought, when his phone rang.  

“Heartland City Police Department, Chief Ukyou speaking.”  Ukyou spoke.  He frowned as he listened to the voice on the other end.

“Your boss is missing?  When did you last see him?  Oh...”  Ukyou's eyes widened.  A company CEO had gone missing?  That wasn't entirely unusual if it was for a day or so...but this man in particular hadn't shown up for work in a week, and his wife had just gotten back from a vacation to report that he was nowhere to be found.  Now that was unusual.  Ukyou jotted down the information.

“Thank you sir.  We'll look into it.”  Ukyou said at last, hanging up and getting up to go to the break room where his fellow officers were

“Guys, we may have a case.”  He told them when he entered.

“Another one? Geeze, what’s up, boss?” Gauche asked, sliding away from his desk. Anna wasn’t in, since she had taken the day off to attend a wedding, but he and Droite was. Droite was on the phone, frowning as she recorded the message. Seemed like she was following up on the case of a different CEO who had gone missing- one a different group of police were tracking now, and relaying the info back to them.

“It seems that a CEO has gone missing...he was gone for a week and when his wife came back from vacation, she found he wasn't at home.  Nobody's been able to contact him.  We'll have to look into his credit cards and find out if he may have bought any plane tickets or anything that might indicate his whereabouts.”  Ukyou explained.

“Another one? Yeesh. You’d think they’re all on vacation or something, that’s the second report of a big-shot in Heartland going missing.” Gauche frowned. “Missing person’s case…”

“Two?  That's even worse...look into connections between the two of them.  These cases could be related.”  Ukyou said.

“So far nothing matches besides the fact they’re CEOs of completely different types of companies… but they disappeared around the same time… so it’s possible.”

"Look into their backgrounds and see if it's possible that they knew each other even form business ties between their companies or something. Maybe this is a planned thing...and it happened for a reason." Ukyou reasoned.

“Yes sir…” Gauche muttered, getting to work

"Well put out a missing persons bulletin to the other squads so that everyone's on the lookout for these two men. Hopefully this can all be explained and they're both alright." Ukyou mused.

“In this town? Doubt it?” Gauche muttered under his breath, Droite got off the phone and handed some notes to Ukyou.

Ukyou accepted the notes and looked them over quickly.

“Thank you Droite.  I'll leave you to do a check on their bank records to see if they've made any purchases that might indicate a location.  I'm going to put out a bulletin to the other squads.” Ukyou said, before he headed back into his office to make some calls to other squad leaders.

“Yes sir,” Droite muttered, starting to get on the work. Once again, she had a bad feeling…

-x-

Alit was working out in the garage as usual, and while he was doing that, Ponta was inside watching TV on the couch with Kotori.  Gilag was off at work, but since it was a weekend, Ponta had no classes.  He'd finished his homework recently and was relaxing with Kotori, although Alit had told him to make sure she got whatever she needed while he was working out, since it was harder for her to move around.  Ponta would definitely help!  

Kotori was enjoying a nice, lazy day on the couch. She was so big now, and swore she was going to pop at any moment. She had been suffering a lot of discomfort lately, but she was still excited. She would be having a baby soon.

And soon came a lot sooner than expected, because almost suddenly, she felt sharper pains than usual course through her. She gave a sudden yell and clutched her stomach, paling.

“P-Ponta…” she stammered, feeling the contractions, “Go get Alit. I think the baby is coming early!"

Ponta's head immediately turned to Kotori when he heard her cry out.  

“Kotori, pon?”  He asked, before hearing the second sentence.

“My little brother's coming?  Okay!  I'll go get Alit, wait here!”  Ponta cried, dashing to the garage.

“Alit, Kotori says my little brother's coming!”  Ponta called.  Alit caught his punching bag with a confused frown.

“What?  But she still has a few more weeks...”  He said, but then he heard Kotori let out a small cry again.  

“I'm coming.  Ponta, get the keys and my wallet.  We need to get Kotori to the hospital!”  Alit said, taking down the bag and throwing on his shirt before running into the house after Ponta, who went to the kitchen to grab the keys for the car.  

“I'm here, babe.  Come on, let's get you to the car.”  Alit said gently, slowly helping her up.

“Argh… Hurts, Alit… It hurts…” Kotori cried, grabbing her husband and wailing a little.

"I know, honey...hang in there." Alit said, grunting a bit as he hoisted her up.

"Ponta, you ready? Get the door!" He called. The boy emerged just in time, a look of worry on his face.

"Is Kotori okay, pon?" He asked, opening the door so Alit could bring Kotori to the car.

"She'll be okay, Ponta. Let's get her in the car." He said.

“I’ll be fine. Your sibling is just hurting me…” the woman mumbled, clinging to Alit. “Ahhh..."

“Why?!  Tell him to stop!”  Ponta cried, horrified by that suggestion.  Alit managed to place Kotori down gently in the passenger seat, kissing her forehead.

“Hang in there babe.  Ponta, get in the car.”  He ordered the boy, closing Kotori's door and hurrying into the driver's side.  He tossed his cell phone back to Ponta.

“Call Gilag and tell him we're going to the hospital.  He can meet us there after work.”  Alit said.  Ponta nodded and dialled as Alit pulled out of the garage as quickly as he could.  

Kotori gave a shaky laugh but she couldn’t comfort Ponta. Instead, she closed her eyes, trying to breathe and calm herself down.

Gilag thankfully answered since it was a weekend. He wasn’t supposed to answer, but the man picked up anyway.

“Hello?”

“Gilag, pon!  We're going to the hospital!  Kotori said my little brother is coming!”  Ponta said, still half-worried about the fact that his baby brother was apparently hurting Kotori.  At least he hadn't made her cry though...maybe Ponta could forgive him for that.  He'd have to be a good big brother and tell him not to do that anymore once he could talk to him.  

“She is? Really! I’ll be over right away.” Someone almost swore at Gilag when he yelled, but Gilag hung up before little ears could hear it. He started running for the hospital, as Kotori was driven.

“Hrk… They’re eager to see us.” Kotori muttered.

Ponta blinked.

“Ah, Gilag, Alit said you don't have to come right away!”  He tried to tell him, but his words were met with the dial tone.  He frowned, closing the phone.

“I think Gilag's coming to the hospital.”  Ponta told Alit as the man drove.  Alit smirked a bit.

“I figured he would...everyone's eager.”  He said, sparing a small glance at Kotori to see how she was doing at a red light. As soon as it turned, he continued to drive as quickly as he could to the hospital.

Gilag was rushing anyway.

“Hey… I’m okay… just get me there…” She mumbled

“I will.  We're almost there.”  Alit said, turning down the street where the hospital was located.

“NGhhhhAahhh… God… I think my water broke…” Kotori squeaked, breathing harder

Alit frowned and drove a little faster, pulling into the hospital parking lot.

“Okay, we're here!  Ponta, come on, let's get Kotori out of the car.”  Alit said, shutting off the engine and getting out.  Ponta hopped out with him and opened Kotori's door so that Alit could help her up.  

“Alright, let's head inside.  The doctors will help.”  

“Ngh… Be good for Alit when I go in, okay?” Kotori smiled at Ponta as she slowly got up and held Alit.

Ponta nodded.

“Ponta's a good boy!  Always!  Tell my little brother to stop hurting you for me, pon!”  Ponta said, rushing ahead to get the door for Alit and Kotori.  Alit smiled.

“Thanks Ponta...go tell the front desk that the baby is coming.  They'll help.”  Alit said, and Ponta nodded, rushing ahead to do just that.  They brought out a wheelchair for Kotori to take her to the maternity ward.  Alit quickly went to the front desk.

“I have an older brother who might come barreling in any time now...can you tell him where we are?”  He asked.  The nurse smiled and nodded, and Alit thanked her before going after Kotori with Ponta in tow.

“Ponta, when i go in, wait outside for Gilag, okay? I’ll be fine…” Kotori started, rubbing her stomach, as if to try and calm her child down.

“Okay, pon!”  Ponta said.  

“Stay with me in the meantime, alright?  They'll tell us if we need to do anything else.”  Alit said, knowing that for now, the nurses would have things under control.  Once it was time to push, he wanted to be there as support for Kotori.  The nurses brought Kotori into a more private room so they could get her changed into a hospital gown and get her ready for childbirth.  

Kotori got changed. She was breathing hard, shaking and feeling uneasy. “Ughhh… It hurts..."

“We'll give you an epidural, which will help with the pain.”  The nurse said, helping Kotori lie down on the bed once she was dressed.  

“The doctor will tell you once you're fully dilated and we'll be ready to go from there.”  

“T-Thanks…” Kotori winced and laid down, reaching for Alit’s hand. “God… I feel like I’m gonna explode"

Alit took her hand and gave it a light squeeze.

"I hope you don't explode. The meds should kick in soon." He said.

"I'm here for you alright?"

“Yeah… I know.” Kotori smiled.

Alit smiled.

"Good." He said. Outside, Ponta was sitting in the hallway waiting for Gilag, beaming as he spotted him.

"Gilag, over here pon!"

Gilag puffed as he made it to the floor. He ran up and hugged Ponta, breathing hard. He had done a long, mad dash to get here. “How is she? Are they in there already?”

Ponta grinned and let Gilag hug him as always.  

“I heard the doctors were going to give her something to stop my little brother from hurting her, so she'll be okay!  Alit went inside, and said I can't come in unless the doctors say it's okay, pon.”  Ponta said, pouting slightly.  

“Well… I’m here to wait with you. Kotori is tough. Soon the baby will be out before you know it.”

Ponta nodded.

“Yeah!  We'll wait together, pon!”  He said happily.

“Have you been alone long?"

“Not too long.  But I don't know how much longer Alit and Kotori are gonna be in there, pon.”  Ponta said, glancing at the door with a frown.

“Probably not too long. If your brother is anything like Alit, they’ll get out fast"

Ponta grinned.

“Yeah!  I hope so!”  He said, watching the door expectantly.  

Ultimately, Ponta and Gilag were waiting several hours.  Occasionally they heard muffled shouts from inside the room which got Ponta a bit worried, but Gilag reassured him that it was normal and that both Kotori and the baby were alright.  Finally, after what seemed like forever, they heard the distinct sound of crying from within the room.  

“Is that...my baby brother crying?”  Ponta asked, both awed and alarmed because he assumed that meant that the baby was hurt somehow.  

Meanwhile, inside the room, the nurses were gently cleaning the crying baby while Alit stood by Kotori, holding her hand, and staring in awe.  

“Kotori...it's a girl. We have...a daughter...”  He said softly, barely able to believe it.

“A girl? Let me hold her…” muttered the sweaty, tired woman. She was absolutely in pain and feeling dizzy, but the sounds of her crying child made her sit up straighter. “I want to see her face."

Alit nodded, helping Kotori sit up a bit so she could properly hold their child.  The nurse, having finished cleaning their baby, handed Kotori the baby wrapped in a blanket.  Alit leaned over Kotori's shoulder to look at their child with her.  

“She's beautiful...”  Alit said softly.

“… She is… Her name needs to fit that… What about Masumi? Her name means beauty…” Kotori said quietly

Alit nodded, gently kissing Kotori's forehead.

“That sounds perfect.  She's our little angel, Masumi.”  Alit said softly.

Kotori smiled at her husband and then looked at her baby girl. “She already looks like you.”

Alit chuckled.

“I guess...her skin tone is closer to mine, and she has dark hair...but her face looks more like yours.”  Alit said with a smile.  

“Really, it just proves that she's actually ours...”  

“Yeah… I know. She’s got more of your nose though.” Kotori smiled. She leaned up and kissed him. “Our beautiful daughter, a shining gem."

Alit smiled, kissing Kotori back.

“Yeah...she's our daughter.  We're parents...”  He said, sparing a small glance at the door.

“And Ponta's got a little sister and Gilag a niece.”  He mused.

“Yeah… I hope Ponta isn’t too upset about having a baby sister,” Kotori mused.

Alit smiled.

“I imagine he'll be happy once he remembers that he's a big brother either way.”  Alit said.  

“Do you want me to let them in here so they can see Masumi?”  He asked.

“Mmmm… Can they promise being quiet? I don’t think I can deal with noise right now."

"I'll make them promise." Alit said, kissing Kotori's forehead before getting up and heading out the door.

"Hey guys." He said softly. Ponta immediately jumped up and rushed over to Alit.  

"Alit! Is Kotori okay, pon? Do I have a baby brother?" He asked. Alit smiled.

"Kotori is fine but she's resting...and I'll let you see the baby only if you're quiet enough not to bother Kotori." Alit said. Ponta immediately clamped his hands over his mouth and nodded in promise.

Gilag gave a chuckle. “Come on… let’s see…”

Ponta nodded.  Alit smiled, opening the door and letting both of them into the room.  He approached the bed, showing Ponta and Gilag the baby in Kotori's arms.  

“Is that...my baby brother?”  Ponta whispered, awed by how small the baby was.  Alit shook his head.

“Sorry buddy, you don't have a baby brother...instead, you get a baby sister.”  Ponta looked at him in surprise.  

“A little sister?”  He said in surprise, glancing back at the baby in awe.  He wasn't very disappointed...only amazed.  

“What's her name?”  

Kotori chuckled at his expression.

“That’s right. Her name is Masumi.”

“She’s beautiful. Looks like you, Alit,” Gilag grinned, congratulating Alit with a  punch.

“Masumi...”  Ponta repeated the word in wonder, still looking at his new baby sister in awe.

Alit chuckled.

“Yeah, she does...but she has Kotori's face.”  He said, smiling at Gilag and then glancing back at Ponta, who was staying close to the bed with Kotori and Masumi.

“Kotori...can I hold her, pon?”  He asked.

“Oh… not just yet, Ponta. Alit probably wants to hold her… but if someone helps you and you sit, of course you can.”

Alit smiled.

“Here, you can sit in my lap and we'll hold her together.”  Alit said, letting Ponta climb onto him and gently helping him hold Masumi too.  Ponta grinned happily as he did.

“Hi Masumi...I'm your big brother, Ponta, and I'm gonna look after you, pon.”  He said softly, looking at his sister.  

“That’s adorable.” Gilag said to Kotori, looking at his brothers. Kotori laughed, patting his big arm.

“Thanks for turning up. Gilag.”

Alit chuckled at Ponta, holding Masumi close and letting Ponta help.  He was happy that the whole family had shown up.

“It's nice to have everyone here for this special moment.”  He said.  Ponta nodded.

“Yeah!  We're a whole family, pon!”  

“We’re a bigger family, yes,” Kotori smiled. “It’s good..."

Alit nodded.

“Yeah...it's great.”  He definitely couldn't wait to share the news with all his friends that he was now a father with a beautiful baby girl.

-x-

Yuuma and Shark had mostly returned to their regular lives after their wedding, though they certainly were seeing quite a bit of each other.  They worked in the same garage after all, and had received several congrats on their wedding at the workplace.  And of course, they had enjoyed spending down time with each other after work, cuddling up on the couch and talking or having casual sex.  The elated feeling hadn't left them at all.

At the moment, Yuuma was in bed next to Shark, trying to ignore the ring of his phone.  It wasn't that it was early morning, but he and Shark hadn't gone to sleep until quite late, so Yuuma had been planning on sleeping in.  He groaned, reluctatnly rolling out of Shark's arms and noticing that it was Kotori calling him.  He frowned.  What would she be calling about, he wondered?

“Kotori?”  He asked as he picked up, voice riddled with sleep.

“Hi Yuma… Are you busy?” She asked quietly, knowing she should be quiet.

“No, not really.  I have the day off...why?  What's up?”  Yuuma asked, trying to be soft too so that Shark wouldn't wake up.

“I’m in the hospital… my baby came early… Yuma, I’m a mother.” She smiled.

Yuuma blinked for a moment, his sleepy mind trying to process the statement.  

“You're...WHAT REALLY?!”  He exclaimed suddenly, all but jolting up in his excitement.  Any pretence of being quiet for Shark was gone.

“You had your baby?!  Wow congratulations!  Is it a girl or a boy?”

Shark yelped and fell off the bed, hitting his head on the bedside table. He groaned and then glared at his husband, wondering what on earth he was squawking about.

“Girl. Her name is Masumi, and she’s beautiful.” Kotori gave a small laugh.

Yuuma was too excited to really pay much attention to anything else.  He was so happy for Kotori and Alit.

“A girl?  Aww that's so sweet!  I'm so happy for you!  How's Alit taking it?  And the rest of the family?  Gilag and Ponta know right?”  Yuuma asked.

“Alit is holding her with Ponta now, and Gilag raced here from work- he ran to the hospital! Can you believe that?” Kotori laughed. “They all already love her. Ponta seems so gentle.”

Shark hissed and climbed back on the bed, burying himself in pillows and blankets, a bit ticked off.

“Awww that must be sweet!  I can't wait to meet her.  And oh my gosh he did?!  That's hilarious, but that might be me in a few months when Akari gives birth too!”  Yuuma laughed.  He smiled.

“That's just great Kotori.  I'm so happy for you...when can I come and meet Masumi?  I don't wanna impose on you guys and if you're tired and need rest, I won't bug you!”  He glanced absentmindedly at Shark and gently pet his head in apology as he noticed that Shark didn't seem too happy at being woken up.

“No…I don’t think today is good…” Kotori said. “But tomorrow is much better.”

Shark gave a small groan and shook his head. “You’re an idiot..."

“Okay!  I'll come by tomorrow then?  Sound good?  Maybe Shark will come too!”  Yuuma said, grinning as he laid back down, nuzzling Shark gently.  

Shark blocked Yuma’s face with a pillow and grumbled as Kotori laughed.

“Alright… Alit will text you what ward I’ll be put in, okay?"

Yuuma pouted as Shark put up a pillow barrier between them.  

“Okay!  Sounds good!  I'll see you tomorrow then.”  He said, before hanging up with a smile.  He rolled over, hugging Shark.

“Guess what?  Kotori had her baby...they have a daughter named Masumi!”  

“That’s great. Now tell me again when I’m awake.” Shark muttered, groaning as he left his face in the pillow. “Good for them."

Yuuma chuckled a bit, cuddling Shark and kissing his cheek gently.

“Okay.  And we'll be seeing them tomorrow, so get plenty of rest today!”  Yuuma said happily.

Shark grumbled. “Don’t tell me what to do.” He smirked though and rolled over to look at Yuma.

Yuuma grinned happily, knowing that Shark would probably do what he suggested no matter what he said.  He gently kissed Shark's lips as the man rolled over.  

“I'm just telling you what I want to do.”  He replied cheekily.

“You said ‘we’, as if I’m coming…” Shark muttered, leaning up and kissing him automatically. “I am, but not the point"

“I wanted you to come!”  Yuuma said happily, even more happy when Shark agreed.  He cuddled against him, holding Shark close.  

“I know...it'll be fun, you'll see.”  He said.

Shark sighed and let himself be hugged. “Now go be spastic somewhere else. I want to sleep. Still sore…”

Yuuma smiled.

“Okay.  I'll go help Kotori spread the word!”  He said, getting up after a brief cuddle to dial up the rest of the Numbers Club.  He started with Inchou, since the 'I' was the first in his phone's contact list.

Shark rolled his eyes and curled back into his bed.

“Hello?” Takashi answered right away, since he was making breakfast and up bright and early.

"Hey Inchou! Guess what? Kotori had her baby!" Yuuma exclaimed.

“Oh? Really? I thought she wouldn’t have a child for ages. That’s great news,” Takashi smiled.

"Yeah I know right? But Kotori just called me and told me, so it must've been a bit early!" Yuuma said with a grin.

“Yeah… must be. Oh that’s great news. We should all visit her at some point.”

"Yeah! She said Shark and I could visit tomorrow...but I'm not sure if it would be a good idea for tons of people to go. They are in the hospital after all! Maybe we could have a party after when they leave the hospital!" Yuuma suggested.

“Yeah… We’ll all visit individually or whatever. I’ll trust you to do it.” Takashi smiled.

Yuuma grinned.

"Yeah! I'll plan the party and stuff. We'll have a blast!" He said with a grin.

Vector walked into the room still in pyjamas and carrying a still sleepy Umbral in his arms. He'd been woken up when he noticed Takashi was gone. He stared curiously at his partner taking on the phone. He wondered what he was talking about and with whom.

“Ah… she’s so lucky, I’m a bit jealous,” Takashi said, switching the stove off. “I mean… Ponta is practically her child and now she has a baby. Kotori will be such a great mother…” Takashi leaned against the counter, smiling wistfully.

"Haha you want a kid too, Inchou? Isn't Vector enough?" Yuuma teased with a laugh.

"But yeah, you're right. She'll be an amazing mom, and Alit will be a great dad too! And we'll be there as the amazing uncles." Yuuma said.

Vector blinked as he heard the news, putting two and two together. He smiled a bit, happy for Kotori.

“Yeah, yeah. I know he is. He’s a huge child,” the man laughed. “I got it, i got it."

Yuuma laughed too.

"I'll see you later, Inchou! Say hi to Vector for me alright? See ya!" Yuuma said. Vector watched and frowned a bit.

"What were you laughing about?" He asked.

“Hm?” Takashi looked up and smiled. “Nothing really. Just talking about Kotori. You know she’s given birth.” He said, missing what Vector was asking.

"Has she? That's great. Boy or girl?" He asked.

"Although it doesn't explain why you were laughing."

“… Yuma didn’t tell me. Unbelievable.” Takashi said after a moment of trying to review the conversation. He gave a smile and shook his head, then approached Vector and kissed his cheek. “Aren’t I allowed to laugh?"

Vector snorted.

"Did he really forget? That's Yuuma for you. He's so excited he left out crucial details." Vector mused. He smiled a bit as Takashi kissed him.

"Yeah, you're allowed. Of course you are." He said.

“Yeah… Well to be fair, I didn’t ask him either so we’re both in the wrong.” Takashi laughed. “So how are you feeling?”

"I guess we'll have to see for ourselves whether it's a boy or girl." Vector said. He smiled.

"Yeah, I'm alright."

“Did you already take your morning meds?” Takashi asked. “I have breakfast ready."

Vector shook his head, petting Umbral in his arms.

"Not yet." He said with a smile.

“Go get ready for the day, alright? Love you.” He said, kissing his cheek again before going back to the kitchen.

"Alright." Vector said, smiling as he was kissed again.

"Love you too." He said softly.

Meanwhile, Yuuma was still calling people about Kotori's baby. He'd told all the rest of the Numbers Club, and was now calling his sister, both to check up on her and tell her the news.

“Hello? Yuma? Hey, what’s up kiddo?” Akari asked as she turned down the TV.

"Hey Nee-chan guess what? Kotori had her baby!"

“Really? Ah… That’s good for her.” Akari smiled. “Wait… why are you calling up people and telling them this? Shouldn’t her family be doing that?"

“Ah, well, Kotori is doing that!  But she should also be spending time resting and also with her baby!  That's why I'm helping to spread the word too!”  Yuuma said with a grin.

“You’re gossiping like an old wife already, but fair enough. Fair enough."

Yuuma pouted.

“I'm not old or a wife, Nee-chan!”  He whined, before grinning.

“I also wanted to see how you were doing too!  How're you and the baby, Nee-chan?”  

“I’m alright…. getting ready for my baby to be born. Resting mostly, enjoying Charlie spoiling me.”

Yuuma chuckled.

“Sounds good!  Charlie had better be doing a good job of looking after you, Nee-chan!”  He said happily.  

“He is, he is. Don’t worry about me. I can look after myself if I need..."

“I know, but you have a baby to look after, so Charlie should help you by looking after you so you can focus on the baby!”  Yuuma said with a grin.

“Yeah yeah… I know…” The woman chuckled. “How are things with loverboy?”

“Shark's doing fine!  He's just lazy and snoozing as usual, but we're both happy!”  Yuuma replied.

“Ugh. He’s either sleeping or doing that weird broody thing,” Akari smirked. “When does he do anything else?”

“Hardly ever.  But I can tell he's happy, cause he smiles when he thinks I'm not looking.”  Yuuma mused with a chuckle.

Akari rolled her eyes again. “Well… Glad for you, kiddo. You still sound you’re on marriage high"

“I definitely am!  It's great.  I'm so glad I got married.”  He said softly.

“… Well don’t forget everyone else too. You have many lovers who want a piece of you"

Yuuma blinked.

“Yeah, I get it!  I won't neglect anyone!”  He said with a grin.

Akari laughed. “Take care, Yuma, okay? I have a checkup today, and I’m just waiting for Charlie to get home. Have fun calling everyone today"

“Alright!  See you, Nee-chan!  Have fun at your check up!”  Yuuma said with a grin.

“Ugh who would?” She laughed. “See you..."

“Bye!”  Yuuma said, hanging up, not sure who else to call about this.  He tried to call Kaito, but the man's phone was on busy, which surprised him.  Was Kaito working or something?  

-x-

Meanwhile, Ponta was on the phone with Haruto, talking excitedly.

“Haruto, I'm a big brother, pon!  Kotori had her baby, and I have a sister!  She's soooooo tiny and has pretty pink eyes and skin like Alit's and she sleeps all the time!”  Ponta prattled excitedly.

Haruto smiled. He had been allowed home after the wedding and he was still tired, even a few days after it. However, he was still avidly talking to his friend.

“Really? What’s her name?"

“Her name's Masumi, cause she's beautiful!  I have the cutest and most beautiful little sister in the world!”  Ponta said happily.

“You’re so lucky Ponta. I’ll never have a younger sister..."

“No, but you can still play with my younger sister too!  We can all play together, pon!”  Ponta assured him with a grin.  He was naive enough to think that Haruto would definitely still be alive and well by the time Masumi was old enough to join them in play.

“That’s good…” Haruto would let him believe that. “Maybe I can come see her soon"

“Yeah!  Definitely you can!  We're in the hospital right now, but Alit says we should be going home soon with Masumi, pon!  I'll tell you when we go home so you can see her!”  Ponta said.

“Yeah,,, I know… But I want to see you soon..."

“You will!  Just rest up and we'll see each other in no time, pon!”  Ponta said happily.

“Alright…” Haruto sighed, feeling way too weak. “I’ll see you later… Ponta..."

“Alright, bye for now, Haruto!  I'll see you later, pon!”  Ponta said with a grin.

Haruto put the phone down and he bit his lip. Unable to help himself, he began curling up into a ball on his bed and sobbed. Ponta… He didn’t understand how little time he had left. He knew he wouldn’t get to play. He would barely get a chance to live.

Ponta hung up the phone with Haruto, oblivious to his friend's pain, and rushed back into Kotori's hospital room where Kotori was resting with Masumi while Alit kept watch.  

“Alit, I told Haruto about Masumi!  He's super happy, and we gotta let him see her, pon!”  He said happily.  Alit put a finger to his lips, gently shushing Ponta, so that he wouldn't wake Kotori.

“That's great, Ponta, but don't wake the ladies.”  He said softly, smiling at him.  

“Look after them for me for a minute, I'm going to call Koutei and tell him the news.”  Alit said, patting Ponta's head as the younger boy saluted him.  He stepped outside the room and dialled Koutei's number.

Koutei picked up. He felt like shit but he was sane enough to be sitting up taking water and medicine.

“Hey..."

Alit grinned as he heard Koutei pick up the phone.  He was happy to hear from him.

“Hey, Koutei...sorry to bug you but I just had to tell you...I'm a father.  Kotori had our baby.”  He said, practically breathing out the last words because he could scarcely believe it himself.  He hadn't really said those words aloud enough.

Koutei coughed hoarsely and swallowed back vomit. “I… fuck. That’s great news! Congrats!”

Alit blinked a bit as Koutei coughed, before smiling at the second half.

"Thanks! It was absolutely amazing to have a kid...she's beautiful! I'll let you know when we're out of hospital so you can come see her if you're still in Japan."

Koutei was trying to sound happy… and he was. The fact that Alit was calling him… telling him about his fortune… He should have been happy for his rival.

“I’ll be in Japan for the rest of the year.”

"Great! Then I guess I'll see you soon! I don't know if I'll be able to spar for awhile...now that the baby's here I wanna spend time with her and all!" Alit said with a chuckle.

“O-Oh.” And there was the catch. Of course he would have called for a reason. He was so stupid. “Of course! But if you need a break, I’m here.”

Please need him...

Alit grinned.

"Of course. I'll let you know, alright? But I did call my manager and told him I can't participate in tournaments for awhile cause I'm essentially on paternity leave." Alit mused with a chuckle.

"I'll definitely let you know if I feel a need to spar though!"

“So Kotori pushes the baby out and you get a break? Man, sounds like a sweet real for you,” Koutei joked, making himself laugh. It was easier to talk with Alit so happy.

“Thanks…”

"Ah not really! I still have to help look after the baby with Kotori." He mused, chuckling with Koutei.

"I'm glad you seem to be doing better than when I saw you last!" Alit said happily.

“I’m kidding. I’m kidding! I know you have to, daddy dearest?” Koutei gave a laugh but he clutched his heart, trembling, “Yeh… sorry about last time.”

Alit chuckled at the name.

"Yeah, I guess that's me!" He mused. He still could barely believe it.

"No problem! Everyone has their off days!"

“Thanks man… But we should celebrate at some point as well… The baby and all! Drink to your health. We should since I didn’t show up to Yuma’s party… sorry about that as well."

Alit grinned.

"Yeah sure! I wouldn't doubt that my friends are going to throw a party...you should come to it too! That'll make up for missing the wedding one!" Alit suggested.

"And it's alright. You're busy and stuff so I don't blame you for missing the wedding party."

“Yeah… That sounds like fun…” Koutei sighed.”Thanks man..."

"No problem! I'd better get back...I left Ponta looking after Kotori and Masumi and don't wanna leave them for long! I'll let you know when the party is alright? Talk to you later!" Alit said, before hanging up and going back into the room.

“Okay… sure.” Koutei listened Alit ramble on. He was so happy… So happy. He was glad he was happy but still… “Hey Alit…” The phone had long been hung up though, so Koutei put down the receiver and curled into his pillow.

Ukyou was at the station when the call came in to investigate a body that was found nearby.

"Let's go guys. We have to see if this guy they found was one of our missing CEOs." He told the others.

“A body? Finally, a case.” Anna said, getting up, jumping over her chair. Gauche followed her and Droite was already at the door. “Where is it? Address now.” Droite asked as she walked.

Ukyou told her the address. They all got into the cars.

"Techs are already there but we'll do our own searching of the scene in case they miss things. It's also our job to confirm identity." He explained.

“Great… I’ve got the digital records already on me,” Droite said, patting her pocket. She drove Ukyou to the parking lot where it had been taped off for the police. The parking lot was well kept, and actually in plain sight in the fancier areas of the city: a place for a calculated attack rather than a one-off murder.

Anna drove more wildly so she and Gauche arrived there first, already at the scene looking around.

“Body is here, Ukyou."

Ukyou couldn't help but scrunch his nose. The body was barely recognizable as human, it was so mutilated.

"We may have to rely on denials here." He said. But there were remains of a suit on the body...it was possible that it was the CEO or at the very least a business man.

"Any signs of DNA?"

“It’ll take a while to code it, but so far, nothing looks suspicious,” A forensics worker called out.

Anna stood a fair distance away and started flicking through, trying to see the missing persons and checking if anyone matched at least the build.

“Looks like slash marks…” Droite muttered.

Ukyou nodded.

"Understood. Take as many samples as necessary and send them to be coded as soon as possible." Ukyou said. He frowned at Droite's words, approaching the body and looking closely.

"Well, it looks like we've got a murder then." He said.

“Yes sir,” The man said, continuing his job.

Droite sighed. “… Where is the guy searching his car? We should have matched the license plate and found out this guy’s identity.”

"I found it!" Gauche called, having searched the plate number.

"Officer Ukyou...this car belonged to one of our two missing CEOs." He said. Ukyou sighed.

"Then this is probably him...though I still want DNA checked just to be sure."

“Yeah, we’ll do that,” The forensics guy shouted.

“Apparently he used to run Heartland Industries. We should pay them a visit at some point. What time was the body found, people?” Droite asked “Estimated time of death?"

"Well do that only after we're sure without a doubt that this is their CEO." Ukyou said.

"We think he's been dead about a week based on decay and insect activity." One of the forensics people said.

"That does fit with the missing persons timeline." Anna noted.

“But how did no one find the body until today? It’s not like this is a closed carpark…” Droite muttered, looking around.

"I'm not sure...it does seem odd that nobody reported anything. The whole reason we came here was because of a call of a domestic disturbance nearby this morning. It was probably unrelated if the body was here for five days..." Ukyou mused.

"Are there surveillance cameras around? Maybe they caught something the night of the murder that might help us find suspects."

“Yeah…” Droite went off to look. Anna, who had been listening in, glanced at the area and frowned. “Look… Orange cones. Maybe those were blocking people from getting up here to see the body?”

"Odd...there's no construction here. Could the killer have set those up?" Gauche asked. Ukyou frowned. That had been a smart move.

"Get some fingerprints off of those cones." He said, wanting to figure out if the killer had indeed put them there to keep cars out.

“Probably…” Anna muttered. She gestured a forensics guy and indicated the cones. “This will be tricky..."

"I know...but it may pay off." Ukyou said with a sigh. This case looked like a planned one. They should catch whoever did it before they had a chance to plan another attack.

-x-

"Come on, Shark, visiting hours just started!" Yuuma called, wanting to head to the hospital to see Kotori and her baby.

“Geeze! Geeze! Calm down! I’m coming!” Shark responded, getting a coat on. “The baby ain’t gonna run off, Yuma.”

Yuuma pouted.

"I know but I still want tons of time to see them!" He said with a grin.

“You know we have the baby’s lifetime to see them,” Shark snorted. “Nothing will happen."

Yuuma rolled his eyes.

“Come on, Shark.  She might be grown up before we know it!”  He said, hooking his arm in Shark's and leading him out to the motorcycle so Shark could drive them to the hospital.

“She’s not even a week old.” Shark scowled, following his husband and getting on the bike. “Why are you so excited anyway?"

“Cause she's the first of the babies!  Nee-chan is getting one, and you never know who could be next?  Maybe Kotori and Alit will have another?  Maybe Cathy and Dog-chan might have one?  Or...maybe even Shark's Sis!”  Yuuma mused with a grin, getting on behind Shark and hugging him tight.  

“Either way, we'll be uncles to all of them!  Our family got bigger!”  

“… Yeah… true…” Shark muttered, smirking a little.

Yuuma grinned.

"So we gotta go!" He said, putting on his helmet to show he was officially ready for Shark to drive off.

Shark sighed and drove off. “I hope all these babies won’t give you dumb ideas."

Yuuma just hugged Shark close as he drove, happy to be near him and happy to be going to the hospital to meet Kotori and Alit's baby.  Once they arrived, Yuuma barely waited for Shark to park before hopping off the bike.

“Come on, Shark!  Let's go!”  He said, stripping off his helmet quickly and practically dragging Shark behind him.

“Yep… dumb ideas,” Shark muttered, parking the bike and letting Yuma whisk off with him. He was smiling though. Sure… let him do what he wanted.

Yuuma rushed to the front desk, asking where Kotori was, and upon receiving the room number, took off for the elevator.  Yuuma kept his hand in Shark's the whole time, excitedly watching the elevator approach their destination.

“I can't wait to see them...I wonder who the baby looks more like?  Alit or Kotori?”  He mused.

“How am I supposed to know? I know less than you.” Shark grunted.

Yuuma shrugged.

“I don't know...maybe if it's a girl, it'll look more like Kotori?  And if it's a boy, more like Alit?”  Yuuma suggested. He hopped off the elevator once it reached the floor they wanted, and headed down the hall as quickly as he could.  The door to Kotori's room was closed, so he knocked.  

Inside there was only Kotori, who was resting in bed, and Alit, who was in a chair with a sleepy Masumi in his arms.  Alit was still getting used to the idea that this little angel was his child, even though she looked a lot like him.  He glanced up at the door when he heard a knock, knowing that they were bound to get some visitors.  

“Come in.”  He said, not wanting to move and disturb Masumi.

“Be quiet as you enter,” Shark muttered, opening the door for Yuma.

Kotori looked up and smiled, seeing her friends. “Hi!”

Yuuma nodded, shushing himself before entering.  He saw Kotori in the hospital bed, grinning.

“Hey!  How're you doing, Kotori?”  He asked.  Alit smiled at Yuuma.

“Hey.”  He said softly, and Yuuma's eyes turned to Alit, then the child in his arms.

“Oh my gosh, is that your kid?  Wow!”  He said, coming over to see.  Alit chuckled.

“Yeah.  Yuuma this is Masumi.”  He said.

“I’m alright,” Kotori smiled. She gave a long sigh and shook her head, though she was amused how eager Yuma was to see.

“Here. A birthday present for Masumi.” Shark said, coming in and handing the gift to Kotori.

Kotori smiled.

“That's sweet of you to get her a gift.  Thank you.”  She said.  Yuuma grinned.

“Gosh she looks alot like you, Alit!”  He mused.  Alit nodded.

“Yeah, she does.  It makes me remember that she's mine, you know?”  He mused.  

“Yeah…” Shark smiled. “Looks like both of you though."

Alit nodded.

“Yeah...she looks like both of us.”  He said with a smile.  Yuuma grinned, watching Masumi stir briefly, opening her pink eyes to stare up at Yuuma and Alit.  Yuuma awed softly.

“She's adorable...”  He said happily.

“Oh, that’s adorable.” Shark said, looking at her. Kotori gave a light giggle.

“If you like her so much, why don’t you two get your own baby?”

“No."

“You know, part of me wants one just by looking at her...”  Yuuma cooed, smiling at Masumi and letting her grab his finger.  Alit snorted.

“Sounds like Shark isn't game.”  He mused.

“I wouldn’t trust any organism with me and Yuma taking care of it..."

Yuuma pouted while Alit laughed.  

“So not even a pet?  Wow.”  He chuckled.  Yuuma turned his attention back to Masumi.

“Well, I guess spending time with Masumi will be enough for me!  And also Nee-chan's baby when she's due!”  Yuuma said with a grin.

“Again, no organism.” Shark muttered. Kotori laughed and shook her head.

Yuuma chuckled.

“Yeah, yeah I get it!  We'll have our hands full with both these babies anyway!”  He said happily, watching Masumi coo and fuss in her blanket, still gripping his finger.

“She doesn't look like she enjoys sitting still...kinda like you, Alit.”  Yuuma mused with a chuckle.  Alit shifted Masumi slightly to calm her fussing.

“I guess so.  Kotori doesn't really like sitting around either, but she'll tolerate it if she's being entertained...kinda like Masumi here, who stops as soon as I move her.”  He mused with a smile.

Shark rolled his eyes but smirked, seeing Masumi wriggle around. “Alit likes playing the game of seeing how much Masumi looks like me, every time someone points out she looks like him.” Kotori mused.

Yuuma grinned.

"It's fun! I'm gonna play that game with Nee-chan's baby too!" He said. Alit smiled.

"Just reminding myself that she's ours...it's hard to believe."

“Sounds like you think Kotori has been cheating on you, and the baby belongs to someone else.” Shark smirked, really pulling Alit’s arm. However, Kotori frowned at him. “Eh… sorry"

Yuuma smacked Shark for that.

"No way that happened." He said. Alit nodded.

"What I meant is that it's hard to believe I'm a dad. I guess I'll get used to it..." He mused, watching Masumi coo at him and suck on her fist. He smiled and kissed her forehead.

Shark groaned and rubbed the back of his head while Kotori laughed.

“Yeah… we have the rest of our lives to get used to it.” Kotori mused.

Yuuma kissing Shark's cheek in slight apology.  He knew Shark hadn't really meant what he'd said.

“Yeah, we do!”  Alit agreed.  

“So, how'd Ponta and Gilag take it?  Are they excited too?”  Yuuma asked.

Shark waved him off. It was uncalled for anyway.

“They’re ecstatic… Ponta especially. He loves his sister.” Kotori smiled.

“That's great!  He was always talking about a brother so I'm glad he's cool with a sister!”  Yuuma mused.

Alit nodded.

“We're glad.  He's mostly excited at being a big brother, and he gets to be that regardless of the baby's gender.”

“And Gilag has been really supportive. I’ve never seen him so gentle."

Alit nodded.

“Yeah, he's super gentle with Masumi...I knew he would be.  He was like that with me, even though he didn't know me when I was this young.”  He said, tickling Masumi's chin to make her gurgle happily.

“So Gilag seems really comfortable with Masumi. That’s good. Last time I spoke to him, Gilag was talking about moving out” Shark said.

“Moving? Since when?” Kotori asked.

“Well, it makes sense!  You guys have your own family now, so he'd want to get out of your hair.”  Yuuma said.  Alit shrugged.

“It's up to him...he can do whatever he wants.”  

Kotori frowned. “How come he didn’t bring this up with us?”

“Dunno… it was the first thing we talked about at the wedding reception.” Shark muttered.

“Maybe he figured we had a lot on our minds and stuff.”  Alit said with a small shrug.  Yuuma grinned.

“Yeah!  You guys have a new baby to deal with now, so he probably didn't want to bother you.”  

“Well… when we go home, we can talk about it to him"

“Yeah.  And we'll see what Ponta wants...last time Gilag left, Ponta wanted to go with him. I'm not sure what he'd do this time.”  Alit mused.

“When did he leave before?” Shark asked as Kotori laid back in bed to think.

“He left to go to Italy on a contract.”  Alit said.  

“Yeah I remember! And Ponta went with him!  Oh, speaking of, are you going to teach Masumi Italian?”  Yuuma asked Alit.  Alit nodded.

“Yeah.  She'll be bilingual for sure.”  He said, softly murmuring in Italian to Masumi with a smile.

“Alit already sings to her in Italian. It’s very sweet” The woman smiled.

Alit smiled and shrugged.

"They're the only lullabies I know." He mused. He could recall when his mother used to sing them to him before she died. Of course they'd all been in Italian.

“They’re lovely.” Kotori assured him, laughing.

“Yeah that's really cool!  Masumi will love them!”  Yuuma said happily.  Alit grinned.

“Yeah, I think she likes them.  They've put her to sleep so far.  We'll see if that continues.”  

“So… when do you guys get out of here with Masumi?”

“Soon…” Kotori started. “Yuma, don’t throw a big party."

"Awww come on! It won't be too big...it's just that everyone wants to meet Masumi! It'll be like a baby bath!" Yuuma said. Alit frowned.

"I'm pretty sure you mean baby shower..."

“… And thats usually before the baby is born,”Kotori sighed, shaking her head. Shark just looked away.

"What really?! That doesn't make sense! Ah whatever. We should celebrate Masumi's birthday instead then! Just a small thing...where all our friends come to see her!" Yuuma said.

“Alright, alright. We’ll throw a party. Geeze Yuma,” Kotori laughed, though she wanted to show her child off to her friends as well.

Yuuma cheered.

"Great! I'll tell the Numbers Club!"

“You’re so pushy, aren’t you.” Shark muttered. “Congrats again"

Yuuma grinned sheepishly.

"I'm just expressing everyone's desire to have a party! Or at least to see Masumi!" He said. Alit smiled.

"Yeah, we get it. I wouldn't mind showing her to our friends as long as it's not too overwhelming. Thanks, Shark." He said. Yuuma grinned.

"Congrats again! Get plenty of rest so you're ready for the party!" Yuuma grinned.

“Mmm…” Shark just nodded his agreement.

-x-

Yami had received a call that he was needed for what he liked to call a check in with one of his clients. Or maybe the better word was sponsor. Yami smirked, waiting in a non-conspicuous but still relatively unknown location for one of his old high school buddies to pick him up.

The car was not inconspicuous at all, but it sure would be a hell of a cover for a criminal. A limousine pulled up and the back door opened for Yami.

Inside was a tall brunette, seated with his laptop on the side table and a briefcase at hand. He nodded to Yami, waiting for him to get in and head off.

“You’re not as clean at killing as I thought,” he said, plainly. “I saw on the news that you killed your last target. You’re efficient as always, Yugi.”

Yami was used to Kaiba's extravagant lifestyle by now and wasn't at all surprised by the limo. He got in calmly, sitting across from the CEO of KaibaCorp.

"It's not 'Yuugi', Kaiba." Yami chided to begin with.

"I'm clean enough that the police won't be able to trace me to the crime. I figured you would want additional proof that your target was disposed of, so I let him be found." Yami retorted with a smirk.

“Mutou, Yami… whatever.” Kaiba muttered, sipping his water. He raised an eyebrow at the explanation and then he smirked.

“Figures you wouldn’t disappoint me. I’ve sent you the money for completing your job, and now I’ll provide you the next one. Here are the files,” Kaiba said, handing Yami the briefcase.

Yami let the name thing drop, knowing that Seto Kaiba was definitely a stubborn guy who was mostly stuck in his ways. He wouldn't remember the name. He accepted the briefcase, opening it up and scanning the image and description of the new target.

"Another rich CEO huh? Damn. I was hoping for a more challenging opponent. I'd sooner play with you than him." Yami mused, rolling his eyes but accepting the role nonetheless.

"I did partially expect it...you'll do anything to get rid of competitors. Better be careful...you'll be under suspicion by police if too many of them turn up dead." Yami said with a smirk at Kaiba.

“I have reasons to kill these men. If you want petty toys, go find them yourself,” Kaiba scoffed, looking straight at Yami, arms crossed.

“I know, and I have things organised."

"Oh I have." Yami said, thinking of Koutei. He was a fun opponent for sure.

"As expected of the great Seto Kaiba." He said with a smirk before turning his attention back to the files.

"So how many more have you got planned for me?"

“Three more. You’ve dealt with Valon, you have three more men to deal with. Then we can cease business.” Kaiba said

"Alright. Fair enough." Yami said. He didn't doubt Kaiba meant it since the man was a man of his word.

"I'm glad you got me out of prison to have some fun, Kaiba." He said with a smirk.

“I didn’t get you out, those men did.” Kaiba muttered, thinking of Yuto. “And it’s strictly business"

"I'm aware. But you still paid for it, so you're involved. Even if it is business." Yami said with a smirk.

“Which means it’s not fun” Kaiba sighed. “Where do you want to be dropped off anyway? The sewer?” He quietly threatened

Yami shook his head, glancing out the window.

"No, but here is fine." He said.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Kaiba. I'll work on this assignment and get back to you with the results."

“… Right. We’ll be in touch,” Kaiba said, signalling the car to be stopped. Make sure Amelda goes under silently."

"Alright. I'll do my best." Yami said, getting out of the car as it stopped. He walked away into the shadows as it drove away.

"Hmm...so how shall I play with my next victim?" He mused to himself with a smirk.

And Kaiba smirked from his car, heading off into the night. The next plan was all in order.

-x-

“Takashi?”  Vector asked softly, entering the room where Takashi was working.  

“I'm going to visit Haruto...I need to talk to him about something.”  He said, carrying his computer in its case.

Takashi looked up and tilted his head. “Haruto? Okay… did you want me to take you?"

“No, it's alright.  I can go on my own...you have work to do.”  Vector said, kissing Takashi gently to say goodbye.  Umbral gave a small mewl and came up to Vector for cuddles.  Vector chuckled and picked him up and pet him a bit.

“See you guys later.”  He said, letting Umbral down before leaving to catch the bus.

“Love you,” Takashi called out before he went to type.

Meanwhile, Haruto was at home, coughing his lungs out, struggling to breathe. He was doing his best to keep quiet, not wanting to let his brother hear him and start worrying about things he couldn’t change. It wasn’t fair… why did he have to suffer?

Vector arrived at Kaito's house, knocking on the door.  He wasn't currently aware of Haruto's condition, but he was able to understand the despair that came with knowing that his life was going to end.

Kaito answered the door. He opened it and then frowned, staring at the newcomer for a good ten seconds before he realised he had no idea who it was because he couldn’t see. Kaito swore he was going senile a little from the stress the last few weeks had given him, but he hid it with a confident nod.

“Can I help you?"

Vector snorted a bit as he realized Kaito couldn't see him and didn't know who he was.  

“It's me.  I came to visit your brother.  Can I see him?”  Vector asked.

Kaito really should have been used to it but he was tired. Honestly, he had spent most of last night helping Haruto go to the bathroom to vomit, and the night before. However, he played it off as his own stupidity and he nodded.

“Yeah, go ahead… He’s been waiting for guests"

Vector nodded.

“Alright.  Thanks.”  He said, going inside and upstairs to Haruto's room.  He knocked.

“Haruto?  It's Ms. Varian.  Can I come in?”  He asked.

Haruto would have practically bolted to the door if he could, but instead, a feeble cough escaped him and he groaned.

“Y-yeah… come in…”

Vector opened the door, hearing how weak Haruto sounded.  He smiled at him gently nonetheless.

“Hey.  How're you doing?”  He asked, approaching the bed and sitting down near Haruto.

Haruto looked worse than he sounded. He was already a small boy but now he was looking near-shrivelled, pale and boney. It was clear that he was going to die only too soon. However, he gave a small smile.

“I… I’ve been better,” he said, forcing a smile.

Vector knew he was doing bad, but Haruto was worse.  Seeing how small, thin and pale he was a reminder of what might be waiting for him.  He sighed.

“We both have.  Hang in there, okay?”  He said softly.

“… Yeah…” Haruto was glad Ms. Varian wasn’t doing the ‘you’ll be better’ talk. He was sick and that. He was just sick and tired… constantly. “… what’s up?”

Vector wasn't going to tell Haruto he'd get better, since he knew he wouldn't.

“I brought you something...I finished a little animation for you.”  Vector said, opening his computer and loading the little Haruto model to show him.  

“Oh!” He sounded a bit more excited and he tried to sit up, struggling at the small task, “L-let me see.”

Vector helped Haruto sit up so he could see the screen.  He was glad that Haruto seemed to feel excited.  He loaded it to show Haruto, watching it move on its own, smile back at him and wave.

“I was going to just leave it like this, but since your brother didn't recognize me until I spoke, I think it might be better if we recorded your voice for it too, just so Kaito knows its you without his eyes.  Would you be up for that?  I brought recording equipment.”  

“It looks so cool… and Chris will be able to see it, so he can tell Nii-san. Orbital too.” Haruto said, smiling. He nodded. “I… Don’t sound too good though. Is there anyway for me to sound… not so sick?”

“Yeah, I can do some editing to fix it up if needed.  Just do your best when we record, okay?  We can do multiple takes and pick the best one.”  Vector said with a smile.

“Okay…” Haruto frowns. “I… lost the speech I wanted to say though. I was writing it and then I fell asleep and I don’t remember. I’m just… tired."

“Here, I saved it on my computer...can you read it from there?  You can improvise too...cause it is your speech after all.”  Vector said, setting up his equipment slowly.  He smiled sadly at Haruto, beginning to talk as he worked.  

“...I'm going away for awhile soon.  Takashi and I are going to get married, but out of the country.”  Vector said, slowly realizing that this could be the last time he saw Haruto.  But no, he refused to believe that.  He would see him again...he had to.  

“Yeah… I can. Thanks, Ms. Varian. You’re the best.” Haruto smiled. He would have hugged Vector, but all he could do was give an acknowledging nod.

“You’re getting married?” Haruto asked. “Oh, congrats! You and Takashi are the best pair. Second to Nii-san and his boyfriend.” The boy gave a wheezing chuckle, not coming to the same conclusion just yet.

Vector smiled back at Haruto, chuckling and coughing a bit himself as he did so.  He shook his head to clear himself of those thoughts. He couldn't let himself be depressed because of this, especially when Haruto wasn't.  

“Thank you.  Of course you'd say that...I'm happy that Kaito seems to be doing well with his relationship.  He and Kibou are a good couple.  They're great for each other.”  Vector said.  He set up the computer to record dialogue and then gave the mike to Haruto.  

“Alright, we'll do a couple recordings...”  He said softly.

“Alright…” Haruto took many recording attempts. So many that by the end of it, he was coughing and wheezing, feeling the need to vomit. He felt light-headed, but the time he was done, he was in tears. He sounded so feeble, so weak. He didn’t sound encouraging to his brother at all.

Vector kept his face mostly neutral.  To him, parts of the speech sounded encouraging, until the illness took over and Haruto couldn't maintain it.  He figured he could probably combine the audio clips together to make one good take.  He held Haruto close gently in a hug as he started to cry, passing him a glass of water.

“Here...I think we'll stop with the recordings now.  Do you need anything?”  Vector said.

“I…” Haruto was shaking a little. “It hurts a lot, Ms. Varian…” He muttered, leaning against him.

"I know Haruto. I know." Vector said, holding Haruto against him gently, not wanting to hurt his fragile body.

"You did well though. I think I can make something out of those recordings that will make your brother feel a bit better." He said.

“Are you sure? Really?” He asked, feebly.

“Yes.  Your brother will be happy to hear your voice.”  Vector said, smiling a bit at Haruto.  He knew that it might not help Kaito completely, but it was something.  It would be much better than nothing.

Haruto coughed hoarsely. “When are you getting married, Ms. Varian?”

“We haven't booked anything yet...but we're thinking sooner rather than later.  Probably in a month or so, depending on when my Uncle can come too.  I want him there.”  Vector said with a smile.

“So… not so… soon. That’s nice…” Haruto mumbled, closing his eyes. “I don’t have that long left.”

“We're not sure.  It could be a couple weeks...”  Vector said softly.  He gently began stroking Haruto's head gently as the boy closed his eyes.

“I know...but you hang in there, alright?  When I get back, I'll tell you all about it.”  Vector promised.

“O-okay… I’d like to hear that…"

Vector smiled.

“Alright.  Then I'll tell you everything, alright?  I'll bring pictures too if we take any.”  He said gently.

“Okay…” Haruto groaned, leaning into Vector, looking like he was going to fall asleep.

Vector held Haruto close, gently petting his hair and coaxing him to sleep.  He knew the boy needed it.

“You need rest, Haruto.  Have a good sleep, okay?  I'll see you later...”  He said softly.

Haruto smiled and nodded “Okay… bye…” He sighed, falling asleep.

“Bye.”  Vector said softly, continuing to pet Haruto's hair until he was sure the boy was sound asleep.  Then, he carefully untangled himself from Haruto's limbs and collected his equipment.  Once it was all packed up, he got up, turned out the lights, and closed the door softly so Haruto wouldn't be disturbed.  

“Kaito?  Haruto fell asleep.”  Vector told Kaito as he headed downstairs.

Kaito was up at the kitchen counter, listening to Orbital read out his work. However, he silenced the bot as soon as he heard Vector and stood up.

“… How did the visit go?"

“It went alright.  We talked a bit, but it tired him out, so I let him sleep.”  Vector said.  

“… They think he has a week left"

Vector's face fell a bit.  He had known it was bad...but hearing someone put Haruto's life on a timeline for him was heartbreaking.  

“...I see...”  That meant he had very little time left to complete Haruto's model...he'd get the message done at least, but he wouldn't be able to do anything further.  He hadn't been given enough time.  

“He's not going back to hospital is he?”  Vector asked, wondering if Kaito had home-care for Haruto or if he was going to be put back in hospital.

“… We talked about it. We wanted to stay here….” Kaito sighed

“Alright...then I'll come back here for the next visit.”  Vector said, telling himself that there would definitely be a next visit.  There had to be.  He hated the idea that he wouldn't see Haruto again.

“… I appreciate you coming here. Haruto hasn’t had company lately. He’s not sure whether or not to let Ponta see him. I told him to let him come, but he’s scared.” Kaito muttered.

Vector smiled.

"It's not a problem. I enjoy our visits." He said, before frowning.

"I think Ponta might be upset if he doesn't get a chance to see Haruto...especially since it's highly likely he'll wake up one day and Haruto won't be here anymore..." Vector said softly.

“… That’s what I said. I’ll talk to Haruto again…” But probably invite Ponta anyway. “Thanks… I needed a second opinion on that..."

“No problem...but at the very least, you should let the two of them talk to each other.  Even a phone conversation would be better than nothing.”  Vector said.  He nodded.

“I'll be heading off now, Kaito.  Take care, alright?”  Vector said, walking out the door and towards the bus stop.  He figured since he was out and still had a bit of energy left, he could go see his uncle and figure out when the trip could take place.  Since he had heard about Haruto, he wanted to get it over with sooner so he could tell Haruto about it.  He hopped on the bus and rode it to Yusei's garage, getting off nearby.  When he entered, he went straight upstairs, knowing that was where his uncle most likely was.

“Mmm… Alright. Take care of yourself too. Orbital, see him out.” Kaito said, going back to his work, scratching away at his work.

Today was an off day, since no one else was at the garage. Naturally, Yusei would be upstairs when he had nothing to do, but as Vector came up, maybe a few murmurs could be heard.

Vector frowned as he heard murmurs.  Was his uncle with a client?  But he thought today was an off day for him...odd.  He still made his way upstairs, opening the door without knocking as he normally did.  He froze as he noticed that Judai was practically in his uncle's lap, and they were making out like horny teenagers, going so far as beginning to remove clothing.  Vector groaned.

“Why do I always walk in on you two?”  He said, effectively announcing his presence.

Judai’s hands were running through Yusei’s silvery hair, Yusei was just throwing Judai’s belt behind the couch, it really seemed like the session just started. Of course, with Vector’s presence, it came to a premature stop. Judai didn’t really care, but Yusei pulled away and started coughing, gagging on the saliva that he and Judai were exchanging.

“Have you never heard of knocking?” Yusei coughed. “And we haven’t done anything!"

Vector couldn't help but laugh a bit at his uncle's reaction, though it quickly turned into a coughing fit.  Judai gently pat Yusei's back as his lover coughed, helping him out.

“You alright, blondie?”  Judai asked, not at all fazed.  Vector nodded as his cough calmed.  

“Yeah, sorry.  I just wanted to tell uncle that I'm heading off to America to get married, and if he could call me later and lemme know when you two can come, that'd be great.”  Vector said, about to turn and head out before suddenly Judai was grabbing his arm.  

“Woah woah woah!  You're getting married?!  You can't just walk away after saying that!”  He exclaimed, excited and makeout session effectively forgotten as he dragged Vector back inside to get all the details.

Yusei rolled his eyes and sat up properly, thankful he didn’t have a boner. He crossed his arms and frowned. “What do you mean you’re getting married? I thought you and Takashi said you didn’t really care about that."

Vector was brought to a chair next to Yusei and Judai sat on his other side, leaning in close to get all the details with a grin.  

“Ah, well...yeah we did talk about it before.  But then we changed our minds...we thought getting married might bring some more happiness into our lives, and we really need some happiness right now.”  Vector said softly.  Judai nodded.

“So what's the plan for the wedding?”  He asked.  

“We're going to America...it's easier to elope than to try something here, since I'm still technically a convict.  It probably won't be too elaborate...I'm only inviting you two, and Takashi his mother.”  

“Oh… that sounds nice.” Yusei said, immediately jumping on to what Vector meant. He swallowed and scratched the back of his head.

“You want us to come to your wedding? … I appreciate it.” Even though Yusei figured Judai and himself would crash it if they weren’t invited.

Vector smiled at his uncle's shy behavior.  

“Of course I want you to!  You two are my family...and when you get married, you're supposed to be with family.”  Vector said.  Judai grinned.

“Thanks for the invite!  We'll definitely be there!  When is it?”  He asked.  Vector shrugged.

“We haven't decided on a date...I wanted to see what worked for you two.  And Takashi needs to see what works for his mother too.”  

“I just put Shark in charge for a weekend and I’m set. The benefits of being self-employed and employing ex-convicts,” Yusei said. “Sooner is better, I guess, all things considering."

Vector nodded.

“I agree.  I want to get this done soon...while I still have strength to have fun like that.”  Vector said, coughing a bit.  Judai pat his back gently and gave him a cup of water.

“Even so, you shouldn't push yourself too hard blondie.”  Judai said.  Vector nodded.

“I know.  I'll be careful.”  

“Yeah, don’t die doing it.” Yusei said, going to his side. “… America though? Really?"

“Yeah.  Takashi's never left the country before, so he wants to see it.  Besides, it's a good place for gays to get married, considering its legal across the whole country.”  Vector said with a smile.

“Yeah, that’s true. Well… congrats. Did you get him a ring or are you eloping and going all hung ho about it?” Yusei asked.

“Yeah, I'm going to get him a ring.  I just have to find one a good one...”  Vector mused, thinking where he could get one that he could afford but still look nice.  

“… Judai, you’re good with that sort of thing, aren’t you? Shopping?"

Judai's eyes lit up.

“Of course, blondie!  I'll help you find a ring that's cheap but still gonna make Takashi's jaw drop! And then we can get you an outfit to get married in!”  Judai grinned.  Vector chuckled a bit.

“Alright, thanks.  Sounds good.”  

“But not today… Vector looks exhausted,” Yusei frowned.

Vector snorted.

“Sure you're not just saying that cause you want Judai all to yourself instead?”  He teased, though he had to admit that he wasn't very energetic today.  Judai snorted.

“Whenever you wanna go, I'll come with ya blondie!”  Judai said with a grin.

“No. The mood has been killed, unfortunately.” Yusei said, blunt as ever. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride home if you want. Judai brought the car but he’s sleeping over.”

Vector snorted.

“Alright if you say so.”  He mused.  He nodded.

“Sure that sounds good.  I'll see you later, Judai.”  Judai waved.

“See ya, blondie!  Lemme know when you want to shop!”  He said, watching Vector and Yusei leave the room and head out to the car.

Yusei closed the door. He sighed and grabbed his keys off the ring and headed down the stairs. “… You’re usually one to jump into shit quickly, but i haven’t seen you like this before.” He chuckled and he shook his head. “You’re just like your dad, sometimes.”

Vector blinked in surprise.  

“Really?  How so?  Did he get married quickly too or something?”  Vector asked.

“Fuck no. He had to get all sort of sanction from Godwin and that took ages for them to get married… but he did want to get into it as eagerly as you did. Also he busted into my house in the way you did too. I was sleeping, he throws me awake and tells me he found the girl of his dreams and he wants to marry her" Yusei laughed.

Vector frowned a bit at the mention of Godwin, but then laughed as he heard the story.

“Well, at least with me you were already awake and aware that I'd found the man of my dreams.”  He mused.

“Yeah. Incredibly, you were coincidentally more considerate, so kudos, I guess.”

“Not by much though.”  Vector mused with a chuckle.  He smiled softly at Yusei.  

“It must've been hard for you to go to my dad's wedding...but I'm sure he appreciated it.  Just like I do.  I couldn't get married without you there.”  

“…” Yusei smiled and shrugged. “It was alright. Your dad and mum made the perfect team. And so do you and Takashi. I’m glad I can watch you officially make that claim."

Vector smiled happily.

“I'm glad.  We're both so happy to take that step.”  He said.

Yusei let Vector into Judai’s car and he headed off to Vector’s home. “What does Takashi’s mum think of you, by the way?"

“That's kinda complicated...she knows Takashi's dating a man and all...and that I'm sick, but I don't think she's too happy with it.  Probably worried about Takashi...”  Vector said with a frown.  

“Probably not… But you’re both adults and you’re doing what you want. So… well… She has to just deal with it"

“Yeah, I know.  I just know that it means alot to Takashi that he can have her in his life as much as possible.  Their relationship was strained as it was...it didn't need me to throw a monkey wrench in things.”  Vector said.

“Ah… Well… it is how it is.” Yusei said, not really sure what else to offer Vector

“It's alright, Uncle.  We'll cross that bridge when I come to it.”  Vector said with a small shrug.

“Well, you usually burn bridges when you get there,” He smirked

Vector snorted.

“True, I suppose.  But, I'm not too worried about Takashi's mom...I won't have to deal with her for too long.  And she knows I'm sick, so she probably will understand what Takashi's doing at the very least.”  Vector said with a sigh.

“Go online and look up when you can get married and where. Then decide to go when you can.” Yusei said, as he pulled up in front of Vector’s house.

Vector nodded.

“Will do.  I'll let you know what we're thinking of, okay?  Thanks for the ride.  See ya later, Uncle.”  Vector said, getting out of the car and going up to the house.  He opened the door and waved his uncle off before stepping inside.  

“Takashi?  I'm home.”  He called.

Takashi looked up and smiled. “Hey Vector. How was your day? You’ve been gone a while.”

Vector came into the house, sitting next to Takashi on the couch.

“Yeah...I also went to Uncle's to tell him our plans to elope...he and Judai are going to come whenever we're free to go.”  He said, before his face fell a bit.

“...But...Haruto...he's not doing well...he's very weak.”  Vector said sadly, now knowing that since he was home he didn't have to hold up a happy facade with that news.

Takashi smiled at the mention of Judai and Yusei, but the expression soured when he heard about Haruto.

“… Oh… It’s that bad, huh?”

Vector nodded sadly.

“...Kaito said that doctors think he only has...a week left, really.”  Vector said softly.

“. . . It must be so painful for him… The treatment not working… I can’t imagine how he must feel."

“...He's devastated.  I could tell.”  Vector said softly.  He sighed.

“I told him to hang in there...and promised that we'd tell him about our trip.  It makes me wanna get it done sooner rather than later...so that I'll be able to share it with him too...”  Vector said sadly.  He wasn't sure if it was possible.

“. . . If you don’t mind spending a bit more money, we can rush it.” The point of the marriage was to relax though and be happy, “We can take a quick flight, take whoever wants to come, and just come back. We can get it done within the week,” the man frowned.

Vector frowned as he debated this idea in his mind.  Finally, he shook his head.

“No, I don't think I want to rush this...I want to relax and have fun.  If we stay here, I can see Haruto more...that's probably the best thing I can do for him right now.”  Vector mused, hugging Takashi and kissing his cheek.

“Thanks though.”  He said softly.

“Alright… fair enough.” Takashi smiled and leaned into the hug. “No problem. Whatever makes you happy"

Vector smiled a bit as Takashi hugged him back.  

“Any luck with your mother?  Have you talked to her yet?”  

“Hm? Oh, yeah… she was at work, so I wanted to wait for her to come back home first. I think we should go talk to her face to face instead of calling her…” Takashi was sort of putting it off though.

Vector nodded at the first part of the sentence.  That made sense.  But the second part made him frown a bit warily.  

“I can understand wanting to see her in person...but you want me to come too?  Is that...well...okay?”  He asked, knowing that he hadn't seen Takashi's mother since the dinner party they'd had where Vector had to pretend to be pregnant.  Obviously now the woman would know that they had lied to her.

“If she’s coming to the wedding, she might as well know. Besides, I need your support to stop me from fighting her,” Takashi sighed.

Vector nodded.  That also made sense.  He snorted a bit at the second part.

“Usually you're the one who has to stop me from fighting.”  He mused, squeezing Takashi's hand.

“But if you need me there, I'll do my best to keep things calm between all three of us...even though she might not like me very much to begin with.”  Vector said, wondering if the elder Todoroki would try to pick fights with him too.

“… I’ll text her and ask her if she can come over.” He muttered. “… Take care…”

“Alright...let me know if she's coming tonight.”  He said, getting up from the couch with a sigh and a small stretch.

“I'm going to rest in bed for awhile.”  He said, kissing Takashi's cheek gently.  He wanted to work on Haruto's model, especially now that he knew the boy had such little time left.  

“Yeah, you’ve been more active than usual…” The man sighed. “Get some sleep… I’ll finish up dinner. If all goes civilly, maybe my mother will stay on.”

“Okay.  Thanks, love.  See you later.”  Vector said, heading into the bedroom and closing the door.  He kept the lights off so that Takashi would think he was sleeping, but he buried himself with his laptop under the covers.  He wore his headphones to work on the audio clips that would accompany Haruto's model, cutting and editing parts that needed some fine tuning work.  He didn't want to rest until he at least had the finished audio piece ready to add.

And Takashi cooked the meal, sending the text message to his mother. Naturally, the woman said she would come over, and by the time Takashi was getting around to cleaning up, the doorbell rang.

“I’m coming.”

Thankfully, Vector had completed the audio clip fairly quickly.  Umbral had interrupted him by meowing and scratching at the door, demanding to be let into the room for some snuggles.  Vector had let him in, and eventually fallen asleep with Umbral sleeping by his chest as usual.  He didn't hear the doorbell initially, sleeping through it, since he'd pushed himself a bit more than usual that day.

Todoroki Toshimi was waiting patiently at the door, having heard her son call that he was coming.  She was happy to be invited back over for supper, since it had been awhile since she'd seen her son, and his love interest.  

“Hey Mum… sorry for calling you on short notice.” He scratched the back of his head a little nervously before stepping aside, letting his mother in. “Come in. Ena is asleep, so it’ll just be us for now"

Toshimi smiled and gave her son a small hug.  

“It's alright, Takashi.  It's always nice to hear from you, and it's been awhile since our last meeting. I don't mind.”  She said.  She nodded at the second part, letting herself in and making herself at home.  

“Oh dear.  Is Ena bed-ridden already by her illness?”  She asked.

“Not yet. She just needed a nap, that’s all. She’ll be awake soon enough.” He went to go to the table to sit on the couch. “Sit down. Tea? It’ll take a while for this to go through…”

“Ah I see.  So I suppose that means that Ena's preferred pronouns are the female ones?”  Toshimi asked, knowing that Ena was biologically male at least now since her son had told her.

“And yes, I'll have some tea please.”  She said with a smile to her son, sitting down as she was requested to.

“Yeah… They always have been,” Takashi lied, going to the kitchen. He returned with a tray he had at the ready, only needing to pour water before placing it on the coffee table. “… How was your day?” He asked, not sure if he should skirt around the issue or go straight for it.

“Alright, good.  I'm glad I got it right.”  Toshimi said.  She picked up a cup once her son brought the tea back in and smiled.

“Work was busy, as usual.  But, it really wasn't as bad as it could've been.  Perhaps the idea that I was going to spend some time with my son this evening made today better, though.”  She said.

“Ah… That’s good to here, mum. I’m glad it was well enough.” He smiled, sipping his own cup, trying to think where to go next. “. . .”

“I'm happy to be here, honey!  I am curious as to what the occasion is, but if there is none, then I'm fine with it.  Who needs an occasion to see family?”  She said with a smile.

Meanwhile, Vector was slowly waking up, mostly to Umbral's insistent meowing and swatting.  He'd slept long enough and the kitten wanted to play.  Vector groaned and swatted half-heartedly at Umbral, which made the kitten purr in delight as he interpreted it as Vector engaging him in play.  This made Vector snort a bit, before absentmindedly glancing at the clock.

“Wow, did I sleep that long?”  He murmured, sitting up and stretching.  He coughed a bit loudly all of a sudden, doubling over and trying to calm himself.  Umbral meowed in concern as he did so.

“There is though… It’s about me and Ena-chan, mum. I-” he started before suddenly he heard coughing. He frowned and stood up. “Sorry. She must be awake. Hang on.” He said, hurrying over to their bedroom.

“Ena?” He said, using the name to signal that his mother was here while being concerned for his partner

“Oh?”  Toshimi said, prepared to listen when she too heard coughing.  She frowned as Takashi got up.

“I can get some water for her...” She offered, getting up to go to the kitchen.  

Vector coughed into his hand, groaning a bit as he spotted Takashi.

“Hey...”  He said softly, surprised a bit by the name.  But now that he was calmer and more quiet, he could hear the sounds of someone else in the house.

“Is your mother here?”  He croaked out softly.  Toshimi appeared by the door.

“Takashi, I got some water...”  She said softly, not going inside in case Ena wasn't decent.  

“Thanks mum,” the man smiled. He took the glass and walked over to Vector, passing it to him. “How are you feeling?"

“You're welcome, honey.”  Toshimi said, staying by the door and watching the scene with interest.  She could make out Ena's form on the bed, noting he was in pyjamas and his hair was very short now.  Vector accepted the water.

“Thanks.”  He said softly in Toshimi's direction, taking a drink before answering his lover.

“I'm doing alright...I feel more rested now.”  He said with a smile at Takashi.  

“You guys can go out...I'll get changed and join you soon.”  He said.

Short, more like non-existent. Vector didn’t look his best and Takashi knew it. He smiled and nodded, squeezing his hand.

“I haven’t told her yet, so we’ll do it together,” he said, getting up and heading out, ushering his mother out the door.

“Okay.”  Vector said softly, closing the door and starting to get changed.  He wanted to look nice, despite his sickly appearance.  

Toshimi let herself be ushered out.

“Is supper almost ready, Takashi honey?  Do you need help with it?”  She asked.

“Yeah…. we can talk over dinner. It’s all cooked. Let’s put it on the table."

“Alright.”  Toshimi said, helping her son get ready for supper.  Vector came out in nice clothes with Umbral at his heels.  

“Sorry to make you wait.”  He said with a smile.  

“Hey…” Takashi smiled. “Let’s eat, okay?” The man said, feeling a bit nervous. He didn’t really want to say anything, but at the same time, he wanted to blurt the news out. Takashi sat down and gave a long, heavy sigh.

Toshimi smiled, sitting across from her son and his love interest.  

“Yes, let's!  I haven't eaten all day.”  She said.  Vector nodded.

“Geez, I haven't either...”  He mused, deciding to stall with the news for now.  The trio passed food around and filled up their plates before getting down to the occasion for the invitation.

“Itadakimasu.” Takashi said, leading the way, He wasn’t really hungry himself, so he started passing the food around, not trusting himself to speak just yet.

Vector was mostly forcing himself to eat because his appetite was greatly diminished. He passed food along as well, only pausing when Umbral meowed softly at him. He wanted food.

"Have you fed him, Takashi?" Vector asked. Toshimi smiled.

"I didn't think you had a cat." She mused. Vector blinked.

"Oh, I wasn't sure if you'd met him before. This is Umbral." Vector said.

“Yeah, I put food in his bowl. He’s just probably pestering you because you’ve been out all day,” Takashi smiled.

“Yeah…. he was a stray Ena found a few months back. We adopted him. He absolutely loves Ena.”

Vector smiled.

"Yeah. He doesn't like it when I leave for too long, do you baby?" Vector cooed to the cat who purred and began weaving his body around and between Vector's ankles.

"He won't disturb you much...if he's too distracting, we can kick him out of the kitchen." Vector said to the woman. She smiled and waved him off.

"No, I think he's cute. I'm sure he won't be a bother....unless he's after my son's delicious chicken." Toshimi said. Vector chuckled a bit.

"He would probably love some! It's really good, babe." He mused, secretly very pleased. Leave it to Umbral to break the ice a bit.

“He’s rather spoilt, honestly. Ena just dotes on him and he loves it,” Takashi laughed, not sounding irritated at all.

“Ah… thanks. Kotori is still coming over to help me learn, but I’ve got a good enough grasp on cooking now”

Toshimi smiled.

“What a lucky cat.”  She replied with a smile.  

“You're doing great, babe.”  Vector said with a smile, squeezing Takashi's hand.  Toshimi nodded.

“It is quite good, Takashi.  I always look forward to you inviting me over for such delicious food, even if it is short notice.”  

“Well… admittedly, it’s not just about that.” Takashi said, kicking himself mentally for suddenly bringing it back to the awkwardness. Damn it, why couldn’t he talk to people? He put his cutlery down and frowned.

“Mum… Remember how Ena and I said we may not be getting married?”

Toshimi sensed the change in mood and paid attention to her son.  Vector chewed softly, holding Takashi's hand for support but letting the other man break the news.

“I do recall that discussion.”  Toshimi said.

“Even though we can get married in Japan now, we wanted to head out for… the first overseas vacation we’ve ever had. So… Ena and I… decided to go to America so we can be a legally married couple.” Takashi said, doing his best to avoid the ‘e’ word.

Toshimi's eyes widened.

“You want to get married in America?  Why?  Isn't here just as good?  All of your family is here.”  She said.  Vector smiled a bit sadly.

“That's absolutely true...but, one of the things on our bucket list is to travel...and so we thought we could double up a little.  I wanted to be healthy enough to enjoy myself, you know?”  He explained softly.

“Yeah… But we wanted to invite you as well to come with us. Ena already asked her uncle, and he gave the okay, but I was wondering… if you could take time off work and come celebrate with us.” Takashi said, wondering if she would take off work and biking, for once in her life.

Toshimi considered this idea.  She had to admit, Ena didn't look too healthy already...it was clear she didn't have much time left.  But what she was most concerned about was her son, honestly.  She knew what marriage meant to him, and the fact that Ena was dying made it worse to think about.

“Ena, I'm sorry to ask this, but I need to speak to my son privately for a moment.”  She said, looking at Vector.  Vector blinked, a little surprised, but he couldn't say that he didn't really expect something.

“Sure.  I'll step out for a second.”  He said, squeezing Takashi's hand quickly to wish him luck, before heading out of the room.  Once he was gone, Toshimi looked at Takashi.

“Takashi, honey...I know it's your decision who you want to marry...but is this really a good decision?  You two have been together for quite awhile now...does marriage really make a big difference in your relationship?”  

Takashi watched Vector go, suddenly feeling like he was fifteen years old all over again and his mother was telling his friend to go do something so she could scold him. The boy was quiet for a long time, listening to his mother show her concern without any interruption.  

“I love Ena… and honestly, there won’t be much difference because nothing can make me love her more… I want to do it.”

Toshimi sighed.

“I understand...but is it really wise?  I know you, Takashi.  You get attached very easily, and I know what marriage means to you.  After Aika, you were miserable for months...and you weren't with her even half as long as you've been with Ena.  She's dying, Takashi.  You're going to be left alone again...and you'll be miserable.  It breaks my heart to think about it.”  She said sadly.

“… I’ll be upset about Ena either way, mother. The marriage doesn’t make much difference to how I’ll feel. I’ll be glad we had the opportunity to do it… no regrets, right?” he smiled at her, but it was clear he was sad himself.

Toshimi gently squeezed her son's hand.  

“Alright honey.  It is your decision after all.  I would definitely like to join you and Ena on your trip.”  She said with a smile.

“What? Really? Are you sure?” Takashi frowned, taking his hand away. “You’ve never taken time off work before.”

“Then I'm overdue for quite a bit of vacation time, don't you think?”  She said with a chuckle.  

“I promised myself I would be there when my son got married, and I plan to fulfil that promise.”  She said seriously.

“… Heh… Well… thank you, mother. I… really appreciate it"

“You're welcome, son.  Just let me know when your trip is going to be, and I'll get the time off work.”  She said with a smile.

“We want it to be soon… should we let Ena back in so we can all discuss it? And she can finish eating?” Takashi suggested.

“Oh, yes of course!  We should discuss things.”  Toshimi said.

Takashi smiled and went to go to the next room. “Ena?”

Vector was playing with Umbral on the couch, smiling as the cat rolled around and swatted playfully at the tiny string of yarn Vector was dangling in front of him.  He looked up when he heard Takashi.

“Oh, you two are done?”  He asked.

“Yeah… it wasn’t much. You can come back now."

“Alright!”  Vector said, petting Umbral one more time before getting up and coming back in.  He sat down at the table in his spot again.

“Sorry for the interruption, Ena, but I'll tell you what I told Takashi...I'll be more than happy to accompany you two on your trip.”  Toshimi said.  Ena smiled.

“That sounds great.  We'll be glad to have you!”  Vector said, glad that it seemed everything was working out.

“Yeah… It’s good..."

“We have planning to discuss here then....when were you planning on going?”  Toshimi said with a smile.

“In a couple weeks or so...we haven't officially done anything yet because we wanted to make sure people are on board.  My Uncle and his partner are coming too.”  Vector replied.  

“Yeah… but we can start booking if you give us a date and time."

“Anytime works for me, as long as its a couple weeks in advance so I can give appropriate notice to my workplace.”  Toshimi said.  Vector nodded.

“My Uncle is self employed, so he can leave whenever he wants...whatever works for you.”  Vector said.

“Yeah… so… we’re more or less ready,” Takashi said, smiling softly.

Vector smiled, squeezing Takashi's hand under the table.  He was happy.

“Alright then.  You guys pick the dates, and I'll make it work from my end of things.”  Toshimi said with a smile.

“Congratulations, you two, by the way.”  She said with a smile.  Vector smiled.

“Thank you.”  

“Thanks mum… I’m glad.” Takashi really was glad she approved. He was afraid she would stop him, or tell him not to marry Vector, or not show up. It was literally the best case scenario.

Toshimi smiled.

“Well, thank you for supper.  I'm afraid I have to get going...I have some things to take care of this evening.”  She said, getting up with a smile.  Vector stood up with her.

“Thank you for coming.  We will let you know about the plans.”  Vector said with a smile.

“Ah… okay mum. It was good to see you again,” Takashi said, getting up and smiling to see her out.

Vector followed her to the door.  Toshimi smiled at them as she put on her jacket.

“It was nice to see you again too, you two.”  She said, giving Takashi a hug.  Much to Vector's surprise, she gave him one as well.  He hesitantly hugged her back with a small smile.  

“I'll be going now.”  She said, smiling and waving at them.  

“Bye.” Takashi hugged her and was just as surprised to see her hugging Vector. But he gave a happy chuckle and waved her off, closing the door only when she was in her car and out of the drive way.

“That went way better than I thought,” Takashi muttered. “I thought we would fight..."

Vector grinned.

“It did go well...I wasn't expecting her to hug me!”  Vector said with a grin, hugging Takashi too.

“That means we're all good!  We can get married!”  He said happily.

“We would have been married even if she didn’t approve,” Takashi smiled, shaking his head and hugging Vector’s thin frame back.

“We can do it the way we want now though.  You wanted your mom...and now she's going to be there.”  Vector said with a grin, nuzzling Takashi's cheek as he was hugged.

Takashi chuckled again. “Yeah… I guess so"

Vector grinned, parting so he could smile at Takashi.

“I'm so glad this is happening...”  He said with a smile, kissing his cheek.

“Same… I didn’t realise I would be so excited.” It was a lot better than the last time he was engaged, that was for sure.

“Me too!  I never would've guessed it...geez.”  Vector said with a chuckle, hugging Takashi again in his excitement.

“I can't fucking wait now...let's plan this thing!”  

“Alright, alright. Sure.” He smiled. “You get your laptop, I’ll pile the dishwasher."

“Great!”  Vector cheered, kissing Takashi's cheek before rushing off to grab his laptop from the bedroom.  However, once he reached the bed, he doubled over and coughed.  

“Shit...I can't...run like that...”  He managed to say between coughs.

Takashi unfortunately (or fortunately) couldn’t hear Vector. However, Umbral, who had followed Vector, gave a small mewl and went to nuzzle Vector’s leg, looking concenred.

Vector coughed, laying down gently on the bed until it stopped.  Umbral was a bit reassuring.  He pet the cat to calm it down with his free hand while he coughed and covered his mouth with the other.  After a few minutes, it finally stopped.  Vector sighed as he noticed the tiniest bits of blood on his hands that he'd coughed up.  

“I'm alright, Umbral.  Don't worry.”  He said softly, getting up with his laptop.

“Got it.”  He said, going into the kitchen and washing his hands.

Umbral gave another small, worried mewl and followed Vector. Takashi was still putting the leftovers away, and he frowned when he saw his partner enter, his eyes red and a little bit teary.

“Are you alright?"

“Yeah...just coughed a bit.”  Vector said with a sigh, cleaning himself up.  He hadn't really realized he'd been coughing so hard he'd teared up a bit.

“… Did…. you cough up blood?” He asked.

“Just a little. It's no big deal.”  Vector said, trying not to worry him.

“Vector… You know that’s concerning, even if it’s a bit.” Takashi frowned, putting the food down and putting his hand over Vector’s, looking at him seriously, the good mood from earlier instantly replaced with worry.

“It's fine, really...”  Vector said softly, holding Takashi's hand.  

“It'll be okay.  Come on, let's plan this thing.”  He said, trying to change the subject.

“Right…” Takashi smiled and followed him to the comfy couch. “Let’s”

Vector smiled, sitting down and snuggling up to Takashi, putting the laptop across both their laps so they could both see it.  

“So, I'm gonna book a hotel room for us, then one for Judai and Uncle, and one for your mother.  We can all be in the same place for convenience...which one should we go to?”  He asked, pulling up some options that varied in prices and quality.

“Mmmm… Well… doesn’t need to be like… five stars. Just something we can manage… but treat ourselves as well, if you know what I mean. Has Judai even been to a hotel for more than a one night stand?"

“Yeah, that sounds nice...that's what I want too.  Oh, we should find a spa too!”  Vector said.  He was always a slut for the spa treatment.  He snorted.

“I doubt it.  I'm sure they'd be fine with anything really.  Is your mom the same?”  

“Yeah, more or less. As long as it’s half-way presentable, she’ll be fine. A spa sounds great though.”

Vector grinned.

“Great!  I'll get booking then...we'll go to the best spa and get all pampered up before we get married.”  Vector mused, excited by the idea.  He cuddled up to Takashi and kissed his cheek.

Takashi smiled. “I’ll let that keep you busy, alright?"

“Okay!  And Judai's going to help me get an outfit and a ring for the wedding.”  Vector mused.  

“Have you got a ring and stuff already?”  He knew Takashi had been engaged before so maybe he still had the ring from last time?  

Takashi sold that ring ages ago, but he blushed when Vector mentioned a ring and scratched the back of his head. “I was hoping to be a bit more romantic with the engagement, but since that failed, I went ahead to buy our marriage rings and hoped it would be better when I got someone to present them for us.”

Vector smiled a bit as Takashi blushed.  It was still so cute when he did that.  He snickered.

“You got rings already?  Then I guess I'll just have to worry about an outfit.”  Vector said, grinning.

“I can't wait to see what you came up with...I would like it no matter what though.”  He mused.

‘It’ll be my surprise to you.” Takashi said.

Vector raised a brow with a smirk.

“Alrighty then...so that means I have to give you a surprise too.  So I'm not going to let you see what I'm wearing until the day of.”  He mused, tapping Takashi's nose.

Takashi laughed. “Okay… Fair enough. Am I expecting you in full bride attire though?"

“Nah.  I'm not a bride.  Why would I dress like one?”  Vector mused with a wink and a chuckle.  

“I'm not sure what I'll wear...maybe I'll get some ideas when Judai takes me shopping.”  

“Dunno. I don’t know what to expect from you.” Takashi laughed.

“Well, I doubt I'll be a bride.”  He mused.  

“It's weird cause I've never...seriously thought of marriage before.  I want to do it, but I never thought I'd ever get married the way I wanted to be.  So I get to try and figure out what I want for my wedding and it's great!”  Vector said, hugging Takashi with a smile.

Takashi gave him a little smile and hugged him back. “Well… I’m glad for that..."

Vector smiled, hugging Takashi before a loud meow interrupted him.  He laughed as Umbral immediately tried to squeeze himself into Vector's lap along with the computer.  He pet the cat and gave him a small cuddle.

“Jealous, Umbral?”  He mused.  

“We have to call Cathy too, when we book the trip.  Umbral has to have another vacation.”  

“He’ll enjoy it…” He smiled. “Got a bit of work to do before we go"

“Yeah...but it'll be good.”  Vector replied, petting Umbral's head.  

“I'm going to book hotels and tickets.  I wanna get this thing ready as soon as possible.”  Vector said.

“Alright. I’ll leave you to it then.” Takashi smiled.

Vector grinned.

“Alright!  I'll let you know if something needs your opinion too...this is for both of us after all!”  He said, coughing a bit before doing his searches.

-x-

Today was the day that Masumi and Kotori were finally going to be coming back home, and the entire Barian-Mizuki family was excited.  Since Gilag had to work, Ponta and Alit were going to pick up the girls from the hospital and take them home.  Both had a clean bill of health and were good to go.  

“You ready to go home, Masumi, pon?  I'll show you your room and toys!”  Ponta spoke to his sister who was in Kotori's arms as they left the hospital.  Alit smiled at Ponta's enthusiasm.  

“That sounds good, Ponta, but try not to overwhelm her.  She might just want to have a nap when we get there.”  He said.

“Babies do need a lot of rest, after all. They need to get used to the world,” Kotori smiled, glad Ponta was enthusiastic. “I think I’ll need a few naps myself…” She said, stroking the small dark fuzz of hair on her daughter.

Ponta pouted, but nodded.

“Yeah, Masumi needs lots of rest so she'll grow big and strong like me!” He agreed, puffing up his chest to demonstrate how 'big and strong' he was.  Alit chuckled.

“Yes, that's right.  And don't bother Kotori either if she wants to rest too, alright?  We're all going to have to save our strength so we can look after Masumi here.”  He said, smiling as the baby cooed softly at her mother's touch.

“Oh, he can bother me. I can handle a little Ponta if I’ve put up with you and Gilag after all this time,” The woman laughed

Alit snorted.  

“I guess so...we'll try not to be too rambunctious!”  He said.  Ponta laughed.

“Ponta's quieter than his brothers!”  He said with a grin.  Alit gave him a noogie for that comment.

“Yeah… I bet Masumi is going to be as loud as you lot” Kotori laughed.

“Of course she will be!  She's my sister, pon!”  Ponta said, squirming in Alit's strong grip while the older man laughed and released him.

“Alright, Ponta, settle down and get into the car.”  He said, once they reached their vehicle.

“Yeah…” Kotori stepped in the car, still holding Masumi.

“… I hope Yuuma didn’t sneak in our house to throw a party"

"God I hope not. Yuuma would do that sort of thing though..." Alit mused. Ponta grinned.

"A party? Can Haruto come, pon?"

“We’ll see…” Kotori took her phone out after putting Masumi in her baby seat and called Yuuma’s phone.

"Kotori? Hey!" Yuuma said, picking up the phone.

“Hi Yuuma… what’s up. Where are you?” She asked as Alit started driving them home.

"Oh just hanging out." Yuuma said, alone with Shark in Alit's house. He was hanging out waiting for them to come home so he could meet the baby...and also waiting for the others to show up as well.

“Hanging out where…” Kotori muttered, glaring at her phone as if Yuuma would be able to see her look. “Oy…"

"Nowhere important really!" Yuuma said, smiling innocently.

"But hey, I heard you were coming home from the hospital today right?" He said changing the subject.

“No, I’m coming home tomorrow.” Kotori lied. “Why?"

"Just wondering when I can come over to your house to meet your baby!" Yuuma said, internally panicking a little bit. Had he got the dates wrong?

“Yeah… I’m coming back tomorrow.

. . . You and Shark are in my house, right now, right?”

"Yeah you got me...I came to see your baby! I couldn't wait!" Yuuma said with a sigh.

“Well… fine. You got me too. I’m in the car heading home, actually. I was just checking to see if you were throwing a party. I told you not to, Yuuma,” Kotori laughed, shaking her head.

Yuuma grinned.

"I knew it! Well...it's not really a party. Shark and I are here, and I told the Numbers Club that I would let them know when they can come over. So that way you don't have to deal with all of us at once!"

“Alright, alright. I’ll see you soon, Yuuya. We’ll talk when I get back. See ya,” The woman smiled. She hung up, looked at Alit and Ponta and just burst out giggling.

"Okay see you soon!" Yuuma grinned.

"Yuuma's throwing a party isn't he?" Alit mused.

“Oh yeah he is.Well, he’s at our house and the others will come when he tells us. He’s going easy on us.” Kotori mused.

"That's a relief. Although just Yuuma alone can still be pretty hardcore." Alit mused. Ponta cheered.

"Yay, Yuuma's coming to party!" He said happily.

“… Would you like to call Haruto when we get home? If you’re calm, you two can play together. Kaito hopefully won’t mind.”

"Yeah! Haruto needs to meet my new sister!" Ponta said happily. He really wanted to see Haruto.

Alit smiled.

"Well, we're here...get ready for Hurricane Yuuma."

Kotori smiled and picked her baby up. She headed to the door, a bit nervous, and opened it.

Yuuma was there almost as soon as the door opened.

“Surprise!  But not really cause you knew I was here!”  Yuuma cheered in greeting.  Alit rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah.  You do know you broke into our house right?”  He mused.  Yuuma pouted.  

“I used the spare key....oh and hi, Masumi!  Aww, you're so cute~!”  Yuuma cooed to the baby, who stared up at him in curiousity.

“Yeah…. Technically he didn’t. We did tell him where that was,” Kotori said. She smiled at Yuuma and showed her off.

“Hey Kotori. Hey Alit.” Shark said, coming from the kitchen

Alit waved at Shark.    

“Nice to see you man!”  He said.  Ponta grinned and ran up to hug Yuuma and then Shark.

“Nice to see you guys too, pon!  Is everyone gonna come meet my baby sister?”  He asked with a grin.  Yuuma nodded.

“Soon as her mom says its okay!”  He said.

Shark smiled and waved back, hugging Ponta when he came up. “You’ve gotten bigger, haven’t you?” Shark smirked. Kotori gave a light laugh and nodded. “It was okay before. I just didn’t want a heart attack when I got home. But it’s nice to see you again."

“Good!  Then let's call everyone out from the bedroom where they were hiding~”  Yuuma said with a  grin.  He ran off to call everyone out of hiding.  Alit gaped.

“You called them all here anyway?!”  He exclaimed.  Yuuma grinned cheekily.  

“I just told them not to come out all at once so you wouldn't have a heart attack!”  He said with a grin.

“. . . Yuma please…” Kotori laughed, sitting down.

“I told him not to, but he did anyway.” Shark muttered.

Alit rolled his eyes.  

“Typical Yuuma.”  He mused.  Yuuma ran into the back bedroom where the rest of the Numbers Club was waiting.

“Okay guys!  They're home and you can come out...but don't overwhelm them!  We don't want to upset the baby!”  He said.  Tetsuo snorted.

“Sure thing Yuuma.  That should go for you too!”  He mused, stepping out first, followed by an eager Tokunosuke and Cathy.  Takashi and Vector hung back for a moment, letting the others go first.

Kotori smiled, seeing all of her friends there. She was most surprised to see Cathy and Vector, knowing one was always busy with work while the other seemed so ill as of late. She held Masumi close to her and smiled.

“Hi everyone."

The group all greeted her, before their eyes locked on the little baby in her arms.  

“Wow, is this your little angel, nyah~?”  Cathy cooed.  

“Congrats!”  Tetsuo grinned.  Rio smiled as she looked over the baby.

“How sweet...”  She said softly.

“What's the baby's name, ura?  Yuuma never told us.”  Tokunosuke asked.

“Her name is Masumi. Barian Masumi.” Kotori smiled, looking at her friends around her. Shark made a beeline to the kitchen again to avoid the swarming friends around the green-haired woman.

“Awww, that's such a sweet name for such a sweet angel, nyah~”  Cathy said happily.  Vector glanced at the baby, watching the little girl take in all the faces around her with innocent curiosity.

“She's so small...I've never seen such a young baby up close before.”  He noted softly.  Takashi smiled.

“Neither have I.”  Ponta grinned.

“She's my baby sister and I'm gonna look after her, pon!”  Ponta declared proudly.  

“That’s right. Ponta is going to be such a responsible big brother.” Kotori laughed.

“Congrats, Alit. You both must be proud, ura.” Tokunosuke grinned, the short man hustling over to shake Alit’s hand.

Alit chuckled a bit.

“We are!  Thanks for coming guys, even if it was a bit of a surprise.”  He mused, glancing at Yuuma who only grinned cheekily in response.  Tetsuo came over to clap him on the back too, congratulating him on the kid.  

“Looks like you two are gonna have a busy life for awhile raising Masumi.”  He mused.  Alit nodded.

“You got that right.  I'm taking time off of boxing to help look after her.  I can't go off to tournaments while I've got a little girl to raise.”  He said with a smile.

“Well, he can. He’s just not allowed to go off with Koutei for too long.” Kotori mused.

“Speaking of which, where is he? Yuuma, is he coming, ura?"

“Oh, I didn't know he was in town!”  Yuuma said.  He hadn't seen him at the wedding and assumed he was still in Italy.  Alit snapped his fingers.

“Oh yeah, I did tell him I'd invite him to the party...but with Yuuma dropping this on us so suddenly, I didn't get a chance to tell him!  I'll call him and see if he can come.”  He said, grabbing his cell and dialling Koutei's number.

Kotori smiled and leaned back. “Might as well get them all here and get Masumi used to you lot.” She said, listening to Alit’s phone ring until it was picked up.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Koutei!  Look, I know this is short notice, but Yuuma sprung a little surprise party on us for bringing our new baby home!  I was wondering if you wanted to come over and join in the fun?”  Alit asked his friend, grinning.

Masumi didn't seem alarmed at the sheer number of people here, staring at whoever came closest to her curiously.  It was clear she was quite content in her mother's arms, no matter who else was there.  Cathy smiled.

“She has Alit's beautiful skin and hair...but her face looks a lot like yours, Kotori-chan, nyah.”  She noted.  Tetsuo nodded.

“Definitely.  The pinkish-red eyes could be a combination of both of your own eye colors too maybe.”  

“Oh… You’re back already. Wow…” Koutei looked at the time. “Y-yeah. I’ll come over… I think I can make it. Sorry I didn’t know…” The messy blonde looked at himself in the mirror and grimaced.

“Yeah… She’s so lovely. A real gem.” Kotori smiled.

“It's alright man!  We didn't really know either...Yuuma surprised us.”  Alit said with a grin.  

“I'll see you soon then!”  

“I wonder if you'll still be saying that once you have to change her diapers or stay up at night because she won't sleep, ura.  You know, all the hardships a baby brings.”  Tokunosuke commented.  Cathy scratched him for that.  Takashi smiled.

“I'm sure it'll be worth it.  And you never know, Masumi might not be much of a handful at all.”  He said.

“Hey, hey. Don’t say things like that.” Kotori said, rolling her eyes, a little happy her friends hadn’t changed much. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen them all.

“I have three boys to help. I’ll be fine.".

Ponta perked up at that.

“Yes!  Ponta will be a big help, pon!”  He promised, making the guests smile or chuckle.  He was still pretty adorable himself.  

“So, Gilag is staying with you guys?”  Vector asked.  He'd been wondering if maybe Gilag would be moving out and letting Alit and Kotori raise their child in peace.  It would probably less of a financial burden on them if he did so.

“Yeah.. he’s still around. He’s at work now.” Kotori smiled. “You’ve met Gilag, right Ena-chan? He was at the wedding as well."

"Yes, I did meet him briefly. He seems nice." Vector said with a smile.

"Gilag is a sweetie. Does Masumi like him too?" Rio asked.

“She does. She loves her uncle.” Kotori chuckled.

“That's sweet.”  Rio said with a smile.  All of the Numbers Club was gathered around Kotori while Alit watched from the sidelines, waiting for Koutei to show up.  He was excited to see him again, and to introduce him to their child.  

“Neh, Alit, can I go call Haruto and ask him to come too?”  Ponta asked his brother.  Alit smirked.

“Sure, why not?”  He said.  Ponta cheered and ran to the phone, dialling the Tenjo household excitedly.

“Well Gilag will be home soon so might as well make it a full house.” Kotori smiled. Rio smiled and headed up for the kitchen, meaning to get a drink and drag her brother out to be social. As she walked, she saw Ponta pass and she gave him the phone off the hook, smiling to herself.

“Tenjo household! This is Orbital!” The voice pinged from the other line

Nobody noticed how Vector paled a bit at the news that Gilag was coming and shot Takashi nervous glances, which the blue haired man echoed right back at him.  Yuuma only cheered.

“Great!  The whole family's here!”  He exclaimed.  Ponta grinned at Rio as she passed him the phone.

“Thanks, pon!”  He said, before grinning as he heard Orbital.

“Hey Orbital, it's Ponta!  Is Haruto there, pon?”  

“Master Haruto is. One moment.” There was a bit of shuffling as Orbital hurried up the stairs, but soon, Haruto had the phone.

“Hello?”

“Haruto, pon!  Guess what?  My baby sister's home from hospital now so you should come over and see her!  Yuuma and the others are here to see her so you should come too!”  Ponta exclaimed happily.

“O-oh that’s great news…” Haruto smiled. He was shivering despite the weather and he felt dizzy, but he was smiling all the sam.”I… Let me ask my nii-san..."

“Okay, pon!  Ask him!”  Ponta said with a grin.

Kaito, who was with Haruto in his room, frowned.

“Ask me what, Haruto?”  

“P-Ponta wants me to go and play,” Haruto said, smiling. “I’m… I’m… Can I go?” Haruto said. He wanted to go… but he was scared. He was scared of collapsing, of dying, with Ponta around.

Kaito frowned, torn by this decision.  On the one hand, he didn't mind the idea of Haruto seeing Ponta, but on the other, he didn't want his brother leaving the house and over-exerting himself.  Haruto not surviving the experience was a real possibility to Kaito.  He frowned.

“Haruto...I don't think you're in any shape to be going out...why don't you ask if Ponta can come here instead?”  Kaito asked.

“But… he wants me to see Masumi. If we drive to there and you’re watching me… it should be fine, right?” He mttered

“Masumi?  Is that Kotori's new baby?”  Kaito asked.  He considered this...it seemed reasonable if all Haruto was doing was just going over to see a baby.  He'd take it easy.

“Alright, but only if you take it easy.  Tell Ponta we'll be coming soon.  Orbital, come here and get into wheelchair mode.”  Kaito ordered the robot.  He and Chris had recently made it so Orbital 7 could change into a wheeled chair that would help Haruto move around.  

“Ah… Thank you, Nii-san.” Haruto smiled and hugged his brother. “Yeah… shall we go?”

Kaito let a small smile out once his brother gave him an honest, real smile in return.  Most of the ones Haruto had given him recently were false, pained ones.  He hugged him gently, carefully helping Haruto get out of bed and seating him down on Orbital, who had morphed into a chair.  

“Yes, let's.”  He said softly, holding onto the handles on the back of the chair and letting Orbital guide him.  He still was vision-impaired after all.

They were really quite the brotherly pair, but Haruto didn’t mind at all. All he could do was try stay awake until they were at Ponta’s house.

Orbital guided them all the way there, taking his time on Kaito's demand so as not to startle Haruto.  Kaito finally rung the bell of the Barian residence.  Ponta heard the bell and perked up.

“I'll bet that's Haruto, pon!”  He called, dashing to the door and opening it.  He was a bit startled to see Haruto confined to a wheelchair version of Orbital 7, and how thin he looked, but Ponta was mostly just happy to see his friend.  

“Haruto and Kaito-san, you're just in time to see my baby sister!  Kotori was gonna kick everyone out soon to put her down for a nap!”  He said happily, waving him inside and holding the door open so that Orbital could bring him inside.  

Haruto was a bit startled to see his active, chubby friend, and seeing him in front of him made Haruto realise how weak he was. However, the boy just shook his head and gave a laugh, reaching out to hug him as he was wheeled in.

“So we haven’t missed the party,” Kaito said, not sure how he felt about that

Ponta hugged his friend gently too, so happy to see him despite his appearance.  

“Some people left already, but most are still here!  Gilag came and Ena and Takashi left shortly after!”  Ponta said.  They had left in a rush because Vector hadn't wanted to be recognized by Gilag again.  He led them into the living room.

“Kotori, come show Haruto Masumi, pon!  He's here to see her!”  Ponta said.

“Sorry for coming in on such short notice,” Kaito said. Kotori smiled at the two Tenjo brothers and stood up, waddling to Haruto and letting the young boy see Masumi.

“Woah… she’s so… little"

Masumi blinked sleepily up at Haruto, used to seeing new faces by now considering the sheer number of people she'd been introduced to earlier.  Ponta beamed.

“Yeah!  I'm gonna be the best big brother ever for her too.”  He said.  Kaito smiled a bit, staring down at the blur that was a child in front of him.

“Congratulations.”  He said softly.

Kotori smiled. “Thank you. We appreciate it. Also, try sit down before Yuma spots you. He’s in a hugging mood.” She giggled again and Haruto looked at Ponta.

“Can we go play now? Before I get tired?"

It was too late.  Kaito found himself half-tackled by Yuuma in a hug.

“Kaaaaaaito!  Long time no see!  Glad you could make it!”  He beamed, always glad to see Astral's boyfriend out and about, which was relatively rare.  Kaito scowled and managed to knock Yuuma off of him with some difficulty.  

“Knock it off.”  He said to the other man, before glancing at Haruto's general direction with a frown.

“Only if you take it easy.  You're either sitting or lying down while playing, alright?”  He said.

“Yes, Nii-san, I know.” “I shall watch them, Kaito-sama!" Shark snorted, seeing his other friend get bullied by the boulder of a man. He said nothing though, opting to look at the kids and then at the door. Koutei hadn’t appeared yet… he wasn’t sure why.

“Be sure that you do.”  Kaito told Orbital.  

Koutei meanwhile, had been stalling.  He'd tried very hard to make himself look presentable, but every time he tried, it just didn't look right.  He'd settled at last for a basic sweatsuit which hid his less-muscular body.  He hadn't been working out in weeks, since every time he tried, he always was reminded of how he wasn't good enough for Alit.  As he made his way to the bus stop, his mind raced.  He was scared of what Alit would think of him...what would the family think of him?  Would be he even be worth Alit's time anymore?  

Koutei did manage to get himself on the bus that was going towards Alit's neighbourhood, but the thoughts going through his head weren't reassuring at all.  God, what if he was too late for the party?  What if he was supposed to bring something?  What if Alit's kid didn't like him?  What if Alit was disappointed by him?  He was a mess and he knew it, and his body was reacting badly.  He was starting to tremble, his breathing becoming ragged.  He needed help...he needed Yami.  Yami's games made him feel better.  

Before he knew what he was doing, he'd pulled the chord on the bus and stepped off into a more run-down part of Hearltand City.  He began running in the opposite direction from Alit's house, looking for Yami.  He needed a game, before he saw Alit, he told himself.  A game would calm down.  Then he'd see Alit.  Yes, that would work...he'd be ready then.  

The other guests bar Shark, Yuma and Kaito had gone home, and Kotori was now mimicking Shark, looking at the door. Alit had called Koutei a few hours ago… was he okay?

“Alit? He said he was coming, right?”

Alit was frowning a bit in concern now.  He'd tried calling Koutei again, but had been unable to get through to him.  He guessed that Koutei had turned his phone off or maybe it had died.  

“Yeah, he did...he didn't say when he was coming though, just that he was coming.”  Alit noted.  Maybe it was because it was a last minute invitation that he couldn't come?  But, no, whenever they sparred, Koutei always had time...had something happened?  Maybe family issues?

“I’m worried about him… he hasn’t been the same guy lately.” Kotori said. She had already put Masumi in her crib and the others were talking, so it was just her and Alit. “Do you think he’s okay?"

Alit sighed.

“He has seemed kinda off lately...I really don't know what's going on.  I try to talk to him, but he won't pick up the phone.”  Alit said.  

“I really don't know.  And that's worrying.”  

“Maybe you should go to his house one of these days… maybe he just needs someone to talk to,” Kotori said. “I mean… his life is his business, but he doesn’t really like his family in Japan. No one is looking out for him."

Alit nodded.  

“That sounds like a good idea...I'll ask if I can come over to his place next time.  I'm not sure where he's staying right now, else I'd go get him myself right now.”  Alit said with a sigh.  He smiled at Kotori.

“I'll try not to stay out too long...I can't neglect my family after all.”  He mused, kissing her cheek.

“Hopefully he’ll still be turning up. You can send him home and find out.” Kotori smiled. She laughed as she was kissed.

“Please. So far you’ve been doing everything but neglect Masumi and me.”  

“Yeah, hopefully.  I'll wait for him.”  Alit said with a grin.  He chuckled.

“Now that I'm a dad, I don't want to miss anything really.”  He mused with a smile.

“You won’t. I know you won’t.” She smiled, kissing his cheek.

Meanwhile, Koutei had finished his game with Yami, and was feeling both better and worse.  His body was satisfied to the point that he had forgotten what he was supposed to do before seeing Yami.  He made his way home in a drug-induced haze that left his mind peaceful in a way that nothing else could anymore.  

After Koutei left, Yami smirked as he held a photograph of his next target.  

“It's game time for real now.” He mused, heading out to play a much more lethal Shadow Game.

He entered his room, and got everything he needed for the game to play.  He had his stronger drugs with him, a few tools that would make the game progress smoothly, and a knife, just in case things got ugly.  Since Kaiba had asked Yami to keep things clean, he figured he wouldn't use it, but a good gamer was always prepared for the worst.  He had looked over the information on his target, and his own underground research had told him the best way to catch him alone and unaware, and essentially the solution was to go undercover.  Yami seated himself in front of his small mirror and applied some extra bronzer to his skin, giving himself a tanned look that was natural enough.  He traced his eyes with kohl, applying other subtle touches in makeup to bring out the best of his features.  The finishing touches were golden jewels dangling from his ears in multiple piercings, bracelets, necklaces, rings and a small golden crown with an eye on it over his head.  

“Hmmm...if not for these modern clothes, I would say I was a Pharaoh of Egypt.”  Yami mused, admiring his work.  He certainly looked the part of a prostitute...he knew his client had a certain preference for cute Egyptian men based on his research in the Underground.  He'd based his look on his client's favorite boy-toy, which was convenient since Yami planned on filling in for him that evening.  He glanced at the address on his phone.

“Alright...time to go.”  He said, getting his gear and heading out towards the hotel where his client was waiting.

Amelda had worked long and hard to get his company to where it was. Industrial Illusions had belonged to another owner, but through good connections and business, he had climbed to the top and became CEO. He enjoyed the big life- he used his wealth to support orphanages and children, so they wouldn’t end up like his brother and himself, and used profits to fund hospitals. His work was good, and his life was almost perfect.

Almost because getting to where he was involved getting married to a woman he didn’t care for. He didn’t like women at all actually, not that his wife actually cared.

So after a long day at work, the young CEO had hired out a hotel room and gotten comfy. Marik was coming over tonight, hopefully. He needed a stress reliever and a bit of fun.

Yami arrived at the hotel where he'd been told his target was staying.  He made his way up to the room casually, so as not to draw any attention to himself.  He was wearing a hoodie that hid his tell-tale hair and also how scarcely dressed he was underneath it.  He didn't want anyone thinking he was a prostitute and getting suspicious.  He knocked on the door once he reached it, waiting for Amelda to answer it.

Well, for all intents and purposes, he was, but he was a professional, right? Amelda heard the door and he smiled, getting up to the hotel room door. However, it faded when he saw the figure wasn’t Marik, but someone else entirely.

“Can I help you?”

Yami smiled as he recognized that it was his target who opened the door.  

“I'm here on behalf of Ishtar Marik...I'm afraid he's come down with a rather nasty case of the flu, and sent me in his stead to entertain you for the evening.  He's terribly sorry to inconvenience you, sir.”  Yami said smoothly, putting on a slightly playful, seductive look and unzipping his hoodie the slightest bit so that Amelda could see his body and decide whether he was interested or not.  If he wasn't just by sight, Yami had other ways of enticing him, but he wouldn't use that unless he had to.

“Ah, I see…” Amelda looked the man over and gave it thought. On one hand, he really wanted the evening with Marik… on the other hand, he already paid the first half and didn’t care to go home. He gave a simple, approving nod of the midriff and then let Yami in. “What’s your name?"

Yami was pleased that his suspicions were confirmed: Amelda had a weakness for a toned midriff on a man.  He entered when invited, pleased that he hadn't had to resort to more drastic measures.  

“Atemu, sir.”  He said, taking off his sweater now that he was inside the hotel room.  He spared the room a glance, trying to determine the best place to begin having fun.  He had heard that Amelda wasn't the type to drag his prostitutes right to the bedroom, and by the layout of the living room, Yami realized that was true.  By the couch there was a small table where some snacks, champagne glasses and cards set out.  He took a seat on the couch, smiling invitingly at Amelda to join him.  

“I've heard you enjoy games from Marik, sir.  What sort would you like to play with me?”  He asked gently.  Amelda could choose how he died, Yami supposed.

“Hmm… Well… Usually I play games that me and my partner are familiar with. What games do you know, Atemu?” The man asked, looking at him, eyeing him and smirking. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Yami pondered his question, tapping his lip playfully as he thought over his options.  

“How about a simple dice game?”  He said after awhile, plucking a normal six-sided dice from his pocket.  

“The goal is to count up to 100 points by rolling the dice and adding up the numbers.  You can roll as many times as you want, but when you roll a one, your turn ends, and any points you accumulated during that turn are cancelled out.  But, that alone would be boring...”  Yami mused with a small smile, before continuing.

“So, whenever a player stops at an odd number...the other player can request that they do something, and the player must do it.  That'll make things more...interesting.”  Yami said, giving a seductive look so that Amelda understood what sort of requests he could make of Yami if he ever got caught on an odd number.  

Amelda’s eyes sparkled with interest. Oh, it was so simple, and yet so intriguing. He smirked at the idea and chuckled, pouring them both drinks and nodding.

“I see you were well prepared for today. Marik was good to send you in. I’ll play your game… if you go first, that is”

Yami smiled.

“Of course.  I'd be happy to.”  He said, rolling the dice on the table.

“Seems I got a 4 right off the bat...I'll keep going.”  He mused, picking it up and rolling again.  He got a 6, then a 5, then a 6 before deciding to stop.  He didn't want to end up losing all his points after all.  

“And that all adds up to a grand total of 21 points...looks like I stopped at an odd number.  You get to request something of me before you take your turn.”  Yami said, glancing at Amelda.

“Mmmm~ That sounds nice.” Amelda smirked, already liking the game. He gestured Yami closer, starting tame with just a kiss. It was a long and deep one, but he wanted to know how Yami played.

Yami really wasn't the type to sleep around, so posing as a prostitute had been a risky move, but it had been the best way he could think of to get to his target alone.  He had hoped that the game would turn in his favor, as they usually did, but although he'd gotten quite a few points in that first round, he would be forced to give up a kiss.  Steeling his nerves, he approached Amelda and let the man kiss him.  He responded timidly, not taking control and also not pulling away like he very much wanted to deep down.  He used the opportunity wisely, slipping a dissolvable pill into the man's drink while he was too engrossed in Yami's mouth.  Finally they parted, and Yami sat back, taking his own non-drugged drink and taking a sip for some liquid courage.  

“Alright, your turn, sir.”  He said, smiling at him politely and handing him the dice.

“Not bad. I see games are more your forte,” Amelda smirked, but not minding anyway. He was cute, and he seemed like an interesting guy. Hopefully in bed, he’d be better. “Right, here I go.”

6, 3, 6, 2, 3. That was an even number, but he was a number back, so he rolled again for another 3. I’ll stop there… so… that makes 23. I get to do something for you,” Amelda smirked, sipping his drink only after the dice rolls.

Yami had already decided that if for some reason, Amelda did get him into the bedroom, he'd use the knife and stab the bastard.  He would draw the line there, definitely.  Amelda was definitely not his type in any way.  He smiled at the man next to him.

“Finish your glass~  I like the taste...so if you taste like it, I'll be more enticed to play around a bit more.”  Yami cooed seductively.  The champagne was excellent quality, but Yami wasn't much of a drinker.  He had only suggested that because he wanted Amelda drugged quicker.  It would take too long if he just sipped it tentatively and Yami knew the longer he dragged things out, the more likely he was to get into something he really didn't want to do.

Amelda smirked at the request. Oh, he liked being interesting, huh? Well, he’d obliged. He lifted his glass and smiled. “Cheers.” He downed it all in one sitting, partially to show off to Yami. Then, he put the glass down and smiled, licking his lips.

“Your turn."

Yami smirked as Amelda downed the glass as asked.  That was impressive, and also perfectly done so that the man could be drugged.  Now all he had to do was wait for it to kick in.  

“Alright, here I go.”  He said.  He got a 3, a 2, a 6, and one last roll gave him a 5, which he silently cursed.  That meant he was once again on an odd number.  

“I suppose I'll stop there...37 points now.”  He said, knowing it was risky to continue.  He glanced at Amelda.

“Well, what'll it be this time?”  He asked with a smile.

“Down your glass. Loosen up… I’ll ‘ave you do things later, but don’t look so tense, Atemu. It’s supposed to be fun,” Amelda said, topping his glass up and then Yami’s.

Yami was relieved that the request was something simple like that.  

“Of course.  We'll have plenty of fun.  Cheers!”  He said, smiling as he downed his glass as ordered, then letting his own get topped up.  He passed him the dice.

“Your turn again.”  He said.

5, 3, 6, 5, 5. That jumped him ahead by a lot. That was an additional 24 on top of his 23, getting him to a staggering 47.

“The dice are heavy today,” He mused.

Yami chuckled.  That was probably a sign that the drugs were working.  Time to up the ante again.  He pretended to take a sip of his drink, but he really slipped another pill into it.  

“Have you heard of Ancient Roman banquets?  During the feasts, lovers would drink each other's beverages in order to share in indirect kisses...”  He said softly, holding up his glass for Amelda.  

“Indirect kiss?”  He asked sweetly.  

“You’re cute,” Amelda said boldly. He smirked and made a note to give him a nice tip before he took the glass off him. “All of it or a sip?"

Yami smiled sweetly at Amelda.  

“Well that depends...how much of an indirect kiss do you want?”  He cooed.

And foolishly, he drank the whole glass like the thirsty bastard he was.

Yami smiled as he downed the glass, chuckling a bit to himself.  

“Alright, I guess it's my turn then.”  He said, rolling the dice.  He got a 3, and two 2s before he unfortunately rolled a 1.  That meant he lost all his points, and therefore was back at an odd number.

“Well, I'm stuck at 37 again.  That means you get to ask something else of me.”  Yami said, silently cursing a bit.  

“I.. Hmmm…” Amelda held his head, feeling his world spin a little as the drugs took effect. However, he stared at the drink and frowned, thinking he just had a bit too much. “Undress a bit.” He said, opting for something a lot easier.

Yami didn't have much trouble with that request, as long as he didn't ask for him to be completely naked.

“What exactly did you want me to take off?”  He asked softly.

“Top… better stop rolling odd numbers though,” Amelda smirked

“No kidding...”  Yami muttered too softly for Amelda to hear.  He obediently took off his top, tossing it aside and letting Amelda admire his toned upper body.  He smirked.

“Your turn.”  He said softly.

Amelda took a moment to admire the shirtless cutie next to him.  He was definitely looking forward to getting more clothes off of him.  

“1. I pass. Darn." Amelda muttered, leaning back and passing the dice over.  Damn dice.  

“Well, you're still stuck at an odd number, so I get to ask something of you regardless.  You're going to eat some chocolate...”  Yami mused.  He picked up a tiny chocolate treat from the table and instead of handing it to Amelda, he stuck it in his own mouth, slipping a tiny pill along with it.  He held it on his tongue, preparing to give it to Amelda.  Once he gave him this last pill, he'd have had enough to begin hallucinating for sure.  

Amelda smirked and went to him, greedily locking their lips, and beginning to wrestle Yami with his tongue without hesitation.

Yami forced himself not to gag, tense or pull away.  He shut his eyes and brought his hand up to the back of Amelda's head in a gentle but firm manner to keep him in the kissing position.  Yami tried to focus on letting his tongue guide the chocolate and the pill into Amelda's mouth, only letting go once he was sure all of it had been successfully transferred over.  

“There...”  He cooed, once he'd pulled away with a smile.  He kept up a casual appearance as he went for his drink, despite his internal sense of urgency to rid his mouth of the taste of Amelda's invading tongue.  He picked up the dice.

“My turn.”  He said, wanting to progress the game.  This time, he took his time rolling.  He wanted to prolong things so that Amelda would be under the full influence of the drugs.  He rolled a 3 and two 4s before unfortunately rolling a 1.  That meant he lost his points and was still stuck at 37 points.  Another odd number meant another request from Amelda...Yami only hoped it wouldn't be too much.  Who knew what this man's debilitated mind would come up with.

Amelda chewed and swallowed, none the wiser. He licked his lips and smirked at the other man, smirking. He shrugged off the jacket and he went to go grab the dice off Yami.

“2, 4, 2, 1… Another odd, huh?” He chuckled.

Yami was relieved that Amelda seemed to have forgotten that he could have made a demand of Yami.  Yami wasn't about to remind him.  He glanced at Amelda.  Maybe now was the time to put his plan into action.

“Since you asked me to take my shirt off....how about you take yours off too?”  Yami suggested with a grin.  Once the man's skin was exposed, he could play with him more.

He rolled his eye but obliged. Amelda wasn’t some fat old man behind a counter, he was a handsome CEO, who was active and hard-working, and it showed on his rough, coarse skin and toned abs that could be seen when he took his button up shirt off.

“How’s that?” He smirked

Yami honestly wasn't attracted to this man, but he pretended to be interested.  He smiled, letting his eyes roam up and down the man's now bare upper body.  

“That's wonderful...it was getting hot in here you know.  I'm surprised you're not burning up yet.”  Yami mused, knowing that if Amelda didn't feel like his skin was burning, he would soon.  The drugs were powerful, and would be speeding up his heartrate and make him sweat.  Combining that with the hallucinogenic properties would certainly create the illusion of being on fire.

“My turn.”  Yami spoke calmly, taking the dice back and rolling it casually while keeping an eye out for Amelda's reactions.  He got a 5, 3, 5, 6, and a 3, bumping him up to 51 points, but once more he was stuck on an odd number.  However, considering how the other man had forgotten about last time, maybe Yami would get off this time as well.

“Mmm… It is… It was cool earlier but now… must be you.” He was noticeably sweating a little, and it showed. However, it wasn’t quite a flame yet. Amelda wiped at his skin and just took the dice, now suddenly feeling warm as soon as Yami said it. “Ngh..."

Yami chuckled, pleased that the drugs were taking affect at last.  Amelda had held out pretty well – perhaps because he was in such good physical shape? - but it didn't matter in the end.  Yami would not be stopped.  When Yami passed him the dice, he slid a tiny silk striped scarf over the man's arm, ready to move onto the second stage.  If Amelda reacted like normal, he'd probably mistake the scarf for a snake.

“It's your turn...go ahead and roll it.” Yami said softly, waiting for Amelda to notice.

Amelda went and reached for the dice. However, as he extended his arm, the man yelled, suddenly seeing the thin, white cloth. He shook his arm, yelping.

“Atemu!” He yelled, seeing the snake. “What is this?"

Yami smirked, taking advantage of Amelda's momentary fixation on the 'snake' on his arm to reach into his bag and pull out a bundle of similarly covered scarves.  He threw them into the air over Amelda, and then starting panicking.

“Snakes!  Snakes!”  He cried, as if he could see them too.  Amelda was sure to freak out as the 'snakes' starting raining from the sky.

“Harrrghhh!’ Of course, from Yami’s perspective, this was hilarious, a grown man panicking at the sight of the scarves. However, Amelda was in panic, and he began yelping, kicking the snakes off and trying to get the one that was ‘constricting’ his arm. “Hahhh!” Adrenaline pumped through him and the drugs settled into his bloodstream. Everything felt so hot…

Yami was trying very hard to suppress his own laughter, a cruel smirk on his face.  This was why he loved Shadow Games.  It was absolutely hilarious to watch people freak out like this.  He pulled out his knife and slipped it into Amelda's hand.

“Kill them!  Cut them off!”  Yami cried, as if he was terrified.  He knew that in his current state, Amelda would be cutting himself along with the 'snakes'.

“HAHHH!” Somehow the neighbours didn’t hear him as he scurried away from the demonic, poisonous snakes. However, one could definitely hear a slight disturbance as Amelda knocked over bottles, reaching for the knife that Yami had for him.

Not questioning the logic of the situation, he grabbed the knife and held it to the silk. He sliced his own skin once, and then twice, and then realised that the knife wasn’t fraying the ‘snake’.

“T-they! They’re monsters!” Amelda stammered.

Yami was openly laughing at this point, watching Amelda scramble.  He stayed on the couch, watching the man fall over and knock down the pretty set-up he'd had for his prostitute friend.  

“Kill them!  Kill them, do something!”  Yami managed to cry, enjoying the sight of the grown man stabbing himself.  He casually tossed a couple more of the scarves that had fallen off of Amelda back onto him, letting them drape over his head, chest and shoulders.  

“There's some on your back!”  He called.

“Get them away!” Amelda yelled, utterly convinced that the creatures would kill him. Every time he slashed himself, he thought a snake would be biting him and constricting him, not that he was hurting himself. The laughing only made Amelda’s dizzy mind hurt even more, and the red-head nearly fell forward as he looked at the snakes everywhere, hissing and coming closer.

“Get them off!” He screeched, stabbing his shoulder deep and then tearing his arm down, breaking far more than the skin and exposing bloody muscle to Yami.

Yami kept laughing, thoroughly enjoying watching his prey flounder around uselessly.  It was his own personal high...he could never get enough of this.  He watched the man slump down next to him on the sofa, and despite himself, he leaned in for a closer look.  Amelda was bleeding from multiple cuts, but none were too deep, like he'd suspected.  It would take awhile for him to bleed out.  

But then, he cut his shoulder and practically tore his own skin off.  Yami's eyes widened as his bare upper body was splattered with blood.  Dammit, that wasn't supposed to happen...

“Stupid man, you're just killing yourself faster.”  He growled, glancing down at himself to spot that thankfully, his still-clothed lower body didn't have blood on it.  But then, he felt a small jolt inside his head, and his eyes widened in real fear for the first time that entire evening.  He clutched his head.

“No...go back to sleep...let me handle this...”  He pleaded as he groaned, closing his eyes tightly and trying to force back the change he knew was coming.  

But it was too late.  When his eyes opened again, a much more innocent and confused expression accompanied them.  Big, round eyes that belonged to Mutou Yuugi stared at his surroundings in confusion for a moment before his eyes fell on Amelda, who was still floundering around, screaming and crying out as he cut himself to shreds.  His eyes widened in horror.  He'd never seen this man before...where the heck was he? Yuugi began trembling in terror as he realized he himself was covered in blood.  

And then there was nothing to stop the blood curdling scream that passed his lips, louder by quite a bit than any other noise Amelda had made that evening.

Amelda was still alive. He was whimpering on the ground, still trying to get away from the snakes. With the blood gushing out and his body drugged to the max, Amelda was not in the right state of mind. Despite the pain, a primal urge told him to get away from the snakes at all costs. The man screamed along side Yuugi as he stabbed his leg to get an idle cloth off him, stabbing himself in the foot as soon as he drew his blade out.

“Get them off! Please! Get them off!” Amelda yelled. “Atemu! Help!"

The patrons in the neighbouring rooms were already calling the police, and the hotel staff had contacted security. It wouldn’t be long before the police arrived, and Yami couldn’t do a thing about it.

Yuugi kept screaming, instinctively trying to get away from this man who was stabbing himself to death slowly.  His head started to pound, making him cry out in pain again, and squeeze his eyes shut.  With effort, Yami managed to take over once more for the terrified boy.  

“Dammit...Yuugi, why'd you have to be so damn curious...”  Yami muttered.  He was fully aware of everything that had happened when Yuugi managed to wake up, and he knew that this situation wasn't good.  The cops would be coming, he knew.  And by the looks of things, Amelda wasn't going to die before they got here.  

“Oh, I'll help you.”  Yami growled to the man, angered at the fact that this man had startled his more innocent self.  He snatched the knife from the man's bloodied hand and proceeded to stab him repeatedly.  He slashed his neck, stabbed his heart, punctured his lungs; every fatal shot in the book was delivered.  Of course, as a consequence, Yami was covered in even more blood, but at the moment, he didn't care.  

After delivering quite a number of stabs, often repeatedly in the same area, he finally released Amelda's still bleeding body and stood up.  It was time for some quick clean up.  Using his shirt, he wiped his face and hands clean of as much blood that he could get to, before he shoved it in his bag along with the bloodied knife, the cup and the dice, all of which would have his DNA on it.  He pulled out a small container of gasoline from his bag along with some matches, pouring it all over the couch and Amelda's body, before setting both on fire.  The gas would accelerate the flames and obscure any remaining evidence before the cops got here.

He threw his hoodie back on, which covered his bloodied bare upper body and hid his face, and made his way to the window.  He opened it by covering his hand in his hoodie and then stepping out into the fire exit, closing the window behind him.  He didn't want to risk going back through the lobby, in case anyone was out looking for someone suspicious.  Yami successfully made it down the fire escape, but he could hear the police sirens in the distance getting closer.  

“Well, mission accomplished...though I have a feeling Kaiba won't be as happy with this one.”  Yami mused with a chuckle as he made his way back into hiding to avoid the cops.  

Heartland City Police department had been alarmed by the number of calls coming in about some sort of disturbance at a rather high-end hotel.  Apparently, they'd heard some bangs and very loud screaming, and then, shortly afterwards, they had smelt smoke.  The fire detectors had gone on soon after, but sprinklers hadn't managed to put out the gas-fed flames completely.  Ukyou and his team, along with the fire department, were called to the scene to investigate.  The firefighters went in first, trying to douse the flames, and quickly reported back to Ukyou that there was a dead body that was mostly burnt in the room, and that the presence of gasoline suggested that it probably wasn't accidental.  

“Looks like we might have another murder on our hands.  Droite and I will take in the scene with the crime scene techs.  Anna, go to the front desk and find out who was staying in the room, and Gauche, you go to the security footage and see if you can spot anyone suspicious.”  Ukyou ordered to his team.

Anna nodded and was already sprinting off, Gauche following her so he could talk to the manager. From there, Droite watched the two go off and frowned, crossing her arms and trying to think.

“… This murder already feels different.” She muttered

Ukyou frowned.

“It does...the blood on the floor is still warm, and it looks rushed to me.  The couch and body haven't even fully burned.”  The bare-chested body's lower half was mostly intact because the clothes had protected it more from the fire.  It was clear that the body was covered in stab wounds.

“...Is that a scarf?”  Ukyou said with a frown, spotting some partially burnt cloth remains.  

“The cause of death is from the stab wounds, but the guys need to look at the body properly in the lab to get a read on whether the stab wounds were done pre or post-mortem.” Droite looked at the body of Amelda and frowned. “Those are scarves… That’s one… there’s another one. And… a third?” She made a note for someone to go make sure they collected it.

“I don’t like this at all… But I’m not going to jump to conclusions. Let’s get the story straight…” Droite took a few steps back to the door of the room and sat down.

“The fire is centred around that sitting area, and if you look from here, nothing is disturbed past the couch.” She walked closer again and looked around, pausing. “There is one glass on the table, but the bottle is on the other side of the table. That’s not really convenient if you wanted a drink… the killer must have had a glass… Yes. He did. Look, there’s a second coaster set out.” Droite bit her lip and then walked over to the body, trying to see where Amelda was last looking. She followed his body and looked at the opposite arm chair.

“… Oh… what’s this? … There’s bronzer. Right there.” Droite frowned, pointing to the chair where Yami had been sitting.

“Some of those scarves look like they've been slashed up to ribbons...did someone cut them?  I don't see a knife anywhere.”  He quickly told the techs to collect any sharp objects that might've caused the stab wounds or the cutting of the scarves for analysis.  Ukyou frowned, noting that the bottle was some really high quality champagne.

“If he was sharing a cup of champagne with his killer, then they probably knew each other.  There's no sign of forced entry at all.”  Ukyou said.  

“We'll collect a sample of the bronzer.  If the killer was altering his own appearance, maybe the guy didn't know him after all, but thought he did.”  Until it was too late, Ukyou thought.  Anna returned.

“The front desk gave me the information...the guy who was paying for this room was Alister Amelda.  He's the CEO of Industrial Illusions...shit that must mean this might be the same guy who killed the other CEOs we found.”  Anna said.

“Mmm… Indeed…” Droite sighed. This wasn’t the weirdest case, but it wasn’t standard. However, one thing bothered her a lot.

“. . . If there was the murderer and the victim, who was the one who alerted the neighbours? Someone said there was a third scream.” She frowned, ignoring Anna when she burst in with the information, trying to figure out the missing pieces.

“He doesn’t look like he put much of a fight up when he was stabbed, judging how he’s spread out… Maybe…” She looked at the fallen glass and frowned, having a feeling but not sure how to follow it.

“. . . Has Gauche already accessed the security rooms? We can’t see inside the rooms, but even knowing who was in the hallway would be great..."

Ukyou frowned and considered that.

"Well test the scene for any signs of a third person." He reasoned, but from what he could see, there was no evidence of a third party.

"Maybe there was drugs involved?" Anna suggested. Gauche called Ukyou after reviewing the footage.

"Officer Ukyou, someone entered the room in a hoodie that hides their features, and they never came out." Gauche said. Ukyou frowned.

"There's no way he's still here...we searched the whole place. Is there any angle on the camera that shows their face?" Ukyou asked. Gauche frowned.

"No. I can't tell who it is." He cursed.

“What do you mean, they didn’t come out?” Droite frowned. “Did no one leave the room at all? … Or did they go out the fire escape… That’s more likely…” She turned to Anna.

“Drugs might be it… We’ll get that glass and his body examined."

“Nobody left the room through the doors that were monitored by the security cameras.”  Gauche confirmed.  Ukyou nodded.

“I'm sending out a patrol squad to see if we might be able to catch this guy in his retreat...in the meantime, let's pack things up here and do some analysis.”  Ukyou said with a sigh, quickly radioing patrol cars and giving them a description of the perpetrator based on the footage that Gauche had.  It wasn't much, but it was something.  

“Right… The attack was only hours ago. We’ll try make a perimeter, and I’ll have someone check the fire escape outside for more clues.” Droite said.

Unfortunately for the police, Yami had already made it home well before they established their perimeter.  He wasn't in the best of moods as he made his way into the shared 'mess hall' of the building where most of its residents would gather for meals.  He didn't particularly care if anyone saw him, since he figured none of these guys were snitches or anything.

Unfortunately for him, Astral was in the hall by himself. He was reading a book when he bumped into Yami accidentally. “Oh… I’m sorr-“ He started before he stared at the blood-covered man. “What did you do?"

Yami was too busy grumbling to notice Astral and blinked as he bumped into him. He gave him a menacing look, his annoyance clearly on display.

"Played a game...but it was incomplete. I was prevented from finishing the game properly, hence the mess." He said, before smirking and raising a brow.

"Nothing you need to worry about...unless you tell someone that is. Then maybe you'll be my next opponent, hacker." He said, before moving over to the sink and pulling out the bloodied knife to wash it clean of blood.

Astral stared at him and looked at where there was a smear of red on his shirt. He had never seen Yami so pissed before, usually the man was so calm and easy-going. However, he didn’t turn around and head to his room, he instead followed.

“. . . You’re the one murdering CEOs, aren’t you?”

“And what if I am?  What's it to you?”  Yami answered coolly, leaving the knife in the sink to soak in the water for a moment before turning and facing him, crossing his arms.

“Just wondering. I was wondering why, honestly. Do you have a vendetta against them?” Astral said. This whole ordeal reminded him of the Vector case, when Vector was just stealing, way before Astral knew the man.

“No.  I could care less about them.  It's part of a contract given to me by an anonymous benefactor.  Apparently they're the one with the beef.”  Yami said with a casual shrug, clearly not morally opposed to murdering someone for money.  He wasn't about to expose Kaiba though, because if anything happened to that man, he wouldn't get his money after all.

“… So you’re a hit man now? You didn’t seem the type,” He frowned.

Yami chuckled.

“Hey, I gotta earn money somehow right?  Not much work out there for fugitives.  You're still hacking, so you know that.  Don't worry though.  I don't go risking myself like that for nothing...I'm not some cheap hire, so I don't do this often.”  Yami mused.

“. . . Just don’t jeopardise the rest of us with your work.” Astral frowned, crossing his arms. “Some of us want to have lives after leaving this place”

“I won't, don't worry.  I have plans too, after all, so I won't be caught.”  Yami reasoned.  He pulled the knife out of the sink, drying it casually now that it was clean.

“Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a shower.”  He said, walking past Astral with a grin.

Astral stared after him, terrified of his life but keeping a level face. Only after he was out of view did he return to his room, rubbing his temples.

“If I didn’t feel safe here before, I definitely don’t now..."

Yami was completely calm as he showered and changed.  Despite the fact that Astral knew what he'd done, Yami was also confident that there was no way Astral would tell anyone.  He cared too much about his future to risk being caught by the police.  

-x-

After working for the rest of the night on the information, and by morning, there was new results in.

“We didn't get enough DNA from the bronzer to indicate much more than the perpetrator was male.”  Anna growled, dissappointed in that lead.

“But there's plenty of evidence for drug use...the body was full of some sort of powerful drug-cocktail.  It's a very unique blend...possibly home-made by the killer himself.”  Ukyou mused.  

“But the ingredients are very distinctive. They’re actually the same as the drugs that the group on the next floor confiscated a few days ago. There’s apparently some market for these at the docks.” Droite said, pulling her hair back. “It’s very interesting. The perpetrator must have had a lot of pharmaceutical experience.”

“I smell a stakeout!”  Anna called, determined to catch this killer.  Ukyou nodded.

“Of course...it's possible that he'll go restock eventually.  We know the killer brought the drugs on his own because there were traces in the glass, but not in the bottle of champagne itself.  It wasn't an accidental high...and the drugs alone didn't kill him, but would've induced powerful hallucinations.”  Ukyou said.  Gauche scowled at the results.

“Forensics say that many of the angles of the slash marks were self-inflicted, but the most fatal shots were delivered by the killer himself.  No sharp instruments were found that matched the marks...they were all made by the same blade, which the killer probably took with him.”  Gauche said.  This had been an absolutely brutal murder in his eyes.

Droite sighed, shaking her head, wishing she could smile at Anna’s behaviour.

“… So we need to find out when the next trade will be. Go upstairs and ask the others who are working on the drug case, see if they have any leads. With any luck, we can assist them and get to staking out sooner rather than later.” Droite frowned.

“There’s still something bothering me about this case…”

“I'll do it!”  Anna volunteered, rushing upstairs to ask the guys.  Ukyou nodded.

“The forensics were able to find smaller traces on the other two bodies of the same drug, but due to the level of decay and damage to those bodies, they weren't able to establish its chemical makeup.  It seems the killer was a little bit rushed this time, for some reason.”  Ukyou noted.  Gauche frowned.

“What if it was that third party that screamed?  Is that what's bugging you Droite?”  He asked.

“Yes… Does seem so.” Droite frowned. Gauche looked at his partner as Droite sat down, trying to collect herself. “. . . We all know only one person was booked for that room. Cameras show that the murderer entered after Amelda did… but at no point did that third person ever enter that room. People definitely heard a voice, but they also heard dying screams afterwards. Whoever alerted everyone definitely wasn’t Mr. Alister.”

She frowned. “They were too high up in the hotel for someone to just look through the window… so why is there a missing piece of the puzzle?"

“There was no evidence in the room that suggested a third party had been present.  No body, no trail, nothing.”  Ukyou said.  He sighed.

“I'm sure the missing puzzle piece will be revealed in time.  For now, we have to focus on catching the killer.  Then, perhaps they can explain.”  

“Right… So we wait for Anna then, and continue examining the evidence, profiling as many people as we can.” Droite said.

“The list of suspects will be tricky,” Gauche frowned. “Mr. Alister was renowned for his good works and charity. There are not many people who would want him dead. He didn’t make enemies, he was a charmer, blah blah yada yada."

“There were rumors that he was cheating on his wife...could she have arranged something maybe?”  Droite suggested, even though she didn't quite believe that herself.

“Maybe, but that doesn't explain the other two.  They were faithful, and the only thing all three victims had in common was their status...I think we're looking more at competition.  Which companies rival their own?”  Ukyou asked.

“KaibaCorp, for sure.  And the other two in the Big 5, and LDS.  They're all rivals...and all potentially targets.  We should alert their CEOs of this threat.”  Droite said.

“It could be competition or just someone really has a vendetta against CEOs. That’s not the weirdest case we’ve done,” Gauche grunted.

“True.  But either way, we'll have to speak to the other CEOs, both as suspects and potential future targets.”  Ukyou said with a sigh.  Suddenly Anna returned.

“I went up the drugs division, and they told me the next exchange is later this week...but there's someone here at the front desk who says he might have some information on Mr. Alister's killer...”  Anna said.  Ukyou frowned.

“We'll talk to him.  Droite, you're with me.  Anna and Gauche, keep working on a potential suspect list and see if you can arrange the stakeout.”  He said, before heading out to the front desk to meet whoever had come.

Droite nodded and she got up, heading down the stairs. At the reception, there was a tanned, blonde, Egyptian man, who was well built, wearing a black jacket and a motorbike vest. He looked relieved when he saw some police officers.

“Hello… I’m Ishtar Malik. Thank you for meeting me on such short notice.” He said politely

Droite took in the man standing before him.  He had tanned skin, which reminded her of the bronzer at first, but then she realized that this man couldn't be their perpetrator.  He was too tall.  Security footage had shown their suspect was actually below average height.  She smiled politely in return, letting Ukyou shake his hand and address him.

“Thank you for coming by.  We always welcome public information regarding cases.  Please, come right this way.”  Ukyou said, inviting the man into the interrogation room.

“We're going to record the conversation, just so that we can go over any valuable information later.”  Ukyou said, sitting across from Malik.  Droite stood behind Ukyou.

“So, what brings you here?”  He asked, wanting Malik to explain.

Malik followed in and he nodded. He had no issue with that. He put his bike helmet on the table and frowned, waiting for the recording to start.

“Well, I heard on the radio that Alistar Amelda was murdered. I wanted to talk about him, because I think someone tried to use my name to kill him.”

Ukyou's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“Use your name?  What do you mean by that?  What was your relationship with Mr. Alister?”  He asked, curious.  

“I’m not proud of it, but I was… his ‘relief’ when he had a stressful day with his wife.” Malik said, hoping he didn’t have to explain further. He wasn’t technically a prostitute… he just… kind of slept with men on occasion when he wasn’t working in his sister’s museum or keeping his brothers out of trouble.

“I mean though, that I’m good friends with him. My brother, Rishid, told me that someone was asking about me and my relationship with Amelda last week, around the docks. I didn’t pay it any mind at the time, but I’m sure that they wanted to either impersonate me or, more likely, just tell Amelda they were going to care for him while I was working or whatever.”

Both Ukyou and Droite were able to catch the hint.  They'd heard the rumors, and weren't too surprised that they were confirmed.  Ukyou frowned at the second part.

“Did your brother tell me who this person was?  Or even, what they looked like?”  Ukyou asked, curious.  

“Were you scheduled to meet with Amelda at some point soon?”  Droite asked, wanting to see if the killer had substituted himself for Malik.

“No, he didn’t tell me at all. I don’t think he knew who was asking the questions either, sorry.” Malik frowned. He just knew that person was around the docks, and he usually never was there unless it was picking up something for the museum.

“We were supposed to meet up last night, but I got caught up at home at the last minute. Some idiot broke into the museum, so my sister and I had to go investigate. I tried to call Amelda to cancel but he didn’t respond, so I texted him.” But Amelda always put his phone off during a session anyway.

“Hmm...is there any way we could talk to him and confirm that?”  Ukyou asked.  Droite nodded.

“What time were you supposed to meet Mr. Alister last night?”  She asked, wanting to check if the killer was really impersonating Malik.  They had a time stamp on when their suspect entered the building.

“I could call him. He’s not working for another couple of hours, or I can give you his number.” Malik said. He wanted to help the police as much as he could, wanting his friend’s murderer to pay.

“It was pretty early. When he got off work and after he got something to eat…so 8:30-9pm. Around there.”

“That would be great, thanks.”  Ukyou said with a smile.  Droite nodded at the second answer.  She and Ukyou both knew that that fit the time frame of the murder.  The perp had been in the building by 8:30pm for sure.  He probably was impersonating Malik.

“Since you were close to Mr. Alister, perhaps you can tell us if there's anyone in particular you think might want him dead?”  

“His wife is sleeping with someone else, so she and Amelda are not on that bad terms- they’re in mutual understanding…” Malik needed a moment. “LDS is new here, and Amelda never really knew them, but KaibaCorp and the Big 5 always hated Industrial Illusions even before he got into power.”

Otherwise… I’m not sure. I don’t really know his past. Sorry.” He frowned. He really didn’t know a lot about Amelda… and it hadn’t sunk in yet that he never would.

Ukyou listened to Malik essentially confirm for them what they'd already guessed in terms of suspects.  

“That's fine, Malik.  Thank you for sharing.  If you remember anything else, please don't hesitate to come by or call us.”  Ukyou said.  

“Right…” He was fine for now… it would probably hit him in a few days though. “Do you still need my brother’s number, officers?”

“Yes, that would be great.”  Ukyou said, taking the number down.  

“Thank you for your time.”  

The man went to get a page from his notebook and wrote the number. He handed it to Ukyou and got up.

“You’re welcome..."

They showed Malik out, before returning to talk about things.

“Well, it seems the killer did his homework.  He found the best possible time to catch Mr. Alister alone.  He probably did similar things with the other two victims.”  Ukyou said with a sigh.  

“Which explains why no one knew they were missing… He’s not the third person though.” Droite frowned.

“No...he wasn't.  I'll talk to his brother and see if we can get something more concrete from him.  We may have to investigate in the Underground too in order to figure out who's digging for information about these guys.”  Ukyou said.

“Mmm… Send Anna out. We need to get as much info by next week, preferably before the raid.” Droite said.

"Maybe it'd be better if I went." Ukyou said. He knew how Anna could be aggressive and often had trouble blending into her surroundings.

“… Fair point. Gauche is like that too,” She grimaced at the memory of one case where Gauche got kicked in the crotch and she had to pull him away. “I’ll watch the ‘kids’ while you’re out. We’ll have something on your desk by the time you get back.”

Ukyou nodded.

"Thanks Droite. I'll be back as soon as I can." He said. He got rid of his uniform so he could go undercover. He then headed out in his own personal car instead of a police cruiser.

It had been a tough week for Chris, not because of work, but because of the situation at home. Now that Haruto was so fragile, Chris had been home more to help out, since Kaito couldn’t and Orbital had to help Kaito himself. He had been juggling between the bros, and now he found that he was out of groceries and Kaito’s medication. Once again, Kaito had neglected himself for Kaito.

After telling Kaito he was going out, the man put on his long coat and headed off the downtown district. Things were cheaper down there, and he knew a few of Thomas’ old friends to get him a discount, if he was lucky.

The tired man got the groceries first, since he had to wait for Thomas’ buddies. So by the time Ukyou came, Chris was walking down the road, not watching where he was going.

Ukyou was wandering the same cheap district, mind mulling over the facts of the case. It was a complicate and dangerous one...and suddenly he was walking smack into someone.

"Oh gosh I'm sorry." Ukyou exclaimed, eyes widening as he spotted one of the most beautiful men he'd ever seen. He couldn't help but stare in awe.

The groceries clattered to the floor and the bump knocked Chris back a bit. He was taller than Ukyou, but he was much thinner and he wasn’t particularly strong, unlike the officer. His hair fanned out as he staggered, showcasing him like opening curtains, and his cheeks were red from embarrassment.

“No, no, I should have seen where I was going.” Chris said, kneeling down and grabbing the fruit and the rolling off the ground. “Sorry.”

Ukyou was awed by the man's gorgeous hair, watching it fan out around his pale skinned face and piercing blue eyes. He quickly managed to snap himself out of it as the man spoke and moved to help him pick things up.

"That makes two of us...I hope the fruit didn't bruise." Ukyou said.

“It’s fine. It doesn’t look that bad.” He said. He hurried to pick everything up, long, slender, smooth hands darting around, almost brushing Ukyou a couple of times. “Are you okay though?”

Ukyou had tried very hard not to flinch or react in any way that indicated his attraction to this man while their hands almost brushed, even though the brief contact left tingles in his skin.  

“Oh, yes, of course I'm fine.  Thank you.”  Ukyou said, smiling at Chris.  Not wanting to distract himself, he quickly turned his thoughts back to his job, and realized that Chris didn't look like the type of person to hang around this lower end district very often.  It made him wonder what he was doing here...obviously he wasn't their suspect because he was too tall, but he did stand out with his respectable air.  

“...If you don't mind me asking...what brings you to this end of town?  You don't seem the type to come here often.”  Ukyou asked, keeping his voice casual.

Chris smiled as he put everything away and stood back up. “Ah… Well, groceries and meeting some family friends, really. I don’t come here often though… you have a good eye to pick that up. And here I thought I dressed down.”

“Are you meeting those friends now, since you already got groceries, or did you already see them?”  He asked.  Ukyou was intrigued by the comment on family friends.  That meant Chris had a way to get close to people who lived here, potentially.  That could be valuable to help get him in touch with them, if Chris was willing to help him that is.

“Ah well, it's part of my job description.  You have to have sharp eyes.  It's not that you didn't dress the part, it's that your general disposition seems not to fit with this place.”  He mused.

“Meeting them now. They have my friend’s medication, so I’m just picking it up and going home,” Chris smiled.

“Job? Hm? I see. Interesting profession you must have then.” Chris mused, smiling lightly.

“Your family friends sell medication?”  Ukyou asked, definitely curious now.  They could be drug dealers or something...whether they were legal or not didn't matter so much as whether they could tell him about their customers.  If they were legal sellers, in this part of town, they probably knew exactly who their illegal competition was.  He shrugged slightly.

“It keeps me busy.  Just got a brief break for now, though.”  He said.

“Yes, they work at the local pharmacy. I like going here to meet with them, since we don’t meet often” Chris said honestly.

“Must be nice. Just passing through?”

“I was just looking for a pharmacy actually...I don't know this end of town often enough to know where it is.”  Ukyou said smoothly.  

“Since we're both going in the same direction, we can walk together and get better acquainted?”  Ukyou offered hopefully.  He really did like this man, and with this idea, he could both do his job and get to know him.

Chris smiled and turned, his hair hiding his shy blush. He hadn’t been hit on since high school, and he had spent so much time in the lab that he had neglected the world of dating. But this cute, and somewhat familiar(?) man made him feel all fluttery, and it was just so surreal to Chris.

“I’m sure I can allow that,” Chris said, equally as smoothly, leading the way.

“I'm glad.”  Ukyou said with a smile as they began walking.  

“My name is Kitano Ukyou.  What's yours?”  He asked.  

The name seemed familiar to Chris as well, but he couldn’t quite place his finger on it. “Arclight. Christopher Arclight. Pleasure to meet you."

“The pleasure is mine.”  Ukyou said with a smile.  He didn't consider himself very good at this...he hadn't even flirted with anyone since his wife died tragically before he started his work on the force.  He had pretty much resigned himself to the fact that he probably wouldn't ever meet anyone whom he could love like he had her.  But, meeting Chris reminded him that he could at least be attracted to someone else.  

“Your name sounds familiar though...I swear I have heard it somewhere.  Or at least your last name...”  Ukyou pondered aloud.

“Hm? Well, my father and I work at Heartland Industries. So perhaps you’ve heard of our research.” Chris said as they headed down the block. “It’s still in development, but we’ve put our discoveries in journals a few times.

“Oh, yes, I do remembering hearing about that.  So you're a scientist.  What do you work with?”  He asked, wondering if Chris did biological experiments, or maybe chemical ones.

“I assist my father with physics, space and quantum relative theory, but on my own, I specialise in biochemical engineering.” Chris said

Biochemical engineering...that was interesting.  Once more, Ukyou's mind was thrown back into the case.  Their perp was a little bit of an engineer when it came to making his own drug cocktails.  Ukyou smiled though.

“Sounds like you're an intelligent man.  That's good to know.”  He said.

“And if I was otherwise?” Chris was happy to know that constantly snarking with Kaito had plenty of real world application. “You’re interrogating me all, and you haven’t said anything bout yourself. Care to share?”

“It doesn't change the fact that you're very handsome.”  Ukyou said boldly with a small hint of a blush, before blinking and shaking his head.

“Sorry.  I blame my own job on that...I'm a police officer.  I do interrogations for a living.”  He said with a small chuckle.  

And that, Chris was not prepared for. He caught his own breath and his face went really red. “Ah… A police officer? I see. I have a friend who’s a retired officer. I should have guessed” Chris said, stopping in front of the pharmacy.

“Oh, do you?  Maybe I know them.  I've been on the force for awhile.”  Ukyou said, before stopping when Chris did.  

“Shall we go in?”  He asked, holding the door open for Chris with his arms full of groceries.

“You probably do, but he’s been trying to lay low lately because of illness. I’m sure you understand,” Chris said, not really wanting to talk about Kaito. He didn’t really trust his own mouth at this stage.

“Alright…” And in he went, going to the counter to get the prescription meds.

“Ah yes, of course.  Illness and recovery can be hard on a person.”  Ukyou said, sympathizing because of Kaito, ironically.  Ukyou followed, waiting behind Chris while the man made his purchases.  He would talk to the pharmacist when Chris was finished.

It was a quick exchange, even though the man at the counter grinned and told Chris to give Thomas his regards. After a few minutes, the smirking Fubuki turned to look at Ukyou.

“Can I help you?” The man smiled.

“Maybe you can.”  Ukyou said, approaching with a smile.  

“I was wondering if you, or someone else you know, sells any of these drugs.”  Ukyou asked, showing the man a list of the drugs found in the drug-cocktail.

The man blinked and frowned. “Um… Sir? Most of these are illegal to hand out without a prescription… or flat out illegal"

“I'm aware.”  Ukyou said, showing the man his badge.  

“I'm investigating a case where someone is combining these drugs together to make their own personal cocktail.  I'm sure as a pharmacist you can guess how harmful their effects can be, so I need to know who has a prescription for these, and also where someone who doesn't might find them.”  

Fubuki’s smile disappeared and he frowned, taking the list. He tilted his head, trying to think about the list. He checked on the computer as well before he started marking them. “I can give you certain ones, but this half is common. The other half? Well… smuggling, I guess. Or taking it directly from the factory”

Ukyou considered this.  It was possible that the criminal had been buying at least the more common drugs from the pharmacy legally.  But, if they were common, surely that wouldn't help reduce their suspect list.  He nodded.  He knew that the drugs weren't manufactured in Heartland factories, so that only left smuggling.

“Any place around here where people are known to smuggle drugs?”

“Aren’t you the police officers? Docks, I’d think. Usually Thursday nights at around 11? I don’t know. I’m not in that sort of loop.” Fubuki shrugged.

“Of course.”  Ukyou said, dismissing that.

“I need the names of anyone who has a prescription for these drugs and bought any this week from your pharmaceutical records.”  

“Oh… okay. I need the conformational papers, but I can prep them still while you get those” The brunette said.

“Um… I need to go home, Ukyou. Do you mind if I leave first?” Chris said, looking unsure and a bit awkward watching Ukyou work.

“Sure.”  Ukyou hadn't really realized that Chris would stay to wait for him.  He glanced over at him, and smiled apologetically.

“Sorry, Chris.  Of course, go ahead.  Thank you for showing me this place.”  He said with a smile.  

“Ah… It’s not a problem.” Chris gave him a little smile and waved. “Maybe I’ll see you around. Goodbye.” He took his things and left, sighing. Well… that was an interesting experience.

Ukyou waved back.

“I hope so.  Goodbye.”  He said, before turning back to get what he needed from the pharmacist.  After he'd gotten it, he left to do some more little bits of snooping.  He, like many other cops, knew that certain bars in the Underground had more information than others.  He could talk to the bartenders and get some information.  That was why he wandered into the bar owned by Yubel and her brother Judai, both of whom were good sources of information in the past for undercover cops.  Ukyou was lucky, since both were on duty at the moment.  He approached the counter and waited for one of them to approach him.

Judai immediately recognised the cop, but instead of panicking, he coolly picked up a cardboard box and headed to the back, as if he needed to do something. Yubel rolled her eyes, and the old woman sauntered up, gesturing to one of her younger charges to back off. Yubel was well into her eighties but she looked rather fit for her ages, the only indication she was old being her plethora of wrinkles and her silvery hair. She dressed modestly but still in a rather modern way.

“Can I get you?” The older Yuki asked.

“I'm looking for someone who's known for distributing or obtaining these.”  Ukyou said, sliding the paper over to Yubel casually.  He didn't even realize the younger one had disappeared into the back and didn't particularly care, as long as one of the Yukis was here to answer him.

“. . . Ugh. . . What kind of poison are you looking for that sir? No good establishment would sell any of those,” Yubel frowned, looking at the list. “And why do you have 251-NBOMe on that list? That’s dangerous hallucinogenic stuff…”

“Of course not, but I still need to find someone who does.  People have died because of these drugs...especially the hallucinogenic ones.”  Ukyou said, casually turning the corner of the list up so that Yubel could see the small glint of green hidden underneath the sheet on the table.  He knew that the information never was free in this place, and he didn't mind paying, since Yubel was reliable.

That was more like it. The old woman smirked as she picked the sheet up, sweeping the note into her sleeve without anyone noticing. She skimmed the list again and was about to say something when she paled, seeing the very last ingredient.

“… scopolamine. If you have that, why do you need any of the rest of these ingredients? Why is that even in Japan?”

Ukyou watched her skim the list.  He frowned.  

“All of these ingredients are part of a drug cocktail.  There wasn't much scopolamine in it...it was mostly hallucinogenic substances.  Either way, I need to know where they came from here.”  

“It’s not common at all, but do you even know what this can do?” Yubel scowled. “This isn’t used in the underground, we’d know about that. It is the transmitter of poisons. You can make anyone do whatever you want.” Yubel scowls. “it’s the perfect drug for criminal acts. But it should only be in Columbia… So it has to be someone with access to all of it…”

Ukyou frowned.  He'd heard stories...but he wasn't quite sure if he could believe that there was such a drug that could cancel out someone's free will.  That was frightening.  He knew there were immigrants who were drug dealers, for sure, who might have had access to those drugs.  But the even more frightening question was why had the criminal decided to mix that drug into a cocktail, when on its own, it was probably just as effective?   Maybe they didn't have enough of it?  

“So, you don't know if that one is in Heartland...but what about the others?”  He asked.  If they found the others, they might find the scopolamine too.

“I can give you the links to 251-NBOMe. Dangerous, illegal, but ridiculously synthetic. I’ll give you whoever I can…” Yubel scowled. “This city is messed up without the drugs. I’ll give you a few more contacts as well and some names…”

“That'd be much appreciated, thank you.  We'll do what we can to get rid of them.”  Ukyou promised.

“You should talk to the victims too. There are years worth of side effects from a pure stroke of that mixture, they’ll need help” Yubel frowned. “Some people won’t have the same honour I have. So many people would kill others for that drug at lower districts of Heartland. Be careful."

“… One more thing… I’ve given you contacts, but I can give you someone who’s been working on this lately."

Ukyou nodded.

“We'll help the victims however we can.  Thank you very much for your help.”  Ukyou didn't tell her that so far, their only known victims had been killed.  If they did find someone alive who'd been exposed, they'd help them, guaranteed.  He'd been about to leave with the contacts when Yubel stopped him.

“Oh?  And who is that?”  He asked.

“Her PI name is Mai Valentine. Kukaju Mai is her real name.” Yubel pointed to the paper where the address was. “She’s been doing 251-NBOMe and other drug tracking for years, focusing on mapping out gangs and activities that use it. She may be of some use. She’s a professional at her work.”

That name did sound vaguely familiar to Ukyou.  He knew he could use all the help he could get at the moment, so he accepted the address and information.  

“I'll definitely talk to her then.  Thank you, Yubel.”  Ukyou said, getting up, satisfied with the information he'd gotten.  He'd head back to the force and share it with the others, and then look into this woman who had apparently been studying the drugs for awhile.

“Stay safe, sir… You know how it goes…” Yubel sighed and went back to work, feeling a dark feeling sink into her stomach. If this was Columbia, or anywhere else the drug was native too, it would be game over already. Hopefully, the officers still had a chance to eliminate the threat before it started.

-x-

As Ukyou made his way back to the station, Kaito was waiting at home with his still weak brother.  He'd gotten Chris to go get a refill on their medications, and was waiting for him to come back...but today he seemed to be taking longer than usual.  Kaito wondered if something had happened.

Thankfully, Chris didn’t hold up much longer. He was quick to head home, and call out to the older of the Tenjos.

“I’m home, Kaito.” He said, coming to the kitchen. “Sorry I’m late, I was held up."

Kaito came downstairs slowly with Orbital's help.  Haruto was sleeping soundly in his room for now, so he was safe.  

“Held up by what?”  Kaito asked as he entered the kitchen.

“Well… On my way to the pharmacy, my things got knocked over by a police officer. So I was kind of caught up with him.” Chris was very much thankful that Kaito couldn’t see his blush at the moment, because thinking of the handsome, bespectacled man was making his cheeks rosy..

“A police officer knocked you over?”  Kaito repeated.  Surely that would've only taken a couple of minutes...not half an hour.

“What happened after the policeman knocked you over?  If you just fell down, he probably would've helped you up and sent you on your way...that wouldn't delay you half an hour.”  Kaito reasoned.

“Oh… I showed him to the pharmacy I was going to and we talked… I must have been distracted. I didn’t know it was half an hour, sorry…” Chris said, starting to unpack the food, wincing as he saw the bruised apples.

“. . . He was very nice…. a very interesting man. I wonder if you know him, Kaito. He said his name was Kitano Ukyou..."

Kaito raised an eyebrow in both amusement and curiosity.  

“That doesn't sound like you Chris...you're usually always on top of things.”  He said, teasing slightly.  But his amused face morphed into shock as he heard the name.  

“Ukyou?  You walked Superintendent Ukyou to the pharmacy?”  Kaito repeated in surprise.

Chris laughed along with him and then raised an eyebrow.

“That name… Oh. So I have talked to him before. He was here at our house, back when you first got sick years ago.” Well, back then he had his hair up was sleep deprived. Now he was only slightly less so. “I guess so… glasses and auburn hair, right?"

“Yeah that's him.  I'm not too surprised he helped you...why'd he walk you to the pharmacy anyway?”  Kaito asked.  He knew Ukyou was nice and all...but he hadn't known that Ukyou swung that way.  Was it just because he was being nice, or was he interested in Chris?

“He seemed to be doing a case.” Chris said, honestly. “He started talking to the pharmacist after that. I waited but then decided to leave and come home."

“Hmm...interesting.”  Kaito mused, his policeman mind wondering what sort of drug-bust they were doing this time.  He nodded.

“Well, it sounds like you had fun anyway.”  He said with a smirk.

Chris coughed loudly, trying to hide his embarrassment. “It was an interesting outing, but I suppose we won’t meet again. He probably won’t recognise me if we do, he didn’t that time.” He said, calming himself

The loud coughing only alerted Kaito to the man's embarrassment even more.  He chuckled.

“You never know...he might pop by this place for a visit and recognize you.”  He mused.

“Now you’re being cruel, Kaito.” Chris said, putting his things away. “Now that I think I recall him mentioning a passed on spouse… his wife. Besides, I’m too busy with work and you two. I shouldn’t be trying to press into a relationship”

“Yeah.  He lost his wife before he even joined the force...as far as I know, he never hooked up with anyone since.”  Kaito said.  He shrugged.

“Ukyou's a nice guy.  I think you two would get along well.”  He said.

“Even if as a friend, perhaps…” Chris said, unable to help but feel like he had butterflies in his stomach. “We’ll see if we cross paths again."

“Yeah.  Nothing to do but wait and see.”  Kaito mused with a smirk.

“… Here are your meds… How’s Haruto doing?” Chris said, returning to a more serious note

Kaito accepted them and put out his dose for the day, moving to the cupboard to grab a glass to down them with.  He sighed as he filled it up.

“He's still weak...going to Ponta's house tired him out, like I thought it would...”  He said softly.  Even though Haruto had taken it easy, it was still too much.

“. . . Has he gotten worse from the outing?” Chris asked, frowning as he sat down

“Not really...he just has no energy.  He's been sleeping all the time, and barely says a word when he wakes up.”  Kaito said softly.  He took his own medication, slamming the cup down on the table.

“....And there's not a damn thing I can do about it....”  He said, biting his lip in frustration.

“Kaito, calm down… I know it’s difficult, but beating yourself up won’t do anything about it.” Chris sighed. “We both knew this would come eventually…”

Kaito sighed deeply, trying to calm himself.

“...I know.  I know that...”  But he'd kept trying to put it off.  Tell himself that Haruto stil had tons of time...that he'd be the miraculous survivor of this fatal disease.  He took the second bottle, meant for Haruto.

“I'll go wake him up so he can take his medication...”  Kaito said softly, heading upstairs with Orbital.

“Right…” Chris knew better than to take it off Kaito. He sighed and began cleaning the house, elated mood suddenly gone as he settled back into the routine. Haruto was sleeping away as per normal, just as sick and pale as ever. Nothing had changed...

Kaito entered the room quietly regardless, and approached the bed.  He set the water and medicine on the table carefully, then gently pet Haruto's hair.

“Haruto...wake up.  It's time for your medication...”  He said.

“Nghhh…” Haruto shifted in bed, whimpering lightly, like a wounded animal. “Don’t want to, Nii-san…”

“Haruto, you have to take it...it'll help you.”  Kaito said softly.  It killed him inside to see his baby brother like this.

“That’s what you said last time…”Haruto mumbled, hiding his face. He was tired, and he just… didn’t feel like it. “… Sleep…”

“You can sleep as much as you want after you take the medicine, Haruto...come on.”  Kaito said, gently trying to coax his brother into an upright position so he could take the pills.

Haruto groaned but rolled into his brother’s arms. “W-why… It… still hurts. I don’t… feel better when I take them..."

Kaito held his brother, gently passing him the pills.

“They let you sleep without pain...”  Kaito said softly.  Otherwise, Haruto would never get rest.

“Then why don’t I just not wake up?” Haruto would have never said that to his brother if he was fully awake, but tired and slightly delirious, he didn’t really have control over his mouth. He didn’t say much more, just taking the pills and looking for water.

Kaito knew his brother wasn't quite himself anymore...it was this stupid disease.  But that comment still hurt.  He managed to pass the water to Haruto and watched him take it.  He hugged him gently after the younger one swallowed.

“I love you, Haruto...”  He said softly.

He swallowed and hugged his brother back as he could. “I… love you too, Nii-san…”

Kaito could only smile sadly and try not to cry as he held his precious baby brother.  Thankfully the hug made it so that Haruto couldn't really see his face, and even if he could, he probably wouldn't have been able to focus on it too well.  He gently pet his brother's hair.

“I know you do, Haruto.”  

“I don’t want you to be sad anymore… Nii-san…” Haruto said, rolling so he could bury his face back into Kaito’s chest

Kaito's breath hitched the tiniest bit.  As usual, his brother could see right through him, even with the drugs and the pain.  He sighed.  

“...I'll try not to be, for your sake...”  He said softly, holding his brother close.

“Promise?” Haruto said, wincing before a wave of violent coughs overtook him, forcing him too cough until his throat was sore and eyes watered.

Kaito held onto him as he coughed, hating that sound and hating how he was powerless to help his baby brother's illness.  

“Yes.  I promise.”  Kaito said as firmly as he was able to, rubbing his brother's back as his coughing calmed.

“I don’t want it to hurt anymore… or you to be sad…” Haruto muttered, barely able to speak much more than a small child. “I love you too much, Nii-san."

“I know...I don't want you hurting anymore either.”  Kaito said softly, petting Haruto's hair and holding him close.  

“I'll be fine, Haruto...don't worry about me.”  He said softly.

Haruto smiled and closed his eyes, going back to sleep with a small sigh.

----

Part 25: [x]

[pyrachan]

Fifty year old Yusei and his fifty-seven year old boyfriend Judai from the Fearcops!AU. Looking good for a bunch of geezers.

[eleanorose123]

oh right i forgot to make this post a month ago *ahem*

ATTENTION ANYONE WHO ENJOYED ZEXAL

first off, hi, how are you, hope you're doing well, and second

DO I HAVE A HELL OF AN AU FOR YOU~

If you really miss spending hours with Zexal, but want a new experience to the series, may I suggest the Fearcops!AU to you~

Created by the talented linked minds of Yaminoamber (the lovely amv queen) and Pyrachan (satan's personal writer), Fearcops is an modern like AU of our beloved series and showcases multiple different subplots that are ultimately make up the main story. The "Fear" comes from the first introduced ship of Fearshipping (Huntshipping now) and the "cops" comes from the fact Astral's a hacker and Kaito's a police officer, as is other characters like Takashi, Ukyou, Droite, Gauche, and more.

But Fear/Huntshipping isn't the only ship in this AU! Along with the titled pair there's also Yuma and Ryoga being a happy couple, Kotori and Alit being practically married, and a lovestruck Takashi falling for his fellow worker in the police field, Shingetsu. Yeah you can guess what happens with that.

This AU is chock full to the brim of characters from the series all interacting in some way and interesting relationships and plots to match. Never before have I read a fanfiction so detailed and researched for the accuracy portrayed in this wonderful world of crime and punishment.

Trigger warnings for this AU does include rape and physical abuse as many characters go through immensely difficult situations during the progression of the fic. It's a highly emotional roller coaster that has left me screaming into cushions more than once, I can say. 

But! It's something that will not leave you bored! Every update takes me on average one hour minimum to read, so it's not an easy fic to flip through! But I do really recommend this AU for those who want to resee your favorite Zexal characters in a new situation.

Part 1 is here, and the rest of the parts can be located under "Astral/Kaito Cop AU" here.

So go ahead! Start the Fearcops adventure today!

(art drawn by katkid10 and colored by myself)