Disclaimer: I don't own Get Backers, blah blah blah… (applies to all future chapters)

Chapter 1

Title: When questions are asked, don't expect answers

Rating: K

Summary: Ban knows Ginji, but does Ginji know Ban? Trust can only get you so far, and when some secrets aren't meant to be kept, will their bond break? Ban's tired of running, and when he finds that he's falling for the one person he can never have, what will he do? Ginji can't take no for an answer, however. Can he get his partner back before it's too late?

Disclaimer: I don't own Get Backers, blah blah blah… (applies to all future chapters)

A/N: This is mostly from the anime, because I still have to buy the manga. I did a little bit of research in wiki, but I may have changed some things to suit the story, so this is a little bit AU.

WARNINGS: This is Ginji/Ban. It's yaoi, shounen ai, whatever you want to call it, and it will eventually have two people getting it on. I will attempt to handle it tastefully, but I'm not making any promises.

/blah/ means that it's in English, okay?

Ginji walked out of Mougenjou. He smiled, thinking that it was becoming a habit. Spiky black hair caught his eye, and it occurred to him that every time he walked out of Infinity City, Ban was there beside him.

"Oi, what are you looking at?"

Ban looked irritated to Ginji. Heh, maybe he shouldn't have stared… The electric teen smiled guilelessly at his partner. He was suddenly glad of the fact that Ban was close enough to sling an arm around. Ginji felt like he would collapse right then and there, and he didn't want to worry Kadsu-chan and the others. Somehow, he knew Ban was going to worry either way.

"I was just thinking how, every time I leave Mougenjou, you're there, Ban-chan!"

It was a frivolous comment, given without thought, but it ignited a spark of interest, and Ginji's long time comrades began firing questions at Ban. Ginji felt a little bit of irritation at his friends. What were they thinking? Ban had just been dragged to hell and back, again, on his (he knew Ban went for his sake. That kind of made him feel all warm and tingly inside) account and this was how they paid him back? Didn't they trust Ban by now? What did they want to do, drive Ban away with their questions? (even though he kind of wanted a few of them answered himself.)

Come on, guys. He's not just anybody. He's my partner!

"Ne, Ban-san, why were you in Mougenjou? I don't believe you've ever told us."

Kadsuki was the one to ask, but Ban was looking at Ginji when he answered. His blue eyes were cold, distant. Ginji hated seeing Ban's eyes like that. Kadsu-chan was his friend and all, but at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to throttle the Thread Master for asking such an insensitive question.

It wasn't that he didn't want to know, it was just that Ban had never asked him prying questions about his past, and he thought it would be impolite not to do the same.

"It doesn't concern you, Yarn Ball. Stay out of it."

Ban said it in a casual manner, so no one reacted. It was typical Ban, after all. But Ginji heard it, heard the subtle 'Don't go there' tone in his partner's voice. He didn't like that tone, the tone that reminded him he didn't know nearly as much about Ban as he would have liked.

Ginji didn't want to do it, but he wanted to save Ban from further questions, seeing as no one noticed that Ban was kind of favoring one side, and that he was kind of pale too. Well, he was always pale, but only Ginji noted that he was paler than was usual. Or healthy. Ginji let himself stumble and fall onto the pavement, almost bringing Ban with him.

"Ginji! Daijobu ka?!" Ginji wished he could remove the worry in Ban's voice. He also wished he hadn't fallen so hard.

Ginji insisted that he was fine, letting the former Volts members fuss over him until he was sure that the matter of Ban's past had been dropped. Then Ginji turned tare then latched on to Ban's arm. The Serpent Bearer summarily shook Tare-Ginji off then glared at him. Ginji's eyes watered. Ban-chan never glared him! Not like that!

Before he could ask Ban about it, The brunette got into their Subaru 360. Ginji didn't even notice that they had gotten this far, or that the others had already gone their separate ways. Ginji wanted to pout. He didn't get to say goodbye!

"Get in already. I'm taking you to that free clinic nearby, before your injuries start festering and we have to spend some real money on hospital bills."

Former topic temporarily forgotten, Ginji's eyes widened into saucers as he climbed into the passenger seat of Ban's car. Thank god it was still there. Knowing his partner's penchant for parking where he shouldn't, the bleached blonde was kind of surprised that Ms. Ladybug was still there.

"There's a free clinic nearby? Honto ni, Ban-chan?"

A tall blonde woman showed them in. Ban saw that she was foreign, something that always made him wary. He mentally catalogued her. Caucasian, maybe 5'9", blond hair (probably not fake) up to her waist…

/This way please! /

She smiled as she said it, gesturing down the hall with her hand. Ginji was the one to thank her. It didn't really matter to Ban. He had to get Ginji some medical attention, if only for his peace of mind. But as he passed by, he glanced back at her.

…blue-green eyes.

The hallway was lined with paintings. Ban thought they were soulless, made by the dozens. Ginji said they were pretty, so Ban kept that thought to himself. What he did find strange was that paintings adorned a free clinic, a free clinic that was much too large. Entering what looked like an office, Ban almost missed the small, stout, dark skinned woman at the desk. Ginji didn't though, and had already turned tare, leaping into the small woman's arms. Ban gave no outward indication that this was out of the norm, and, (he had to give credit where it was due) neither did she. The woman barely batted an eyelash.

/None of that now, /

Guessing that it was the small yellow and green thing in her hands that needed medical attention, she placed Tare-Ginji on the medical bed for patients. Only then did she look at Ban. A Ban who was glaring at her for all he was worth. Who was this woman, anyhow, that Ginji would just jump into her arms? Ban felt the unpleasant tinge of jealousy and he didn't like it one bit. She faltered, but only for a moment.

/Please fill out some forms at the front desk Mr…. /

She paused, giving Ban the time to tell her his name. He didn't say anything. Let the woman assume he couldn't speak English. Ginji couldn't, why should he be able to? Ban wanted to growl. It was bad enough that he had to deal with The beast whisperer, the thread spool and the rest of the insane maniacs Ginji called 'friends' being all touchy-feely with their former leader. Now he had to deal with total strangers too?!

Ginji isn't your damn property, you bastards. He's my partner.

Ban didn't notice that the silence in the room had become oppressive until the doctor cleared her throat. Ginji was back to normal (and shirtless), and Ban wanted to curse, because he was blushing and he had been standing there, apparently staring at Ginji for no apparent reason. And now he had irritated the doctor. Damn.

/Look, Mister, why don't you fill out the forms with Elizabeth while I continue my examination of your friend here? /

Feeling that he had embarrassed himself enough for one day, Ban quietly made his way down the hallway to the receptionist's desk. Which was empty. He sighed and sat down on one of the chairs as he waited for the receptionist to come back to the desk. Since both doctors, it seemed, couldn't speak Japanese, it was unreasonable for him to expect they could read it. Maybe if he left quick enough, they wouldn't notice that he 'couldn't' speak english, but could write it just fine.

Ban was just about to stand up and look for the doctor/receptionist when she appeared, looking harried, but smiling. He asked for the forms, and she talked at him (at him, not to him) while he filled them out. Apparently, Her full name was Elizabeth Wakefield, but he could call her Lizzie. She had a twin somewhere in the fashion industry named Jessica, and a brother named Steven, who was a stand-up comedian. She seemed to want to tell him her life story before he could finish the forms.

It was barely five minutes later and Ban wanted to stab himself with the pen he was holding. Man, did this girl ever shut up? His head was pounding, and he just knew it was from blood loss, because his side and shoulder still hurt like hell and he could almost feel the stain in his side getting larger. He had been able to pass it off as Ginji's blood for a while now, but with Ginji gone, he couldn't really say that it was the eel's blood, could he?

Ban finished the forms at light speed, and he rushed back to the doctor's office to check on Ginji. Who was naked. Devoid of clothes. completely uncovered. Naked. Blood gushed out of The Jagan Wielder's nose and before he knew what had happened, he was on the floor, unconscious, and leaking blood in two places instead of one.

"Ban-chan!"

Not a very good chapter, I'll be the first to admit, but I'm trying, I really am. I wanted to write fast, because when I linger too much, I get lazy and stop writing. I have quite a few discontinued fanfics under my belt, so I really don't want to swell their ranks.

Kadsuki: you made me look like a jerk!

Ginji: You made me look stupid!

Ban: You made me look like a total pervert!

Elizabeth: Why am I here?!

Other doctor: Guess who I am! I'm fearless, short, black, and efficient!

Me: Hopefully, I will finish this story before I lose interest. The next chapter's a shocker. Free Ginji / Ban fanart to the one who can guess Ban's secret correctly! And I salute you, if you actually know who the other doctor is.

Ciao!