Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Konomi Takeshi does. I'm merely playing with them for the moment.

A/N: Between the 1st and 25th of December, I kept posting one fic/update a day over at my LJ, lumelle. These updates were in series of five fics sharing a theme.

The fourth series of five started five AUs. This one is a rewrite of Blood and Tears, which I put on indefinite hiatus after losing five finished chapters in a computer crash. You might take note this will take quite a different route than the original one.

Blood and Tears

Chapter 1

Washing the Streets

It should have been raining, Sengoku found himself thinking. In movies it always rained on moments like this, the streets washed with ever pouring water from the grey skies, forming swirling puddles along the edges of the sidewalks and seeping into the clothes of those unfortunate enough not to make it up to their feet. Instead, it was just another dull night, with any glimpse of stars well drowned out by the lights of the town, yet with shadows enveloping the small streets and alleys.

The only puddle forming on the ground was dark red, almost black, and gave off a scent that sickened him. He might have thought about clearing it off, as the rain would not clean off this particular proof of what had happened, but there was no need. It would all be gone come morning. On that exact moment, too.

Stepping almost casually over the fallen form of what had just moments ago been his sudden opponent, he stalked down the alley, looking for whatever had brought that… thing… around here. He smelled more blood, human blood, and there was something familiar there yet he couldn't exactly –

His eyes caught something on the ground, and he froze. He… knew that form. He knew the white uniform that was now badly torn and stained with blood, knew the shaggy mop of dark hair, knew the pointed, almost elfin face that was supposed to be smiling instead of blindly staring like now. He knew it all, yet he hadn't expected to see it. Not here. Not in this situation.

Claws off, Sengoku. You need to look nice.

The last traces of battle had disappeared from his mind yet he was almost taken over by a whole other kind of bloodlust, a much more devastating one, the kind of bloodlust that threatened to tear apart his soul instead of his body. He managed to ignore it, though, his will surprisingly strong even against the overwhelming scent of blood, though the identity of the victim might have somewhat strengthened his resolve. Crouching down next to the poor kid, he reached out a hand to brush against the side of the pale face.

"Hey, kid," he said softly, the words almost choking at his throat. The brown eyes were half-open, looking up to the sky. For a moment he thought he wouldn't get any response, and a feeling of dread filled him, until finally the vacant gaze shifted to focus on him.

"…Sengoku-senpai…" Dan murmured, turning his head painfully slowly. "You… why are you…"

"Shh… it doesn't matter yet," Sengoku murmured. "You're badly hurt. Just lie down." Even as he spoke, he shrugged off his jacket, draping it over the child's shivering form. Just by a quick glance he could tell that the numerous gashes were too much. He didn't need any instincts to warn him that this blood would soon grow much less warm. The brutality of it sickened him, the thought that someone might do this simply because they enjoyed hurting and tearing, simply because they got off on causing their chosen target as much pain as possible… It was sick, and deplorable, and right now it was quickly becoming an inescapable fate for his dear little kouhai.

"What… happened?" Dan asked, his voice faint as Sengoku carefully picked him up, cradling the child closer to his chest. "He… he just decided to hurt me… I didn't do anything, Sengoku-senpai, he just hurt me and those claws…"

"I know, Dan-kun. It's not your fault." He glanced darkly towards the fallen figure. Oh, the one responsible for this had been disposed of… but that still wouldn't erase the results of his actions. A quick check of Dan's wounds told him what he knew already; what little skill he had in healing would be useless, here.

"Sengoku-senpai…" Dan's hand grasped onto his shirt, clinging to him almost desperately, as though that would make the pain go away. "I'm cold…"

Sengoku swallowed. He could practically see it, see the life escaping from his kouhai's frail body… there wasn't a lot of time left. With all those wounds and gashes, it was really a wonder the kid was still conscious at all.

At this point, there was only one he could even think of doing. He hated it, he hated himself for it, yet at the moment… that still seemed better than the alternative. Because he couldn't let Dan die, could he, he couldn't let such a cute little boy die for such a stupid reason, not even if it meant paying such a great price because nothing could be as big a price as an innocent life.

"Dan-kun," he murmured, "I need you to be really brave for me now, okay? Just… don't be afraid, all right? I know you can do this. You're not afraid of Akutsu, after all, so you really shouldn't be afraid of me. Got it?"

Dan nodded, slowly, looking very weak as he did so. "Got it," he murmured, his hand relaxing a little from its tight grip on Sengoku's shirt. "I… trust you, Sengoku-senpai."

Oh, but he really shouldn't have, Sengoku thought as he dragged Dan further into his arms, adjusting his position. Dan made no move to resist or even react, merely blinking slowly as Sengoku shifted the shaggy hear on his arm, tilting the pointed little chin so he could have better access to Dan's neck.

Dan tasted sweet, he noted, sweet and pure and innocent, hell, he was probably still a virgin even, but he forced himself to ignore such little details, he had to ignore such details if he didn't want Dan to perish in such a painful way.

It should have been raining yet it wasn't, but Sengoku still found his cheeks all wet.