A/N: I had the sudden idea for this fic after watching episode 15 when they hinted that Kotetsu might be losing his powers. Then I thought, "what would happen to Barnaby without Kotetsu and vice-versa?"

Warnings for dark!Kotetsu and yaoi. Later chapters will probably include violence and graphic sex.

Chapter 1

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"Bonjour, Heroes."

Barnaby listened to Agnes's voice through the earpiece within his helmet. He was suited up and ready to go, having already been notified of the trouble through his call bracelet. His motorcycle was waiting for him, glowing neon pink in the darkness.

"We have a situation at the First National Bank- a heist in progress it seems. Hostages have been taken so move with caution. The robbers have not yet been identified."

Barnaby was already merging onto the highway, knowing that he was closer than any of the other heroes and that if he hurried he could rack up points by being first on the scene.

It was just another night, just another job. Hopefully he could make the capture and pull ahead of Sky High in the rankings again. Not only was Appollon upset with his performance this season, but Barnaby as well couldn't stand the fact that he had fallen behind.

He didn't once think that, after tonight, he might not care about the points anymore.

The bank was a large building, with cop cars swarming the front doors. Barnaby looked up and saw the helicopter belonging to Hero TV. He smiled for the camera like always before formulating a plan to get inside without being noticed.

For some reason, there was a window sitting open on the top floor. Barnaby jumped onto the roof for a closer look. The lights were off and no one seemed to be in the room. He eased himself through the small opening, determining that this was probably the best way to sneak into the building. The top floor of the bank seemed to be made up of offices and cubicles, all of which were dark and vacant at this hour.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to resist the window."

Barnaby whirled around, looking for the source of the voice. His heart began pumping madly as his eyes bore into the dark corners of the room, searching…

"No damage fines for the great Barnaby Brooks Jr." This was followed by a dark chuckle…right in Barnaby's ear. "Ne? Bunny…"

Barnaby inhaled sharply. The way that one word rolled off the tongue of its speaker…in that low, husky voice that he remembered so well…

Getting over his initial disbelief and the sudden flush to his face, he scoffed.

"Is that you old man? What are you doing so far from the retirement home? Have you come to watch me in action like old times?" Barnaby said, aware of his pounding heart and how his voice sounded unintentionally flirtatious. He slid up the front of his helmet so that his face was exposed.

"I think it was normally you that was watching, or 'strategizing' or whatever you want to call it," Kotetsu answered, breaking his cool momentarily, "But Bunny, perhaps you should take a look in the mirror before calling me 'old man'."

"I'm still in my twenties," Barnaby reminded.

"Twenty-nine, Bunny. Thirty in two more days," Kotestu purred, giving him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. Barnaby's skin burned beneath his touch. He hadn't expected his old partner to remember his age, let alone his exact birth-date. "You're ancient, Bunny. Have you thought about giving up your suit to one of the younger heroes?"

Kotetsu's jab hit him hard. He wouldn't admit to the man that he was feeling washed up, and that he was struggling to hold onto his popularity and Apollon's fickle eye. He finally turned to look at the old man. It had been a good five years since he had last seen him.

Cheap black combat boots, fitting black jeans and a worn black shirt showing off his toned arms. His brown eyes sparkled behind a black mask that could have been stolen from his first 'Wild Tiger' costume. His getup made Barnaby frown in suspicion.

"You can't be a hero without NEXT."

"I know," Kotetsu said with a small sigh, "It really is a pity…when there are so many regular people with the will to do good out there…" his eyes looked deep into Barnaby's, "And so many heroes who can only see the rankings."

Barnaby refused to rise to the taunt, refused to feel guilty at Kotetsu's words. Him and his old fashioned way of thinking.

"But it seems that's what being a hero is about these days…" Kotestu continued, "Perhaps I'm more suited to villainy." His hand went to his belt and pulled a pistol from its holster.

Barnaby's eyes went wide. Seeing a gun in Kotetsu's hand was surreal. It made him angry to see a once carefree man so jaded.

"So then this heist…" began Barnaby in a dangerous voice.

"I had to draw you in somehow. And keep the others occupied," the former hero answered quietly.

"You've become quite cunning in your old age," the younger man growled, grabbing Kotetsu by his shirt.

"Well you know what they say, Bunny. No fool like an old fool."

Barnaby's hand fisted tighter in Kotetsu's shirt. While he was in his suit, he stood a few inches taller than his partner. He lifted Kotesu to his height and simply stared at him with a look of disgust. This was not the Wild Tiger that he remembered, yet it had been so long that he'd begun to question if he'd ever known the man in the first place.

He couldn't hold out any longer. Seeing Tiger again had invoked a storm of emotions in him, both good and bad. Happiness and regret. Hope and longing. He hadn't realized he wanted to know Kotetsu in that way until just this very moment.

He leaned in and captured his old partner's lips in a bruising kiss.

"Oi, Bunny," Kotetsu panted when Barnaby finally let him breathe, "What do you think you're doing?"

For a moment, Barnaby didn't know what to say. He was still a bit confused himself. All he knew was the desire burning in his body for this other man. He shoved his sempai against the wall, trapping him between his arms.

"Shut up," Barnaby replied, his eyes hazy and his face hot, "You're going to jail as soon as I turn you in anyway."

"Can you turn me in?" the older man wondered aloud. Barnaby answered him with another vicious kiss, suddenly wishing he was rid of his suit so that he could feel the hardness of Kotetsu's body against his own.

"Ah, Bunny, think about your public image. A scandal like this could ruin you." When Barnaby hesitated, Kotetsu took the opportunity to pistol-whip him. Barnaby stumbled backwards, holding his throbbing head. When he righted himself, it was only to stare at the barrel of the gun held between his eyes.

"Can you even work that thing?" Barnaby breathed, already doubting his own words. Tiger's lips curled into a sly smile.

Before anything else could be said or done, their figures were illuminated by flames as Fire Emblem and Dragon Kid burst into the room.

"Hold it right there!" Nathan shouted.

"Sweet dreams, Bunny-chan," Kotesu whispered. He dropped his gun and made a break for the open window. When Barnaby had come to his senses, he ran to the ledge and looked down.

Tiger was nowhere to be seen.

"How could you let him get away, Handsome!" Nathan pouted.

Pao-lin had walked over to where Kotetsu's unused pistol was lying on the floor. She picked it up and examined it, ejecting the magazine.

"It's not loaded," she commented.

"What kind of idiot orchestrates a robbery with a gun that's not loaded?" Fire Emblem wondered. It took Barnaby a moment before he was able to tear his eyes away from the darkness where Kotetsu had disappeared.

"An idiot indeed," he agreed softly.

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

"Barnaby-san, are you listening?"

Barnaby looked up from the table. Apparently he had zoned out while staring at the patterns in the rich wood. He forced himself to return to the interview at hand.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I was just thinking about something."

"Oh really?" the young reporter, asked, sending a knowing look to the camera, "A girlfriend perhaps?" he teased. Barnaby chuckled.

"Of course not."

"The people are finding it hard to believe that you are still single Barnaby-san. We think you are lying and perhaps already have a wife and family that you're keeping secret from us," the interviewer said.

"Please, it's still too soon to be thinking about something like that," Barnaby answered with a disarming smile. It had become his automatic response anytime the subject of love was breached at an interview, but upon remembering what day it was, Barnaby was suddenly feeling that he shouldn't be saying such a thing any longer. The reporter seemed to have a similar train of thought, but at least he had enough courtesy to phrase his next question in a subtle manner.

"Today's your birthday isn't it, Barnaby-san? It's the big three zero this year. I hear Apollon Media is throwing you an extravagant party tonight."

"They like to go overboard with those types of things," Barnaby sighed, "I've never much cared for big birthday parties."

"What's the best birthday you've ever had, Barnaby-san?"

"That would have to be the same year I became a hero," Barnaby said with a small laugh at the memory, "Back then, Tiger and I couldn't stand each other, but he took the trouble to plan out an elaborate sketch involving the other heroes pretending to be thieves in order to surprise me. It all went hilariously wrong though."

"Hahaha. Good old Tiger. Do you ever miss working with him?"

"Sometimes," Barnaby lied. Then he felt guilty. "All the time," he corrected himself, "Even though Tiger and I were about ten years apart, he ended up becoming my closest friend."

"Do you still talk to him?"

"No. We've gone our separate ways."

"Ah that is a pity. The two of you made a great team."

"Yeah," said Barnaby, suddenly looking rather melancholy, "We did, didn't we?"

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

That night, Barnaby arrived fashionably late to the party, as was expected. He made a grand entrance in his new, designer suit, sweeping his blonde hair over his shoulder seductively as the cameras flashed in his direction.

Aren't you getting a little old for that? Kotetsu's voice said in his head, No one wants to see an old man doing something like that.

"Shut up," Barnaby said under his breath, aware that he was speaking to a hallucination.

He spotted Nathan and Ivan talking a short distance away. He made his way over to them, waving off greetings from the other partygoers. As he drew near, he caught a snippet of their conversation.

"It just seems strange, that's all"

"It's probably just a coincidence, the bank robber couldn't have known something like that," Nathan was saying. He noticed Barnaby approaching and smiled widely.

"My my. Someone looks gorgeous tonight." His arms slipped around Barnaby's shoulder as he planted a kiss on his cheek. "Happy Birthday, Handsome." Barnaby pushed him away respectfully.

"What were you two talking about?" he asked. Nathan and Ivan exchanged a look.

"Have you heard about the scandal involving First National Bank?"

"The heist?"

"It is most curious. No one ended up getting hurt and it was discovered that no money was actually taken. Upon government investigation, it turns out the bank has been falsifying their records."

"Why would they do that?" Barnaby wondered.

"Who knows," answered Nathan with a shrug, "Perhaps they are involved in some shady dealings that they don't want anyone to know about. But one thing is clear; they would never have been investigated if the heist had never happened."

Before anything else could be said, Barnaby was pulled away from his friends by Maverick, who insisted on introducing him to a few big-shots hoping to gain his favor. The rest of the night continued in much the same fashion, with forced conversation and society laughs, but Barnaby's head was racing with this new information.

Kotetsu…had he known?

In a rare moment of peace, he saw Karina standing over by a table piled with his birthday presents. She was wearing a slimming blue gown without a back. The neckline dipped low, leaving little to the imagination. She was holding a glass of wine and looked to be more than a little tipsy.

"You shouldn't be drinking," he said, "It's against the law." Karina only gave him a sour look.

"I'm twenty one, Barnaby. I have been for months. Don't tell me what I can't do. I'm a grown woman."

"Ah," said Barnaby, slightly embarrassed, "So you are. I apologize."

"For a minute, you sounded like him," she added, her face in a pout, "…got my hopes up for a sec."

"Like who?"

"Like Kotetsu, or course," she answered, "He was always treating me like a kid. The fool never noticed how much I just wanted him to take me to bed."

Barnaby blushed heavily hearing her words. Saying such a thing aloud, she must be beyond drunk. He'd never quite understood her attraction to Kotetsu. She could have had any guy she wanted, and she'd fallen hopelessly for a man old enough to be her father.

He supposed the old man had been attractive enough…in great shape…enough to make even Barnaby grow hot whenever he'd glimpse him leaving the showers. Come to think of it, if Barnaby had considered Kotetsu good-looking, then why shouldn't Karina? The thought of Karina and Kotetsu together had always disturbed him, but was it possible that all along he had only been….jealous?

Ridiculous.

"Who gave you the flowers?" Karina asked, inspecting a bouquet of rather ugly looking, orangish flowers, "There's no card."

Barnaby, took them from her, trying to see if the card might have dropped somewhere between. He couldn't find anything.

"Jeez," Karina said downing her glass of wine, "Of all the pretty flowers out there, why tiger lilies?"

.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

A/N: Tiger and Barnaby have the potential for both top and bottom in my opinion. Barnaby has more of a seme personality but his youth and innocence still play a big part. Kotetsu is somewhat of a naïve idiot, but he also has that strong, fatherly side to him.

Reviews would be much appreciated :)