Warning, the following contains;;

- homosexuality

- KAITO x Gakupo

read at your own discretion

PAPER x CRANES I

Presently

Slender hands reached over the mass on the bed next to him. They trailed over to the alarm clock's glowing digital display. 4 am. He clasped a hand to his forehead and swept his purple bangs away from his face. Gakuto laid back down on the bed and closed his eyes. So much for a job quickly done. He had to go all the way last night. Rolling the other man over onto his back, the other's face was graced with the peace of sleep. His tan face had stubble from a few days growth and around his immense neck was what Gakuto was after. Pale fingers glowing in the twilight of the bedroom, he searched for the claw to unhook the thin golden chain. Pulling it up slowly as to not lose the pendant, he quickly slung his thin legs over the side of the bed and slipped out.

Gakuto hobbled out of the room, buttoning his dark washed jeans under his dress shirt. He put the necklace around his own neck and turned to look back at the lump in the bed. It was such a waste to leave such an extravagant life, even if it was for only an evening. Smiling softly, he pulled out a gun and pulled back the hammer. "How naive some people can be."

x x x

Shion sat in his car in the parking garage opposite the towering skyscraper. It was hard to believe that some people actually liked to live that far up. He rested his gloved hand on his leg and checked his cell phone with the other. 4.25. What was he doing taking so long? He knew Gakuto to be a very thorough person, but not one to take his sweet time. And what was wrong at the party? The other man had left without letting him know that he was going with their target. "How stupid." Kaitou said to himself, pulling his cigarette away from his lips. Morning was soon going to start in the city and he couldn't risk sitting out here in this damn parking garage waiting for Gakuto to show his face.

Finally, at 4.45, the familiar feminine face walked out of the atrium doors. Kaitou started up the car and backed out, coasting down to a stop in front of the other man. He rolled down the passenger window and looked up at Gakuto with shadowed eyes. "What took you so long?" Gakuto just pulled open the passenger side door and slid in onto the leather interior. The taller male kept staring at him for a while longer, then shifted the car to drive and pulled away from the curb.

x x x

The black Citroen Metisse stopped in front of the office building. It towered stories above the surrounding buildings, a black mirror against the new morning sky.

"Thanks for the pick up, Shion," Gakuto said turning away from the other man to step out of the car. Kaitou grabbed his shoulder through a curtain of deep purple hair. Gakuto looked over his shoulder and stared blankly with blue eyes at Kaitou's pained expression.

"What happened last night, Gakuto?" he asked looking ahead at the other cars now appearing on the road. Gakuto sighed and closed the door again. He sighed and ran his hand through his still messy hair.

"I'll have to tie it back up again before I go in to see the boss," he chuckled to himself. Kaitou just turned to look back at him again.

"Stop ignoring my question," he said, this time with more force. He turned the purple haired man's face to look at him. "Do you think my concern is a joke?" he asked desperately. "I didn't even know you'd be taking out Tenshii until the day of the mission!" he shook the other man with both hands, the sound of traffic growing outside of his door. "Do you think I'm a joke?"

Gakuto stared at him blankly still, then turned away, taking Kaitou's hands off his white dress shirt. "Shion, your concern is none of mine, nor is it the company's," he replied, opening his door and standing up outside the car. Looking down at the blue haired man, he continued in a washed out and dull voice. "You're so naive sometimes." He turned away and began to stride towards the looming skyscraper.

Kaitou got out of the car and followed him to the building, loafers thudding against the flagstone.

"So, are you saying that I shouldn't be worried then, Gakuto!" he shouted after the other man. Gakuto looked back at him, cascade of purple hair catching the morning breeze.

"I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that what you're worried about is none of your business anymore," he turned back to the building and pulled his long hair back from his face except for his bangs. Kaitou ran up behind him and hugged the much smaller man.

"Why did this happen to us, Gakuto?"

With a dazed look on his face, he placed a hand on top of one of Shion's. The other man was still so much bigger than he was.

"It's just the way things turned out."

Gakuto pulled away from him and reached for the door's metallic handle. Kaitou stood there at a lost, then looked down at his empty arms. He clenched his fist and bit his lip.

"I just wonder if... we could have done anything... different."

Gakuto paused, bewilderment caught on his face for a moment. He looked down and he resumed his blank stare. How could they have done anything different? They followed the only path they had, chasing their dreams in anyway they could. They ran blindly, and now that he had made it...

"No fair Kaitou, you're always better than me..."

"That's just the way things are now."