Chapter One

Lei Wulong snapped out of a nightmare, nearly jumping out of his skin as he slept on the couch at Steve Fox's apartment. He had been dumped recently, kicked out the house he shared with his live-in girlfriend after she revealed that she had been cheating on him with his assistant.

In his sorrow and depression, his job was also affected, and he had been placed on suspension.

With no where left to turn, Steve Fox picked him up off the floor of his office and allowed him to live with him.

One day turned into a month.

It wasn't that Lei wasn't a gracious house guest; no, he helped out with chores, he made dinner, he also helped with bills, as much as his unemployment had offered. And he lent Steve an ear to listen with, whenever Steve felt doubtful about the way his life was going.

Sure, Steve was a world champion boxer, but this wasn't without its merits. The Mafia was once after him, his own mother tried to kill him, and when he confronted her, she simply denied she was his mother, despite the DNA evidence. He never knew who his father was-Steve was not of natural birth; he was a Zaibatsu test tube baby, created by the violation of his mother, Nina Williams.

A near assassination and then denial by your own mother, then finding out you're a freak...

In a way, the two understood each other. Lei helped Steve during all this, helped him discover who was after him, tried to catch his killer, and also helped him discover his Zaibatsu roots. He also remembered being there for Lei when Lei's partner, Bryan Fury was killed.

Lei was despondent.

He remembered Lei cried all the time, while holding Bryan's green jacket. The jacket was given to him by Bryan on a cold rainy night when Lei forgot his own coat at home. The silly man...

Bryan would have done anything for Lei...he smiled at his partner, placing the jacket over his shoulders, even if he knew he'd be cold. It didn't matter, all that mattered was that Lei was alright.

Lei would have done anything for Bryan.

Instead...he had him killed.

Lei's mistake, he followed the dark rumors about Bryan Fury, about drug trades, about everything.

Flying bullets.

Rain.

Screaming.

Crying.

Lei ran through the hail of bullets, the gun fire blasting in his ears, heaving as he raced through the cold air. His throat raw from crying Bryan's name, from all his apologies. His hands were numb, tears like icicles down his cheeks as he held Bryan's lifeless body in his arms, drenched in his blood.

He couldn't go back to work after that. Laying in Bryan's office, on the floor, crying, he knew he looked pathetic, but he didn't care. He and Bryan formed such a bond...such a loving, caring bond, he thought nothing could get in between them. Brothers-In-Arms, Comrades, whatever you wanted to call it, Lei cared so deeply for Bryan, and to have it taken away by his own mistakes...

Laying on Steve's couch, even now, all he could think about was Bryan.

It happened two years ago.

In his despair, he contemplated suicide.

Steve and Hwoarang kicked his door open and Hwoarang ripped the knife out of his hand, becoming slashed himself. In desperation, Steve punched Lei and knocked him out. When Lei woke up, he didn't speak. He said nothing, only stared at the wall. Steve said that Bryan wouldn't want this. That he would have wanted Lei to be happy. No matter how much Bryan had changed from a star-eyed rookie to a violent, cynical bastard.

Hwoarang and Steve refused to leave Lei alone. No matter how much Lei protested. No matter how much he cried in the night, crying out for Bryan to hold him.

Hwoarang wondered if Steve would lose himself like this if he were to die.

Steve assured him that'd be strong, but...he didn't know.

No one had ever seen Lei Wulong like this.

A wild, passionate man.

Yet, losing the other part of his soul..his best friend, the one man that meant everything to him. Even beginning a relationship didn't stop the horrible feelings. He couldn't relate to her. Lei was happy to have someone around, but they didn't connect. He sold his condo in Chinatown, the one he nearly killed himself in, and moved in with her. She tried her best. She tried her damn best. Tried to relate to a man who was depressed and contemplated suicide with every waking moment because he couldn't bear to be without the other part of his soul.

She turned to another.

She could no longer stand Lei Wulong.

And so she kicked him out.

Steve Fox took him in.

Saved him.

Or tried his fucking best.

Sometimes, in his delirium, Lei would call Steve, Bryan. He knew Steve Fox wasn't Bryan Fury, but he took care of him as if he were.

Like the one time Lei accidentally locked himself out of his house. Him and Bryan went out to Yakitoris for drinks and karaoke. Lei lived right across the street. He forgot his keys. Bryan knew he have to drive Lei back to his place, so he stayed sober for his sake. Bryan let him stay the night, and even made him breakfast in the morning; hot oatmeal and buttered toast, just the way he liked it.

Steve didn't offer him hot oatmeal.

But he gave him a place to stay.

For that, he was thankful.

But now, it's been a month. Lei Wulong never meant to stay this long.

Hwoarang got up first.

Seven AM.

He got out of bed and did his morning routine. Before he made his way to the bathroom, he looked down the stairs. Steve moved his couch close to the top of the stairs to keep an eye on Lei. Hwoarang looked down, his eyes met with Lei's open eyes. Though their eyes met, Hwoarang knew Lei wasn't look at him. He didn't know what Lei's eyes were looking at, but it didn't matter.

He turned back, and went into the bathroom, preparing himself for a shower, when the door opened, and Lei walked inside.

"Lei! What are you doing?" Hwoarang asked, covering himself up with a towel.

Lei stared at him.

His eyes completely soulless.

"Lei...answer me, damn it." Hwoarang said, reaching a hand to his cheek, lightly tapping it, to keep him awake. Lei sighed. "I'm sorry. You looked at me like you wanted to talk...I'll leave."

"No, you can stay." Hwoarang said,"but can you wait for me to get naked and get into the shower?" "Yeah, sure...sorry." Lei said, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks as he turned, while Hwoarang got into the shower. He pushed the thick blue curtain over and called out for Lei, who walked in the bathroom again.

"Did you sleep well, Lei?" he asked. "No." Lei responded.

"Of course not.." Hwoarang said to himself, hanging his head down in the waters. Steve did Lei a favor by allowing him to live here, but it was becoming too much...

"Lei.."

"I know I'm a bad couch-mate...I know I impose on you two. That's why I want to leave." Lei said. "We can't leave you alone, Lei Wulong, you know this. You'll go crazy again missing that man of yours, and you'll try to kill yourself again..." Hwoarang growled.

"I am not weak, Hwoarang..." Lei retorted,"do you think me so? Do you think, I'm unable to stand to be alone, to stand on my own two feet?"

"You haven't proven otherwise." Hwoarang said.

Lei was silent.

The shower shut off, and Lei turned to leave the room. He then went back down the stairs and back to the couch, sighing as he lay back down, throwing the blanket over himself.

Hwoarang shook the access water off himself, wrapping a towel around his waist, and returned to Steve's bedroom, where the blond had just got up. "Steve.." he said. Steve smirked, his eyes dancing over Hwoarang's wet and dripping form. "Don't look at me like that, you pervert." Hwoarang snapped, clenching his towel.

"You know me, luv..I can't keep my eyes off you..." Steve said, rising from the bed, wrapping his arms around Hwoarang and pulling him towards him. They were about to kiss, when Hwoarang placed his finger on his lips. "Not with Lei here.."

"He's asleep." Steve protested, trying to kiss Hwoarang again.

"No, he's awake. I spoke with him as I showered."

Steve sighed and pulled away.

"I have to go to see Baek. I promise I'll be back afterwards. When I come back, we have to have a serious conversation about what to do with Lei. He's well overstayed his welcome."

"I know he has." Steve sighed,"but I can't leave him alone. I'm terrified that he'll kill himself."

"Does he even know how much of a prick his partner was? There's a reason why things ended the way they did." Hwoarang said. Steve shook his head. "That doesn't matter to Lei. The heart chooses what the logic doesn't. Lei cared for Bryan any way that he was. I don't know much about their past, but I know it ended tragically for them...it's not something he can easily get over. Hwoarang...what do you think I'd do if I lost you?"

Hwoarang was silent.

Steve bit his lip and looked away.

"Forgive me. I shouldn't have said that."

"I'm gonna go now. I'll see you later on for lunch." Hwoarang said, as he changed, and left the room. Steve watched on with sad eyes.

No, truly, there was no answer to that. Steve and Hwoarang were not Bryan and Lei. Their tragic fate would not become theirs. Steve wouldn't let it happen. He loved Hwoarang too much to let him slip through his fingers.

As Hwoarang left the apartment, he looked back at Lei, who slept quietly. Only the furrow in his eyes spoke, it spoke of cries, spoke of sorrow and despair. Something Hwoarang didn't want to stick around for.

An hour later, Lei snapped awake again.

He choked, the name Bryan was stuck in his throat, and he coughed, reaching out, crying out with a groan when the vision of his dead partner left his dreamstate.

"Bryan!" he shouted.

"No...god...I'm lost...please...come back...don't...go.." he muttered, closing his eyes, trying to sleep again.

As he tossed and turned in the couch, under the warm comfort of the blanket, all he could think about was that night. The hail of gunfire, and the mistakes that stole his best friend from his life.

Steve could only watch on in despair, watching Lei fall deeper and deeper.

"I want to help. I want to save you, Lei Wulong...but I don't know what to do."

"What do we do about Lei...?" Hwoarang asked, when the two were at the Victoria Free House. Lei assured Steve that he'd be fine to go meet with Hwoarang for lunch. He said he would clean up around the apartment and make dinner later. Steve sighed and took another shot of his whiskey.

"I'm at a loss, Hwoarang. He's not getting any better. In fact, I think he's getting worse." Steve muttered. The two ordered two more shots, and Steve bit his lip, looking at the now rainy weather. "It's raining.." he added. "Don't worry, my motorcycle won't get that wet. I put a cover over it just in case. " Hwoarang said.

"Not that. Lei doesn't like it when it rains...it rained when Bryan died..." Steve said.

"It's rained hundred of times since..." Hwoarang said.

"It was a rainstorm the last time Lei tried to kill himself." Steve argued. "Steve, for fuck's sake, Lei will be just fine, please, can it be just about me and you right now? I've hardly had any time with you since Lei started sleeping over and...fuck, I miss you." Hwoarang said, reaching out for Steve's hand.

Steve stopped. He was about to jump out the seat and out the door, ready to run home, when Hwoarang took his hand.

"Steve...please."

"Hwoa.." Steve sighed, sitting back down,"of course. Just you and me today. I have to have enough faith in my friend...enough faith in Lei Wulong. Enough faith in you."

Hwoarang smiled and left his bench, taking a seat beside Steve, and curling into his arms. Steve embraced him, leaving a kiss on his cheek.

The two enjoyed a lunch together filled with laughter and drinks. When their food arrived, they took their time eating. Lei Wulong was an afterthought.

Lei watched the rain from behind the window.

He counted each rain drop on the glass as if he were counting the bullets that ripped through Bryan Fury's flesh.

"yāt..."

"yih.."

"sàam.."

"sei.."

Counting on and on, closing his eyes in despair.

He didn't even hear Steve and Hwoarang walk in through the door, and to the bedroom. Instead, he continued on, counting the rain.

"We have to do something, Steve." Hwoarang said, looking at him, watching as he hung his head low, his hands on the glass windows, clenching his fingers, leaving fingerprints on the glass. Steve watched on sadly, shaking his head. "Leave him alone..for now. I'll come up with a plan...something.."

He couldn't bear to see Lei like this anymore. Completely silent except for his harrowing screams at random, calling out for Bryan in the middle of the night, his tears, everything around him was falling apart. He lost his best friend, his home, his girlfriend, his job. What more could Steve Fox and Hwoarang do?

"Hey."

Steve turned to see Hwoarang at his laptop in his bedroom, calling Steve up. When Steve went into the room, he looked at Hwoarang and asked,"What's up?"

"I have an idea." the Korean said with a smirk. Steve held his breath.

That smirk only meant mischief...

"I can fix this, Steve. We can save Lei Wulong.."

This originally had a very different premise. I thought about using my OC and Steve together, in a more humorous tone, but ended up liking this better. Instead of making Lei seem like a free-loader in the original draft, I made him depressed, combining his stories in Tekken 4 and on. That and I always love to use the Steve/Hwoarang pairing. Music will do this to a writer's mind. I recommend listening to Hanging Garden while reading this, and that's the band I'll be using to influence a lot of this story.

So I hope you enjoy. :)