I own nothing…

"What is this place?" Ikuto asked.

"One of his favourite coffee shops, I don't know if he still comes here, but he always used to drag us here when they closed up," she said removing her hooded cloak and wrapping it over her arm, her ears and tail now absent.

"Coming? I'm pretty sure the same guy still owns the place and your dad was one of his favourite customers," she said holding the door open beckoning him inside.

It was dimly lit, just enough to see around but not as bright as most places. There were velvet couches lining the walls and wooden two seat tables in the centre just in front of a small wooden stage the supported a grand piano.

"Hey, you coming or not?" Aniiyaki called bringing Ikutos' attention away from the small coffee shops elegance.

"Of course," he answered following her slipping behind a door hidden at the back corner of the room.

"Hey Vinney!" called Aniiyaki, "Got you some questions, and we're pretty sure you can answer them for us."

The room had even less illumination then the front did and smelled of smoke which wasn't helping with visibility. In the centre of the room was a round table with green felt covering it. On the top sat different piles of cards; fives cards in front of each of the deadly looking men who all looked up slightly at their arrival. Each one of them adorned a gun in one way or another and none of them tried to be subtle about it either.

As she called his name Vinney stood up and casually sauntered over to them, "And what questions are they?"

"Aruto," Aniiyaki replied.

"That ain't a question doll," he replied in a harsh voice tainted with an Italian accent, as he toyed with a loose strand of Aniiyakis' ebony black hair.

Vinney was tall with a slightly muscular build and an olive toned complexion. His hair was dark brown almost black and receding a bit at the sides, and his dark brown eyes, almost a dead black, glinted with a form of hunger yet tainted with amusement.

"I know," Aniiyaki replied in a teasing whisper, "just giving you the topic."

"So what's the real question?" Vinney asked.

"You know where he is?" she asked.

"And why do you need to know?" he asked teasingly.

She smiled a small alluring smile before stepping closer to him and stretching up to whisper in his ear making Ikuto strain to hear what was being said, "I don't need to justify anything to you. Who's the boss around here again?"

"You," Vinney sighed.

"And don't forget," Aniiyaki smiled setting back onto her feet, "Now, let's try again, where is Aruto?"

"I don't exactly know for certain," Vinney said shaking his head.

"Well then tell us with uncertainty where he is," she said.

"Last I heard somewhere in Italy I think," said Vinney.

"You telling the truth?" she asked a malicious edge in her voice.

"Maybe I am maybe I'm not. What makes you think I'll tell you?" he said.

Her ears and tail flicked out again but the guys behind Vinney wouldn't have seen, the difference this time was a set of ferocious feline fangs was now set in her mouth. She grinned devilishly showing them off to Vinney.

"Where exactly in Italy is he and tell me the truth if you know what is good for you," she growled.

"I don't know where in Italy, you know him better then I do, and I'd never lie to you," Vinney rushed.

"Thanks," said Aniiyaki her tail and ears disappearing as she kissed each side of his face and leading Ikuto back out.

"Were they people from the Mafia?" Ikuto asked.

"Shh," she scolded him frantically looking around to see if anyone had been listening, "People out front don't know what's going on back there and I prefer to keep it that way."

"Well. Were they?" he pushed in a whisper.

"Yeah. Well at least they like to think of themselves that way," she said pushing open the door and walking back out into the pale moonlight. She placed her cloak back over her shoulders as her ears sprang out again.

"Where are we going now?" Ikuto asked as his cat ears snapped out too.

"You heard Vinney. He may pretend to be a ruthless thug but he is scared of me and wouldn't think of lying to me," she said before turning to the dark alley and leaping up to the roof and Ikuto followed suit.

"So where in Italy do you think my dad is?" Ikuto asked.

"I'm not too certain but I remember him always talking about Venice," she said coming to a stop.

Ikuto skidded to a halt beside her and looked up to see why she'd stopped. Before them was Heathrow airport.

"We're flying?" Ikuto asked surprised.

"Duh, what'd you think we were gonna just hail a cab or something? Oh! Oh wait no you thought we'd run!" she exclaimed sarcastically, "You must be Aruto's boy."

"What makes you say that?" Ikuto asked watching her jump to the ground with feline agility.

"You miss the obvious. You asked if we were flying despite the fact we are most definitely at an airport in London, and we're trying to get to Venice," she said as he landed next to her on the ground.

x-X-x

After managing to book a flight that left within minutes and only just making it to the terminal with seconds to spare, they boarded the plane with little speculation despite the confused looks people gave them from their lack of luggage.

"Did my dad get involved with those guys back there, at the coffee shop?" Ikuto asked once they'd settled in their seats.

"No, mine did though," Aniiyaki replied saddened by a memory, "My dad got a little too deep in debt with Vinney."

"Then why didn't you rip his throat out?" Ikuto asked in a hushed yell.

"Because if he's dead that causes trouble for me more then just legally. Where else do you think I got the money to pay for two first class flights on such short notice?" she whisper-yelled back.

"Besides, Vinney didn't order the attack on my father, he was street racing for the money and because the world hates me the car he crashed into was my mums' car," she said before quickly wiping a tear from the corner of her eye before it could escape, "some say they don't believe in coincidences, but, with my run lately how could I not?"

"What do you mean lately?" Ikuto asked curiously.

"Careful curiosity killed the cat," she murmured before yawning hugely, "I'm dead tired and we've got a few hours before we even land so I'm gonna get some sleep I reckon you should too."

"Right," Ikuto murmured before leaning back in his seat, but Aniiyaki was already breathing softly beside him.

Before he could fall asleep he had begun dwelling on the change of events… how had he trusted someone so quickly the way he has with Aniiyaki despite the fact it hadn't even been twelve hours since they'd first met? Why does he trust her so much after he'd just seen the display of how dangerous she could be if she has mobsters afraid of her? How does he know for sure that she really does know his father and isn't just leading him on some wild goose chase that's sure to end badly? When is he going to be able to get back home to Amu?

That last question began swirling around his head all other questions forgotten, all other uncertainties of Aniiyaki and her past dropped the last thing on his mind before he fell asleep was Amu…

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