Chapter 2

Kousuke gripped the steering wheel tighter. His mind full of worry for Masahiro's safety. He felt the nicotine urge , but he had no time to light up a cigarette while Masahiro could have been hurt out there. Ken and his boyfriend, were quick to inform him, but their was no telling what could have happened to his lover in between. He pressed on the gas as the car creaked and sped on the road. He reached the junction of the bridge.

He left his car in the side of the road. He knew he would have much greater chance of finding Masahiro on foot. He hoped to god, it wouldn't be his dead body, that he'd find. He couldn't imagine a life without Masahiro. It would just be no life. He gritted his teeth, as he saw the semi-dark stretch of the road and ran ahead.

He just stopped dead in his tracks as he heard a weak cry. And immediately urged himself in the direction.

"Hey Wake up! You dog" One of the ruffians slapped Setagawa's cheek harshly kneeling beside the unconscious kid. The boy had been knocked out and was groaning weakly.

"Kanda. We need him alive not dead" The other one stopped as Kanda clenched his hands harshly around Setagawa's throat. His head lolled to one side.

"Shut it! Honda" Kanda loosened his grip on his neck a bit, but socked Masahiro's jaw again. Blood dripped down is chin as well as from a cut from his forehead. Head wounds did bleed a lot. "We just need to know about Toru's hideout of the drugs he sells. We'd get rich quick if we stole it as well as our leader would be pleased to have his revenge. And for that, the kid needs to wake up." He grumbled. And shook Setagawa's motionless body.

Honda kicked him in the ribs. Setagawa groaned as he started to awake. Another kick, left Setagawa awake unpleasantly all of a sudden. He reeled back with a cry, as more blood dribbled down his chin.

"Where's Toru's drug hideout?" Kanda shook him again. Setagawa winced as his bruises became known. His head ached like hell and his ribs felt cracked. The bruise on his face also made itself known. Tears came into his eyes as he tried to focus on his surroundings. Everything seemed blurry, voices rang in his head.

Kanda shook him again, yelling the same thing over, loudly. He knew the area was a bit deserted and wasn't afraid of someone witnessing. Even if they did, by the time the police would arrive, all that would be left was the kid's body.

"I..I do..n't kn...ow" Masahiro forced out, his whole body aching. He felt like death warmed over. "Pl...please" He begged. "Pl..ease let me go"

Honda kicked his side again. A cry echoed loudly in the dark sky.

Kousuke sped. His fists clenched. Whoever had hurt Setagawa, was going to get hell. He wouldn't leave them alive. He suddenly two figures ahead. One kneeling and the other standing. He saw a pair of familiar legs lying behind them. He came across a scene that would give him nightmares. Masahiro's body bruised and a weak voice begging to be spared from the further torture. He stood shocked with rage.

A whimper from Masahiro and he saw red, and roared as he pulled off Kanda's off Masahiro twisting his arm.

A crack was heard. Honda had no time to react as suddenly Kanda was pulled away from the dog, when he suddenly saw a fist reaching for his face along with a face contorted in fury. He felt the blow that broke his jaw and fell to his knees clutching his broken face. He barely saw Kanda holding his broken arm in pain, when he felt a kick to stomach. He gasped out and hit the pavement.A weight settled on his chest as he felt punches repeatedly landed on his face.

"Honda" Kanda gritted out. The pain in his arm was unbearable, Kousuke had twisted and broken it in three places. He forced himself up and rushed at the Bear Killer, with his good arm in a fist.

Kousuke noticed the fist coming and caught it effortlessly. He growled and squeezed it, he relished the feeling of the bones cracking in his fist. And punched Kanda square in the face with the other free arm, Kanda fell to the ground whimpering. He revelled in the blood that was covering his knuckles. His blood from the torn knuckles due to repeated abuse and from Honda's face.

He got up from the bloody mess that was Honda's face and stood over Kanda, and pressed his foot against his neck preparing to crush the life out of him when he heard it again. The cry.

Masahiro watched the carnage unfolding through hazy eyes. Like his long time dream of a Hero appearing magically and rescuing the victim, Kousuke had came and saved him. He tried to blink the pain away, when he saw Kousuke standing over Kanda, preparing to crush his windpipe, Masahiro tried to crawl towards Kousuke to stop him.

He couldn't let Kousuke kill, not for him even though those two ruffians learnt their lesson for messing with the Bear Killer's former underling and current promised fiance. Kousuke was his hero however flawed, but he wasn't killer.

Trying to move his broken body, caused him to cry out in pain weakly. Dark spots appeared in his vision, as he stretched out a hand in Kousuke's direction. "Ko..us..uke" He gritted in pain "Don't.." He suddenly felt warm hands holding him and moving him up gently. He felt a warm chest where his head was nestled into and then the familiar hands that stroked his softly. He sighed, the pain fading reassured he was safe and protected. His hero and lover was here.

Kousuke heard Masahiro's cry for him, and forgot the two men on the ground groaning in pain as he rushed to Masahiro who seemed to be reaching out for him. Gently he lifted him into a sitting position, his head burrowed into his chest. Masahiro clutched his shirt weakly whimpering once more as tears ran down from his face mixing up with some of the blood on his face. Kousuke lifted his free hand with the other holding Masahiro close, he stroked his hair gently.

Those two rotten people wouldn't be moving anytime soon. Kousuke had made sure of that and continued to stroke Masahiro's hair shielding him from the cold. He released him from his grip, wrapped him carefully in his jacket and immediately held him again. Siren's were heard in the distance.

Detective Houjou had caught their scent and was arriving on scene. He had the good sense to take his doctor friend with him hoping the worst wouldn't happen. Kousuke's younger brother and his boyfriend had called him frantic about Kousuke's lover in trouble and Kousuke's instructions. Houjou was off-duty just heading to drink with his friend who was a doctor off-duty too. He immediately got into his car after giving a shortened version to his friend saying they might need his expertise, put the siren call and headed in the direction Kousuke had gone after.

He noticed his friend's car lying abandoned and drove on. Knowing Kousuke since their teenage years, he knew his rage and strength made him a formidable street fighter, but that had sometimes the tendency to be uncontrollable in his fights, and especially with his lover in trouble, Kousuke could cross a line. It was exactly the reason he hadn't called for any backup.

Kousuke heard the familar screech of the car, and sighed internally. Houjou was here, he would take care of the rest, while he could then take care of Masahiro. The tyres screeched to a stop as he heard the door open.

"Kousuke, everything is handled?" Houjou asked. His eyes widened as he saw, the tow men laying on the ground, one with an arm in an awkard angle, and knocked out, and the other with a bloody and swollen face.

He rushed to Kousuke after making sure the men wouldn't be causing anymore trouble and saw Kousuke's lover's state.

"Nowaki" He called his doctor friend over to Kousuke and Masahiro. "You remember Nowaki, he'll check up Setagawa-kun" he told Kousuke.

As Nowaki checked up over Kousuke and Setagawa, Houjou sighed. This was going to be a long explanation and his off-duty time was no more. He handcuffed the two men, both Honda and Kanda starting to wake up and cringing in pain. This had been serious, even though there'd be a long report to make, he had seen Masahiro's bruises and knew they would have killed him either way, Kousuke had done nothing wrong and his superiors knew Kousuke as a vigilante in the past and would let him off. Setagawa-kun had been assaulted and nearly killed, those two would be put in for a long time.

Nowaki gently lifted one of Masahiro's arms away from Kousuke to see his body more properly. Masahiro, who had fallen into a light slumber whimpered and burrowed into Kousuke more. He was scared that someone would take him from Kousuke again and he feel pain again. He clenched his shirt tightly even through summoning strength hurt

"Masahiro..It's okay" He heard Kousuke saying. Kousuke placed a hand over his own. He looked up through blurred eyes, tears lining his eyes. Kousuke had that gentle smile reserved for him only, and soft eyes. Were that tears in Kousuke's eyes too?

"That is Nowaki, an acquaintance of mine. he's a doctor, he's here to see your wounds" Kousuke reassured his voice murmuring softly to Masahiro. "It's okay. You are safe with me. I am here." He consoled.

"Don't leave me" Masahiro trembled from fear and pain.

"I won't. I'll be here, holding you"

Masahiro felt warmth rush into him, and unclenched his left fingers. He still held on Kousuke with his right arm, fearing that if he left, he'd be back in the nightmare. Nowaki gently spread his left arm away and unfurled the jacket. He pressed gently against his chest. Masahiro whimpered again.

"It seemed he's cracked a few ribs. Definetely not broken, else he'd be in more pain" he skimmed his hands over the boy's face. "The head wound bled a lot, but it seems to have clotted for now. That's good" He touched his jaw. Masahiro flinched into Kousuke. "Sorry" Nowaki apologized "But your jaw is sprained. It'll be swollen for a while"

Nowaki, released Masahiro's hand which found itself curled in the folds of Kousuke's jacket again, and wrapped Setagawa firmly in the Ooshiba's jacket.

"There doesn't seem to be any life threatening injuries. He's on the safe side, just in a lot of pain. He's a strong kid. He'll heal in no time" Nowaki assured Kousuke, with a smile.

"Thank god. Masahiro, stop scaring me like that" Kousuke hugged him, and pressed him into his chest more tightly but gently taking care of his bruises.

"So..rry" Masahiro mumbled near tears, as he saw a single tear drip down his lover's face.

"Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault" Kousuke continued sitting on the ground, holding him and caressed his hair. It was a bit matted with blood and dirt but still it was soft in some place.

"I.." Masahiro began to say when he felt a light peck on his forehead and smiled, feeling safe and loved. Something he hadn't felt before being with Kousuke.

He listened to Houjou say something to Kousuke as he curled into his chest, Kousuke's voice, warmth and safety lulling him into sleep. Somewhere along, he felt those arms that meant love and protection life him in a bridal style, holding his battered body close to a warm broad chest. The scent he had come to love, was all around him. In that moment, he felt nothing could hurt him. He was with Kousuke.

"I love you" He murmured unconsciously tuning out the sounds surrounding him, as he settled into the warmth.

Kousuke got into the backseat of his car. Houjou had brought it to the area of the attack. Nowaki got into the driver's seat and drove to his clinic. Masahiro needed his bruises taken care off. Houjou stayed behind to guard and call for backup to arrest the two gang men. He heard Mashiro's weak voice declaring his love, and widened his eyes. He then chuckled for the first time he found Masahiro, and kissed his forehead.

"I love you too"

He held Masahiro in his arms in the cars. He felt relaxed and drained of all the worry and energy too. He would protect Masahiro with his life. It wasn't Masahiro's fault that he got into such situations but it would surely be Kousuke's fault if he couldn't protect Masahiro. He'd come just in time. The thought of being there any longer, and finding his lifeless body, made him shudder and he pulled his lover even closer, feeling his warm and shaky breaths on his neck and kissed him on his head again. He rested his chin lightly on top and stroked his head, when Masahiro fidgeted murmuring sweet nothings as the car drove on.

I may not be there with Masahiro all the time, I can't be his perfect hero but I will be there when he needs me the most. I love him too much.