~Chapter 7: Avoidance~

~Kaku's POV~

Kaku walked away from Lucci's room silently. He was still shaking, and in disbelief over what had happened. Lucci had kissed him! He almost banged into Jabra because he wasn't looking where he was looking. He looked up into Jabra's shocked face and frowned.

"What?" he demanded.

"You're not dead!?" Jabra gasped.

"No..." Kaku shuffled his feet in discomfort.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing... he um... just decided not to kill me."

"That don't sound like Lucci to me." Jabra said doubtfully.

"Well it's true!" Kaku snapped. He could feel himself turning red and silently cursed how often he blushed. But what was he supposed to say? It wasn't exactly a lie, but he wasn't about to tell anyone, least of all Jabra, about the kiss.

"Well, we better hunt down Fukuro!"

"Why?"

"He's telling everyone that you're dead!"

Now it was circulating that Kaku had somehow miraculously survived an attack from Rob Lucci. Kaku made sure that the rumours ended immediately. He knew that if Lucci ever heard them, he would definately kill him.

What bothered Kaku the most was the fact that Lucci was avoiding him. They had usually seen each other several times a day, usually talking on at least one of those meetings. Kaku could see a strange look in his eyes whenever he did see him though. Was it fear? No, Lucci didn't feel fear. Maybe it was uncertanty? A long shot, but more likely than fear.

Kaku struggled to accept the fact that Lucci would never want to talk to him again. He had always hoped to one day become friends with Lucci (if that was even possible), or maybe even more than friends... No! He couldn't think like that. He and Lucci were partners in CP9 it had nothing to do with anything personal or intimate.

Kaku trudged down the hall before he was stopped by Kumadori.

"Yoyoi! Something is wrong! What is it?" he asked.

Kaku tried to stand up straighter and look more confident. He pulled his hat down lower over his face and stuck his nose slightly in the air as he always did when he tried to feel and look serious and under control. Finally he sighed and gave in. He had always liked Kumadori, and it was always so easy to talk to him.

"It's just that... Lucci has been avoiding me. Do you know if he is angered at me for some reason?" Kaku asked.

"Oooh! Trouble in paradise, huh?" Jabra asked, as he rounded the corner.

"W-What?!" Kaku cried, feeling his cheeks burn hotter.

"GYAHAHAHAHA!" Jabra howled with laughter. "I knew it! You like him!"

"I-I... N-no..." Kaku stuttered.

"GYAHAHAHAHA!" Jabra cried falling onto the ground and clutching his stomach.

"YOYOI!" Kumadori snapped, slamming his staff down on the ground. "Jabraaa! How unpoliteee!"

"What? It's true! Just look at his face!" Jabra laughed.

Kaku spun around and stormed off towards his room. He crossed his arms tightly across his chest and closed his eyes, trying to regulate the beating of his heart. Now Jabra knew something that Kaku hadn't even wanted to admit to himself. What would happen now? Would Jabra tell Lucci? And if he did, how would Lucci react? Would Lucci return his feelings, even slightly? He had kissed him.

Kaku sighed and continued to walk, hoping that he could get away from Jabra before Kumadori stopped scolding him for his rudeness. he barely noticed where he was walking as the hallway blurred in front of him. In horror, Kaku realised that he had tears in his eyes. He wiped them away in frustration before breaking into a run.

~Lucci's POV~

Lucci walked down the hallway quietly, satisfied at being able to avoid Kaku all day. He couldn't face him again... not yet.

Lucci stopped when he heard Kaku's voice. He froze. He couldn't hear what he was saying, but he could hear Jabra's laughter. Lucci sighed and rolled his eyes, but didn't move to help Kaku. He would have to fight his own battle this time. Finally he heard Kaku's footsteps walking away. Lucci sighed and continued down the hall until he saw Jabra and Kumadori.

Jabra was litterally rolling across the floor laughing, but Kumadori didn't look amused. When Lucci approached, Jabra looked at him and began to laugh even louder. A cold chill went down his spine. Had Kaku told him about the kiss?

"L-Lucci! Get a load of this!" Jabra gasped out between his laughter.

"Yoyoi! Enough already!" Kumadori snapped.

Lucci relaxed, satisfied that whatever Jabra was laughing at, it was at Kumadori's expense, not his own. Lucci shook his head and walked away, ignoring Jabra's shouts for him to come back.

Lucci rounded the corner and stopped. He had caught a glance of Kaku. Kaku's eyes. He had been wiping away tears.

Rage exploded inside of Lucci, burning him like hot coals. He spun around and strode back towards Jabra. Whatever the wolf-man had said, it had been about Kaku and it had been bad enough to make him cry. Lucci would not forgive him.

Lucci hunted Jabra all over the tower of law, but he couldn't find him anywhere. Enraged he finally went back to his room, his rage blinding him. He slammed the door to his room and sat down on the couch, grabbing a bottle of booze. He poured out as much as he could fit into two glasses and shoved one towards Hattori. Lucci flung back his head, swallowing the glass of liquor in one gulp. It would not be his last glass that night.

~Kaku's POV~

Kaku finally arrived at his room and turned the knob. Or at least, he tried to. He frowned as he met resistance. Why was his door locked? He hadn't locked it before he left earlier.

Angrily he knocked on the door, wondering if a servent had locked themself inside to avoid work. Too late Kaku looked around more carefully to see that this wasn't his room. It was Lucci's room. Why had his legs carried him here?

Kaku tried to turn around when the door opened and Lucci appeared.

"L-Lucci I..." Kaku began, but he didn't get a chance to finish because then Lucci reached out and grabbed Kaku's in an iron grip.

"Come in." he said bluntly, dragging Kaku inside.

~Thank you for reading! Please R&R! I love hearing your opinion! ~FoxEmpress