The Gun and the Guitar

Chapter 10: Healing Wounds

K was standing outside of Hiro's hospital room talking to the police officer in charge of this case. He'd told him everything he knew about what had happened.

"So, you were the one that took out…" the cop looked at his notepad, "…Mr. Nakano's attackers?"

K spied the sturdy, mid-aged officer, "Yes, they're lucky I didn't fucking kill them," he snapped, the horrid scene in the dark alley flashing through his mind. It made his gut wrench.

"Well, the call center was surprised to get such an efficient call-in. We ran your name—e x-Secret Service is that right? You still have your diplomatic immunity…you can carry that gun legally?" questioned the officer, nodding at the gun concealed in K's inside pocket.

"Yes and yes."

"Can I see your identification, old badge number and registration, please? Just to verify..."

K rolled his eyes, but dug into his pocket for his wallet. He handed the cop his ID.

The officer looked over everything. He seemed satisfied but asked, "Why'd you leave the Service, Mr. Winchester?"

"Personal reasons," K muttered.

"I see. Well, thanks to you we've finally caught these guys. You're friend is very lucky, we believe those men were the culprits behind a string of sexual assaults in that area."

Somehow that made K, feel a bit ill.

"Well I'll leave you then, take care of your friend. I'll be around to question Hiroshi when he's up to it, probably in the morning," said the officer.

K nodded and watched the officer in plain clothes walk away. Then he went to a pay phone and dropped in a quarter since he had to turn off his cell in the hospital. He called Shuichi and told him what happened, but he left out the horrid details.

He held the receiver from his ear as Shuichi screamed into the phone. Shuichi insisted he'd be there right away. But K told him Hiro was asleep, that he was going to be fine…he urged him to come first thing in the morning.

Shuichi begrudgingly agreed.

K hung up the phone and rushed back to Hiro's bedside. The room was a fair size and it had that sanitary, hospital smell. The overhead lights were turned off and only the backlight's behind Hiro's bed was on for resting. The IV and monitor next to Hiro hummed quietly as it recorded his vitals and gave Hiro some kind of fluid he didn't quite know the name of. K ran a hand over his face stressfully, the sight of Hiro in that bed made his chest hurt. At least his face was cleaned up, except that tiny scrape over his left cheek and some bruising under his right eye. He felt so guilty. But at the same time he thanked the heavens for letting him get to Hiroshi in time…

It was such a mixed blessing…

K sat heavily in a chair he'd pulled close to Hiro and rested his weary head on the side of his bed.

"I'm so sorry, god…I could say that forever and it would never feel like enough. I don't know what I'd do if anything had happened to you…" he whispered softly, eyes prickling with hot guilty tears again. The reality of how he felt couldn't have hit home any harder than it did tonight.

Softly, a hand pet over his hair and K looked up with wet eyes.

Hiro gave a weak smile.

"Do you always smile when you first wake up, Hiro?" K whispered incredulously.

"Only around you…" Hiro murmured, but his smiled faded. He winced as he shifted; expecting to feel pain but there was none. "Man…I feel so fucked up."

"Probably the painkillers, you'll need them, you're going to hurt for awhile," K said remembering a stab wound of his own in his time. He squeezed the brunette's hand as Hiro still idly fingered his hair.

They watched each other silently for a moment.

"I, uh…I heard what you said a second ago…do you really feel that way?" Hiro asked softly.

"Yes…I can't say sorry enough. It's my fault that you even got put in this mess in the first place," K insisted, "If I hadn't been so stupid..."

Hiro groaned.

"Are you alright, should I get the nurse?!" K exclaimed, getting up and rushing for the door with a clatter.

Hiro chuckled lightly, "No its ok. Just sit back down where I can see you," he offered.

K resumed sitting.

Hiro looked up at the ceiling. Then he said, "I was groaning about you, why the sudden change of heart? I thought you didn't want me anymore…why did you push me away?" Hiro asked straight out, he closed his eyes and waited to hear K's response.

"Hiro, I just wanted you to be happily married," K stated.

Hiro's eyes shot open, "WHAT?!"

K sighed and said, "Ok, I made a huge mistake. I thought, I overhead Ayaka and you planning to get married, I didn't want to stand in your way. But tonight I found out I was wrong." He looked away guiltily, feeling very dumb right now.

Hiro shut his eyes again sighed. "Wait, how did you overhear…" But it dawned on Hiro that K had been spying on them, he sighed again, "What did you hear in Kyoto exactly?"

K told Hiro what he heard shamefully.

"So instead of talking to me about it, you just decided to take matters into your own hands. Figured Ayaka was better for me than you were? Figured you'd make my mind up for me?" Hiro said tersely.

K looked away, why did Hiro have to be so good at figuring out this stuff? "I thought you'd be better off with someone like her, instead of an old fart like me."

"I never thought of it that way..."

K stayed silent.

"You know, my brother has a saying and I said it to Shuichi when he first met Yuki and realized he was in love with a guy. I said: "You can't help who you fall in love with." We're just people. And I love you, so deal with it."

K sighed. "You're right…man, I'm such a fool"

"No, you're not a fool. But you can be so hot-headed sometimes," Hiro claimed, feeling the torment he'd been harbouring lifting from his soul. All this heartache over a stupid misunderstanding, he scoffed.

"I'm really sorry Hiroshi, I'm sorry you had to get hurt, I'm sorry for being a jerk," K stated. He felt Hiro pat his head like a puppy.

"Its history now, let's just put it behind us," the brunette said firmly.

K nodded, "What can I do to make it up to you? I'll do anything you want, anything."

Hiro thought about it and replied, "Give me a day off."

"Well of course, Hiro. You can have as many days off as you want," K replied. Then he got a great idea! "How about a lot of days off, away from the city? Somewhere really nice," he suggested, he'd do anything to make up for his stupidity.

"Just me and you?" the guitarist asked quietly, he'd like that the most.

"No, it won't just be you and me, but I have a plan," K explained, "Trust me, you'll just have to wait and see."

Hiro nodded and looked over at the monitor, his heart was beating with steady jagged lines. It was weird to look at. He spoke up, "There is one more thing you can do…tell me about yourself Claude K. Winchester, tell me why you got upset on the Much Music set, tell me how you knew all those police codes back there, tell me why you bought new shoes; it wasn't for some woman at the bar was it?"

"My shoes…?" K questioned perplexed and wriggled his toes inside of them, "There wasn't any woman at a bar…I was err, just strolling along the Fashion District on Queen Street one day…I saw them, they were nice." He left out the fact that he'd been following Hiro.

Hiro looked back at K, he smiled. "They're nice," he said.

"Um…thanks."

Hiro held K's hand.

"When we get out of town, I will tell you anything you want to know…ok?" K promised.

"M'alright," Hiro murmured. "Just…one more thing..."

"Sure," K encouraged.

"Promise me you'll talk to me before freaking out about something. I will do the same," Hiro explained.

"That is a promise I can keep," K assured.

He closed his eyes, feeling sleepy again and whispered, "You were so awesome back there…in the alley, beating the shit out of those assholes."

"I wanted to string them up by their balls for laying a hand on you," K said with vehemence.

"I know, I know," Hiro offered softly, "But, I'm glad you didn't."

The blonde smiled. "You really are so strong, Hiroshi. And you put up a pretty good fight…I didn't miss the guy missing a tooth," K offered proudly.

Hiro attempted a smiled but his lip trembled and a tear rolled down his cheek. He turned his head away embarrassed, "I can't believe I fell right into that trap…I feel so stupid."

K looked on surprised, "Aww Hiro, no…if it wasn't you it would have been someone else. The cop told me they'd been looking for those guys for quite some time. It wasn't your fault."

Hiro told K about what he was doing with the guy named Mark; he didn't want to hide it. He closed his eyes with shame.

K sighed. "That doesn't make what he did to you right, Hiro. He was a bastard for baiting you that way…asshole," K muttered under his breath.

"So you're not mad at me for that?"

"Of course not," K whispered. He added softly, "…all I want is your forgiveness."

"I forgive you," Hiro offered without hesitation. "I still…I still can't believe you came. It's like you knew I was in trouble…"

"It's my job to protect you…but this time, call it an instinct," K explained, remembering his flashback. "Now enough chattering, just rest and get better, ok?"

Hiro nodded and squeezed K's hand. "Don't leave me," he said barely above a whisper.

"I'll be right here," K promised.

First thing in the morning Bad Luck walked into the Hiro's sun-filled hospital room. They all stood there bearing flowers and gifts, taken aback to see K, shirtless and wearing only his jacket, asleep in an orange oversized hospital chair holding Hiro's hand.

"Sshh, he's been up all night," Hiro murmured to his band members, even Yuki.

Shuichi gaped in shock at the sight before him and ran to Hiro's bedside, "Oh Hiro, you look awful."

"Gee, thanks," huffed the guitarist.

"K called me last night and told me what happened…I can't believe it," Shuichi muttered quietly as he stared at the bruise on Hiro's face.

Hiro blanched and worry twisted in his stomach. "What did K tell you, exactly?"

"That you'd been mugged by three guys," Shuichi offered.

"That's it?" Hiro questioned, "There wasn't anything else?"

"Err…no," Shuichi said and then gave his best friend a hug.

"Unn…watch the leg," grunted Hiro, silently thanking K for sparing the awkward details. He didn't want everyone to know he'd almost been sexually assaulted. He couldn't bear to re-tell that part. Even though he knew it wasn't his fault, but still. His stomach stopped twisting and he hugged Shuichi back.

He did tell them vaguely what happened and how K showed up and kicked the crap out of them.

"They stabbed you?!" Suguru asked astonished, "Wow, luckily K showed up."

"Yea, he shot the gun out of the guy's hand and…" Hiro continued to reveal the details of K's heroic act proudly. "I never knew he could fight like that."

"Me either," Shuichi murmured, "I wonder where he learned that."

Suguru and Sakano looked at each other and shrugged.

"Wanna see my stitches?" Hiro asked Shuichi excitedly, "They're cool and kinda disgusting."

"Yeah!" Shuichi clamoured.

Hiro moved the blankets aside and pulled back his bandage, he showed his best friend the angry looking stab wound.

"Gross!" Shuichi said.

Yuki shook his head…Hiro and Shuichi were so weird sometimes.

Hearing noise around him, K stirred awake. Blinking, his eyes tired, K's vision adjusted and he saw people in the room. Quickly he let go of Hiro's hand and sat up straighter.

Shuichi then launched himself at him. "Oh, thank you for saving, Hiroshi!"

K groaned at the impact and looked surprised.

"Shuichi, cut it out," Hiro told his friend.

Shuichi pulled away and stood back up. "Hiro, was telling us that you can fight like Bruce Lee! That's so cool!"

K glanced at Hiro.

But the guitarist only shrugged a smug look on his face.

Two days later Hiro was released from the hospital when a psychologist announced he wasn't suffering from too much post-traumatic stress. But they'd given him a card with a number and an address, just in case. The cop that had been questioning K, also made sure to grill Hiro of every fine detail of his ordeal.

Last night he had a nightmare…it was dark, he was walking down a street alone when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. He woke up with a start, but K was right there to hold him and tell him everything was alright. That was all he needed and everything felt ok.

Hiro also loved K's excuse to the guys for why he was spending so much time with him…that he was guarding him.

But he'd only left the hospital bed and ended up in his hotel bed, K would not let him out of it! He was lying on top of the covers, head on the pillows, wearing his KISS boxer shorts and a plain black t-shirt, watching K change the dressing on his leg.

"I can't stand lying in a bed for three days," he complained as K placed some fresh gauze over his wound.

"I've done this a million times," K explained and began to wrap the bandage around Hiro's left thigh, "The wound is healing nicely; at least it's not infected."

"Argh! You're not listening. When do we get to go the place you promised? I'm tired of hanging out in this hotel," moaned Hiro.

K gave Hiro a patient look and placed the extra bandage on the night stand when he was done. "Well, the doctor gave strict orders for you to stay off your leg for at least five days. You don't want to bust it open now do you?"

Hiro actually pouted. "So bossy," he whined.

"And you're so cranky," K quipped good-naturedly. He'd chuckled, never seen Hiro so restless before and it was a little amusing, even cute. "I know!" he said happily, "I'll order a movie and we can have ice cream."

"I'm not a baby!" Hiro cried.

But K wanted ice cream… "I wasn't implying—"

"What I want is for you to kiss me…not a stupid peck, but a real kiss. I need you," Hiro demanded hotly.

That was so sweet. But K's eyes shifted away, "What about…what if it…"

"I'm fine K, really…" Hiro insisted, "You're not one of them so I won't feel weird. I just want everything to go back to normal."

K could understand that. He'd wanted to kiss Hiro so much it hurt, but he'd given him some time, although he didn't know how much to give. K leaned over, brushed a gentle palm over Hiro's face before pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

Hiro eagerly pressed into the kiss, sighing fondly and his fingers threaded through the blond's hair.

Mumbling over lips, K said affectionately, "I love you."

"Convince me with more kisses," Hiro murmured with conviction.

K chortled at that and he could feel the apprehension leaving his body. Hiro seemed fine, he was worrying about nothing. Pressing his mouth firmly against Hiro's he sighed heavenly. He'd missed this so much and he silently berated himself again for being such a dolt.

Hiro pulled back, "Stop kicking yourself already."

"How did you know?"

"You're kiss changed, I felt it," Hiro said. "Come on, leave it alone…I'm not blaming you for anything. It was a stupid fuck-up. It wasn't you that got me hurt, alright?"

K nodded, "Alright."

By the time the five days were up, Hiro was dying to get out of his room!

He was supposed to go for a check-up today at the local clinic, before K would even consider taking him anywhere. He felt a bit better after taking a long shower this morning, actually he even felt content at heart. He had his K back! It was as if they started right where they left off. Hiro was back on cloud nine—except being cooped in this damn room!

There was a rustling at his door; he knew it was K using his hotel key. His heart leapt.

Hiro was looking out over the cityscape, barefoot, hair still damp, dressed in loose jeans and a brown t-shirt. He turned around. A big smile came to his face as K came in with breakfast in a paper bag. Hiro let his eyes linger over K in blue, faded jeans and an un-tucked white shirt, his hair looking a little wind-tossed. His groin twitched.

K took off his sunglasses and placed them with the food and coffee on a table. "Good morning, gorgeous," he told him sweetly.

Hiro only smiled and padded over to his tall, blonde lover and attacked him fiercely with a kiss.

A surprised sound escaped K's throat, but he happily wrapped his arms around the smaller man and kissed him back. He parted Hiro's lips with his tongue and groaned with pleasure as they meld together. Mmm, Hiro tasted fresh, like toothpaste.

A desire had taken over the guitarist. His hands unabashedly felt K up, over the round of his firm ass, along his long slender back and into a bush of hair. He had a need to satisfy; it'd been so long since…

"I'm horny…" Hiro whispered in a soft whine next to K's ear. He didn't care how it sounded.

Blue eyes widened. "I can tell, Hiroshi…but, is it…"

"It is fine," Hiro growled. Man, K was so gentle and apprehensive after this attack that he had to urge him every step of the way that he was fine.

"I'm sorry, I had to make sure," K urged, but slid both his hands lower and cupped Hiro's perfect bottom. He pressed the man into him, grinding Hiro's erection against his own.

Hiro parted his lips and sighed impassioned.

Confident that Hiro was cool with this; K let one of his hands smooth around Hiro's smaller body and brought it to his front. "You're so hard, Hiroshi," K purred and pet him.

"Did I tell you that you look so hot today…ahh yeah, just like that, keep touching me…" begged Hiro, pressing into K's hand.

K swallowed thickly. Dear god, Hiro was turning him on like this. He bent to kiss along Hiro's throat, under his ear, tugging the lobe gently between his lips.

Hiro found K's mouth again, opening up and tasting the wetness within as K's fingers squeezed and dug into all the right spots, it made him weak at the knees.

They were still kissing and pawing at each other, when suddenly they heard the hotel door whine open. Hiro and K jumped off of each other quickly and smiled with flushed cheeks when Shuichi stumbled in, still in his pj's.

In a flash Hiro stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Hiya, Shuichi," Hiro squeaked and cleared his throat.

Shuichi smiled oddly at a surprised looking Hiro and K. He said unsurely, "Umm…the door wasn't completely closed." Shuichi waved his hand at them embarrassed like, "…were you talking about me?"

"Err…no," K started, "I uh, I was telling Hiro about a surprise I had planned for everyone."

"Really?!" Shuichi exclaimed.

Hiro began to wave the air in front of his face, "Phew, is it hot in this room or is it me?"

"Yeah, hot," K repeated, unsure.

"Umm…yeah. So, what is this surprise? Tell me!" Shuichi begged.

"I was telling Hiro, that I booked us some cabins just north of here for a little R and R. There's a lake and fish and trees and starry skies and birds."

"Birds?" Shuichi muttered.

"Hey, I promised Hiro a day off and I thought I'd do it with style. I mean we had to cancel so many things until Hiro gets better, no big deal…" K cut Hiro a look, "Tohma understands it's just a few days. They might come up later too, but they're pretty busy as well," K explained.

Without thinking Hiro gave K a big fat hug, "You did that for me?"

"Heh, well it is the wilderness. I wasn't sure you were into that stuff or not. I hoped you'd like it," K said.

"I haven't gone camping since I was a kid with my parents," Hiro told K.

Shuichi looked on at this peculiar scene with eyebrows raised. He'd never seen Hiroshi hug their manager before, never. Hiro wasn't exactly the hug-y type of guy, unless it was him as far as he knew. And he watched them talk so casually as if they'd known each other all their life.

Hiro remembered that Shuichi was watching him, he let go of K, scratching his head as if he'd forgotten where he was.

"Are you sure you're, ok?" Shuichi directed his question at his best friend. And was K blushing all of the sudden?! He didn't know his manager was capable of blushing.

"I'm fine," Hiro said exuberantly.

Shuichi noticed that Hiro was wearing that stupid grin again, just like the one he had on his face in Kyoto the day he and K finally arrived. "Well, I'm glad you're doing better, Hiro. That mugging was scary, but you seem so happy now." Shuichi couldn't figure out how getting beat up got Hiro out of his funk.

"Don't worry I'm fine, people get jumped all the time," Hiro moaned, tired of everyone carrying on.

"Yeah, but you're my best friend. So I have rights!" cried Shuichi.

Hiro chuckled yeah he guessed Shuichi did have rights.

"Shuichi, why don't you and Yuki, go pack your things. I think after Hiro's check-up he'll be alright to get away from the city for awhile," K told the pink-haired wonder.

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that. I wonder if Yuki likes the outdoors. Should I bring bug repellent? Will we roast marshmallows on a fire? Will you teach us some American folk songs? Can I—"

"I'll have all that covered," K intervened, "But you can forget about the folk songs!" he cried as Shuichi took off to tell Yuki about this new development.

This time Hiro went over to the door and locked it. He looked back at K with devilish intent.

K sat on the bed and kicked off his shoes. "Come here," he told Hiro and patted the bed. "It'll be my treat."

Hiro was already getting excited about what 'treat' K was talking about. Climbing carefully over big rumpled bed, grunting a little over his leg, Hiro laid back against the pillows and K crawled over top of him, like a predator to his prey. The blond hovered above, not laying any of his weight on him. Hiro stared up at K's face, smiling like a fool.

"I almost blew it back there, didn't I?" the brunette claimed.

"Hugging me in front of your best friend…I saw the look on his face, his gears are spinning," K offered and began planting kisses all over Hiro's face, his neck, and then his mouth.

"Mmmm…" But Hiro pulled back, "I know I should tell him, but when—how?"

"Oh, I dunno. I'm sure he'll figure it out sooner or later."

"So when are you gonna tell everyone about this trip?" Hiro wondered and brought a lock of K's hair to the blonde's upper lip. The brunette giggled. "You look funny with a moustache Claude; will you sing me a folk song?"

"What has gotten into you?" K pondered curiously, laughing and swiping the tickly hair from his face.

"It's called stir crazy!" Hiro whined teasingly and stuck the golden locks over his own lip.

K twittered as he watched his crazy young lover, "I'll tell everyone about the vacation just after—"

"We make up for all the kisses we lost for the last month or so," Hiro cut in eagerly.

"Mmm, my thoughts exactly," murmured K and he kissed all the healing bruises on Hiro's face.

"Next, can you please kiss my biggest hurt," Hiro chimed and pointed down at a tell-tale bump in his pants.

"Hey, that was going to be my treat to you," K said.

"Then, you read my mind," Hiro stated mischievously and undid his pants.

"We need to make this quick…you have to be at the doctor's office in about one hour," K reminded.

"Then get started, it won't take that long," Hiro promised, "I'm like a kettle ready to boil."

K laughed, "Aww, poor guy..."

A/N: The next few chapters are taking me awhile to edit...I've been working like 12 hr days, six days a week. Note! Don't work in a kitchen lol! Anyways, yeah it's coming along, but slowly. I decided to change a lot in this chapter and the next few chapters..so it required some thought. A lot of the stuff now is just me having fun with K and Hiro and everyone else XD Soon, Shuichi will find out haha! Oh and the next chapter is just full of fluff, K reveals lots about himself and Nittle Grasper and Bad Luck have a party...it gets silly lol!

HA! thanks guys for your fun comments! You rawk -squishes-