Title: Runner
Summary: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat'?
Rating: T—Due to change
Genre: Suspense/Romance
Length: 15 Chapters

Author's Note: Hmmm... I am almost done with this story. Any thoughts?

Guest: Don't get butthurt because people like to add things to a relationship in fanfiction. While I know that Asami isn't Yakuza, Akihito does not, and until Asami corrects him on the matter, that is how it has to be written (or at least how I'm writing it-I'm not so stupid as to think that other people would follow my policy when it comes to writing).

Chapter 12: First Kill, First Born

Tsukiya's temper had reached it's breaking point. It was like the drapes had been drawn over her facial expressions, leaving behind a cold mask of indifference. Akihito closed his eyes. He wasn't doing much better. Something nagged at him—telling him that Asami would be there. It made butterflies flutter around in his stomach and that wasn't helping the already dizzying anxiety that took over him. It made him have trouble holding down his lunch.

When they got there, Akihito felt the same boiling rage Tsukiya felt on the same level. He masked his expression carefully, tilting up his lips and sauntering into the room with his Wildcat persona in place. "I should have known you wouldn't keep your word. It's quite unattractive how you new-age brats take over the underground and rule it with dishonesty and manipulation."

"And what would you know about the old ways?" Takamatsu asked, raising an eyebrow. "You weren't even born in that time period."

"No but you forget—I'm a runner and runners only do business with those that can keep their word." Akihito jerked his head back and scoffed. "Deal's off, Takamatsu, I won't work for you. You said you'd keep Asami out of the loop if I did and you failed to do just that." His eyes blazed, narrowing into slits. "Those were the only conditions for my employment. Beyond that, I didn't give a rat's ass if I got paid or not. You ruined your chance—quite a stupid move on your part."

Takamatsu's head was tilted forward so no one could see his expression. His shoulders shook for a moment and Akihito thought he was trembling in rage until his laughter rang out. "It was never about getting you to work for me—even Kaoru's abduction had nothing to do with my true objective."

Kaoru growled, "What?!"

"Tch, do you think I'm stupid, Tsukiya? I know you drugged me. I recorded the whole damn thing. I like to relive my nights so I planted wireless cameras in my room so I could watch from multiple angles." Takamatsu bared his teeth in a somewhat feral grin. "You should know all about that Aki-kun."

Akihito took a step back when a peircing pain stabbed through his mind. Why did his body tingle the way it did when he said that?

"Do you remember yet?" Takamatsu asked calmly.

Oh…

Yes.

Akihito remembered now.

There had been a short period of time between the time Akihito went to high school and the time he enrolled in a local university that offered a variety of beginning classes that eventually led to the bigger campus where he met Tsukiya at.

Takamatsu had been a student there. He had been a year above Akihito but the two of them had hit it off.

Six months after their friendship started, Takamatsu inherited his father's company and Akihito saw him less and less until grad-night where Takamatsu and Akihito had both gotten a little too tipsy and a little too horny. It was only a matter of time before they hooked up and when they did, they decided to give it a go.

The relationship had been horrible. Takamatsu had been a hair's breath away from being abusive. He slammed his fists into walls, tried to intimidate Akihito into submitting to him but all he got was the same damn thing thrown back at him. Akihito didn't take that shit lying down. Not from anyone.

A fed up Akihito, on his way home after an argument with Takamatsu that ended their relationship, got into a car accident. The sedan had come out of nowhere, slamming into him and sending him flying. He landed on the street with a really bad concussion that wiped almost a year and a half of memories—including their relationship.

The worst part of it? Takamatsu never showed up.

"Tch. What I remember was a terrible relationship that ended the best possible way it could have—with me forgetting it ever happened. You were a mistake, Takamatsu. Get over it." Akihito snarled.

"Oh?" Asami murmured. His little kitten truly was a bundle of surprises. Did that mean that he was not Akihito's first?

In retrospect, Asami blames Akihito's presence for him behind so absent-minded because if he had been completely alert, he would have known that Takamatsu had something hidden underneath his jacket but the thought had never crossed his mind.

That was why he was very thankful his Akihito learned how to dodge bullets.

It happened in a matter of seconds. Takamatsu drew the gun he had hidden in a holster under his jacket and fired at Akihito. Akihito spun to the side and used the same motion to lunge at Takamatsu, grabbing the hand with the gun and aiming it away from him. He shoved him against the glass window-wall hard enough to cause it to crack.

"Do you remember, sempai?" Akihito asked. "What I said when I walked out that day?"

Takamatsu's eyes widened before he barked out a laugh. Of course he remembered. "If I ever see you again, Takamatsu, I'll kill you."

"You don't have what it takes to kill me, boy."

'Don't be too sure about that.' Akihito thought darkly as he struggled to keep Takamatsu from escaping his grasp. "Kaoru-san, take Tsukiya and go!" He growled. Kaoru nodded, taking a horrified Tsukiya and escorting her from the room. Kirishima and Asami were the only two left and Akihito could tell that Asami was trying to get a clear shot from the reflection in the glass but Akihito, with the way he was holding Takamatsu at bay, was acting as a shield.

Akihito had meant it when he said that he would kill Takamatsu and now that he'd laid the trap, that's what he was prepared to do. A small part of him justified it by telling him that with all of Asami's enemies coming after him to use him as bait to get to Asami, it was bound to happen eventually but Akihito was kind of glad that it was Takamatsu that was going to be his first kill. At least this way, he would have thrown away his humanity on his own terms.

Takamatsu bared his teeth as Akihito overpowered him. "What's the matter? Pissed off that I'm stronger than you are now, Taka-kun?" He mocked.

The gun fired, narrowly missing Kirishima. "Stay out of this." Takamatsu growled. "I'll be damned if anyone gets in my way—including you, Asami Ryuichi."

"Tch—Asami has nothing to do with your sick and twisted delusions." Akihito snarled, letting up enough to let Takamatsu believe he was gaining the upper hand before he slammed him into the glass again. This time, the glass began to warp. One more good blow and it would shatter and then the tiger would push the lion off of the highest point.

Good riddance.

Takamatsu felt a sliver of fear. The years he spent behind his desk were starting to take its toll on his body. The muscle he had once used to intimidate people had atrophied away after his wife died because he couldn't bring himself to keep up his exercise routine. Someone as small as Akihito could easily overpower him now.

Annoying.

Takamatsu brought his knee up and slammed it into Akihito's diaphragm. His fist slammed into Akihito's jaw and before Asami or Kirishima could even think about shooting him, he pulled the trigger three times, aiming for Asami.

Kirishima blocked all but one, the two bullets slamming into the bulletproof vest he was wearing and breaking his ribs due to the close proximity of the shooter, which tore through the man's left shoulder, nicking an artery. If he didn't get help soon, he would bleed out. Akihito cursed under his breath before he lunged one more time, tackling Takamatsu and sending them both hurtling towards the warped glass window-wall.

"There is a move I want to teach you before we go out there and actually make a career out of running." Tsukiya said. "It's a complex move that you can only do in mid-air if you are struggling against someone who is trying to bring you down by tackling you in mid air.

"The move is not easy and requires a lot of flexibility so I suggest that you try not to get so tense when you practice it. What we are going to do on the course is practice it. You've read the practical part of it, right?"

"You mean kicking off of someone who is attacking me while I'm in the dead-zone?" Akihito asked flabbergasted. "You're crazy."

"Maybe so but it might save your life."

'Thank you, Tsukiya. You were right. This will save my life.' Akihito thought moments before he released Takamatsu and kicked off of the falling man's torso. He reached for the ledge and felt a flash of fear when he couldn't reach it before he felt two pairs of hands grab each of his arms. He looked up to see Kirishima and Kaoru pulling him up.

"Are you alright?" Kaoru asked, looking down.

"Yeah, fine. Is Tsukiya still around?"

"No. I had my driver take her to the hospital. In the midst of all the chaos, her water broke and she went into stress-induced labor. Thankfully, she's far enough along that the baby can survive on its own. I've also called a private medical transportation company that will take care of Ryuichi-san's injuries—I have evidence linking Takamatsu to the terrorist attack and the official story will be that Takamatsu committed suicide after I pay off the right people."

As soon as he was finished, the paramedics came and took Asami to the private hospital. Akihito waited in the waiting room, anxiously bouncing his leg as he waited for Asami to get out of surgery.

Tsukiya was rolled down the hall by a nurse. Akihito didn't notice until she poked him in the forehead. "Come with me." She said, smiling warmly. Akihito noticed that her belly was no longer swollen. She had given birth. Akihito nodded to the nurse pushing her and followed them down the hall. She stopped in front of the window to the maternity ward. "Isn't she beautiful?" Tsukiya whispered, her hand resting on the cool glass. There was only one baby in there and it was Tsukiya's. "She will have Kaoru's hazel-brown eyes but my blonde hair. She will be perfect." Tsukiya smiled at Akihito and she seemed to glow. "And if something happens to me, she will be all yours."

Akihito's eyes widened before he smirked. "Don't say stupid things. You're gonna' be around for a long time."

Tsukiya laughed. "I guess so." She turned her attention back to the child. "Her name is Tsukiko. Akihito was startled when he laughed. It was a rough sound. Tsukiya looked up at him. "You're crying." She said.

Akihito wiped the back of his hand across his face. Indeed he was. He shook his head. "I'm fine." He said. He wasn't. He felt dirty, tainted, for killing Takamatsu, but he wasn't going to tell her that. After a few moments of struggling, the tears stopped and Akihito wiped his face.

The light chimed as it turned off. Akihito turned around to see Asami being rolled out of the OR and down to the ICU. "The next forty eight hours are critical." The doctor said. "But he has a good chance. We got to it just in time. Any later though..." The doc trailed off and shook his head.

"Can I see him?" Akihito asked.

The doctor looked hesitant. "He already has one visitor." Kirishima, Akihito thought. Of course. He sighed quietly. "...but I guess it won't hurt. He's not really lucid. He's conscious but not coherent." The doctor chuckled dryly. "He's under some heavy pain medication."

Ah. He was high. Akihito snickered. "I won't do anything to strain him."

"Alright. He's in room C232."

Akihito nodded in thanks before he took off in a sprint. Tsukiya didn't follow him. This was something he needed to do alone.

Kirishima left the room as soon as Akihito walked in. He was kinda' grateful. That man was scarily perceptive and was far more in touch with his instincts than Asami. "Akihito." Asami said.

"Don't say anything right now." Akihito said, his body already tingling with anticipation. Asami could really fuck when he was pissed off and Akihito deserved some of the anger he was getting—going to get. "There are still loose ends that need to be tied and if you..." He sneered. "...put me in my place… they won't get tied."

Asami smirked. Smug bastard. Akihito shook his head the same way a lion would shake out his mane to mask his irritation. "Wildcat. It suites you." Asami mused, changing the subject. Akihito didn't mask his gratitude. "I wasn't expecting this feral side of you."

"Tch. That's because you don't know anything about me." Which was just as well—Akihito knew hardly anything about Asami. "So out of tune with your instincts—what's it like having to rely on another's intellect?"

The heart monitor skipped a few beats and Akihito flinched. He'd pissed him off. "How long have you been running?" Asami asked instead of taking the bait. Akihito wasn't sure if he was disappointed or amused.

"As Pantera I ran for three years until I got injured and arrested on the same night." Akihito chuckled wryly. "I almost lost my arm."

Asami quirked an eyebrow when he realized Akihito would not continue unless asked. "How?"

"The cops refused to get me medical attention and I spent twenty four hours in a holding cell. After they released me, I went to the hospital to get medical treatment. Infection had set in and they had to reconstruct the bone surgically. I stopped running after that." 'Until now.' He thought.

"Why did you change your name?"

Akihito shrugged. "Dunno. It was Tsukiya's idea. I went along because it was easier than explaining where she derived it from."

Asami believed that.

"Tell me about your relationship with Takamatsu."

Akihito froze, ice creeping over his body. "We never had sex. I never let it go that far—even when he tried to force me… but we dated for eight months. I moved into his apartment two months into the relationship and things down-spiraled. The night I left, I told him that if I ever saw him again, I'd throw him off of the highest building." His lips turned into a humorless smirk. "It wasn't the highest but it was certainly high enough to get the job done, don't you think?" He asked. Asami's eyes narrowed. Akihito scoffed. "Don't you dare tell me I was wrong to do so. That bastard was sick and twisted in ways that no medication could help. At this point, it would be considered a mercy killing."

The man's psyche was fractured in ways that made him derive pleasure from other people's pain. He was a sadist, a sociopath and a class-A conman. He felt no remorse and wanted to control everything in his life and in the lives of those close to him. When things didn't go his way, he shut down or threw a fit the size of the grand canyon that ended with broken objects scattered about the house.

Akihito despised those kind of people.

So he left.

What luck was it that he was offered the chance to forget?

But that bastard went and reminded him, made him recall his parting words, and now he was dead.

Serves him right.

"You won't be the same." Asami said.

Akihito closed his eyes. "I know." He already felt different. "But we both know it was only a matter of time before I was forced to show my hand."

Asami hummed. "True." He looked like he wanted a glass of scotch.

Akihito rolled his eyes. "Idiot."

"That's not nice, Akihito." Asami's eyes flashed with mischief. Akihito shuddered when his hand snaked around his waste.

"You're injured."

"I don't care."

Akihito put his hand on the injury and pressed down a little causing the older man to hiss in pain. "I do." Akihito said, pulling back and standing up. "Remember those loose ends? I need to go tie them." Akihito smirked at Asami. "At the end of the week, you should be healed enough to be released." His eyes darkened with lust. "You'll just have to teach me a lesson then."

Asami's eyes widened when Akihito left.

"When did my little kitten learn how to flex his claws?" Asami murmured.

"He's never been a kitten, Asami-sama." Kirishima said. Asami turned his attention to his bodyguard. "He's always been a panther, lying in wait. I fear that you have become his prey this time around."

"I highly doubt that." Asami said, amused by the very thought. If Akihito was a panther then he was a cheetah—he just had yet to learn how to hunt.

But that was due to change.

'Watch out, my little wildcat. You think that you have the upper hand but you are not the only one with claws...'

Tsuzukeru.

Next time: The rating goes UP!

Asami puts Akihito in his place. Kirishima and Akihito talk.