Sorry it's taken so long. I had writer's block. Enjoy.

Ichiru woke when his phone vibrated, keeping his eyes closed in comfortable drowsiness. He reached around for his phone before picking up the item and flipping it open.

"Mnn, hello? Hey, Ichiru. Did I wake you?" Ichiru's eyes shot open and he sat up. "Hey. No, you didn't. What's up? Do you have the key to my apartment? Yeah, why? I need you to go and pick up some proofs that I left in my study and bring them to me at my office. Anything else? There's a blue box on the desk beside the proofs, bring that with you and don't look in it. Okay. Thanks, babe," Ichiru hung up and got dressed, walking to his lover's apartment.

He went into the study and picked up the photo proofs along with the blue box. It was wrapped with a black ribbon and had a sticker that said, 'Not to be opened.' Ichiru shrugged and left the apartment, making his way to Sakura Photography. He'd seen the enormous building before, but the inside was even more astounding. He went to the secretary's desk and she smiled at him.

"Can I help you?"

"Uhm, I need to bring these to Rido Kuran?" he held up the proofs and she nodded, pointing to an elevator.

"23rd floor, go down the hallway and it's the door all the way at the end. He's expecting you."

He thanked her and went up to the top floor, walking to the end of the busy hallway while dodging between people with cameras and clipboards. He knocked on the door and a muffled response was spoken for him to enter. He opened the door to see Rido, still wearing his shades, even indoors, talking to someone on the phone and writing a report. He hung up the phone and smiled over at the silverette.

He scooted his chair back and patted his lap, "C'mere, baby."

Ichiru walked over and made himself comfortable on the elder's thighs and handed him the proofs.

"Thanks. Did you get-?" Ichiru held up the box and Rido smiled, holding out his hand. "Give it here."

Ichiru dropped the box onto Rido's upturned palm and the latter covered lavender eyes, "What-?"

"Don't open them."

Ichiru sighed, but complied, shivering when he felt something cold, thin and hard brush over his skin. He opened his eyes to find a thin metal chain choker around his neck. The main pieces were two metal wings entwined around a long black gem. His eyes widened and Rido smiled at him.

"Do you like it?"

"Y-Yes, it's gorgeous. Thank you, Rido-san," the younger hugged his boyfriend tightly and the latter laughed, wrapping his arms around the former's waist.

"You're welcome, Ichiru. I'm glad you like it. I still have work to do, so, if you want, you can look around, see some photo shoots."

Ichiru lit up and nodded, "I'd love to!"

Rido nodded and slipped a V.I.P. pass on over the silverette's head, "All right, off with you."

Ichiru grinned and hopped off Rido's lap, kissing the latter's cheek before dashing out the door. The silverette went into different photo shoots until he found one he really liked. The model was gorgeous but the photographer caught his attention. He had shaggy black hair and a large eye patch over his right eye. He looked so concentrated, despite the fact that he was obviously, at least, obvious to Ichiru, right eye dominant. One of the helpers came up to him, murmuring that she needed to see his pass. He showed it to her and she stood beside him.

"That's Touga Yagari. He's one of the best photographers we've got."

"He seems…dedicated."

"He most certainly is. Sorry, I'm Ruka, by the way. Ruka Souen."

He nodded and shook her hand, giving her his name before returning his attention to the shoot.

"So what are you doing here? I doubt you're a helper, running around with a V.I.P pass."

"Oh. I'm…"

"He's a friend of the boss's," Ichiru looked in front of him, startled.

Touga was standing there, smiling at the two of them.

Ichiru blinked, "I…don't think we've met."

"We haven't, but your pass has the boss's signature. I'm Touga Yagari."

Ichiru shook the man's outstretched hand, "Ichiru Kiryuu."

The man's eyes widened, "Hey, I know you. I was in the cot beside yours at the hospital! Remember?"

Ichiru smiled in recognition, "Of course! I completely forgot! I should've recognized your eye patch."

"Uhm, can someone explain what's going on here?" Ruka asked.

"Sure thing. I met this one back when I was 19 and he was 17. I'd gotten into a fight and jacked my eye up while he had TB. We were in the same room for about a month before I was released."

She nodded and took the raven's camera, "You two catch up. I can take care of this."

Yagari smiled and lightly gripped Ichiru's shoulder and lead him to the cafeteria area. When they got a table, they simply talked about what the other had been doing since they'd gotten out of the hospital. After that, the duo made their way back to the Yagari's photo shoot. Touga smiled and put a hand on Ichiru's head, leaning forward to lightly hug him.

"I'm glad I got to see you again."

Ichiru smiled and agreed, hugging back before heading back to Rido's office. He encountered the brunette just a few minutes later and, boy, he did not look happy.

"Rido, what-?"

"You're awfully friendly with him."

Ichiru could see where this was going, "Rido, please, he's just a friend."

Rido frowned and looked away, eyes still hidden beneath his shades, "Right, of course. Just a friend."

"You know what? I don't have time for this," Ichiru turned, about to walk off when Rido grabbed his wrist, yanking him into an empty conference room.

"Do not walk away from me," he growled and Ichiru's eyes narrowed.

"What the hell is your problem!"

"He was touchier with you than I am and I'm your lover."

"No. No the hell you're not! In the time that we've been together, from beginning to end, you've fucked me once! Doing it once doesn't make us lovers!"

Even with the shades, Ichiru could tell that Rido's eyes had narrowed exponentially, "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? How many times do we have to do it to become lovers? How many times did your previous boyfriends have to fuck you before they earned that title?" he spat, venomously.

"Shut up! That has nothing to do with you! What's wrong with you? I talk to one of my friends and suddenly you act as if I'm a fucking slut!"

Rido's sense of reasoning had iced over with cold fury, "You slept with me on the day you met me. What does that tell you?"

Ichiru's eyes widened before he stepped forward and slapped Rido, "I hate you!"

The silverette stomped out and Rido wiped the bit of blood that had leaked from the corner of his mouth. Meanwhile, Ichiru was going to a bar that one of his friends worked at.

"Honestly, he's a bastard, Shizuka!"

The similarly silver headed woman frowned, "He's probably insecure, Ichi, can you blame him? Even if only by four years, he's still older than you."

"He made it sound like I was a whore."

A young guy, a few years younger than Ichiru, stood beside him.

"You alone?" Ichiru nodded and the guy smiled, placing a hand on the former's lower back. "Wanna have some fun with me?"

Ichiru looked at him for a moment before smirking, "Sure."

"Ichi!" Shizuka protested.

"Shut up."

Ichiru sat up next to the dozing man and ran a hand through his hair, "He wants a slut? I'll give him slutty."

Two weeks later, Ichiru had slept with at least 11 different guys. On his way out of a bar with the 12th, Ichiru was distracted by a tall, familiar brunette that had caught sight of him. Rido was wearing jeans and a simple button up shirt with a jacket. Murder in his eyes, he harshly gripped Ichiru's wrist and dragged him away from the crowd and the guy Ichiru had picked up. He shoved him into an alleyway and glared at him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!"

Ichiru resisted the urge to flinch beneath the harsh tone and leaned back, seeming nonchalant, "You wouldn't give it to me, so I got it elsewhere."

"How many have you 'gotten it' from?"

Ichiru inspected his nails, "I lost count after 6," Ichiru smirked at the other, cruelly. "What's the matter? I'm a slut, aren't I? I'm just fulfilling my natural tendencies that my older lover couldn't take care of."

SMACK! Ichiru blinked in surprise, lightly touching his now red and bruising cheek. Without his shades, Rido's eyes were like an open book. The silverette could clearly see the pain and betrayal that lay in the sapphire and ruby depths…and the tears that had escaped his narrowed eyes.

"We're through," he hissed, eyes frozen pools of ice. "You want to fuck around, fine. I never want to see you again."

With that, Rido walked out of the alley, angrily wiping at his tears, and disappeared into the crowd. Ichiru blinked, leaning back against the wall in shock. He returned to the bar where Shizuka worked the next night and told her what happened.

"You deserve that bruise," she said, referring to the now almost purple skin of Ichiru's cheek. "You know what the really horrible thing about what you did is? You assured him that his being older wouldn't affect anything. He cried, Ichiru, and not because you wounded his pride. No, he cried because he really cared about you, and you threw his affection back in his face. Really, Ichiru, you've royally fucked this one up."

I agree completely, Shizuka. Sorry ladies and gents, but I just had to hurt Rido a bit in this. And boy, I think I got a bit carried away. Even I don't know how Ichi's gonna get outta this one and I'm the goddamn writer! Tune in next time to see what happens. 'Til next time, peace!