Here's the betaed version guys! :) Enjoy~
This is betaed by my wonderful beta Sunny so huge thanks to her~
WARNING: This story is rated M so there will be lemon in this chapter. You have been forewarned.
Disclaimer: I do not own Durarara or any of its characters. I do have some OC characters in this story though and I own every one of them! Also, I don't own the cover image for this story. Unfortunately, I can't find the original artist's name as I got this image off of tumblr but all credit goes to the original artist.
Shitsuo & Sakuraya
Shitsuo frowned as he looked around the dock next to the Tokyo bay. It was dark, and the water from the bay looked black as it splashed in small waves. He looked at his watch then and realized it was the appointed time to meet.
And like clock worth, a car came into his view; its lights slightly blinding his eyes as they turned on him. Shitsuo held a hand up, shielding his eyes as the doors opened and a few people shrouded in darkness hopped out of the vehicle before stepping into the light.
"Mr. Shitsuo!" a gleeful voice called out. The woman waved her hand as if she were greeting an old friend.
Shitsuo felt his entire face harden with distrust as he glared at the woman approaching him, "Where's Michael?" He didn't even bother greeting her, feeling she didn't deserve his friendliness anymore.
Emily smiled thinly as she crossed her arms. "Ah, yes, the boy." Snapping her fingers, a man accompanying her reached into the car and pulled out Michael.
Shitsuo inwardly felt relieved at seeing that Michael wasn't dead, but frowned at the sight of all the wounds covering his body. Michael looked at Shitsuo with wide, frightened eyes—visibly trembling in the man's grip as he called out towards Shitsuo, although the sounds were muffled by the gag. Shitsuo clenched his hands into fists, feeling guilty that he had somehow dragged Michael into whatever this was. His steely eyes then turned back to Emily, "So what do you want from me?"
"My, so impatient, Mr. Shitsuo!" Emily laughed, placing her hand over her chest in a coy way. "Don't you have the decency to make some small talk first?"
"Just shut the hell up and tell me what you want!" Shitsuo growled, stepping forward threateningly. However, the guard men backing Emily retaliated, tightening their grip around Michael who cried out in pain. Shitsuo inwardly swore as he backed up, glaring hatefully at the grinning woman across from him.
"I wouldn't make any wrong moves if I were you, Mr. Shitsuo," Emily warned, wagging her finger in a chastising manner.
Shitsuo felt so angry that he wanted to just go up and give that woman a piece of his mind, if not his fist. 'But Michael…' Shitsuo sighed, dropping his offensive stance as he tried to simply stand still. "Fine; what is it that you want from me? I'll give you anything as long as you let the boy go."
Shitsuo was surprised when Emily burst out laughing, throwing her head back in quite an unladylike manner as she clenched her stomach. "You really think I want something from you?" Emily sneered when she stopped laughing, narrowing her eyes at Shitsuo. "You are utterly useless to me. The only reason why I asked you here is because we needed to distract you."
"We?" Shitsuo questioned, frowning as he realized the truth. This was a trap, and he wasn't the intended target. He was just a nuisance they needed to get rid of. And apparently, Emily wasn't working alone.
"Oh yes," Emily smiled sweetly, clasping her hands together. "I never told you did I? Hardwicke is my maiden name. My married name was Anderson, and my husband used to run a very prosperous import company. He would import Japanese goods to England, and tea just happened to be one of his major imports."
As Emily began to share her story, Shitsuo started to piece the puzzle bit by bit. Tea. That was the master's business. "Your husband worked with my master," Shitsuo more pointed out than asked.
"Correct; one point for Mr. Shitsuo!" Emily mockingly declared, but her wicked smile had distorted to a snarl as she glared at Shitsuo. "Your master had just decided one day that the way my husband did business was too 'corrupt' and stopped working with him! And after your 'master' backed out, my husband ended up losing all his clients! Your 'master' is the one who drove us to the poor house and my poor husband to death!"
The memory of that day was still fresh in Emily's head.
Crying over a headstone, dressed fully in black, Emily buried her face in her hands. She had lost everything. Her wealth, her dignity, her home, her husband…everything had been taken from her! And it was all that damn man's fault!
"Emily," a voice called out to her.
She turned around, wiping the tears from her eyes as she faced the speaker and responded, "Katsutoshi." The man had been her husband's best friend and right hand man for years. He had practically been a part of their family. Her husband committing suicide had hit him pretty hard too.
"I'm sorry," he told her, taking her hands into his own and giving them a sympathetic squeeze. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything for Harold."
"No, it's not your fault, Katsutoshi," Emily reassured, letting out a few sniffles and drying her eyes. "If it's anyone's fault, it's the damn man that ruined us!"
"Yes," Katsutoshi agreed with a hardened frown on his face. He then paused in thought before he slowly spoke, "Emily, what do you think about teaching English to a Japanese kid?"
"Teaching?" Emily questioned, bewildered by the sudden question. "Katsutoshi, I hardly think this is—"
"I hear that man is looking for an English teacher for his child," Katsutoshi continued. "He absolutely dotes on his son and would do just about anything for him."
"You want me to teach that man's son?" Emily hissed.
"No, I want us to gain that man's trust," Katsutoshi explained. "So that way, he wouldn't suspect a thing when we seek our revenge against him."
Emily paused in thought, absorbing the idea. Katsutoshi looked at her expectantly, "What do say, Emily? Will you join me in getting justice for Harold?"
Emily bit her lip, seeming a bit hesitant at first, but then her expression hardened as her voice was cool, "Yes, I think I will join you, Katsutoshi."
"We're only returning the favor to that 'master' of yours," Emily said simply, "by hurting someone close to him."
'Sakuraya!' Shitsuo felt his whole body freeze over in fear as he realized what her words meant. How could have he been so stupid? Of course they would be after Sakuraya! And Katsutoshi somehow knew about Shitsuo's feelings…hence why they wanted to get rid of him! He would have done anything to protect Sakuraya, so in order to successfully carry out their revenge, they needed him out of the way. And Michael had been the perfect last piece of the puzzle.
"What have you done to Sakuraya?" Shitsuo demanded as his fists shook angrily, really wanting to lash out at something.
"I haven't done anything to him," Emily pointed out, though that wicked smirk had returned to her face. "However, I can't say the same for Katsutoshi."
'Shit!' Shitsuo thought as he looked around, noticing for the first time that Katsutoshi wasn't here with Emily. That meant he was somewhere else with Sakuraya doing who knows what to him, and Shitsuo didn't like the idea of that.
"I can tell you where they are," Emily said, teasing him with a cruel spark in her eyes. "They're at the Hatakawa hotel in the Hana room. However, I don't think you'll be able to get there and save your friend here at the same time."
And before Shitsuo could even react, Emily snapped her fingers again and one of the men threw Michael into the bay. The water splashed as Shitsuo screamed, "Michael!"
Shitsuo ignored the fact that Emily was getting away as he shed his coat and dived into the bay. The water felt ice cold on his skin, and it was completely dark like ink. Time felt surreal as he seemed to just keep going further and further down. Stray pieces of trash bumped into him, but he just moved it aside, searching for Michael.
Yet the water's temperature felt like it was dropping even more around him, and he could feel shivers beginning to take over his body as his muscles felt sore. His throat burned with the need to breath. 'But I need to find Michael!'
As if some god had heard him, Shitsuo suddenly spotted Michael sinking towards the bottom, unconscious. With renewed strength, Shitsuo pushed himself downward just enough to grab Michael. He was heavy, and with his muscles already protesting, Shitsuo wasn't sure if he'd be able to make it to shore. But he pushed forward, swimming as quickly as he could.
However, the dark water around them felt like a trap, and Shitsuo wondered if he really was going to die here, as it felt like hours seemed to have passed. He still had to go save Sakuraya! But he was already starting to feel so weak and lightheaded…
Suddenly there was a loud splash, and Shitsuo couldn't see who it was but someone had come to his aid, grabbing the blonde's arm pushing him upwards. Soon muffled yelling filled his ears as he broke through the top of the water, gasping for breath.
"Hurry! Get them out of the water!"
"We need some blankets over here!"
"Dammit Shitsuo!" That voice, he recognized!
Shitsuo coughed as he looked up, seeing Tomiko and a bunch of other servants from the manor hauling him and Michael out of the water. "T-To-Tomiko-o…"
She had tears in her eyes as she glared at Shitsuo, "Stupid Shitsuo! How the hell could you just come to such a dangerous meeting alone? I thought we were friends!"
Shitsuo felt so relieved then. He didn't know how Tomiko and the other servants had found him, but he was glad that they had. "I-I'm s-s-s-sorry," Shitsuo shivered, feeling the cool air bite into his skin as he was pulled up onto the dock. A warm blanket was wrapped around him, effectively soothing him as someone rubbed his shoulders to create warmth.
"You better be sorry!" Tomiko chastised. "Thank god that Misao is a bit nosier than she should be and overheard your conversation on the phone. If she hadn't, you'd surely be dead!"
'Dead…' Shitsuo thought before his eyes widened and he abruptly stood up. 'Sakuraya!'
Emily's taunting words from earlier came to his mind. 'They're at the Hatakawa hotel in the Hana room.'
"Tomiko, please tell me you came here in car," Shitsuo quickly said as he shed the blanket, still feeling a bit cold.
"Of course we came in a car—hey, where are you going?"
"I need to do something urgent! Take care of Michael for me!" Shitsuo called out to her, running towards the car and quickly starting it up. He heard Tomiko shouting protests at him, but ignored them as he quickly drove towards the city with one destination and one person in mind.
"Nghn," Sakuraya groaned as he felt uncomfortable. His entire body felt like it was on fire! His throat was dry, and there was this strange, tingling feeling coursing throughout his entire being as he squirmed. He didn't know what this feeling was, but it burned! He wanted some water to cool himself down. He wanted some kind of relief! His breaths began to come out in short pants.
"Ah, I guess that means the aphrodisiac is beginning to work."
Sakuraya started at the sound of a voice, feeling something tug against the weight of his hands as his eyes fluttered open. Sakuraya growled angrily when he was met with the face of the man he had disliked for the past few years and really disliked at the moment. "Katsutoshi," he hissed, his eyes narrowing to a hateful glare. "What the hell have you done to me?"
"I have just pumped some drugs into your system, that's all. I haven't done anything to harm you…yet," Katsutoshi clarified with a wicked smirk on his face as he reached towards Sakuraya.
Sakuraya flinched, readying himself for any attack Katsutoshi was planning on doing to him. But instead he felt a cool hand slide up his leg and push aside the flaps of his yukata. Sakuraya's eyes widened with renewed fear as he exclaimed, "W-what are you—aahh…" The raven felt his cheeks burn as he had never been more ashamed when his body responded to Katsutoshi's teasing touches. Every touch of Katsutoshi's seemed to just ignite the fire in his body more as it started to become unbearable. Sakuraya felt so embarrassed and furious as his body ached for more. It wanted more. He inwardly tried to convince himself that it was merely the effects of a drug and not any want of his own.
"Hm, yes, you look very enticing like this," Katsutoshi murmured, his eyes looking down at the flushed Sakuraya whose arms were tied together as his whole body trembling with aching need to release. His yukata had been messed up, pulled apart to reveal more of his skin as Sakuraya blushed furiously. He really wished he could kick Katsutoshi since his legs weren't tied up, but he was even more afraid to find out what Katsutoshi would do to him if Sakuraya agitated him while in this vulnerable state. Katsutoshi only smirked in response to Sakuraya's hateful looks, "I'm sure you'll fetch for a nice price tonight."
Sakuraya felt his heart stop in fear at the sound of those words. "W-wh-what do you mean?"
Katsutoshi's cruel smile only seemed to widen more, "Oh I'm sure you know, 'young master'"—he said this sarcastically with a slightly acidic tone of voice—"that you're considered quite the beauty and are very…popular amongst the rich old men your father mingles with. At first, all I had intended to do was ransom you for everything your father is worth, but I find it would be a lot more satisfying to not only do that but crush your father completely when he sees his 'precious' son be defiled by the very people he 'trusted' to work with."
Despite the fire building in his body, Sakuraya felt his whole body freeze over in disgust and horror. And although he was frightened by the implication of Katsutoshi's words, he tried to keep his chin up as he glared at Katsutoshi. When Sakuraya spoke, he did his best to keep his voice steady to show he had more confidence than he really did at the moment.
"You're not going to get away with this. My father will find me."
Katsutoshi only laughed in response, shaking his head as if Sakuraya had just said something unbelievable. "We'll see about that, young master," Katsutoshi commented as he stood up from the bed, crossing his arms behind his back as he mockingly looked down at Sakuraya with pity. "I'm sorry to leave so suddenly, but I have some ransom money to go pick up and then an auction to attend. Try not to move around too much. The drug's effect will only increase. Hm… Actually on second thought, I guess that wouldn't be such a bad thing."
The lewd smirk on Katsutoshi's face made Sakuraya sick to his stomach. He watched Katsutoshi rake his eyes over his body once again before the man left the room. Once the sound of his retreating footsteps disappeared, Sakuraya began to survey his surroundings, looking for a way out.
The only window in the room was barred from the outside so it seemed the only way out was through the door. And as long as Katsutoshi didn't come back sometime soon, he should manage to escape quietly. Now to just untie his arms…
Sakuraya tugged on his hands a bit, feeling how tight the bonds were around his wrists. He looked around for something to cut them with and his eyes landed on the desk in the room. Thankfully Katsutoshi had not thought of tying up his feet. Sakuraya moved to get out of the bed. However, he had underestimated the drug and cried out in surprise when his legs were too weak to carry his weight and he toppled over onto the ground.
"Argh!" he exclaimed in frustration, hating how much his face and body burned and ached. Sakuraya tried to roll over to push himself back up, slowly getting up on his knees. It seemed he could manage that much so he walked over to the desk on his knees, his body trembling with each step as it protested at being neglected. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Sakuraya reached the desk. He pulled the drawer open with his mouth and then peered inside, looking for a letter opener or any sharp object. But to his dismay, there was only a set of stationary inside. "Dammit!"
Quickly whipping his head around to survey the room again, Sakuraya brightened when he saw a large wall mirror. It would hurt him a bit, but if he could just shatter the glass, he would be able to grab a shard and cut himself free.
Mustering all his strength, Sakuraya forced himself to his feet and unsteadily made his way to the mirror. He looked around for anything heavy and picked up the chair that was by the desk. Lifting it with everything ounce of strength he had, he threw it at the mirror. The sound of it breaking rung in his ears as pieces of glass fell to the ground.
Sakuraya practically dropped on his knees frantically—and blindly since his hands were tied behind his back—reaching out to grab the nearest piece of sharp glass. He cut his fingers in the process, but even though the cuts stung, he forced himself to hold the glass shard tightly as he worked his way through the bonds.
Fortunately, it seemed Katsutoshi had tied him up with a fabric of some sort, so it was easier to cut through than rope would have been. Sighing in relief when his hands were finally free, Sakuraya twisted his wrists to soothe the aches. But it seemed the drug had a far greater effect than he had anticipated as the pain that had been concentrated in his lower regions spread to the rest of his body, almost paralyzing him.
Sakuraya breathed heavily now, biting his lip to keep back moans as he clutched at the walls for support while he made his way to the door. He was a bit startled when he got closer to the door and heard shouting noises outside. It sounded like someone was arguing a bit intensely. Opening the door, Sakuraya looked out just in time to see Shitsuo fighting with Katsutoshi.
'Wh-what?' Sakuraya was confused, seeing Shitsuo there as his eyes widened with shock. What was he doing here? How did he even get here? And why was he fighting Katsutoshi? Was it possible that Shitsuo had actually come here to save him?
Sakuraya felt his heart swell with hope and happiness for just a moment before the glint of a gun in Katsutoshi's hand caught his eye. He seriously felt his heart stop beating as he froze in fear, his mouth opening to scream out Shitsuo's name in warning.
But the sound of his voice was drowned out by the boom of the gunshot. And Sakuraya could only hold onto the doorway for support as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. It was like time had slowed down especially just so Sakuraya could see the expression on Shitsuo's face.
The surprise, the slight pain in his honey eyes, and the relief of seeing Sakuraya.
And then all the strength left Sakuraya's legs as he fell to the ground, Shitsuo falling in time with him.
Shitsuo practically jumped out of the moving car as he hardly had the patience or time to turn it off and park it. He ignored the shouts of protest of the doorman as he ran inside the western style hotel. He knew he startled the receptionist when he ran up to her and demanded, "Which floor is the Hana room on?"
"I'm sorry, sir," she smoothly said, although she was taken aback by Shitsuo's attitude, "but that room is currently occupied and—"
"Miss, I really don't have the time or patience to play games with you," Shitsuo warned in a low tone. The receptionist became a bit frightened of the dark expression on his face. "Which floor is the Hana room on?"
"F-F-fourth floor…"
Shitsuo only nodded his thanks before he ran off. He didn't bother with the elevator—it was too slow and crowed—and just ran up the stairs. As he burst through the doors that led to the stairs on the fourth floor, he spotted the man he wanted to see walking down the hall. An angry, almost feral, growl escaped Shitsuo, which caught the man's attention, who certainly appeared shocked to see Shitsuo standing there.
"You!" Katsutoshi exclaimed.
Shitsuo didn't even hesitate for a moment as he attacked Katsutoshi, landing a few good hits before Katsutoshi reacted. Katsutoshi was able to block Shitsuo's next blow before he started to throw some of his own. The two of them grunted as they struggled against each other.
"You're supposed to be dead!" Katsutoshi hissed as he dodged Shitsuo's hits.
Shitsuo chuckled darkly as he narrowed his eyes at Katsutoshi, "You really think that woman of yours could take me down?"
Katsutoshi cursed, knowing that Emily must have done her job, but they had underestimated Shitsuo. He was beginning to panic. Things definitely weren't going according to plan! He had to go pick up the ransom and didn't have the time to deal with this man!
Shitsuo smirked when he saw that Katsutoshi was losing his confidence. It would allow for him to make more mistakes. And sure enough, Shitsuo spotted an opening and quickly seized the chance. He punched Katsutoshi in the gut, and the man groaned on impact. Shitsuo then quickly twisted Katsutoshi's arms behind his back and wrapped his arm around the man's neck, tightly gripping it so that he had Katsutoshi in a chokehold.
"I should kill you," Shitsuo murmured harshly in Katsutoshi's ear as the man tried to fight against Shitsuo's grip but failed to escape. "But I'd much rather see you rot in prison."
"Heh, fine, go ahead and turn me in," Katsutoshi dared him. Despite the fact that he was caught, a devious smirk curled on his face. He knew what Shitsuo's weakness was, and he'd be damned if he didn't use it when he could. "You're too late anyway to save your precious Sakuraya."
Sure enough, Katsutoshi felt Shitsuo stop in shock before the grip on his neck tightened. "What did you do to Sakuraya?" the blonde demanded, his voice rough and laced with anger.
"Nothing he didn't deserve," Katsutoshi taunted, waiting for the right moment as he watched Shitsuo's face distort in rage. And there! A moment where Shitsuo had let his guard down. Katsutoshi knocked his elbow into Shitsuo's stomach, causing the man to back up and lose the wind from his lungs.
Katsutoshi quickly escaped his grip, reaching into his jacket and readying his handgun as he turned, pointing it towards Shitsuo's head. The man stopped mid-stride, ready to strike back at Katsutoshi, when he saw the gun. Shitsuo cursed when he realized he had allowed this to happen by letting Katsutoshi get under his skin.
"Really, Mr. Shitsuo," Katsutoshi chuckled as he held the gun steady. "This is exactly why you should have just forgotten about your feelings completely. It's a weakness."
Shitsuo didn't even answer; he only glared at Katsutoshi as his hands curled into angry fists. Relishing in Shitsuo's frustration at having the inability to do anything, Katsutoshi smiled widely and teased the blonde further.
"Though I can see why you would desire the young master. I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't want a taste of such a sinful looking boy. Even I found it hard to resist such a temptation," Katsutoshi's smirk widened even further when he saw Shitsuo's eyes flash in anger.
"I swear, Katsutoshi, if you touched Sakuraya I will—!" Shitsuo couldn't even finish his sentence coherently, just growling in anger as his fists shook with his rage.
Katsutoshi laughed incredulously, as he mocked Shitsuo, "Or you'll do what? You're really in no position to threaten me right now—"
Katsutoshi was interrupted thought when the two heard a muffled shattering noise come from a nearby room. "Shit!" Katsutoshi cursed when he realized what room the sound came from.
Seeing that Katsutoshi was distracted, Shitsuo took this chance to charge at Katsutoshi, grabbing the hand that held the gun. "Argh!" the man cursed as he struggled with the blonde butler, the two of them forcing their weight against each other as they struggled for power. Katsutoshi kept a tight grip on the gun, but Shitsuo kept twisting his arm in a way that the gun wouldn't hit anything. Somehow, they had managed to get the gun in between their bodies and Katsutoshi wanted t pull the trigger and just blast bullets through that damn man who kept ruining his plans! But it wasn't an ideal angle, and he'd more likely hurt himself than Shitsuo. If he could just turn his hand a little more, he would be able to kill Shitsuo…
Katsutoshi and Shitsuo glared at each other as the gun in their hands trembled between them.
"Shitsuo!"
A loud booming sound deafened Shitsuo. The recoil from the gunshot threw him away from Katsutoshi as his stomach burned with pain. His head was spinning, and his ears were ringing. His whole entire body trembled from the impact as he tried to stand on his feet. But he could feel himself toppling over. And he could hear someone crying hysterically behind him. His stomach still hurt, so Shitsuo reached down to touch it and frowned when he was met with something sticky.
Pulling his fingers away, he found them stained with blood.
Sakuraya could hear his breaths coming out erratically as his fingers scratched at the doorway for some kind of purchase. He could hear choked sobs and whimpers and realized that they were coming from him. All he could think about was the fallen man on the ground only a few feet away from him.
'No…no no nonononononono…' the word rapidly repeated itself in his head as he tried to get up on his feet. His eyes stung with tears that were pooling in the corners of his eyes. His hands unconsciously reached out towards Shitsuo's body as they trembled from the shock. This can't be happening!
Shitsuo wasn't even supposed to be here. He wasn't even supposed to come save Sakuraya. He didn't care about him! That's what he had said! So why…?
Sakuraya was slowly losing hold of himself as he curled up into a fetal position, shaking his head in denial as he buried his head against his knees—as if not seeing Shitsuo lying in front of him would make it disappear. Shitsuo couldn't be dead. There was so much Sakuraya hadn't said—so much that Sakuraya wanted to ask and understand. Shitsuo couldn't just leave him like this…
"Uugh…" a groan caused Sakuraya's head to shoot up, tears streaming down his cheeks. He watched with renewed shock as Shitsuo slowly pushed himself off the ground. "Damn, that burns."
"Sh-Shitsuo?" The blonde turned at the sound of his name, seeing Sakuraya had crawled on his knees, facing Shitsuo with eyes that were wide with disbelief, his hand hesitantly reaching towards the blonde. "I-Is it…" Sakuraya couldn't even finish his sentence, his face distorting to relief as he cried. "I-I th-thought you had di-died!"
"What?" Shitsuo exclaimed, looking panicked as he never knew what to do when Sakuraya cried. "No, no! Please stop crying, Sakuraya. You know I hate it when you cry."
"B-But…" Sakuraya stuttered as he attempted to wipe away the tears from his face and tried to calm down. He was suddenly embarrassed to have been seen like this by Shitsuo. But his concerns were pushed to the back of his mind when he spotted the blood soaking through Shitsuo's white shirt. "You're bleeding!"
"Huh?" Shitsuo was taken aback when Sakuraya suddenly touched his stomach. He grabbed the raven's hand, pulling them away from the blood stain as he tried not to be too giddy over Sakuraya's concern for him. "Oh this, this isn't mine. It's Katsutoshi's."
That was when Sakuraya remembered that Shitsuo had been fighting with Katsutoshi. His eyes turned to the man lying behind Shitsuo. He gasped as he saw that the man was dead, blood pooling around his body as his eyes stared at the roof lifelessly.
Shitsuo was frowning as he muttered, "Damn bastard pulled the trigger when the gun was pointed at him. Probably thought he was shooting me."
Sakuraya could feel relief flood through him—relief that this was all over and that Shitsuo was safe. While it was unfortunate that Katsutoshi had died, Sakuraya could honestly say he felt no grief for the man after what he had done. Sakuraya then turned his eyes to Shitsuo, who had turned to look at him at the same time. For a moment, they just stared at each other, so many questions in their eyes. But before they could say anything, thudding footsteps and loud voices filled the hall as policemen arrived.
It took a while for Shitsuo and Sakuraya to explain the scene and they still had to be questioned by the police. But after their brief interrogation and their identities being confirmed, Shitsuo and Sakuraya learned the police had apprehended Emily and were going to send her to back to England to be tried since she wasn't a Japanese citizen. The possibilities of her actually getting punished by the English weren't that high, and Shitsuo was slightly angry for that. But he would have to accept it. Once the police were down carting away Katsutoshi's dead body, the police let them go.
Shitsuo had gotten a blanket from the hotel staff and covered Sakuraya with it, leading the boy to the car he had come in and driving themselves home. The drive home was silent, and Sakuraya could feel himself growing anxious inside. His eyes kept flickering towards Shitsuo, nervous over the man's calm expression.
What's going to happen now? Sakuraya wondered as he turned away and looked out the window, a sad frown on his face. He really hoped that everything wouldn't return to how it had been before.
He wasn't sure if he could handle Shitsuo ignoring him a second time.
Shitsuo wasn't sure how he was going to deal with all of this when he finally arrived at the manor. Everyone was waiting outside and cheering happily and cried in relief when they saw Shitsuo and Sakuraya were safe.
The Master and Madam had hugged and cried over Sakuraya as their son clutched onto them. The Master had even came up to him afterwards to clap his hand on his shoulder and give him that kind smile of his, "I don't know how I can thank you enough for this, Shitsuo. Yasahiro would be proud of you."
"Thank you, sir," Shitsuo murmured in response, smiling a little at the Master's affection.
"Father, I'm feeling quite tired from everything. Can I retire for the night?" Sakuraya called out.
"Of course you can, my son!" the Master told him, going up to Sakuraya and placing a hand around the boy's shoulders to give him an affectionate squeeze. The Master then turned to Shitsuo, "Shitsuo, could you accompany Sakuraya to his room?"
"Ah—" Shitsuo started, a bit uncomfortable. He wasn't sure what he was going to say to Sakuraya. The night's events had certainly changed things between them once again, so where were they supposed to go from here? "Yes, sir."
Having no other choice, Shitsuo help Sakuraya to his room. The hallway was empty as the other servants had gone to bed after learning the news and rejoicing over Shitsuo and Sakuraya's return. The tense silence unsettled Shitsuo as he walked beside Sakuraya. The raven had not spoken to him since they were at the hotel, and Sakuraya had not looked at him either. Did he not want to talk to Shitsuo?
"Here we are, young master," Shitsuo opened the door to Sakuraya's room, turning on the lights and waiting for him to go inside. But something seemed a bit…off. Shitsuo frowned in worry, "Sakuraya?"
Sakuraya finally turned up to look at him then, and Shitsuo was thrown off by the…aroused expression on the raven's face as Sakuraya panted slightly. Shitsuo then felt his cheeks heat up considerably when Sakuraya suddenly shut the door and tackled Shitsuo the ground.
"S-Sakuraya!"
"Sh-Shitsuo," Sakuraya moaned in pain as he buried his face against Shitsuo's chest, his body trembling. "H-Help me…"
Shitsuo cursed inwardly when he realized that Katsutoshi must have drugged Sakuraya beforehand, hence why he was acting like this. "Sakuraya, get off me. You need to lie down and cool off. Let me get you some water and—"
"I don't want that!" Sakuraya shouted in frustration, fisting Shitsuo's shirt in his hands. His face was colored pink as he spoke, "I-I want you…"
'This is bad,' Shitsuo thought as his heart thumped in his chest, his entire being stirring with desire to grant his young master's wishes while his logic told him that wasn't a smart decision. He forced himself to push Sakuraya upward, getting up to sit himself. "Look, Sakuraya, you're not thinking rationally here. It's the drug that Katsutoshi gave you that's doing this. I don't want to do anything you might regret, so just calm down for a moment and I'll…"
Shitsuo trailed off in surprise as he saw tears begin to fall from Sakuraya's eyes. He always hated seeing Sakuraya cry. It made him feel guilty and want to wipe them away. There was no reason for Sakuraya to cry…and no reason for him to be the reason behind his tears.
"Do you really hate me that much?" Sakuraya practically whispered as he furiously wiped away his tears from his eyes, but they wouldn't stop. "Am I really that unlovable?"
"What! No! Sakuraya, that's not what I—"
"Then why?" Sakuraya demanded. "Why are you pushing me away?"
Shitsuo groaned, not knowing how to explain this. How was he supposed to tell Sakuraya that he didn't hate him, and that, in fact, he felt quite the opposite? But how was he also going to break the news that they couldn't be together? That their positions in society didn't match up? That one day Sakuraya would have to choose a woman over him and...?
'Ah well, fuck it!'
Shitsuo's arm snaked forward and pulled Sakuraya's head close to his, their lips connected. They met each other with heated passion, their mouths opening synchronously, granting entrance. The nostalgic taste of one another was bittersweet. Shitsuo was unsure of how he could have resisted this earlier as his mind screamed, 'More! I want more!'
Shitsuo tipped Sakuraya's head a bit, causing the young raven to open his mouth even wider. Shitsuo left no part of his wet cavern unexplored as Sakuraya trembled against him, whimpering against their kiss. It was only when Shitsuo could feel his lungs burn for air that he pulled away, both of them gasping. A thin thread of saliva still connected their tongues before it broke. Their puffs of breaths mixed together as their eyes met, honey facing crimson. Both their faces were flushed, their foreheads pushed together, and their hands had somehow intertwined during their brief makeout session.
"Wh-what is this supposed to mean?" Sakuraya finally broke the silence, speaking hesitantly as he shyly glanced at Shitsuo.
'Damn, how can he be so cute?' Shitsuo thought as he felt his whole body rumble with desire. A chuckle escaped him as he wrapped his arms around Sakuraya, loving the warmth of their bodies pressed together. How could he ever want to give this up? "It means I've finally lost my patience."
Sakuraya still looked at him questionably.
"I'm tired," Shitsuo explained further, "I'm tired of pretending that I don't care about you. That I don't want you too."
He paused to reach down and give Sakuraya another kiss, but this one was more gentle and innocent. A simple brushing of their lips against each other for just a few seconds was hardly enough to merit as a real kiss, but it was more meaningful than the other kind of kisses Shitsuo had given Sakuraya.
"Do you want to know what I wished for that night?" Shitsuo whispered softly, watching Sakuraya a bit warily as the raven recognized that he was referring to the night of Shitsuo's birthday before he had gone to England. The last time they had been happy together.
Sakuraya hesitated before he nodded, feeling his heart beat faster when he saw the soft, loving smile stretch across Shitsuo's face. The man leaned closer, his mouth right next to Sakuraya's ear as his breath tickled the raven, "I wished for you. I love you, Sakuraya."
And that was all Sakuraya needed to hear.
"Aahhh!" Sakuraya blushed profusely as he tried to hide his face behind his arms, biting his lip. He couldn't believe these sounds were coming from his own mouth! How lewd he sounded!
"Why do you keep hiding your face?" Shitsuo asked as he smiled amusedly. "Are you embarrassed that you're showing me this lascivious side of you?" As if to make a point, he thrust his fingers in deeper, scraping against the sensitive skin inside the young raven. His hand that had been pumping Sakuraya's engorged manhood gave it a little squeeze.
"Aahh! N-No st-stop…" Sakuraya gasped, panting for breath as his body trembled, aching with need for more. The raven was sitting on Shitsuo's lap, his back leaning against the blonde's chest as his hands clenched fistfuls of his white shirt. His legs were spread apart, his feet hooked behind Shitsuo's legs to keep them in place. The blonde currently had two fingers squirming inside him that drove Sakuraya crazy.
"You don't really want me to stop, do you?" Sakuraya glared in response to the smug look on Shitsuo's face. The blonde chuckled, kissing the side of Sakuraya's head before trailing his lips down and kissing Sakuraya's neck. Sakuraya moaned as he felt Shitsuo's tongue snake out and lick his milky skin before his teeth gently bit him, and Shitsuo sucked and left a dark mark to show his possession of the raven.
Sakuraya began to wiggle in Shitsuo's grip, feeling the pressure grow in his abdomen begging to be released, but never feeling fully satisfied to. He was beginning to grow inpatient as the fire in his body just seemed to grow hotter. "Shitsuo," he whined, throwing his head back against the blonde's shoulder. He looked up at Shitsuo from his eyelashes, his face flushed with arousal as he reached down to palm at Shitsuo's still clothed erection. He blushed at his bold action, feeling Shitsuo's body shake with his amused laughs.
"Hm? What is that you want, young master~?" Shitsuo teased, enjoying the way Sakuraya's face heated up even more at the playful sound of his title. "I won't be able to grant your wish if you don't tell me what it is."
Shitsuo was highly entertained by watching Sakuraya's lower lip tremble a bit as his entire face burned. He watched the raven struggle with himself for a moment before he buried his face in the crook of Shitsuo's neck, stammering, "I-I wa-want you in—inside me…"
'So cute,' Shitsuo smiled as he saw how pink the tips of Sakuraya's ears were. So maybe he had taken his teasing a bit too far, but it had been worth it. "As you wish, young master."
Sakuraya was surprised when Shitsuo suddenly turned him around so that they were facing each other and captured his lips. They kissed each other fervently as Shitsuo worked his zipper open. He stretched his fingers inside Sakuraya apart, preparing him properly to be able to take his size. The raven mewed against their lips, his whole body shaking. Shitsuo smiled thinly, his own control beginning to slip.
Sakuraya tried to whine in protest when he felt Shitsuo's fingers retreat and tensed in anticipation when something much thicker pressed against his entrance. His head began to spin as he realized what he and Shitsuo were about to do.
"Relax, Sakuraya," Shitsuo reassured, kissed the side of the raven's head softly in comfort. "I'll go slowly, okay?"
Sakuraya could only nod, wrapping his arms around Shitsuo's neck tightly as he forced himself to relax. He felt Shitsuo's thumbs rub against his hips soothingly as he slowly pushed himself inside. Sakuraya winced, biting his lip as he felt himself get stretched beyond his limits. The first couple inches weren't that bad, but as Shitsuo pushed further in until he was up to the hilt, Sakuraya began to feel the excruciating pain.
"You alright, Sakuraya?" Shitsuo asked as he breathed heavily, the hot, tight warmth around him caving in. He could see Sakuraya was trying to be strong, clenching his hands tightly and biting his lip hard enough to draw a little blood as his eyes were shut tightly. Little tears built up in the corners of them.
Sakuraya only nodded quickly, taking in deep breaths as he tried to relax and adjust to the connection linked on Shituso's end. It was weird to think there was actually a throbbing hot piece of flesh inside him.
Shitsuo patiently waited for Sakuraya to give him the okay, encouraging the raven with sweet kisses. Soon, Sakuraya began to return his kisses with fervor, and Shitsuo took that as a signal that it was okay to move. He started off slowly, thrusting shallowly as Sakuraya moaned in his ear. Soon the raven began to respond to his movements, pushing his hips down to meet Shitsuo's thrusts as he sucked the blonde in even deeper. Shitsuo began to quicken his pace, looking for that pleasurable spot.
Suddenly Sakuraya cried out in pleasure, his whole body shaking uncontrollably as his fingernails dug into Shitsuo's back. "T-There…oh god…"
Seeing the reaction, Shitsuo thrust upward and struck that spot again, earning another aroused cry from the raven. He began to repeatedly thrust to hit that spot, watching Sakuraya succumb to the pleasure as his own excitement reached its peak within him.
"Sh-Shitsuo," Sakuraya called out desperately as he looked at the blonde through half-lidded, lustful eyes. He reached up to kiss the blonde with every bit of energy he had, hastily whispering when they broke apart, "I love you…"
Hearing those words come from Sakuraya's mouth made Shitsuo beyond happy. It made him forget the fact that they were of different classes, that no one in society would accept them, and that they weren't supposed to be together. It didn't matter what anyone else said anymore. He had finally gotten what he wanted. And he would never let go of it.
"Shitsuo—I'm—mmnnphh," Shitsuo interrupted him by kissing him again, quickening his thrusts as he brought Sakuraya to his climax. Their cries of climax melded together as they both peaked and released, their hearts beating erratically in their chests.
They broke from their kiss, their eyes stared at each other as a soft smile spread across both their faces.
It didn't matter what happened from here on out now, because the two of them had finally gotten what they wanted.
Michael looked up from where he was resting on the bed as he heard a knock on the door. "Come in."
The door opened, revealing a honey-eyed blonde man that apologetically looked at Michael. The blue-eyed raven smiled reassuringly though, beckoning him in, "Oh don't be a stranger, Shitsuo. Come in."
"Michael," Shitsuo started, looking saddened as he walked up beside the bed. He grabbed the boy's hand and gave it a slight squeeze, "I'm so sorry about this. About getting you involved."
Michael's expression softened as he placed his other hand on top of Shitsuo's in comfort, "It's alright, Shitsuo. This isn't your fault. If anything, it's mine for not being careful."
Although Michael still wasn't sure what the real reason was behind everything, he had an idea of what it could be based on what he had heard Emily tell Shitsuo. He was just glad now that everything was over.
Shitsuo smiled a bit sadly as he looked at Michael, gently ruffling his hair, "You always were too good for me."
"Mhmm, you said it," Michael teased, smiling in response to the laugh that he got out of Shitsuo. "I'm glad that you seem happy now, Shitsuo."
"Thank you," Shitsuo replied, the smile on his face softening. "I am happy."
Michael rolled his eyes teasingly, readying to mock Shitsuo when another knock on the door interrupted them. "Excuse me," Tomiko said as she opened the door, her expression curious. "But there's a Mathew Hayes in the phone asking for Mr. Williams."
Shitsuo's brows shot up in question at the sound of his best friend's name. He turned towards Michael, noting the slightly coloring in the boy's cheeks as he told Tomiko, "Please tell him that I'll be right out to take his call."
Tomiko nodded and left the two alone, Shitsuo's mouth curling up into a sly smile. "Since when did you and Mathew become so close?" Mathew had been the only one of his friends that Shitsuo had introduced Michael to once he felt they were becoming more serious. Surprisingly, his friend had taken Shitsuo's coming out in stride and had grown close to them. But now Shitsuo wondered if there was a reason why Mathew wanted to be so close to them…
"After you left," Michael admitted quietly as he turned away from Shitsuo in embarrassment. "It's not what you think. We're just friends."
"Mhm," Shitsuo murmured. "Of course only just a 'friend' would make an international call to check up on you."
"Shitsuo," Michael warned, frowning.
Shitsuo backed up from the topic, chuckling as he held his hands up innocently, "Alright, alright, but I'm glad that you also seem much better. Mathew may like to make jokes, but he's a good, serious man when he needs to be."
"I know," Michael whispered, a small smile on his face. He then got up from the bed and shooed Shitsuo away, "I have a phone call to take so why don't you go find that pretty boy of yours? I'm sure he must be having a hard time getting up if you treated him anyway like the way you treated me."
"M-Michael!" Shitsuo sputtered in shock as his cheeks heated up. Michael laughed merrily at the blonde's reaction as he walked out of the room, waving goodbye to Shitsuo. The blonde sighed tiredly, shaking his head as he couldn't help the small smile that spread on his face. He then turned in the opposite direction of where Michael's room was, heading to the master's study to talk with him.
Shitsuo took in a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves as he looked at the door that led to the Master's office. He wondered if it really was a smart idea to do what he was about to do. But he had already come this far; there was no point in turning back now.
Gathering up his courage, Shitsuo knocked on the door, waiting until he heard the master respond, "Come in" before opening the door and doing so.
"Ah! Shitsuo! Great timing," the Master smiled in greeting as he motioned for Shitsuo to sit. "I actually wanted to speak with you about something important."
"So did I, Master," Shitsuo replied as he didn't take a seat, but instead stood in front of the master's desk. "Actually, if I could speak first?"
The Master looked a bit curious, nodding for Shitsuo to speak first as he wondered why the blonde looked so serious. Shitsuo took in another deep breath and slowly let it out, closing his eyes as he prepared himself. The Master was taken aback when Shitsuo suddenly got on his knees and bowed, saying, "I'm sorry, Master, but please grant this selfish request of mine and give Sakuraya to me. I know he is your only son and heir, sir, but I love him. I promise I will take care of him."
There was a tense silence as Shitsuo let the request sink into the Master's mind. He was afraid of looking up to see the master look at him with shock, anger, and disgust, but eventually he would have to face the Master. So Shitsuo turned his head up and was surprised to find that instead of anger on the Master's face, there was actually a wide, happy smile.
The Master let out a low chuckle, getting up from his chair. "I was wondering when you would finally ask me this. Please, get up, Shitsuo; there's no reason for you to be bowing."
Shitsuo was so confused but followed his master's orders, standing and wondering if he was still asleep and dreaming. So the Master wasn't angry with him? While he was thankful, he didn't quite understand what was going on.
The Master, sensing Shitsuo's confusion, just laughed merrily and walked over to clap the blonde on the back, "My boy, do you really think I wouldn't notice your feelings? The lengths you go through for Sakuraya…well, it's obvious you care deeply for him."
Shitsuo was so ashamed of himself. Had he really been that obvious? He really thought he had hid his feelings well enough, but apparently he had thought wrong. The Master smiled reassuringly at Shitsuo though, "Do not worry, Shitsuo. I am not as…conservative as many of my counterparts are. I do not care if Sakuraya never has an heir. I just want my son to be happy and you as well. I consider you my own son as well, and I know Yasahiro would have wanted you to be happy as well."
Shitsuo wasn't sure what to say, still wondering if he was caught up in a fantasy. Was the master really telling him it was okay? That he worried himself over nothing? Hope and happiness filled him as his mouth slowly curled up into a smile. He looked so gratefully at the Master, thinking he was really lucky to have such people in his life. "I cannot even begin to thank you enough, sir."
"I should be the one telling you that, Shitsuo," the Master laughed as he threw his arm around the blonde's neck and leading him to the couch so that they could sit more comfortably. "You've really done so much for this family, and actually that is what I wanted to talk to you about."
"Sir?"
The Master smiled as he folded his hands together. "Shitsuo, how would you like to become my real son?"
A year later…
Ring. Ring.
"Hello, you've reached Sakura Tea Import Company, how may I help you? …Hm, that does sound like something we'd be interested in…Well, I can arrange for you to meet with the president so that he can listen to your proposal. How does the 29th of June sound? Wonderful, we look forward to meeting you then. Goodbye."
Sakuraya then hung up the phone, jotting down the appointment in a black planner as a door creaked open behind him. Sakuraya smiled as he felt familiar, warm arms wrap around him from behind as someone kissed the side of his head, a voice speaking softly in his ear, "Another possible business partner?"
"Yes," Sakuraya answered as he closed the black planner. "Their proposal sounded quite interesting too."
"Hm, it must be good if you're praising them so highly," Shitsuo commented as he helped Sakuraya up from his chair. He wrapped his arms around the raven's waist, leaning against the desk for support as he smiled at his lover.
"Of course it's good. I only pick the best after all," Sakuraya joked as he smiled back up at Shitsuo. He still couldn't believe how much had changed within a year. It had turned out that his father had actually known about his feelings towards Shitsuo and the blonde's feelings all along. He had just been waiting for the two of them to realize it. And once they had, he had legally adopted Shitsuo as his own son (1). From then on, he allowed both Sakuraya and Shitsuo to run his tea making business, and Shitsuo had successfully transformed the business so that they were a major tea importer. Life couldn't be any better at the moment.
"What are you so happy about?" Shitsuo asked, breaking Sakuraya from his thoughts.
"Oh, everything really," Sakuraya answered as he smiled wider. He stood up on the tip of his toes then, stealing a quick kiss from the blonde.
Shitsuo blinked in surprise, a sly smile entering his face as he chuckled, "When did you get to be so bold?"
"Hm, don't know," Sakuraya said playfully, pulling away from Shitsuo and purposely sashaying his way across the office. He knew that Shitsuo was following his movements with his eyes, and he liked it that way. "You don't like it?"
"I never said that," Shitsuo retorted as he got up and walked towards Sakuraya, trapping the raven against a wall between his hands. "I think I actually quite like this new, bold you."
"Of course you do." Sakuraya then tugged on Shitsuo's tie, bringing the man down for what the blonde thought was a kiss. But Sakuraya paused before their lips touched, smiling mischievously, which made the blonde wonder what he was up to. And before Shitsuo could ask, Sakuraya licked Shitsuo's lips like he was a cat lapping at milk before nipping the blonde's bottom lip teasingly. The raven then let the blonde's tie slide through his fingers before letting go and practically glided out of the office towards the connected break room. He stopped by the doorway though, peeking coyly over his shoulder as he smiled invitingly at Shitsuo, "How about we take a break?"
Shitsuo chuckled, his eyes lightened with amusement as he followed after Sakuraya, his voice low and husky as he spoke, "I think that sounds like a great idea."
He reached down to loop his arm around Sakuraya's waist, leading the raven into the break room as he shut the door behind them.
Present Time, Tokyo, Japan
"Shitsuo! Shitsuo! Oh dear, where did that boy run off to again?"
The young, blonde boy of eight years carefully hid himself within the bushes of the garden, warily looking through leaves with his coffee colored eyes. He watched the headmistress's feet where she stood only a few feet away. He then heard the headmistress huff in annoyance before sighing tiredly and turning to leave. Shitsuo remained hidden in the bushes until he was definitely sure that the headmistress was gone.
Once he was sure that he had successfully escaped his afternoon chores, Shitsuo moved to get out from under the bushes, except a strange sound stopped him. He perked up, tilting his head slightly as he strained to listen. Was that…was that a baby's cry?
"What's the matter?" Shitsuo was startled when he suddenly heard another voice.
He turned slightly, spotting two people that had stopped in front of the bushes he was hiding in. There was a tall blonde in a bartender uniform with a smaller raven-haired man next to him in a furry coat. The raven had first stopped his walking, frowning in thought.
"Oh, nothing," the raven then replied to the blonde, seeming to be listening carefully for something. "I thought I just heard something."
"Like what?" the blonde asked.
"I don't know," the raven shrugged. "Guess it was just the wind."
Shitsuo watched as the blonde shrugged as well, reaching out for the raven's hand and intertwining their fingers tightly before they continued walking. While that man may have not known what he heard, Shitsuo certain he had heard a baby cry, accustomed to hearing such noises in the orphanage he lived in.
And sure enough, the cry reached his ears again. Following the noise, Shitsuo walked through the orphanage's gardens—which were really grand gardens given that the orphanage had been the former mansion of some business tycoon during the 1930s—until he came to the sakura tree that was planted in the center of the garden. Underneath the blooming tree, whose petals fell gracefully in the spring air, was a small wrapped bundle that the cries were coming from.
Shitsuo approached the bundle cautiously, peering at the face that peeked through the blanket folds. An almost silent gasp left his lips as his eyes landed on the adorable pink-faced baby with wisps of black hair. The baby was crying its poor lungs out, a steady stream of tears flowing down its chubby cheeks. And then as if it had sensed Shitsuo's presence, the baby stopped crying and looked up Shitsuo with ruby colored eyes. Shitsuo was so entranced by those eyes, there being something oddly familiar about them. He reached out to touch the baby's cheek softly, earning a giggle out of the tyke as he reached out for Shitsuo with his tiny fingers. The blonde allowed the baby to grasp one of his fingers, smiling when the baby cried out happily in response.
"Shitsuo!" he heard the headmistress's voice calling after him and getting closer. "Shitsuo, there you are! Do you have any idea of how long I was—oh my dear lord, a baby!"
The headmistress gasped as she finally got close enough to see what Shitsuo was looking over. She then rushed over, quickly picking up the baby off the ground. Shitsuo just watched as the headmistress looked around to see if there was anybody nearby that may have left the baby. But there was no one in sight.
"Oh you poor thing!" the headmistress cooed as she rocked the baby gently in her arms. "You must have been abandoned here."
The baby grimaced and started to fuss in the headmistress's arms, reaching out towards Shitsuo. The headmistress looked at Shitsuo, who looked up at her innocently.
"It seems he's taken a liking to you, Shitsuo," the headmistress commented as she held out the baby for Shitsuo to take. The young boy did so, the baby immediately calming down when he was in the blonde's arms. The headmistress smiled softly, patting Shitsuo's head, "Since you found him, Shitsuo, he's your responsibility. Why don't you give him a name?"
Shitsuo looked at the baby, wondering what name he should him. He then looked back up at the sakura tree he had found the baby under, an idea lighting up in his head. He turned to the headmistress, a smile on his face as he told her the baby's new name, "I think I'll name him Sakuraya."
Before the headmistress could comment, the baby burst out in laughter, clapping his hands happily as if he agreed with Shitsuo. The headmistress let out a cheery laugh as she ruffled Shitsuo's hair affectionately, "Well, it seems he likes the name a lot. I think you and Sakuraya are going to be very close in the future, Shitsuo."
Shitsuo beamed up the headmistress before turning to the still happy baby in his arms. He really hoped the headmistress was right because for some reason, he really liked this baby.
And he hoped Sakuraya would like him just as much.
(1) This is known as an "adult adoption" in where a family usually adopts a male adult into the family to either carry on the family name or to have a nonbiological heir inherit a business. It also is something gay couples use to become legally "married" in a sense (They're not really married, but will have legal ties to each other as family). In this case, Sakuraya's father is saying that he wants to adopt Shitsuo to have Shitsuo take over his business and be legally tied to Sakuraya.
Oh this ending! ;_; I'll admit, I was sort of procrastinating on writing this chapter because I really didn't want this story to end (which is another reason why it took so long…I'm sorry guys OTL). I just loved writing ALTCL so much, and I'm sad to see that I finished up the last alternate pairing story. :(
But no worries everyone! :D This technically isn't the official ending yet as you all still get an extra TsukixRoppi chapter! ^^
But I do hope you guys enjoyed Shitsuo and Sakuraya's story as I really found it to be the most challenging out of all of them to write. Especially since I was pretty much writing their entire characters/personalities, and I made up my own antagonist in this one, which was really hard because I felt I wasn't developing his character that well. But I'm so glad you guys stuck with me (despite me failing to update a few times during this story) and gave me so much encouragement and love! TAT You're all awesome!
I'll also admit that another reason why this took me so long is that I've gotten addicted to checking Shizaya tumblrs lately so that's also been distracting me. XD Shoutout to Shizaya25 and her awesome Shizaya blog that I've been completely obsessed with checking lately because the pictures and doujinshi's she posts are just so beautiful…! :')
In other news, since I've got finals coming up this week I apologize if it takes me a while to get back to your reviews. But just a curious question for you all…IS ANYONE GOING TO ANIME EXPO THIS YEAR?
If so, that's awesome, because I'll be there! ^^ Cosplaying as our favorite informant (and Kanra) too~! I'm completely psyched because I finished up the last of my Izaya cosplay a while ago and this will be my first time seriously cosplaying. And I have two awesome friends who are also going to be cosplaying Shizuo and Shiki (and Shizuka and Fem!Shiki!) with me as well! So if you're going, keep on the lookout for us and don't be shy to come up and say hi to me! :D I love new friends~ (And if any of you who are going happen to be cosplaying any Durarara characters as well, COME TAKE PICTURES WITH ME~! *w*)
Ahem, anyways, thank you as always guys for reading, reviewing, and all your love! ^w^
-Xaleria
