Disclaimers: ::wails:: WHY, OH WHY? I wish I owned a cool anime! But...
if I did.. Fushigi Yuugi would still be Yuu Watase's... so don't hurt me,
ne?
Author's Note: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaack! Two chapters in as many days?? ::gasp:: New record for me, I think. Sai's in this chapter!! ::cheer:: Aaaaaaaaanyway.... enjoy the chapter! It's fairly long...
~~~~
Ryuuen stood staring at the cell phone for a few more minutes, thoughts spinning wildly in his head. Kishuku robbed a bank? He knew things were bad... but so bad as to send his best friend to the other side of the law? Ryuuen threw his groceries in the car, jumped in and sped back to his apartment.
While he drove, he thought sadly of Kishuku's family. If Kishuku went to jail, there would be no one to take care his little brother's and sister. Poor Yuirien was only two years old... her mother was already dead, her father was deathly ill, and now her oldest brother – who had practically raised her – was on the run.
When he reached his apartment, Ryuuen put his few groceries away and grabbed the cordless phone off the counter. He found his phone book in a drawer and flopped down on one of the couches.
"Let's see... Seishuku..." he ran his finger down the page, looking at the names and numbers listed there. "Salvadora, Seethe... ah! Here it is, Seishuku... Saihitei." He dialed the number and waited for an answer.
"Hello?" A deep baritone voice sounded on the other end.
"Is this Saihitei?" Ryuuen didn't know why, but he was nervous to be talking to this rich friend of Kishuku's.
"Why yes it is... who's this?"
"This Kishuku's friend. Ryuuen Chou."
"Oh!" He seemed genuinely surprised... and pleased... to receive a phone call from him. Ryuuen smiled despite the situation. "What can I do for you, Ryuuen?"
"It's Kishuku. He's done something very stupid."
A long pause. "Where's your apartment? I'll be there in five minutes." Saihitei's voice had dropped. It sounded grave, concerned.
Ryuuen gave him the address. "Feel free to come right up. The door's open."
He clicked the "off" button on the phone and tossed it on the couch. Turning on the television, he got the news.
"...Our top story tonight: A young man has robbed the First National Bank of America branch in the small town of Miling. Authorities say that this man, Kishuku Sou, entered the bank around 4:30 this afternoon armed with a small handgun. He forced the employees and customers to the floor and preceded to take all the cash from the vault. Witnesses there told us he was crazed, upset. More on this story at eleven."
Ryuuen turned off the news in frustration. He walked over the bar to make himself a drink, but changed his mind. Something told him that he'd want to be a sober as possible tonight, so he wandered over the fridge and pulled out the carton of iced tea he bought tonight.
He was just pouring himself a huge glass when there was a firm knock at the door.
"Come on in!" he called.
The door opened, and Saihitei Seishuku entered the apartment. Ryuuen turned to offer a greeting, and got his first look at Kishuku's friend.
And dropped his glass of iced tea.
~~~~
"God, I'm so stupid," he muttered for the hundredth time. Ryuuen was on his knees on the kitchen floor, cleaning up the last of the spilled iced tea and shattered glass.
"You're not stupid," Saihitei insisted. He was on his knees as well, helping Ryuuen by picking up the larger of pieces of glass and throwing them in the trash. "Given what has happened tonight, I'm not surprised that your nerves are a jumble."
*Nerves... yeah, right!* Ryuuen smiled, but wouldn't look the other man in the eyes. He was quite aware of the reason he dropped the glass... it was a good thing Saihitei was not.
When the man – who Ryuuen learned was the same age as himself – had walked into the apartment, he was completely stricken by his presence.
Saihitei had long, silky chestnut hair that he wore loose down to the middle of his back. His eyes were the color of honey – liquid and warm. He was a little over a head taller than Ryuuen, and much more muscular. He walked with unbelievable confidence... but not arrogance. He was beautiful, but Ryuuen doubted he really knew it.
Marking the presence of Saihitei were his clothes. Black leather pants encased his legs, stretched not-too-tight. A white shirt that laced up the front – untied, of course – and ruffled cuffs fit him perfectly. On his feet were black boots with silver-covered heels and... was he wearing eyeliner? Ryuuen raised a questioning eyebrow upon seeing Saihitei's gorgeous amber eyes outlined in kohl.
"I had just gotten home from work when you called," he explained, standing up. Ryuuen climbed to his feet and threw the iced tea soaked washcloth into the sink.
"What do you do?" he inquired, opening the cupboard and getting two more glasses down.
Saihitei sat down on one of the couches while Ryuuen poured two more glasses of iced tea, being extra careful not to drop them. He handed one to Saihitei and sat down beside him on the couch.
"I'm a bartender at Stonehenge."
Ryuuen looked at him in surprise. "Stonehenge? Isn't that the really high-profile gay club on the other side of town?"
Saihitei nodded, took a long drink of the iced tea. "It's a long story. My father is quite wealthy, and it was sort-of a get-back-at-daddy kind of thing."
"Do tell."
The other cleared his throat. "Okay... About two years ago, I went through a very rebellious stage. My father wasn't very pleased that the only son who didn't despise him was a flaming homosexual, so he tried to send me to therapy."
Ryuuen shuddered, thought about his own father's reaction to learning that his youngest son was gay. But, if Saihitei noticed the shudder, he didn't acknowledge it.
"To convince him that I refused to be his idea of an "upstanding citizen of society," I got a job at Stonehenge parking cars. He was furious and threw me out of the house. My mom, however, was angry with him for forsaking me, so she sends me money every month. It turned out that I am a very good bartender, so I stayed on at Stonehenge and now I'm one of the most popular ones."
"Wow," Ryuuen said. "I wish my story was that good."
"You have a story, too?"
The purple-haired man nodded. "Not as exciting as yours, but it is my own."
"What happened?" Saihitei asked the question with such interest that Ryuuen blushed a bright pink.
"I knew I was gay when I was 14. I tried to hide it, as most gay kids will, but I acted too "feminine" for Daddy. When I told him that I was gay, he blew a gasket. He left us for a week... and mom blamed me. After that, I told him that it was a bad influence and acted as straight as I could muster... until I hit eighteen. Then, I beat hell out of that damned city and ended up here."
Saihitei grinned. "That story is just as exciting as mine, Ryuuen."
"Eh, I guess. Anyway..." he dismissed the discussion with a wave of his hand. "There's a more pressing issue at hand, here."
"Right," Saihitei agreed. "Kish."
"Yeah. You saw the news?"
The brown-haired man nodded. I turned it on as soon as you called me. "I knew things were really bad, but I ignored the signs."
"Signs? What did he say to you?"
Saihitei set his glass on the coffee table and stood up. "He told me that he found a way to make a lot of money really fast. God, I didn't thing he'd rob a bank. What was he thinking?"
"It's okay, Sai..."
The larger man spun to face Ryuuen. "How is it okay? Our friend is out there alone, running from the cops, scared out of his mind!"
"You're right. It's not okay. But it also isn't your fault. How could you have known what was going to happen?"
Saihitei sighed. "I know... but I can't help but think that there's something more I could have done."
Ryuuen nodded solemnly. "At any rate, we have to find him."
Amber eyes stared at him, blinked. "Find him? How?"
He shook his head. "I'm not sure, but he called about ten minutes before I called you. He said he was leaving town. And he told me to tell you that he's sorry."
Saihitei slumped back down onto the couch, his shoulders sagging with weariness. "I'm tired," he said. "I'm sick and tired of the unfair bullshit that is this world. I'm sick and tired of living in a place where hard-working families are subjected to pain and suffering for no reason!"
Ryuuen touched Saihitei's arm, felt the surging strength running through it. His arm was full of tension, but it bled away when he squeezed it. "I know... it's pretty ridiculous."
"Okay, so... we're going after Kishuku?"
He grinned, an excited glint showing in his deep violet eyes. "Hell yeah. He's in trouble, and if his friends can't help him, who can?"
Saihitei nodded, smiled gently at Ryuuen. "He's lucky to have you as a friend."
"Stop it. Right now he needs both of us."
A knock on the door interrupted Ryuuen. He stood up, Saihitei following suit, and opened the door.
"Mr. Chou?"
Two men in black suits stood side-by-side in the hall.
"Yes?"
They pulled out wallets and flashed shiny badges at Ryuuen. "Federal officers, sir. We need to speak with you."
"Come right in." Ryuuen stepped aside and allowed the two men to enter. "Have a seat, gentlemen."
The two agents sat on the red couch opposite the one Ryuuen and Saihitei had been sitting on.
"I am Agent Ayuru, this is Agent Chuin." One of the officers, a blonde, said.
"This is my friend Saihitei Seishuku." Ryuuen and Saihitei sat down on the couch.
Ayuru cleared his throat. "I guess you know why we're here?"
"Kishuku."
The other officer, one with long silvery hair nodded. "You know he robbed a bank?"
"Yes... we've seen the news," Saihitei said. "Is there anything else you could tell us?"
The two officers cast each other a long glance. Ryuuen caught something in that glance... there was something more to them than being partners, he could tell. As they spoke to Saihitei, Ryuuen studied them. Ayuru had blonde hair, cut so that his bangs framed his stunning face. His eyes were the bluest he had ever seen, but they were cold. Probably from too many years as an officer, his heart had hardened. Ryuuen's eyes flickered over to Chuin. He seemed warmer, gentler. His long silver hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and his yellow, cat-like eyes kept sliding over to look at Ayuru.
By the time the two had left, Ryuuen was dead sure they were involved.
"And.. if he tries to contact you, you'll let us know, right?"
"Of course," Saihitei was saying. "Thank you for coming to tell us what happen."
Ryuuen got up from the couch and stood with Saihitei. "You guys have a great night," he said, smiling.
The two looked at each other. "Uh, we will," Chuin told him.
After they had gone, Saihitei looked at Ryuuen. "What was that about?"
Ryuuen stared back at him, then started to giggle. When Saihitei regarded him with an expression of something akin to utter confusion, the giggling became more severe.
"I... don't – what's going on?" he asked helplessly.
The smaller boy took a deep breath. "They're... ahahahahaha!!! They're so a couple!"
"WHAT?" Saihitei just stared at the purple-headed flower arranger. Was he losing it? Did the stress of what Kishuku did finally caught up with him and sent him over the edge?
"I'm sorry." Ryuuen was clutching his stomach, but his laughing had subsided. "It's just that I noticed that those two are very much the loving couple."
"Those two??"
"Oh, most definitely."
Saihitei turned to look at the door where the two agents had exited. Then he too, began to laugh. "I suppose they did seem a little gay."
"A little? Not to use your word, Sai, but they were flaming."
"Uh... you know what? You're absolutely right." Saihitei walked back over and sat down on the couch, laid his head back. "Okay.. Ryuuen. Let's figure out what to do about Kishuku."
Ryuuen joined him on the couch, curled his legs under him. "All right. Where do you think he could have gone?"
~~~~
Three hours later, both men were fast asleep on the couch. Ryuuen's head had slid down onto Saihitei's shoulder, and Saihitei's head now rested on Ryuuen's. The two had talked and talked about what to do about Kishuku, and decided to leave in the morning. Ryuuen had a few ideas about where to start, like the place where Kishuku had grown up.
Saihitei woke up first. His neck hurt from the odd position it was angled, but he was incredibly comfortable other than that. He sat up carefully, not jarring Ryuuen out of sleep, and studied the smaller man.
When he had first shown up at the apartment, and Ryuuen dropped the iced tea, secretly, Saihitei knew it was because of him. Frankly, he, too, was taken with purple-haired man. Those depthless eyes were full of happiness, even when he was upset. He had made a great life for himself here, but something else also reflected in those eyes. Loneliness. Saihitei recognized it well, for he felt the same thing all the time. Sure, he loved his job at Stonehenge, but the guys who went there for drinks were so fake and superficial, so he had never dated. But this man, this wonderful, caring man... he had a heart of gold. Not to mention, his laugh was quite pleasing to the ears.
Ryuuen stirred, then awoke. He blinked, looked up at Saihitei – who smiled in return – and blushed a deep crimson. "Uh.. ohayoo?"
"Sleep well?"
He stretched like a cat, stood. "Mmm, yeah. What time is it?"
Saihitei glanced at his watch. "It's 6:30."
"6:30??" Ryuuen's mouth dropped open. "That's really early for me."
The other man chuckled. "It's pretty early for me, as well. How about I go back to my apartment to shower and get some things together, you can get ready here, and I'll be back in, say, two hours with breakfast?"
Ryuuen grinned. "Sounds like a plan. I'll see you then."
Author's Note: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaack! Two chapters in as many days?? ::gasp:: New record for me, I think. Sai's in this chapter!! ::cheer:: Aaaaaaaaanyway.... enjoy the chapter! It's fairly long...
~~~~
Ryuuen stood staring at the cell phone for a few more minutes, thoughts spinning wildly in his head. Kishuku robbed a bank? He knew things were bad... but so bad as to send his best friend to the other side of the law? Ryuuen threw his groceries in the car, jumped in and sped back to his apartment.
While he drove, he thought sadly of Kishuku's family. If Kishuku went to jail, there would be no one to take care his little brother's and sister. Poor Yuirien was only two years old... her mother was already dead, her father was deathly ill, and now her oldest brother – who had practically raised her – was on the run.
When he reached his apartment, Ryuuen put his few groceries away and grabbed the cordless phone off the counter. He found his phone book in a drawer and flopped down on one of the couches.
"Let's see... Seishuku..." he ran his finger down the page, looking at the names and numbers listed there. "Salvadora, Seethe... ah! Here it is, Seishuku... Saihitei." He dialed the number and waited for an answer.
"Hello?" A deep baritone voice sounded on the other end.
"Is this Saihitei?" Ryuuen didn't know why, but he was nervous to be talking to this rich friend of Kishuku's.
"Why yes it is... who's this?"
"This Kishuku's friend. Ryuuen Chou."
"Oh!" He seemed genuinely surprised... and pleased... to receive a phone call from him. Ryuuen smiled despite the situation. "What can I do for you, Ryuuen?"
"It's Kishuku. He's done something very stupid."
A long pause. "Where's your apartment? I'll be there in five minutes." Saihitei's voice had dropped. It sounded grave, concerned.
Ryuuen gave him the address. "Feel free to come right up. The door's open."
He clicked the "off" button on the phone and tossed it on the couch. Turning on the television, he got the news.
"...Our top story tonight: A young man has robbed the First National Bank of America branch in the small town of Miling. Authorities say that this man, Kishuku Sou, entered the bank around 4:30 this afternoon armed with a small handgun. He forced the employees and customers to the floor and preceded to take all the cash from the vault. Witnesses there told us he was crazed, upset. More on this story at eleven."
Ryuuen turned off the news in frustration. He walked over the bar to make himself a drink, but changed his mind. Something told him that he'd want to be a sober as possible tonight, so he wandered over the fridge and pulled out the carton of iced tea he bought tonight.
He was just pouring himself a huge glass when there was a firm knock at the door.
"Come on in!" he called.
The door opened, and Saihitei Seishuku entered the apartment. Ryuuen turned to offer a greeting, and got his first look at Kishuku's friend.
And dropped his glass of iced tea.
~~~~
"God, I'm so stupid," he muttered for the hundredth time. Ryuuen was on his knees on the kitchen floor, cleaning up the last of the spilled iced tea and shattered glass.
"You're not stupid," Saihitei insisted. He was on his knees as well, helping Ryuuen by picking up the larger of pieces of glass and throwing them in the trash. "Given what has happened tonight, I'm not surprised that your nerves are a jumble."
*Nerves... yeah, right!* Ryuuen smiled, but wouldn't look the other man in the eyes. He was quite aware of the reason he dropped the glass... it was a good thing Saihitei was not.
When the man – who Ryuuen learned was the same age as himself – had walked into the apartment, he was completely stricken by his presence.
Saihitei had long, silky chestnut hair that he wore loose down to the middle of his back. His eyes were the color of honey – liquid and warm. He was a little over a head taller than Ryuuen, and much more muscular. He walked with unbelievable confidence... but not arrogance. He was beautiful, but Ryuuen doubted he really knew it.
Marking the presence of Saihitei were his clothes. Black leather pants encased his legs, stretched not-too-tight. A white shirt that laced up the front – untied, of course – and ruffled cuffs fit him perfectly. On his feet were black boots with silver-covered heels and... was he wearing eyeliner? Ryuuen raised a questioning eyebrow upon seeing Saihitei's gorgeous amber eyes outlined in kohl.
"I had just gotten home from work when you called," he explained, standing up. Ryuuen climbed to his feet and threw the iced tea soaked washcloth into the sink.
"What do you do?" he inquired, opening the cupboard and getting two more glasses down.
Saihitei sat down on one of the couches while Ryuuen poured two more glasses of iced tea, being extra careful not to drop them. He handed one to Saihitei and sat down beside him on the couch.
"I'm a bartender at Stonehenge."
Ryuuen looked at him in surprise. "Stonehenge? Isn't that the really high-profile gay club on the other side of town?"
Saihitei nodded, took a long drink of the iced tea. "It's a long story. My father is quite wealthy, and it was sort-of a get-back-at-daddy kind of thing."
"Do tell."
The other cleared his throat. "Okay... About two years ago, I went through a very rebellious stage. My father wasn't very pleased that the only son who didn't despise him was a flaming homosexual, so he tried to send me to therapy."
Ryuuen shuddered, thought about his own father's reaction to learning that his youngest son was gay. But, if Saihitei noticed the shudder, he didn't acknowledge it.
"To convince him that I refused to be his idea of an "upstanding citizen of society," I got a job at Stonehenge parking cars. He was furious and threw me out of the house. My mom, however, was angry with him for forsaking me, so she sends me money every month. It turned out that I am a very good bartender, so I stayed on at Stonehenge and now I'm one of the most popular ones."
"Wow," Ryuuen said. "I wish my story was that good."
"You have a story, too?"
The purple-haired man nodded. "Not as exciting as yours, but it is my own."
"What happened?" Saihitei asked the question with such interest that Ryuuen blushed a bright pink.
"I knew I was gay when I was 14. I tried to hide it, as most gay kids will, but I acted too "feminine" for Daddy. When I told him that I was gay, he blew a gasket. He left us for a week... and mom blamed me. After that, I told him that it was a bad influence and acted as straight as I could muster... until I hit eighteen. Then, I beat hell out of that damned city and ended up here."
Saihitei grinned. "That story is just as exciting as mine, Ryuuen."
"Eh, I guess. Anyway..." he dismissed the discussion with a wave of his hand. "There's a more pressing issue at hand, here."
"Right," Saihitei agreed. "Kish."
"Yeah. You saw the news?"
The brown-haired man nodded. I turned it on as soon as you called me. "I knew things were really bad, but I ignored the signs."
"Signs? What did he say to you?"
Saihitei set his glass on the coffee table and stood up. "He told me that he found a way to make a lot of money really fast. God, I didn't thing he'd rob a bank. What was he thinking?"
"It's okay, Sai..."
The larger man spun to face Ryuuen. "How is it okay? Our friend is out there alone, running from the cops, scared out of his mind!"
"You're right. It's not okay. But it also isn't your fault. How could you have known what was going to happen?"
Saihitei sighed. "I know... but I can't help but think that there's something more I could have done."
Ryuuen nodded solemnly. "At any rate, we have to find him."
Amber eyes stared at him, blinked. "Find him? How?"
He shook his head. "I'm not sure, but he called about ten minutes before I called you. He said he was leaving town. And he told me to tell you that he's sorry."
Saihitei slumped back down onto the couch, his shoulders sagging with weariness. "I'm tired," he said. "I'm sick and tired of the unfair bullshit that is this world. I'm sick and tired of living in a place where hard-working families are subjected to pain and suffering for no reason!"
Ryuuen touched Saihitei's arm, felt the surging strength running through it. His arm was full of tension, but it bled away when he squeezed it. "I know... it's pretty ridiculous."
"Okay, so... we're going after Kishuku?"
He grinned, an excited glint showing in his deep violet eyes. "Hell yeah. He's in trouble, and if his friends can't help him, who can?"
Saihitei nodded, smiled gently at Ryuuen. "He's lucky to have you as a friend."
"Stop it. Right now he needs both of us."
A knock on the door interrupted Ryuuen. He stood up, Saihitei following suit, and opened the door.
"Mr. Chou?"
Two men in black suits stood side-by-side in the hall.
"Yes?"
They pulled out wallets and flashed shiny badges at Ryuuen. "Federal officers, sir. We need to speak with you."
"Come right in." Ryuuen stepped aside and allowed the two men to enter. "Have a seat, gentlemen."
The two agents sat on the red couch opposite the one Ryuuen and Saihitei had been sitting on.
"I am Agent Ayuru, this is Agent Chuin." One of the officers, a blonde, said.
"This is my friend Saihitei Seishuku." Ryuuen and Saihitei sat down on the couch.
Ayuru cleared his throat. "I guess you know why we're here?"
"Kishuku."
The other officer, one with long silvery hair nodded. "You know he robbed a bank?"
"Yes... we've seen the news," Saihitei said. "Is there anything else you could tell us?"
The two officers cast each other a long glance. Ryuuen caught something in that glance... there was something more to them than being partners, he could tell. As they spoke to Saihitei, Ryuuen studied them. Ayuru had blonde hair, cut so that his bangs framed his stunning face. His eyes were the bluest he had ever seen, but they were cold. Probably from too many years as an officer, his heart had hardened. Ryuuen's eyes flickered over to Chuin. He seemed warmer, gentler. His long silver hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and his yellow, cat-like eyes kept sliding over to look at Ayuru.
By the time the two had left, Ryuuen was dead sure they were involved.
"And.. if he tries to contact you, you'll let us know, right?"
"Of course," Saihitei was saying. "Thank you for coming to tell us what happen."
Ryuuen got up from the couch and stood with Saihitei. "You guys have a great night," he said, smiling.
The two looked at each other. "Uh, we will," Chuin told him.
After they had gone, Saihitei looked at Ryuuen. "What was that about?"
Ryuuen stared back at him, then started to giggle. When Saihitei regarded him with an expression of something akin to utter confusion, the giggling became more severe.
"I... don't – what's going on?" he asked helplessly.
The smaller boy took a deep breath. "They're... ahahahahaha!!! They're so a couple!"
"WHAT?" Saihitei just stared at the purple-headed flower arranger. Was he losing it? Did the stress of what Kishuku did finally caught up with him and sent him over the edge?
"I'm sorry." Ryuuen was clutching his stomach, but his laughing had subsided. "It's just that I noticed that those two are very much the loving couple."
"Those two??"
"Oh, most definitely."
Saihitei turned to look at the door where the two agents had exited. Then he too, began to laugh. "I suppose they did seem a little gay."
"A little? Not to use your word, Sai, but they were flaming."
"Uh... you know what? You're absolutely right." Saihitei walked back over and sat down on the couch, laid his head back. "Okay.. Ryuuen. Let's figure out what to do about Kishuku."
Ryuuen joined him on the couch, curled his legs under him. "All right. Where do you think he could have gone?"
~~~~
Three hours later, both men were fast asleep on the couch. Ryuuen's head had slid down onto Saihitei's shoulder, and Saihitei's head now rested on Ryuuen's. The two had talked and talked about what to do about Kishuku, and decided to leave in the morning. Ryuuen had a few ideas about where to start, like the place where Kishuku had grown up.
Saihitei woke up first. His neck hurt from the odd position it was angled, but he was incredibly comfortable other than that. He sat up carefully, not jarring Ryuuen out of sleep, and studied the smaller man.
When he had first shown up at the apartment, and Ryuuen dropped the iced tea, secretly, Saihitei knew it was because of him. Frankly, he, too, was taken with purple-haired man. Those depthless eyes were full of happiness, even when he was upset. He had made a great life for himself here, but something else also reflected in those eyes. Loneliness. Saihitei recognized it well, for he felt the same thing all the time. Sure, he loved his job at Stonehenge, but the guys who went there for drinks were so fake and superficial, so he had never dated. But this man, this wonderful, caring man... he had a heart of gold. Not to mention, his laugh was quite pleasing to the ears.
Ryuuen stirred, then awoke. He blinked, looked up at Saihitei – who smiled in return – and blushed a deep crimson. "Uh.. ohayoo?"
"Sleep well?"
He stretched like a cat, stood. "Mmm, yeah. What time is it?"
Saihitei glanced at his watch. "It's 6:30."
"6:30??" Ryuuen's mouth dropped open. "That's really early for me."
The other man chuckled. "It's pretty early for me, as well. How about I go back to my apartment to shower and get some things together, you can get ready here, and I'll be back in, say, two hours with breakfast?"
Ryuuen grinned. "Sounds like a plan. I'll see you then."