Saihitei Seishuku/Mana-san- eyes sparkle A reviewer! (rejoices) I've never had to wait that long for a review and when I finally got one it was from another writer!

Chronic Fever- Thankies! I needed something to mildly impede Hwoarang so he'd mature a bit/

Apparently the chap didn't load right so I'll load it again,

CH2- Of Whores and Pretty Redheads

Hwoarang was out of the car before Jin could put on the parking break. He slammed the door roughly and Jin hopped out of the car to yell at him. He didn't have time however before a window on the second story of the apartment complex shattered sending teens and a thick gray smoke out onto the front lawn.

They writhed and held their throats as they struggled to breath and for seconds, Hwoarang could only watch in horrified disbelief before looking up into the window where he saw several men in suits, Mishima's men. His eyes narrowed before he felt someone grab his pant leg. It was Ace.

"Hwo- Hwoarang. Thank god you're-" he was cut off by a bout of coughing. "Fey's still up there!"

It didn't take Hwoarang more than twenty seconds to be across the lawn and scaling the stairs to the apartment. Jin could only watch the teens regain their breath in shock before he took off after the Blood Talon hoping it wouldn't be too late to help.

XxXxX

Fey had been hit by the door when the men kicked it open, leaving the little American dizzy and confused. It wasn't soon before Ace grabbed her sleeve yelling something unintelligible before Sparx, another gang member, smashed through the window with a chair and thick heavy smoke soon filled the room. Ace shoved her towards the window where everyone was evacuating before turning to exchange blows with the Mishima thugs.

When she opened her eyes a few dizzy seconds later she was under the table away from the view of the Mishima thugs but frighteningly alone. She raised her head and took a deep breath of air as the smoke cleared out of the room.

Unfortunately this caught the attention of one of the Mishima thugs and she was being held by her collar being interrogated in a language she didn't understand as her toes dangled above the floor. She was shook violently as she explained in both English and Spanish that she didn't understand what they were saying before she was slammed against the wall.

Remembering some of her training from Hwoarang she immediately lashed out catching the man sharply in the throat. She was dropped as he clutched his throat struggling for air. Within moments she was cornered and avoiding tasers.

That was the sight Hwoarang walked in on. His friend was cornered, babbling unintelligibly in her home language while six men harassed her. Fury built up in his eyes and before he could even contemplate the danger of attacking armed men while unarmed, one had been brutally kicked into the wall.

Jin could only watch in morbid fascination as a second was punched unconscious, the third was hit by his unconscious companion, the fourth was kicked, the fifth caught by a punch- and the sixth drew his gun. Hwoarang didn't miss a beat as his eyes connected with the other's. He was ready to knock the man's head off before he could pull the trigger.

He barely managed to pull back his fist as the man fell limply to the ground, victim of one of their own tasers held in Fey's tiny hands as she winced anticipating the blow.

Hwoarang sighed. "I guess it's time to move…Again."

XxXxX

Jin wouldn't have anticipated being found in the back of a brothel…Jin wouldn't have anticipated being found in the back of a brothel with Hwoarang.

Both these things had come to pass by the end of the night however as he'd used his car to cart injured gang members to the "Elegant Mistress"

Hwoarang had been among the last to go with him, watching over his gang members like some kind of fallen guardian angel and paying off the apartment owner for the damages- and silence.

The hookers doted on the gang- including Fey who they saw as very cuddly and brave. Hwoarang however they left to his silence and contemplation respectfully, along with Jin who they also recognized as a reputable martial artist.

"So…Kazama…Are you ready to kill this Mishima bastard yet?"

"Hwoarang-" began Jin.

"No." snapped Hwoarang. "He's made it quite clear that beyond chasing your cowardly ass he doesn't intend to let me and mine alone. I won't put up with this Kazama. He wants you. Let him get you, then let that damned demon rip his throat out. But if those bastards come after us again, and I hear you're still running, I'm coming after you!"

"Do you think I haven't tried!" snapped Jin jumping up. "Do you just think I let him ruin my life like this?"

"Yes." said Hwoarang coolly. "I do.

Jin shoved Hwoarang back into the wall roughly. "I didn't." he hissed through his teeth.

"Whatever." said Hwoarang leaving the room.

XxXxX

Jin was about to take off after him when he felt a tug on his sleeve. It was Fey who shook her head. "Not a good idea," she murmured.

Jin glared at her for a second before realizing she was probably right and sighing. He turned to her awkwardly knowing her Japanese was very poor. "Are you…okay?" he asked slowly.

She paused to think about what he'd said before nodding. "Yes," she said cheerily.

He took a moment to look at the girl. Clearly she wasn't Japanese, Her black hair was curly and went down past her shoulders emphasizing golden skin and huge brown eyes, if he had to guess he'd say she was Latin American but he could be wrong.

"So…do you know where he went?"

"Well-" she began.
"Who are you anyways?" asked a cool voice. He looked in the corner to see the boy he recognized as Ace leaning against the doorframe looking at him coolly. "You know, everything seems fine, until you show up. All of a sudden we have Mishima bastards coming out of the woodwork,"

"Ace! You should not-"

"Shut up Fey. Well? Are you going to answer?" snapped Ace.

Jin glared "Who I am is not your concern. I'll be leaving." said Jin heading for the door. He was stopped when Ace got in his way. Ace was well built, but young. Too young to stand a chance. But the fire in his eyes said it didn't matter if he thought he was protecting his leader.

Sudden he was shoved by Fey who started yelling unintelligibly- though not to Ace who appeared to understand at least half of what the girl said.

Jin had taken English in high school. He had the feeling that this was the less savory half that wasn't in the book. And Ace's face colored confirming that. Fey ended it with, "Now get out! Baka!"

"Fine!" said Ace taking one last glare at Jin before leaving in a huff.

Jin turned away before proceeding to leave. "Wait!" said Fey running in front of him again. "Please, stay. Hwoarang won't be long! Ace was just mad! Hwoarang is out talking to his informants to find out when it will be safe to move! Please stay, you won't be bothered!"

Jin sighed. He wasn't in the mood to deal with some miniature Hwoarang punks, but she did make a good argument in broken Japanese. "Fine. I'll stay."

XxXxX

Hwoarang was both surprised and relieved to find that Jin hadn't left. When he'd gone out he'd found that Mishima's men were crawling all over town looking for Jin- and a magnificent redhead that went by the name Blood Talon.

He'd immediately put on his hoodie and sunk into the darkness.

He looked at the sleeping figure on the brothel couch. "Has there been any trouble?"

"A small," said Fey. She meant a little, but he understood.

"I'm guessing you stopped it," he said quietly. She blushed a bit but ended up nodding anyways. He smiled gently and patted her on the head. "Go get some sleep,"

She nodded curtly before taking off as silently as she'd came. He walked over to Jin. Jin didn't know he'd fallen asleep on the couch bed that was usually Hwoarang's.

But Hwoarang did. He had since he'd come in the brothel to hear the giggling women starting rumors about the pretty Japanese boy looking fairly entitled laying there…perhaps the blood talon's lover.

Hwoarang had to admit looking down on Jin that the boy was beautiful, even somewhere near his tastes. But his rival was enough trouble without involving sex.

There'd been times in his life when he'd hated Jin. Enough that if he'd found him sleeping he probably would have roughed him up just to humiliate him. He wasn't sure he could hate him anymore. They had a common enemy now, a horrible one.

They were both hunted together now. By Jin's grandfather of all people, his sensei. If Baek had decided to kill his student, Hwoarang didn't know how he'd continue to exist, much less fight back. He sighed and sat next to the serene figure on the couch bed.

He didn't want to wake Jin. The boy was sleeping soundly, but by the amount of Mishima's men running around town he didn't know how long that could possibly last before their new semblance of a home. There was only one solution, they would have to run. He got up and walked out the door.

As he suspected, Ace was outside watching over Fey who slept in the rocking chair eight feet down the hall. "Ace,"

"…Hwoarang."

"Is everyone asleep?"

"…No, we couldn't sleep."

"…Assemble quietly, get the motorcycles. Sell the car…We'll be moving out soon…See if you can pick up another bike, but if you can't do it quietly then don't do it at all."

"Okay." said Ace getting up. He was stopped when Hwoarang put his hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you Ace. You always watch out for me." said Hwoarang seriously.

Ace slowly broke into a smile. "Hey man, don't get all mushy on me. Your woman's in there," he said nodding towards the door.

Hwoarang couldn't help but snicker and shove Ace away gently. "Alright man. Like I said, move quietly, and move safely. Don't take Fey with you."

"Okay." repeated Ace taking off quietly down the hall.

XxXxX

When Hwoarang came in, Jin made sure to keep his breathing level as if he were sleeping, even when Hwoarang shut the door with a near inaudible click. He'd heard Hwoarang's plans. He had to wonder if they involved him at all.

Maybe the redhead would try to strangle him in his sleep. That would prove interesting, or maybe he would rise in the night and leave like a dream leaving the whores to watch for Jin, perhaps collecting the price on his head. He didn't know why, but the idea of his rival enacting any of those dishonorable actions hurt, badly.

It was when Hwoarang sat next to him with a sigh that he made the mistake of stiffening. He opened his eyes a bit but Hwoarang had his back to him. The bed shifted a bit as Hwoarang took off his sweater and tossed it aside before beginning to peel off his shirt.

Jin had seen the bare bodies of martial artists on several occasions, but that was nothing to compare with this. Hwoarang's skin was tanned to a pale gold. His back was corded muscles, defined but delicate at the same time. He had broad shoulders but a tapered waist and beautiful arms.

But like everything else in Jin's world, Hwoarang's skin was marred. Several scars littered his back in disarray, one in particular on the shoulder reminded Jin very much of the devil's claws.

Before he could think to much on it, Hwoarang shook his head. "You know there's no such thing as a free show."

XxXxX

Hwoarang had known that Jin was awake, and watching him, he didn't blame him. If he had a rival as dangerous as himself he wouldn't sleep lightly- and the fact of the matter was that he did. Only Jin would never attack him in his sleep, and vice versa- though Jin didn't need to know that.

What he didn't expect was for a half-asleep Jin to attack him. He found himself pinned to the thin mattress within seconds, his shirt, which he hadn't finished taking off, bound his wrists, while Jin's greater weight did a fantastic job of holding him in place.

"What the hell Kazama!" snapped Hwoarang trying to shove the other martial artist off him.

This only resulted in Jin grabbing his shirt and twisting it so his wrists were painfully restrained. "So Hwoarang, planning on telling me your plans?"

"Maybe as soon as you get the fuck off me fuck head!"

"Oh no Hwoarang, your articulacy isn't getting you out of this one!"

There was a pause as Hwoarang continued to struggle, face flushed, eyes burning with silent rage. They both knew he wouldn't shout, for his gang members- or even one of the whores- to walk in on this would be humiliating.

What Jin didn't quite know was why he wouldn't let Hwoarang up, he knew the boy wouldn't run, hell, he wouldn't run if Jin transformed into the devil. But he had the sudden feral urge to proclaim dominance over the beautiful redhead.

It was the devil gene's urge.

For once, he didn't care.

Within minutes the redhead was panting in forced submission beneath his rival. Jin had sat on his torso, too high up to be kicked off, but low enough to keep him pinned, and his dark stare only accompanied the physical sensation.

Hwoarang had a sudden mental image pass through his mind of being pinned by the demon. He paled and turned his face to the side so Kazama couldn't see.

Jin couldn't help but think how beautiful the Korean was with his red hair spilling across his face as he tried to hide his shame. Suddenly he shook his head and rolled off the Korean before clutching his head.

He had to wonder when so much of the demon's mentality had melded with his own…and how much more would before he gave into his urges to take what he was well assured the redhead wouldn't want to give up.

Hwoarang was up in a flash glaring as he tried to even out his breathing. He didn't know what had just occurred. But he swore to himself that he'd repay it in full and prevent it from happening again.

"We're selling your car for cash. It's too flashy to travel with anyways. Then we're going back to my master's dojo…it's in the woods, it'll be a little harder for Heihachi to track us there. We'll make plans there, and then we'll leave…"

Jin nodded sharply and laid down on the couch bed knowing he'd get no sleep that night.