DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Get Backers or any of the characters. (Except Tsumei, of course.)

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Ban kicked at a wall in frustration. "What is he, a phantom kid? What do those idiots mean, they've never seen him?"

Kazuki gave him a sympathetic look. He knew the Get Backer's patience was wearing thin. "We'll find him somewhere, Ban. We can't give up now."

Ban kicked the poor wall again. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm not giving up, not after spending two days walking around like this."

Kazuki squeezed his hand. "And I know you want to find this person just as much as me."

Ban sighed and continued walking, pulling Kazuki with him. "Stop stating the obvious, Yarnball."

He sped up a little as they approached a more crowded area. They'd just checked there an hour ago. The people parted a little to get out of his way. The ones that didn't got a full dose of Ban shoving them out of his way. Damned idiots, just because someone's a kid, no one notices him around. I know I'd notice a kid if he- Ban's thoughts were rudely interrupted as heran squarely intosomething waist-high and fell sprawled on his back.

"Are you all right?" Kazuki asked, crouching down next to him.

"I'm sorry, mister. But you should watch where you're going."

Ban glared at the kid standing in front of him, looking slightly apologetic, but mostly amused. "Watch it, runt. You're messing withthe great Midou Ban."

The kid bit back a grin. "Never heard of you, Midou Ban-san."

Ban's glare turned more threatening as he felt Kazuki tugging hard at his sleeve.

"What is it?" he snapped.

Kazuki smiled gently at the boy. "You're name is Tsumei, isn't it?"

A flash of caution appeared in the boy's eyes. "Yes, and you look familiar."

"I'm Fuuchouin Kazuki, formerly of the Volts."

The caution became full-blown fear, as he stood rooted to the spot. "I-I'm not in trouble, am I? I've heard of what you do to people, when they… but I'm just a kid. You wouldn't hurt me, right?"

"We will if you don't cooperate, kid. But it's not his strings you-"

"Ban!" Kazuki silenced him with a reprimanding look. "No, we won't hurt you. We just need to ask you some questions. Please come with us?"

Tsumei nodded mutely and took Kazuki's outstretched hand. They had found their first witness. Finally.

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Toshiki gritted his teeth in annoyance. "The kid's lying."

"I'm not," came Tsumei's indignant voice.

"I suggest different methods to get him talking." Toshiki's lips curled at the corners threateningly.

Tsumei immediately scooted closer to Ginji. As all children, he had taken an instant liking to the former Volts' leader and had stuck by his side throughout the questioning.

Ginji put an arm around the pouting boy. "Stop it, Toshiki. Hey Tsumei, you're telling us the truth, aren't ya?"

"I am, I promise, Ginji."

"See? He promises. If he says all he saw was a shadow that time, then we've got to believe him."

Ban sauntered in, followed by a heavily laden Kazuki. The longhaired man peeked from behind the bags and smiled. "I've got food for everyone. We figured you'd all be hungry by now."

Ginji and Tsumei got identical grins on their faces. "Yeah!" they chorused happily. They sat around in a rough circle, working on the massive amount of food Kazuki had brought. Toshiki sat a little away from them, looking sullen.

Kazuki was the first to finish. He moved a little closer to Toshiki, smiling at Ginji and Tsumei fighting over the last piece of cake. "What's bothering you?"

Toshiki shook his head. "I'm sure the boy's lying. Ginji refuses to listen to me. We won't get any answers without getting a little rough."

Kazuki squeezed Toshiki's shoulder. "I know you're getting frustrated, but it's not going to do us any good threatening or harming a small boy. Don't let your impatience get the better of you."

Toshiki nodded, his mouth set in a thin line. Then he got up abruptly and walked away, leaving his food half-eaten.

Kazuki sighed and joined the rest of the group. Ban sat watching Ginji and Tsumei with a little too much interest. Kazuki slipped behind him and wrapped his arms around his chest. "Don't tell me you're annoyed I talked to Toshiki," he whispered in his ear.

Ban leaned back against Kazuki's chest. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Kazuki kissed his ear softly, eliciting a look of surprise from Tsumei. "Wow… you guys are, like, boyfriends?"

Ban laughed at his gaping look. "Yeah, kid. Close your mouth now."

"But you're both… guys."

Kazuki smiled mischievously. "That's what makes it so much fun."

Tsumei smiled innocently. "Oh, ok."

Then he turned to Ginji, who was watching the proceedings with interest, and swiped the slice of pizza from his hand.

"Hey! Give that back! Ban-chan, make him give it back."

Ban watched Tsumei, the kid making pizza disappear faster than Ginji ever could, and wondered how much he really knew.

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Later that night, Ban tossed in his uncomfortably narrow bed, trying to get to sleep. All through the day, Kazuki had kept up a happy face for Tsumei, but Ban noticed the sadness deepening in his eyes every time he smiled. Fuuchouin Kazuki. His "boyfriend". He smiled at the thought of Kazuki being anybody's boyfriend. It was too casual a title for someone like him.

How can I understand someone so well, and still want to know him better? The air of mystery you keep, Fuuchouin, I see right through it. I just don't see what it is under that…

He started a little at the merest of footsteps approaching his bed. The slight tinkle of bells betrayed his identity right away. "Hello, Kazuki, couldn't sleep?"

"Ban! You're still awake."

"No, I'm talking in my sleep." Ban rolled his eyes,a useless gesture in the darkness."Now, what's bothering you?"

Kazuki slid into bed next to him, the two men just managing to stay on. Ban pulled him into his arms. "This boy, I'm convinced he's lying. I don't know how to get through to him, though."

Ban nuzzled into Kazuki's hair. It smelt slightly different. "You change your shampoo?"

Kazuki started slightly in surprise. "Yes, I did. I'm surprised you- hey! I was trying to talk to you about the boy."

"Sorry, go on."

"I just wanted to ask you how to get through to him."

"That's the easy part, leave it to Ginji."

Kazuki twisted a little to look into Ban's eyes. "You really think he'll open up to Ginji?"

"Yes, I do. Just give them some time together to bond."

"I hope so. And Ban…"

"Yeah?"

"I- good night."

Ban shook his head. You're not getting away that easily. "It's still bothering you, this string business."

Kazuki buried his face in Ban's chest. "I didn't do it, Ban. And none of my string is missing, either."

"I know you didn't. You were with me, remember?"

"You know, I don't really have any alibis for the times. It's only good faith that people have refrained from accusing me so far."

"Good faith and good sense. What would you gain from hurting all those girls? Especially Ren."

Kazuki remained silent. Ban gently rocked him in his arms. "And none of this is your fault, you know."

Kazuki pulled back slightly. "I know, but if I visited more often, maybe I'd have been there-"

"But there will always be times when you can't watch over her. The only thing we can do now is find this bastard."

"I know all that! It's just, I've been feeling so pent-up, Ban. I can't let anyone see how much this bothers me."

Ban rolled Kazuki onto his back, kissing him softly. "Go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

Kazuki slipped his hands around Ban's neck, pulling him down for a deeper kiss. "It's not sleep I need, Ban."

Ban frowned slightly, unsure. Kazuki's string-calloused fingers moved to the front of his shirt, slowly but surely undoing the buttons. Ban caught his hand midway down the row. "Not yet, Kazuki."

Kazuki frowned slightly in mild annoyance. When he spoke, his voice was tainted with bitterness. "What is it, Ban? Pretensions of virtue? You can hardly expect me to believe you haven't done this before, or you don't want it."

Ban's frown deepened. "You're under a lot of stress, and it's too early. I just don't think this is a very good time." Don't let his words get to you, Midou. He's not himself right now.

Kazuki pulled away, looking stung. "Fine, if that's what you think. Just don't expect me to beg you."

Ban bit down his rising vindictiveness. "Good night, Kazuki."

Kazuki walked out without a word. Ban lay back, returning to fidgeting in his bed.

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Three hours had passed by, and Ban was seeing no signs of sleep. Giving up on any rest for the night, he got out of bed and walked out into the streets of Mugenjou. It was a moonless night, not that some parts of the city ever came out of eternal darkness. Like the alley Ban was in at the moment. Pitch dark, pierced only by the dimmest of glows emanating for the lit end of his cigarette.

Ban slightly regretted what had happened with Kazuki. Pretensions of virtue… what does he think I am? Some teenage girl holding outfor the "right one"?

Oh, don't kid yourself, Midou. You know he doesn't think that. He just wanted… company. Yeah. He just wanted company.

The words rang hollow in his head. He went on deeper into the alley, expecting it to end. Instead, all it seemed to do was lead to another, then another. Ban sighed, turning back. He was in no mood to prowl dingy alleys that night. And he doubted the murderer was going to show up so early.

His thoughts wandered onto Ren. Ban wondered what the girl really meant to Kazuki. Most of the time, he felt that Kazuki just saw her as a kid. But these other times… She's hardly out of childhood. Jealousy's giving you pathetic thoughts.

Yet, Ban couldn't help but wonder if her age was the reason Kazuki wasn't with her. The admiration she had for Kazuki was plain as day for everyone to see. And it wasn't like Kazuki did anything to deter it.

He took one last drag at the cigarette and let it drop to the ground as he walked on. Kazuki is with me. No point in angsting over this like an idiot.

One thought stuck firmly in Ban's head- Kazuki had needed him that night and he had turned him away. Hadn't there been a time when Midou Ban would've done anything for Kazuki to sleep with him?

This was deeper now. He cared for Kazuki more than he thought he could. Why then, he wondered, was it so hard to bring himself to do this? Ban snorted at the thought of him turning virtuous. Kazuki, on the other hand, could be the poster boy for chastity. Is that why? Maybe it'd been easier if I'd been the one asking…

Ban walked faster, determined to end this stupid thing with Kazuki. His pace grew faster and longer with each passing step. He walked into a better-lit part of the place. He slowed down, noticing an uncomfortable wetness seeping into his shoe. That's when he saw her. There she was, throat slit, propped up under a streetlamp. A thin girl, with methodical cuts all over her pale, bled out body. The harsh light streamed over her white face, eyelids and mouth sewn shut. Naked as the day she was born, black hair streaming around her shoulders,in the middle of the bright circle of light. Exhibited like a whore for all to see.

And Midou Ban was standing in a pool of her blood.

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Hmm... finally walking that line between PG-13 and R. After promising to rate it up, this is the chapter that's finally lived up to it. I started out planning on a BanKazuki scene, but it really didn't ring right when it was in writing. So hopefully, I won't get pounded by people who wanted one.

Siberian orchid, I'm going to get another "morbid" aren't I? (Maybe even a "god"! Sorry... please don't stop reviewing.) Angelic priestess, tingly, really? I got tingly when they looked like they were going to kiss in the series... /grumbles/. Kiara, sorry, but I'm the worst person when it comes to finding decent fanfics, but you should read Ryueen Kurai's fics.

Hmm... I finally managed to meet the Thursday deadline I set, even if it is 9.30 at night. Must go, boyfriend beckons!

Kerian

P.S- Sorry for the typos in the last chapter. I know I hate reading things with mistakes, as do you.I need to go over my writing more carefully, only it's a little boring to read your own work. Still, I'll be more careful next time!