Disclaimer: Hikaru no Go is property of Shounen Jump, Hotta and Obata-sensei, and in not in any shape or form to I own it, or am making money off of this fanfiction. The club 'The Passion is from the to-be published manga 'Cupid's Justice', and is copyright of Hachi, while Yuki, Monou, and Adam are under the ownership of Michirukoshi and me.

Warning: Shounen-ai (boy love) AkiraXHikaru and WayaXIsumi, yaoi hints, and a little AkariXHikaru. There are also spoilers from Manga Volume 6 and up, and Anime Episodes staring at 26 or so (-too lazy to check on Anime summaries-) It's also not rated R for nothing, as it has some (A lot?) of drug references, as well as sexual situations including mentioning of prostitution. Can't you tell already from the title? And by the way, I do not support people taking drugs, or prostitution, and do not in any way recommend those things to you. Also, this fic is a halfway crossover with two other stories (Cupid's Justice and characters from 'A Lust-Laden Parody'). I can't exactly say non-canon (AU), but it goes overboard at times.

Principles of Lust – Act 1 – "A Gloomy Winter Splendor"

The principles of lust
are easy to understand
do what you feel
feel until the end
(Enigma: MCMXC A.D, Find Love)

He strode in a swarm of white fairies, their intricate patterns seemingly woven into their surfaces fluttering helplessly as they were drawn into the dense vacuum of wind that pounded unmercifully against them. He lifted his head, wreath of gold parting forcefully against his will to reveal a visage dripping with crystalline beads. A passerby strode by the boy briskly, slamming into his shoulder as he rushed to get home for the holidays. The boy paid no attention to the touch, "egotistic" at the moment. There were too many other things, other more important things that is, to pay attention to. He continued to walk, slipping and sliding against the slick sidewalk wetted by the remnants of an overnight snow, surface seemingly afire by the many streetlights emitting their orange glow. Hastily, he flung away the needless tears, gritting his teeth to prevent any piteous wailing. Even though the night was long, the streets of downtown were still hustling with many late holiday shoppers flocking annoyingly to any lighted display window, crowing laughter with their cheery faces flamboyant. He glared at a particularly loud group of females goggling at some piece of jewelry they would never be able to afford, look softening somewhat after recognized the red-violet head as Akari, a schoolmate. The girl whipped her head around, being ever-so-perceptive, mittened hand raising and waving wildly to Hikaru, "Hey!"

Hikaru grunted, biting firmly down on his lip, tasting the saline left from the tears. He hastened his pace to avoid his face being seen, hating to ignore her. Akari's hand dropped to place itself deftly upon a hip, "Fine then!" She snapped, eyes livid with anger, "Jerk!"

Females: An eternal enigma. He pivoted sharply once a dark alleyway came into view, falling to his knees as if in prayer to the expanse of the dull cement wall. Shivers fused with great shuddering sobs, wracking the boy's frame as he groped the smooth surface of the wall. He leaned against it as if it were an anchor against all his troubles, an impersonating mother. The gaggle of girls sauntered down the lane, chattering excitedly about some boy. Akari trailed behind the group, giggling her own worth. She stopped suddenly, peering into the abyss of the tunnel in which Hikaru sought his solace, wide eyes easily discerning the boy from the darkness. With a farewell wave to her friends, she stepped into the alley, countenance wearing a look of utmost concern. She kneeled down beside the quivering mass, warm arm wrapping about his collar, "Hikaru…are you feeling alright?"

Alright? What could he tell her? He turned towards her, his green jelly-like globes watery with regret was his poor reply, comforted by her presence…enough that is. With a sigh most unperturbed, she tucked loose strands of hair behind an ear, hand wrapping around Hikaru's chest to lift him to his feet. "Let's get you home, then."

Hikaru nodded his consent, his eyes on the ground the entire way as Akari half-dragged half-walked the crumpled doll that she held. Exasperated by Hikaru's lifelessness, she shook him, eyes daggers in the moonlight, "Can you at least try to walk? You're heavy you know!"

Uttering a syllable of acknowledgement, he supported himself with his glassy gaze still on the sidewalk, his reflection barren tundra of white.

He smashed the mirror image with a firm stomp of a sneaker, steeling his façade and continuing on the pathway.

The moon's tarnished silhouette withdrew into the ashen cloud cover, howling its waning song as the duo's shadows vanished into the depth of the darkness.

The two eventually came to a halt in front of the Shindou Residence, Hikaru nodding curtly to Akari in solemn thanks for her help. Akari sighed; hands back on her hips again with her lips pursed disapprovingly, "You better not act this way everyday just to get attention. I'm not your mother."

Nodding robotically, Hikaru unlocked the door with a jangling set of keys, turning back to give the girl a parting glance. Akari once more glared at him with red-violet pools, pretending anger to cover up concern. She turned as well, walking three steps before waving to Hikaru and calling, "Let me know if there's anything else I can do, 'kay?" Her scarf fluttered sweetly in the gusting wind, a small smile curling upon her lips as she walked away, vanishing behind a thick wall of bricks aglow with the harsh light cast by a streetlight. How typical.

Another nod. Hikaru closed the mahogany door with a dry click, leaning heavily against it, face resembling that of cooled, hardened, down-the-well oatmeal. "Nghh…" Grumbling noisily, he stood halfway, shuffling towards his chamber of relief.

The bathroom.

He clicked on the light, instantly switching on the dimmer to avoid a blinding luminescence from piercing his already bleeding vision. Hikaru stripped off his clothes uncaringly, tossing them onto the glimmering white-tiled floor before stepping into an already going shower, the hot torrent of water coating his body as soon as his entrance was made. He sighed with relief, steam from the waterfall drifting upwards to hang ethereally from the ceiling. It was funny how dirty something could get, and how you could always scathe it away… The water ate away at his exposed flesh, the burning sensation a wonderful liberation for him who had been cooped up in that hell of an outside world long enough.

And now there he stood with his porcelain face immersed, eyes closed and mind imagining. The enclosed confinements became his court, and himself the king. There he reigned as God, and all served him, tending to his every whim and need. There, his relief, his sustenance, his pride all lay in unbroken pieces. There, he was truly beatific. There, his word was supreme and none would are disobey.

Like Him.

Like Touya Akira.

The mirage of the court was fading, replaced with a paining image of the emerald-eyed boy bedecked with thick black eyeliner. Touya Akira, the pompous dipshit. He shook his head rapidly, clearing the photograph and inserting the kingdom again, not wanting to remember…not wanting to recall those events that happened just that afternoon…

That afternoon had began just the same as any other, Hikaru eating his regular day-to-day lunch of ramen at the shop with Waya when the happy, oh-so-happy television had decided to come on.

"Oye! Are you all Go players?" The shop owner had questioned them nervously, remote in hand shaking for some odd reason.

Waya, the ever-so initiative leader, answered instantly after slurping up another mouthful of noodly goodness, "You bet!"

On the other hand, Hikaru had continued eating, unconcerned with the matters of other people. What could have happened in the Go Realm anyhow, to cause this much excitement? A crowd of people had gathered around the television screen, chattering like newly hatched fledglings. The storeowner pointed a wobbly finger at the screen, too-large glasses quaking on his prune countenance, "How could you not know…?" Righting himself, he shoved them away from their table "Go look!" He shrilled, brown eyes growing minuscule with disbelief. Then, to the customers, "Back away! Let them see!"

The crowd parted slightly, murmuring their regrets and prayers for some figure being moved out on a covered stretcher on the screen.

Hikaru stood annoyedly, snorting as he sauntered slowly to the screen, Waya trailing with the same expression pasted on, "What could've happened that made him so excited?" He muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets, "He looked like he was ready to explode in his pants." Waya suppressed a laugh at his own joke, turning to the other insei for a questioning glance.

Hikaru's mouth was agape at the screen, the images flickering across it unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable! A hoax! God, please tell me it was!

"What happened?" Waya asked, miffed at Hikaru's lack of reply.

"The…the Meijin!" Hikaru whispered sharply, quivering mass of an arm shaking as it moved upwards to point at the screen, "He's…he's…"

"What, dammit?" Waya snapped, finally looking to the television.

The news report flashed a blunt message to answer his glance, voice a monotone out of the speaker: "Touya Meijin has passed away."

Complete chaos issued.

Hikaru had rushed out of the building, scattering bowls of uneaten remains of the midday meal and onto the streets, several horns and Waya honking at him in the process. But only one thought was on his mind: Find Akira.

After a few moments of breathless (and not to mention brainless) fleeting of foot, he had managed to get all the way to the Touya residence. He flung open the screen door, stamping in breathlessly onto the wooden floor of the usually dignified living quarters.

But today, all was astray, cushions and Go stones flung to and fro, the sunlight glinting malevolently off of their surfaces. His scared reflection swirled upon one before his foot slammed down upon it, Hikaru leaning upon his knees to avoid collapsing. Among the ruckus sat a lady taking a long draw from a cigarette clutched between meticulously manicured fingernails: Akira's mother.

She glanced up, snorting contemptuously at Hikaru's shaken appearance, as she took the cigarette from her lips, "Well? What in hell's name do you want?"

Hikaru drew three breaths before answering, chest heaving and needing air, "Touya…Touya…where…is he?" He grasped the doorframes, gritting his teeth to prevent belching all over the wooden floor.

Another snort. "He's at the Passion (1)." Smoke curled from her nostrils, her hands meeting each other for a brief second to flick the ash from the tip of the cigarette.

He couldn't help but sputter, "The…the Passion? But…but it's at the Red Lantern District (2)!" The Red Lantern District was known in Japan for holding the most raucous bars ever known to mankind. Type of bar? Binge-drinking, rave, pimping ones, though unfortunately for the "pimps" at the district, many of their "subjects" were males as well, even if none seem to mind the least bit.

"So?" She took another draw, waving the other hand to shoo Hikaru (not to mention his protests) away, "Let me enjoy my time already. Alone, without that old bag sitting beside me." The lady's face was wrinklier since the last time he saw her (not to mention much more cheerful in a sadistic sense), and with that face she released another cloud of smoke, glancing wickedly at the unmoving boy.

Hikaru choked on the gathering saliva, determination getting the better of him.

"Don't you care about your husband? He's dead for crying out loud!" Hikaru yelled at the top of his lungs, attempting to shout some sense into his estranged lady.

"Shut up!" She screamed suddenly, trilled note echoing throughout the wreck of a room, her eyes hate-red with anger, "Get out! OUT! You hear?"

Not wanting to stand for any more of this mess, he obliged, slamming the screen doors shut and charging on towards the place he would have never dared to step: The Red Lantern District.

Though it may have not been marked on Japan's economically available maps, the Red Lantern District was just a mile south of where the Shindou residence was located, perhaps banned from the maps due to the shame of the Japanese government. Not only was the district known for its wild clubs and bars, it was also the only known area to have a building (called 'Yuki's Joint' by locals) exclusively offering male-only prostitutes. On the other hand, the Passion was the club connecting to the prostitute home and having the most "hot" band in the entireties of Japan. Hikaru shuddered at the thought of going there, unwillingly calling a cheese-colored cab when he was clear of the Touya home. He shut the door with a bang, briefly noticing the cab's driver before informing him of where he wished to go.

"There? You…you's a-wantin' to go to's the Passion?" The man pulled his hat down to hide his eyes which were bulging from their sockets, shaking his head in a parent's disapproval, "Ya ain't thinkin' 'bout workin' there are ya?"

"No…I need to find someone." Hikaru grumbled quietly, staring at his shoes and not wanting to look at the old driver's face.

"Well, ya's a-better not stay there longs. Young'uns get's a-sold all the time's there." The man turned around, stepping on the gas petal to send the yellow beetle churning at a snail's pace. Several cars behind them jeered their impatient calls, their drivers shouting inappropriate things at Hikaru's cab along with the impatient pedestrians waiting for their beetle cabs.

"I won't." was Hikaru's defiant answer.

"Well…ya better ain't. And you's a-better tell ye parent's not's to sue me eithers when ya's a-gettin kiddy-napped or somethin's like that. I've got's me enough money troubles as it is. And by the way," The driver paused to floor the car, the cab surging forwards and away from the annoying hum of the pedestrians' calls behind them, "If you's a-really wanting ter work there's, yer not pretty 'nough."

"What?" Hikaru warned, eyebrow twitching at the proposition, "Look old man, I am not going to work there, okay?" What the hell was that driver getting at?

"The Passion's got's a lot's of pretty young'uns already's, especially them 'Crimson Delight' 3 boys." The driver's frog lips curled up as if getting turned on just by saying those two "magical" words, "You ain't good-lookin's enough to even's think 'bout tryings out." The driver said matter-of-factly, looking at Hikaru's exasperated expression in the rear-view mirror.

"I do NOT want to try out already, dammit!" He snapped, gripping the black leather seats with his sweaty palms, eyes daring the driver to go on.

"Alrights, alrights already. I was just a-wonderin'…"

"Then don't wonder."

"Fine, fine! Young'uns these days…" The driver swerved a turn to the right, feet smashing on the brakes to stop the cheese beetle in front of a dark alley, "There's the entery-place. Don't get a-kiddy napped, alrighty?"

Hikaru opened the door, shoving a handful of money at the driver before answering with gritted teeth, "Yeah, yeah."

"Alrights then. Ya take care then, 'kay?" The driver accepted the money, counting it before flooring the car, "Have lot's-o fun!" A cackle sounded from the open window before the cab disappeared into the darkness.

Hikaru glanced around, now just noticing how dark the world had become in that short time. Quietly, he stepped towards the alleyway, shielding his eyes suddenly from an eerie red glow that seemed to emit from the other side. Sucking a breath in, he stepped into the alley, stopping with a loss of breath at the magnificent display before him.

Red lanterns swept gracefully from every roof layered with ancient Japanese-style tiling, square pieces of cloth with various letters inscribed swinging from store fronts. The entire street, down and around, was aflame with the brilliant light. A variety of scents wafted gently into Hikaru's nostrils, from the smell of cooking food to the smoke of cigars and other sniff-able drugs. Also, the single street alone was bustling with people buying, selling, sniffing, drinking… Hikaru squeezed himself into the mob, allowing himself to be swept along like a lone leaf in a river. While the people around him chattered, he glanced right of himself to catch sight of a small building seemingly being crushed by the massive constructions beside it. A blaring neon sign across the top read, 'The Passion' in swirling red letters.

Hikaru pushed away from the crowd immediately, hands groping the moist brick wall before slipping and sliding towards the entrance, flinging open the wooden door to send a bell tinkling. He stumbled in, gasping for air as he looked at the laughing, noisy crowd surrounding a wooden stage with a playing band. Plastered on the drum set were the magical words: Crimson Delight.

The lead singer roared into the microphone while the crowd went wild with excitement, hooting their love and shouting appreciation for this 'Crimson Delight'. The song ended promptly with a bang of the suspended cymbal, "Thank you all! You've been a great audience!" He said with a smile, sending the girls present swooning.

"You're smokin' tonight!" A random fan called out, a male voice familiar to the watching Hikaru. He whirled around instantly, opalescent eyes darting from corner to corner to seek out the speaker. His wide orbs alighted on a beautiful male sitting at the bar, green, neatly trimmed locks framing his delicate, pale visage. A twin set of opal-inset almond-shaped pools rimmed with the black of eyeliner seemed to glow even in the darkness, Hikaru able to scrutinize that look of determination anywhere while his lithe frame was clad in black leather and an assortment of silver bangles, studs, and a variety of jewelry.

Touya Akira.

The Go pro sat straight on the leather-clad stool, in his right hand a cigarette with its tip afire and smoke spewing from it. The bartender laughed, slapping Akira on the back before offering him another drink. That familiar smiled flashed, and Hikaru blessed his lips. His free, delicate fingertips brushed the glass, and Hikaru blessed those fingers, those fingers that had laid so many stones on the wood of the goban before…before this. Mustering as much courage as he could, he took the steps needed to reach the boy, reluctantly tapping Akira's shoulder.

The boy's head seemed to whirl around in slow motion, usually combed strands askew in close-up view. Hikaru stared at the livid face that looked down upon him, a wolf's smile gracing him, "Well, well. Shindou, I was expecting you." The tone was mocking enough to match the smirk.

"A-Akira." Hikaru stuttered, confused at the other boy's calm composure.

"Well? Isn't there something you want to ask me?" The smirk grew as the boy took hold of the glass offered by the bartender, taking a swig. The bartender laughed, wagging a finger at Akira, "You're such an awful tease! Let the boy say what he wants to say!" Stray ebony locks fell to cover the 'tender's face, wry smile on it, "I'm Adam, by the way. Bartender of the Passion!" 4

"Umm…nice to meet you…" At the time, Hikaru was at a loss for words obviously, gaze forever glued on Akira.

Adam seemed to be reading Hikaru's lips, nodding shortly afterwards, "Nice to meet you too! Speak up now, and move those lips, 'kay? It's difficult to know what you're saying when I can't see them move."

At that, Hikaru figured out that this Adam character was deaf…and Akira's poisonous look was enough to discourage him from speaking, not even considering Adam's request of exaggerating his lip movements. With a quick glare at Akira, he returned his name, "Shindou Hikaru."

"Well then, Shindou-kun, have you got the hots for little Akira here?" He laughed, smacking Akira affectionately on the back. The other boy shot Adam a vampire's glance, the bartender promptly removing his hand.

"NO!" Hikaru shouted suddenly, the entire crowd of onlookers to the stage turning to give the boy a glance, "I just…just came here to see how he was doing."

Akira's mocking façade was back, eyes malign, "Came here to see how I was reacting to my father's death, that is. You suck at lying."

Hikaru winced, blinking hurtfully at Akira's accusation, which was, unfortunately, true, "Yeah…"

Adam smiled softly, smartly knowing when to back off, "I'll be leaving you two, then." With a sweep he turned to another customer, chattering jovially as if nothing on Hikaru's end had happened.

Hikaru glared at Akira, attempting to talk sense into the boy, who hopefully wouldn't have his mother's stubbornness, "What's with the…makeup?" He gestured to the contrast between Akira's pale face and the eyeliner, eyebrow quirking in suspicion.

Akira shrugged, taking the glass and emptying it, promptly afterwards pushing his face against Hikaru's, their noses nearly touching, "What's it to you?"

"Don't drink already!" Hikaru snatched the glass from the other boy's hand, putting it onto another table, "It's bad for you." In his nervousness, he backed slightly away from the other, swallowing the burning bile gathering at his throat.

"Oh, really?" Akira replied sardonically, fingers rapping against the wooden frame of the bar, "And I assume you know everything that is bad for me?" He closed the distance between them again, gaze boring into the boy's, "You don't know anything, you hear?"

A grumbling sound rose from Hikaru's throat, once again stepping backwards to hit the bar next to the one Akira was at, "Well…your mood. Shouldn't you be…upset?" Just a little? A bead of sweat dribbled from his hairline to glisten on his cheek. Why was it that he made him so nervous?

"And why should I be? That man was the one that caged me," His gaze appeared to be sincere, for an instant, and then changed back quickly, "In Go." He spat, hand curling about Hikaru's shoulder and shaking the other boy, "How would you like it if your life was meant to play a meaningless game? My entire life…" He paused again, grip tightening to draw a yelp from Hikaru, "was only meant for Go. That was all. They didn't care about my view! All they did was assume that I wanted to play! Did I? Did I really?"

"You seemed like it."

He smiled, as malevolent as ever, "After a while you learn how to put on a good face."

"Still!" Hikaru interrupted, "You still want to! The day I met you…"

"Wanted." Akira corrected, letting go, "That day, I realized that I would never be the best, so, I'm sure you can take over my position now that all of the Go world's eyes are off me and onto that dead and buried body."

"I'll never replace you."

Akira seemed calm for the moment, face turning to the side to avoid Hikaru's gaze, "Then one day you too will realize how worthless Go is."

"Never! I'll never forget Go!" Shindou yelled, tears rising to his eyes and decorating his face with two wet streaks. Why did Akira make him so upset? "Never…" His voice faded, head tilting downwards in embarrassment for his outburst.

Akira said nothing, staring intently at the other's golden halo. Suddenly, an outburst of applause from the crowd drew the boy's attention away from the bowed Hikaru, a blonde, balding announcer coming on stage. The man cleared his throat, nodding to the crowd, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to welcome Mister Monou to the stage! 5" The mob went wild as an Asian-looking man wearing (he might as well not be wearing) enough clothing to cover inappropriate parts. Long, twining ebony locks of love were fixated neatly into a ponytail with a scarlet band at the nape of his neck. Piercing amber orbs regarded the crowd with a cold glance, reflecting the other man's face clearly. The instant the blonde withdrew pounding bass blew from the speakers, Monou stripping in time with the music.

Hikaru glanced up, and suddenly wished he hadn't. Quickly, he covered his mouth to prevent spewing his contents over Akira, tipping forwards in the process. Akira snatched Hikaru's shoulder, leaning downwards and then back up to stare into the other's orbs, "What's wrong?" The free hand rose to tilt Hikaru's chin up, vampiric smile sewn back on. Tearing his gaze away, Akira maneuvered expertly to whisper in Hikaru's ear, "Can't handle it?"

He glared back at Akira, the other's hostile, mocking tones really getting to him, "You are disgusting! Disgusting!" He whirled around, running from the scene and flinging the exit open, "And you are a disgrace to your father! And Go!" He darted from the building, last retort echoing in the wooden interior of the Passion, "I hope you DIE!"

The door slammed shut, bell atop jingling.

Hikaru shut off the tap, strands clumping and dripping with the remnants of water that remained. He reached up, instinctively grasping the bar of soap and twirling it about in his hands. The suds came off, Hikaru then proceeding to soap his hair, mind all the while in lala land, wherever that may be. The cold numbed his skin, further causing the boy to want that burning sensation again, obviously becoming addicted to that feeling. Impatiently, he turned on the water away, sighing as he was drenched once more. Though the words he had spoken to Akira were that of hatred, he could not bring himself to hate the boy. The lines of red along his vision were lightening somewhat, and eventually, he felt calm enough to leave the imagined sanctuary of his "kingdom."

He stepped out, cold striking his bare skin instantly as he pulled a towel from the rack to wrap about himself, dressing quickly and leaving the steamy room. With a glance around the still-dark interiors of the house, he pulled a thicker jacket on, stepping outside to "grace" the world with his presence. The exteriors were just as forlorn: Snow flakes fluttering their useless wings in the still night air with the streetlight flickering on and off upon its last filament of life. He sighed loudly, staring into the abyss of the night. Such a cheery Christmas Eve, indeed!

"Sometimes you're an idiot, Akira." He whispered to the night, catching a flake with an open palm, bringing it up to his breath to breathe on the fragile surface. It melted promptly, Hikaru tilting his hand to let the liquid drip off, the crystalline pearl frosting before in clinked gently on the cement. Life…such the snowflake: Delicate, useless, hopeless, and liquid. The liquid that was drowning him and pushing him under. Under, under, under, under. And for all God knows until eternity.

And after.

Monou stepped off the stage languidly, dismissing the crowd of fangirls attacking each other for their share of his clothing and pulling on his teacher's robes, turning over to Akira. He perched upon a stool adjacent to the boy, orbs drills, "You know, it took a lot for him to come out and talk to you."

Akira grunted in acknowledgement of the dragonboy's presence, and nothing else. The soft murmur of the crowd dispersing and clinking of glasses rearranging thrummed endlessly in the background, a green eyebrow arching at that, "And I care to hear your drivel because…?"

The amber pools vanished for a moment under a shock of black locks, Monou bending over to tie the knot at the back of his waist. He then straightened, maneuvering a leg up to lean his head on the knee absentmindedly, gaze drifting to look at the shuffling Adam, "You do. And you know it. You're just afraid to tell it to him."

"Wh-what?" Akira's eyes narrowed dangerously, squeezing the side of the bar to avoid a fist-fight, "Are you saying that I'm…I'm gay, dragonboy?"

Instant smirk. Monou's gaze aligned on the malicious boy's face for a long moment, wrapping fingers about the knee in which he rested upon, black vine-like strands shifting with him, "Yes I am, and proud of it. And by the way…" He took Akira's empty glass, tongue flicking over the rim briefly where the other boy's lips had once rested, smile growing twisted as he relished in Akira's expression, "It's not wrong to love who you want to love."

"Are…are y-you saying that I love Hikaru?" Akira's teeth clenched, disgusted at the demonstration. After all, it wasn't every day someone tried to seduce you, right? "Not on my life!" Liar, liar.

Before Monou could reply, the announcer from before made his appearance, smiling warmly at Akira, "Ah, Touya! I've heard all about you on the news!" He gave Akira a firm smack on the back, wrinkled hand staying there, "About you and your famous Go! Never had a knack for that game myself, you know."

The boy nodded, façade giving off the effect that he knew exactly what the man was talking about.

"So, after that news report I decided that I might play it a little to see how you and your father liked so much. How about a round?" The man smiled broadly, Akira noticing that he still had all of his teeth intact.

"No." Akira said firmly, standing and pushing the stool back to its original place with the assortment of silver clanking, "I no longer play that 'famous Go', and am not going to. Any. Time. Soon." With every syllable Akira drew closer to the man, eyes piercing.

"That's alright then!" He replied kindly, taking his hand from Akira's back, holding it out as a peace offering, "I'm Yuki by the way, owner of this joint and the entire Red Lantern District! A genius of a name, is it not? Got it from all of those lanterns!" He chortled loudly, smiling at his own "superior" intellect. Monou rolled his eyes.

Akira took the hand, never once removing his gaze from Yuki's face, and shook it once and let go quickly, "Indeed."

Yuki 's hand then moved swiftly to rest on Monou's back, Santa Claus smile back, "I was just listening to what you and my Monou here, " Pat. Pat. "Were talking about and that's absolutely right!" Pat. "What he said that is." He nodded to Monou.

Pat.

"Oh, really? What makes you so sure that I would actually like being gay?"

"You know…" Yuki said considering his words carefully, "once you fall in love with someone, it's like it no longer matters what gender is anymore, you know?" mused Yuki, rubbing at his chin, "And…it's like the words 'straight' and 'gay' don't exist anymore. Like there is no such thing as a sexuality…" His small, beetle-black eyes glimmered as he snapped off that thought, "Too bad real life isn't that way, eh Akira?"

Akira said nothing, attention suddenly enraptured by a piece of the flooring.

"Well then, it's getting mighty late! Best for me and Monou to be off now!" Whistling cheerfully, he grabbed Monou's arm and dragged him off, protests from the dragon heard all the way down the corridor.

Akira continued to stare at he floor for a few minutes later before standing and shrugging on a jacket, exiting without saying goodbye to the bartender.

"What a load of shit."

The bell tinkled overhead.

To Be Continued.

(1) The Passion is a club in the story "Cupid's Justice."
(2) The Red Lantern District is the only area in the story "A Lust-Laden Parody" that offers male prostitutes.
(3) The band "Crimson Delight" is from "Cupid's Justice", and plays in the Passion.
(4) Adam is a deaf angel bartender from "A Lust-Laden Parody" that "hears" by reading other people's lips.
(5) Monou is a dragonboy with the unwanted occupation of being Yuki's lover in "A Lust-Laden Parody". Yuki Yamazaki is the owner of the Passion as well as the entire Red Lantern district.

Author's Note: Whoot! Second Hikaru no Go fic! It was meant to be published on Christmas Eve, but projects like this always seem to go overboard. Rather than follow my schedule I had planned out, I decided to experiment with two other already written stories. What will become of Akira's uncaringness? How will Hikaru deal? And what is with the whacked-out club 'The Passion' anyhow? Stay tuned for updates! Comments and Constructive Critiques are always loved and appreciated!