FINALLY! CHAPTER 5 IS AMONGST US! -dodges random artifacts- i am sooo sorry! no amount of apologies will ever make up for my laziness, but gimme a chance, will ya? WELL FINE THEN! I shall leave now and let you get on with reading the long awaited chapter.

Disclaimers: um...I can barely get a chapter out, how am i suppose to make a whole manga series and anime?

Note, this chapter is in 3rd person. the last chapters were only in 1st person because i thought it would be a neat way to introduce the characters.

Dying flames flickered dully as the night progressed with the storm gone and the moon shining brightly overhead. Kai sat with his head resting on his drawn knees and stared at the ground as he conjured up a plan in his mind. Everything was going better than he had thought. He never had to enter the palace gates to retrieve the boy that he had been ordered to get; the boy had come to him. It would be easier to get him to go to Russia with him now because if he had actually kidnapped him he would have had to drag him everywhere, but now the boy would follow him willingly. Kai stole a glance at the heir that was sleeping directly under the moon's rays. And yet, it was still going to be a challenge.

Kai stood from his spot and walked stiffly towards the Chinese youth. If they wanted to get anywhere they would need to move quickly. They were only a little ways from the town which was not far enough from the palace for them to be able to walk around freely. Crouching down beside the boy, Kai went to shake him by his shoulder, but was stopped by the sight of the young heir. The tan skin glowed underneath the moonlight and his raven hair shimmered. The boy seemed to engulf him with his undeniable beauty so that the soft breathing and constant beating of the heart was all that Kai could hear. Lust clouded the ruby red eyes and he was unable to form a single coherent thought. The bluenette raised his pale hand and gently caressed the boy's cheek with his fingertips, but the trance he was under disappeared as soon as a sigh escaped the other's parted lips. Kai drew his hand back and cursed the strange behavior that had befallen over him. He could see the other quiver lightly now that he was finished admiring him.

The Russian bit back a growl of frustration as an arousing thought appeared in his head. The pale hand placed itself on the others shoulder and shook him gently. The tan boy's thick lashes fluttered, yet he continued sleeping. Kai breathed out an irritated sigh at his stubbornness and shook the boy slightly harder.

"Hey, wake up..." Kai called out gently to the sleeping figure. Rei mumbled in protest as the sleep began to drift out of his grasp. "Rei...get up." Slowly and reluctantly, the afore mentioned boy opened his bright golden eyes and captured the assassin's blood red pools as they gazed at the other; Rei stared with sleep still clouding his mind and Kai with the lust that had once again taken over his thoughts. Kai quickly broke eye contact and sent a deadly glare in the heir's direction. He didn't understand what was happening to him. Why was the heir affecting him so? The sleep soon left Rei completely and he stood with a stiffness that only came when you fall asleep upright on rock. The Chinese youth stretched his long limbs and then opened his mouth to let out a small yawn which he covered with one of his petite hands.

"Are you finished dawdling?" Kai's voice held a mixture of frustration and impatience that demanded for Rei to hurry. The younger of the two glared at the Russian, but he nodded to show that he was. "It's about time. Let's make one thing clear before we leave, there will be no taking our time at a nice and leisured pace. When woken up, you get up and we leave. Understood?" Rei simply brushed him off with the wave of one of his hands before walking closer to the boy with two toned hair.

"Whatever you say, Kai," he replied in a mocking tone. The Russian growled angrily, and Rei smiled innocently in return. "But really, why did you wake me? It is still dark," he asked quietly. When the assassin didn't answer the question, Rei looked around nervously. He had had the strangest dream, and it was about the very same boy that was looking at him strangely. Kai had raised an eyebrow at the change in attitude.

"What did you expect? Of course it is still dark. Did you think we were going to travel in the middle of the day where everyone could see and recognize us?" Kai asked slowly as if he was talking to someone that was daft. Rei blushed as his dignity was snatched away from him. He had never thought about how, when or where they were going to travel. He had just assumed that they were going to travel like everyone else; in the days light and slowly and comfortably. But now that he truly thought about it, Rei saw that that was stupid of him. Of course they were not going to travel like that. He was a runaway and the gods only know what the paler one was.

Rei whispered his apologies and the bluenette nodded lightly to show that he had heard and accepted. The blue haired assassin put out what was left of the dying fire and motioned for the other to follow him out of the cave and into the open forest, which Rei did. The wind whispered through the forest's branches and the light of the moon cast shadows that appeared to move among the trees and bushes. Rei moved closer to Kai without knowing what he was doing. The Russian raised an eyebrow at the younger one, but said nothing and kept silent.

Clouds began to move in front of the moon and blocking the rays of light in the process. The raven headed boy reached out and gently touched a pale elbow as if he was checking to see if the boy would vanish with the light or not. The younger of the two had never actually been in a forest at night and in harms' way. Some could say he was sheltered all his life, which made him spoiled. Kai looked down at the tan face and watched his golden eyes as they flickered back and forth. Kai smirked. "Scared of the dark?" Kai asked in a low whisper. Rei's head snapped to face the other and brought his hand back to him as if Kai had smacked it.

"No!" The heir exclaimed as he glared at Kai. Kai rolled his ruby red eyes at him and started walking at a fast pace. Rei followed reluctantly as he looked at the opposite direction as if he longed to get as far from the other as possible, but he couldn't. He was stuck with the other whether he liked it or not. He learned the day before that he needed Kai. He had finally come to accept that; even though he was extremely adamant on not doing so. Rei knew nothing of life outside the palace walls, and he would not be able to survive on his own until he learned how. The heir was pretty sure the other knew of this also. Not necessarily him having a life of an heir to the Chinese empire, but a sheltered life.

"How far, do you think, the next town is?" Rei asked after awhile of walking through the thick, damp foliage. The heir was becoming irritated as his long hair was becoming tangled as the branches grabbed onto the strands of black. The assassin said nothing and Rei glared at his retreating back. As the young neko-jin began to quicken his pace so that he could catch up, Rei slipped on a slick tree root that had been covered in moss. Rei's eyes squeezed shut as he awaited the impact from the fall, yet it never came. His golden eyes peeked at what had grabbed a hold of him, and he found himself in Kai's arms with his head resting on his well toned chest. Rei blushed madly and regained his footing so that he could remove himself from the pale Russian. Once again his pride had been swept away. "I-I'm so s-sorry," Rei apologized in embarrassment.

"Hn. Why don't you watch where you're stepping, baka neko," Kai replied none too kindly. Rei's cheeks reddened even more from both embarrassment and anger. Kai smirked and turned around to start walking in the direction of the next village. Rei followed and silence filled the space between them. Rei was once again becoming agitated with the branches as his hair was being pulled from their bindings. Rei sighed and struggled to catch up with the slate haired boy.

"Kai, why don't you answer any of my questions?" The Russian stopped walking, causing Rei to almost bump into him. Kai turned to face the heir and looked at him with his deep crimson eyes. Rei held his gaze for only a short moment before pulling his golden eyes away to look at the ground beneath him. Rei heard the Russian snort, and he looked up to see that Kai had begun to walk again. Rei was about to glare, but the low voice stopped him.

"Why do you ask so many questions?" Kai replied. Rei stood there watching him with his cheeks turning a rosy pink. Rei never answered Kai's question and the same can be said about Rei's question, and they walked together in silence, albeit to Rei, it was anything but a comfortable silence.

By the time the duo reached the town's edge, the sun was already high in the sky. Rei groaned unhappily. He was tired, his legs hurt, and his hair was a mess. The heir wanted to find an inn and crawl onto a bed and just slip into a long and peaceful sleep. That wasn't going to happen though; not with Kai. The neko-jin yawned and sat down. The assassin rolled his eyes at the other, yet he went over to the boy and began to pick out the twigs stuck in his messy hair. This caught the heir off guard, and he looked at the Russian quizzically.

"What, may I ask, are you doing?" Kai said nothing in response and continued cleaning the raven black hair of the leaves and twigs. Rei glared at the other's silence. He was beginning to hate being ignored; especially when he wanted answers. The pale boy didn't notice, or care that the Chinese youth was glaring at him, but soon the glare turned into a pout, and the Russian smirked at the childish actions.

"Come on. Fix your hair so we can get on our way," Kai said with his low, husky voice. Rei pouted even more, but he nodded reluctantly. He did as he was told, and, even though he didn't look his best the two left to enter the town.

Houses and stores of various types were on either side of the dirt street that the people were walking on. Smoke billowed out of small openings on the roofs on just about all of the buildings. The buildings themselves were built from clay and timber and other numerous things. Different smells swarmed around them; mostly of bread baking and meats roasting.

People of all sorts walked up and down the dirt roads. In the allies you could find the thieves, drunks, and whores. Many of them even walked the streets; blending in with the crowd. Women could be seen dragging their children around as the little ones cried. Only the men that had a good living were out at this time. The others were working hard at whatever jobs they had. But that is not what caught Kai's attention. Kai was focused on the guards patrolling the streets. He was guessing that they were here in search of their missing heir. The Russian grabbed Rei's wrist and turned into an ally and away from the soldiers.

"Where are you going? The shops are out there," Rei stated as he pointed at the ally's exit. When Kai did not respond, Rei began to struggle against the Russian's grip that was applied to his small wrist. However, instead of letting go the Russian he did opposite and tightened the grip which made the petite Chinese boy yelp in pain. "Kai! Let me go; you're hurting me!" Rei cried as the small tears began to form in the back of his eyes. The assassin turned around to see the effect of this 'pain'. Immediately the pale boy let go of the slender, tan wrist after feeling a throb of guilt. Rei grabbed his wrist and held it gingerly. An angry mark appeared in the form of the Russian's hand.

"I'm…sorry," Kai apologized. Rei looked up from his wrist and stared wide-eyed at him. This made Kai a little nervous, and he hated being nervous. "What are you staring at!" Kai yelled out. Rei flinched and mumbled out his apologies as he went back to tending his arm. Kai sighed in frustration. He couldn't seem to do anything right, and if he keeps this up Rei was going to leave him in an instant…not that he cared about him of course, but if he was empty handed when he showed up in Russia then he would be punished. Kai was just looking out for himself; not the heir. "Well, come on, let us leave," Kai said after a short while.

"But, why are we here in the first place? The only part of town that you are going to find down here in the alleys are places of filth and sin," Rei explained.

Kai rolled his eyes at the boy, yet he answered him with a, "If you want to be seen by the guards than be my guess, but I sure as hell don't since I would be in trouble." Rei looked at him quizzically to show off how clueless he was at the moment.

"What—," Rei began, but was cut off by Kai's baritone voice.

"The guards that are right outside this alley. They were probably stationed here to look for you, and even if they weren't than they would have received word by now that you are missing and to be on the look out. Do you agree?" Kai questioned, albeit he voiced it in a tone that made it sound a lot more like a statement than a question. Rei thought about this for a bit before coming out and agreeing.

"Ok, so what are we going to do now? You aren't even considering staying in the alleys, are you?" the heir asked nervously. He didn't like it there where the sunlight was not allowed to reach the earth below them. It was cold, dark, and clammy. No, the delicate person would much rather be out in the warm sunlight.

"Better here than out there," Kai began. "Now hurry up, would ya. The faster we get you a change of clothes the faster we can get out of here and find somewhere to make camp because I don't know about you, but I am tired." The Russian turned around and began a quick pace that took him further and further into the alley that would sooner or later widen into the slums of this particular town.

Rei began to think after he had run to catch up with the pale Russian and had his own pace so that he was walking next to the boy with two shades of blue in his hair. The two of them never seem to speak to each other unless they are quarreling about some small and unimportant thing. Well, some of the things were important, but that was not the point. And the two of them never discussed Rei's heritage...so how did Kai know that the soldiers in the town were searching for him. This wasn't the first incident that the Russian had showed knowledge of the fact that he was important enough to have guards searching for him nonstop. What if Kai had known that he was the heir to the Chinese empire this entire time, and he was only putting up with him because he wanted to use him for a ransom? Kai did not seem like the person to put up with anyone, or anything for that matter, so why would he deal with himself if not for a reason that would benefit the Russian? He decided to voice his concerns.

"Kai?" Rei called out in a voice that was just above a whisper. Golden eyes shifted so that they were looking at the bluenette's set face. He did not let a single emotion show in his beautiful red eyes. Rei frowned. He sure as hell did not want Kai to be using him. But why was that? Why did he care so much about what this boy thought or said? He was letting Kai's arrogant and cold behavior crawl under his skin.

"Yes, Rei?" Rei nearly jumped at the tone of voice that Kai had chosen. It sounded caring as if Kai wanted badly to be able to help him with the problem troubling his mind. However, that would be impossible. This is Kai after all. Rei fell slightly behind. He was scared that Kai knew. He was scared of the answer he would receive for asking the question plaguing his mind. All of a sudden Rei didn't want to speak.

"Well, I was just wondering," Rei paused for a lengthy moment, yet Kai waited patiently for Rei to continue with what he was saying. "Why do you think that the guards are after me? And why do you think that we have to travel in secrecy?" The question came out in a single, rushed breath. It had caught Kai off guard, and he had stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the heir. Rei, who was not looking forward, but at his feet instead, walked right into Kai before the assassin could stop him. Pale arms snaked around covered, tan shoulders as Kai tried to remain balanced. Rei had yelped and was clinging to the clothes on Kai's back. The two found themselves in a rather embarrassing situation.

Kai was the first to recover from the stupor that had fallen over them and slipped his arms from Rei's shoulders and began to push at his shoulders. The pushing had awoken Rei and he immediately released the fabric that clung to the assassin's muscular chest so that Kai was able to shove him away. Rei looked up into the face of pure disgust with wide eyes and a face with a deep rouge tint.

"I am so sorry!" Rei apologized as he stepped away from the grip on his slim shoulders. "I wasn't looking and, and it was a complete accident! Please, please accept my deepest and most sincere apologies!" Rei rambled on until he was cut off by a pale finger being pressed to his rosy pink lips. They stayed there for only a short moment, but the action had made Rei freeze. The tanned Chinese just stared at the boy in front of him.

"Just stay calm, Rei. I am not mad at you, and I forgive you. Let's just go get some clothes and take our leave, okay?" Kai asked. Rei nodded in his dumbfounded state. He had not expected Kai to be capable of speaking with that sort of emotion. "Good. Well, don't just stand there." The Russian turned around and began to walk once again. Rei snapped out of it and followed suit.

With the sun's light shining brightly over the world, the pair left the town only to find themselves in the woods once again. The younger of the two was not happy, not happy at all. His lengthy raven black hair was pulled tightly in a bind that he had purchased with the new clothes. To the young neko-jin the clothes were uncomfortable in all aspects; they scratched his smooth, tan skin, they were heavy, and they did not breathe at all which caused the heir to become hot and sweaty in the day's heat. His boots were also on the heavy side. Also, they were too large for his small feet. None of the articles of clothing were of high fashion, but at least the heir blended in with the rest of the people of the Chinese empire. As for the other, he was satisfied with the amount of gold pieces they received in return for the fine clothing that the Chinese had come in.

"I told you that it was not a good idea being in those alleys!" Rei exclaimed again. The boy was fuming in his anger. He glared at the smirk that the Russian wore and the way his eyes glinted with amusement.

"Now, Rei, it was not that bad. I fought all of those nasty men away, did I not?" Kai asked mockingly as if telling Rei that his anger and silent threats did not scare him at all, which they didn't. The neko-jin's golden eyes turned to slits, and he bore is teeth at the amused assassin. "Come now, Rei, do not look at me like that."

"Oh, why not! You may have fought the men off, yet you did nothing about the women and children! They were all over me! Even the male children! It was disgusting!" He shouted accusingly. He was not a happy kitten at the moment because he had women and children flirt with him and try to get in his pants and get his pants at the same time. No, he did not enjoy his first visit to the slums at all.

"Rei, I do not think that it is fair for you to blame me when it was not I who was coming on to you. It is not my fault that you are as pretty as you are. I am also not responsible for the fact that those people will do anything for money...and a little fun with a pretty boy," Kai explained with a smirk plastered on his face. He knew that the neko-jin was right, and that he did nothing to help, but you do not have to be right to win an argument. "And besides, I cannot strike a woman or child. What do you take me for?"

"A selfish, cold hearted bastard is what I take you for! And since when did you have morals!" The heir yelled out in response. Kai's smirk fell into a mock pout at what Rei called him. It didn't actually hurt him because it was true. Rei sighed in frustration. He began to think that he liked the old Kai better; the one that never answered him and stayed silent. When did Kai become the playful type?

"You're right, Rei. I don't have morals. I just thought that it was funny," the Russian finally confessed the real reason as to why he never helped the heir with his 'troubles'. Kai chuckled at the furious neko-jin before defending himself once again. "Look on the bright side, Rei. At least you blend in well. Don't be such a pessimist," Kai said in a tone of voice that had some amusement left, yet it was dominated by a voice that was saying that it was time to end the argument.

Rei glared indignantly at the other. "What about you! You have no right calling me a pessimist when you have never thought a single good thought in your life!" he argued on. Kai was starting to become bored with this small quarrel and the boredom was inexorably turning into frustration and anger as the heir wouldn't just let the subject drop. When he doesn't help someone who doesn't absolutely need it, then they need to just deal with it. If he decides to have a little fun, then that's fine, but when he makes it perfectly clear that he wants the petty squabble to end, then that's when it should end.

"We need to get going. I am tired," Kai said as he ignored the other's previous statement. Rei caught the hint, and even though he was irritated that he was ignored he suppressed his anger and went along with Kai because no matter how angry he was, he was more tired.

The assassin led the heir away from the middle of the woods where they had started and closer to the dirt road that cut through the thicket of the forest. Rei's mood lifted slightly with the knowledge that he would no longer have to travel through the forest growth where his long hair was painfully snared and entangled in the branches of shorter trees or of taller bushes, albeit his mood dampened at the fact that he had no idea how long they would have to travel before they found a spot to spend the night, or day in there case. Kai, however, had his cold, apathetic mask on now so that no emotion could be seen. He, unlike the Chinese youth, knew exactly where he was going and his destination was no far from here.

Three shadowed figures made there way down a long, dark hall to a large castle like mansion. All were different in size and shape. One was short and not exactly on the thin side, another was average height and lean, while the last was tall and muscular. They did not make a sound as the silently walked until they had reach the end of the great hall to find themselves facing a large oak door with beautiful, intricate carvings. In a fine script read the word 'Hiwatari'. The lean figure walked up to the door and rapped at it three times. The sound was not loud, but in the quiet, empty hallway the rapping it seemed to amplify on the silence itself. The three waited outside until they heard a muffled voice giving permission to enter the room.

Confidently, the lean figure turned the golden doorknob and pushed the door open. Its well oiled hinges made not a sound as the door swung open allowing the light that illuminated from the fire that burned in a large fireplace out into the hall to bring light to the shadows. Behind an equally beautiful oak desk sat a man with shoulder length, straight hair that was grey from the nature of aging. Small stacks of papers littered the entire surface of the desk. The man was scribbling at one sheet and then he placed it on a stack before grabbing another and scribbling something on that one too. The three boys walked in, closed the large door behind them and then stood and waited for the signal for them to sit and explain why they were there. That moment came soon after the man was done with that last document.

"Sit down, Ivanov," the old man stated in an eerily calm voice. The lean figure complied as he sat down in one of the oak chairs that were placed directly in front of the oaken desk. The elder stacked all the smaller piles of paper into one pile and placed it to the side before he looked up to stare with eyes of steel into those of ice. "Tell me, does Kai have the heir?"

"He does appear to someone, yet I was not able to identify if the person was the heir or not," the redhead replied. He kept his face emotionless, but deep inside he had a wolfish grin that told that he knew more than what he was saying.

"What do you mean? Does he have the boy or not?" Voltaire did not appreciate being toyed with. He wanted facts; the blunt truth, and when the question has a simple yes or no answer then he wants it in just that; a yes or a no.

"Well, he had someone, but the person looked to feminine to be a male. My guess is that he picked someone up to...ventilate his frustrations. Yet, that would be extremely un-Kai like, wouldn't it?" Tala questioned in his uncaring voice trying to make himself appear to be innocent of any faults in his mission.

"Very well, you are dismissed," Voltaire said after analyzing the redhead's answer for any slips. Tala rose from his seat and bowed respectively before turning around to find that the others had already opened the door and were waiting for him. He walked to them and just as he was about to leave the room completely, Voltaire spoke up once again. "Oh, and Tala?" The aforementioned boy turned at the mention of his name to see what the man wanted. "If you ever do that again do not expect to be let off. You may leave now." The eldest Hiwatari picked his quill back up to finish up the paperwork that waited for him to scribble signatures, suggestions, and other such things.

Tala walked out, closing the door behind him. The grin inside him fell into a frown and his icy blue eyes were freezing over in his anger. Somehow the old man was able to see through his lie. He could not think of a single spot where he could have screwed up. A wolfish growl rumbled in the back of the redhead's throat. The others stayed silent knowing full well not to interrupt the wolf's silent musings.

TBC

Well, there it is the ever boring chapter 5! I know you guys have been waiting for, what? Ever! I am soooo sorry about that! I know you thought that i was dead or something, but i wasnt! i was, and still am, very much alive! the wait was long, i know, but what can i say? i am lazy as crap! so sorry once again!

also, i hope i made ya'll atleast a little happy with the beginning of the story...maybe that'll make up for my lazy arse?

Oh, and before i forget, thanks to all of those who took their time to read this story! And special thanks to those of you who had reviewed! -hands out cute Rei and Kai plushies to reviewers- to all readers who wants plushies, please review!