Title: Hope for Tomorrow
Author: Shadows of Chaos61
Rating: R
Pairing: Seto X Yami
Warnings: language (Yami has a dirty mouth), sexual content, violence, and yaoi.
Disclaimer: Yugioh does not belong to me
Summary: Yami is an 18 year old that has lived on the streets most of his life taking care of his brother, Yugi. Seto is a rookie cop that soon finds himself drawn into Yami's world

Chapter 5

Crimson eyes searched for their target from the shadows of a nearby alleyway. A lithe, toned body pressed further against the brick wall affectively hiding his presence from everyone around as he waited.

Soon he heard the distinct ring of the school's bell, signaling the start of an hour long lunch period. Still he clung to the shadows as he scanned the numerous students, looking for the all too familiar tri-colored hair of his brother.

Just hours before, he was released from jail and his first thoughts were on Yugi. Taro's threat still rung in his loud in his ears and even though he had done the job given to him, he didn't put it past the man to carry out with it anyway.

As he pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket, he spied his brother coming out of the building talking animatedly with his friends as they walked over to one of the few trees on the school grounds.

Yami smiled a little as he watched Yugi cut up and joke with the people around him. To see him like this made everything Yami had done for him worthwhile. If didn't matter how tainted he was as long as his brother was happy and healthy.

Lighting his smoke, he leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. He felt better now that he had seen with his own eyes that Yugi was ok. It would have been easy just to call Bakura and ask him, but the cop would have asked too many questions and he needed to keep this part of his life secret for a little while longer.

Soon though, he would have all the money he needed. Then if the cops found out about him, so be it. It wouldn't matter then. He would make sure Taro was put away, Yugi would be safe and he could waste away in jail until they decided he was a drain on tax payers money and fried his ass.

Casting one more glance at his brother, he pushed himself off the wall and started heading further down the alley. Lack of sleep was causing his senses to dull and it would be dangerous if he his reflexes were slowed because of it.

Slowly, he made he was through the lower parts of the city, only stopping along the way to buy a sandwich from a local vendor. Keeping his head held high, and his hand fisted around his knife hidden in his pocket, he made sure that he was left alone as he by passed other homeless people and the local street thugs.

A few of them knew his reputation and wisely stayed away from him but there were a few that assumed he was a pushover because of his looks and height. He had been in more than his fair share of street fights with the fools that decided to take him on. Luckily, he had only been turned in by a few of them. Most wisely held their tongues, knowing that when he got out he would hunt them down and make them pay.

Rounding the familiar corner, he looked back over his shoulder before he entered his makeshift home. After a quick check to make sure no one had invaded his place, he quickly walked over to his secret hiding place behind the old desk.

Opening the far left drawer, he bent down and gently removed the false bottom. Just as he was about to put his hand on the small wooden box, he tensed as he heard footsteps.

Quietly, he replaced the thin piece of wood and shut the drawer. Still hidden behind the desk, he pulled out his knife and 'duck walked' to the other side of the furniture.

"Yami, you bitch! Are you in here?"

Growling, Yami stood up. "What the hell do you want Taro?"

"Why to see you of course. Why else would I come to this dump. I swear for the life of me I can't understand why you live like this. It's not like I don't pay you enough."

Yami gripped the knife tighter as Taro walked closer to him, grinning like a mad man. "It's no concern of yours," he growled out.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Listen I want to congratulate you on a job well done."

The teen quirked an eyebrow, "What do you want? It's not like you to praise someone for doing their job."

"True. Fine, you want the truth? I have another job for you."

Yami placed his hands on the top of the desk, clearly leaving his switchblade in sight for Taro to see. "Fine, but under one condition."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"Ten grand, no less."

Taro eyed the young man in front of him before he let his gaze trail down to the knife lying under his palm. "And why do you need more money?"

"None of your business," Yami growled out. He had his reasons but this was one person he would not give it to.

"Fine, but tell no one of this. And I expect the same results as you always give."

"I never do anything half-ass and you know that."

Taro chuckled, "That's why you're my best. I always knew from day one that you would be worth the trouble you give me. You're a skilled killer, Yami. It would be a shame to lose you as an employee."

"Stuff it Taro, it's not befitting of you to kiss ass."

Yami huddled further into his coat as a breeze whipped by him making him shiver at the unexpected intrusion. Grumbling to himself, he idly walked on towards the wooden bench he often claimed as his own whenever he came to the park. A trail of steam lazily drifted upward as he exhaled his breath into the cold January air.

Sitting down on the slightly frozen bench, he placed his hands into his pockets in an attempt to keep them warm. Fingers gripped the familiar leather of his gloves that he used whenever he preformed a job for the loan shark. Grabbing them into his fist, he growled at himself.

Even though this was going to be his last job, he knew that he would have to insure Yugi's safety before he could completely pull away from Taro. The ten thousand that he would receive as payment would give him more than enough to keep his last promise and free him from taking any more lives.

It would be a blessing and a curse once this was all over.

Sighing, he slouched down further onto the bench and tilted his head back until his hand rested on the edge of the bench. In less than an hour it would be dark enough for him to make his way to his last target, but for now he would enjoy this last bit of freedom.

Gazing up into the slowly darkening sky, his street trained ears picked up on the faint sound of footsteps approaching him. Yami lifted his head up and turned to see the blue-eyed rookie walking his way.

"What is it this time rookie?" he said when the other male got closer. "Last I checked sitting on a bench in the middle of a public park wasn't illegal."

Without an invitation, Seto sat down beside him but never met his gaze. "I just thought I would come by and say hi. Is that allowed?"

Yami shrugged his shoulders and leaned his head back on to the bench. "You're still in uniform so where is Bakura?"

"At home. Yugi has the flu and he needed to stay home with him. I'm by myself today."

The crimson-eyed teen sat up and looked at the cop. "Flu? But I just saw him at school a few hours ago! Is he ok?"

Seto turned his head and looked steadily into the others concerned gaze. "I guess he got sent home early. But yeah, he's fine. Just needs some rest and fluids. He'll bounce back in no time. Maybe you should go see him."

Growling, Yami turned away. "Don't start rookie."

Sighing, Seto held up his hands in defeat. "Fine, I won't. Besides I didn't come here to talk to you about him."

"Oh?"

"I came to see how you were doing."

Yami turned back to Seto and searched his eyes looking for any sign of pity. Seeing none he replied. "I'm as fine as I will ever be. No need to worry your pretty little head over it."

"It's not just me that's worried."

"Yeah, yeah I know every ones worried that I will freeze, starve, or get killed. Yugi worries cause I'm his brother and he loves me. Bakura worries because I'm Yugi's brother. But you, now that's what I can't understand. You are not my friend, nor a family member, or anything else for that matter other than a cop. So tell me rookie, why are you worried?"

Seto gazed into unreadable crimson eyes unable to give an answer right away. To tell the truth he didn't understand it much either. He knew this teen intrigued him but it was more than that. There was something about the feisty hellcat that drew him to the other.

Yami had spunk and guts. He wasn't someone that would let the world drag him down just cause he was handed a bad life. He admired this more than he realized. Even as he had watched the teen try to kill that guy in the jail that day, he couldn't help but notice little things about him.

He boy had a well-toned body that clearly had more strength behind it than one would think at first glance. There was a proud look about him that would make most people think he was some one important, not just a street punk. He also noticed Yami's eyes. The color was remarkable and truly exotic. They held no emotion whatsoever except for when he got angry. It was then that they turned a deadly shade of dried blood, something he was all too familiar with.

But if you looked hard enough you could also catch fleeting glimpses of the shatter soul beneath the 'touch-me-not' shell the teen used. It was those times that Seto felt most drawn to him. It wasn't out of pity; no he wouldn't ever pity the other. He knew what pity was like. He had received it when his brother had been killed. He didn't like it then and he sure as hell wasn't about to do that to someone else just because they had it worse than him.

It something else entirely, an understanding almost. But whatever it was, he wanted to see more of that broken child and help him overcome it. He knew Yami would never heal, things had gotten to far out of hand for that, but maybe he could help the other move on with his life.

"I.." he stopped, what could he say to Yami without making the other go on the defensive? "No, you may not see me as a friend but I think of you as one."

Scoffing, Yami replied. "Yeah right rookie. What the hell makes you think I need a friend?"

"You're lonely, and it's nice to have someone to talk to besides the shadows on the wall."

A deep almost painful chuckle filled Seto's ears. "But you see, those shadows are loyal. They listen and keep my dark secrets. The last thing they will do is arrest you for what you've done."

Seto narrowed his eyes. "So you think that I will go all cop on you and uphold justice because you chose to talk to me? Sorry Yami but that's not what friends to do each other. I may be a cop but that doesn't mean I turn my back on people that are important to me. Hell, Bakura is a cop yet he has broken a few laws when it comes to you. I've seen the reports on you and I know what he did to keep you out of prison, who's to say I wouldn't do the same for a friend?"

"So you've seen my file," he growled out.

"I must say I'm impressed with what you did. From what I saw you are most skilled at bypassing any alarm system out there. Some of those places you broke into would rival any government building. Aggravated assault, which I can attest too, seeing how I caught you in the process a few days ago. Auto theft, drug trafficking, oh and my personal favorite is hacking. For someone that can barely read or write you can understand computer codes perfectly."

"Computers have a different language, it's easy to understand if you have the right teacher." Yami turned his gaze away from Seto and looked out onto the open area in front of them. "You forgot one, child prostitution."

"No, I didn't forget."

A strange silence lingered between them, neither one of them willing to continue the present topic. Minutes past before Yami realized that it was well past dark and he still had one last job to do.

Standing up, Yami looked one last time at the blue-eyed cop as the other spoke.

"Leaving?"

Yami nodded his head as he bit his bottom lip, "I kept your card."

Mentally, Seto grinned but he kept his composer on the outside. "Good, why don't you use it sometime?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he replied as he walked away, "We'll see rookie."

Neither one of them noticed the dark figure lurking in the background, just out of earshot.

"Well, well, well….if it isn't Taro's little dark child."

Yami growled as he came around to face the group of men and boys that were behind him. "What the fuck do you want? Can't you see I'm doing a job?"

The leader of the group stepped forward, still hiding his features under the shadows of the tree. "Not tonight you won't. Taro wants you back at his 'office'. Seems he has some things to discuss with you."

"Like what?" he asked as he crossed his arms and glared at the man.

"The boss didn't say, just gave us orders to take you to him."

"Sorry boys, but I have to do this job if I'm to get paid. If he wants to see me, he will wait till I'm done." Yami turned around, ready to leave them and head towards his destination when he was grabbed roughly by both arms, making him halt in his tracks. Snarling, the teen relaxed his arms slightly, knowing he would be at a better advantage if they thought he was giving in.

The leader stepped forward, out from the shadows, and glared down at the shorter teen. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

A deep chuckled sounded throughout the shadows, "I guess Taro hasn't told you much about me, or you would know I never go the easy way."

Not giving anyone time to react, Yami jerked his right arm from the grasp of the man holding it and quickly elbowed him in the stomach. Seeing he was momentarily winded, he turned and kicked the other one while jerking his other arm free.

Body on the defensive, he watched the two men out of the corners of his eyes as they shook off the attack. "I don't know why Taro feels it's necessary to send you shit heads after me but I will not go back until I've done what I came to do. Now I suggest you fuck off and leave me."

The leader kept his gaze on the crimson-eyed teen, "Sorry but no one disobeys Taro."

"Well consider me the first then."

"I don't think so."

Yami never got a chance to reply as a flash of silver was seen out of the corner of his right eye. Before he could react, white-hot pain engulfed his temple when the butt of a gun slammed into it. Darkness quickly took over causing his body to crumple to the ground.

Dragon: Well now you know what was in the file. And yes, I know I'm evil. I left you with a cliffie. So go ahead and scream at me, Desidera already did. –grabs earplugs and slips them in-