Warnings: Au, x-over, yaoi, definite violence as the story progresses, random moments of humor and/or angst

Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation or Weiss Kreuz. I take no credit for anything except my own characters and the plotline. I make no money off of this. Or anything else that I do. That is why I write fan fiction, after all, because I can't afford to buy the manga and anime.

Graue Herzen

Suguru was laughing and smiling, more animated than Ryuichi had seen him in years. He was still flushed with excitement from the concert, and pleased that he was going to be spending the night with friends after their meal.

/Do you see that Kumagoro? He's happy. Yup! It's great to see him so happy. I was worried about how he was doing. I haven't heard very much from him since leaving Japan. Tohma hasn't heard very much from him since then either. He got into a fight with Su-chan's daddy, so Su-chan's daddy wouldn't let Tohma n' me come play with him after that./

And Tohma is smiling…

But he's not happy. The singer furrowed his brows. Now what could be wrong with Tohma-kun? He's always wanted Su-chan to make friends, to make music. And there weren't any mean daddy's around to make Su-chan cry or yell at Tohma-kun and him. So what could be bothering him?

/Do you have any ideas, Kuma-chan? No? None at all? Huh… you're slipping, you know that. Don't stick your tongue out at me, wicked bunny. Okay, okay. We'll just have to ask Tohma-kun what's wrong. But not right now. We should wait until Su-chan isn't around. Remind me to ask him later okay, Kuma/

Suguru is getting out of the car.

"Thanks for the ride! I'll see you later okay Ryuichi?"

"Ryuichi?" an impatient voice cut into his thoughts. "Are you paying attention?"

"Huh? Sorry, Tohma-kun. I was just thinking," Ryuichi curled around his stuffed rabbit defensively, gnawing nervously on one floppy pink ear as ocean green eyes pin him with a look. Uh oh. Tohma wasn't feeling shiny at all. "Are you mad at me?"

"Why should I be mad, Ryuichi?" Tohma asked mildly. "You were only ignoring the detailed outline of new terms that will allow me to buy out the remainder of your contract with your American producers."

"Waaah! Tohma is mad at me!" Ryuichi wailed.

"Oh stop that," Tohma grumbled, then sighed. "Since I won't have your attention until you've talked about whatever it is that's bothering you, what were you thinking about that was so important?"

Ryuichi straightened his back and carefully placed the stuffed toy on the seat next to him before turning to look at the blond haired president of NG Studios. His sapphire eyes were serious, no longer the sparkling child's eyes that everyone was so used to seeing from him.

"I was thinking about how you reacted to finding out Suguru was making music. I want to know why it upset you so much. It was a good concert. Aren't you pleased for him?"

The beautiful blond leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. Tohma was wearing a dark green suit today. One with the lime green shirt and the purple shirt under that. Ryuichi loved the way Tohma looked in his bright suits and took the opportunity of his inattentiveness to openly stare at him.

"It was. I am. I think it's wonderful that he's made some friends and that he's not wasting his talents."

"But?" Ryuichi impatiently brushed back the rebellious strands of hair that fell in his face when he tilted his head curiously.

/Shhh Kuma-chan, we can ogle him later./

"But I'm concerned about how Seijiro will respond to finding out that Suguru is in a band."

Suguru's father? That Seijiro?

"No. I'm afraid actually. I'm afraid of how he'll respond to finding out that Suguru is in a band. Do you remember that argument I had with him?" Tohma asked.

"I remember," Ryuichi murmured. "You wanted to enter Suguru into a private musical school. Seijiro said he could play with music all he wanted to but it didn't matter what you thought because Suguru wasn't going to become a musician. Suguru was going to take his place in the family business just like he had always planned."

Tohma suddenly dropped his head and stared hard at the singer. "And do you remember what Seijiro said when I tried insisting that my cousin should be surrounded by musicians, that his talent needed to be encouraged and challenged?"

Blue eyes widened in dismay, finally understanding what was bugging his band mate. Ryu's voice was small as he dutifully answered. "Seijiro said that if you ever tried to make Suguru think that he could ever have a choice between music and his duty to the family then Seijiro would make sure that there was no choice for Suguru to have, that… that he'd have every single one of Suguru's fingers broken before he allowed him to be on stage."

How horrible. Who would want to hurt their kid like that? To rob them of the very thing was so much a part of their soul? Ryuichi drew a sharp breath. "You don't think he was serious do you?"

/Don't listen to this Kuma! It's awful/

Tohma's expression was grim. "I don't know, but I stopped giving Suguru music lessons after that. Beatrice -you remember their housekeeper, right?- well, Beatrice agreed to keep an eye on Suguru, to keep in touch with me if he needed anything. But our contact was very limited after that."

"So what's going to happen now that he's performing?" Ryuichi was getting worried now. His hand twitched toward the stuffed toy to his side, but he didn't reach for the comfort it offered. Kumagoro couldn't be allowed to be part of this conversation. Kuma would cry if he thought Su-chan would be hurt because he was doing what he loved.

And then Ryuichi would cry.

Tohma didn't need tears right now. Tohma needed… ideas! Yeah. That's what Tohma needed.

"Can't you get Su-chan away from that man? Um, you can be his daddy instead!" Ryuichi suggested brightly.

"I already tried. Discreetly of course. There's nothing that will allow me to get custody of Suguru. He hasn't been neglected, or abused or harmed in any visible way. Attempting to crush a person's musical spirit isn't illegal, unfortunately. So there's absolutely nothing that will allow me to step in until he's reached his majority. And by then it may be too late."

"Oh." Ryuichi was silent for a minute, wracking his brains for an alternative suggestion. Just as Ryuichi opened his mouth to suggest that they kidnap Suguru, change his name and set the boy up in his old apartment until he was old enough to live on his own-

"Sachou-sama?" A pretty young woman auburn red curls called from a crack in the door. The singer stared at her for a moment trying to place her. He wished he hadn't forbidden Kumagoro to listen to the conversation because now he couldn't ask him who the lady was. He watched her for a minute longer before he remembered on his own. This was one of the secretaries that worked for Tohma.

"Yes?"

"Uh, there's a policeman here to see you, sir." Cornflower blue eyes stared at him uneasily as she waited for him to respond.

A delicate blond brow winged up and full pink lips pursed thoughtfully. "Policeman? Well I'm sure he doesn't want to be kept waiting. Could you please see him in, Michiru?"

"Of course, sir."

Tohma and Ryuichi shared a look of confusion at the unexpected announcement. Tohma leaned forward to snatch Ryu's hat up off the arm of the couch and tug it over brown hair, a reminder that no one was supposed to know Ryu was back.

"Hey, Tohma, you haven't done anything illegal have you?" Ryu whispered.

"Not in the past twenty four hours," Tohma muttered back. Then he stood with a bright Tohma smile, and walked forward to greet the young man in the crisp uniform that entered his office. Ryu picked up Kumagoro and hugged him to his chest, watching the scene unfold curiously with wide child eyes.

"Seguchi-san." They all shook hands. "I'm Officer Tanaka. I apologize for inconveniencing you."

/Hey Kuma-chan, why do you think the police wanna talk to Tohma-kun anyways? You think so? No way. Tohma was only joking! Shh! They're talking now! Hm? Oh yeah, you can listen again./

"-were found murdered."

Ryuichi felt himself pale.

"Murdered?" Tohma echoed faintly. His voice took on a commanding edge, "What happened?"

/No. I was wrong. Don't listen to this Kumagoro./

"I'm terribly sorry," and the young officer did sound sorry. "But would you be able to come down to identify the bodies and file a statement?"

"Do I have to go with you now, or can I come down in a short while?"

"W-well the quicker we can get a positive identification, the better," the young officer stammered.

"Of course. I understand," Tohma said promptly. "I was merely hoping to have a few minutes to clear my schedule and perhaps break the news to my cousin. I believe he'd want to find out from a family member wouldn't you agree?" Tohma asked smoothly.

"Oh… yes. That-that would be okay I'm sure. If you could just get down to the station as soon as possible after you arrange things here," Tanaka stammered some more.

"Thank you. I'll be down at the station shortly."

The officer bowed and scraped, and apologized his way out the door that shut quietly behind him. Tohma quietly walked over to his desk and began to make calls, canceling his appointments and delegating others in places he wasn't able to cancel.

Tohma's so brave, trying to act like the news doesn't bother him one little bit.

"Well, then. It seems that Seijiro managed to get himself killed last night. That does certainly make things easier," Tohma announced almost brightly as he hung up the phone for his final call, his lawyer with orders to try and get temporary custody of Suguru.

Blue eyes consider him seriously. Maybe it isn't bravery after all.

"Although it is a shame about Beatrice. She was one of my best employees, and I'm sure Suguru will be sad that she's gone." Ryuichi noticed the pained regret that crossed his friend's face, and felt reassured. No matter how cold Tohma behaved about that horrible man's death he was still sorry that lady had died.

"What a relief, huh, Kuma chan?" he whispered to his little pink friend.

Sorry, but chapters will be shortfor a bit until things pick up and I get more time. Hope you enjoyed this snippet.