Disclaimer: Get Backers is not mine. The story is fictional and all similarities to people and events in real life are coincidences.

The Man In Your Dreams

Chapter Five: Confrontations

Kazuki felt lost.

He didn't know how to call him and Ban. Were they lovers? Lovers don't use their attack techniques on each other. How could Ban do such a thing?

"Ban and I, we've been sleeping together," Kazuki finally settled for what he knew was a fact and not what he hoped was real. He said the words quickly, as if letting it out fast would make the impact less stinging. "I'm sorry I never told you, Juubei. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't want to risk our friendship on account of my being..."

Kazuki trailed off, losing his nerve. He stopped talking, as if not saying the last word would hide the meaning behind all the other words before it.

But Juubei continued his sentence for him, albeit in a more astute manner. "...A homosexual?"

A soft sigh, "Yes, gay." Kazuki completed his own sentence in his own words, and then held his breath, waiting for his protector's response.

For a long time, an eternity for the thread master, there was only silence.

"And then, what happened?" Juubei's expression was unreadable, even to the man he had devoted his life to protect.

Frustration swept over the protected man. For some reason, Juubei's ignoring the fact that he was gay bothered him a lot more than rejection ever would. He forced his sobs down as he raised his voice in anguish, "Doesn't it even bother you? Don't you hate me? Don't you feel disgusted? Don't you feel like you never even knew me?"

At the last question, the blind man responded quietly, "You're still Fuchoin Kazuki, aren't you? I know what makes you laugh and what makes you cry. And, though I never admitted it to myself until now, I'd always known who you loved. I've watched you grow up from a frightened child to the beautiful man that you are right now. What else is there to know?"

These words made Kazuki lose the battle with his tears. He stood away from Juubei, and muffled his sobs with his hand, trying to hide the fact that he was crying. Of course, something like that, the Fuchoin heir could not hide from his healer.

"Kazuki," there was tenderness and even love in that voice that was so familiar and yet so new. Juubei approached Kazuki and wiped away the newly fallen tears. "I could never hate you nor could I ever feel any disgust towards you." This was reassurance.

Reassurance that was heavily laced with so much more...

Reassurance that showed years of pent up unreciprocated emotions...

And finally, Kazuki understood why Juubei could not condemn him. He leaned his head on the larger man's chest as he had done so, so many times in the past.

"Again, Kazuki," Juubei tempered down his earlier bared feelings and returned from being a lover from a distance to a dedicated protector. "What happened that got you so upset?"

"Ban used the Jagan on me," Kazuki murmured, feeling so much more relaxed now that Juubei was there. "I don't know why."

Silence again.

"What was the dream?" a question Kazuki should have prepared for, but didn't.

There was really no easy way for Kazuki to answer Juubei's inquiry, so he decided to be nonspecific. "I don't know if he was playing a game, but the dream was about me being with another man."

"I see."

Ban walked aimlessly around the halls. What just happened wasn't proof that Kazuki had no feelings for Juubei, was it? Was it proof that Kazuki felt strongly about Ban? Dreams are where thoughts suppressed by the conscious mind appear, right? Dreams are also where the most hidden desires become reality.

When Kazuki called out his name as the dream Juubei made love to him, what did it mean?

And what exactly does Kazuki dream about whenever he moans out Juubei's name?

Ban realized that it was unbelievably stupid of him to immediately assume that Kazuki was being unfaithful in his sleep. Juubei and Kazuki had been best of friends far longer than Ban and Kazuki had known each other, so the fact that Kazuki chose Ban over the obviously enamored Juubei had to mean that...

"...You stupid idiot, Fuchoin Kazuki loves you," Ban growled at himself while turning a corner. As he completely the ninety degree curve, he was met by the perfect scene of Juubei holding Kazuki close.

...And you drove him straight into someone else's arms. Ban felt an unbelievable ache in his heart as he reiterated the thought to himself.

Juubei was the first to notice Ban. He pushed Kazuki behind him as he spun and brandished his ever present needles at the Jagan master. "You, stay away from Kazuki!" he said in ominous tones.

"Juubei!"

Ginji's brow furrowed. They were still in the common room discussing whether Ban had, indeed, molested Kazuki. As time wore on, it was becoming clear that Haruki's story was a possibility.

But that wasn't Ginji's problem. He felt that something was amiss. And then noises...

"Did you hear that?" Shido became alert as he rushed for the door opening to the direction where he heard the disturbing sounds coming from. "It sounded like shouting."

Himiko and Makubex stood up and followed Shido. Haruki ran for the door as well.

"It won't turn out well if Juubei finds out about Ban," Himiko told those who were still in the room.

"Sakura, stay here. If Juubei or Kazuki becomes angry with Ban, things might become dangerous," Makubex instructs the Kakei girl. He really didn't want Sakura to see if anything bad happened to Juubei. Ban could be vicious in battle, especially if his Jagan was useless against his opponent.

And the Jagan could not be used on the blinded Juubei.

Ginji did not hesitate to go with the group, but not without turning to Natsumi who was beginning to get up. "You shouldn't go there, Natsumi."

"But—" Natsumi protested.

Hevn cut her off with an explanation, "It wouldn't be wise to put ourselves in danger. It would just make things more difficult to resolve if one of us gets hurt."

"Thanks, Hevn," Ginji waved and followed the others.

When it was just Sakura, Natsumi, Hevn, and Paul, Sakura spoke up. "How do you think will all of this go?"

Paul smiled at her, "Things will turn out fine."

"Do you really think Ban molested Kazuki?" Hevn asked Paul.

"No, I believe there's more to this than Haruki says," came the man's reply. He stared at his cup of coffee and, through his mind, returned to the Honky Tonk of the past few months.

"You only have to see how Kazuki and Ban look at each other."

Kazuki stood in front of Juubei and pleaded with his protector. "No, Juubei, please don't do this."

"Step aside, Thread Spool," Ban's voice was low and his face was dark. "This is something we must do."

Juubei embraced Kazuki, "I'm sorry for betraying you a second time," he whispered. A needle in the right point on the body rendered Kazuki unconscious.

"Juubei..." Kazuki gasped as he crumpled into a slumbering heap in his protector's arms.

The healer carried his ward to a nearby room. He carefully set the sleeping man on the floor, and then felt for the closet. He took a blanket and a pillow from the closet, gently lifted Kazuki's head from the floor and arranged the pillow under it. Finally, he covered the long-haired beauty with the blanket.

When he stepped out of the room, he sensed that Ban had not moved from where he was.

"Let's get it on, Needle Boy," Ban called out to Juubei. It was almost frightening, the expression of sadistic pleasure on Ban's face. Though he could not see Ban, the aura the Jagan user exuded made Juubei uneasy. Ban just wasn't himself.

But the anger Juubei felt for the one who had hurt his beloved so much overwhelmed any hesitation he might have had on fighting Mido Ban. Kazuki would hate him for hurting Ban, but there were some lessons that had to be taught the hard way. In this case, Ban had to learn that anyone who hurt Fuchoin Kazuki would have to answer to Kakei Juubei.