Taken

Shizuo sighed, wondering just who he had pissed off to get stuck with witness protection. The crime scene had been a brutal homicide and instead of dealing with that, he was babysitting the only witness. One that hadn't said a word.

As far as he could tell, the witness was a young woman with black mid length straight hair, red eyes that he assumed were contacts and a maid uniform. They'd checked with the hotel and she hadn't been one of their employees. Given all the sex paraphernalia around the crime scene, he'd guess at a sex worker, escort or a kidnap victim forced to play a role.

The witness hadn't wanted to go anywhere near a police car or the station. Shizuo had held out a phone and told her to pick out a hotel.

So he'd walked two blocks with her, let her book the room that he paid for and went inside. He hadn't been paying attention. He should've been. "You got a single room." He grumbled. "I'll change it."

The witness grabbed his arm and hugged it, shaking her head with tears in her eyes. Shizuo groaned. The bed was a king size by the look of it. "Fine."

After reporting in, he checked the time. Room service had been and gone, although the witness ate very little. Shizuo ate his share. A knock at the door had the witness jumpy, but Shizuo opened and shut it quickly taking out the spare uniform and civi clothes, as well as an identical maid uniform and plain dress. "Just clothes. Do you want to shower first?"

The witness shook her head. Shizuo sighed. "Alright. I'll go. If you run, I can't protect you, but that's your choice."

She didn't run. The witness had chosen the maid uniform, just as Shizuo had chosen his spare police uniform. It was late. Shizuo took off his holster, setting it on the chair close to the bed, the same with his belt and badge. His handcuffs slipped from his pocket and onto the bed.

The witness picked them up, tracing over the steel. "Just don't get yourself stuck." Shizuo grumbled setting the key to them down. Sliding under the covers, he moved as close to the edge as possible.

Shizuo didn't sleep. The witness slept fitfully and more than once, she'd clung to him. He'd remained still and unresponsive. With sun rise, he got up, reported in and showered.

It was close to lunch when the annoyance arrived. Masaomi Kida bustled through the door and the witness fled to the bathroom. Shizuo sighed, sparing a glare for his partner.

"What? I brought sushi and bakery goods as requested." Masaomi set each box down. "Not my fault you're babysitting."

"Why?" Shizuo asked the question tiredly.

"Because you're gay." Masaomi shrugged. "The department believes the witness safe with you. By the way, you need to ditch your boyfriend."

Shizuo sighed again. "Why?"

"Red flags man. He's calling me demanding to know where you are, getting hysterical about you cheating on him. Cut him loose, that one is trouble."

"That's why my personal phone is in my locker at work." Shizuo shrugged. "You know I'm not good at this relationship shit."

"Yeah well, deal with it. Just don't get the witness or yourself stabbed."

Masaomi left, slamming the door loudly. "He's gone." Shizuo called out. "There's sushi for you." He'd already picked up on the witness's ordering habits. Shizuo bit into a small cake but after hearing about his soon to be ex, he didn't have much of an appetite.

That same day, there was another guest other than room service. Shizuo gave the witness an apologetic look. "You have a suspect?" Shizuo asked, knowing the case was about to be taken from his department.

"Yes. We believe this young woman can help us track down an AK." Assassin. "We need to move her to a safe house immediately."

Shizuo let himself be manhandled from the room. He helped guard the witness until they'd reached the bottom of the hotel and she was safely in the unmarked car.

Masaomi as always was right. Shizuo got home to a trashed apartment, his laptop and anything expensive were gone, his windows were smashed and vile words were sprayed across the walls. He really could pick 'em.

Shizuo clenched his fists looking around the mess. He didn't move, letting the tears fall, streaking his cheeks. He'd been living in the same apartment since he'd graduated from school. He'd done his best to live a normal life. He'd made the mistake of thinking his personal life wouldn't interfere with his work.

Shizuo heard the crunch of glass, a beat too slow to stop the metal bat crashing into his skull. Masaomi was never gonna let him hear the end of it. He took the blow, stumbling a little, another crashing into his back. He didn't see the knife, but he felt as it slid into his stomach. On his knees he took each blow, watching numbly as blood pooled from the wound and his definite ex boyfriend screamed vitriol at him.

Shizuo flinched as he heard a gunshot and then the pain stopped. The crunch of glass meant he had another guest. Masaomi most likely. He couldn't see much from the blood running into his eyes. The figure was wearing all black, male maybe. A hand cupped his jaw, white teeth gleaming as the man smirked.

Shizuo woke in an unfamiliar room. Not a hospital. He wore a chain around his ankle and he was naked. Covered in bandages with a collar around his throat. Shit. Red flags everywhere. How the hell had he missed those?

His first boyfriend had been a kiss on a dare, then the fucker had cut him, claiming as his so forth and yeah, it wasn't even a boyfriend. Just a one night stand and a voice in the dark. That had been the scariest experience of his life and he wasn't even supposed to be at the damn party.

From then on Shizuo had the misfortune of ending up with cheaters, petty criminals and the occasional psychopath. Not bad for being twenty four years old. Shizuo sighed, leaning against the wall, wincing as his wounded back came in contact. "Fuck!" He spat. Gripping the chain he tensed and then pulled the fucker apart. His muscles bunched and he screamed as something split and wetness ran down his back. His vision flickered, but he was free.

Shizuo pressed back against the wall, pushing himself up. He stumbled back, leaving blood smears across the white. Padded. He'd been placed in a padded room.

One single panel for each side, seamlessly put together. Fuck knows how many layers of steel, likely soundproof as well. Shizuo swallowed looking for the fucking door, put there wasn't one. But there was light and heat. He could feel that much.

"I thought you'd be out longer." Mikado remarked, not bothering to turn around. He was learning from the best and if he was going to be killed, then he would.

"Got what I needed, sooner rather than later. Any deliveries?"

Mikado resisted the urge to smile. "One. Redirect from Shinra. He's invoiced you."

"Damaged in transit?"

"Transit wasn't the issue." Mikado winced. "Package was smashed up, along with the apartment. I had to put a stop to the vandalism."

"My room?"

"Storage room." Mikado answered.

"Good."

If not for the blood smear on the wall, Shizuo would've thought he was in a different room. Instead of white, there was now red brick work, as if he was in a cellar, along with dangling light and an old locked wooden door. But Shizuo had already bled everywhere and knew he was in the same room.

He'd read the report. A trick room. It was a psychological holding cell, used by an infamous assassin. No one knew what they looked like but assumed male, they preferred knives, although bullets had been found at various crime scenes, suggesting a second sidekick or disciple or equal partner. Every body had been found in a trick room. Given how long they took to set up, Shizuo would bet he'd been captured by the assassin or his partner.

Maybe the witness he'd been watching over had seen the assassin. But they would've lost the case immediately if it had been the same MO. So what had been different? Why had he been taken instead of the witness. Maybe the witness was dead and he was the last supposed link. But the witness hadn't told him anything.

Maybe the partner was branching out on his own and looking for his own style. Shizuo sighed. It shouldn't have even been his damn case.

The light flickered. Shizuo looked up, watching as a loud thud slammed into the top, the light flickered again and the room went back to white, before going dull. The panel slammed open and Masaomi's grinning face popped over the edge.

"Can you get out okay?" His partner called down.

"You couldn't find another entrance?" Shizuo grumbled hauling himself up. A ladder rolled down and just the sight of it made his muscles cringe. He still got his ass up the ladder though.

"I hate trick rooms." Masaomi grumbled. "Best to just find the emergency hatch."

"That's why you failed." Shizuo slipped but Masaomi caught him and helped him into the escape shaft. His partner had to half drag him out and then guided him to the waiting car. He didn't pay attention to the journey, already out like a light.

Mikado's smile fell as the silent alarm went off. It was unmissable, the vibration on his wrist and the lighting decorations, flashing. Nervously he looked to his boss. They had an intruder and the emergency hatch to the trick room had been broken into.

"I wasn't followed and I didn't find a phone." Mikado said quietly. He didn't need to check the feed to know their captive was gone.

[You have concussion.]

[Probably. You're not going to say I told you so?]

[Your ex is dead by the way.]

[Huh. Am I staying at yours then?]

[One rung at a time. Take it slow Shizuo. You had your head caved in.]

[Camera picked that up? Fuck!]

[I got you. Come on. I'd rather not run into the fucker that took you.]

[You didn't ch-ugh.]

[Shizuo, damn you're heavy. Come on, almost there. You can pass out in the car.]

[You couldn't find another entrance?]

[I hate trick rooms. Best to just find the emergency hatch.]

[That's why you failed. Woah!]

[Saving your ass aren't I? Come on. Fuck! How much blood did you lose? Get your ass up here. Gah! There. Next time I'll call in an anonymous tip and they can get you.]

[I'll remember that when you need rescuing.]

[Come on, princess. Almost there.]

[Ugh. Next time-]

[Seriously? You're gonna make me drag you? Damn it!]

Mikado winced watching as the other man dragged their captive through the emergency exit. There was a lot of thumping. "Should I stop them?" He asked.

"No. Back to recon."

Mikado flinched as the laptop hit the floor and the door slammed.

Shizuo's memory was spotted, but he recognised the apartment that belonged to Masaomi's uncle and the bed he'd been in many times before. As always there was medical supplies packed up against the wall.

"Fuuuck." He groaned.

"I'd say so." Masaomi commented from the door. "We're AWOL until further notice. Take your time and rest up."

Shizuo frowned. "What's wrong?"

Masaomi scowled at him, thumping the wall with his fist. "They didn't care. Our fucking department didn't give a shit. They wanted to clean close the case. As far as they were concerned, you and your ex had killed one another."

Shizuo sighed. "Are you really surprised?"

Almost a month later and Shizuo was climbing the walls, needing to get out. It was how they ended up in the bar and drinking on empty stomachs.

Shizuo wasn't in the mood for being picked up. Like fuck he needed another psychotic clinger. He groaned as a clean cut younger man swaggered towards him. Shizuo shot Masaomi a help me look. Usually his partner was content to watch him suffer.

This time however, Masaomi took his hand and gave the guy and stern look. "We're not looking for a third tonight."

Shizuo snorted his drink, coughing at Masaomi's words. The man looked between them. "You two are together? No. I don't believe you!"

Shizuo didn't see why he had to prove anything. Masaomi shrugged, cupping the back of his head and kissing him. With tongue. Shizuo's drink slipped from his hand, shattering at his feet. He blinked at his partner. The pick up guy had thankfully fucked off.

"You sure?" Shizuo asked quietly.

Masaomi shrugged. "Fuck it. Gotta try something new or shit gets boring, right?"

Shizuo laughed, backing away from the bar and leading Masaomi through the crowd. He thought maybe his partner might change his mind once out of the club environment, but Masaomi slammed him up against the inside of the elevator, not giving a damn who saw them.

They kept it to kissing, he didn't think Masaomi would be comfortable with heavy petting just yet. He'd follow his partner's lead. Kissing was good. Kissing was fun.

Mikado didn't want to have to kill the cop, neither did he want to report that the two were making out and that he'd lost them when they'd left the club.

Thankfully the elevator was slow and he managed to slide in just as the doors opened and his target was slammed against the wall. They weren't doing anything but kissing, so he left them to it, all the way to their floor.

"What the hell are you two doing?" A voice barked. The duo froze and Mikado kept his head down.

"Kissing, what's it look like?" The cop snapped.

"Masaomi, I've got this." His target said calmly.

"Don't kill him." The cop snarled. "It's not worth the paperwork."

Mikado left the elevator like a normal person would. No one gave him a second look but he caught the cold glint in his target's eye.

He gave it ten minutes, before going back and finding the elevator out of order. Then he went back to the apartment he was renting.

Since Mikado didn't want to kill the cop, he took him. Knocked him out and bundled him in a car, driving away. No trick room, just an empty shipping container and then he got out of the way.

An hour later, a car pulled up and his target jumped out and ran to the container, ripping open the door and carrying the cop out. Somehow the duo were tracking one another. Which meant if he wanted one, he'd need to disable both.

"Did you kill him?" Masaomi asked.

"Should've done." Shizuo grumbled whipping the car into a tailspin and slamming his foot to the accelerator. "They're going to be a problem."

Masaomi leaned back in the passenger seat. "I know. But since we're AWOL…"

"Let's take the fuckers out." Shizuo grit out.

"About bloody time!" His partner grinned.

It was going well until Shizuo found a gun pointed at Masaomi. He looked at the guy holding it. Barely an adult with short black hair and bright blue eyes. Shizuo stepped in front of Masaomi and rested a hand on the gun.

"Put the gun away and leave." Shizuo instructed calmly.

"I can't." The gun wielder said.

Shizuo twitched his hands and the guy screamed as his wrist snapped. The gun clattered and Shizuo guided Masaomi away. They didn't get far.

"Masaomi?" Shizuo asked, waking in pitch black. His body felt sluggish and he couldn't see a thing. "Masaomi!" He was naked, so fuck knows where his phone was.

"You should worry more about yourself, Shizu-chan."

Shizuo froze at the whispered ghost of a voice surrounding him. His chest ached. Fuck.

"Stay away from Masaomi!" Shizuo snapped.

"You don't get to make demands, Shizu-chan."

Drugs were a handy thing. Mikado flicked open the cap hovering the small container under Masaomi's nose. He watched as the cop's nostrils flared and a low groan signalled the drugs come into effect. He had one casted hand, but his other worked just fine and his partner had gifted the cop to him. Likely to keep him away from Shizuo. Mikado would have no problem breaking him.

"You. You were one of Saki's goons." The cop glared at him.

"No, I have nothing to do with whoever that is." Mikado said with a shrug. "You're an extra."

Masaomi blinked. "You were after Shizuo?"

Mikado nodded. Neither of them were going anywhere anyway. "He was our target from the start. It was a pain when we learnt you were tracking one another."

The cop frowned, going oddly still before looking back at him with an assessing gaze. "You're the assassin's partner. Is this about the witness or further back?"

Mikado stepped closer to his captive. "Shizuo isn't your concern anymore. You should be worrying more about yourself."

Shizuo was hot. His body was burning up, his cock aching in his captor's hand. Shizuo moaned low and unable to stop himself. His hips thrust. "You always were so easy."

"Drugged me you fuck!" Shizuo groaned whining at the lack of friction. The bane of his existence just kept on touching, stoking the flames turning him to cinders.

"Beg, Shizu-chan and I might just give you what you want."

Shizuo hung limply in his chains, his body craving. His captor's hand went a little too close to his ass, making him push out for touch. "…n-o." He ground out. His captor laughed.

"Neither of you are going anywhere."

Shizuo closed his eyes knowing it was true. He'd finally been caught and this time it didn't look like he or Masaomi would be let go.

End