NOTICE!

Due to the removal of this story by the FFnet admins, I've edited this chapter form what some of you remember. It now has a lame-ass ending, but the full version is still posted on my LiveJournal fanfiction community. The link to the post is at the end of the chapter and, by all means, if you don't have an LJ, feel free to leave comments of the full thing here. Just sayin'.

Well, I thought about offering a heads-up about this chapter, but then I realized that I gave you a big set of warnings in the beginning. You guys know what to expect, so it's on you if you still want to read :)

I made a manip of Yusei as I see him in this fic, but I don't have it posted anywhere but on my Facebook page. If you want to see it, it's up here: www. facebook. c-o-m /OCValkyrie (remove spaces and hyphens). I'm working on Akiza now, but she has some weird stuff going on with her anatomy, and we'll leave it at that.

Ahem. Many thanks to Rapis-Razuri, FiringShootingStar, Mixer18, theforgottonpeople96, RunoandAkizafan, Rose-Aki, RobotFish, TFRiD Queen, NinaSkyLove, and ('bout time…)Valentine'sNinja for their reviews!

For anonymous ones, we have LDC and newcomer Noctis Glale! Many thanks for your support, and, Noctis, that snippet at the end of your review is really cool. I like that.

Once again, my thanks to RobotFish for his beta work. This chapter really needed a second pair of eyes, so thank you very much! -bows-

Now, without further ado, the chapter you have all been waiting for… Chapterrrr Siiiix!

Sunset Horizon
Chapter 06 – One False Step

Akiza continued to manage her bar, doing so with the knowledge that her father was safe in her care. The governor and his men didn't know that, of course, but they didn't know about her second home, either. Underground, beneath her bar, there was a series of tunnels that once served as a mine, and an escape route for slaves after that. Within its passages, Akiza kept her dear friends safe from the corruption of Yliaster.

Her father had been moved to its safety after she discovered him in the bar, and now the sheriff had no idea where he was. Her passages were her secret, and she and Leo were the only two to walk in the daylight who knew of its existence. For now, it would remain their secret. She doubted she would ever have the need to tell anyone else about it, so it would stay her hiding place for whoever or whatever she deemed necessary.

She wasn't sure what to think about Yusei as of yet, though. He had denied any credit to her father's rescue, but she was certain it was him. There was this feeling deep in her gut that there was more to him than met the eye, and though he acted like a selfish jerk, there were times when a gentler, more caring side showed through.

She wanted to hate him and blame him for all the problems in town, but if Goodwin really was endorsing slavery, then it was possible that there might just be some semblance of reasoning behind his actions. She didn't want to admit it. She wanted to keep going with the knowledge that he didn't have a care for anyone but himself. It was already too late for her to see him differently.

Why did he have to be so infuriating?

No matter how much she wanted to hate him for his disparaging words to her, she just couldn't. She pretended she did, but she was running out of resolve. He had seemed so detached and hollow when he came in her bar since then. At first, she hadn't wanted to believe it, but every lick of common sense within her told her he was beating himself up over that comment.

"Sorry, you're not worth it."

It was like he was trying to push her away, yet every time he came into her bar, he flirted with her like she was only woman in the world. She had never seen him flirting with another woman, not even when he didn't know she was around. He had always been there for her, even when she didn't want him. He was quick to challenge the men who tended to be a little rougher with her, always taking them outside before a gunshot would sound and he'd walk back in.

She had thought it was a coincidence at first, but had noticed the pattern rather quickly. Whenever a man would touch her provocatively while she was making her rounds, no matter how subtle, Yusei would always be there a few moments later and asking them to step outside. It was like he was watching out for her and, though she appreciated his actions internally, she pretended to be annoyed with him because she didn't want him to get too cocky.

But what did all of this mean? Did he harbor feelings for her beyond a weird obsessive perversion? He flirted mercilessly and bluntly, but he never went too far. His words often annoyed her, but his hands never strayed too closely. He was almost sweet about it, she realized.

Her eyes rose from where she scrubbed the countertop to glance sideways towards his regular table. He sat there, leaning back in his chair and releasing a kind of boyish laughter into the room. It looked as though he and his friends were in the midst of a game of poker. Judging by his expression, he had either done something foolish or he was winning.

What was it about his laughter that made her heart flutter? Even in the crowded evening bar, she could hear it clearly from the opposite side of the room. Sighing, she shook her head and lifted a tray from the rack. She was in love with him, but she really didn't want to be. She was sure he was the one behind her father's rescue, but there was little she could do about it. He denied any kind of involvement, and she knew he was too stubborn to give up on anything.

But even if he didn't admit it, she still felt the urge to do something for him. He didn't even have to know about it. She set two glass tumblers on the tray and pulled two beer mugs out from under the counter before turning to fill them from the tap behind her. Her three years of experience in her bar had the two glasses filled with whiskey and gin quickly before she lifted the tray and moved through the room towards their table, pausing without a word beside Yusei while watching their game for a moment.

Jack looked up at her with a raised eyebrow, saying, "Yes?"

He flinched suddenly and Akiza had the feeling Yusei had kicked him under the table, but she didn't let her expression change. She lowered the tray to the table and sarcastically muttered, "Poker looks like hard work. I thought you could use a refill."

It wasn't as if she was pulling a special favor. She did go about and bring refills to her regulars when she knew they would be around a bit longer and just added it to their tabs. However, her token of appreciation tonight included skipping the step of adding it to the tab. They could unwittingly have a drink on the house.

Crow reached out for a mug of beer and nodded. "Don't mind if I do. Mind taking the empty one?" he asked, holding out the mug he'd topped off a few minutes ago.

She nodded, but not after she noticed Crow flinch as if he was kicked, too. Yusei didn't make eye contact with her, but took the glass of gin from the tray before passing it to Jack and doing the same with the beer for Kalin. Finally, he pulled the whiskey from the tray and held it up towards her in a slight toast before saying, "Thanks, Miss Izinski."

She gave a short nod and turned away, tucking her tray against her hip to balance the empty glasses as she moved back to the bar. After picking up a few more empties on her way, she carried it to the back room where Max and Annie were happily doing the dishes, splashing each other with the soapy water. She smiled as she stopped beside them, placing the glasses from her tray on the counter next to them, saying, "Having fun?"

Annie nodded with a smile. The little girl had accustomed to her new home surprisingly quick, though she still had her bouts of fear now and then and the both of them woke from nightmares frequently. Max seemed to be adjusting relatively well, though he still didn't speak much and still hadn't let go of his attachment to Jack.

Akiza honestly couldn't understand that bond. What made the boy boomerang back to that man, of all the Enforcers? It didn't make any sense, but as long as he was happy, then it was all that mattered. She'd prefer the kids didn't get too attached to any of the four, but she supposed it couldn't be completely helped since they were the ones who had saved them.

She ruffled a hand through Max's hair and flashed them a smile before saying, "If you two are hungry, why don't you ask Leo if he can make you dinner? I need to get back to the bar, but don't hesitate to ask him, okay?"

They nodded with smiles as she turned to walk back into the bar. She couldn't stop herself as her eyes automatically turned back to where Yusei now stood, his chair shoved back and finger pointed accusingly at Jack. He still wore a smile on his carefree face, so the situation wasn't too serious. She had seen him when he was serious, and he definitely did not smile during those times.

She cursed under her breath, turning her eyes away to return to her tasks of the bar. Not even five minutes had passed before she found her gaze drifting back to his table. Several thoughts crossed her mind and she couldn't help but mentally wander into the unthinkable. Or what was previously unthinkable. Now… Would it be so bad? She wouldn't have this freedom for much longer.

It would be all right once, right?

…

Twenty minutes after Miss Izinski had made the last call, Yusei shifted to stand and stretched his hands over his head. The other Enforcers stood with him, all four present at closing time tonight. They had stopped drinking almost an hour and a half ago, cutting themselves off so they wouldn't get dragged out at closing. Despite being the closest of friends, they still left each other in the bar if one of them passed out.

It was all in good fun, but they had learned to sober up every night or stumble home before closing time. Crow walked towards the door first, releasing a short snort of laughter as one of their less-liked co-patrons was dragged out by two of the sheriff's men and tossed out into the street. He only laughed harder when he realized it was raining outside.

Kalin walked past him, shaking his head good-naturedly in the process. Jack made for the door, ignoring the whole fiasco and just looking like a man who didn't want to face the torrential downpour. Yusei followed in the rear, stopping abruptly when a tray snapped in front of him to block his path. Turning slightly, his eyebrow lifted in silent question at the sight of Miss Izinski staring at him fiercely. "I need to talk to you."

Without taking his eyes off her, he nodded his head towards his friends and said, "Go on without me. I'll catch up."

Kalin nodded and grabbed Crow's collar, dragging him out after him. Yusei slipped his thumbs into his belt as he moved to the bar counter and leaned against it, waiting as the sheriff's men—one he knew was named Kaz—dragged the other two drunken patrons out. Miss Izinski went about her final clean-up, wiping down tables and moving glasses to the back to be cleaned in the morning. He watched her move fluidly and gracefully through the room, so comfortable in her setting and her tasks.

His heart flipped in his chest, his gut telling him he would never be allowed to love her openly. He hoped, prayed, even, that he was wrong, but it seemed so unlikely that he had started to steel himself for the resulting downfall.

Finally, the two men walked out after calling a goodnight to her. She returned the well-wishes before moving over and locking the door behind them. His eyebrow rose, but he didn't comment. He knew that he could get out easily through a window or by jumping over the balcony on the back of the bar, but he wasn't sure if she knew that. Maybe she was going to let him out the back door?

Shrugging to himself, he glanced up to find her poised on the stairs, nodding her head to signal for him to follow her. He shoved off the bar and walked over to trail after her, trudging up the stairs as she led him to a part of the building he'd never been to. It wasn't that he couldn't get in; it was that he wanted to respect her privacy and made a point to stay out.

He didn't know where she was leading him, but followed regardless. He didn't care what happened or where she was taking him. Even if she shut him in a storage closet and left him to starve, he wouldn't mind because it would have been her hands that locked the door. Maybe there was something wrong with Annie or Max, and she was taking him to see them. More likely than not, she was just going to bring him to a secluded place and try to force him to confess he was behind her father's rescue.

He couldn't admit that, no matter what. He had to make sure she believed he didn't really care for her beyond what any perverted man saw in her. If she saw anything more, she could be in trouble. Yliaster was a big country, and had far more people and weaponry to their name than he could ever hope to amass.

"Here," she whispered, clicking a door open and walking inside. She paused within the doorway, holding it open for him as he took in the sight within. Something in his chest froze as he registered the sight of her bedroom, but a larger part of him told him he was getting ahead of himself. There was no way she had brought him there for that. Maybe he really was just a perverted ass underneath it all.

The door clicked shut behind him, causing him to turn slightly to face her before saying, "Miss Izinski, what did you want to talk to me about?"

She kept her back to him for a moment, both hands settled on the latch of her door, before turning quickly and pressing her palms to his chest. Despite having some of the fastest reflexes in town, he wasn't able to react quickly enough as she leaned closer, pressing her lips to his and sealing them together in a firm kiss.

His entire body froze, his joints locking and refusing to accept any command he gave them. Every instinct in his body was telling him to lean back, pull away, or even push her off. This wasn't right. This shouldn't be happening.

No matter how perfect she felt pressed against him or how fragrant her scent of roses was, it shouldn't have been happening. Whatever had triggered her to behave like this, it wasn't right. He finally managed to draw himself away from her, breaking the kiss and taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. That kiss had been so perfect and sweet, exactly what he imagined it would feel like to kiss her. But he had to put a stop to this. She didn't love him and it wouldn't be fair to take advantage of whatever had caused her to behave this way.

He almost brushed the back of his hand across his lips, but stopped himself. That would be far too petty for this situation. Instead, he shifted to brace one hand on the door behind her, leaning over her and brushing his cheek gently through her hair. "Miss Izinski," he whispered, too emotionally unbalanced to speak any higher. "Why did you do that?"

She shifted slightly, gripping her hands in the fringe along the breast of his jacket and pulled closer, burying her face in his neck. "This is what you've always wanted, isn't it?"

His resolve was melting under her breathy voice, coupled with the fact that her body was so close to his at the moment. Still he managed to mumble, "You've never done anything special for me before. Why start now?"

She didn't answer right away, but instead pressed a light kiss to the base of his throat. "Because I've seen a potential inside you lately."

"Potential?" he asked, gritting his teeth under the feel of her soft lips. This was like a dream come true. He knew she would have to step back soon or he would lose it completely. He managed to keep himself in check over these past few years because he had always spoken to her in public, under the watching eye of a nosy town. But now that they were locked inside her bedroom with only the pattering rain as a chaperone, he didn't know how much longer he could keep his control.

"Mm… A potential to be something better." As the words left her mouth, she moved again, raising her lips to brush over his lightly in a form of taunting before she pressed to kiss him again.

He was starting to heat up and, before he could stop himself, a fierce growl slipped past his lips as he used his body to push her away lightly. One hand gripped the fabric of her dress along her side and tugged her closer again, the other shifting to clench against the wall. His lips crashed down over hers and drank in her taste, his tongue pressing inside her mouth in attempt to savor the far corners of her being. His heart was pounding and he was certain she could both hear it and feel it, but he couldn't care. One part of him wanted to rip her clothes off and ravish her until morning, but the more practical side was telling him he was moving too quickly.

His hand on her side slid down slightly, resting on her hip as he released her mouth and forced his eyes to meet hers. "If you want this, fine. But I need to hear you say it. Not just because I want it. You have to want this, too."

She released her hold on the tassels of his jacket and slipped her hands up his chest to cup his jaw. A gentle smile stayed on her lips, her eyes never leaving his, as she whispered, "I want this, Yusei."

He felt something inside him snap as he moved closer again, taking her lips in another hungry kiss as his hands moved behind her back to tug his gloves off and throw them to the floor. He had wanted this for so long, but he didn't want to go too quickly and ruin it. He would make this night last, no matter what.

His fingers moved behind her, pulling at the lacings to her corset-style dress. He pulled roughly, trying to get them free as her hands moved back to his chest, this time resting on the bare skin under the jacket for a moment before shifting to push the cloth off his shoulders altogether. He moved one hand away from the laces at a time, letting her remove the garment before returning to his task of freeing her dress.

At long last, the final tie came loose and he moved to grip the shoulder straps before shoving them down her arms. The red dress fell to the floor in a cotton pool by her feet, leaving her in her stockings and petticoat. He moved to step back slightly, reaching one hand down to pull the buckle to his holster that fastened on his thigh. Bending slightly at the waist, he returned his lips to hers as he moved to pull the larger buckle at his waist.

Once free, he drew away from her and took a step backwards, opening his eyes to take in the sight of her while crouching down a little bit in order to lightly set his heavy leather holster and the pistol inside on the floor. After righting himself, he reached out for her hand and gently pulled her across the floor, smiling gently as multiple colors flashed across her skin from the lightning beyond her stained-glass door.

His eyes drifted down to where their hands were linked, his mind taking a brief moment to admire how pale her skin was. His was tanned from the hot sun beating down on the town day in and day out, but hers was creamy and white. She was the daughter of a rich man, giving her a higher status that included taking care of her skin. She carried a parasol outside most of the time and, more often than not, tended to stay indoors altogether.

As he finished worshiping her complexion, he tugged her closer and lifted her hand to his lips before pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. She pulled her hand free and shifted to wrap both around his shoulders, moving to place her lips directly in front of his once more. He didn't need to be told twice and leaned closer, closing the gap between them with a ferocious tenacity.

The night would remain with them for as long as they drew breath.

…

Ahem. So… You guys got your YuAki kiss, eh?

Lame ending, I know. The full version of the scene is posted here: vv fan fiction. live journal. c-o-m /8325. html (remove hyphens and spaces) Sorry, but I don't want this fic to get removed again, so I'm taking precautions this time. Enjoy the full scene on non-judgmental LJ!

This week, we'll make it fifteen reviews for a bonus. I mean, I have to make it a little tough, or I'm going to run out of my stock of completed chapters, you know? I'm only just finished with chapter eleven, due to a last-minute subplot overhaul from the bowels of late-night/early morning idea spawning. Yeah, you guys are going to hate what I have planned now.

Please review!

-Valk