Hey Guyz! Kitty29 here with the next chapter of Colours!

Sorry for the wait everyone! I had a bit of trouble with the order of events for the next few chapters but after writing a somewhat detailed timeline between the hours of 3 and 4 in the morning (for some reason it's just when I'm about to pass out when I gain my inspiration) so I think I'm good. Though that wasn't before I finished writing the entire 48th chapter, so expect that up in about a week or so. Yep.

In other news, today is my birthday! I am officially 20! Old enough to impose my vast knowledge to teens but young enough that adults can blame my personality on my age ha! Still not old enough to drink in the US yet though. Darn it, soon US of A. Soon.

Interesting fact, two years ago today I posted chapter 3 of this story meaning that this story is over two years old! Holy Buesus! Time sure flies, amirite? Thanks for the people who's been following for all these years and welcome all new comers! You be joining a program two years in the making. I hope y'all be enjoying it.

Thank you MaryMew for the great and quick beta as per usual. She even made sure to get it back to me before my birthday! So frinkin' nice!

Enough of my ramblings, ONWARD!

Yao stood in the exact centre of his work station, looking around him carefully. On the wall in front of him were multiple pieces of blank paper as well as relevant notes. To his left, his computer was on with internet open so anyone could contact him at anytime. To his right, a small television set on the local news channel, quiet enough to not disturb his thoughts but loud enough for him to hear. Behind him, a large and detailed map of the GTA, pins marring its surface when necessary. In the corner: snacks, just in case. He looked around once more before he noted his surroundings were good enough to keep his attention on the task at hand for at least the next few hours. He rolled up his sleeves and flicked his fingers, idly acknowledging the bright lights that flickered to life before quickly dissipating. Alright, it was time to find out if there really was a killer on the loose.

He had just barely gotten into the proper mindset when a vibration on his leg wrenched him out of it. Frowning, he reached into his pocket and received his cell phone, muttering a few choice words when he saw it was Yong Soo attempting to reach him again. This was the fourth time he had called after Yao had specially told him not to call unless it was urgent and from the way the boy was rumbling the first time he had picked up he knew that whatever he wanted was not urgent. He tossed the phone towards the desk, not even caring if it hit its mark or not as he focused back to the blank papers in front of him. Alright, let's try this again.

He closed the space between him and the wall and pressed his right index finger against the paper. It was then his computer loudly beckoned him. Yao turned to it, starting to get annoyed from all these ill timed distractions. His finger slid down the paper before it slapped back to his side, unintentionally leaving behind a thin trail of neon red. He turned and walked towards the device, wondering why it had insisted on bothering him.

Hey Yao. Just came back from visiting the family in Cuba and I've been hearing about some crazy shit that happened when I was away. Something about someone being in a coma and spotting a kid that had connections? Is that Gilbert kid pulling my leg or have I really missed that much? Estefan. Ah, right. He forgot that he hadn't been in the country for a while. He wrote a reply, hoping the other didn't want him to indulge in details.

No he's not. There will be a meeting on Friday, I'll explain more there.

There is?

Yao paused. He had told everyone that there would be a meeting a little over a week ago, didn't he? Or was he distracted by something? He sighed in exasperation before he started typing up a small memo about the meeting to stop trying to pinpoint what exactly had made him forget to do so before. He had a disturbing inkling that it had something to do with Yong Soo. Pushing the thought aside he read over his short note. The meeting was on Friday at this time and place, coming was mandatory, he wished to warn them against a possible threat. Satisfied that it held all the information he wanted to convey at the time he sent it out to everyone who attended the group that he watched over as well as the people who insisted in having their weekly get-togethers in that old creepy warehouse.

Satisfied now he was sure he had informed everyone he turned his attention back to the blank paper. Well, previously blank paper as it now had a long streak of colour along its side. He paid it no mind as he walked up to it and pressed his index finger against it once more.

'Five suicides only two within a week period. First suicide close friends and family couldn't understand why he would take his own life, others friends and families admitted that the victims showed signs of depression. Does the killer work long term?'

He paused to step back and tap a finger against his chin in thought. After brief consideration he continued.

'James Breen, 24, fitness trainer. Was writing a recipe book for smoothies. Brown hair, brown eyes. March 21—bled to death in bathtub. Was listening to numerous rap songs on repeat. Friends say he hated rap. His many CDs opposed the thought.

Mika Hurst, 38, family dentist. Mother of two. Recently remarried. Black hair, blue eyes. April 23—hung self in office. The equipment was on.

Sylvain Furlong, 46, professional cellist. Mother of four, grandmother of five. A bitter woman involved in many questionable activities. Greying hair, brown eyes. May 14—body washed up on shore. Cello missing.

Gayle Wrobel, 19, student, self employed. Enrolled in Theatre, aspiring Broadway star. Dyed blue hair, hazel eyes. June 03—jumped six stories to her death. Recorded self singing two hours beforehand. It was pitchy.

Barnabas Héderváry, 73, retired University Professor. Father of one, grandfather of one. Bald, green eyes. June 09—Heart arrest. Taken to the hospital beforehand for prescription, drug overdose. Elizabeta's grandfather.'

Yao stepped back again and stared hard at the last name written. Out of them all his was the odd one out. He survived the suicide attempt. He survived it and yet was not in his right mind to talk before his unfortunate death. His end was also very rushed compared to the other victims, where as their deaths were roughly a month apart his was within a week of the last. Then, of course, was the biggest difference that separated him from the four before.

He was the only one who had an ability.

It was that fact alone that made him pause. He was under the impression that the killer was specially targeting people with non abilities until he came along. Perhaps he was somehow dangerous to the killer in some way or maybe the killer didn't know he had an ability, or, just maybe, he wasn't supposed to die yet. Did his method fail in some way? Or maybe...this was completely irrelevant and he was just being paranoid with the fact that the last victim was related to one of their own. If he even was a victim. Really, he could have tried to kill himself on his own.

Yao physically slumped as he tried to shake the thoughts from his mind. Doubt didn't help at all. Doubt backtracked or sidetracked. To distract himself Yao sharply turned and faced the map, idly observing the pins he had tacked to it. They all seemed completely random, sure they remained within the GTA but all that meant was the one he was looking for most likely habited Toronto, which counted for nearly half the country's population. Still he stared, thinking that perhaps if he looked at it long enough he would find something.

Idly his eyes moved from pin to pin, mentally connecting the dots before he used his ability to visually connect them before his eyes. Still nothing. He sighed through his nose before he walked over and dislodged the pin that represented Mr. Barnabas Héderváry. He had marked his place of death at the hospital where he truly did take his last breath but perhaps if he moved it to where he had overdosed beforehand—his home—then he would be able to see something. Yao repositioned the pin before he stepped back and looked at the map as a whole once more. Repositioned the pin was a bit closer to the forth victim but at this point and time he had no idea if that should mean anything. Well, that was unless—

A sharp knock promptly hurled him away from his point. He looked over in the general direction of the front door, rather perplexed. He didn't invite anyone over and no one had warned him about their oncoming rude interruption. He crossed his arms in an aggravated huff as he tried to regain his focus but another knock shattered it before it could fully form. Frowning he went to answer it, knowing he wouldn't be able to do anything else as he was being pestered. If that was Yong Soo he was definitely getting a piece of his mind…

He roughly opened the door with the intent of glaring down at the hyperactive Oracle but upon realizing the person was much taller than the Korean he adjusted his eye level accordingly. There was a beat of silence before Yao, though rather confused by his presence, confirmed his identity. "Ivan?"

The Russian grinned gleefully as he waved at the shorter man. "Hello comrade Yao. It is nice outside, da?"

Not sure if he was accusing him of being some kind of hermit crab or not Yao simply moved onto the core issue. "Why are you here, aru?"

At that Ivan gave a rather light hearted shrug which, for whatever reason, seemed out of place on a person of his structure. "I was in the neighbourhood, as they say." At this point he thrust forward a sunflower that Yao didn't notice until now. "For you comrade."

Yao looked between him and the flower two—three times before he settled on Ivan's face. "…Really?" He asked in dry monotone, studying the other for a reaction.

Ivan simply blinked down at the other, his smile not faltering in the slightest. If there was any change he had simply gone from amused to bemused. "Of course! I would not come if I was not sure, hum?"

Yao simply shook his head and sighed heavily, deflating with the exhale. He knew when to give up. Grudgingly he accepted the gift. "…Thanks," He supplied half heartedly though the widening of Ivan's smile said that was all he needed. Sighing again Yao turned around and sauntered towards his kitchen. Once there he grabbed the vase that was shoved in the corner on top of the counters and plucked out the old sunflower. For some strange reason, Ivan always seemed to reappear with a new flower every time the older one would start to wilt. Strange.

When he was finished swapping the flowers and giving the new one some fresh water he made his way back toward the front door to invite the other inside only to find that he had already wandered in. For some reason, every time the Russian entered his abode he would look around amazed as if it was the first time he had forced himself in. It wasn't, and he knew it wouldn't be the last time either.

Seeing as the man was now in his house he decided to take the role of host. "Tea or snacks, aru?"

Ivan stopped looking around and turned to smile at the man. "Ah, no. I was actually thinking you and I go out for subsidence. It is midday, yes?"

Though his tone suggested he barely had a choice in the matter Yao still easily shook his head. "I'm busy right now." His eyes wondered to the door leading to his 'work station' but he quickly snapped them back to the man in front of him. He knew that if he went back through that door now Ivan would only follow and he rather not have someone staring at him as he thought.

Ivan seemed rather disappointed with the news—as he usually did when he came over and half ordered him to do things—but he still dragged on. "Busy with what?"

Yao paused as he recalled his small incident with Matthew's brother and how he had made a mental note to keep his theories to himself until he could gather more definite proof, or in this case for the next few days. Though he knew he had to tell him something, just enough to satisfy the question so that he would leave. "I'm preparing for the meeting on Friday."

Ivan was honestly confused. "There is a special meeting this Friday?"

Yao had sent out that message nearly twenty minutes ago. With all the technology the youth of today carried around in their pockets twenty four seven he would have thought nearly everyone had gotten it by now. "Yes. I sent an email to everyone. You should have it by now."

"Ah, okay! I'll be sure to read it when I get home."

Yao simply nodded and looked to the Russian as he waited for him to leave. He made no move to do so. Rather, Ivan seemed perfectly content to stand there and stare at the shorter male with a large child like smile on his face. Yao crossed his arms and frowned. "Wh—"

"How are preparations?" Ivan asked before Yao would even utter out a single syllable.

Yao narrowed his eyes in faint suspicion. "Did you come here for small talk? Because I can't—"

"No small talk—"

"Stop interrupting me! I have a lot to do before the meeting. I don't have time to talk, aru!"

Ivan seemed rather affected by his bluntness but Yao didn't care. It was a wonder as to why he had answered the door in the first place. He had told himself he would work without distractions until he was satisfied and now here he was barely an hour in and he was wasting his time. Any more distractions and he would be making negative progress.

A swift thought took away Ivan's brief disappointment. "Mm, you are not doing so well? That is a shame. Perhaps I can help?"

Yao paused as he thought of any way Ivan could help him. After brief consideration he asked, "Have you seen Elizabeta?" He had been trying to contact her for a while so that she could answer some questions he had about her grandfather. He should have asked her sooner but he had refrained to give the girl time to grieve, and now she was nowhere to be found. He must be getting soft.

"Liz? She has been missing a while…" Ivan's gaze turned skyward and he put a finger on his jaw in a thinking matter. "I looked but I guess she likes hiding."

Of course, it would never be that easy. Yao blew some air out of his nose before he shrugged. "Then you can't help, aru."

Still Ivan dragged on. "I could be a friend to jump your brain off of."

"Jump my brain off—what?"

"You know, when you cannot see all the sides of a thought so you go to someone else for their assistance."

"…You mean 'bounce ideas off of?'"

"Is that not what I said?"

Yao opened his mouth to retort but closed it with a second thought. Hm, it didn't seem as if Ivan planned to leave anytime soon and he knew from experience trying to kick him out would only backfire. As long as he was here he may as well be used for something. Again Yao rolled up his sleeves and showcased his ability with a quick flick of his fingers. "Fine, sit down."

Ivan smiled before he moved deeper into the apartment and sat on the couch, looking as chipper as he had when Yao accepted his flowers. Ignoring that Yao walked over to the small coffee table, pushed a few papers off it and sat so he was directly in front of the other. Alright, maybe Ivan was right, maybe talking would help sort himself out. Even so, he didn't want to clue him in on exactly what he was looking into until the meeting so whatever he had to talk about had to be general. It didn't take him much thought to decide on a topic to speak on. Sighing, he began, "Maybe I'm getting paranoid in my old age."

Ivan laughed. "You're young for an old person."

Yao ignored that. "The meeting is to warn every one of the possible danger but maybe my paranoia's getting the better of me—don't look at me at that." He quickly added when he noticed the faint slip of Ivan's smile. "I know what the younger members say behind my back, aru. Crazy, like they know what crazy is." He snorted before he absentmindedly stood and began to pace. "They don't know about the man who thought he was Jesus in Dallas or the woman that had to be sedated in Liverpool before she could be cleansed. If they knew how dangerous they were then maybe they would take me more seriously."

"Then tell."

Yao stopped his pacing to regard Ivan seriously. "No. There's no reason, aru, I gave up hunting ignorant ability users two years ago. When I told Bella the stories it took her far longer than she said for her to get over the stupid people in the world, she's still nervous around me sometimes. It's a wonder she helps me as much as she does, her ability must make her used to being wary." He would have appreciated her mind on this whole 'killer' issue but because she was a high school teacher and the academic year was nearly over, he knew she would be busy for the next few weeks.

The first sharp notes of his ring tone wafted into the room, closely followed by the violent rumbling of his phones vibrations against solid wood.

"Ignore that, it's Yong Soo." He commanded when he noticed Ivan's gaze drift towards the sound. Yao continued to pace as waited for his phone to quiet. As soon as it did he continued. "No, I can't tell them about the bad ability users out there. The worse thing someone with abilities can do is not use their ability but some of the things I've seen even make me stop sometimes." He raised his hand and allowed his paints to hover in the air around him as he paced. "If I tell the others then who knows what stupid things they would do, especially Gilbert or Michelle or Kaoru or—" He abruptly stopped his pacing, the paints he allowed out of his fingertips panicking and twirling around his hand to make up for blank space they were denied further on. Yao snapped his gaze to Ivan, who merely tilted his head in confusion, before he clutched his hand, instantly making the neon colours around him vanish as if they never existed.

First he moved the coffee table out of the way so that he could stand in front of the Russian without the fear of tripping over the furniture should he take a step back (which he was ashamed to admit he had done a few times before). "Don't be one of them, aru."

Ivan simply smiled innocently in response. "Hm?"

Yao firmly placed his hands on top of Ivan's knees before he leaned forward just close enough that Ivan could see the seriousness reflected in his eyes. "Your ability is one of the biggest I've ever seen and if you're not careful it could consume you. Don't let that happen, you're too soft-hearted to deal with it. Promise me that won't happen."

He hoped for this moment that trademark smile of his would sink and Ivan would allow one of his rare sterner expressions to show through. He just didn't know what to make of it when Ivan's smile grew and he let out a sound that was dangerously sound to a giggle. He felt even further trepidation when Ivan reached up and gently patted his cheeks twice before letting his large hands rest on each side of his face. "Just because it is you: I promise."

Yao wanted to nod but Ivan held his head quite firmly. "Right, good." His previous set state was slowly ebbing into discomfort as the Russian refused to let him go so that he could straighten up. Their faces were but inches apart and though that same position had helped him prove his point before, now it was just unnecessary and kind of embarrassing and Ivan was just staring at him and smiling. Though he had tried hard to not let this word cross his mind in relation to whatever Ivan did, even he had to admit that this was creepy.

The phone rung again and for once he was glad for it.

"I-I need to get that. It might be Yong Soo." With effort be pried Ivan's hands off him and briskly made his way towards the device, inwardly releasing breaths of relief. He re-entered his 'work station' and answered his phone. He saved him from that weird situation, he owned him. "You have three minutes. What's do you want?" He just didn't owe him that much.

Immediately, Yong Soo dove into it. "Aniki! I have to talk to you about something personal."

Yao didn't bother hiding his groan. "I said not to call unless it was important, aru!"

"This is important! At least, it is to me, da~ze…"

"Why don't you call your parents then?"

"My parents are on another continent! Aniki~ Yao~ guy who acts as my guardian and signs all my permission slips~! I need to talk to you! "

Argh, don't remind him. "Fine, aru. Talk then—hey!" He moved his phone away so he could glare at the Russian who had decided it was perfectly okay to just waltz in. "What are you doing? How rud—"

"Aniki?"

Grudgingly Yao put the phone back to his ear. "Yes, sorry, I'm listening, say it!"

"Okay, okay don't rush me, da~ze! Aniki, I think I…I think I…uhh…I…"

Annoyed that Yong Soo had decided to become shy the one time he wanted him to speak he snapped, "Say it or I'll hang up!"

"Oh, you're so mean! If you knew what I was going to say you wouldn't act like that!"

"Then say it!"

"I can't! Oh, it's too embarrassing to say over the phone! You have to come over here so I can tell you! Please, please I know you're working but this is super important, da~ze! I'll even help you with whatever you're working on when you're done just please come! In the next hour or so?"

"That's stup—"

"Great! Thanks Aniki you're the best! I'll see you soon!"

Dial tone.

Hanging up the device he slammed it on the desk before he turned to glower at Ivan, channelling his anger towards the one he could see. "You can't just wander around someone's home like you own it!" He stormed over and began pushing Ivan out of the room, not caring that the man was physically larger and heavier than him and if he had it in his mind to stay put there wasn't much that Yao could do about it. Fortunately Ivan allowed himself to be shoved out.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I thought if I knew what you needed help with I could serve you better."

"If I wanted you to know I would have told you!" Yao groaned and rubbed his forehead in an obvious show of annoyance. This had gone on for a little too long. "Go home, Ivan. If you can help I'll—"

"I did not know Mr. Barnabas was a part of Liz's family."

What.

Yao paused and regarded Ivan critically. "…You knew him?"

"Once." Ivan answered with a finger raised. "He was the one who did not enjoy my cello."

"You…still play?"

"When the feeling comes."

Yao's brow furrowed. Cello…Sylvain, victim number three, played the cello professionally… "Why were you playing for Elizabeta's grandfather?"

"Hm? Did you forget? I played to audition."

Yao searched his mind for any news that Ivan had told him about playing his cello. Eventually he shrugged. "Recently?"

Ivan was disappointed with Yao's memory. "Well, I am not old enough for it to a short time so no. It was at the start of the last new year, when I wanted to be part of Sheldon University."

Sheldon University? That was the school that Gayle, victim number four, had attended. "But you don't go there."

"I thought it was obvious I was not successful, da?"

Oh, Yao noted that he had accidentally hit a sore spot. He immediately made to clear it up, actually wanting Ivan to stay. "I don't see why. You're a good player, aru."

The resulting smile on Ivan's face told him his plan had worked. "Thank you, comrade. I thought I was fine as well but he did not like it so I will have to try harder."

"But why was he judging you? He was a professor but he's been retired for years."

To that Ivan shrugged. "I don't know how his mind works but I think Liz said he goes to the school sometimes when he is bored. So maybe he was my guest star? Like on American Idol?" He shook his head with a sigh and Yao noted Ivan's new furlong look with interest. "It is a shame I was the only one not successful."

"Ah? He only said no to you?"

"No, that's just silly. There will always be people worse than me who think they deserve more but that's not important. I was thinking about our friends who won, Liz, Roderich, Vash—I'm not too sure—Feliks, Toris, his older brother Eduard and…Hm." He paused to tilt his head and frown at the random space beside him. "…I feel like there is someone else…" He gave it a few more seconds of thought before he shrugged and smiled down at the Chinaman. "It must not be important. You have to work, hm? I'll go and get you some food so you can focus."

"That's okay, I'm fine." Yao quickly cut in when Ivan took a step towards the front door. "I…have to go talk to Yong Soo now…" He had half a mind to skip the meeting he didn't even agree to go to but he knew that if he didn't he would be subject to Yong Soo's overdramatic whining for the next who knows how long. He didn't have the will power to go through that. "We'll leave together but thank you, aru. You were a great help, surprisingly."

Ivan smiled before he moved out of the other's way and gestured towards the door, politely indicating that he go first. Though Yao hadn't planned to leave right at that moment he complied with a small shrug. He might as well go now and get it over with. Yao took his keys and headed out the door, Ivan closely in tow.

"I'll drive you and then on the way maybe we can get some food."

"I'm not hungry. Why do you always want to eat with me?"

"I like seeing you eat."

"Aiyeh…"

In this story I view Yao and Ivan's relationship in such a way that it would make a ChinaxRussia fan sad. I not even a fan of the pairing and yet sometimes it makes me sad. Pst, I should stop getting so into fandoms.

For those who don't speak Canadian: the GTA stands for the Greater Toronto Area which, as you may have guessed, consists of Toronto and the towns and cities around it. A large percentage of Canada's population live within the GTA (Hellz yeah Ontarioians!).

Sheldon University is just some random name, I'm not sure if it's an actual university. I should probably look it up but it's too much of an insignificant detail to be bothered. I guess it can also be viewed as a parody of Sheridan Collage, a very prestigious art school in Canada, but it doesn't really matter.

Thank you foREVerhauntingme, sheroukittty, fan girl 666, Chelseaj500, Mikadocon, death2society, MoonlightMew513, Cisella, Darkmoonphase, TinaBanina96, Berry Doyle, mIsS-vIcToRy96, Odisdera-kun, Ashe-Kuro, black-misty-sky, Just A Girl With A Keyboard, Tweaks, Hetaliafangirl1113, The Hungry Writer, Say It Say My Name, Leafy Savanna Chan, Dominion123, Melody Syper Carston, Ayla The Librarian(welcome back!) and xXIceXxShatteredXx for the reviews!

I hoped you enjoyed and I further hope you will leave a review telling me what you think! Thanks for reading! ^^