No Money, No Love
By: Witch Baby
A/N: By the way, I don't know WHAT THE FUCK is wrong with Fanfiction . net, but it's fucking up my page breaks. So, sorry folks. Enjoy chapter 12!
"I fear what they'd do if they finally catch me
I fear they'd take my home, if they find I roam, find I'm free
They want you to think it's possible to live a life without chains,
But it you, if you go to far, you'll fine they're pulling on your reins..."
Chapter 12: Fight or Flight Response
Someya did her best not to dance in victory as Kanou silently walked into her office and sat down across from her. The Kuba twins followed behind, Misao setting two packages on her desk. Smiling, she opened the smaller one first, reveling a brand new tea set, a lovely piece of white porcelain etched with silver and multi-colored butterflies. The second box contained a beautiful, and expensive, royal purple kimono stitched with silvery winged birds in flight."Oh, Dana, you shouldn't have,"
Kanou continued to glare. The Okama rolled her eyes, fingers brushing lovingly against the silk of her new kimono. "Your apology is accepted." she said with a wink, "Though this in no means buys my loyalty."
"I'm not trying to buy your loyalty Okama." the male hissed between clenched teeth.
"You know what you need Dana? A vacation. I know I love little bath house in the country-"
"Shut the hell up Someya!" Kanou barked, hands clenched at his sides, lest he lean over and hit the woman.
"Tsk, tsk, I was only trying to help."
"If you want to help, then damn it help!"
"And your not saying I haven't all ready?" Someya shot back, truly angry. "You think I enjoy watching this? Watching Ayase-kun run into my room crying or you throwing your tantrums and scaring my workers?"
Kanou only growled in response.
"Oh stuff it." Someya snapped, "You can't see past your own selfishness Kanou. I could have easily just let Ayase run off his own. Regardless of my help, he would have left you. But I stuck my hand in and helped him, just to make sure he was safe."
"Fuck you Okama!" Kanou yelled, "You don't know if he would have left me! If you weren't sitting there, putting ideas in his head-"
"I assure you this was not my doing. Ayase wanted to leave. This was his decision from the start."
Kanou looked away, expression stony, though Someya was unsure if it was due to her words or from his own frustration. "There is a lot more to him then you think, you know." she said softly.
"You think I don't know that?" he snapped, "You think I don't see that now? He was mine for three years, but it feels like I don't even know him! Why didn't he just talk to me damn it? Why won't he just let me take care of him?"
"Would you have listened?"
"Of course." Kanou replied without hesitation.
Someya sighed, one manicured hand rubbing the headache slowly building in her temples. " I do believe I need some tea..." she mumbled crossly.
It was going to be a long afternoon...
Ayase wasn't sure how long he stayed on the kitchen floor. The sobbing had stopped, though the tears continued to flow freely down his cheeks. It felt like they never would cease. He was sick of it. He cried so much in his life, over the most simplistic of things. Would he ever be strong enough? Would he forever be ruled by outside forces?
A knock on his door jarred him from his thoughts. He didn't know why, or how, but he was suddenly rushing to the door, apologies falling from his lips. "Kanou-san I'm so-"
He stopped at the sight of a very shocked Skyler, hand raised in mid-knock. The younger blond let it fall to his side, teeth nibbling his bottom lip in worry at Ayase's miserable state. "Um...hi..." he said uncertainly.
Ayase stood there, blinking his eyes, though seemingly unseeing of the blond in front of him. He said nothing, was unable to say anything. He just wanted to see Kanou there, an angry look on his face. He wanted to apologize, say he was wrong, until that anger melted away into something softer and Ayase didn't have to worry about anything anymore.
The tears started to fall once more. He wondered, almost hysterically, if he would ever run out. What happened to people who no longer cried?
Suddenly two thin arms wrapped themselves around him, and whispered soothing nonsense into his hair. "It will be all right..." Skyler promised, "You'll be fine, everything will be fine."
He didn't know why, but he believed Skyler. Maybe it was his voice, sounding broken, but sure. Maybe it was the look in his eyes. As if he had walked down the same paths that Ayase was currently taking, and knew that there would be light at the end.
"Come on." he said gently, standing and offering Ayase a hand, "Go get dressed. I think I know exactly what you need."
Ayase followed behind a determined Skyler, eyes wary as they darted around. He had never been on this side of town before. Then again, he was rarely allowed to wander by himself, but he heard stories about these places. "Um... Skyler-kun? Where are we going?" he asked hesitantly as he struggled to keep up with the blond.
The younger male suddenly stopped in the middle of the street, turning on his heel to pin Ayase with a fiery glare. "You know what your problem is Aya-chan? You have no balls."
Ayase's mouth dropped open, a blush staining his cheeks at the cross-dressers crude language. "W-what are you talking about?"
Skyler let out a frustrated growl, turning back around and resuming his half-drag, half-walk with the other blond, ranting the whole time. "We may be shorter, we may not be strong, but that doesn't make us lesser men damn it!"
"S-Skyler-kun, slow down!"
"So what if you like to clean! So what if I like to prance around in a skirt! That doesn't give them the right to push us around! Just because they 'know whats best' for us?"
Still ranting, he dragged the flustered and embarrassed blond through the doorway of a small little studio. An taller male with dirty blond hair looked at them with confusion, before smiling in recognition. "Ah, Skyler, rambling on about feminist ideals again."
"Fuck you Thomas!" the younger male shouted, "You have no idea what it's like! You're over six feet!"
The one known as Thomas just smiled and shook his head, walking from around the counter to stand in front of the two blonds. Ayase's eyes widened. He was really tall! And foreign too, if he could go by the name and the slight accent to his Japanese. The taller male offered him a kind smile. "And who might you be?" he asked.
Skyler perked up, turning to Ayase as if he was surprised he was there. "Ah! I forgot. Thomas, this is Ayase. Ayase, this is Thomas."
"Nice to meet you."
"I was hoping maybe you could teach him some moves. Like you've been teaching me!"
Thomas smiled, his eyes warm and adoring as they trailed over Skyler. "Sure thing."
Ayase looked from Skyler, to Thomas, and back, still unsure and more than confused. "Uh... if you don't mind me asking... what are you going to teach me? And... w-who are you?"
"Oh, this is my half-brother." Skyler said simply, already heading towards the back.
"What?"
Thomas smiled sheepishly. "It's a long story..."
Ayase bit his lip, not wanting to press the issue, though it at least explained Skyler's hair and complexion. He followed the brothers towards the back, where it opened up to a spacious room, mats covering most of the floor. There was a punching bag in one corner too, as well as exercise equipment and full length mirrors covering one whole wall. "What is this place?"
"It's my training room." Thomas answered before disappearing somewhere into a room in the back.
"Training?"
Skyler nodded. "Thomas is trained in all types of wrestling and martial arts styles. I find it sort of ironic really."
Ayase frowned in confusion. "How so?"
"Thomas is 100% American. Yet, he has a half-Japanese sibling and is top in the ranks of mixed martial arts." Skyler shrugged, "I just think it's funny."
Ayase thought on it a moment, before agreeing with a giggle. "But why did you bring me here?"
Skyler looked at him thoughtfully. "What is the one thing you want most Ayase-kun?"
The blond seemed a little surprised by the question, as Kanou's strong profile flashed through his thoughts. He pushed it aside. "To become stronger." he answered quietly.
Skyler smiled bitter-sweetly. "Yes, we all wished we were a little stronger. A little bit tougher looking. Maybe then they'd take you seriously, right?"
Ayase looked away, unable to meet Skyler's eyes. The younger male continued talking softly. "But it's hard for us. We aren't built like them. We aren't made to be strong."
Ayase still couldn't look at him, thought quietly he asked, "So, what can we do?"
Skyler chuckled. "It means we fight a hundred times harder. We go the extra mile to prove we aren't as weak as we look."
The older blond looked up at him in surprise. "You either live as a victim, or as a fighter Ayase." Skyler explained, "You can't be both."
Thomas came out then, dressed in loose fitting shorts and a few water bottles in hand. "Ready to get started?" he asked, "I'm sure Skyler could lend you some work out clothes."
Skyler stood and grabbed Ayase's hand. "Come Aya-chan, lets show 'em what we're made of!"
In the back, Ayase went into the bathroom to change, not comfortable to dress in front of another male. Skyler had pulled off his shirt before they had even gone through the door, but he seemed to understand Ayase's need for privacy. The older male had a lot to think about, and wanted to take a moment to catch his breath. Skyler was like Someya when the okama was excited. She tended to talk fast, and quite loudly as well, spouting out her opinions without a care in the world. It was a trait that Ayase admired and wished he possessed.
Stepping out of the room, he found Skyler waiting patiently waiting. "Ready now?"
Ayase nodded, though made no move to follow. "Um... Skyler-kun?"
"Hm?"
"I just..." he took a deep breath, "I wanted to thank you. We hardly know each other but... you've helped me with so much."
For the first time, Skyler actually smiled. There was no mischievousness in it, nor falseness. Just a simple smile. "You're welcome Ayase."
Smiling in return, they headed out together to meet with Thomas.
A/N: Yay! Another chapter done! WoOt! I'm on a roll!
Lyrics credited to Abney Park, their song 'Fight of Flight'.On a completely random note, they did a cover of one of my favorite songs 'Creep', originally sung by Radiohead. The cover wasn't that bad, but the original is better. But I just luuuuuv stalker music. :3
And I forgot to say this last chapter, but the song was 'Four in the Morning' by the wonderful Gwen Stefani. I miss when she was still in No Doubt...
Next chapter should be up soon. No more running away for me! I was a little surprised only got like, two reviews for chapter 11. I mean, I TEMPTED YOU ALL WITH SMUT! Neh, maybe all the fangirls are holding out in protest for my absence?
Review Replies! To all two of you! And thanks to everyone who read it as well! Please review! My offer of smut to my 100th review still stands!
CarmieHime: I think we should take a baseball bat, and knock some sense into Kanou... but that's just me as a person. As a fanfic writer, I'll just like, make him learn a lesson or something. :3 Thanks for reviewing. Don't worry about Skyler and Homare. TEH TRUTH SHALL BE REVEALED... at a much later time...
Onige-a: Aw, you're one of my favorite readers! Shush! Don't tell the others! I hope you get lucky and get to be my 100th reviewer! If not maybe I'll just be awesome and write you something anyway. Thanks for the confidence boost! :3