Ash's breath left his chest. He blinked in shock and looked down at the blue paint splattered on his shirt. A bullseye to the heart.

Eiji was still standing with the gun pointed at Ash. His eyes were clouded and there was no emotion on his face.

"Eiji, you bastard!" Shorter screamed, lunging against the iron grips of the guards restraining him.

"Good aim," Fox laughed. "Bullseye to the heart."

Ash looked up at Eiji, his heart detached and weightless in his chest, like a cartoon where the ground suddenly drops out from under you and there's those few suspended seconds before the fall.

Eiji's eyes turned away from Ash and he placed the gun back in Fox's outstretched hand. He flinched as Fox wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close.

Fox pressed his face against Eiji's neck, inhaling his scent, his teeth brushing against the delicate skin as he spoke. "You didn't think about shooting me, did you, Eiji?"

Eiji flinched, his hands fumbling nervously as he pressed against Fox's side.

Fox grinned. "Normally I would punish you. But I'm in a good mood."

Fox looked up at Ash and smiled. "Oh, look what you've done, Eiji. You hurt his feelings. I think you owe Ash an apology. Why don't you kiss and make up?"

Ash looked up, angry tears in his eyes. "Don't. Leave him alone."

Fox looked amused. "He just shot you in the heart, and you still want to stick up for him?"

"Yes," Ash glared. "I promised forever."

Eiji didn't look up. Ash watched him desperately but there was no glance or indication that he had heard, that the words meant anything to him.

Fox looked between them and grinned. "Aw, how sweet."

Fox shoved Eiji forward. Eiji stumbled in surprise and fell to the floor, his hand over his mouth, cowering like a dog that expected to be kicked. Shorter glared and looked away.

Fox nudged Eiji with his foot. "I gave you a command, Eiji."

Eiji stood shakily and walked to where Ash was chained.

Ash pulled away. "Eiji, don't."

Eiji stopped.

Fox sneered. "Like you mean it, Eiji."

Eiji leaned forward, his soft hands capturing Ash this time. His lips pressed against him gently, his lips parting as his tongue slid into Ash's mouth.

Ash blinked in surprise, then tears cascaded down his cheeks and a sudden, sobbing breath broke from him. Eiji pulled away and stared at him a moment. Then his hands dropped and he turned away.

Fox held out a pair of dark, leather shackles, waiting. Eiji glanced at the new restraints nervously but obediently laid his hands inside, wincing as Fox cinched them around his wrists, a simple chain binding his hands together.

Fox smiled and stroked Eiji's black hair gently. "Good boy."

He looked up and smiled. "Do you like my pet, Ash? We had lots of fun together while we waited for you, didn't we, Eiji?."

Ash's head hung low, tears still dripping from his face.

Fox grinned and turned. "What do you think, Dino?"

Golzine appeared from the shadows. He stood in front of Eiji and pulled his chin up, studying him. Eiji met his gaze meekly; the defiance had long since been driven from his eyes.

"You were supposed to train him, not break him," Dino growled, dropping Eiji's face.

Fox shrugged, "Unfortunately, with ones like this there is no difference. Still, I think you'll enjoy the product." Fox trailed his hands down Eiji's body and smirked at Dino.

"Go on then, Eiji. You'll be a good boy, won't you?" Fox leaned in and whispered, "Give him everything he's ever wanted."

Dino's men came forward and took Eiji away. Fox watched them leave then turned to Shorter.

"Shorter Wong. I've heard you've caused more than a little trouble for my new friends. I promised them I'd take care of you," Fox grinned. "But I didn't expect you to walk right into my hands."

Shorter wasn't listening. He was watching Ash, body slumped in his chains, head bowed. Shorter wanted to scream at him to get up and fight, to yell, to do something. But Eiji's last kiss had drained the life from him. The cracks Shorter had watched form over weeks were now shattered and hanging in broken shards.

Fox followed his gaze. He looked back at Shorter and smiled.

The guards dragged Shorter from the room but Ash barely lifted his head.

Fox looked back at Ash, hiding his smirk.

He sighed, "You should have been here to see it, Ash. You would have been proud of him. I thought it'd be easy, but he was hard to break. He held out for so long waiting for you to rescue him."

Ash said nothing but his hands clenched into fists.

Fox smiled. "Oh, sore subject I see. I'll leave you to your thoughts then. Try not to think about how much he went through. Or what will happen to him now that he's back in the hands of his master."

Ash glared up through angry tears as the door slammed shut.

Eiji was thrown into the bedroom. He stumbled, catching himself unsteadily.

Yut-Lung was sitting on the bed and watched him carefully. Fox had not allowed him near Eiji since the night Blanca escaped. Eiji was thinner now and the faint shadows of bruises dappled across his body, traces of hurts that had not quite healed. His unfocused eyes showed no recognition, only fear. Had they drugged him? Yut-Lung's eyes flicked to Dino.

Dino stalked across the room, glaring. He waved his hand and Yut-Lung stood and approached Eiji. He began undoing Eiji's clothes and Eiji let him, trembling hard.

Dino crossed over to them. Yut-Lung stepped aside but glanced beneath his eyelashes, keeping his sharp eyes on Eiji. But Eiji only cowered obediently before Dino, not even daring to lift his eyes.

Dino looked down at him and his eyes softened. "Eiji."

Eiji flinched at the sound of his name, then painfully, hesitatingly, lifted his eyes.

"Don't you recognize me, Eiji?"

Eiji blinked, unsure of the right answer.

Dino reached forward and brushed his hand against Eiji's cheek. "In all the years I've owned you, you've never done anything willingly. You've never kissed me willingly. Will you kiss me now, Eiji?"

Eiji's eyes lifted past the hand on his cheek and met Dino's face. He stepped forward, his lips landing on the old man's, drawing him in, offering himself to him. Yut-Lung stared.

Eiji pulled back and hesitated, then pushed in again. Dino grabbed him angrily and threw him to the floor.

Dino snarled. "That fool turned my beautiful pather into nothing but an cowering house cat."

Dino grabbed Eiji by the arm and hauled him onto the bed.

Eiji didn't resist.

Dino hit him, enraged. With the pain, fear flickered back into Eiji's eyes. Dino watched him and hit him again.

Yut-Lung looked away.


Eiji lay face down on the bed, unmoving. Fresh bruises bloomed in dark stains against his pale skin and his eyes watched dully as Dino left, the door slamming behind him.

Yut-Lung pulled off his robe. A whimper left Eiji as he stepped forward.

"Shhh, it's okay," Yut-Lung said softly.

The boy was trembling as Yut-Lung draped the robe over him, the silk settling coolly against his raw skin.

Yut-Lung helped him gently to his feet.

"Would you like a bath, Eiji?"

Eiji stepped into the warm water, letting Yut-Lung hold his arm to steady him.

Yut-Lung picked up a bar of soap and began to wash him gently. Eiji sat there numbly, his head bowed, but slowly the trembling began to leave his body and his muscles twitched and relaxed under the hot water and gentle motion.

Yut-Lung's fingers traced over the mix of fresh bruises and old scars that laced across Eiji's body. Yut-Lung was little better than a hostage here, but he was still protected by the power of his brothers. Eiji had nothing… There was nothing short of death to stop Dino from using him however he liked. As he had already been used for years…

Yut-Lung suddenly bowed his head, tears dripping down. "Eiji, I'm so sorry. I didn't know… I- I thought… Please, forgive me. I'm so sorry."

Alone in the dark, Ash took a deep breath. His muscles shook as he slowly hauled himself up, the shackles cutting against the bones in his wrists.

He bought himself enough slack to grab hold of the chain and lifted the cuff of the shackle to his face. He could still taste Eiji's kiss as he maneuvered the key between his teeth and pushed it into the lock.

Eiji looked at Yut-Lung as he stood to get a towel. His eyes were clear and sharp and his face set as he considered him quietly.

When Yut-Lung turned back, he was still cowering silently, nothing on his face but meekness and fear.